MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. government should treat immigrant and refugee children with compassion and provide them with appropriate health care, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says in a new policy statement. "Many of the immigrant children arriving to this country from our southern border are victims of unspeakable violence, persecution and abject poverty," AAP President Dr. Fernando Stein said in a news release from the group. "From the moment they are placed in U.S. custody, they deserve a warm, safe and nurturing environment. They should receive health care that meets basic standards," Stein added. Children should never be placed in detention facilities, regardless of whether they arrive in the United States alone or with an adult, the AAP said. In addition, children should never be separated from their families. Immigrant and refugee children should be treated with dignity and respect, and should not be subjected to conditions that may cause them further harm or trauma, the policy statement said. Also, the children should be provided with comprehensive, culturally sensitive medical care in their own language. U.S. Department of Homeland Security facilities for temporary housing of immigrants don't meet basic standards of care for children in residential settings, the statement said. Dr. Marsha Griffin, policy statement co-author, said, "We are hearing reports about children who have been detained, even for a short time, who are showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and behavioral problems." Griffin is co-chair of the AAP Immigrant Health Special Interest Group. "There is no evidence that spending any time in detention is safe for children. Parents, too, may be traumatized by the isolating conditions, making it difficult for them to respond to their children's needs," she said in the news release. About 95 percent of children arriving at the southern U.S. border are from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Extreme violence and poverty are common in those countries, and they don't have state protection for at-risk children and families, the AAP report said. In 2016, nearly 60,000 unaccompanied children and nearly 78,000 families sought asylum at the border, according to U.S. government data. Dr. Alan Shapiro, another policy statement co-author, pointed out that "it is not illegal to come to our border and seek protection." Shapiro said that "these families are fleeing violence and they are asking for asylum. They should be viewed as asylum seekers, not undocumented or illegal immigrants. We should treat them humanely and compassionately." The statement was published online March 13 in the journal Pediatrics. More information The World Health Organization has more on child refugees. MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Just because your doctor orders more -- or more high-priced -- tests and procedures when you're in the hospital doesn't mean that you get better care, a new study suggests. Medicare patients treated by higher-spending physicians are just as likely to be re-admitted or die within 30 days of being admitted to the hospital as patients treated by doctors who order fewer or less-expensive tests and treatments, the study revealed. "Spending more doesn't always mean you get better health," senior study author Dr. Anupam Jena, of Harvard Medical School, said in a statement. Health care spending in the United States varies widely from one region to the next, and even across hospitals within the same community, studies have shown. However, this new analysis is believed to be the first to assess spending differences between physicians within the same hospital, and patient outcomes. Among "hospitalists" -- who treat patients while they're in the hospital -- average adjusted spending per hospitalization varied by more than 40 percent between the highest- and lowest-spending physicians. Researchers don't fully understand what's driving spending differences between physicians. Study author Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa said it could be random. "One doctor is more expensive, one doctor is less expensive, and both doctors are delivering equivalent quality of care and equivalent patient outcomes," he explained. Tsugawa is a research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. It's also possible that less-experienced doctors are ordering more tests and imaging studies to fill in the gap of their experience, he added. Researchers don't know how much wasteful spending is occurring. Tsugawa said it's important to identify and weed out "low-value" services that don't benefit patients, such as prescribing antibiotics for viral infections like the flu or ordering MRI scans for chronic low back pain. The study was published online March 13 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. For the study, the investigators looked at average physician spending using a random sample of Medicare patients, aged 65 and older, who were hospitalized for a non-elective condition. The analysis focused on general internists -- the largest group of doctors in the United States -- and hospitalists. Physician spending was calculated using 2011 and 2012 data and then applied to patient outcomes in 2013 and 2014. (Using different time periods reduces the chances that a physician treating sicker patients in one year would affect that doctor's spending estimates, the researchers explained.) Spending across physicians in a single hospital varied more than across hospitals, even after accounting for differences between hospitals and patient populations, the study found. Overall, 8.4 percent of the spending variation could be explained by differences between physicians, while 7 percent was associated with differences between hospitals, the findings showed. However, higher spending didn't result in better outcomes. The researchers said they found no difference in 30-day re-admissions or patient deaths -- two key quality-of-care indicators. The study authors concluded that policies targeting physicians within hospitals "may be more effective in reducing wasteful spending than policies focusing solely on hospitals." One health care cost expert agreed. Targeting physician and hospital variation "is clearly worth pursuing," said Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "However, it is not clear how to do this," said Anderson, who was not involved in the study. Hospitals began monitoring physician spending patterns years ago using patients' length of stay, and over the years the list of measures has expanded, Anderson said. Emerging reforms seek to align doctor payments with their performance, the study authors noted. Beginning in 2019, for example, Medicare will begin rewarding or penalizing physicians on the quality and cost efficiency of care they provide. Medicare is also shifting to a payment model that rewards hospitals for value over volume of care by bundling payment for all services associated with a particular type of care, such as hip replacements. "As we move towards bundled payments, it is now appropriate to start looking at overall spending associated with the physicians," Anderson said. More information Click here to learn more about Medicare Part B physician services. Feeding street children in Manila Introducing the death penalty and lowering the age of criminal responsibility could be a toxic combination in the Philippines. By age 12, Ryan had already sold crack cocaine, begged, and stolen from shops. He had been to prison five times, and was brutally tortured by police to find out where he had hidden a necklace. The police made me kneel on a rough floor all night and beat my legs with the batuta stick. They had no mercy, even though I begged in pain, Ryan said. After that, he was given only a biscuit for dinner, and sent back to his jail cell, he told Unicef workers. The Philippines had its third and final reading this week of a bill to bring back the death penaltyone of President Dutertes main election campaign promises. If the bill is passed, the Philippines would be the first country in Southeast Asia to abolish and then reinstate capital punishment. Compounding this is the likely lowering of the age of criminal responsibility to nine, which would make it one of the only nations in the world to hold children under ten to account. If the death penalty is passed, and the age of criminal responsibility is reduced, its possible that children like Ryan, forced onto the streets to provide for their large families, could face execution. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 9 is a death sentence to our children, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is opposing the bill, said in a national press conference in February. By treating children in conflict with the law as hardened criminals, they could either end up dead in the hands of extrajudicial killers or the state. The third reading of the bill yesterday in the lower house was largely symbolic, as it has already passed in the Lower Chamber with 217 votes in favor, and just 54 against . Finally, it will go to the Senate, which is also sympathetic to Duterte. The president must then sign off on the bill, and the death penalty will be in force. The Senate is now the Philippines last real hope of upholding its international obligations and rescuing the country from this backwards step, said Champa Patel, Amnesty Internationals director for southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006, amid overwhelming support from legislators . The then president Gloria Arroyo, signed the law to end the punishment just before she visited the Vatican to meet the Pope. We yield to the high moral imperative dictated by God to walk away from capital punishment, Arroyo said in a speech Twelve years later, and the current government is committed to reinstating the penalty. By Manolo Serapio Jr and Enrico Dela Cruz MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday accused some miners of funding efforts to destabilise his government as he talked about a possible plan to impose a ban on mining given the environmental damage producers have caused. Duterte, who has said the Southeast Asian nation can survive without mining, has backed a crackdown on miners by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez in the world's top supplier of nickel ore. Duterte said he was looking at a total mining ban "and then we'll talk", referring to miners. "When it comes to the preservation of my country, the land...I will do what is necessary," Duterte told a media briefing. "I know that some of you are giving funding to the other side to destabilise me," he said, referring to companies in the mining sector he did not name. He did not say how his government was being destabilised, only that there could be efforts to make him "unpopular". The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, which groups many large-scale miners, said in a statement it was "unaware of any mining company that is supportive of any destabilisation efforts against the administration". Duterte has supported Lopez's Feb. 2 order to shut 23 of the country's 41 mines to protect watersheds. She suspended another five for environmental infringements and also cancelled 75 contracts for undeveloped mines. "You think you can live with it (environmental degradation) because of the 70 billion (pesos) or because they contributed to campaign funds? Not me," Duterte said, while showing pictures of the environmental harm mining has caused. The mining sector contributes an estimated 70 billion Philippine pesos ($1.39 billion) a year in revenue. Dante Bravo, president of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc, the Philippines' No. 2 nickel ore miner, said he was surprised at Duterte's comments on his leadership. "We're definitely not one of those who would fund such a destabilisation effort," Bravo told Reuters in a text message. Bravo also said while Duterte is considering a mining ban, he believed the president "is a reasonable man and he'll follow what's in the law". "The current law allows mining, so we'll have to take that as the existing regime which the president is mandated to enforce," said Bravo. Miners have complained about Lopez's mine closure orders, saying they were baseless, did not follow due process and would affect 1.2 million people who depend on mining for their livelihood. Lopez defended her decisions in Congress last week where lawmakers held a two-day hearing on her appointment. She said her orders were above board and were made to protect functions of watersheds. Lawmakers will meet on Tuesday before they vote on whether to confirm or reject her appointment in June last year when Duterte took office. In the Philippines, confirmation hearings can take place long after ministers start work. ($1 = 50.2960 Philippine pesos) (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. and Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Tom Hogue and Susan Thomas) By Taro Fuse TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp <6502.T> is seeking to extend its Tuesday deadline for submitting official third-quarter earnings due to disagreements with auditors over issues at its U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse, sources familiar with the matter said. The extension would be its second for the earnings after Toshiba postponed a month ago to probe potential problems at Westinghouse. It has flagged a $6.3 billion writedown for the nuclear unit in preliminary estimates. A second extension would only underscore deepening woes for the deeply troubled TVs-to-construction conglomerate. Plagued by cost overruns at U.S. projects in Georgia and South Carolina, Westinghouse has hired bankruptcy lawyers as an exploratory move, sources have said - an option that could help Toshiba limit future losses. To offset the upcoming writedown, Toshiba is also rushing to sell most or even all its prized memory chip business, which it values at at least $13 billion. Toshiba is in talks with financial regulators for an extension, one of the sources told Reuters on Monday. The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorized to speak to media. Toshiba declined to comment. Officials at the arm of the Finance Ministry which oversees the filing of quarterly earnings statements could not be immediately reached for comment. It was not immediately clear what the disagreements with auditors were. A Toshiba executive said last week that Westinghouse and lawyers were fussing over details. If it fails to gain approval for an extension, it has to submit earnings by March 27 or it could face a delisting. A second extension would have precedent. In 2015, Toshiba also delayed the release of its results twice due to an independent investigation over years of profit-padding. Toshiba is also due to submit this week a report to the Tokyo Stock Exchange on its internal controls in the wake of its latest financial woes as well the 2015 accounting scandal. That could eventually also lead to a delisting if the bourse finds Toshiba's efforts unsatisfactory. (Reporting by Taro Fuse; Additional reporting by Taiga Uranaka; Writing by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) Updated: March 24, 2022 Among all franchises in the Philippines, the food cart is probably the most popular. Aside from being affordable, finding your target market is relatively easier with a food business. There are many food cart businesses to choose from if youre looking for a franchise. However, putting up your own food stall isnt that complicated either. Below are 10 tips to remember when starting a food cart business. I hope this quick guide will help you achieve success as a food entrepreneur. 1. To franchise or start your own? Before anything else, you should decide whether to get a franchise or start your own food cart business. Theres no better choice, and it all depends on your skills and resources. Franchising will save you time in planning and execution, but it will cost a lot more. Also, youll have less control over the business and would need to follow the terms of the franchisor. Its more affordable to start your own business, but youll need to do everything think of a business name, design your logo, find suppliers, and many other tasks. 2. Write a business plan. A business plan is your blueprint for success. Writing one allows you to run your business on paper, and will help you visualize all the tasks youll need to execute. Moreover, a comprehensive business plan will be useful if you need to find partners or investors for your venture. Having one gives an impression that youre committed to succeed. 3. Build on one product. A food cart business isnt a restaurant that can offer a variety of meals, so dont be one. All successful food carts focus on only one product. Just think about it french fries, siomai, fruit shakes, nachos, waffles, etc. You can innovate and offer something new, or compete in whats currently popular or an emerging trend. Either way, also make sure that youll have the resources to manufacture your product by the volume. 4. Choose a good location. Go where your target customers are. Food cart businesses are best inside malls, near office establishments, adjacent to transportation terminals, and beside colleges or universities. Moreover, assess the security and the accessibility of the area. It is recommended that you go to and observe around your planned location for several hours on different days, before pursuing it. 5. Ensure proper food sanitation. Be meticulous about your food preparation and handling. Ensure proper sanitation in all steps. Invest in quality containers and packaging. Be strict with the expiration dates of your ingredients. In todays age of social media, you dont want people talking about how unclean your food is, or how unsanitary your food cart is. Additionally, you can be held liable if someone gets sick from eating your products. 6. Develop eye-catching food cart design. Colorful and well-designed food carts can easily attract customers. Use vivid hues of yellow, red, or orange. Make your logo recognizable. Make your text and menu displays simple and easy-to-read. Draw a mock-up of your food cart and show it to friends. Observe their first impressions, then ask for feedback and suggestions on how you can improve it. 7. Excel at customer service. You are not only selling food, but youre also providing a service to your customers. Teach your staff to be warm and friendly. Tell them to always serve with a smile. People often become impatient and ill-tempered when theyre hungry. Thats why its important to train your crew on how to handle difficult clients. 8. Be strategic with pricing. Sell at a price to make reasonable profits. Make sure that you are at par with competitors. And lastly, assess if your prices are affordable to your target customers. Theres no straightforward formula you can follow when it comes to pricing. Its really a matter of finding that balance between affordability, competitiveness, and profit then adjusting accordingly. 9. Register your business. A food cart business is exposed to the public. Business inspectors will most likely visit your store on a regular basis. Thats why its important to legally register your business. Moreover, apply for all necessary permits. Apart from the usual licenses from the DTI, barangay, city hall, and BIR. You should also have BFAD approval on your products, health and sanitary permits, and many others. 10. Be your number one customer. Dont sell food that youre not even a fan of. When milk tea became a craze, I knew someone who ventured into it even though he doesnt drink milk tea. That business didnt last long. By being your number one customer, youll know exactly what makes your product good. Youll also have insights on how to properly sell and market it. And more importantly, itll be easier for you to innovate on the food. Final Tips Running a food cart business can be challenging. And it takes a good amount of planning in order to succeed. So never rush into starting one to avoid costly mistakes along the way. Getting a food cart franchise is a good option if youre a first-time entrepreneur. Its a great training ground that will get you acquainted with the food industry. But strive to hopefully someday, be able to start your own. Because by doing so, youll then have the opportunity to offer your food cart business as a franchise and compound your income passively in the future. What to do next: Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter. English German Belimo can look back at a successful year. Sales in Swiss francs increased 8.2 percent to CHF 533.7 million. In currency-adjusted terms, this equals organic growth of 6.8 percent. As expected, the higher growth seen in the first half-year of 2016 could not be continued in the second half. Not only sales growth, but also continuous investments in efficiency improvements over the past few years contributed to a solid operating income (EBIT) of CHF 87.0 million (EBIT margin 16.3 percent). Net income rose by 24.1 percent year-on-year to CHF 69.8 million. Currency effects had a negative impact on the net income of previous year. Earnings per share were CHF 113.51. Return on equity (ROE) was 19.8 percent and return on invested capital (ROIC) 23.8 percent. Cash flow from operating activities rose by 28.3 percent to CHF 90.3 million, the free cash flow by 102.9 percent to CHF 75.2 million. In the previous year, the investments in the expansion of the logistics building in Hinwil lowered the free cash flow. The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 75 per share to the annual general meeting on Monday, April 3, 2017. Regional development: Europe. Sales in the Europe market region grew by 6.2 percent and in currency-adjusted terms by 5.3 percent. Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland made excellent contributions to growth. Water applications saw strong growth. Particularly sales of the new products for zone and pressure-independent applications developed better than average. For air applications the market reacted very well to the new product range of fire damper actuators. Americas. Sales in the Americas market region grew by 9.4 percent and in currency-adjusted terms by 7.1 percent. All markets contributed to this positive result. The HVAC market in the United States and Canada fared better than the general economy. Among other things, it benefited from continued interest on the part of facility owners to invest in energy-saving HVAC system upgrades in existing buildings. Products for air and water applications demonstrated healthy increases. Asia/Pacific. Sales in the Asia/Pacific market region grew by 12.5 percent and in currency-adjusted terms by 12.1 percent. Belimo has achieved good growth in the entire region in spite of the difficult market environment. Growth was supported by the increasing number of environmentally friendly new buildings and the implementation of energy-saving regulations in the region. Performance was particularly good in India, which benefited from government investments in infrastructure. In China, the contracting business and regional sales in Southern China developed very positively. Pressure-independent valves, butterfly valves and characterized control valves were the main growth contributors in water applications. Net sales by region in CHF 1,000 2016 % Growth in local currencies in % 2015 % Europe 259,175 49 5.3 244,029 49 Americas 209,957 39 7.1 191,902 39 Asia/Pacific 64,518 12 12.1 57,368 12 Group 533,650 100 6.8 493,299 100 Net sales by application in CHF 1,000 2016 % Growth in local currencies in % 2015 % Air 305,911 57 5.7 286,138 58 Water 227,739 43 8.3 207,161 42 Total 533,650 100 6.8 493,299 100 Innovation. To reach its full potential, the Internet of Things requires a network of sensors to record and analyze data based on decentralized logic or cloud technologies. A product range of sensors for air and water applications will be launched in 2017. Belimo will also soon introduce the third generation of the Belimo Energy ValveTM. The integrated cloud function is the most important innovation. For its use the energy valve is connected to the internet, which allows an automatic optimization of operations. The new butterfly vales and PR actuators convince with their reduced weight and their high energy savings potential compared to similar products. VAV ZoneEaseTM was developed for the Asian market. This is a zone solution for demand controlled variable air volume applications. Outlook. The long-term trends of urbanization, energy efficiency, safety and digitization that are affecting building technology will continue and are being effectively leveraged by Belimo to promote growth. Digital communication with damper actuators, control valves and sensors will gain in importance, allowing their efficient integration in building automation. This development is clearly reflected in the features of the named products that are currently being launched on the market. In the Europe market region, the development of the economy as well as private and public building activities is expected to remain satisfactory in countries most important to Belimo. Based on various key indicators expectations are positive for the Americas market region and also in the Asia/Pacific market region, the trend towards the optimization of operating costs in buildings and the growing demand for innovative and high-quality components promise a positive outlook. Given the strengthening of the sensor product range and the opportunities offered to Belimo by digitization, expenses for research and development will be increased in relation to sales in order to improve innovative capacity. Belimo is aiming for sustainable and profitable growth with its strategy of a strong regional presence and the constant expansion of its market leadership through innovation. Key figures of the Belimo Group for the 2016 financial year in CHF 1,000 (unless indicated otherwise) 2016 2015 Change in % Net sales 533,650 493,299 8.2 Operating income (EBIT) in percent of net sales 86,964 16.3% 74,630 15.1% 16.5 Net income in percent of net sales 69,753 13.1% 56,229 11.4% 24.1 Cash flow from operating activities in percent of net sales 90,282 16.9% 70,371 14.3% 28.3 Free cash flow in percent of net sales 75,151 14.1% 37,038 7.5% 102.9 Earnings per share, in CHF 113.51 91.52 24.0 Dividend per share, in CHF 75* 65 15.4 Investments in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets 15,796 34,031 -53.6 Research and development in percent of net sales 37,721 7.1% 34,653 7.0% 8.9 Number of employees as at December 31 (FTE's) 1,440 1,409 2.2 * Proposal to the annual general meeting on April 3, 2017. The Belimo Group is a leading global manufacturer of innovative electrical actuator solutions, valve systems and sensors for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The Company generated sales of CHF 534 million in 2016 and employs close to 1500 people. Information about the Company and its products is available on the Internet at www.belimo.com/investorrelations. The shares of BELIMO Holding AG have been traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 1995 (BEAN). There will be a media and financial analysts conference on the 2016 financial statements at the WIDDER HOTEL in Zurich today, starting at 10:00 a.m. Contact Beat Trutmann, CFO Phone +41 43 843 62 65 Agenda Publication of Annual Report 2016/ Media and Financial Analysts Conference March 13, 2017 Annual General Meeting 2017 April 3, 2017 Dividend Payment April 7, 2017 Publication of Semiannual Report 2017 August 3, 2017 Publication of Sales 2017 January 25, 2018 Publication of Annual Report 2017/ Media and Financial Analysts Conference March 12, 2018 Annual General Meeting 2018 April 9, 2018 The press release can be downloaded from the following link: Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 13 March 2017 Vast Resources plc ('Vast' or the 'Company') Appointment of Chief Operating Officer Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company with interests in Romania and Zimbabwe, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Craig James Harvey as Chief Operating Officer ('COO') of the Company. Having been a consultant to Vast as Chief Geologist since 2013, Mr Harvey has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Company's established mining portfolio, which includes two producing mines, both of which were commissioned during Mr Harvey's tenure. As COO, Mr Harvey will support the continued advancement of these assets, including targeting increased zinc and copper production at the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania ('Manaila') and increased gold production at the Pickstone-Peerless Gold Mine in Zimbabwe ('Pickstone-Peerless'). He will also be integral in the planned commissioning of the Company's third mine, the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania, subject to receipt of a mining licence. As a qualified geologist with over 28 years operating experience, Mr Harvey has proven success in Mineral Resource Management, Production Geology, Mineral Resource Evaluation, Mineral Economics and Strategic Mine Planning. He began his career with Gold Fields in South Africa, where he worked on various gold, platinum, coal and exploration projects, before joining Harmony Gold, with responsibility for managing multiple mineral resources and completing due diligence on acquisition opportunities. He later joined Ravensgate in Perth, Australia, where he conducted numerous resource estimations, valuations and technical reports mainly in gold, uranium, copper and iron ore. As Chief Geologist to Vast since September 2013, Mr Harvey has delivered a number of milestone achievements for the Company, including the completion of the maiden JORC compliant mineral resource estimate at Manaila, the commencement of operations in respect of open pit design, grade control modelling and reporting at Pickstone-Peerless and the management and design of metallurgical test work to produce separate copper, zinc and precious metal concentrates at Manaila. He is a member of the Geological Society of South Africa, of the Australian Institute of Geoscience, and holds a National Higher Diploma in Economic Geology (1992). Roy Pitchford, Chief Executive of Vast, commented: "On behalf of the Board, management, staff and shareholders, I am delighted to welcome Craig as Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Already an integral part of our senior management team, I am convinced that as COO he will play an even greater role in managing the operations of Vast and developing the Company into the larger mineral producing entity it desires to be. "Thanks to his fastidious work approach and proven success in advancing the Company's mining activities, Craig has won the respect and co-operation of everyone involved in the Company's operations in both Zimbabwe and Romania. Together with the other senior management, I look forward to working with him to build upon these successes as we aim to increase production." **ENDS** For further information, please visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or contact: Vast Resources plc Roy Pitchford (Chief Executive Officer) www.vastresourcesplc.com +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Adviser Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 020 7628 3396 Brandon Hill Capital Ltd - Joint Broker Jonathan Evans www.brandonhillcapital.com +44 (0) 20 3463 5016 Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd - Joint Broker Duncan Vasey www.pcorpfin.com +44 (0) 20 7469 0936 St Brides Partners Ltd Susie Geliher Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Notes Vast Resources plc is an AIM listed mining and resource development company focussed on the rapid advancement of high quality brownfield projects and recommencing production at previously producing mines in Romania. Vast Resources currently operates the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which was commissioned in 2015. The Company's portfolio also includes the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania, where work is currently underway towards obtaining the relevant permissions to start developing and ultimately commissioning the mine, with further upside available via the 4.6Mt tailings dam at Faneata, which is comprised of approximately 40 years of tailings from the high grade Baita Plai Mine, located 7km away. The Company also has interests in a number of projects in Southern Africa including a 25 per cent. interest* in the producing Pickstone-Peerless Gold Mine in Zimbabwe. * Vast ownership is currently 50% (25.01% when SSCG Africa Holdings Ltd financing conditions precedent are fulfilled as per announcement on 30 January 2017). Ocean View, Delaware, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The research report Floating Solar Panels Market Size, By Product (Tracking, Stationary), By Capacity (0.1-1 MW, 1-5 MW, 5 MW), By Connectivity (On Grid, Off Grid), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., UK, Italy, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Israel), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Floating Solar Panels Market size is set to exceed 2.5 GW by 2024. On grid floating solar panels market volume could witness a significant growth of over 45% from 2016 to 2024. Development of large utility scale projects coupled with numerous financial incentives and tax benefits offered by the regulators will influence the global business size. Measurers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have seen a sincere effort from policy makers towards the adoption of sustainable energy. Government of China under its 13th five-year plan has set up a target to reduce the existing GHG emission level to 18% by 2020. Regulators of UK has also established numerous frameworks under the countrys climate change act 2008. The country is targeting to curb the GHG emission level to 80% by 2050 from 1990 level. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/692 Availability of limited land space for the deployment of new PV systems will significantly drive the floating solar panels market share across the globe. Numerous countries have allowed the reservoir owner to collect rent and business tax from the plant operators. Feed in tariff schemes by several other countries will further enhance the industry landscape. Tracking floating solar panels market size is predicted to exceed USD 250 million by 2024. Technological advancement coupled with declining solar component cost will positively influence the business growth. Browse key industry insights spread across 145 pages with 244 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from this 2017 report Floating Solar Panels Market in detail along with the table of contents at: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/floating-solar-panels-market U.S. floating solar panels market volume share is predicted to grow over 67 % by 2024. Federal government initiatives to encourage the deployment of clean energy technologies will further complement the industry outlook. For Europe, UK floating solar panels market share was valued over 1.12 MW in 2015. Synchronization of Queen Elizabeth II project over Walton-on-Thames has significantly driven the industry growth across the region. China is predicted to reach over USD 140 million by 2024. Increasing investments towards the deployment of large scale PV projects will enhance the countrys business landscape. Japan floating solar panels market is anticipated to exceed over 400 MW by 2024. Accessibility with limited resources will significant drive the demand across the country. In 2016 Kyocera Corp of Japan had successfully synchronized the worlds largest floatovoltaics power plant having capacity of 14.5 MW Brazil floating solar panels market share is set to witness momentous growth of over 34% from 2016 to 2024. Government of Brazil is making significant investments to fully utilize the countrys vast river beds which in turn will drive the industry size. In 2016 Brazil, has completed the grid synchronization of the regions largest floatavoltaic plant of capacity 10 MW. Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/692 Floating solar panels market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of Volume in MW and revenue in USD Million from 2013 to 2024 , for the following segments: Global Floating Solar Panels Market, By Product Tracking Stationary Global Floating Solar Panels Market, By Capacity 0.1 1 MW 1 5 MW 5 MW Global Floating Solar Panels Market, By Connectivity On Grid Off Grid The above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following : North America US Europe UK Italy Netherlands Asia Pacific Japan South Korea China India Taiwan Malaysia Singapore Australia Rest of World Brazil Israel Browse Related Reports: Solar Panel Recycling Management Market Size By Process (Thermal, Mechanical, Laser), By Product (Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, Thin Films PV Cells), By Shelf Life (Early Loss, Normal Loss), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, France, UK, Spain, Ukraine, Denmark, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Chile, Mexico, Brazil), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/solar-panel-recycling-management-market Concentrated Solar Power Market Size, By Technology (Parabolic, Linear Fresnel, Power Tower, Dish), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Spain, Italy, Australia, Morocco, China, India, South Africa, Chile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2025 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/concentrated-solar-power-market About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com Blog: https://gminsights.wordpress.com Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter MAURITIUS, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Now in its 5th edition, Symposium Mines Guinea organised by the Ministry of Mines and Geology, in partnership with AME Trade Ltd, is firmly established as the largest mining event in West Africa and will take place from 9 11 May 2017, in Conakry, Republic of Guinea. Due to the importance of the mining sector on Guineas economy, The Ministry of Mines and Geology aim to make this sector the most investor friendly mining destination in Africa and have begun taking the necessary measures to implement strict good governance policies for regulation and promotion of transparency. Supporting the governments vision of transformational investment, the 2017 programme theme is set on: The Mining Sector: The Key To Transforming The National Economy For The Benefit Of All Actors. With special focus sessions on gold, bauxite, diamonds and iron ore, this years innovative agenda will explore some of the following topics: Essential tools for attracting mining investment to the Republic of Guinea Financing mining activities in the Republic of Guinea A geological overview of the Republic of Guinea How can partnerships in infrastructure act as a catalyst for the growth of the mining sector Empowering the mining sector through an adequate supply of energy Local content policies and implementation for economic growth An international spectrum of highly relevant speakers and supporters have taken the opportunity to participate at SMG 2017. This includes the likes of: AngloGold Ashanti - DADCO Alumina & Chemicals - Guinea Alumina Corporation S.A - HALCO Mining - Societe Miniere de Boke (SMB) - AMC Bauxite - Forward Africa Resources - SMD Nordgold - JA Delmas - Societe des Bauxites de Guinee (SBG) - Total - Alufer - Geni & Kebe - SRK Consulting - WIRTGEN Group - VIVO ENERGY Guinee - Sylla & Partners Symposium Mines Guinea 2017 will delve into the Governments plans for world class laboratories as well as unveil new technology that will be used for insightful research in expanding the mining sector. Geological data will be presented by local permit holders who are looking for investment or project partnership. Data will be available before the event for potential investors to study. Event website: www.ametrade.org/smguinee Press accreditation contact: marketing@ametrade.org Ocean View, Delaware, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The industry trends report Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Market Size By Product (Integrated, Standalone), By Deployment (On-Premise, Cloud Based), By Component (Services, Software), By End User (Hospitals, Physicians, Diagnostic & Ambulatory Care Centers), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 - 2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Market size is poised to surpass USD 100 billion by 2024. The growing government and private insurance shift from volume to value-based healthcare, demand to reduce billing errors and implementation of big data analytics should drive the healthcare revenue cycle management market. A steady stream of government compliance requirements such as ICD-10 transition and HIPAA v5010; and increased fraudulence screening are generating demand for more robust solutions. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1170 HRCM is recognized as the most important system in a healthcare technology infrastructure. Healthcare providers employ certified Electronic Health Records (EHR) and automated practice management to save cost by reducing the number of denied claims and enabling patients to pay bills online. Introduction of advanced automated solutions have helped clinical and front desk staff, providers, and coders & billers to increase performance level and save time. With increasing business, patients are using multiple channels to make payments for the services received at clinic or hospitals. Increasing number of benefits will stimulate the healthcare revenue cycle management market growth over the forecast timeline. Integrated solutions should be the major revenue generating segment in 2015 due to enhanced operational capabilities and streamlined financial and clinical systems with greater insights into costs, treatments, and outcomes. Healthcare revenue cycle management market services are forecast to be the leading component segment owing to stability provided over frequently updating software. Cloud based solutions held over 75% of the 2015 healthcare revenue cycle management market share due to adoption of electronic health records for efficient data mining and accurate assessment of the health information. Increased demand for accountable care participation, reimbursement and payment reforms, ICD-10 coding challenges, and declining revenue will drive the industry by 2024. Browse key industry insights spread across 110 pages with 104 market data tables & 9 figures & charts from this 2017 report Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Market in detail along with the table of contents at: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-revenue-cycle-management-market U.S. healthcare revenue cycle management market is forecast to rise significantly over the coming years. Increased funding and insurance coverage has expanded Medicaid coverage and introduced mandatory health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. This is set to boost the demand for these solutions in the region. Germany healthcare revenue cycle management market share accounted for more than 20% of overall European revenue in 2015 owing to increasing healthcare spending. Emergence of big data analytics, business digitalization, and favorable government regulations are some of the factors driving business growth. China healthcare revenue cycle management market size will witness robust growth of over 15% from 2016 to 2024, due to increase in the IT skills, sustainable economic growth and increasing health insurance demand. Japan healthcare revenue cycle management market is expected to surpass USD 6 billion by 2024 due to increasing use of cloud systems among small hospitals and clinics and increased acceptance of these solutions among the medical fraternity. Brazil healthcare revenue cycle management market was valued over USD 650 million in 2015, growing at 13% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. Increasing government and private investment in healthcare information technology coupled with rising life expectancy is expected to witness promising growth over the forecast period. The industry is primarily driven by strategic acquisitions coupled with new product launches and frequent upgrades in existing platforms. Major industry players are targeting niche services to gain access and strengthen position in high growth verticals and high profitable areas. Some of the major companies operating in the Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Industry include Cerner, Athenahealth, Allscripts, Siemens, CareCloud, GE Healthcare, McKesson, Experian and Quest Diagnostics. Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1170 Healthcare revenue cycle management market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of volume in tons & revenue in USD billion from 2012 to 2024 , for the following segments: Healthcare revenue cycle management market by product Integrated Standalone Healthcare revenue cycle management market by deployment On Premise Cloud Based Healthcare revenue cycle management market by component Services Software Healthcare revenue cycle management market by end user Hospital Physician Diagnostics and ambulatory care centers The above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following : North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Spain Italy Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa South Africa Saudi Arabia Browse Related Reports: Dental Practice Management Software Market Size By Component (Scheduling, Patient Communication, Invoicing/ Billing, Payment Processing, Electronic Claims, Dashboard), By Deployment Mode (On-premise, Web-based, Cloud-based), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2023 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/dental-practice-management-software-market Digital Health Market Size By Technology [Telehealthcare {Telecare (Activity Monitoring, Remote Medication Management), Telehealth (LTC Monitoring, Video Consultation)}, mHealth {Wearables (BP Monitor, Glucose Meter, Pulse Oximeter, Sleep Apnea Monitor, Neurological Monitor), Apps (Medical, Fitness)}, Digital Health System (EHR, e-prescribing System)], Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, Japan, China, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/digital-health-market About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com Blog: https://gminsights.wordpress.com Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter English French MONTREAL, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World Wide Hearing, a Quebec-based non-profit organization that provides access to affordable hearing aids to children and youth in developing countries and underserved communities, is one of the 10 finalists competing for a $750,000 grant in the 2017 edition of Google.org Impact Challenge | Canada. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc0dc77a-e2e1-454a-bab6-66952b5a60ef World Wide Hearing is developing a ground-breaking technology platform to address hearing loss: the Teleaudiology Cloud, a turnkey solution consisting of an open-access, cloud-based hearing loss platform. The Teleaudiology Cloud will enable audiologists and speech therapists to provide remote diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for hearing loss to children and youth within countries and across countries. The solution is tailored specifically to remote communities with limited or unreliable internet connectivity. Parents of children with hearing loss will also benefit from the technology as they will receive counselling, education and access to online peer groups. We are very excited to have made it to the finals of the Google.org Global Impact Challenge | Canada and to have brought this project one step closer to execution, said Audra Renyi, Executive Director of World Wide Hearing. Our project aims to connect children, parents and practitioners throughout the world to lift children with hearing loss out of social isolation and poverty. In the first two years of the project, the non-profit organization will work with its existing partners to connect to the platform children and schools in Indigenous communities in Canada, Peru, Guatemala and the Philippines. Its not every day that you get a chance to make the world a better place on such a significant scale, explains Sam Sebastian, VP, Google and Country Director, Canada. We were bowled over by the response to this challenge - more than 900 non-profits from coast to coast to coast shared their best ideas with us, and the ten projects selected as finalists are the best of the best. We need public support to win and every vote matters, said Audra. The Teleaudiology Cloud will change lives and create global impact. A vote for World Wide Hearing is a vote for humanity. Voting for the 2017 Google.org Impact Challenge | Canada runs from March 6 to March 28. The ten finalists will pitch their projects to a panel of judges at a closing event on March 30, 2017. A total of five winners will be chosen: four selected by the panel of judges and one winner chosen by public vote. The winners will receive up to $750,000 in grant funding and technical assistance from Google.org and the LEAP Centre for Social Impact. To support World Wide Hearing, visit the contest website and vote now. For updates follow World Wide Hearing on Facebook and Twitter. Hearing loss facts and stats There are 1.3 billion people with hearing loss, of whom 360 million have disabling hearing loss. 80% of all people with hearing loss live in developing countries and in remote, hard-to-reach places. In many low-income countries there are few audiologists. In some countries, such as Honduras, there are none at all. Over 100 million children with hearing loss have limited or no access to audiology, speech therapy and rehabilitation. In the Inuit territory of Nunavut, Canada, there is only one full-time audiologist for a population living over a vast geographical expanse, despite having some of the highest rates of child hearing loss in the world. About World Wide Hearing World Wide Hearing Foundation International (World Wide Hearing) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Montreal that provides access to affordable hearing aids and services to children and youth in developing countries and underserved communities. Visit http://www.wwhearing.org/ to find out more about our projects and how we work with communities around the world. About Google.org Google.org is Googles philanthropic arm that provides grants and support to non-profits. Google.org powers the Impact Challenges in regions around the globe. Visit google.org to learn more. Zaandam, the Netherlands, March 13, 2017- Ahold Delhaize today announced its Belgian subsidiaries have reached agreements to divest five stores and one project in Belgium. The divestments are made to comply with the conditions the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) attached to its approval of the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group in 2016. Lidl Belgium has agreed to buy three Albert Heijn stores and one project. Tanger has agreed to buy one Albert Heijn store and one Proxy Delhaize store. The agreements are subject to customary closing conditions. Upon fulfillment of these conditions, the stores are expected to be transferred within the next three months. The current labor and working conditions of the associates will be respected in accordance with Belgian labor laws and regulations. The BCA approved the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group on March 15, 2016, conditional upon the divestment of eight Albert Heijn stores, five Delhaize affiliated stores and a limited number of projects in Belgium to address competition concerns raised by the regulator. A full list of the store locations referred to in this press release is included as an annex. Ahold Delhaize continues to work to complete the divestment process for the other stores that need to be divested in close cooperation with the BCA and potential buyers. Until all divestment requirements are met, Albert Heijn and Delhaize stores in Belgium will continue to operate under mandatory separation. YOUNGSVILLE, La., March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RedHawk Holdings Corp. (OTCQB:IDNG) (RedHawk or the Company) announced today a consolidated net loss of $282,027 ($nil per share) on gross revenues of $718,337 for the three month period ended December 31, 2016. Excluding a non-recurring gain of $156,697, the Company reported a net loss of $291,810 ($nil per share) on minimal revenues for the comparable three month period ended December 31, 2015. The second quarter 2017 results include approximately $562,000 of new product incentive discounts on the Companys pharmaceutical sales and approximately $58,000 of non-recurring legal fees and transaction costs. To gain market share, the new product incentive discounts were offered to customers of EcoGen Europe Limited (EcoGen) for the sale of certain pharmaceuticals (NP8s) which are outside the United Kingdoms National Health Services (NHS) drug tariff and for sale of certain generic pharmaceuticals known as specials. The market for these types of pharmaceuticals is very competitive and substantial discounts are necessary to gain market share. While a small portion of these incentive discounts were offered as a part of current distribution agreements, the Company believes much of these offered incentive discounts will gradually decrease as it transitions to marketing and sales of its branded generic products directly to the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG). RedHawk recently announced that it will commence the sale of its branded generics directly to the first of a total of 212 CCGs in March 2017. The Company believes the importance of the current sales mix of NP8s and generic specials will be less significant in the future as its branded generics gain acceptance among the CCGs. EcoGen is the Companys United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical distributor specializing in the manufacturing and marketing of branded generic pharmaceuticals. EcoGen also holds the distribution rights in a number of countries for Zonis, a patented antimicrobial ionic silver calcium catheter dressing with both wound healing and hemostatic properties. RedHawk recently announced its intentions to increase its ownership position in EcoGen to approximately 50%. In March 2016, RedHawk Pharma UK Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RedHawk, acquired a 25% stake in EcoGen. Commenting on the second quarter, fiscal 2017 results, the Company said, During the second quarter we continued to sacrifice pharmaceutical profit margins so we could continue to gain market share. We believe this strategy to capitalize on business opportunities with CCGs is working. In March 2017 we will begin delivery of our branded generics to the first CCG. Similar delivery agreements are currently being negotiated with more CCGs. Additionally, as we continue the transition the product mix of our sales more towards our branded generic pharmaceuticals, the amount of new product incentive discounts will decline and we believe profitability will increase. The unanticipated delays in bringing EcoGens branded generics to market has been challenging but RedHawk remains optimistic about EcoGens business opportunities in the United Kingdom and other geographic markets. We recently announced our intentions to increase our ownership position in EcoGen to approximately 50% and further ownership increases are possible. The Company has now increased its focus on marketing its medical devices: Sharps and Needle Destruction Device (SANDD) Re-engineering of SANDD has been completed; Production samples have been approved; Marketing of the anti-microbial SANDD mini unit was launched in January 2017; Currently negotiating an exclusive long-term distribution agreements for six Middle Eastern countries and for Mexico; SANDD Pro model is expected to be launched later in 2017; Pre-market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the sale of SANDD in the United States has been received. WoundClot Surgical Advance Bleeding Control (WoundClot) Market acceptance of WoundClot has been slower than expected; WoundClot is now accepted onto the NHS Supply Chain for hemostats in the United Kingdom, ensuring availability across all public NHS hospitals; We have increased our efforts to further broaden market awareness and penetration of WoundClot, with the addition of a new distributor; We believe the increased marketing efforts will soon be rewarded. Louisiana State University Innovation Park We have expanded our medical device warehousing capabilities and administrative offices at the LSU Innovation Park; We are now situated to consider offering SANDD and WoundClot into the United States markets; Company is working with LSU to gather Medicare approval for SANDD; Company is now better positioned to capitalize on various medical device opportunities currently being offered; RedHawk has initiated discussions with LSU for the joint design and development of a new needle destruction unit capable of a broader range of needle destruction; Further expansion is possible. About RedHawk Holdings Corp. RedHawk Holdings Corp., formerly Independence Energy Corp., is a diversified holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in sales and distribution of medical devices, sales of branded generic pharmaceutical drugs, commercial real estate investment and leasing, sales of point of entry full-body security systems, and specialized financial services. Through its medical products business unit, the Company sells WoundClot Surgical - Advanced Bleeding Control, the Sharps and Needle Destruction Device (SANDD), the Carotid Artery Digital Non-Contact Thermometer and Zonis. Its real estate leasing revenues are generated from various commercial properties under long-term lease. Additionally, RedHawks real estate investment unit holds limited liability company interest in various commercial restoration projects in Hawaii. The Companys financial service revenue is from brokerage services earned in connection with debt placement services. RedHawk Energy holds the exclusive U.S. manufacturing and distribution rights for the Centri Controlled Entry System, a unique, closed cabinet, nominal dose transmission full body x-ray scanner. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical fact. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. The words anticipate, may, can, plans, believes, estimates, expects, projects, targets, intends, likely, will, should, to be, potential and any similar expressions are intended to identify those assertions as forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties. In evaluating forward-looking statements, you should consider the various factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements including those listed in the Risk Factors section of our latest 10-K report. Further, the Company may make changes to its business plans that could or will affect its results. Investors are cautioned that the Company will undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. bb wrote: Congrats on your admits! Great job. It is all about where you want to live/work after you graduate - US, Europe, or India. If you are planning to go back to India after Tepper or even Fuqua, it seems somewhat a waste of a year of life, money, and transitioning back and forth, but if you want to work in the US, ISB won't help no mater how fast, cheap, or convenient it may be. You will have to go to a US School, so it is more than just what you outlined. P.S. I hope you won't pass out at 31. You are still young! Thanks guys for all the suggestions and opinions.bb,Firstly, I'm so honored that you replied to my post. Thanks a ton..gmatclub is absolutely brilliantComing to my concern, how does it matter where "I" want to live? For sure I want to live in US, I'm absolutely clear about that. But the point is "Can I?". H1B has a 50-50 chance of making it and things will only get worse in future (going by the trends and recent developments). Even if I don't want to, I may "have to" come back to India after my MBA or after my training visa expires. I wonder how will I feel that day when my fellow colleagues who choose ISB would have already had there first promotionsbkhu,I see you come from manufacturing background as well. Would you mind sharing the career transition you're planning to make? atturhari wrote: Thanks for creating the thread. I am planning to apply to WHU (Mar'17) and ESMT (Jan'17). Unlike ESMT, i cant find more details about WHU. How do you rate WHU against ESMT? Rise until lambs become lions! Signature Read More ESMT is good only if you want to go in IT. Everything else is better in WHU .Search on Linkedin ,you will find the placement stats.People in Germany rate WHU after MBS. ESMT works better for people who have technology experience of 5-10years and want to again go back in IT. These experienced folks draw a higher salary and that's the reasonwhy ESMT is in the FT ranking._________________ As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Gordmans, which operates 106 retail stores in 22 states, including six in Wisconsin, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday. A statement on the Omaha, Nebraska-based companys website said it had signed agreements with Tiger Capital Group LLC and Great American Group LLC to assist with its sale and liquidation of inventory and other assets of Gordmans retail stores and distribution centers. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing allows a company to continue operating and develop a plan to repay creditors. Gordmans, which employs about 1,600 people companywide, has operated a store at Madisons East Towne Mall since 2004. Company president and CEO Andy Hall said Gordmans locations will remain open during the bankruptcy process. Until further notice, all Gordmans stores are operating as usual without interruption, Hall said. The management team and all of our associates remain committed to continuing to provide great merchandise and service to our guests during this process. Gordmans announcement is another indication of the changing retail landscape as many chains, including Macys, Sears and JC Penney, have had to close stores in recent years and restructure operations to maintain profitability. Brick-and-mortar retailers have faced changing consumer shopping habits driven by online shopping. Gordmans was started by Sam Richman, a Russian immigrant, in Omaha in 1915. He was later joined by Dan Gordman, a former Bloomingdales executive, and the company opened Richman Gordman stores around Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas. In 1975, the company opened another chain of stores called Half Price Stores. By 2000, all 32 locations were renamed Gordmans. Sun Capital Partners purchased Gordmans in September 2008, and the company held stock offerings in 2010 and 2012. Gordmans had posted losses in five of its last six quarters. The company did not give a time frame for the liquidation sale. The Associated Press contributed to this story. A man who told police that he handed a gun to another man, who shot a third man 17 times in December 2015, has pleaded guilty to being a party to second-degree reckless homicide. Johnny B. Green Jr., 36, who was originally charged with being a party to first-degree intentional homicide, now faces up to 25 years of combined prison and extended supervision for the shooting death of Samuel J. Erving, 28, of Madison, on Dec. 12, 2015. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will ask for no more than seven years in prison for Green, who entered his guilty plea on Friday. According to a criminal complaint, Green told police that he handed a gun to Antonio L. Stanley, 34, who used it to shoot Erving 17 times in the parking lot of AutoZone, 3535 E. Washington Ave., after Stanley and Erving had argued aboard a party bus that had returned to Madison from Milwaukee. When the bus got to the parking lot, Green told police, Stanley and Erving got into a physical fight before Erving drove off. Erving returned 20 minutes later and started shouting at Stanley, the complaint states. Green told police that Stanley asked him for a gun and walked toward Erving and fired twice. Green said Stanley shot several more times as Erving lay on the ground, according to the complaint. In Greens nearby motel room, police found a box of ammunition matching the shell casings found at the scene. Beneath Ervings body police found a handgun, but it had not been fired, the complaint states. Stanley pleaded guilty last month to second-degree intentional homicide, and prosecutors conceded that they could not prove that there werent mitigating circumstances that caused Stanley to shoot Erving. Stanley is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20. No sentencing date is set yet for Green. Welcome to Inside The Rock Poster Frame A blog about posters, art prints, movie posters, vinyl toys and other cool stuff. More than just rock posters, posters that rock. More World Premier Exclusive Releases then anyone. If you want to see it first, you will see it here. More giveaways than anyone else to the best readers in the world (that's YOU) Subscribe to the RSS feed and follow my blog. Please feel free to leave comments by clicking on comments below the title. Click on the images for larger versions of them. Click on the title banner to be taken back to the main page. Be the first to know when your favorite items are going on sale and cool events in your area. Your new source for the best information first. Contact me at insidetherockposterframe )( gmail .com President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany and the Netherlands of Nazism after officials blocked rallies there, Joinfo.com reports with reference to the BBC. Dutch PM Mark Rutte called his comments unacceptable, while Germanys foreign minister said he hoped Turkey would return to its senses. Denmarks leader has also postponed a planned meeting with Mr Erdogan. Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he was concerned that democratic principles are under great pressure in Turkey. He added that he had postponed the meeting because: With the current Turkish attacks on Holland the meeting cannot be seen separated from that. The rallies aim to encourage a large number of Turks living in Europe to vote yes in a referendum expanding the presidents powers. However, planned rallies in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands were blocked after officials cited security concerns or said the rallies could stoke tensions. A gathering in France however went ahead after local officials said it did not pose a threat. Ties between the Turkish and Dutch leaders became particularly strained at the weekend after two Turkish ministers were barred from addressing rallies in Rotterdam, with one of them escorted to the German border. Mr Erdogan likened the Netherlands to a banana republic, demanded international organisations impose sanctions on the Netherlands, and accused countries in the West of Islamophobia. I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West, he added. On Sunday, Mr Rutte demanded Mr Erdogan apologise for likening the Dutch to Nazi fascists. This country was bombed during the Second World War by Nazis. Its totally unacceptable to talk in this way. The Netherlands would have to consider its response if Turkey continued on its current path, he added. Meanwhile, German ministers also appeared to harden their rhetoric against Turkey. Despite Chancellor Angela Merkel saying her government was not opposed to Turkish ministers attending rallies in Germany, as long as they are duly announced, her interior minister said he was opposed to Turkish political gatherings in Germany. A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told local media. Whats more, the president alone would be able to announce a state of emergency and dismiss parliament. There are 5.5 million Turks living outside the country, with 1.4 million eligible voters in Germany alone and the Yes campaign is keen to get them on side. So a number of rallies have been planned for countries with large numbers of eligible voters, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Why are countries trying to prevent the rallies? Many of the countries, including Germany, have cited security concerns as the official reason. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Mr Erdogan was not welcome to hold rallies as this could increase friction and hinder integration. Many European nations have also expressed deep disquiet about Turkeys response to the July coup attempt and the countrys perceived slide towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan. Germany in particular has been critical of the mass arrests and purges that followed with nearly 100,000 civil servants removed from their posts. Tom, I want to thank you for the Best Food Cities articles you wrote. I recently went to Charleston, SC and had some memorable dining experiences thanks to you. The smoked oysters at The Ordinary were amazing. Aside from being the cleanest restaurant that I have ever been to, Obstinate Daughter was equally as good. I can't remember her name, but they have a real star in the bartender that was working when we were there. We scored bar seats at Fig at 5pm on Friday. Get there early if you don't have a reservation. The queue started at 4:30. Sublime cocktails and full dinner service. I found Husk not to live up to the hype. Decent food but they seem to be rolling on their reputation. Lastly, one of the things that impressed me the most was the knowledge by the waitstaff/bartenders. My traveling companion (my daughter on her last spring break) has Celiac disease. Without fail, every server upon hearing this went down the whole menu and told her what was safe and what wasn't. No need for a special menu. We were both surprised and pleased with the level that the servers were trained. They got bigger tips! I feel like I have just scratched the surface of this lovely city. I am already planning a return trip. Thanks again. Hospitalized patients treated by physicians who order more or more expensive tests and procedures are just as likely to be readmitted or to die as patients treated by doctors who order fewer or less expensive tests, according to research led by Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine on March 13, is believed to be the first to examine the impact of individual physicians' spending patterns on patient outcomes. "If you spend more money on a car or a TV, you tend to get a nicer car or a better TV," said study senior author Anupam B. Jena, the Ruth L. Newhouse Associate Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. "Our findings show that's not the case when it comes to medical care. Spending more doesn't always mean you get better health." Research on variation in spending and outcomes between geographic regions and between hospitals has produced mixed results, but most evidence suggests that greater spending does not reliably translate into better outcomes. What has been missing from the picture, the authors said, is how individual physician spending within the same hospital translates into patient health. That insight, the researchers added, is a key piece of the puzzle because individual doctors make most of the clinical decisions that drive spending and affect outcomes. "Before now, most of the research and efforts aimed at cutting spending and improving the value of care have been aimed at hospitals, health systems and groups of doctors," said the lead author Yusuke Tsugawa, a research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The differences between hospitals and regions are important, but they're only part of the puzzle. Our findings show how important it is to consider the differences between individual doctors in any effort to improve health care." The researchers analyzed outcomes among Medicare fee-for-service patients aged 65 years and older who were hospitalized for a nonelective medical condition and treated by an internist between 2011 and 2014. Health care spending varied more across individual physicians within a single hospital than across hospitals, even after accounting for differences between hospitals and patient populations, the data showed. Overall, 8.4 percent of the total variation in health care spending could be explained by differences between individual physicians, compared to 7 percent explained by differences between hospitals. Next, researchers examined the link between physician spending and patient outcomes. When they compared lower- and higher-spending physicians, the researchers found no difference in 30-day patient mortality, nor did they see a difference in readmissions, two factors regarded as key measures of quality of care. Jena, who is also a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, cautioned that it's too soon to say whether the results mean that higher-spending physicians could simply spend less with no ill effects for patients. "Say you have two painters. One usually takes two hours to paint a room, and one takes six hours. You can ask the slow painter to hurry up, but you might end up with a room that's sloppily painted, or with one of the walls the wrong color," Jena said. "That's obviously a situation we want to avoid in health care." It could be that some doctors don't fully consider the costs associated with the tests and procedures they order, Jena said, and so policymakers or insurers could create incentives to curb some of the more wasteful spending. On the other hand, Jena said, some doctors might just be less efficient than others and may need additional resources to arrive at a proper diagnosis or an effective treatment. Whatever the causes of the variation, Jena added, these findings underscore the impact of decisions made by individual doctors on health care spending. Provided by Harvard Medical School Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne EPFL scientists Stephanie Lacour and Gregoire Courtine report on the status of their research and share their vision about the future of wearable neuroprosthetics at this year's edition of South by South West in Austin, Texas, on March 12th. Courtine shares some preliminary impressions about clinical trials addressing paralysis that are currently underway at the Lausanne University Hospital. Scientists Stephanie Lacour and Gregoire Courtine of Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland are paving the way for new, intelligent neuroprosthetics that may one day assist people with neurological dysfunction in everyday tasks. Neuroprosthetic devices are electronics that communicate with the nervous system, and the scientists are working together to translate their findings from the lab to the clinic. Clinical trials currently underway In the lab, Gregoire Courtine recently showed that paralyzed primates could walk again with the assistance of a smart neuroprosthetic system he calls the "brain-spine interface". This wireless fully wearable neuroprosthetic interface essentially decodes brain signals about walking and stimulates the spinal cord to contract the correct group of leg muscles to enact the intended walking movements without any therapeutic training. He also showed in 2012 that paralyzed rats could recover after spinal cord injury after a few weeks of rehabilitation, combining electro-chemical stimulation and physiotherapy that uses a robotic harness. Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne At this year's edition of South by South West (SXSW), Courtine describes this research in detail and his roadmap to transforming this technology into therapy for people suffering from paralysis. In particular, clinical trials are currently underway to test the feasibility of the spine-part of the brain-spine interface on patients with partial paralysis, in a collaboration with neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). "This is the culmination of years of work," says Courtine about the current clinical trials. "The results are so far promising, but the final outcomes must be carefully analyzed and no conclusions can be made yet." His approach to paralysis research is highly unconventional. Instead of focusing his energy on generating neural regrowth across spinal cord lesions that lead to paralysis, his approach relies on the plasticity of the nervous system, this incredible ability of the nervous system to adapt to damage. Based on his research, he is driven by the conviction that his neurorehabilitation protocol (electro-chemical stimulation and physiotherapy) drives the nervous system to reestablish connections across the lesion. Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Elastic electrodes interfacing the body At the interface of these innovative neuroprosthetic protocols are implantable electrodes that can read neural activity, stimulate nerves, and bypass nerve injury to reactivate biological function. Electrodes are surgically implanted into or on top of target nerve fibres, ready to sense electrical signals from neural activity or to deliver electric current that mimics the language of the nervous system. There is a caveat. Conventional electrodes are rigid. Implanted in the human body, they aggravate surrounding tissue, leading to inflammation and tissue build-up that precipitate electrode dysfunction and necessite surgical removal. But Lacour, who holds the Bertarelli Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, may have a solution. At SXSW, she presents flexible and stretchable electrodes that conform to the dynamics of the body in the hopes that these new electrodes will provoke less inflammation in the body, leading to longer-lasting and more wearable interfaces. Her e-Dura implant is designed specifically for implantation on the surface of the brain or spinal cord. The small device closely imitates the mechanical properties of living tissue, and can simultaneously deliver electric impulses and pharmacological substances. The risks of rejection and/or damage to the spinal cord have been drastically reduced. Results so far in rodents have been encouraging. "These electrodes are not yet clinically available," warns Lacour. "Nevertheless, what we are learning can already be applied in a clinical context with my colleague Gregoire." Credit: Simon Fraser University There are already one billion tobacco smokers worldwide, and this number is likely to rise further with Asian tobacco companies poised to enter the global market, according to SFU health sciences professor Kelley Lee. "While companies like British American Tobacco and Philip Morris, traditionally known as 'Big Tobacco', have been rightfully targeted by tobacco control efforts to date, on the horizon are several companies based in Asia 'going global' with their business strategies," says Lee, a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Global Health Governance. "Their aim is to grow their share of the world market through increased marketing, new products and lower prices. This is likely to mean more smokers worldwide." Lee and her team are the first to study the global business strategies of Asian tobacco companies, recently published in a special issue of Global Public Health entitled, "The Emergence of Asian Tobacco Companies: Implications for Global Health Governance." Their aim in analysing companies in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand was to document how these companies are shifting from a domestic focus to become aspiring transnational companies. "Several of these companies have already started to export their brands to rapidly growing markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa," says Lee. "Their success will mean a further increase to the already six million deaths caused by tobacco use each year." These new research findings suggest that globalization of the tobacco industry may be entering a new phase. Rather than supporting the expansion of these companies as sources of profit, Asian governments need to recognize that far greater economic, environmental and social costs are being caused by this deadly industry. The authors conclude that collective action by all countries, focused on the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, is needed more than ever. Lee sat down with SFU News to go over the five case studies that were examined in the special issue, and answered three questions about the findings: What are the key factors behind the global business strategies of the five Asian tobacco companies? Trade liberalization and tobacco industry lobbying pressured Asian countries to open their markets to transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) from the late 1980s. British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and other companies introduced new brands, marketing methods and undermined tobacco control measures to gain a major share of the market in Asia. The loss of domestic market share also prompted Asian tobacco companies, in turn, to look abroad to grow their own foreign markets. Their global business strategies have borrowed many of the practices used by existing transnational tobacco companies. Which global business strategies have Asian companies pursued? Government-supported consolidation, restructuring and rationalizing of domestic operations. This included shutting down facilities deemed inefficient, merging smaller concerns into larger ones and upgrading production capacity. The companies also increased manufacturing, specifically for export to foreign markets, and engaged in new product development to create brands that have global appeal. Moreover, there has been product innovation, including specially designed filters, flavourings, super slim cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, as well as foreign direct investment in the form of joint ventures, overseas manufacturing and leaf growing operations. How globalized are Asian tobacco companies to date? Japan Tobacco International was the first Asian tobacco company to successfully globalize, beginning in the late 1990s, supported by the Japanese government as part owners. Today, Japan Tobacco International is the third largest transnational tobacco company in the world. Korea Tobacco & Ginseng is well-positioned to become the world's next transnational tobacco company given its active and successful pursuit of foreign markets since privatisation in 2001. The company is achieving rapid growth in eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia countries. The China National Tobacco Company is by far the world's largest tobacco company but to date has been largely domestically focused. Consolidation has been followed by a strong commitment by the state-owned monopoly to "go global" over the next decade through exports, overseas manufacturing and leaf production. Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation and Thailand Tobacco Monopoly have both expressed ambitions to globalize, but remain domestically focused and are more likely to become regional players in the foreseeable future. A driver who was intending to back out of a parking space at an East Side crafts store drove forward instead, right into the building. The crash caused an estimated $7,500 to $10,000 damage to the Ben Franklin store, 4108 Monona Drive, the Madison Fire Department said. The incident was reported at about 3 p.m. Sunday. The unidentified owner of the vehicle said she intended to back up but accidentally accelerated forward with the car in drive. "The vehicle was backed out of the structure before Engine Company 5 arrived," said spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster. "The collision didn't compromise the integrity of the building." The driver was not injured. With functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers can pinpoint which areas of the brain are activated as participants work through the decision-making process. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University Many of your everyday purchases might seem like no-brainers, but according to a new study from Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, your choices are more complex than you might think. Ph.D. student Kosa Goucher-Lambert, along with Professor Jonathan Cagan and Mississippi State University Professor Jarrod Moss, looked at brain activity to learn more about how we make decisions about the products we buy and how they impact the environment. The study, titled "Inside the Mind: Neuroimaging to Understand Moral Product Preference Judgments Involving Sustainability," was recently published in ASME Journal of Mechanical Design. The research team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural processes behind sustainable preference judgments that involve products for which we do or do not know the environmental impact. "People care about the environment. That may be genuine, but the choices we make on a day-to-day basis don't always reflect that reality," explains Goucher-Lambert. "The environmental impact of products on society is a hot topic, and we're trying to figure out why people choose or don't choose the products that are more sustainable." By leveraging Carnegie Mellon's Scientific Imaging & Brain Research Center (SIBR), the research team asked study participants to choose between two product variations while in an MRI machine. For some pairs, participants were only given information about the form, function and price of each product. For example, when asked to choose between two water bottles, the participants only considered attributes like the shape, material and durability. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University But for other pairs, participants were also given information about the environmental impact of each product. Based on previous studies, Goucher-Lambert and Cagan predicted that the presence of environmental impact information would affect preference judgments. But why? Thanks to neuroimaging technology, the researchers could now pinpoint which areas of the brain were activated while participants worked through this decision-making process. As suspected, areas of the brain associated with emotion were very active when participants had to choose between all products. Other findings were more surprising. "We found that when people are choosing products where the environmental impact is a factor, the areas of the brain associated with "theory of mind" are activated. That means people are especially conscious of what other people in society are going to think about their actions," says Goucher-Lambert. When it comes to choosing sustainable products, consumers care more about what other people will think about them if they choose that product or not. Additionally, the performance or functionality of the product becomes more important when people are considering the environmental impact, while the importance of the look and price becomes less important. This research can inform future product designers on what to consider if they want to design sustainable products that appeal to more consumers. The researchers believe this study, at the interface of psychology, neuroscience and engineering design, could also lead to more research that uses neuroimaging technology to answer important questions in the engineering design community. "We're engineers studying design, and we're using neuroimaging technology as a tool to uncover what happens during the design process. We're really interested in understanding the thought process behind design. Part of that is understanding how people make decisions and the factors that influence those decisions," says Cagan. More information: Goucher-Lambert K, Moss J, Cagan J. Inside the Mind: Using Neuroimaging to Understand Moral Product Preference Judgments Involving Sustainability. ASME. J. Mech. Des. 2017;139(4):041103-041103-11. Goucher-Lambert K, Moss J, Cagan J. Inside the Mind: Using Neuroimaging to Understand Moral Product Preference Judgments Involving Sustainability. ASME. J. Mech. Des. 2017;139(4):041103-041103-11. DOI: 10.1115/1.4035859 A microscopic image of the fruit fly wing imaginal disc, with cell junctions and medial apical cortices illuminated by fluorescent protein tags. Credit: Su, et al / University of Chicago There is an old axiom among cell biologists meant to caution against making assumptions about how certain proteins function, and it involves a hypothetical Martian. If that Martian came to Earth and looked down at a school from its spaceship, it would assume the main job of the school buses is to sit in a parking lot all day, because except for a few hours in the morning and afternoon, that's all they do. Likewise, if someone (whether Martian or Earthling) looked through a microscope for proteins that help control organ growth, they would assume they only functioned at the edges, or junctions, of cells, because that's where they mostly accumulate. But a new study from the University of Chicago suggests that while these proteins do accumulate around the edges of cells, they actually function at a different cellular site. 'Tumor suppressors' are genes that normally function to restrict tissue growth. When these genes are inactivated by mutations, cancerous tumors can result. Researchers have taken advantage of the power of genetic experimentation in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to exhaustively identify all of the tumor suppressor genes in flies. In the early 2000s, researchers determined that most of these genes were all part of the same system, dubbed the Hippo signaling pathway. Remarkably, these genes are not exclusive to flies and function similarly in a host of other organisms, including humans, suggesting that the system goes far back in evolutionary time as a critical controller of cell function. Early returns also indicate that the Hippo pathway is a likely contributor to human cancers and other tumor syndromes, including neurofibromatosis. While the Hippo pathway has been firmly established, scientists are still looking for how elements upstream turn the pathway on and off. Three different proteins associated with the cell membraneKibra, Merlin and Expandedregulate pathway activity, but scientists aren't sure how. The conventional wisdom is that all three operate together at the intracellular junctions, but using a combination of advanced imaging and genetic tools to observe and manipulate these proteins in live tissues, UChicago postdoctoral researcher Ting Su, PhD, discovered that Merlin and Kibra work together to activate the Hippo pathway in a separate area called the medial apical cortex. Meanwhile, Expanded works independently to activate the pathway at the junctions. "There has been some evidence that these components interact with one another biochemically, but genetically they seem to form two independent inputs into the pathway," Su said. The results of this work were published Mar. 13, 2017 in the journal Developmental Cell. Su said that the key to understanding the activity of these proteins was being able to observe them endogenously, or as they occur normally in living epithelial tissues that form the wing of the fly, fused to fluorescent protein tags. Using a high-sensitivity, confocal microscope, Su and his colleagues could see a honeycomb-like mesh of circles, where the glowing proteins gathered at cell junctionsi.e. the school bus parking lotsas expected. But looking carefully, they also saw clusters of activity at a non-junctional site called the medial apical cortex, meaning that the proteins were functioning in another cellular region at the same time. The downstream results seem to be the same whether the process is initiated by the proteins in the center of the cell or those at the junctionswhen the Hippo pathway is activated, it acts as a throttle, signaling that it's time for organs to stop growing. What's not clear are the upstream inputs, or what causes one means of activating the pathway to be triggered over the other. One possibility may be mechanical tension in the cells. As tissues grow, cells stretch and squeeze against each other, generating tension across the tissue that cells might sense through junctions with their neighbors. "The current thinking is that might be one way the tissues sense how big they are. As they grow, that generates mechanical tension, and it's clear that tension feeds into pathway activity through the junctions," said Rick Fehon, professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, and senior author on the study. At the same time, each cell can generate internal tension using a motor protein called myosin, a mechanism cells use to change shape. "We're interested in the possibility that this medial localization might be a way to sense tension generated within cells," he said. Tissue growth is an inherent part of developmental biology, but only recently have researchers focused on understanding the cellular mechanisms that regulate it. "The really great thing about working with flies is the genetic tools that make this possible," Fehon said. "It's the ability to combine those with new, advanced microscopy approaches to figure out whether the school bus functions when it's in the parking lot, or when driving around." More information: "Kibra and Merlin activate the Hippo pathway spatially distinct from and independent of Expanded," Developmental Cell, 2017 Journal information: Developmental Cell "Kibra and Merlin activate the Hippo pathway spatially distinct from and independent of Expanded,", 2017 Obstruction of the lumen of a bronchiole by mucoid exudate, goblet cell metaplasia, and epithelial basement membrane thickening in a person with asthma. Credit: Yale Rosen/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 2.0 Scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai today published results from a pioneering study of asthma patients in the U.S. conducted entirely via iPhone using the Apple ResearchKit framework and the Asthma Health app developed at Mount Sinai with collaborating organizations. The results demonstrated that this approach was successful for large-scale participant enrollment across the country, secure bi-directional data exchange between study investigators and app users, and collection of other useful information such as geolocation, air quality, and device data. The publication appears today in Nature Biotechnology. "The Asthma Mobile Health study represents the coming together of academia and industry to benefit from the ubiquity of smartphones and harness the power of citizen-science to modernize the clinical research process," said Eric Schadt, PhD, senior author on the paper and the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Founding Director of the Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology. "We now have the ability to capture rich research data from thousands of individuals to better characterize 'real world' patterns of disease, wellness, and behavior. This approach provides a more comprehensive and accurate view of our patients that was not feasible in the past due to logistical limitations and prohibitive costs." The Asthma Mobile Health Study was launched in March 2015, and in the first six months, the app was downloaded by nearly 50,000 iPhone users. The study included regular surveys to understand how asthma patients were affected by and treating their condition over time. A total of 7,593 people completed the electronic informed consent process and enrolled in the study. Eighty-five percent of them completed at least one survey, with a core group of 2,317 robust users who filled out multiple surveys during the course of the six-month study. Results were compared to existing asthma patient studies and to external factors as a control for the reliability of patient-reported data. For example, scientists were able to correlate increased daily asthma symptoms among participants in Washington State with an outbreak of wildfires at the time. Similar factors that could be corroborated in the patient data included pollen levels and heat. Data for commonly used asthma metrics, such as peak flow, matched what has been observed in other studies. "We critically assessed the feasibility, strengths, and limitations of a smartphone-based study and found that this methodology is particularly suitable for studies of short duration that require rapid enrollment across diverse geographical locations, frequent data collection, and real-time feedback to participants," said Yvonne Chan, MD, PhD, Director of Digital Health and Personalized Medicine at the Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology at Mount Sinai and principal investigator of the study. "Our study demonstrates the power of mobile health tools to scale and accelerate clinical research so that we can derive the evidence needed to inform clinical practice and improve patient care." In 2015, there were 3 billion smartphones in use globally, and that number is expected to double by 2020. Mobile health studies allow scientists to reach unprecedented numbers of participants around the world. Future directions for digital health at Mount Sinai include innovations in enterprise-level electronic informed consent and expansion to other diseases and health conditions. "Mount Sinai has a long history of embracing new technologies to enhance patient care, and I'm delighted to see that tradition continuing with this mobile health study," said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "We look forward to building on this work to serve new patient populations and to dramatically increase the amount of research data we can mine for discoveries that will ultimately improve healthcare for people around the world." More information: The Asthma Mobile Health Study, a large-scale clinical observational study using ResearchKit, Nature Biotechnology, nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nbt.3826 Journal information: Nature Biotechnology The Asthma Mobile Health Study, a large-scale clinical observational study using ResearchKit, Netflix has not given its content to the Film and Publication Board for classification, nor has it paid a R795,000 licensing fee for online distribution. However, the honeymoon will soon be over, said FPB COO Sipho Risiba. Risiba said it is not only Netflix which is not complying with the FPB Act, but several online distributors. There are a number of local content distributors weve engaged with and were getting an attitude with these people, said Risiba. Legality of the R795,000 licensing fee Telecommunications lawyer Dominic Cull of Ellipsis Regulatory Solutions said the FPB is acting outside the scope of its powers in requiring Netflix to register as an online content distributor. While Cull said Netflix is an excellent example of online content the FPB should regulate, in requiring a license fee it is acting outside the law which gives it power the FPB Act. Risiba disagreed with Cull, saying the licensing fee was gazetted by a government minister. The FPB is working on revising its tariff structure, but Risiba said they view the tariff process and lack of compliance from digital distributors as separate issues. Until the revised tariffs are implemented, online distributors have to pay the fees prescribed. The R795,000 figure may not be fair, it may not be reasonable, it may end up not being constitutional, but it is the law currently until a competent court pronounces otherwise, said Risiba. Not just about Netflix Risiba said we live in a country which has rules, and the FPB has a responsibility to ensure the industry complies with the Film and Publications Act. The issue is not really about Netflix, but about ensuring compliance with the law, said Risiba. He did not go into detail about the steps the FPB will take against distributors which arent complying with the law, but said they have plans to deal with them. You shouldnt be surprised if tomorrow there is litigation against these entities, he said. FAO: World grain prices rise in October Kremlin urges Yerevan and Baku to refrain from destabilization WSJ: Sullivan is in contact with Ushakov and Patrushev on Ukraine IRGC seizes over 1,500 weapons in Iran riots Minister: $879 million worth of agricultural products exported from Armenia Japan to exterminate 150 thousand chickens because of bird flu outbreak Armenia informational online platform for promoting highly qualified specialists engagement is launched South Korea's president apologizes for crush in downtown Seoul Documento: Greek PM Mitsotakis used intelligence services to spy on dozens of people Close to $98M to be allocated from Armenia state budget for agricultural projects in 2023 Man who set self on fire near Armenia government mansion is in severe condition Anti-Iranian action to take place in Baku UN promises to lift restrictions on Russian grain exports in near future Fighter jet crashes in Saudi Arabia About $770M to be assigned to Armenia territorial administration, infrastructure ministry next year Armenia parliament vice-speaker: There is very important note in Sochi statement Copper falls in price New York bank robberies up 42% this year Armenia President to attend climate change convention in Egypt Gold prices change slightly World oil prices falling Mirzoyan, Blinken, Bayramov to meet in Washington today How long will it take to know US midterm elections results? Iranian Armenian MP: Iran-Armenia trade is expected to reach $1B U.S. National Park Service urges against licking the Sonora desert toad Azerbaijan army units open fire in direction of Armenia positions Minister: Britain's government faces tough decisions Pashinyan: Teachers in Armenia must get 800,000, 1,000,000 and 1,200,000 drams wages 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 U.S. arms sales in Europe are soaring 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 Iranian Parliament Speaker's visit to Azerbaijan postponed 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 Civilian exploded on mine in Artsakh 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 Jake Sullivan arrives in Kyiv on unannounced visit 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 STEPANAKERT. The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces 55 times, from late Sunday night to early Monday morning. During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired more than 550 shots toward the position-holders of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) Defense Army, and with different-caliber shooting weapons, the defense army informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. In addition, the adversary fired one grenade from a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, in the southern direction of the line of contact. But the Artsakh defense army vanguard units are in command of the operational and tactical situation at the frontline, and they confidently continue to reliably maintain their military positions. A Madison man caught going more than twice the legal speed limit on the Beltline early Saturday morning told the deputy he was speeding because he had to go to the bathroom. Daniel Zong, 24, was clocked at 119 mph on the 55 mph speed limit Beltline, stopped at about 12:55 a.m. by a Dane County Sheriff's deputy in the northbound lanes near Old Sauk Road. Zong was driving a 2007 Toyota sedan, said spokeswoman Elise Schaffer. The ticket will cost Zong $515.50 and six points, along with a mandatory court appearance. The deputy was working thanks to a special traffic grant deployment over the weekend. The next such deployment begins on Thursday night and will continue Friday and Saturday nights. A group of politicians and journalists have petitioned to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with a request for his assistance in the release of blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin, who has been arrested in Azerbaijan. The Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe (FAAE) informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that the respective letter notes that Lapshins arrest is purely political. In the letter, these politicians and journalists asked Israel to undertake all possible actions to have this blogger and journalist released. They added that his arrest runs contrary to the charter of freedoms and rights, and that Azerbaijan, as a UN member, is also obligated to follow the law. The said letter was signed by Frantisek Miklosko, former Speaker and MP of the Slovak National Council; Jan Carnogursky, former Prime Minister of Slovakia; Vladimir Palko, former Interior Minister of Slovakia; Radovan Pavlik, SITA news agency reporter; and Ashot Grigorian, President of FAAE. 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. The majority of the private taxi drivers are going to vote for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), in the forthcoming parliamentary election in the country. President of the Independent Trade Union of Private Taxi Drivers Organization, Sargis Gyozalyan, on Monday informed about the aforesaid. He said a respective survey was conducted with around 300 cab drivers. Accordingly, 146 of them stated that they will vote for the RPA, 113 others said they will cast their ballots in favor of the Tsarukyan Alliancewhich is led by opposition Prosperous Armenia Party Chairman and businessman MP, Gagik Tsarukyan, and the rest noted that they will vote for the other political forces that are running for parliament. Also, this organization had asked these taxi drivers whether they trusted Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan. [And] 252 of the 350 favor that he remain in his office also after the parliamentary elections, added Gyozalyan. The parliamentary election in the country will be conducted on April 2. The document on establishing a free-trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) may be signed during Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis visit to Russia. Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak stated the aforementioned at his talk with the Minister of Communication and Information Technology of Iran, Mahmoud Vaezi, according to TASS news agency of Russia. We hope that the document will be ready for signing during the Iranian presidents visit to Moscow, Novak said, in particular. The EAEU-Iran free-trade zone agreement will be implemented in several phases. It was noted, however, that Iran is not a World Trade Organization member, and this makes it difficult to establish a free-trade zone with this country. The Eurasian Economic Union comprises Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a great possibility to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte to become Geert Wilders proponent of the rhetoric about Muslim immigrants, reports Haaretz. In response to Turkish provocations, it was difficult for Dutch leaders to maintain equanimity and thus, it played into the hands of Erdogan. The official reason for prohibiting Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister, to attend the rally in Rotherham with an aim to convince the Turkish Dutch to support the amendments, was to avoid possible tensions between Erdogan's supporters and their Dutch opponents and prevent the threat to national security. However, the real reason seems to be the internal policies and the elections to be held three days later in the Netherlands. Marc Rutte, the head of the right-wing party, who wants to preserve the post of prime minister, has been fighting for several months against Geert Wilders' right-wings growing threat. Rutte borrowed some rhetorical statements by Wilders about migrants that live in the Netherlands, and it helped him to reduce the difference in the electorate and become a favorite for the first time in the public opinion polls. Then Erdogan and his relatives came in play, providing Rutte a superb possibility to show how strict he is against Muslims, at the same time preserving the civil rights of Dutch citizens. "Rutte thus showed a courageous position toward the unstable Middle East leader," the author writes. In any way, the experts believe that the confrontation between the Muslim and the Netherlands Government would strengthen the positions of Ruttes opponent, Wilders. "It is not clear what effect the Turkish-Dutch confrontation will leave on the internal policy of the Netherlands, but it is certain that it has strengthened Erdogan and his position in the camp. This is evidenced by the fact that even the leader of Turkey's largest opposition party called on Turks living in the Netherlands to organize rallies and protest against insulting Turkey's honor, "summarizes the author. The investigation of the case into Alexander Lapshin will take at least one or two months, since it still has not presented grounds for the charge against the blogger who is in custody in Baku. Lapshins attorney, Edward Chernin, stated the aforementioned, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia. Despite the charges attributed to Russian Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin, the investigation has not yet put forward any grounds for them noted Chernin. In his words, Lapshin still does not know what, specifically, he is charged with. There is no material in our hands to object to something, added the attorney. And it seems the investigation will take at least one to two months. The last time he met with Lapshin was on March 9, and Chernin informed that his client had no complaints. In the attorneys words, his motions may be as regards to commuting the precautionary measure of arrest of his client. Lapshin doesnt pose a threat to the public, and he can be released from custody during investigation, added Edward Chernin. But, on the other hand, where can he stay in Baku? Here he has no home and relatives, to whom he would be handed and kept under surveillance. 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. A 15-year-old student at Tomah High School was arrested Friday morning after allegedly making a school shooting reference on a Snapchat post. The unidentified boy was arrested by Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputies before school started on Friday. "The student posted a picture and a comment that was perceived to be a threat of a possible school shooting," said Sheriff Scott Perkins. Both Tomah police and school district officials notified parents and the community on Friday of the Snapchat post, but officials did not believe the public was at risk following the juvenile's arrest. School District Superintendent Cindy Zahrte and Police Chief Mark Nicholson issued a joint news release on Friday, thanking the community for keeping an eye on social media. "We are committed to keeping parents, staff, students and the community informed, and to ensure the safety of everyone at our schools and in our community," the release said. "We greatly appreciate the vigilance of citizens in reporting social media postings, as well as any other potentially dangerous situations, which may impact the safety and well-being of students and our larger community." YEREVAN. US Ambassador Richard Mills on Monday visited the election headquarters of the Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanian (ORO) alliance, which is running for parliament in Armenia. The interlocutors reflected on the forthcoming parliamentary election, and the respective platforms of ORO, informed its spokesperson Aregnaz Manukyan. Ambassador Mills said it is important that all political parties and blocs that are running in this election show a clear vision for the future of Armenia. He added that they urge Armenian voters to become a participant in the democratic process and to vote on April 2. Also, the US diplomat encouraged everyone not to succumb to any attempt at buying their votes, or having a respective influence. The ORO bloc comprises former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, and ex-FMs Raffi Hovannisian and Vartan Oskanian. Madison School District officials on Monday said little could likely be done this school year about the recent court ruling allowing concealed weapons on Metro Transit buses including those many students take to school. District business manager Mike Barry said there are plans to survey parents on the issue this spring, with the possibility of ditching the city-owned Metro Transit for a private bus service that could continue to ban guns. But any such decision wouldnt happen overnight, Barry said, given the time needed for parental input, School Board action and the conclusion of existing contracts. It just doesnt work that quickly, Barry said. I would expect no change in the current year. District officials say they arent happy about the ruling. Safety and security coordinator Tony Peterson on Monday called it an unfortunate decision, and Barry said the district viewed it very unfavorably. Concealed carry is not part of the conditions in our schools, and we view the school buses as an extension of the schools, Barry said. And so this is not a decision that we welcome. But short of dropping Metro service, its likely the district must comply with the 5-2 state Supreme Court ruling last week that struck down Madisons policy of banning guns on city buses, Barry said. The court said a 2011 state law that made it legal to carry concealed firearms in most public places superseded the citys rule banning them. Openly carrying most guns was already legal in most public places, though both openly carried and concealed weapons are prohibited in school zones in most cases. A school zone includes the school and 1,000 feet from the edges of school property. We have an obligation to inform our parents as to what this (court ruling) means in terms of Metro operations, Barry said. But this is an issue that may be beyond the control of the board of education or city government. The district already pays Badger Bus Lines, a private company, to provide transportation, known as yellow bus service, for all elementary school students. But about 35 percent of the districts high school students and 40 percent of middle schoolers, for a total of about 5,000 students, use Metro buses to get to school, either with individually purchased bus passes or through designated Metro routes set up mainly for students. On both the designated Metro routes and main Metro routes accessed through a bus pass, students could be sharing a bus with non-student riders who could have permits to legally carry concealed guns. The requirements for getting a concealed carry permit include being 21 or older and having no record of felony convictions or misdemeanors involving domestic violence. It comes down to either we accept these conditions as part of using the Metro service, or the district would have to look at (private) yellow bus service as an alternative, Barry said. Whether this change rises to the level of switching students from Metro to yellow bus is the ultimate question, and thats going to depend a lot on parent and School Board input. School officials, Metro staff and city leaders are awaiting a city attorney opinion that will spell out the court decision in greater detail before they hash out the details of whats next, according to Metro Transit spokesman Mick Rusch and district spokeswoman Rachel Strauch-Nelson. One of those details includes whether Metro can continue to ban its own employees, including bus drivers, from carrying concealed weapons, in light of the ruling. We have contract language against that now, Rusch said. We are reviewing everything with the city attorneys office, but we have not gotten our briefing yet. Rusch said Metro customers also could leave comments on the guns issue at mymetrobus.com/feedback. Nik Clark, chairman/president of gun rights group Wisconsin Carry Inc., which brought the lawsuit that led to the courts decision, said parents didnt need to fear people who carried guns with concealed-weapons permits. Obviously thats a law-abiding person whos passed a background check, Clark said, noting permit applicants also must show proof of gun safety training and pay a $40 fee. Theres less to fear from them than from the criminals riding the buses with a gun under their shirts. YEREVAN. - The residents of many Armenian towns and villages seemed to be intimidated and didnt take proper interest in the programs and ideas of the Communist Party of Armenia during the first seven days of the election campaign. Deputy candidate of the United Communist Party of Armenia, Vazgen Safaryan, said the aforementioned on Monday within the framework of the extended format session of the party. In his words, during the recent week the representatives of the Communist Party have visited a number of Armenian towns and villages, where they met with the residents and presented them their program. However, there was no interest and inspiration from the side of the people. According to the party representatives, the people seemed to be intimidated. However, those who attended the meetings with the communists listened attentively to their proposals on how to introduce into the modern world and the world of future all the best that used to be in the past, i.e. free education for everyone, free apartments for the young, etc. Mainly people who appreciated the Soviet Armenia and who built it through their labor turn to us, Safaryan said. In his words, it will not be difficult to return to Armenia everything good that existed during the socialist regime: in case of organizing the countrys economy correctly it will be possible to find funds also for free education and free medicine. Our program is aimed at ensuring 7-8 percent annual economic growth. We will be able to achieve this through the development of industry and internal cooperation ties, Safaryan said. On Monday, the Communist Party representatives gathered in Yerevan to discuss the first week of the election campaign and determined their future plans. YEREVAN. - I treat any incident very badly, regardless of whether it happens during the pre-election period, after it or during any other period. Prime Minister of Armenia, Karen Karapetyan, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), told the aforementioned on Monday at the meeting with voters in Yerevans Avan administrative district, referring to the recent incidents, which took place in Jrarat village of Armavir province. At the same time, the PM said that he is proud of the fact that Yerevan has been included in the list of the most secure cities. I have urged to change the culture during these elections so that our competition is ideological and so that we do not slander each other. I dont really know what happened but the fact is that I treat it very negatively, Karapetyan said. Asked whether those guilty will be admonished, the PM noted: We want to build a lawful country. The police and investigative authorities are accountable to the Government but they have their rules. Therefore, am I interested in solving the crime as a prime minster,? Yes. Am I interested in the criminal being punished? Yes. Does the punishment measure depend on the party affiliation or color of the skin? No. According to the preliminary information, a quarrel sparked in Jrarat village of Armavir provice at about 4:00 pm on Sunday, which grew into a scuffle during which the brother of Deputy Chief of Armenian Police Levon Yeranosyan, Lernik Yeranosyan, and Mikayel Baboyan suffered bodily injuries. The investigation established that during the same scuffle Lernik Yeranosyan shot in the air from his gun. YEREVAN. - Low quality diesel fuelnot even diesel, but another fuel mixed with diesel fuelwas imported to Armenia, causing non-operation of the military equipment. Prime Minister of Armenia, Karen Karapetyan, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), told the aforementioned on Monday at the meeting with voters in Yerevans Avan administrative district. In his words, it was later found out that the fuel imported to Armenia was designed for charging a furnace. 460 tons of that fuel was imported, there being no such demand for that. It appeared in the republic because of the imperfection of regulations. Therefore, it is apparent that this fuel will be mixed with another one and be sold under the guise of another fuel. Currently, we have got no legal framework to ban this," Karapetyan said. During the Cabinet session on March 1, PM Karen Karapetyan stated that a number of cases were recorded during the April war, when the military equipment didn't work because of the poor quality of fuel. ''It is necessary to oversee the quality issues very strictly. I think you remember that in a number of cases during the April war our military equipment didn't work exactly for this reason. The quality control should be strict. It's a different matter that there shouldn't be such delays at the customs,'' he stressed. YEREVAN. - All the undeserving people, as well as those who have accidentally appeared in social and healthcare systems of Armenia, will be removed from these systems. Prime Minister of Armenia, Karen Karapetyan, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), told the aforementioned on Monday at the meeting with voters in Yerevans Avan administrative district. In his words, the task of raising the efficiency exists in all the spheres of Armenia. We have launched great reforms in the social and healthcare spheres, which are taking place concurrently. We dont solve all the social issues which the socially vulnerable stratum faces. But even in such limited conditions, we have problems: the funds are spent ineffectively, and sometimes we choose a wrong address. The filtrationthe system we havesometimes allows to include socially non-vulnerable persons within the socially vulnerable stratum, the assistance not fully reaching the socially vulnerable stratum. I dont want to go into detail but there will be great reforms in these spheres, which will allow providing better service and increasing population reach in the conditions of the same budget, Karapetyan said. Asked how many new jobs will open in Armenia, the PM said: I dont like to give promises. I am quite greedy in terms of giving promises, since when I do this, I want to keep them by all means. I am indeed sure that our actions and programs will lead to the growth of economya process, which depends not only on governance and Government but also the reaction of the business environment and population. YEREVAN. - The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) may win the majority of votes in the parliamentary elections if it works well. Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan, who has been nominated as an RPA deputy candidate, told the aforementioned to journalists on Monday within the framework of the meeting with voters in Yerevans Avan administrative district. If we can manage to correctly present the work done by us and our vision about our countrys future, I am sure that we will win the majority of votes, Margaryan noted. To the observation that during the last nine years the indexes of poverty and migration from Armenia have grown, the mayor said: I cannot say what would have happened should another force be in power. It might be twice bad. Be confident: our team loves its people, land and water. We have suffered many losses on this path. Asked whether the people like the RPA, Taron Margaryan said: Yes. There are social and unresolved issues but we must solve them together, he added. Exact Sciences Corp., Judith and Nick Topitzes, Sandy and Jun Lee and two anonymous couples have pledged $100,000 each as matching gifts for a 2017 fundraising campaign announced Monday by the Overture Center for the Arts. Overture will run a "Local Legends Match" campaign through June 15 to match the gifts, which support free and low-cost programs offered at the performing arts center. Matching gifts must be made by individuals or businesses to the Overture Annual Fund or in support of a community program. Performance or program sponsorships are not counted in the match. Madison-based Exact Sciences, developer of the noninvasive colorectal cancer screening test Cologuard, is a longtime supporter of the Overture Center's "National Geographic Live!" series. Nick Topitzes is founder and former owner of pc/nametag, a developer of many products used by the meeting planner industry. Jun Lee is president of the engineering firm SRI Design Inc. and a singer; his wife, fellow UW-Madison alum and artist Sandy Lee, is a longtime supporter of Overture's OnStage student field trip program. Two couples who asked not to be named gave their gifts in honor of Glenda Noel-Ney, Overture's vice president of advancement, and Tim Sauers, vice-president of programming and community engagement. Noel-Ney and Sauers were cited by the donors for "their dedication to the arts throughout their careers, and their tremendous influence on making Overture this wonderful place to be introduced to, experience and enjoy the arts." Past "local legend" donors of $100,000 or more include Jim and Sue Bakke, Diane Ballweg, Jim Imhoff and Kitty Kuhl, Jonathan and Susan Lipp, and Tom and Peggie Pyle in 2016; Ron and Deborah Krantz and an anonymous donor in honor of Ted and Gail DeDee in 2015; Joe and Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner and Bea and Lau Christensen in 2014; and the MG&E Foundation, Kelly Family Foundation and Dianne Christensen in 2013. The 2017 pledges were announced Monday by Ted DeDee, president and CEO of Overture, and the Overture Center Foundation board of directors. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called on NATO members to increase military spending, reports Voice of America. According to Stoltenberg, this approach is critical for providing the steadiness of the Transatlantic ties, on which the NATO is based. For almost 70 years the unique partnership between Europe and North America has ensured peace and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, he said. That is an achievement we can never take for granted, said Stoltenberg. He noted that there is still no fair distribution of the financial burden among the members of the alliance. The United States, Great Britain, Estonia, Greece, and Poland are the only countries that maintain the defense spending target of 2% of GDP. It is realistic that all Allies should reach this goal. All Allies have agreed to it at the highest level. It can be done, noted Stoltenberg, referring 2014 meeting of the prime ministers and presidents. According to statistics, in 2016 the defense spending of the alliance increased by 3.8 percent or 10 billion dollars, while in 2015 this figure reduced. So we must redouble our efforts and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Karabakh/Artsakh), Karen Mirzoyan, has paid a working visit to Greece to participate in the March 13-15 events entitled "Our Heroic Artsakh", organized by the Armenian National Committee of Greece, the press-service of the Artsakh MFA informed Armenian News NEWS.am. The Foreign Minister started his visit by visiting the Armenian Evangelical Church of Greece as well as a number of Armenian educational institutions, in particular, the Galpakyan and Zavaryan schools, where he got familiarized with the school activities and engaged with the students. On the same day, Karen Mirzoyan met with the Patriarchal Vicar, Archbishop Komitas Ohanian and members of the Armenian National Administration of Greece in the Armenian National Prelacy of Greece. The Foreign Minister briefed them on the processes taking place in Artsakh and the situation on the contact line between the Artsakh and Azerbaijani armed forces. He also answered the questions of the attendees. Dashnaktsutyun is neither a party of a person nor that of an individual. ARF-D Bureau member Armen Rustamyan said the aforementioned on Monday at the meeting with the voters of Gyulagarak village in Armenias Lori province. Those gathered first listened to the party representatives. It is already 127 years our party has been continuing to operate. And wherever there are Armeniansall over the world, not only in Armeniait stands by their side. There is no other party which has representations in over 30 countries, Rustamyan said. In response to the urge to vote for the ARF-D and demand from them, one of the villagers said: We demand but its useless. If you have once voted and saw your demand isnt satisfied, then vote for another one, Rustamyan advised. Everyone is struggling for their seat, If I vote for someone today, and turn to him in a year, I will already be a stranger to him, one of the villagers noted. Tahrir al-Sham Releases Statement Rebuking the United States for its Selfish Policy "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is brought to you by Miller Brewing Company, calling Milwaukee home since 1855. For the entire month of March, we're serving up fun articles on bars, clubs and beverages including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in! For the third straight year, no other restaurant in the city could beat BelAir Cantina whether it's the Water Street, Downer Avenue, Wauwatosa or Oak Creek location when it comes to serving up the perfect combo of food and drink. People may come to devour the scrumptious street tacos especially on Taco Tuesday but they stick around to enjoy the plentiful margaritas, tasty beers and more libations at the bar. And soon, with two new locations popping up in Brookfield and Madison, there will be even more ways to quench your taco-induced thirst. Milwaukee Ale House, Goodkind, Cafe Centraal and a tie between Rumpus Room and Elsa's round out the rest of the top five. But while Goodkind finished third in the reader vote, the Bay View restaurant is once again impressively, for the third straight year number one in OnMilwaukee editors' hearts. In addition to serving a wonderful selection of farm-to-fork food with a wide variety of delectable dishes, Goodkind offers a large selection of beer and wine. But the bar really shines with its unique, inventive craft cocktails, featuring delicious ingredients and poetic names like In the Rain On Royal St., Light As A Father and My Darling Amadeus that roll off the tongue almost as smoothly as their drinks roll down your throat. OnMilwaukee editors' pick: Goodkind Runners up: 2. Milwaukee Ale House 3. Goodkind 4. Cafe Centraal 5. Rumpus Room & Elsa's This year we also asked a variety of prominent Milwaukeeans to weigh in on their pick for specific categories. For this category, we consulted Tarik Moody, DJ at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. Moody's pick: Company Brewing Besides the amazing craft beer, Company Brewing has some of the best tap cocktails. I really enjoy the Company Old Fashioned. However, one of my favorite cocktails is the New Orleans classic, the Sazerac, and Company Brewing makes one of the best in the city! Also, if you are a beer fan, I recommend the Milwaukee Record Re-Porter, which is brewed with lovely and smokey chilies. "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is back! For the entire month of March, we're serving up fun articles on bars, clubs and beverages including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Follow along with the #DrinkOnMke hashtag too. Grab a designated driver and dive in! Anecdotally speaking, Wisconsinites know that we consume large amounts of brandy mostly due to the state's signature cocktail, the brandy Old Fashioned. Upon investigation, we found that Wisconsin alone imports 50 percent of Korbel's brandy, according to California-based Korbel, the top brandy maker in the United States. "Wisconsin is our number one state and responsible for more than half of our brandy sales," says Margie Healy, director of public relations for the California-based Korbel. "We sold 272,869 cases of Korbel Brandy in 2019 and 148,041 of those cases were sold in Wisconsin. Again, this is HALF of our total production." Healy says California is a distant second in brandy consumption followed by Minnesota, Kentucky and Florida. Brandy refers to a spirit that has been distilled from wine or another fermented fruit juice. Aged brandy made in the Cognac region of France is appropriately-named Cognac. Brandy is also a coveted liqueur in California, but most West Coast drinkers enjoy it straight up in a snifter, whereas Wisconsinites usually mix it into a cocktail. Such as the Manhattan, another favorite among local brandy drinkers, but like the Old Fashioned is often made with whiskey in other states. Brandy's popularity in Wisconsin started when a large number of German immigrants moved here in the 19th century and couldn't find their favorite drink, brandewijn. This prompted Korbel to start distilling for the public in 1889. Small-batch local distilleries produce or have produced brandy, too. Great Lakes Distillery has a Brightwoods Apple Brandy and an artisan series of fruit brandy; Central Standard Craft Distillery offers a North Wisconsin Brandy; and SoulBoxer Cocktail Co. has a ready-to-pour brandy Old Fashioned. It's easy to speculate that the long winters are partially responsible for Wisconsin's high consumption of brandy. "Our sales in Wisconsin are considerably stronger in the winter than in the summer," says Healy. And to an extent, location determines brandy's popularity. The common belief that brandy is a popular "Up North" drink is factual according to Korbel sales. "We are strong in both the big cities and small towns, but the really hardcore Korbel fans tend to come from small towns," says Healy. Aside from brandy Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, numerous hot drinks are popular here, including the brandy Alexander (also served cold as an after-dinner drink) and the hot toddy. These drinks are believed by some to reduce the effects of colds and flus. Plus, in Wisconsin, a shot of brandy (or two) pairs well with a cup of coffee. Brandy is also the unofficial house drink at supper clubs. Although there are fewer supper clubs today than there were 50 years ago, many are still alive and well, serving as many brandy Old Fashioneds as they are relish trays and plates of prime rib. "Wisconsinites love Korbel and Korbel loves Wisconsin all the way from California," says Healy. "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is brought to you by Miller Brewing Company, calling Milwaukee home since 1855. For the entire month of March, we're serving up fun articles on bars, clubs and beverages including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in! In 2015, news emerged that the former Forst Keller Restaurant building, 1037 W. Juneau Ave., at the old Pabst Brewery site, which was shuttered in 1996, would re-open as a new Pabst Brewery. Despite some changes to the plan and some delays, the Pabst Brewing Milwaukee is hosting a media preview today we got an early first look in advance of its official opening, slated for Milwaukee Day on April 14. A grand opening block party will take place in May. Many have watched with delight as the Victorian Gothic structure with a freeway view got a new roof and had more than a centurys worth of grime cleaned from its cream city brick exterior. The building was born as the home to the First German Methodist Church in 1872-73. Finding itself surrounded by an ever-growing brewery, the congregation moved to a new church on 21st and Highland in the 1890s and sold this building to Pabst. In 1898, the brewery tapped architect Carl Linde to convert it into a tavern and restaurant at a cost of $4,500. The Forst Keller opened there and was run early on by Richard Becker. For a time, it was also home to a trio of vocal music groups Albert Kittelmanns Liederkranz Club, the Lieder Tafel and the Bel Canto Chorus but the Forst Keller lived on. From 1937 to 1960, it was run by brother Fritz and Richard Baumann, whose wives did the cooking, according to a 1973 newspaper article. When Adi Binder ran the place from 1964 to 71, the same source noted, his mother "Mutti" did the cooking. After closing for six months, the Forst Keller reopened in 71 under the watchful eye of Karl and Ann Skacel, of Delafield, who also had Karl and Gretchens Supper Club out on Lake Nagawicka. The brewery used the slightly smaller upper floor as a training area, and when the restaurant closed in 1973, it planned to create a museum in the building. For a time, it served as a guest center and events space for Pabst, too. Now, architects Engberg Anderson have designed a sleek new space for the returning brewery and its taproom, preserving old elements such as the stained glass above the main entrance while giving it a bright, modern feel. Entering off Juneau Avenue, the brewing facility which will test, perfect and brew a range of seasonal craft beers, including "pre-Prohibition and legacy" brews is directly ahead. There will be as many as eleven brewing lines running simultaneously, according to Pabst Brewing Milwaukee Experience Manager Rebecca Berkshire. Among the first beers brewers Greg Deuhs and John Kimes will make here are some legacy brands like Andeker, alongside experimental and craft brews. PBR will be served upstairs, but it will not be brewed down here in these tight quarters. Pabst is headquartered in Los Angeles, and PBR is contract-brewed by Miller. Test brewing began in February, says Berkshire, and by the second week in March, the brewers were beginning to brew beer to be ready for opening day. Though this first-floor space is packed full of shiny brewery tanks and machinery which you can spy through the windows along the sidewalk theres still gorgeous old woodwork down here, too. Hiding in the back is the buildings boiler, painted like a PBR Tall Boy. Though the Pabst Milwaukee Brewery wont serve cocktails, tea-totalers will have options, says Berkshire. "Were trying to develop a nice beverage program that highlights different (local drinks) like Wisco Pop and Kickapoo coffee. Were trying to keep the non-alcoholic beverage program as interesting as possible, just so if you're not a beer drinker, you'll still want to come in." Head back to the entrance and choose one of two staircases that flank the main door to arrive upstairs in the main room, which is a stunner. And I say that as someone who saw this space at its lowest point, nearly a decade ago. The balcony is still there as is the banister on the curving staircase up and so is the stage, which was, of course, built as an altar. The hardwood floors remain and so do the peaked Gothic windows on the east and west walls. But theres also a striking copper-covered bar wrapping around a trio of brewing tanks (also copper-clad). Sleek black lights dangle from the ceiling and are equipped with Edison bulbs, embodying the intersection of classic and modern. Most eye-catching of all is a neon Pabst sign (made by Western Neon) that hangs parallel to the floor and can be seen through the windows even by motorists passing by on I-43 below. "There will be drink rails along the side, and there will be four communal tables on the main floor," says Berkshire. "They seat about 12 apiece. And then there'll be three seven-foot tables on the stage, also communal seating, and those have benches." The balcony will be rented out for special events, but when the space is not reserved, guests will be able to cozy up in the two nooks with built-in bench seating or along the glass half-wall with its view over the action downstairs. My favorite view was from the old bell tower, accessed by a rebar ladder that leads to a scuttle hatch opening into the windowless first level of the tower. On the south wall here there's an opening that leads to the attic above the ceiling of the main hall. From here there's another 90-degree rebar ladder through a scuttle hatch into the area that has the arched windows you can see from the street. They offer a nice perspective on the freeway and Juneau Avenue but the building isn't tall enough to provide dazzling views. Surprisingly there's very little graffiti on either level of the tower. On the window level, I found one bit from 1981, but that's it. Unless you're allowed roof access, this is also as high as you can go. Behind the stage is the full kitchen. "Upscale, gastropub," is how Berkshire describes the menu. "We have a pretty solid menu at this point, but were working out the finer details. "Its a full menu. I wanted it to have the familiar Milwaukee bar food feel, but with attention to detail and ingredients. So, it's still approachable but it's still chef-driven. Locally sourced, sustainable." When Pabst added on to the south side of the building to create the kitchen and add an elevator for accessibility, it also created an outdoor patio, which will seat more than 100. Inside the capacity is about 400, which means that once it opens, the Pabst Brewing Milwaukee will be rocking on 10th and Juneau ... just as it had for more than a century in old Brew City. This years James Beard semifinals were filled with pleasant surprises. Wisconsin made a great showing, with four nominations from Milwaukee and an additional four from across the state. Even more impressive is that one of the semi-finalists was Luke Zahm, chef and owner of Driftless Cafe in Viroqua, a town of just over 4,000 people. Since the average population of Midwestern cities with James Beard nominated chefs is 220,000, it's common to see honorees from cities like Madison, Milwaukee and Minneapolis. But its far more unusual for a small-town chef to hit the radar of the JBF team. Fortunately for Zahm, there were eyes on his work. And its given him an opportunity to tout the unbelievably bounty that comes from the Driftless Region of Wisconsin. "Its something you just dont think is possible in a town of that size," says Zahm. "Im overwhelmed. I have such a sense of respect for all the purveyors in the area, whove provided the food I work with. And I have such extreme pride for our staff." Viroqua may not be famous for its food scene, but thanks to chefs like Zahm, theyre gaining a reputation for their ingredients. And its about time. The glaciers of the last ice age stopped short of the area, resulting in a landscape of winding rivers, meandering valleys and rolling hills peppered with sandstone bluffs. Thanks to an influx of "back to the landers" in the late '70s and '80s, the number of small scale, organic farms increased exponentially, assisting the driftless area in hosting the highest number of organic farms per capita in the country. Relatedly, the Driftless Region became home base for Organic Valley, the largest organic farmer-owned cooperative in the world. It has also become home to numerous enterprising food businesses including Wisco Pop and Kickapoo Coffee Roasters. Luke Zahm's milk braised St. Brigid's Meadows pork with Organic Valley grassmilk cheddar polenta, Monroe County cranberries in whey and maple, and fresh ricotta. Served at Wisconsin Foodie Smorgasbord Becoming proud of home Zahm, who was born and raised in LaFarge, says he didnt have a true appreciation for the rural community in which he grew up. "My mom grew a lot of food, and she was part of the original team that started Organic Valley," he says. "But growing up, I felt pretty isolated. I took inspiration from guys like Butch Vig, who grew up here and went on to be the drummer for Garbage and producer of Nirvanas 'Nevermind.' But I struggled with my own sense of the place." Zahm found his passion for food while he was working his way through UW-Madison and working at area restaurants including Kennedy Manor and Lombardinos, where he worked for Milwaukee native, Patrick OHalloran, a chef he says changed his thinking in major ways. "He is one of the most under-appreciated chefs in the entire state," says Zahm of OHalloran. "He taught me to cook. He taught me the importance of supporting the local economy. And he taught me that I was more than a cook, that I had a responsibility to my diners as well." Thank you to Andy Kelly from Epic and @jcarlisle22479 from @ardentmke for a successful collaboration dinner. And by successful we mean delicious. Until next time, friends. A post shared by Driftless Cafe (@driftlesscafe) on Oct 23, 2016 at 7:56pm PDT Zahm also began spending time in the kitchen with other local chefs like Eric Rupert of LEtoile and Milwaukees own Justin Carlisle who was chef at Muramoto in Madison at the time, and who Zahm says was "like cooking with a laser." He gleaned insights from his colleagues, particularly about local, regional fare. "I remember one day Eric [Rupert] said to me: Youre from the mecca of organic farming. Be true to that. Cook that food." And that message stuck. It began to make sense." It made even more sense when Zahm began to recognize the true value of the food being grown in the area. In 2010, during a stint with Epic Systems software in Verona, where he recruited talent to cook at the companys dining facilities, Zahm says he visited the American Bounty Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. When he opened the menu, he was surprised to see four ingredients listed as coming from the Driftless Region of Wisconsin. "It hit me," he says. "That foods grown in my hometown were being recognized as some of the best in the world. And it was at that point I knew I had to go back home." In 2013, Zahm and his wife, Ruthie, took over Viroquas Driftless Cafe, creating a small focused menu using locally grown organic products. He says the motto of the cafe, which is "Good energy equals good food," sums up his philosophy on cooking. "That idea is behind every dish I create," he says. "Theres a noticeable difference in food thats been created with soul, thought and intention. And this is food with a story behind it." And when he thinks about his James Beard honors, Zahm says its not about him. "Its not about an individual," he says. "Its about the whole shooting match, the whole state. Its all about making this a better place to grow, to live, to eat and to farm." Meet Luke Zahm at Braise Zahm will be paying a visit to Milwaukee on Sunday, June 4 for an installment of the Braise Restaurant Leaders in Local Food dinners. Tickets are $55 each. Wine pairings are an additional $15. Or purchase tickets to the entire Leaders in Local Food Series for $150 or $195 with wine pairings. The series includes Sunday dinners with the Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson of The Cooks House in Traverse City, Michigan (May 7); Chef Luke Zahm of Driftless Cafe (June 4); and Chef Dan Fox of Heritage Tavern in Madison, Wisconsin (July 16). A Whitnall School Board member is seeking to recoup money from state superintendent candidate Lowell Holtz for allegedly doing campaign work on the districts time. Quin Brunette, the boards vice president, told the Wisconsin State Journal on Monday that he planned to ask Superintendent Lisa Olson at Monday nights School Board meeting to look into recouping wages and benefits from Holtz, who was superintendent of the suburban Milwaukee district between 2010 and 2016. Brunette said he is seeking the reimbursement after Holtzs old emails were released under the states open records law to reporters and to liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now indicating Holtz used district time to build his campaign for state superintendent. He has done personal work on our districts time, Brunette said. Holtz, in a statement, called Brunettes request a cowardly attack and is just the latest, not-so-subtle effort to sully the reputations of myself and families across the state who care about their childrens education. One Wisconsin Now has asked district attorneys in two counties to launch an investigation into Holtz over allegations he did campaign work while being paid by his public school districts. Holtz has repeatedly said he would own any violation of state campaign laws found, but this is the first time Whitnall school officials have indicated the district might take action over the allegations. Holtz has said he retired to mount a campaign for state superintendent, but an email released in February amid two weeks of controversy surrounding the race indicates Holtz may have been losing support among board members. Emails also show Holtz was reprimanded by the Whitnall board in 2012 for possibly violating board policy by giving bleachers the district was no longer using to a private school his children attended. This could be construed as an inappropriate action by the district stakeholders and should have been brought to the attention of the Board, according to a Feb. 13, 2012, memo from board members to Holtz obtained by the State Journal under the open records law. The Board was not aware at the time you had a personal interest in that school. Holtz responded in a letter to the board that his decision to have an outside group or school take the bleachers was cheaper than to have the district pay a company to dismantle the bleachers. As our goal is always to try and save our taxpayers money, Holtz wrote in the letter. The school that was able to coordinate this huge undertaking within the limited time frame happened to be a school that my children have attended. I have a personal interest in all schools, especially the Whitnall schools. Brunette also clashed with Holtz over Holtzs handling of a 2013 incident in which the districts food services director was arrested for and later convicted of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and Holtz did not release information to the public for at least two weeks. Holtz told the State Journal in February that Whitnall has a liberal-leaning board that was difficult to work with. While the race is officially nonpartisan, Holtz is seeking the support of conservatives and his opponent, incumbent Tony Evers, is seeking the support of liberals. In his statement, Holtz also criticized Evers for the academic achievement of black children in Wisconsin. While Tony Evers wallows in semi-retirement, he is sitting on his hands watching generations of minority youth end up in prison or dead, hoping we wont notice, Holtz said. With graduation rates and achievement gaps among the worst in the nation, heres a thought that will be news only to Tony Evers: Start caring as much about our kids as you do your political career. A spokeswoman for Evers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A modified fatty acid synthase (illustrated schematically in the blue box on the basis of its synthetic properties) can induce short-chain fatty acid production in a yeast cell. Synthesis can be compared with a multistep industrial process. By means of targeted modifications to the natural synthesis, individual processes are accelerated or slowed down (green and red arrows) in order to trigger premature release of short-chain fatty acids. Credit: Eckhard Boles und Martin Grininger Short-chain fatty acids are high-value constituents of cosmetics, active pharmaceutical ingredients, antimicrobial substances, aromas or soap. To date, it has only been possible to extract them from crude oil by chemical means or from certain plants, such as coconut, using a complex process. Research groups led by Professor Martin Grininger and Professor Eckhard Boles at Goethe University Frankfurt have now succeeded in producing such fatty acids in large quantities from sugar or waste containing sugar with the help of yeasts. The process is simple and similar to that of beer brewing. As the researchers reported in the latest issues of the renowned journals Nature Chemical Biology and Nature Communications, the short-chain fatty acids are also much sought after as a pre-product for fuels. "The new technology can be a key step to finding an alternative approach, using yeasts, to innovative types of biofuels whose properties almost equate to those of fossil fuels", explains Eckhard Boles from the Institute of Molecular Biosciences. The fatty acids produced by plants and animals are to a large extent made up of chains of eighteen carbon atoms. That means they are longer than the short-chain compounds required. In living cells, large protein complexes - fatty acid synthases - produce fatty acids by joining nine building blocks of two carbon atoms in an eight-cycle process. Martin Grininger, Lichtenberg Professor of the Volkswagen Foundation at Goethe University Frankfurt and research group leader at the Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), was involved in solving the three-dimensional structure of the fatty acid synthases. His extensive know-how in this field allowed him to intervene in their mode of action. "First we examined how the fatty acid synthase counts cycles in order to decide when the chain is finished. We found a type of ruler which measures the length of the fatty acid", explains Martin Grininger. "We modified this ruler in such a way that the fatty acid synthase measures incorrectly and releases shorter chains. All this took place first of all on the computer and in the test tube." Together with Eckhard Boles, who is conducting research on yeast metabolism at the neighbouring biocentre, the idea evolved to use Grininger's modified fatty acid synthases in yeasts. "These yeasts all at once started to secrete short-chain fatty acids in remarkable quantities", reports Boles. "Like in beer brewing, we can use these now to produce - instead of alcohol - high-quality short-chain fatty acids." Grininger and Boles add: "This development is just the start. We want now, through similar modifications on other large enzyme complexes, that is, polyketide synthases, to synthesize other new types of molecule for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry which are not readily available otherwise." Goethe University Frankfurt has protected these developments by filing two European and international patents and is now looking for licensees for commercial applications. Grininger and Boles are currently developing their technology further and in different directions. The aim of the "Chassy" project funded by the European Commission is to scale up the technology for industrial use. In addition, the LOEWE project "MegaSyn" financed by the Federal State of Hesse focuses on the production of further chemical compounds through the modification of polyketide synthases. And in the "Alk2Bio" project funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture yeasts are being enhanced in such a way that they produce octanol and heptane biofuels from short-chain fatty acids. Holstein dairy cows feed at the UWMadison Dairy Cattle Center. Milk is not the only thing they produce in prodigious quantities. Credit: Bryce Richter Wisconsin is known as America's Dairyland. More than one-third of all the cows in United States live on more than 3,000 farms in Wisconsin. Those bovine residents contribute to a thriving dairy industry, but milk is not the only thing they produce in prodigious quantities. That many cows inevitably lead to a significant amount of manure. "It is a horribly complex problem and we all contribute to it and are affected by it," says Victor Zavala, a University of WisconsinMadison chemical and biological engineering professor who is working on a new approach to manure management. "Farms generate the manure, and we are all affected by its environmental impacts. But manure production is driven by strong economic forces originating from urban areas that demand dairy products." Phosphorus runoff from manure-laden farm fields causes unpleasant and sometimes dangerous algal blooms in water bodies. Manure also releases potentially harmful bacteria and methane gas. Technologies do exist to process organic waste while recovering valuable products such as biogas and a compound called struvite used as fertilizer, but these technologies are affordable only for large farms. Choosing a suitable solution involves much more than technology cost alone. Where to locate manure processing plants, how to transport the waste, and who should pay for the equipment are all challenging questionsoften involving competing interests. "This problem is too complex. You need to find simpler and more direct ways to explain the interactions between social, economic and technology aspects to people making decisions," says Zavala. Conflicting stakeholder interests complicate the problem further. Such conflicts can arise because of a lack of data about technology and logistical constraints. Zavala and his colleagues are developing a framework for decision making to help people narrow their options and reach agreements in complex and potentially controversial decisions such as manure management. By systematically quantifying costs, environmental impacts, and people's opinions and priorities, these tools can help lead to compromise solutions that maximize collective stakeholder satisfaction. Support for the research comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Dane County in Wisconsin. "We are hoping that with this framework, we can have a more informed negotiation process. Instead of just telling stakeholders what they should do, we want to provide better frameworks for people to negotiate on what the manure management infrastructure would do," says Zavala, who is leading the effort along with Rebecca Larson, an assistant professor of biological and systems engineering at UWMadison. Importantly, the researchers will include quantitative measures of stakeholders' satisfaction in their models to ensure that the opinions of all groupsrural and urban communities, farmers, political leaders, environmental regulators, and scientists alikeare heard and considered. "We try to come up with fair solutions that please as many stakeholders as possible, with the important observation that you will very rarely be able to please everyone," says Zavala. "The framework can also be used to inform stakeholders on how their opinions influence (or not) the final decision. That is a powerful piece of information." National Poverty Hearing: End Child Poverty. Credit: Cooperniall Children from disadvantaged families in the UK are more likely to have lower education, be out of work and experience poverty in adult life than their peers in other European countries, apart from Ireland and Belgium, according to new research from the UCL Institute of Education (IOE). The study, which was carried out by researchers from the Department of Social Science at the IOE in collaboration with the University of Bath, will be released in a working paper on Friday 10th March. This is the first research to compare the long-term effects of social disadvantage, as captured by growing up in in a jobless household, across European countries. The study looked at two large date samples involving over 60,000 people in 16 countries. The study used the commonly used indicator of social exclusion, the experience of a jobless household at age 14/15, to capture the experiences of childhood deprivation. The researchers looked at the link between this and education, worklessness and poverty in adulthood across countries. In the UK, Belgium and Ireland, there appears to be a strong association between childhood deprivation and all three outcomes. In these countries, children who live in a jobless household at 14 are 16 to 25 percent more likely to be at risk of poverty compared to those with an employed parent. In other countries, such as Finland, Greece and Denmark, there is no difference in the risk of adult poverty for those children from jobless compared with working households. The impact on education outcomes was particularly marked in the UK where boys growing up in a jobless household are likely to get around one year of schooling less than those who have a working parent, while for girls it is almost two years less. Dr Lindsey Macmillan from the IOE who led the research said: "What is most striking is that in the UK the likelihood of experiencing social disadvantage in childhood and this reproducing itself in adult life is particularly high. There is no reason to assume that this should automatically be the case as it is not in many of the other European countries that we looked at where growing up in a jobless household did not necessarily predict adult worklessness or poverty in adult life." There were strong links across countries between the effects of childhood deprivation on outcomes for men. In countries where children from jobless households had less education, they also tended to be more likely to be in poverty and workless as adults. In countries where there was a weaker association between childhood disadvantage and education, there were also weaker links with adult outcomes. For women, the picture is less clear. The researchers found that there was a weaker link between education differences resulting from childhood disadvantage; adult poverty, and in particular, differences in adult joblessness, as a result of childhood disadvantage for women. The difference between the genders may be explained by the different choices available, said Dr Macmillan. "In most countries there is typically only one main life course for men: education into employment. For women, there are alternative options: for example, it may be more common in some cultures to choose motherhood and marriage after education, rather than employment." From 2000, the proportion of people living in a jobless household became a key indicator of poverty and social exclusion used by the European Union. Since 2005, this has been extended to include the proportion of children (0 17 year olds) living in such households. This is due to the likely impact on their access to health, housing, education, justice and other private services such as culture, sport and leisure, as well as lack of role models. Therefore, experiencing a jobless household in childhood is viewed as a marker of disadvantage with potential long-term effects on those children. The two data sources used were the EU-SILC (European Survey of Income and Living Conditions) and PISA (Programme for International Student Attainment). A Yukon Wood Bison. Credit: Yukon Government New research by Professor Beth Shapiro of the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute and University of Alberta Professor Duane Froese has identified North America's oldest bison fossils and helped construct a bison genealogy establishing that a common maternal ancestor arrived between 130,000 and 195,000 years ago, during a previous glaciation. Shapiro, Froese and colleagues used new techniques for ancient DNA extraction and sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of more than 40 bison, including the two oldest bison fossils ever recovered. Comparing these genomes to additional Siberian and North American bison clarifies the earliest parts of the bison family tree. "There has long been a controversy about the timing of bison arrival in North America," said Shapiro. Bison arrival in North America marks the beginning of what geologists call the "Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age," which is used to discriminate between different ecological periods in the continent's history. "Until recently, the fossil records from different parts of North America disagreed with each other, with a few fossil localities suggesting that bison arrived millions of years ago, but most old fossil sites showing no evidence of bison at all," Shapiro said. As new methods to date fossil localities emerged, the ages of the sites in North America with purportedly very old fossil bison have all been questioned, leaving the timing of bison arrival a mystery. The new study explored fossil locations in Northern North Americathe entry point for bison into the continentand extracted DNA from two of the oldest bison fossils known on the continent. One from Ch'ijee's Bluff in the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in northern Yukon, and another from Snowmass, Colorado. "Bison used what is called the Bering Land Bridgea vast connection of land between Asia and North Americato cross from Asia into North America. The land bridge forms during ice ages, when much of the water on the planet becomes part of growing continental glaciers, making the sea level much lower than it is today," explained Shapiro. "After they arrived in Alaska, they spread quickly across the continent, taking advantage of the rich grassland resources that were part of the ice age ecosystem." While bison were not introduced by humans to North America, their rapid spread and diversification are hallmarks of an invasive speciesand part of what make bison's role in the Great Plains ecosystem so significant. "Bison arrived in North America and quickly came to dominate a grazing ecosystem that was previously reigned over by horses and mammoths for one million years," said Shapiro. More information: Peter D. Heintzman et al, Bison phylogeography constrains dispersal and viability of the Ice Free Corridor in western Canada, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2016). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1601077113 Duane Froese et al. Fossil and genomic evidence constrains the timing of bison arrival in North America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1620754114 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Damage caused by the Bhuj earthquake in 2001, for which many aftershocks nucleated in the lower crust. Credit: University of Plymouth The mechanisms which cause earthquake cycles to begin up to 40km below the earth's surface in the interior of the continents are to be explored in a new research project led by the University of Plymouth. Such earthquakes account for around 30 per cent of intracontinental seismic activity, but very little is presently known about what causes them and the geological effects they leave behind. Now academics from the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences have been awarded 451,340 by the Natural Environment Research Council to develop greater understanding about the short and long term behaviour of the lower crust. In doing so, they hope to increase knowledge of the geological processes, but also to make at-risk communities more aware of the dangers posed by such activity. Dr Luca Menegon, Lecturer in Structural Geology and Tectonics, is principal investigator of the research with Professor of Geoscience Communication Iain Stewart among the co-investigators. Dr Menegon said: "Earthquakes in the continental interiors are often devastating and, over the past century, have killed significantly more people than earthquakes occurring at plate boundaries. However those emanating in the lower crust are difficult to study directly, given that the deepest portions of the crust are very rarely exposed at the Earth's surface and inaccessible for drilling projects, and as a result we have a very poor understanding of them. By combining geological and satellite observations with laboratory work and imaging, we hope to go some way to changing that." A significant proportion of seismicity in the Himalaya as well as aftershocks associated with the 2001 Bhuj earthquake in India, which killed around 20,000 people, nucleate in the lower crust. For this research project which also involves academics from the University of Leeds, University of Milan-Bicocca, the University of Cardiff, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Liverpool scientists will conduct an integrated, multi-disciplinary study of a network of brittle-viscous shear zones on the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway. It is home to one of the few well-exposed large sections of exhumed continental lower crust in the world, exposed during the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. The study will link structural geology, petrology, geochemistry and experimental rock deformation, providing a novel, clear picture of the mechanical behaviour of the continental lower crust during the earthquake cycle. It is anticipated it will culminate in the production of a series of educational material for schools and the general public, but also suitable for global decision makers in areas potentially affected by such hazards. Dr Menegon added: "At the moment, we do not fully know how to predict earthquakes but perhaps that is because we do not fully understand the signals which rock deformation is sending us. Developing a greater understanding of both the chemical composition and microstructures involved will certainly help us enhance our knowledge of why these earthquakes are occurring. That in turn will help scientists to enhance their work with at-risk communities to mitigate the potentially devastating threats that earthquakes can pose across the world." The new wasp species Leuroagathis paulbakeri named after entomology student Mr. Paul Baker, who passed the written exam in an entomology class with the highest mark of 100 percent in 2015. Credit: Dr. Michael J. Sharkey The highly divergent parasitic wasps have long been causing headaches to scientists. At one point, taxonomists began using some genera as "dumping grounds for unplaced members", simply to organise the species. Two entomologists from the University of Kentucky, USA - Drs. Michael J. Sharkey and Eric Chapman, have recently addressed one such issue by describing ten new genera and many more new species and combinations. The resulting paper is published in the open access journal ZooKeys. Interestingly, among the newly described species there are two wasps named after two excellent entomology students: Leuroagathis paulbakeri and Scabagathis emilynadeauae. Both Mr. Paul Baker and Ms. Emily Nadeau scored 100% during an Entomology class in 2015. Paul passed the written exam with flying colours, while Emily did best on the weekly quizzes. One of the new genera (Chimaeragathis) is named after the Greek mythological monster Chimera. Known as the sibling of the infamous Cerberus and Hydra, the Hellenes would describe Chimera as a horrid hybrid comprising several animals - usually a lion, a goat, and a serpent. The scientists have picked this name as a reference to the multiple diagnostic characters of the genus. In turn, each of those characters consists of a set of features used to diagnose related genera. The new species Scabagathis emilynadeauae named after entomology student Ms. Emily Nadeau who did best on the weekly quizzes during an entomology class in 2015. Credit: Dr. Michael J. Sharkey To breed, the females of these wasps lay eggs inside the early stages of caterpillars of various moths. At first, the larva develops quietly as if unnoticed by the host. By the time the caterpillar is ready to spin a cocoon, the parasitoid 'awakes' and consumes the host from the inside. The aim of the present study is to revise the representatives of a tribe of braconid parasitoid wasps inhabiting Southeast Asia with a focus on Thailand. While having described a lot of new taxa, the scientists have saved another batch of new species for a separate future paper. The type species of the newly established wasp genus Chimaeragathis, named after the Greek mythological monster Chimera because of its diagnostic characters. Credit: Dr. Michael J. Sharkey More information: Michael J. Sharkey et al, Ten new genera of Agathidini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) from Southeast Asia, ZooKeys (2017). DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.660.12390 Journal information: ZooKeys A set of biochemical processes crucial to cellular life on Earth could have originated in chemical reactions taking place on the early Earth four billion years ago, believes a group of scientists from the Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cambridge. The researchers have demonstrated in the lab an enzyme-free metabolic pathway that mirrors the important Krebs cycle present in living organisms today. It is sparked by particles called sulphate radicals under conditions similar to those on the harsh, volcanic Earth of four billion years ago. There has been much interest in how the first life forms developed in these conditions and how the biochemical processes necessary to sustain life could form from nothing. Credit: Aleksej Zelezniak/Francis Crick Institute A set of biochemical processes crucial to cellular life on Earth could have originated in chemical reactions taking place on the early Earth four billion years ago, believes a group of scientists from the Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cambridge. The researchers have demonstrated a network of chemical reactions in the lab which mimic the important Krebs cycle present in living organisms today. In a study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, they say it could explain an important step in how life developed on Earth. Life developed four billion years ago on a harsh, volcanic Earth that lacked any oxygen, but that did possess large oceans rich in metal ions. There has been much interest in how the first life forms developed in these conditions and how the biochemical processes necessary to sustain life could form from nothing. Metabolism is universal to life. It's the set of processes through which we gain energy from food and produce the biomolecules we need in our body's cells. The biochemical pathways that underpin these processes are highly similar across all organisms and species. One central metabolic pathway learned by every A-level biology student is the Krebs cycle. But how did this essential set of chemical reactions, each step catalyzed by an enzyme, first arise? Each step in the cycle is not enough by itself. Life needs a sequence of these reactions, and it would have needed it before biological enzymes were around: Amino acids, the molecular components of enzymes, are made from products of the Krebs cycle. The research group from the Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cambridge say their demonstration offers an answer. They have shown an enzyme-free metabolic pathway that mirrors the Krebs cycle. It is sparked by particles called sulphate radicals under conditions similar to those on Earth four billion years ago. Senior author Dr Markus Ralser of the Francis Crick Institute and University of Cambridge explains: "This non-enzymatic precursor of the Krebs cycle that we have demonstrated forms spontaneously, is biologically sensible and efficient. It could have helped ignite life four billion years ago." The scientists used simple carbon compounds which are involved at various points in the Krebs cycle (such compounds have recently been found in a meteorite by NASA scientists) and mixed them with iron and sulphur-containing chemicals that would be found in sediments in the early oceans. A set of biochemical processes crucial to cellular life on Earth could have originated in chemical reactions taking place on the early Earth four billion years ago, believes a group of scientists from the Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cambridge. The researchers have demonstrated in the lab an enzyme-free metabolic pathway that mirrors the important Krebs cycle present in living organisms today. It is sparked by particles called sulphate radicals under conditions similar to those on the harsh, volcanic Earth of four billion years ago. There has been much interest in how the first life forms developed in these conditions and how the biochemical processes necessary to sustain life could form from nothing. Credit: Aleksej Zelezniak/Francis Crick Institute They carried out a systematic screening strategy of around 4,850 different experiments using mass spectrometry techniques, and looked out for reactions similar to those seen in the Krebs cycle. In the vast majority of cases, the mixtures were unreactive. However, in the presence of the compound peroxydisulfate, the researchers detected 24 chemical reactions. These resembled the pattern of reactions seen in the Krebs cycle in living organisms. "We took components representative of the sediments present on Earth billions of years ago." says Dr Ralser, "As salts that would have been present in the sediments did not trigger many reactions, we mostly concentrated on metal ions and sulphate species. These are also known to be important in the modern cell's Krebs cycle. "We conducted a huge screen involving thousands of measurements then systematically worked through them. At the end we found a condition that may have enabled the Krebs cycle to emerge. It relies on sulphate radicals and previously nobody had thought about them." An alternative hypothesis for the origin of life suggests that RNA - a molecule similar to DNA that can maintain genetic information but is more transient and more reactive - can explain the first steps towards life. This is known as the RNA-world hypothesis. Dr Ralser says: "There is a huge scientific debate about whether the first steps towards life were driven by metabolism or genetics." He argues that the presence of RNA molecules cannot easily explain the origin of metabolism, as RNA is made from products of metabolism. And that his group's results support the theory that environmental chemistry enabled metabolism to begin. "People have tried to work on a non-enzymatic Krebs cycle for years, but most have thought about it theoretically or philosophically. Few have done systematic physical experiments like those we report here. A non-enzymatic catalyst for the Krebs cycle exists and we have found it," concludes Dr Ralser. More information: Markus A. Keller et al, Sulfate radicals enable a non-enzymatic Krebs cycle precursor, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0083 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Russell Boyce takes in the view from the Falcon space surveillance telescope at UNSW Canberra . Credit: University of New South Wales Space is filling up with junk. "It's not like there's a storm of metal and if you venture into space you're going to get clobbered," says Professor Russell Boyce, Chair of Space Engineering at UNSW Canberra. "But the risk of collisions is increasing." The US Air Force Space Command tracks more than 20,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimetres wide. As sensors improve, Boyce suspects that number could reach more than half a million. The remnants of old satellites and spacecraft, these metal fragments career blindly in orbit at a blistering 7.5 kilometres per second. Impacts at these hypervelocity speeds would not only render vital space assets irreparably damaged, they could trigger a domino effect of destruction referred to as the Kessler syndrome. In this scenario, each collision would create more debris, causing ever more collisions until the space environment becomes akin to a minefield, off limits to human activity for decades or longer. To avoid this catastrophe, researchers around the world are working to improve our abilities in space situational awareness (SSA). That is, the capability to view and accurately predict the behaviour of objects orbiting Earth. UNSW Canberra has made a $10 million investment over five years to establish the foundations of a next-generation Australian space program. Boyce is its leader and says the program is already reversing the brain drain in space R&D that has plagued Australia for decades. The program recently has secured more than $562,000 from the ACT government under the Key Capability Area Funding Program to build new infrastructure; is on the cusp of signing a $10 million contract with the Department of Defence; and is quickly developing the capability to design, build and fly small satellites with"disruptive" payloads. Each will meet strategic national priorities and have specific objectives that meet national needs ranging from climate change monitoring to secure quantum communications and SSA. Despite international efforts to track debris, there are still sizeable gaps in our understanding of how these objects behave in space. Depending on an object's size or shape, tracking systems might only have "eyes" on it for seconds at a time, says Boyce. The job is to then predict the orbit and re-acquire the object down the track. "But the uncertainties in predicting the orbits are significant. Objects can drift sideways and up and down by kilometres each day," he says. In the rarefied atmosphere of low Earth orbit altitudes between about 300 and 2,000 kilometres space objects slam into various molecules, atoms and ions, with the effect building up to cause significant course deviations. "The scientific community predicts the influence of these impacts quite badly," says Boyce, and the result is that orbits and possible collisions are also predicted badly. This is when debris poses the greatest risk, as surveyors are unable to warn satellite operators with any certainty if their spacecraft are in the firing line. Boyce and his team want to remove the guesswork. They have built a code to model the forces that charged ions exert on space objects. "The normal assumption is that charged particles have exactly the same effect as neutral particles such as atoms and molecules in causing drag," says Boyce. "But that's not true at all. "We're starting to open up a new field of flow physics, and to show some of the possible sources of anomalous behaviour that nobody has been able to explain before." With a fleet of small spacecraft soon under its command, the team will be able to get "real validation data in orbit". Co-founder of Cuberider and UNSW Engineering student Solange Cunin. Credit: Grant Turner/Mediakoo The ownership stakes Australia relies critically on space-derived data, for everything from national security and disaster management, to environmental monitoring and resource mapping, yet it does not have sovereignty over obtaining that data, says Boyce. "Australia is seen increasingly as freeloading in the international sector," he says. "We get all of our data more or less for free and that has been a happy situation for us. But that is slowly coming to an end." A domestic space capability, Boyce says, could open opportunities for Australia to capture part of the exploding space market, which generated an estimated US$300 billion in worldwide revenue in 2014, according to a report by the Space Foundation. Waking from a period of relative inaction, the federal government in late 2015 called for a review of the Space Activities Act, and has started removing regulatory hurdles that prevented Australian entities from launching satellites and operating in space. One of the first beneficiaries was a STEM education start-up called Cuberider, co-founded by UNSW engineering student Solange Cunin. In December, it launched the country's first payload to the International Space Station. "Over the past couple of years, the national conversation in Australia about space has changed completely," says Professor Michael Frater, UNSW Canberra Rector. "What we're seeing now, throughout government, is an understanding that it is critically important for Australia to operate in space, both from a security point of view and economically. We take some credit for that. "We want Australia to have a really vibrant space industry that includes significant activities in space and we want to have a leading role in making that happen." Two years into the five-year plan, the initiative is ahead of schedule. Boyce says: "We now have the biggest space capability of any university in the country, and the biggest space team", including a handful of homegrown space scientists and engineers brought back from overseas. "I would say it's the most comprehensive collection of space talent in Australia for space missions, development and operation." Dr Tony Lindsay, who worked with the Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group for 28 years and is now the director of Lockheed Martin's STELaRLab, says Boyce and the leadership team at UNSW Canberra have demonstrated they understand the paradigm shift in opportunities for Australia presented by the rise of small satellites. "Their greatest virtue is they've been decisive. They realised the world was changing,that Australia had a significant level of latent capability in the area, and they've moved rapidly to take a lead position within the community. They collaborated early to take advantage of Defence's existing programs, and demonstrated they could put together a quality team in a short time." Disruptive capabilities Eight spacecraft are currently planned through UNSW Canberra Space, with five fully funded. The first, set to fly in mid-2017, is part of the Buccaneer Program with the DST Group. In addition to improving SSA capabilities, this small satellite will perform calibration experiments for Australia's world-leading, over-horizon Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) from low Earth orbit. Three spacecraft are planned with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and another with the UK's RAL Space that will use special laser sensors to detect methane content in the upper atmosphere, making valuable contributions to climate science. A development that Boyce and his team are very excited about is their road map to launch satellites equipped with Australian-developed quantum technologies. These include cold-atom sensors for ultra-precise measurements of time, positioning, acceleration and gravity, in development at the Australian National University (ANU), and quantum communication technologies, which will relay ultra-secure information via light, either between satellites in space,or between satellites and ground stations. Stage one is a 'pathfinder project' with the National University of Singapore, which already has space-ready quantum hardware, says Boyce. "Together we are setting out to be the first to demonstrate in orbit, the exchange of quantum-encrypted information from one spacecraft to another, and to see how far apart we can get the spacecraft and still maintain that secure link." Pending the almost-finished feasibility study, and then securing funding, the mission could fly in 2019. In addition to its planned missions, UNSW Canberra has launched two new degrees, a Master of Space Engineering and a Master of Space Operations. It is developing a ground station for sending and receiving quantum-encrypted communications,and is building a state-of-the-art space mission design facility. This will streamline missions, and serve as a training hub for partners from industry,government and research institutes. "We'll be the host of a national facility, at the front end of, hopefully, every space mission that Australia does," says Boyce. "That puts UNSW in a very strategic position." The road to Canberra The skies were always beckoning for Boyce. Growing up in Papua New Guinea and Sydney, he dreamt of becoming an RAAF pilot. When flying fighter jets was out of reach, Boyce took up a Bachelor of Science at ANU, earning the university medal in physics. He stayed on to complete a PhD in hypersonics the science of air and spacecraft travelling significantly faster than sound, at speeds above Mach 5. His first academic post was at UNSW Canberra starting in 2001, and he squeezed in some flight training, getting to the point of flying solo. He says the experience gave him "street cred when teaching aerodynamics to the ADFA top gun cohort." After nearly seven years at UNSW Canberra, Boyce took up the Chair for Hypersonics at the University of Queensland, where he would eventually become the director of SCRAMSPACE, the university's $14 million international program to build and test-fly a hypersonic scramjet engine. It was a groundbreaking, yet ill-fated project. The scramjet payload launched from a Norwegian rocket range in the Arctic Circle in September 2013. Almost immediately after take-off, Boyce knew something was wrong. The rocket was supposed to carry the scramjet to an altitude of 350 kilometres, where it would begin its descent. But at just 1,500 metres the rocket began wobbling violently, bleeding a spiral of white smoke. "When I looked up all I could see was this corkscrew pattern, and I instantly knew that was the end of the flight," says Boyce. Minutes later, the scramjet payload took a nosedive into the frigid sea, only a few kilometres from the launch range. The team learned in the aftermath, that their test flight was hijacked by a faulty motor in one of the rockets. The scramjet was ready to fly, evidenced by the data it collected, but a stroke of bad luck beyond the team's control meant it was never able to hit max speed. A few months before the launch, Boyce had attended a workshop as the Chair of the Australian Academy of Science's National Committee for Space and Radio Science. The keynote speaker was the mission lead for SSA with the US Air Force Research Laboratory. He posed that the erratic behaviour of space debris was one of the grand challenges facing the use of space, and required people to "step up" to devise a "high-fidelity, physics-based" solution. UNSW spaceflight programs manager Douglas Griffin. Credit: University of New South Wales "I found myself realising this is exactly what I do with hypersonics it's just with higher speeds and higher altitudes," recalls Boyce, who then applied for the Chair of Space Engineering at UNSW Canberra and was hired to start shortly after SCRAMSPACE. For Frater, Boyce was an obvious choice: "To direct a program like this, you need someone who is leading in terms of the research they do, but is also able to build the networks required in order to do something big and ambitious," says Frater. "Russell is the absolute ideal person to lead the team." A sustainable space industry There is a lot riding on Boyce's shoulders, but he only has guaranteed funding to 2019. Beyond that, he needs to make sure UNSW Canberra Space is self-sustaining. The $10 million windfall from Defence is encouraging, and more contracts could be in the pipeline, but there is a delicate balance to strike. While he is focusing on strategic partnerships, Boyce does not want his team to operate like a consultancy firm and risk losing intellectual property. "We're playing more of a long game so we can end up being more equal partners in space missions, rather than feeding from the scraps off the table," he says. "This is about more than just UNSW Canberra or any one mission," he says. "It's about building a sustainable domestic space capability, being able to do it with our own hands, rather than leaving it to others." It's about time. Compelling vision Exile is not a word you often hear in the context of university education, but that's exactly the tag that space systems engineer Douglas Griffin, the spaceflight programs manager at UNSW Canberra, found himself labelled with after his PhD in hypersonics in 1995. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Queensland Dr Griffin was told by his supervisor, the eminent Professor Ray Stalker, that if he "wanted to stay in high tech he had to go overseas". "He actually used the term 'self-imposed exile' because there was nothing for me in Australia," Griffin recalls. With his sights set on space, he went to Europe and spent three years in Italy at a government lab and private firm, now owned by Thales. In 2001 he moved to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL Space) in the UK, where he led the development of cameras for the European Space Agency's largest astronomy space telescope, and for the agency's Solar Orbiter, which will get inside the orbits of Mercury and Venus to snap some of the most detailed images of the Sun. It was something of a "career gamble" to return to Australia where "space had been non-existent" but he was compelled by "the vision that Boyce painted". "These are not just toy missions, done for the sake of building a spacecraft," he says. "These are real space missions with interesting objectives." "Russell is a big picture person what he does so well is inspire a vision and communicate it to people,and he gets them to buy into it. That's one of his strengths." A researcher works on the video system used in reef shark study. Credit: Jenn Caselle Swimming with metaphorical sharks is one thing, but actually getting into the water with the razor-toothed ocean predators? Crazy, right? Not according to the masses of shark-obsessed scuba divers who travel great distancesand pay big moneyto get face time with the giant fish. A multimillion-dollar global industry is constructed around the promise of doing just that: cage diving with white sharks in South Africa and Guadeloupe Island; shark feeding in the Bahamas, Mexico or Fiji; diving with huge schools of hammerheads in Cocos Island and Galapagos. That's great for thrill-seekers, but what about the sharks? As most scuba divers knowand previous studies have shownsharks more commonly swim away from people than toward them. Does that avoidance behavior persist after the divers leave? Do sharks steer clear of sites that are frequented by divers? Eager to understand how scuba diving activities over multiyear time scales influence shark behavior, scientists at UC Santa Barbara and Florida International University set out to find answers. They found human-shark interaction can take place without long-term effects on the sharks. Their research appears in the Marine Ecology Progress Series. "Unfortunately, human impacts on shark populations are ubiquitous on our planet," said lead author Darcy Bradley, a postdoctoral researcher at UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. "That makes it difficult to separate shark behavioral changes due to scuba diving from behavioral changes caused by other human activities like fishing." Reef sharks on Palmyra atoll inspect the baited remote underwater video system. Credit: Darcy Bradley The researchers went to Palmyra, a remote atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, where shark populations are healthy, fishing is not allowed and the majority of its near pristine underwater world is rarely dived. However, Palmyra is home to a small scientific research station, where researchers dive in a handful of locations. This made the atoll an ideal site for studying whether and how shark abundance and behavior differ between locations where diving is more common and those where it is not. The team studied whether scuba diving activities have long-term consequences for shark populations. They used baited remote underwater video systemscameras lowered to the ocean floor with a small amount of baitto survey sharks and other predators from the surrounding reef. "After reviewing 80 hours of underwater footage taken from video surveys conducted in 201514 years after Palmyra was established as a wildlife refuge and scientific diving activities beganwe found that shark abundance and shark behavior were the same at sites with and without a long history of scuba diving," said co-author Jennifer Caselle, a research biologist at UCSB's Marine Science Institute. "Our results suggest that humans can interact with reef sharks without long-term behavioral impacts," Bradley said. "That's good news. It means that well-regulated shark diving tourism doesn't necessarily undermine shark conservation goals." More information: D Bradley et al. No persistent behavioural effects of SCUBA diving on reef sharks, Marine Ecology Progress Series (2017). DOI: 10.3354/meps12053 Journal information: Marine Ecology Progress Series Many linguistics scholars regard the world's languages as being fundamentally similar. Yes, the characters, words, and rules vary. But underneath it all, enough similar structures exist to form what MIT scholars call universal grammar, a capacity for language that all humans share. To see how linguists find similariites that can elude the rest of us, consider a language operation called "allocutive agreement." This is a variation of standard subject-verb agreement. Normally, a verb ending simply agrees with the subject of a sentence, so that in English we say, "You go," but also, "She goes." Allocutive agreement throws a twist into this procedure: Even a third-person verb ending, such as "she goes," changes depending on the social status of the person being spoken to. This happens in Basque, for one. It also occurs in Japanese, says MIT linguist Shigeru Miyagawa, even though Japanese has long been thought not to deploy agreement at all. But in fact, Miyagawa asserts, the same principles of formality appear in Japanese, if you know where to look. "It goes a long way toward the idea that there's agreement in every language," says Miyagawa, a professor of linguistics and the Kochi-Manjiro Professor of Japanese Language and Culture at MIT. "In Japanese this politeness system has exactly the same distribution as the Basque allocutive system." Now Miyagawa has published a book"Agreement Beyond Phi," out today from the MIT Pressthat explores some of these unexpected structural similarities among languages. The book has a second aim, as well: Miyagawa would like to orient the search for universal linguistic principles around a greater diversity of languages. (The title, incidentally, refers to agreement systems that are not found in Indo-European languages.) Because English is the native language of so many great linguists, he observes, there is a tendency to regard it as a template for other languages. But drawing more heavily on additional languages, Miyagawa thinks, could lead to new insights about the specific contents of our universal language capacity; he cites the work of MIT linguist Norvin Richards as an example of this kind of work. "Given the prominence of Indo-European languages, especially English, in linguistic theory, one sometimes gets the impression that if something happens in English it's due to universal grammar, but if something happens in Japanese, it's because it's Japanese," Miyagawa says. Not mere formalities To see why allocutive agreement seems like such a compelling example to Miyagawa, take a very brief look at how it works. The best-known examples of addressing people formally come from Indo-European languages such as French, in which second-person subject-verb agreement changes in a simple way, depending on the social status of the person being addressed. Consider the phrase, "You speak." To a peer or friend, you would use the informal version, "Tu parles." But to a teacher or an older stranger you would likely use the more formal agreement, "Vous parlez." What happens in Basque and Japanese is a bit more complicated, however, since both informal and formal modes of address are employed even when speaking about other people. For instance, in Basque, consider a phrase Miyagawa dissects in the book, "Peter worked." To a male friend, you would say, "Peter lan egin dik." But to someone with higher social status, you would say, "Peter lan egin dizu." The verb endingthe verb is last word in this sentencechanges even though it remains in the third person. And while Japanese grammar differs in many ways from Basque grammar, Miyagawa contends in the new book that Japanese "politeness marking" follows the same rules. The sentence "Taro said that Hanako will come," for example, includes the politeness marking "mas" when being spoken in a formal setting. In Japanese, transliterated in English characters, this becomes: "Taroo-wa hanako-ga ki-mas-u to itta." But for the same sentence, when spoken to a peer, the "mas" disappears. This kind of agreement, Miyagawa notes, is something he proposed in a 2010 booktitled, "Why Agree? Why Move?"but did not observe until about 2012. "I found in Basque the prediction I made in 2010 but couldn't substantiate then," Miyagawa says. "It's exactly the same agreement system." Strikingly, Basque and Japanese seem to have very different origins. And Basquealthough spoken in the Basque region that lies in between France and Spainis not an Indo-European language. Indeed, linguists are not certain how to account for the origins of Basque. The presence of allocative agreement in both tongues, then, suggests a deep and unexpected universality among the kinds of linguistic rules that can occur. Unpredictable Miyagawa acknowledges he cannot predict precisely how his colleagues in linguistics will react to the book's agenda, but says he has gotten a positive reception when presenting its concepts at conferences. Certainly, some linguists have been very receptive to Miyagawa's arguments. Johan Rooryck, a professor of French linguistics at Leiden University in the Netherlands, has said that Miyagawa's new book "makes an elegant and compelling case for this exciting perspective." Miyagawa himself stresses that the point of the research is not to upend the conceptual foundations of universal grammaras codified by MIT linguist Noam Chomsky and many othersbut to expand the range of comparisons available to linguists. Beyond English, Japanese, and Basque, the book also draws on similarities found in Dinka (spoken in Sudan) and Jingpo (spoken in China and Burma), among other languages. The book, he says, "is heavily influenced by the insights of the previous work, [and is] standing on the shoulders of some of the great minds, of Chomsky and many others." But when linguists look at more and more languages, Miyagawa adds, "You start to discover things you never noticed before." This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. Madison police investigated a report of a possible gunshot on the city's South Side Sunday morning. Officers responded to the area of 800 W. Olin Ave., at 8:50 a.m., after a caller heard the noise and saw someone get out of a small, dark blue Honda or Toyota sedan and run toward Emerson Street, Lt. Anthony Bitterman wrote in a news release. The vehicle left toward Olin Avenue, he said. Police searched the area but did not find any evidence. There were no other reports of gun shots, police said. The man police were looking for is about 6-feet tall with dreadlocks. He was last seen wearing a black "racing"-type leather jacket with green stripes, the release said. Sgt. Jennifer Ryan said there may not have even been a gunshot, and that the noise could have been a car backfiring. "It could have been anything," she said. Algal bloom in Arctic pond near Tiksi viewed from a Soviet transport helicopter. Credit: Jay Kaufman It is thought that animal life first arose during the Ediacaran Period, between 635 and 541 million years ago, but these organisms bore little resemblance to the animals we know today. That's led some scientists to believe that they may not have been animals at all, and instead amounted to failed experiments in multi-cellular evolution. The remains of these odd creatures, most of which have no evidence of a circulatory or digestive system, largely vanished from the rock record at the start of the Cambrian Period, 541 million years ago. Piecing together a picture of the Ediacaran environment is key to understanding more about these enigmatic macro-organisms. One research team is revealing the paleo-environment of this time period by studying the remote Khatyspyt Formation, a series of sedimentary rocks above the Arctic Circle in Siberia that were laid down when the area was a shallow marine shelf environment. Geologist Huan Cui of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues discuss their findings in a recent paper, "Redox-dependent distribution of early macro-organisms: Evidence from the terminal Ediacaran Khatyspyt Formation in Arctic Siberia," published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. The Ediacaran animals were soft-bodied, without shells or skeletons, and their fossils are most typically preserved as molds or casts, like footprints in the sand. Ediacaran fossils have been discovered in fine-grained sedimentary rock such as sandstone, which does a poor job of preserving paleo-environmental information. In the Khatyspyt Formation, however, some of the fossils are entombed in well-preserved limestone, which does a good job of recording the ancient world of these creatures. Mirror images on the top and bottom surface of a bedding plane of a complex coiled carbonaceous compression that may be algal in origin. Credit: Jay Kaufman Paleo-environmental changes through the rock succession can be studied by chemostratigraphy, which looks at the changes in the chemical makeup of the rocks over time as they formed. The scientists looked at the minerals in these rocks, including pyrite, or "fool's gold," in order to measure the sulfur isotope composition through 130 vertical meters of the Khatyspyt Formation. Pyrite is studied as it gives clues to the microbes that produced it, and to the availability of both food and sulfate, which are required to fuel their metabolic activities. Rocks at the bottom of the pile are older than those at the top, so studying how the sulfur chemistry changed through the rock succession informed Cui and his colleagues about environmental variations over time. These researchers found a dramatic anomaly in the abundances of sulfur isotopes (flavors of atomic sulfur that differ in the number of neutrons that add weight to the element) in the various layers, with the highest concentration of the heavy (having more neutrons) isotope in the upper reaches of the formation and the lowest at the bottom of the sedimentary pile. The sulfur isotope anomaly lines up surprisingly well with the preserved fossil record of Ediacara biotas. The lower 45 meters of rock are mostly devoid of fossils, while the upper regions, where the heavy sulfur isotope concentration is highest, is teeming with them. The scientists speculate that the light sulphur isotopes at the bottom of the rock succession are most likely due to the proliferation of anaerobic microbes that lived in the anoxic (oxygen-free) water in the basin. These microbes would have changed the chemistry of the water by producing toxic hydrogen sulfide, which would make it uninhabitable for animal life. Professors Alan J. Kaufman (University of Maryland, front) and Shuhai Xiao (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, back) sitting on two of the Ediacaran Khatyspyt Formation fossil laggerstatte horizons in Arctic Siberia. Credit: Jay Kaufman "We speculate that the strongly negative (sulfur isotope) values at the bottom of the succession relate to anoxic conditions when the microbes could live in the water column," explained the principal investigator, Jay Kaufman. "Since the process forms sulfide, we suspect that it built up in the deep water column resulting in euxinic (sulfidic) conditions." The euxinic water created as a result of these anaerobic microbes has too much sulfide and too little oxygen for animal life to exist, which explains why no animal fossils were found in the lower part of the formation. "These euxinic conditions might have been enhanced by chemical weathering, where sulfates were brought into the oceans, which thus became fuel for the microbes," said Cui. At 45 meters above the base of the Khatyspyt Formation, environmental conditions apparently changed, and the Ediacara fossils start to appear. It is at this point that the sulfur isotopes become progressively heavy, which may have been the result of less weathering and hence less sulfate available for the microbes to use. The change from euxinic to non-euxinic conditions at the end of the Ediacaran Period allowed the Ediacaran animals to colonise the now more oxidized and habitable ocean, despite an overall oxygen level in the atmosphere and oceans that was far less than today's. Toilet bowl shaped stromatolites in the bedded limestones of the Ediacaran Khatyspyt Formation in Arctic Siberia. Credit: Jay Kaufman This story is republished courtesy of NASA's Astrobiology Magazine. Explore the Earth and beyond at www.astrobio.net . Members of the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lomonosov Moscow State University have elaborated a new approach to monitor the environmental status in Moscow, which could detect larger quantities of environmental components and so enlarge the list of environmental and human health hazards. The project results have been published in the Environmental Pollution journal. Assessment of the environmental status and, in particular, atmosphere, in Moscow entails detection of several scores of nonorganic and organic substances by fixed-site laboratories subordinate to Mospriroda. However, ecological laboratories don't monitor everything beyond this short list. The Lomonosov Moscow State University scientists have detected novel pollutants in Moscow air using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Albert Lebedev, Doctor of Chemistry, Professor at the Organic Chemistry Department at of the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the article author, says, "The main project result is the enlargement of the list of determined substances and detection of novel ones posing potential environmental and human health hazard. The composition of organic air pollutants is not stable, so it's important to monitor regularly in order to provide early recognition of new threats both to the city ecosystem and citizens' health." The scientist notes that monitoring is useful for many purposes. First of all, it could provide update information about water, soil and atmosphere. Secondly, via monitoring, researchers can detect the source of a hazardous substance and eliminate it and decrease the level of pollutant inputs. After elimination, researchers could apply methods of treatment and "green" technologies as additional measures. Scientists deal with targeted as well as non-targeted analyses. The latter implies looking for as many substances as possible. Targeted analysis is the purposeful detection of compounds known in advance. All analyses are made on snow samples, collected for research by scientists. In this connection this monitoring method is applicable only for cold-climate areas and mountains. This method could be applied all over Russia as the climate almost nationwide is with prominent alternation of seasons. However, one should take into consideration that pollution picture could strongly vary in different regions. The basic technique used by scientists in their research is gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). It's a single device, combining two analytical approaches. Gas chromatography is used for separation of organic compounds, which then feed into a mass-spectrometer one by one, where ionization and fragmentation take place. Each individual substance is then characterized by mass spectrum, which reveals its structure. The mass spectrum of any substance is unique, making it possible to use computer libraries. The process results in a diagram of the dependence of signal intensity on time (a chromatograph), where each identified substance is represented by a separate peak whose area is proportional to its quantity in the mixture. So as a result of this technique, an unknown mixture consisting of hundreds of compounds evolves into the full profile information. Mass spectrometry has proved to be the most informative, sensitive, reliable and fast analytical technique, which could also be applied for environmental studies. Modern mass spectrometry is able to identify the nature of unknown ecotoxicants among a wide range of other compounds, even though these ecotoxicants are represented in traces. Today, it's the basic method used for environmental control of any environmental objects. With the help of this novel technique, the list of substances detected in Moscow's environment is much larger in comparison with other laboratories. But at the moment, scientists focus on volatile and semi-volatile compounds, which could be analyzed by the GC-MS technique. Consequently, among known hazardous categories of ecotoxicants, chemists are able to detect phenols, phthalates, organochlorine compounds, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Albert Lebedev says, "We don't deal with detection of compound toxicity. It's the domain of toxicologists. Any substance is toxic; the question is its concentration. Depending on the structure of compounds, their toxicity varies in a very wide range, from grams to femtograms. Today, the most hazardous ones are polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, benz[a]pyrene, some pesticides. However, following the increase of novel substances in environmental objects, the list of the most hazardous ones could be enlarged." The scientist adds, "Detection of novel potentially hazardous substances in the environment is crucially important for conservancy of natural ecosystems and human health concerns. Transfer of this data provides deeper understanding of pollution and allows effective detection of contamination sources. The scientific value of the project lies in enlargement of mass spectrometry usage. Besides that, the project assists in elaboration of protocols for identification of organic substances in difficult, multicomponent matrices whose composition is not known. We can monitor samples of snow, ice, water of various types, including sea, drinking, fresh, waste water and cloud water, phytogenous extracts, food, beverages, cosmetics, industrial products, amphibians' secretion, etc." More information: D.M. Mazur et al, Novel pollutants in the Moscow atmosphere in winter period: Gas chromatography-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry study, Environmental Pollution (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.049 Credit: Swiss National Science Foundation The space flight scene is in a state of upheaval. Something along the lines of a democratisation of space is happening at least as far as the lower orbits are concerned. For several years, numerous universities have been experimenting with so-called nanosatellites. In the coming years, they will probably experience a commercial breakthrough and Switzerland is playing an important role in it. For example, there are young entrepreneurs such as the Astrocast team from Lausanne who want to use nanosatellites to create a global data network for the Internet of Things. With a planned minimum bandwidth of one kilobyte per day, the technology is correspondingly cheap. Initial commercial deals have been agreed, and they are presently looking for a partner who can offer low-cost transport. In fact, constructing small satellites is now such a routine matter that it's more expensive to put a satellite into orbit than to make it. 'Low cost' that's the magic word in this 'new space movement'. "Until now, space missions were the preserve of the big state agencies", says Markus Rothacher, a professor of mathematics and physical geodesy at ETH Zurich. "But today, every university is in a position to produce its own satellites, as are the smaller companies". Independent GPS The EPFL spin-off company Astrocast is basing what it does on the expertise gained from the Swisscube, which was the first and so far the only small satellite to have been launched by a Swiss university, back in 2009. A successor satellite should have long been sent up, but the CubETH project of ETH Zurich and EPFL isn't quite getting off the ground. They planned building a four-inch cube with which to be able to test a simple global navigation satellite system independent of the American GPS. It's not a receiver designed especially for space, but is made using off-the-rack technology. The researchers at ETH Zurich are currently examining whether the GNSS chips mass-produced by the Thalwil company U-Blox are suitable for the inhospitable conditions of space. They have already survived the vacuum chamber of Ruag Space without incurring any damage, and they are currently undergoing radiation tests at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The technology of CubETH is of central interest to the Astrocast mission, and the chip will be tested in 2017 on one of the first flights of the Lausanne spin-off. Astrocast will send a total of 64 small satellites into low orbit in the coming years in order to achieve unbroken coverage of the whole Earth's surface. "The primary goal is to win over commercial operators such as transport companies and the manufacturers of measurement systems", says CEO Fabien Jordan. But he hopes that researchers from a multitude of disciplines, from meteorology to biology, will be among those using his infrastructure. For example, researchers might want to collect extensive data automatically from deserts or icy regions. With further sensors, many other applications can be opened up, such as tsunami warning systems. Internet from space Michael Swartwout from the University St. Louis is documenting the development of nanosatellites in an online database. He doesn't see any sign of an imminent drop in the rapid growth that began in 2014. "No slowdown in sight, not at all", he says. People estimate that by the year 2020 there will be thousands of small satellites in orbit, most of them for telecommunications. By that same year, the company Oneweb wants to have a constellation of 648 satellites in orbit so as to provide Internet access all over the Earth. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, is pursuing a similar goal. In November, Oneweb announced who is going to make their satellites: Ruag in Switzerland. It's a prestigious deal, though hardly one to bring in billions after all, it's 'low cost'. In Switzerland, the 600-plus satellites will be built for just CHF 20 million. That's CHF 33,000 each: the price of a medium-sized car. About 700 million years ago, runaway glaciers covered the entire planet in ice. Harvard researchers modeled the conditions that may have led to this so-called 'snowball Earth'. Credit: NASA What caused the largest glaciation event in Earth's history, known as 'snowball Earth'?Geologists and climate scientists have been searching for the answer for years but the root cause of the phenomenon remains elusive. Now, Harvard University researchers have a new hypothesis about what caused the runaway glaciation that covered the Earth pole-to-pole in ice. The research is published in Geophysical Research Letters. Researchers have pinpointed the start of what's known as the Sturtian snowball Earth event to about 717 million years agogive or take a few 100,000 years. At around that time, a huge volcanic event devastated an area from present-day Alaska to Greenland.Coincidence? Harvard professors Francis Macdonald and Robin Wordsworth thought not. "We know that volcanic activity can have a major effect on the environment, so the big question was, how are these two events related," said Macdonald, the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Natural Sciences. At first, Macdonald's team thought basaltic rockwhich breaks down into magnesium and calciuminteracted with CO2 in the atmosphere and caused cooling. However, if that were the case, cooling would have happened over millions of years and radio-isotopic dating from volcanic rocks in Arctic Canada suggest a far more precise coincidence with cooling. Macdonald turned to Wordsworth, who models climates of non-Earth planets, and asked: could aerosols emitted from these volcanos have rapidly cooled Earth? The answer: yes, under the right conditions. "It is not unique to have large volcanic provinces erupting," said Wordsworth, assistant professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science. "These types of eruptions have happened over and over again throughout geological time but they're not always associated with cooling events. So, the question is, what made this event different?" Geological and chemical studies of this region, known as the Franklin large igneous province, showed that volcanic rocks erupted through sulfur-rich sediments, which would have been pushed into the atmosphere during eruption as sulfur dioxide. When sulfur dioxide gets into the upper layers of the atmosphere, it's very good at blocking solar radiation. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, which shot about 10 million metric tons of sulfur into the air, reduced global temperatures about 1 degree Fahrenheit for a year. Sulfur dioxide is most effective at blocking solar radiation if it gets past the tropopause, the boundary separating the troposphere and stratosphere. If it reaches this height, it's less likely to be brought back down to earth in precipitation or mixed with other particles, extending its presence in the atmosphere from about a week to about a year.The height of the tropopause barrier all depends on the background climate of the planetthe cooler the planet, the lower the tropopause. "In periods of Earth's history when it was very warm, volcanic cooling would not have been very important because the Earth would have been shielded by this warm, high tropopause," said Wordsworth. "In cooler conditions, Earth becomes uniquely vulnerable to having these kinds of volcanic perturbations to climate." "What our models have shown is that context and background really matters," said Macdonald. Another important aspect is where the sulfur dioxide plumes reach the stratosphere. Due to continental drift, 717 million years ago, the Franklin large igneous province where these eruptions took place was situated near the equator, the entry point for most of the solar radiation that keeps the Earth warm. So, an effective light-reflecting gas entered the atmosphere at just the right location and height to cause cooling. But another element was needed to form the perfect storm scenario. After all, the Pinatubo eruption had similar qualities but its cooling effect only lasted about a year. The eruptions throwing sulfur into the air 717 million years ago weren't one-off explosions of single volcanoes like Pinatubo. The volcanoes in question spanned almost 2,000 miles across Canada and Greenland. Instead of singularly explosive eruptions, these volcanoes can erupt more continuously like those in Hawaii and Iceland today. The researchers demonstrated that a decade or so of continual eruptions from this type of volcanoes could have poured enough aerosols into the atmosphere to rapidly destabilize the climate. "Cooling from aerosols doesn't have to freeze the whole planet; it just has to drive the ice to a critical latitude. Then the ice does the rest," said Macdonald. The more ice, the more sunlight is reflected and the cooler the planet becomes. Once the ice reaches latitudes around present-day California, the positive feedback loop takes over and the runaway snowball effect is pretty much unstoppable. "It's easy to think of climate as this immense system that is very difficult to change and in many ways that's true. But there have been very dramatic changes in the past and there's every possibility that as sudden of a change could happen in the future as well," said Wordsworth. Understanding how these dramatic changes occur could help researchers better understand how extinctions occurred, how proposed geoengineering approaches may impact climate and how climates change on other planets. "This research shows that we need to get away from a simple paradigm of exoplanets, just thinking about stable equilibrium conditions and habitable zones," said Wordsworth. "We know that Earth is a dynamic and active place that has had sharp transitions. There is every reason to believe that rapid climate transitions of this type are the norm on planets, rather than the exception." More information: F. A. Macdonald et al. Initiation of Snowball Earth with volcanic sulfur aerosol emissions, Geophysical Research Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1002/2016GL072335 Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters People have a tendency to perceive black men as larger and more threatening than similarly sized white men, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. "Unarmed black men are disproportionately more likely to be shot and killed by police, and often these killings are accompanied by explanations that cite the physical size of the person shot," said lead author John Paul Wilson, PhD, of Montclair State University. "Our research suggests that these descriptions may reflect stereotypes of black males that do not seem to comport with reality." Wilson and his colleagues conducted a series of experiments involving more than 950 online participants (all from the United States) in which people were shown a series of color photographs of white and black male faces of individuals who were all of equal height and weight. The participants were then asked to estimate the height, weight, strength and overall muscularity of the men pictured. "We found that these estimates were consistently biased. Participants judged the black men to be larger, stronger and more muscular than the white men, even though they were actually the same size," said Wilson. "Participants also believed that the black men were more capable of causing harm in a hypothetical altercation and, troublingly, that police would be more justified in using force to subdue them, even if the men were unarmed." Even black participants displayed this bias, according to Wilson, but while they judged young black men to be more muscular than the young white men, they did not judge them to be more harmful or deserving of force. In one experiment, where participants were shown identically sized bodies labeled either black or white, they were more likely to describe the black bodies as taller and heavier. In another, the size bias was most pronounced for the men whose facial features looked the most stereotypically black. "We found that men with darker skin and more stereotypically black facial features tended to be most likely to elicit biased size perceptions, even though they were actually no larger than men with lighter skin and less stereotypical facial features," said Wilson. "Thus, the size bias doesn't rely just on a white versus black group boundary. It also varies within black men according to their facial features." Black men are disproportionately more likely to be killed in interactions with police, even when unarmed, according to Wilson, and this research suggests that misperceptions of black men's size might be one contributor to police decisions to shoot. But, he cautioned, the studies do not simulate real-world threat scenarios like those facing actual police officers. More research should be conducted on whether and how this bias operates in potentially lethal situations and other real-world police interactions, Wilson said. The research was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Previous research, also published in this journal, suggested that people view black boys as older and less innocent than similarly aged white boys, and that training and experience can help police overcome racial bias in shoot-don't shoot scenarios. More information: "Racial Bias in Judgments of Physical Size and Formidability: From Size to Threat," by John Wilson, PhD, Montclair University; Kurt Hugenberg, PhD, Miami University; and Nicholas Rule, PhD, University of Toronto; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published online Mar. 13, 2017. Journal information: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology There are compelling arguments that replacing a country's benefit system with a universal basic income (UBI) could reduce poverty and bureaucracy, but there are significant trade-offs to be weighed up in view of the goals policy-makers pursue, according to a new working paper from the Institute for Policy Research (IPR). Over 68 pages, the IPR working paper, released today Monday 13 March, provides some of the most detailed analysis yet of trade-offs that need be acknowledged in designing any such scheme, providing policy-makers new evidence of the diverse effects and alternative ways in which UBI might be realised. Modelling different systems for universal basic income It makes several contributions to a growing body of literature on the topic, modelling a wide variety of scenarios: partial and full coverage; different levels of payment; and alternative compensatory changes to the wider benefits system. Among its key findings for the UK, the working paper highlights that: A UBI pitched at the level of existing benefits (72 a week for working age adults, with payments lower for children and higher for pensioners) would cost 288 billion in additional tax revenues, without compensatory changes to the tax and benefit system. To make such a scheme revenue neutral would require the elimination of all major wage replacement benefits, children's benefits and state pensions as well as the elimination of the personal income tax allowance and National Insurance lower and upper earnings thresholds, and an increase in income tax of 4% across all tax bands. Even so, such a scheme would have a fairly limited impact on poverty reduction and would leave large numbers of disadvantaged households poorer; inequality levels would actually rise. Making additional payment to disabled people (to compensate for the loss of supplements and premiums in the existing system) would have more favourable distributional impacts, but would require income taxes to rise by a further 4%. A less generous level of payment, equivalent to the value of the personal income tax allowance (PITA), paid to everyone and accompanied by the elimination of the PITA as well as Child Benefit, would reduce child poverty levels by one third but at the net fiscal cost of 36 billion. A 'Young Adult's Income', paid to everyone aged 18-25 and replacing Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance for that age group, would cost 23 billion and reduce poverty levels by around 10%. Lead author of the new IPR paper, Dr Luke Martinelli, explains: "Against a backdrop where universal basic income has shot up the policy agenda for many countries, this working paper provides a detailed overview of the tax implications and distributional effects of any such scheme. "There is clearly an appetite in many quarters for UBI, and the potential that it has to alleviate poverty and improve living standards, but this is a particularly complex policy area and there is a lack of empirical evidence on the effects of UBI. Our hope is that this paper will help to inform current political thinking on the topic by highlighting some of the likely practicalities and realities at play. "For example, one unavoidable reality we show is that UBI schemes appear to either have unacceptable distributional consequences or they simply cost too much. An alternative to retain the existing structure of means-tested benefits ensures a more favourable compromise between the goals of meeting need and controlling cost, but does so at the cost of administrative complexity and adverse work incentive effects." The case for and against a universal basic income The notion of a universal basic income a monthly salary, paid directly to all citizens, irrespective of whether they are in work or job hunting is one that has gained worldwide attention in the past year. Most notably, a two-year pilot scheme, launched in Finland in January, is now guaranteeing a monthly income of roughly 600 to 2,000 Finns, with funds continuing to flow whether participants are in work or not. There has been widespread interest in the Finnish UBI pilot, not least from Scotland, Canada, Iceland, Uganda, and Brazil. Other pilots have been trialled in Namibia and India, whilst a similar scheme has been in operation in Alaska where annual cash payments to all residents have been offered as a dividend from oil revenues since the 1980s. The arguments behind UBI suggest that it would encourage more jobless people to look for work when freed from welfare dependency, and cut down on the weight of bureaucracy involved in means-testing or administering cumbersome social security systems. Combined, proponents suggest, such benefits would save the taxpayer money in the long run and improve living standards overall. Yet critics point to an overly generous, overly expensive and fiscally impractical system that is yet to have been shown to work. More information: The Fiscal and Distributional Implications of Alternative Universal Basic Income Schemes in the UK: www.bath.ac.uk/ipr/policy-brie hemes-in-the-uk.html ERT data was used to make this 28-mile slice showing saltwater intrusion along the Monterey Bay coastline. Credit: Meredith Goebel Researchers from Stanford and the University of Calgary have transformed pulses of electrical current sent 1,000 feet underground into a picture of where seawater has infiltrated freshwater aquifers along the Monterey Bay coastline. The findings, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Hydrology but are available online now, help explain factors controlling this phenomenon, called saltwater intrusion, and could help improve the groundwater models that local water managers use to make decisions about pumping groundwater to meet drinking or farming needs. "The hope is that local water managers can use these findings to better identify regions most impacted by saltwater intrusion where targeted management practices can be most effectively implemented," said study co-author Meredith Goebel, a PhD candidate at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. Goebel's graduate advisor, Rosemary Knight, specializes in adapting geophysical imaging tools to monitor and manage freshwater resources. "In the same way that medical imaging has revolutionized the approach to managing human health, I believe that Earth imaging using geophysical methods can revolutionize the approach to managing the health of our groundwater systems," said Knight, who is the George L. Harrington Professor at Stanford. According to the United Nations, more than half the world's population lives within 37 miles (60 kilometers) of the coast, and three-quarters of all large cities are located in coastal areas. Many coastal communities rely on groundwater to satisfy their drinking and farming water needs. But removing too much of that groundwater can change the fluid pressure of underground aquifers, drawing seawater into coastal aquifers and corrupting water supplies. Saltwater intrusion is often irreversible. ERT To determine the extent of saltwater intrusion in the Monterey Bay region, the research team used a geophysical imaging technique called electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to map the salinity of groundwater along a 28-mile (45-kilometer) stretch of coastline from Aptos to Monterey. ERT measures a property called electrical resistivity. Seawater is electrically conductive due to its high salt content, while freshwater is electrically resistive. Stanford Earth PhD student Meredith Goebel on site in Monterey Bay. Credit: Stacy Geiken ERT could provide a cheaper and better alternative than the current method used to monitor saltwater intrusion, which involves drilling "sentinel" wells at specific locations. "Unlike wells, which only give you information at one location, ERT gives you a full two-dimensional slice with spatial coverage that is just not possible with wells," Knight said. Sentinel wells are also expensive: Four of the wells used to monitor saltwater intrusion along Monterey Bay cost nearly $1 million to drill. In contrast, the Stanford team's survey cost approximately $200,000. ERT surveys could also be repeated at the same spot to observe changes over time, said study co-author Adam Pidlisecky, who is the chief research officer at Aranz Geo. "Looking at differences through time can often be more helpful than trying to understand a single image," said Pidlisecky, who conducted the research while at the University of Calgary in Canada. Phone tip For Knight, the study, which is the longest and deepest of its kind, represents the culmination of an ambitious experiment that began with a phone tip six years ago. "A hydrologist working in the Monterey area told me that there was a lot of interest in what's happening with saltwater intrusion along the coast and suggested it could be an interesting project for my group," said Knight, who is also affiliated with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. When Knight contacted local city officials for permission to start her survey, some of them couldn't quite believe their ears. "One's response to me was, 'I just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars drilling a well, and you're telling me you can do this by walking along the beach?"' she said. Securing the required permits from cities and private landowners took close to a year, but in the fall of 2014, the team was ready to begin their survey. Over the course of about two weeks, researchers from Stanford University and the University of Calgary worked with engineers from the engineering company WorleyParsons to lay out a long string of electrical cables along the beach. The cables were punctuated by 4-foot steel electrodes sunk into the sand. Stanford Earth professor Rosemary Knight and her PhD student Meredith Goebel. Credit: Stacy Geiken After a series of electrodes were in place, the team pumped tiny pulses of electricity through the connecting wire. The current spread below the ground, and by measuring the voltage between pairs of electrodes the team was able to create a resistivity map of the subsurface. Less resistance meant more saltwater lay below. Once the team surveyed a section of coastline they pulled out the stakes and repeated the process elsewhere. The survey involved spending long hours in the sun hauling heavy equipment and painstakingly covering nearly the entire Monterey Bay coastline one mile at a time, but the effort paid off. "This is the first regional-scale view of the subsurface that clearly shows the impact of geology on fluid distribution as well as the influence of near-coast pumping," Pidlisecky said. "Throughout the process we have actively connected with groundwater managers and technical professionals in the region, as well as the public at large. We are excited to take this engagement further with the publication and sharing of these results through an interactive 3-D web portal." The data the team collected yielded a colorful, two-dimensional resistivity map of the coastline that reveals complex patterns of saltwater intrusion in the region down to a depth of 1,000 feet and highlights the interplay between the geology and human activities controlling the region's distribution of fresh- and saltwater. For example, the team discovered a dynamic body, or "lens," of freshwater near Marina formed through infiltration from overlying storm water runoff ponds in an area that was otherwise undergoing saltwater intrusion. The map also showed that efforts by the Pajaro Water Management District to reduce groundwater pumping by providing recycled water to irrigators was working as planned. Keith Van Der Maaten, general manager of the Marina Coast Water District, said the new findings could help fill in numerous gaps in their data of groundwater resources. "The current mapping of the freshwater-saltwater interface in our region has many issues and is misleading," Van Der Maaten said. "The ERT data will help give us a more complete picture so we can move forward with our water supply planning and groundwater sustainability efforts." Follow-up airborne study Since electrical resistivity is a property present in all materials, ERT could have applications beyond water management. "Any time what you are trying to image in the subsurface has a different resistivity than the material surrounding it, you should be able to use this method," Goebel said. Knight is not finished with the Monterey Bay region just yet, however. Her team has partnered with the Marine Coast Water District to conduct a follow-up airborne helicopter survey that employs a different geophysical technique to map subsurface electrical resistivity in the region's inland areas. "Instead of just one slice, the airborne survey is going to give us hundreds of slices and allow us to put together a three-dimensional picture of the underground freshwater distribution," Goebel said. More information: "Resistivity Imaging Reveals Complex Pattern of Saltwater Intrusion Along Monterey Coast," Journal of Hydrology, 2017 Credit: Victoria University Imagine you're a local kiwifruit farmer, says Dr Judy Lawrence, and the consistently warmer weather means the harvest season has come early. "If you have higher temperatures earlier, it means you've got to harvest earlier and cool your fruit for longer. This means higher energy costs, which reduces your profit. And you've got a greater potential for spoiling the product, and therefore market demand may not be met. "Optimum temperature zones may change, leading to regional impacts on the economy, which flow onto social impacts. "This is just one scenario that demonstrates the cascading impacts of climate change." Dr Lawrence is a research fellow at the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington working on a number of future-focused projects to better understand the scale and scope of climate change implications across the country. "We know that the impacts of increases in temperature, floods and sea-level rise trickle down within and across sectors affecting people, assets and our social and economic interactions," says Dr Lawrence. "And as these changes become more frequent, like heavy rainfall, and as the sea-levels rise and the effects increase from storm surges, we're going to have less time to recover from themwhich will also have cumulative consequences. "We need to make sure that we're thinking about the interconnections. The impacts themselves cascade, but policy responses can also cascade if the interconnections are not factored in." Mid-last year, a group led by Dr Lawrence was awarded nearly $300,000 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Deep South National Science Challenge to investigate how different climate change impacts interact, who is affected, where inter-dependencies and co-dependencies occur, and how far impacts might extend across multiple sectors. "We make decisions today that are going to be around for a long time. We need to know where the impacts of rising sea levels and extreme weather events will fall, to understand how we will prioritise them." This month Dr Lawrence starts leading another Deep South Challenge-funded project, which was awarded nearly $350,000. In it she will work alongside National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and Landcare Research scientists to develop new, practical tools to aid decision-making to anticipate, avoid and manage climate change impacts. Dr Lawrence says this comes after calls from local government, which is responsible for considering the effects of climate change. "The project will help to enable decision-making under uncertain and changing conditions. We can anticipate problems by testing our options and different pathways against a range of scenarios. "By doing that we can identify under what conditions policy options and pathways might fail, which enables us to set up signals, to warn people, and trigger points where decisions will need to be made. Decisions can then become more flexible and more resilient. "For examplemany of New Zealand's airports, such as Wellington, Napier, Nelson and Dunedin, are located in low lying areas. How will these facilities cope with rising sea levels? We're trying to get a better fix on when people or organisations will need to change tack and adapt." This work builds on research Dr Lawrence led on the Climate Change Impacts & Implications (CCII) research project, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The report recommends a stronger focus on the effect of climate change on pests and diseases management, and on building capability to address changing climate impacts. Last year Dr Lawrence was appointed by Minister for Climate Change Issues Paula Bennett to co-chair the Government's Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group, advising on how New Zealand can adapt to future climate changes. Dr Lawrence is co-chairing the group alongside Penny Nelson, Deputy Secretary Sector Strategy at the Ministry for the Environment. "We're currently doing a stocktake of what's been done on climate change adaptation, both in New Zealand and overseas," says Dr Lawrence. "Then we will identify a range of options for how New Zealand can build resilience through adaptation to climate change, identify how adaptation can be managed and what the priorities are. "A lot of countries already have adaptation plans that coordinate economy-wide actions so you could say this work in New Zealand is well overdue. It's a challenging project to be working on that links research and policy." Tributes to Madison's "Funky Drummer" Clyde Stubblefield, who died Feb. 18 at age 73 of kidney failure, continue. Concerts dedicated to the memory of Stubblefield, a longtime Madisonian and one of James Brown's original "Funky Drummers," will continue monthly at the High Noon Saloon, organizers of the performances said. Proceeds from the shows, known as "Funky Mondays," will benefit the Madison Area Music Awards' Clyde Stubblefield Scholarship Fund. The first show, set for 6 p.m. March 20 for ages 21 and older, will feature the Clyde Stubblefield All Stars and DJ Vilas. Additional shows have been booked for April 24 and May 22. Admission is $10. Fans and musicians who knew Stubblefield were scheduled to gather Friday night in New York City for a tribute concert. Stubblefield, known as the most sampled drummer in history, also will be honored posthumously with an honorary degree from UW-Madison at a May 12 commencement ceremony. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, March 13, wrote a letter to National assembly officially notifying the legislature of his return to the country. See a copy of the president's letter sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara: A copy of President Buhari's letter to Dogara However the president in his letter did not mention what his ailment is and why he was absent from work for long. READ ALSO: See President Buhari on his first day back in office (photos) The document was delivered to Dogara about noon by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Suleiman Abdurhaman-Kawu. Speaking shortly after the letter was handed over to him Dogara promised to read the letter to his colleagues in plenary on Tuesday, March 14, since the communication was meant for them. He said: Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will read this to my colleagues on the floor of the House and thereafter make comments from there. However, permit me to thank you for working hard to ensure that there is harmonious working relationship between the Executive and the National Assembly. In your own case, I can say it was an appointment that we can truly say amounted to putting a round peg in a round hole or a square peg in a square hole. So, no wonder we have seen to some extent some form of understanding between the National Assembly and the Presidency. We promise that we will cooperate more than we fight. Like I said before, we will always fight and that has been the practice in all climes and ours cannot be an exception but we will cooperate more in the interest of our people rather than fight. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, March 13, resumed in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after 53 days of medical leave in the United kingdom. READ ALSO: Photos: President Muhammadu Buhari meets with members of his cabinet The president resumed a few minutes after 10 am immediately the car of his Aide-de-Camp Lawal Abubkar was seen parked at its official designated location at the forecourt by the Council Chamber, the Nation reports. The vice president later on provided briefing to Buhari who returned to the country on Friday, March 10. While the president was away, Osinbajo duly served as acting president and received commendation for the way he has stepped well into the position. Source: Legit.ng Twenty-two former governors in Nigeria are currently battling to save their heads from the clip of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged embezzlement of funds. The south-south zonal head of the EFCC, Ishaq Salihu, recently said that the anti-graft agency would commence a new probe of the former governors. READ ALSO: Group to protest against Uduaghan in Abuja Some of these former governors include Jolly Nyame of Taraba who allegedly laundered N1.64 billion, Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia who allegedly laundered N3.2 billion, Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo who allegedly laundered N$.7 billion, Otunba Christopher Alao-Akala who allegedly laundered N11.5 billion and Chimaroke Nnamani of Anambra state who allegedly laundered N5 billion. Others include Aliyu Akwe Doma of Nasarawa who allegedly laundered N8 billion, Danjuma Goje of Gombe state, a current senator who allegedly laundered N25 billion, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki of Adamawa state who allegedly laundered N36 billion, Joshua Dariye of Plateau state who allegedly laundered N1.16 billion and Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa who allegedly laundered N15 billion. Orji Uzor Kalu has been battling his case with the EFCC even though he has defected to the APC READ ALSO: BREAKING: Pressure as ex-governor of Zamfara defects to APC Infographics produced by the Transparency International shows that the former governors were accused of the alleged crime at different times of in their administration. Salihu had earlier said: The searchlight of the EFCC is not only on former governors; its (searchlight) is also on other Nigerians who think they can take funds belonging to the country and put them in their private pockets. Some Nigerians are asking the EFCC to also prosecute Rotimi Amaechi The EFCC, under Mr. Ibrahim Magus leadership, will never succumb to any pressure. Like we have always said, there will be no sacred cow. While some Nigerians are happy with the move to resume the prosecution of the 22 former governors, others think people like Rotimi Amaechi, a current minister of Transport, who governed Rivers state, must be added to the list. Source: Legit.ng The district in Brazils finance capital is starting to look more hipster than hobo by Lucinda Elliott Sao Paulo, like many urban centres, has a north-south divide. Traditionally, the areas south of Paulista Avenue, the main thoroughfare that bisects this city of about 20m residents, are more affluent. Wide boulevards lined with lush rubber trees meant these neighbourhoods became the natural home for the citys best restaurants and boutiques. The citys East-West expressway crosses through Mooca House prices in Sao Paulo rose roughly 200 per cent between 2008 and 2014, largely driven by the wealthier suburbs. In 2016, despite Brazil s worst recession in more than a century, prices across the city increased for the eighth consecutive month in October, according to the Sao Paulo Housing Union. Stallholders ply their trade at the weekly antiques fair in Paulina North of Paulista lies the seedier old downtown. An area categorised by its abandoned train stations, crumbling shopfronts and a complicated, often dangerous, highway system. But pockets of the northern district are starting to look more hipster than hobo. Huge renovation projects that began in 2011 to preserve historical buildings are helping to make the old part of the city a more liveable and desirable destination. Most notably a 1920s electricity substation on Bandeira Square has been transformed into a five-storey creative arts space , and a disused cinema and former conservatory of music in Anhangabau is now a spectacular concert hall and exhibition complex, Praca das Artes . Praca das Artes For those looking for a home, Mooca, 7km north-east of Paulista Avenue and a few metro stops from Praca das Artes, is on a similar trajectory of gentrification as New Yorks Williamsburg or Hackney in east London. The fact that construction across this historically industrial suburb whose name means to build houses is outpacing many other districts in Sao Paulo has not been overlooked by investors. Back in 1910, two out of three residents here were Italian. The majority worked in vast warehouses to produce textiles and construction materials. These warehouses, later abandoned like those in New Yorks Brooklyn borough, are increasingly being renovated to form lofty apartments, stylish office buildings and commercial spaces surrounded by the original Italian ice-cream parlours and coffee shops. In keeping with the areas heritage, there are more than 100 pizzerias in Mooca, brimming with high-flyers at lunchtime. There is even a new shopping mall, the Mooca Plaza . Excellent transport links and proximity to popular southern neighbourhoods make this area worth considering if space and location are priorities. Photographs: Lucas Viani/Alamy; Andre M Chang/Arduopress/Alamy; Rebeca Mello/ Moment Editorial/Getty Images; View Pictures/Alamy; Dreamstime Related article: Sao Paulo biennial: a leap into the unknown Diversification is an important strategy to spread your investment risks without affecting your potential returns. While there are many ways to go about achieving this, we will look at how we can add stocks from countries outside Singapore to limit our portfolios exposure to headwinds in the local Singapore market. Firstly, if we chose to only invest in companies that operate in Singapore, we could still achieve some form of diversification by ensuring we invest in different companies. By doing this, we would be able to limit the potential negative impacts of any single company in our portfolio. No matter how strong or stable a company is, we could still end up being blind-sided by poor management, unreliable suppliers or credit risk of its customers not paying up. Investors focusing on Singapore should also invest in companies across various sectors of the local market. This is to mitigate against poor performance, of any one sector. Such situations could arise out of government policies, macroeconomic pressures or just a downcycle in the particular sector. Next, a natural progression from that is to invest in companies beyond Singapores shores. This will further shore up our portfolios by ensuring that even if Singapores economy experience a slowdown, our portfolio will still be able to deliver stable returns because other economies in the world are still in the pink of health. This is the reason we need to understand the importance of diversifying our investments outside of Singapore. How To Diversify Investments Overseas While it is true that globalization has increased the correlation of how international economies and its respective stock markets perform, investing in overseas businesses still makes sense as Singapore is an open trade-dependent economy that relies on dynamic global trade to prosper. Story continues Other countries, with large enough populations to support domestic businesses or with natural resources can thrive even if the broader global economy is subdued. Because of Singapores relatively small size, many local businesses have had to expand overseas for growth. In fact, more than half of Singaporean companies now have an overseas footprint, with larger local companies reporting close to 40% share of their revenue coming from their foreign operations. Leveraging On SGX For Your Overseas Diversification SGX has done a great job of attracting foreign companies to list in Singapore. They offer viable options for local investors to get started on their overseas diversification journey. Of course, in more recent times, the exchange has lagged peers in doing this, however, this is for another article. Singapores government has also done a good job of encouraging local companies to seek new pastures overseas even as they hone their core expertise locally. Many local companies, big and small, have adopted this strategy and now offer a good option for investors to diversify from the Singapore market. Singapore Businesses Have Successfully Expanded Outside The Country This bring us to the fact that some of these local businesses which have successfully expanded overseas are also listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). This provides an excellent starting point for investors to take on global exposure by continuing to invest in pretty much the same way. Singtel is one example. In 2016, the group derived just 29% of its revenue from Singapore. Its Australian business made up close to 24% and its regional associates contributed the bulk of the remaining 47% of revenue. Similarly, DBS Holdings, Singapores and South East Asias largest bank, has an established presence in six markets including Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Indonesia and India. In 2015, its Singapore operations contributed just 62% of its nearly $1.5 billion income, while Hong Kong made up the second largest market with 21% and the rest of the markets contributed the remaining 17%. Looking it at more broadly, the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI), comprising 30 of Singapores strongest stocks, including Singtel and DBS, earned about 50% of its revenues from outside Singapore. This makes it a good place for investors to start their diversification into overseas investments. Another favourite for Singaporean investors is the REITs segment. Many REITs listed in Singapore also derive a large percentage of their revenues from overseas. This includes many with managing properties worth over $1 billion such as Ascendas REIT, Ascendas Hospitality Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, MapleTree Logistics Trust and more. A good number of our small cap local companies also have strong overseas presence and market penetration. QAF Limited, a leading food company with exposure to Australia, Malaysia, Philippines and China, derives over 82% of its revenue from its overseas markets. Q&M Dental, an established local dental healthcare provider, has 30% of its revenue derived from China and Malaysia. MM2, a content producer and distributer as well as a cinema operator, recognised 27% of its revenue from countries outside Singapore, namely, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong. Further, some small- to mid-sized local companies, listed on SGX, with strong core expertise locally have used the greater market awareness and funds they gained to try to export their business overseas. They do this for the same reason as individual investors they want to diversify their income from overseas and ride on it for the next phase of the companys growth. Some example of these companies include LHN Limited, which was recently talked about in parliament for its drive to expand into China, has fruitfully expanded its business into Indonesia and Myanmar. ISOTeam is another local company with close to 20 years of experience in Singapores building maintenance and estate upgrading industry. They too have ventured in Myanmar and have blueprints already in place for their expansion into Malaysia and Indonesia. Many Overseas Companies Are Listed On SGX Besides local companies with foreign businesses contributing revenue, Singapores open market also attracts many foreign companies to list here. Local investors can dip their feet in overseas stock investment in a comfortable setting of doing it via SGX. Global outfits such as commodity firms Olam, Noble and Wilmar and others including Global Logistics, Genting and many more are well-known companies that derive the bulk of their revenue from outside Singapore. Singapore is also closely connected to ASEAN, and there are some very pertinent companies from our neighbours that are listed on SGX. These include Indonesias chocolatier, Delfi Limited, Malaysias Top Glove, the worlds biggest producer of gloves which has a secondary listed here, Thailands Thai Beverage, a leading food and & beverage brand in the region, Philippines Del Monte, another leading food & beverage brand, and Myanmars Yoma Strategic, which is geared to prosper from the emerging economies recent opening of its economy. China is also another region that local investors should pay attention to. Many top Chinese companies have listed on SGX in the past, and none more prominent that Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, Chinas largest shipbuilder. Other prominent companies include Hutchinson Port Holdings Trust, SIIC Environment Holdings and Biosensors International. Overseas REITs have also listed in Singapore, on the back of strong demand from local property lovers. These primarily obtain all their revenue from its home countries and include Japan-focused retail REIT, Croesus Retail Trust, Indonesia-based mall operator, Lippo malls Indonesia Retail Trust, Hong Kongs retail and commercial property owner Fortune REIT, Indian healthcare property owner Religare Health Trust as well as US office property REIT, Manulife REIT and Germanys IREIT Global. Also Read: How REITs In Singapore Performed In 2016 Ensuring Stable Investment Returns Always remember that you are investing in overseas businesses to earn a more stable return rather than just speculating. You have to follow the same principles and do proper research on the companies you are investing in. Just because its business is in China or Myanmar does not mean it should fly under your radar. Another area of concern should be that companies that are exposed to overseas market may carry greater foreign exchange, political and credit risks. This may impact its share price and profitability, especially if you are looking to earn stable dividends from it. Companies that derive a chunk of their revenues from overseas also offer more stable or volatile businesses depending on where the company operates in. Companies operating in matured markets tend to be slightly more stable than companies that are operating in emerging economies. Also Read: 4 Losing Strategies That Inexperienced Retail Investors Love Embracing You can stay in touch by following us on Facebook. If you are looking for more content, the latest events or awesome promotions, subscribe to our free e-newsletter. And if want your daily dose of finance inspirations through photos, or know where we have been to get the inside scoops on whats happening in the financial world, follow us on Instagram @DNSsingapore Top Image The post How To Diversify Your Investment Portfolio Outside Of Singapore appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg. So this driver is stopped at an intersection. A pedestrian is dawdling in the crosswalk. Driver leans out the window and yells, Get out of the street, you damned liberal! Its been years since I read that in a magazine. I cant remember if it was a true story, though I think it was. But even if only apocryphal, the picture it paints of American acrimony in the post-millennial years is true beyond mere facts. As such, it leaves me questioning the likely impact of two recent well-intentioned pleas for ideological outreach. Joan Blades, co-founder of the liberal activist group Moveon.org, wrote an essay for The Christian Science Monitor, asking progressives to stretch beyond their left-wing comfort zones and love thy neighbor. And New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof warned the left against a tendency to otherize Donald Trump voters. Ive got no real argument with Kristof or Blades. Its a noble gesture theyre making. It occurs to me, though, that none of this addresses a question that has come to seem obvious: What if the problem is simply that we just dont like each other? As Ive said often, our acrimony is not political. Its not about tax rates, government regulation or even abortion rights. No, this is elemental. This is about the city versus the country, higher education versus a mistrust thereof, Christian fundamentalism versus secular humanism. And it is about social change versus status quo. Consider for a moment how often in history that change has been forcefully imposed on conservatives. It has been done by statute, by court decision, by executive order and, once, by war. This is not an apology for that. In every instance, force was necessitated by the intransigence of those who defended that status quo because they were not ready for change. If change must wait until all parties are ready for it, then change will never come. So no, the foregoing is just an observation: Resentment is the residue of forced change. And this particular resentment is old, deep and festering. Worse, it is useful. Republicans have found the maintenance and exploitation of that resentment to be a political gold mine. For instance, it helped elect Donald Trump. But resentment is not identity. Or at least, it never was before. These days, people seem to wear their resentments and more to the point, the ideological labels that give them voice the way they wear gender or ethnicity, i.e., as an immutable marker of self. Suddenly, conservative is not about what you believe, but what you are. Small wonder the feud between ideologies comes to seem as mindless and about as amenable to amicable resolution as the one between the Hatfields and the McCoys. Then you see a George W. Bush cozy up to his friend Michelle Obama and it stirs some vague, vestigial hope, some reminder that none of this is destiny, some realization that we must resolve this hate it is not too strong a word if we want to continue as one nation, indivisible. You see them buddied up across their vast ideological divide and you wonder why we cant all be like that. Still, with due respect to Kristof and Blades, I dont know that progressive outreach alone can get us there. I find it noteworthy that Ive seen no prominent conservative columnist or activist issue a similar call to the political right. Maybe I missed it. If so, I look forward to the correction. It would be a hopeful thing. Because its a fallacy to believe progressives can fix Americas acrimony by changing their attitudes. I am all for reaching out. But it helps to have someone else reaching back. Both countries ranked high in a global creativity ranking which Landing Pad hopes will lead to smooth integration of Australian startups S Iswaran [Left], Singapores Minister for Trade and Industry and Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop [Right] chat during the launch event. The Australian government has brought its Landing Pad programme to Singapore, officially launching the global startup initiative in Block 79s BASH startup space today. Landing Pad is run by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and it works to help Australian startups integrate into the partner nation and region. Cities that also have Landing Pads are Berlin, San Francisco, Shanghai and Tel Aviv. The initiative was kicked-off by S Iswaran, Singapores Minister for Trade and Industry and Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop. Besides increasing entrepreneurial activity and venture funding, another essential factor for innovation is the free flow and exchange of information and ideas between individuals, companies, institutions and countries, said Iswaran in a speech. This landing pad serves precisely that purpose. It will enable its participants to traverse geographical and cultural boundaries, fostering an open mindset that enables collaborations and partnerships for innovation. Bishop highlighted that Landing Pad was part of an agreement inked between Australia and Singapore in May 2016 called the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The goal of the agreement is to deepen economic integration, strengthen defense ties, promote entrepreneurship and innovation as well as foster People-to-people ties. Referring to a global study from the University of Torontos Martin Prosperity Institute, Bishop underscored the benefits of bringing Australias entrepreneurial spirit to Singapore. Australia was judged the most creative nation on earth. People are risk takers, innovative and they need an outlet for their ideas. Here in Singapore we will see many Australians meet with like-minded people and who knows what will [happen], she said. Story continues The Lion City was the highest-rated Asian city and came in ninth globally, setting the table for collaboration. Also Read: Singtel announces tie-up with polytechnics to help F&B businesses go digital When asked by a reporter about the metrics Landing Pad will use to measure success, Bishop said, Clearly by the number of startups that take their ideas further. She also mentioned competitive spirit. For startups interested in Landing Pad, they will receive a short-term operations base at BASH for 90 days, a foot into Austrades global network and contacts tailored to assist the companies. Applications are now open for placement in any of the five cities mentioned above. The pioneering four There are actually already four companies participating in Singapores Landing Pad Programme. They are named ebilities, hipflask, Quitch and Zed Technologies. The companies are incorporated in both Australia and Singapore. Lets take a peek. ebilities aims to identify workplace skills such as agility and problem solving to help companies hire better. For example, it uses mental tests to try to pinpoint someone that has self-confidence in their abilities, but does not cross over the line into arrogance. The mental agility tests are designed to be used anywhere in the world. Hipflask wants to help event platforms attract and engage audiences by delivering personalised city guides to users. So for example, if a friend is heading a cool concert tomorrow night, the event may get priority in the feed. Hipflask also aggregates favourite locations and event categories so everyones feed is different. For a user, the app eventually learns more about the person over time for more targetted event listings. For organisers, this provides an opportunity to reach out to the people who are most likely to actually buy a ticket and show up. This startup wants to help increase engagement for students in the classroom. It is an increasingly important challenge in our modern world full of gadgets, devices and media overload. The app is built around the idea of using the same tools that are distracting them to re-engage them with study. Also Read: Jogjakarta to ban the use of ride-hailing apps, following Bandungs footsteps Additionally, educators will get timely feedback on students performance and be able to see each individuals level of comprehension. Zed Technologies wants to be the go-to company for cloud-based delivery of medical imaging. The idea is to give anywhere access to important medical information which will help reduce repeat scanning. They also hope to reduce film and CD waste from the old system. The company says it has already delivered over 4 million X-rays and scans to over 15,000 doctors. Photos courtesy of SGInnovate The post Australia launches Landing Pad in Singapore, offers Aussie startups network into ASEAN 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. 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 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 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #10 Posted on 12 March 2017 by John Hartz Top Stories of the Week... Toon of the Week... El Nino/La Nina Update... Quote of the Week... Graphic of the Week... SkS in the News... Photo of the Week... SkS Spotlights... Video of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... Top Stories of the Week... This soil study has some deeply disturbing predictions about CO2 emissions LightRocket via Getty Images A new study published Thursday in the journal Science has determined that if organic carbon in deep layers of soil warms at a rate similar to surface layers it could result in a dramatic increase in carbon dioxide emissions by the end of the century, if not sooner. According to research by scientists at the Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, deeper stores of carbon are more sensitive to warming than previously thought. Our calculations suggest that by 2100 the warming of deeper soil layers could cause a release of carbon to the atmosphere at a rate that is significantly higher than today, perhaps even as high as 30% of todays human-caused annual carbon emissions depending on the assumptions on which the estimate is based, said Caitlin Hicks Pries, a postdoctoral researcher in Berkeley Labs Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division. This soil study has some deeply disturbing predictions about CO2 emissions by Ari Phillips, Fusion, Mar 9, 2017 The worlds oceans are storing up staggering amounts of heat and its even more than we thought An Argo float is deployed into the ocean Photograph: CSIRO The world is getting warmer every year, thanks to climate change but where exactly most of that heat is going may be a surprise. As a stunning early spring blooms across the United States, just weeks after scientists declared 2016 the hottest year on record , its easy to forget that all the extra warmth in the air accounts for only a fraction of the heat produced by greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, more than 90 percent of it gets stored in the ocean. And now, scientists think theyve calculated just how much the ocean has warmed in the past few decades. A new study, out Friday in the journal Science Advances, suggests that since 1960, a staggering 337 zetajoules of energy thats 337 followed by 21 zeros has been added to the ocean in the form of heat. And most of it has occurred since 1980. The ocean is the memory of all of the past climate change, said study co-author Kevin Trenberth , a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The worlds oceans are storing up staggering amounts of heat and its even more than we thought by Chelsea Harvey, Energy & Enviornment, Washington Post, Mar 10, 2017 Carbon dioxide levels rose at record pace for 2nd straight year Carbon dioxide levels measured at NOAAs Mauna Loa Baseline Atmospheric Observatory rose by 3 parts per million to 405.1 parts per million (ppm) in 2016, an increase that matched the record jump observed in 2015. The two-year, 6-ppm surge in the greenhouse gas between 2015 and 2017 is unprecedented in the observatorys 59-year record. And, it was a record fifth consecutive year that carbon dioxide (CO2) rose by 2 ppm or greater, said Pieter Tans, lead scientist of NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Haiti - Caricom / Cuba : 5th meeting of foreign ministers in Havana On Saturday, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) met in Havana for the 5th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Caricom. Bruno Rodriguez, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his opening speech called for unity, cooperation and integration of the Caribbean in order to strengthen ties between the nations of the region. He urged to promote the construction of a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Caribbean, such as the Association of Caribbean States, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) and the Commonwealth of Independent States Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), of indispensable, legitimate instruments for political consultations. Moreover, in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, he urged the region to strengthen its support to Haiti for recovery, reconstruction and development so that the country can overcome the damage of Hurricane Matthew, which struck Haiti beginning of October 2016. Haiti was represented at the summit by Jean Warnard Dorneval, Advisor to President Moise, who in his speech stressed that Haiti was one of the most affected countries in the world by the effects of climate change, reiterating firmly the opening of Haiti to cooperation with the countries of Caricom. During the meeting, it is planned to sign several agreements concerning, among others, education, health, natural risks, construction, human resources and training in the field of energy. HL/ HaitiLibre Developers' vision for mill less ambitious than council's Josh Leder of Leder Properties proposed a mixed-use development similar to his popular Brevard LumberYard project. They asked for plans for a five-story 130-room hotel. They got proposals for smaller hotels with half the number of rooms and a mixed-use idea with no rooms at all. Hendersonville City Council members now have to decide whether to trim their vision for the redevelopment of the Grey Hosiery Mill site to match what hotel developers believe the local market will bear. A consultant with the Development Finance Initiative presented an overview Thursday night of the four responses it had received to an invitation that the council authorized in November. All were less ambitious than the councils call for 130-135 rooms, 7,900 square feet of conference space, a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and 3,800 square feet of retail space on the historic mill site. Instead, the proposals described projects with no more than 60 rooms with retail and event space as future construction. One proposal rejected the idea of a hotel altogether and provided plans for a multi-purpose mixed use development. Still, City Manager John Connet said the city was pleased to get four proposals. We had hoped to have six, but two dropped out at the last minute because of things out of our control. Its a victory to get four responses Rory Dowling, project manager for the UNC School of Government-affiliated DFI, said developers primary concern was whether the market could support such a large hotel and whether a larger site might be needed to meet state historic preservation rules and parking demand. DFI contacted 34 developers across the South and Northeast, Dowling said. Nine responded with interest, and seven made site visits. Of those seven, four submitted proposals. Those four developers are Belmont Sayre of Carrboro; Professional Development Associates (PDA) of Erie, PA; SpringBridge Development of Florence, S.C., and Leder Properties of nearby Brevard. Belmont Sayre, PDA and SpringBridge proposed hotels. Leder Properties proposes a mixed-use commercial development. Dowlings overview did not cite projected costs for any of the proposals. DFI is now evaluating the proposals so it can offer a recommendation to the council on April 6 on how to move forward. While they had reservations about the size of the hotel, the developers did recognize the potential of the location, Dowling said. They cited lack of competition from another hotel downtown as a plus as well as the spillover effect of visitors to Asheville. They also liked how the citys public investment in Main Street has turned out and appreciated the citys promise to invest in streetscape improvements near the mill. Its a victory to have four groups submitting proposals, Dowling said. It speaks to the confidence that developers have in the city of Hendersonville. Developers see potential in mill site The four firms come at the redevelopment project with a start-small approach. Carrboro-based Belmont Sayre, which specializes in mixed-use developments in downtowns and urban neighborhoods, proposes a one-story hotel, plus basement, with 57 rooms in the old mill building, a 2,000-square-foot event space for 60 to 70 people, 72 parking spaces and no retail space. Estimated development cost is $13.5 million. A leader in the adaptive reuse of historic environmentally challenged buildings, Belmont Sayer plans to partner with Charlestowne Hotels of Charleston, S.C., which boasts a diverse portfolio of more than 41 hotels in 12 states and specializes in adaptive reuse and boutique projects. Among its properties are the Elliott House Inn and the King Charles Inn in Charleston and Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Ill. Belmont Sayre was involved in the redevelopment of the American Tobacco Co. cigarette factories, a nationally recognized adaptive reuse, and the Carmichael Building, both in Durham, and the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh. Professional Development Associates of Erie, Penn., finds the Grey Hosiery Mill site appealing because the firm is looking for other opportunities outside the Midwest, CEO Tom Kennedy said Monday. While PDA has been a real estate developer for more than 25 years, it has ventured into hotel development only in the last three or four years. PDA would partner with Cobblestone Hotels to build a three-story hotel with 54 to 60 rooms at an estimated cost of $6.32 million. It would not build retail or event space until sometime in the future and did not project costs for those future phases. Kennedy said they would wait and see about preserving the old mill. PDA has been involved in redeveloping the historic Renaissance Centre in Erie. Its latest project is a 54-room hotel in Orrville, Ohio, which should open this spring. Kennedy said that Ohio hotel was the result of a community effort. The community has to want it, Kennedy said. It needs a champion so that the community feels like its their hotel. The mayor was that (champion) in Orrville. SpringBridge Development of Florence, S.C., delivered only a letter of interest in working with the city and provided no cost estimates, Dowling said. Raines Hospitality group, with Grey Raines as principal partner, would lead the effort. Raines recently completed a 49-room historic boutique hotel in Florence. SpringBridge has 50 years of experience in developing, building and operating hotels across the Marriott and Choice brands. Leder Properties of Brevard proposes adapting the mill structures for mixed-use commercial only. Its proposal, Dowling said, was an interesting concept involving event, retail and restaurant space. The firm, which has 40 years of real estate experience, has been involved in the redevelopment of the LumberYard arts district on King Street in Brevard. The former lumber yard now features a small indoor/outdoor event space, a restaurant, a bicycle shop and an art gallery. Josh Leder of Leder Properties said Monday that he envisions the mill site as the focal point of the redevelopment of 7th Avenue, creating a vibrant, outdoor gathering space with an atmosphere that appeals to people of all ages. I see such a gem down there, he said. If the city is going to subsidize the project, then it should benefit the whole community. Thats what the LumberYard has become in Brevard, he said, an important venue for events for local nonprofits, receptions and other events. It has had a huge impact on the neighborhood, he said, and the project had the support of community leaders. In his proposal, Leder said he would work with city officials on a budget for the redevelopment. He proposes investing $1.1 million, with matching dollars from the city, to fix up the buildings and create an event center that would help to create an atmosphere that encourages small businesses to locate there and begin to gentrify the neighborhood. List has viable options There was one that really interested me and there was one that was still too vague as far as the hotels go, said Councilman Jeff Miller. Certainly Im interested in speaking to the gentleman that has the LumberYard to see what he has in mind. I wouldve been happier with more RFPs that had the room count we were looking for and the conference space. But I do think we have a couple of viable options, maybe three. We talked about more of a boutique feel early on. As long as its a nice facility This is still the very beginning of it and I do think we have something to work on that would certainly be an improvement for that block and would work to tie in Seventh Avenue and Main Street. What he liked about the Belmont Sayre proposal, Miller said, was that it uses the entire mill. DFI projected total cost of the citys wish list at $24.7 million, including roughly $1 million for the land, $18 million for construction and other costs. Most of the financing would be private although the city council has committed to finance the purchase of the city-owned mill and the 2.1-acre site. The city also has promised to improve the streetscape on Fourth Avenue East from the site to Main Street. Redevelopment of the Grey Hosiery Mill is eligible for federal historic rehabilitation tax credits and state rehabilitation tax credit. DFI did not apply tax credits, but the RFP says developers may use them. The RFP projects that a developer would sink $6.4 million of private equity into the project, borrow $17.3 million long term plus the $1 million from the city. The term of the loan was not spelled out in the RFP. The city and its consultant worked with Samsel Architects of Asheville to frame a general outline of a hotel project on the mill site. The consultants estimated that the restaurant, conference space and hotel rooms (at $155 average per night) would generate hotel revenue of $6.4 million a year. After $4.5 million in operating costs, the venture would generate net income of $1.9 million. By Balbir Punj In the present context of movements within the Muslim community in India to compartmentalise itself from other religious groups, communities and even educationally, historically and culturally, the courage of Sartaj Khan, the father of the Tuesdays train bombing suspect Saifulla, in refusing to receive the body of the terrorist for his anti-national act, needs commendation. Not mere statements saying Islam is a religion of peace, but such demonstrative action against those who indulge in terrorism will discourage those young men and women of the Muslim community, who get lured by movements like the Islamic State (IS) and the Al Qaeda Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) etc. The core question in the sweep of Islamist radicalisation and barbarism across the world and its tail end in India too is how to disengage this ill-wind from the Muslim community. Right after the Ujjain-bound train incident, the police and security forces in the country are divided over the origin and sustaining of such radicalism-inspired violence, for which, the young among the community have begun to fall like nine pins. In Kerala, several young Muslims lure girls from other communities, convert them and marry them and over a few months, both escape to Syria via Colombo and Kabul or Kathmandu and Kabul and that is the last that their parents hear about them. One such parent even personally met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to plead for his help in tracing her daughter. The event got wide publicity and brought out more such parents stuck by this well-planned tragedy. Events like this elsewhere in the country have exposed the long trail from Hyderabad to Mosul via Kashmir and Kabul or Dubai to IS held territories. The security establishment is right now finding out why this continues to happen even though the IS has been considerably handicapped by the losses its forces are suffering in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere at its source. The anti-terrorism group at the centre is challenging the State police version from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh that the perpetrators of the Ujjain train blasts were extensions of IS network spread within India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) apparently is holding on to the view that these events are individual groups springing out of the IS poison being measured out though social networks like Facebook. The loss of its headquarter at Mosul in Iraq has not weakened its propaganda network and its media, though it is quite clear that the attack on the IS under international auspices with American experts leading the international forces, would, within a year would end this menace. Anti-terrorism experts are warning that even if IS is subdued, the radical Islamist idea will not die down. Partly this is because much visual material has been pushed into the social network that shows Islam as the ultimate victor taking its stand on its holy literature. Radical clerics are trained and sent across to Western countries and non-Islamic contries like India to radicalise community men there and make them sympathetic to the inevitability of Islamisation of entire humanity which being a religious necessity. Jihad, in all its violence, is a matter of command not one of choice. For instance, the Supreme Court here taking up the issue of triple talaq on a public interest litigation petition by some Muslim women victims of this violation of human rights, is used in this country as a attack on the constitutional rights of Muslim community. The sheer necessity for the election officials to check the identity of a woman voter is being recast as against the religious injunction. The way young Muslims in Europe leave prospects of study and job and join radical Islamic movements, indicate the depth to which radical thoughts have penetrated into the Muslim communities most of them migrants from French Northern African countries like Algeria, Libya. There is not much hope that the community could fight off within the call for brutal killings in the name of their religion. Is radicalisation of Muslim youth a revolt against society? Is it an uprising of Muslim community, a victim of poverty and discrimination against it by non Muslims, as some of our secular politicians like Congress leader Digvijay Singh will like us to believe? Security experts, however, disagree and point out that mostly young people are joining in this wave, including converts, who did not share in the sufferings of Muslims in Europe or in their ancestral countries. Last Thursday, Mohammad Gaus Khan, a resident of Anwarganj in Kanpur was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorism squad for his alleged links to members of a group held earlier for explosion on the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train. Khan described as the motivator of group by the police, had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1993. He had served IAF as a corporal. In our context, can radicalisation be prevented? May be if the community itself takes some basic steps. The most important is to end the isolationism of the madarssas. In these institutions, only Muslim boys and girls meet people from their own communities. On the other hand, in all other schools even private institutions students from different religions, communities, mingle sit on the same bench and study the same secular lessons. With school authorities keeping the texts in these institutions under a lynx eye for any hate material, it is most likely that they get a broader understanding of the country they live in. That is not the case in the Muslims only schools, known as madarssas. The UPA Government, unfortunately, made the rule that these madarssas need only to teach science and mathematics additional to religious instruction to get the same status as the other schools. The question is not one of science and history teaching. The inter-mingling of students from different backgrounds is important equally to enable the students to cultivate broader view and liberal outlook as basic condition of citizenship of a secular liberal country. Instead of such broader view, the Muslim community in this country is letting itself more and more being ushed into a shell. The radicals are telling Muslim public figures not to participate in lighting of brass lamps that is the common cultural practice at all public functions only Muslims do not participate, all other communities gladly join in lamp lighting. In spite of several Muslims being at the top of the arts scene films, music, painting etc the clerics have advised their folk not to get into such functions. Step by step the community gets into a insulatory attitude. It is its undoing. If this process continues unchecked it wont be surprising movements like the IS and Al Qaeda will germinate out of such isolation. (The writer is a former Rajya Sabha MP from BJP and a Delhi-based political and social analyst) Source : Daily Pioneer As we celebrated International Womens Day last week, our social media feeds were flooded with photos of American women walking in marches across the country, accounts of participants in the Day Without A Woman cause, and political arguments labeled as womens issues that reach as far as Capitol Hill, where legislators debate on our behalf each day. But as a Christian whose faith is deeply personal, as the wife of a Lebanese immigrant, and as an American woman concerned for the future world my children will one day find themselves in, I am thinking of women elsewhere. I am thinking of Christian women in the Middle East whove been persecuted for their faithkidnapped and raped in acts of power at ages as young as 7 or 8, or as teenagers. I am thinking of Yazidi girlsin Iraq, or Syria whove been forced into slavery and posted on menus for members of ISIS to purchase and enjoy them at their leisure. I am thinking of childrenbabies, in some caseswhove watched their mothers die and their sisters suffer abuse of the kinds we cannot even fathom. Im thinking of 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds, wholl be brides to men three times their age. And Im thinking of the mothers, whove stood powerless as their children have been beaten, raped, tortured, and murdered, with the faith that condemned them as their only comfort. As Americans, it is easier to pretend their problems are not ours. They are worlds awayout of sight and out of mindso its better to let their problems remain worlds away as well. But as Christians, as women, and as human beings, we cannot do this. We cannot ignore these womenin many cases, these childrenwho suffer at the hands of ISIS, punished for what they believe or for the places theyve been raised. We share a world with them, a gender with them, and in many cases, a faith with them. And in truth, its purely by chance that we are not them. So during this weeks one year anniversary of the U.S. recognition of the ISIS genocide against religious minorities in the Middle East, lets remember where we come from. Lets remember that its a place where mothers and grandmothers are not subject to a daily fear that they wont have the chance to watch their little girls grow up. And remember our sisters in the Middle East, who are fighting a battle theyve not yet won. By Rajeev Srinivasan With due applause for the historic win for the Bhartiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh, Id like to know what exactly the party intends to do with this famous victory. Yes, I am glad that this has given BJP a runway to the 2019 general election, and that it has at least partially recovered from its missteps in Bihar and Delhi. And yes, I am also glad that last years demonetisation has not hurt the party or the economy. I am delighted, but to mix metaphors wildly, Id like to ask, Hey, wheres the beef? Thats perhaps a slightly inappropriate quote from an iconic 1990s advertisement where a little old American lady complains about how her hamburger has too little meat. But Id like to know, as Americans might ask with refreshing candour, What have you done for me lately? I have been following Prime Minister Narendra Modis speeches, and I am yet to see anything (maybe I missed it) about protecting the lives and limbs of the citizens in Kerala, who have been under murderous attacks by Communists ever since they came to power last year. A dozen activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP were brutally hacked to death; virtually every week theres a new attack on the property of the BJP and RSS and their members. And these are members of the PMs own party. The very same people who worked hard last year to get the very first BJP MLA into the Kerala Assembly: a historic feat in its own right, along with a 10% vote share. Attacks on women are gathering pace as well: a famous actress was abducted and raped. Two schoolgirl sisters, aged about twelve and nine, hanged themselves one after the other because a family acquaintance was regularly raping them. A Christian padre godman is on the run, along with several nuns and people above their chain of command, after the godman repeatedly raped and impregnated an underage girl, and when she had a baby, forced her father to confess that he had raped his daughter. Twelve-year-old Vismaya, who was seen impishly laughing when she appeared on a quiz show last year, asked the question: Why did they kill my father?, and shared her heart-breaking story: My future has turned to ashes. Her father, a daily-wage labourer, and a BJP candidate in local elections was hacked to death by Communists in his home; with his death, the laughter has gone out of her life. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, dear Prime Minister? The Prime Minister owes Vismaya an answer. And all the other daughters and wives and sisters and mothers also need an answer. So does Vimala, who was burned to death: In the image below is her mothers journey about the pilgrimage from Palakkad to Trivandrum to immerse her ashes. It says in Malayalam: A mothers lament about Marxist cruelty That is Vimala, before and after she suffered third-degree burns. And in the top left corner, there is Vismaya. Created with SI have wondered why the government at the centre has not acted against the Kerala government as law and order have gone for a toss in the state. The Communists, treading a well-trodden path elsewhere (I have seen with my own eyes the historical evidence of how they committed genocide in Cambodia in the Khmer Rouge days) are running a reign of terror in Kerala. There is a precedent for tough action: in 1959, Nehru tossed out the EMS Nambudiripad (EMS) government after the clergy fomented a much milder law and order situation in Kerala. Just waiting for an excuse, Nehru chucked EMS out using Article 356. The situation is much worse now, and what inhibits the Modi government? I have been under the impression that the government has been waiting for the UP election to get over before reading the Communists the riot act. Although they should have done that the day the Communists were sworn in theres nothing more salutary than the threat of losing political power to discipline politicians. But its not too late today. And the reality is that the Communists count for very little, other than in JNU. Out of 107 Communists who stood for election in the five states that recently went to polls, all 107 of them lost their deposits, a remarkable 100 per cent record. The well known poster-girl of the left Irom Sharmila got a total of just 91 votes in her constituency after she has been lionised for decades. Just like in the rest of the world, in India too, Communists are being consigned to the garbage bin. It is only in academe (note a professor named Saibaba being jailed for terrorism activities, marvelously reflecting the film Buddha in a Traffic Jam) that there are urban guerrilla-wannabes who still have wet dreams of Che Guevara. The fact that they still run riot in JNU and Lutyens media is mostly an artefact of the #DeepState interfering to manufacture riots, but I digress. Yet, the Communists still can hurt the Indian State, as they demonstrated in the ambush that killed 12 Centreal Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men on the same day of the UP triumph. Those 12 men didnt have to die, and their daughters will ask the question: Why did you send my father to die in the forest? There is also an unfortunate Communist tendency to tie up with the most obscurantist Muslims. Laughable, because Muslim fundamentalists see the Communists as only moderately useful idiots and will shoot them as godless atheists at the very first opportunity. In Kerala, EMS was the one who created a Muslim-majority district of Malappuram, and there has not been a single Communist assault on Muslims in the state. Nor on Christians, for that matter: the dead are all Hindus. The fact is that to put it bluntly, the Communists are anti-national and have extra-territorial loyalties, mostly to China, and sometimes to Islamists. Its not surprising that Communists are all full of righteous indignation about Palestinians: they go around to ask for donations for the Palestinian cause. Fortunately, we all know that Palestinian cause is a euphemism for local tavern, so no harm was done, but the dog-whistle signalling is interesting. I have never seen them seek donations to resettle Kashmiri Pundits in J&K. And there is a precedent for treating Communists harshly. In our neighborhood, Bangladesh shot every one of its Communists during and after the war of liberation. There are none left, the wiser ones moved and now bullied West Bengal. Indonesia did the same thing as chronicled in The Year of Living Dangerously. In Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew rounded up and shot them, suspecting (rightly) that they would impede the development of his country. I do not advocate randomly shooting Communists, and I dont even necessarily want them to be kicked out of power, given that the alternative (the Congress) is ruinous in other ways. But I would certainly advocate telling their leaders that they had better rule without organised pogroms, or else things may get a little sticky for them personally and for their party in general. And those who espouse violence, like this person, need to be prosecuted As someone who has wholeheartedly supported PM Narendra Modi from the darkest days of 2002, I really would like to know now what he plans to do, before Kerala turns into another Hindu graveyard, as Manoj Kureel suggested in this dramatic cartoon. If the PM has no plan, that would be useful to know, as well. Maybe there should be a Plan B. Source : Swarajya Magazine Hotels in Barcelona achieved a 12.4% year-on-year increase in profit per room in January, continuing the strong profit growth achieved in the Catalan capital in 2016, according to the latest data from HotStats. Hotels in Barcelona achieved a 12.4% year-on-year increase in profit per room in January, continuing the strong profit growth achieved in the Catalan capital in 2016, according to the latest data from HotStats. Barcelona was one of the top performing hotel markets in Europe in 2016 recording a year-on-year profit increase of 9.6%, which was driven by a 6.7% increase in RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) to 165.35, led by a 7.1% increase in achieved average room rate. Whilst occupancy continued to slide in January, falling by 0.7 percentage points year-on-year, this was more than cancelled out by a 7.7% increase in achieved average room rate during the same period, to 164.70, fuelling a 6.3% increase in RevPAR for the month. In addition to the increase in Rooms Revenue, hotels in Barcelona recorded growth in Non-Rooms Revenue departments, including Food and Beverage (+13.2%) and Conference and Banqueting (+20.8%) on a per available room basis. As a result of rising revenues and falling costs, hotels in Barcelona have recorded a 9.4% increase in profit per room in the 12 months to January 2017, to 120.60 per available room, equivalent to a profit conversion of 45.2% of total revenue. Brussels Fighting Back After Torrid 2016 Following the poor performance in 2016, as a result of terrorist attacks in the city, 2017 has started positively for hotels in Brussels recording a 4.4% increase profit per room for the month. The attacks on Brussels in March 2016 were the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium's history. Unsurprisingly, during the aftermath hotel performance at Brussels hotels plummeted, illustrated by the 39.4% year-on-year decline in profit per room in the 12 months to January 2017. The impact on demand at hotels in the Belgian capital has been most prevalent in the individual and group leisure segments, as the average hotel polled in Brussels has accommodated over 2,500 fewer leisure- related roomnights in the 12 months to January 2017. In the last 12 months, declines were also recorded in rate in both the individual (-3.9%) and group leisure (-4.0%) segments, contributing to the overall 2.1% drop in achieved average room rate. However, a 3.6 percentage point increase in room occupancy in January helped to offset the 1.3% decline in achieved average room rate. As a result, hotels in the Belgian capital recorded a 5.3% increase in RevPAR for the month to 75.52, supporting the growth in profit per room. Profit Crashes in Budapest Despite Revenue Growth Profit per room at hotels in Budapest fell by 13.3% this month, which was in spite of a 5.7% increase in RevPAR, as escalating costs hit hoteliers in the Hungarian capital. Hotels in Budapest were able to successfully record increases across a number of revenue streams this month, including Rooms (+5.7%) and Food and Beverage (+1.0%) on a per available room basis, which contributed to the 1.8% year-on-year growth in TrevPAR (Total Revenue per Available Room) to 80.96. However, cost increases in Payroll (+5.5%) and Overheads (+2.3%) wiped out any increase in revenue and led to a decline in profit per room, which was recorded at just 18.8% of total revenue. The performance of hotels in Budapest this month is further evidence that there is a widening chasm between RevPAR and other key metrics suggesting the industrys key performance indicator is no longer the best, single measure of the health of the hotel sector. Click here ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file) to view full the report. For an inside view of a local or regional market place in the hotel sector, bespoke HotStats reports are available. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.hotstats.com to view a sample report. HotStats provides two reporting tools to hoteliers: Our unique profit and loss benchmarking service which enables monthly comparison of hotels performance against their competitors. It is distinguished by the fact that it provides in excess of 100 performance metric comparisons covering 70 areas of hotel revenue, cost, profit and statistics providing far deeper insight into the hotel operation than any other tool. Our latest innovation in daily revenue intelligence, MORSE. Amongst its reporting are daily and highly granular market segmentation metrics as well as distribution channel and source of booking analysis. It takes daily market intelligence to a whole new level. For more information contact: Enquiries +44 (0) 20 7892 2241 enquiries@hotstats.com EyeforTravel have just released their attendee list for the San Francisco Summit 2017 (April 24-25). Dont miss your chance to join the west coasts largest digital travel conference. The focus of this event is mobile, social media and tech innovation. With more travelers turning to the internet and mobile to get ideas, inspiration, and options for their trips. Mobile has made the journey more spontaneous with on the go research tools. Research shows that 85% of leisure travelers decide on activities only after having arrived at their destination. With mobile playing such a key role we see platforms like Facebook, Lola, Instagram, Hopper, Lyft, YouTube (travel hack videos) SnapChat, and travel suppliers bespoke apps like Hilton and KLM becoming the starting block of a travelers journey. EyeforTravel are excited about this shift and have positioned their EyeForTravel San Francisco Summit (April 24-25) to focus on the digital big bang in travel. The event will have 300 travel decision makers to help attendees identify the data, technology, partners and strategies that they need to grow revenues in the mobile-first world! They are even offering a sneak peak of their attendee list 2 months before the event. To shed light on who will be at the event, Shreya Ganapathy the lead researcher for the event said Were really excited to be welcoming back executives from Booking.com, Intercontinental Hotels, Southwest Airlines, Hilton, MGM Resorts, Grand Pacific Hotels, Expedia, Marriott, Alaska Airlines, Amadeus, Wyndham, Lola, Google and a lot more. She went onto to say We dont usually release our delegate list this early but with over 2 months to go, we have over 160 people in, and thought we should share it, and give others a chance to book too. You can request the attendee list here: http://events.eyefortravel.com/san-francisco-summit/attendees.php This years conference will be 3 in-depth travel conferences all in one: Mobile and Innovation Strategies: Mobile is fundamentally changing the way online travel brands do business. Mobile is not only fueling key shifts in consumer behavior but is also facilitating new business models and industry partnerships Social Media and Content Strategies: The revolution in segmentation, targeting and personalization - and what travel brands and marketers must do to both understand and serve customers better in the new digital world The Start-up Village: A special bolt on program to cater to our growing start-up community interested in travel. Complete with its own networking and a start-up competition Learn more about who is attending the 2017 (April 24-25) event here: http://events.eyefortravel.com/san-francisco-summit/attendees.php If this appeals to you, get involved either as an attendee, a speaker or an exhibitor. Contact the team directly at shreya(at)eyefortravel(dot)com The advertising media landscape is aglitter with new possibilities. Websites are universal. Social media is everywhere. Mobile is pervasive. Massive shifts of media dollars away from traditional media (television, radio, print) to the new digital media are evident everywhere. Advertising budgets are often reduced as brands transition to greater use of digital media. Along with the great migration to digital media is a frantic increase in the pace of creative development and rapid growth in the number of ads or commercials aired. Many advertising tracking surveys were abandoned as a result of the Great Recession and its aftermath -- on the eve of the greatest change in media since the widespread adoption of television in the 1950s and 1960s. This means that the macro effects of many brands shift to digital media have gone largely unmeasured and uncharted. The few brands that are still doing survey-based advertising tracking are increasingly suspicious that something is not right, that something is missing (like the missing energy in the universe, the so-called dark energy, or the missing matter in the universe, dark matter). Many brands are seeing brand and advertising awareness numbers remain stagnant or even decline -- in spite of a rising tide of likes on Facebook and growing numbers of followers on Twitter. Could it be that digital media is less effective than traditional media? Some hypotheses to cons... Leaders need to teach workers resilience to navigate change My first job in sales at a small Canadian printing company more than 20 years ago was far from easy or glamorous. I sold printers out of a van and had to meet a daily quota of at least 30 cold calls. This entailed lugging a printer from my van into prospective customers offices to provide demonstrations and free trials. Many times, I was tempted to hand over the keys of my van and pack my bag, but I stuck there for a year a lifetime in that role. Along the way I discovered I had a trait that has served me well throughout my career and positioned me to be an effective corporate leader: Resilience. Persevering in the face of adversity is critical to getting ahead. It has the power to take us farther than IQ, education or experience alone. Its applicable across all roles and all lines of business in every industry around the world. And yet, we dont spend nearly enough time developing resilience in our workforce. While some people seem to be born with thicker skins, for most of us resilience is a skill that we need to learn and practice. American psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman spent the last 30 years studying resiliency to understand why some people rebound after a setback and why others fall into a state of learned helplessness. He and his team at the University of Pennsylvania created the Penn Resiliency Program. They train businesses in resili... We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Given the number of responses noting interest in my ConCon article published at Illinois Review on March 2, 2017, One state after another reject Convention of States' efforts , another Con Con update seemed timely and appropriate. A national convention will only happen if 34 states, a two-thirds majority, sign onto the idea. So far in 2017, 10 out of the 10 states targeted have rejected ConCon (Convention of States), the latest state being Idaho: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. In state after state, real conservatives have rejected the big money pushing the Convention of States, as real conservatives defend the Constitution instead. Consider this: The U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times since it was ratified in 1788. The latest state, Idaho, on Wednesday, March 1, after nearly three hours of debate that stretched through the lunch hour where turns were taken taking either pushing the need to rein in the growing federal debt or warning that a convention could veer off into hot-button social issues, the Senate voted against SCR 108 by a resounding rejection of 11-24. That vote effectively killed the bill that called for Idaho to petition for an Article V Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution for a balanced budget amendment. Although the sponsor of Idaho's SCR 108, Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, argued, "We are either going to control our addiction or it will be controlled for us", Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett countered with, "The founding fathers did phenomenal work in creating this lasting governing document and I don't consider it a wise move to cut it up, especially considering the polarized political climate we are living in." As to the status of ConCon in Texas, even though the Texas Senate on Tuesday, February 28 voted in favor of measures calling for a convention of states, which was adopted on a party-line vote, 20-11, the issue is not yet settled. The vote, however, did officially advanced one of Texas Gov. one of the emergency items for Texas Governor Greg Abbott in this legislative session. Abbott applauded the Senate's passing of Senate Bill 21, saying that he looked forward to the House's approval, which seeks amendments that place restraints on the federal budget and check power and enact term limits for U.S. officials. In the recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, only 27 percent of those surveyed said a convention of states was needed to amend the U.S. Constitution, while 53 percent said the document has held up well. It is no secret that mega-donors, probably including the Koch brothers, are involved in pushing for a ConCon in Texas. That attests to the effort's unconditional support by both Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick, even though Texas senators were informed before their vote on February 28 that a vote for SJR2 (Convention of States) would amount to a black mark on any conservative politician's careers. Most importantly, they were told a duty exists for each to defend the Constitution against all its enemies, foreign and domestic. And that meant to reject SJR 2. Texas senators were enlightened further how the Republican national platform committee voted nearly unanimously against an Article V convention last July in Cleveland. Justice Scalia called an Article V convention a "horrible idea" in the last year of his life, and Phyllis Schlafly said it is playing Russian roulette with the Constitution. They were also reminded that the legendary Solicitor General under Reagan, Rex Lee, said constitutional conventions cannot be limited, and Chief Justice Warren Burger likewise expressed the same sentiment. A lengthy article in the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, connected this recent action by the Texas Senate in passing the Convention of States to massive donations by Tim Dunn, a wealthy oilman from Midland, Texas, and the Koch brothers. Unlike most states, Texas has no limits on donations to the campaigns of state officials. The Dallas newspaper explains: Contributions to lawmakers from Tim Dunn and Empower Texans (which is primarily funded by Tim Dunn), 2010-2016: Gov. Greg Abbott - $30,000 (Abbott put the Con Con/COS on the emergency calendar) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick - $649,546 (Patrick pushed the Con Con/COS through the Texas Senate) Sen. Brian Birdwell - $25,234 (Birdwell was its primary sponsor) Total Dunn contributions - $946,898 (other Texas Republican Senators fell in line on the Con Con/COS) Total Empower Texans contributions- $3,965,725 (other Texas Republican Senators fell in line) The Dallas Morning News explains further: Lawmakers are also acutely aware of the agenda of the Koch brothers, billionaire conservatives who have spent heavily to support Republican candidates nationwide. Eric OKeefe is a Citizens for Self-Governance board member who lives in Wisconsin and has a long history of political and financial ties to the wealthy brothers. The Koch brothers and related groups have given Texas lawmakers more than $900,000 since 2010. Abbott received $132,000 from the Koch brothers in 2013 and 2014. ... Donations to Dunn and OKeefes Citizens for Self-Governance group indicate that its Constitution amending project is gathering steam, both politically and financially. According to tax records, contributions to CSG have grown from $1.8 million in 2011 to $5.7 million in 2015. ... CSG also operates at least two "dark money" groups, the Alliance for Self-Governance and Convention of the States Action. Those groups are not required to disclose the sources of their funding. Charles Koch, of the multi-billionaire Koch brothers who heads Koch Industries and basically funds Republican candidates who are willing to advance globalist goals has let it be known that he is eager to reform the criminal justice system. With deep money pocket behind passing ConCon in Texas, it won't be easy to keep ConCon from passing the Texas House. Fortunately, Texas has the U.S. Constitution and grassroots conservatives on its side, if they are not too intimidated to speak out and make their voices heard. As a warning to legislators who are so disposed to vote for a Constitution Convention in their state, having been persuaded through the presentation of glowing ConCon rhetoric and/or the promise of contributions, they will be guilty of playing games with the Constitution. It would open the door to repealing the Second Amendment, requiring taxpayer-funded abortion, repealing the Electoral College, and even changing our system of government into a European-style parliamentary system. It means giving the media influence over changing the Constitution. Arne Vainio: Taking Jim Northrup's rez car out for another journey By Arne Vainio, M.D. Richard was a First Nations author from Ontario and when I first thought about writing over ten years ago I came across a passage in his book One Native Life . He was traveling through Canada and jumped a freight train. Writing is a gift and a craft and it needs to be honed and sharpened and the only way to do that is by writing. Richard had been writing for a long time before he wrote that passage and even though it was brief, it was enough to pull me in and he brought me on that train with him. The moon was rising and it raced the train as it came up through the trees and he and a coal miners kid from Sydney, Nova Scotia, shared cigarettes and stories and a bottle of wine and for that brief time there was nothing that separated them. I always meant to contact him and tell him what his writing meant to me and how somehow that train ride stayed with me all these years and how I thought of it when I went outside to look at the moon. George Earth died almost a year ago and I used to go outside at night and call him and tell him what I was seeing and hearing and how the wind swayed the treetops and what stars I was looking at. George was 80 years old and couldnt go outside to see and hear those things for himself and he would remember those things from when he was young. George and I took a road trip to the Wind River reservation in Wyoming just a few years ago and he knew it was his last road trip. He used to travel when he was younger, but not in a comfortable way. He hitchhiked and he walked and he wanted to see the entire country. Poverty and the need to work kept him from seeing the world and we traveled through the Black Hills and went to the monuments and we went to a museum. The monuments and the museum interested him only briefly and what he wanted to see was the country and the way the trees of northern Minnesota changed to the rolling hills and farms of the southern part of the state, then to the prairie of South Dakota, then as that changed to the Black Hills and then to the big sky country of Wyoming. We never once turned the radio on and we could travel for hours without speaking, then something in that huge sky would make him remember. He told me some of the kids were let out of boarding school to pick potatoes in North Dakota and being a ten year old boy dragging sacks to fill with potatoes in rows he couldnt even see the end of. His hands would get blisters that broke open and filled with dirt and how it would hurt to wash them at the end of the day. He slept fitfully on that trip and his dreams were of a young boy losing his way through the design of others. He was helping me find my way and that remained unspoken and didnt need to be said. Jim Northrup died late last summer and he was one of our great Ojibwe authors. He wrote six books and told vividly of being a Marine in Vietnam and wrote about life on the reservation. Jim and I had a friendship that deepened over the years and my wife Ivy became part of his family. She would go to visit her parents every Sunday and would be at the house on Northrup Road right after that. She played Ojibwe cribbage with him and she became the official Jim Northrup photographer. She traveled with him and his wife Pat to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin for a gathering of Vietnam veterans and their families and he read his poetry to a standing ovation crowd of 45,000 people. He pulled me aside at his 70th birthday and told me, The poet Simon Ortiz came to me when I was just starting out as a writer and a poet. He told me to remember that what you have to say is important and Im passing this to you. What you have to say is important. At first I held it to myself that he meant that only for me, but later found that he told that to other writers and I liked him all the more for it. He was hedging his bets to make sure our stories are always part of the dialogue and not just some old and forgotten memories. His wife Pat went to the casino to be there for a drawing for a 1964 Corvette Stingray about fifteen years ago and asked if he wanted to come with. I think Ill just stay home. No one wins those things anyway. Pat came home with that Corvette and it became part of the essence of Jim. He wrote about it and it has a Marine Veteran banner over the top of the windshield. His license plates said REZ CAR and it was easy to find him if he wanted to be found. Cars like that eat money and its hard to find someone who knows how to work on them, but he did find someone. When his cancer came back and then started to spread he started looking at things differently. He and I discussed a road trip in that Corvette, maybe to the Southwest to visit one of his Marine brothers on the Navajo reservation. The journey was to be the story and we would each see and write about this island we live on from totally different perspectives. He would be traveling as a warrior and the moon rising and racing the car through the night would have an entirely different meaning to him than it would for me. The wind blowing through the open top and the sun beating down on him would no doubt bring memories of jungles and situations I have never seen. The tic-tic-tic of the tires on the highway and bullets going through the leaves all around him might well have been the same. We never made that road trip and Ivy and I were with him and his family shortly before he died. Keith Secola sang NDN Kars at his graveside after the funeral and after the Marine detail had gone. Ivy was deeply hurt by Jims death and losing him was like losing a father. I brought that Corvette home on a flatbed tow truck a couple of weeks ago. It needs some work, but nothing I cant handle and by the time the rain washes the highways clean, Ivy and I will be ready for a road trip. The Black Hills? The Southwest? I dont know where our path will lead us. Join the Conversation More from Arne Vainio: Arne Vainio: Finding some medicine in the woods and by the fire (2/22) Arne Vainio: It's never too late to save your health and your life (01/25) Arne Vainio: Christmas comes once again for a crabby old man (12/19) Arne Vainio: Water is Life -- A sacred journey to Standing Rock (11/23) Arne Vainio: Honoring unsung heroes in our throwaway society (10/18) Arne Vainio: A father wishes for 'more time' after burying his son (09/19) Arne Vainio: The late Jim Northrup shared his calling with the world (08/18) Arne Vainio: A powerful homecoming for family in our troubled times (07/18) Arne Vainio: Congratulating our graduates on a major milestone (06/16) Arne Vainio: A mother's gift carried me through many life journeys (05/26) Arne Vainio: Saying Giigawaabamin (goodbye) to uncle and elder George Earth (04/19) Arne Vainio: Let's start to banish the shame associated with suicide (03/03) Arne Vainio: Watch Native Report for first Health Matters segment (02/16) Arne Vainio: Starting a new medical segment for Native Report (12/15) Arne Vainio: A mother opens up after the death of her child (11/16) Arne Vainio: Happiness comes from my life of medical service (10/16) Arne Vainio: Learning to dance to bring healing for our people (09/24) Arne Vainio: Doing more to support our Native youth in medicine (08/21) The AKP Erdogan government sent former Family & Social Policies minister Sema Ramazanoglu to the bay area to rally supporters in the upcoming election to give more dictatorial power to his government. After protests at a hotel and attempted move to a local area masque she was forced to cancel the speaking event. She was charged with covering up rapes at a government funded religious school and defended the people in charge of the school. Other AKP politicians have been banned from many European countries where they have also sought to campaign. Turkey AKP Erdogan's Ally and Ex-Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoglu Forced To Cancel Bay Area Campaign SpeechFacing questions about the cover-up of a children rape scandal at the government funded Ensar Foundation religious school Sema Ramazanoglu, one of the founders of the AKP cancelled her campaign meeting in the bay area.The AKP Erdogan government has been sending political supporters around the world to rally for a vote for the referendum that would give further dictatorial powers. To the United States, the AKP sent the former Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoglu on March 12, 2017.People from Turkey in the bay area came to the meeting and had questions about the cover-up of a children rape scandal at the government funded Ensar Foundation religious school. Sema Ramazanoglu, is one of the founders of the AKP and as a result of the protests cancelled her campaign talk to US supporters. She was supposed to speak at a the hotel Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel in South San Francisco but the hotel cancelled the event. Her supporters then tried to move her meeting to a local area masque. There they were confronted with opponents of the Erodgan's party the AKP.Ramazanoglu faced large-scale criticism and calls for her resignation in Turkey after it was revealed that 45 children staying at illegal dormitories owned by the Ensar Foundation, a pro-government religious education provider, had been raped by one of Ensar's teachers in Karaman. Ramazanoglu was ridiculed for her defense of the Foundation, claiming that a 'one-time occurrence of such a situation should not be used to discredit Ensar's contributions to society. She also has supported the destruction of secular education in Turkey and for full government funding for religious schools throughout the country. She is also supporting the mass purge of over 130,000 teachers, academicians, journalists and public workers who they charge with being supporters of Fethullah Gulen. Gulen and his supporters who used to be supporters of the AKP including policies of Islamization of society had a falling out with Erdogan and now the government has charged him and his supporters with trying to overthrow the government. Gulen has set up one of the largest chains of publicly funded charters in the US and his chain receives over $500 million a year for his privately run charter chain.Additional media:Production ofLabor Video ProjectSFLC Resolution In Support Of Journalists In Turkey And Resolution Passed by TNG-CWA Local 39521/Pacific Media Workers GuildSFLC Resolution IN Support Of Journalists In TurkeyWHEREAS the people have the right to be informed about the issues and events affecting them; andWHEREAS journalistic freedom is essential to the open flow of information on said issues and events; andWHEREAS, according to the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), hundreds of cases of harsh treatment of Turkish and foreign journalists, news outlets, websites and social media took place in Turkey between July 27 and August 28, 2015; andTHEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Francisco Labor Council joins Turkeys Solidarity Network Against Censorship (including the Journalists Union of Turkey), Alternative Media Association, DISKs press branch, the International Federation of Journalists and the Pacific Media Workers Guild (The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521) in protesting the systematic targeting and repression of journalists and news media in Turkey, and in calling on the Turkish Government to halt these abhorrent practices; and that the San Francisco Labor Council hereby declares its solidarity with Turkeys journalists and news media and the working people whom they serve.Submitted Richard Knee, Vice President, Pacific Media Workers Guild CWA Local 39521, and adopted by the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Labor Council on February 1, 2016 and the Delegate Body of the San Francisco Labor Council on February 8, 2016.Respectfully,Tim Paulson Executive DirectorOPEIU3 AFL-CIO 11Confirming resource:Thousands Protest Arrest of 2 Turkish Journalists on Spying Charges http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/28/world/europe/thousands-protest-arrest-of-2-turkish - journalists-on-spying-charges.html?ref=worldCWA Media Workers Resolution in Support Of Journalists in TurkeyPassed on 9/19/15 By TNG-CWA Local 39521/Pacific Media Workers GuildWhereas, the protection of the rights of journalists are critical for a free exchange of information and for the right of the public to be informed about all issues and,Whereas according to a report titled "Refeictions of War on Press in 40 Days" by the Turkey Confederation of Progressive Trade Union of Turkey (DISK) which includes violations of the law between July 27 and August 28, 2015.The report says, 2,544 people were detained, 338 people were arrested, 137 people died, 130 regions of 15 provinces were declared as special areas in 40 days and basic rights were suspended.Attacks against journalists and the mediaBetween July 27 and August 28.* 103 websites, 23 twitter accounts were blocked. 50 URL were blocked with the attempt of a businessman, Ethem Sancak.* 10 journalists were attacked, three journalists were threatened by the police.* Newspapers Evrensel and Sol were threatened by Turkish Revenge Brigade (TIT). Sozcu Newspaper announced they wont be silent.* 20 journalists from Newspapers Hurriyet, Milliyet and HaberTurk.21 journalists were on trial, two journalists were arrested* Two British journalists were arrested.* 21 journalists were put on trial since they published the images of prosecutor Mehmet Kira who was kidnapped by gunmen and they were sued for imprisonment for 157,5 years.* A media group was raided by policemen, andWhereas, the Solidarity Network against Censorship which includes the Journalists' Union of Turkey, DISKs press branch and Alternative media Association. (EA/BD) said these violations and attacks should be perceived as attacks against freedom of expression and press and,Whereas, the threat to journalists in Turkey and their right to to their job is a danger to freedom of the press and the right of all people to information about their struggles and lives and,Whereas, journalists around the world face growing threats to their rights and ability to do their jobs and,Whereas, the CWA Media workers represents journalists and media workers in Northern California and Hawaii,Whereas, the International Federation of Journalists IFJ and CWA Newspaper Guild oppose these attacks on the rights of journalists in Turkey,Therefore be it resolved we protest the systemic targeting and repression of journalists in Turkey and call on the government of Turkey to halt these attacks and this local calls for solidarity with journalists in Turkey and support initiatives such as the Solidarity Network Against Censorship and urge all workers, trade unionists and the San Francsico Labor Council, California Federation of Labor to support the rights of journalists in Turkey. New Albany, Indiana Huber Orchards, Inc. of Borden, Indiana filed a trademark lawsuit in the Southern District of Indiana. Defendants in the litigation are C. Mondavi & Family (CMF) and C. Mondavi & Sons, Inc., both of St. Helena, California. Huber filed the lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment that its mark Huber Winery Generations Indiana Red Wine does not infringe Defendants trademark. Both Plaintiff and Defendants produce and offer wine products. In February 2017, CMF sent a cease and desist letter to the president of Huber stating that CMF owns a federally registered trademark for GENERATIONS for wine. This trademark has been registered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as U.S. Reg. No. 2,236,517. In the letter, sent to Huber by a trademark lawyer for Defendants, CMF asserts that Hubers use of the word Generations in conjunction with the sale of wine violates the Lanham Act by infringing and diluting CMFs trademark. The letter demanded that Huber cease all use of the trademark GENERATIONS in connection with its Huber Winery Generation Indiana Red blend wines. CMF further contended that Huber is liable for injunctive relief, damages, possible treble damages and attorneys fees. Huber contends that it began selling its Huber Winery Generations Indiana Red Wine line locally in 1997, two years before CMF registered its trademark, and that it began selling the wine on the internet in 2004. It further asserts that its use of its Huber Winery Generations common law trademark does not infringe any trademark in which CMF has right because there is no likelihood of confusion. It asks the court to declare that Hubers use of Generations and Huber Winery Generations do not infringe CMFs GENERATIONS trademark. The case was assigned to District Judge Richard L. Young and Magistrate Judge Tim A. Baker in the Northern District and assigned Case No. 4:17-cv-00046-RLY-TAB. Complaint BATTLELINES have been drawn over the States largest ever flood defence project, with fears on one side that it will destroy a citys character, and fears on the other that objections could delay it. On one side are Office of Public Works (OPW) engineers and their consultants Arup who are trying to design a solution to minimise flood risk for the thousands of Cork City traders and residents who live in fear of every flood alert. On the other side is the vocal voluntary campaign group, Save Cork City, led by architects, engineers, and heritage experts, who are opposed to the schemes reliance on direct defences, and to the damage they say the new and raised walls will do to the citys heritage and character. Despite their late arrival on the pitch, their high-profile campaign led directly to the hosting of a public forum on the flood scheme on Friday. The OPW has insisted that while direct defences are the only viable and cost-effective option, it is still open to considering changes to the look and feel of the defences in certain areas. The agency launched a robust defence of the scheme at Fridays forum, pointing out the citys long history of flooding, with vast areas and an estimated 2,100 properties exposed to the risk of tidal flooding from the east and fluvial flooding to the west. The urgent need for a major flood defence plan was brought into focus following the devastating 2009 flood when the city suffered an estimated 100m in damage. Another devastating flood in early 2014, which prompted a visit by President Michael D Higgins to affected traders, fast-tracked the design process. The OPW finally unveiled details last December of the overall design concept for public consultation. It features a suite of measures, with hard and soft engineering solutions, including: Designation of upstream washlands to facilitate greater advance discharges from dams; Construction of direct defences at Inniscarra Bridge, Ballincollig, Carrigrohane, and Inchigaggan; Construction of direct defences, including walls, embankments, and the raising of existing quay walls, on the north and south channels of the river; Construction of flood gates at some footbridges and boardwalk locations; The installation of localised surface water pumps to deal with minor flood issues in other locations. It also includes the development of a detailed flood forecasting system; a flood warning service; and revised operating procedures at the Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid dams, in the event of extreme flood events. There also plans to build a large river barrier west of Cork City, close to the Kingsley Hotel, to control the flow of flood water into the south channel of the River Lee, and to divert water into the north channel, which engineers say has spare capacity. It is this decision to divert fluvial flood waters into the north channel, resulting in the need for quay walls here to be raised to a height of 1.2m, which has triggered controversy. The OPW says the entire flood defence plan will minimise flood risk for about 2,000 properties 1,227 commercial properties and 878 homes which will be defended from a once-in-a-century flood event. A further 1,079 properties not at immediate risk of severe flooding 613 commercial and 466 residential will benefit from a significant reduction of flood risk. Michael Collins, assistant chief engineer with the OPW and who chaired the steering group which oversaw the design process, said a long list of options was considered, including upstream storage and land use management, flood forecasting and warning systems, revised dam operating procedures, direct flood defences, channel widening, and/or deepening, individual property protection, and a tidal barrage. But the only viable, cost effective, and sustainable scheme includes direct defences as currently presented, he said. The forum was told the key issues for the design team included keeping defence heights in the city to a minimum and below guarding height in the city centre and designing a functional, effective, but sensitive scheme with the collaboration of the city architects, planning, environment, and parks sections. He said the team also sought to design a scheme that maintained, and if possible, enhanced connectivity to the river for citizens and visitors. The forum was told the scheme will deliver a lot of positives, including minimising flood risk, incentivising investment, provision of almost 1km of new river walkways, and a 20m investment in the citys quay walls which could be at serious risk of collapse in places. While opponents of the scheme have suggested the construction of a tidal barrage, and a farming the flood approach to flood attenuation upstream (effectively allowing vast tracts of farmland west of the city to flood) the forum was told these options are not viable. While a tidal barrage would certainly deal with the tidal flooding problem in the city, it would not deal with the fluvial problem, and the fundamental problem is that it is not economically feasible as the cost would be expected to be between 400m and 1bn, which is way beyond the current value of benefits of the scheme, which is under 200m, said Mr Collins. The price tag would consume the States entire flood protection budget for the next decade. Farming the flood is not a viable solution for Cork either, said the OPW. Studies have shown it is effective in small flood events, but brings almost no relief from mid-range or extreme flood events, from which is what Cork is most at risk. To deal with the fluvial flooding situation upstream, an area of 20sq km would have to be flooded to a depth of an extra one metre of flood water, with some modelling showing that up to 40sq km of land would be required for farming the flood. OPW engineer Ezra McManamon told the forum there has been an overstatement and a good deal of misinformed comment about the scale of the quay walls, and the impact the defence scheme will have on flood water levels. Walls will be no more than a safeguarding height (1.2m), he said, slating Save Cork City campaigners over claims the scheme would actually make flooding worse. Mr McManamon said the flood levels on the stretch of river from Inniscarra Dam to the Tyndall Institute will be reduced by an average of 0.5m, and to a maximum of 1m. Downstream of the Tyndall on the north channel, where flood levels are dominated by the tide, design flood levels increase by an average of 20cm to a maximum of 0.5m, which is why quay wall heights are being increased, he said. The OPW also defended the public awareness and public consultation on the scheme which started in 2013, and included a public information day when the emerging preferred option was identified in 2014. Approximately 500 letters were issued to registered and reputed property owners whose property or property related rights may be directly affected by the scheme works, it said. The public consultation process, extended twice to April 7, still gives the public the opportunity to make suggestions, it said. Changes have already been made to the scheme on Lee Rd, Patricks Bridge, and Grand Parade as a result of submissions already made. The OPW has said it is very open to positive proposals particularly in relation to the look and feel of the flood defences in areas like Fitzgerald Park, North Mall, and Sullivans Quay. It is hoped enabling works will start in one of the most flood-prone areas of the city around Morrisons Island next year, with work on defences on the western city outskirts, from Ballincollig to Lee Fields, starting in 2018, and work between Wellington Bridge and Grenville Place starting shortly after. It is hoped these three phases will be completed by 2020, providing the majority of protection to the city. Drawings and photomontages can be viewed on the project website, www.lowerleefrs.ie. Burma Five Suspects Flee Detainment by Border Police, Seize Guns The army and border police jointly patrol northern Maungdaw Township in 2016, following the October 9 attacks on border police outposts in the area. / Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy RANGOON A member of the border guard police confirmed to The Irrawaddy that five men attacked the Aung Zu border checkpoint in Arakan States Maungdaw Township on Saturday afternoon, taking three firearms. Deputy Police Major Thet Ko Ko said that the officers manning the Aung Zu checkpoint detained five men on motorbikes for questioning, after discovering and confiscating suspicious materials in their bags, including a remote control and circuit boards. The men reportedly fought back, grabbing firearms and fleeing the scene on their motorbikes. These materials are not something ordinarily carried by people, Thet Ko Ko said, referring to the circuit boards and remote. The State Counselors Office Information Committee issued a statement on Sunday morning providing details about the confiscated materials and suspects. According to the statement, two of the men are believed to be ethnic Daingnet, living on the Bangladeshi border, and three are Arakanese, temporarily living in the Myoma monastery in Maungdaw town. Presidents Office spokesperson and information committee member U Zaw Htay said that since ethnic Daingnet live in both Bangladesh and in the Maungdaw area, it was difficult to determine the origin of the suspects. He told The Irrawaddy there are concerns of links to one of several armed organizations operating in the area. The information committees statement said that the suspects left their motorbikes in Kha Maung Seik village and then entered Bangladesh. The security forces recovered two firearms from nearby Wai Lar Taung village. To oversee this problem by crossing the border is inappropriate. We are cooperating with the Bangladeshi authorities to address these issues, U Zaw Htay said. After criticism from locals regarding the policemens failure to catch the suspects, Deputy Police Major Thet Ko Ko admitted that an insufficient police presence could have contributed to the suspects attack at the checkpoint. Of course, that could not have happened if there was an official there, he said, adding that the police would form a team to investigate the responsible officials and punish them in line with police principles if they are found out guilty. The Daingnet National Development Party chairman U Aung Kyaw Zaw said he was disappointed that the government had described the suspects as ethnic Daingets. Any race can commit a crime, but labeling those suspects as ethnic Daingnet is really unacceptable. It abases our dignity, said he said, adding that he had been told that the men were Arakanese, with links to the Arakan Army (AA); police official Thet Ko Ko speculated that this was unlikely. The Irrawaddy spoke to an AA representative who denied that any of the suspects were affiliated with the ethnic armed group. According to U Aung Kyaw Zaw, about 4,000 ethnic Daingnets live in the area, but that the nearest Daingnet village is not in the vicinity of the Aung Zu checkpoint. Burma Irrawaddy Govt Plans Lawsuit Against U Wirathus Silent Protest U Wirathu sits with tape covering his mouth during his silent protest in Einme Township on Saturday evening. / The Irrawaddy PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division The Irrawaddy divisional government plans to take legal action against ultranationalist monk U Wirathu in response to his silent protest in Einme Township on Saturday evening. The state Buddhist clergy Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (Ma Ha Na) banned the high-profile leader of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, known by the Burmese acronym Ma Ba Tha, from delivering sermons across the country for one year starting from March 10, because of his religious hate speech. The decision was made at a special meeting of the countrys 47 senior Buddhist monks who run the Ma Ha Na in Naypyidaw last Thursday. He was also banned indefinitely from preaching in Irrawaddy Division on March 5 after violating a divisional ban. U Wirathu told The Irrawaddy that he did not break the rules of the Ma Ha Nas ban. I wonder which law they are going to use against me because I have broken no rules of the [Ma Ha Na] notice, he said. The notice banned me from delivering sermons, sitting on the plinth and greeting my followers and the audience. I didnt do that, and instead, just sat there silently. Ive followed every instruction of the senior Sayadaws and broke no laws. U Wirathu delivered what he called a silent sermon against the Ma Ha Nas ban in Thee Kwin village in the township on Saturday night. A video of him staging the silent protest to a congregation of more than 500 people was streamed live on social media including on his Facebook account. In the video, U Wirathu had his mouth covered with two pieces of colored tape while one of his previous sermons played on a CD player. The minister of the divisions municipal department U Kyaw Myint told The Irrawaddy he would consult with senior monks of the divisional Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee to confirm whether U Wirathus actions violated the restriction. We will take action in line with the law against any act that violates the restrictions of the Ma Ha Na and the divisional government, he added. In February, the Irrawaddy divisional government banned U Wirathu from delivering a sermon in the capital of Pathein for security reasons, following the assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer and National League for Democracy (NLD) legal advisor U Ko Ni in Rangoon. Despite the order, the monk preached a sermon titled The 969 [Movement] and Our Three Main National Causes in Kyone Ku, the native village of former President U Thein Sein in the divisions Ngapudaw Township, on Feb. 9. The 969 Movement is a nationalist movement that urges people to boycott Muslim-run businesses, while the three main national causes are rhetoric of the former military regime: non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity, and the perpetual existence of sovereignty as a national duty. On March 5, the Irrawaddy divisional government released a statement banning U Wirathu from preaching in the division indefinitely. The nationalist monk still spoke at Tar La Baw village in Maubin Township on March 8. Burma Womens Week Garners Gender Equality Pledges Gender equality pledges are signed during the Womens Week forum in Naypyidaw. / Naing Lin Soe / The Irrawaddy NAYPYIDAW During Burmas Womens Week, 148 companies and organizations based in the country pledged to promote gender equality in the workplace. Womens Week was held from March 6-12 in Naypyidaw, and entities including the US Embassy, Kanbawza Bank, Coca Cola and UN Women signed seven pledges, organizers told The Irrawaddy. This is the first time that private companies have made specific pledges to women in the workforce, said Daw Yu Wai Aung, the head of the corporate social responsibility department at Kanbawza Group. She added that placing more women in higher-level positions would contribute to empowerment of women in the workplace. Signatories pledged to establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality; treat women and men fairly at work; respect and support human rights and non-discrimination; ensure the health, safety and well-being of all workers; promote education, training and professional development for women; implement enterprise development, supply chain, and marketing practices that empower women; and measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality. Daw Shwe Shwe Sein Latt, an Upper House lawmaker from Bago Division, pointed to gender inequality as a contributor to underdevelopment in the country. If women are given greater roles, it will benefit individuals, families and the country. Society should allow women to take leadership roles. I welcome these pledges, said Daw Shwe Shwe Sein Latt, who is also a womens rights activist. The Womens Week forum opened on March 6 in Naypyidaw, and was attended by members of the business community, international and local NGOs, and government personnel. Discussions were held on sustainable development goals, raising awareness of gender-based violence and promoting gender equality in the workplace. Union minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement and chairman of the All Burma Womens Affairs Committee Dr. Win Myat Aye told The Irrawaddy that the government was committed to endorsing laws for the protection, empowerment and leadership of women as well as restructuring the Myanmar Womens Affairs Federation. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Reddit Email 189 Shares By Anne-Ruth Wertheim | (Informed Comment) | Only recently did I realise that people with racist prejudices have something to lose: their short-term delight, the balm for their soul. This is something they have in common with addicts. When they kick their habit, they lose this balm. In recent years, I have wondered why right-wing populists are always complaining about losing something, about something being taken away from them. Black Pete (Zwarte Piet the Dutch Santa Clauss blackface sidekick) to start with or the Whit Monday holiday or the privilege of walking down shopping streets surrounded only by other white fellow-man. I found it so unlikely that such trivialities could mean so much to them. But now I realise it goes much deeper than that. In cases of addiction, those affected live in denial and mainly blame others or their circumstances. Addicts do not like to admit that they are addicted, they prefer to maintain the self-image that of course they can do without their drug, be it alcohol or tobacco or whatever it is. They have everything under control and it is the people around them that have got it into their heads that there is something wrong. Their opinions that they are dependent on something and that they like doing things that are actually not allowed, are totally mistaken. This same phenomenon can be seen in people with racist prejudices. There is nothing wrong with them, they dont look down on coloured people because they even have a few in their circle of friends. They are being falsely accused by left-wing Gutmenschen (German term for the politically correct as opposed to Wutmenschen who support populism) who play the racism card at the slightest little thing. Their disdain for Muslims has nothing to do with racism, because Islam is not a race and youre allowed to mock a religion or at most an ideology. And that they like to follow leaders who say things which are actually not allowed, is something dreamt up by those, as Godwin claims, who bring up the 1930s at every opportunity. My comparison of people with racist ideas to addicts has to do with the sense of loss both groups experience when they stop their habit. It does not cover all the other aspects of addiction, be the form of addiction light or severe: whether and in how far addiction should be considered an illness and whether psychological factors play a role, be they inborn or acquired in life. What I want to do is show that when people become clean they really do lose something: their short-term delight. And that I hope and expect they will replace it with something better in the long term. It is interesting to explore what this delight is like to people with racist prejudices. Actually it is a dual delight, two kinds of wonderful feelings, neither of which can be sneezed at. The first feeling is that they are better than non-western immigrants. Raising yourself above a minority group creates an illusion of enhanced self-value thankfully you are not like them! Them with their backward ideas and behaviour, no way, youre better off as a representative of the highly praised Western culture. The other wonderful feeling that people with racist ideas experience consists of the sense of unity. The feeling of being one with all people who, just like you, are convinced that Muslims are the cause of all the misery in the world. Excluding a designated, well-defined scapegoat means that you belong to something, are part of a group of like-minded people. With the additional advantage that the scapegoats are physically recognisable in public. In a world full of contradictions and confusion, it is at least comforting to know you do not have to differ over the question who are responsible. During my years in education, I witnessed how classes enjoyed a sense of unity against their scapegoats. All my discussions with bullies and the bullied was in vain as long as I failed to reach the bystanders after all it was these accomplices who perpetuated the bullying through their grinning or even their silence. But they would not let themselves be robbed easily from their common feeling of despising the scapegoat, who, in their eyes, only had themselves to thank for their faults. They realised perfectly well that all their mutual annoyances, arguments and jealousy would immediately flare up again. There is a paradox at work when people moan about Muslims. When Muslims complain that they are being made responsible for attacks which they have no part in whatsoever, the Islamophobes imply that they should be able to take a bit of a knocking. They shouldnt be so oversensitive and above all shouldnt play the role of the victim. But it is the pot calling the kettle black, because it is they who cannot get enough of complaining about the nuisance they experience from Muslims: they have to listen to their calls to prayer, are not given a handshake when they are supposed to, have to put up with seeing satellite dishes in the streets and headscarves in public transport. And all this while they are part of the majority and, in doing so, claim to have the right to a society which never changes in their lifetime. You never hear people say that Islamophobes are cry babies who play the role of the victim, but rather that their self-pity should finally be listened to. Of course it matters what someone is addicted to and how seriously. But even those among us who only have difficulty keeping off the sweet stuff, realise that we are looking for comfort. The same appears to be true for kicks in which you enter a blissful trance in which you forget the graveness of your insecurities, guilt and shortcomings. You raise yourself above earthly turmoil and experience a feeling of invincibility. Another type of kick drives away feelings of loneliness and abandonment. You become aware of a kind of feeling of at oneness with the whole world or even the universe and a soothing sense of peace descends upon you. All in all it is completely understandable that people continually put off kicking the habit. In the former Dutch East Indies and in what at the time was called the Dutch West Indies, Dutch people felt they were above the indigenous populations and they would get into huge difficulties if they were to let go of their illusion of superiority. For centuries they used this to justify paying people a pittance for hard labour and did not hesitate to use violence against the few who revolted. To suppress their guilt, they persuaded themselves and each other that these people didnt want and were not able to do better, because they were slow of comprehension, lazy and undisciplined, childish and gullible and that they could not do anything about it as they were born that way. The same applies of course to slavery, only in this case it was not the indigenous people they referred to but plantation workers who had been dragged there from Africa. The prejudices of this exploitive racism were still rife when people from Surinam and the Antilles came to the Netherlands. And when Moroccan and Turkish guest workers came here they got a share of it too. They were laughed about: that they were too stupid to learn Dutch and were quite happy to do heavy and dirty work, because that was what they were used to in the backward mountain regions they came from. As long as they put up with the situation without complaining, they could stay. In the Netherlands of today and also in the rest of Europe, this disdain has decreased, as has the contempt. But it is still tempting to hold up the illusion that you are worth more and are better than non-Western immigrants recognisable by their appearance. When these groups of the populations and above all their children and grandchildren started following higher education and getting better jobs in Europe, they became formidable rivals to the established population. And as such they were confronted by a second even more virulent form of racism on top of the exploitive racism: competitive racism, in which the scapegoat mechanism plays a central role. The people who are targeted by this form of racism are not thought to be stupid or lazy at all. On the contrary, they are accused of being sly, unreliable and frightening. This competitive racism takes place all over the world where trading minorities have to compete against established populations, such as the Chinese in the Dutch East Indies and the Indians in Uganda. In the fierce competitive battle, they are allocated the role of scapegoat and once in a while this leads to mass violence with the objective of driving the group out. It goes without saying that the tell-tale signs of competitive racism can easily be identified in pre-war anti-Semitism in Europe. But what about the idea that Islamophobia is not racism but is no more than criticism of Islam? Anyone who has looked at all a little bit into the racist prejudices which have haunted the globe for centuries knows that religious elements are inextricably linked to all forms of racism. With exploitative racism against colonised populations and against slaves, there was invariably a prejudice that they were superstitious or else believed in one or other lower form of religion. And with competitive racism, what are basically economic motives are clouded by religious accusations, in which various holy books are quoted at any opportunity. In the case of pre-war anti-Semitism in Europe, Jews were said to have cheered at the crucifixion of Jesus and used childrens blood to make matses. In addition majorities who try to drive out rival minorities, be known as ethnic cleansing, often purport to have religious reasons for doing so. So criticising Muslims by selectively citing texts from the Quran did not appear out of the blue. In the Netherlands and the whole of Europe, with the rise of competitive racism with regard to non-Western immigrants and their offspring, a strange mixture of both kinds of prejudices have come to stand side-by-side. People with a non-white skin colour are still looked down on. However, at the same time, there is increasingly more resentment towards those immigrants and their offspring who do well. Funnily enough in todays debates on racism little attention is paid to the meaning of competition and the envy that goes with it as a driving force behind competitive racism. This may be due to the strong taboo that exists in our society concerning envy. I was never particularly aware of the fact that giving up racist prejudices was unpleasant. When someone gives up an addiction it hurts and means that that person truly loses feelings. That is to say either feelings which massage ones ego or feelings which give them a wonderful sense of unity or both. It is striking that it is precisely these two emotions that also play a role in the current situation with the two different kinds of racism. One in which people look down on non-Western immigrants and their offspring and the other in which people feel at one with others with the same opinions about the new scapegoats, the Muslims. Just like with addiction, you would of course like to get people to see that their short-term delight, the balm for their soul, is disastrous in the long run, both for themselves as for their surroundings. As violence can break out when racist prejudices are repeated often enough to stick in the minds of enough people. But mainly because the rewards, particularly for themselves, are a hundred times greater. Being part of a peaceful society which strives for equality, in which everyone living in it can be themselves and whose differences are approached with curiosity and respect. And in which, as the Constitution declares, no-one is discriminated against. Although I am not optimistic that things are going that way fast, I do have an unwavering belief in the human spirit which is capable of gaining new insights and self-knowledge and analysing the active mechanisms and what they bring about. And thankfully we still have some time to avoid disaster. Anne-Ruth Wertheim is a journalist and the author of various books including De gans eet het brood van de eenden op, mijn kindertijd in een Jappenkamp op Java (The Goose Snatches the Bread from the Ducks, My Childhood in a Japanese Prison Camp on Java, 1994). An Indonesian translation of the book was published in March 2008.She works with the concepts of exploitation/colonial racism (contempt or condescension) and cultural/competition racism (envy and distrust). Related video added by Juan Cole: Indian Express Online: Diplomats Open Channels Following Several Attacks On Indian-Origin People In US Reddit Email 315 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Rep Steve King of Iowa (whose constituents should be ashamed to show their faces in public went full-on racist again, supporting hate-speech master Geert Wilders in his quixotic quest to reverse globalization and ban Muslims from Europe. King lauded Wilders supposed wisdom and added we cant restore our civilization with other peoples babies. Id just like to point out that in 1900 the Netherlands was a tiny European country but a very large empire, and that it mainly amounted to something in world affairs at that time because it ruled a very large number of Muslims in its East Indies (todays Indonesia). Some 15% of Dutch GDP was from stealing Indonesian petroleum in that era, and it was the cream that, as it accumulated and was invested, allowed nobodies like Geert Wilders to live an opulent lifestyle. That is, Dutch civilization is inextricably interwoven with Muslim civilization, and rather owes a debt to Muslims. Likewise, in 1900 the US had taken the Philippines, a pillar of its emergence as a Pacific Power, which has a significant Muslim population of 5-8%. Yes, folks. The US went out and gathered up millions of Muslims to rule, and Filipino Americans have shaped our country. Even today, Filipino-Americans are about 23% of the state of Hawaii. (Hi, Bruno Mars!) King has displayed his ignorance of history many times before. When he was challenged on the all-white Republican Party leadership, he alleged that only white people had contributed to civilization and actually alleged that Africa had not. Uh, Pharaonic Egypt, which self-described white people like King have expropriated for Europe? Actually, like, in Africa . Not only was the cradle of civilization in Africa, but genetic testing on the Pharaohs appears to show Y chromosome haplotypes typical of todays Uganda. That is, the Egyptian ruling class appears to have come up the Nile from sub-Saharan Africa. They invented elements of geometry, paper, cursive writing, and other key components of civilization. A similar argument could be made about the contributions of ancient Mesopotamia, todays Iraq, under the Sumerians, Akkadians and Babylonians. Kings party doesnt seem to think Iraqis are white it almost banned their entry into the US. At the time that Pharaonic and Mesopotamian civilization was flourishing, Europeans were half-naked savages. But the bigger point is that American civilization is civic and does not depend on race. There are no other peoples babies here. All American babies are our babies. People of all races have contributed to American civilization. It was Senegalese Muslims, kidnapped and brought for slave labor to the Carolinas, who taught white people how to grow rice. Michael E. DeBakey, contributor to the development of the artificial heart? Lebanese-American. You can look up minority engineers and scientists. Arab-American inventors and scientists are here The US Patent and Trade Office under the impression that a lot of significant inventions have been the work of Latino Americans. Kings self-conception as part of a northern European white Christian hegemonic class that deserves its high status because of its achievements is just wrong. In the United States, under our Constitution, we are all equal under the law, regardless of race or religion. That is our civilization. Reddit Email 38 Shares TeleSur | Republicans in Texas have ensured that the dark days of discrimination in Texas continue to loom. Texas lawmakers drew up three U.S. congressional districts to undermine the influence of Latino voters, a divided panel of three federal judges ruled, in the latest development in a years-long battle over gerrymandering. In the decision announced late on Friday, U.S. District Judges Xavier Rodriguez and Orlando Garcia in San Antonio found that the districts shapes diluted minority voters power, either by splitting communities into different districts or concentrating minorities in a single area to limit their sway. When done to minimize Hispanic electoral opportunity, it bears the mark of intentional discrimination, wrote Rodriguez and Garcia, who were appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush and former Democratic President Bill Clinton, respectively. The third judge on the panel, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry Smith, dissented. The three districts found unlawful are currently represented by two Republicans and one Democrat. Legal battles over Texas redistricting have raged since 2003, when the Republican-controlled legislature took the unusual step of throwing out the 2001 maps and redrew the districts. Typically, redistricting occurs once every 10 years after the U.S. census. In the decision, the majority wrote that in redrawing the southwestern 23rd Congressional district, for example, mapmakers moved 600,000 voters between districts and fractured a heavily Latino county in a deliberate effort to lessen voter turnout. Under former Democratic President Barack Obama, the U.S. Justice Department had joined the legal challenge. It is not known whether Republican President Donald Trumps administration will continue opposing the Texas redistricting. In his dissent, Smith found that the 2011 redrawing was properly based on political, not racial, considerations, and he said the Obama administration had overstepped its bounds. The Texas Democratic Party chair, Gilberto Hinojosa, welcomed the ruling. Republicans in Texas have ensured that the dark days of discrimination in Texas continue to loom, he said in a statement. The sun will soon shine. The term gerrymandering to describe the political manipulation of electoral districts may date to 1812, when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved a map that included an oddly shaped district said to look like a salamander. Several Texas districts have bizarre-looking boundaries as a result of gerrymandering, including the 35th district, one of the three ruled unlawful, which includes parts of San Antonio and runs in a narrow strip northwest from the city. COEUR DALENE, Idaho - Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) reported the United Steelworkers Union Local 5114 went on strike today at the Companys Lucky Friday Mine, located in Mullan, Idaho. We are disappointed in USW Local 5114s decision to walk out, because this decision benefits no one not the workers, their families, the local communities or the Company, said Phillips S. Baker, Jr., Heclas President and CEO. Lucky Friday has been an important part of the local economy for nearly 75 years, providing jobs with an above-average wage plus benefits. Mr. Baker continued, Our last, best and final offer provides competitive benefits but also provides the flexibility necessary to operate the mine successfully in a changing economic and regulatory environment. Since the Lucky Friday is our highest cost mine, the changes will allow costs to improve. While it is unfortunate Local 5114 has taken this action, we believe that with Hecla's cash flow, and strong treasury, the strike will not have a material impact on our financial position. ABOUT HECLA Founded in 1891, Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is a leading low-cost U.S. silver producer with operating mines in Alaska, Idaho and Mexico, and is a growing gold producer with an operating mine in Quebec, Canada. The Company also has exploration and pre-development properties in seven world-class silver and gold mining districts in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and an exploration office and investments in early-stage silver exploration projects in Canada. A member of a civil organization in Daegu calling for former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment cries for joy after the Constitutional Court decided unanimously to impeach Park on Mar. 10. / Korea Times file By Eom Da-sol Citizens of Daegu, where former President Park Geun-hye began her political life in the late 1990s, celebrated her impeachment at Daegu Department Store square on Saturday. After the Constitutional Court's impeachment announcement on Friday, 7,000 citizens in the square screamed with joy. Some citizens wrote messages against the former president, such as "We do not have to come out on the streets anymore" and "Citizens have won." A big whale balloon, which symbolizes the Sewol ferry disaster that claimed 304 lives in 2014, flew above the crowd. Daegu had traditionally shown strong support for right-wing politicians, including Park. In the last presidential election in late 2011, 80.1 percent of the city's votes went to her. But last November, when it was revealed she was involved in a corruption scandal, the city's support for Park plummeted to just 3 percent, according to Gallup Korea poll. Many former supporters have since then turned their backs on Park. Candlelit protests were held every Saturday in the city. Meanwhile, remaining Park supporters held a protest on Jan. 26 calling for nullification of the impeachment bill for which the parliament voted in December. At the last anti-Park protest, Lee Yong-soo, a victim of sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the Japanese colonial period (1910-45), said, "Park was elected by us, and we dragged her down from the position." 'Citizens are the rulers of the nation. We should continue our best efforts so the (Park) situation is not repeated." 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. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom. Legal & General Group Plc provides various insurance products and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Legal & General Retirement (LGR), Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), Legal & General Capital (LGC), and Legal & General Insurance (LGI). The LGR segment offers annuity contracts with guaranteed income for a specified time; longevity insurance products; lifetime mortgages; lifetime care plans; retirement interest only mortgages; and workplace savings scheme that provides corporate pension scheme solutions. The LGIM segment offers index fund management; active fixed income funds and liquidity funds; active equity management; solution and liability driven investment; multi-asset funds; corporate pension scheme solutions; and real assets. The LGC segment provides investment strategy and implementation, and direct investment and structuring services. The LGI segment offers protection products, such as health, disability, critical illness, and accident; individual term assurance; reinsurance; savings and death benefits; and annuities. It is also involved in the unit trust and institutional fund management, mortgage finance, treasury, building project and modular housing development, general insurance, and open-ended investment businesses. In addition, the company engages in the investment, operation, management, trading, and letting and operation of leased real estate; and construction of commercial buildings, financial intermediation, pension tracing and transfer, insurance agents and brokers, fund general partner, commercial lending, venture capital investing, contractual scheme, investor alternative investment fund, collective asset-management, and investment management activities; and provision of investment advisory, business information consultancy, and technology services. Legal & General Group Plc was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan. Read More Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. provides natural gas compression services and equipment to the energy industry in the United States. It fabricates, manufactures, rents, and sells natural gas compressors and related equipment. The company primarily engages in the rental of compression units that provide small, medium, and large horsepower applications for unconventional oil and natural gas production. As of December 31, 2021, the company had 2,023 natural gas compression units in its rental fleet with 418,041 horsepower. The company also engages in the design, fabrication, and assembly of compressor components into compressor units for rental or sale; engineers and fabricates natural gas compressors; and designs and manufactures a line of reciprocating compressor frames, cylinders, and parts. In addition, it is involved in the design, fabrication, sale, installation, and service of flare stacks and related ignition and control devices for the onshore and offshore incineration of gas compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gases. Further, the company offers customer support services for its compressor and flare sales business; and exchange and rebuild program for small horsepower screw compressors. Its primary customers are exploration and production(E&P) companies that utilize compressor units for artificial lift applications; E&P companies that focuses on natural gas-weighted production; and midstream companies. Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas. Game of Thrones bosses have confirmed the show will return to our screens in July. The seventh series will air in the UK on 17 July, a day behind American viewers, and it'll be the penultimate series. Fans watched an online video for more than an hour to see a huge block of ice being melted to reveal the air date. It's thought the post was nodding to the series title: A Song of Ice and Fire. A new trailer was released for the show too. In it, Jon Snow says: "There is only one war that matters. The Great War. And it is here." According to broadcasters, the coming series promises a "brutal, bloody and wintry return to Westeros". Winter is coming. It's the latest the show has aired, with all other series beginning in March or April. Bosses deliberately delayed filming series seven because they needed more "wintry conditions". Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast , exec producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss said: "We pushed everything down the line to get some grim, grey weather, even in the sunnier places that we shoot." Some of the show's film locations include Iceland (where North of the Wall scenes are filmed), Croatia (where King's Landing is set), Seville in Spain (where Dorne is shot) and Northern Ireland (where the Riverlands and Winterfell are based). Last year Game of Thrones was the most pirated show for the fifth year in a row. It's expected the sixth edition of the book series will be released at some point in 2017. Winter is coming. Watch trailer below A proud Kenyan man took to social media to congratulate his daughter for remaing a virgin. Mr Duncan Odira posted a photo with his daughter, Jael Atieno Odhiambo on Facebook and wrote: Congratulation to my daughter Jeal Atieno Odhiambo for remaining a virgin girl. God bless you daughty for taking my advice to avoid sex before marriage. My Facebook friend join me in congratulating this daughter of mine. Have taken a photo with her below Dancehall king, Shatta Wale has not and will never cease to amuse music lovers in Ghana and beyond especially when the subject of lyrical war is concerned. Barely few hours of a deliberate poll organized by MTV Africa on social media to select the best dancehall artiste in Ghana, Shatta Wale has released a diss song to his fellow competitor, Stonebwoy. As at the start of the polls, Stonebowy took the lead and he quickly went to Facebook and shared with his fans that, he is in a comfortable lead. But as one would have thought, the tables turned in favour of Shatta Wale who now is in the comfortable lead. Pending to this, Shatta Wale released a new single, Comfortable lead. Shatta Wale then went on Facebook live to share it with his fans. Watch the video below 13.03.2017 LISTEN Historically, men have dominated several industries and it is eventually becoming a men-only club as described by several gender feminist campaigners. It is often argued that organizations are structured and function in ways that do not always support womens career patterns. This is situated in the ability and the need for women to integrate their job roles with their family and other domestic responsibilities. A group of gender advocates have continually criticized the invisible aspects of the male-dominated institutional culture that give lip service to gender empowerment strategies but continue to marginalize women when it comes to the real job situation. It has become a scenario of men predominantly recording the history of women and work through their eyes. This is a global phenomenal we have all been faced with over the years. Born in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, Amma Naabia Boachie- Danquah can best be described as a non-conformist and a one in a million optimist. Her vocabulary excludes a key word, impossible, but accepts the existence of the concept of failure, something she describes as a simple misapprehension of the state of a persons mind. Naabia, as she is mostly referred to by her peers has defied all the odds to position herself in an industry not noted to have women practitioners. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Naabia Bassinets and More, a company into the production of custommade furniture with wood, rattan (cane) and metal. With the current growth and popularity of her company, she is mostly referred to by most people as the Female Carpenter, a name she thinks is in appreciation of her dedication she brings to her work. She is the first child of Nana Yaw Boachie- Danquah, then a lecturer at the Business School of the University of Ghana and Woyram Boachie Danquah, a politician and a businesswoman. Growing up on the University of Ghana campus, she had a humble beginning with her familys focus and emphasis on education. Being a daughter of an academic, she stayed close to her books at all times whether at home or spending time in the library. Growing up was quite exciting though I was always encouraged to be by my books. I attended the University Primary School, Legon, for my primary education and then the Krobo Girls Secondary School for my secondary education. I gained admission into the University of Ghana where I pursued a Bachelors degree in Political Science and Geography. So, that was how I started my educational journey, she said. From her early years, Naabia had always nurtured the aspiration of taking after her mother to become an entrepreneur, whether full time or combine with her regular job. After university, she commenced a small gift delivery business with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly being her initial client. After some networking engagements and a business prospecting drive, she managed to secure Shell Ghana Limited as her major client. Married with two children to Nana Yaw Osei Antwi, an Accra based businessman, Naabia had to move into the corporate world to build her career. Just at the time my delivery business was moving into the next level, I had to move into another space, corporate Ghana, to build a career path for myself. I was in a dilemma initially but after discussing with my family and a few close friends, I made the move. In fact, I dont regret making that decision and move, she indicated. Naabias corporate career started with Image Consortium as a Marketer and was responsible to signing on clients and exhibitors for the companys construction exhibition show. She moved on to the British Council Ghana where she served as Project Coordinator for the UK Universities Exhibition. To take other challenges, she joined International Land Development Council, a branch of LMI Holdings as Business Development Manager then later became the Executive Assistant to the Founder and Group Chairman. It was during my time as the PA to the Group Chairman that I got another motivation and rekindled my love and interest for business management. I was introduced to the philosophy of placing premium on the customers and building structures and mechanisms to address all their needs with little or no engagement. It was a great time for me learning key rudiments of the trade which I would later apply to my personal business when I resigned, Naabia said. Experiences with my baby led me to the creation of my first and signature product known as a bassinet which will lead into the setting up of Naabia Bassinets and More. It was done with cane and I sold the bassinet to a friend and I used her feedback to create a better version. I realized the guys I was working with on producing the bassinets could also make custom furniture out of wood, rattan (cane) and metal once they were supervised properly. That was how we started and like they always say, the rest is history. Naabia Bassinets and More has been in operations for almost three years now. Currently, Naabia has a staff strength of seventeen (17) workers with the task of making unique and tailor made furniture to suit the taste and budgets of their clients, both individuals and organizations. I have done a lot of work for companies such Imperial Homes, FDN consult, +233 Jazz and Pub and a lot of individuals who would rather remain anonymous. We are not a mass-produced furniture company, that is our niche and makes our clientele very excited, she added. About some of the challenges encountered, Naabia said some of the challenges I can talk about are raising funds to execute projects and also grow the company, attitude of local artisans, lack of local incentives for startups or small scale enterprises. This makes it very difficult and more especially as a woman but days when I feel like giving up, the person I look up to is Constance Swaniker, who is into metal works. She has been a huge motivation for me, venturing into this field was a huge step to take and she is still working so why not me. that is how I encourage myself to go on doing this. Naabias aim is to break the Ghanaian glass ceiling in carpentry and have a team, very daring and motivated to build units that are functional and very contemporary. Rapper Quata has rubbished claims that he is trying to ride on Sarkodie to get back into the music scene. In recent weeks, Quata has released two diss songs directly addressing Sarkodie, leading to fans descending on him with some accusing him of trying to use Sarkodie to revive his music career. In an interview with Hit FMs Dr Pounds on Hitz High Table, Quata denied that assertion and accused Sarkodie of starting the whole beef with him. If I were the first person who diss him (Sarkodie) that means am using him to get back into the scene. But if me I dey my one corner and the person diss me first, do you expect me to go and give him a cake saying Sarkodie thank you for dissing me and go home? he quizzed. I am a beast emcee (rapper); I am a battle emcee, so when you come to my door knocking looking for trouble we will have trouble but if you are looking for respect, I will give that respect, the rapper added. Quata, born Jacob Kwame Etroo also stated he has no personal qualms with Sarkodie and will say hi when they meet because they are friends; it is just a lyrical battle and nothing personal. He also disclosed that he has worked with Mafikizolo which is yet to come out and confirmed having a song with Jamaican sensation Gully Bop titled Grateful. Quata also revealed that he is bringing South African group Uhuru to Ghana soon. Ernest Kwasi Ennin 13.03.2017 LISTEN Ernest Kwasi Ennin, Chief Executive of Media Excel Productions, has been elected as Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO) board member at the just-ended GHAMRO election held on Wednesday, March 8. GHAMRO is Ghanas only government-approved copyright organisation for music right owners in the country responsible for collecting and distributing royalties to music right owners. The GHAMRO election took place simultaneously in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Bolgatanga and northern Volta under the supervision of the Electoral Commission of Ghana. When the results were collated and announced, Kwasi Ernest's name emerged as one of the elected board members to represent music publishers on the board. Ernest Ennin who is a music producer, songwriter, artiste manager and a music consultant has played instrumental roles in the development of Ghanaian music and artiste management in Ghana. Speaking to BEATWAVES in an interview, the music producer hinted as a board member, he would make sure good policies are put in place to protect the works of the members of the collective society. He added that the new elected board members of GHAMRO would work tirelessly to improve the living standards of the entire members of the collective society. The music producer stressed that he would continue to work to restore the image, pride and dignity of the society and also change the negative perception of Ghanaians about the society and musicians. Ernest Ennin who has been in the music industry for the past two decades has undertaken a number of projects and events to help promote the local gospel music industry in Ghana. He has also contributed significantly to the success of some Ghanaian gospel musicians, including Stella Dugan, Georgia Adjei, Azigiza Junior, Piesie Esther, Gifty Osei, King David, Becca, Praye, Cecilia Marfo, DSP Kofi Sarpong, among others. Some of his projects include Bernice Offei's seminar for corporate women, Bernice Offei's @ 30 musical concerts and Lizzy Okrah and Princess Ivy's album. He also produced the 90th musical concert for Prof J.H. Kwabena Nketia and a concert for the veteran Akosua Agyapong for her 20th anniversary in the music industry. By George Clifford Owusu Five of Africa's top independent filmmakers participated in a discussion panel at the 2017 Rapid Lion South African International Film Festival, sharing their thoughts on the state of African cinema and its future. The RapidLion South African International Film Festival is showcasing the best films and filmmakers of Africa and its diaspora, and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) members. The festival includes screenings of films and documentaries, as well as panel discussions and an awards ceremony. The workshops focus on deepening mutual understanding, strengthening collaborative relations and exploring opportunities for growth and investment in the filmmaking industry. Brand South Africa has partnered with RapidLion to celebrate African filmmaking, particularly South African cinema. Under the theme of Inspiring New Ways, the partnership aims at soliciting ideas and perspectives from filmmakers and industry players on how African and the South African Nation Brand stories can be communicated in visual form, through compelling storytelling. During a recent panel chaired by festival director Eric Miyeni, a diverse group of African directors spoke about their experiences working in the industry, promoting their films to a global audience and finding the spirit of true African storytelling. The discussion focussed specifically around the theme of how should cinema reflect Africa today?. Miyeni opened the discussion highlighting the challenges of being an African filmmaker attempting to take African stories to the rest of the world. With a legacy of these stories being told through a more Western/European lens, African filmmakers, he said, have a responsibility to represent the continent and its people more accurately. Filmmakers also needed to find the stories that have yet to be told, and take those stories to the world. Mboussou concurred, aptly using an African proverb until lions are able to tell the story, hunters will always be the winners to encourage the sharing of ideas and knowledge between the continent's filmmakers and finding common ground to get more African stories told globally. Musah, as American-Ghanaian, said it was important to get the stories he told right through diligent, honest research. Gukas reiterated that African stories need not fulfil conventional Western film narratives, but focus on the human experience. Africans can find any story to tell, good or bad, as long as it was mindful of the right sensibilities and responsibilities of telling those stories. Joshua, who with Skollie, attempted to tell a different kind of story about South Africa's coloured community, said it was important to get the narratives right through cooperation and collaboration with the community whose stories filmmakers are attempting to tell. What challenges exist within African cinema? Miyeni asked panellists what they considered are the issues negatively impacting African storytelling in film. Across the board, the panel agreed that combating African stereotypes in film was imperative. Musah said as a filmmaker working in Africa and the US, it was a difficult to not be influenced by the usual Western film tropes that characterised Africa in film. His role as filmmaker, in general, was to fight cliches and champion realism in the stories he told. Moloi said that filmmakers, particularly documentarians, needed to treat their subjects with respect. Joshua added that even though it was sometimes challenging to find a positive angle in telling real stories, audiences responded well to uplifting, optimistic storytelling even when dealing with difficult themes. Gukas said the most prevalent challenge to making great African cinema was overcoming the white saviour complex in films. Not only did the notion of idealising western convention over realistic African stories impact the way the world sees the continent, more importantly, watching Hollywood heroes coming to Africa's rescue impacted the way African audiences see themselves. From a marketing point of view, panellists agreed that filmmakers and audiences needed access to more platforms to see diverse products from small, independent African filmmakers that often get lost in the larger global cinema marketing machine. More specialised film festivals are also needed with better access to online video platforms to get the word out and create a buzz around films, no matter how small, and to boosts audiences. How to make African cinema world class? Wrapping up the panel, Miyeni asked the filmmakers how the African film industry could compete with international film markets. Joshua said that even with the exceptional technical skills the continent has built up over the last few years, a focus must now be on writing and storytelling. While finding resources is easy all it takes is a pen and a page- nurturing African writers with good, original and diverse stories is important. Moloi repeated a call for not only finding new markets for African film, but to create our own markets. Embrace new media, like online video sharing, and find ways to control the editorial direction of the art form. Also, as agreed by the entire panel, new funding models need to be found that emphasise content over commerce. Movie fans, journalists, bloggers and other influencers need to be champions of African film and stories, said Gukas. This kind of exposure will change the narrative of the African film industry and change global attitudes. The films are slowly being made, the world just needs to be told about them. From a technical standpoint, Musah thought specialisation is key. Perfect the craft, find new ways of doing things using the tools available. The Rapid Lion South African International Film Festival ends on 12 March 2017. Kofi Kinaata's performance at the Nominees Jam in Sunyani definitely proved his class as a top-rated artiste Ghana has produced through Samini's High Grade Family. The "Confession" major hit maker thrilled fans in Sunyani with his flawless live band with his hits back to back at Coronation Park. Kofi Kinaata blessed the stage with lots of cheers from the crowd while his godfather Samini came to shut down the place with his power-packed performance too. Samini had to be put far back as the last performance on the night because anytime he rocked the stage, he sets the bar so high it's difficult for anyone to match up to his standard, more to the point where he's seen as the King of Live Band music in Ghana. Veteran Samini and his Patch Bay band rocked the place over 45 minutes; he got everyone at the park jumping on their feet with their phone lights on while the crowd yelled for more and kept screaming, Samini pulled a surprise and closed his performance. Here are some photos from his performance on the night. Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) is an annual occasion that celebrates Ghanaian music and industry players, its the country's prestigious award scheme. This year's theme is tailored to to 'celebrate 60 years of Ghanaian music' as the country also marked 60 years independence from colonial rule. Img 1579 Img 1580 Img 1583 Img 1613 12.03.2017 LISTEN Gideon Ahenkorah/Kwamina Tandoh, GNA Accra, March12, GNA - The Korle-Bu Community Chapel (KBCC), a member of the Ghana Evangelical Convention (GEC), at the weekend celebrated its 50 years anniversary on the theme:' Ebenezer, Celebrating 50 years of God's Goodness.' Speaking at the event in Accra, Dr Steve Ayisi-Addo, the President of the Church reaffirmed the GEC's commitment to providing spiritual nurture member churches to fully evangelise souls for Christ as a vision. He said the GEC, which started as the Accra Chapel Trust began planting churches in the country in 1967 and now had a convention of six chapels located at Korle-Bu, Ashiyie, Ejura, Techiman and Jamestown. Dr Ayisi-Addo said though the path had been quite tough, the progress was worth celebrating. He explained that the 50 years' journey of the church provided a portal for the members to chart a new path for years ahead. He called on members to work towards achieving the image of Christ while pulling their weight behind the leaders of the church to assume the full status of Convention. This will help break the bondage of what he described as 'small fellowship mentality'. Reverend Emmanuel Osae-Addo, the Head Pastor of the KBCC implored Christians to pay attention to their spiritual needs rather than amassing wealth and material things. He cautioned Christians to desist from patronising false gospel, asking them to seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness as all good things including wealth came from God. 'Some people are using Jesus Christ as a utility for money and this is very sad. Salvation is what matters.' Pastor Osae-Addo said the KBCC focus was to evangelise more souls for Christ, which he explained was being pursued every day. 'We would use this event to tell the whole world that God's love still endures. 'Our vision is to ensure that all people in the world know Christ even as sin is on the increase,' he said. The KBCC's Pastor advised Christians to grow their faith as he said faith was key for transformation, which in tend led to salvation. The Golden Jubilee celebration, which commenced last week Monday, had many activities including home-coming service, prayer service, a reproductive health talk, music show, floats, and a talk on the history of the church all of which were climaxed by a thanksgiving service. According to Pastor Osae-Addo, the KBCC had no specific number for its population as he explained some of the members often leave the church once they vacate the community. 'We get people from the health and medical schoolsin this community. Mostly, when they complete their courses they leave the community,' he observed. GNA 12.03.2017 LISTEN By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA Accra, March 12, GNA- Mrs Linda Asante Agyei, an Editor of the GNA has joined the race to contest the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) vice presidential position in the elections of the Association slated for March 31. Mrs Asante Agyei has been a two-time treasurer of the GJA since 2009 till date and if given the nod, she would be the second female journalist to occupy that position in the history of the GJA after Mrs Gifty Afenyi Dadzie. She has more than 20 years experience as a Journalist with the nation's only wireless media, and has risen through ranks to become an editor of the prestigious media house with extensive coverage in health and science over the years. Mrs Asante Agyei, when elected, brings to the table a vast experience in the finances and welfare of journalists and in particular members of the GJA, to ensure that that the Association restructures its operation to meet the demand of the times. In the history of the GJA, two seasoned female journalists in the persons of Mrs Afenyi-Dadzie and Ms Ajoa Yeboah Afari had been elected to the highest position of President from 1996 to 2006 and they performed creditably. In an interview, she indicated that her motivation to contest for the vice presidential slot followed the call from all quarters that women must be heard in all spheres of affairs. She said she wanted to prove that the woman's position in the Association should not always be Treasurer. Mrs Asante Agyei is therefore appealing to all members of the Association both males and females to vote massively for her to be able to help the president to be elected to steer the affairs of the Association for the next three years to the benefit of all journalists. GNA 12.03.2017 LISTEN By Joyce Danso, GNA Accra, March 12, GNA - A former National Youth Organiser of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has gone to the Supreme Court to seek an order that the setting up of a National Hajj Board and offering assistance by government was unconstitutional. In a writ filed at the Supreme Court, Mr James Kwabena Bomfeh Junior also contended that decision by government to partly support the construction of a National Cathedral for Christian Interdenominational Church services was also unconstitutional. In his reliefs before the court, the former CPP Youth Organiser is seeking interpretation of the 1992 Constitution the letter and spirit of Articles 21 (1) (b) (c), 35 (1) (5) (6) (a) 37 (1) and 56. According to Mr Bomfeh, it was unconstitutional for Ghana through its organs including Ministries, Departments, Agencies or authorised representatives to purposely aid, support, sponsor or offer preferential governmental promotion or be excessively entangled in any religion or religious practice. He is also seeking further orders as the court may deem fit. The Attorney General and Ministry of Justice has 14 days to enter into appearance and file its defense if any. GNA 12.03.2017 LISTEN By Iddi Yire, GNA Accra, March 12, GNA - The Embassy of France in Accra has officially launched the Gout de France/Good France event in Ghana. This year's event is part of 'France and Ghana 2017' on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between France and Ghana. This year and for the third edition of the worldwide GoAt de France / Good France event, 13 restaurants from Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Axim and Akosombo would participate and offer a French Dinner on March 21. List of participating restaurants from Accra include Bistro 22 - Kitchen + Bar, Jamestown CafA, La ChaumiAre, Papillon (Kempinski), Le Magellan, The Orangery and Peduase Valley Resort, Skybar 25 and Urban Grill. The rest are Euphoria (Protea Hotels - Marriott), Takoradi; The Royal Senchi Hotel, Senchi; The View Bar & Grill, Kumasi, and Lou Moon Lodge, Axim. The menu's price is at the restaurant's discretion, and they are all encouraged to donate five per cent of proceeds to a local NGO promoting health and environment. It is recommended for one book his or her table in advance in one of these restaurants. Each chef would offer a 'French-style' menu in his restaurant while remaining free to highlight his own culinary traditions and cultures. In each participating restaurant, the event would pay tribute to a vibrant, open and innovative cuisine, while remaining true to its values of sharing, pleasure, and respect for good food and for the planet. This would be a rare opportunity for Ghanaians to discover and enjoy the 'Taste of France' here in Ghana. On this particular date, in 150 countries around the world, restaurants and embassies will offer 2000 dinners to celebrate the French gastronomy, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage, by tempting the public to savour a French dinner. The Ambassador of France to Ghana, Mr FranAois Pujolas, speaking at a press launch of the event, briefed journalists about the upcoming third edition of the event. He recalled that 'French gastronomy is renowned all over the world for its quality and its diversity. Born out of a remarkable age old heritage, our gastronomy is in constant evolution thanks to the creativity of our chefs whose aim is always to surprise and delight us.' Representatives and chefs of participating restaurants from all across Ghana were also present to share their take on French cuisine and the menu that they will all serve. On this special occasion a French chef honoured with ''Meilleur Ouvrier de France'', Mr Jean-Luc L'Hourre, from the famous restaurant 'Le Marinca' in Olmeto (Corsica) was specially invited to Accra. He would take part in workshops and meetings with professionals while in Accra. He would thus contribute in initiating a partnership between Ghana and France to improve training and capacity building in the hospitality sector. Last year, this international gastronomical event, initiated by the famous French Chef Alain Ducasse and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development was a great success, with participation of more than 1500 restaurants all around the world. GNA By Iddi Yire, GNA Tema, March 12, GNA - Pastors will receive the greatest judgement before God on Judgement Day, Reverend Jonas Cosmos Kwami Kumah Tengey, the Greater Accra Regional Pastor of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI), has cautioned. He explained that God had placed Pastors and Presiding Elders on this earth to represent him, as well as to take care of his Church; and so they must set good examples for the flock to emulate. He said any pastor, who stole God's money, would end up breeding the thieving spirit in the congregation. Rev Tengey made these remarks on Sunday, in Tema, during the induction of the Tema District Board of the GCCI. The new District Board, with a two year tenure is under the Chairmanship of the GCCI Tema District Pastor, Rev Paul Morgan Adorsu. Members include Presiding Elders: James Brikumah of Tema Main Assembly; Philip Boadi of Tema Newtown Assembly; Raphael Adzorze of Grace Temple; and Iddi Z. Yire of Maranatha Assembly. The rest are Mama Theresa Boadi, Women Representative; Mama Jesse Adanu, Child Evangelist; Felix Nyanyefe, Director for Evangelism and David Gati, Youth Representative. Speaking on the topic "Have The Same Faith", Rev Tengey urged the Board Members to emulate Jesus shining example of leadership. "Your behaviour or your conduct should resemble Christ," he added. He also advised Christians to live by faith; declaring that "without faith it is impossible to please God". He said Christians must use their time, energy and resources to serve God. Rev Tengey cautioned Christians against combining their faith and idol worshipping. Rev Adorsu advised the Board Members to allow the fear of God to rule in their hearts. GNA The Ambassadors of Italy and the Netherlands in Ghana have said that they support efforts to get justice for victims of international crimes in Africa and therefore commended organizations, including the Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), for their efforts in focusing attention on victims and not perpetrators who commit international crimes against innocent and powerless victims. Italian and Dutch Ambassadors in Ghana, Giovanni Favilli, and Ron Strikker, respectively, declared their support in separate statements at a roundtable discussion organized by ACILA in Accra. The roundtable discussion was on the theme: Africa and the International Criminal Court: African Leaders: Strategy for Collective Withdrawal from the ICC and Implications for Victims of International Crimes. Discussants and panelists discussed the non-binding decision that was adopted by African leaders on 31st January, 2017, for mass withdrawal from the ICC; analyzed the legal and political effects of the decision; previewed the likely effect of the mass withdrawal for victims of international crimes and proposed solutions for bringing perpetrators of international crimes to justice in different forums in domestic and regional courts in Africa and at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Panelists included Justice Emile Short, Former Judge, United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Legal and Governance Consultant; Dr. Franklin Oduro, Transitional Justice Expert & Head of Research and Programs/Deputy Director, CDD-Ghana; and William Nyarko, Executive Director, ACILA. Representatives from government, political parties, Diplomatic Community, international criminal justice practitioners and advocates, academia, civil society, and the media attended the roundtable discussion. Ambassador Favilli said that the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court, was signed in Rome, Italy, adding that Italy remained very committed to ensuring that the purpose for which the law was signed to provide justice for victims, was met. He observed that it was a matter of concern that recent discussions on the ICCs role in fostering justice for victims especially in many countries in Africa had shifted from the objects and purpose of the Rome Statute to offering protections for alleged perpetrators, adding that it was refreshing to find an organization such as ACILA focusing attention on justice for victims in line with the objects and purpose of the Rome Statute. On his part, Ambassador Strikker noted that, like Italy, issues of international criminal justice are dear to the heart of the Netherlands, adding that it was a practical demonstration of its support for international criminal justice that Netherlands hosts the permanent international criminal court the ICC, in the Hague, Netherlands. He commended ACILA for focusing attention on victims of international crimes and urged ACILA to deploy more of such programs that provide public education and understanding of the need to focus attention on providing justice for victims of international crimes while, at the same time, advocating reforms of the ICC. Panelists and discussants were unanimous in their view that African states should not withdraw from the ICC and that more public education is needed to enable the public to better appreciate the role of the ICC in fostering justice for victims of international crimes especially in Africa while engendering demand for responsiveness and accountability from African leaders The former Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) wants the government to increase research funding to stimulate economic growth. Currently, the government spends about 0.38 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on research, a figure Professor Stephen Adei describes as woefully inadequate. He wants the figure to be increased, at least, to one percent. We must increase the quantum of the research and the quality of research should not be research to get a degree as an end in itself, but as a development instrument, he said. Professor Adei is also advocating for a national policy to ensure research from graduate education addresses specific economic challenges. He spoke to LUV Biz at a public lecture in Kumasi to launch the week-long celebration of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana. Ideally, as a middle-income country, we should be putting at least 1 percent of our GDP into research and development then there must be a policy [to enable the research] to become relevant to our national development, the former GIMPA Rector stated. The Lecture where Prof Adei spoke was held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), under the theme, Harmonising Research and Entrepreneurship for National Development: the Role of the Graduate Student. It was part of the week-long celebration of the Graduate Student Associations annual event. President of KNUST chapter of GRASSAG, Kusi Boakye, believes such forums hold the potential to challenge students to start their own businesses than looking up to white colour jobs. In a related development, Associate Professor at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Alex Duodu, has reiterated the need for researchers to contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth through research. The world is moving fast. We must really contribute to GDP growth and the time to start is now, he said. According to him, the universities must research into challenges that hold back the countrys progress. Government must ask the radical question to change the way universities are funded [in such a way that] funding goes to areas of importance and not blanket research and book allowance because sometimes certain incentives tend to be counterproductive, Prof Duodo adds. Professor Duodu, therefore, wants discussion among institutions of higher education, industry and other stakeholders to start immediately. In the 21st century, according to the Professor, no country should rely on other countries to solve their problems for them. He is, therefore, charging those in higher education to bring scientifically sound and credible solutions to national issues. Leave all the philosophy to the church and mosque but I believe that higher education should bring scientifically sound and credible solutions to national issues, he said. London (AFP) - With Britain on the brink of triggering its EU exit talks, the country and its historic trading partners in the Commonwealth are sizing up an opportunity to boost business. Members in the 52-state organisation, which was born out of the British empire, feel the time is right to exploit their common bonds of language and law to a much greater degree. Britain is gearing up to strike its own trade deals outside of the European single market and is looking to its former global network, in what sceptical London officials quoted in UK newspapers are calling "Empire 2.0". The Commonwealth can help strengthen the prosperity and security of the UK and other members "as we look to create a truly global Britain", Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday. Ahead of the celebrations, the body held its first trade ministers' meeting since 2005, with more than 35 gathering in London. "A number of countries have come to us as a result of their concern in relation to the impact that Brexit might have on their economic position," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said afterwards. "The challenge that we face globally -- the slowdown and the protectionism -- is a real one. Therefore the Commonwealth as a family has an opportunity to exploit... the de facto Commonwealth advantage." Third of world population The trade ministers' meeting heard how business between Commonwealth members stands at around 600 billion ($730 billion, 684 billion euros), equivalent to 15 percent of global trade even though member states account for a third of the global population. The gathering looked at overcoming challenges to trade competitiveness and practical steps to get more commerce flowing. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II sits in the Regency Room in Buckingham Palace in London after recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth "I think it's the right time for a new Commonwealth trading bloc," Sri Lanka's international trade minister Malik Samarawickrama told AFP. The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council's chairman Jonathan Marland said: "All the UK's trading arrangements are now up for grabs. So what easier and better place to trade than with countries who have shared associations for many years?". When Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, it sidelined its historic trading links with its former empire, causing much hurt in some countries. Though Britain is "pushing at an open door", with Commonwealth trade, it must "approach it with a degree of humility", Marland said. Malta is uniquely placed to read the shifting sands, chairing both the Commonwealth and the EU Council presidency. "Brexit has had an effect and this is felt very handsomely," said the Mediterranean island's economy minister Christian Cordona. "However, it gives also a lot of opportunities that didn't exist before," he said. China No.1 for Africa The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) think tank, along with Britain's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade Out of Poverty, produced a 10-point plan of possible measures to increase Commonwealth business. Their recommendations included a Commonwealth trademark, promoting green growth through trade and improving trade governance. But ODI senior research fellow Maximiliano Mendez-Parra said the intra-Commonwealth trade growth should not be overstated since Africa sees China as its key partner. "Probably there will be an increase in intra-Commonwealth trade, but it won't go back to the trade of 60 or 70 years ago," he told AFP. Pauline Schnapper, a professor of contemporary British civilisation at the Sorbonne University in Paris, said London was failing to acknowledge how much the world and Britain's place in it had moved on since it decolonised and joined the EEC. "Half of Britain's trade is with the European continent so the idea that that could be replaced by Australia and New Zealand is absurd," she told AFP. Algiers (AFP) - An archaeological treasure trove on the site of a planned metro station in central Algiers is set to become a museum, opening a window on 2,000 years of history. The site, close to the Algerian capital's UNESCO-listed casbah, has yielded remains from the city's Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and French periods. "It was spectacular," said archaeologist Kamel Stiti, co-director of the excavations. "In one look, you could see two millennia of Algiers' history." The remains, on the location of a Roman port town called Icosium, were discovered in 2009 when the ministry of culture ordered surveys along the planned metro line. In Algiers, work on the site of a metro station has yielded remains from the city's Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and French periods Archaeologists have since discovered coins, weapons, a public building paved with 5th century mosaics and a large 7th century Byzantine necropolis containing several dozen graves. They also found parts of the Ottoman-era Es Sayida mosque, which French authorities flattened in 1831, shortly after their conquest of the North African country. The colonial government put a public square in its place and called it King's Square and later, Government Square. It was re-named Martyrs Square after the country's hard-won independence in 1962. Experts had believed that few pre-colonial artefacts remained on the site, but many of the ruins turned out to be surprisingly well-preserved, Stiti said. In Algiers archaeologists have discovered coins, weapons, a public building paved with 5th century mosaics and a large 7th century Byzantine necropolis containing several dozen graves The 3,000-square-metre (32,300-square-foot) site was deemed so important that the municipality adapted its plans for the metro station, a move Stiti said was a first in Algeria. The site will now become a museum incorporated into the station, which, in turn, will take up less than half its planned 8,000 square metres. The tunnel will go as deep as 35 metres (115 feet) in order to work around the remains. Metro museum The Martyrs Square station is set to open in November, part of an extension to the main metro line inaugurated in October 2011. The museum will open shortly afterwards, covering 1,200 square metres and organised chronologically. Some of the remains will be exposed to a depth of over seven metres. "In Rome or Athens, museums present particular periods, whereas here the visitor can embrace the whole history of Algiers over 2,000 years," Stiti said. "It's a source of pride." He said the project showed that archaeology is not incompatible with development. "It gives added value. One accompanies the other without slowing it down," he said. "So as not to delay the work, which would add costs to the subway project, archaeologists have worked hard, including on public holidays." The National Archaeological Research Centre (CNRA) and France's National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have been working on the dig since 2013. More than 150 people of different nationalities and specialities have taken part, giving young Algerian archaeologists valuable opportunities to work on an important excavation. Aicha, 70, who lives near the site, said she is looking forward to seeing the museum open. "There will be no more hassle because of the building work, and I'll be able to travel by subway and visit the museum with my two granddaughters," she said. Said, a 50-year-old high school history teacher, said he hopes there will be guided visits for young people "so they can take ownership of our city's several millennia of history." In its maiden edition marking International Womens Day and coinciding with the 2nd year anniversary of Access Banks award winning W initiative, the National Women Summit has been applauded by leading women advocates for highlighting key issues that are affecting women development in Ghana. High profiled women personalities such as Dr. Joyce Aryee, Chairperson for the event touched on the essence and need for women to maximize opportunities around them, as well as create their very own prospects with which they can improve their current statuses. The CEO of Airtel Ghana and Access Banks W Ambassador, Lucy Quist, CEO of Forever Clair and W Ambassador Grace Amey-Obeng, Pioneer of Spelling Bee in Ghana and W Ambassador Eugenia Techi-Menson and several other panellists who graced the occasion, took turns to motivate young entrepreneurs who attended the event. They urged them to thrust forward, looking past obstacles and to press on towards excellence. They hinged on the importance of integrity, authenticity and professionalism as a vital tool for success. The Women summit organised in partnership with Charter House attracted over 1,000 participants comprising traditional female leaders, students, corporate and women entrepreneurs and a few gentlemen. Addressing the gathering at the event on the theme Celebrating Ghanaian Women, 60 years after Independence, the achievements and the future, the Head of Exclusive Banking at Access Bank, Matilda Asante-Asiedu highlighted the need for every Ghanaian woman to make it their duty to ensure the change we seek in national discourse for women begins with them as their contribution to developing other women. The summit forms part of a series of activities marking the second anniversary of Access Banks W Initiative which was introduced in March 2015. The W Initiative seeks to inspire, connect and empower women by offering a bundle of tailor made products, services and opportunities to women, ranging from young professionals, women with family and women in business. Last year, Access Banks W was recognised as the Most Outstanding Banking Initiative at the 3rd Women in Business and Finance awards. The Bank also launched the Maternal Health Support Scheme (MHSS) to offer women a financial lifeline in accessing various fertility treatments at specialist hospitals in Ghana and around the world. The Bank continues to commit resources to improve the wellbeing of key areas such as education, health and social improvement across several communities in Ghana. It is also committed to sustainable business practices that drives profitable, sustainable growth and is also environmentally responsible and socially relevant. The Government of Ghana has signed a Double Taxation Avoidance agreement (DTA) with the government of Mauritius. The countries have also set up a Ghana-Mauritius Permanent Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, as part of measures to facilitate trade between the two countries. As well, Ghana and Mauritius have agreed to collaborate on an Investment promotion and protection agreement to better channel investment into each others country, possibly via Special Investment Zones. Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, while Hon Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signed on behalf of Mauritius. The DTA is subject to ratification by Ghanas Parliament. The agreements were signed on Saturday March 11, 2017 at Port Louis, Mauritius in the lead up to the celebration of the Indian Ocean nations 49th Independence anniversary, which falls on March 12. Speaking at a joint press conference after the signing ceremony, Ghanas Vice President, Alhaji Dr Bawumia, who is the Special Guest for the Celebrations, explained that the agreements form part of Ghanas quest for greater cooperation with the rest of the world, especially Africa, in order to boost trade. We have seen the manifestation of the first fruits of this Joint Permanent Commission with the signing of the historic double taxation agreement between Ghana and Mauritius, and we believe that this will provide a platform to give confidence to investors both in Ghana and Mauritius to undertake investments in our respective countries and not be taxed twice by our respective governments. We believe this is just the beginning of our cooperation, Vice President Bawumia indicated. Dr Bawumia emphasized the need for greater intra-African trade to better improve the lives of Africans. Our government believes very strongly there has to be more trade within the African continent and among countries of the South. There has to be more investment, and more cooperation. We are happy to note that this type of cooperation that we seek is being manifested, especially recently in our relationship with Mauritius, in the area of trying to set up Ghana as an International Financial Services Centre in the West African Sub region, Dr Bawumia indicated. Prime Minister of Mauritius, H. E. Anerood Jugnauth, announced that a number of framework agreements have also been reviewed, including the setting up of a Technology Park at Dawa in the Greater Accra region, and investments in the energy and tourism sectors. We have also agreed to pursue consultations on two project proposals submitted by Mauritius, namely, the setting up of a solar energy power generation, and a tourism and hospitality project providing for the construction of a coastal resort in Ghana. Cooperation between the Public Utility Regulatory Commission and Mauritius was also discussed Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth disclosed. The Ghanaian delegation included Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communication, Hon Mohammed Awal, Minister for Business Development, Mr Reginald Grant, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and other senior government officials. The Member of Parliament for Effutu constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on the police to thoroughly investigate the death Ghanaian journalist Bismark Bebli, who died in a freak accident on the Kasoa highway. According to the Member of Parliament, the police must make public its findings on the matter, to assure the public of its commitment to protecting lives irrespective of ones social status. ..bringing to a fair conclusion about what really happened. We need the truth to put the family at ease and to also give assurances that no matter who is involved, the police will rise up to the occasion. It is a sad occasion, my deepest condolences to the bereaved, the legislator said. Bismark Bebli was until his death, the editor of the General Telegraph newspaper. The late Bismark Bebli He died on his birthday, January 13, 2017 when a vehicle ran over him and a police officer who had stopped him to interrogate him on the highway. The police had been blamed for his death after some eyewitnesses alleged that officers from a nearby police post rushed their injured colleague to the hospital after the incident, leaving the severely injured Mr. Bebli behind, to his fate. He was pronounced dead at the Kasoa Polyclinic where he was rushed to by some good samaritans after a referral from Justab Hospital at Kasoa. The sketchy detail surrounding Mr. Beblis death has aroused calls by some journalists for a thorough police investigation to ascertain the truth about what actually happened. His wife, Matilda recently petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), demanding the truth from the police on circumstances that led to her husband's death. She said, I want the IGP to come out with something good, but they are not doing anything about it so that is why I have petitioned the IGP because he has left behind triplets for me to take care of and I don't know how to take care of these children. Bismark Bebli was laid to rest on Saturday, March 12 at his hometown, Whuti in the Volta Region. Dignitaries present at the final funeral rites included the Member of Parliament North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; aid to former president John Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari; MP for Effutu constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin; a delegation of Ghanaian journalists led by GJA president, Affail Monney and a host of others. Bismark Bebli, 48, was survived by a wife and three children. By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @jnyabor 13.03.2017 LISTEN There is a whatsup video of a lady (said to be a member of parliament) being interviewed by a lady reporter. While I'm sure it caused many to laugh at the poor lady struggling with the queens language , i felt innate sadness and angst to say the least. I am not particularly intrrested in the party she represents. That matters little to me, what matters is that she was unfortunately made the butt end of a joke on our recently celebrated womens day by another lady who could have ameliorated the situation. It may not have set out to be like that, but overtly or otherwise she got negative publicity. If a serious question had been put to her in a local language and she answered it competently as such would this be an issue? We want vocal MPs and this may be a nail in the coffin of the already squeamish ones. Her crime was simple and unforgiveable in the eyes of Ghanaians. She had made the egregious error of butchering a language she was expected to be able to understand and operate within the arena she had dared to traverse.An unforgiving terrain if you could not ply your art on the floor of the House.. Probably mindful of the recent ODEKRO report that created a 'vultures' list for the silent MPs her tottering steps in voicing out her thoughts as a representative of her constituency has given her a scare and humiliation which may very well seal her lips in the four year stay in parliament. How unfortunate!, but there is a silver lining. She publicly dared those laughing at her that she will stabilise by April. I couldn't be more proud of her and she gets my women's day vote. Not for her eloquence obviously but for standing up against all odds. These are the people we can build up in capacity to stand up to anything.I've seen the powerful giants like honorable ursula , pat appiagyei, cecelia dapaa,adjoa safo at work and it's admirable, they are worthy mentors to groom upstarts who are going through such situations. One may ask what business does she have in the House if there's a language barrier? .a rationale question , given that we don't deliberate on laws nor write them in akan or any other local dialect. Yes .clap away if you thought this, however you may be missing something fundamental. Parliament which seems to be getting a lot of attention now is an august House deemed to be Representative of the ghanaian populace.(use the human body as an example to understand parliament and its parts). Representation thus may come through diverse means, this lady brave as she was, presented herself and beat other contestants and earned a place in our august house . Parliament has other functions such as its oversight role over the executive to ensure accountability to the people the MPs therefore have representative , deliberative and legislative functions.Some will be competent in all like the heart controlling all.others will have strengths in deliberation or oversight none better than the other but complementing each other efficiently and effectively. Can we honestly believe or say all English speaking MPs in the house can sit on every part of parliamentary operations and excel ?.I know I'm relatively competent but I'm found wanting in some areas and my good friends know it.So will many other MPs be even though they can broil an issue in English. My argument then is illiteracy or semi literacy can be channeled into an asset in parliament. Just as some will struggle grasping petroleum and mining or budget issues with all their competencies in English, give everyone a chance by pushing the envelope for changes in parliament so it can trickle down to areas parliament is to oversee. . The primary function under representativeness of the MPs is to make the collective voices of ones constituency heard. If you can't do it on the floor of the house you can do it in a Committee sitting. The rapporteurs put it in universal language. The identified barriers parliament itself has to address is: are the translation equipment fitted in the House only able to take foreign languages? I mean no disrespect, but we already have equipment but seem to limit it to foreign conferences. Debates done with abt three translations can engender better interest. This even can create a new job stream for local language professionals to take up professional translation. Problem solved. Its workable and clearly we will improve on the silent groups in parliament who may think and speak proficiently in other languages than in English but find themselves unable to undertake their primary role as representatives because of this systemic barrier. Alluding to my human body analogy remember all the parts of the body work in unison to make us function. With some parts not functioning, or at half speed the results change. The head carries the brain but can't walk, limbs nerves , bones, eyes teeth et al have different functions .parliament needs its members,staff and outsiders to engage together to stay on track like our bodies ) Parliament in addressing such an issue will begin to look at the roles of national service persons being brought on board. If im to hazard a guess.i daresay they will be more than the permanent parliamentary service yet im not sure their one year stay gives parliament much benefit. They are fertile resources to be tapped and trained to serve parliament better They should be trained to support all MPs not only in research but in such a case as seen here they will be charged with ensuring the MPs they are attached to are on top of emerging issues in a language or form they understand. When parliament itself feels the essence of these changes the voices of the citizenry will come through better as everyone can feedback into the committee system then the deliberative giants will package it and the final packagers being the legislative groups will bring laws that are suitable to solve the systemic challenges and the whole parliament can do oversight and ensure accountability. It took this hapless situation to open my eyes to this sad reality, but she is the catalyst to change the status quo. Parliament by convention i understand has it that any local language can be used (how many of us remember that ) but just as some of our critical laws like the disability act is gathering dust without any change to the plight of the differently abled , so is our grand ACCOUNTABILITY house likely to be without such engagement, changes and action. Together we must make the change, CLEANHOUSE comes clean. Intelligence isn't proscribed as an English speaking asset nor is Illiteracy the inability to speak English only., we have all been or still illiterate about some things due to our inability to understand or operate within a given sphere. So English speakers in a field outside their competencies may also be deemed illiterate. Lets challenge the status quo for transformational change. Thanks for indulging this novice 13.03.2017 LISTEN Life involves different forms of transitions from one stage to the other. More importantly, whatever one becomes in this life has everything to do with the kind of environment he found himself. I was born and bred in the Republic of Ghana, a West African state boarded by Togo to the east, Ivory Coast to the West, Burkina Faso to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. I grew up within an era where constitutional democracy was accepted and practiced for the governance of the country, subsequent to decades of alternating military and civilian regimes. I was born in 1990 at Nsuta-Asuafu, a town in the Ashanti region of Ghana. I am the third born of my parents, with 8 siblings to a father who was a teacher and a self-employed mother. My struggle growing up is quite foreseeable considering the large family size I had, but as the Akan adage goes, Obi nim obrmpong ashyase (the beginning of greatness is unpredictable) so I always believed in the future. My dad being a teacher was very particular about education related matters and did all within his powers to ensure that I together with my siblings attain the best form of education. He taught us after school and ensured that we completed our assignments before allowed to go to bed. Raised in a Christian home, I was brought up to respect humanity, commit to anything I find myself doing and ultimately, seek the hand of God in everything that I did. Admittedly, these values have contributed most to the heights I have attained so far as my life is concerned. During teenage, I developed interest and passion for the medical profession and strived restlessly towards becoming a renowned one. I am currently a Medical Laboratory Scientist and a Medical Student pursuing the Graduate Entry Medical Program (GEMP) of the University of Ghana - exactly within the very professional area I have loved profoundly. I must say that Ghana is a country where opportunities exist for all persons to become whatever they wish to become. However, one of the few challenges that ensue is the lack of access to educational carrier tutelage to assist the youth make the right educational decisions. I had to survive the tough way as I lost my dad after high school. He served not only as my father and guardian, but importantly as my educational advisor because he was a teacher. However, I was fortunate that my uncle and my elder siblings played his roles after his demise; a testimony of agya bi wu a agya bi te ase (the raising of children is a communal responsibility) as believed in my Akan tradition. With this experience, I also learnt and have always strived to offer any support within my capacity to people I come across in life who may be in need, not only because I know the importance of giving, but also that I know how it feels not to have. At the University level, I have actively participated in students leadership, serving as President for my school, college and also as President of the National Health Students' Association of Ghana (NAHSAG). Unquestionably in Ghana, there are avenues through which even as students, we could influence and help sharpen national policies. Youth participation in politics and governance for that matter has seen tremendous improvements over the years. Aside contributions made by youth and student leaders from the students front and other youth societies, successive Governments have been spectacular at incorporating the youth in their Governments. Young men and women here in Ghana, some as young as 23 years, have had the opportunity to serve their country as Members of Parliament, Deputy Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers, and in other key political offices. These are very inspiring and drive me to do more and attain similar heights in pursuance of my desire to help build mother Ghana and make Her great and strong. Beyond the approbation on Ghanas progress over the years, my greatest worry as a youth of Ghana has been the increasing level of graduate unemployment and rise in the cost of education. I am of the opinion that our educational policies and directions are pretty off our core needs as a country, making it not operable enough for young graduates to directly translate knowledge acquired in school into societal services that may earn them some income. I therefore place a call on all and sundry to take particular interest in ensuring reforms in our educational and employment/labor sectors even as we surge on after Ghanas 60th year. Amoakohene has always been glad and proud of his country. Yes, there are difficult moments everyone experiences growing up, but so are there memorable moments. I took mine as life lessons and experiences to becoming a better person. Yes! I took them as lessons to make me resilient enough to face the world as it is! Ghana has all you need to become successful as a youth! Ghana has all the opportunities required to give you the best future. Just keep focused and committed to everything you find yourself doing. I love my country! Long live mother Ghana God bless us all. By: Amoakohene Frank University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry frankohene.blogspot.com [email protected] The Deputy Minority Leader, James Kludze Avedzi has urged caution on government's decision to totally forgo the use of sole-sourcing in the award of government contracts. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration accused the Mahama administration of having a voracious appetite for sole sourcing of contracts which were inflated at times. The NPP argued that, sole sourcing allowed corruption, and benefited a privileged few in the Mahama government adding that an Akufo-Addo government will eschew such practice. But according to the Former Chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee, this choice of the government may delay critical projects since sole-sourcing has its own benefits. This he said is because going through the normal tendering process could sometimes take up to about six months with the minimum being three months. So anything you want to procure you have to go through these processes and its going to make governance so difficult for them. And because that is what have been saying let me not have anything against that. I wish them well but I have my doubts and I believe that it is going to put them in a tight corner and it will even have negative effects on this country, he added. MP calls for more power for procurement authority The Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, Adwoa Safo, had earlier called for the amendment of the public procurement act to give the Procurement Authority, the powers to conduct value for money auditing on sole-sourced projects. She described as sad, revelations by the Auditor General's annual reports that 80 percent of the procurement malpractices are centered on sole sourcing. From 2012 to 2014 when I was on the public accounts committee, about 80% of their recommendations to parliament are procurement malpractices So I think that if the law is there, you need also a policy direction. And I think that, that is the first step that the president has given us in his state of the nation address. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana 13.03.2017 LISTEN Stephen Luka and Justina Dusu have been locked in a romantic bliss for years. They have always been on top of their affair. Many who have been watching them, felt they were destined for each other. But, that was not to be. The real test of their love affair came when Justina missed her period. That development did not go down well with Stephen. He was not the Romeo watchers thought him to be. He felt terribly bad since Justina broke the news of her pregnancy to him. Apparently not ready to father a child yet, he pushed for abortion. But unsafe abortion is outlawed in Nigeria. For Elizabeth Dwyer of Women & Girls Hub, a group concerned about the plight of women, Nigerias abortion law is based on the same 1861 Offences Against Persons Act that governs Northern Irelands rules. Last February, at a Jos High Court, Stephens lover-girl who resides at Foron, in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, literally shocked the world when she alleged that the lover-boy killed her sister for refusing to undergo an unsafe abortion. That has been the tragedy of many young women across the country. And according to Dwyer, Each year, Nigerian women undergo 1.25 million abortions, with nearly all performed clandestinely, resulting in 500,000 health complications. Restrictive abortion legislation bans the procedure except when prescribed by a doctor to save a womans life in a country that has such low contraceptive access, only 10 percent of married women use birth control. Over the years, connoisseurs have been claiming that unsafe abortion has become one of the major factors that cause maternal deaths in Nigeria. They have, therefore, been agitating for the individualisation of family planning (FP) services in the country that prides itself as the giant of Africa. Those who know better say unsafe abortion causes irremediable damage to the women. In Nigeria, many are of the view that it is an act of infringing on womens reproductive rights since abortion is technically not legal in the country. In search of a way out of the reproductive gender gap in the country, on August 17, 1991, Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP) was launched. It is a multi-disciplinary initiative focusing attention on the health problems of women caused by unsafe abortion in Nigeria. Since then, the political environment in Nigeria has been a complex and volatile one, with strong religious and ethnic tensions and a very conservative public attitude towards abortion. For instance, Post Abortion Care (PAC), a group concerned with womens reproductive right in the country, says its so bad that reproductive rights of women are not respected in the country. Reproductive rights activists have been warning against what they described as archaic laws on abortion in Nigeria. Often, health agencies talking about unsafe abortions, are accused of operating measures to promote unwholesome behaviour in the country. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was caught up in a hullabaloo of orchestrating promotional abortion movement for young ladies who were liberated from Boko Haram, some two years ago. UNFPAs scribe in Nigeria, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin was compelled to make a comment that the agency will not push for the support of abortion. Many sensitisation campaigns have been held in this regard, but the authorities have not deemed it wise and right to make abortion a legal issue. In October 2015, media men were trained on Womens Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights for three days in Abuja, Nigerias capital city. Hauwa Shekarau, a lawyer, says the training workshop was aimed at enlightening people on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women. The abortion law in Nigeria is restrictive and it is only permitted to save the life of the woman if she is in a danger. But those that do not fall under this legal restriction are left to their own devices. Also, the cost of carrying out this procedure is high, and those who are not economically empowered resort to quacks, making unsafe abortion the most silent and persistent cause of maternal mortality in Nigeria, she says. A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the University Teaching Hospital, Gwagwlada, Dr Godwin Akaba said at a public presentation, lack of family planning tools is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality, as it results into unintended pregnancy, which could lead to unsafe abortion. The magnitude of maternal mortality and morbidity represents perhaps the greater social injustice of our time. Our ability to address these preventable causes of maternal mortality is but a symptom, a tragic symptom of a larger social injustice of discrimination. Dr Ejike Orji of Association for Advancement of Family Planning, (AAFP), sufficed to what Dr Akaba added, Unsafe abortion is dangerous with such resultant effects like bleeding, infections and infertility in most cases. Since September 2015, the UN has bared its stance, saying that Nigeria should rescind her abortion laws because its part of setbacks in furthering abortion and sexual rights for adolescents in Africa. The UNFPA told Nigeria to take back its reservations on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in a new UN development agreement, said a UN report. It is hoped by opinion leaders that the authorities should see abortion beyond the scope of religion, politics and culture. They believed that safe abortion would work in the interest of shaping agenda and ideology for the interest of socialisation that would help peoples understanding of the issue. Many experts have frowned at lack of family planning in the country. They believed that In many countries, a comprehensive approach to addressing the problem of unsafe abortion has evolved, which rests principally on three stands: liberalisation of the abortion law, provision of safe, available and effective abortion care services and availability of contraceptive information and services. For them, advocacy efforts need to address not only visible power, i.e. the making and enforcing of formal laws and regulations, structures, authorities, institutions and the procedures of decision-making, but also how and by whom the agenda is set. The latter includes the ways in which powerful people and institutions maintain their influence, by controlling access to decision-making and excluding and devaluing the concerns and representation of less powerful groups. Odimegwu Onwumere is a Poet and Writer based in Rivers State. Tel: 08057778358. E-mail: [email protected] We at TAG are calling on the Akuffo Addo's government to immediately reduce fuel prices drastically as promised during the campaigning season. President Akuffo Addo then candidate Akuffo Addo told Ghanaians in 2016 that Former President Mahama's Government was insensitive and incompetent hence the unreasonable increases in Fuel prices. He therefore promised to drastically reduce Fuel prices if Ghanaians vote for him to take the highest office of the land. This among others made Ghanaians to buy into the juicy promises and voted massively for Nana Akuffo Addo to become President of Ghana. Two month under President Akuffo Addo's government has witnessed series of increment in Fuel Prices. It is on record that former President Mahama's government left office when a gallon of petrol was GHC 14.00 but now selling at GHC 21.00. Yes!, President Akuffo Addo and his NPP knew of the Automatic Adjustment Formula but still went ahead and stated categorically that they will reduce Fuel Price drastically when voted for. Ghanaians are now crying, Drivers are fighting with car owners, prices of goods and services are 'bolting' because of the increment in Fuel Prices since such increments automatically affect all aspects of the economy. This is not what President Akuffo Addo promised Ghanaians, the government must therefore do everything possible to immediately reduce fuel prices in order to less the burden of ordinary Ghanaians. May Allah Bless Our Homeland Ghana. Thank You ...................signed................. Sirr Abdullah President, TAG (0246216992) Nana Yeboah Secretary (0245 671 710) Abdul Samed Organizer (0262 497 888) Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, is set to fly to South Africa Monday to ascertain details of recent Xenophobic attacks in the southern African country. The Foreign Affairs Minister will also meet South African authorities to secure assurance about the safety of Ghanaians in that country. Ghanaians were among the victims of renewed xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa in February this year. Some 18 Ghanaians in Pretoria were rescued in the latest wave of attacks. Ghanas Mission in South Africa at the time said the 18 Ghanaians were rescued after one of them sent a distress call to the mission. Following the attacks, Government promised to put in place measures to protect Ghanaian nationals and to safeguard their welfare. The Minister's visit is seen as an effort to deepen efforts toward ensuring the safety of Ghanaians. Earlier this month Mrs Ayorkor Botchway was in Parliament to brief the House on the xenophobic attacks, where she provided details about steps that have been taken to secure the safety of Ghanaian businessmen in that country. In Mamelodi, a suburb in Pretoria, there is general fear and apprehension within the various foreign communities including that of Ghana following a decision by a local to organize an anti-foreigner march today to protest at what he referred to as South African nationals being tired of enslavement and being deprived of job opportunities in their own country, she had told Parliament. Meanwhile, Chairman of Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, Patrick Yaw Boamah, said the Ministrys efforts to protect Ghanaian citizens have been satisfactory so far. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN Joyce Bawa Mogtari- Spokesperson for Ex-President Mahama 13.03.2017 LISTEN The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to be in disarray following the massive humiliating defeat in the 2016 general election as members, including a Deputy General Secretary of the party, Koku Anyidoho, attacked Joyce Bawa Mogtari, spokeswoman for former President John Mahama. Joyce Bawa Mogtari, former Deputy Minister for Transport, had sought to suggest that the NDC wouldn't be bothered, should the New Patriotic Party (NPP) continue to rule Ghana for the next eight years a statement which has apparently angered the rank and file of the party. Joyce, speaking on Starr Chat, last Wednesday, Joyce disclosed that for the NPP to rule from 2016 to 2024 is normal and shows the beauty of Ghana's democracy. Well, I don't really mind if NPP rules for eight years; it's democracy and really not an issue. When they lost, you can imagine how they felt when we moved into the Flagstaff House and I know the feeling We've all been there and that is the beauty of our democracy, the former president's spokesperson stated. Supporters of the NDC however, were demanding clarification on Bawa's stance indicating that the party had still not risen up from the humiliating defeat it suffered in the hands of the NPP in the 2016 elections. Countering the statement made by Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Koku Anyidoho, deputy general secretary of the NDC, posits that the former isn't the official mouthpiece of the party and entreated the general public to take her comment with a pinch of salt. Our own investigations show that we are ready to come back to power in 2020she has just shared her thoughts which don't reflect the views of the NDC. She has no authority to speak for the NDCOur National Chairman is our leader and the secretariat is still working, Koku said. Mr. Anyidoho advised Mogtari to stick to her job of speaking for ex-president Mahama and not to assume a new role of speaking for the party. She can speak for the former president but shouldn't speak for the NDC. The former president only announced she speaks for him but the party hasnt said so. She only expressed her views and not that of the party, he said. The deputy communications officer of the NDC, Fred Abgenyo, said also on Asempa fm that the party's headquarters was overwhelmed with phone calls and complaints on Thursday after Bawa's threatening views. Mr Agbenyo expressed, As far as the party leadership is concerned, we are well prepared and that, by God's grace, by 2020 we'll come back to power and that is what we are focused on. I cannot even tell whether what the spokesperson of the former president said was the position of former President Mahama or her own views that she expressed. Motgari's U-Turn However, Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari after being blasted by some of her own party officials, claimed she was misinterpreted over the statement attributed to her. According to Bawa, she is not the mouthpiece of the opposition NDC, for which reason she could not claim that the party is not ready for the 2020 elections. In a statement issued to clarify the matter, she said, I have read with some disappointment, news reports attributed to some officials of our party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in which I am accused of stating among others that the NDC is not ready for the 2020 national elections. While no such statement was uttered by me on the Starr Chat, a personality chat show on March 08, 2017, let me also state that I have never stated or ever claimed that I am the spokesperson for the NDC or that I speak for the party. I remain a proud member of the NDC. My presence on the Starr Chat was, however, in my personal capacity on the occasion of the 2017 International Women's Day. In response to a question about the plans of HE John Mahama, I indicated that I had no discussions with him about contesting the next elections, and added that whether he contested the 2020 or the 2024 elections, he would still be a relatively young man and be able to contest. The host of the show then interjected to ask whether that meant I 'know the NPP will have eight years,' to which I responded that it wouldn't really matter because among others, that was the beauty of our democracy. She added, The above cannot, by a stretch of anyone's imagination, be a statement from me, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, that the NDC is not ready for 2020 or that I will be happy with an eight-year rule for the NPP. BY Daniel Bampoe Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE indicate that state-run oil storage company Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) has stopped a headquarters facility under construction at the cost of $39 million. DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the contractors working on the building Rolider an Israeli construction firm, has been asked to stop work until value for money audit has been carried out. The contract, according to sources, was originally valued at $18 million but suddenly jumped to $39 million, raising questions about the cost. According to inside sources, the accountant of the company at the time of the award of the contract, who raised query about the propriety of spending $18 million on the project, was allegedly interdicted on a flimsy case, only for the project to shoot to $39 million. To this end, management of BOST has written to Architectural & Engineering Services Limited (AESL) to carry out the audit since in the view of the management, the cost of the project could not be anything but a complete rip-off. The contractor, Rolider, is said to have already been paid $8 million as mobilization fee and the contract was awarded under the administration of Kwame Awuah-Darko, a presidential hopeful of the NDC for the 2020 presidential polls. The contract was said to have been sole-sourced. Attempts to speak to Mr Awuah-Darko were unsuccessful as he was said to be out of the jurisdiction. However, the current Managing Director, Alfred Obeng, when contacted, confirmed the stoppage of the contract to allow for the audit. The management may also want to seek the services of a third party after the AESL valuation and the contractors had been made to understand that. Despite the order to stop work, the contractors appear not to budge as a visit to the site yesterday at the Gulf House area (opposite NALAG headquarters) saw workers mounting a billboard for the installation of an air conditioner at the entrance of the project site. Since the assumption of office by the current administration, efforts are being made to streamline things. The state-owned company recently supported the 'Ghana: 60 Years On' independence celebration in line with President Akufo-Addo's request for corporate bodies to support the initiative. The company had previously supported such government initiatives as its corporate social responsibility, including Ghana's participation in the Rio Olympic games. West Blue Consulting, a Ghanaian ICT solutions company, is providing funding for the construction and stocking of 60 modern public libraries across the country as part of activities to commemorate the country's 60th independence anniversary. Each region would get six libraries to be situated in deprived communities and the entire 60 would be completed within a year. Minister of Education Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in his address at the launch of the library projects last Friday, commended West Blue for the support and revealed that Ghana currently has only 60 public libraries which were built over a period of 60 years. He said for a single private company to offer to increase the number of Ghana's libraries by another 60 which would be built within a period of one year is, indeed, welcoming news of great magnitude, and West Blue deserves to be applauded. The education minister gave an assurance that the libraries would be put to the best use and properly maintained by the Ghana Libraries Board to ensure longevity. He further explained the crucial importance of reading and its direct relation to the socio-economic development of a country. The Chief Executive of West Blue Consulting, Valentina Mintah, stated at the launch that the company is funding the libraries as part of its social corporate responsibilities. As a proud African and fiercely Ghanaian ICT solutions company, we are very passionate about the role information; communication and technology plays in our society, and we believe that the [email protected] Library Programme will ensure that the marginalised groups in the selected areas are empowered with knowledge to participate fully and actively in society, Madam Mintah added. She continued With access to information and technology in their local communities, not only will community members be able to communicate -our girls will learn to embrace femininity whilst being strong, our boys mighty and constructive, and our youth, to dream big; complimented by sound life plans. The adults and elderly will not be left out, especially the BBCs (born before computers). The [email protected] library programme will cater for them too, ensuring that they are up-skilled to participate in today's technology world, whilst equipping them to effectively parent today's Snapchat and Instagram child. The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has urged government to focus on investment attraction in Ghana's upstream petroleum sector to support its development agenda. According to the energy think tank, there were non-performing contracts which should be reviewed as a matter of urgency to get the contractors to be either active or vacate the blocks so they could be re-awarded to serious companies. A recent statement issued in Accra signed by Benjamin Boakye, Deputy Executive Director of ACEP, said government should invest in priority areas to facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the PRMA as stated in Section 21(2). ACEP believes that should the government respond positively to the concerns raised and heed to recommendations made, Ghana's power and petroleum sectors will support the country's sustainable development agenda beyond what the country has already experienced. Project list It revealed that the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Health, Roads and Highways, and Railways Development should publish the list of projects to benefit from the ABFA to allow civil society to track the projects. This will improve transparency and efficiency in ABFA utilization. ACEP further recommended that the government should ensure project continuity. Funds allocated to irrigation infrastructure should prioritize uncompleted irrigation projects that the previous government began. This will ensure that projects are completed on time to cut down on cost overruns and to serve our farming communities. Government must also ensure that monies allocated and disbursed can easily be tracked by civil society groups to assess impact. We further recommend that the government reviews existing road contracts and see to the completion of existing road infrastructure projects initiated by the previous government, it noted, adding that the government, in reviewing the GIIF law, should abolish allocation of portions of the ABFA to the GIIF and review Section 21(4) of the PRMA to that effect. Power sector It said the power sector priorities were directly linked to the growth of the Ghanaian economy. To that extent, ACEP was eagerly awaiting clear articulation of the urgent matters required to manage the power sector in a way that positively impacts on the health of the economy. The budget shows in some detail, how government intends to clean up the ailing power sector to ensure reliable and affordable power supply in a way that significantly deviates from existing arrangements, which ACEP believes are weak. Notwithstanding these, it said there were also some visible gaps which the budget should have captured. Energy sector debt restructuring The current government is committed to continue the efforts of the previous government in restructuring the debt of the power sector. What is novel about the proposed arrangements is the raising of bonds to write off the debt of the utilities and accelerate the process of ensuring a clean balance sheet of the utilities on the back of the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA). The use of the ESLA to pay GHS787.03 million of the debt of the utilities in 2016 is commendable. However, the fact that VRA still struggles to raise its own letters of credit is an indication that a new approach to dealing with the debts is important. Tariff reduction It said the Minister of Finance announced 50 percent reduction of levies on electricity; a reduction of National Electrification Levy from 5 percent to 3 percent and Public Lighting Levy from 5 percent to 2 percent. This is in addition to budgeted lifeline subsidy of GHS83.8 million. This will provide some relief for consumers of electricity. It noted that it was disappointed that the 17.5 percent VAT on industrial consumers was not removed. This could have freed up some cash flow for businesses to invest in expansion and improve production. In fact, the VAT on industrial consumers is another nuisance tax, because government eventually reimburses VAT to industry through the sale of their output. Since this has a neutralizing effect, it only makes sense for government to remove the 17.5 percent VAT on electricity to free up capital for investment. Otherwise, this becomes a lazy way of frontloading government revenue without considering its impact on the health of businesses. By Samuel Boadi [email protected] Vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia believes Africa will earn more respect from the West if it stops begging for aid. The economist wants the 'dark continent' to aim at economic emancipation through trade partnerships and cooperation instead of relying on aid to develop. Africans will only get the respect of the rest of the world if we emancipate ourselves economically. We don't have to take begging bowls around the world. We should look for investment, cooperation and partnerships, Dr Bawumia said at the Africa Leadership University in Mauritius on how to unlock the leadership potential of the continent. He noted education plays a crucial role in development therefore the youth must take advantage of it to save the continent. Later on Sunday, Dr. Bawumia was the Special Guest at a Breakfast Meeting to celebrate Mauritius's 49th independence and 25th republic anniversaries. Both countries signed various agreements at the Government House in the capital Port Louis for a stronger partnership. Mauritius is a model for us and we want to emulate you We believe that government should set the best environment for the private sector to invest and it is time now for action Our economy is based on production and not on taxation. This is why we abolished various taxes, he noted. Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana has signed a Double Taxation Avoidance agreement (DTA) with the government of Mauritius . The countries have also set up a Ghana-Mauritius Permanent Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, as part of measures to facilitate trade between the two countries. As well, Ghana and Mauritius have agreed to collaborate on an Investment promotion and protection agreement to better channel investment into each other's country, possibly via Special Investment Zones. Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, while Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signed on behalf of Mauritius. -Starrfmonline If you were to find a pesewa coin minted in the Nkrumah era, you would see a head of Kwame Nkrumah, with the above Latin inscription which translates into founder of the nation Ghana. It was part of the Ghananianisation or Africanisation independence agenda to claim the new status by replacing symbols and positions of colonialism by indigenising. The pre-independence British currency that was in circulation bore the head of Queen Elizabeth II. Poor Kwame Nkrumah, in spite of all his selflessness and the pain he had to go through to liberate a nation and even a continent from colonialism, he is the centre of acrimonious debate over his founder of Ghana status. The controversy that was created by his adversaries around his leadership seems to have persisted. His critics have not been able to restrain themselves because they have constantly been provoked by self-seeking congresspeople, who have adopted all of Nkrumah's wrongs and discarded all that was right about him. Sometime in the early 1970s, I ran into an ardent Busia-Danquah believer who had converted to socialist thinking. At the time, he was a lecturer and I was an undergraduate student. He had so converted because in his study of economics in a university in the United States of America, he had read some 77 books in all of which he had seen the name Kwame Nkrumah. Some newspaper (on Wednesday, March 8, 2017), which pretended to be wading into the debate on the Nkrumah is the founder side, ended up uselessly carrying a Kwame Nkrumah portrait with his kente cloth worn left-handedly. The man was not left-handed. Maybe it is a statement that left of talk without action to back the words is a mistake. Congresspeople must understand, as usual, that they have been tactically and strategically outmanouevred by their opponents. They should ask themselves how after being in charge 27 out of the last 35 years, they alone will still be contesting Nkrumah's place in our history. If all you care about is constructing a structure you think you are using to honour the person is such that it causes flooding, all because you have to fill your pocket through contracted loans, you don't promote let alone enhance Nkrumah's image. Smartly, the Danquah followers decided to deepen the intellectual articulation of their cause by establishing the Danquah Institute. While both the Kwame Nkrumah and Busia Foundations wobbled, faltered and collapsed, the Danquah Institute persisted and is surviving. Rather than promote and nurture the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, congresspeople chose a USD20 million edifice and were talking about an ideological institute. Maybe the foundation never fruited because there was no ideology to teach or promote. They obviously could not practice Nkrumah's selflessness. And they appear to dream little against Kwame's dream big. They couldn't wait to benefit from a prosperous motherland, they chose to profit at the expense of the motherland. That is an ideology of kleptocracy. Luckily for them, they wouldn't dare instutionalise that kind of ideology. So they go about parroting social democracy without ever telling anyone what it means. Think tanks help to effectively promote ideology. They have them everywhere you go where people want to promote ideology. The Danquah people know it and use it. The Nkrumah people don't seem to. Maybe there aren't any Nkrumah people. The debate will not stop; not today and not tomorrow. What they have been able to show in governance so far is create loot and share. Contract as much debt as you can; profit privately by it, and let the motherland go hang. What I would like the proponents and opponents to reflect upon is what both men wanted for their motherland. If you can do Nkrumah's dream for the motherland let us see the action. Similarly, if you can do Danquah's dream for the motherland show us the action. One would be surprised it was a common dream, although a dream congresspeople have never aspired to. On the other hand, thankfully, two sonomma (the one in charge and the one before him), showed, and is showing, clear evidence of an aspiration to turn that dream into reality. However, if you didn't listen to good old akonta (in-law) Bob Mugabe, formerly of Apowa St. Mary's Training College, try and find out what he said at his post-60th independence anniversary press conference. He said Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the reincarnation of Kwame Nkrumah. You want to debate that? I think that should end the debate. Both men are big dreamers. Kwame Nkrumah was betrayed, chasing the big dream for the motherland, by the corrupt ones who surrounded him. What is of relevance today is how to stop any who might be corrupt around Akufo-Addo from betraying the realisation of his lofty dream for the motherland. By Kwasi Ansu-Kyeremeh Pictures show Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development sitting right in cloth and Mr. Kerali in suit sitting with the white lady and looking on id the delegation members and ministry staff. A six-member delegation from the World Bank Group, led by Henry G. R. Kerali, Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, recently paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama. The visit was to enable the group to appreciate the new minister's programmes and initiatives. Mr Kerali said the world was supporting the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP) under the Local Government Ministry, which has been performing very well. He therefore challenged the World Bank Team in the country to find ways of going beyond what they have been doing currently. According to him, the World Bank Group was doing a lot in terms of livelihood support, adding that the group has financed about 214 dams, which are being used by 160,000 people of which 60 percent are women in the country. He said the World Bank Group wants to go beyond the number but urged that the maintenance of the facilities was very important in increasing the productivity of farmers. The Local Government Minister, on her part, reiterated government's commitment to working with the World Bank Group to improve the lives of the citizenry in all sectors. She appealed to the group to support the country's Rural Development Policy, an inter-sectorial programme under the Local Government Ministry. The Local Government Minister disclosed that the issue of the maintenance of the dams raised by the World Bank Group would be considered. She called for another policy which will boost the government's one-village one-dam project. By Melvin Tarlue The Japan government has reiterated its commitment to expanding the Sekondi Fishing Harbour. The second phase of the project is currently underway in Sekondi, Western Region. The facility is being expanded primarily to promote efficient coastal fishery operations. The expansion of the facility in Sekondi was requested by the government of Ghana under the Japanese Grant Aid in 2010 and 2013 to enhance the activities of fisher folks in the municipality. The second phase of the project which is expected to end by December 2017, involves a grant amount of 2,169,000,000 Japanese Yen, equivalent to $20 million. It is expected to increase the access driveway berthing of the previous 50 inshore vessels to around 106 vessels. The ice making plant and landing sites which would be expanded would immensely benefit the fisher folks. Speaking to the press on the progress of work, leading official of the Sekondi Fishing Harbour, Captain Kojo Afadzi, was optimistic that the project would hugely benefit the municipality. He said the project would be fully be sustained to benefit all the stakeholders. Tomonari Takeuchi who represents the implementation agency JICA, expressed his satisfaction at the progress of work and said all measures would be taken to make the project a success. The Japan government, represented by a delegation from the Japanese Embassy in Accra, organised a press tour to inspect the progress of work on the site. Ghana has benefitted from the Japan government in the areas of health, education and agriculture, and the two countries would be celebrating 60 years of fruitful relationship this year. A leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bab Constituency in the Western Region, Ben Ali Seaman, has stated that the government must do everything possible to leave a legacy of solid education for posterity. He said the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration should use the Heritage Fund to sponsor the free SHS programme to help the poor in particular, because it would be a veritable initiative for the country. The debate over how to secure funding to ensure smooth implementation of the project has intensified since the NPP administration announced that the free SHS would commence in earnest in the 2017/2018 academic year. President Akufo-Addo has explained that by free SHS, we mean that in addition to tuition which is already free, there will be no admission fee, no library fee, no science centre fee, no computer lab fee, no examination fee, and no utility fee; there will be free text books, free boarding and free meals, and day students will get a meal at school for free. Some senior government officials said that the government was considering financing the free education policy with a portion of Ghana's oil revenue being kept for future generation, and that sparked heated debate, compelling the new finance minister to clear the air. Ali Seaman told DAILY GUIDE that it would not be fair for politicians to continue to enjoy the national cake when there is a future to be secured for the next generation. He disagreed with the opposition NDC that withdrawals from the Heritage Fund was likely to have a negative impact on the country's reserves, value of the currency and destabilisation of the macro-economic and fiscal situation of the country. Ben Ali Seaman added that many parents cannot give their children quality education due to the lack of money and that the government should be proactive in lessoning their burden. Once we are able to provide quality education for our children, the country's future will be secured. We will not need to worry about what will happen, because they would have been equipped with the necessary skills to continue from the current generation, he underscored. By William Yaw Owusu Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia 13.03.2017 LISTEN Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia left Ghana on Thursday, March 9, 2017 to attend the National Day Celebrations of the Republic of Mauritius, as the Special Guest. The Vice President held bilateral talks with Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister and other senior Mauritian government officials aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries. Dr Bawumia also attended a Breakfast Business Meeting hosted by the Mauritian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in collaboration with the Board of Investment. He was accompanied by Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications; Ibrahim Awal, Minister for Business Development; Reginald Grant, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and other government officials. The Vice President returns to Accra today, March 13, 2017. Nigeria's President Muhamadu Buhari on Monday, resumed official duties after returning from London last Friday. Buhari had been in the United Kingdom for 51 days after he extended his vacation to seek medical care. The Nigerian leader took to his Twitter handle @MBuhari to make the announcement: I resumed work today. Ive formally transmitted letters to @NGRSenate & @HouseNGR, in compliance with S145 of the amended 1999 Constitution, he added. I resumed work today. Ive formally transmitted letters to @NGRSenate & @HouseNGR , in compliance with S145 of the amended 1999 Constitution pic.twitter.com/SdIq35uN5V Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) March 13, 2017 As I settle down to work, first things firstI received a briefing from Vice President @ProfOsinbajo . pic.twitter.com/JpT5H1Grvl Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) March 13, 2017 Mr. Buhari, 74 left Nigeria on 19 January 2017 for a vacation in London and was scheduled to return to work on 6 February however he had to stay longer in the UK for health reasons. While in London, the president reportedly received visitors at his base in the British capital, and made telephone calls to dignitaries in Nigeria. An excited governor of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai, said on Facebook last Friday: The President is back. He has landed safely in Kaduna and received by Acting Governor Barnabas Yusuf Bala and senior KDSG officials. The government and people of Kaduna State are proud to receive our First Citizen back to his home to face the task of rebuilding Nigeria. Alhamdulillah. Jumaat Mubarak to everyone, he added. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin Abuja (AFP) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari returned to work on Monday after nearly two months' medical leave in Britain, the presidency said. "President Muhammadu Buhari today resumed duties after his vacation," presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said in a statement. Buhari, 74, who returned to Nigeria last Friday, hopes to end weeks of uncertainty about his health and fitness to lead. In line with the constitution, he returned to work by sending a letter to the country's parliament. During his absence, his office had repeatedly denied claims the leader was ill and insisted he was "hale and hearty". But when he returned to Nigeria's capital of Abuja on Friday, a gaunt-looking Buhari said he "couldn't recall being so sick since I was a young man" and described receiving "blood transfusions". He also said that despite feeling better, he still required rest and further treatment for his undisclosed sickness in the coming weeks. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said he had an hour-long meeting with Buhari on Monday to "bring the president up to speed" on the state of the nation. "He has given a few directives on what we should be doing on so many areas, the northeast, budget, the economy, a wide range of issues," Osinbajo told reporters after the meeting. "His readiness for work is not in doubt at all. In fact he is over-ready." No 'dramatic' return Another presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said Buhari would take some time to ease back into his job after so long away, warning that there wouldn't be a "dramatic" return. "He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually," Shehu told Nigerian-owned Arise News television in an interview broadcast on Sunday. Shehu said the date of Buhari's return to London for follow-up treatment was unclear and would only be determined by the president and his doctors. Buhari had "no knowledge" of his illness before he left for London on January 19, he added. The health of Nigeria's president has become a sensitive issue following the 2010 death of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from a long-standing, but secret, kidney complaint. The presidency had been keen to avoid the impression of a political vacuum and Osinbajo has been a visible presence in the months Buhari has been away. He was formally handed powers as acting president during Buhari's absence. Buhari faces a tough task of rehabilitating Nigeria's sputtering economy, which contracted in 2016 for the first time in two decades, before the next general election due in February 2019. But observers see his health as a key factor in the coming months, with the potential for it to create a bitter power struggle within his All Progressives Congress party. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry France Ghana (CCIFG) in partnership with the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City held a Gala Night at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City on Thursday 9th March, 2017. The event, hosted high profile personalities, including the Senior Minister, Honourable Yaw Osafo Maafo, H.E. Francois PUJOLAS, Ambassador of France to Ghana as well as members of the diplomatic community and Corporate Ghana. The high-level business networking event was attended by about 300 guests, representing over 20 sectors across the Ghanaian business industry and the International business scene, and representatives from several Ghanaian State agencies, which gives an optimistic indication of a growth in bilateral relationship between the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of France. The Gala Night witnessed the maiden edition of CCI France Ghana Membership Recognition Awards. A total of five member companies of the Chamber were recognised for projects undertaken that exhibits their commitment to strengthening foreign and local relations, as well as partnership with Ghana, to support the countrys economic development. The five companies were Air France, for their entry into the Ghanaian market, J.K. Horgle Transport & Company Ltd, a Ghanaian owned company whose remarkable efforts made in the petroleum haulage industry, and haulage of containers, dry cargo and trucks for spot hires which has resulted in the generation of local employment. Bouygues Construction Ltd was recognised for its contribution to the health sector by undertaking the construction and rehabilitation of the Ridge Hospital to transform it into a regional facility in line with international standards whilst Empyreal Design & Build Ltd, another wholly owned Ghanaian company whose activity as the sole distributor of environmental friendly, recyclable ceilings promotes environmental protection. Cal Bank Ltd was recognised for its contribution to the maritime industry particularly the huge investment made by the bank to help decongest the Takoradi Port and create space for some expansion works within the facility by the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority. The recognition ceremony, scheduled to be held annually demonstrates the remarkable efforts made by Ghanaian and International companies with subsidiaries in Ghana, in creating a positive impact on the Ghanaian economy. Companies to be recognised will cut across several sectors ranging from Transport & Logistics, Agriculture, Automobile Services, Construction, and Banking & Finance amongst others. Speakers at the event included Mr Patrick PRADO, the President of CCI France Ghana, who touched on the vision of the Chamber in Ghana. He elaborated on CCIFGs efforts to show its support in improving the bilateral relationship between France and Ghana by providing expertise through the recommendation of our member companies so as to promote crucial development in various sectors in the country along with Business France. He also highlighted the target of increasing the Ghanaian presence and participation in activities undertaken by the Chamber and decision making bodies such as the Board of Directors. Also, Sectorial Committees will be set up to identify and address needs and recommend strategies to enable the Chamber provide more tailored services to suit member companies. The Republic of Ghana and the Republic of France celebrates 60 fruitful years of diplomatic relations which is also a milestone for Ghana, as it is marks 60 years of independence. The Ambassador of France to Ghana, H.E. Francois PUJOLAS, in his speech gave an insight on what this means for the French community. He noted Frances intention to further develop and diversify its trade with Ghana which currently stands at one billion Euros annually and also highlighted the French governments commitment to assist Ghana develop sectors which will create business opportunities and boost Ghanas economy. On his part, the Senior Minister, on behalf of the H.E. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, expressed his optimism on the prospect the relations between both countries will have on the economy, and his enthusiasm for what the existing partnership holds in the years to come. Hon Osafo Maafo emphasised on the cooperation of both countries so as to boost the current relationship, and the benefits of the relationship in the diversification and improvement of various fields such as oil and gas and agriculture. He also spoke about the relevance of French inclusion in the Ghanaian community, and urged the promotion of the French language amongst Ghanaians. The Gala forms part of the increasing activities CCI France Ghana is organizing to contribute to the global rising of activities of the France in Ghana network. The objective of the range of activities is to support the French government and Business France in ensuring long-term development and diversification of trade with Ghana. The Gala Night also created a platform for high-level networking and exchanges between delegates from various sectors in the Ghanaian Industry and beyond, so as to strengthen the economic cooperation between members of the Chamber, the diplomatic scene and other professionals in the Ghanaian trade and commerce industry, with an added value of a 4-course French Dinner and entertaining live music. CCI France Ghana The Chamber of Commerce and Industry France Ghana (CCIFG) is an association of companies and professionals belonging to different sectors which aims at supporting, fostering and enhancing bilateral trade and investment relations between French and Ghanaian companies. With over 20 business sectors represented, CCI France Ghana acts as a business support system to its members by providing information through market studies, product-market testing, prospective missions and trade shows. To ensure our members receive the most benefits, CCIFG continues to organize business networking events as well as give constant business support, making us one of the largest and most dynamic business networks in the world. The Gala Night organised goes beyond creating high-level exchanges and networking opportunities to create business partnerships for member and non-member participants but to create future partnerships in order to enhance the Ghanaian economy. SAVANA Signatures, a Tamale-based NGO working to improve the lives of women and young girls, has appealed to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Civil Society Organisations, political, traditional and religious leaders as well as the security agencies to join forces to end forced and early marriages, which seemed to affect the future of many teenagers and school going girls in the Northern part of Ghana. In a statement issued and signed by the Communications Officer of Savana Signatures, Mr. Francis BalikawuNpong in commemoration of the 2017 International Women's Day celebration, the NGO bemoaned the physical and psychological traumas the young girls suffer when forced into unwanted or early marriages. The 2017 International Women's Day was under the theme: Be Bold for Change. According to Savana Signatures, majority of the victims of forced and early marriages did not only end their former education or lose their dignity, but are also exposed to HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, teenage pregnancies and other forms of abuses. As an organization working to improve the lives of women and girls, we wish to boldly condemn the practice of forced and early marriages that continue to deny girls the opportunity to go to school and enjoy the basic rights enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Even though Ghana was the first country to ratify the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child which calls for the abolishment of traditional practices harmful or prejudicial to the health of children, the nation still has one of the highest childhood marriages prevalence in the world. On the national level 25 percent of the females between the ages of 20 and 25 years are married before they turned 18 years old. The UNICEF 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, the Upper East Region alone has a child marriage prevalence of 50%, the highest in the country. The situation is not any different from the Upper West and Northern Regions. A greater number of girls between 15 and 18 years representing 27 percent entering marriage, often against their will. The Savana Signatures, therefore, called on the media to intensify their advocacy on the issue of early marriage and save the large number of girls from such practices. 13.03.2017 LISTEN Youth of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ejisu constituency are suspecting their executives of attempts to deprive the constituents of the rich experience of their idol as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). They youth, drawn from Akyawkrom, Kwamo and Adako-Jachie, accused the party executives of lack of transparency in shortlisting candidates for the position of the MCE. They warned that if the selection process is not properly and efficiently managed, it could foment trouble for the party, and cautioned against any move that disconnects the leadership from the grassroots. The youth said since MMDCEs are to manage enormous financial resources, it is pertinent that any person appointed has integrity and is a capable and trusted fellow, and cautioned that the leadership of the party would not be forgiven if it fails to aid the President to appoint the right people to competently manage the resources of the assemblies to transform the lives of the people. Nana Osei Bonsu, Financial Secretary of the Akyawkrom NPP Youth and Spokesman of the Concerned Youth, recommended Mr. Kwaku Ntim Twumasi for appointment as MCE for Ejisu-Juaben. He said it would be dishonest on the party of the constituency executives to pretend not to be aware that Ntim Twumasi, popularly called NTK, is the choice of the people, and demanded fairness to persons with disability when it comes to efficiency. They deserve to be recognised and not sidelined. Sidelining NTK would not go down well with the rank and file of the party, chiefs and the generality of the people in the constituency, Nana Osei Bonsu said at a meeting. Meanwhile, Mr. Isaac Kofi Owusu, Ejisu Chairman of the Ghana Federation of the Physically Disabled (GFPD), has appealed to President Akufo-Addo to consider NTK for the position of MCE for Ejisu. Mr. Owusu reiterated the earlier position of the Ejisu-Juaben branch of the Ghana Federation of the Physically Disabled that Mr. Ntim Twumasi is the right man for the job. He is capable, trustworthy, transparent, resourceful and man of integrity, Mr. Owusu explained. He explained that Mr. Kwaku Ntim Twumasi, who is also a member of the GFPD, would ensure transparency and efficient management of the assembly's resources. According to him, the disbursement of 2% share of the District Assembly Common Fund to persons living with disabilities are not efficiently managed. Mr. Ntim Twumasi is a product of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and stands tall among the other aspirants, according to the appellant Physically Disabled Union. According to the group, their idol has served in the British Army and was running his business successfully, but decided not to sit on the fence as a passive political spectator, and has been in the trenches in the fight to see the party brought to power. From Sebastian R. Freiku, Ejisu. The Ghana 60 Years on Committee has launched a project to construct Electronic Libraries (E-Library) in some 60 selected deprived communities across the country. The project is part of the legacy projects for the commemoration of the 60 years independence anniversary of the country. The E-Library Project, which was launched last Friday in Accra, is to improve literacy skills, with its attendant impact on poverty, health, gender equality and social mobility. The facility will be equipped with internet enabled computers and laptops, as well as mobile van among others. Speaking at the launch, the Education Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, noted that it was prudent for individuals to inculcate the habit of reading, citing that if you can't read, you can't develop. He associated himself with the initiative of the President and the committee for the project, believing that it was a project worth supporting to help improve on the reading habit of the Ghanaian people, especially the young ones who are now coming up. The Minister, who was the Guest of Honour at the launch, commended the committee for the initiative, while urging that the country becomes a reading nation, adding that lack of personnel to man the library should not be a barrier for its smooth operation. He urged the Ghana Library Authority to do its part to ensure there were personnel to work at the library. That's the problem. To get personnel to man the libraries, because, then, they will come and tell you that you have to do this, you have to have thisif we can't put it in a community, because we can't have a librarian to run it, we will put it in a school and put a teacher in charge of it. Personnel should not be a barrier to this project, and it was high time you changed your mind to think of how we can make it successful. The Chief Executive Officer of West Blue Consulting, Madam Valentina Mintah, noted that as a proud African, and fiercely Ghanaian ICT solutions company, we are very passionate about the role Information, Communication and Technology plays in our society, and believe that the [email protected] Library programme will ensure that the marginalised groups in the selected areas are empowered with knowledge to participate fully and actively in society. We at West Blue Consulting are indeed very honoured to be working with the [email protected] Committee to support Ghana's developmental agenda. She further indicated that with access to Information and Technology in the local communities, it will not only enable community members to communicate, but girls will learn to embrace femininity whilst being strong, and boys will learn to be constructive, and the youth, to dream big, complemented by sound life plans. The adults and elderly will not be left out, especially the BBCs (Born Before Computers). The Ghana 60 years on library programme will cater for them too, ensuring that they are upskilled to participate in today's technology world, whilst equipping them to effectively parent today's Snapchat and Instagram child. This programme, she explained, would adopt a PPC approach Public, Private and Community to ensure its sustainability. We will ensure full participation from all stakeholders; from design through build to management, aiding local employment, Madam Valentina stressed. She also used the occasion to call on individuals, businesses, and non-governmental organisations, among others, to engage with the Ghana 60 years on Committee, to lend their skills, passion, financial contributions, etc., to development projects, as together we can mobilise for Ghana's future. West Blue Consulting, the technical partners of the Ghana National Single Window (GNSW) project, is collaborating with the Ghana 60 years on Committee to build the 60 electronic libraries (e-libraries) in the 60 selected deprived communities in the country. On his part, a member of the Committee, Lord Commey was categorical the library project would be completed by the close of the year, while the Chairman, Ken Amankwah, thanked the management of West Blue Consulting for collaborating. He urged all Ghanaians to support the programme to succeed. In a related development, the national Lotteries Authority presented a cheque of GH250,000 to the [email protected] Committee, while Access Bank presented GH500,000. By Maxwell Ofori Pretoria (AFP) - South Africa and Nigeria on Monday said they would launch a jointly run "early warning" system to track and deter xenophobic attacks against Nigerian migrants. South African foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane met her Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama in Pretoria in a bid to diffuse soaring tensions over a recent string of attacks on migrants living in the rainbow nation. "The early warning centre would allow us keep each other abreast of issues and help prevent violence," Nkoana-Mashabane said. There were several incidents last month of South African locals attacking migrants from Africa and elsewhere and their businesses in both the administrative capital Pretoria and the commercial capital Johannesburg. Many locals have alleged that the targets were brothels and drug dens being run by migrants from elsewhere in Africa, including Nigeria. More than 20 shops were targeted in Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria, while residents in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg, attacked at least 12 houses. The new violence-busting forum will meet every three months and will be made up of representatives from both countries and include immigration officials, business associations and civil society groups. Nkoana-Mashabane said it was untrue that "the attacks on foreign nationals were targeted at the Nigerians", adding that citizens of other countries were also affected. 'Mass attacks' Onyeama said he had received assurances that Nigerians in South Africa would be able to live in peace and called for an end to "mass attacks". According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, there are about 800,000 Nigerians in the country, many of them living in Johannesburg. Onyeama added that groups in Nigeria calling for the retaliatory expulsion of South African residents and businesses "do not speak on behalf of government". South African foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama are launching a system to deter xenophobic attacks on migrants Attacks against foreigners and foreign-run businesses have erupted regularly in recent years in South Africa, fuelled by the country's high unemployment and poverty levels. In response to the violence, about 100 demonstrators gathered on February 23 outside the offices of two South African companies in the Nigerian capital Abuja -- telecoms giant MTN and satellite TV provider DSTV -- to protest the upsurge in attacks. The Nigerian government last month called for the African Union to step in to stop "xenophobic attacks" on its citizens in South Africa, claiming 20 Nigerians were killed last year. South African authorities have declined to confirm the figure which may have been the result of other criminal activity, not just anti-immigrant violence. A protest march against "migrant crime" was held in Pretoria on February 24 and resulted in violent clashes between crowds of young South African men and migrants from elsewhere in Africa, including Nigerians and Somalis. President Jacob Zuma responded by condemning the wave of xenophobic unrest and called for calm and restraint, saying that migrants should not be used as a scapegoat for the country's widespread crime problem. Rabat (AFP) - A Moroccan court on Monday resumed the trial of 25 Sahrawis accused of killing 13 people, mostly Moroccan security forces, in the contested Western Sahara's Gdeim Izik camp in 2010. The killings allegedly took place during riots that broke out as security forces cleared the camp near the city of Laayoune in November 2010. The Court of Appeal in Sale, near the capital Rabat, was packed with lawyers, relatives of victims and defendants, observers, journalists and security forces as the hearing began. The courtroom was dominated by a giant screen broadcasting the hearing. Knives, axes, road signs and hard disks were presented as evidence. Outside, supporters of the two camps, separated by a line of policemen, exchanged slogans and insults. "No to impunity for killers!" shouted dozens of victims' relatives, waving Moroccan flags and pictures of soldiers killed. Polisario Front supporters outside the court on March 13, 2017, demonstrate in support of the 25 Sahrawi suspects on trial for the killing of security forces in the Western Sahara in 2010 "Freedom for political prisoners!" shouted a crowd of Sahrawi activists. A military court in 2013 sentenced the 25 defendants to punishment ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment following a high-profile legal drama. International NGOs condemned the trial as "unfair", and in July the Court of Cassation ordered a new trial in a civilian court. Defence lawyers on Monday said they had little faith that the new trial would deliver justice. The trial "is taking place in very unfair conditions, but we remain at the defendants' side," they said. Ahmed Atertour, president of an association for families and friends of the victims, said he had "confidence in Moroccan justice to commemorate the memory of our (...) martyrs". Morocco says Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony under its control, is an integral part of the kingdom. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front demands a referendum on self-determination for the territory. Kinshasa (AFP) - Two experts from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been kidnapped in the violence-wracked central Kasai region, UN and Congolese sources said Monday. The two have been missing since Sunday, according to Charles-Antoine Bambara, the spokesman for the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission. One of the victims is a US national, the other a Swede, Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende told AFP. "They were kidnapped at a bridge over the Moyo river and taken to the forest by unknown assailants," Mende said. Four Congolese nationals -- three motorcycle-taxi drivers and an interpreter -- were also taken hostage, he added. The Congolese and UN officials said efforts to locate the victims were under way. A Uruguayan peacekeeper was shot and injured last week in the same region, which has been wracked by a rebellion since September. The uprising erupted after government forces in August killed a tribal chief and militia leader, Kamwina Nsapu, who had rebelled against President Joseph Kabila. The violence has since spilled over to the neighbouring provinces of Kasai-Oriental and Lomami, leaving at least 400 people dead. The United Nations has nearly 19,000 troops deployed in the DR Congo, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission. About 100 of those troops were recently dispatched to the Kasai region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the Security Council to send an extra 320 UN police to the country after a deal to end a dispute over the presidential election stalled. By Josephine Nyarkoh, GNA Behenase (Ash), Mar 13, GNA - Ghanaian cocoa farmers have been asked to continue to stick to best cultural practices to help keep unaltered the quality of the nation's cocoa beans. They should ensure that the beans are taken through proper fermentation, thoroughly dried, with the bad and mouldy cocoa beans, sorted. Mr. Ayyamani Jagadish, an agribusiness consultant, made the call during a three-day training for farmers and extension officers held at Behenase in the Bekwai Municipality. The programme was organized by Barry Callebaut, a leading supplier of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, through its subsidiary, Nyonkopa, a licensed buying company. The goal was to expose the farmers to best farming technologies - the use of organic materials to improve soil fertility, pre-germination methods, nursery practices and transplanting. It formed part of efforts at helping to increase cocoa production levels and returns to the farmer. Mr. Jagadish who is a specialist in cocoa agronomy, indicated to the farmers that proper maintenance of their farms, could enable them to substantially raise crop yield. He said for the nation to sustain its cocoa sector on the path of growth it was important to aid the farmers to get the right things done - become experts at managing the cocoa trees to boost yield and harvest quality beans. Pruning, he noted, tended to make cocoa farm management easy - ensures adequate shade, proper air circulation and tree height, sunlight for photosynthesis and makes the cocoa tree an unfavorable habitat for pest and insects. The lack of it provides a humid environment for pests and insects, to eat up the pods, leaving them with diseases such as the block pod disease. Mr. Bernard Awaitey, the Projects Manager, said they had targeted to train 36,000 farmers across the various cocoa farming communities. GNA The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned of a potential dip in the quality of education if government fails to identify pragmatic funding sources to sustain its free SHS policy. The Institute says the fundamentals for achieving the objectives require robust and sustainable funds which need to be considered critically. In a post analysis of the budget statement, the Executive Director for the IFS, Professor Newman Kusi further cautioned that the development may lead to undesirable circumstances that had characterized previous policies. If the enrolment numbers increase or double, are we assuming that there are available classrooms to accommodate the children so that we can get quality education. Are we saying that there are enough teaching and learning materials as well as teachers so that we do not continue with the schools under trees phenomenon? he quizzed. What we must understand is that we have to grant access to children in schoolin as much as we are talking about access to education, we must also look at the quality of education, Prof. Kusi added. The NPP government has announced an ambitious plan to increase access to education at the Senior High School level with the free SHS policy. The programme is expected to commence in the 2017/2018 academic year (September2017). The government has since projected about 400 million cedis for the program. Analysts believe the plan will increase enrollment by at least seventy percent. Critiquing the budget, the Executive Director of the IFS, Professor Newman Kusi stressed the need to get other essentials adequately catered for in the free education policy. Meanwhile the IFS has predicted of increased public debt burden if government continues the current fiscal regime which lends itself to high debts. The caution follows a fiscal deficit target of 6.5 percent of GDP representing 13.2 billion cedis. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana An articulated truck on Monday crashed into some 16 vehicles at Commando, an area at Nima in Accra. Although some of the vehicles were badly damaged, only two people sustained some injuries. Some eyewitnesses said the truck failed its brake, and in the process, ran into other vehicles. Meanwhile, the Police have towed all the affected vehicles to the Nima Police station in Accra. According to the Nima Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Abraham Acquaye, the driver of the Benin-registered truck who had come to the area to offload beans, lost control of the truck before running into the 12 vehicles. Articulated trucks mangles vehicles at Circle A similar accident occurred at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle about a fortnight ago. A 4-footer truck carrying sugar toppled over the guard rails of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange and destroyed some vehicles beneath the overpass. The container fell on two empty 207 sprinter buses parked close to the Royal VVIP bus station. By: citifmonilne.com/Ghana By Joyce Danso, GNA Accra, March 13, GNA - A 22-year-old student who is accused defiling a 15-year-old girl at Awoshie and held her hostage for over 16 days has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Michael Frimpong charged with defilement pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku remanded Frimpong into Police custody to reappear on March 27. The court had earlier turned down a bail application by his lawyer Mr Sannie Rashid. Prosecution opposed to bail saying when Frimpong was admitted to bail by the Police he failed to abide by bail conditions. According to prosecution Frimpong was admitted to bail so that Police could ascertain the age of the victim. Subsequently, the surety could also not find the accused when the Police was ready to charge him, adding that, he never reported to the Police as requested. His lawyer, Mr Rashid, however argued that Frimpong was involved in another matter and therefore in custody. Prosecuting Detective Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant was the victim's father who resides at Fadama while the accused person resides at Dansoman. Prosecution said four months ago, the victim and accused person met at Fadama and Frimpong demanded the victim's Facebook account. When the victim gave Frimpong the Facebook account the accused proposed to the victim and she accepted. Prosecution said Frimpong visited the victim in her house and had sex with her in her parent's living room. On November 8, this year, Frimpong called the victim on her mother phone and asked her to meet him at Alafia for her provisions when she was going to school. When the accused and victim met, Frimpong took the victim to a house at Awoshie and had sex with the victim and later disclosed he has no money to provide her with the provisions. The accused held the victim hostage in the room 16 days. She however escaped when she managed to secure a key from the accused person's shirts to open the door to escape. When the victim went home, a report was made to the Police and medical form was issued to her to seek medical attention. GNA By Lydia Asamoah, GNA Accra, March 13, GNA - Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, says the Achimota Forest should remain a forest and must not be tampered with to enable it to support the climate of Accra. 'My personal opinion is that it must be reserve as a forest that Achimota Forest should be left as it is and must not be tampered with. We need spaces in Accra to be forested,' he said. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was speaking at a meeting with officials of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), formerly Town and Country Planning Department. Responding to a question posed by the Ghana News Agency on the status of the decision by the previous government of turning part of the Achimota Forest into an ecotourism park, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said although no official government stand had been taken, he was of the opinion that the forest should be left intact. 'Anybody who wants to do ecotourism should, perhaps, go to the Atiwa or Kakum Forest. My personal opinion is that Achimota Forest should be reserved as a forest,' the Minister said. He asked that all temporary church structures that had been put up in the forest should be pulled down, saying; 'I'm for the construction of houses for God, but not in the forest.' He said people could go to the forest and pray but not to build structures there to destroy the flora and fauna. The meeting forms part of the familiarization and working visits by the Environment Minister to various agencies and departments under the ministry. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who was briefed on the work of the authority, urged the staff to do more on rebranding it and work to generate enough money to help improve their working conditions and salaries. The minister was received on arrival by Mr Lawrence Dakurah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of LUSPA, who briefed him on the work of the authority and led a team of officials to take the minister round the various units. Mr Dakurah said the authority had never approved of turning part of the Achimota Forest into an ecotourism park. It is a forest that has been gazetted and it would remain as such. 'So as a matter of principles we haven't given any authorisation for that place to be used for ecotourism and on our plans it is still maintain there as a forest reserve technically that place has still been reserved as a forest reserve,' he said. Mr Dakurah said the authority had just metamorphosed from a department into an authority by an Act of Parliament, Act 952 of 2016. He said by the new Act, the authority had now been empowered to work within its mandates and provide for the sustainable planning and judicial use and development of land in the whole country. Mr Dakurah said with the change of name and structure there remained lots to be done to enable the authority to function properly, saying the governing board, for instance, needs to be approved by government to direct the operations of the authority. He said a new office complex was also needed to host it headquarters in Accra and that a land had already been acquired to that effect adding that what was left was funding. Mr Dakurah said the authority did not only issue building permits as perceived by the public but was involved with planning and management of spatial space, data maps, and street naming, among other things. He said it was not the mandate of the authority to demolish structures and unauthorised buildings on water ways, saying that remained the work of the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies. He urged the public to consult the authority for building permits before they construct any building. The authority is in the process of preparing a spatial development framework for the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions to help in their proper development. GNA A few days back, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, said that there is no future for the achievement of Biafra. The ambassador said there is no support for those agitating for the secession of any part of Nigeria. Gauer told newsmen that his home country would not in anyway work with any group agitating for the division of the nation. 8 things that must be done before Biafra will come to pass PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App He said France was working with Nigeria and supporting it as a country. Gauer's claim is one that must be taken seriously, and if pro-Biafra agitators are really keen on actualizing Biafra Republic, then these are 8 things that must be accomplished. 1. Ohaneze and other top socio-political groups must give consent There can be no partial participation in the quest for Biafra, hence all top Igbo socio-political groups, must get fully involved. Groups like the Ohaneze Ndigbo must take a stand either in support of Bifara or against, so that there is less distraction based on diversified opinions on how to move the notion in furtherance of the course of Biafra. 2. Igbo Senators must begin to make move Like in the case of the socio-political groups, there arises the need for Igbo lawmakers and legislators from the Southeast to push for the course within the Nigerian parliament, this is because nothing can be done outside the law. If the process of attaining Biafra will be bloodless, then it must have its way through the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian parliament. 3. International bodies must be involved The role of the international community cannot overstated. The comity of nations could move motions that will see to the establishment of Biafra Republic, but the Igbos and all pro-Biafra agitators must be more composed as to understand how best to present their case before the International community, as to sway the opinions of people. 4. Top politicians must give their blessing Asides those in the Senate, all governors and policy makers from the Southeast, as well as other alias from different regions, must give their blessings. It must be noted that if the various top leaders of the regions in Nigeria, do not give their blessing then there will be great friction, and for every time there is friction the aim is being defeated. 5. Referendum A referendum will be a perfect idea, and indeed it is vefry important for the actualization of the Biafran dream. There has to be a general vote by deligates of all regions, on the sole political question which is: "Are we good as a nation, or is it better that we split for growth? 6. All Biafra agitators merge into one united force With many pro-Biafra agitators now available, one would expect that much should be achieved easily, however, that is not the case. This is because the various groups agitating for Biafra, do so with diverse ideologies and if they all do have different mindsets, then that is chaos in itself. An amalgamation would be great, the varuous groups must find a common ground, one name, one goal, one dream and one achievment. The more the pro-Biafra groups come together, the stronger and more effective their efforts will be. 7. A leader and voice for the Igbos must be appointed In coming together, the groups must choose one leader, amicably. They must have someone in whom they are confident, his/her role will be to start dialogues on the issue at hand. Also attached to his/her role will be the task of reaching out to all persons and organizations that are key and vital in achieving the dream of a Biafra Republic. 8. Less confrontations Following his warning that Biafra will not be achieved in his life time, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has said its drive for the restoration of Biafra cannot be deterred by the threat of Lt Gen Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Buratai had recently warned that not during his life time will Nigeria disintegrate. The COAS had insisted that the agitation for the state of Biafra would not be successful in the present era and not even in the four millennia to come. Reacting to Buratais comment, the Uchenna Madu led group maintained that such statement credited to the Army chief cannot stop its seccession drive. While it is good to stand for one's right, one must be careful as not to flout the law or infringe on the rights of others. A less confrontational approach to the Biafra issue might do the pro-Biafrans a lot of good. And this move must not be looked upon as cowardice, rather the intended message here is to shun a violent approach, and to use civil disobedience at worst, if the need arises. It is in doing this that the rest of the world can judge for themselves if truly the Igbo people are being oppressed and deserve to go on their own. Source: Legit.ng Probably you have heard about bright, innovative and creative Google offices all over the world. What about Google Nigeria office in Lagos? Does it correspond the general conception of the company? Google Nigeria office in Lagos The world's largest Internet search engine, Google, was once the usual educational project of Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin. 15 years have passed and Google has become one of the most unmistakable brands in the world. The company controls more than a million servers in data centers around the world, and processes more than a billion search queries and 24 petabytes of user data every day, bringing overwhelming profits to its owners. Part of this income is invested in creating the most comfortable and joyful working conditions and inside-office atmosphere that every worker can only dream about. READ ALSO: Alexa ranks Legit.ng as most visited website in Nigeria, 444 in global ranking Currently, the corporation's assets are billions of dollars and the most creative staff. Naturally, the interiors of the offices of Google Inc. represent a mix of designer fantasy and the most advanced technology. Google Nigeria office in Lagos The main headquarters of Google Inc. is situated in the state of California in the city of Mountain View. Over the years of its existence (since 1998), Google's offices have been opened around the world. Their interior is always unique. According to the decision of the company's management, the office should always correspond to corporate policy, which welcomes creativity, non-standard thinking, and charisma. On the other hand, any office should convey the national flavor of the country in which it is located. Google has more than 70 offices in 50 countries. There is also present Google office in Nigeria. Google office is Nigeria is situated in Lagos, 3rd Floor, Mulliner Towers 39 Kingsway Road. Google Nigeria office in Lagos Google Nigeria office in Lagos If you will ask us to describe the Google Nigeria office in one word, then probably it will be modest. If to compare Google office, Nigeria with other big offices worldwide, of course, it will be obvious, that it is smaller, the interior is not astonishing and there is now all these cool devices and rooms for rest, meditation and other. There is no also a big full of different tasty snacks and various food canteen for the employees. Google Nigeria office in Lagos Despite all this, there is still an important thing - the main idea of the company is preserved, comfortable conditions for the employees are created. They have all they need to enjoy the working process and to create new interesting projects, to feel free and come to work with a smile. Hope that in future we will be astonished by new creative modern Google Nigeria office. Probably it is only a matter of time. READ ALSO: Multinational companies in Nigeria Source: Legit.ng A chieftain of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Ndubue Iko has urged support for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2019. The PPA chieftain made the call for an Igbo presidency in 2019 in Lagos on Sunday. Iko, a PPA Candidate for Arochukwo/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the 2015 General Elections, said that an Igbo president was long overdue. According to him, Nigerians believe in rotational presidency, which he said, has been working well for the nation. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App He advised the Igbos to be in the mainstream politics to be able to realise the goal of an Igbo president in 2019. He also advised the Igbos to present a credible candidate for the election to attract support. For an Igbo man to win presidency in Nigeria, he must embrace national politics. Operating from smaller political parties may not give him the presidency. He urged other Nigerians to support an Igbo man for the next president to provide him an opportunity to lead the country. READ ALSO: Buhari remains God's chosen: Wild jubilation rocks Borno over the president's return (photos) Iko described the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari as a man of honesty and integrity, urging that his successor must have such qualities to be able to build on his achievements. The politician hailed the current administration for fighting insurgency, and hoped that it would intensify the fight against corruption. Meanwhile, in the video below, Nigerians have continued to react to the return of President Muhammadu Buhari after 51 days of absence. Source: Legit.ng - Presidential aide, Garba Shehu, explains that Buhari needs is a careful and slow resumption of duty following the presidents return to Nigeria from a medical vacation abroad - Garba says Buhari will be fully in charge once the letter notifying the National Assembly of his resumption gets to the lawmakers - The presidential aide, however, states that Buhari style of leadership right from inception does not dictate every detail in governance President Buhari returned to Nigeria on Friday, March 10, after spending over 50 days in London on medical vacation. The presidency has downplayed expectations from Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari will resume work in a dramatic way after spending 50 days in London, treating an undisclosed ailment. READ ALSO: Buhari didn't violate any law for spending 50 days abroad - Lawyers The senior special assistant to the president on media, Mr. Garba Shehu, stated this during an interview with Arise News Network on Sunday, March 12, in Abuja. Garba said the president needs is a careful and slow resumption of duty following his return to the country. He said: Let me first of all caution that he (Buhari) is not going to start in a dramatic way. He has been away from the country for nearly two months, so he needs to get into the temperature of the place. For instance, yesterday (Saturday), he went through the newspapers page by page, and he read everything that interested him. So he needs to get back to that place. The thing is that hes basically human like all of us. He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually. Dont expect the president to be given neck-breaking schedules or punishing schedules like from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., or sometimes to 1a.m. to 2 a.m.. Responding to the question whether Buhari would be fully in charge once he resumes, Garba said the moment the presidents letter goes to the National Assembly notifying the lawmakers of his return, that means the president is in full control. The presidential aide explained that Buhari style of leadership right from inception does not dictate every detail in governance. Garba said: This is not a president, by his style of leadership, whose hands dictate every detail. People make the observation that perhaps ministers under this government are the most powerful ministers we have had in this Republic. READ ALSO: 2019 elections: Buhari will win very easily - Oshiomhole He doesnt call each month to say that a contract should go to Mr. A, B or C, or that road should be channeled through this or that. Garba further elaborated on the role of the vice-president, adding that even before the presidents departure, the vice-president had a full plate. He has again, on record, been one of the busiest vice-presidents in our country; the president has delegated so much to him." Meanwhile, a report by The Punch indicates that President Buhari has no schedule on his itinerary as he resumes work on Monday, March 13. According to the report, no assignment has been scheduled yet for Buhari as he formally resumes from his 51-day medical vacation. The president had told state governors and top government officials at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Friday, March 10 that he would continue to rest over the weekend and allow Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to work. The protocol unit of the presidency is saddled with the responsibility of preparing weekly scheduled assignments for the presiden The itinerary is however open to amendments if the situation arises. An unnnamed government official, who was quoted in the report attributed the blank nature of the presidents schedule for Monday to the fact that Buhari only returned to the country on Friday. The source said the first draft of the presidents schedule for the week was always ready on the preceding Friday. Source: Legit.ng - A renowned journalist and legal practitioner, Richard Akinola has come to the defence of Apostle Johnson Suleman - Akinola faulted the media trial of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries and Miracles - He also raised some posers on the cleric's ongoing case A renowned journalist and legal practitioner, Richard Akinola has come to the defence of Apostle Johnson Suleman. Apostle Suleman has been in the news consistently in recent times Akinola, who is the executive director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), also faulted the media trial of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries and Miracles. He also noted that the Apostle Suleman being a public figure is vulnerable to such attacks by disgruntled elements. READ ALSO: Apostle Suleman drags Festus Keyamo to NBA Akinola lists 7 reasons why he thinks the allegations made by Stephanie Otobo against Apostle Suleman are false. 1. The fact that the lady changed her initial claim that there was a marriage introduction between her and Suleiman in her family home, after her father denied such, makes all her other claims suspect. Following her father's denial that no such introduction took place and that Suleman had never been to his house, she now said the so-called introduction was done in the Apostle's office. That is highly preposterous. How can you have a marriage introduction in the suitor's office? 2. On her call for their passports to be checked to confirm that they travelled to Italy together: When a stalker is desperate, he/she can go to any length to get his/her victim's attention. If you know the itinerary of your target, particularly a preacher whose international meetings are made public, a desperate stalker can go there in attempt to see the person. Some years ago, Pastor Adeboye told a story of a lady stalker, who consistently came to him to tell him that she was his ordained wife. Adeboye said he always rebuffed the lady, telling her that how can that be true when he was married. He said the lady continued to stalk him. Then, one day, he said he travelled abroad unannounced for an engagement. A day after he arrived, Adeboye said someone knocked his hotel room door and as he opened it, behold it was this same lady. Aghast, Adeboye said he didn't know how she knew he was travelling, the place he was going and his hotel. He then realised that she was not an ordinary person but an agent of the devil and out of righteous anger, he warned the lady that the next time he set his eyes on her, she would die. And that was the end of the lady's stalking. 3. If Suleiman has anything to hide the supposed amorous relationship, he would have "settled" her and not involve the police. l doubt if he would involve the police when the lady was making unreasonable financial demand, which necessitated the police to coordinate the payment of the money before she was arrested. 4. On the issue of the lady asking for call logs, here is a man, a public figure who deals with thousands of people on regular basis and counsels and gives financial assistance to many people. So, do you know how many people he would have contact with? Besides, we are in a society where, with technology, text messages are sent with peoples numbers without the person being aware of it. To me, since the matter has been charged to court, these are issues that would come up during trial, particularly during cross-examination and where the demeanor of the defendant and the complainant in the witness box would be taken into account by the magistrate and not this showmanship of media trial where the lady was describing the supposed size of Suleman's manhood and the style he likes. To me, this smacks of premeditated, malevolent media trial meant to undress the man publicly. 5. Could it be that this is just a coincidence that this scandal is coming just few weeks after Suleman's encounter with the security over the Fulani herdsmen, and a supposed relationship that purportedly happened in 2015? Why coming out now? 6. I have lived long to know that things of this nature are not always the way they are. Or were we not here some years ago when we were regaled with the confessions of Fryo following the murder of Bola Ige, after which the guy recanted? 7. In the mid 80s, we witnessed how Justice Donald Ikomi was set up in the then Bendel state. He was a very strict no-nonsense judge as the chairman of Bendel state Armed Robbery Tribunal, who was a thorn in the flesh of robbers. He also didn't have a good relationship with the police. He was therefore set-up. The policeman guarding his house, Corporal Uanle was murdered in the judge's house, his tongue and private part, cut off. The judge was arrested, witnesses lined up against and was charged with murder. Before the trial started, he had been retired. I covered the case. At the end of the day, the judge was discharged and acquitted for want of evidence, but not after he had been humiliated and shown the way out of the Bench by his traducers. I am not in any way trying to defend Suleman but my instinct tells me there is more to this that meets the eye. I am not carried away by all the salacious details of Otobo. I would rather wait for her trial in court where all the facts would be laid bare, after rigorous cross examination and evidences. I know that Suleman has only made tentative statements on this issue, perhaps not wanting his proposed evidence in court to be ambushed. READ ALSO: You cannot bury Apostle Suleman until he dies - Reno Omokri Meanwhile, a legal practitioner in Abuja, Danladi Umar on Sunday, March 13 faulted the allegation by Ms Otobo, that she had an amorous relationship with Apostle Suleman. Umar said Otobo's demand for the sum of N500 million could be a voyage to reaping where she did not sow. Source: Legit.ng - IPOB reminds Governor Obiano that his success in the 2013 governorship election was made possible because of the position IPOB took against the APC and its candidate, Chris Ngige - The group vows to do Obiano what it did to Chris Ngige in 2013 Anambra gubernatorial election - IPOB says it is a costly venture for the Anambra governor to question its popularity and then refer to it as toothless bulldog IPOB has vowed to truncate Governor Willie Obianos chances of returning to government house after the November 2017 poll. The pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has vowed to ensure that Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state does not return to government house after the November 2017 poll. READ ALSO: South-East group blasts Ohanaeze Ndigbo, others over Nigerian Army human rights probe The group, reacting to statement credited to Obiano that IPOB is a toothless bulldog which is capable of words but incapable of action and being used by a few to enrich themselves under the guise of fighting for Igbo freedom, said the governor has crossed the red line and the consequences would be dire for his second term ambition. IPOB in a statement issued by its spokespersons, Mr.Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, reminded Obiano that his success in the 2013 governorship election was made possible because of the position IPOB took in repudiating the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige, This Day reports. The group said: For the records, IPOB though apolitical, was instrumental to Obiano being the governor of Anambra State because we repudiated the northern and Islamic-dominated APC party represented by Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige and we still do repudiate them till today, the IPOB said. We promise Obiano that even though we abhor and repudiate Nigerian politics, we shall do to him what we did to Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige in 2013 Anambra gubernatorial election, it further warned. READ ALSO: Pro-Buhari group defies Biafra secessionists threats, march for president in south-east It said the test of IPOBs popularity and efficacy is never in doubt as it brought the entire Biafraland to a standstill on September 23, 2016 with successful sit-at-home protest. IPOB said that it was a costly venture for the Anambra governor to question the popularity and then refer to it as toothless bulldog and rear tyres that can never overtake the front tyres, knowing that IPOB has repeatedly demonstrated its popularity as was the case on September 23, 2016 when it carried out a successful sit-at-home protest. Obiano called IPOB a toothless bulldog but after the November 2017 election, he will know if IPOB is a toothless bulldog or not. We assure Obiano that he shall surely fail in his re-election bid, just as he failed in his ill-conceived pro-Buhari rally," IPOB said. Meanwhile, the family of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu has petitioned the United States government, European Union (EU) over alleged maltreatment of Kanu by the Nigerian government The family has alleged that there are plans to kill Kanu and visitors are being restricted from meeting him Source: Legit.ng - The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the comptroller general of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Hameed Ali to review his directives on custom duty for old vehicles - In a letter to the Ali, the president of the NLC Ayuba Wabba said the directive by the customs boss is unrealistic The president of the National Labour Congress said the new directive on vehicle importation duty is unrealistic The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the comptroller general of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Hameed Ali to review his directives on custom duty for old vehicles. In a letter to the Ali, the president of the NLC Ayuba Wabba said the directive by the customs boss is unrealistic. The Nigeria Customs had in a statement said owners of all vehicles, old and new whose duty has not been paid should do so between March 13 and April 12. READ ALSO: Wear your uniform or resign - Senate orders Customs DG But in his letter, Wabba said Nigeria workers are opposed to the new policy. He said the policy will create an unimaginable chaos and suffering for innocent end-users of vehicles. It is self-serving and will, in the end, enrich unscrupulous customs personnel who contributed, in no small measure, to the present situation through act of commission or omission and will amount to rewarding their complicity," Wabba said. Wabba added that it is common knowledge that duties on imported vehicles are payable at the points of entry. READ ALSO: I was not employed to wear uniform - Customs boss dares Senate He also said that subjecting end-users of vehicles to such trauma is unfair and unacceptable. There is no information on the vehicles to be excluded from this exercise. This presupposes that the owner of a Morris Minor or a Peugeot 404 brought into this country in the 70s is similarly affected," he said. The NLC noted that porous borders, as customs claims, are no justification for these actions or proposed policy action. READ ALSO: Relax ban on importation of rice, vehicles through land borders - Sultan begs Osinbajo Accordingly, in place of this unpopular policy which has received condemnation from all sectors of the economy, the Nigeria customs service should devise a coherent response that will deal with these challenges. We believe such a response should focus on capacity building, modernizing operations, using technology and eliminating massive corruption in the system," he said. Source: Legit.ng President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, March 13, resumed work at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Buhari met with top officials of the Presidential Villa The president resumed a few minutes after 10 am immediately the car of his Aide-de-Camp Lawal Abubkar was seen parked at its official designated location at the forecourt by the Council Chamber, the Nation reports. Also, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, the special adviser and assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity respectively were seen in front of the Council Chamber moving towards the presidential residence. The president also signed a letter of resumption notifying the National Assembly of his plan to start work today. President Buhari in statement through Adesina said: In compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President has formally transmitted letters to the Senate and the House of Representatives, intimating the National Assembly that I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, 2017, after my vacation. READ ALSO: He was joking! Femi Adesina reveals when Buhari will resume work Meanwhile, a National Television's photojournalist attached to Villa followed the duo into the presidential residence. It was also gathered that the vice president Yemi Osinbajo is expected to meet with the president in his office today, March 13. The chief of staff to the president Abba Kyari also moved from his office to the Presidents office. An Ambulance usually packed by the Council Chamber was also driven to its position around 11.16 a.m. Usually before resuming work, President Buhari meets with some top officials of the Villa. READ ALSO: Photos: President Muhammadu Buhari meets with members of his cabinet The president returned to Nigeria on Friday, March 10, after a 51-days medical vacation in the United Kingdom. Upon his return, President Buhari while speaking with some top government officials said he purposely came back on a Friday to allow Osinbajo continue in his capacity as the acting president. Also, the presidency in a statement had said that the president will resume work on Monday after he rested during the week. See photos of President Buhari in his office today below: President Buhari with some of his security aides Source: Legit.ng - A rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, accuses the Buhari administration of killing members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria; members of IPOB and other pro-Biafra agitators. - The group alleged that over 11000 unlawful deaths were recorded in the said 20 months under the Buhari administration The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, alleges that 11000 unlawful deaths were recorded in the said 20 months under the Buhari administration. Just days after arriving Nigeria from the London on medical vacation, President Muhammdu Buhari has been asked to pay the sum of $5bn compensations to victims of alleged human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings in the country. READ ALSO: Osita Okechukwu speaks on Igbo presidency, advises Ohanaeze Ndigbo A rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law made the demand in Anambra state on Monday, March 13, when it released reports of alleged human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings by the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the past 20 months. According to the Punch, the 40- page report which covered a period between June1, 2015 and 31st January, 2017, harped on the alleged killing of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria; slain members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and other pro-Biafra agitators, the Kaduna killings and what the group called custody killing by the Nigerian security forces. The Board of Trustees Chairman of INTERSOCIETY, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi said over 11000 unlawful deaths were recorded in the said 20 months. Umeagbalasi called on the Buhari led government of Nigeria to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the heinous crime perpetrated within the period under review. The report read in part: The Buhari Administration/Federal Government of Nigeria should set aside $5bn for adequate compensation of over 1750 victims of state murders and 4000 victims of Police SARS/Army custodial killings as well as not less than 28000 unarmed Christians killed by Nomad Fulani Jihadists between June 2015 and January 2017. The $5billion State Crime Victims Compensation Scheme, which will be subject to 50 percent upward review every five years ; should be divided into four categories of : $1bn to members or families and group-victims (IPOB) of over 270 slain members of IPOB and other Pro-Biafra Campaigners; $500m to over 370 terminally shot and injured Pro-Biafra Campaigners; $1.5bn to 1120 slain members of the Shiite Muslims and their IMN as well as $500m for 400 of their members terminally shot and wounded. The sum of $500m should be set aside by the Buhari Government/Federal Government of Nigeria through its Ministry of Police Affairs for compensation of 4000 victims who may most likely have been slain in the past 20 months, by way of custodial killings arising from torture and willful custodial shootings. READ ALSO: Igbo people are more in population in South Africa - MASSOB This should be done on the basis of proper identification of dead victims by their immediate families and lawyers. The remaining $1bn should be paid by the Buhari Government to the families and the churches of over 2800 dead Christians who are victims of the Nomad Fulani Jihadists in Nigeria since June 2015. The group said Buhari as the grand patron of "the Miyatta Allah Breeders Association of Nigeria had allowed personal sentiments to becloud his official position as the father of the country and protector of every citizen irrespective of his or her ethnoreligious and age background or identity". In other news, IPOB has vowed to ensure that Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state does not return to government house after the November 2017 poll. The group, reacting to statement credited to Obiano that IPOB is a toothless bulldog which is capable of words but incapable of action and being used by a few to enrich themselves under the guise of fighting for Igbo freedom, said the governor has crossed the red line and the consequences would be dire for his second term ambition. Source: Legit.ng President Muhammadu Buhari received vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo in his office today, Monday, March 13. The vice president provided briefing to Buhari who returned to the country after spending 51 days in London on an extended medical vacation. While the president was away, Osinbajo duly served as acting president and received commendation for the way he has stepped well into the position. READ ALSO: See President Buhari on his first day back in office (photos) Femi Adesina who is the special adviser to the president on medi and publicity shared pictures of the duo. He wrote: "President Muhammadu Buhari receives briefing from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in State House on 13th March ,2017." See pictures of the duo below President Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo Meanwhile, the president resumed a few minutes after 10 am immediately the car of his Aide-de-Camp Lawal Abubkar was seen parked at its official designated location at the forecourt by the Council Chamber, the Nation reports. Also, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, the special adviser and assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity respectively were seen in front of the Council Chamber moving towards the presidential residence. The president also signed a letter of resumption notifying the National Assembly of his plan to start work today. President Buhari in statement through Adesina said: In compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President has formally transmitted letters to the Senate and the House of Representatives, intimating the National Assembly that I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, 2017, after my vacation. Source: Legit.ng - The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday, March 13, said he has handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari - Osinbajo said the meeting which lasted for over an hour focused on economy, budget, North-East, and many other national issues - He also said he briefed the president on developments in the polity during his vacation in the United Kingdom Yemi Osinbajo said he has formally resumed work as the vice president The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday, March 13, said he has handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with the president, Osinbajo said he has formally handed over power to Buhari. The vice president noted that his meeting with the president which lasted for over one hour was focused on economy, budget, North-East, and many other national issues. READ ALSO: UPDATED: Buhari resumes work, notifies National Assembly (photos) Osinbajo: He is very well. We just had a very long meeting where I was basically trying to bring the president up to speed as to some of the things we have done while he was away. And he has given a few directives on what we should be doing on so many areas, the North-East, budget, the economy, a wide range of issues. He also said he briefed the president on developments in the polity during his vacation in the United Kingdom. He held a meeting with me for over an hour where we discussed a wide range of issues so his readiness for work is not in doubt at all. In fact, he is over- ready," Osinbajo said. Osinbajo also said the president was ready to get back to work. as he (Osinbajo) goes back to his position as the vice president. READ ALSO: Read Buharis first words upon resumption of work on March 13 (photos) Oh yes! Im back to my regular position as vice president," he said. He added that President Buhari was impressed with the way he handled the affairs of Nigeria while he (Buhari) was away. I think the President was reasonable satisfied," he said. I think the president, as you know, has always given me several responsibilities. I think what we must recognize is that the way this administration works is that it has always been team work. Very little is done without the presidents clearance. So, generally speaking even with responsibilities that are my constitutional responsibilities, we have full discussions on them; we have full agreements on all of those issues. READ ALSO: See President Buhari receiving briefing from Osinbajo as he resumes work (photos) "It is not necessarily delegation. Yes, in some cases, delegation but by and large practically everything I discuss fully with him and have his endorsement before we are able to go on and do anything at all. President Buhari transmitted his letter of resumption to the National Assembly, on Monday morning. Before travelling to the United Kingdom, President Buhari transmitted power to Osinbajo to act at the acting president of Nigeria. During the period Osinbajo handled the affair of the country by improving on the economy. The naira also gained strength against the United States dollars. Osinbajo also succeeded in visiting various states in the country including the one that has never been visited by President Buhari. See reactions from Nigerians below: See photos from Buhari and Osinbajo's meeting below: Source: Legit.ng Barely five days after a group under the aegis of Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum led by one Fejiro Oliver, led a massive protest against former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state, another protest is being organised by a group, Delta Good Fejior and his group, last week Wednesday, grounded Asaba in violent protestFejior and his group, last week Wednesday, grounded Asaba in violent protest where his group clashed with pro-Uduaghan group which almost led to bloodshed but for the timely intervention of policemen stationed at Delta Government House gate. The group, through one of its leaders, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, said the protest will hold in Abuja with the aim of drawing the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the corruption allegations against the former governor. Emmanuel Uduaghan He said the principal aim is to ensure the EFCC arrest Uduaghan and get him prosecuted for serial looting of the state treasury during his tenure as governor for eight years. READ ALSO: Former Delta Governor Uduaghan in trouble as protesting group invites EFCC to probe his tenure The protest he said will be organized by the group in collaboration with other civil society groups that are in the forefront of championing campaigns against corruption in Nigeria. Oghenesivbe said there are allegations that the former governor doled out hundreds of millions to some unnamed officials of anti-grafts agencies in the past but I strongly believe that EFCC under Ibrahim Magu is superb and cannot be hand twisted with bribes so as to close its eagle eyes to the stinky corruption profile of the ex-governor of Delta state, Dr. Emmanuel Iweta Uduaghan. He added that at the end of all the struggle, Uduaghan must be sent to jail. Source: Legit.ng Editors note: Festus Ogun, the Legit.ng partner blogger, in this piece, explains why President Muhammadu Buhari should consolidate on Osinbajos achievements as Acting President in order to take Nigerians to the promised land. Festus is a law undergraduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun. He could be contacted via: festusoguntv@gmail.com. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers. "Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power" Robert Greene The first of the 48 laws of power postulated by Robert Greene is: "Never outshine your master". Greene, in this book, made series of illustrations and analogies to drive well home his points that it is quite dangerous to outshine one's master. At this critical stage of our national history, this issue of outshining master is now of serious concern since it is a notorious fact that the elected Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has appeared to have outshined or is outshining his master, President Mohammadu Buhari, if not in all ramifications. READ ALSO: UPDATED: Buhari resumes work, notifies National Assembly (photos) But I'll be glad to tell my fellow Nigerians that this outshining is quite very reasonable, sensible and needed in delicate situations like this. In my view, it has no ugly side effects at all, since outshining his boss is for our national advancement and development and not for any other intention. Nigeria has been in serious quagmire for a while now since President Buhari was elected in 2015. Somewhat miraculously, since he left the country for vacation abroad over 50 days ago, things appeared to have turned the other way round, at least in some little ways. The economy is now moving. The hardship level has reduced a bit. Owing to this kind of development brought about by the Presidents absence, some citizens have prayed for Buhari not to return home yet. They believe once he returns all that have been refurbished by Osinbajo may be utterly disrupted by his presence within a twinkle of an eye. Does this necessarily mean the president is incompetent and not trusted? I don't know. Maybe, the citizens are saying this because of their fear and hatred for poverty and hardship. You know, hardship isn't fun and nice. It's hard! We must not be in a hurry to canonize Osinbajo a saint and throw stones of blame at Buhari. That will be quite unjust. The duo are both equally responsible for this administrations shortcomings. Take for instance, Osinbajo, an erudite lawyer, has been the head of the country's economic team from the outset. And even while he headed our economy, recession has been everywhere. At this period, many of us passed all the blames on the president, without considering the economic team or its leaders, even for once. Now that the vice-president has made the same economy a little better in his capacity as the acting president, should all the glory be accorded to Osinbajo alone without considering the president too? I smell the aroma of our hot hypocrisy here! Glory to God, Buhari is back. But, the popular notion that he may come back here to wobble everything for us, shouldn't be the concern. Our ability to put it straight to him on what ought to be done is what remains very paramount. The president must continue from where Prof Osinbanjo stopped. Now that he is back, taking the right steps at the right time and in the right direction is something he must adhere to. He should not be 'sleeping' on pressing issues. In my humble opinion, that made Osinbajo to perform so excellently is his adherence and observance of the forgoing instruction. Additionally, the president should restrain himself from much talking. If my memory is functional, I could recall that before he left for London, the presidency was talking more than acting. And in a country like ours, we need more action for us to progress as opposed to sweet words. Yet, this does not necessarily mean the president shouldn't address the nation on cogent issues as and when due. Also, the president should not act as if he's above the law since he and his office are both creations of law. I keep pondering on whether you can be above what created you, the same way man can never be above God, the creator. Executive lawlessness is not a thing that ought to be condoned in this clime and this is not a stranger in this Buhari administration. On his war against corruption, I have written vehemently that corruption is not everything. The same way Boko-Haram issue is not everything. The war against terrorism should be fought; corruption should also be fought. PAY ATTENTION: Nigeria News Legit.ng - Android Apps on Google Play Above all, our president must learn the art of taking simple instructions; not just from his aides and paid advisers but from ordinary citizens or rather mischief makers. He should be very ready to put on his humble robe by learning from his vice. From this little period Osinbajo spent as Acting President, Buhari should have spotted few of his mistakes and should be ready to make changes. 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 Now only lazy in Nigeria does not discuss Buharis long stay in London and his possible illnesses. The President has returned after his 49-days absence. Here is the Buharis illness update for your kind attention. Read and do not say that you do not now. So, what is the Buharis illness in 2017? Buhari illness 2017: Does he have anaemia? Nigerian certified medical doctor, Professor Femi Williams has disclosed the info concerning President Buharis illness in the UK. He said: We now have a pretty good idea of diagnosis, which is now comprehensive or good enough to say that the diagnosis of President Buharis illness is anaemia. You cannot be transfused if you dont have anaemia. READ ALSO: Buhari in London: Why is he still there? First, lets understand basic notions about anaemia to have more clear picture on the issue. Disorder not a disease Many think that anaemia is a disease, however, experts consider anaemia more as a disorder or a deformity, and so we can say that Buharis illness is more a disorder. A healthy body produces the right amount of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to other cells all over the body. In the case of minerals and vitamins lack, then there is no enough production of red blood cells or they begin to die, as a result, arrives anaemia. Buhari illness 2017: Does he have anaemia? What is anaemia? Anemia or poor blood as a medical term is a condition when the content of functionally complete red blood cells in blood is reduced, or when the total amount of blood in the body is reduced. Anemia is not an independent disease, it occurs as a syndrome with a variety of diseases and leads to a disruption in the supply of oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body, which in turn provokes the development of many other diseases and pathological conditions. Symptoms of anaemia The main symptoms of anemia are caused by the lack of oxygen in various organs: Weakness, fatigue; General malaise; Dyspnea; Pallor of the skin; Dizziness; A tendency to fainting. Causes There are three main causes of anemia: Significant hemorrhage; Violation of hematopoiesis; Increased destruction of erythrocytes. Degrees of severity of anemia By severity, anemia is divided into: Light - the level of hemoglobin is below normal, but above 90 g / l; Average - hemoglobin within the limits of 90-70 g / l; Severe - hemoglobin level less than 70 g / l. Buhari illness 2017: Does he have anaemia? Treatment of anaemia Naturally, the methods of anaemia treatment radically differ depending on the type of anaemia, its causes and severity. The main principle of treatment of anaemia of any kind is one - it is necessary to fight the cause of anaemia. Having anaemia, caused by blood loss, it is necessary to stop bleeding as soon as possible. With a large life-threatening blood loss, a transfusion of donor blood must be used. Having iron deficiency anemia, you must eat foods rich in iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid (they improve the absorption of iron and hemopoiesis), the doctor can also prescribe medications containing these substances. Having anemia, provoked by infectious diseases and intoxication, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, carry out urgent measures for detoxification of the body. Buhari illness 2017: Does he have anaemia? In complicated conditions transfusion of blood or packed red blood cells must be used, in order to stimulate own production of red blood cells. President Muhammed Buhari got a blood transfusion in the UK, so probably he had a high degree of anaemia severity, especially taking into account that the President was transfused with whole blood. He had deficient blood circulation, so all his organs suffered from the lack of oxygen. Buhari illness 2017: Does he have anaemia? It was informed that the last eighteen month our President has been feeling tired, possibly due to anaemia. One of the likely trigger for Buharis illness in London became kidney and liver damage caused by pain relieving medicines but it is not the fact. Most probably, reasons for Buharis anaemia became some type of cancer or just aging. After successful correction, Buhari feels himself much better. President Buhari encourages all citizens of Nigeria avoid self-medication and to trust doctors. Some of us are glad that the President is now back home, some are not very glad. The main thing is to know the truth, lack of information is always very frustrating. So dont forget to share this article with others. READ ALSO: 6 facts about Buhari's likely illness revealed by experts Source: Legit.ng - Nigeria and South Afirca are joining hands to tackle xenophobia - Both countries are planning to set-up a xenophobia-busting monitor - This was a meeting agreed after a meeting of both countries foreign affairs ministers Nigeria and South Africa would launch a jointly run "early warning" system to track and deter xenophobic attacks against Nigerian migrants. Nigeria's minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his South African counterpart, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane addressing the press after their deliberations This was the resolution after a meeting between Nigeria's minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his South African counterpart, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on Monday, March 13. The meeting was to diffuse soaring tensions over a recent string of attacks on migrants living in South Africa which has elicited reactions in Nigeria. "The early warning centre would allow us keep each other abreast of issues and help prevent violence," Nkoana-Mashabane said. READ ALSO: TUC asks Nigeria to recall its high commissioner in South Africa over xenophobic attacks The new violence-busting forum will meet every three months and will be made up of representatives from both countries and include immigration officials, business associations and civil society groups. Nkoana-Mashabane denied that the attacks on foreign nationals were targeted at Nigerians, adding that citizens of other countries were also affected. On his part, Onyeama said he had received assurances that Nigerians in South Africa would be able to live in peace, even as he called for an end to the "mass attacks". He added that groups in Nigeria calling for the retaliatory expulsion of South African residents and businesses "do not speak on behalf of government". Last week, militant groups in the Niger Delta instructed have 18 South African companies and personnel to leave the region or risk attacks because of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Similarly, business activities at MTN headquarters in Falomo, Lagos, on Friday, March 3, were disrupted over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa by protesters under the aegis of the Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre. The Nigerian government last month called for the African Union to step in to stop xenophobic attacks on its citizens in South Africa. Resonding to the crisis, President Jacob Zuma condemned the wave of xenophobic unrest and called for calm and restraint, saying that migrants should not be used as a scapegoat for the country's widespread crime problem. There were several incidents last month of South African locals attacking migrants from Africa and elsewhere and their businesses in both the administrative capital Pretoria and the commercial capital Johannesburg. According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, there are about 800,000 Nigerians in the country, many of them living in Johannesburg. READ ALSO: NLC urges South Africa to prosecute perpetrators of Xenophobic attacks Meanwhile, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) on Friday, March 11 staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan against the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. The students in their hundreds went round the metropolis to demonstrate against what they called inhuman treatment of Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. Source: Legit.ng Jay Lynch, an artist, writer and satirist who was a central figure in the underground comics revolution of the 1960s and 70s, died on March 5 at his home in Candor, N.Y. He was 72. His cousin Valerie Snowden said the cause was lung cancer. Mr. Lynch, who had a wry, deadpan sense of humor, held strong views about the importance of underground comics, which differentiated themselves from the mainstream through raunchy and grotesque depictions of sex, drugs and violence. Underground comix were the most important art movement of the 20th century, he wrote, using the comics spelling preferred by underground cartoonists, in the introduction to Underground Classics: The Transformation of Comics Into Comix (2009), by Denis Kitchen and James Danky. Well, now Im upset. And not in a good way. Astrids (presumed) death feels wrong to me. It feels sadistic. Not toward me, of course (though I needed this loss like a hole in the head), but toward Quinn who, as Astrid herself noted, has lost so much already. He no doubt deserved some degree of punishment for sucker-punching her in the gut, reducing their relationship to a series of pathetic one-night stands, and then, by way of apology, acknowledging her as no more than a friend. Whether he was speaking his truth, or acting like a self-protective 16-year-old, well never know. The harm is done. But did he deserve to pay this high a price? Its one thing to test characters a hero cant be a hero without some tribulations but punishing them for crimes not altogether clear generally feels wrong to me. Betty Draper in Mad Men, for example, always struck me as a punching-bag for the writers a cold, sometimes cruel, mother subject to not only chronic marital humiliations but also to the indignities of binge eating, followed by the agonies of lung cancer (which she petulantly smoked her way through). I always felt like there was some writerly unmet-need-driven Bad Mommy anger operating there, beyond the surface-level attack on pre-feminism housewifery. But I digress. At least one reader has commented with apologies for the focus on such seeming trivia that Quinn needs a shower and a fresh change of clothes. Others have noted their painful discomfort and, lets admit it, dislike of and impatience with his slowed speech and reduced physical capabilities. I found myself wincing in a not-entirely-sympathetic way this week when he wailed like a baby after Astrid was shot. It seemed so undignified, and I had been so glad, in the last few episodes, to see some signs of his old Quinn-ness returning. His hair was falling back at a more attractive angle again. He was generating some terse, yet meaning-laden full sentences: Ill give it some serious thought. Even the shading of his bruises was harmonizing beautifully with the blue of his eyes. LONDON Mark Tucker, chief executive of the Asian life insurer AIA Group, is set to replace Douglas Flint as chairman of HSBC in October, the bank said on Sunday. Mr. Tucker, 59, would be the first outsider to take the chairmans role at HSBC as the bank, which is based in London but generates much of its profit in Asia, reshapes its leadership. He is expected to relocate from Hong Kong to London for the role. One of Mr. Tuckers first duties would be to lead the search for a replacement for HSBCs chief executive, Stuart Gulliver, who plans to retire. The bank has shaken up its board in the past year, adding four new independent directors. Mr. Tuckers appointment came nearly a year after the lender announced that it had begun a search to replace Mr. Flint, who has been chairman since 2010. Mr. Flint, 61, arrived at HSBC in 1995 and joined the board later that year as group finance director. STOCKHOLM Icelands finance ministry said on Sunday that in the coming week it would lift the remaining capital controls that have been in place since the financial crisis in 2008, easing restrictions on households and businesses. The removal of the capital controls, which stabilized the currency and economy during the countrys unprecedented financial crash, represents the completion of Icelands return to international financial markets, the ministry said in a statement. The changes, which are to take effect on Tuesday, will affect individuals, companies and pension funds. The government started to dismantle capital controls last year by easing restrictions for local residents. Icelands central bank said in a separate statement that it had entered an agreement to purchase offshore assets for close to 90 billion Icelandic krona (about $836 million) at an exchange rate of 137.5 krona per euro. There, you would have seen the radio host Mark Levin, whose show was credited with helping to spur Mr. Trumps accusations, laying out the case for Mr. Trump, declaring, This is about the Obama administrations spying. The proof, you would have heard him say, was already out there in the mainstream media what with a report on the website Heat Street saying that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had secured a warrant to investigate ties between people in Mr. Trumps campaign and Russia, and articles in The New York Times, in The Washington Post and elsewhere about intelligence linking people in Mr. Trumps campaign to Russia, some of it from wiretaps. These are police state tactics! Mr. Levin would tell you. The next day, perhaps your Twitter or Facebook feed turned up a post from the Gateway Pundit recently granted a White House press credential speculating that maybe, just maybe, the F.B.I. director Let Hillary Off the Hook Because She Knew About F.B.I. Wiretapping. As the week unspooled, you would have seen commentary on why Mr. Trumps charge was so believable (Breitbart) and, shockingly, how its even possible that the C.I.A. hacked Clinton campaign email but made it look as if Russia had done it (Bill Mitchell, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity). Sure, you would have picked up static from other sources that made some of this seem ridiculous. But that stuff is for the followers of Adventure B, relying on fact-based journalism from seasoned reporters with deep contacts and established (and, yes, sometimes imperfect) protocols for fact-checking all of which the Adventure A people view with deep suspicion that the president is only too happy to stir. If you were among the Adventure B folk, maybe you saw James Clapper Jr., the former national security director, tell Chuck Todd on Meet the Press that Sunday that the F.B.I. had not secured a FISA warrant to spy on Mr. Trumps aides. You probably would have seen the news, first reported by The Times, that the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, had asked the Justice Department to deny Mr. Trumps charge (to no avail), and the viral video of George Stephanopoulos of ABC News telling a presidential aide, Thats false, as she tried to reprise the Adventure A argument that mainstream news reports backed Mr. Trumps wiretap accusation. We are not trying to criminalize ordinary politics, Mr. Bharara said in a speech at New York Law School in 2015. Nor, he said, were his prosecutors seeking to wag their fingers, serve as morality cops or demand that officials be free of vice. Just try not to steal our money, he said. We simply want people in high office to stop violating the law. It seems like a simple and modest request. By the time his public corruption unit had won the convictions of Mr. Silver and Mr. Skelos, Mr. Bharara had successfully prosecuted a dozen current or former state legislators, as well as 15 local officials, party leaders, political consultants and fund-raisers, including two current or former New York City Council members. Only one was acquitted. Not all of Mr. Bhararas public corruption inquiries led to criminal charges, most notably his sweeping examination of Mr. Cuomos abrupt shutdown in March 2014 of an anticorruption commission that the governor had formed with great fanfare just nine months earlier. A Times investigation published in July 2014 showed that before disbanding the panel, known as the Moreland Commission, Mr. Cuomo had hobbled its work, intervening when it focused on groups with ties to the governor or on issues that might reflect poorly on him. But after an investigation that spanned more than a year, Mr. Bharara said in January 2016 that his office had concluded that absent any additional proof that may develop, there is insufficient evidence to prove a federal crime. Yet the Moreland Commission was clearly not far from Mr. Bhararas mind. On Sunday afternoon, he used a recently opened personal Twitter account to say, By the way, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like. Mr. Bhararas investigation clearly stuck with Mr. Cuomo as well. In the lead-up to Mr. Trumps inauguration, Mr. Cuomo, who has done little to hide his frustration with Mr. Bharara, told a Trump adviser in passing that the prosecutor was a bad guy, saying, Preet is not your friend, according to a person familiar with the discussion. (A Cuomo spokeswoman denied that the governor had made such a statement.) The resignation statement from the United States attorney in Manhattan was blunt: I hope that my fight for independence will make it easier for my successor to withstand the harsh, narrow partisan views on law enforcement currently in favor at the Department of Justice in Washington. Was that written by Preet Bharara, the longtime prosecutor who was fired on Saturday by the Trump administration? No, those words came from Robert M. Morgenthau, who served in the same post for nearly a decade before he said he was given an ultimatum by the administration of President Richard M. Nixon, a Republican, in 1969: Resign, or be fired. After some resistance, Mr. Morgenthau, then 50, finally agreed to step down. The parallels between the two mens departures nearly half a century apart from the same office United States attorney for the Southern District of New York do not end there. On the campaign trail, no foreign policy issue seized Donald Trump more than the fight against the Islamic State. Once president, he signed an executive order giving his generals 30 days to produce a plan to defeat the terrorist group, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis gave him options on Feb. 27. Yet if Mr. Trump has decided on a new plan for defeating ISIS, it isnt obvious. The missions underway in Iraq and Syria were set in motion by President Barack Obama. While they have achieved some tactical successes, they point to a deepening American military involvement in both countries. The question now is whether Mr. Trump will continue, or accelerate, that trend. Last week, American officials announced plans to nearly double their forces in Syria with 400 more troops and the Pentagon is reportedly considering sending 1,000 extra troops to Kuwait as a reserve force. They are also weighing more troops for Iraq, where about 5,000 Americans are training and assisting Iraqi security forces. Though the Americans are not expected to be involved in ground combat, they are moving closer to the front lines. As a candidate, Mr. Trump derided Mr. Obamas anti-ISIS strategy as a disaster, though offering none of his own. Now, in office, he shouldnt ignore the progress that has been made. Local forces backed by American airstrikes have retaken large areas of Syria and Iraq that ISIS captured in 2014. The eastern part of Mosul, once Iraqs second-largest city, was recently liberated from ISIS. On Feb. 19, Iraqi forces launched a battle for the western part of the city, where a million people are trapped in desperate conditions. Last week, an American-backed militia in Syria captured the main road connecting Raqqa to territory the group holds in Deir al-Zour Province, severing the last supply and escape route for its fighters. The groups claim to legitimacy has rested mainly on holding territory, so losing those strongholds would be a devastating blow. Try, if you must, to resist the gale of good will that blows out of Come From Away, the big bearhug of a musical that opened on Sunday night at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater. But even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure. Come From Away set, you should know, on and after the world-shaking date of Sept. 11, 2001 pushes so many emotional buttons that you wind up feeling like an accordion. That does not mean that youll leave thinking you have been played. For this Canadian-born production, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and directed by Christopher Ashley, is as honorable in its intentions as it is forthright in its sentimentality. And it may provide just the catharsis you need in an American moment notorious for dishonorable and divisive behavior. Come From Away sounds like a show that most New Yorkers would run a city mile to avoid. I mean, come on guys, a feel-good 9/11 musical created by a husband-and-wife team whose most notable previous credit was something called My Mothers Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding? Thats a self-spoofing concept that might have come up in a Saturday Night Live brainstorming session, and been rejected on the grounds of bad taste. I was very impressed with the way he handled it and his fairness in presenting essentially abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the Department of Justice for investigation, Mr. Camayd-Freixas said of Mr. Acosta. He put together a complaint, and he elevated it. But Mr. Yeomans also recalled an example of what he described as Mr. Acostas propensity for cutting corners. While Mr. Acosta was transitioning into the prestigious post of assistant attorney general for civil rights, he told Mr. Yeomans, then a career Justice Department attorney, that he planned to a hire a Republican lawyer, whom he knew through political connections and who most likely would not have qualified for the job, because the lawyer was sick and needed benefits. The hiring disturbed Mr. Yeomans, but Mr. Acosta saw the gesture as a much-needed gift for a man who needed health insurance. It shows a disregard for being a good steward of the taxpayers dollars, Mr. Yeomans said. It suggests he would be unlikely to stand up if the Trump administration told him to do things that should not be done. Around that time, Mr. Acosta drafted a 2004 letter to a federal judge in Ohio, seemingly dismissing the significance of vote caging in the presidential election. Democrats saw the practice, in which private citizens challenge the eligibility of African-American and other voters, as an intentional Republican strategy to disenfranchise minorities. But Mr. Acosta, from his office in the Civil Rights Division, wrote that under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 passed after the disastrous 2000 Florida recount to help states modernize voting any challenge to a voters eligibility would be offset by that voters right to cast a provisional ballot. HAVAs provisional ballot requirement is relevant to the balance between ballot access and ballot integrity, he said in the letter. Challenge statutes, such as those at issue in Ohio, are part of this balance. To Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, who also worked under Mr. Acosta at the Justice Department, that letter is a red flag. WASHINGTON The Trump administration is exploring how to dismantle or bypass Obama-era constraints intended to prevent civilian deaths from drone attacks, commando raids and other counterterrorism missions outside conventional war zones like Afghanistan and Iraq, according to officials familiar with internal deliberations. Already, President Trump has granted a Pentagon request to declare parts of three provinces of Yemen to be an area of active hostilities where looser battlefield rules apply. That opened the door to a Special Operations raid in late January in which several civilians were killed, as well as to the largest-ever series of American airstrikes targeting Yemen-based Qaeda militants, starting nearly two weeks ago, the officials said. Mr. Trump is also expected to sign off soon on a similar Pentagon proposal to designate parts of Somalia to be another such battlefield-style zone for 180 days, removing constraints on airstrikes and raids targeting people suspected of being militants with the Qaeda-linked group the Shabab, they said. Inside the White House, the temporary suspension of the limits for parts of Yemen and Somalia is seen as a test run while the government considers whether to more broadly rescind or relax the Obama-era rules, said the officials, who described the internal deliberations on the condition of anonymity. That account left many questions about the firing of Mr. Bharara, who was told by Mr. Trump during the transition period that he would be retained. Some Democrats accused Mr. Trump on Sunday of seeking to deter aggressive federal investigations on Wall Street and elsewhere. Despite being asked repeatedly on Saturday about the nature of the call, the White House was silent until Sunday. Ms. Sanders declined to answer other questions, such as why Mr. Trump had changed his mind on Mr. Bharara, whether the president had made similar calls to other United States attorneys before demanding their resignations, and why the president did not try to convey his good wishes through an aide or by some other means. In the call on Thursday, a woman who said she was from the presidents office left a voice mail message asking Mr. Bharara to call back, according to a person to whom Mr. Bharara described the call. The person, who was not authorized to discuss the matter, spoke on the condition of anonymity. Mr. Bharara conferred with his deputy about whether it would be appropriate to return the call, the person said. Then he and his deputy, Joon H. Kim, reviewed Justice Department memos governing such contacts, the person added. Because the caller had not specified what the president wanted to discuss, they concluded that it would be prudent to not return the call and to instead contact the office of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the person said. Mr. Bharara called the chief of staff to the attorney general, Joseph H. Hunt. Mr. Hunt was direct and clear in our conversation that, given written White House contacts policy, my position as a sitting U.S. attorney, and my offices jurisdiction, it would be improper for me to speak directly to the sitting president without knowing the subject matter, Mr. Bharara said in his statement. Representative Steve King, a Republican from Iowa who has a history of making inflammatory statements viewed by many as insensitive or outright racist, was roundly criticized on Sunday for his apparent endorsement of white nationalism. Mr. King made the remark on Twitter when he shared a story by the Voice of Europe website about the far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who wants to end Muslim immigration and ban the Quran and who has called Moroccan immigrants scum. Children suffered a drastic escalation in violence from the Syrian civil war in 2016, the United Nations said Sunday in a report that showed child deaths jumped at least 20 percent from the year before and recruitment of child combatants more than doubled. The report, released by Unicef, the United Nations Childrens Fund, said 2016 was the worst year yet for children whose lives have been upended by the Syria conflict, which entered its seventh year this month. The depth of suffering is unprecedented, Geert Cappelaere, the Unicef regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement releasing the report. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. The report said that verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. SAN FRANCISCO The National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park here is a somber glen of plants, trees, walks, grass and cairn, with thousands of names etched in stones and pavement. Visitors emotions run high, but the details of exactly how AIDS devastated and transformed the world are not found here. The story of AIDS is more than a disease, said John Cunningham, executive director of the grove. The real underpinnings of that story are about humanity, social justice, human rights and what it means to be a citizen of the world. Somehow there needs to be a keeper of the story. Now there is a move to create just that: a place to chronicle the AIDS tragedy more comprehensively, to explore the pandemics many facets in a permanent national exhibition and repository. It would be similar to institutions commemorating other cataclysmic events: the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Manhattan and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan. The effort is in its nascent stages, being discreetly explored by the staff and board of the grove, which Congress designated a National Memorial in 1996. (It is the only AIDS-related monument to receive such status.) Budget travelers interested in exploring art often barely need to roll out of bed these days, as a growing number of hostels embrace the display of original work in their public spaces and guest rooms. Art adds character and a warm feeling and helps travelers have a connection to the local community, said Marek Mossakowski, global head of brand for the booking firm Hostelworld Group. The main goal, he said, is not selling a work but rather to serve as a showcase and incubator for artists and to support local businesses. Its all about the experience, helping travelers to discover a new destination, said Mr. Mossakowski, who recently stayed at the Local NY, a hostel in Long Island City, Queens, during a visit from London. Guests ranging from backpackers to students to business travelers can sample original contemporary work at many of these hostels, including comic book and tattoo art, and reproductions of the great masters. Some hostels host traveling exhibitions and artist-in-residence programs; others lead tours to local art museums. The Minneapolis Institute of Art has invited the Mexican-born painter Aliza Nisenbaum, who is based in New York, to spend three months this summer in Latino, East African and other immigrant neighborhoods in Minneapolis, painting the people she meets there. Her work will be on display at the museum from this September through February 2018, with videos about the surrounding communities. Kaywin Feldman, director and president of the museum, called Ms. Nisenbaums work political with a small p. One-third of our current strategic plan is devoted to engaging with our neighbors, Ms. Feldman said. Were located in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. The planned exhibition is part of the museums artist-in-residence program. Museums have always been interested in exploring the relationship of their collections to the communities around them, she said, but are feeling a need now to be even more relevant. As terrorism fears have mounted and tensions have escalated toward Muslims in the United States in recent years, the Childrens Museum of Manhattan is doing its part to help defuse the rising anxiety. Its exhibition America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far showcases the history, art and traditions of Muslims, with the belief that education will beat back ignorance and hate every time. People really want to dig in and get a better understanding from a trusted source about Muslim cultures, said Andrew S. Ackerman, the museums executive director. And the earlier people are exposed to diverse cultures, the better, he said. Biases can form by age 6, noted Lizzy Martin, the shows curator. Mr. Ackerman said, We want young children to be exposed to as much diversity as possible to better understand other people and themselves, and theres no question that reduces prejudice, violence and misunderstandings. The show has been so popular since its opening in February 2016 that its run has been extended another year, and plans are underway to take it on a nationwide tour in 2018. New York is catching up on Africas modern art history, though our big museums arent much in the picture. Two of that continents leading 20th-century painters are having first major solos here, not at the Museum of Modern Art or the Guggenheim, but at small downtown galleries. And a remarkable contemporary artist collective from the Democratic Republic of Congo is making its New York debut at an alternative space in Queens. The Senegalese artist Mor Faye (1947-1984) made a vivid impression two decades ago in a group show at the now-defunct Museum for African Art, then in SoHo. His work, all but absent since, is being reintroduced by Skoto Gallery in one of the most stimulating painting shows in Chelsea this season. Born in Dakar, Faye was a prodigy. At 14, he studied with the great modernist Iba NDiaye, and within a few years was a teacher himself. His career coincided with a high postcolonial moment. Senegals poet-president, Leopold Sedar Senghor, gave art a leading role in shaping a national culture aligned with the literary movement called Negritude. In 1966, Faye was a star of the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar. And he was able, thanks to Senghors importing of European shows to Africa, to absorb first hand a wide range of Western art history. As has often been said about Schubert, it is odd to speak of the late works of a composer who died at 31. But that is not to deny that the term has meaning. For some half dozen years before his death, in 1828, Schubert suffered with worsening symptoms of syphilis and realized ever more clearly that his days were dwindling. Yet during those years he poured out an astonishing quantity of works of heavenly length (Schumanns term) and immense depth, which mingled or juxtaposed aching beauty with severe agitation. New Yorkers had a rich opportunity to contemplate all of this last week at Carnegie Hall, where the pianist Andras Schiff played in the Stern Auditorium on Thursday and the pianist Jonathan Biss and the tenor Mark Padmore performed in Zankel Hall on Friday. The Friday concert was the last of three in which Mr. Biss concentrated on late style or leave-taking, as he calls it in Schubert and others. He performed the Piano Sonata in A (D. 959), from Schuberts last few months, and joined Mr. Padmore in a dozen songs from 1827 and 1828. In a program essay, Mr. Biss writes of the lyricism and terror existing side by side in the astonishing and often unsettling music of Schuberts late period. Alongside its well-publicized drive to dominate original content, Netflix is quietly transforming our television experience in another, perhaps just as profound way. Already this year it has added series from Argentina, Britain, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and Turkey to its American offerings. The United States may be tightening its borders to other countries citizens, but for now, at least, their television shows are flooding in unmolested. Netflix has a lot of competition in this area. But it has programmed foreign series more aggressively than other general-interest streamers like Amazon and Hulu, and while smaller specialty sites may have larger offerings in Asian soap operas (DramaFever) or British dramas (AcornTV), Netflixs scale gives the shows it acquires a greater potential impact. Not all of the shows deserve that showcase a fair share of the Netflix offerings are risible melodrama of interest strictly for varietys sake, or to homesick expats from the shows countries of origin. But there are diamonds or at least, say, tourmalines to be found. A pair of series added to the service in December without much fanfare, Fauda from Israel and Nobel from Norway, are both better than and distinctively different from most of the American TV youre watching at the moment. The Bachelor wraps up its 21st season as Nick Viall gives a rose to the winning woman his potential fiancee. And on Medici.tv, Gustavo Dudamel begins conducting the cycle of Beethovens nine symphonies, which continues through Wednesday. Whats on TV THE BACHELOR 8 p.m. on ABC. Nick Viall, a former Bachelorette contestant who is now looking for love as the star of The Bachelor, has whittled down his list of potential partners to two: Raven Gates, a fashion boutique owner from Arkansas, and Vanessa Grimaldi, a special-education teacher from Montreal. Weeks of group dates, heart-to-hearts and make-out sessions have led to this two-hour finale. Followed by The Bachelor: After the Rose, a one-hour special with Mr. Viall and the winner, at 10. A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964) 9 p.m. on Starz Encore. Sergio Leones spaghetti western, the first in his Dollars trilogy starring Clint Eastwood, is taught in film classes and beloved by cinephiles. But Bosley Crowthers review in The New York Times, of the movies American premiere in 1967, was far less effusive. Cowboy camp, he wrote. Just about every Western cliche that went with the old formula of the cool and mysterious gunslinger who blows into an evil frontier town and takes on the wicked, greedy varmints, knocking them off one by one, is in this egregiously synthetic but engrossingly morbid, violent film. ANIMALS STRIKE CURIOUS POSES Essays By Elena Passarello Illustrated. 217 pp. Sarabande Books. $19.95. The first time I visited the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, I wandered entranced through galleries packed with curiosities to open a door onto an uncanny re-creation of a Central Asian courtyard, a rooftop columbarium of fountains and ferns, statuary and stillness. And there I found myself face to face with a live Barbary dove on her nest, her small dark eyes inwardly focused on nothing more than the need to sit, the feathers on her crossed wings lifting in a dusty breeze curling up from the streets below. This dove was a prop on a set designed purely for the play of human imagination, and yet there she sat, knowing nothing of this purpose, concerned only with the eggs beneath her. Looking at her made my eyes spill with tears. So did this book, whose title is, aptly, a line from Princes When Doves Cry. Ive spent decades reading books on the roles animals play in human cultures, but none have ever made me think, and feel, as much as this one. Its a devastating meditation on our relationship to the natural world. It might be the best book on animals Ive ever read. Its also the only one thats made me laugh out loud. Passarello is a Whiting Award-winning essayist and former actor whose previous collection, Let Me Clear My Throat (2012), tackled the subject of the human voice in a series of essays that ranged from the Wilhelm scream to the apostrophized voice of a sentient ventriloquists dummy. Now, in Animals Strike Curious Poses, she has written biographies of famous animals from Yuka the mummified mammoth (37,000 B.C.) to Cecil the Lion (2015), taking in on the way a menagerie as various as Albrecht Durers rhinoceros; Elizabethan fighting bears; Mr. Ed; a space-station spider; and the tortoise reputedly kidnapped by Darwin. The formal exuberance of this modern bestiary is exhilarating. In one extraordinary piece, Passarello pleats together the timeline of the history of electricity in America with that of the history of elephants in America, weaving light and darkness, electrocution and executions into a scorching meditation on the violence at the heart of modernity. In others she recreates the missing half of Christopher Smarts poetic paean to his Cat Jeoffry, and supplies us with a deadpan transcription of Koko the gorilla signing a famously obscene theatrical joke. Image Mr. Ed with his television co-star Alan Young as Wilbur. Credit... Shout! Factory Its a lazy move to use an authors background as a key to unlocking her work. But in its playful, performative, dramatic and fearless inhabiting of diverse voices and selves, this is an actors book. Despite her intellectual brilliance, Passarello rejects the dry style of the anthropologist or cultural critic: In Bergers thinking, little space exists for children, she acutely observes in an essay on the animals of her own childhood. And this has political, as well as creative, import. For Animals Strike Curious Poses speaks of and for the voiceless hordes with whom we share the earth, shows us how we make sense of them and, crucially, how they make sense for us. Up from the mummy on that ice-cave slab comes a linked chain of animals, all of them pointing backward, she writes of the frozen mammoth. Thats what she is doing here, forging a chain of essays with themes that link and snap together, so that upon reading one essay, the others are carried up and along with it, the clear analytic coherence running through its wildly disparate essay forms being perhaps this books fiercest grace. This is the kind of breezy prose that has catapulted Harari into an international star and it is equally evident in this book. Ill return to that brushed-off nightmare the barbed wire and mushroom clouds but Harari continues apace: Having raised humanity above the beastly level of survival struggles, we will now aim to upgrade humans into gods, and turn Homo sapiens into Homo deus. To describe this ascendancy, Harari examines the factors that made the human species so special. Homo sapiens does its best to forget the fact, but it is an animal, he writes. So how did this animal come to claim dominion over all other beasts? The answer, he argues, lies not in the uniqueness of our emotions, sensations, morals or moods. Pigs and monkeys share many of these with us including the capacity to feel anger, envy, pain and even a desire for justice. Humans exceed these capacities by encoding complex algorithms a methodological set of steps that can be used to make calculations, resolve problems and reach decisions. Pigs, dogs and monkeys indeed, all living beings also encode algorithms, Harari tells us; the human ones happen to be particularly complicated and powerful. In the second section of the book, we witness the relentless march of Homo pre-deus toward Homo deus from humans who worship gods into humans who become gods. Technology overtakes religion; the fear of nature transmutes into an unprecedented capacity to control nature. Harari has, for my taste, a tendency to overstate the reach of such technological fixes. Editing every disease-linked gene in the human genome is not as easy, or as technically feasible, as Harari might wish it in part, because many diseases, we now know, are the consequences of dozens of gene variants, and of gene-environment and gene-chance interactions. But the writing in this section is lively and enables Harari to raise the most provocative question of this book: If humans succeeded by virtue of their algorithm, then why couldnt another such algorithm topple us in turn? What kind of algorithms does Harari have in mind? They happen to be written by humans themselves. The first kind encoded within computational machines will create new technological beings with artificial intelligence. The second encoded in DNA will create new biological beings with higher natural intelligence. Our capacity to manipulate two fundamental forms of information the biological and the computational, the byte and the gene will thus result in the birth of superior beings who will ultimately overrun our world. They will take over our jobs, infiltrate lives, and control our emotions and fates as easily as they control our traffic and taxis today. They will write poetry, make love, create art and look, feel and behave like us only better. Harari is not the first to describe this progression of the human species, but his account may well be one of the most chilling to date. Yet even Harari, a master of the catchy story and historical vignette, fails to convince me entirely. First, there is that pesky matter of the barbed wire and the mushroom cloud. Although Harari is correct in noting the overall decline of violence, hideous conflagrations continue to flare around us (Harari lists a profusion of technological innovations created in the last century antibiotics, computers, the list goes on and then challenges the reader to come up with similarly powerful innovations in religion. I couldnt resist: contemporary versions of radical fundamentalism, the use of social media for dispersal, not a particularly pleasant list but it, too, goes on). The algorithms of violence, to contort Hararis own formulation, have doubtless grown more subtle, but they persist and Hararis vision of humans doomed by superhuman biological or computational machines might well be marred by humans doomed by subhuman biological or computational machines: a terrifying contagion, a nuclear war or, most likely, a cataclysm in climate that we will be utterly powerless to stop. Nor can I share Hararis optimism about certain medical technologies. The examples he provides of gene sequencing to map and predict human fates, say have crashed into inherent limits: Chance plays such a crucial role in the development of certain illnesses that genes, although important, may still be relegated to the background. Perhaps well learn to hack chance in the future too. But until then, the interventions that preoccupy Hararis fantasies will be dominated by few, highly penetrant genes that influence fates and futures in an autonomous manner. Several such genes do exist but it would be premature to extrapolate this idea to the whole genome. A controversy arose in 2007 over the removal of nine United States attorneys by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales that had nothing to do with a change in administration, but triggered questions about whether the changes were because of a failure to pursue charges against political opponents. Among those involved in the Senate inquiry into the firings was Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, with Mr. Bharara serving as his chief counsel. Mr. Bhararas office has been involved in a number of sensitive public corruption cases over the past few years, obtaining convictions of Sheldon Silver, the former speaker of the New York State Assembly, and Dean G. Skelos, the former Republican majority leader of the State Senate. The status of those cases is up in the air as the federal appeals court in Manhattan considers whether the Supreme Courts decision last year in McDonnell v. United States, which restricted the corruption laws, might require overturning the convictions. Mr. Silvers case is scheduled to be heard this week. A significant continuing investigation concerns fund-raising for Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York related to possible pay-to-play issues involving the awarding of city contracts. Mr. de Blasio was interviewed for four hours recently by federal prosecutors and F.B.I. agents, indicating that the inquiry has reached a late stage. Much like a general, the United States attorney is responsible for the overall leadership of an office, but usually does not get involved in the details of an investigation or prosecution. The role is more about the deployment of the offices resources and setting priorities for career prosecutors, who are largely unaffected by the political persuasion of their bosses. The removal of a United States attorney often does not have a direct impact on pending investigations, especially those that are well along, because the chief deputy in the office usually takes over until the Senate approves a new appointee. Joon H. Kim, a close associate of Mr. Bharara, was named the acting United States attorney in Manhattan, but whether he too might be replaced by someone with closer ties to the attorney general remains to be seen. Mr. Trump has not even nominated any replacements for the 93 United States attorneys, a process that usually requires months to identify candidates and complete the necessary background investigations. A chilling little bill is working its way through Congress. It could have the effect of ending the class action as an American institution. The legislation, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act, passed the House last week. If it becomes law, it will be one more perverse disservice to the working class who are said to have driven the 2016 election, because the main losers will be ordinary Americans. In February, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Bob Goodlatte, Republican of Virginia, announced the proposed legislation in Orwellian terms, as a bill to improve access to justice for American consumers. He pushed it through the committee on a strict party-line vote only six days later, without a hearing, even though it is much longer and more complex than the bill that passed in 2016. The bill is such a mess that some experts say its main effect will be protracted litigation over its meaning. The curious thing is the degree to which average Americans have been convinced that lawyers, and the law that is there to protect them, are their foes. Proponents of bills like the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act stress the small individual recoveries class actions sometimes generate, the large lawyers fees and anecdotes that make lawsuits seem ridiculous, like the famous, though misrepresented lawsuit over McDonalds coffee. In the world of driverless cars, household names like Google and Uber have raced ahead of rivals, building test vehicles and starting trials on city streets. But when it comes to what is under the hood, an array of lesser-known companies will most likely supply the technology required to bring driverless cars to the masses. And in a $15.3 billion deal announced on Monday, Intel moved to corner the market on how much of that technology is developed. The chip makers acquisition of Mobileye, an Israeli company that makes sensors and cameras for driverless vehicles, is one of the largest in the fast-growing sector and sets the stage for increasing competition between Silicon Valley giants as well as traditional automakers over who will dominate the world of autonomous cars. The likes of Google and Uber have already invested billions of dollars in their own technology, signing partnerships with automakers like Chrysler and Volvo and sending test vehicles onto the road in a bid to cement their place in the industry. The sector is estimated to be worth $25 billion annually by 2025, according to Bain & Company, a consulting firm. As a landlord, Vision Property Management has had a reputation of not responding promptly to tenant complaints about major problems with its rent-to-own homes. Vision, a national company, has also been accused of not being responsive to concerns raised by local property code officials. So it may not be surprising that the company, based in Columbia, S.C., has kept a congressman waiting as well. Interest in firms like Vision that are engaged in some variation of seller-financing has been growing among lawmakers and regulators. In January, Representative Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland and the ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter asking the chief executive of Vision Property Management to respond to reports by The New York Times and other news organizations that documented the financial and physical harms caused by its business practices. But nearly two months later, neither Vision nor its chief executive, Alex Szkaradek, has responded to the three-page letter, according to a person who was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to speak publicly because the matter is still pending. This person said a representative for Vision had indicated that it intended to comply with the document request by weeks end. William A. Ackman, a billionaire investor, staked his reputation as a savvy stock picker on his ability to oversee a turnaround at Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. When other hedge funds began to leave Valeant in 2015 as questions about its practices for pricing drugs and its accounting procedures mounted, Mr. Ackman bravely some might say stubbornly stood his ground. To defend his big bet on Valeant, he held a marathon conference call with investors and reporters in October 2015. He then effectively doubled down by adding shares and taking two board seats with the company including one for himself. Last year, he sought to mollify angry senators at a hearing on Valeants pricing. But none of that was enough to stop the bleeding for a stock that had plunged from a high of $257 in the summer of 2015. While the stock market has surged since the presidential election in November, Valeant shares have continued to sag, closing at $12.11 on Monday. Europe has also sought to reduce reliance on Russian energy, as the two sides face off over a growing list of geopolitical disputes, including the conflict in Ukraine and the civil war in Syria. The move is not the final word: Gazproms customers and competitors have seven weeks to comment. The vetting process, a regular step in antitrust settlements involving the European Commission, has led the commission to abandon deals in the past, but that outcome is relatively rare. Still, it is a major step toward ending the case and providing some measure of closure for Gazprom. The company, formerly the Soviet ministry of gas, has long functioned as a bottomless expense account for Moscow. For years, it propped up the Russian budget, at times accounting for as much as a tenth of the countrys tax revenue. In a sign of the companys political importance to the government in Moscow, Ms. Vestager noted on Monday that Russian ministers had joined Gazprom delegations on multiple occasions in talks over the dispute. With the government grappling with sanctions and austerity, and Russias economy only meekly emerging from a recession, budget contributions from Gazprom in the form of dividends are more important than ever. The sprawling business, which controls the worlds largest reserve of natural gas, is 50 percent owned by the government, with the remainder trading on exchanges in London and Moscow. Wary of its politicized management, though, investors have mostly stayed away in recent years. From a peak market capitalization of $367 billion in May 2008, Gazproms value has plummeted, sitting at around $52 billion on Monday. And in recent years, as the energy market has shifted, so have the companys prospects. Oil prices many of Gazproms gas-exporting contracts are linked to them fell from above $100 a barrel about two years ago to less than $30 last year, and are still only hovering at around $50 a barrel. It also faces tough competition both at home and abroad. Though it retains a legal monopoly on exports from Russia, domestic rivals are raising their production of natural gas. Gazprom, which owns the gas pipelines within Russia, is obliged by law to carry gas made by other producers for sale domestically. The increased supply has forced Gazprom to shut some of its own wells for lack of demand. Over the last few weeks, it seemed like Neiman Marcus could not make up its mind about whether to sell Ivanka Trumps fine jewelry. The brands baubles disappeared, reappeared and then disappeared again from the department stores website. But now, Neiman Marcus wont have much of a choice. Ms. Trumps brand has discontinued its line of high-end bracelets, necklaces and rings, the company confirmed on Monday. Instead, it will focus on more affordable fashion jewelry, according to Abigail Klem, the president of Ms. Trumps brand. In a statement, Ms. Klem attributed the decision to the companys commitment to offering solution-oriented products at accessible price points. She did not mention Neiman Marcus, or any of the other retailers that had recently backed away from carrying Ms. Trumps increasingly politicized products. The decision to discontinue Ms. Trumps fine jewelry line was reported on Friday by Vanity Fair. Ms. Trumps shoes, handbags and clothing lines have become targets for both supporters and detractors of her father, President Trump, in his political rise to the White House. New Delhi, Mar 13 (IBNS): The festival of colours, Holi, is being celebrated across India, especially in the northern and western states, on Monday with religious fervour and enthusiasm. The President of India, the Vice President and the Prime Minister have separately greeted the people on the occasion. President Pranab Mukherjee in his message on the eve of Holi has said, " Holi celebrates spring and is a harbinger of hope and fulfilment in our lives. May this festival of colours bring together the diverse hues of Indias culture in a rainbow of unity. Let us on this day spread happiness and share joy with the needy and downtrodden. May this unique festival strengthen brotherhood and harmony amongst all our people. Let this years Holi mark the beginning of a new phase of peace and prosperity in the country. Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari, said, " Celebrated with traditional fervor and enthusiasm throughout the country, the colourful festival of Holi marks the onset of warmer season and celebrates the victory of good over evil. May this festival bring peace, harmony, prosperity and happiness in our lives. Prime Minister Modi tweeted on Monday, "Greetings on the festival of colours, Holi. May the festival spread joy & warmth everywhere." Basking in the glory of their recent success in the Assembly elections, the BJP leaders too celebrated Holi at their homes. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted pictures of the celebration at his home on Monday. Popular actor and MP Hema Malini tweeted, "I am in Mathura for Holi, taking part in the celebrations in Vraj." Apart from Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Holi is celebrated with much fanfare in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Foreigners took part in Jaipur Holi in large numbers. However, according to media reports, India's paramilitary forces refrained from taking part in the festival as tribute to the slain CRPF men in a recent encounter in Chhattisgarh. Image: Arun Jaitley/Hema Malini Twitter Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president for the Professional Services Council, a trade association that represents federal contractors, hailed the measure, which Mr. Trump may now sign into law. He said the rule was onerous and unfair, because companies had to report unproved accusations. The regulatory scheme was overly burdensome, Mr. Chvotkin said. We applaud the change. As an agency, OSHA has long struggled to have an impact. Its rule-making procedures are arduous, and changes can take years or even decades to enact. Last year, to help the agency flex its muscles, Congress passed a law doubling the fines companies faced for safety violations. The agency also took aim at certain industries it considered repeat offenders. Among other things, it levied fines last year as high as $317,000 against several poultry producers like Tyson Foods, Koch Foods and Birdsboro Kosher Farms. It also assessed a $2.5 million fine against Ajin USA, a company in Alabama that supplies auto parts for South Korean carmakers like Kia and Hyundai, after a 20-year-old woman was killed when a factory robot malfunctioned. Still, the Trump administration and lawmakers seem to be making good on commitments to roll back regulations on businesses, and OSHA appears to be a prime target. Industry groups are pushing back against an Obama-era regulation meant to exert pressure on companies to better comply with record-keeping rules. A provision of that rule, which was supposed to take effect last month, would require companies to electronically submit accident data to OSHA so the agency could post the information on a public website. As recently as early January, OSHA said on its website that it expected the site to be live in February. But in recent weeks, the agency changed the wording so that it now states, OSHA is not accepting electronic submissions at this time. 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. All great change in America begins at the dinner table, Ronald Reagan said in 1989, during his final speech as president. It was a charge to parents and children, an argument that we ought to use dinner as a time to talk about what it means to be an American, about how the nation was born and about what it is: a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home. You up for that? With a big platter of Bobby Flays pan-roasted chicken with mint sauce, some lemon potatoes, and Julia Moskins absurdly easy chocolate fudge for dessert? Even if its takeout or boxed mac and cheese, and even if youre eating in Toronto or Brisbane, you can start a conversation with food. Reagan aside, you dont need to talk politics, or history. You need only to talk. What happens then is magical. It is why we are here. Cooking can help. Maybe youre looking for a meatless meal. Check out Melissa Clarks recipe for farro with roasted squash, feta and mint. Or Yotam Ottolenghis recipe for hummus, which truth be told is pretty excellent even if you use canned chickpeas. You could make Martha Rose Shulmans vegetarian chili. Or pasta with butter, sage and Parmesan. Explanations aside, researchers unanimously expressed hope that the trends would persist. They noted it was crucial to continue efforts to understand the reasons for the decline, as well as to discourage drug use. Though smartphones seem ubiquitous in daily life, they are actually so new that researchers are just beginning to understand what the devices may do to the brain. Researchers say phones and social media not only serve a primitive need for connection but can also create powerful feedback loops. People are carrying around a portable dopamine pump, and kids have basically been carrying it around for the last 10 years, said David Greenfield, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction. Alexandra Elliott, 17, a senior at George Washington High School in San Francisco, said using her phone for social media really feels good in a way consistent with a chemical release. A heavy phone user who smokes marijuana occasionally, Alexandra said she didnt think the two were mutually exclusive. However, she said, the phone provides a valuable tool for people at parties who dont want to do drugs because you can sit around and look like youre doing something, even if youre not doing something, like just surfing the web. Ive done that before, she explained, with a group sitting around a circle passing a bong or a joint. And Ill sit away from the circle texting someone. Melanie Clarke, an 18-year-old taking a gap year and working in a Starbucks in Cape Cod, Mass., said she had virtually no interest in drugs, despite having been around her. Personally, I think it is a substitution, Ms. Clarke said of her phone, which she said she was rarely without. Ms. Clarke also said she thought the habits depended on the person. When Im home alone, my first instinct is to go for the phone. Some kids will break out the bowls, referring to a marijuana-smoking device. Last year, the bill ultimately stalled in the Assemblys Judiciary Committee. The chairwoman of the committee, Helene E. Weinstein, did not specifically respond to a question about opposition to the bill, but acknowledged that the committee had heard from many interested parties. We shall continue to carefully consider this issue in this legislative session, hoping to ultimately be able to reach a sensible policy resolution going forward, she added. Experts on family law say that early marriage carries all sorts of social, educational and financial costs. Girls are typically wed to older men, some of them seeking green cards in the United States. The young women are far more likely than those who delay marriage to stop their educations, suffer economically and become victims of domestic violence. Early marriage poses other difficulties. A girl can marry at 14, for instance, but cannot legally divorce until 18. (The bill in Albany would change that.) Shelters for victims of domestic violence generally do not accept anyone under 18. There have been cases where a girl is pregnant and the pregnancy happened as a result of sexual assault, said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women New York, a group that has lobbied for the change in law. But her parents are forcing her to marry because being an out-of-wedlock teen mother is a worse social standing than suffering a sexual assault in silence. Of the nearly 3,900 child marriages in New York State, 40 involved someone 14 or 15 years old, according to Unchained at Last, a group that helps women escape forced marriages. Hidden behind a maze of wooden blockades and yellow tape, a neglected transportation hub in northern Manhattan is gearing up for a reopening or so people have been led to believe. The main concourse of the George Washington Bridge Bus Station closed for renovations in August 2014. Today, a graffiti-covered sign near the corner of Broadway and 178th Street warns passers-by that construction is underway. It also offers an anticipated completion date: Winter 2015. Many New Yorkers would be surprised to learn that another bus station even exists in Manhattan. But the terminal in Washington Heights is a critical link between Manhattan and northern New Jersey, even though its size pales in comparison to the Port Authority bus terminal, its big brother on the edge of Times Square. Both are operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: About five million people use the George Washington Bridge station every year, while the Port Authority terminal sees 66 million travelers annually. Much of the attention has been focused on Staten Island, but the Bronx has been hardest hit in the crisis: four of the top five city neighborhoods ravaged by overdose deaths were in the borough, according to the city; the fifth was the southern part of Staten Island. The Bronx has the highest fatal overdose rate in the city, which nearly doubled in 2015, the most recent year for which detailed data is available. The borough saw the biggest increase in the city, followed by Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn. Mr. de Blasio took pains to stress the newness of the plan, while at the same time disputing the notion that his administration had come late to the issue. But he acknowledged that the steep rise in opioid overdose deaths in 2016 up roughly 50 percent in one year provided a wake up call. The last year has been very sobering, he said. City officials estimate there are about 85,000 heroin users in the city, a number they say is likely low given the private nature of drug abuse. Four out of five people who use heroin started using prescription drugs, the officials said, a scenario Mr. de Blasio tied to the corporate greed of pharmaceutical companies that make and sell opioid pain medications. Around Lincoln Hospital, a predominantly black and Latino neighborhood, long lines extend from the methadone clinics that dot a landscape where public housing towers look over small apartment buildings, clothing stores, fast-food chains and family restaurants. Children walking to and from school often pass zoned-out drug addicts, and hypodermic needles litter some side streets. The neighborhood, combined with Hunts Point, has the highest the rate of fatal overdoses in the city. In the plan, the largest portion of spending goes to providing naloxone, with $10.3 million to be spent in the 2019 fiscal year. About $3 million will go to expanding access to buprenorphine, a drug that can help suppress symptoms of withdrawal and decrease cravings, and methadone. The police were responsible for a small portion of the naloxone saves by city first responders, with 51 last year. By contrast, emergency medical technicians and firefighters gave the drug to 2,067 patients over the same period, according to the Fire Department. Making naloxone as widely available as possible in the midst of an opioid overdose crisis is a no-brainer, but its only going to go so far, said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, who directs opioid policy research at Brandeis Universitys Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Its a good day to stay home, Mr. Cuomo said. Train service on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad was expected to be significantly impacted on Tuesday, Mr. Cuomo said, adding that the transportation authority would make a final decision about service on Tuesday morning and post it on the agencys website by 4:30 a.m. The decision mirrored the Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys approach during a weekend snowstorm in January 2016, when trains kept running underground in order to preserve some service. The plan went smoothly as more than 26 inches of snow fell in Central Park. New Jersey Transit suspended all bus service on Tuesday and rail lines will operate on a weekend schedule. Trains will accept bus tickets and monthly bus passes on Tuesday, the agency said. In Connecticut, CTtransit bus service in eight cities around the state was also suspended. New York Citys Emergency Management Department has issued a hazardous travel advisory, urging New Yorkers to avoid driving. American Airlines, United, JetBlue and other airlines issued travel advisories ahead of anticipated weather-related cancellations and delays. More than 5,000 flights scheduled for Tuesday into, out of or within the United States had been canceled, according to flightaware.com, with hundreds of cancellations at New Yorks airports, Logan International Airport in Boston and other northeastern airports. At Philadelphia International Airport, Southwest Airlines canceled all of its flights there on Tuesday, and American Airlines has canceled all flights there until 5 p.m. Tuesday. Benches, crosswalks and shade trees have transformed a once-barren stretch of Manhattan near the Holland Tunnel into a welcoming neighborhood known as Hudson Square. In Harlem, a free mobile app has served as a 24/7 virtual concierge connecting residents and visitors to shopping, real estate and landmarks. And rat-prevention efforts in Brooklyn Heights have kept trash and unwanted four-legged guests from lingering. All are courtesy of local business improvement districts. New York Citys network of 73 such districts the largest in the nation has expanded its programs and services in recent years to meet the demands of a growing city. Funded primarily by assessments on property owners, these districts have increasingly taken the lead in addressing quality-of-life issues in their neighborhoods even as they have drawn opposition from critics who say that they impose an unnecessary tax that is often passed along as higher rents, and that they primarily serve landlord interests and can lead to gentrification. During an emotional sentencing at the Bronx County Hall of Justice on Monday, Vladimir Krull, a former police sergeant who was convicted of sexually abusing his girlfriends teenage daughter on three occasions, did not look at the complainant as she made a tearful statement to the judge. Lester B. Adler, the acting Bronx Supreme Court justice, sentenced Mr. Krull to three years in prison for abusing the girl, who was 13 when Mr. Krull first kissed her on the mouth in September 2013, according to the district attorneys office. In January, a jury convicted Mr. Krull, 39, of eight criminal counts covering three encounters. Those included two instances of sexual intercourse with the girl once in her home and once in his vehicle and one encounter in which he demanded oral sex in his vehicle after taking the girl to a father-daughter breakfast at her school. I used to feel like I had endless options, the victim, who is now 16, said. Now I feel limited. Mr. Krull, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kept his eyes mostly on the table in front of him while his ex-girlfriend and her daughter spoke. When the judge asked if he would like to say anything, he offered two words: No, sir. President Trumps promise to repair crumbling roads, bridges, railways and other public works is off to a terrible start. Before his administration has even come up with the $1 trillion infrastructure proposal he has repeatedly promised, his Department of Transportation is sabotaging an important commuter rail project in California opposed by the states Republicans. This doesnt send a good signal about the Trump administrations commitment to infrastructure investment. The Transportation Department is withholding $647 million in federal grants for a $1.9 billion project that would modernize and increase the capacity of Caltrain. About 65,000 people use the rail line every day to commute between San Francisco and San Jose a traffic-clogged corridor that is home to some the countrys most valuable technology companies, including Apple, Facebook and Google. Caltrain plans to use the money to switch to modern electric trains, from old diesel locomotives that are prone to failure. The change will also allow the transit system to serve many more people in a growing region. Federal officials said they were delaying the grant because they need to see if the presidents forthcoming budget includes enough money for transportation projects. That explanation is perplexing because Congress has already authorized the program that would fund Caltrain improvements. The departments decision runs counter to Mr. Trumps campaign promises of increased infrastructure spending. The new secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, could be acceding to Californias 14 Republican members of Congress, who feel electrification would benefit a high-speed rail line, being built by the state, that they consider a boondoggle. While the two projects are separate, high-speed trains are expected to use Caltrain tracks in the Bay Area. California Republicans have tried everything to disrupt the high-speed rail project, but this move is particularly damaging. Panaji, Mar 13 (IBNS): Goa Governor Mridula Sinha late on Sunday appointed Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa, asking him to prove his majority on floor of the House within 15 days of swearing-in. A letter issued by the Secretary to Governor Rupesh Kumar Thakur stated that Parrikar claimed the support of 21 MLAs to form the next government. Governor has asked Parrikar for a floor test with 15 days. BJP who had won 13 seats coming second in Goa after Congress but was supported by Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party with 3 seats each and 2 independents, paving the way for government formation. On Sunday both GFP and MGP said that they would lend support to BJP to form the government if Parikkar becomes CM of the state. In a press conference yesterday, Union Minster Nitin Gadkari said: "I held discussions with various parties like MGP and GFP and they said that they will support BJP if Manohar Parikkar becomes CM of Goa." After the results of Assembly election, Goa had a hung assembly with BJP and INC securing 13 and 17 seats respectively. Parrikar on Sunday resigned as the Defence Minister prior to meeting the Governor. To the Editor: Re Kiss Me, Im Probably Irish, by J. Courtney Sullivan (Sunday Review, March 12): Ms. Sullivan need not worry about not being 100 percent Irish. I grew up being told that my father was 100 percent Norwegian and my mother 100 percent Swedish. Recently I began to wonder if that was actually true and took the Ancestry.com DNA test. Lo and behold, it turned out to be false: I am actually only about 99 percent Scandinavian and about 1 percent Irish! Of course I knew that those Vikings got around quite a bit, but now I am a 1 percenter and can truly enjoy my corned beef and cabbage this Friday. NORMAN VIG, ROSEVILLE, CALIF. LOS ANGELES George Kennan knew how to bring down the house. His lecture audiences started off skeptical about whether Russia really wanted to be remade on the American model. Then he told them about the Russian political prisoners who spent the weeks before the Fourth of July scrounging bits of cloth in red, white and blue. When the holiday came, they met their jailers by waving a sea of tiny hand-sewn stars and stripes through the bars. It sounds like the perfect Cold War propaganda tale. But the Fourth of July that Kennan was referring to wasnt during the 1950s it was in 1876. And the George Kennan telling the story wasnt the famous Cold War-era diplomat, but his distant relative and namesake, a journalist who had spent time in Russia before going on the lecture circuit in the 1880s. The American narrative of the Cold War as a battle for the fate of humankind is a familiar one. From the establishment of the Truman Doctrine in 1947 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States portrayed Soviet Russia as not merely a geopolitical rival, but a spiritual foe. Journalists and policy makers veered between bitter demonization of the country and Messianic fantasies about remaking it in Americas image. But whats surprising is how far back Americas evangelizing approach to Russia goes and how it continues to distort our thinking today. In his book The American Mission and the Evil Empire, the historian David Foglesong details how American opinion leaders have cast Russia in the role of Americas dark double for more than a century. Mr. Foglesongs book is as indespensible today as ever, helping Americans to understand how we have treated Russia as either a benighted land yearning to become a second America, or a moral monster whose faults ease Americans own guilty conscience. The U.S. economy added 10.3 million jobs during President Obamas second term, or 214,000 a month. This brought the official unemployment rate below 5 percent, and a number of indicators suggested that by late last year we were fairly close to full employment. But Donald Trump insisted that the good news on jobs was phony, that America was actually suffering from mass unemployment. Then came the first employment report of the Trump administration, which at 235,000 jobs added looked very much like a continuation of the previous trend. And the administration claimed credit: Job numbers, Mr. Trumps press secretary declared, may have been phony in the past, but its very real now. Reporters laughed and should be ashamed of themselves for doing so. For it really wasnt a joke. America is now governed by a president and party that fundamentally dont accept the idea that there are objective facts. Instead, they want everyone to accept that reality is whatever they say it is. So were just supposed to believe the president if he says, falsely, that his inauguration crowd was the biggest ever; if he claims, ludicrously, that millions of votes were cast illegally for his opponent; if he insists, with no evidence, that his predecessor tapped his phones. Hungarys cruel treatment of refugees has reached a new low. On Tuesday, in defiance of international law, the Parliament approved the mass detention of asylum seekers, including children, in guarded camps enclosed with razor wire. The European Union has said in a directive that Member States shall not hold a person in detention for the sole reason that he or she is an applicant for asylum; moreover, Hungarys treatment of refugee children defies international law. To justify the move, Hungarys prime minister, Viktor Orban, echoing President Donald Trumps views, has called refugees the Trojan horse of terrorism. When Mr. Orban was denounced by the United Nations and human rights organizations for the new policy, he dismissed the chorus of condemnation as charming human rights nonsense. Though Mr. Orban derides the European Unions values, Hungary has no trouble taking its support, having received 5.6 billion euros from the union in 2015. With calculated timing, Hungarys new plan for refugees was approved the day after it got the green light from the union for a Russian-built nuclear plant. Clearly, Mr. Orban is playing the European Union for a patsy. At what point will the union have the courage to take action against his policies? Mr. Bharara won convictions of more than a dozen lawmakers, culminating in 2015, when he brought down two of the states three most powerful politicians: Sheldon Silver, the Democratic former Assembly speaker, and Dean Skelos, the Republican former Senate majority leader. Both men have appealed their convictions, which included charges of bribery, extortion and money laundering. Mr. Bharara also tangled repeatedly with the other member of that entrenched trio, New Yorks governor, Andrew Cuomo. He investigated Mr. Cuomos suspicious disbanding in 2014 of the Moreland Commission, an anticorruption panel that Mr. Cuomo had established a year earlier to address the epidemic of self-dealing in state politics. Mr. Bharara eventually decided there was not enough evidence to charge the governor with interfering in the commissions work, but at the time of his firing, Mr. Bhararas office was prosecuting two of Mr. Cuomos former advisers in a bribery and bid-rigging scandal. Mr. Bharara was an equal-opportunity prosecutor. One of the first cases as United States attorney for the Southern District of New York involved bank-fraud charges against a top Democratic donor, Hassan Nemazee, who had ties to Senator Chuck Schumer, for whom Mr. Bharara had worked as chief counsel and who had urged Mr. Obama to hire him. At the time of his dismissal, his office was in the final stages of a criminal investigation into the campaign fund-raising of New York Citys mayor, Bill de Blasio. Its standard practice for United States attorneys to be replaced when a new administration takes office roughly half of those appointed by President Obama had resigned before last Friday but Mr. Trump, as president-elect, had personally asked Mr. Bharara to stay on during a meeting at Trump Tower in November. So why fire him now? To the Editor: Re North Koreas Scary Show of Strength (editorial, March 8): Your analysis and recommendation that only a new round of negotiations between the United States and North Korea holds any reasonable promise of working are correct, but you dont mention the incentives necessary to get the North to return to the table. The United States, instead of rejecting renewed negotiations, as it did on March 8, should make clear that it will be willing to discuss not only a halt to joint military exercises with the South and the installation of the Thaad missile defense system but also conclusion of a treaty that will finally formally end the Korean War. In Churchills famous phrase, it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war. JEROME A. COHEN, EDWARD J. BAKER NEW YORK Mr. Cohen is faculty chairman at N.Y.U.s U.S.-Asia Law Institute, and Mr. Baker is a special adviser at Harvards Korea Institute. Untruth #4: The President is focused on health care, not insurance coverage. Mr. Mulvaney on This Week. Fact #4: President Trump was very clear during the campaign: Were going to have insurance for everybody, he said in an interview with the Washington Post on January 14. Much less expensive and much better. According to early estimates from Standard & Poors and Brookings, between six and 15 million Americans would lose insurance coverage under Trumpcare. Even House Speaker Paul Ryan, appearing on Face the Nation, seemed to acknowledge that some who currently have health insurance would lose it. I cant answer that question, he said. Its up to the people. Untruth #5: If you want to have coverage and we think that everyone should have coverage were providing you access to coverage. Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, on Fox News Sunday Fact #5: Thats technically true but of course, with or without any federal assistance, individuals are always free to buy health insurance. Mr. Cohns comment came in response to repeated questioning by host Chris Wallace about what would happen to the more than 20 million people who have gained coverage under Obamacare. As noted, its inconceivable that millions of Americans who are currently insured wont lose their coverage. Untruth #6: I love the folks at the C.B.O. but sometimes we ask them to do stuff theyre not capable of doing and estimating the impact of a bill of this size probablyisnt the best use of their time. Mr. Mulvaney on This Week. Fact #6: Estimating the impact of proposed legislation is precisely what the Congressional Budget Office was set up to do back in 1974. And while the C.B.O.s early estimates of the impact of the Affordable Care Act were, in fact, slightly optimistic, they were closer to the mark than many other forecasters, as this chart shows: To the Editor: Re U.S. Attorney in New York: I Was Fired (front page, March 12): By all accounts, Preet Bharara was squeaky clean and completely apolitical, while at the same time working aggressively to root out crime and corruption. He was a model prosecutor and an example that others could only hope to emulate. For the current White House, that didnt cut it. As Senator Chuck Schumer said, this says far more about the president than it does about Preet. Mr. Trump is certainly within his rights to fire Mr. Bharara, but that doesnt make it good policy. Why in the world would you fire someone with such an exemplary record? There are only bad answers to that question. PAUL B. GALLAGHER, HORSHAM, PA. To the Editor: All one needs to know about the validity of the statements that Donald Trump was untrustworthy in business has now been demonstrated by the dismissal of Preet Bharara. Whether or not it is standard practice to request resignations upon change of leadership, it was understood, and confirmed by both sides, that Mr. Bharara would remain. I guess duplicity is so ingrained in Mr. Trump that he cannot help himself. MIDDLEBURY, Vt. Theres nothing like a little violence to focus the mind. I am the Middlebury College professor who ended up with whiplash and a concussion for having the audacity to engage with the ideas of Charles Murray, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Though he is someone with whom I disagree, I welcomed the opportunity to moderate a talk with him on campus on March 2 because several of my students asked me to do so. They know I am a Democrat, but the college courses I teach are nonpartisan. As I wrote on Facebook immediately after the incident, this was a chance to demonstrate publicly a commitment to a free and fair exchange of views in my classroom. But Dr. Murray was drowned out by students who never let him speak, and he and I were attacked and intimidated while trying to leave campus. In the days after the violence, some have spun this story as one about whats wrong with elite colleges and universities, our coddled youth or intolerant liberalism. Those analyses are incomplete. Political life and discourse in the United States is at a boiling point, and nowhere is the reaction to that more heightened than on college campuses. Throughout an ugly campaign and into his presidency, President Trump has demonized Muslims as terrorists and dehumanized many groups of marginalized people. He declared the free press an enemy of the people, replaced deliberation with tweeting, and seems bent on dismantling the separation of powers and 230 years of progress this country has made toward a more perfect union. Much of the free speech he has inspired or has refused to disavow is ugly, and has already had ugly real-world consequences. College students have seen this, and have taken note: Speech can become action. Attention: corporate America. For a fee, Corey Lewandowski, President Trumps pugilistic former campaign manager, and Barry Bennett, a former Trump senior adviser, will protect you from tweet risk what happens to the stock price and reputation of your company when the president tells his 26 million Twitter followers that youre killing factory jobs or refusing to sell Ivanka Trump handbags. If hes gonna come after you, theres nothing we can do to stop it, Mr. Bennett said of Avenue Strategies, the firm he and Mr. Lewandowski opened in offices overlooking Mr. Trumps White House bedroom window. But if you want to figure out how to win in this environment, we can help you. Were your sherpa through turbulent times. Mr. Trump has promised "to grow the economy 4 percent per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification, in combination with trade reform, regulatory relief and lifting the restrictions on American energy. So far, the administration hasnt done much beyond a few executive orders, Mr. Bennett says. So he and Mr. Lewandowski are pressing American companies to call Jared Kushner and tell him youre gonna build a new factory, or invite Mr. Trump to fly somewhere, cut a ribbon, and high-five 200 employees. New Delhi, Mar 13 (IBNS): The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will be announced on March 16, which remains a mystery even after the parliamentary meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party members. BJP swept the UP election with 325 out of 403 existing seats, upsetting the likes of the Congress-SP alliance and the Mayawati-led BSP. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah met other members of the Parliamentary committee of the party and discussed various contenders for the post. Several names doing the rounds include BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a firm supporter of Hindutava, Yogi Adityanath. Maurya however is the most likely to get the nod since he is seen as the prime architect behind BJP's success in UP by political analyst. Every Thursday morning on the heart transplant service, our medical team would get a front-row seat to witness an epic battle raging under a microscope. Tiny pieces of heart tissue taken from patients with newly transplanted hearts would be broadcast onto a gigantic screen, showing static images of pink heart cells being attacked by varying amounts of blue immune cells. The more blue cells there were, the more voraciously they were chomping away the pink cells, the more evidence that the patients inherently xenophobic immune system was rejecting the foreign, transplanted heart. There was so much beauty to be found in the infinitesimal push and pull between life and death those slides depicted that I would fantasize about having them framed and put up in my house. Yet the more I studied those cells, the more I realized that they might have the answers to one of the most difficult subjects of our time. Throughout our history, particularly recently, the human race has looked far and wide to answer a complex question what is a good death? With so many life-sustaining technologies now able to keep us alive almost indefinitely, many believe that a natural death is a good one. With technology now invading almost every aspect of our lives, the desire for a natural death experience mirrors trends noted in how we wish to experience birth, travel and food these days. When we picture a natural death, we conjure a man or woman lying in bed at home surrounded by loved ones. Taking ones last breath in ones own bed, a sight ubiquitous in literature, was the modus operandi for death in ancient times. In the book Western Attitudes Toward Death, Philippe Aries wrote that the deathbed scene was organized by the dying person himself, who presided over it and knew its protocol and that it was a public ceremony at which it was essential that parents, friends and neighbors be present. While such resplendent representations of death continue to be pervasive in both modern literature and pop culture, they are mostly fiction at best. Background reading: Mr. Schwirtz on Evgeniy M. Bogachev, the cybercriminal for whom the F.B.I. offered a $3 million bounty. The Times story from March 7 about WikiLeakss release of alleged C.I.A. hacking documents. 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. How do I listen? If you dont see an audio player on this page or to subscribe to The Daily for free, follow the instructions below. On your iPhone or iPad: Open the preloaded app called Podcasts; it has a purple icon. If youre reading this from your phone, tap this link, which will take you straight there. (You can also use the magnifying glass icon to search; type The Daily.) Once youre on the series page, you can tap on the episode title to play it, and tap on the subscribe button to have new episodes sent to your phone free. LIWONDE, Malawi Night has fallen at Liwonde National Park, but the trespassers are clearly visible. Three hundred feet in the air, a thermal camera attached to a BatHawk drone tracks their boat, a black sliver gliding up the luminous gray Shire River. Theyre breaking the law by coming into the park, said Antoinette Dudley, one of the drones operators, pointing to her computer screen. More than two miles from the boat, she and her partner, Stephan De Necker, are seated in a Land Cruiser that serves as their command center. A monitor attached to the drivers seat displays the drones vitals, and another behind the passengers seat streams live video from the camera, operated with an old PlayStation console. Lets give them a scare, said Mr. De Necker. With the tap of a few keys, he switches on the drones navigation lights and sends it beelining toward the boat. Q. How hot does the water have to be to get germs out of domestic laundry? A. It is hard to find standard guidelines on water temperatures for domestic laundry, said Dr. Alexandra Sowa, an internist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides only a vague recommendation: Hot water washing is not necessary for all household laundry. Read and follow the clothing and soap or detergent label instructions. Wash and dry clothing in the warmest temperature listed on the clothing label. But some studies suggest that water does not have to be as hot as often thought to get clothes acceptably clean, Dr. Sowa said. One study, done in Britain and published 12 years ago, showed that washing the very dirty clothes of hospital staff members at approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit in a home washing machine was just as effective at killing one type of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) as washing it at a much higher temperature. Dr. Sowa pointed out that the study also found that washing the clothes resulted in contamination with new environmental bacteria, very likely from the washing machine itself. To rid the clothes of any pathogens picked up in the wash cycle, the clothes just had to be tumble-dried for 30 minutes or ironed, she said. The heat from a low dry cycle or an iron was sufficient to get the clothes free of the studied bacteria. THERES A STORY BEHIND everything in Sally Breers apartment, including the apartment itself. For more than a year, shed had her eye on the out-of-the-way complex of 13 live-work units located in Los Angeless Frogtown neighborhood, an erstwhile manufacturing hub bordered by two freeways and the L.A. River to the east. Breer fell in love with the complex when she visited a collector friend who lives there, but residents rarely vacated the airy, affordable, immensely private units. And so Breer, who has the laser-focused persistence of a successful artist, waited. And waited. Eventually, a loft opened up. She moved in last May. Her place, with its high ceilings, soaring wood beams and concrete and wood floors, is a mix of elemental materials, metallic accents and muted earth tones. It evokes that period when the late 70s met the early 80s, when kilim rugs and sunken living rooms faded into marble surfaces and Art Deco-inspired touches. But its done with a startling freshness. Not a single object has been chosen without thought. Every portrait, pillow, Nambe candlestick and marble coaster has a tale. Theres the painting that hangs on one wall, a cream lightning bolt on black canvas that her mother, who was not a painter, made when she met Sallys father, the late modern artist Robert Breer (Its how I felt, she told her daughter). From the bookshelf, she pulls a first-edition copy of Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies a gift to her father from an old girlfriend. Nan Rosenthal. Porter College. UC Santa Cruz, the inscription reads. People have a huge impact on why I like design, Breer says. I like the stories behind the people. For all of its famed redundancy, the internet at times can appear awfully fragile. Two weeks ago, an Amazon employee entered an incorrect set of commands on a computer, accidentally knocking out a good chunk of the servers at an Amazon data center in Virginia. The mistake brought down a number of websites and internet services. It was a reminder that no company is infallible and that technology managers should think twice before becoming too dependent on one technology provider. If you go and look for a summer home in Marthas Vineyard, you might find things are of completely equivalent quality, priced vastly differently from one another because no intermediary is saying, This is what we believe the value is in the market. Were vouching for the value, said Mr. Frank, of Onefinestay. Last year, AccorHotels acquired Onefinestay and the service has been expanding since. It is newly in Miami and Rome and just introduced a division that offers accommodations in vacation areas including the Hamptons, and Orange County and Palm Springs, Calif. AccorHotels also acquired a stake in Oasis, a home-sharing service in 23 cities worldwide, last year. Founded in Buenos Aires in 2009, it has a strong presence in South America, and like Onefinestay it selects its homes based on a 50-point inspection that includes, among other things, whether wooden hangers are available in the closets and that there are enough table settings for twice the maximum number of occupants. Oasis also replaces homeowners linens with its own, provides toiletries and has staff in each city to check travelers in and offer concierge services. Oasis properties are also vetted based on design. They are strewn throughout desirable neighborhoods in any given destination and include access to local gyms and members clubs. Were trying to create a more 360-degree in-depth experience, not just a place to sleep, said Parker Stanberry, founder and chief executive of Oasis. The company, which aims to expand to at least 60 cities in the next few years, is introducing one in San Francisco (from $140 a night) this month and added Chicago (from $130) and Rome (from 70 euros, about $74) late last year. Demographic Niche B&Bs A few operations began in reaction to what their founders say was bias on the part of hosts from other rental services. Just six months after being the first airline to sell seats on regularly scheduled flights to Cuba, Silver Airways, a regional carrier based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that specializes in smaller markets, will scrap its service to the island next month. It is the latest industry move to underscore that fewer Americans are traveling to Cuba than originally anticipated. Citing low demand and competition from major airlines, Silver said it would cease its operations in Cuba effective April 22. The move follows other reductions by American Airlines and JetBlue, which in recent weeks either switched to smaller aircraft or cut back on the number of flights. Experts say the changes in the young market illustrate not so much a lack of passengers, but the rush of airlines into new territory with an abundance of seats the market could not possibly fill. Other airlines continue to serve this market with too many flights and oversized aircraft, which has led to an increase in capacity of approximately 300 percent between the U.S. and Cuba, said Misty Pinson, the director of communications for Silver. It is not in the best interest of Silver and its team members to behave in the same irrational manner as other airlines. Also this month, Denver-based Frontier Airlines said that it would cease its daily flight to Havana from Miami on June 4. The airline said costs in Havana significantly exceeded initial assumptions, market conditions failed to materialize and too much capacity had been allocated between Florida and Cuba. Applying for financial aid for college got a lot harder this month, in the thick of application season, but it took federal agencies nearly a week to explain what was happening. To get aid for college from federal or state governments, as well as from colleges, students and their parents must fill out the Fafsa (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The notoriously complicated form, which is longer than the typical 1040 tax form, collects detailed information from students and families about income, expenses and taxes. On March 3, families logging onto the website for federal aid found that a key component of the online application had stopped functioning. The component, known as the Data Retrieval Tool, automatically fills in a Fafsa application with information from an applicants tax return, via a data connection with the Internal Revenue Service. Without the tool, applicants have to transcribe tax information from their old returns or order tax transcripts from the I.R.S. (which can take several weeks). Twitter started to fill with frustrated messages from applicants wondering when the tool would be back up. Student advocacy organizations, such as the National College Access Network (N.C.A.N.), pleaded with the Department of Education and the I.R.S. to explain the situation and resolve it as quickly as possible, but received no response. N.C.A.N. and others began urging families to contact their elected representatives. However, when the plan and hospital are one and the same, neither can pass the buck to the other. Problems may be resolved faster; they may be less likely to develop in the first place. This could lead to the higher customer satisfaction reflected in the quality ratings. If the higher ratings are enough to interest you in trying a provider-offered plan, how would you find one? Unfortunately, theres no readily accessible source to inform consumers (or researchers) about this feature of plans. Sometimes the plans name gives away the relationship. The UPMC Health Plan practically has the health system that offers it right in the name UPMC stands for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In other cases, consumers can identify the relationship on plans or health systems websites. For example, the Vital Traditions plan website identifies as its parent company the largest nonprofit hospital system in Texas, Baylor Scott & White. But in many cases, its not so easy to figure out. In fact, this is why there has been so little analysis of provider versus insurer plans. For our study, we had to scroll through hundreds of websites, news articles and documents to build a research data set on provider-offered plans from 2011 to 2015. Because of the work involved, there are very few studies on the subject. Another, published in Health Service Research by me, Roger Feldman of the University of Minnesota and Steven Pizer of Northeastern University, found a similar quality relationship when examining 2009 data. That earlier study also found that provider-offered Medicare Advantage plans charge higher premiums. But a recent study of marketplace plans found that provider-offered ones are not necessarily the most expensive. For some, a higher premium may outweigh the benefits of greater quality, but for others it may not. From our study, we cant be certain that provider sponsorship of plans causes higher quality. It could be that higher-quality providers are the ones that choose to offer plans. Nevertheless, such tight integration between plans and providers is at least a signal of higher quality, even if it doesnt cause it. Recent trends suggest more health systems are offering plans in other health care markets for the working-age population, not just in Medicare Advantage. Not all markets may be hospitable to provider-offered plans, however. Some systems that did offer plans are pulling back. According to The Wall Street Journal, Catholic Health Initiatives, which runs over 100 hospitals across 18 states, is divesting itself of some of its health insurance plans. After struggles with profitability, Tenet Healthcare and several other health systems have said they will do the same. Provider-offered plans may increase convenience for consumers. But the financial risk it confers on the organizations that offer them may be more than some can handle. Srinagar, Mar 13 (IBNS): Indian and Pakistani troopers exchanged heavy fire and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Fierce exchange of fire and mortar shelling has been going on since 6:30 am in Chakan Da Bagh and Begwar sectors, said an official. There has been no casualty reported yet. According to reports, on Sunday, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire in the Krishna Ghati Sector in the same district. (Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri) About 14 inches are expected in Freehold, with snowfall totals dropping further south. Atlantic City is expected to get four inches, according to the National Weather Service. Along the coast, moderate coastal flooding is expected on Tuesday, with a surge of 2 to 3 feet around high tide at 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Several roads are expected to become impassable because of flooding, and high winds with gusts of 50 to 60 m.p.h. are likely. In Connecticut, Danbury is expected to be hit the hardest, with 21 inches. Bridgeport is forecast to see 18 inches, New Haven could see 17 and New London could get off comparatively easy with 13, according to the National Weather Service. In addition to the snowfall, winds of 35 to 50 m.p.h., with gusts up to 60 m.p.h., are possible Tuesday morning into the afternoon in eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut, possibly leading to power outages, the Weather Service said. Washington and Baltimore In Washington, where snow is expected to begin on Monday night, the Weather Service is calling for 6 to 8 inches. The city is sandwiched in a narrow forecast band, with areas directly west and north of the city expected to receive 8 to 12 inches of snow, and those immediately south and east between 1 and 4 inches. Baltimore is expected to have up to a foot. It remains to be seen whether thousands of federal employees who work within the Capital Beltway will be asked to report to work on Tuesday. The decision is up to the federal Office of Personnel Management. President Trump has yet to name a director of the office. A spokesman for the acting director, Kathleen McGettigan, a 25-year veteran, said Monday morning that the office was monitoring the forecast and that existing procedures would be followed. Binghamton, N.Y., and Points North Much of New York State is likely to see double-digit snowfall, and clearing the roads expected to be difficult. The Weather Service office in Binghamton is calling for 10 to 15 inches throughout south central New York. Western, central and upstate New York are also under a winter storm warning. WASHINGTON Corporate tool. Enemy of disabled people. Deferential to the privileged, including the man who chose him. One week before Judge Neil M. Gorsuch is to sit for his Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Democrats have zeroed in on their most prominent planned line of attack: Judge Gorsuchs rulings have favored the powerful and well connected. And he has done little, they will say, to demonstrate independence from a president whose combative relationship with the judiciary has already clouded the nominating process. The strategy includes two events this week aimed at emphasizing Judge Gorsuchs record on workers rights and big money in politics an attempt to break through the din in President Trumps Washington, where the nomination fight so far has been largely overshadowed by administration infighting, Russia-tinged scandals and legislation to overhaul the nations health care system. The Democrats approach also appears to be in keeping with the preference of some lawmakers to make the nomination as much a referendum on Mr. Trump as Judge Gorsuch, with ready parallels to the presidents history as a profit-seeking boss and serial litigant. Two senior White House officials suggested on Monday that President Trumps unsubstantiated claim that President Barack Obama had tapped his telephone was not meant to be taken literally, arguing that Mr. Trump had been referring more broadly to a variety of surveillance efforts during the 2016 campaign when he made the incendiary accusation. He doesnt really think that President Obama went up and tapped his phone personally, said Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary. In fact, Mr. Spicer said, when Mr. Trump charged in a Twitter post last weekend that Mr. Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower, he was referring generally to surveillance activities during the 2016 race not to an actual telephone wiretap. The president was very clear in his tweet that it was, you know, wiretapping, Mr. Spicer said, using his fingers to make a gesture suggesting quotation marks. That spans a whole host of surveillance types of options. Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah and chairman of the Finance Committee, said Ms. Verma was the ideal candidate to oversee the reform of the Medicaid program, as she had worked well with members of both parties in Indiana and in other states. But Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, said she has supported proposals that create roadblocks to coverage for low-income Americans. And she would have a major role in carrying out legislation to gut the Affordable Care Act and remake the Medicaid program, said Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the senior Democrat on the Finance Committee. A plan by House Republicans, which was released last week, would repeal major parts of Mr. Obamas health care law and would phase out the expansion of Medicaid that has brought coverage to millions of people. Senate Democrats cast a wary eye on how Ms. Verma might enforce the legislation, if it is approved. Mr. Wyden said she would be able to give states a green light to push the very frail and sick into high-risk pools in which they could receive substandard coverage or be forced to pay more for the care they need. Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat of Washington, said Ms. Verma in Indiana made millions of dollars in consulting fees by kicking poor, working people off of Medicaid for failure to pay monthly contributions similar to premiums. And Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan, said she was dismayed that Ms. Verma had suggested at her confirmation hearing last month that coverage of maternity care should be optional, not required, as it is now under the Affordable Care Act. The food was phenomenal, including the almond milk and mango ices (someone was still building in the ice cream stops); the Taipei subway was a dream, and somebody always seemed to know where we were going. We found a supercheap flight to Bangkok and flew there for a few days. My husband and I, who had visited in 2014, got to lead the troop onto the ferry along the Chao Phraya River to take everyone to the Temple of Dawn and the Royal Palace. None of the children had been there before, unless you count the trip my older son made with us decades ago as a curly-haired toddler (in a folding stroller); we recreated some of those same photo ops with him, now as a bearded man. Back in Taiwan, there was the moment when we climbed out of the taxi after the long ride to the picturesque seaside town of Jiufen, which is supposed to be the setting of the anime film Spirited Away. It was a holiday afternoon, and the road winding up into the mountains had been slow going. But here we were at last, ready to walk the picturesque old street and eat the famous glutinous rice cake, or the taro ice cream rolled in chopped peanuts. That was the moment at which my younger son realized he had left his cellphone in the cab, and all five of us ran wildly through the streets, peering into the window of one taxi after another, searching for the kindly driver who had brought us all that way. We tried calling the phone, but the ringer was turned off (only clueless parents actually use phones as phones). Finally my daughter decided that we were slowing down the search, and sent us to go explore the town and market with her older brother to keep an eye on us. So there we were, admiring the vista of mountains and sea, and exchanging parental glances; what could be more familiar than a child who didnt keep a close eye on his valuables? We shook our heads and felt like the parents again, as we tried to strategize the next steps toward canceling and replacing the phone, and promised each other that we wouldnt draw any too-heavy morals when the kids got back. Meanwhile, they efficiently located the cabdriver and effected a handoff as he drove back down the twisting mountain roads (did I mention that the son in question speaks Mandarin?). So sometimes adult children really can show themselves to be adults, and sometimes you even feel like theyre taking care of you. My daughter, who has more than her family share of organizational ability, arranged pickups and drop-offs in Bangkok as well. And then, on our last night there, she went down to the hotel lobby to print out all the boarding passes for our flight the next morning, and the hotel printer didnt work, and the desk clerk advised her to go print at the much more luxurious hotel next door. And as she says herself, she lost it. We were too far from home and things werent going according to plan; she had efficiently checked us all in and forwarded all the boarding passes and she was suddenly convinced that we would not be allowed on the flight or be forced to wait on long lines and then check our bags (against the family religion). Her father sent her up to her room, apologized to the desk clerk, who had borne the brunt of her distress, and, because he knew she would not otherwise be consoled, set off into the night to find a place to print the boarding passes. And thanks to the deity who occasionally watches over technologically inept parents, and makes them look as if they can keep the world on track, he followed the clerks suggestion and succeeded with the printer at the next hotel over. KABUL, Afghanistan A suicide bomber rammed a sedan full of explosives into a packed commuter minibus in Kabul on Monday, according to Afghan officials and eyewitnesses. It was the second serious attack in the capital in less than a week. Gunmen stormed the main military hospital on Wednesday, killing at least 31 people, many of them patients shot in their rooms. Two eyewitnesses to the attack on Monday, one of them an off-duty policeman, said that a Toyota Corolla smashed into the minibus and exploded, engulfing the minibus in flames and burning everyone inside. Other accounts said that a roadside bomb may have been involved. It was not immediately known how many people were in the minibus. The vehicles are commonly used to take government employees and other workers home, and sometimes carry as many as 20 people. Artur Mas, the former leader of Catalonia, was banned on Monday from holding public office, after being found guilty of disobeying a Spanish court when his government staged a nonbinding independence vote in Catalonia in 2014. The court ruled that Mr. Mas should be banned from holding public office for two years, as well as fined 36,500 euros, nearly $39,000, for organizing the 2014 vote even after Spains constitutional court had ordered that the vote be suspended. The prosecution had sought a 10-year ban. The ruling against a former regional government leader comes during an intense territorial conflict over Catalonia. The current political leadership of Catalonia has vowed to hold an independence referendum later this year this time, a binding one despite the strenuous objections of the conservative government in Madrid. Spains judiciary has maintained that the Constitution did not allow any region to secede, a position also taken by the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The Netherlands will hold a national election on Wednesday in which the far-right Party for Freedom is expected to do well. It currently holds 15 of 150 seats in Parliament. Polls suggest that it will gain five to 15 additional seats, making it the countrys largest or second-largest party. The party is led by Geert Wilders, a populist firebrand who is known for extreme anti-Islam positions. It appears highly unlikely that Mr. Wilders or his party will end up leading the Netherlands. He would need 76 seats to form a governing majority, and the countrys multiparty system means that mainstream parties can easily form a coalition without him. Still, the election is a test case for whether Europe, which will also see major elections in France and Germany this year, can manage its rising populist movements. Far-right parties, even if they cannot secure enough seats to govern, can exert pressure. Mainstream parties could feel compelled to co-opt populist positions, much as Britains Conservative Party adopted leaving the European Union, or Brexit. And keeping the far right out of power risks exacerbating populist backlashes, as voters increasingly believe that establishment parties are conspiring to undermine popular will. In this way, the real test is not Election Day, but how the mainstream handles the next few years with a smaller majority and an emboldened far right. In Germany and France as well, the far right is currently polled to win a larger slice of votes but not enough to take power. LONDON Wading into an escalating diplomatic feud, the European Union warned Turkey on Monday that a constitutional amendment to drastically strengthen the presidents powers might harm the countrys longstanding bid to eventually join the bloc. European Union officials also urged Turkey to avoid inflammatory rhetoric like the recent declarations by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said that Germany and the Netherlands had demonstrated Nazi-like behavior in blocking Turkish officials from campaigning in those countries. Membership talks with Turkey have been moribund, but the prospect of Turkeys eventually joining the European Union has also long been dangled as an enticement to closer ties. The warning, delivered in a statement by two officials of the European Commission, the European Unions executive arm, was the blocs strongest collective response yet to a sustained verbal assault from Turkey. MOSCOW Igor Shafarevich, an internationally renowned Russian mathematician who had a central role in the anti-Soviet dissident movement during the height of the Cold War, died on Feb. 19 in Moscow. He was 93. His death was confirmed by Aleksei Parshin, director of the department of algebra at the Steklov Mathematical Institute in Moscow, where Professor Shafarevich had led a seminar for many years, until 2008. In recent decades his image was tarnished in academic circles by accusations of anti-Semitism and a far-right tilt toward Russian nationalism. Professor Shafarevichs work is known throughout the mathematical world, his name enshrined in the Shafarevich-Weil and Golod-Shafarevich theorems. His textbooks on algebraic geometry, translated into English, are regarded as classics in the field. As a young professor, he had been known to cut a handsome, charismatic figure in the classrooms and lecture halls. Bengaluru/New Delhi, Mar 13 (IBNS): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday has said that his department, Ministry of Home Affairs, will look into the attack on a student from Arunachal Pradesh in Bengaluru, Karnataka. On Monday, the Minister of State for Home Affairs and Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh, tweeted, "My office is pursuing this case. When we are talking of the safety of Indians abroad such incidents in our own country are very saddening." According to media reports, Higio Gungtey, a student of Christ University, was allegedly attacked by his landlord, Hemanth Kumar over a water-related dispute. Based on the student's complaint, police registered several charges against the landlord but reportedly he managed to get anticipatory bail. LONDON Protesting Britains plans to leave the European Union, Scotlands leader, Nicola Sturgeon, called on Monday for a referendum on Scottish independence as early as next year. The announcement was not unexpected, but it reflected the stark divisions in Britain as the government prepares to start the official process to exit the 28-nation bloc. Citing the fact that most Scottish voters had opposed a British exit in last years referendum 62 percent voted in favor of staying in the European Union, compared with 48 percent in Britain over all Ms. Sturgeon said that London had failed to address Scotlands desire to remain in the single market after Britain leaves. Not only is there no U.K.-wide agreement on the way ahead, but the U.K. government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement, Ms. Sturgeon said in a speech in Edinburgh. Our efforts at compromise have instead been met with a brick wall of intransigence. Scotland rejected independence from Britain in a closely watched vote in September 2014, and public opinion on the issue remains deeply divided. For Scotland to hold another legally binding referendum, the British Parliament would have to give its approval, as would the Scottish Parliament. ISTANBUL In the small hours of the last Friday in January, three bullets hit the side of Muharrem Dogans white Fiat as he drove through an Istanbul suburb. One struck just above the front left wheel. Another hit the bottom of the cars frame. The third entered the drivers door and narrowly missed Mr. Dogans aorta, lungs and heart before coming to a halt next to his liver. Mr. Dogan, 21, did not see the gunman, and a group of people suspected of the crime have been released. But Mr. Dogan, who is campaigning for a vote against the expansion of the Turkish presidents powers in an April referendum, thinks he knows who did it. At the time of the attack, he was driving with a group of fellow no campaigners. And he believes his attacker was from an armed gang who, just an hour earlier, had torn down his colleagues campaign posters on the same street and chased them across the neighborhood. This was an obvious threat, Mr. Dogan said in an interview on Monday. It was a message to people who might vote no. Amid a tight race that the government fears it might lose, Turkey has in recent days condemned attempts by the Netherlands and several other European countries to stop its ministers from holding referendum rallies for the Continents Turkish diaspora. This spat worsened on Monday after Turkish officials said the Dutch ambassador to Turkey, who is currently away from the country, should not return and threatened to reassess a deal with Europe that has stemmed the flow of migrants to the Continent. For some, the mayor was too powerful to risk insulting. Turkey has arrested more than 100 journalists in recent months, including one for a German newspaper. So several of the reporters ate his food. The rest of us did not. When asked to explain the false schedule, Mr. Gokcek said disabusing the Western media of some prejudices against us was a worthy task. Im just trying to help you here, and I will continue to do so, he added. In the end, the trip was not a total waste of time. At the last minute, interviews were arranged with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag and Ibrahim Kalin, a top assistant to Mr. Erdogan. Nearly all the officials said they had only just heard about the interview requests (Mr. Gokceks staff had insisted for weeks that the interviews had long been confirmed). Most of the interviews began with either a photo montage or video of bloody corpses from the failed coup. One of the few parts of the promised program that happened as planned was a tour of the damage done to the Turkish Parliament building. Among the parting gifts was a hard-bound book titled, 15 July: Treason of the Century Victory of the Century, filled with more graphic photos. We know the situation is not as good as it could be, but its also not as bad as you guys perceive it to be, Mr. Simsek said, in one of his milder comments during two days of interviews. Officials pointed to Frances imposition of a state of emergency after the Paris terrorist attacks in 2015 as a response that Europeans seem to accept, in contrast to criticism of Turkeys response to the coup attempt. Yet France has not arrested tens of thousands of people or purged 100,000 from its civil service. Regarding the failed coup, the government said it had provided the United States with extensive proof against Mr. Gulen, who has denied involvement. But Turkish officials refused in several interviews to publicize a single piece of that evidence. CAIRO An Egyptian prosecutor ordered Hosni Mubarak, the toppled autocrat, released from the Maadi Military Hospital in southern Cairo, where he has been held for much of the last six years. But as of Monday night, Mr. Mubarak, 88, still had not left the hospital, underscoring the murkiness surrounding his status. His detention has been viewed by many Egyptians as a political matter as much as a legal one. Mr. Mubarak led Egypt for almost 30 years until he was toppled in 2011. He was later prosecuted on a variety of charges, including corruption and murder, but almost all the cases eventually foundered. His only standing conviction is for his role in embezzling state funds to redecorate his familys lavish residences. He appeared to be set for release earlier this month after the countrys top appeals court cleared him of responsibility for the killings of 239 protesters by the police. On Monday, the Cairo prosecutor, Ibrahim Saleh, ruled that there was no longer any reason to hold him. On your deathbed, its too late to make wish lists. Thats the thought that went through my head high over the ocean, willing the plane to go faster as I rushed thousands of miles back to New Zealand to meet up with my gravely injured wife in the hospital near Christchurch. Let me back up. It was 4:30 in the morning in the holy city of Varanasi, India, when I got a strange message from my 15-year-old son, Sam. Dad, give me a call as soon as you can. I was up early to attend a religious festival, and I made the call. The first thing Sam calmly said to me when he picked up the phone was, Dad, dont freak out, but moms been in an accident, and shes in a helicopter being flown off the mountain. The mountain, that is, that she had basically fallen off. I spent the next two hours trying to get a sense of what exactly had happened. By this point, news had already traveled to people back home in Utah, and I was getting all kinds of worried messages from them. Imagine this for a minute: I was in India staring at the Ganges River, getting bits and pieces of information from friends and family in the United States, about my wife who was in a helicopter being flown off a big mountain to a hospital in New Zealand, where we are living for the year. You couldnt pick three other points on the globe that were much farther apart. Disorienting doesnt even begin to describe the experience. The artist Donald Judd once wrote, I loved the land around Tucson, chiefly because you could see it. This concept, of land accessible and unadorned, of endless sky, is the guiding principle of Pasks house, which he found six years ago after a friend spotted a listing online for a place not far from the Saguaro National Park. First impressions were mixed. For one thing, says Pask, with slight disdain, It was painted peach. But he saw potential. It had a brutalism about it that was definitely of the region, he says. And in every direction, the Sonoran Desert. Like many adobe-style dwellings, the house (built in 1968, with an addition added in 1979) had been designed as a refuge from the often harsh sun, but Pask wanted to literally let the sunshine in. In Arizona, the light changes everything the light is why Im here, says Pask. He collaborated with Tucson-based craftsmen as well as with longtime friends including Robert Nevins, his design professor at the University of Arizona. Using the original structure as a jumping-off point, they opened up and added windows, shifting the focus to the vistas and views, says Pask. I love a horizon line. The garage a further barrier to light was torn down and one driveway eliminated so that visitors arrive at the front of the house rather than its side. The exteriors peach was replaced by a warm gray (dubbed Pask Gray by the local paint store) because the color resembled soil found in the Sonoran Desert. Guwahati, Mar 13 (IBNS) : Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) coup on Sunday night has dramatically changed the political scenario in Manipur as the saffron party is all set to form the next ministry in the state. BJP has secured the support of 32 MLAs after getting the backing of NDA and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) allied parties and two other legislators. Meanwhile, Manipur governor, Najma Hetullah, has asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of Congress to submit his resignation immediately. The governor asked Ibobi to submit his resignation for starting the process of new government formation. A highly placed source said that the Manipur governor met the incumbent CM in a meeting held at Rajbhawan on Sunday night along with his deputy Gaikhamgam and state Congress president TN Haokip. The source further said that Ibobi Singh and Congress had staked claim for the next ministry by showing a list of 38 Congress MLAs and also showing the names of four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs in an ordinary piece of paper, claiming to have support from these MLAs. "But the governor rejected Ibobi's claim after seeing the ordinary piece of paper and asked his to resign immediately," the source said. On the other hand, BJP has started the process of forming the next government. The saffron party has 21 MLAs of its own and secured support of 11 others including 4 MLAs each of Naga People's Front (NPF), NPP and one legislator of LJP. Assam finance minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a Congress MLA and the lone MLA of AITC had joined BJP taking the party number to 32. BJP needs 31 MLAs to form the government in the 60-member Manipur assembly. After securing the support of 32 MLAs, a delegation team consisting of BJP and its allies met Manipur governor Najma Heptullah and staked their claim to form the next ministry. Himanta Biswa Sarma further said that the legislature party leader would be elected on Monday. On Sunday, the political drama in Manipur got a new twist after Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, one of the 28 Congress legislators, who won from the Adro constituency and the lone AITC MLA Tongbram Robindro joined the BJP. Sources said that apart from Shyamkumar, 19 others Congress MLAs are likely to join the BJP within a short period. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Image: Himanta Biswa Sarma Guwahati, Mar 13 (IBNS): Amid the BJP claiming the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur assembly, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has refused to resign after Governor Najma Heptullah asked him to submit his resignation to start the formation process of the next ministry. Refusing to resign, Ibobi Singh said that he has the majority and the Governor would have to invite him to form the government. Being the largest party, we must be allowed to form the government, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said. On Sunday night, Manipur Governor Najma Hetullah asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of Congress to submit his resignation immediately. A highly placed source said that, the Manipur Governor asked the incumbent CM during the meeting held at Rajbhawan last night with Ibobi Singh along with his deputy Gaikhamgam and state Congress president TN Haokip. As per rules, the next government formation wouldn't be started until and unless the present CM resigns, the source said. Meanwhile, Manipur governor Najma Heptullah said that she has not received Ibobi Singhs resignation letter yet. The source further said that, Ibobi Singh and Congress had staked claim to the next ministry by showing a list of 38 Congress MLAs and also showing the names of four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs in an ordinary piece of paper and claimed to have support from these MLAs. "But the governor rejected Ibobi's claim after seeing the ordinary piece of paper and asked his to resign immediately," the source said. Meanwhile, the BJP has started the process of formation the next government after the saffron party has its own 21 MLAs and secured support of 11 others including 4 MLAs each of Naga People's Front (NPF), NPP and one legislator of LJP. Assam finance minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a Congress MLA and the lone MLA of AITC had joined BJP taking the party number to 32. On Sunday night, the political drama in Manipur added a new twist after Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, one of the 28 Congress legislators, who won from the Adro constituency and the lone AITC MLA Tongbram Robindro had joined the BJP. Sources said that, apart from Shyamkumar, 19 others Congress MLAs would likely to join BJP within short period. Meanwhile, the BJPs legislature party leader selection process started at a hotel in Imphal in presence of top leaders of the saffron party including Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Pijyush Goyal, partys national leader Ram Madhav and Prahlad Patel. On the other hand, Congress accused that BJP has murdered democracy in Manipur. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) From The Guardian Canniness is a virtue, at least for organizers. When protest goes well -- the Women's Marches, the airport demonstrations -- it helps immeasurably, limiting the right's ability to act or at least exacting a high price in political capital. But protest can go badly too, and when it does it gives the bad guys a gift. I should have gotten a chance to see this close up last week, because Middlebury College in Vermont, where I teach, had a protest go mostly sour. But since my mother was taken to the emergency room early in the week, I was camped out in her hospital room, not on campus. Still, the picture of events that emerges from Facebook and campus chat rooms is fairly clear. It began when conservative students at the college invited a man named Charles Murray to speak on campus. Murray is a professional troll -- "Milo with a doctorate," as one observer described him -- who made his bones a quarter century ago with a vile book, The Bell Curve, arguing that intelligence tests showed black people less able. Academics of all stripes have savaged the book's methodology and conclusions, but back in the day it was one of the many bulwarks of the nation's ugly rightward and racist shift. So, many students and faculty at Middlebury were mad that he was coming, as they should have been -- it's gross, in particular, that students of color should have to deal with this kind of aggressive insult to their legitimacy. But of course, that was the point for Murray and his enablers at the American Enterprise Institute: they're trolls. They want these kinds of fights, over and over, as part of their campaign to discredit academia and multiculturalism. And once some students had made the invitation, the die was cast, if only because Americans by and large believe that colleges and universities should be open to all ideas (and they're probably right to think so, if for no other reason than it's hard to imagine the committee that could vet what was proper and what wasn't). College authorities made their share of mistakes in the days that followed: there was no real reason for the political science department to officially support Murray's visit, for instance. But other parts of the college reacted the right way: the math department, say, which held a series of seminars to demonstrate why Murray's statistical methods were rubbish. Instead, it was goodhearted campus activists -- both some students and some faculty -- that really fell for the troller's bait. Some began demanding that the college cancel the visit, and others threatened to prevent him from speaking. They failed at the first task but they largely succeeded at the second: when Murray arrived on Thursday he was greeted by a wall of noise, as protesters chanted and screamed him down. When administrators took him off to a room where his remarks, and questions from a professor, could be livestreamed, a few people pulled fire alarms. When they tried to rush Murray from the building, a small throng, many in masks, blocked the car and sent the professor who had been escorting the racist to the hospital with a concussion. The result was predictable: Murray emerged with new standing, a largely forgotten hack with a renewed lease on public life, indeed now a martyr to the cause of free speech. And anti-racist activism took a hit, the powerful progressive virtue of openness overshadowed by apparent intolerance. No one should be surprised at the outcome: in America, anyway, shouting someone down "reads" badly to the larger public, every single time. And it is precisely the job of activists to figure out how things are going to read, lest they do real damage to important causes -- damage, as in this case, that will inevitably fall mostly on people with fewer resources than Middlebury students. One way of saying this is -- activism is a science with fairly predictable rules: history has shown what does and doesn't work. And what doesn't work is rage; what does work is dignity. That same week in Selma, the Rev William Barber (the North Carolina pastor and leader of the Moral Monday movement who is the closest thing contemporary America has to a Dr King) confronted a similar situation. The state's attorney general, in the Jeff Sessions tradition, came to an African American church to explain why his proposed voter ID laws were a good idea. It's hard to imagine a more obnoxious man or setting: he was figuratively spitting on the graves of those who died in the Selma march for voting rights. But they did not shout him down: they simply got up and exited the church to hold a well-attended press conference outside. (Here's typical coverage of that effort.) Middlebury students that I've talked to were sad and annoyed that their "voices weren't heard" amidst the melee. They're right to be sad: the things they had to say about inclusion, about marginalization, and about the debilitating effects of pseudo-scientific racism were profound, and markedly more interesting than Murray's recycled bile. But they were wrong to be annoyed, any more than people who climb into a shower should be annoyed at getting wet. If you shout down a speaker, that's what people will remember, period. If they'd wanted to be heard, then they needed, like the Rev Barber, to be more creative. Imagine if they'd taken the available seats, and then got up and peacefully left, not shouting but singing, or in pure silence. Imagine, on the next campus where Murray takes his nasty road show, if students and faculty organize to shame the college community into boycotting the talk, and instead hold a teach-in outside. Imagine if they don't take the bait. This kind of discipline is hard work. I've spent much of the last decade helping organize protests large-scale and small; one key part of the planning always involves making sure that necessary anger doesn't turn into self-defeating rage. That's why there are trainings beforehand, and why people sign pledges of nonviolence, and why there are marshals from within the ranks to make sure people don't break that discipline. College students are completely capable of this (it's with seven Middlebury students that I formed the climate campaign 350.org, which has gone on to organize more rallies in more places than perhaps any movement in history). But everyone involved needs to take it for the serious task it is, understanding that emotion is as much an enemy as a friend for activists. There's no easy version of activism, any more than there is of physics or French or the other tasks college students seriously engage in. In fact, protest is probably a subject, like first aid or how to use the fire extinguisher, that college freshmen should learn. From The Nation House Speaker Paul Ryan was always going to produce a bad plan for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Ryan takes his orders from Wall Street, not Main Street, so it came as little surprise that the speaker's proposal would harm working families and America's most vulnerable communities, while handing benefits to wealthy individuals and multinational corporations. But what Ryan came up with is actually worse than anticipated. There is a good explanation for why Ryan's crony-capitalist scheme is so dramatically delinked from the realities of the health-care debate and from the needs of the American people. Paul Ryan thinks he can get away with anything. That may seem weird, as the Wisconsinite leads a House Republican Caucus that lacks majority support. Last November, just 49 percent of voters nationwide backed Republicans for House seats, while 48 percent backed Democrats and the remainder supported independent and third-party contenders. (In 2012, Democrats actually won 1.4 million more votes in House races across the country, yet Republicans retained control of the chamber.) The key to understanding Ryan's thinking with regard to health care and every other issue is recognition that the speaker's authority is not built on popular support. It is built on gerrymandering. Republicans, who gained overwhelming control of statehouses after the wave election of 2010, drew congressional maps across the country that under-represented Democrats and over-represented the Grand Old Party. Take the case of Texas. Hillary Clinton did not win Texas in 2016, but the Democratic presidential nominee secured more than 43 percent of the vote. In fact, Democratic presidential nominees have consistently won more than 40 percent of the vote in presidential contests. Yet the Texas congressional delegation is nowhere near 40 percent Democratic. Texas sends a huge delegation to the House -- 36 members. Greater in number than the delegations from highly populated states such as New York and Florida, the Texas House delegation is second only in size to that of California. Yet only around 30 percent of the Texans in the House are Democrats. Click Here to Read Whole Article Ted Poe, a Republican Congressman (R-TX), has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives proposing that the nuclear-armed Pakistan should be declared a state sponsor of terrorism. Congressman Ted Poe was a co-sponsor of a similar bill in September last year which died in Congress. The other sponsor of the bill was Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), who has a history of opposition to Pakistani policies but has not always been successful in achieving his objectives. "Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the United States for years," said the Republican from Texas who heads the House's subcommittee on terrorism and non-proliferation. ""From harboring Osama bin Laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the War on Terror. And it's not America's. It is time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a State Sponsor of Terrorism," Poe said while introducing the bill, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Act of 2017, in Congress on March 9, 2017. The bill requires the US President to issue a report within 90 days, answering the allegation that Pakistan has provided support for international terrorism. Thirty days after that, the Secretary of State is required to submit a follow-up report, concluding that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism, or a detailed justification as to why it does not meet the legal criteria for such a designation. Tellingly, the then-Interior Minister of Pakistan Rehman Malik said in September 2011 that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States, not Pakistan, created the Haqqani network and trained its members. Malik said that the Haqqani network was present in Afghanistan and that those claiming otherwise should provide evidence of its presence in Pakistan. Jalaluddin Haqqani commanded the so-called Mujahideen militants from 1980 to 1992, he is credited with recruiting foreign fighters, according to Wikipedia. Two notable jihadist are well known Arabs, Abdullah Azzam and Osama bin Laden, both of whom began their careers as volunteers for the Haqqanis and trained to fight the Soviets. Haqqani reportedly died because of illness in 2015. According to US military commanders, it is "the most resilient enemy network" and one of the biggest threats to the U.S.-led NATO forces and the Afghan government in the current war in Afghanistan. Presently, the United States is offering a reward for information leading to the capture of their leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani (son of Jalaluddin Haqqani), in the amount of five million US dollars. In September 2012, the Obama administration declared that the network is a foreign terrorist organization. After this announcement, the Taliban issued a statement saying that there is "no separate entity or network in Afghanistan by the name of Haqqani" and that Jalaluddin Haqqani is a member of the Quetta Shura, Taliban's top leadership council. It will not be too much to say that Hindu lobby in America has become very active after the election of ultra-Hindu nationalist leader Narendar Modi as prime minister in May 2014, while Modi has adopted a bigheaded attitude towards Pakistan. In October 2016, the White House stopped accepting signatures for a petition of the Indian Americans that sought to designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, saying it has been archived as it did not meet the "signature requirements." The announcement by the White House came days after the petition gained a record half a million signatures, five times the number needed to get a response from the Obama Administration. The petition was created on September 21, 2016, by a person who identified himself with the initials RG and the petition needed 1,00,000 signatures in 30 days to get a response from the White House. The benchmark was reached in less than a week, and in less than two weeks, the petition acquired more than half a million signatures. An initiative of the US President Barack Obama, "We the People," an online petition at the White House website, provides a window in which American citizens can join campaigns addressed to the administration on a particular issue. Interestingly, the anti-Pakistan petition came a day after Congressman Ted Poe, along with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), introduced HR 6069, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act, in the House of Representatives. Simultaneously the US-India Political Action Committee launched an unsuccessful nationwide effort to canvass Indian Americans to gain their local legislators' support to HR 6069. However, the bill died in the Congress. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Many of the people today who are stepping into active social participation or office, have experienced some mind altering drug at some point, or had a spiritual experience that makes them question 'reality'. You can see it in their eyes, I thought, as I perused U-tube's past Correspondent's Dinners and the comic routines of various presidents. They have a humorous ease with the idea of talking to millions at a time, guiding the events of the World with a word or a signature. Those who have not indulged in at least a little weed have fear right behind their eyes, as if they are asking "What am I missing here?" all the time, trying to catch up with a phantom, elusive horseman who beckons to a dark and magical place they cannot follow. I suspect Clinton was certainly an inhaler, Hillary, not so much. She still takes it all too seriously; still thinks 'reality' is an attainable consensus. That is why I am taking what I feel might be the last chance to intrude in what seems policy frozen in time, as far as the Left, the Logical Left's take on the subject of Abortion. The choice to kill arises every time a heinous crime is committed, or a war is fought; but somehow when it comes to the uterus, before that life has had a chance to make itself known, it seems a step too far. This comparison is of course debatable; but nevertheless involves Human choice over that perceived by some to be God's; by others as Chance. And we have a profound respect for the God Chance, witness our many temples built to worship it in Las Vegas and elsewhere all over the World, usually where there's money to burn; often, tragically, not. Chance may be the World's all time greatest religion. Luck and Faith go hand in hand as well. But back to Abortion. Since the Lumpen Proletariat Right Wing keeps insisting that Living Souls are being routed from their slumber in an untimely fashion, simply because in most cases they are inconvenient; and that since the Bible warns that such Sins will be punished, we should expect that this practice of Choice will lead to no good if, as a nation, we do not reject it. The fact that promiscuity was linked to illness and early death in all but the most recent times makes a very sturdy root for this particular theoretical tree. It's understandable that as lifespans lengthened, and people got to take stock of the many cycles that revealed themselves, and steps were taken to avoid diseases-- like marriage, circumcision, and virginity-- most religiously disseminated advice was simply preventive medicine. This led to fewer, identifiable children; lower crime rates, higher education, in fact everything we prize in the concept of family, for what it's worth. The positive consequences justified these measures, for centuries. Penicillin changed all that, loosened the sexual morals quite considerably, and brought a whole new set of problems, like unwanted children and all it implies, as well as the fact that those who were infected with whatever was going around could be cured and continue the practice of unprotected sex. Then along came AIDS, which basically simply revealed, by its lightening-like proliferation, the depths to which our sexual morality had sunk. Incurable to date, we might stop and thank it for getting us to take a second look at our habits. But again, back to Abortion. Those of us who did partake to some extent in the ethereal experiences afforded by the mind bending drugs of the day were moved by the complexity we felt around us, the magic if you will, of existence. That Life can reproduce is its specialty; that messing with it is gravely indiscreet; and we know it, deep down, the way we know what food is good for us. The closer we get to its tiny mysteries, the more fearful some of us grow, fearing that, like a stupid child who takes some fragile timepiece apart and leaves its elegant gears to rust on the floor, we will mess with the wrong genes, just because we can, and unleash a rapid human decline, altering forever an Order that took millions of years to unfold, just so; and without demanding perfection of it, if anything is Holy, certainly it, that Order is. All we really know is that we're one of the later models, and that up until now we've had nothing to do with production. We are the product. Something's afoot and we don't know what it is, do we, Mr. Jones! So if we "choicers" can just hold still for a moment and give the Right this much: that a fetus is certainly as much a human as an apple seed is the Tree; then we can reduce the argument to a discussion of consequences. If a woman refuses to bear a child; what shall become of her? Shall we whip her? Jail her for murder? Force her to give birth in captivity and then hand her child to another to raise? Shall we demand that the unwanted embryo be housed independently in suspension, until some hopeful but barren woman adopts it for gestation? Should the birth mother be involved in the placement? It seems, as with many things; like the Death penalty for instance: There's no Right Way to do the Wrong Thing. Since we don't know the real worth of a fertile embryo, we suspect it's huge and irreplaceable, let's just admit that and decide to disagree about its sensitivity with respect; but instead agree to see the entire campaign of forcing childbirth on the unwilling as leading us down a path of disrespect for individual rights that certainly should begin somewhere in the vicinity of our own skin. Does a person wish to reproduce? Shall the State mandate this issue at all? No law can be understood without considering its consequences; and those that propose to limit choice when it comes to giving birth refuse to elaborate on these. A few have taken the law into their own hands and simply shot abortionists dead. It is essentially a question of what will happen if people get to choose to reproduce, versus what will happen if they do not? The government is taking a major life decision out of the private realm of the individual. But as to the question of when life begins: When does it end? Abortion is the pothole in the road of practicality hit by the rubber of morality, and the reason it has such force is that it's arguable; or more to the point, the Right is Right, and the Left that partook of mind bending inebriates must agree: Life is a Mystery with which we should not tamper, for fear of getting it wrong in doing so. Those who have spent some illicit time considering the Universe under one chemical spell or another, back when it was fashionable, should take heed. The same goes for Sin. It is known by the suffering it inevitably causes. Death from STDS diminished with antibiotics; and look what we did with it! God wasn't angry when people in the past died of sleeping around; germs were present and they got sick and died. But the fact that those diseases keep emerging suggests something basically awry with promiscuity, doesn't it? Or am I second-guessing God again? Sex is commonly used among simian troupes for all sorts of social reasons. Having attained a more complex vocabulary, we've altered our behavior accordingly, reducing its function to bonding and procreation. Vestiges remain today; as with women swarming alpha males; presumably to cop some superior genetic worth. Instinctive behavior, you have to call it, since Choice is a coin with two sides; rejecting life, or ensuring by carefully choosing a mate that it will be a life which will survive. All the beasties know this. Most human cultural practices revolve around choosing a mate. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Image by pshegubj) Details DMCA The most important lesson that Karl Marx taught us is his surplus theory of value, which essentially says that if workers create wealth for a company, then it is only right that they should share in the increased profits. Richard Wolff is probably the most prominent Marxist economist today. Do a YouTube search of his name and you will find entertaining and educational videos of his Marxist message. Richard Wolff argues that when technology doubles the profits, it would be possible to have workers work half of the time instead of laying off half of them. What still happens is that the extra profits go to CEOs and corporate shareholders, not the workers. Having workers participate in the decision making, or workplace democracy, is another innovative idea that is often difficult to implement when we currently have only two political parties, both of which are financed by the wealthiest one percent, and they are inspired by a neo-conservative or neo-liberal foreign policy. The United States is an empire, bent on weakening Russia and China, implementing regime change for any other country that does not follow our business model agenda. But our leaders and political parties will never openly admit that they have such imperialistic intentions. When most people think of psychologist Abraham Maslow, they think of Maslow's hierarchy of individual needs. His theory in psychology was first presented way back in 1943 in a paper called "A Theory of Human Motivation." In his famous representational pyramid, physiological and safety needs at the base of the pyramid are those needs that must be met before the higher needs for love and self-esteem are met. At the top of the pyramid is the need for self-actualization. What a lot of people do not realize is that Abraham Maslow, before he died, criticized his own earlier definition of self-actualization: "The self only finds its actualization in giving itself to some higher goal outside oneself, in altruism and spirituality." Today there is an increasing emphasis on positive psychology and meditation (whether it is mindfulness, mantra, or breath awareness). It should also be mentioned that Aldous Huxley and Huston Smith were early proponents of the perennial philosophy (or a transpersonal psychology), which found the common element in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christian mysticism. Yesterday I received an email from Dr. Jeffery Martin at www.nonsymbolic.org. He uses a term called "persistent nonsymbolic experience," which is a psychological state of well being that is beyond conceptual thinking. Like others, such as Ken Wilbur, he provides meditation methods and spiritual disciplines that are devoid of the baggage of religious belief systems. In essence, he is reminding us that we are all trying to fill a hole. Most everyone all over the world is currently looking for something outside of themselves. We're all deeply embedded in the habitual stories that have developed in our minds, telling us about ourselves and the world. As we distance ourselves or become detached from these psychological mind tapes, we can achieve a higher, continual or persistent state of well being. Huston Smith, author of the classic book The World's Religions, in his description of Hinduism, tells that after several lifetimes of seeking pleasure, wealth, or fame, we may grow tired of those pursuits and start on a spiritual path in which we seek liberation or enlightenment. Whether reincarnation is true or not, it certainly seems more tolerant than spending eternity in heaven or hell. People are starting to wake up as they realize that capitalism is in its last stages, and it is collapsing. The traditional religions are no longer believed. Economic and political decision-making will always be necessary, but now it is urgent that it be a spiritual politics, in which the needs of everyone on the planet must be addressed. Personally I have advocated a radical egalitarianism, probably to the left of most communists, in which the highest wage earners in any country do not earn more than three times the lowest wage earners. Martin Luther King confided to his staff in 1966, "There must be a better distribution of wealth, and maybe America must move toward a democratic socialism." Albert Einstein advocated socialism. Mohandas Gandhi was an advocate for socialism and communism. Gandhi did not believe that our essential nature was basically selfish. Swami Vivekinanda founded the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society. Vedanta is the philosophical teachings of the ancient Vedas. Swami Vivekinanda was in favor of socialism. The Dalai Lama considers himself half Marxist and half Buddhist. All of the above individuals--Martin Luther King, Mohandas Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Swami Vivekinanda, and the Dalai Lama--have also been strong advocates of nonviolence. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall gives readers an important wake up call to the bottom up power that they have to protect their rights, powers, and freedoms. His advice applies to all aspects of life, including politics, economics, journalism, entertainment, and psychology and wellness. Kall's book explains the differences between the top-down leadership approach of dominating, fear based, disconnected authoritarianism and the bottom-up connection consciousness that emphasizes values, justice, fairness, equity, and kindness. This book helps readers see the whole elephant as opposed to the disconnected parts. Kall gives great advice as to intensifying, expanding, prolonging, and deepening connections. With his professional background, Rob Kall is the perfect person to write this book. This is a very well-researched book that includes dozens of insightful interviews with top-notch experts. Kall shows how bottom-up small acts can produce massive results. He emphasizes that since we cant avoid this emerging bottom-up connection revolution, we need to learn how to navigate and embrace it. This bottom-up leadership will result in power to the people. This is a fascinating and insightful book, especially in this new era of digital hunting and gathering." Larry Atkins, author of Skewed: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias See original here A top official at the Environmental Protection Agency has resigned in protest of a Trump administration proposal to scale back severely the size and work of the agency. Mustafa Ali helped launch the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice in 1992 and served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Up until last week he headed the environmental justice department. He joins us in one of his first interviews since leaving the EPA. This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: The Environmental Protection Agency has been overwhelmed by angry calls in recent days after the agency's new head, Scott Pruitt, said carbon dioxide emissions are not a major contributor to global warming. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma, made the comment during an interview with CNBC host Joe Kernen. JOE KERNEN: Do you believe that it's been proven that CO2 is the primary control knob for climate? Do you believe that? SCOTT PRUITT: No, I -- No, I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do, and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact. So, no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see. JOE KERNEN: OK. All right -- SCOTT PRUITT: But we don't know that yet, as far as -- we need to continue debate and continue the review and the analysis. AMY GOODMAN: That was Scott Pruitt, the head of the EPA, speaking with CNBC host Joe Kernen. Well, Pruitt's comment defies scientific consensus about the laws of physics. The EPA's own website, even in the time of Trump, features a fact sheet declaring, "Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around Earth, trapping energy in the atmosphere and causing it to warm," unquote. Well, on Friday, one day after Pruitt made the comment, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, revealed that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had risen at a record pace for a second year in row. Meanwhile, President Trump is proposing to cut 25 percent from the EPA's budget and eliminate 3,000 jobs. Trump's plan calls for the complete elimination of EPA programs on climate change, toxic waste cleanup, environmental justice and funding for Native Alaskan villages. It would slash funding to states for clean air and water programs by 30 percent. Well, we now turn to a longtime EPA staffer who resigned last week to protest the agency's new direction. Mustafa Ali is the former head of the EPA's environmental justice program, which worked with low-income and marginalized communities dealing with industrial pollution and climate change. Ali helped found the office 24 years ago under President George H.W. Bush. He's now working with the Hip Hop Caucus. Mustafa Ali, welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about why you resigned? MUSTAFA ALI: Oh, yes, and thank you for having me. There were a number of reasons for resigning. One of them was that I felt that the values and priorities of our new administration did not line up with mine in relationship to our vulnerable communities and the work that needed to happen in that space. Secondly, I also had some great concerns about the rolling back of the budgets and the eliminating of offices that have played a significant role in helping to move those vulnerable communities forward. And then, thirdly, when I took a look at some of the proposals for rolling back regulations that have played a significant role in helping to protect the environment and public health of our most vulnerable communities, I just couldn't be a part of that. Those regulations, many of those communities have been working for decades trying to make sure, one, that they're in place, two, that they are more inclusive of protections for their communities and getting traction, being able to move forward. AMY GOODMAN: The Trump administration has proposed zeroing out the budget of your office, the environmental justice program. Now, this hasn't been approved, but this is the proposal. What exactly, concretely, would that mean? Talk about some of the areas in the country that you've been working on and just what the words and the movement "environmental justice" is. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). (Image by Hilleberg) Details DMCA Petra to me sounded like a goddess concerning tents, so I decided to buy a tent from her family who by the way manufactures the tents. I remember the excitement, keeping a picture on my desktop, waiting for the it's delivery. Sharing my knowledge with my readers here is going to be fun. They come in different shapes, there is one that looks like a hexagon but squished on the sides like it was meant to fit between two buildings siting very close to one another. Then this is this one which has a shape like a tunnel and an elephant sat down at one end of it. The one I purchased, which is a tunnel design without the elephant at one end. Have you ever seen an airplane hanger, that is what I am going to be camping in. Haven't taken my tent out of the bag in almost five years, I bet others here can relate to me doing that. You may be wondering the same things as me, why did I wait so long, is the tent okay, and who am I going to invite to go camping with me. But first, lets slow down a moment and share with others concerning the things one needs to know in purchasing a tent. Spring is around the corner, and the temps are just about getting right so lets go over this quickly so you may be on your way. I feel like this is show and tell back when I was back in school, the kid in me wants to give you the grand tour, all the highlights that will make you as excited as I was in getting my very first tent. Talking about my own tent hopefully will answer some of your questions, and maybe some you did not think about asking. Designing a product that works takes a lot of effort, both in its' shape, and the materials used to construct it. A choice of higher end fabrics offer a very strong tensile strength, making it hard for it to rip or tear. This is very important since we really do not know how hard the elements will pull on the tent once it is set up. A fabric that is strong is often thicker material but some manufactures have chosen materials that are both light weight, and strong. This is great news knowing that you will need to carry that thing while hiking, and who knows what else you need to pack on your back along with it, so this makes sense. The only area where you can reduce the weight now is by choosing a smaller size tent for fewer people, but who wants to camp in their tent all alone. In fact, I looked at it the other way, I wanted to get a tent that was bigger than I needed, as I meet new people I am wishing it is enough space to include them all next time I go camping. Fabric materials is also important in it's breathability. Just like your skin on your body, the skin is pourus enough to let evaperation flow through yet not too large of pores that rain travels through your skin into your body. You may be surprised to find out just how much water is in the air from your bodies evaporation. I know some of you have experienced waking up in a tent and being all wet. So spending more money can be easily justified if the materials are strong, light, and work the water correctly. Strength is also performed by the actual shape of the tent. Looking at all the tent manufacturers on the internet, you will be bombarded with all sorts of different shape tents. This shows us something, shows us how important shape is in the construction, and not just for its strength, also it;s ventilation, and ease of getting in and out of your new tent. The tent I chose is a tunnel design, and a tunnel is a very strong shape. An octagon is also very durable, and that is why they offer one who's sides are squished, as though it would fit between two building siting very close to one another. Some of the other designs you see on the internet as not as thought out, and you will see this in a minute. Going back to materials and strength, some tents offer thicker diameter poles, the added weight is minimal, yet the difference in strength is remarkable. Their squished octagon tent is offered in smaller diameter poles, thinner fabric, smaller capacity for it's campers, and it is the best compromise between weight and strength. They also make a tent that looks like an elephant sat down on the end of the tunnel shaped tent, and this is a fantastic shape. It has the thicker poles, strength in it's shape, and it's capacity is for up for three people. Shape is important also for ventilation. Stinking feet are no longer a problem with the right set up. To reduce weight of fabric often doors are used as windows when not in use. If you are considering a tunnel design then imagine a big door at each end of this tunnel thus offering an enormous amount of ventilation to pass through the living area where you and your friends will be sitting. Even in the heavy rain, these doors can be protected by flaps forming an enclosed area for your wet gear to leave just outside one of these two doors, yet each flap has a snorkel to still let sufficient air flow through the entire tent and out the other side with it's second vestibule and snorkel. When it is not raining, the flaps can be unseated, and tied off after pulling them to the side thus offering the most in ventilation while sleeping. This also helps remove the evaporation from your body, instead of it lifting through the fabric, it is blown out through and out one side. The tunnel tent I purchased also allows you to remove the outer layer of the tent, and you are left with just the mess inner part of the fabric. Now you can lay on your back and watch the stars as you talk about the full day you all have ahead of you before comfortably going to sleep. The squished octagon shape has one large door opening, a vestibule like described above, and instead of another door for the air to vent through it has a vent on top of the tent with a hat on it so rain does not come in. This tent is awesome for any reasons, some of which we already described above, it also takes up less space when finding a spot to pitch a tent, Sometimes the terrain does not allow you a large space for a tent like the one I purchased. That is why it would not be unheard of to own two tents for different scenarios. It is my gaol, and the more you go camping with others, surely the occasion will arise for a smaller footprint of tent. The tunnel shape that looks like an elephant sat on one end offers a large door at one end just like the tunnel, and the other end is closed off. There is a vestibule on the door side, and a snorkel built into the outer fabric of the tent to offer really good ventilation, I was impressed when I tried it out. This tent requires less space than the full blown tunnel tent I have, yet can hold almost as many campers. Clever design, and it has both the heaver poles, and stronger material which makes this tent astonishing. Which ever tent you end up with, be sure to place your tent on the ground in the direction of the wind for the maximum ventilation, and comfort. Tents can get hot inside them, and ventilation can also be like air conditioning during the warmer months. The tents offer some protection from the cold too since there is an inner layer and an outer layer, the air between these layers act as an insulation for your body while sleeping. To further add to your comfort, they offer a piece of the same heavy material that is placed just under your tent, this footprint will add some warmth, but most impartially it gives additional protection from the ground surface that is not always so smooth. You will probably want to bring a broom with you or something to sweep the area first because after all these are expensive fabrics and you want your tent to last. Some quality manufactures offer repairs for when the fabric tears, or is punctured but who wants to send in their tent when the others are all planning their camping trips. The tents mentioned so far all have good head room for when several people are siting inside. To be sure of this, and to get an idea what it will be like when you all are inside, take a measurement of yr. height while siting and compare this to the tent you are looking at. Remember the more people, the wider the space you need so everyone's headroom is covered. That is why I got the larger tunnel tent so all everyone that goes camping with me is happy, and we can move around with out brushing our heads against the inner fabric of the tent. But even if you do this by mistake, you are not going to get wet because the outer shell of the tent is the part that holds the water out. The last things we should go over is snow, the weight of the snow that has accumulated on top of your tent is heavy, and a design that can withhold this weight is manditory. A tunnel tent is an expedition tent meant to be used in the deep woods with lots of snow. Lighter fabrics, and poles may be pushing this a little, so keep a watch out on your tent for snow that has accumulated so that you may remove it. Special fabrics offered for tents, sleeping bags, and even running shoes now are usually not the color choice we all would have liked so be prepared for this in advance. Cosmetics are not what is important, function is all that matters. You will notice that when learning about fabrics for tents, that other items such as base layer clothing, insulating jackets under a shell, soft shell for wind, and had shells for rain, and sleeping bags all are using the same kind of methodology in protecting you from the elements. These same fabrics offer the same kind of evaporation, placement of vents, so get to know this stuff and you will appreciate it out in the feild. My tent from Petra Hilleberg was a demo in her store which makes it even more special, and since it was displayed indoors that means the sun has not deteriorated it any. I will never forget my expereince, and wrote this article hoping that your experience buying a tent was just as fascinating as mine. The tunnel shape tent is called a Keron-4, and this weekend I am setting up my tent in my back yard. I just can't wait any longer for my camping trip to be planned, I bet a few heads will turn when I set this thing up. One look at the pictures I provided you will show why. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have, I have owned four different tents made by Hilleberg, all of the ones listed above in my description. The one I kept was the Keron-4 since it best fits my purpose. Should I need to camp in this tent for several consecutive days, it will be the most comfortable. Be sure and tell Petra hello for me, and that I said thank you. (Image by Hilleberg) Details DMCA Tent, Hilleberg Soulo 1, Free-Standing Half Dome Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Please, please don't be believing what Republicans say about the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). They insist immediate repeal is the only remedy for problems that don't really exist and they ignore improvements that could make it better. A fundamental of insurance is making the pool of payers and beneficiaries as broad as possible. Mandates to get insurance do that. They're much like requirements to insure vehicles or homes mortgages. With health insurance, sooner or later, most people are going to need to use it. Unless it is required and affordable, millions simply won't have it when the need arises. Republicans call it "freedom" to eliminate the mandates, but no person can truly be free if they're injured, sick or economically stressed. Republicans proclaim the ACA a "disaster," "collapsing under its own weight," "in a death spiral," etc., but the actuaries say otherwise. It is actually succeeding - over 20 million now with access to care, millions who have gotten care they would not otherwise have received, including preventive care, cancer treatment, emergency surgeries and drug abuse treatment, lives saved, bankruptcies avoided. Thirty-one states plus D.C. that expanded Medicaid are doing very well, hospitals have stayed open, and the health care and small business sectors of the economy are growing. It's failing, Republicans claim, because premiums are rising. Never mind that premium increases are smaller now than they were before ACA and that most of the increases are not paid by individuals. It's failing, they say, because insurers are leaving the market. But neither of these are the measure of success of the health insurance system and both of these were caused in part by Republican-dictated limitations on backup reinsurance for insurers. The measure of a health care system is the care it gives to people, not how well the insurers are doing. What are the Republican solutions in the bill they're ramming through Congress without hearings, discussion with the public and amendments? * Cost controls? - Zip, nada, zero proposed * Huge tax cuts for the well-to-do, including tax breaks for insurance companies that overpay their CEOs. They're there and are the real purpose of the legislation! * "Buying insurance across state lines" -- Deceptive rhetoric because actually it means doing away with minimum standards for insurance coverage. We buy insurance across state lines already, but all plans must cover a minimum of services. Doing away with standards returns us to the bad old days of junk insurance that didn't cover care bought in a state with lower standards. * Health savings accounts - existed before and after ACA but serve only the well to do. * High risk pools -- also there before ACA and don't work because they wall off those with the highest expenses (the greatest need) into high-cost pools. * Reduced financial assistance for those receiving advanced tax credits - something sure to make many drop insurance despite need if it's no longer mandatory. Then if they can't pay for a couple of months, there is a 30% surcharge added to the costs they already couldn't pay in order to get reinsured. * Block grants to states for Medicaid that don't fully cover the costs, and fazing out of Medicaid expansions whereby 11 million citizens get care. By the way, did you know that half of all babies born in the US are paid by Medicaid? Did you know that when we have exhausted all our resources at the end of life, Medicaid pays for nursing home and hospice care? Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Being the Second Installment of the Serialization of "The 15% Solution" I. The Origins of this Book I began thinking about what would eventually become the book you see before you in the mid-1980s, after the re-election of Ronald Reagan. The thinking process went on for quite a while, and both the story-line and the format (novel, non-fiction, some combination of both?) underwent numerous changes. Whatever form the book would eventually take, I was concerned that during the Presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush the Republican Religious Right (RRR) was becoming ever more powerful. I began to think about what might happen were they to take over effectively full governmental power at the Federal and widely at the state levels. Being an academic, to support whatever form I might come up with, I began collecting material on positions that both governmental and non-governmental representatives of the RRR were then taking about the matter of what they would indeed do, were they to gain that effective control. I gathered it from a variety of sources: published articles, books, fund-raising letters, position papers, newspaper and magazine articles about them. Finally, in 1994, I came up with the outlines of a scenario that they might follow, and began writing this book. The book's cover (Image by Steven Jonas) Details DMCA I am a writer of non-fiction, not fiction. (Believe me there are major differences in skills between the two. I regard the latter as much more difficult than the former. Non-fiction writers simply need to be able to undertake description and analysis, sometimes simply reporting. We need to use references. However, we do not need to be able to write dialogue, describe scenes and settings in appropriate prose, or engage in character development.) Thus, for this book, even though I decided that I would be writing primarily in the non-fiction style, at the same time I would be writing fiction in the sense that after a certain point I would be making up the plot-line certainly introducing fictional characters. At the same time, while the story-line would be set in the then-future, it would be based on real policies and politics that real people on the Right were promoting in the 1980s and 90s. And so, I came up with what I describe as a "cross-over" book: fictional non-fiction, purportedly written by a future professor of political science, "Jonathan Westminster." (For more detail on him, please see IV, below "Historical Voices.") The book is a supposed retrospective on the (supposed) U.S. fascist period, published in 2048 on the 25th anniversary of the re-establishment of U.S. Constitutional Democracy, July 4, 2048, following the triumph of the Movement for the Restoration of Constitutional Democracy in the Second Civil War (2022). To my mind the most important feature of this book is that what is projected to happen is to the extent possible based on what the Republican Religious Right had been telling us, prior to the time I wrote the book in 1994-1996 (and indeed is still telling us), they would do if they were ever able to gain full control of the government. Indeed, they were telling us that as far back as the 1980s, but back then nobody wanted to listen. They are telling us much more loudly now. More people are listening and more people are getting very afraid of a future governed by the Republican Religious Right. Nevertheless, to date no real political opposition with power and money behind it has developed. One of the main points that I make in the book is that the fictional transformation of the Republican Party to what I call the "Republican-Christian Alliance" and then on to the "American Christian Nation Party" takes place out in the open and nobody in a position of political power and political authority says boo to a goose. I wrote the book as a warning, to which no one took heed. I published the original version of this book in 1996 under my own imprint, the "Thomas Jefferson Press." The title of that version was The 15% Solution: A Political History of American Fascism, 2001-22 . The future-historical scenario is framed by a series of (fictional) documents: Presidential Inaugural addresses, Constitutional Amendments, Presidential Declarations, a Supreme Court decision, one treaty with a foreign power, several acts of Congress, and the Declaration of the Movement for the Restoration of Constitutional Democracy. With the help of my good friend Patrice Greanville, the Publisher of Punto Press, I am issuing the warning again. It is still not too late. But someone is going to have to wake up to the real threats to our body politic presented to us by the modern Republican Religious Right. Someone is going to have to start naming names, taking identities, and stop pretending that the party that runs on religious- and race-based hate and makes liberal use of the Hitlerian Big Lie technique, is not a) qualitatively different from its predecessor and b) a real threat to U.S. Constitutional Democracy as we know it. II. A Brief Overview of the Book The book is a novelized chronicle of the rise and fall of a Fascist regime in the United States during the years 2001-2023. It is intended to present a barebones view of the events of the "Fascist Period," as it could have been seen contemporaneously to those events. Further, it attempts to show how the origins of each major step taken by Republican Religious Right during the Period, in most instances represented by a major document (as mentioned above), could be found either in what is by Westminster's time called the U.S. pre-fascist "Transition Era," 1981-2001, or in events that took place in one or another of the fascist states that existed in other parts of the world between 1922 and 1945. The principal goals of this book are similar to those of its major forebears: Jack London's The Iron Heel and Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here , as if those authors had written those books with 20/20 hindsight. As noted, many 20th century sources are used to explicate the then-stated goals of the Republican Religious Right, ranging, for example, from the 1992 Republican Party Platform, to fundraising letters written by the Reverend Jerry Falwell, to position papers of the litigatory arm of [the] Rev. Pat Robertson's "Christian Coalition" (the chief national political organization of the old Religious Right), called the "American Center for Law and Justice." All sources are referenced in the text either by the name of the principal author or, if none is listed, by the name of the publisher. The reference sources are listed at the end of each chapter. This book does not deal with the projected outcomes of Republican Religious Rightist policies over which there was in the late 20th century considerable scientific controversy. Thus for the most part excluded are, for example, in the environmental arena (except for natural resources policy) the (even-then) predictable effects of global warming caused by human activity (1), the marked destruction of the ozone layer, and the sharp decline in biodiversity. Many of the predicted environmental disasters caused or significantly abetted by Republican Religious Rightist policies are as of 2012 indeed occurring or well on their way to occurring (2, 3, 4). However, the book does project a future "Resource Based Economy" (RBE) based on the ever-expanding power of the extractive industries (which have exploded before our very eyes). However, in the late 20th century, the outcomes of those policies could not have been predicted with nearly the accuracy of those predictions that could then have been made of the political and economic outcomes for the country if Republican Religious Right took power. Once in power at the Federal and state levels, the Republican Religious Right is then projected to have achieved virtually all of its stated goals in the political, social, and economic arenas, and then some. In the beginning, at least, through the electoral process they did this entirely by legal/constitutional means. The predictably widening use of force and violence came later. And the more profound results of the takeover, such as the creation of the apartheid-based "New American Republics," came later too, but predictably as well. A Note on Foreign Policy Except for some allusions to the "Latin Wars," I did not deal with foreign policy issues in the book. It is long enough as it is (as is this new introduction). Therefore, I am not going to deal with the many obvious ones here. Suffice it to say that, in a reverse of this book possibly being a guidebook for the Republican Religious Right as they proceed with their domestic policies, the real foreign policies of the Bush Administration (and some of the Obama Administration as well [5]) would likely find a home in the State and Defense Departments of the fictional Republican-Christian Alliance. Structure of the Book This book has three sections. Section I sets the stage. Chapter one, "Prelude to Fascism," is an essay written in 1995 by "Dino Louis," a fictional political analyst of the time. (For a brief biography of Mr. Louis, see "The Historical Voices," below. Several late 20th century analytical and prescriptive essays or notes for essays by "Mr. Louis," concerning major sociopolitical issues of the Transition Era are included in the book in Appendices II -- VI. Chapter two presents an overview of the book and its historical scenario in outline. Section II, the book's longest, features for the most part selected historical documents which marked major events of the Fascist Period. Annotating, highlighting, and punctuating each of the documents are writings by four selected observer/participants of the time (as noted, for descriptions, see below). They provide comments/perspectives/reflections from several different points of view. The bulk of the text, however, is provided by "Westminster" in his "Author's Commentaries" and "Author's Notes." Section III presents a retrospective chapter (20) by "Westminster" considering "What Could Have Been Done" to prevent the national nightmare from ever occurring. The Cast of Characters As noted, "Jonathan Westminster" is a mid-21st century Professor of Political Science at the (fictional) New State University of New York at Middletown. All of the political figures which he cites with quotes from materials that existed as of 1996 or before, during the "Transition Period," are real. All of the writings of "Dino Louis" regardless of the date given them in the book, were done in 1995 or before. They refer to true events with true references. Most importantly, virtually all of the speeches and writings supposedly made from 2000 onwards are based on material published by various representatives of the Republican Religious Right and their political allies between 1981 and 1996. And they are fully referenced. The name "Jonathan Westminster" is a play on the name Jack London, author of The Iron Heel, a prescient book published in 1908 foretelling of the advent of fascism in the capitalist world, before it first appeared as distinct political ideology in Hungary in 1920. The name "Dino Louis" is a play on the name Sinclair Lewis, author of It Can't Happen Here (Sinclair Oil had a dinosaur as its symbol). In his 1935 volume, Lewis speculated on the electoral institution of fascism in the United States following the election of 1936. The name "Alex Poughton" (see below) is a play on the name Alexis De Tocqueville, the 19th century French author of Democracy in America (tocque/puff, ville/town). The authors of the 21st century publications cited in various reference lists are of course fictional, as are their books. Their names are plays on those of various 20th century jazz musicians, primarily African-American. The selected writings appearing throughout the book are by the following five (fictional) historical figures, as they would have been described by Westminster: " Dino Louis. A well-known, well respected, and well employed freelance sports journalist, Louis engaged in political analysis on the side. From time to time he made attempts to draw attention to his political work, but was never successful in so doing. Louis disappeared in 2001. It is not known whether he was able to successfully emigrate. Many who could afford it did in that year before foreign travel for American citizens was restricted as it had been during the McCarthy Era of the 1950s. (In that case, he may just have maintained a low profile abroad to avoid detection by the International Death Squads.) Or he may have been caught and "disappeared" in the old CIA-inspired Latin American style of the 1970s and 1980s by a pre-Helmsmen Domestic Death Squad. In any case, he had sent copies of the essays reproduced here to his friend Alex Poughton in London, as they were written. Those copies, preserved in Poughton's library, are used here with (his fictional) permission. " Alex Poughton. The pencil-thin English journalist Alex Poughton sported a pencil-thin mustache and bore a striking resemblance to the well-known English actor of the second half of the twentieth century, David Niven. Poughton chronicled the Fascist Period for the London Sunday Times under the head "American Democracy." Staying in political tune with the owner of his newspaper, Poughton's writings were generally favorable to the Fascist regime. Thus, he was able to remain in and travel freely throughout the country (as a whole before 2011 and in the White Republic after that date). However, published here are not his public puff pieces but private letters that he sent home by diplomatic pouch (through his connections in the British Embassy) from time to time. They present a rather different picture of American reality. The "Karl" to whom these letters were written has never been identified. Thus the originals are lost. But along with the Louis essays, copies were preserved in Poughton's English library and are used here with permission. " Curley Oakwood. At 6'5" tall, weighing in at 320 lbs., his shaved head was always slightly aglow with sweat when bathed in the glow of television lights. He was the dominant electronic media figure of the Fascist Period. Presented here are transcripts of broadcasts he made during that time, until he went off the air the day before New Washington fell in 2023. A high-school dropout with a great radio voice, a great deal of personal hate and resentment of anyone he regarded as "different," and a great ability to absorb quickly and regurgitate faithfully the intensive political coaching he received daily throughout his career from his Right Wing political mentors, Oakwood began his career at the age 25 in 1997. Late in the Transition Era, he had succeeded one Rush Limbaugh as the dominant Right Wing presence on the contemporary mediums of "talk radio" and "talk television." He proceeded to go beyond Limbaugh, taking his onetime mentor's often subtle expressions of hatred and anger that were beginning to wear thin and become too subtle for many of Limbaugh's 20 million listeners to follow, to a much more open form. Imitating the example of lesser-light reactionaries who had begun to appear mainly on local talk radio in the mid-1990s, Oakwood made it abundantly clear to everyone listening just how hateful and angry he was. In that time of mounting frustration and rage for so many in the country, open hate just began to play much better than any even slightly veiled version. (Radio station KFSO in San Francisco, was one of the first to begin the "open hate" trend, early in 1995.) Oakwood went on to become the leading public, nongovernmental voice of the American Fascists for their whole time in power. Unrepentant until the end, in 2026 at the age of 54 he was publicly hanged for the crime of "a principal leader of American Fascism." It was an unusual role to play for a media figure that remained in media. But it was one he had sought, and in the eyes of the forces whose interests he doggedly and faithfully served, he served them well. " "Short, blond, and perky," according to a contemporary's description, Constance "Connie" Conroy was a White House press officer who, unwittingly mirroring Fouche''s legendary ability to survive different regimes, managed to maintain her post through every twist and turn of the intense political infighting which characterized the Fascist Period. Her commentaries reproduced in this book are brief excerpts from a set of non-system, secret notes she kept throughout the time on an ancient computer called a "PC." Conroy had first arrived in the White House under the "Last Republican," President Carnathon Pine (despite his age some say literally, others figuratively), shortly after his accession to the Presidency in 2001, and lasted until the end of the Period. By pure chance, her old computer fell intact into the hands of the Constitutionalist forces during the conquest of New Washington. Fortunately for us, a technician of the Movement for the Restoration of Constitutional Democracy figured out how to work it. Conroy's notes, incomplete as they are, have provided the only 'inside look' available to historians of the period. Following the lead of American Republican Religious Rightists in government ever since the then-famous "White House Tapes" incident which forced the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1973, all of the official written and computer records of the whole Fascist Period located in New Washington were destroyed by the Fascists in the frantic weeks just before the city fell. Conroy was Isolated for five years following the end of the Second Civil War. After her release, she married a retired Constitutionalist press officer, and is still alive as of this writing. As readers will be aware, since the written record is so sparse, any writings of former Fascists, whether private or public, are by law in the public domain and so permission to reproduce is not required. " Parthenon "Pudge" Pomeroy, the owner of a gasoline station in northern New Jersey, was an archetypal supporter and beneficiary of American Fascism. Accounting for his strange given name were the facts that his parents had been traveling in Greece the summer he was conceived, and liked alliteration. His childhood nickname had been considered to parsimoniously describe his appearance. People viewing at the same time adult and childhood photographs of him often remarked how much like 'himself' he looked at an early age. Well overage during the Second Civil War, but forced to work for the Army of the successor to the United States, the New American Republics, as a human pack animal (ironically for a man in his business, petroleum no longer being available for the mere transportation of supplies), he was killed during the Battle for the Liberation of New York in 2022. A diary kept by him from the year 2003, when he took over the family gasoline station from his father at the age 38, was found on his person. He had no known survivors. III. The Modern U.S. Republican Party As it happened, I was one of those political observers who, after the election of 1980, said "oh well, we'll have to live through four years of Reagan. The electorate will see through him immediately and surely the Democratic Party will be able to mount an effective opposition to him and his policies. Let's hope he won't do too much damage. Then we can get the Democrats back in in 1984." Little did I know how effective Reagan and the Right-wing Republican machine would be at mobilizing various social prejudices for political purposes. So doing in turn enabled them to fairly easily pull the "economic wool" over the eyes of too many white working-class Americans, who became aptly known as "Reagan Democrats." This assured his easy re-election in 1984, although the ineffectiveness of Walter Mondale as the Democratic candidate and of the Democratic Party as a party certainly helped. So what did Reagan do? First, he clearly indicated that he was going to follow Richard Nixon's "Southern [let's use racism to our advantage] Strategy." For example, he began his primary campaign in 1980 by giving a speech at Philadelphia, Mississippi, which had been the site of the famous murder of the three young civil rights workers, James Cheney, Andrew Goodman (who happened to be a son of a close friend of my mother's), and Michael Schwerner, in the "Freedom Summer" of 1964. Already in his primary campaign of 1976 Reagan had taken to describing welfare recipients as "Welfare Queens" from Chicago's South Side (an African-American neighborhood). This despite the fact that majority of persons receiving Aid to Mothers with Dependent Children (formal name of the law) were white. Further, in 1979 his campaign was already at work to mobilize the right-wing Christian vote for him (6). Although the Christian Temperance Movement was one of the early supporters of the nascent Republican Party in the 1850s, and the Republicans had led the battle for Prohibition partly because of that alliance, the Reagan campaign's move marked the first time in the modern U.S. that religion and religious prejudice against all so-called "non-believers" was mobilized for political purposes. "Non-believers" for the Christian Right means persons of whatever religious or non-religious belief who do not happen to agree with their stance on a variety of social and political matters. That stance is usually based on their interpretation of selected passages of Biblical text as found in one particular English translation of the Bible, the "King James Version." (It should be noted that that translation was actually the product of the work of 52 selected academics, scholars and theologians in early 17th century England.) By the mid-80s, turning the emerging AIDS crisis to political use, the Reaganite Republicans had added homophobia to their own rapidly developing arsenal of hate politics. Over the time from Reagan, through G.H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton, I observed what the Republican Party was doing and becoming. European history has provided a useful background for understanding the implications of those developments. Religious anti-Semitism had been developed in the Roman Catholic Church starting as early as the Fourth Century, C.E. Political anti-Semitism, that is the use of anti-Semitism specifically both for party/electoral political purposes and for political mass mobilization, was developed in Europe in the late 19th century. We know well what political anti-Semitism eventually led to on that continent. On this continent racism, the White Supremacy Hypothesis, and anti-Native American prejudice had been used politically on the territory of what became the United States since well before there was a United States, beginning with the institution of slavery in 1619. But here was a political party that was attempting to mobilize additional prejudices and hatreds, such as homophobia, for political purposes. And they were doing it in a political context where no one and certainly no political party (namely the Democrats) of any influence was challenging them on that fact. And so I considered a variety of possible scenarios of what might happen if they kept going, unchallenged by any opposition that focused on what they were really doing and what they were really after. Of course, the true Reaganite political/economic agenda had not changed much since the time right-wing capitalists had begun challenging the New Deal, from the time of its inception in 1930s (7). But just as at the time of this present writing that was hardly an agenda that they could run and expect to win with. The Right-Wing Republican economic agenda, then as now, included such items as: increasing the share of both national income and national wealth going to the super-rich (the distance, in dollars and political power between the "merely rich" --usually millionaires--and the super-rich --multibillionaire class--is enormous, as to almost constitute a social divide between the two wings of the privileged); increasing the burden of state and local taxation, especially regressive taxation; priming the economic pump (if any priming were to be done) with increased military but not needed national domestic spending; cutting government aid to education at all levels; destroying the middle class's safety net, including programs such as social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and so on; punishing the poor for being poor by eliminating programs aimed at overcoming or compensating for poverty; ravaging the environment for the benefit of both extractive industries and property developers; breaking what was left of the American trade union movement for the benefit of corporate profits; encouraging the concentration of industrial ownership and the decline of competition, leading to the contraction of the so-called "free market" for goods and services; encouraging the export of capital; reducing to the greatest extent possible the regulation of the extractive industries, the financial markets, and the workplace. And so, the Republican Party turned to a focus on what are politely called the "Social Issues" but which are correctly called the "Issues of Personal Prejudice;" those of racism, religious discrimination, homophobia, and more recently, Islamophobia (8). The preceding should not be read as exculpating the Democrats, who, on far too many occasions, simply did nothing to stop the Republicans or actively collaborated, albeit more surreptitiously and behind a curtain of demagogic populism, in pushing for exactly the same economic and military goals. I also looked at where the political use, particularly of anti-Semitism (not in play [yet] in the United States, for obvious reasons), took the German Nazi Party (which represented the same economic interests that the Republican Party represents) and Germany. (One should note that there have been a wide variety of fascist governments appearing in countries around the world, most recently in Latin America in the 1970s [e.g., Chile, Argentina, and Brazil], since the first of them arose in Hungary in 1920, under Admiral Horthy. None of them ever ran on as virulent a form of anti-Semitism that Nazi Germany did.) Then, over time, I began to put the pieces together to project where the use of the several prejudices mobilized for political purposes, in defense of the same economic interest, might take the Republican Party in this country, in the absence of course of a real opposition to them. For example, see "The Second Final Solution," described in Chap. 18. If you think that that projection is far-fetched, in North Carolina in 2012 a man described as a "pastor," one Charles Worley, seriously proposed rounding up all "lesbians, queers and homosexuals," and depositing them in an open camp surrounded by an electrified fence, and except for air-dropping food, leaving them there to die (9, 10). When he delivered his proposal as part of a sermon in his church he received a standing ovation from his congregation. In Germany, there was, on paper, a real opposition to the Nazis. But the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and the Socialist Party of Germany (SPD)--a variant of early social democracy--were at each other's throats almost as much as they were opposed to the Nazis. The former, under the thumb of Josef Stalin's Communist International, spent much of its time attacking the "social fascists" of the latter, believing that "after Hitler, our turn would come" (11). There were also centrist parties opposed to the Nazis. But given the Socialist/Communist split in Germany, no united front ever developed. In the United States, however, the task for the Right was even easier. Any meaningful truly left-wing political presence was destroyed by a combination of McCarthyite "anti-Communism" and the continuing assault on the never-too-strong-anyway U.S. labor movement following the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. Then in the 1980s, whatever had been left of the very modest New Dealist left-wing influence in the Democratic Party was destroyed by its takeover by the "Republican-lite" Democratic Leadership Council, otherwise known as "DINO's," Democrats In Name Only. One need only look at the record of President Bill Clinton. For example, he destroyed most of what was left of the welfare system at the time, opened the floodgates for the export of U.S. capital, provided for the concentration of ownership of the print and electronic media, in his first State of the Union Address announced that "the era of big government was over" (a very Reaganite sentiment), and went to war in the former Yugoslavia (the first major war fought under the pretext of "humane intervention") without asking for Congressional approval, as required under the Constitution. Turning back to the German lessons-of-history, Hitler still would have faced real, substantive opposition from both the Communist Party of Germany and the Socialist Party of Germany, despite the fact that they were never able to form a United Front against him. That is, if they had they been given a chance to get organized. However, from the day (January 30, 1933) he was appointed Chancellor of the Germany by the then President of the Weimar Republic, former Field-Marshall Paul von Hindenburg (known as the "first Hindenburg Disaster," the second being the one that four years later overcame the hydrogen-filled airship of the same name at Lakehurst, NJ), he used force to secure his control of the German government. Within 24 hours of taking power, the Nazis began rounding up Communists and imprisoning them in the first concentration camps. Given that the DLC-Democrats offered no real opposition and in some cases a good deal of support for the real goals of the Republican Religious Right, I figured that nothing like what had happened in Germany would be necessary for the latter as they began to take power here. Nevertheless, I knew that, given their true economic and political program, which would necessarily lead to increasing economic and social misery for an ever-increasing number of Americans, in order to remain in power, the Republican Religious Right would eventually have to impose some version of fascism here. And so, after pondering the problem off and on for a number of years, I came up with the scenario of this book. "The 15% Solution" was actually a real, named Christian Rightist/Republican electoral strategy designed in the early 1990s to take over the political system with a minority of eligible voters voting. It is explained in detail in chap. 2. I surmised that the Republican Religious Right, given the lack of any meaningful opposition, would triumph at the polls and thus take power electorally (just as its current incarnation, the carefully manufactured "Tea Party," is currently in the process of doing). They would not need to use oppressive force to stay in power until some years had passed. They would essentially use the U.S. Constitution and Constitutional processes to take over the system and eventually destroy the remnants of Constitutional democracy, already drastically diminished through bipartisan complicity. (Part II of this New Introduction to the book will appear in the next installment of this serialization. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ References: 1. Stevens, W.K., "Scientists Say Earth's Warming Could Set Off Wide Disruptions," New York Times , September 18, 1995, p. 1. 2. Center for Biological Diversity, Endangered Earth , Winter, 2012. 3. Specter, M., "The Climate Fixers," The New Yorker , May 14, 2012 4. McKibben, B., "Global Warming's Terrifying New Math," Rolling Stone , July 19, 2012, click here. 5. Lizza, R., "The Second Term: What Would Obama Do if Re-elected?" The New Yorker, June 18, 2012, p. 44. 6. Phillips-Fein, K., Invisible Hands , New York: WW Norton, 2009, p. 254. 7. ibid., Introduction. 8. The Nation, "Islamophobia: A Double Issue," July 2/9, 2012. 9. Turley, J., click here. 10. Cooper, A., "360," CNN , May 28, 2012. 11. Wikipedia, "Social Fascism," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_fascism. 12. Jonas, S., "The Imperative of the Republicans' Rightward Imperative," Published on BuzzFlash@Truthout on Thu, 02/09/2012 [not copyright]. URL: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13269. (For the specific references in the quoted version here, see the column as published.) 13. The Progress Report, "Rick Santorum's Most Outrageous Campaign Moments," Jan. 5, 2012.) 14. Jonas, S. "The Triumph of Cheneyism," BuzzFlash@Truthout, 11/03/11 http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13119. 15. Pollitt, K., "Ron Paul's Strange Bedfellows," The Nation, Jan. 23, 2012, click here 16. Rich, F., "Nuke 'Em," New York (magazine). June 25 -- July 2, 2012, p. 37. 17. Jonas, S. "Ask Newt Gingrich," Published on BuzzFlash@Truthout on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 2:09pm [not copyright], URL: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13203. (For the specific references in the quoted version here, see the column as published.) 18. ibid., "Rick Santorum, Front-Runner --- For 2016," Published on BuzzFlash@Truthout on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 1:34pm [not copyright], URL: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13320. (For the specific references in the quoted version here, see the column as published.) 19. ibid., "Eleven Questions for Sen. Santorum," Published by BuzzFlash@Truthout on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:06am. URL: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13344. This column also appeared on The Greanville Post, http://www.greanvillepost.com/2012/02/23/ask-senator-santorum/. (For the specific references in the quoted version here, see the column as published.) 20. ibid., " Mitt Romney's Issues (that He Doesn't Want Discussed), Published on BuzzFlash@Truthout on Thu, 05/24/2012 - 12:36pm.URL: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13515 (For the specific references in the quoted version here, see the column as published.) 21. Rich, Frank, "Who in God's Name is Mitt Romney?" New York Magazine, Jan. 29, 2012. 22. The Book of Mormon, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 23. Tarisco, V., "Former Mormon: What American Need to Know About Mormonism," Alternet.org, March 26, 2012. 24. Kantor, J., "Romney's Faith: Silent but Deep." The New York Times, May 19, 2012. 25. Mitt Romney Press, May 12, 2012. 26. Corn, D., "Buchanan Wins in New Hampshire," The Nation , 3/11/96. 27. Wilentz, S. "From Justice Scalia: A Chilling Vision of Religion's Authority in America," New York Times, July 8, 2002, p. A19. 28. Chernus, Ira, "Scalia and a Supreme Being," rd magazine: Politics , February 13, 2008, h ttp://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/politics/70/scalia_and_a_supreme_being. 29. Haaretz, "'Road Map a Lifesaver for Us,' PM Abbas Tells Hamas," June 26, 2003, quoted in Floyd, C., "Global Eye --- Errand Boy," June 27, 2003, .tmtmetropolis.ru. Haaretz also has its own website, on which this material appeared. 30. Wikipedia, "David Barton," en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David Barton. 31. Human Rights Campaign PAC, "If he were God, gays wouldn't exist," www.hrc.org, March 29, 2012. 32. Fineman, H., "Rise of Faith within GOP Has Created America's First Religious Party," click here Wikimedia Commons Hyderabad, Mar 13 (IBNS): An alumnus of University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Monday committed suicide by hanging himself at a friend's place in Delhi's Munirka, media reports said. According to reports, the victim, identified as Muthukrishnan, belonged to Scheduled Class and was an active member of the justice for Rohith Vemula movement. He was currently pursuing MPhil in JNU. Muthukrishnan was a native of Salem in Tamil Nadu. The suicide has sparked a row. In his last post on Facebook, Muthukrishnan wrote: "When equality is denied everything is denied. There is no Equality in M.phil/phd Admission, there is no equality in viva - voce, there is only denial of equality, denying Prof. Sukhadeo thorat recommendation, denying students protest places in Ad - block, denying the education of the marginal." Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide on January 17, 2016 triggered massive protests in the university campus and uproar across the country. The students had accused the university administration led by Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile along with the BJP Government at the Centre for being responsible for Vemula's suicide. The confrontation reached a boiling point with students ransacking the VC's house in protest and pollice making several arrests. (Image by thiscantbehappening.net) Details DMCA While it has been mildly entertaining to watch Trump's healthcare plan slammed by liberals and conservatives, that's only a thin silver lining to the unconscionable piece of garbage that has been named the American Health Care Act. While conservatives have been concerned that the tax credits for insurance premiums are simply one more entitlement programs for the poor (which in of itself is confusing as tax-funded vouchers for private schools have been a longstanding strategy for the Republicans), the reality is that the bill is actually an entitlement program for the already rich and powerful. Healthcare analysts estimate that 10 to 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance under this plan. The populations that stand to lose the most? Low-income Americans, our elders, and women. What's going unsaid is that rich men stand to gain the most. The American Health Care Act touts the same fiscal bullshit that has never helped the average American: deregulation and tax cuts. The fact is that tax cuts to the wealthy never "trickle down." It's so crazy that we even tout "trickle down" as a reasonable option. Why would we think that under-resourced Americans with the cards stacked against them should get a trickle?! The same criticism applies to Medicaid block funding, another part of the Republican plan. Not only does Trump want to repeal the Medicaid expansion that was part of the Affordable Care Act; he wants to move to block funding of that program too. That means that states will get a hunk of money without any guidance or regulation on how it must be spent. Legislators will have free rein to redefine who qualifies for Medicaid without any accountability to make sure that our most disenfranchised communities get the coverage. People of color, women, those who suffer from mental illness, are all groups that have never gotten what they deserve when getting it depends upon the goodwill of those in power. The bottom line is that deregulation always benefits those in power. For those white, middle-class Americans who voted for Trump because they wanted to "drain the swamp"? This is the opposite and it's just proving what the rest of us knew all along: Donald Trump is a rich, white man and the definition of the swamp. In fact, that swamp used to be a beautiful pond until people like Trump polluted it in order to amass their fortunes. Healthcare costs continue to be a major cause of bankruptcy. Under the Affordable Care Act, the credit amount that citizens got towards buying insurance was based on the actual cost of insurance in their local market. Under Trump's new plan, everybody gets a flat-rate voucher that is a pittance compared to actual premium costs. The result? Americans can't afford health insurance and that only exacerbates the bankruptcy problem. Furthermore, the Republicans are abusing their power in the most fiscally unethical way possible. When it will benefit them to deregulate, they do. But where's their precious deregulation when it comes to women's health? Republicans don't like Planned Parenthood, so bam! Like the bully on the elementary-school playground, they've banned ALL funding to Planned Parenthood despite the fact that most Planned Parenthood operations don't even perform abortions. But I won't waste my breath citing facts. Our current presidential administration has no regard for them and freely synthesizes "alternative facts" in the blink of an eye. We elected a ruthless businessman to lead a corrupt military-industrial-congressional complex. It's no surprise that the result is a healthcare plan that won't actually improve the health of the average American. JESS GUH, MD, is a member of ThisCantBeHappening!, the independent, uncompromised, five-time Project Censored Award-winning online alternative news site. Her work, and that of colleagues JOHN GRANT, DAVE LINDORFF, GARY LINDORFF, ALFREDO LOPEZ, LINN WASHINGTON, JR., and the late CHARLES M. YOUNG, can be found at www.thiscantbehappening.net. Me in the word - Media. (Image by Tony Orlando) Details DMCA Using News for a Good Cause / Where To Begin Please list your news sources in the comments below. Often individuals only read news that fits their beliefs, and this limits one from seeing beyond oneself. Maybe it is time for all of us to take a broader view to become exposed to what is really happening in everyone's community. It is important to notice how others have failed far away in their own home town; reading about them will show us what we may do different. Recently there was a poll made here for sharing whom you trust in news, and this was a very good idea to offer the public. It would be interesting for others to add sources here for information other than just about people's behavior around the world; it would be nice to share your source for technology, medicine, hobbies, and any other interests. I found several sites that offer a photo of the day, which is fun to look forward to each day. I also want to mention that news may be read several different ways, so please suggest to others here how you transfer the articles for your viewing. Do you use a mobile device with a reader program; if so which program. If you use a home computer do you use RSS feeds, or XML. For those wanting to know more about RSS Feeds, simply go to the site you frequent and see if in the address bar there is an RSS icon, if so then click on it. You will see a screen now that is just a list of the banners for each article on that site for the past day, or week, maybe even month. I want you to click on "save" now, then go back to your favorites column and notice how the site is saved here. You will notice next to the address on the favorites list that there is a group in parentheses that says how many articles are unread. Click on the address and it will take you to the site's RSS page; on my computer it is blue, with white background, very simple. This is useful when sorting through a ton of information such as I was doing for years. This also works on non-news sources such as technology, computer technology, your favorite site about hobbies, etc. The idea is making the process about learning your environment interesting thus filled with all aspects of your surroundings. The reason why this article is so important is because media consolidation has fired almost all of its investigative journalists. Media will not run articles that conflict with their advertisers. Newscasters will read anything the teleprompter says. Our FCC does not hold accountable the broadcasters who lease the people's airwaves we own (by contract they must show timely, accurate, and information pertinent to your community or they lose their lease). Too often individuals are heavy minded, and not scanning the horizon for what it is they truly need to hear. Even the people who feel they are on the right track often avoid watching the bad news, which is not really a very good idea because in order to see things correctly then you need to know what people are doing on both sides of the fence. There is word going around that the internet is not a good source of information. That is not a very accurate description of what is taking place there. People who do want to get the information out are often pushed three or four pages down in a google search; most people will not look that far. Thus people only look what is first, what in right in front of them as true. Due to this, people who have interests in business will hire firms to put out disinformation, so much of it that when you google search you will get those four or five pages of disinformation read as fact. That is why people say to not trust the internet. But this is all we have, so remember that if you want to change the world you better first be sure your own home is good, you are investing morals in your community, and you speak out at your job. Wikipedia also gets a bad rap about its content. They are having the same problem as Google is in your search and getting disinformation. People write up a description on their site about the page, then someone else comes back and edits it to make their company and themselves look better to the public so this whistleblower who first wrote in good stuff is whited out. Wikipedia has a page that shows how it handles this, and how it handles whistleblower information. You will be impressed that this is done by individuals from all over the world; the content if large takes time to go through, and the facts are checked first before it is released. In television, disinformation also occurs and can be seen anytime someone tried to speak out using their airtime. Rosie on the View a while back told us about events prior to 911, and asked we look into them as a concerned public and she was crucified by the network, discredited by them instead of standing up to the plate and admit their going along with less-than-serviceable news content they feed to their audience. One of my favorites in journalism is Phil Donahue, who gave away his control of the microphone, and had the idea to let the audience say what they want using his platform. Even though this was a simple thing, it was cutting edge; no one had never done this before. Another example of media gone over the cliff was when Harvey Picklar went on the David Letterman Show and he wore a t-shirt saying GE who owns your show makes items for the war department; he went on the show and said all sorts of stuff he and his wife carefully articulated thus knowing what to say on the show when he got in front of the spotlight. Today tv is no longer live; there is a delay, so if this ever happens again like in Dave's show, it can be stopped and edited. But back then, everyone heard what Harvey had to say and this was a really neat guy. He was mentally challenged, worked at an office filling medical records, and on the side he made comic books and sent them out to dozens of his followers each month by mail. I hope the background given here gives you the idea that news is not to be trusted, and if you do find an odd source that is getting the information out then please share it with others. At the same time, please share your other sites of interests; if you are going to spend time searching for news might as well through in a few other topics while you are using that time. Please list the actual link name; if it is RSS feed then cite the RSS link (which is different from the site). I will provide my list below in the comment section along with all of my readers. Keep in mind that my list is about 12 years old. Some of the links or sites may not be available or as good of a source as before. Iraq war.ru is no longer available, and Al Jazzera used to be a great site until the king sold it several years back. If you are using Pacifica Radio in your town, list the station frequency, and the town this frequency is played in. The idea is to share news with another and make them feel welcome. If you have other ideas for understanding the world we live in, why people are acting the way they do around you at home, then list that information. I use Wikiquote and anytime I like a war song or movie I then look up who the author is, what was happening in his life before that time. Then I go to Wikiquote to read any further information that be available. Using quotes from book writers who were bothered about a topic is great information and I have a list of quotes; maybe we can write an article about quotes, share the ones you have. Knowing what a quote is really written about is a daunting task if you are in denial. It is a great litmus test to see if you really are a stand-up person. Another litmus test is the more you do good, the more your life is going to have problems from others, even resulting in isolation. We have a problem here with the people in this country, and we need to work at defining it, resolving the issues. Even if it is just us deciding on a color to paint my house, I want the exercise to teach us how to work together; we can work on the harder problems later as we all face them at our homes. It is time we use news for a good cause, and learn where to begin. it is time we put the "me" back into media. Iraq War Reporting (no link here) Poverty News Blog feed://povertynewsblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml World Changing, change your thinking feed://www.worldchanging.com/index.rdf Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall's writings on the "bottom-up" revolution have real potential to show people that they can hold power accountable and improve justice. A book on this subject could help to repair the economic, legal, social, and political fabric of the United States." Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, former editor and columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Scripps Howard News Service. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "You have something special and important here. Somehow you manage to teach and suggest and introduce the reader to concepts in a way that feels inclusive. Like, we're thinking about it together. Partly it might be because the subject, bottom-up, is innately understood by all of us and so it feels like you're stirring up stuff we already know. But also I think it's because you truly are practiced at connection consciousness and so it's natural for you (I'm guessing) to write about it with a desire to include us. As a reader I was learning more because it feels like you're inviting me to think with you." Tsara Shelton, author Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "We are in the midst of a profound change of paradigms: from seeing the world as a machine to understanding it as a network. Rob Kall has interviewed many of the leaders, both thinkers and activists, of this global cultural transformation. In this eminently readable book, he weaves their statements, values, and ideas into a coherent and inspiring whole. Bottom-Up is a joy to read!" Fritjof Capra, author of The Web of Life and The Hidden Connections, coauthor of The Systems View of Life Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob's bottom-up consulting for Thought Technology over the years to help us incorporate bottom-up thinking in our business and product development has been very valuable. It is a truly disruptive technique, well worth considering, which is well explained in his book." Hal Myers, PhD, President, Thought Technology, Ltd. Member of the Board of Directors for the Ten to the Ninth Foundation (formerly Singularity University) Dairy Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their diaries after publishing them. To see if the diary was renamed or re-published, please click here. Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. From Paul Craig Roberts Website American Media (Image by abearsrant.com) Details DMCA The CIA created and accumulated from other sources a huge array of malware and cyber attack capability capable of stealing information from any individual, any government, any corporation, any intelligence agency and either leaving no trace or leaving a "fingerprint" of an innocent party. The CIA, being arrogant and incompetent, lost control over its monster which escaped and now is in the hands of we know not who. Floating around the Internet, it was sent to WikiLeaks. Julian Assange explains the capability of the CIA's spyware, which includes end runs around encryption... The presstitute media's response was not outrage over the CIA's criminal behavior, compounded by its incompetence in failing to keep the package from escaping. Rather, the whores who comprise the US media turned on Julian Assange for making known what we need to know. Brian Ross, the chief presstitute at ABC, wanted to know if Wikileaks took money from Russia. Presstitute Andrea Mitchell, faithful to the CIA, quickly got former CIA director Michael Hayden on TV to agree with her that "Wikileaks has struck again" and revealed information damaging to the US about the CIA's foreign intelligence operations. You can see what a great lie Andrea and Hayden have conspired to tell by listening to Assange explain the information delivered into his hands. New York, Mar 13 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres has condemned the terrorist bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus yesterday, his spokesman said Sunday. The Secretary-General is appalled by the utter disregard for human life displayed by the perpetrators, and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, many of whom were pilgrims, said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, in a statement issued today. Those responsible for the bombings, and anyone carrying out attacks against civilians, must be held accountable, he added. According to media reports, twin blasts killed at least 40 people Saturday near holy shrines frequented by Shiites. Photo: UNHCR/J. Wreford Source: www.justearthnews.com LDL - LOW DENSITY LAYER LDL LDL LDL NANO FUSION Nano Fusion Improved protection by reducing thickness Multi-impact Energy dispersion Temperature resistence SUPERVENTS BOA kaliprotectives.com Currently in Canada: First Female Makes GPI's National Top 10 March 13, 2017 Matt Perrault Keep up with all the news coming out of the Canadian poker world with this quick recap of the top headlines of the last week from PokerNews Canada. ruthless848 Goes Deep in the Sunday Million ruthless848 ended up the biggest Canadian winner from the past weekend when he finished third in the Sunday Million on PokerStars for $73,541.63. He was outlasted by geob000 from Greece who won the worlds biggest weekly online poker tournament for $149,332.51. During the Sunday Warmup, grapedrink07 was the tournaments top Canadian. He finished as the runner-up for $42,140.29. On 888poker in the $120,000 Mega Deep, two Canadians made the final table. omgjefmonier finished the tournament in ninth place for $1,948.62. The other Canadian to make a deep run in the biggest weekly tournament on 888poker was cockbandit44 who finished in fourth place for $10,365. Related article: William Harper Wins Sold-Out Deep Freeze Bounty In P.E.I. The first of three major annual poker tournaments was held at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino on Prince Edward Island. The Deep Freeze Bounty featured a $440 tournament where $300 went to the prize pool and $100 was given to a player who knocked out an opponent. William Harper was the last entrant standing to take home $17,500 plus bounties. Andrew MacDonald finished as the runner-up, collecting $9,600. Related article: Kyle Hartree Tops Field Again to Win Great Canadian Freeze Out Calgarys Great Canadian Freeze Out wrapped up this past weekend with the conclusion of the Main Event. The $560 buy in tournament saw 311 entries, but in the end it was Alberta regulars Kyle Hartree and Ryan Cairns battling it out heads up for the title. Hartree ended up victorious, taking home $40,000. Cairns pocketed $24,000 for his second-place finish. Related article: Bicknell Enters Top 10 As Engel and Leah Remain On Top History was made this past week on Global Poker Index (GPI) in Canada. Kristen Bicknell broke into the top 10 of the national list by claiming the 10th spot. Bicknell, who was the first female ever to break into the top 10 Canadians, also sits in sixth spot of the 2017 GPI Canadian Player of the Year race. Ari Engel maintained his spot for the 19th straight week as the top tournament player in Canada, followed closely by Mike Leah. Engel also holds the ninth spot in the overall GPI rankings. Related article: Sharelines Kristen Bicknell made history last week on the Global Poker Index in Canada. The 2017 Cash Game Festival Slovenia was a great success both on and off the poker tables. The star of the show on the felts was Italy's Federico Drassich who was the biggest winner on three different televised tables to set a new Cash Game Festival record. He also etched his name into the Cash Game Festival history books by being the biggest winner on two feature tables on the same day. Many new players were in attendance at the festival. The common theme was they came for the poker, but want to come back to other festivals to be part of the family feel created by the regular players. Many regulars from previous stops including Janar Kokk, Elora Kask, Jack Fenton, Daniel Nasman, Peter La Terra and SlotsMillions Ambassador Viktoria Lundberg were in attendance. Every day during the festival there were activities which dozens of players attended. On Day 1 players enjoyed welcome drinks before hopping on the poker tables. On Day 2 players enjoyed action and adventure including zip lining over a canyon at Soca Fun Park. On Day 3, players were treated to a meal at On'Italy which Cash Game Festival Marketing and Content Creator Manager Inga Raudsepp claimed was "hidden a gem on a street where one would normally not expect to find good food." Late on Day 4, players were dancing the night away at the VIP Party at Pulse Arena. Aspiring blogger and vlogger Maxime Roseau won the dance contest at the party. On Day 5, players took a bus trip to the caves located 60 kilometers away from the casino. The caves are known to be some of the biggest in the world and is one of the top three visited in the world by tourists. The next Cash Game Festival will be at Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn from April 26 to 30. Players interested in attending Tallinn should head to the Cash Game Festival website for more information about the event including registering for the event and reserving their spots on the televised feature tables. PR-Inside.com: 2017-03-13 18:00:02 Zaandam, the Netherlands, March 13, 2017- Ahold Delhaize today announced its Belgian subsidiaries have reached agreements to divest five stores and one project in Belgium. The divestments are made to comply with the conditions the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) attached to its approval of the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group in 2016. Lidl Belgium has agreed to buy three Albert Heijn stores and one project. Tanger has agreed to buy one Albert Heijn store and one Proxy Delhaize store. The agreements are subject to customary closing conditions. Upon fulfillment of these conditions, the stores are expected to be transferred within the next three months. The current labor and working conditions of the associates will be respected in accordance with Belgian labor laws and regulations. The BCA approved the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group on March 15, 2016, conditional upon the divestment of eight Albert Heijn stores, five Delhaize affiliated stores and a limited number of projects in Belgium to address competition concerns raised by the regulator. A full list of the store locations referred to in this press release is included as an annex. Ahold Delhaize continues to work to complete the divestment process for the other stores that need to be divested in close cooperation with the BCA and potential buyers. Until all divestment requirements are met, Albert Heijn and Delhaize stores in Belgium will continue to operate under mandatory separation. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Ahold Delhaize via Globenewswire Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), the leading coalition supporting Medicare Advantage, announced the launch of Medicare My Way, an advocacy campaign in support of Medicare Advantage. BMA is kicking off a three-week Digital March on Washington organizing over 100,000 seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage to call on the Trump Administration and Congress to lift a cap on Medicare Advantage care. Sharon M. of Elk Grove, CA, BMA Senior Ambassador PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-28 07:40:51 Press Information Better Medicare Alliance 1090 Vermont Ave Suite 1250 Washington DC 20005 Adjoa Adofo Director of Communications 2027350676 email http://bettermedicarealliance.org # 629 Words 1090 Vermont AveSuite 1250Washington DC 20005Director of Communications2027350676 Washington, D.C. Today, Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), the leading advocacy coalition supporting Medicare Advantage, announced the launch of Medicare My Way, an advocacy campaign in support of Medicare Advantage, the managed care, private option in Medicare that provides affordable, high-quality care for 18.5 million beneficiaries.As part of the campaign, BMA is kicking off a three-week Digital March on Washington today organizing over 100,000 seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage to call on the Trump Administration and Congress to lift a cap on Medicare Advantage care. The online interactive map shows advocates in real-time as they sign up to make their voices heard.In 2016, two million Medicare Advantage beneficiaries were denied the full value of a high-quality Medicare Advantage plan because of a technical provision in the Affordable Care Act known as the benchmark cap. In Medicare Advantage, plans that earn a high Star Quality rating receive a bonus payment they must apply to benefits for beneficiaries that are not provided under Traditional Fee-For-Service Medicare. Today, the benchmark cap policy prevents 4-Star or higher Medicare Advantage plans in certain counties from receiving payment they have earned to provide beneficiaries important benefits like vision, hearing, dental care and disease management programs.If Washington allows the cap to stay in place Medicare Advantage seniors in 40% of counties across the country could be negatively impacted, facing higher costs and fewer benefits, said Allyson Y. Schwartz, BMA President and CEO. From Congress, MedPAC, the health community, and beneficiaries themselves there is wide consensus that lifting the cap on Medicare Advantage care is long overdue. We are calling for action to be taken now. BMA ADVOCATES URGE NEW TRUMP CMS ADMINISTRATORS TO TAKE ACTIONEach year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announces policy changes from the Administration for Medicare Advantage. BMA advocates are urging newly appointed CMS leaders to use their authority to eliminate further negative beneficiary impact due to the benchmark cap policy. The final notice is expected to be announced on April 3, 2017.Through BMAs online advocacy portal, advocates will write letters, make phone calls, tell personal stories, and utilize social media platforms to urge policymakers to ensure access to the full value of high-quality Medicare Advantage plans.BMA ALLIES CALL FOR CMS TO LIFT THE BENCHMARK CAPAs a coalition of 82 ally organizations that represents nurses, doctors, insurers, businesses and senior organizations, BMA also mobilized its allies to send seven letters to CMS leadership and state delegations on the issue of the benchmark cap.Medicare Advantage does a lot of things right, and one of those is rewarding the highest quality health plans with a premium bonus. But currently, those payments are limited by benchmark caps, meaning that a three-star health plan is paid the same as an otherwise similar five-star plan. Lifting the benchmark caps will help drive quality more quickly, said Dr. Jeff Kang, President, ChenMed.We are concerned that failing to address the benchmark cap issue could impact over 3 million Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in capped counties across the country. Congress should act legislatively, or CMS should take steps administratively to address the benchmark cap issue as soon as possible. A failure to act means many beneficiaries will not receive the additional benefits for enrolling in a high-quality Medicare Advantage plan, said Evelyn Ireland, Executive Director of the National Association of Dental Plans.As part of the Medicare My Way campaign, BMA is also publishing an online microsite highlighting real patient stories and photos of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries on the value of the popular health coverage option for seniors and those with disabilities.Our grassroots effort highlighting beneficiary voices follows a letter-writing campaign from key organizations within the Better Medicare Alliance coalition as well as weeks of advertising in the Beltway, said Adjoa Adofo, BMA Director of Communications.### PR-Inside.com: 2017-03-13 14:08:02 Modular construction pioneer Portakabin has launched an integrated customer experience service across its business, connecting seven European regions. Getronics and Portakabin Announce Multi-Million Pound Digital Transformation 3 Monkeys | Zeno for Getronics Laura Spence Phone +44-(0)-20-7009-3100 Getronics@3monkeyszeno.com This investment signals the largest investment in information technology since the company was established more than 50 years ago. This new digital vision will give Portakabin customers, staff and supply chain partners the benefit of a single integrated information system across the company, both in the UK and in all its pan-European operations. It sees a unified Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system implemented across several business units, boosting operational efficiencies to benefit its customers spanning seven European regions. The integrated solution will support Portakabin in gaining more intelligence from its customer insights and help drive growth. This flexible cloud platform can scale quickly to meet demand, offering Portakabin more agility in a rapidly expanding global market. Most importantly, the ambitious project will provide a personalised and seamless experience for customers from the very first contact through to building design, manufacture, completion and post-handover support. IT specialists from Portakabin and partners Getronics, Dell Boomi and Microsoft have been working on the development and implementation of the transformation, with more than two million customer records being loaded for the UK and Ireland alone. Commenting on the partnership, Dominic Ruscillo, IT Director of Portakabin said, These advanced system capabilities will generate even greater insight for the design, manufacture and delivery of fantastic buildings and meet the precise needs of our customers and building users. We are proud that our history of industry-leading innovation is continuing and that information technology has become central to the companys business strategy, helping to propagate dynamic new ways of working. We are looking forward to the roll-out of this visionary programme throughout 2017. Mark Cook, Group CEO at Getronics said, No matter what industry you operate in, todays businesses must deliver a consistent experience to customers across multiple touchpoints. Getronics has a long history of working with customers to manage complex change projects, and we understand the importance of demonstrating results fast to both internal and external stakeholders. Portakabin is an industry leader and innovator, so were pleased to partner with them on this important project as they embark on their digital transformation journey. Portakabin also announced a five-year IT outsourcing contract with Getronics, which will see the company streamline its IT Infrastructure and services. In addition, the agreement will see Portakabin transform its end user estate to deliver Workspace-as-a-Service, delivering productivity benefits back to its employees. - ENDS - For further information about Portakabin, please visit www.portakabin.co.uk or call 01904 681533 to speak to our press office. Notes to Editors Portakabin is a registered trademark which must only be used to refer to modular buildings manufactured by Portakabin. Portakabin is not a generic term. Portakabin is the market leader in the design and manufacture of modular buildings and advanced off-site construction. The company provides buildings for hire and sale as well as refurbished buildings and site accommodation solutions for any sized organisation in any sector. Portakabin has delivered more than 50 million square feet of space in the last 50 years and employs more than 1,750 people across seven European countries. Getronics The Getronics family is an ICT Services group consisting of the Getronics and Connectis brands and is owned by the AURELIUS Group, a holding company headquartered in Munich, Germany. With an extensive history that extends over 125 years, the Getronics family has nearly 4,600 employees in 22 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific & Latin America, and has a complete portfolio of integrated ICT services for the large enterprise and public sector markets. This includes Workspace, Applications, Unified Communications, Data Centre, Cloud, Consulting, Partner Technology, Managed Services and Security. Getronics is a leading member in the Global Workspace Alliance, a unique model that provides customers with a consistent IT service throughout the world, with one single point of contact and billing entity, delivering services to over 90 countries. The GWA manages 10m workspace assets globally, and was ranked number 3 by OVUM among other leading global vendors for workplace management. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201703130056 In a breakthrough study from Switzerland, researchers examined the use of a fresh sage preparation for treating hot flashes and other menopause symptoms in women PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-21 20:12:38 Press Information Nutrition Breakthroughs 1413 5th St., Suite D Glendale, CA. 91201 Jobee Knight President 818-956-6612 email http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com Published by Jobee Knight 0018189134308 e-mail http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com # 561 Words 1413 5th St., Suite DGlendale, CA. 91201President818-956-6612Jobee Knight0018189134308 Sage is a delicious herb used in cooking, particularly with poultry and pasta sauces, and it has a long history of use for medicinal purposes. It belongs to the mint family, along with oregano, rosemary and thyme.Its been used by herbalists to treat sore throats, strengthen the nervous system and improve brain function. The German Health Commission officially approved the use of sage for excessive sweating and one German study found sage to reduce excessive perspiration by 50%. Sage leaf is also a well-researched remedy for hot flashes and night sweats in menopause.In a breakthrough study from Switzerland, researchers examined the use of a fresh sage preparation for treating hot flashes and other menopause symptoms in women. The women were an average age of 56, they were menopausal for at least 12 months, and they experienced 5 or more hot flashes per day. The women took a daily tablet of fresh sage leaves for 8 weeks.The average number of hot flashes decreased considerably each week from week 1 to week 8. Mild hot flashes decreased by 46%, moderate flashes decreased by 62%, severe hot flashes decreased by 79%, and very severe ones decreased by 100%. The Swiss researchers concluded that fresh sage has great value in the treatment of hot flashes and other related menopause symptoms.Italian scientists have also taken an interest in studying sage for women at menopause. They set out to study the effects of a combination of sage and alfalfa leaves on symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations.The Italian study lasted for three months and followed thirty menopausal women who took a sage and alfalfa supplement daily. At the end of the study, hot flushes and night sweats had completely disappeared in twenty of them and the others had reduced symptoms making the combination of sage and alfalfa an effective remedy for menopause discomforts.The minerals calcium and magnesium have also been the subject of studies on hot flashes. One study from the Virginia University Health System found that magnesium supplements reduced hot flash frequency in women from 52 to 28 per week a 41% reduction.One natural sleep aid with benefits for hot flashes is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. This softgel formula contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleeplessness and insomnia, as well as for hot flashes, night sweats, heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, teenage insomnia and menopause insomnia.Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable. After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep. I have much less interruption from flashes, Im sleeping much better and Im a lot more comfortable. Natural menopause remedies such as sage, alfalfa, calcium and magnesium are healthy options for women with hot flashes and insomnia.This health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a publisher of nutrition articles and supplier of effective natural remedies since 2002. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II ( http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html) , as well as Joints and More ( http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/joints_and_more___natural_reli.html) the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails, and more energy. PR-Inside.com: 2017-03-13 15:52:02 Global Executives Reveal Plans in LBMA Global Trends Report Location-Based Marketing Set to Soar in 2017 For LBMA Melody Wolff, 551-404-3811 melody@dbraymedia.com The Location Based Marketing Association (LBMA) has today released its second annual Global Location Trends Report. Launched at SXSW during RetailLoco, the largest annual gathering of brands and LBMA members, the report reveals major trends in usage and investments in location-based marketing as well as projections for implementing this technology in 2017. The LBMAs report shows how over 500 business leaders and marketing executives from across the globe are currently using location based marketing, what investment theyre making in it and what their future plans are for implementing this technology. The online study was conducted in the five most important and innovative global markets for location based marketing US, Canada, Germany, UK and Singapore and offers a detailed market by market analysis. Key overall findings from the report include: Location-based ad targeting is valuable actionable and accurate according to some of the worlds top executives. Over 50% of companies are currently using location-based data to target their customers. 25% of marketing budgets are allocated to location-based marketing (LBM). The ability to target consumers and driving POS sales are cited as the top benefits of LBM. Countries are shifting more marketing dollars to LBM. This report proves that location data is of huge value to the worlds biggest advertisers. We are seeing a major increase in our deterministic proximity data being used for enhanced attribution and targeting, said Thomas Walle, CEO and co-founder of Unacast, the worlds largest network of proximity data. The issue to date has been the fragmentation of the proximity industry. Unacast has cracked the code on how to effectively mirror the accuracy of online data collection in the real world. Deterministic proximity data provides not only a pervasive connection with the consumer, but also the conditions for a much deeper and more personal relationship with them. With our Real World Graph, marketers can understand their customers real world behavior and how they are contextually connected to physical locations with accuracy and relevancy. Additional findings: Company usage of location-based marketing is on the rise in most countries 5% increase in the US from 2016 to 2017, 6% in Canada, 7% in the UK, and 3% in Singapore. Only Germany saw a 3% decrease in location-based marketing usage. Executives agree LBM is an important business issue and its importance will increase in 2017. WIFI and GPS are the most heavily deployed LBM technology Germany and Singapore show more GPS technology deployment than other countries. Countries plan to deploy more Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in 2017. Social Location Services and Location Based Advertising were the top areas of interest in 2016 and will continue to be so in 2017. Location-Based technology will increasingly be used for customer service and other non-marketing initiatives. Asif Khan, Founder & President of LBMA said: Our report validates the importance and increased adoption of LBM. The future is bright as we see an overall increase in LBM usage globally. We are so glad to share such valuable insights into the industry with our members, the community at SxSW and beyond. The full report will be launched today at RetailLoco, a one day event held at the RetailLoco during SXSW in Austin, Texas on Sunday 12th March hosted by the Location Based Marketing Association. It is the largest annual gathering of brands and LBMA members and delivers insights and trends on the latest in mobile and location-based tools and techniques for retailers. The event features keynote speakers, panels on indoor location, proximity-based payments, in-store digital signage, push notifications, metrics / analytics, augmented and virtual reality, and more. About LBMA The Location Based Marketing Association is an international not-for-profit group dedicated to fostering research, education and collaborative innovation at the intersection of people, places, and media. Our goal is simple: To educate, share best practices, establish guidelines for growth, and to promote the services of member companies to brands and other content-related providers. The more than 700 members of the LBMA include retailers, restaurant chains, agencies, advertisers, media buyers, software and services providers, and wireless companies. For more information, visit www.thelbma.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201703130058 PR-Inside.com: 2017-03-13 21:41:04 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 555 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Conservative Party leadership candidate Rick Peterson today announced a Five-Point Firearms policy that proposes bold and sweeping changes to Canadas gun laws.As the son of a former RCMP officer, and as a recreational upland game bird hunter who grew up in rural northern Alberta, Im very aware of the need for a common sense approach to gun laws in Canada, he said.We have to balance legitimate public safety concerns with the rights and responsibilities of gun owners and recreational shooters. As Prime Minister in 2019 I will take steps to immediately rebalance the current unfairness in gun legislation that clearly and unfairly punishes law-abiding gun owners. Petersons Five-Point Firearms policy contains the following provisions:1. Scrap the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee this body is appointed at the whim of the Public Safety Minister and is open to political appointments that suit the government bias of the day. The most recent Liberal appointments last week point to the dangers of that. Of the current 10 members, only two are professed firearms owners. Replace it with a balanced 9-person, non-partisan Firearms Public Advisory board elected by a free vote of MPs and whose members would be composed of gun owners, law enforcement officials and members of the general public.2. Redirect firearms regulation authority from the RCMP firearms laws should be the sole responsibility of Parliament.3. Establish a Common Sense Code for Firearms Possession that would be enacted within legislation and include the following measures: Streamline firearms classification using the Simplified Classification System emphasis on barrel length, not gun appearance Establish an Elite registration system permitting concealed carry for off-duty police officers, military, CBSA officers or other officials permitted to carry firearms during the line of duty Create a class for restricted firearms (handguns) for forestry workers, prospectors in isolated areas as well as certain recreational users (e.g. bow hunters, fishermen). Allow the use of sound suppressors in shooting ranges. Withdraw from the United Nations Firearms Marking System significant financial penalties for Canadian firearms owners with no benefits4. Ramp-up Education using the Junior Achievement model for introducing financial education for youth, work with school boards and local volunteers to offer a firearm safety initiation/training course for youth and general public.5. Increase Resources double the current number of federal instructors qualified to offer firearms safety instruction courses thereby eliminating the current bottleneck faced by potential registrants who are unable to access courses in a timely manner.My Five-Point Plan will bring common sense to gun legislation in Canada, said Peterson, and it provides support for the large and growing number of new gun enthusiasts, including the largest growth segment, which is women. As Leader of our Party, and then as Prime Minister, Im looking forward to taking a leadership role in this very important file. Members of the Conservative Party of Canada elect a new Leader on May 27th. Membership sales for purposes of voting in the leadership contest close on March 28th.-30-Media contact:Ian Tootill778-836-5914FSCwire is pleased to be the official newswire dissemination provider for the Rick Peterson Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Campaign.To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/ RickP03132017.pdf Source: Rick Peterson Leadership Candidate Conservative Party of Canada Statkraft AS has today successfully issued a EUR 500 million bond with a maturity of 8 years. The issuance was made under the company's existing EMTN programme. Key details: Size: EUR 500 million Maturity date: 20 March 2025 Coupon: 1.125% Listing: London The proceeds from the issue will be used for general corporate purposes. The issuance gathered good demand with the order book well oversubscribed. Barclays, BNP Paribas, Danske Bank and Goldman Sachs International acted as joint bookrunners for this transaction. Statkraft is a leading company in hydropower internationally and Europe's largest generator of renewable energy. The Group produces hydropower, wind power, gas-fired power and district heating and is a global player in energy market operations. Statkraft has 3800 employees in more than 20 countries. For additional information: Funding Manager Stephan Skaane, tel.: +47 24 06 83 06 / +47 905 13 652 VP Tron Ringstad, tel.:+47 24 06 73 12 / +47 992 93 670 SVP Head of Investor Relations Thomas Geiran, tel.: +47 905 79 979 or www.statkraft.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Durban, Mar 13 (IBNS): The mother of a one-month old baby, who was abducted in South Africa's Durban, has been arrested by the law enforcers for her alleged involvement in the crime, reports said. One-month-old Siwaphiwe Mbambo became a national sensation after news of her abduction broke. However, she was found safe, from the place of her mother's boyfriend, whom police arrested along with another lady, believed to be his other girlfriend. The mother had earlier told police that the baby was abducted from a car outside a shopping mall in Durban. The police dismissed her claim upon conducting an investigation, further stating her involvement in the case. Building G, the 7th element of Bonarka for Business (B4B), has been just handed over. The 100% built to suit, eight-storey class A office building has 10 000 sqm GLA and will host Euroclear, the Belgium-based financial services company. The ongoing positive economic forecasts for the CE region is reflected [] US streaming giant Netflix has announced strategic partnerships in India with mobile operator Vodafone, and direct-to-home (DTH) TV providers Videocon d2h and Airtel Digital TV. Netflix, which launched in India in January 2016, is planning to open an office in Mumbai and invest heavily in content.In 2017, we will work on making our Indian service better in every dimension. What's unique about Netflix is that we have got international originals and we will focus on premium content, Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of Netflix told reporters in the country.Through the tie-up with Videocon d2h and Airtel Digital TV, Netflix will be available to subscribers as an integrated app in the set-top box, without the need of a smart TV, Chromecast or Apple TV.Netflix has also partnered with Vodafone to enable carrier billing for both post-paid and pre-paid customers. The subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service is priced in India from INR500 for standard definition quality, increasing to INR800 for 4K content.In the months and years to come, we look forward to bringing our Indian members more compelling stories from all over the world, an ever-improving viewing experience and incredible joy, said Hastings.Both Bharti Airtels MD & CEO of India Gopal Vittal and Videocon d2hs executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot, welcomed the tie-up with the US subscription SVOD service.Sandeep Kataria, director commercial, Vodafone India, added: We are proud to be the first mobile partner of Netflix in India and look forward to offering its rich content to further delight our millions of customers.Netflix will be bringing Marvels Iron Fist and new seasons of Orange is the New Black and House of Cards to audiences soon. Later this year, subscribers will be able to see Netflix Original films such as War Machine starring Brad Pitt and Sir Ben Kingsley; Okja starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano; Our Souls at Night from Indian director Ritesh Batra and starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda; and Bright, starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton.Working with some of Indias top artists, we cannot wait to bring more locally-produced series and films to our more than 93 million members households around the world, Hastings added. Production services firm Bexel has won the rights to provide all audio and video equipment for the third season of the A&E docuseries, 60 Days In, which premiered on 2 March. Produced by Lucky 8 TV, the third season is set inside Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. It chronicles an unprecedented programme in which ordinary law-abiding citizens voluntarily enter one of the nation's most dangerous corrections facilities as undercover inmates, in an attempt to expose issues that have been plaguing the facility and gain a deeper understanding of the criminal justice system. Neither the actual inmates nor the guards are aware of the participants' undercover status. For the third season of 60 Days In, Lucky 8 and A&E partnered with Colonel Mark C Adger, chief jailer of Fulton County Jail, who was seeking to gain intelligence for improving conditions in his facility.The instalment follows Bexel's work on the first two seasons, for which Bexel worked with Lucky 8 and technical supervisor Alex Sierra Jr to develop a complex security camera system and control room for Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville.Bexel has a well-deserved reputation for technical expertise, said Lucky 8 TV co-president Greg Henry. We have a long history of working with them, and the equipment they've provided for the third season of 60 Days In once again seamlessly supports the necessary technical infrastructure for filming inside a working prison.60 Days In is one of the most unique TV series in recent memory, said Gordon Wason, strategic account manager, Bexel. We were proud of our contribution to the first two seasons, and it's a real honour to be able to work with Lucky 8 TV on this groundbreaking show. The BBC is ending its shortwave transmissions from Thailand after 20 years of operation as a result of failing to reach an agreement with the countrys military Government on the renewal of its operating licence. The Nakhon Sawan site, which primarily served East Asia, will be closed due to the financial constraints faced by the broadcasting corporation, with 45 staff threatened by redundancy. Transmitters have been off the air since the beginning of the year, after the previous agreement with the Thai Government expired.The BBC moved its East Asia relay station to Thailand from Hong Kong after the handover of the former British colony to China in 1997.We regret that we have not been able to reach an agreement with the Thai Government which would allow us to continue using this facility to bring accurate and impartial news to audiences in the region, the BBC said in a statement. We are continuing to develop other ways for people to access the BBC , including internet and mobile streaming, as well as FM radio and TV broadcasts. Researchers from Stanford and the University of Calgary have transformed pulses of electrical current sent 1,000 feet underground into a picture of where seawater has infiltrated freshwater aquifers along the Monterey Bay coastline. The findings, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Hydrology but are available online now, help explain factors controlling this phenomenon, called saltwater intrusion, and could help improve the groundwater models that local water managers use to make decisions about pumping groundwater to meet drinking or farming needs. "The hope is that local water managers can use these findings to better identify regions most impacted by saltwater intrusion where targeted management practices can be most effectively implemented," said study co-author Meredith Goebel, a PhD candidate at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. Goebel's graduate advisor, Rosemary Knight, specializes in adapting geophysical imaging tools to monitor and manage freshwater resources. "In the same way that medical imaging has revolutionized the approach to managing human health, I believe that Earth imaging using geophysical methods can revolutionize the approach to managing the health of our groundwater systems," said Knight, who is the George L. Harrington Professor at Stanford. According to the United Nations, more than half the world's population lives within 37 miles (60 kilometers) of the coast, and three-quarters of all large cities are located in coastal areas. Many coastal communities rely on groundwater to satisfy their drinking and farming water needs. But removing too much of that groundwater can change the fluid pressure of underground aquifers, drawing seawater into coastal aquifers and corrupting water supplies. Saltwater intrusion is often irreversible. ERT To determine the extent of saltwater intrusion in the Monterey Bay region, the research team used a geophysical imaging technique called electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to map the salinity of groundwater along a 28-mile (45-kilometer) stretch of coastline from Aptos to Monterey. ERT measures a property called electrical resistivity. Seawater is electrically conductive due to its high salt content, while freshwater is electrically resistive. advertisement ERT could provide a cheaper and better alternative than the current method used to monitor saltwater intrusion, which involves drilling "sentinel" wells at specific locations. "Unlike wells, which only give you information at one location, ERT gives you a full two-dimensional slice with spatial coverage that is just not possible with wells," Knight said. Sentinel wells are also expensive: Four of the wells used to monitor saltwater intrusion along Monterey Bay cost nearly $1 million to drill. In contrast, the Stanford team's survey cost approximately $200,000. ERT surveys could also be repeated at the same spot to observe changes over time, said study co-author Adam Pidlisecky, who is the chief research officer at Aranz Geo. "Looking at differences through time can often be more helpful than trying to understand a single image," said Pidlisecky, who conducted the research while at the University of Calgary in Canada. Phone tip For Knight, the study, which is the longest and deepest of its kind, represents the culmination of an ambitious experiment that began with a phone tip six years ago. "A hydrologist working in the Monterey area told me that there was a lot of interest in what's happening with saltwater intrusion along the coast and suggested it could be an interesting project for my group," said Knight, who is also affiliated with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. advertisement When Knight contacted local city officials for permission to start her survey, some of them couldn't quite believe their ears. "One's response to me was, 'I just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars drilling a well, and you're telling me you can do this by walking along the beach?"' she said. Securing the required permits from cities and private landowners took close to a year, but in the fall of 2014, the team was ready to begin their survey. Over the course of about two weeks, researchers from Stanford University and the University of Calgary worked with engineers from the engineering company WorleyParsons to lay out a long string of electrical cables along the beach. The cables were punctuated by 4-foot steel electrodes sunk into the sand. After a series of electrodes were in place, the team pumped tiny pulses of electricity through the connecting wire. The current spread below the ground, and by measuring the voltage between pairs of electrodes the team was able to create a resistivity map of the subsurface. Less resistance meant more saltwater lay below. Once the team surveyed a section of coastline they pulled out the stakes and repeated the process elsewhere. The survey involved spending long hours in the sun hauling heavy equipment and painstakingly covering nearly the entire Monterey Bay coastline one mile at a time, but the effort paid off. "This is the first regional-scale view of the subsurface that clearly shows the impact of geology on fluid distribution as well as the influence of near-coast pumping," Pidlisecky said. "Throughout the process we have actively connected with groundwater managers and technical professionals in the region, as well as the public at large. We are excited to take this engagement further with the publication and sharing of these results through an interactive 3-D web portal." The data the team collected yielded a colorful, two-dimensional resistivity map of the coastline that reveals complex patterns of saltwater intrusion in the region down to a depth of 1,000 feet and highlights the interplay between the geology and human activities controlling the region's distribution of fresh- and saltwater. For example, the team discovered a dynamic body, or "lens," of freshwater near Marina formed through infiltration from overlying storm water runoff ponds in an area that was otherwise undergoing saltwater intrusion. The map also showed that efforts by the Pajaro Water Management District to reduce groundwater pumping by providing recycled water to irrigators was working as planned. Keith Van Der Maaten, general manager of the Marina Coast Water District, said the new findings could help fill in numerous gaps in their data of groundwater resources. "The current mapping of the freshwater-saltwater interface in our region has many issues and is misleading," Van Der Maaten said. "The ERT data will help give us a more complete picture so we can move forward with our water supply planning and groundwater sustainability efforts." Follow-up airborne study Since electrical resistivity is a property present in all materials, ERT could have applications beyond water management. "Any time what you are trying to image in the subsurface has a different resistivity than the material surrounding it, you should be able to use this method," Goebel said. Knight is not finished with the Monterey Bay region just yet, however. Her team has partnered with the Marine Coast Water District to conduct a follow-up airborne helicopter survey that employs a different geophysical technique to map subsurface electrical resistivity in the region's inland areas. "Instead of just one slice, the airborne survey is going to give us hundreds of slices and allow us to put together a three-dimensional picture of the underground freshwater distribution," Goebel said. "Preventable" asthma attacks among schoolchildren cost millions in health care dollars over 10 years, according to a new study by the city of Houston, Rice University and the Houston Independent School District (HISD). The revelation is part of a project that seeks to minimize risk to students by showing where, when and how often emergency medical crews were called to treat "uncontrolled" asthma attacks at public schools in Houston and at students' homes. When asthma is not controlled either by medication or mitigated by strategies that protect children from triggers that place them at risk, an asthma attack is more likely to happen, according to the researchers. High ozone or nitrogen dioxide levels in the atmosphere can trigger attacks outdoors. Smoke, cleaning products and other household items can trigger them indoors. The most effective solution may be ensuring that school staff, especially nurses, know which students are at risk, when to shield them from triggers and how to respond when attacks occur, the researchers said. Several years ago, the team led by Rice statisticians Katherine Ensor and Loren Raun and Houston Public Health Authority David Persse set out to map regions with high air-quality risks and their proximity to HISD schools and compare them with ambulance data collected by the city's emergency medical services from 2004 to 2013. In partnership with Gwen Johnson, health and medical services nurse manager at HISD, that led to a more comprehensive look at how well schools support students with asthma. The data listed 1,826 ambulance-treated asthma attacks for children age 5 to 18, with details on where and when those incidents occurred. The researchers' maps showed a strong link between asthma incidents where an ambulance was needed for treatment and a swath of HISD schools on Houston's east side. advertisement According to the report that appears this month in the Journal of School Health, African-American children comprised the largest percentage of ambulance-treated asthma cases: 72 percent for elementary school students, 81 percent for middle schoolers and 79 percent for high schoolers. Hispanic children comprised 23 percent (elementary), 15 percent (middle) and 15 percent (high school). The number of cases was five times higher for elementary students, three times higher for middle school students and twice that for high school students in the highest-case school zones compared with all other school zones in the city, the researchers reported. They noted students with asthma who are poor or African-American but attend schools with full-time nurses miss 23 percent fewer days than their counterparts in schools with part-time nurses. At an estimated cost of as much as $10,000 per response, including transportation, emergency room and hospital costs, the researchers said it would be worthwhile for Houston and other cities to focus policies and program interventions to help students manage asthma. "We identify the cases by school zone, but the ambulance may not come to the school," said Raun, who also works with Houston's Health Department. "A child can start feeling asthma symptoms building while at school, go home and wake up in the middle of the night unable to breathe. "So ambulances aren't often called to the school, but school nurses are the key to monitoring children at risk of attacks," she said. "They see them on a regular basis, know who's at risk and can be the first line of defense, but they have to have an asthma action plan on file, and it has to be correct and up-to-date to treat the child effectively." Rice and the city are helping HISD nurses on the front lines. Using Rice algorithms, the Health Department automatically emails nurses to warn them when outdoor air quality could trigger an attack. "We know the conditions that historically cause asthma attacks," Raun said. "The nurses let their faculty members know when the condition of outdoor air poses a risk and have a list of actions that should be taken to reduce the chance of an attack." Rice also hosts workshops for school nurses to discuss strategies and the Health Department is running a pilot program backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to build communications among the department, school nurses, health care providers and health insurers. "It's all about integrating the care we are already individually providing to the child so that our services can be more effective," Raun said. The pilot incorporates Health Department community workers who visit the homes of children with asthma to help parents with medication or to identify triggers in the home and help the school nurse, health care provider and health plan provider communicate. A new strain of ranavirus is currently causing mass mortality in several species of amphibian in the Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in continental Portugal. This infectious agent is hypervirulent and also affects fish and reptiles, which complicates the situation, according to a study boasting the collaboration of the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. An emerging virus is affecting amphibian populations in Portugal, but this is not the first time amphibians have been a source of worry in the country. In 2009, hundreds of midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) were found dead in Serra da Estrela Natural Park. A research study published in the journal Scientific Reports raises a new alert on this genus of virus, which has also been discovered in Spain and elsewhere in Europe. As Jaime Bosch, a researcher at the National Museum of Natural Sciences and co-author of the study, explains: "Ranaviruses have been known about for a long time, although in recent years globalisation is setting off mass mortalities throughout the world, and new strains also keep appearing, probably from Asia." The fact that these viruses also affect fish and reptiles complicates the situation enormously, firstly because they can spread easily and also because of their persistence in the environment, even after amphibians disappear. "They have probably been infecting amphibian populations in Spain for several decades. In 1992 we discovered what turned out to be the first known case in our country, although at the time we didn't even know exactly which organism caused the problem," the scientist adds. In autumn 2011, another curious episode of mortality arose in the Serra da Estrela, which not only affected midwife toads but also other species of amphibians in the park. The episode was in contrast to all mortality patterns previously associated with chytridiomycosis on the Iberian Peninsula and Europe. advertisement Tests carried out on dead animals confirmed that not only was there infection by chytrid fungi; they then discovered the new strain of ranavirus in all species analysed. "Viruses of this genus are found all over the world and can infect various groups of animals. But different strains have different degrees of virulence and the one circulating in the Serra da Estrela belongs to a hypervirulent group called CMTV-Ranavirus," explains Goncalo M. Rosa from the Portuguese Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C). "This new strain has been linked to annual mass mortality of several species of amphibian, similar to the mortality recorded in northern Spain." The ranavirus is highly infectious to several species at various life stages and can reach various altitudes. "This strain has the potential to affect practically all species in the systems in which we discovered them," M. Rosa emphasises. It therefore represents a crucial challenge for wildlife conservation and makes it necessary to urgently optimise conservation strategies for amphibians. The ranavirus in Spain The best-known case in Spain is that of the Picos de Europa National Park, where scientists have been working since 2005. "Several amphibian populations at the park have practically been wiped out, and we have not yet been able to find a method to diminish the effects of the disease," the researcher laments. In addition to this case, another is currently being studied in Pontevedra and, in recent years, they have detected three further episodes of mass mortality related to these viruses in other areas of Spain, which have not yet been published. "At the moment, the only option to combat these viruses is to prevent them from spreading, since treating animals is not possible, and eliminating them from the natural environment even less so," explains Bosch. Establishing severe border controls could prevent new strains entering through the exotic pet trade. Monitoring the species introduced -- mostly fish -- would be fundamental to end their most abundant reservoirs. Members of the University of Leicester team who undertook genealogical and demographic research in relation to the discovery of the mortal remains of King Richard III have now been involved in a new project to identify the last known victim of Jack the Ripper -- Mary Jane Kelly. The researchers were commissioned by author Patricia Cornwell, renowned for her meticulous research, to examine the feasibility of finding the exact burial location and the likely condition and survival of her remains. This was done as a precursor to possible DNA analysis in a case surrounding her true identity following contact with Wynne Weston-Davies who believes that Mary Jane Kelly was actually his great aunt, Elizabeth Weston Davies. Now, in a new report, 'The Mary Jane Kelly Project', the research team has revealed the likelihood of locating and identifying the last known victim of Britain's most infamous serial killer known as 'Jack the Ripper', who is thought to have killed at least five young women in the Whitechapel area of London between August and November 1888. The research team consisted of Dr Turi King, Reader in Genetics and Archaeology at the University of Leicester and lead geneticist of the Richard III project, Mathew Morris, Field Officer for University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) who discovered the remains of Richard III, Professor Kevin Schurer, Professor in English Local History who carried out the genealogical study of Richard III and Carl Vivian, Video Producer, who was video producer for the Richard III project. As any DNA analysis would rely on the unambiguous identification of the remains being those of Mary Jane Kelly before such a project could even be considered, the University of Leicester team conducted a desk-based assessment of the burial location of Mary Jane Kelly. The team visited St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Leytonstone, on 3 May 2016 in order to examine the burial area. Research was carried out in the cemetery's burial records and a survey of marked graves in the area around Kelly's modern grave marker was undertaken. advertisement Their work was commissioned by Patricia Cornwell who is a crime writer, known for writing a best-selling series of novels featuring the heroine Dr Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner, and has also written two books on Jack the Ripper. Wynne Weston-Davies is a surgeon and author of The Real Mary Kelly, an investigation into the life and death of the Ripper's final victim. In his book published in 2015, Weston-Davies claimed that the woman known to everyone as Mary Jane Kelly was living under a pseudonym and was in fact his great aunt Elizabeth Weston Davies. Patricia Cornwell contacted Dr Turi King at the University of Leicester to assess the possibility of testing the DNA from the remains of Mary Jane Kelly and matching them against those of Weston-Davies. Dr King said: "During initial discussions, two issues arose -- it was widely reported in the press in 2015 that the Ministry of Justice had indicated that it would issue an exhumation licence to Wynne Weston-Davies -- however in fact, they had only acknowledged that they would consider such an application if submitted. "Secondly, to complete any exhumation application to the Ministry of Justice, a compelling case for the exhumation as well as detailed information on the location and state of the grave would be required, not only for the exhumation of Kelly's remains, but also to determine if any other remains might be disturbed in the process. advertisement "However, the precise location of her grave is unknown and, not only that, it rapidly became clear that as such, the remains of a number of other individuals would have to be disturbed and that her remains are highly likely to have been dug through when the communal gravesite she was buried in was reused in the 1940s making accurate identification of any of her remains highly problematic if not impossible." Mathew Morris said: "There have been several modern markers in the cemetery which have commemorated Kelly since the 1980s and its location is likely to have little or no relevance to the real location of the grave. Problems surrounding the location of the grave stem from the fact that this area of the cemetery was reclaimed in 1947, with earlier grave positions being swept away to make way for new burials." "Based on numerous calculations, we concluded that in order to locate Mary Jane Kelly's remains, one would most likely have to excavate an area encompassing potentially hundreds of graves containing a varying, and therefore unknown, number of individuals." Furthermore, current law relating to the exhumation of human remains in England and Wales states that consent from the next of kin for each set of remains would be required -- and in cases where there are a large number of remains within a grave, it is unlikely licences will be granted. Professor Kevin Schurer, said: "In order to make an application to the Ministry of Justice for a licence to exhume Mary Jane Kelly's remains, the case for Kelly being Elizabeth Weston Davies needs to be compelling, not least because to test the theory by exhuming the remains will almost certainly involve disturbing the remains of other individuals buried in the vicinity. "Relatives of these individuals would need to give consent and therefore traced and permission sought. Given the number of individuals whose remains would likely be disturbed, it would take months, possibly years, of genealogical research to trace them all." The team concluded that without a full review of the evidence cited by Weston-Davies, much of the case for Mary Jane Kelly and Elizabeth Weston Davies being the same individual appears to be circumstantial or conjectural. However, the report also found that DNA testing of the remains of Mary Jane Kelly -- should she be discovered -- would allow for a comparison to be made between those remains and Weston-Davies in order to determine if the genetic data is consistent with them being related, and therefore likely to be Elizabeth Weston Davies. Dr King said: "As information presently stands, a successful search for Kelly's remains would require a herculean effort that would likely take years of research, would be prohibitively costly and would cause unwarranted disturbance to an unknown number of individuals buried in a cemetery that is still in daily use, with no guarantee of success. "As such it is extremely unlikely that any application for an exhumation licence would be granted. The simple fact is, successfully naming someone in the historical record only happens in the most exceptional of cases. "Most human remains found during excavations remain stubbornly, and forever, anonymous and this must also be the fate of Mary Jane Kelly." New York, Mar 13 (Just Earth News): An independent United Nations expert on human rights is calling for redoubling of efforts to help Haitians affected by Hurricane Matthew. Following his sixth official mission to Haiti to monitor human rights, Gustavo Gallon, reiterated his solidarity to the victims of the October 2016 cyclone. Their situation is similar to the situation of internally displaced people living in camps since the 2010 earthquake, of people deported from the Dominican Republic settled along the border, or of detainees in the country's prisons, said Gallon. His comments came after visit to the High School Nord Alexis in Jeremie, in the Grand'Anse department, where some 525 families affected by Matthew are sheltering. In addition to shelter and immediate needs, the Hurricane will also impact people's ability to vote in the presidential election that was postponed from last October to 20 November of this year. I hope that these elections will be held without any surprises and that there will be a new President elected in February next year as well as stable State institutions, said Gallon, whose position as a UN expert is honorary. He noted that the Government has a duty to hold the elections under difficult circumstances but expressed optimism that the new Provisional Electoral Council and the more relaxed political environment compared to last year will allow the electoral process to be concluded. Among other needs noted during his visit, Gallon called for more to be done to tackle illiteracy among the general population within five years, and to improve prison conditions in order to guarantee detainees' rights. He also reiterated his past recommendations to create a commission of truth, justice and reparation of violations of the past, and a similar commission to compensate victims of cholera. We must bring justice to victims of past violations and to people who have suffered the consequences of cholera to achieve a more equal society, based on justice, said Gallon. In addition, the independent expert voiced outrage over verbal and physical attacks against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex community. These attacks are contrary to the rights to equality and non-discrimination which are recognized in international treaties to which Haiti is a party. I urge both the authorities and society to respect them. Gallon said. He is due to present his report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council this month. Photo: UNICEF/UN035877/LeMoyne Source: www.justearthnews.com Swimming with metaphorical sharks is one thing, but actually getting into the water with the razor-toothed ocean predators? Crazy, right? Not according to the masses of shark-obsessed scuba divers who travel great distances -- and pay big money -- to get face time with the giant fish. A multimillion-dollar global industry is constructed around the promise of doing just that: cage diving with white sharks in South Africa and Guadeloupe Island; shark feeding in the Bahamas, Mexico or Fiji; diving with huge schools of hammerheads in Cocos Island and Galapagos. That's great for thrill-seekers, but what about the sharks? As most scuba divers know -- and previous studies have shown -- sharks more commonly swim away from people than toward them. Does that avoidance behavior persist after the divers leave? Do sharks steer clear of sites that are frequented by divers? Eager to understand how scuba diving activities over multiyear time scales influence shark behavior, scientists at UC Santa Barbara and Florida International University set out to find answers. They found human-shark interaction can take place without long-term effects on the sharks. Their research appears in the Marine Ecology Progress Series. "Unfortunately, human impacts on shark populations are ubiquitous on our planet," said lead author Darcy Bradley, a postdoctoral researcher at UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. "That makes it difficult to separate shark behavioral changes due to scuba diving from behavioral changes caused by other human activities like fishing." The researchers went to Palmyra, a remote atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, where shark populations are healthy, fishing is not allowed and the majority of its near pristine underwater world is rarely dived. However, Palmyra is home to a small scientific research station, where researchers dive in a handful of locations. This made the atoll an ideal site for studying whether and how shark abundance and behavior differ between locations where diving is more common and those where it is not. The team studied whether scuba diving activities have long-term consequences for shark populations. They used baited remote underwater video systems -- cameras lowered to the ocean floor with a small amount of bait -- to survey sharks and other predators from the surrounding reef. "After reviewing 80 hours of underwater footage taken from video surveys conducted in 2015 -- 14 years after Palmyra was established as a wildlife refuge and scientific diving activities began -- we found that shark abundance and shark behavior were the same at sites with and without a long history of scuba diving," said co-author Jennifer Caselle, a research biologist at UCSB's Marine Science Institute. "Our results suggest that humans can interact with reef sharks without long-term behavioral impacts," Bradley said. "That's good news. It means that well-regulated shark diving tourism doesn't necessarily undermine shark conservation goals." Hospitalized patients treated by physicians who order more or more expensive tests and procedures are just as likely to be readmitted or to die as patients treated by doctors who order fewer or less expensive tests, according to research led by Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine on March 13, is believed to be the first to examine the impact of individual physicians' spending patterns on patient outcomes. "If you spend more money on a car or a TV, you tend to get a nicer car or a better TV," said study senior author Anupam B. Jena, the Ruth L. Newhouse Associate Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. "Our findings show that's not the case when it comes to medical care. Spending more doesn't always mean you get better health." Research on variation in spending and outcomes between geographic regions and between hospitals has produced mixed results, but most evidence suggests that greater spending does not reliably translate into better outcomes. What has been missing from the picture, the authors said, is how individual physician spending within the same hospital translates into patient health. That insight, the researchers added, is a key piece of the puzzle because individual doctors make most of the clinical decisions that drive spending and affect outcomes. "Before now, most of the research and efforts aimed at cutting spending and improving the value of care have been aimed at hospitals, health systems and groups of doctors," said the lead author Yusuke Tsugawa, a research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The differences between hospitals and regions are important, but they're only part of the puzzle. Our findings show how important it is to consider the differences between individual doctors in any effort to improve health care." The researchers analyzed outcomes among Medicare fee-for-service patients aged 65 years and older who were hospitalized for a nonelective medical condition and treated by an internist between 2011 and 2014. advertisement Health care spending varied more across individual physicians within a single hospital than across hospitals, even after accounting for differences between hospitals and patient populations, the data showed. Overall, 8.4 percent of the total variation in health care spending could be explained by differences between individual physicians, compared to 7 percent explained by differences between hospitals. Next, researchers examined the link between physician spending and patient outcomes. When they compared lower- and higher-spending physicians, the researchers found no difference in 30-day patient mortality, nor did they see a difference in readmissions, two factors regarded as key measures of quality of care. Jena, who is also a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, cautioned that it's too soon to say whether the results mean that higher-spending physicians could simply spend less with no ill effects for patients. "Say you have two painters. One usually takes two hours to paint a room, and one takes six hours. You can ask the slow painter to hurry up, but you might end up with a room that's sloppily painted, or with one of the walls the wrong color," Jena said. "That's obviously a situation we want to avoid in health care." It could be that some doctors don't fully consider the costs associated with the tests and procedures they order, Jena said, and so policymakers or insurers could create incentives to curb some of the more wasteful spending. On the other hand, Jena said, some doctors might just be less efficient than others and may need additional resources to arrive at a proper diagnosis or an effective treatment. Whatever the causes of the variation, Jena added, these findings underscore the impact of decisions made by individual doctors on health care spending. What caused the largest glaciation event in Earth's history, known as 'snowball Earth'? Geologists and climate scientists have been searching for the answer for years but the root cause of the phenomenon remains elusive. Now, Harvard University researchers have a new hypothesis about what caused the runaway glaciation that covered Earth pole-to-pole in ice. The research is published in Geophysical Research Letters. Researchers have pinpointed the start of what's known as the Sturtian snowball Earth event to about 717 million years ago -- give or take a few 100,000 years. At around that time, a huge volcanic event devastated an area from present-day Alaska to Greenland. Coincidence? Harvard professors Francis Macdonald and Robin Wordsworth thought not. "We know that volcanic activity can have a major effect on the environment, so the big question was, how are these two events related," said Macdonald, the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Natural Sciences. advertisement At first, Macdonald's team thought basaltic rock -- which breaks down into magnesium and calcium -- interacted with CO2 in the atmosphere and caused cooling. However, if that were the case, cooling would have happened over millions of years and radio-isotopic dating from volcanic rocks in Arctic Canada suggest a far more precise coincidence with cooling. Macdonald turned to Wordsworth, who models climates of non-Earth planets, and asked: could aerosols emitted from these volcanos have rapidly cooled Earth? The answer: yes, under the right conditions. "It is not unique to have large volcanic provinces erupting," said Wordsworth, assistant professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science. "These types of eruptions have happened over and over again throughout geological time but they're not always associated with cooling events. So, the question is, what made this event different?" Geological and chemical studies of this region, known as the Franklin large igneous province, showed that volcanic rocks erupted through sulfur-rich sediments, which would have been pushed into the atmosphere during eruption as sulfur dioxide. When sulfur dioxide gets into the upper layers of the atmosphere, it's very good at blocking solar radiation. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, which shot about 10 million metric tons of sulfur into the air, reduced global temperatures about 1 degree Fahrenheit for a year. advertisement Sulfur dioxide is most effective at blocking solar radiation if it gets past the tropopause, the boundary separating the troposphere and stratosphere. If it reaches this height, it's less likely to be brought back down to earth in precipitation or mixed with other particles, extending its presence in the atmosphere from about a week to about a year. The height of the tropopause barrier all depends on the background climate of the planet -- the cooler the planet, the lower the tropopause. "In periods of Earth's history when it was very warm, volcanic cooling would not have been very important because Earth would have been shielded by this warm, high tropopause," said Wordsworth. "In cooler conditions, Earth becomes uniquely vulnerable to having these kinds of volcanic perturbations to climate." "What our models have shown is that context and background really matters," said Macdonald. Another important aspect is where the sulfur dioxide plumes reach the stratosphere. Due to continental drift, 717 million years ago, the Franklin large igneous province where these eruptions took place was situated near the equator, the entry point for most of the solar radiation that keeps Earth warm. So, an effective light-reflecting gas entered the atmosphere at just the right location and height to cause cooling. But another element was needed to form the perfect storm scenario. After all, the Pinatubo eruption had similar qualities but its cooling effect only lasted about a year. The eruptions throwing sulfur into the air 717 million years ago weren't one-off explosions of single volcanoes like Pinatubo. The volcanoes in question spanned almost 2,000 miles across Canada and Greenland. Instead of singularly explosive eruptions, these volcanoes can erupt more continuously like those in Hawaii and Iceland today. The researchers demonstrated that a decade or so of continual eruptions from this type of volcanoes could have poured enough aerosols into the atmosphere to rapidly destabilize the climate. "Cooling from aerosols doesn't have to freeze the whole planet; it just has to drive the ice to a critical latitude. Then the ice does the rest," said Macdonald. The more ice, the more sunlight is reflected and the cooler the planet becomes. Once the ice reaches latitudes around present-day California, the positive feedback loop takes over and the runaway snowball effect is pretty much unstoppable. "It's easy to think of climate as this immense system that is very difficult to change and in many ways that's true. But there have been very dramatic changes in the past and there's every possibility that as sudden of a change could happen in the future as well," said Wordsworth. Understanding how these dramatic changes occur could help researchers better understand how extinctions occurred, how proposed geoengineering approaches may impact climate and how climates change on other planets. "This research shows that we need to get away from a simple paradigm of exoplanets, just thinking about stable equilibrium conditions and habitable zones," said Wordsworth. "We know that Earth is a dynamic and active place that has had sharp transitions. There is every reason to believe that rapid climate transitions of this type are the norm on planets, rather than the exception." Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe A January 29th American commando raid in Yemen led to an unusual release, a month later, of some details on what was recovered. This was done to quell U.S. critics of the raid and it revealed that the raid obtained a large haul of information on AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) training techniques and targeting priorities and dozens of additional items. No more details were released because captured data is more valuable if the enemy doesnt know exactly what you got. This has been learned the hard way because in the past some of these details did get out (accidentally or stupidly boasting) and suddenly a lot of the captured data was no longer very useful. That is because these raids often capture detailed personnel lists or current locations of key personnel and bases. Islamic terrorists are very fond of smart phones, laptops and all manner of electronics that can hold lots of data. That is why raids concentrate on leaders or others who would be carrying lots of useful data around. Since 2005, as smart phones got more powerful and laptops smaller. It has been found that most time sensitive data must be acted on as quickly as possible to get their before the enemy can move people or material. That was probably one reason for waiting a month to say anything at all. There was a lot of political pressure in the United States to justify this particular raid because a new American government had taken power on January 20th and the opposition was eager to accuse the new crew of being blundering incompetents. Unlike most special operations raids this one ran into some serious opposition as well as an aircraft damaged. This resulted on one dead and seven wounded. In the United States the political opposition was claiming that the raid was an expensive failure. This sort of situation is always a problem in American wars, especially those that last longer than three years. In all of America's wars popular support for the war effort sharply declined after three years. Even though the U.S. government said, from late September, 2001 on, that the war on terror would be a long one, this has not changed the impact of what has come to be known as the Three Year Rule. If you can't get it over with within three years, you are going to face more and more voter opposition to the war effort. Go back and look at the history of all of America's long (over three years) wars and you will see this play out. It happened in the war on terror, and the various theaters of conflict (notably Afghanistan and Iraq.) This led ambitious politicians to declare deadlines, which makes life a lot more difficult for American combat commanders, and encourages the enemy no end. The purpose of the January raid was no secret. It was the first U.S. commando raid in Yemen for 2017 and was an effort to capture or kill Qasim al Raymi, the AQAP leader. This raid was in preparation since late 2016 and depended on lots of intel and surveillance to succeed. Raymi had survived for so long by adapting to the American use of continuous aerial surveillance. So finding Raymi became a matter of combing through vast quantities of video and electronic surveillance searching for patterns. That finally produced a prediction that Raymi would be meeting with tribal and other AQAP leaders in a small mountain village at night on January 29th. Some 40 special operations troops were involved, including Navy SEALs. Apparently Raymi had not yet arrived or had just left and he was not involved in the fighting. It is still unclear what Raymi was doing but he is still alive. The raiding force, while a few minutes away from the target, was informed that aerial surveillance indicated that there was more activity down there and it was unclear why. The raid commander decided to proceed. Once on the ground the raiders found many in the villagers awake and using their weapons to fight back. Air support fired on houses from which the raiders were being shot at. The raid left three AQAP leaders dead, along with eleven other AQAP gunmen. Lots of documents (mostly electronic) were seized and it was not revealed if any prisoners were taken. One SEAL was killed in the fighting and the villagers claimed over fifty civilian casualties from all the shooting (by raiders and their air support). Three more of the raiders were injured when leaving because their V-22 tilt wing aircraft had engine trouble when taking off and made a hard landing. The passengers and crew were put on another aircraft and got away safely. The disabled V-22 was destroyed by another air strike. It was a costly raid, by special operations standards, but considered justified nonetheless. Boko Haram is done as an organization that can control territory but as a persistent Islamic terrorist threat it is still around and spreading to other parts of the Moslem north. Now the government has to deal with the fact that the continued corruption and bad government (especially when it comes to security and courts) are keeping enough people angry to sustain some Islamic terrorism along with all manner of violent protest. This can be seen in the Niger River Delta, where most of the oil is and the local tribes have become increasingly violent about the corruption, pollution and obvious lack of benefit to living in the midst of all that wealth. Despite getting oil production back to 1.7 million barrels per day (BPD) at the start of 2017 (up from 1.56 million BPD in November) the goal of 2.5 million BPD by 2020 seems unlikely to be achieved much less sustained. Production for March is apparently going to be 1.64 million BPD and April is looking like 1.55 million BPD. The year began with more promise because production had dropped to a low of 1.4 million BPD in early 2016. Without all this violence and corruption it would be over 2.2 million BPD and the government says that level must be reached in 2017 if the economy is to recover. While the government has a chance of dealing with tribe based gang violence in the Niger Delta, they are helpless when it comes to the world price of oil. The drop in world oil prices after 2013 was largely because of the huge quantities of oil and gas coming on the market in North America. There the decades old fracking techniques had been perfected after 2000 and changed the world oil market. All this makes little difference to most Nigerians because most of the oil money in Nigeria has been stolen over the last half century. There is still an incentive to make peace in the Delta as that will be one less factor that prevents growth in production or even maintaining high levels of production. That tribal unrest is largely the result of corruption and battles between tribes and clans over the many illegal opportunities in the delta. These include gangs that act as private armies for local politicians (usually state governors) or otherwise work for local politicians or even police commanders. In return for this political violence-on-demand the gangsters get government jobs, most of which dont require much effort. You also get some protection from the security forces if you are stealing oil (as long as a percentage goes to your patron). Since late 2016, with Boko Haram less of a concern, security outside of the northeast has become a priority. This was especially true in the oil region where the security forces have managed to suppress the growing piracy activity off the coast and along the numerous delta waterways. But there is still a lot of oil being stolen. There are over a dozen major gangs, most of them based on one (of many) clans of the Ijaw tribe (which predominates in the oil producing areas.) These gangs often depict themselves as rebels fighting for less corruption and more money for their tribe. But these gangs exist mainly because of the income they receive from criminal activities, with stealing oil from pipeline being the most lucrative one. Then there is extortion, mainly from the oil companies. When the oil companies refuse to pay (if only because it is illegal) the gangs attack oil facilities. A new president came to power in 2015 who, as a former general and reformer, was able to get the security forces to crack down on the gangs while, at the same time, addressing some of the tribal grievances. That is why oil production is increasing. That and the fact that a key factor in dealing with the current economic recession is exporting more oil. To help with this the new government is also addressing the fact that the Ijaw tribe has been causing friction by ignoring the needs of the minority tribes in the oil region. That has been the main cause of increasing violence between the tribes. Beyond Boko Haram Most Boko Haram have concluded that trying to survive in large groups in Borno State is not working. The security forces have come to know the area, mainly because some 70 percent of Boko Haram violence during 2016 took place in Borno and just across the border in Cameroon. This border area is thinly populated and have a lot of places to hide. Yet the pressure from Cameroonian troops has forced Boko Haram to disperse into smaller groups and stay close to the Nigerian border. Thus most of the Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon are very small scale and often the result of a raid (for food and fuel) or clash with an army patrol. For the Islamic terrorists this situation cannot be sustained but thats all Boko Haram encounters these days. Borno was where Boko Haram began and where most of the recruiting and terrorist activity has always been. Yet young Moslem men in the rest of Nigeria (and the region) noticed how Boko Haram flourished for while in Borno state but were soon defeated. Boko Haram was unable to spread their appeal, and its violence, to any other parts of the country, even adjacent Moslem majority areas. Borno was where most of the violence (and damage) occurred between 2009 and 2016. In that time nearly three million people (90 percent of them Nigerian) were driven from their homes and at least a quarter of them are still living, and often starving, in government run refugee camps or areas where there is no food. Most of those displaced fled before 2015. Six years of Boko Haram violence depopulated over 30,000 square kilometers in northern Borno State and that led to the collapse of the local economy. Boko Haram violence caused about nine billion dollars in economic damage nationwide and 68 percent of that was in Borno State. This included destruction of over a million structures, most of them homes. But over 5,500 school classrooms were destroyed as well as buildings containing electrical power generation and distribution as well as communications and water supply. Boko Haram created over 100,000 widows and orphans in Borno alone. The government says over $4 billion has already been sent to repair the damage but the locals see little evidence of that, except that government officials and workers handling the aid are suddenly wealthier. It proved difficult to get the Borno economy going again even after most of the Boko Haram had been killed or chased away. Refugees faced chaos and corruption when they returned to the depopulated area. That chaos is partly because there are now more groups of organized outlaws up there. Most are not Boko Haram but the security forces dont find that out until a gun battle is over. What makes this worse is that the Nigerian security forces still tend to shoot first and investigate later, if at all. Meanwhile several hundred thousand refugees in Borno are in danger of starving to death. Since 2009 Boko Haram has killed over 10,000 civilians by direct action (raids, executions, used as suicide bombers or human shields) but that number might be exceeded by the fatal economic aftereffects among the refugees and those still living in economically devastated areas of Borno. All this misery makes it easy for radical groups, especially religion-based ones, to start small (as Boko Haram did after 2001) and develop many local groups that terrorize everyone and plunder the rich. Its not just the Moslem areas, although Islamic scripture is more enthusiastic about this sort of thing. In the Christian south the violence is a response to corruption and bad government, not the need to defend Islam. In many parts of the country tribal disputes (usually over land) trigger raids and gun battles. And then there is magic. Sorcery survives and thrives in much of Africa and disagreements over it often get violent and fatal. The threat of Boko Haram spreading encouraged local officials in other northern and central Nigerian states to respond. While that did not seem to reduce the corruption much some government services improve. This is especially true with the security forces. This was mainly army and police operating more efficiently but there was also the growing number of local defense organizations that have become more acceptable (to the police) since the Boko Haram rampage in Borno State got going in 2009. But local officials are learning that local gangsters are another matter and that if you are a local thug you can develop useful relationships that enable you to operate where the Boko Haram strangers cannot. The economic damage done by years of Boko Haram violence has caused regional problems that extend outside Borno State. Not just other parts of Nigeria but also all along the south shore of Lake Chad. This lake is where the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria meet. The economic disruption in that area have left over five million people in need of food and other economic aid. Unlike Nigeria, which has substantial oil wealth, Chad, Cameroon and Niger do not and are less able to finance rebuilding themselves. March 12, 2017: In the northeast (Borno state) the army has managed to kill, capture or chase most of the remaining Boko Haram out of the Sambisa forest. That is a big deal because this 60,000 square kilometers of hilly, sparsely populated woodland that straddles the borders of Borno, Yobe and Adamwa states has long been a largely inaccessible (to the security forces) base area for Boko Haram. But that safety was only temporary and by late 2016 it was clear to everyone that the Sambisa was no longer safe and most Boko Haram have fled. As they left the area the desperate Islamic terrorists caused panic in villages surrounding the Sambisa and since February about 2,000 villagers a week have been fleeing their homes to escape the desperate (and hungry) men with guns. There are not enough soldiers, police and local defense volunteers in the area to protect all the villages and chase down all the fleeing Boko Haram men before these fugitives get away and set up operations elsewhere. The forest has long been a hideout outlaws of all sorts. Boko Haram used it as a base area for training camps and a safe place for the wives and children of Boko Haram men. One problem with living in the Sambisa is that there is not a lot of food or any of the other supplies (fuel, batteries, ammunition) Boko Haram requires to survive as a combat organization. Since mid-2016 the army has been encountering a growing number of emaciated Boko Haram men who deserted mainly to find food. The Sambisa has basically been surrounded since early 2016 and the remaining Boko Haram groups in there could not easily get out to raid nearby towns and villages for supplies. Since January 2017 more and more of these hungry (but still armed and violent) Boko Haram men are fleeing in groups. March 11, 2017: In the northeast (Borno state) two Boko Haram female suicide bombers spotted trying enter the state capital Maiduguri were shot dead by police when they refused to halt. Further north in Borno, near the Sambisa Forest an army patrol encountered a group of Boko Haram and killed one of them and the others fled leaving behind equipment and 211 civilians they were holding captive. The troops stayed with the civilians until trucks could arrive to take the former captives to a refugee camp. March 6, 2017: In the southwest (Osun state) a feud between Hausa and Yoruba clans left ten dead and many more wounded. Several homes and businesses were burned down and many more damaged or looted. The Yoruba tribes are Christian and the dominant ethnic group in the south. The Moslem Hausa tribes are dominant in the north. Both groups have many members all over the country, which often contributes to ethnic and religious misunderstandings that often result in violence. The Hausa have been uniting behind religious leaders, while the Yoruba are forming along tribal lines. March 3, 2017: In the northeast (Borno state) three Boko Haram suicide bombers were spotted trying to sneak past checkpoints and into the state capital Maiduguri. Police tried to capture them but the three tried to hide among some fuel trucks and when spotted at least one of them detonated her explosives. The only casualties were the three bombers. February 28, 2017: In the northeast (Yobe State) security forces prevented a large group of Boko Haram men from looting a remote village near the Sambisa Forest. At least 18 of the Islamic terrorists were killed and several of those who got away were wounded. These Boko Haram raids have become more common since early 2016. Villages in Yobe state near the Sambisa were better prepared for these attacks because Yobe state suffered much less damage from Boko Haram activity and that is one reason why Boko Haram tended to stay away from Yobe when fleeing the Sambisa. But there have been cases where the Islamic terrorists have no better choice. No matter where they are the surviving Boko Haram groups must raid to survive and that has proved much easier in Borno or neighboring countries than in Yobe. February 22, 2017: In the northeast (Borno state) seven soldiers died defending against an attack by a large number of Boko Haram men. The attack was repulsed after about two hours of gunfire but few other details were available. February 21, 2017: In the northeast (Kaduna State) Fulani tribesmen attacked several Christian villages and left at least 14 Christians dead. That triggered reprisals and at least ten Fulani were killed by the end of the week. This violence by Fulani herders against Christian villagers left over 800 Christians dead in 2016 along with extensive property damage, including 1,422 houses, 16 churches, 19 businesses and one school destroyed. Kaduna is majority Moslem state and the state government refuses to believe that the Fulani raiders are from Kaduna (and thus the responsibility of the state government.) Instead the violence is blamed on Fulani from a different state, despite evidence that the Fulani raiders are locals. To make matters worse the raiders have also been attacking soldiers or police who get in their way. February 17, 2017: In the northeast (Borno state) nine Boko Haram suicide bombers were sent to attack several different targets in the state capital Maiduguri. Due to the improved security and youthfulness of the bombers (many of them girls) all nine of the suicide bombers were killed. Two civilians died because they were too close to one explosion. Some security personnel were wounded but none seriously. Toronto, Mar 13 (IBNS): A tomato processing company had been charged with mislabelling its canned products as organic and passing off American tomatoes as Canadian, media reports said. The company, Thomas Canning based in Maidstone just south of Windsor in southwestern Ontario, and owner William Michael Thomas were charged with labelling regular canned tomato products as organic to get a 20 percent premium and selling canned tomato paste under the brand Tree of Life, National Post reports said. Thomas Canning had received a $3-million grant from the provincial government In 2014 to build a new fruit and vegetable processing facility but failed to keep its promise. The company had also been lying to inspectors before and after the grant money began to flow. On Thursday Federal prosecutor Paul Bailey admitted before the court of his recent knowledge that Michael Thomas and the Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas were first cousins. Due to the unethical nature of the future proceedings by the court the case was adjourned till the next month. Thomas and his company were accused of total 11 offences in contravention of three federal statutes: the Food and Drug Act, the Consumer Packaging Act and the Canada Agricultural Products Act. (Reporting by Asha Bajaj) Deutsche Post AG operates as a mail and logistics company in Germany, rest of Europe, the Americas, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The company operates through five segments: Express; Global Forwarding, Freight; Supply Chain; eCommerce Solutions; and Post & Parcel Germany. The Express segment offers time-definite courier and express services to business and private customers. The Global Forwarding, Freight segment provides air, ocean, and overland freight forwarding services; and offers multimodal and sector-specific solutions. This segment's business model is based on brokering transport services between customers and freight carriers. The Supply Chain segment delivers customized supply chain solutions to its customers based on modular components, including warehousing and transport services; and value-added services, such as e-fulfilment and returns management, lead logistics partner, real estate solutions, service logistics, and packaging solutions for various industrial sectors. The eCommerce Solutions segment provides parcel delivery and cross-border non-time definite international services. The Post & Parcel Germany segment transports and delivers mail communication, parcels, physical and hybrid letters, and special products for the delivery of goods; and offers additional services, such as registered mail, cash on delivery, and insured items. This segment also provides digital products, including stamps with data matrix codes and various postal services. Deutsche Post AG was founded in 1490 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products in Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. It offers a range of cigarettes, fine cut and smokeless tobacco, papers, and cigars; and next generation product (NGP) portfolio, such as e-vapour products, oral nicotine, and heated tobacco products. The company sells its products under various brands, including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS, West, L&B, Winston, Parker & Simpson, blu, Pluze, Zone-X, Kool, Horizon, Backwoods, Skruf, Golden Virginia, Rizla, and Dutch Masters. It also engages in the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. In addition, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, advertising, and support management services. Further, it owns the trademarks; and retails its products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1901 and is based in Bristol, the United Kingdom. The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. Read More When wildlife law enforcement officers in Cameroon confiscated loot from traffickers in 2014, they found six chimp heads, 30 chimp hands and feet and one very terrified baby chimp. LAGA Daphne was only 4 months old when she was brought to Ape Action Africa's sanctuary for traumatized apes like her. Because she would have still been with her mother at such a young age, she needed 24-hour care. And given what she had been through, she was visibly scared of the world around her. Ape Action Africa Dodo Shows Wild Hearts Guy And Wild Shark Have Been Best Friends For Decades Ape Action Africa Now, just over two years later, Daphne has completely blossomed into a happy, healthy little chimp, eager to meet new friends. And that's just what she's been doing recently at her sanctuary home. While Daphne has been acting as a big sister to other, younger chimps rescued by the sanctuary, she recently became big enough to play with the older kids. Ian Bickerstaff/Ape Action Africa "Daphne has been an amazing big sister to Little Larry, Paula and Jenny this past year, but some changes are underway," the sanctuary wrote in February. "For a while now Daphne has been exploring the boundaries of her forest play area and straying further away from her little group. Older and more mature than her friends, Daphne needed new challenges, so we have begun her introduction to Mac's group of 10 young chimps." First, Daphne met David and Ayisha - everyone was pretty excited. Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa "They have been playing for several hours a day," Ape Action Africa wrote. "There have been lots of games, tickles and laughter so far." Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Then, earlier this month, Daphne met "the handsome leader" of her new group: Mac. "Daphne took the next step in her introduction to our young chimp group recently, meeting Mac for a one-one play date," Ape Action Africa wrote. "Mac ... loves to play more than anything in the world, but he also loves his downtime." Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Apparently, after playing for two hours, laughing and wrestling, Mac was ready for some alone time. "Mac tried to make a nest for his midday nap, but Daphne just wanted to keep playing," Ape Action Africa wrote. Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Mac even gave Daphne a piggy back ride. Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa "Whilst poor Mac had to give up all hope of rest, it's encouraging to see that Daphne has so much confidence and energy. It will serve her well when she eventually joins all 10 chimps in their enclosure," the sanctuary wrote. Mathilde Malapert/Ape Action Africa Calgary, Mar 11 (IBNS): A Federal Court Judge, who during a rape case trial in 2014 asked a 19-year-old rape victim that why could she not keep her knees together, has been forced to quit the bench following a scathing attack by the body that oversees the Canadian judiciary, reports Calgary Metro. Announcing his resignation through a prepared statement, Justice Camp expressed his sincere apology to everyone who was hurt by his comment and added that effective from March 10 he would no longer serve as a member of the federal court. The move came following recommendation by the Canadian Judicial Council that the Judge be removed from the post as his conduct was "manifestly and profoundly destructive" to the impartiality and integrity of the judiciary. Court transcripts revealed that Justick Camp called the complainant "the accused " many times and told her "pain and sex sometimes go together". He also said complainant's morale is questionable and suggested that she did not exert enough of herself to fight with the man. Federal justice minister Jodi Wilson-Raybould said the Government would have him removed had he not resigned. The complainant who was 19 at the time of incident told before the disciplinary hearing committee last year that Camp's comments had made her hate herself. Reporting by Chandan Som Staying wealthy is not as difficult as getting wealthy, but its still hard. Just ask wealth management author and chartered accountant Tom Corley, who recently spent five years researching the rich for his books Rich Habits and Change Your Habits, Change Your Life. He says to take heed of his observations to help preserve your wealth, whether youre sitting on a pile of money or an everyday investor trying to get ahead. Thrifty on small stuff then spend like drunken sailors Turns out many millionaires are frugal. They penny-pinch everything from dry cleaner costs and haircuts to attorneys and accountants, says Corley, president of Cerefice & Company CPAs. They will fight like a Tasmanian devil if they think they were overcharged for a grocery item or a restaurant charge. And then these same penny pinchers will go out and buy a boat, Tesla, a diamond ring, or take an absurdly expensive vacation. I have seen far too many wealthy business owners fight to keep wages down at their business only to spend those hard-fought savings on yachts, big homes or expensive cars, he says. While its wise to watch your pennies, its foolish to take those hard-earned pennies and make an expensive emotional purchase. Too generous Too much of anything is bad and this applies to giving away your money. Once you give away your money, its gone, he says. Self-made millionaires are pretty responsible when it comes to distributing their wealth to others in need, Corley notes, but those who inherit their money or for those whose money came from little effort have a tendency to be irresponsible with their giving. Those who dont have to work very hard for their wealth simply do not value their money as much as they otherwise would, and they have a tendency to give too much of it away to their family, friends or charities. Once people find out youre rich they hit you up for money. It can come from every direction and overwhelm you. Those who anticipate this deluge establish a maximum amount of money they are willing to give away every year, he notes. Not diversified I discovered that those with the greatest amount of wealth had three or more streams of income. This was strategic. When one stream dries up due to economic downturns, the other streams of income can come to the rescue like a knight riding on a white horse, he says. However he found some make the mistake of tying the bulk of their assets up in one place, such as their own business or in real estate two very illiquid investments. Then when something goes wrong they are forced to sell some of their investments at a discount or increase their debt by securing a loan or tapping their credit line, he says. Ignore financial statements Many rich people got that way by growing their income or by inheritance, though they often do not pay attention to hidden or added fees and charges, he notes. They dont review their monthly bank statement, monthly bills or monthly credit card statements in order to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions or fees. They also dont review certain transactions such as hotel bills, retail purchases or restaurant tabs to make sure they were not overcharged and paid the correct amount. He warns that if you dont spend any time trying to find the lowest price, it will likely result in you paying more than you should. No estate planning He says many wealthy people have little or no retirement planning, and have a serious lack of estate planning and not even an updated will. When Prince died he had no will and no estate planning. Settling an estate with an old will or no will at all increases the costs of probate. Also, without an estate plan in place, you will pay higher federal and (provincial) estate taxes and inheritance taxes. Millions of dollars of Princes estate will now go to paying the salaries of politicians. SHARE: Diaper-wearing baby boomers are coming to the rescue of the beleaguered paper industry. As the world population ages, sales are climbing for absorbent hygiene products that have gotten more comfortable and discreet. Demand is projected to grow 4 per cent in 2017, according to ERA Forest Products Research, boosting prospects for companies including International Paper Co. and Domtar Corp. Theyre expanding production of the moisture-capturing fibre known as fluff pulp used in diapers and tampons. The shift is providing welcome relief for an industry hurt by the emergence of the digital era and paperless communication. As North American producers expand output of fluff grades, the market for traditional pulp is tightening. Prices have been rising in recent months with more gains expected in March, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The fastest-growth market is adult incontinence, said Kevin Mason, the managing director of ERA Forest Products Research in Kelowna, British Columbia. That baby-boom generation, that demographic is moving into that area, and its going to help boost the overall demand. U.S. retail sales for products targeting adult incontinence reached almost $2 billion (U.S.) in 2016 and are projected to rise another 9 per cent in 2017 and 8 per cent in 2018, said Svetlana Uduslivaia, the head of industry research at Euromonitor International. Papermakers in the South, including Memphis, Tennessee-based International Paper, are poised to benefit as they produce almost 90 per cent of the worlds fluff pulp. In 2012, there were 562 million people globally aged 65 and older, and that increased almost 10 per cent by 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As the baby-boomer generation those born from 1946 to 1964 joins those ranks, the growth will accelerate. The population group of older people is projected to reach 1.6 billion by 2050. In turn, demand for fluff pulp will grow at about 3 per cent a year, Domtar estimates. Domtar spent about $160 million to convert paper output to fluff-pulp production in Arkansas. That will help double its fluff-pulp capacity to 980,000 metric tons, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Its now become the No. 3 producer, trailing International Paper and Georgia-Pacific LLC, which is controlled by Koch Industries Inc. The move to fluff will probably boost its earnings per share by about 4 per cent in 2017 and 3 per cent in 2018, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Theres a lot less taboo around incontinence issues, and theres a lot more education around it, said Nicholas Estrela, a spokesperson for Montreal-based Domtar. International Paper, the worlds largest paper maker, is also moving to expand its fluff-pulp business. The company made a $2.2-billion acquisition of Weyerhaeuser Co.s pulp business last year. The manufacturer also converted its mill in Riegelwood, North Carolina, to produce fluff and softwood pulp, and was able to make price increases for the products, Glenn Landau, the senior vice president of finance, said in a February earnings call. The company declined further comment on its pulp business. Domtar has declined 3.5 per cent this year in New York, while International Paper has fallen 4.4 per cent. Even as companies shift to pulp, many still have a big exposure to traditional paper markets, which could limit the benefits of the diaper boom. About 50 per cent of Domtars sales come from uncoated free sheet, commonly used in copy paper, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Demand for traditional paper has been eroded by increased digitization, as people turn to e-readers and emails instead of books, letters and memos. North American printing and writing paper demand has been shrinking since 2001 and dropped 3.9 per cent in 2016, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The majority of the business is in secular decline, at least on the paper side, Estrela said. We dont consider ourselves anymore as papermakers. Were fibre innovators. But the industrys increasing shift from paper-grade products to fluff is helping to tighten supply in the softwood markets, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Joshua Zaret and Evan Lee wrote in a report last week. In the U.S., prices for a grade of softwood kraft pulp rose about $40 a ton, or 4 per cent, over what are usually slower winter months. Prices could rise to $1,050 a ton in March from about $1,010 to $1,020 now, Mason of ERA said. As innovation helps to improve incontinence products, the market could continue to grow. A quarter to a third of men and women in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence, according to the Urology Care Foundation. Todays adult diapers are more sophisticated than the bulky, more clinical-looking products of the past, Euromonitors Uduslivaia said. People dont necessarily feel like theyre old, Uduslivaia said. They want something that not just helps them to get that level of protection, but is really sort of discreet and dignified. SHARE: SEATTLEThere have been many opportunities to consider how crucial Amazon has become to the smooth operation of the Internet over the past few years. The most recent involved a case of fat fingers. That event occurred late last month when an Amazon employee entered an incorrect set of commands on a computer, unintentionally knocking out a large set of servers in an Amazon data centre in Northern Virginia and, with it, an array of online services from other companies. Among the many consequences of the shutdown: Users of the business messaging service Slack couldnt upload files. Photos on the technology news site the Verge didnt display. Quora, a popular question-and-answer site, couldnt be reached. It was a rare fumble for Amazon in cloud computing, in which companies pay to run their online applications in data centres operated by big providers. While would-be competitors snoozed, the Internet retailer tiptoed into the business technology market over the past decade, becoming the dominant force in cloud computing. Its computing business, Amazon Web Services, hauled in $12.2 billion (U.S.) in revenue last year from customers ranging from Netflix to the CIA. Amazons leading position has come with side effects. Its two biggest rivals Microsoft and Google are asleep no more. They and other technology companies have preached the benefits of working with multiple cloud providers the kind of marketing message one would expect from underdogs in a category that could one day engulf the huge market for business software and hardware. Amazons service interruption, though not nearly bad enough to spark a panic among customers, was viewed by some as a moment for reflection. It really is a wake-up call to enterprises, said Craig McLuckie, a former Google technologist who is now chief executive of Heptio, a startup that makes software tools for more easily moving applications between clouds. They certainly need to understand to what level of dependency they have on a single provider. Amazons error was still fresh in peoples minds last week at the Google Cloud Next conference, a jamboree for the search giant to show off its seriousness in cloud computing. At the beginning of her keynote speech, Diane Greene, Google Clouds chief executive, boasted about how reliable Googles cloud service was last year. Taking a jab at Amazon, she quipped that so far, 2017 looks promising, too. It was part of a barrage unleashed by Google to persuade potential customers that they should piggyback on the $30 billion of infrastructure investment it had made over the years. Were here for real; this is an incredibly serious mission, said Eric Schmidt, executive chairperson of Alphabet, Googles parent company. We have the money, means and commitment to pull off a new platform of computation globally for everyone who needs it. But even big customers Google showcased at its conference emphasized the importance of not relying exclusively on one company. Darryl West, global chief information officer of HSBC, said at the event that the bank used Google, Amazon and Microsoft for cloud services, noting that each company has its strengths. Lydia Leong, an analyst at Gartner, did not expect what transpired to cause a rush of companies to shift their cloud computing away from Amazon. She said it was highly unusual for companies to run the same application in more than one cloud because it introduced new complexities and costs. To avoid being knocked offline, companies can set up their applications to run in multiple regions, across the companys network of data centres. All of the big cloud providers offer volume discounts, the full benefits of which customers dont get to enjoy if they divide their use of cloud services among multiple providers. Still, there are some compelling reasons to use multiple providers, Leong said. Often companies rely mostly on Amazon for cloud service, while a specific development team inside the company familiar with Microsoft technologies will use Microsofts Azure cloud service. A few years ago, Hearst, the media company, was exclusively using Amazon for cloud computing, but later added services from Microsoft and Google, said Philip R. Wiser, Hearsts chief technology officer. He said some of the companys internal online services had been affected by Amazons interruption, but nothing the public would have noticed. Because its relatively early in the emergence of cloud computing, Wiser said he believed it was important to spread ones bets around. Being multi-cloud as a company and having the skill and understanding of how to move between investments that is an asset, he said. We have that as a stated mission for all of our infrastructure team. Read more about: SHARE: Bay Streets highest-paid female banker set a new benchmark for women executives in the banking industry though their ranks among the top wage earners remain thin. Janice Fukakusa, Royal Bank of Canadas former chief financial officer, was the highest paid woman among the countrys eight largest lenders in fiscal 2016, bringing in $4.67 million in compensation excluding pension. Fukakusa, who was also Royal Banks chief administrative officer, retired in January after 31 years at the bank. The most she received in one year was $4.96 million for 2014. Fukakusa, 62, was one of a handful of veteran women executives in Canadian banking that have kept pace with their male counterparts for pay over the years. Others include Jennifer Tory, also of Royal Bank, who earned $4.29 million as group head of personal and commercial banking; Toronto-Dominion Banks Colleen Johnston, 58, who brought in $3.1 million; and Diane Giard, 56, of National Bank of Canada who made $2.84 million. They are still in the minority when it comes to the top executives: only nine, or 21 per cent, of the 43 named executives at the eight banks are women, according to regulatory disclosures. Those women received $22.3 million in compensation for the year ended Oct. 31, or about 10 per cent of $214 million the executives earned in total. No CEO Theres still a long way to go, Tanya van Biesen, executive director of Catalyst Canada, an organization that promotes women in the workplace, said in an interview. But we have seen that the banks really are working very hard to get their numbers up as far as female representation at the executive suite. Still, there are no female chief executive officers among Canadas largest banks, extending an industry shutout that stretches back two centuries. The U.S., in comparison, has women bank CEOs, including Beth Mooney at KeyCorp, Ellen Alemany at CIT Group Inc., and Synchrony Financials Margaret Keane. In Canada, there are also no women overseeing investment-banking divisions, whose heads tend to command the highest pay packages after CEOs. The highest-paid Canadian bank CEO last year was Royal Banks David McKay, 53, who brought in $11.5 million, followed by Bank of Montreals William Downe, 64, with $10.6 million and Scotiabanks Brian Porter, 59, at $10.1 million. The top paid investment-banking head was Royal Banks Doug McGregor, 60, who received $10 million as group head of capital markets and investor and treasury services. Credit Unions Scotiabanks Ignacio Nacho Deschamps received the most among all executives with $12.75 million in compensation as group head of international banking and digital transformation though that included a $5.7 million sign-on award. When considering the top executives across Canadian banking, Fukakusa ranks 20th overall for compensation. Toronto-Dominions Teri Currie, who also heads domestic personal banking, made her debut on the named executives list, ranking third after RBCs Tory, at $3.39 million. There are other women executives at Canadian financial firms who dont get named in regulatory filings but hold senior roles and more are increasing in the ranks. Companies only need to disclose compensation for all named executive officers, which include the CEO, CFO and each of the three most highly paid executives whose total compensation is above $150,000, according to regulatory requirements. Leadership Role Those women include Laura Dottori-Attanasio, chief risk officer at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bank of Montreals Joanna Rotenberg, who became group head of wealth management in November and Brenda Rideout, who took the helm of Scotiabanks online lender Tangerine on March 1 after the units former CEO Peter Aceto departed. Women also populate the CEO level and senior ranks at the countrys credit unions, including Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, headed by Tamara Vrooman. HSBC Holdings Plcs Canadian unit is led by Sandra Stuart, 53. The banks are definitely playing a leadership role in Canada, Catalysts van Biesen said. There is no lack of energy, effort and discussion happening. Correction March 14, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version to update the headline. The previous headline incorrectly said, Women rising to top jobs in Canadian banking but still no female CEO. Read more about: SHARE: As Irish people and wannabe Irish prepare to celebrate St. Patricks Day on March 17, many will be tempted to have a pint or two of stout. While the dark brew is often seen as quintessentially Irish, there are plenty of good ones that hail from other parts of the world. And theyre not all in the style of the dry, slightly roasted drink made popular by Arthur Guinness. There are strong stouts, there are sweet stouts, there are spice-laden stouts, and stouts which have some coffee. Here are some very good ones available on Ontario shelves. Theyre suitable for toasting St. Patrick and for plenty of other occasions as well (contrary to what some people apparently believe, its entirely acceptable to sip stout on the other 364 days of the year). Slainte! Innis and Gunn Kith and Kin: $5.00 per 330 mL bottle In addition to stout, Ireland also makes some very good whiskey. This rich, chocolatey brew has a touch of both. The underlying stout is produced by Scotlands wood-aging specialists Innis and Gunn. They take that beer and age it in barrels which formerly held whiskey at the Teeling distillery in Dublin. When it first opened in 2015, Teeling was the first new distillery in the Irish capital in over 125 years. The whiskey makes its presence known in both the aroma and flavour of this brew, but it complements, rather than overwhelms, the beer. Muskoka Brewery Shinnicked Stout: $3.15 per 473 mL can This brew from cottage country stalwart Muskoka Brewery has a dark chestnut colour and a touch of fruitiness on the nose. Theres a bit of coffee flavour; while thats the case in plenty of stouts, here thats enhanced by the addition of coffee beans from Muskoka Roastery. And that name? Its got a (tenuous) connection to Ireland: its Newfoundland slang meaning to feel cold. (Newfoundland, of course, has many people of Irish descent). Saint Ambroise Oatmeal Stout: $2.90 per 473 mL can This has been one of the top stouts in Canada for a very long time. The dark brown brew hails from Montreal, in particular McAuslan Brewing, which was one of the pioneers of the craft brewing scene in Quebec. This is a rich stout with notes of dark roasted coffee and a hint of licorice. The use of oatmeal usually shied away from by brewers because it can gum up brewing equipment lends this beer more body and an almost silky texture. Theres also a slight buttery note, thanks to the use of an English ale yeast. (It also, as McAuslans Barry Pletch notes, helps make an excellent chili when thrown into the pot). Stone Xocoveza: $4.20 per 355 mL bottle While Arthur Guinness might recognize this as a stout by its dark chocolate colour, its otherwise about as far from his eponymous brew as a stout can get. Its a seasonal offering from the bold crew at Stone Brewing, based in Escondido, Calif. At 8.1-per-cent alcohol, it packs quite a wallop, but its well-hidden, so be careful. What can hide that kind of punch? Spices (Cinnamon, chili and nutmeg, in particular), a dose of dark chocolate, some coffee and some lactose, all of which come together in a decadent, slightly sweet package. Think of it as a slightly boozy version of a Mexican-style hot chocolate. This would be an excellent dessert in its own right, but also goes splendidly with dark chocolate mousse. SHARE: OTTAWADebate is a word that implies conflict. With cordiality and agreement cranked to the max, its safe to say the first debate in the NDPs race for a new leader was more of a discussion. Rather than sniping at each other (or even interrupting), the main target of the event was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a man each candidate MPs Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton, Guy Caron and Peter Julian accused of campaigning as a progressive politician and then governing from the right. Caron summed this up with one of the biggest laugh-lines of the event. By the next election in 2019, he said Trudeau will be quoting another Canadian Justin Justin Bieber by asking voters, Is it too late now to say sorry? Julian, a British Columbia MP first elected in 2004, said the NDP has the guts and courage that the Liberals lack, and that the party needs to show they will deliver big ideas like his proposals to eliminate post-secondary tuition and build 250,000 affordable housing units. The Liberals talk a good game, but they always follow. They do not lead, he said. We need leadership. But beyond Anguss suggestion that Carons plan to create a basic minimum income for people below the poverty line might be too complicated, there was scant tension between the candidates positions during the 90-minute forum on Sunday. At one point during a tete-a-tete between two candidates, the moderator had to say, Its an open debate, so please, step in. Organizers said there were chairs for more than 400 people in the downtown hotel conference room that was packed with NDP faithful. The candidates stood at lecterns on a stage and spoke about how Canada should react to President Donald Trump and deal with the planned renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. There were also questions on how the NDP can connect with people in Quebec, home to the bulk of its electoral gains under former leader Jack Layton in 2011, when the party rose to the official Opposition for the first time in its 55-year history. But none of the candidates vying to take the helm of the party from Tom Mulcair mentioned their outgoing leader during their 90-minute forum. Instead, there were several appeals to Laytons legacy, and much agreement on the need for bold policies to reconnect with left-leaning Canadians looking for a government that reflects their beliefs. Ashton, who represents a riding in northern Manitoba, said the main lesson from the 2015 federal election was that the NDP needs to be unabashedly progressive. The party should push back against the neo-liberal policies of the Liberals and Conservatives, which are to blame for the economic inequality that leaves many Canadians behind, Ashton said. We played it too safe, she said of the last election. We let the Liberals out-left us. Angus, meanwhile, said the global political climate, with the rise of Trump and right-wing populism in Europe, means Canada has a moral obligation to stand up to hatred and attempts to divide the population for political gain. He also said that if NAFTA is to be renegotiated, Canada needs a prime minister who will fight for Canadian workers. Caron, a Quebec MP and economist, brought up the importance of so-called identity questions for the partys success in Quebec, referring to controversy in the province during the last election over whether Muslim women should be allowed to wear a veil when they swear an oath of citizenship. Many observers and party insiders have argued that Mulcairs stance on this issue that women should be able to wear the veil cost them votes in Quebec in 2015. Caron told reporters after the debate that similar issues of religious accommodation are bound to come up again, and should be discussed during the leadership race. Caron said any message on the issue from the party needs to be grounded in an understanding of Quebecs history and influence of the Catholic Church. We cannot be blind to say this had no effect on the election. It did, he said. The whole debate strikes a chord in the heart of Quebecers. Sundays event was the first of eight debates scheduled in the coming months. Party members will vote on a new leader this October. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAFormer Star publisher John Cruickshank has been appointed Consul General of Canada in Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper executive for several years. In a statement Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Cruickshanks appointment will strengthen Canadas presence in the U.S. Midwest. He will be responsible for consular affairs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, northwest Indiana and Kansas City. Mr. Cruickshank personally exemplifies the many links between Canada and the United States, which includes his time in Chicago and his tenure as publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times, Freeland said in her statement. With his proven leadership, I have no doubt that he will successfully represent the best of Canada in Chicago. Cruickshank was the publisher of the Toronto Star from 2008 to 2016. Since then he was chairman of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and continued to serve as co-chair of Canadian Press Enterprises. He was a superb publisher in Chicago. He knows the community. He knows the various leaders. In fact, he was once part of Barack Obamas book club, Torstar Chair John Honderich said Monday. He is extremely well-suited to do this job . . . John will make an excellent consul. Born and raised in Toronto, Cruickshank started his career in journalism at the Kingston Whig Standard after completing his undergraduate degree in English literature at the University of Toronto. He also worked at the The Gazette in Montreal, was managing editor at the Globe and Mail, and served as editor-in-chief of the Vancouver Sun. Cruickshank worked for the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper from 2000 to 2007, first as vice-president of editorial, then as chief operating officer and publisher. Before taking the role as Toronto Star publisher, Cruickshank was publisher of CBC News, where he oversaw the public broadcasters English-language online, radio and TV content. Cruickshank will succeed Roy Norton, a Canadian diplomat who served as Consul General in Chicago from 2014 to 2016. SHARE: A federal prisoner says he was asleep in bed when guards burst into his cell and beat him in what he called an orchestrated retaliation for various complaints he has made allegations authorities said they are still investigating. The allegedly excessive force used against Timothy (Mitch) Nome at Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C., occurred in the early hours of March 2, before his transfer to Stony Mountain Institution outside Winnipeg. I was naked. I was asleep in bed when they attacked me. I didnt fight back. I just let them beat up on me, Nome told The Canadian Press in an interview. I got beaten up pretty good. I was told it was goodbye beats. A total of seven guards were involved in the alleged incident at least one had been called in on overtime a day after senior prison managers told him they had something planned for him as a going away present, Nome said. In addition, he alleged, guards smashed his personal effects, and Kent authorities had seized and were threatening to destroy his legal documents contrary to a court order last year. Bobbi Sandhu, warden of the maximum-security institution, did not respond to requests for information. However, a Pacific regional spokesman for Correctional Service Canada said all employees are expected to act according to the highest legal and ethical standards and officers must take the safest, most reasonable and proportionate action when dealing with situations. We do not tolerate any breach of our policies, and incidents of employee misconduct are investigated, Jean-Paul Lorieau said. The institution is currently reviewing the incident involving Mr. Nome to ensure procedures were followed. The incident, which Nome said left him with fractures in his foot, a muscle tear in his shoulder and black and blue all over, came weeks after he was assaulted by fellow inmates an attack the Jewish aboriginal inmate alleged was by white supremacists and set up by guards. Prison authorities have denied any wrongdoing in that case, instead blaming Nome, 42, for not having spoken up about any incompatibles on his range during his rare stint out of segregation, where he has spent a total of more than 12 years sometimes for several years at a stretch. Lorieau, who confirmed the inmate had been placed in solitary confinement on about 60 occasions, said Nomes transfer from Kent to Stony Mountain was an effort to alleviate his segregation status, something the law requires be done as quickly as appropriate. Nome has previously been victim of guards misconduct at Kent. In 2012, a correctional officer was fired and another suspended in part for twice setting up inmate assaults on him. Mark Kemball, former warden at the maximum security prison, called those incidents disturbing and urged a thorough investigation of the current allegations to clear the air. I dont think this should be going on. You get the blue wall of silence that comes up. You get this collusion that goes on, Kemball said in a recent interview. Then youve got to break through that wall to arrive at what is the truth. Kemball, who described Nome as stubborn and as someone who stands up for what he believes, said the inmate can be difficult to manage. At the same time, Kemball said, he never felt intimidated or threatened by him. Nome, who has been in prison for most of his adult life, is currently serving an indeterminate sentence for punching a guard in Saskatchewan in the head in 2005. At sentencing in 2009, one psychologist branded him a potentially violent psychopath, while another said any risk he posed could be managed with treatment in the community. Other people who know him say he is intelligent and good hearted. Originally from Williams Lake, B.C., Nome said he was being treated better at Stony Mountain but was concerned about access to kosher meals, clean clothes and bedding. Authorities there did not immediately respond to a request for information. The prisoner was turned down for parole in late February as a risk to reoffend. He said the denial turned on his status as a maximum-security inmate without access to transition programming. Mr. Nomes case is complex, Lorieau said. SHARE: Ontarios historic promise to put children at the heart of its proposed new child protection law is at risk because of weasel words that water down and even exclude their voices. Thats the conclusion of Irwin Elman, the provinces advocate for children and youth, and Kiaras Gharabaghi, director of Ryerson Universitys School of Child and Youth Care, after a close reading of Bill 89. They are calling for amendments to the act, aimed at overhauling the system that oversees childrens aid societies and youth justice. They also want the legislation to set minimum educational standards for staff in group homes for children and youth as a way to help reduce the use of physical restraints that can lead to serious injuries. The proposed act was introduced late last year by Michael Coteau, minister of children and youth services, and praised by young people, youth workers and childrens aid societies, who called it a historic opportunity. The act begins with groundbreaking language on childrens rights, including the right to be heard and respected, but fails elsewhere to ensure the principles are followed, Gharabaghi and Elman said. It is a bill that completely lacks courage, Gharabaghi said in an interview at Elmans office. In every section it builds in limitations that suggest this is what we are hoping for, but its OK if it doesnt happen, he said. Everything is should be, may be, could be, ought to be, where appropriate, if necessary. Young people call those weasel words and they must be eliminated, said Elman. Language to reform group homes should be included, Gharabaghi added. Coteau said he is on the same page on the need to overhaul a closed system in place for more than a century. We agree this is the best opportunity well have and we have to get it right, he said in an interview. Gharabaghi was one of three authors of a ministry-ordered report published last May on residential care for children and youth. The review echoed at least 10 other reports in the past 20 years, including a scathing assessment by Elmans office in February 2016, Gharabaghi said. However, as written, the act fails to enshrine improvements to make group homes safer for youth and staff, he said. This continues to be a service system that has no laws about who can actually provide services. I think thats a disaster, Gharabaghi said. My son just got a job at Tim Hortons, behind the counter, he said. There was more required training and orientation for my son to work at Tim Hortons than there is in residential group care in Ontario. What does that say to young people? A fire last month at a Lindsay-area group home killed two people, including worker Andrea Reid, a mother of three. The unnamed victim is reported to be a resident; a third person was injured. A female teenager has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and arson causing bodily harm. Police, called to the home for a disturbance, found the house in flames. Other details about the fire and what led up to it have not been made public. Elman and Gharabaghi say the entire system has relied on the hope that nothing bad will happen, and believe the province has long abandoned its most vulnerable young people. In the legislature last week, NDP childrens critic Monique Taylor praised the legislations preamble for giving children a voice. But when we get to the actual bill ... theres no teeth to actually make sure that children are listened to, she said. Coteau, who noted the legislation passed second reading Thursday with all-party support, said there will be ample opportunity to tweak wording while it is under review by the justice policy standing committee this spring. I think our government is very open to doing whats right and whats best for children, he told the Star. On changes to the residential care system, Coteau said the government is using recommendations from Gharabaghis report to build a blueprint to reform the entire system. The reforms will happen either through a directive or through regulation. An ongoing Star investigation into the child protection system revealed that in 2014, there were 23,263 serious occurrences involving children and youth in residential care. Of those, about 9,000 resulted in kids being physically restrained and pinned to the floor by caregivers. In Toronto group homes, a Star analysis of serious occurrence reports found police being called in 40 per cent of incidents, often because kids broke house rules or damaged property. Other problems Elman and Gharabaghi identify in the new bill include: The bill extends the age of protection to 18 from 16, in line with most provinces. But the language should make it explicit that it is a voluntary arrangement for 16- and 17-year-olds. (If there are capacity issues,the act should spell out how an involuntary apprehension would work, they say.) Childrens aid societies should be obligated to provide support when a young person asks for it, and that support should not end at 18. These teens should have all the supports available to youth in care beyond age 18, including foster care, financial support for independent living until age 21, extended medical benefits and post-secondary tuition. Although many parts of the legislation include an onus on service providers to include the views of children and youth in decision-making, too often this obligation is negated by phrases such as where possible or where appropriate or where it is reasonable to expect the child to understand, Elman and Gharabaghi said. Every time there is a reference to young peoples right to a voice, there is another reference to experts determining whether this is the right time for a young person to have a voice, and whether what the young person says matters, Gharabaghi said. Another simple tweak that could mean a lot to group home residents involves food. Kitchens are often off-limits. Fridges and cupboards are locked between mealtimes. The proposed act says children and youth have a right to well-balanced meals. Elman and Gharabaghi want it to say youth have that right, as well as a right to food, period. The proposed changes would require many amendments, but Elman said the substantial work involved is necessary. These ideas we have about improving the bill come from young people, Elman said. If they approve them, they are just doing child-centred practice. They are living up to the principles of the act they are trying to pass. SHARE: OTTAWAAn online software update revealed that federal taxpayer information was vulnerable and forced the temporary suspension of two government sites last week, but not before Statistics Canada was hacked, officials say. No personal or commercial information was accessed during the window of vulnerability that forced the Statistics Canada and Canada Revenue Agency websites offline from late Thursday and early Friday until Sunday afternoon, government officials told reporters Monday. Scott Jones, assistant deputy minister of information technology security with the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), said it is too soon to say who was behind any hacking attempts, and described the successful access of the Statistics Canada site as most likely a target of convenience just some random hacker giving it a shot. There were no other compromises to our knowledge, and believe me, we were all over this, said John Glowacki, chief operating officer for Shared Services Canada, the federal governments central IT branch. Were confident that weve prevented government information, including the personal information of Canadians, from being released. The problem was identified last Wednesday at around 10:30 p.m., Glowacki said. It was flagged in the frequent communications the government receives from online security partners around the world about potential threats. This time it was through widely used website design software, Apache Struts 2, which was identified as a gateway to potential hackers and needed to be updated, the officials explained. Many federal websites use this software, along with companies and governments around the world, said Jones, who described the vulnerability as a global problem. Officials noticed Thursday that Statistics Canadas public site had been accessed by an unauthorized user, Jones said. That website was taken down Thursday night. The Canada Revenue Agency was also considered vulnerable to hackers and the website was taken offline from early Friday morning until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Officials said that people were not able to file their taxes online during that time but they dont anticipate any delays ahead of the tax season deadline this spring. Glowacki said the websites were vulnerable for only a matter of hours. While an investigation continues, it appears the Statistics Canada site was the only one improperly accessed. Nothing happens in these systems without logging, he said. Jones added, We took the systems offline very quickly. Read more about: SHARE: Allegations of police behaviour that threatened to undermine the integrity of investigations. A delay that denied the public the benefit of a thorough investigation into serious allegations of police misconduct. Repeated complaints of officers waiting weeks, months, or in one case, nearly four years before reporting serious injuries suffered by members of the public during police interactions. More than 150 recent letters sent from the director of Ontarios Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to the Toronto police chief, obtained by the Star through a Freedom of Information request, reveal new cases of what the watchdog considers problematic officer conduct uncovered during probes of police-involved deaths, serious injuries or allegations of sexual assault. Toronto police say they investigate every concern raised by the SIU and take remedial action wherever necessary. In a dozen investigations, the SIU says police appear to have violated their legal duty to co-operate with the provincial watchdog, including allegations police failed to immediately notify the SIU of a serious civilian injury or interfered with a scene after the watchdog took over an investigation. In one case, SIU director Tony Loparco said it was extremely lucky no one was shot when an unnamed Toronto officer attempted to arrest a mentally ill person while carrying a C8 carbine rifle, and the person reached for the trigger on a crowded street, Loparco wrote in a December 2015 letter to Chief Mark Saunders. In another case, SIU acting director Joseph Martino said officers risked jeopardizing public confidence in an investigation into a January 2015 police-involved shooting when they attempted to access and copy security footage before civilian investigators an issue identical to the one that would arise again six months later in the high-profile fatal shooting of Andrew Loku. The SIU director writes a letter to the chief at the completion of every SIU investigation involving Toronto police. In the majority of the letters obtained by the Star, written from September 2013 to May 2016, no issues are raised about officer conduct. But in probes where the SIU identifies police behaviour it finds concerning, or about which the watchdog wants more information, the SIU director often requests that the chief look into the matter and report back. I would ask that your service take a close look at the questionable conduct of these officers and to write to this office with the results of your inquiries, Martino wrote in his Aug. 31, 2015, letter to Saunders regarding the attempt to download surveillance video. But police chiefs are not legally obligated to respond to these letters Toronto police have made it clear they do not respond in writing, an SIU spokesperson said because the SIU has no authority under the Police Services Act to ask chiefs to investigate officer conduct. Toronto police says its professional standards unit investigates each and every comment in SIU letters and reports back to the police board. Discipline and training are applied where appropriate, said Mark Pugash, a spokesperson for the Toronto police. Critics say the watchdog nonetheless repeatedly raises the same complaints and regulations intended to safeguard the watchdogs independence are continually and regularly ignored by police services with impunity, said Andre Marin, a former Ontario ombudsman and past SIU director. The problem here is that there is no consequence attached to police thumbing their nose at the SIU and the law, Marin said. Marin and other critics say the SIU itself should have more power to ensure police comply with laws intended to protect the integrity of SIU probes. And now may be the time for change, thanks to the rewriting of Ontarios Police Services Act and the ongoing review of the SIU and other police oversight bodies, led by judge Michael Tulloch. Marin said he wants to see Tulloch make recommendations aimed at giving the watchdog greater powers to hold police accountable when it has reason to believe officers breached their legal obligations. Specifically, he hopes the review recommends attaching a penalty, under legislation, for failing to comply with regulations governing the SIU, such as a fine or jail term. You would see immediate compliance, he said. Ian Scott, who as director of the SIU from 2008-2013 made frequent requests of police chiefs to report back on officer behaviour, said the SIU director should have the ability to complain to Ontarios Civilian Police Commission, something the director isnt allowed to do under existing legislation. In an interview, Scott said the benefit of complaining to the commission is that it can launch a misconduct case outside of the usual police tribunal, a system many feel isnt accountable because chiefs pick the adjudicator and prosecutor. Tullochs much-anticipated report is due at the end of the month. In an email to the Star, a spokesperson for the review said Tulloch is looking at clarifying the SIUs mandate and the extent of the police duty to co-operate. An SIU spokesperson, Monica Hudon, told the Star Toronto police have made it clear it will not respond in writing to concerns raised in the SIU directors reporting letters. But she said the service has reached out to the SIU in other forums to address issues raised. Often, this will involve telephone conversations and an exchange of views between senior officials of our respective agencies, she said, adding that Toronto police have committed to taking remedial action in some cases. Pugash said in some instances where the SIU has complained about a delay in notification, police needed more medical information before determining if the SIU threshold had been met; the SIU only takes over an investigation if injuries are deemed serious. In some cases, we disagree with Mr. Loparcos contentions, Pugash said. The fact remains, however, that every issue is investigated, action is taken wherever appropriate, and everything is reported to the police services board. Toronto police board vice-chair Chin Lee said the board receives all letters from the SIU director to the chief, alongside the results of the mandatory internal police probes, which must occur within 30 days of the closure of every SIU investigation involving the service. The intention of the internal probes is to determine if policy or training changes are necessary or if disciplinary action should be taken. The board reviews these letters and may direct the chief, as necessary, to deal with any issues raised. The board also seeks the relevant information to fulfil its oversight responsibilities when it deems it necessary, Lee said. Until recently, the chiefs internal reports were not made public. But as of June 2016, the board began releasing versions of the reports, though some information, such as the names of officers involved, is not public. Since that time, 17 internal reports have been released in the boards monthly agendas, dating to cases closed in August 2015 and as recent as July 2016. However, no internal reports have been released for cases closed between September and December 2015, a period during which the SIU raised concerns about officer conduct in four investigations. That includes the cases where Martino flagged the issue of officers attempting to download surveillance footage after the January 2015 shooting, and the incident involving a C8 carbine rifle. The board did not respond by deadline to questions about the four-month gap in internal reports released so far. One internal report released by the board, however, does show Toronto police professional standards unit investigated an SIU directors allegations that there was a notification delay and that police wrongly attempted to obtain a statement from an injured man during an SIU probe. After looking into the complaints, professional standards said the notification delay was caused by a holdup in getting medical information, and that police had obtained permission from the lead SIU investigator to speak with the injured man. The issue concerning the downloading of surveillance video following a police-involved incident appears to be a sticking point between the SIU and Toronto police. Last spring, when Ontarios attorney general released a censored version of the SIU directors report into the fatal Toronto police shooting of Andrew Loku, it was revealed that Loparco had raised concerns about an officer attempting to review and download surveillance video. Loparco said the officers conduct violated the Ontario regulation stating the SIU is the lead investigative agency. Toronto police say the officer was performing their duty to secure the scene. Speaking to the Star last year, Pugash said police disagreed with Loparco. In this case, it was, Did the video exist? Was it recording? In which case they would need to download it to preserve evidence. Pugash also said several SIU officials at the scene had no objections. In his communication with Saunders about a similar incident six months earlier where officers allegedly attempted to access and copy security footage from a police-involved shooting at a pharmacy acting SIU director Martino said there was no impact on the investigation because the footage didnt capture the incident and SIU investigators were able to intervene to prevent the officer from copying the footage. Asked if Toronto police responded in writing, as Martino requested, Hudon said she could confirm that concerns raised in Martinos letter have been the subject of dialogue between the SIU and police. The Star also asked why the SIU does not issue news releases in all investigations, particularly in cases where there is a high public interest. No news release was issued, for instance, in the case involving the C8 rifle incident. Hudon said the SIU receives notification of hundreds of incidents every year. Given the SIUs limited resources, it is not feasible for the watchdog to issue a news releases in all of them, she said. We have noted this issue in our submissions as part of the review being undertaken by Justice Tulloch. Given our present resources, the SIU is committed to issuing news releases in all death cases, whenever a firearm is used and for major vehicle collisions, Hudon said. Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca . Letters from SIU director to Toronto police chief Tragic outcome narrowly avoided In a December 2015 letter to Chief Mark Saunders, SIU director Tony Loparco highlights what he calls the quite troubling conduct of an officer who helped a colleague arrest a mentally ill person while carrying a C8 rifle a military grade weapon used for long-range shooting. The mentally ill person quickly grabbed the gun, refused to let go and reached for the trigger on a crowded street, Loparco wrote. Several officers were required to remove gun from the persons grip. The incident could have led to a much more tragic outcome in the circumstances, Loparco wrote. Four-year delay In a June 23, 2015 letter, Loparco wrote to Saunders about a serious wrist injury incurred by a member of the public that did not come to the attention of the SIU until almost four years later. Loparco said the passing of time had created an evidentiary vacuum and therefore there were no reasonable grounds to proceed with charges against the two officers. The failure of the (police) to contact the SIU has effectively denied . . . the broader public the benefit of a thorough investigation into serious allegations of police misconduct, Loparco wrote. Investigation compromised In an August 25, 2014, letter, Loparco wrote to then-chief Bill Blair about a two-month delay in notifying the SIU about an incident where a Toronto police officer was found to have broke someones nose. Though Loparco found the use of force by the officer was legally justified, he lamented the delay in notification despite various officers being aware of the broken nose a clear serious injury within hours of the incident. A delay of this nature can only degrade the quality of a witness recollection of the events in question, and clearly compromised the integrity of the SIUs investigation, Loparco wrote. Climate of hostility The question of whether police chiefs must directly respond to concerns raised by the SIU director is not a new issue in Ontario. After former SIU director Ian Scott began requesting responses to concerns raised in his letters to chiefs when he took the reins of the agency in 2008, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Polices SIU Committee strongly urged chiefs not to respond to directors letters, saying the SIU had no authority in matters of police conduct. As tension increased between the SIU and police chiefs, former chief justice Patrick LeSage was tapped by the attorney general in 2011 to review the Police Services Act with an eye to resolving certain issues involving the SIU, and concluded the legislation was clear that chiefs are not obligated to respond. The SIU directors authority does not extend to requiring the chief of police to investigate or report to him and should not be part of the SIU directors communication with the chief of police, LeSage wrote. Instead, issues raised by the SIU are intended to be dealt with in the mandatory internal investigations a police service must conduct after every completed SIU investigation, to determine if training or policy changes need to be made or if disciplinary measures are warranted. The results of that probe must be presented to the board within 30 days of the completion of the SIU investigation. Tensions over the SIU letters arose again in 2013 when then-SIU director Ian Scott publicly criticized former Toronto police chief Bill Blair for refusing to respond to more than 100 letters containing complaints about officers. LeSages report, Scott said at the time, did not preclude police chiefs from being responsive to concerns that affect police, the SIU and the public. Marin agreed, saying LeSages report should not prevent the SIU from identifying issues of concern in its correspondence with chiefs of police. While (the SIU director) is unlikely to receive a response given the current climate of hostility, he should not be prevented from politely requesting one, Marin, then Ontario ombudsman, wrote in Oversight Undermined, a 2011 report on the SIU. Read more about: SHARE: EDITORS NOTE: CUTLINE ON PHOTO WAS WRONG, THEY WERENT MARCHING AT SCHOOL BOARD A campaign calling on the Peel District School Board to end the accommodation of Muslim prayer in schools has been condemned by board officials and Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey for spreading hateful misinformation. At issue is the practice of Jummah, a Muslim congregational prayer held each Friday around midday. Peel students have performed Jummah in school for several years, but a new religious accommodation policy enacted in January has sparked vitriol at school board meetings, a public protest and a petition. Its been getting more aggressive with each passing day, said Jaskaran Sandhu, spokesperson for Jeffreys office. On Saturday, around 200 people held a march starting near Square One in Mississauga to demonstrate against religious practices in public schools. Flyers advertising the march included contact information for Canada First, a group whose stated mission is to protest the federal Liberals anti-Islamophobia motion. On March 6, self-described concerned parents launched an online petition demanding that the board immediately discontinue . . . religious clubs and religious congregations of any religion. Gayathri Iyer, spokesperson for the petitions organizers and the mother of two Peel students, said the petition was specifically inspired by concerns about Jummah. The petition claims that religious congregations in schools lead to segregation, interruption of studies, increased costs to taxpayers, bullying of non-observant students, and unsolicited exposure to religion that could create subconscious bias in the minds of impressionable children for or against a faith. Board spokesperson Brian Woodland called the petition pure and deliberate misinformation, and a campaign against Islam, counter to . . . our own board values. It has been frustrating and disheartening to see hatred and prejudice toward a single faith group disguised in a supposed campaign about religion in schools, Woodland added. Youtube videos taken at a town hall-style school board meeting in January show men named Eric Brazau and Ron Banerjee accusing Islam of promoting violent acts. In 2014, a man named Eric Brazau was sentenced to nine months in jail for promoting hatred of Muslims and criminally harassing a Muslim family. A man named Ron Banerjee runs Canadian Hindu Advocacy, a group previously described by the Star as a militantly anti-Muslim organization. Neither Banerjee nor Brazau could be reached for comment. Brampton mayor Jeffrey addressed the recent misinformation and hateful speech surrounding the accommodation of Muslim prayers in a written statement last week. Over the last two decades Muslim students in schools across the Region of Peel have been accommodated for Friday prayer, Jeffrey wrote. The Ontario Human Rights Code mandates religious accommodation . . . Muslim students require a time to pray that may happen during a school day, and we must respect that as we do any other religious requirement. The Ontario Human Rights Code states religious accommodations may be withheld only if they create undue hardship in the form of cost or health and safety risks. Letting Muslim students pray for 20 minutes in an empty space with the supervision of volunteer staff does not cause any financial hardship, Jeffrey wrote. The accommodation of Jummah in Peel schools gained public attention in 2016, when the board created a new policy requiring students to read from scripted, board-approved sermons. Following a backlash from Muslim community members, the policy was overturned. In January of this year, the board issued a new accommodation policy allowing students to write their own sermons or choose from a bank of scripted ones. Regretfully there has been growing xenophobia against people of the Islamic faith being spread recently, said Peel board trustee Nokha Dakroub, who supported allowing students to write their own sermons. I wonder if the renewed opposition to (Jummah) is a byproduct of that sentiment. Editors note: This article has been edited from a previous version to correct that the march started near Square One. SHARE: Glen Davis had just finished lunch with an official from World Wildlife Fund-Canada on May 18, 2007 and was heading back to his vehicle when he was shot twice by a man hired to kill. Many know Davis as the multi-millionaire who was slain in a Toronto parking garage almost 10 years ago, a victim of a murderous plot hatched by his own godson. But friends and family are hoping a new award named after the businessman-turned-philanthropist will bring more attention to his life in environmental activism, instead of his gruesome murder. People heard about Glen for the first time through those horrible events, said Monte Hummel, the former head of WWF-Canada and a longtime, close friend of Davis. Ten years later, we thought it was time to start talking about the way Glen lived ... He left a tremendous legacy and was really responsible for changing the map of the country. Davis was a passionate conservationist who loved spending time outdoors and donated millions to environmental causes before his murder. WWF-Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society announced they will honour Davis environmental legacy through the new Glen Davis Conservation Leadership Prize, a $10,000 award for a conservation hero in financial need. CPAWS executive director Eric Hebert-Daly said in a statement the award was the perfect way to honour his memory and his legacy by supporting and encouraging those leaders of today. Glen Davis had a passion and determination for wilderness that translated into the creation of a whole generation of conservation leaders, he said. He was a dedicated mentor, a generous spirit and a movement builder, the likes of which Canada has never since seen. Three people were convicted of first-degree murder in Davis death, including Marshall Ross, Davis godson and cousin. Ross had paid Dmitri Kossyrine to murder the 66-year-old, in the hopes of wiping a $2-million loan he received from him. Kossyrine enlisted his close friend Ivgeny Vorobiov, who shot Davis twice in the parking lot, the court heard. Davis, the son of self-made millionaire Nelson Morgan Davis, inherited his fathers business worth $100-million after he died in 1979. In 1983, Davis was a passenger on a Toronto-bound Air Canada jet that caught fire mid-flight. The plane made an emergency landing in Cincinnati, and while Davis and others escaped, 23 people were killed. Many cited that close brush with death as the moment that pushed him to dedicate more time and energy to environmental causes, but Hummel said Davis had a steady interest in conservationism throughout his life. Through the 1990s, Davis played a crucial role in WWF-Canadas Endangered Spaces campaign. He was not only the largest financial contributor, but Hummel says he helped at meetings and was deeply involved in various aspects of the campaign. More than 1,000 new parks, nature reserves and wilderness areas were established in Canada over that time, Hummel said, and the amount of protected land and waters across the country more than doubled. Glen was a national hero, he said. Nominations for the Glen Davis Leadership Prize are now open. The winner of the inaugural prize will be announced on the 10th anniversary of Davis death on May 18. Hummel says the winner will be someone who had made a tangible difference in conservation, just like Davis. There are birds out there flying wild, there are wolves out there roaming free and there are fish swimming deep because of Glen Davis, he said. Its time to honour and recognize a great Canadian, one that made a huge difference very quietly. SHARE: Its strange the things we dont talk much about in city political debates. For instance, in the most recent in a never-ending series of flare-ups at city hall about the Scarborough subway, we heard a lot about what the people of Scarbrough deserve, and about travel times, and about new riders at peak hour. We heard about the service extended to people in Rosedale and we even heard about poison-tipped umbrellas and exploding cigars. But we didnt hear too much debate about real estate development prospects, considering that boosting those prospects is the primary rationale behind the plan. When the one-stop subway was announced, the planning department that developed it offered that as its main argument: that a one-seat connection to the big east-west citywide subway line would spark the complete redevelopment of the entire area, bringing lots of new offices and workplaces to the town centre district, transforming it into a thriving urban centre. Indeed, I think that is the strongest argument in the plans favour, as Ive written before. If it will indeed spur that kind of development (revitalizing the area, creating a new commercial hub, and providing jobs in a area that would create large amounts of two-way transit traffic during the peak hours) in a way that other transit would not which is a big if then it may well be worth the premium paid for it and the sacrifice of some other goals on that corridor that alternate plans offer. But Im not sure of its prospects for success in that, partly because the central rationale has played such a small part in a debate that focuses mostly on other factors. When you look closely, commercial real estate development is one of the most central goals of Mayor John Torys administration. Encouraging office and real estate construction is, in fact, the skeleton key that unlocks the reasoning behind virtually all of the mayors biggest transportation infrastructure projects. The background documents that formed the basis for Mayor Torys SmartTrack plan were premised explicitly on spurring commercial development in areas of the GTA where there was room for growth and a dearth of transit. Thats why SmartTrack was designed to connect to the Airport Corporate Centre in Mississauga, the former Unilever lands on the edge of the Don Valley, and Markham because that is where the prospects for rapid office development were seen to be high. The mayor even pitched his funding plan for it during the campaign on taxes collected strictly from new commercial development in the corridor. He was that confident, because enabling new commercial development was the whole routes reason for being. Through various changes to what SmartTrack is (and how it will be paid for) those areas continue to be central to the plan, presumably for the same reason. The Unilever site owned by First Gulf where the plan is to build 11.5 million square feet of new commercial and office space, enough to house 50,000 jobs is a particularly illustrative case. In addition to being a central part of SmartTracks logic, it plays a role in other major transportation debates. Many will remember that it was First Gulf who first proposed the Gardiner Expressway hybrid plan that the mayor later championed and city council adopted at a cost of over $1 billion. The hybrid opens up access to First Gulfs site while still allowing easy highway access to it. Meanwhile, the rerouting and evolution of the planned subway relief line to run under Queen St. was explained in part by the desire to Support major redevelopment opportunities, such as the Unilever site, which will now have a stop on that line according to current plans. In an interview on Newstalk1010 recently, the mayor also named the Waterfront LRT as a project he expected to be well advanced by next year the Waterfront Transit Reset document from late 2015 lists serving the First Gulf site as one of the goals of the LRT project, although perhaps in a later phase. Anyhow, taken together, we have the route of the Gardiner and the relief line, the entire concept of SmartTrack, and the one-stop Scarborough subway extension plan billions of dollars of transportation planning all motivated largely or primarily by the goal of serving new office development. Perhaps I have missed it, but it doesnt seem to me like those development prospects and that goal featured prominently in the debates about them. Those of a cynical bent could look at this and suggest the mayor and the city are acting here primarily to enrich developers by spending billions to serve their interests. Certainly these transportation plans do serve the interests of some developers which is why in some cases they have hired lobbyists and funded groups to support the mayors plans. But I think the idea of spurring rapid growth in new commercial districts, where people will work and shop and play and sometimes live, in different, currently underdeveloped areas of Toronto, is also a generally good city-building goal. Its also hard to do as the example of Waterfront Torontos decades long redevelopment and revitalization projects downtown attest. One big question, given how prominent a role this goal serves in guiding so many of the citys biggest capital projects, is why arent we discussing it more? Perhaps we should, because the other big question arises when trying to evaluate these projects in light of that goal: will it work? Edward Keenan writes on city issues ekeenan@thestar.ca . Follow: @thekeenanwire Read more about: SHARE: The Trump administrations proposal to gut Great Lakes clean-up funding by 97 per cent is a challenge, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday after meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne. With President Donald Trump heading to Motown on Wednesday, concerns were flagged about the plan from Washington to slash the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to $10 million, down from $300 million a year. I think thats a challenge, Snyder told reporters in Detroit after he and Wynne met for almost an hour. Thats something I wouldnt like to see happen at that level, he added, noting the budget has not yet been submitted to Congress. Its very early in this administration . . . . This is something that well have to wait and see. Wynne, who will co-host a summit of Great Lakes governors and premiers in Windsor and Detroit with Snyder in October, said water quality will be a major topic. Protection of the Great Lakes is something that has been very much a focus of mine as premier, and I want to continue to work with all of the Great Lakes states to make sure that we are good stewards of that ecosystem. Just last week, the Ontario and Canadian governments released a draft action plan to reduce dangerous algae blooms in Lake Erie. One such bloom in the summer of 2014 forced Toledo, Ohio, an hours drive south of Detroit, to declare a state of emergency and temporarily shut down its water intake system because of dangerous toxins. Water in Toledos treatment plant tested positive for microcystin, which can cause liver and kidney damage as well as diarrhea, nausea and dizziness along with seizures and respiratory failure, in extreme cases. The Canadian plan aims to reduce excess amounts of phosphorous, which fuels the blooms, from reaching the lake in agricultural runoff and from other sources such as broken septic systems. Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Canada and the U.S. have agreed to finalize their action plans for Lake Erie by next February. Aside from harmful impacts on drinking water, the algae blooms interfere with boaters and foul beaches. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has warned the proposed funding cut from Washington would be devastating to the efforts of our two countries over the past five decades to restore this resource. Aside from protecting drinking water, the American Great Lakes clean-up effort works to prevent and control invasive species, such as the Asian carp, and rehabilitates native fish habitats. Snyder called the Great Lakes, which hold 20 per cent of the planets fresh water and are a source of drinking water for millions, one of the worlds greatest assets, but said they likely wouldnt be on the agenda for Trumps visit. The primary focus is going to be on intelligent and autonomous vehicles, he added in a nod to last years memorandum of understanding with Ontario to develop projects jointly to make the two jurisdictions a world leader in self-driving cars. Trump will be visiting the American Centre for Mobility in suburban Willow Run, a former Second World War bomber plant now a non-profit centre for testing autonomous vehicles, the Detroit Free Press reported. Wynne and her Michigan counterpart also talked about the mutual importance of cross-border trade and the need for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge as Trump contemplates a review of the North American Free Trade Agreement. We are obviously working in a world where the federal governments are making decisions, Wynne said. The fact that we have the relationship and integrated economies will actually influence those national discussions. For his part, Snyder said Michigan is on track to expropriate more properties needed for the bridge plaza in the Delray neighbourhood of Detroit downriver from the Ambassador Bridge. Read more about: SHARE: MOSCOWA trial for the blogger who is accused of inciting religious hatred for playing Pokemon Go in a church has begun in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Ruslan Sokolovsky has been in pre-trial detention since October when a court reversed his house arrest. Investigators have charged the 22-year-old video blogger with inciting religious hatred, the same offence that sent two women from the Pussy Riot punk collective to prison for two years in 2012, and insulting the feelings of religious believers. Sokolovsky posted a video on his blog last year showing him playing the smartphone game in a church built on the supposed spot where the family of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, was killed. He faces a possible sentence of 7 years in prison if convicted. Read more about: SHARE: BEIJINGChinese officials are issuing new warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country, following reports of fighters from Chinas Muslim minority fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq. Sharhat Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, on Sunday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn about China becoming destabilized by the international anti-terror situation and calling for a peoples war. Over the past year, regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures and police patrols and staged massive rallies intended to showcase the power of the security forces. Those demonstrations are intended to declare war against terrorists, to showcase the party and the governments resolve to fight terror, resolve to preserve public safety and (Chinas) mighty combat strength, Ahan told officials gathered in Beijing for this months National Peoples Congress. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks are active in the country, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. In recent years, hundreds have died in violent incidents mainly in Xinjiang that officials blame on Uighur separatists inspired by the global Jihadi cause. While it has provided little evidence, the government, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to Al Qaeda and Daesh, also known as ISIS. . Daesh released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianhua drew comparisons to the policies of U.S. President Donald Trumps administration to make his point. What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence, Li said. This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesnt matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the U.S. or it promotes stability, its about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture. Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. The roots of the Hui are in China, Wu said. To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people. The officially atheistic Communist Party has long viewed religion with suspicion but has generally granted a fair degree of religious freedom to its Hui minority, especially in their heartland of Ningxia, where mosques dot the skyline. The party has kept a far tighter grip over Xinjiangs Uighurs who have a language, culture and physical features that are more closely linked to Central Asia partly due to the existence of a decades-old separatist movement. But the comments by party officials in Ningxia, seen as traditionally more lax on ethnic and religious policy, reflected the top Chinese leaderships growing anxieties about Islam more broadly over the past year, analysts said. Theres a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society, said Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong. Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I dont think things will take a softer turn. Read more about: SHARE: CAIROEgypts ousted president Hosni Mubarak was ordered to be freed from detention on Monday, according to the prosecutor who signed his release order. The decision ends nearly six years of legal proceedings against Mubarak and seems certain to revive the ongoing debate over whether the goals of the 2011 uprising that ended his reign were ever realized. The prosecutor, Ibrahim Saleh, told The Associated Press that he ordered Mubaraks release after he accepted a petition by the former presidents lawyer for his freedom on the basis of time already served. Mubarak, 88, was acquitted by the countrys top appeals court on March 2 of charges that he ordered the killing of protesters during the 2011 revolution. That verdict, according to Saleh, cleared the way for Mubaraks lawyer to request his release. Mubarak, according to Saleh, has already served a three-year sentence for embezzling state funds while in detention in connection with the protesters case. A criminal court ruled in May 2015 to jail Mubarak for three years and fine him millions of Egyptian pounds following his conviction for embezzling funds earmarked for the maintenance and renovation of presidential palaces. The ruling was upheld by another court in January 2016. There is not a single reason to keep him in detention and the police must execute the order, Saleh said. He is free to go. News of Mubaraks imminent release was greeted jubilantly by his supporters on a Facebook page entitled I am sorry, Mr. President. One supporter, Tamer Abdel-Moneim, described Mubaraks trial in a column in the popular Al-Youm al-Sabei news site as a farce. He wrote: The oppression and injustice that befell the man compels upstanding men to rally behind him to stop the silliest and most contemptuous farce we have recently known. Read more: Egypt police officer given 15 years in death of protester Egypt court confirms death sentence for ousted president Morsi Mubaraks party headquarters destroyed in Egypt Egypt sentences 230 to life in prison over 2011 clashes The order to release Mubarak was the latest in a series of court rulings in recent years that acquitted some two dozen, Mubarak-era cabinet ministers, top police officers and aides charged with graft or in connection with the killing of some 900 protesters during the uprising. Some of them have made a comeback to public life, while others partially paid back fortunes they illegally amassed. Activists, meanwhile, say Mubaraks acquittal of killing protesters has confirmed long-held suspicions that his trial and that of scores of policemen who faced trial on the same charge would never bring the justice they demanded. It has also, according to activists and Egypts beleaguered rights campaigners, confirmed widely-held suspicions that their revolution has been reversed by the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, a general-turned-politician, in order to restore the status quo in a country ruled undemocratically by men of military background for most of the past 60-plus years. I knew from the very beginning that this was not going to take us anywhere, said rights lawyer Amir Salem, who represented the fallen protesters families in the Mubarak trial. The trial of Mubarak needed an independent judiciary, which we dont have. But one day, he will be truly tried, but not under el-Sissi. Powerful media figures loyal to el-Sissi have relentlessly vilified the 2011 uprising as a conspiracy and demonized its icons as foreign agents who pose a threat to the countrys national security. The fallen protesters, contend some of them, were shot by members of the now-banned Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood. The attacks began soon after el-Sissi, as defence minister, led the 2013 ouster of the Brotherhoods Mohammed Morsi, Egypts first freely elected leader whose one-year in office proved divisive. Mubarak was first detained in April 2011, but has spent the nearly six years since in hospitals. He is currently staying at a Nile-side military hospital in the leafy suburb of Maadi, just south of Cairo. His lawyer, Farid el-Deeb, told the AP on Monday that he expected Mubarak to return home within a day or two. When he does, he will join Suzanne, his wife of nearly 60 years, his two sons one-time heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa their wives and three grandchildren. Mubaraks sons were also convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in the same embezzlement case. They still face charges in an insider trading case, but both are free and have recently made a series of intensely publicized appearances greeted enthusiastically by hardcore supporters of their father. Earlier on Monday, el-Sissi pardoned more than 200 people convicted and jailed for their participation in illegal protests. The pardon of the 203 prisoners did not cover any of the iconic, secular activists jailed for violating the 2013 protests law, which has effectively ended street activism in Egypt except for demonstrations by government supporters. El-Sissi has overseen a major crackdown primarily targeting Islamists along with secular pro-democracy activists since Morsis ouster. He took office a year later with a landslide victory in presidential elections. Along with jailing critics, el-Sissis government has steadily eroded freedoms won in the 2011 uprising. Read more about: SHARE: WARSAWPoland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man exposed by The Associated Press as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in the Second World War, prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutor Robert Janicki said evidence gathered over years of investigation into U.S. citizen Michael K. confirmed 100 per cent that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defence Legion. He did not release the last name, in line with Polands privacy laws, but the AP has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. All the pieces of evidence interwoven together allow us to say the person who lives in the U.S. is Michael K., who commanded the Ukrainian Self Defence Legion which carried out the pacification of Polish villages in the Lublin region, Janicki said. The decision in Poland comes four years after the AP published a story establishing that Michael Karkoc commanded the unit, based on wartime documents, testimony from other members of the unit and Karkocs own Ukrainian-language memoir. Karkocs family has repeatedly denied he was involved in any war crimes and his son questioned the validity of the evidence against him after Polands announcement, calling the accusations scandalous and baseless slanders. Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of Michael Karkoc, shown here in a 2014 file photo, who was exposed by The Associated Press as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II. Theres nothing in the historical record that indicates my father had any role whatsoever in any type of war crime activity, said Andriy Karkoc. He questioned the Polish investigation, saying my fathers identity has never been in question nor has it ever been hidden. In Poland, prosecutor Andrzej Pozorski said Karkoc would be given a full opportunity to tell his story. This person has not been questioned in the capacity of a suspect so it is hard to react to his explanations, because we dont know them, said Pozorski who heads the investigative team at a state institute. Prosecutors with the National Remembrance Institute, which investigates Nazi and Communist-era crimes against Poles, have asked a court in Lublin to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. He added the mans age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. He is our suspect as of today, Janicki said. If convicted of ordering the killing of civilians in 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. The U.S. attorneys office in Minnesota declined to comment on the case. Efraim Zuroff, the head Nazi hunter for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, applauded the decision as an important signal even at this late stage. Any legal step thats taken against these people is very important, he said by telephone from Jerusalem. It sends a very powerful message, and these kinds of things should not be abandoned just because of the age of a suspect. Pozorski, in Warsaw, shared this view. This case shows that there is still a possibility, a chance to bring those responsible before a court and I think we should never give up the chance of exercising justice. Prosecutors in Germany shelved their own investigation of Karkoc in 2015 after saying they had received comprehensive medical documentation from doctors at the sgeriatric hospital in the U.S. where he was being treated that led them to conclude he was not fit for trial. Karkocs family says he suffers from Alzheimers disease. Zuroff urged that he be reassessed by independent doctors. It is a very common occurrence that elderly individuals facing prosecution for Second World War crimes make every effort to look as sick and as infirm as possible, he said. The investigations in Germany and Poland began after APs story in June 2013, which established Karkoc was a commander of the unit and then lied to American immigration officials to get into the United States a few years after the war. A second report uncovered evidence that Karkoc himself ordered his men in 1944 to attack a Polish village in which dozens of civilians were killed, contradicting statements from his family that he was never at the scene. The Associated Press stands by its stories, which were well-documented and thoroughly reported, said Lauren Easton, director of APs media relations, on Monday. The special German prosecutors office that investigates Nazi crimes concluded that enough evidence existed to pursue murder charges against Karkoc. APs initial investigation found that Karkoc entered the U.S. in 1949 by failing to disclose to American authorities his role as a commander in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defence Legion. The investigation found that Karkoc was in the area of the massacres, but did not uncover evidence linking him directly to atrocities. The second story, based upon an investigative file originally from the Ukrainian intelligence agencys archive, revealed that a private under Karkocs command testified in 1968 that Karkoc ordered an assault on the village of Chlaniow in retaliation for the slaying of the SS major who led the Legion, in which Karkoc was a company commander. A German roster of the unit confirmed that Pvt. Ivan Sharko, a Ukrainian, served under Karkocs command at the time. Other eyewitness accounts, both from villagers and members of Karkocs unit, corroborated the testimony that the company set buildings on fire and gunned down more than 40 men, women and children. Other soldiers who served under Karkoc backed up Sharkos testimony about civilian killings. Pvt. Vasyl Malazhenski, for example, told Soviet investigators that in 1944 that unit was directed to liquidate all the residents of Chlaniow although he did not say who gave the order. Sharko also testified in the investigative documents that Karkocs company was directly involved in a punitive mission against Poles near the village of Sagryn in 1944. SHARE: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIAThe White House confirmed Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet this week with Saudi Arabias second-in-line to the throne in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since Novembers presidential election. In his daily press briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the meeting with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defence minister and King Salmans son, will take place Thursday at the White House. No other details were provided. The Saudi royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency earlier Monday, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of U.S. officials to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest. Read more: Its time to help Saudi Arabia restrain itself Fearing Trump crackdown, U.S. immigrants offered anti-deportation training Trump fully committed to four policy pillars: Watt The prince, who departed for Washington on Monday, is spearheading the kingdoms economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in U.S. technology firms. He will be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years. Saudi Arabia, the worlds top oil exporter and biggest buyer of American-made arms, is also part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticized by Trump. Obama had also openly criticized Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Irans reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners. Read more about: SHARE: ANKARA, TURKEYTurkey announced a series of political sanctions against the Netherlands on Monday over its refusal to allow two Turkish ministers to campaign there, including halting high-level political discussions between the two countries and closing Turkish air space to Dutch diplomats. Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus, briefing journalists after the weekly council of ministers meeting, said the sanctions would apply until the Netherlands takes steps to redress the actions that Ankara sees as a grave insult. There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didnt create this crisis or bring it to this stage, Kurtulmus said. Those who did have to take steps to redress the situation. Other sanctions bar the Dutch ambassador entry back into Turkey and advise parliament to withdraw from a Dutch-Turkish friendship group The announcement came hours after Turkeys foreign ministry formally protested the treatment of a Turkish minister who was prevented from entering a consulate in the Netherlands and escorted out of the country after trying to attend a political rally. The ministry also objected to what it called a disproportionate use of force against demonstrators at a protest afterward. Separately, Turkeys foreign minister was denied permission to land to address the same rally in Rotterdam. The argument is over the Netherlands refusal to allow Turkish officials to campaign there to drum up support among Turks who are eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum that would greatly expand the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. About 400,000 people with ties to Turkey live in the Netherlands, though its not clear how many are eligible to vote. Erdogan said the two cabinet ministers Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, would ask the European human rights court to weigh in on their treatment. He added that he didnt think the court would rule in Turkeys favour. Earlier Monday, Turkey summoned the Dutch Embassys charge daffaires, Daan Feddo Huisinga, to the Foreign Ministry, where a senior official handed him two formal protest notes. Its the third time the Dutch diplomat has been summoned since tensions broke out between the two countries. The deputy prime minister said the political sanctions would remain in place until the Dutch government meets conditions that were set out in the diplomatic protest notes, including apologizing and punishing authorities who mistreated Turks Turkey's Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya criticized Dutch authorities for refusing to allow her into her country's consulate in downtown Rotterdam. German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the Netherlands in its diplomatic fight with Turkey, as NATOs chief called for alliance members to respect each other and the European Union urged Turkey to calm down. Turkey had a similar dispute with Germany last week, but the fight with the Netherlands comes as that country prepares for its own election Wednesday pitting Prime Minister Mark Ruttes right-wing PVV Party against far-right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders party. Merkel, speaking at a news conference in Munich on Monday, pledged her full support and solidarity to the Dutch, saying the Nazi gibes were completely unacceptable. Erdogan responded angrily to Merkels support for the Netherlands. Shame on you! he exclaimed during an interview with A Haber television on Monday. He renewed accusations that Germany supported terrorists battling Turkey and that it backed the no campaign in the Turkish referendum, arguing that Berlin did not want to see a strong Turkey emerge. Some of the European Union countries lets not put all of them in the same sack unfortunately cannot stomach Turkeys rise, Erdogan said. Sadly, Germany tops the list. Germany supports terror in a cruel way. He went on to advise Turks living in Europe not to vote for parties that he described as enemies of Turkey. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged all members of the alliance to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach. The European Union also called on Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation. EU spokesperson Margaritis Schinas added that it was essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm the situation. In the television interview, Erdogan repeated slurs against the Netherlands, saying: their Vienna Convention is their fascism. Their Nazism. We can say neo-Nazism. He was referring to a 1961 international treaty on diplomatic relations. Turkey is a candidate to join the European Union, although the membership negotiations have made little progress over the past decade. The country has become a vital partner in a deal with the EU to curb the passage of migrants and refugees from Turkey into Europe. Omer Celik, Turkeys minister in charge of European Union affairs, said Monday that his country should consider reviewing the migration deal to relax controls on people reaching Europe by walking into Greece or Bulgaria. Read more: Turkeys Erdogan says Netherlands will pay the price for insult Dutch government blocks visit from Turkish minister, escalating diplomatic dispute Turkeys Erdogan accuses Germany of Nazi practices, amid widening diplomatic rift Read more about: SHARE: LONDONBritain lurched closer to leaving the European Union Monday when Parliament stopped resisting and gave Prime Minister Theresa May the power to file for divorce from the bloc. But in a blow to Mays government, the prospect of Scotlands exit from the United Kingdom suddenly appeared nearer, too. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for a referendum on independence within two years to stop Scotland being dragged out of the EU against its will. In an announcement that took many London politicians by surprise, Sturgeon vowed that Scotland would not be taken down a path that we do not want to go down without a choice. Sturgeon spoke in Edinburgh hours before the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed its final hurdle in Parliaments upper chamber, the House of Lords. The House of Commons approved the bill weeks ago, but the 800-strong Lords fought to amend it, inserting a promise that EU citizens living in the U.K. will be allowed to remain after Britain pulls out of the bloc. Read more: Scotlands leader seeks new independence vote over hard Brexit Why Britain is now a one-party state EU says it expects British economy to slow during Brexit negotiations They also added a demand that Parliament get a meaningful vote on the final deal between Britain and the remaining 27 EU nations. Both amendments were rejected Monday by the Commons, where Mays Conservatives have a majority. A handful of pro-EU Conservatives expressed their unhappiness, then abstained from the vote. The bill returned to the Lords, in a process known as parliamentary ping pong. Faced with the decision of the elected Commons, the Lords backed down and approved it without amendments. Labour peer Dianne Hayter, who proposed the amendment on EU citizens, said the Lords had done their best, but our view has been rejected in the elected House of Commons, and it is clear the government is not for turning. Once the bill receives royal assent a formality that should be accomplished within hours May will be free to invoke Article 50 of the EUs key treaty, triggering two years of exit negotiations, by her self-imposed deadline of March 31. May was forced to seek Parliaments approval for the move after a Supreme Court ruling in January torpedoed her attempt to start the process of leaving the bloc without a parliamentary vote. The House of Commons and House of Lords battled over the bills contents, with the status of EU nationals in Britain and Britons in fellow EU member countries drawing especially emotional debate. Both British and EU officials have said such residents should be guaranteed the right to stay where they are, but the two sides have so far failed to provide a concrete guarantee, leaving millions of people in limbo. Scottish National Party lawmaker Joanna Cherry told the House of Commons that one constituent, a Lithuanian, had told her the uncertainty caused by this government and this Parliament is making her feel worse about her personal situation in Britain than she did in Lithuania under the Soviets. Brexit Secretary David Davis told lawmakers the government had a moral responsibility to the 3 million EU citizens living in Britain and the 1 million Britons in other member states, and intends to guarantee their rights as soon as possible after exit talks start. That is why we must pass this straightforward bill without further delay, so the prime minister can get to work on the negotiations and we can secure a quick deal that secures the status of both European Union citizens in the U.K. and also U.K. nationals living in the EU, he said. Pro-EU lawmakers accused the government and Brexit-backing lawmakers of running roughshod over the concerns of the 48 per cent of Britons who voted to stay in the EU. Conservative legislator Dominic Grieve called the governments opposition of handing Parliament a final vote on Brexit deranged, and the Green Partys Caroline Lucas said lawmakers should not just hand ministers a blank check. We were not elected to be lemmings, Lucas said. Euro-skeptics accused pro-EU legislators of trying to frustrate the will of voters who passed a June referendum to leave the EU. The simple truth is this deal or no deal, vote or no vote, positive vote or negative vote, this process is irreversible, Conservative legislator Edward Leigh said. Were leaving the EU, and thats what the people want. May is now free to trigger Article 50 as early as Tuesday, but the government signalled the move would come much closer to the March 31 deadline. May spokesman James Slack repeated the governments position that it would happen by the end of March. Ive said end many times, but it would seem I didnt put it in capital letters strongly enough, he said. The governments satisfaction at victory in Parliament was tempered by the prospect of an independence vote that threatens the 300-year old political union between England and Scotland. Sturgeon said she would seek to hold a referendum between the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019 so Scottish voters could make an informed choice about their future. While Britons overall voted to leave the EU, Scottish voters backed remaining by 62 to 38 per cent, and Sturgeon said they should not be forced to follow the rest of the U.K. into a hard Brexit outside the EU single market. In a 2014 referendum, Scottish voters rejected independence by a margin of 55 per cent to 45 per cent. But Sturgeon said the U.K.s decision to leave the EU had brought about a material change of circumstances. May whose government would have to approve a legally binding referendum accused Sturgeons Scottish National Party of political tunnel vision and called her announcement deeply regrettable. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONA woman has posted video of herself pointedly questioning White House press secretary Sean Spicer while he was out shopping at a local Apple store. Shree Chauhan has identified herself as the videos poster to Britains Daily Mail. Shes an Indian-American who was born in New York. She put up video of the encounter on Twitter Saturday. Read more: White House blocks major news organizations from briefing, escalating Trumps war on the press Sean Spicer says Melissa McCarthy could dial back her Saturday Night Live impression In it, Chauhan asks Spicer how it feels to work for a fascist and what can you tell me about Russia. Spicer smiles through the encounter and repeatedly says thank you to Chauhan. At one point, he tells her, such a great country that allows you to be here. Chauhan says in a blog post that Spicers comment was racially motivated. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Read more about: SHARE: You will be denied a visa to perform hajj, warned a friend. Others echoed the warning when they learned that I was serving as an expert witness in the case of a Christian seeking asylum from Saudi Arabia. As the fifth pillar of Islam, access to Makkah to perform the hajj is critical to redemption. In line with the Qurans directive to stand for justice, whether it be for or against oneself, my response was that challenging the human rights abuses by the Saudi regime is worth the risk of being banned from performing a ritual. God is on the side of truth. Its no surprise to some that one of our main allies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, is also one of the worlds most egregious human rights violators. Discrimination against women is well known, but the treatment of non-Muslims is not so much. Riyadh prohibits the public practice of any religion other than the rigid Salafi (known as Wahhabi) interpretations of Islam. Alternative Sunni and Shia interpretations are repressed and even persecuted. But the approximately two million non-Muslims bear the brunt of it. The government has publicly affirmed the right of non-Muslims to worship in private. However, the Mutawwain (the religious police) do not always respect this right in practice. It is further complicated by the fact the right is not defined in state law. In fact, there are no explicit guidelines as to what constitutes private or public worship. This lack of clarity results in instances of inconsistent enforcement by the Mutawwain, who have been known to arrest, imprison, lash, deport, and sometimes even torture worshippers. Non-Muslim clergy are also denied entry into the country, making it difficult to perform certain rituals and even learn about their respective religious traditions. In contrast with the Qurans teaching that there is no compulsion in religion, under Saudi law, conversion out of Islam is considered apostasy, a crime punishable by death if the accused is male and fails to recant. There have been several convictions, though thankfully there are no documented instances of executions being carried out since the early 1990s. Women and religious minorities are not the only ones to suffer. In fact, Human Rights Watch reported last month that prosecutions and convictions of activists and dissidents are up significantly. Earlier this year two prominent activists were sentenced to long jail terms for contacting international media and human rights groups. Saudi Arabia repeatedly demonstrates its complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform, said Sarah Whitson, HRW Middle East director. Despite a slew of rights violations, Western powers have not only refrained from calling out the monarchy, but in fact have emboldened them by aligning themselves with Riyadh. Over the last few decades, the U.S. and the U.K. have relied on the ruling family to broker political support, weapons, and cash to co-opt groups within Muslim nations. This in turn has helped fuel destructive sectarian and ethnic proxy wars around the globe. Canada is not innocent. Last year Ottawa approved a $15-billion arms deal. The contract calls on General Dynamics (Canada) to deliver 1,000 light armoured vehicles to the regime over the next decade. Since the 1990s more than 3,000 LAVs, which are often equipped with weapons, have been shipped to the Kingdom. Disturbingly, Ottawa blessed the arrangement although a Western-backed, Saudi-led coalition bombings runs had unleashed a humanitarian crisis in Yemen while fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. According to the UN, more than 10,000 have been killed and more than three million including 2.1 million children are acutely malnourished. This includes more than 450,000 children under five who risk dying of pneumonia or diarrhea. Seven million people dont know where their next meal is coming from and we now face a serious risk of famine, says UN relief co-ordinator Stephen OBrien. Recently, the U.K. has seen calls to end arms sales and to investigate possible violations of humanitarian law in Yemen. The prophet Muhammad reportedly said, help your brother whether he is the oppressed or the oppressor. When the companions retorted, we know how to help the oppressed, but how so the oppressor? The prophet replied, by restraining him. Hajj or no Hajj, its time to call out the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and for Canada to restrain its ally by ending our complicity though silence and weapons exports. Faisal Kutty is counsel to KSM Law, an associate professor at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. @faisalkutty Read more about: SHARE: You probably havent heard of Gogama, a small community in northeastern Ontario, but if you live anywhere near a railway line, you will want to pay attention. This is particularly true if you live along the CP Rail line that cuts through Toronto. Gogama jumped into the headlines in February, 2015, when a 100-car Canadian National Railway freight train carrying a form of heavy oil from Alberta derailed on a broken track west of Gogama. Nineteen of the 29 tank cars that came off the tracks broke open spilling 1.7 million litres of crude. The crude ignited and burned for five days. Then, two weeks later, a 94-car CN oil train derailed on a bridge near Gogama and 39 tank cars derailed, spilling oil into the river. The ensuing explosion and fire destroyed the bridge. Luckily, no one was hurt in either accident and the town of about 450 people suffered no damage. And, fortunately for CN, the remote location (about 200 kilometres northwest of Sudbury) and the forbidding cold (-31C at the time of the derailment) limited the amount of media coverage it got even though it came less than two years after the Lac-Megantic disaster that killed 47 people. But a recent report by the Transportation Safety Board on the first accident concluded that more infernos are on the cards if the factors that cause derailment chiefly, the speed at which trains run, the weight of the tank cars, the design of tank cars, and the inadequacy of track maintenance and of the training of railways workers arent addressed. The TSB report on the second accident has yet to be released. Both trains would have passed through the Greater Toronto Area en route to a Quebec refinery. The February train was travelling at 38 miles per hour (61 km/h) two mph below the federally mandated speed limit for trains carrying dangerous goods and using tank cars built to newer (if insufficient) standards. The TSB found that defects on the track went unrepaired because of shortfalls in training and supervisory support. Transport Canada had not inspected that stretch of track in the two years before the derailments. This accident occurred on an isolated stretch of rail in northern Ontario and thankfully no one was injured, TSB chair Kathy Fox told a news conference when her report was issued. But so long as the same risks exist track-maintenance issues, railway personnel training, train speed and tank cars that arent sufficiently robust the consequences of the next rail accident may not only be environmental. This is a chilling warning. Last summer, Torontonians got a wake-up call when a CP Rail train derailed as it moved along the Dupont St. corridor at Howland Ave. in the Annex (the same track over which the train to Lac Megantic had passed). No one was hurt in that accident and only a small amount of diesel fuel was spilled. The TSB is investigating and its report could come by the end of the year. Two other CN freight trains have derailed this month in Georgina on March 5 and near the Etobicoke North GO station two days later. But, meanwhile, the CP Rail line, which runs through some of Torontos most densely populated areas, continues to carry dangerous goods at posted speeds higher than in the first Gogama derailment and in tank cars of the type that failed there. In 2009, it carried just 500 oil tanker cars but the boom in fracking in North Dakota has been transformational and, at the peak in 2015, there were an estimated 140,000 car loads of volatile Bakken crude oil on the line. Obviously, CP Rail and CN are different lines with different issues but they both operate under the jurisdiction of Transport Canada. Transport Minister Marc Garneau promised nearly a year ago that rail safety would be his No. 1 priority. And yet the rail lines are still shipping dangerous goods at speeds the TSB is concerned may be too high and will be allowed to use deficient tank cars until 2025. Rail safety remains a critical issue for communities large and small across Canada. Garneau must listen to Mayor John Tory and 17 Toronto councillors representing neighbourhoods that border the CP Rail line and quickly propose measures to allow Canadians to sleep safely in their homes at night. Claire Kilgour Hervey and Henry Wiercinski are co-chairs of Rail Safety First (rsf.com), which advocates for safe, transparent and accountable rail traffic. SHARE: If you were caught tampering with a law-enforcement investigation, you would probably end up in jail. Yet, as the Stars Wendy Gillis reported on Monday, the same isnt necessarily true for police in Ontario. Its a persistent and troubling failure of accountability that the province should move quickly to redress. Whenever a clash between police and civilians leads to death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault, Ontarios Special Investigations Unit is supposed to step in. Yet as Gillis reports, police do not always let the SIU know about such incidents in a timely manner nor do they always live up to their legal duty to cooperate with the watchdog once it is involved. In fact, as former Ontario ombudsman and SIU head Andre Marin told the Star, the law meant to safeguard the SIUs independence is continually and regularly ignored by police services with impunity. Through a Freedom of Information request, the Star obtained a cache of letters sent from the SIU director to the Toronto police chief between 2013 and 2016. Twelve of them point to separate incidents in which officers violated their legislated obligation to cooperate with the agency. In one case, it took police more than four years to alert the SIU to a civilians serious wrist injury. This created an evidentiary vacuum, wrote SIU director Tony Loparco to Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, which effectively denied the broader public the benefit of a thorough investigation into serious allegations of police misconduct. In another case, then-acting SIU director Joseph Martino alleged that officers threatened to undermine the integrity of an investigation by attempting to access and copy security footage before civilian investigators arrived on the scene. This would seem to be part of a larger pattern. The same concern was raised in the SIU report on the shooting death of Andrew Loku. These and other cases of apparent uncooperativeness or active interference with the agencys investigations are deeply disturbing, not least because there is little the SIU can do about them other than complain. Police have no obligation to respond to concerns raised by the watchdog, and it is the Toronto Police Services explicit policy not to do so in writing. In their defence, Toronto police say they investigate each and every comment made in SIU letters, but these investigations are neither independent nor reliably transparent. As Marin has observed before, the public impression is that the police service simply shrugs and thats the end of it. Thats not good enough. In 2014-15, a mere 5.1 per cent of the cases referred to the SIU resulted in charges, a rate no doubt driven down by police recalcitrance. As Ontario looks to revise the Ontario Police Services Act and continues its review of police watchdogs, it should give the SIU the tools it needs to do its important work. In particular, the province should heed the longstanding call of critics and give the watchdog the power to compel police to cooperate with its investigations. Moreover, it should change the law to establish stiffer consequences, including possible jail time, for officers who interfere with SIU investigations. The mandate of the SIU is to maintain confidence in Ontarios police services by assuring the public that police actions resulting in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault are subjected to rigorous, independent investigations. This intended function is clearly crucial, yet in its current form, the watchdog cant succeed. Its time the province gave it some teeth. Read more about: SHARE: Dianne Paulin, a registered practical nurse from North Bay, was assaulted by a patient who pinned her against a door with a chair and repeatedly punched her. Another nurse was beaten so badly by a patient at Torontos Centre for Addiction and Mental Health that her colleagues thought she was dead. Attacks as severe as these ones are, thankfully, rare. But the incidence of assaults on nurses and other health-care workers everything from spitting to hitting are far too common. In fact, according to new research from the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, violence against health-care workers is a daily occurrence. And, apparently, few are immune from the threat of it. The unions found that all but one of 54 workers interviewed for the study had directly experienced violence at work. These numbers are disturbing, but not surprising. They are backed up by years of research into violence directed at health-care workers. What is surprising is that the unions say the attacks are unacknowledged, dismissed, or tolerated by administrators and regulators. Such an attitude is unacceptable. For too long managers of health-care facilities have known about the threats against their employees, but little has been done to protect them. Precautions must be taken immediately, or sooner or later someone is going to get killed on the job by a patient or visitor. Indeed, health-care workers already have the second highest number of reported injuries in the province, according to statistics from the provinces workers compensation board. Other studies underscore the increasing risk of a violent attack on workers at Torontos health-care facilities. For example, violent incidents in the University Health Network doubled to 331 from 166 between 2012 and 2014. Reports of abuse against staff by patients and visitors jumped to 320 in 2013 from 140 in 2012 at Sunnybrook Hospital. And there were 453 physical assaults or abuse of health care workers at CAMH in one recent year. In no other occupation or walk of life would such abuse be tolerated, notes union leader Michael Hurley. Why are things getting worse? Workers surveyed for the new research said underfunding and understaffing are significant contributors to workplace violence. As a result, the unions recommend that the ministry of labour audit all of Ontarios health-care facilities to make sure effective protections are in place; ensure that workplaces have safeguards such as personal monitors, alarms and identification of violent patients; and ensure adequate staffing levels and the presence of trained security personnel where needed. Labour Minister Kevin Flynn should act quickly on these recommendations. Then he should work on changing attitudes among managers so that violence against health-care workers is never considered acceptable. SHARE: Re: Re: Earlier this week, Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch released her so-called values test for newcomers and immigrants to Canada. This list proposed that prospective Canadians be asked whether or not women and men are equal, and entitled to equal protection under the law. No rationale was provided by the Leitch campaign for this seemingly innocuous question. It seems Ms. Leitch is borrowing from U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently asked his government to publicize information on violence against women by foreign nationals. She is deliberately asking a leading question, in the sheer absence of facts, to make you believe that newcomers and immigrants are actually the root cause of gender inequality and sexual violence in Canada. What Ms. Leitch fails to realize, however, is that gender inequality and sexual violence are not imported into Canada; they are, in fact, homegrown. Sadly, one in three Canadian women will experience sexual assault in her lifetime, and 82 per cent of these women are assaulted by someone they know. Sexual violence is the only crime in Canada whose prevalence has not decreased over time. These figures are collected from Canadians, about sexual violence perpetrated by Canadians, on home soil. And, most alarmingly, this violence disproportionately affects women of indigenous heritage as well as other visible-minority and marginalized groups. Rather than shining a spotlight on the root causes of sexual violence in Canada, Ms. Leitch implies that misogyny and patriarchy invade only from foreign shores. By peddling this version of alternative truths, Ms. Leitch trivializes the very real threats that Canadian women face here at home. She is, in effect, normalizing the status quo that is to say, normalizing violence against women. Its time for Kellie Leitch to drop the alternative facts. And its time for her to stop playing politics with an issue that affects millions of Canadian women and their families in such abhorrent ways. With the exception of our indigenous peoples, we are all immigrants to this country. I cant think of anything more un-Canadian than a Canadian values test that stereotypes against newcomers in an effort to create a false and racist narrative. Naheed Yaqubian, Richmond Hill SHARE: Editors' pick: Originally published March 9. This column originally appeared on March 9 on Real Money, our premium site for active traders. Click here to get great columns like this. Apple (AAPL) has long faced a tricky balancing act when it comes to selling cheaper iPhones. With manufacturing costs for older and/or less advanced models likely in the $200 range or below, the company can easily sell such iPhones at lower price points while still turning a profit, and in doing so take share from mid-range Android rivals. But when a company is selling over 200 million phones annually at an average selling price (ASP) well north of $600, it's hard to blame it for being cautious about how much it moves down-market, given the risk of potentially cannibalizing sales of pricier models. A few trends, however, make it worth Apple's while to expand its mid-range lineup, at least in parts of the world where average incomes are lower. Particularly with the iPhone 8 on the way. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6, which (along with its 5.5-inch sibling) was discontinued last September in tandem with the iPhone 7 launch, has been re-launched in Asia. For now, the phone has only been spotted in China, India and Taiwan, but it's not hard to imagine additional markets being added. Apple is only selling a 32GB iPhone 7 model -- those wanting a 4.7-inch or larger iPhone with more storage will have to pay up for a 6S or 7. It's also for now providing just one color for each country: Gold in China and Taiwan, and Space Grey in India. Amazon's Indian site currently sells the 32GB iPhone 6 for just 30,000 rupees ($450). That's just slightly above the 27,679 rupees ($415) charged for a 16GB 4-inch iPhone SE, and much less than the 41,000 rupees ($615) charged for a 32GB 4.7-inch iPhone 6S. As others have noted, Apple carried out similar revival acts for the iPhone 4 and 4S a few years ago. But both of those phones had tiny 3.5-inch displays; this is the first time that an iPhone with a decent-sized display has been re-launched in such a manner. Apple's move arguably says something about the limits of what the iPhone SE can accomplish in emerging markets. Though having seen some uptake among mid-range phone buyers and those still partial to a smaller form factor, the fact that the smartphone is the sole computing device relied upon by many emerging market consumers makes a lot of them more partial to a larger display. And there's now no shortage of compelling mid-range Android phones with large displays -- see, for example, the ZTE Axon 7 or the OnePlus 3. Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now. It looks as if the launching of such phones by a slew of Chinese Android OEMs has weighed on Chinese iPhone sales in recent quarters. IDC estimates Apple had 9.6% 2016 Chinese smartphone share via 44.9 million shipments, down from 13.6% in 2015. In spite of the iPhone 7 launch and strong MacBook, iPad and App Store sales growth, Apple's mainland Chinese revenue was up just 6% in constant currency in the December quarter, and flat on a reported basis. A 4.7-inch mid-range iPhone should strengthen Apple's Chinese hand. It should also help out in India, where the nominal per capita income is about one-fifth of China's and Apple still isn't a top-5 smartphone vendor. And if Apple can have such an phone manufactured at the Indian iPhone plant contract manufacturer Wistron is reportedly looking to set up -- if not the 32GB iPhone 6, then a comparable iPhone 6S next year -- it would further improve its mid-range competitiveness, since locally-manufactured phones aren't subject to the tariffs (generally 10% to 12%) faced by imports. Meanwhile, the fact that Apple has been able to keep growing iPhone ASPs has to give the company some confidence that most high-end phone buyers will continue opting for newer models. With strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 7-Plus ($769 U.S. starting price) providing a boost, iPhone ASP rose by $4 annually in the December quarter to $695, in spite of the SE's launch earlier in 2016. With the average consumer now spending several hours per day on his/her smartphone, it's easy to grasp why more affluent consumers (whether in developed or developing markets) remain willing to pay over $600 to get a flagship Apple, Samsung or (to some extent) Google phone, even though many quality mid-range devices are available. The ability of many of these consumers to pay via installment plans also doesn't hurt. And with regards to Apple in particular, it can hold high-end consumers over with the promise of (or rather, tons of rumors about) a 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with a curved OLED display and novel 3D-sensing technology launching in September. iPhone 8 anticipation will, of course, likely depress high-end iPhone sales over the next few months. An expanded mid-range lineup might just pick up some of the slack. BP plc (BP) shares surged to a one-month high Friday after a report in London's Evening Standard newspaper that U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM) is looking at a takeover bid for the British energy group. BP shares were last seen trading 3.5% higher at 469.8 pence each by 13:20 GMT in London, well ahead of the benchmark FTSE 100's 0.59% gain and the 1.59% rise for the Stoxx 600 Europe Oil & Gas index. Rival Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) , by comparison, was quoted 1.82% higher. The paper did not indicate where the information on the takeover bid had come from and BP officials declined to comment when contacted by TheStreet. BP shares have performed largely in-line with the broader Oil & Gas benchmark over the past three months, rising around 8.7, but the steep 18% decline in the value of the pound against the U.S. dollar over the period, linked to the country's decision to leave the European Union, could make it an attractive target for American buyers. Late last month, BP upgraded its five-year forecasts for operational and financial performance and sees a material improvement in cash flow by 2021. "We expect this combination of continued cost discipline with the growing cash flow from our core businesses - and the recent portfolio additions - will steadily drive down the cash balance point of the business," said CFO Brian Gilvary, following a presentation to analysts. Cash costs per barrel are seen falling during the period, with the break even at $40 or below, possibly as low as $35 per barrel. Added to this, the balance sheet targets are held firm with gearing expected to remain in the range of 20% to 30%. Reduced costs are the culmination of more than 6 years of divestment and restructuring first intended to address the fallout from the DeepWater Horizon oil spill in 2010 and latterly, the commodity price rout that wreaked havoc upon the industry from 2014 onward. The London based company has disposed of more than $75 billion of assets since 2010. It's Selection Sunday, and you've got just a few days to put together your NCAA bracket picks. That process will cost employers up to $2 billion, according to a new study. According to the American Gaming Society, more than 40 million Americans fill out brackets, which at current employment levels of 59.2% translates to 23.68 million current workers. Once they've filled out their brackets, a dozen games will take place during working hours during the first two full days of play on Thursday and Friday. Estimates of lost wages paid to distracted and unproductive workers range from about $615 million to $2.1 billion, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm. "In the current political climate, more American workers might welcome this distraction leading to an even higher cost to productivity," Challenger, Gray & Christmas CEO John Challenger said in a statement. Challenger, Gray & Christmas calculated the most conservative estimate from the assumption that the estimated 23.68 million workers filling out brackets will spend an hour of unproductive work time following games or updating their brackets. At an average wage of $26 per hour, this time will cost employers $615.6 million for each unproductive hour. At the high end, Challenger, Gray & Christmas cited a 2012 survey which found that 56% of all workers, or 81.5 million people, will spend at least an hour on their brackets. At $26 an hour, that's $2.12 billion. Despite this lost productivity, Challenger said he still recommends employers adopt a lax policy toward March Madness activity, as clamping down "would most likely result in long-term damage to employee morale, loyalty, and engagement that would far outweigh any short-term benefit to productivity." Brackets "foster camaraderie," he added. Still, there's some signs that the impact of March Madness, being air by CBS (CBS) and the Turner networks, but also pushed hard by Disney's (DIS) ESPN, Fox Sports (owned by 21st Century Fox (FOX) ) and other sports networks, may be waning. Average viewership during the first two days of the 2016 tournament fell 6% from 2015 to 8.5 million. Although 17.8 million viewers tuned in to watch Villanova edge out UNC on a buzzer beater, that was down 37% from 2015, when Duke defeated Wisconsin. And in a break with the tradition set by his predecessor, President Donald Trump said he won't fill out men's and women's brackets, which Barack Obama did before reviewing his picks on SportsCenter. Higher wages and higher employment probably cancel out the decreased viewership in lost wage calculations, Challenger noted. Bracket already busted? You can enter here to make your selections in TheStreet's Market Bracket Challenge. DISCLAIMER: This challenge is for entertainment purposes only. There is not a prize associated with this challenge. All trademarks are the property of their owners. This challenge is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by any such trademark owner. Question can be sent to bracketchallenge@thestreet.com. Action Alerts PLUS, which Cramer manages as a charitable trust, has no positions in the stocks mentioned. Sometimes, political turmoil is a gift for investors. Case in point: The ouster last Friday of South Korea's corrupt president is a positive development for the country's economy. South Korea's main opposition Democratic United Party is on the cusp of reclaiming the presidency, with the historic court ruling on Friday that unseated its conservative rival President Park Geun-hye. Park had been impeached in a corruption scandal involving "chaebol," the family-run conglomerates that dominate Korea's economy. The immediate result of Friday's ruling was a 1.6% jump that day of the iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (EWY) , which serves as a proxy for the South Korean economy. Year to date, EWY is up 9.6%. Below, we explain why EWY has plenty of upside left. The defenestration of South Korea's disgraced president is transforming the geopolitical equation in East Asia. The country's reliability as an American ally and North Korea's recent missile tests will top the agenda as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits the region this week, with meetings planned in Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo. Democratic United Party presidential hopeful Moon Jae-in is a human rights lawyer striving to reclaim power in elections scheduled for May. Moon has promised to implement long-belated reforms in Asia's fourth-biggest economy. The Trump administration hasn't publicly commented about Park's removal, but it's a likely bet that Trump's "America First" stance will create a power vacuum in this strategically vital area, which will play out to South Korea's favor. The extrication of the scandal-tainted Korean president is a tailwind for the Pacific Rim as a whole. Meanwhile, Trump's executive order paving the way for abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership will strengthen the hand of China and other Asian countries such as Korea, as they establish their own trade arrangements and lending organizations in the region to supplant those of the West. The growing number of gadget-loving consumers around the world is another positive trend for South Korea, a prosperous country that rarely gets press coverage unless it involves scandal or North Korean belligerence. South Korea is a rags-to-riches saga. The country endured devastation during World War II and the Korean War, followed by brutal dictatorship. The country has emerged Phoenix-like as a prosperous and free society. With an export-dependent economy oriented toward electronics and high technology, South Korea is positioned for sustained long-term growth, but the yakkers on financial television rarely pay this country any attention. Last Friday's much needed political change should raise South Korea's profile and prove a shot in the arm for the country as an investment destination. The best direct play on South Korea is the iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF. This ETF allows you to tap into South Korean growth, with fewer risks than individual Korea-based equities. With assets of $3.15 billion, the fund mirrors the performance of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index. EWY's top holdings include Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) , Hyundai Motor (HYMTF) and KB Financial Group (KB) . The expense ratio is 0.64%, which is reasonable for its class. Boring, Predictable, No-Surprises Strategy Safely Generates $67,548 If big, triple-digit winners get your adrenaline pumping, then stop reading this right now. Because this probably isn't for you... Only traders who would calmly enjoy raking in an extra $67,548 with no surprises or hiccups will appreciate this strategy. In fact, over the course of 1,586 days, I've been leisurely collecting giant payouts with this boring approach. I win 8 out of every 10 trades - GUARANTEED. Click here to join me. John Persinos is an investment analyst at Investing Daily. At the time of publication, he owned none of the stocks mentioned. Snap's (SNAP) recent IPO hasn't done much to move the needle one way or the other for fellow unicorn Airbnb. Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, said at a luncheon hosted by the New York Economic Club in downtown Manhattan on Monday that the travel startup has nothing to announce on whether it might go public. He said the firm is about half-way through a two-year process towards an IPO, though the exact timing isn't clear -- he made the same promise two years ago. "We don't have any announcement to make. We are working to make sure that the company is ready," he said. "We only want to do it when it's the right thing for the business and the community." He said many companies go public because they need money -- not the case with Airbnb, which last week revealed a new $1 billion round of funding, putting its valuation at $31 billion. Others do it to boost their brand, and others to gain currency for mergers and acquisitions. "We've done some acquisitions, but we beat out public companies in those bids," Chesky said. He said Airbnb's IPO would hinge on investors' need for immediate liquidity, and at the moment, there's no rush. "Our investors are very patient, and none of them are anxious for us to go public," he said. Chesky, 35, spoke for an hour with Fortune's Leigh Gallagher about the company he cofounded in San Francisco in 2008. He discussed its early days raising money by selling presidential candidate-themed cereals, Obama O's and Cap'n McCains, keeping going on the project even when others weren't convinced, and the perils of startup fundraising. "There are these people called angels, and they give you money," he said, recalling a conversation early on in his encounters with venture capital. Chesky also weighed in on the recent trials and tribulations of fellow unicorn startup CEO Travis Kalanick of Uber, who has been hit by a number of bad headlines and troublesome developments as of late. "All of us are on leadership journeys," he said, going on to discuss the importance of mentorship and surrounding oneself with good people. "He seems to have established a step forward." Chesky said he has not spoken with Kalanick, 40, about his recent troubles. Looking ahead to Airbnb's IPO and beyond, the company aspires to model itself after giants like Amazon (AMZN) , Disney (DIS) and Apple (AAPL) , which have successfully expanded their products and services beyond a single starting point. He noted BlackBerry undefined as an example of what not to do. "If you want to be an enduring company, very few companies have a single product," he said. Airbnb has set its sights on becoming an end-to-end travel company creating a new category of how and where to stay and focusing on experiences as well as booking. "Most of Airbnb by 2021 or so will probably be new things that were shipping as of 2017 on," Chesky said. Also on Monday, Airbnb announced the Airbnb Economic Empowerment Agenda, a series of initiatives to support economic opportunities in the communities where it is active. Part of its focus will be on the $15 per hour minimum wage -- it will encourage hosts to pay cleaners that amount and has committed to ensuring all of its contractors and vendors abide by such a wage by 2020. It also touted a study commissioned with NERA Economic Consulting to determine the economic effect of Airbnb. The study found Airbnb supported about 730,000 jobs globally in 2016, including 130,000 in the United States. It also supported about $14 billion in economic output in the U.S. The announcement could be read, in part, as outreach to the Trump administration, which has set out an aggressive economic agenda and pledged to create millions of jobs. A number of companies have made or regurgitated investment and jobs initiatives in an effort to appease Trump, including ExxonMobil (XOM) , Intel (INTC) and General Motors (GM) . Airbnb clashed with the administration over its first immigration ban executive order. Chesky publicly criticized the order and offered free housing to those affected by it. Airbnb aired a Super Bowl ad apparently criticizing the ban. Chesky on Monday discussed Trump in the context of the economic uncertainty that propelled him to the White House and his promise to bring back jobs, specifically in manufacturing. "The thing is, and this is a reality, that globalization is nothing compared to automation," he said. "Will manufacturing come back to the United States? Of course, a huge amount of it is. That doesn't mean jobs will come back, because 'Made in America,' the labels, may as well say 'Made (by Robots) in America,' because that's what technology is going to do." By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 13 (PTI) A 27-year-old student of JNU allegedly committed suicide due to depression in south Delhis Munirka area today evening. While police said he was depressed over personal issues, his friends shared his Facebook post in which he had alleged discrimination in MPhil and PhD admissions. The deceased, Krish was a student of MPhil in JNU. advertisement "There is no Equality in M.phil/phd Admission, there is no equality in Viva - voce, there is only denial of equality, denying Prof Sukhadeo Thorat recommendation, denying students protest places in Ad - block, denying the education of the Marginals. "When Equality is denied everything is denied," he wrote in a Facebook post on March 10. No suicide note has been found till now, police said. Till now no evidence has been found that the extreme step was taken by the student owing to any issues at the university, said a senior police officer. He is said to have been depressed for sometime over some personal issues, he added. A PCR call was received at 5.05 PM today that a person had locked himself in a room at a house in Munirka Vihar, said a senior police officer. On reaching the spot, police forced open the door as a portion of the latch was uprooted from inside, he said. A young man was found hanging from the ceiling fan. The crime team was called at the spot and the scene was inspected and photographed. "He had come to his friends house this afternoon to have food. He said he wanted to sleep and went to a room and locked himself inside. "Later his friends called him out and on getting no response, they called the police," he said. PTI SLB KUN --- ENDS --- IDEX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides applied solutions worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Fluid & Metering Technologies (FMT), Health & Science Technologies (HST), and Fire & Safety/Diversified Products (FSDP). The FMT segment designs, produces, and distributes positive displacement pumps, small volume provers, flow meters, injectors, and other fluid-handling pump modules and systems, as well as offers flow monitoring and other services for the food, chemical, general industrial, water and wastewater, agricultural, and energy industries. The HST segment designs, produces, and distributes precision fluidics, rotary lobe pumps, centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, roll compaction and drying systems, pneumatic components and sealing solutions, high performance molded and extruded sealing components, custom mechanical and shaft seals, engineered hygienic mixers and valves, biocompatible medical devices and implantables, air compressors and blowers, optical components and coatings, laboratory and commercial equipment, precision photonic solutions, and precision gear and peristaltic pump technologies. This segment serves food and beverage, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical, cosmetics, marine, chemical, wastewater and water treatment, life sciences, research, and defense markets. The FSDP segment designs, produces, and distributes firefighting pumps, valves and controls, rescue tools, lifting bags, and other components and systems for the fire and rescue industry; engineered stainless steel banding and clamping devices for various industrial and commercial applications; and precision equipment for dispensing, metering, and mixing colorants and paints used in retail and commercial businesses. IDEX Corporation was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Arun Jaitley will assume charge in the Defence Ministry around 10:45 am on Tuesday. By India Today Web Desk: President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted the resignation of Manohar Parrikar, who stepped down from the defence minister's post today morning. Finance Minister and leader of the house in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley has been given additional charge of the defence ministry. Parrikar is going back to Goa, where he will take over as the coastal state's chief minister. advertisement The Rashtrapati Bhavan released an official statement saying, "The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Manohar Parrikar, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution." The president, acting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's advice, assigned the charge of the Defence Ministry to Arun Jaitley, who is also the finance minister. Shri Arun Jaitley shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios- President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) March 13, 2017 The 64-year-old Jaitley is also the Minister of Corporate Affairs and is considered to be among the cabinet minsters close to PM Modi. Jaitley, in fact, was appointed defence minister in 2014 when the Modi government came into power. Jaitley was in the position for a few months before Manohar Parrikar, then the Goa chief minister, was called to New Delhi to take charge of the defence portfolio. Jaitley, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, was also a cabinet minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government; he handled law and commerce and industry. PARRIKAR TO TAKE OATH TOMORROW Meanwhile, Manohar Parrikar is already back in Goa, where he will take oath as the chief minister tomorrow. Celebrating Holi in Panaji, Parrikar said that senior BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend his swearing-in ceremony. Parrikar, who had a taint-free run as the defence minister, is taking charge as Goa CM after the Bharatiya Janata Party won 13 seats, but later cobbled together a majority by garnering support from local parties and independents. The Congress, which won in 17 constituencies, was unable to win over enough MLAs to get a majority in the 40-seat Goa Assembly. ALSO READ | Parrikar to take oath as chief minister tomorrow, Congress accuses BJP of buying support ALSO WATCH | Finance Minister Arun Jaitley gets additional charge of Defence Ministry --- ENDS --- Russian military has deployed Murmansk-BN electronic warfare complex in the annexed Crimea to monitor all the NATO ships in the Mediterranean. This is reported by Crimea.Realities online media outlet. Murmansk-BN is a coastal electronic warfare complex, which conducts radio reconnaissance, intercepts the enemy signals and suppresses them along the entire short-wave range at the distances up to 5,000 km. The complex is mounted on seven trucks. The antenna complex is mounted on four telescopic supports up to 32 meters high. The standard deployment time is 72 hours. ol Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko will represent the capital of Ukraine at the international real estate exhibition MIPIM in Cannes on March 14-16. This is reported by the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration. "Vitali Klitschko will take part in the award ceremony of the Global Cities of the Future competition, which is held by the specialized magazine Foreign Direct Investment (fDI), published by the British Financial Times," the statement reads. In addition, Mayor Klitschko will attend the summit of city mayors and political leaders, the main topic of which will be "What makes your city attractive today and tomorrow." Vitali Klitschko will unveil the stand of Kyiv city at the exhibition. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also plans to meet with Secretary of State to the Construction and Environmental Protection Ministry of Germany Gunther Adler, representatives of large international businesses, mayors of Warsaw, Leipzig and Prague. ol A positive decision on granting Ukraine the second tranche of macro-financial assistance from the EU (worth EUR 600 million) can be expected in the next weeks. The provision of the third tranche (also worth EUR 600 million) is tied to Ukraine's abolition of the moratorium on round timber export to the European Union. Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has stated this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. "When European Commission President Junker met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Groysman few weeks ago, he stated absolutely clearly that it would be enough for the Ukrainian Government to submit a bill on abolition of the moratorium on round timber export in order to launch the process of granting the second tranche. Such a bill No. 6035 has been already registered in the Verkhovna Rada, and this will allow the European Commission to start an internal consultation process on provision of this tranche. A positive result can be expected in not even months, but weeks," he said. ol Canada should support Ukraines efforts to create an international platform to bring about the de-occupation of Crimea by the Russian state. Candidate for Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada Chris Alexander said this in his electoral programme. "As Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Prime Minister of Canada I would deploy Canadas good offices in support of the government of Ukraines efforts to create an international platform to bring about the de-occupation of Crimea by the Russian state, the full resumption of Ukrainian control, and an end to systematic human rights violations in Crimea by Russia, particularly against members of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar minorities," the document reads. In addition, Chris Alexander said that he would maintain Ukraine as a country of focus for Canadian international assistance, while fully implementing the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. "I would launch a large-scale strategic partnership with Ukraine to support market-based reforms, public sector transformation, effective justice institutions and further integration into European/Euro-Atlantic institutions and the wider global economy," the document says. ish Canada could play a leading role in promoting Ukraines and Georgia's membership in NATO and preventing further Russian aggression. This has been stated in an election program of Canadas Conservative Party leadership candidate Chris Alexander. As Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Prime Minister of Canada I would play a role of leadership in promoting the accession of Ukraine and Georgia to membership in NATO and their integration into other European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, reads the document. He also promised to support NATOs efforts in restraining Russia: I would advocate and participate in a strengthened NATO posture of deterrence, including in the cyber domain, to prevent further Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Baltic states or elsewhere, according to the document. A reminder that Canadas Conservative Party will choose its new leader in May 2017. iy Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, who is on an official visit to Ukraine, have left for Donbas. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported this on Twitter. The visit [of Minister Asselborn] begins with a working trip to Donetsk region, reads a report. At first, the ministers have arrived in the city of Dnipro and from there they will fly to Mariupol, according to the report. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also stresses that it is an important visit to see the scale of Russian aggression and its consequences. As reported, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn will be on a working visit to Ukraine on March 13-14. The purpose of the visit is to deepen the Ukrainian-Luxembourg political dialogue. iy According to the current plan, a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the European Union should enter into force before the end of June of this year. Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Hugh Mingarelli has stated this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. "The principal decision has been already made by the relevant bodies of the European Union. According to the current plan, the visa free regime should enter into force before the end of June. I cannot call specific dates, but, as I already said, this process should be completed until the end of June," he said. Mingarelli is also convinced that the results of the elections in Germany and France, which will take place this year, "should not affect this issue - obtaining visa-free regime by Ukraine." ish Azerbaijan's support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine remains unaltered. Economy Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said this at the meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Our countries successfully cooperate within the international organizations UN, OSCE, European Union and mutually recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of each other. I want to emphasize that this is the firm position of Azerbaijan, the Government of Azerbaijan and the President of Azerbaijan as he has repeatedly stated that the issue of territorial integrity and sovereignty is the priority. And this position remains unaltered," Mustafayev said. ol While the state BJP office was abuzz on day two of the historic win, its main rival SP's office still wore a deserted look on Sunday. By Rajat Rai: Even as the poll victory march shifted to the Capital on Sunday, the Lucknow office of the BJP was abuzz with talk about who would be the next chief minister in the state. "The three probables - Manoj Sinha (cabinet minister), Keshav Prasad Maurya (state party president) and Dinesh Sharma (Lucknow Mayor) have flown to New Delhi in the morning to attend the Parliamentary Board meeting. The national office bearers of the state unit along with the UP cadre ministers are also there", a BJP source said. Most MLAs from western UP and adjoining constituencies also reached Delhi in large numbers. advertisement The early Holi celebrations continued on Sunday too as the party paraded its victorious MLAs from the state capital with a riot of colours. "We are still celebrating the historic win. Everyone is invited", Rakesh Tripathi, the spokesperson of the party said. On the other hand, the official residence of Akhilesh Yadav bore a deserted look on Sunday. "After addressing the press on Saturday, the CM left for his house (4 Vikramaditya Marg) and has not returned since then," a security officer said. The CM left for Saifai along with his family for Holi on Sunday afternoon, a source informed. Meanwhile, the BJP on Sunday revoked the suspension of Dayashankar Singh, who had allegedly made derogatory remarks against BSP chief Mayawati, a day after his wife Swati Singh won the assembly polls. He had been expelled by the party for six years in July. Dayashankar's wife Swati Singh, who is also the head of the BJP women's wing, had won the Assembly poll from Sarojini Nagar seat of Lucknow. BSP leaders had retaliated with derogatory comments against Singh, but this only helped the BJP as it decided to field her as a candidate after the controversy. "I thank women of Lucknow for supporting me, I was fighting for the cause of our sisters so they can feel safe in UP," she said. Also read: BJP announces observers for UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur; Amit Shah to take final call on CMs Also read: Keshav Prasad Maurya: Another chaiwallah rising as BJP discusses next UP chief minister Also watch: --- ENDS --- First Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister of Finland Timo Soini has assured that his country fully supports the preservation of sanctions against Russia. He has said this during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, who is on a working visit to the Republic of Finland. "The Russian aggression must not be ignored by the world. We support the sanctions. They work and must be preserved until the full implementation of "Minsk". These are issues of morality and the rule of law," Timo Soini said. He also supported granting Ukraine visa-free regime with the EU. "You have fulfilled your part of the work, now the EU has to fulfill its work," he said. The parties also discussed the need for effective response to cyber attacks, Finlands assist in the reforms of Ukrainian education, its experience in the field of energy efficiency and ensuring gender equality in government agencies. ish The annual number of foreigners who visit Ukraine has decreased by half because of military operations in Donbas. Chairman of the Hospitality Industry Association of Ukraine Oleksandr Liyev said this to an Ukrinform correspondent. "The tourist flow of foreigners to Ukraine is declining. From 2013 to 2016 the number of foreigners who come to Ukraine fell by half. If in 2013 it was 24 million people, then in 2014 it was already 12 million. The reason is, of course, the war," he said. According to him, in 2015 a total of 12.4 million foreign citizens visited Ukraine, and in 2016, according to inconclusive data, 12.6 million people visited the country. According to Liyev, in 2014, most of the flow of foreign tourists in Ukraine was made by citizens of Russia and Belarus. ish Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has demanded a new independence referendum to be held in late 2018 or early 2019. By Reuters: Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday demanded a new independence referendum to be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union have become clearer. A vote that could rip apart the United Kingdom just months before Brexit adds a tumultuous twist and highly uncertain consequences to the two-year process of leaving the EU after more than four decades. advertisement "If Scotland is to have a real choice - when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course - then that choice must be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019," Sturgeon told reporters. Her demand comes just as British Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to launch the Brexit process, something opposed by most Scots in last June's vote on leaving the bloc. UK PARLIAMENT GETS TO MAKE CALL Ultimately it is the UK parliament in Westminster - where May commands a majority - which makes the call on whether Scotland can hold a second referendum. But if May refused to approve such a vote she could provoke a constitutional crisis. This month, she accused Sturgeon's Scottish National Party of sacrificing not only the United Kingdom but also Scotland with its "obsession" with securing independence. Sturgeon has previously said she wanted Scotland to be allowed to strike its own deal with the EU to keep access to the bloc's tariff-free single market. But on Monday she said her efforts had hit a "brick wall of intransigence" in London. "If the UK leaves the EU without Scotland indicating beforehand - or at least within a short time after it - that we want a different relationship with Europe, we could face a lengthy period not just outside the EU but also the single market," she said. The results of the June 23 Brexit referendum called the future of the UK into question because England and Wales voted to leave the EU but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay, with an overall 51.9 percent in favour of leaving. FIRST REFERENDUM Scots rejected independence by 55-45 percent in a referendum in September 2014, though the vote energised Scottish politics and support for the SNP has surged since then. Sterling rose after Sturgeon said the earliest date for a new Scottish independence referendum was in the autumn of next year. British government bond prices fell. Recent opinion polls have shown support for independence running at close to 50 percent. advertisement At her news conference on Monday, Sturgeon was asked if she believed she could win a second independence vote: "Yes I do. Absolutely, I believe that." 'LABOUR PARTY WON'T OPPOSE CALL FOR REFERENDUM IF SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT WANTS ONE' Britain's opposition Labour Party will not oppose a call for a second Scottish independence referendum if the plan wins support from the Scottish parliament, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Monday. Corbyn said on Twitter the Scottish Labour Party would oppose First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's demand for a referendum in Scotland's parliament, where Labour is the third largest behind the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party. But, if the Scottish parliament approves the call for a new referendum, then he would not ask his lawmakers in the British parliament to block that decision when it comes to a vote in London. He said if a referendum was approved by both the Scottish and British parliaments, Labour would campaign against independence. ALSO READ | UK Prime Minister Theresa May defeated as lawmakers demand power to reject final Brexit terms ALSO WATCH | UK PM Theresa May encounters first parliamentary defeat over Brexit talks --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Aditi Khanna London, Mar 13 (PTI) British MPs today overwhelmingly approved a bill allowing Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger negotiations for the UKs exit from the European Union. The House of Commons rejected amendments by the House of Lords, calling on the government to protect the status of EU nationals within three months of the start of Brexit talks, by 335 votes to 287. They also dismissed calls for Parliament to have a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal by 331 to 286 votes. advertisement This means the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed the House of Commons without any changes and would now go back to the Lords, where it is expected to be passed. Both Houses of Parliament have to agree the text of the bill before it can be sent for Royal Assent from Queen Elizabeth II and become law. May could then theoretically trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty any time this week, but indications are that she is unlikely to trigger the negotiations until the end of this month. It was widely believed that the MPs would overturn the two amendments to the bill suggested by the Lords ? one that calls for a guarantee of the rights of EU citizens in the UK and the second which ensures Parliament has a vote on any final deal with the EU. Opposition Labour party had urged May to consider keeping the "really important" Lords amendments. "The issue of the rights of EU nationals to remain here is a decent human one and part of our economic success or not," said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Britains Brexit Secretary David Davis had called on Parliament over the weekend to not block the Bill any longer or "tie the prime ministers hands" over Parliament getting a final vote on the deal and on EU citizens rights in the UK. Ahead of the Commons vote, the heads of 35 Oxford University colleges had pleaded with MPs to allow European Union citizens the right to stay after Brexit. In a letter to The Times, signed by Louise Richardson, the Oxford vice-chancellor, and the heads of all but three of the colleges, the academics dismiss as insufficient the indications by ministers that European citizens already resident in Britain were likely to be allowed to stay. May has committed to triggering Article 50 by the end of March. PTI AK ZH CPS --- ENDS --- UNICEF/UN027725/Al-Issa Download multimedia assets from: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFDMAU4 DAMASCUS/AMMAN, 13 March 2017 Grave violations against children in Syria were the highest on record in 2016, said UNICEF in a grim assessment of the conflicts impact on children, as the war reaches six years. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. At least 652 children were killed a 20 per cent increase from 2015 making 2016 the worst year for Syrias children since the formal verification of child casualties began in 2014. 255 children were killed in or near a school. More than 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict, more than double the number recruited in 2015. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the frontlines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers or prison guards. There were at least 338 attacks against hospitals and medical personnel . The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down, said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa speaking from Homs, Syria. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. Challenges in access in several parts of Syria stand in the way of assessing the full scale of childrens suffering and of urgently getting humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable girls and boys. Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult. The most vulnerable among Syrias children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. After six years of war, nearly 6 million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. Over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. Inside Syria and across its borders, coping mechanisms are eroding, and families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. In more than two thirds of households, children are working to support their families, some in extremely harsh conditions unfit even for adults. Yet despite the horrors and suffering, there are many remarkable stories of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations. Darsy (12), now a refugee in Turkey said: I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars. We continue to witness the courage of Syrias children. Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syrias children, said Cappelaere. On behalf of the children of Syria, UNICEF is appealing to all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, the international community and anyone who cares about children for: An immediate political solution to end the conflict in Syria; An end to all grave violations against children including killing, maiming and recruitment, and attacks on schools and hospitals; The lifting of all sieges and unconditional and sustained access to all children in need, wherever they are in Syria; Providing refugee host governments and communities with sustainable support for vulnerable children, regardless of their status, and Continued financial support for UNICEFs lifesaving assistance to Syrian children. ### Kidney stones are increasing in the pediatric and adult populations; similarly osteoporosis is increasingly recognized in children. While kidney stone formers are known to suffer from low bone density, metabolic bone patients have not been considered a high risk population for kidney stones. Retrospective chart review of Nationwide Children's Hospital Metabolic Bone Clinic patients from October 2009-2013. Patients were identified by ICD 9 codes for osteoporosis, osteopenia, low bone density and kidney stones. Only patients with radiologic evidence of both diseases were included.Twenty-six of 889 patients met criteria; this is equivalent to an incidence of 30 per 100,000 patients. Osteoporosis was the most frequent bone diagnosis. Males were the majority (68%). Most common secondary diagnoses: seizure (52%) and cerebral palsy (44%). calcium (48%), vitamin D (40%), bisphosphonates (48%). The majority (75%) were non-ambulatory. Most frequent lithogenic medications: Topiramate (42%) and corticosteroids (27%). This is one of the first studies to consider metabolic bone patients as high risk for urinary stone disease. We found a higher rate of kidney stones in pediatric metabolic bone patients compared to data available for the general pediatric kidney stone population. The most common risk factor for bone and stone disease was nonambulatory status. Males were more frequently affected than females; this is the reverse of general adolescent kidney stone population. The predominance of cerebral palsy and seizure patients can be attributed to their frequency of non-ambulatory status and lithogenic medications such as Topiramate. Urolithiasis. 2017 Mar 08 [Epub ahead of print] Andrew L Schwaderer, Abimbola Oduguwa, Kirsten Kusumi Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA., Division of Nephrology, Akron Children's Hospital, One Perkins Square, Akron, OH, 44308, USA. . PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28275812 House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) talks about the American Health Care Act on March 9 during his weekly news conference on Capitol Hill. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) To get the Affordable Care Act passed, Democrats used a big-tent approach, convening health-care groups that did not normally talk to one another while cutting deals and strong-arming key industry players to build broad support for the plan. First, the drug companies got on board. Then came the hospitals and the doctors. It was a little thuggish. Youd be at the table or youd be on the menu, said Doug Badger, who was a senior health-policy adviser to President George W. Bush. In contrast, the Republican effort to sweep away President Barack Obamas signature health-care law has unfolded so fast that lobbyists and industry groups barely had time to digest the bill before lawmakers began marking it up. The difference between the approaches speaks to a drastically changed political atmosphere and the reality of passing a health-care plan chiefly aimed at dismantling the current law vs. building one from scratch. Republicans have little time, a different philosophy and less to offer industry, with the Congressional Budget Office predicting Monday that the GOP legislation would mean millions fewer people would be insured, challenging their ability to afford hospital visits, see doctors or buy medicines. View Graphic Whats next for the Obamacare replacement bill [Obamacare revision would reduce insured numbers by 24 million, CBO says] I think they were largely left out. This was from what I can tell and, I think, smartly done behind closed doors, said Tom Scully, a former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who works as a health-care lobbyist and at a New York private-equity firm. Youre scaling back. Its hard to negotiate. Youve just got to do it. As GOP lawmakers move their bill through the House, plowing forward without each industrys blessing may free them from special interests, allowing them to craft a policy that reflects the desires of their voters. One potential risk is future opposition, signs of which are crystallizing already as powerful groups representing major health-care industries have begun sending lawmakers critical letters. Last week, two major hospital associations highlighted what they see as major problems with the bill. Ultimately, the biggest threat in a bill that is opposed by the major industry players is the possibility it will create a system that is not viable for businesses or patients. A GOP legislative aide said the focus is on policy. If we get the policy right and it aligns with their mutual goals and we get a letter of support, were going to read it from the dais, the aide said. But if we dont get it, thats not going to slow us down. The aide, like other legislative aides and industry representatives interviewed for this report, was not authorized to comment on the record and spoke on the condition of anonymity. (Sarah Parnass,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) It is not just the political approach that has changed; the industries are also less motivated to provide a unified front as they jockey for relationships with the new political power structure. Each of the special-interest groups are far less interested in working together formally, as a coalition, because those groups . . . are also trying to curry favor with Republicans who control all the levers of power, said Ron Pollack, founding executive director of the consumer advocacy group Families USA, which took part in meetings with industry stakeholders during the development of the Affordable Care Act. Companies and trade groups are making their positions known, raising issues and concerns in public and private meetings with lawmakers and staffers. Republicans argue that, far from rushed, the broad outlines of the bill have been out in the open since last summer, when House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) introduced his A Better Way proposal. The office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) has held a conference call every weekday since Jan. 4 for industry leaders and conservative groups. We repeal the individual and employer mandate penalties, which could lead to less people buying coverage, but will also lead to lower costs and better access, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement. Our legislation gives the American people the freedom to make their own health care decisions. The stark difference in strategy is perhaps most visible when looking at what industries that took an outspoken position on the health-care overhaul under Obama have or have not said this time around. The pharmaceutical industry was first into the ring in 2009. Obama was going to pass something, and therefore it was in our interest to be at the table, making sure we were part of those discussions, said W.J. Billy Tauzin, a former congressman who then headed the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA. The industry trade group agreed to $80 billion in discounts on prescription drugs under Medicare and committed $150 million to an ad campaign to help get the bill passed. Among the concessions it won in return efforts to control drug prices under the legislation were quashed. The new bill gives the industry a big tax repeal, worth nearly $25 billion over a decade, according to an analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation, but drug companies have been reticent, simply saying they look forward to working with Congress. The power balance is different this time. The pharmaceutical industry has been a bipartisan political punching bag for more than a year over drug prices. A pharmaceutical industry official said that the industry is not going to be taking such a public or vocal approach this time, because the ACA insurance exchanges represent a tiny fraction of its business. Meanwhile, hospital groups joined a news conference with Vice President Joe Biden in 2009 to announce they agreed to $155 billion in government reimbursement cuts in return for the revenue that would come from millions more Americans with health coverage. This week, major hospital groups have attacked the new bill in letters to lawmakers that highlight concerns and significant issues. Hospitals were integrally involved in the discussions around the ACA, but their ability to influence the new bill has been more through back channels, said a health-care industry official. Chris Condeluci, a Republican former Senate Finance Committee staffer who now runs his own policy shop, CC Law & Policy, said hospitals may feel sidelined because their willingness to take cuts and support Obamas law is still a sore spot for some Republicans. Republicans generally feel theres a lot of fat that can be cut from the hospital industry, Condeluci said. Insurers were the gorilla in the room the first time around. At a White House health-care summit in March 2009, Karen Ignagni, then the head of the powerful insurance lobby Americas Health Insurance Plans, stood up to say her member companies wanted to work with the president to pass a health-care overhaul that year. Later, insurers threw their weight against the bill to fight unfavorable changes. John McDonough, a former senior adviser to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, recalled it as open warfare. This time, AHIP which has since lost two of its biggest members, Aetna and UnitedHealth Group has been far more muted. AHIP put forth a wish list of policy changes in December and for 18 months has been working closely with lawmakers on how to improve the business of selling insurance to individuals, according to spokeswoman Kristine Grow. In response to the bill, AHIP sent a broadly supportive letter last week but expressed concern about the changes to Medicaid. Insurers are not all happy, but the industrys voice has not fallen on deaf ears: Under the new bill, insurers would get a huge tax repeal worth $145 billion over a decade, more freedom to charge young people less and old people more for insurance, and a continuous-coverage rule to help encourage people to stay signed up. To a degree, Condeluci said, the Republicans currently are more open to many of the requests that the insurance companies have made to the previous administration as it relates to improving the current regulatory environment. If President Trumps budget proposal is enacted, the new Washington will be one of dramatically fewer employees throughout the federal government, with priorities in military and homeland security. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) President Trumps budget proposal this week would shake the federal government to its core if enacted, culling back numerous programs and expediting a historic contraction of the federal workforce. This would be the first time the government has executed cuts of this magnitude and all at once since the drawdown following World War II, economists and budget analysts said. The spending budget Trump is set to release Thursday will offer the clearest snapshot of his vision for the size and role of government. Aides say that the president sees a new Washington emerging from the budget process, one that prioritizes the military and homeland security while slashing many other areas, including housing, foreign assistance, environmental programs, public broadcasting and research. Simply put, government would be smaller and less involved in regulating life in America, with private companies and states playing a much bigger role. (Jenny Starrs,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post) The cuts Trump plans to propose this week are also expected to lead to layoffs among federal workers, changes that would be felt sharply in the Washington area. According to an economic analysis by Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moodys Analytics, the reductions outlined so far by Trumps advisers would reduce employment in the region by 1.8 percent and personal income by 3.5 percent, and lower home prices by 1.9 percent. These are not the kind of cuts that you can accommodate by tightening the belt one notch, by shaving a little bit off of a program, or by downsizing a few staff here or there, said Robert Reischauer, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office. These are cuts that would require a wholesale triage of a vast array of federal activities. Still, budget experts said it was unclear what the precise impact on many agencies might be because the departments could choose to implement reductions in a variety of ways. Administration officials have also stressed that discussions are ongoing between budget officials and agencies, and that the size of the budget cuts remains fluid. Moreover, the cuts cannot take effect unless they are authorized by Congress, which could prove difficult. Lawmakers routinely rebuffed budget requests from President Barack Obama, leading instead to protracted negotiations between both sides. Already, Democrats have vowed to fight Trumps proposals, and some Republicans have also expressed unease at the size of the reductions. The White House declined to comment publicly, but administration officials have signaled for weeks that large cuts will be part of the budget. Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to reinvest in our military and make ourselves a military power once again, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said on Fox News Sunday. If youre doing that in an area where you have to balance the budget and you cannot create a further deficit, you have to make cuts. Its no different than every other family in America that has to make the tough decisions when they need to spend money somewhere, they have to cut it from somewhere else. The federal government is projected to spend $4.091 trillion next year, with roughly two-thirds of that going mostly toward Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, poverty assistance and interest payments on the government debt. This spending is expected to be left untouched in the budget proposal next week. What Trump will propose changing is the rest of the budget, known as discretionary spending, which is authorized each year by Congress. Slightly more than half of this remaining money goes to the military, and the rest is spread across agencies that operate things like education, diplomacy, housing, transportation and law enforcement. Among Trumps expected proposals are an increase in military spending of $54 billion, more money to start building a wall along the border between the United States and Mexico, and the creation of new initiatives that expand access to charter schools and other educational programs. To offset that new money, Trump will propose steep cuts across numerous other agencies. Although final numbers remain in flux, his advisers have considered cutting the Department of Housing and Urban Developments budget by $6 billion, or 14 percent, according to a preliminary budget document obtained by The Washington Post. That is a change that Trulia chief economist Ralph McLaughlin said could put nearly 8 million Americans in both inner-city and suburban communities at risk of losing their public housing and nearly 4 million at risk of losing their rental subsidy. Preliminary budget documents have also shown that Trump advisers have also looked at cutting the Environmental Protection Agencys staff by about 20 percent and tightening the Commerce Departments budget by about 18 percent, which would impact climate change research and weather satellite programs, among other things. Trump and his advisers have said that they believe the federal workforce is too big, and that the federal government spends and wastes too much money. They have said that Washington the federal workers and contractors, among others has benefited from government largesse while many other Americans have suffered. Federal spending, they have argued, crowds the private sector and piles regulations and bureaucracy onto companies. Trumps chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, has said Trump will lead a deconstruction of the administrative state. On Friday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Obama loyalists had burrowed into government. Last month, Trump said the government would have to do more with less. Trump advisers have also looked at cutting the Environmental Protection Agencys staff by about 20 percent. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Trumps proposal comes at a time when the federal budget is facing massive structural shifts in society and the economy. Aging baby boomers are swelling the number of Americans collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits, and the costs of these programs will continue to grow faster for more than a decade, budget experts said. In addition, the expected rise in borrowing rates and the growing national debt are expected to push interest payments on the debt from $270 billion this year to $768 billion in 2027, outpacing any growth in tax revenue. The spending cuts Trump will propose Thursday will not impact any of these spending trajectories, though many conservatives have urged him to tackle these parts of the budget more comprehensively. It is his vision for the administration of the government, said Doug Holtz-Eakin, another former CBO director. But the big government that everyone decries, he said, is in other programs that Trump is not proposing yet to cut. Meanwhile, the aging federal workforce is moving more people toward retirement and into federal pension programs. There are roughly 2.8 million federal employees, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, a number roughly flat over the past 20 years but lower than any point from 1974 to 1997. And roughly 34 percent of the federal employees who are not in the military will qualify for full retirement benefits in 2020. Trumps proposal is a continuation of a messy Washington fight about the size and scope of the federal budget, which has led to some changes in recent years but nothing as stark as what he will propose this week. Federal spending grew and then contracted during the Obama administration. A combination of the recession, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other initiatives pushed federal spending to $3.5 trillion in 2010 and $3.6 trillion in 2011. Those annual spending levels, combined with a weak economic recovery, amounted to 23.5 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, the largest percentage since 1946. But then the stimulus funds ended, the Obama administration and Congress agreed to install new budget caps and other spending waned. In 2017, spending as a share of GDP is expected to be 20.7 percent, more in line with historical trends. But those budget caps are at the crux of Trumps looming fight with Democrats. Many have insisted that they will only agree to increases in defense spending if other parts of the budget are increased as well. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who said that his state would be hit particularly hard by Trumps proposed cuts, said that his party plans to remain locked in opposition to the disproportionate changes Trump will advance. The notion of bulking up defense but slashing everything else, thats not going to find any votes on the Democratic side, Kaine said in an interview. Neither Trump nor any of his top advisers have assembled a White House budget before, posing a challenge for his team in how it sells it and for lawmakers from both parties as they decide whether to negotiate or block his proposed changes. But former White House officials from both parties agree that the changes Trump proposes, if enacted, would dramatically change how the federal government functions and its role in American society. Matthew Slaughter, dean of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a member of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, said many of the cuts the Trump administration will propose would impact what he sees as investments in the United States future, such as health research, transportation projects and training programs. Imagine his plan got enacted, Slaughter said. It wouldnt trigger some crisis, but whats subtle is relative to what America could be in the next several years in terms of making more substantial investments in infrastructure, science research, and public investments that we have historically made. Mick Mulvaney, head of the Office of Management and Budget, said on Hugh Hewitts radio program last week that it was important for the administration to change how Washington thinks. We dont solve problems by simply throwing money at them, he said. Geologist Elizabeth Cottrell sifts through debris near Sugarloaf Peak in the Aleutian Islands. Some of the volcanic ash in the area contains minerals that help scientists learn more about continents. (Michelle Coombs) When she was a girl growing up in northern Vermont, geologist Elizabeth Cottrell loved hiking and doing science experiments with her dad. I liked knowing and understanding how things worked, she says. Her dad, who was an engineer, had answers for things she wondered about, such as how a compass works or why the sky is blue. That joy of understanding the world helped Cottrell, 41, shape her career working for the National Museum of Natural Historys department of mineral sciences at the Smithsonian Institution. As curator-in-charge of the Smithsonians rock and ore collections, she oversees scientists-in-training who are preparing and analyzing rock samples and figuring out what the data reveals about Earth. She spends a lot of time writing to share the results of the research, which is all about helping solve such mysteries as how our planet formed about 4.5 billion years ago and what secrets volcanoes might reveal about Earths mysterious insides. Cottrell traveled by helicopter to the islands in 2015 to collect samples to help explain how the Earth created continents. Here, she is at Tanaga volcano, Western Aleutians. (Dan Leary ) In 2015, Cottrell led a team of geologists on a research trip to study Arctic volcanoes in the remote Aleutian Islands (pronounced uh-LOO-shen). Volcanoes, she says, provide the best way to get precious samples from deep inside Earth. [See photos of fiery eruptions at Italys Mount Erna.] To get there, they flew 3,300 miles from Washington, D.C., to Anchorage, Alaska. After days of grueling underwater helicopter escape training (to improve their chances of survival in case their helicopter landed and flipped over in the ocean), they took a three-hour airline flight to the remote island of Adak, where they boarded the Maritime Maid, a boat that would be their home for three weeks. Each day on the mission, they flew by helicopter to hard-to-reach volcanic islands for samples that might give clues about Earths origins. Cottrell finds volcanic tephra on Buldir one of the most remote volcanos in the world. (Katherine Sheppard) The team hiked treacherous rocky hills and dug samples with trowels, or small, handheld shovels. They filled plastic bags with samples to return to home base. Evenings were spent sorting and labeling the samples. Their most important sample was a special kind of tephra, or volcanic ash, made up of glass and minerals. One of those minerals is called olivine, which is strong enough to trap and preserve magma, or liquid rock. Its a little time capsule, Cottrell explains. The tiny drops of magma freeze to form volcanic glass. The scientists hoped the tephra samples would contain the minerals they needed to provide clues about how Earth created continents. You can watch a video of her trip at youtube.com/watch? v=Q9ebwokEUJk. (Ask a parent before going online.) Cottrell, who is a mom to an 8-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, calls herself a rock person. She says geology gives us the ability to better understand Earth. This planet started as a big, mixed-up ball of metal and rock, she says. How did we get from stardust to skyscrapers . . .? I love geologys ability to explain the world around me. Megan Phelps-Roper protests during a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in 2010. (Astrid Riecken/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) Megan Phelps-Roper vividly remembers standing in a picket line on a Kansas street corner as a blue-eyed, chubby-cheeked 5-year-old, my tiny fists clutching a sign that I couldnt read yet. Gays are worthy of death, read the placard. Its not a proud memory for Phelps-Roper, who attended many such pickets as a child, usually surrounded by her large family. If her name sounds familiar, its because her grandfather was the late Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., founder of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church, which is best known for picketing military funerals, claiming that the deceased service members had been killed because of our nations acceptance of gay rights. In her 20s, Phelps-Roper abruptly divorced her family and stopped picketing. In an extraordinary new TED talk, Phelpss granddaughter explains that she owes her transformation to, yes, Twitter. Strangers would send her messages filled with rage and scorn, she says, but she started responding with cute smiley faces, pop culture references and Bible verses. With her angry critics caught off guard, she told a rapt audience in New York, conversations would ensue and it was civil. Her experience is a powerful lesson for us all in these confrontational times, showing us how to deflect and deflate the vitriol and find a way to communicate effectively with our most fervent opponents. Phelps-Roper didnt necessarily change the opinions of her Twitter adversaries, she admits, but talking to them in a new way certainly changed her, as she realized that she could no longer justify her actions with Westboro Baptist. She and her sister Grace departed from the church, severed their family ties and penned a public apology. For the past 18 months, Ive been conducting a similar experiment in what Ill call respectful engagement. Instead of ignoring the emails and tweets that eviscerate or ridicule, Ive taken to writing my Dear Mary or Dear Larry responses. Addressing my critics by name, I write back and ask in a friendly manner if they could communicate with me in the same way, keeping to the issues and avoiding personal attacks. I tell them more about me than what they know that Im a journalist, a.k.a. #enemyofthepeople. Im also a son, a brother, an uncle and a husband actually not so dissimilar from letter writers who once referred to me derisively as a snowflake or a political correctness junkie. Kindness and respect beget more of the same, and open up the possibility for metamorphosis. Coincidentally, it was a Washington Post column I wrote about the death of Phelps in 2014 that had this transformative effect on me. A few days after the column was published, I received an email from Lt. Michael Wish, a Marine who could not possibly be more different from me. Wish is straight, pro-gun and a red-state libertarian. [Fred Phelps preached hate, but his death is no reason to celebrate] In the first of many emails, Wish writing from Afghanistan astounded me with what he said. If I were not deployed at the moment, he wrote, I would love to be at [Phelpss] funeral, in my dress uniform, holding a sign that says, It was my honor to defend your 1st Amendment Rights. I would hope that an act like that, maybe with other loving messages from the LGBT community, might convince the remainder of Phelpss flock of the error of their ways. In the years since then, Wishs thoughtful and provocative emails have greatly affected my own thinking on many issues from guns to national security and demonstrated how each of us has the capacity to listen, to process, and to learn. Take for instance my view of what it means to be a Marine. After having long dismissed jarheads as unthinking, just-following-orders brutes, I came to realize that I was just as biased as those who made incorrect assumptions about me or LGBT folks. Im grateful to Wish for making the effort to reveal himself, and in the process help me become a better person. The importance of connecting and disclosing also came through loud and clear at Phelps-Ropers TED talk in New York last month, and she left her audience with four important takeaways: Dont assume ill intent. Get past that first wave of anger or judgment and remember that the other person is a human being with a lifetimeof experience that shaped their mind. Ask questions. Accusations lead nowhere. Honest questions tell someone that youre interested, and even more important, that theyre being heard. Stay calm. We know when were not. Raised voices. Interruptions. Fingers pointed. ALL CAPS. Dial down the volume, tell a joke, smile. Make your case. If you want to change someones mind, you have to educate them, and that takes work. Or, as my now-favorite jarhead, I mean Marine, wrote: Id like to express my appreciation for your time and thank you for your consideration of my thoughts and experiences. The captain (hes since been promoted) and I are still very different, but were now speaking the same language and building an important bridge. For a former Westboro Baptist picketer, a tough-guy Marine and a gay advice columnist to be on the same page. . . . Well, we just might be making progress. Kudos to Yelp for its new gender-neutral bathroom filter A week ago, Yelp, the crowd-sourced review service, made it possible for users to search for restaurants and hotels by the availability of gender-neutral bathrooms. For transgender people looking for safe restrooms and often reporting just how difficult it is to find one, this is a huge step forward in the right to pee in peace. Agree or disagree with my advice? Let me know in the comments section below. Reach the author on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow and on Twitter @stevenpetrow. Join him for a chat online at washingtonpost.com on March 21 at 1 p.m. A map illustrating the shortest possible walking (and public ferry) route to nearly 50,000 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, a total length of 217,605 miles. (William Cook/William Cook) Adventurers whose spirit Muppet is Count von Count can visit all 50 U.S. states or capitals, 413 national parks or 38 cities or towns named Springfield. But for the ultimate quantifiable trip, consider this challenge created by a math professor in Canada: Checking off nearly 50,000 sites placed on the National Register of Historic Places. William Cook, of the University of Waterloo, and colleagues from Chile and Denmark have calculated the shortest possible route to all of Americas notable attractions. To complete the journey, youll need several pairs of walking shoes and 50 years of vacation an abbreviated length of time thanks to Cooks research. Heres an edited interview with the professor about his travel-by-numbers project. Before this tour, did you map any other routes? We computed a route of all 24,727 pubs in the United Kingdom. We also solved several small examples just for fun, such as the shortest way to tour all 647 campuses on Forbess list of Americas top colleges and the best way to play Pokemon Go. [The best time to buy airline tickets and other travel advice for 2017] A map marking each of the sites, with colors corresponding to individual states. (William Cook/William Cook) Why did you pick U.S. history sites? Any locations in the country would have been fine from the mathematical research side, so I decided to spend the time gathering the historic site data as a way of connecting people with the work of mathematical optimization (which we all depend on every day, but it is usually quite dry). There is also a direct connection with The Washington Post. On March 10, 2015, Ana Swanson published an article in The Posts Wonkblog, headlined A data genius computes the ultimate American road trip. The tour through 50 U.S. landmarks was a good one. The story went viral, with coverage around the world. This was great for mathematics, but the articles were misleading in suggesting that finding a perfect tour (one that is the shortest possible) through 50 points is out of the question, since there are too many candidates. Im hoping our 49,603-point tour helps set the record straight. How did you decide which sites to include? The National Park Service maintains the National Register of Historic Places. It has 90,540 listings; we trimmed this down to our 50,000-point target. In the trimming, we took care to not have our own decisions bias the selection in a manner that might make the math problem easier to solve. So we used a crude approach that could be carried out with simple computer codes. No doubt, a team of humans would have made a nicer selection, favoring a really cool site for a less attractive one. But we were still left with an amazing sample of U.S. history. Please explain your culling process. First, we excluded Alaska and Hawaii. Both states have great historic sites but their locations would have resulted in a routing problem. We then set up a computer code to gather the remaining locations, county by county, from the Wikipedia listings for the National Register of Historic Places. The information for each entry includes the latitude and longitude as well as an ID that we used to verify the entry with the National Park Service database. From the Wikipedia pages, we collected 73,807 locations. We excluded 244 sites, mostly shipwrecks and lighthouses, that could not be reached with Googles walking directions. We then removed 23,066 sites with House in the title and 500 sites with District in the title. Finally, we added the White House, the Capitol and the Supreme Court Building. These last three are not in the register, but I thought they belonged in a U.S. history tour. [Zapposs CEO is helping revitalize downtown Las Vegas. He took me on a whirlwind tour.] William Cook, a math professor at Canadas University of Waterloo, determined that a traveler would need about 50 years to cover the route he and collegues mapped out. (Colin Dewar/Colin Dewar) Did you hit any bumps in your research? Id like to say that everything was hunky dory, but well into the solution process, I realized that I had made two nasty mistakes. Mistake No. 1: The great cities of Baltimore and Chicago have data sets stored in individual directories on Wikipedia rather than in the county structure. To make up for this, I computed side trips to Baltimore and Chicago, covering all of their listings from the register. Mistake No. 2: A number of listings have the same latitude and longitude. This mainly comes from two states claiming the same location, such as the Statue of Liberty. This sadly brought us down to 49,603 distinct points. How did you discover the shortest route? Like Matt Damon in The Martian, the only way to find the shortest possible route is to science the [expletive] out of this! The work started in 1954 at the Rand Corp., where they found the shortest tour through 49 cities in the United States, one in every state plus Washington. It has involved hundreds of research papers and slow but steady improvements in our understanding of the mathematics of routing and optimization. The U.S. history tour is by far the most difficult problem of this type that has every been solved. So, what is the shortest route? The tour lists the stops one after the other, in the order that they should be visited to travel the shortest possible distance. In viewing the map, the blue line indicates the route you should take. If you click on a marker, you will see its position on the tour. It will be either a number at the bottom of a small photo or a number following the # symbol in the text description. Could a traveler feasibly follow this route and, if so, how long would it take? The route was created with Google walking directions. One caveat is that Google uses ferryboat connections, so it is not always possible to travel by foot. Walking the full route would be quite a feat. The U.S. history tour is roughly 100 times longer than the Appalachian Trail. Hikers generally take around six months to complete the trail. So, better plan on about 50 years if you would like to walk the entire tour. In October, I walked a portion of the tour in D.C. and visited 49 sites in 4 1 /2 hours. [Is the European parliaments call for visas the end of the American weekend in Paris?] Any advice on how one can see some or all of the sites? If you plan to travel long stretches of the route, you will want to drive rather than march along step by step. There are 184 legs where you will travel more than 50 miles between stops. The 53.1-mile leg between Magee Ranger Station (stop No. 20,988 in Idaho) and Bull River Guard Station (stop No. 20,989 in Montana) is no doubt pleasant, but it might be nice to see it from behind the wheel of a car, driving along Clark Fork Road. But in urban areas, you will really want to get around by foot or bicycle. I recommend bringing bicycles in your car, so you can zip around city streets. What is your next project? We would like to find the shortest tour through a data set of all 1,904,711 cities, towns and villages in the world. The current tour we have takes 4,667,876 miles to reach all of the stops. We know this is close to being the shortest possible, but finding the perfect solution will require major advances in the mathematics of optimization. More from Travel: American and United unveil a new low-fare category. Is it worth the sacrifices? Should you talk politics on a vacation abroad? Still finding kicks on Route 66 By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma Beijing, Mar 13 (PTI) China is set to increase the number of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh as part of plans to deploy them overseas for the first time, including at the strategic Gwadar port in Pakistan and military logistics base in Djibouti in the Indian Ocean. advertisement The expansion is planned to protect Chinas maritime lifelines and its growing interests overseas, Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported today. Some members would be stationed at ports China operates in Djibouti and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, Chinese military insiders and experts were quoted as saying. Gwadar port is a deep-sea port next to the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil route in and out of the Persian Gulf, built with Chinese funding and operated by mainland firms. Although the port is not home to any PLA installation, navy ships are expected to dock at the facility in the near future, the report said. Gwadar also connects the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through PoK with Chinas Xinjiang. Reports from Pakistan said the country itself is setting up Special Security Division comprising 15,000 troops, including 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel to protect CPEC and Chinese personnel. The expanded Chinese marine corps is part of a wider push to refocus the worlds largest army away from winning a land war based on sheer numbers and towards meeting a range of security scenarios using highly specialised units, the report said. Towards that end, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reducing the size of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) by three lakh, with nearly all of the cuts coming from the land forces, it said. For this, two brigades of special combat soldiers had already been moved to the marines, nearly doubling its size to 20,000, and more brigades would be added, the report said. "The PLA marines will be increased to 100,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfil new missions of our country," it quoted a source as saying. The size of the navy would also grow 15 per cent from its current estimated size of 2.35 lakh personnel. China this year plans to increase its defence spending by about seven per cent to USD 152 billion. Much of it was expected to go to the navy as China plans to spread its influence far from its shores. Traditionally, marines have mostly operated only in Chinas coastal areas, as their role was limited by their relatively small numbers and basic equipment, Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said. advertisement But a bigger corps could be deployed much farther afield as the navy takes on more challenges. PTI KJV ASK ASK --- ENDS --- MARYLAND Man charged in fatal shooting, robbery A Temple Hills man has been charged in a fatal shooting and robbery, according to Prince Georges County police. Sedrick Stokes, 27, was charged with first- and second-degree murder in the killing of Nathan Slye Jr., 46, of Suitland, police said. Slye was found shot shortly before 12:30 p.m. March 3 in the 3000 block of Great Oak Drive in District Heights, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Slye and Stokes knew each other and the motive for the homicide was robbery, according to police. Stokes is being held without bond. Lynh Bui Police identify man who died in crash Police have identified a man who died in a crash over the weekend in Bladensburg as Ismael Perez Barahona, 34. Officers found Barahona unresponsive in the passenger seat of a car after a crash at about 10:20 p.m. Saturday in the 4800 block of Lawrence Street, Prince Georges County said. Barahona, of Mount Rainier, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car Barahona was in lost control of the vehicle while heading south on Kenilworth Avenue and hit a curb before crashing into a parked car, police said. VIRGINIA Teenager pleads guilty in fatal stabbing A teenager connected to the MS-13 gang pleaded guilty Monday to fatally stabbing a man he thought was romantically involved with an accomplices girlfriend in 2015, prosecutors said. On Nov. 8, 2015, Jose Luis Perez Ferman, 25, of Alexandria was nearly decapitated in an Alexandria park when he was attacked with a machete and a knife, sustaining 26 wounds, the office of the Alexandria commonwealths attorney said. On Monday, Reinaldo Mauricio Portillo Membreno, 18, of Alexandria, who was a juvenile when he committed the crime but was charged as an adult, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the killing, the statement said. Two other people Alvaro Saenz Castro, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and Leidi Granados Gutierrez, who was convicted of concealing and compounding murder were previously charged in the case. Justin Wm. Moyer Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told urban school superintendents on Monday that her agency intends to support their work and that great public schools should be among the education options available to families. I trust parents, I trust teachers, and I trust school leaders to do what is right for the students they serve, she said, emphasizing her push to shrink the federal governments role in local schools. When Washington gets out of your way, you should be able to unleash new and creative thinking to set children up for success. It was a conciliatory message from an education secretary who has spent nearly three decades promoting vouchers, charter schools and other alternatives to traditional public schools. But it did not quell all the skepticism in the room at the annual legislative conference of the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of 68 big-city school systems. [Trump surrogate: GOP candidate would do away with corrupted, incompetent public schools] I think we heard the kind of philosophical statements that everyone can support, said Allegra Happy Haynes, a Denver school board member. They were a little short on details. Haynes said DeVoss affinity for cutting red tape doesnt always mesh with her desire to empower parents. For example: President Barack Obamas administration wrote regulations requiring states to consult with parents and community members in developing plans for holding schools accountable for results. But Congress scrapped those regulations last week, and DeVos made clear that though states may ask parents for input if they wish, federal law mandates consultation with only one party: the governor. What about those parents you keep talking about? Haynes said. DeVos spoke for 12 minutes and did not take any questions. Saying she wanted to introduce herself beyond the headlines and Saturday Night Live skits although it is flattering to be portrayed by Kate McKinnon, a woman younger than my oldest son, she said DeVos recounted how she became interested in education after visiting the Potters House, a private Christian school serving low-income children in her home town of Grand Rapids, Mich. [SNL takes a jab at Betsy DeVos] She said she wanted to help more disadvantaged children gain access to good schools and that as education secretary, she wants to ensure more parents have an opportunity to choose schools that meet the unique needs of their children. I am agnostic as to the delivery system, or the building in which it takes place, so long as that child is in an environment that meets their needs and the parents are satisfied, DeVos said. And one of those quality options should be a great public school. Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of schools in Miami-Dade County, said he appreciated DeVoss acknowledgment that public schools are important. Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council for the Great City Schools, said he was encouraged that the secretary had accepted the invitation to speak and had indicated a willingness to support district leaders. We know that there are things well be able to work on, and other things where were going to be on the opposite side. But thats what this town is made of, Casserly said. We want to have a working relationship with her. Henderson Lewis Jr., superintendent of the Orleans Parish School Board in New Orleans, said he agrees with some of DeVoss main ideas. He, too, is a staunch proponent of parent choice and school autonomy. But he said he has been troubled by how little DeVos has spoken about her vision for holding schools accountable when they receive public dollars to serve children. DeVos has championed voucher programs, for example, that allow private schools to continue accepting taxpayer-supported students no matter how well or poorly those students fare. Its great to give parents options, Lewis said. But, at the same time, what type of oversight is in place? Hurricane Katrina wiped away the traditional public school system in New Orleans in 2005, and now almost all New Orleans students attend charter schools. Charter schools face closure if their students fail to show academic progress over a period of years, and though they are run independently, New Orleans also has systems meant to manage enrollment and discipline uniformly and fairly. Were providing choice, but its coupled with a layer of oversight to make sure that the needs of our students are being met, Lewis said. Josette Zahinda says that a brochure saved her life. The Ashburn resident said her doctor had noticed, over the course of several visits, that she didnt look well. The physician suspected Zahinda was a victim of domestic violence and, when she wasnt looking, slipped a brochure into her purse. She found it later, at home. So I started reading its like its talking about my story, Zahinda said. It was a pamphlet for the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter, and it sparked an awakening for her. I was diagnosed, she said. Sometimes you have a physical issue, but you dont know what it is until the doctor tells you what it is. Its like they diagnosed my issue . . . but they told me there is a cure, and were here to help you. On March 1, Zahinda stood in a crowded meeting room at Northern Virginia Community College in Sterling and talked about the shelter. I realized, if I stayed [in the relationship], I would die, she said. If I leave, theres a chance I will survive. Zahinda is one of a dozen local residents who have agreed to go public with their names, faces and stories through the Faces of Loudoun campaign, which the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties launched this month to spread awareness of the need for the services provided by local nonprofit organizations. We would like people to know that there are needs here, and that money can be put to good use, said Amy Owen, executive director of the foundation, which raises money to build endowments that benefit local nonprofit organizations. Although Loudoun is consistently listed among the counties with the highest incomes in the nation, the rate of charitable giving is lackluster, Owen said, adding that studies show that people with higher incomes tend to give a smaller percentage of that money to charity. Loudoun ranks low even compared with neighboring counties, she said. The national average for charitable giving is about 3 percent of household income. The rate of giving in Montgomery County, Md., is 3.8 percent. In Fairfax County, it is 2.4 percent. Its just 1.98 percent in Loudoun, she said. If . . . Loudoun can increase our charitable giving equal to that of [Fairfax], we would generate an additional $70 million a year, Owen said. Part of the problem is that people in more affluent neighborhoods often are not aware of the local needs, she said. If you and I live in well-to-do neighborhoods, with neighbors that look like us, drive cars like us, live in houses like us, we are less likely to give, Owen said. Why? We dont see the need. We dont come into direct contact with it. But its here. This is not a campaign about poverty, she added. Its a campaign about our neighbors who need our support, and the nonprofits who are helping those individuals, who also need our support. Two other Loudoun residents also told their stories at the Faces of Loudoun launch event. Connie Moore of Waterford described her battle with mental illness and the help she and family members received from Inova and other nonprofit groups. Cesar Rodriguez of Leesburg said he had fled his native Venezuela after a dictator took over and 29 of his friends and associates had disappeared. He abandoned a thriving law practice to come to Virginia, where he took day jobs to support his family. He needed help learning English and adjusting to the culture, and then he had a heart attack that limited his ability to work. The campaign also profiles local residents who have received help with autism, intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, homelessness and teen suicide. Their pictures and stories will be displayed in public places around the county and on the campaigns website, Owen said. Zahinda said she was grateful for the services she and her children received from the abused womens shelter and other local nonprofits. Her daughter was born at the shelter, she said, and one of her children received mental health services after expressing suicidal thoughts while in fourth grade. Her oldest son is in the Air Force now, and her other two children are in college, she said. If it wasnt for the community here in Loudoun, I dont think they would be where they are today, she said. It took the entire Loudoun County community to raise my children. BLOOD DONATIONS Blood drives Tuesday 3-8 p.m., Ashburn Farm Association, 21400 Windmill Dr., Ashburn, 800-733-2767; April 7, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, 801 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg, 800-733-2767. Inova Blood Donor Center Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood. FIRST AID First aid/adult, infant and child CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Fauquier Hospital Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Call for schedule. $85. Registration required. HEARING Disability Resource Center Technical assistance through the state Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free. MENTAL HEALTH Counseling for sexual violence survivors Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020. Crisis Intervention Treatment and Assessment Center Provides emergency mental-health, substance-use and developmental services to Loudoun residents. Daily from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. 102 Heritage Way NE, Suite 102, Leesburg. Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at 703-777-0320. Crisislink Suicide and crisis intervention. Community education, a volunteer crisis response team and CareRing, a telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services This mental health nonprofit organization is accepting clients from ages 16 to 30 for a coordinated services program with Loudoun County to help young people with their first experience of psychosis find hope and recover. For information, call Lisa Beran at 703-388-6572 or go to prsinc.org. Piedmont Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213. Mental health first-aid A public education program offered by the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services to help residents understand mental illness and seek intervention. Go to loudoun.gov/mhfirstaid. Northern Virginia Chapter, National Alliance on Mental IllnessA support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their family members. naminorthernvirginia.org. PREGNANCY, PARENTING Adoptive family preservation Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellario@umfs.org. Birthright of Loudoun County Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272. Bond Between Us A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844. Breastfeeding support Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Dad support New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360. For the Childrens Sake A group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information: 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org. La Leche League Mother-to-mother support and breastfeeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-829-0349; Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637. Loudoun Fatherhood Program Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free. Loudoun Nurturing Parenting Program Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org. Free. Mothernet/Healthy Families Loudoun Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217, or inmed.org. New mother support Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360. Young parent services Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375. Online childbirth education program Inova Loudoun Hospitals Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breastfeeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360 or thebirthinginn.org/classes. Parenting Alone group For parents of school-age children who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org. Pregnancy and childbirth support Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438. SENIORS Chair yoga Age 55 and older. Mondays 11 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Wear comfortable clothes. Bare feet or socks are encouraged. 571-258-3400. $2 drop in. Exercise equipment Age 55 and older. Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Eye care LensCrafters staff members clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free. Inova Loudoun mobile van Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Laughing yoga for seniors Improve flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Loudoun Adult Day Centers For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free. Tai chi for seniors Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Zumba gold class Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month. Zumba For people 55 and older learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance.Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12. SUPPORT GROUPS Al-Anon Service Center of Northern Virginia A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m. Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666. Alcoholics Anonymous Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org. Alzheimers caregiver support For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800. Alzheimers caregivers support For those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org. Alzheimers caregivers support Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. Call 703-771-5407 or email lesley.katz@loudoun.gov. Alzheimers caregiver support group Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org. Alzheimers support First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520. Alzheimers support First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334. Alzheimers support Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. Talk About Curing Autism A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org. Autoimmune support Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. autoimmunesupport@hotmail.com. Bereaved parent support One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. Bereavement support Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800. Bereavement support Tuesdays through March 28, 7:30- 9 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. Breast cancer support Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588. Breast cancer support For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Breast cancer support For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or have metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free. Breast Cancer Support Assistance Fund Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org. Cancer support Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual-care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273. Cancer support Life with Cancer, for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012 or ashburnpresbyterian.org. Caregiver support Emotional, educational and social support. Encourages caregivers to maintain their physical and emotional health while caring for people with dementia or other chronic illness. Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831. Caregiver support and resource group Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. Caring for Aging Parents Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537. Chadd parents support For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.novaloudoun@gmail.com. Chronic illness support Tuesdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. Coffee and Conversation Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Compassionate Friends For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707. Creating and Connecting Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Western Loudoun Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org. Drop-in grief support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. Davids Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781. Families Overcoming Drug Addiction Support group. First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. myfodafamily@gmail.com or 540-316-9221. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and parent support A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518. Griefshare Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Tuesdays through May 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. Purcellville Baptist Church, 601 Yaxley Dr., Purcellville. Call 540-338-0918 or email caring@purbap.org. Workbook, $15. Griefshare Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. Grief support Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Email hospicesupport@verizon.net or call 540-347-5922. Grief support Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Hospice support Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses. 540-347-5922. Look Good, Feel Better For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45 to 9 p.m. ,Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free. Loudoun CHADD support Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445. Lyme disease support Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@ gmail.com. Lyme disease support Third Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, 6398 Lee Hwy. Access Road, Warrenton. 540-341-8245 or email phillipsgeo@comcast.net. Lyme disease support Age 18 and older. First Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com. MADD Loudoun victim support For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491. Man-to-Man Cancer Support Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Call 703-858-8857 or email karen.archer@inova.org. Menopause support Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060. Mens grief supportSecond Mondays at 7 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 703-568-3346. Free. Multiple sclerosis support Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826. Multiple sclerosis support Last Sundays, September-June, 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. Call ahead to confirm. 703-771-4256. Nar-anon family support For those affected by loved ones with addiction. Meaningful Mondays, 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; Wisdom Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; Serenity Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125. Overeaters Anonymous For fellowship and support. For locations and times, call oa.org. Parkinson's support Open to those with Parkinson's disease, their family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851. Post-partum support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Call 703-909-9877 or email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required. Reach to Recovery Home visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550. Sexual assault and incest survivors group counseling Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020. Sexual assault survivors empowerment support Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48 hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720. Spiritual support group For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850. Spouse loss support Sundays through April 2, 2:30-4 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. Facilitated by Liz Shaw. 540-349-5814. Free. Stroke survivors and caregivers support Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6199 or jill.lieb@inova.org. Suicide counseling Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. 703-587-1618 or survivorsofsuicidelossleesburg@gmail.com. Womens support Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876. Widows and widowers support Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Womens cancer support Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850. MISCELLANEOUS Ask the Expert lecture Latest Advances in Partial and Total Knee Replacement Wednesday from 6-7:30 p.m. Lnova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. Conference Rooms A&B. Register. 855-694-6682. Free. Ask the Expert lecture Colorectal Disease: Symptoms, Screenings and Treatment Options March 22 at 6 p.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Campuw, 224-D Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. Register at 855-694-6682. Free. Brain trauma survivors brown-bag lunch For survivors and caregivers. First Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free. Child developmental screenings For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County public schools Child Find Center. 571-252-2180. Cholesterol screenings Weekdays from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35. Emergency food supplies Loudoun County residents in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Hunger Relief. Call 703-777-5911 or go to loudounhunger.org. Fauquier free walk-in medical clinic Call Thursdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro Senior Supper Club Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49. HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. Support to military members and families, from pre-deployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental-health services. caring@purbap.org or heroescare.org. Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Services Blood pressure screenings, Tuesday 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfiled Pl., Sterling; Thursday 11 a.m.-noon, Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville; March 20, 9-11 a.m. William Watters House, 22365 Enterprise St., Sterling; March 23, 10 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville; March 28, 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling; March 29, 10 a.m.-noon, Lansdowne Woods, 19400 Leisure World Blvd., Leesburg. For information, call 703-858-8818 or go to inova.org/mobilehealth. Free. Loudoun Cares information and referral help line Call 703-669-4636 for help in finding resources for county residents dealing with eviction, utility cut-offs, needed health care and employment. Motor skill screenings Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free. Northern Virginia long-term care ombudsman Call 703-324-5861 for help in resolving complaints related to long-term-care facilities. Road to Recovery Free rides to appointments for cancer patients. Call 410-781-6909 or email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free. Safe sitter classes For girls and boys ages 11-14. First Saturdays except for holiday weekends. 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. To receive a Safe Sitter Certificate, students must pass practical and written tests on babysitting and handling an emergency. Take a lunch from home or buy one in the cafeteria. $70, includes handbook and snacks. Registration required. 703-858-8818 or charlene.martin@inova.org. Seven Loaves Food Pantry Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-noon. Go to sevenloavesmiddleburg.org or call 540-687-3489. Tree of Life Food Pantry Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595. Compiled by Sandy Mauck TO SUBMIT AN ITEM Email: ldliving@washpost.com Fax: 703-777-8437 Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175 Expo to highlight local housing opportunities Loudoun County is partnering with several regional agencies to host the Northern Virginia Housing Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Dominion High School, 21326 Augusta Dr., Sterling. The theme of the free event is Housing Opportunities for All. The expo will showcase both homeownership and rental opportunities and resources, and will include workshops, exhibits and one-on-one credit counseling. The workshops will focus on personal finance, and rental and home-buying resources. Staff members from the Loudoun Department of Family Services will share information on local programs. For information, call 571-294-8536 or go to loudoun.gov/housingexpo. Balch Library to show artifacts from WWII Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market St., Leesburg, is hosting an exhibit of World War II materials from John Wyrick, whose father and four uncles served in the war. The display includes photos, weapons, helmets, medals and other documentation of his familys experiences. The exhibit can be seen through March 31 during regular library hours. For information, call 703-737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva.gov. Fauquier Health official to retire Rodger Baker, chief transition officer of Fauquier Health, has announced his retirement after nearly four decades. A public farewell reception for Baker will be March 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Sycamore Room at Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. For information, call 540-316-3588 or go to fauquierhealth.org. Marylands Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark J. Belton on Monday offered lawmakers no explanation for why he fired the longtime manager of the states crab program days after watermen complained to Gov. Larry Hogan about the employee. Belton repeatedly declined to justify the dismissal during a joint hearing with the House and Senate environmental committees, as Democratic lawmakers questioned whether the termination of Brenda Davis, a 28-year state employee, was politically motivated. Isnt it true that since you couldnt give these watermen what they wanted by changing crab policy, you gave them something else Brenda Daviss job? asked Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince Georges). Belton, who said he could not comment on personnel matters, said that critics were trying to make connections where there are none and that Hogan (R) had nothing to do with the dismissal. It was my decision, and my decision alone, he said. Davis was fired Feb. 21, about one week after Hogan met with Dorchester County watermen who had been pressing the DNR to change its regulations to allow them to catch smaller crabs in late summer. The department, using annual crab-population surveys and scientific analysis, determined that the change would run counter to its goal of ensuring sustainable harvests. Davis, who made policy recommendations but did not have final say over regulations, was six years away from retirement and saving money to send two high school children to college when she was terminated. The only information I got was that my services were no longer needed, she said. The Bay Journal first reported the dismissal last month. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Hogans deputy chief of staff, confirmed that the governor met with Dorcester County watermen but declined to discuss specifics. Davis said the DNR tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the Dorchester watermen, proposing that they could catch smaller crabs in exchange for a shorter season. She said the watermen were not interested in those options and that they made it no secret that they thought that I was difficult to work with. Republican lawmakers noted that Davis was an at-will employee, meaning she could be dismissed for any reason and was not covered by civil-service protections that apply to much of the states rank-and-file workforce. At-will is at-will I dont see anything wrong here, said Del. Jerry Clark (R-Calvert). Several Republicans noted that past administrations have each dismissed scores of at-will personnel, but Davis said most of those employees are senior officials, such as deputy secretaries, rather than program managers. Administration officials said former governor Martin OMalleys administration terminated five at-will management employees at DNR during his first two years in office, whereas the Hogan administration removed four during its first two years. Two fishing industry officials testified on behalf of Davis at the hearing, including Gibby Dean, president of the Chesapeake Bay Commercial Fishermens Association, and Bill Rice, a Charles County crabber and chairman of DNRs Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commission. Dean described Davis as nothing short of professional and accommodating, saying she was open-minded and made herself available to discuss fishing issues. I may not have always liked or agreed with her assessments, but I knew that she was driven by the future of the crab, he said. Davis said her termination has already had a discouraging impact on other program managers throughout state government, saying that people are actually asking to be demoted so theyre no longer in an at-will position. A Virginia man accused of briefly joining the Islamic State was held in a secret Iraqi detention center for three months and was repeatedly interrogated by the FBI, the mans attorneys said in a new court filing. During that period, attorneys for Mohamad Khweis said, FBI agents blocked a consular official from connecting the suspected terrorism supporter with his American attorney and put off Kurdish requests that he be taken back to the United States. Khweis, 27, an American citizen, purportedly joined and then quickly fled the Islamic State early last year. He was captured by Kurdish forces last March and shortly thereafter appeared on Kurdish television decrying his decision to join the terrorist group. When the FBI began interrogating him in Iraq, according to the court filing, an agent said he would not stop talking. According to federal prosecutors, Khweis admitted to taking part in religious training directed by the Islamic State and said he had told the terrorist group that he would be willing to be a suicide bomber. Khweiss attorneys argue that their clients statements were not made voluntarily and should not be allowed at his trial. While U.S. law enforcement has an incredible responsibility to protect our national security, it has an equal imperative to protect the rights of its citizens, Jessica N. Carmichael, one of Khweiss attorneys, said in a statement. [American ISIS fighter captured by Kurds: I found it hard] According to his attorneys, Khweis was exceedingly cooperative because he was desperate to return home. Khweis, who lived in the Alexandria area, said on Kurdish television that after a time with the Islamic State, he realized that he didnt really support their ideology and that life in Mosul was difficult. Growing up in Virginia, he had attended Fairfax County public schools, earned a degree from Northern Virginia Community College, and worked as a bank teller and a bus driver. Mr. Khweis attempted to escape Iraq several times, his attorneys wrote in the court filing. Initially he was unsuccessful, however, he finally departed one evening and started walking for miles. He eventually found Kurdish forces and was taken to a detention center in Irbil in northern Iraq. In terrorism cases, the FBI employs a dirty team that interrogates suspects for intelligence information that cannot be used in court. Then, a clean team comes in, advises the suspect of their rights and collects usable information. After 11 interrogations in which he was advised that his right to remain silent and a presumption of innocence did not apply in Iraq, Khweis was told that his statements would need to be consistent and truthful if he wanted to return to the United States, his attorneys said. Those admonishments, they argue, tainted the subsequent clean interviews. In fact, officials already had begun preparing to take Khweis to the Eastern District of Virginia for prosecution. But, according to the defense filing, even when a consular official arrived to arrange a passport for the trip, she was told to say that it is for a one-time passport and that a decision has not been made yet whether he will be returned to the U.S. Defense attorneys said Khweis was held for three months and questioned over six weeks. A similar argument regarding the separation of interrogations by clean and dirty teams was mounted in a New York terrorism case several years ago, but the suspect pleaded guilty before a judge could rule. Defense attorneys for Khweis also said the FBI put off requests from the State Department to see their client. Im troubled by the implication below that [law enforcement] would play a gate-keeping role for consular access. As you know, this is not appropriate, a State Department director wrote to Khweiss consular officer, according to the court filing. The FBI and consular officials discussed the issue by phone, but ultimately, the attorneys said, the matter was not resolved. When a State Department consular officer tried to reach Khweis and connect him with the American lawyer his family had hired, law enforcement officials said that week was not good for them. That was the week his clean interrogations with a new FBI team began, according to the filing. Khweiss attorney John Zwerling was not told where he was until after those interviews. Meanwhile, according to the documents, Kurdish officials were nervous about detaining Khweis for so long. Under Iraqi law, a prisoner is supposed to see a judge within 24 hours of arrest. Although the Kurds were initially eager to cooperate and share information with U.S. officials, according to the court documents, after several weeks they became frustrated and wanted Khweis either charged in Iraq or taken out of the country. The lead FBI interrogator warned on April 8 that if the agents did not hurry, Khweis would be brought before a Kurdish judge and then we are screwed, according to the defense filing. They needed to stop the Kurds from having to do what they legally have to do, he said. The Kurds dont want him held without appearing before a judge and getting an attorney when the [International Red Cross] comes back, he wrote four days later. They are tired of delaying their processes to accommodate the U.S. government, one law enforcement official wrote on April 20. This stems from Human Rights Org scrutiny they get and pressure from their judiciary. Ultimately, Khweis was returned to the United States on June 8, without seeing a Kurdish judge. He is charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment, saying a response will be filed in court. Khweiss trial is scheduled to begin May 30. Nearly three dozen firearms were stolen from a Chantilly gun store over the weekend, and the break-in was captured on surveillance video, Fairfax County police said Monday. Officers responded to a burglary alarm at the 50 West Armory in the 13900 block of Metrotech Drive early Saturday morning, police said. Police declined to say what types of guns were stolen, but they said there were 35 in total worth over $19,000. The suspects were able to enter the store by forcing open the front door. Three men were seen on surveillance video, but police did not immediately release images or the video. They are described as: A black male, about 22 to 30 years old, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, and about 190 to 210 pounds. He had dreadlocks and was wearing a dark blue jacket. A black male, about 18 to 22 years old, 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 1 inch tall, and about 165 to 185 pounds. He was wearing a dark jacket with a silver stripe down the sleeves, jeans, black shoes, and light-colored gloves. A black male, about 18 to 22 years old, 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet tall, and about 150 to 170 pounds. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, jeans, black shoes, and light-colored gloves. Fairfax County police said they do not know whether the burglary in Chantilly is connected to another at a Rockville gun store on Thursday. In that case, two thieves stole more than 30 guns from the United Gun Shop on Randolph Road. [More than 30 guns stolen from Rockville gun shop] Anyone with information is asked to contact Fairfax County police at 703-691-2131 or Crime Solvers by visiting www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, by texting TIP187 plus your message to CRIMES(274637), or by calling 1-866-411-8477. By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Mar 13 (PTI) Chinese and Turkish troops will for the first time take part in the Pakistan Day parade to be held here next week. Military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said that foreign troops from friendly countries of China and Turkey will be part in this years parade. advertisement "Chinese Army Troops and Turkish Military Band will participate in the parade," Ghafoor tweeted. It is for the time that foreign troops are taking part in the Pakistan Day parade, a defence official said. The armed forces parade accompanied by the exhibition of military hardware and cultural floats are the key highlights of annual celebrations on March 23 to commemorate the Lahore Resolution of 1940 that vowed to set up a separate country. The parade is organised by Joint Staff Headquarters which oversees the three armed forces of Pakistan and soldiers from the army, navy and air force take part in it. The parade was started in 2015 after a gap of seven years when it was kept suspended due to the threat of militancy. Officials said that special security measures have been put in place in Islamabad, where the parade will be held. Apart from commemorating the Lahore Resolution of March 23 1940, the parade also marks the day when Pakistan was declared a republic in 1956 with the adoption of the first democratic Constitution. PTI SH ASK ASK --- ENDS --- After three decades of public life, Richard Scott Silverthorne was known simply as the mayor around Fairfax City. But online, a prosecutor said Monday, he used a sexually suggestive screen name that would lead to his stunning downfall. Using the online moniker, Silverthorne, 50, arranged an orgy with an undercover police officer in exchange for methamphetamine on a sex site called Bare Back Real Time, the prosecutor said. Police had received a tip about Silverthornes activity and set up a fake account to lure him last summer. The sting ended Silverthornes political career, drew national attention and, on Monday, landed him in jail, after he pleaded guilty in Fairfax County Circuit Court to one count of distributing drugs. In a surprise move that shocked a group of supporters who had gathered in the courtroom, Circuit Judge Grace Burke Carroll remanded Silverthorne to custody until his sentencing on the charge June 9. Silverthorne had remained free on his own recognizance since his August arrest. [A beloved mayor. An alleged meth-for-sex scheme. And a secret life exposed.] Some of his supporters broke down in tears after they exited the courtroom. Mary Silverthorne, his sister-in-law, said Silverthorne learned from his mistake and was rebuilding his life. The person I know loves Fairfax City more than anyone, Mary Silverthorne said. Hes not some crooked guy. Hes not what people think of when they talk about drug dealers. Silverthorne, who had been elected to his third term as mayor in the months before the bust, only spoke to answer a judges questions during the short plea hearing Monday. Wearing a gray suit, he was led away to jail. Silverthorne faces up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced, but because he is a first-time offender and has a long record of public service, his sentence could be months to just over a year, his attorney Brian Drummond said. The facts were such that it would have been futile to go to trial, Drummond said after the hearing. The statute for distribution in Virginia is very broad, and he is at the lower end of the spectrum. He is guilty of the transaction, but he didnt get any money for it. Fairfax County Commonwealths Attorney Raymond F. Morrogh expressed concern for Silverthorne. I hope this time of sadness in Scotts life passes quickly, Morrogh wrote in an email. Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Kathleen Bilton told the judge Monday that Silverthorne had initiated the conversation to arrange the orgy-for-drugs swap and it eventually moved from the website to text messages. Silverthorne indicated he had used methamphetamine before. Two undercover officers met Silverthorne and two acquaintances in the parking lot of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner in early August, police said. After Silverthorne obtained about two grams of meth worth about $200 from his dealer who was also on scene, police arrested all of the men. The arrest followed a period of personal turbulence for Silverthorne, who appeared to be getting his life back on track. In January 2016, Silverthorne told The Washington Post, Its been a terrible year for me. Silverthorne was laid off as the director of recruitment at the National Association of Manufacturers in June 2015. He owed about $58,000 to creditors and filed for bankruptcy, and a bank foreclosed on his five-bedroom Fairfax home. He also was fighting neck cancer. The Democrat had been the longtime public face of Fairfax, a small, wealthy city of about 24,000 in Fairfax County. Silverthorne helped bring a park to the citys downtown and was pushing a variety of other projects. Silverthornes father also had been mayor of Fairfax City, and the son followed him into politics. Silverthorne served nine terms on the city council before becoming mayor. He stepped down from the nonpartisan position after his arrest. Fairfax City Council member David L. Meyer won a special election to replace Silverthorne in February. Officials are trying to recover from the cloud that Silverthornes arrest placed over the city. A co-worker who attended the plea hearing Monday said Silverthorne has been working at a Bethesda hardware store in recent months. He said Silverthorne had been receiving drug counseling. Katie Hayes, Silverthornes niece, said the large number of people who have attended his court hearings show his character. Many refused to abandon him, even in tough times. You can tell hes a great person by the amount of support he has, Hayes said. A teenager connected to the MS-13 gang pleaded guilty Monday to fatally stabbing a man he thought was romantically involved with an accomplices girlfriend in 2015, prosecutors said. [Two plead guilty in Alexandria murders linked to MS-13] On Nov. 8, 2015, Jose Luis Perez Ferman, 25, of Alexandria was nearly decapitated in an Alexandria park when he was attacked with a machete and a knife, sustaining 26 wounds, the office of the Alexandria commonwealths attorney said in a statement. On Monday, Reinaldo Mauricio Portillo Membreno, 18, of Alexandria, who was a juvenile when he committed the crime but was charged as an adult, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the killing, the statement said. Two other people Alvaro Saenz Castro, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and Leidi Granados Gutierrez, who was convicted of concealing and compounding murder were previously charged in the case, according to the statement. Evidence showed Saenz Castro told Gutierrez to bring the victim to the park, where Saenz Castro and Portillo Membreno attacked him, prosecutors said. The suspects were associates of MS-13, according to prosecutors, but killed Ferman because Saenz Castro thought he was romantically involved with his girlfriend. This conviction brings to a successful close a complicated investigation into a shocking crime, Commonwealths Attorney Bryan Porter said in a statement. The residents of the neighborhood in which this offense took place were rightfully shocked to find this level of violence occurring in a childrens playground. Portillo Membreno will be sentenced April 20, prosecutors said. Four Prince Georges County school buses were damaged by fire Sunday morning at a school system bus lot, the fire department said. Damage to the buses was estimated to be $250,000, said Mark E. Brady, spokesman for the county fire and rescue service. He said the buses were in a lot in the 8100 block of Short Cut Road in the Brandywine area. The cause of the fire was not known. Brady said it apparently started in one bus and spread to the others. Frank Waller, 68, believes his leukemia is linked to the contaminated water he drank at Camp Lejeune almost 50 years ago. (Petula Dvorak/The Washington Post) The aches, the fatigue, the pain bewildered Frank Waller. Leukemia? How did I get leukemia? Waller kept wondering, after he was diagnosed more than a decade ago. Then an old friend of his whos fast on the Internet and scours it for news suggested an answer. Werent you at Camp Lejeune? he asked Waller. Indeed he was. Six weeks, back in 1968, when he was a Marine during the Vietnam War. Frank Waller during his service in Marines, circa 1968. (Family photo) That water there was poisonous! the friend told him. For six weeks in 1968, Waller showered, drank and ate food cooked in a poisonous stew of benzene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride and a few other chemicals few of us can pronounce. That was long enough, the government now acknowledges, to cause adult leukemia and seven other illnesses that afflict millions of veterans and their families. On Tuesday, Waller and other veterans and family members who were based at Camp Lejeune and also got sick may finally get some compensation for that. The U.S. government is freeing up about $2 billion for veterans who served at least 30 consecutive days at Camp Lejeune and are struggling with at least one of the eight diseases linked to the toxic water they used while serving their country. [How contaminated water at the nations largest Marine base damaged lives] For years, folks didnt believe Waller and thousands of others that their illnesses adult leukemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Parkinsons disease and aplastic anemia were linked to their time at the countrys largest Marine base in Jacksonville, N.C. Denied, denied, denied, was all they heard in response to their medical claims. Were not going to take your case is what I kept getting, Waller said. But then Waller met Rebekah Mason, an attorney at the Legal Counsel for the Elderly who specializes in helping veterans get the benefits they are entitled to especially in this case. Its so complicated, all of it, she said. She has patiently explained the paperwork, the benefits, the numbers to Waller. It would be nice to get a little bit of help, said Waller, after easing himself down on the edge of his bed with the help of his fire-engine red walking cane. Right now, this 68-year-old veteran lives in a subsidized apartment in downtown Washington on $731 a month. Thats all he gets to pay for housing, food and the medicines that his benefits dont cover. He could be entitled to another $1,000-a-month because of his exposure to the toxic water. The Marines first found evidence that the water at the camp was contaminated in the 1980s. But it took far longer for anyone to investigate the health risks. Meanwhile, Marines and their families got sick, and babies died. Even after Congress passed a bill in 2012 acknowledging the harm done by the water, it left victims struggling to get their health-care bills paid. Like Waller, their claims were repeatedly denied, and a backlog grew into the hundreds of thousands. Just a few days before leaving office, President Barack Obama agreed to pay out a total of more than $2 billion to veterans exposed to the contaminated drinking water. To qualify, they have to show a diagnosis of one of those eight diseases and evidence they served at least 30 days between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987. No fight, no hassle to prove a direct link between the water and the illness. Its called presumptive status. And its historic because it also allows vets who never served on foreign soil during wartime, like Waller, to get compensation for harm done at home. And Waller hopes it will make his life easier. The leukemia left him unable to do custodial work, and he has been struggling ever since. But many other veterans arent aware of the contaminated water or the impact it had on their health. With nearly a million people eligible for help, the government isnt reaching out to all of them. Its up to them to file their own claims. If they dont ask for it, the [Department of Veterans Affairs] wont give it to you, Mason said. Like Waller, these are veterans who served our country and had no idea they were being poisoned. The help they are getting is long overdue. Twitter: @petulad The Legal Counsel for the Elderlys Veterans Advocacy Project can be reached at 202-434-2120. The organization is affiliated with AARP. Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday secured the endorsement of NARAL, a national abortion rights group, and its state affiliate in the tightly contested Democratic gubernatorial primary. While the groups typically stay out of intraparty contests, its leaders say they want to reward Northam for his long-standing advocacy for abortion access. And they criticized Tom Perriello, Northams rival for the Democratic nomination, over his stances on abortion during his single term in Congress. In the race for governor, both candidates are supporting abortion rights and have received 100 percent NARAL questionnaire scores. But the groups say they endorsed Northam because he has been one of their most reliable allies in the Virginia statehouse, including during a 2012 push to defeat a bill that would have required pregnant women to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound before an abortion. While representing a conservative district in Congress, Perriello supported the controversial and ultimately unsuccessful Stupak amendment to the Affordable Care Act that would have barred health insurance plans that cover abortion from receiving federal subsidies. He has since disavowed that vote. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam appears with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Feb. 21 before he vetoed House Bill 2264, which would restrict state and federal funding for women's health providers like Planned Parenthood. (Bob Brown/AP) Northam has been a consistent champion and built his career on it. When he was a congressman, Perriellos vote for the Stupak amendment was a vote to limit womens access to basic health care, said James Owens, a national NARAL spokesman. Thats a pretty stark contrast in records. [Perriello, Northam locked in a battle to be most progressive] Perriello has told voters at town halls that he would veto the same anti-choice legislation that Northam would. While in Congress, Perriello also voted against legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood and later ran the advocacy arm of the Center for American Progress, where he promoted abortion rights. One of his first gubernatorial campaign stops was a Falls Church abortion clinic the same venue where NARAL announced its Northam endorsement on Monday. In a statement, Perriellos campaign manager Julia Barnes questioned Northams long-term support for abortion rights, noting that he had voted twice for President George W. Bush. Tom has always believed in a womans right to make her own health care decisions, and NARAL confirmed today that Tom will stand with them 100 percent as governor to protect womens rights and keep Virginia a firewall against the endless Republican efforts to restrict them, Barnes said. He is also the only Democratic candidate in this race who never voted to put an anti-choice candidate in the White House, who then put two anti-choice justices on the Supreme Court. [Va. Democrats pitch $15 minimum wage on gubernatorial campaign trail] Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Virginia, said Northam is better suited to win the general election and to lead the commonwealth as someone who has been building relations in Richmond since he took office in 2008. In the legislative session that ended last month, the Virginia General Assembly voted to defund Planned Parenthood legislation that was vetoed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). Lawmakers debated but did not pass another bill that would make abortion illegal after 20 weeks. Meanwhile, Congress and President Trump are also weighing new abortion restrictions. Womens reproductive health and rights is on the cusp, and we want this to be a referendum on Trump and his agenda, Keene said. Keene said NARAL would mobilize its volunteers and organizers on Northams behalf. The primary is in June. State Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania), who is running for lieutenant governor, visits his political director, Matt Gruda, who camped out outside Board of Elections headquarters for 63 hours, hoping to ensure Reeves got top billing on the primary ballot. Turns out placement will be decided by lottery. (N/A/Bryce Reeves campaign) Braving bitter cold, campaign staffers for state Sen. Bryce E. Reeves camped out all weekend in front of the state Board of Elections, determined to get his name listed first on the ballot for the June 13 GOP primary for lieutenant governor of Virginia. Sunday night, they got some company on the sidewalk. Staffers for gubernatorial hopeful Corey A. Stewart lined up behind them, confident for the next 12 bone-chilling hours that they, too, had snagged the top ballot position in their race. Under state code, name placement on primary ballots is determined by the order in which the requisite paperwork is filed. In the competition to get candidates top billing, playing out on the coldest weekend of the year, it seemed the race would go to the hardiest. But the frigid vigils were for naught. Turns out, theres a little wiggle room in the states first-come, first-listed approach. If two or more candidates file simultaneously, state code says the order is determined by drawing lots. But the code does not define simultaneously. The Reeves and Stewart campaigns were at the front of the line well before anyone else showed up. But since, under state code, the board cannot start accepting candidate filings until noon on March 13, elections officials called it a tie for anyone in line by that hour. The campaigns undertook their late-winter camp-outs on advice from a state elections policy analyst, who had assured them that the first in line would be rewarded with prime ballot placement. State Elections Commissioner Ed Cortes acknowledged Monday afternoon that the analyst had gotten it wrong. [Outsider for Va. governor learns its hard to run as a rebel, even in the Trump era] I apologize to the Reeves campaign and the other folks that were there this morning, Cortes said. They were out there based on something our staff told them. Outfitted with lawn chairs and sleeping bags, Reevess staffers began their wait outside the boards downtown Richmond offices Friday, despite lows in the 20s. It was a lot of fun, said Matt Gruda, Reevess political director. There were four or five of us actually stationed outside, a lot of friendly people bringing us food, drinks, coffee, hot chocolate. But after 63 hours of that fun, Gruda and the rest thought there also would be a payoff. So did Stewarts team, which showed up about 8 p.m. Sunday. A little before 8 a.m. Monday, shortly before the boards office doors opened, two rival campaigns arrived. There was Del. Glenn R. Davis Jr. (Virginia Beach), who is running against Reeves (Spotsylvania) for lieutenant governor. And there were staffers for former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie, who is running against Stewart for governor. The Reeves and Stewart campaigns were sure they had them beat by a mile. But Cortes called it a tie. Cortes said name placement for those candidates at the office by noon Monday will be decided with a public drawing on April 5. The decision drew howls from Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, who released a statement accusing Gillespie of rigging the process. Reeves said he was consulting a lawyer about a potential legal challenge. The episode highlights the vigorous nature of the GOP primaries in a year when three statewide offices are up for grabs. Higher placement of a candidates name is thought to provide a boost, but only a small one. It also gave the campaigns a chance to take swings at each other and at the elections department of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), which the GOP blasted last fall for registration woes ahead of the presidential contest. Stewart, who led Donald Trumps Virginia campaign until he was ousted for participating in a protest against the Republican National Committee or establishment pukes as he referred to its members suggested the state GOP was in cahoots with Gillespie because it agreed with Cortess interpretation. Ed Gillespie and his elitist team of lawyers are manipulating the Virginia Board of Elections in a last-ditch, rule-breaking effort to have Eds name placed at the top of the ballot, Stewart said in a news release. The state GOP did not respond to a request for comment. Gillespies spokesman said Stewart, a lawyer, should have read the state code. The law is clear, said Gillespie spokesman Matt Moran. Chairman Stewart never should have taken bad advice from one of Terry McAuliffes lawyers, but now I guess we know why the Trump campaign fired him for incompetence. Reeves said the episode showed his staffs grit. The dedication and loyalty of my team to our cause is unparalleled and stands above the rest, he said. But Davis suggested it demonstrated something else. I feel really bad for Reeves [staffers], but knowing the state code, we know the only thing that mattered was to be there by noon, he said. Campaigns have to work hard. But most importantly, you have to work smart. Some candidates for statewide office avoided the whole drama by being stragglers. Both Democrats seeking to succeed McAuliffe Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former congressman Tom Perriello are still collecting the required 10,000 signatures. So is state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Fauquier), who is running for lieutenant governor, and two additional Republicans in the governors race, state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach) and Nelson County distillery owner Denver Riggleman. Since their paperwork was not submitted Monday, their names will not be part of the drawing. They will be listed on the ballot according to when they file. Im ok batting cleanup for the Commonwealth, Riggleman said in a text message. If Im the last on the ballot, so be it. Save the best for last. The owner of Ferguson Market & Liquor and a documentarian are at odds over the filmmakers claims that Michael Brown, later fatally shot by police in the Missouri town, did not commit robbery. (David Goldman/AP) A convenience store is disputing a claim in a documentary that previously unreleased surveillance video suggests that Michael Brown did not rob the store shortly before he was fatally shot by police in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014. One of the filmmakers, Jason Pollock, told the New York Times that he thinks the footage shows Brown trading a small amount of marijuana for a bag of cigarillos around 1 a.m. on Aug. 9. The video does not clearly show what was exchanged, but shows Brown leaving behind the cigarillos. Pollock reasons that Brown intended to come back later for the bag of cigarillos. But an attorney for the store and its employees said that no such transaction took place, and that Brown stole the cigarillos when he returned to the store about 10 hours later. There was no understanding. No agreement. Those folks didnt sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back, attorney Jay Kanzler told the newspaper. Pollock argues that the new footage challenges what authorities have said about Brown pushing a worker and taking cigarillos during the later store visit, shortly before the fatal police confrontation. Browns mother called it a misunderstanding. Previously released surveillance video shows Brown strong-arming the stores co-owner, Andy Patel, and pushing him as he left the store during the second visit. Patel reaffirmed his version of events on Sunday, telling the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Brown grabbed the cigarillos and stole them. Brown, who was 18, was fatally shot minutes later by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown, who was black, was unarmed. Wilson is white. Some of the local officials who investigated the shooting said that they did not think the new footage shed much light on the case. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told the Post-Dispatch that he was not surprised that Brown was in Ferguson Market & Liquor earlier in the day. Belmar said that his department focused on investigating the shooting, not the incident at the store. Former Ferguson police chief Tom Jackson said that he had not seen the earlier surveillance video, but he thought it was unfair to connect the store to a drug transaction. The shooting led to months of unrest and sometimes violent protests in the St. Louis suburb. A local grand jury and the Justice Department found no evidence of wrongdoing by Wilson, who resigned in November 2014. But the shooting and protests led to scrutiny of Ferguson, resulting in a scathing Justice Department report alleging racial bias in the citys criminal justice system. The documentary, called Stranger Fruit, premiered Saturday at the South By Southwest festival in Austin. While a company commandant of 176 Battalion CRPF went to the residence to look up the family, the family wishes to leave for Raipur with help from the force. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: A CRPF soldier from Kashmir, Mohammed Saleem Jagal, injured in in last week's Maoist ambush in Chattisgarh, is currently battling for his life in Raipur. Saleem, riddled with two bullet injuries (one in left arm and one near his heart), was luckier than 12 other men from his 219 battalion. His family, however, has yet to visit him. advertisement A company commandant of the 176 Battalion CRPF went to the residence to look up the family, but the family is still waiting for the force to help it leave for Raipur. An upset family asked, "Is this the reward of sacrificing life for the nation? No one yet has come to our home and nobody is ready to arrange anything for us." Back in snow clad Tangmarg, his family prepares to make a long journey to see Saleem. His uncle Shafique Ahmad tells us about the soldiers journey. "Saleem was a daily wager, working in the world famous Gondola rides. Its during the second phase, he interacted with the soldiers of Indian army. He came back and told us he was joining the force." In 2010, Saleem joined the CRPF and his first posting was in Srinagar, during the peak of stone pelting by locals. He later served in militancy hit Jammu and Kashmir in Anantnag district. He moved to Chhattisgarh when his battalion was moved to fight left wing extremist. On Saturday, he was part of the Road Opening Party deployed for protection of road construction in the heavily Maoist infested region when the troops came under ambush of 60 heavily armed Naxals. It was another cousin in the CRPF, posted in Raipur, who first heard about the deadly ambush by Maoist in Bheji, heart of Bastar in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. Jagal was flown in an IAF chopper to the civil hospital, where doctors worked tirelessly on the bullet wound in his arm, which had several pieces of fractured bones. The bullet near the chest has led to complications and irregular heartbeat. Mohammed Saleem Jagal. Photo: Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu His family in Kashmir said they are proud of Saleem bravely fighting the Maoist. "If he is martyred we know he would have sacrificed his life for his country. And would have died a hero's death. But now, we pray for his recovery." Shafique, who is Saleem's foster father, said, "Saleem is the fifth in his family to join the security forces. But he is dearest to us. The sacrifices of soldiers should not be forgotten. We want to visit him, hope arrangements can be made. We still have no word from authorities." advertisement The Maoist riddled the CRPF men with bullets, even using bow and arrow to launch a deadly ambush. Saleem's wife and two small children are anxious to hear news of his condition. The little one knows something has happened to his "Pappa" and he keeps asking when will he be back. Saleem's cousin said that the family was struggling to reach Raipur. "We are hoping the force can make arrangements for us." CRPF sources however maintain that they are making preparations to send the family to Raipur, but are awaiting family's final plan. The family said a CRPF officer came but did not offer travel assistance. Saleem's family also alleged they were cold shouldered by local PDP politician when they approached for help. Also Read: Sukma attack: CRPF not to celebrate Holi today to pay tribute to 12 martyrs --- ENDS --- George Olah in 1994, explaining the symbol for methane. He won the Nobel Prize for chemistry that year for his research on carbocations, a kind of hydrocarbon. (Fred Prouser/ Reuters) George Olah, a chemist and Nobel laureate who found new ways to study previously imperceptible stages in hydrocarbon-related chemical reactions, died March 8 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 89. The University of Southern California, where he was a professor of chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science, announced his death but did not provide additional details. Dr. Olahs research fueled the advancement of cleaner-burning gasoline, improved oil refining and led to the creation of new drugs. George Olah is one of the greatest chemists of the last century and this century, said his former student G.K. Surya Prakash, a USC organic chemist who became Dr. Olahs collaborator for more than 40 years. Dr. Olah was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1994 for his research on carbocations, positively charged hydrocarbons that form during the intermediate steps of some chemical reactions but are so fleeting (lasting only nanoseconds, in some cases) that it was thought to be virtually impossible to study them. Dr. Olah in 2014. (Gue Ruelas/University of Southern California via AP) The chemist realized he could use extremely harsh acids, called superacids, to stabilize the carbocations long enough to use spectroscopic methods to study their properties. The discovery led to a boom in the exploration of these elusive molecules. His work also led to new methods to convert straight-chain hydrocarbons into molecules with branched structures, which resulted in higher octane ratings and cleaner-burning fuel. Later, Dr. Olah developed the idea of a methanol economy as an alternative to one based on fossil fuels. He proposed drawing down carbon dioxide (a single-carbon gas) and turning it into methanol (a single-carbon alcohol), thus creating a renewable fuel and reducing greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. His research paved the way for a new kind of methanol-based fuel cell that produced electricity with high efficiency. More recently, he became interested in methanol found in space, exploring in papers with Prakash whether the molecule could have been one of the key molecules involved in the origin of life. George Andrew Olah, whose father was a lawyer, was born in Budapest on May 22, 1927. He showed little interest in science in his youth; his studies were heavy on the humanities, including German, French and Latin. I was (and still am) an avid reader and believe that getting attached too early to a specific field frequently shortchanges a balanced broad education, he wrote in an autobiographical article for the Nobel Prize website. He was a renaissance man, Prakash said. He knew history. He knew philosophy. He was widely read. He would read books thick books in one sitting. That sensibility for the arts seemed to rub off on his science, he added. Organic chemistry is a very artistic science, Prakash said. You can take all these atoms and create new types of molecules by just putting it together in different permutations and combinations, and he was fantastic at that. Dr. Olah studied organic chemistry at the Technical University of Budapest; soon after marrying Judith Lengyel in 1949, he enrolled her in chemistry courses, as well. She went on to receive a masters degree in chemistry and worked with Dr. Olah until her retirement. From my point of view, for husband and wife to closely understand each others work and (perhaps) even work together was most desirable, he wrote on the Nobel site. In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, George and Ronald, and three grandchildren. Dr. Olah and his wife fled Hungary following a Soviet military crackdown, the result of a failed revolution in 1956, and traveled to Britain and Canada before finally landing in the United States. He worked at Dow Chemical before moving in 1965 to what became Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Prakash joined him as a doctoral candidate in 1974 and moved with him to USC three years later, where he helped Dr. Olah establish the universitys Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. He trained almost 300 co-workers, and our institute was a mini United Nations, said Prakash, who now heads the institute. He fervently believed that science has to be global thats how science was done. He was basically a global citizen in many ways. He believed in collaboration. Los Angeles Times The rainbow papaya is a tasty tropical fruit with a creamy, yellow-orange flesh. Who could possibly not like that? Meet Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology, based in Fairfield, Iowa. He readily admits to not being a doctor, or any sort of scientist. But hes pretty sure eating that kind of papaya will make you more susceptible to colds, hepatitis and HIV. Despite the lack of any verifiable evidence backing up that assertion, a lot of people believe him. Thats because rainbow papaya is genetically modified, a term that has become vilified in recent years. It means that something has been bred to have more desirable traits in the case of the rainbow papaya, it has been vaccinated against ringspot, a disease that killed off Hawaiisconventional papaya trees. To growers on the island, rainbow papaya is not some menacing interloper. Its their future. The rising tension between anti-GMO crusaders and researchers striving to improve crops is the focus of Food Evolution, a documentary narrated by science superhero Neil deGrasse Tyson. [Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the big bang and everything else] The film is one of more than 180 selections from 32 countries being screened across Washington March 14-26 as part of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nations Capital (dceff.org). The largest and longest-running environmental film festival in the country turns 25 this year, and the schedule features a wide range of topics: baby elephants, coral reefs, nuclear power, recent political developments. Opening night at the National Geographic Society features 2017 Sundance selection Water & Power: A California Heist, Oscar-winner Alex Gibneys exploration of Californias water crisis. Stick around after the show for a discussion with director Marina Zenovich and environmental attorney Adam Keats, who is featured in the film. There are similar panels of experts after most of the documentaries, including Food Evolution, which screens March 17 at the Carnegie Institution for Science. So prepare your papaya questions for filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy, Johns Hopkins University bioethicist Gail Geller and Cornell plant biologist Sarah Davidson Evanega. IRAQ Coalition says ISISis trapped in Mosul The remaining western Mosul neighborhoods held by the Islamic State are completely surrounded and the militant group has lost more than 60 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq, according to a senior coalition official. ISIS is trapped, Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy for the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State, told reporters in Baghdad on Sunday, using an acronym for the group. He said the Iraqi army had taken control of the last road leading out of Mosul late Saturday. Iraqi forces are fighting the Islamic State in western Mosul after declaring the citys east fully liberated in January. The operation to retake Mosul was launched in October, more than two years after the extremist group took control of the city. Mosuls liberation is increasingly in sight, albeit with increasingly difficult fighting ahead, McGurk said. Coalition air support has been pivotal to Iraqs fight against the Islamic State, helping Iraqi forces slowly claw back territory throughout western Anbar province and up the Tigris River valley to Mosul. The Islamic State overran Mosul in summer 2014 and swept across large swaths of Iraqs north and west. Associated Press HAITI Bus runs into crowd, killing at least 34 A bus plowed into people taking part in an early-morning street festival in Haiti on Sunday, killing at least 34 people and injuring 17, rescue officials said. The accident occurred about 3 a.m. in the city of Gonaives when a passenger bus hit two people at a bus stop and then continued into a crowd of people participating in a Rara festival, an Easter season Haitian musical celebration, said Josepth Faustin, civil defense coordinator for the Artibonito region. Faustin said angry festival-goers then attacked the bus and tried to burn it before police rescued the passengers aboard. The bus driver fled and was being sought. Faustin said the cause of the accident was unclear. Associated Press Philippines Government, rebels agree to resume talks The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said Sunday. Government and rebel negotiators will restart talks next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, a presidential adviser said. Norway hosted two days of informal talks that led to the decision. Just days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte had threatened an all-out war against the New Peoples Army after its guerrillas killed four police officers and wounded another in an ambush. The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and instructions from Duterte. Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state, it said. Associated Press Al-Qaeda-linked group claims twin blasts in Syria: An al-Qaeda-linked group asserted responsibility for twin blasts near shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital that killed at least 40 people, and a suspected airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition killed at least 17 in northern Syria, activists said. The Levant Liberation Committee said the Saturday suicide blasts targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. The government says the attacks killed 40 people, but the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave an estimated death toll of 74. Madagascar cyclone death toll reaches 50: Madagascar said the death toll from Cyclone Enawo has risen to at least 50, with 20 people missing. The island nations disaster management agency said the cyclone also has driven 110,000 people from their homes. At least 183 people were injured. Enawo brought heavy rains and winds in excess of 140 mph the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. From news services TURKEY Diplomatic row with Netherlands worsens Turkey said Monday that it is halting all high-level political discussions with the Netherlands in the wake of the Dutch governments decision to bar two Turkish cabinet ministers from campaigning in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said during a news conference that Ankara also is closing its airspace to Dutch diplomats until the Netherlands agrees to Turkish requests. Kurtulmus said the Dutch ambassador to Turkey, who was traveling when the diplomatic row started, will not be allowed to return. He said the political sanctions will apply until the Netherlands takes steps to redress its actions. There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didnt create this crisis or bring to this stage, Kurtulmus said. Associated Press EGYPT Prosecutor orders Mubaraks release Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was ordered to be freed from detention on Monday, according to the prosecutor who signed the release order. The decision ends nearly six years of legal proceedings against Mubarak. The prosecutor, Ibrahim Saleh, said he ordered the release after accepting a petition by Mubaraks attorney for his clients freedom on the basis of time served. Mubarak, 88, was acquitted by Egypts top appeals court on March 2 of charges that he ordered the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his reign. That, Saleh said, cleared the way for Mubaraks attorney to request his release. The prosecutor said Mubarak had already served a three-year term for embezzling state funds while in detention in connection with the protesters case. The release order was the latest in a series of legal rulings in recent years that cleared about two dozen Mubarak-era cabinet ministers, top police officers and government aides charged with graft or in the killing of about 900 protesters in the uprising. Associated Press SYRIA Deal reached to allow rebels to leave Homs Syrian opposition fighters will be allowed to leave the last rebel-held neighborhood in the city of Homs under a Russia-backed deal signed Monday, a Syrian official and an activist said. According to Talal Barrazi, governor of Homs province, the deal is to be carried out within six to eight weeks. The rebel fighters who decide to stay in Homs can benefit from a government amnesty that was issued earlier, Barrazi added. Homs, Syrias third-largest city, was once the center of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Wide sections of the city were held by rebels and insurgents, but the state eventually regained control of all areas of the city except Waer. Waer is home to about 75,000 people and has been under a government siege since 2013, triggering shortages of medicine and, on occasion, food. Barrazis statement said the evacuation is the third phase of a deal reached last year in which hundreds of fighters and their families left Waer for other rebel-held areas. Meanwhile, the United Nations child relief agency said that last year was the worst yet for Syrias rising generation, with at least 652 children killed. About 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East. The UNICEF report, released ahead of the sixth anniversary later this week of the 2011 uprising, also said that the use of child soldiers is on the rise in Syria. At least 851 children were recruited by armed factions last year more than twice the number recruited the year before. Associated Press Poland to seek U.S. extradition of suspected Nazi commander: Poland plans to seek the extradition of an American on suspicion of World War II crimes against humanity, Polands government-affiliated history institute said. The Institute of National Remembrance said Michael K. is suspected of ordering the killing of 44 Poles in 1944 in Poland when he was a commander in the Nazi SS-led Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion. As a result of that order, villages were set on fire and buildings destroyed, the institute said. U.S., Swedish officials with U.N. abducted, Congo says: Congos government said two United Nations officials, one American and one Swedish, have been kidnapped in Kasai Central province. A government spokesman said Michael Sharp of the United States and Zahida Katalan of Sweden were taken along with three Congolese drivers and a translator while traveling by motorcycle. The government said the kidnappers have not been identified. The Central African nation is home to multiple militias competing for stakes in its mineral resources. From news services The Enlightenment belief that we can know and understand reality that we can measure it, weigh it, judge it, use reason to explain it underlies all of the achievements of Western civilization, from the scientific revolution to the Industrial Revolution to democracy itself. Ever since Rene Descartes asked himself how it was possible to know that melting wax is the same thing as a candle, we have believed that reason, not mythology, sensibility, emotion or instinct, provides a superior way to understand the world. But is that still true? If the strange case of Sweden and its immigrants is anything to go by, then the answer is probably no. This odd story began last month, when President Trump began ranting, memorably, about dangerous immigrants at a rally in Florida: You look at whats happening last night, in Sweden! Sweden! Who would believe this, Sweden! The following morning, puzzled Swedes woke up to find the worlds media asking them what, actually, had happened last night. The answer other than some road closures was nothing. In an Enlightenment world, that would have been the end of the story. In our post-Enlightenment world, things got more complicated. Trump explained that what he had seen last night was not a terrorist attack though that was certainly implied in his speech but a filmmaker named Ami Horowitz who was interviewed by Tucker Carlson on Fox News. The interview was indeed terrifying: For those unfamiliar with the techniques of emotional manipulation and they are the same, whether used by Fox News or Russia Today it should be mandatory viewing. As the two were speaking, a clip of an aggressive, brown-skinned man hitting a policeman, presumably in Sweden, alternated in the background, over and over, with a clip of a burning car. The repetitive, frightening images were bolstered by more clips from Horowitzs film, in which Swedish police officers appeared to be confirming a massive rise in crime linked to immigration. Carlson, meanwhile, marveled at the stupidity and naivete of the Swedish nation helpless to confront this menace. No wonder the president was upset. But the next day, the Swedish police officers protested: Horowitz had never asked them about immigration, and had cut their interviews to make it seem as if they were answering different questions. Moreover, while Sweden did generously and admirably accept 160,000 refugees in 2015, and while there are genuine problems absorbing and acculturating them, Swedish crime rates remain low, particularly if you compare them with crime rates in, say, Florida. A faked film had inspired the president to cite an imaginary crisis but the story didnt end there. A few days later, searching for a way to justify the presidents language, another Fox News journalist, Bill OReilly, interviewed a Swedish defense and national security advisor called Nils Bildt, who again repeated the allegation that naive Swedes are overwhelmed by foreign crime. But Nils Bildt turned out to be Nils Tolling he may have taken the name Bildt to sound like a relative of the Swedish former prime minister Carl Bildt and he too was not quite what he seemed. Tolling does not live in Sweden, is not an advisor to anyone and is reportedly himself a criminal immigrant , having been convicted of a violent offense in the state of Virginia. A faked film had inspired the president to cite an imaginary crisis, the existence of which was confirmed by a fake expert and the story didnt end there either. A few days later, a Danish news team visited a Swedish immigrant neighborhood to investigate the alleged crisis the same neighborhood where an American journalist claimed he had been escorted out by police, a report which the police once again deny. The Danes met a group of young immigrants who said they had just been approached by yet another news team that one from Russia who asked if they would riot on camera, for money. Like Carlson and OReilly, the Russian team was apparently keen to make reality fit the presidents description of reality, even if it cost them a few Swedish krone. And so: A faked film inspired the president to cite an imaginary crisis, the existence of which was confirmed by a fake expert and which now inspired another television team to try to create a real crisis using real people (in a neighborhood crawling with both real and fake journalists) to make it all seem true. All of this leaves viewers, and voters, in a difficult place. Sooner or later there will be actual violence in response to an imaginary crisis. Sooner or later, a Swedish suburb or an American city will erupt because someone needs it to erupt to justify a demagogues speech. But will it be real violence or fake? Sooner or later, we wont know the difference at all. Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook. The Trump administrations budding efforts to establish a new Middle East diplomatic process are about to run into some stiff headwinds at home. Many in Congress want to cancel all U.S. aid to the Palestinians because of payments made to militants who attack Israelis. President Trump will soon have to decide if confronting the Palestinians on that terrorist incitement is more urgent than pursuing a pathway to peace. Trump conducted his first phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, and White House Israel affairs adviser Jason Greenblatt is headed to the region this week. On Greenblatts agenda will be whether the U.S. and Israeli governments should raise the pressure on the Palestinian Authority to stop paying the families of Palestinians imprisoned or killed after attacking Israeli or American civilians, a practice both governments believe incentivizes violence. Republicans in both chambers of Congress are pushing legislation that would cut off all U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority, more than $300 million in fiscal year 2016 , unless its chief political counterpart, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, ceases rewarding the families of attackers. The bill is not new, but its sponsors believe that Trumps victory bolsters their cause. Last year we introduced the bill. This year we are going to pass it. President Trump will sign it, said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Appropriations Committees subcommittee for state, foreign operations and related programs. The bill is named after Taylor Force, a former Army officer who was stabbed to death last year by a Palestinian attacker while on a student trip to Israel. Standing alongside his parents late last month, Graham said, Were going to honor the memory of your son. Graham argues that withholding U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority is the only way to get Abbass attention and pressure him to dismantle what has become a sprawling bureaucracy dedicated to compensating families of young Palestinians involved in attacks. The White House didnt respond to a request for comment. But there are signs Trump might be amenable to the idea. Top Trump administration officials have focused on terror incitement in public statements. The White House is proposing huge cuts to foreign assistance across the board and aid to the Palestinians is an easy target. Democrats point to the risk of destabilizing the Palestinian Authority if the aid is cut off. We are not going to take steps to jeopardize the security of the West Banks economic development, which is critically important, Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) said last week. But even some longtime advocates of Palestinian institution-building are now on board with defunding. We have been doing the same thing for decades, and it isnt working to change Palestinian political culture, and that political culture has to change if we want peace, said Elliott Abrams, a former White House and State Department official. The Israeli government has been debating the issue internally for years. Graham said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on board. An Israeli embassy official wouldnt confirm that but told me that the government thinks it very important to shine a spotlight on the issue, especially as the peace process gets going again. You cant pay terrorists and support peace, the official said. Robert Danin, a former Middle East negotiator now at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Grahams legislation is too blunt an instrument but could be useful as leverage, if and when a more comprehensive strategy takes shape. This kind of tool is likely to be more effective registering anger and displeasure than affecting any policy goals, including the ones the Trump administration has talked about, he said. The Palestinian Authority is not likely to respond to an aid cutoff by changing its policies, said Maen Areikat, the PLOs representative in Washington. Its argument is that the payments represent social welfare for families who have lost income earners due to the conflict. Going after the Palestinian leadership is not going to be productive because you need a stable Palestinian Authority to pursue a peace process if you want that peace process to succeed, he said. The Trump administration is realizing slowly but surely that many of its campaign ideas, such as moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, are more complicated when weighed against the need to deal with not only Israel and the Palestinians, but also Arab neighbors who are key U.S. allies. For Trump, it will come down to a matter of priorities vs. principle. Cutting off all Palestinian aid now wont help him strike what he has called the ultimate deal. Read more from Josh Rogins archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is a member of the committee. On Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists murdered 3,000 innocent civilians on American soil while under the sanctuary of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. In response to that attack, U.S. and NATO forces deployed to Afghanistan to hunt down those responsible and ensure that Afghanistan would never again be a haven for terrorists. Since then, more than 2,000 Americans and more than 1,000 troops from our NATO allies have given their lives to that mission. But after more than a decade-and-a-half of war, Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last month that the war in Afghanistan is in a stalemate. President Trump and his administration must treat Afghanistan with the same urgency as the fight against the Islamic State, or this stalemate risks sliding into strategic failure. This month, two simultaneous suicide attacks by the Taliban in Kabul killed at least 16 people and wounded more than 40. In northern Afghanistan, the Taliban overran another district. These setbacks came on the heels of disturbing losses across the country. Nicholson recently confirmed an inspector general report that the Afghan government controls or influences just 57 percent of the countrys districts, down from 72 percent just over a year ago. Make no mistake: Afghans are fighting ferociously to defend their country from our common enemies. At the same time, we must recognize that the United States is still at war in Afghanistan against the terrorist enemies who attacked our nation on Sept. 11 and their ideological heirs. We must act accordingly. Unfortunately, in recent years, we have tied the hands of our military in Afghanistan. Instead of trying to win, we have settled for just trying not to lose. Time and time again, we saw troop withdrawals that seemed to have more to do with U.S. politics than conditions on the ground. The fixation with force management levels in Afghanistan, as well as in Iraq and Syria, seemed more about measuring troop counts than measuring success. Authorities were also tightly restricted. Until last summer, our military was prohibited from targeting the Taliban, except in the most extreme circumstances, taking the pressure off the militants and allowing them to rebuild and reattack. Indeed, while we were fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, authorities in Afghanistan were so restrictive that it took an entire year before U.S. forces were finally given authority to strike the groups fighters in Afghanistan. While we have settled for a dont lose strategy, the risk to U.S. and Afghan forces has only grown worse as the terrorist threat has intensified. The Taliban has grown more lethal, expanded its territorial control and inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan forces. And it is reportedly doing so with help from Iran and Russia, who want nothing more than to see the United States fail in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network continue to threaten our interests in Afghanistan and beyond. The Islamic State is trying to carve out another haven from which it can plan and execute attacks. Moreover, U.S. efforts to confront these terrorist threats are continually frustrated by terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan used to attack across its border and kill U.S. forces. Deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan only make this problem more difficult. Trump has an important opportunity to turn the page, seize the initiative and take the fight to our terrorist enemies. To do this, the United States must align ends, ways and means in Afghanistan. The U.S. objective in Afghanistan is the same now as it was in 2001: to prevent terrorists from using the countrys territory to attack our homeland. We seek to achieve this objective by supporting Afghan governance and security institutions as they become capable of standing on their own, defending their country and defeating our common terrorist enemies with less U.S. assistance over time. Doing this successfully requires the right number of people in the right places with the right authorities and the right capabilities. Our assessment, based on our conversations with commanders on the ground, is that a strategy for success will require additional U.S. and coalition forces and more flexible authorities. It will also require sustained support of the Afghan security forces as they develop key capabilities, especially offensive capabilities such as special operations forces and close air support needed to break the stalemate. The United States has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 16 years. Weary as some Americans may be of this long conflict, it is imperative that we see our mission through to success. We have seen what happens when we fail to be vigilant. The threats we face are real. And the stakes are high not just for the lives of the Afghan people and the stability of the region, but for Americas national security. "Initiation of drug, tobacco as well as inhalants use started at 9 years of age. Cannabis and alcohol use started a little at about 11 years of age. Even substances such as heroin or opium started at the young age of 12-13 years of age", reads the report. Experts say health & welfare programmes don't reach millions of such children as they don't have documents and are invisible to the system. By Priyanka Sharma: Children as young as nine are getting trapped in the vicious circle of drug abuse in Delhi, a government survey has found after studying 70,000 street kids dwelling in the shadow world of the desperate and destitute. Experts say health and welfare programmes don't reach millions of such children in the Capital and other parts of the country because they don't have documents and are invisible to the system. advertisement Dr Mrinalini Darswal, project director of Delhi State AIDS Control Society, told Mail Today , "This is first and a major government survey on Delhi's street children. About 70,000 street children are in the habit of consuming drugs in any form, out of which 20,000 intake tobacco. Alcohol consumption is prevalent among 9,450 children, inhalants in 7,910, cannabis in 5,600, heroin in 840 and pharmaceutical opioids and sedatives among 210 children each." To estimate the prevalence of drug use among street children in the city, Delhi government's women and child development department conducted the survey in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS. Mail Today has a copy of the report, which says, "Initiation of drug, tobacco as well as inhalants use started at 9 years of age. Cannabis and alcohol use started a little at about 11 years of age. Even substances such as heroin or opium started at the young age of 12-13 years of age." Most of the street children reported peer pressure, curiosity to experience high, handling cold or hunger and attempts to forget about families and be part of groups among reasons for starting drug use, noted the survey. More than 60 per cent of these kids were actually living with their families, siblings or relatives. About 20 per cent of them were out on the streets to support their families. The kids were found near shopping areas, railway platforms, bus terminals, dumping grounds, traffic signals, places of worship and eateries. Only 10.9 per cent of these children were studying in schools, compared to more than 30 per cent of the nondrug using street kids. However, more than 30per cent received non-formal education at some point. About 30 per cent of the kids dropped out of school due to drug abuse. The Delhi government is now planning to start dedicated juvenile drug-deaddiction-centres in six hospitals. The survey was conducted in all districts of the Capital, with children between 7 and 18 years of age and any gender. "As drug using people tend to know other members of the drug using network of their area, therefore, a Respondent Driven Sampling method was used. "This method has been specially picked because substance users are largely a marginalised and hidden population," a senior AIIMS doctor, one of the investigators from NDDTC, told Mail Today. advertisement Also read: Delhi: Woman involved in drug trafficking arrested, 1 kg heroin worth Rs 1 crore recovered Also read: Delhi: AIIMS doctors sound caution over ATS drugs becoming latest fad among city's youth Also watch: --- ENDS --- SPARE US the feeble platitudes about boys being boys. The revelation that thousands of Marines, active-duty and veterans, used social media to solicit and share nude photographs of Marine Corps women cannot be minimized or excused. Their actions, which included calls to stalk and harass women in the photographs, are a stain on the Marines that underscores ongoing issues of sexual harassment within the armed forces. It is, again, a wake-up call for a military that too often views and treats women as inferior. Defense Department officials announced that they have opened a criminal investigation into the activities of a group called Marines United, which used a private Facebook page to circulate without their permission nude photographs of Marine women, identified by their full name, rank and military duty station and often accompanied by obscene comments. Take her out back and pound her out read one comment quoted by the news website Reveal, which first disclosed the groups existence. Some have suggested there has been an overreaction to the site and that the behavior is merely a normal outgrowth of the rough ethos that Marines boast as tradition. They would do well to listen to Marine veteran Thomas Brennan, who wrote the Reveal article. Im no angel, he told the New York Times. I have deployed just like these Marines. Ive sat around a fire in Afghanistan and shared that dark, dark Marine humor. . . . But this is different. It has gone too far. We are hurting other Marines. Good order demands respect for ones comrades. This aberrant, if not criminal, behavior must not be tolerated. The decision of officials to order an investigation is insufficient but encouraging; lets hope they are serious about holding those responsible to account. Not to be overlooked, though, is that 30,000 Marines, many on active duty, are said to have participated in this site. And there are reports that other branches of the military may also be implicated. That suggests this is not a case of a few bad apples but of deep-seated issues in the military. Of all the armed services, the Marines have been the most resistant to integrating women into the ranks; the service persists in segregating recruits by sex during basic training and puts up the stiffest opposition to opening up combat jobs to women. This latest scandal demands some real soul-searching by the Marine leadership and action from the Pentagon to finally stop the sexist treatment of women who are a vital part of Americas defense. For opponents of President Trump, his first seven weeks in office went about as badly for the country as they expected. The pleasant surprise is their own capacity for resistance and political resilience. What some feared might be a Trump Juggernaut is instead the Trump Jalopy, a wheezing, unsightly contraption with grinding gears and missing parts. Many of Trumps problems are of his own creation. They include the lies about his teams Russian contacts that feed suspicions of wrongdoing; the sloppy execution of his flawed-from-the-start anti-Muslim travel ban; the failure to fill scores of key government jobs; and Trumps adolescent indiscipline highlighted by his evidence-free charge that President Barack Obama had him wiretapped. But Trumps critics have also had early victories that matter. These include major court triumphs over the executive order on immigrants and refugees, crowded town halls that have sharpened doubts among Republicans about their partys incoherent health-care bill, and success in focusing widespread attention on the many unanswered questions about the Russia connection. All these reflect larger achievements: the kindling of a new energy in civil society, a new activism in politics and a new appreciation of the free presss role in our democracy. Trump defenders typically denigrate these successes by arguing that his base is still intact and that the Republican rank and file continue to embrace him. Well, yes, but the country as a whole does not share their joy. His approval ratings have been at historic lows for a new president: A Gallup survey released over the weekend found that 49 percent of Americans disapproved of the job Trump is doing, while only 45 percent approved. No matter how hard they try to contort reality, Trumpians cannot write off pluralities or majorities of Americans as being detached from the real America. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) But there is an important truth to what the presidents camp is saying: Republicans in Congress who privately express grave doubts about Trump will be reluctant to break with him as long as he remains strong among those who dominate party primaries and could threaten their reelection. So now the opposition must look ahead and grapple with two related questions: Who among Trumps 2016 voters already have second thoughts about him, and how many of those still sticking with him are open to changing their minds? Liberals who rightly condemn demeaning stereotypes of African Americans and Latinos must also oppose stereotyping Trumps white working-class supporters. The Trump camp was not monolithic. Many of Trumps ballots, after all, came not from blue-collar strongholds but from precincts dominated by well-off conservatives who routinely back Republicans. And the decisive votes for Trump were not cast by the passionately committed. The media exit poll found that only 38 percent of those who participated in the 2016 election had a favorable view of Trump. Thats the base. The contest was settled by those who viewed both Trump and Hillary Clinton negatively. These pox-on-both-houses voters made up 18 percent of the electorate, and went 47 percent to 30 percent for Trump over Clinton, with most of the rest opting for third-party choices. These are the Trump agnostics. They are central to our political future. Moreover, an important minority of white working-class Trump voters in the elections three key states (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan) favored Obama four years earlier. They are not right-wingers. For example, in 2012 in Erie County, Pa., Obama prevailed over Mitt Romney, 68,036 to 49,025. But in 2016, Trump carried the county, 60,069 to 58,112 for Clinton. Switchers can switch again. This means focusing in the short term on how Trumps policies will do severe harm to many who thought he would help them. An analysis by Nate Cohn of the New York Times found that those who stand to lose the most under the Republican health-care plans tax credits tended to support Trump over Clinton. Citizens who are hit in their pocketbooks usually notice. In the longer run, the anti-Trump forces like opponents of the far right in Europe need to empathize with, not mock, those who have been left out of the prosperity that prevails in so many of the large metropolitan areas across the West. And with empathy must come serious policies to combat an economic isolation that affects Americans across racial lines and in both parties coalitions. Trumps opponents must thus keep two quite different ideas in their heads at the same time. They should be encouraged by what they have accomplished and build on it. And they should do more than just speak to one another. Resistance must be accompanied by persuasion. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. WHEN POPE Francis established a commission in 2014 to address sexual abuse by clergy members, he picked two survivors, victims themselves, to serve on the 17-member panel. Now, three years later, both are gone, having denounced foot-dragging and official intransigence inside the Vatican. The fact that no survivors now serve as active members of Franciss Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is a measure of the Holy Sees resistance to change, and of its apparent inability to come to terms with the moral challenge posed by pedophile priests and bishops who enabled them. Sadly, the resignation this month from the commission of one survivor, which followed the forced ouster a year earlier of another, is only one among the more recent indications that the popes public pledges of zero tolerance for abuse and expressions of sympathy for victims are unmatched by institutional transformation. In 2015, it was the pontifical commission that recommended establishing a tribunal to hold accountable bishops who turned a blind eye to abuse within their dioceses by shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish. Francis adopted the recommendation, then dropped it a year later in the face of bureaucratic impediments. He said bishops would be dealt with under existing Vatican rules, but none have been explicitly disciplined for negligence involving sexual abuse. Marie Collins, the survivor who resigned from the commission this month, was widely respected as a potent moral voice for reform. Her frustration was evident in a statement she gave to the National Catholic Reporter, in which she detailed how even minor steps toward reform, urged by the commission and adopted by Francis, have been met with official contempt. Among ignored recommendations is one that every victim of abuse who contacts the Vatican should receive a response. I find it impossible to listen to public statements about the deep concern in the church for the care of those whose lives have been blighted by abuse, yet to watch privately as a congregation in the Vatican refuses to even acknowledge their letters! wrote Ms. Collins, who is Irish. It is a reflection of how this whole abuse crisis in the Church has been handled: with fine words in public and contrary actions behind closed doors. Among the last straws for Ms. Collins was that Francis, despite his zero-tolerance policy, quietly eased discipline for some abusive clergymen, allowing them to remain in the priesthood, albeit without ministering to congregants, rather than defrocking them. In a meeting this month with Washington Post reporters and editors, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington said the church has embraced reforms, dismissing as secondary the question of whether the church publicly disciplines negligent bishops and abusive clergymen. In fact, clear and convincing accountability is central to reform. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), left, and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) prepare to face reporters at Republican National Committee Headquarters on Capitol Hill on March 8 as the GOP works on its long-awaited plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. (J. Scott Applewhite/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Six weeks into a new administration, with unified Republican government for the first time in a decade, the GOP should be busy enacting a bold reform agenda. Instead, the party is wracked by internal divisions on key issues from health care to taxes. After House Republicans released their long-awaited bill to repeal and replace Obamacare it was attacked from all sides of the GOP spectrum with conservatives calling it Obamacare lite and moderates openly worrying it wont do enough for the Obamacare Medicaid expansion population or those who will lose their Obamacare subsidies. The House GOP tax plan also faces intra-Republican disagreements over a proposed border adjustment tax (BAT) that would apply a reduced corporate tax to imports, while making U.S. exports tax free. Democrats are refusing to cooperate with any GOP initiatives, which means all these reforms must be passed with Republican votes alone using an arcane process called reconciliation. So if Republicans cant work out their differences nothing will get done. And to intimidate Republicans into inaction, the left is ramping up anti-GOP protests across the country, sending activists to disrupt town hall meetings and harass Republican lawmakers. Sounds like a hopeless situation? Not to Scott Walker. For the Wisconsin governor, it seems like deja vu all over again. In 2011, after winning the governorship and control to both houses of the Wisconsin legislature, Walker faced a divided Republican caucus and 100,000 protesters marching on and occupying his state capitol to protest his collective bargaining reform legislation. His polls were so low, he says, TIME magazine declared him Dead Man Walker. Yet he managed to unite his party and overcome Democratic obstruction (including 14 Democratic legislators who fled the state to prevent a quorum). (Disclosure: I have co-authored a book with Walker.) Result? His legislation passed, and voters rewarded him at the polls. Weve now won three cycles in a row 12, 14 and 16 where Republicans have gained seats in the legislature and have moved the state so far that we not only got Ron Johnson reelected, but, obviously, we for the first time since Reagan carried the state for a Republican presidential candidate, he says. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) Walker recently met with the House Republicans to share the lessons of his experience in Wisconsin. And he gave them a clear message: ignore the protests and do what you promised. If you do, voters will reward you as well. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill are urging their leaders to slow down, but Walker says that is a mistake. On Obamacare and tax reform, its a mistake to push it off until later this year or next year, he says. This is for two reasons. First, Walker says, the longer you wait, the more excuses there will be. Squeamish legislators begin complaining that its too close to the next election. We cant do these things. Members of Congress dont get more courageous with time. Second, he says, You need time to show that it works. If Republicans act now, the positive effects of their legislation will be felt before voters go to the polls in 2018 and Democrats wont be able to demagogue their reforms. All the protests in the world dont have the kind of effect that the protesters want if people see their lives getting better, Walker says. Tax reform will be like pouring jet fuel into our economic engine. And then, no matter what people think about some of these other issues building the wall, the travel issues and other things suddenly people start seeing things that are having a positive impact in their life. And even if they dont care as much about the other issues, they see progress, and thats what people want. They want progress. Once Republicans pass health care and tax reform legislation, they need to keep reforming. You dont get political capital by hoarding it. You get it by reinvesting it. So every time you have a political victory and you get one reform done, instead of sitting back, you need to reinvest that to the next one youve got teed up and keep ahead of the curve. If they do so, voters will say these guys are leading. They are actually getting things done. Theyre pushing reforms. I may not agree with every one of them, but theyre doing the things they said theyre going to do. The left will protest, but ultimately those protests will backfire, Walker says. The trend we saw in Wisconsin, which appears to be happening nationwide, is they overreact ... because theyre just blinded by their rage. If opposition is just rage, I think everyday citizens see that. People start to look at them and say, thats not who we are. The worst possible outcome will be for Republicans to break their word and do nothing. Voters are sick and tired of people who they think talk a lot, but they dont get anything done, Walker says. If Republicans dont deliver, he warns, then the protests will only grow bigger because they will be populated not just by angry liberals, but angry conservatives furious that Republicans failed to keep their promises. Read more from Marc Thiessens archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said Sunday that he doesnt know how many Americans would lose coverage under his proposal to revise the Affordable Care Act, which is under fire from fellow Republicans, AARP and virtually every sector of the U.S. health-care industry. I cant answer that question, Ryan said in an appearance on CBSs Face the Nation. Its up to people, he said. Heres the premise of your question: Are you going to stop mandating people buy health insurance? People are going to do what they want to do with their lives because we believe in individual freedom in this country. Ryans answer focused on his proposals fulfillment of a long-standing Republican promise to eliminate the individual mandate, which requires all Americans to carry health insurance and pay a penalty when they dont. But he ducked the question of affordability, which is the cornerstone of most objections to the House GOP proposal to offer vastly less assistance to lower- income Americans than the insurance subsidies provided under the current law. According to an analysis by S&P Global, the Ryan plan would lead to a loss of coverage for 2 million to 4 million Americans who have bought insurance policies under the law. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The speaker also seemed to contradict President Trump, whose promise to repeal and replace former president Barack Obamas signature domestic policy achievement has also come with a pledge that no one would lose health insurance coverage. Its not our job to make people do something that they dont want to do, Ryan said. It is our job to have a system where people can get universal access to affordable coverage if they choose to do so or not. Thats what were going to be accomplishing. Ryans interview came a day before the scheduled release of a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office expected to show how many people would lose coverage under the American Health Care Act, as the Ryan plan is called and at what cost to the government. He was one of nearly a half-dozen top GOP leaders deployed Sunday to defend the legislation against a barrage of criticism from within the Republican Party. The one thing Im certain will happen is CBO will say, Well, gosh, not as many people will get coverage. You know why? Because this isnt a government mandate, Ryan said. Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, also defended the Ryan plan on the Sunday show circuit by trying to draw a distinction between care and coverage. He suggested that the new law would lead to better, more affordable health care for most Americans even if fewer of them carry insurance. Thats what were trying to fix, Mulvaney said. Not coverage for people, not coverage they can afford, but care they can afford. When they get sick, they can go to the doctor. Thats what the Donald Trump plan is working on, and thats where we think it is going to be wildly successful. That premise contradicts data from the Kaiser Family Foundation showing that nearly a third of adults without insurance reported skipping doctor visits or other health services as a result of cost. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies access to health services and insurance as one of five main influences of overall health. View Graphic Whats next for the Obamacare replacement bill In addition to trying to tamp worries about coverage, Ryan and his associates also attempted to quiet fresh warnings from conservatives that the bill could fail because it doesnt go far enough to fully repeal the ACA. I wouldnt say the reactions been awful, Ryan said, rejecting the wording of a question from host John Dickerson. Look. When youre a governing party, getting consensus among your wide, big-tent party, not everybody doesnt get what they want. The GOP health plan passed its first test last week, when Republicans on two House committees voted to approve the legislation. The next trial is expected Monday or Tuesday, with the nonpartisan CBO report; after that, the proposal heads to the House Budget Committee. The public-relations blitz caps a week of close collaboration between the White House and House leaders to calm GOP fears about the legislation. Trump invited more than a dozen lawmakers to White House meetings and West Wing lunches, and he dispatched Mulvaney, a former member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, to woo his onetime colleagues. Despite the charm offensive, a growing group of conservatives still threatened Sunday to kill Ryans long-promised plan unless GOP leaders agree to renegotiate some pieces of it. He will not have the votes, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation. Everybody is being nice to everybody because they want us to vote for this, but were not going to vote for it. [Will Obamacare repeal break the Freedom Caucus? It depends on Trump.] Paul is one of as many as three dozen conservatives, including many members of the Freedom Caucus, to say in recent days that Ryans plan doesnt go far enough in repealing the law. The group has branded the GOP health bill as Obamacare Lite because Ryan plans to create a system of refundable tax credits to help people buy insurance on the private market. Some conservatives also worry that Ryan is forcibly rushing votes on legislation that could cost Republicans dearly in upcoming elections. They say the GOP plan risks angering the voters who demanded a full repeal of the ACA as well as those who could lose insurance once the new reforms are put in place. I believe it would have adverse consequences for millions of Americans, and it wouldnt deliver on our promises to reduce the cost of health insurance for Americans, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on ABCs This Week. I would say to my friends in the House of Representatives with whom I serve: Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote. Democrats are ready to exploit any weakness the infighting may create. On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is scheduled speak at a rally on Capitol Hill to protest Republican plans to end ACA programs, including an expansion of Medicaid coverage to more than 20 million people in 31 states. [Sleeper issue of Medicaids future could prove health-care plans stumbling block] That message could have a particularly damaging effect if Mondays CBO estimate proves their case. Many moderate Republicans in Congress, in governors mansions and in state legislatures have already shared their concerns that millions of people could lose their insurance under the plan and that premiums could spike for those who continue to buy private coverage. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is one of more than a dozen Republican governors serving in states that have accepted the Medicaid expansion provided under the ACA. If chronically ill, youre going to have to have consistent coverage, Kasich said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Under this bill you dont have it. Mulvaney set out Sunday to get ahead of fears that the CBO score will prove Kasichs fears by questioning the trustworthiness of the nonpartisan agency. We continue to think, and have for a long time, that the CBO was scoring the wrong thing, Mulvaney said. Theyre scoring Obamacare as it exists today, not tomorrow. Obamacare is this close from completely collapsing. Ryan and Tom Price, Trumps health and human services secretary, also repeated Mulvaneys promise that the legislation would provide people access to coverage, not coverage itself. What we can promise is were going to replace it with a better system so we have more insurers, more choices, more competition, prices go down, Ryan said. We give people the ability to go access affordable coverage. Price also said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press that his definition of success for the GOP health plan would be for insurance costs to go down so more people could buy coverage without federal assistance. Success, its important to look at that, and it means more people covered than are covered right now at an average cost that is less, and I believe we can firmly do that with the plan thats laid out there right now. Price said. I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially in the process that were going through. Abigail Hauslohner contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Until last week, banks did not allow savings account holders to withdraw more than Rs 50,000 in a single week. FIle photo of a queue outside an ATM in Kolkata during the cash crisis (Reuters photo) By India Today Web Desk: On Holi, the Reserve Bank of India did away with the weekly limits on cash withdrawals for Indians. The limits, imposed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, were being gradually eased. Until last week, banks did not allow account holders to withdraw more than Rs 50,000 in a single week. News agency PTI, in a report from January, spoke to bankers who estimated that the cash withdrawal limit would be lifted by February-end. advertisement On March 10, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that new currency worth more than Rs 12 lakh crore was in circulation. As a comparison, the total value of banned Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes was Rs 15.44 lakh crore on November 8, a day before the banknotes ceased to be legal tender. Meanwhile, the RBI and the Finance Minister continue to be tight-lipped on the exact value or number of banned notes returned. Last week, answering a question in Parliament, Jaitley said it was difficult to give an exact figure on the number of defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes deposited so far. "Every currency note has to be verified - whether it is genuine or fake. Then the genuine and fake notes have to be segregated. It is a very large exercise... Once the RBI completes the exercise, we will inform the House in details," he said. The note ban, seen as a risky move, came just a couple of months before the five-state Assembly polls. However, the BJP's swept Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and is also set to form governments in Manipur and Goa, where it finished second-best to Congress. BJP leaders have credited the demonetisation move and last year's surgical strikes as two of the factors responsible for the party's performance. ALSO READ | RBI to soon issue new Rs 10 notes with enhanced security features WATCH VIDEO | No limit on cash withdrawal from today, weekly limit of Rs 50,000 lifted --- ENDS --- In Germany, he was a California boy made good a 29-year-old from Fresno whose thriving burger joint in the western city of Essen served up towering plates of greasy American goodness. Then Nicholas Smith came out on national television as a Trump fan. What followed a de facto boycott of his restaurant, followed by its surprise rescue by the German right suggests how the polarization of the Trump era has gone global. I was trying to make a business work, Smith said. But then it became just about my politics. Far beyond the United States, President Trump is emerging as a symbol of ideological division. In international right-wing circles, he is becoming as worthy an idol as Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nicholas Smith appears on the ZDF talk show "Maybrit Illner. (Karlheinz Schindler/Dpa/AP Images) But particularly in places like Europe, where a certain brand of anti-Americanism often lingers just below the surface, Trumps rise has also stirred deep animosity along with serious concern. [In the era of Donald Trump, Germans debate a military buildup] In Britain, nearly 2 million citizens signed a petition trying to thwart Trump from making an official state visit, arguing that the requisite audience with Queen Elizabeth II would embarrass her. In Antwerp, Belgium, the wood-paneled Cafe ZeeZicht has replaced Coca-Cola and Lays potato chips with local sodas and snacks in a sort of European version of the 2003 freedom fries fracas. In France, meanwhile, far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has been praising Trump dragging out fiery phrases like today the United States, tomorrow France. In Germany, one right-winger has launched a Facebook page titled Donald J. Trump Fanclub Deutschland. Yet in Germany, polls show that an overwhelming majority are deeply uneasy about Trumps presidency. And as Smiths experience shows, they are willing to vote with their feet. It started innocuously enough. At Halloween, Smith agreed to host a forum on the U.S. elections with German broadcaster ZDF at his eatery, Gringos California Kitchen. Of the seven American panelists, he was the only Trump voter. I said what I felt, that my experience as a small-business owner has led me to believe that regulations and taxation are damaging to the creation of jobs, and that Trump is about fixing that, he said. After the show aired, German newspapers, radio stations and top broadcasters came calling en masse. [Poll: Germans are more concerned about Trumps policies than Putins] In notable appearances on the respected Maybrit Illner show, Smith found himself engaging in heated debates with members of Chancellor Angela Merkels cabinet and the European Parliament. In one exchange, he presented Trumps argument that U.S. allies should pay more of the cost of their own defense. I said, Look, you have free education, high-speed rail and great highways because we paid for your defense, Smith said. I tried to explain that thats an important factor as to why Trump has so much support, because Americans feel like were subsidizing our allies. The audience broke out in laughter. They didnt get it. [This Belgian bar is boycotting U.S. products because of Trump] Soon after that November appearance, he said, he got the first in a barrage of negative comments on his restaurants Facebook page. Initially, business at Gringos located in a highly liberal neighborhood in Essen wasnt affected much. But after Trumps surprise victory, his regular customers, Smith said, started to disappear. By the time Trump imposed his initial travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations, so many German critics had cited his politics as a reason not to eat at Gringos that it became, in effect, a boycott, Smith said. On Smiths personal Facebook page, former customer Gerd Dillon-Schoder wagered that Smith would have liked Hitler as well. If you are so in favor of walls, I wonder what you want here in Germany. We fought for walls to disappear. . . . I find you unbearable and will never set foot in your restaurant again. Another critic, Peter Koch, a 43-year-old health-care worker, also posted about the declining sales. If you dont understand it, why dont you think again. If your place is about burgers, talk about burgers. But since you are such a big fan of this auxiliary dictator, why dont you just go back to the promised land? The backlash reached a point, Smith said, where he would pass regular customers on the street and they would simply refuse to speak with him. We used to be packed at night, he said. But if we were lucky, we were having three customers a night. [The rise of Trump leads to an unexpected twist in Germanys election: A resurgent left] He said he tried to engage his critics, both in person and via the German media. Many accused him of being homophobic and racist for supporting Trump. He countered that he is none of the above, describing himself as a gay man who voted for Barack Obama twice. Its not easy to define the people who support Trump, he said. But the critics dont want to hear that. He was reconsidering whether Gringos would remain financially viable when a counter- ovement abruptly began. As news spread of his falling business, right-wing populist Germans started spreading the word: Eat at Gringos. Some of the newcomers lived in and around Essen, but others drove for hours to show their support. By February, Smiths burger business was booming again. I went to dinner there twice, and then to lunch, and asked all my friends to come out and support Nicholas, said Andreas Hellmann, 28, a German conservative activist. He recently moved to Washington for a job with a nonprofit, but he visited Gringos during a trip home this month. One of his friends drove 22 miles from Dusseldorf to join him. In the U.S., I see the division. There is all this hatred, and people cant argue in a decent way anymore, Hellmann said. I feel the same thing is happening in Germany now. A good number of Smiths new customers have come from the nationalist right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party including from its small base of gay supporters. I personally welcome Trumps politics, said Adrian Ochmanski, 36, the North-Rhine Westphalia state coordinator for the group Homosexuals in the AfD. And, he added, I personally try to support Mr. Smith by going to eat there and spread the word. Yet the boom in business, Smith fears, may not last especially as more-distant conservatives find it tough to drive miles out of their way for a pro-Trump burger every night. In fact, in the past few days, he said, business has begun tapering off again. He is already mulling backup plans. I thought about asking for a job with the White House in case the restaurant closes, Smith said. Stephanie Kirchner contributed to this report. Read more: Merkel, Trump agree on at least one thing: Germans should spend more on defense Theyre young and lonely. The Islamic State thinks theyll make perfect terrorists. Why a German-born soccer star had to choose between his Muslim faith and his career Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news President Trump speaks at the White House on March 10. The Justice Department on Monday filed its first significant legal defense of Trumps revised travel ban. (Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg News) The Justice Department on Monday laid out its first significant legal defense of President Trumps revised travel ban, arguing in a court filing that the harms opponents say it causes are speculative and that the president was well within his authority to issue the directive. Responding to a lawsuit from the state of Hawaii, Justice Department lawyers asserted that Trumps new executive order solved any possible legal problems that came with the first one, because it was narrower in scope and outlined a robust list of people who might be exempted. Plaintiffs therefore are not entitled to the sweeping relief they seek, Justice Department lawyers wrote. [Why Hawaii says Trumps new travel ban is still unconstitutional] Opponents of Trumps executive order have asked federal judges in several states to block the administration from enforcing the directive, and two judges have scheduled hearings Wednesday to hear arguments on the matter. The order which suspends the U.S.s refugee program and bars the issuance of new visas to citizens of six Muslim-majority countries is set to take effect Thursday, unless a court intervenes. Hawaii was the first state to sue over the directive, arguing the new executive order much like the old violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment because it is essentially a Muslim ban, hurts the ability of state businesses and universities to recruit top talent and damages the states robust tourism industry. They pointed particularly to the case of Ismail Elshikh, the imam of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, whose mother-in-laws application for an immigrant visa was still being processed. Under the new executive order, lawyers for Hawaii said, Elshikh feared that his mother-in-law would ultimately be banned from entering the United States. Justice Department lawyers countered that the economic harms alleged by the state were mere speculation and that Elshikhs mother-in-law had no reason to sue yet because she had not been denied a waiver to come into the country. The new executive order, unlike the old, spelled out a list of people who might be granted exemptions, including those seeking to visit or live with family in the United States. The Order applies only to individuals outside the country who do not have a current visa, and even as to them, it sets forth robust waiver provisions, Justice Department lawyers wrote. Among other things, therefore, plaintiffs cannot show that any individual whom they seek to protect is in imminent risk of being denied entry due to the Order. The state will have to convince a judge that Trumps ban is likely to be ultimately found unconstitutional and will impose immediate, irreparable harms unless it is stopped. A hearing in the case is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday. Federal judges in Washington state and Maryland are also considering separate challenges to the new ban, and either could preempt the need for action in Hawaii. A hearing in the Maryland case is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Washington on Monday formally asked a judge to enforce his freeze of the previous ban on the new one. The judge told the government to respond by Tuesday. [Judge in Maryland will weigh Trump travel ban the day before it takes effect] While the new section differs from the original by excluding Iraqis, lawful permanent residents, and visa-holders, it bars entry for virtually all other individuals from the listed countries, including: relatives of U.S. citizens, students who have been admitted to state universities, prospective employees of state universities and private businesses, and many others, lawyers for the state of Washington wrote. This Courts original injunction protected these individuals and institutions, and the Ninth Circuit rejected Defendants request to narrow the injunction to exclude them. The administration has argued the ban is necessary for national security reasons, though many diplomatic and national security professionals have said they disagree with that assessment, and the new ban would probably not have kept out anyone responsible for a fatal terrorist attack since 2001. In their filing, Justice Department lawyers pointed to 300 people who entered the United States as refugees and are under investigation for terrorism-related crimes and asserted that hundreds of foreign-born individuals have been convicted of such offenses. They attached a letter from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly asking President Trump to direct a temporary pause on people entering the U.S. from certain countries. More fundamentally, plaintiffs miss the point, Justice Department lawyers wrote. The Orders objective is to prevent future terrorist attacks before they occur. And that is precisely why the Order focuses on six countries that Congress and the prior Administration recently determined pose the greatest risk of terrorist infiltration in the future. A federal judge in Wisconsin recently blocked the administration from enforcing with respect to one family. In that case, a man who had successfully fled Syria and been granted asylum in the United States sued so that the ban would not be applied to his wife and 3-year-old daughter, who are still in Aleppo and have asylum applications being processed. The judge ruled that the family had some likelihood of success on the merits and that the man was at great risk of suffering irreparable harm if the order was not blocked, so far as it applied to his family. The court appreciates that there may be important differences between the original executive order, and the revised executive order issued on March 6, 2017 for example, the government points to a new waiver provision, Judge William M. Conley wrote. As the order applies to the plaintiff here, however, the court finds his claims have at least some chance of prevailing for the reasons articulated by other courts. By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Mar 13 (PTI) Airlines are likely to close the outgoing financial year with 22-23 per cent traffic growth, making it one of the best for the sector, even though the pressure on their bottom line is increasing as oil prices are on a northward-ho, says a report. "Airlines are maintaining healthy load factors backed by low fares. But since oil prices are on an uptrend, impact on profitability in Q4 is inevitable as average ATF price during the quarter are 37.9 per cent higher YoY, while the yields continue to remain under pressure," says an Icra report. advertisement The fuel cost per ASKM increased to Rs 1.16 in January from a low of Rs 0.82 a year ago, and the same is expected to increase further in February and March, according to Icra. Backed by competitive pricing, the industry reported stellar passenger load factor of 84.4 per cent during the first 10 months of the year, which is also one of the best amongst the key markets in the world. The PLF stood at 88.3 per cent in January. The aviation industry has reported YoY passenger traffic growth of 23.2 per cent during the first 10 months of the current financial year and is heading towards completing one of the best years in terms of passenger traffic growth, says the report. The domestic passenger growth for last five years stood at 12.9 per cent, 5.3 per cent, 4.6 per cent, 15.5 per cent and 22.1 per cent, and the industry is likely to surpass the last year growth rate, making the domestic market the fastest growing in the world. In January, traffic growth rose to healthy at 25.3 per cent, while the international traffic growth was moderate at 8.8 per cent. For the full year till January however this is the highest in world with 17.8 per cent growth in traffic. The industry capacity, measured in available seat kilometres or ASKMs, reported 20.6 per cent YoY growth during the first 10 months of the year. Except Air Costa and Air Pegasus (which halted operations since August 2016), all the airlines reported capacity growth during the year. Indigo continued to enjoy the leadership position with a market share of 40.1 per cent in the first 10 month fiscal 2017. This is the fifth year of market leadership for the airline as well as the first airline to achieve 40 per cent market share in the past eight years. While Jet Airways and Air India continue to concede market shares, the new players Vistara and AirAsia, have reported gradual expansion in their market shares to 2.7 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively, during the first 10 months of the year. PTI BEN DK DK --- ENDS --- U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Jr., right, was among more than 40 U.S. attorneys asked by the Trump administration to resign last week. (Evan Vucci/AP) The showdown between U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and the Trump administration drew attention over the weekend, but the departure of 45 other top prosecutors across the country who were asked to resign Friday could substantially affect the law enforcement priorities of the offices they ran. White House officials said they had been discussing for weeks a plan to remove the U.S. attorneys, working closely with acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente, himself a U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. On Friday, officials asked for all of them to tender their resignations, and every one but Bharara, who had led the prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, complied, officials said. [Justice Department tells all remaining Obama administration U.S. attorneys to resign] Although individual cases and investigations are likely to press on no matter who heads each U.S. attorneys office, their enforcement priorities could change depending on who is at the top. Kenneth A. Polite, the U.S. attorney in New Orleans, for example, increased the number of prosecutors handling violent crime and established a public integrity unit. His successor may have other ideas. In Baton Rouge, local law enforcement officials pleaded with Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to leave in place Walt Green, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, citing his efforts fighting violent crime. A Marine who served two tours in Iraq, Green created several crime-fighting units that have led to a 16 percent drop in homicides and a 22 percent reduction in violent crime since 2012, the officials said in a letter sent Sunday. Green announced Monday that he had resigned, effective the Friday before. Those removed also included Barbara McQuade, who served 12 years as a federal prosecutor in Detroit, including a stint as deputy chief of the national security unit there, before becoming U.S. attorney. On her first day as U.S. attorney in 2010, her office arrested the Underwear Bomber the al-Qaeda operative later convicted of attempting to blow up a jetliner over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. Another prosecutor asked to step down was John Vaudreuil, who until Friday was the U.S. attorney in Madison, Wis. Vaudreuil joined the Justice Department 37 years ago, fresh out of law school. He has been to more than 25 countries on behalf of the department, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Russia, supporting democracy-building efforts. We talk about the rule of law and how we do things in a free country, said Vaudreuil, 62. To me, thats a good way to fight terrorism. Or, as he said he once quipped to a friend, Its easier and cheaper to send me than to send in the 82nd Airborne. Every presidential administration generally appoints its own U.S. attorneys, although some prosecutors were taken aback by the sudden nature of the Friday directive. President Bill Clinton asked all his U.S. attorneys to resign in March 1993, but they were given time to tie up loose ends. I was certainly surprised and I guess a little taken aback, Vaudreuil said. I serve at the pleasure of the president, so I understand this, but its not as if I did something wrong and someone said, Oh, my God, I gotta fire this guy. Nonetheless, he was in his office Monday packing up and clearing out, handing off to an assistant U.S. attorney a case that Vaudreuil had been scheduled to try April 10. Ive got 38 years of knickknacks to pack up, he said. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that the removal of the U.S. attorneys was standard operating procedure, not just for political appointees, but for all political appointees, and not everyone had to leave immediately. Polite, for example, said his resignation would take effect March 24. Richard Hartunian had been an assistant U.S. attorney 13 years before being appointed U.S. attorney in Albany, N.Y. He got his start as an assistant district attorney in Albany County in 1990 and was motivated to become a prosecutor after his younger sister was killed on Pan Am Flight 103 the jet that was bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland. Hartunian, who served on the Attorney Generals Advisory Committee, is three months from retirement. On Monday, Sessions agreed to let Hartunian stay on through June so he could complete his 20 years and be eligible for retirement. Sessions did the same for Deirdre M. Daly, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, who will complete 20 years of service in October. David Hickton, a former U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh who became the first to resign after Trumps election, said it takes more than a day to be read out of a security clearance, turn in a phone and credentials, and fill out paperwork. Theres a distinction between having the legal right to do it and doing it the correct way and with class, Hickton said. Its just not proper to walk in there and say resign by the close of business today. Mark Berman contributed to this report. He has tried to close the door on Muslim refugees. She opened it. He calls himself a tough negotiator. Shes an even-tempered consensus builder. He wants to put America first. She is first and foremost a globalist. President Trump is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week at the White House, marking the first face-to-face encounter between the new U.S. commander in chief and the woman known as Europes decider. When they meet, the two leaders with little in common will find themselves belatedly moving to forge a relationship that could determine the future of transatlantic ties. After the exit of President Barack Obama from the world stage, some have hailed Merkel as the new standard-bearer of liberal democracy. But she comes to Washington poised instead to fall back on her most signature trait: pragmatism. Merkel might have been one of Trumps punching bags on the campaign trail, but she is willing to set that aside. Talking with each other instead of talking about each other will be my motto for the visit, which I am very much looking forward to, she said Monday in Munich. [In the era of Donald Trump, Germans debate a military buildup] Whether Trump accepts that gift is anybodys guess, and Merkels visit will undoubtedly spotlight the serious concerns in Berlin about his unconventional presidency. They include fears of a looming trade war and of undermining the European Union, as well as worries of roughshod decision-making in the Middle East that could provoke another refugee crisis. The trip had been scheduled for Tuesday, but the White House said Monday that it was postponed until Friday because of the weather in Washington. Underscoring how communication between the two sides may yet need a bit of work, a German official close to Merkel said that a firm new date had not been officially confirmed and that Merkel would meet Trump soon. That Merkel and Trump are off to a rocky start is no secret. Trump took swipes at Merkel during the election campaign, decrying her refugee policy as a sad, sad shame. For her part, Merkel who was considered Obamas closest ally in Europe responded with a congratulatory message after Trumps victory that seemed to school him on the importance of democratic values. Now, weeks after Trumps meetings with the leaders of other nations, including Japan and Britain, Merkel arrives in Washington with perhaps more to lose than to gain. Locked in a tougher-than-expected bid for reelection this year, she must somehow demonstrate that she is willing to stand up for European values and positions, while also making nice with a trash-talking businessman-turned-president who is deeply unpopular among Germans. Merkel wants to demonstrate to the political world in Germany and Europe that she can handle Trump, said Josef Janning, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Merkel knows that it is part of Trumps strategy to try to intimidate negotiation partners. . . . Therefore, the chancellor needs to convey a certain coolness to show that this wont cut it with her. [Poll: Germans are more concerned about Trumps policies than Putins] Merkel is set to talk to Trump alone for about 30 minutes when she arrives at the White House on Friday. Other officials will then join in, with a roundtable planned between Merkel, Trump and top U.S. and German corporate executives. They include the chief executives of Siemens, BMW and the automotive supplier Schaeffler. After a news conference, there will be further talks focused on economic issues. With Trump having played down transatlantic relations, voicing skepticism about the E.U. and criticizing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Merkel is expected to reiterate the importance of NATO against the backdrop of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Asked whether Merkel would address Trumps plan to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, one German official said the chancellor would not interfere in U.S. domestic politics. But he noted that Merkel, as a former citizen of East Germany, had her own experiences with walls and clearly advocated a barrier- and border-free Europe. Yet the focus of the meeting will be an issue with which Trump is more familiar business. The Germans have grown highly sensitive to the Trump administrations jabs about Germanys export surplus, as well as suggestions that an artificially weak euro is unfairly aiding them. Trump has fired off broadsides at German companies, telling the Bild tabloid, I would tell BMW if they think theyre gonna build a plant in Mexico and sell cars into the U.S. without a 35 percent tax, its not gonna happen. The German delegation will enter the talks armed with numbers to convince Trump that economic relations between Germany and the United States are mutually beneficial. Overall German investment in the United States tops 271 billion euros ($289 billion), which officials say is 10 times as large as U.S. investment in Germany. The delegation will tell Trump that the number of direct jobs created by German companies in the United States hovers around 810,000. So a newly aggressive stance with Germany on trade, the team will argue, would hurt the United States, as well. Many jobs in Germany depend on exports, so we do have a lot to lose with protectionism, said a German official who spoke on the customary condition of anonymity to be candid. But were not the only ones. Read more Trumps rise has led to a twist in Germanys election: A resurgent left In the home of NATO and the European Union, dismay as Trump takes power How to be an American: Syrian refugees find a home in Trump country Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Gatwick 'remains credible option' for expansion Traffic to Los Angeles was up 90% compared with February 2016 Gatwick Airport is insisting it is still a "credible and deliverable" expansion option, as the airport experienced its busiest ever February. Figures show passenger growth for February almost hit double digits, rising 9.9% last month compared with the same month a year earlier. Gatwick bosses maintain that the south east airport continues to offer a strong alternative for runway expansion, despite a Government statement confirming Heathrow is the "preferred option". Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: "Gatwick's February passenger figures demonstrate the confidence we are witnessing from our passengers, with travel still high priority following the Brexit referendum." He continued: "Our long-haul growth is driving the natural corresponding cargo increase, this month plus 6%, which is joined by strong growth in Gatwick's regional connections across Britain, demonstrating Gatwick's vital economic role both within Britain and internationally, as we continue to offer the UK Government a credible and deliverable option for runway expansion." Strong long-haul growth Some three million travellers passed through the airport last month, and the number of long-haul passengers increased by 20.3%. Routes to Los Angeles are up 90% compared with the same month last year. West Coast figures are set to further increase this year as British Airways adds a new route to Oakland, California. Anyone planning a long-haul trip should take out comprehensive travel insurance. Winter sports on top Ski resorts are also a favourite among Gatwick passengers, with Geneva coming top as the airport's most popular destination. Some 109,500 travellers headed out to the luxurious Swiss destination last month, up 5% on February 2016. Meanwhile, passengers from Gatwick to Innsbruck in Austria surged 9% and there has been an 8% rise in travellers to Grenoble in France. Is a teacher allowed to cut a childs hair without the parents OK? (Photo: Getty Images) The mother of 7-year-old Dominic Brandon is moving her son to a new school after the childs teacher allegedly cut his hair without permission. The teacher decided that Dominic needed shorter hair and took the cut into his own hands. According to News West via the CBC, Dominic, of Ottawa, Canada, is autistic and in a special-needs class. The teacher had allegedly made repeated calls to the boys mother, Miriam, asking permission to cut Dominics shoulder-length hair. I didnt think its hurting anyone for him to grow his hair out, so when a teacher kept persisting that I cut his hair, I was like, No, I dont need to get his hair cut. Thats OK, Miriam Brandon said. Brandon reiterated that she did not give consent for the teacher to touch her childs hair. For a teacher to grab scissors and cut a childs hair, that takes away my sons voice, and it takes away my voice as a parent, she continued. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has issued an apology about the haircut that terms the incident an unusual practice. The district has started an investigation according to Brandon, other teachers were present at the time and didnt stop the haircut. For now, the teacher is on home assignment and Brandon is moving her son to another school. This unsanctioned haircut is just the latest in a slew of viral stories about schools getting involved in their students hair choices. In Gulfport, Miss., one student is fighting back after a suspension for pink hair. In Louisville, Ky., a high school has rules against dreadlocks, Afros of more than 2 inches, and cornrows. The good news: Students and parents arent afraid to fight for their right to free expression and good hair. Yahoo Beauty has reached out to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board for comment, and we will update this post if we hear back. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pictured in happier times. (Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI) By now, it should go without saying: Matching tattoos will not save a failing relationship, not even especially? when it involves celebrities. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt ignored this inconvenient fact in February 2016 as they received special tattoos meant to symbolically bind them together. New photos show the session in which former Thai monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai, known for his previous work on Jolie and other celebs, used steel rods and surgical needles to etch script and symbols onto his clients bodies. Kanpai specializes in a style of tattoos known as sak yant, a tradition for thousands of years and once given to warriors to protect them in battle. Brangelinas private tattoo session took place in Cambodia, when Jolie was on a break from directing First They Killed My Father nearby. Jolie requested three tats on her back, while Pitt settled for one Buddhist symbol on his stomach that was not captured on film. Angelina Jolie is running out of space on her back! (Photo: Splash News) Of course, the tattoos failed to keep the couple together. Jolie, 41, filed for divorce from Pitt, 53, in September, reportedly because they disagreed on how to best parent their six children. Their increasingly ugly breakup followed Pitts alleged altercation with one of their children, 15-year-old Maddox, on a private plane. Both the FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services investigated the incident and declined to file charges against the World War Z actor. Jolie and Pitt share six children in all: Maddox, as well as 8-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox; Shiloh, 10; Zahara, 12; and 13-year-old Pax. Last month, they reached an agreement to handle their divorce privately for the protection of their family. Angelina Jolie was spotted visiting a toy store in London over the weekend with a few of her children. (Photo: XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM) Jolie was all about her kids again on Sunday when she took her four youngest kids to the Hamleys toy store in London. Of course, her back was covered by a jacket during the outing, so no word on whether she still has her ink. Read more from Yahoo Celebrity: Montana Fishburnes mug shot. (Photo: Splash News) They say a parent never stops worrying about his child, so you can imagine how Laurence Fishburne feels about his troubled daughter Montanas weekend arrest for DUI. Montana, who is from the Black-ish and Matrix stars first marriage to actress Hajna O. Moss, was arrested on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the Broward County sheriffs office confirms to Yahoo. The 25-year-old former porn star, who now lives in that city, was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol on Interstate 95. She was slapped with three charges: DUI for alcohol or drugs as a first-time offender, DUI over .15 (the legal limit in the state is .08), and DUI with damage to property or a person. In short, it wasnt a good night for Montana and her mug shot, in which her eyes are red, confirms that. She was bonded out of jail after paying $2,500. Montana with her father on the red carpet in 2006 prior to her career as a porn star. (Photo: Jeff Snyder/FilmMagic) Montana first made headlines when she was 18 and made her porn debut. She was hoping to parlay it into a career like Kim Kardashians. Seriously, she said that. Kim Kardashians sex tape was released, but she still got past that, Montana told the Hollywood Reporter in 2010, the year her adult movie came out. Even though she got all that negative attention for it, she still has all these other ventures going on now. That is what I want to emulate: having a tape come out and still being seen as a positive person. Not just, Shes a porn star.' Needless to say, her famous father, 55, was not thrilled. In the same interview, she said he told her he was embarrassed by her and blasted her for using their last name in her porn video, as No one uses their real name in porn. Friends of Laurence, who has two other children, reportedly tried to buy his daughters video for $1 million to stop distribution of it, which is one of the saddest things weve ever heard. However, it was too late because copies of it had already shipped. Montana later said she and her dad were no longer talking; its unclear if they are still estranged. Story continues Montanas porn star dreams werent what they were cracked up to be. She later said she never received the full amount of her promised paycheck and urged women not to follow in her footsteps. The weekend arrest is not Montanas first brush with the law. The year her porn film came out, she was investigated for breaking into the home of her boyfriends ex, locking her in a bathroom, and repeatedly beating the woman. She avoided jail time by pleading no contest to assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and trespass. In exchange, she was sentenced to 180 days in a rehab facility. At that point she had already been in rehab for five months. Her attorney was Shawn Holley, who was (often) used by Lindsay Lohan. Prior to that, in 2009, she was arrested for alleged prostitution, according to court papers obtained by E! News. She avoided jail only by signing up for a work-alternative program. While there was gossip that Montana went on to have a post-porn career as an exotic dancer in Texas, she has shared photos of pole dancing but for exercise on Instagram. Her feed is otherwise filled with sexy snapshots (clothing optional) of her life in Florida. Miami.???? Monday.???????? Montana.???????????? A post shared by Montana Fishburne (@misfitmontana) on Mar 6, 2017 at 4:41pm PST And thats a life we hope she is able to untangle soon. Read more from Yahoo Celebrity: Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. (Image: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection) Anyone whos seen My Cousin Vinny, which opened 25 years ago, on March 13, 1992, can probably quote at least one of Marisa Tomeis Brooklyn-accented lines, whether its her biological clock ticking like this or her reaction to arriving in small-town Alabama. (I bet the Chinese food here is terrible.) As Mona Lisa Vito, the auto mechanic fiancee of Joe Pescis title character, Tomei walked away with every single one of her scenes and eventually, the films only Academy Award (for Best Supporting Actress). So its mind-boggling that 20th Century Fox initially wanted to take Mona Lisa out of My Cousin Vinny entirely, in order to give more of the spotlight to Pesci. I thought they were looking at the best thing in the movie and wanted to cut it out, screenwriter Dale Launer told the Wrap last week. Not only did I not take Lisa out I decided to put more of her into the movie. But it wasnt as simple as that. In a 2007 interview for the website Writer Unboxed, Launer explained the changes he had to make in order to keep Mona Lisa in the script. And it has to do with that famous biological clock scene. In the film, Vinny is an unsuccessful New York lawyer who is called to defend his cousin against a false criminal charge in rural Alabama. Mona Lisa comes along to support him, but Vinny refuses his fiancees help at every turn. Finally, she snaps. The scene (watch it below) was added in the second draft in response to the studios notes, and it ended up saving the character. That scene was the result of a creative meeting where the studio prez actually made a suggestion I hated, Launer told the website. He wanted Vinnys girlfriend to complain that hes not giving her enough attention. You often see movies where some guy is hell-bent on accomplishing something, and youre on the ride with him and his wife/girlfriend/mother is feeling neglected. And she complains. And I hate this! I have never seen this work in a way where I really felt the wife was anything but an annoying, complaining, taking-up-valuable-narrative-space kind of character. Story continues Rather than turn Mona Lisa into a nagging stereotype or cut her from the movie (Foxs other suggestion), Launer came up with a plan that satisfied everyone. In the end, they got what they wanted and I got what I wanted she does complain, but at least apologizes for bringing it up, and you dont hate her for bringing it up, largely because its funny, he explained. She mentions that hes screwing up, and shes frustrated because she cant help him, and she goes off on a little tangent about the whole biological clock getting married thing. Now, I thought if she brought this up at this point where he is simply going through hell he should be pissed off. And he is. So he kind of tears into her. It was one of my favorite scenes in the script. Ironically, like her character, Tomei couldnt get the respect she deserved after My Cousin Vinny: Her surprise Oscar win was widely rumored to be an error, the theory being that elderly presenter Jack Palance read the wrong name. Tomei stood above the fray and has since earned two more Oscar nominations (for 2001s In the Bedroom and 2008s The Wrestler) though the sweetest vindication may have been this years dramatic Oscar mixup, which proved that presenters cant get away with reading the wrong name. As Mona Lisa Vito might have said, Tomeis win was dead-on-balls accurate. Watch a trailer: Read more: By Reuters: A controversial bill that amends a five-decade-old law to deny families of those who moved to China and Pakistan the right to reclaim "enemy properties" seized by the state unfairly targets Muslims, analysts say. The Enemy Property Act of 1968, enacted after the India-Pakistan War three years earlier, gave the government the right to seize assets of citizens who had moved to Pakistan or China following wars with the two countries. advertisement Those who left India for Pakistan were Muslims, and relations between the two countries remain fraught after numerous conflicts. Pakistan enacted a similar law at the time and seized properties of those who left for India. 'AMENDED LAW AGAINST CONSTITUTION, TARGETS MUSLIMS UNFAIRLY' The amended law, which would apply retrospectively, extends the definition of "enemy" to include legal heirs of declared enemies, even when the heir is an Indian citizen, or of a country not deemed to be an enemy. "When the families are citizens of the country, how can the government consider them to be enemies and take away their right of succession?" said Rajya Sabha MP Husain Dalwai. "It is against the constitution and it targets Muslims unfairly," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. AMENDMENTS IN LARGER PUBLIC INTEREST: GOVERNMENT The government has said the amendments are in the "larger public interest" and will plug "loopholes to ensure that enemy properties worth thousands of crores (millions) of rupees do not revert to the enemy or enemy firm". The Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that legal heirs who are Indian citizens can reclaim so-called enemy property, following decades of petitioning by the family of the erstwhile Raja of Mahmudabad, who left India after partition in 1947. But the amendment - also barring civil courts from hearing disputes related to enemy property - was passed late on Friday by the Rajya Sabha, despite a walkout by opposition members. MUSLIMS LAG NATIONAL AVERAGE ON LAND OWNERSHIP India's large Muslim minority, which makes up 13 percent of the population, lags the national average on land ownership, and faces bias when buying or renting properties. The number of properties with the Custodian of Enemy Property has risen to about 16,000 from 2,100 a few years ago - nearly all taken from Muslim families - and are estimated at more than Rs 1 trillion. "The idea of the bill seems to be to deprive Muslims of their right to ancestral property that the state seized," said Anand Grover, a rights lawyer who argued the case before the Supreme Court. advertisement "It's anyone's guess what will happen now," he said. ALSO READ The Chase for Muslim Votes Saudi Arabia increases India's annual Haj quota by 34,005 ALSO WATCH | Assembly election results 2017: Muslim women say why they support BJP --- ENDS --- About 100 protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, were dispersed by police on Sunday night (March 12) after they gathered outside the market where Mike Brown allegedly stole some items on the day he was fatally killed by a police officer in 2014. The group was reacting to previously unseen footage in a new documentary, Stranger Fruit, which debuted at the SXSW Film Festival over the weekend which appeared to offer a new twist to the details of the case. According to The Washington Post, the film by documentarian/activist Jason Pollock features unseen surveillance tape that casts fresh doubt on the storyline presented by police that Brown robbed the Ferguson Market just minutes before he was shot to death by a police officer in 2014. Police have said that the robbery call was part of the justification for Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson stopping teen Brown, who he said matched the description of the thief; Wilson shot Brown seven times. The footage of the alleged robbery showed Brown entering the market, walking up to the counter and then reaching for some cigarillos, leaving the store with a handful of them and pushing aside the clerk who tries to top him. But in Pollock's film the newly seen footage suggests there was no robbery, but a drug deal gone wrong that involved Brown and some of the store's clerks. Footage provided to The New York Times appears to show Brown entering the market 11 hours before the alleged robbery, on Aug. 9, and handing something -- which Pollock believes was a bag of marijuana -- to the clerks, who appear to smell it and then hand Brown what looks like a plastic bag with two large boxes of cigarillos. In Pollock's film Brown, 18, is about to leave the store, then pushes the cigarillos back across the counter for what the filmmaker posits was safekeeping. The fresh look at the incident -- which sparked days of violent street protests in Ferguson and helped galvanize the Black Lives Matter movement -- inspired Brown's mother, Lezely McSpadden, to claim in the film that her son didn't rob the store, but was merely returning to collect his cigarillos. Story continues The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Sunday night (March 12) that an attorney for the Ferguson Market & Liquor store said the clip appeared to have been edited to falsely imply that there was a drug exchange before the incident, vowing to release the full video on Monday (March 13). After word spread of the unseen security video, the Post-Dispatch reported that around 100 protesters gathered outside the Market and police later cleared the area. Just before midnight seven or eight shots were heard in an area across the street from the Market, but there appeared to be no injuries in that incident. Ferguson Market lawyer Jay Kanzler reportedly told the protesters on Sunday night that the surveillance video had been in the hands of authorities, Brown's family and the FBI for some time. He also denied that there was any exchange of drugs in the store and he suggested the clip in the film had been cut to remove a scene where employees throw what appears to be a bag of marijuana back at Brown. "This isn't new," Kanzler said before retreating to the store after protesters started swearing at him; police arrested several protesters a short time later. Stranger Fruit debuted at the SXSW Film Festival on Saturday night (March 11). A grand jury and a federal civil rights investigation failed to indict Wilson in the Brown shooting, which sparked nationwide protests over a rash of police-involved shootings of black men. As hes traveled from Afghanistan to Greece, Turkey and Serbia, one 10-year-olds artwork has earned him the nickname Little Picasso. Farhad Nouri is a refugee, along with his two younger brothers and parents in Belgrade, Serbia, where they have formally applied for asylum, the Associated Press reports. Hes spent much of his time in migrant camps drawing or painting. His nickname stems from his love of Pablo Picasso. I was in Turkey, I was in Greece, Nouri told the AP. Here in the camp I like my painting, I like drawing my feelings and faces. Nouris work ranges from landscapes to fairytale castles, along with portraits of friends, family and celebrities like Angelina Jolie and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He did a portrait of artist Salvador Dali, he added, but hasnt depicted Picasso himself yet. One day I will draw him too, Nouri told the AP about his namesake. [AP] Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. UNDER SCRUTINY: TRUMP'S 'INSURANCE FOR EVERYBODY' PLEDGE Republicans pushing a plan to dismantle Obama's health care law brace for a Congressional Budget Office analysis widely expected to conclude that fewer Americans will have health coverage under the proposal. 2. WHERE BLIZZARD COULD DUMP 18 INCHES OF SNOW Forecasters say a nor'easter will bring heavy, wind-whipped snow from New Jersey to Maine. 3. NO LET-UP IN DISPUTE BETWEEN NATO ALLIES Turkey summons the Netherlands' top diplomat to formally protest the treatment of a Turkish minister in that country over the weekend. 4. TRUMP TO MEET, GREET ANGELA MERKEL The German chancellor is heading to Washington for her first meeting with the U.S. president. 5. LIVESTOCK PERISHING IN SOMALIA'S DROUGHT The worsening drought is killing off up to 70 percent of herders' animals, leaving a key population without their main source of survival. 6. NONPROFIT'S MOTTO: 'LESS JAIL, MORE FUTURE' In the tough neighborhoods of greater Boston, an unusual program is seeking to steer hundreds of the region's highest-risk young men away from a return behind bars. 7. SCIENTISTS RACE TO PREVENT WIPEOUT OF CORAL REEFS The unique underwater ecosystems are dying on an unprecedented scale due to rising ocean temperatures. 8. LEGENDARY PHOTOGRAPHER TO RETIRE Nick Ut, the Pulitzer Prize-winner most famous for his image from the Vietnam War known worldwide as "Napalm Girl," is ending a 51-year career at the AP. 9. WHOSE TV PROFILE IS RISING MSNBC's Rachel Maddow emerges as the favorite cable news host for presidential resistors in the opening days of the Trump administration. 10. NORTHWESTERN CELEBRATES HOOPS MILESTONE On Selection Sunday, the Wildcats' first trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history steals the headlines. Moscow (AFP) - Saint or playboy, blood-stained autocrat or family man, incompetent leader or just a victim of circumstance? A century after he ended Romanov rule, Russia's last tsar still prompts heated debate. Nicholas II abdicated on March 2, 1917, or March 15 by the current calendar, in the royal train in the northwestern town of Pskov. "There's no consensus in society or among historians about Nicholas II," says Boris Kolonitsky, a history professor at the European University at Saint Petersburg. Independent polling centre Levada last month found almost half of Russians feel positively about Nicholas II. President Vladimir Putin, despite his Soviet spy past, has linked his rule to the Romanovs, opening statues and exhibitions and lighting a candle in front of an icon used at Romanov coronations. In December he called for the 1917 centenary to bring "reconciliation". - A big 'what if' - Nicholas II abdicated after the February Revolution in Saint Petersburg, when troops mutinied as protestors demanded bread and condemned tsarism. An online poll by Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid last month found 33 percent blamed the events on "foreign secret services", but just 15 percent blamed the tsar's wavering. Nicholas first wanted his ailing son Alexei to succeed, but agreed to choose his brother Grand Duke Mikhail, who refused, ending the dynasty. For Romanov descendant Paul Kulikovsky, the moment of Nicholas's abdication is a big "what if". "It could easily have been avoided," said Kulikovsky, whose great-grandmother Olga was Nicholas's sister. "He was basically isolated and didn't have any family or friends around him at this crucial moment." Kulikovsky, 56, is the only Romanov descendant living in Russia. With recognisably Romanov features, he grew up in Denmark but has a Russian wife. He is philosophical about the Romanov legacy, citing a recent poll finding that only 20 percent want a monarchy. Story continues "Even if there is a monarchy, it's not a given that it will be a Romanov one again and I'm fine with that," he told AFP. - Romanovs as holy martyrs - After Nicholas's abdication, a provisional government took over but was overthrown by the Bolsheviks in the October Revolution. The new authorities arrested the ex-tsar and his family and moved them to Siberia and Yekaterinburg in the Urals where the Bolsheviks shot them in 1918 and hastily hid their remains. The Russian Orthodox Church has canonised the whole family as holy martyrs, which some believe means Nicholas II is beyond criticism. A forthcoming film about Nicholas's pre-marital affair with a ballerina, "Matilda" by Alexei Uchitel, has angered extreme believers who even threatened arson attacks on cinemas. Monarchists this month announced a bust of Nicholas II in Russia-annexed Crimea was miraculously oozing myrrh -- a claim denied by the Church. Nicholas's ambiguous status as a historical figure but also a saint affects his family, too. Criminal investigators and geneticists believe bone fragments found in 2007 are the remains of Alexei and his sister Maria. But they cannot be laid to rest until the Church decides on their fate. Meanwhile they lie in boxes in state archives. Other family members were buried in 1998 in Saint Petersburg in a ceremony attended by then-president Boris Yeltsin. Leading a Church investigation is Archimandrite Tikhon, a monk said to be President Vladimir Putin's spiritual advisor. Tikhon said he hopes to announce a decision by this summer. "We hope very soon this will be the end of this chapter," Kulikovsky said. - 'Not a good politician' - Historians are divided on the impact of Nicholas II's reign and his abdication. Monarchist historian Vladimir Lavrov of the Institute of Russian History at a recent debate in Moscow said the "handover of power was illegal." It followed an "anti-Russian and anti-Orthodox" revolution," he said. Yet the tsar is still remembered as "Bloody Nicholas". In 1905 his troops shot dead hundreds of peaceful protesters, shocking the world. Historian Kirill Solovyov of Russia State University for the Humanities recalled a Soviet joke that it wasn't Lenin but Nicholas II who did most to foment revolution. Solovyov believes a political crisis was inevitable but revolution could have been avoided if in 1917 the tsar had agreed to "radical changes in power." But Nicholas delayed and by late February, the situation was "probably irreversible", Solovyov believes. For Kolonitsky, Nicholas "wasn't a good politician." "He didn't want to allow reforms -- which conformed to his beliefs, he was a convinced monarchist," he said. Russia's complex situation "escalated significantly" during World War I, he says. "I'm not sure even a good politician could have brought the ship of Russia through those reefs. The challenges were very great." The public often dismissed the tsar as "a fool," he said, but Nicholas was not stupid. He was an "unusually reserved" man who viewed his family as his priority, but also "had the gift to charm people," he said. He was "quite stubborn" but not a strong person or a good judge of those he appointed, Kolonitsky said. "He wanted to be an autocrat but he didn't have the character of an autocrat." Fourteen million people would lose health insurance by 2018 under the new Republican plan to replace Obamacare, according to a long-awaited Congressional Budget Office report, a dramatic increase that would shake up the American health care system. The numbers released on Monday afternoon further complicate the Republican Partys messy effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and will likely increase doubts about the replacements viability. The Republican plan, called the American Health Care Act, would dramatically reduce the amount of federal assistance for low-income Americans to purchase healthcare. It would also freeze the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare and cap spending on Medicaid enrollees. Both measures would result in Americans losing health coverage, according to the CBO. The agency projected that the numbers would only grow, with 21 million losing insurance by 2020, when Trump runs for re-election, and 24 million by 2026. The replacement would also reduce federal deficits by $337 billion over the next ten years, a reward for conservatives and deficit hawks who have called for the federal government to reduce spending. In addition, average health care premiums would rise in 2018 and 2019 by 15% to 20% for single policyholders, though premiums would then begin to fall in 2020 and afterwards, according to the CBO. But by 2026, average premiums would be 10% lower than they are today, due to the elimination of insurance requirements. The CBO is a nonpartisan government agency that analyzes the effect of legislation on the budget and the economy. Policymakers have long relied on the office to forecast the impacts of Congressional action. In the hour after the CBO estimates were released, Democrats lambasted the bill, saying it would kick Americans off health insurance and increase costs. The CBO score shows just how empty the presidents promises, that everyone will be covered and costs will go down, have been, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. This should be a looming stop sign for the Republicans repeal effort. Story continues The White House quickly pushed back against the CBO report. We disagree strenuously with the report, said Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. We believe that our plan would cover more individuals at a lower cost and give them the choices that they want. As for the CBO forecast of 14 million more uninsured next year, its virtually impossible for that number to occur, Price said. But House Republicans embraced parts of the report as true. When people have more choices, costs go down, said House Speaker Paul Ryan. Thats what this report shows. Republicans have insisted that Obamacare must be replaced, pointing to steeply rising insurance premiums, particularly in rural counties. This report by the CBO confirms that this first phase of health care reform, the American Health Care Act, uses conservative and free-market principles that will empower Americans with access, choice, and affordability, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Over the last week, Republicans have criticized the CBO, saying it would not provide an accurate forecast of the law. If youre looking to the CBO for accuracy, youre looking in the wrong place, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters last week. Gary Cohn, the White House chief economic adviser, called the CBOs analysis meaningless in an interview with Fox News Sunday. But in the past, Trump has frequently relied on the CBO estimates to criticize President Obama. The director of the CBO, Keith Hall, is a conservative economist who worked for the White House Council of Economic Advisers and the Bureau of Labor Statistics under President George W. Bush. The current Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price praised Hall when he was appointed. The expected reduction in the number of the insured is due to a number of factors, according to the CBO and health policy experts. First, the Republican replacement for Obamacare provides significantly less assistance for low-income people to buy insurance. Without help buying insurance, many will be forced out of the market. For example, a 50-year-old in Alaska earning $25,000 can receive $14,000 in subsidies per year under Obamacare, but just $3,500 under the Republican plan. A 39-year-old in western North Carolina who receives $5,500 in subsidies would receive $2,500 under the new plan. Second, the Republican law repeals Obamacares much-despised requirement that individuals purchase health insurance. Without that requirement, many healthy people will choose to go without insurance. That may leave more sick people for insurance companies to take care of, which is more expensive, and cause insurance companies to further raise rates. Third, and most importantly, the Republican plan freezes the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, meaning that states that expanded the program will not be able to accept new enrollees in 2020. That means that people will eventually drop out of the program, increasing the size of the individual market, and the total number of people who will not have insurance. It also caps the amount of money that can be spent on Medicaid recipients, and some states would discontinue their expansion of Medicaid eligibility. The CBO estimates that 52 million people would be uninsured in 2026, compared with 28 million who would be uninsured under current law. Still, Republicans are likely to point to the predicted drop in insurance premiums by 2026. The 10% drop in insurance premiums by the CBO would be due to looser regulations on plans: Under Obamacare, insurance companies are required to provide generous benefits, but Republicans would repeal those regulations. That means some plans would be skimpier, but cheaper, giving people more choice. Republicans will frame the bill as a choice: with the repeal of the individual mandate, consumers will be able to choose whether or not to buy health care. But as leadership in the House moves forward, the large increase in uninsured24 million more uninsured in ten yearswill be difficult to avoid. The American Health Care Act expands choice and freedom while reducing costs and saving taxpayer dollars. We look forward to acting on it in the House Budget Committee this week, said Rep. Diane Black, the chair of the House Budget Committee. -With reporting by Zeke J. Miller Chicago (AFP) - Gay rights groups and child welfare advocates raised alarm Monday over what they see as legislative attempts in nearly two dozen US states to roll back recent anti-discrimination gains. The advocacy groups are particularly concerned over a new law in South Dakota which allows adoption agencies to cite religious beliefs to potentially avoid working with gay parents. The South Dakota law "is really just the beginning, and is part of a large wave" of similar efforts, said Sarah Warbelow, legal director at the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign (HRC). There are more than 100 similar bills in 23 states, according to HRC and the American Civil Liberties Union, including Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee. The bills aim to loosen restrictions on discriminating against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people through religious exemptions, the groups said. "We're seeing different tactics and strategies being used to undermine the rights of LGBT people," said Eunice Cho of the ACLU. Texas was "the most egregious offender," she said, with more than a dozen bills that would, among other things, change foster care rules, grant wedding vendors the right to refuse service, and allow county clerks to abstain from performing gay marriages. "We are deeply concerned that these bills will continue to gain momentum, and will begin passing all over this country," Warbelow said. The South Dakota law grants child placement agencies the right to act on "any sincerely-held religious belief or moral conviction," and would allow them to avoid offering services that conflict with those beliefs. Advocates said gay parents in the state who are currently fostering children face the prospect of being blocked from adopting them. "That would be particularly devastating," as fostering is a common path to adoption for many children, said Christine James-Brown, CEO of the Child Welfare League of America. A spokesperson for South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, who signed the bill into law on Friday, did not return AFP's request for comment. The state legislators who sponsored the bill, Alan Solano and Steven Haugaard, did not immediately return a request for comment. From Delish When you're grabbing a drink at Disney's new bar, you half expect Christian Bale or Hugh Jackman, in full Prestige costume, to walk through the doors at any second. Or, at the very least, the ghost of Harry Houdini. It's called Abracadabar, and though it isn't inspired by the 2006 movie, it's hard not to think of it as you take in the rich velvet curtains, moody Damask wallpaper, and vintage-esque illusionist memorabilia surrounding you. But, the real magic is its signature cocktail list: A roundup of 10 drinks that are 40 percent trick, 60 percent treat. There's the Conjurita, a marg that changes colors from inky indigo to poppy magenta as it's shaken; the Elixir 13, a combination of absinthe and water so potent there's a two-drink maximum per person; even a mocktail called the Seashore Sweet, a glass of ice topped with a carnival favorite - cotton candy - which vanishes as lemonade's poured over it. (Pro tip: Get it topped with orange-flavored vodka, for a 21-and-up concoction that tastes like liquid Skittles.) Photo credit: Jonathan Boulton The tricks and cutesy names may make you immediately dismiss the bar as another Orlando tourist trap - until you try a cocktail. They're made from scratch (no store-bought, just-add-booze mixes here), and they're not the saccharine-sweet drinks you'd expect from a vacation destination. Abracadabar focuses on whiskey-based cocktails, offering its own takes on classics, like Old Fashioneds, Negronis, and Manhattans. Photo credit: Jonathan Boulton "We come up with the drink, then we talk to WDI - Walt Disney Imagineering - and tell them what we want to get across, and they work with us to come up with the name," explained Brad Ward, beverage manager for Disney's Parks and Resorts. "As our cocktail sales have been growing, we've found people really enjoy highly themed bars." For the Conjurita, for example, they told Imagineers they wanted people to immediately understand it was a margarita, but the name should convey the enchanted feeling of the bar itself. Story continues "That's how they came up with the Conjurita - you're conjuring magic, the drink's changing colors, and it has the 'rita,' so you know it's a margarita," Ward said. To come up with the recipes themselves, the team combines drink trends they've spotted while traveling - at conventions, when meeting with vendors, and visiting Mom and Pop bars worldwide - with visitor data, making sure to include things people have been loving lately, like drinks with a touch of heat. Disney tempered the kick of the black pepper and habanero-lime syrup it uses in Pepper's Ghost with a hearty pour of pineapple vodka. It's sweet, then it brings the heat. Photo credit: Jonathan Boulton They rounded out the menu with two mocktails (since Disney is often a family vacation, after all), but the Seashore Sweet - shown in the video above - has become a hit thanks to what Abracadabar bartender Gail Smith deemed the "fajita effect." The Seashore Sweet is such a vibrant blue that within seconds of one being delivered to a table, everyone's heads are swiveling to watch it go by, just like a sizzling platter of fajitas at Chili's or Applebee's. "Suddenly, everyone wants to know what it is and wants to order one too," she said. Photo credit: Jonathan Boulton That's the thing about Abracadabar - with every detail, the bar transports you. You're not five minutes away from a bustling highway in the heart of Orlando, FL, with a phone that won't stop buzzing with emails from your boss, even though you're on vacay, and a sunburn because you forgot to replace that SPF 30 TSA made you toss. You're spending the night at an old magicians' haunt that's, well, haunted - the bar's supposed to be a speakeasy illusionists frequented every night in 1940, until one evening, they all disappeared - and you're having one surprisingly strong drink while there. More Disney's Most Delish We've got all the goods on where to eat right at the House of Mouse: Check out all our awesome Disney stories >> Want More? Try These: The 15 Most Delish Foods at Magic Kingdom Watching This Minnie Mouse Cake Get Decorated Is So Oddly Hypnotic 26 Disney Food Hacks You Should Know Before Your Next Trip Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like Since early 2017, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has been offered at hundreds of American high schools. And students can reap many benefits from the IB curriculum, including potential college credit, rigorous coursework and a world-class education. Accessing these benefits, however, also requires completing numerous assessments that do not always match standard high school tests. If you will soon be starting down the IB path, here are four common questions you may have and the answers to them. [Discover the differences between AP and IB classes.] 1. What types of assessment will I encounter in a single IB course? The average high school class consists of a cumulative score that is derived from class participation, exams, homework, projects and quizzes. Your teacher completes the associated grading. In IB classes, however, student assessment involves a more complicated formula. The heart of IB assessment is a written exam administered near the end of each course. Test specifics vary by subject, but the assessment is often centered around two or three papers -- your answers to essay questions; structured problems; case-study questions; or short-, data- or text-response questions -- that are written on subsequent days. Multiple-choice questions are very rare. [Read these three considerations before enrolling in a first IB course.] In the IB system, this exam is referred to as external assessment because external reviewers -- who are not your teacher -- grade your work. Taken together, these external assessments typically count for 75 to 80 percent of your final grade, though this number may be lower in certain instances. An additional component of your grade is derived from internal assessments, such as lab work in the science courses, conducted throughout the course. The course teacher generally assigns and grades these internal assessments, though may also review them. Internal assessments vary according to course type. In biology, for example, internal assessment accounts for 20 percent of a student's grade and involve an individual investigation. Story continues 2. How are end-of-year IB exams scored? End-of-year IB tests are graded according to how well your exam demonstrates mastery of the stated course objectives. The criteria for each class is identical -- regardless of where you register for it. Grading is conducted by a team of experts whose work is closely monitored to ensure that assessment is consistent between students. You can also review the detailed description of the IB exam grading philosophy and process. IB tests are administered over several weeks in May and November, with May results available on July 5 and November results available on Jan. 5. This schedule means that college admissions decisions are made before senior-year May exam results are released. [Discover five ways to prepare for IB success.] 3. How does the diploma program work? In the IB diploma program, each IB course is scored on a scale from one to seven, with seven representing the highest mark possible. Students in the program typically take six courses and must also complete the theory of knowledge; extended essay; and creativity, action, service requirements. To receive a diploma, a student must accumulate at least 24 points across all classes. Higher level and standard level courses count equally. Students can gain up to three additional points from the extended essay and theory of knowledge components, but all three of the above requirements must be completed satisfactorily for you to earn a diploma -- even if you receive sevens in all of your classes. Consider these statistics. In 2015, roughly 1 percent of students scored a perfect 45 points, including three bonus points. Note, too, that some 400 students accumulated 24 points or more but did not receive their diplomas. 4. How can I prepare for the different assessments? In addition to taking advantage of sample assessments, some of the best ways to prepare for IB assessments are to stay current on course material and study the syllabus carefully. During some standard high school courses, you can move on from material after you've been tested on it. In IB classes, material may appear on a mid-year internal assessment, as well as on the end-of-year exam. When preparing, do not solely prioritize the most recently covered content -- everything you discuss throughout the course will matter. Your syllabus is also extremely valuable in predicting the material that will be covered on assessments. Feel free to ask your teacher which parts of the class apply to each point on the syllabus if it is not immediately obvious. Finally, consider visiting online communities for advice as well. Other students have survived this process before you -- learn from them. Brian Witte is a professional SAT tutor with Varsity Tutors. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University. "(BJP leader Nitin) Gadkari could take the decision, why not our seniors?" Rane questioned, angry over how Congress with its 17 seats was unable to form a majority in Goa. By Rohini Swamy: With the Bharatiya Janata Party on track to forming the next government in Goa, discontentment may be brewing among Congress leaders from the coastal state. Vishwajit P Rane, the Congress MLA from Valpoi and the leader of opposition in the outgoing Assembly, has announced he is quitting the party. Rane is also the son veteran Congressman and former Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane. advertisement An angry Rane spoke to India Today announcing his exit, slamming the way Congress failed to stitch together a majority in Goa despite emerging as the single-largest party after winning 17 seats. "I am very disillusioned with the way the Goa scenario was handled is very shameful," he said. He indicated that more MLAs could follow in his footsteps, saying, "Congress MLAs are disgusted." Reacting to the news, Congress spokesperson KC Venugopal, while admitting that the Congress's strategy in Goa will have to be rethought, said, "Nobody will leave the Congress." Venugopal added that he will speak to Vishwajit about the matter. RANE SLAMS CONGRESS INACTION Blaming Congress leaders for not moving swiftly enough Rane said that had the party accepted the demands of the Goa Forward Party, which has three MLAs, it would be sitting on the treasury benches. "Certain senior leaders should be hanged, those who scuttled the demands of the Goa Forward," Rane said. GFP went on to support the BJP, which had managed to win only 13 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly. "(BJP leader Nitin) Gadkari could take the decision, why not our seniors?" Rane questioned. Gadkari played a vital role in ensuring that BJP formed the government. Rane, "I told Digvijay Singh (Congress general secretary) that I am done with the working of the Congress party." He went on to echo Singh's claims about money having played a role in BJP's post-poll alliance. "They (BJP) were auctioning posts for the leader of the legislative party, it was very shameful," Rane claimed. "When we were 17 we should have swiftly moved and compromises should have been made." Rane signed off, saying the post-result fiasco would cost the Congress dearly in the future. "People in my constituency say...they have blacklisted the congress party, my voters say they will not accept the Congress again." Meanwhile, Manohar Parrikar, who today formally resigned as the union defence minister, is set to take oath as the new Goa chief minister tomorrow. ALSO READ | Parrikar to take oath as chief minister tomorrow, Congress accuses BJP of buying support ALSO WATCH | MGP's Sudin Dhavalikar to be deputy CM --- ENDS --- advertisement A traditional 401(k) plan is now the predominate form of retirement benefit provided by employers. However, companies tweak their retirement benefit packages from year to year and sometimes add new 401(k) features or other types of retirement benefits. Here's a look at the types of retirement benefits that are increasingly being offered to employees. [See: How to Max Out Your 401(k) in 2017.] Roth 401(k). A Roth 401(k) allows employees to save after-tax dollars in order to qualify for tax-free withdrawals in retirement. About half of employers now provide a Roth 401(k), up from a third in 2012, according to a Society for Human Resource Management membership survey of 3,490 human resources professionals. However, not all employers will match contributions to the Roth 401(k). SHRM found that just 37 percent of the companies surveyed provide a 401(k) match on Roth account contributions, compared to 74 percent that match traditional 401(k) deposits. When a Roth 401(k) match is provided, employers are required to put the matching funds in a traditional 401(k) account, and withdrawals will be taxable in retirement. "If you are saving on an after-tax Roth basis, your match is going to go in pretax, so you are going to be getting tax diversification," says Marina Edwards, a senior consultant for Willis Towers Watson's retirement practice. Having retirement investments subject to two different tax treatments will give you options to control your tax bill in retirement. "If you have a bucket of money that is after-tax that you can pull from, if you are an individual who is close to exceeding a tax bracket, by taking 401(k) distributions from a tax-free source, you stay in that lower tax bracket," Edwards says. Roth 401(k) plan conversions. Employers are increasingly allowing workers to convert their traditional 401(k) assets to a Roth within the 401(k) plan. Nearly a third (32 percent) of plans now permit Roth conversions, up from 19 percent in 2012, SHRM found. When you transfer money from a traditional tax-deferred 401(k) to an after-tax Roth 401(k) you have to pay income tax at your current rate on the amount converted. Some financial planners recommended executing a conversation in a year when you have an usually low income in order to pay a lower tax rate, or you could convert a small amount each year over several years to keep the tax bill manageable. "If your plan doesn't have the conversion feature, ask for it through human resources," Edwards says. "When they hear that the participants are asking for it, that's when they add it." Story continues [See: 10 Retirement Benefits You Need to Have.] Retirement advice. Some 45 percent of employers provide advice about preparing for retirement, up from 39 percent in 2012, according to the SHRM survey. A financial advisor might offer education or recommendations about retirement planning and other major life goals. Companies might also provide online, one-on-one or group investment advice. "Your aim should be to get a good understanding of what he or she will do for you, what the benefit and cost will be and whether you trust the advisor to do what is in your best interest," says Ted Halpern, founder of Halpern Financial in Ashburn, Virginia. "A fiduciary puts the client's best interest before their own." Phased retirement programs. A phased retirement program allows you to gradually reduce your schedule or responsibilities as you approach retirement. Most companies that allow phased retirement do so as an informal arrangement negotiated by individual employees. The proportion of employers allowing informal phased retirements has doubled over the past five years to 11 percent. A phased retirement often makes it easier for workers to transition into retirement. "It gives you time to explore what you are going to do next," says Teri Alexander, a certified financial planner for Alexander Financial Planning in Columbus, Ohio. "Then you are much more ready to retire and it doesn't feel like such a jolt." Employers also benefit when older workers mentor younger colleagues and pass along valuable institutional knowledge. [See: 10 Alternatives to Full-Time Retirement.] However, employers also decided to cut some retirement benefits. Fewer organizations are allowing catch-up contributions to 401(k) plans for workers age 50 or older, SHRM found. Some employers have stopped allowing employees to tap into their retirement accounts early via loans or hardship withdrawals. The proportion of employers providing retiree health care coverage has also declined from 24 percent in 2012 to 20 percent in 2016. Emily Brandon is the author of "Pensionless: The 10-Step Solution for a Stress-Free Retirement." Milestone moments do not a year make. Often, its the smaller news stories that add up, gradually, to big history. With that in mind, in 2017 TIME History will revisit the entire year of 1967, week by week, as it was reported in the pages of TIME. Catch up on last weeks installment here. Week 11: March 17, 1967 A new name was lighting up the mental marquees of culture watchers in early 1967: Redgrave. Well, actually, it wasnt new at all Sir Michael Redgrave was already one of Englands most respected thespians, and his wife Rachel had a career of her own but it was much more visible. The two Redgrave daughters had crossed the pond and gone Hollywood, introducing larger audiences to theatrical talents that had been limited to those with access to Londons theaters. (Their brother Corin was just getting into the business as well.) The year 1966 had seen the comedic chops of the madcap mimic Lynn, then 24, on display in Georgy Girl and a sense of mystery and radiance in her presence leading Vanessa, 30, to shine as a leading lady in Morgan! and Blow-Up. Both were nominated for Best Actress at the upcoming Oscars. But, as TIME explained in a cover story, Redgrave-mania was about more than two individual talents: The rise of this remarkable sister act coincides with the emergence of a new international era in cinema and a new international species of film actor The new thrust in movies took inception from the collapse of Hollywood in the early 50s and the revival of Europe as a center of film production. Since the European industry was small and loosely organized, such directors as Vittorio De Sica, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Alain Resnais, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard could pretty well shoot them as they saw them and let the censor take the hindmost. As a result, they made a number of fine far-out films (The Bicycle Thief, Wild Strawberries, 8 12, LAvventura, Hiroshima, Mon Amour, The 400 Blows, Breathless) that made a startling amount of money. U.S. producers were impressed. Unable to beat the new movement, they decided to join it. New Hollywoods, largely supported by U.S. capital, arose on the Seine and the Isar, the Tiber and the Thames. In 1966, every other movie made with American money was made abroad, and many of them (A Man for All Seasons, Blow-Up, Taming of the Shrew) were made by European directors and actors. Moreover, moviemaking at last fell out of the pockets of the moneymen in the front offices and into the hands of directors, writers and actors who suddenly found themselves with more freedom than they had ever known in the dear dead days that were happily beyond recall. Story continues As for the Oscars, the awards provided no fodder for sibling rivalry: the prize went to Elizabeth Taylor for Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter Two views on Vietnam: An article in the national news section neatly summed up the two prevailing, competing views on the War in Vietnam within the U.S. government. On one side, President Lyndon Johnson made the case to the world that the best way to get North Vietnam to the bargaining table for peace talks was to make it clear that, otherwise, military force used by the U.S. would only grow. On the other side were those championed by Sen. Robert Kennedy, who held that the way to convince the world to take peace seriously was to halt bombing. As LBJ and RFK faced off over the disagreement, the President was rumored to have told the Senator that the conversation was effectively over: I never want to see you again, he was reported to have said. Jimmy in jail: Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa had just begun his time in jail, after a decade running the uniona decade full of success for the teamsters but near-constant legal battles for Hoffa, over questionable associations with gangsters, shady deals with employers and flagrant misuse of union funds. Stalin surprise: In a shocking Cold War subplot, Josef Stalins daughter Svetlana, who had not been in the public eye for years, had suddenly reappearedin an attempt to defect to the West. At a moment that was inconvenient for both the USSR and the U.S., she left her children in Moscow and made her way out of the country. Health goal: The U.S. government announced the goal of eradicating measles by the end of the year. (Spoiler alert: they failed, and even the elimination of measles in the U.S. in the year 2000 wasnt the end of the story, as the U.S. has seen hundreds of cases in recent years, including a much-publicized outbreak at Disneyland.) Great vintage ad: This one, from Lockheed, is just plain weird. Coming up next week: Martin Luther Photo credit: Scott Olson / Getty From Delish The world may have been overtaken by craft beers and girls who "just want a Stella," but let us remind you: The lime-topped, clear-bottled, wish-I-was-on-a-beach Corona still exists, and it's just as mild and nostalgic as you remember. Thumb through your college-era Facebook photos to get you in the mindset, then read these eight fun facts about America's favorite Mexican beer. 1. You're probably calling it the wrong thing. It's totally acceptable (and 100 percent less obnoxious) to order a Corona at the bar, but the beer's official name is Corona Extra. Go for the full name when you want to be a little, well, extra yourself. 2. Corona's label is a piece of art. Photo credit: Getty The yellow circle in the center represents the sun setting over the blue ocean - AKA the blue strip behind it. And the symbolism doesn't stop there: The creatures flanking the crown on top of the sun are called gryphons (they have a lion's body and an eagle's head), and are the designated guardians of every bottle. 3. Mexicans enjoyed the beer long before Americans ever tasted it. Grupo Modelo, Corona's parent company, first brewed the beer as a pilsner in 1925. A couple decades later, Corona was the Mexican beer, and Americans took notice. However, it wasn't officially exported to the U.S. until the '80s. 4. Corona's stats are impressive. The numbers speak for themselves, so here goes: When Corona Extra was introduced to the U.S. by Mexico in 1981, it became the fastest-growing beer in America's history. Now, it's the country's best-selling imported beer and the fifth most popular beer overall. And that's just the regular stuff. The light variety is the No. 1 imported light beer and the sixth best-selling beer overall. 5. No one knows why you put a lime on top. Photo credit: Scott Olson / Getty The internet has obviously come up with its fair share of theories. Some say the wedge was initially used to keep flies from crawling in the mouth of the bottle while others say one clever bartender made a bet that he could start a trend of adding limes to a Corona, and it stuck. Another idea: The lime combats the "skunky" taste the beer gets from being exposed to light. Others say the likeliest answer is that it's all just a marketing ploy. Story continues 6. You won't find Corona in Spain. You'll only get your hands on a Coronita, which - newsflash! - is the same thing. Legend has it, a Spanish winemaker already owned the trademark for "Coronas" in the country, so the beer brand had to get creative. (Corona also sells Coronitas in the states, which are smaller, 7-ounce bottles, often used in Bulldog Margaritas.) Photo credit: Ethan Calabrese 7. 1987 was a bad year for the brand. Two Nevada grocers pulled their entire stock of Corona from their shelves when they heard that Mexican brewery workers were peeing in the beers sold to the U.S. As it turns out, a local Heineken distributor started the rumor, but it took years for Corona to gain back its popularity. 8. It has a prominent role in the 'Fast & Furious' movie franchise. At his house party in the first movie, Vin Diesel's character Dom makes it very clear that he's a Corona guy by telling Brian, Paul Walker's character, that he could have any brew he wanted, as long as it was a Corona. You'll find him sipping the Mexican beer throughout movies two through seven, too - and we're sure it'll get some screen time in the eighth installment, which hits theaters this April. Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan special forces have freed up to 32 people, including four policemen, imprisoned by Taliban insurgents in the southern province of Helmand, the defense ministry said on Monday. Swathes of Helmand are controlled by Taliban fighting to overthrow the United States-backed government in the capital, Kabul, and install a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Late on Sunday night, special forces launched the raid in a village in the district of Nad Ali, after gathering intelligence that the Taliban were holding dozens of civilians and security personnel, security officials in Helmand said. Four of those freed were policemen and the rest were civilians, the defense ministry said in a statement. American military officials estimate the Afghan government controls less than 60 percent of the country, with eight of 14 districts in Helmand under insurgent control or influence as a resurgent Taliban gains strength following the withdrawal of international troops from combat in 2014. Helmand has long been a stronghold of the group, with nearly 1,000 coalition troops killed there since the U.S.-led military intervention in 2001, more than in any other province. Afghan special forces freed more than 60 prisoners held by the Taliban in Helmand last May. (Reporting by Mohammad Stanekzai and Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Copies of the Taiwanese daily newspaper Liberty Times, with its front page on the inauguration of President Trump. (Photo: Tyrone Siu/Reuters) WASHINGTON President Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping early next month, a potentially pivotal summit as the White House tries to reassure allies that the United States will stay engaged in the region after backing out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. The two leaders are tentatively expected to meet April 7-8, potentially at Trumps luxury Mar-a-Lago private club in Florida, a U.S. official confirmed on Monday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will lock down the exact dates on his trip to Asia this week, the official added. Tillerson will visit Japan, South Korea and China, Wednesday through Sunday, as Washington tries to redefine its relationship with Beijing, confront North Korea and soothe the concerns of allies in Chinas long and lengthening shadow. The former oil executive is just the latest top Trump adviser to head to Asia. Defense Secretary James Mattis visited Seoul and Tokyo in early February for his first overseas trip since being sworn in. Vice President Mike Pence is about to go to the region as well, a senior administration official confirmed Friday. Trump himself is expected to meet again with Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany in July. Tillerson made Europe his first overseas destination but while there, the top U.S. diplomat met with foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea and released a joint statement on North Korea. In the statement, Tillerson promised that the United States stood by its allies with the full range of its nuclear and conventional defense capabilities. The robust diplomatic engagement reflects several factors, officials say. First, top Trump advisers know that fulfilling his campaign-trail pledge to reject TPP has unsettled allies who had hoped that the trade framework would bring the United States and its partners closer, offsetting Chinas huge and growing influence. The president continues to believe [TPP] was the wrong approach at the wrong time, a senior administration official told Yahoo news. But were mindful that some friends in the region thought it was important. Story continues Secretary of State Rex Tillerson greets Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi at the State Department in February. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters) Another senior administration official said the parade of senior U.S. officials reflected the need to reassure allies, especially in light of TPP and North Korea behaving very badly, and to serve notice that the U.S-China relationship is going to change. The official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, said that this is all in the early stages but there is consensus at the very top that were going to be more assertive and protective of American interests. Trump campaigned on a promise to aggressively confront China over what he described as unfair trading practices and other issues, though he has not taken concrete steps to date. We cant continue to allow China to rape our country, Trump caustically declared in May of last year. Tillerson, at his confirmation hearing, vowed to confront Beijing over its construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. Mattis, on his trip to Asia, also promised to help Japan in its territorial disputes with China. Tillersons trip will be a significant test for the secretary of state, who has earned poor reviews for not presenting the annual global human rights report in person and for missing some of Trumps early meetings with world leaders including one with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and for not taking reporters on his plane to Asia. A number of key State Department posts remain unfilled by Trump. But he has worked behind the scenes, notably on partly patching up the U.S.-China relationship, officials say. It was his direct intervention that led Trump to agree to restate support for Washingtons longstanding One China policy. Under that diplomatic formula, the United States says that Taiwan is part of China, awaiting reunification by peaceful means, while Washington sells the island government weapons to fend off a potential invasion. U.S. policy on the issue was thrown into question after Trump took a direct phone call from Taiwans president shortly after the November election. And now Tillerson must put the finishing touches on plans for a visit by Xi that could make the Chinese leader just the second world leader welcomed at Mar-a-Lago. Read more from Yahoo News: Anyone whos been caught caught in the middle seat on a packed economy flight can appreciate what Air Canada is proposing: The airline is rolling out an auction-style program that will allow passengers to make cash bids to upgrade to premium economy or business class. Airline analyst Rick Erickson warned Air Canada is walking a fine line. "The last thing you want to do is annoy those passengers [who paid full price]," he told CBC News. "You don't want to condition them into thinking that a cheaper price could be had." Auctioning airline seats is not new. Priceline has made a business out of it. Virgin America has been particularly aggressive about it, working with PlusGrade and SeatBoost to manage the program, Skift reported. PlusGrade works with more than 50 airlines, including Lufthansa, Qantas, Aeromexico, Air China, LatAm and Air Lingus. American gave it a whirl in 2013 but dropped it after merging with US Airways. Air Canada said its upgrades will be available for select destinations. Passengers will need to visit a special webpage to check eligibility and make an offer. Or if a flight was booked through Air Canada, passengers will receive an email inviting them to make an offer 10 days before departure. If the offer is rejected, Air Canada will send a notification via email. The offer page has a little slider to help passengers determine whether their offer will be taken seriously and Air Canada is offering no guarantee an offer will be accepted. Passengers will find out 48 hours before departure. air canada Photo: Tod Korol/Reuters Travel blogger Anshul Singh tried it on a flight from Toronto to Dubai. He bid $500 for an upgrade to business class from premium economy and said though the webpage told him his offer was weak, he still was a little disappointed when it was rejected. "There's no clear parameter put in front of you other than a little slider that tells you a good, bad or best [bid] based on Air Canada's presumption," he told CBC. Story continues Air Canada takes into account several criteria when assessing your upgrade offer. They include the amount of your offer, the amount of other offers, as well as the number of available seats, the airline said, adding there will be no explanation if an offer is rejected and there are no second chances or refunds. The process will be available online only, meaning no phone calls. "The program is designed to generate additional revenue by offering customers an opportunity to upgrade at the last minute," Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC News in an email. Related Articles Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt tried to work things out before filing for divorce, according to a new report. The A-list couple got matching tattoos in hopes of binding them as husband and wife prior to their split. Jolie is known for her passion for tattoos. In fact, she already has 15 tattoos, most of which she got when she was still a teenager, Daily Mail reported. However, aside from these, never-before-seen photos of the Maleficent star recently surfaced showing that she got new ink with her now-estranged husband, Pitt. Jolie and Pitt got their matching tattoos in Siem Reap, Cambodia. She was shooting her Netflix movie First They Killed My Father in the country when she decided to visit a tattoo artist from Bangkok to work on the symbolic tattoos for her and Pitt during their break. READ: Angelina Jolie speaks about difficult divorce with Brad Pitt Former monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai did three intricate tattoos, called sank yant, on Jolie's back. The style was comprises of animal shapes, lines of script and geometric patterns, Comic Book reported. Meanwhile, Pitt had a Buddhist symbol tattooed on the left side of his stomach using Jolies ink to symbolically bind them as husband and wife. Kanpai previously did tattoos for the "Salt" star back in 2003 and 2004. Jolie opted to have Kanpai do her ink as he is a master of an ancient handheld method that uses steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle. The ink is applied to the skin using the instrument, which is more painful but more accurate than a tattoo gun. This was not the first time Jolie opted to get a tattoo in honor of her ex-husband. She used to have a tattoo bearing the name of her ex, Billy Bob Thornton, on her left arm. However, the By the Sea star had it removed via laser in 2003 following their divorce, Yahoo 7 reported. Jolie replaced the tattoo with the coordinates of the birthplaces of her six children, including her biological kids with Pitt. Story continues What do you think of Jolie and Pitts matching tattoos? Drop a comment below. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake Related Articles A 196mph 2007 Ferrari F430 supercar would be a dream car for most enthusiasts but what if the first owner was the current president of the United States? Over the four-year period he owned the car, Donald Trump clocked up just 2,400 miles. Now it is to be sold by the current owner at auction in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the end of March. The supercar is expected to achieve a price higher than for an average F430 because President Trump's name is on the title document. Had Trump not sold the car in 2011, he would not be allowed to drive it now anyway. The American secret service do not approve of their Commander-in-Chief taking the wheel for obvious security and safety reasons. The same rule applies to the Vice-President. Former VP Joe Biden was also forbidden the car keys although he was permitted to drive his beloved 1967 Chevrolet Corvette on closed roads for a television show. Over time, former businessman Donald Trump was able to amass a personal fleet of vehicles and included in the list of cars he can no longer pilot are his 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a jointly developed Grand Tourer; a 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud (one of the first cars Trump ever owned); a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car; and a 24-Karat Gold Orange County Chopper. It will be interesting to see if the POTUS connection will enhance the vehicle's value. The auction of this vehicle, estimated to fetch between $250,000 and $300,000, does present both car fans and presidential history enthusiasts with a unique opportunity to own a Ferrari F430 once driven by a president. This is not the first time a car connected to President Trump has turned up for sale. An opportunity to purchase both a piece of history and a potential investment occurs on March 19 by Bonham's at Goodwood in England. The Cadillac limousine was built in 1988 by Cadillac in conjunction with Donald Trump and purchased by him for a family member. It arrived in the UK in 1991. There were plans to produce 50 of the Cadillac Trump', but only two were ever actually built. Car collectors like some added value and celebrity vehicles are possibly the most sought after. To see a personal vehicle owned by one of the most powerful men in the world on sale is extremely rare. It is a larger-than-life opportunity to buy a car previously owned by a larger-than-life politician. The vehicle will be sold without reserve and the auction house estimate is between 10,000 - 12,000 (11,000-15,000 / $12,250 - $14600). However, because of the presidential connection it is thought the final price could reach 50,000! Meanwhile the Ferrari is being sold by Auctions America in Fort Lauderdale, Florida during its March 31- April 2 sale. MEXICO CITY (AP) To followers, she's known as the Death Saint, the White Girl, the Skinny One, or just Sister and a life-transforming answer to their prayers. To the Vatican, though, she's an irritation seen as leading the faithful astray. The Roman Catholic Church rejects Santa Muerte, a cloaked female skeleton who carries a scythe, dismissing her followers as drug traffickers or other criminals asking for favors while practicing Satanic rituals. When Pope Francis visited Mexico last year he expressed concern for those who "praise illusions and embrace their macabre symbols to commercialize death in exchange for money." But Juan Carlos Avila Mercado, who conducts services every Sunday at the Mercy Church near Mexico City's notorious Tepito neighborhood, says she is gaining ever more followers. "She chooses them and has always been with us," said Avila, who said he is a Catholic priest, but who is not listed among the archdiocese's priests. "We are born and we die with death." In Tepito, a neighborhood known for its black market, some devotees arrive on their knees to visit Santa Muerte's altar. After asking for a favor, offerings are shared among the followers. Tacos, pastries, apples, sodas and amulets are passed from hand to hand. Alcohol is sprayed and cigarette smoke blown over the Death Saint repeatedly. The faces of her followers display faith and solidarity. "I encountered the saint, my Girl, at a time when I was near death," said Manuel Zavala. Three years ago he was assaulted and so seriously injured that he was believed dead. Then, he said, he saw the path of life and death. "Honestly, I've been very bad. I did things I shouldn't have, but God gave me a second chance and thanks to God, I discovered Santa Muerte." The origins of La Santa Muerte are unclear. Some followers say she is an incarnation of an Aztec goddess of death who ruled the underworld. Some scholars say she originated in medieval Spain through the image of La Parca, a female Grim Reaper, who was used by friars for the evangelization of indigenous populations in the Americas. Story continues While the cult has existed for some time and there are also death saints in South America the worship of Santa Muerte has seen rapid growth in recent years after a devotee unveiled the public shrine to Santa Muerte in Tepito. Perhaps because of the cult's relationship with the underworld, Santa Muerte has also become popular in northern Mexico, in area with heavy drug gang activity. Zavala said the Death Saint isn't bad like some think, but rather does good deeds for those who need them. "I go to a church and like the priest says: 'Life is death and death is life.'" Zavala credits the saint for turning him around. "Thanks to a person I love a lot, my White Girl, my life has changed and now I'm not the second-rate guy I was before." Goa will contest an election to become an MLA in Goa. Parties backing the BJP will be rewarded with cabinet posts. By Rohini Swamy, Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Goa's soon to be chief minister Manohar Parrikar will contest from the Mapusa seat, which was won by Francis D'Souza, according to information with India Today. In the trade off, D'Souza, the current deputy chief minister of Goa, will receive a Rajya Sabha post. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party, whose support allowed the BJP to stake claim to form government, are being rewarded with cabinet posts, India Today has learnt. advertisement MGP's Sudin Dhavalikar will replace D'Souza as the new deputy CM while GFP's Vijai Sardesai will get the town and country planning portfolio. Another MGP leader will be made a state minister while Jayesh Salgaonkar of GFP will also get a cabinet bert. Other than these, two independents (Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gawade) and five MLAs from the BJP will be sworn in as ministers. 15 DAYS TO PROVE MAJORITY Parrikar, who today formally stepped down as the union defence minister, was appointed as the chief minister by Governor Mridula Sinha Sunday night. Sources close to Parrikar said he will take oath as CM on Tuesday at 5.06 pm, which was determined as an auspicious time. Sinha gave Parrikar 15 days to prove he has the support of a majority of MLAs in Goa's 40-seat Assembly. Parrikar, who is already in the state capital Panaji, todaysaid that Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend the swearing-in ceremony. Goa: Manohar Parrikar celebrates #Holi in Panaji, says Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend swearing-in ceremony. pic.twitter.com/AG25zULm5K- ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 The BJP, which won 13 seats, came in second to the Congress, which won 17 constituencies, has managed to win support of nine of the remaining 10 MLAs. Besides the MGP's and GFP's combined six MLAs, three independents have also backed the BJP. CONGRESS HITS OUT The Congress, meanwhile, has slammed the BJP for 'stealing' the election in Goa. Speaking about both Goa and Manipur, where the BJP looks set to form the government as well, P Chidambaram tweeted, "A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur." Digvijaya Singh too spoke out, indirectly accusing the BJP of buying support. "Money Power has won over People's Power. I apologise to the People of Goa as we couldn't muster the support to form the Govt," the Congress general secretary tweeted. Singh added, "But our struggle against Communal Forces and Money Power Politics in Goa shall continue." ALSO READ | Goa governor appoints Parrikar as chief minister, asks him to prove majority in 15 days ALSO WATCH | Manohar Parrikar to be chief minister of Goa --- ENDS --- The Daily Beast 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 By Steve Barnes LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - Arkansas has acquired a new supply of a drug needed for its lethal injections ahead of next month's scheduled executions of eight men over four nights, a state corrections spokesman said on Monday. Arkansas, which has not put an inmate to death since 2005, is one of several states where executions have been on hold because of legal battles and problems in procuring lethal injection drugs after a sales ban by major pharmaceutical makers. The states stock of potassium chloride expired on Jan. 31. Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson signed an order for the executions about a month later, despite the lack of the drug. A new batch of the drug arrived in the state last Wednesday, Arkansas Department of Correction spokesman Solomon Graves said by phone. He would not disclose how the state got it, citing an Arkansas law prohibiting disclosure of the source of drugs used for executions. I can confirm that we have obtained an additional amount of potassium chloride sufficient to carry out the executions scheduled by the governor, Graves said. A spokesman for the governor said Hutchinson had maintained confidence in the correction department's ability to procure the drug. Hutchinson acted after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected appeals from the eight inmates, who contended they were entitled to know the source of the drugs in order to avoid unnecessary pain during the executions. Arkansas uses potassium chloride in combination with vecuronium bromide and midazolam. The latter drug is intended to render the inmate unconscious before the other two chemicals are administered to paralyze the lungs and stop the heart. Death penalty opponents contend midazolam is not effective, citing several executions in three other states in which the condemned appeared to writhe in pain before succumbing. The lethal injections in Arkansas are set to take place in pairs from April 17 to 27. No state has executed more than two men in a single month in the past 20 years and none has performed eight executions in 10 days, according to the Washington-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. (Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Peter Cooney) The relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice is fraying. It started in January when Trump fired his acting attorney general, Sally Yates, for refusing to enact his first attempt at a travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Then, earlier this month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would recuse himself from investigations into Trumps ties to Russia after it emerged he met with the Russian ambassador during campaign season, counter to his confirmation hearing testimony. Then, on Friday, Trump asked for the resignation of 46 federal attorneys. On Saturday, Trump fired one attorney, Preet Bharara, after he refused to resign. Bharara was the chief federal prosecutor of New Yorks Southern District, where he oversaw high-profile cases involving corruption and white-collar crime. On March 8, three watchdog organizations requested Bharara take steps to prevent Trump from receiving benefits from foreign governments by way of the Trump Organization while president. Trumps political opponents questioned whether Bharara was sacked to prevent him from opening that can of worms. Another controversial decision by the Trump administration: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Asia this week without a press corps. The administration claims its a cost saver, but media outlets pay for the trip. The absence of U.S. press on Tillersons trip to Japan, South Korea, and China could mean foreign media (in particular Chinese state media) will shape the narrative around the visit. Its a busy week for U.S. diplomacy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Washington Tuesday to meet for the first time with Trump. Their relationship got off to a rocky start when Trump personally blamed Merkel for ruining her country over Germanys refugee policy when she beat him for Time person of the year in 2015. Trumps chief trade advisor, Peter Navarro, didnt exactly help repair the relationship when he accused Germany of currency manipulation. Story continues According to a White House briefing on the visit, the goal is to build a positive relationship and have a positive interaction. Merkel was hailed by some as a last bastion of the western liberal order after Trumps election, and used her first phone call with the president to remind him of American obligations to international law. She also faces political pressure from home: German elections are in September. The countrys far-right Alternative fur Deutschland political party has been waning in the polls (many believe this is because Germans are increasingly wary of having their own Trump), but Merkels center-right Christian Democratic Union party faces fierce competition from the center-left Social Party and its challenger, the folksy Martin Schulz. But there is also another, more immediate election in Europe to consider: the Dutch elections, which will take place on Wednesday. In an effort to best far-right candidate Geert Wilders, the Dutch Prime Minister has taken to espousing such sentiment as, If you dont like it here, you can leave, making some wonder if Wilders even needs to win for some of his sentiment to govern the Netherlands. Photo credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Denpasar (Indonesia) (AFP) - An Australian woman and her British DJ boyfriend were jailed Monday over the killing of a policeman who was beaten to death on a beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Sara Connor and David Taylor were convicted of the fatal group assault of officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose battered body was found in the popular tourist area of Kuta in August. Connor, 46, was jailed for four years and Taylor, 34, was sentenced to six years. Traffic policeman Sudarsa's blood-soaked body was found covered with dozens of wounds on his neck, chest and head. Taylor, whose stage name is DJ Nutzo, admitted getting into a fight with Sudarsa on the beach after accusing the officer of stealing Connor's handbag, and hitting him with items including binoculars and a beer bottle. However Taylor, who had messy dreadlocks when first arrested, claimed that he had been in "fear of his life" and acted in self defence during the late-night brawl, and never intended to kill the officer. Mother-of-two Connor had maintained her innocence, insisting she only intervened to try to break up the fight, but this was rejected by the judges who said she held down the victim as Taylor beat him. "The defendant's actions meant the victim could not get up and move his body to resist," said I Wayan Sukanila, one of the judges ruling on Connor's case. Chief judge Made Pasek handed down the verdict and sentence in the Australian woman's case, saying she had been "legally and convincingly proven guilty" of group assault causing death. The verdict in Taylor's case was handed down at a separate hearing shortly before. - Row over handbag - Their sentences were shorter than the eight years each previously recommended by prosecutors, and will be reduced by the seven months they have already served in detention. Taylor said he accepted the sentence, but prosecutors said they would consider whether to appeal it. Story continues Connor's lawyer Erwin Siregar said he would suggest to his client that she appeal, telling reporters: "There are some parts of the verdict which do not correspond to the facts." The couple had been enjoying a romantic rendezvous on the beach when they realised that Connor's handbag was missing. Taylor confronted Sudarsa and accused him of stealing the bag, which led to the fight. They fled the scene but Connor's driving licence and ATM card were found next to the body. Connor cut up the policeman's identity cards taken from him during the killing and the couple also burnt the clothes they had been wearing on the night of the attack. After police launched a massive manhunt for them, they took refuge in the Australian consulate in Bali but soon handed themselves over to local authorities. Taylor and Connor, who are based in Australia and had been on holiday on Bali, had been accused of murder as well as two lesser charges, including fatal group assault. But prosecutors said the pair, who were tried separately, should not be convicted of murder, recognising they did not intend to kill the officer. A murder conviction would have carried a maximum jail term of 15 years. Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches. Minor crime is common but murders are rare. Washington (AFP) - Two days before key elections in The Netherlands, a US congressman was under fire Monday for praising the far-right Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders and warning Europe would lose its culture if it continued welcoming immigrants. In a weekend tweet, Republican lawmaker Steve King included a cartoon depicting the anti-Islam politician plugging a hole in a dyke labeled "Western civilization." "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies," wrote the far-right lawmaker from Iowa. A favorite of the ultra-conservative grass roots Tea Party movement, King has repeatedly spoken out against immigration. His tweet earned sharp rebukes from fellow Republicans, including from House Republican Carlos Curbelo, born to Cuban exiles who fled Fidel Castro's regime. "What exactly do you mean? Do I qualify as 'somebody else's baby?' #concernedGOPcolleague," Curbelo tweeted. Jeb Bush, a 2016 presidential candidate, joined in tweeting that "The sentiment expressed by Steve King doesn't reflect our shared history or values." "America is a nation of immigrants," wrote Bush, son and brother to two US presidents and a former Florida governor. "Get a clue," steamed Florida congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Twitter. "Diversity is our strength." For years King has expressed anti-immigrant sentiments. In 2013 he claimed that many people who illegally cross from Mexico into the United States have "calves the size of cantaloupes" because they were hauling drugs through the desert. Pressed to explain his tweet on Monday, he told CNN: "Well of course I meant exactly what I said." While insisting he was not racist, he said: "I'd like to see an America that's so homogenous that we look a lot the same." He called for higher birth rates in Europe, warning the continent would otherwise "be entirely transformed within a half century or a little more." King's post was met with euphoric support by white nationalist David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard, who tweeted "GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!" Wednesday's Dutch election is being closely watched as a bellwether of the rise of populist and far-right parties ahead of other national votes in Europe later this year. Gilead Sciences (ticker: GILD) shareholders have endured a steady downward drift since the stock peaked at its all-time high of $119.59 back in mid-2015. On Friday, Barclays analyst Geoff Meacham released a new research note in which he proposed five solutions for Gilead's slumping share price. Meacham formatted his note as an open letter directly to company management, although he makes clear that he doesn't believe the company has been mismanaged up to this point. Instead, he says Gilead simply needs to think outside the box to fully unlock its value in the market. [See: 7 Dividend Stocks to Benefit From Trump Tax Changes.] "For better or worse, investors have typically viewed Gilead fundamentals with a 'boom or bust' mentality, and prevailing sentiment looks skewed toward the latter," Meacham says. His solution involves the following five suggestions: 1. Consider merger and acquisition deals outside of the traditional scope of the company, including targets that specialize in other areas, targets that could appeal for financial considerations and targets that are not exclusively in Phase 3 drug developments. 2. If there is little improvement in the hepatitis C business this year, consider aggressive cost cutting or even restructuring the segment all together. 3. If at all possible, provide some clarity or even guidance for the company's Bictegravir-TAF Phase 3 combination program and help investors place a value on the company's HIV franchise. 4. If M&A deals don't make sense at current valuations, consider taking a "more aggressive in-licensing/business development approach." 5. Consider minimizing capital return programs and repatriating overseas cash to add financial flexibility needed to drive new growth initiatives. "From our analysis and based on following the company for almost 12 years, we'd argue that addressing just a few of the five points above would be a great first step to re-rating," Meacham says. Story continues Barclays believes that the company's share price could significantly benefit from the company leveraging its robust cash flow and pursuing potential high-impact deals. [Read: Stock Market 101: Everything You Need to Know About Buying, Selling and Trading.] Barclays maintains an "overweight" rating and $90 price target on Gilead stock. Wayne Duggan is a freelance investment strategy reporter with a focus on energy and emerging market stocks. He has a degree in brain and cognitive sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and specializes in the psychological challenges of investing. He is a senior financial market reporter for Benzinga and has contributed financial market analysis to Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha and InvestorPlace. He is also the author of the book "Beating Wall Street With Common Sense," which focuses on the practical strategies he has used to outperform the stock market. You can follow him on Twitter @DugganSense, check out his latest content at tradingcommonsense.com or email him at wpd@tradingcommonsense.com. BBC Player is now available in Asia reports Variety, after launching first in Singapore and Malaysia. The service is available to StarHub subscribers in Singapore and to TM Net subscribers in Malaysia, offering content from six BBC global brands: BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle, BBC First, CBeebies, BBC World News, and BBC Brit. "Malaysia is the second country in the world to launch BBC Player," said Myleeta Aga, senior VP and GM of South Asia and South East Asia, BBC Worldwide, commenting on the news, "Malaysians recognize and appreciate the premium content from the BBC, and our channels which are all available on HyppTV, are already very popular. Now, with BBC Player, we will be able to give Malaysians even more ways to watch their favorite content." BBC Player will be available on iOS and Android, and also online. House Speaker Paul Ryan uses charts and graphs to make his case for the GOPs long-awaited plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act on March 9, 2017, during a news conference in Washington. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images) The Congressional Budget Offices report on the American Health Care Act estimates that if the GOP plan passes, 14 million more people would be without health insurance in 2018 than under Obamacare, and 24 million more would be uninsured by 2026 than under the current law. The 28-page report released Monday afternoon was bad news for Republicans who had been preemptively attacking the office, anticipating that it would release a scoring critical of their proposed Obamacare replacement plan. The report also said that while the AHCA would substantially decrease premiums for younger policyholders, it would substantially raise them for older Americans. Related: Five key numbers from the Obamacare repeal bills CBO analysis This report confirms that the American Health Care Act will lower premiums and improve access to quality, affordable care, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said in a statement. CBO also finds that this legislation will provide massive tax relief, dramatically reduce the deficit, and make the most fundamental entitlement reform in more than a generation. The CBO was created in 1974 to be a nonpartisan analyst of proposed legislation, providing independent reports on the potential economic impact of new bills. The current CBO director is Keith Hall, who was appointed in 2015. Hall served on President George W. Bushs Council of Economic Advisors and saw his selection rankle some Democrats due to a 2013 op-ed article in which he criticized Obamacare and proposals to raise the minimum wage. The CBO has strict rules to limit financial conflicts of interest and political activities by its employees. Generally, a bill receives its CBO scoring before members vote, but Republicans in the House had already pushed the AHCA past some legislative hurdles before the report was available. I dont think the House should have proceeded without a CBO estimate, said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Sunday. At the same time, the director of the CBO is not Moses. He doesnt come down from the mountaintops with stone tablets. Theyre human like the rest of us. They can make mistakes. But they do provide an important amount of information and analysis that allows senators and congressmen to make informed choices. Story continues The report generally echoes the Brookings Institutes findings from last week, likely making the bill a tougher sell to constituents and lawmakers who are on the fence. Brookings, a liberal-leaning think tank, projected that the CBO would find that at least 15 million people would lose coverage if the AHCA were passed. This is in stark contrast to President Trumps campaign promises. I am going to take care of everybody, said Trump in a September 2015 interview with 60 Minutes. I dont care if it costs me votes or not. Everybodys going to be taken care of much better than theyre taken care of now. Last week White House press secretary Sean Spicer previewed the messaging that Republican supporters of the bill would turn to in anticipation of an unflattering report: If youre looking at the CBO for accuracy, youre looking in the wrong place. Ryan, appearing on Face the Nation Sunday, preemptively dismissed the CBOs conclusions. The one thing Im certain will happen is CBO will say, well, gosh, not as many people will get coverage, said Ryan. You know why? Because this isnt a government mandate. This is not: The government makes you buy what we say you should buy, and therefore the government thinks youre all going to buy it. So theres no way we can you can compete with on paper a government mandate with coverage. When pressed on how many people would lose coverage, Ryan said, I cant answer that question. Its up to people. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney was also making the rounds of the Sunday shows, attacking the CBO on ABC News. If the CBO was right about Obamacare to begin with, said Mulvaney, there would be 8 million more people on Obamacare today than there actually are. So I love the folks at the CBO they work really hard, they do but sometimes we ask them to do stuff theyre not capable of doing, and estimating the impact of a bill of this size probably isnt the best use of their time. The CBO projections for coverage under the Affordable Care Act were inaccurate, partly because 19 states opted out of expanded Medicaid which could not have been predicted at the time and partly because the agency predicted that more employers would drop their own health insurance plans than actually did. While the CBO wasnt perfect in its Obamacare scoring, it wasnt too far off the mark. After the Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid expansion was optional for states, the office predicted that 89 percent of Americans below age 65 would have insurance in 2016. According to data from the Center for Disease Control, the number was actually 89.7. When asked during Mondays press briefing whether CBO numbers were legitimate or not, Spicer said, Thats not my determination to make. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who ran the CBO under President George W. Bush and worked on Mitt Romneys 2008 campaign, dismissed the criticisms. The office is genuinely nonpartisan and seeks to make sure its estimates are grounded in research literature, Holtz-Eakin told Talking Points Memo. Both Republicans and Democrats have led the office, and the work is always of the same high quality. Read more from Yahoo News: By Press Trust of India: Panaji, Mar 13 (PTI) A group of Congress legislators in Goa were "upset" and blamed the partys top leadership for the failure to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly polls. "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time," Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency, told PTI today. advertisement He said that "gross mismanagement" by party leaders and the "delay" in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole the march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power. Congress lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, "Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government." "People had given us the mandate but party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault," she said. Similarly, senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. "Why should we blame someone for forming the government, when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number," Lourenco said. "People wanted us to form the government and hence, they had rejected the BJP. But we failed to give people their government," he added. All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said he would speak to the Congress legislators who have expressed resentment. "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out," Singh said today. Yesterday, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and Independents under Manohar Parrikar. As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid to power, Singh had accused Parrikar of indulging in "horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress". RPS DK SMN --- ENDS --- advertisement A suicide car bomber rammed into a bus carrying employees of one of Afghanistan's biggest telecom companies during rush hour Monday, just days after a deadly insurgent assault on the country's largest military hospital. At least one woman was killed and 19 others wounded in the powerful blast, which left the Roshan Telecom bus badly mangled and the area littered with smouldering debris and twisted metal. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it comes as the Taliban step up attacks even before the official start of the annual spring offensive. "Kabul Police have arrested three suspects related to an explosion in which 19 civilians, including four women, were wounded and one woman was killed," interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter. A Roshan official confirmed to AFP that a number of employees were wounded in the attack, but declined to say whether their vehicle was the intended target. Security officials cordoned off the area as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene as clouds of smoke filled the air. The bombing comes after gunmen disguised as doctors stormed Sardar Daud Khan hospital in Kabul last Wednesday, with insiders including two interns among the attackers, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP. The defence ministry insists only around 30 people were killed by five attackers. But security sources and the survivors, some of whom counted dead bodies, said the death toll exceeded 100. The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan. The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from point-blank range. The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq -- hours after the Taliban denied responsibility. Story continues But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live Taliban" in Pashto. The Afghan defence ministry said a government commission had been set up to investigate the attack. The violence underscores rising insecurity in Afghanistan. The country is bracing for an intense fighting season in the spring as the government's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed. Afghan forces, already beset by record casualties, desertions and non-existent "ghost soldiers" on the payroll, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. Kabul last month endorsed US General John Nicholson's call for thousands of additional coalition troops to hold off the militants before the spring offensive. Extra troops were needed to end the stalemate in the war, Nicholson, the top American commander in Afghanistan, told the US Congress in what could be President Donald Trump's first major test of military strategy. A roadside bomb struck a bus in downtown Kabul during rush hour Monday, officials said, sending smoke rising in the sky just days after a deadly insurgent assault on Afghanistan's biggest military hospital. At least one woman was killed and 19 others wounded in the powerful blast, which left the bus badly mangled and the area littered with smoldering debris and twisted metal. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it comes as the Taliban step up attacks even before the official start of the annual spring offensive. "There has been an explosion against a minibus in Kabul," Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid told AFP, adding that more casualties were feared. Security officials cordoned off the area as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene. It was not immediately clear who was on board the bus. "The explosion was caused by a roadside bomb," interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter. "Three people have been detained in connection with the explosion." The bombing comes afer gunmen disguised as doctors stormed Afghanistan's largest military hospital last Wednesday, with insiders including two interns among the attackers, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP. The defence ministry insists only around 30 people were killed by five attackers. But security sources and the survivors, some of whom counted dead bodies, said the death toll exceeded 100. The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan. The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from point-blank range. The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq -- hours after the Taliban denied responsibility. Story continues But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live Taliban" in Pashto. The Taliban, Afghanistan's largest militant group, is known to distance itself from attacks on medical facilities or those that result in high civilian casualties. The violence underscores rising insecurity in Afghanistan. The country is bracing for an intense fighting season in the spring as the government's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed. Afghan forces, already beset by record casualties, desertions and non-existent "ghost soldiers" on the payroll, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. Kabul last month endorsed US General John Nicholson's call for thousands of additional coalition troops to hold off the militants before the spring offensive. Extra troops were needed to end the stalemate in the war, Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, told the US Congress in what could be President Donald Trump's first major test of military strategy. MOSCOW (AP) A trial for the blogger who is accused of inciting religious hatred for playing "Pokemon Go" in a church has begun in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Ruslan Sokolovsky has been in pre-trial detention since October when a court reversed his house arrest. Investigators have charged the 22-year-old video blogger with inciting religious hatred, the same offense that sent two women from the Pussy Riot punk collective to prison for two years in 2012, and insulting the feelings of religious believers. Sokolovsky posted a video on his blog last year showing him playing the smartphone game in a church built on the supposed spot where the family of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, was killed. He faces a possible sentence of 7 years in prison if convicted. Boaty McBoatface is back. The remote-controlled underwater research submarine that captivated the world last year is making its first ever trip this week to Antarctica to capture climate change data and also our hearts. Boaty McBoatface has all the bells and whistles one could ever ask for in a remote-controlled underwater research submarine: the ability to travel under ice, transmit data to its mothership, and reach depths of nearly 20,000 feet. Like many heroes, Boaty McBoatfaces story was borne out of tragedy. A British government agency spurned the results of an online poll last year to name their new, $287 million polar research ship Boaty McBoatface. It was instead named RRS Sir David Attenborough, after the famed BBC broadcaster and naturalist. But to placate the masses, who had voted overwhelmingly to name the ship Boaty McBoatface, the UKs Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) named its new unmanned research sub after the crowd favorite. And thus, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Boaty McBoatface was reborn. It quickly became an Internet sensation, even spawning its own (unofficial) Twitter account: The NERC said Boatys first trip is all business. Cute though it sounds, this unmanned submarine is part of a fleet of some pretty intrepid explorers, the NERC said in a statement. Boaty will be collecting the bulk of its data on the Orkney Passage, a submerged valley over 2 miles below the Antarctic, as part of the Dynamics of the Orkney Passage Outflow (DynOPO) project to assess how the ocean is responding to climate change. It will fly through submarine waterfalls and rapids, shedding light on how global warming is changing our oceans, the NERC said. Story continues Boatys throngs of fans on the Internet are already sending well-wishes. But Boatys meteoric career rise wont stop there. In 2019, scientists will equip Boaty with chemical and acoustic sensors to track underwater activity in the North Sea. And the British National Oceanography Center said it hoped Boaty could make the first ever unmanned under-ice crossing of the Arctic Ocean. Boaty isnt the only vessel who got spurned by the higher game of politics. Across the pond, the U.S. Coast Guard is struggling to sustain a presence in the Arctic and Antarctic with a small budget that could be gutted further if the White House has its way. Maybe the U.S. Coast Guard just needs cooler names for its ships. Photo credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Rebounding from a self-inflicted banknote crisis to deliver his party a stunning victory in state polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dominance mirrors that of India's early independence leaders and bodes well for his re-election in 2019, analysts say. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party won a surprise absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh at the weekend, a result not seen in decades in the northern state that's home to 220 million people and seen as a bellwether of national politics. It also won a majority in Uttarakhand and despite coming second will form governments in Goa and Manipur, the latter a remote eastern state where the Hindu nationalist party held zero seats before polling day. "A new India is emerging," Modi declared on Twitter, nearly three years after he came to office pledging inclusive government and a "shining India" that would provide jobs for a growing youth population. Instead of fielding a candidate for chief minister in Uttar Pradesh, Modi spearheaded the campaign himself, attending nearly a rally a day for the better part of a month. The 66-year-old banked that his charisma and thundering rhetoric from the rally pulpit, both used to spectacular effect in the 2014 general election, would sway votes his way again. The risky strategy, which massively backfired in Bihar state polls in 2015, paid off: Modi floored his doubters as the BJP swept 312 of the state's 403 assembly seats. The party declared Modi the most popular prime minister since independence, the first leader since Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi whose force of personality commanded adulation and ensured broad mandates. "Since those days we've never seen one individual dominate the polity in the way Narendra Modi has been able to," Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, editor of the Economic and Political Weekly, told AFP. "This is perhaps the kind of sweeping victory we haven't seen in India for a very, very long time." Story continues Modi won the first overall majority in three decades in the 2014 election but his agenda has been hampered in the upper house of parliament, slowing the pace of promised reforms, fostering disillusionment and earning jeers from his opponents. But the key victory in Uttar Pradesh will see Modi wield a command over parliament rarely seen in Indias coalition-based politics, and able to pursue more controversial measures. It will also embolden him in addressing security concerns, most notably Pakistan, and burnish his standing on the world stage, particularly as India pushes for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. - 'Messiah of the poor' - There was much speculation the state elections would be a referendum on "demonetisation" -- Modi's shock decision in November to pull all high-value banknotes from circulation. The policy was designed to flush out tax cheats but it triggered a chronic currency shortage and chaos in a country where most transactions are cash-based. Indians were forced to queue for hours to exchange their suddenly worthless bills, and the poor struggled to buy daily essentials. The anticipated backlash -- though encouraged by his opponents -- never eventuated. Modi turned the disruption on its head, tapping into popular anger over corruption and selling the hardship as necessary pain to hit the rich. "He appeals to emotion. The fact he was able to project demonetisation in this manner says a lot about his ability to convert what many would believe would be his liability into an electoral asset," Thakurta said. By courting the votes of poorer Indians, the BJP broadened its appeal beyond the traders and middle class perceived as its traditional support base. "The reinvention of the BJP, particularly Modi as a messiah of the poor, is complete," ran an editorial in India's Sunday Business Standard newspaper. The BJP -- a right-wing Hindu party -- did exploit religious divisions in Uttar Pradesh, painting their opponents as pandering to the state's sizeable Muslim population. Modi promised voters 24-hour power supply -- a rare luxury in Uttar Pradesh -- during the Hindu festival Diwali, appeasing voters aggrieved at alleged preferential treatment doled out to Muslims during their holy month. The BJP did not field a single Muslim candidate in the state -- despite one in five following Islam -- underscoring its "majoritarian outlook", Thakurta said. Modi assured voters he would use this "emphatic win" to deliver his outstanding reforms, something his political opponents will be keenly watching as he seeks re-election in 2019. "Earlier parties were scared to fight elections on development. The strength of the poor and the aspirations of the middle class will take India to new heights," he told supporters at a massive victory parade in New Delhi. With a favourable parliament in his pocket, and a massive vote of confidence halfway through his term, Modi looks well-placed to retain India's stewardship for another term, analysts say. "More than the party, this is a victory for the Modi brand," Sanjay Kumar, from the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, told AFP. Brazils President Michel Temer says bad vibes, or possibly ghosts, drove him out of the official residence. Speaking to Veja, a Brazilian news weekly, Temer and his 33-year-old wife Marcela apparently found the Alvorada Palace designed by the late Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer spooky. I felt something strange there. I wasnt able to sleep right from the first night. The energy wasnt good, Temer reportedly said. We even started to wonder: could there be ghosts? the 76-year-old told Veja, in an article published on March 11. Only Temers son, Michelzinho, liked it. It was reported earlier in March that Temer had moved out of the glass-fronted Alvorada and returned to the nearby Jaburu Palace, which was Temers residence while he served as vice president to Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached in 2016. The news of the move comes as Brazil struggles with a severe political crisis, caused by an ongoing corruption scandal into many of the countrys political elite. Photo credit: Facebook/Breastfeeding Mama Talk From Redbook It's 2017, but there is still somehow a persistent stigma against mothers who breastfeed in public, making it likely for them to be harassed or shamed by ignorant onlookers. For one group of Colorado mothers who fed their babies while dining out, their public breastfeeding experience managed to go from bad to even worse. In a Facebook post shared by Breastfeeding Mama Talk, Tiara Wilson posted a photo of herself breastfeeding her baby along with a lengthy caption explaining the horrific incident. Apparently, Wilson and a group of her mom friends went to IHOP for International Pancake Day on March 7th. At some point, the nursing children became hungry y'know, as humans are likely to do now and again and a few of the mothers began breastfeeding at the table. The women noticed a family of 3 sitting next to them who seemed to be reacting rudely to the sight of moms using their breasts for what they were literally made to do. "While breastfeeding, that same family of three that was sitting next to us decided to snap a picture of us feeding our babies. He decided to make disgusting faces and snarky little remarks to his family," Wilson wrote. "Then his family decided to take photos and decided that they would sit there the whole time and mean mug and again make nasty faces as everyone FED their babies." Awful. One mom got the IHOP manager involved, and here's where the story manages to restore just a tad of my faith in humanity the (male) manager was a stellar advocate for the women and decided to call the police on the harassers. According to Wilson, the manager (as it turns out, incorrectly) believed it was illegal for the other patrons to be taking photos of the women breastfeeding. Unfortunately, when the police arrived, the situation took an unexpectedly negative turn. "The Aurora Police Department COP said 'GO TO THE BATHROOM or USE A COVER if you don't want to be bothered or have pictures snapped while feeding,'" Wilson alleged. "This caused one of my mama friends to break down in tears, because this horrible family is snapping pictures of her breastfeeding, and that was their response." Story continues The rightfully irritated mother closed out her post by wondering how this sort of reaction was possibly okay and pointing out how unsanitary it is to feed a child in a bathroom. Beyond that, it is so not alright for the onus to be on nursing mothers to make other people feel more comfortable by hiding away while breastfeeding and most U.S. states, including Colorado, explicitly allow moms to breastfeed in public without any potential consequences. The Aurora Police Department investigated the incident once the Facebook post gained traction, issuing an official statement on their own page. They confirmed that the officers had pointed out that, legally, there is "no expectation of privacy in a public place" and they had not found the allegedly harassing group to be violating any laws. The police also admitted that the officers had made the bathroom suggestion, acknowledging that the officers "could have communicated more effectively" to avoid inadvertently shaming the mothers. What a mess. On the bright side, there was one good outcome the Aurora Police Department met with the group of mothers and their kids to clear the situation up and to reiterate a commitment to normalizing breastfeeding. Here's hoping that, one of these days, the law catches up to common sense decency when it comes to protecting breastfeeding moms. (h/t Babble) Follow Redbook on Facebook. You Might Also Like London (AFP) - Parliament has approved legislation empowering British Prime Minister Theresa May to start Brexit, clearing her path to start the Article 50 process of leaving the European Union at any time. Here is an outline of what we know: - Timing - Britons voted by 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016. May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which begins the two-year withdrawal process, by the end of March. The EU has said it will issue its first plan for Brexit talks within 48 hours, before finalising its strategy at a summit in April. But formal talks between London and Brussels are not expected to start for at least two months and possibly later while waiting for the result of German elections in September. The European Commission's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said they must be wrapped up by October 2018 to give the EU and national parliaments time to ratify the deal. - Priorities - May will prioritise controlling immigration from the rest of the bloc, after the issue dominated the campaign for last year's EU referendum. She acknowledges this will mean leaving Europe's single market, of which freedom of movement is a key principle, and likely also the customs union. Britain believes it can negotiate the exit agreement and a deal on future relations within the two-year negotiating period, although diplomats are sceptical. Some in the EU argue that the divorce must be finalised first -- including the contentious issue of Britain's outstanding bills, which EU officials have estimated at 60 billion euros. European leaders have also been clear that Britain cannot get a better deal outside the EU than it had inside, amid fears that Brexit could cause other nations to leave the bloc. Both sides would like the early resolution of the status of more than three million Europeans living in Britain, and more than one million Britons living elsewhere in the EU. Story continues - Trade - Amid fears of the impact on jobs and growth of leaving the single market, May is pushing for "maximum possible access" for British firms. One minister indicated Britain could pay for this. Continued full membership of the customs union is unlikely as it would prevent Britain striking its own trade deals with non-EU countries, a key plank of May's strategy for a new "global Britain". May suggested Britain could sign up to some of it. The prime minister also says she wants a "phased period of implementation" of a new relationship with the EU to give businesses time to plan. She has said she wants a new relationship that is good for Britain and the EU, but would rather walk away than accept a bad deal. Without a new trade agreement, Britain would fall back on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, which could mean higher export tariffs and other barriers. - Immigration - Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, mainly from eastern and southern member states, move to Britain each year and May is committed to radically reducing this. Brexit minister David Davis has said there would be no sudden drop in numbers, as it would take years to fill low-skilled jobs in hospitality, social care and agriculture currently done by immigrants. - Security - May has promised Britain will remain a "reliable ally" to the EU and wants "practical arrangements" on law enforcement and intelligence cooperation. She has also stressed Britain's commitment to defending European security through NATO. - Parliament - The Supreme Court ruled in January that May's government must obtain approval from the British parliament to trigger Article 50, prompting the introduction of emergency legislation. The House of Lords put up some opposition, but support in the elected House of Commons meant the bill passed unamended. May has promised parliament a vote on the final Brexit deal, but warned that rejecting it meant Britain would leave without any agreement. Other battles lie ahead, particularly over the Great Repeat Bill, which will be introduced later this year to incorporate more than four decades of EU law into British law. MPs would then decide which laws to reject, adopt or amend. May's Conservatives have a slim working majority of 17 in the Commons, and have a large lead over the deeply divided Labour party in opinion polls. London (AFP) - Parliament gave its approval Monday for Prime Minister Theresa May to start Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, even as Scotland signalled its opposition by announcing plans for a fresh independence vote. The House of Lords rejected a last-ditch attempt to amend a bill empowering May to begin Brexit, paving the way for it to become law as early as Tuesday. The prime minister could then trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty at any time, starting two years of talks that will end with Britain becoming the first country to leave the bloc. May's spokesman sought to play down speculation that she would send her notification letter to the European Council on Tuesday, when the bill is expected to receive royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II. "We have been clear that the prime minister will trigger Article 50 by the end of March," her spokesman said ahead of the vote, heavily emphasising the word "end". But the prospect of an imminent start to Brexit was enough to push the nationalist devolved government in Scotland into calling for a new independence referendum. May has said Britain will leave Europe's single market in order to cut immigration, a move that the Scottish National Party (SNP) in power in Edinburgh has warned would be highly damaging to jobs and growth. SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said since the June referendum vote for Brexit that Scotland, where a majority wanted to stay in the EU, sought a different future. On Monday she made good on her warning, promising to give Scotland "a choice at the end of this process" by early 2019 -- before Britain leaves the EU. The European Commission, however, quickly responded saying that Scotland would have to reapply to join the EU rather than inheriting Britain's membership. - Countdown to Brexit - May has the power to block the vote and said that another referendum, after Scots voted by 55 percent to reject independence in 2014, would only cause "uncertainty and division". Story continues But Sturgeon's call pushes to centre stage one of the prime minister's biggest concerns about Brexit -- that it could lead to the break-up of the United Kingdom -- as she prepares to fire the starting gun. The other 27 European leaders are prepared for Britain to trigger Article 50, which begins a two-year countdown to Brexit, this week. However, speculation is growing that it may now be delayed until after a March 25 summit in Rome to mark the EU's 60th birthday -- timing that would likely be welcomed in Brussels. Once May has notified the EU of her decision by letter, the bloc will take just 48 hours to issue its first draft proposal for the negotiations, with a follow-up meeting planned on April 6. The actual talks are not expected to begin for months. The bill empowering May to begin Brexit was forced on the government by a Supreme Court ruling and was held up when the House of Lords voted for amendments demanding guarantees for EU nationals' rights and a parliamentary vote on the final withdrawal deal. Brexit minister David Davis successfully urged MPs to overturn the changes earlier Monday, saying: "We will not enter the negotiations with our hands tied." The House of Lords then conceded, passing the bill unamended late on Monday. - 'Shame on you' - The Lords amendment demanding protections for more than three million Europeans living in Britain was defeated by 335 votes to 287 by MPs -- prompting shouts of "shame on you" from protesters outside. Around 150 people had gathered to urge MPs to back the change, including Karin Templin, a 39-year-old architect who was born in the US but is now British. "I'm appalled at the UK government, at this stupid ridiculous game that means they won't guarantee the rights of everybody who wants to stay in their home and in their jobs. I'm disgusted," she said. May's government says it wants to guarantee Europeans' rights to stay in Britain, but cannot until EU leaders offer similar rights to British expatriates. The other amendment that was overturned would have given parliament the right to decide whether to accept the final Brexit deal. May has promised lawmakers a vote on the deal but only if she accepts it -- insisting her ability to walk away will strengthen her hand in negotiations. By Press Trust of India: Coimbatore, Mar 13 (PTI): Gold bars worth Rs 41 lakh were seized by DRI officials from a passenger who arrived at the city airport from Sharjah today. About 1.406 kg of gold was seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials from the 51-year-old man, who arrived by an Air Arabia flight, police said. the officials found the man moving around in suspicious circumstances and nabbed him. A search revealed the gold bars hidden in a home theatre system. Earlier the officials had said that 700 grams gold bars were hidden in the speaker box. advertisement But a further search yielded a total of 1.406 kg, worth Rs 41 lakh, they said. The man, identified as one P R Divakaran from Changanassery in Kerala, was later handed over to police, who arrested him, they said. PTI NVM APR KK --- ENDS --- The British pot is meeting the Scottish kettle. While London works to extricate itself from the European Union, Scotland is readying for yet another referendum on independence from the United Kingdom. And Scotlands leaders are turning the Brexiteers own words against them to justify a new independence vote. On Monday, Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for a new referendum on Scottish independence. I believe that it would be wrong for Scotland to be taken down a path that it has no control over regardless of the consequences for our economy, for our society, for our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. That would be wrong, and therefore my judgement is that we should have that choice, she said. Theresa Mays government snapped back with a statement Monday. The evidence clearly shows that a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum, the statement said. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. You may have heard this song before, in reverse. During the Brexit vote in July, 2016, Leave campaigners argued Britain was losing control over its economy and society with creeping authority from Brussels. Stay campaigners argued an exit from the EU would cause economic turmoil and sow divisions in Europe. Now the shoe is on the other foot. The irony isnt lost on the Twitterverse. Again, how can Theresa May talk about "uncertainty" of Scottish referendum on eve of triggering of Article 50. (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 13, 2017 The speech infuriated May, who accused Sturgeon of playing games with politics. The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable, May said, referring to Sturgeons Scottish National Party. Story continues Hours after the speech, 10 Downing announced it wouldnt invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty to begin the UKs formal withdrawal process from the EU. Rumors swirled the parliament would green-light the process this week. When that plan was scrapped, it fueled speculation Sturgeons speech scared off May. Quite a coup if Nicola Sturgeon has delayed Brexit, even by a fortnight (if no A50 trigger tmrw).PMs first Brexit wobble?? Rob Merrick (@Rob_Merrick) March 13, 2017 Weird from No.10. Why let Article 50 speculation mount, then kill it straight after Sturgeon statement? Looks like Sturgeon setting agenda. (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 13, 2017 May was largely silent about Brexit during the heated campaign last July. She was formally against Brexit, but experts and supporters say her heart wasnt in it. Shes vowed to see the Brexit process through since taking the helm of 10 Downing. Scotland voted to stay in the UK in an independence referendum in September, 2014. They considered the matter done then, but some Scottish leaders say that all changed when the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016. A majority of Scotland 62 percent voted to stay in the European Union, compared to 48 percent of the UK overall. Both the British and Scottish parliaments would have to hold a new referendum for a Scottish independence referendum to be legally binding. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Scotland should decide its future for itself, again. If the Scottish Parliament decided they wanted to have a referendum then it would be wrong for Westminster to block it, he said. But lets be absolutely clear, I do not think there should be another referendum, I think that independence would be economically catastrophic for many people in Scotland, he added. Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit movement, tweeted Nicola Sturgeon would lose a second independence referendum big time. Photo credit: JAMES GLOSSOP/AFP/Getty Images Jerusalem (AFP) - A British activist who advocates boycotting Israel over its occupation of Palestinian territory has been denied entry to the country, authorities said Monday. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv over his "ongoing actions to promote boycotts against Israel", the immigration authority said. He flew back to London on Monday morning, authority spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said. "The organisation Mr Lanning heads is one of the leading anti-Israel delegitimization and BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) organisations in Britain, and one of the largest in Europe," a joint statement from the immigration authority and the strategic affairs ministry said. It also accused Lanning of maintaining ties to leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip. The PSC condemned what it called an "undemocratic" decision and called on the British government to intervene. "The PSC will not stop raising its voice to highlight the systematic violation of Palestinian human rights in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel itself," its director Ben Jamal said in a statement. Israel has carried out a campaign against calls to boycott the Jewish state over its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory. It sees the boycott movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism -- a claim activists deny, saying they only want to see the occupation end. Last week, parliament adopted a law barring entry to foreigners who support boycotting Israel, a move denounced by human rights groups and the opposition as "thought control" harmful to the country's international standing. "If Israel believes that by introducing these draconian undemocratic laws it will intimidate its critics into silence, it is mistaken," Jamal said. Lanning was however not stopped due to the new law but instead on the discretion of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who can bar those they see as working to harm Israel, Hadad said. Israeli politicians have become more combative against BDS activists under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history. LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing to reject Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's demand for an independence referendum on the eve of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, the Times newspaper reported. "The prime minister has said this would mean a vote while she was negotiating Brexit and I think that can be taken pretty clearly as a message that this timing is completely unacceptable," the Times quoted an unidentified British government source as saying. "It would be irresponsible to agree to it and we wont." The newspaper quoted another unidentified May ally as saying that the prime minister was prepared to be more explicit in the coming weeks and say that preparations for a Scottish independence referendum would undermine Britains negotiating position with the rest of the EU. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Kylie MacLellan) CLAREMONT, Calif. (AP) The president of a Southern California college is condemning hate speech directed at the campus community by outsiders after a dustup over hoop earrings and cultural appropriation. A wall on the side of a dormitory at Pitzer College that is devoted to free speech through art was recently painted by a group of Latino students who wrote: "White Girl, Take OFF Your Hoops." Student Alegria Martinez says she and other women of color created the art because they're tired of white women appropriating their style. College President Melvin L. Oliver wrote in a letter to the campus community that local news coverage has brought a "cycle of violent hate speech" directed at students, who have been getting harassment and threats from people off campus. Oliver says the hate directed at campus threatens the well-being and safety of students and others. ___ This story has been corrected to show that college President Melvin L. Oliver's was condemning hate speech directed at students by outsiders, not speech between students. Camille Grammer has a new man in her life. Reports surfaced that the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is seeing a lawyer named David after she brought the attorney as her date to Sundays Family Equality Councils Impact Awards in Los Angeles. Camille and her date posed for photographs during the said event. She looked chic and fab in an Elie Saab laced white romper, while her date, David, looked suave in his classic navy suit. The event was graced by a number of celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson and Julie Bowen to name a few. Camille is very happy. They met through mutual friends at a party. He's lovely, one source told E! News. The insider added that Camille and David started dating a couple of months ago. In fact, the attorney has already met her two sons, Mason Grammer, 15, and Jude Grammer, 12. READ: Camille Grammer wins domestic violence case against ex-boyfriend Dimitri Charalambopoulos Prior to the event, Camille and David enjoyed a ski trip to the Swiss Alps. The reality star shared a photo collage of their adventures on her Instagram account last week and added that she wanted to go back there next year. Meanwhile, Camille has opened up about her potential return to Bravos hit reality show Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The star admitted that the network invited her to join the show again, so she had been toying with the idea over the last three years. Ive been asked. Maybe next year, well see, Camille told People. You know, after the reunion and after this season, and after casting, well see how they feel about it. Well be back and we can all discuss it. Camille added that the show exposed her personal life, which turned out to be difficult for her. For instance, it documented her divorce from actor Kelsey Grammer. For Camille, divorce alone was difficult enough and shooting a reality show while going through the separation made it even more terrible. Story continues Watch Entertainment Tonight on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Camilles new boyfriend was not a fan of RHOBH as he just started watching its latest season. However, the Bravo star admitted that his new man has been enjoying the show since he discovered it. Do you want Camille to return to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Do you think her new boyfriend is ready for the limelight in case she returns? Drop a comment below. Camille Grammer Photo: Reuters/Phil McCarten Related Articles By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A car bomb near a hotel on a busy street in the Somali capital killed at least 13 people on Monday, police and the emergency medical services said, hours after a man was killed by a blast as he tried to ram through a checkpoint. Police said the blast damaged a house on Maka al Mukaram street but did not destroy its target, the Wehliye Hotel. "We have carried 13 dead people and 14 others are injured. The death toll may rise further," Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of aid-funded Aamin Ambulance services, told Reuters. A spokesman for Somali Islamist insurgent group al Shabaab claimed the attack. "We were behind the Maka al Mukaram street blast. We killed 17 people, including senior officials of military and security and former lawmakers," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaabs military operation spokesman, told Reuters by phone. Earlier on Monday, police shot at a minibus, also in Mogadishu, when the driver refused to stop as it approached a checkpoint. The minibus exploded, wounding two bystanders and killing the driver, police officer Nur Osman told Reuters. "A policeman at a checkpoint shot at the speeding minibus. It exploded and killed the al Shabaab fighter that drove it," he said. In recent years, al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has lost most of its territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the U.N.-backed Somali government. But the insurgents frequently launch deadly gun, grenade and bomb attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government. Many attacks are aimed at military bases but some also target civilians. "There is a trend of increasingly targeting hotels since 2015," Greg Robin, an IED expert at Nairobi-based thinktank Sahan Research. "This is where government operatives stay or have meals or meetings. They are specifically targeted." The insurgents were also increasing their use of large truck bombs, he said. Only one such attack happened in 2015 but there were six in 2016 and two so far this year. (Additional reporting by Abdirahman Hussein and Feisal Omar in Mogadishu and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Louise Ireland) Paris (AFP) - Carlos the Jackal, the world's most wanted fugitive in the 1970s and early 1980s, went on trial in France on Monday for the deadly bombing of a Paris shop more than 40 years ago. The 67-year-old convict cut a grizzled, thinner figure as he was led smiling into a courthouse in Paris, where he is serving a life sentence for other attacks. Ever the sharp dresser with a taste for theatrics, he wore a jacket and a red pocket kerchief and kissed the hand of his lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who is also his partner, before blowing kisses at the media. While attention in France is now focused on the jihadist threat after a string of bloody attacks, the trial reaches back to a time when Europe was repeatedly targeted by groups sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Carlos, a Venezuelan whose real name is Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, was dubbed "Carlos the Jackal" by the press when he was giving international security services the slip while on the run. The nickname came from a fictional terrorist in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, "The Day of the Jackal", which was turned into a popular film. Arrested in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in 1994 by French police, the man who describes himself as a "professional revolutionary" is already serving a life sentence for the murders of two policemen in the French capital in 1975 as well as that of a former comrade who betrayed him. He was also found guilty of four bombings in Paris and Marseille in 1982 and 1983, some targeting trains, which killed a total of 11 people and injured nearly 150. "No one in the Palestinian resistance has executed more people than I have," Carlos said Monday. "But I am the only one who survived. In all fights there are collateral victims, unfortunately." Over the next three weeks he will be tried over yet another deadly attack, this time on Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop once located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the heart of Paris's Left Bank. In the late afternoon of September 15, 1974, a grenade was lobbed into the entrance of the store, killing two men and leaving 34 people injured. Story continues The trial is aimed primarily at shedding further light on the attack in the interests of the victims. Carlos, who is charged with murders of a terrorist nature, denies any involvement. - 'Wounds never healed' - Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing the two widows of the men killed and 16 other people affected by the attacks, said before the trial that his clients relished the chance of seeing Carlos face justice. "The victims have been waiting so long for Carlos to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed," he said. Coutant-Peyre said the trial was a waste of time and money. "What exactly is the point of having a trial so long after the events?" she asked. Al-Watan Al-Arabi magazine published an interview in 1979 in which Carlos is said to have admitted that he carried out the attack. He has since denied giving the interview. The defence has argued that the statute of limitations has expired, while also noting that judges have twice thrown out the case for lack of evidence, in 1989 and 1999. But these arguments were overruled. The prosecution says the attack was linked to a hostage-taking at the French embassy in The Hague that had begun two days earlier. The case against Carlos is also based on witness testimony from his former brothers-in-arms. Investigators have tracked the provenance of the grenade and say it came from the same batch as those used by the hostage-takers in The Hague and had been stolen from a US army base in 1972. One was also found at the Paris home of Carlos's mistress. Related: Edgar Ramirez Portrays Carlos the Jackal in 'Carlos' For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal for a series of attacks in France in the 1970s and 1980s, faces trial again on Monday for the deadly bombing of a Paris shopping center in 1974. Ramirez, who is Venezuelan and has called himself a professional revolutionary, has pleaded not guilty to the hand grenade attack on Drugstore Publicis, in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, which killed two men and injured 34. The 67-year-old is already serving two life terms for killings done in the name of Palestinian and communist causes, the BBC reports. If convicted in this French trial of first degree murder charges, he could get a third life sentence. The lawyers representing the victims told the BBC that the families wanted to see him in court. The victims have been waiting so long for Ramirez to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed, lawyer Georges Holleaux said. Ramirez was given the nickname Carlos the Jackal when he was one of the worlds most hunted terror suspects. He was convicted for the murders of two police officers in Paris and of a Lebanese revolutionary, the Guardian reports. He was arrested in 1994 in Sudan, 20 years after the first attack he was accused of. [BBC] The state of Washington, already successful in blocking President Donald Trumps immigration limits imposed in late January, returned to federal court in Seattle on Monday morning in an attempt to apply that enforcement ban to the new, revised executive order adopted a week ago. Lawyers for the state asked U.S. District Judge James L. Robart to seek a response from the Trump Administration, and then hold a hearing on Tuesday. The revised immigration order is scheduled to go into effect just after midnight Wednesday. Judge Robart responded quickly, ordering the Trump Administration to file its views on the states request by Tuesday afternoon. He said he had not decided whether to hold a hearing, but none would be held in any event before Wednesday. Simultaneously, the state newly joined by five other states filed a fresh lawsuit to make sure that they have met any procedural requirements to pursuing a challenge to the second version of the Trump policy. Joining in that new case are California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon. If Judge Robart takes up quickly the new plea to ban enforcement of the policy, that would mean three federal judges were weighing such requests on expedited schedules this week. The other challenges are moving along in Hawaii and Maryland. Although the Trump Administration has conceded that it changed the original immigration rules for people from Mideast nations in order to overcome federal court rulings against those rules, it has argued in Judge Robarts court that his enforcement ban does not apply to the second presidential order. Washingtons attorneys have disputed that claim, and they did so again on Monday. But this time they made an explicit request for the Seattle judge to enforce his prior ruling against the revised approach, contending that it is really no different from the first. The judges prior ruling, left undisturbed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, was not a mere suggestion, the states lawyers contended. When a policy is blocked by court order, the agency involved cannot evade it by announcing that it will continue only some of the illegal provisions. Story continues The revised Trump order, like the first, imposes a 90-day ban on entry into the U.S. of foreign nationals from a list of Mideast nations with Muslim-majority populations, and a 120-ban on entry of refugees from any country. Both of those provisions are continued in the revised version, although that applies to six of those nations, not seven (Iraq has been dropped from the list). In asking the Seattle judge to formally give permission for the five states to begin a new lawsuit, they raised most of the claims that were at issued in reaction to the original Trump, asserting challenges based on the Constitution and federal laws. After the first Robart order was left as is by the Ninth Circuit Court, the Trump Administration chose to abandon its defense of that version in court, and thus opted not to try at that point to take the controversy on to the Supreme Court. If the revised version is now blocked, that may well set up a government appeal to the Justices. The states may also try to go to the Supreme Court if their new challenges falter. Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011 and has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com,. Recent Constitution Daily Stories For now, Judge Robart leaves open key immigration issue What legal pundits are saying about the new travel ban order New immigration order strikes reference to honoring Constitution By Press Trust of India: Palanpur (Guj), Mar 13 (PTI) Two persons were today killed after being attacked by a sloth bear in Danta tehsil in in Banaskantha district, a forest official said. "Two shepherds who had taken their goats and sheep in the forest area in Kansa village for grazing were attacked and killed by a sloth bear," Danta range forest officer Bajit Khan Sindhi said. advertisement He said when the duo, Bhikhabhai Bhagora (35) and Manabhai Angari (25), did not return home to their native village Khapra last night, some of their fellow villagers went out looking for them. Two of the villagers were also attacked and injured by the bear in the same area, he added. "The bodies of two shepherds were recovered and have been sent for postmortem. The exact cause of death will be ascertained after postmortem. The injured were rushed to a hospital," added Sindhi. PTI KA NRB --- ENDS --- A lawmaker in China has suggested cutting the countrys legal marriage age in order to encourage more births, amid an ageing population and the relaxing of Chinas stringent family-planning regime. The country of 1.38 billion people currently enforces one of the worlds highest minimum marriage ages, allowing only men over 22 and women over 20 to wed. Huang Xihua, a delegate to the National Peoples Congress convening in Beijing, has recommended lowering the rule to the international standard of 18 for both sexes, Bloomberg reports. Beijing introduced the high marriage age in tandem with its draconian one-child policy, which was intended to slow population growth. The three decades of social engineering that followed have left China with a ticking demographic time bomb: a massive glut of of retirees and too few working-age adults to support them. As well as mollifying the countrys looming population crisis, Huang told Bloomberg that the move would also extend the legal benefits of wedlock to young couples who, despite being in de facto marriages, cannot access social services intended for families because they are below the marriageable age. In keeping with the revised two-child policy rolled out in 2015, allowing more Chinese couples to have a second child, Huang said that lowering the marriage age would also afford more personal autonomy to citizens of the worlds most populous nation. [Bloomberg] BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military needs to promote technological innovation as the "key" to its upgrading and modernization, President Xi Jinping told military delegates to the annual meeting of parliament. Xi is overseeing a sweeping modernization of the country's armed forces, the largest in the world, including stealth jet, anti-satellite missiles and advanced submarines, seeking to project power far from its shores. Science and technology innovation is the "key to military upgrading", Xi told military delegates, state news agency Xinhua said late on Sunday. "Efforts should be made to provide greater science and technology support for the People's Liberation Army," the report paraphrased Xi as saying. "We must have a greater sense of urgency to push for science and technology innovation and advancement with greater determination and efforts." There needs to be improved military and civilian cooperation in training high-quality military personnel, he added. "Efforts to improve the training system of military personnel should also be strengthened to foster a large number of high-quality military talent." Military reforms have proven controversial though, with Xi saying in 2015 that 300,000 people would be cut from the military's ranks. There have been protests in recent months by demobilized soldiers complaining of a lack of support. The military is also reeling from a concerted crackdown on deep-seat corruption, part of Xi's broader war against graft in China. Xi told the military delegates that "crushing momentum in fighting corruption has been realized". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he had agreed to allow Chinese surveillance ships into Filipino waters, contradicting his defence minister who described their presence as "very concerning". Duterte also told reporters he did not want to have a "fight" with China over Benham Rise -- waters recognised by the United Nation as indisputably Philippine territory -- partly because he wanted Chinese economic help. "They have no incursion because we have an agreement," Duterte told reporters when asked about the reported presence of Chinese surveillance ships at Benham Rise. "Some people are just blowing it up. We previously agreed. It was a research ship. We were advised of it way ahead." Duterte's comments came after his defence secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said last week that Chinese surveillance ships had been seen in Benham Rise, which is believed to sit atop lucrative oil and gas deposits. "The very concerning thing is they have several service ships plying this area, staying in one area sometimes for a month as if doing nothing. But we believe they are actually surveying the seabed," Lorenzana said. "I have ordered the Navy that if they see this service ship this year, to start to accost them and drive them away." Lorenzana said China may be "looking for a place to put submarines". Duterte emphasised Monday the Philippines was set to enjoy billions of dollars in Chinese investments and grants, following his decision not to argue with China over another territorial dispute in the South China Sea. "Let us not fight about ownership or sovereignty at this time because things are going great for my country," Duterte said in reference to China. Benham Rise is an underwater landmass 250 kilometres (155 miles) off the east coast of the main island of Luzon. In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the Philippines' undisputed territorial claim to Benham Rise. Story continues Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said last week that although the UN had ruled in the Philippines' favour, this did not mean Benham Rise was part of its territory. China and the Philippines have had a long-running dispute over competing claims in the South China Sea. Parts of that strategically vital waterway are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino, had forcefully challenged China in diplomatic and legal circles over the South China Sea dispute, leading to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations. Duterte, who took office last year, has reversed that policy, preferring instead to placate China in return for hoped-for billions of dollars worth of investments and grants. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) Two United Nations officials, one American and one Swedish, have been kidnapped along with four Congolese in the country's Kasai Central province, Congo's government said Monday. Michael Sharp of the United States and Zahida Katalan of Sweden were abducted with three Congolese drivers and a translator while traveling by motorcycle through the region, government spokesman Lambert Mende said. . It was not clear when the kidnapping occurred on a bridge near the village of Ngombe, Mende said, adding that the kidnappers have not yet been identified. Judicial authorities in the province have opened an investigation and are working with the U.N. mission in Congo to free the people held. Congo is home to multiple militias competing for stakes this vast Central African nation's rich mineral resources. Charles Bambara, spokesman for the U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, confirmed that two experts from the mission have disappeared in the country. "The United Nations and MONUSCO are doing all that is possible at this moment to locate the two experts," he said. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa said in a statement that it was aware of the reports of a missing U.S. citizen. "Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment," it said, referring questions to the U.N. press office. The U.S. Department of State was monitoring the situation, according to a statement sent by the embassy. "The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the protection of U.S. citizens overseas. When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities and cooperate fully in their search efforts," the statement said. On Monday, Rep. Steve King didn't disavow a tweet he sent over the weekend in which he wrote, "we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." The tweet was part of an endorsement of Dutch far-right presidential candidate Geert Wilders, an avowedly anti-Islam and anti-immigration politician. White nationalists and supremacists praised King. The reason is obvious. As was written by the avowedly white supremacist Andrew Anglin, there's "not really any nuance there." SEE ALSO: The internet slams Steve King's straight-up racist tweet King fortified his position on Monday when he went on CNN. Rep. Steve King doubles down on his controversial "babies" tweet, saying, "I meant exactly what I said" https://t.co/yXsvk28GI6 pic.twitter.com/v0kgPd2q01 CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 13, 2017 "I meant exactly what I said," King told CNN anchor Chris Cuomo. "Ive been to Europe and Ive spoken on this issue and Ive said the same thing as far as 10 years ago to the German people. Ive said to them, you cannot rebuild your civilization with somebody elses babies. You need to keep your birth rate up." Cuomo challenged King. The anchor said he feels diversity is an "unqualified strength" of the United States, and that King sounds like he's trying to "white cleanse" the country. Cuomo then asked King to whom he was referring when King said "somebody else's babies," though King didn't answer the question. The anchor followed by offering King a chance to say he wasn't advocating for white supremacy in the U.S. It seemed like "you were trying to say 'someone else's babies' means 'you're either white or you're not right,' and as you know that is anathema to what America is all about," Cuomo said. "Can we get agreement on that?" Story continues King ducks again. "If you go down the road a few generations or maybe centuries, with the intermarriage, I'd like to see an America that's just so homogenous that we look a lot the same from that perspective," King said. The congressman later said he wasn't advocating white supremacy, but did say western societies are "a superior civilization." And still there's more. Cuomo, one last time, asks King whether he values the lives of Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, Italian Americans and Christian Americans the same. King pauses, and Cuomo can't believe it. The anchor rehashes the question a few times. "They are either all equal or they are not, in your mind," Cuomo said. "What is the answer?" King said everyone is equal in the eyes of God, but some "groups" of people will be more productive than others. It's about the culture, he said, not the race, though race is used as an identifier. Alright then. As the deadline for triggering Article 50 approaches, reports indicate European leaders want to make sure the United Kingdom feels the pain caused by a withdrawal from the European Union. Germany said London can forget about concessions while Denmark said the process could drag out for 15 years, and Ireland pushed for an exit fee amid efforts to entice London banks to move across the Irish Sea. British Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to build the independent, self-governing global Britain the British have called for. Read: How Much Could Brexit Cost The UK? May is reported ready to trigger the exit process as soon as Tuesday if a bill clears Parliament on Monday. But Bloomberg obtained a memo dated Thursday circulating within the German government, calling for EU unity and making distinctions for inside and outside the bloc. Brexit will mean less cooperation and economic integration compared to EU membership, the memo says. Read: Is Europe Poised For Recession? Brexit thus becomes a step backward which will have an effect on Britain. The UK had been sending a steady stream of representatives to Germany in hopes of making Berlin an ally in the negotiations. The hard line may mean there will be no deal in place when Britain finally leaves the bloc. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who was one of the leaders of the Brexit movement, said its fine with him if theres no deal, predicting the countrys economy would thrive ayway. Johnson is banking on the EU wanting to come to some sort of agreement. Our partners and friends around the EU desperately want this thing to work. They don't want more misery, they don't want to fall out with the U.K.," he told ITV on Sunday, adding, "I don't think that the consequences of no deal are by any means as apocalyptic as some people like to protest, and actually what we have seen in the budget from Philip Hammond last week are preparations for Britain over the next few years." Story continues International Trade Secretary Liam Fox agreed, telling the BBC lack of a deal certainly wouldnt be the end of the world. Business leaders, however, warn lack of an agreement would be a very bad thing. Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said chemical firms, for example, could face 1,500 tariffs if no deal is in place. Brexit Minister David Davis told the BBC that though the government wants a deal, it is preparing for the worst. "The simple truth is we have been planning for the contingency - all the various outcomes, all the possible outcomes of the negotiations," Davis said. "One of the reasons we don't talk about the contingency plan too much is that we don't want people to think 'Oh, this is what we're trying to do.'" brexit Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters The European Commission has said the full exit should be finalized before any new trading relationships are discussed despite Londons preference for parallel talks. May hopes to seal a fresh deal by 2019. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel told the Independent its possible the exit process will prove so arduous, the divorce might not happen at all. Maybe during the procedure of divorce they will say, We love you that much that we are not able to conclude that divorce, he said. U.K. voters decided to pull out of the European Union last June. Related Articles An Illinois man shot and killed his twin teen daughters turning the gun on himself on Friday evening, according to police. Randall Coffland, 48, fatally shot his daughters, Brittany and Tiffany Coffland, 16, and shot and wounded his wife, Anjum Coffland, before calling police and saying he would kill himself at about 5 p.m. inside the familys Chicago condominium. Read: Body of Indianapolis Woman Found Near River After She Was Reported Missing "Randall clearly tells the dispatchers that he shot and killed his two kids and he shot his wife. He then said he was going to shoot himself," Deputy Chief Dave Kintz said Sunday. Randall was reportedly dead when police arrived and authorities found two guns in the home. Police said Anjum and Randall were married but living at separate addresses, according to The Associated Press. Anjum was transported to a nearby hospital after the tragedy with non-life threatening injuries. Police reportedly responded to the home last month for a report of domestic trouble but nothing physical was reported during that incident. Tammy Hartje, a neighbor, said that she heard screams come from within the residence before police arrived. Read: Dad Killed Son, 3, in Fear of Losing His Girlfriend Who Disliked Children: Prosecutors "When I walked across the street I had heard screams. I looked up and I noticed in that apartment they had the door open and I was thinking that's weird because it was so cold outside," she told WGN-TV. St. Charles East High School, where the twins were enrolled, asked students in a Facebook post to wear purple or blue to school Monday to honor the girls. The school was also open Saturday to provide grief counseling to students. "RIP Tiffany Coffland and Brittany Coffland, true Saints undeserving of this tragedy," the post read. Watch: Teens Charged With Murder After Killing Man Who Responded to Craigslist Ad: Cops Related Articles: (WASHINGTON) Facing a Monday deadline, the Justice Department asked lawmakers for more time to provide evidence backing up President Donald Trumps unproven assertion that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper during the election. The request came as the White House appeared to soften Trumps explosive allegation. The House intelligence committee said it would give the Justice Department until March 20 to comply with the evidence request. Thats the date of the committees first open hearing on the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia. A spokesman for the committees Republican chairman said that if the Justice Department doesnt meet the new deadline, the panel might use its subpoena power to gather information. If the committee does not receive a response by then, the committee will ask for this information during the March 20 hearing and may resort to a compulsory process if our questions continue to go unanswered, said Jack Langer, a spokesman for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. Trumps assertions have put his administration in a bind. Current and former administration officials have been unable to provide any evidence of the Obama administration wiretapping Trump Tower, yet the presidents aides have been reluctant to publicly contradict their boss. White House spokesman Sean Spicer tried to clarify Trumps comments Monday, saying the president wasnt using the word wiretapping literally, noting that Trump had put the term in quotation marks. The president used the word wiretap in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities, Spicer said. He also suggested Trump wasnt accusing former President Barack Obama specifically, but instead referring to the actions of the Obama administration. Trump himself has not commented on the matter since his March 4 tweets, in which he said he had just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. He also wrote: Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president? Story continues In two other tweets, Trump described Obama tapping his phones, but did not put the phrases in quotation marks. The presidents accusations against Obama came amid numerous political questions surrounding his associates possible ties to Russia. The FBI is investigating Trump associates contacts with Russia during the election, as are House and Senate intelligence committees. The White House has asked those committees to also investigate Trumps unverified wiretapping allegations against Obama. The House committee has turned the matter back on the Trump administration, setting the Monday deadline for the Justice Department to provide evidence. In a response Monday evening, the Justice Department said it needed extra time to review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist. Other congressional committees are also pushing the administration to clarify Trumps claims. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente and FBI Director James Comey to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Departments criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps. The senators, who head the Senate Judiciary Committees crime and terrorism subcommittee, are seeking warrant applications and court orders, which they said can be scrubbed to protect secret intelligence sources and methods. Trumps critics have slammed the president for making the wiretapping claim on his Twitter account without evidence. Wiretapping a U.S. citizen would require special permission from a court, and Trump as president would have the ability to declassify that information. Sen. John McCain, an influential Republican, said Sunday: I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve. If his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least, McCain said. Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Trumps claim but has not come forward to do so himself. James Clapper, who was Obamas director of national intelligence, has said that nothing matching Trumps claims had taken place. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway sidestepped questions about the lack of proof Monday, saying she was not in the job of having evidence. Thats what investigations are for, Conway told CNNs New Day. The president is pleased that the House and Senate intelligence committees have agreed that this should be part of the investigation that already exists about Russia and the campaign, an investigation that apparently has gone nowhere so far. In a weekend interview with the Bergen Record, a newspaper in her home state of New Jersey, Conway appeared to point toward the recent WikiLeaks release of nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly reveal secrets about the CIAs tools for breaking into targeted computers, cellphones and even smart TVs. What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other now, unfortunately, including microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera, Conway said. So we know that that is just a fact of modern life. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) The death toll has reached 62 from the collapse of a mountain of trash at a massive garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported Monday, as relatives waited for news of the dozens of people said to be missing. The first funerals began. Security officials tried to hold back mourners as a small coffin wrapped in red cloth was lowered into the ground. Many of those killed were women and children. Relatives held up framed photographs of loved ones, weeping. It was not clear what caused Saturday night's collapse at the Koshe landfill. Residents have said the dumping of trash had resumed there in recent months after protests at a newer landfill site. Hundreds of waste-pickers had worked at Koshe every day, and others found cheap housing there. Many of the mud-and-stick houses were buried under the rubble. One survivor, Mulate Debebe, told The Associated Press she had been bathing her two children Saturday evening at their home inside the landfill when disaster struck. "First I heard a loud and scary sound outside, so I told my husband to go outside and check what that was," she said from a hospital bed. "Then the sound gets bigger and bigger so I tried to move out quickly, but I was caught up in the middle of the rubble. The next thing I know was that I was in this hospital's bed. "Now I don't know the fate of my children and my husband." Covering her face to hide her tears, she said she makes a living selling candles at a nearby church with her disabled husband. "I lived at that place for the past 11 years and I've never seen anything like this," Mulate said of the landfill. "My legs are badly hurt. I'm not sure I will ever walk again. And now I'm being told by nurses at this hospital to evacuate the emergency room. I don't where to go next." About 54 people so far have received medical treatment, said Solomon Bussa, the chief of clinical services at the Alert Hospital where the injured have been taken. Story continues The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capital's garbage for more than 50 years. Smaller collapses have occurred at Koshe or "dirty" in the local Amharic language in the past two years but only two or three people were killed, residents said. Addis Ababa's mayor has vowed to relocate those living at the landfill, which officials say receives close to 300,000 tons of waste collected each year from the capital. Fana Broadcasting Corporate cited a city communication official, Dagmawit Moges, as saying 300 people had been relocated since the collapse. EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has demanded a new independence referendum be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union have become clearer. To do so, she needs authorization from Britain's parliament, which is sovereign. The Brexit referendum last June called the future of the United Kingdom into question because majorities in England and Wales voted to leave but in Scotland and Northern Ireland most people voted to stay. Until recently, polls showed that support for independence had barely moved from the 45 percent who backed it in the 2014 referendum. But polls in the last month have shown support for independence rising. Scotland joined England in a political union in 1707. While Prime Minister Theresa May's centre-right Conservative Party has a majority in the UK parliament, it has only one lawmaker in Scotland and 54 of the 59 Scottish seats are held by the Sturgeon's Scottish National Party (SNP). LEGALLY, WHO DECIDES? Britain's national parliament is sovereign and is therefore the only legitimate authority to legislate on constitutional issues. Such matters are among the "reserved" topics that in general are not devolved to the Scottish Parliament. With prior agreement between governments in London and Edinburgh, the UK government can devolve power temporarily from Westminster to the Scottish parliament, Holyrood, making a bill to legislate for an independence referendum in Edinburgh legally watertight. This is known as a Section 30 order. This is what happened to allow the 2014 independence referendum. Although a spokesman for May criticized Sturgeon for wanting a new vote on Monday, many observers believe May's government ultimately would give its blessing to a secession vote once more if requested, to avoid being seen to stand in the way of the Scottish people as represented in Scotland's parliament. Both Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, and Kezia Dugdale, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, have said the UK government should not block "IndyRef2" as it is known, if backed by the Scottish people. Both parties formally oppose independence and the holding of a second referendum. A likely point of contention between Edinburgh and London will now be the timing of a new vote; the Scottish government wants to keep the vote within the two year time frame in which Britain leaves the EU so Scotland has a chance of retaining its EU membership. The UK government will likely seek to push that timing back. COULD SCOTLAND JUST CALL ANOTHER VOTE ON ITS OWN? If the Scottish parliament voted to hold another independence referendum without the consent of Westminster, constitutional experts say the Scottish bill would be legally challenged, ultimately at the UK's highest judicial body, the Supreme Court. Such a situation would mark a full-blown constitutional crisis. The Scottish could still choose to press ahead with a symbolic, non-legally binding vote to put moral pressure on the Westminster government, echoing the "consultation of citizens" plebiscite held in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia in 2014. That poll was carried out without legal backing and Catalonia's former regional governor went on trial for staging it. However Scotland's independence referendum legislation, prepared in October in readiness for this potential outcome, tacitly recognizes that the UK government will have to sign off on allowing a vote, constitutional experts say. "If the Scottish Government tried to introduce a referendum bill without prior agreement, then the UK government could challenge this in the Supreme Court," said Akash Paun, from the Institute for Government. APPETITE Defense Secretary Michael Fallon last month told the Herald newspaper that Scotland could "forget it" if it expected London to facilitate a new referendum on independence, causing a row with the Scottish government who accused him of arrogance. Michael Gove, another Conservative lawmaker, said a few days later that the decision on a new vote was down to the British prime minister and that Sturgeon would be "foolish" to try to call one. After the Supreme Court in London ruled that the devolved assembly in Edinburgh did not need to be consulted on triggering Brexit, Sturgeon asked: "Is Scotland content for our future to be dictated by an increasingly right-wing Westminster government with just one MP (lawmaker) here," she asked. "Or is it better that we take our future into our own hands?" Some commentators have argued that Sturgeon had boxed herself into a corner and was practically obliged to call a new vote regardless of public appetite for one. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary) Despite an FIR registered under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code against the employers of the deceased, no one has been arrested. The kin of deceased have suspected a foul play and have claimed that they had beaten her up. By Ajay Kumar: A 18-year-old domestic help had allegedly committed suicide, following a quarrel with her employers on Friday night. Gurugram Police are yet to arrest anyone despite an FIR been registered. The deceased Ranjitha Brahma, who belonged to lower Aasam's Boro community allegedly jumped off from eleventh floor of upscale Carlton estate condominium in DLF phase 5 at around 11pm. The kin of deceased have suspected foul play as employers did not allow them to meet her on same day. advertisement They assembled in front of the police station on Sunday and soughed slogans against the cops for not arresting the accused. "Ranjitha wanted to quit her job but her employers Rohit Mehta and his wife Sonal Mehta did not allow her to do so. They had beaten her up. "Blunt wounds were found on her body. We have a strong suspicion that she could be pushed or might have accidentally fallen down during the argument," said a relative, who requested not to be named. He also alleged that the police are putting pressure on them to cremate her body and also not handing over to them the postmortem report. SHO of Sushant Lok police station, Gaurav Phogat told Mail Today that an FIR has been registered under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code, against the employers of the deceased. He added that the accused were allegedly present in the flat during the incident. "We have not found any suicide note which might indicate something wrong had happened before the incident. "We have the autopsy report and now waiting for FSL report to corroborate with the statements of the two accused," Phogat said. He added "They have not been arrested so far and we have asked them not to leave the NCR till the investigation gets over." Both the accused work with multi-national companies. Rohit, currently employed in the banking sector, holds a top executive post. Also read: Kidnappers let go of abducted man after being stuck in Gurgaon traffic jam Also read: Hyderabad: Woman commits suicide as she thought that all her money in home is valueless Also read: Pune: Man murders wife, two teenage daughters before suicide --- ENDS --- By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Defense spending by European NATO states inched up for the first time in seven years in 2016, the military alliance said on Monday, but still remained below the threshold the new U.S. President Donald Trump said was crucial to achieve. Trump made NATO states in Europe nervous when he criticized the alliance as "obsolete" during election campaign and then went on to suggest he could make U.S. commitment to their security conditional on them meeting the alliance's target of defense spending at two percent of their economic output. Trump has since reaffirmed support for NATO but insisted Europeans must "pay their fair share." His aides have said Trump wants to see progress on that by the end of this year and that Washington could otherwise "moderate" its support. NATO said the U.S. defense spending last year stood at 3.61 percent of its Gross Domestic Product, compared to 3.58 percent in 2015. That compares to 1.47 percent for NATO's European allies last year and 1.44 percent the year before. NATO's overall figure for 2016 stood at 2.43 percent versus 2.40 percent in 2015. "There has been progress but the job is far from done, we still have no fair burden-sharing within our alliance," NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. "It is realistic that all allies reach the goal of two percent." Stoltenberg said Romania was due to meet the target this year, with Lithuania and Latvia expected to follow in 2018. "This is not just about a call from the Unites States and President Trump... It is in Europe's best interest to spend more on defense. We have a long way to go but at least after years of decline, we are now starting to see an increase." U.S. DEMANDS Europe's low expenditure has long been a sore point for the United States, which provides the lion's share of the alliance funds. In 2016, the U.S. economy represented just below a half of the alliance's combined economic output, but nearly 70 percent of its defense expenditure, NATO's annual report showed. Defense spending by NATO's European allies has been on steady decline since the Cold War ended. But Europe has sought to reverse the falling numbers since its neighbor Russia annexed the peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Combined with the growing worry over the spread of Islamic militancy and more failing states on their borders, this has given NATO members last year the first annual growth in defense spending relative to the size of their economies since 2009. "When you are reducing spending at times of easing tensions, we have to be able to increase spending when tensions are increasing," Stoltenberg added. The decision by Britain, a leading military power on the continent, to leave the European Union has also galvanized the Europeans to do more on defense on their own. Of 28 EU states, 22 are also in NATO. Europe was last at two percent in 2000. Only four European NATO members - Estonia, Greece, Poland and Britain - met the two-percent standard last year. France came in at 1.79 percent, a tad below 2015, while Germany stood a 1.2 percent, just up from 1.18 in 2015. (Editing by Toby Chopra and Pritha Sarkar) Seems like all you can do is laugh when you get whacked by a dolphin. Surfer Sam Yoon was ecstatic when he was knocked off his board by the aquatic mammal off Duranbah Beach, in Australia's Tweed Heads. The dolphin was leaping in front of a wave and collided with Yoon as it dived back into the water. SEE ALSO: Adele generously grants Elmo's plea to hang out in Australia "You see that? It landed on my head, shoulders and the back. It was like, full on," Yoon told 9 News Thursday, while reacting to iPhone footage of the collision. Image: 9 NEws The animal can be seen trying to avoid Yoon, tilting to its right mid-air. Yoon tried to get out of the way too, but it was too late. "I knew that he realised he's gotta do something too. I was like, f*ck this, no way I can get away from this," he laughed. Yoon was not injured, and kept surfing after the collision occurred. He thinks the dolphins might've communicated with each other after the incident, avoiding him every time he was paddling. That's one cool surfing story to tell the mates, we admit. Durban was stripped of the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Monday mainly because the South African government couldn't provide financial guarantees. Also, other commitments the city made when it won the bid had still not been met nearly two years later. Durban presented a revised budget and hosting proposal to the Commonwealth Games Federation over the weekend but the last-ditch effort to save Africa's first international multi-sport event wasn't enough. "It is with disappointment that the detailed review has concluded that there is a significant departure from the undertakings provided in Durban's bid, and as a result a number of key obligations and commitments in areas such as governance, venues, funding and risk management/assurance have not been met," the CGF said in a statement. The CGF was "actively exploring alternative options, including a potential replacement host," CGF president Louise Martin said. Liverpool has already expressed interest in replacing Durban. Durban's failure is a major embarrassment for South Africa, with the bid initially hailed as historic as the first African host of the Commonwealth Games. But ever since it won the games as the sole bidder in September 2015, Durban missed deadlines to provide the financial guarantees. "It's a big disappointment for Africa," South African Olympic committee president and CGF vice president Gideon Sam told The Associated Press. There was no immediate reaction from the South African government, but the sports ministry said it would hold a news conference with Durban officials on Tuesday. Money was not the only problem, but it was the most significant, and Durban's fate was another indicator of the heavy cost countries must pay to put on major sports events. In 2015, the head of the bid committee said the east coast city needed $670 million. The South African government was asked to provide $470 million of that, bid chief executive Tubby Reddy said. Story continues Up to Saturday, when the CGF met with South African officials in London, there was still no signed document from the South African government guaranteeing it would pay for the games, CGF vice president Sam said. Durban instead presented a scaled-down version of the games to the CGF. "The Commonwealth Games Federation said, 'That's not going to work. We'll look for another city,'" Sam said. South Africa has also been touted as a possible Olympic host, and was considering bidding for the Summer Games in as early as 2028. Sam said that any Olympic bid was "definitely not on the table" for South Africa now. Durban is the country's preferred choice as an Olympic host, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games were seen as an important stepping stone. "For now, I don't think anybody (in South Africa) wants to open their mouth about the Olympics," Sam said. Gold Coast in Australia will host the next Commonwealth Games next year. By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch will vote on Wednesday in an election that was seen as a test of anti-immigrant sentiment even before a rift with Turkey at the weekend put immigration and nationalism at the top of the political agenda. Geert Wilders, who wants to "de-Islamicise" the Netherlands, hopes clashes between Turkish-Dutch protesters and the police, along with Ankara's accusations of Dutch "fascism", will help bolster his chances of finishing first. Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) has virtually no chance of forming a government, given the splintered political landscape. Other parties have ruled out a coalition with a party they view as racist, but a PVV win would nevertheless send shock waves across Europe. The French presidential election begins next month, with the far-right Marine Le Pen ahead in one poll on Monday, and in September, Alternative for Germany, a right-wing, euroskeptic party, is likely to win seats for the first time in the German federal parliament. After Britain's unexpected vote to quit the European Union and the election of EU-skeptic Donald Trump in the United States, Europe will soon know whether a wave of anti-establishment sentiment threatens the survival of the EU. The more immediate question in the Netherlands is whether the Turkey row will favor Wilders or Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose cabinet banned Turkish ministers from holding a rally in the Netherlands. A snap poll Monday evening showed a boost of three seats for Rutte's VVD and two for Wilders's PVV in the 150-seat parliament at the expense of smaller parties to the left, said pollster Maurice de Hond. The Turkish government wants to lobby Dutch Turks to support plans to hand sweeping new powers to President Tayyip Erdogan in a referendum in Turkey on April 16. "In times when the nation is hit by something like this, there's the inclination for people to get behind the government," said Hans Gosling, a political commentator at the Dutch newspaper Trouw. HARD LINE Rutte's hard line on Turkey is seen by many voters as part of an effort by mainstream parties to appeal to concern about immigration and dissuade them from voting for Wilders. The head of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDA) on Sunday urged Turkish immigrants to give up dual nationality and integrate. Rutte and Wilders went head-to-head in a debate Monday evening, clashing mainly over how to stem immigration. Rutte dismissed Wilders' plan to close borders and mosques and ban the Koran as "fake solutions". "While we are focusing on the causes of the refugee crisis, you're wasting all your attention on your Koran police," Rutte said. Wilders accused Rutte of providing better healthcare for newcomers than the Dutch themselves. "We need to chose for our own people, for our own parents, and not for the asylum seekers. You are not the prime minister of the Netherlands, but of the foreigners." Niels van Baalen, a PVV voter who owns his own plumbing company near The Hague, said the events in Rotterdam illustrated the failure of Muslim immigrants to adopt Dutch norms. "The problem is: do you want to be a Turkish immigrant, or do you want to be a naturalized Dutch person?" he said. The latest Reuters poll of poll puts Rutte's conservative VVD Party top at 16.2 percent, ahead of Wilders' PVV on 13.4 percent. The CDA is close behind at 12.5 percent on a rising trend. Earlier, Rutte called on voters to reject Wilders. "We've seen it with Brexit, we've seen it with Trump, when we thought it wouldn't happen the night before. The chance is still large as life that we wake up on March 16 and Wilders' (party) is the biggest," he said. With just four percentage points separating the top four parties, any of them could win, and then would have to persuade at least three other parties to form a coalition. "You already know how the new government is going to look, roughly," said University of Amsterdam professor Rens Vliegenthart. He predicted a center-right coalition would emerge after lengthy talks, led by the VVD and CDA together with the centrist Democrats 66 (D66), and probably the Green Left party for the first time. But the events of the weekend, which escalated on Monday with Erdogan threatening legal action against the Dutch, meant opinion polls would be unreliable as perceptions of the conflict change, experts said. Wilders could yet be the main beneficiary, said Professor Joop van Holsteijn of Leiden University. "Immigration and integration, and the relationship of the Netherlands with Turkey, will be rather salient suddenly, and Wilders can be considered the issue owner here," he said. (Additional reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) By Thomas Escritt AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch conservative and nationalist parties could gain an extra five seats between them following the diplomatic row and weekend rioting over a Turkish minister's attempt to hold a political rally in Rotterdam, a snap poll published on Monday showed. With two days to go until the Dutch vote in a pivotal parliamentary election, pollster Maurice De Hond found that the spat between the Netherlands and Turkey, and Saturday's night of rioting by ethnic Turks in Rotterdam, had benefited the two parties that have been most skeptical on immigration. The poll showed Prime Minister Mark Rutte's pro-business VVD party on track to win 27 seats in the 150-seat parliament with 18 percent of the vote, three more than in the pollster's last survey, published on Sunday but taken before the weekend. Geert Wilders's anti-Muslim Freedom Party was in second place with 16 percent, or up two seats to 24. In the latest Peilingwijzer poll of polls, the two parties are on 16.2 percent and 13.4 percent respectively. President Recip Tayyip Erdogan's dispatch of Turkish ministers to Western Europe to campaign for a referendum that will give him more power have the potential to upturn a Dutch campaign that was already dominated by questions of identity. "It is quite clear that preferences have changed since Saturday," De Hond wrote. Voters who had considered the VVD as just one option were now more likely to vote for the party, while likely PVV voters were stronger in their convictions. Rutte and Wilders go head to head on Monday evening in a television debate that could prove decisive in shaping voters' preferences before they go to the polls on Wednesday. Erdogan, accused of authoritarianism, wants to win the support of the estimated 5 million Turkish citizens in Europe in the vote on granting him sweeping new powers that he says he needs to fight security threats his country faces. The Dutch government barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam to speak at a rally on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there. She was later escorted out of the country to Germany. De Hond's polling suggests voters approved of Rutte's handling of the situation. Wilders, an opponent of Muslim immigration, said it was only the threat from his party that made Rutte take such a hard line. Wilders has little chance of forming a government, since other parties have ruled out a coalition with a party they view as racist. A PVV win would nevertheless send shock waves across Europe. The French presidential election begins next month, with far-right, anti-euro leader Marine Le Pen seen winning the first round but losing heavily in the run-off. In September, right-wing, euroskeptic party Alternative for Germany is likely to win seats for the first time in the German federal parliament. Netherlands general election poll of pollshttp://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/NETHERLANDS-ELECTION/0100320E4KT/index.html#section/polls (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Catherine Evans) AMSTERDAM -- Zaid Belmahdi likes to spend at least part of his weekend at the Tropics Cafe. A lived-in social club in a small dusty strip mall at the terminus of a tram line, a long ride away from the city's world-famous canals, museums and parks, the place smells of apple-flavored hookah smoke and strong mint tea. Dim purple lights give the establishment the feel of dusk, even on a bright sunny weekday. Old and young men sit on low couches, talking, fussing with their phones and watching TV. Belmadhi, who is 19, has been coming to the cafe for a year. "I've known most these guys for years," he says. Belmahdi, whose parents were born in Morocco, and the cafe's other mostly immigrant clientele are more than just regulars, however. They have become the most important political subject of this year's parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, scheduled for Wednesday. Geert Wilders, the head of the nationalist Party for Freedom, has made brisk political business denigrating descendants of immigrants from non-Western countries -- especially Muslims -- painting them as outsiders. He even portrays them as criminals and a burden on the country's impressive social welfare system. All this despite the fact that Belmahdi and many like him are born in the country, speak perfect Dutch, go to the best universities, volunteer in the community and contribute to society in every conceivable way. A recent Dutch survey showed that 64 percent of respondents opposed imposing a U.S.-style travel ban that focuses on Muslims. However, 90 percent of respondents who identify with Wilders' Party for Freedom do favor such a ban. The reason such xenophobia finds an audience in this liberal and well-to do country is tied to identity, integration and -- in this election season -- national politics. "They feel a lack of security and you see them react to Muslims and refugees -- and they say, 'My problems are their fault'," says Jesse Klaver, the head of the Green Party, before a party event, of Dutch voters. Story continues Wilder's rhetoric has become more extreme since the last election in 2012, when his party earned some 15 seats, just 10 percent of the 150-seat parliament. He has recently started calling for the closure of mosques, banning of the Koran and tightening of borders. When his nationalist views were rewarded with the high poll numbers in December and January, the world press -- which had gotten both the Brexit vote and the U.S. election of Donald Trump so wrong -- took notice. On the day he officially started his campaign in late February, Wilders -- who has been convicted for hate speech -- made sure to call Moroccans "scum" In English and in front of rolling cameras. A few days before the election, polls indicate that things have changed. The Freedom party is no longer poised to win the plurality of seats in the government, a prize which, without a willing coalition party, would have been symbolic anyway. Current polls suggest that the right-wing party is on track to win some 25 seats. However, most other parties are not doing better and most experts agree that the next government will consist of a coalition of at least four different parties. "This year there is not going to be a big winner and everyone expected there to be one," says Peter-Paul Koch, a political observer who runs a polling analysis website, referring to the Freedom Party. Meanwhile, some of the country's most popular politicians, like Ahmed Aboutaleb, the mayor of Rotterdam and Khadija Arib, the speaker of the parliament, are not only Muslim but were actually born in Morocco -- making them the very people so maligned by their colleagues across the aisle. But as Klaver and others on the left vow to fight the rise of xenophobia and populism, the mainstream parties further to the right seem willing engage fears in society. During a recent debate, Sybrand van Haersma Buma, who leads the Christian Democratic party, which stand s to win the third most seats and will likely be part of the governing coalition, talked about the importance of children knowing and singing the national anthem, in a clear nod to those who fear that Dutch culture is getting lost. Mark Rutte, the country's prime minister and the head of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, the mainstream conservative party, wrote an open letter in a newspaper, warning immigrants to behave or else leave the country. When Wilders called for fewer Moroccans in 2013, Belmahdi says his brother, who was then just 7 years old, cried for fear. "I was 16, I understood he was only a stupid politician." Belmahdi and many of his friends see such calls as political posturing. The ascendancy of Donald Trump as U.S. president, who rode his anti-Muslim immigrant messaging into the Oval Office, has made people here wary of anti-immigrant rhetoric and trusting polls. "Trump started as a joke," says Belmahdi, "we watched him very closely here in Holland." Life goes on for Belmahdi. He and his friends were nominated for a community award for their work in creating Future Up, a group that works with disenfranchised neighborhood children, many of whom are challenged by straddling both Dutch and immigrant worlds. Next year, Belmahdi plans to run for city council with D66, a liberal party, poised to make significant gains in parliament this week. He plans to run for parliament in the next election, which -- if the coalition government formed after this week's elections proves to be stable -- could be in five years. "Just watch, in 12 years, I'll be the prime minister," he says. Christopher F. Schuetze is a Netherlands-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter here. Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte clashed with his main rival anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders on Monday, as they laid out starkly opposing visions of their country's future in an election campaign now consumed by a diplomatic row with Turkey. Two days before Wednesday's crucial general election, The Netherlands is mired in a war of words with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has provided fodder for Wilders and his uncompromising anti-immigration stance. "You are being taken hostage by Erdogan. Close the Dutch borders," Wilders told Rutte, as tempers flared in the 30-minute head-to-head televised debate. "That's a totally fake solution," Rutte shot back, "you want Nexit, you want The Netherlands out of Europe. You know what it will cost ... don't do it." Wilders, who says he is on a mission against the "Islamisation" of the country, has promised to shut Dutch borders to Muslim immigrants, close mosques and ban sales of the Koran. He also wants to follow the British and pull the country out of the European Union which it helped found. Polls suggest Wednesday's results could be close, with Rutte's Liberal VVD returning as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament by a whisker. - 'Stop populism - The elections are being closely watched as a signal of the possible rise of far-right and populist parties in Europe, with key elections also planned this year in France and Germany. "I want The Netherlands to be the first country which stops this trend of the wrong sort of populism," Rutte told reporters, just hours before the debate. Monday's debate, plus Tuesday's vote-eve round-table with eight political party leaders, could yet sway the poll, one analyst told AFP, estimating some 60 percent of Dutch voters remain undecided. Wilders has delighted in the chaos which erupted over the weekend when riot police moved in to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags in Rotterdam, angered by a Dutch government ban on their ministers. Story continues Rutte appealed for calm, but he has rejected Turkey's calls to apologise for expelling one of its ministers who tried to attend the pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam. In one tense exchange, Rutte said it was time to de-escalate the crisis, but Wilders retorted: "We must answer back. We must expel the Turkish ambassador and his staff." "There's the difference between tweeting from the sofa and running a country. If you are in charge of a country you need to take sensible measures," Rutte replied, to loud applause, in a jab at the Dutch MP known for his love of Twitter. - Tough coalition talks - The VVD is predicted to return as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament with between 23 to 27 seats, according to the latest aggregated polls. That is well down from the 40 VVD MPs in the outgoing lower chamber however, and would leave Rutte scrambling to cobble together a viable coalition which may have to include four or five parties to reach the 76-seat majority. After weeks of flirting at the top of the polls, Wilders has seen his ratings slip and may now come second with between 19 and 23 seats, polls suggest. But that would still leave him a difficult voice to ignore. Rutte repeated his vow never to work with Wilders again, accusing him of causing problems for the country after the peroxide-haired MP triggered the collapse of an earlier coalition in 2012. Telling Wilders he had become "radicalised" and was making "extreme statements" about Moroccan-Dutch citizens, Rutte insisted: "I will not cooperate with such a party. No, never, no." But Wilders retorted that he was standing up against "the liars and the legislators" and urged Dutch voters "if you want to take the Netherlands back for ourselves, then chase this man away and put me in the prime minister's office." There are 28 parties seeking to woo the 12.9 million eligible voters, and observers have warned that forming a coalition will likely take months and demand tough compromises. Wilders' "ideology might be negative, it's anti-Muslims, it's anti-EU, it's anti-immigration, it's anti-refugees. But it is a clear ideology that addresses concerns of a substantial group of the Dutch. So it is there to stay," Monika Sie Dhian Ho, director of the Clingendael Institute, told AFP. ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Monday there was a real possibility that nationalist, anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders could win the parliamentary election on Wednesday. "There is a real risk that on March 16 we can wake up in this country and Geert Wilders is leading the biggest party and that will send a signal to the rest of the world," he told journalists in Rotterdam. He called on Dutch voters to stop "the wrong populism" at the polls. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) 8 popular eateries in Gurgaon have failed the quality test conducted by food safety wing of the Health department and now they will be served notices asking for a written reply in the Additional District Magistrate (ADC) court. By Ajay Kumar: Adulteration of food items and sweets are on the higher side during this festive season of Holi. The food safety wing of the Health department had collected eight samples of sweets and raw food items from prominent restaurants and sweets outlets. The samples have failed on quality parameters. According to Gurugram civil surgeon Pushpa Bishnoi, the department is going to serve notices to these commercial entities and ask them for written replies in the Additional District Magistrate (ADC) court. The cancellation of licenses for them could be possible if they would fail to satisfy court with their replies. advertisement "It has been evident that adulteration of sweets and use of lowquality, outdated raw food materials rise due to rising demand. The food safety wing has collected samples from 27 existing restaurants and sent to food analyst lab of Haryana in Chandigarh. The samples were taken in presence of Nayab Hahsildaar, during the raid conducted by the wing. Eight among the restaurants and sweet shops have not passed the quality test," Bishnoi said. Diwan restaurants in sector 29, Sasural restaurant, City mart hotel near bus stand, (Three star), Delhi Farm in Nirwana country sector 51, Gopal sweets in sector 17, Ansu dairy and Rajasthan dairy and two more restaurants in sector 29 have been listed under the category. The officials have seized Desi Ghee, Paneer, Gujia, raw fish, oats breads, curd and Golguppa water from these commercial establishments. Bishnoi added that the RWAs of respective areas had complained of the inferior-quality food items. Also read: The Republic of Sector-29: Big Brother Delhi, watch out for the Guru-gram! Also read: Calm down Delhi, you are no better than Gurgaon after rains. Here's proof --- ENDS --- The Hague (AFP) - Turkish-Dutch relations are at their lowest ebb in four centuries in a row over pro-Ankara rallies on Dutch soil, but experts warned Turkey on Monday against imposing economic sanctions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed The Netherlands "will pay a heavy price" for its treatment of his Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya. The minister was expelled from the country on Saturday after defying a ban on attending a Rotterdam rally to drum up support among expat voters for April's referendum on boosting Erdogan's powers. "Certainly in recent history it's the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two countries," said Erdogan Aykac, a researcher in Turkish foreign relations at Groningen University. Although it was unclear whether Turkish threats included economic sanctions, Ankara would "suffer far more than The Netherlands" from such a move, said Erik-Jan Zurcher, professor of Turkish studies at Leiden University. "The Dutch economy is in excellent shape and very resilient, while the Turkish economy has been in crisis mode since the middle of last year. It's extremely vulnerable at the moment to any kind of shock," Zurcher told AFP. - Diplomatic spats - Diplomatic relations -- cordial since they were first launched in 1612 -- took a turn for the worse 400 years later in 2012 and have steadily deteriorated since then, experts said. Even while then Turkish prime minister Erdogan shook hands with Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte during an official visit in March 2012, events were overshadowed by a spat over a Turkish boy adopted by Dutch lesbian parents. Dutch newspapers reported the couple went into hiding with then nine-year-old Yunus because of attempts in Turkey to have him returned and apparent disquiet in the Turkish community. Last year Turkish-Dutch journalist Ebru Umar was arrested and briefly detained after she tweeted comments critical of Erdogan. Umar later returned to The Netherlands after diplomatic efforts, but lives at a secret address for her own safety. Story continues The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin. Thousands of pro-Erdogan demonstrators took to the streets in big Dutch cities after the failed coup in July. At the time, journalists said they were attacked by pro-Erdogan supporters in Rotterdam, and the president's opponents say they were threatened. The incidents were widely condemned in the Dutch parliament. Concerns over perceived Turkish interference in Dutch internal affairs reached breaking point on Saturday, experts said. Dutch officials said the government had drawn "a line in the sand" when it refused Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane permission to land near Rotterdam. A few hours later, Dutch police expelled family minister Kaya, driving her back to the German border. "Everybody who lives in The Netherlands... must have the freedom to make their own choices and not allow a foreign power to come and tell them how they should live their lives," Dutch deputy prime minister Lodewijk Asscher said Monday. "We have to defend all Dutch citizens," he told the NOS public broadcaster. - 'Painful for both sides' - Bilateral trade between Turkey and the Netherlands amounted to almost eight billion euros in 2016, according to the Dutch central statistics office. But that number falls behind the top Dutch bilateral trading partner Germany, which amounted to 98.2 billion euros in 2016. "It remains to be seen whether economic sanctions will indeed manifest themselves," Dutch economic broadcaster RTLZ said. But "seeing that trade relations with Turkey have improved over the last decade, it's clear it wouldn't be painless for either side," it said. The Hague (AFP) - The Netherlands on Monday issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey urging them to take care amid a bitter row between the two countries. "Since March 11, 2017 there have been diplomatic tensions between Turkey and The Netherlands. Stay alert across the whole of Turkey and avoid gatherings and crowded places," the foreign ministry said in its warning. Amid an escalating crisis which erupted over the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned The Netherlands would pay for blocking his ministers from holding rallies to build support for a vote on expanding his powers. The Dutch foreign ministry said there was a safety risk in travelling to Turkey, and said citizens could register with the ministry ahead of travel. "Across the whole country there is a high risk of terrorist attacks," it added, particularly warning against travel to the borders with Syria and Iraq. Hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Dutch embassy in Istanbul on Saturday, after the Dutch government banned Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from attending a pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam. She was subsequently expelled from the country. Protests also erupted late Saturday in Rotterdam, when hundreds of people angered by the decision took to the streets and waved Turkish flags. Riot-police eventually moved in to break-up the demonstration, using dogs, horses and water cannon. The row has erupted just days before Dutch general elections, already marked by a polarising debate over immigration and integration. MANILA, Philippines (AP) President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he has told the military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the country's northeastern coast where Chinese survey ships were spotted last year, in a discovery that alarmed Philippine defense officials. Duterte said he ordered the military to assert ownership of Benham Rise in a friendly way, repeating that his country has no option but to be diplomatic because "I cannot match the might of China." "My order to my military, you go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship," Duterte said in a news conference when asked about the issue in the waters facing the Pacific Ocean. Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Duterte took office in June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid. The Philippine military spotted the Chinese survey ships crisscrossing the Benham Rise waters suspiciously from July to December last year, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said last week. He said the government is considering an increase in patrols and the building of territorial markers in the offshore region. The Chinese ships' presence in the area was to be discussed late Monday at a meeting of National Security Council executive members and Duterte. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it asked China through its embassy Friday to clarify what the survey ships were doing in Benham Rise. In 2012, the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf declared Benham Rise to be part of the Philippine continental shelf, where the country has exclusive rights to fish and exploit resources, including undersea deposits of oil and gas, Philippine officials said. The Chinese foreign ministry has said its ships have a right to pass through the area under international law. Story continues In the South China Sea, Duterte has scuttled plans made under his predecessor for joint Philippine patrols with the U.S. Navy in disputed waters to avoid offending China. A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, has been sailing on a mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the sea, claimed virtually in its entirety by China. "America wants to pick a fight there," said Duterte, who has openly criticized U.S. security policies. "Why would I get into a trouble in that area? ___ This story has been corrected to fix spelling of Benham Rise. Cairo (AFP) - The release of Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak approved on Monday ends "talk of the Arab Spring" uprising that toppled him in 2011 after 30 years in power, an analyst said. An Egyptian prosecutor approved a request by Mubarak's lawyer for his release after a top court acquitted him of involvement in the killing of protesters during the popular revolt. Mubarak's expected release comes as many leaders of the 2011 protests that ousted him linger in jail but members of his former regime walk free. Six years on, critics say the abuses they fought under Mubarak have returned with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former army chief who toppled Mubarak's Islamist successor after just a year in power. "Talk of the Arab Spring has completely stopped," said Mai Mogib, a politics professor at Cairo University. But "discussing Mubarak and symbols of his era has become acceptable in the media and in the street", she said. Mubarak's lawyer said Monday the 88-year-old was free to go home after having spent most of his time since his arrest in 2011 detained at a military hospital in Cairo. "He can go home now when the doctors decide he is able to," Farid al-Deeb told AFP, adding that the ex-president is however banned from leaving the country pending an ongoing graft investigation. - 'Blood spilled for nothing' - Mubarak's sons have already been released from prison, and most of the charges brought against the ex-president's regime members have been dismissed. "He's in a better position than all other presidents who faced the Arab Spring" uprisings, Mogib said. Mubarak had been accused of inciting the deaths of protesters during the 18-day revolt, in which about 850 people were killed as police clashed with demonstrators. But Egypt's top appeals court on March 2 acquitted him of involvement in the killings. Mubarak was sentenced to life in 2012 in the case, but an appeals court ordered a retrial which dismissed the charges two years later. Story continues His acquittal this month, which is final, has angered relatives of those killed in 2011. "Our son's blood was spilled for nothing," said Mostafa Morsi, whose son was shot dead aged 22 on January 28, 2011. "I wish Mohammed had lived to work, marry and have children," his father said. Several key activists in the 2011 uprising are now serving lengthy jail terms, and rights groups say hundreds of others have been forcibly disappeared. The anti-Mubarak revolt ushered in instability that drove away tourists and investors, taking a heavy toll on the economy. In the street and on television talk shows, Egyptians now mainly discuss the faltering economy and rising prices instead of politics. - 'Nostalgia' for Mubarak - "After six years of the so-called Arab Spring, people remember Mubarak's era with nostalgia", said Mahmoud Ibrahim, a former mid-level official at Mubarak's dissolved National Democratic Party. "The sentence simply says Mubarak is neither corrupt nor a killer," said the 37-year-old. Prosecutors had levelled various charges against Mubarak following his February 2011 resignation. In January 2016, the appeals court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges. But the sentence took into account time served. Both of his sons, Alaa and Gamal, were freed. In another investigation into whether Mubarak had received gifts unlawfully, prosecutors have appealed a decision by an investigating judge to drop a probe against him. A former air force chief and vice president, Mubarak became president after jihadists shot dead president Anwar Sadat at a military parade in 1981, in an attack in which he was himself wounded. Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected civilian leader, served for just one year before the military toppled and detained him in 2013 amid mass protests against his rule. The authorities then launched a deadly crackdown on Morsi's backers. Hundreds including Morsi were sentenced to death after speedy mass trials, although courts have since overturned many of the convictions. Morsi's overthrow sparked a jihadist insurgency, mainly in the province of North Sinai, that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers. The insurgency, including attacks that have reached Cairo, have led Sisi to argue that while he supports human rights, the dangers facing Egypt also require a firm hand. London (AFP) - With Britain on the brink of triggering its EU exit talks, the country and its historic trading partners in the Commonwealth are sizing up an opportunity to boost business. Members in the 52-state organisation, which was born out of the British empire, feel the time is right to exploit their common bonds of language and law to a much greater degree. Britain is gearing up to strike its own trade deals outside of the European single market and is looking to its former global network, in what sceptical London officials quoted in UK newspapers are calling "Empire 2.0". The Commonwealth can help strengthen the prosperity and security of the UK and other members "as we look to create a truly global Britain", Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday. Ahead of the celebrations, the body held its first trade ministers' meeting since 2005, with more than 35 gathering in London. "A number of countries have come to us as a result of their concern in relation to the impact that Brexit might have on their economic position," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said afterwards. "The challenge that we face globally -- the slowdown and the protectionism -- is a real one. Therefore the Commonwealth as a family has an opportunity to exploit... the de facto Commonwealth advantage." - Third of world population - The trade ministers' meeting heard how business between Commonwealth members stands at around A600 billion ($730 billion, 684 billion euros), equivalent to 15 percent of global trade even though member states account for a third of the global population. The gathering looked at overcoming challenges to trade competitiveness and practical steps to get more commerce flowing. "I think it's the right time for a new Commonwealth trading bloc," Sri Lanka's international trade minister Malik Samarawickrama told AFP. Story continues The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council's chairman Jonathan Marland said: "All the UK's trading arrangements are now up for grabs. So what easier and better place to trade than with countries who have shared associations for many years?". When Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, it sidelined its historic trading links with its former empire, causing much hurt in some countries. Though Britain is "pushing at an open door", with Commonwealth trade, it must "approach it with a degree of humility", Marland said. Malta is uniquely placed to read the shifting sands, chairing both the Commonwealth and the EU Council presidency. "Brexit has had an effect and this is felt very handsomely," said the Mediterranean island's economy minister Christian Cordona. "However, it gives also a lot of opportunities that didn't exist before," he said. - China No.1 for Africa - The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) think tank, along with Britain's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade Out of Poverty, produced a 10-point plan of possible measures to increase Commonwealth business. Their recommendations included a Commonwealth trademark, promoting green growth through trade and improving trade governance. But ODI senior research fellow Maximiliano Mendez-Parra said the intra-Commonwealth trade growth should not be overstated since Africa sees China as its key partner. "Probably there will be an increase in intra-Commonwealth trade, but it won't go back to the trade of 60 or 70 years ago," he told AFP. Pauline Schnapper, a professor of contemporary British civilisation at the Sorbonne University in Paris, said London was failing to acknowledge how much the world and Britain's place in it had moved on since it decolonised and joined the EEC. "Half of Britain's trade is with the European continent so the idea that that could be replaced by Australia and New Zealand is absurd," she told AFP. Ankara (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "supporting terrorists", in a spiralling row with EU states after the blocking of poll rallies by ministers. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television, accusing Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects. "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists," he added. Erdogan said Germany, which Turkey has long accused of harbouring Kurdish militants and wanted suspects from the failed July 15 coup, was "giving support to terror in a ruthless way". He also lambasted Merkel for her public backing of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the diplomatic crisis sparked by The Hague's refusal to let Turkish ministers hold rallies in the country ahead of an April 16 referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers. German authorities had also last week blocked rallies from taking place, infuriating Ankara. Referring to the developments across Europe in recent days, Erdogan reiterated his controversial comparison with the Third Reich. "Nazism, we can call this Neo-nazism. A new Nazism tendency," he said. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has prolonged for six months until Sept. 15 a blacklist of Russian and Crimean individuals and firms accused of undermining Ukraine's integrity and independence, an EU statement said on Monday. "The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime," the statement said. The sanctions were introduced in March 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea and its involvement in the revolt in eastern Ukraine. The list includes advisers and aides of President Vladimir Putin, parliamentarians, defense and intelligence officials, army and navy commanders, as well as Crimean separatists and rebels in east Ukraine. Two people were removed from the list because they have recently died, the statement said. The updated list covers 150 persons and 37 companies which remain subject to visa bans and an asset freeze in the EU. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) By Anvita Singh: It is Holi today, people. Called the festival of colours, Holi is a time when Indians play with colours, and eat more sweets (read food) than they are supposed to. And because we love the festival too much, we can't stop thinking about it, which led us to ask a very interesting question, 'How would our favourite TV characters from international shows (mostly American in this particular list), celebrate the festival? advertisement After all, we see Holi being celebrated on our desi shows every year. So we picked a few characters from some of our favourite shows and tried to ponder over how they would behave on this special day, and 'this' list is a result of that 'serious' pondering: Frank Underwood from House of Cards Pciture courtesy: YouTube Frank being Frank, a power-hungry monster, he would probably hatch a devious plan to make the day all about himself. To do something so terrible and great that that would put him in a place of ultimate power. Joey from F.R.I.E.N.D.S Picture courtesy: Twitter/richardjdsouza Now what would Joey do on Holi? Simple, eat the day away. Joey would end up spending the day eating a great number of Gujias (a kind of sweet), and hitting on women at various Holi parties. Girls' Hannah Picture courtesy: Instagram/hbo The main protagonist of the American show, Hannah, is an aspiring writer. Hannah would write an essay on how the festival changed her in some way, and probably drink a lot of Bhang. Jon Snow from Game of Thrones Picture courtesy: Instagram/hbo Jon Snow famously 'doesn't know anything.' So he wouldn't be able to tell an ordinary day from a festival day. Let alone celebrate it. Sorry, Jon Snow. WATCH: GoT Season 7's first teaser looks pretty incredible Supernatural's Sam and Dean Picture courtesy: YouTube The Winchester brothers would ensure that the festival-related functions are carried out peacefully, and are not invaded by random spirits and demons. --- ENDS --- PARIS (Reuters) - Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls will ask voters to back centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the April-May presidential election, Le Parisien newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources close to Valls. Valls' throwing his support behind Macron is a potential blow to ruling Socialist Party candidate Benoit Hamon, who defeated Valls in the party's January nominating primary. "Manuel Valls will soon call on voters to support his former rival Emmanuel Macron, and this, from as early as the first round of the election," Le Parisien said, citing a source in Valls' primary campaign. Neither Valls nor Macron's campaign could be reached for comment. A source close to Valls told Reuters the Parisien report went too far because it was too early and Valls had not decided yet. Socialist Party official Carlos Da Silva, who was Valls' substitute in the National Assembly while he was prime minister, said on his Twitter account the Parisien story was false. He did not provide further details. Both Hamon and Macron were ministers in governments headed by Valls. Recent opinion polls show Macron as the front-runner in the election and that he will go on to defeat far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a runoff, while Hamon will be eliminated in the first round. (Reporting by Bate Felix, Myriam Rivet and Jean-Baptiste Vey; Editing by G Crosse and Peter Cooney) FLINT, Mich. (AP) A Michigan health official who didn't tell the public about an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease during Flint's water scandal was sentenced to probation Monday and ordered to write an apology to residents. Corinne Miller is now retired as Michigan's director of disease control. She pleaded no contest last summer to willful neglect of duty, a misdemeanor, and wasn't expected to get a jail sentence. But the letter of apology was a surprise. It's "perfectly appropriate in this case," Judge Jennifer Manley said. In her plea agreement, Miller said she was aware of Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area when the city was using a different water source, but she didn't report it to the general public. There were nearly 100 cases in the Flint area, including 12 deaths, in 2014 and 2015. During that time, Flint, population roughly 100,000, was drawing water from the Flint River but not treating it to reduce corrosion. Lead leached from old pipes and fixtures, and the water supply was contaminated. Some experts have linked the water to Legionnaires', a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria that thrive in warm water and infect the lungs. People can get sick if they inhale mist or vapor, typically from cooling systems. Miller declined to speak in court Monday. She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service. Defense attorney Kristen Guinn objected to the apology letter, saying it might be used against Miller in civil lawsuits. The judge didn't indicate how the letter would be distributed. Special prosecutor Todd Flood said the attorney general's office has received "substantial cooperation" from Miller in the ongoing investigation. Miller said she prepared a report on the Legionnaires' outbreak to people at the state health department identified only as Suspect One and Suspect Two. Separately, the judge declined to make an immediate ruling on a request by two state employees to dismiss charges of misconduct in office. Manley said she wants to hear evidence about their alleged crimes at a future hearing. Story continues Lawyers for Michael Prysby and Stephen Busch of the Department of Environmental Quality argued that they're career civil servants, not officials who would be covered by the charge. Flood disagreed, saying they were "police officers of our state" who could have stopped "pollution" of the Flint water system. Flint's water quality has greatly improved since fall 2015 when the city switched back to Detroit's regional water system, although tap filters still are recommended. Separately, the city hopes to replace 6,000 lead water lines at homes this year but thousands more remain. ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteap By Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Lin Noueihed WASHINGTON/CAIRO (Reuters) - Russia appears to have deployed special forces to an airbase in western Egypt near the border with Libya in recent days, U.S., Egyptian and diplomatic sources say, a move that would add to U.S. concerns about Moscow's deepening role in Libya. The U.S. and diplomatic officials said any such Russian deployment might be part of a bid to support Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, who suffered a setback with an attack on March 3 by the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB) on oil ports controlled by his forces. The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States has observed what appeared to be Russian special operations forces and drones at Sidi Barrani, about 60 miles (100 km) from the Egypt-Libya border. Egyptian security sources offered more detail, describing a 22-member Russian special forces unit, but declined to discuss its mission. They added that Russia also used another Egyptian base farther east in Marsa Matrouh in early February. The apparent Russian deployments have not been previously reported. The Russian defense ministry did not immediately provide comment on Monday and Egypt denied the presence of any Russian contingent on its soil. "There is no foreign soldier from any foreign country on Egyptian soil. This is a matter of sovereignty," Egyptian army spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said. The U.S. military declined comment. U.S. intelligence on Russian military activities is often complicated by its use of contractors or forces without uniforms, officials say. Russian military aircraft flew about six military units to Marsa Matrouh before the aircraft continued to Libya about 10 days later, the Egyptian sources said. Reuters could not independently verify any presence of Russian special forces and drones or military aircraft in Egypt. Mohamed Manfour, commander of Benina air base near Benghazi, denied that Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) had received military assistance from the Russian state or from Russian military contractors, and said there were no Russian forces or bases in eastern Libya. Several Western countries, including the U.S., have sent special operations forces and military advisors into Libya over the past two years. The U.S. military also carried out air strikes to support a successful Libyan campaign last year to oust Islamic State from its stronghold in the city of Sirte. Questions about Russia's role in north Africa coincide with growing concerns in Washington about Moscow's intentions in oil-rich Libya, which has become a patchwork of rival fiefdoms in the aftermath of a 2011 NATO-backed uprising against the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was a client of the former Soviet Union. The U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is in a deadlock with Haftar, and Russian officials have met with both sides in recent months. Moscow appears prepared to back up its public diplomatic support for Haftar even though Western governments were already irked at Russia's intervention in Syria to prop up President Bashar al-Assad. A force of several dozen armed private security contractors from Russia operated until February in a part of Libya that is under Haftar's control, the head of the firm that hired the contractors told Reuters. The top U.S. military commander overseeing troops in Africa, Marine General Thomas Waldhauser, told the U.S. Senate last week that Russia was trying to exert influence in Libya to strengthen its leverage over whoever ultimately holds power. "They're working to influence that," Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Asked whether it was in the U.S. interest to let that happen, Waldhauser said: "It is not." REGAINING TOE-HOLD One U.S. intelligence official said Russia's aim in Libya appeared to be an effort to "regain a toe-hold where the Soviet Union once had an ally in Gaddafi." "At the same time, as in Syria, they appear to be trying to limit their military involvement and apply enough to force some resolution but not enough to leave them owning the problem," the official added, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Russia's courting of Haftar, who tends to brand his armed rivals as Islamist extremists and who some Libyans see as the strongman their country needs after years of instability, has prompted others to draw parallels with Syria, another longtime Soviet client. Asked by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham whether Russia was trying to do in Libya what it did in Syria, Waldhauser said: "Yes, that's a good way to characterize it." A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russia was looking to back Haftar, although its initial focus would likely be on Libya's "oil crescent." "It is pretty clear the Egyptians are facilitating Russian engagement in Libya by allowing them to use these bases. There are supposedly training exercises taking place there at present," the diplomat said. Egypt has been trying to persuade the Russians to resume flights to Egypt, which have been suspended since a Russian plane carrying 224 people from the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh to St Petersburg was brought down by a bomb in October 2015. The attack was claimed by an Islamic State branch that operates out of northern Sinai. Russia says that its primary objective in the Middle East is to contain the spread of violent Islamist groups. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged this month to help unify Libya and foster dialogue when he met the leader of the U.N.-backed government, Fayez Seraj. Russia, meanwhile, is also deepening its relations with Egypt, which had ties to the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1972. The two countries held joint military exercises - something the U.S. and Egypt did regularly until 2011 - for the first time in October. Russia's Izvestia newspaper said in October that Moscow was in talks to open or lease an airbase in Egypt. Egypt's state-owned Al Ahram newspaper, however, quoted the presidential spokesman as saying Egypt would not allow foreign bases. The Egyptian sources said there was no official agreement on the Russian use of Egyptian bases. There were, however, intensive consultations over the situation in Libya. Egypt is worried about chaos spreading from its western neighbor and it has hosted a flurry of diplomatic meetings between leaders of the east and west in recent months. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington and Lin Noueihed in Cairo; additional reporting by John Walcott in Washington, Ahmed Mohammed Hassan in Cairo, Maria Tsvetkova and Christian Lowe in Moscow, Ayman al-Warfalli in Benghazi, Aidan Lewis in Tunis; editing by Grant McCool) By Maria Tsvetkova MOSCOW (Reuters) - A force of several dozen armed private security contractors from Russia operated until last month in a part of Libya that is under the control of regional leader Khalifa Haftar, the head of the firm that hired the contractors told Reuters. It is the clearest signal to date that Moscow is prepared to back up its public diplomatic support for Haftar -- even at the risk of alarming Western governments already irked at Russia's intervention in Syria to prop up President Bashar al-Assad. Haftar is opposed to a U.N.-backed government which Western states see as the best chance of restoring stability in Libya. But some Russian policy-makers see the Libyan as a strongman who can end the six years of anarchy that followed the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. The presence of the military contractors was, according to the head of the firm, a commercial arrangement. It is unlikely though to have been possible without Moscow's approval, according to people who work in the industry in Russia. Oleg Krinitsyn, owner of private Russian firm RSB-group, said he sent the contractors to eastern Libya last year and they were pulled out in February having completed their mission. In an interview with Reuters, he said their task was to remove mines from an industrial facility near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, in an area that Haftar's forces had liberated from Islamist rebels. He declined to say who hired his firm to provide the contractors, where they were operating or what the industrial facility was. He did not say if the operation had been approved by the U.N.-backed government, which most states view as the sovereign ruler of Libya. Asked whether the mission had official blessing from Moscow, Krinitsyn said his firm did not work with the Russian defence ministry, but was "consulting" with the Russian foreign ministry. The contractors did not take part in combat, Krinitsyn said, but they were armed with weapons they obtained in Libya. He declined to specify what type of weapons. A U.N. arms embargo prohibits the import of weapons to Libya unless it is under the control of the U.N.-backed government. Krinitsyn said his contractors were ready to strike back in case of an attack. "If we're under assault we enter the battle, of course, to protect our lives and the lives of our clients," Krinitsyn said. "According to military science, a counterattack must follow an attack. That means we would have to destroy the enemy." Military and government officials in eastern Libya said they were not aware of the presence of the contractors, while Haftar did not respond to a request for comment. Officials in Western Libya, where the U.N.-backed government is based, were not immediately available to comment. The Russian foreign ministry said it was working on a response to Reuters questions bit had not commented by Friday. MOSCOW'S PROXIES Underscoring Libya's volatility, Haftar's forces have this week been fighting to regain control over the Mediterranean oil terminals of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, which a rival faction seized earlier this month. Russia has a record of using private military contractors as an extension of its own military. In Syria, military contractors have been widely used in combat roles in conjunction with Russian regular forces and their Syrian allies, according to multiple accounts given to Reuters by people involved in the operations.Moscow has not acknowledged using private contractors in Syria. Russian security companies do not reveal the background of people they hire but the contractors usually are special forces veterans. Krinitsyn, the owner of the company which hired the contractors for Libya, was an officer of the Russian border guard service based in Tajikistan, on the border with Afghanistan, where he said he gained battlefield experience. Krinitsyn said some of the contractors he hired for Libya has previously worked in Syria, though not in combat roles. He declined to say how many contractors were involved in the mission in Libya, citing commercial secrecy. However, he said that in general, a de-mining operation of this type would require around 50 mine clearance experts and around the same number for their security detail. HAWKISH CAMP Haftar has been seeking outside help to consolidate his control over parts of Libya. Russia has shown a willingness to engage with him that contrasts with the more cautious approach of Western governments. Haftar visited Moscow in November last year and met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In December, Haftar went on board a Russian aircraft carrier off the Libyan coast and spoke with the Russian defence minister via videolink. In recent weeks, Russia has taken in 100 of Haftar's wounded fighters for medical treatment. Moscow also received Haftar's rival, Fayez Serraj, the head of the UN-backed government, for talks this month. President Vladimir Putin, newly confident from the Russian military intervention in Syria, is anxious to restore stability in Libya. But foreign diplomats familiar with Russian thinking say there is so far no consensus on how to achieve that. They say the foreign ministry wants Haftar to join forces with the U.N.-backed government. But the diplomats say there is a more hawkish camp, centred on the Russian defence ministry and some people in the Kremlin, which favours backing Haftar to establish control over the whole of Libya. Krinitsyn, the contractors' boss, said that while in Libya his employees had run into a group of local militants. He said the militants were initially hostile, but became friendly when they realised the outsiders were Russians. "It was an uncomfortable situation but the image created by Putin in Syria played a positive role. We realized that Russia is welcomed in Libya more than other countries are," he said. (Additional reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli in Benghazi, Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli and Christian Lowe in Moscow; Editing by Giles Elgood) Donald Trump entered public life on the strength of the lie that Barack Obama was born outside the United States and ineligible to be president, and even after disavowing it at the last possible moment of his presidential campaign, Trump has continued to say things for which to put it as generously as possible there is no discernible evidence. As a private citizen, he was rarely held to account for anything he said, and on Twitter which by its nature doesnt lend itself to nuance or elaboration he could drop bombshells as he saw fit and move on. But now, as president, he is at least in principle responsible for what he tells the American people. And he has an entire staff of White House assistants, counselors and spokespeople to defend, justify and explain away his misstatements, attack the credibility of his critics and deflect additional questions. Theres nothing necessarily novel about this. It was Richard Nixons press secretary, Ron Ziegler, who took back a year of lies about the Watergate burglary with the airy remark, This is the operative statement. The others are inoperative. But for the Trump White House, defending the presidents claims has required some particularly advanced rhetorical gymnastics. The difficulty for the administration officials begins with the fact that the president bases his messaging as much around what hes watching on cable news as he does on any sort of strategy or policy briefing. The White House didnt even have a communications director whose job is to coordinate the administrations messaging until nearly a month after the inauguration. In the administrations rocky first few weeks, that role was filled by press secretary Sean Spicer, whose performance reportedly displeased Trump early on. One of Spicers favorite fallbacks when challenged is a variation of, The presidents tweet speaks for itself, as if the 140-character firebombs dispatched in response to Fox and Friends segments or Breitbart stories require no further context. Hes also leaning on more traditional Washington tactics, such as simply refusing to answer a question, such as this example when asked about whether the president would apologize to Heidi Cruz during a White House dinner: Story continues Q from @HallieJackson: Is Trump going to apologize to Ted & Heidi Cruz at dinner tonight? pic.twitter.com/guruI35HnY Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 8, 2017 The one thing Spicer has not done is admit that the White House made a mistake, even if it requires him to deny the plain meaning of something the president said. Perhaps the most conspicuous example is this tweet, blaming Obama for releasing prisoners from Guantanamo who returned to the battlefield: 122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama Administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield. Just another terrible decision! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017 Confronted by the inescapable, mathematical truth that the great majority of those prisoners were actually released under President George W. Bush, Spicer said Trump meant in totality the number that had been released on the battlefield under both presidents, as if he were simply clarifying Trumps completely unambiguous statement. He passed up a reporters invitation to apologize. Vice President Mike Pence has been attempting to deal with questions about the presidents words since Trump accepted the former Indiana governors pitch to fill out the Republican ticket, often going with a Let Mike Be Mike strategy that put Pence at odds with the top of the ticket. Pence has also leaned on his evangelical background to spin some of Trumps more controversial statements. One example is his response to the leaked Access Hollywood tapes in which Trump made a series of lewd comments about women, after which Pence said that Trump showed grace in his apology and deserved forgiveness. Pence has remained active through the transition and start of the administration. In a December interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, Pence suggested that Trump stating things he believed to be true without offering evidence in this instance, the claim that millions of people had voted illegally was refreshing to the American people: STEPHANOPOULOS: Its his right to make false statements? PENCE: Well, its his right to express his opinion as president-elect of the United States. I think one of the things thats refreshing about our president-elect, and one of the reasons why I think he made such an incredible connection with people all across this country is because he tells you whats on his mind. STEPHANOPOULOS: But why is it refreshing to make false statements? PENCE: Look, I dont know that that is a false statement, George, and neither do you. The simple fact is that. STEPHANOPOULOS: I know theres no evidence for it. PENCE: There is evidence, historic evidence from the Pew Research Center, of voter fraud thats taken place. Were in the process of investigating irregularities in the state of Indiana that were leading up to this election. The fact that voter fraud exists is. STEPHANPOULOS: But can you provide any evidence can you provide any evidence to back up that statement? PENCE; Well, look, I think hes expressed his opinion on that. And hes entitled to express his opinion on that. And I think the American people I think the American people find it very refreshing that they have a president who will tell them whats on his mind. And I think the connection that he made in the course. STEPHANOPOULOS: Whether its true or not? PENCE: Well, theyre going to tell them hes going to say what he believes to be true, and I know that hes always going to speak in that way as president. Pence echoed those comments in February when defending Trumps use of the term so-called judge. I think the American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them, said Pence. Spicer and Pence are far from the only two voices attempting to clean up the presidents statements; there is a small army of cabinet officials, and there are former campaign surrogates on cable news programs and White House staffers at the ready. One advantage for the Trump surrogates is that they generally only have to dodge a single issue for a few weeks before their boss drops another bomb, requiring a different test of the pliability of the truth. Consider three claims from the president that would be massive news stories requiring intense government and media scrutiny if true: Millions of people voted illegally, thus invalidating potentially hundreds of races across the country There was an imminent national security threat that required his executive order restricting travel from seven majority-Muslim countries Former President Barack Obama personally ordered an illegal wiretap of his campaign The problem with all three statements is that theres been no legitimate evidence offered to support any of them. State election officials Republicans and Democrats alike have unanimously disputed Trumps allegations about the magnitude of voter fraud. In lieu of evidence, the White House announced it would form a special commission chaired by Pence to investigate illegal voting. That was in early February, and thus far, theres been limited movement on the fraud investigation, with a Pence spokesman telling NPR last week that the vice president was still doing the necessary groundwork. Millions of instances of voter fraud should be the biggest story in the country, but because so many other purported issues have cropped up since the travel ban, the wiretapping accusation, the fight over health care reform, etc., etc. its been buried. Another White House advantage is a seemingly inexhaustible reserve of people to throw at the media. Each month, the administration has found a new face to feed to the Sunday morning shows each delivering questionable results. On January 22, the second full day of Trumps term, Kellyanne Conway coined the now-infamous term alternative facts in her attempt to defend Spicers statements about the size of the crowd at the Trump inauguration. After mockery about the use of the term alternative facts, it only got worse for Conway, who managed to couple the citation of a nonexistent Bowling Green massacre in multiple interviews with a potential ethics violation by plugging Ivanka Trumps fashion products. The string of missteps continued when she said National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had the full confidence of the president hours before Flynn resigned. Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said Conway was no longer welcome on the show, and CNN also cut back on her appearances. With Conways credibility apparently depleted, the White House dispatched policy adviser Stephen Miller to the February 12 Sunday shows. His performance was viewed so poorly in some corners that Sean Hannity and Joe Scarborough got in a spat over the latters criticism, with the MSNBC host calling Miller awful on every level. The critique came about Millers tactics on the show, which was essentially to double down on everything the president had said and talk up the power of the executive branch. When asked by ABC News about Trumps claims of rampant voter fraud, Miller insisted that it was essentially a known secret in some states. I can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone whos worked in New Hampshire politics, said Miller. Its very real. Its very serious. This morning, on this show, is not the venue for me to lay out all the evidence. When pressed about the claim, Miller tripled down: George, it is a fact and you will not deny it that there are massive numbers of noncitizens in this country who are registered to vote. That is a scandal. Miller hasnt appeared on a Sunday show since, although the president tweeted that he had done a great job representing him. This meant another surrogate was forced to draw the shortest of straws this month after Trump accused Obama of ordering a wiretapping of the Republicans campaign with zero evidence. The White House turned to Sarah Huckabee Sanders, deputy press secretary and daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Sanders tactic to defend the accusation was to cite a number of mainstream outlets and say that they had already confirmed what Trump had tweeted. The only problem was that none of the cited news organizations had actually reported that. This tactic deferring to an authority that viewers would conceivably trust might have worked in some venues, but ABC News Martha Raddatz pushed back, which led to Sanders using Spicers The tweet speaks for itself: RADDATZ: OK. Let me just say one more time. The president said: I bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October. So the president believes it is true? SANDERS: I would say that his tweet speaks for itself there. RADDATZ: And Sarah, I just want to go back again to the presidents tweet one more time. And Sean Spicer tweeting today as well reports that potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of 2016 election are very troubling. Sounds like the White House is really doubling down on what President Trump says happened. SANDERS: As we should, Martha. If this happened, once again, this would be the greatest abuse of power and overreach thats probably ever occurred in the executive branch. And something that certainly RADDATZ: Well, what about these accusations? You keep saying, if, if, if. The president of the United States said it was a fact. He didnt say, I read a story in Breitbart or The New York Times or wherever else. He said: Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower. Thats not an if. SANDERS: Look, I I will let the president speak for himself. But in terms of where we are in the White House, our ask RADDATZ: Youre his spokesperson. SANDERS: And Im speaking about it right now. RADDATZ: But youre backing off of it. Youre backing off of it. SANDERS: How am I backing off of it while Im saying that I think that this happened RADDATZ: Because youre saying if. SANDERS: And I think the American people have a right to know. And I think that we should get definitive answers. I think we need to put out hard facts that show that this happened. RADDATZ: OK, thats what President Trump was clearly doing in those tweets. Thank you very much for joining thus morning, Sarah. Appreciate it. Just as Trump supported Miller despite criticisms of his Sunday morning appearances, Sanders was dubbed a rising star in the administration in an Associated Press story last week. Conway has been given further chances, and on Monday she told CNN, Im not in the job of having evidence when asked to defend the wiretapping charges. Trump appeared to have her back, tweeting shortly after her appearance that the media had been rude to his representatives and that theyd do much better by being nice. If you attempted to describe the White House tactics in bullet points, it would probably look something like this: Hope that there are enough stories in the mix that you never have to defend individual claims for an extended period of time Rotate voices as others potentially lose credibility Rely on the traditional respect afforded to the occupant of the Oval Office, and say that Trump obviously must have a good reason for anything he says Argue that even the most outlandish claims had already been confirmed by other outlets or are common knowledge Say that the American people love that the president says whatever is on his mind, regardless of what hes saying When all else fails, ignore the fact that youre speaking for the president and say that Trumps words and especially his tweets speak for themselves, even if they dont Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, who was interviewed by CNN last week about the Obama wiretapping claims, perhaps best expressed the view that the president is entitled to the presumption that he knows what hes talking about. I dont know anything about it, said Kelly. If the president of the United States said that, hes got his reasons to say it. Read more from Yahoo News: London (AFP) - Queen Elizabeth II will host leaders from around the Commonwealth in 2018, London announced Monday, as Britain seeks to boost trade with its historic allies as it leaves the EU. The biennial summit in April next year will take place in London and Windsor, west of the capital, and will be staged for the first time at Buckingham Palace. The 90-year-old queen is the symbolic head of the Commonwealth and the 2018 summit might be the last one she attends in person, having discontinued long-haul travel for the summits. As Britain leaves the European Union and becomes free to strike its own trade deals, it is openly looking to its historic partners in the Commonwealth and the 2018 summit will likely focus on commerce. Commonwealth trade ministers met for the first time in 11 years last week in a push to boost business by capitalising on their shared legal systems, regulation and language. The Commonwealth brings together around a third of the world's population and a quarter of its countries, largely former territories of the British empire. WASHINGTON (AP) A familiar name from Massachusetts, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, is carrying his family legacy into a new era, battling Republicans who want to undo Barack Obama's health care law. Kennedy, the 36-year-old grandson of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and great-nephew of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy, has been a low-key presence in the House since he was first elected in his Boston-area district in 2012. But he emerged last week as a major Democratic voice against the Republican health care bill, delivering several speeches in a committee's all-night session that have been viewed millions of times on the internet. While the technology may be new, his support for the Obama-era health care law and more services for the poor are familiar Kennedy territory. Sen. Ted Kennedy spent decades pushing for comprehensive health care before his death from brain cancer in August 2009. Now his great-nephew is fighting Republicans who are trying to unravel the 2010 law. They say the system is failing as premiums have risen and insurers have pulled out. Kennedy challenged House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who had called the GOP replacement bill an "act of mercy." "With all due respect to our speaker, he and I must have read different scripture," Kennedy said during the debate. "The one that I read calls on us to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, and to comfort the sick. It reminds us that we are judged not by how we treat the powerful, but how we care for the least among us." He added: "This is not an act of mercy. It's an act of malice." His office posted the video on Facebook, and as of Monday, it had almost 10 million views and more than 225,000 shares. Kennedy acknowledged his family legacy but stressed that he can't allow it to overwhelm his actions. "I obviously am very proud of what my family has accomplished and what they have done," he said in an interview, but "if you try to do this job and carry that weight around, you're never going to be able to do anything." Story continues When talking about his grandfather's speeches, he is emotional, putting his hand on his heart. "God, have you read some of his speeches?" he asks, and notes that a one-minute viral clip is an easier task. It's clear that he'd rather be talking about the details of his opposition to the health bill. During the committee debate, he criticized the bill for its one-year freeze in Planned Parenthood funding, and the resulting decrease in health services for women, and the repeal of a requirement that state Medicaid plans must provide "essential health benefits," including mental health care. A separate Facebook video of him talking about mental health care has more than 4 million views. That issue is important in his family mainly to his cousin, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who left Congress in 2011 and has since been open about his own battles with substance abuse and mental health. Now an advocate for increased mental health services, Patrick Kennedy says his cousin "managed to capture a moment when all eyes were on health care, and focus it with laser precision." He says Joe is the right person to carry on the family legacy. "Most members have to be around for a long time and pay their dues before they garner the kind of credibility he'll have," Patrick said of Joe. "The fact is, is he going to use that to good purpose? As he demonstrated this week, he is not only prepared but is using to good purpose that incredible family legacy he was given by birth." One of Kennedy's good friends in Congress is Rep. Markwayne Mullin, a 39-year-old Oklahoma Republican who entered Congress with Kennedy four years ago and says he disagrees with the Massachusetts Democrat on almost everything. Mullin says they joke a lot, but they rarely joke about health care. They both sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where they took opposite sides on the bill last week. "He doesn't speak out very often. He's not someone that is front and center," Mullin said. "But health care is something that is very important to him." The internet took notice, with retweets and Twitter shout-outs from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who tweeted: "Wow. This is a Kennedy who could be President. A must watch." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi cited his "passion and his leadership." New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee and a lawmaker who worked with both Ted Kennedy and Patrick Kennedy before Joe came to Congress, says his party needs more young people talking about the benefits of the health care law, since many don't think it helps them. Joe Kennedy says millennials are engaged, apolitical, want the system to work and want solutions. "Trying to get to some of the solutions here is difficult," Kennedy said. "But we need to find a way to get there." The Federal Election Commission an agency of clashing commissioners, seething staffers and key vacancies may soon face congressmen who wonder: Whys the agency a basket case? Such a trip under Congress microscope could come in the form of a Committee on House Administration oversight hearing, something the FEC hasnt endured since 2011, when super PACs were still novel and the now-seminal Citizens United v. FEC decision wasnt yet two years old. A planned oversight hearing in 2014 never materialized. Its time, Committee on House Administration member Barry Loudermilk, a Republican congressman from Georgia, told the Center for Public Integrity. We should take the opportunity and have a re-evaluation. An oversight hearing is both urgent and necessary and should be conducted sooner rather than later, said Jamie Fleet, a spokesman for Rep. Robert Brady, the committees ranking Democrat. Committee on House Administration Chairman Gregg Harper, R-Mississippi, is open to bringing FEC leaders up to Capitol Hill, with spokeswoman Erin McCracken saying the committee will continue to use appropriate mechanisms of oversight, which could include possible hearings. The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration also appears to have increased appetite for reviewing FEC affairs. Although this committee has this decade conducted FEC commissioner confirmation hearings and hearings about campaign money, it has not specifically conducted an FEC oversight hearing since 2004, according to committee records. There are many campaign finance issues that need to be discussed and investigated by the Senate hearings in the Rules Committee would help increase transparency and shed light on our campaign finance system, which is badly in need of reform, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, the committees ranking Democrat. Torrie Matous, a spokeswoman Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, said Shelby is committed to proper oversight of the FEC and has staff dedicated to those efforts. Story continues Plenty to talk about If an oversight hearing occurs in one or both chambers, expect tension. Lots. This story is part of Federal Politics. News about ethics, campaign finance, lobbying and influence in the federal government. Click here to read more stories in this series. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. The six-member FEC is down to five commissioners Democrat Ann Ravel resigned March 1 and all the remaining members are serving even though their terms have expired. Ravel said she was bedeviled by what she declared scandalous federal inaction and Republican-driven dysfunction and deadlock. Republican Commissioner Lee Goodman, for one, roundly rejected the accusations. Ravel and Goodman both have predicted more departures, and Goodman himself told The Hill hell leave this year. If two more commissioners quit the agency without President Donald Trump immediately replacing them, expect the lack of a quorum on the commission to worsen the gridlock. In 2008, the last time the commission lost a quorum, much of the agencys business ground to a halt. A White House press official declined to comment on the record about the Federal Election Commission or the replacement of FEC commissioners. Staff morale, meanwhile, ranks near the bottom of all federal agencies a situation exacerbated of late by a senior FEC manager improperly obtaining and sharing employees supposedly confidential criticisms of their bosses. And some key staff positions simply have no one occupying them, or do only on an acting basis. Most notable: the FEC, which is tasked with enforcing federal election laws, hasnt managed to appoint a general counsel since mid-2013, in part because commissioners cant agree on who to hire. Other vacant senior FEC staff positions at the roughly 350-person agency include the budget director, accounting director and the deputy general counsel for law, FEC officials confirmed. The FECs longtime inspector general Lynne McFarland this month retired on short notice, and the agency has not yet named a replacement. ( Update, 12:46 p.m., March 18, 2017 : Adav Noti, the FEC's associate general counsel for policy, will also leave the agency and join the Campaign Legal Center, three FEC sources familiar with Noti's departure confirmed to the Center for Public Integrity. Noti and Campaign Legal Center spokesman Corey Goldstone declined to comment when reached by email and text message. The Campaign Legal Center is a nonpartisan campaign reform organization led by former FEC Chairman Trevor Potter. Update, 2:59 p.m., March 21, 2017: Noti will begin work at the Campaign Legal Center on April 24, where he will work as the organization's director of trial litigation.) Related story: FECs Ann Ravel: resigning, but not going away Senior staff positions filled with staffers working in an acting capacity include chief financial officer, deputy staff director, deputy chief information officer, assistant general counsel for enforcement and assistant general counsel for policy. Often, staffers working in acting capacities cause vacancies in lower-level FEC positions. Aside from general counsel and inspector general positions mandated by federal law the FEC is not actively filling jobs because of a federal hiring freeze Trump implemented in January. Substance ... or theater? At a congressional oversight hearing, the prospect of political theater is high, said former FEC Acting General Counsel Daniel Petalas, added that there would be a lot of work needed by the FEC to get up to speed on all the talking points required. Much work may come later, too. After the Committee on House Administrations contentious 2011 FEC oversight hearing, FEC officials released under threat of subpoena hundreds of pages of previously secret documents, including its manuals for enforcing campaign finance laws and auditing political committees. Among the topics Petalas expects might arise at a new oversight hearing beyond vacancies and morale: agency enforcement guidelines, regulating the so-called dark money spent by politically active nonprofits and commissioners regularly deadlocking on high-profile legal matters. Added Petalas, who left the agency last year to work as an attorney at law firm Garvey Schubert Barer: Nobody at the FEC really wants to have to deal with that. But if he must, FEC Chairman Steven Walther is prepared. Walther, who says no member of Congress has yet contacted him this year, would prefer if committee members would first address their concerns with him informally. Beyond that, "I'm willing to meet with them any time on any topic," said Walther, an independent who often (but not always) votes with his Democratic colleagues on the FEC. Related story: Federal Election Commission: a forgotten tool in Donald Trumps drain the swamp effort Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. FEC Vice Chairwoman Caroline Hunter, a Republican, concurred: If Congress wants to hear from us, well do whatever it takes to prepare, and well be happy to answer their questions. Walther might, however, have a few questions of his own for Congress, which has all but ignored an annual legislative wish list the FECs commissioners send members. Walther says hes particularly interested in senators justifying their failure to file their campaign finance reports electronically, a move thats estimated to save taxpayers about $500,000 yearly. Unlike presidential and House candidates, Senate candidates continue filing their official reports on paper. Congressional oversight hearings on the FEC would also be an opportunity for the agency to state, for the record, the positive things its doing, said former FEC Chairman Scott Thomas, a Democrat who today is a partner at law firm Blank Rome LLP. Thomas quickly noted that members of Congress will nevertheless want to know what the heck is going on there in terms of hiring up and low staff morale. High points for the agency include a long-awaited, soon-to-be-completed website redesign and the move to a new, more efficient agency headquarters. A hearing is also an opportunity for Congress to reassert its oversight of the FEC something that in recent years has been very uneven, said Michael Toner, a former Republican chairman of the FEC and current partner at law firm Wiley Rein LLP. It keeps you on your toes and makes you a better commissioner when you have public accountability, Toner said. Given the FECs troubles, why has Congress not conducted an FEC oversight hearing since early this decade? Its their job to look at us in Congress, Loudermilk said, so you sometimes dont have a lot of us wanting to go after them. Versions of this article appear on NBC News and Public Radio International and in the Buffalo News. This story is part of Federal Politics. News about ethics, campaign finance, lobbying and influence in the federal government. Click here to read more stories in this series. Related stories Copyright 2017 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Damascus (AFP) - Syria's future will be decided only after "getting rid of extremists" and achieving political reconciliation, the country's President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published Monday. As the war that has ravaged his country approaches its seventh year, Assad told reporters it was "still early to talk about" his vision for Syria's future. "It's a luxury now to talk about politics while you're going to be killed maybe in a few minutes, you have terrorist attacks," he told a group of Western journalists, state news agency SANA said. "So this is the priority, getting rid of the extremists, the political reconciliation in the different areas, this is another priority," he added. "When you achieve these two, you can talk about every discussion you want to regarding any issue." SANA did not specify which outlets the Western journalists were from. Assad's comments come ahead of the six-year anniversary of Syria's conflict, which began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. The conflict has since spiralled into a vicious and complex civil war that has killed more than 320,000 people and displaced more than half the population. New peace talks brokered by Russia and Turkey are scheduled to start Tuesday in the Kazakh capital Astana, with UN-sponsored negotiations in Geneva set to resume on March 23. By Indo-Asian News Service: For some, Holi is all about gujiya and gulaal, and for others, it's incomplete without a dose of bhang. TV celebrities like Nehha Pendse, Vaishali Thakkar, Vikkas Manaktala and Saumya Tandon have interesting anecdotes to share on their experience of 'bhang ke side effects' during the festival of colours. As India gears up to celebrate Holi, IANS got in touch with various TV celebs to find out whether their memories of bhang -- an edible form of cannabis -- have been memorable or nightmarish. advertisement Actor Sandeep Anand, who hails from Ujjain and features in May I Come In Madam?, says he has always considered bhang as "prasad." "I am from Ujjain, which is the land of the Mahakali temple, and here, as 'prasad', you get bhang. Once my friends gave me thandai (a drink) which had bhang mixed in it and I had a very bad experience. For three to four days, I had a very bad hangover and I felt like everything around me was moving," Sandeep recounted. Actress Saumya Tandon from Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain has never consumed bhang herself but says it had turned her into a chauffeur for her friends once. "I have seen my friends have bhang and behave in a funny way. I have always carried my friends back home safely, so I was the chauffeur for everyone -- dropping them home after a Holi party," said Saumya, who remembers how one of her friends even cried for eight hours thanks to bhang. "It was actually quiet a scary sight. But, yes, if you see me on the dance floor, I dance as if I am drunk or have had bhang. Everyone tells me, 'You don't need bhang, you are anyway wild on the dance floor'," she quipped. Brahmarakshas actor Parag Tyagi says he once saw a person who, after consuming bhang, started worshiping a cycle. "I belong to North India and having bhang there during Holi is very common. I still remember when a guy had bhang and put his cycle on the roof and started worshiping the cycle. It was a very funny scene," he said. Talking about his own experience, he said: "After having bhang, the only thing which I did was sleep and eat. I used to sleep for two hours, get up, have food and go back to sleep again. This happened for almost 12 hours." Actor Param Singh of Ghulaam, also experienced something similar. Also read: When Ghulaam actor Param Singh refused to slap Niti Taylor for a scene "I had bhang three years back. I gulped down around 12 glasses of thandai that had bhang in it. After drinking 12 glasses, I was laughing and dancing all the time. My friends still make fun of me when they recollect the incident. Later, I remember going home and sleeping for 16 hours straight," Param said. advertisement Actress Roop Durgapal recounts she had tasted bhang during her college days. "Once in college, I had bhang in my hostel room. A senior had mixed it with milk and told me to gulp it down. It was a bit heady, and later we all were dancing. Next, I only remember waking up next morning," she said. Vikkas Manaktala, known best for his role in Left Right Left, says nothing happens to him after having bhang. "Every time I have had bhang, there has been no buzz. I have been as normal as I was before having it. And I am talking about having at least four to five litres of it," Vikkas said. While May I Come In Madam? actress Nehha Pendse hasn't tried bhang even once in her life, she still has a funny moment to share. She said: "I have never tried bhang and I don't mind trying it once in my life. Once we were shooting for a sequence of Holi and one of my co-stars had a glass of milk, but started acting as if he had Bhang and pulled everyone's leg." --- ENDS --- advertisement Jerusalem (AFP) - US giant Intel announced Monday it would buy Israeli car tech firm Mobileye for more than $15 billion (14 billion euros), the largest cross-border tech deal in the Jewish state's history. Mobileye makes advanced driver assistance for car manufacturers, and has already collaborated with Intel and BMW to develop self-driving cars. For Israel, it will be seen as a sign of the self-styled "Startup Nation" coming of age, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing the deal. Here are a few of the largest Israeli tech deals: - Mobileye: $15 billion March 2017: Intel announces it will buy Mobileye for more than $15 billion, believed to be the largest cross-border high-tech deal ever for Israel. - Playtika: $4.4 billion July 2016: A Chinese consortium linked to Alibaba founder Jack Ma buys the Israeli online games company Playtika for $4.4 billion in cash. The company had been bought by US-based investors five years previously but is still based in Israel. - Trusteer: $1 billion September 2013: Security software provider Trusteer is acquired by US technology giant IBM. - Waze: around $1 billion June 2013: Google announces deal to buy the popular crowd-sourced map app Waze for more than $1 billion. - Intucell: $475 million January 2013: American multinational conglomerate Cisco completes $475 million takeover of Israeli firm Intucell. The company provides software enabling mobile phone carriers to better manage their networks. People live, love and die in Baw Du Pha, an encampment for Rohingya Muslims displaced by conflict in western Myanmar nearly five years ago. They used to think they would someday go home, but many have long since given up on that hope. Life in the camp, however, goes on, albeit much differently than before the unrest. Maung Tha Zan and Minara Begum were married on a rainy Sunday afternoon within the barbed-wire confines of a sprawling cluster of displacement camps, home to more than 100,000 people who, for the most part, are barred from leaving. Theirs wasnt an arranged marriage, the 20-year-old groom, clean-shaven in his finest coat and aviator sunglasses, tells TIME, it was love at first sight. He hopes theyll have children someday, Allah willing. Im very happy, Maung Tha Zan says, but on the other hand Im also sad because I cant have my wedding at home. The bride waits for him in a vibrantly decorated bamboo hut in the neighboring encampment, wearing a sparkling crimson dress and veil. Shes a very shy 18-year-old, but she speaks to TIME briefly through an interpreter. Im very happy because Im going to marry the one I love, she says as a generator leased for the occasion sputters to a stop and the string of lights overhead flickers out. Most days in the camps in western Myanmars troubled Rakhine state are far less joyous. The one before, for instance. By 10 a.m. on Saturday, the sites main clinic was crowded with women holding sick, lethargic children, mostly seeking treatment for stomach problems like diarrhea. The frequency of illness is hardly surprising; medical care is scarce as it is elsewhere in this underdeveloped country of about 51 million people and sanitary conditions are abysmal. Unclothed kids play in a stream of dirty water close to the camps latrines, human waste scattered on the ground nearby. Read More: Reprisals, Rape, and Children Burned Alive: Burmas Rohingya Speak of Genocidal Terror The encampment was established mid-2012, when riots between Buddhists and Muslims broke out in the city of Sittwe, about a 10-minute drive away. The city has since been strictly segregated; the downtown Muslim quarter, Aung Mingalar, is guarded by police armed with assault rifles, and residents cannot leave without permission from authorities. Even seeking treatment at a nearby hospital involves a complex and often extortionate bureaucratic process. Foreigners, when granted permission to enter, are followed and photographed. While it can be difficult to access and assess some areas, its plain to see that this is a city sharply divided; Buddhists are free while Muslims are not. Sadly, those camps are becoming permanent, and the likelihood of many of the people there returning home has diminished to the impossible, David Mathieson, an independent analyst and human-rights expert based in Myanmar, tells TIME. This week the U.N. Human Rights Council meets in Geneva to decide on a wide-ranging resolution on human rights in Myanmar, which until a few years ago was considered a pariah state ruled by a brutal and impenetrable military regime. March 31 will mark one year since a new civilian government assumed office, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who now serves as State Counselor. The U.N. rights envoy for Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, delivers her recommendations to the U.N. council on Monday; she will suggest that the body establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the systematic, structural and institutional discrimination and long-standing persecution of the Rohingya population. Her focus will be on conflicts that erupted in June 2012 which caused the exodus of people still confined in this Sittwe complex and on Oct. 9 of last year, when an attack on security forces by suspected Rohingya insurgents triggered a scorched-earth counterterrorism operation by the army that displaced approximately 94,000 people and likely left hundreds dead. Read More: Burma Is Pursuing Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, U.N. Official Says A draft version of the resolution, penned by the European Union and viewed by a number of human-rights experts in advance, does not mandate a full U.N. commission of inquiry, against the guidance of several rights experts and the rapporteur herself. While there is still time to influence the language of the resolution, which will be handed down on Thursday, there is still some disagreement among the rights community about what an official inquiry would achieve. Given the extreme nature of the October violence and the Myanmar governments near blanket denial of any wrongdoing by state security forces, experts are advocating for some form of international accountability mechanisms and practical policy measures that would address urgent humanitarian needs. Some stakeholders also appear reluctant to bring criticism upon Suu Kyis government, which is viewed as a source of stability and hope for the nations transition from dictatorship to democracy. In Rakhine, journalists and aid workers have been barred from Maungdaw, a township north of the state capital Sittwe, where the latest outbreak of violence took place. But its apparent here in Sittwe that little has been done to aid the Rohingya, a stateless religious and ethnic minority sequestered in impoverished ghettos and surrounded by their Rakhine Buddhist neighbors, with whom they once shared social and commercial ties. The Rakhine are the majority in the eponymous state, now said to be the countrys poorest, but are a minority in Myanmar, and as such they have their own long-standing and legitimate grievances with the central government. During military rule, which lasted nearly six grueling and isolated decades, the countrys many minorities suffered under policies favoring the culture and well-being of the majority Bamar ethnic group. Read More: Something Shocking Is Happening to Burmas Rohingya People. Take a Look at This Timeline New political space, coupled with the governments reluctance to curtail provocateurs, have allowed extremist movements to take root and marginalize minority faiths, particularly Muslims. Myanmars most notorious firebrand, the Buddhist monk Wirathu, was just last week disciplined by the national religious authority which banned him from giving public sermons for a year for delivering unabashedly anti-Muslim speeches arguably amounting to incitement to violence. Nonetheless, his hardline version of Buddhist nationalism has already gained popularity among the Rakhine population, where support has also galvanized for a local political party that campaigned on a virulently anti-Muslim platform. The Rohingya are viewed by many as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh despite living in the country for generations. They are portrayed as dirty, dangerous interlopers, and their presence in western Myanmar has even used to drum up support for strict border security and discriminatory junta-era citizenship criteria linking political rights to racial and religious identity. Without those political rights most Rohingya lack legal status, and consequently suffer severe restrictions on movement, livelihoods, education and health care they are losing hope of ever being fully reintegrated into Myanmar society. We used to be able to leave the village, says Fatima Katu, 45, as she waits at the clinic for a medic to treat her visibly unwell 3-month-old granddaughter who she says has been suffering from seizures. Now we cant. With reporting by Aung Naing Soe / Sittwe Barcelona (AFP) - Former Catalan president Artur Mas was banned on Monday from holding office for two years for organising an illegal 2014 independence referendum. The 61-year-old, who was Catalan leader from 2010 until last year, was convicted of civil disobedience for organising the symbolic, non-binding poll in the wealthy northeastern region in defiance of a a ban by Spain's Constitutional Court. Catalonia, a region with its own language and customs, has long demanded greater autonomy and separatists have for years tried to win approval from Madrid for an independence vote. Spain's economic downturn has boosted the demands, with many Catalans resenting the taxes they pay to the central government in Madrid to subsidise poorer regions. In addition to the ban from public office, Catalonia's court of appeal also fined Mas 36,500 euros ($39,000). Two former members of his government were also found guilty and banned from public office for 18 and 21 months. Mas said he would appeal against the conviction in the Supreme Court. "In the Spanish state, people are hounded for their ideas," Mas said, vowing to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the conservative Popular Party said he welcomed the fact that "impunity" had not won out. The trial stoked pro-independence fervour in Catalonia, at a time of high tensions between the local separatist government and Madrid. - 'Disgraceful, undemocratic' verdict' - At the opening of the trial last month, some 40,000 people massed outside the court, chanting independence slogans and waving separatist red, yellow and blue flags. The pro-independence ERC party reacted swiftly to the verdict, slamming it as "disgraceful" and "undemocratic". The Catalan government is committed to holding a new referendum with or without Madrid's permission by September, although the region's top legal body ruled earlier this month that only the Spanish state had the authority to call such a vote. Story continues Anti-independence parties had asked for a legal opinion on the region's 2017 budget, which includes provisions for a referendum promised by Catalan president Carles Puigdemont. In the November 2014 vote called by Mas, 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. Calls for outright independence have increased in recent years. Opinion polls show that Catalonia, which accounts for almost a fifth of Spain's economic output, is roughly split in half over breaking away. Separatists say the Constitutional Court's ban on the referendum amounted to an infringement of their rights, particularly the right to freedom of expression. They point to the example of Scotland, which held a referendum on leaving the United Kingdom in 2014. Scots rejected independence by 55 percent to 45, but the verdict against Mas came as Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would seek a new vote on independence. Sturgeon and her pro-independence followers say the question should be asked again in the context of Brexit, since Scotland voted for Britain to remain in the EU by 62 percent in the June 2016 referendum. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The former interim governor of the Mexican state of Veracruz was arrested on Sunday, accused of helping his predecessor Javier Duarte escape justice, and reportedly placed in pre-trial detention for one year. Flavino Rios is accused of abuse of authority, influence trafficking and covering up for Duarte, who governed the troubled state almost until the end of his term but disappeared in October. Current Veracruz governor Miguel Angel Yunes told journalists that Rios had been detained on the order of a judge. Rios is accused of helping Duarte escape the state in a helicopter last year. Local media reported that Rios was placed in pre-trial detention for a year, without the possibility of paying a bail bond, an option often used for powerful figures in Mexico awaiting trial. Duarte, from the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), is wanted for what public auditors have called the worst cases of misappropriation of public funds in years. Violence has risen sharply in recent months in Veracruz and the opposition accused Duarte's administration of allowing impunity to flourish. (Reporting by Anahi Rama; Writing by Christine Murray; Editing by Michael Perry) Pristina (AFP) - A prominent Kosovo lawyer, once a leading opponent of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, was shot outside his home in Pristina on Monday, the police and doctors said. Azem Vllasi, 68, was shot in the shoulder by an attacker in front of his apartment at around 8:00 am (0700 GMT), the police said. He was taken to hospital where doctors said his injury was not life-threatening. Two men were arrested over the attack several hours later, one suspected as the attacker and another of helping him, but the motive for the shooting is yet to be determined, police spokesman Baki Kelani told reporters. The identity of the suspects was not revealed. According to media reports the assailant presented himself as a potential client. Vllasi's wife, Nadira Avdic Vllasi, who witnessed the attack, told AFP that the man used a pistol with a silencer. Media reports said the main suspect held by police was known for links to ethnic Albanian guerrillas that fought Serbian security forces in the 1998-1999 war. Vllasi told reporters that the attack on him was an "ordered assassination". "Why and by whom, the investigation will show," he said. The government condemned strongly the attack, saying that "such actions are unacceptable at all in a democratic country". During the communist era in what was then Yugoslavia, Vllasi was a close ally of president Josip Broz Tito and a top official in Kosovo. After Tito's death in 1980, Vllasi strongly opposed Milosevic's push to roll back the political autonomy that Kosovo had enjoyed under his rule. In the late 1980s he was the first high-ranking ethnic Albanian to be detained and tried under Milosevic, though a court later acquitted him. The suspension of autonomy in Kosovo, with its ethnic Albanian majority, led to the conflict with Belgrade that ended after a NATO air campaign that ousted Milosevic's security forces from Kosovo. That paved the way for Kosovo's independence a decade later, which Belgrade refuses to recognise, considering it a province of Serbia. STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Monday that the Turkish president's mention of Nazism and fascism during a diplomatic row with the Netherlands was unacceptable. "It is true that when one mentions Nazism and fascism....it's unacceptable," Ayrault told reporters, during a news conference held with his Swedish counterpart. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking support from Turks in a referendum on boosting his powers, has said the Netherlands is acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring his ministers from speaking in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. On March 11, Erdogan branded the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants, fascists", while a day later Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism". The row marks another low point in relations between Turkey and Europe, further dimming Ankara's prospects of joining the bloc. It also comes as Turkey is caught up by security concerns over militant attacks and the war in neighboring Syria. Ayrault called on all sides to end the diplomatic row, adding that Turkey should respect the European convention on human rights. (Reporting by John Irish; Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Adrian Croft) Paris (AFP) - French presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Monday defended his radical economic plan and proposed a measure to clean up politics, two days before a key meeting with judges investigating him over a fake jobs scandal. The struggling conservative, who was hit by new allegations of financial impropriety over the weekend, said that if elected in May, he would hold his government to the highest ethical and performance standards. To "prevent conflicts of interest and (ensure) the proper use of public funds", ministers would be required to sign a code of conduct, the Republicans candidate said. Underperforming members in his whittled-down cabinet of 15 ministers would be shown the door, he said at a press conference. On the economic front, he reiterated his plans to slash public spending by getting civil servants to work 39 hours a week, up from 35 currently, and increasing the minimum retirement age to 65 from 62. Vowing to move quickly, he promised: "Within the first weeks, everyone in France will see that something unprecedented is happening." But his remarks were yet again overshadowed by persistent questions about his probity. On Sunday, a leading newspaper reported that a mystery benefactor had bought the former prime minister luxury suits worth thousands of euros. The report in the Journal du Dimanche came as Fillon prepares to appear before judges on Wednesday to face possible charges over payments totalling hundreds of thousands of euros to his wife for a suspected fake job as a parliamentary assistant. Voter surveys show Fillon, seen as the frontrunner in the presidential race before the scandal broke, trailing in third behind centrist upstart Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Macron, 39, would win the two-stage election on April 23 and May 7 if held today, the polls show, but analysts have warned against making firm forecasts in an election shaping up as the most unpredictable in France's post-war history. Story continues The 63-year-old Fillon, who fended off intense pressure from Republican moderates to step aside over the fake job allegations, condemned the latest revelations as part of a media "witch hunt". "I am the target of so many attacks that I can't consider them anything other than a sort of witch hunt," he told Europe 1 radio on Monday. "What could explain that hundreds of journalists, at the very least dozens, go through my garbage to find out about my suits. Tomorrow it will be my shirts and then why not my underpants as well?" - 'So what?' - The Journal du Dimanche claimed that Fillon received gifts of bespoke suits and other clothing worth a total of 48,500 euros ($51,800) since 2012 from Arnys -- Paris tailor to the jet set. Of that sum, 35,500 euros was paid in cash, with the remainder paid by cheque, the report said. "I paid at the request of Francois Fillon," the JDD quoted the signatory of the cheque as saying. In France, lawmakers are required to declare all donations or gifts worth over 150 euros, but few comply with the rule. Fillon, who was first elected to parliament in 1981, has admitted that a "friend" paid for two suits, saying: "So what?" On Monday, he denied that the clothing he received came to 48,500 euros, telling Europe 1 radio the figure was "not correct". The revelations come in a key week for the Republicans candidate, who won the rightwing nomination by campaigning as a sleaze-free alternative in a political landscape riven with scandal. On Wednesday, he faces possible charges over using public funds to pay his wife Penelope about 700,000 euros as a parliamentary assistant over some 15 years. Penelope is suspected of doing little to no work for the salary. The couple insist that she played a key role in managing affairs in his central Sarthe constituency. Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown as president of Egypt in 2011, will be released this week. By Reuters: Hosni Mubarak, overthrown as president of Egypt in 2011 and the first leader to go on trial in the wake of the Arab Spring, will walk free this week for the first time in six years. The 88-year-old was cleared of murder charges this month in his final court appearance, having stood trial on charges ranging from corruption to ordering the killing of some of the protesters who ended his 30-year rule. advertisement Mubarak was initially arrested in April 2011, two months after stepping down, and has since been in prison and military hospitals. "He will go to his home in Heliopolis," Mubarak's lawyer Farid El Deeb said, referring to the Cairo neighbourhood where the main presidential palace from which Mubarak governed is also located. El Deeb said the ageing former president could be released on Tuesday or soon after. Mubarak still had one more jail sentence to serve, for appropriating funds reserved for maintaining presidential palaces, but time he had spent in detention in connection with the murder charges was subtracted from it, judicial sources and the state news agency said. Mubarak was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators during the 18-day revolt. An appeals court ordered a retrial that culminated in 2014 in the case against Mubarak and his senior officials being dropped. An appeal by the public prosecution led to a final retrial by the Court of Cassation, the highest in the country, which acquitted him on March 2. BACK TO THE PAST? After the turmoil of the Arab Spring, former Tunisian President Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels and former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is fighting a civil war after stepping down. Bashar al-Assad still holds the title of president in a Syria that lies largely in ruins after years of civil war. 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 lasted only a year in office after mass protests against his rule in 2013 prompted his overthrow by then defence chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who went on to win a presidential election in 2014. Mursi is in prison and his Muslim Brotherhood has been banned as a terrorist organisation. Hundreds of Mursi supporters were killed in a single day in August 2013 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. Mubarak-era figures, meanwhile, 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. advertisement Mubarak has long maintained his innocence and says history will judge him a patriot who served his country selflessly. ALSO READ Weighing 500 kg: World's heaviest woman from Egypt lands in Mumbai for treatment This Muslim woman is challenging norms by taking up butchery as a full-time profession ALSO WATCH | This blind couple from Egypt weaves bamboo baskets to support their family --- ENDS --- Paris (AFP) - France's rightwing presidential candidate Francois Fillon said Monday that he was the target of a "witch hunt" by journalists after revelations that a wealthy friend had bought him luxury suits worth thousands of euros. Fillon is still reeling from a media expose in January which brought to light how he had used public funds to pay his wife and children hundreds of thousands of euros for suspected fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. "I am the target of such a number of attacks that I can't consider them anything other than a sort of witch hunt, a kind of campaign against me," the former prime minister told Europe 1 radio on Monday morning. "What could explain that hundreds of journalists, at the very least dozens, go through my garbage to find out about my suits. Tomorrow it will be my shirts and then why not my underpants as well?" he added. The Journal du Dimanche newspaper claimed Sunday that an anonymous benefactor had paid nearly 48,500 euros ($51,800) for clothing for Fillon from the jet-set tailor Arnys since 2012. "It's not correct, of course," Fillon said on Monday when asked about the figure, but he admitted on Sunday that a "friend" had paid for two suits at the end of February. Fillon will be summoned on Wednesday to be charged for misuse of public funds over the employment of his wife. She is suspected of not having worked for her salary. Fillon insists that she did. Polls suggest that independent centrist Emmanuel Macron, 39, would win the two-stage election on April 23 and May 7 if it were held today, but analysts warn against making firm forecasts in such a rollercoaster campaign. Fillon, a veteran politician who was prime minister from 2007-2012, has a wide network of political and business contacts. In 2012, he broke his ankle after falling off a scooter on holiday in Italy, while he was staying on the island of Capri as a guest of the head of Ferrari, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. ROTTERDAM, Netherlands At the Boulevard, a popular pub in the Overschie neighborhood on the northern edge of Rotterdam, the regulars, all older white men, sat at the bar when I visited one late afternoon this month. Willem, a craggy, blue-eyed construction manager nursing a beer, summed up his worries, and those of a great many Dutch people, about the consequences of immigration in the Netherlands succinctly: You can take over a country by war, or you can take over a country by integration. Willems daughter is running for parliament in the upcoming national election, scheduled for March 15, on the list of the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam Party for Freedom, or PVV. Founded by Geert Wilders, the Netherlandss most hated man as well as, in certain circles, one of its most admired the PVV is so secretive and self-enclosed, even in the midst of a national campaign, that Willem would not give me his last name for fear of exposing his daughter to publicity. But everyone knows what Wilders stands for. Last month, he kicked off his campaign, in Spijkenisse, a party stronghold just south of Rotterdam, by calling Moroccan immigrants scum. (He softened the blow by adding, Not all are scum.) He had just started running a five-second television ad that showed a clip of Prime Minister Mark Rutte saying, Islam is not the problem, followed by the words, Do you agree? In the weeks leading up to the vote, the Dutch have been preoccupied, almost obsessed, with issues of immigration, integration, and national identity. Overschie is a largely white enclave in a city that, like most major urban centers in the Netherlands, consists about equally of immigrants and native Dutch, and everyone I spoke to in the Boulevard agreed with some part of Wilderss nativist agenda. Willem thought that immigrants were reproducing so rapidly that they would soon overtake native Dutch and that they were damaging the economy because they refused to work. Nobody else at the bar would talk to me when I first visited; politics has become a very loaded subject in what is otherwise a famously friendly country. But when I came back the next day, I met Pieter Van Koopan, the local city councilman. Van Koopan said he wished most Dutch were as pious as his Muslim friends but didnt understand why immigrants could jump the queue to get apartments distributed by the state. (They cant, though refugees can.) Also, he said, Africans dont work. A different Pieter, also no last name given, said the older generation of immigrants was fine, but the young guys whine about discrimination when they dont get what they want. Story continues Hes a strong character, Pieter said of Wilders. But he wasnt voting for him. Nor was his friend Pierre, who instructed me to refer to him as Pierre of the Boulevard. I dont want the world to think that this guy is our prime minster, said Pierre of the Boulevard. He was voting instead for the equally nationalistic Party for the Netherlands. Van Koopan belonged to Ruttes center-right Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy, or VVD, the Netherlandss liberal party. And even Willem said Wilders was too extreme for him. The Dutch parliamentary election is attracting international attention for perhaps the first time ever because, after Donald Trumps unexpected win and Brexit, it is the first of three pivotal elections this year in European countries (the others are France and Germany) that have been rocked by a wave of populist nationalism. If the right sweeps the board, the liberal project we say project now, rather than consensus, because the Wests taken-for-granted reality has begun to look like rickety scaffolding will be history. Though it may tempt the gods to say so, it is far likelier that the center-right will win all three ballots. The PVV has been sinking in the polls in recent weeks. The party is now expected to take about 25 of the 150 seats in parliament, as is the VVD. But neither the VVD nor any other mainstream party would accept the PVV as part of a governing coalition. Wilders, in short, will remain in the opposition. But that doesnt mean that he has lost. He has so thoroughly reshaped Dutch political culture that voters who share his views, but find him ultra vires, can now vote for any number of parties that have taken a hard line on immigrants and on Islam, including the VVD itself. This is Europes politics in 2017; the center holds, but only by giving ground to the nationalist right. Left: Pim Fortuyn, in a photo dated May 3, 2002. (Photo credit: ROBERT VOS/EPA/ANP); Right: Medical personnel work on Fortuyn after he was shot six times by an unknown assailant on May 6, 2002 in Hilversum, Netherlands. (Photo credit: MICHEL PORRO/Getty Images) The Netherlands never had a 9/11 in fact, nothing really bad has happened there since World War II. But the country did have a dramatic, perhaps hyperbolic, political awakening at that time. In 2001, Pim Fortuyn, a scholar and public speaker, began saying things widely considered way out of bounds in the Netherlands. The Muslims should simply leave, he said in a magazine interview. You should treat them like Communists during the Cold War. Even liberal Muslims, he went on, seek to dominate and enforce their values upon the public domain. When he insisted that the country should repeal the first article of its constitution, which prohibits discrimination, Fortuyn was drummed out of his own anti-immigrant party, Livable Netherlands. By this time, a follower had established Livable Rotterdam, a local version of the party, to contest seats in a municipal election. In early 2002, the new party, with Fortuyn at the head, won more than a third of the vote in progressive, eclectic Rotterdam a shock to the tolerant Dutch political establishment. On May 6, 2002, Fortuyn was murdered not by an Islamic extremist but by an environmental activist. No political leader in the Netherlands had been murdered in centuries. Fortuyn became a martyr; his issue became the countrys issue. Before his death, Fortuyn had established a new national party, the Pim Fortuyn List. In an election 10 days after his death, the party won 17 percent of the seats in parliament, an unprecedented performance by a new party not to mention one led by a dead man. Without Fortuyn, the party would soon disintegrate; but from that time to this, the question of whether immigrants are threatening Dutch national identity, whatever that is, has remained at or near the center of political debate. How to explain the Pim Fortuyn phenomenon? Some part was clearly the man himself: a puckish figure, openly gay. When, in the midst of a debate, an imam said it was clear that Fortuyn had never even talked to Muslims, Fortuyn shot back: Sir, I sleep with them. Fortuyn used his homosexuality to reverse the usual terms of debate. Far from being an intolerant reactionary, he was a lone defender of liberal principles against both illiberal Muslims and leftists who wanted to deny him the right to speak. It was him, not the left, who was standing up for Dutch values. But Fortuyn was also seen as the bearer of an inconvenient truth. After World War II, Dutch employers had imported a steady stream of guest workers first southern Europeans, then Turks, Moroccans, Surinamese, Antilleans, and others. The Italians and the Spaniards went back home eventually, as envisioned; the others stayed and brought their families. About half the population of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague is now either immigrants or the children and grandchildren of immigrants. This was an outcome that no one had envisioned a generation ago. And after 9/11, a new element of fear about terrorism and intolerance was added to the anxiety over the balance between native Dutch and immigrants. Muslims were no longer just outsiders; they were also a potential source of danger. Conservatives were vindicated, and progressives shocked and horrified, in 2004 when Theo van Gogh, a filmmaker and anti-Islam gadfly, was brutally murdered as he cycled along a street in Amsterdam by a Muslim with ties to a terrorist group. (Van Gogh was shot and stabbed and almost decapitated.) Like Fortuyn, van Gogh had been murdered for expressing negative views about Islam. Was this, the Dutch wondered, the new price to be exacted for free speech? Rotterdam remains Pim Fortuyn territory to this day. Livable Rotterdam controls a third of the seats on the City Council. I met the partys founder, Ronald Sorensen, at the party office in Rotterdams stately neo-Gothic City Hall. Pink-faced, goateed, and combustible, Sorensen told me that he had witnessed the rise of sectarianism in the citys Muslim immigrants as a high school teacher of history and biology. I began to notice a change about 15 years ago, Sorensen said. In the earlier period, most of the immigrants were first-generation, and they felt that they had to learn Dutch. Then, he said, Turkish and Moroccan officials began to worry that assimilated immigrants would stop sending back remittances and so began to dispatch imams from home to preserve the bonds. (Its true that imams were sent to the Netherlands; the remittance theory seems to be Sorensens own hobbyhorse.) Then Arab- and Turkish-language television and social networks pulled immigrants further from their adopted home. Soon, Sorensen said, students were refusing to listen to sex education. When he talked about the Holocaust, his Muslim students said, The Jews deserved it. His colleagues advised him to keep a tactful silence. But Sorensen would have none of it. I will talk about it, he insisted. Its insane. Theyre taking advantage of our weakness that is, the liberal insistence on tolerating the illiberal. Sorensen and Fortuyn soon found one another. And after Fortuyn was assassinated, Sorensen found Geert Wilders. Wilders was not a polished figure like Fortuyn. Born in 1963, he was raised in the southern province of Limburg, which in Dutch terms made him something of a bumpkin. He had never gone to university. But he was highly intelligent, very hard-working, deeply ambitious, and extremely attached to his convictions. After graduating from high school, Wilders had lived in Israel for several years, working on a moshav, or farm cooperative. Thereafter he had traveled around the Arab world. Wilders returned to the Netherlands with a lasting love for Israel and a suspicion of Arabs and of Islam. As a young politician, he was apprenticed to Frits Bolkestein, a conservative leader who had long tested the boundaries of acceptable speech on Islam. Nevertheless, people who knew Wilders in the period around 2000 thought of him as a classic free market liberal on the right-wing of the VVD. Fortuyn was too harsh for his taste. But Wilders became close to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali refugee who had become active in Dutch politics and openly called for a reform of reactionary Islamic doctrine. Hirsi Ali appears to have given license to Wilderss darkest instincts. In 2004, he broke from the VVD over the partys willingness to consider letting Turkey join the European Union. Wilders had long chafed at his limited role inside the VVD. His biographer, Meindert Fennema, a well-regarded academic and leftist, observes that two things had always held Wilders back: his humble academic background and his bizarre bouffant platinum hairdo. Nobody knew when he started dyeing his hair or why he did it, Fennema said. But he wouldnt stop. Like Fortuyn, Wilders needed to be the star of his own show. In the Netherlands, where ambitious politicians routinely start their own parties, this is hardly a problem. Since the countrys electoral system awards parliamentary seats to the top 150 performers in the national election, even the tiniest parties can win a seat or two. Wilders started up the PVV in 2006, though he remains the only actual member of the party. The candidates who run on his ticket, and the staff members who cater to his whims, cannot actually join the party itself. The PVV has no platform, no spokesperson, and no formal organization. Its just Wilders. A protester holds up a picture of Wilders on an imitation cigarette packet during a demonstration in Amsterdam on Jan. 19, 2008. (Photo credit: CYNTHIA BOLL/AFP/Getty Images) Wilders began receiving death threats from Islamist extremists as soon as he formed his anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim party. With Fortuyns death still a fresh horror, he was given an elaborate security detail; he has lived ever since inside a tight cordon. Whether because of the imposed isolation, his status as a cult leader, or the liberation he felt at having escaped the confines of an organized party, Wilders soon threw all rhetorical restraint to the winds. In 2007, he called the Quran the Islamic Mein Kampf and proposed that the Netherlands ban this miserable book, as it had Adolf Hitlers text. At the same time, he began moving to the left on economic issues, calling for the socialization of the countrys privatized health-care system and opposing fiscal austerity. In short, he became a modern European populist, like Hungarys Viktor Orban or Frances Marine Le Pen. Since Wilders rarely grants interviews and prohibits those who run on his ticket from doing so, the closest I could get to his worldview was Sorensen, who was very close to Wilders until they had a falling-out last year over the PVVs closed ranks. Sorensen told me that he shares Wilderss view that Islam is a political theory more than a religion, since its members seek to impose Islamic law, or sharia, on civil states. When I pointed out that the meaning of sharia varied radically from one strain of Islam to another, Sorensen wheeled on me. Because Muslims view the Quran as the actual word of God, he told me, they feel compelled to carry out the faiths directives in the most literal terms. All Muslims, he went on, wish to impose religious law. As a teacher, he had specialized in fascism and Nazism, so he recognized the true nature of Islamic ideology. They accept violence as a means, he said. Theyre allowed to lie, and they dont have to say anything in response to questions. Islam was fascism, and that was the end of it. Nevertheless, even Sorensen thinks that Wilders has gone off the deep end. Hes losing touch with reality, Sorensen told me. When he had pressed Wilders to open up the party to members, the latter had rejoined, not unreasonably, that he feared attracting every crackpot in the Netherlands, as Fortuyn had. But the consequence is that Wilders is isolated not only by his omnipresent security detail but by his lack of peers. Tom-Jan Meeus, a columnist for Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, said party insiders have told him that the PVV is a one-man operation in which all live in fear of a paranoid leader who could get rid of them at any moment. And since the taint of working with Wilders is ineradicable, the only job available for the faithful is with Wilders himself. For that reason, Sorensen told me, the PVV head is surrounded by sycophants. Wilders seems torn between his ambition to lead the Netherlands and his ambition to smash its political rules. In 2010, the PVV won 24 seats in parliament, making it the third-largest party. The VVD and Christian Democrats formed a government, and Wilders agreed to support the coalition without actually joining it. Wilders was compelled for the first time to compromise, a potentially lethal problem for a party whose appeal was based on contempt for elite opinion. After two years, Wilders withdrew; but since then, the partys vote tally has declined in local and national elections. The PVV now functions as the Netherlandss biggest permanent opposition party. Like Fortuyn before him, Wilders has kept himself at the center of Dutch political life by testing the standards of permissible speech. In January 2009, a three-judge panel ordered prosecutors to try Wilders for engaging in a pattern of hate speech. Wilders himself could hardly have dreamed up a spectacle better suited to his oratorical gifts or his penchant for martyrdom. The trial dragged on until 2011 and became a national spectator sport. In his closing speech, Wilders declared that Islam threatens Westerns norms and values, freedom of speech, equality of men and women, of hetero- and homosexuals, of believers and nonbelievers. As Meindert Fennema writes in his biography, The inner logic of his discourse was not one of racism or xenophobia but rather one of enlightened universalism. Wilders had donned the mantle of Fortuyn without having to surrender his life. Better still, he was acquitted. Last fall, in a new trial, Wilders was found guilty of inciting discrimination in a 2014 speech in which he asked supporters if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans. Fewer! they shouted. Well, well take care of that, Wilders promised. Nevertheless, the court did not impose any punishment. In recent years, Wilders has become a central figure in the informal Populist International. He tried to form a political bloc in the EU with Marine Le Pen and other nationalists, though the effort ultimately came to naught. He was a featured speaker in January at a right-wing conclave in Koblenz, Germany, known as the Europe of Nations and Freedom Conference. There he warned darkly of hordes of African and Muslim immigrants pouring into Europe and said, We are fed up with the elites, who offer you a beautiful ideal world in which all cultures are morally equivalent. During various visits to the United States, Wilders has met with Michele Bachmann, Steve King, and other leading figures in Americas nativist right. He has written regularly for Breitbart, which in turn has extensively covered his campaign. Meeus, the NRC columnist, told me that Wilders had been trying to use his contacts with Stephen Bannon, the Trump advisor and former Breitbart CEO, to wangle a meeting with the president as, for example, the British nationalist Nigel Farage has done to great effect. Given Trumps sinking popularity, Wilders may now be relieved that the sit-down never happened. Left: A protester holds up signs during the official launch of Wilders' parliamentary election campaign in Spijkenisse on Feb. 18. The signs translate as stop the social breakdown (left) and don't make yourself be afraid (right). Right: People take part in a debate on the role of Islam in the Netherlands on March 10 at the Essalam mosque in Rotterdam. (Photo credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) Do the guys in the Boulevard have a legitimate grievance? This is, of course, the same question that American liberals found themselves asking during and especially after the 2016 presidential campaign and that European progressives have been uneasily posing as their countries have turned against refugees. We know that illiberalism is rampant. What, if anything, does that tell us about the real failures of liberal government? The bill of particulars is different in every country. Anti-globalism is not nearly as neuralgic an issue in the Netherlands as it is in Britain or for that matter in Hungary; the Dutch, merchants and traders, have a broad streak of economic liberalism. Wilders has vowed to pull the Netherlands out of the EU and drop the euro if elected; but as citizens of a small country with no delusions of grandeur, the Dutch do not fantasize about life beyond the confines of the EU. And since the country has thus far been spared terrorist violence, the issue lacks the salience it has in France and Belgium. For voters in Rotterdam and across the country, the question is identity: Will Muslim immigrants ultimately become Dutch, or will they make the Netherlands less Dutch? This atmosphere of unease has occasionally been illuminated by a lightning bolt. Last summer, in the days following the failed coup in Turkey, thousands of Turkish immigrants and people of Turkish descent thronged the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, shouting slogans on behalf of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and carrying placards bearing his image. Some even assaulted reporters and attacked homes said to belong to Turkish followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accused of orchestrating the coup. It was as if they wanted to prove that Wilders was right about the refusal of Muslim immigrants to integrate into Dutch civic life. As Han ten Broeke, a senior VVD parliamentarian and candidate for foreign minister in the next government, said to me, You couldnt miss the irony of Erasmus, who came to Holland because it was a haven for freedom of thought. Ten Broeke pointed out that while Dutch anxieties in the past had focused on Moroccans rather than Turks, who seemed better integrated and in any case were much appreciated as shopkeepers and taxi drivers, even third-generation Turks turn out to be totally nationalistic. They were Turks before they were Dutch. There are a number of reassuring responses to this dire line of thought: Only 5,000 of the countrys 400,000 Turks showed up on the Erasmus Bridge. Erdogan had whipped up the patriotic fever of expats. Right-wing extremists who had attacked refugee shelters behaved just as badly; society was getting more polarized. But even the progressives who repeated these shibboleths were knocked off balance by the demonstrators fervor. Tofik Dibi, who was born in the Netherlands but is of Moroccan descent, and who had served in parliament for the GreenLeft party and subsequently come out as gay, told me: It was a setback for people like me who have consistently reassured the Dutch people that we love the fact that we have freedoms here, that I can come out here in a way that would be impossible in Morocco. In an interview two months after the demonstration, Prime Minister Rutte said, in his personal opinion, immigrants who behaved as the demonstrators had should fuck off. Given the intensely negative reaction to the protest, Rutte knew that his listeners were thinking the same thing. The Netherlands has now become the site of competing nationalisms, each rubbing the other raw. A new drama blew up this past weekend around Erdogans efforts to win the votes of Turks based in the Netherlands for an upcoming constitutional referendum, planned for April 16, that could greatly increase his powers as president. Both Germany and the Netherlands, afraid of provoking their own populist voters, have barred members of Erdogans party from staging rallies. Erdogan upped the ante by accusing both countries of behaving like Nazis. That was ludicrous, but Rutte was playing to his nationalistic voters just as Erdogan was playing to his. As much Holland wants their immigrants to be Dutch, Erdogan seems to want them to stay Turkish. Dutch of Moroccan or Turkish descent dont burn cars and rampage through the streets; Dutch suburbs are not banlieues the poor, crime-ridden, immigrant-majority housing projects that mark the outskirts of French urban centers. Nor do they carry out terrorist attacks. Though the Netherlands took in about 45,000 refugees in 2015, even the guys at the Boulevard said the country has an obligation to accept them (so long as theyre spread evenly around and not squeezed into the immigrant neighborhood of South Rotterdam). The issues that have galvanized the anti-Islam vote have been mostly symbolic, whether the pro-Erdogan march or the endless debate over Black Pete, a blackface character who is a companion to the Dutch Saint Nick and who is seen, quite rightly, as a racist symbol of the colonial past. Yet the feeling that immigrants live in a largely self-enclosed world is not without foundation. According to a recent government report, the number of neighborhoods with 50 percent or more immigrants has gone up by half since 2002. Intermarriage between Turks or Moroccans and native Dutch remains below 10 percent. Half a century after large-scale, non-European immigration began, it is hard to deny that the Netherlands has an urban underclass. Four times as many non-Western migrants are accused of crimes as Dutch natives. Unemployment rates are three times as high. The progressive explanation for this isolation is that it has been imposed on newcomers. When Italian and Spanish migrants came, they were welcomed by the Dutch unions, the Communist Party, and the Catholic Church. No such Western social pillar greeted non-European migrants, who had little choice but to cling together. Persistent discrimination has limited job prospects. The refusal of both Turkey and Morocco to permit migrants to drop their citizenship has compelled them to retain dual citizenship and thus kept them from becoming fully Dutch. In short, socioeconomic conditions dictate cultural choices, not the other way around. As Jesse Klaver, the 30-year-old leader of GreenLeft and the Netherlandss most popular progressive, has said, Its not about immigrants or Islam. Its about social, economic problems. People who have to pay too much tax and cant make a living. Misguided policy may have abetted those external conditions. Throughout the 1990s, Dutch leaders sought to deal with the issue of integration through multiculturalism. Ethnic groups were encouraged to celebrate their own backgrounds, languages, customs, and history. This came to a screeching halt when scholars and not just Fortuyn and his followers concluded that multiculturalism was inflaming the problem it was intended to solve. In 2000, Paul Scheffer, a Dutch Labour Party academic, wrote an immensely influential essay, whose title translates more or less to The Multicultural Disaster, which argued that progressive policy was producing a generation of immigrants who did not speak Dutch or feel part of Dutch life. Since that time, government policy has emphasized integration and language training. When I visited the Globetrotter School in the vast immigrant quarter of South Rotterdam, I saw printed reminders to the elementary students posted on classroom doors: We speak Dutch in school. The fact that such a sign was necessary in a school virtually all of whose pupils are second- or third-generation children of immigrants was striking. Of course, none of this confirms the PVV view that Islam is the problem. A view of the Essalam mosque, the largest mosque in the Netherlands. (Photo credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) Earlier this month, I went to Friday prayers at the Essalam mosque in South Rotterdam, one of Europes largest. The mosque is considered Moroccan, though while there I met a Kurd a Dutch citizen and a Kosovar and a Bangladeshi, both newcomers. Essalam is dedicated to a moderate, ecumenical vision of Islam. Albert Ringer, the rabbi of Rotterdams Reform synagogue, had come by for a chat with the imam. He told me that he had been delighted to be introduced at a recent Ramadan iftar as our rabbi. Essalams imam, Azzedine Karrat, is a soft-spoken 30-year-old who has lived in the Netherlands since he was 10. When I told him that I was writing about integration, he said, It doesnt make sense to speak of integration. We are not immigrants. We are part of the society. When somebody asks me where I am from, I say, Im a Dutch Muslim with Moroccan roots. Outside, after prayers, I met Driess Terrhi, a 45-year-old chemical engineer who had emigrated from Morocco with his family when he was 10. He had come to the mosque with his father, a venerable gentleman in a white skullcap, and his son, Souhail, who was getting his masters degree in psychology in the hope of doing social work. Terrhi was mystified at the resentment that immigrants had provoked. His friends were second- or third-generation Dutch-speaking professionals, like him. Like the imam, they considered themselves Dutch. Probably, he hypothesized, the PVV types have a low educational level, so they are competing with immigrants for jobs, and many are jobless. I told him that that was more or less what the PVV people said about immigrants. I asked Terrhi if he would vote for Denk, a new party founded by Turkish immigrants, which says it aims to combat xenophobia. Absolutely not, he said they were chauvinists just like the PVV, only in reverse. It isnt only the world of the Essalam mosque that gives the lie to Geert Wilderss frenzied denunciations of Islam. So does Rotterdams mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, a devout Muslim of Moroccan background who nevertheless champions freedom of speech and religion and openly criticizes Muslims who fail to do so. (Mayors in the Netherlands are, however, appointed by the national parties rather than elected.) Pierre of the Boulevard adores Mayor Aboutaleb, with whom he works on training programs for sanitation workers. But that is hardly the whole story. One of the Dutch literary sensations of the last year was I Was One of Them: Three Years Undercover Among Muslims by Maarten Zeegers, a former theology student. Zeegers had penetrated the Muslim community of The Hague, which, he told me, is the most segregated in the Netherlands. A boulevard that runs down the middle of the city literally separates the immigrant from the native Dutch halves of The Hague. Zeegers found that Salafism, the fundamentalist strain of Islam that looks to the Prophet Mohammed and his followers as the sole source of guidance, is gaining ground rapidly, especially among young immigrants from Morocco, who explicitly repudiate the idea of integrating into Dutch secular society. He witnessed three pro-Islamic State demonstrations during his time in the neighborhood, though all were small. Of the 300 Dutch citizens who have gone to Syria to fight, Zeegers said, 90 came from his neighborhood. He has concluded that the progressive view that Muslim immigrants will integrate into Dutch society so long as discrimination ends and economic conditions improve is sticking your head in the sand. Zeegers is no fan of the PVV, but he admits that Wilders is stepping into something real. I asked Zeegers what he thought the Dutch should do. We should create a national identity, he said. How, I asked, would you do that? After all, national identities emerge organically. And what would the content of that identity be? Would it look more like Black Pete or more like the EU Constitution? Zeegers admitted that he had no idea. But he was very worried about the possibility of a religiously pillarized society. Breaking down entrenched patterns of housing segregation would help, he said. But the government has tried that, without much success. Wilders holds a banner reading "Get out! This is our land" during demonstration in front of the Turkish embassy at The Hague on March 8. (Photo credit: ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images) Beyond the mesmerizing antics of Geert Wilders, the national political campaign of the past few weeks has produced very little material to attract the attention of non-Dutch. A dozen or more parties have been fanning out in the hustings to express their views on health care and retirement funds and the threat from Russia and all the other issues that have shaped European elections in years past. The Netherlands is, after all, just about the best country in the world rich, peaceful, stable, picturesque, friendly. A U.N. report recently concluded that Dutch children are, by a long shot, the happiest in the world first in education, material well-being, and behavior and risks (smoking, drinking, obesity, teenage pregnancy); fourth in housing and environment; and fifth in health and safety. Whatever troubles the Dutch have are, by definition, first-world problems. Of course, Wilders is the living proof that prosperity doesnt necessarily produce contentment or even that contentment doesnt produce contentment. But the week before I arrived in Rotterdam, the Dutch political volcano had gone silent. On Feb. 22, Wilders announced that he had discovered a mole among the secret service agents who provide his security. The head of the secret service suspended the officer, whom he said was of Moroccan background, for allegedly leaking Wilderss otherwise secret campaign schedule to an unspecified criminal organization. Wilders immediately canceled all planned appearances. When Wilders resumed his campaign, a week or so later, his schedule consisted almost entirely of television and newspaper interviews. Otherwise, Wilders sits in his guarded fastness in The Hague and sends out tweets. Wilderss political success is all the more remarkable given his penchant for alienating all but the most hardcore among his followers. Meeus, the NRC columnist, believes that with a less self-destructive campaign, Wilders could almost double his vote, win the election, and perhaps form a government. (Others argue that a more acceptable Wilders would sacrifice the I hate everybody else vote.) But the latest polls show that the PVV has dropped from a 12-seat lead over the VVD to a dead heat. Experts speculate that Wilderss support was buoyed by the election of Trump and has since sunk as the reality of the new American president has hit home with Dutch voters. Nevertheless, polls both in the United States in the 2016 election and in England during the Brexit referendum deeply undercounted the nationalist vote. Wilders could still win the most seats, though he wouldnt be able to form a government. The Netherlands may well wind up with another left-right coalition led by Prime Minister Rutte. This would hardly put an end to nativist rhetoric. In a full-page ad the VVD took out in January, Rutte returned to the blunt language he had used in the aftermath of the Erasmus Bridge demonstration, warning immigrants to act normal or go away. And this time he was speaking as prime minister and party leader, not as a private individual. That is still not Wilderss message, which is simply go away, but it sounds very much like Pim Fortuyns. Wilderss extremism has turned Fortuyn into the new middle of Dutch politics. The idea that men and women who have lived in the Netherlands their whole adult lives should leave the country if they dont care to conform to Dutch standards of comportment hardly puts one in mind of the example of Erasmus. The Erasmian spirit of tolerance and openness remains very close to the core of Dutch national identity, but the presence, in their midst, of a non-European and often illiberal other has tested the limits of that spirit and persuaded many voters that tolerance is the royal road to cultural suicide. Critics of Wilders often say he identifies problems but offers no solutions. But politics is a very awkward instrument for solving problems of culture and identity. Issuing commands to act normal is even less of a policy than go away. In fact, Rutte and the VVD dont propose to deport troublemakers, change the criminal law, cut funding for social programs, or flood the street with cops. What they stand for is more like a mood or a tone of voice. Immigrants should act normal, and native Dutch voters should calm down and stop looking to crackpot saviors. Its a blunderbuss solution to a complicated problem. I have to admit, however, that I didnt hear any more convincing solutions during my time in the Netherlands. Act normal. Perhaps its the slogan that our era has been looking for. Top photo credit: ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images German Chancellor Angela Merkels meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House has been postponed thanks to winter storm Stella, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced at his daily briefing Monday. Merkel and Trump were scheduled to meet on Tuesday, March 14. The two spoke by phone and agreed it should be postponed to Friday, said Spicer. Thousands of flights have already been cancelled ahead of the snowstorm. The President has been critical of Merkels willingness to bring refugees into Germany in the past; he tweeted in December 2015 that she was ruining the country. Shortly after Trumps first immigration ban, Merkel got on a call with Trump to explain the obligations of the refugee convention to the new president, according to the Guardian. While a press release for the call did not mention the ban, it did mention NATO and an intention to deepen bilateral relations in the coming years, the Guardian reported. Trump is also interested in Merkels advice on how to approach working with Russia, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. BERLIN (AP) Germany's justice minister says he wants to examine ways of cutting off state financing for a far-right party in the coming months. In January, Germany's highest court ruled that the National Democratic Party, or NPD, is too politically insignificant to justify a ban but said its goals run counter to the German constitution. Parliament's upper house, which sought the ban, last week launched an initiative to cut off anti-constitutional parties from state funding. Justice Minister Heiko Maas was quoted Monday as telling the Funke newspaper group that "we should examine very carefully the possibilities" of withdrawing funding. He said that's feasible in this parliamentary term, which ends with an election in September. Maas said that "tax money for the NPD is a direct state investment in radical right-wing agitation." BERLIN (Reuters) - German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Sunday that a Tunisian man wanted in his homeland for his possible involvement in a deadly attack on a Tunis museum in 2015 can be deported. The man was arrested last month on suspicion of planning an Islamist attack in Germany. In 2015 Islamists stormed the Bardo museum and killed 21 foreign tourists. "I can confirm that the talks between us and the Tunisian side have been successful. The terrorist is sitting in custody and I expect that he will soon be deported," de Maiziere told broadcaster ARD for the Bericht aus Berlin programme. The Tunisian, identified by German media as Haikel S., was arrested last month and is believed to have recruited for Islamic State here, German prosecutors have said. He had lived in Germany for a decade until 2013 before re-entering the country to seek asylum in August 2015, five months after the storming of the Bardo museum, the prosecutors said. Tunisian investigators suspect the Tunisian asylum seeker was involved in the assault and had issued a warrant for his arrest in June 2016. Earlier Italy said it had expelled a Tunisian who might have had links with the man who killed 12 people in Berlin by driving a truck into a Christmas market. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Greg Mahlich) WASHINGTON (AP) A powerful nor'easter in the forecast has delayed a meeting between President Donald Trump and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, until later this week. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed until Friday because of the coming storm. The meeting will be the first between the two leaders. Their itinerary is set to include discussions on NATO, the Islamic State group and Ukraine's conflict, all matters that require close cooperation between the U.S. and Germany, as well as a joint press conference. A blast of late winter weather is expected to blanket much of the Northeast this week, with up to 8 inches of snow and sleet accumulation forecast for Washington, starting Monday evening. WASHINGTON (AP) Judge Neil Gorsuch wasn't convinced that a teenager who made burping sounds in a classroom should be arrested, handcuffed and taken to juvenile detention in a police car. Gorsuch said the 13-year-old student from Albuquerque, New Mexico, should have been able to sue the arresting officer for excessive force. His powerful dissent in the case last year offers a glimpse of how Gorsuch a favorite among conservatives might be hard to pigeonhole on criminal justice issues if he is confirmed to the Supreme Court. "Arresting a now compliant class clown for burping was going a step too far," Gorsuch wrote, saying there is a difference "between childish pranks and more seriously disruptive behaviors." During a decade on the federal appeals court in Denver, Gorsuch has raised concerns about intrusive government searches and seizures that he found to violate constitutional rights. He generally has ruled against defendants appealing their convictions and those who claim they received unfair trials. But he also has warned in writings and speeches about the danger of having too many criminal laws on the books. "What happens to individual freedom and equality when the criminal law comes to cover so many facets of daily life that prosecutors can almost choose their targets with impunity?" he said in a 2013 speech. That skepticism seems to align him with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a strong believer in protecting people from overzealous police and prosecutors. Scalia at times sided with liberals in tossing out evidence that breached privacy rights and in strengthening the right to confront accusers in court. Liberal groups are opposing Gorsuch's nomination, in part based on views that his overall record on criminal justice is too harsh. "At a time when the abuses of our criminal justice system are becoming a national crisis, we cannot confirm a justice who does not understand the role of the Supreme Court to protect the most vulnerable among us," said a report from People for the American Way, a liberal advocacy group. Story continues When Gorsuch has said there are too many criminal laws, he has often focused on business regulations, such as requirements that mattress sellers preserve mattress tags or that lobster importers use cardboard instead of plastic. Adam Winkler, a law professor at UCLA School of Law, says such decisions could forecast that Gorsuch may be a vote to curtail criminal prosecution of Wall Street executives and financiers. "He is likely to read federal criminal laws narrowly," Winkler said. "Gorsuch is also likely to favor industry against what he sees as excessive criminal laws regulating business." Some of his opinions have faulted police for seizing evidence in violation of the Fourth Amendment, which bars unreasonable searches. In a case last year, Gorsuch parted from the two-judge majority in a ruling that said police had a right to walk onto a man's property to knock on the front door even though there were several "No Trespassing" signs in the yard. Gorsuch mocked the majority's opinion, saying it gave government agents the right to "invade" a homeowner's property "whatever the homeowner may say or do about it." The homeowner "might add a wall or a medieval-style moat, too," Gorsuch wrote. "Maybe razor wire and battlements and mantraps besides. Even that isn't enough to revoke the state's right to enter." In a separate 2016 case, Gorsuch was on a panel that found the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children violated the Fourth Amendment when it searched a man's emails without a warrant and discovered child pornography. The emails had been forwarded by AOL, the man's internet service provider, after the images were flagged by an automatic filter. Writing for the panel, Gorsuch said the center is a government-like entity "endowed with law enforcement powers beyond those enjoyed by private citizens." The case was sent back to a lower court to decide whether the search still might be reasonable on other grounds. Paul Rothstein, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said Gorsuch appears to have a mixed record in criminal cases and "seems to call them as he sees them." "I think his primary area of concern for the citizen is in the privacy of your home or your private belongings," Rothstein said. "He believes there is a private area and he's pretty strong about that." Gorsuch has been less sympathetic to defendants in other rulings. In a 2012 case, Gorsuch dissented from a majority opinion in which his colleagues sided with an Oklahoma man seeking to overturn his murder conviction due to an ineffective lawyer. The lawyer had advised his client to reject a plea agreement that called for a 10-year sentence. Instead, the man went to trial, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The majority said the lawyer's decision to reject the plea had "disastrous results" for his client. But Gorsuch said the man's right to effective representation was not violated because he was later convicted in a fair trial. In 2013, Gorsuch wrote a majority opinion ruling that a police officer did not use excessive force when he shot a man in the head with a stun gun during a chase. The man, who was suspected of growing marijuana plants and fleeing from police, later died. The officer said the suspect reached for his pocket despite warnings not to do so. A dissenting judge noted that the officer's training manual specifically warned against aiming a stun gun at the head unless necessary. Gorsuch said the situation facing the officer at the time was "replete with uncertainty and a reasonable officer in his shoes could have worried he faced imminent danger from a lethal weapon." ___ Find AP's reporting on Neil Gorsuch at http://apne.ws/2mfXk4V EDITOR'S NOTE _ One in a series of stories examining the judicial record of Neil Gorsuch, nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump Police officials said the heaviest shelling was noticed in Digwar, Malti and Gulpur of Poonch. Sounds of Pakistan's shelling being heard in the town. By India Today Web Desk: Heavy shelling and firing has been reported at four spots on the Line of Control in Jammu's Poonch sector. Reports of the ceasefire violation started coming in early Monday morning, with even sounds of Pakistan's shelling being heard in the town of Poonch. Police officials said the heaviest shelling was noticed in Digwar, Malti and Gulpur of Poonch. Indian jawans are responding to the ceasefire violation and until now, no loss of life has been reported among Indian troops. advertisement The latest violation comes just a day after shelling on the LoC saw a trade centre suffering heavy damage. ALSO READ | J-K: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch, Indian forces retaliate --- ENDS --- Guatemala City (AFP) - Guatemala's minister for social welfare, Carlos Rodas, offered his resignation Monday after a blaze in a government-run children's shelter killed 40 teenage girls. In his letter to President Jimmy Morales, Rodas said he was handing in his notice in order to "contribute to the objective investigation into the tragedy." He said he had not resigned earlier because he first needed to oversee the counseling and medical treatment of survivors at the shelter, and their transfer to other refuges. The fire that broke out last Wednesday in the badly overcrowded Virgin of the Assumption Safe Home for children just to the east of Guatemala City killed 19 girls right away. The other deaths came as girls taken to hospitals succumbed over subsequent days to horrific burns that had also damaged their throats and lungs. All the victims were aged between 14 and 17. Funerals started on Friday, with some of the bodies identified through DNA samples. Another seven girls were in critical condition. Five of them were flown to a hospital in the United States for specialized treatment. An investigation is seeking to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire. Initial information suggested the girls might have started the blaze themselves, setting alight mattresses to protest cruel treatment by staff in the facility, including sexual abuse. Hundreds of demonstrators on Saturday rallied in front of Morales' presidential palace, accusing authorities of negligence and demanding punishment. Morales said Monday he had requested that the FBI and international organizations help in the investigation, to make the process transparent. President Donald Trump convened the first meeting of his Cabinet on Monday. Proud to welcome our great Cabinet this afternoon for our first meeting. Unfortunately 4 seats were empty because Senate Dems are delaying! Trump said in a tweet Monday. He also shared an image of the group in the Oval Office. Four Cabinet nominees are still awaiting confirmation: Sonny Perdue for Secretary of Agriculture, Alexander Acosta for Secretary of Labor, Robert Lighthizer for U.S. trade representative and Dan Coats for national intelligence director. The following interactive photo allows you to zoom in on any of the circled faces to see whos who. Select a name or click a circle to zoom in. (Not pictured: CIA Director Mike Pompeo and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.) Trump has blamed Democrats for his incomplete Cabinet, but some hearings have been delayed due to missing information or scheduling conflicts. Acostas hearing, for example, was postponed this week because Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican who heads the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, is joining Trump at a rally in Nashville. We have assembled one of the greatest Cabinets in history, and I believe that so strongly, Trump said Monday in the Oval Office, where he signed an executive order to examine every executive department and agency to see where money is being wasted. Mercy, a 21-year-old mother in Zambia, walked three hours to a health clinic with her 3-year-old son, Kelvin. Their goal: to vaccinate Kelvin against preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, pneumonia and polio "so he can grow up and be strong enough to attend school," Mercy said. Selina Chile, a 66-year-old volunteer in this clinic, also walks 5 kilometers daily to help clean floors and windows and wash blankets for patients. She helps weigh babies and educates mothers. She has seen her four children and eight grandchildren vaccinated in this clinic and volunteers because she believes in the importance of life-saving vaccines, as she has witnessed deaths in those who were not vaccinated. [See: Top Reasons Kids End Up in the Hospital.] Mercy and Selina are not alone. The 20 clinics in the Livingstone district of Zambia treat 28,000 children under 5 and another 48,000 ages 5 to 15. Immunizations are given one day a week, so vaccines don't have to be stored more than necessary in the heat and unreliable refrigerators. Often, the vaccine fridges use solar panels so they are not without electricity when power goes out. Despite the difficulties, the district has a 98 percent vaccination rate for measles, with comparable figures for other preventable diseases such as polio and pneumococcal pneumonia. I was part of a team visiting the clinic last year with the United Nations Foundation's shot@life, an advocacy group that raises awareness and money for international vaccine programs. I learned that worldwide, every 20 seconds, a child dies of a vaccine-preventable disease. These important vaccine programs provided 23.5 million children with measles vaccines in 2015 alone, not to mention vaccines against countless other infectious diseases. The difference in attitudes I observed between parents in Zambia and parents in my area of New York City was astounding. I spend much of my time trying to convince American parents that vaccines are safe and necessary, while those I met in Zambia consider inoculation a gift. They have seen diseases like measles wipe out children in entire villages. To them, vaccines offer their children a chance to study and achieve their goals in life. Story continues [See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health.] Before the discovery of vaccines, contagious diseases like polio, measles and smallpox ran rampant through communities, killing huge numbers of people. Now, thanks to vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated and polio is almost non-existent. But in areas of the United States and elsewhere in the developed world where parents opt out of vaccines, measles, whooping cough and other dangerous diseases are making a comeback. If we stopped immunizing, it wouldn't take long for outbreaks to spread. Children who are not immunized put themselves and others at risk for these contagious diseases. Here are answers to some of the questions I get from parents: Why do I need to vaccinate my infant -- why can't I wait till the child is older? Babies are born with very immature immune systems. Newborns receive some immunity from their mother, but this quickly wears away and it takes time to build it up again. In the meantime, young children are vulnerable to disease, and vaccination is the best way to protect them. Delaying it just puts your baby and others at more risk. Are there side effects to vaccines? Vaccines require rigorous safety studies before Food and Drug Administration approval. Most vaccines available today have been used for decades, with few problems. Side effects are mild and rare. Over the years, vaccines have been improved and made more efficient, using fewer antigens and additives. Do vaccines cause autism? Vaccines do not cause autism. Vigorous studies around the world have found no connection. The original research that sparked this fear was a small study of only 12 children with what turned out to be falsified evidence. [See: 9 Ways to Boost Your Immune System.] Why do vaccines contain aluminum and mercury? Aren't they dangerous? Aluminum is an adjuvant that makes the active ingredients more effective, while mercury (also called thimeresol) is a preservative. Both are naturally occurring elements widely found in our environment, and the amounts contained in vaccines are less than what a baby receives from breast milk. The bottom line is vaccines protect children and society from life-threatening contagious diseases. They are well worth a few tears and a sore arm. For more information on shot@life or to donate or get involved, visit shotatlife.org. Purvi Parikh, MD, is an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network (www.allergyasthmanetwork.org), the leading nonprofit patient education organization for people with allergies, asthma and related conditions. She practices in New York City at Allergy and Asthma Associates of Murray Hill and New York University School of Medicine. She sits on the Board of Directors for the advocacy council of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (Reuters) - Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Monday: HEALTHCARE Fourteen million Americans would lose medical insurance by next year under a Republican plan to dismantle Obamacare, the nonpartisan U.S. Congressional Budget Office says in a report that dealt a potential setback to Trump's first major legislative initiative. A Republican plan to repeal taxes set under Obamacare would benefit the wealthiest U.S. households at more than five times the rate for middle-income families, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. TRAVEL BAN A group of states renew their effort to block Trump's revised temporary ban on refugees and travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, arguing that his executive order is the same as the first one that was halted by federal courts. GERMANY Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been pushed back from Tuesday until Friday because of the winter storm bearing down on the northeastern United States, the White House says. Ahead of her trip to Washington, Merkel tells business leaders in Munich that free trade is important for both the United States and Germany. Talks between German officials and the Trump administration suggest there will be close cooperation between the two countries on policy toward Russia, a senior German government official says. CHINA Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month, according to media reports, as his administration seeks to smooth relations with the world's second-largest economy. ASIAN ALLIES Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources say, amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." AUTO STANDARDS Trump is set to formally announce a review of vehicle fuel efficiency rules locked in at the end of the Obama administration when he meets with automaker chiefs this week, according to two sources briefed on the matter. BUDGET Trump on Thursday unveils his 2018 budget emphasizing a military buildup, and some Republicans are concerned they will be forced to choose between opposing the president or backing reductions in popular programs such as aid for disabled children and hot meals for the elderly. CABINET Trump's nominee to head the Agriculture Department said in Senate ethics disclosure forms that he would place his assets, which include part ownership of a grain merchandising company, into a blind trust. (Compiled by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Lisa Shumaker) (This version corrects the March 10 story by removing reference to crowd having paid to attend party rally in paragraph 7. Admission to the event was free.) By Anthony Deutsch AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A boyish 30-year-old who looks like Justin Trudeau and sounds like Barack Obama has emerged as a potential kingmaker in Dutch politics, riding a rare message of tolerance ahead of an election dominated by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Jesse Klaver, son of a Moroccan father and part Indonesian mother, is expected to turn his tiny Green Left party into one of the main groups in the Dutch parliament in a vote next week that has mostly made headlines because of a far right surge. The election is mainly billed as a challenge by flamboyant anti-Islam nationalist Geert Wilders to conservative Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has responded by campaigning on proposals for measures to curb immigration. It is the first big vote in Europe in a year that will also see elections in France and Germany, where the far right is forecast to win its best showings since World War Two. But with half of Dutch voters still undecided and no party expected to come close to a majority, Klaver has filled a void by speaking for those who yearn for a more inclusive message. He has built up a strong following on social media and through small "meet up" events that began when he took over the party leadership in May of 2015. Gatherings in living rooms grew to fill 100-seat theaters. This week he held the largest political rally of the entire Dutch election campaign, drawing a crowd of more than 5,000 to a packed Amsterdam concert hall. Five thousand more watched live on Facebook. The youngest party leader in Dutch history, his dark curls and boyish looks give him an unmistakable resemblance to Trudeau, the Canadian premier known for welcoming refugees. Supporters have co-opted a slogan from former U.S. president Obama, helped by the fact that Klaver's first name is pronounced in Dutch almost exactly like the English word "yes". "Jesse we can!" supporters posted during the live online feed of the rally as a tie-less and confident Klaver told a cheering crowd that Dutch voters have a chance to stop Europe's drift towards the far right. "This year is not only about the election in the Netherlands, but elections in the whole of Europe," he said. "In the Netherlands, we have to show that populism can be stopped and there is an alternative. That alternative is us." Dutch politics are fractious - there are 11 political parties in the 150-seat parliament now, most of them tiny, and eight independents. But Klaver's success could turn the Left Greens into one of the handful of parties big enough to win a place in the ruling coalition, especially if mainstream parties link up to keep out Wilders, convicted last year of fomenting racial hatred. Polls show Klaver's Left Greens on course to quadruple their representation to 16 seats, while Rutte's centre-right liberals shrink from 41 to somewhere around 25, not far ahead of Wilders' nationalists. For most Dutch, openness and tolerance are fundamental national traits of their small seafaring country. Holland has been a European haven for refugees since the 16th Century, when the mainly Protestant Dutch broke away from Catholic Spain, committed their new state to religious freedom and offered protection to persecuted minorities such as Spanish Jews. Wilders argues that precisely that tolerance is threatened by Muslims, who he says practice a "totalitarian" faith. Muslims make up 5 percent of the Dutch population. In a live television debate watched by 1.6 million viewers, Klaver shot back that right-wing populism, not immigration, is undercutting Dutch traditions. "The values the Netherlands stands for, for many, many decades, centuries actually, its freedom, its tolerance, its empathy. ..they are destroying it," he told Reuters in an interview. Klaver said that if elected, he would increase spending on renewable energy and address social problems that have led 40 percent of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants to feel unwelcome. "It's terrible when people are born in the Netherlands have the feeling they are not part of this society and it is not something to be proud of, but something to be ashamed of. And I want to change that. "This is a change of hope, not of fear," he said. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; editing by Peter Graff) TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Sunday claimed victory in his party's primary to be the candidate in November's presidential election. With just 9.6 percent of the votes counted, the country's electoral tribunal said Hernandez, 48, had won 92.9 percent of the votes so far, to be the conservative National Party candidate, with the rest going to his rival Roberto Castillo. Castillo conceded defeat on Sunday after the preliminary results were announced, saying he would support the re-election of Hernandez, a highly controversial issue in Honduras. Former university rector Luis Zelaya was ahead in the vote to be the opposition Liberal Party candidate with 56.54 percent of the vote with 12.3 percent of the total counted, followed by former Central Bank President Gabriela Nunez. The leftist Liberal Party, led by former president Manuel Zelaya, was on course to choose his wife Xiomara Castro as its candidate, who had 94.7 percent of the votes with 12.1 percent counted. President Hernandez, a close ally of the United States, had promised to maintain a tough policy against organized crime which has helped bring down the homicide rate, despite criticism from human rights activists. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Michael Perry) Paris (AFP) - Natural changes in the environment are responsible for about 40 percent of Arctic sea ice loss, while humans are to blame for the rest, a climate study said Monday. The paper, based on model simulations of different climate conditions, was a rare attempt to quantify the relative contributions of humans and Nature to the dramatic decline and could have a major impact on future research. Understanding all causes of the sea ice retreat is crucial for accurately projecting the rate of future loss, and trying to slow it. Scientists have long accepted that natural changes in the environment, such as atmospheric air circulation, were at least partly responsible. But its relative contribution, and that of human-induced global warming, has been fiercely debate. The new study concluded that up to 60 percent of sea ice decline since 1979 was caused by summertime changes in atmospheric circulation. About 70 percent of the air flow changes, in turn, were the result of natural variability, not human-caused climate change. Taken together, this meant that between half and two-thirds the sea ice decline was attributable to climate change, said the American team. Natural variability, on the other hand, "dominates the Arctic summer circulation trend and may be responsible for about 30-50 percent of the overall decline in September sea ice since 1979," they said. Commentators not involved in the study said its findings do not call into question whether human-induced planet warming has contributed to Arctic sea-ice loss. Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. - 'Not good news' - "Realising that humans have caused 50-70 percent of the decline is not good news," said Twila Moon, a lecturer in Cryospheric Sciences at the University of Bristol. "Continuing to put carbon dioxide and other emissions into the atmosphere is having a direct negative impact on the Arctic, including sea ice," she said via the Science Media Centre in London. Story continues Chris Rapley, a professor of climate science at University College London, said the study helped explain why Arctic sea ice was disappearing faster than most climate models predict -- they underestimated the contribution of natural drivers. Models for future predictions will have to be adapted, according to the findings published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Last month, US government scientists said Arctic sea ice cover in January was 13.38 million square kilometres (5.17 million sq. miles) -- 1.26 million sq. km. below the 19812010 average. This was the smallest January extent since records began in 1979 and 260,000 sq. km. (100,000 sq. miles) smaller than the previous low recorded in 2016. Sea ice, floating slabs of frozen ocean water which grow in winter and melt in summer, provides an essential platform for hunters -- humans and bears alike -- and helps moderate the climate by reflecting the Sun's rays. The region is warming at about twice the global average rate. BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Nearly 100 migrants began a hunger strike on Monday at a detention center in Hungary, demanding that they be allowed to leave, the country's immigration authority said. The Immigration and Citizenship Bureau said 94 of the 102 migrants in the Bekescsaba camp on the Romanian border were taking part. "Most of the hunger strikers are under Dublin proceedings as they unlawfully left the country of first entry into the European Union," the bureau told Reuters in an emailed statement. "The hunger strikers signaled their demands in writing, primarily complaining about being detained and asked to be allowed to leave," it said. "They complained about being fingerprinted as they have no intention to stay in Hungary." An online plea for help by "Zanyar Faraj", claiming to be a spokesperson for the migrants in Bekescsaba, called for better conditions there. It said many inmates were sick and depressed. "Our lawyers went on a human rights monitoring mission to the Bekescsaba detention camp a month ago," said Marta Pardavi, co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, an asylum rights group. "Most (migrants) come from circumstances that makes it likely they suffer from psychological trauma. As far as we know the situation in the camp is calm for now." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been a vocal opponent of the wave of migration into Europe, which he says threatens the socioeconomic makeup of the continent, and his government is building fences to keep migrants out. (Reporting by Marton Dunai and Krisztina Than; additional reporting by Fedja Grulovic in Belgrade; editing by Andrew Roche) This week, terrestrial radio giant iHeartMedia is set to debut an LGBT-focused local radio station with Pride Radio Philly, according to a report. The media company this week will launch the station on 102.1 HD2 here in Philadelphia, while iHeart Radio app users can tune in online, Philadelphia Business Journals Jeff Blumenthal writes. iHeart also currently operates Pride Radio, a nationally oriented station in the same vein as Pride Radio Philly. iHearts Philadelphia region president Richard Lewis told PBJ that the company went ahead with Pride Radio Philly because he wanted a more local flavor. Hosts for the station so far include Ricky Sebastian (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.), Delana Bennett (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Jerry Houston Huster (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.), Pacey Williams (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and Christie James (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.). Additional DJs signed onat the station include Q102s Casey Reed and Power 99s Mutha Knows. Hosts currently have individual blogs set up over on Pride Radio Phillys official website. The establishment of Pride Radio Philly is the latest move for iHeartMedia, which the Inquirer reported last month is currently facing about $20 billion in debt. Earlier this month, Billboard reported that the radio company is attempting to restructure its debt load. Most Popular on Philly.com For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. CHICAGO (AP) U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez was briefly handcuffed Monday during a sit-in at federal immigration offices in Chicago where activists' demands included revocation of immigration-related executive orders, no future raids and reconsideration of a deportation case. Gutierrez and other advocates, including clergy members, protested roughly five hours beyond a scheduled meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, saying they'd risk arrest. Federal protective service officers briefly placed Gutierrez and two others in plastic cuffs after they ignored warnings, but they were let go without citation. The Democrat called off the protest just before the close of business. The outspoken Illinois congressman who's been arrested for civil disobedience related to immigration issues several times chronicled the events on Twitter. "They were scared to arrest us because they know our cause is just," he tweeted. "We ended our sit in but we will #resist." ICE spokeswoman Gail Montenegro said officials agreed to an "informational meeting" but couldn't provide "actions and assurances" required by the group. She said the three individuals including Gutierrez were released from plastic restraints after "ICE officials relayed that they no longer wanted the individuals removed from the building." Among their demands was a reversal on a deportation order involving Francisca Lino, an immigrant from Mexico without legal permission to stay in the U.S. The mother of six living in the Chicago area was previously deported but returned and married a U.S. citizen. She acknowledged the deportation during a 2005 citizenship interview and was arrested. She has a pending deportation order. Four of her children are U.S. citizens. Gutierrez said the case should be low priority for immigration authorities and illustrates a broken system. ___ Follow Sophia Tareen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sophiatareen The deceased has been identified as Krish Rajini, a PhD scholar. By India Today Web Desk: A student from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was found dead on Sunday evening. He was found hanging by the ceiling fan at a house in Munirka Vihar. The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Muthu Krishnan, a PhD scholar. Police said that he was suffering from depression. Muthu Krishnan, a Dalit, was a active member of Justice for Rohith Vemula Movement. Police are investigating the incident. advertisement Police has also said that the student was suffering depression.Earlier, the student had spoken about inequality in a Facebook post . "When equality is denied everything is denied", he wrote. "There is no equality in M.phil/PhD admissionm there is no equality in Viva-voce, there is only denial of equality, denying prof. Sekhadeo thorat recommendation, denying students protest places in Ad-block, denying the education of the Marginal's", he added. Following the incident, his friends have raised doubts over the death. Shehla Rashid, a former vice-president of the JNU Students' Union, tweeted: "JNU VC recently moved court against protesting students and the HC banned protests at Admin Block, to which Rajini (Muthu Krishnan) refers in his last post." Rashid also shared a letter written by Muthu Krishnan to JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar. In this letter to @mamidala90, Muthu Krishnan requested JNU VC to let "first generation marginals" to study & not create hurdles for them :( pic.twitter.com/lCJVN1BOqX- Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) March 13, 2017 Rashid said students informed Muthukrishnan's family members. JNU admin didn't inform Muthu Krishnan's family & @registrarjnu refused to come to the hospital even after students asked him to come.- Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) March 13, 2017 Students have now informed Muthu Krishnan's family members who are in Tamil Nadu.Updates via @Mohit_JNU who's at the mortuary- Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) March 13, 2017 FOUL PLAY RULED OUT "Till now it hasn't been found that the extreme step was taken by the student owing to any issues at the university," said a senior police officer. He is said to have been depressed for some time over some personal issues, he added. A PCR call was received at 5.05 PM that a person had locked himself in a room at a house in Munirka Vihar, said another senior police officer. On reaching the spot, police forced open the door and a young man was found hanging from the ceiling fan. The crime team was called to the spot and the scene was inspected and photographed. "He had come to his friends' house this afternoon to have food. He said he wanted to sleep and went to a room and locked himself inside. "Later his friends called him out and on getting no response, they called the police," he said. advertisement With inputs from PTI Also read: JNU students protest against VC receiving Visitor's Award; JNUSU President files online petition JNU, DU continue to be hubs of Naxal activities where indoctrination of students continues: IG state CID Also watch: JNU student found dead, probe on --- ENDS --- NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also been appointed defense minister, the office of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee tweeted on Monday, after he held such a dual role in 2014. The previous defense minister, Manohar Parrikar, stepped down on Sunday to become Chief Minister of the Western state of Goa. Election results on Saturday showed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to be the second most popular party in the coastal state, but it will form the regional government after obtaining the support of smaller parties. The BJP, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, swept polls in the key northern state of Uttar Pradesh, as well as the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Jaitley held the posts of finance and defense minister from May to November 2014. It was not immediately clear how long he would keep the two portfolios this time round. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Rafael Nam and Nick Macfie) India's defence minister resigned Monday to lead the coastal state of Goa after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party secured enough support from minor parties to retain power in the popular tourist region. Manohar Parrikar will be sworn in as Goa's chief minister on Tuesday -- the fourth time he has held the position in his home state -- more than two years after vacating the job to join Modi's team in New Delhi. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will take over his defence responsibilities until a replacement is appointed, a statement from Indian President Pranab Mukherjee's office said. Saturday's election results showed the Bharatiya Janata Party won just 13 seats in Goa, putting it in second place behind the opposition Congress Party on 17, and leaving it eight short of the majority needed to control the 40-strong lower house. But two regional parties, which have three members each, and two independent legislators sided with the Hindu nationalist party to give it the required 21 seats. The move came after the BJP won a surprise absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh at the weekend, a result not seen in decades in the northern state that's home to 220 million people and seen as a bellwether of national politics. It also won a majority in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand and despite coming second will form government in Manipur, a remote northeastern state where the BJP held zero seats before polling day. But Congress Party accused the BJP of "stealing" the elections in Goa and Manipur, where it won the most seats but was apparently unable to secure alliances. "Party that comes second has no right to form government," Congress leader P Chidambaram said in a tweet. From Delish Turkey legs and Mickey pops may rule the Magic Kingdom, but at Disney's Flavor Lab - a test-kitchen-meets-food-wonderland - culinary pros are dreaming up new dishes that redefine theme park food. One question's been plaguing Disney's executive pastry chef for the past four years. Whether Stefan Riemer's testing packaging designs for his chocolate shop, The Ganachery, or perfecting the mirror glaze on a Minnie Mouse cake, it's been rumbling in the back of his mind - until recently. "What would the Na'vi eat for dessert?" By Na'vi, Riemer means those lithe, fluorescent-blue aliens from Avatar, the movie James Cameron committed to so wholeheartedly he announced he wouldn't create any other films for the rest of his career. It's also the franchise Disney backed so wholeheartedly it designed an entire section of its Animal Kingdom theme park around them. As Pandora - named after the mythical world in the movie - sets to open this summer, Riemer's been tasked to create otherworldly desserts that bridge the gap between fantasy and, well, something the average person actually wants to eat. Oh, and the food should have some connection to conservation, because that's a huge part of Avatar's storyline, and if you're going to learn anything about Disney World, it's that everything - everything - follows a story. Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing "The characters are so tall and lean; what would they eat to stay like that? What would be a dessert for them? Maybe berries," Riemer explained. "The colors are so vibrant there, so I've been thinking a lot about the color blue. It's something you typically avoid with desserts, but blue is intriguing. That's my goal: To intrigue people - to get them to slow down and take notice - then elevate the flavors they're used to." Each morning, he's been working with his team to find that perfect mix, testing desserts in Walt Disney World's Flavor Lab, a 7,000-square-foot test-kitchen-meets-innovation-incubator, where just about all of the theme parks' and resorts' drinks and dishes are created. The lab isn't open to the public, but the House of Mouse offered Delish a rare peek at the one-year-old facility, revealing that every item that makes it on the menu is one part science, one part art, and one part anything-goes, supercallifragilistic-sky's-the-limit-ocious daydreaming. Story continues They're Juggling 100 Things At Once. All The Time. Developing the dessert menu for Pandora's eateries has been Riemer's latest project - and while he'll tease us with a few clues, like his desire to marry exotic flavors with everyday ingredients people already love to "elevate the flavor" of each dish - he's keeping mum for now on what, exactly, he'll offer. What we can know for sure, however, is that they won't simply throw together the parks' greatest hits and call it a day. Just like Walt Disney designed its utilidoors, a system of tunnels under the park, so that a cowboy at Frontierland wouldn't be caught strolling through Tomorrowland, or vice versa, the company uses the Flavor Lab to ensure every project gets that same attention to detail - and never shatters the illusion of being transported to another time and place. But that's not all. The Flavor Lab works on restaurants and dishes across Disney's parks and resorts worldwide, meaning at any given time, they're working on 100 different projects. At Disney World in Florida alone, that ranges from coming up with Huck Finn-inspired poolside cocktails for Fort Wilderness, a nearby resort, to deciding on just the right plate pattern to stock at a high-end restaurant in the parks' shopping district, Disney Springs, or yes, deciding what will be the equivalent of a turkey leg in Pandora. "Every time we create something, it's unique and different," says Jean-Marie Clement, Disney's director of Food and Beverage Concept Development. The decision to add anything to the menu actually starts with location, location, location. And then storyline, storyline, storyline. While chain restaurants face the challenge of creating one dish that needs to be standardized nationwide, with each new restaurant or project, the teams at the Flavor Lab must start from scratch - and make sure the dish can both satisfy millions of different tastes, given the parks' international clientele, and be served at a scale to keep up with the roughly 54 million guests visiting Walt Disney World each year. Imagineers Touch Everything - Even The Food. Coming up with the next Disney treat isn't as simple as saying, "Hey, Cronuts are popular, so let's create our own version!" While Epcot does serve a croissant donut (offered a la mode, too, so take that, Dominique Ansel), the decision to add anything to the menu actually starts with location, location, location. And then storyline, storyline, storyline. When the Flavor Lab was tasked with creating an Italian restaurant at Disney's BoardWalk where a Greek restaurant used to be, they first met with Imagineers to come up with the place's backstory, which would inform every decision they'd make going forward. They knew people loved Italian food but craved a variety of flavors, so they decided it'd be run by a family that traveled throughout the country, spending time in the North, South, and seaside areas. That way, they could serve carbonara and red sauce, explained Lenny DeGeorge, executive chef for culinary development. And when it came to carbonara, they weren't taking any shortcuts. "We used guanciale, not bacon or pancetta, making it in the classic Roman style," DeGeorge says. Some things, though, had to be tailored for Americans' tastes and practicality's sake. "A true Neapolitan pizza takes 90 seconds to cook, but because of all of the toppings we use, ours takes two minutes," he says. That longer cook time keeps the pizza's crust crisp, so it doesn't turn floppy and spill caramelized onions and artichokes all over your shirt. Photo credit: KATHRYN WIRSING At the Flavor Lab, each dish is tested three to four times before it's ready to be presented to Disney's executives, and it often goes through three to four rounds of presentations before it's ready to be ordered by the masses. All that happens within a year to 18 months, for a restaurant revamp like Trattoria al Forno (the aforementioned Italian joint). Projects like Pandora, however, can take 3 to 4 years, while developing all of the food for an entire park - like the newly opened Disney Shanghai - can be 7 or more years in the making. The story itself may seem eyeroll-inducing at first: Do you really need a fictional traveling Italian family to create an Italian restaurant? But it's the backbone of every project to ensure nothing strays too far from the goal - and it also makes it easier to connect Disney's focus groups and other research to real things, like which foods to serve, which cocktails are the most on-brand, and even the types of chairs and tables you sit at while downing both. The Happiest Place on Earth's Also Home To Some Serious Cooking Showdowns. Photo credit: KATHRYN WIRSING The Flavor Lab is divided into four key sections. When you walk in, to the left there's a kitchen area that looks like the set from Iron Chef, complete with stage lights, stainless steel appliances and two giant flatscreens mounted from the ceiling. And, like Iron Chef, some serious competition goes on there. When hiring chefs, the company will have each finalist take center stage in a "skills validation" test, where they have two hours to create a four-course menu for a set of executive chefs. And you thought your job interview process was nerve-wracking. This demo area, labeled "Eat," isn't just for giving potential employees full-on Mary Katherine Gallagher sweats. It's also where chefs will present and discuss new dishes, using the TVs to connect with chefs at other parks. Directly across from Eat is its less-flashy counterpart, Create, which looks more like a techy college classroom, with its wall of TVs and rows of long tables. That's where the culinary team meets with Imagineers to dream up new project "stories" and host wine tastings and other classes for park employees, so they're able to give solid recommendations when you're not sure whether you can best channel Belle's no-longer-provincial life over a glass or Champagne or rose at Be Our Guest (uh, rose all day). Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing It's also the spot where big-money deals go down, where food, drink and appliance vendors meet with Disney to show off their latest and greatest. Snagging a Disney parks contract can mean major business. Case in point: Walt Disney World sells 75 million Cokes a year. That's higher than the population of the United Kingdom. Beyond that, there's Drink, featuring a bar that'd make Bond villains jealous - a growing part of the brand's bottom line, given Disney's announcement in December to expand its beer and wine sales to four new restaurants within the Magic Kingdom - and a separate room where every place setting for every restaurant is tested and considered. The most impressive feature, though, is even further behind the scenes. Past a large swinging door is a massive, industrial kitchen loaded with just about every commercial appliance imaginable - and they're all regularly swapped in and out as Disney considers new wood-fired pizza ovens, ice cream makers and slushie machines for each new project. In a land that'd seem cookie cutter - everything so pristine and polished - no two restaurants are exactly alike, even on the backend, since their needs are as varied as their menus. That's where DeGeorge, Riemer, and the others spend a good portion of the day, figuring out how to translate Imagineers' stories into dishes for the masses. Some ideas don't work out, but that doesn't mean they're gone forever. They've Been Poutine-ing This On The Back Burner. Until Now. "We wanted to do poutine for years, but the timing wasn't right," Clement says. Then, as chefs reimagined the food served at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), they decided to devote a walk-up food stall to the Canadian smothered fries, naming it The Daily Poutine. In addition to selling the classic, cheese curds-and-gravy variety, they decided to offer three other flavors to appeal to guests' diverse tastes (and, undoubtedly, draw in people who love cheese fries but are freaked out by squeaky curds): a Latin version topped with black beans, pulled pork and queso fresco; a French one, with mushroom cream sauce and Gruyere; and an Italian, with mozzarella and Bolognese sauce. It's proven so popular the company recently launched a breakfast option, featuring tater tots with cheese curds, sausage gravy and a fried egg. In a way, the shop's success underscores the exact challenge Riemer's trying to find with his desserts at Pandora: Introduce people to something fresh and exciting, using ingredients they're familiar with, so they're more likely to take a chance on it. The Flavor Lab still hasn't found a way to unseat the turkey leg - more than 1.8 million pounds of drumsticks are devoured at Walt Disney World each year, making it the parks' bestseller - but that doesn't mean they won't stop trying. "We try to find that middle ground," Clement says. "We have to find the comfort food in our creativity." We'll have to wait until May, it seems, to see how that translates to the world of Avatar. Though "Mountain Banshee legs" has a certain ring to it. Photo credit: KATHRYN WIRSING More Disney's Most Delish We've got all the goods on where to eat at the House of Mouse: Check out all our awesome Disney stories Want More? Try These: The 15 Most Delish Foods at Magic Kingdom Watching This Minnie Mouse Cake Get Decorated Is So Oddly Hypnotic 26 Disney Food Hacks You Should Know Before Your Next Trip Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like Jerusalem (AFP) - Intel will buy Israeli car tech firm Mobileye for more than $15 billion (14 billion euros), the companies said Monday, in a deal signalling the US computer chip giant's commitment to technology for self-driving vehicles. Israeli media reported that the deal worth approximately $15.3 billion was the largest ever cross-border acquisition for an Israeli tech firm. It comes with Intel and Mobileye previously collaborating with German automaker BMW to develop self-driving cars. Intel and Mobileye said they expected to combine to become a global leader in "autonomous driving" that could provide the technology at a lower cost. "The combination is expected to accelerate innovation for the automotive industry and position Intel as a leading technology provider in the fast-growing market for highly and fully autonomous vehicles," it said. "Intel estimates the vehicle systems, data and services market opportunity to be up to $70 billion by 2030." Last year, BMW announced that it was joining forces with Mobileye and Intel on a self-drive project for "highly and fully automated driving" to be commercially available by 2021, called the BMW iNext. BMW announced in January it would deploy 40 self-driving vehicles for tests in the United States and Europe this year. In August, Mobileye and UK-based auto-equipment maker Delphi said they were teaming up to develop an autonomous driving system which would be ready for vehicle-makers in 2019. Nearly all the major global automakers are involved in testing autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, with some expecting full autonomy within a few years. Mobileye, whose speciality includes systems for accident avoidance, has concluded an agreement with Volkswagen on road data technology as well. The Israeli firm was founded in 1999 and employs some 660 people. It has developed real-time camera systems used to avoid accidents with the help of algorithms that interpret the data. Story continues - 'Data centres on wheels' - Its proprietary EyeQ5 computer vision processor gets input from the 360-degree surround view sensors as well as localisation. Drivers may be familiar with its system that warns when they are approaching too closely to another vehicle or pedestrian. Mobileye co-founder Ziv Aviram said of the acquisition that "together, we will provide an attractive value proposition for the automotive industry". "We expect the growth towards autonomous driving to be transformative," he said in the statement. "It will provide consumers with safer, more flexible, and less costly transportation options, and provide incremental business model opportunities for our automaker customers." The companies said the transaction, approved by the boards of both Intel and Mobileye, is expected to close within the next nine months. "As cars progress from assisted driving to fully autonomous, they are increasingly becoming data centres on wheels," the statement said. "Intel expects that by 2020, autonomous vehicles will generate 4,000 GB of data per day, which plays to Intel's strengths in high-performance computing and network connectivity." Israeli officials were also touting the deal as a sign of confidence in the country's high-tech sector -- an industry that has given it the nickname the "start-up nation". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with Aviram to congratulate him, a statement from the premier's office said. "The deal dramatically proves that the vision we are leading is being realised," Netanyahu said. "Israel is becoming a global technology centre not only in the field of cyber but also the automotive field." Economy Minister Eli Cohen told army radio that "what's important now is that the production remains in Israel, where some 300 international companies are located". The centre for work on the combined autonomous vehicle will be Mobileye's headquarters in Jerusalem, the firms said. Aviram told Netanyahu that a global development centre will be established in Israel and "will be responsible all the international activity of Intel's autonomous cars", the statement from the premier's office said. Intel has long operated in Israel, opening its first development centre in 1974. In 2014, the firm announced it was to invest close to $6 billion in upgrading its Israeli production facilities. Tehran (AFP) - Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu of ignorance about history and the Jewish faith on Monday after he said ancient Persian rulers tried to destroy the Jews. In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Netanyahu said Persia had made "an attempt to destroy the Jewish people that did not succeed" some 2,500 years ago, an event commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Purim over the weekend. Zarif responded overnight on Twitter, calling Netanyahu's comments "bigoted lies" and saying Iran had saved the Jews on three occasions in history. "Netanyahu resorting to fake history and falsifying Torah. Force of habit," he tweeted. He linked to longer comments in which he said the Israeli premier "distorts the realities of today, but also distorts the past - including Jewish scripture". "The Book of Esther tells how Xerxes I saved Jews from a plot hatched by Haman the Agagite, which is marked on this very day. "Again, during the time of Cyrus the Great, an Iranian king saved the Jews -- this time from captivity in Babylon; and during the Second World War, when Jews were being slaughtered in Europe, Iran gladly took them in," Zarif wrote. Netanyahu had sought to link ancient history to the present day, saying Iran was again seeking "to destroy the state of the Jews". Putin tried to return the conversation to the present day, saying the events described took place "in the fifth century B.C. We now live in a different world. Let us talk about that now." Ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran has been implacable in its opposition to Israel and has provided extensive support to Palestinian militant groups. Iranian officials say they oppose the state not the people, and underline that Iran has its own Jewish community. White House press secretary Sean Spicer is shrugging off his encounter with a woman who confronted him in an Apple Store over the weekend saying he doesnt mind fielding critical questions from the public, even when theyre sprung on him in a checkout line. I interact with individuals all day long, Spicer said at his daily press briefing on Monday. Ninety-nine percent of them are pleasant, even with people who may not agree with our philosophy, our programs or whatever. But its a free country, and the beauty of it is that people can act how they want, no matter how thats interpreted. And as long as they stay on the right side of the First Amendment, were good. Shree Chauhan approached Spicer in the Washington store Saturday afternoon and began filming him as she fired off a series of critical questions at the top White House spokesman. How does it feel to work for a fascist? Chauhan asked. How do you feel about destroying the country? You work for a fascist, Chauhan continued. Do you feel good about lying to the American people? Spicer thanked her for her questions, saying: Such a great country that allows you to be here. Asking @PressSec questions in Apple Store since he doesn't like the press. https://t.co/l493z2gG4x Shree ???????????? (@shreec) March 11, 2017 Chauhan, a U.S. citizen born to immigrant parents of Indian descent, later told Time magazine she felt threatened by Spicer. When I played it back and I realized it, I felt fear, she said. Think about his level of power and his proximity to the president of the United States. To say that to my face with a smile, its really something to behold. The video clip went viral after Chauhan livestreamed it on Twitter, with many viewers critical of her for accosting Spicer without warning. Story continues Chauhan, though, was unapologetic for her ambush-style interview. Im not sorry, she said. What I did is like a blip compared to what this admiration is doing and what Mr. Spicer is complicit in doing, which is undermining this countrys Constitution and our democratic values. It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives. Be nice, you will do much better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2017 Earlier in the briefing, Spicer was also asked if he agreed with President Trumps assessment that much of the media is being rude to his staffers. Trump made the quip on Twitter Monday morning, apparently responding to a round of cable news interviews by his top surrogates. I have been asked for my personal opinion several times thats not my job, Spicer said. I dont get up here to speak for myself. I speak for the president. Read more from Yahoo News: Photo credit: JTB Photo / Getty From Road & Track You think your town's snow plow drivers have a tough task? In Japan's Toyama Prefecture, road crews have to dig out mountain roads covered in snow that can pile more than 60 feet deep. It's a daunting task, but they do it every time-and they've never taken a snow day. Granted, the "Snow Canyon" shown above isn't maintained on a daily basis. As Justin Nobel explains over at Atlas Obscura, every year in early March, a bulldozer crew undertakes the painstaking task of opening the road. The first step is to send a single dozer to drive over the top of the snow, using GPS and satellite phone signals to trace the path of the road buried five to six stories beneath. Then a fleet of dozers, backhoes, and rotary snowblowers come through to remove all the snow, eventually unearthing the pavement beneath. But while digging out the "Snow Canyon" is a once-a-spring event, the populous towns and cities that surround this frigid outpost keep their roads clear all winter 'round. That includes the town of Tokamachi, Japan's snowiest small city, with a population of around 54,000 and an annual snowfall of 460 inches-nearly four times that of Syracuse, NY, widely considered the snowiest city in the United States. And yet, the roads to towns like Tokamachi never close; the people who live in these cities, towns and villages never take snow days. To find out more about the fascinating process of digging out the snowiest roads in Japan (and indeed, perhaps in all the world), check out Atlas Obscura. You'll never look at a few inches of powder on your driveway the same again. You Might Also Like Jeb Bush took to Twitter to denounce Rep. Steve Kings (R-Iowa) controversial tweet about immigration, saying it doesnt reflect American values. America is a nation of immigrants, the former Florida governor tweeted Monday. The sentiment expressed by Steve King doesnt reflect our shared history or values. America is a nation of immigrants. The sentiment expressed by Steve King doesn't reflect our shared history or values. https://t.co/msydFudA7m Jeb Bush (@JebBush) March 13, 2017 Bush is responding to a tweet by King on Sunday, where he showed support for far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny, the Republican congressman wrote. We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies. The tweet was widely condemned for promoting white nationalism, but King doubled down on his comment during an appearance on CNN, saying he meant exactly what I said and that hed like to see an America thats so homogenous that we look a lot the same. AUSTIN Practically shouting for emphasis, former Vice President Joe Biden delivered an impassioned plea Sunday to the techies in the audience at the South by Southwest festival here to find a cure for cancer. You are the future, Biden said in his first major speech on cancer since leaving the White House. Many of you are developing technologies and innovations for purposes large and small that have nothing to do with cancer. But you can make a gigantic impact. Your ingenuity can have a profound impact on cancer. Biden devoted most of his address to the strides made in his cancer moonshot, which was launched early last year. He said his biggest accomplishment was breaking down the silos that had prevented government institutions, hospitals, companies, and research organizations from sharing information about cancer. But a half hour into his speech, his upbeat message of hope turned into one of near frustration, as he reflected on the helplessness he felt when his son Beau Biden, the former Delaware attorney general, died of brain cancer in 2015. As vice president, he said, he had the entire United States Air Force available to him, but did not have in his power the ability for his sons doctors at different hospitals to share basic medical information. Determined to stay above the political fray in Washington, Biden did not mention President Trump and, in fact, sounded a hopeful note: It is my hope that this new administration, once it gets organized and Im not being facetious can be as committed and enthusiastic as we were in taking on cancer. He added, The only bipartisan thing left in America is the fight against cancer. Read more: In interview, Biden outlines a lifelong role in cancer research, but not in a Clinton White House That said, Biden is clearly moving his effort from the government arena and said he is organizing a nonprofit cancer initiative to finish the work. After he left office, he said, he was approached about such an initiative by prominent scientists including Eric Lander at M.I.T., who was co-chair of President Obamas scientific advisory council. Lander himself has said it could be decades before cancer is cured. Story continues At the time of President Nixons cancer initiative in 1970, Biden said, we thought there was only one cancer. Biden said that we now have powerful new technologies and tools like immunotherapies that werent available only a a few years ago. He said, These advances provide hopeat so many levels Ive come to realize weve reached a new inflection point. But immunotherapy is still far from a cure-all. In a best-case scenario, Dr. Nathan Gay and Dr. Vinay Prasad recently calculated that less than 10 percent of people with cancer would benefit from immunotherapy. Read more: Biden vows to push pharmaceutical companies to ensure patients can afford treatments In his appeal to the technology-focused audience here, Biden said, youd think that Facebook would have an algorithm, so people could share more information on cancer. He challenged the audience to come up with the new technology. Perhaps most importantly, he said, we need to connect cancer patients and families and others with the same cancers. We can learn from each other, and share advice and encouragement and hope. Biden was introduced to a standing ovation by his wife, Jill, who said, It is my pleasure to introduce my man of action the man who always strives to make the seemingly impossible, possible. Viresh allegedly tried to sexually assault a young woman when he called her to his home in Hulimavu on the pretext of discussing a movie role. By Nolan Pinto: Kannada film producer Viresh V was arrested by police on the charges of molestation on Monday. Before the arrest, the girl's family thrashed him before handing him over to the police. Viresh allegedly tried to sexually assault a young woman when he called her to his home in Hulimavu on the pretext of discussing a movie role. The girl escaped from the house, locking him from outside. She then called her family, who thrashed the producer. The entire incident was captured on mobile. advertisement Viresh is under judicial custody now. Also read: 28-year-old mother-of-two gang-raped by 5 men, accused claim they brought her for paid sex Also watch: Casting couch: Kannada film producer arrested as woman alleges misbehaviour --- ENDS --- By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls has been freed after serving 20 years in prison, with many Jordanians celebrating his release and calling him a national hero, witnesses and family sources said on Sunday. Ahmad Daqamseh, 45, was taken to his family home in the village of Ibdir near the city of Irbid in northern Jordan where dozens of relatives and wellwishers gave him a rousing welcome. Jordanian security services set up checkpoints around the village to restrict access as people flocked to see him. In July 1997, a five-member Jordanian military tribunal found Daqamseh guilty of opening fire on a group of Israeli schoolchildren and killing seven of them before soldiers seized him and rushed to help the victims. Daqamseh became a hero to many Jordanians and was embraced as a figurehead by a strong opposition movement led by Islamists and nationalists vehemently opposed to the country's peace treaty with Israel. During the trial, Daqamseh said the girls had mocked him while he was performing Muslim prayers in a border area returned to Jordanian sovereignty under the 1994 peace treaty. He would have faced the death penalty but the tribunal ruled he was mentally unstable and sentenced him to life imprisonment, which is equivalent to 20 years under Jordanian law. A few days after the incident, the late King Hussein personally apologised for the incident, travelling to Israel to visit and pay his respects to the girls' families. Many lawmakers welcomed his release. Neither the Jordanian nor the Israeli government made any comment. "The release of this hero has cheered us. Israel has committed crimes against many Jordanians that were never accounted for," Saleh Armouti, a leading parliamentarian, said. One Israeli survivor, Keren Mizrahi, said Daqamseh's release revived painful memories and he had served a light sentence. "My feeling is that it's like I'm being wounded again, mentally and physically, as if a knife is turned inside my heart," she was quoted as saying on Israeli Channel 10 TV. A defiant Daqamseh told Al Jazeera he did not recognise Israel, saying Arabs could not have normal ties with what he termed "the Zionist entity". Jordan's biggest political opposition group, the Islamic Action Front, which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, hailed his release. "We congratulate Jordan and the family of the hero Ahmad al Daqmaseh his release from prison," it said in a statement. Many lawmakers and politicians had lobbied to set him free in a kingdom where hostility towards Israel runs deep. Many Jordanians see Israel as an occupier state which has driven them from their land. Palestinians originally from Jordan make up a large proportion of the country's population. (Editing by Louise Ireland) By Tom James (Reuters) - A Kansas state senator on Monday declined to back down from comments comparing Planned Parenthood to Nazi concentration camps, which he made after finding out that a donation had been sent to the organization in his name. "Killing people equals killing people," Republican state Senator Steve Fitzgerald said in a phone interview when asked about the comparison on Monday, referring to abortion. Planned Parenthood is killing more people than they did in Nazi Germany, he said. The Nazis were responsible for the systematic killing of 6 million Jews, as well as others such as homosexuals, Roma people and political opponents during World War Two. Planned Parenthood provides abortions as well as other women's health services, including birth control and cancer screenings. It has long been a target of conservative Republicans. Fitzgerald has been in the spotlight since Planned Parenthood on Friday made public a letter from the senator in which he wrote that finding out that a donation had been made to the group in his name was as bad - or worse - as having one's name associated with Dachau. Dachau was a Nazi concentration camp estimated to have been the site of nearly 32,000 killings. In his letter, Fitzgerald castigated the organization and the donor, Kansas City, Missouri, resident Ali Weinel, calling the move an attempt to "blacken" his name by associating him with a "heinous" group. Weinel said Monday that she made the donation in the senators name about a month ago after a contentious email exchange with Fitzgerald, in which he expressed disgust over her views on abortion. "I was so frustrated by the email exchange that the only thing I could think to do was to donate to Planned Parenthood in his honor," Weinel said. Making donations to the organization in the name of conservative elected officials has become a tactic among some on the left as a way to make a political statement. Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokeswoman Bonyen Lee-Gilmore called Fitzgeralds concentration camp comparison inflammatory. "We obviously condemn this extreme ideology, Lee-Gilmore said in a telephone interview on Monday. Lee-Gilmore said that after receiving Weinels donation, the organization had last month sent Fitzgerald a form letter, which his Friday letter was apparently a response to. Fitzgerald called the events political theater on the part of Planned Parenthood. "The letter they sent me was strictly a poke in the eye, Fitzgerald said. And I responded to it. (Editing by Patrick Enright) 2019 Kate debuted a new custom military-style coat by Alexander McQueen, teaming with a matching hat and her Gianvito Rossi pumps. She accessorised with her Kiki McDonough tourmaline and amethyst earrings and the Cartier shamrock brooch. [Photo: PA] St Patricks Day is a key event in the Duchess of Cambridges calendar. For eight years now, Kates been a regular fixture at the UKs celebrations, handing out sprigs of shamrocks to the Irish Guards all over the UK. The mum-of-two skipped the event in 2016 to spend time with Prince George and Princess Charlotte before jetting off on the royal tour of India and Bhutan, but she was back in action at the Cavalry Barracks military base in Hounslow in 2017. The queen of diplomatic dressing, the Duchess has dressed thematically at each years St Patricks Day celebrations in a green or brown coat dress. READ MORE: Every outfit the Duchess of Cambridge has worn in 2019 Twice, Kate has turned to the late Princess Dianas go-to label Catherine Walker and shes also picked out coats by British high street favourite Hobbs and London Fashion Week designer Emilia Wickstead for the occasion. A matching hat and pair of shoes is usually donned and the late Queen Mothers gold shamrock brooch often completes the ensemble. Ahead of this years celebrations on 17 March, when the Duchess will return to Hounslow to once again present shamrocks to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, take a look at what the 37-year-olds worn on St Patricks Day in years gone by. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is under fire after saying during an interview with her hometown newspaper that household appliances can record people at home. Read: Kellyanne Conway Slams Criticism of Oval Office Couch Photo as 'Venomous' Conway spoke to The Bergen Record over the weekend and was asked if she believed if Trump Tower was wiretapped, as the president recently accused his predecessor in a tweet. There was an article that week that talked about how you can surveil people through their phones, through their certainly through their television sets, any number of different ways. And microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. We know that is just a fact of modern life, she said. ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos took her to task on Good Morning America Monday. He said to her: "You have no evidence that that kind of surveillance was used against Trump Tower." She replied: "I have no evidence, but that's why there's an investigation." Read: Man Who Took Controversial Selfie With Kellyanne Conway Speaks Out: 'I Have No Regrets' Donald Trump took to Twitter to express support to his top aide, saying: "It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives. Be nice, you will do much better!" It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives. Be nice, you will do much better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2017 Watch: Kellyanne Conway Returns to TV After Reports White House Banned Her From the Airwaves Related Articles: By Timothy Mclaughlin (Reuters) - The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, asked a court on Monday to unseal a lawsuit that accuses two members of the city's police department of sexually abusing a teenager while he was part of a Boy Scout-affiliated youth program. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday on behalf of a man, identified in court papers only as N.C., who joined the Louisville Metro Police Youth Explorers program in 2011 when he was 16 years old, according to the man's attorney, David Yates. The man claims he was abused by two members of the Louisville Metro Police Department over the next two years, Yates said. The police run the youth program in affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America. "The allegations represent an appalling betrayal of trust and abuse of power, and threaten a program that has helped so many young men and women interested in becoming police officers and law enforcement leaders," Mayor Greg Fischer said in a statement on Monday. "To restore the public's trust in this program, the proceedings must be as open as the courts will allow." The explorer program was also being suspended, Fischer said. The Louisville police department did not respond to a request for comment. The behavior included in these allegations runs counter to everything for which the BSA stands," the Boy Scouts said in a written statement. "Upon learning of the allegations we took immediate action to remove (the officers) and precluded both from any further participation in Exploring or any scouting programming." Yates asked for the lawsuit to be sealed and declined give specifics of the case, including the names of the officers. "We are up against a mountain," Yates said on Monday morning. "We have sued the police department and people of powerful authority." The two police officers are among the seven defendants in the case, according to Yates. One officer has since resigned and the other was reassigned to desk duty. Story continues A copy of the 25-page complaint obtained by the Courier-Journal newspaper claims the teen was raped and sexually abused by two officers in their homes and police vehicles and that the episodes were recorded and used to make pornography. The youth program is open to anyone aged 14 to 19 who is interested in a career in law enforcement. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Cynthia Osterman) Photo credit: Michael Mellinger / Getty From Popular Mechanics Standing 19,341 feet in height, Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest peak on the African continent. It's also a major bucket-list adventure for many travelers with thousands flocking to its slopes every year with hopes of reaching the summit. Kilimanjaro isn't a technical climb. It doesn't require the great skill needed to summit other monstrously tall peaks, but the extreme altitude makes the mountain a significant test of strength, stamina, and perseverance. It's the height that prevents many from reaching the top, but taking the time to prepare-mind, body, and wallet-can help you reach heights you never thought possible. Photo credit: ra-photos Shape Up Any Kilimanjaro climb involves some suffering. The trail can be steep and challenging, the days are long, and the weather is unpredictable. The higher you go, the thinner the air, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. There will be many times you'll feel uncomfortable and ask yourself why you ever signed up for this. You can limit the pain on the mountain by being as physically prepared as possible. That means exercising and getting yourself in good condition prior to the start of the trek. Aerobic workouts, such as walking or running, will help strengthen your lungs and heart, which in turn will allow you to recover faster at altitude and make your days on the trail much more tolerable. A stronger cardiovascular system will also help you to maintain a steady pace and improve your chances of reaching the summit. Begin your cardio workouts at least three months prior to your climb. Start slowly at first, but increase the pace and distance over time. By mixing in aerobic exercise five or six days a week, you'll soon start to feel more fit and ready to take on a mountain. Photo credit: Jeff Overs / Getty Strengthen Up Strength training also plays an important role in getting you to the top, but don't worry that you'll need to become a serious lifter. Concentrate on lifting light weights while increasing the number of reps over time. This will build strength without adding much in the way of bulk. Staying lean will help you to remain lighter and more efficient. Story continues While on Kilimanjaro, you'll have a team of porters that will carry the bulk of your gear from one campsite to the next, but you will have to wear a daypack while hiking. That pack will have everything you need for a day on the trail, including food, water, extra layers of clothing, camera equipment, and more. If you're not already accustomed to wearing a heavy daypack for hours at a time, it is a good idea to start getting your body ready it. Wear a backpack while going out for a walk in the neighborhood, or better yet, on longer hikes on local trails. Photo credit: Planet Observer / Getty Smarten Up It takes more than physical prep to increase your chances of reaching the top. Prior to booking your trek, you'll need to consider questions such as which route to take and how many days you want to spend on the mountain. There are at least seven different routes that can be taken to reach the summit of Kili. Of those, the most popular is the Marangu Route, which is amongst the shortest and most crowded of all of the trails. While that route is usually more affordable, it also means you could end up waiting in line behind other trekkers at various stages of the ascent. Because it rises so quickly, there is also less time to acclimatize, lowering your chances of topping out. Some of the other routes-such as Rongai and Lemosho-are less crowded and stretch out the climb over a few extra days, giving your body more time to get used to the thinning air. Most Kilimanjaro treks last about six days, which is actually not much time to ascend a mountain so tall. The success rate for such a climb hovers around 65 percent, meaning that more than a third of travelers don't reach the top. But if you have the time in your schedule, simply adding an additional day or two could have a significant impact on your chances of success. Climbers who spend seven days on the mountain have an 85 percent chance of summiting, while those who are there for eight days see the success rate climb to more than 90 percent. Photo credit: Johnathan Ampersand Esper / Getty Gear Up Between hiring guides for the trek and flying to Tanzania, a Kilimanjaro climb is an expensive undertaking. That doesn't always leave much money leftover to buy new gear for the trek, even though the equipment you take plays a major role in your success or failure. While on the mountain you'll need a surprising amount of kit, including warm base layers and jackets, rain gear, a comfortable backpack, and a good pair of boots, just for starters. If you don't already have a closet full of those items to get you through the trek, it is time to go shopping. Don't skimp on the quality of the gear you buy, as better equipment will pay major dividends during the climb. (The last place you want to discover your sleeping bag or rain jacket isn't performing well is on the trek itself). Buy products from reputable brands that you already trust, and if you're looking to save a few bucks, hunt for good deals online or closeout items at your local outdoor stores. And if you're wondering what exactly you need to bring with you on your trip to Kilimanjaro, chances are the company that you're climbing with will have a complete gear list with suggestions on what to pack. If not however, we like this list from REI that includes links to purchase any items you may need to add to your collection. Photo credit: Johnathan Ampersand Esper / Getty Pick the Right Time While Kilimanjaro can be climbed virtually anytime of the year, it has two distinct trekking seasons that are better suited for making an ascent. Those seasons run from January to March and from June to October. If you go during the first season chances are temperatures will be a bit colder but the mountain will have less traffic as well. Some travelers are willing to deal with the lower temperatures if it means a less crowded mountain. It is also important to note that climbing Kili independently is strictly forbidden by the Tanzanian government, which means that you'll have to hire a guide to take you to the top. Prices can range from as low as $1000 all the way up to as much as $9000, with dozens of options in between. The low cost operators tend to have very few frills and are likely to have less training, while the higher-end guide services will provide more comforts on the mountain, along with a larger, more professional staff. Which style fits your needs and budget is entirely up to you, and chances are you'll find a happy middle ground in the $2,000-$3,000 price range. That's it. Good luck. Now get out there. You Might Also Like LONDON (AP) The Latest developments on Britain's decision to leave the European Union: (all times local): 10:10 p.m. Britain's has moved closer to leaving the European Union, with Parliament giving Prime Minister Theresa May the power to file for divorce from the bloc. A bill authorizing May to start EU exit talks has passed its final vote in Parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords. The House of Commons had approved the bill weeks ago, but the Lords fought to amend the legislation, inserting a promise that EU citizens living in the U.K. will be allowed to remain. They also added demand that Parliament get a "meaningful" vote on Britain's final Brexit deal. Both amendments were rejected Monday by the Commons, and the unelected Lords then backed down and approved the bill. May is now free to invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, triggering two years of exit negotiations, by her self-imposed deadline of March 31. ___ 6:55 p.m. Britain's House of Commons has rejected an attempt to make the government promise before European Union exit talks start that it will guarantee the right to remain of EU citizens living in the U.K. By a vote of 335 to 287, lawmakers overturned an amendment to the government's Brexit bill inserted by the unelected House of Lords. They also rejected, by 331 to 286, a call to promise that Parliament will get a "meaningful" vote on the final deal between Britain and the other 27 nations of the bloc. The Lords now have to decide whether to accept the Commons vote or resist, delaying the bill's passage. If they back down, the bill could be approved by late Monday. That would leave Prime Minister Theresa May free to launch divorce proceedings with the EU by March 31 as planned. ___ 5:05 p.m. Britain's top official for leaving the European Union says lawmakers should pass an EU exit bill "without further delay" so the government can start formal divorce talks with the bloc. Story continues Brexit Secretary David Davis urged Parliament to pass a bill authorizing exit talks without amendments on Monday, "so the prime minister can get to work on the negotiations." Prime Minister Theresa May says she will invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, the trigger for two years of exit negotiations, by March 31. But she can't do it until Parliament approves. The House of Commons and House of Lords are battling over the bill's contents, with the Lords wanting it to include a promise that Parliament will get to vote on the final deal between Britain and the 27-nation bloc. ___ 12:50 p.m. The British government says it will take Scotland's interests into account as it negotiates a new relationship with the European Union. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will seek a referendum on independence from the U.K. because Scotland is being forced out of the bloc's single market against its will. She accuses Prime Minister Theresa May's British government of refusing to compromise. May's government says in response that it is seeking "a future partnership with the EU that works for the whole of the United Kingdom. The U.K. Government will negotiate that agreement, but we will do so taking into account the interests of all of the nations of the U.K." The British government has to give its approval for a legally binding referendum. It didn't say whether it would do so, but said an independence ballot "would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time." ___ 12:45 p.m. Demonstrators are gathering outside the British Parliament in advance of a vital debate on Britain's planned exit from the European Union. The group is opposed to Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to take Britain out of the EU by triggering Article 50 in the coming days. One protester wore an oversize May puppet head. The group wants Parliament to have a "meaningful" vote on Brexit terms The House of Commons is set to debate Brexit Monday afternoon and evening. It is expected Parliament will eventually give May legal authority to start Brexit proceedings. Britons voted in a June 23 referendum to leave the EU. ___ 11:45 a.m. Scotland's leader has said she will seek authority for a new independence referendum. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Monday she will move quickly to give Scottish voters a chance to make Scotland an independent country. Sturgeon said British Prime Minister Theresa May has so far refused to compromise with Scotland over Brexit. She said it is important for Scotland to take active steps to protect its interests as Britain prepared to trigger its departure from the European Union. Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, but Sturgeon said that the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU had brought about a "material change or circumstances." FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) The Latest on reaction to footage from a new documentary on the 2014 Michael Brown police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, (all times local): 5:50 p.m. A filmmaker is denying that surveillance video in his documentary about the Michael Brown case in Ferguson, Missouri, was edited in a deceptive way. Jason Pollock's documentary raises new questions about events leading up to the fatal Aug. 9, 2014, encounter in which white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Brown, who was 18, black and unarmed. Wilson was later cleared of wrongdoing. The footage shows Brown inside Ferguson Market & Liquor in the early hours of Aug. 9, 2014, leaving behind cigarillos he was later accused of stealing. The filmmakers allege Brown traded marijuana for the cigarillos, left them at the store, then came back before noon to get them. In surveillance video that had been released soon after Brown's death, authorities pointed to a confrontation the footage shows between Brown and a store worker, saying it was evidence he stole the cigarillos. Pollock says Brown was simply claiming what he had bartered for marijuana. St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch says filmmakers heavily edited the footage to distort an incident that occurred several hours before Brown died. McCulloch and the attorney for the store both say there was no bartered deal between Brown and store workers. ___ 4 p.m. Unedited early-hours store video footage of Michael Brown on the day he was fatally shot by a white police officer has been released by a lawyer for the store. The lawyer for the Ferguson, Missouri, convenience store and a prosecutor who handled the case are disputing a new documentary's claim that its footage proves Brown didn't steal from the store before his August 2014 death. St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch says the "Stranger Fruit" documentary footage was heavily edited from the original to distort what really happened. Story continues The filmmakers allege Brown while inside Ferguson Market & Liquor in the early hours of Aug. 9, 2014, traded marijuana for cigarillos he was later accused of stealing. They claim he left the cigarillos behind and returned to retrieve them up later that day, just minutes before he was killed in a neighborhood nearby. The full footage shows the 18-year-old Brown, who was black, about to leave with a bag containing a couple of drinks and two boxes of cigarillos. He talks to the store workers, then gives the bag to a clerk and leaves without it. The video shows the clerk return the boxes to the shelf, and another worker taking the drinks back toward a cooler. ___ 1:50 p.m. St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch says a documentary film crew heavily edited store surveillance video footage of Michael Brown in the early hours of the day he was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. At a news conference Monday, McCulloch dismissed the footage from the documentary "Stranger Fruit." Filmmakers and others say the video suggests Brown, a black 18-year-old, didn't rob a convenience store before a white Ferguson officer, Darren Wilson, shot him on a neighborhood street in August 2014. The footage shows Brown inside Ferguson Market & Liquor in the early hours of Aug. 9, 2014, leaving behind cigarillos he was later accused of stealing. The filmmakers allege Brown traded marijuana for the cigarillos in the footage shown in the documentary. McCulloch says there was never an attempt to hide this footage from the public. He says references to this visit by Brown to the store were in the report released in November 2014 when a St. Louis County grand jury declined to charge Wilson in Brown's shooting. ___ 1:30 p.m. Prosecutors have charged a St. Louis man who they say tried to set a Ferguson, Missouri, police car on fire after protests broke out at the convenience store that Michael Brown visited minutes before his death in 2014. Police say 44-year-old Henry Stokes put a napkin in the gas tank opening of the police car Sunday night and tried to use a lighter to set it aflame, but fled when police saw him. About 100 protesters gathered Sunday night outside the Ferguson Market & Liquor store after the release of footage from a documentary that suggests Brown didn't rob the store before his shooting death. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch planned a Monday afternoon news conference to address video footage in the documentary. ____ 9:20 a.m. An attorney says he will release an unedited version of surveillance video showing Michael Brown in a convenience store in Ferguson, Missouri, the same day the black 18-year-old was shot to death by a white police officer. Jay Kanzler says he wants to disprove claims in a documentary, "Stranger Fruit," that the video, from Aug. 9, 2014, suggests Brown didn't rob the Ferguson Market & Liquor just minutes before his death. Kanzler says the video used in the documentary was edited. He says he plans to release an unedited version Monday. About 100 protesters gathered outside the store Sunday night. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://on.ksdk.com/2nfzZ3G ) that seven or eight shots were heard, but no injuries reported. Police arrested some protesters and cleared the scene when the market closed. PREWITT, N.M. (AP) The Latest on the shooting of a Navajo Nation police officer (all times local): 7:45 p.m. The president of the Navajo Nation says the tribe and the U.S. was mourning with the family of a 27-year-old officer who was shot and later died of his injuries. Tribal President Russell Begaye says he went to a New Mexico hospital to be with the family of Officer Houston James Largo, who died hours after he was wounded Sunday while responding to a domestic violence call. The FBI says a suspect has been taken into custody. A statement from Begaye called for support of officers protecting the nation's largest American Indian tribe, saying their lives are precious because they protect others. Begaye says Largo was from Thoreau, New Mexico, and had served for 4 years. An FBI spokesman in Albuquerque says Largo had five years of service. There was no way to immediately reconcile the different numbers. ___ 6 p.m. Authorities say a Navajo Nation police officer who was shot responding to a domestic violence call has died. Frank A. Fisher, an FBI spokesman in Albuquerque, says 27-year-old Houston James Largo died after being critically wounded early Sunday near the small town of Prewitt, in western New Mexico. The agency says Largo is a decorated officer with five years of service. Authorities say a suspect is in custody, but no other details have been released. Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said before the officer died that he was praying for him and his family and had received a call from New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez offering assistance. ___ 2:10 p.m. The FBI and Navajo Nation are investigating a shooting that critically wounded a tribal police officer. Authorities say the officer was shot while responding to a domestic violence call early Sunday near the small town of Prewitt, in western New Mexico. They say a suspect is in custody, but no other details have been released. FBI officials say the officer was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital. There was no immediate update on the officer's condition and a name wasn't released. Story continues Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye says he's praying for the wounded officer and his family. He says New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has called to offer assistance in the case. The New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff's Office are assisting with the investigation. The bench said the ED cannot initiate proceedings against Reddy and his associates' property for offences committed prior to the inclusion of the amended provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2009. By India Today Web Desk: The Karnataka High Court quashed Enforcement Directorate proceedings against former minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, who came under the income tax scanner after his daughter's ostentatious wedding made headlines, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The verdict was pronounced by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice R B Budhihal. According to the bench, the ED cannot initiate proceedings against Reddy and his associates' property for offences committed prior to the inclusion of the amended provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2009. advertisement Under sections 5 and 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, the ED had passed an order and had attached the shares bought by Reddy and his wife Laxmi Aruna and other directors of Obalapuram Mining Company Private Limited by investing about Rs 900 crore in Brahmani Industries Limited. The mining baron and his companies were booked under various IPC sections including 420 (cheating) and 471 (forgery) and under Section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (criminal misconduct by a public servant). The Karnataka minister apparently spent more than Rs 500 crore on her daughter's wedding is one of the main accused in the Bellary illegal mining scam. Also read: 5 reasons why Janardhan Reddy's daughter's wedding could be a political move Also read: Brahmani Reddy weds Rajeev Reddy: Inside the Biggest Fattest Indian Wedding of 2016 Also watch: --- ENDS --- PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - At least 38 people were killed and about a dozen injured in northern Haiti late on Saturday after a bus drove into a parade of pedestrians while fleeing from an accident, civil protection authorities said on Sunday. The bus, which was traveling from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, initially hit two people in a town outside Gonaives in northern Haiti, killing one, said Joseph Faustin, civil protection head in the Artibonite department. The bus driver then fled and crashed into three "rara" parades in Mapou, about 5 km (3 miles) away, Faustin said. Rara parades, which usually take place around Easter, are groupings of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by. In total, 34 people were killed at the scene and an another four people died in hospital, said Fred Henry, the area's deputy representative, who added that the incident had occurred around 4 a.m. "Usually the drivers involved in such accidents don't stop because they are afraid they might be killed [in reprisal]," Henry said. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. The driver and passengers on the bus were taken to the police station, said Patrick Cherilus, a Civil Protection spokesman for Artibonite. They have since been released and the bus driver has fled, said Jean Bazlais Bornelus, the police chief for the area. After the accident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interior's spokesman. Haitian roads are dangerous and chaotic, with few rules observed by pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers. President Jovenel Moise called for an investigation into the incident. "The head of state sends ... sincere condolences to the victims' families and loved ones," he added. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Joseph Guy Delva; Editing by Christine Murray and Sandra Maler) Photo credit: NASA Orbital Debris Program Office From Popular Mechanics The Haleakala High Altitude Observatory Site is the oldest astronomical observatory in Hawaii, positioned above 10,000 feet in altitude on the crest of a dormant volcano on Maui. Haleakala, also known as the East Maui Volcano, is one of the best places on U.S. soil for observing the sky, so it should come as little surprise that the Air Force has set up shop there. Over half a dozen sophisticated telescopes and optical instruments at the Haleakala Observatory, which is owned by the University of Hawaii, are operated by the U.S. Air Force. Multiple observation programs make up the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Observatory, which was formerly called the Air Force Maui Optical Station, or AMOS, a name you might recognize. Although AMOS is constantly tracking any artificial objects like satellites and space stations, it is also looking for potentially hazardous natural objects such as near-Earth asteroids. But most of the time, things are pretty quiet up at AMOS, and the Air Force Research Laboratory astronomers stationed there have the chance work closely with the University of Hawaii on science projects. Photo credit: Air Force Research Laboratory AMOS has discovered over 60 minor planets, many in the asteroid belt, including 8721 AMOS which is named after the observatory. Some of the first research to develop laser guidance systems for telescopes was done at AMOS, using a 0.6 meter laser beam director to project an artificial star on the sky to calibrate the telescopes. The technique is now used by a number of the most advanced observatories in the world, such as the ESO's Very Large Telescope in the high Atacama Desert of northern Chile. In addition to the two-foot laster pointer, the Air Force operates the 3.67-meter Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS), the United States' largest optical telescope for tracking satellites, and the Maui Optical Tracking and Identification Facility (MOTIF), which includes two 1.2-meter telescopes bolted to a common mount, as well as a number of other telescopes. The AMOS facilities also include a machine shop, an optics lab, and an electronics lab. Story continues Photo credit: Air Force Research Laboratory Patiently monitoring the skies with the primary purpose of providing national security, the AMOS observatory has become one of the most important research facilities for astronomical study. You Might Also Like An Indian-American woman who accosted Sean Spicer in an Apple store in Washington, D.C. says she has no regrets about her confrontation with the White House press secretary, which went viral after she livestreamed it. Shree Chauhan, 33, posted the Saturday afternoon encounter on Twitter, showing Spicers reaction as she peppers him with questions that include, How does it feel to work for a fascist? and How do you feel about destroying the country? Chauhan also asks Spicer about Russia and accuses President Donald Trump of committing treason and being a dictator. You work for a fascist, she tells Spicer at the checkout counter. Do you feel good about lying to the American people? Spicer thanks the woman at least twice for her questions during the nearly minute-long confrontation and appears to reply to her by saying: such a great country that allows you to be here. Asking @PressSec questions in Apple Store since he doesn't like the press. https://t.co/l493z2gG4x Shree (@shreec) March 11, 2017 Chauhan, who was born in the U.S. to immigrant parents of Indian descent, said she saw the comment as racist and threatening. When I played it back and I realized it, I felt fear, she told TIME on Monday. Think about his level of power and his proximity to the President of the United States. To say that to my face with a smile, its really something to behold. Since the video went viral, Chauhan said she has received a stream of furious comments on social media, including death threats, and she is worried her family could become a target. Still, she has no regrets about the confrontation. Im not sorry, she said. What I did is like a blip compared to what this admiration is doing and what Mr. Spicer is complicit in doing, which is undermining this countrys constitution and our democratic values. Story continues Chauhan said she was nervous and a bit thrown off when she saw Spicer standing before her in the Apple store by himself, but she was glad to have the chance to speak to him. I realized what an enormous opportunity it was to get answers without the protections normally given to Mr. Spicer, she wrote in a Medium post about the incident. The former teacher who now works for a nonprofit organization said she turned on her phones video camera after Spicer started answering her questions by repeatedly saying thank you. She acknowledged that she was not polite to Spicer, and that her questions were not as cogent as she would have liked. There are people that think I was rude, I was impolite, and I understand that, she said. He was just going about his regular business, and I get that. But its interesting to me that someone could go upon their regular business while supporting the tyranny of this administration. Chauhan said she opposes Trumps immigration policies, including the revised travel ban announced last week, and she believes Spicer bears some of the responsibility. He has a very powerful position. He has a direct role in this, and theres a level of complicity, she said. He is the face of this administration. He has responsibilities as an American to the Constitution. Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly tried to burn down a convenience store he mistakenly thought was owned by a Muslim man, officials said. Deputies with the St. Lucie County Sherriffs Office responding to a call of a suspicious man found Richard Leslie Lloyd, 64, trying to set fire to the Met Mart store in Port St. Lucie at about 7:40 a.m. Friday, police said. When the deputies arrived, they noticed the dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors and the contents were lit on fire, Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement. Upon seeing our deputies, the man put his hands behind his back and said, 'Take me away.'" Lloyd allegedly told deputies that he pushed the dumpster to the front of the building, tore down signs posted outside the store and lit the contents of the dumpster on fire, authorities said. The store was closed at the time. Officials said Lloyd claimed to have set the fire to "run the Arabs out of our country." Lloyd said he was doing his part for America, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WPTV. Read: Woman Seeks Revenge On Ex-Boyfriend But Sets Wrong Car on Fire: Cops He said he assumed the owner of the store was Muslim and it angered him because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," the sheriff said. But the store owner is of Indian descent, Mascara said. "Its unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Mascara said. "Regardless, we will not tolerate violence based on age, race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability." Lloyd also told investigators he went to the store a few days before the incident to buy a bottle of Tropicana Orange Pineapple Juice and left angry when he learned the store did not sell the juice, WPEC-TV reported. Story continues Read: 103 Headstones Knocked Over at Jewish Cemetery in Latest Anti-Semitic Act of Vandalism Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bond. His mental health will be evaluated and it will be the state attorneys responsibility to consider whether the incident was an intentional hate crime, officials said. Lloyd allegedly admitted he has a long history of mental health issues, WPTV wrote. During a court appearance Saturday, Lloyd reportedly told a judge he wants to represent himself. He was ordered to stay away from Met Mart and to have no contact with the stores employees. Watch: 4 Charged With Hate Crime After Streaming Abuse of Mentally Disabled Man: Cops Related Articles: Despite finalizing their divorce late last year, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon remain to be on the same page when it comes to their parental duties for their twins, Monroe and Moroccan Scott. This explains why Carey decided to ditch boyfriend Bryan Tanaka for an appearance at the 2017 Kids Choice Awards with Cannon and their kids. Just days before attending Nickelodeons awards show, Carey spent some alone time with Tanaka. The lovers were spotted walking the streets before and after their dinner date at Nobu restaurant in Malibu. Carey and Tanaka wore matching black outfits during their night out on Wednesday, according to Daily Mail. READ: How to get Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie tour tickets On Friday, to show to her fans the special connection she has with her new beau, Carey uploaded snaps from their date on Instagram. In a close-up shot of the two, the diva wrote bad and boujie as caption. In another pic, Carey can be seen lounging inside their expensive ride. However, Carey proved that she will put her family on top priority over her new lover this weekend as she decided to attend Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards with her kids and baby daddy Cannon. In an Instagram update prior to their appearance at the event, Carey revealed that shes excited to rock matching outfits with her daughter, while Cannon would be wearing the same outfit as their son. Cannon appeared to be happy with what they did for their kids as well. The rapper-comedian shared a family photo from the red carpet of KCAs on his Instagram account. In the snap, Carey and Monroe are in black outfits, while Cannon and Moroccan Scott flaunt sporty orange ensembles. Many fans were glad to see the exes co-parenting their kids despite their split. One fan wrote: Its so amazing to see that even though you guys are apart as a couple you stick together as a family. Another commented: Nice to see two people caring about their kids more than each others ego. Story continues Check out more photos of Carey and Cannons appearance with their twins at the Kids Choice Awards on Saturday. KCAs Carey and Cannon Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake KCAs Carey and Cannon 2 Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake KCAs Carey and Cannon 3 Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake KCAs Carey and Cannon 4 Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake Related Articles By Nolan Pinto: A 'progressive' writer was allegedly attacked by right-wing activists on Sunday in Davanagere city of Karnataka. The activists also threatened the writer of dire consequences if he wrote against Hindu Gods. Yogesh Master was allegedly attacked by about nine persons who also smeared his face with black ink. The accused later fled from the spot. The incident took place when the writer was having tea at a stall. Davanagere Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled said that the author who wrote a controversial Kannada novel 'Dundhi' was in the city to attend a book launch event organised by Karnataka tabloid Lankesh Patrike. The weekly is operated by journalist Gauri Lankesh. advertisement The suspects shouted "Jai Sri Ram" before fleeing. Police teams have been formed to probe the matter and two persons have already been arrested in the case. Yogesh was arrested in August 2013 after local Hindu outfits lodged a complaint against him for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments by depicting Lord Ganesha in poor light in his novel 'Dhundi'. --- ENDS --- Edible marijuana products such as candies and brownies need better labeling, a new study said. Some labels on marijuana edibles contain so much information that consumers feel overwhelmed. Meanwhile, other labels do not even clearly indicate that a product contains marijuana, the researchers found. Bad labeling could be lead people to unknowingly consume marijuana, the study participants said. Some participants expressed concerns that children may mistake such products for cookies or candy, said study co-author Sheryl C. Cates, a health communication expert at the nonprofit research institute RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. [25 Odd Facts About Marijuana] But participants also expressed concern that adults who were, for example, guests in the home of a marijuana user could consume edibles by mistake, because they did not recognize that the products contained marijuana, Cates told Live Science. In the study, the researchers recruited 94 people living in Denver or Seattle, asking them for their opinions on the current labeling practices of marijuana edibles. This group included 32 people who had consumed edibles in the past two months and 30 people who had consumed edibles in the past six months and preferred edibles to other forms of marijuana, such as blunts. The group also included 32 parents who had either never used marijuana or had not used it in the past five years. The researchers included this group because they were particularly interested in what parents thought of how marijuana edibles are labeled, said the study, which will be published in the May issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy. The researchers brought the people together to central locations in Denver or Seattle and showed them edible marijuana products that had been packaged for sale. In each of the two locations, the researchers showed the people one marijuana product. In Colorado, the researchers showed the people a gummy candy packaged in a bottle that bore a colorful image of the candy. In Seattle, the researchers showed the participants a chocolate bar wrapped in green paper with white lettering. The researchers then led discussions that elicited the people's opinions about the products' packaging. [7 Ways Marijuana May Affect the Brain] Story continues One of the main concerns expressed by the participants was that the labels contained too much information, which the people thought could discourage consumers from reading the information, the researchers found. Another common concern was that there was no clear indication that the products contained marijuana. For example, some participants in Seattle noted that although the label did include the statement "This product contains marijuana," that information was not easy to see on the label. Moreover, some participants in Denver said that the product they were shown looked too much like candy. Participants also suggested that edibles should be packaged like prescription medication to prevent people, especially children, from ingesting the products by accident. But the people in the study also found some aspects of the labeling particularly useful. For example, the participants in Seattle found it useful that the manufacturer of the product voluntarily included the following consumption advice: "Until you know the effects of this product, eat only half of a segment, and wait a minimum of 75 minutes before consuming another portion." The participants said they thought this advice was important for inexperienced users of edibles. In fact, the participants thought that this voluntary statement was more useful than the mandatory warning statement, which said, "The intoxicating effects of this product may be delayed by 2 or more hours." The participants said they thought the voluntary advice was more useful because it told consumers how much of the product they could eat and how long they should wait before eating more, the researchers said. [Marijuana Could Treat These 5 Conditions] The new findings may help improve the way edible marijuana products are labeled as other states, besides Colorado and Washington, permit the sale of such products, the study said. Improving the labeling of edible marijuana products, in turn, may help prevent people from accidentally ingesting such products and ensure that consumers of such products eat safe doses of the products, the researchers noted. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations By Kylie MacLellan and William James LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May cleared the final hurdle standing between her and the start of Brexit negotiations on Monday after parliament passed legislation giving her the power to start the EU exit process. Members of the lower house of parliament voted to throw out changes to the bill made by the upper house earlier this month, after the government argued it needed freedom to operate without restriction to get a good deal. Despite an attempt by the Liberal Democrats in the unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, to re-introduce the conditions, the Lords also went on to approve the legislation unamended late on Monday. "We are now on the threshold of the most important negotiation for our country in a generation," Brexit minister David Davis said in a statement. "So we will trigger Article 50 by the end of this month as planned and deliver an outcome that works in the interests of the whole of the UK." The bill will now be sent to the queen for symbolic approval which could be granted as early as Tuesday morning, leaving May ready to start a two-year negotiation period, as set out in Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty. May's spokesman hinted on Tuesday, however, that she might do so closer to the end of the month. Her task in negotiating Britain's EU exit was complicated on Monday by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanding a new independence referendum, to be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the Brexit terms are clearer. In recent weeks, the government had lost two key votes in the House of Lords which added conditions to the bill to demand that May guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in Britain and give lawmakers more powers to reject the final terms she reaches with the EU. But May succeeded in warding off a potential rebellion from a handful of pro-EU Conservatives in the lower chamber, the House of Commons, where May only has a slim majority. The Commons voted by 335 to 287 to reject the condition on EU nationals' rights, and by 331 to 286 to reject the condition giving parliament a greater say on the final deal. Earlier May's spokesman said parliament would be involved in the Brexit process. "We are determined parliament will be engaged all the way through the process and afterwards," he told reporters. (Editing by Gareth Jones and Guy Faulconbridge) Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) defended his widely condemned tweet in support of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders during an appearance on CNN. On Sunday, King tweeted praise for Wilders, saying he understands that culture and demographics are our destine. We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies. Critics swiftly condemned the comment for promoting white nationalistic ideals. But when speaking with CNNs Chris Cuomo, King, who has a history of making racially provocative statements, said he meant exactly what I said. Id like to see an America thats so homogenous that we look a lot the same, King added. Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017 When pressed by Cuomo about whether he believes a Muslim American, an Italian American, a Jewish American are all equal, King, who said he was a champion for western civilization, paused. Its not that simple, he said. They contribute differently to our culture and civilization. He continued: Individuals will contribute differently, not equally to this civilization and society. Certain groups of people will do more from a productive side than other groups of people will. Of all the world's amphibians some 7,600 species none had been confirmed to exhibit fluorescence, until now. Scientists in Argentina and Brazil say they've found the first solid evidence of a fluorescent amphibian, courtesy of the South American tree frog. SEE ALSO: Wild elephants get a lot less sleep than you do Their findings, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer clues into how this tiny tree frog survives in its environment. The study may also spur more research into fluorescence on land, a largely unexplored area within visual ecology. Fluorescence in the venter (underbelly) of a male tree frog. Image: taboada et al. (2017) Unlike in the depths of the ocean, where fluorescent fish and plants stand out, the terrestrial environment has far more competition among colors. That kaleidoscope can make it harder for scientists to spot fluorescence in nature, or know where it exists, said Carlos Taboada, the study's lead author and a biologist at the University of Buenos Aires. "We had a suspicion that this [frog] species could be fluorescent," he said. "What was really shocking was the intensity and color of fluorescence, which we didn't expect at all." Fluorescence is a physical-chemical phenomenon in which short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation a.k.a. light is absorbed and then reemitted at longer wavelengths. For an organism to be fluorescent, it must have fluorophores, the chemical compounds that can reemit light. This is different than a creature simply looking neon, or appearing to glow, which can happen with coloration and may explain earlier reports of glow-in-the-dark amphibians. In coloration, light interacts with the molecules on a surface, and that light is then reemitted at the same wavelength. Fluorescence in an adult male tree frog under UV-blue light (top) and white light (bottom). Image: Taboada et al. (2017) The Hypsiboas punctatus tree frog has skin so translucent that you can see its internal organs. Taboada said he and his colleagues thought the nearly clear skin would give them a better view of how the skin interacts with light. Story continues The team is still studying how and why the tree frog uses its fluorescence at night and twilight. But they have a hypothesis: frogs might glow brighter to make themselves more visible to one another. Researchers noticed that frogs begin fluorescing, and increase the brightness of their fluorescence, when they saw other frogs. The nocturnal frogs have two retinal photo-receptors that are less sensitive to certain wavelengths of light. But the receptors are more sensitive to longer wavelengths, which the frogs produce with fluorescence. "This shows fluorescence may be relevant, even in terrestrial environments," he said by phone from Buenos Aires. "It opens many new research pathways." BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is looking forward to an elaborate exchange of views on a variety of issues with U.S. President Donald Trump when they meet in Washington on Tuesday, Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday. Seibert said that the two leaders will meet for more than 2-1/2 hours and will then continue their deliberations at a working lunch after that. "The chancellor is looking forward to the opportunity to have a detailed exchange of views with the American president," Seibert told a news conference in Berlin. "Germany and the United States of America are partners. The list of our common interests is a very long one." Seibert said the German government believes protectionism is not conducive to global economic growth. "We continue to believe that free trade has advantages for everyone involved. We don't believe in world economic order based on protectionism." (Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum and Joseph Nasr) White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is fanning out in interviews this week to defend, among other things, President Trumps evidence-free claim that former President Barack Obama tapped his phones at Trump Tower before election. And on Sunday, Conway offered a rather creative suggestion for how such surveillance could have been carried out. There are many ways to surveil each other, Conway told the Record, a New Jersey newspaper, on Sunday. There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, through certainly their television sets any number of different ways. Microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. So we know that is just a fact of modern life. Conway seemed to be referring to WikiLeaks release last week of nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly reveal methods of the Central Intelligence Agencys surveillance. Among them: the CIAs ability to spy on people by hacking their iPhones, Microsoft-powered computers and Samsung mart TVs. Responding to the release, the CIA noted that it is legally prohibited from conducting electronic surveillance targeting individuals here at home, including our fellow Americans. Microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. pic.twitter.com/lWTF0DdtMJ Dylan Stableford (@stableford) March 13, 2017 In morning show interviews on Monday, Conway admitted she has no evidence to back up either Trumps wiretapping claim or her home-appliance spy theory. I wasnt making a suggestion about Trump Tower, Conway said on ABCs Good Morning America. Im not Inspector Gadget, she said on CNNs New Day. I dont believe people are using the microwave to spy on the Trump campaign. However, Im not in the job of having evidence. Thats what investigations are for. Trump leveled his explosive wiretapping claim in a series of tweets last weekend. Story continues Related: Without evidence, Trump accuses Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Trump declared. Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! he added. Trump provided no evidence to back up the claims, and a spokesman for Obama branded the accusation simply false. The White House then called on Congress to investigate to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. The House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election, has asked the White House to provide any evidence it has of Trumps allegations by Monday. On Sunday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he believes Trump has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve. President Trump has to provide the American people not just the intelligence community, but the American people with evidence that his predecessor, former president of the Unites States, was guilty of breaking the law, McCain said on CNNs State of the Union. Because if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least. Last week, former CIA director Michael Hayden appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and was asked about the agencys spy methods. Is the CIA listening to me through my microwave oven? Colbert asked. No, Hayden replied. Read more from Yahoo News: JACKSON, Miss. (AP) The Mississippi House on Monday halted a push to require that universities fly the state's Confederate-themed flag. Republican Rep. William Shirley of Quitman persuaded the House last week to withhold a tax break from universities that don't fly the flag. But a committee chairman pledged to kill the bill by not bringing it up for a vote. So, Quitman tried again on Monday: He attached his proposal to not one, but two higher-education budget bills. "Whatever it is pink, polka-dotted elephants, I don't care but if they are getting tax money they should fly the flag of the state," Shirley said. The House narrowly rejected his efforts, once by shouting it down and the second time by a 58-56 vote. No other members rose to speak in support of Shirley's proposal. All eight of Mississippi's public universities have stopped flying the flag, which prominently features the Confederate battle emblem. That has angered supporters of the banner. The bullet-ridden body of an active National Conference worker was recovered today. Cops say the murder, committed a few weeks before by-polls to two Parliamentary constituencies, was committed to create an atmosphere of fear. By Ashraf Wani: A bullet ridden body of a National Conference worker was recovered from a field in the Chiwa Kalan Village of South Kashmir's Pulwama District today. The deceased, Fayaz Ahmad, is a former sarpanch and his killing is the first political murder since the dates for by-polls in two Parliamentary constituencies in Kashmir were announced. Ahmad was an active worker for the National Conference and was allegedly abducted by unidentified gunmen from his residence on Sunday night. His body, which had bullet marks from an AK-47 on the chest and face, was recovered by the police a few hours later on Monday Morning. advertisement After a postmortem, police handed over the body to Ahmad's family for last rites. An investigation into the killing has been launched and cops suspect that militants were behind the murder. One local police officer said, "(The killing was) to target political workers of mainstream political parties in the Valley, and to create atmosphere of fear among political workers before elections." The murder comes soon after alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants pasted threatening posters in several south Kashmir villages, warning people to stay away the election process. Local panchayat elections are also due soon. The by-polls, for Srinagar and Anathnag Parliamentary constituencies, will be held on April 9 and 12, respectively. ALSO READ | J-K: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch, Indian forces retaliate --- ENDS --- Big seems too small a word to describe the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Spread over an area roughly the size of Britain, UP is home to about 220 million people more than the populations of Germany, France and Italy together. With scale comes political heft. Nine out of Indias 15 Prime Ministers arrived in New Delhi via UP (including the incumbent, Narendra Modi, whose parliamentary constituency is in UP), and the state sends 80 members to the powerful lower house of the national Parliament way more than any other Indian state. UP is nothing less than the political engine room of the worlds biggest democracy. That is why when UP began voting in state polls last month, just over halfway through Modis term, all India sat up and paid attention. So did many outsiders, given Indias growing influence on the world stage. Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept UP in the 2014 general elections, when he became Indias leader, capturing all but nine of UPs parliamentary seats. But could the Modi magic that propelled the BJP to the biggest national victory for any party in 30 years still sway voters? Or was India tiring of the Prime Minister constantly sloganeering about economic development when the nation of 1.3 billion people struggles to produce enough jobs for its youth? Economists have also raised doubts about Modis competence as a policymaker, following a surprise decision in November to scrap high-value currency notes that sparked pain across Indias cash-based economy. The governments justification for the measure was as confused as its execution, with a shortage of replacement notes triggering long queues at banks and ATMs. At various times, the move was billed either as a crusade against black money illicit, untaxed wealth that would force the rich to declare hoards of dirty cash, or as a way to spur Indias digital transformation by weaning it off its dependence on paper currency. Growth suffered. The latest International Monetary Fund forecasts point to a 6.6% expansion this year, down one percentage point and placing India behind China, thanks largely to Modis move. Yet the BJP made him the face of what was a contest to choose a regional government, transforming UP into a referendum on his leadership. Modi is their most effective campaigner, says Sanjay Kumar, a psephologist and director of Delhi-based think tank the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. They made him central to this election, which to some looked risky at the time. The gambit paid off and how. On the day before the final round of voting on March 8, questions about Modis achievements cut little ice with Virender Prasad, who sells Hindu idols in Modis eastern UP constituency of Varanasi. One of Hinduisms most sacred places, Modi picked this ancient city as his springboard when he ran for Prime Minister in 2014. Prasad has been a fan ever since. It is easy to criticize him. But how much can he do in three years? As tourists and Hindu pilgrims streamed past his shop near the banks of the holy river Ganges, Prasad didnt want to talk about Modis achievements. For him, for now, the issue was Modis intention. At least he is trying to do something for the country. Who else is there? Prasad wasnt the only one to keep his faith. Results of the monthlong poll on March 11 showed an unexpected landslide for the BJP, which won its biggest majority ever in the mammoth state and the biggest for any party since the 1980s. No one anticipated this scale of victory, says Kumar. UPs voters had tuned out the doubters; for them, what mattered was the was the image of Modi and huge expectations that this is the man who will deliver, says Kumar. It was a stunning rerun of 2014, with a twist. That year, as growth slowed and the ruling Congress Partyled government got bogged down in a series of headline-grabbing corruption scandals, middle-class voters hungry for change looked to Modi as an energetic, can-do leader who would finally unlock Indias potential by reforming its creaking economic architecture. Three years on, as analysts grumble about his record of reforms and the cash ban hits some of Indias poorest citizens, Modi has recast himself as a populist moral crusader taking on the countrys wealthy elites. In a country with yawning income inequalities and a history of corruption by those at the top, Modi is presented as a messiah for the forgotten poor. And what of the fallout from the cash ban? Nothing more than a short-term side effect. The government narrative that the [ban] was aimed at rich people with black money won over many voters even if they had suffered because of the ban, says Bhanu Joshi of the Centre for Policy Research, another Delhi-based think tank, who traveled across UP as it went to the polls. Modi was seen as someone who was standing up for the poor. Across UP, the language was never about the BJP, he adds. It was about Modi. And perhaps we underestimated the impact of the Modi brand since 2014. Clearly, it hasnt gone away. That is bad news for the opposition Congress Party, once seen as the natural party of government in New Delhi, now flailing about under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the son, grandson and great-grandson of former Indian Prime Ministers. In UP, it joined forces with a local party that had been in power in the state since 2012, hoping for a repeat of the result in Bihar state last year, when the BJP was trounced by a coalition of regional satraps. Then, Congress played a bit part in the Bihar coalition as a junior partner. This time, the alliance failed, as Modis appeal helped the BJP cut across UPs fiendishly complex patchwork of Hindu caste and community allegiances. (Congress also fared badly in a clutch of other state election results on March 11. A victory in the western state of Punjab brought some cheer, but at the national level, that still leaves the party trailing far behind the BJP, which also won UPs neighboring Uttarakhand state.) For more than a decade now, UP has been ruled by local parties that succeeded by mobilizing different Hindu caste groups, along with members of its roughly 40 million strong Muslim community. Modis personal popularity gave the BJP a much broader appeal. Says Joshi: Modi as a brand aspirational and seen by voters as sincere was very clear. The opposition did not have a competing brand that was as strong. Modi wasnt the only factor. The BJP, which has its roots in Indias Hindu right-wing movement and did not field a single Muslim candidate in UP, also pushed the divisive message that the other parties favored Muslims over Hindu voters. At one public rally, according to a translation of his speech offered by the Indian Express newspaper, the Prime Minister said that if there is electricity during [the Islamic fasting month of] Ramadan, it should be there on [the Hindu festival of] Diwali as well. Explains Kumar: They suggested that the Hindus were at the receiving end of the polices [of the other parties]. Though not the dominant narrative, such rhetoric worked in favor of the BJP. Nalin Kohli, a BJP spokesman, rejects the charge that the party tried to divide voters along religious lines: Our message and agenda was and is the same as 2014, which is development for all, regardless of caste and religion. This result establishes support for our agenda and the credibility of Narendra Modi as a leader. This is the message from the voters of India. The outcome puts Modi in a strong position to win re-election in 2019, so much so that one of the BJPs regional opponents was moved to tweet: In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan-India acceptability who can take on Modi & BJP in 2019. At this rate we might as well forget 2019 and start planning/hoping for 2024. Despite his rhetoric, Modis 2014 victory did not herald the kind of sweeping economic reforms needed to make the country better at producing jobs for the roughly 12 million Indians who enter the workforce every year. There has been progress, including the approval of a new tax law that aims to sweep aside Indias byzantine system of state and local taxes with a simple, more commerce-friendly alternative. But India remains a notoriously tough place to do business. Seeking to enforce a contract in Indias commercial capital Mumbai? Clear your calendar: it takes an average of nearly four years, according to the World Bank. Now, as the cash ban hits the countrys growth rate, the BJPs overwhelming victory once again turns the spotlight on Modi and his promises and when he will deliver. Eventually, there has to be more than the image of the good guy and the guy who has sincere intentions, says Joshi. This was not a vote for or against one policy. This was a vote for Modi. And such a huge majority brings huge expectations, adds Kumar, the Delhi-based psephologist. It actually poses a different kind of challenge for the BJP. People expect the government to deliver. There are no more excuses. Aden (AFP) - The conflict in Yemen has killed nearly 7,700 people, including at least 1,564 children, since a Saudi-led coalition intervened on the government's side two years ago, UN agencies said Monday. The UN children's agency UNICEF said that by March 10, at least 1,546 children were killed and 2,450 others maimed in Yemen. Of those killed, 1,022 were boys and 478 were girls while 46 were of "unknown sex", UNICEF said in a statement. During that same period 1,801 boys and 649 girls were wounded while 1,572 boys were recruited to serve as child soldiers, said UNICEF. In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition mounted an air campaign in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi whose authority was being challenged by Shiite Huthi rebels. The rebels overran the capital Sanaa in September 2014 forcing Hadi to seek first refuge in the southern city of Aden and then exile in Saudi Arabia. Loyalists backed by the Saudi-led coalition have driven the rebels out of five southern provinces which they had seized, including Aden, in the summer of 2015. The UN's World Health Organization said the conflict has killed nearly 7,700 people and wounded more than 42,550 since the coalition intervened. Photo credit: Tom Mansell From Delish When I had dreams of getting married as a little girl, as little girls do, I would always imagine two things: 1. The man of my dreams whom resembled the likes of Tom Lee Jones (I was a weird kid, OK?!) and 2. The cake, which was always as gorgeous as my dress. Clearly, I was destined to work in food, not fashion. When my boss stumbled upon this crazy cake on Instagram, we knew it would surpass all of our wildest childhood wedding dreams. Photo credit: Tom Mansell When I visited the mastermind behind this cake, Reshmi Bennett, in London a few weeks ago, I couldn't believe my eyes. There she was at 5 p.m. on a Friday, chocolate stains on her apron and cheek, finessing decorations on the most insanely intricate group of cakes, all set to be delivered to customers the following day. But none of them measured up to the cake we were there to film: a unicorn horn-shaped stunner (inspired by a traditional croquembouche cake) that she spends days baking, leveling, stacking, dowelling, and carving into its perfect cone structure - a precise process of which Bennett is highly protective. Photo credit: Tom Mansell Once the cake structure sets, she frosts it in gorgeous pastel buttercreams, giving the round base a watercolor look. We arrived for what happens next: the insane decorating. "Instead of limiting the toppings to profiteroles and macarons like a traditional croquembouche cake," Bennett says, "I thought having a whole smorgasbord of desserts would be much more of a feast for the eyes - and the belly." So in addition to baking and carving the cake, she makes every single item that goes on top: raspberry macarons! candied popcorn! cream-filled eclairs! Ferrero Rocher mini ice cream cones! meringue buttercream flowers! buttermilk donuts! chocolate glazed profiteroles! If that sounds intense, it's because it is - such a labor of love that Bennett limits herself to making only one of these cakes a month. "The whole process takes three days at full throttle," she says. Story continues Photo credit: Tom Mansell But the end result had made a lot of brides happy. The towering behemoth stands about 3 feet tall and is absolutely stunning. To ogle more at Bennett's creations, head to Anges de Sucre. Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like Myanmar may be seeking to "expel" all ethnic Rohingya from its territory, a UN rights expert said Monday, pushing for a high-level inquiry into abuses against the Muslim minority community. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said a full purge could be the ultimate goal of the institutional persecution and horrific violence being perpetrated against the Rohingya. The evidence "indicates the government may be trying to expel the Rohingya population from the country altogether," Lee told the UN rights council. The army launched a bloody crackdown against the Rohingya in October in the northern Rakhine state following attacks by militants on several border posts. UN investigators say that during the military operation women were gang-raped by soldiers and Rohingya babies were slaughtered. Lee wants the rights council to establish the UN's highest-level probe, a Commission of Inquiry (COI), to investigate that crackdown as well as violent episodes in 2012 and 2014. The council could set up the commission before its session ends later this month, but key players including the European Union have not yet backed Lee's call because of concern that a damning UN investigation might threaten the country's fragile democracy drive. Speaking to reporters after her council appearance, Lee said she believed support for a Commission of Inquiry was tepid, including within the EU. Countries "won't say they are not going to support your call, but I do hear ... (countries) say that maybe Aung San Suu Kyi needs more time," Lee said, referring to the Nobel peace laureate who leads Myanmar's civilian government. Suu Kyi's government, which took charge last year after decades of oppressive military rule, has rejected Lee's bid to set up a Commission of Inquiry and insisted its own national probe can uncover the facts in Rakhine. Lee conceded to reporters that a full international probe "could have a destabilising affect" in that it may implicate the military in crimes against humanity, but she insisted it was in the government's interest to get the facts out. Story continues She also told the council that the government's internal probe had already been proved inadequate. Representatives from the EU, The Netherlands and Britain all avoided the question of a Commission of Inquiry during Monday's discussion. Britain's envoy to the council, Julian Braithwaite, said the international community needed to "engage (Myanmar) without damaging the delicate civilian/military balance". LONDON (Reuters) - Generic drugmaker Mylan said on Monday it had reached a settlement with Roche providing "a clear pathway" for the launch of its biosimilar version of the Swiss company's top-selling breast cancer drug Herceptin in major markets. Herceptin, which generated sales of 6.78 billion Swiss francs ($6.7 billion) in 2016, is one of the world's most successful antibody drugs and has been a mainstay of Roche profits for many years. But the Swiss company is now bracing for cut-price biosimilars as it looks to new medicines to drive future growth. Roche also faces biosimilar competition to its blood cancer drug Rituxan, with the first such rival launching in Europe last month. Mylan's settlement of its patent dispute with Roche will secure the generic drugmaker global licenses for its rival form of the medicine, which is known generically as trastuzumab. The terms of the deal between the companies and the dates when Mylan will launch its biosimilar product in different markets were not disclosed. Mylan and its Indian partner Biocon already sell biosimilar trastuzumab in 14 emerging markets and the medicine has been submitted for approval in Europe and the United States. The complex nature of biological drugs, which are made inside living cells, means copies can never be exactly the same as the original, so regulators have devised an approval process based on products that are similar enough to do the job. ($1 = 1.0073 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by David Clarke) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO head Jens Stoltenberg on Monday called on two of the alliance's members, Turkey and the Netherlands, to defuse their escalating dispute. [nL5N1GQ1L5] "Robust debate is at the heart of our democracies but so is mutual respect," Stoltenberg said. "I would encourage all allies to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach." "To contribute to deescalate the tensions, defuse tensions and deescalate the situation, it's important that we now focus on everything that unites us." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Dominic Evans) LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) A coroner says the deaths of two men in separate apartments in the same Pennsylvania building are a coincidence, and nothing more. Lancaster police say one man was found dead about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. When a tenant went down the hall to check on a neighbor, that man was found dead, too. The men lived on the third floor of the same building, where there are four apartments. Investigators initially suspected carbon monoxide poisoning and evacuated the building, but tests for the gas were negative. Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamontoni says autopsies show 62-year-old James Mackey and 53-year-old Donald Miller Sr. died of natural causes. The coroner didn't say which man died first, but he says they died days apart and that both had "multiple medical problems." They were hardly the headlines the Dutch ruling party would have wanted days before they contest general elections. First, crowds of protesters were water-cannoned in the streets of Rotterdam as a diplomatic confrontation with Turkey spilled onto the streets. Then, a prominent Republican official in the U.S. openly backed the ruling partys main rival, nationalist firebrand Geert Wilders. But even before the weekends turmoil, there was a general sense of incredulity at the international spotlight falling on this small European nation ahead of Wednesdays vote. You really came all the way here? Danny Kuijpers, an ornamental fish importer, asks this reporter in Kerkrade, a former mining town tucked away in the south. The NRC Handelsblad newspaper ran a story headlined: Netherlands Is Very Interesting to Foreign Media. There are compelling reasons why the worlds attention is focused here. The first is Wilders, the longtime front-runner in the polls who is now neck and neck with the incumbent Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Of all the populists making waves across Europe, Wilders bears the most similarities to President Donald Trump, down to the bouffant of platinum blond hair and the rhetoric about the threat of uncontrolled migration. Wilders, who leads the Freedom Party (PVV), has gone even further than Trump with his sweeping denouncements of Islam. His policy platform includes closing mosques, banning the Quran, and the de-Islamification of the Netherlands. At his first rally, he called some Moroccans scum. While these views are abhorrent to many, he has become a favorite in some American conservative circles, and on Sunday, Iowa Republican Representative Steve King praised his migration stance, saying that we cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies. And behind the firebrand facade, Wilders has tapped a lot of existential fears the Dutch have about security, a way of life under threat, and a growing suspicion of the traditional parties. Story continues [I will vote] PVV not because I like Geert that much, but I dont trust the other ones, says Joseph Gaertner, 56, a former truck driver at the Kerkrade market. His view was echoed by many PVV voters, who are afraid that there is a loss of identity, a loss of being Dutch, says Joost Niemoller, a Dutch journalist sympathetic to Wilders who has written a book profiling PVV supporters. They see their whole environment changing. While health care, pensions and provisions for the elderly have all made it into policy documents, Wilders has pushed the issue of migration and integration to the top of the agenda. But its not just about the xenophobic antics of one man; it is also what he represents, and the time in which he is thriving. The European Union of which the Netherlands is a founding member is struggling to regain public trust after the euro-zone crisis, the refugee crisis and Britains vote to leave the bloc. The Dutch elections are the first major parliamentary vote in the E.U. since Brexit and Trumps victory, and are seen as a bellwether for antiestablishment sentiment. Wilders has called for a referendum on E.U. membership. Later in the spring, the French will vote in presidential elections in which the Euroskeptic Marine Le Pen is expected to make it through to the second round. A far-right party is predicted to increase its support in Germany in the fall. The question is: Have Brexit and Trumps election invigorated nationalist sentiment, or scared people off from casting what they once might have intended as a protest vote? What Wilders and Le Pen do is focus on the forgotten ones, said Marc Oosterhout, a Dutch advertising professional who published a book looking at the branding strategies of Dutch political parties called The Art of Choosing. Trump is using that emotion, and Wilders and Marine Le Pen are more self-assured by the fact that Trump is in the White House. There are many quirks of the Dutch election system, where proportional representation in a nation of 17 million people means that a party needs less than 1% of the vote to enter the Lower House. Currently, 11 parties have representatives in the 150-seat parliament, and this year there are a record 28 political parties vying for office. These include the Party for Animals and the Niet Stemmers (No Voters), a party representing the apathetic. Its MPs, they promise, will never vote in parliament. Also grabbing headlines is Jesse Klaver, leader of the Dutch green party, who bears a striking physical resemblance to the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and inspires similar ardor among an increasing number of supporters. So what are the polls predicting? In the months running up to the election, Wilders has consistently been favored to win the greatest share of the vote. Given the number of parties running, however, that translates to less than 20%. As election day nears, Rutte and his conservative party, the VVD, have been catching up, with the latest polling suggesting 25 seats for Wilders PVV, and 24 for Ruttes VVD. While Wilders has in the past failed to perform as well as polls predict, the confrontation with Turkey could play in his favor. The standoff began when the government refused to allow a Turkish minister to visit the Netherlands to campaign on behalf of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prompting Erdogan to call the Dutch authorities Nazi remnants neatly playing into Wilders antiforeigner bluster. But even if Wilders does sneak past Rutte, he will struggle to form a government. Given the number of parties in parliament, each government is a complicated coalition, and all the major parties have ruled out forming an alliance with him. What follows Wednesdays vote will more likely be weeks of tedious coalition building, rather than a political earthquake. The E.U.s leaders will be able to breathe easy again at least until the next election in a tumultuous year for the bloc. By Felix Onuah ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has told parliament that he has resumed his duties following seven weeks of medical leave in Britain, his spokesman said on Monday. Shortly after returning from London on Friday, the 74-year-old former general said he was feeling "much better" but wanted to rest over the weekend, raising questions about his ability to run Africa's biggest economy and most populous nation. Nigeria's economy shrank 1.5 percent in 2016, its first full-year contraction for 25 years, largely due to low oil prices and attacks on energy facilities in the OPEC member's Niger Delta oil hub last year. Buhari had made his deputy Yemi Osinbajo acting president during his absence. The vice president, a lawyer who is seen as more business-friendly than Buhari, played an active role in driving policy changes during the president's absence. Both men were seen by a Reuters reporter walking together at the presidency offices on Monday. A statement from the president's spokesman, Femi Adesina, quoted from Buhari's formal letter to the Senate and the House of Representatives, saying: "I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." Buhari first led the country from 1983 to 1985 after taking power in a military coup, and was elected two years ago. Since then he has travelled to Britain several times to consult doctors. Details of his condition have not been disclosed. (Additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram and Ulf Laessing; Editing by Louise Ireland) Abuja (AFP) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari officially returned to work on Monday after sending a letter to the country's parliament following a health scare, the presidency said. "President Muhammadu Buhari today resumed duties after his vacation," said presidential spokesman Femi Adesina in a statement. Buhari, 74, returned to Nigeria last week Friday after nearly two months' medical leave in Britain, saying he "couldn't recall being so sick since I was a young man". The health of Nigeria's president has become a sensitive issue following the 2010 death of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from a long-standing, but undisclosed, kidney complaint. Senior separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi were placed under preventive detention. By Indo-Asian News Service: Jammu and Kashmir authorities placed top separatist leaders under house arrest in Kashmir on Monday to foil a sit-in called to highlight plight of prisoners in the Valley. Senior separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi were placed under preventive detention. While Mirwaiz Umer and Asiya Andrabi were placed under house arrest, Malik was shifted to the Central Jail. advertisement "Adequate deployments of police and Central Reserve Police Force have been made to maintain law and order in the city," police said. The sit-in called in Maisuma area adjacent to the Lal Chowk was to highlight plight of prisoners in different jails of the state. --- ENDS --- GENEVA (Reuters) - North Korea boycotted the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday which was reviewing its record, calling it "politically-motivated". The U.N. human rights investigator on North Korea, Tomas Ojea Quintana opened the session by saying that an escalation in hostilities on the divided Korean peninsula had further closed off opportunities for dialogue with the isolated government of Kim Jong Un. North Korea was called on to reply but there was no delegation in the room. "We are not participating in any meeting on DPRK's human rights situation because it is politically-motivated," deputy ambassador Choe Myong Nam told Reuters. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Toby Chopra) BEIJING (Reuters) - A North Korean cargo vessel called Kum San sank off the east coast of China early on March 9 after colliding with a Chinese fuel tanker, which rescued 27 crew members, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Monday. The collision took place near the port of Lianyuanhang in Jiangsu province at 4 a.m., the government said in the statement. The boat sank by 6 a.m. This is the second reported sinking of a North Korea cargo ship since January. The ship did not appear on a United Nations list of sanctioned North Korean vessels. The Chinese tanker was not damaged in the incident, which comes after a North Korean cargo vessel carrying rice sank off the west coast of Japan in January. Reuters ship tracking data shows the vessel, listed carrying general cargo, was last seen anchored on March 8 near Lianyuanhang port and was listed at maximum draft, which means it was fully loaded with cargo. The sinking comes a month after China banned imports of North Korean coal until the end of this year after its isolated northern neighbor tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile in its first direct challenge to the international community since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. (Reporting by Meng Meng in BEIJING and James Pearson in SEOUL; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Monday marks one month since Kim Jong-Nam was murdered with a lethal nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, sparking a fierce diplomatic standoff between Malaysia and North Korea. Here is what we know so far about the progress of the investigation and the unfolding diplomatic crisis: - How did it all kick off? - CCTV footage from the Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 shows two women approaching the exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un and apparently rubbing his face with a cloth. The 45-year-old died minutes later, according to Malaysian police, who found traces of the nerve agent VX on his face. Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, have since been charged with his murder and face the death penalty if found guilty. - Who is behind the attack? - Seoul has blamed Pyongyang, saying the regime engaged two outsiders to carry out the brazen Cold War-style assassination following a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill a man he may have seen as a potential rival. North Korea has never confirmed the identity of the victim, who was carrying a passport bearing the name of Kim Chol when he was attacked. - What's the latest with the investigation? - Malaysian investigators are seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on the day of the murder while the other three are apparently hiding in North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, according to the police chief. Malaysia on Friday finally confirmed the victim's identity, but refused to say whether authorities had obtained a DNA sample from next-of-kin to do so in line with their previous demands. Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said concerns "for the security of the witnesses" prevented him from revealing further details. - Why hasn't Kim's family come forward? - Given North Korea's history of brutal purges, it is not surprising that Kim's wife and children, who were living in exile in the Chinese territory of Macau, staged a vanishing act after the murder. There are fears his 21-year-old son, Kim Han-Sol, could be targeted next. Story continues In what may be the first comments by the family however, a young man identifying himself as Han-Sol appeared in a video that circulated last week. The claim was later verified by South Korea's intelligence agency. But he did not reveal his whereabouts or offer to claim his father's body. - What else we don't know - A month on, mystery swirls around the assassination. The two women have told diplomats that they were tricked into believing they were taking part in a TV prank show, with one of them reportedly saying she was paid less than $100 for her role. Malaysian police have rejected their claims. The use of VX nerve agent -- a toxin so deadly it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN -- has also raised questions, particularly since the women did not come to serious harm despite handling it. The method used to identify Kim's body also remains unknown, with police refusing to confirm whether they used DNA samples, dental records or fingerprints. The New Straits Times reported that investigators identified Kim by matching the pattern of 21 moles scattered across his face with photographs taken when he was alive. - Why did diplomatic ties deteriorate so quickly? - Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years but tensions flared rapidly when North Korea denounced the Malaysian investigation as a smear job, insisting that the victim most likely died of a heart attack. The allegations prompted Malaysia to expel outspoken North Korean ambassador Kang Chol. Pyongyang retaliated by formally expelling his Malaysian counterpart, who had already left for consultations, and later barred Malaysians in North Korea from leaving the country, triggering a tit-for-tat move by Kuala Lumpur. Nine Malaysians -- three embassy staff and six family members -- remain trapped in Pyongyang while hundreds of North Koreans are reportedly stranded in Malaysia. - What happens next? - Malaysia hopes to open negotiations with North Korea this week to secure the release of its citizens and resolve its impasse with Pyongyang over the fate of the body. Malaysia has so far refused to hand over the body to Pyongyang, saying it will only release it to a family member. As the stalemate drags on, the two women are due to appear in court on April 13, two months after the assassination. Opposition to a congressional bill that would explicitly remove genetic privacy protections from workplace wellness programs grew on Monday, with one of the countrys leading wellness associations calling the proposed changes punitive. The bill, approved by a House committee last week, would eliminate longstanding genetic privacy protections from workplace wellness programs, which are allowed to charge thousands of dollars more in premiums, deductibles, and co-payments to employees who do not participate. If passed by the full House and Senate and signed by President Trump, the bill would free employers wellness programs from the existing constraints of the landmark Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Although the legislation was championed by some business groups, the Wellness Council of America said Monday that it would oppose the bill. Allowing employers to require employees to undergo genetic testing and to turn over the results to companies running wellness programs cause harm both mentally and physically to employees, said Ryan Picarella, CEO of the the group, known as Welcoa, a trade association of some 6,000 companies that sell wellness programs to employers and of employers that offer them to workers. Read more: House Republicans would let employers demand workers genetic test results Welcoa signed onto a statement from a new group consisting of trade associations, wellness companies, and other businesses, called Ethical Wellness, that announced its opposition to the bill. We find the collection of genetic information on employees to be inconsistent with the groups code of conduct, it said. In addition to violating employee privacy, the group said, the bill provides too much opportunity for such data to be misused or misinterpreted. Ethical Wellness also disputed the claim, which dates to the Obama administration, that wellness programs that make workers pay 30 percent, and possibly 50 percent, more for health coverage are voluntary. The programs typically include blood and other biometric testing; questionnaires asking workers what they eat, whether theyre ever depressed, whether they plan to get pregnant; and sometimes smoking-cessation and weight-loss programs. Story continues Employees facing forfeitures of thousands of dollars for non-compliance will find such a demand [to participate in wellness programs] to be financially coercive, the group said, adding that they urge Congress to reject this misguided legislation on multiple grounds. On NBCs Meet the Press, Tom Price, secretary of health and human services said over the weekend that the Trump administration might have significant concerns about the bill. Leading geneticists raised alarms about how employers might use employees genetic information. Genetic testing labs are largely unregulated. Although they have to adhere to good laboratory practices in how they handle DNA samples, there is almost no quality check on how they interpret the genetic variants they identify. As a result, one testing lab may call a variant pathogenic, or likely to cause disease, while another will call it benign. In one quality test, researchers gave genetic variants related to nine common conditions to nine labs. The labs disagreed 22 percent of the time, meaning one thought a genetic variant was a problem and another did not, said geneticist Heidi Rehm of Brigham and Womens Hospital, who helped lead the study. Its not the case that every lab interprets genetic variants the same, said Rehm. Only one interpretation is right. That means that an employee persuaded to undergo genetic testing by an employer runs the risk of being given incorrect information, even that her BRCA1 gene puts her at risk for breast and ovarian cancer when it does not. Workplace wellness programs are not required to use or provide genetic counselors to vet the lab results or help employees understand them. And because medical genetics remains an imprecise science, even if everyone agrees that a genetic variant can cause disease, the actual risk to an individual of developing that disease is not that clear, Rehm said. That risk depends on environmental factors as well as other genetic ones, but truthfully we dont know what those factors are, let alone how much they change a persons risk of disease. Rehm and other scientists whose research involves finding ways to use peoples genetic profiles to improve their health are deeply concerned that the House bill would set back those efforts. When pioneering projects like MedSeq and BabySeq ask people if they would be willing to participate, a common reason they decline is fear of genetic discrimination, said medical geneticist Dr. Robert Green of Brigham and Womens, who helps lead both studies. We explain that we would put the results of genetic testing into their medical record so their physicians can draw on it, Green said. We explain that GINA covers [and bars discrimination in] health insurance. That has worked to partly reassure people. But if employers are allowed to ask employees to share their genetic results, as the House bill would permit, or pay upwards of $6,000 more for healthcare coverage, that reassurance would be false. Its a disaster for research, Green said. Im tearing my hair out. Who wants to reveal to their employer that they have a BRCA mutation? It would just incentivize employers to get rid of people at risk for future, expensive illnesses. That concern was reportedly shared by scientists developing a study at the National Institutes of Health that, starting this year, would collect genetic and other information on 1 million or more Americans. Volunteers would be assured that their genetic information would be private, but under the House bill that could not be guaranteed. The NIH did not immediately reply to a request for comment. GINA was passed so you can participate in genetic research without your employer or insurer asking you for the information, said Derek Scholes, director of science policy at the American Society of Human Genetics, which opposes the bill. The NIH study says people will get back [genetic and other] information which is useful to their health. If this bill goes through your employer can say, give us that informationor else pay thousands of dollars more for health insurance and healthcare. Supporters of the bill insist that this financial consequence does not make a workplace wellness program involuntary, and that it addresses employers confusion about what is and isnt allowed. LONDON (Reuters) - University of Oxford bosses said Britain should guarantee the rights of European Union citizens after Brexit or Britain's oldest university could suffer enormous damage as academics leave. Britain's parliament is to vote on whether to pre-commit to protecting the rights of EU citizens ahead of its decision to trigger negotiations to leave the European Union. The government says it hopes to come to an agreement with the EU over the rights of citizens once negotiations start. The heads of 35 Oxford colleges said that EU colleagues were unsettled by the government's refusal to guarantee their status, and said that some were making arrangements to leave. "If they lost their right to work here, our university would suffer enormous damage which, given our role in research, would have reverberations across the UK," the academics said in a letter to the Times newspaper. The University of Oxford, whose alumni include Prime Minister Theresa May, foreign minister Boris Johnson and finance minister Philip Hammond, was founded over 900 years ago, and last month denied a report that it was considering opening a campus in France in response to Brexit. (Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) The exercise of the right to freedom of speech and expression without offending anyone is often a tightrope that is almost impossible to walk without falling. And nowhere is this problem more prevalent and visible than on social media. Even given that background, Pakistan is considering an unusual move banning Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms completely for their alleged refusal to block content the country considers blasphemous, or even denigrating of the character of individuals. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is hearing Monday a writ petition that is seeking the closure of Facebook till such time as the social media giant permanently deletes all pages with blasphemous content. Read: Pakistan Bans Condom Advertisements The issue has been in the courts in the country since at least January. On March 9, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had said in the same court it needed about three weeks to review and block all blasphemous pages that insulted the religious figures of Islam. In the petition being heard Monday, the complainants argued that three weeks was too long a time, and that failing to block the website in its entirety could lead to serious law and order problems in Pakistan, according to local media reports. In an oral observation on March 7, an IHC judge had said blasphemers were similar to terrorists while asking authorities to prosecute them and to block entire social media platforms if they couldnt remove objectionable content from them. The judges comments were supported by Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a terrorist organization that split from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. In a related matter, Pakistans Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan expressed his annoyance March 8 with Facebook and its refusal to provide information the government asked for. He was reacting to an incident of character assassination in which a morphed picture of a judge was circulated on the website. Story continues PakistanFacebookProtest Photo: REUTERS/Mohsin Raza Read: Valentines Day Celebrations Curbed In Pakistan It seems that social media is working under freedom to lie rather than freedom of expression, the minister reportedly said, while expressing regret that neither the company nor U.S. government officials, who had also been contacted to put pressure on Facebook, realized how sensitive the matter was. He also asked for the management of social media companies to be contacted in a bid to introduce local versions of their platforms that are appropriate to Pakistan. The country has over 10 million Facebook users. The website has been banned in the country earlier as well. Related Articles By India Today Web Desk: TV stars usually celebrate Holi on their sets while shooting for the Holi sequence, as they hardly get time off from their busy work schedule. This year, actress Rashami Desai plans to celebrate Holi with her co-stars, while actor Kunal Jaisingh will be celebrating it with his family and friends. This Holi is more special for Udaan actor Vijayendra Kumeria, for this is his first Holi with his daughter. advertisement Here are few TV actors sharing their special Holi plans and their favourite memories of the festival. Rashami Desai with her co-actors on the sets of Dil Se Dil Tak. Picture courtesy: Instagram/himani156 I will be celebrating this Holi with the cast of our show Dil Se Dil Tak on the sets of the show. Post work, I am planning to go out with my friends for a small party. Here's wishing everyone happy and colorful Holi. Kunal Jaisingh aka Omkara in Ishqbaaz Holi is a festival where we leave all our mistakes behind and burn all evils and start fresh. Forgiving and spreading humanity is the festival all about. I celebrate the festival with my family and couple of my friends with less colours (gulaal) but more food. Vijayendra Kumeria with Meera Deosthale. Picture courtesy: Instagram/meera.deosthale I still recall the Holi, when few of my friends made me try bhaang and it turned out to be a hilarious experience. We all started acting and doing funny actions and even clicked blur pictures. It was so much fun and we still have a great laugh remembering the incident. This Holi is a special one for me as it's my little angel Kimaya's first Holi and will be arranging a small get together at my place for my friends and family. Here's wishing everyone happy and safe Holi! Juhi Parmar aka Sangya in Karmphal Data Shani For me, every Holi holds some or the other memory, as I used to celebrate it every year with my family and sister. There is no specific memory as such but I usually celebrate it with my sister and other family members. This year, I am planning to spend time with my family this year as well but since I have a shooting schedule in Umbergaon, I am little indecisive. Here's wishing everyone happy and safe Holi. Also read: Exclusive: Juhi Parmar on why looking glamorous on screen is important for actors advertisement Helly Shah with her co-actor Hetal Puniwala. Picture courtesy: Instagram/hetalpuniwala I personally don't like playing Holi with colors and water but every year I make it a point to perform Holi puja at home. My favorite Holi memory is when I was running around on the sets for my show Swaragini while my co-stars made every possible attempt to smear color on my face. That was the only time I played Holi with colors. I don't have any specific plans for Holi this year but I am looking forward to shoot Holi sequence in our show Devanshi. Niti Taylor aka Shivani in Ghulaam Holi is one of my favourite time. I love enjoying the day playing with colours, family and friends gathering, rain dance; and also have many beautiful and crazy childhood memories of the day. I enjoy the day with colours and can't forget the yummy and healthy snacks. Sangieta Chauhaan and Sahil Uppal aka Meghna and Kunal from Ek Shringar Swabhimaan. Picture courtesy: Instagram/sangeitachauhaan As a kid, I loved playing Holi. I still remember hiding a bucket full of colorful water balloons and sneak into the neighborhood and throw it on people. It used to be fun to gang up with a group of friends from the locality and enjoy every bit of 'dhuleti'. I still don't have any plans for this Holi, but if I get an off from the shoot, I would love to spend it with my family and gorge on some yummy gujiyas. I would like to wish happy and safe Holi to all my fans and supporters. advertisement Sahil Uppal aka Kunal of Ek Shringaar Swabhimaan My favorite Holi memory would be from childhood where my group of friends would go around the society and attack people with water balloons and pichkaaris. It was so much fun and I miss that time. It's been so long since I have played Holi in that way. I haven't been playing Holi for the past few years, so this time also it will just be a get together with few friends playing Holi with herbal colours. And I might try bhang this time. Roshni Sahota aka Surbhi from Shakti -- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki My best Holi memory is when our entire family shifted from Delhi to Punjab and we all celebrated Holi at our new home. That year's Holi celebrations will always remain special to me. After moving to Mumbai, this is my first Holi and I am looking forward to celebrate it with my friends in a complete Mumbaiya style. advertisement Jigyasa Singh aka Thapki with her co-stars on the sets of Thapki Pyaar Ki. Picture courtesy: Instagram/pooja.b.sahu I have so many good as well as bad memories of Holi. But one memory that is still fresh in my mind is when my brother threw a bucket full of grease on me, and it took me two days to clean it off. This year I will be celebrating Holi with my family and friends and will stay away from colours, as much as possible. A normal tika of gulaal will do. This Holi, I would like to urge everyone to play dry Holi with harmless colors and enjoy every bit of it. --- ENDS --- Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli police Monday killed a Palestinian who attacked and wounded two border guards with a knife near an entrance to the Old City in occupied east Jerusalem, police said. The attacker, a resident of east Jerusalem, entered a border guard post and wounded the two before being shot dead, they said. One of the guards was seriously injured, the other more lightly, police added. Family members named the dead assailant as 25-year-old Ibrahim Matar from the Jabal Mukaber area of east Jerusalem. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said security forces later raided his home and that four people were arrested. Family members said they included Matar's father. Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 Six-Day War in a move never recognised by the international community. A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has killed 255 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count. Most of the Palestinians who lost their lives were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were killed during protests, in clashes or Israeli air raids on Gaza. Violence has greatly subsided in recent months, despite sporadic attacks. JAKARTA (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." U.S. President Donald Trump has already withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which was seen as an economic pillar of the strategy. A Trump administration official told Reuters: "The vice president is going to Asia next month I believe." The tour will include South Korea and Australia, the Nikkei Asian Review reported, with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and South Korea's political crisis likely topics for discussion. China has been infuriated by South Korea's plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system targeted at the North Korean threat. South Korea is also going through political turmoil after a court removed President Park Geun-hye from office over a graft scandal. Pence is also expected to visit Tokyo for a U.S.-Japan economic dialogue, according to a source familiar with the matter. The visit will come as North Korea's latest missile launches and the assassination in Malaysia of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother add urgency to the region's security. It will also follow this month's trip by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Japan, South Korea, and China. The TPP had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China. Proponents of the pact have expressed concerns that abandoning the project, which took years to negotiate, could strengthen China's economic hand in the region at the expense of the United States. Indonesia's chief security minister said Pence would meet President Joko Widodo to discuss terrorism and other security issues. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and has recently grappled with a series of low-level militant attacks inspired by Islamic State. "We discussed the planned visit of U.S. vice president Mike Pence to Indonesia and the strategic problems that can be on the agenda to discuss with our president," chief security minister Wiranto told reporters after meeting the U.S. ambassador to Jakarta. He added that no dates have been finalized. In Indonesia, Pence is also expected to discuss a brewing contract dispute between the government and American mining group Freeport McMoRan Inc, said two Indonesian government sources. Freeport has threatened to take the Indonesian government to court over newly revised mining regulations that have prompted a major scale-back in its operations in the eastern province of Papua. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Kanupriya Kapoor; Additional reporting by Malcolm Foster in Tokyo and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie and Jeffrey Benkoe) WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man exposed by The Associated Press as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II, prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutor Robert Janicki said evidence gathered over years of investigation into U.S. citizen Michael K. confirmed "100 percent" that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion. He did not release the last name in line with privacy laws but the AP has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. "All the pieces of evidence interwoven together allow us to say the person who lives in the U.S. is Michael K., who commanded the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion which carried out the pacification of Polish villages in the Lublin region," Janicki said. The decision in Poland comes four years after the AP published a story establishing that Michael Karkoc commanded the unit, based on wartime documents, testimony from other members of the unit and Karkoc's own Ukrainian-language memoir. Karkoc's family has repeatedly denied he was involved in any war crimes and his son questioned the validity of the evidence against him after Poland's announcement, calling the accusations "scandalous and baseless slanders." "There's nothing in the historical record that indicates my father had any role whatsoever in any type of war crime activity," said Andriy Karkoc. He questioned the Polish investigation, saying "my father's identity has never been in question nor has it ever been hidden." Prosecutors with the state National Remembrance Institute, which investigates Nazi and Communist-era crimes against Poles, have asked a regional court in Lublin to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. "The prosecutor in Lublin intends to direct a motion to the U.S. justice authorities asking that the suspect ... be handed over to Poland," the institute said in a statement. Story continues Janicki added the man's age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. "He is our suspect as of today," Janicki said. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. The U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota declined to comment on the case. Efraim Zuroff, the head Nazi hunter for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, applauded the decision as an important signal even at this late stage. "Any legal step that's taken against these people is very important," he said by telephone from Jerusalem. "It sends a very powerful message, and these kinds of things should not be abandoned just because of the age of a suspect." Prosecutors in Germany shelved their own investigation of Karkoc in 2015 after saying they had received "comprehensive medical documentation" from doctors at the geriatric hospital in the U.S. where he was being treated that led them to conclude he was not fit for trial. Karkoc's family says he suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Zuroff urged that he be reassessed by independent doctors. "It is a very common occurrence that elderly individuals facing prosecution for World War II crimes make every effort to look as sick and as infirm as possible," he said. The investigations in Germany and Poland began after AP's story in June 2013, which established Karkoc was a commander of the unit and then lied to American immigration officials to get into the United States a few years after the war. A second report uncovered evidence that Karkoc himself ordered his men in 1944 to attack a Polish village in which dozens of civilians were killed, contradicting statements from his family that he was never at the scene. "The Associated Press stands by its stories, which were well-documented and thoroughly reported," said Lauren Easton, director of AP's media relations, on Monday. The special German prosecutor's office that investigates Nazi crimes concluded that enough evidence existed to pursue murder charges against Karkoc. AP's initial investigation found that Karkoc entered the U.S. in 1949 by failing to disclose to American authorities his role as a commander in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion. The investigation found that Karkoc was in the area of the massacres, but did not uncover evidence linking him directly to atrocities. The second story, based upon an investigative file originally from the Ukrainian intelligence agency's archive, revealed that a private under Karkoc's command testified in 1968 that Karkoc ordered an assault on the village of Chlaniow in retaliation for the slaying of the SS major who led the Legion, in which Karkoc was a company commander. A German roster of the unit confirmed that Pvt. Ivan Sharko, a Ukrainian, served under Karkoc's command at the time. Other eyewitness accounts, both from villagers and members of Karkoc's unit, corroborated the testimony that the company set buildings on fire and gunned down more than 40 men, women and children. Other soldiers who served under Karkoc backed up Sharko's testimony about civilian killings. Pvt. Vasyl Malazhenski, for example, told Soviet investigators that in 1944 that unit was directed to "liquidate all the residents" of Chlaniow although he did not say who gave the order. Sharko also testified in the investigative documents that Karkoc's company was directly involved in a "punitive mission" against Poles near the village of Sagryn in 1944. Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. ___ Rising reported from Berlin. Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report. By Marcin Goettig and Jan Strupczewski WARSAW/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Polish prosecutors have summoned European Council President Donald Tusk as a witness in a case against former secret service officials that relates to events when Tusk was Poland's prime minister, Warsaw district prosecutor's office said on Monday. The summons announcement came two days after Poland's foreign minister said the government would start obstructing European Union business as the bloc angered Warsaw by reappointing Tusk as chairman of EU summit meetings. The eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party, in power since 2015, has brought prosecutors under direct government control. Prosecutor Michal Dziekanski said Tusk had been summoned to testify in the investigation against former heads of the military counter-intelligence services (SKW), who are "charged with co-operating with intelligence services of another country without the required authorization of the prime minister." But Tusk's spokesman said the European Council president would not be available for the March 15 summons because he had prior engagements in the European Parliament. "He will be in Strasbourg for the European Parliament's plenary session on Wednesday, March 15," Tusk's spokesman said. The former leader of Poland's largest opposition party Civic Platform (PO), Tusk is a long-standing rival of ruling PiS party head Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Polish media has reported the investigation is focused on the co-operation of intelligence officials with Russia, including the exchange of information after the Polish presidential jet crashed in Russia in 2010. The former head of the SKW General Janusz Nosek, who was in charge in 2010, said the case was politically-motivated as Tusk was fully aware of the co-operation of secret services with Russia and had authorized it. "In my opinion the whole case is particularly highly politically-motivated," he told local radio RMF FM. "It is aimed solely at discrediting the leadership of secret services during PO's rule, and indirectly also at discrediting the prime minister at the time." Kaczynski, 67, who holds no government post but is seen as Poland's main decision-maker, said on Monday that he had nothing to do with summoning Tusk. "I can swear on any sanctity that I learned about it today," he told a press conference. "This has nothing to do with me, because I think the question was that this is some sort of personal harassment." Kaczynski had previously said that Tusk should not be reappointed to chair EU summits because he may face charges in Poland relating to the Smolensk crash and a Ponzi scheme. Kaczynski's twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski, was killed in the Smolensk crash and his sibling has said he holds Tusk's government at least partially responsible for the disaster, citing negligence. The PiS government has already clashed with EU's executive arm, the European Commission, over issues including the rule of law, migrants, climate policy and environmental protection. The EU's executive arm last year accused the Polish government of undermining democracy and rule of law after the party overhauled the constitutional court to make it more difficult for judges to block new legislation. (Additional reporting by Jan Strupczewski in Brussels, Pawel Sobczak and Lidia Kelly in Warsaw; Editing by Toby Chopra, Richard Lough and Pritha Sarkar) People are kind of accustomed to politicians making all sorts of gaffes, but this one beats them all. While on live TV, international trade secretary Liam Fox denied sending a controversial tweet while a large screen behind him clearly displayed it for everyone to see. SEE ALSO: Man attempts to give serious BBC interview, regrets ever having children Pretty f*cked up, isn't it? Watch it yourself: "Just for clarification, I didn't send out a tweet," he said, while Sky News' Sophy Ridge pointed to the giant picture of that very tweet. Number two, it was taken from a speech I gave a year and a half ago and it was tweeted out by I think The Guardian and it was an incomplete reference in any case," Fox continued unfazed. What I said was Britain hasbecauseBritain has always felt less emotionally attached to the European Union because in our history we had never felt the need to bury the 20th Century in a pan-European project. For the record, here's the tweet: "The United Kingdom, is one of the few countries in the European Union that does not need to bury its 20th century history" #scc16 Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFoxMP) March 4, 2016 One of Donald Trumps core campaign promises was to take the fight to terrorist groups around the world. His predecessors focus on countering violent extremism, Trump argued, was liberal, PC talk that obscured the true nature of the threat. Anyone who cannot name our enemy is not fit to lead this country, he said in a campaign speech last September. Almost immediately after taking office, his administration hinted that it would revamp and rename the existing approach to countering radical Islamic extremism. At the same time, the president proposed a dramatic increase in military spending, paid for in part by deep cuts to the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) budgets. Americas enemies are motivated by Islam, the new Trump strategy seems to assume, and the best way to fight them is with military might. Both assumptions are dangerously wrong-headed. Take Nigeria, where Boko Haram is currently waging the third-deadliest insurgency in the world. The group may have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, but survey data collected in the three Nigerian states most affected by Boko Haram (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe) show that Islam is not a major factor in motivating recruits. Unemployment, not religiosity, is the best predictor of support for the terrorist group. The presence of visible USAID programs, meanwhile, coincides with lower levels of support for Boko Haram. Taken together, these findings suggest that diplomatic soft power rather than the hard power emphasized in the early days of Trumps presidency is the key to weakening terrorist groups. In other words, slashing State Department and USAID spending to pay for military efforts to defeat the Islamic State and like-minded groups could have precisely the opposite effect. In northern Nigeria, where more than 20,000 people have been killed and an estimated 2.6 million have been displaced in eight years of conflict, Islam does not appear to be the problem. In the three states where my colleagues at the polling agency ORB International and I conducted our survey, more than 70 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. But more than 83 percent of Muslims there said they were somewhat or very unsupportive of extremist groups. Ninety-six percent of Sunnis (and 97 percent of all Muslims) surveyed indicated that they had a negative or very negative view of violent extremists. (These previously unpublished data are based on a face-to-face survey of 3,910 people between December 2016 and January 2017 in areas of northeastern Nigeria that have been regularly attacked by Boko Haram.) Story continues But if religious identification tells us little about whether an individual is likely to sympathize with extremists, employment status tells us a lot. Sixteen percent of unemployed respondents said they were supportive or very supportive of extremists, compared with just 7 percent of employed respondents. Unemployed people gravitated toward extremists regardless of their level of education: Forty-three percent with at least a primary school level of education reported being somewhat or very supportive of extremist groups, while 40 percent with less than a primary school level of education said the same. The data from Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno indicate that support for Boko Haram is largely driven by a search for income and employment. When asked why people join Boko Haram, 58 percent of respondents cited money or a job as the primary reason. This is unsurprising, given that unemployment rates range between 42 and 74 percent in these three states. Indeed, financial concerns trumped concerns about terrorism in this region, even though Boko Haram has laid much of it to waste. When asked to identify their three most serious problems, survey respondents picked unemployment, rising prices, and corruption. Terrorism was ranked as the fourth-most serious problem. Unemployment and poverty are not easily fixed by fighting an amorphous concept like radical Islamic extremism. But they can be addressed through development projects, job training, educational programing, and dispute resolution programs like those USAID and other development agencies have rolled out in northeastern Nigeria in recent years. While our data do not describe which of these initiatives are most effective (a follow-up comparison study to be conducted by ORB this fall will shed light on program effectiveness), they do indicate that visibility of USAID programming coincides with decreased levels of support for Boko Haram. Residents of Borno were the most likely to say USAID programming was somewhat or very visible (36 percent said this) and the least likely to support extremist groups (7 percent expressed some or a lot of support for extremists). By contrast, USAID-funded programs were reported to be somewhat or very visible by only 21 percent of people in Adamawa, where 20 percent of residents reported some or a lot of support for extremist groups. This is not a coincidence. USAID programs appear to boost peoples confidence in their government, which in turn seems to drive down support for extremist groups. Seventy-eight percent of people who said USAID-funded programs were visible or very visible reported being confident or very confident in Nigerias government. Of those who said they were confident in the government, 87 percent were unsupportive of extremist groups. The same was true of people who gave the government a good or very good evaluation: Eighty-six percent were unsupportive of extremist groups. (By comparison, 18 percent of people who gave the government a very poor evaluation were somewhat or very supportive of extremist groups.) The visibility of USAID-funded programing including job training, public school renovation, and police station repair is also directly tied to positive views of the United States. Residents of Borno, where USAID program visibility is the highest, have the most positive views of the United States: More than 92 percent of respondents there viewed it somewhat or very positively. All of this is compelling evidence that American soft power is having its intended effect. It is improving peoples lives, increasing government capacity, and contributing to a positive view of America. Most importantly, it is driving down support for violent extremism. The Trump administration is right to target radical extremist organizations around the globe, because these organizations are responsible for horrifying levels of death and destruction. But how it goes about countering these groups matters a great deal. The United States cannot blindly chase a radical Islamic boogeyman, a fact that Trumps own national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, seems to have acknowledged in private. Bombing campaigns like the one currently underway in Yemen or the sale of arms to military partners like Nigeria cannot by themselves defeat extremist groups or their ideologies. The United States must address the problems that drive people into the arms of these groups in the first place. Doing that requires more not less funding for soft power emanating from the State Department, USAID, and nongovernmental organizations working to understand and counter extremist ideas. If you employ a future violent extremist now, chances are you wont have to kill him later and thats true regardless of his religion. Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images By Noeleen Walder and Lawrence Hurley NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration's firing of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara sent shockwaves through New York, but veterans of the high-profile office expect a longstanding mission of cracking down on political corruption and Wall Street wrongdoing to remain intact. Staffed with more than one hundred career prosecutors, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office has a long history of being apolitical and pursuing a wide range of investigations into terrorism, public corruption, securities fraud and cyber crime, former prosecutors said. Lorin Reisner, former head of the office's criminal division from 2012 to 2014, who is now in private practice at law firm Paul Weiss, said the priorities of the office are unlikely to change, regardless of who replaces Bharara. "Generations of SDNY prosecutors have been told that their job is to do the right thing, for the right reasons, every day, in every case," he said, using the acronym for the office, the Southern District of New York. Hanging in the balance are ongoing investigations of potential fraud at Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc and its ties to a mail-order pharmacy and of two massive data breaches at Yahoo Inc, including one affecting more than one billion user accounts. The office is also investigating a major cyber heist from the Bank of Bangladesh involving funds which moved through the New York Federal Reserve bank. Bharara, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, lived up to the office's reputation, investigating Republicans and Democrats alike. He has been overseeing a probe into Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's fundraising. "It would be tremendously difficult for any U.S. attorney to come in and politicize that office, said Carrie Cohen, a former prosecutor who worked under Bharara and is now in private practice at Morrison & Foerster. President Donald Trump has yet to announce a replacement for Bharara or the other remaining 45 U.S. attorneys from the Obama era who were asked to step down on Friday. U.S. attorneys are political appointees requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate. They usually leave office when a new president is elected, although some remain for months to help with the transition. But Bharara's removal from office came as a surprise because Trump had met with him after the election and indicated he would be retained. Bharara refused to resign, prompting his firing on Saturday. LATITUDE TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES Whoever Trump appoints to replace Bharara will likely reflect U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session's priorities, including a desire to crack down on violent crime and less of a focus on civil rights cases. There is growing speculation among former prosecutors and others in the legal community that Bharara's replacement will be Marc Mukasey, a defense lawyer whose father served as attorney general under Republican President George W. Bush. Mukasey declined to comment on Sunday. In the short-term, the office will be headed by acting U.S. Attorney Joon Kim. He is a veteran of the office, returning under Bharara in 2013 as a key deputy following an earlier stint from 2000 to 2006. In between, he was a partner at the Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton law firm. A spokesman for the office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Outside of public corruption, Bharara was perhaps best known for overseeing a wave of cases focused on insider trading. Many of the investigations were already underway when Bharara took office in August 2009. But he became the face of the crackdown, landing on the cover of Time magazine in 2012 with the headline "This man is busting Wall St." The new U.S. attorney will have some latitude on what to focus on in the future. "Each U.S. attorney has his own order of priorities and how they see the resources of the office best used and each U.S. attorney also has the right to discontinue an investigation if they feel it's a waste of time," said Ben Brafman, a leading defense lawyer. Sessions has, however, already signaled a shift away from some Obama administration priorities. Unlike Bharara and his former bosses in the Obama administration, Sessions advocates trying foreign militants before military commissions instead of in civilian courts. Bharara had pushed for trials in civilian courts while Sessions has criticized that approach and vouched for the ongoing value of trying foreign defendants before military tribunals. On civil rights, Norman Siegel, former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said there was "growing anxiety" about the future of such cases since Bharara's firing. (Additional reporting by Nate Raymond, Mark Hosenball, Jonathan Stempel and Nathan Layne; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Mary Milliken) U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara reportedly declined to take a phone call from President Donald Trump two days before he was fired because he was unable to secure permissions to talk to the president from his Justice Department superiors. Bharara was fired Saturday after defying a request to resign and Sunday likened his dismissal to the elimination of the Moreland commission, which was disbanded by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo while it still was in the middle of its investigation of corruption in Albany. Reuters, quoting an anonymous source, reported Bharara refused to take a call from Trump and contacted the Justice Department Thursday for authorization to talk to the president but never got a call back. He contacted the White House to explain his predicament. Read: Franken Demanding Better Explanation From Sessions On Russian Contacts Reuters source declined to say whether Bhararas office was investigating anything related to the president. The president Friday asked for the resignations of the 46 U.S. attorneys who were holdovers from the Obama administration, a request that is not unusual when a new administration moves into the White House. However, Bhararas firing came as somewhat of a surprise because he had told reporters Trump asked him to stay on following a meeting in November. Reuters said neither the Justice Department nor the White House had any comment. Read: How To Report Trump Ethics Violations Three watchdog groups last week asked Bharara to move to prevent the Trump Organization from receiving benefits from foreign governments since Trump has not given up his business interests. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told ABCs This Week on Sunday he would like to know what precipitated the firings. Not very long ago, the president was saying that he was going to keep the U.S. attorney there in New York. And then, suddenly, he's, I guess, changed his mind. I'm just curious as to why that is, Cummings said. Related Articles President Trump will donate his $400,000 salary at the end of the year, and he hasnt decided where the money will go yet, a White House spokesman said Monday. In his second month as President, Trump faced questions from an NBC News report which noted that he had not offered any proof he has forgone his presidential salary as pledged. Speaking at Mondays press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump will donate the money at the end of the year and suggested that the press corps decide where it goes. The Presidents intention right now is to donate his salary at the end of the year, and he has kindly asked that you all determine where that goes, he said. Spicer said the press corps would be tapped to decide where the money goes as a way to avoid scrutiny, which prompted laughs from the gathered reporters. In all seriousness, I think his view is he made a pledge to the American people he wants to donate it to charity and hed love your help to determine where it should go, Spicer said. During the transition period, Trump told CBSs 60 Minutes he would not be taking a salary as president. Several news organizations, including Politifact and MSNBC, have inquired about whether or not the president has received a salary, but up until Monday spokespeople have only said the president intends to donate his money. As TIMEs Lily Rothman reported in November, President Trump would not be the first commander-in-chief to donate his salary. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Herbet Hoover reportedly gave their money to various causes. By Press Trust of India: Colombo, Mar 13 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today rejected a report that he was planning to meet the Dalai Lama in India. A local news report had claimed that Sirisena was to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader at a university function in Bihar. "The President (Sirisena) has no immediate plans to visit India whatsoever," a statement from his office said. advertisement Sri Lanka supports the One China policy. After Sirisenas victory in 2015, a group of Buddhist monks had invited the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka, a Buddhist majority country, but the visit did not take place. China views the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace laureate who fled into exile in India after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959, as a dangerous separatist. PTI CORR CPS --- ENDS --- White House counsel Don McGahn has assembled a team of elite lawyers with the stated goal of leading Trump Administration efforts to roll back regulatory powers across the U.S. government. The plan of attack, run from the second floor of the West Wing, is designed to take apart what Trump advisor Stephen Bannon has called the Administrative State, the collection of federal agencies that exists to carry out laws passed by Congress and authorities granted to the President. Trump aides argue that these bureaucracies have become an independent federal power sources that sometimes works against the intent of the U.S. Congress and U.S. Constitution. Article I is the Congress, Article II is the President. Article III are the courts. And then theres this administrative state, combining all three, McGahn told TIME in an exclusive interview. They make the law, they enforce the law, and then they decide who violates the law, destroying the constitutional separation of powers that was designed to protect individual liberty. One White House aide described the group of lawyers hired by McGahn as a conservative answer to Naders Raiders, a small group of liberal activists organized by Ralph Nader in the 1960s and 1970s, who successfully fought for greater federal regulation of consumer goods like automobiles and food. McGahn said he had specifically chosen his staff because of their expertise in working inside federal law. They understand the regulatory agencies, several are appellate lawyers who have spent their careers fighting regulatory and government overreach, or worked on Capitol Hill conducting oversight, McGahn said in an interview with TIME. A number of people in the office actually have sued the government over regulatory over reach, and have won. The group, which reports to McGahn, includes Greg Katsas, a deputy White House counsel, who ran the Department of Justices Civil Division during the Bush administration and challenged the Affordable Care Act at the Supreme Court while in private practice. Stacy Cline Amin, an associate counsel, was the Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Associate Counsel John Bash has argued 10 cases before the Supreme Court, clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia and D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a hero of conservatives in the fight against the regulatory system. Story continues Senior Associate Counsel James Burnham successfully argued a challenge to former President Barack Obamas recess appointees to the National Labor Relations Board. Senior Associate Counsel Uttam Dhillon and Associate Counsel Daniel Epstein are both veterans of several Capitol Hill oversight roles. McGahn is no stranger to the struggle himself. A former chairman of the Federal Election Commission and an advocate against some campaign financial legislation, he led the charge in trying to rein in federal regulation of campaigns. When I hear deregulation, all that means is returning the power to decide policy back to those elected by the people, whether it is the House, the Senate, or the President, McGahn said. One priority, McGahn said, will be working toward giving full life to the 2012 Supreme Court case Sackett vs. EPA. That case expanded the ability of Americans to challenge regulatory orders in court. McGahn said the administration would work to support efforts by citizens to object to regulations that affect them. We are looking for these various bureaucracies to be a little more fair, McGahn said. Too often agencies impose penalties without basic due process. Before imposing a penalty or negative ruling, those accused should get an opportunity to be heard. It is fundamentally unfair to do otherwise. The larger goal of rolling back agency regulatory powers also played a role in the selection of Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch, who has proposed abandoning the so-called Chevron doctrinewhich grants federal agencies the first crack at interpreting laws that apply to them before the courts. Emerging from a 1984 Supreme Court ruling, the doctrine stands to be a key flashpoint in his upcoming confirmation hearings. In his responses to a questionnaire from the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gorsuch listed his concurrence in the case, Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Lynch, as the first case when asked for significant decisions he had worked on. In that decision, Gorsuch said the Chevron doctrine was more than a little difficult to square with the Constitution of the framers design. My opinion noted that the Administrative Procedure Act vests the courts with the power and duty to interpret statutory provisions, that deferring to an agencys interpretation may be in tension with Congresss statutory directive, and that this practice may raise due process (fair notice) and separation of powers concerns, Gorsuch wrote to the committee. In some ways the deregulatory stance of the Trump administration is simply conventional conservative practice, directed more by Republican Party thinking than the presidents beliefs. Trump has spoken only generally about his desire to dismantle job-killing regulations, but his team is nothing if not specific. But the presidents top strategist, Bannon, has elevated the issue in recent weeks, including during a recent address to conservative activists. The administrative state is the FEC, the FTC, the FCC, FERC, SEC all that alphabet, Bannon told TIME in an interview last week. All this stuff in environment or EEOC, just on and on and on, coupled with the bureaucracies that do it. Trumps first budget, set to be released this week, will include dramatic cuts to non-defense discretionary spending, including major regulatory bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency. Already the administration has rolled back or delayed scores of Obama-era regulations. Two of the first four bills signed by the presidents rolled back a pair of controversial rules. Presidential orders swiped away the red tape for the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. And the White House Counsels office and the Justice Department are reviewing pending litigation in regulatory cases to determine whether to reverse the governments positions. Its early but the efforts there have been serious first steps, said Philip Wallach a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and an expert on the administrative state. A lot of it will depend on execution, he added. White House aides acknowledge the work may be messy, and argue Trump believes the shakeup is necessary to meet his economic growth targets. Itll be quite controversial, particularly when we get into things like the EPA, Bannon told TIME. But the President believes very strongly you cannot unleash the real animal spirits of the American economy just in tax cuts. The notion of the administrative state is nothing new. Ronald Reagan sought to rein it in during his eight years, but struggled to do more than just contain its growth. But the fight against its growth became a crusade during the Obama years, particularly in conservative legal circles as they watched the former president relied on regulatory action to circumvent an obstructionist Congress. Trump has yet to nominate or fill hundreds of key posts across the government that will determine if he can bend the bureaucracy to his will. Trump has also delayed in making some selections for independent regulatory agencies. Its very hard to overcome the bureaucratic inertia, Wallach said. It will take a lot of professionalism to do a lot of this regulatory work and a lot of effort to deal with the bureaucracy. President Trump will lay a wreath at the grave of President Andrew Jackson on the 250th anniversary of his birth. White House spokesman Sean Spicer noted at a press conference Monday that Trump will visit Jacksons tomb at The Hermitage during a visit to Nashville on Wednesday. The historic plantation, now run as a museum, will be closed to the public that day. Trump is visiting Nashville to hold a campaign rally at the Municipal Auditorium as he promotes a Republican health care bill being considered by the House of Representatives. Its not the first time that Trump has singled out Jackson, a populist who often spoke about the common man who oversaw the Indian Removal Act, a law forcing the moving of the Cherokee nation in what became known as the Trail of Tears. In January, Trump chose to hang a portrait of Jackson in the Oval Office, whom he called an amazing figure in American history very unique so many ways. BOSTON (AP) Tykeam Jackson's mellow voice and warm smile give little hint of how the 21-year-old spent his youth: in and out of juvenile detention and jails, leading a life in Boston's mean streets centered on gangs and guns. "I just kept getting caught," he said. "I was hanging around the wrong crowd." Yet even as a pending criminal case looms over him, he's gaining hope that he can break the cycle that has entangled him with the help of a unique organization called Roca. "Since I've been with Roca, my whole life has done a 360," he said. Roca is a nonprofit seeking to steer hundreds of Massachusetts' highest-risk young men away from a return behind bars. Even the most troublesome participants are exhorted to persist with its multi-year education and job programs; Roca is loath to give up on any of them. If its unorthodox approach works and private investors are betting millions it will it might show a path forward for other states and cities yearning to lower stubbornly high rates of re-incarceration. With more than 2.1 million people held in America's prisons and jails and the annual bill around $80 billion, according to a Brookings Institution study, there has been bipartisan action on many criminal justice reforms but no breakthrough on recidivism. Within five years, 77 percent of ex-prisoners in a 2014 federal study were arrested again; more than half returned to prison. Recidivism rates were highest for inmates 24 or younger at release the age range of Roca's target group. Nearly all have arrest records; the vast majority are school dropouts involved in street gangs. They are, in Roca's words, young men "not ready, willing or able to participate in any other program." "My guys are not going to be Boy Scouts," said Jason Owens, a Roca assistant director. "It's Last Chance University for them. It's either Roca, or jail, or death." Story continues ___ Roca's program, with its pledge that investors will be repaid for its success, is unusual in many ways, yet it reflects changing attitudes nationwide. Politicians and corrections officials are increasingly vocal about stopping the revolving door back to prison. Efforts are intensifying to better prepare inmates for release with job-training and education programs. Yet obstacles abound, from the reluctance of many legislators to pay for re-entry programs to the barriers ex-inmates face in obtaining jobs, driver's licenses and public housing. There's also the problem of "technical violations" of parole and probation terms; many former inmates return to prison not because of a new crime but because they broke a rule. How does Roca, which operates only in Massachusetts, help ex-offenders build a new life? It begins with dogged recruiting by outreach workers. A recruit is then assigned to a work crew and paid minimum wage for tasks such as landscaping and snow removal. "We have to show them how to work," said Aaron Bray, who coordinates the crews. "We expect them to fail sometimes." This outlook contrasts with many other programs that are selective about whom they recruit. "The cops hated us when we first started they saw us as a 'hug a thug' program," said Jason Owens, who served prison time himself before joining Roca's staff 10 years ago. He's on a first-name basis with police and troublemakers alike in Chelsea, home to Roca's headquarters. Chelsea Police Capt. David Batchelor now views Roca as valuable ally. "Most programs, if you violate the rules, you're out," Batchelor said. "Roca's the only one I know of if you break the rules, they'll take you back." Behavioral therapy sessions help Roca participants with anger management. Many take courses leading to a General Education Development diploma. The GED classes are taught one-on-one by volunteers, sometimes in a university library or hospital cafeteria. With gang rivalries, it's deemed too dangerous for many participants to attend classes at Roca's building. "Any rival might kill them on sight," said Roca's Boston director, Shannon McAuliffe. In fact, in February 2015, 21-year-old Kenny Lamour was shot dead by an adversary while working with a Roca snow-clearing crew. Tykeam Jackson also was targeted recently by a rival's gunfire, suffering a leg wound, McAuliffe said. Since he enrolled in Roca in January 2015, he's had two stints in jail and faces charges in a pending carjacking case. "Yet he's still showing up," McAuliffe said. "I'll say, 'You don't have to be here,' and he'll say, 'If I'm not here, Shannon, I'm going to die.'" ___ With its motto "Less jail, more future," Roca aims not just to save young men from wasting their lives but to save taxpayers from wasting money. Roca says the annual cost of incarceration in Massachusetts is about $53,500 per person, while its program costs about $26,000 per person for four years. "No business would be allowed to run as poorly as our prison systems are run," said Molly Baldwin, Roca's CEO and founder. Does Roca's approach really work? Signs are positive. Of young men with the program at least two years, 91 percent have not been re-arrested and 85 percent have held a job at least six months. A more definitive judgment will come in about two years, when outside evaluators assess whether Roca has saved taxpayers' money by curtailing the time its participants are incarcerated. The outcomes of 1,000 Roca participants will be compared with a control group of other high-risk young men. If Roca can reduce prison bed days by 40 percent compared to the control group, the state will repay investors who gave Roca more than $18 million in grants and loans. If Roca reduces prison time by 60 percent, the state's savings will be huge, and the investors will get bonus payments. Meanwhile, participants like Tykeam Jackson look toward their personal future; he'd like go to community college to study business. "When I got to Roca, I felt, 'Take the chance,' because I messed up so much," he said. "I felt it was my last chance." ___ Associated Press writer Rodrique Ngowi in Boston contributed to this report. It is ironic that when you are young, you think you know everything. As you get older, and presumably wiser, you quickly realize you don't know as much as you once thought you did. Research shows that a common thread among leading CEOs, entrepreneurs and world leaders is their commitment to learning. On an obvious level, it stands to reason that pursuit of knowledge helps you to know more things. But what is often overlooked is that being open to new information is a learned skill (and it can be humbling). When we throw ourselves off-kilter, we must use many mental and emotional "muscles" to get back to an equilibrium. Repeating this process often increases our mental flexibility and agility, and strengthens our mental "core." These aspects of lifelong learning can be significant to surging forward professionally while your peers may be stagnant. If you are looking to advance your career, here are some ways to boost your knowledge. [See: The 6 Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance.] Digital skills development. Technology is fundamental in every profession to communicate, increase efficiency, track information, account for revenue, measure activity and more. When properly leveraged, digital tools can enable you to outperform your competitors or peers. However, these tools evolve constantly. Many workers learn things once and leave the ongoing knowledge to their younger peers -- but this is a path to stagnation in every profession. Take the time to master the digital tools used in your industry. Start with learning your communication tools -- Outlook or Google products, most likely. There are many online and free "help" resources embedded in these products that enable you to move beyond knowing just enough to get by. There are shortcut keys to help you quickly create emails and calendar events or toggle between screens. Additionally, there are many organizational, project management and collaboration tools that aid in minimizing unnecessary duplication of efforts and keep you on track. Mastery of digital communication not only saves you precious time, but it conveys a more sophisticated professional image in any industry. Story continues [See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.] Challenge yourself to learn more about the software you use to create documents, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You can also master file-sharing products like OneDrive, Dropbox and Box as well as video and web-based conferencing with products like GoToMeeting, RingCentral and Cisco WebEx. These collaboration tools enable you to connect with peers and customers in the most efficient and tech-savvy way. These products are designed to be accessible to a wide range of users and include help functions, user guides, chat groups and even videos. It just requires taking the time to access the information. With the average employee at a basic level, even a little enhanced knowledge can go a long way. Soft skills development. Development of your EQ (emotional intelligence or soft skills) has never been more important and easier. According to a Forbes.com story, "... people with a high degree of emotional intelligence make more money -- an average of $29,000 more per year than people with a low degree of emotional intelligence." Start by determining what things you would like to improve -- such as collaboration on a team, being a leader, negotiating, etc. Once you have your goal, start online. Seek out TED Talks, YouTube, LinkedIn Learning or Khan Academy videos as well as blogs written by respected professionals to start the process. Learning directly from some of the world's leading experts gives you a great boost. You can then supplement that knowledge with more time- and financial-consuming activities like reading books, attending a class or joining a group to foster your development. For example, Toastmasters is an ideal group to join if you feel your public speaking and communication skills are holding you back. Large companies many even have the resources in house -- but anyone with internet access and a library card can take advantage of these opportunities. [See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.] Industry knowledge. Again, never has it been easier to stay connected to information and trends impacting your field of work. For a low level of commitment, select a couple of blogs, influencers or industry-specific resources to follow online or listen to in podcast format. Make it a habit to read, watch or listen about your industry at least one hour a month. Just doing that is likely to put you ahead of your peers. If you want to take it further, join an industry association or attend a conference. This requires shaking up your routine a little, but the 12 to 24 hours that you may commit over the course of the year at events has huge returns. You will learn more, network with people who can add value to your career and have interesting talking points to share at your next work meeting or review. Most likely you will perform better in your current job, as well. Grade school teachers are right in their quest to build lifelong learners. While any of us can access information, actually learning and integrating new information is a skill, and it pays off big professionally. Results are possible with the addition of even one new learning habit -- like listening to a podcast, reading a blog or taking 10 minutes each week to get better at using your digital tools. Take the time to enhance yourself professionally with a little more knowledge every week. It's a great defense against an ever-changing professional landscape. Robin Reshwan is the founder of Collegial Services, a consulting and staffing firm that connects college students and business professionals with the organizations that hire them. She has interviewed, placed and hired thousands of people across a broad spectrum of companies and industries. She is a Careers contributor for U.S. News and World Report and her career tips and advice have been used by national clubs, associations and businesses in addition to media outlets such as Yahoo, Business Insider, Fast Company, Monster, Kiplinger and Schools.com. Robin is also a frequent speaker on professional development for the alumni associations at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and University of California, Davis, plus the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary's College of California. A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Robin has been honored as a Professional Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women's Association. By Nick Brown (Reuters) - A group holding more than $10 billion of Puerto Rican debt wants the islands federally appointed financial oversight board to postpone a Wednesday deadline to approve a fiscal turnaround plan for Puerto Rico, saying the U.S. territorys creditors should have input on the plan. A bondholder group led by OppenheimerFunds and Franklin Advisers, which hold debt across a wide swath of Puerto Rican credits, made the request to the board in a letter made public on Monday morning, ahead of the boards scheduled public meeting in New York. An extension would ... allow Puerto Rico and the oversight board to work with Puerto Ricos key stakeholders to develop a fiscal plan that makes sense to all the parties, the group said. The turnaround plan, a requirement of the Puerto Rico rescue law known as PROMESA, must be submitted by Governor Ricardo Rossello and approved by the seven-member board in charge of managing the islands finances. The plan is meant to serve as the basis for looming restructuring talks with holders of Puerto Ricos $70 billion in debt. So far, Rossello and the board have disagreed about what the blueprint should look like, with the board saying an initial draft by Rossello relied on overly optimistic revenue and growth projections. The draft increased 10-year cash flows by $33.8 billion, through spending cuts and new revenues, and contemplated $1.2 billion a year in debt service - only 30 percent of what it owes next fiscal year. The board on Monday is expected to take up a revised version of the plan from Rossello, and has said it wants to approve a final version by Wednesday. But the lingering disagreements between the board and Rossello call for an extension, the Oppenheimer group said in Mondays letter, adding that more time might give the islands creditors a seat at the table. Oppenheimer said Rossellos draft plan was unfeasible, saying it ignored payment priorities, offered too weak an analysis on debt sustainability, and did not go far enough on tax reform measures. Puerto Rico is trying to stem rampant out-migration, reduce a 45 percent poverty rate, and fix near-insolvent public healthcare and pension systems. Oppenheimer said it supported extending through Dec. 31 a stay on litigation arising from debt defaults, so sides can negotiate a debt restructuring without worrying about lawsuits. (Reporting by Nick Brown in New YOrk; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Nick Brown NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said on Monday he does not want to "destroy" the pending debt restructuring deal for the island's ailing power utility, but wants to "get a better one" as the U.S. territory's fiscal situation worsens. Rossello said in an interview that he was invited to Washington for a U.S. congressional hearing on March 22 to discuss the fate of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, also known as PREPA. The new governor said he is aware that his unwillingness to rubber-stamp the existing deal, whereby PREPAs creditors would take a 15 percent cut on their $8 billion in debt, has vexed stakeholders who thought they were close to a resolution. But Puerto Ricos financial picture has deteriorated since the deal was first struck, the governor said, adding that he is willing to renegotiate within the existing framework. "If I didn't care, I would have just blown the deal up," Rossello told Reuters. "I'm not here to destroy a deal, I'm here to get a better one, based on the reality that things have changed." PREPA's fate is one of the most contentious issues on an island facing $70 billion in debt. It was a focal point at Monday's public meeting in New York of the islands federally appointed financial oversight board. During the meeting, the oversight board approved Rossellos revised blueprint to steer the island out of economic crisis. [nL2N1GQ0TY]. The board voiced support for Rossellos efforts to extract deeper concessions from PREPA creditors. They have grumbled privately that his opposition to the deal is political since it dates back more than a year to his predecessors time in office. The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources said it would hold a hearing on the status of the deal. Rossello said he "received an invitation" to the hearing. "Ill be there," he said, but would not say if he had been subpoenaed. AUSTERITY MEASURES Rossello also discussed austerity measures ordered by the board as conditions for its approval of the fiscal plan, including reducing pension spending by 10 percent. The governor said he would not cut benefits to the islands most vulnerable retirees. "The board and I are a little over $100 million apart there... and I dont see any way I can reduce pensions of people already having a hard time getting medications and things," he said. Rossello believes the island will avoid other austerity measures including furloughs and cuts to Christmas bonuses that the board has directed the utility to impose if it cannot find another $200 million to shore up its accounts by April 30. "I'm very confident we'll have $200 million in reserve cash, so that we can jump over that obstacle," he said. (Reporting By Nick Brown; Editing by Daniel Bases and Diane Craft) Berlin (AFP) - Turkey and its NATO allies are locked in one of their worst disputes in years, with Ankara levelling accusations of "Nazism" and European nations toughening their stance. Here's a look at what's at the heart of the row and what's at stake for the parties in the conflict. - What is the dispute about? - Ankara has been dispatching ministers to various European countries to win votes from the Turkish diaspora ahead of a crucial referendum on April 16. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government is urging the electorate to vote "yes", which would strengthen his powers and scrap the prime minister's post. With an electorate numbering as many as 1.4 million in Germany alone, the voter base abroad is one that Erdogan cannot afford to ignore. But the rallies have not been universally welcomed in the EU. Ties with Turkey were already frayed over various human rights issues -- especially the tens of thousands of arrests and sackings that followed the failed coup last July to topple Erdogan. - How did the row start? - It erupted on March 2, when the western German town of Gaggenau withdrew a hall rental agreement for a rally by Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, citing capacity problems. Other local authorities followed suit, sparking fury in Ankara. Erdogan lashed out at Germany, accusing it of "Nazi practices" in blocking the rallies. The outburst met with consternation in Berlin. Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled her government was not opposed to such rallies but stressed they must meet regulations. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, after struggling to find a venue, finally addressed supporters from the balcony of the consul general's residence in Hamburg. Turkey has since provided a list of upcoming campaign appearances in Germany. - Why did the crisis escalate? - Unlike Germany, The Netherlands simply refused to allow Cavusoglu's plane to land and expelled Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, after explicitly warning it did not welcome such rallies. Story continues Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his government had sought to find a compromise for a "meeting of a small, private nature in the Turkish consulate or embassy", but this was "made impossible when we were threatened with sanctions". Erdogan at the weekend twice accused the Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces during World War II. With the far-right mounting a major challenge in the Netherlands' general election on Wednesday, Rutte is in no mood to indulge Ankara. He has insisted Erdogan's rhetoric is unacceptable and that it's Ankara that should apologise. - Why doesn't Turkey try to calm everyone down? - Analysts believe Erdogan may be playing to the gallery. "Erdogan is looking for 'imagined' foreign enemies to boost his nationalist base in the run-up to the April 16 referendum, having run out of domestic adversaries he can cast as the 'enemy of the people'," said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Programme at The Washington Institute. "It's as simple as that and the Dutch walked into this trap. They should have just ignored the pro-Erdogan rally. By blocking it, they may have given Erdogan a lifeline to eke out a victory in the referendum," Cagaptay added. - Where is the EU in all this? - Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern called for an EU-wide ban on such rallies, saying it would help take pressure off individual countries. But Merkel's chief of staff Peter Altmaier noted that while the EU as a whole can decide on holding off on further membership negotiations with Turkey, he "has doubts" on whether they should jointly decide on a rally ban. - Is there a way out of the crisis? - For Marc Pierini, the EU's former envoy to Turkey, "in the short-term, there is no way out of the crisis because the referendum's outcome in Turkey is very tight and the leadership will do everything to ramp up the nationalist narrative to garner more votes". "In the medium-term, one can hope that the fever will subside. Yet, bridges have been burned at a personal level: using a 'Nazi' narrative is the most extreme (insult) one can possibly use in EU politics and will most probably prevent any summit meeting between the EU and Turkey for a while," he warned. By Press Trust of India: From M Zulqernain Lahore, Mar 13 (PTI) The Lahore High Courts new bench will take up on March 20 thepetition filed by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and four otherschallenging their house arrest under the anti-terrorism act. The Lahore High Court today fixed the date of the hearing in the case for March 20 following the change of the two- member bench by Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. advertisement The new two-member bench is headed by Justice Syed Kazim Raza Shamsi. The hearing scheduled for March 7 could not be held because of the change of the bench which washeaded by Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan. In the last hearing, the court had served a notice on the Punjab government seeking a reply on Saeeds petition by March 7. Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid have filed the petition in the Lahore High Court and challenged their detention through senior advocate A K Dogar. The government on January 30 had put Saeed and the four leaders of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest in Lahore under the countrys anti- terrorism act. In their petition, Saeed and the four others had said the government in light of interior ministrys order detained them for a period of 90 days, with effect from January 30, in exercise of powers under the Anti Terrorism Act. They requested the court to declare the government order malafide, without jurisdiction and one that voids the fundamental right to their life and liberty. The names of Saeed and 37 other JuD and FIF leaders had earlier also been placed on the Exit Control List, barring them from leaving the country. Earlier, the Lahore High Court had dismissed a petition filed by a senior advocate Erum Sajjad Gull on technical grounds, observing that the petitioner had not furnished the impugned notification of Saeeds detention. Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attack in November 2008, but he was freed by a court in 2009. Saeed also carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. PTI MZ ASK ASK --- ENDS --- (Reuters) - If the Republicans' plan to dismantle most of Obamacare is approved later this month by the U.S. House of Representatives, where it cleared initial hurdles last week, it would go next to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. At least nine Republican senators have expressed concerns about the plan, which is moving forward in the House without a clear assessment of its impact on the federal budget or how it would impact the level of health insurance among Americans. The plan would roll back much of former Democratic President Barack Obama's 2010 Affordable Care Act, retain some parts of it and substitute other new parts. Democrats say it goes too far. Some Republican conservatives say it doesn't go far enough. Republicans dominate the House, but have only 52 seats in the 100-seat Senate. Supporters of the Republican plan would need only a simple majority to pass it, under current plans. Here are some Republican senators who have raised questions about the House plan, or outright opposed it: Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky: He has called the plan "Obamacare Lite," saying it stops short of full repeal. He has reintroduced a bill to repeal Obamacare that was approved by Republicans a little over a year ago, but was vetoed by Obama. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas: Cruz reportedly said on March 8 that he had "significant concerns" about the plan and that it could pass the Senate in its current form. But he added he would work hard to improve it. That night, he and his family dined at the White House with Republican President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for the House plan. Senator Mike Lee of Utah: He said on March 7 the plan was a "step in the wrong direction" and expressed concern that it was not known how much it would cost and whether it would make health care more affordable. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas: On March 9 he urged the House to pull back, saying the plan could not pass the Senate without changes. Senator Susan Collins of Maine: She has concerns about the House bill. She voted against repealing Obamacare a little over a year ago because it would have taken federal funds from women's healthcare provider Planned Parenthood, which also provides abortion services. The current House bill would strip funds from Planned Parenthood. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio: He and three other senators raised concerns in a letter last week about a Feb. 10 draft of the House plan, saying they wanted to be sure it will protect people enrolled in Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado: He signed the letter of concern about the plan. In a March 9 telephone town hall, Gardner reportedly did not say whether the current House bill met his standards on Medicaid. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska: She also signed the letter of concern about the plan's effect on Medicaid. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia: She, too, signed the letter of concern about the Medicaid impact. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Leslie Adler) WASHINGTON Democrats seized on the Congressional Budget Offices report estimating that 24 million fewer Americans would be insured under the Republican health care plan 10 years from now, arguing their colleagues should abandon the effort. House Speaker Paul Ryan put a positive spin on the report. The White House disputed its accuracy. My god. Stop this now, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy Tweeted at Ryan shortly after the report was released late Monday afternoon. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif, called the 24 million figure catastrophic. #CBO says 14m immediately lose insurance, rising to 26m. Premiums go up for millions more. My god. Stop this now, @SpeakerRyan. Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 13, 2017 The CBOs 24 million figure is significantly higher than other independent analyses estimated, and raises questions about President Trumps initial claims that no one would lose their health care coverage under his plan. The CBO projected that costs eventually would be higher for older people buying coverage and lower for younger people, averaging out to a 10 percent reduction in premiums on the individual market 10 years from now. The CBO also found that the law would reduce the deficit by $337 billion over 10 years. The CBOs estimate makes clear that Trumpcare will cause serious harm to millions of American families, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement. Tens of millions will lose their coverage, and millions more, particularly seniors, will have to pay more for health care. This should be a looming stop sign for the Republicans repeal effort. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters the White House strenuously disagreed with the report, and said it was not believable that 14 million people would lose insurance next year after the bill passed. Story continues Meanwhile, Ryan released a statement putting a positive spin on the report, arguing it confirms that his legislation will lower premiums and improve access to quality, affordable care. He argued that the Republican Congress could take additional steps to lower costs that are not reflected in the analysis. Our plan is not about forcing people to buy expensive, one-size-fits-all coverage, he said. It is about giving people more choices and better access to a plan they want and can afford. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., center, standing with Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., right, and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., left, speaks during a news conference on the American Health Care Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Other GOP members of Congress suggested that the millions of people who will lose coverage may not want the insurance in the first place. The Republican bill repeals the individual mandate, instead penalizing people with higher premiums if they leave and reenter the individual market. Unlike Obamacare, our plan does not force Americans to buy insurance plans they may not want or even need, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement. At least one Republican senator expressed dismay at the government offices prediction that 24 million fewer people would be covered. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement the CBO report was a cause for alarm and that House Republicans should slow down their process of reforming the health care system. A slew of senators heading to the Capitol to vote Monday night, including Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, both Republicans from Iowa, said they had not yet had a chance to read the report. Im going to read it tonight, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, said. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said he would read it carefully. I think were off to a good beginning, he said of the health care bill. On the floor of the Senate, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called the bill Robin Hood in reverse. Its clear this is an eye-popping transfer of wealth away from older people, women and kids and the most vulnerable into the wallets of the fortunate few, Wyden said, referring to the bill, which cuts Obamacares payroll tax on wealthy Americans. Somehow people have the chutzpah to say its a health care bill? I dont think so. The legislation is scheduled to be marked up in the House Budget Committee Wednesday before moving to a floor vote. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Colorado Rockies lost one of their biggest offseason acquisitions when Ian Desmond was hit by a pitch Sunday, breaking his left hand. Desmond was plunked by Cincinnati right-hander Rookie Davis with a 93 mph fastball in the fourth inning of the Rockies' 9-8 loss in spring training. The team says the preliminary diagnosis on Desmond is a left hand fracture, and he will see a specialist on Monday. The Rockies signed Desmond to a $70 million, five-year contract over the winter to help balance out their lineup. Desmond broke into the majors as a shortstop and played in the outfield last year with Texas, but was transitioning to first base with Colorado. The 31-year-old Desmond hit .285 with 22 homers and 86 RBIs this year in his lone season with the Rangers, earning his first All-Star trip since 2012. He also had 21 steals and scored a career-high 107 runs. He broke into the majors in 2009 with Washington and is a .267 hitter with 132 homers and 518 RBIs in eight seasons. Moscow (AFP) - Russia put a blogger on trial Monday on charges of offending religious believers and fomenting hatred by posting a video online that showed him hunting Pokemon in a church. Ruslan Sokolovsky, 22, faces up to seven years in prison over the YouTube video of him zapping Pokemon on a smartphone in a Russian Orthodox church in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. The video which Sokolovsky posted in August 2016 has been viewed more than 1.6 million times on YouTube. He has pleaded not guilty in the case which has been compared to that of the Pussy Riot punk art group, whose 2012 "punk prayer" in a Moscow cathedral led to two-year prison terms. "I didn't aim to offend anyone," Sokolovsky said in court in a video broadcast by Life News, adding that he was ready to apologise if anyone was offended. He said he created the videos "with critical and polemical aims", describing himself as an atheist. The Russian Orthodox Church has accused him of blasphemy over the stunt in a church built on the spot where the Bolsheviks shot Russia's last tsar and his family in 1918. "I didn't ask these people to watch my video clips" Sokolovsky told journalists during a break. "Who is the Russian Orthodox Church that I have to publicly repent in front of them?" Sokolovsky spent several months in prison ahead of the trial, though he is now under house arrest. Amnesty International has condemned the charges against him as "farcical" and called him a prisoner of conscience. He also faces a separate charge of illegally possessing a "spy pen" with a recording function, which was found in a search of his flat. In court, he said that the pen is widely available to buy and unsuitable for covert recording. Russia, its not Putin. Its normal people who want to live in a normal country. So said Evgenia Chirikova, Russian environmental activist. Chirikova has lived (on a Russian passport) in Estonia since 2015. Prior to that, she lived in Khimki, outside of Moscow, and worked against the construction of a motorway from Moscow to St. Petersburg that would cut through Khimki forest and, through French company Vinci and offshore accounts, allegedly to enrich Arkady Rotenberg, personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. She is one of a surprising number of Russians, given the stakes in Russia today and limited attention and support from abroad, who attempt to stand up to the state. Chirikova was ultimately unable to halt the construction of the motorway (although, in 2010, Dmitri Medvedev, then president of Russia, issued a temporary moratorium on the project). But in the process of trying, Chirikova and her group, Save Khimki Forest Movement, brought thousands out to protest and collected tens of thousands of signatures, and found that, contrary to popular western belief, Russian grassroots run deep. Grassroots activism, Chirikova explained in an interview with Foreign Policy between sips of her very sugary coffee, is very different from NGOs. Its thousands of people coming together to fight for issues that directly impact their lives, and its evidenced not only in Khimki, but all over Russia. Offering examples of environmental activism alone, Chirikova pointed to Karelia, where pensioners protested in 2016; to Chelyabinsk, where a group of activists, foresters, and bloggers came together to prevent planned construction in the summer of 2010; to Moscow, where the capitals citizens protest loss of green space, and, in particular, their Friendship Park just last summer. They are also protesting corruption, as Chirikova herself was. It is widely believed that construction projects, particularly in places that make construction difficult, are meant to enrich Putins inner circle. Each problem in Russia, she said, be it environmental or social, is a question of corruption. Story continues Corruption has the added benefit of being something the average person can understand. Corruption is a winning issue for opposition-minded activists, Timothy Frye, head of Columbia Universitys political science department, told FP. The population may not be swayed by high-minded ideals that they see as divorced from their everyday life, but corruption, which permeates everyday life, they can understand. And, contrary to popular belief, all the survey evidence suggests that Russians really dont like corruption very much, Frye said. Still, activists struggle to get their message out. Its really very difficult to work against Putins propaganda, Chirikova conceded, particularly given the difference in resources between Russian grassroots activists and the Kremlin. There have been some slow, hard-won gains. Some members of Chirikovas Khimki group are now deputies in local councils. (Frye notes activists are in local councils even in Moscow, although their abilities to actually enact change are limited). And, from Estonia, where Chirikova moved after authorities threatened to take her children away, she runs a site intended to raise awareness on grassroots activism, give Russian activists resources based on her experiences, and to connect people all over Russia. She has also, from a distance, found perspective on those who support Putin. In Russia, I was very aggressive against people who support Putin. Against propaganda. And I was angry, she said. I think that when youre angry, you cannot understand any people. You cannot support these people. And I think that propaganda, its like poison. And its not the problem of people they take this poison. Its the problem of Putin regime. Now, she says, I only pity these people. Which, she concludes, is better and more productive than hate. Photo credit: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images Critics often complain that Saturday Night Live, especially this season, has a decided liberal bend. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has called the show mean, and President Trump himself has often referred to SNL as totally biased and not funny. SNL largely stuck to the same script last night, featuring one sketch with Alec Baldwin mocking President Trump's leadership skills and another blasting his daughter, Ivanka. But the show also tore into liberals in a skit about scientists that have figured out a way to communicate to a lovable bulldog named Max. "I like Trump. He's my man," Max tells the shocked scientists, including his owner Helen (portrayed by host Scarlett Johansson), who thinks there must be a glitch. Theres no glitch. Donald Trump is our president, Max says. He carried the Electoral College fair and square. As her team of horrified scientists try to fix the problem, Johannson scolds Max, telling him hes just a dumb dog that doesnt know anything. Excuse me, Helen, but yes I do, Max shoots back. Its that condescending attitude that made people want to vote for Trump in the first place. You just assume that because Im a Trump supporter that Im a xenophobic racist, Max says, pointing out that Johannson hasnt invited a single black person into their apartment. Johansson mentions that Maxs best friend is a Chihuahua, and reminds the dog that Trump wants to deport Mexicans. If Aquino was born here, he has nothing to worry about, Max says. This is a nation of laws. Upset and angered by Maxs opinion of Trump, cast member Cecily Strong, who played an executive in charge of the project, bluntly tells Johanssons scientist, Youre dog is a monster. Watch: "SNL" has done a number of sketches this season that have hit the left. In one, the host of Black Jeopardy is surprised that a white Trump support has a lot in common with the other black contestants. In another, we see liberals in denial over Trumps election wanting to move into a bubble protecting their progressive ideas from other forms of thinking. Story continues There was also a sketch during an episode hosted by David Chappelle, where we see white New York liberals melt down during election night as it becomes clear Trump is going to win. Most Popular on Philly.com RIYADH (Reuters) - Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in charge of Saudi Arabia's reforms, left on Monday for Washington to meet President Donald Trump on a visit expected to promote the world's top oil exporter as an investment destination. It will be the first meeting since Trump took office in January between the U.S. President and the powerful prince leading the kingdom's efforts to revive state finances by diversifying away from falling crude oil revenues. Under the plan, which seeks to promote the private sector and make state-owned companies more efficient, Riyadh plans to sell up to 5 percent of state oil giant Saudi Aramco in what is expected to be the world's biggest initial public offering. Facing a growing budget deficit after recent falls in oil prices, the kingdom also announced an austerity drive to reduce state spending, although industry sources say it has also promised major development projects later this year to soften the economic impact of those cuts. A royal court statement said that in his talks with Trump and other U.S. officials, Prince Mohammed, who heads a supercommittee driving economic reform and is also Saudi defense minister, was expected to "discuss reinforcing bilateral relations and review regional issues of mutual interest". It said that the working visit would start on Thursday but gave no further details. John Sfakianakis, director of economic research a the Gulf Research Center, said the focus of the visit would be "to showcase Saudi investment opportunities... the Saudi Aramco IPO as well as the reforms undertaken in the wider economic space." The trip takes place less than a year after the prince, son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the second in line to the throne, visited Silicon Valley to sell his vision of market-oriented reforms and a transformation of the kingdom's society. By freeing the kingdom from the statist model of its past, he hopes ultimately to create new private sector jobs for younger people in a country where half the population of 21 million Saudis -- there are also 10 million expatriates -- are estimated to be under 25. Younger Saudis face entrenched unemployment, a skills shortage, a lack of housing and growing pressure on living standards as the kingdom's oil income grows ever less able to finance the needs of a rising population. King Salman is currently in Japan on a month-long Asia tour to build ties with the world's fastest growing importers of Saudi crude and promote investment opportunities, including the sale of a stake in its giant state firm Saudi Aramco. Trump spoke by telephone with Salman soon after he took office in January and agreed to support safe zones in Syria, according to a White House statement. Salman invited Trump "to lead a Middle East effort to defeat terrorism and to help build a new future, economically and socially," for Saudi Arabia and the region, Saudi media reported. Before his departure for the United States, Prince Mohammed met Citigroups Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss investment opportunities in the kingdom and globally, SPA reported. (Reporting by Mohamed El Sharif, Marwa Rashad and Katie Paul in Riyadh, Writing by Sami Aboudi and William Maclean, Editing by Dominic Evans) By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Mar 13 (PTI) A man was allegedly shot dead by an unidentified person in an alley at suburban Dharavi here today, police said. According to the police the victim who is yet to be identified looked to be around 30 to 35 years old. The incident took place around 1 PM in Sangam-gulli near Milan hotel in Dharavi, police said. advertisement The bullet fired by the assailant hit the victims forehead, said police. After hearing the gunshots, people called up the control room and informed the police. He was rushed to the nearby Sion hospital by people with the help of police, but was declared dead before admission, the official said. The shooter fled from the spot after firing the bullets, he added. The matter is being investigated and the motive behind the murder can be ascertained only after the identity of the victim is established, said police officials. A team of forensic experts has reached the spot, the official added. PTI DC RMT --- ENDS --- TOKYO (AP) Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed Monday to explore ways to bolster Japanese investment and trade in the Middle Eastern nation, possibly by setting up special economic zones there. King Salman and about a thousand businesspeople from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks this week focusing on the economy, as the country seeks a less oil-dependent growth strategy. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Salman that Japan wants to "vigorously advance its ties with Saudi Arabia, which is the linchpin of stability in the Middle East." The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. The two leaders agreed to promote Japanese investment, research and manufacturing, possibly through special economic zones. They also agreed to seek a possible share listing of Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatized, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The two countries also will cooperate in promoting renewable energy as well as seawater desalination by Japanese companies. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida earlier Monday. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion private fund for technology investments. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its imports of oil from the Middle East. Trade between the countries fell last year as oil prices dropped. Japanese imports from Saudi Arabia totaled 2.1 trillion yen ($18.6 billion) in 2016, mostly oil and gas, compared to exports of 546.3 billion yen ($4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late Sunday on about 10 aircraft. Salman, 81, is on a monthlong tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. His stop in Japan followed visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. Story continues Salman pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation in combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drug trade. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report. Edinburgh (AFP) - Scotland's announcement on Monday that it will begin preparations for a new independence bid raised the spectre of one of Brexit's most feared consequences -- the break-up of the United Kingdom. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would seek the semi-autonomous Scottish parliament's authority next week to ask the UK government in London for the powers to hold a referendum before Britain leaves the EU. The decision heightened the uncertainty surrounding Britain as London braces for two years of tough negotiations to leave the European Union -- itself an unprecedented step. The Scottish move also triggered secessionist calls from nationalists in Northern Ireland and Wales. Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum by a majority of 55 percent but recent polls indicate support for the union in pro-EU Scotland is declining as Brexit looms. A BMG survey for Scottish daily The Herald released Monday found that 52 percent were against breaking off from the rest of Britain, while an Ipsos MORI poll last week put the number at 51 percent. The University of Aberdeen's Scottish politics chair Michael Keating said the outcome was "wide open". But Sturgeon does not want a vote immediately "because it's the worst possible time to hold a referendum on independence: the price of oil is down and the economy is not doing very well," he told AFP. An independent Scotland would be hugely dependent on oil revenues from the North Sea fields and secession would raise many pressing economic issues, including what currency the new state could adopt. Sturgeon said the new independence referendum could be held between late 2018 and early 2019, once the outline of the Brexit agreement becomes clear but before Britain actually leaves the EU. The European Commission swiftly warned that Scotland would have to reapply to join the EU if it became independent from Britain. The EU's executive arm recalled comments by its former chief Jose Manuel Barroso, before the last Scottish independence referendum in 2014, that a newly independent Scotland would have to reapply to join the bloc. Story continues "Yes, the Barroso doctrine applies, it's clear," Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a briefing in Brussels. - 'Worst possible time' - For months, Sturgeon has pushed for Scotland to be allowed to stay in the European single market even as the rest of Britain pulls out but on Monday she said she had been faced with "a brick wall of intransigence". "I will now take the steps necessary to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process," the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) leader said of Brexit. The British government retorted that it would seek a deal with Brussels for the whole of Britain including Scotland. "Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time," Downing Street said. A spokesman cited the SNP's claim that the 2014 vote "would decide the issue for a generation", without however explicitly ruling out permission for Scotland to hold a vote. Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable." Mark Diffley, director of Ipsos MORI Scotland, said May could refuse a referendum outright "with the risk that public opinion in Scotland will move firmly behind independence" or agree to allow Scotland to hold it only after Britain leaves the EU. In the June 2016 Brexit referendum, 62 percent within Scotland voted for Britain to remain in the EU, but across the UK as a whole, 52 percent voted to leave. - 'End of the UK'? - The SNP runs a minority administration in Edinburgh, but with Green support they have the numbers required to back the call for a second referendum. Scottish opposition leader Ruth Davidson said Sturgeon's "utterly irresponsible" and "partisan" proposal "offers Scotland the worst of all worlds". "Her timetable would force people to vote blind on the biggest political decision a country could face," the Conservative said. Meanwhile Irish Republicans Sinn Fein called for a swift referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK and joining the Republic of Ireland. "That needs to happen as soon as possible," said Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's leader in Northern Ireland. And Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru said Sturgeon's announcement meant the time had come for a national debate about Wales's future. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said Sturgeon's announcement "could lead to the end of the UK as a state". White House press secretary Sean Spicer defended President Trumps sometimes-tenuous relationship with the truth by saying that he can be taken at his word unless hes joking. Amid confusion over several of Trumps fact-free assertions, Peter Alexander of NBC News asked Spicer on Wednesday whether people should trust the president to tell the truth. If hes not joking, of course, Spicer said to laughter of disbelief from the press corps. Every time that he speaks authoritatively, that he speaks, hes speaking as president of the United States. Spicer claimed that Trump was not lying earlier this month when he accused former President Barack Obama while declaring it a fact of having wiretapped his campaign during the 2016 presidential election. Id bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election! Trump declared in a string of angry tweets. According to Spicer, Trump was using the word wiretapping metaphorically to represent surveillance methods in general. Should they trust the president? Alexander asked. Is it phony or real that President Obama was wiretapping? White House press secretary Sean Spicer talks to the media about surveillance during the 2016 presidential campaign and other topics on March 13, 2017. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) He doesnt really think that President Obama went up and tapped his phone personally, Spicer said of Trump. But I think theres no question that the Obama administration, that there were actions about surveillance and other activities that occurred in the 2016 election. The White House spokesman added, The president used the word wiretapping in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities during that. Last week, Obama dismissed the allegation as baseless, and the House Intelligence Committee gave the Trump administration until Monday to provide any evidence of wiretapping. Hallie Jackson, also from NBC News, pointed out to Spicer that he has both said that Trumps tweets speaks for themselves and has clarified certain tweets, such as the Obama wiretapping allegation. Story continues When do you decide when a presidents tweets when his words are open to interpretation, and when those words stand on their own? Jackson asked. He literally had it in quotes, Spicer said of Trumps bombshell and evidence-free wiretapping allegation, again making air quotes with his fingers. He said it was in quotes. It was referring to surveillance overall. Its something that had been referred to in other reports. Throughout the press conference, Spicer repeatedly defended Trump for having dismissed widely accepted, positive employment figures under Obama as phony, while celebrating the new, cheerful job numbers under his administration as very real. Spicer also declined to give a straight answer on whether or not Congressional Budget Office numbers are legitimate, ahead of the nonpartisan agencys review of the Republicans Obamacare replacement bill. Republicans, including Spicer and Trump, have repeatedly touted the CBOs estimates in the past. But last week, Spicer sought to discredit the CBO, arguing that its initial review of the Affordable Care Act failed to hit the mark. Just, yes or no. Are CBO numbers legitimate or not? Jackson asked. Thats not my determination to make, he said. Read more from Yahoo News: By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) - Vandals scrawled graffiti claiming the Holocaust was "fake history" on an exterior wall of a Seattle synagogue, leading the rabbi to urge President Donald Trump to more forcefully denounce a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in recent months. Seattle police said they were investigating the vandalism at Temple De Hirsch Sinai as a hate crime after an off-duty officer spotted it on Friday. "Holocaust is fake history!" read the spray-painted message, with each letter S written as dollar signs. The graffiti, along with bomb threats against five U.S. Jewish community centers and one in Canada, were the latest incidents targeting Jewish organizations in recent months. In Seattle, Rabbi Daniel Weiner linked the incidents to what he characterized as permissiveness toward white supremacy from parts of the electorate during the 2016 presidential election campaign. "A message needs to come from our president, not only decrying anti-Semitism but specifically indicting white supremacists and in particular those who support his candidacy," Weiner said, also referring to the bomb threats, vandalism against Jewish cemeteries and aggression against Muslims, Sikhs and immigrants. Weiner did not blame Trump or his administration directly but regretted "the tone that has been set throughout the campaign," when white nationalists embraced the Trump campaign. THREATS CALLED 'DESPICABLE' Trump has denounced the anti-Semitic incidents, notably at the start of his address to Congress on Feb. 28. Weiner welcomed the response, even though he said he was "disheartened that it took cajoling and there was such a delay." After a wave of bomb threats on Tuesday, the Trump administration denounced them "in the strongest terms," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said, promising to search for ways to stop them. More threats came later in the week and into the weekend. Bomb threats were received on Sunday by Jewish community centers in Indiana, Texas, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Vancouver, British Columbia, the Jewish Community Center Association of North America said. Sunday's threats brought the total this year to 128 incidents at 87 community centers, the association said. So far, all have been hoaxes. Story continues On Sunday, police evacuated a Jewish Community Center in suburban Milwaukee after a bomb threat - the center's fourth within two months, Whitefish Bay police spokeswoman Jenny Heyden said in a telephone interview. In New York state, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester was closed because of a bomb threat, authorities and the JCC association said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the threat despicable and said in a statement on Sunday he had directed New York State Police to work with federal and local authorities to investigate the threat. "I am profoundly disturbed and disgusted by the continued threats against the Jewish community in New York," Cuomo said. In more than a dozen countries, it is against the law to publicly deny that Jews were the victims of genocide in Europe during the Nazi era, but such speech is permitted in the United States under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Investigators said there was evidence some of the U.S. bomb threats may be linked to similar incidents in Britain. The American incidents prompted all 100 U.S. senators last week to ask the federal government to help Jewish groups enhance security. More than 140 Jewish community center leaders also wrote to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions expressing frustration with the investigation. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York; Additional reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Frank McGurty and Peter Cooney) Two jet skiers are speaking out after they came dangerously close to an approaching cruise ship in Florida over the weekend. Read: Lyft Driver Speaks from Hospital Bed After Brutal Highway Beating: 'What Did I Do to Deserve That?' Skylar Penpasuglia, 19, and 20-year-old Allison Garrett of Princeton, W. Va., were frightened as their jet ski overturned in the water off Port Canaveral Saturday. Brevard County Sheriffs Deputy Taner Primmer pulled the women from the water and onto his police boat as the cruise ship approached. "The ship was very quickly approaching," he told Inside Edition. "Even if they didn't strike the ship or the ship didn't strike them, it has the potential of pulling you under and then you run into an issue of potential drowning." "He grabbed my life jacket and slung me in there, just in time," Penpasuglia told Inside Edition. Their harrowing incident was recorded by a passenger on board the Carnival Magic cruise ship as it barreled toward the two co-eds, who were enjoying their spring break. Read: Wild Moose Chases Skiers Down the Slopes: 'Who Knew They Were So Fast?' As the women were being plucked to safety, the video of incident shows the shadow of the boat looming over them. "It was really scary to actually watch [the video], I didn't realize how close it was," Penpasuglia said. The sheriff's deputy had mere seconds to throw the boat into reverse and get out of the way. "The ship's captain worked closely with the local harbor pilot to reduce the speed of the ship and alter its course so it didn't hit the jet skiers," Carnival Cruise lines said in a statement to Inside Edition. Watch: Couple Shaken Up After Cruise Ship Nearly Hit Their Home: 'I've Never Seen Anything That Close' Related Articles: BERLIN (AP) Diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Western Europe erupted over the weekend after the Netherlands blocked Turkish officials from holding rallies in their country, prompting a flurry of angry rhetoric and threats of dire consequences from Ankara. Here are some questions and answers about the situation and how it escalated so suddenly: ___ WHY WERE TURKISH OFFICIALS HOLDING RALLIES IN THE NETHERLANDS? Turkey is a month away from holding a referendum on whether to change the country's constitution. The proposed changes would significantly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Opinion polls indicate the race is tight and Erdogan's ruling party is trying to drum up support for the "yes" camp by campaigning among diaspora Turks elsewhere in Europe. There are around 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the Netherlands, many of whom immigrated as so-called guest workers in the 1960s. This has made Dutch cities such as Rotterdam a key campaign stop for Turkish officials. ___ WHY DID THE DUTCH BLOCK THE RALLIES? The Dutch government said it withdrew landing permission Saturday for a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu because of "risks to public order and security." Hours later, Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was prevented from entering the country's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up a standoff with armed police. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb accused the Turkish consul general of a "scandalous deception," saying he had denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away. Kaya was later sent under escort back to Germany, from where she had entered the Netherlands. ___ HOW DID TURKEY REACT? At a rally in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan compared the Dutch to "Nazi remnants," adding: "they are fascists." It was the second time that Erdogan likened another country to the Nazis recently. The first was directed at Germany, after several local authorities in that country canceled campaign events by Turkish officials citing security reasons. Story continues German Chancellor Angela Merkel responded Monday by declaring that the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity." Denmark, meanwhile, asked Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a planned visit because of the tensions between Ankara and the Netherlands. Emmanuel Macron, a centrist candidate in the French presidential elections, called for a united response from European partners to what he described as "unacceptable comments" by the Turkish authorities. ___ SO IS IT TURKEY VS. EUROPE? No. Despite the fiery rhetoric between Berlin and Ankara, Germany insists that it has no plans to impose a blanket ban on Turkish officials campaigning in the country. The German government has also reacted coolly to suggestions that Turkey should be punished in other ways. That's partly because of the large number of Turks in Germany more than 3 million, of whom about 1.4 million are eligible to vote in the referendum. Another reason for Germany's caution is the fact that Berlin needs Ankara's support to keep the flow of migrants into Europe under control. A deal between the European Union and Turkey is considered one of the main reasons why the flood of migrants crossing into Europe has slowed to a trickle in recent months. ___ HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE REFERENDUM? The spat has already stoked nationalist sentiment among some Turks in Europe, prompting angry protests in Germany and the Netherlands. Extensive coverage of the diplomatic dispute and its consequences could detract from the issue of the referendum itself. Erdogan and his allies have also claimed that Western European countries are supporting opponents of constitutional change, suggesting that by voting "no" in the referendum voters would be backing Turkey's enemies. The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands elects a new lower house of Parliament. The campaign was already dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains. The dispute with Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, adds fuel to that debate. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's response appears to have played well with voters. If it translates into a poll bump, it could be seen as a template for how mainstream politicians can regain ground lost to anti-immigration populists in upcoming elections in France and Germany. ___ A previous version of this story has been corrected to show that Erdogan's "Nazi remnants" comment was on Saturday, not Sunday. Singapore on Monday banned a former Goldman Sachs banker from working in the city-state's financial industry for 10 years after he was linked to a corruption scandal involving Malaysian state fund 1MDB. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) also said it planned to bar three more people, all ex-employees of two Swiss banks alleged to have used the island's financial system to facilitate illicit money transfers to 1MDB. Allegations that huge sums were misappropriated from 1MDB triggered a scandal which has embroiled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, though he has denied any wrongdoing. The MAS, which serves as Singapore's central bank, said Tim Leissner, a former director of Goldman Sachs in the city-state, will be banned from "performing any regulated activity under the Securities and Futures Act". He will also be barred from "taking part, directly or indirectly, in the management of any capital market services firm" on the island, a regional financial centre. Leissner had issued an unauthorised reference letter saying that due diligence had been carried out on Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, a close family friend of Najib who had helped the Malaysian leader set up 1MDB, and that no money-laundering concerns were detected. MAS said the letter was unauthorised by Goldman Sachs and its contents were false. Low has denied any wrongdoing. Leissner resigned from the bank in February 2016. "MAS will not tolerate conduct by any finance professional that threatens to undermine trust and confidence in Singapores financial system," Ong Chong Tee, a MAS deputy managing director, said in a statement. "It is imperative that industry professionals and representatives of financial institutions are fit and proper persons. They must be worthy of the trust that people place in them and their institutions." MAS said it had served notices to three other people linked to the 1MDB investigation who it intends to ban as well. Story continues Among them is Swiss banker Jens Fred Sturzenegger, who headed the Singapore branch of Swiss lender Falcon Private Bank. Sturzenegger, who will be banned for life, was jailed for seven months in January for money laundering and other offences related to 1MDB. MAS said it also intends to ban Yak Yew Chee for life and Yvonne Seah for 15 years. Both Singaporeans are former private bankers with the local branch of Switzerland's BSI bank and were jailed for fraud in relation to 1MDB. Singapore as well as Switzerland and the United States have launched separate probes into alleged unlawful fund flows linked to 1MDB. Singapore, known for its transparency and tough stance on corruption, last year kicked out Falcon Bank and BSI for what regulators called massive lapses in financial controls. SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a 10-year prohibition order on Monday against Tim Leissner, former Southeast Asia chairman at Goldman Sachs, who it said had made false statements on behalf of his bank without its knowledge or consent. Leissner was responsible for managing the relationship with Malaysia's 1MDB fund when Goldman Sachs was engaged to arrange three bond issues from 2012 to 2013. MAS had flagged its intention to ban Leissner last December. "MAS will not tolerate conduct by any finance professional that threatens to undermine trust and confidence in Singapore's financial system. MAS will not hesitate to bar such individuals from carrying out regulated activities in the financial industry," Ong Chong Tee, deputy managing director of financial supervision at MAS said in a statement. Under the order, Leissner is prohibited for 10 years from performing any regulated activity under the Securities and Futures Act and taking part, directly or indirectly, in the management of any capital market services firm in Singapore. There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Leissner's lawyer, Marc Harris of Scheper Kim & Harris LLP, outside of normal U.S. business hours. Last year, the central bank ordered Swiss banks Falcon Private Bank and BSI Bank to cease operations in Singapore, in its biggest crackdown on alleged money-laundering activities connected with 1MDB. 1MDB has denied any wrongdoing. MAS also said on Monday that it had served notice of its intention to issue prohibition orders against Jens Fred Sturzenegger, former Singapore branch manager of Falcon Private Bank, and Yak Yew Chee and Yvonne Seah Yew Foong, former employees of BSI Bank, who were convicted by Singapore courts for their involvement in 1MDB-related breaches. Yak's lawyer Lee Teck Leng said his client respected MAS's decision. There was no immediate response from Seah's lawyer, while Sturzenegger's lawyer declined to comment. (Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Additional reporting by Masayuki Kitano and Fathin Ungku; Editing by Neil Fullick) With Adam Rawnsley and Dan De Luce White House waiting? The situation in northern Syria is becoming increasingly unpredictable with American, Russian, Turkish and Syrian troops along with local Kurdish and Arab militias of varying allegiances swirling between the cities of al Bab and Manbij. At issue is not only who controls the areas near the Turkish border, but also which local force leads the fight to wrest Raqqa from the Islamic State. For the moment, at least, the White House looks likely to hold off on any decision approving military assistance for Syrian Kurds until after Turkeys constitutional referendum on April 16, congressional aides and military officers told FP. Waiting until then could help avoid inflaming Ankara, as President Recep Erdogan cannot afford to be seen at home as tolerating an assertive role for the Kurdish YPG during the political campaign. One side. The Pentagon has made clear its view that there is no realistic alternative to arming the Syrian Kurds in the battle for Raqqa, and military officers remain skeptical of Turkeys proposal to take the city with the help of a Syrian Arab force that it has built up. The Obama White House didnt act on the Kurdish question, but in its last weeks the administration was in favor of sending arms to the Kurds and decided to ask the incoming Trump team if they wanted to take the decision themselves. Trumps then national security advisor, Michael Flynn, told the Obama staff to hold off, as the incoming president wanted to make the decision. We have since learned, however, that Flynn was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by a company linked to the Turkish government during the election season, raising questions over whether his business dealings had an influence on his decision making with it comes to Washingtons Turkish policy. One thing the administration appears to be stepping back from, according to U.S. News Paul Shinkman, is partnering with Russia in Syria. Story continues Full plate. At the moment, however, the White House is preoccupied with other problems, such as the growth of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen, the growing threat posed by North Korea after its recent missile tests and political turmoil in South Korea that could result in the election of a left of center president more inclined to a conciliatory approach to Pyongyang. But the decision in Syria looms large, as the Pentagon is busily sending more troops to the Middle East and likely Afghanistan, while building up air bases in the region for what they expect to be a long-term fight against ISIS and al Qaeda. Working dinner President Donald Trump will have dinner Monday evening with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, just prior to Tillersons travel to Japan, China, and South Korea on a critical trip amid heightened tensions with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and a Chinese military buildup. The trip comes just after Washington began deploying a new missile defense system to South Korea, and announced plans to send Gray Eagle surveillance drones to South Korea, and a warning from arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis in FP that North Korea is developing an offensive doctrine for the large-scale use of nuclear weapons in the early stages of a conflict. FPs Robbie Gramer also passes on this stark infographic on the range of those North Korean missiles. Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley. Moscow hacks Russian cyber criminals arent necessarily breaking into computers in search of classified information, but that hasnt stopped Russian intelligence from looking over the data they steal in case any turns up. Anonymous sources tell the New York Times reports that Russian authorities have searched through files accessed by malware created by cybercrime boss Evgeniy M. Bogachev looking for any files marked with text of interest like top secret. Bogachev built a botnet that infected millions of computers, leading the FBI to offer a $3 million reward for information leading to his arrest and prompting the White House to add him to a sanctions list. Ukrainian intelligence has told the FBI that Bogachev works for a special unit of Russias domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). The Kremlin would appreciate it very much if their counterparts in the White House would hurry up and get on with a reset in relations. Unfortunately, we dont have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin, President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in a recent interview with CNN. Peskov also cited what he called a climate of hysteria in Washington about Russia, saying that it is doing lots of harm to the future of our bilateral relations. The U.K. is determined not to suffer the same fate as the United States and is moving to warn political parties about the potential of Russian hackers disrupting British politics. The Daily Telegraph reports that General Communication Headquarters (GCHQ), Britains equivalent of the National Security Agency, has written a letter to British political parties that cites allegations of Russian hacking against political organizations in the U.S. and Germany. In response the British government plans to host seminars to train British politicians and their staff on how to thwart hackers. Empty chairs at empty tables Nearly two full months into the Trump administration, Secretary of Defense James Mattis is the sole political appointee the White House has managed to install at the Pentagon. Military Times reports that the Trump administration has so far offered up four names for Senate confirmable positions, with the nominees for top civilian Army and Navy jobs, Vincent Viola and Philip B. Bilden, respectively, dropping out of the confirmation process. The Trump administration has put forward two other nominees, Heather Wilson for Air Force Secretary and John J. Sullivan for Pentagon general counsel, but the administration has been slow to move them through the confirmation process. Oil wars The battle for control of Libya is playing out around the countrys oil infrastructure, according to the AP. Armed forces from Libyas internationally-recognized government in Tripoli as well as the Russian-and-Egyptian-backed eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar are massing around a refinery in Ras Lanuf and depot in Sidr, as both sides jockey for ownership of the countrys oil wealth. Haftars forces seized the facilities in 2016 only to see them retaken by forces loyal to Libyas government in Tripoli. Eye spy Aside from the DroneDefender UAV-jamming rifle, U.S. officials have been tight-lipped on the composition of systems theyre using to knock out the Islamic States drone arsenal in Iraq. In January, Blighter Surveillance Systems revealed that the U.S. was using one of its Anti-UAV Defence Systems (AUDS) in an unspecified location. But sharp-eyed security analyst Alex Mello managed to spot a Blighter AUDS deployed on a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles truck in Mosul, confirming its presence in Iraq. The terrorist group has used scores of small, commercial drones to drop small munitions on Iraqi forces. Photo Credit: Paul McLeary In an informal show of strength before Governor Najma Heptulla, the BJP paraded 32 MLAs who are supporting the party. By Indrajit Kundu: In a dramatic late night coup, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday brought out its trump card to cobble up the requisite number to "stake claim" for government formation in Manipur. In an informal show of strength before Governor Najma Heptulla, the BJP, led by its north east in-charge Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswa Sarma, paraded 32 MLAs supporting the party. advertisement However, Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has said he's confident of forming the next government, and added that he'd met the Governor and staked claim to form one. He's expected to resign within the next 48 hours. CONGRESS MLA IN BJP'S DELEGATION The 32 legislators in the BJP's delegation included Congress MLA from Andro Shyam Kumar and the lone Trinamool Congress MLA in the state Robindro Singh. "Robindra ji from TMC and Shyam Kumar ji from Congress has come on board. Many more are on their way tomorrow. We are well aware of the law (anti-defection) and yet they have chosen to support us. You all were asking us if we have 31 MLAs but we have shown you 32 here," announced NEDA Convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma outside Raj Bhawan. "Tomorrow BJP legislators will chose their leader and then he will come and stake claim," Biswa added. REACHING THE MAGIC NUMBER In the 60-seat Manipur assembly, the magic figure to form government is 31. BJP, which has 21 MLAs of its own claimed it has the formal support of a total of 30 MLAs with 4 National Peoples Party (NPP), 4 Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and one Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) pledging their support. Before meeting the Governor, the party held a press conference with NPP chief Conrad Sangma and its four MLAs along with the lone LJP legislator. The NPF had already issued a statement on Saturday that it will go with any anti-Congress formation in the state. However, despite the BJP's claim, confusion remained over who will be the crucial 31st MLA whose support is necessary to stake claim. "We have the requisite numbers. With the support of a few others we will successfully prove our strength on the floor of the house," Ram Madhav claimed, refusing to divulge anymore details. But soon as the BJP team rushed to Raj Bhawan with a list 30 MLAs, suspense finally came to an end. To everyone's surprise a Congress MLA from Andro Shyam Kumar and Trinamool Congress MLA Robindro Singh had joined the delegation. advertisement Technically, the defecting Congress candidate stands for disqualification due to the move. Which means that the effective strength of the house gets reduced to 59. In that case, the magic figure will be 30 which the BJP combine already has. Meanwhile, sources in the BJP claim that at least a dozen more Congress MLA's were "in touch" with them to switch over. Interestingly, BJP hasn't chosen its leader of the legislature party as its waiting for its central observers to arrive in Imphal on Monday. COMPETING CLAIM BY CONGRESS Amidst all this, chief minister Ibobi Singh too met Governor Najma Heptulla on Sunday night and formally staked claim reminding that the Congress was the single largest party in the assembly and should therefore be called first. "We have staked claim. Congress party is the single largest party and first chance should be given to us. BJP does not have a pre-poll alliance and it muat be decided by the Governor," Deputy Chief Minister Gaigkhangam Gangmei told India Today. The Congress furnished a letter signed by National People's Party's national general secretary Vivekraj Wangkhem and state president Thangminlien Kipgen. The letter said NPP had the "honour" of supporting the single-largest single party in Manipur. advertisement While yesterday BJP called the letter of support to Congress by NPP inconsequential, today NPP leader Conrad Sangma said that the letter was fake. ALSO READ | Manipur CM Ibobi Singh meets governor, Congress formally stakes claim to form government ALSO READ | BJP announces observers for UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur; Amit Shah to take final call on CMs ALSO WATCH | Assembly election results 2017: How counting day unfolded in Manipur --- ENDS --- A potentially major snowstorm was expected to hit the Philadelphia region from Monday night through Tuesday. Preparations were in high gear Monday night and the impact of the severe weather was already being felt at airports. Here's what you need to know in advance of the upcoming snow. Forecast Forecasters are warning of a "nasty" nor'easter, with periods of dangerously high snowfall rates and whipping winds. The storm was expected to move in late Monday and could continue through Tuesday night, when the precipitation should taper off. The National Weather Service says to expect eight to 12 inches of snow in Philadelphia, with higher amounts in the Pennsylvania suburbs and lower amounts in South Jersey. The final National Weather Service map published Monday projected 12 inches of snow in the city. A winter storm warning for the area was put in place from 8 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday. Along the Jersey Shore, Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex Counties were under a blizzard warning due to the whiteout conditions expected there. In the Philly suburbs, Montgomery, Chester, and Bucks Counties were also under a blizzard warning. The heaviest snow and strongest winds are expected overnight and into the day Tuesday, setting the stage for a particularly hazardous Tuesday morning commute. The weather service warned that people in places northwest of I-95 "should be thinking about sheltering in place" from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. In parts of eastern Pennsylvania and North Jersey, snow could fall at a rate of two to four inches per hour. Some rain and sleet could mix in with the snow at times, and throughout Monday forecasters cautioned that there was a range of potential snow totals. Early weather service maps on Monday forecast seven inches as likely in Philadelphia, with the potential for more than 20. These early National Weather Service maps showed the minimum (left) and maximum snowfalls originally forecast in the Philadelphia region for March 13 and 14. Story continues This storm is also expected to be a windy one, with northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts of 35 mph near Philadelphia and over 50 mph closer to the coast. Wind gusts 50+ mph expected near the Atlantic coast. pic.twitter.com/MS8DChU4dp Gary Szatkowski (@GarySzatkowski) March 13, 2017 The late-season storm is forecast to slam the bulk of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Here is a broader look across the region with NWS snowfall forecasts. pic.twitter.com/5MLcaAR3EK Gary Szatkowski (@GarySzatkowski) March 13, 2017 Tuesday's high temperature was expected to be in the low 30s, with similar highs forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. So the snow is unlikely to melt quickly. While the snow is expected to far exceed anything recorded in Philadelphia so far this winter, it would take the worst-case scenario for this storm to rank among the city's biggest snowfalls. Schools Philadelphia public and parochial schools will be closed Tuesday. Temple University said it would be closed for the day. Transportation Roads PennDot is advising drivers to stay off the roads during the storm, but as of Monday afternoon no highway closures were planned, officials said. As of 10 p.m. Monday, Interstates 70, 76, 78, 80, 81, 83, 84, 283, 176, 180, 476, 380, and all expressways had a 45 mph speed limit and a ban on tandem truck trailers, empty trailers, towed trailers, buses, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles to facilitate plowing, PennDot reported. The same restrictions will be in place for the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the Bedford interchange east to New Jersey and on the Northeast Extension. Gov. Christie has declared a state of emergency for New Jersey ahead of the storm. State offices will be closed Tuesday for nonessential employees. Road conditions can be checked at http://www.511nj.org/. New Jerseys Department of Transportation had not issued any restrictions or closures as of Monday afternoon. About 2,500 plows were available to deploy across the state, and brining preparations on major roads began over the weekend. In New Jersey, too, officials recommended that drivers stay off the roads. The Philadelphia Police Department was resurrecting its #NoSavesies social media campaign, reminding residents not to use objects to save shoveled-out parking spots. Winter is coming, and House Savesies is gathering an army. Playing the Game of Cones can lead to fines, so shovel and share. #NoSavesies pic.twitter.com/Nyf4xXnjZH Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) March 13, 2017 Airport Southwest Airlines canceled all Tuesday flights at Philadelphia International Airport and American Airlines canceled its flights through 5 p.m. Tuesday, said airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery. Many carriers, including American, the dominant airline in Philadelphia, were allowing passengers to change flights without paying a change fee. Flights in Philadelphia were impacted by the snow that earlier hit the Midwest. Hundreds of flights at Chicago's airports were canceled, causing a ripple of travel disruptions nationwide. Long lines were reported at PHL as passengers sought to get away in advance of the storm. Mass Transit SEPTA: The Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines will run 24/7, with no Nite Owl bus service. Regional Rail will operate on a severe storm plan, meaning that most trains run on Saturday schedules, the Wilmington/Newark Line on an enhanced Saturday schedule, and no Cynwyd Line service. Starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday, service will be cut back or suspended on bus Routes 7, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 38, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 58, 65,70, 73, 77, 84, 88, 92, 94, 95, 97, 99, 103, 107, 108, 112, 114, 117, 119, 120, 124, 126, G, H, XH, J, K and L. Routes 35, 61 and 62 will be suspended. CCT service will run on a limited schedule. The agency warned that service on the Norristown High-Speed Line, trolleys and other bus routes could be curtailed as conditions warrant. More information is at septa.org. PATCO will operate on a snow schedule. NJ Transit will shut down all bus and Access Link service at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, and expects to resume Wednesday. The Atlantic City Rail Line will operate on a regular weekday schedule, but all other rail lines will operate on a weekend schedule Tuesday. That means no service west of Raritan on the Raritan Valley Line, west of Dover on the M&E Line, or west of Bay Street on the Montclair-Boonton Line. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule with additional trains every 20 minutes between Tonnelle Avenue and Hoboken Terminal. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. RiverLINE service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Amtrak will run a modified schedule throughout the Northeast Corridor. There will be no Acela Express service between Boston and New York, and limited service between New York and Washington. In addition, Northeast Regional and Keystone Service trains will operate on modified schedules. Utilities Forecasters warn that the combination of wet, heavy snow and strong winds is likely to knock down trees and power lines, leading to outages. Utility companies say they are preparing to have extra personnel on hand to respond to outages. Government Philadelphia and numerous other municipalities have announced snow emergencies. Philadelphia's declaration means that vehicles cannot be parked on snow emergency routes. The snow emergency goes into effect at 9 p.m. Monday, with ticketing and towing to start at midnight. Trash and recycling collection is canceled for Tuesday in Philadelphia. Residents with Tuesday pickup should hold their materials until next week. In Washington, the House canceled votes that had been scheduled for Tuesday. Closings Many attractions were likely to be closed due the storm; check with a site before going. (The Philadelphia Flower Show, however, will remain open.) Most Popular on Philly.com By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Young adults who spend more time on social media may end up feeling more isolated in their daily lives, a recent study suggests. Researchers focused on how often users of services like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Vine and LinkedIn experienced whats known as social isolation - when a person lacks a sense of belonging, connections with others and fulfilling personal relationships. Compared with people who spend no more than a half hour on social media each day, people who devoted at least two hours daily to these platforms were roughly twice as likely to report feelings of social isolation, the study found. These results might be a bit of a cautionary tale, said lead study author Dr. Brian Primack, director of the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Thats because social isolation is associated with worse health outcomes, including the potential for people to have worse symptoms of certain diseases and worse survival odds. The study doesnt prove social media causes isolation, and its possible that people who already felt less connected to other people in real life spent more time on services like Facebook or Twitter, researchers note in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. It may also be that people who use social media a lot tend to feel like everyone else is strongly connected to each other, because everyone tends to put on their best face for social media, Primack added by email. Then, in comparison, they might feel that they themselves are more socially isolated. Primack and colleagues surveyed 1,787 adults aged 19 to 32 in 2014 about their use of the 11 most popular social media platforms at the time: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and LinkedIn. About half of participants were men and half women, and they were selected to be reflective of U.S. demographics, including ethnic and racial groups, education and income levels. More than half were in committed relationships. Roughly 26 percent of participants said they spent more than two hours a day on social media, and about 23 percent said they visited these platforms at least 58 times a week. When people visited this often, they had about triple the odds of perceived social isolation compared to participants who said they went to social media platforms less than nine times a week. Its hard to say exactly why this is the case. One possibility is that people who spend hours a day on social media are not spending as much time in real-world interactions with people, the researchers speculate. It's possible, the authors admit, that survey participants didnt accurately report on their level of social media use or their feelings of isolation. The findings for young adults also might not reflect what would happen with older people. Previous research looking at social media and wellbeing has had mixed results, notes Holly Shakya, a public health researcher at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, who wasnt involved in the study. Another drawback of the current study is that it doesnt look at how close people are in real life with their social media friends, Shakya added by email. Theres some evidence that social media use among people who have close relationships in real life can help make those human connections stronger. In that sort of case, the social media use is strengthening strongly held legitimate relationships rather than replacing them, Shakya said. When you have 500 Facebook friends, most of them are not close friends, so you are bombarded with information and life experiences of people you dont know that well and with whom you have little social capital. Rather than get rid of social media, the findings suggest that users should be conscious of how much time they spend with virtual friends, Primack said. Hopefully, (the study results) will help people to think about their own social media use critically and make sure the ways they use social media are truly making their lives better, Primack said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2mjVBbe American Journal of Preventive Medicine, online March 6, 2017. Pretoria (AFP) - South Africa and Nigeria on Monday said they would launch a jointly run "early warning" system to track and deter xenophobic attacks against Nigerian migrants. South African foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane met her Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama in Pretoria in a bid to diffuse soaring tensions over a recent string of attacks on migrants living in the rainbow nation. "The early warning centre would allow us keep each other abreast of issues and help prevent violence," Nkoana-Mashabane said. There were several incidents last month of South African locals attacking migrants from Africa and elsewhere and their businesses in both the administrative capital Pretoria and the commercial capital Johannesburg. Many locals have alleged that the targets were brothels and drug dens being run by migrants from elsewhere in Africa, including Nigeria. More than 20 shops were targeted in Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria, while residents in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg, attacked at least 12 houses. The new violence-busting forum will meet every three months and will be made up of representatives from both countries and include immigration officials, business associations and civil society groups. Nkoana-Mashabane said it was untrue that "the attacks on foreign nationals were targeted at the Nigerians", adding that citizens of other countries were also affected. - 'Mass attacks' - Onyeama said he had received assurances that Nigerians in South Africa would be able to live in peace and called for an end to "mass attacks". According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, there are about 800,000 Nigerians in the country, many of them living in Johannesburg. Onyeama added that groups in Nigeria calling for the retaliatory expulsion of South African residents and businesses "do not speak on behalf of government". Attacks against foreigners and foreign-run businesses have erupted regularly in recent years in South Africa, fuelled by the country's high unemployment and poverty levels. Story continues In response to the violence, about 100 demonstrators gathered on February 23 outside the offices of two South African companies in the Nigerian capital Abuja -- telecoms giant MTN and satellite TV provider DSTV -- to protest the upsurge in attacks. The Nigerian government last month called for the African Union to step in to stop "xenophobic attacks" on its citizens in South Africa, claiming 20 Nigerians were killed last year. South African authorities have declined to confirm the figure which may have been the result of other criminal activity, not just anti-immigrant violence. A protest march against "migrant crime" was held in Pretoria on February 24 and resulted in violent clashes between crowds of young South African men and migrants from elsewhere in Africa, including Nigerians and Somalis. President Jacob Zuma responded by condemning the wave of xenophobic unrest and called for calm and restraint, saying that migrants should not be used as a scapegoat for the country's widespread crime problem. By Mfuneko Toyana and Joe Brock JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) needs to end corruption and party divisions, and deliver on promises to tackle poverty if it is to halt a decline in voter support, a party policy document said on Sunday. The report was produced by the party leadership and comes as the ANC prepares to select a successor to President Jacob Zuma this year. It warned that the party which has ruled virtually unopposed since the end of apartheid in 1994 now faced "declining fortunes". The ANC has been under severe pressure to respond with new policies after municipal elections last year when it lost its grip on cities including Pretoria and Johannesburg. More than two decades after the ANC ended white-minority rule with Nelson Mandela at its helm, inequality festers. Black people make up 80 percent of the 54 million population, yet the lion's share of the economy in terms of ownership of land and companies remains in the hands of white people, who account for around 8 percent of the population. The ruling party has also been damaged by deep discontent over high unemployment as well as scandals surrounding Zuma, who was alleged in a government corruption report last year to have granted undue influence over his cabinet and state companies to a business family. Zuma has denied the allegations and is set to challenge the report in court. "The ANC faces declining fortunes," said the strategy paper, released publicly ahead of a policy conference on June 30. "Internal squabbles, money politics, corruption and poor performance in government all conspire to undermine its legitimacy in the eyes of the broader public." While the discussion paper talked broadly about reducing unemployment and inequality, as well as ending government corruption and improving economic growth, it contained few specific policies. Zuma called this month for the constitution to be changed so white-owned land could be redistributed to black South Africans without compensation for owners, a measure long-proposed by the left wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and supported by many poor voters. The ANC, which lost some votes in last year's municipal elections to the EFF, has not made this an official party policy in a sign of divisions within the party. 'INSIDIOUS' INFIGHTING In the policy documents the ANC acknowledged that it was in the grip of the "insidious impact of" factional fighting. Zuma's term as ANC leader ends at the end of the year, and the party will hold a conference then to chose a new leader. The party's constitution does not bar him from standing for a third term, but he has repeatedly said he will not. Analysts say jockeying between factions backing rival candidates to replace Zuma as party leader has seen the ANC government take its eye off much-needed policy implementation. They say this has played a role in the country is teetering on the brink of a credit downgrade, with all three major rating agencies citing political uncertainty and low economic growth as major risks. Zuma is widely expected to back outgoing African Union chairwoman, and his ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the leadership of the party and ultimately the country, while some in the party regard Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as the rightful heir. "There are a number of competing discourses inside the ANC, with the more populist message coming from Zuma and his supporters, versus a centrist group that sees the constitution as the final arbiter," said director of Political Futures Daniel Silke. "These voices will get louder as we move closer to succession, and will almost certainly lead to serious factional schisms by year-end." (Editing by Mark Potter and Pravin Char) In the nearly 100 days since physician Lloyd Rudley and New Jersey State Trooper Frankie Williams died in a head-on collision, friends of Rudley who has no surviving family have sought to counter suspicions that he was drunk. Some people on social media jumped to that conclusion after Rudley drove across the grassy median of Route 55 in Millville and crashed into Williams' cruiser in December. But Rudley's longtime neighbors Steve and Janice Pollock insist that he never touched alcohol, and that he likely had a medical emergency related to diabetes. The autopsy report is expected to be completed soon, state officials say. The Pollocks certainly hope so. "It's important to us, and I think it's important to the medical profession and his name, that it should be cleared," Janice Pollock, 61, said. "Sometimes that's all you leave behind, is your reputation." Rudley, 61, worked in a private practice at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, which closed in 1997, and more recently ran a psychiatry practice in Elmer, Salem County, where he had a home next to the Pollocks'. Rudley also had an apartment in Philadelphia. Former patients described him on social media as "very dedicated." Why the crash findings have yet to be released is unclear. Toxicology test results which will show whether Rudley had drugs or alcohol in his system generally come back in 60 days. Negative cases, in which nothing is detected, "are completed sooner," said Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, which oversees the Medical Examiner's Office. "More complex cases will take longer, because they may require extensive testing or may need to be sent to an outside lab." Aseltine said the final report in Rudley's case should be finished "soon," but did not offer a specific date. Just before the crash, around 7 p.m. on Dec. 5, three people called 911 to report a Toyota Corolla, driven by Rudley, swerving. "I think there's a drunk driver right here in front of me," one woman told dispatchers. Another person reported that the car's front tire was blown out. Story continues The Corolla then veered from the southbound lanes, crossed the median, and collided with Williams' patrol car in the northbound lanes. Williams, 31 who became the fourth state trooper to die in a car accident in less than two years had been responding to the 911 calls about Rudley's car. Williams' family received an outpouring of support from state officials, and his funeral drew more than 1,000 people. Rudley's drew less than 20. Rudley had no siblings or children, and his parents died years ago. The Pollocks said Rudley was private but ws well-known among his patients. He was valedictorian in Vineland High School's Class of 1973. Another friend of Rudley told Philly.com in December that Rudley had injected himself with insulin since he was 8 to counter diabetes, and that several years ago, he was hospitalized after being found unconscious in his Elmer home. Most Popular on Philly.com On March 10, South Koreas Constitutional Court rendered its most important decision since its founding in 1988. The courts eight judges unanimously voted to remove President Park Geun-hye from office, citing abuse of power and permitting a private citizen, her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, to meddle in state affairs. The former president was impeached by the legislature on Dec. 9, following revelations that Park had consulted Choi on state matters and used her presidential influence to secure millions of dollars in donations from the countrys largest conglomerates, including Samsung, for two nonprofit organizations run by Choi. Following the courts decision, the acting president and Park-appointed prime minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn, said in a public broadcast: Its time to end conflict and confrontation. But that will be far easier said than done. Parks scandal did much more than end her career. It has ruptured some of the most powerful institutions in Korean society and put the country in an unprecedented constitutional, social, and political crisis. A snap election must take place within 60 days, likely on May 9, to replace Park. Until then, Hwang, who has been the unelected head of state since Parks impeachment, will keep the position. Legally, the extent of Hwangs authority is clear: He can exercise all the powers reserved for the president. In practice, however, Hwang is expected to do nothing more than act as a caretaker. Aside from a few minor appointments, Hwang has embraced his limited role, even deciding to leave a vacancy on the Constitutional Court (which usually has nine judges) rather than name a replacement. In the event of a major crisis, such as a military confrontation, Hwang would be expected to serve in the same commander-in-chief role as an elected president at least in theory. In practice, his authority to preside over the military chain of command is questionable. That could prove tempting for a hostile North Korean neighbor always willing to push Seouls buttons. It doesnt help Hwangs credibility that the main opposition Minjoo Party, the liberal party with the most seats in the legislature, declared at the end of February its intent to see Hwang impeached for his refusal to grant a special prosecutor the right to continue its probe into the corruption scandal. That the conservative party has split leaving two conservative parties at the moment further undermines the acting president. The only likely way for South Korea to overcome its authority deficit is through the legitimacy-conferring power of a free and fair election. Hwang is the most popular conservative presidential hopeful, according to polls. The man to save the conservative movement was thought to be Ban Ki-moon, the former U.N. secretary-general, but he dropped his bid for president shortly after indicating his intent to run. In the void left by Bans abrupt and still unexplained departure, Hwang is expected to announce his candidacy soon as the most popular among possible conservative candidates remaining. (Before Hwang declares, hell have to resign from his position. If he steps down, the position of acting head of state will be passed to Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Il-ho, a lawmaker for the breakaway conservative Liberty Korea Party and minister of strategy and finance. He would be expected to serve in the same limited capacity as Hwang.) With an election near, the deep social and political divides that have defined the country since its emergence from autocracy in the 1980s are showing. Korea is cleaved between conservative and progressive parties and their respective social movements that often organize street protests. The conservative movement is defined by its anti-communist (read: anti-North Korea) roots and its strong stance on national security. Liberal progressives draw their legitimacy from the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s, from which many in their ranks hail, and opposition to authoritarian rule. Conservatives often attack liberals as being soft on security and even pro-North Korea sympathizers, while liberals accuse conservatives of undemocratic behavior. South Koreas national identity divide has been on display throughout the impeachment process. Those who opposed the impeachment think its little more than a political ploy by liberals to discredit conservatives. The most extreme conservative position sees it as a move to weaken South Korea vis-a-vis the North. On the same day as the verdict, Cho Gab-je, a hard-right conservative and former editor of Chosun Monthly, tweeted the following: A person who fights communism is a democrat! Video of clashes with reporters and chants imploring people to dismantle the Constitutional Court shed light on this perspective and have led some to question whether people will accept the ruling. Opposition parties are concerned that those on the far-right may not go along with the courts decision. We are concerned about the aftermath rather than the trial itself, Minjoo Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho told Yonhap News Agency. Such concerns are not without warrant. After clashes with police following the courts decision, pro-Park protesters are planning further protest action. Those who supported Park Geun-hye until the bitter end are mostly in their 60s or over, meaning they came of age during Koreas economic boom, when Parks father, Park Chung-hee, was dictator and the future of South Korea as a sovereign state far from certain. Bulwark conservatives and staunch anti-communists, they represent a substantial part of the conservative partys electoral base and are a politically active group. Many of them are worried that the impeachment process has undermined the republic. These are voters most supportive of a hard-line approach to North Korea, which former President Park and her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, pursued. At protests, they waved Korean and American flags, and after the court ruling, they were heard signing the national anthem. The message from this group is clear: Were the true patriots here. Disagreements over Parks impeachment and removal from office are indicative of substantive generational differences. Available survey data for South Korea show that Koreans who came of age under autocracy are less supportive of democracy and more likely to agree that military involvement in politics is sometimes necessary. Indeed, Koreans who spent their formative years in another autocracy seem to share similar feelings. In 2016, I interviewed more than 100 North Korean defectors who have resettled in the South as part of a collaborative research project on Korean identity. While the vast majority spoke highly of South Koreas political system overall, and especially the freedoms they now enjoy, more than a few commented that democracy is unnervingly chaotic. Many older South Koreans feel the same way. The impeachment of Park in their eyes is not a democratic triumph but a slide into anarchy. To outsiders looking in, pro-Parkers may seem like a group out of touch with reality, but their concerns will resonate with many voters. In the run-up to the snap presidential election, conservatives and liberals will use rhetoric representative of their respective visions for the countrys identity and its future. Conservatives will emphasize the need for domestic and regional stability and a strong stance on security. Koreas conservatism may have taken a hit with Parks removal from office, but it isnt dead. There is a reason Moon Jae-in, the probable liberal presidential candidate, is making a conscious effort to frame himself as mindful of security concerns. Look for conservatives to point to Chinas aggressive response to the rollout of the U.S.-built THAAD missile defense system as evidence that South Korea needs a leader who will stand up to foreign pressure, strengthen the U.S.-Korea alliance, and, possibly, forge a more cooperative relationship with Tokyo. Liberals, on the other hand, will emphasize the need for responsible political leadership and a restoration of Korean democracy after four years (nine, if they include former President Lee Myung-bak) of corruption, as well as a fresh approach to the countrys relationship with China, Japan, and the United States. Liberals like Moon and others from his generation are seen as being supportive of engagement with North Korea and skeptical of closer ties to the United States. Moon has voiced his support of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, but in the not-so-distant past he voiced opposition to a quick deployment of THAAD. The geopolitical environment is significantly different than it was the last time liberals held power (2003-2008, under Roh Moo-hyun), but we can expect the deeply held beliefs of liberals to result in significantly, but not drastically, different foreign policies. Whoever emerges as South Koreas new president will have great expectations placed on him (there are no female candidates, yet): restore trust and confidence in the executive branch and return politics to a state of normalcy. From there, the new president and his administration will go on to confront problems of rising youth unemployment and economic malaise, a strained relationship with Beijing, and a nuclear North Korea. Parks impeachment may give the new president a clean slate to work from but it could also permanently burden him with a legacy of corruption at the top and division at the bottom. Either way, the next election may be among the most consequential, for both the country and the region, in Koreas history. Photo Credit: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images With urbanisation gaining pace and air pollution clouding the view in major cities, contemplating the stars in a pitch-black sky is fast becoming a rarity that tour operators are banking on as a new selling-point. From a total solar eclipse to the Milky Way to the Northern Lights, many experts at Berlin's ITB, marketed as the world's leading travel trade show, were making the case for astronomical experiences this year. "Astro-tourism is really an increasing business. We now see a lot of travel agencies which offer this kind of tourism," Andreas Haenel, an astronomer and director of the planetarium museum in north-western Germany's Osnabrueck, told AFP. While space tourism may be the holy grail for the most committed of stargazers, its astronomical price tag puts it out of reach for most, not to mention health and safety concerns over forays beyond the atmosphere. Enter astro-tourism, which allows enthusiasts of celestial movements to experience the natural phenomena with both feet firmly on planet Earth. With few places sufficiently dark for observations, some European and US national parks have now classed certain areas as "dark sky preserves". Meanwhile, deserts in Namibia, Botswana and Iran are marketed as ideal stargazing sites that also offer the exoticism of sandy dunes. Keyvan Lankarani, the European representative of an Iranian tour company, said the sector started developing in his country due to domestic demand. "It really started within the Iranian market itself because of the vast central desert, we have pretty big spaces of darkness," he said,. - Northern Lights - But beyond just searching for familiar favourites like Orion's belt or the Big Dipper, Haenel says recent years have seen a boom in "event astro-tourism" -- travel to witness an eclipse, a meteor shower, or the Northern Lights. At the ITB show, the brochure promoting Canada's Yukon sold the moment that "you will never forget" when skies suddenly light up with colourful streaks as a result of gaseous particle collisions. Story continues Known commonly as the Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis has become a major selling point for towns around the Arctic Circle. "There has been an increasing interest since the last four years. It has to do our marketing of course and an awakening," said Ellen Kachel of the Northern Norway Tourist Board, noting that demand has grown in particular among Asian clients. The northern Norwegian city of Tromso has seen the number of visitors explode, and every photo shared on social networks only serves to fuel further interest for the region. But this year, the big astro-tourism seller is the August 21 total eclipse of the sun, which will only be visible along a stretch running from Oregon to South Carolina, cutting diagonally across the United States. "Nobody knows how many tourists are going there, the estimations go from several hundred thousands to several million people. But it seems to be becoming a great event," said Haenel. In Idaho, the tourism sector is already in full gear to welcome an influx. "We are almost sold out," said Nancy Richardson of Idaho Tourism, adding that "we've been selling this product (the solar eclipse) for two years already." - Be patient with the 'diva' - Illustrating how magical such experiences can be, Richardson recounted the story of a tourist from a polluted Chinese city who had tears in his eyes when he saw the Milky Way from the dark Idaho mountains for the first time. After all for some on the planet, starry skies are already a thing of the past. Defenders of the "dark sky" warn that the space available is shrinking faster and faster due to light pollution, not just for star gazing, but also for nocturnal animals that thrive in the dark. Harald Bardenhagen, an astronomer and director of the Stars without Borders workshop, noted that "many Europeans have never seen properly the Milky Way". "In 2024 you won't be able to see the stars anymore if nothing is done against the light pollution," he said. As the sector's popularity grows, some warn that it should be careful not to fall victim to its own success. For Kachel, the sector will have to find a balance of moderate growth that respects nature. At the same time, astro-tourism may not be for everyone as it not only calls for patience, but also the acceptance that tonight may just not be the night. "We never promise, that's why we call it 'hunting the Lights', you are looking for it but you don't know if you'll see it," said Kachel. After all, she went on, the Aurora Borealis "is a diva" -- sometimes just not in the mood to perform. The BJP's N Biren Singh has been elected the legislature party leader in Manipur. Meanwhile, the incumbent chief minister, the Congress' Okram Ibobi Singh, has resigned. By Indrajit Kundu: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Nongthombam Biren Singh was today elected the legislature party leader at a legislators' meeting in Manipur. A BJP delegation later travelled to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Najma Heptullah and stake claim to form the next government. Meanwhile, the incumbent chief minister, the Congress' Okram Ibobi Singh, has resigned. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who was appointed an observer for Manipur yesterday, said Biren Singh was elected unanimously.Goyal had arrived in Imphal with HRD minister Prakash Javadekar. advertisement After the BJP delegation's meeting with the Governor, Goyal claimed the BJP had as many 33 MLAs on its side, thanks to support from a Trinamool Congress MLA and an independent legislator. Governor Heptulla is likely to invite the BJP to form the government. LEFT CONGRESS DUE TO 'MISGOVERNANCE': BIREN SINGH A former member of the Indian National Congress, Biren Singh said he left the Grand Old Party due to "misgovernance" and that he was sure that the BJP would give Manipur good governance, ANI reported. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah and other senior leaders. As well, the BJP's CM candidate told India Today that the BJP had the required numbers (to stake claim to form a government), and that the Naga People's Front had offered its unconditional support to the party. Congress member V Moily said his party was only two seats short of a majority, and accused the Manipur of incompetence. We were only 2 seats short of majority. Single largest party is given first option. It's incompetent on part of Guv: V Moily, Cong #Manipur pic.twitter.com/T7RuTrVxqB- ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 Earlier, another Congress leader, CP Joshi, had blamed the BJP for horsetrading, and said the party was trying to poach the Congress' MLAs. The Congress was the largest single party, and the Governor should call them first, he added. The BJP hadn't announced any pre-poll alliance, he said. BJP's SHOW OF STRENGTH Earlier, in an informal show of strength before Governor Najma Heptulla, the BJP - led by its north east in-charge Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswa Sarma - paraded 32 MLAs supporting the party. The 32 legislators in the BJP's delegation included Congress MLA from Andro Shyam Kumar and the lone Trinamool Congress MLA in the state Robindro Singh. Though the Congress claimed that it had the support of the four National People's Party MLAs, Vivekraj Wangkhem of the NPP maintained his party was supporting the BJP to form government. "Our party and elected members have extended support to the BJP in the formation of the government," he said. Wangkhem also said that the party's earlier written assurance to the Congress is invalidated. advertisement The NPP's Conrad Sangma, too, confirmed that his party supports the BJP, and added that a letter the Congress claimed the NPP had written in support of it, didn't even have the official letterhead. Our official letter with sign of MLAs has been submitted, our stand is clear that we support govt led by BJP: NPP's Conrad Sangma #Manipur pic.twitter.com/8mgWAhkyBP- ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 HOW THE BJP REACHED THE 'MAGIC NUMBER' In the 60-seat Manipur assembly, the magic figure to form government is 31. BJP, which has 21 MLAs of its own, earlier claimed it has the formal support of a total of 30 MLAs with 4 National Peoples Party (NPP) members, 4 Naga Peoples Front (NPF) membrs and one Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) member pledging their support. To everyone's surprise, a Congress MLA from Andro Shyam Kumar and Trinamool Congress MLA Robindro Singh had joined the delegation. Technically, the defecting Congress candidate stands for disqualification due to the move. Which means that the effective strength of the house gets reduced to 59. In that case, the magic figure will be 30 which the BJP combine already has. advertisement (Inputs from agencies) Also read: BJP's late night coup in Manipur leaves three-time CM Ibobi stunned Watch video: Manipur: CM Ibobi Singh meets governor, Congress stakes claim to form government --- ENDS --- Beirut (AFP) - Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, adding that one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities". The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP, and rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. Syrian state television on Monday reported that the government delegation, headed by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, had arrived in the Kazakh capital. Jaafari has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said the Russian and UN delegations had also arrived in Astana for the talks, with other teams expected later Monday. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, the constitution, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction, according to UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. De Mistura had earlier said he expected negotiators in Astana "to actually address the issue of counter-terrorism" and discuss a "concrete possibility of the exchange of detainees and abducted people". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday discussed the Astana meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, according Lavrov's office. Story continues The Russian foreign ministry did not release details of the call. Lavrov's deputy Gennady Gatilov said Monday that Moscow had "invited all the parties present at the previous meeting in Astana, and we hope that everyone who attended will also be present this time." More than 320,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said on Monday there are so far about 465,000 people killed and missing in Syria's civil war. The war began six years ago on Wednesday with protests against President Bashar al-Assad's government. It has since dragged in global and regional powers, allowed Islamic State to grab huge tracts of territory and caused the biggest refugee crisis since the second world war. The Observatory said it had documented the deaths of more than 321,000 people since the start of the war and more than 145,000 others had been reported as missing. Among those killed are more than 96,000 civilians, said the Observatory, which has used a network of contacts across the country to maintain a count of casualties since near the start of the conflict. Related Video: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. It said government forces and their allies had killed more than 83,500 civilians, including more than 27,500 in air strikes and 14,600 under torture in prison. Rebel shelling had killed more than 7,000 civilians, the Observatory said. The Islamic State jihadist group has killed more than 3,700 civilians, air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition have killed 920 civilians and Turkey, which is backing rebels in northern Syria, has killed more than 500 civilians, it added. Syria's government and Russia both deny targeting civilians or using torture or extrajudicial killings. Most rebel groups and Turkey also deny targeting civilians. The U.S.-led coalition says it tries hard to avoid civilian casualties and always investigates reports that it has done so. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Julia Glover) By J.R. Wu TAIPEI (Reuters) - China does not understand Taiwan's laws and its democracy, a senior Taiwanese justice ministry official said Monday, in the latest spat between the self-ruled island and Beijing, after island authorities detained a Chinese man in a suspected spy case. Deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said comments from a senior Chinese official that Taiwan was trying to use the case to stir up trouble with China was a misunderstanding. "This is their misunderstanding of Taiwan's judicial system and Taiwan's democratic system. Basically, we will handle this according to law," Chen told reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary meeting. "We will not make up charges." In an unusual espionage case involving a Chinese exchange student, Taiwanese authorities detained a man, identified as having recently been a university exchange student in Taiwan named Zhou Hongxu, on suspicion of breaching national security laws. China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesman Ma Xiaoguang was cited in Chinese state media as saying on Friday that media reports alleging the suspect was working on behalf of TAO was "deliberate fabrication." "I am not familiar with the case," Ma was cited as saying on Friday. Taiwanese authorities have said the investigation is ongoing and that information about the case was classified. Taiwan notified China's public security bureau on Friday after Zhou was detained, Chen said, which was in accordance with a mutual legal assistance pact between Taiwan and China. China's Ministry of Public Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China has never renounced the use of force to take back Taiwan, an island it regards as a wayward province. Chinese spy cases in Taiwan usually involve retired Taiwanese military officers. The Zhou case comes as China has been pressuring Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to concede that the island is a part of China. Beijing distrusts Tsai, who is leader of a ruling party that traditionally advocates independence for Taiwan. Senior Chinese officials this month explicitly stated young people and business ties are being targeted by China for political purposes. According to Taiwan's investment commission under its economics ministry, which is in charge of reviewing foreign investments on the island, Zhou became a board director of HK Yongming Industry Co Ltd in late December. HK Yongming Industry is a company that includes Chinese investors as shareholders and has been registered in Taipei City since July 2014 with a capital of T$10.2 million ($329,840.90), according to company records with the economics ministry. The company's revenue size is not very big and it has been losing money, but the commission has not detected irregularities involving the company, a spokeswoman with the commission told Reuters. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Michael Perry) If we've learned one thing from Lin-Manuel Miranda , it's that rapping makes American history fun. Rockdale County, Georgia, teacher David Yancey is taking this strategy to his eighth grade classroom with his rendition of "Mad and Losing," a Civil War treatment of Migos' "Bad and Boujee." Changing the refrain of the original hit to "my troops are mad and losing", Yancey references Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, General Grant and the Gettysburg Address all in his four-minute long rap. His students are clearly into it, dancing and singing along to the musical lesson. SEE ALSO: Teacher finds her fourth grade students passing secret, feminist notes "It usually takes me a night to make one of my songs for the kids, but it took me about four hours over two nights," Yancey said about writing this particular rap. "I chose 'Bad and Boujee' because I asked students in my mentoring group which songs are hot right now. My process would be [to] acclimate myself to the vibe of the song and take the source content and change it to what can bridge the gap between what they know and the standards. Hopefully by the end they can see history can be fun if you let it." Yancey said that he uses songs and raps as closing activities to his standard lessons. This way, he keeps his class interested all the way through to the end of the lesson. He said, "I learned early in my career in order to stay relevant in the classroom you have to ensure the kids that you care about them." The original post, tweeted by josie duffy rice , already has thousands of retweets and and many responses praising Yancey's method and the way his students engaged in the lesson: @jduffyrice We need more teachers like this! That engage the students.. I might have learned something if he was my teacher B (@_Queeen_B_) March 13, 2017 I would've done SO MUCH BETTER IN HISTORY CLASS if I had a teacher like this omfg @jduffyrice https://t.co/lMmwqXmK1d The Big Chees (@Kamunt) March 13, 2017 @jduffyrice I bet they'll never forget that lesson! They'll still be saying 20 years from now, lol. jetteski (@jetteski) March 13, 2017 When asked about his students' reaction to the lesson, Yancey said they were completely "floored." Story continues "They know when we do a four square, which is one of my culminating activities at the end of a unit, that something is coming," he said. "Once they heard the first one, Georgia Geography, they [were] eager to hear the rest." Mr. Yancey has uploaded some of his other historical hits to Youtube, including "Hello from the Cherokee," which is a take on Adele's "Hello". When it comes to this method, Yancey's ultimate goal is to connect with his students, engage their minds, and make sure they remember the important lessons that might seem too distant from them. "I realize that in order the reach the kids you have to take steps in their direction," he explained. "I have had kids come back years later and tell me that they remember the content, which is the ultimate goal of teaching, isn't it?" Lin better watch his back- there's a new rapping historian on the horizon. Never underestimate the power of satire. To draw attention to the lengths Texas Republicans will go to block abortion access under the thinly veiled guise of "protecting women," Houston Rep. Jessica Farrar has filed a bill called A Man's Right to Know. Under the bill, men would be penalized for "unregulated masturbatory emissions" (lol forever). SEE ALSO: Cutting Planned Parenthood funding is a great way to punish poor women House Bill 4260 would encourage men to remain "fully abstinent" and only allow "occasional masturbatory emissions inside health care and medical facilities." This, according to the legislation, is the best way to ensure men's health ( ). "A lot of people find the bill funny," Farrar told KOCO News. "What's not funny are the obstacles that Texas women face every day, that were placed there by legislatures making it very difficult for them to access healthcare." We are vigilant. We are prepared. And we are not going anywhere. #roe44 pic.twitter.com/vqRUdvWs9u Jessica Farrar (@JFarrarDist148) January 22, 2017 The bill plays on obstacles that women in Texas face when trying to access a legal abortion. As a quick refresher, here are some of those obstacles, as outlined by the Guttmacher Institute: undergoing a mandatory consultation 24 hours before obtaining the procedure, viewing a mandatory ultrasound of the fetus, receiving counseling meant to discourage abortions, denial of public financial assistance unless the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother or resulted from rape or incest, and banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy because of the (medically unsupported) idea that a fetus can feel pain at that time. Story continues For each emission made outside of a vagina or a medical facility, a man would face a $100 penalty as it would be considered "an act against an unborn child, and failing to preserve the sanctity of life," according the Farrar's legislation. Money gained from the fines would benefit children in the care of the Department of Family and Protective Services, and a registry would be created of non-profit organizations and hospitals that provide "fully abstinent encouragement counseling," along with supervising physicians for masturbatory emissions and proper storage of the semen. Farrar, serving her 11th term as a Texas state representative for District 148, isn't new to speaking out about the state's problematic fetal remains bill, currently in committee, which would require hospitals to cremate or bury a fetus after an abortion or miscarriage. The fetal remains bill imposes state-sponsored moral beliefs on women, affecting their ability to make personal decisions with their doctor. Jessica Farrar (@JFarrarDist148) March 8, 2017 Her bill also creates "A Man's Right to Know" booklet, that would precisely follow the rules and procedures of the informational booklet "A Woman's Right To Know," required reading for Texas women seeking termination of their pregnancies. The bill states that during a consultation, a physician must read the booklet to their male patient and then be required to "administer a medically-unnecessary digital rectal exam and magnetic resonance imagining of the rectum" to the men. "It's to show how invasive this medically unnecessary procedure is," Farrar said in an interview, "When a woman has to have a trans-vaginal ultrasound, it has nothing to do with her healthcare. One of the state's objectives is to guilt her into changing her mind." A doctor would also gain the right to "to invoke their personal, moralistic, or religious beliefs" if they refuse to prescribe Viagra or perform a vasectomy. While the bill's likelihood of passing the Republican-dominated state legislature is low, Farrar hopes her bill will make men realize the onerousness of the obstacles women face in the pursuit of legal healthcare. What I would like to see is this make people stop and think, she told the Texas Tribune. Maybe my colleagues arent capable of that, but the people who voted for them, or the people that didnt vote at all, I hope that it changes their mind and helps them to decide what the priorities are. "If the state's going to step in to the arena of women's healthcare," she said, "Lets look to the best practices of the doctors, not bad science, not political agendas and not votes in a Republican primary." Bravo, Rep. Farrar. This queen 2020. From Delish It doesn't matter how cool you are - you can't pass by the glass display of sweets at Goofy's Candy Company in Disney Springs without doing a double-take. Yes, that IS a caramel apple in the shape of Mickey Mouse. And Minnie and Goofy, right by his side. And that snowman? Your eyes don't deceive you; it's definitely Olaf from Frozen, and you're right - just realizing that does mean you're going to have "Let It Go" stuck in your head for at least 48 hours. Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing Anyone who's tried to make caramel apples at home knows just what a feat these treats are, beyond looking impressive. All too often, you whip up a batch and the caramel slides right off the apple, or the toppings turn lumpy and drip down the sides. But Deepa Chandra, guest experience manager at the shop, swears these apples are easier to make than you think. The team specifically breaks down every apple so even beginners can master the designs. Here are their top tips for getting each one just right. Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing 1. Shine That Apple Like You're Snow White's Evil Queen. Often, caramel slips off apples because they have a waxy coating on them, Chandra says. Give them a good scrubbing - and dry them off well - before doing anything. 2. Bulk Up Your Caramel. While most soft caramel recipes simply tell you to melt them down with a little water, Disney requires a stiffer, thicker sauce. They mix 5-pound blocks of soft caramel with a pound of confectioner's sugar, melting and swirling them together to create a hearty blend that can handle the weight of the toppings. 3. Dip It Low. No, that isn't just the name of an early 2000's Christina Milian song; it's a helpful reminder to avoid completely submerging the apple in caramel. As the apple chills and the sauce sets, the gases from the apple can leak out around the stick, causing the caramel at the top of the treat to bubble up, like it's burping. Not cute. That's why employees often dip the apple just enough to leave a centimeter or so that's caramel-free surrounding the stick. Story continues Photo credit: Alberto Innella Oh, and while you're at it, skip the fridge: Let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, so they don't sweat. 4. 'Mallow Out. The most ingenious trick to these caramel apples is how they create Mickey and Minnie's ears: They take two jumbo marshmallows, cutting off a lengthwise sliver on each, then press the 'mallows onto the top of a caramel-coated apple (after the caramel has already set). The trimmed part of the marshmallow is sticky enough to adhere to the apples. From there, they're coated in chocolate, and the pillowy secret is concealed - until you take your first bite. Photo credit: Alberto Innella 5. Treat The Sprinkles Like Fireworks. The grand finale to any day at Disney is a fireworks display, and similarly, you should always save the sprinkles - or sanding sugar - as a finishing touch. After it's dipped in milk chocolate, the Mickey apple is dipped halfway in white chocolate, then he needs two yellow Jelly Bellys for his buttons, and red sanding sugar for the pants. Candy makers pop the jelly beans on his pants first, then roll the treat in sanding sugar - if they did it vice versa, the "buttons" wouldn't stay on, pros said. The same goes for Minnie: Her dress calls for eight white polka dots (AKA candy-coated chocolates), so employees add those to the freshly dipped apple before sprinkling on all of the glittery red sugar. Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing At that point, it's set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to set, then it's ready for its close-up in the display case. The candy makers at Goofy's Candy Company serve about eight caramel apple designs at any given time, rotating through dozens of designs over the course of the year. Mickey and Minnie are year-round favorites, but around Halloween, people swarm the shop to dig into Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty's nemesis, and others have begged for retired favorites, like an apple shaped like Alexander McQueen from Cars and Sully from Monsters, Inc., to make a comeback. Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing "We'll get permission to bring back certain apples for a special occasion, like an order for a wedding," Chandra says, citing a recent reception that called for dozens of Maleficent apples as favors. Though now that you know their secrets, you may want to try your hand at making your own creations - or applying for a job at the central Florida-based shop. More Disney's Most Delish We've got all the goods on where to eat right at the House of Mouse: Check out all our awesome Disney stories >> Want More? Try These: The 15 Most Delish Foods at Magic Kingdom Watching This Minnie Mouse Cake Get Decorated Is So Oddly Hypnotic 26 Disney Food Hacks You Should Know Before Your Next Trip Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like NEWARK, N.J. (AP) It's three strikes and take your seat in a cell for a thief with a sweet tooth. New Jersey prosecutors say a Newark man pleaded guilty Monday to robbing the same 7-Eleven store three times in four days. Each time, Idris Allen grabbed candy from the store and brandished a knife. About 14 hours after the last robbery in December 2015, Allen was captured after he went to the back of the store, took merchandise and left. The shift manager followed him and pointed him out to police. Authorities say Allen was arrested across the street from a police precinct building. Allen is expected to face seven years in prison when he's sentenced next month. On Friday, President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet in Washington, D.C. for the first time. Its a hotly anticipated meeting and not just because Trump blamed Merkel for ruining Germany after she bested him to win Times 2015 person of the year. People on both sides of the Atlantic will understandably invest this meeting with a lot of meaning, seeing it as a way to take the temperature of the future relationship between the United States and Germany, and with Europe more broadly. Here are three ways the meeting could go wrong, and two where Trump and Merkel might manage to get it right. Personality: There has already been much ink spilled on how different Trump and Merkel are. She is notoriously diligent and detail oriented and avoids sycophants and Twitter rants. He is her polar opposite in all that. She doesnt like surprises. He surprises his own advisers and underlings, if not the rest of the world. That isnt necessarily a problem Merkel had a close working relationship with her opposite twin, Nicolas Sarkozy, when he was president of France. And shes managed to work, albeit to varying degrees of success, with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even after he scared her with his dog back in 2007. Nevertheless, the first thing Germans are looking for, Carnegie Europes Cornelius Adebahr told Foreign Policy, is What will the chemistry be? And if it isnt good, thats the first thing people will see. Security: In her first phone call with Trump, Merkel reminded him of Americas obligations to accept refugees as a signatory of the Geneva Convention. He, in an interview published in January in the German paper Bild, said, I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals, you know, taking all of the people from wherever they come from And nobody even knows where they come from. So I think she made a catastrophic mistake, very bad mistake. Story continues Germany took in roughly one million refugees in 2015, and though that number decreased dramatically in 2016 (in no small part because of policies Germany consciously pursued), it is difficult to see Trump and Merkels positions on this point as reconcilable, particularly given how publicly Trump has criticized Merkels stance and actions. Trade and all it implies: Trumps chief trade advisor, Peter Navarro, accused Germany of currency manipulation (in response to which Germany noted that the European Central Bank, and not Berlin, is responsible for eurozone monetary policy). Germany notched a record trade surplus in 2016, which in Trumps zero-sum mindset means someone else (like the United States) must be losing. And while Merkel worked with Trumps predecessor, President Barack Obama, to lay the groundwork for the ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a trade deal between the United States and the whole European Union, it seems unlikely that Trump would be open to pursuing such an agreement. He and his advisers rail against multilateral trade deals, and already scuppered the finished Trans Pacific Partnership. Still, hope springs eternal: The White House, senior officials say, has not yet formulated a final position on TTIP. In any event, trade is a tense subject since it is a proxy for globalization, interconnectedness, and international exchange under a rules-based order. Those are all principles Merkel fights to defend; Trump, whose animus to the existing order includes questioning NATO, the U.N., and the WTO, hardly wants to hear any more paeans to globalization. Thats all quite a lot to overcome. Happily, there are two potential bright spots: NATO and Russia: Germany, writes Jeffrey Rathke of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has placed all of its security eggs in multilateral baskets, and thus it is one of the countries most affected by the United States foreign policy moves, especially with regard to NATO. Trump was apparently heartened to hear that Berlin has begun talking about devoting more resources to the annual NATO military budget. Perhaps if Merkel can outline the ways in which Germany, and Europe more broadly, are prepared to step up support for NATO financially, she can convince Trump to step up support for the organization rhetorically. That dovetails with another big question, how to deal with Russia and Putin; Trump is apparently very interested to hear the German chancellors opinion on the matter. European values: It is possible, of course, that Merkel will not change Trumps mind on any of the above. However, she could at least impart some understanding of the values underpinning Germany in particular and the European Union more broadly values like international rights and law, that Trump repeatedly undermines. That, says Carnegies Adebahr, would make the visit, whatever else happens, something of a hard-won success from the German perspective. Update, Mar. 13 2017, 1:55 pm ET: This piece was updated to reflect that Merkel is now visiting Friday, not Tuesday, due to snow in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: AURORE BELOT/AFP/Getty Images With North Korea's drive to field a nuclear-armed missile rapidly emerging as President Donald Trump's first foreign crisis, his top diplomat is heading to a nervous region. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, a former oil executive with no government experience, has yet to make an impact in Washington, where he has not even appointed a senior staff. But this week he will head as emissary of the world's top power to Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing to tackle a nuclear stand-off that threatens to tip into a catastrophic war. Tillerson will arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who watched Pyongyang's latest missile tests with alarm. On Friday, he will be in Seoul and a South Korea mired in a domestic political crisis but also still braced for further provocations from its belligerent northern neighbor. The secretary will meet Hwang Kyo-Ahn -- who is acting president until an election can be held to replace impeached leader Park Geun-Hye -- and talk with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se. Then, on Saturday, Tillerson will be in China, the United States' nearest peer as a world power and perhaps the only one that retains any leverage over Kim Jong-Un's regime. - Pressure - China supported previous UN sanctions against North Korea, and has in theory halted coal imports from its smaller neighbor, but it is reluctant to take steps that could see the regime fall. Since coming to office in January, and especially since the most recent North Korean missile tests last week, Trump has been looking for ways to turn up the pressure on Pyongyang. "I think it's well known that we are looking currently at approaches to the North Korea question and there is a range of things that are being considered," a senior US official said. Among the other options pushed by the hawkish wing of the Washington foreign policy community are secondary sanctions that would target any Chinese banks that work with Pyongyang. Story continues But officials preparing the trip, briefing reporters anonymously at a time when most senior diplomatic positions in Washington are unfilled, said no major announcements are imminent. "We're trying to come up with what the approach of the new administration is going to be," one said. No peace treaty was signed after the 1950-53 Korean war, so Seoul and its US ally are technically still in a state of hostilities with its neighbor across a demilitarized zone. Since the peninsula split, South Korea has become an economic power with democratic institutions, but there are still more than 28,000 US personnel deployed to aid in its defense. Kim, the third leader in a dynasty that rules through oppression and a personality cult, has proved just as determined as his father and grandfather to develop a nuclear weapon. North Korea has a small number of bombs and now it is testing an intercontinental ballistic missile and shorter-range rockets that could threaten US bases and cities in the Pacific rim. - Secondary sanctions - Most observers see China as the only power with the leverage to get its isolated neighbor to stand down, and existing United Nations-backed sanctions have had little effect so far. The crisis is shaping up to be the key early challenge of Trump's presidency and the Pentagon has already provoked China's ire by deploying the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea. US officials insist THAAD is a purely defensive system designed to protect South Korea and Japan from Kim's missiles, but Beijing sees it as a threat to its own deterrent ability. And the signals coming out of China are not encouraging for those in Washington who cling to the hope that Beijing may be ready to rein in its small but combative neighbor. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi implied that the United States and North Korea were equally at fault for provoking the latest crisis and headed towards a "head-on collision." Wang urged the US military to halt planned exercises with South Korea, in exchange for Pyongyang halting its nuclear and missile programs -- an idea Washington promptly dismissed. Lome (AFP) - Emmanuel Sogadji has a message for the government in Togo from people who are being squeezed by fuel price rises: "Enough is enough!" The consumer group he heads has given the administration two weeks to put the prices back to what they were, as the hike is "hitting households where it hurts", he said. "The authorities don't care about people, who are living in poverty," he added. The Combat for Political Change (CAP 2015), Togo's main opposition grouping, on Saturday organised a "peace march" in the capital of Lome to demand an end to the past month's rises. Thousands of opposition supporters and civil society groups took to the streets for several hours, chanting anti-government slogans and holding a rally. Security forces watched over the demonstration but it passed off without incident after a previous protest in February turned violent, leaving one person dead and several others injured. Motorcycle-taxi drivers blocked major intersections and were dispersed by police. - Knock-on effect - The government increased the price of fuel by about 10 percent on February 27, in the second such rise in the space of a month. A litre of premium petrol jumped from 476 to 524 CFA francs ($0.77 to $0.85, or 0.72 euros to 0.8 euros). Diesel went up from 478 to 526 CFA francs while regular petrol was 425 but is now 468 CFA francs. Jean-Pierre Fabre, who leads the CAP 2015 coalition, told AFP on Saturday: "We're asking for the government to simply return to the old prices." The government has said the hikes are necessary because the price of crude has gone up on the international market, from $38.38 in January 2016 to $55 in January 2017. At the same time the dollar has strengthened. Sogadji called the decision "unfair" and alleged that the government's claim of subsidising fuel at the pump was false. Price rises have already had a knock-on effect, particularly in the home-grown food industry. Items such as corn and even firewood have increased because of higher transport costs, he added. Story continues - Calls to cancel - Two-thirds of Togo's nearly eight million people rely on subsistence farming and more than half of the population live in poverty, according to World Bank figures from 2015. Unemployment is running at 29 percent, according to some Togolese economists, with young people hit especially hard. The west African country, which borders Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso, mainly imports its petroleum products. Evariste Ekadji, a 33-year-old taxi driver, said he has had to put up his prices, particularly for clients wanting to travel long distances. "The government should cancel new pump prices because we are suffering in this country," he added Anani Ekue, a 27-year-old motorcycle-taxi driver, said he has done the same "to avoid losses" while Cossi Djiwan has taken further measures to cut costs. The 42-year-old, who works as an accountant for a security firm, said he has stopped using his car to get to work every day because of the increased cost of fuel is eating his budget. "I've downsized to my motorbike, which doesn't consume a lot of petrol," he said. Fulbert Attisso, president of the Another Togo opposition party, said "this increase in the cost of fuel at the pump is ill-timed, given the difficulties people are facing". "The authorities should cancel this decision out of necessity," he said. The grand old party's decision comes close on the heels of the BJP's decision to stake claim to form government in the coastal state on Sunday evening. By Supriya Bhardwaj: The Congress will move Supreme Court against the appointment of Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister on Tuesday. The apex court will have a special hearing tomorrow. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi will appear for the party. The Congress party is expected to raise the alleged horse-trading in Manipur and Goa by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form government in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. advertisement The grand old party's decision comes close on the heels of the BJP's decision to stake claim to form government in the coastal state on Sunday evening. CONGRESS, BJP SHOWDOWN A massive showdown is expected between the Congress and the BJP on the issue of formation of government in Goa and Manipur. Congress through its CLP leader Chandrakant Babu has filed a petition in the Supreme Court and sought emergency hearing of the matter. The principal Opposition party at the Centre has challenged governor's move of appointing former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as chief minister. Congress has also written to Goa Governor to invite it to form government on being the single largest party. The Congress has claimed that it has 17 MLAs making it the single largest party in 40 member legislative assembly. BJP on the other hand has 13 MLAs. "BJP just has 13 MLAs and didn't have any pre poll alliance with any other political party or individual. Goa's governor should have invited us first - as we have 17 MLAs- to form the government and prove majority. But that didn't happen. So we moved court," said a senior leader. BJP GARNERS SUPPORT Incidentally, in the last two days the BJP managed to garner support from smaller parties and independent candidates. Parrikar stepped down as Defence Minister after he was appointed as the chief minister by Governor Mridula Sinha. He has been given 15 days to prove majority support after he takes oath tomorrow. Parrikar, has an undisputed following in the coastal state. He is viewed as an honest politician by Goans. Earlier, the former Defence Minister had expressed his desire to return as Goa CM. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh termed the sudden change as a political coup and accused the BJP of horse-trading. Also read: Goa: Parrikar to take oath as chief minister tomorrow, Congress accuses BJP of buying support Goa governor appoints Parrikar as chief minister, asks him to prove majority in 15 days Goa Election Results: BJP wins 13 seats, claims support of nine MLAs advertisement Also watch: Manohar Parrikar to take oath as Goa chief minister, Congress accuses BJP of stealing elections --- ENDS --- SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korea's acting leader on Tuesday turned down the resignation offers made by senior advisers to ousted President Park Geun-hye. The Constitutional Court ruled Friday to formally end the presidency of Park, who was impeached by parliament in December over a huge corruption scandal. Thirteen policy advisers and other officials at the presidential Blue House tendered their resignations to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who serves as government caretaker, on Monday. But Hwang turned down the resignations to help ensure stability in state affairs, according to Hwang's office. Hwang's office said those presidential officials have provided policy advice to Hwang since Park's impeachment. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) Malaysia's health minister said Monday that the government will give relatives of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother two to three weeks to claim his body before deciding what to do with it. Malaysian authorities say Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13, but North Korea which is widely suspected to be behind the attack rejects the findings. North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia's autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye offered to resign on Monday, news reports said, three days after the country's Constitutional Court formally ended her rule over a corruption scandal. Park, whose power had been suspended in a parliamentary impeachment vote in December, was formally removed from office Friday after the court dismissed her from the top post. Park vacated the presidential office on Sunday. Nine senior presidential advisers tendered their resignations to acting leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified government officials. Other South Korean media carried a similar report. Story continues UNITED NATIONS (AP) North Korea on Monday tried to shift the blame for the deadly attack in Malaysia on the estranged half- brother of its leader Kim Jong Un to the United States and South Korea. North Korea's deputy U.N. ambassador, Kim In Ryong, told a news conference that "from A to Z, this case is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities," who he said are trying to tarnish the North's image and bringing down its social system. Malaysian authorities say Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plunges this week into the increasingly volatile situation in North Asia with visits to Japan, South Korea and China, the region's central players for dealing with North Korea's missile launches and nuclear tests. Complicating the mission are Chinese concerns about how the U.S. has responded so far. Beijing strenuously objects to the initial deployment to South Korea of a U.S. missile defense system. One of Tillerson's chief tasks will be to assuage Asia's biggest country and arrange a much-anticipated visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States. Tillerson's four-day trip will be closely watched for signs of how the Trump administration will approach the escalating tensions with North Korea, whose leader has disregarded international appeals to disarm and accelerated weapons development. BEIJING (AP) Damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs could be a civil offense under a proposed draft of China's civil law, as the Communist Party further tightens the space for dissent and academic discourse on historical issues. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Monday that delegates to China's ceremonial parliament had introduced the provisions for ratification this week. In recent months, top Communist Party officials, including the education minister, have openly warned about the trend of historical revisionists "smearing" the party by offering unsanctioned views about past events, something that could now amount to an offense. The proposed law comes at a time when liberal academics and intellectuals are already under rising political pressure to toe the party line. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) It's one thing to talk about changing allegiance to another country when a new president is elected. It's another thing to go ahead and do it. But that's exactly what seems to be happening, at least in one distant corner of the world. In New Zealand, the number of Americans who applied for a grant of citizenship rose by 70 percent in the 12 weeks following the election of President Donald Trump when compared to the same period a year earlier, immigration records obtained by The Associated Press show. Figures also show the number of Americans who obtained a New Zealand work visa in January was up 18 percent from a year earlier, as was the number of Americans who visited the country. SOUTH ARI ATOLL, Maldives (AP) In early versions of a story March 13 about dying coral reefs, The Associated Press misspelled the name of the organization that documents reefs worldwide. The correct spelling is XL Catlin Seaview Survey, not XL Caitlin Seaview Survey. A corrected version of the story is below: Scientists race to prevent wipeout of world's coral reefs Coral reefs, unique underwater ecosystems that sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and half a billion people, are dying on an unprecedented scale due to rising ocean temperatures By ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press SOUTH ARI ATOLL, Maldives (AP) There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) Walt Disney has shelved the release of its new movie "Beauty and the Beast" in mainly Muslim Malaysia, even though film censors said Tuesday it had been approved with a minor cut involving a "gay moment." The country's two main cinema chains said the movie, due for to begin screening Thursday, has been postponed indefinitely. No reason was given. Film Censorship Board chairman Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said he did not know why the film was postponed as was been approved by the board after a minor gay scene was axed. He said scenes promoting homosexuality were forbidden and that the film was given a P13 rating, which requires parental guidance for children under 13 years of age. BEIJING (AP) China's top political advisory body voted Monday to appoint Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to the ceremonial post of vice chairman, ahead of his departure from office in July. Leung announced in December that he wouldn't seek a second term as leader of the Chinese-controlled territory, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. His five-year term has been marked by increasingly bitter political divisions between pro-democracy activists and Beijing loyalists. Leung has said Hong Kong is an "inalienable" part of China and independence is not possible. Members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference voted to appoint him on the final day of their annual 10-day meeting. Washington (AFP) - Top White House aide Kellyanne Conway said she had no evidence to back up Donald Trump's claim that his predecessor had wiretapped him, after suggesting her boss may have been spied upon using other methods. The Trump administration is under mounting pressure to provide proof to shore up the president's unsubstantiated allegation that Barack Obama ordered the phones to be tapped at Trump Tower during the election campaign. "The answer is I don't have any evidence and I'm very happy that the House Intelligence Committee are investigating," Conway told ABC television. The senior aide to the president was being pressed to explain weekend comments that seemed to suggest the Obama administration ordered wide-scale surveillance of her boss. "What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other," Conway told New Jersey's Bergen County Record in a wide-ranging interview published Sunday. "You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets -- any number of ways," including "microwaves that turn into cameras," she told the paper. "We know this is a fact of modern life." Conway backed away on Monday from the comments -- which were greeted with online ridicule -- telling ABC's "Good Morning America" she had been referring to "surveillance generally" and not to the president's allegations regarding Trump Tower. Trump, meanwhile, appeared to take the media to task over its skeptical treatment of Conway. "It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives," he tweeted minutes after she wrapped up appearances on several morning talk shows. "Be nice," he said, "you will do much better!" Both Obama, through a spokesman, and his director of national intelligence James Clapper have denied ordering any wiretapping operation targeted at Trump. Story continues But Trump's White House is standing by its demand for a congressional investigation into the allegations. The House Intelligence Committee's Republican chairman Devin Nunes and top ranking Democrat Adam Schiff had written to the Justice Department asking for evidence to be provided by Monday in support of Trump's allegation. The DOJ instead asked for "additional time to review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist," spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Monday. Schiff said Sunday he doubted any evidence would be forthcoming, and that he would press the demand again during a wide-ranging open hearing set for March 20 on the issue of Russian meddling in the election. After the DOJ asked for more time on Monday, Schiff tweeted, "We are urging that they do so promptly but no later than our hearing on March 20." Top Republican lawmaker and frequent Trump critic Senator John McCain on Sunday challenged Trump to prove the wiretapping claim -- or else retract it. President Donald Trump's release of a spending blueprint for the upcoming budget year will set in motion a debate that's full of uncertainty and the potential for gridlock, even a government shutdown. There's also a more immediate quandary: What to do about the current budget year? None of the 12 annual appropriations bills has been enacted and a temporary funding measure expires next month. Trump's signature is needed on what promises to be an omnibus spending bill with a $1 trillion-plus price tag. The path toward passage may be rocky, given the political land mines such as the southern border wall and a budget-busting supplemental Pentagon request. Some key dates in the process: Early March: With Wednesday's deadline to increase the government's borrowing authority looming, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he would use bookkeeping measures to avert a first-ever government default on U.S. obligations such as Social Security benefits and interest payments. Such "extraordinary measures" will buy time until the fall for lawmakers to approve legislation increasing the debt limit. Thursday: Trump submits a budget covering only discretionary spending. That's the $1 trillion-plus portion of the $4 trillion federal budget that passes through Congress each year. Trump's plan would boost the Pentagon's budget by $54 billion about 10 percent while cutting domestic programs and foreign aid by an equal amount. April 28: A temporary, government-wide funding bill expires. Unless Congress passes and Trump signs a catchall spending bill or another extension, the government would partially shut down. Democratic votes are needed to pass the bill through the Senate, but any measure that satisfies Democrats is sure to alienate tea party Republicans. May: Trump reveals the remainder of his budget, including tax proposals, plans for curbing mandatory spending, economic projections and large deficits. Around the same time, Congress is likely to work on its annual budget resolution, which promises to be very difficult but is a precursor to Trump's promise to overhaul tax laws. Summer-Fall: The Republican-run Congress tries to advance spending bills for the 2018 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. Meeting that deadline is highly unlikely, but at some point, budget talks probably will begin assuming, as many do, that the regular process will have broken down. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is set to formally announce a review of vehicle fuel efficiency rules locked in at the end of the Obama administration when he meets with automaker chiefs this week, according to two sources briefed on the matter. The move by Trump would be a victory for automakers after months of pushing the new administration to reconsider the rules, which they say would be too expensive, could cost jobs and are out of step with vehicles consumers want to buy. Trump will visit an autonomous vehicle testing facility in a Detroit suburb on Wednesday and meet there with chief executives of several U.S. automakers. His administration has decided to review the feasibility of the vehicle emissions rules, which apply to the years 2022 through 2025, sources told Reuters last week. Former President Barack Obama moved to keep them in the final days of his administration. Reuters reported on the planned announcement on March 3. A formal notice by U.S. regulators to restart the review is expected to be made public on Wednesday. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday the trip is focused on "job creation and automobile manufacturing... highlighting the need to eliminate burdensome regulations that needlessly hinder meaningful job growth." The chief executives of General Motors Co , Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will meet with the president in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, along with senior officials from Japanese and German automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T>, Nissan Motor Co <7201.T> and Daimler AG . Trump will hold a roundtable with CEOs and then make a speech to autoworkers and others. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had until April 2018 to decide whether the standards were feasible under a "midterm review," but moved up its decision to a week before Obama left office in January. Automakers argue the vehicle emissions rules, which would raise the fleet average fuel efficiency to more than 50 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2025 from 27.5 mpg in 2010, will impose significant costs and are out of step with consumer preferences. They argue they need more flexibility to meet the rules amid low gas prices. Environmentalists, who favor the standards, say the rules will reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gases and have vowed to sue if the Trump administration weakens them. Trade groups representing automakers, including General Motors, Volkswagen AG and Toyota, have asked the EPA to withdraw the determination finalizing the rules, which stem from a 2011 deal the industry reached with the U.S. government. Changing the 2022-2025 fuel rules will require a lengthy regulatory process and environmentalists and Democratic state attorneys general are likely to sue if the Trump administration significantly weakens the requirements. The Obama administration said in 2011 the changes would boost fuel efficiency to a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg, save motorists $1.7 trillion in total fuel costs over the life of the vehicles and cost the auto industry about $200 billion over 13 years. The fuel standards were a central part of Obama's legacy on addressing climate change. In July, the EPA estimated the fleet would average only 50.8 mpg to 52.6 mpg in 2025 under the rules because Americans were buying more sport utility vehicles and trucks and fewer cars. Automakers briefed on the meeting do not expect the EPA to take action this week to attempt to prevent California from setting its own vehicle emissions rules. A Trump administration official confirmed it does not intend to address California's authority this week. Reuters reported last week the EPA is considering taking steps to reverse California's waiver under the Clean Air Act that allows it to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards. Trump has repeatedly met with automaker CEOs since taking office and made boosting employment, especially in the auto sector, a top priority. (Editing by Bernadette Baum and Bill Rigby) One of the most important meetings of Donald Trumps young presidency will take place on Tuesday, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel comes to Washington. Europe is Americas most important partner and Germany guides Europe. This meeting of the top two leaders of the free world will help determine whether the West survives the next four years. So far, Trump has been on a collision course with Merkel, breaking with her on a range of core issues the European Union, NATO, immigration, trade, Russia, the nuclear deal with Iran, and climate change. The sources of this divergence run deep. Trump aims to shake up the establishment and undermine the center as he delivers on promises to his populist base. Merkel aims to reassure the establishment and consolidate the center in order to neutralize the populists. Trump is noisy and impulsive. Merkel is quiet and steady. But find common ground they must. The future of the West hangs in the balance. During his meeting with Merkel, Trump should demonstrate his professed mastery of the art of the deal. With German elections coming in September, Merkel wants to demonstrate that she can tame Trump and preserve the close ties with Washington forged during the Barack Obama presidency. It will take some hard swallowing, but the terms of a compromise between these two leaders are within reach. For starters, Trump needs to lose his hostility toward the EU. He has denigrated the union, welcomed Britains plan to leave it, and said he expects other members to head for the exits. Trashing the EU runs counter to U.S. interests an integrated and peaceful Europe has long been a bipartisan U.S. priority and is anathema to Merkel. The project of European integration has anchored German identity and politics since the end of World War II. Trumps support for this project is a must-have if Washington and Berlin are to remain partners. Merkel can reciprocate by agreeing to a substantial increase in German defense spending. After earlier calling NATO obsolete, Trump clarified in his address to Congress on March 1 that he strongly supports the alliance. But Trump continues to hammer allies, justifiably, for failing to shoulder their fair share of the costs of security. With the German economy in reasonably good shape, Merkel should now deliver on one of Trumps top priorities. Story continues Common ground on immigration will be hard to come by. Merkel has opened Germanys doors to well over a million migrants since 2015, a move that Trump has called catastrophic, hitting her on her most vulnerable political flank. Merkel has struck back, publicly criticizing Trump for his travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. But a deal can be had. Merkel has already backed away from her open door policy, and the EU, like the United States, needs to better manage migration. Effective border control, comprehensive vetting, seamless sharing of intelligence within Europe and across the Atlantic Berlin and Washington can work together on these goals. To facilitate this cooperation, Trump should ideally echo Merkels recognition of the humanitarian and pluralistic values at stake. If that is a bridge too far, he at least he should agree with Merkel that immigration can have clear economic benefits. On economic issues, Merkel has for way too long clung to austerity and fiscal discipline, contributing to sluggish growth and unemployment across the eurozone. By opting instead for increased spending on security, infrastructure, and investment, Berlin can stimulate demand, import more goods, and help rectify the imbalances in trade about which Trump rightfully complains. Merkel would also benefit boosting growth would help undercut the populist wave that is threatening Europes political center. In return, Trump needs to ease off his protectionist mantra. Merkel is hosting the G20 Summit in July. Her nightmare would be to preside over the dismantling of an open trading order triggered by Washingtons imposition of protective tariffs. At a minimum, Trump needs to reassure her that he intends to play by existing World Trade Organization rules on this front. Even better, he could reopen the U.S.-EU free trade negotiations that began under the previous president, and thereby demonstrate that he is the deft dealmaker he claims to be. After all, an agreement between Washington and Brussels would constitute just the kind of clean bilateral deal that Trump says he prefers. Finally, Trump needs to make clear that he is ready to align himself with Europe on several additional issues. He needs to join Merkel in confronting Russian aggression in Ukraine and its ongoing interference in elections in Western democracies. Merkel has been the EUs backbone in standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. She will likely falter if Washington cozies up to the Kremlin, which would only intensify concern about the nature of Trumps own relationship with Putin. Even if Trump is not enamored of either the Iran nuclear deal or the Paris climate agreement, he should make clear that he does not intend to pull these pacts down. Were he to dismantle them, the public outcry across Europe would compel Merkel and most other European leaders to keep their distance from Washington. Trump and Merkel are oil and water; they are unlikely to forge a friendship or enduring bond. But for the sake of both countries and the future of the West, they must seize the opportunity to compromise their way to a working relationship. Charles A. Kupchan, a professor at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, served as special assistant to the president for national security affairs from 2014 to 2017. Versions of this article are set to appear in Le Monde, La Stampa, and Suddeutsche Zeitung. Photo credits: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images, RONNY HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images A showdown is brewing in the U.S. courts, one that pits young Americans against President Donald Trump and the fossil fuel industry. Central to the fight is a lawsuit that accuses the federal government and energy companies of failing to adequately address human-caused global warming. A group of 21 citizens, ages 9 to 20, claim that failure violates their "constitutional rights to life, liberty and property." Now Trump and fossil fuel defendants want the case to go away. SEE ALSO: How 21 kids could keep climate websites from going completely dark Both groups filed separate motions last week to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to scrap an earlier ruling that upheld Juliana v. United States. It's unusual for the government to try to appeal a case to a higher court before a lower court has ruled on it especially since this case is moving toward a trial later this year. Kelsey, lead plaintiff suing U.S. to take action on climate, is teaching youth about climate change in her home @fluxoregon @UOsojc @OCTorg pic.twitter.com/IpbB9UKG4U Miles Trinidad (@miles_trinidad) March 9, 2017 Environmental groups and some climate scientists have praised the children's lawsuit as a groundbreaking strategy to force the government to act on climate change. The lawsuit initially targeted former President Barack Obama who, for all his efforts to tackle climate change, still couldn't shake the nation's dependence on oil, coal and natural gas. Now Trump has inherited the lawsuit. But unlike Obama, Trump says he doesn't believe climate change is a threat. His EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, is working to dismantle the climate policies that Obama put in place. Story continues If successful, this first-of-its-kind lawsuit could force even a skeptical government to curb carbon dioxide emissions and help communities adapt to the effects of global warming. Hence all the attempts to stop it. The Trump administration filed a motion on March 7, disputing the earlier ruling that the children have a viable legal claim. In November, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken denied the Obama administration's motion to dismiss the lawsuit setting a landmark precedent for climate issues as legal rights. "I have no doubt that the right to a climate system capable of sustaining human life is fundamental to a free and ordered society," Judge Aiken said in her decision. The Trump team also filed a motion to delay trial preparations until after the court considered the appeal. On top of that, lawyers asked for an expedited review of both motions, citing a Jan. 24 letter filed by the young plaintiffs' lawyers. That letter a legal preservation notice requests that federal agencies and fossil fuel industries retain records relating to climate change and any communications between the government and oil, gas and coal companies. Lawyers filed the letter after it seemed likely the Trump administration would remove global warming-related content from the websites of the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA and other agencies. 'We'll be asking supporters to take bold actions to show support for youth plaintiffs.' -Jess, @OCTorg organizer. #PIELC2017 #youthvgov pic.twitter.com/ETX1yZNNto Our Children's Trust (@OCTorg) March 4, 2017 The Trump administration called the letter "extraordinarily broad," saying it placed an outsized burden of discovery on the federal government. The United states could be "irreparably harmed" without a stay, the administration claimed in its motion. On March 10, fossil fuel industry groups filed a similar motion requesting appeal of Judge Aiken's decision. The defendants' attorneys also claimed the companies would be forced to spend "enormous" resources to produce all the documents and witnesses required in the expert discovery phase. Julia Olson, a counsel for the 21 young plaintiffs and executive director of Our Children's Trust, said the Trump administration's efforts to quash the lawsuit demonstrate the government's "misplaced priorities." "They're right. It is a big case," she said in a statement. "They prefer to minimize the procedural obligations of not destroying government documents over the urgency of not destroying our climate system for our young plaintiffs and all future generations?" WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month, according to media reports, as his administration seeks to smooth relations with the world's second-largest economy. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. CNN also reported the planned summit, citing an unnamed administration official. It said the plan was tentative and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was expected to finalize plans during a trip this week to Asia, which includes a stop in China. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday the White House was preparing for a meeting between the two leaders but was not ready to announce a date. "Planning is ongoing for a visit between President Trump and President Xi at a date to be determined," Spicer said, saying any meeting would cover North Korea and other issues. In previewing Tillerson's Asia visit, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton told reporters it would "to some extent be paving the way for future high-level meetings between our two presidents." China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A summit would follow a string of other recent U.S.-China meetings and conversations aimed at mending ties after strong criticism of China by Trump during his election campaign. Thornton said the United States was "pursuing a results-oriented relationship with China; one that benefits the American people and one that remains faithful to our allies and presses China to abide by international rules and norms." She said Tillerson had urged China in previous meetings to do all it can to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and "to create a level playing field for trade and investment." "We want to be able to pursue a constructive discussion with China that enables us to get at problem areas," she said. China's top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, visited Washington last month and met Trump and Tillerson. During his campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbor, North Korea. Trump incensed Beijing in December by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honor the long-standing policy and has also written to Xi since seeking "constructive ties." Tillerson, making his first trip to Asia as secretary of state, will visit China on Saturday and Sunday and meet Xi and other leaders. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns that the Trump administration is rolling back former President Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." Thorton said the United States was a Pacific power and would "certainly be remaining active and engaged in Asia," whether or not the terminology remained the same. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Roberta Rampton, Emily Stephenson, David Brunnstrom and Yeganeh Torbati in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month, according to media reports, as his administration seeks to smooth relations with the world's second-largest economy. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. CNN also reported the planned summit, citing an unnamed administration official. It said the plan was tentative and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was expected to finalise plans during a trip this week to Asia, which includes a stop in China. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday the White House was preparing for a meeting between the two leaders but was not ready to announce a date. "Planning is ongoing for a visit between President Trump and President Xi at a date to be determined," Spicer said, saying any meeting would cover North Korea and other issues. In previewing Tillerson's Asia visit, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton told reporters it would "to some extent be paving the way for future high-level meetings between our two presidents." China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A summit would follow a string of other recent U.S.-China meetings and conversations aimed at mending ties after strong criticism of China by Trump during his election campaign. Thornton said the United States was "pursuing a results-oriented relationship with China; one that benefits the American people and one that remains faithful to our allies and presses China to abide by international rules and norms." She said Tillerson had urged China in previous meetings to do all it can to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and "to create a level playing field for trade and investment." "We want to be able to pursue a constructive discussion with China that enables us to get at problem areas," she said. China's top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, visited Washington last month and met Trump and Tillerson. During his campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbour, North Korea. Trump incensed Beijing in December by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honour the long-standing policy and has also written to Xi since seeking "constructive ties." Tillerson, making his first trip to Asia as secretary of state, will visit China on Saturday and Sunday and meet Xi and other leaders. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns that the Trump administration is rolling back former President Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." Thorton said the United States was a Pacific power and would "certainly be remaining active and engaged in Asia," whether or not the terminology remained the same. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Roberta Rampton, Emily Stephenson, David Brunnstrom and Yeganeh Torbati in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) By Press Trust of India: Shimla, Mar 12 (PTI) Intense cold wave conditions further aggravated in Himachal Pradesh today as minimum temperatures dropped sharply and stayed five to 11 degrees Celsius below normal. The dip in mercury led to freezing and bursting of water pipes in mid and higher hills, affecting water supply. Thick ground frost occurred in mid and higher hills and frozen, slippery roads hampered vehicular traffic in morning hours. advertisement The mercury stayed 12 to 17 degrees Celsius below the freezing point in high altitude tribal areas, while tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur recorded minimum temperatures at minus 8.6 and minus 7.0 degrees Celsius. Shimla and Manali shivered under sub-zero temperature with a low of minus 3.8 and minus 0.9 degree Celsius. Solan and Sundernagar recorded a low of 0.5 and 1.0 degree Celsius, while Nahan in foothills recorded the minimum temperature at 2.7 degrees Celsius, 10 degrees below normal. Palampur too was in the grip of biting cold with minimum temperature at 3.0 degree Celsius, followed by Bhuntar 3.4, Una 6.2 and Dharamsala 7.2 degrees Celsius. Tourists thronged Shimla and made a beeline to Kufri, bringing cheers to hoteliers, and Kasauli and Barog also saw tourist rush. While the region had a clear day today, Manali recorded 8 cm of snow till this morning, followed by Shimla and Kalpa 7 cm, Bijahi 6 cm, Jubbal and Khadrala 5 cm. Jhandutta in Bilaspur district received 26 cm rain, followed by Nainadevi 16 cm, Nahan and Jubbal 12 cm, Gaggal and Manali 6 cm. The state received 33 per cent excess rain from March 1 to March 12 with Sirmaur and Bilaspur districts recording 208 per cent and 196 per cent excess rain, followed by Shimla 80 per cent, Kullu 65 per cent, Solan 59 per cent, Hamirpur 58 per cent and Una 51 per cent. Lahaul and Spiti was the only district that received 31 per cent deficit rain, the MeT office said. There was a minor increase in day temperatures and Una recorded a high of 23.0 degrees Celsius, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded maximum temperature at 18.7 and 17.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Nahan 17.2, Solan 15.8, Dharamsala 11.8, Shimla 10.0, Manali 8.0 and Kalpa 4.8 degrees Celsius. Dry weather would prevail in the region over the next six days from tomorrow, the MeT office said. PTI PCL SMN --- ENDS --- advertisement Peter Navarro has run for office five times, and lost five times. Over the course of his career, he has morphed from registered Republican, to Independent, to Democrat, and back to Republican whatever it took to give him an edge, according to those in San Diegos political circles, where Navarro forged a dubious reputation. The economics professor with a Harvard Ph.D. had much bigger ambitions than the quiet, tenured life he led for years. Like his current boss, President Donald Trump, he loved media attention and sought political fame. Hes finally gotten it. Navarro closely shaped Trumps strident rhetoric on China during the presidential campaign; now he holds a potentially critical role as head of the Trump-created National Trade Council at the White House. But the totality of Navarros curriculum vitae reflects someone with greater expertise in public utilities than the complex workings of the Asia-Pacific. He does not appear to speak much Chinese, and has not, by all accounts, spent any significant time in the country, nor is he a frequent visitor. Well-regarded China analysts are almost universal in their derision of his views. What happens when the White Houses top China expert is not at least according to the yardsticks commonly used in foreign policy circles really a China expert? The answer could be crucial. Trade is the foundation for almost every other aspect of this most important geopolitical relationship in the world. As soon as you have cheating by one country, the model breaks down, Navarro said during an almost hour-long talk with Foreign Policy. As soon as there is currency manipulation or currency misalignments, the model breaks down. In either case, one country wins at the expense of the other. Any high school student will understand that. Navarro, professionally reborn as a China analyst, bases his ideology on viewing China as Americas main combatant in a zero-sum economic game. He bemoans the countrys entry to the World Trade Organization as one of the biggest mistakes the United States has made, believing Beijing does not play by the rules. He has called China out for its mercantilist strategy driven by its state-owned enterprises and subsidies, much of which, he believes, have contributed to the decline of manufacturing jobs in the United States. Despite prevailing convention, he maintains that China is still manipulating its currency. (That was previously the case, but most economists agree the renminbi is no longer undervalued.) Together with Trump, Navarro tore apart the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He has said repeatedly that he wants to slap 43 percent tariffs on Chinese imports. (Trump has spoken separately of a 45 percent tariff.) Since Navarros sudden emergence on the national political scene, he has resembled a gate-crasher to China experts who have spent years, even decades, forging their reputations. More than a dozen top China specialists reached for this article including those from academia, think tanks, the private sector, and those formerly in government said they did not know Navarro or had little interaction with him, and only heard of him after he catapulted onto the scene as a member of Trumps economic team. Professors in Southern California those most likely to have had a chance to meet Navarro, who has taught at the University of California, Irvine for years said he made no effort to connect with China experts, whether economists, political scientists, or historians. Navarro is not known in any China circles, said James McGregor, a former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. My recollection is that he generally avoided people who actually knew something about the country, said Kenneth Pomeranz, a professor of Chinese history at the University of Chicago and formerly at UC Irvine. Patrick Chovanec, chief strategist at Silvercrest Asset Management and a frequent commentator on the Chinese economy, told FP, The China that [Navarro] describes in Death by China bears only a tangential relationship to the China that I lived in for a decade. McGregor said Navarros books and his documentary have close to zero credibility with people who know the country, and are filled with hyperbole, inaccuracies and a cartoonish caricature of China that he puts out. The hyperbole McGregor refers to are mainly found in three of Navarros books: Crouching Tiger: What Chinas Militarism Means for the World; Death by China: Confronting the Dragon A Global Call to Action (which was accompanied by a film documentary of the same name); and The Coming China Wars: Where They Will Be Fought and How They Can Be Won. It is fair to call all three polemical, if readable. In Death by China, Navarro warns purchasers of Chinese goods, If you fancy death by explosion, fire, or electric shock, you can choose from a wide selection of booby-trapped extension cords, fans, lamps, overheating remote controls, exploding cell phones, and self-immolating boom boxes. At the start of another section on Chinas pollution problems, Navarro sets the scene, declaring, Its Big Brother Meets Silent Spring. He even takes to calling China Dragonland. When asked about his reputation, Navarro referred me to the acknowledgments section of his latest book. You have more than 30 of the top China hands in the world, across the spectrum, that I interviewed, he said. How can anybody credibly say that I avoided anybody? Thats just malicious spin. Interviews, of course, arent tantamount to endorsements, and I was unable to find an interview subject of Navarros willing to comment for this article. For most China experts, significant in-country time forges their interest and expertise. Not so Navarro, who said he turned his attention to China in the mid-2000s, when he started noticing that his former business school students had lost their jobs. He launched a research project on job losses when Chinas trade surplus and undervaluation were objectively at their sharpest, and concluded that China was a major culprit. Gordon Chang, a controversial figure among China-watchers who has been warning for more than 15 years that the countrys collapse is imminent, was the only China analyst I managed to find who could fairly be called a Navarro booster. Chang wrote the foreword to Navarros book on Chinas military might, but even he didnt agree with Navarro on everything. You will get from me no defense of 45 percent tariffs and charges of ongoing currency manipulation, Chang told FP. Nor does Chang support the U.S. withdrawal from the TPP, which he called a self-inflicted debacle. The criticism from China experts mirrors the critiques of Navarros economic views. Profiles in outlets like the New Yorker and Vox have suggested that Navarro is unsupported by theory and isolated from mainstream economic thought. For his part, Navarro thinks most economists are isolated from reality. Ninety-nine of the 100 people who criticize me on economic grounds dont teach economics like I do, he said. This is an area of my core expertise, and Im being criticized by people who have not taught the theoretical model and who have no clue why that theory has invariably broken down in the real world. Similarly, Chang thinks economists misunderstand Navarro because they misunderstand China. China has a very narrow view of trade. Theyve always viewed it as I win, you lose, he said. [The Chinese] view trade in the same way Navarro does. Orville Schell, the director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at Asia Society, recently met Navarro. Like most China experts interviewed, Schell disagrees with Navarros antagonistic approach and thinks he fails to appreciate the sensitivity of U.S.-China relations. But Schell was otherwise more generous than others. I know Navarro horrifies economists, but I am not an economist, he said. One has to acknowledge that hes gotten Chinas attention. Hes reminded them that they are reaping the bitter harvest of their own recklessness that has created an increasingly un-level and antagonistic playing field. Schell also offered a more charitable take on Navarros isolation from China-watching circles. In his view, China specialists have been sleepwalking through our relations with China, he said. And he has asked again and again: What have we actually gotten out of the relationship? McGregor said Navarro deserves some credit for pointing out that Chinas been outmaneuvering the United States and the world for at least a decade, but McGregor added that it is difficult to accept that message when it is stirred into a whole mix of malarkey. Navarro believes that begrudging acknowledgment from critics shows how, as time has gone by, I have looked more and more like Paul Revere than the alarmist my critics have sought to portray. Navarros greatest vindication, of course, has been joining Trumps administration. The two men first connected in 2011, after Navarro learned that Trump had read The Coming China Wars; later, Trump gave Navarros documentary a good review. When Trump launched his presidential run, Navarro flew to New York, and ended up helping out on the campaign trail. He said he had not expected to end up in Washington. It just all happened organically. Navarro may have come to Washington from apparent obscurity, but San Diegos political community remembers Navarro clearly, with a mixture of fear and loathing. Nobody in town can believe Peter Navarro is where he is, said Lisa Ross, Navarros own press officer for several of his five unsuccessful campaigns. Navarro launched his 1992 mayoral bid after leading a grassroots group that fought what he perceived as overdevelopment in San Diego. He had become particularly attuned to the influence of special-interest groups from his work as an academic researching public utilities and rent control. He relished a good fight, and considered himself a man of the people. He positioned himself as the anti-establishment outsider. He was confident, brash, and had a knack for interacting with the press. Peter could get the media to show up on a dime, Ross said. They loved him. Facing an opponent who had recently divorced her husband after he was convicted of laundering cocaine money, Navarro slammed Susan Golding in one of the most negative campaigns in the citys memory. He was extremely good at identifying a whipping boy and exploiting that, said Tom Shepard, Goldings chief campaign strategist. Navarro painted Golding, who had already spent years in local politics, as part of the rotten ruling class. In the final televised debate before voting day, he attacked Golding so nastily that she started tearing up. Instead of relenting, he doubled down, and accused Golding of acting. Voters were not pleased; Navarro lost the race by a slim margin. Navarro would go on to run for city councilman, county supervisor, and finally congressman in 1996. This time, he was badly trounced. Peters negatives were so high, there wasnt any way we were gonna win that race, Ross said. Many who know Navarro and spoke with FP pointed to similarities between him and Trump. Both are explosive and engaging, single-minded and self-absorbed, and possess an ability to play to the camera and come up with a zinger. I think he and Trump deserve each other, said Kim Cox, chair of the county Democratic Party from that period. Its hard to have an ego of Trumpian proportions, said Larry Remer, Navarros chief strategist for several campaigns. But Peter definitely felt that he had a lot to contribute. Remer nonetheless cautions against equating Navarro with his current boss. The Peter I knew has no relationship to the crude, lewd, racist, anti-feminist Donald Trump. He was never those things and I do not believe he is today. Its clear that Navarro was a controversial figure who wanted to win badly and was willing to hurt feelings along the way. In fairness, none of that need exclude the possibility that Navarro was also sincere in his views and genuine in his wish to serve the public. Theres evidence for that, too. Navarro was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand in the early 1970s. He speaks of that time with deep fondness. Fellow volunteers remember him as a serious, unflappable young man and an attentive listener. That public spirit from his Peace Corps days and academic studies on job loss is still present. Navarro continues to believe he is fighting for the little guy. In a speech on March 6, he laid into those who defend Chinese manufacturing because it provides Americans with cheaper goods. This seems to be an elitist, out-of-touch argument. It assumes that the poorest segments of our society would rather have cheap products than a good job and a good paycheck. Along those lines, Navarros office is acting as a SWAT team to help manufacturers and ranchers, farmers, and workers by identifying instances of unfair trade practices carried out by foreign companies. The mandate is not China-specific, but Navarro said hes looking at the impact of Beijings new cybersecurity law, which requires all companies, foreign and domestic, to store key information collected in China on servers in the country. In his view, this vastly disadvantages American cloud service companies while propping up local ones, such as Alibaba Cloud. Navarro wants reciprocity. Alibaba Cloud will have a monopoly of the Chinese market even as it can freely enter our market, he said. Wed be allowing a Chinese company to come into the United States, even as China is pushing out Amazon. The SWAT team role may be a good fit for Navarro. On larger trade policy, he seems to have more attitude than aptitude, McGregor said. So maybe keeping him busy on individual cases and using him as an attack dog on a local level might work best. The question is whether Navarros pugnacity will again overpower his public-mindedness. Recent reports suggest that Navarro is being sidelined in the White House, and that former Goldman Sachs CEO Gary Cohn of the National Economic Council, who has assembled a powerhouse staff and is generally more moderate on China, may be on the ascendant. Some whisper that Navarro and his small team may soon move to the Commerce Department, to be overseen by Secretary Wilbur Ross, who before the presidential campaign frequently praised Chinese culture. Navarro would not comment on these reports. But he appears aware of the paradox that his political identity has produced. In San Diego Confidential, an irreverent and highly readable book reflecting on his years running for office, Navarro includes several harsh self-assessments, including one moment of truth after his congressional run. I lost the race because I had run too many times and offended too many people in the process, he wrote. As a result, I was never able to do the only thing I have ever wanted to do in politics fight for issues that really matter. Image Credit: Bloomberg/Contributor La Goulette (Tunisia) (AFP) - Tunisia's coastguard on Monday announced the seizure of 31 kilos of pure cocaine with a value of more than $6 million (six million euros) off its Mediterranean coast facing Italy. The bust came after "suspicious movements" were sighted on a boat off Cape Bon, a peninsula on the strait of Sicily, Mohamed Walid Ben Ali, who heads the coastguard in La Goulette near Tunis, told AFP. Two men fled with the boat after hurling "a large red sack" into the sea that was recovered by coastguards and found to contain 30 blocks of pure cocaine. It was the "first time" that Tunisian authorities have netted such a large haul of the drug, said Lieutenant Colonel Ben Ali, who added that Italian authorities had been alerted about the two fugitives. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Monday said it was suspending top-level ties with The Netherlands and blocking the return of its ambassador in a spiralling crisis over the holding of rallies abroad ahead of a crucial referendum. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "supporting terrorists," as acrimony flared between Turkey and EU states -- a standoff that risks affecting Ankara's entire relationship with Europe. Both Germany and The Netherlands have blocked Turkish ministers from staging rallies to court the vote of expatriate Turks in the April 16 referendum on giving Erdogan greater powers. Ankara was especially angered by the acts of The Netherlands days ahead of general elections in the country. The authorities prevented the foreign minister's plane from landing and expelled the family minister over the weekend. "Until the Netherlands compensates for what it has done, high-level relations and planned meetings at a ministerial and higher level have been suspended," said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus after a cabinet meeting in Ankara. Turkey will not allow the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return until The Netherlands meets Turkey's conditions over holding rallies, he added. Diplomatic flights would also be suspended. Ambassador Kees Cornelis van Rij is currently outside of the country, and business is being handled by Dutch charge d'affaires. - 'Merkel backs terrorists' - Twice over the weekend, Erdogan accused The Netherlands, a NATO ally, of acting like the Nazis. His comments sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. The United States urged both countries to resolve their row. "They're both strong partners and NATO allies. We'd just ask that they not escalate the situation any further and work together to resolve it," said a senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Story continues With the exchanges worsening Turkey's already fraught relations with the European Union, Brussels sternly warned Ankara to avoid intensifying the crisis. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to "refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation." But hours later in an interview with A-Haber television, Erdogan bluntly stated: "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists." He accused Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects, including those linked to Kurdish militants and the failed coup in Turkey last year. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Merkel's spokesman described the accusations as "absurd", saying the chancellor had no intention of taking part in a "competition of provocations". Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik also said Ankara "should re-evaluate" a key part of a 2016 deal to stem the flow of migrants to the EU. He said Turkey should look at its policy on preventing migrant flows across land borders, although it would keep halting the illegal and dangerous sea crossings as a matter of human responsibility, state media said. - 'Completely wrong' - Dutch authorities at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam. Bringing out the millions-strong expatriate vote could be key in a referendum that could be a turning point in Turkey's modern history. Erdogan said the ministers would make the "necessary applications" to the European Court of Human Rights over their treatment. Meanwhile Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is under pressure to take a hard line against Erdogan as he faces the far-right populist Geert Wilders in general elections on Wednesday. The Netherlands also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens, urging them to stay "alert across the whole of Turkey". And Germany warned its citizens to take note of "increased political tensions and protests that could be directed against Germany". Turkey had already responded furiously to fellow NATO ally Germany's refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Erdogan comparing such action to "Nazi practices". After Erdogan used the same language to scold the Netherlands, Merkel said on Monday that the comparison was "completely wrong" and "banalises suffering". - 'Lifeline for Erdogan' - The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought to join for more than half a century. Erdogan, who has indicated he may personally travel to EU states to address rallies said Sunday that the West was showing its "true face" in the standoff. The immediate effect of the row, however, may aid Erdogan, Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Programme at The Washington Institute, told AFP. "By blocking (the rallies), they may have given Erdogan a lifeline to eke out a victory in the referendum," he said. Ankara (AFP) - Turkey will vote against expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers in an April referendum, the leader of the country's main opposition party has predicted, warning the opposite outcome would cripple democracy by concentrating power in one man's hands. In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Republican People's Party (CHP) chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu said even some ruling party voters were against a plan that would be dangerous for Turkey's future. "The result will be 'no' because there are questions raised even among the Justice and Development Party (AKP) voters about the proposed system," Kilicdaroglu told AFP. "One person having this much power and influence would impose risks in the future for Turkey," he said. On April 16, Turks will decide whether to approve constitutional changes that would axe the role of premier and allow the president to directly appoint top public officials including ministers. The Turkish government defends the changes as necessary for stability in the country while critics including Kilicdaroglu argue it would bring one-man rule. Polls show a tight race between the two sides, with pro-government dailies publishing surveys putting the "yes" side ahead while opposition newspapers show the "no" side in front. - 'Abolishing democracy' - Kilicdaroglu took over the CHP in 2010, stabilising a party humiliated by the AKP at the ballot box and mired in scandal. But under his leadership the secular CHP has failed to dent the dominance of the Islamic-rooted AKP and it remains unclear if Kilicdaroglu can halt the ruling party's election juggernaut this time. The CHP leader is about to embark on a campaign of nationwide rallies. The party's campaign poster shows a young girl with a colourful sun in the background accompanied by the words: "For my future, 'no'." While officials from the ruling party and government have sometimes demonised the opposing side during the campaign as "terrorists", Kilicdaroglu said his party was targeting women as well as 1.7 million first-time voters. Story continues "We want to leave to our children a Turkey with a developed democracy, independent judiciary, a media free to draw and write whatever," Kilicdaroglu said. "That's why we are saying 'no'." If Turkey's democratic structure collapses and a "one-man regime" forms, it would be "seriously damaging" for not just Turkey but democratic nations everywhere, he said. The referendum comes less than a year since a rogue military faction on July 15 tried to oust Erdogan from power in a failed coup which killed nearly 250 people. Its defeat prompted a rare show of unity in Turkish politics, and Kilicdaroglu and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli even attended a pro-Erdogan rally in Istanbul. Bahceli allied his party with the government to push through the constitutional changes bill in January. But Kilicdaroglu refused to help the government pass the bill, and has since fiercely criticised the proposals as "regime change". According to Kilicdaroglu, the president would gain effective control over the judiciary, executive and legislative powers under the 18-article constitutional draft. "If there is no judiciary independence, if the executive and legislative organs are able to be taken under control, then this means... we are abolishing democracy," he said. The government defends the changes, saying the system would be like that in France and the United States. - 'Not even Ataturk' - If approved, the reforms would be the most far-reaching constitutional shift since the creation of modern Turkey in 1923. "And this power, in our history, has not even been given to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk," Kilicdaroglu said, referring to the founder of modern Turkey and the CHP. Days after the failed coup, a state of emergency was imposed which has been renewed twice and the vote will take place under such a period. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a group of American journalists last week the emergency would be renewed again for another 12 weeks despite criticism. Since July, over 100,000 people have been dismissed, sacked or arrested from the public sector including the judiciary accused of links to coup-plotters or Kurdish militants under emergency decrees which have been heavily criticised. Kilicdaroglu said it was wrong to hold a vote during the emergency, saying it was a "shadow" over the referendum. "The emergency should be lifted. There shouldn't be a referendum during a state of emergency." A diplomatic row between several European countries and Turkey over the staging of pro-government rallies by expatriate Turkish communities has widened, with Denmark canceling the Turkish prime ministers visit over the weekend, and Turkey formally protesting to the Netherlands. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister, proposed Sunday to delay a visit by Binali Yilderim, his Turkish counterpart, given the escalating feud between the Netherlands and Turkey. The trip had been planned for later this month. With the current Turkish attacks on the Netherlands the meeting cannot be seen separated from that, he was quoted as saying in an official press release. I have therefore proposed to my Turkish colleague that the meeting will be postponed. Rasmussen also weighed in on the back-and-forth between Ankara and Amsterdam in no uncertain terms. The characterization of the Western democracies and the current rhetorical attacks against the Netherlands by Turkey means that a meeting right now would be interpreted as if Denmark is viewing developments in Turkey more mildly, he continued, which is not at all the case. Rasmussens move isnt the only riposte E.U. member state leaders are making in response to Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogans intensifying verbal assault, reports the BBC. After Erdogan called the Netherlands a banana republic and claimed that Nazism is alive in the West over the latters refusal to let two of his ministers hold rallies in the country, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte blasted the remarks as unacceptable, while Germanys foreign minister hoped Ankara would return to its senses. The rallies were intended to shore up support from the overseas Turkish population for a constitutional referendum, slated for April, that would give Erdogan sweeping new powers as president. Story continues Similar rallies have also been blocked in Germany and Austria, although one in the eastern French city of Metz has gone ahead as planned, reports the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Turkey summoned the top Dutch diplomat in the country to lodge a formal complaint Monday. According to AP, Ankara accused the Netherlands of using disproportionate force against people using their right to peaceful gatherings at a rally in Rotterdam over the weekend, and says it subjected Turkish nationals to inhumane and derogatory treatment. Turkey is also seeking an apology from the Netherlands over what it says are practices contravening diplomatic norms. After refusing to let Turkish ministers hold rallies, Dutch authorities reportedly escorted the Turkish minister for family affairs out of the country, while denying the foreign minister permission to land. The row first started last week, when Germany refused to let a Turkish minister address a rally in support of Erdogan and the proposed changes to the Turkish constitution. Erdogan compared the denial to Nazi practices of the past comments roundly condemned by German chancellor Angela Merkel as unjustifiable, reports CNN. Turkey isnt the only party with imminent ballots involved in this entanglement, as the Netherlands prepare to go to the polls on Wednesday. While anti-immigration populist Geert Wilders looks set to leave his mark in the countrys political landscape, Dutch political scientist Andre Krouwel told AP that Rutte may yet benefit from the standoff, which could bolster his image as a tough leader. ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey said on Monday it would suspend high-level diplomatic relations with the Netherlands after Dutch authorities prevented Turkish ministers from speaking at rallies of expatriate Turks, deepening the row between the two NATO allies. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus, the government's chief spokesman, also said Ankara might re-evaluate its deal with the European Union to halt the flow of migrants from Turkish shores to Europe. "We are doing exactly what they did to us. We are not allowing planes carrying Dutch diplomats or envoys from landing in Turkey or using our airspace," Kurtulmus told a news conference. "Those creating this crisis are responsible for fixing it." President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking Turks' support in an April referendum for his plans to amass greater powers, has previously accused the Dutch government of acting like "Nazi remnants" for barring his ministers from addressing expatriate Turks to drum up votes. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Tulay Karadeniz ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey said on Monday it would suspend high-level diplomatic relations with the Netherlands after Dutch authorities prevented its ministers from speaking at rallies of expatriate Turks, deepening the row between the two NATO allies. The sanctions - which include a ban on the Dutch ambassador and diplomatic flights from the Netherlands but do not appear to include economic measures or travel restrictions for ordinary citizens - mark another low point in relations between Turkey and the European Union, which it still officially aims to join. President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking Turkish voters' support in an April 16 referendum on boosting his powers as head of state, has previously accused the Dutch government of acting like "Nazi remnants" for barring his ministers from addressing expatriate Turks to drum up votes. The row is likely to further dim Ankara's prospects of EU membership. It also comes as Turkey wrestles with security concerns over militant attacks and the war in neighbouring Syria. "We are doing exactly what they did to us. We are not allowing planes carrying Dutch diplomats or envoys from landing in Turkey or using our airspace," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told a news conference after a cabinet meeting. "Those creating this crisis are responsible for fixing it." Kurtulmus, the government's chief spokesman, also threatened to scrap Turkey's deal to stop the flow of migrants into Europe, saying the agreement may need to be re-evaluated. He said high-level government meetings would be suspended between the two countries until the Netherlands had atoned for its actions. Earlier Erdogan threatened to take the Dutch to the European Court of Human Rights. Turkey also summoned the Dutch charge d'affaires on Monday to complain about the ban - imposed due to fears of unrest and also to Dutch distaste at what Europe sees as an increasingly authoritarian tone from Erdogan - and the actions of police against Turkish protesters in Rotterdam over the weekend, foreign ministry sources said. DOGS, WATER CANNON On Sunday, Dutch police used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some protesters threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. "The Turkish community and our citizens were subject to bad treatment, with inhumane and humiliating methods used in disproportionate intervention against people exercising their right to peaceful assembly," a statement attributed to ministry sources said. The Dutch government barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her back to Germany. Protests then erupted in Turkey and the Netherlands. Several European countries have stopped Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities. Some 400,000 Turkish citizens live in the Netherlands and an estimated 1.5 million Turkish voters live in Germany. On Monday evening Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said he would try to prohibit Turkish ministers from campaigning in his country too for "reasons of public security". The Dutch government said the visits were untimely ahead of a national election on Wednesday, in which polls suggest it may lose about half its seats due to expected big gains by the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders. Monday was the third time the Dutch envoy had been called in since Saturday over the row. The Dutch ambassador is on leave and the Turkish foreign ministry says it does not want him back "for some time". The European Union's executive arm said on Monday that the bloc would assess Turkey's planned constitutional changes in light of the country's status as a candidate EU membership, and called on Ankara to refrain from statements and actions that could further fuel the diplomatic row. SANCTIONS Dutch direct investment in Turkey amounts to $22 billion, making the Netherlands the biggest source of foreign investment with a share of 16 percent. Ozgur Altug, chief economist at BGC Partners in Istanbul, said at this stage he did not foresee the row having serious short-term economic consequences. "However, if the tension escalates and if countries start imposing sanctions against each other, it might have serious implications for the Turkish economy," he said. Turkish exports to the Netherlands totalled $3.6 billion in 2016, making it the tenth largest market for Turkish goods, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Turkey imported $3 billion worth of Dutch goods in 2016. Dutch visitors are important to Turkey's tourism industry, which was hit hard in 2016 by security fears due to attacks by Islamic State and Kurdish militants. Some 900,000 Dutch people visited Turkey last year, down from 1.2 million a year earlier. Ankara is seeking an official written apology for the treatment of its family minister and diplomats in Rotterdam, the Turkish foreign ministry sources also said. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said it is Erdogan who should apologise for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, adding that Turkey was acting "in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner". NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Turkey and the Netherlands to defuse the row. At the weekend, Erdogan dubbed the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and said "Nazism is still widespread in the West", comments echoed in Turkish media on Monday. "Nazi Dogs," said a front-page headline incorporating a swastika in the pro-government Aksam newspaper, above a photo of a police dog biting the thigh of a man during Saturday night's protest in Rotterdam. (Additional reporting by Ebru Tuncay in Istanbul, Ercan Gurses in Ankara and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Daren Butler and David Dolan; Editing by Giles Elgood and Gareth Jones) ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened diplomatic sanctions against the Netherlands on Monday, and said he would go to the European Court of Human Rights over a ban on Ankara's ministers speaking there. In a speech broadcast live on television, Erdogan also accused Germany of "mercilessly" supporting terrorism. Erdogan has been infuriated by moves in Germany and the Netherlands to stop Turkish ministers from addressing rallies of expatriate Turks before an April 16 referendum that would give his office sweeping executive powers. Erdogan has previously said that those who would vote against the referendum are aligning themselves with terrorists. He has also accused European countries, such as Germany, of harboring terrorists, something European countries deny. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Alison Williams) By Press Trust of India: Srinagar, Mar 13 (PTI) A former village head (sarpanch) was kidnapped by militants from his house in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir and later shot dead, police said today. The bullet-ridden body of Fayaz Ahmad Dar was found this morning in an orchard at the districts Chewa Kalan area, a police officer said. advertisement He said the culprits behind the killing have been identified and efforts are afoot to bring them to the book. This is the first civilian killing in south Kashmir since the Election Commission had on March 9 announced the schedule for by-polls to Anantnag and Srinagar Lok Sabha constituencies. The Srinagar parliamentary constituency will go to polls on April 9 and polling in Anantnag will be held on April 12. Pulwama district falls under the Anantnag constituency which was vacated by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti last year following her election to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. PTI MIJ RCJ --- ENDS --- By Aaron Ross KANANGA, Congo (Reuters) - Two U.N. officials of American and Swedish nationality have been kidnapped in Congo's Kasai Central province, the Congolese government said on Monday. Its statement said Michael Sharp, a U.S. citizen, and Zaida Catalan, of Swedish nationality, had "fallen into the hands of negative forces not yet identified", along with four Congolese they were with near the village of Ngombe. Sharp and Catalan were among a U.N. panel of experts investigating the conflicts that have been simmering in Congo since the mid-1990s, when a civil war spawned dozens of armed groups and drew in half a dozen neighboring armies. "The administrative and security services are working ... in concert with Monusco (the U.N. mission) to obtain the liberation of the kidnapped persons," the government statement signed by Information Minister Lambert Mende added. A U.N. spokesman said they were missing and that U.N. peacekeepers were searching for them, without giving further details. The government statement gave no date for the incident. The United Nations lists Catalan as Chilean. Kasai Central province, in remote, heavily forested central Congo, has been riven by clashes between security forces and a local tribal militia called the Kamuina Nsapu since July. At least 400 people have been killed and 200,000 have been displaced since the fighting broke out when police killed the militia's leader last August, the U.N. mission says. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said last week that three mass graves had been discovered in the area where the clashes are taking place. Security across Congo has worsened since President Joseph Kabila failed to step down when his mandate expired in December. (Additional reporting by Nellie Peyton in Dakar; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Toby Chopra and Alison Williams) LONDON -- Sometime in the next few days, Theresa May will finally pull the trigger. Roughly nine months after Britons narrowly voted in a referendum last June for Brexit -- Britain's exit from its membership in the European Union -- the United Kingdom's Conservative prime minister will activate Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, essentially the EU's constitution. Doing so will formally start at least two years of negotiations on how to bring the country's 44-year-old relationship with the union and its $19 trillion, 500 million person-strong single market to a close. May could soon discover, however, that triggering the Brexit negotiations is the easy part. Accomplishing her goals will likely prove much harder. May and her government are expressing confidence they can wrangle an "ambitious and comprehensive free-trade agreement" with the EU, while remaining outside the single market, according to a government report published earlier this year. A deal that's not favorable to the United Kingdom, she's said, would "be an act of calamitous self-harm" by the EU. Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, echoing a view repeated ad infinitum by Britain's rabidly pro-Brexit tabloid press, has argued that European industries, from German automakers to French cheesemakers, will push their governments to endorse a U.K.-friendly agreement, because they don't want to lose lucrative British markets. Taking a hard line that implies a willingness to walk away from negotiations that don't go her way, May has said that "no deal for Britain is better than a bad deal." But many trade experts call May's bravado divorced from reality. Instead, they predict, Britain faces lengthy, hard negotiations that will offer it few good options and ultimately leave the U.K. poorer. "The idea that we can do what we want because German carmakers need us is just fantasy," says Jonathan Portes, an economics professor at King's College, London. Adds Michael Gasiorek, an expert in international trade at the University of Sussex: "No deal would be like falling off a cliff." Story continues Europe, not Britain, is seen as having the most leverage going into the talks. "The party with the most to lose has the weakest position," says Dennis Novy, a University of Warwick economist, "and that's the U.K." The EU is Britain's closest and largest trading partner. Forty-four percent of U.K. exports go to the EU, while only 8 to 17 percent of EU exports go to Britain. Novy says failing to reach a trade deal wouldn't completely quash U.K. markets for European goods and services anyway, just shrink them as rising prices dilute demand. Britain wants a trade deal with Europe that's unique to the U.K. and perhaps carves out special sweet spots for sectors where it's strong, like automobiles and financial services. "That's unrealistic, " Novy says. "The EU will not agree to a deal tailored to specific industries that the U.K. is interested in. What's in it for them?" EU politicians want to reach an accord, too, but are unlikely to accept a deal that could be seen as rewarding Britain's exit from the union. They fear that might encourage other countries to make a break, too, eventually weakening the union. "The EU will not want to make it seem as if you can leave the EU easily and without cost," Gasiorek says. Britain is opting to leave the single market to avoid having to accept the free movement of people, a bedrock EU principle. May believes voters opted for Brexit largely because they want to curtail immigration. It could be a costly decision. The British Treasury says leaving the single market could, by 2030, reduce British gross domestic product between 4.6 and 7.8 percent, a cost of 4,300 ($5,246) to the average household. Richard Baldwin, professor of economics at the Graduate Institute, Geneva, says the cost to British exporters selling into the single market could rise by around 6 percent, while higher prices for imported goods will hit the pocketbooks of British consumers. Article 50 calls for two years of negotiations to finalize a divorce from the EU. Negotiations to arrange a new framework for relations, including trade, could take many more years. But the government wants to wrap up both negotiations by 2019. "They will never be able to do the divorce and the new settlement in two years," Baldwin says, because the EU isn't built to do fast-track negotiations, and a final deal has to be approved by the governments of all 27 members. "My judgment is that this herd of cats won't be able to agree to anything bespoke in the time they have for Brexit talks." Indeed, a cross-party parliamentary committee this past weekend released a report warning that the government hasn't prepared for the "real prospect" of failing to reach an agreement in two years. That raises the prospect of putting a transitional agreement in place while the final talks continue. But such an agreement could be problematic, too. Would it, for instance, continue the status quo in the interim, with Britain temporarily remaining in the single market? "That would be the best deal," Portes says, "but the government would probably find that politically unacceptable," because immigration from Europe could continue beyond two years. Another hurdle: A transitional pact would also need approval of all 27 members. The U.K. leaving the EU without an agreement raises the likelihood of U.K.-EU trade reverting to World Trade Organization rules, which means tariffs. Britain's trade arrangements with WTO members were negotiated by the EU, however, so it would need the approval of other members to leave them intact. But any one of the WTO's 164 members could raise an objection, which would create an impasse. May also wants the U.K. to compensate any loss of EU markets by inking new deals with non-European countries, from the U.S. to China. She and President Trump have already informally discussed a U.S-U.K. deal. But negotiating those accords would also take many years, and the efforts couldn't begin until after Brexit occurs. "And they're not going to make up our likely losses in Europe," Portes says. A deal with the U.S., for instance, would boost UK trade by just 2 percent. Beyond trade, the Brexit negotiations will cover many other tough issues, including future U.K. payments to EU budgets, and security and defense arrangements. One particularly thorny topic is Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., but physically located on the island of Ireland, also an EU member. Britain outside of the EU raises the potential of border checkpoints between the province and the republic. That would be highly unpopular and could increase pressure in Northern Ireland for a referendum on leaving the U.K. "Brexit upsets the apple cart," says Adrian Guelke, professor emeritus of comparative politics at Queen's University in Belfast. "It reopens the question of reunification of Ireland." Meanwhile, Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, unhappy over the prospect of forcing Scotland out of the single market, pledged on Monday to seek another independence referendum by 2018 or 2019. In a 2014 referendum, 55.3 percent of Scottish voters opted to remain in the U.K. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Steve King on Monday stood by controversial remarks on immigration and birth rates, in which he said "our civilization" could not be restored with "somebody else's babies," drawing condemnation from Democrats and fellow Republicans. The speaker of the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, and the leading Democrat in the chamber, Nancy Pelosi, both took exception to King's remarks. The Iowa congressman on Sunday posted a tweet praising Geert Wilders, a nationalist, anti-Islam politician vying to become the Netherlands' prime minister in a national election on Wednesday. "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies," King wrote in a post that drew thousands of "likes." Pelosi on Monday called on House Republican leaders to condemn King's comments, saying they "must decide whether white supremacy is welcome in the GOP ranks." A spokeswoman for Ryan, AshLee Strong, said, "The speaker clearly disagrees (with King) and believes Americas long history of inclusiveness is one of its great strengths." King, an early supporter of Donald Trump in last year's presidential election, defended his tweet in an interview on CNN on Monday. He pointed to Western Europe, where he said low birth rates were harming civilization, culture and values. "I'd like to see an America that is just so homogenous that we look a lot the same," he said. "I think there's far too much focus on race, especially in the last eight years. I want to see that put behind us." Pressed on birth rates for different groups of Americans, King said: "They contribute differently to our culture and civilization." Some of King's House colleagues appeared to take his tweet personally. "What exactly do you mean?," tweeted Republican U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida. "Do I qualify as 'somebody else's baby?' #concernedGOPcolleague." Democratic Representative Ted Lieu, who immigrated to the United States at age 3, tweeted a picture of his two sons, writing: "Dear Representative Steve King: These are my two babies -- Representative Ted Lieu." Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said, "America is a nation of immigrants," and added that King's sentiment "doesn't reflect our shared history or values." Bush was one of Trump's Republican rivals for the White House. The tweet also drew fire from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The head of the civil and human rights law firm, Sherilyn Ifill, said King's remarks were "an explicit call to return to the shameful period when white supremacy was the norm in American public life." Ifill said King's remarks were "particularly dangerous" at a time when violent hate crimes have reached "dangerous levels." King is from a rural state where nearly 92 percent of the population is white, compared with 77 percent for the nation as a whole, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Jeff Kaufmann, head of the Republican Party in Iowa, said in a statement that he disagreed with King, also calling the United States "a nation of immigrants" and saying that such diversity was its strength. (Reporting by Washington newsroom; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) By Daniel Trotta and Scott Malone NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) - A fast-moving winter storm bringing up to two feet of snow was expected to hit the northeastern United States, forecasters warned on Monday, prompting airlines to cancel thousands of flights and some mayors to order schools to close on Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, with forecasts calling for up to 2 feet (60 cm) of snow by early Wednesday, with temperatures 15 to 30 degrees below normal for this time of year. Some 50 million people along the Eastern Seaboard were under storm or blizzard warnings and watches. "When this thing hits, it's going to hit hard and it's going to put a ton of snow on the ground in a hurry," Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker told reporters on Monday. He urged people to consider working from home if they could. "It's going to snow hard and fast for a long period of time. It will create whiteout conditions," Baker said. Airlines preemptively canceled more than 4,000 flights ahead of the storm, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. The airports with the most cancellations were Newark International Airport in New Jersey and Boston Logan International Airport. American Airlines canceled all flights into New York's three metropolitan area airports, Newark, LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, and JetBlue Airways reported extensive cancellations. Delta Air Lines canceled 800 flights for Tuesday for New York, Boston and other northeast airports, and United Airlines said it would have no operations at Newark or LaGuardia. "Were keeping a close eye on things and depending on how things go, will plan to ramp back up Wednesday morning," United said in a statement. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency, and New York City, Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, canceled public school sessions for Tuesday in anticipation of the storm. Story continues GERMAN LEADER POSTPONES VISIT German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was due to meet President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, postponed her trip until Friday, the White House said. The storm comes near the end of an unusually mild winter along much of the East Coast, with below-normal snowfalls in cities such as New York City and Washington, D.C. Boston was braced for up to a foot (30 cm) of snow, which forecasters warned would fall quickly during the storm's expected peak on Tuesday, making travel dangerous. "During its height we could see snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm), even up to 4 inches (10 cm) per hour," said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts. Winds were forecast to gust up to 60 mph (100 kph) in places, with the potential to cause power outages and coastal flooding. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey readied hundreds of pieces of snow equipment at the three major New York area airports. Thousands of tons of salt and sand were prepared for airport roads, parking lots, bridges and tunnels. The United Nations headquarters said it would close on Tuesday, but the New York Stock Exchange vowed to remain open for the tiny fraction of trades that still take place on the trading room floor on Wall Street. The storm's wrath was expected to be felt as far south as Virginia, where Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency ahead of its arrival. Washington, which often bogs down with even low levels of snow, was expecting 5 inches (13 cm) and twice that in outlying areas. (Additional reporting by Laila Kearney, Peter Szekely, Michelle Nichols and Alana Wise in New York, Nate Raymond in Boston and Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Writing by Scott Malone and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Cynthia Osterman) The Trump Administration is intensifying Americas involvement in the ground war in Syria, having announced on March 9 that it is sending 400 more troops to join the fight against ISIS there. The new deployment of Army Rangers and a U.S. Marine artillery unit raises fresh questions about the scope and timeline of the U.S. mission in Syria, where the number of American troops is now approaching a high of around a thousand (Washington has not disclosed an exact number). The U.S. is also sending another 2,500 troops to a staging base in Kuwait, awaiting possible deployment to Iraq or Syria. Recent comments from U.S. officials suggest that the military is contemplating a deployment in Syria that extends far beyond the defeat of ISIS as a conventional armed force. In his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 9, Army General Joseph Votel, who leads the U.S. Central Command, said additional forces may be needed in the future to help with stability and other aspects of the operations. The Pentagon is also considering lifting a formal cap of roughly 500 U.S. troops permitted on the ground in Syria, a limitation imposed by former President Barack Obama, according to the Washington Post. The near doubling of the U.S. military deployment in eastern Syria, along with Votels comments, suggest a shift toward a more open-ended commitment of forces to Syria, echoing the prolonged U.S. military presence in Iraq or Afghanistan. But the escalation is also prompting calls to define the objectives of the mission over the long term in order to avoid a costly occupation both in terms of lives and resources. Inevitably there will be American casualties. And there needs to be an executable plan for post-conflict governance that keeps the Assad regime the main reason for violent extremism in Syria out of areas liberated from ISIS, says Fred Hof, a former special adviser to the Obama Administration on Syria. Story continues U.S. forces should not segue into an occupation role, but it requires careful planning and intensive diplomacy to avoid sliding into something unintended, he also says in an email to TIME. U.S. forces are in Syria with the ostensible intention of helping Kurdish-dominated Syrian militias retake the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State. U.S. Marines are already deployed near Raqqa, firing artillery in support of that campaign. The current approach mirrors the U.S.-backed fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq, where American air power, special operations forces, and the U.S. Army and Marines play a supporting role for a coalition of tens of thousands of Iraqi troops. More than 5,000 U.S. personnel are currently deployed in Iraq fighting in support of Iraqi government soldiers and police, allied militia groups, and Iraqi Kurdish forces. The current U.S. approach injects U.S. troops into a volatile and multisided political conflict. In Syria, the Americans are fighting alongside controversial Kurdish-dominated militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Those troops include a heavy presence of militias known as the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), whose affiliated forces control a large chunk of northern and eastern Syria. The group is a secular, revolutionary Kurdish organization with deep dies to Kurdish insurgents also fighting the Turkish state and responsible for bombings and other attacks inside Turkey. As a result, Turkeys government regards the YPG as a terrorist organization and an existential threat comparable to ISIS. U.S. support for the Kurdish militias infuriates Turkish officials. It also alienates some of Syrias Arab citizens, who could view Kurdish militias as an occupying force. Human-rights groups have documented the group razing villages and forcing Arab Syrians to flee. U.S. officials envision sending the Arab-let units of the broader SDF coalition into Raqqa, but Turkish officials and Syrian opposition activists are not convinced this is a sound plan. They are not a good choice to liberate Raqqa, said Abdalaziz Alhamza, the co-founder and spokesperson of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently (an acclaimed activist group that documents ISIS abuses), referring to the Kurdish militias, in an interview in 2016. He told TIME, Theres no civilians now in Tel Abyad because this group started to kidnap, to kill, to arrest, to do the same thing, to do human-rights violations. And ISIS uses that to say to civilians in Raqqa, This group will do the same thing they did in Tel Abyad. So volatile is the situation in northern Syria that U.S. forces are currently deployed in the town of Manbij, in order to separate Turkish and pro-Kurdish forces, both of whom allied with the U.S. in different ways, while Russian and Syrian government troops are deployed nearby, underscoring the risk of a wider regional conflagration. U.S. Senator John McCain warned during the hearing on Thursday with Votel that American officials had not absorbed the depth of Turkish objections to the role of the YPG in the anti-ISIS campaign, saying, I think theres a possibility of an impending conflict between Turkey and the Kurds. In the multipolar war in Syria, Raqqa represents a prize for nearly every major power represented in the conflict. Turkish figures have floated the possibility of using a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel force to take the city, as was the case in the campaign to reclaim the ISIS-held city of al-Bab, near Aleppo. Syrian President Bashar Assad claimed last week that his own Iranian and Russian-backed forces are approaching the ISIS stronghold. For Washington, none of those options look palatable; an American-backed campaign by the SDF to capture Raqqa presents itself as the least bad scenario. There really are no other options other than let ISIS manage that area. And so thats the dilemma, says Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security. If you dont want to let ISIS manage a shrunken would-be caliphate, you either let Assad and IRGC militias control it, or you have a U.S.-backed force that has a U.S. and or partner presence. Regardless, the increase in the U.S. military deployment in Syria is raising concerns that the Trump Administrations aggressive new approach will lead to a quagmire. Once you escalate like this, once you commit further and further, then I think it becomes incumbent on you to actually figure out where this is headed, says Sam Heller, a Beirut-based Syria analyst with the Century Foundation. There are limited aims that the U.S. can realistically achieve in Syria in the fight against ISIS, and they justify limited means. They do not justify an unlimited commitment. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Monday said it was disturbed by reports of torture and forced disappearances in Burundi but ignored calls from rights groups for sanctions. A French-drafted statement was adopted unanimously after some wrangling with Russia, China and Egypt, which oppose sanctions. The council noted that the security situation in Burundi "has remained generally calm," but said it was "alarmed by the increasing numbers of refugees leaving the country and disturbed by reports of torture, forced disappearances, and killings." Hundreds have died and 390,000 people have fled since the country descended into violence in April 2015 after President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans to run for a third term, which he went on to win. The council threw its weight behind a proposal by mediator Benjamin Mkapa, the former president of Tanzania, to hold a regional summit to press the government and the opposition to open up negotiations. Council members called on Burundi's neighbors to "contribute to a solution to the crisis" and "refrain from supporting the activities of armed movements in any way," in an apparent reference to Rwanda. They urged the government in Burundi to sign an agreement with the African Union to fully deploy human rights observers and military experts. Only a handful have been allowed into the country. The council in July authorized the deployment of up to 228 UN police to Burundi to monitor security and human rights, but the government has blocked progress on that force. In a report sent to the council last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "very concerned" by statements from Nkurunziza, in power since 2005, suggesting he could seek a fourth term of office. Guterres said such a move "would risk intensifying the crisis." Algiers (AFP) - An archaeological treasure trove on the site of a planned metro station in central Algiers is set to become a museum, opening a window on 2,000 years of history. The site, close to the Algerian capital's UNESCO-listed casbah, has yielded remains from the city's Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and French periods. "It was spectacular," said archaeologist Kamel Stiti, co-director of the excavations. "In one look, you could see two millennia of Algiers' history." The remains, on the location of a Roman port town called Icosium, were discovered in 2009 when the ministry of culture ordered surveys along the planned metro line. Archaeologists have since discovered coins, weapons, a public building paved with 5th century mosaics and a large 7th century Byzantine necropolis containing several dozen graves. They also found parts of the Ottoman-era Es Sayida mosque, which French authorities flattened in 1831, shortly after their conquest of the North African country. The colonial government put a public square in its place and called it King's Square and later, Government Square. It was re-named Martyrs Square after the country's hard-won independence in 1962. Experts had believed that few pre-colonial artefacts remained on the site, but many of the ruins turned out to be surprisingly well-preserved, Stiti said. The 3,000-square-metre (32,300-square-foot) site was deemed so important that the municipality adapted its plans for the metro station, a move Stiti said was a first in Algeria. The site will now become a museum incorporated into the station, which, in turn, will take up less than half its planned 8,000 square metres. The tunnel will go as deep as 35 metres (115 feet) in order to work around the remains. - Metro museum - The Martyrs Square station is set to open in November, part of an extension to the main metro line inaugurated in October 2011. The museum will open shortly afterwards, covering 1,200 square metres and organised chronologically. Story continues Some of the remains will be exposed to a depth of over seven metres. "In Rome or Athens, museums present particular periods, whereas here the visitor can embrace the whole history of Algiers over 2,000 years," Stiti said. "It's a source of pride." He said the project showed that archaeology is not incompatible with development. "It gives added value. One accompanies the other without slowing it down," he said. "So as not to delay the work, which would add costs to the subway project, archaeologists have worked hard, including on public holidays." The National Archaeological Research Centre (CNRA) and France's National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have been working on the dig since 2013. More than 150 people of different nationalities and specialities have taken part, giving young Algerian archaeologists valuable opportunities to work on an important excavation. Aicha, 70, who lives near the site, said she is looking forward to seeing the museum open. "There will be no more hassle because of the building work, and I'll be able to travel by subway and visit the museum with my two granddaughters," she said. Said, a 50-year-old high school history teacher, said he hopes there will be guided visits for young people "so they can take ownership of our city's several millennia of history." In order to counter the growing nuclear threat from North Korea in the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. is expected to deploy an unmanned aircraft system to South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday, citing a Seoul military official. The attack drone will be deployed to strengthen strike capabilities against ground targets in the North, the official told the South Korean news agency. The Gray Eagle aircraft will be deployed to a U.S. military base in the southwestern town of Gunsan about 111 miles south of Seoul, the report said. However, it is still unclear when the system will be installed. Read: North Korea Will Soon Have ICBM Capable Of Hitting US The Gray Eagle is capable of striking military facilities in the north of the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas, the official told Yonhap. The aircraft can operate at an altitude of up to 29,000 feet and can carry four Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. In case a war breaks out, the system is capable of destroying the war command in North Korea, the report noted. Also on Monday, South Korean air force said that it had begun a week-long drill named "Soaring Eagle" to practice the countrys readiness against any possible threat from its northern neighbor. About 50 air force assets, including F-15K and FA-50 fighters, and 500 personnel from 15 air force units, are part of the exercises, according to Yonhap. The developments come after North Korea fired four ballistic missiles off its east coast on March 6 despite being barred from doing so under a set of United Nations resolutions. The reclusive country said that the launches were a part of exercises targeting U.S. military bases in Japan. The projectiles were launched from the Dongchang-ri long-range missile site in North Pyongan Province, and they splashed into the Sea of Japan after flying for about 620 miles. Last week, Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the Korean Peoples Army Strategic Force to remain on high alert in case a war breaks out and get fully ready to promptly move, take positions and strike so that it can open fire to annihilate the enemies once the Party Central Committee issues an order. Related Articles The US Army is permanently stationing an attack drone system and its support personnel in South Korea amid ongoing tensions with the North, a Defense Department spokesman said Monday. Officials said the deployment, due by next year, was not unique to South Korea and was being conducted across the Army to provide infantry divisions with better intelligence. But the announcement comes just one week after Pyongyang launched four ballistic missiles in its latest provocative test. "The US Army, after coordination with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the US Air Force, has begun the process to permanently station a Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems company at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said. The sensor-rich MQ-1C Gray Eagle is capable of carrying Stinger and Hellfire missiles, as well as other armaments. It typically takes a company of 128 soldiers to maintain the drones, and there are usually 12 Gray Eagles per company. However, Commander Gary Ross said only two or three of the aircraft were planned for the upcoming Kunsan deployment. The drone company will be assigned to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division. It "adds intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to that particular infantry division, as well as to our Korean allies," Davis said. North Korea fired at least four missiles toward Japan last week, three of which splashed down in waters near Japan, saying they were tests for a possible strike on US bases on Japan. A US missile defense system, THAAD, is being deployed to South Korea in the face of threats from the North. The United States has about 50,000 troops in Japan, and another 28,000 in South Korea. By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Mar 13 (PTI) Nepals Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today said that no force could stop the upcoming local body elections as all legal and managerial frameworks had been prepared for the polls which are being conducted after a gap of nearly two decades. Talking to journalists here, Yadav said the Commission had been expediting preparations to hold the nationwide polls on May 14. advertisement Last month, the Nepal government had decided to hold the much-delayed but crucial local body elections in May, the first such polls in two decades. The local body elections have not been held for 20 years years due to the decade-long Maoist insurgency. It was last held in 1997. Yadav said the works regarding the printing of voters list had reached the final stage while ballot papers were being printed. "The Commission has been carrying out technical tasks speedily," he said, adding that works relating to human resource management are also underway. He said the Commission has directed the government to deploy staff for the polls in all local levels by March 16. "The environment for polls is being gradually created," Yadav said and called all political parties to cooperate with the Commission to create a poll-conducive environment. "All kinds of disagreements and dissatisfactions should be turned into consensus. The government and major parties should play important role for the same," he said. Yadav hoped that the agitating Madhesi parties which had warned to boycott the polls would ultimately take part in them. Madhesi parties have warned to boycott the local body polls as the government did not pay attention to amend the constitution for addressing their concern before announcing the poll date. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, had launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. The protest had resulted in the death of at least 50 people. PTI SBP AJR ZH --- ENDS --- Catherine Klapperich was at home one night recently when she pulled up the news coverage. There, in a room almost 5,000 miles away, was a prototype of a technology she says she and her colleagues developed. But it was being shown off to the cameras by a Turkish scientist, who said that she had invented it. Seeing it on TV, its so visceral. You click on the link, and I gasped, like, Oh my gosh, how can this be? said Klapperich, a biomedical engineer at Boston University. We didnt even need to know Turkish to know this was a problem. What followed was a dispute and now a seeming detente that touched on global intellectual property rights, the glory of discovery, women in science, and how nothing can stay unnoticed for long anymore. It was a scientific soap opera, but one with real consequences. The ordeal over who actually invented the diagnostic test appears to be headed toward a resolution, with officials at Izmir Katip Celebi University telling BU this month that they do not claim any rights or interests on Klapperichs technology and that they are investigating the matter. But for Klapperich and BU, the coverage set off a scramble to make sense of the situation and then to defend what they maintain is their own research not the Turkish scientists. Read more: The Pap smear: groundbreaking, lifesaving and obsolete? That scientist, Melike Karakaya, did spend a year in Klapperichs lab as a visiting student, but according to Klapperich and others, she did no work on the test. The events also amounted to a distraction from the work Klapperich is trying to promote: the development of a fast, easy-to-use human papillomavirus test could help detect cervical cancer cases in the developing world. One of Klapperichs former students, Natalia Rodriguez, whose doctoral thesis focused on the research, is now running a startup called Jane Diagnostics to try to commercialize the test. Our concern is that, when you start a small company, you have your IP, you have your scientific capital, and you want to maintain that, said Klapperich, who is the scientific founder of the company. Story continues In an email to STAT, Karakaya said she never intended to claim the BU test as her own and insisted that her design for an HPV test uses a different approach. She said she is aiming to get her work published. Karakaya said the Turkish media misrepresented some of what she had said, which may have caused some confusion. She added that the general nature of her research building a paper-based, cheap HPV diagnostic is similar to Klapperichs. But she said the Boston researchers have continued to allege she lifted their work even though she has tried to explain the differences to them. I do not know why they still make this an issue after my repeated messages to them, Karakaya wrote. The story seemed made for TV. A news anchor hailed Karakayas discovery as an accomplishment for women in science, adding that it could benefit countless women. The university held a press conference. In interviews, Karakaya explained that she had received a grant to study for a year at BU, where she came up with a paper-based diagnostic test. My work is on cancer, particularly on early diagnosis, she said, according to a Turkish-language interview, part of a burst of media reports in January. I developed a microfluidic chip that would allow the early diagnosis of cervical cancer. Karakaya said she had heard from companies interested in commercializing the test, but that she wanted to work with the Turkish Health Ministry to advance the technology. Officials at Izmir Katip Celebi University, where Karakaya completed her PhD last year and works as a researcher, likened it to an at-home pregnancy test, it was so easy to use. According to Klapperich, Karakaya arrived at her lab in August 2014. She spent a few weeks that September shadowing Rodriguez, who was at work on the HPV diagnostic, but then was moved to another project, Rodriguez said. She collected no data and was not involved at all in the development of the chip, the Boston researchers said. They published a paper describing their work in early 2016, and Karakaya is not listed as a coauthor. Yeah, she worked in the same lab and sat at the same table as Natalia, but she really wasnt working on Natalias project, Klapperich said. It just wasnt even a question. When she was here, it wasnt like there was some big fight over authorship thats why it was so stunning. Before the paper was published, in December 2015, BU also applied for a patent on the work. It has not been granted yet, but BU officials said Karakaya is not listed on the application. I was more disappointed than anything else, Rodriguez said. This was something I spent a lot of years on and lot of time and effort on, and someone I helped. I taught her and I trained her. Klapperich first learned about the Turkish media coverage on Jan. 26 after receiving a tip from a Turkish-speaking scientist in the United States who had seen the reports about Karakaya. BU soon started reaching out to Turkish media outlets to raise their concerns. On Feb. 8, Michael Pratt, the managing director of BUs Office of Technology Development, emailed an official at the Turkish university. Although Ms. Karakaya worked in Professor Klapperichs lab as a visiting scholar, she did not contribute to the development of the chip described in this paper, Pratt wrote. We are concerned that faulty attribution of this technology to anyone other than the rightful inventors of this technology is scientifically unethical, and could irreparably harm Boston Universitys reputation, and that of its faculty. Then, early this month, BU received the note that the Turkish university was not declaring Klapperichs work as its own. BU says it is satisfied with the response. We would like to assure you that as management of university we do not claim any rights institutionally about the paper or the patent pending technology you described, an official at the Turkish university wrote. (The university did not respond to followup questions from STAT.) Even if the Turkish researchers had tried to pursue a patent, they might not have succeeded. In addition to applying for a US patent, BU had filed a Patent Cooperation Treaty application, which signals to other countries that a technology has been submitted for a patent on a particular date. The system is in place to prevent the sort of shenanigans that BU feared was happening in this case, said Jacob Sherkow, a patent expert at New York Law School. But if BU does receive a US patent, it will still need to pursue intellectual property protection in other jurisdictions so no one else can manufacture the test. Patent rights are territorial, so a US patent would only be enforceable in the United States, said Tom Cotter, an international patent expert at the University of Minnesota Law School. Even though the dispute appears to be resolved at the university level, both Klapperich and Karakaya are left with questions. Karakaya said it would not make sense for her to pursue research that is identical to an already published work and that she wondered if the Boston researchers were worried about competition. I guess that the extra sensitivity in this issue may be due to the rights for commercializing their published work at this time, she wrote in the email. Klapperich has no doubts, however, that Karakaya tried taking credit for others research. The devices that were shown off at the press conference, Klapperich said, looked like the versions of the prototypes BU researchers had during Karakayas time in the lab. Regardless of what happens, both Rodriguez and Klapperich emphasized that they view the entire episode as an anomaly and that it would not deter them from working with international scientists. Klapperich said the same thing could have happened with a visiting American scientist. Because we work in global health and because our work requires that we work with scientists and clinicians outside the United States, we have to stay open to these kinds of collaborations, Klapperich said. We cant let one person shut it down. The prospect of improving relations between the United States and Russia is likely to be affected due to Washingtons claims that the latter hacked the 2016 presidential election, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a CNN interview that aired Sunday. Russia has been accused of interfering in the election by leaking documents related to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton to undermine her credibility and to help Republican Donald Trump ahead of Election Day. During the interview with CNNs Fareed Zakaria, Peskov maintained the Russian government did not have any sort of collaboration with Trump and his campaign during the election. The Trump administration has come under the scanner after reports said his team was in touch with Moscow during the time. Read: Trump's Former Adviser Roger Stone Admits Contact With DNC Hacker The answer is very simple. No, Peskov said. And the fact that Russia is being demonized in that sense comes very strange to us. And we are really sorry about that, because this the whole situation takes us away from the perspective of getting our relationship to a better condition. Peskov also said the U.S. is humiliating itself over the Russia hacking claims and that Moscow suddenly became a nightmare to Washington. We sincerely cannot understand why American people and American politicians started the process of self-humiliation. Youre self-humiliating yourself, saying that a country can intervene in your election process, he said. According to Peskov, it would be simply impossible for Russia to interfere an election in the most powerful country in the world. America a huge country, a country number one, the most powerful country in the world, with a very, very stable political tradition and you say that a country can easily intervene and easily influence your electoral process. This is simply impossible, he said. In recent weeks, there have been reports accusing several Trump team members including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions of having contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian envoy to the U.S., in the run-up to the election. However, Peskov said Kislyak was merely doing his job and only discussed bilateral relations with the U.S. officials. Story continues This is his job. He was talking about bilateral relations, Peskov said in the interview. He was talking about what is going on in the United States, so we have a better understanding in Moscow. This is what is being performed by every ambassador of Russia abroad, every ambassador of the United States abroad, including in Moscow. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump spoke about establishing better relations with Russia to fight terrorism. The move has been welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has also called reports about his administration having close ties to Moscow fake news. Related Articles AUSTINChris Sacca showed up at South By Southwest (SXSW) in one of his cowboy shirts and with plenty of cowboy attitude. The Lowercase Capital investor and Shark Tank regular spent an hour in a Saturday-afternoon onstage interview holding forthbluntly and often profanelyon issues ranging from his problems with President Donald Trump to Ubers self-inflicted PR nightmare to whats wrong with startup culture. Talking Trump Interviewer Alex Konrad of Forbes asked Sacca what keeps him up at night. After mentioning that he has a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old, he said, I love my kids, but, yeah, they just keep different hours than I do. And, he added, The Trump thing is really bad. We are in an absolute unmitigated crisis right now, Sacca said. He was among the tech figures who signed last Julys open letter to Trump denouncing him as a disaster for innovation, but the concerns he voiced at SXSW went well beyond tech-policy specifics. The idea that we have a serial sexual abuser and a pathological liar in that office, I cant get away from it, he said while denouncing mainstream Republicans for enabling Trumps kleptocracy. Sacca did, however, find reason for hope in the groundswell of resistance against Trump, and in particular the Womens March the day after his inauguration. Some women just got together and [expletive] did it, they shipped it. And, he added, at least the election was not bought with campaign donations: It was one of the very first times that total ad spend was decoupled from the result. His hope for what can come from that: It would be a lot cheaper for me not to have to raise tens of millions of dollars to elect progressive candidates who will raise my taxes. Why Ubers in a world of hurt Uber founder Travis Kalanick Sacca, who was an early Uber investor, also teed off on a man almost as unpopular as Trump among some conference attendees. That would be Uber founder Travis Kalanick, whos been under fire since a former Uber engineer alleged in a blog post that the company condoned sexual harassment. Story continues Nothing about that story shocked me at all, Sacca said of the former engineers allegations that she was propositioned by her manager, a supposed high performer whom higher-ups failed to discipline. I couldnt believe the HR team responded like that, he vented. Automatons could respond better. Sacca noted that he hasnt had a speaking relationship with Kalanick since 2011, but pointed to issues hed seen back then, such as Kalanicks dismissive response to early complaints about surge pricing increases during times of high demand. We had a guy who paid $187 to go one mile in New York City, he recounted. Traviss response was suck it up, surge pricing is here to stay. (And yet, he added, The people who complained loudest on Twitter, their usage of Uber accelerated.) Kalanick paid the price when people rejected his defenses for his now-ended participation on Trumps business-advisory council. Travis hasnt earned the goodwill of the country, so everybody went apeshit on him, he said. Sacca allowed that Kalanicks pledge to get leadership help by hiring a chief operating officerhopefully a kick-ass womanshows some maturity. Startup culture and mistakes made Sacca did not just have strong words about Uber. Much of the startup culture is filled with a lot of posers, a lot of entitled people, a lot of people who should be working in some other industry, according to Sacca. Sacca denounced the trend of venture capitalists investing only in products they use: Theres like eight Ubers for jets and nine Ubers for yachts, and theyre all going to fail. He also criticized the lack of gender diversity in Silicon Valley, noting that even when women have spots at the table their advice may go ignored. Case in point: his own failure to follow up on one Lowercase employees suggestion to invest in Pinterest. Sacca did, however, pass on Snapchat (SNAP) early onhe called its supposed initial emphasis on sexting the least healthy thing in the worldand has no money in it. Aways be proud of the things you invest in, he counseled. During the Q&A part of Saccas talk, he voiced his skepticism of virtual realityIt just deprecates every other sense we havebut complimented augmented reality, in which a phone or tablet overlays information on its cameras view of the world. A Georgetown University graduate, Sacca confessed that when he sees people wearing shirts with the schools logos, I have found myself hovering my hand over them to see which year they graduated. His own customary attire is a silver-embroidered cowboy shirt. An audience member asked about that, and he explained that each one is a little different from the other and, unlike his speech, can contain some subtleties. He pointed to his attire and said mysteriously, This one may or may not have secret messages. More from Rob: Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro. Recent student demonstrations that escalated into violence have fueled a national debate over free speech on college campuses, forcing universities to rethink how to effectively prepare for controversial speakers and the accompanying protests. Conservative writer Charles Murray, who has faced criticism for a 1994 book that linked intelligence level with race, was shouted down and then physically confronted by protesters at Vermonts Middlebury College on March 2. A month earlier, an event featuring controversial right-wing pundit Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of California, Berkeley was canceled after peaceful protests turned violent. And at New York University, 11 people were arrested at a protest over a speech by conservative comedian Gavin McInnes. I think any campus administration that might have said, after it happened at Berkeley, That could never happen here, I think was probably having second thoughts after seeing what happened at Middlebury, said Berkeley spokesperson Dan Mogulof. The next school to grapple with this issue could be Vanderbilt University, where Murray is scheduled to speak on Tuesday in his first campus event since Middlebury. Were aware of the Middlebury event, and with that in mind, were looking at what might or might not happen on our own campus, said Vanderbilt spokesperson Elizabeth Latt. She said Murrays event at Vanderbilt, which is not sponsored by the university, is an invitation-only address organized by the Vanderbilt chapter of the Adam Smith Society, an association for MBA students. As with a number of events on campus, Vanderbilt has made an assessment; however, in the interest of safety and security, we do not share information about contingency planning, Latt said in an email. Ahead of Yiannopoulos event at Berkeley last month, Mogulof said the school took standard steps to prepare, meeting with student organizers to discuss basic security measures and to make sure they were aware of other recent campus protests over Yiannopoulos. Because of the attention and pushback the Berkeley event attracted in the weeks preceding the speech, the school also brought in specially trained campus police officers from other schools in the University of California system. Story continues But on the day of the event, protests grew destructive, and Yiannopoulos speech was canceled. The university has blamed the violence on agitators who invaded the campus and disrupted an otherwise peaceful student protest. In the future, Mogulof said, it will be important to carefully consider details like the venue and timing of a given event. And he said the university has an obligation to be better prepared. You can only have something unprecedented happen once because the next time, its precedented, he said. We wont have any ability to say we didnt see it coming next time. Anticipating protests of Murrays lecture, Middlebury administrators had arranged for two officers from the town police department to be on campus, in addition to private security personnel to help with crowd control. The school prepared a separate room for Murray to finish his speech via livestream if necessary, and administrators required a Middlebury ID badge to enter the building for the lecture in an effort to limit attendance to students and faculty. But the protest escalated anyway. Middlebury President Laurie Patton called it an extremely difficult episode and launched an investigation to determine what happened and who was involved. I think every institution, every college or university in the country, right now needs to step back and consider the extent to which were in a different political environment, said Middlebury spokesperson Bill Burger. Whether its at U.C. Berkeley or Middlebury, we need to recognize the internal and external forces that come into play and plan accordingly. Leaders at both schools have said they will continue to support free speech and protest, while working to prevent violent responses to future speakers. What hasnt changed at all is our complete commitment to the First Amendment and free speech and not standing in the way when student groups want to invite speakers, Mogulof said. Will Creeley, senior vice president of legal and public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), said he has spoken with many university leaders who are preparing for their school to be next. Theres a kind of heightened probability of further reaction, Creeley said. FIRE, a free-speech watchdog group, advocates for the rights of students and faculty members both those who protest and those who invite controversial speakers to campus. Creeley said universities should enforce consequences for violence and encourage students to demonstrate their disagreement by asking pointed questions, ignoring speakers altogether or protesting peacefully in a separate location. The old adage about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure is really applicable here, he said. This week marks the Trump administrations first foray into on-the-ground Middle East peace diplomacy. Jason Greenblatt, who carries the title of assistant to the president and special representative for international negotiations, arrives today in Israel and begins what promises to be a journey filled with hopes, challenges, achievements, and frustrations. I know this beat well. While serving in the Obama administration, I accompanied or hosted Secretaries John Kerry and Hillary Clinton, and Special Envoys George Mitchell and Martin Indyk, on dozens of such visits. They tend to follow a particular rhythm: as soon as the secretary or envoy lands, he or she goes straight into the familiar diplomatic exchanges meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top advisers in Jerusalem; then travels to Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his team. Middle Eastern hospitality often requires that a meal be included. The hosts lay out their grievances, version of history, and desires for the next phase of diplomacy. Candidly, that means each side tries to get the United States to adopt its positions and impose them on the other side. These meetings, which often require shuttling back and forth, can become even lengthier and more technical as documents are drafted, language is haggled over, and stakes rise. And thats before our envoys add visits to Arab capitals, coordination with Quartet partners (the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations), and hosting visits to Washington. One of the results of this traditional diplomatic approach is that U.S. officials tend to hear a very limited set of voices. To be sure, a relationship of trust must be established between our envoys and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and their advisors; Greenblatt and others can count on logging hundreds of hours with them. People like Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molho and Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, along with Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, may become as familiar to the U.S. team as their own families. These early visits, therefore, represent a unique opportunity to get out of the prime ministers office and the Muqataa, and hear the views of other Israeli and Palestinian officials and civilians who will be relevant players in the success or failure of any diplomatic effort. Here are some examples though likely far more than Greenblatt will have time for on his first visit of engagements that would be time well spent. Israeli and Palestinian security officials: Netanyahus office dominates Israeli policymaking on issues related to the Palestinians. But Israel Defense Forces (IDF) generals and Shin Bet commanders often see the picture through a different lens. They can describe in detail the incitement voiced by Palestinian Authority and Fatah officials, and the even more threatening challenge posed by Hamas and other terrorist groups trying to challenge the Palestinian Authority. But they also wont hesitate to credit the Palestinian Security Forces with being solid if still improving partners with the IDF in preventing terrorism from the West Bank. Even more practically, there is no greater advocate for significant Palestinian economic development, including expanded freedom of movement and PA jurisdiction in the West Bank, than the IDF general staff, who see these measures as critical for Israels security. Palestinian security commanders can describe their efforts to establish and maintain the professionalism of their forces, their successes and shortcomings in the battle against Hamas, and the challenge to the morale of their troops in the face of political stalemates and settlement expansion. Israeli coalition and opposition party leaders: A schedule that reflects the diversity of Israels robust, chaotic democracy can be very enlightening. Netanyahu may resist it, as he will want to control the narrative. But one can hardly understand the possibilities and limitations he faces without hearing from right-wing partners and rivals in his government, like Naftali Bennett, or more centrist voices like Moshe Kachlon and Avigdor Lieberman. Even the ultra-Orthodox parties could be sleeper cells in support of a two-state solution at the right moment. A traditional courtesy call with opposition leaders like Yitzhak Herzog and Tzipi Livni might be supplemented by a conversation with Yair Lapid, whose party leads in current polls, and even Ayman Odeh of the Joint Arab List, to hear a broad range of Israeli opinion that could affect and shape the current Israeli government, or a future one. USAID and the United States Security Coordinator (USSC): In addition to the U.S embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate general in Jerusalem, the American presence includes outstanding teams of development and security professionals. USAID implements hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure programs to improve lives for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, in full coordination and with the strong support of the Israeli authorities, who believe this aid helps maintain stability and improve Palestinian governance. The USSC manages the popular (even with Republicans in Congress) program to train the Palestinian security forces, and has a unique perspective as the only U.S. entity on the ground that coordinates with both Israeli and Palestinian security officials. Palestinian and Israeli civil society: The narrow scope of speaking with government officials tends to blind us to the broad range of perspectives among Israelis and Palestinians. One could never speak to everyone, but our envoys would benefit from time spent with business leaders, academic experts (including an army of former officials and negotiators), and students on both sides; Israeli victims of terrorism; Palestinian refugees; and religious leaders of all three monotheistic faiths, who are an insufficiently tapped resource in the battle against extremism and violence. Some of these people will be critical of their own leadership, others will place the blame on the other side, and almost everyone will complain about the United States. Hear them out. Israeli settlers: If there is one segment of Israeli society we have not spent enough time talking to, it is Israeli settlers. And considering their influence in this government, and on future prospects for peace, that makes little sense. It is worth hearing the views of settler leaders and their constituents those who live in settlements blocs close to Israel which might be included in land swaps, and those who live in more remote areas. There is under-appreciated diversity in this community, including regarding the Israeli-Palestinian future. These conversations might not be easy, given the Trump administrations adoption of the traditional U.S. position that settlement expansion can impede prospects for peace. But they would be worthwhile. Gazans: This group may be the most difficult one to meet, given the obvious security challenges and the (completely justified) ban on contacts with Hamas. But Israel, the PA, and U.S. diplomats know how to bring non-Hamas Gaza residents to Jerusalem and the West Bank for meetings and programs. These Palestinians will be critical partners in any initiative to disarm and uproot Hamas from Gaza, and eventually reestablish responsible Palestinian leadership there as part of a two-state solution. We need to hear their voices, too. Lets wish Jason Greenblatt luck and success as he begins his mission. Much of the work outlined above will be carried out between envoys visits by our diplomats on the ground. But the more the knowledge these engagements produce penetrates the most senior levels of the U.S. government, the more informed and realistic our policy decisions will be. Photo credit: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images The Volkswagen Group on Friday pleaded guilty to three felony charges relating to its diesel emissions cheating scandal as part of Januarys settlement with the Justice Department and Customs and Border Protection regarding any criminal misconduct tied with the scandal. The charges included conspiring to defraud the United States, obstructing justice, and the importation of goods by means of false statements. The judge in the case, U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox, didnt deliver a sentence, although the Justice Department recommended Cox follow the original terms outlined in VW's settlement. He has deferred the sentencing until April 21 due to the "serious" nature of what has transpired. In its settlement reached in January, VW agreed to plead guilty to the three felony charges and pay a criminal fine of $2.8 billion. VW also agreed to pay combined penalties of $1.45 billion to settle civil claims under U.S. customs and environmental laws, as well as a further $50 million to the Justice Department to settle additional claims. This is in addition to VW agreeing to spend up to $25 billion to deal with civil claims from owners, environmental agencies, states and dealers and to make buyback offers of cars fitted with the 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter diesel engines at the heart of the scandal. The engines were discovered in 2015 to be fitted with defeat device software used to hide their true emissions from regulators. Even with the delay in sentencing, VW has still taken a significant step towards resolving its criminal issues. However, it doesnt end Justice Department investigations into actions taken by individual employees, including that of arrested executive Oliver Schmidt who is due in court on April 18 to face as many as 11 felony charges. Another VW exec, James Liang, previously pleaded guilty to misleading regulators and agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Women around the world celebrated International Womens Day on Wednesday, and as John Oliver pointed out, unfortunately so did some men rather sloppily. On Sunday nights episode of Last Week Tonight, Oliver looked back at some of the more egregious ways that powerful men around the world, including Russias Vladimir Putin and Brazils Michel Temer, put their feet in their mouths while trying to honor women. Women give us life and perpetuate it in our children, President Putin said via a translator according to an official blog post. We will do our utmost to surround our dear women with care and attention, so that they can smile more often. Perfect, said Oliver, laughing. If there are two things that women love, its being told to smile more and being surrounded. Oliver was also quick to note that Brazils president seemed to send an odd translated message while addressing the economic power of women. Today, women participate strongly in the economy, too, Temers translator said. Nobody is more capable of pointing out changes in supermarket prices better than women. Olivers comeback: He just reduced the economic contribution of half of Brazils population to, Women be shopping, yall! Luckily for international relations, neither leader came across as clumsy as Esteban Solis, the co-host of San Antonio, Texas daytime news show, Daytime at Nine. Solis managed to simultaneously give a shout-out to International Womens Day and beach bodies. Today is International Womens Day, so hey ladies, dont worry, its your day today you can do whatever you want, he said in a clip from the show. And speaking of doing whatever you want, its Workout Wednesday time to get that bikini body just in time for summer. Story continues After that clunker, Oliver suggested that first thing tomorrow, Soliss co-host Kimberly Crawford should go into the office and ask for a fing raise. [H/T Entertainment Weekly] It may surprise you to know that being honest in an online review about your disappointing experience with a product or service could have spelled financial trouble for you. But freedom of speech is being fully restored to online reviewers, starting tomorrow, when the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 goes into effect. Some mostly small companies that rely on word of mouth, including home builders, hotels, and even doctors offices, had been sneaking in the equivalent of gag orders into the fine prints terms and conditions they have you sign when you buy a product or service. A few even acted on their threats. In one case, the retail website KlearGear.com sent a Utah couple a bill for $3,500 after they posted a negative review on RipoffReport.com, complaining about the company's failure to deliver a desk toy and keychain costing less than $20. A federal court ruled that the couple didn't have to pay after the company failed to appear to answer a lawsuit the couple filed against it. But by that time the couple's credit had already taken a hit. The company is now under new management and no longer has the clause in its fine print. The former owners could not be reached for comment. The new law, which had bipartisan support and which President Obama signed late last year, prohibits enforcement of so-called nondisparagement clauses that attempt to penalize customers for posting negative reviews. Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, was an early supporter of the law. If a business can't or wont deliver on its promises, it should have to answer in the marketplace, says George Slover, CU senior policy counsel. The law applies to fine print that is presented on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, when the consumer has no opportunity to negotiate the terms. These are the kinds of terms and conditions you might encounter when shopping on a website that has you click an I agree box before you can complete the transaction. Story continues But just because the restriction is going to be lifted doesnt mean you can say whatever you want when writing about companies on sites like Yelp, Amazon, or on social media, according to Eric Goldman, a professor at the High Tech Law Institute at the Santa Clara University School of Law in California. You are still accountable for your words, he says. If you make false statements that damage a company's reputation, he says, you could be successfully sued for defamation. And while the truth generally is an absolute defense against defamation claims, defending yourself in courteven against a frivolous lawsuitcan be a big hassle. "It costs money to find out what the truth is," says Goldman. So while you shouldn't let the fear of lawsuits scare you into silence, he says, you should be careful what you say. User Review Do's and Don'ts Here's what you should know when writing online reviews so you don't get into trouble and can defend yourself if you do. Don't assume you're anonymous. Just because a website allows anonymous online reviews doesn't mean a company can't track you down, using your IP address or other methods, says Goldman. Even if a website's policy is to protect participants' identities, a court order requiring disclosure likely trumps everything. Do include supportable facts. Don't state facts that you can't prove, such as: "The company charges customers' credit cards without their permission." And be careful about using words like "rip-off," "scam," or "con artist." Goldman advises confining your comments to your personal experiences with a company and avoiding generalizing. Don't confuse facts and opinion. Opinions generally are protected speech. So go ahead and say that the company's website is difficult to use or that you don't like the color choices for its products. But don't say: "In my opinion the company is defrauding its customers." Goldman says, "Just putting 'in my opinion' in front of a factual statement doesn't make it an opinion." Do immediately respond to complaints from a company about a negative comment you made online. If a company contacts you, reexamine what you said. If you decide you said something incorrect or unsupportable, change or delete your comment immediately and let the company know you've done so, without acknowledging wrongdoing. There's no guarantee that will stop a lawsuit, but it could be enough to satisfy an angry business, says Goldman. "Just as matter of ethics, you should fix your errors," he says. Do contact an attorney if you're threatened with legal action. You might need a lawyer experienced in libel law. If a company targets you with a frivolous lawsuit, you may be able to recover attorney's fees and, in some cases, damages under state and federal laws. If you're successfully sued, you might be covered by your homeowners or renters insurance, subject to the policy limits, says the Insurance Information Institute. Your insurer also may help you find an attorney, says Goldman. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2017 Consumers Union of U.S. Kellyanne Conway and Shepard Smith (Photos: Richard Drew/AP) Fox News anchor Shep Smith dismissed White House counselor Kellyanne Conways credibility on air Thursday, saying, We dont really quote [her] anymore, because, well, history. Later in the segment, he said Conways previous words have been up for debate. The barbs were in response to Conways defense of President Trumps unsubstantiated claim that President Obama ordered a wiretap of the phones in Trump Tower. There are many ways to surveil each other, Conway said in a Sunday interview with the Record, a New Jersey newspaper. There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, through certainly their television sets any number of different ways. Microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. So we know that is just a fact of modern life. Airing a clip of that quote, Smith responded: Fox News can now confirm microwaves heat food. Some news outlets have shown skepticism of Conways credibility, particularly after she coined the term alternative facts when the White House falsely claimed Trumps inauguration drew the largest crowd in history. She also said Trump stood fully behind then-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, shortly before the president fired him. Trump has long had a cozy relationship with Foxs opinion and morning shows, and he regularly appears on Fox & Friends (where Conway appeared Monday morning), Hannity and The OReilly Factor. He also will make his first appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Wednesday. But the news segments, like Smiths, can be harder-hitting. Last month, Smith scolded Trump following the presidents epic press conference in which he sparred with reporters and refused to answer questions about his campaigns ties to Russia. Its crazy what were watching everyday. Its absolutely crazy, Smith said. He keeps repeating ridiculous throwaway lines that are not true at all, and sort of avoiding this issue of Russia as if were some kind of fools for asking the question. Story continues We are not fools for asking this question, and we demand to know the answer to this question, Smith said, turning to the camera to address Trump directly. You owe this to the American people We have a right to know. Read more from Yahoo News: By Press Trust of India: Islamabad, Mar 13 (PTI) Pakistan will begin its first census in about two decades from Wednesday with the assistance of over 200,000 troops and civilian officials who will collect crucial data that will be used for key policy decisions, including delimitation of constituencies. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor and Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a joint conference about preparation for the long-delayed sixth population census, which will be conducted in two phases and will be completed on May 25. advertisement The national census will be conducted from Wednesday. "The census would be conducted with the assistance of over 200,000 troops," Ghafoor said. He said at least one soldier will accompany each civilian enumerator going from house to house to enlist the number of households and individuals living there. The soldiers will not only provide security but help in verification of data collected by the enumerators. Aurangzeb said that administrative and security arrangements have been made for the population and housing census. "The number of the civilian staff taking part in the census is 118,918. They are all government servants from various departments and thoroughly trained for the job," Aurangzeb said yesterday. She said that the first phase will start from March 15 and conclude on April 15. After a ten-day gap the second phase will start from April 25 and conclude on May 25. She said that Rs 18.5 billion had been allocated for the census. The Minister of State said the holding of the census will help appropriate allocation of funds and other resources at right places. Aurangzeb said that there will be imprisonment of six months and Rs 50,000 fine if wrong information is given. Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. The population data will be used for delimitation of the constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies, a requirement under the Constitution. In Pakistan, the first four censuses in 1951, 1961, 1972 and 1981, were held on time by the Population Census Organisation, in collaboration with staff from the provincial governments. The fifth census was due in 1991 and the House Listing Operation carried out in 1990 showed abnormal population growth in some parts of the country, which could not be justified by normal demographic indicators. PTI SH UZM ASK MRJ MRJ --- ENDS --- AMMAN, Jordan (AP) The head of the World Food Program says the agency is racing against time to prevent famine in war-scarred Yemen. Ertharin Cousin said Monday that 7 million people face severe food shortages. She says that without increased international funding and more access to the hungry, "we will see famine-like conditions" and that people will die in some of the hardest-hit areas. Cousin spoke in Jordan after a three-day visit to Yemen. The agency says it urgently needs $460 million through August as well as access by sea and land to help all 7 million people who cannot survive without food aid. The Arab world's poorest country has been ravaged by a two-year-old conflict between Houthi rebels and an internationally recognized government. The fighting has left more than 10,000 civilians dead. Photo credit: superspeedersRob / YouTube From Road & Track It's not often you see a Ferrari in a serious state of disrepair. Most car owners of the prestigious Italian brand are obsessive about keeping their investments in top condition, free from any sort of damage or wear. But what happens when a Ferrari gets totaled in an accident, or lights itself on fire? It goes to this shop in California that specializes in dead exotics. FerrParts, a facility in Sacramento, is a place where totaled, charred, and dismembered Ferraris-along with other unfortunate exotics-end up once insurance is done assessing the damage. It's here where parts are stripped for resale, and if the car is lucky enough, gets repaired and resold. Rob Ferretti of Super Speeders got the chance to walk around FerrPart's compound, giving us a peek into what salvage-titled exotic life is really like. Unsurprisingly, it's depressing. F430s, 348s, Testarossas, and everything in between appear in various states of disrepair, some missing whole pieces of frame. Watch for yourself. Warning: this may be disturbing for some viewers. You Might Also Like WASHINGTON -- Two Republicans from the Philadelphia area are now on record backing the GOP plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But as the legislative push continues this week, most Republicans from the region remain publicly undecided on their partys top priority, and as the plan shifts, so could their views. To a man, they say they want to repeal or reform the law often called Obamacare, but many have raised questions about the specifics of this proposal. Here is where they stand so far. (Every Democrat from the area has spoken out in opposition). In Support Rep. Ryan Costello - As a member of one of two committees that vetted the repeal plan last week, Costello, of Chester County, voted in favor of the measure. Its the appropriate framework through which to bring about the kind of reforms that we need to stabilize the insurance market, to protect those that have pre-existing conditions from price discrimination, to treat those within the Medicaid expansion population fairly, but also to look to rein in health care costs and get us on a path forward where we dont have government-centered, government-controlled health care, he said in an interview. Costello stressed that the bill will change as it moves through Congress. He also emphasized that changes to Medicaid would not arrive until 2020 -- but that timetable could be sped up to next year if more conservative House members get their way, a change which might threaten support from local Republicans from more moderate districts. (More on that below). Rep. Pat Meehan - The Delaware County representative also got an early vote, as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He backed the bill, while raising concerns about the Medicaid provisions and pledging to review their impact on Pennsylvania. The legislation isnt perfect, but it eliminates one-size-fits-all Washington mandates and instead gives consumers the ability to purchase the insurance that meets their needs. It will help bring the individual insurance markets out of the death spiral theyre in today. And it will drive down costs by increasing competition and flexibility, a Meehan spokesman wrote in an email. The alternative is the status quo of skyrocketing premiums and less choice in plans and providers for Pennsylvania families. Story continues On the fence Rep. Charlie Dent - One of the Houses most vocal centrists, Dent was among just nine Republicans to vote against an earlier step that set the repeal in motion. He issued a careful statement when this plan was rolled out. I am pleased that the bill fully repeals the jobs-destroying medical device tax, addresses over-reaching government mandates, and includes some elements of replacement. I remain concerned, however, about the impact of the Medicaid changes on vulnerable populations, as well as the overall effect of the bill on access to affordable care. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick - Fitzpatrick was also among the nine who opposed the initial procedural vote on repealing the law, worried that his party didnt have a replacement prepared. The freshman from Bucks County said he would carefully review this plan. The Congressmans focus when it comes health care reform has been continuity of coverage, extension of patient protection provisions and encouraging competition including across state lines to drive down the cost and increase access, a spokesman wrote in an email. The bill, he added, will likely undergo several adjustments. Rep. Frank LoBiondo - The South Jersey Congressman voted in favor of the earlier repeal steps, but has said little about the specifics of this bill. He wrote on Facebook Saturday that he is continuing to review the plan and having meetings with my colleagues to see if we have any opportunities to improve the bill, and await additional analysis. A key estimate of the laws impact is expected this week from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Rep. Tom MacArthur - MacArthur, also of South Jersey, has repeatedly said he would not support a bill that abandons the needy and that he worries about the consequences for New Jersey if the Medicaid expansion is rolled back, even though he believes Obamacare needs reform. Im telling you honestly I dont know how Im going to vote, he said at a recent town hall. If we pull the rug out from under the most vulnerable, I cant support that. He also voted against that initial procedural step -- making it three of nine GOP no votes from this area, a sign of just how thorny this issue is in moderate districts. Sen. Pat Toomey - The bill isnt through to the Senate yet, but some senators are still making their voices heard, with both moderates and conservatives calling for modifications -- in opposite directions. Toomey, as he often does on controversial votes, is keeping his views to himself for now. He told the Inquirer he was still reviewing the plan and late last week told WPHT radio host Chris Stigall this is not the final product. In fact, House conservatives, backed by some of the rights most influential lobbying groups, are threatening to derail the GOP replacement plan, arguing that it doesnt go far enough to wipe out former President Barack Obamas signature health law. Late last week President Trump suggested he would be open to negotiating. But if he and House Speaker Paul Ryan move rightward, it may risk support from this areas delegation, which represents more moderate districts. While conservatives want to act faster to roll back the laws Medicaid expansion, local Republicans have specifically cited Medicaid as an issue theyd like to move carefully on. It adds up to a complicated game for GOP leaders who have to decide how many votes each tweak gains and loses. You can follow Tamari on Twitter or email him at jtamari@phillynews.com. Most Popular on Philly.com President Trump at a meeting about health care on Monday. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) A number of people received a new White House newsletter Monday, as President Trumps administration launched 1600 Daily to spread its views on the news. The publication came as a surprise to some readers. Sarah Sanders, the deputy White House press secretary, told Yahoo News, Everyone who signs up on the wh.gov site receives it. The opening line set the tone for what followed: Today, President Trump will meet with victims of Obamacare individuals, businesses, and others negatively impacted by the law. A large portion of the inaugural newsletter sent from an official whitehouse.gov email address bashed the Affordable Care Act and praised Trumps actions to get rid of the 2010 health care law. The only bullet point under the letters get involved section said Trump supports Congresss plan to repeal and replace Obamacare and encouraged readers to sign an anti-Obamacare petition. Similarly, the only tweet from the president included in the From President Trump section said that Obamacare is collapsing and in bad shape, but that Republicans are coming together to get [the] job done. The Oval Office highlights section linked to a transcript of Trump discussing the imploding Obamacare disaster with key members of his Cabinet in the Roosevelt Room. The section also included a video of the presidents Weekly Address again condemning the ACA. I want every American to know that action on Obamacare is an urgent necessity, Trump said in the video message. The laws collapsing around us, and if we do not act to save Americans from this wreckage it will take our health care system all the way down with it. If we do nothing, millions more innocent Americans will be hurt and badly hurt. Other sections of the newsletter included a photo of the day (Trump meeting with students from Saint Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Fla.), details on White House press secretary Sean Spicers press briefing, Trumps schedule and favorable news reports. Story continues Read more from Yahoo News: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Monday rejected a report by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office that concluded millions of Americans would lose health insurance under a Republican plan to dismantle Obamacare. U.S. health secretary Tom Price told reporters at the White House that the administration strenuously disagreed with the report, which he said did not look at the full Republican plan and did not take into account regulatory reforms and other efforts to reform healthcare. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Eric Walsh; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) State Department staffers have been instructed to seek cuts in excess of 50 percent in U.S. funding for U.N. programs, signaling an unprecedented retreat by President Donald Trumps administration from international operations that keep the peace, provide vaccines for children, monitor rogue nuclear weapons programs, and promote peace talks from Syria to Yemen, according to three sources. The push for such draconian measures comes as the White House is scheduled on Thursday to release its 2018 budget proposal, which is expected to include cuts of up to 37 percent for spending on the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign assistance programs, including the U.N., in next years budget. The United States spends about $10 billion a year on the United Nations. It remains unclear whether the full extent of the steeper U.N. cuts will be reflected in the 2018 budget, which will be prepared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, or whether, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has proposed, the cuts would be phased in over the coming three years. One official close to the Trump administration said Tillerson has been given flexibility to decide how the cuts would be distributed. On March 9 in New York, U.S. diplomats in a closed-door meeting warned key U.N. members, including wealthy donors from Europe, Japan, and South Korea, to expect a big financial constraint on U.S. spending at the United Nations, said one European diplomat. There are rumors of big cuts to the State Department budget, but again, on our side, no figures, the diplomat said. The cuts would fall heaviest on U.N. programs, like peacekeeping, UNICEF, and the U.N. Development Programme, that are funded out of the budget of the State Departments Bureau of International Organization Affairs. It remains to be seen whether other U.N. agencies popular with Congress, like the World Food Programme and U.N. refugee operations which are funded out of separate accounts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State Department, respectively will get hit as hard. But one source tracking the budget proposal said the Trump administration is considering cuts of up to 36 percent on humanitarian aid programs. Story continues Richard Gowan, a U.N. expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said cuts of this magnitude would create chaos. The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) received $1.5 billion of its $4 billion budget from the United States last year, he said. Cutting the U.S. contribution would leave a gaping hole that other big donors would struggle to fill. Multiply that across other humanitarian agencies, like the World Food Programme, and you are basically talking about the breakdown of the international humanitarian system as we know it, he added. The budget proposal reinforces a shift by the Trump administration from U.S. support for diplomacy and foreign assistance to increased financial support for the U.S. military. Late last month, the Trump administration argued that the proposed cuts in the budgets for the State Department, USAID, and other foreign assistance programs, including contributions to the U.N., would help offset a projected $54 billion increase in defense spending. Those cuts, it now appears, are likely to fall disproportionately on the United Nations, which has less of a constituency in Washington than does the State Department. U.S. officials in Washington and New York learned during the past week that they will be asked to find ways to cut spending on obligatory and voluntary U.N. programs by 50 to 60 percent from the International Organization Affairs Bureaus account. State Department officials, for instance, were told that they should try to identify up to $1 billion in cuts in the U.N. peacekeeping budget, according to one source. The United States provides about $2.5 billion per year to fund peacekeepers. The reductions in diplomacy and foreign assistance represent a blow to Tillerson and Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who repeatedly cautioned against slash-and-burn cuts during her Senate confirmation hearing. Haley has already been undertaking a review of the U.N.s 16 peacekeeping missions to see if she can find room for cuts. She has previously expressed concern about the value of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan, which lacks government support. The United States could end missions by not extending their mandate when they come up for renewal or could negotiate savings in budget talks scheduled for May and June. Trumps budget plans are encountering strong head wind in Congress, where Democratic and Republican leaders have voiced concerns about imposing steep cuts in the State Department budget. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the presidents budget is probably not going to be passed. Peter Yeo, the president of the Better World Campaign, a U.N. advocacy group in Washington, said the budget is only an early salvo in what is likely to turn out to be a long, drawn-out battle. [Congress] is unlikely to go along with these strong and disproportionate cuts, he said. This is only chapter two in a very long book. The United States has to pay just over 22 percent of the U.N.s $2.5 billion administrative budget. Additionally, Washington pays billions of dollars for peacekeepers and helps underwrite a swath of other programs that fight hunger, settle refugees, and battle climate change. Brett Schaefer, a U.N. expert at the Heritage Foundation, said it would be a hard stretch to achieve cuts of more than 50 percent in peacekeeping costs. But he said several U.N. missions, including long-standing operations in Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Haiti, are already winding down, raising the prospect of significant cost savings. And other troubled missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; South Sudan; and Darfur, Sudan, might be downsized. Two members of a U.N. panel investigating sanctions violations in Congo Michael Sharp of the United States and Zaida Catalan of Sweden were abducted near the village of Ngombe in Kasai-Central province, the Congolese government said Monday. Four Congolese nationals accompanying them on the trip were also kidnapped. Is Darfur still necessary in the way it is currently configured, or is it an opportunity to negotiate with Sudan to have a smaller mission? Schaefer asked. U.N. diplomats and foreign dignitaries say they expect the United States to seek to eliminate funding for some agencies unpopular with conservatives including the U.N. Population Fund, which receives about $35 million a year from the United States for family planning programs, and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. The U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, has long been the target of Israeli and congressional criticism on the grounds that it has a pro-Palestinian bias. But one diplomat said UNRWA might be spared because it relieves Israel of the obligation to care for some Palestinians and because Israel sees the program as ultimately promoting stability. The United States has broad discretion to cut voluntary funds to humanitarian agencies, including the World Food Programme and UNICEF. But those programs are popular among Democrats and Republicans, and any move to slash funding could undermine Washingtons case for leading those agencies. If Washington fails to honor its funding commitments to the U.N.s regular budget, which is obligatory, it could lose its voting rights in the General Assembly. U.N.-based diplomats say it is unlikely that other foreign donors would fill the entire gap in the event of massive U.S. cuts. For instance, European powers, including Germany, may step up funding to address the Syrian crisis, which has sent massive waves of refugees across European borders, but they are not likely to muster the funds to match American funding on a range of other programs, including international development and peacekeeping. Anticipating cuts to family planning programs, Dutch Development Minister Lilianne Ploumen recently established a fund to solicit contributions to institutions that have faced a cutoff of U.S. assistance because they perform abortions. But sub-Saharan Africa has plenty of crises that could only get worse if the United States throttles back its financial support. Bathsheba Crocker, who served as assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs during former President Barack Obamas administration, said steep cuts in the U.S. voluntary funding account could imperil programs responding to major humanitarian calamities, dealing with political crises, and combating terrorists. We have U.N. warnings of famine in four countries, she said, referring to food crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. It is only the U.N. agencies that have the scale and ability to get in and address these challenges. Meanwhile, a major U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali is helping with the counterterrorism threats in the region. This is deeply in the national security interest of the United States, Crocker said. Photo credit: ANDREW BURTON/Getty Images Photo credit: Supercarsfromeu / YouTube From Road & Track Lamborghini's latest supercar puts up plenty of impressive numbers-640 horsepower, zero to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, a top speed of 202 mph. But when the Huracan Performante was officially unveiled to the world, one data claim trumped them all: A Nurburgring lap time of 6:52.01, snatching the lap record for production cars from the long-reigning Porsche 918 Spyder by a nearly five-second margin. But almost immediately, there were doubters. Lamborghini provided in-car video of the purported record lap. Not that long ago, this would have stood as incontrovertible evidence, the gold standard. But among supercar makers, racing experts and internet sleuths, some folks raised questions, pointing out perceived inaccuracies and hypothetical opportunities for number-fudging. A Nurburgring record, like a lap of the famed race track itself, is a tricky thing. What seems like a straightforward way to establish a performance car's rank gets muddy and subjective the closer you look. Here's what led people to question Lamborghini's claims, and how the automaker answered the accusations with cold hard data that closed the case-at least for some experts. The Lap Lamborghini uploaded the Huracan Performante's lap video on March 1st. The professionally-edited footage seems to offer everything a skeptic could ask for: Dual camera angles showing both the car's racing line and the driver's actions from inside the cockpit; a dashboard overlay indicating speed, RPM, and gear position; a GPS track map; and of course, a lap timer. At the wheel is test driver Marco Mapelli. This isn't his first time starring in a blistering Lamborghini 'Ring lap video-in May 2015, the automaker published a video of Mapelli turning a 6:59.73 lap in an Aventador LP750-4 Superveloce. His 2015 performance was manic, a seven-minute frenzy with plenty of snap-action sawing at the steering wheel. See for yourself: The Aventador lap time came astoundingly close to the all-time production car Nurburgring lap record-6:57.00, set by Porsche factory driver Marc Lieb in 2013 in a then-new Porsche 918 Spyder. The fact that the half-million-dollar Lamborghini ran a lap that came so close to Porsche's $850,000 hybrid UFO made its second-place time seem like a victory in itself. Story continues Now compare Mapelli's turn in the Aventador with his lap in the Huracan Performante, recorded October 5th, 2016, and uploaded at the start of this month: If you removed the clock from both videos and watched them back-to-back, you'd swear the older car was faster. In the Aventador, Mapelli is constantly sawing at the wheel, in a constant battle to find every last bit of grip the car can offer. In the new Huracan, he's nearly sedate. Pay attention to the speedometers. The 740-horsepower V12-powered Aventador of 2015 rockets to higher top speeds in nearly every straight-line sector than this year's 640-horsepower V10-powered Huracan. And yet, at the end of the lap, the Huracan crosses the line in 6:52.01-faster than both the world-record Porsche and big brother Aventador by a daunting margin. This is when the questions started coming. Photo credit: From YouTube / Automotive Mike The Red Flags Any automaker's Nurburgring lap claim must be viewed skeptically. There's no rule book, no governing body monitoring production car 'Ring attempts. At the very least, any factory-backed production car that laps the circuit is assembled from the choicest components, tuned to be the ultimate specimen of the model. Legend has it many automakers take their preparations much further, cranking up engine output, fitting cheater tires, and otherwise exceeding consumer specifications. Some of this comes with a plausible justification: Many "production" cars show up at the Nurburgring with a full roll cage, a prudent safety measure that just happens to add beneficial chassis stiffness and necessitates a partially gutted interior. The standard questions about car preparation certainly apply to the Huracan Performante. But it was Lamborghini's lap video that led certain experts to question this record attempt in particular. "From a driver's perspective it was a good lap," Robb Holland told me in the days after Lamborghini published the Huracan Performante video. "It was clean, it was quick, there's no doubt the guy was on it." Holland should know, having notched multiple class wins in VLN endurance races at the Nurburgring and spent most of the past several years essentially living at the famed track. "As far as whether I personally believe they set the lap record, I highly doubt it. To those of us who are based at the 'Ring full-time, and really have an understanding of the track ... there's some anomalies in [the video] that just don't make sense," he said. what they have posted as their evidence of the lap doesn't quite add up to what we know Dale Lomas, Nurburgring expert and founder of the 'Ring blog BridgeToGantry, was one of the first to point out perceived inconsistencies in the Huracan lap video. In a blog post published March 3rd, two days after the Lamborghini video came out, Lomas compared the Huracan and Aventador lap videos. He found that, throughout the 1760-meter segment of track between the final gantry and the first bridge, the Huracan's indicated speed is significantly slower than the Aventador's. Despite this, the videos show the two cars covering the distance in nearly identical time: 21.9 seconds for the newer Huracan, 21.7 seconds for the more powerful Aventador, as indicated by the on-screen lap timers. Lomas concluded that, if the speeds indicated in both videos were accurate GPS measurements, the Huracan could not have covered the segment of track in the indicated time at the indicated speeds-indicating that the Huracan video had been sped up to show a faster lap time. (Lomas could not be reached by R&T for comment.) Holland didn't outright accuse Lamborghini of video tampering, but he pointed out how any automaker could use this tactic. "The easy way to do things is you speed up the video three percent," he told me. "I can't look at it and say 'the hand movements are too quick,' it's literally imperceptible. But if you look at a seven minute lap, you speed it up three percent and you're now looking at going 12 seconds quicker." Others agreed. Christian von Koenigsegg, founder of the Swedish supercar company that bears his name, voiced his concerns to R&T's Mate Petrany at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. "When I saw that video, there was something weird about it," he said. "So slow in the the straights, yet it looks like it's on rails in the corners, and there's no G-force meter. If you have that kind of cornering capabilities, why don't you show your G-force, like everybody else?" "Is the lap time doable? I think so," Holland told me. "The issue we have isn't with the fact of whether it's capable or not. It's just that what they have posted as their evidence of the lap doesn't quite add up to what we know from the data that we have from thousands of laps at the Nurburgring." I asked Holland what he would need to see to believe Lamborghini's lap time claims. "The actual data from the car," he said, "so I can see what speed they were going in the corners, how quickly the car went down the straightaway, how quickly it accelerated." Photo credit: From YouTube / Supercarsfromeu The Evidence It was exactly one week after the Huracan Performante Nurburgring video was published, and five days after my first conversation with Holland, that Lamborghini threw down the data. At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, R&T's Mate Petrany met with Lamborghini lead engineer Maurizio Reggiani to ask about the Performante lap time. Reggiani delivered, pulling out an iPad and showing off the data traces recorded by the telemetry equipment in the Huracan Performante during the 6:52.01 lap. The graph showed vehicle speed in km/h over time in seconds, with a second overlaid data line showing the car's elevation as a way of pinpointing its location on the track. Our pal Tim Stevens at Roadshow got a photo of Reggiani's data logs, republished here with permission (Click the top right corner to expand the image). Photo credit: Tim Stevens / Roadshow Along with the data came an explanation. According to Reggiani, it's the Huracan Performante's active aerodynamic system (Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, or ALA) that gives the greatest improvement in lap time. In its most aggressive setting, Lamborghini says the system creates an astounding 750 percent more downforce than the standard Huracan 610-4. More importantly, the spoilers snap into their lowest-drag setting when the car is aimed straight, removing the acceleration impediment that big aero can cause. The system does more. The Huracan Performante is the world's first vehicle to use active aero vectoring, apportioning downforce side-to-side in response to steering input. By adding more downforce to the inside wheels in a corner, ALA helps reduce steering angle, increasing the car's midcorner speed capabilities. I spoke with Holland the day Lamborghini revealed the telemetry. "After seeing the actual data from the lap, I 100-percent believe that the lap is legitimate," he told me. Why the sudden change of heart? "At the end of the day, you don't release data unless you're confident in the lap," Holland said. He explained that, given the data traces provided by Lamborghini, anyone could calculate the car's speed through known-length sectors of the track. If the automaker was fudging anything, publishing the data was a surefire way to get caught with no way of explaining it away. "By simply publishing the data, it makes me very confident that they did the lap," he said. To Holland, the Huracan Performante's active aero system explains many of the inconsistencies he first sensed in the lap video. "People don't understand that the Nurburgring is an aero track," he said. "The car is very rarely in a straight line-you're always cornering." Holland thinks the 640-horsepower Huracan Performante's aero advantage easily explains how it could beat the 740-horsepower Aventador or the 887-horse Porsche 918 Spyder around the track. "On the straightaways, yeah, they have a 10 or 15-mph advantage in top speed," he said. "But everywhere else, a car that has more downforce and more grip is going to have a higher average overall speed through the corners. If you're five mph quicker going into the midcorner, you're five mph quicker coming out, which means that's five mph less that you have to accelerate." The Huracan's low-drag aero mode could also explain how it might transit a certain track section in the same amount of time as the more powerful Aventador, despite never reaching the Aventador's velocity. A 100-horsepower advantage might let the Aventador reach a higher top speed in a segment, but the Huracan's low-drag mode might allow it to accelerate much quicker than the fixed-aero Aventador. "If you can get to speed quicker than the other car, the maximum speed might not make a difference," Holland said. Photo credit: From YouTube / Automotive Mike The Conclusion As with any manufacturer's Nurburgring lap attempt, questions still remain about the specifications of the Huracan Performante that set the lap record. Christian von Koenigsegg points out the advantages of the Performante's tires-street-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs, described by their makers as "designed by Pirelli engineers especially for the event." He was struck, he said, by how the car's indicated speed seemed slow on the straightaways, but very fast in the corners, with no tire noise. "And then a few days later, Pirelli said, 'oh, we custom made kind-of-slick tires for it.' Well, that makes sense!" Koenigsegg told R&T. "I guess the only question for me is, is it okay to claim a production car record on special tires?" Holland isn't as concerned with the tires, which will be available to Huracan Performante buyers. "To be fair, even if it wasn't available as an option on that car, it's available to the general public," he said. "When you shave that tire down, it's almost like a slick. You're not gonna hear any of that noise." Shaving tires, like many of the other tuning tricks manufacturers use at the 'Ring, isn't technically changing the car beyond factory spec. In Holland's mind, it's par for the course. There will still be doubters-among them Jim Glickenhaus. "I have great trouble with the video [Lamborghini] showed, with the telemetry that they showed, with the frame rate of their video, and I personally am very skeptical of that claimed time," Glickenhaus told Roadshow at the Geneva Motor Show. Glickenhaus has a horse in this race-his SCG 003, a street-legal supercar designed to be driven to the Nurburgring and converted to 24-hour race specifications right there in the pits. Glickenhaus, along with Holland, Koenigsegg, and many others, is advocating for a new system of Nurburgring lap times, one where private owners bring their cars to the track, have the tires, fuel and other parameters verified as stock, and let the same driver set a lap time in each car that shows up, all under a third party's watchful eye. But until that logistically-challenging event can take place, we're left with the task of trusting but verifying an automaker's Nurburgring lap claims. And in the case of the Huracan Performante, Lamborghini seems to have created a supercar that, thanks to an unprecedented aerodynamic system, can corner fast enough to turn a quicker lap than cars that run away from it on the straightaways. It's a feat that many observers, amateur and expert alike, thought was impossible-until they saw the data. You Might Also Like Skiers and snowboarders in Colorados Breckenridge Ski Resort encountered an unexpected hazard on the slopes Friday when a wild moose began galloping down the run. Read: Hero Bystanders Catch Boy, 11, in Tarp After He Was Left Dangling From Ski Lift "Oh my God, I dont know where to go," snowboarder Cheri Luther could be heard screaming as she captured video of the animal rushing toward her. Luther wrote on Instagram that she had turned to check whether her friend was behind her when she noticed the moose coming quickly down the run. She continued on her board when she noticed there were no trees she could hide behind, and was able to eventually veer out of the animals path. Read: 'Polite' Moose Makes Itself at Home After Falling Into Family's Basement No one was hurt from the encounter, and resort officials said it was a good reminder the mountain is shared with local wildlife, APTN reported. "[Theyre] such amazing creatures, and who knew they were that fast?" she wrote. Watch: Moose Rescued by Firefighters After Falling Through Thin Ice on Half-Frozen Canadian River Related Articles: The World Health Organization the worlds most influential health agency published its first-ever global priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It is a catalog of the 12 families of bacteria that the WHO says pose the greatest threat to human health and for which new antibiotics are urgently needed. More than an academic exercise, the document is an advocacy tool designed specifically to help decision-makers prioritize investments in pharmaceutical research and development. While the list is welcome, it contains an enormous flaw that requires immediate correction. The experts compiling the list failed to include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), even though TB kills more people than any other infectious disease and has developed such extensive resistance to antibiotics that WHO itself labels it a crisis. WHOs rationale for excluding TB from consideration is that it is already a globally established priority for which innovative new treatments are urgently needed. In other words, TB was not considered for inclusion in a list of global priorities because it is a global priority. This explanation defies reason. Tuberculosis is a global pandemic. The WHO estimates that an astounding 10.4 million people contracted this airborne disease in 2015 (the last year with complete statistics) and 580,000 of them have drug-resistant forms of it. Only 1 in 5 people with drug-resistant TB gets diagnosed and treated. The rest remain sick and contagious for months or even years, spreading the disease to others before they usually die from it. See related First Opinion: WHOs new priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria looks beyond the scourge of tuberculosis Drug-resistant TB is exceedingly difficult to treat. Individuals with it must take large amounts of uncommon (read: highly expensive) antibiotics for at least nine months and as long as two years. Among those who do manage to get access to treatment, only about half survive. Those who do survive commonly experience harmful effects from the medicine, such as organ damage and permanent hearing loss. Story continues In the face of extreme odds, health care workers and patients are struggling to make the best use of what should be yesterdays medicines. Almost all antibiotics used for treating TB were invented before astronauts walked on the moon. Only two new TB medicines have been approved since that era bedaquiline in 2012 and delamanid in 2014 and their access has been restricted to a small number of patients with the most resistant forms of the disease. Meanwhile, support for research into new TB antibiotics is low and declining. Current research funding is now less than a third of what is needed to bring new treatments to market. Thats why the exclusion of TB from the global priority list is a sudden broadside to the TB effort. And it could not have come at a worse time. We are poised to see what might be one of the most important breakthroughs in the fight against TB in decades: the first-ever meeting of heads of state specifically on TB. The release of the global priority list, in fact, was timed to coincide with a meeting of top health officials from 20 countries representing the worlds largest economies. In November 2017, national secretaries and ministers of health from around the world will meet in Moscow at a summit focused specifically on charting a response to TB. And next year, the worlds presidents and prime ministers will convene, for the first time in history, to negotiate and announce actions they will take to end the epidemic. The decisions that national policymakers negotiate at these summits will have tangible effects on TB research and development budgets that will, in turn, affect the delivery of new antibiotics desperately needed to end the epidemic. That TB has inexplicably been left off a list designed to influence policymakers priorities, marked with the imprimatur of the WHO, sends a misguided signal that TB is not a priority, all evidence to the contrary. Read more: Spread of highly drug-resistant tuberculosis sparks concerns As drug-resistance builds, the power of our antibiotics is fading. To be sure, we urgently need new antibiotics for treating the pathogens included in the WHOs new global priority list. This list is a critical tool for educating policymakers, who often look to the WHO for expert guidance when crafting policies. Its because the WHOs guidance is so influential that its error in omitting TB from the list is so potentially damaging. After publishing the list, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan issued a statement saying, Addressing drug-resistant TB research is a top priority for WHO and the world. The message is welcome, but likely to be lost in the future as policymakers reference the global priority list itself. Fortunately, the WHO states that the list is subject to revision. Rather than arbitrarily limiting the scope of the list, the WHO should evaluate a broader range of pathogens including viruses, fungi, and other microbes that are increasingly drug-resistant, and revise the list to portray a more evidence-based picture of public health research priorities. Jose Luis Castro is executive director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Two brigades of 'special combat soldiers' had already been moved to the People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps and further additions would be made, military insiders told the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post. By Ananth Krishnan: China's navy plans to expand its marine corps and may station new marine brigades in Gwadar, Pakistan and in Djibouti near the Gulf of Aden, Chinese military insiders have said. Two brigades of "special combat soldiers" had already been moved to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy marine corps and further additions would be made, military insiders told the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post. advertisement The PLA navy plans to more than double the strength of its marine corps to around 1 lakh, the report said, with brigades to be stationed at overseas ports China is operating in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. China has constructed a deep-sea port on the Arabian Sea in Gwadar which it is also operating and developing into a key fulcrum of its "Belt and Road" Initiative. China is also building an economic corridor from its western Xinjiang region to Gwadar, which also serves as an important foothold and gateway for China to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. FIRST OVERSEAS FACILITY In Djibouti, the PLA is setting up its first overseas facility. Chinese officials have insisted it is not a "base" citing their long-standing policy of not operating overseas military bases, but the facility will effectively function as one, catering to PLA navy vessels that are involved in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. As China's Parliament or National People Congress winds up its annual session on Wednesday, Chinese military officials have called for boosting the PLA navy. The NPC approved a 7 per cent rise in defence spending, much of which is likely to go to the PLA navy as the army undertakes a cut of 3 lakh personnel. "China is a maritime country and as we defend our maritime rights and develop our interests, the status of the navy will be more important," Liu Xiaojiang, a former navy political commissar, was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post at the NPC. CHINA'S OVERSEAS ASSETS Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert, added to the paper that an expanded marine corps would be required to protect China's overseas assets, as in Djibouti and Gwadar. "Besides its original missions of a possible war with Taiwan, maritime defence in the East and South China seas, it's also foreseeable that the PLA navy's mission will expand overseas, including protection of China's national security in the Korean peninsula, the country's maritime lifelines, as well as offshore supply deports like in Djibouti and Gwadar port in Pakistan," he said. "However, the current size of the marines and its equipment are very limited and not enough to cope with the upcoming new challenges." advertisement Chinese experts have at the on-going NPC session also called for China to boost its aircraft carrier programme, with Beijing's second carrier set for sea trials by 2019. PLA Navy Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo who is also a member of parliament said China "needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers." Also Read: Chinese military strategist Liu Kui says India's aircraft carrier strategy 'a failure' China hikes defence budget to $150 billion, to step up Indian Ocean missions --- ENDS --- Rooster Prince Peep wears a sweater knitted by residents at Fuller Village retirement home in Milton, Mass. (Photo: AP/Steven Senne) Clothing made from animals is so 10 years ago. These days, clothing made for animals is all the rage. On Monday, local news station ABC13 News reported on a retirement home in Milton, Mass., that started a specialty-knitting club. The home teamed up with a local nonprofit to make sweaters for chickens during New Englands harsh winter. The project allows yarn-savvy retirees to put their skills to use and help the birds stay warm in the cold weather. Of course, not everyone was sold on the idea at first. It does sound a little cuckoo. When they said they were gonna make these sweaters for the chickens, I thought it was the most foolish thing I had ever heard in my life, and everybody that I told laughed at me, Libby Kaplan told ABC13 News. They couldnt believe it, but we made the sweaters for the chickens, and Im glad that we did. Retiree Barbara Stevens holds rooster Prince Peep, who is wearing one of the sweaters knitted for him. (Photo: AP/Steven Senne) And its a good thing they did because, according to the segment, farmers say that egg production has spiked since the chickens started wearing the sweaters. But retirees arent the only ones helping local animals. In December, high school students in New Zealand pitched in as well. The students, along with fashion teacher Nan Walden, made comfort coats for dogs affected by the 7.8 earthquake that struck Kaikoura on Nov. 14. The goal was to make 50 coats of varying sizes, fit for all dogs from Chihuahuas to Labradors. While all of the coats are red and have the same simple design, the students had the chance to add their own flair. Sixteen-year-old Fiona Lu added bow ties to the coats she made. It makes me happy, she told Stuff.co.nz. Plus, with exams happening around the same time, the students found that making the coats was a stress reliever and really fun. The idea started when Wellington, New Zealand, fashion designer Louise Stichbury, who created the coat pattern, noticed that her dog Coco seemed calmer at difficult times when wearing one of her coats. I wanted to help out, she told Stuff. So Stichbury started working with Helping You Help Animals to make more coats and coordinated with high school fashion teacher Walden to enlist willing students to spend a day creating comfort coats. Story continues With help from a place called Fabric Warehouse, Stichbury donated about 66 feet of red fabric to make the coats. These high school students have been amazing, she said. Redditor /u/1158pm finds a toad on his front porch and proceeds to make a bunch of hats for him. pic.twitter.com/zx7yWmtoca Andy Cole (@AndyCole84) March 10, 2017 Some people dont need a practical reason like warmth or comfort to make something nice for their four-legged friend. Reddit user Chris Newsome noticed a toad showing up on his porch repeatedly and decided to start making it hats. The frog now has a hat collection to rival that of the former WB mascot Michigan J. Frog. The toads new accessories consist of a pink cap with a T on it, an orange cowboy hat, and, our favorite, a pink top hat with a feather. Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. Brie Larson and her fiance goofing around in onesies is giving us FOMO like no tomorrow Kong: Skull Island Brie Larsons new big budget movie is finally in theaters in the United States. The actress has been crazy busy promoting the movie all over the world alongside her co-stars. Her next stop on the whirlwind press tour is Japan, and someone very close to her isnt very happy about it. (Not because he doesnt want her to go, we assume, but because he wants to go with her. Larson posted an adorable picture of her and fiance Alex Greenwald dressed up in Pokemon onesies in preparation for her trip to Japan. But Greenwald does NOT look impressed by his lack of invitation. She captioned the photo, Guess whos going to Japan?! Guess whos NOT going to Japan?! #fiancefomo A post shared by Brie (@brielarson) on Mar 11, 2017 at 12:13pm PST As Larson pointed out, her fiance is clearly dealing with some major FOMO. And TBH, we dont blame him. Want want to go to Japan, too. We also want to wear the coziest Pokemon onesies ever. Greenwald cant have total FOMO though. He at least got to attend the U.S. premiere of the movie with his lady, and he looked very dapper. Larson posted a sweet picture of the engaged couple while on the red (green) carpet, and wrote Prom: Skull Island. A post shared by Brie (@brielarson) on Mar 8, 2017 at 8:35pm PST Greenwald has also attended other award shows with Larson, including the SAG Awards, where they both looked like the most perfect movie star couple ever to exist. My Valentine I love you @alexandergreenwald A post shared by Brie (@brielarson) on Feb 14, 2017 at 10:04am PST So, while FOMO is real, were pretty sure Greenwald is doing just fine. Kong: Skull Island is set to be released in theaters in Japan on March 25th. Apple (ticker: AAPL) and Alphabet ( GOOG, GOOGL) are two of the biggest tech titans around, and they happen to compete for much more than smartphone market share. From large-capitalization institutional technology investors to average Americans saving for retirement, the fact is that AAPL stock and GOOG stock also go head to head for billions of dollars in investor capital. In a universe where Apple and Alphabet were mutually exclusive investments, which stock would be the better buy? Here's a look at how GOOG and Apple stock stack up as investments today. The prospects for Apple stock. When you look at the merits of Apple shares from a fundamental perspective, there's not much to dislike. They trade at just 16.7 times earnings -- a steep discount to the 24.9 price-earnings ratio of the Standard & Poor's 500 index -- and it pays a nice 1.7 percent dividend. On top of that, Apple has about $246 billion in cash on its books. That's a nice cushion for investors looking for safety. [See: The 25 Best Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy for 2017.] But the biggest problem with AAPL stock has nothing to do with fundamentals or its balance sheet. It's the absence of co-founder Steve Jobs, the creative genius whose shadow still looms large over the most valuable company on earth. There's no doubt that CEO Tim Cook has struggled to innovate since the icon's death in 2011, introducing only one new major product line, the Apple Watch, since then. The Apple Watch has been a commercial disappointment, and to this day its revenue isn't significant enough to be broken out as its own line item in quarterly financial reports. The bottom line? Apple is all about the iPhone, which to the joy of investors is still a cash cow year after year. But Apple's stubborn reliance on smartphones to carry its business in a sector notoriously susceptible to quick disruption isn't reassuring. Analysts estimate Apple's revenue will grow by less than 6 percent this fiscal year. After a sales decline last year, Wall Street sees investors waiting until fiscal 2018 to see the company surpass its 2015 revenue number. Story continues The prospects for GOOG stock. Alphabet, the holding company formerly known as Google, has a much different stock profile than Apple does. Beginning with the fundamentals, GOOG stock carries a meaty P/E of 30 and pays no dividend. Despite being the second-most valuable company in the world next to Apple, Alphabet still appears to be in the late stages of its growth phase, while Apple is entrenched and perhaps fully mature. GOOG doesn't pay a dividend, but that's because it still has growth prospects. It's expected to grow revenue to $106 billion in 2017, up 18 percent from $90 billion in 2016. That wouldn't be possible without reinvesting billions into its current business. Investors in GOOG stock are getting one thing right now: a dynamite digital advertising company. Between Google and Facebook ( FB), marketers have nowhere else to go to advertise their products online, and that's obviously a great dynamic for shareholders. [Read: Uber IPO: Losing Luster After a $1.2 Billion Loss.] Still, it's true that Alphabet is even more one-dimensional than AAPL in that about 90 percent of its revenue comes from advertising; roughly two-thirds of Apple's sales derive from the iPhone. However Google aggressively pursues new markets and ideas with incredible commercial potential. Some of its most promising projects today include self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, smart home products and an iPhone competitor dubbed the Google Pixel, its first ever Google-branded smartphone. But at its core, Alphabet is still a best-in-class search company: Google has been the top search engine on the planet for nearly 20 years now. Many have tried and failed to compete, but none has been able to either match the quality of Google search or steal market share. Verdict: Alphabet's business is more resilient. At the end of the day, Apple's cash hoard, brand, ecosystem, valuation and iPhone franchise make AAPL stock look like an attractive buy. But GOOG stock has a few major things going for it that Apple doesn't. First off, Google's competitive advantage in search is immense, and it's much more difficult to see a world where Google disappears than one where the iPhone does. Nearly 90 percent of smartphones on the planet run Google's Android operating system. Until someone comes up with a better product -- and no one has in almost 20 years -- Alphabet's gem Google doesn't stand a chance of being toppled. Meanwhile, the iPhone saw its first ever drop in year-over-year sales in fiscal 2016, and a brief look at the history of BlackBerry ( BBRY) shows how little insulation a popular phone has from competition. Alphabet is still a growth company, and growth stocks, in contrast to value stocks can be more prone to overvaluation during market rallies. But over the long run, there's currently no reason to believe that Google's search engine will fall to competitors; Apple, on the other hand, has suffered a dearth of innovation and just caught a glimpse of the iPhone's mortality during its first-ever sales slump. With Alphabet also offering investors the chance to participate in technological revolutions like autonomous cars, AI and the smart home, GOOG stock has all the qualities of a long-term winner. Apple stock, which no longer has Jobs routinely pulling seismic innovations out of a hat, relies on a legacy product and tools of financial engineering like stock buybacks. [See: 7 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2017.] In a world where you have to choose one or the other, GOOG or AAPL, Alphabet stock is the superior long-term play, and it's still run by its visionary founders. That's an asset Apple will never get back. John Divine is an investing reporter for U.S. News & World Report, where he covers financial markets and the economy, with a focus on individual stock analysis. He has been an investor himself for over 10 years, and has been writing professionally about stocks and investing for the last five years. He previously wrote about the stock market for The Motley Fool and InvestorPlace, and his work has appeared on Yahoo! Finance, MSN Money, and AOL DailyFinance. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in finance and banking. At Appalachian, he was a member of the Bowden Investment Group, a team of students that ran a real-money portfolio worth over $100,000. You can follow him on Twitter or give him the Tip of the Century at jdivine@usnews.com. (Reuters) - Canada's government said on Monday that it shut down its website for filing federal taxes after hackers broke into a web server at the nation's statistics bureau last week by exploiting a newly disclosed software bug. Statistics Canada, which said it stopped the intrusion before hackers stole any data, is the first high-profile organization to say it was hacked due to a new security bug in software known as Apache Struts 2. The software is commonly used in websites of governments, banks, retailers and other large organizations. Other victims have not yet come forth, although security firms said they expect more attacks to surface after details on the easy-to-exploit vulnerability were posted on security forums and hacking websites last week. Technicians at big corporations and government agencies around the world spent the weekend combing their networks for vulnerable software and patching it, said Chris Camacho, chief strategy officer with cyber intelligence firm Flashpoint. He said the vulnerability was actively being exploited by hackers, but declined to provide details, citing client confidentiality. The impact of the vulnerability surfaced in Canada late Friday when the federal government shut down the tax agency's website to prevent attacks after it identified that it was running vulnerable software. We went after this one specifically because we recognized there was a specific and credible threat to certain government IT systems, John Glowacki, a government security official, said at a press conference. Glowacki said he that he understood some other countries "are actually having greater problems with this specific vulnerability, but declined to identify the nations or discuss the problems. The vulnerability surfaced last week when the Apache Software Foundation released an update to fix the bug, saying it could enable hackers to gain remote control of a web server. That could allow them to steal data, secretly gain access to a victim's network or shut down a website, said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with security software maker Veracode. This vulnerability is super easy to exploit," Wysopal said. "You just point it to the web server and put in the command that you want to run." (Reporting by Alastair Sharp, David Ljunggren and Jim Finkle; editing by Grant McCool and Phil Berlowitz) By Jake Spring and Muyu Xu BEIJING (Reuters) - China is considering easing proposed quotas aimed at producing more electric vehicles, as Beijing gets pushback from the automotive industry over the scale and pace of the plans. If adopted, proposed changes under discussion could see a target of new energy vehicles (NEV) making up 8 percent of sales next year pushed to 2019, two auto executives said. The changes would lower targets from a draft policy released in September requiring 8 percent of automakers' sales to be battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2018, rising to 10 percent in 2019 and 12 percent in 2020. Any loosening of NEV targets would mark a pull back by Beijing, which has faced opposition to the planned targets as it looks to drive its domestic carmakers to overtake global rivals in the 'green' vehicle sector. Automakers and industry bodies have said the targets are too tough and could hurt manufacturers' interests. New energy vehicles last year accounted for just 1.8 percent of sales in the world's biggest autos market, according to Reuters calculations based on official data. "It's normal to make revisions as it's a draft plan," An Jin, chairman of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC Motor), said on the sidelines of the National People's Congress in Beijing. He said he was aware of talks to revise the quota targets, but said nothing was set in stone. "JAC hasn't been told what revisions might be made to the draft, but I think it is possible the draft will be changed after the discussions," he said. "Whether the whole market can hit this quota by 2018 depends a lot on the strength of government policy. If it's strong then we should be able to surpass the targets," An said, "(But) if you consider China's infrastructure and the transformation of China's auto sector, then perhaps the pace will have to slow." TWO PERCENT CUT Two executives familiar with the plans told Reuters the government was considering options for lowering the requirements. One idea was to reduce the quota requirement by 2 percent each year, cutting the 2018 requirement to 6 percent, said a China-based government relations official at a major global automaker. It would then be 8 percent in 2019 and 10 percent in 2020. Another option would be to push back each target by a year, with the 8 percent quota starting from 2019, an executive at a Japanese car maker said. Both asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter and because the draft was still under consideration. The overall policy includes quotas for plug-in cars, targets for average fuel economy requirements, and a credit trading system to promote green energy cars while penalizing petrol cars. The two people said the quota stand-off was tied to a disagreement between the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and China's top state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). MIIT, which regulates manufacturers, supports a more flexible credit trading system favored by automakers. The NDRC is more aggressive in promoting a transition to electric vehicles, pushing the introduction of the stricter quotas. An NDRC spokesman said the body played a "small role" when the draft was open to public for discussion. MIIT did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China has strongly supported and subsidized electric vehicles, but is gradually swapping out incentives for hard targets automakers must meet. The central government cut subsidies 20 percent this year, a first reduction towards eliminating them by 2020. (Reporting by Muyu Xu, Jake Spring and Norihiko Shirouzu in BEIJING; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Ian Geoghegan) ESSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Innogy is in "intense" talks with a group of carmakers, Chief Executive Peter Terium told journalists on Monday, hoping to be selected as a supplier of super-fast charging stations for electric vehicles across Europe. "It's not a done deal yet," Terium said, pointing to strong competition from rival vendors. BMW, Volkswagen , Ford and Daimler plan to build about 400 next-generation charging stations in Europe that can reload an electric car in minutes instead of hours. Sources told Reuters in January that Innogy was in talks with the consortium. (Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert; Editing by Edward Taylor) Intel on Monday morning confirmed earlier reports that it will acquire Jerusalem-based self-driving technology company Mobileye for $63.54 a share, or $15.3 billion in total. The deal follows successful work the two companies have done on BMWs iNext self-driving platform, which is expected to appear in production vehicles as soon as 2021, just four years from now. Of course, Intel and Mobileeye have their sights set much higher than just on the work theyre doing with BMW. The companies are looking to build a scalable architecture that will become an industry standard, powering safe and feature-rich autonomous driving systems in cars and trucks from a wide range of auto makers. By combining forces in this multi-billion deal, the duo will seemingly be better positioned to realize this ambitious vision. Don't Miss: New leak shows how incredible Samsungs Galaxy S8 design really is This acquisition is a great step forward for our shareholders, the automotive industry and consumers, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said in a press released announcing the deal. Intel provides critical foundational technologies for autonomous driving including plotting the cars path and making real-time driving decisions. Mobileye brings the industrys best automotive-grade computer vision and strong momentum with automakers and suppliers. Together, we can accelerate the future of autonomous driving with improved performance in a cloud-to-car solution at a lower cost for automakers. Mobileye is widely known as a market leader in the self-driving car space, though its most recent round of press ahead of this major deal wasnt very positive. Tesla was one of the Israeli companys biggest early partners, but the two firms parted ways after Tesla blamed Mobileye tech in part for the fatal Model S crash that left a Model S driver in Florida dead last year. The cars sensors failed to see a tractor-trailer pulling out onto a highway with Autopilot engaged, and the Model S struck the side of the truck, killing the driver instantly. Story continues Both Tesla and Mobileye have independently made significant changes to their self-driving systems since then in an effort to improve safety and performance. We expect the growth towards autonomous driving to be transformative. It will provide consumers with safer, more flexible, and less costly transportation options, and provide incremental business model opportunities for our automaker customers, Mobileye CEO Ziv Aviram said of the deal with Intel. By pooling together our infrastructure and resources, we can enhance and accelerate our combined know-how in the areas of mapping, virtual driving, simulators, development tool chains, hardware, data centers and high-performance computing platforms. Together, we will provide an attractive value proposition for the automotive industry. Intel says that it expects the acquisition to close within the next nine months. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com By Axel Bugge LISBON (Reuters) - When Virgilio Bento's brother had to go to Cuba 20 years ago to receive cheap physiotherapy as he recovered from a life-threatening car crash back home in Portugal, he did not know it would inspire an innovation. Now, after developing technology that uses body sensors and artificial intelligence for his doctorate in electronic engineering, Bento aims to transform the way victims of strokes and accidents physically recover. The Stroke Wearable Operative Rehabilitation Device (SWORD) provides an exercise programme on a tablet computer, which gives instructions to a patient, whose movements are monitored by sensors strapped to the body. Progress reports are sent through the cloud to a remote physiotherapist, who can alter the exercises by sending instructions back to the tablet for the patient to see. "It's not magic, it's simple," said Bento, explaining how his system could mark a sea change by dramatically reducing the cost of physical rehabilitation and making it affordable to millions. "I saw first hand very vividly the challenges that my parents faced to provide intensive physical rehabilitation," he said. "I thought to myself 'ok this is a huge challenge that nobody is looking at, nobody is trying to solve, I will try to solve it'." The market place for medical technology is exploding, but few solutions have been designed to aid the intensive physiotherapy required for serious conditions like stroke. Alternatives, like robotics, are vastly more expensive. "There aren't enough therapists and the numbers (who need them) are only going to go up (as populations age)," said Tom Paprocki, managing director of the innovation and technology center at Direct Supply, America's leading provider of equipment and services to senior homes. "This kind of technology will help bridge that gap." Paprocki has vetted 1,400 technology start-ups in the sector and says Bento's system is in the top five. Bento's idea is simple -- to offer patients physical, interactive rehabilitation in the comfort of their own home by getting rid of the need for difficult and expensive visits to a physiotherapist at a clinic. It has taken years to refine and adapt, relying on unique sensor technology and the latest advances in cloud computing. Initial results show 93 percent of patients improved their motor performance using the exercises provided by the system. The yearly estimated cost of treating and caring for stroke survivors - where Bento has concentrated his research - is 30 billion euros ($32 billion) in Europe and 57 billion euros in the U.S., according to a report provided by Bento's company to the European Commission. Bento says his system, which gives patients immediate feedback and a score on the number of right and wrong movements they perform, will cost one tenth of physiotherapy. "At the end of each exercise the results appear, how many times I did the movements, how many medals I won," said Alvaro, 56, who has used the system after hip surgery. "There is virtual compensation if you do the exercises well, it's kind of fun and ends up being a bit of a game as well." Bento won a development grant of 1 million euros from the European Union in 2014 under a programme for technology models promising to "ultimately disrupt existing markets." He has raised 1 million euros from private investors and is now launching another financing round of 3 million euros as he rolls out SWORD in the U.S. market. ($1 = 0.9426 euros) (Reporting By Axel Bugge; Editing by Toby Davis) I said it before, and Ill say it again: the second half of The Walking Dead season 7 is a looking a lot better than the first half, and last nights episode might be the best one yet. After missing episodes 11 and 12, I had a chance to watch them a day before Bury Me Here aired on Sunday night. And I found myself being excited again about whats coming next. Im glad that episode 13 finally brought back Morgan and Carol, for better or worse. But before I dig into it, be warned that spoilers will follow. Don't Miss: These new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ photo leaks are the best ones yet Morgan and Carol are the kind of characters Rick and Co. need in their fight with the Saviors. Carol is probably one of the strongest people you can have on your side, a woman who knows exactly what it takes to survive in this world. She might not be too keen on killing people anymore, but she does understand what needs to be done. Morgan is very similar in that regard, but hes got just a hint of crazy that makes him an unpredictable ally. Hes also back in action in episode 13. And while we can only be glad to see Carol ready for the fight ahead, its unclear what Morgan will do, and we might end up missing his clear mind. Hes the one who has been looking to keep everyone safe and out of harms way without actually killing opposing groups or oppressors. The entire episode is about Morgan and Carol realizing each in their own way that the Saviors need to be dealt with. Carol wakes up after a nightmare determined to find out what happened in Alexandria. She visits the Kingdom, but Morgan refuses to share with her what happened to Glenn, Abraham, and all the others. What follows in the episode convinces Morgan not only to kill again and dive back into the insanity that ruled his life soon after his son died, but also to finally tell Carol what Negan and the Saviors did. Thats enough to convince her she needs to fight. Carol moves back to the Kingdom, seemingly ready to reprise her role in the community. By the end of the episode, Morgan ends up leaving the Kingdom, trading places with Carol. Story continues Morgan is forced to relieve a personal tragedy. A child dies before his eyes after a Savior shoots him in the leg and the bullet severs an artery. It happens during a tribute run when the Saviors discover that King Ezekiel and his crew are one melon short. Morgan goes mad after witnessing the kids death, as it reminds him of the death of his own son. Thats how he discovers the entire conflict had been set up by Richard, one of Ezekiels most trusted men, whos been looking to fight the Saviors for some time now. Richards plan took an unexpected turn, however. The unpredictable Saviors did not kill him, as he had hoped, fatally shooting Benjamin instead. Morgan, in his madness, is the one who discovers the plot and confronts a remorseful Richard. The Kingdom soldier explains he only wanted to force a war with the Saviors, as thats the only solution to fix their problems. He also says that hell tell the others what he did to Ezekiel, but fails to do so before their second meeting with the Saviors they still need to deliver the missing melon. I do have to say that the entire melon exchange is a little silly from one simple point of view. Why meet over 12 measly melons? Why risk human lives for that? Wouldnt it be easier for the Saviors to only show up for bigger offerings? Then again, the more items in the truck, the harder it is to spot a missing cantaloupe. This is where we witness an absolutely fascinating climatic scene. The Saviors leader is affected by the news that Benjamin died, proving that Negans men arent necessarily evil. Not all of them. They just do what needs to be done to survive. And while we expect violence and cruelty from Saviors, its not always going to happen that way. Its actually Morgan who delivers the most atrocious moment during the second meeting. After finding out that Richard had not come clean about his plot to start a war, Morgan kills him in front of everyone. Saviors and Kingdommers alike fail to stop him, and everyone is horrified at first of whats going on before their eyes. Morgan actually strangles Richard in a manner that will remind you of Negans wild temper, and all witnesses seem to be in shock. Morgan kills a human being, breaking his own vows, only to prove to the Saviors that the Kingdom is ready to make the compromises and do what needs to be done, so the two communities continue to live in peace. By killing Richard, he uses exactly the same ruse Richard imagined for this scenario. Its abundantly clear, however, that he wont stop killing anytime soon. We might see him clear people soon enough, whether theyre alive or dead. The Saviors might be convinced the Kingdom wants peace, but by the end of the episode, Ezekiel is equally convinced that war is the only option. War has to wait though, because not everybody is ready for it just yet. With three episodes left in the series, Ricks plan to finally fight Negan is slowly coming together. Morgan and Carol were probably the missing pieces of the puzzle. All in all, episode 13 was a great episode. We got our fair share of over-the-top zombie-killing moments, most of them at the hand of Carol. But most importantly, we got our fair share of deep human conflict thats detrimental to this type of post-apocalyptic story. Morgan and Richard have further blurred the lines between good and evil. Thats something to remember as these good communities are prepared to go to war against the ultimate evil, Negan. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Captain Amarinder Singh's predecessor Parkash Singh Badal of the SAD has left a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and a severe liquidity crisis on what was one of the wealthiest states in the country. Will the new CM be able to manage the financial burden and fulfill the promises? Captain Amarinder Singh meets Punjab governor V P Singh Badnore at Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday. He will take oath as the chief minister on March 16. By Manjeet Sehgal: Senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to be the new Punjab chief minister, but the Maharaja of Patiala will have to wear the crown of this 'rich' state with a heavy financial burden. His predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal of the SAD, has left a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and a severe liquidity crisis on what was one of the wealthiest states in the country. Every resident of the state has a debt of Rs 38,536 hanging over his or her head. advertisement So despite a comfortable majority, Captain will find it tough to run the state smoothly and the empty coffers will also make it difficult to fulfil the poll promises the party had made in its manifesto. This would force the state government to rely heavily on the generosity of the Centre. However, Amarinder is optimistic about getting financial support from the central government and said he would meet the Prime Minister to discuss matters soon. "I had faced no problems in working with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during my previous tenure as chief minister. I will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon to discuss various development projects for the state," he said. The biggest drain on the coffers of the new state government would be funds required to waive off the farmer loans, which was a key poll promise of the Congress. Other major promises like a government job for each household and 50 lakh 4G-enabled smartphones will also be Herculean tasks. But Amarinder presented a brave front on Sunday. "I am fully committed to implement the schemes and would ensure that adequate funds are raised for it. Global tenders would soon be floated to procure smart phones as promised under the Captain Smart Connect programme launched ahead of the polls," he said. He further assured the people of Punjab of quick execution of all election promises, including elimination of the drug menace, which he said would be wiped out within four weeks through the establishment of a special task force. He underlined the importance of setting up more rehabilitation and de-addiction centres as well as appointment of more psychiatrists to tackle the drugs problem. On his promise of revival of industries, he said the industrial policy of the state would be liberalized to check the flight of industries and make Punjab an attractive investment destination. He said that several leading industrialists had been in touch with him and evinced interest in investing in the state. Also read: Punjab election: State minister Daljit Cheema dismisses drug menace, says it is a global issue Also read: Post election results, Captain Amarinder Singh shows he means business Also watch: --- ENDS --- advertisement Alec Baldwin may not be interested in playing Donald Trump on Saturday Night Life for much longer, but he was back in the drivers seat this weekend mocking Trump as he only knows how. With Scarlett Johansson hosting, the shows cold open featured Trump as commander-in-chief talking to military personnel about battling a deadly alien invasion. Don't Miss: T-Mobile adds more data to its unlimited plan before it starts throttling you Donning a flight jacket, the sketch did a clever job of taking swipes at Trumps views on immigrants, his alleged ties with Russia, and his recent spelling mishaps on Twitter through the lens of said alien invasion. True to form, Baldwin as Trump wasted no time putting on a bombastic show. Heres the deal, Trump boasts, were going to beat these aliens because weve got the best military. But, we dont win anymore. And the aliens are laughing at us. Theyre killing us and theyre laughing at us. Coming up with a plan of attack on the spot, Trump quickly conjures up a strategy that comically ignores the problem at hand. We are going to bring coal back, Trump exclaims. Were going to have so much coal youre going to say, Where did all this coal from? I never knew there could be this much coal!' Later on, Trump tries to dispel any rumors that the murderous aliens might come from a planet called Zorblat 9, prompting one solider to speculate, Oh my god, does he have business ties on Zorblat 9? All in all, its a pretty solid sketch. Its not the best SNL skewering of Trump weve seen, but its certainly not the worst either. Incidentally, Baldwin said he may not be able to keep up his Trump impression for much longer. During an interview last week, Baldwin said hes not sure how much longer people can take it. Trump just overwhelmingly lacks any sportsmanship, Baldwin said. He remains, bitter, and angry, and you just want to look at him and go, You won! His policies aside, Baldwin continued, which you can hate, I thought he would have just relaxed. The maliciousness of this White House has people worried thats why Im not going to do it much longer, the impersonation, I dont know how much more people can take it. Story continues In the meantime, you might want to enjoy it while you can. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Verizon's purchase of Yahoo will end the internet pioneer's run of more than 20 years as an independent company (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN) (GETTY IMAGES/AFP/File) Washington (AFP) - Yahoo said Monday that board member and former internet executive Thomas McInerney would lead the business that remains after the sale of its core assets to Verizon is completed. The internet pioneer said the sale of its main operating unit was on track to be completed in the second quarter, and that McInerney would head the financial holding company that remains, provisionally called "Altaba." The main holding of Altaba would be its stake in Chinese internet giant Alibaba, which is worth far more than the rest of the Yahoo operations. McInerney, 52, has been a Yahoo board member since April 2012 and previously served as chief financial officer of IAC/InterActiveCorp. "Today's filing represents an important step forward in the process of completing our transaction with Verizon," Yahoo said in a statement. "We will continue to move ahead expeditiously toward the closing, which we expect to occur in the second quarter of 2017." The statement noted that Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer and chief financial officer Kenneth Goldman will remain in their posts prior to the closing. If Mayer is fired without cause from Yahoo after the acquisition by Verizon is completed, she will be entitled to a "golden parachute" worth $23 million -- slightly more than $3 million of it in cash and the rest in stock, according to a filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. "For me personally, I'm planning to stay," Mayer said in an online post last year after the takeover deal was announced. "It's important to me to see Yahoo into its next chapter." Yahoo and Verizon last month cut the price of the sale to $4.48 billion -- a reduction of $350 million -- following revelations of massive data breaches that could further erode the image of the onetime internet leader. Yahoo still faces probes and lawsuits related to the cyber attacks, which affected more than 1.5 billion accounts, and the timing of the disclosures. Yahoo announced in September that hackers in 2014 stole personal data from more than 500 million of its user accounts. And in December it admitted to another cyber attack from 2013 affecting more than a billion users. On The View on Monday, Whoopi Goldberg addressed a recent story written about her on an admittedly fake news website that she says put her family in danger due to reaction to the story. On March 1, the website the Underground Report posted a story that claimed Goldberg made derogatory comments about the Navy SEAL widow who attended President Trumps address to Congress. According to the sites creator, James McDaniel, a Florida native now living in Costa Rica, the Goldberg story, along with every other story on the site, is a work of fiction. The reaction to the article and Goldbergs subsequent feeling of endangerment could have been avoided had readers simply double-checked their information or, even better, heeded the note on the site itself telling readers that the stories are false. Whoopi Goldberg and the cast of the musical show Festival of the Lion King on The View, broadcasting from Disneys Animal Kingdom on March 6. (Photo: Todd Anderson/Disney Resorts via Getty Images) Normally, people would have to actually look up to see what someone said. And when you look on our website, all the shows are posted. But unfortunately, people dont do that, Goldberg said. Goldberg said she plans to work to get legislation passed to protect unwitting victims of fake news stories, and though McDaniel currently lives in Costa Rica, she says shes going to pursue legal action against him. Goldberg addressed McDaniel directly, saying, You cost me money because I had to protect my family. You cost me money because, quite honestly, I wasnt gonna go to Disney [The View filmed at Disney World last week]. So, sir, Costa Ricas not big enough for this lawsuit thats coming your way. Check out what Whoopi Goldberg had to say about Ben Carsons recent comments on slavery: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter. Before jumping off a first-floor apartment, the 28-year-old mother-of-two called police and told them she was abducted and gang-raped by five men. The accused has claimed that they brought the woman home for "paid sex" during a Holi party. By Chayyanika Nigam: A mother-of-two jumped off a first-floor apartment in east Delhi on Sunday and called up the police to say she was abducted and gang-raped by five men. Cops have arrested the accused, who claim they brought the woman home for "paid sex" during a Holi party. All the men are in their twenties. Three of them work in a Noida-based BPO, while another is an engineer employed with a top IT services firm. The fifth accused was allegedly known to the woman. advertisement Officers MAIL TODAY spoke to said they are trying it ascertain if it was a "deal gone wrong" but, citing last year's Bollywood courtroom drama Pink, emphasised the importance of consent and that "no means no". "Allegedly to save herself after being gang-raped by five men, a 28-year-old divorcee and mother-of-two leapt from the first floor of a rented accommodation in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar on Sunday morning," an officer said. The definition of rape is not restricted to cases where violence is used, or where a man jumps out of the bushes and drags a woman at knifepoint down an alleyway and sexually assaults her, experts say. If one person does not consent to sexual activity and the other doesn't reasonably believe there is consent, then it is an offence. The woman reported the matter to police at around 5.30 am. "Since then, she has changed her statement twice and is unable to narrate the exact sequence of events," a senior officer said. "We are investigating the case from all angles and all five accused have been sent to judicial custody." In her statement, the woman told police that one of the suspects picked her up in his car at around 11 pm on Saturday on the pretext of dropping her to her residence in Munirka. But he brought her to a friend's house in Pandav Nagar where five of them raped her, taking turns. She said she jumped off the balcony to get away and received injuries. She was taken to east Delhi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and discharged after treatment. A medical examination confirmed rape. Officers said both the victim and accused had consumed alcohol. "When cops interrogated all the accused, they claimed they knew the woman was into prostitution. On Saturday night, they called her to their house in Pandav Nagar to have paid sex for Rs 5,000 during a house party. Once the deal was fixed, one of them - who already knew her - went to pick her. But there was a dispute over money and she jumped off the building and called police," an officer close to the investigation said. advertisement Cops say the woman is unemployed and lives with her two children. Investigators are now scanning her call records and trying to gather CCTV footage. Also read: Father rapes his 16-year-old lesbian daughter to prove "sex was better with men" Also read: No one-stop centres for women who have suffered sexual violence despite six rapes in Delhi every day Also read: Kerala priest rape scandal: Victim's father says he lied about raping his own child to protect priest, Church --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 13 (PTI) Clothes were dyed with hues of colours and a spirit of jollity reigned supreme as the country today played Holi. Revellers thronged thoroughfares smearing faces with coloured powder and children hurled water-filled balloons from rooftops to celebrate the festival of colours which heralds the advent of spring. People hugged each other wishing "Happy Holi" as streets were filled with groups singing and dancing to the accompaniment of drums. advertisement Since morning, youths and children revelled in the streets, daubing friends and family members with colours. President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Holi greetings to the people, saying the festival symbolises the spirit of harmony and prosperity. "Let this years Holi mark the beginning of a new phase of peace and prosperity in the country," Mukherjee said. Extending his wishes, Ansari said, "May this festival bring peace, harmony, prosperity and happiness in our lives." Greeting the people, Modi hoped that the festival spreads joy and warmth everywhere. The paramilitary forces personnel did not celebrate Holi as a mark of tribute to the 12 CRPF personnel who were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) issued orders that no "regimental function related to Holi celebrations" will be observed at any field formation. It said the gesture was to express "solidarity" with the family members of the slain men and that the directions are to be followed by the "entire force in letter and spirit". Elsewhere in the country, musical soirees were held at many places to mark the festival. Colourful Rangoli patterns were drawn at the entrance of houses as special delicacies, varying from region to region, were cooked to celebrate the occasion. In Mathura and Vrindavan, popular for their extravagant Holi celebrations extending nearly a week, people regaled with traditional practice including the lathmar holi as the cities soaked in variegated hues. Hundreds of widows from Vrindavan also celebrated Holi. PTI TEAM ZMN --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: London, Mar 12 (PTI) Photographs and key words posted on social media can warn us about extreme weather events before they happen - such as hurricanes, storms and floods - a new study has found. Nataliya Tkachenko, with the University of Warwick in the UK, has found that online posts can signal weather risks developing in specific locations and times - for example, posts about water levels rising can alert the authorities to a potential flood. advertisement Tracking certain words used in social media posts around the time of an extreme weather event - such as water and river when there is a flood risk - allows information to be collated to accurately predict which areas will be affected, and how big the impact will be to infrastructure and human life. The researchers tracked photos and videos with tags such as river, water and landscape on the social media platform Flickr between 2004 and 2014. Whilst these words can be used to generally describe natural scenery, researchers found that in certain time periods before the peak of extreme weather events - and in the locations where they occurred - these words took on a distinct meaning of forecast and warning, showing the weather worsening. These risk-signalling words can act as social sensors, which when used alongside physical meteorological sensors can help to improve the prediction and monitoring of the behaviour and severity of an evolving weather event in multiple areas. Physical sensors - such as flood monitors - have been used traditionally to detect extreme weather events, but their scope is limited, and they cannot accurately cover each specific area which may be affected in the same way that social media can. Social media is currently used as an effective tool for now-casting - providing eye-witness accounts of ongoing events - but has not yet been harnessed for predicting large-scale events which are still developing. Using social media and physical meteorological sensors together would create an early warning system for extreme weather events of unprecedented accuracy and efficacy. "Our analysis demonstrates that metadata in social media image postings enables them to be used as social sensors, which can serve as a valuable supplement to instrument-based systems for predicting and monitoring floods, and other kinds of natural hazards," said Tkachenko, from Warwick Institute. "The opportunities represented by these new data sources are truly exciting as they can help to protect homes, save lives and design more resilient cities," she said. The research was published in the journal PLOS One. PTI MHN MHN --- ENDS --- Sri Lanka has sought two more years from the UN Human Rights Council to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the conflict with the LTTE. By Press Trust of India: Sri Lanka has sought two more years from the UN Human Rights Council to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the foreign ministry said today. Sri Lanka was granted 18 months by a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution in October 2015 to initiate a credible investigation into the nearly three-decades long civil war with the LTTE. advertisement The foreign ministry said it has sought more time to deliver on accountability mechanism. "What Sri Lanka will undertake at the current 34th session (of the UNHRC), is a two-year extension of the timeline for fulfilment of commitments made in Resolution 30/1 (in October 2015)," the ministry said. 40,000 CIVILIANS KILLED, ACCORDING TO UN FIGURES According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the conflict with the defeat of LTTE in 2009. Earlier this month, the UNHRC had criticised Sri Lankas "slow" progress in addressing its wartime past, and reiterated its earlier call for hybrid court of international and local judges to investigate allegations of rights violations. However, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe rejected the demand, saying it was impractical. TAMIL NATIONAL ALLIANCE SAYS UN SHOULD GIVE SRI LANKA MORE TIME The countrys main ethnic Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has taken a stance that Sri Lanka be given more time by the UN to meet all obligations. However, TNAs rival groups are opposed to giving more time by the UNHRC to implement the 2015 resolution's accountability mechanism. "The TNA has excluded the opinion of the majority of Tamils. After one and a half years, the government has not done anything, disappeared people have not been found," Tamil National Peoples Front spokesman S Kajendran said. "TNA leader M A Sumanthiran is not speaking for the suffering Tamils," he told reporters in Jaffna. The TNA and its moderate group headed by the main opposition leader R Sampanthan and Sumanthiran are accused of trying to appease the majority Sinhala government by giving more time to implement the accountability mechanism. President Maithripala Sirisena's government is opposed to the international hybrid court as the UNHRC has insisted on a credible war crimes probe with foreign judges. ALSO READ | The ignored plight of Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu ALSO WATCH | Sri Lanka's ugly show of triumph over Lankan Tamils advertisement --- ENDS --- The force administration, in a letter to all its CRPF formations, said that no regimental function related to holi will be observed at the battalion, company or any other formation. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Almost 3 lakh jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will not celebrate the festival of colours today. Bhejji, in the heart of naxal-infested Bastar region saw 60 Maoists armed to the teeth with weapons and bow and arrow launch a strike on 112 personnel of 219 Battalion who were deployed as Road Opening Patrol for an under-construction road. advertisement As India celebrates Holi today CRPF jawans are mourning the death of its brave soldiers. A letter of the force administration to all its CRPF formations read, "In view of the tragic incident at Sukma which claimed the lives of 12 precious jawans, the competent authority has desired that no regimental function related to holi will be observed at the battalion, company or any other formation. " The force will observe a 2-minute silence as a mark of respect for the martyrs. A source from the CRPF said, "This is one of the greatest tragedies. This is an important festival in India but we cannot play Holi even as the blood of our brave soldiers have been split. The authority's decision should be respected." Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited Raipur soon after the incident, also vowed not to celebrate the festival in view of the tragic incident. The top guns of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), CRPF and state police also flew down to the spot to review the situation. The Bhejji encounter in Chattisgarh's Sukma is one of the greatest losses for CRPF, who is fighting Maoists in the region for the last 2 years. The Force lost 12 soldiers in an ambush laid down by insurgents on Saturday. ALSO READ | Rajnath Singh won't celebrate Holi in view of Maoist attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma Sukma Maoist attack: Top security officials visit ambush spot on bikes --- ENDS --- The fishermen were agitating primarily over the recent killing of an Indian fisherman in alleged Sri Lankan Navy and generally over their frequent run-ins with the foreign force. By India Today Web Desk: Tamil Nadu fishermen have decided to call of their six-day protest over constant, sometimes deadly, encounters with the Sri Lankan Navy. The protest was sparked off by the recent killing of a 22-year-old Indian fisherman named Britso in alleged Sri Lankan Navy firing. Colombo has denied the incident took place, and New Delhi has formally taken up the issue in diplomatic channels. advertisement The fishermen called off the protest after talks with Union Ministers Nirmala Seetharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan. According to news agency ANI, Seetharaman told the fishermen that she had come on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promised strong action. The last six days have seen thousands of fishermen and their relatives protest in Thankachimadom over the issue. Britso's family, meanwhile, had refused to conduct his last rites. The funeral has now been planned for Monday evening, following which the protest will be formally called off. The Sri Lankan Navy often detains Indian fishermen for allegedly crossing the international maritime border. Following the March 6 alleged shooting, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami even wrote to PM Modi, seeking his intervention over the matter. The foreign force has maintained that it does not shoot at Indian fishermen and only arrests them. Sri Lanka has promised a probe into the alleged shooting of Britso and recently even released a group of Indian fishermen from its custody. (With inputs from ANI) ALSO READ | Sri Lankan Navy releases 53 Indian fishermen as goodwill gesture ALSO READ | Indian fishermen call for state-wide shutdown ALSO WATCH | Sri Lankan Navy denies shooting Indian fisherman --- ENDS --- DMK workers staged the protest against the Tamil Nadu government bearing the cause that the state's fair price shops are not distributing products as promised to the people. By Pramod Madhav: Adhering to the announcement made by DMK working president MK Stalin on Friday, the party leaders and cadres conducted a state-wide protest against the Tamil Nadu government today bearing the cause that the state's fair price shops are not distributing products as promised to the people. Tamil Nadu is known for its public welfare and public district schemes. In fact, the state provides 20 kg free rice to anyone under the below poverty line and 20 kg rice costing Rs 1 per kg for the general ration card holders. advertisement Apart from that, sugar, palm oil, pulses and kerosene are also in the list of products to be distributed at a nominal price. However, since the beginning of 2017, people have either been returning empty handed or with limited products from the fair price shops. "The fair price shops were constituted because people could not afford the rice and dal being sold at higher prices. But the ruling government has completely sabotaged the system," complained Stalin. 'PDS HAS COME TO A STANDSTILL IN STATE' DMK leader Kanimozi staged a protest along with party caders in front of a TUCS shop in Royapettah. "What is unfortunate is that the PDS in Tamil Nadu has come to a standstill. There is procurement but no distribution and we don't know why. The quality of rice has come down drastically and products are not available even in the first week of the month," she said. Kanimozi also said that the state government is not bothered about the other major issues including water shortage and farmers' suicide. She claimed that people will teach AIADMK a lesson in the upcoming RK Nagar by-poll. Tamil Nadu still maintains that there is no shortage but sources claim there is a shortage of products because no call for tender has been made since December and the situation might worsen if the damage control steps aren't taken at the earliest. ALSO READ | DMK's Stalin may visit Delhi amid confusion over Sasikala taking over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister TTV Dhinakaran slams Stalin, claims DMK camp filled with scientific thieves --- ENDS --- TMC and BJP workers resorted to violence and arson in Agartala on Sunday. By Manogya Loiwal : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers clashed in Agartala of Tripura on Sunday. The incident took place while BJP workers were hoisting a party flag in Chawmuni locality. TMC workers who were playing holi at the spot had attacked the BJP workers. TMC workers alleged that the BJP workers were installing the flag near the house of former chief minister and TMC leader Samir Roy Barman. advertisement BJP said that one of their Mandal secretary was injured in the scuffle with TMC workers. Later, BJP workers gheraoed the west police station and demanded action against TMC workers. BJP alleged that the TMC workers were led by Barman. Both the groups got into heated arguments outside the police station. The workers from both the faction soon resorted to stone pelting and arson. Police used lathicharge to disperse the angry mobs. Two journalists were injured after policemen roughed them up even after being aware of their identity. With inputs from Prabir Das in Tripura Also read: Tripura: 86 kg of marijuana worth Rs 4 lakh seized, on-duty cop critically injured Former TMC Tripura unit president resigns from party --- ENDS --- The BJP parliamentary board comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, JP Nadda, Ananth Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu and others met to appoint state observers who would make the picks after consulting local MLAs in UP and Uttarakhand. By Maneesh Pandey: Barely 24 hours after landslide poll victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP's top leadership got into a huddle on Sunday at the party headquarters in New Delhi for a new mission- finding chief ministers for these two states and stitching up alliances to take power in Goa and Manipur. The BJP parliamentary board comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, JP Nadda, Ananth Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu and Thawar Chand Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior leader Ram Lal met to appoint state observers who would make the picks after consulting local MLAs in UP and Uttarakhand. advertisement The party chose Naidu and Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav as observers for Uttar Pradesh to get feedback from the state party MLAs on who they would like to see as the CM for the country's largest and politically most significant state. "We are trying to gather consensus on the most suitable candidates for the CM posts in UP and Uttarakhand," Nadda told reporters. "We have appointed Naiduji and Bhupender Yadav to gather the response on most suitable CM candidate, which they will give to party chief Amit Shah on their return from the state." The BJP board also appointed Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP leader Saroj Pandey as observers for Uttarakhand to get local party MLAs' feedback on best possible candidates for CM post. For Manipur, senior BJP leaders like union power minister Piyush Goyal and party national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been tasked with government formation formalities and gathering responses for CM candidate selection in Manipur, where BJP has staked claim to form the government. Nadda added that the process of response gathering will start in the states after Holi and will be over in the next couple of days. He also said Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who was the central observer for Goa, is already on the job in the state towards BJP's government formation. When the BJP takes power in these four states, it will have its governments in 16 states. The party is already preparing for polls in Gujarat and Karnataka and is looking to stamp its footprints in other states so it can go into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a near-complete saffron map of the country. The BJP parliamentary board gave Shah full authority to select CM nominees for the four states based on the feedback he receives from the state observers. The party's highest consultative panel represented by its top leadership also thanked citizens for the stunning victories in UP and Uttarakhand, and supporting them in other states. Thousands gathered at the BJP's Ashoka Road headquarters on Sunday for the biggest road show since the momentous 2014 general elections victory. Modi waved to them through his victory walk into the office where he addressed supporters, workers and party leaders as he talked about inclusivity and pitched for building a "new India" by 2022 that would have made the nation's founding fathers proud. "I am seeing a new India, the India of the dreams of the youth. A new India that fulfills the aspirations of our women. A new India that is about opportunities for the poor," he said. "The poor are saying, I want to progress and I seek the opportunity from you." advertisement Party sources said about 10,000 people had thronged the venue through the day. Supporters waved party flags and shouted slogans of "Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi." A multilayer security cover was put in place in the area with hundreds of personnel of Delhi Police, CISF and BSF as well as NSG commandos deployed. The PM lauded Shah, the party's central and state leadership, and workers for the BJP's presence in every geographical area of the country. "As fruits grow on a tree, no matter how big it is, it starts bending," he said. "Nature inspires us. As the fruits of victory cover this tree call BJP, it becomes our responsibility to bend, to become more humble." Also read: After UP victory, PM Modi vows to transform India by 2022 advertisement Also read: Assembly Election Results 2017: Potential chief ministerial candidates in 5 states Also watch: --- ENDS --- Accusations of promoting capitalism, frowned upon in the cleric-led regime, have been leveled at Rouhani. At the same time, tensions are escalating between Rouhani staffers and Irans former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A highly conservative leader, unlike his reformist successor Rouhani, Ahmadinejad denounces capitalism, calling it bankrupt, and advocating for a new world order. Mahmoud Alavi, Acting Intelligence Minister, said that intelligence services will closely monitor media outlets in an effort to curb negative campaigning that attempt to mar the images of the presidential candidates. Rouhanis promises When he endorsed the nuclear deal to the public, Rouhani promised a quick recovery for Irans economy. That this hasnt occurred has weighed heavily his prospects of being reelected. As reported by Tehran-based Mehr News Agency, forty senior economic analysts sent an open-ended message to Rouhani regarding his policymaking. They recommended that Rouhani recognize the flaws present in his economic policy as a first step in the right direction, and stressed the need for the government to uphold a five-point economic basket to save Irans economy. The economic strategists criticized Rouhani, and put economic policy in direct proportions with outcomes of the nuclear negotiations. When having openly promised to resolve all economic problems after the nuclear deal, it is only natural that economic wheel initiator would withhold any investment or economic activity, choosing to remain inactive until seeing the results of nuclear deal. The experts added, Such an approach led to widespread recession and curtailed labor, leaving a large number of industrial corporates in danger of bankruptcy. Dolatabadi also said that in a separate case, another couple were given the death penalty for running a cult. The Tehran prosecutor said on Monday that the couple by founding a cult and attracting individuals, were active in sexual deviation. Using a charge introduced after the 1979 revolution that carries the death penalty, they were found guilty of corruption on Earth. President Hassan Rouhani has kept to his part of the Nuclear Deal, made with the West, by curbing Irans nuclear program, but his promises to ease social restrictions at home have been sadly lacking. Tehrans chief prosecutor said last January, that as many as 70 spies were serving sentences in the citys prisons. Only a few if these cases have been made public. Many of these people are dual nationals who also hold a European or US passport. This, during a time when Rouhani has called for ex-pat Iranians to return home to help rebuild the economy. One case that is attracting a lot of attention is that of US-Iranian business consultant Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer, who is a former UNICEF official, who were both sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage and collaboration with the American government, last October. Another high profile case is that of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year sentence for her alleged involvement in 2009 protests, although exact charges have not been published. Britain has protested and criticized her detention. She was separated from her two-year-old daughter when she was arrested last April, leaving the child stranded with her grandparents in Iran. Rouhani published a new Charter of Citizens Rights in December, preceding his likely bid for re-election in May, but officials have admitted it has no power over conservative-dominated parts of the power structure, meaning the judiciary, and the Revolutionary Guards. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) roundup report of February 2017 on the teachers protests, there were 13 protests classified as cultural. Statistics for the month showed a slight increase from January. A lack of salary increases, as well as the lack equalization of retirement wages and lack of formal employment,were among the protests. Also, a group of teachers published a text about the prosecution of Jafar Azim Zadeh. Teachers who retired in 2016 demanded their 30-year employment bonus. According to an Iranian Opposition (MEK) report, more than 1,000 teachers, as well as families of political prisoners, and staff from the Ministry of Education, demonstrated in front of the Iranian regimes parliament in Tehran, demanding proper jobs and security. The protesting teachers sat at a table empty of food, in a symbol of their poor economic condition in Shiraz. Many are severely suffering, saying they are unable to feed themselves or their children with their meager wages. They had placards that read: Teachers must rise to end the discrimination and a petty monthly salary. Special anti-riot guards surrounded the protesting teachers in some cities, but the protestors ignored them and continued with their protest. Passersby hailed the protestors and paid tribute to them as they signaled their hatred of the regime. However, security forces prevented any passerby from stopping. Teachers in Sanandaj demanded an end to torture and executions under the regime. Remarkably, female teachers were present in the streets of Kermanshah, in southwestern Iran. Security forces tried to suppress the demonstration but were unable to stop it. Protestors condemned the exiles and expulsions of teachers for teaching and speaking out, and demanded the freedom of teachers, especially the freedom of Mr. Baghani who is a known teacher in Kermanshah. In Ardebil, northwestern Iran, the protesting teachers chanted, Teachers are willing to die but not to submit to discrimination. They demanded unpaid wages and benefits. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, in her last statement regarding the teachers protest hailed the noble teachers who have staged protest gatherings in various parts of the country to attain their lawful rights and to protest the oppressive and criminal measures by the mullahs regime. She called on the nation, especially the students and their parents and the youth throughout the country to support and express solidarity with teachers. Mrs. Rajavi said, In circumstances where the clerical regime spends most of the Iranian peoples wealth on suppression, export of terrorism, the massacre of peoples in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, the bottomless and anti-patriotic nuclear projects, or which funnels this wealth to the bank accounts of regimes leaders and their families, the hard-working and noble teachers of the country that play the greatest role in building the future of Iran are living in poverty and face the most hardship in their lives. [March 12, 2017] Sangfor Officially Announces Its Partnership with Asus & Arcserve at SANGFOR Partner Summit 2017 BANGKOK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SANGFOR TECHNOLOGIES, global leading vendor of IT infrastructure solutions, organized its 9th Partner Summit, from the 25th to 27th February 2017, in Bangkok. This three-day summit welcomed hundreds of partners from Asia, Europe and Africa. It combined a series of keynotes, seminars, as well as sharing sessions by Sangfor VIP customers & partners. VIP guests shared their experience with Sangfor on how Sangfor helped optimize & secure their IT infrastructure, as well as bring them new business values such as much faster time-to-market for their services, invest only what they need now and expand easily when business requires. "SANGFOR solutions have amazing feature sets and a very good total cost of ownership, that any decision for me is a no brainer. We've been very happy with it", said Rochdale Spears Group Director of IT, Mr. Sieh. During another interview with Gama Group (Indonesia) IT Advisor, Mr. Cheong, said, "Win-win relationship shuld continue. Openness and excellent customer service gained our trust. We have very good chemistry with Sangfor and we must create momentum to drive value for both parties." Sangfor also invited IDC Group Vice President, Mr. Avneesh, to share future key trends for IT infrastructure, which helped the attendees grasps the new technologies and how to better serve their customers. He was also impressed by the technology innovations that Sangfor has made in the recent years. In order to make sure more enterprise customers could benefit from Sangfor innovations and services, especially with Sangfor HCI and VDI solutions, Sangfor announced its new partnerships with Asus & Arcserve for Server hardware & Disaster Recovery solutions respectively. With Asus partnership, Sangfor is able to offer our customers much better and flexible hardware service options. With Arcserve backup solution as a complementary backup solution to Sangfor HCI, customers can now have end-to-end backup and DR solutions to select based on different RTO & RPO requirements. Sangfor 9th Partner Summit ended on a high note with a Gala Dinner during which Sangfor announced the 10 most outstanding partners who were recognized for their achievements in 2016. These awards recognize top-performing partners within specific industries and segments across the geographical regions. About SANGFOR Technologies (www.sangfor.com) Founded in 2000, SANGFOR is one of the leading vendor of IT network security, optimization and cloud computing solutions. SANGFOR has proudly helped more than 40,000 business customers worldwide to improve their IT efficiency, increase work productivity, shorten time-to-market for service, while reducing the total cost of ownership. For more information, please visit www.sangfor.com or email [email protected]. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Can Government Get Innovative? WASHINGTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine if by engaging with creative developers big business & government could be challenged to play or get out of the way. From big data analytics, food security, to remote sensing, hackathons are a low to no cost way participants can upset the status quo and make an impact. The next major hacking-themed industry event is ExpeditionHacks Los Angeles on March 25-26th. Focused on improving Food Security and Regional Stability and sponsored by the University of Southern California's Science and Engineering School, University of Wisconsin, US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), Descartes Labs and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. Participants will get to explore and build projects with some the highest tech imagery available. Visit ExpeditionHacks to come make an impact. Get Hacking! Hackathons will help your company and agency not only improve the technical support for executive decision-making but also challenge the status-quo of what is possible at middle and tactical levels of management. The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), is taking the lead on cutting red-tape and bridging the gap between the technology world and accelerating relationships, ideation and talent recruitment through hackathons. The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), the $5 billion mapping agency led by Director Robert Cardillo and Deputy Director Susan Gordon have set in motion some of the most aggressive and openly strategic goals in the federal government. Announcing a strategy that embraces new and diverse sources of information, techniques, and tools has set the agency in motion to develop a stronger relationship between the technical developer world and NGA's Enterprise Innovation Office. Why were hackathons chosen as a point mechanism to achieve strategic goals? Hackathons are open to everyone. Made up of dynamic groups of developers, coders, creatives, entrepreneurs,programmers and designers. Hackathons offer the opportunity for meeting the types of people government are desperate need for as well as offering the participants the opportunity to meet them, learn new skills in coding, presenting and team building. While government tends to operate in an insular fashion with few real options to choose from, hackathons crack that mold open. Hackathons pull industry and government together. Hackers love playing with the new tools and capabilities and what better setting to see and hear from real users what the art of the possible really is. Industry giants have grasped this concept and often sponsor events to engage with, recruit and scout new niche capabilities that keep them open to take advantage of an increasingly open and connected world. They want this type of talent to want to be part of their organization. Hackathons solve problems. While there are different goals surrounding a hack, such as hypothesis testing, ideation, art-of-the-possible, direct impact application building and process improvement. The purpose is all about collaboration, with industry, individuals and government. It's just beginning. The hacking community and competitors are growing which makes it more vital for industry and government to become educated and to shape the future for students and companies, cultivate skills that translate to years of careers benefiting all sectors. Hackathons are the lowest cost mechanism to achieve strategic goals. And they happen to be an effective mechanism to achieving an non-insular operation for government and industry Brian Vinci , Blue Compass, LLC at [email protected] or 571-293-2253. About NGA: NGA, is the nation's primary source of geospatial intelligence, or GEOINT for the Department of Defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community. As a DOD combat support agency and a member of the IC, NGA provides GEOINT, in support of U.S. national security and defense, as well as disaster relief. GEOINT is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information that describes, assesses and visually depicts physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. About Blue Compass: Blue Compass is a Customer Experience and IT Strategy women-owned small business headquartered in Tysons Corner, VA. We blend strategy and analytics with customer insights, design and creative thinking to help federal government and commercial customers discover, implement, and improve their products and services. About Descartes Labs: Descartes Labs, founded in 2014 by researchers hailing from Los Alamos National Laboratory, released a 3.1-trillion pixel, cloud-free Landsat 8 composite image of the world along with two others based on the European Space Agency's Sentinel satellites on Feb. 6, 2017. Descartes Labs uses cutting-edge science to advance global forecasting in areas such as crop production and food security. Their cloud-based computation platform is behind the company's large-scale analysis, machine learning, environmental change analysis, and global predictions which are used by the commercial, academic, and government sectors. Descartes Labs is headquartered in Los Alamos, NM, and has additional offices in Santa Fe, San Francisco, and Washington DC, and New York City, where you'll find its supercomputing, machine learning, and image recognition experts working. They are supplying the data sets via the Descartes Labs platform for the Hackathon. For more information contact [email protected] . To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/can-government-get-innovative-300422494.html SOURCE Blue Compass, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] IDS Donates $100,000 Towards Inmate Education-Focused BEST Program in Nashville, Tennessee RESTON, Va., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GTL, an innovation leader in correctional technology and payment services solutions for government, today proudly shares that Innertainment Delivery Systems, LLC (IDS) co-founders Dr. Turner Nashe and his wife Phylanice Nashe, J.D., and now part of the GTL family, have personally made a $100,000 donation to the Building Entrepreneurs for Success in Tennessee (BEST) Program, which is supported by the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). The Nashes' donation was presented on Friday, March 10, at a BEST celebration event. "On behalf of the BEST volunteers, its advisory board, and especially the BEST program participants (past, present and future), we thank the Nashe family for their continued support and encouragement," stated Karen Vander Molen, BEST Program Director. "Our program has been blessed by the long-term involvement of Turner and Phylanice Nashe. From the provision of tablets and a charging cart from IDS in 2014 to the creation of the $25,000 BEST Microloan Fund in 2015 and now this generous gift, the Nashes' support of BEST has come from their passion for empowering inmates with education to reduce recidivism rates." Since 2014, IDS tablets have been used to deliver entrepreneurship education behind bars using 21st-century technology. "Their generosity has already caused lives to be forever changed as their donations help grow the BEST program, which educates and empowers future returning citizens currently behind bars, equipping them with tools to build a better life through personal transformation and entrepreneurship education," added Karen Vander Molen. "To date, 17 BEST graduates have been released from incarceration and not a single one has returned to prison. Thoe who have experienced relapse have sought treatment." "Phylanice and I are grateful for the opportunity to support Karen Vander Molen and BEST with this donation to further the successes of the program," said Dr. Turner Nashe, co-founder of IDS and Senior Vice President of Education Services at GTL. "We are hoping to set an example for others in the industry who recognize that empowering an inmate with education is the best way to ensure they will not repeat offend. We are happy to set the example by putting our funds towards such a successful program." The BEST program is in its third class or 'cohort.' The first cohort started with 22 men, the second included 17 women, and the current class is made up of 17 women. A wide variety of volunteers, professors, community leaders, business people, and professional speakers regularly engage to share their entrepreneurial stories with program participants. The first three months are spent on character development to get heads and hearts in the right place, and then students get to develop their own business plan. In partnership with a local university, a class of students visits the prison each Tuesday to consult with BEST program students on their business plans. Along the way BEST program participants learn Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and financial literacy and business education principles. A major part of BEST is its public speaking curriculum. Students learn how to create and deliver a speech, practice effective public speaking and more importantly, learn how to listen. Each student must give 10 speeches. GTL recently acquired IDS with its industry-leading focus on reducing recidivism rates through expansive educational opportunities to inmates. "The Nashville Entrepreneur Center's support of the BEST program is setting an example, nationwide, that education in the corrections industry is the most effective method to reduce recidivism rates," concluded Dr. Turner Nashe. "By becoming a part of GTL, we now have the manpower, technology, and tools we need to promote these kinds of 'best practice' education initiatives to correctional facilities across the country. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but the success of local programs like BEST make what we're working towards every day worth the effort. We will continue to fight the good fight on behalf of those who are seeking to better themselves and their lives. Education is the ultimate empowerment tool that you can give a person." About GTL GTL leads the fields of correctional technology and government payment services with visionary solutions and customized products that integrate seamlessly to deliver security, financial value, and ease of operation for its customers. As a trusted industry leader, GTL provides services to 32 state departments of corrections, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and 73 of the 100 largest city/county facilities, including 39 of the top 50, which comprise 1.9 million inmates nationwide. To learn more about GTL, please visit www.gtl.net or our social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Press Contact: Vinnie Mascarenhas 703-955-3894 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ids-donates-100000-towards-inmate-education-focused-best-program-in-nashville-tennessee-300422513.html SOURCE GTL [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Silicon Creations Delivers 12.7G SERDES PMA for TSMC 40LP Process and PLL IP for TSMC 7nm Process Silicon Creations, a leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal intellectual property (IP), today announced availability of several industry leading IPs for advanced TSMC processes including a 40LP 0.25Gb/s to 12.7Gb/s multiprotocol SerDes Physical Medium Attachment (PMA) and multiple 7nm PLL products. The PMA supports over 30 protocols including PCIe generations 1, 2 and 3, USB3.1-i/ii, SATA/SAS (News - Alert) to 12Gb/s, CPRI rates 1 to 9, JESD204B 12.5G-LR and Ethernet 10G-KR, serving a broad range of market segments from networking to consumer products. The PLL products include a 5W, 32kHz IoT PLL, low-jitter fractional frequency synthesizer, area optimized core voltage integer PLL, and high bandwidth deskew PLL. Silicon Creations' highly efficient architecture achieves RMS TIE jitter of less than 0.5% UI with minimal power consumption over the entire range of data rates. Achieving this level of performance with ring PLLs in a 40nm LP process may allow customers to reduce production costs and time to market, without sacrificing data bandwidth, power consumption, die area, or functionality. In addition to the high-end SerDes developent, many of Silicon Creations' popular PLL products are now silicon proven in the new TSMC 7nm process, and in high volume production in both 10nm and 16nm (GL+, LL+, FFC). 12FFC PLLs are GDS ready now and will be silicon proven in late Q2 2017. A new addition to the Silicon Creations PLL portfolio is the ultra-low power IoT design. One of the key requirements for IoT applications is low energy. Silicon Creations' IoT PLL uses a "32kHz" reference clock enabling use of tiny, low power watch crystals. The whole PLL can use as little as 5W in some processes. The IoT PLL can frequency lock within three clock cycles on warm starts to minimize the IoT chips' energy needs. It is available in TSMC 7nm, 10nm, 16nm, 28nm, 40nm, and 180nm process nodes. "We are proud to offer our IP on TSMC processes and be part of TSMC's IP Alliance program," said Andrew Cole, VP, Silicon Creations. "Having our advanced SerDes and PLL IP supported on industry leading foundry processes enables our customers to design more efficient and reliable chips." As a TSMC IP Alliance member, Silicon Creations' extensive portfolio of PLL and high-speed I/O IPs have been qualified through the TSMC IP9000 program for a number of processes ranging from 180nm to 10nm. These IPs along with the TSMC 40nm LP SerDes PMA will be showcased at the upcoming TSMC Technology Symposium on March 15, 2017 held at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. About Silicon Creations Silicon Creations is focused on providing world-class silicon intellectual property (IP) for precision and general-purpose timing (PLLs), chip-chip SerDes and high-speed differential I/Os. Silicon Creations' IP is proven from 7nm to 180-nanometer process technologies. With a complete commitment to customer success, its IP has an excellent record of first silicon to mass production in customer designs. Silicon Creations, founded in 2006, is self-funded and growing. The company has development centers in Atlanta, Ga., and Krakow, Poland, and worldwide sales representation. For more information, visit www.siliconcr.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313006037/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Milton Hershey Milton S. Hershey born on September 13, 1857, was an American candy maker and philanthropist. He founded the Hershey Chocolate Company and the company town of Hershey, Pennsylvania. His Mennonite family settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s and he grew up speaking Pennsylvania Dutch. As a youth he spent many hours assisting his family on their farm. From this disciplined youth young Milton learned the value of hard work and perseverance. In 1871, Milton Hershey left school and was apprenticed to a local printer who published a German-English newspaper. Not liking this type of work his mother arranged for the 14-year old Hershey to be apprenticed to a Lancaster County candy maker. Over the next four years Hershey learned the craft of creating candies. Moving to Philadelphia in 1876, Milton started his first confectionery business. However, to master the craft of making candies Milton traveled to Denver to learn how to make caramels using fresh milk. He also visited New Orleans and Chicago looking for opportunities. Returning to Lancaster in 1886, Hershey used the knowledge he had obtained and established the Lancaster Caramel Company. His company quickly became a business success. Hersheys dream was to perfect the art of making fine chocolate, so he used the profits from selling his Lancaster Caramel Company to start a business producing fine milk chocolate. Milk chocolate, which at the time was a luxury product, proved to be where Hershey would find his greatest success. To make quality milk chocolate, it was necessary to obtain a large supply of fresh milk. Therefore, he bought farm land to raise the cattle to supply the milk. Through trial and error, he created his own formula for milk chocolate. The first Hershey bar was produced in 1900, Hersheys Kisses were developed in 1907, and the Hershey Bar became the first nationally marketed product of its kind. The Hershey bar with almonds was introduced in 1908. The soldiers from World War II will remember eating Hershey bars. As many soldiers were in the South Pacific with very warm climates the Hershey Company had to find a way that their product would not melt in the warm climates. The company was successful and formulated the Tropical Bar that would not melt in the heat. From humble beginnings, raised in a Mennonite community Milton S. Hershey would find success making perhaps the most popular chocolate bar in the United States. American Legion Auxiliary Quarter Auction set MATTOON -- The American Legion Auxiliary Quarter Auction is scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, with bidding starting at 6:30 p.m. Food and drink will be available. The auction will feature more than 20 vendors of crafts, books, toys, purses, wallets, yard decor, makeup, gift certificates, kitchenware, and other items. The auction is a monthly event, held the third Thursday of each month, with profits going to American Legion Auxiliary projects. This month the proceeds will go to Area 9 Special Olympics. Last month's benefactor was Big Brothers-Big Sisters. They netted $405 for their projects. The American Legion is located at 1903 Maple Ave. in Mattoon. St Patricks Day Tea and Tales scheduled EFFINGHAM -- St. Patricks Day will be celebrated with Tea and Tales beginning at noon at the Suzette Brumleve Memorial Library. Irish Tea and Tales will be held from noon-1 p.m. Friday in the librarys cafe area on the first floor. Catherine Bailey will share tales written by Seumas MacManus, a storyteller from her grandmothers village in Ireland. Pour yourself a cup of tea, try an Irish biscuit (cookie) and listen to old Irish tales. No registration is required. For more information, call the library at 217-342-2464 x1, email info@effinghamlibrary.org or go online at www.effinghamlibrary.org. Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead at his home in Southern California. He was 34. Representatives for Carters family confirmed the singers death Saturday. They did not provide any immediate further comment. A sheriff's official says deputies responding to reports of a medical emergency found a person deceased at the home in Lancaster. Aaron Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, performed as an opening act for Britney Spears as well as his brothers boy band, and appeared on the familys reality series, House of Carters. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Despite widespread criticism, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus is digging in on his viral comments questioning why men should have to pay for female contraceptive and pregnancy-related health insurance coverage. The comments from the Collinsville Republican and a video clip of his exchange with Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania during a House panel debate on the Affordable Care Act have gone viral, sparking news stories and editorials in papers across the country and criticism from womens and family rights advocates. In an interview with Carbondale-based The Southern, a Lee Enterprises newspaper, on Friday afternoon, Shimkus said he understands how insurance works, by pooling risks across a broad range of people, some of whom will be higher users than others. But he said requiring a one-size-fits all approach drives up costs and keeps many young, healthy people out of the insurance market. He compared forcing men to have a policy that includes female contraceptive and prenatal coverage to paying for a prime piece of real estate that one could never actually visit. Why would you buy a cabin in Montana that youre never going to use? said Shimkus, whose expansive district covers much of Central and Southern Illinois, including the Coles County area. The following exchange that has been the focus of national attention took place on Wednesday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Shimkus is a ranking member. It followed a statement from Doyle outlining some of the more popular mandates of the Affordable Care Act. What mandate in the Obamacare bill does he take issue with? Doyle asked, as part of an ongoing exchange. Certainly not with pre-existing conditions, or caps on benefits or letting your child stay on the policy until 26, so Im curious what it is were mandating...? Replied Shimkus, What about men having to purchase prenatal care? Is that not correct? And should they? Theres no such thing as a la carte insurance, Doyle said, in response. Thats the point, thats the point, Shimkus replied, interrupting Doyle. We want the consumer to be able to go to the insurance market and be able to negotiate on a plan that (he stops speaking as hes interrupted by Doyle)." You tell me one insurance company that will do that, Doyle said. There isnt a single insurance company in the world that does that, John. Youre talking about something that doesnt exist. Shimkus said he doesnt understand the widespread attention to his comment, which gained traction after a video clip of the floor debate was shared by NARAL Pro-Choice America, which is a nonprofit organization that advocates for abortion rights. Its nothing I havent said before, Shimkus said. People should be able to buy the health care package that they think they need. People should not be forced to buy parts of a policy that they will never use. Its also not a new argument that Shimkus has made. As noted in a Chicago Tribune article published Friday about Shimkus comments, Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., asked essentially the same question in 2013 of then-Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during an exchange before the same committee. And for all the attention that has been paid to Shimkus comment, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, made a similar comment in an interview with The Southern that was published in a news story in January, prior to being sworn in for his second term. At the time, Bost said it was his understanding that the Republican repeal and replace plan for the ACA would allow people to cherry pick the insurance coverage they need in an effort to drive down costs. For instance, Tracy and I dont need OB-GYN. Were not going to have more babies. Were good, Bost said. There are other things I might want to pay for at my age. Its driving it back into the free market system. That's a muddled statement, as OB-GYN stands for obstetrics and gynecology. While obstetrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the care of pregnant women and childbirth, gynecology is a broader branch of medicine that deals with womens reproductive organs from puberty through menopause and beyond. Bost's intention was to point out that they would not have a need for prenatal coverage at this point in their lives, and therefore men or women of a certain age should not have to pay for it. Still, his statement illustrates how difficult it is to create segmented risk pools for coverage specific to women and men. How do you determine where to draw the lines to have enough people in segmented risk pools, and in the insurance market overall, to keep costs affordable for everyone? And how do you do so fairly? That's the essence of the debate on Capitol Hill. There are essentially two schools of thoughts as it relates to how to best structure health care: a broad pooling of health care risks across the entire insured population (generally championed by Democrats), versus more segmented pooling of health care risk (as generally supported by Republicans) among those who are sick or in need of specific types of expensive care, such as for pregnancy. There are winners and losers under both scenarios, and shades of gray between the two philosophies. In a 2013 piece for Consumer Reports, Nancy Metcalf, an insurance expert and columnist, explained that health insurance, like all insurance, works by pooling risks. The healthy subsidize the sick, who could be somebody else this year and you next year. Those risks include any kind of health care a person might need from birth to death prenatal care through hospice. No individual is likely to need all of it, but we will all need some of it eventually. So, as a middle-aged childless man you resent having to pay for maternity care or kids dental care. Shouldnt turnabout be fair play? Shouldnt pregnant women and kids be able to say, 'Fine, but in that case why should we have to pay for your Viagra, or prostate cancer tests, or heart attack and high blood pressure you are many times more likely to suffer than we are?'" her explanation continued. While explaining his position on Friday that men should be excluded from coverage requirements specific to women, Shimkus added that likewise, a young woman should not be required to buy a health care package that covers prostate or other male-specific health needs. Spy for a Dead Empire (Adventures of Grant Scotland, Book One) AELFA, THE GRAND CAPITAL of the once mighty Aelfan Empire, has fallen. Barbarian war parties and nomadic tribes harass the retreating and broken legions that once overawed them. All that stands against them now is the city of Zyren, the last bastion of Aelfan rule. Acting as a spy for Zyren is Grant Scotland, a man leading a double life because his own had been taken away from him by the very people he serves. An unwilling recruit into the business of clandestine missions and deceit, he searches for anything real to cling to as the world around him devolves into insanity. And when an old friend shows up asking him to help save his family by delivering a mysterious book to a shadowy figure, Grant's two lives collide and he is thrust into an even stranger world than he had known; one where ancient magic is wielded by deadly players who compete against one another for a prize greater than simply the rotting carcass of a dead empire. ***** Spy for a Troubled King (Adventures of Grant Scotland, Book Two) AMONG THE ASHES of the mighty Aelfan Empire, the House of Gregyan seeks to forge a new kingdomone where both Huthan and Aelfan alike can prosper. But old prejudices and ancient traditions and an exiled enemy threaten the peace. Caught between compassion for his home and allegiance to his fallen empire, Grant Scotland finds himself trapped in the turbulent machinations of enemies and friends. As he works to uncover mysteries about his fathers treachery and confront new threats to his future, he moves perilously close to revealing his identity and losing everything. ***** Spy for a Wayward Daughter (Adventures of Grant Scotland, Book Three) AS THE GREGYANS MARCH TO WAR and his handler takes a trip to Zyren, Grant Scotland, spy errant of the Aelfan Empire, gets ready to pursue a lead on finding a man who might be able to tell him the truth about his father's treason. Old friends, new enemies and hidden dangers soon confront him on his quest, but when he enters the dark world of another family's intrigue, he finds that not even the frontiers of the Aelfan Empire are far enough away to escape the dangers of fortune and fate. ***** Spy for a Greedy Villain (Adventures of Grant Scotland, Book Four) RACIAL TENSIONS IN AELFA simmer and threaten to boil over when the harbormaster is found dead and the Huthan oppressors threaten to crack down in the Lower Docks. As Grant Scotland finds more questions than answers in the journals of Berthul Magnussen about his fathers treachery, he is drawn into a murder investigation, a kidnapping plot and the nefarious machinations of the citys biggest crime lordMr. Quinn. In order to stop Quinns plans and save the city from being thrown into open revolt, Grant prepares to take his biggest gamble yet. This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions . One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.Any house that I can own without ever having to do anything to maintain it ought to do the trick. But if it has a study with a lot of dark wood, leather and a touch of brass, that would be nice. Oh, and it needs to have an apartment attached where anyone can come and live for a while for free, but only on the condition that they create something.Hang on, let me check. I think I got half a bag of chips and some salsa thats been sitting in the back of the fridge for Nope. Looks like were ordering take-out.Still waiting for that one! But, whenever I get a review from someone who doesnt know me and they understand and appreciate the kinds of things Im doing with the series, it gives me a special thrill.If its for a Grant Scotland novel then its Rome, Istanbul, Aachen and the Mayan Pyramids not necessarily in that order. If its for anything else, then its Paris and Im probably not coming back.Thomas McGee of Rightly Designed. I think I give him fits because I ask more from him than the typical 3-element cover, but hes a good sport. I wanted covers that are evocative of the fantasy books of the 80s and 90s while being somewhat more abstract (and affordable) and hes risen to the challenge every time.I gave him a brief recap of my espionage activities over the past few months, which included reports on the growth and temperament of the One God followers, the coming and going of any Huthan notables and the operations of Doogan and Quinn. At last I followed up with a summary of the harbormaster investigation and finished with the discovery of a ghost in the Lower Docks.Theres no such things as ghosts, Scotland.I know, but I havent worked up a better nickname for him yet.Im sure youll think of something. I have every confidence in your ability to accomplish inane tasks of trivial importance.Everybody has to be good at something.And while your limited mental capabilities will no doubt be severely taxed in that endeavor, Ill do some checking into what could make a man entirely concealed in plain sight.You mean invisible. You can just say invisible.Were I interested in being as lacking in attention to details as you, I could use the word invisible, but luckily for the both of us I am not. Complete invisibility is impossible. Not even the greatest Aelfan wizards were ever able to accomplish such a feat. But, there are several ways a man can remain unnoticed. Take me for instance. For the eleventh time in a row you failed to spot me before I spotted you.How am I not surprised youve been keeping score? At any rate, he didnt sneak up on me, Im telling you I looked right through him.Except his boots. Unless in addition to invisibility you also believe in the existence of a sentient pair of boots?Writing stories infused with the smoky charisma of classic film noir mixed with the pulse-pounding excitement of adventure fantasy and the cagey class of suspenseful espionage, Dan McClure brought the best parts of all of our most cherished pulp together and added his own signature brand of wit. He currently lives, writes and works in and around beautiful and historic Arlington, Massachusetts.Buy the book at Amazon Swanson Russell received 19 awards at the Nebraska ADDY Awards show and banquet held February 18 in Lincoln. The agency accepted six gold ADDY Awards for clients in the following categories: Nosler, Print Ad Nosler, Print Ad Runza Restaurants, Cross Platform Consumer Campaign Runza Restaurants, Copywriting Runza Restaurants, Local Television Campaign Runza Restaurants and Local Television Commercial. The agency accepted eight silver ADDY Awards for clients in the following categories: Gerber Gear, Online Interactive Campaign Gerber Gear, Overview Video Editing Humminbird, Photography Campaign Minn Kota, Catalog Runza Restaurants, Local Television Commercial Runza Restaurants, Local Television Commercial Runza Restaurants, Local Television Commercial University of Nebraska and Sales Kit. Swanson Russell also received two gold and three silver ADDY Awards for internal work in the categories of Mobile Interaction, Self-Promotion Cross Platform, Video Animation and Video Promotion. In addition, Swanson Russell also received a Judges Citation for its Oscar Short Promotion. "We are very pleased to be recognized for national and regional work produced on behalf of six clients," said Brian Boesche, partner and chief creative officer at Swanson Russell. "We pride ourselves on great partnerships with our clients and it shows in the work we produce." The Nebraska ADDY Awards are sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and aim to recognize and reward creative excellence in the art of advertising. Judges evaluate entries submitted from around the state. For more information about the Nebraska ADDY Awards and award winners, visit www.nebraskaaddys.org. Founded in 1962, Swanson Russell is a Nebraska-based marketing communications firm with offices in Lincoln and Omaha. In addition to working with local and regional clients, the full-service agency is nationally recognized for expertise in agriculture, health care, outdoor recreation, construction and the green industry. For more information about Swanson Russell's Real Connection approach to advertising, public relations, interactive and branding services, visit www.swansonrussell.com. A bill to repeal Nebraska's requirement that all motorcycle riders wear helmets remained stuck at first-stage floor consideration Monday while debate veered off into an approaching decision about whether to change the Legislature's filibuster rule. Senators are operating under temporary rules before they are scheduled to revisit their lengthy and unresolved battle over filibusters on their 50th day in session, which will occur next Monday. Earlier warfare over proposals to weaken minority filibuster protections thrust the Legislature into virtual lockdown for the first one-third of its 90-day session. The current rule requires the votes of at least 33 senators in the 49-member Legislature to invoke cloture and free a bill from a minority filibuster. Various efforts to weaken that provision have included a proposal to reduce the number required for cloture to 30 senators. Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha reminded senators who may support the motorcycle bill that while previous versions sometimes have been trapped by filibusters, so was a Medicaid expansion bill that many or most of those senators might have opposed. Sen. Robert Hilkemann of Omaha is leading the current filibuster that has slowed the movement of the helmet bill. He has offered an amendment to the proposal (LB368) that would raise the age of children who would be allowed to ride on motorcycles from 6 to 16. Sen. John Lowe of Kearney, sponsor of the bill that would remove the helmet requirement for riders who are 21 and older, said the issue is "freedom to choose." Hilkemann, a motorcycle rider himself, said "with responsibility comes freedom." Without helmets, more motorcycle accidents would lead to brain injuries and death, he said. Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha suggested: "You do have the right to be a fool." Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said he supports the bill, arguing the issue is one of personal responsibility. Debate is scheduled to resume on Tuesday. A proposal to allow Nebraska teachers to use physical force to control violent students is queued up for debate by the full Legislature this spring. Sponsored by state Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte and backed by the state teachers' union, the measure advanced with substantial changes Monday from the Legislature's Education Committee on a 5-2 vote. The rewritten version of Groene's bill (LB595) specifies that a teacher must have acted in a "reasonable manner" when using physical force to be immune from legal action or workplace discipline. Groene said the change addresses concerns by some of the bill's opponents that it gave teachers too much leeway. He said he's received more phone calls about this bill (LB595) than on any other measure he's introduced much of it positive feedback from teachers and administrators, as well as parents who feel the bill could protect their children from violent or destructive classmates. Still, Groene expects some opposition within the full Legislature, including from Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers. "It's going to be a fight," Groene said. The bill would allow teachers to use physical force with students who become violent. More limited physical restraint is allowed to prevent a student from destroying school property. The revised bill strikes an option to place students who are physically removed from class into an alternative education program, and replaces that option with the possibility of out-of-school suspension. And while the original bill requires the teacher's permission for the student to return to class, the rewritten version provides exceptions for special-education students and allows the principal to return the student to class following a conference with the teacher and the student's parent or legal guardian. Sens. Laura Ebke, Steve Erdman, Lou Ann Linehan, Adam Morfeld and Groene voted to advance the bill out of committee. Sens. Rick Kolowski and Lynne Walz opposed it. Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks was present but did not vote. The bill is Groene's priority bill, meaning it has a good chance of being debated by the full Legislature this session. A Crete Police Department officer has been named the 2016 American Legion Department of Nebraska Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Dawn Jonas, a senior patrol officer and school resource officer, found out she won the award in December. I was actually pretty surprised," she said. "I figured there were probably a lot of people more deserving." Jonas joined the Crete Police Department in 2003, following a stint in the Marines from 1988 to 1991. Jonas supervisor, Lt. Gary Young Jr., said the military background is part of what led Crete Police Chief Steve Henzel, a U.S. Army veteran, to nominate Jonas. Our chief does not hand out awards lightly, he said. We believe in hard work and earning what you get, and he felt in this case that this was a fairly easy decision to nominate Dawn. A mother of eight, Jonas said her work with Crete Public Schools, St. James Catholic School and Doane University is similar to her role as a parent. Im just getting paid to do what I do at home; I just go to work and parent, she said. Its actually pretty enjoyable. Young said Jonas commitment to her work has shined through the years, both at the school and elsewhere. About five years ago, Young said there was an incident where there was a man armed with a weapon and a child was standing in the middle of the street nearby. She exposed herself to the guy in the street to get the child to safety, he said. Young said Jonas displays the same level of dedication to the job at Crete's schools. Shes done a phenomenal job, he said. Theres just an amazing set of accomplishments shes done. Jonas work at Crete Public Schools has been so well-received the school offered to keep paying for her services once the grant funding her position ran out. Jonas accepted the award in January, and said receiving an award as a police officer from a veterans organization was an honor. Those are two very important things in my life, she said. Jonas said she couldnt do the work she does without her husband or her co-workers. I might have gotten the award, but it takes the work from my department for me to do the work that got me the award, she said. It was a team effort . Without my department and without (my husband), I wouldnt be able to accomplish the things that I do. The former spokeswoman for Gov. Dave Heineman has dropped her lawsuit against the state of Nebraska, in which she alleged she lost a later state job because of her pregnancy. Jen Rae Wang didn't respond to a request for comment on the joint motion to dismiss filed by the attorneys on both sides last week; and her attorney, Jim Zalewski, said in an email he couldn't comment. Suzanne Gage, a spokeswoman at the Nebraska Attorney General's office, also declined to comment. Chief U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp approved the motion and dismissed the case Friday. Last summer, Wang sued saying she was 34 weeks pregnant when state Natural Resources Director Jeff Fassett told her he was eliminating her position as the agency's communications and statewide planning director. It was the same day she had submitted her maternity leave paperwork to a human resources manager, according to the lawsuit. Wang lost her $90,000 salary her family's primary source of income as a result, as well as her health insurance coverage. She had asked for back pay, three years' salary, lost benefits, compensation for damages and attorney's fees. Wang took the Natural Resources job after losing her position as the governor's spokeswoman in January 2015, when Heineman left office. She had worked for the governor's office since 2007. A 59-year-old Plattsmouth man pleaded guilty in federal court in Omaha Monday to bank fraud that prosecutors say resulted in almost an $800,000 loss. Mark A. Tincher faces up to 30 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine at his sentencing in June, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Stuart said in a news release. Between April 2010 and June 2010, Tincher had separate checking accounts at Plattsmouth State Bank, Arbor Bank, Murray State Bank and Glenwood State Bank, Stuart said. FBI investigators found Tincher used a fraudulent scheme called check kiting to manipulate checks between the four banks, Stuart said. This manipulation created artificially inflated bank balances that Tincher used for business purposes, the release said. Because of Tincher's scheme, Plattsmouth State Bank lost about $700,000, and Glenwood State Bank lost about $90,000, the release said. Tincher had previously run Tincher Chevrolet Oldsmobile. The dealership in Plattsmouth closed in July 2011 after opening in 1993. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor sued Tincher, alleging he abandoned responsibility for the business' 401(k) plan and left participants with no access to the money. The lawsuit was settled later that year when a federal court appointed an accounting firm in Missouri to oversee the 401(k) plan and provide access to its contributing members. A Bridgeport man who shot and killed a man, put his body in a barrel and dumped it in a creek was sentenced to life in prison Monday. Zachary Mueller, 25, was convicted in January of first-degree murder in the November 2015 death of 33-year-old Pedro Adrian Dominguez, of Greeley, Colorado. Investigators from the Morrill County Sheriff's office and Nebraska State Patrol said Mueller shot Dominguez in the back of the head while riding in a car headed south from Bridgeport, according to Attorney General Doug Peterson's Office. A farmer found Dominguez's body in the barrel floating in a creek near Bayard, southeast of Scottsbluff. At trial, witnesses testified that Mueller had been using methamphetamine and acting paranoid in the hours before he shot his acquaintance, the Scottsbluff Star Herald reported. In addition to the life term for murder, Mueller received 40 to 80 years for using a firearm to commit the murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. When an accused bank robber from Omaha ran through Larry Meier's backyard during a summertime police chase last year, he didnt think much of it. "I don't know if they ever found him," Meier said recently. "I kinda laugh about it now." He didn't start thinking about his safety until an alleged serial arsonist began setting fires to abandoned buildings in his neighborhood. Then there were the homicides Joshua Hartwig, a 25-year-old Special Olympian; Marlene Rashidi, 20, a student and runner at the University of Nebraska at Kearney; Bob Hanna, 51, a clerk at the 14th Street Kwik Shop; and 31-year-old Meagan Schroeder, a mother of three. Then the arsonist changed his targets and set fire to an occupied apartment building and a veterinary clinic where dogs were boarded. "That's when I really felt uneasy," Meier said, explaining he worried his own business could have been the next target. Police in Lincoln started to re-evaluate their tactics in patrolling Belmont after the eight arsons and four homicides happened in one year, but Meier and his neighbor, Jacob Campbell, say the uptick in crime doesnt take away the love they have for their neighborhood. Instead, the rough year brought the cops and community together. * * * Meier has lived in Belmont since the 1970s and often tells new neighbors it's a quiet, safe place to live. That includes Campbell and his wife, who have lived there for about two years. They picked a location far enough away from a potential trouble spot apartments near Portia and Knox streets. But Meier admits he's remained blissfully ignorant of the area's crime. "It may be more violent here than I realize, but I don't feel unsafe," he said. Crime statistics from the Lincoln Police Department show that overall, violent crime in Belmont was down last year. Those crimes include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, auto theft, larceny and arson. Over the last three years, four murders have happened in Belmont all in 2016. Of the 12 arsons reported in three years, eight happened in 2016. On the other hand, larcenies decreased from 229 in 2015 to 118 last year. There were eight robberies in 2014 and 2015, but just one in 2016. Burglaries decreased from 70 in 2015 to 37. Capt. Anthony Butler, who leads LPD's Northwest team, said the numbers reflect the department's areas of focus. Murders were not an issue until 2016, he said. I cant explain it. Its just a strange anomaly taking place. Despite what the numbers show, Campbell says hes not sorry he moved into Belmont. There are not a lot of families that have young children, Campbell said. Most of our neighbors moved out there before Lincoln grew. Theyve lived there forever. We love the location, we love the neighborhood and we love the people." * * * Meier said Belmont, which means "beautiful mountain" in Old French, was once known as the "rich part of town." "Then it started flooding, so folks moved south to avoid the damage," he said. Belmont sprawls east to west from North 27th Street to Interstate 180. The most-southern portion runs along Cornhusker Highway. It extends north to Superior Street. It's home to Goodrich Middle and Belmont and Campbell Elementary schools. Belmont Baptist Church sits in the heart of the neighborhood. Its small congregation had a hard year after an arsonist, who has not been identified, set the church ablaze twice in one day. The nearby Pet Care Center on 14th and Adams streets was also set on fire twice. David Fenstemaker, 43, has been charged with arson in one of the cases. Police are investigating whether or not hes responsible for the other seven arsons last year. Belmonts crime stats mimic citywide trends. Crimes reported to the FBI dropped from 10,094 incidents in 2015 to 9,745 last year. Offenses that increased were murder, rape and commercial burglaries. All other violent offenses decreased. Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said the increase in rapes were a result of a redefinition in June 2016. Without that change, Lincoln had a decease of 9 reported rapes, he said. Comparing Belmont to other neighborhoods based solely on population, College View where 7,062 people live is closest. College View has a lower unemployment rate, 3.4 percent, compared with Belmonts 11.5. Its per capita income is $2,000 higher and more people have high school diplomas compared to Belmont residents. They report less crime than Belmont, with 143 crimes last year, and roughly the same amount the two years prior. But its easy to compare Belmont to itself. The neighborhood can be split down the middle at 14th Street. According to a 2014-15 study by the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln, the west side of 14th Street has a poverty level of 5.1 percent to 10 percent of its population, while the Knox and Portia streets side is 30 percent to 40 percent. The same study shows more western Belmont residents have completed high school than eastern dwellers. Sgt. Chris Vigil, who patrolled in Belmont last year, said the neighborhood got an undeserving bad reputation. "If you meet everyone who lives there, it's a lot of good and decent people," he said. "There's a very small portion of the area that brings in a large amount of crime. The vast majority of people are good and just want a safe space to live in." Butler said his team took the year hard. "You care about the people, you care about that area and you start to take it personally," he said. * * * Butlers team of 33 officers is responsible for at least 10 neighborhoods stretching from Air Park to 40th Street. In 2016, police worried most about the area surrounding one intersection Portia and Knox. Some areas are more vulnerable than others, he said. Theres a lot of turnover in residency at those apartments and the area is in need of attention. Police realized the need for more of a presence at The Willows, Mercy Northglen and Aspen Haus apartments a couple years ago and began fostering better relationships with apartment managers. Were meeting them to ask what theyre seeing, Butler said. Weve noticed the apartment managers are more willing to talk to us now. Managers began taking more ownership of their residents and the problems some were creating, Butler said. Some complexes are identifying people they felt were bad and creating problems and theyre encouraging them to relocate, he said. Theyre taking an aggressive position that is unheard-of and that has made an impact. Officers worked yearlong to form better relationships with all of Belmonts residents. They started by going door-to-door to introduce themselves. Then midway through the year, the department started hosting community conversations. On July 21, a meeting at the Belmont Recreation Center drew 120 people. In October, the Northwest team hosted Cookout with a Cop, using funds from a grant. About 300 people showed up. We wanted to have conversations with residents about what was going on, Butler said. It was a very lengthy conversation. There were a lot of folks who have never talked to Lincoln police before. Both events were healthy ways for residents to meet cops in a nonconfrontational or enforcement setting, Butler said. We want folks to be comfortable contacting us, he said. Meier said the meetings and knock-and-talks are a wonderful idea, and he's happy the police department has taken a stand. Looking at 2017, Butler's team plans to continue efforts to integrate in the community. Though Vigil is no longer on the Northwest team, he says he's glad he got to know as many residents as possible. "I really do believe we, as the police, can only go so far on our own," he said. "If you don't have the backing of the community, its almost like working with one hand behind your back." Lancaster County Community Corrections officials made the correct decision recently when they chose to create two new programs for people arrested for nonviolent crimes. One important effect of the programs is that they will help to reduce overcrowding in the jail, which has been nearly full for the last nine months. Another potential benefit is that the programs may help people put their lives on track. For a variety of reasons, the county jail, which opened less than four years ago, has filled up faster than the county board expected. At times its been close to 99 percent of its operational capacity. So its in the best interest of local taxpayers to use programs that are an alternative to putting nonviolent offenders behind bars. The first of the two programs begins this month. Eighteen- to 25-year-olds who have minimal criminal histories but who were arrested on felony drug charges will be diverted to a program of intensive supervision. Participants will have to pay $100 every month, attend monthly case review meetings and do $120 hours of community service. If they are charged with any new crime, they would be kicked out of the diversion program. If they are successful, they wont have a conviction on their record. The other program, which county officials hoped to begin this summer, would provide strict monitoring of people who have three or more drunk driving convictions. In order to be in the program, participants must stop drinking. They have to take Breathalyzer tests twice a day and be subject to random drug tests. They program is still being developed and might also include monitors that test sweat for alcohol. Participants will be required to pay fees to help cover costs of the tests. The programs will help delay more costly jail expansion. There is still an unused 64-bed pod at the county jail, but opening it for permanent use would require hiring six new officers at about $360,000 per year. Looking even further ahead, the jail has 37.4-acre site that will allow for future expansion. Credit the county board for its foresight when it bought the property back in 2007. Kim Etherton, the countys community corrections director, suggested to the County Board that a comprehensive plan could enlist cooperation of prosecutors and judges to better utilize and implement cheaper sentencing alternatives. To help develop that plan the County Board reconstituted a community justice coalition that has not met for several years. Comprised of people from the various branches of the criminal justice system, including courts, corrections and law enforcement, the coalition will provide valuable advice on how to dispense justice efficiently and effectively without overusing the jail. I am concerned by the push to put a controversial political statement on license plates ("Choose Life plates get nod," March 1). LB46 would create a new special plate that says Choose Life. This phrase is associated with a movement to make all abortions illegal, a movement often tied to conservative religious groups. Many other devoutly religious people of different faiths support the right of a woman to make medical decisions that affect her own health and life. I believe the state of Nebraska should not issue license plates that are, in effect, political and religious advertising. We all are free to proclaim our values and agendas on our cars. Lets keep politically charged slogans on bumper stickers, not divisive license plates. Supporters of LB46 have designated funds from the sale of the plates to be used for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. This program is an important function of the state. If we need to raise money to fund the state budget by selling plates, lets say that on the plates. Or senators could lay aside this distracting debate on license plates and turn their attention to very pressing matters such as fixing the problems of overcrowding and understaffing in our prison system ("Senators discuss Corrections frustrations," March 4). Rev. Stephen Griffith, Lincoln A California man caught smuggling 2 pounds of heroin through Nebraska has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Joe T. Bolanos, 34, of King City, California, to 46 months, plus three years of supervised release. Bolanos pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin. On June 25, 2014, he let a State Patrol trooper search the 2007 Dodge Charger he was driving after the trooper pulled him over for speeding on eastbound Interstate 80 just west of the Beaver Crossing exit, according to court records. The search turned up 2 pounds of heroin, with an estimated street value of $360,000, in an area under the center console. John Haase, an eighth-grade student at Lincoln Christian School and the son of Jeff and Mary Beth Haase, has been named a semifinalist eligible to compete in the 2017 Nebraska National Geographic State Bee. The contest will be held at the University of Nebraska Omaha on Friday, March 31. This is the second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, which is now in its 29th year. School Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school champion. School champions then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. The National Geographic Society has invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools and U.S. territories to compete in the State Bees. RACINE A local Racine group has succeeded in attracting former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to lobby the City of Racine for the decriminalization of marijuana. Stein, who received 1 percent of Wisconsins vote in the 2016 presidential election, is scheduled to speak at a fundraising event from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at Infusinos Banquet Hall, 3201 Rapids Drive. Stein raised $7.3 million to force recounts in three states after the November presidential election, including Wisconsin. The recount concluded in December with little change in the vote tally and judges ordered recounts halted in Pennsylvania and Michigan. Racine Green Party co-chair Fabi Maldonado said they contacted Stein because they thought she could help with a new effort to get a referendum vote on the issue. According to Maldonado, the local organization has 10 members and began in January with co-chair Guadalupe Davalos. They plan to focus on local policies and plan to run local and state candidates in the 2018 elections. Its time for the people to govern themselves in Racine, Maldonado said. We will be the power in Racine County that elects candidates who represent the currently unrepresented diverse population of Racine. Reason for the quest The local chapter of the party is pushing for the marijuana law change to help address the high rate of African American incarceration in southeastern Wisconsin. I am very concerned about it. It is something that should be concerning to all residents, Maldonado said. State statutes call for the person accused of possession to be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to 6 months or both upon first conviction and is guilty of a Class I felony for a second or subsequent offense. The Racine city ordinance said it is unlawful for any person to carry possess or use 25 grams or less unless the substance was obtained with a valid prescription directly from a practitioner. The threat of possible incarceration makes southeast Wisconsin literally the worst place on earth to live if you are a young African American, and one of the primary reasons for that is the War on Drugs and its obsessive prosecution of minority marijuana offenders, Maldonado said. Maldonado vowed that if the council does not honor the local Greens request for a referendum, the party plans to launch a direct legislation effort. Rapid action by both Gov. Scott Walkers opioid task force and the state Legislature in an era of sharp divisions in the Capitol, 11 opioid-related bills are moving swiftly through the Legislature with bipartisan support is a reflection of the seriousness of the situation and a desire to help addicts immediately. According to a USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin report, heroins death toll rose for the ninth straight year in Wisconsin in 2015, and the total of 281 deaths was triple the number killed by heroin in 2010. Meanwhile, the number of total opioid deaths which includes heroin and prescription opiates topped the number of Wisconsin traffic deaths for the third straight year. State Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, crafted 11 bills based on recommendations from the governors opioid task force. The package includes proposals that would grant legal immunity to people who overdose, allow school workers to administer overdose antidotes to students and require the University of Wisconsin System to open a school where high school addicts can continue their education during recovery. Other measures would allocate $5.5 million more over the next two years for treatment programs and four additional state drug agents. Earlier this week, a Senate committee heard testimony on a bill that would expand limited immunity for people who receive first responder care after an overdose and on the DOJ funding proposal. People might argue this is enabling the behavior, Nygren, whose daughter has struggled with heroin addiction for years, said of the bill allowing school employees to administer naloxone. But our long-term goal is to get people into recovery and to be functioning citizens. Theres one basic fact. If theyre dead, that cannot happen. An amendment from Rep. Jill Billings, D-La Crosse, would extend the ability to residence hall directors on college campuses. Sarah Butler, of Baraboo, shared her experience with addiction and recovery with lawmakers as they considered the bill to fund additional treatment and diversion programs, the Capital Times reported. Butler, 29, was her mothers primary caregiver as she was treated for COPD. Feeling stressed, Butler started taking her mothers morphine. But after her mothers death, there was no more morphine. She replaced it with heroin. She used heroin for about five years before she was arrested and faced prison time. She was able to enter Sauk Countys drug court instead, and has been clean for more than a year. Her program included a sober living facility, outpatient treatment and regular meetings with a case manager. When I was out there using, I didnt have much support, she said. When I entered into drug court that community wrapped their arms around me and gave me that support. Butler now works two jobs and has her own apartment. Nygren told the Assembly Criminal Justice Committee on March 2 that the package of legislation would advance his goal of saving lives, rehabilitating addicts and stopping the flow of drugs into Wisconsin. Speaking of the flow of drugs into our state: We have no such sympathy for those who deal the opioids. Their actions are instrumental in creating the addiction and the allocation of community resources to help the addicts. We look forward to continued prosecution of the dealers. Our sympathy begins and ends with those who show a willingness to try to master their addiction, to turn away from addiction and toward positive contributions to their communities. As Rep. Nygren put it, to get people into recovery and become functioning citizens. Army chief in eastern Tarai Army chief Gen Rajendra Chhetri is on a tour of some Tarai districts as the security situation becomes more challenging after the killing of five protesters in Saptari in police firings and the death of a Kanchanpur local in the action of Indias Sashastra Seema Bal. Baidya against May elections The CPN Revolutionary Maoist has claimed that there is no significance of the local level elections scheduled for May 14. Compensation payments to be made this week The District Administration Office (DAO), Dhading is likely to start distributing compensation payments to locals of three VDCs for their land acquired by the Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectric Project from this week. Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. Gautams Last rites held with state honours The last rites of Govinda Gautam, who was killed after being shot by Indias Sashastra Seema Bal in Punarbas of Kanchanpur on March 9, were performed with state honours on the Doda riverbanks in Kanchanpur on Sunday. Govt receives state restructuring report on special, protected, autonomous zones The Local Level Restructuring Commission on Monday submitted its report to the government on special, protected and autonomous zones of the village municipal council and municipality. Holi: Festival of colours and jubilation Phagu Purnima, also known as Holi, was celebrated in the Capital and hill districts on Sunday. The festival, which is marked smearing colours and spraying water among friends, relatives and family members, is being celebrated in the Tarai on Monday. Nidhi, Bhattarai to visit Delhi Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi and former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai are visiting India to participate in the third edition of Counter Terrorism Conference 2017 in New Delhi. PM agri modernisation project to boost output The District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), Taplejung, has asked local farmers to apply for grants under the 10-year Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project launched by the government this fiscal year in a bid to boost agriculture productivity in the country. PM Dahal to leave for China on March 23 Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to leave for China on March 23 to take part in the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2017. Pokhara Lekhnath becomes largest metropolitan city Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City has become the countrys largest metropolis. Occupying an area of 464.24 sq km nine times larger than Kathmandu, 18 times larger than Lalitpur and 2.5 times larger than Bharatpur- Potential partners for NAC invited to submit proposals The Tourism Ministry has invited proposals from reputed airlines of five countries interested in becoming a long-term strategic management partner of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). Ready to act if atrocities go on: Yadav Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav has accused the government of waging a war against the Madhesis by killing five people at Maleth in Saptari. Yadav said the Madhesi people were ready to retaliate against such acts. Saffron machination Results for assembly elections in five Indian statesUttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjabwere revealed on Saturday. Saurya adds another CRJ-200 to its fleet Saurya Airlines on Sunday added another jet to its fleet, three years after starting its commercial operation with a Bombardier CRJ-200 series jet. Thakur rejects Deubas request to stand by govt Mahantha Thakur, a key leader of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, has rejected the request of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba not to sever ties with the governing coalition. The sky wont fall if all three elections arent held by the deadline Political tension has flared up in the wake of the clash last week between the police and the supporters of the Madhesi Morcha. Turkey-Netherlands row: Dutch warn citizens after Erdogan threat The Netherlands has warned its citizens over travel to Turkey as a row between the countries shows no sign of abating. Villagers contest HQ positioning for Sandakpur Village Council The people of Sulubung VDC in Ilam district have protested the governments decision to assign Maipokhari VDC as the administrative centre of Sandakpur Village Council. World Bank executive director meets NPC vice-chairman The Executive Director of the World Bank, Andin Hadiyanto, on Monday paid a courtesy call on National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice-chairman Min Bahadur Shrestha at the latter's office in Singh Durbar, Kathmandu. 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 View Results Two donor agencies were left stranded and angry over the weekend after officials from the Office of the Prime minister (OPM) and World Food Program rejected their donation of food items worth Shs 100 million. The food items weighing 17.5 tonnes were to be distributed to South Sudanese refugees. The consignment which included posho and beans had been supplied by Aramaic Relief International through World Action Fund to refugees in Bidibidi settlement. The OPM officials led by the deputy settlement commandant Christopher Angualia, argued that the food items had not been tested by their farms to meet the required standards, asking the donors to provide certificates of approval. The executive director of World Action Fund (WAF), Peter Odama, said permission to deliver the food items to the vulnerable refugee children in the settlement had been granted by the OPM Kampala office but the responsible officers in the settlements failed to act. The food items were then distributed to the hosting communities of Lugbari near Mvepi settlement in Odupi Sub-county in Arua district and others in Romogi and Apo Sub-counties of Yumbe district. Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in Yumbe district is currently hosting about 300,000 South Sudanese refugees fleeing unrest in their motherland and receives about 3,000 daily though authorities have stopped receiving new entrants in the camp and re-opened Imvepi in Arua district My brother Dave, my mom and I during Christmas 2012, about nine months before my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results ANGOLA Weather conditions are being blamed for a fatal wreck that occurred Monday morning in Steuben County, the Steuben County Sheriffs Office reports. A 2005 Toyota Matrix driven by Alicia Christine Treat, 40, Fremont, was eastbound on C.R. 750N east of C.R. 700E when she lost control of her vehicle on the snow covered roadway and struck two trees on the drivers side of the vehicle, a news release said. When police arrived at what was reported as a property damage accident, they found Treat dead from blunt force trauma. The wreck occurred at about 8 a.m. Treat was wearing a seatbelt and the air bags did deploy. Alcohol is not considered to be a factor. The crash remains under investigation. Steuben County Deputies were assisted at the scene by Fremont Fire Department and the Steuben County Coroners Office. Winters revenge as some forecasters were calling the weather to start this week will be rearing its head come midweek as bitter cold temperatures set in to serve as a reminder that no matter what February might have felt like winter is still here. A storm that was predicted to bring up to 4 inches of snow fizzled somewhat, but not before its presumed wrath forced schools to close across the four-county area. All but one northeast Indiana school closed, Westview in LaGrange County, on Monday. AccuWeather, which provides weather for KPCNews.com, reports winter shows no signs of releasing its grip. Highs at midweek will be held below freezing throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast, a news release from AccuWeather said. Temperatures will not rise out of the 20s today and Wednesday, with a gradual warming to near normal temperatures on Saturday and Sunday, information from the National Weather Service said. More snow is possible on Friday. A fresh blast of arctic air will plunge southward in the wake of the noreaster, encompassing nearly the entire eastern half of the nation by midweek, said Max Vito of AccuWeather. Highs at midweek will be held below freezing throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast. Temperatures will not rise out of the lower and middle 20s in the Appalachians, including in Binghamton, New York, and Burlington, Vermont. Theres been numerous slide-offs and many property damage accidents. Seven state and all county trucks out; emergency personnel kept busy but kept up We really lucked out this time and we knew it was coming. We had too many nice days. ALMA The former director of Habitat for Humanity of Winona-Fillmore Counties has been sentenced to four years in prison for molesting a boy in Fountain City last summer. Thaddeus A. Powers, 56, pleaded guilty to felony second-degree sexual assault of a child. A criminal complaint said Powers sexually fondled and abused a 13-year-old boy. The offense took place at a house Powers owned on South Main Street in Fountain City last June. Powers came to the Winona area a few years ago from New Mexico and had served as Habitats director for a little more than two years after initially taking a part-time job with the organization. His connections with the organization were severed when the charges became public. Buffalo County Circuit Judge James Duvall sentenced Powers to 15 years of extended supervision after his release from state prison. Powers sold his house in Fountain City and moved to Tulsa, Okla., after he was arrested, charged and released on a $10,000 cash bond in July. Powers and his defense attorney, Keith Belzer, withdrew right to a trial at a plea hearing in circuit court at Alma, where Duvall placed Powers under a series of sex offender restrictions. Powers was instructed to pay restitution to the victim in an amount to be determined as well as pay for victim counseling and $518 in court assessments. Sentencing rules included sex offender counseling and orders that Power have no contact with the boy or immediate family members. Buffalo County District Attorney Thomas Clark prosecuted the case and investigations were done by the county sheriffs department. Thaddeus A. Powers came to the Winona area a few years ago and was Habitats director for a little more than two years. La Crosse will keep its RadioShack location for now. The Shelby Mall store is not among the 539 stores slated to close in the next month, according to documents included in federal bankruptcy filings. The company says it will continue evaluating options for the roughly 1,000 remaining stores. RadioShack last week filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in just over two years, putting the future of the nearly 100-year-old electronics retailer in doubt. Once known as the place to buy batteries and obscure electronic parts, RadioShack has struggled to hang on to customers as more people shop on Amazon.com and other online retailers. It redesigned its stores about three years ago and stocked its shelves with popular headphone brands and the latest gadgets. But that didnt attract more shoppers, and the retailer filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015. After that, it tried to lure smartphone-loving shoppers by opening Sprint wireless carrier shops within 1,200 RadioShack locations. But that didnt help, either. CEO Dene Rogers said Thursday that mobile phone sales were surprisingly poor, especially in recent months. Sprint Corp. said it will turn several hundred of the remaining locations into Sprint-only stores, but declined to give a specific number. RadioShack, based in Fort Worth, Texas, has nearly 5,900 employees, according to bankruptcy paperwork filed on Wednesday. The company said it will try to preserve as many jobs as possible. Its stores are open for business, but RadioShack said that anything sold at them cannot be returned for a refund. Its website, however, will continue to accept returns on items bought from RadioShack.com. The company said that those holding a RadioShack gift card have until April 7 to spend it at stores. RadioShack, which was founded in 1921, is owned by General Wireless Operations Inc., which bought the brand after its 2015 bankruptcy. New York-based hedge fund Standard General is a shareholder in General Wireless. A Valley View mall location closed in 2015 as part of the companys first bankruptcy. The message Steve Sobiek shared with Portage Area Chamber of Commerce members went beyond business growth and new jobs. Portage, the citys director of business development and planning said, is seeing more ridership on Amtrak, its home to an island that might soon attract campers and hikers, its appeared recently on shows like Great American Railroad Journeys and Hawaii Five-0. It even has a shoe named after it. There is so much neat and different stuff happening that people dont even know about, Sobiek told the group Tuesday. Portage is turning a new leaf, a new page. Were looking into the future, and I think tomorrows Portage will be vastly improved, a very different Portage than we even see today. The Portage Amtrak station on its Empire Builder line saw a 27 percent increase in ridership from 2015 to 2016, far exceeding the states average increase of 1 percent ridership. A lot of that is due to geography, Sobiek said, but more people are coming to Portage, the impetus for discussions between the city and Amtrak about possibly expanding or moving the depot to better accommodate more users. Such talks are related to the fact Wisconsin and Minnesota are seriously looking at adding another train in each direction to the Empire Builder line, Sobiek said, one which would drastically increase people coming to Portage. Thats huge. That could be a game changer, Sobiek said of Empire Builder, which runs between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. (People) can see Portage is on the move. City and Chamber officials have also been meeting with the Bureau of Land Management regarding development of campsites and a trail system on the 188-acre island visible from Riverside Park to West Edgewater Street. The island, he added, is a bird sanctuary, a wilderness island that contains one of the last vestiges of old Wisconsin savannah. Nature lovers could journey there by canoe or boat to hike trails through the entire length of the island. Discussions between city leaders and BLM about the islands development remain active. Its very cool its very exciting. Marianne Hanson, the Chambers executive director, said that at a recent meeting about the island, people were seeing its potential for tourism as comparable to the Horicon Marsh, a site visited by people from all over the world. Chamber leaders will tour the island this spring, she added. Accomplishments Sobiek noted for the group assembled at Dinos Restaurant demonstrate the momentum the city is gaining since being named one of Americas Best Communities by Frontier Communications. The Weinbrenner Shoe Company, known for its Thorogood work boots, is releasing boots named after Portage in its 1892 Wisconsin Collection. The city last month found national and international audiences, appearing on Great American Railroad Journeys, a show that airs on BBC Two, as well as on CBSs Hawaii Five-0. According to episode summaries found online, the BBC travel documentary, which aired Feb. 9, details the history of the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, while the Hawaii Five-0 episode that aired Feb. 17 brought the shows main characters to Columbia Correctional Institute to interrogate a serial killer. Were creating jobs and were filling them, Sobiek said. New businesses or business expansions in Portage constitutes a list that goes on and on. Some of those include the new Aldis grocery store, Saint-Gobains $11.5 million expansion, Culvers $1 million expansion, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, BonBon and Bordeaux, ShipRec Logistics, Lifekeepers and the incredible addition of Divine Savior Healthcares La Vita wellness center. Were growing, and our new job-creation numbers far surpass any of the other cities in the entire region, Sobiek said. Within the past year, Sobiek said, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation website, Portage has seen a 1.5 percent for new jobs, surpassing neighboring cities like Baraboo, Beaver Dam and Reedsburg all of the other cities in the region, this occurring at a time when the state, overall, has a huge worker shortage. City officials are working hard to keep workers in the area, he said, but we have to do a better job. Sobiek commended local worker training programs, like that of the Portage Enterprise Center, as well as efforts of the Chamber and school district in targeting young workers with facility tours and job fairs. The city is working with several developers and interested businesses for future opportunities, Sobiek said. If I had a crystal ball Id say well have more developments like Aldis, Sobiek said. He reminded attendees that projects like Aldis typically take three years from the early conversations to the store opening. Thats how things happen. Unfortunately we cant wave a magic wand, like some of the larger communities can. TWO HARBORS, Minn. Earlier this winter, Duluth photographer Michael Furtman was driving along the North Shore of Lake Superior in search of great gray owls. Several of the giant, elusive birds had flown down from Canada in search of food. He pulled off on a dirt road where he had seen an owl the night before. One was there, perched in a spruce tree, but so was a pair of videographers, so Furtman backed off. I was going to let them have their time with the bird, he said. Then he saw one of them run out and put a mouse on the snow. Quickly the owl dove down in front of the camera and snatched up the easy meal. At first Furtman was so angry that he drove away, but then he returned and confronted them. You know, there are a lot of people who would actually like to photograph this bird hunting, he said to them through his car window, and its not going to hunt the rest of the day after you stuff it to the gills. Later, Furtman posted the interaction on Facebook. Were not hurting this bird in any way, shape or form, one of the videographers responded. Absolutely not. Maybe were hurting the photographers, and Im sorry if thats the way people feel. Furtman is a longtime nature photographer and writer. Recently hes made it his personal mission to stop the practice of owl feeding or baiting, as he and other detractors call it which he said is not only unethical, but can harm owls by habituating them to humans. The issue has become so contentious in recent years that its brought photographers to blows, sparked a proposed state law a couple years ago, and led to more and more confrontations, in person, and on-line. I compare it to the election, said Terry Crayne, a longtime hobby wildlife photographer from the Iron Range who has used mice to entice owls. You dont want to talk about Trump, because you get jumped on. You dont want to talk about feeding owls, because its the same atmosphere. In short, the arguments break down this way. Those opposed to feeding say its dishonest. It doesnt capture owls behaving naturally. And they argue it habituates owls to humans. Youre essentially training the owl to lose its fear of humans and associate food with humans, said James Duncan, a Canadian biologist who directs Manitobas wildlife and fisheries branch who has written several books on owls. So then they become bolder, to the point where youll often see them perching on the ground with humans, or as soon as a car pulls up to an area, where theyve been baited, they come out of the forest and perch nearby, increasing the likelihood of getting hit by a vehicle, he explained. But others say they dont see any damage in feeding owls. They point out there havent been any studies documenting how owls have been harmed. Its a nasty battle, but as far as I know, theres no data to back up any of the negative, said Terry Crayne, who added that many of the photographers yelling the loudest about feeding owls have no qualms about feeding other wildlife. Most of the people I know who are against feeding owls are actually feeding deer, he said. The deer are associating humans with food. So which is worse? In my mind, if youre against feeding one animal, you should be against feeding them all. Photographers say they first saw widespread feeding in Minnesota in 2004, when hordes of great grays flew south to Minnesota. Furtman said thats when he was first introduced to the technique by a friend, and he used it for a week before souring on the practice. But he saw how effective it was. I have to admit, its really cool to watch an owl fly in and grab something, he said. How often do you get to see a predator pounce on prey? The issue really exploded a couple winters ago, when a large number of snowy owls visited southern Minnesota. Aided by social media, where owl sightings are quickly posted, photographers flocked to see them. With rain and snow falling, Mary and Dan Dreher of Bloomington stop to photograph a northern hawk owl from inside their car Feb. 22 inside the Sax-Zim Bog. Derek Montgomery for MPR News We call them owl jams, said photographers Dan and Mary Dreher of Bloomington, likening the throngs of shooters to the bear jams that can occur with tourists at Yellowstone National Park. The retired couple visited the Sax-Zim Bog area of northeast Minnesota recently, where they photographed a northern hawk owl through the window of their car on a cold, rainy evening. They recalled a confrontation they witnessed while photographing a snowy owl perched on a piece of farm machinery. One guy was baiting. Another guy objected to the guy who was baiting, and told him to stop. He threw out another mouse, and the next thing you know, they were punching each other! The popularity of wildlife photography has exploded in the past decade with the advent of high speed, digital technology. Thats helped spark intense competition, said Keith Crowley, a professional wildlife photographer based in Hudson, Wis. Youll have five people photographing the same owl, two will want to bait, and three wont, he said. And there will be shouting matches. I watched someone grab someone elses box full of mice and drive away with them, screaming obscenities. Its a heated issue. People feel very strongly on both sides. There are a lot of ethical gray areas when it comes to wildlife photography. People will drag carcasses into the woods to attract scavengers, photograph animals on game farms, and use vocal calls or recordings to lure birds and animals. Photographer Mary Dreher said that practice concerns her even more than feeding owls, since she sees it occurring much more frequently. And the next thing you know the owls are so confused, theyre just flying all over, she said. But its owl feeding that has generated the most passion. Several magazines and photo contests have begun to reject baited photographs of owls and other predators. Many photographers now label their shots with the hashtag ethical owl photo. Michael Furtman and others have taken to aggressively outing those who feed owls online. If youre going to do it, and youre not going to tell people you do it, then Im going to call you out on it, because this is not wildlife photography, he said. Thats led to accusations of cyber-bullying. Even some who fervently oppose the feeding of owls, like photographer Keith Crowley, dont see the benefit in confrontation. I dont think outing people is the right tact to take, he said. That cements people into their position, and they dont want to budge then. He said education and possibly legislation are needed. The province of Manitoba has a law prohibiting the feeding of wildlife next to roads. The Minnesota DNR twice supported legislation that would have made feeding owls illegal. It didnt pass, and hasnt been reintroduced. Carrol Henderson, the DNRs nongame wildlife supervisor, said demand for photographs of owls that have been fed has cooled now that several magazines, including the DNRs own Conservation Volunteer, wont accept them. But he said it can still affect the experience of birders and photographers who travel from hundreds of miles away to see owls in Minnesota in winter. Its a real dilemma in terms of people who are just trying to enjoy the owls or photograph them passively, he said, without having to make them perform. TOMAH Thirty-six people were displaced after an early Saturday morning fire damaged an apartment building in Tomah. Tomah Fire Chief Tim Adler said everyone was safely evacuated from the fire that caused severe damage to the 16-unit apartment building on Murdock Street. Adler said 41 firefighters from Tomah, the Oakdale Fire Department and Fort McCoy battled the fire. He said firefighters were at the scene all day Saturday and that flames shot 20 feet above the roof line. I had people out there until 5 p.m., Adler said. The American Red Cross said it was helping 10 adults and four children find housing as of Sunday morning. It set up a temporary reception center Saturday at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Tomah to assist families with emergency food, shelter and clothing. Adler described the damage as a high-value loss and said the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. He said an insurance company will need to determine if the unit is a total loss. In addition to the firefighters, Adler said Tomah Police Department officers were on the scene alerting residents to the fire. Adler said everyone had been evacuated within minutes of the call. It was a good response by everybody, Adler said. I thought everything went well considering the circumstances. He said it was Tomahs first major residential fire in more than 20 months. Gov. Scott Walker has a recommendation of presidential politeness for Donald Trump whenever No. 45 feels tempted to tweet tantrums: Be kind, unwind. The Wisconsin Republican offered that advice when asked during a press conference in La Crosse Monday whether he, as a former presidential rival of Trumps, had any tips for the president amid negative reactions to his venomous tweets. I would say not only to the president but also to his administration and Congress when somebody gives you the finger, give them a thumbs up. If somebody is nasty, be twice as nice to them, said Walker, who was in town to address the monthly meeting of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce. Walker said that is the approach he took in 2011, when upwards of 150,000 demonstrators occupied the Capitol to protest his budget repair measures, including ending collective bargaining for public employees. They should look at the things we did Do things you said you were going to do, but be decent about it, said Walker, one of 16 Republicans who ran against Trump last year before dropping out of the race Sept. 21. Asked how Wisconsin Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryans plan for the American Health Care Act to repeal and replace President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act might affect residents of the Badger State, Walker said Obamacare is collapsing, so something must be done. The fact that Wisconsin did not take the ACAs Medicaid expansion or join the insurance marketplace has left the state in better shape than others, he said. Regarding Ryans proposal to replace the federal governments current Medicaid programs with block grants, Walker said he has told the president that such a maneuver must at least cover existing programs. During Walkers post-luncheon address to chamber members, the governor underscored his belief that his biennial budget will be a major factor in nurturing a positive business climate in the state. We are working and winning for Wisconsin, Walker said. Our states unemployment rate dipped to 3.9 percent in January the lowest its been in 16 years and significantly better than the national rate of 4.8 percent. And were building upon this solid foundation in our 2017-2019 budget proposal to ensure our students continue to succeed, government services are more efficient and accountable, and everyone who wants a job can find a job, Walker said. My problem is not in the number of jobs created. My problem is there arent enough workers for the jobs, he said. That is one of the reasons the budget includes increases for K-12 education to help prepare students to enter the workforce as adults, he said. The budget funds academic and career plans for students as early as sixth grade, he said. Encouraging youths to think about their careers and what courses they might need to take allows them to take classes in high school that can earn college credit, Walker said. That route can trim a semester or more from a college tuition bill, which is no small amount these days, he said. Another initiative aims to get people to move from public assistance to jobs, he said, adding, Public assistance should be a trampoline and not a hammock. That is the philosophy behind requiring people who are receiving benefits such as food stamps and/or public housing assistance to work 80 hours a month, he said. If they are not employed, they must enroll in job training so that they will be able to get a job, he said. Were lowering the cost of doing business in Wisconsin, he said. A lot of people in both parties believe that the government creates jobs. But government doesnt create jobs you create jobs. Weve created an environment for jobs, he said. As a fifth-generation farmer living in Marquette County, I know firsthand the importance of having strong, vibrant rural communities when it comes to Wisconsins future. When speaking with farmers, business owners and consumers across rural Wisconsin, I consistently hear the need to address the same issues: broadband, education, transportation and water quality. Gov. Scott Walkers budget makes it clear that he heard that message as well. Gov. Walkers recently introduced budget is good for Wisconsins farm families, our rural communities and our future. Unfortunately, farmers do not all have internet access, or even if they have internet, it may not be fast enough or dependable enough to complete farm business. Our rural communities need broadband. Farms and businesses need to be able to advertise and sell products online. Students need internet to complete homework and seek information. Gov. Walkers budget will expand broadband funding, an increase of $34.5 million over the biennium. This is good for all of us. In Wisconsin, our students success today is fundamental to our states future growth. Gov. Walkers budget increases Sparsity Aid by $20 million and provides 100 percent reimbursement for rural school districts in the High-Cost Transportation Aid program, increasing this support by $10.4 million. His budget allows school districts to enter into agreements to share or jointly provide services or specialists in areas such as attendance officers or lifesaving skill instruction, reducing the burdens on rural schools. Farms and businesses depend on a solid transportation system to market its products across the region, state and country. Gov. Walkers budget also makes key investments when it comes to transportation in rural areas. His budget contains the most funding ever provided to local governments for local road aids. Local governments will receive a total increase of $76,966,700 in state aid and assistance over the 2015-17 biennium from the combined increases in general transportation aids, local road improvement program payments and state funded local bridge improvement assistance program payments. Water quality is essential for the long-term success of agriculture and Wisconsins rural communities. Farmers care deeply about the land they work and rely upon to make a living. Gov. Walkers budget emphasizes his commitment to Wisconsin farmers. It includes a number of initiatives to address land and water resource management, including $7 million in cost-sharing grants for farmers implementing conservation practices with the assistance of county land conservation departments. We continue to support county land and conservation staffing as we always have. Gov. Walkers budget also includes a 24 percent increase, an additional $825,000 each fiscal year (or $1.65 million over the biennium) in funding for nutrient management planning, which helps farmers determine when to apply manure and other nutrients at the proper rate and location. Continuation of the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants program in the budget will help farmers work together to develop solutions to prevent runoff. These producer-led efforts maintain or improve water quality through improved or new approaches to farming practices. After a thorough review of the fees and surcharges on farmers and businesses that are used to manage the agriculture chemical program and the Agriculture Chemical Cleanup Program, Gov. Walker included in his budget proposal a reduction of fees to farmers and businesses of $2 million per year. His proposal will still fully fund the cleanup efforts managed by DATCP as well as oversight of product uses and regulations. I am optimistic for the future of Wisconsins rural communities. I believe Gov. Walkers budget makes a strong investment in our rural communities and Wisconsins future. It is clear the governor is investing in our states priorities and moving Wisconsin forward. Upon taking office, President Donald Trump dusted off a portrait of Andrew Jackson and hung it above his desk in the Oval Office. He chose better than he knew. The most jaw-dropping furor of the early Trump administration the Obama wiretapping allegation was presaged in broad outline almost 200 years ago during Jacksons presidency. Trump is Jacksonian not just in political sensibility but also in temperament, and that ultimately could determine the fate of his presidency. Trumps tweets created a sense of crisis in his own government, sent his aides scrambling to find some justification and could yet have momentous consequences if, say, FBI Director James Comey quits in the fallout. This is a lot of work for a Saturday morning tweetstorm arising, as far as we can tell, from a fit of pique. Still, it doesnt have anything on the Peggy Eaton affair. On the surface, the affair involved the picayune question of how a wife of one Cabinet member was treated by the wives of other Cabinet members. Yet it blighted the beginning of Jacksons presidency, remade his Cabinet and affected subsequent presidential politics. Peggy Eaton was married to Jacksons secretary of war, John Eaton. She was beautiful, impetuous and not popular with the other women in Washington society, who considered her of low character. The attacks on Peggy reminded Jackson of abuse directed at his late wife, Rachel, and he devoted himself entirely to her cause. In the ensuing contention, invitations to parties, gossip and petty snubs took on the highest political significance. Imagine The Real Housewives of D.C. except with the president of the United States intimately involved in every brawl. Secretary of State Martin Van Buren deftly worked the politics of the affair to become a favorite of Jackson and set himself up to get elected as his successor, while Vice President John Calhoun whose wife, Floride, was a Peggy antagonist fell from favor. Jackson and Trump share qualities that invited their respective blowups. Theres the moodiness. Jackson biographer Jon Meacham describes him at one point as grumpy and wounded, sensitive and wary of conspiracy. Surely, that captures Trumps mood when tweeting a week ago Saturday, furious at the latest eruption of the Russian controversy. Theres the oppositional mindset. Jackson believed, Meacham writes, the country was being controlled by a kind of congressional-financial-bureaucratic complex in which the needs and concerns of the unconnected were secondary to those who were on the inside. This is a fair approximation of the deep state that Trump and his supporters believe is out to sabotage him. Theres the combativeness. Jackson viewed all conflict in military terms, and Trump is ever the counterpuncher. Theres the emphasis on loyalty. In the Eaton affair, Jackson couldnt abide contradiction. Trump aides must defend the indefensible when the president goes off half-cocked, knowing every controversy is a loyalty test. Theres the backdrop of hostile polite opinion. Jacksons critics considered him unbalanced and dictatorial, as Meacham puts it. Sound familiar? Finally, both Jackson and Trump viewed the controversies as a test of their legitimacy. Jackson saw the attacks on Peggy Eaton as a way to undermine his authority to pick whomever he pleased for his Cabinet. Trump considers the Russia story an attempt to undermine his November victory. Jackson eventually found his way out of the Eaton affair, not through continued internal warfare but by deftly negotiating a turnover of his Cabinet. Similarly, Trump wont punch his way out of the Russia story with wild allegations of his own, but by focusing on matters of greater public import. Jackson won two terms, and for all his faults demonstrated a deep love of country. The test for Trump is whether he can rein in his Jacksonian temperament enough to get out of his own way. In the meantime, just like the first time around, political observers will be agog. As John Quincy Adams noted when Jacksons Cabinet turned over, people stare and laugh and say, what next? Q: Is carbon dioxide a major contributor to global warming? A: The Earths atmosphere is a mixture of many different gases. Several of these gases are known as greenhouse gases because they share the characteristic of being excellent absorbers of infra-red radiation. Such gases absorb radiation emitted by the Earth that would otherwise escape to space and cool the planet. Upon being absorbed, these gases re-emit a fraction of that energy back downward to the surface, keeping the planet warmer than it would otherwise be. In fact, our Earth would have an average temperature of about zero without these greenhouse gases. The average temperature of the planet is 59 degrees, dramatically demonstrating the warming effect of these greenhouse gases. Among the collection of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the one that has attracted the most attention with regard to global warming. This is likely because CO2 is a by-product of burning fossil fuels, the acknowledged predominant energy source for our nations and the worlds economy. In the last 100 years, the accelerated use of fossil fuels has led to an increase in the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere from 300 to 400 parts per million (400 molecules of every one million are now CO2). The current concentration far exceeds anything the Earths atmosphere has experienced in at least the last 800,000 years. Being a greenhouse gas, the more CO2 there is in the atmosphere, the greater the warming effect. This basic physical fact is indisputably true. Thus, to hear the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assert that CO2 is not a primary contributor to global warming, as he did last week, represents a stunning display of willful ignorance. It seems unlikely that Americans would tolerate the surgeon general of the United States suggesting that smoking does not cause cancer. Neither should we accept this recent statement by the EPA chief. New video of events before fatal Ferguson shooting in film: FERGUSON, Mo. A convenience store is disputing a new documentarys claim that previously unreleased surveillance video suggests Michael Brown didnt rob the store shortly before he was fatally shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. One of the filmmakers, Jason Pollock, told The New York Times he believes the footage shows Brown trading a small amount of marijuana for a bag of cigarillos around 1 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2014. The video doesnt clearly show what was exchanged, but shows Brown leaving behind the bag of cigarillos. Pollock reasons Brown intended to come back later for the cigarillos. Pollock argues the new footage challenges what authorities have said about Brown pushing a worker and taking cigarillos during another visit to the store about 10 hours later, shortly before he was killed. Palestinian leader says Trump committed to Mideast peace: RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says U.S. President Donald Trump has assured him of his commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Abbas on Sunday spoke about what he described as a constructive phone call with Trump two days earlier. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying that Trump asserted his full commitment to the peace process. Abbas says he told Trump he opposes extremism and will cooperate with the U.S. to reach a peace deal based on the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel. Serbia to get Russian jets before election: BELGRADE, Serbia Serbias defense minister has said that the country is expecting Russian President Vladimir Putins approval for the delivery of fighter jets, which could worsen tensions with neighboring states. Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic told the Blic daily on Sunday that Putins signature on the delivery of six MiG-29s is only a formality and that they will be arriving for sure. The jets that are to come from Russian air force reserves will formally be delivered for free, but their refurbishing will cost 185 million euros, officials said. Its in our interest that the MiGs arrive as soon as possible so we start their repairs and modernization, Djordjevic said. Dad who fled with sons pleads guilty to custody interference: NEWTON, N.J. A New Jersey father who sparked a nationwide search when he fled the state with his two young sons has pleaded guilty to two counts of interference of custody. Sussex County prosecutors say Kristopher Dohm faces up to 20 years in prison when hes sentenced April 21. The 38-year-old Hopatcong man had told his ex-wife that he was taking their sons, then ages 7 and 8, on a trip to Nevada. But she reported them missing when they failed to return as planned. Dohm and his sons were found a few weeks later at a motel in New Port Richey, Florida, along with a fugitive wanted in Tennessee on sex charges. Dohm admitted that he had shaved the boys heads to try and conceal their identities. Fourth victim identified after fatal shooting: NEW ORLEANS A relative has identified the fourth victim in a shooting at a New Orleans home that left a woman and two children dead. WDSU-TV reports Debra Smith said Sunday that her granddaughter 12-year-old A'Miya Smith was severely wounded in the March 10 shooting. Smith is the daughter 30-year-old Monique Smith, who along with her two boys, Jumyrin Smith and 10-year-old Justin Simms was killed in the shooting. The grandmother says A'Miya remains in critical conditions after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the face. Police have not released a motive for the shooting. No arrests have been made. News outlets quote New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison as saying it was "a very horrific scene." Well-deserved. Thats how Kelly Burhop, superintendent of the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District described Brookwood Elementary Schools administrator Dr. Gayle Luebkes honor of being named Administrator of the Year by the Wisconsin State Reading Association. Shes an outstanding administrator, and its great to see her get that recognition on a statewide level, he said. Her recognition was deserved because of her dedication to students, Burhop said. Im very proud of Dr. Luebke ... shes committed to the education of children, he said. Thats what makes her outstanding. Luebke said she was surprised to receive the award. I wasnt expecting it at all, she said. It was a shock. ... But I was honored of course. I tell my staff all the time that this goes to them, because theyre the ones that do all the hard work every day. So it was really nice, and I think they deserve to win awards because theyre the ones that are out there with the kids, doing the hard work with them every single day. Luebke grew up in Rhinelander but has worked in the Tomah/La Crosse area since she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she received a bachelors degree in art education. After she received her undergraduate degree, she received her masters degree in education and professional development from UW-La Crosse, a specialist degree in school administration from Winona State University and her doctorate in educational leadership from Argosy University in California. In 1994 Luebke began teaching art in Tomah, first teaching elementary students and then middle school students. After she received her administrative degree, she became a student services coordinator and later served as an assistant principal at Tomah High School for two years. She worked in the Tomah Area School District for just under 20 years. Five years ago she moved to the Brookwood Elementary School near Ontario, where she serves as principal. She still resides in Tomah with her husband, Bruce, and three of their five daughters. Luebke said she got into teaching because she enjoys working with children. I actually started out as an elementary education major, and I had never really taken art classes, then I started taking a few in college and thought, Hey, I kind of like this. So I switched my major over to art, she said. I just really enjoy working with kids and seeing them grow and learn and its just fun to be part of that. As an administrator Luebke enjoys observing children as they progress. Theyre just little sponges; they soak up everything, she said. Its fun watching the joy in their eyes as they learn, and its just so rewarding when they like to learn to see that in the kids as theyre growing up and to know that youre giving them a life-long skill of being able to be a life-long learner and to be successful when they get older. Its good to have a job you like. Her enjoyment of her job is why she was excited for her recognition as Administrator of the Year. Its awesome, she said. Its kind of surreal a little bit, because its like, well Im just doing what I like to do, so theyre rewarding me for something I love doing every day. So that makes it even more rewarding, I guess. Because its like, wow, Im doing something that I love and people notice that, and its pretty cool. I tell my staff all the time that this goes to them, because theyre the ones that do all the hard work every day.Dr. Gayle Luebke Blog Archive Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (3) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (3) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (3) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) 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Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) North Korea has been developing missiles and expanding its nuclear program for many years. But recently, North Korea has greatly increased production and testing of weapons, leading many security experts to urge immediate action to stop it. The latest test came on March 6, when North Korea launched four missiles. They came down in waters off Japans northwest coast. In recent months, North Korea has tested a number of missiles, including a new medium-range missile in February. It also carried out two nuclear tests last year. The most recent tests came as the United States and South Korea launched joint military exercises. U.S. officials described the exercises as a series of joint and combined ground, air, naval and special operations field training. North Korea has called them a rehearsal for an invasion by enemies. Mark Fitzpatrick directs the U.S. office of Britains International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He says the fact that North Korea fired four missiles at the same time shows a new level of operational skill. Each missile test does give North Korea more knowledge and it contributes to North Korea's quest eventually to be able to have a nuclear armed missile that could hit the United States. He adds the continued testing clearly shows that reaching the U.S. mainland with a nuclear missile is a goal of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Fitzpatrick and other experts believe that in as little as four years, North Korea could have a long-range missile armed with a nuclear warhead. The accelerated pace of North Korea's testing over the last few years is certainly a cause for concern. Last year there were 24 missile tests and this year is off to the races, with five missiles launched to date. The latest tests did not involve long-range missiles equipped to reach U.S. territory. The four rockets were identified as extended-range Scud missiles, each with an estimated range up to 1,000 kilometers. The Soviet Union developed Scud missiles during the last century at a time of tense relations with the United States and the West. They were modernized versions of rockets built by Germany during World War II. Fitzpatrick said North Koreas recent tests did not provide evidence of a major development in Scud missile technology. But he added that even if the missiles are older, the international community should still be concerned about the tests. These shorter-range missiles can easily strike targets in South Korea and Japan. Long-range rockets capable of reaching the United States are called intercontinental ballistic missiles. North Korea is currently thought to be developing several of these ICBMs. Some are said to have a range of up to 10,000 kilometers. At the same time, North Korea is moving forward with nuclear development to arm its missiles. Recent satellite images have shown signs that North Korea was preparing to restart production of plutonium at its main nuclear center. Plutonium can be used to produce nuclear arms. North Korea is also thought to have produced highly enriched uranium for its nuclear weapons. Many security experts agree that North Korea probably has enough material for at least 20 nuclear weapons. However, there is no clear evidence that North Korea has successfully miniaturized a nuclear weapon for a missile. Fitzpatrick said he believes this will happen one day, given North Koreas continued engineering and technological development. He added that North Korea has also taken steps to improve its methods for launching and deploying missiles. During the past year, it showed a new capability to fire missiles from vehicles with treads similar to those on tanks. This gives these launch vehicles the ability to travel off main roads to places not as easily found by surveillance. Recent tests have shown North Korea has also begun using solid fuel motors in missiles. Fitzpatrick says such missiles can be filled and launched much faster than rockets powered by liquid fuel. The combination of solid-fueled missiles and tread-tracked vehicles going off road makes the detection and preemption option far more difficult. Fitzpatrick says North Koreas missile and nuclear development should be a top priority for the United States and President Donald Trump. Kim Jong Un said in a New Years speech his country was in the final stages of developing missiles capable of hitting the United States. Trump reacted on Twitter by saying, It wont happen. Former U.S. President Barack Obama reportedly told Trump that he believed North Korea is perhaps the greatest immediate threat to the United States. An Obama administration official said the former president told Trump that Chinese support will be necessary when dealing with North Korea. Former U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel Locklear led the U.S. Pacific Command from 2012 to 2015. He says U.S. officials need to consider a number of ways for dealing with North Korea, including possible military action. Certainly there are many elements of national and coalition power that range from diplomatic to economic. But at the very base of all those would be military power that the U.S. and its allies must continue to consider." International attempts at negotiations with North Korea on the nuclear issue have not been successful. The last six-nation talks on North Koreas nuclear program started in 2003, but have been suspended since late 2008. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said North Korea must take positive action before it can be taken seriously. She spoke to reporters after a U.N. Security Council meeting over the most recent launches. Her comments came before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillersons planned trip to Asia, where North Korea is likely a main issue for discussion. One way for the U.S. and other countries to deal with North Koreas immediate threat is to deploy anti-missile defenses. American forces have already begun deploying an anti-missile system in South Korea. The system, called THAAD, could be operational as early as April, according to the South Korean military. Locklear said THAAD - combined with South Korea's existing missile defenses - would greatly strengthen the country's ability to react to a North Korean missile attack. Im Bryan Lynn. And I'm Alice Bryant. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and other sources. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think the international community should respond to North Korea's latest missile tests? If so, how? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story rehearsal n. practice for an event or performance quest n. effort or journey to get something done enrich v. improve the quality by adding something miniaturized adj. extremely small sophisticated adj. advanced or highly developed tread n. the part of a tire that touches the ground preemption n. acting beforehand to prevent something from happening range n. the distance to which a moving object can travel accelerate v. to move faster surveillance n. close watch kept by someone or something A new study suggests that even small amounts of calcium in the arteries of young people can predict a heart attack or death within 12 years. Researchers say it was easy to recognize the calcium in the arteries, which carry blood from the heart through the body. They also say the findings can be a call to action for doctors and patients to begin taking preventative action. Dr. Jeff Carr is an expert on hearts at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. Even if its just one little dot or a very low whats called a calcium score are at markedly elevated risk. So if you have any amount of coronary calcium, your risk increases over the next 10 to 15 years by about 10 percent. If you have a lot, your risk increases significantly and your chance of dying over those next years is approximately 22 percent. Dr. Carr was the lead writer of a report on the study, which was published in the journal JAMA Cardiology. The study began in 1985. It involved about 5,000 people at four centers in the United States. The people were between 18 and 30 years of age at the time. About 3,300 African-American and white young adults were given a computerized tomography (CT) scan as part of the study. Researchers used the CT images to learn if any of the subjects had atherosclerosis before the study began. The other subjects were followed based on risk factors for a heart attack. Researchers said they found evidence of atherosclerosis in about 30 percent of those who had the CT scan. The researchers followed up on the group 12 years after the study began. At that time, doctors noted a higher-than-normal death rate among those with the calcium deposits. Carr said it is not necessary to perform a CT scan on everyone to be able to predict their risk of death from a heart attack. He said a doctor can often predict that risk just by examining a person. Risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol -- even when modestly elevated in early adult life in these people at high risk -- may provide (an) opportunity to identify them and treat risk factors more aggressively, and just be able to potentially lower the risk of future heart attacks that we saw over the past 15 years in the cohort. Carr said people at risk of heart disease should consider taking medicines designed to lower high blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels. Losing weight and stopping smoking also helps, he said. So does eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, and less red meat. Im Anna Mateo. VOA Health Correspondent Jessica Berman reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow 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 calcium n. a substance that is found in most plants and animals and that is especially important in people for strong healthy bones artery n. any one of the tubes that carry blood from the heart to all parts of the body atherosclerosis n. a disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. (Plaque is a harmful material that can form in arteries and be a cause of heart disease.) cardiac adj. of or relating to the heart dot n. a small amount marked adj. very noticeable elevated adj. higher than normal coronary adj. of or relating to the heart and especially to the vessels that supply blood to the heart risk factor n. something that increases risk cholesterol n. a substance that is found in the bodies of people and animals modest adj. not very large in size or amount cohort n. a group of people used in a study who have something (such as age or social class) in common On Saturday, the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte blocked Turkish officials from entering the country. The officials wanted to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum on April 16. They were hoping to find Turks to vote in the referendum. If passed, the referendum would greatly expand the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey said the Netherlands police used "disproportionate" force against Turkish protestors. And its president, Erdogan said, "Nazism is alive in the West and promised to retaliate. Reactions from Europe After the heated exchange, European Union leaders asked Turkey to avoid statements or actions that worsen the situation. EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas said it was essential to find ways to calm the situation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at a news conference in Munich on Monday, said the Nazi comments were "completely unacceptable." She also urged Turkey to calm down. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged all members of the alliance "to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach." The Netherlands, meanwhile, issued a travel advisory to their citizens to "be alert and avoid gatherings and busy places throughout Turkey." The conflict between the two countries comes as the Netherlands is preparing for its own general election on Wednesday. In this election, the right-wing PVV party of Prime Minister Mark Rutte will be competing against the far-right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders' party. Wilders has recently said the Netherlands government should block Turkish ministers from the country until after the election. Im Phil Dierking The Associated Press reported this story. Phil Dierking adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think about the Netherlands actions?? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. Editor's Note: The Netherlands is a member country of the European Union. Turkey is a candidate country to join the EU. The original story incorrectly stated that both are EU nations. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story disproportionate adj. having or showing a difference that is not fair, reasonable, or expected Nazism n. ideology of Nazis, which wants to use power to control and harm other people especially because of their race, religion, etc. populist adj. of or relating to a political party that claims to represent ordinary people referendum n. an event in which the people of a county, state, etc., vote for or against a law that deals with a specific issue. retaliate v. to do something bad to someone who has hurt you or treated you badly 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. scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history 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 RonNell Andersen Jones and Lisa Grow Sun (University of Utah and Brigham Young University - J. Reuben Clark Law School) have posted Enemy Construction and the Press on SSRN. Here is the abstract: When the president of the United States declared recently that the press is the enemy, it set off a firestorm of criticism from defenders of the institutional media and champions of the presss role in the democracy. But even these Trump critics have mostly failed to appreciate the wider ramifications of the presidents narrative choice. Our earlier work describes the process of governmental enemy construction, by which officials use war rhetoric and other signaling behaviors to convey that a person or institution is not merely an institution that, although wholly legitimate, has engaged in behaviors that are disappointing or disapproved, but instead an illegitimate enemy triggering a state of Schmittian exceptionalism and justifying the compromise of ordinarily recognized liberties. The Trump administration, with a rhetoric that began during the campaign and burgeoned in the earliest days of Donald Trumps presidency, has engaged in enemy construction of the press, and the risks that accompany that categorization are grave. This article examines the fuller components of that enemy construction, beyond the overt use of the label. It offers insights into the social, technological, legal, and political realities that make the press ripe for enemy construction in a way that would have been unthinkable a generation ago. It then explores the potential motivations for and consequences of enemy construction. We argue that enemy construction is particularly alarming when the press, rather than some other entity, is the constructed enemy. Undercutting the watchdog, educator, and proxy functions of the press through enemy construction leaves the administration more capable of delegitimizing other institutions and constructing other enemies including the judiciary, the intelligence community, immigrants, and members of certain races or religions because the viability and traction of counter-narrative is so greatly diminished. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Diversifying into more than one property sector is not new in the South African context, but it's a growing trend that's impacting the hotel pipeline. Nowadays we're increasingly seeing investors who weren't traditionally interested in hotels now investing in this asset class and, whilst mixed-use developments are by no means a new concept in South Africa, it's certainly interesting to note the upswing in mixed-use hospitality investment. As a trend, it's allowing developers and investors to diversify portfolios, spread risk and, in many cases, deliver significant added value to a development or precinct Historically, few developers wanted to own hotels, instead opting to secure leases through the typical developers model used in other asset classes. In recent times, however, there's been a noticeable shift in the nature of hotel development and the manner in which such developments are funded and owned. This has resulted in the construction of more hotels within larger mixed-use buildings and communities. There are a number of contributing factors at play here: Firstly, the influx of several major international hotel brands into South Africa has brought more developers into the hotel fray, with classic hotel management contracts turning towards more 'hybrid contracts' that attune the individual needs and risk appetites of the parties by providing some downside financial protection, giving comfort to investors, developers and banks. Developers in South Africa are often in possession of the development rights of the most prime real estate in the business areas of the country, which means that Operators typically have to deal with property developers as opposed to traditional hotel investors. Developers and owners have achieved a much greater understanding of hotel operations and the high yields that can be achieved through investment with management contracts. They've also become more sophisticated in the negotiation of contract terms, often with the help of specialist advisory firms. Both the power of the developer and the lack of international brand penetration in the South African market have resulted in management companies (especially those with limited or no presence in the market), developing more flexibility in order to achieve a strong brand presence. These factors have brought developers and operators closer together. Secondly, the real estate market is cyclical by nature, with different stages of the market cycle presenting different levels of opportunities and risk. When the economy is growing, demand for space in commercial properties is generally high and landlords have flexibility in setting rents. In the last few years however, the country's sluggish economy, rand weakness and muted GDP growth have made operating conditions difficult, reflecting in low business and consumer confidence levels. As a result, many of the more traditional assets - such as office, industrial and retail components - haven't performed as well in terms of yields, and the lack of real business expansion has meant that new office stock has typically outpaced overall growth. The above has resulted in less speculative development and more developers and real estate investors taking on more than one asset class in order to further business opportunities and reduce their reliance on a single market. This downturn in traditional real estate has been counteracted by an upturn in the hospitality market, with a promise of greater yields driven by increased tourism growth and supported by the weak rand and the lack of hotel development in the market in the last 5 years. The opportunity to spread risk by having investment revenue flow through multiple revenue streams and the ability to achieve a nicely balanced ratio of variable to fixed cash flows - as well as from diversified market sectors like hotel, office and retail - is also appealing. Mixed-use developments, such as Gauteng's Melrose Arch and Cape Town's V&A Waterfront and Century City, with different components that complement one another, exemplify such cases. Research has also shown that diversification often ensures a higher potential for a property project to be successful and the real benefits of mixed-use is that it provides generally enhanced development viability for both the hotel and the residential/ retail / office development that could be too prohibitive individually. Research also reveals that a hotel can boost revenue by 15 20% if attached to a shopping or retail centre. Towards the end of last year SA's Amdec property development group announced the investment of R3-billion into five brand-new hotels in Johannesburg and Cape Town to be managed under the Marriott International Hotels brand. Both Johannesburg hotels will be developed at One On Whiteley, a larger development by Amdec within Melrose Arch. They are expected to open their doors in 2018. In Cape Town, the five-star, 200-room Cape Town Marriott Hotel Foreshore and the 150-room Residence Inn by Marriott Cape Town Foreshore will be situated within Amdec's latest mixed-use development named Harbour Arch, modelled on Melrose Arch. A 189-room AC Hotel Cape Town will be situated in Amdec's The Yacht Club mixed-use development, close to the CTICC and Waterfront. Similarly the V&A Waterfront has recently undergone substantial development in its new Silo district, which currently houses the new headquarters of Allan Gray at Silo 1 and apartments at Silo 2. The project will be completed this year, with the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, a Virgin Active gym and a new 252- key Radisson Red hotel due to open in September 2017. The former Triangle (Safmarine) House, a landmark office building in the heart of the Mother City is currently being transformed by developer Signatura and land owner Stonehill Property Fund into the Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence - a five-star hotel plus 166 branded sectional title apartments and penthouses for sale due to open in April 2017. Owners of these apartments are able to add them to the hotel rental pool. Another newcomer is the 207-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Durban's Oceans Umhlanga development that's anticipated to open its doors in 2019. Designed as an urban resort, the high-end complex will feature luxury apartments and a shopping mall with leading international brands. The mixed-use development trend is being replicated in other African cities. Big developers and hotel operators have also joined forces in Nairobi, Accra, Lagos, Dar es Salaam and Maputo. Such relationships can only bode well for the hospitality sector across the continent as the combination of world class development with world class brands will take the supply of hotels to a new level. Wayne Troughton CEO, HTI Consulting HTI Consulting The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) released on Friday a new report highlighting several unlawful hiring practices at the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). The report was issued just weeks after a leadership change at the IC, in which former president Ung Vai Meng quit unexpectedly and was replaced by Leung Hio Ming, one of the bureaus former vice presidents. Leung already stated that he was aware of the CCAC investigation, but that the contested procedures were not under his supervision. The document, named Investigation report on the employment of workers through acquisition of services by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, argues that the IC has violated the law of open recruitment and central recruitment system [and] evaded the superiors assessment and supervision by hiring a lot of workers through acquisition of services over recent years. The CCAC focuses on issues such as the ICs reported failure to publicize job openings, as well as carelessness, negligence and an alleged violation of the recusal system. The anti-graft watchdog claims that during the investigations, which started in April 2016 and lasted for almost a year, it became clear that the IC had been hiring numerous illegal workers through acquisition of services in recent years. The CCAC said it had identified similar flaws in other public departments and that, together with the Commission of Audit (CA), it had continuously pointed out these practices in their reports, recommendations and guidelines. Such recommendations were acknowledged by most of the public departments [that] have avoided hiring workers through acquisition of services, a situation that did not happen for the IC, which has been using the method increasingly over the years. According to the CCAC report, there were a total of 112 workers employed by the IC in 2014 using the aforementioned method, accounting for about 17 percent of all of the bureaus employees. A similar figure was noted in 2015 when 110 workers were hired through the same method. Last year, although the bureau was already under investigation, the number of employees hired by that method still came to 94 workers. The CCAC also noted in its report that, according to the information provided by the IC, apart from full-time workers, the bureau also recruited a considerable number of part-time workers who were paid hourly to work in relevant sub-units every year. A total of 308 such workers were recruited in 2014; 293 and 416 workers were recruited in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The CCAC added that the method was broadly used and that there was a complete system in place to supervise these employees work differently. There were even special forms to record the attendance of such workers and for them to apply for annual leave. Arguably, the practice already became quite common, systematized and standardized, the CCAC report continued, adding that the IC had always justified the hiring process by citing heavy workloads, inadequate manpower and the time-consuming recruitment process. During the investigation, the IC said, the massive increase in the workloads in recent years and the inadequate manpower made them unable to cope with a multitude of additional projects; not to mention that it took too long to hire workers through the central recruitment system and that the authorities would not approve our exemption from initiating an open recruitment process. However, the CCAC investigations found that when recruiting workers through acquisition of services, the IC also failed to publicize their recruitment. Nor did they request job seeker information from the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP), resorting instead to internal recruitment that would reach only colleagues and friends, or by word of mouth in specific sectors. These acts were against the principle of openness in the recruitment procedures of public servants, continued the CCAC, adding that the new recruits were often were not required to undergo any written proficiency tests, meaning that their hiring was solely dependent on resume analysis and personal interviews. In some cases, workers were hired to perform specialized tasks such as supervision of facility maintenance and engineering work which would often be carried out by a candidate without any relevant field training or work experience. In another example, the CCAC cited a worker that was hired to assist in handling the personnel salary payments as well as some other accounting-related tasks, when the candidates work experience only mentioned dormitory management and settlement of dispute in dormitories in a hotel of Macau, which appeared largely irrelevant from the CCACs perspective. When the IC recruited workers through acquisition of services, its recruitment procedures were neither open nor transparent, the CCAC concluded, adding that the recruitment criteria were neither clear nor regulated. Moreover, there were circumstances in which the relatives of some leaders and chiefs were able to be recruited by the IC through acquisition of services. Such acts were against the civil service recruitment policies of the Macau SAR Government which propose openness, fairness and justice, said the CCAC. It described the illegal hiring as having led to many unexplainable and difficult to control situations, from illegal contract clauses to inexplicable salary adjustments. IC promises to tackle the issue In response to the disclosure of the CCAC report, the IC said in a press statement that it would immediately tackle the issue, beginning by analyzing the report together with CCACs suggestions and acting in accordance with the law. Such a task would aim to rectify the inappropriateness mentioned in the report as soon as possible, the statement said. In the process of this investigation, the IC has cooperated closely with the CCAC and agrees with the needs for improvement mentioned in the report, the IC added in the statement, expressing heartfelt gratitude to CCAC for perceiving the inadequacies. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam has given the IC 30 days to reply to the CCAC. The annual indoor frozen wonderland, Kung Fu Panda Adventure Ice World with the DreamWorks All-Stars, is returning to The Venetian Macaos Cotai Expo from March 16 to July 9. Supported by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the event features thousands of multi-colored ice blocks carved into sculptures by a team of craftsmen from Harbin in northern China, which will be displayed across seven zones. The team, led by Wei Xiangji, comprises about 40 craftsmen including eight ice carvers and 28 ice builders, as well as lighting designers and power technicians. Wei has visited countries including the U.S., Germany, Cambodia, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand for professional exhibitions and events. The team is co-led by Xu Yuping, who has also travelled abroad for ice sculpture events, winning prizes at events such as the Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo. According to organizers at a recent media preview, 2.5 million pounds of ice will be used to create the frozen art. This years event includes lights and sound effects, as well as a host of colorful new DreamWorks Animation characters from Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon, The Croods and Trolls. New additions to the event include themed games and desserts, as well as meet-and-greets with DreamWorks All-Stars characters. Other attractions include a Heroes Mask Creation activity, a merchandise corner and a game corner. LV A Guardian report issued yesterday describes Macau as Asias Las Vegas, focusing on the still-wide gap between the rich and poor, as well as quoting a local lawmaker who claims that the government only has their ears turned to the elites. The report mentions that on paper, Macau is listed as the worlds third wealthiest city behind Luxembourg and Qatar, according to the International Monetary Fund. Local government statistics claim that only about 2.3 percent of Macaus population lives in poverty, but the percentage is based on income and does not take into account the staggering costs of living. The ever-rising costs of living have even forced some to leave the Asian gambling hub to seek a cheaper life across the border in China. Lawmaker Pereira Coutinho is cited as saying that the government does not help the poor as corruption is rampant, adding that only the rich have their voices heard by the government. The poor are ignored and suffer. All the land is reserved for casinos, and instead of building housing for the poor, the government is giving out more allocations for gaming tables, he laments in the report. The local politician also voices regrets that the annual wealth partaking scheme worth MOP9,000 is only to keep their [residents] mouth shut about politics. Coutinho blames Macaus political system for the gap between the rich and the poor. He finds the system fundamentally flawed: an unelected committee chooses the head of the MSAR, and professional organizations, together with Chief Executive Chui Sai On, appoint more than half of the legislature. The report notes that the majority of members in the legislature, including the Chief Executive, are pro-Beijing, and concludes that Macau politics are dominated by politicians and tycoons loyal to China. Paul Pun, head of Caritas Macau, described the gap between the rich and the poor as wide. He admitted that the government is aware of the issue but hinted that it lacks the courage to face the problem. Caritas Macau estimates that some 10 percent of the population lives in poverty, with 7 percent struggling to fulfil basic needs such as food. The gaming industry should be required to provide housing for migrant workers: that would greatly lessen the problem, Pun suggested. About a third of the regions 650,000-strong population are migrants. Malaysias foreign minister said Saturday that the government hopes to begin formal talks with North Korea in the next few days on solving a diplomatic dispute that has seen the two countries bar each others citizens from leaving. The dispute stems from the mysterious poisoning death of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpurs airport. Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent, but North Korea which is widely suspected to be behind the attack rejects the findings. Relations have steadily deteriorated, with each country expelling the others ambassador. On Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a fair settlement of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil. Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Saturday that communication was ongoing with the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and that both sides were ready for formal talks. He said many countries offered to help, but we dont need a third partys help for the time being and hopefully will never need them. We are ready [] they [also] want to start talking. We hope [to begin] in the next few days, Anifah told reporters after meeting with the families of the nine Malaysians still stranded in North Korea. The safety of our people is our paramount concern and we are doing everything possible. He said the nine Malaysians three embassy workers and their family members were safe and allowed to move freely. Anifah said the return of Kims body would be part of the talks agenda. We dont want to keep the body more than what is necessary, he said. Eventually we have to surrender the body to someone, whether to the government or next-of-kin. North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysias autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal. On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim. Malaysian authorities have asked for Kims immediate family to provide DNA samples to identify the body, but nobody has come forward. Malaysias prime minister has said they may be too scared. Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons. Eileen Ng, Kuala Lumpur, AP Only 315 north koreans left in the coun try Malaysia has lowered its estimate of how many North Koreans are in the country and barred from leaving amid a dispute over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns half brother, saying 315 remain. A Malaysian government official earlier estimated 1,000 North Koreans were in the country. A group of architects and concerned locals have joined an online petition to halt the planned demolition of around a dozen shipyards in Coloanes Lai Chi Vun district. The controversial demolitions, which are being conducted due to governmental concerns over the sites safety, have prompted both cultural authorities and influential members of the public to intervene. They argue that the shipyards should be preserved for their intrinsic historic and heritage value. The petition claims that the sites constitute a form of architectural heritage and should be preserved in line with the governments promotion of the cultural and creative industries. The shipyards of Lai Chi Vun represent the history of the shipbuilding industry, which in Macau was of great importance, particularly [] when Macau depended almost exclusively on shipping, read a statement on the website hosting the petition. These buildings constitute a form of architectural heritage built by the shipbuilders themselves [which] is proof of a unique cultural identity. The high-profile architects behind the petition include Maria Jose Freitas, who designed the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre in the NAPE area, and Joao Palla, who has previously worked as an architect with several casino operators in the MSAR. It is not enough to have just one or two shipyards [left], you need the whole site to understand the scale of this industry, Palla told the Times. They are in the minds and memory of many locals here and many want to see [the site] renovated. Palla, Freitas and the other signatories are calling for the sites to be repurposed, possibly for future cultural activities. They hope to attract around 1,000 signatures for the petition. The demolition of the historic shipyard facilities was deemed necessary by Macaus Marine and Water Bureau, which argued in a statement last week that the structures are seriously damaged due to lack of maintenance [] creating a high security risk. The Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau is responsible for the demolition works and began dismantling the sites last Wednesday. In direct opposition to these works is a plan laid out by the citys Cultural Affairs Bureau to preserve the area and showcase the old shipyards as a heritage site. The agencies differing views have led some media outlets to question the effectiveness of intra-government communication. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam, who admitted that he had only heard about the demolitions through media reports, nevertheless denied any miscommunication and refuted the speculation. Macaus traditional shipbuilding industry drew its last breath in the 1990s after around 300 years of booming business, according to an article published on the University of Macaus website. The industry retained its economic importance well into the mid-20th century, when it was estimated to account for as much as one-third of Macaus gross domestic product. In the 1920s, Macau had over 30 shipbuilding factories. Before last week, the Lai Chi Vun area was home to 18 shipbuilding factories, 11 of which had reportedly fallen into disrepair. Four of the shipyards have applied to renew their licenses. DB German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington today ahead of her first meeting with President Donald Trump. The encounter between the trained physicist and veteran politician, renowned for her measured comments and reserved style, and the billionaire real-estate outsider whose off-the-cuff tweets and undiplomatic approach have rocked American politics could produce an interesting dynamic. But despite the difference in styles, hopes are high that Europes most powerful leader will be able to use her savvy and experience to dispel some of the angst that has grown internationally over the first weeks of Trumps administration. Though shes talked by phone with Trump, this weeks meeting in person with the new president will present her with a good opportunity to get a read of who is calling the shots and who has the presidents ear, said Sylke Tempel, an expert with the German Council on Foreign Relations. You can only find that out when youre there, and this is a situation where shes particularly good because she observes things, Tempel said. In Merkels 12 years as chancellor she worked well with both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and shes also demonstrated that she wont be pushed around by leaders who try to use what Tempel called macho tactics with her. Putin tried that on her, Erdogan tried that and there are quite a few others, Tempel said. She has an enormous amount of patience, an internal calm and self-confidence, and the kind of personality that would say Ive seen macho characters come and go, and Ive seen men making a lot of mistakes. In addition to establishing a relationship with Trump and getting a firsthand read of the new White House dynamics, there are a wide range of issues that Merkel is expected to address. With Trumps America first economic leanings, his questioning of multilateral trade deals and enthusiastic endorsement of Britains decision to leave the European Union, Merkels main goal is expected to be to impress upon the president her view that a strong EU is also in Washingtons strategic and economic interests. Alluding to this, she told Parliament on Thursday that she plans to emphasize that even if in parts of the world we see protectionist and nationalist approaches on the rise, Europe may never isolate, seal itself off or withdraw. Shes bringing with her a trade delegation that reportedly includes the heads of both BMW and Siemens, whose companies together employ around 120,000 people in the U.S. in their factories and related businesses. Trade between the U.S. and Europe is advantageous for both sides, Merkel said after meeting German business leaders in Munich yesterday. Talking directly is always much better than talking about each other, she said. That will be my motto on this visit, which I am looking forward to. Trump has vocalized several other differences with Merkel, notably on the campaign trail last year when he called her decision in 2015 to allow 890,000 asylum seekers into Germany a disaster and said that Hillary Clinton wants to be Americas Angela Merkel. Trump has also openly suggested that NATO is obsolete and has urged European countries to live up to commitments to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, though U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reassured Europeans in Munich last month that Americas commitment to the alliance was unwavering. Trump has elicited European concerns on multiple other issues, too, including his more friendly approach to Russia and his position on climate change. In pointed remarks about Germany specifically, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro last month said that the country was using a grossly undervalued euro to exploit the U.S. and EU, and last week singled out the U.S. deficit with Germany as one of the most difficult trade issues Washington faces. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble scoffed at the idea Germany was somehow using currency manipulation to bolster exports, telling a group of foreign reporters in Berlin last week that the trade surplus was due to the competitiveness of German industry in other words, Germany makes products Americans want to buy. Despite the differences, Merkel told Parliament she would emphasize how much the U.S. and Europe have in common. I am deeply convinced that the trans-Atlantic partnership based on common values is in all of our interests, not only for us Europeans, she said. Ill hold my talks with President Donald Trump in this spirit. Precisely because the nature of the trans-Atlantic relationship has changed, Europe has decided to take more responsibility in the future, both in our own neighborhood and beyond. David Rising, Berlin, AP Chinas industry minister on Saturday defended a manufacturing development plan and rejected complaints foreign makers of electric cars and other goods might be pressured to hand over technology or forced out of promising markets. Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, tried to reassure foreign companies that the Made in China 2025 industry plan treats all companies equally. The strategy and its related policies are applicable to all businesses in China, be them domestic or foreign, Miao told a briefing. Miao was responding to a report by the European Union Chamber of Commerce earlier this week that said China is violating its free-trade pledges by inducing foreign firms to give up encryption and other technology to potential Chinese competitors. Technology is a growing flashpoint in trade tensions with Washington and Europe, which worry their competitive edge is eroding as Beijing buys or develops skills in semiconductors, renewable energy and other fields. China has faced mounting complaints the government improperly shields its fledgling developers of robotics, software and other technology from competition. The plan calls for China to be able to supply its own high-tech components by 2020 and materials by 2025 in 10 industries from information technology and aerospace to pharmaceuticals. A broad outline was issued in 2015 and officials have been gradually releasing details. Miao said targets for domestic brands share of the market in some sectors should be seen as forecasts rather than mandatory. When we were drawing up the plan, we did not deliberately pursue these targets, Miao said. The European chamber noted that Chinas strategy says two of the top 10 global brands in electric cars should be Chinese by 2025. It said that rules out joint ventures created by foreign companies with Chinese partners. The chamber called the strategy a large-scale import substitution plan aimed at nationalizing key industries, or at least severely curtailing the position of foreign business in them. In an apparent response to such criticism, Premier Li Keqiang promised in a speech at the opening of Chinas annual legislative sessions a week ago that foreign companies would receive equal treatment under the manufacturing plan. AP After an unprecedented diplomatic fight between the Netherlands and Turkey, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said yesterday he would seek to control the damage caused by the weekend incidents when he prevented two Turkish ministers from campaigning in the Netherlands. Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants. At the same time, Turkey kept its drive going to rally people of Turkish descent living in European Union nations to back a referendum that would expand Erdogans powers. After being denied landing rights in the Netherlands on Saturday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu addressed crowds in the French city of Metz, where the French government had no qualms about permitting government representatives to Turkish rallies. The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenhood, although hundreds of thousands have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland. The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to, Rutte said. These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey. The diplomatic fight comes at a tough time in the Netherlands, which has national election on Wednesday, and where issues of Dutch identity and relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage. In a neck and neck race, the parties of either Rutte or populist firebrand Geert Wilders could end up the most votes. Rutte said it was important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out. Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Rutte. Still, added the prime minister, his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate. After a tense standoff outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday night, Turkeys family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was escorted back to the German border. Police in Rotterdam said they arrested 12 people as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate in the city devolved into rioting. Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests, made for alleged violence and public order offenses, came as protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early yesterday. Police responded with baton charges and a water cannon. Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including one police officer who suffered a broken hand. Mike Corder, Raf Casert, AP Chinas ruling Communist Party is hardening its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the specter of global religious extremism seeping into the country and the need to protect traditional Chinese identity. Shaerheti Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, yesterday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn political leaders gathered in Beijing for this months National Peoples Congress about China becoming destabilized by the international anti-terror situation. Over the past year, President Xi Jinping has directed the party to Sinicize the countrys ethnic and religious minorities, while regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid an uptick in violence blamed on Islamic separatists. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks have indeed penetrated the country, top Chinese officials, including those overseeing areas outside Xinjiang, are increasingly echoing certain strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianguo drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trumps administration to make his point. What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence, Li said. This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesnt matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the U.S. or it promotes stability, its about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture. Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. The roots of the Hui are in China, Wu said. To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people. Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong and an expert on Islam in China, said the comments by Ningxia party officials reflected the increasingly anti- Islamic rhetoric that has been rolled out over the past year by the top leadership in Beijing. Theres a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society, al-Sudairi said. Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I dont think things will take a softer turn. In Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have died in recent years in violent attacks, the governments rising rhetoric has coincided with new security measures that activists say exacerbate a cycle of repression, radicalization and violence. The government, meanwhile, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, though it provides little evidence for such claims. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Yesterday, a delegation of Xinjiang leaders appeared at a news conference at Beijings Great Hall of the People, but absent was the regions new top leader, Chen Quanguo, who has led a series of high-profile anti-terror rallies that have involved phalanxes of police and armored vehicles rumbling through the streets of the regional capital. As was the case for several other regions and provinces, most of the Xinjiang delegations meetings were conducted with top Chinese leaders behind closed doors this past week, according to state media reports. On Friday, Xi met with Xinjiang officials, according to state media, and directed them to safeguard the regions stability by erecting a metaphorical great wall of iron. It was a reference loaded with historical and martial overtones: Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping praised the Peoples Liberation Army as a great wall of iron and steel in June 1989, days after the military quashed a pro-democracy protest in Tiananmen Square in a bloody assault. Gerry Shih, Beijing, AP The convictions of a prominent defense attorney and his associates were among the countrys top legal achievements last year, Chinas chief justice said yesterday, highlighting a case that has been criticized by Western governments and rights groups. In a report to the national legislature, Zhou Qiang also said that China, which is believed to execute more people than the rest of the world combined, gave the death penalty to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely serious offenses in the past 10 years. The actual number of executions in China is a state secret. A 2007 decision that all death sentences must be reviewed by the Supreme Peoples Court is believed to have reduced the number of executions dramatically. Zhou praised courts for severely punishing crimes against state security and violent terrorism, and said the trend will continue in order to resolutely safeguard the countrys political security. The only case of subverting state power he highlighted was that of Zhou Shifeng, director of a law firm that used to be one of the countrys best-known advocates for human rights. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in August for attempting to manipulate public opinion and harm national security. Rights groups and Western governments including the U.S. had urged China to release Zhou and other activists and lawyers detained in a sweeping crackdown that began in 2015. Critics say its about the ruling Communist Party silencing opponents. The chief justices report didnt say how many people were prosecuted or convicted of such offences, or how many cases were handled. Hundreds of people have been killed in recent years in attacks in the northwestern Xinjiang region, which Beijing blames on Islamic militants and separatists from the Uighur minority. Activists say repressive government policies have exacerbated tensions and radicalized local youth. For the past four years, China has also carried out a crackdown on corruption intended to net officials at all levels. Chief Justice Zhou said that Chinese courts dealt with 45,000 cases of graft involving 63,000 people last year, an increase from 2015. A total of 35 were at or above ministerial or provincial level, he said. In a separate report to the assembly, Chinas top prosecutor, Cao Jianming, said that the government last year initiated investigations against 47,650 people for taking advantage of their official posts. He said 48 officials above the rank of minister were prosecuted, including Ling Jihua, a former chief of staff to ex-President Hu Jintao who was sentenced to life in prison in July for taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets and abusing power. Dui Hua, a U.S.-based rights group, estimated that about 2,400 people were executed in China in 2013, one-tenth the number in 1983. It said that according to its sources, the number of annual executions remained largely unchanged in 2014 and 2015. China typically hands out death sentences in cases of murder, rape, robbery and drug offenses. Louise Watt, Beijing, AP The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said yesterday. Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said. Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asias longest-running rebellions. Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New Peoples Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province. Im ready for all-out war, another 50 years, Duterte said Thursday at the policemens wake. I can assure you that the armed forces and the Philippine National Police would respond. This time Im using everything [] rockets and bombs. Duterte did not mention the talks resumption in his speech at the annual graduation of cadets at the Philippine Military Academy yesterday in northern Baguio city, where he instead condoled with the families of government troops who died in combat. He promised better and more weapons for soldiers and thanked those who risked their lives and limbs to defend this countrys sovereignty as well as those who continue to offer their sweat and blood to fortify the pillars of a great nation that we are presently trying to build. The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Dutertes instructions. Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state, the military said in a statement. The Maoist guerrillas said they would remain vigilant because of continuing military and police counterinsurgency operations but added they were optimistic with the talks resumption. Instead of putting the lives of millions of people in harms way, such as Dutertes all-out-war declaration, better yet we try to settle our differences on the negotiating table, said the rebels Melito Glor command, which has a presence in the mountainous provinces south of Manila. Founded in 1968, the rural-based guerrilla group has unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with five Philippine presidents before Duterte. Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting have weakened the rebel group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat. The rebels and the government declared separate cease-fires last year as they resumed peace talks. That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the countrys south. In a joint statement with the rebels, the Philippines also agreed to release a rebel consultant to the talks and reinstate immunities from arrest for other guerrilla consultants. It pledged to release soon four other consultants and 19 detainees the guerrillas regard as political prisoners. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP A teenage blogger awaiting a Chicago immigration judges ruling on his asylum request to stay in the United States said Friday that hes afraid of returning home to Singapore, where he was jailed after posting scathing blog posts about the government. Amos Yee, 18, has been detained in the U.S. since mid-December, when he was taken into custody at OHare International Airport. His closed-door immigration proceedings unfolded in a Chicago courtroom on Tuesday, with a judge saying hell decide within weeks. Im most definitely fearful now that the Singapore government knows I am trying to escape to another country so I can continue to criticize them freely, Yee told The Associated Press by phone from a Wisconsin detention center. Im really worried. Yee, an atheist, was jailed twice in Singapore on charges including hurting the religious feelings of Muslims and Christians. However, many of his posts on YouTube, a blog and social media berate Singapores government. He caused a stir in 2015 as the city-state was mourning the death of its first prime minister and he posted an explicative-laden and, at times, crude video about Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew just after his death. Such open criticism of political leaders is frowned upon in Singapore. Yees case has drawn a lot of attention because he was imprisoned at age 16 alongside adults. Experts say the case, which is being watched closely abroad, raises questions about free speech and censorship, particularly online. Singapores embassy in Washington didnt immediately respond to requests seeking comment. Yee said being jailed in Singapore was traumatizing and left him with suicidal thoughts. He believes hell be targeted again if he returns. He had been planning on seeking asylum in the U.S. for weeks and had lined up a place to stay in Illinois. Singapore nationals dont need a visa to visit the U.S., but Yee was taken into custody after immigration agents questioned him at OHare and he revealed his plans. Yee has been outspoken from a young age and friends praise his intellect. He began blogging at age 12 and won a local filmmaking prize at age 13. I have the moral obligation to speak out against a tyrannical government that has been making the people in Singapore suffer, he said. Dont ever become so fearful that you become silent. Yees attorneys in the U.S. have argued that he was persecuted based on laws restricting freedom of expression and hes likely to be convicted again if he returns. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged U.S. officials to let him stay. A spokesman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which oversees U.S. immigration courts, declined to comment on the case. The Department of Homeland Security, which is contesting Yees asylum application, didnt immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Either way, Yee said hell continue to speak out if he returns home or gains legal permission to stay in the U.S. Hes already started writing a book and is considering work on movies and a T-shirt line. I have an infinite amount of ideas of what to do, he said. Sophia Tareen, Chicago, AP TURKEY-EU Tensions between Turkey and Western Europe simmered yesterday, with Turkeys foreign ministry formally protesting the treatment of a Turkish minister who was escorted out of the Netherlands over the weekend and what Turkey called a disproportionate use of force at a protest afterward. Turkey had a similar dispute with Germany last week. CHINA Damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs could be a civil offense under a proposed draft of Chinas civil law as the Communist Party further tightens the space for public discourse on historical issues. SOUTH KOREA The senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye offer to resign three days after the countrys Constitutional Court formally ended her rule because of a corruption scandal. NORTH KOREA The U.N. human rights offices special rapporteur on North Korea says tensions caused by its ballistic missile and nuclear tests are jeopardizing efforts to improve human rights in the secretive country. PAKISTAN Islamabad is hosting female lawmakers from 12 countries at a conference on the role of women in strengthening democracy. Along with those from Pakistan, women lawmakers from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Australia, Romania, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Maldives, Indonesia and Nepal are attending the event. JAPAN King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years. US-VIETNAM Nick Ut Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer is retiring this month after 51 years with The Associated Press. A stunning black-and-white image from the Vietnam War thats come to be known simply as Napalm Girl, changed his life. USA-GERMANY Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington today ahead of her first meeting with President Donald Trump. The encounter between the trained physicist and veteran politician, renowned for her reserved style, and the billionaire real-estate outsider who has rocked American politics could produce an interesting dynamic. THE EUROPEAN UNION has extended for six months sanctions against 150 Russia-linked people over the territorial disputes in eastern Ukraine. The EU said in a statement yesterday that the asset freezes and travel bans for those concerned were extended because the situation on the ground had not changed. Chinas new Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said he looks forward to meeting his excellent U.S. counterpart Wilbur Ross for a shared mission of increasing cooperation and managing differences between the worlds largest economies. I noticed that Mr. Ross used to be an excellent entrepreneur, a good negotiator and, I can say, hes very excellent, Zhong said at his first press conference as trade minister on Saturday in Beijing. Im willing to deal with excellent people, because excellent people are good at thinking strategically for the long term. Managing differences can be a challenging job for the two top trade officials. U.S. President Donald Trump accused China of unfair trade practices and has threatened to introduce punitive measures. Commerce Secretary Ross, a 79-year- old billionaire businessman who called China the most protectionist of the worlds major economies, has said that a plan of action will be announced as soon as we have a proper case. A trade war between China and the U.S. would harm both countries and offer no benefits to either side, Zhong said, citing their intertwined economic relations. The official, who was promoted to lead his ministry Feb. 24, said he believes the two governments will make the correct assessment on bilateral economic ties. Now everybody is watching and waiting, he said. Many American and western friends think that China cant live without the U.S., and theyre half right, Zhong said at the press conference, held on the sidelines of the annual legislative session of the National Peoples Congress. Similarly, the U.S. also cant live without China, he said, citing U.S. exports of Boeing Co. airplanes, soybeans and automobiles to China. American exports to China expanded an average 11 percent in the past 10 years, outpacing the 6.6 percent growth in Chinese shipments to the U.S. during the period, according to Zhong. Zhong, 61, previously served as a ministerial- level international trade representative and vice commerce minister. Before that, he was a deputy governor of exporting powerhouse Zhejiang province and worked under Chinese President Xi Jinping, the then-party chief for the region. Bloomberg Oil broke to a three-month low on Friday, dropping under $49 per barrel as the market struggles with oversupply. Prices are falling as U.S. shale oil drillers have increased production while U.S. imports of oil rose as well, swelling U.S. oil stockpiles to record highs. Shockingly, oil prices are dropping even as OPEC has maintained its production cuts and geopolitical threats swirl around the world. Under normal conditions, the recent missile tests from North Korea and Iran would spark a major oil rally, but the tests of the past two weeks were received as duds by oil traders. Crudes collapse also worried stock market investors and triggered a sell-off on Wall Street, leading to the first weekly decline for U.S. stock markets in over a month. If oil prices continue dropping, many analysts expect U.S. production to decline, eventually hurting oil-producing communities from Texas to North Dakota, as many drillers need $50 per barrel to turn a profit. USDA Report Crushes Beans Soybeans tumbled this week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its expectations for Brazils bean crop. Brazil is the worlds second-largest soybean grower and is Americas primary rival for soy exports onto the global market. As Brazils crop grows and exports rise, U.S. farmers are forced to lower prices to keep up with our southern competitors. These concerns knocked beans to near the lowest price of the year, trading down to $9.93 per bushel Friday morning. This price drop comes at a critical time for U.S. farmers who are preparing to plant a record-breaking number of soybean acres this coming season. If prices keep dropping and producers havent protected their crop values, some could end up working all year just to lose money. Data in the report added downward pressure to corn prices also as the Brazilian and Argentinian crops would add to large world supplies. Corn traded to a one-month low on Friday near $3.56 per bushel. TWIN FALLS If you want people to believe, they need to feel like they belong. Will and Kari Ritter didnt want their new church to reach people using traditional methods Sunday services, youth groups or Bible studies. The Ritters opened Renew, a church-coffee shop, next to a tattoo shop and a financial services business in downtown Jerome. Instead of pews, people sit on cafe-style chairs and the priest isnt behind the pulpit, but rather taking latte orders. Renews coffee serves a higher purpose. There are no worship services, only conversations with friends over steaming mugs. The coffee shop opened March 6 and held a grand opening Friday. On Wednesday, the nonprofit was already buzzing with customers. Its been a pretty steady stream, Kari said. Theres a big lunch and coffee crowd. A group of four women chatted as they ate sandwiches and sipped coffee. Lynn and Charlie Correll of Jerome were munching on a marshmallow treat and a slice of cherry pie. It was the second time the Corrells had stopped for a sweet snack the past two days. The lattes are really good, Lynn said. Theres nothing like this downtown. It would be nice if it attracted other businesses. Id like to see a dress shop. The coffee shop is inside of a former thrift store, but you wouldnt know it. The shop features natural lighting streaming in from large storefront windows, exposed brick walls and iron beams. The atmosphere is a blend of warehouse chic and vintage barn features. A glass case was filled with cinnamon buns, chocolate cupcakes, brownies, turnovers, Cloverleaf Creamery ice cream. There are two pool tables that were filled with families Tuesday night and a real tree with plenty of room to grow in the 4,000-square-foot building. Employees are trained to remember customers names. Thats what we envision is getting to know the community, Will said. Our intention is to show love. In the back, a furnished apartment has been set aside for medical students studying rural medicine at St. Lukes Jerome Medical Center. A meeting room in the back has already been used by the city of Jerome and the Chamber of Commerce. The Ritters said the purpose of their ministry is to offer a neutral space to create community and an atmosphere of acceptance. Its another great way to renew Jerome, Kari said. Will plans to still serve as an outreach pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Jerome, while leading Renew as president. With less people attending church, Will said its important for the church to meet people where they are. And that means the church needs to adjust how it engages people. A 2016 Pew Research Center survey said 83 percent of Americans who have looked for a new place of worship say the quality of preaching and a warm welcome were major factors in their decision to join a church. A 2015 Pew article said recent decreases in religious beliefs is largely attributable to the nones, a growing minority particularly in the Millennial generation, who say they do not belong to any organized faith. Who wants to walk into a church? Will said. We feel the challenge to make a space for everyone. Kari grew up Jerome and said life in the town is changing. So many of my friends were in church on Sunday, she said. As an adult, there is a different culture. We want to meet and love on people and let God do the rest. Will said hed loved to see every church in Jerome filled. But first they need to know they are loved first, Kari added. The Ritters said other churches in the area have donated money and volunteers to the cause. The worst case scenario is this becomes a Christian coffee shop, Will said. The short-term goal for Renew is to first become a self-sustaining business. The long-term goal, Will said, is to revitalize Jerome by donating money back into the community in the form of events or sponsorship. Eventually, the Ritters would like to bring Renews to towns like Shoshone or Kimberly. It take people willing to do things at a loss, Will said. If youre really going to live for Jesus, you need to feel it. The Ritters want to give local youth another option for a place to hang out. Renew was invited to have a table at parent-teacher conferences next week to let families know about the business. After spring break, Renew will also be a place to go for homework help. Kari said they are recruiting retired teachers to help tutor students. She also hopes students will help each other. Its just another way to reach the next generation. God, Kari said, is always on the move. TWIN FALLS The Distinguished Young Women Program of Magic Valley will be held Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at the Buhl High School Auditorium. Distinguished Young Women, (formerly Americas Junior Miss Program), is a national scholarship program that inspires high school girls to develop their full potential by providing college scholarships, developing self-confidence, encouraging academic achievement fitness, performance skills and the ability to think and communicate clearly. 20 contestants from 5 Magic Valley high schools will compete this year: Buhl, Canyon Ridge, Filer, Jerome, and Twin Falls. These girls are in their junior year of high school and are allowed to compete only once in this program. Over $15,000 in scholarship money will be awarded. Sponsors include Jones Hardware, Deagle Ames & Co., Buhl Rotary Club, Oasis Stopn Go, Farmers National Bank, Silver Lining Herbs, Miracle Hot Springs, Evergreen Assisted Living, First Federal Savings Bank, Kiwanis Club of Buhl, West End Mens Association, Dennis Brown Accounting, Lytle Signs, Steve and Cheryl Kaatz, Ward Orthodontics, Glanbia, Plant Therapy, and Real Deals on Home Decor, Intermountain Spine and Orthopedics, Titlefact, Jay and Sandy Dodds, Terri Anne Thornock Memorial Fund, Real Deals on Home Decor, Gateway Real Estate, Magic Valley Appraisal, LLC, Optimist Club, Buhl Lodge No. 305, Buhl Herald, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wilson Bates Inc, United Oil, College of Southern Idaho, Jaynes Custom Chopping. Contestants compete in areas of scholastic achievement, interview, fitness, self-expression and talent. Contestants this year include Kendra Benson, Hana Olsen, Makayla Woll, Celina Arroyo and Kayanna Zamora from Buhl High School; Madie Hatch, Anna Jensen, and Katie Mowers from Canyon Ridge High School; Ceral Lott, Hanna Lloyd, Angel Martinez from Filer High School; Janae Swenson, Abbey Andersen, Viviana Barrera, Ally Farnsworth, Brooklynne Burbank, Annabelle Wallace and Madison Ohlensehlen from Jerome High School; Rebekah Kezele and Cheyon Sheen from Twin Falls High School. This program was reinstated in the Magic Valley area by Kristina Nye, a senior at Buhl High School, in 2009. She undertook the responsibility to chair and organize the event as her senior project to qualify for graduation. Maci Dimond was chosen as the Distinguished Young Woman of Magic Valley in March 2016 at Buhl High School. She is currently a senior at Murtaugh High School. She was named first runner-up at the state program held in September of 2016, received talent and interview awards and won the other fitness award. She has earned over $7,500 for college through this program. The winner of the local program will advance to Distinguished Young Women of Idaho this fall. Tickets are $8 presold or $10 at the door and can be purchased from any contestant. Karmelle Nye of Buhl is the current chairperson. Questions? 208-420-5510. TWIN FALLS Rock Creek Park is closed to motorists until further notice. After seeing wet, spongy and crumbling asphalt, Twin Falls County Parks and Waterways decided to close the road to prevent further damage, director Rick Novacek said. We wanted to save the asphalt as much as possible, he said. All motorized vehicles will not be permitted in the roadway and parking areas. Pedestrians are still allowed. The RV Park does not open until April 1, Novacek said. Hopefully things (will) have dried up considerably by the time April 1 comes around, he said. The county will evaluate the road one week after to closure to see if it can be reopened. Check back for updates at magicvalley.com. BOISE By two votes, a bill to target diesel truck drivers who roll coal died in the state Senate Monday. Rolling coal is the colloquial name for modifying the engine or exhaust of a diesel truck so it burns more fuel and emits a thick, sooty black cloud of exhaust smoke. Sponsored by Sens. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, and Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, the bill would have made it a misdemeanor to release the smoke intentionally while a vehicle is moving and an infraction if a vehicle is stopped. This practice is a health issue in addition to being a public safety hazard, Stennett said. Stennett said the bill would give law enforcement more ability to target the practice, particularly when vehicles are moving and when it can be more dangerous, and some senators told stories about times they had seen truck drivers roll coal to target other vehicles or pedestrians intentionally. Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said he had once seen a truck driver target a bicyclist on State Street, and Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, said it happened to her once while she was on a highway, temporarily blinding her while she was between two semi trucks. Other senators, however, said law enforcement can already cite coal rollers under existing Idaho code which regulates mufflers and exhaust systems and bans exhaust systems that release excessive smoke. Im not arguing that its something we should tolerate, said Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, who is a retired police officer. What I am arguing is we already have laws on the books that let us as law enforcement officers deal with it. The bill failed 16-18. Magic Valley senators Stennett, Brackett and Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls, voted for the bill, while Sens. Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, and Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, voted against it. May 13, 1934-March 10, 2017 TWIN FALLS Francis Fran Bergin, 82, of Twin Falls, Idaho, died Friday, March 10, 2017 at Heritage Assisted Living. He was born on May 13, 1934 in Glendale, Idaho to Alphonsus and Ruth Bergin. He was one of six children. Four brothers and one sister. He married his high school sweetheart Norma Broyles in 1953. He worked for Ford Motor after leaving high school until he decided to pursue a life career as a funeral director. The family moved to San Francisco to attend College and later returned to Shoshone, Idaho where he opened Bergin Funeral Chapel. Fran worked several jobs, many at the same time. He was a funeral director, operated the ambulance service in Lincoln County, and also worked as a Mechanic for Thornes Chevron. He operated the school buses for the Shoshone School District, was elected coroner for Lincoln County, worked as secretary-treasurer for the Shoshone Cemetery and was even Lincoln County sheriff for a short time. He was very active in Rotary and Chamber of Commerce. He volunteered his time for Scout breakfasts, Ice cream socials, and decorating the town for the Christmas season. He was always very proud of helping with fund raisers and finally getting the swimming pool put in for the town. He was a loving father and a wonderful grandfather. He will be greatly missed by friends and family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma, his parents, three brothers (Joe, William, Robert) and one sister (Ruth). Surviving Fran are his three children, Don Bergin of Boise, Cindy (Robert)Young of Twin Falls, and Tammy (Gary)Swaner of Shoshone; his brother Austin (Marcie) of California; six grandchildren, Patrick Matthews of Texas, Becky LaManna of Boise, Kristine (Fred) McDonald of Jerome, Greg (Khara) Sant of Kimberly, Joe Young (Jodie) of Kimberly and David Young of Twin Falls; eleven great-grand children. Vistitation will be held from 6-8 Tuesday, Mar. 14 at Parkes Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Rd in Twin Falls. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 15 2017, at the First Baptist Church, 205 E 5th in Shoshone, Idaho. Interment will be held following the service at the Shoshone Cemetery in Shoshone, Idaho. All services and arrangements are under the direction of Parkes Funeral Home of Twin Falls, Idaho. Those wishing to share memories and condolences may do so on Frans memorial website at www.magicvallyfuneralhome.com. June 15, 1955March 8, 2017 Terry L. Bailey We lost our Terry/Dad, March 8, 2017. He was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, on June 15, 1955 to Tony & Sally Bailey. He had three siblings, brothers, Timothy and Matt Bailey and sister, Chris (Bailey) Haider. Terry was raised on a ranch and enjoyed his childhood years like most ranch kids, fishing creeks, skating the same frozen creeks in the winter, chasing cows, long hours of endless hay fields, helping neighbors gather their cows and he never turned down the opportunity to help at their brandings. A favorite past time at his house was roping. He perfected the hobby and enjoyed going to jackpots and we are proud to share that he took home many 1st place finishes with his Dad and buddies. He attended Kindergarten through 6th grade in House Creek, Idaho, then moved to Jerome, Idaho with his family, where he continued his schooling. At age 16, he met the love of his life, Geneal Childers. They were married a year later and had 2 daughters, Angie and Tanya. He ranched in Idaho, Montana, and Oregon with his family by his side every step of the way. He then went on to become a certified welder. This career took Terry and his family to Lander, Wyoming and shortly thereafter, Big Piney. A few short years later, he started up his own successful welding business and welded for 13 years. In 2003, he sold his welding truck and bought his first semi and started hauling water in the oilfield. When the oilfield slowed down, he drove over the road for a little bit (actually thousands of miles). He sure loved his semi! Terry truly loved to work but when he wasnt working, his passion for hunting took him and his bride to the Northern Territories for an amazing caribou hunt. He was also able to go to Alaska for an adventurous bear hunt and finally Geneal got her trip to Hawaii, where Terry tagged a Royal Black Hawaiian Sheep and a Wild Spanish Goat. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Geneal, siblings, Matt (Sheryl) Bailey, Chris (Kenny) Haider, daughters, Angie (Phillip) Smith, Tanya (Ed) Mackey, grandchildren, Cherell (Kevin) ODriscoll & family, Tyler (Kelsey) Smith & family, Connor Smith, Angie (Nate) Smith & family, Amy (Nick) Bruun & family, Jake (Echo) Mackey & family, Jamie (Trever) Coleman & family, Jennifer (Derek) Hardy & family. He was also blessed with several great grandchildren & one great, great grandchild. He was proceeded in death by his oldest brother (Timothy), his father (Tony), Mother (Sally) and several Uncles and Aunts as well as a dear friend and mentor, Rollie Hawes. There will be a Celebration of Life honoring Terry on March 17 from 11 a.m.1 p.m. at the Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Center at 111 Rakestraw Ave. Marbleton, Wyoming. In lieu of flowers, PLEASE donate to: U of U Patient & Family Housing, 2080 W N. Temple, Salt Lake, UT 84116 in memory of Terry Bailey. Arrangements are under the care of Covill Funeral HomePinedale, WY. Edward Eddie R. Keyes Sr. TWIN FALLSEddie R. Keyes Sr. of Twin Falls, celebration of life and viewing will be held from 3-5 p.m. Monday, March 13, 2017 at Serenity Funeral Chapel Life Celebration Center & Cremation Services of Idaho, Twin Falls. June Rasmussen BURLEY June Rasmussen of Burley, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th St, Burley. A visitation will be held from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service. Dorothy L. Howard TWIN FALLS Dorothy Howard of Twin Falls, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13 at White Mortuary Chapel by the Park 136 4th Avenue East, Twin Falls. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Sunday, March 12 at the funeral home. Mary Ann Staker BURLEY Mary Ann Staker of Burley, memorial services at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13, at the Burley Stake Center. (Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary) William Taylor KIMBERLY William Taylor of Kimberly, service at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 at Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home. A viewing will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Monday, March 12 at the funeral home. Fran Bergin Fran Bergin 82, of Twin Falls and formerly of Shoshone, visitation Tuesday, March 14, 2017 from 68 p.m. at Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Rd in Twin Falls. Funeral services on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Shoshone First Baptist Church. Burial will follow at the Shoshone Cemetery. (Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home of Twin Falls) Irene Fredrickson PAUL Irene Annie Fredrickson of Paul, funeral at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends may call from 10 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. The Yemeni war is on the verge of taking a new dimension as units of the Pakistani army will be deployed to Saudi Arabias southern border with war-torn Yemen. The decision was made following heated debate at the Pakistani parliament. The reason for the deployment is still unclear but a source has stated that the forces will not be used beyond Saudi borders. The move is believed to have been discussed with the Pakistani Chief of General Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Saudi Arabia in December. The Pakistani army had stated at end of last year that it was committed to the security and protection of the Holy Mosques and also to the territorial integrity of the kingdom. The statement was made after Saudi authorities accused the Houthi Movement of targeting the Holy Kabba with a missile in October 2016. The Houthis denied the claims. Saudi Arabia has been leading a military coalition in Yemen to reinstate President Hadi as the legitimate president of the country but the process has been challenging since it was launched in March 2015. Since then, more than 10,000 people have been killed according to UN data while the warring parties have been accused of committing war crimes. Although Islamabad has limited its involvement in the crisis, the deployment of its troops continues to be a sensitive issue because Riyadh terms the military campaign as a Sunni coalition wherein 20% of Pakistans population is Shias. Analysts consider the war in Yemen as a proxy war between the Sunnis led by Saudi Arabia and the Shias backed by Iran. 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. @PatriciaMazzei Two Hispanic Republican members of Congress from Miami have denounced an inflammatory comment from one of their colleagues who seemed to endorse white nationalism. Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King shared a story Sunday on Twitter about Geert Wilders, a far-right Dutch politician known for his anti-Islam views. Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017 King's remark was praised by David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard. Sunday night, Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo, the son of Cuban immigrants, responded to King on Twitter: .@SteveKingIA What exactly do you mean? Do I qualify as "somebody else's baby?" #concernedGOPcolleague Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) March 13, 2017 Monday morning, Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Cuba, shared a story about King calling on a "homogeneous" U.S. population. Get a clue, @SteveKingIA. Diversity is our strength. All looking alike is such a waste. A travesty. I wanna be me. All others are taken. https://t.co/mx7vgeWPU8 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) March 13, 2017 King hasn't responded to either comment. UPDATE: Jeb Bush has praised Curbelo: America is a nation of immigrants. The sentiment expressed by Steve King doesn't reflect our shared history or values. https://t.co/msydFudA7m Jeb Bush (@JebBush) March 13, 2017 Photo credit: Jose A. Iglesias, el Nuevo Herald @PatriciaMazzei President Donald Trump is heading back to sunny South Florida this weekend, after a winter snowstorm is forecast to wallop Washington. The president will travel to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach on Friday, Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced Monday. Trump is expected to be back in early April to host Chinese President Xi Jinping, Axios reported. --with Anita Kumar Photo credit: Susan Walsh, Associated Press For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page The Supreme Court of Canada has published itsTo find out more about any particular case, click on the docket number in parentheses next to each case name to find docket information, case summaries as well as facta from the parties. Labels: Supreme Court of Canada BILLINGS Possessing a Montana drivers license means youre legally qualified to operate a motor vehicle, and its the go-to document that most Montanans reach for when cashing a check at the grocery store or proving that theyre old enough to buy liquor. But on Jan. 22, 2018, Montanas state-issued drivers license will no longer be accepted as a valid form of identification if you plan to board a commercial aircraft. Instead, youll be required to produce a passport or some other form of identification that complies with Real ID, a 2005 law that sought to boost security by mandating nationwide standards for drivers licenses and other forms of identification. In light of the approaching deadline, Montana travel professionals have begun warning their customers to make plans for carrying another form of identification so that they wont get booted from a plane once the provisions of Real ID take effect. Billie Ruff, owner of Travel Cafe, said some of her corporate clients are just starting to pay attention to the approaching crackdown. Im not sure they understand whats going on, Ruff said. I have tried to stress the importance of this, and I hope its filtering down. Ruff, a frequent traveler, already complies with the REAL ID requirements by carrying her passport, even on domestic flights. Because I travel so much, Ive gotten into the habit of using it no matter what, she said. If the thought of being booted from an airplane chaps your hide, you can blame Montanas long-standing distrust for rules promulgated by the federal government. For more than a decade, Montana politicians of all stripes liberals, conservatives and libertarians have railed against Real ID, criticizing it as a federal overreach and a potential invitation to identity theft. Besides Montana, four other states Maine, Minnesota, Missouri and Washington are not in compliance. All other states are either in compliance with Real ID or have been granted an extension. In fact, Montana has made it all but impossible to comply with Real ID even if state officials wanted to. In 2007 Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed legislation, approved unanimously by Montana lawmakers, that banned the states Motor Vehicle Division from enforcing Real ID. The Department of Homeland Security has granted Montana two extensions for compliance. But after the second expired last year, Gov. Steve Bullock sent a letter urging federal officials to suspend implementation of Real ID. Meanwhile, Montanas two U.S. senators, Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines, have introduced legislation to repeal Real ID. With Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, deregulation is in vogue these days, but so far there's no word about whether a Real ID rollback could take place. The bill is awaiting a markup in the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Tester has asked the Department of Homeland Security to grant Montana an emergency waiver but has yet to receive a response, said Marnee Banks, a Tester spokeswoman. "We have to take a balanced, common-sense approach on this," Tester said in a statement. "We cannot have Montanans' lives disrupted because of federal identification requirements. I hope the administration will work with Montana to find a solution that protects Montanans' privacy, keeps our country safe, and doesn't disrupt our day-to-day lives." Asked why Montanans seem so adamantly opposed to Real ID, Ruff said: "Ive never understood that part of the debate. Any form of identification requires providing personal information to government officials, she said. Doug Mulvaney flies around 60,000 miles per year as director of facilities development for Kampgrounds of America Inc. Right now, I have yet to have my Montana license be questioned by the TSA, Mulvaney said. But I have been warned flat out that after the end of this year, theyll no longer accept it. Mulvaney often travels to Canada for business and plans to keep his passport handy whenever he flies. The Real ID Act was passed in 2005 to prevent terrorism and identity theft by improving the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identity documents, according to federal officials. Subsequent to the passage of Real ID, some states have begun issuing enhanced drivers licenses, which include additional information such as proof of U.S. citizenship. Such cards include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and a bar code, which allow border officials to access information about the card's owner. Despite the concerns voiced by opponents, Homeland Security officials say the system is secure. Meanwhile, the Billings passport office has seen a steady uptick in the number of people who have come in to apply for or renew a passport. Lillian Harrington, who manages the Billings passport office, said the office has has been processing an average of 50 passport applications or renewals each day. That's roughly triple the number that were processing a day a year ago. A passport costs $110, not including a processing fee and the cost of a photo. A $30 passport card, a wallet-sized card which will suffice for boarding a domestic aircraft, is also available. The document can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings or ports-of-entry by sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, according to federal officials. The Transportation Security Administration has provided a list of acceptable identification documents at tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification. Passports can be obtained or renewed at the Missoula Public Library, the U.S. Post Office on Kent in Missoula and at post offices in Florence, Ronana, Superior, Hamilton, Polson, Big Fork and Deer Lodge. Generally the wait to receive a passport is six weeks. The attorney fees and other court costs related to Missoulas condemnation of Mountain Water Co. are not all reasonable and necessary, Missoula County District Court Judge Karen Townsend ruled on Monday. Mountain Water and its former parent company The Carlyle Group are asking for more than $7.1 million in reimbursement for their legal costs. But the judge ordered the companies to recalculate and resubmit the expenses they claim the city owes. Last year, the Montana Supreme Court affirmed the city of Missoula has the right to use its power of eminent domain to force a purchase of the water utility. Since the $88.6 million assessed value of the water utility is more than the Missoulas final official offer of $50 million, Mountain Water and Carlyle can be awarded the necessary expenses of litigation that they incurred in the case, Townsend wrote. In her order, Townsend said the companies used out-of-state law firms that billed as much as $460 per hour, a higher rate than the $195-$235 per hour that is normal for attorneys in Missoula County. To the extent that attorneys for Defendants billed in excess of this hourly amount, their fees are not reasonable and necessary, Townsend wrote. Carlyle and Mountain Water also used more attorneys than the judge deemed was necessary for the task, further increasing court fees. In addition, Townsend ruled the claims for a mock trial and expert witnesses, including some from out of state, exceeded the customary rate, and that many of the fees associated with them would not be recoverable. Townsend also said little support was offered that all the time spent working on the case by non-attorneys at the law firms qualified for reimbursement, and that some of the firms had filed for paralegal work at rates above the $95 per hour the judge said they could claim. The companies have two weeks to submit reduced claims, after which the city will have an opportunity to respond before Townsend makes a final decision on what Missoula will owe. In February, the Missoula City Council voted to take out up to $140.4 million in loans for the costs of acquiring Mountain Water. That sum includes the cost of purchasing the water system as well as making initial infrastructure improvements and providing for unexpected fees and legal payments. After Molly Murphy-Adams graduated from college in 2004, she lost access to the university's printmaking presses and equipment. She had only recently discovered printmaking and loved the way its graphic qualities applied to the traditional beadwork, embroidery and quilting she learned from her mother. Murphy-Adams, an Oglala Lakota, grew up making her own powwow regalia for traditional and fancy dancing. She began making prints with small rubber blocks on paper, a technique that didn't require a press or a wet lab she could make them on her kitchen table. Going back to her undergraduate years, she adapted the patterns and colors of those traditional forms in contemporary art. The block prints were no different. "We're making complex designs by printing the same image multiple times on the same page, so they start to multiply and create a larger graphic pattern," she said. "It's a pretty humble technique, but with repetition you can create a complex piece." This week, Murphy-Adams returned to her alma mater, the University of Montana, for a printmaking residency for Native contemporary artists through the Missoula Art Museum and UM's MATRIX Press. She would produce a set of prints, talk and work with students, give a lecture and more. On Thursday, she and Jason Clark, a printmaker and adjunct professor, were at work in the printmaking studio in the Fine Arts Building, using that rubber block technique. They each were carefully aligning the block, small enough to fit in your palm, to apply another layer of patterning to her intricate designs. They would apply ink to a block, set it in place and then gently apply pressure. The atmosphere was calm, but Clark described the process as "nerve-racking" between applications. The print he was working on had interlocking triangular and rectangular forms, requiring precise alignment. "It's a geometric design that's used on a lot of different Crow pieces," she said. She adapted the pattern from a historical pair of moccasins, trimming the palette from six colors to three: pumpkin, pink and pale blue. "Crow beadwork has its own color palette that is preferred, its own design style, its own shapes," she said. Lakota Plains beadwork, meanwhile, has apple greens, deep blues and reds. A tribe's palette might change over time depending on fashion and availability, she said. Another print she was working on used a palette and design of her own creation. While these were relatively small, she's pushed it much further. "I started making big prints and multiples and seeing how far I could take it," she said. "The largest I've ever done is a grid of 10 by 10." She said at some point she'll have to order specialty paper. *** Last year, the contemporary art museum applied for and won a two-year, $100,000 grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation to fund the collaborative residency. Ten years ago, the museum opened a gallery on its top floor that is dedicated exclusively to Native contemporary artists. The MAM saw the grant as a way to expand on its work with indigenous artists going into the second decade. Murphy-Adams, who now lives and works in Oklahoma, is the second of four Native artists coming to Missoula through the MAM-Matrix collaboration. Last semester, Sara Siestreem, a Hanis Coos abstract artist from Portland, kicked the program off. As part of the residency, the artists produce editioned prints that are divided up between the artist, MATRIX and MAM's Permanent Collection. Both are young artists who had solo exhibitions at MAM earlier in their career, said MAM senior curator Brandon Reintjes. This was a way of revisiting them several years further in their development. Next fall semester, John Hitchcock will visit, and in spring 2018, Duane Slick will visit. MATRIX Press, the publishing arm of UM's printmaking program, was founded in 1998 by professor James Bailey. Over the course of Murphy-Adams' visit, she'll have help from about six artists, including undergraduate and graduate students. Every BFA student takes an introductory printmaking course, he said, with about 18 per semester. "It's a good chance for the students to learn new skills and learn professional print quality, and work with an artist all the way from conception to the finished piece," he said. He said the visiting artists give students' insight into different artists' techniques. In Murphy-Adams' case, he said it's a good insight for them because of the way she turned a perceived limitation not having access to a printmaking press into an entire body of work. During the residency, Murphy-Adams also produced a screen-print with a similarly graphic quality, and a drypoint copper-plate etching. In that piece, she accents the sharp monochrome lines with embroidery and beads, stitched through the cloth-like, 100 percent cotton paper. Murphy-Adams, who was born in Great Falls and graduated from Hellgate High School, saw a large variety of beadwork growing up. The majority of her exhibited work since she graduated is based on it, and she still makes her own regalia and dances in powwows. She said Oklahoma has a vibrant Native contemporary art community, with artists curating exhibits and mainstream museums incorporating Native art into their collections and exhibitions, rather than separating them. The internet has changed the way that Native artists work, research and exchange information. She compared Native communities to an archipelago. "They're all these little islands and pre-internet they were a little bit isolated in terms of how much can you share, how can you research and separated by distance," she said. Now, she can access a museum's entire collection of art online: thousands of moccasin designs in an afternoon. The access has deeper significance for many artists. "It's meant that a lot of Native artists are finally able to do research on their own material, because Native material and culture was bought, collected, stole, sold and is now in museums. Families don't always have their own antique pieces," she said. Among artists, the community and competition has creative benefits. "The quality and quantity and interest level is just through the roof," she said. Looks like the toxic national political atmosphere has now arrived in Montana. No sooner had Rob Quist, a much-loved, long-time Montana musician, clinched the Democrats nomination to fill former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinkes seat than hundreds of thousands of out-of-state dollars poured into ads trying to convince Montanans that Quist is somehow inferior to GOP candidate Greg Gianforte. Thanks to his nearly $6 million personal investment in his losing bid for governor last year, Montanans already know and rejected Gianforte, the only Republican candidate to lose a statewide race last November. Thanks to striking such a vicious, non-Montanan chord against Quist, voters will likely reject him again. For those who may doubt that prediction, a quick look at what Quist has already done will be instructional. Taking some good advice from former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Quist headed out to Montanas 56 counties, places in which he has performed for more than 40 years. With a face and voice well known and much loved in Montana Quist took Schweitzers advice to heart. The result is that he organized Democratic Party committees in seven counties that lacked them, garnering the support of 28 theretofore non-existent votes for the Helena nominating convention. Quist then outperformed state Rep. Amanda Curtis in the final tally by a vote of 90 to 69, carried to victory by those new votes he took the personal time and energy to cultivate in places the party had apparently written off. For those of us who spent our early adulthood listening to iconic Mission Mountain tunes and attending the Aber Day keggers in Missoula, Quist was and remains one of the primary voices of Montana. His songs were about our lives, our loves and our dreams. They brought us joy and epitomized the hopeful attitude following the end of the Vietnam War and the blooming of a more rational, kind and peaceful future. But Bozeman entrepreneur Greg Gianforte, with bags of personal money and hundreds of thousands from out-of-state sources, is trying to convince us that, somehow, we have been mistaken about Quist and he is simply not representative of Montanas populace. As Gianforte said in his own words, we do not need to send Nancy Pelosi a court musician who wants to socialize medicine and is an out-of-touch liberal. Really, Mr. Gianforte? You wouldnt want to put some of that hard cash on the table to back a bet between whether Montana-born and -raised Rob Quist knows more and more about Montanans than do you? Or that his actual knowledge of Montanans and Montanas way of life is vastly more informed than your ideologically driven right-wing view from a perch at the top of the millionaires pile? What Gianforte seems to have forgotten if he ever knew was that Montanans are very leery about electing people who are able to dump millions of personal dollars into political campaigns. Going all the way back to the Copper Kings, Montanans have rejected those perceived as trying to buy their way into office. Gianforte might want to recall the example of Democrat Mark OKeefe, who dumped a couple million into his gubernatorial campaign only weeks before the vote, and then lost to seriously unfunded Republican candidate Judy Martz. When one has limitless funds its easy to throw mud at political opponents. But thats not the way Montanans relate to or treat each other. And as Gianfortes losing gubernatorial campaign showed, come May 26 Montanans will more likely send Rob Quist, whom they know, love and trust, to represent our real Montana values in Congress. Montanans anticipating the day when their medicine, packages or even a pizza will be delivered via drone are in for a rude awakening if a new law that passed the Montana Senate severely restricting drone flights in Montana airspace is adopted. State Sen. Steve Hinebauch, R-Wibaux, has introduced legislation that would make drone delivery services like Amazons illegal in Montana. The Montana Senate voted 30-19 in favor of the drone ban, ignoring the millions of dollars and dozens of jobs drone businesses are already bringing to Montana. Under Hinebauchs Senate Bill 170, most drones would be banned in all airspace under 500 feet without explicit permission from the landowners below, including delivery drones. When asked how this might affect drone delivery services for goods like medicine or packages, Hinebauch said that drones should follow the existing roads on the ground rather than fly in straight lines, and if they dare fly over anyones property without permission, they should be fined. This statement is likely the most ridiculous response to a realistic question one could have expected on the floor of the Montana Senate. In fact, flying in straight lines and avoiding the extra time of road travel is the entire point of using drones in delivery in the first place. Imagine if Delta Airlines or medical helicopters were asked to follow roads and never cross private property lines? Where are the property lines in the sky, anyway? Really? This issue may be all fun and jokes for Hinebauch, but for many people in Montana like myself who work in this emerging industry, this drone ban means less money to put food on the table, pay the mortgage or pay for a business lease on an office, automobile or other needs. Then of course theres the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration governs aircraft and airspace, not state legislatures, for obvious reasons. If every state and city could write different rules for airspace, pilots and passengers lives would be at risk and no one would be able to fly anywhere. SB 170 is a radical departure from all case law governing airspace ownership and use, and directly conflicts with federal law, which says that the sky is public domain and regulated solely by the FAA. Montana legislators havent always been so hostile to the drone industry. In 2011, then-state Sen. Ryan Zinke, Montanas two-term congressman and now secretary of the Interior, was among the first Montana state legislators to push for increased drone technology development for firefighters, surveyors and ag producers through partnerships with Montanas universities. Sadly, Heinbauch and other Montana state legislators seem intent on destroying Zinkes and Montanas progress towards building a drone industry in Montana. Our state legislature should be helping create jobs not working to destroy them. If this drone ban passes, Montana will lose out on billions of dollars and hundreds of high tech jobs tailor made for rural Montana entrepreneurs. Realtors, farmers, news outlets, first responders and small-business people like myself all over Montana hope our legislators will rethink the proposed rule and join Zinke and others promoting an industry forecast to grow rapidly. Its time for Montanas government to get serious about drones and put together a group of professionals, private property owners, law enforcement, drone industry representatives and airspace experts to help the state responsibly govern the drone industry without conflicting with federal law or hurting Montana businesses and working families. Last week, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines held a telephone "town hall" and we somehow ended up on his list. I listened for an hour as he blathered his way through the questions that were asked. My question, why don't you have the courage to face us in person, was answered that this is more efficient than traveling to his constituents' locations. He did not allow discussion but simply spewed Republican speaking points. He lied and lied and lied and I finally hung up as I realized this was a thinly veiled campaign call and he could care less about anyone who doesn't massage his ego. I am hoping we can recall this man and elect a real representative for Montana and not simply a lap dog for the Republican party. Where are the patriots who will stand up and speak for a return to sanity? Country before party, you remember. Cheryl Sage, Florence Well, the special election to replace Ryan Zinke in the U.S. House of Representatives is finally set and it sure didnt take long for the winning candidates to go after one another. "Blazing Saddle" Republican Greg Gianforte shot from the hip first by accusing Democrat Rob Quist of being nothing more than a musician who pals around with Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi when hes not playing bluegrass. Oh, the horror. Quist should drop out of the race right now. Hows he going to compete with a man who helped start and finance the Dinosaur and Fossil Museum in beautiful downtown Glendive? There, I believe youll see Mesozoic reptiles in dioramas frolicking around with humanoids. Perhaps a 600-year-old Noah (without Social Security) loading up his ark with appropriate animals (mammals) of the time will appear as an apparition in one of the hallways. So give it up, Mister supposed music legend Quist, and continue performing at county fairs, rodeos and college keggers. Leave the business of government to a true professional from Hoboken and not Cut Bank, Two Dot or wherever. Jim Hamilton, Florence Montana's plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act has been pulled back for review. Superintendent Elsie Arntzen announced Monday that she will be pulling back the state's ESSA plan, which was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in December. It needs to be updated, she said, "with a new administration" at DOE in Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and hours after DeVos released an updated application for state plans. The announcement also came a few days after Congress voted to get rid of accountability and teacher preparation regulations issued under the Obama administration. Montana Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester split on nixing the accountability regulations, with Daines voting in favor and Tester against. Both voted to get rid of the teacher preparation regulations. Each state must submit a plan for the 2015 law, which replaces No Child Left Behind, to show how they will meet federal standards in order to receive federal funding. The first deadline for states is April 3; the second is Sept. 18. Montana's plan was submitted under previous superintendent Denise Juneau in December before she left office. Montana was the only state in the country to have already submitted a plan. "Montana rushed the submission process," according to an Office of Public Instruction news release. DOE was not reviewing plans if they came in ahead of the April deadline. Throughout February, OPI did not say in emails to the Billings Gazette whether Arntzen would pull back the plan though in a Feb. 14 Education Week story, Arntzen confirmed she would retract the plan and make changes. Monday's announcement was sudden, OPI media assistant Dylan Klapmeier said, following last week's congressional action and Monday morning's application revision from DOE. There were also three new requirements, which Klapmeier said were "somewhat unexpected." The news release stated that Arntzen informed OPI staff and previous Montana ESSA stakeholders of her decision Monday afternoon. "We didn't decide to make that decision until today," Klapmeier said. "It's been an ongoing conversation talking with stakeholders and people at OPI who were involved, but we had not had a long-term goal of planning to do this today." He pointed out this does not mean that Arntzen is scrapping the plan. "Montana's plan is what it is, we're just building up on it and updating it, making sure it meets the needs of our school districts," Klapmeier said. "The federal government has provided Montana with increased flexibility in this plan now, which goes right along with the superintendent's priorities of ensuring passing that flexibility back to school districts as well." Juneau's plan included a similar message of flexibility, as at the time regulations were not yet finalized. Klapmeier said this announcement should not worry schools or teachers, as it comes three weeks before the first deadline. "This is not going to create uncertainty for school districts," he said. Arntzen said she was advised by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Education Northwest and other stakeholders that Montana's plan needed more work, specifically in long-term goals and achievement benchmarks. "The new (DOE) guidance makes some common sense changes to streamline the application process while preserving the spirit of the law," CCSSO executive director Chris Minnich said in a news release Monday. "States have been moving ahead to write plans that are in the best interest of the kids in their state, and we are confident their work creating their plans will meet the requirements of this template." In the news release, Arntzen said updates will also include "a more robust strategy for college and career readiness which aligns with Superintendent Arntzens priorities." The review will happen with OPI staff and stakeholders statewide, according to OPI, which said the "process will be very transparent" and will include locals. Arntzen said she will address the plan's review in front of the Board of Public Education on Thursday. Klapmeier said the review process and timeline are not yet set in stone, but that Arntzen will be "making her way around the state" to get feedback on the plan. MEA-MFT president Eric Feaver said he hopes Arntzen follows through on "her promise to engage teachers, administrators and trustees" across Montana. "In short, to be successful, Elsie must engage Montanas grassroots educators going forward," he said in an email. "No top-down stuff." Arntzen plans to have an updated plan for the public and Gov. Steve Bullock in July. Feedback will be incorporated into the plan before the Sept. 18 submission deadline. It is my intent to honor the work done by dedicated stakeholders and strengthen Montanas plan," Arntzen said in a news release. "I am excited for this new opportunity to work with local communities, business leaders, and schools to update and build upon Montanas state plan and ensure flexibility." 9-YEAR-OLD CALLS POLICE Police responded to a disturbance between a man and a woman in a home on the 1400 block of Sampson Street around 10:30 p.m. Sunday after the woman's young daughter called 9-1-1. Police said the victim told them her husband came how drunk, got into an argument with her, threw her to the ground and grabbed her by the neck. When police arrived they talked to the husband, Ricardo Valenzuela, 30, and confiscated a knife from him. Police said Valenzuela tried to leave the property while police were present and then resisted arrest. He was booked into jail for partner/family member assault and resisting arrest. The victim had visible injuries to her neck and said her throat hurt, according to police. YUNNAN, China The young Naxi men beat drums in the midst of the stadium crowd, pounding out complex rhythms and looking fierce in traditional costumes. At 11,000 feet elevation, many spectators sucked on canisters of oxygen to prevent altitude sickness. The altitude did not bother the drummers, who also sang at the top of their lungs and leapt high into the air between beats. Should world unification ever come, China should be in charge of pageants. I am in China with the U.S. State Departments Fulbright Program, our governments flagship international scholar exchange program. Ill be teaching at Ningxia University in the deserts of remote northwest China, but for now I am with the orientation program in the city of Lijiang. Lijiang is in Yunnan Province at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. Most days consisted of briefings and workshops to prepare us for Chinese universities, but we also enjoy cultural activities. Lijiang is a stronghold of the Naxi people, one of Chinas 56 officially recognized minorities. There are about 300,000 Naxi not many in a country of almost 1.4 billion. The pageant took place in the mountains near the Tibetan border. Choreographed by film director Zhang Yimou, known for the films "Red Sorghum" and "House of Flying Daggers," the show was set in an amphitheater 100 yards high and several hundred yards long, built to depict the local mountainous terrain. The story was about the Tea Caravan Trail, where horses hauled Yunnans renowned tea for trade to the outer world. The cast of 500 men and women danced and sang, 100 men on horseback toiled up the steep mountainside trail with its many switchbacks, and into it all was woven the story of men leaving for months at a time and then coming home to celebrate with wives and girlfriends. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over 18,000 feet high, rose behind the amphitheater. We also visited Blue Moon Valley with its lakes colored turquoise by glacial flour (ground up rock dust) from high mountain snowmelt. Many of our group carried oxygen canisters. One succumbed to the altitude and spent the remainder of the day sick and listless on the bench seat at the back of the bus. Though the pageant was spectacular, Baisha Village was my favorite site. This ancient town is now home to the Silk Embroidery Institute. Silk produced in this region is of especially high quality because of the high elevation and pure air. Traditional silk crafts nearly died out during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, but local people are now staging a silk embroidery revival. It can take up to 9 years for the skilled women to produce a single intricately detailed prayer scroll or large landscape. Though I could not afford several thousand dollars for a masters work, the iridescent glow and brilliant colors of fine silk drew me like a moth to a flame, and I bought several student productions. In Baisha Village I also enjoyed my first true micro-brewed beer in China. At a stainless-steel tank holding perhaps 50 gallons, the proud proprietor squatted on the floor, tapped the draft into a bowl, scraped the foam, and poured the beer into my eager half-liter glass. It was an excellent stout brown beer that any craft brewer in Montana would appreciate. Back in Lijiang, the Naxi Orchestra topped it all off. The musicians play music deriving from Kublai Khan, who occupied the area 700 years ago. During the Cultural Revolution, the musicians buried their traditional instruments, saving them from destruction. The average age of the male musicians is now about 80, but scattered among them were several younger men and women. Sadly, we had to leave before the nightly dance on a nearby square. Given the noise and congestion of Chinas large modern cities, Lijiang is a rare treasure. I leave with some sadness, though I look forward to my new home at Yinchuan, which began as a major stop along the Silk Road between Asia and Europe. The Montana Tech Mineral Museum won the 2016 Friends of Mineralogy Award for best educational exhibit by an institution, with its display documenting Montana sapphire deposits. The MarchApril 2017 issue of Rocks & Minerals magazine highlighted the Mineral Museum's award, along with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., which won the Donna Chirnside Memorial Award for best educational display by a museum with its exhibit of African minerals. The Butte museum, on the Tech campus, is part of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. The award was presented at the 2016 Denver Gem and Mineral Show, according to a recent news release. Attending the show were Stanley Korzeb, economic geologist for the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, and longtime Butte resident and permanent staff member of the Mineral Museum, John Foley. Korzeb has been with the MBMG for three years after serving as VP of Texas Rare Earth Resources at their headquarters in Denver. Foley was responsible for the design and implementation of the award-winning display. HELENA The Montana House gave initial approval Monday to a bill to clarify that county commissioners can travel together or attend the same event without violating the state's open meeting laws, despite objections that the measure could lead to less public participation. The bill by Republican state Sen. Pat Connell, of Hamilton, says that a gathering of a majority of county commissioners at an event or traveling in the same vehicle does not constitute a meeting unless official business is discussed. If they discuss business, the members must provide a report at their next public meeting about what happened. All county commission meetings must be open to the public and notice must be given at least two days ahead of a meeting. County commissioners who gather anywhere without that public notice could be in violation of open meeting laws, under the current law. Republican state Rep. Denley Loge, of St. Regis, who carried Connell's bill in the House, said the clarification is needed in counties where small populations mean that a quorum of county commissioners can found at a basketball game or even a funeral. "It's trying to ... let those public officials actually have a public life," Loge said. Opponents of the measure said the bill provides exemptions to public meetings that county commissioners could use as a loophole. Republican Rep. Forrest Mandeville, of Columbus, noted that the measure is being debated at the beginning of Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of access to public information. "We should be strengthening public participation, not providing exemptions to that," Mandeville said. "This is an easy no vote, especially during Sunshine Week." The House voted for the measure 67-33 on Monday. It must pass a final vote before it goes to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. The Senate approved the bill last month. The House also endorsed other measures on Monday: - Three bills recommended by the state Commission on Sentencing that aim to reduce jail populations and save money. One would set deadlines on pre-sentencing investigation reports so that criminals are sentenced more quickly and moved out of overpopulated county jails. Another would allow low-risk probationers to be discharged after being under supervision for nine months. The third would require counseling services that reduce the risk of future violent behavior from offenders. - A bill that would clarify a state law that prohibits hunting from vehicles. The bill says a person is not in violation if his or her entire body is outside of the vehicle and both feet are on the ground. The snow geese die-off in the Berkeley Pit late last year inspired Montana artist Nolan Salix to create a painting he hopes will encourage an in-depth look at all that happened. Two weeks before the incident, Salix, who teaches art at the University of Montana Western in Dillon, began mapping out a painting about snow geese dying in the Berkeley Pit. But his plan was to commemorate the 342 snow geese that died there in November 1995. Then history repeated itself. As many as 10,000 or more snow geese are estimated to have landed in the Berkeley Pit ahead of a snow storm the night of Nov. 28. Due to an unusually warm fall, the birds left their nesting ground in the Arctic later than usual, but found their normal resting spot Freezout Lake in northern Montana frozen. This perfect storm of events forced a landing on the pits metal-laden water that ended with between 3,000 to 4,000 geese dying within about a week, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. When Salix read about the birds fate, he was so upset his students picked up on his dismay. I dont know what I can teach you guys today, he told them, then explained what hed read online. Salix channeled his emotions into the painting hed already planned. I was just so angry. There were thousands of animals dying. I think they (his art students) could see that complex inspiration, that it doesnt have to be beautiful to be impactful. Perhaps beauty isnt the correct response to a stimulus, Salix said. Salix painted on 80 pieces of scrap copper an image of snow geese landing and dying in the Berkeley Pit. Using copper nails, he attached the copper to plywood and used oils to paint the geese. Acid chemicals and a lot of grinding on the copper panels created the image of the pit. Salix believes some of the copper, which came from old construction sites in Bozeman, could have been pulled from the earth in Buttes underground mining operations during the 1930s and 1940s. The 10,000 miles of underground tunnels beneath Uptown Butte have slowly been sending groundwater to the pit since Atlantic Richfield Co. shut off the underground pumps in 1982. University of Montana-Western professor Jack Kirkley, who studies birds and sits on the board of Montana Audubon Society, visited Salixs classroom to see the 4-foot by 8-foot work as it was developing. Kirkley called Salixs process of painting on copper innovative. He used copper as a medium. Its poignant that he did that, Kirkley said Monday. Copper is what put the pit where it is; it gave us that legacy. But Salixs reaction, through his art, to the geese die-off is not anti-mining or judgmental, said Salix, who specializes in industrial landscapes. Its really about being connected to a place, to see whats going on and be mournful, Salix said Monday. Mining and sometimes oil processing are so common here in Montana. It shapes our landscapes and our values; I just want to look at it in depth. The work will be exhibited at U.S. Bank, 10 S. Main St., Uptown Butte, in June. Salix hopes he can find additional venues around Montana that will be interested in showing it. The St. James Healthcare Pharmacy has been awarded a grant to provide drug take-back services for the community. Prior to that, the Butte Police Department was the only DEA-approved location for medication disposal offered in Butte. When drugs are no longer needed, they must be disposed of them properly to help reduce harm from accidental exposure or intentional misuse, according to a release from the hospital. Having an additional location in Butte provides better access for the community. The Montana Pharmacy Safe Medication Disposal Initiative awarded up to 10 grants of $2,000 each to selected pharmacy applicants statewide, and St. James Healthcare is one of them, said Mike Douthitt, St. James director of pharmacy. At St. James Healthcare, the safety of our patients is always our top priority, and this is a great service for our patients and our community. Our first collection box is full and ready to be shipped to the disposal company, he said. The MedSafe disposal container is securely locked and stored just outside the 24-hour inpatient pharmacy and close to the main entrance to St. James Healthcare for convenience. We frequently had people call or come to the pharmacy to dispose of their unused or expired medications, said Angie Goodell, pharmacist at St. James Healthcare. We werent able to assist them but now we can. As Montana ranchers, we have considered ourselves to be good stewards of the rich natural resources we are blessed to have. However, the EPA's so-called Waters of the United States Rule has the potential to undermine our ability to work our land and has trampled on our private property rights. We were pleased to see that President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order on directing the EPA to reconsider an Obama-era rule that expanded federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands. This rule, has caused excessive economic harm to farmers and ranchers across the country and Senator Jon Tester voted in favor of this harmful rule. What seems like a meaningless rule to a politician like Senator Tester has a real impact here in our state. We agree with President Trump when he said EPA's so-called Waters of the United States Rule is, one of the worst examples of federal regulation. The rule has removed local control over land and water and it allows for the EPA to treat ditches, storm water drainages, storm sewer systems and water supply as Waters of the United States which are subject to the Clean Water Air Act. This expansion of the definition of the term Waters of the United States means that every pond, stream and irrigation ditch can be subjected to costly federal sanctioning, fines and federal criminal enforcement actions. In essence, landowners could be penalized every time a cow walks through a ditch. The EPA's own estimates show the rule will cost American property owners between $158 million and $465 million a year. To make matters worse, the constitutionally of the rule is under question. Many believe that this rule is an overreach of federal power and the federal government shouldnt be regulating every pond on private property. Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear National Association of Manufacturers v. Department of Defense, where the National Association of Manufacturers is challenging the lawfulness of the Waters of the United States rule. This specific case will resolve the wrangling over which federal court should hear challenges, but nonetheless will provide an avenue to debate the issue. We are encouraged that the new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was a leading voice in the effort to overturn the Waters of the United States rule as Oklahoma Attorney General. However, I am disappointed but not surprised to see that Senator Jon Tester voted against his confirmation. Senator Testers lack of action on the Waters of the United States rule is exactly why we need a change in Washington. Senator Tester has let government bureaucrats write rules without public input and without understanding the economic impact on Montana farmers and ranchers. We deserve a Senator that will review and address our concerns, not turn the other way. -- Republican Debby Barrett is the former state Senate president, and she ranches near Dillon. Deanna Robbins is a board member of United Property Owners of Montana, and she ranches near Roy. HELENA Montana is unique in the world of aviation. Since it's the last state to operate a system of airway beacons through the rugged western mountains, pilots today may fly the same way as early U.S. Mail planes, soaring through the night skies from beacon to beacon on the way to their destination. The 1920s saw a buildup of airway beacons across the country primarily as a means of postal transportation, according to a history written by Brenda Spivey for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. By 1933, 1,550 beacons guided pilots along 18,000 miles from the Midwest to the West. During the 1960s the FAA decided the beacons no longer served a great public purpose and began efforts to decommission them. By 1972, Montana was the last state still operating a beacon system, down from a statewide high of 84 to 17 in the western mountains. But as history meets the realities of budgeting priorities, late last year the state of Montana decided to decommission 14 of the 17 remaining beacons. Funding technology of long ago does not make sense, supporters of the decision say, given the time to maintain them and the limited usage of their intended navigational purposes. The decision has irked some pilots, however, who see history as important but also the beacons as a failsafe particularly for pilots flying visually. It is a familiar debate for many that have seen the beacons on the chopping block in the past only to have them saved when they pushed back. We wish we could do everything for everyone, said Debbie Alke, administrator of the Aeronautics Division at the Montana Department of Transportation. Here at the division and in the state I just think that we have to prioritize to give our customers the best bang for their buck. To keep or not to keep? In late 2015 the division decided to test the beacons usage by simply allowing them to go out, and waiting for the response. What came over the next few months was overall few calls and messages, save a passionate group of Helena pilots, Alke said. In December, Aeronautics, after dialogue with pilots, announced that it would only continue to maintain easily accessible beacons on MacDonald Pass, Spokane Bench east of Helena and a site called Strawberry northwest of Bozeman. The beacons would light a path from the pass to Helena to Townsend to Bozeman. With keeping the last three, it is to try to compromise and hope to please all of our customers, Alke said. Montana will continue to be the only state to have any of them so pilots can still have that experience. Aeronautics is funded through a tax on aviation fuel and fees. The division has a variety of obligations, including search and rescue, administering grant programs, operating 15 state-owned airports, offering training programs and registering aircraft. Maintaining all the beacons, some of which require snowmobiles to access, costs about $35,000 per year. Cutting the system to three will save about $30,000 needed for other programs given a tight budget, Alke said. Thats the fork in the road -- does anyone use them as they were intended and designed, said Scott Newpower, former president of the Montana Pilots Association. Invariably everybody loves the beacons when you ask them, but when you ask if theyre used as intended, the answer is well, no. With all the other technology we have theyre simply irrelevant. Newpower believes the beacons have carried on in Montana largely due to nostalgia and says he enjoys them as well. For practical flying purposes, the beacons are not monitored by anyone such as the FAA. Often Aeronautics only learns of an issue from a pilots call. It could be days or weeks before someone calls, he said. You cant count on that. Theyre cool and they bring you back to the old days, but is that worth spending valuable taxpayer resources when theyre not used as intended? Pilot surveys showed stronger support for funding Aeronautics other obligations, Newpower said, and other aviation organizations have come to similar conclusions. He also pointed out that Montanas safety record as far as crashes does not standout compared to other states. If theyre being used as intended -- flying low at night in the mountains in marginal weather -- we should get a hint through accident rates, he said. Its not a scientific study but you take the clues you find to make as good a decision as you can. Last month the association passed a resolution acknowledging the divisions budget and staffing challenges, and supporting the maintenance of as many beacons as Aeronautics deemed possible. Mike Rogan retired from Aeronautics in 2015 where he worked as an aviation support officer. Among his duties was maintaining the beacons -- a task divided up within the agency. Pilots earn various certifications with higher grades allowing more complex flying, such as by instruments only. The majority of Montanas 3,000 pilots are certified for visual flight rules or VFR, meaning they must be able to use landmarks to fly. Theyre a good failsafe for VFR pilots to fly and they just dont cost that much to continue operating, Rogan said. Sure it is an old antiquated system, but it is still functional. Stories of pilots who have used the beacons are common throughout the aviation community, he said. Rogan recalled one search and rescue flight looking for a wrecked airplane near Helena. As he flew listening for an ELT transmitting from the plane, snow squalls made visual flying difficult. The beacons showed a safe path and helped us get back, he said. They still have the same manpower so its just an internal decision to shut them off, he said. Theyre near and dear to me so I do get a bit sentimental, but theyre more than just historical. Helena pilot Mike Korn was also critical of Aeronautics decision in an opinion piece submitted to the Independent Record and other newspapers. Korn echoed the historic and safety factors of the beacons, but also focused on the internal decision to shutter the majority of the system as against good government principles. Aeronautics did not land at this point by reaching out and engaging the public, leading an open, thoughtful discussion and dialogue about the issues, and then arriving at an informed choice, he wrote. Instead, they talked amongst themselves and a handful of other people and then rendered a verdict. In the course of that they overlooked a wide range of citizenry outside their limited, narrow circle, ignoring many people who have a legitimate stake in the beacons future. Alke defended the process and said an agency legal review determined the decision did not rise to a significant level of public interest which would have triggered a more public review process. What now? What will happen to the beacons Aeronautics will no longer maintain remains unclear. Leases continue for the properties where the towers sit, and contracts call for reclamation of those sites if the state walks away. Restoration estimates are $500,000 or more. Landowners may have an interest in keeping them on the property or they could be taken down and sold. Towers could also be repurposed for other uses, such as cellphones, Alke said, adding that some organizations have expressed interest in taking over care. Newpower said he would love to see another agency, perhaps the Montana Historical Society, see to the towers as historic sites. The state could face a worst case scenario in paying for reclaiming the sites, but nobody knows until those questions are asked, he said. From a historic standpoint, the beacons provide a window into Montanas aviation past, said Kate Hampton, community preservation coordinator for the Montana Historical Society. This system is really important and it is a system and its important to save what we can, she said. The loss of beacons along the system brings a loss of understanding for their historic use, she said, adding that she believes no one beacon is more important than another in that story. Efforts to do away with the beacons as a money saver seem to come up about every 20 years, with pilots the vocal group that has kept them lighting up the sky, Hampton said. Theres this wonderful history of activism that goes along with saving this pieces of history that remain functional and close to our hearts, she said. MacDonald Pass is the lone beacon registered on the National Register of Historic Places. Hampton and others are in the process of seeking designation for the entirety of the system as time and resources allow. As the beacons are historic state property, registration would not overtly change any process surrounding the states obligation to them as agencies must already consult with MHS, she said. Theyre so important to understanding how people traveled in the 20th century, how lighthouse people and others put up these technological marvels in these remote locations and the connection to the air mail is really significant, Hampton said. The whole line of them is really a physical vestige of aviation in Montana through the 20th century. We dont always realize what were driving past and flying over is national and Montana aviation history. Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] In these dark days of resurgent nationalism both at home and in Europe, inspiring political leadership is hard to find. One increasingly sees pathetic efforts to find inspiration, such as The Washington Post dubbing Germanys conservative, boringly technocratic Chancellor Angela Merkel leader of the free world because she isnt xenophobic. Last month, though, we finally found a head of state in a functioning democracy who is unafraid to stand up for what is right. True, his country is small and his issue of choice even smaller. But his principles are sound, his conclusions correct, and his willingness to limit his own power admirable. Im talking, of course, about Icelandic President Gudni Th. Johannesson who, during a question-and-answer session at a high school, said he is fundamentally opposed to pineapple on pizza and would outlaw it if he could. The Internet cheered and jeered with its characteristic restraint. Commenters from pizza wastelands such as Australia and Atlanta extolled the virtues of complementing pineapple and ham with even more revolting toppings such as maraschino cherries and jalapenos. Pineapple opponents were just as aggressive. To calm the furor, Gudni posted a clarification on Facebook: I do not have the power to make laws which forbid people to put pineapples on their pizza, he wrote. I am glad I do not hold such power. Presidents should not have unlimited power. Obviously, outlawing pizza toppings is a radical form of government overreach; people agreed Gudnis analysis was beyond reproach. But some otherwise sane people contested his claims about the merits of pineapple on pizza. Sadly, they showed that they do not understand two foods that they claim to value. The history of Hawaiian pizza, which is topped with pineapple and Canadian bacon, and from which the preposterous concept of putting tropical fruit on a pizza first sprang, helps illustrate why. Hawaiian pizza comes from neither Hawaii nor (no one with a real love of either pineapple or pizza would adulterate one with the other). Sam Panopoulos, 82, of London, Ontario, is credited with creating the concept. Canada is not known for its pizza. Panopoulos proved as bland a subject as his provinces pizza in an interview last month with CBC radio. He can have whatever he wants, he said of Gudni. I dont care. And his story of inventing Hawaiian pizza is equally unmemorable: We tried to make some pizza. Along the way, we threw some pineapples on it and nobody liked it at first. But after that, they went crazy about it. Because those days nobody was mixing sweets and sours and all that. It was plain, plain food. Anyway, after that it stays. Necessity is the mother of arbitrary combination. And thats the clue as to how and why Hawaiian pizza came into existence: Much like ranch dressing, pineapple is an inappropriate adornment to pizza, used only in places where the pizza is terrible. When pizza is good, the crust, cheese, and sauce provide plenty of flavor. Toppings are chosen wisely and used sparingly, because pizza is already a complete dish, better left alone than ruined with too much intrusion. In American backwaters, or Canada, where the crust, cheese and sauce often have no flavor, eaters and chefs overcompensate with toppings. Pineapples are wonderful for dessert because they are very sweet. Boorish North Americans, the same people who added marshmallows to breakfast cereal, think everything is better when drenched in sugar, fat or both. They are wrong to add pineapple to a dish covered in tomato sauce. The tomatoes should provide plenty of sweetness already. If they dont, then the sauce made from them is bad or your palate is insensate. Its not that experimentation with somewhat nontraditional toppings is always wrong. Keste, a highly regarded, rigorously authentic Neapolitan-style pizzeria in New York makes delicious pizzas with toppings such as pistachio pesto, butternut squash and Nutella. A photo on its website shows a charred crust of a real pizza from a wood-fired oven. Not suitable for pineapple, is it? Keste, which respects the art of pizza-making, carefully chooses toppings that mesh with, and enhance, the existing flavor palette of pizza and Italian food. In the pizza mecca of New York, no one adds pineapple; the mere suggestion is blasphemous. When Gudnis comments were first reported, a Facebook group founded to debate the finer points of pizza by a Brooklyn man exploded in shock and outrage at the existence of Hawaiian pizza. Pineapple pizza is a blight on society, says Mae Barber, a member of the group who grew up in Brooklyn, capturing the general sentiment. I am opposed to all novelty pizza toppings, adds group member Paul Murphy, who is half Italian American, grew up in downtown Manhattan, and knows right from wrong. (A gustatorily appropriate but atypical topping like pistachio pesto isnt a novelty topping. Novelty toppings are strange interlopers from other cuisines like hot dogs, nacho chips or pineapple.) The contrast between Gudni and our own president couldnt be starker. Gudni isnt taking this position because hes too fancy for the food of the common Icelander: The former college professor has been spotted picking up his own pizza on his way home from his presidential office. Donald Trump, who could afford to eat anywhere, loves McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken and orders his steaks burnt to a crisp. Not only did he force New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to order the meatloaf in the White House, he also once demanded meatloaf at Sparks, one of New Yorks leading steakhouses, even though it wasnt on the menu. But all that pales next to Trumps worst culinary offense: When Sarah Palin came to meet with him in New York, they ate pizza at Famous Famiglia, a mediocre chain New Yorkers avoid unless forced to eat in an airport or at a rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike. Trumps philosophy of food embodies his perverse appeal to the least urbane Americans: that being rich but having poor taste is a kind of populist authenticity. And his expectation that fine restaurants will serve him whatever comfort food he desires evokes his autocratic streak. Trump probably loves Hawaiian pizza, and one could easily imagine him demanding it from Keste. Gudni, with his appreciation for restraint in both cooking and lawmaking, is Trumps antithesis. Perhaps thats why Icelanders, a famously enlightened society, have given him approval ratings as high as 97 percent. Gudni cant outlaw Hawaiian pizza, but he is using the power of the bully pulpit to inspire better decisions by his countrymen. Thats the kind of presidential leadership we sorely miss here. Perhaps Gudni is the true leader of the free world. Mud brick by mud brick, Justin Altamura and a team of workers are helping rebuild Napas historic Old Adobe building. Altamura, the owner of the property at Soscol Avenue at Silverado Trail, has spent the past several months working at the site almost daily. I knew it was going to be a lot of work, Altamura said, but I love history. I love old things. His goal is to restore and retrofit the building Napas oldest, dating some 171 years- and return it to commercial use. Altamura is not looking to do a slapdash repair. This 30-year-old Napa native has become deeply connected to the project. I want it to be perfect and people to be proud of this place, he said. He said hes researched the sites history, met with period experts, purchased antique supplies, traveled to see other adobe structures and, along the way, become an expert on Napas oldest surviving building. That includes becoming an expert on mud. Adobe mud. During a visit to the site last week, Altamura introduced three workers who were repairing and replacing the old mud mortar between the adobe bricks from the early 19th century. The three Carlos Pena Sr., Carlos Pena Jr. and Maria Flores are father, son, and mother. On Wednesday morning, the family was working on an outside section of the mud walls. Pena Jr. chipped away to remove the ancient dirt mortar, while his parents mixed fresh mud mortar and placed it between the bricks by hand. Pieces of straw and even horse hair could be seen embedded in the original brown bricks. The new mud mortar was being made from original bricks no longer part of the structure. Pena Sr. said hes worked on masonry projects for more than 20 years. His wife, Flores, is also familiar with adobe. She said she made the adobe bricks for her own home in Jalisco, Mexico. Flores said that she was happy to work on the project. When it was noted that her fingerprints would be essentially embedded in the building itself and become part of the history of the structure, she nodded her head proudly. Over the decades, the Old Adobe was encased by layers of new paint, wooden additions and other non-historic add-ons. It was first a home and later a restaurant. Altamura has had most of the additions removed. Instead of painting over beams, they have been stripped down to the original wood. Original wooden headers over doorways are now exposed, along with original wooden floors and window casings. We want people to see the old wood, said Altamura. As he removed the layers, it was like unwrapping a gift, he said. Along the way, hes uncovered historical treasures like square nails, broken bottle parts, a marble Altamura thinks is Native American, animal bones, a rusty belt buckle and 1940s newspapers and burlap scraps used as insulation. On one wall, portions of a small mural of a Native American or Hispanic woman called Belleza Toluca have been preserved. Near her image, faint scratchings of old five-digit Napa phone numbers can be seen. Hosp 4-7811 one reads. Chack 47082, reads another pencil marking. Initials and other names are scratched into other walls and doors around the former restaurant. A 1930s era fireplace is made from castle bricks original to Napa State Hospital, said Altamura. A new coat of white wash made of lime and salt is beginning to be applied outside. Inside, a layer of adobe plaster made of mud, sand and some pine needles now covers the walls. Altamura, a grandson of Napa businessman George Altamura, said hell probably spend as much as $200,000 on the project. A new kitchen will be installed. The work will continue for the next several months. The next tenant, most likely a restaurant or cafe, will help him recoup his costs, he said. Being located at a busy corner in east Napa, the work at the site has drawn visitors and the curious. Altamura said he doesnt mind. I hear different stories about the sites history, he said, and he shares information in return. The most important thing is that the building is used and respected, he said. Its a legacy project for this Napan. Im going to own this until the day I die, Altamura vowed. Napa County Landmarks Board member Juliana Inman said the preservationist group is excited to see what Altamura has accomplished. Isnt it wonderful? she said. The restoration gives it some cachet and some importance. For years, the Old Adobe was a staple on Napa County Landmarks list of Ten Threatened Treasures. The adobe was added to the National Register of Historic Places in April 2015. Under Altamuras care, its condition has improved immeasurably, Inman said. Justin is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about adobe buildings, she said. Theyve saved every bit of adobe and every broken brick and everything from the site for making the mud plaster thats going back on the building, said Inman, an architect by profession. The workers are using all appropriate materials and salvaged adobe blocks from on site. Nobody has cared about that building in this way for 100 or 150 years, said Inman. When it was first built, it was a utilitarian home or structure. But its been abused and converted to other uses and terrible additions made to it. A fire left scorch marks that are still seen in the attic. Its just remarkable that its still here after all of that, she said. Inman said that Altamura is taking the professional advice he has been given seriously. Hes listened very carefully. Hes so appreciative of the history of the building and the site. Its like a gift to the community for him to be working on it, she said. Built in the 1840s, the city landmark, also known as the Cayetano Juarez Adobe, has seen its share of owners and tenants, from original owner Don Cayetano Juarez to the merchants who later operated bars or other watering holes inside its thick walls of mud and straw. For a time, it was owned by Tito Fuentes Jr., the son of former San Francisco Giants second baseman Tito Fuentes. The most recent tenant was the Taste of the Himalayas restaurant. School board members want to make it clear that St. Helena students have nothing to fear at school, whether theyre in the country illegally or not. Last Thursday trustees directed Board President Cindy Smith to work with Superintendent Marylou Wilson on a resolution reaffirming that the district does not cooperate with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has a policy of generally avoiding sensitive locations like schools. The resolution, which should appear on the boards April 13 agenda, will be largely symbolic, since the district is already legally obligated to provide equal access to education to all students, is prohibited from disclosing confidential student information, and doesnt require Social Security numbers or other proof of legal immigration status. However, trustees hope it will soothe fears that have been spreading recently due to changes in federal immigration policy under President Donald Trump. An informational meeting held at the high school on Feb. 24 made it clear that theres a fear of the unknown in the school community, said Trustee Jeannie Kerr. Alexandra Boeving Allen and Brooke Casey, who each have children in St. Helena schools, asked the board to adopt a resolution taking a firm stand on the issue for the sake of worried students and families. Smith said shed heard similar concerns from other community members. The Howell Mountain and Calistoga school districts have already adopted safe haven resolutions reaffirming that they do not cooperate with ICE. (As delivered) Good afternoon. Today I will launch my Annual Report and this Annual Report contains a lot of facts and figures about NATO. I thinks its important as a reference document but its also a way for NATO to show transparency because as you know transparency is important for the Alliance, its important to be able to tell the close to 1 billion people we protect what we are doing and this is covered in this Annual Report. At no time since the end of the Cold War NATO has faced greater challenges to our security than it has today. The report shows how much NATO is doing to adapt to this new security environment, acting with determination, to strengthen our collective defence and to project stability beyond our borders. In 2014 and 2015, we began to implement the largest reinforcement of our collective defence in a generation, and in 2016, we took further steps to keep our almost one billion citizens safe. Here, for example, you can see our joint effort to strengthen our collective defence in the north-east of the Alliance. These are the four multinational battlegroups we agreed to deploy, to Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. They are arriving as I speak. At least 17 different Allied countries will contribute troops to these four battlegroups and we are on track to have all four battlegroups in place by June. At the same time, we have maintained our political dialogue with Russia. We held three meetings of the NATO-Russia Council last year, and I welcome that both NATO and Russia recently took part in talks hosted by Finland on improving air safety in the Baltic Sea region. In keeping with our international commitments, we invited observers to attend ten NATO exercises. As far afield as Norway, the UK and Greece. NATO is adapting to address other challenges as well. Cyber attacks are a growing threat and NATO is making good progress on cyber defence. In 2016, NATO experts dealt with an average of 500 cyber incidents per month, a 60% increase on the previous year. We have recognised cyber as an operational domain, alongside land, sea and air, and Allies have committed to improve their national cyber defences. In 2016, our Aegis Ashore missile defence site in Romania became operational, round the clock. A major boost to our ability to defend against missile attacks from outside the Euro-Atlantic area. Security is not just about what we do at home, but also what we do beyond our borders. So we have agreed to do more to project stability in our neighbourhood, including by training local forces. As you can see from this slide, NATO is projecting stability in many different ways and contributing to the fight against terrorism. Its a fight we have been in for over 15 years. We have 13,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of our mission to train Afghan forces. From 39 NATO member and partner countries. They are training Afghan forces to help secure their country and deny safe haven to international terrorists. We have also started training Iraqi forces. Because training local forces is one of the best tools we have. Likewise, we have sent mobile training teams to Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. NATO AWACS planes are supporting the Global Coalition to Counter-ISIL. Our AWACS planes are also providing assurance to Turkey, which is on the front line of our fight against terrorism and NATO continues to augment Turkeys air defences. To bolster our efforts in the Middle East and North Africa we have recently decided to establish a Hub for the South in our command in Naples. We have opened the NATO-ICI regional centre in Kuwait, to improve cooperation with our partners in the Gulf. We have launched Sea Guardian, a new maritime security operation in the Mediterranean, building on the success of our mission to cut the lines of illegal migration in the Aegean Sea, and to deepen our understanding of the threats we face, we have created a new Intelligence Division here at NATO HQ. These are all essential steps, but we need to do more. To expand our efforts to make our neighbourhood more stable and I expect that to be an important focus when NATO leaders meet here in Brussels in May. NATO has helped to keep the peace in the Western Balkans for over 20 years. We will continue to be a guarantor of peace and stability in the region. Because it is important for our own security. And we will continue to support efforts for the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans. Because that is key to stability and prosperity. In the region and beyond. In 2016, we opened the door to Montenegro to join our Alliance and 25 Allies have already ratified the accession protocol, paving the way for Montenegro to become NATOs 29th member. ****** Last year we also took our partnership with the European Union to a new level. We agreed on 42 different measures to improve cooperation. Including on countering hybrid threats, cyber defence and maritime security. Working more closely with the EU is important for many different reasons. It will strengthen Europes security and reinforce the transatlantic bond. All our efforts must be underpinned by adequate resources and fair burden-sharing. At the Warsaw Summit last year we reaffirmed our pledge to invest more in defence, and to invest better, to stop the cuts, to move towards spending 2% of GDP on defence within a decade and to invest 20% of that defence spending in major equipment. This shows that we have turned a corner. In 2015, defence spending cuts among European Allies stopped. And 15 Allies increased their defence spending in real terms in 2015. In 2016, our figures show that 23 Allies increased their defence expenditure in real terms. By 3.8 %. Adding up to ten billion US dollars. So, there has been progress. But the job is far from done. We still do not have fair burden-sharing within our Alliance as you can see in the Annual report. Today, we publish in the Annual Report updated figures for individual NATO Allies. In 2016, five Allies spent 2% or more of GDP on defence. It is realistic that all Allies should reach this goal. All Allies have agreed to it at the highest level. It can be done. In fact, as you can see, European Allies together spent 2% of GDP on defence as recently as the year 2000. So meaning that after the Cold War we saw a decline in defence spending but we actually spent 2% of GDP on defence in Europe as late as in the year 2000, meaning that its possible to do it again, when we have decided to again start increasing defence spending in Europe and across Canada. And I am also encouraged that Romania plans to reach 2% this year. And both Latvia and Lithuania expect to do the same in 2018. Of course, burden sharing is not just about spending more. Its also about spending better, on skilled troops and high-end capabilities. Which is why the 20% target is so important. The number of Allies reaching 20% or more on their defence budget on major equipment has increased to ten. So we must redouble our efforts and that will be another key focus at the upcoming meeting of NATO leaders in May in Brussels. ****** NATO is a transatlantic alliance of 28 soon to be 29 democracies. Our strength lies in our shared values. Our common goal is to preserve peace and security. In a dangerous world, NATO is as essential as ever. At this pivotal time, the Alliance is strong, because we continue to adapt. And, with that, I am ready to take your questions. OANA LUNGESCU (NATO Spokesperson): Okay well start with Suddeutsche, third row, thanks. Q: Daniel Brossler, Suddeutsche zeitung. Secretary General are you worried if you look at the conflict between two NATO members, Turkey and the Netherlands right now, attacks coming from Turkey calling, calling the Netherlands fascist, similar attacks towards Germany. Is that, you would say the way Allies should treat each other or is that weakening the alliance? And there have been, a second question if I may, there have been discussions in Germany if as a reaction to that Bundeswehr soldiers should be called back from Turkey, is that something that is worrying you? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): Robust debate is at the heart of our democracy but so is also mutual respect. And therefore I will encourage all Allies to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach, to contribute to de-escalate the tensions and diffuse tensions and de-escalate the situation. And I think its important that we now focus on everything that unites us, the common challenges, the threats and how NATO is adapting and that we not focus on issues that occasionally divide us. I think it is important that we have dialogue and I think it is important also to understand that we supported each other. So for instance NATO presence in Turkey is good for Turkey but is also good for Europe and the rest of the Alliance. We work with them to address the threats and the challenges, the violence, the turmoil we see in Syria and Iraq, that is of course important for Turkey that NATO is present there with our capabilities, our forces, our AWACS planes, we are augmenting the air defences of Turkey, but its also an important part of what NATO does when it comes to helping and supporting the global coalition fighting ISIL. So this is in our interest that we work together to address common challenges and threats and thats exactly what we should do more of together with Turkey in fighting ISIL. OANA LUNGESCU: Okay. Itar-Tass, back there. Q: Mr. Secretary General, Denis Dubrovin, TASS News Agency. According to your report whats the general evaluation of the situation in the world? Is the security situation improving or degenerating? And which, in which areas are you would say the situation is the most grave? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: So what we have seen over the last couple of years is increased tensions and a new security environment surrounding NATO. We have seen more turmoil, more violence to the south with the DAESH ISIL taking control over big parts of Syria and Iraq, they are now on the defensive, they are losing ground but still they are absolutely present and we need to continue to support the global coalition fighting ISIL. At the same time we have seen a more assertive Russia, annexing Crimea, illegally annexing Crimea and destabilizing Eastern Ukraine. And all of this is what NATO is responding to but for me its very hard to compare different threats and challenges. ISIL is a terrorist organization, a brutal organization responsible for terrorist attacks and a brutality we have hardly seen before. Russia is a neighbour, Russia is there to stay and we are striving for a more constructive relationship with Russia and therefore I also welcome the fact that we have been able to reactivate the political dialogue with Russia in 2016 with three meetings of the NATO Russia Council. So my message is that NATO is strong because we are able to adapt. NATO is strong because when the world is changing NATO is changing. OANA LUNGESCU: Unian. Q: Thank you. Secretary General recently President of European Commission Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker put at the table five different scenarios for European Union and for now it looks like the European Union of different speed countries are most preferably within 28 of you. From other helms they also talking about necessity to increase spending on the defence in the EU. How do you think all these plans can influence NATO also particularly in the part when NATO has to increase money on its own defence? Dont you think that well, Allies, European Allies will increase spending in the EU, they dont spend in NATO and so the ultimatum of Mr. Trump at the end of this year will be a reality? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: I think its very important to understand that there is no contradiction between stronger NATO and stronger European defence. Actually it goes together because 22 of the members of the European Union are at the same time members of the NATO Alliance and more than 90 % of the people living in the European Union, they live in NATO countries. So stronger European defence means at the same time stronger NATO. And NATO has called for more defence spending in Europe in many years, we have called for the development of new capabilities, more training, more exercises but also to address some of the obvious challenges we have in Europe with a very fragmented defence industry which makes the development of capabilities more costly in Europe than for instance in the United States. So I welcome efforts to strengthen defence cooperation within the European Union because I believe that will strengthen the defences of Europe and also strengthen NATO. The only thing which is important is that the European Union does do not duplicate what NATO does and that is it complimentary. And therefore I welcome the very clear message from many European leaders that this is not about a European army, this is not about creating new command structures which are parallel or overlapping NATO command structures and this is not about the European Union being responsible for collective defence in Europe. Because collective defence in Europe is NATOs main responsibility and especially after Brexit I think its obvious that we need NATO and the European Union working together, not competing, because 80 % of NATOs defence expenditure will be non EU and the three of four battalions or battle groups we have in the east will be led by non EU countries, the UK, Canada and United States. So as long as this is not about a competition, that we work in complementarity and thats the clear goal from the European Union, thats something I welcome, then I think we should only welcome efforts to strengthen European Defence. And if for instance Germany increased defence spending that will be good for Europe, the European Union and NATO. OANA LUNGESCU: Okay. Wall Street Journal. Q: Julian Barnes, Wall Street Journal. President Trump has said in addition to more defence spending he wants more of a focus on counter terrorism from NATO. You and other allied officials have talked about NATOs contribution being in building partnership capacity. This report outlines a lot of different areas where youre doing training missions, what is the way forward? Is it doing more training missions or is it doing training missions more quickly or is it doing them in a different way to make them more effective? What is your thinking of how youre going to address this demand that NATO adapt and evolve? JENS STOLTENBERG: It may be all three of them and we have an open mind to how NATO can step up its efforts to fight terrorism. I think the important thing is to know or to understand is that we have to do it in different ways, in different regions and in different parts of the world, and we need tailor made approaches to the different countries we are working with. We have one approach in Afghanistan and we must not forget that Afghanistan is about fighting terrorism. The reason why we went into Afghanistan was a direct response to a terrorist attack on the United States and the main reason why we still are in Afghanistan is to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. We have 13,000 troops there and if theres any lesson learned from Afghanistan its that we should have started earlier to train local forces, to build local capacity. So thats what we do in Afghanistan now, the Afghans are responsible for security in their own country themselves, we train, help and assist them. We cant not copy that but we can get some inspiration from them, when we for instance work in Iraq and again I think its extremely important that we train local forces, when Mosul is liberated we need some local forces to keep the territory, to stabilize the region and as long as we dont plan to deploy our own forces and thats not on the agenda at all, then we need local forces. We also have this concept of deployable mobile teams. So we have deployed mobile training teams from NATO to different countries in the region and we will continue to do so. We are, we have established a hub in the south which can coordinate more activities and of course we can also do more when it comes to just helping to build defence institutions. Because its not sufficient to train troops if you dont have defence structures, institutions, that can make sure that those troops are led, coordinated in a good way. Thats exactly what we are for instance now starting to address in Libya. So we have a wide range of opportunity or possibilities, NATO is already doing a lot and we describe all the different activities in the Annual Report but I can foresee that we can actually scale up some of the activities we have and we can also of course do different kinds of activities in addition. OANA LUNGESCU: Egyptian TV, second row. Q: Im here. Thank you very much Im (inaudible) from the Egyptian Television. Secretary General you, NATO did recognize the Belgium Embassy to be the link between NATO and Egypt, and Egypt, will be present was a high level of diplomatic NATO soon, how will this change cooperation between NATO and Egypt? And is there any talk between NATO and Egypt to work together in Libya? Thank you very much. JENS STOLTENBERG: I welcome very much that Egypt is establishing a mission to NATO and will appoint an ambassador to NATO. That will strengthen the cooperation, the partnership between NATO and Egypt. I recently met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, we had a good and constructive meeting. NATO is working with Egypt in different ways, we have for instance deployed our mobile training team to Egypt, we are working with Egypt to increase interoperability and, and of course when I met with the Foreign Minister we also discussed the situation in Libya. And of course Egypt being so close, a key nation, we, I, expressed from the NATO side that we are ready to help build structures, defence institutions in Libya, but we also strongly support a UN led effort to try to find a negotiated political solution. So the political dialogue is an important part of the partnership and the political dialogue will be strengthened by the new Egyptian diplomatic mission to NATO. OANA LUNGESCU: Financial Times. Q: Hi, Arthur Beesley here. In your assessment, Secretary General, are efforts by Germany to increase defence spending, which are underway, are those efforts sufficient at this time? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: The important thing is that Germany has turned a corner. Because after years of decline in defence spending they have now stopped the cuts in defence spending and actually started to increase. And if you, afterwards you will have the Annual Report, I think its table three, then you will see the real change in defence spending for all individual allies and Germany has an increase in 2016. I of course expect Germany as all other Allies to continue to keep up the momentum and to continue to invest more in defence and of course I expect that from all allies but Germany being the biggest economy in Europe it really matters what Germany does. And therefore I welcome the very clear messages from Chancellor Merkel and from other German leaders that they will now start to invest more in our defence. This is not just about, you know a call from United States and from President Trump, this is also about that it is a decision made by 28 Allies together, it is in Europes own interest to invest more in defence and I welcome the fact that Germany has started. Germany as many other Allies has a long way to go but at least after years of decline we have now seen that they are moving in the right direction and this has been my main issue when I met different political leaders in different NATO capitals since I became Secretary General in 2014 and of course I spoke with Chancellor Merkel recently and that was one of the issues we discussed, how can we make sure that we continue to invest more in defence. OANA LUNGESCU: ARD, third row. Q: Kai Kustner her, German Radio. Once more back to Turkey. The Human Rights Watchdog Council of Europe has sharply criticised Turkey for its plans to establish a presidential rule in the country. Since NATO is also based on democratic values does that pose a problem for the Alliance? And can Turkey actually stay a member of NATO in case the presidential rule is established? JENS STOLTENBERG: Well thats exactly what they are now discussing in Turkey and there is a campaign going on, some are in favour and some are against, but that is going to be decided by referendum in Turkey. And of course I respect the outcome of that referendum and its up to each and every ally to discuss, to decide through democratic processes what kind of presidential or parliamentary rule they would like to have as long as this is done in a democratic way. OANA LUNGESCU: Latvian Radio. Q: [Inaudible], Radio Latvia. Secretary General do you have more information about military training, Zapad 2017, which Russia will start in autumn and very close to the Baltic borders, are you in touch with Russian authorities? And its supposed to start quite soon after NATO battle groups will be deployed in the Baltics. Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: First of all I think its important to remember that every nation has the right to exercise its own troops and forces. That is also the case for Russia. NATO conducts exercises, Russia conducts exercises and thats part of our obligations when we have an armed force or armed forces. The important thing is that exercises are conducted in a way which does not increase tensions, which does not lead to misunderstanding and which is fully in compliance with our international obligations. For instance in compliance with the Vienna Document where there are requirements related to how exercises are notified and international observation of exercises. And I would welcome that any invitation from Russia to observe ZAPAD 2017 and that I also expect Russia to fully adhere to their international commitments under the Vienna Document because thats the best way to keep tensions down and to avoid any misunderstand. I will also add that one of the issues we have discussed in the NATO Russia Council is, we discussed at the last meeting before Christmas, no in January, no, when was the last meeting? OANA LUNGESCU: Last year. JENS STOLTENBERG: Last year, in December, we discussed how we can strengthen the NATO Russia Council as a forum for briefings, reciprocal briefings on exercises. And then of course I hope that Russia will be willing to brief on ZAPAD. OANA LUNGESCU: Okay. NPR, Deutsche Welle, in the middle. Q: Thank you Mr. Secretary General. Terri Schultz. Back to Turkey. Have you had any conversations with either the Dutch Government or the Turkish Government about the dispute about your call for, besides publicly here, about your call for calm and de-escalation? And given the fact that the Dutch flag was taken down on the consulate in Istanbul over the weekend and a Turkish flag raised, have you taken any steps or sought any reassurances that, NATO bases for example, that the unrest could rise to a level where they could actually threaten the security of NATO installations there? Thanks. JENS STOLTENBERG: So over the weekend I have been in contact with the Turkish and Dutch Government, I think I should not go into the details of those conversations but of course my message has been the same. That debate, discussion, robust debate is part of our democracy but at the same time mutual respect is important and that calm and de-escalation is important now to diffuse the tensions. And that has been my message because I really believe that we should be focused on the threats and the challenges we see from outside the alliance and everything that unites us instead of focusing on issues that divides us. Q: Are you worried at all about the security of the. [Inaudible no microphone]. JENS STOLTENBERG: I will not go into any specifics but I will just, because this is a bilateral issue between NATO allies, but what I can say is that I call, urge all allies to act in a measured and calm way to reduce tensions. OANA LUNGESCU: Europa Presse. Q: Thank you, Ana Pisonero from the Spanish News Agency Europa Presse. Im sorry I have to ask on Spain because its still one of the biggest countries and weve gone down now to the second lowest, well the second lowest country dedicating most GDP, estimations from July from NATO were actually we would be the third but were actually, we seem to be getting worse. So are you worried, you know that Spain can compromise this, this efforts on sharing better the burden because of U.Ss clear call on this? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: Spain contributes to NATO in many different ways. I have seen Spanish soldiers doing the Trident Juncture Exercise we had last year I think it was. Then Spain is for instance one of the countries that are contributing to the assurance measures in Turkey, they are, they have deployed a patriot battery to Turkey and I thank Spain for that. Turkey is one of the nations which are responsible for leading one of the Spearhead Brigades we have established and Spain is contributing in many different ways to our collective security and to projecting stability to our neighbourhood. Having said that of course Spain as many other Allies invests too little in defence and thats exactly why we decided in 2014 to stop the cuts, gradually increase and to move towards spending 2 % of GDP on defence. And I expect that Spain will deliver on that. I know that its difficult, I have been in national governments myself and I know its always hard to find money for defence because all politicians will prefer to spend on education, on health, on infrastructure and of course almost all Allies decreased defence spending after the end of the Cold War when tensions went down. But my message is that if we are or when we are reducing defence spending in times with reduced tensions we have to be able to increase defence spending when tensions are going up and now tensions have gone up and therefore we have to invest more in defence. OANA LUNGESCU: Kabul Times, second row. Q: Thank you Secretary. You talked about Afghanistan and also mentioned that since 15 years NATO is in Afghanistan, thats true but as an Afghan and a lot of Afghan believe NATO is not succeed in Afghanistan and always the same policy like train, advice and assistance. So is there any possibility to change this policy or be a little bit more strong to again sending soldier in Afghanistan or more paying attention for the equipment for the Afghan soldiers? And also as you know there is really very different and difficult situation in Afghanistan and also tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan since months and weeks and months. Whats, as Afghanistan as a part in the NATO, so whats your advice for this country and how do you think for the future of Afghanistan? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: I totally agree that there are many challenges in Afghanistan and there is still violence and the Taliban is still a real threat and we have many different terrorist groups that operate in Afghanistan. So Im aware of the challenges and the difficulties in Afghanistan, having said that I also would like to underline that we have achieved a lot together. When NATO troops arrived almost 15 years ago we hardly had a functioning state and there was hardly any, or should I say any real national security force in Afghanistan. Then we have helped to build a Afghan National Security Force consisting of 350,000 troops military and police, and they are now able to have the responsibility for the security in their own country themselves. And that, but thats at least something compared to the situation before where Afghanistan was totally dependent on troops from other countries being responsible for security in Afghanistan. So again Im not saying that its easy, I am aware that there are high casualty numbers and there are terrorist attacks and there are many challenges but compared to a time where NATO had more than a hundred thousand troops conducting big combat operations in Afghanistan now NATO has 13,000 troops and the Afghans are responsible for security in their own country. And in the long run Im absolutely confident that the only way that we can stabilize Afghanistan is that the Afghans take responsibility for their own future themselves. In the long run they cannot be dependent on NATO sending tens of thousands of combat troops into combat operations fighting in Afghanistan. So yes I understand this is difficult but I think the transformation from NATO doing big combat operations to handing over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghans themselves has been a significant achievement that we have made together with the Afghan troops. We will continue to train them and Im also encouraged by how Afghanistan is developing new capabilities like for instance air forces and how they are including also women in their armed forces. I met Afghan pilots being trained by NATO trainers, thats great to see. And then I want to also add that we will be, we are there to train, help, assist but we are also there with money, we are continuing to fund the Afghan National Army, we have committed for three, four more years until 2020 and we have a political dialogue and part of that is also of course to support all efforts to try to find a negotiated political solution and part of that is of course to involve neighbours like Pakistan and good neighbour relations are of great importance to find a lasting peaceful solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. OANA LUNGESCU: Le Soir, third row. Q: Thank you, Philippe Regnier newspaper Le Soir. You mentioned the fact that Montenegros accession to NATO will bring more stability in the region but dont you fear that at the same time Russia will try to, to disrupt this process? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: So we have seen reports from Montenegro addressing those concerns and also we have seen the failed coup attempt last fall and, and the fact that Russian citizens were involved in that attempt. But for me this is not an argument against Montenegro joining NATO, for me this is an argument in favour because Montenegro has through democratic processes made a decision, they want to join NATO, 28 Allies have signed the accession protocol and almost all of them have also ratified it in the parliament and it is a sovereign right of every nation through democratic processes to decide which path it wants to choose including what kind of security arrangements it wants to be a part of. So any attempt to intervene or ,sorry any attempt to interfere, in such a process is undermining the sovereign right of a sovereign nation to make its own decisions and of course Montenegro has that right and I support it. OANA LUNGESCU: Lady over there. Q: Thank you. Maria [Inaudible], from Ethnos Newspaper Greece. Would you elaborate more about the NATOs mission in Aegean Sea and two, is Turkey again seeking for an end to this operations? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: NATOs presence in the Aegean Sea has been a success and has been important for different reasons. Partly we have been key in helping Frontex, the Greek and Turkish Coast Guard, to address the illegal flow and the criminal networks facilitating the illegal migration through the or over the Aegean Sea. NATO ships have been very often the first spotters of boats and activities, we have shared that information with local coast guards and they have then taken action. And of course NATO has also been important because it brings together two NATO Allies, Turkey and Greece, a non EU member Turkey working with the European Union Frontex in the Aegean. So when I, I visited for instance the German flagship Bonn, on that flagship we had a of course a German admiral but we also had Turkish liaison officer and a Greek liaison officers, officer, just underlining that NATO brings together Turkey and Greece, EU and NATO in the region. And also the fact that we have been able to work so closely with the European Union I think adds to the importance of this mission. Having said all this of course this is not an open, this will have an end, so we will be there as long as there is support for it in NATO and as long as we deem it as something that adds value but at some stage I also expect that our activity in the Aegean will end. OANA LUNGESCU: Last question, Agence France Presse. Q: Thank you Secretary General. What, what can we expect for the next meetings, there is a meeting in May, you havent given a date so I guess its not completely clear yet. What about a ministerial meeting of foreign ministers? Is the situation between Turkey and some of the European countries also maybe delaying that meeting was maybe foreseen somewhere before May? Can you give us some guidance on how, what we can expect? JENS STOLTENBERG: We will have a meeting of heads of states and government in Brussels in the end of May. The meeting will take place in connection with the G7 meeting in Italy so it will most likely be just before or just after but we will soon be able to announce the exact date. And it will not be a full-fledged summit, the plan is to inaugurate the new building, so we will have all the heads of state and government including a new U.S. President and a new French President attending the inauguration and we will have a working session where we will discuss how NATO is adapting to new security challenges. And I expect that burden sharing, defence investments but also how both to spend more but also how to spend better will be an important part of the discussion at the meeting in May but also what more NATO can do to fight terrorism. Then we will also have a Foreign Ministerial Meeting the beginning of April, that will be an important building block or part of the preparations for the meetings of heads of state and government in May and also many NATO Allies and I myself will go to Washington next week, well next week, yeah next week to participate in the counter ISIL coalition meeting. So that will also provide an informal platform for some of us to discuss the preparations for this meeting in May. So we are now preparing for hosting 28 heads of state and government and Montenegro because Montenegro participates in all our meetings even though the accession protocol is not ratified in all 28 parliaments. Host them here in May and inaugurate the building, address burden sharing, defence spending and what more NATO can do to fight terrorism. So Im looking forward to that meeting. OANA LUNGESCU: Thank you very much this concludes this press conference. You will have an opportunity to continue talking to the Secretary General off the record at our annual reception which will be at the end of the corridor but before you do that you can take the annual report, which is totally on the record, to your right as you leave this room. Thank you. UPDATE: Lab Worker Aboard Cruise Ship Tests Negative For Ebola Virus GAVLESTON, Texas A supervisor of the Texas lab that handled samples from a Liberian man who died after contracting the Ebola virus is still being quarantined aboard the Carnival Cruise ship, Carnival Magic. The Carnival Magic left Galveston, Texas last week and was destined for Cozumel, Mexico yesterday with 3,652 passengers and 981 crew members aboard but was not allowed to port into Cozumel by Mexican authorities. The Carnival Magic, which was waiting off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico this morning to dock there for a scheduled port visit, had not received clearance from Mexican authorities to do so by 12 noon eastern time today and therefore the decision was made to proceed to Galveston to ensure the ship arrives there on time on Sunday morning , Carnival Cruise Lines said in a statement on Friday. We greatly regret that this situation, which was completely beyond our control, precluded the ship from making its scheduled visit to Cozumel and the resulting disappointment it has caused our guests. Carnival said that the Texas healthcare worker remains on board in voluntary isolation and continues to show no symptoms of illness and poses no risk to the guests or crew on board. Guests on the ship are being provided a $200 per person credit to their shipboard accounts and a 50 percent discount on a future cruise based on the missed visit to Cozumel. Carnival added that it will not allow passengers or crew who have visited Guinea, Sierra Leone, or Liberia within 21 day to board any of its cruise ships. The recent spread of the Ebola virus in the U.S. and abroad is starting to affect the tourism and travel industry as potential travelers and vacationers re-think their future travel plans. The cruise ship industry and their related stocks are being hit particularly hard despite a drop in fuel prices. Carnival Cruise Line stock has been under pressure for the past few weeks after the cruise giant had to change itineraries due to Ebola outbreaks in west Africa. Airline stocks are also taking a tumble due to passenger fears of contracting travel-related Ebola. I think that cruise ships might be the most vulnerable of the travel and leisure cohort, maybe even more than airplanes, which themselves have a huge problem. Its simply disruptive to their business, said CNBC financial commentator Jim Cramer Ebola Facts: Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The average fatality rate is around 50%. The virus was originally transmitted to people in Africa from non-human primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees) and then spread into the human population through human-to-human transmission. The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history. There have been cases reported in the U.S., Spain, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Although some cruise ships have a ships registry in West Africa, this does not neccesarily mean that the ship has recently traveled to West Africa. There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola. The CDC recommends the following tips to prevent Ebola contamination: Practice careful hygiene. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with blood and body fluids. Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected persons blood or body fluids (such as clothes, bedding, needles, and medical equipment). Avoid funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola. Avoid contact with bats and nonhuman primates or blood, fluids, and raw meat prepared from non-human primates. Image Credit: Wiki Commons The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Neil Gorsuch and the First Amendment: Questions the Senate Judiciary Committee should ask Clay Calvert, Brechner Eminent Scholar in Mass Communication at UFs College of Journalism and Communications, poses three questions for Trumps Supreme Court nominee. Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for United States Supreme Court justice nominee Neil Gorsuch are fast approaching. Its time to consider some key questions about First Amendment speech rights the senators should ask during the constitutionally mandated advice-and-consent process. These hearings often are contentious. That was the case for Justice Clarence Thomas in the early 1990s. And they surely wont be a cake walk this time, given Democratic anger over Republican inaction on Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obamas nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February 2016. The First Amendment questions Id pose to Gorsuch are critical because the man who nominated him, President Donald J. Trump, bashes the press as the enemy of the people yet proclaims no one loves the First Amendment more than he. An obvious question for Judge Gorsuch is his view of the courts 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. That five-to-four decision divided sharply along perceived partisan lines. It affected the speech rights of corporations and unions in funding political ads shortly before elections. Committee Democrats no doubt will grill Gorsuch about Citizens United. As the director of the Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project at the University of Florida, I would like to suggest at least three other timely and vital questions he should be asked about speech rights but that I doubt he will face. Capturing cops on camera in public The first question Id pose to Gorsuch involves an issue the Supreme Court has never tackled does the First Amendment protect a persons right to record police officers doing their jobs in public places? Its a vital question in light of incidents such as the April 2015 shooting in the back of unarmed African-American Walter Scott by white police officer Michael Slager in South Carolina. A video of it was captured on a smartphone by barber Feidin Santana while walking to work. It was key evidence in Slagers murder trial which ended with a hung jury. Without guidance from the Supreme Court about recording cops in public venues, lower courts have had to sort it out for themselves. Just last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit concluded in Turner v. Driver that First Amendment principles, controlling authority, and persuasive precedent demonstrate that a First Amendment right to record the police does exist, subject only to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. Thats a positive step in terms of creating a constitutional right to record cops within the Fifth Circuit, which includes Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. But just what constitutes a reasonable restriction is extremely vague and problematic, especially because judges usually defer to officers judgments. Worse still, some courts havent even recognized any First Amendment right to record police. In the case of Fields v. City of Philadelphia, now under review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, a federal judge ruled there is no First Amendment right to film police in public spaces unless the person recording does so with the intent of challenging or criticizing police actions. In brief, there is no First Amendment right to neutrally record police as a bystander or journalist in Philadelphia. Gorsuch thus should be asked: Do citizens have a First Amendment right to record police doing their jobs in public places and, if there is such a right, what if any are the specific limits on that right? The right to protest in public places Trumps presidency ushers in a new era of confrontational political activism. Protests against Trump and rallies for him are common, with some ending in arrests. Berkeley, California home of the 1960s free speech movement saw 10 arrests this month when pro- and anti-Trump individuals clashed. Gorsuch should be questioned about the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble and the limits on that right affecting political demonstrations on public streets, sidewalks and parks. The Supreme Court privileges such quintessential public forums for picketing and protests, and it carefully reviews any restrictions imposed there on speech and assembly. Would Gorsuch follow that tradition of protection? Disturbingly, The New York Times reported earlier this month that lawmakers in more than 15 states are considering bills that would curb, to varying degrees, the right to protest. Some measures, such as Florida Senate Bill 1096, do so by requiring a special event permit be obtained before any protest on a street, thus stifling spontaneous demonstrations that might occur after a controversial executive order or a startling jury verdict. Requiring the government to grant a permit before one can protest constitutes a prior restraint on speech. Prior restraints, the Supreme Court has repeatedly found, are presumptively unconstitutional. Gorsuch thus should be asked: What, if any, limits are there on the First Amendment right to engage in political speech in public spaces, including streets, sidewalks and parks? The right to offend Finally, Id ask Gorsuch for his views about the First Amendment right to offend. Its an important topic today for three reasons. First, protesters may use offensive language to capture attention and show the passion behind their views. The Supreme Court traditionally protects offensive political speech, as it famously did in 1971 in Cohen v. California. There it ruled in favor of Paul Robert Cohens First Amendment right to wear a jacket with the words F the Draft in a Los Angeles courthouse hallway. Second, some believe theres a pall of political correctness in society, particularly in higher education. Some students may be deterred from using certain language or expressing particular viewpoints for fear they will offend others and thus be punished. Third, the Supreme Court is set to rule in the coming months in a case called Lee v. Tam. It centers on the power of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to deny an Asian-American band called The Slants trademark registration over that name because it allegedly disparages Asians. The court heard oral argument in the case in January. Id thus ask Gorsuch: When does offensive expression - in particular, offensive speech on political and social issues - lose protection under the First Amendment? Gorsuch already has submitted written answers to the Judiciary Committee on some issues, but not on the questions raised here. These topics filming cops in public, protesting on streets and sidewalks, and using offensive language seem especially relevant in a turbulent Trump era. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Actress Reese Witherspoon says she has had enough of being the only woman on set, and wants to change it. Witherspoon, who became a household name with 2001's "Legally Blonde", is one of Hollywood's top-earning actresses. But it's her latest project, "Big Little Lies" that is making her proud as she co-produced it with fellow Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, reports mirror.co.uk. The show, aired in India on Star World Premiere HD, centres on three mothers who get caught in a murder mystery. "For 25 years, I've been the only woman on set, so no other women to talk to. They call it the Smurfette Syndrome: There's 100 smurfs around but she's the only girl. So it's refreshing to get to spend time with women," Witherspoon said. She added: "We have to start seeing women as they really are on film, we have to, and not just in movie theatres on a tiny budget. We need to see real women's experience, whether it involves domestic violence, sexual assault, motherhood, romance, infidelity or divorce. These are the kinds of shows that shift consciousness." Witherspoon says she "wants to be able" to "express" herself, to show how important women are in our world. We should be telling more stories like this". --IANS sug/ks/ ( 224 Words) 2017-03-13-05:22:07 (IANS) Some celebrities even urged their fans to avoid throwing Holi colours on animals. They took to Twitter to reach out to their loved ones. Here's what they had to say: Amitabh Bachchan: The quieter you become the more you can hear... Happy Holi. Anupam Kher: Happy Holi to All. Even the Los Angeles sky is celebrating Holi. Priyanka Chopra: Do me a favour let's play Holi! Here is wishing everyone a safe beautiful wonder filled Holi. Salim Khan: Nothing succeeds like success. There can be numerous reasons for a faliure but there cant be any excuse. Happy Holi to everyone. Ajay Devgn: Wishing you all a colourful Happy Holi Manoj Bajpayee: Happy holi to all of you. Anushka Sharma: Shashi was there jab ispe rang daala gaya. Jaanwaron ko rang pasand nahi.Insaan sirf insaano ke saath Holi khelein please! (Shashi was there when colour was put on this animal. Animals don't like colours. Please only play Holi with human beings) Happy and safe Holi. Juhi Chawla: Wishing all of you a very Happy Holi. 247 years old painting of Lord Krishna celebrating Holi festival with Radha. Madhuri Dixit-Nene: Happy Holi from Japan! Sunny Leone: Happy Holi everyone!!! Be safe and don't hurt the animals!! Tahir Raj Bhasin: Celebrate in high spirit, have an unforgettable Holi...Happy Holi. Vikram Bhatt: Found this and loved it. Wishing everyone a very Happy and colourful Holi! Play safe. Sudhir Mishra: India will b what its people want it to be , meanwhile Happy Holi ! Madhur Bhandarkar: May God paint the canvas of our life with the colours of joy, love, happiness, prosperity, good health and success. Wishing you all...Happy Holi. Esha Gupta: Wishing all of you a very colourful and a safe Holi! Happy Holi. Preity Zinta: Happy Holi everyone. May the festival of colours bring all the happiness, light and colour into ur lives and take away the darkness. Ting...Holi Riteish Deshmukh: Happiness comes in various colours...Happy Holi ... Have a great one, safe one and most importantly a responsible one. Raghu Ram: Happy Holi, everyone! Hope you have lots of fun! Ranvir Shorey: Happy Holi! Divya Dutta: A very happy holi. Disha Patani: Yeyyy happy Holi everyone. Kim Sharma: Happy Holi! Play safe. Karishma Tanna: Wishing You and your family happy Holi. --IANS dc/ahm/ ( 420 Words) 2017-03-13-11:32:10 (IANS) Wishing her fans at Zee Cine Awards, actress Vidya Balan said, "Wishing all of you a happy, safe and colourful Holi. God bless you, enjoy" The 'Phillauri' actress, Anushka Sharma, who was decked up in a black jumpsuit with sheer and dramatic detailing on the sleeves, also wished her fans a happy and safe Holi. Decked up in pink saree, Alia Bhatt also wished her fans, "Happy Holi to everybody and please go watch 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania'." Asking his fans not to harm animals with colours, actor Varun Dhawan said, "I would like to wish everybody a very happy Holi and be it you are in any part of out country, please be safe." Director Boney Kapoor with his gorgeous wife Sridevi, said, "Everybody should enjoy the festival of colours and may the bad goes and the Good luck come in." After all the young actors, how can Khans be behind; Salman Khan also attended the event and wished his fans a very happy and safe Holi. (ANI) Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah on Saturday was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs to register protest against the continued ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). "Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today. He was conveyed the Government's grave concern and strong protest at the continuing incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan side at the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB)," the ministry said in a statement. The Indian Government registered its strong protest at the fatal casualty of an Indian soldier in an unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces on March 9, the statement added. The Pakistani official was also conveyed New Delhi's expectation that Pakistan should not take any step detrimental to peace along the LoC and IB and to the security of India. (ANI) The Congress on Monday made a sardonic remark on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ideology that won them the recently-concluded Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls, citing it has been "polarising" the UP politics for long. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, referring to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) ideologue M.G. Vaidya's statement that the landslide victory in UP was a vote for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, asserted the pronouncement broke the various claims made by the BJP Government. "I welcome the fact that the RSS has spoken the truth. We all knew that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal was not his. It was a right-wing Hindu appeal. The BJP has been polarising the UP politics for long. So, the vote of polarisation has now become a vote of consolidation. I have my doubts though about how long it is going to continue," he said. "The statement also breaks the claim of the BJP Government that it was the vote of development. They have won it on Modi's Hindutva leadership plan, which is very evident," he added. Dikshit also congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the BJP's remarkable victory in the UP and Uttarakhand Assembly polls, while also saying that he didn't find anything new or extravagant in his victory speech. "Let me first congratulate him and the BJP. But, I don't particularly see anything new or extravagant in what he said. Anybody who wins will obviously congratulate or thank the people. And every leader would like to be somebody who claims that he understands the poor and identifies with them. There's nothing new in this. This has happened in the past and it will continue to happen in future," he said. A day before, Vaidya remarked that the popular verdict in the two states could be termed as a public endorsement of the BJP's election manifesto that talked about building a Ram temple in Ayodhya. (ANI) When the festival of colours is here, how can Google be far behind from celebrating it! Hence it dedicated the Doodle today to celebrate Holi, by taking on a fresh set of colours on it. Google took to its blog to describe its Doodle, which read, "Today, the Google letters are taking on a fresh set of colors in honor of the Holi festival. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the vibrant celebration looks a lot like the Doodle: people run around happily covering each other in a rainbow of powdery hues." Adding, "Amid the cloud of red, blue, yellow, green, and everything in between, festival-goers can often be found laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited "Festival of Colors" that undoubtedly lives up to its name." The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest. It lasts for two days starting on the Purnima (Full Moon day). The first day is known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and the second as Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Dhulivandan. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura unit today threatened to launch vigorous movement against leftists in the state for resorting to attack on its supporters and warned police to be neutral in discharging duties.BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb said here that CPI-M cadres have been continuing assault and threat on the BJP supporters mostly in South Tripura and a few locations of West Tripura following sudden growth of the party in the state.He said BJP staged a road blockade at Udaipur in Gomati district yesterday protesting attacks on two BJP supporters at Chhataria area by CPI-M cadres, as the victims took part in the celebration of BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on March 11 last. Hundreds of BJP followers and leaders took out a protest rally at Udaipur and blocked the National Highway demanding arrest of the accused persons. The demonstrators alleged despite lodging specific complaints police did not take any action and rather helped the accused to stay absconding, Deb stated. He further pointed out that CPI-M cadres have killed BJP's tribal front leader Chanmohan Tripura in Gandacherra, raped a tribal lady and several other females had to face atrocities and more than 100 workers were assaulted by the cadres but the government did not take any action. "More than a lakh of voters joined in BJP in past six months in different parts of the party leaving the ruling CPI-M and others. The party is all set to install government in Tripura in 2018 and after coming in powerin Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa, common people have become desperate against hostile CPI-M," Deb alleged. He however, pointed out that CPI-M won the previous elections in Tripura by manipulating the entire electioneering with the help of a section of officers in the administration and added, "In past 24 years uninterrupted rule in Tripura, CPI-M has posted their cadres in important positions in the administration who have been working for the party directly." The rule of law is not at all exist in Tripura where entire administration and police have been functioning under political control of CPI-M and even police do not register a simple case unless direction comes from the party and leaders, he alleged. "Not only BJP workers and supporters were facing atrocities from CPI-M whoever opposing the misdeed of the party and government even the honest communists are subject to torture and humiliated by the corrupt lobby of Manik Sarkar led team. We made it clear if party does not stop atrocities on us and government doesn't allow administration and police function properly, we have to seek shelter from central government for restoring democracy and public order," Deb reiterated. He further stated buoyed by the results of five state assembly poll, BJP Chief Amit Shah has now turned eyes to Tripura and today Deb left for Delhi to discuss the latest situation of the state with central leadership to install BJP led government here.UNI BB KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186771.Xml The Indian troop was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of 'unprovoked' ceasefire violation in the last three days. Troops from Pakistan opened fire four villages. There has been no casualty reported yet. On Sunday, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire in Krishna Ghati Sector in the same district. The Indian forces are retaliating strongly and the firing is still on. Further details are awaited. (ANI) The BJP, which made a spectacular electoral debut in Manipur after Assam, is poised to form the next government in the stateending a 15-year-old Congress rule even as Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh exuded confidence of forming the government. The saffron party despite bagging 21 seats, seven less than of the single largest party Congress, has somehow managed to rope in all the other MLAs, including those, who were supporting the Congress. The BJP leaders will soon announce their leader. Mr Nongthombam Biren, former Minister, who resigned as Congress MLA and subsequently defected to the BJP before the elections, is the frontrunner for the post of the Chief Minister as all the senior party leaders licked dust in the elections. Party president Ksh Bhabananda did not contest the elections. The BJP has announced support of four MLAs of the Naga People's Front (NPF) and National people's Party (NPP), one each of Trinamol Congress, Lok Jana Shakti Party and an Independent MLA. A Congress MLA, Th Shyamkumar, has also shifted camp to the BJP and he is likely to be disqualified as per provision of the Anti Defection Law. The BJP is preparing to project him as a BJP candidate in the repoll which may be necessary within the next six months. Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh said the Congress will form the next government and Governor Dr Najma Heptulla is expected to invite the Congress as it had emerged the single largest party. The Congress has accused the BJP of forcibly taking away the lone Independent from the Tulihal airport using CISF personnel and taking him away to Guwahati.UNI NS SJC -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186783.Xml Besides commoners, Border guards of India and Bangladesh celebrated Holi together along the international border in different areas in the state in the past two days. Police said no untoward incident was reported so far while playing with colours anywhere in the state. However, the administration closed all liquor shops across the state and extra deployment of security force has been made. The police and TSR jointly launched enforcement against the Holi whopping motor bike drivers in different locations of the state against rush and high speed riding and to prevent drunk and drive. More than a hundred preventive arrests were made so far in the state, police said, adding that the administration undertook all possible measures to ensure peaceful celebration of the festival. According to report, Border Security Force (BSF) and its counterpart Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) played Holi at Akhaura integrated check post and other bordering locations of Tripura and exchanged sweets yesterday. "We have greeted each other and wished for long living friendship between two forces, people of both the countries, which will help us to guard international border better," said a senior official of BSF. Holi is listed as one of the annual carnivals of both BSF and BDR.UNI BB AD1422 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1186912.Xml "The mandate is fractured but Congress could not stake claim to form government, neither they were able to elect a legislative leader," Lalu told ANI. He also supported the allegation put forth by Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) chief Mayawati in connection to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being tampered. On the occasion of Holi, Lalu sent out wishes to everyone including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI) Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla today said that she has not received Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh's resignation yet and added that only then the process of government formation can begin. "I have not received, till today, any resignation letter from the Chief Minister, though yesterday I told him that the process of formation of the government will begin once he resigns," Heptullah told reporters here. The Governor informed that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders along with its supporters to stake claim to form the government. "Along with one LJP MLA, the four MLAs of NPP, one MLA from Trinamool Congress and one MLA from the Congress Party called on me. The president of NPP spoke to me on telephone and sent the letter of support to BJP-led government to the governor's house. I was satisfied that they have the support of 32 MLAs," she said. Heptullah further said that the Chief Minister came to meet her post the meeting with the BJP-led delegation to form the government in the state. "After an hour the Chief Minister came to meet me with his deputy CM and party president with a letter to claim that he should be called because he is the single largest party, they also brought a letter on behalf of NPP signed by two people, secretary and the president, and When I saw that letter, I told him that he cannot bring the letter on behalf of NPP and they should personally come over here," she said. "I told the Chief Minister that first you resign then only I can start the process of formation of the government. He didn't say anything and just went away," Heptullah added. Heptullah further said that the Election Commission of India will give her a notification with a list of elected members and only then she will start the process. In Manipur, efforts continue for government formation in the state as both the BJP and Congress met the Governor in Imphal last night, with the ruling Congress staking claim to form the government and BJP showing its strength. The Governor asked incumbent Chief Minister of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by the BJP 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, while the LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each. (ANI) Festival of colour Holi is being celebrated in Uttar Pradesh with traditional fevor and gaiety. After the result of the assembly polls and BJP coming to power in the state, the festival has added more colour as the new elected MLAs were witnessed celebrating it with the voters. Children and elders sprayed colour and gulal on each other and later offered sweets and special prepared 'gujiyas' and 'papad'. By wishing 'Happy Holi' people embraced each other to convey their best wishes. The festival is being celebrated in a peaceful manner and there is no incident of any untoward incident from anywhere, said Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Dalheet Choudhury. UP governor Ram Naik wished the people of the state on the festival and met the families of his staff at the Rajbhawan. In Lucknow, all the eight newly elected BJP, MLAs joined the Holi procession to greet the people and their voters on the occasion. Similar things were observed too in Allahabad, Kanpur , Varanasi and other places of the state. In Gorakhpur Mahant Adityanath, the local MP, too joined the Holi procession. However the outgoing Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his family members including his father Mulayam Singh Yadav were at their native Saifai in Etawah district to celebrate the festival. The celebration of the festival started last evening with Holika dahan.UNI MB PS 1437 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186923.Xml Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been given additional charge of the Ministry of Defence, after Manohar Parrikar resigned as Defence Minister since he will be taking charge as Chief Minister of Goa. President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted the resignation of Mr Parrikar and as advised by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has assigned Mr Jaitley the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios, a press communication from the Rashtrapati Bhawan said. This is for the second time that the additional charge of the Defence ministry has come to Mr Jaitley, who handled this ministry for some months after the Modi government had taken over, before Mr Parrikar took charge as the he full fledged Defence Minister.UNI MK PS 1542 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186973.Xml Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, who congratulated him on the BJP's decisive victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The BJP emerged victorious in Uttar Pradesh by a resounding margin. The BJP along with its alliances won 324 seats out of 403 in the state assembly, the biggest majority for any party in Uttar Pradesh since 1980. (ANI) It was a riot of colours on the streets of capital today as the people cutting across all sections of the society celebrated Holi with great fervour and fun. In various parts of the city, people were seen splashing colours on each other with chants of 'Holi hai' and embracing each other to extend their greetings, while some were seen distributing traditional sweets to mark the occasion. In North Delhi's Vijay Nagar area, close to Delhi University, which witnessed violence over an event at Ramjas College weeks before, students celebrated Holi with pomp and joy, and wished restoration of peace in the campus. Apart from the common man, in Lutyens Delhi, several Cabinet ministers in the Modi Government, including Minister for Minority Affairs Mukthar Abbas Naqvi, organised Holi celebration gathering at their residence with great enthusiasm. Notably, this year the festival comes close on the heels of BJP's landslide victory in Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his Cabinet colleague Manish Sisodia and other volunteers of the party besides newly formed political outfit Swaraj India's chief and former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav also joined in the celebration of colours. Police said that so far no complaint of any untoward incident has been reported from any parts of the city. Holika Dahan, a ritual that symbolises the victory of good over evil was performed in some places of the national capital last night to mark the beginning of the Holi festival. Earlier, Delhi police had issued traffic advisory for Holi to ensure safety of riders and check incidents of drunken driving and other traffic violations in the city.UNI DS PS 1641 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1187057.Xml "HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, spoke to PM to convey his felicitations to PM at the election results," Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) performed extremely well in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand the recent round of assembly elections in five states. The BJP, which won 13 seats in the 40-member assembly, has also been successful in garnering support from other parties and Independents to attain majority in Goa. The BJP, which won 21 seats in Manipur, submitted a list of 32 MLAs - claiming a majority of two in the 60-member assembly. The Congress registered a massive victory in Punjab. (ANI) All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told IANS late on Monday that Chief Justice Jagdish Khehar had ordered setting up of a special bench for the hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Chodankar said that the Governor should have rightfully invited the Congress party to form a government in Goa, because it had emerged as the single-largest party, with 16 seats in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, following the February 4 polls. "We were the single-largest party. The Governor should have invited us to form government according to established constitutional practice," Chodankar said. Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar filed the petition in the apex court late on Monday. In his petition, Kavlekar has cited the apex court's decision in the Rameshwar Pandit judgement, where the Supreme Court had said that the single-largest party should be allotted the first attempt to form government in case of a hung assembly. "Governor overlooked Sarkaria Commission Report and M.M. Punchi Commission Report. These reports were also upheld and endorsed by the court in Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix V. Deputy Speaker AP Assembly matters," Chodankar said. The Congress had 17 MLAs while the BJP had 13. The Governor invited Parrikar to form government, after he met her late on Sunday and submitted letters of support from 21 MLAs, which includes three legislators each from two regional parties, namely Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. --IANS maya/nir ( 297 Words) 2017-03-13-21:54:07 (IANS) West Tripura district magistrate clamped curfew this evening following three hours long clash between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters here. As many as 12 persons including BJP Vice President Subal Bhowmik, Trinamool Student Wing's leader Vicky Prasad, two photo journalists and two police men were injured in the incident. At least three vehicles were damaged in the attack of the violent mob. However, Superintendent of Police (West) Abhijit Saptrasi said the situation is under control and authority has made extra deployment across the city and some politically sensitive locations of the district to avert any further flare up. District Magistrate Dr Milindramtake said 144 of CrPC has been promulgated initially in Agartala and later extended to entire district as part of precautionary measure to maintain peace and tranquillity and said, "The assembly of three and more persons are prohibited in the district until further order." BJP state committee leader Prasenjit Chakraborty told media that the madal president of BJP Bordowali (Agartala) Jayanta Dey was attacked by Sandeep Roybarman, the elder brother of Trinamool Congress MLA Sudip Roybarman this afternoon when he was erecting party flags and festoons nearby their house in the city. "He was beaten up severely and shifted to hospital. Soon after getting the information BJP workers were rushed to the spot and TMC supporters carried out organised attack on them. Finally, when they were assembled in front of West Agartala police station seeking justice, TMC workers assaulted them in front of police," Mr Chakraborty said. BJP Vice President Bhowmik was injured when a TMC supporter pelted stone on him. However, police did not make any arrangement to shift him to hospital and three others of their supporters were injured in front of police but there was no provision for their evacuation in the hospital, he alleged. On the other, TMC MLA Sudip Roybarman alleged that there was a get together in a local club as part of celebration of holi and supporters of all parties were attended it as social gathering. Suddenly, BJP workers entered into the club and attacked them, which left three of them injured, he stated. "BJP supporters were raising slogan of their victory in front of our house and triggered tension. By that time, the supporters of both the party started gathering in RMC Chowmuhani area. But our seniors disperse them and advised them to seek justice in the police station. When we reached here BJP supporters attacked us in front of police and security personnel were simply mute spectator," Mr Roybarman said. However, both the party accused police of failing to control the situation rather insisted to volatile the condition. A vehicle without number plate ran through the mob left at least five persons injured in front of police. The SP was reached almost half-an-hour after the incident and both the party pelted stone on each other. DIG (Range) U K Bhowmik reached the spot almost two hours after the incident and police charged baton at the end to disperse the crowd. Two photo journalists were injured in police baton and allegedly, police men assaulted them even after showing their camera and identity. Both BJP and Trinamool accused police of the situation and alleged because of police inaction for long time the situation was aggravated. Both the party separately accused ruling left front of indulging the situation to create tension and unnecessarily blame the opposition parties.UNI BB BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1187316.Xml Turns out, gaining a super-sized memory is as easy as attending the 30-minute training sessions daily. The ability to perform astonishing feats of memory, such as remembering lists of several dozen words, can be learned, according to a team of researchers. After 40 days of daily 30-minute training sessions using a strategic memory improvement technique, individuals who had typical memory skills at the start and no previous memory training more than doubled their memory capacity, going from recalling an average of 26 words from a list of 72 to remembering 62. Four months later, without continued training, recall performance remained high. Brain scans before and after training showed that strategic memory training altered the brain functions of the trainees, making them more similar to those of world champion memory athletes. "After training we see massively increased performance on memory tests," said first author Martin Dresler of the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. "Not only can you induce a behavioral change, the training also induces similar brain connectivity patterns as those seen in memory athletes." Dresler examined the brains of 23 world-class memory athletes and 23 people similar in age, health status and intelligence, but with typical memory skills. He used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a means of measuring brain activity by detecting blood flow changes inside the brain, to measure differences in the strengths of communications between brain regions. He used structural MRI to measure differences in sizes. Those who trained using method of loci showed substantial improvement in their ability to recall lists of words. Before training, individuals could recall on average between 26 and 30 words. Afterwards, those with strategic memory training could recall 35 more words on average. Those who trained short-term memory could recall 11 more words. Those with no training recalled 7 more words. A day later, those who had trained still showed improvements in recall. Four months later, only those with strategic training continued to show substantial gains, still recalling over 22 more words than prior to training. "Once you are familiar with these strategies and know how to apply them, you can keep your performance high without much further training," said Dresler. After training, brain scans of those in the strategic training group had changed. They showed patterns that more closely resemble those of memory champions than scans taken prior to training. Dresler and his team are still analyzing their brain scan data to learn more about the differences in brain connectivity patterns they found and how they affect memory. The study appears in Neuron.(ANI) Turns out, social media is far more accurate than traditional forecasting as a team of researchers has suggested that it can warn us about extreme weather events before they happen- such as hurricanes, storms and floods. The University of Warwick's Nataliya Tkachenko, with her supervisors in the Department of Computer Science, found that photographs and key words posted online can signal weather risks developing in specific locations and times - for example, posts about water levels rising can alert the authorities to a potential flood. Tracking certain words used in social media posts around the time of an extreme weather event - such as water and river when there is a flood risk - allows information to be collated to accurately predict which areas will be affected, and how big the impact will be to infrastructure and human life. The researchers tracked photos and videos with tags such as river, water and landscape on the social media platform Flickr between 2004 and 2014. Whilst these words can be used to generally describe natural scenery, researchers found that in certain time periods before the peak of extreme weather events - and in the locations where they occurred - these words took on a distinct meaning of forecast and warning, showing the weather worsening. These risk-signalling words can act as 'social sensors', which when used alongside physical meteorological sensors can help to improve the prediction and monitoring of the behaviour and severity of an evolving weather event in multiple areas. Physical sensors - such as flood monitors - have been used traditionally to detect extreme weather events, but their scope is limited, and they cannot accurately cover each specific area which may be affected in the same way that social media can. Social media is currently used as an effective tool for 'now-casting' - providing eye-witness accounts of ongoing events - but has not yet been harnessed for predicting large-scale events which are still developing. Using social media and physical meteorological sensors together would create an early warning system for extreme weather events of unprecedented accuracy and efficacy. Tkachenko said, "Our analysis demonstrates that metadata in social media image postings enables them to be used as 'social sensors', which can serve as a valuable supplement to instrument-based systems for predicting and monitoring floods, and other kinds of natural hazards," adding "The opportunities represented by these new data sources are truly exciting as they can help to protect homes, save lives and design more resilient cities!" (ANI) The bombers were shot on Saturday when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road, Xinhua quoted Victor Isuku, Borno State police spokesman as saying. "On Saturday at about 20:45 hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers of about 18 years of age attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about nine kilometres to the township," he added. "They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area," he said. The two bombers died in the incident, Isuku said. According to him, the police Explosive Ordinance Disposal team was mobilised to the scene to render the un-exploded improvised explosive device safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area. --IANS sku/ ( 162 Words) 2017-03-13-03:58:07 (IANS) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially commissioned the two Chinese submarines, reports the Dhaka Tribune. The submarines were handed over to Bangladesh on November 14 last year. A ship brought the submarines to Chittagong Port from China on December 22, said a statement issued by Inter Services Press Relation office. The Type 035G-class submarines, for which Bangladesh paid approximately USD 203 million, were reportedly assembled at Chinese state-owned Liaonan shipyard in the Dalian state. The submarines, also known as Ming-class, are a class of diesel-electric submarines of the People's Liberation Army Navy. A total of 12 were built and commissioned between 1990 and 1999. They are 76 metres in length and 7.6 metres in width. The primary weaponry for Type 035G is the Yu-3 torpedo. It uses French-made sonar DUUX-5 unit. The 035G-class is also renowned for its anti-submarine weapon capabilities. They were built with further improvements, especially in terms of noise reduction, weapons, sensors and crew living standards. (ANI) Citing the report, Xinhua said that the accident occurred at about 3 a.m. on Sunday after a bus crashed into a group of people attending a music festival. The bus was coming from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince and the bus driver fled the scene after the accident. --IANS sku/ ( 96 Words) 2017-03-13-06:12:10 (IANS) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has summoned Pakistan's Charge d'affaires to Kabul and lodged a strong protest over the persecution of Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan and the frequent artillery shelling on Khans Kunar and Sarkano districts of Kunar province. Expressing the deepest concerns of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with regard to the indiscriminate shelling and the violation of Afghan airspace by the Pakistani military helicopters along the presumed Durand Line, the Director of the first Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Mosa Arefi asked the Pakistani side to immediately cease such provocative actions. In return, Pakistan Charge d'affaires to Kabul promised to convey the protest and concerns of the Afghan Government to the authorities and relevant officials of his country.(ANI) Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said the attack was "a message to Iran" over the country's support for Syrian president Bashar al Assad. The Levant Liberation Committee said in a statement Sunday that the attack was carried by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targetted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. The attack also wounded over a hundred, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials. The Al Qaeda-linked group said the blasts were a message to Iran - a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The attacks came two weeks after members of the same group stormed two different security offices in the central city of Homs, killing and wounding scores of people, including a top Syrian security official. A nationwide truce in Syria, brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran, took effect on December 30 after talks in Kazakhstan, but sporadic attacks continue. There have been two rounds of talks, with another planned next week. Damascus is mostly under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but rebel groups are present in the outlying districts of the city. (ANI) Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye gathered outside her house in Seoul's Gangnam district. "I thank people who have supported and believed in me. I will accept all the results. It will take time. but I believe that truth will definitely come out," CNN quoted Park as saying. She left office after a Constitutional Court on Friday upheld a vote by lawmakers to impeach her over allegations of corruption and cronyism. (ANI) When Johnathan Smith resigned from the US Justice Department on Inauguration Day, he looked forward to spending time with his infant son, but that plan unraveled a week later when President Donald Trump unveiled his explosive foreign travel ban.Within two weeks, Smith had a new job as legal director of civil rights group Muslim Advocates and was drafting briefs for a successful court challenge to the ban, joining other former top Obama administration lawyers now fighting Trump.It is not surprising that Smith and some of his colleagues, political appointees of Democratic President Barack Obama, would leave the Justice Department now led by Republicans. What is unusual is how fast they have signed up to be Trump adversaries.Some Republican lawyers say they were less hasty in moving into oppositional roles post-election. George Terwilliger, a senior Justice Department official under President George H.W. Bush, described the Obama lawyers' actions as "unprecedented to my memory and really bad form."One reason for the Obama lawyers' quick moves, some of them said, was Trump's aggressive use of executive authority from day one, which was guaranteed to attract court challenges.Obama faced legal fights over executive power and some of his challengers were formerly lawyers for President George W. Bush, over issues such as immigration and Obamacare. But those came later in Obama's presidency.Besides Smith, other lawyers who have jumped into the fray include former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is advising California's legislature on challenging Trump over immigration, environmental regulations and healthcare; and former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal, who is helping Hawaii contest Trump's revised travel ban.Influential Manhattan prosecutor Preet Bharara and another 45 Obama-era U.S. attorneys are out of jobs after the Trump administration asked them to resign on Friday.Many of the Obama lawyers keep in touch, but reject the notion, proffered by some Republicans, that Obama is behind resistance efforts. Some of the lawyers credit their rapid transition to Trump's hardline positions on key issues and to ethical concerns about his presidency and business interests."There's a unique threat to our democracy and Constitution that we see in the assault the president is mounting on the Muslim community," said Smith, who worked on religious discrimination issues at the Justice Department.Norman Eisen, who was Obama's top ethics lawyer and later ambassador to the Czech Republic, had expected to focus on his work at a think tank after Trump's election. But instead, he said, "the ethics emergency of constitutional dimensions has galvanized me back into my initial Obama role."Eisen is now also chairing Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group he co-founded. The group has already sued Trump over alleged ethics violations.Other Obama appointees taking on Trump include former White House lawyer Ian Bassin who has founded United to Protect Democracy, a new group probing Trump over ethics; and James Cadogan, who worked with Smith at the Justice Department, and is now at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, a civil rights group already clashing with the new administration.Some career government lawyers, who are not political appointees and normally do not resign in power shifts, have also resigned to oppose Trump. One is Sharon McGowan, who worked on LGBT issues at the Justice Department.On Inauguration Day, she was offered a job as director of strategy at Lambda Legal, an LGBT advocacy group. McGowan said she decided to leave Justice when Trump named Jeff Sessions, a hardline conservative Alabama senator, to be attorney general.That was a "game-changer," she said. "I knew there would be no chance for me to preserve what I've been working on so hard."REUTERS JW BL1847 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1187209.Xml Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said today there was a real possibility that nationalist, anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders could win the parliamentary election on Wednesday."There is a real risk that on March 16 we can wake up in this country and Geert Wilders is leading the biggest party and that will send a signal to the rest of the world," he told journalists in Rotterdam.He called on Dutch voters to stop "the wrong populism" at the polls. REUTERS JW BL1947 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1187268.Xml "IED explosion in Taimani area of Kabul leaves one dead (a woman) and eight other civilians wounded," EFE news quoted the Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi as saying. The local head of criminal investigations, General Salim Almas, said four of the injured were women. He added that among the injured were people from two cars that were driving nearby. The device, placed in a drain and disguised as a plastic barrel, was detonated around 5.00 p.m. local time (12.30 p.m. GMT) near a minivan that was carrying employees from the private telecommunications company Roshan, a Kabul Police spokesman told EFE. Police arrested three suspects who had recently rented a room near the site of the blast. They are currently under investigation, said police. Public Health Minister Ismail Kawusi said the injured were transferred to several nearby hospitals. No insurgent group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. This is the latest in a series of attacks in the Afghan capital in the last few weeks. On Wednesday, militants dressed as doctors stormed the city's main military hospital, killing 35 people and injuring 53 others. --IANS lok/dg ( 222 Words) 2017-03-13-21:50:07 (IANS) Washington state today moved to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, filing a new complaint in federal court and asking a judge to stop the executive order from going into effect on Thursday.It was the latest legal move in a series of court challenges to a new travel order signed by Trump last week that temporarily blocks refugees and travelers from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.His order replaced a more sweeping ban issued on Jan. 27 that caused chaos and protests at airports due to its abrupt implementation.The first order was halted by US District Judge James Robart in Seattle after Washington state sued, claiming the order was discriminatory and violated the US Constitution.Trump revised his order to overcome some of the legal hurdles by including exemptions for legal permanent residents and existing visa holders and taking Iraq off the list of countries covered by the order. The new order still applies to citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen but has explicit waivers for various categories of immigrants with ties to the United States.Washington state went back to Robart to argue that the new ban is essentially the same as the first one and that the emergency halt, which was upheld by a federal appeals court, should still apply.The second executive order reinstates "provisions of the First Executive Order already enjoined by the Court," Washington state said in court papers filed on Monday. The state requested a hearing in the case on Tuesday.The Department of Justice said it was reviewing the filings and would respond to the court.California's attorney general said on Monday that it would be joining Washington in its lawsuit; other states like Minnesota, New York and Oregon have also signed on to the challenge."The Trump Administration may have changed the text of the now-discredited Muslim travel ban, but they didn't change its unconstitutional intent and effect," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement.Separately, Hawaii has sued over the new ban as well.In response to Hawaii's lawsuit, the Department of Justice in court papers filed on Monday said the president has broad authority to "restrict or suspend entry of any class of aliens when in the national interest." The Justice Department said the brief suspensions will allow the country to review its screening process in an effort to protect against terrorist attacks.REUTERS JW BL2237 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1187360.Xml Syrian security forces and locals gather at the scene of a twin bombing targeting Shiite pilgrims in Damascus' Old City on March 11, 2017, in one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) DAMASCUS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front claimed responsibility on Sunday for the deadly bombings that rocked the Syrian capital Damascus a day earlier and claimed the lives of 74 people. The announcement came a day after another rebel group called the Levant Swords said in a statement that the deadly bombings were its doing. The rebels claim that the Shiite Iraqis were not pilgrims to shrines in Damascus, but fighters supporting the Syrian government forces against the six-year-old rebellion. On Saturday, two bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of Damascus. The first explosion was carried out through an explosive device that went off near a gathering of buses carrying Shiite Iraqi visitors to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery to visit Shiite shrines, as part of Shiite pilgrim practices. After the first explosion, passengers from nine buses gathered to see what had happened, when a suicide bomber wearing a bomb vest detonated himself among the crowds, killing 74 of them and wounding nearly 100 others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. PANAMA CITY, March 12 (Xinhua) -- 38 people were killed and a dozen more were injured in northern Haiti early Sunday morning after a bus plowed into a group of pedestrians, according to reports from Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The report quoted civil protection authorities of Haiti as saying that the bus initially hit two people in a town near Gonaives city in the north of Haiti at 3 a.m. local time, and then rushed to a crowd of local people gathering for music festical. The bus was driven from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince with passengers. Reports said 34 people were killed instantly and another four died in hospital. The injured were being treated at a hospital in Gonaives, about 100 kilometers northwest of the capital. The driver and passengers on the bus were first taken to the police station for questioning and then released, the report added. It was not immediately known what caused the accident. Haitian President Jovenel Moise on Sunday called for an investigation into the incident. SAN FRANCISCO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- An Oregon State University (OSU) researcher has found that maintaining a healthy relationship that includes a healthy sex life will help employees stay happy and engaged in their work, which benefits the employees and the organizations they work for. Keith Leavitt, an associate professor in OSU's College of Business, worked with Christopher Barnes and Trevor Watkins of the University of Washington and David Wagner of the University of Oregon to study of the work and sex habits of married employees, by following 159 married employees over the course of two weeks, asking them to complete two brief surveys each day. They found that employees who engaged in sex reported more positive moods the next day, and the elevated mood levels in the morning led to more sustained work engagement and job satisfaction throughout the workday. The effect, which appears to linger for at least 24 hours, was equally strong for both men and women and was present even after researchers took into account marital satisfaction and sleep quality, which are two common predictors of daily mood. "We make jokes about people having a 'spring in their step,' but it turns out this is actually a real thing and we should pay attention to it," Leavitt, an expert in organizational behavior and management, was quoted as saying in a news release from OSU. Sexual intercourse triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with the reward centers in the brain, as well as oxytocin, a neuropeptide associated with social bonding and attachment. That makes sex a natural and relatively automatic mood elevator, Leavitt said. Published this month in the Journal of Management, the study underscores the value of a strong work-life balance. The study also showed that bringing work-related stress home from the office negatively impinges on employees' sex lives. In an era when smart phones are prevalent and after-hours responses to work emails are often expected, the findings highlight the importance of leaving work at the office, Leavitt said. When work carries so far into an employee's personal life that they sacrifice things like sex, their engagement in work can decline. "Employers should encourage their employees to completely disengage from work after hours," he said. A girl from Newar community attends a Bel Bibaha ceremony in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, Feb. 5, 2017. Bel Bibaha, or Ihi, is a marriage ceremony in the Newar community of Nepal in which pre-adolescent girls are "married" to the bael fruit (wood apple). Normally Newar girls marry thrice in their life as first marriage with Bael fruit, second with sun and third with human. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) SAN FRANCISCO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- An Oregon State University (OSU) researcher has found that maintaining a healthy relationship that includes a healthy sex life will help employees stay happy and engaged in their work, which benefits the employees and the organizations they work for. Keith Leavitt, an associate professor in OSU's College of Business, worked with Christopher Barnes and Trevor Watkins of the University of Washington and David Wagner of the University of Oregon to study of the work and sex habits of married employees, by following 159 married employees over the course of two weeks, asking them to complete two brief surveys each day. They found that employees who engaged in sex reported more positive moods the next day, and the elevated mood levels in the morning led to more sustained work engagement and job satisfaction throughout the workday. The effect, which appears to linger for at least 24 hours, was equally strong for both men and women and was present even after researchers took into account marital satisfaction and sleep quality, which are two common predictors of daily mood. "We make jokes about people having a 'spring in their step,' but it turns out this is actually a real thing and we should pay attention to it," Leavitt, an expert in organizational behavior and management, was quoted as saying in a news release from OSU. Sexual intercourse triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with the reward centers in the brain, as well as oxytocin, a neuropeptide associated with social bonding and attachment. That makes sex a natural and relatively automatic mood elevator, Leavitt said. Published this month in the Journal of Management, the study underscores the value of a strong work-life balance. The study also showed that bringing work-related stress home from the office negatively impinges on employees' sex lives. In an era when smart phones are prevalent and after-hours responses to work emails are often expected, the findings highlight the importance of leaving work at the office, Leavitt said. When work carries so far into an employee's personal life that they sacrifice things like sex, their engagement in work can decline. "Employers should encourage their employees to completely disengage from work after hours," he said. Enditem CANBERRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian public health experts have agreed the government's push to stop unvaccinated children from attending early years childcare would help raise the nation's vaccination rate. Currently, 93 percent of Australian children are vaccinated, but the Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, wants to up that figure to 95 percent or more in coming years. At the weekend, the Prime Minister wrote an open letter to all state and territory leaders, calling for a holistic, national approach to vaccines in Australia. "At our next (coalition of Australian governments) meeting I propose we agree that all jurisdictions implement legislation that excludes children who are not vaccinated from attending childcare or preschool, unless they have a medical exemption," Turnbull's letter said. "Vaccination objection is not a valid exemption." Health experts across the nation have applauded the PM's strong approach to vaccinations, with president of the Australian Medical Association, Michael Gannon saying that parents had a responsibility to their own community as well as their own children. "Firstly, the nature of very small children is that they are at much higher risk of catching infections because they haven't developed the basic skills of hygiene and safely coughing and sneezing," Gannon said in comments published in Monday's Fairfax newspapers. "Secondly, it comes to that community responsibility on vaccinations. "If you, as a parent, expect the community to support you by either welfare payments or access to care, then you need to do your bit to contribute to that community by protecting other children." Meanwhile former head of the nation's Health Department, Dr. Stephen Duckett said a national adaptation of measures which some states already have in place would only be "a good thing". "It has proved to be something that has widespread community acceptance," he told Fairfax Media. The government has already brought in a "no jab, no pay" policy, which excludes families of unvaccinated children from receiving government rebates and welfare payments ordinarily available to new parents. The government believes that an additional 200,000 children have been immunized under the "no jab, no pay" policy since 2016. by Will Koulouris SYDNEY, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Australian state of Western Australia elected a new government on Saturday, with the outgoing Liberal government suffering a huge swing against them from both the major and minor parties. With 67.3 percent of the vote counted on Monday, the incoming Labor Government, led by Mark McGowan, currently has a 9.7-percent swing in their favor, with the total swing against the outgoing Colin Barnett government being 15.7 percent. Many factors have been suggested as to why the election went the way that it did, with many reporting the preference deal between the Liberal Party and Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party, a widely protectionist group, that was agreed upon in the lead-up to the election as being one of the primary reasons behind the result. When the partnership was announced, One Nation had been polling to receive over 13 percent of the vote; but during the lead-up to the election controversies plagued the minor far-right party, with candidates choosing to leave the organisation, and an admission from Barnett himself that the electorate was "spooked" about his party's partnership with the protectionist party. But although the One Nation Party only managed to pull in a paltry 4.7 percent of the vote, they did bring in 8.1 percent of the vote in the seats they contested, which indicates that both sides of the ad-hoc partnership were at fault for their poor showing at the polls. There big winners of the result were the mining companies, and those opposed to the sell-off of Western Power, a state-owned energy supplier that the incoming government has vowed to keep in public hands. Brendon Grylls, the leader of the National Party in Western Australia who shared power with the Liberal Party, had advocated imposition of a 5-dollar (3.77-U.S. dollar) per metric tonne tax on iron ore, but is now in danger of losing his seat in government entirely. Chief executive of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy Reg Howard Smith told The Australian that they lobbied very hard against the tax, but they did not want to end Grylls' career. "It was to kill the tax, and I think we've done that," Smith said. "Even if he (Grylls) gets back, I think the message has been delivered to him loud and clear." The incoming leader McGowan told local media on Sunday that any further tax imposed on the mining industry would be a "mistake" that would lead to an exodus of capital out of Western Australia. "You can't rip up contracts with major international investors in the state and think that everything is going to be OK, it won't," McGowan said. "The people of the Pilbara, who largely depend on the mining industry, understand that the Nationals' policy is disastrous for the Pilbara and the state." The proposed 51-percent sell-off of Western Power is now also off the cards for the Australian state, with the incoming Labor leadership running on a campaign that they would block any proposed sell off of the state-owned energy service. The 11-billion-dollar sale was floated by the former government as a means of balancing the books in the state, which would have seen over 8 billion dollars in debt written off, along with a further 3-billion-dollar cash injection for other infrastructure projects. Without the power sell-off, the state of Western Australia is projected to be in debt by 41.1 billion dollars by the year 2020. Enditem BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's growth has benefited from innovation, people-centered ideology, stability, infrastructure upgrades and globalization, which can serve as an example for other economies, experts said. "China's economy has stabilized and showed more signs of warming, thanks to new growth policies, structural reform and policy innovations," said Cai Jiming, professor with Tsinghua University. "Its continuous innovations based on national conditions may be a reference for other developing economies, and developed economies as well," Cai said. China's 6.7-percent growth in 2016 hit a 26-year low, but still outpaced most other economies and accounted for more than 30 percent of global growth. China's poverty relief campaign can be another example of the country's success, according to experts. "The poverty alleviation efforts showed that China's development is people-centered, which is the essence of economic growth," said Li Zhongjie, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. China brought 12.4 million people in rural areas above the poverty line in 2016. However, there were still 43.35 million people living in poverty at the end of last year. China has vowed to bring poor rural people all out of poverty by 2020. The government will strengthen support for poverty relief, including fiscal, land, financial, education and health policies, while applying the highest assessment standards to evaluate the success of poverty relief. China always values maintaining stability. This year, China will stick to the basic tone of "seeking progress while maintaining stability." Chinese policymakers will try to keep the economy, employment, society and growth expectations stable, while seeking progress in structural and systemic reforms, tapping new growth momentum and improving people's livelihood, according to Yu Yongding, economist and former central bank adviser and also a CPPCC National Committee member. The wisdom China has given the world includes how to deal with the relationship between "stability" and "progress," Yu said. China's economy is expected to grow 6.5 percent in 2017, the International Monetary Fund forecast in a January report, supporting stable growth expectations. "Maybe the world could also take a page out of China's book in terms of infrastructure upgrades, which is the precondition for making fortune," said national lawmaker Zhang Zhao'an. China's total railway operation length reached 121,000 km by the end of 2015, the world's second longest, including 19,000-km high-speed railway, ranking top of the world, official statistics showed. China plans to invest 3.5 trillion yuan (503.6 billion U.S. dollars) in railway construction during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). By 2020, China will increase the length of high-speed railways in operation to 30,000 kilometers, connecting more than 80 percent of its big cities. It will also renovate 30,000 km of expressways. China is trying to connect the Asia-Pacific region and beyond through infrastructure programs including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund. Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to become a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. So far, more than 100 countries and international organizations have joined the initiative and over 40 of them have cooperation agreements with China. Globalization serves as a great opportunity for any country that can integrate itself into the global economy properly, Yu said. Since reform and opening up began in 1978, China has attracted over 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investment, while its outbound direct investment has exceeded 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars. Chinese enterprises hired some 1.5 million foreigners overseas in 2016 amid their rapid global expansion, according to the Ministry of Commerce. China's economy will remain the strongest engine for world economic growth in 2017, as the fundamentals for China's long-term growth have not changed, said Wang Guoqing, spokesperson for the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. VIENNA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China and the European Union (EU) are pursuing international cooperation in the most sustained and professional manner, former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has said. Certain developments away from such cooperation are dangerous, and it is urgent to prioritize multilateral cooperation, Schuessel told Xinhua in a recent interview. China-EU economic cooperation is good at present and the two parties have a mutual position amid the new U.S. administration's protectionist tendency, Schuessel said. Schuessel said it is very important for powerful countries to work together in a multilateral context, under the auspices of the United Nations, and in regional cooperation. He believes that China is well aware of this, and has prepared to play its role and take on greater responsibility, as seen by its active participation in UN missions. China always plays a constructive role in dealing with conflicts, such as in Iran, Syria and Ukraine, Schuessel said. China and Europe could also work together in Syria and other unstable regions, he said, adding that the ideal scenario would be for the United States and Russia to also join in efforts to ensure peace and security on a global level. He said that it is positive that China has now made the EU a priority as an entity. However, in his view, the two are facing challenges, including the climate change, the mediation of international disputes and the issue of how certain territories, such as the Arctic and Antarctic as well as outer space, should be regulated. The former Austrian leader recalled the concept of a "new order or no order" put forward several years ago. He reiterated his stance that the danger is that there will be no order and no rules, and thus he hopes that Europe and China are well-advised and can have good mutual cooperation to maintain a peaceful world order. THE HAGUE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch military police (ME) forcefully ended a protest in Amsterdam by Turkish-Dutch people against the treatment of Turkish ministers by the Dutch government Sunday night. The military police cleared Plein 40-45 square in Amsterdam occupied by around 200 people around 10.45 p.m.(2145 GMT). Mayor Van der Laan had allowed the protest for a large part of the day. Six people were arrested, according to national broadcaster NOS. Following random protests, a group of around 200 Turkish-Dutch people moved their protest to Dam Square in central Amsterdam in the evening. The demonstrators carrying portraits of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waved Turkish flags. The protest was largely peaceful in Amsterdam. Meanwhile, a protest, which was called for on social media in The Hague, did not take place, nor was another one that had been urged to be held in Rotterdam. The tensions between The Netherlands and Turkey peaked Saturday night after a convoy of Turkish Minister of Family Affairs Fatma Betul Kaya Sayan was halted for hours close to the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police. She was later moved back to Germany under the Dutch police' escort. Kaya had planned to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a stronger position for President Erdogan in the Turkish referendum on April 16. After she left Rotterdam, the protestors clashed with the police. Sixteen were arrested. The arrested protestors were released on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government withdrew the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same intention as Kaya. YANGON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar-China border trade has dropped as an armed conflict hit Kokang region in northeastern Shan state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Monday. The armed clashes between the Myanmar government forces and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) have forced closure of the Muse border trade zone, the biggest of its kind betweebn the two neighbors, although trading through Chinshwehaw border trade point remained open, the Ministry of Commerce was quoted as saying. Myanmar's main border trade points with China are Muse, Lewjie, Chinshwehaw and Kanpiketi. According to statistics, as of Feb. 17 in the current 2016-17 fiscal year, trade volume at the Chinshwehaw border point reached 503 million U.S. dollars. Export accounted for 454.806 million U.S. dollars, while import was 48.466 million U.S. dollars. Renewed armed clashes erupted in Kokang on March 6 after Kokang's MNDAA launched offensive on Laukkai, destroying residential buildings, hotels and military camps with vehicles burned. At least five Kokang police and five civilians were killed when the MNDAA attacked police posts and residential area in Laukkai. Four traffic police were taken away by the MNDAA as hostages. The government security forces claimed 20 bodies and some weapons after the attack, and were making area clearance operation. Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 local residents have fled Laukkai to other nearby towns following the renewed armed clashes, taking refuge in relief camps in Lashio, Thibaw, Namthu, Kutkai and Muse. Curfew has been imposed in Laukkai and Kongyang from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. since March 10. BERLIN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Germany has again called on a German online retailer to apologize and stop selling T-shirts with slogans insulting Chinese. The openness and diversity the company has said about its products in its apology statement fail to justify the harm, the Chinese embassy said Saturday. It complained that rather than apologizing, the company's statement defended its indulgence in insult and discrimination. The company said on its website that "discrimination and insult especially concerning ethics, gender and religion are forbidden." However, the Chinese embassy said the company's behavior went against the stated corporate responsibility. The embassy released on Thursday a brief statement asking for a halt of the T-shirts sales and an apology, while calling for supervision by related German authorities. The company called Spreadshirt has been selling T-shirts with such English slogans as "Save a dog, eat a Chinese" and "Save a shark, eat a Chinese." Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye (C) arrives at her private residence in Seoul on March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho) SEOUL, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday left the presidential Blue House for her private home in southern Seoul two days after the constitutional court upheld her impeachment. Park came out from the residence inside the Blue House at about 7 p.m. local time (1000 GMT). A queue of black sedans and vans, carrying the ousted leader and security guards, departed from the presidential office around 15 minutes later, TV footage showed. Park arrived at her home in southern district of Seoul at 7:37 p.m. Outside her home, hundreds of Park supporters gathered to cheer up the removed president. The loyalists to Park waved national flags in their hands, shouting for invalid impeachment. She smilingly waved her hand to the supporters and shook hands with some lawmakers of the Liberty Korea Party before entering her home. Two days earlier, the constitutional court unanimously upheld the bill to impeach Park, which was passed by the parliament on Dec. 9. Park became the first South Korean leader to be ousted through impeachment. She was stripped of all executive power and lost the title as head of state immediately after the ruling. Park was supposed to leave her office on Friday, but it was delayed as her home needed renovations. The defamed ex-president left no message on her removal from office, according to local media reports. Before departing for her home, Park met with senior secretaries for the last greetings. Without the impeachment, Park's five-year term was supposed to end in February next year. She was sworn in as the country's 18th leader in February 2013. By law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days as the head of state is formally unseated. The election is highly likely to be set on May 9. About 2,000 police officers were deployed near Park's home to prevent possible violence. Three people died and dozens were wounded in the pro-Park demonstration near the court building on Friday. The Park loyalists held a rally in central Seoul Saturday, resisting the court's decision. They said Park was innocent and the ruling was unconstitutional. According to a survey released Saturday, 86 percent people believe the court's ruling was right. Only 12 percent said it was not right, with 2 percent declining to reply. A whopping 92 percent said people should accept the court's decision. Those against the ruling took up just 6 percent of the total respondents. by Xinhua writers Gan Chun, Liu Fang VENLO, Netherlands, March 13 (Xinhua) -- "Yes, I will vote for him," Jo, a 40-year-old business owner, did not hesitate to voice his support for Dutch far-right populist Geert Wilders, but was reluctant to speak in front of the camera and even refused to reveal his surname. "There are things about Mr. Wilders' proposals that interest me. I'd say we'll give him a chance," he said, standing in front of his well-equipped garage in a suburban district of Venlo, a small city in the southeast corner of the Netherlands. Dozens of meters away from Jo's garage, a grocery vendor at the local farmers' market who identified himself only as Cuan shared the same feelings. "I am sure Wilders will win big. Let's really try something different. What is there to fear?" said Cuan, who voted for the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of current Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the last election, but now regrets it. "I work every day except Sunday. My life is not better. It's they who have better lives in big cities, in big companies," he grumbled. Located on the west side of the Maas River, the district has a rather desolate vibe compared to the bustling city center on the east, with similar low-rise apartment buildings and a large proportion of senior residents. Like Jo and Cuan, around 20 percent of the voters living in this neighborhood are rooting for Wilders, the leader and only member of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), but not many are willing to show their support publicly, even though Venlo is his birthplace. DIVIDED HOMETOWN Situated a few kilometers away from the German border, Venlo, with a population of 100,000, of which several thousands are immigrants, was one of the average towns in the Netherlands that would not normally interest outsiders, until its most famous native became the leading exponent of populism in a country known for its tolerance and diversity. Wilders kicked off his campaign in mid-February by making the notorious "scum" comment about Moroccan migrants, and has vowed to shut down mosques and pull the Netherlands away from the European Union (EU), or as he puts it -- "make the Netherlands ours again." Although his anti-EU and anti-Islam remarks have sparked heated controversy both at home and abroad, Wilders is riding high in opinion polls in the final run-up to the March 15 election. According to latest polls, this one-member party could garner 15.7 percent of the votes from the Netherlands' 12.7 million voters, making this smallest party the country's second largest party. The southern province of Limburg, where Venlo is located, is one of the PVV's strongholds, but just like anywhere else in the Netherlands, opinions are widely divided.@ Opponents of Wilders often point to the fact that he is good at inciting sentiments but offers no concrete plans. "I don't support Wilders, because he has no solution to immigration, only a statement," said Peter Hurkmans, a local resident. "The things he says are not decent. You have to respect people." Meanwhile, the city of Venlo is trying to convince journalists who come here digging for scoops that it does not share a strong bond with Wilders. "It is fun for people to come here and ask for Wilders' story. Wilders really does not affect what we are doing here," said Ruud Stikkelbroeck, managing director of Venlo Partners, the marketing organization for the city. His colleague, Jan Brouwers, 66, said that he lived in the same street where Wilders lived, but had never seen him. "He really doesn't live in Venlo. He was born here. That's all." "There are some bad things, but you don't have to use a telescope to look at that. That is what Wilders does. He is always using a telescope to look at the small bad things. And then he shouts," said Stikkelbroeck. "It's not about screaming. It's about solution," Brouwers agreed. FAR-RIGHT SUPPORTERS' PSYCHOLOGY Speaking out against migrants, from both inside and outside the EU, has been one of Wilders' most efficient strategies throughout his campaign. "I hired migrants before, but I'm sorry to say that we didn't get along. One of them even threatened me," said Jo, who stressed that he's not against immigration but the government should take stronger control of its borders. Ed Gerritsma, owner of a fish booth in Venlo and one of the few people in his neighborhood who are not afraid of openly supporting the PVV, said that he is not against migrants or refugees, but the country needs no "lazy people." "When people have problems, they come to Europe to get help. That's good. But many people come to Holland, they don't work, but get everything -- television, bicycle, home. We work the most, but we need to buy those things, even with more money," he complained. That's a sentiment quite common among Wilders supporters, but immigration is not really the cause, according to Tom Zwart, a professor of human rights at Utrecht University. "Many Wilders voters felt left out by the political system and by globalization. Wilders was one of the first to reach out to them and to take their concerns seriously," said Zwart. "Wilders' supporters are critical of Muslims not because they hate Muslims, but because they have a poor image of themselves -- they lack self-worth," he analyzed from a perspective of social psychology. "They do not hate others, but doubt themselves." The professor said that Dutch politicians had failed to invest in opportunities for Wilders supporters to help them start "believing in themselves again." According to Eddy Habben Jansen, an election expert, some PVV supporters are voting for the party as a "warning" to politicians who failed to listen to them. POST-ELECTION PROSPECTS The upcoming Dutch parliamentary election sees a total of 28 parties bidding for 150 seats at the lower house. One week before the voting day, Peilingwijzer, a polling indicator that combines different polls, showed that the VVD (24-28 seats) and the PVV (21-25 seats) are locked in a neck-and-neck battle. It is the first of a series of high-stake elections across Europe this year, to be followed by the ones in France, Germany and possibly Italy. The results could be a touchstone of the power of the growing populism in Europe to see whether it has gained sufficient support among these core EU members to change the bloc's political landscape. Due to the fragmented nature of Dutch politics, no party has ever won a majority in the lower house, making coalitions inevitable, but all major parties have ruled out working with Wilders. It means that even if the PVV wins or comes second, Wilders would be blocked from governing, let alone becoming prime minister. But any of his electoral gains would further complicate the Dutch political life, warned Barend ter Haar, a senior visiting research fellow at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations. Mainstream parties are tempted to sing the tune of pro-populist groups as they comprise a sizable part of the electorate, he explained, urging Dutch politicians and common people not to be "short-sighted." "Opening-up and cooperation are the right way," he said. CANBERRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis will discuss key aspects of national security cooperation when he meets with counterparts in the United States this week. In a media release detailing his upcoming trip, Brandis said he would meet with a "range of key U.S. officials" to both strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations and discuss varied aspects of national security including counter-terrorism. "This visit will provide our nations with an opportunity to strengthen our strong and trusted partnership and collaborate on a range of national security, counter-terrorism, CVE, cyber security and intelligence issues, Brandis said on Monday "I will be working to further advance our cooperation in responding to regional and global threats and challenges, including the U.S.-led coalition to counter (Islamic State)." "I look forward to sharing insights from our region and, amongst other meetings, will discuss the Islamist terrorist threat in South East Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations." Brandis said the United States was a key partner for Australia on many different fronts, and said a strong bilateral relationship was a key "cornerstone" in the Asia-Pacific region. "As we continue the fight against violent extremism and terror, the Australia-U.S. bilateral relationship remains a cornerstone for peace, prosperity, freedom and security in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond," he said. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 135 basis points to 6.8988 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said Friday that Chinese currency would automatically stabilize this year on the back of a firming economy and rising confidence in the country's growth prospects. "There will not be big changes in central bank policies in 2017, though the implementation and supervision will be more meticulous and precise," Zhou said at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session. He also noted unpredictability in the foreign exchange market due to uncertainties both at home and abroad, saying fluctuations would be normal. In the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang, China pledged to continue market-oriented reform in the RMB exchange rate mechanism and maintain the currency's stable position in the global monetary system in 2017. In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day. The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day. SYDNEY, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian companies are set to pay out over 22 billion dollars (16.63 billion U.S. dollars) in dividends to shareholders, over the next 10 weeks. The 22.3 billion dollar payout, which in itself constitutes roughly 1.3 percent of Australia's total GDP, will see investors from Australia and across the globe cash in on the success of local companies. Eighty-eight percent of companies who reported during the February period will pay dividends, with 68 percent of those set to pay a higher dividend than the previous corresponding period. Many companies however, chose to hold on to their profits, with paying down debt being the focus, especially within the resources sectors; but despite the fact that less companies paid out dividends than previous years, the amount paid out was still higher than last year's 19 billion dollars paid out. Chief economist at CommSec, Craig James told the Australian Financial Review on Monday, those receiving the dividends are taking a more "conservative" approach. "They are not spending the money that comes through, they are more likely to be looking at ways to pay down debt or investing further," James said. The tilt towards austerity seems to be shared with investors and companies, according to James, with a more savvy approach being expected of executives, by those investing in Australian companies. "It's good news for shareholders to get those dollars back, but in the longer sense they want to see value increasing over time," James said. But Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital, deviated slightly, saying that investors expecting dividends will be good news for consumer spending data. "A portion of the dividend payment no doubt will be saved, some of the money will no doubt be invested in the share market, but a significant proportion of it will be spent," Oliver said. "I think there is no doubt that dividend income is something that Australians have become increasingly reliant on." KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Malaysian police said on Monday they have arrested seven suspects, including five Filipinos and one Malaysian immigration officer, in connection with the Islamic State (IS). The first Filipino suspect, who has permanent residence in Malaysia, was found to have provided funds for Malaysian fugitives "Dr. Mahmud Ahmad" and Mohamad Joraimee Awang Raimee, who joined the IS in southern Philippines as recruiters for the terror group, said Khalid Abu Bakar, Inspector-General of the police in a statement. Another two are believed to have assisted the transit of three Indonesian IS militants to southern Philippines via the Malaysian state of Sabah, said Khalid. The police believed the arrested Malaysian immigration officer helped arrange the travel for several terror suspects to southern Philippines without valid documents. The suspects were arrested in a series of counter-terrorism operations between Wednesday and Sunday in Sabah and Selangor, said Khalid. It is not the first time the police uncovered links between Sabah and southern Philippines, where the Philippine government exert loose control over the Abu Sayyaf, a Jihadist rebel group. The Malaysian police busted a four-member terror cell in Sabah in January, in which the police found the cell helped new recruits of IS-linked militant from Malaysia, Indonesia, ethnic Rohingya community in Bangladesh to transit via Sabah to Marawi city in Mindanao of the Philippines. MOSCOW, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian military inspectors will begin a visit to a designated district in Norway to check military activity in the area, a military official has said. "Within the framework of the Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence and Security-Building Measures, a Russian group of inspectors will assess a designated district in Norway from March 13 to 17," Sergei Ryzhkov, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, was quoted by TASS as saying on Monday. According to Ryzhkov, apart from verifying military activity in the Norwegian district, the inspectors will also visit training grounds and attend briefings at the military bases of the Norwegian armed forces. The Vienna Document is an agreement between the participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is intended to implement confidence and security building measures. The Vienna Document has been revised periodically, and the provisions of the current 2011 version include an annual exchange of military information about forces located in Europe. TEGUCIGALPA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Primary elections took place Sunday in Honduras in a relative calm atmosphere, with three political parties electing their representatives for November's general elections. Polling stations across the country were open from 7:00 a.m. local time (1:00 GMT) to 7:00 p.m. local time (13:00 GMT), after which vote counting would begin. The country's opposing parties, the Liberal Party and the Liberty and Refoundation, are seeking to choose those able to unseat the government, which has been accused of corruption. Members of the ruling National Party were asked to make a choice between the current president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, and his rival Roberto Castillo. The Liberal Party has put forward four potential candidates, namely Gabriela Nunez, Luis Zelaya, Enrique Ortez, Jose Martell and Carlos Montoya. For the Liberty and Refoundation party, former presidential candidate, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, was seen as a potential winner, but he still has to meet the challenges from deputy Rasel Tome and economist Jorge Nelson Avila. Speaking to the press, U.S. Ambassador to Honduras James Nealon, said that his diplomatic team would act as election observers in a number of polling centers before preparing a report for Washington. Around 5,000 schools have been used as the polling stations, with around 200,000 electoral officials. The general elections in November will choose a president, parliamentary deputies, mayors and municipal councils. Around 5.8 million Honduran citizens are eligible to vote, out of a population of 8.7 million. Honduras, with one of the highest rate of violence in the world, has a history of electoral violence. In 2009, former President Manuel Zelaya was ousted by the military over plans to rewrite the country's constitution. By Yoo Seungki SEOUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- South Korea has entered a presidential race as former President Park Geun-hye was ousted by impeachment with a constitutional court's ruling last week. The court on Friday upheld Park's impeachment bill, which was passed in the parliament on Dec. 9. Park became the first South Korean leader to be removed from office by impeachment. "Park's removal secured legitimacy as there were enough reasonable charges to legitimize it," Jang Seok-joon, vice president of local think tank Future Politics Center, told Xinhua on Monday. The court said Park had allowed Choi Soon-sil, her longtime confidante with no public post, to meddle in state affairs behind the scenes and review government documents with state secrets. Prosecutors have branded Park as a criminal accomplice of Choi for multiple charges including bribery. Park could face an investigation by prosecutors as early as this week as she lost her presidential immunity. Park returned to her private home in southern district of Seoul on Sunday night, smilingly waving her hand to her supporters who chanted Park's name and cheered her up outside the house. The streets of central Seoul had been divided in recent months by pro- and anti-Park rallies. The Park loyalists claimed Park is innocent and that the impeachment is unconstitutional. Park's impeachment was powered by "candle force," said Jang, noting all of the legal proceedings against Park were constitutionally right. A presidential by-election is required to be held within 60 days as the president is formally unseated. The most probable election date is estimated on May 9. Before a new leader is elected to replace Park, the interim government will be handled by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who emerged as the best hope among conservative voters as Park's political party and its members are seen as collaborators with the disgraced president. "There is a possibility for Hwang to run for president as any remarkable presidential contender is not found from the conservative camp," said Jang who predicted Hwang's announcement of his presidential bid this week if he has willingness to run. Hwang, however, is unlikely to be elected as next leader considering desperate hope among the majority of South Koreans for the transfer of power. His approval rating hovered at 10 to 15 percent in opinion polls as he is one of the closest aides to Park. The conservative force is being divided as dozens of lawmakers defected from the Liberty Korea Party, Park's party, and created the Righteous Party, of which presidential hopefuls saw their support scores in the low single digit. The winner in the primary of the biggest opposition Minjoo Party is widely forecast to win the presidency. Three main Minjoo Party contenders have garnered almost 60 percent of public support in total in recent surveys. "Whoever is elected next leader among Minjoo Party contenders will face a strong challenge given the formation of the parliament," Jang said, expecting a bitter clash between the reformist government and the powerful parties of conservatives. The Minjoo Party gained 121 seats in the April 2016 parliamentary elections, but the party failed to win a majority in the 300-seat National Assembly. The Liberty Korea Party still has 94 seats, while its splinter Righteous Party has 32 lawmakers. Without cooperation from progressive or conservative opposition parties, the expected government of the Minjoo Party would have little to achieve. The People's Party and the Justice Party own 39 and 6 parliamentary seats each. Jang said it would be extremely important for any new government to initiate the amendment of the constitution, which has never changed since 1987, as part of a strategy to maintain the reformist momentum. He forecast there would be no big difference in policies toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) if any of the three Minjoo Party hopefuls is elected as president. The three potentials include frontrunner and former Minjoo Party chief Moon Jae-in, governor of South Chungcheong province Ahn Hee-jung and mayor of Seongnam city Lee Jae-myung. Moon and Lee have favored the reopening of the inter-Korean factory park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, which the Park government closed following Pyongyang's nuclear test and long-range rocket launch in early 2016. They have supported the resumption of dialogue with the DPRK, as well as continued sanctions, to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions. Ahn was more conservative than the two in dealing with the DPRK's nuclear and missile program, but it could be part of an election strategy to gain more support from conservative voters, Jang added. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank Monday restarted the use of an open market operation tool that injects cash into the banking system. The People's Bank of China conducted 30 billion yuan (4.35 billion U.S. dollars) of reverse repos, a process where the central bank purchases securities from banks through bidding with an agreement to sell them back in the future. The operations included seven-day reverse repo priced to yield 2.35 percent, 14-day contracts with a yield of 2.5 percent, and 28-day agreements with a yield of 2.65 percent, all unchanged from the previous operations, according to a central bank statement. The move led to a net cash withdrawal of 50 billion yuan as maturing reverse repos drained 80 billion yuan from the market, marking the 13th consecutive trading day of net withdrawals. In Monday's interbank market, the overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate, which measures the costs by which banks lend to one another, fell 2.29 basis points to 2.379 percent. However, the rate for one-month loans rose 0.73 basis points to 4.1226 percent, the highest level in nearly two years. The central bank suspended reverse repo operations Thursday, the first time since it restarted the operation on Feb. 13, and again on Friday. It said the suspensions were aimed at keeping liquidity in the banking system stable in light of multiple liquidity-boosting factors in the short term. According to the government work report delivered at the annual parliamentary session, China will pursue a prudent and neutral monetary policy in 2017, with the M2 money supply to grow by around 12 percent, one percentage point lower than the 2016 target. In 2016, the M2 money supply increased by 11.3 percent. By Xinhua writer Liu Wei BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- When mother-of-three Li Yinuo returned to Beijing after living in the United States, she was flummoxed - like many Chinese parents - about how to choose the right school for her oldest son. "There is no satisfactory option," sighs Li, formerly a partner for management consultancy McKinsey in the U.S. and China. "Public schools stymie creativity and individuality while international schools end up nurturing Chinese as foreigners." Chinese families often plan their children's future from infancy. Parents used to save every penny to buy a property in a good school district, however shabby the home was. Now many are looking for alternatives, but they have few options. "Many still value academic excellence so they believe public schools will best prepare children for the gaokao (the national university entrance exam)," says Li. She was a straight-A student in that system herself, but she knows its drawbacks: "Rote learning and homogenization are the last thing we want." In March 2016, she decided to start her own school, inspired by a visit to California's Khan Lab School, which operates under the motto "Everyone's a teacher. Everyone's a student." "It resonated with me. Young people are capable of far more than society currently recognizes," says Li. Driven by determination, Li and her team took less than six months to set up the school: the teachers, the principal, the permit, the initial capital and students. On September 1, ETU School held its opening ceremony for children and parents in the Forbidden City. This symbolized Li's vision of grooming "truly Chinese, truly global" graduates with immersion in Chinese language and culture, as well as global competence and mindsets. The next day, ETU started operating in three classrooms covering 120 square meters - a collaboration with Beijing's No.80 School - with just 31 pupils and seven teachers. Hua Yijia, a venture capitalist, recalls the doubts of family members when she registered her 6-year-old daughter. "I know it's risk-taking, but any innovation starts small and since we got here, my daughter has never missed a day of school, even if she was tired or sick or had the flu. She told me she loves going to ETU." ETU borrows the experience of innovative education models like the U.S.-based Altschool in using IT to support education, and High Tech High in project-based learning (PBL). It also focuses on supporting each teacher's professional development, which is rooted in Li's own experience in management consulting. In one PBL project, children are invited to hand-make a vehicle over seven weeks. Alone or in teams, they will have an idea and sketch a design before they make a model. On completing the vehicle, they write down the major functions, how it came into being and what kind of journey it will take. Children feel free to do everything through the process and their tutors will evaluate if it's workable and offer some assistance. "Through these programs, ETU intends to empower students to realize they can shape the systems and solve problems with their own intellect and passion. Children don't learn by being told; they learn by seeing what's around them," says principal Guo Xiaoyue. ETU is also innovating in Chinese and math learning. In most schools, students must learn to read Chinese characters by writing them many times to remember them. At ETU, teachers discuss with students why they need to learn the characters and how they can enjoy it. "We love to learn characters through studying inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells and knowing how a character came into use," says student Yu Jiayi. Chen Chu, the math teacher and a Harvard graduate, invented a bank. Students can cash 10 grams of waste paper for one ETU yuan and buy the services or products from others at a school fair. The process of selling and buying is one application of math in life. Inspired, one kid kept a journal to record every experience involving math, like buying a subway ticket. Math class is not about solving a problem and getting the correct answer, but using math to tackle life issues. Most Chinese had a different experience - suffering under the exam-oriented teaching and feeling education was removed from real life. The modern gaokao began in 1977 and has been widely credited with selecting the best talents for China's booming economy. However, many graduates regret being hostage to exams and ending up as a standardized commodity, struggling to find who they are and what they really want to do in life and work. Kou Xuan, from Guangdong, decided when her son was born to take a different path. She wrote to ETU and asked if it could open a school in Guangzhou. Kou was not the first to inquire. When ETU announced plans to launch branches, dozens of teams from more than 10 major cities applied to run them. On the interview day, 11 candidate teams presented their ideas about personalized education and how they planned to practice it. If selected, ETU will provide them with support in terms of teaching, administration, teacher development, IT training and community resources. Li and her husband Shen Huazhang, an IT entrepreneur, both bring their expertise to ETU. "We have three groups of people building the school: educators, business managers, and IT product managers/engineers. Good education philosophy and practices are its core, but we run this school as a modern business and mobilize social resources in an effective way via a tech platform that supports online communities," says Li. "The ETU lifelong learners community and ETU follower community currently have 6,000 members who are practitioners, followers and volunteers of innovative education. We are not only building a school. We hope to innovate in the education ecosystem by putting schools back in the center of communities." ETU has an app for parents and teachers, but it's more than a tool for notifications and assignments. "Teachers will record their classroom observations and individual performances, while parents show how their children behave at home and write about their ideas and reflections," says Guo. In future, the app will collect enough data to draw a "portrait" of each student as a learner, both academically and emotionally, creating a portfolio of curriculum, activities and projects that suits each individual student to help them learn faster and better. Parents, especially those with an innovative mindset, are clamoring to enroll their children at ETU, but it's still a boutique school with 31 pupils. It also costs up to 150,000 yuan a year, more than double the average annual Chinese household income. Critics claim ETU serves only the wealthy, but Li says running an innovative private school has significant costs, including staff and operating expenses. "We are a small school now, but we hope to reproduce our ecosystem through innovative practices. ETU is open to all partners and expects to be embraced by more schools, so if a public school is willing to cooperate even just in some aspects, we could make it happen via a project or even government procurement process," says Li. ETU has already initiated a partnership with a public school for teacher development and core teaching skills training. And it has a bigger ambition: to break the barriers between urban and rural schools and promote education equality. Late last year, Ye Huimin, a rural teacher in Jiangxi, wrote to ETU, hoping to introduce its innovative methods and resources to rural areas and better tap the creativity of teachers. ETU supports the idea, but rather than replicating ETU in rural areas, they will support teachers like Ye by providing resources and training. And the future? "ETU plans to extend to middle schools, but no one can tell what a future gaokao will look like. In 12 years, it might look different from today," Li says. "We can't decide what 6-year-olds should learn based on the current evaluation and assessment system. We believe that as long as our children are sound in body and mind, acquire core competences and have the right values and perspectives, they will thrive, or at least qualify by any sensible standard anywhere in the world, even the gaokao." SEOUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Combined forces of South Korea and the United States on Monday kicked off the annual command post exercise, codenamed Key Resolve, which is scheduled to last for 11 days. The computer-simulated exercise between the two allies will continue through March 24, local media reported, citing unnamed military officials. It followed the launch on March 1 of the joint field training drill with the codename of Foal Eagle that will last by the end of next month. The Key Resolve is the U.S.-South Korea exercise to reinforce U.S. armed forces to the Korean Peninsula in times of military conflict and repel possible attack from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK has denounced the joint springtime war games as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion. Peace activists of about 10 local civic groups held a rally, titled The Day of Peace Action, in downtown Seoul on Saturday to protest against the ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises and the deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korean soil. Two mobile launchers and part of the THAAD system arrived in South Korea a week earlier and was transported to an unknown base of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). THAAD is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, an X-band radar and a fire and control unit. This year's Key Resolve drill will reportedly conduct the first computer simulation of operating the THAAD battery, which local media outlets estimated would be deployed in southeast South Korea as early as next month. South Korea and the U.S. claim that THAAD is defensive in nature as it is aimed to protect from the DPRK missiles targeting the southern port city of Busan, through which the U.S. reinforcement would enter South Korea in times of emergency. THAAD is aggressive as it boosts arms race and breaks regional strategic balance. The AN/TPY-2 radar installed in South Korea would help the United States and Japan defend from missile attacks, enabling the three allies to peer deep into the territories of China and Russia. More missile shields will bring more nuclear missiles that can break through the missile defense systems. The loss of the mutual assured destruction (MAD) may trigger a nuclear proliferation in the region. China and Russia have strongly opposed the THAAD installation since Seoul and Washington abruptly announced the deployment decision in July last year. The U.S.-South Korea commands will exercise a so-called Operation Plan 5015 during the 11-day Key Resolve drill, according to local media reports. The operation plan includes pre-emptive strikes against the DPRK's nuclear and missile facilities when signs of attack are detected. This year's Key Resolve command post exercise will be led by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) for the first time since 2013. South Korea has yet to restore the wartime operation control of its troops from the U.S., a legacy from the 1950-53 Korean War. JCS Chairman Lee Sun-jin and USFK commander Vincent Brooks visited USS Carl Vinson, which has participated in the Foal Eagle field training exercise, earlier in the day, according to local media reports. The nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier is scheduled to pay a visit to the Busan port on Wednesday. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its attendant fleet are accompanied by 24 F/A-18 fighter jets, 10 aerial tankers, 10 S-3A anti-submarine airplanes, six SH-3H anti-submarine helicopters, four EA-6B electronic warfare aircrafts and 4 E-2 airborne early warning aircrafts. Other U.S. 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. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with deputies from grassroots units to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) after a panel discussion in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. Xi joined a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th NPC from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing on Sunday. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Hi, here's what you need to know about China! BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for deepening military-civilian integration, while highlighting sci-tech innovation as the key to military upgrading. Speaking to national lawmakers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the ongoing annual parliamentary session, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said efforts should be made to provide greater science and technology support for the PLA. xhne.ws/dGfIP - - - - BEIJING -- Senior officials from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday said the region has maintained a high-pressure crackdown to ensure stability as destabilizing factors remain. Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the regional government, said Xinjiang has been "resolutely and forcefully" fighting terrorism to maintain stability in the past year. xhne.ws/mfTH0 - - - - BEIJING -- China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday. The defendants included 35 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and 240 at the prefectural level, said the report delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). xhne.ws/QBJ6X - - - - BEIJING -- The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 135 basis points to 6.8988 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said Friday that Chinese currency would automatically stabilize this year on the back of a firming economy and rising confidence in the country's growth prospects. xhne.ws/n3rql - - - - BERLIN -- The Chinese Embassy in Germany has again called on a German online retailer to apologize and stop selling T-shirts with slogans insulting Chinese. The openness and diversity the company has said about its products in its apology statement fail to justify the harm, the Chinese embassy said Saturday. xhne.ws/oRk3a - - - - BEIJING -- The fifth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body, began the closing meeting Monday morning. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the closing meeting held at the Great Hall of the People. xhne.ws/OUK3h NEW DELHI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- India Monday celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colors which comes at the end of the winter season and marks the beginning of spring. In the Indian capital, people cutting across ages threw colored powder and liquids at each other to mark the festival which also signifies the victory of good over evil, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. "This is the time to smear each other with colors. It's the festival of love and togetherness when you forget the past," said Navin Chowdhury, a local resident, sipping a glass of thandai (a special drink laced with bhangs (addictive substance) prepared only for the festive day. "It's the most energetic festival," he added. Some of the biggest celebrations took place in Mathura and Vrindavan, two adjacent towns in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, barely 150 km from the national capital. Mathura is the birthplace of Hindu god Krishna and Vrindavan is where he played Holi with his consort Radha. "I held a pichkaari (water gun) and I just didn't want to stop. It's time to immerse in colors. It's like an explosion in a paint factory here," said Dhiraj Singh, a Delhi resident who went to Mathura like every year just to play Holi for half a day. So, what's the history of Holi in India? Once upon a time, there was a demon king called Hiranyakashyap who asked everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But his own son, Prahlad, disobeyed him and became a devotee of Hindu god Lord Naarayana instead. Holi is celebrated to commemorate the miraculous escape of young Prahlad, despite being carried into the fire by the demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashyap. In India, on the day before Holi, people light bonfires to recall Prahlad's escape. Holi derives its name from Holika and is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil. RIYADH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has left here for the United States on the first Saudi high-level visit since the election of Donald Trump as president, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday. During the visit, he will meet Trump and a number of other U.S. officials to discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties and regional issues of mutual interest, the SPA said. SPA quoted the royal court as saying in a statement that the deputy crown prince, who also serves as second deputy prime minister and minister of defense, left on Sunday for the working visit. Israeli troops raided the home of a Palestinian man on Monday morning, arresting four members of his family, a few hours after he allegedly stabbed two policemen in Jerusalem and was shot dead. (Xinhuanet file photo) JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops raided the home of a Palestinian man on Monday morning, arresting four members of his family, a few hours after he allegedly stabbed two policemen in Jerusalem and was shot dead. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attacker ran toward two paramilitary Border Police officers near the Lions' Gate outside the Old City before dawn. "He pulled out a knife from his pocket," she said, adding that the officers struggled with the man, fending him off, and one of the officers shot him. The assailant was identified as a 26-year-old man from East Jerusalem. The officers sustained light-to-moderate injuries and were taken to a hospital, Israel emergency medical service said. Palestinians have killed 41 Israelis and two U.S. nationals in a wave of violence that started in September 2015. Israeli security forces and civilians killed at least 238 Palestinians, most of them alleged attackers. Israelis also killed a Jordanian tourist and two asylum seekers, one Eritrean and one Sudanese, who were mistaken to be attackers. Israel accuses the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the unrest. The Palestinians say it is the result of 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, home to more than 5 million Palestinians. MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed in a car bomb blast in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Monday, police said. VIENNA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's return to a position of global leadership brings with it lessons Europe could learn from, former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said in a recent interview with Xinhua. China's development strategy is wrought with long-term, multi-generational goals in mind, said Schuessel, who served as chancellor for the conservative People's Party from 2000 to 2007. The system in which Chinese officials serve terms for set periods of time provides a certain stability, he said, as opposed to that of the Western approach where political themes and perspectives often have a much shorter life-span. He spoke of meritocracy, which guarantees rise of officials through the political ranks based on personal achievement. This has advantages over greater emphasis on competition, such as that between parties, and the higher propensity for frequent changes seen in Western countries. China's foreign policy is another example of its long-term thinking, said Schuessel. Its relations with Europe, the United States and Russia, as well as its efforts to deliver the "One China" policy are all well-defined and systemic in nature, he said. In following its unique path, China has found its own prosperity, said the former chancellor, adding that it was "spectacular" for China to have lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Schuessel, who also served as Austrian minister of economic affairs in the early 1990s, spoke highly of China's advancements in the high-technology sector. He said the tremendous development in this sector led by Ali Baba,Tencent and Baidu represents a great strength of the economy. These companies cater to a market of hundreds of millions of people, he noted, adding that their rises have been flanked by huge numbers of highly-educated work forces. Schuessel hailed the Belt and Road initiative as a "fascinating idea", which draws together dozens of countries and serves a huge population. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes. It has won support from over 100 countries and international organizations. While China itself is investing heavily in the project, with participation from other parties as well as private capital, Schuessel said he believed its value could eventually amount in the trillions. Schuessel called for more European participation in the project, revealing that many European countries, including Austria, are interested in the project. "We are very open for this, we regard this as a very exciting project," he said. WELLINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers have called for a ban on the "mining" of an ancient New Zealand timber resource after a government report Monday showed that half of it might have already disappeared. The report showed that an estimated 30 percent to 50 percent of swamp kauri logs - massive logs of New Zealand's native kauri hardwood that have been preserved in peat land for thousands of years - have been removed from the ground. It was one of three reports on swamp kauri, which is found in the far northern Northland region, published by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on Monday. The reports provided information on the scientific and cultural values of swamp kauri and its distribution and remaining volume. "This is the first time an attempt has been made to assess the swamp kauri resource," MPI director general of regulation and assurance Bryan Wilson said in a statement. The reports also said that swamp kauri held significant value for New Zealanders, due to its age, appearance, and its cultural properties. "They also highlight swamp kauri's scientific value in helping to understand the natural history of New Zealand, and its contribution to understanding the effects of climate change," said Wilson. Swamp kauri timber, also known as ancient kauri, is milled from kauri trees that have been buried and preserved in peat swamps for between 800 and 60,000 years. Some kauri trees were up to 2,000 years old when they fell. MPI is responsible for overseeing and regulating the milling and export of swamp kauri, which is the world's oldest workable wood. Swamp kauri can only be legally exported as a finished product or as whole or sawn stumps or roots - provided the timber didn't come from indigenous forest land. Stumps and roots intended for export must be visually inspected and approved by MPI before they leave New Zealand. Breaches of these rules can incur fines of up to 200,000 NZ dollars (138,980 U.S. dollars). In the second quarter of 2016, about 1,500 cubic meters were approved for milling and less than 200 cubic metres were approved for export, according to MPI. In 2015, the Auditor-General reviewed the regulation of the milling and export of swamp kauri by MPI after claims that exporters were duping regulators to illegally sell the logs abroad, but found it was being carried out effectively. The opposition Green Party called for a moratorium on further mining of swamp kauri. The reports showed almost 80 percent of land containing swamp kauri might have significant ecological value, despite these areas currently being classified as "unlikely" to have any, said Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage. "We simply shouldn't be ripping up our wetlands for short-term profit when the environmental destruction will last for generations to come," Sage said in a statement. "This is a prime example of a short term, high impact extractive industry exploiting a scarce and finite resource." RIYADH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi labor ministry will launch a program to create 1.2 million jobs for locals by ending the domination of foreign workers in crucial occupations, local media reported on Monday. The goal of the program is to cut unemployment among Saudi citizens and to ease the high demand for foreigners in important jobs in all sectors, Al Hayat reported. This will be done through a nationwide training and other initiatives, the paper said. The ministry will restrict the access to some jobs to only Saudis, especially in the business sector, such as those related to production, maintenance and manufacturing. The ministry has recruited more than 16,000 Saudi men and women in jobs related to selling and repairing mobile phones. In January, Saudi Arabia announced that 120 local engineers were sent to Britain for training. SANTIAGO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz, said on Sunday that Chile hoped to send a message of maintaining a pluralistic approach to free trade in the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Chile meeting. Munoz said in an interview with local newspaper El Mercurio that nowadays numerous initiatives were being carried out, such as the TPP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP), and the Free-Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific(FTAAP). "We work with those who are ready for openness and integration," Munoz explained. The meeting, to be held on March 14-15, seeks to bring together representatives from TPP countries, as well as some other countries. While ruling out "formal agreements" signed at next week's meeting, Munoz said the meeting would show a will "to take steps once again in the direction of economic integration and openness." COLOMBO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka is now aiming to promote the island country among top Indian film producers in order to become the next film location for Indian movies, a Sri Lanka Tourism statement said here Monday. "As a compact destination with various natural and large diversity, located just a few kilometres away from each other, Sri Lanka can be shown as a destination which can be an ideal location for the perfect film shoot," the statement said. As a destination which includes natural wonders and captivating landscapes, Sri Lanka was able to positively promote itself at the India International Film Tourism Conclave - 2017" (IIFTC) held in Mumbai recently. Sri Lanka Tourism was able to showcase the island nation's cultural and natural splendour by participating in the event, with over 18 other destinations, inclined to show their own identity to the Cinematic industry. The purpose of participating in the event was to showcase Sri Lanka as a popular film destination, equipped with all the natural resources that one needs, Sri Lanka Tourism said. "By presenting such an attractive display of the island nation, Sri Lanka Tourism was able to convince the Indian film producers to think of choosing Sri Lanka as the next film location for their creative works of art," Sri Lanka Tourism added. MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and three others were injured in a suicide car bomb blast in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Monday, officials and eye witnesses said. A minibus laden with explosives went off near a military training camp in Wadajir district, said a security official who declined to be identified. "The suicide bomber and two civilians were killed and three others were injured. The security forces have launched investigations," he added. According to witnesses, the victims were passers-by in the explosion that ripped through the gate of a sweet factory opposite to the military base. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast, which came after a media worker was seriously injured in a similar attack in Mogadishu on Sunday. Turkish national flag is seen at Dutch consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 12, 2017. Hundreds of protesters held demonstrations at the Dutch missions in Turkey on late Saturday and Sunday, and an unidentified person downed the Dutch flag in consulate in Istanbul and raised Turkish flag. Turkish leaders have threatened Dutch government to retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional amendments to expand the president's powers. (Xinhua/DHA/Depo Photos) ISTANBUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Fueled by the latest strong-worded controversial remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tensions are feared to escalate and spread from a rally row between Turkey and the Netherlands in the former's relations with European Union members. The row has also led to Danish delay of a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim this month. Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands it would pay for barring Turkish ministers from campaigning on its land, saying it was acting like a "banana republic". He also said "Nazism is still widespread in the West" and that Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers was "Nazism, fascism", after accusing the Netherlands of being "Nazi remnants" a day before. In response, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's remarks totally unacceptable and irresponsible while demanding an apology. A NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally "with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutte told reporters. Meanwhile, he ruled out apologizing for rejecting the border entry of Turkish ministers. On Sunday, Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed a delay of a planned visit by his Turkish counterpart Yildirim this month. "With the current Turkish attacks on Holland the meeting can not be seen separated from that," he said in a press release. Citing security worries that Turkish political divisions might spill into its Turkish minority communities, the Dutch government blocked Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing in Rotterdam for a rally on Saturday. It later prevented Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there before escorting her out of the Netherlands to Germany. The two Turkish ministers were both for planned campaign rallies for the April 16 constitutional referendum in Turkey that is expected to expand the presidency's powers. The Netherlands, with some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, and Germany, with 1.4 million, rank among top electoral bases for Turkish politicians. Later during a speech in France, Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" in criticizing it for joining other European countries in banning Turkish ministers campaigning. France, urging calm, said it saw no reason to ban his gathering. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to prevent Turkey's political tensions from spreading into Germany. Some local authorities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have earlier called off Turkish rallies. On Turkish ministers campaigning abroad, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Sunday told Germany's public broadcaster ARD that "A Turkish campaign has no business being there in Germany." European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graf lambsdorff called for an EU-wide ban. "The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he told Germany's Die Welt newspaper. The Turkish-Dutch row triggered protests outside the Dutch embassy in Turkey's capital Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, as well as clashes with police early Sunday in Rotterdam during demonstrations near the Turkish consulate, and the arrest of at least six protestors on Sunday night in Amsterdam. In the Netherlands, where parliamentary elections are to be held on March 15, mainstream parties are under heavy pressure from the far-right Party for Freedom which polls showed is making strong gains. "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price," Erdogan said Sunday. JOHANNESBURG, March 12 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress(ANC), urged its members on Sunday to follow the disciplines and the organizational policies. ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu made the remarks at a press conference, after its Women's League has nominated and continued to campaign for Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to be the next president of the party and of the country. The ANC asks its members not to nominate or campaign for anyone and can only do so at the right time. Moreover, the Women's League, together with the ANC's Youth League, have accused the country's Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, of supporting white monopoly capital and called for his resignation. Calling that "indiscipline," Mthembu called on all ANC members to keep quiet and adhere to what the leadership has said. Mthembu said party members should desist from attacking each other in the public, adding that "You can criticize me in whatever manner in the National Executive Council meetings." Jeff Radebe, ANC's Head of Policy and Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, aired similar views. Lindiwe Sisulu, chairperson of the ANC Social Transformation Subcommittee, said they are yearning for a time when all party members would be disciplined and follow the party protocols. The call for discipline and unity within the ruling party came on the same day with the party's announcement of a discussion document, aimed at generating policy changes in improving its social, economic and political performance. The ruling party will probably call for presidential nominations after a national policy conference scheduled from June 30 to July 5. HANOI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The first phase of an international exhibition Vietbuild Hanoi 2017 will take place in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi from March 15 to 19, drawing participation of 18 countries and regions, according to its organizer on Monday. Specifically, a total of 469 exhibitors, with 243 domestic, 83 joint-venture and 143 foreign ones, from Britain, China, India, Japan, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, among others, will join the expo, reported local Bao Dau Tu (Vietnam Investment Review) online newspaper. This is the first phase in a series of eight events of Vietbuild 2017 that will be held consecutively in Hanoi, southern Ho Chi Minh City, central Da Nang and southern Can Tho city. The exhibition will showcase products on construction, consulting and architecture design, real estate, building materials, interior and exterior decoration. Within the event's framework, there will be seminars on new products and high technologies for construction sector towards green and sustainable development. BANGKOK, March 13 (Xinhua) -- An expert recently suggested that governments and international organizations should be more honest and determined in order to eliminate malaria, as the world faces the risk of losing the main arteminisin class of antimalarial drugs. Arteminisin, an extract from the sweet wormwood plant that has been used against malaria in ancient China, is the most effective drug against malaria today. Its derivative artesunate has become the treatment of choice for severe malaria and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the foundation of modern falciparum malaria treatment globally, according to Sir Nicholas White, a professor at Oxford university and Bangkok's Mahidol University. Artemisinins are "fantastic" antimalarial drugs, which have saved around 6 million lives since 2000 with other anti-malarial methods, said Prof. White in an interview with Xinhua last Thursday, adding that they "are more rapidly and more reliably effective than other drugs, and they are very well tolerated, don't have side effects." Artemisinins work very well in most parts of the world, but right here in Southeast Asia, artemisinin resistance has emerged. According to World Health Organization, artemisinin resistance has been confirmed in five countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Moreover, along the Cambodia-Thailand border, Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous species of the parasite that caused malaria, has become resistant to almost all available antimalarial medicines, which poses a threat to global health. "History has given us two very serious lessons," Prof. White asked people, governments and international organizations to see the real risk that we are facing. "If we look back in history, previous important anti-malarial drug such as chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, their resistance all started somewhere near the border between Cambodia and Thailand and "spread from there across Southeast Asia, across India, and finally across Africa, which killed millions," he said, adding, "Now here we are, third time, and we have resistance starting in Cambodia." "We need to do more in this region to eliminate malaria and get it stopped before it spreads." "We cannot think of any way of eliminating resistance without eliminating everything, all malaria." Prof. White pointed out some countries haven't paid enough attention to malaria, as it is a "disease of poor people in remote communities", and international organizations like WHO should estimate the risk correctly. He asked for more honesty and transparency in the governance of the process of eliminating malaria. "If we were really honest about the problems, about what is being done, we will conclude that not enough is being done," He said. White also pointed out that much more determination is required to eliminate malaria and China has set a good example. "The spread of this resistance, to India and Africa is big, is high risk, we need to be more aggressive in our elimination methods, and we could learn from China," He said. "China is aggressive in its elimination, and it worked, there is very little malaria left in China." He said China should give advice to other countries on how to eliminate malaria. Focusing on the treatment of malaria for many years, Prof. White told Xinhua that he is working on new drugs, or 3-drug combination with artemisinin in it as a part of the long-run battle against malaria. "I would like to see malaria go, " He said. MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and 10 others were injured in two separate bomb explosions in Mogadishu on Monday with sources indicating a possible surge in the casualty figures. Six civilians were killed when a vehicle loaded with explosives went off in front of Wehliye hotel in central business district of Mogadishu. Ten others were injured. Mohamed Dahir senior police officer at the scene told Xinhua they have established that six people died from the attack at the hotel. "So far we have counted six people who have died and ten others have sustained injuries. We are still carrying out investigations into the matter," said Dahir. An eye witness confirmed the explosion to Xinhua noting the explosion was massive. "The explosion rocked the front side of the entrance and people nearby were killed and others injured. It was very huge," said Abdirahman Gabow. Meanwhile one person was killed and three others wounded in a Monday morning explosion near a military barrack in Mogadishu. The vehicle borne IEDs went off tearing through the entrance of Sweet Factory opposite the military base in Wadajir district. The driver of the explosives laden explosives was killed while another passerby was injured according to witnesses. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack which came after a media worker was seriously injured in a similar attack in Mogadishu on Sunday. JAKARTA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Anti-terror squad of the Indonesian national police have arrested two alleged militants, the bomb maker and financial provider for a terror attack, a police officer disclosed here on Monday. Agus alias Abu Muslim or Abu Abdullah and Soleh alias Zalzalat or Gungun were captured last week as they were allegedly linked with the terror attack on a government building in the provincial capital of West Java last month, Inspector General Boy Rafly Amar, national police spokesman said at the national police headquarters. Both men provided funds to finance the terror attack in the city on February 27, the spokesman said. Soleh provided the bombs for the attack after he made them at his own chemical laboratory, another national police spokesman Senior Commissioner Martinus Sitompul said. "Soleh has skill in making bombs. The laboratory in Babakan Ciparay is allegedly owned by him," he said at the headquarters. In addition to the government office building, the militants had also targeted headquarters of the provincial police office and several smaller police stations, he added. "This reflects their revenge against police," said Sitompul. On February 27, a militant identified as Yayat Chadiyah was shot dead by the anti-terror squad after he let off a pressure cooker bomb in a park at the West Java provincial capital and burned a nearby government office building. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A new provision has been added to China's draft general provisions of the civil law to hold people accountable for damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, according to the presidium for the ongoing annual parliamentary session. People who harm the name, portrait, reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, thus hurting the public interest, shall bear civil liability, said the provision, which was added upon suggestions by lawmakers at the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). According to some NPC deputies, certain people have maliciously defamed and insulted heroes and martyrs through twisting the truth and slander, harming the public interest and causing adverse social impact. According to the presidium, the NPC Law Committee has made a total of 126 revisions to the draft general provisions based on suggestions by NPC deputies and national political advisors gathered at the ongoing annual legislative and political consultative sessions. In addition, the statutory age limit for minors with limited capacity for civil conduct has been lowered from 10 to eight years, according to the revisions. The previous draft lowered the age limit to six years. NPC deputies will continue to deliberate the revised draft of the general provisions. HANOI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- An estimated 52.2 million passengers were transported by air in Vietnam in 2016, up 29 percent from the previous year, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) on Monday. Of the figure, domestic passengers accounted for 28 million person-times, a yearly increase of 30 percent, Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA reported. Last year, patronage of low-cost carriers rose dramatically to around 15 million person-times, said the CAAV, attributing the rise to the strong growth in budget carriers such as VietJet and Jetstar Pacific. The two no-frills carriers fly on 50 domestic routes and to 17 airports around the country while flying to international destinations including China's Hong Kong, China's Guangzhou, China's Taiwan, Thailand's Siem Reap, Bangkok, South Korea's Seoul, Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, last year, Vietnam welcomed a record high number of around 10 million international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 25 percent. The tourism industry also served 62 million domestic tourists. This year, it targeted of receiving 11.5 million international and 66 million domestic tourists. The tourism industry's ambitious goals suggest that the Vietnamese aviation industry would continue to have the opportunity to grow, said VNA, adding that Vietnam has been identified as one of seven fastest growing airline markets in the world. NEW DELHI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar Monday resigned from his post to return to his home state of Goa as the Chief Minister. JAKARTA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian foreign minister on Monday said Indonesia will always encourage Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purpose. Retno Marsudi made the remarks at a two-day NPT meeting for the Asia-Pacific region, which kicked off here on Monday. The meeting was hosted by Indonesia with participants from across the region. The Indonesian foreign minister said the political and security developments in the world have led to challenging situations in addressing nuclear issues. It would take high commitments from all signatory countries to push for the implementation of the NPT, she said. The meeting is part of preparations toward the NPT Preparatory Committee meeting, which is slated for May in Vienna, Austria. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a consultative meeting to solicit opinions on a candidate list for the election of a new senior political advisor. The CPC Central Committee said in a statement on Monday that the meeting was held on February 22. Entrusted by the CPC Central Committee, Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting. Yu, also chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, delivered a report on the election of a new senior official of the CPPCC National Committee to representatives of non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliation. Praising these consultative meetings as a good tradition of the CPC, Yu encouraged participants to fully express their opinions and give suggestions. Leaders of non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, as well as representatives of people without party affiliation, agreed that the candidate list was made with careful consideration and expressed support for it. Senior CPC officials Sun Chunlan and Zhao Leji also attended the meeting. Israel said Monday that a an anti-occupation activist from Britain was denied entry into Israel, one week after the Israeli parliament approved a law banning entry of foreigners who call for boycotting Israel. (Xinhuanet file photo) JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Israel said Monday that a an anti-occupation activist from Britain was denied entry into Israel, one week after the Israeli parliament approved a law banning entry of foreigners who call for boycotting Israel. Hugh Lanning, chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was barred from entering Israel at Ben Gurion Airport late on Sunday night, according to a joint statement by the Population and Immigration Authority and the Strategic Affairs Ministry. The statement said that Lanning's organization leads a campaign for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. "The organization works in cooperation with other organizations that work to delegitimize Israel in order to advance boycotts and other activities against Israel," the statement said. "In addition to advancing boycotts, Lanning maintained ties with the heads of Hamas in Gaza," the statement added. Last Monday, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, approved a law to enable authorities to bar entry of foreign nationals who have publicly supported the BDS campaign. First launched in 2005, the Palestinian-led campaign calls for ending the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Israel seized in 1967, and acknowledging the Palestinians refugees' right of return to their pre-1948 lands. NEW DELHI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar Monday resigned from his post to return to his home state of Goa as the Chief Minister. "I have tendered my resignation as Defense Minister and have sent it to the PMO (Prime Minister's Office)," Parrikar told the media. Highly placed sources said Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted Parrikar's resignation after the PMO forwarded the letter to Rashtrapati Bhawan (President's official residence). "Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is likely to take additional charge of the defense portfolio till a full-time minister is appointed," the sources said. According to India's official broadcaster All India Radio on Monday, Parrikar, a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be sworn in as the chief minister of the western Goa state on Tuesday. Parrikar told reporters in Goa's capital city Panaji that BJP president Amit Shah and federal ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend his swearing-in ceremony. On Sunday night, Parrikar approached Goa's governor Mridula Sinha and submitted him a letter of support from 21 legislators to stake claim for government formation. Sinha has subsequently invited Parrikar to form the next government in the coastal state. Goa's lawmaking body has a strength of 40 legislators. In the recently held elections, no party won the majority. Congress emerged as the largest party with 17 seats, but falls short of four seats to reach the magic mark of 21. BJP has won 13 seats and claims support of eight legislators from other parties and independents. BJP's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has emboldened the party and strengthened its position in the country's political arena. With these victories, the BJP rules in more than a dozen of India's 29 states. Parrikar, 61, will take oath as the chief minister for the fourth time. He will have to get elected to the Goa legislature within six months. Before becoming the India's defense minister, he was chief minister of Goa. SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Troops of India and Pakistan Monday exchanged heavy fire and targeted each other's positions on Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir, officials said. The two sides exchanged fire on LoC in frontier areas of Poonch district, about 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. Defense officials said the exchange started at around 6:40 (local time) in the morning and went on for some time. There were no reports of any casualty or damage to the Indian side due to Pakistani firing. On Sunday, the two sides exchanged fire in adjoining Krishna Ghati and Chakkan-Da-Baagh sectors. Last year saw a surge in skirmishes on International Border (IB) and LoC between the two sides. Apart from troop casualties, the firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas. 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. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Central Institute of Socialism (CIS) on Monday held the opening ceremony of a seminar for representatives from the Christian community in China to discuss Chinese culture. A total of 52 representatives from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and east China's Fujian Province will attend the 14-day seminar, featuring lectures on Christianity and Chinese-Western cultural exchanges, Chinese culture and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and religious theory and policy. Founded in 1956, the CIS is a political academy for non-communist parties and people without party affiliation. It offers Chinese cultural education to people from ethnic and religious circles, new social groups, as well as the private sector. JUBA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudanese army (SPLA) said on Monday that it killed 23 rebel fighters during renewed clashes in northern South Sudan over the weekend. SPLA Spokesman Lul Ruai Koang told Xinhua that fresh fighting in Yuai area in the newly created Bieh state left at least 23 opposition fighters killed. "On Sunday, hostile forces loyal to Riek Machar attacked our defensive positions at Yuai in Bieh State. Our forces were able to repulse the attack with heavy causalities. 23 rebel fighters were killed and we also captured some weaponry," Koang said. Koang declined to give casualties figures on the side of the government, saying that "the government troops are paying a price to ensure that civilians are not killed and ensure that strategic grounds are not lost." He said last week, a senior army officer at the rank of a colonel and four of his body guards were killed in the former Eastern Equatoria state. South Sudan has been devastated by civil war that broke out in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the accusation but then mobilized a rebel force. A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April, but was again shattered by fresh violence in July, 2016. Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with over 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure, since December 2013. Last month, the UN declared localized famine in parts of South Sudan, warning that some 100,000 people, nearly half of the population is in dire need of food aid. THE HAGUE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch Foreign Ministry on Monday urged nationals travelling to Turkey to be alert and avoid gatherings and crowded places following an escalation of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. "Since March 11, 2017 there are diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands. Especially on social media are highly critical statements made about the Netherlands and its inhabitants," said the travel advice posted on the ministry's website on Monday morning. "The Turkish prime minister declares that it has no influence on Dutch visitors. Be alert across Turkey, avoiding gatherings and crowded places," warned the ministry. The ministry also told Dutch nationals to stay alert to increased risk of terrorist attacks in the whole country of Turkey. The tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Kaya Sayan was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam. On Sunday morning she was moved back to Germany under Dutch police escort. Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey. Earlier on Saturday the diplomatic row came to a high when the Dutch government withdrew the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan. The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Dutch government objected the campaign by Turkish officials, citing security and public order reasons. The Turkish diplomatic service reacted on Twitter that "racist, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks in the Netherlands jeopardize the European democracy," while Erdogan compared the Dutch with "fascists and Nazis". Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the remarks by Erdogan were "unacceptable" and what the Turkish family minister has done was "irresponsible." BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) will on Tuesday deliberate on the final drafts of various documents and the general provisions of the civil law before the final voting. The presidum of the session will hold its third and fourth meeting Tuesday. A press conference will be held at the media center for the NPC at 10 a.m., attended by Zhi Shuping, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, his deputy Sun Dawei, and Tian Shihong, head of the Standardization Administration of China. DAMASCUS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The governor of Syria's central province of Homs, Talal Barazi, said Monday that an agreement has been reached with rebels in their last remaining stronghold in the city to evacuate toward the northern city of Idlib, state media reported. The evacuation of the Waer neighborhood will start soon as part of the ongoing efforts to clear the neighborhood of rebel presence. Barazi said the agreement will have the cooperation of the Russian reconciliation center, which oversees the implementation of deals between rebels and the Syrian government. The rebels and their families will leave Waer, the last rebel-held neighborhood in Homs, for Idlib in batches, said the governor, adding that the process is expected to take between six to eight weeks. Police and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent will oversee the evacuation process, as Russian forces coordinate and secure the road for the evacuees toward Idlib. The return of government institutions to the neighborhood will start after the evacuation of the last batch of rebels, according to the deal. "The true victory is through the return of the state authorities, either by reconciliations or battling the terrorist groups," the governor said. An initial agreement for evacuating the rebels from Waer was reached several months ago, and saw the evacuation of some batches of rebels, but full implementation of the deal was hindered amid fresh battles and shelling. Last month, six suicide bombers detonated themselves in two security headquarters in Homs, killing at least 42 people, mostly security personnel. At the time, some reports suggested that the bombings were carried out by ultra-radical groups from Waer, which was subject to relentless shelling from the government side. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), presides over the closing meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Political advisors nationwide whole-heartedly uphold the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, Chinese top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng said Monday. Yu made the remarks at the closing meeting of the fifth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. Yu, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said that political advisors are inspired by the remarkable achievements of the Party and the nation since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012. "Political advisors are full of confidence in the bright prospect of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics," Yu said, hailing this year's session as a success in upholding democracy, gathering consensus and boosting solidarity. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core has united and led Chinese people of all ethnic groups to promote the country's overall approach to building socialism with Chinese characteristics, pushing forward coordinated economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress. Yu said efforts have been made to promote the "four comprehensives" -- to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society, deepen reform, advance rule of law and govern the CPC strictly. Noting that the 19th CPC National Congress will be held in the second half of this year, Yu called on political advisors to raise their awareness of political integrity, overall situation, the core and conformity with the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core. He urged them to stick to the CPC leadership more consciously, unite around the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core more closely, and implement decisions and policies made by the CPC Central Committee more resolutely. Political advisors should offer more of their insights and contribute to China's economic and social development, and help improve the Chinese people's well-being, Yu said, adding they must also strengthen self-discipline. CPC and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the closing meeting at the Great Hall of the People. A political resolution adopted at the meeting underscored the basic tone of "seeking progress while maintaining stability," calling for efforts to push forward the work of the Party and the state in various sectors. Efforts will be made to implement new development concepts, promote supply-side structural reform, improve the people's livelihood and ensure all the people can share the fruits of reform equally, the political resolution read. The CPPCC is a patriotic united front organization of the Chinese people, serving as a key mechanism for multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. On Monday, the national political advisors also approved a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the 12th CPPCC National Committee over the past year, and a report on the proposals submitted by CPPCC National Committee members to the annual session this year. National political advisors submitted 5,769 proposals over the past year. Among them, 4,279 were formalized after being reviewed and 1,159 were listed as opinions and suggestions. Some proposals were combined with other proposals or withdrawn. Of the total, 1,718 centered on economic affairs and 322 on political issues. There are also 1,344 and 460 proposals on social affairs and cultural progress respectively. As of Feb. 20 this year, 99.84 percent of the proposals raised by the political advisors had been dealt with by relevant departments. HARARE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Tourism promotion authorities in Zimbabwe have engaged the police over the high number of roadblocks which have been condemned by both local and foreign tourists. Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke told official news agency New Ziana that the roadblocks had become an obstruction to the tourism industry, hence the need to discuss the issue with the police. "Roadblocks are among things that affect Zimbabwe's image from a tourism perspective. We are currently engaging the police over the issue. The tourism industry knows about the meetings and the efforts we are trying to put in resolving this issue of roadblocks," he said. Kaseke said his organization had had several meetings with the police over the issue and that the response had been positive. "We are now just waiting to see their words turn into real action," he added. A recent survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency cited harassment by police at roadblocks as one of the factors that were contributing to the country being perceived as an unattractive tourist destination. Even locals have been complaining about the roadblocks where motorists could encounter as many as 10 between Harare and Mutare, a distance of about 260 km. Police have defended the high number of roadblocks saying that they were for security reasons and also served to reduce road carnage. Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo said last weekend that the police had set up an electronic traffic management system that would assist in curtailing traffic offences and result in the reduction of roadblocks. Tourism has emerged as one of the most important and fastest growing economic sectors globally as it stimulates new economic activities which also impact positively on employment, gross income and production. Zimbabwe received 2.1 million visitors in 2015 and is targeting to reach 5 million visitors, bringing in 5 billion dollars in tourism revenue by 2020. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Can China do it? This is the crucial question for the world's biggest and boldest economic, political and social experiment. At the core of understanding the country's prospects is the governance philosophy of its leader, Xi Jinping. Xi is leading more than 1.3 billion people on the march toward the Chinese Dream -- an end to the worst kinds of poverty, and the rejuvenation of a nation that has already made astonishing progress in creating prosperity. The 63-year-old reformer has brought his own thinking to bear on problems that will be faced down the road, especially after a year of tumultuous world events. With the concerns of the people his first and foremost concern, Xi's experience, commitment, determination and ability to govern and lead have become something of a rarity on the global political stage. Later this year, the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will elect new leadership for another five-year term, the crunch period for Xi's vision of a well-off nation by the Party's 100th anniversary. By 2020, China's gross domestic product is expected to exceed 90 trillion yuan (13 trillion U.S. dollars). There should be a middle-class population of about 400 million in the country by then, a huge market for the world. The goal is fast approaching, and will only be met if officials at all levels can align their thinking with that of the central leadership, and act according to the "four comprehensives" raised by Xi: the cornerstones of prosperity, reform, rule of law and strict Party governance. The strategy aims to lead the country to modernization and a standing at the center of the world stage. This is China's own story, one neither copied from other countries nor imposed on any. At the annual "Two Sessions" of the national legislature and political advisory body in Beijing this month, Xi expressed his confidence. "As long as we gather the wisdom and strength of more than 1.3 billion Chinese people, there can be no limit to the success of our cause," he said. NEW THOUGHTS, NEW ACTIONS From being the youthful head of an impoverished village in northwest China via Party chief in the nation's advanced eastern regions to leader of the nation, Xi has shown deep understanding of state governance, evident in economic and social reform, foreign affairs and military transformation. In the economic sphere, he has led China to achieve remarkable growth, even though other major economies are faltering. China now contributes to over 30 percent of world economic growth. Xi calls the current phase the "new normal," from which an economy is emerging that is more sustainable and inclusive. To ensure the success of this rebalancing, he has put forward supply-side structural reform as the cure. Fundamentally different from the supply-side economics of the West, Xi's policy means taking a harsh stance against outdated and inefficient industries and putting in their places new, innovative systems of work and production which will neither destroy the environment nor succumb when the next global financial crisis hits. China hopes to increase its GDP by about 6.5 percent this year. At this rate, the nation will generate more output than it did during the days of double-digit growth. Xi is at the wheel of a reform juggernaut, revitalizing and renewing almost every aspect of the economy and society, from the financial sector to health care. Changing the lives of hundreds of millions of people means the abandonment of what is no longer relevant, including the one-child policy and "re-education through labor," a way of dealing with minor offenders that was introduced more than half a century ago. Xi emphasizes the rule of law and checks on power, as seen in his decision to create a national supervision commission. Lawmakers are compiling a civil code to better protect people's rights. His campaign against corruption, a threat he warned could destroy the Party and bring about the downfall of the state, has gained "crushing momentum." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, at least 240 senior officials and more than 1 million lower-level officials have been investigated. As Chinese business people, tourists and students reach almost every corner of the globe, Xi sees China as not only a beneficiary of globalization, but a contributor to it. He has visited around 50 countries as head of state, pursuing his mission to build "a community of shared future." His strong defense of free trade and warnings against protectionism -- "locking oneself in a dark room" -- have surprised and delighted observers. The China-U.S. trade relationship now "supports roughly 2.6 million jobs in the United States across a range of industries," according to a January report released by the U.S.-China Business Council based in Washington,D.C. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi in 2013 is expected to connect Asia with Europe and Africa. In three years, Chinese businesses have helped build 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in 20 countries along the Belt and Road, with total investment exceeding 18 billion U.S. dollars. They have helped generate more than 1 billion U.S. dollars in tax revenue and create more than 160,000 jobs for host countries. China's commitment to the Paris agreement on climate change is comforting and unshakable. CODE OF SUCCESS Making a great country requires strong and competent leadership devoted to the fundamental interests of the people. "China's most important successes rest on strategic planning and decision-making by the central leadership," said Zhang Weiwei, director of the Institute of China Studies at Fudan University. Unlike Western democracies, which seem increasingly obsessed by showmanship and short-term elections, China's leadership has a long-term target and is more inclined to plan for the next generation and beyond. Once the Chinese leadership makes a blueprint, it sees it through to completion. Poverty relief is one such example. It has been included in the work plans of the Chinese leadership of each generation for decades. Fundamental to a well-off society, poverty alleviation gave better lives to 55 million Chinese people in 2013-2016, a number greater than the population of the Republic of Korea. The government of China has boldly pledged to eradicate poverty by 2020. It is up to local authorities to make sure that every family has an achievable plan to cast off poverty. Xi picked up a farmer's budget on a visit to a village in Hebei Province in January and showed him how he could increase income to give his family a better life. Poverty alleviation is not the only matter to hand. Time is short. Speed and efficiency are of the essence. When working in the eastern Chinese city of Fuzhou, Xi reminded officials of their duty to "ma shang jiu ban" -- take immediate action -- the working style that the president wants to see right across the country. China's system of governance remains resilient and robust because of how it selects and mobilizes officials. A cadre can be promoted only after he or she has served at various grassroots posts and acquired enough experience. How many jobs has an official created? Where are the tangible results regarding economic and social development? Is the environment cleaner or more polluted? These key factors are considered for any promotion. Those found to be ineffective are demoted and, in some cases, punished. The latest five-year plan has made local officials accountable for the environmental damage they cause, even if it is discovered after they have left office. China stresses the unity of Party leadership, people being the masters of the country and the rule of law. The Chinese approach has shown its advantage over the so-called "Western model," Zhang said. MAKING HISTORY The "Two Sessions," among China's most important political events, are poised to support the next round of reform. Thousands of lawmakers and political advisors have raised suggestions on development. Crucially, the sessions have gathered a national consensus to unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core. "Xi's core status came through his leadership in advancing the Party's great cause," said professor Dai Yanjun with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. The largest modernization movement in human history has a political party with 88 million members united around a core leader, bringing better lives to more than 1.3 billion people. This common dream not only benefits the Chinese, but also the whole world. The real test, however, lies ahead. Xi and his colleagues are facing a number of challenges. Few developing countries, for example, have avoided the "middle-income trap." Daunting as the difficulties may be, in Xi's opinion, "History is created by the brave." TBILISI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The situation in Georgia's Black Sea city of Batumi has calmed down after the weekend clashes between protesters and law enforcement authorities, leaving more than dozens injured and several in custody, the Georgia Today News Agency report on Monday. "Investigation is going on and all offenders involved in the riot will be punished," Georgia's Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mghebrishvili told media on Monday. "We were forced to do what we did since the protesters did not stop assaulting police officers," Mgebrishvili said, stressing that those involved in the violence will be strictly punished. According to him, the situation in Batumi has been under control while investigation is going on. So far, seven persons have been detained under the administrative rule, he said. According to the reports of Georgia Today, the unrest began when a man refused to accept a fine for parking in the wrong location Saturday night in Batumi. The man and his companion were detained for disobeying police. A protest ensued, involving hundreds of locals who gathered at the police department and demanded the release of the detained and the resignation of the police chief. According to reports, police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to the stone-throwing rioters, mostly young people, who damaged police cars, ruined infrastructure and set fire to nearby vehicles. The unrest continued until Sunday, when more police officers intervened and dispersed the protesters. It was reported that around 30 people have been injured in the clashes. In a statement released on Sunday, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili accused "the destructive political forces" of provoking "vandal acts," saying the police officers responded by using "minimal" force to avoid possible "complications." Staff members of the secretariat of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) work in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2017. According to the secretariat, this year's NPC session received 514 motions and 8,360 suggestions. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- National lawmakers have filed 514 bills with the secretariat of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), an official said Monday. According to Kong Ping, an official with the secretariat, 492 of the bills deal with legislation, 16 with NPC supervision and six with other issues. Major topics include deepening the national supervisory system reform, improving the legal system, developing socialist democracy, boosting cultural sectors, enhancing people's well-being and promoting ecological protection. Around 68 percent of the bills are based on investigations, inspections or interviews, Kong said. Bills from NPC deputies can be legally binding if they are adopted. Last year, 462 bills were filed. The secretariat has also received 8,360 suggestions from NPC deputies, which are less formal and will not be legally binding. HARARE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has assured Zimbabwe of continued power supplies despite the country struggling to pay off its debt, Zimbabwe's Energy Minister Samuel Undenge said Monday. "We have been assured of continued support from Eskom so that we keep the country supplied with power," Undenge told reporters in Harare on the sidelines of a meeting between Zimbabwe's power utility ZESA and Eskom of South Africa. Zimbabwe has a power deal with South Africa under which it can import up to 300 megawatts of power but cash shortages have seen its debt to Eskom rising to 38 million U.S. dollars. Zimbabwe has been failing to produce adequate power in recent years due to ageing power plants, forcing the country to rely on imports from neighboring South Africa and Mozambique to plug the deficit. Low water levels in Kariba Dam due to a drought in 2016 also resulted in a further reduction in Zimbabwe's power production, currently averaging 100MW against demand of 1,400MW. Zimbabwe's power demand has declined to 1,400MW from 2,200 MW a decade ago due to low industrial productivity. Undenge said Zimbabwe will clear the Eskom debt despite funding shortages, and urged customers to pay up their power bills to enable ZESA to raise funds for power imports. "We discussed the debt issue because it's a commercial arrangement and we are going to pay for what we import. There are various modalities of payments and as Zimbabwe is going to honor up our payment arrangements." "We want a situation whereby we will continue with no load shedding. We have not had load shedding since December 2015," Undenge said. He said the two countries' power agreement was coming to end and will soon be renewed. South African ambassador to Zimbabwe Mphakama Mbete said energy collaboration between the two countries is important. "We are hoping for stronger and consolidated bilateral energy collaboration which will strengthen our economies not only on a short-term but long-term basis," he said. LONDON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May announced details Monday of a summit meeting of Commonwealth heads next year in London with Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle as the venues. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd will lead a new ministerial group on the summit which takes place next April, when Britain is likely to be halfway through its Brexit negotiations with the European Union. The summit will see Britain take over as chair of the Commonwealth until 2020. May was Monday meeting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of Malta, the current Commonwealth chair, to discuss shared commitment to the commonwealth and preparations for next year's summit. She will also join the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which will be attended by Queen Elizabeth. May said from Downing Street the 2018 Commonwealth Summit will set out the future for a vibrant and diverse Commonwealth as Britain joins nations around the world to mark the Commonwealth Day. A government spokesman in London said: "Leaders from more than 50 countries are expected to attend next year's summit, which will take place during the week of April 16 2018 in London and Windsor. For the first time, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will be among the summit venues." May said: "As we look to create a truly global Britain, the deep partnerships that we share through a 21st Century Commonwealth can help us strengthen the prosperity and security of our own citizens, and those of our many friends and allies across the world." The Commonwealth is made up of 52 members spanning six continents with a combined population of around 2.4 billion people, almost half of whom are under 25. The network includes established economies such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as emerging markets like India, Malaysia, and South Africa. Trade between Commonwealth countries projected to be worth a trillion U.S. dollars by 2020. MADRID, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The regions of Valencia, the Balearic islands, the Canary Islands and Murcia will be the parts of Spain that will most suffer the effects of Britain's departure from the European Union (EU). This was one of the conclusions of a report by the Spanish government published on Monday in El Pais, one of Spain's largest-circulation daily newspapers. The report said that the areas would feel the effects "due to their exposure to British tourism and other key sectors" which include agriculture and the car and pharmaceutical industries. Over 17 million British citizens visited Spain during their holidays in 2016 and the report predicted the number of tourists to the Canary Islands, Valencia, the Balearics and Catalonia would fall as a result of Brexit. This would not only include a fall in direct income from visitors, but could also lead to a drop in financing from Brussels. The effects of this could be most seriously felt in the Canary Islands, which currently welcomes around a third of the total number of British visitors to Spain, especially as an "ultra-peripheral region" of the EU situated off the north-west coast of Africa and accessible only by boat or plane. Britain is currently a major importer of Spanish agricultural products, but with the expected rise in "non-tariff barriers" and new health controls that Brexit would entail, export to the UK would become more difficult. Meanwhile, the withdrawal of the UK from the EU's fisheries agreements "will affect the Spanish fleet," according to the report, which stated that 80 Spanish boats currently fish in British waters while 40 boats of the British fleet actually have Spanish owners and would lose their current EU status. The report said there was a strong need to "negotiate a bilateral fishing agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom". CAIRO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi issued on Monday a decree to pardon 203 jailed young people, state-run MENA news agency reported. Sisi's move came in response to last year's national youth conference where he ordered formation of a youth committee to study the cases of youth prisoners in various controversial cases mostly related to protests and opinions. Article 155 of the Egyptian constitution gives the president the right to issue pardons for those handed final jail terms after consulting the cabinet. In November last year, Sisi pardoned 82 prisoners, mostly university students. Sisi repeatedly expressed awareness of the presence of wrongfully imprisoned people and promised to work on their release. MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Troops from the Somali National Army (SNA) were on a go-slow after closing down a market and barricading roads in the city on Sunday over claims of unpaid salaries spanning 12 months. The soldiers ordered traders at Buluxubay market to close and went ahead to burn tires and closed sections of the roads with barbed wire. Their superiors however prevailed upon them to end the demonstrations and return to work as they headed towards the central business district. Some of the officers who spoke to Xinhua on Monday complained of several months without salaries. "We need our rights. We have not been paid for 12 months now so we decided to make our concerns heard by coming to the streets," said Mohamed Shariff, one of the soldiers who attended the protests on Sunday. "We love our country and we have been serving diligently but how can you support eight children without pay," lamented Ismai'al who was part of the demonstrations. The soldiers appealed to the newly elected President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo to intervene, noting that his short stint as prime minister in 2011 led to regular pay for the military. Muna Ahmed, a student from a local university, said they could not access their university on Sunday as the soldiers barricaded the road. Somali soldiers have severally had to make with salary delays, a development which the UN warned could be detrimental to the morale of the forces. A 2015 UN Monitoring Group for Somali and Eritrea report warned the war against terrorism in Somalia could be jeopardized since soldiers could be forced to sell their weapons and collaborate with militants. Somalia has an estimated 20,000 soldiers trained by the African Union force AMISOM and supported by Britain and the United States. There was no immediate word from the military leadership or government on the fate of the soldiers. JAKARTA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia retained the title of the Best Exhibitor Award in the world's largest tourism expo of Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB) held in Messe Berlin, Germany this year, brushing aside exhibits from South Korea and Thailand which were ranked the second and third in the event. "We are proud of this achievement. Wonderful Indonesia has showed its position in international level," Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said in Berlin as quoted in a statement on Monday. During the 2017 ITB from Wednesday to Sunday, at least 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries took part in the event, attracting more than 180,000 visitors. According to the minister, the latest ITB award would further spur Indonesian tourism sector's calibration, confidence and credibility in international market. Indonesia has been making efforts to build up the tourism sector which has been turned as the nation's core business. Indonesia grabbed the award last year, outclassed South Korea and India that secured the second and third ranks. The minister said Indonesia expected to book 10 trillion rupiah (748.6 million U.S. dollars) of potential transactions in 2017 ITB, higher than the ones booked in 2016 and 2015 that stood at 6.5 trillion and 4.2 trillion rupiah (about 486 million and 314.4 million U.S. dollars) respectively. A visitor walks under one of the rotors of a V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft of the United States Air Force at the Singapore Airshow held at Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre, Feb. 17, 2016. (Xinhuanet file photo) TOKYO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Four controversial Osprey aircraft took part in a joint drill between Japan and the United States in Niigata Prefecture on Monday, in the largest such exercise to be held by the aircraft so far in Japan. As many as six MV-22 Ospreys, which can take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a regular fixed-winged plane, will join the drills from a U.S. base in Okinawa, local media reported. The joint exercise between Japan and the U.S., which began on March 6 and will conclude on Friday in Niigata, involves a contingent of 750 troops from the Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Somagahara. The drill marks the first time the plane has been used in a joint exercise since an Osprey crashed in waters off Nago, near the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Schwab, in Okinawa, on Dec. 13 last year. The incident, which saw five crew members airlifted to safety and then subsequently treated for injuries, involved an MV-22 Osprey making a "shallow landing" according to U.S. military accounts. The crash marked the the first major accident involving an Osprey since its deployment in Japan in 2012. The crashed plane was based in Futenma, Okinawa, and occurred at a time when Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force has earmarked plans to add around 17 Osprey aircraft units, each of which can carry 24 combat troops, to its fleet, with flights expected to be made from 2019. The planes' safety record was firmly called into question here by local officials and citizens following an MV-22B Osprey crashing in Hawaii in 2015, leaving two dead and 20 more injured. In August 2013, concerns about the plane were initially stoked when four crew members narrowly escaped injury when a Marine Corps' Osprey made a "hard landing" near the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, in the United States. Prior to that, in April 2012, an Osprey crashed in Morocco and killed two Marines and another crash in Florida in June 2012 injured all five crew members. In 2010, an Air Force CV-22, each of which costs around 100 million U.S. dollars, touched down short of its landing zone in Afghanistan, hit a ditch, and flipped over, killing four people. Dozens of Marines lost their lives in several crashes, including 19 in a single accident in Arizona, in 2000, during the Osprey's developmental phase, launching the plane's checkered safety record. The planes are also known for creating an unbearable amount of noise due to their massive turboprop engines. A court in Japan handed down a ruling in October 2015 ordering the state to pay 558 million yen (4.87 million U.S. dollars) in damages to residents over excessive noise from aircraft stationed at the Iwakuni base. The base is jointly used by the U.S. military and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in Yamaguchi Prefecture, in the Chugoku region on Japan's main island of Honshu. DAMASCUS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- As many as 320,000 people have been killed during Syria's six-year-old war, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday. The Observatory said it managed to document the death of 321,358 people, and that among the killed civilians were 17,400 children and 11,000 women. The toll also included 114,474 government forces and allied fighters. On the other side, the casualty tally included 55,000 rebels and Kurdish fighters, said the London-based Observatory. The death toll of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and the Islamic State (IS) group was put at 56,000. The Syrian crisis started on March 15, 2011, and evolved into a full-fledged war that involved outside powers. TOKYO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed here on Monday on a "Saudi-Japan Vision 2030" plan to advance bilateral economic ties. The plan was announced after a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the visiting King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. "I feel that the plan will further strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries," said the 81-year-old king at the beginning of the summit. Abe, for his part, said that he wants Japan to "boldly advance ties with Saudi Arabia, the country key to the stability of the Middle East." Part of the plan involves setting up special economic zones in the Middle East country to attract Japanese investment by easing regulations and simplifying customs procedures. The two sides will also advance negotiations over listing Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as part of its partial privatization, according to the plan. In a bid to diversify its heavily oil-dependent economy, Saudi Arabia has announced a "Saudi Vision 2030" growth strategy last year, which includes privatizing some state-owned companies. Japan, for its part, has hoped to make use of the opportunities to deepen economic ties with the Middle East country, which is also Japan's largest supplier of crude oil. Other cooperation initiatives in the plan include intensifying efforts to realize seawater desalination projects and boosting cooperate in promoting renewable energy use in Saudi Arabia. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and his delegation arrived in Tokyo Sunday evening for a four-day visit. It was the first trip to Japan by a Saudi Arabian king in 46 years. LANZHOU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Gansu Province saw robust growth in investment from Taiwan last year, said local authorities on Monday. Gansu signed 34 investment deals worth a total of 7.25 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) with Taiwan businesses last year, said Wang Feng, head of the provincial Taiwan affairs office. Actual investment from Taiwan last year was about 1 billion yuan, almost three times that of 2015, Wang said. Taiwan entrepreneurs set up 9 new companies in Gansu. Gansu organized dozens of exchange activities for college students and young people from the two places last year. The province plans to use its advantage in the Belt and Road Initiative to boost cooperation with the island in agriculture, biomedicine and culture. BUDAPEST, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's parliament re-elected Janos Ader as the country's president for a new five-year term on Monday, winning over law professor Laszlo Majtenyi in a vote split along party lines. The ruling Fidesz Party and its ally, the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), which hold 131 seats in the 199-member parliament, nominated Ader for both his first and second terms. Left-wing opposition parties nominated law professor and former data protection ombudsman Laszlo Majtenyi, current chairman of the Eovos Karoly Institute political think tank, as essentially a protest candidate, since Ader's re-election was assured by the Fidesz party support. Ader was elected with the support of the 131 Fidesz party Members of Parliament (MPs) while Majtenyi received 39 votes from left-of-center MPs in the second round of voting. The 24 members of the right-wing Jobbik party did not participate in the vote. The president is elected by parliament. To be elected in the first round of voting, a candidate must receive two-thirds of the vote. Ader was two votes short of the 133 needed for a first round election since Fidesz and the KDNP have only 131 seats and Ader was not supported by any other party. Since a simple majority is sufficient for election in the second round of voting, Ader won reelection in the second round with the 131 Fidesz votes. This will be Ader's second term as president. He took office in May 2012 following the resignation of his predecessor, Pal Schmitt, who became involved in a plagiarism scandal. Ader was born in 1959. He holds a law degree, served as a deputy speaker of parliament, and was a Member of the European Parliament until 2012, representing Fidesz. He resigned from the party as a prerequisite to serving as the country's president. Hungary's president may not be a member of any political party and represents the unity of the Hungarian state. KABUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Several people were killed and some others injured as a suicide bomber targeted a mini-bus in Taimany locality of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, an eyewitness said. Security personnel cordoned off the area and did not allow journalists to get access to the site of the incident. CAIRO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian attorney general ordered on Monday the release of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak after he served the maximum pre-trial detention period, official Ahram newspaper reported. ISLAMABAD, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz on Monday held talks with the visiting Foreign Minister of Yemen Abdulmalik Abdul Jalil Al Mekhlafi and reiterated support to the legitimate government of President Abd Rabu Mansour Al-Hadi. Al Mekhlafi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-day visit for talks with the Pakistani leaders on bilateral matters, focusing on diplomatic efforts for solution to the conflict in Yemen. "Pakistan has always supported the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Yemen and would continue to extend all possible assistance for restoration of complete peace and stability in the country," Sartaj Aziz told the Yemeni Foreign Minister, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. The Adviser appreciated the efforts of the internationally recognized Government of President Mansour Al-Hadi towards restoration of peace, harmony and stability in the country. He also noted with satisfaction that these efforts had acquired control of over 80 percent territory of Yemen, hoping that with the international support situation in remaining parts of the country would also be brought under control. Issues related to serious humanitarian situation in Yemen, suffering from serious food shortages anywhere in the world, was also discussed. Mekhlafi thanked the Adviser for Pakistan's continued political support and economic assistance to Yemen. He also briefed the Adviser about the current situation in Yemen, the efforts by the Government of Yemen to pursue the path of peace and reconciliation rather than conflict, as well as the success achieved so far in subduing the threat posed by terrorist networks in the country. He also highlighted the efforts being undertaken by the government to address the multiple security, political and economic challenges confronting Yemen. HONG KONG, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's long-awaited municipal solid waste (MSW) charging plan will soon be submitted to the Legislative Council (LegCo) for discussion, and is expected to go into force by the second half of 2019 at the earliest, Hong Kong's environment chief said Monday. "We are going to have a meeting with the LegCo's Environmental Affairs Panel within this month. By that time, we would announce more details about the MSW charging. Hopefully with the support, we would table the law proposal to LegCo and would like to start the Bills Committee soon, so that we can proceed to another milestone," Wong Kam-sing, secretary of the environment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, told media after a discussion session on the plan with representatives of multiple commerce chambers and industrial organizations. Wong said at the session that the MSW charging, imposed on a "polluter pays" principle and based on the quantity of waste they produce, aims to create a financial incentive to drive behavioral changes in waste generation, thus reducing the overall waster disposal. "Hong Kong's MSW increased by nearly 80 percent in the past 30 years, out pacing the corresponding population growth of 36 percent," he said, adding that the MSW charging could be "a key policy tool to achieve our waste reduction target." The HKSAR government aims to reduce its daily per-capita waste production to 0.8 kg by 2022 from 1.27 kg in 2011. On the timetable for implementing this plan, Wong said the legislation proposal is expected to be approved by the LegCo in the middle of 2018 and, after a preparation period of 12 to 18 month, the charging to be in force by the second half of 2019 at the earliest. According to the plan, different stakeholders, including households, commercial and industrial organizations, property management companies, private waste collectors etc. will be subject to the charging. They will have to pay for the amount of rubbish they dispose of either by using pre-paid rubbish bags or via a landfill "gate fee" based on the weight of the trash. Wong said after the session that he feels the business and industrial sectors would generally support the MSW charging, and his department will enhance communication with the sectors, as well as public education. COLOMBO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has requested one of the world's leading tour operators in Europe to promote the island country as a high end tourist destination, Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry said here Monday. Germany's leading tour operator TUI has expressed willingness to expand operations in Sri Lanka and the TUI Group will also assist Sri Lanka to develop its hospitality training facilities. During recent discussions between Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister John Amaratunga and top Board Members of the Group that included CEO David Burling and Managing Director, Garry Wilson, Amaratunga emphasized that tourism is expected to play a major role in Sri Lanka's economy and requested TUI to focus on promoting Sri Lanka as a high end tourist destination. The minister also requested TUI to consider the country's former war-torn North and East when expanding their operations in the country in order to provide more economic opportunities for youth in the region. Managing Director of TUI Group Garry Wilson said that TUI was contemplating using Sri Lanka as a hub in the Indian Ocean region in order to service other regional destinations. Sri Lanka's tourism industry has seen an upward trend since the end of the country's 30-year civil conflict between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009. India and China have been the leading markets with the most number of tourist arrivals. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is staged at the Argentina Theater in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2017. Chinese and Italian composers adapted Johann Wolfgang Goethe's masterpiece "Faust" for Chinese traditional Peking opera. (Xinhua/Jin Yu) ROME, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Take a famous European literary work, put artists from Italy, China and Germany together on it, and finally add ancient and modern music traditions. From such path, a new experimental play was born and put on major stage of the Italian capital -- the Argentina Theatre -- from Tuesday to Sunday this week. Johann Wolfgang Goethe's masterpiece "Faust" tale was performed by the artists of the Peking Opera, with music and arrangements from both Italian and Chinese composers. The play is a co-production between Italy's Emilia Romagna Theatre Foundation and the China National Peking Opera, and was born out of an idea of German director Anna Peschke in 2014. Authors include Chinese playwright Li Meini, and director Xu Mengke, Italian composers Luigi Ceccarelli and Alessandro Cipriani, and Chinese composer Chen Xiaoman. The experiment marked the first partnership of the kind, with a European tale put on stage by Peking Opera artists, and foreign composers cooperating with a Chinese colleague to try to create "a new language." "We come from a different musical culture, so we had to study the tradition of the Chinese Opera theatre," Cipriani told Xinhua. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is staged at the Argentina Theater in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2017. Chinese and Italian composers adapted Johann Wolfgang Goethe's masterpiece "Faust" for Chinese traditional Peking opera. (Xinhua/Jin Yu) "This means we had to understand deeply what were the possibilities of building a bridge between our work -- as contemporary composers, who work with electronic music -- and, at the same time, to be close to a very different way of making music." Since its debut in the city of Bologna in Oct. 2015, the play has been performed some 80 times across Italy, and was shown in Beijing and New York as well. In mid-May, it will be performed for 13 days in Germany. Rehearsal and set up of the play were all developed in China, organizers said. The four Chinese actors on the stage were accompanied by seven musicians, three of which Italians and four Chinese. While taking the form of Peking Opera, this production of the "Faust" tried to keep aesthetics and storytelling traditions from both the West and the East together. As such -- besides being up to the beauty of such a renowned tale -- a major artistic challenge was to find a "new language" between the refined art of the Peking Opera and Western modern music. "When you meet a new culture, you find different standards, and you realize that your rules are just arbitrary, in some way... The wonderful thing is being able to find those new rules that put all things together," composer Ceccarelli told Xinhua. "It has been a hard job, yet in some way technology was of help, because with electronic music it is much easier to bring together sounds that are very different from each other," he added. KIEV, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine plans to significantly increase its trade in food and agricultural products with Iran in coming years, the Ukrainian Agriculture Ministry said on Monday. "In 2016, the agricultural trade turnover between Ukraine and Iran stood at 806.8 million U.S. dollars, but both sides agree that our potential is not fully tapped," Olga Trofimtseva, Ukraine's deputy agriculture minister, said in a statement. "We have all the prerequisites to reach 1 billion dollars in bilateral trade within the next two or three years," Trofimtseva said. Ukraine particularly sees good prospects for increasing supplies of flour, oilseeds, vegetable oils, confectionery and milk products to Iran, Trofimtseva added. Meanwhile, Ukraine is also willing to implement joint agriculture projects with Iran in cattle breeding, aquaculture and seed production, she added. In 2016, Iran was ranked the 6th among main importers of Ukraine's food and agricultural products. India was the largest importer of Ukraine's farm products, followed by Egypt and China. BRUSSELS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday called on all member nations to reach NATO target of spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense. Stoltenberg welcomed NATO members' progress on defense spending during the presentation of his 2016 annual report at a press conference. The report shows that 23 NATO members increased their defense expenditure in real terms by 3.8 percent in 2016. "But the job is far from done. We still do not have fair burden-sharing within our alliance," said Stoltenberg. In 2016, five nations spent 2 percent or more of GDP on defense -- the United States, Britain, Greece, Poland and Estonia, according to the report. "It is realistic that all allies should reach this goal" as all nations have agreed to it at the highest level, Stoltenberg said. "After the Cold War we saw a decline in defense spending but we actually spent 2 percent of GDP on defense in Europe as late as in the year 2000, meaning that it's possible to do it again," he added. U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis also stressed fair burden-sharing among members at NATO's defense minister meeting last month. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on NATO allies to "meet their financial obligations". File photo taken on May 4, 2015 shows Hosni Mubarak waving to his supporters in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian attorney general ordered on March 13, 2017 the release of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak after he served his maximum pre-trial detention sentence, reported the official Ahram newspaper. (Xinhua/Ahmed Ramadan) CAIRO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian attorney general ordered on Monday the release of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak after he served his maximum pre-trial detention sentence, reported the official Ahram newspaper. In May 2014 Mubarak was sentenced to three years in jail after he was found guilty of appropriating millions of Egyptian pounds which had been allocated to the presidential palaces. The attorney general's release order declared that Mubarak served his term during the pre-trial detention period, according to Ahram. Back in April 2011, an Egyptian prosecutor ordered Mubarak's detention for 15 days pending an investigation into charges of corruption and abuse of power. The former president subsequently was tried for murdering protestors who demonstrated against his rule in 2011. Mubarak, 89, spent his entire detention period at a military hospital in Cairo. On March 2, an Egyptian upper court issued a final verdict affirming Mubarak's acquittal of the murder charges of protestors demonstrating in the 2011 uprising which ended his 30-year rule. Mubarak has previously been acquitted of similar charges in 2015, however the prosecution later appealed the verdict. After Monday's court order, Mubarak will soon be able to freely leave the hospital in a matter of hours following the finalization of procedures as no other charges exist against him. NANNING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The 14th China-ASEAN Expo has been scheduled from Sept. 12 to 15 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities announced Monday. This year's expo will highlight the theme of "jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and boosting regional economic integration through tourism," said Wang Lei, secretary-general of the expo, at a conference of senior officials from China and ASEAN. Brunei will be the country of honor this year and will send more than 100 business representatives to the expo. Tutiaty Abd Wahab, deputy permanent secretary at Prime Minister's Office of Brunei, believes the expo will boost the bilateral trade between China and Brunei. This year marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, and is China-ASEAN tourism cooperation year. China will take this opportunity to boost cooperation with ASEAN, said Chen Huaming, an official with the Ministry of Commerce. Initiated in 2004, the expo is important in trade and relations between China and ASEAN. China is ASEAN's largest trade partner. Mutual trade volume was nearly 472 billion U.S. dollars in 2015. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng met Monday with the heads and journalists representatives of major domestic media outlets covering the annual session of the national political advisory body. Yu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), expressed appreciation of the efforts made by all journalists. He thanked them for their comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the annual session that concluded Monday. The media have spread positive energy while reporting advisors' suggestions, telling the stories of China and CPPCC in ways popular with with the people, Yu said. Reports by the media also helped gather consensus and boost confidence, and contributed to the session's success, Yu said. Media outlets at the meeting included the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television. Members of Iraqi rapid response forces are pictured during clashes with Islamic State militants inMosul, Iraq March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) MOSUL, Iraq, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi forces on Monday liberated two neighborhoods from the Islamic State (IS) militants in the western side of Mosul, while the troops continued fighting fierce urban warfare in the old city center, the Iraqi military said. The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) completely freed the neighborhoods of Nafet and New Mosul in the western side of the city, locally known as the right bank of the Tigris River, which bisects Mosul, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement. The recapture of the two neighborhoods brought the CTS troops closer to the western edge of Mosul's densely populated old city center, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to still be trapped under IS rule. Also in the day, the federal police and Rapid Response brigades, the elite Interior Ministry units, are conducting clearing operations in the newly-freed Bab al-Toub neighborhood and adjacent areas from booby-trapped buildings, mines and terrorists hiding among the residents, a security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, progress by Rapid Response units was slowed by heavy street-to-street battles at the southern edge of the old city center, as snipers of both side topped many buildings at the lines of clashes in Bab-al-Toub neighborhood and nearby streets of Halab and Jamhoriyah, the source said. Many of the old houses in the narrow alleys near the battle lines in the old city were demolished by sporadic suicide bomb attacks by IS militants and sometime by bombardment of international aircraft, the source added. 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. 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 the 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. Firefighters work at the site of a suicide attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, March 13, 2017. At least two people were killed in a car bomb blast in the Mogadishu on Monday, police said. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and 13 others injured in two separate attacks near a military base and a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Monday, officials said. Waberi District Commissioner Ahmed Hussein told reporters that the car bomb attack near Wehliye hotel left seven people dead and ten others injured. "The car bomb explosion caused a huge damage, seven people died on the spot and ten others injured, the victims were at tea restaurant near Wehliye hotel, we are in a rescue operation now," Ahmed said. Firefighters work at the site of a suicide attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, March 13, 2017. At least two people were killed in a car bomb blast in the Mogadishu on Monday, police said. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) The commissioner added that the death toll could rise since the explosion was huge, noting that the security forces have launched investigations into the attack. The deceased, all civilians, were killed when a vehicle loaded with explosives went off in front of Wehliye hotel in central business district of Mogadishu. Mohamed Dahir, a senior police officer at the scene, told Xinhua they have established that seven people died from the attack at the eatery near the hotel. An eye witness confirmed the explosion to Xinhua noting the explosion was massive. "The explosion rocked the front side of the entrance and people nearby were killed and others injured. It was very huge," said Abdirahman Gabow. Local people carrying a wounded person leave the site of a suicide attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, March 13, 2017. At least two people were killed in a car bomb blast in the Mogadishu on Monday, police said. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) Earlier, two civilians and suicide bomber were killed and three others injured near a military base in Wadajir district in Benadir region in another car bomb attack on Monday morning. A Somali Security official who declined to be identified said the vehicle bound explosive devices went off tearing through the entrance of Sweet Factory opposite the military base in Wadajir district. The driver of the explosives laden explosives was killed while another passerby was injured according to witnesses. "The suicide bomber and two other civilians were killed and three others injured in the attack," the police officer said. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack which came after a media worker was seriously injured in a similar attack in Mogadishu on Sunday. The latest attacks come as the Horn of Africa nation's government has stepped up efforts to stabilize the country and also to help people ravaged by droughts amid a looming famine. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and British Prime Minister Theresa May exchanged congratulatory messages Monday on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between China and Britain. Over the past 45 years, mutual integration of interests between China and Britain has kept deepening, with plenty of achievements made in mutually beneficial cooperation, while people-to-people and cultural contacts between the two countries have become increasingly closer, practically in the interest of the two peoples, Li said in his congratulatory message. Currently, China-Britain relations stand at a new starting point and have a solid foundation for cooperation and a broad space for growth, Li said. China is willing to make joint efforts together with Britain to further consolidate mutual trust, pursue new achievements in bilateral pragmatic cooperation, and push bilateral ties to advance further and steadily on the track of mutual trust, mutual complementation and mutual benefit, in the greater interest of the two peoples, he said. Theresa May expressed good wishes to the Chinese government and people in her congratulatory message. The Britain-China partnership is in sustained development, with frequent high-level exchanges and contact, with fruitful high-level dialogue, with increasingly closer trade and investment links, and with people-to-people and cultural exchange keeping deepening, which has greatly promoted the well-being of the two countries, she said. The British prime minister expressed the belief that Britain-China cooperation will surely score more achievements in future. People shout slogans during a protest in front of theDutchConsulate in Istanbul,Turkey,March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Dutch charge d'affairs and demanded an official apology after a Turkish minister was barred from meeting Turks living in the Netherlands. Ankara also called for a comprehensive probe into what it described as disproportionate use of force on Turkish demonstrators. Daan Feddo Huisinga, the Charge D'Affairs of Dutch Embassy, was given two diplomatic notes, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The first diplomatic note decried what was described the mistreatment of Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and Turkish diplomats, saying it clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The 1961 convention is an international treaty specifying the privileges of a diplomatic mission that enables diplomats to perform their functions without fear of coercion or harassment by the host country. The second diplomatic note concerned the mistreatment of the Turkish community and citizens who exercised their right to peaceful demonstration in Rotterdam. On Saturday evening, hundreds of Turkish citizens demonstrated in Rotterdam against the ministerial visiting ban. Local police used batons, dogs and water cannons. Turkey regard this as a disproportionate use of force. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called for punishments for security forces who "prevented the Turkish community from exercising their right to peaceful demonstration and mistreated them." People shout slogans during a protest in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Dutch charge d'affairs and demanded an official apology after a Turkish minister was barred from meeting Turks living in the Netherlands. Ankara also called for a comprehensive probe into what it described as disproportionate use of force on Turkish demonstrators. Daan Feddo Huisinga, the Charge D'Affairs of Dutch Embassy, was given two diplomatic notes, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The first diplomatic note decried what was described the mistreatment of Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and Turkish diplomats, saying it clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The 1961 convention is an international treaty specifying the privileges of a diplomatic mission that enables diplomats to perform their functions without fear of coercion or harassment by the host country. The second diplomatic note concerned the mistreatment of the Turkish community and citizens who exercised their right to peaceful demonstration in Rotterdam. On Saturday evening, hundreds of Turkish citizens demonstrated in Rotterdam against the ministerial visiting ban. Local police used batons, dogs and water cannons. Turkey regard this as a disproportionate use of force. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called for punishments for security forces who "prevented the Turkish community from exercising their right to peaceful demonstration and mistreated them." ABUJA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari transmitted a letter to the National Assembly on Monday, formally announcing his resumption of duties after a long medical vacation in the United Kingdom. "I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, 2017, after my vacation," the 74-year-old Nigerian leader wrote in the letter sent to the country's Senate and the House of Representatives. Apart from formally announcing the president's return to the country after the vacation which lasted more than six weeks in London, the letter was written in compliance with Section 145 of Nigeria's amended 1999 constitution, according to a statement released here by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina. Buhari returned to a warm welcome by Nigerian citizens last Friday and pledged to rededicate himself to the service of the west African nation in an address he delivered few hours after his arrival. Upon his arrival in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Buhari, though frail-looking, said his health had improved significantly and expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their prayers and show of goodwill. However, there may be the need for him to embark on another medical trip, "for further follow up within some weeks," he added. Buhari had left the country on January 19 for the vacation during which he had a routine medical check-up. The holiday was extended based on doctors' recommendation for further tests and rest. Before leaving Nigeria, Buhari had sent a letter to the National Assembly requesting a 10-day vacation. He transferred power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President. The Nigerian leader could not resume his duties earlier in February when he was expected to return to Nigeria. A letter requesting an extension of his vacation was sent to the Senate. He said he required further medical tests. Photo taken on March 13, 2017 shows a destroyed vehicle being taken away from the site of an attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. At least one person has been confirmed dead and eight others injured after a suicide bomber targeted a mini-bus in Taimany locality in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least one person has been confirmed dead and eight others injured after a suicide bomber targeted a mini-bus in Taimany locality in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi, according to media reports, has confirmed that one woman was killed in the attack and eight more people sustained injuries. The mini-bus was completely burned in the deadly incident. No official has yet to make comment on the attack which happened at around 5:00 p.m. local time. However, eyewitnesses believed that the number of casualties is higher than reported. Kabul has been the scene of series of deadly suicide attacks over the past couple of months. On March 8, a terrorist attack on a military hospital in Kabul killed at least 30 people and injured nearly 100 others. Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the hospital attack. SINGAPORE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop began a two-day visit to Singapore on Monday to reaffirm bilateral relations, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement Monday evening. Bishop called on Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana Monday afternoon. Bishop briefed PM Lee on developments in Australia, and they also had a discussion on geo-political developments. The ministry said the visiting foreign minister was hosted to lunch by her Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. Both ministers exchanged views on recent regional and international developments. According to the ministry, they "reaffirmed the excellent relations between Singapore and Australia," and "noted the good progress made on the implementation of the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership." Bishop and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran on Monday morning co-launched the Landing Pad for Australian start-ups, which is regarded as a concrete example of the two countries' commitment to propel innovation. In addition, Bishop delivered the 28th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Lecture themed on "Change and uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific -- strategic challenges and opportunities for Australia." According to the press release by Australian Foreign Minister's Office, Bishop will also visit Malaysia and the Philippines in the coming days. VIENTIANE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will provide approximately 103 million U.S. dollars for socio-economic development and poverty reduction in Laos in 2017-2021 period, UNDP said on Monday. The announcement was made during the visit by UNDP Administrator and Chair of the United Nations Development Group Helen Clark to Laos. The UNDP administrator also met with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Lao capital Vientiane. The Lao PM appreciated the UNDP chief's contributions to socio-economic development and poverty reduction in Laos, especially through project development worth over 100 million U.S. dollars, reported Lao state-run news agency KPL. During her visit, the administrator also launched three flagship UNDP programs with Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. The key objective is to strengthen a partnership under the new UNDP Country Program for Lao PDR (2017-2021) through the three programs centered around the successful implementation of the Eighth National Socio-Economic Development Plan, the strengthening of responsive and engaging governance structures and administrative systems, and the accelerated removal of UXO, according to a press release by the UNDP. File photo shows Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (C) meeting with the released 21 Chibok school girls at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria, Oct. 19, 2016.(Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa) ABUJA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari transmitted a letter to the National Assembly on Monday, formally announcing his resumption of duties after a long medical vacation in the United Kingdom. "I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, 2017, after my vacation," the 74-year-old Nigerian leader wrote in the letter sent to the country's Senate and the House of Representatives. Apart from formally announcing the president's return to the country after the vacation which lasted more than six weeks in London, the letter was written in compliance with Section 145 of Nigeria's amended 1999 constitution, according to a statement released here by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina. Buhari returned to a warm welcome by Nigerian citizens last Friday and pledged to rededicate himself to the service of the west African nation in an address he delivered few hours after his arrival. Upon his arrival in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Buhari, though frail-looking, said his health had improved significantly and expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their prayers and show of goodwill. However, there may be the need for him to embark on another medical trip, "for further follow up within some weeks," he added. Buhari had left the country on January 19 for the vacation during which he had a routine medical check-up. The holiday was extended based on doctors' recommendation for further tests and rest. Before leaving Nigeria, Buhari had sent a letter to the National Assembly requesting a 10-day vacation. He transferred power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President. The Nigerian leader could not resume his duties earlier in February when he was expected to return to Nigeria. A letter requesting an extension of his vacation was sent to the Senate. He said he required further medical tests. Picture taken on October 30, 2013 shows employees in protective gear holding a dummy grenade during a demonstration in a chemical weapons disposal facility in northern Germany. (Xinhua/AFP) MOSCOW, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia may completely destroy its chemical weapons this year, the world's largest stockpile of such weapons, a Russian disarmament official said Monday. "If we move at current pace and there are no technological glitches, we will manage to complete the destruction this year," said Mikhail Babich, chairman of Russia' s State Commission on Chemical Disarmament. At a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Babich said the country is in the final stage of implementing the arms-controlling Chemical Weapons Convention, which was signed by 192 countries and became effective in 1997. According to him, Russia has spent 330 billion rubles (about 5.6 billion U.S. dollars) so far on the chemical weapons destruction. Babich said nearly 70,500 tonnes of chemical weapons were stockpiled around the world, of which 40,000 tonnes were in Russia and 27,000 tonnes in the United States, with the rest divided among other countries. by Julius Gale JUBA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudanese government on Monday criticized Japan for its decision to pull out its troops from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) after five years of supporting peace and reconstruction efforts in the conflict-ravaged African country. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mawen Makol told Xinhua by phone that the South Sudanese government sees no threat against the Japanese troops in Juba as there is some relative peace in the country. "The country is getting to normalcy now and this is the time where we are expecting the goodwill of the UN peacekeeping mission here in South Sudan to help until we finally achieve a peaceful settlement and peace in the country," Makol said. "People are seeing some relative peace in the country so I do not see any reason for Japan to say the situation in South Sudan is still volatile. So withdrawal is not helpful because this is a time that we need a helping hand from countries like Japan," he added. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced last week that the country would withdraw the Self-Defense Force (SDF) from UNMISS by the end of May. Tokyo started contributing a contingent of 350 Ground Self-Defense to the UN mission since 2012 to assist in building infrastructure. The peacekeeping mission was extended last November for five months, but the Japanese government immediately came under pressure from opposition parties concerning the security situation in the conflict-hit country. BRUSSELS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday called on all member nations to reach NATO target of spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense. Stoltenberg welcomed NATO members' progress on defense spending during the presentation of his 2016 annual report at a press conference. The report shows that 23 NATO members increased their defense expenditure in real terms by 3.8 percent in 2016. "But the job is far from done. We still do not have fair burden-sharing within our alliance," said Stoltenberg. In 2016, five nations spent 2 percent or more of GDP on defense -- the United States, Britain, Greece, Poland and Estonia, according to the report. "It is realistic that all allies should reach this goal" as all nations have agreed to it at the highest level, Stoltenberg said. "After the Cold War we saw a decline in defense spending but we actually spent 2 percent of GDP on defense in Europe as late as in the year 2000, meaning that it's possible to do it again," he added. U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis also stressed fair burden-sharing among members at NATO's defense minister meeting last month. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on NATO allies to "meet their financial obligations". Stoltenberg also presented his annual report on Monday, which highlighted NATO strengthened its collective defense in 2016 by deploying four multinational battle groups to three Baltic states and Poland. "At least 17 different Allied countries will contribute troops to these four battle groups and we are on track to have all four battle groups in place by June," Stoltenberg told reporters. He noted NATO made progress on cyber defence, adding that NATO experts dealt with an average of 500 cyber incidents per month in 2016, a 60-percent increase on the previous year. NATO has had political dialogue with Russia and held three meetings of the NATO-Russia Council last year, he added. HO CHI MINH CITY, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology has urged farmers in the southern Mekong Delta to embrace technology to develop smart agriculture, Vietnam News Agency reported Monday. Using advanced technologies for growing crops, harvesting, processing and post-harvest preservation would improve productivity and quality, reduce costs, improve competitiveness, and contribute to making agriculture sustainable, said Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung. Prof. Nguyen Bao Ve, former head of Can Tho University's agriculture faculty, said communication is the main requirement in changing the mindsets of farmers. Farmers these days need to master the use of agricultural machinery and know how to use technology, he said. The Mekong Delta plays an important role in Vietnam's agricultural production, contributing 55 percent of the country's rice output, 69 percent of seafood and 70 percent of fruits, accounting for more than 90 percent of rice exports and 60 percent of seafood exports. But much of it is sold as raw products at low prices. DHAKA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi cabinet has given its nod to the draft of "the Standards of Weights and Measures Bill, 2017" incorporating provisions for much harsher penalties for local traders and exporters cheating in weight and measurement. The approval came at the regular cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on Monday. After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told journalists that the draft law is aimed at improving the country's existing weight and measurement system. He said the law has been drafted in light of the global practices. He said there is a provision for one year of imprisonment or 50,000 taka as fine for improper weights and measures for the purpose of export goods. Alam further said the draft law also keeps a provision of maximum two years' imprisonment or 100,000 taka fine for businesses cheating in weight instead of two years of jail or 50,000 fine under the existing law -- "Standards of Weights and Measures Ordinance 1982." (1 U.S. dollar equals to 82 taka) TALLINN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Air traffic in Estonia's airspace increased 3.1 percent to 206,563 flights in 2016, Estonian Air Navigation Services (EANS) informed on Monday. This year, air traffic is projected to further increase by 2.9 percent. Last year, EANS handled 564 flights a day in Estonian airspace, which was 15 flights more than a year before, the air traffic controller said. The frequency of flights between Estonia and Russia also increased in 2016. "Since June last year the frequency of flights in the Russian direction has been growing again after a downward trend that had continued since 2014," EANS CEO Tanel Rautits said. The summer months were the busiest time for air traffic in Estonia last year. A new record was registered in July with more than 20,000 flights in a month recorded for the first time in Estonia's aviation history, EANS said. Of the flights recorded in Estonian airspace last year, Finnish carrier Finnair accounted for 19.5 percent, Germany's Lufthansa for 6 percent, Latvia's airBaltic for 5.6 percent, and Russia's Rossiya Airlines for 5.3 percent. SHENZHEN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Yao Zhenhua is no longer chairman and a board member of Foresea Life Insurance, the company said in a statement on Monday. The statement said Yao handed in his resignation on March 1. The board met and agreed to his request on March 6. Deputy chairman Zhang Jinshun was appointed interim chairman. China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) barred Yao from the insurance industry for 10 years for irregular market operations last month. The CIRC said that Foresea Life violated regulations and provided false information on its capital increase. Foresea Life, a subsidiary of financial conglomerate Baoneng, was suspended from selling its questionable high-return insurance service in December, after speculative stake buyouts in listed companies by heavyweight insurers. To contain financial risk, the CIRC sent investigation teams to insurance companies, including Foresea Life, to review their management, balance sheets, product and capital use. The CIRC said Foresea Life had stated that its shareholders had used their own fund for capital replenishment in November 2015, but an investigation revealed that the statement did not match the actual capital source. The CIRC said Yao was directly responsible for the false information. KIEV, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A group of far-right activists on Monday have blocked the central office of the Ukrainian subsidiary of the Sberbank, the largest Russian bank, in a protest against the policy of the financial institution. The protesters, mainly from the nationalist movement Civil Corps, bricked up the main entrance of the bank with concrete blocks and covered it with cement, according to local media. The protesters claimed they will continue the blockade of Sberbank's main office in Kiev until the central bank of Ukraine revokes the license of the financial institution. The activists also demanded the Ukrainian parliament to ban Russian banks from working in Ukraine. The protest came after last week Sberbank's main office in Moscow decided to recognize identification documents issued by the authorities of pro-independence insurgents in eastern Ukraine. In the same time, Kiev's subsidiary of the Sberbank said it will not accept the documents issued by the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics The National Bank of Ukraine, the country's central bank, said earlier it will ask the National Security and Defense Council to consider sanctions against Sberbank. Meanwhile, local analysts suggested that the disruption of the work of Sberbank in Ukraine would affect more than 1 million Ukrainian clients and may send local currency, the hryvnya, into free fall. BISHKEK, March 13 ( Xinhua ) -- Police officers of Kyrgyzstan detained seven members of the banned religious extremist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir in the country's Chui oblast, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported on Monday. The age of detainees varies from 21 to 40 years old. During the investigations carried out at the living places of the detainees, the police seized an extremist literature, electronic storage media, office equipment, including a computer, three laptops, a camera and other electronic devices, the report said. The activity of Hizb ut-Tahrir was officially banned in Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asian countries and in Russia. DHAKA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserve reached 32.56 billion U.S. dollars at the end of February, said a central bank official on Monday. The Bangladesh Bank (BB) Forex Reserve and Treasury Management Department official who did not like to be named told Xinhua that "the country's foreign exchange reserves stood at 32,556.66 million U.S. dollars in February after reaching 31,724.317 million U.S. dollars on Jan. 31." Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves crossed the 32 billion U.S. dollars mark first time in December last year on a steady inflow of remittances. Earlier in August, 2015 the country's foreign reserve reached 31 billion U.S. dollars. The Bangladeshi government has recently decided to float a sovereign wealth fund with a part of hefty foreign currency reserve lying idle. Officials said Bangladesh is in a position to pay over 10 months' import bills with the existing reserves, which are also enough to help the central bank's efforts in keeping the foreign exchange market stable. MADRID, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Artur Mas, the former leader of the Catalan regional assembly (Generalitat), was banned from holding public office for two years on Monday for his role in helping organize an illegal vote over the independence of the Catalan region. The Spanish Constitutional Court convicted Mas of civil disobedience for organizing the non-binding vote which was held on Nov. 9, 2014, and ordered to pay a fine of 36,000 euros (around 40,000 U.S. dollars). The sentence was well below the 10-year ban prosecution had asked for. Mas' former deputy leader Joana Ortega and former Catalan minister of education Irene Rigau were banned from holding office for 21 months and 18 months respectively. The Constitutional Court had ruled that an official independence referendum for Catalonia would be illegal and called for the non-binding vote to be called off. The vote, however, went ahead with 80 percent of the 2.3 million people (out of a 6.3 million who were allowed to vote) doing so in favor of a break with Spain. In a press conference called shortly after the sentence, Mas said he, Ortega and Rigau would appeal the decision, and take their case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if needed. BRUSSELS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) Monday frowned at Turkey's constitutional reforms referendum to grant greater powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amid tensions between Turkey and some EU member states over Turkish ministers' campaigning. In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for enlargement negotiations Johannes Hahn conceded that Turkey "has the sovereign right to decide over its system of governance". However, citing the Venice Commission's opinion on the amendments to Turkey's Constitution released on March 10, they stressed that the proposed amendments raised serious concerns about the excessive concentration of powers in one office, especially the necessary checks and balances and the independence of the judiciary. "It is also of concern that this process of constitutional change is taking place under the state of emergency (in the country)," they said. The Venice Commission is an advisory body of the Council of Europe (CoE) in the field of constitutional law. The CoE is the continent's leading human rights organization which consists of 47 member states, including Turkey. "The proposed amendments, if approved at the referendum of April 16, and especially their practical implementation, will be assessed in light of Turkey's obligations as an EU candidate country and as a member of the CoE," they said, adding that Turkey should address the CoE's -- and other bodies -- concerns and recommendations. Regarding recent tensions between Turkey and some EU member states, they underlined that it was essential to avoid further escalation and to find ways to diffuse the tension surrounding the current situation. "Decisions with regard to the holding of meetings and rallies in member states are a matter for the member state concerned," they said. Turkey was called on to refrain from using excessive statements and actions that would risk further exacerbating the situation. "Matters of concern can only be resolved through open and direct communication channels," they added. Fueled by the latest strongly-worded controversial remarks made by Erdogan, tensions are feared to escalate and spread from a rally row between Turkey and the Netherlands in the former's relations with other EU members. Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands it would pay for barring Turkish ministers from campaigning on its land, saying it was acting like a "banana republic". He also said "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in reference to the Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers. In response, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's remarks totally unacceptable and irresponsible. The row has also led to the delay of a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim this month by Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Later, during a speech in France, Turkey's foreign minister Melvut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" and criticized it for joining other European countries in banning Turkish ministers campaigns. France, urging calm, said it saw no reason to ban his gathering. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to prevent Turkey's political tensions from spreading into Germany. Some local authorities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland called off Turkish rallies. Turkey will hold a constitutional referendum on April 16, which could bring drastic changes to the country's political system, including a shift to an executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system. The Turkish referendum will ask the electorate to vote "yes" or "no" to the changes proposed in an 18-article bill. On Dec. 30, 2016, a constitutional committee of deputies from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted a proposed bill to Parliament for ratification. The parliament passed the constitutional amendment on Jan. 21 in two rounds of voting. A total of 339 deputies voted in favor of the amendment, exceeding the 330-vote threshold to bring it to a referendum. DAMASCUS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 U.S. marines arrived on Monday in Hasakah in preparation for attacking the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria's northern Raqqa province, reported the pan-Arab Mayadeen TV. The marines are the first batch of another 400, scheduled to arrive in Syria to assist the Kurdish-led groups in this next stage of attacking the IS's de facto capital of Raqqa, said the report. The U.S. forces arrived in the Kurdish-controlled Rmailan airport which in the Hasakah province, a main stronghold for Kurdish people and fighters. Arriving U.S. forces will be deployed to areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) group, said the report. In addition to the U.S. forces, 100 Polish soldiers arrived in Rmailan airport two weeks ago, members of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition, said the report. During the course of the six-year-old war in Syria, the United States supported several rebel groups, deeming them "moderates." However, the groups failed to live to U.S. expectations, partially due to their direct or indirect links to jihadi rebel groups, and their battle failures against IS militants. However, when the Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) emerged as reliable factions, the U.S. opted to support them as well as allied rebel fighters who emerged later, such as the SDF, comprised of Kurds, Arab and Assyrians. Deployment of U.S. soldiers is part of a new plan put forward by the Pentagon recently as per the orders of U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledged to extend the fight against militants in Syria, Iraq and beyond during his presidential campaign. Last Friday, the SDF said they had enough forces to recapture Raqqa from the IS supported by the U.S.-led coalition. Last year, the SDF, a YPG-supported group, announced a wide-scale offensive against IS posts near Raqqa. The initial stage of the battles was to recapture areas in Raqqa's northern countryside in order to separate the city from its countryside. The battles raged for months, until recently, when the SDF supported by the U.S.-led coalition's air cover finally succeeded to sever the road between Raqqa and IS posts in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour on March 6. With the SDF advance, the IS most routes out of Raqqa, save for one through the Euphrates River, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group. BUJUMBURA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian army Monday denied hosting armed groups that attack neighboring countries, responding to the report on the killing of two Rwandan nationals early Sunday by an armed group that allegedly retreated into Burundi. "No armed group was yesterday seen crossing the common border between Burundi and Rwanda," Burundian Army Spokesman Gaspard Baratuza told Xinhua on Monday. Baratuza emphasized that Burundi would never hide criminals that commit crimes in neighboring countries. He said Burundian defense and security forces would continue to ensure security on common borders and maintain good relationships with neighboring countries. On Sunday, the Rwandan army reported that an armed group killed two persons and injured another one at Bugarama in Rusizi district, western Rwanda, before retreating to the Burundian territory. Relations between Burundi and Rwanda have been cold since April 2015, when Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run his controversial third term in violation of the national constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement that ended a decade-long civil war. Burundi has accused Rwanda of hosting Burundian citizens who staged a failed coup plot on May 13, 2015 and of providing military training to people who are destabilizing Burundi. Rwanda has always denied the allegations. In recent months, at least six Burundian nationals were killed by Rwandan soldiers after the Rwandan army accused them of illicitly entering the Rwandan territory from Burundi's Cibitoke and Kirundo provinces. MOGADISHU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The UN top envoy in Somalia on Monday condemned in strongest possible terms the two bomb blasts in Mogadishu that killed a number of civilians.. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia Michael Keating said the attacks came at a time when the country is facing severe drought that has left more than 6 million people with acute food shortages. "These latest attacks come at a time when solidarity, not violence, among Somalis is badly needed. The country is grappling with a severe drought that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of people," Keating said in a statement. "The timing and suffering caused by today's blasts are outrageous; this violent extremism can not possibly be justified," Keating said. A vehicle loaded with explosives hit near a hotel in Mogadishu on Monday morning, killing seven people, while another suicide bomber was killed after ramming through a factory near the military barracks in Mogadishu, killing two civilians. TEHRAN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Australia are keen on boosting cooperation in the fields of water management and renewable energy, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday. During a meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday, Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Ali Reza Daemi and Martin Hamilton-Smith, the member of the South Australian House of Assembly, discussed the two countries' cooperation in the areas concerned. "Iran is keen on working with Australian companies on climate change, renewable energies, desalination of seawater and finance," Daemi said. Hamilton-Smith expressed hope for expansion of research and academic cooperation between Iran and Australia in these areas. On Sunday, Iran's Energy Ministry inaugurated a 55-megawatt wind farm in the town of Takestan in Qazvin Province. "Iranian MAPNA group of companies has invested over 92 million U.S. dollars for the project, and the wind farm will be able to supply 15 percent of Iran's electricity," an Iranian energy ministry official said. Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said earlier that his country has approved an amount of three billion dollars for foreign investments in Iran's renewable energies. by Alex Osei-Boateng ACCRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's Mental Health Authority (MHA) on Monday called for decriminalizing attempted suicide amid increasing youth and student suicides. Suicide has of late become the most common cause of death among students in Ghana's tertiary institutions. Six cases have been recorded in the country in the last three weeks. In a statement issued in Accra, the MHA said tackling the issue of suicide among the youth should be holistically looked at as a national agenda, calling on lawmakers to decriminalize attempted suicide in the statutes. "Attempted suicide is not a criminal issue. Neither is it a moral issue or spiritual problem. It is simply a cry for help to resolve psychosocial issues and therefore more appropriately is a medical problem," the statement said. "Decriminalizing attempted suicide will give the youth and people who have suicidal thoughts an opportunity to talk about what they feel without having to look over their shoulders or having to think they will be prosecuted should they talk about their suicide tendencies," it said. The authority also called upon law makers to pass the legislative instrument to the Mental Health Act to enable it to institute its programs of massive public education and mental health promotion. Three students from Ghana's state-funded universities were among the latest suicide cases of female students. Another suicide involving a Junior High School (JSS) student was also reported in the Eastern Region over the weekend, raising a lot of concerns among parents and school authorities. A Turkish police vehicle is seen outside Dutch Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, March 12, 2017. Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags gathered in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on March 11 to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) BRUSSELS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) Monday frowned at Turkey's constitutional reforms referendum to grant greater powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amid tensions between Turkey and some EU member states over Turkish ministers' campaigning. In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for enlargement negotiations Johannes Hahn conceded that Turkey "has the sovereign right to decide over its system of governance". However, citing the Venice Commission's opinion on the amendments to Turkey's Constitution released on March 10, they stressed that the proposed amendments raised serious concerns about the excessive concentration of powers in one office, especially the necessary checks and balances and the independence of the judiciary. "It is also of concern that this process of constitutional change is taking place under the state of emergency (in the country)," they said. The Venice Commission is an advisory body of the Council of Europe (CoE) in the field of constitutional law. The CoE is the continent's leading human rights organization which consists of 47 member states, including Turkey. "The proposed amendments, if approved at the referendum of April 16, and especially their practical implementation, will be assessed in light of Turkey's obligations as an EU candidate country and as a member of the CoE," they said, adding that Turkey should address the CoE's -- and other bodies -- concerns and recommendations. Regarding recent tensions between Turkey and some EU member states, they underlined that it was essential to avoid further escalation and to find ways to diffuse the tension surrounding the current situation. "Decisions with regard to the holding of meetings and rallies in member states are a matter for the member state concerned," they said. Turkey was called on to refrain from using excessive statements and actions that would risk further exacerbating the situation. "Matters of concern can only be resolved through open and direct communication channels," they added. Fueled by the latest strongly-worded controversial remarks made by Erdogan, tensions are feared to escalate and spread from a rally row between Turkey and the Netherlands in the former's relations with other EU members. Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands it would pay for barring Turkish ministers from campaigning on its land, saying it was acting like a "banana republic". He also said "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in reference to the Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers. In response, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's remarks totally unacceptable and irresponsible. The row has also led to the delay of a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim this month by Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Later, during a speech in France, Turkey's foreign minister Melvut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" and criticized it for joining other European countries in banning Turkish ministers campaigns. France, urging calm, said it saw no reason to ban his gathering. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to prevent Turkey's political tensions from spreading into Germany. Some local authorities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland called off Turkish rallies. Turkey will hold a constitutional referendum on April 16, which could bring drastic changes to the country's political system, including a shift to an executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system. The Turkish referendum will ask the electorate to vote "yes" or "no" to the changes proposed in an 18-article bill. On Dec. 30, 2016, a constitutional committee of deputies from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted a proposed bill to Parliament for ratification. The parliament passed the constitutional amendment on Jan. 21 in two rounds of voting. A total of 339 deputies voted in favor of the amendment, exceeding the 330-vote threshold to bring it to a referendum. Picture taken on October 30, 2013 shows employees in protective gear holding a dummy grenade during a demonstration in a chemical weapons disposal facility in northern Germany. (Xinhua/AFP) MOSCOW, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia may completely destroy its chemical weapons this year, the world's largest stockpile of such weapons, a Russian disarmament official said Monday. "If we move at current pace and there are no technological glitches, we will manage to complete the destruction this year," said Mikhail Babich, chairman of Russia' s State Commission on Chemical Disarmament. At a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Babich said the country is in the final stage of implementing the arms-controlling Chemical Weapons Convention, which was signed by 192 countries and became effective in 1997. According to him, Russia has spent 330 billion rubles (about 5.6 billion U.S. dollars) so far on the chemical weapons destruction. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks at a press conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, June 24, 2016. Sturgeon said here a second independence referendum was "highly likely" after Britain voted to leave the EU. (Xinhua/Scottish government) LONDON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took British politics by surprise on Monday by announcing she would seek a permission for a second referendum on Scottish independence. Critics attacked Sturgeon for making her move just as British Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing to trigger the Article 50 process to start Britain's exit from the European Union (EU). Although Britain voted 52 to 48 percent in favor of Brexit in June last year, voters in Scotland supported the remain camp by a 62 to 38-percent margin. Sturgeon is the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party and long-time campaigner for a Scottish breakaway from Britain. According to her, a new referendum would better protect Scottish interests in a Britain outside the EU. In 2014, the people of Scotland rejected independence by 55 to 45, with the issue said at the time to have been settled for at least a generation. An independence referendum needs the go-ahead from Westminster, with the process expected to start next week when Sturgeon asks the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh to make the first move. If the go-ahead for an independence referendum is given, Sturgeon wants a vote to take place between the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019, just as Britain's Brexit negotiations with Brussels would be coming to a head. Ruth Davidson, leader of the Conservatives in Scotland, described Sturgeon's call for a new referendum irresponsible and damaging, adding: "the Scottish people do not want this." David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland said in a statement: "The evidence clearly shows a majority of the people in Scotland do not want a second referendum. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time." "People in Scotland don't share SNP tunnel vision obsession with independence." The leader of the main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said in London: "The 2014 Scottish Independence referendum was billed as a once in a generation event. The result was decisive and there is no appetite for another referendum," but added that if the Scottish Parliament voted for one, his party would not block that decision at Westminster. "If there is another referendum, Labour will oppose independence because it is not in the interests of any part of the country to break up the UK." David Watt, director of the Institute of Directors (IOD) in Scotland, said: "Not many in the Scottish business community wanted Brexit, and equally, few want a renewed independence referendum, and the associated continuation of uncertainty." The latest polls in Scotland continue to show that, by a narrow margin, most Scots still oppose a breakaway from Britain. Although May has yet to indicate how she would respond to a referendum request, commentators at Westminster are predicting that May will not pave the way for a second referendum until Brexit negotiations have been finalized. BERLIN, March 13(Xinhua) -- The meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S President Donald Trump in Washington was postponed due to a coming snowstorm, German local media N-TV reported on Monday. White House also confirmed the delay, saying the scheduled Tuesday meeting will be on March 17 instead. Topics on migrant crisis, NATO, as well as U.S.-EU ties are expected to be covered at the summit. Trump, during his election campaign, had publicly criticized the German chancellor and Germany's refugee policy as a "catastrophic failure", "chaos." The critics somehow indicated a bumpy start for the ties between Berlin and Washington. Merkel hosted the visit for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at Munich Security Conference last month. In the southeast German city, Merkel said world conflicts require "joint efforts", which was seen as a gentle reminder to Trump's unilateralism and anti-globalization policies. Trump also plans to visit Germany on July 7 and 8, attending the two-day G20 summit in Hamburg. SKOPJE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Social Democratic Union Party (SDSM) on Monday called on Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov to immediately give its candidate Zoran Zaev the mandate to form the new government. "We must not waste any more time. Ivanov must offer the mandate to the leader of SDSM in order for the government to be formed as soon as possible," party representative Dragan Tevdovski told media In early March, Ivanov refused to mandate Zaev as new country's prime minister-designate on the grounds that his cooperation with ethnic Albanian parties was a threat to Macedonia's sovereignty and unity. But Zaev rejected such claims, saying that his party would focus only on the implementation of reforms. "SDSM's governing program targets the needs of all the citizens of the country and doesn't threaten its united nature," Tevdovski said. In response to SDSM, the president said the obstacles for assignment of the mandate had still not been removed. Zaev garnered 49 seats in snap elections of Dec. 11, 2016. After an agreement with ethnic Albanian parties, he secured 67 seats and constituted a majority in Macedonia's 120-seat parliament. However, talks to create a new government are in a deadlock as the president continues to refuse mandating Zaev as the new PM designate. SDSM and the Democratic Union for Integration announced Monday that they will hold talks in order to elect the speaker of parliament, which is expected to convene at the end of the week. JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's special adviser for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt arrived in Israel on Monday for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office said Greenblatt and Netanyahu have met in Jerusalem, but did not elaborate on the content of the talks. Greenblatt is also scheduled to meet Israel's President Reuven Rivlin before meeting with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah on Tuesday. Israeli media reported that the meetings with the Israeli leaders would focus on the White House's efforts to formulate a new vision for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and understandings over the Israeli expansion of the settlements in the occupied West Bank. Greenblatt's four-day visit comes three days after Trump and Abbas had a 20-minute talk over the phone, during which Trump invited Abbas to visit the White House soon. According to the official Palestinian News Agency WAFA, Abbas and Trump discussed the possibilities to resume the political process, stressing commitment to realizing peace between Palestinians and Israelis by both sides. The agency reported that Abbas reiterated to Trump his commitment to peace as a strategic choice to establish the Palestinian state living side by side with the state of Israel. The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian reached an impasse in 2014. Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast War and has been controlling them ever since. KHARTOUM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) announced on Monday that numbers of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan has reached one million. "The numbers of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan has reached one million," Hussein Suleiman Abu Saleh, SRCS Chairman, said in a statement. "The daily flow of refugees constitutes a big challenge, as the SRCS provides assistance for nearly 180,000 refugees in 10 camps including eight camps in the White Nile State and two camps in the East Darfur State," he noted. Border crossings between Sudan and South Sudan are witnessing continuous influxes of refugees fleeing war and famine in South Sudan, forcing Sudanese authorities to consider establishing new waiting stations to meet the increasing numbers of new arrivals. On Aug. 15 last year, Sudan officially decided to consider the South Sudanese fleeing the war in their country as refugees, opening the door for the United Nations (UN) to provide them with aid and funded programs. Recently, famine was officially declared in South Sudan. The South Sudanese government and the UN stated that 100,000 people are facing starvation, and one million people are classified as being on the brink of famine. The famine was attributed to several reasons including the civil war and economic collapse in the new-born state. TEHRAN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iranians will celebrate on Tuesday the Chaharshanbeh Suri, or the fire festival, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new year. The turn of the new year, according to the Iranian calendar, falls on March 21 which also marks the beginning of the spring in the country. At dusk on Tuesday, Iranians will celebrate outdoors the fire festival by jumping over bonfires and lighting firecrackers in public places, a custom which has its roots in the country's ancient history. As people jump over the bonfires, they will be singing anthems for the fire under their feet, enjoying the warmth and beauty of the flames. The hymns serve the purpose of driving out last year's misfortunes and impurities and a preparation for the coming new year's resolutions. Chaharshanbeh Suri is celebrated by all Iranians on the eve of the last Wednesday before the new year. In the coldest regions of the country and following the fire festival, people gather in their elders' houses to eat Chaharshanbe Suri Ajil, or a mixture of raw nuts, raisins, figs and berries. In the past, young wore disguises and went knocking door to door to receive Chaharshanbe Suri Ajil, however this custom is fading away in modern Iran. Tragically though, during the celebrations, hundreds of people are killed or injured annually due to malfunctioning firecrackers or carelessness users. On Saturday, Press TV reported that at least seven people were killed in Iran's northwestern Ardabil province as a result of homemade fireworks which exploded. The explosion was a result of a teenager's carelessness as he manufactured handmade fireworks inside the residential building. Some materials used for the production of firecrackers were found beneath the rubble during the Iranian festival of fire, Ardabil's chief prosecutor, Nasser Atabati, said. The teenager died along with six other family members, Atabati said, adding that four other individuals were injured, one critically. Furthermore, media reported more individuals from different cities in Iran were injured in the past few days. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) wait to be airlifted to the South Sudanese Northern State of Eastern Nile, in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Jan. 7, 2017.(Xinhua/Gale Julius) JUBA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudanese government on Monday criticized Japan for its decision to pull out its troops from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mawen Makol told Xinhua by phone that the South Sudanese government sees no threat against the Japanese troops in Juba as there is some relative peace in the country. "The country is getting to normalcy now and this is the time where we are expecting the goodwill of the UN peacekeeping mission here in South Sudan to help until we finally achieve a peaceful settlement and peace in the country," Makol said. "People are seeing some relative peace in the country so I do not see any reason for Japan to say the situation in South Sudan is still volatile. So withdrawal is not helpful because this is a time that we need a helping hand from countries like Japan," he added. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced last week that the country would withdraw the Self-Defense Force (SDF) from UNMISS by the end of May. Tokyo started contributing a contingent of 350 Ground Self-Defense to the UN mission in 2012 to assist in building infrastructure. BEIRUT, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri tasked on Monday Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil to submit a list of Israeli threats against Lebanon to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). "The rhetoric by Israeli officials... aims to cover up the ongoing Israeli violations to (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701, while Lebanon abides by it and calls for its full implementation," Hariri said according to a statement by the PM's media office. "Bassil is to prepare a list of Israeli media stances and a detailed letter to the Security Council to oblige the international community to respect its responsibilities in the face of the intentional and public escalation to the region's stability," Hariri added. President Michel Aoun said last week during a cabinet session at the Baabda Palace that the Lebanese have the right to resist aggression, stressing the importance of UNSC Resolution 1701, saying that "its implementation should be everyone's concern." UNSCR 1701 was unanimously approved on Aug. 11, 2006, ending all military operations between Israel and Hezbollah following a 33-day devastating war. It called for establishing a buffer zone between the Blue Line and the Litani River, restricted for the operations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the Lebanese Army. by Justice Lee Adoboe ACCRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Monday donated medical equipment worth over 150,000 U.S. dollars to Ghana's Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal (LEKMA) Hospital. The donation is meant to augment the stock of equipment the hospital, also known as China-Ghana Friendship Hospital, uses in its health care delivery. Chai Zhijing, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Ghana who oversaw the official handing over, described the friendly relations between China and Ghana as being fruitful and beneficial to both sides. Chai said he was delighted at the news that the hospital built by the Chinese government in 2010 attended to nearly 100,000 patients in 2016, adding that the equipment would ensure better health care delivery to Ghanaians. "It is impressive that the hospital received nearly 100,000 patients last year. This demonstrates that the decision to build the hospital here was a very good one and will help bring quality health care to the people," the counselor noted. The equipment includes delivery beds, wheel chairs, anesthetic machines, gynecological surgery instruments and electronic baby scales, among numerous others. Director for Alternative and Traditional Medicine at the Ministry of Health, Anastasia Yirenkyi, lauded the Chinese government for its support to the government of Ghana over the years in the field of medical service delivery. Beside the LEKMA Hospital, the Chinese government also supports Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the country's foremost teaching hospital, as well as offering surgical services to more than 200 patients with cardio-vascular diseases at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Yirenkyi described the work of the various medical teams as highly professional and highly beneficial to Ghanaians. Dong Jingqing, Captain of the 6th cohort of the Chinese medical outreach team in Ghana, who presented the items, pledged on behalf of his colleagues in the sixth medical team to work diligently to deliver quality health care to Ghanaians. "I swear on behalf of the sixth medical team to follow the footprints of the previous Chinese medical teams to high quality service and medical care to the people of Ghana so that the friendship between China and Ghana will grow from generation to generation," Dong said. UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said women's empowerment must be a key priority in a male dominated world. Addressing the 61st session of UN Commission on the Status of Women, Guterres said empowerment is about breaking structural barriers for women in all walks of life. "We are all better off when we open doors of opportunity for women and girls: in classrooms and boardrooms, in military ranks and at peace talks, in all aspects of productive life," he said. Guterres also said women should be recognized as equal at workplace and should be promoted on that basis. "Our world needs more women leaders. And our world needs more men standing up for gender equality," he added. Photo taken on March 13, 2017, shows the opening meeting of the 61st session of the Commission on Stats of Women at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/UN Photo/Rick Bajornas) The Commission on the Status of Women is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The priority theme for this year's session is women's economic empowerment in the changing world of work. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, addresses the opening meeting of the 61st session of the Commission on Stats of Women at the UN headquarters in New York, March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/UN Photo/Rick Bajornas) Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, said virtually all economies rely on the unpaid care and domestic work that is largely provided by women and girls. "Positive changes in the world of work must enable care work to be valued and to be shared by parents and within the family unit," she noted. "This will bring about far-reaching positive changes for women, society and economies," she said. TEHRAN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's parliament has taken steps to urge the country's judicial officials to eliminate capital punishment for minor drug traffickers, reported Tehran Times on Monday. The Parliamentary Judicial Commission has presented a motion which, if passed, will overturn the death penalty for nearly 5,000 drug traffickers, a commission member, Jalil Rahimi, was quoted as saying. Over 100 legislators helped draw up the preliminary legislation to counteract the increased execution reports in the country, the report said. Allegedly, under Iran's anti-drug regulations, those engaged in trafficking or the sale of various drugs in amounts over five kg are immediately sentenced to death. In Oct. 2016, Iran's Human Rights Council Secretary Mohammad Javad Larijani, in what appeared as an about face from a previous tougher stance, hinted that Tehran may reconsider capital punishment for drug traffickers by restricting it to drug lords. According to Larijani, drug-related offenses account for 93 percent of the executions in Iran. Iran is located at the crossroads of international drug traffickers from Afghanistan, the world's top opium manufacturer, into Europe. Drug trafficking, along with other crimes including murder, adultery, rape and armed robbery, are subject to capital punishment in Iran. by Justice Lee Adoboe ACCRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Global energy giant GE will install a 200-MW combined-cycle power plant in Ghana to help the country overcome its energy deficit, said a release issued on Monday. The power plant that will be operated by GE's partners Amandi Energy Limited will supply power to more than 1 million Ghanaian home. The release said the turnkey plant would be fueled initially by light crude oil, and would switch to indigenous gas from Ghana's offshore Sankofa natural gas field once available. GE will provide the steam turbine, Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), associated balance of plant, and a seven-year Contractual Service Agreement (CSA). A power crisis that lasted about two years curtailed Ghana's economic development greatly between 2013 and 2015, forcing some businesses including manufacturing firms to close down. ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Recent political row between some European countries and Turkey will influence votes of Turkish citizens for upcoming referendum for constitutional amendment which will empower the president, and likely to increase support for "yes" vote, according to local experts. "These recent events in Europe will affect not only the Turkish citizens living in Europe but also the voters in Turkey, causing the rise of nationalist reflexes," according to pollster Adil Gur. Nationalist wave in Turkey has been increasing since a coup attempt in July 15, but last week's incidents in Europe will further strengthen this nationalist wave, Gur, the head of the A&G polling group, says. "The perception of external threat will become even stronger in the public opinion which already has that sense," the expert notes. "This situation will increase the referendum motivation in Turkey, where the enthusiasm and motivation were low while going to the polls," he said, adding that European countries' internal decisions will sure have impact on perceptions of Turks. Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in Rotterdam at the weekend, even Family and Social Affairs Minister was deported. Dutch police scuffled with Turkish protestors in front of Turkey's consulate in Rotterdam. Earlier on Saturday, the diplomatic row came to a high when the Dutch government withdrew the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The Turkish politicians were not welcomed in Germany either, but Cavusoglu was able to address Turks in Hamburg at the Turkish Consulate General after permissions of two halls in the city were cancelled, the fourth such cancellation in the past weeks for Turkish politicians seeking to hold rallies in Germany. The tension between Turkey and European countries over allowing Turkish politicians' propaganda speeches for the referendum come at time when Germany, Netherlands and France are passing through political campaign for public vote in 2017 with an increase of right-wing rhetoric across the continent. In Turkey, nationalist wave is the propellent power for "yes" votes for charter change endorsed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) whose founder and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will enhance his powers in executive presidency, and by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Despite the MHP leader lends support to the constitutional change, an important part of party grassroots are skeptical about the presidential system. Opponents, including the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP), suggest the change would push Turkey toward one-man rule and the likely erosion of basic rights and freedoms. A January survey by pollster Metropoll indicates that 10 percent of both AKP and MHP voters were undecided, compared to about five percent among CHP and HDP supporters. The hesitation on the conservative and nationalist voters is the main concern for "yes" camp due to relatively high percentage of undecided voters. "There is significant undecided population. We are at the beginning of the campaign. I think that undecided voters will lean towards 'yes' in the next 10 or 15 days," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Feb. 17. The diplomatic crisis of Turkey with Germany and Netherlands will certainly work for the "yes" camp, retired Ambassador Uluc Ozulker told Xinhua. "The Dutch attitude has nothing to do with neither international law, nor humanity. It's an awful attitude which would naturally cultivate nationalist sentiment," the ambassador says. The Turkish leaders keeps up harsh rhetoric against Netherlands and Germany, even President Tayyip Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and" fascists." In previous elections, the AKP always benefited from domestic antagonism by agitating against the opposition, according to Hurriyet Daily News columnist Murat Yetkin. "Now, when EU countries started to turn down the AKP ministers' demands to attend meetings, the government refocused its campaign on Europe, searching for a national unity that it hopes to convert into support for 'yes' in the referendum," he says. "It is certainly true that the current antagonism has perhaps given a momentum to the AKP campaign, which has lacked the desired excitement so far. However, that has come at the dear cost of a further hit at the reputation of the Republic of Turkey," Yetkin added. WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump "used the word wiretaps in quotes to mean, broadly, surveillance and other activities" in his highly disputed tweet accusing his predecessor Barack Obama had Trump Tower wiretapped, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday. Staff members examine a China-Europe container train at Suzhou West Railway Station in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Sun Can) SOFIA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Europe should build business bridges with China, especially in the high-tech sector, and benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, a Bulgarian entrepreneur has said. Plamen Russev, an investor in tech companies, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that Europe needed to build a very strong and clear relationship with China. Europe perceives China as a strategic partner and they need to build better relations, work more on the Belt and Road Initiative, and create value for both sides, said Russev, who is the founder and executive chairman of Global Webit Series. "Seven years ago, Europe produced 32 percent of the global GDP. Currently, Europe produces 23 percent of the global GDP," Russev said. "We are talking about an over 30-percent decrease in the role of Europe in the world." According to Russev, the Belt and Road Initiative is an amazing opportunity, both for China and for Central-Eastern Europe and particularly Bulgaria, to build a closer and better understanding for each other, and develop a very clear vision of how both sides can benefit. Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to become a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. So far, more than 100 countries and international organizations have joined the initiative and over 40 of them have cooperation agreements with China. Speaking particularly about the potential for business between Bulgaria and China, Russev said that his country was famous for its achievements in mathematics and informatics. Meanwhile, Bulgaria is strategically located, friendly towards China, and has full access to EU markets, he said. "And we are not using this in the best way. Together with China, we might start benefiting both for Bulgaria and for China in a much better way," Russev said. The Chinese economy, a digital economy, is doing an amazing job, and it would be more than happy to start building bridges, working on common projects together, and making common products together, Russev said. "We just need to use this time and to build up. Europe is ready. And Bulgaria could be a great ambassador and a great stop along the way," he said. RABAT, March 13 (Xinhua) -- the Inspector General of Morocco's army Fathallah El Ouarrak and the Chief of Staff of the French Army Jean-Pierre Dosser discussed here on Monday means to further develop military cooperation. Talks between the two generals addressed the modalities of strengthening the technical agreements and arrangements that bind the armies of the two countries, the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR) said in a statement. They reviewed matters of common interest and ways to promote interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries through the exchange of experience and expertise, while affirming their willingness to apply the agreements established a part of this cooperation, and to further develop these relations in the same spirit of friendship and shared trust, the statement added. The top generals highlighted the excellent bilateral military cooperation ties between the two countries, lauding its dynamic development and expressing satisfaction at the consistency and solidity of the relations between the two countries, the statement noted. Cooperation between the two armed forces is an essential pillar of the strategic partnership between Morocco and France, it said. The Chief of Staff of the French Army is leading a large military delegation on a working visit to Morocco (March 12-14). WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump means general surveillance when tweeting his Obama wiretapping accusation, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday. "I think there's no question that the Obama administration, that there were actions about surveillance and other activities that occurred in the 2016 election," Spicer said. "The president used the word wiretaps in quotes to mean, broadly, surveillance and other activities," said Spicer. On March 4, Trump claimed in a tweet that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower before his election victory, but offered no evidence. BRATISLAVA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- As the number of Serbian illegal workers in Slovakia has increased,. Slovakia and Serbia should cooperate more in information exchange on labor market, Slovak Labour, Social Affairs and Family Minister Jan Richter said after talks with Serbian Labour Minister Aleksandar Vulin on Monday. "Several agencies are attempting to circumvent the legislation in Slovakia by setting up branches in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Romania in order to mediate workers to be sent to Slovakia," stressed Richter. Officially, close to 6,000 Serbian nationals currently work in Slovakia, most of whom were via staff leasing agencies. Vulin said that his government would like to see Serbians remaining to work in their country, but conceded that everyone has the right to work abroad. "Illegal work can't be entirely uprooted, but it's possible to reduce it, and this is what we're currently working on," added Vulin. Serbian journalist Dragan Krsnik was the first person putting attention to the problem of illegal labor in Slovakia. He worked incognito for three months in allegedly dire conditions at the Samsung plant in Galanta in west Slovakia. "I didnt get any proper working permit and worked in slave-like conditions and for a woeful wage," wrote the Serbian journalist in a report in February. UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), on Monday warned that families in some of the war-torn Yemen's most food insecure areas will die unless the international community provides additional resources and authorities in Yemen allow aid workers access to hungry people. Cousin, who is in Aden and Sana'a on a three-day visit, met with families struggling to feed their children and visited nutrition centres and health facilities, UN officials said here. "It is a race against time, and if we do not scale up assistance to reach those who are severely food insecure, we will see famine-like conditions in some of the worst-hit and inaccessible areas which means that people will die," Cousin said. Describing the situation as "heartbreaking," Cousin noted that WFP reached a record number of 4.9 million food insecure people in the small Middle Esst country in February alone. The UN food relief agency has plans to reach all seven million in need, but urgently needs nearly 460 million U.S. dollars, and access by sea and land. "Humanitarians and aid workers are making a difference in Yemen as they have prevented Yemen from slipping into a famine until now," she said. "The challenge is that there are areas that are inaccessible where people are severely food insecure. These are the pockets that are at serious risk of people dying of hunger," she added. The two-year long conflict in Yemen has worsened chronic food insecurity in the country, which was already considered one of the poorest in the world. Yemen has been experiencing a civil conflict since the UN-backed government was ousted by the Houthi militants in late 2014. The conflict triggered a Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in late March 2016, which has been deepening the country's suffering. ZAGREB, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Croatia on Monday dismissed the allegations claimed in a lawsuit filed in the United States that seeks compensation for property seized by Nazi-aligned Ustasha regime in Croatia during World War II. The Republic of Croatia was not the successor to the Ustasha-led the Independent State of Croatia, which is clearly stated in Croatia's constitution, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry confirmed it was notified of the lawsuit, which was filed in a Chicago court by the several victims' descendants in the United States, Croatian News Agency HINA reported. Croatia had 60 days to respond to the allegations from the lawsuit,it added. The lawsuit demanded some 3.5 billion U.S. dollars in compensation for the damage suffered by Croatian Serbs, Roma and Jews during the Second World War, according to the report. The Ustasha regime jailed thousands of Jews, Roma and Serbs in several concentration camps in Croatia during its run of 1941 to 1945. The number of people killed was estmiated to be around tens of thousands. A Turkish police vehicle is seen outside Dutch Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, March 12, 2017. Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags gathered in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on March 11 to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will impose political sanctions against Netherlands for the moment, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said late Monday after the Dutch authorities barred Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional amendments. The sanctions would be under the political framework at the moment, Kurtulmusv told reporters after a cabinet meeting which measures against the Dutch government were discussed. The Dutch ambassador to Ankara, who is out of the country at the moment, will not be allowed enter Turkey until Netherlands meets Turkey's demands, Kurtulmus said. The Turkish government will suspend "high-level relations and all planned meetings "with Netherlands, he said, adding that a permission given in December for diplomatic flights for Dutch officials is also cancelled. The Turkish government will propose the parliament abolishing a Turkish-Dutch parliamentary friendship group, the deputy prime minister stated. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries escalated over the weekend after the Dutch authorities canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permission to the Netherlands and then blocked Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday. UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters here that the case of the assassination "is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities aimed to ... tarnish the image of the dignified DPRK and to bring down the Socialist system." Kim spoke in response to a question on the assassination during a news conference he had called to condemn a recent UN Security Council statement denouncing recent DPRK ballistic missile launches as a threat to international peace and security. But he acknowledged that the victim, who was poisoned to death in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by two assailants, is a citizen from the DPRK with a diplomatic passport. "The United States and the South Korean authority are groundlessly blaming the DPRK, asserting that he was intoxicated by a highly poisonous VX nerve substance," Kim said, referring to the victim who has been identified by Malaysian authorities as the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un. The ambassador said Washington wanted to "store up international repugnancy towards the DPRK ... to provoke nuclear war against the DPRK at any cost." He also raised the question as to where the assailants were able to obtain such a banned chemical weapon as VX, pointing out the United States has "a stockpile" of such outlawed weapons. Kim also said U.S. and South Korean assertions the assailants were unaffected while applying VX to a victim was an "absurdity." GUATEMALA CITY, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Guatemala's Minister of Social Welfare resigned his post on Monday in response to public outrage, nearly a week after a tragic fire at a young women's shelter claimed 40 lives. In an open letter, Carlos Rodas, who took office in November 2016, said he was resigning "to contribute to the objective investigation of the tragedy." Also Monday, President Jimmy Morales announced his government asked the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to lend a hand with the investigation into the causes of the fire at the Virgen de la Asuncion Shelter in San Jose Pinula, in the central department of Guatemala. At a press conference, Morales, backed by his cabinet, said at least 100 investigators were assigned to the case, which poses the biggest test to his administration to date. Daily protests have taken place outside the presidential headquarters in the capital, as news of mistreatment and mismanagement at the state-run shelter for minors and teens from abusive or broken homes slowly emerges. On Saturday, some 3,000 demonstrators screamed for "justice," demanding officials take responsibility for having ignored previous allegations of wrongdoing at the shelter. So far, preliminary reports indicate rioting teenagers set fire to their dormitory mattresses, to protest poor treatment and squalid conditions. The blaze spread and the girls, apparently locked in, were unable to escape. According to Morales, police have had access to 1,440 hours of surveillance footage from cameras installed at the shelter to help with the investigation. Of the fatal victims, 19 died in the fire and 21 at the hospital. Another 18 survivors are still receiving treatment. by Fuad Rajeh SANAA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The liquidity crisis is continuing to deepen in Yemen amid the ongoing conflict, with government employees left without pay for a fifth or even sixth successive month. Mohmed Taha, an employee at the Customs Service, who depends completely on his salary to support family, never expected that he would get unpaid for half a year. "I have not paid the rent for my apartment in downtown the capital Sanaa since September, the last time I was paid," Taha said. "I have been borrowing money from some friends to live on. This is helping me to survive. Many other people are dying silently as they can't find a source to secure food and other basic needs," he lamented. The civil war in Yemen, which began in late 2014 between the Houthi militia and President Hadi's government, has largely exhausted the national economy. The Saudi-led military intervention, aiming to restore the legitimacy of the government, has deepened the suffering further. "Actually, there are no alternatives. Options are very limited to seek another job because the war has affected all sectors and everything in the country," Taha added. The liquidity crisis adds to Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe, which Stephen O'Brien, the UN under-secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, described as the largest in the world since the creation of the United Nations in 1945. "Two thirds of the population, around 19 million people, need aid," O'Brien said in his address to the UN Security Council on Friday. He also warned about a looming famine in the war-torn country. "Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death," the under-secretary said. Investments, including the oil and gas ones which used to contribute more than 70 percent of the state budget, were forced to shut down in early 2015 because of the civil war and the blockade by the Saudi-led coalition. No earnings, except from taxes and small local projects which have been affected by the conflict as well, have since come in. But the main reason for the crisis, according to the government, is that the Houthi-Saleh militias have spent all money inside the central bank, including the 4-billion-U.S.-dollar foreign exchange reserves, on the war. "The Houthi group suspended all budgets allocated for other governorates after seizing the capital Sanaa in late 2014. It has been spent the Bank's funds on war," said Deputy Finance Minister Khalid Zakarya. Moreover, the Houthi-Saleh alliance has been collecting taxes, which amounted to an equivalent of 4 billion dollars in 2016 alone, and has been spending them on the war, according to the government. On Saturday, Prime Minister Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher warned that the government may not be able to afford any salary if the Houthi-Saleh alliance continues to control national resources. "No government can pay salaries while half of the national resources are in the hands of its foes, referring to the Houthi-Saleh alliance," he said. There are now about 1.2 million civil servants in Yemen serving about 7 million people. Mustafa Nasr, the head of the Studies and Economic Media Center, said the suspension of foreign aid and donations also contributed to the liquidity crisis in Yemen. "Other challenges that have deepened the crisis included the government's failure to control the situation in regions under its control. The government can't resume investments and exports and even can't control the situation at institutions to collect taxes and other resources properly," Nasr said. In response to the crisis, the government relocated the central bank headquarters from the capital Sanaa to the temporary capital Aden last year. But the move was already too late as it came after the Houthi-Saleh alliance said they were not able to pay salaries. The good news is that the government has started to pay salaries to some institutions after cash was delivered from Russia under a deal between the government and the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. So far, Yemen has received 74 billion Yemeni rials (0.3 billion U.S. dollars) from Russia, according to Zakarya. In Sanaa, the parliament failed on Saturday to approve measures suggested by the Houthi-Saleh government to address the crisis. Nasr said the crisis will not be solved unless the war ends, aid resumes from members of the Saudi-led coalition and a competent government takes office. "If the interruption of salaries continues, that will contribute to an inevitable famine in Yemen that the UN has been warning of for months," he added. Syrians children play during a sandstorm in the once rebel held Karm al-Jabal neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo on March 10, 2017. (Xinhua/ AFP PHOTO) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The suffering of children in war-torn Syria "hit rock bottom" in 2016 with the highest number of grave violations against them since verification began in 2014, the UN children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday. UNICEF urged all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, and anyone who cared about children, to find an immediate political solution to end the conflict. At least 652 children were killed last year -- an increase of 20 percent compared to 2015, 255 among them were killed in or near a school, according to a press release from UNICEF. Maiming and recruitment of children also rose sharply as violence across the country saw a drastic escalation of the conflict, said the UN agency. "The depth of suffering is unprecedented," said Geert Cappelaere, the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. "Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down." The UNICEF issued the press release in order to announce the study Hitting Rock Bottom -- How 2016 became the worst year for Syria's children. "Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future," Cappelaere added. The UN agency also highlighted that challenges accessing several parts of the country obstructed a full assessment of children's suffering and delivering urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The most vulnerable among Syria's children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. "Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult," said the press release. UNICEF also warned that coping mechanisms are eroding both within Syria and across its borders -- families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. After six years of war, nearly six million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. According to estimates, over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. However, there are some "remarkable stories" of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations, the UN agency said. Darsy, a 12-year-old refugee in Turkey, said: "I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars." "We continue to witness the courage of Syria's children," said Cappelaere. "Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syria's children." Kim In Ryong, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK leader Kim Jon Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. Ambassador Kim Il Ryong told reporters here that the case of the assassination "is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities aimed to ... tarnish the image of the dignified DPRK and to bring down the Socialist system." Kim spoke in response to a question on the assassination during a news conference he had called to condemn a recent UN Security Council statement denouncing recent DPRK ballistic missile launches as a threat to international peace and security. But he acknowledged that the victim, who was poisoned to death in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by two assailants, is a citizen from the DPRK with a diplomatic passport. Kim In Ryong, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attends a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) "The United States and the South Korean authority are groundlessly blaming the DPRK, asserting that he was intoxicated by a highly poisonous VX nerve substance," Kim said, referring to the victim who has been identified by Malaysian authorities as the estranged half-brother of Kim Jon Un. The ambassador said Washington wanted to "store up international repugnancy towards the DPRK ... to provoke nuclear war against the DPRK at any cost." He also raised the question as to where the assailants were able to obtain such a banned chemical weapon as VX, pointing out the United States has "a stockpile" of such outlawed weapons. File photo taken on Oct. 29, 2016 shows a displaced girl looks on at an internally displaced camp at Amran province, north Sanaa, Yemen. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), on Monday warned that families in some of the war-torn Yemen's most food insecure areas will die unless the international community provides additional resources and authorities in Yemen allow aid workers access to hungry people. Cousin, who is in Aden and Sana'a on a three-day visit, met with families struggling to feed their children and visited nutrition centres and health facilities, UN officials said here. "It is a race against time, and if we do not scale up assistance to reach those who are severely food insecure, we will see famine-like conditions in some of the worst-hit and inaccessible areas which means that people will die," Cousin said. Describing the situation as "heartbreaking," Cousin noted that WFP reached a record number of 4.9 million food insecure people in the small Middle Esst country in February alone. The UN food relief agency has plans to reach all seven million in need, but urgently needs nearly 460 million U.S. dollars, and access by sea and land. "Humanitarians and aid workers are making a difference in Yemen as they have prevented Yemen from slipping into a famine until now," she said. "The challenge is that there are areas that are inaccessible where people are severely food insecure. These are the pockets that are at serious risk of people dying of hunger," she added. The two-year long conflict in Yemen has worsened chronic food insecurity in the country, which was already considered one of the poorest in the world. Yemen has been experiencing a civil conflict since the UN-backed government was ousted by the Houthi militants in late 2014. The conflict triggered a Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in late March 2016, which has been deepening the country's suffering. DAMASCUS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that the priority in Syria is for fighting terrorism, adding that talks about politics at this time seems like luxury. Speaking to European media outlets, whose content was carried by state news agency SANA, the president said that getting rid of the extremists is a priority and reaching reconciliation in other areas is another a priority. "It's luxury talking about politics while you could get killed anytime by the terrorist attacks," Assad said. His remarks came just a couple of days after two bombings rocked the capital Damascus, killing 74 people. The bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of the capital Damascus. The first explosion was carried out through an explosive device that went off near a gathering of busses carrying Shiite Iraqi visitors coming to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery to visit Shiite shrines, as part of Shiite pilgrim practices. When the explosive device went off, passengers of nine busses gathered to see what happened, when a suicide bomber wearing bomb vest detonated himself among the crowds. During the last round of Geneva talks last month, the government delegation to the conference stressed that counter terrorism should be the priority in any talks. Syrian children play during a sandstorm in the once rebel held Karm al-Jabal neighbourhood in the old part of the northern city of Aleppo on March 10, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The suffering of children in war-torn Syria "hit rock bottom" in 2016 with the highest number of grave violations against them since verification began in 2014, the UN children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday. UNICEF urged all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, and anyone who cared about children, to find an immediate political solution to end the conflict. At least 652 children were killed last year -- an increase of 20 percent compared to 2015, 255 among them were killed in or near a school, according to a press release from UNICEF. Maiming and recruitment of children also rose sharply as violence across the country saw a drastic escalation of the conflict, said the UN agency. "The depth of suffering is unprecedented," said Geert Cappelaere, the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. "Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down." Syrians children play during a sandstorm in the once rebel held Karm al-Jabal neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo on March 10, 2017. (Xinhua/ AFP PHOTO) The UNICEF issued the press release in order to announce the study Hitting Rock Bottom -- How 2016 became the worst year for Syria's children. "Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future," Cappelaere added. The UN agency also highlighted that challenges accessing several parts of the country obstructed a full assessment of children's suffering and delivering urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The most vulnerable among Syria's children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. "Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult," said the press release. UNICEF also warned that coping mechanisms are eroding both within Syria and across its borders -- families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. After six years of war, nearly 6 million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. According to estimates, over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. However, there are some "remarkable stories" of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations, the UN agency said. Darsy, a 12-year-old refugee in Turkey, said: "I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars." "We continue to witness the courage of Syria's children," said Cappelaere. "Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syria's children." Kim In Ryong, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters here that the case of the assassination "is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities aimed to ... tarnish the image of the dignified DPRK and to bring down the Socialist system." Kim spoke in response to a question on the assassination during a news conference he had called to condemn a recent UN Security Council statement denouncing recent DPRK ballistic missile launches as a threat to international peace and security. But he acknowledged that the victim, who was poisoned to death in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by two assailants, is a citizen from the DPRK with a diplomatic passport. "The United States and the South Korean authority are groundlessly blaming the DPRK, asserting that he was intoxicated by a highly poisonous VX nerve substance," Kim said, referring to the victim who has been identified by Malaysian authorities as the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un. The ambassador said Washington wanted to "store up international repugnancy towards the DPRK ... to provoke nuclear war against the DPRK at any cost." He also raised the question as to where the assailants were able to obtain such a banned chemical weapon as VX, pointing out the United States has "a stockpile" of such outlawed weapons. Kim also said U.S. and South Korean assertions the assailants were unaffected while applying VX to a victim was an "absurdity." ROME, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Italian lawmakers began discussing a draft law on end-of-life rights and biological will on Monday. The move came just few weeks after the case of assisted suicide of a famous Italian DJ in Switzerland stirred a tense debate in the country. Fabiano Antoniani -- or DJ Fabo, as he was known -- chose assisted dying in late February, after a car crash in 2014 had left him blind and tetraplegic. He was 39. The man moved to a Swiss clinic for the procedure, accompanied by right-to-die activists, since euthanasia is illegal in Italy. The case highlighted the lack of legislation on end-of-life wills in Italy. The draft law started to be examined by the Lower House assembly after being postponed three consecutive times since January. If passed by the Chamber of Deputies, it would move to the Senate for definitive approval. If not amended, the bill would allow citizens to state before a public officer or a doctor their living wills on end-of-life treatments, including the right to accept or refuse care, nutrition, and artificial hydration. Although similar to other legislations in force in northern European countries, the draft does not stretch as far as to recognize the right to euthanasia, namely the right of a person who is terminally ill, with no hope of improvement, and under great suffering, to ask for an assisted death. The bill should find an easy path in the Lower House, where a large number of deputies from both majority and opposition forces seem ready to give their green light, according to Ansa news agency. The approval in the senate would be less certain, for the cabinet's majority is thinner and the number of Catholic lawmakers opposing the draft -- also within the ruling Democratic Party -- higher, Ansa added. In January, shortly before going to the Swiss Clinic, Italian DJ Fabo had appealed to Italian President Sergio Mattarella for his "right to die", and harshly criticized politicians for failing to act. Although revived by this recent case, however, the end-of-life debate has troubled Italy for decades. In fact, the Italian law partially recognizes the patient's right to refuse care already, but also bears limits and holes, and this has led to several controversial cases. One such case was that of Piergiorgio Welby, an Italian artist and activist affected by severe muscular dystrophy since youth, who strongly advocated the right to euthanasia for decades up to his death in 2006. Another high-profile story was that of Eluana Englaro, a young woman left in a persistent vegetative state for 17 years after a car crash in 1992. Her father fought a decade-long legal dispute to have doctors halt her assisted feeding and hydration, for he claimed this would have been his daughter's wish. After several rejections, the court of Appeal in Milan finally accepted his request in July 2008, and the woman died in February 2009. BRUSSELS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Monday prolonged the sanctions against individuals, including a pool of Russian high-ups, and entities allegedly in connection with the Ukraine crisis for anther six months, until Sept. 15, 2017. These restrictive measures, consisting of asset freezes and travel bans, were last extended in September 2016 and due to expire on March 15. The council of the EU said in statement that the sanctions now apply to 150 persons and 37 entities after two deceased persons were removed from the sanction list. A pool of high-level Russian officials, blamed by the EU for "their responsibility for actions which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine" were on the list. The EU introduced these restrictive measures in March 2014 over the Ukraine crisis. UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters here that the case of the assassination "is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities aimed to ... tarnish the image of the dignified DPRK and to bring down the Socialist system." Kim spoke in response to a question on the assassination during a news conference he had called to condemn a recent UN Security Council statement denouncing recent DPRK ballistic missile launches as a threat to international peace and security. But he acknowledged that the victim, who was poisoned to death in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by two assailants, is a citizen from the DPRK with a diplomatic passport. BERLIN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- German government on Monday responded to the accusation by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that it supports "terrorists," saying it is "clearly absurd." "The chancellor has no intention of taking part in a race of provocation. She does not do that," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Earlier on Monday, Erdogan said the German government is deliberately hiding "terrorists" on its soil, as Berlin did not respond to 4,500 documents sent by Ankara on terror suspects, reportedly including some Kurdish militants as well as some dissidents. The recent verbal battle has significantly degraded the already tense ties between Ankara and Berlin. Turkey have been pressuring Germany, where around 1.6 million Turks resided, to extradite the dissidents, especially the military officers. However, Berlin questioned the Ankara's hunt-down and purge overseas, seeing it as violations of human rights. Last month, a German correspondent of the newspaper "Die Welt", Deniz Yucel, was detained in Istanbul over his reports. Turkish government accused him of "supporting terrorism" despite Berlin's repeated demand for his release. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations Kim In Ryong leaves after a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on March 13, 2017. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ambassador to the United Nations on Monday denied the man assassinated in Malaysia was half-brother of the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, saying the United States and South Korea should be blamed. Ambassador Kim In Ryong told reporters here that the case of the assassination "is the product of reckless moves of the United States and South Korean authorities aimed to ... tarnish the image of the dignified DPRK and to bring down the Socialist system." Kim spoke in response to a question on the assassination during a news conference he had called to condemn a recent UN Security Council statement denouncing recent DPRK ballistic missile launches as a threat to international peace and security. But he acknowledged that the victim, who was poisoned to death in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by two assailants, is a citizen from the DPRK with a diplomatic passport. "The United States and the South Korean authority are groundlessly blaming the DPRK, asserting that he was intoxicated by a highly poisonous VX nerve substance," Kim said, referring to the victim who has been identified by Malaysian authorities as the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un. The ambassador said Washington wanted to "store up international repugnancy towards the DPRK ... to provoke nuclear war against the DPRK at any cost." He also raised the question as to where the assailants were able to obtain such a banned chemical weapon as VX, pointing out the United States has "a stockpile" of such outlawed weapons. Kim also said U.S. and South Korean assertions the assailants were unaffected while applying VX to a victim was an "absurdity." BRASILIA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Illegal campaign financing has been an intrinsic part of Brazil's political landscape for generations, an ongoing investigation into graft revealed on Monday. Brazil's former minister of justice, Jose Eduardo Cardozo, told reporters undeclared donations to political parties were "historic (and) cultural." Cardozo spoke with reporters after testifying via videoconference call before Judge Sergio Moro, who leads Operation Car Wash, a long-running investigation into bribery and kickbacks at state oil giant Petrobras and the construction companies it contracted, including Odebrecht. Cardozo, a witness for the defense of former Finance Minister Antonio Palocci, said that while the practice of contributing to what is known in Brazil as "Box 2," in reference to a second cashbox that is off the books, was illegal, it did not always conceal a bigger crime. "Regrettably, the Box 2 in Brazil is historic (and) cultural, but it doesn't always hide corruption. Sometimes money is donated without effectively knowing its origin," said Cardozo. "Is it illegal? It is. Is it reprehensible? It is. Is it ethically reproachable? It is. But it should not necessarily be confused with corruption or money laundering," said Cardozo. However, the practice is the result of "an anachronistic political system that has to be replaced," he added. More than a hundred politicians in Brazil have been accused of receiving illegal campaign funding from builders, such as Odebrecht, in exchange for lucrative construction contracts, and some lawmakers are calling for a blanket pardon. Emilio Odebrecht, patriarch of the family empire, also testified on Monday, affirming what Cardozo said by admitting the company has been making illegal contributions to politicians "since my father's epoch." His son and company President Marcelo Odebrecht is currently serving a 10-year sentence for bribery. The Box 2 practice "was the reigning model in the country until recently," the father added. "There were obstacles beginning in 2014 and 2015, but up until then, it always existed; since the epoch of my father, in my epoch and in Marcelo's epoch." Between 2006 and 2014, Odebrecht reportedly paid nearly 3.4 billion U.S. dollars in bribes and other illegal payments, 60 percent of that in Brazil and 40 percent in other countries where the company did business. John McKinnon, New Zealands Ambassador to China, accepts Xinhuanet's interview on Feb. 28, 2017. (Xinhuanet/Xu Xin) By Zhou Xin BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhuanet) -- New Zealand and China had a wide variety of exchanges in almost every conceivable area in 2016, said New Zealands Ambassador to China John McKinnon. In a recent interview with Xinhuanet, the ambassador said he expects the trend of extensive bilateral cooperation to continue this year and beyond. He told Xinhuanet he was impressed by Chinas remarkable achievements in economic development, saying the demand from China and the continuing growth of Chinas economy have been very significant parts of New Zealands maintaining economic balance. He also valued Chinas role in global governance and saw the Belt and Road Initiative as a very ambitious initiative with a very large footprint. From our perspective, I think its a statement about China wanting to engage with different parts of the world, especially in Central Asia, the countries around the Indian Ocean," he said. The ambassador is invited to the first International Cooperation Summit Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative in Beijing in May. He said he wanted to hear more about what China has to say about the Initiative, and what other countries are saying, which could be relevant to New Zealands experience. He also looked forward to enhancing cooperation in environmental protection between New Zealand and China. Although the economic and environmental circumstances in the two countries are very different, there are actually places in which we can have a productive conversation, said the ambassador. He recalled the first ministerial-level climate change dialogue a few weeks ago between China and New Zealand. The attending parties discussed climate change, its impacts on China and New Zealand and the different ways the two countries can use to mitigate those effects or to deal with them, he noted. The ambassador spoke highly of the education exchanges and tourism development between the two countries. China is now New Zealands largest source of overseas students. Chinese students in New Zealand will not only get a good education, but it also would be a safe environment, one with many interesting activities outside the classroom, he said. He also stressed the notable increase in the number of Chinese tourists going to New Zealand in 2016, which was upwards of about 400,000. Theyre learning about New Zealand and also contributing to New Zealands prosperity, he believed. Photo taken on March 12, 2017 shows the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. The third plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress opened in Beijing on Sunday. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) People learn how to code during the 4th annual "HTML500" event held in Vancouver, Canada, March 11, 2017. The "HTML500" is the largest learn-to-code event in Canada which aimed to educate the people to build the knowledge on computer technology. (Xinhua/Liang Sen) Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 13, 2017. A total of 32 Afghans were set free after army commandos raided a Taliban-run detention center in the southern Helmand province Sunday night, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday. (Xinhua/Abdul Aziz Safdari) Second man dies after shooting in Chaguanas on Friday Christian Mohammed, died at hospital on Saturday, after fighting for his life for almost 24 hours. Mohammed is the second fatality in a shooting incident which occurred on Friday afternoon. According to reports, Mohammed, another man in his early 20s, a woman identified as Candice, 20, and 22-year-old Terrence Patrick were sitting at the front porch of a house on John Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas when two men approached the group and opened fire. All four persons were shot several times. They were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility, where Patrick was pronounced dead. Mohammed and the three other victims were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. Police claim that Patrick was a member of a well-known gang which operates out of Chaguanas. Homicide detectives are working on the theory that the group was attacked by members of a rival gang. Autopsies on the two dead men are expected to be done at the Forensic Science Centre in St James today Soldier robbed of $24,000, suspects found in hospital They managed to escape but were arrested at the Port of Spain General Hospital where they had gone to seek medical attention for gunshot wounds. According to police reports, at about 4.07 pm on Saturday Private Koreen Mercy was at Aranguez Main Road when two men entered his bar and robbed him of the cash and other valuables. Two patrons who worked at the bar were also robbed. However as the bandits were fleeing towards a waiting car, Mercy pulled out his personal firearm and shot the men who escaped in a car. A report was made to the police who went in search of the men. Their search led them to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where they were found at the Accident and Emergency department awaiting treatment. Officers were posted at the bedsides of the suspects and they are expected to be charged when they are discharged from hospital. Woman still in custody for Siparia double murder She was detained since Thursday last week. Detectives investigating the stabbing murders are said to be still gathering information and are expected to submit a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for instructions on how to proceed with the matter. Two weeks ago, on Carnival Monday (February 28), a neighbour who went to check on Bernard and her daughter discovered their bodies in an advanced state of decomposition. They lived at the corner of Gonzalez Street and SS Erin Road in De Gannes Village, Siparia. Subsequent autopsies performed at the Forensic Sciences Centre revealed that they died as a result of multiple stab wounds. They were buried after a funeral service on Tuesday at the La Divina Pastora RC Church in Siparia. Roman Catholic priest Fr Martin Sirju, who officiated at the service, offered prayers for police investigators to find the killer. Over 100 NIDCO workers face dismissal Workers contacted Newsday yesterday saying they had been reliably informed that 100 out of the 170 contract workers are to be sent home as part of the restructuring of the company. On Saturday president of NIDCO Esther Farmer held a meeting with other directors of the board and arising out of that meeting, according to reliable sources, it was announced that the workers are to be sent home. Last Monday, the 170 contract workers who occupied six floors at the Ministry of Works building in Port of Spain were moved to Anthony P Scott building on Don Miguel Road, San Juan. The building can only house 60 people and workers have been sitting out in the corridors with inadequate arrangements. Some of the engineers have no offices. Workers told Newsday yesterday that they know that it is only a matter of time before they are sent home and several of them have one, two, and three year contracts. Last December, seven drivers were sent home and vehicles which were rented from Southern Sales were sent back to the company. Newsday understands that NIDCO owes Southern Sales a considerable amount of money, hence the decision to recall the vehicles. One worker said, We are working under inhumane conditions and now we are being told that we will soon be terminated in what they are describing as a bid to trim the fat. But we feel that the situation could have been handled in a more humane manner. Efforts to reach Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan on the matter proved futile. Reema Carmonas advice to young women Addressing the second annual student conference for young women hosted by Junior Achievement at the Central Bank auditorium last week, Carmona said that while social media is exciting and fun, they must be aware of dangerous, irresponsible posts. We live in a digital age and it is a beautiful form of self-expression, Carmona said. But you must be aware of the responsibilities that come with that freedom. It is now the norm for potential employers, colleges and universities to screen you, not only through the traditional interviewing process, but as well your social media presence. Your social media profile can very realistically stand between you getting that job or acceptance letter from a university, or a door being ajar or shut in your face. Be responsible and alert - once its in cyber space, its there forever, no matter how many times you press delete, delete, delete. She urged the young women to start building the total woman in them on the path to adulthood. She said they should go to school and strive for excellence but they also need to lead healthy lifestyles, and also engage in at least one physical sporting activity. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease are ravaging our young people brought on by our penchant for eating junk food, saturated fats and hugging up the Siamese twins - salt and sugar. Encourage your parents to eat healthy and tell them that the revolution for a better quality of life in Trinidad and Tobago begins in the kitchens and the lunch bag. She called on them all to be child advocates to change their homes if there is strife there. She added that they could also be the mediator in their communities, their classrooms and could be game changers. Do not underestimate your power to change the world as a 14, 15 or 16 year old. You are the change that we seek. Look at Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani activist, who was viciously attacked because she decided she wanted an education Dont suggest scandal where there is none In a letter to the Editor, Rowley said the Opposition has presented a case against the Government hiring a Washington lobbyist but its speculations are misleading the public about the nature of a relationship with lobbyists and the lobbying firm hired by the Government, theGROUP DC. He said the need to improve relationships with the US is particularly important now during a period of instability in energy prices, while also considering the countrys need for economic diversification. Rowley said There is nothing unusual about Trinidad and Tobago engaging a Washington lobbyist as weve done so as a country for decades. Governments all over the world hire lobbyists to complement and represent their interests within the United States, notwithstanding the presence of an Embassy and ambassador within Washington. Moses: TT supports peace, security Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses advanced this position in remarks on behalf of the Government today on Commonwealth Day 2017. In his message, Moses said, Myriad internal and trans-national conflicts, which engender humanitarian crises of notable proportions, serve as stark reminders that the pursuit of sustainable peace and security must remain at the forefront of global efforts. The minister continued, Indeed, recent surges in violent extremism and terrorism, coupled with ongoing crises in many countries, have demonstrated even more the interdependence of the global community and the corresponding need for each country to play its part in directly addressing challenges that threaten the peace and development of all peoples. Moses said it is instructive that the theme for this years observance of Commonwealth Day, draws attention to the role of the Commonwealth, as a recognised actor in the international community, in supporting and advancing global peace-building efforts. In recognising that the main thrust of peace-building is to promote sustainable peace by building capacity to prevent violence from recurring, Moses stated, It is recognised that much of the work of the Commonwealth, advanced through its key inter-governmental agencies, member Governments, civil society networks and commonwealth associations, relate directly to the elements of peace-building undertaken in many countries. He said the core values and principles of the Commonwealth, which are espoused in the Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles (1971), are amplified in the TT Affirmation of Commonwealth Values and Principles (2009) and reaffirmed in the Commonwealth Charter (2013). Moses explained this demonstrates, the belief that democracy, good governance, adherence to the rule of law and human rights are all central tenets in the conduct of the business of peaceful societies. Moses cited the work of the Commonwealth in supporting free and fair electoral processes; building capacity in public institutions; and promoting participatory governance by including all actors, in particular civil society, women and young people, as a direct contribution to peace building. Trade ministry denies rice left to rot In a response to the article, the ministry said the paddy that is in the shed would not be lost but would be dried and stored in silos for further processing during the next two weeks. The ministry said the drying process and de-hulling of the paddy removes the moisture and the hull which is the part of the paddy that is currently exposed. It said that the hull is allowed to decompose and is collected by the Ministry of Agriculture to be used as manure. According to the statement, a laboratory on the Carlsen Field site tests materials at the various stages of processing to make sure that there is no contamination. The newspaper article said that about 200 tonnes of rice valued at $400,000 is being left to rot at the complex because the NFM rice mill has been non-functional since last November. However, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said that there are approximately 190 metric tonnes of paddy in the shed, which is expected to be processed over the next five to 10 business days. It said that during the current paddy season an average of 120 metric tonnes of paddy is brought in each week by farmers and if the plant had been down since November as reported then there would be over 1,200 metric tonnes of paddy on the ground. However, the ministry did concede that the plant has suffered some breakdowns in the drying process in the last few months. It said the plant is 25 years old, spares are sometimes difficult to find and this causes delays in making repairs. It said the market in Trinidad and the region is mainly for parboiled rice, which the Carlsen Field plant does not have the capability to produce. The facility is being divested and the accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers is assisting the NFM in the divestment process and is seeking an investor who will be able to take over, upgrade and expand the operations of the rice mill, a process which is expected to be completed by June 2017, according to the ministry. The release says the divestment process allows for local or regional investors to purchase the assets and lease the facilities and land to continue the development of the local rice industry. Potential investors, who may be short-listed as a result of this very transparent process, will be required to engage the local farmers as part of the finalisation of their investment proposals, according to the statement. Share For anyone who's ever seen what a hackathon can do in terms of creating new products and services, the recent word out of Nokia Bell Labs (News - Alert) should be especially thrilling. It's time again for the Nokia Bell Labs Prize competition, an event that seeks to bring reward to the best in ideas in next generation communications and beyond, with prizes for the winners...including a chance to bring some ideas to life. The Nokia (News - Alert) Bell Labs Prizenow in its fourth yearoffers awards to those in science, technology, engineering, and even next generation communications that present ideas that change the nature of human existence itself by at least a factor of 10. Granted, that's really subjective, but Nokia Bell Labs is opening up the floodgates in a bid to find these ideas, whether in next generation communications or beyond. It's calling in researchers and other innovators from around the world to step in on this action, and is accepting proposals through May 1, 2017. Top prizes reach as high as $175,000, and the first three place ideas will be invited to join Nokia Bell Labs researchers in a collaborative effort to actually produce these ideas. Last year, one of these awards went to a pair of doctoral students from the University of Southern CaliforniaHooman Abediasi and Sungwon Chungalong with their professor Hossein Hashemi. The group came up with an idea that would drive nano-technology forward, a large-scale plasmonic optical phased-array technology. With this system in play, it would drive significant advancement in several fields ranging from diagnostic systems for medicine to sensor systems for self-driving cars. There are few better ways to open up the pipes on exciting new ideasin next generation communications or most any other fieldthan to offer not only free cash to the best ideas, but also the ability to see these ideas become actual products. It's probably the case that Nokia Bell Labs would benefit from the development a lot more than the actual creator would, but with around a fifth of a million dollars in hand from a properly-executed idea proposal and the chance to be the one who came up with X, it's likely got a lot of scientific minds humming. Ideas are the foundation for the next generation perhaps more than anything else. After all, what really exists today that didn't start out as an idea somewhere? The Nokia Bell Labs awards will go a long way toward bringing out the very best in ideas in the future, and more than ever, we need those ideas. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The Moroccan Sahrawi Solidarity Association in Europe (AMSSE) has called on the EU foreign chief Federica Mogherini to use her leverage to force Algeria to engage constructively in the UN process for the resolution of the Sahara conflict. The Association made the call on the occasion of the EU-Algeria meeting held March 13th in Brussels. This meeting in an opportunity to discuss with the Algerian leaders the concerns of AMSSE, which calls constantly on the international community to act in a positive and constructive way to find a political and lasting solution to the regional dispute of the Sahara, says the association in a letter addressed to Mrs Mogherini. The dispute threatens the security and stability of Africa and Europe, the letter says. Algeria is involved in the Sahara issue as it backs the actions of the Polisario secessionists who are working tirelessly to maintain the status quo, the association says, adding that the separatists have been holding the Sahrawi population as hostage in the Tindouf camps, where living conditions are deplorable and basic human rights are violated. Today, Algeria has chosen to join the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), which promotes peace, stability and shared prosperity in the Euro-Mediterranean region, stresses AMSSE. One of the fundamental pillars of the Euro-Mediterranean region is the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, a principle that Algeria, unfortunately, does not adopt in dealing with its own people, nor does it care about the human rights situation of those requested in the Tindouf camps, says the association. In its letter, the AMSSE asked the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to raise this issue in her talks with Algerian officials, and to urge them to conduct a census of the Sahrawi population living in Tindouf in line with UNHCR resolutions. Algeria, which bears the legal and political responsibility towards the Tindouf camps populations, must allow international organizations to have access to the camps to inquire about the humanitarian situation on the ground, says the Moroccan Saharawi Solidarity Association in Europe. The UN has called the Mauritanian regime and opposition to open direct talks in order to overcome the socio-political crisis, which has been gripping the country for many years, hindering the countrys development and economic growth. Both camps have been in finger-pointing game since 2009, year when Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was sworn in as President following the presidential elections that legitimized his 2008 military coup. Several dialogues have failed, widening the gap between the regime and the opposition. The UN Secretary Generals Representative for West Africa Mohamed Ibn Chambas met on March 10 with Ould Abdel Aziz to express the UN wish to see both parties renewing direct talks. He reiterated the same call during a meeting with opposition leader Hassane Ould Mohamed, who is leading the Institution of the Democratic Opposition (IOD). Last September, the regime called for a new dialogue on constitutional reforms. The month-long dialogue was boycotted by main opposition parties, which deemed the reforms as a means to maintain the Mauritanian President in power. Saturday, the opposition called on the Senators to reject the reforms, which plan to replace the Senate by regional councils. We are requesting the Senate to reject that revision and to refuse to sign its own death warrant, said Moussa Fall of the opposition coalition (FNDU). Morocco continues to stand as a hub for culture and cinema in a MENA region beset by turmoil and instability. Last year, 24 foreign films were shot in the Kingdom thanks to a solid cinema industry infrastructure and qualified human resources. These films generated returns for Morocco worth 280 mln dirhams, said the national cinema center (CCM). Morocco drew filmmakers from France, Germany, the UK, India, the US and Italy that shot short and feature films in different locations in the Kingdom, the CCM said. Cinema is becoming a rapidly developing industry in Morocco, which offers a safer environment to shoot feature movies in a Middle Eastern setting. The Kingdom boasts one of the biggest and most sophisticated studios in Africa located in the Southeastern city of Ouarzazate where several blockbusters were shot, such as Troy, Kingdom of Heaven and Gladiator. Thanks to the diversity of its landscapes, Morocco has long been a popular destination for foreign filmmakers. Authorities have made it easy for film producers and shooting costs are relatively low. In this respect, films treating controversial issues such as The Yellow Birds, a war drama, ended up filming in Morocco after being denied the right to shoot in Jordan. In terms of local production, with more than 20 films a year, Morocco is the third biggest producer of films in Africa after Egypt and South Africa. The country has also boosted its soft power through cinema festivals with different thematics. The most important is the annual Marrakech International Film Festival, which was held last December. The festival featured a selection of 14 movies from different countries and acts as a bridge between local and international filmmakers. This undated picture released by North Koreas Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean Peoples Army (KPA). Photo: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty Images Not since the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War, have most Americans been jittery about the prospect of a nuclear holocaust. Back then, it seemed like such an immediate possibility that suburban families were constructing fallout shelters and schoolkids were subjected to bomb drills. But after the fall of the Soviet Union, atomic war came to feel like an abstraction, the stuff of sci-fi movies. Then, during the presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton started talking about Trump having access to the nuclear codes, which has turned out to be more than simple campaign fearmongering. As recently as two weeks ago, the 45th president effectively called for a new nuclear-arms race, and hes also threatened to revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and to invade North Korea on account of its recent nuclear tests. Of all the threats Trump poses, surely the gravest (if, lets hope, the most far-fetched) is that he could set off a firefight that would incinerate the globe. Atomic-weapons expert Philip Coyle was the head of nuclear-weapons testing under President Bill Clinton and an adviser to the Carter and Obama administrations. And as a scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California, he spent 30 years helping design both nuclear arms and the only anti-missile weapon ever deployed by the U.S. Now mostly retired and living in Sacramento, he consults for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, a group that lobbies for arms reduction. In other words, there are few people better equipped to explain just how terrified we should be of global annihilation. Below, he discusses the best way of responding to North Korea, why we should be concerned about India and Pakistan, and his own worst nightmares of our nuclear future. Is there anything about nuclear weapons that would keep us up at night if we knew about it? Well, for one thing, because Im old enough, and because of the work I used to do, Ive actually seen nuclear weapons go off. Its an amazing, amazingly powerful thing. Once youve seen it Its something you dont ever want to see happen during war. I would watch from miles away. If its in a place like the Nevada test site, then youre in a bunker, protected. Or if its underground, then you see the ground heave, which is amazing. If it was in the Pacific, you would watch, perhaps, from a Navy ship. I was the director of the largest underground test the United States ever did five megatons in Alaska. On the web, you can see pictures of the ground rising as the explosion goes off. It just goes up and up and up, and it looks like its never going to stop. We begin to get an idea [of what its like] in violent storms, tornadoes. Violent landslides. But its just not the same. What do you think of the outlook for the Trump administrations nuclear policy? Its a little hard to tell. President Trump has said that nuclear weapons are terrible, or awful, something like that. But on the other hand, he told Mika on Morning Joe, Bring on an arms race! Trump has gone back and forth on whether he supports a No First Use doctrine. Could you explain what this means and the ramifications? Yes. It means we pledge we will never be the first to use nuclear weapons. If the other side does, we might use them in retaliation, but we would never start a nuclear war. Its a way of adding security and stability to the peace process. It has always been set by the president. We dont know yet what President Trumps view is. What was the significance of the North Korea nuclear test, the one in January, that Trump responded to from his Mar-a-Lago dinner table? North Korea has tested nuclear weapons several times now, and while some of the early tests appeared to be fizzles, the more recent tests look like they have actually achieved relatively small nuclear devices. By small, I mean about the size of Hiroshima. Theyre not the big thermonuclear weapons of the sort that the United States, Russia, France, and China have. And they dont have many. And they dont have many. Congress estimates 10 to 16; other estimates are less than 10but essentially, a handful. But theyre continuing to test them, and also testing missiles that might carry those weapons. So far, North Korea does not have a missile that can reach the United States, but people worry that given enough time, it could develop one. The significance [of the January test] was that it was about the same size as the previous one, so it appears they can do it twice in a row. And the previous test may we dont know this for sure may have helped them make some progress toward making their nuclear device smaller. That is, more easily mounted on a missile of some kind. Mostly their problem so far has been that their missile tests simply havent been intercontinental-range. Theyve been short-to-medium range. So they dont even have the capability to reach Hawaii, let alone the continental United States. However, they certainly are a threat to South Korea and Japan. Theyve tested missiles with enough range to reach either of those countries. Philip Coyle. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the Trump administration is considering military action and regime change in North Korea, among other options, for dealing with the nuclear threat there. Whats your take on that news? I think the administration is simply considering the options, and thats not so surprising. I think every administration looks at the options. Some will be more attractive than others. The main thing North Korea wants is for the United States to stop threatening it. Instead, just last week, the U.S. started military exercises in South Korea. Is the nuclear threat at a level that could warrant an action like regime change? Certainly its a threat that we should be very concerned about. But threatening regime change all that does is threaten them even more with the very thing theyre worried about. Thats not going to work. What North Korea wants is for us to stop threatening them and to talk with them, and to sit down and try to reach an agreement, perhaps with the help of other countries: namely, South Korea, Japan, and China. When weve done that in the past, it has produced salutary results. North Korea has followed the agreements that weve made until we do something to break them. For instance, the Clinton administration had reached an agreement with North Korea, which they were following. The guidelines were not exactly parallel with what has recently happened in Iran, but conceptually they were the same. Then President George W. Bush was elected and immediately began threatening North Korea and the deal had been that we wouldnt do that. So North Korea stopped abiding by the terms as well? Yes. And thats the problem with these agreements: Theyre very fragile, and it doesnt take much from either side to trigger an overreaction. Besides North Korea, which countries should we be most concerned about? There are also Pakistan and India. People worry that they could get into a regional conflict involving nuclear weapons that would bring in the rest of the world, and all hell would break loose. It could involve large nuclear-weapon states like Russia and China picking sides. Pakistan is estimated to have about 130 nuclear weapons, and India about 120. They tend to match each other. Theyve done exactly the same number of nuclear tests. They keep track and deliberately dont do more, in order to avoid setting off an imbalance. Are there any areas where our fears are overblown? I dont think you can be too concerned, where nuclear weapons are involved, because theyre so destructive. Youve criticized our nuclear defenses for the way they focus on intercepting limited attacks. Could you explain what this means and why its inadequate? The missile-defense system that weve deployed in Alaska and California involves interceptors which would fly out into space and try to hit, head-on, a missile coming from, say, North Korea. The trouble is, that system has done very poorly in flight-intercept tests and its been getting worse over time, when it ought to be getting better. If you go back over each test since, say, 2000, and look at why it failed, the reasons have varied. A couple failed because the interceptor never got off the ground; a couple failed because the interceptor never separated from its rocket booster. Its one of the most difficult things the Pentagon has ever tried to do. Youre trying to hit an enemy target thats going 1517,000 miles an hour. Youre going so fast that if you miss by an inch, you can miss by a mile. Meanwhile, what our development of this intercept system is doing is encouraging other countries to build better offense systems, so that they can overwhelm our missile defenses. Typically in the tests, theres only one target. Youre trying to shoot down one missile with another missile. Theres no reason why, if Russia were intent on attacking the United States, they would do it that way. They wouldnt just shoot one missile out of the blue and see what happened they would fire large numbers of them. Recently Russia tested an intermediate-range missile that could be nuclear that could hit Europe, lets say. If Russia builds a bunch of those, the missile defenses were building in Europe right now, in conjunction with NATO will be overwhelmed also. Our system in Europe has interceptors deployed in Romania, and proposed to be deployed, in a year or two, in Poland. Russia hates it because they think its aimed at them, and conservative members of Congress say it ought to be aimed at Russia just reinforcing what Russia worries about. So Russias inclination is to be able to overwhelm that system by building more and more missiles. So its a vicious cycle? Yes, thats how it works out. If Russia were deploying missile-defense systems in Cuba or Mexico, close to our borders, in the way that Romania and Poland are close to their borders, we wouldnt like that either. And if the numbers got very large, wed be just as concerned as Russia is. What is your worst nightmare of a nuclear disaster? I have two. One is that somebody builds or steals a nuclear weapon, overseas somewhere. A military faction, for instance. William Perry, the former secretary of Defense under Clinton, has a video outlining how this could happen. The other is that the United States and Russia will get into another nuclear-arms race and create a much more dangerous world than weve had heretofore. You see this in Congress, where various members are calling for new nuclear capabilities on the part of the United States which, obviously, Russia and China would feel they had to respond to. You see it also in a recent Defense Science Board report, where they recommend low-yield nuclear weapons as a way of deterring Russia the idea being that, because theyre low-yield, its more believable that we would actually use them. But, of course, if the idea is to make them more usable, that makes them more dangerous because they might actually get used! Theres a new bill Congress is working on called the Intermediate-Range Forces Treaty Preservation Act. Its ironic that they call it that. It would be more accurate to call it the Violation Act, because the things it recommends would all be violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty [a 1987 agreement that the U.S. and Russia would eliminate all their ground-launched missiles with a certain range capacity]. It hasnt been voted on or anything, so maybe it will never happen. But for example, theyre calling for a dual program of a dual-capable meaning they could be nuclear or nonnuclear road-mobile missile-launch system, with ranges between 500 kilometers and, say, 6,000 kilometers. Obviously, if the United States did something like that, Russia and China would feel very concerned and feel they had to respond. So this kind of sword-rattling could ultimately make the world a much more dangerous place. By and large, Americans arent viscerally afraid of nuclear war in the way they were in the 1950s and 60s. But how close are we actually to the threat of a nuclear holocaust, compared to the situation during the Cold War? Until very recently, I would have said that we were moving farther and farther away from nuclear war, because the U.S. and Russian stockpiles have been going down, and because other countries that have nuclear weapons have been restrained. They could have built many more than they have so far. And because of this general attitude that nuclear weapons are simply not acceptable anymore, as a moral matter, and that no sane U.S. president would ever use them. But more recently, with the sword-rattling we are talking about, Ive become more concerned. You mean since the last campaign cycle began? Exactly. Preet Bharara. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images The front page of the New York Post on Sunday, the day after U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was fired by President Donald Trump, was great, in a Post-ian way: a photo-illustration of a smiling, bleary-eyed Bill de Blasio, holding a Champagne flute and wearing a purplish party hat, above the giant headline PREETY HAPPY: Xmas comes early for de Blasio as Trump fires foe Bharara. But the folks down at City Hall, and on the mayors reelection campaign team, arent celebrating just yet. True, Bharara had been tormenting de Blasio for nearly a year, with details of a pay-to-play investigation of the mayor and top aides dribbling out. And Bhararas probe along with a separate one by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance is the only major wild card standing in the way of de Blasios reelection this fall. Bhararas swift exit, as one of 46 U.S. Attorneys suddenly given the gate by Trump and new attorney general Jeff Sessions, actually introduces a new level of uncertainty and risk for Team de Blasio. They didnt mind if things dragged out into early April, keeping the field of possible challengers in the September Democratic primary frozen. But if bad news, in the form of indictments, is inevitable, theyd prefer that it arrive with enough time left for de Blasio to recover. So the mayors defense lawyers had recently been pushing Bharara to make a decision sooner rather than later, by arguing that Bharara would be seen as pulling a Comey and putting his thumb on the voting scales if he waited much longer. Now, though, the mayors advisers are concerned that the transition from Bharara to whichever Republican Trump installs will slow things down to the point where the timing of any possible indictments inflicts greater damage. Another worrisome prospect for de Blasio and his team is that the internal dynamic of the U.S. Attorneys office may have shifted in a way that makes an indictment more likely than it would been under Bharara. Bharara, for all his attraction to the spotlight, was generally cautious when it came to bringing charges. As are most U.S. Attorneys, for professional and personal reasons: They take their legal responsibilities seriously, and they dont like to lose, because the boss gets the blame, particularly in high-profile cases. Line assistants the prosecutors in individual departments are commonly much more eager to test their cases in court. With Bharara out, his deputy Joon Kim becomes interim U.S. Attorney. Kim is well-respected, and a close friend of Bhararas, so the basic trajectory of the de Blasio case should stay the same. Another key player is Lisa Zornberg, the chief of the criminal division, who is reputed to be a highly aggressive prosecutor. She will probably want to move the de Blasio case to a conclusion before Trump names a replacement not out of any partisan political calculation, but to follow through on the investigations natural momentum before the office is engulfed in an overhaul and a years worth of work stalls out. On the other hand, if the de Blasio case has hit a dead end, Zornberg will probably want to drop it and move on to other business. Just because Bharara doesnt get to make that call anymore doesnt mean hes done with big decisions. He became a pop-culture as well as a legal star during his nearly eight years in office not just by convicting Wall Street fraudsters, international arms dealers, and two of New York states top-three politicians, but by doing it with a flair for the headline-stoking phrase. National magazines put his face on the cover; Bruce Springsteen shouted Bhararas name from the stage. Bhararas departure is bad for the criminal-justice system, but he played his ouster deftly in political and public-relations terms. Somehow all the details of Bhararas principled refusal to resign made it to reporters; then, having forced Trumps hand, Bharara himself broke the news of his firing on Twitter. To his detractors, it was one more overhyped, grandstanding performance. To Bhararas liberal fans, it reinforced his credibility as a tough-minded, independent, populist hero. The second one is an enviable image for a potential New York politician. Bharara has consistently and repeatedly claimed to have no interest in running for office. Yet he has just as strenuously insisted that lasting, meaningful ethics reform, something he genuinely cares about, could only come from inside government. Bhararas skills as a leader and administrator are better suited to being a mayor than governor. The timing and the optics of making a 2017 bid, however, are awful: He would need to go from investigating de Blasio to running against him within weeks, something that smacks of unseemly conflict of interest. Another scenario could be a 2018 grudge match against Governor Andrew Cuomo, who by all indications will be seeking a third term in Albany. Not that it would be an easy route for Bharara: In a primary battle against Cuomo for the Democratic nomination Bharara is a registered Democrat he would face some daunting disadvantages; and while its conceivable he could run as an independent candidate, the financial and ballot obstacles could be even more formidable. (A third, bank-shot possibility: State attorney general Eric Schneiderman takes on Cuomo and Bharara runs for AG.) If the Bharara-Cuomo face-off does materialize, it would be irresistible political theater between two masters of strategy, and the press, who have jabbed at and stalked each other for years. At the height of Bhararas probes of Albany corruption, in back-to-back midtown speeches, the two men advanced wildly different views of the political game. How do you get to compromise? How do you get it done? How do you avoid disagreement? Cuomo said. Government is not a debating society. I want to be judged on what we actually got done Nothing is linked. Everything is linked. How many past bills were born of bribery? How many items in the budget? How much of the work of city and state government is tarnished by tawdry graft? And how much will be, unless there is some reform? Bharara asked, several blocks away. Public corruption has a massive opportunity cost, and it is a cost that no one can afford anymore the problem of corruption in New York is systemic, not merely episodic. Its easy to imagine a 2018 contest as a riveting fight over the nature of New York states political culture. The governor would have a massive advantage in fundraising Cuomo has at least $22 million in the bank now, which could grow to $40 million by next year and in upstate Democratic votes. Bhararas appeal, though, would be that hes an un-bought, crusading outsider, and his already-high name recognition in the city would be supplemented by an abundance of free media. On Sunday afternoon, barely 24 hours after his firing was official, Bharara was already taking shots at Cuomo. By the way, he tweeted, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like. It was a reference to Cuomos abrupt unplugging, in 2014, of an Albany corruption inquiry that had outlived its purpose as a political tool. The governors move infuriated Bharara and led, indirectly, to his indicting one of Cuomos closest aides. Bharara has lost his job as U.S. Attorney, but he clearly hasnt lost his sense of humor or his desire to get under the governors skin. Does he really want to go any deeper than that? Colleagues believe a run for office remains a long shot. Besides, even without climbing down from the pedestal and taking on de Blasio or Cuomo in a messy campaign, Bharara already has the material to write a pretty good book. And then, if Bharara really wants to run for something big, in 2020 he can try to fire the man who just fired him. New York, New York, during the blizzard of 1888, with snow piled up in front of a New York store. Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images New York City is bracing for a ferocious March blizzard. The Noreaster will likely dump between 12 to 18 inches of snow in the five boroughs. If those predictions hold, the storm could bust the months one-day snowfall record of 16.5 inches, set more than a century ago, in March 1888. Mayor Bill de Blasio has already gifted public-school students a snow day, and the run on local grocery stores is in full swing. The MTA just announced it will shut down above-ground subway service at 4 a.m. To get an experts read on this blizzard, Daily Intelligencer called up New York Metro Weather meteorologist John Homenuk to explain why winter is coming back. Lets start with a key data point: How much snow are we going to get in New York? I would expect at least a foot. The official forecast is 15 to 18 [inches], with the potential for more. Its not going to be something that builds up gradually its going to come in pretty intense tomorrow morning, starting a little after midnight. If anyone is trying to commute tomorrow, its going to be a disaster. Id recommend not doing that. Theres going to be some really strong winds, the potential for gusts up to 45 miles per hour. Whatever you think that the definition of a blizzard is in your head, thats what tomorrow is going to be. Is anywhere on the East Coast going to be spared? Not really. From Washington and Philly up into northern New Jersey, there will be significant snowfall everywhere likewise up into Boston and almost all of southern New England. The east coast is bracing for a major winter storm set to hit Monday night through Tuesday night. https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP for the latest. pic.twitter.com/7PXi0uDWlD National Weather Service (@NWS) March 12, 2017 Clearly this is an unusual storm system. Whats going on? You have one disturbance which is going to be over the Mississippi Valley, and another one thats coming down from the Great Lakes, and theyre going to interact with each other. The initial disturbance over the Mississippi Valley slides east toward the mid-Atlantic, and the second one from the Great Lakes kind of swings down and scoops it up. That creates a very powerful storm off the mid-Atlantic coast. This GOES infrared imagery shows the system slated to bring a late- season snowstorm to the NE tonight. Forecast @ https://t.co/t7tKtPbAJ4. pic.twitter.com/1mtUd4jmYQ NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) March 13, 2017 Whats behind the recent spell of bitter cold in New York? We knew this was coming when forecast models started to show what we call high-latitude blocking. That is, a ridge of high pressure forms in the upper latitudes up near Greenland, the Pole, northern Canada and all the cold air thats normally bottled up in those high latitudes gets dislodged and moves further south. So you have all the ingredients: You have the cold air to the north, and you have the block keeping the cold air there. Its slowing everything down to allow this storm to form. How rare is it for this kind of a big storm in March? Significant snow is pretty common in March. The record was set by a March storm in 1888. If we get 15, 18 inches it would be a very memorable storm for March and anything above that would be the number one. It is not uncommon for significant snow to fall in March in #NYC. Here are the top 5 snowfalls March 1 or later since 1869. pic.twitter.com/dCDU9NiUOA NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) March 12, 2017 It sounds like it will take a while to dig out, and based on the forecast, it doesnt look like its going to melt anytime soon. It definitely looks like temperatures will be below normal for the next several days, at least. The blocking is beginning to break down a bit, but the cold air will hang around a while before things start to moderate. Umbrella struggles have not improved since 1888. Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Is there any more snow on the horizon? Nothing like this. This is the one that weve been watching. This could be the big one of the year. And when is it going to feel like spring again? I would give it a week, then we can start talking about spring weather. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Its now been over a week since President Trump claimed that former president Obama wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign. Trump hasnt offered any proof of the right-wing conspiracy theory, though that didnt stop him from demanding that Congress investigate the matter. Representatives of Obama have denied the allegations, and no Republican lawmakers or Trump administration officials have been willing to get behind the presidents claims except for, it seems, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway. In an interview with the Bergen County Record, Conway suggested that Obamas supposed surveillance of Trump may have been something much more than a simple wiretap: What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other, Conway said as the Trump presidency marked its 50th day in office during the weekend. You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of ways. Conway went on to say that the monitoring could be done with microwaves that turn into cameras, adding: We know this is a fact of modern life. Like her boss, Conway didnt provide anything to corroborate her statements. Meanwhile, the House Intelligence Committee has asked that any evidence of the presidents wiretapping assertion be submitted by Monday. That request seems unlikely to be met, but if it is, keep an eye on the microwaves. Yeah, keep the bullhorns out and the outrage fresh: Midterm elections almost always reward negative campaigning. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images One of the big arguments about the catastrophe that engulfed Democrats last November 8 involves the alleged insufficiency of Hillary Clintons positive message for what she would do as president. This is a particularly frequent criticism levied by former supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders, who thought a populist economic message might have trumped Trump in ways that negative attacks on his character and issue positions could not achieve. In many cases this was, of course, part of a larger argument that a candidate like Clinton was disabled owing to her Wall Street ties and allegedly unprincipled centrism, but the sour grapes involved do not invalidate the claim that going medieval on Trump was not enough. This may be an argument worth continuing in the run-up to the next presidential election, when another Democrat will likely face Trump. But the case for a positive agenda for Democrats in 2020 should not be confused with the very different question of what might work in the midterm elections of 2018. And the best answer for 2018 is that Democrats should accentuate the negative all day long. As Michelle Cottle argues persuasively at the Atlantic, midterms are fundamentally different from presidential elections in that they are almost always a referendum on the party controlling the White House, not comparative contests with positive and negative messages from each party competing on an equal plane. She quotes political scientist Larry Sabato on the recent history of midterms: Sabato ran through a litany of midterm outcomes from the past six decades, including Democratic wins in 1958 (Ikes poor economy), 1974 (anti-Watergate, anti-Nixon pardon), and 1982 (Reagans poor economy), and Republican wins in 1966 (anti-Vietnam War, Great Society backlash), 1994 (Clintons poor economy and controversies), and 2010 (anti-Obamacare, continuing poor economy). In every case, for each party, said Sabato, victory wasnt delivered on account of a terrific positive platform but because of a negative reaction to the policies and actions of the incumbent president and/or Congress. Some might argue that 1994, when Republicans conquered Congress after campaigning on a vague but comprehensive-sounding ten-point Contract With America, shows the potential power of a positive midterm message. Thats the legend, but in truth Pew found on the eve of that election that only one in three voters had ever heard of the contract, and it had virtually no net effect on voting preferences. It is true that midterm negativity can be taken to counterproductive lengths, as occurred in 1998 when the GOP effort to impeach Bill Clinton backfired pretty badly. Four years later, Democrats struggled even more in a midterm, partly because they alternated between attacking and agreeing with George W. Bush in that security-haunted era, and partly because 9/11 gave Bush a level of extraordinary popularity that had only partially worn off by 2002 (his approval rating on Election Day was 63 percent). By and large, though, the presidential party loses ground in midterms, and the opposition party can enhance the natural backlash by piling on, not by offering alternative courses of action that most voters will simply ignore. Cottle emphasizes the example set by Democrats last time they were in this position, after George W. Bush was reelected along with GOP majorities in Congress. They began by going crazy negative on W.s proposal to partially privatize Social Security, and then W.s own mistakes began to snowball: Broadly, 2006 was a referendum on Bush 43s job approval, which had taken a major hit thanks to his shabby handling of Hurricane Katrina and, more importantly, his Iraq war folly. Democrats beat those drums hard. They also spotlighted a string of nasty scandals plaguing congressional Republicans during that period. (Anyone recall Mark Foleys penchant for teenage House pages?) And so Democrats carried the day, despite having put forth nothing remotely approaching a grand governing message, or even a cohesive brand identity. The durable bitterness of the Clinton-Sanders contest of 2016 should not obscure the fact that Democrats maintained a significantly broader ideological tent in 2006 than they do today, if only because the partys Southern wing had not entirely atrophied. Democrats would have been hard-pressed to come up with a unifying, positive agenda. So they didnt even try, and prospered anyway. Donald Trump dominates the political landscape today in ways that George W. Bush or indeed, any president since Ronald Reagan, or arguably Lyndon Johnson could not have dreamed of equaling. His popularity ratio, however, is far worse than any recent president at this early stage of his presidency. It is an environment tailor-made for a bad White House midterm and for an opposition focused intently on making it worse. For a donkey party searching to regain its kick, the positive stuff can come later. A photo of Michael Brown at the teens funeral in 2014. Photo: Robert Cohen-Pool/Getty Images A new documentary about the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown at the hands of a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer contains previously unreported security footage which, according to the filmmaker and Browns family, complicates the police narrative about Browns final moments. Though the new footage does not pertain to the shooting itself, they claim it demonstrates that the black teenager did not, as Ferguson police had claimed, rob a convenience store in the minutes before he was confronted and killed by officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. After Browns death, police had released security footage, taken minutes before Brown encountered Wilson, from a nearby convenience store that shows the teen assaulting a store employee and taking packages of cigarillos. Per the New York Times, the new documentary Stranger Fruit, which premiered on Saturday at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, releases new security footage from the same store that the film uses as evidence to contend that Brown had already paid for the cigarillos the previous evening via a trade. The new footage, recorded at around 1 a.m. on August 9 about 11 hours before Browns fatal encounter with Wilson shows the teen giving something to employees at the store, which Stranger Fruit filmmaker Jason Pollock contends was a small bag of marijuana. In the video, the store clerks are seen inspecting and smelling the bag. They then put two boxes of cigarillos in a bag and hand them to Brown, who walks away, then quickly returns and hands the bag back to the clerks, who put it behind the counter. It seems, from the video, that Brown and the store employees may have known each other. Pollack and Browns mother assert that Brown had in fact traded some weed for the cigarillos, then had the store employees hold them for him. When Brown returned later that day, they argue, he was simply attempting to pick them up from a different employee. A lawyer for the convenience store, Jay Kanzler, disputes this claim to the Times, saying that, There was no understanding [between Brown and the clerks]. No agreement. Those folks didnt sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back. Around 12 p.m. on August 9, Brown and a friend were recorded returning to the store, and that footage shows Brown shoving a clerk and taking cigarillos. Wilson, who said he was notified by police dispatch of the store robbery and descriptions of the suspects, then confronted Brown and his friend nearby. Thats when the controversial shooting happened. Pollack, who works with filmmaker Michael Moore, sought out the video after reading a minor comment about it in a police report. He speculates that the police only released the second video because they wanted to destroy Browns character after his death, and not releasing the earlier video shows their intention to make [Brown] look bad and indicates a suppression of evidence. A spokesperson for the St. Louis County Police told the Times that they did not release the earlier video because they did not believe it was relevant to the investigation into the shooting. Wilson, who claimed he shot Brown in self defense, was eventually cleared of wrongdoing in the case by both a grand jury and federal investigators, but Browns death which was widely perceived to be racially motivated and the large-scale Ferguson protests which followed it, became one of the key events leading to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and an important national debate about police violence, profiling, and criminal justice. Browns parents have filed a federal civil suit against Wilson and the city of Ferguson over the death of their son. Judge James Robart, who stopped implementation of the first travel ban, refused to simply extend his order to the revised ban. If in revising its travel ban the Trump administration wanted to avoid the blizzard of judicial interventions that beset its initial effort, they are off to a pretty good start. Released on March 6, the new ban is scheduled to take effect March 16, and at this point the only broad-based challenge to its implementation is the State of Hawaiis claim that it still violates constitutional prohibitions on religious discrimination, and also abrogates the free-association rights of citizens with family members affected by the ban. District Court Judge Derrick Watson will hold a hearing on Hawaiis petition on March 15. There is a chance the judge who more or less stopped the first travel ban, District Court Judge James Robart of Seattle, could get a second bite at the apple. But over the weekend Robart rejected an effort by the state of Washington (joined by New York and Oregon) to simply apply his order against implementation of the first ban to the other. As Lyle Denniston explains, hes not ruling out later action, but is definitely demanding evidence the new ban has the same flaws as its predecessor: Robart noted, pointedly, that his prior order had come in reaction to the initial White House order, because that was the one the two states had contested in their first challenge.That comment seemed to send a signal that the states lawyers will have to convince him explicitly that the revised order is as much a violation of the Constitution and federal laws as was the first version, rather than persuading him of the simpler view that he should simply extend the prior ban on enforcement. Meanwhile, still another federal judge in Wisconsin, William Conley, granted a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the new travel ban against a particular Syrian family, one of whose members is already in the United States. The legal status of this family is especially murky, and the government argues the ban doesnt apply to these people anyway. But Conley is protecting their status until it can be sorted out. It is hard to see how this order threatens the ban generally. In no small part because the revisions to the travel ban were designed to exempt people in transit or with legitimate visas, we probably wont see anything like the chaos that characterized implementation of the first travel ban in January, or the obvious grounds for temporary judicial intervention. The revised ban is still vulnerable to the argument that its history shows a consistent effort to discriminate against Muslims. But unless something dramatic happens in the next 72 hours, the new policy will take effect as scheduled. President Trump with all the federal workers he wants to keep in D.C. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images President Trump is expected to propose his budget this week and the severe cuts to non-military discretionary spending could result in a wave of pink slips in D.C., the Washington Post reports. Trumps budget, which is not final, will reflect his campaign promises to make the military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody absolutely nobody is going to mess with us. But to offset the $54 billion increase in military spending he will seek, Trump will ask for cuts in spending on housing, the environment, government research, and foreign assistance. The requested cuts, which will need Congressional approval to become law, are expected to be so deep that one expert told the Post they will lead to an employment reduction of 1.8 percent in the D.C. area and a 3.5 percent drop in personal income. These are not the kind of cuts that you can accommodate by tightening the belt one notch, by shaving a little bit off of a program, or by downsizing a few staff here or there, said Robert Reischauer, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office. These are cuts that would require a wholesale triage of a vast array of federal activities. Despite winning the election by promising millions of Americans that hed bring back their jobs, President Trump is more than willing to fire those who work for the federal government. As National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn explained on Fox News Sunday, Trump has no choice. With no alternative but to boost military spending, cuts must be made elsewhere, he said. And then the former Goldman Sachs exec, who walked away from the bank with a nine-digit compensation package, provided a helpful lesson on family budgeting. Its no different than every other family in America that has to make the tough decisions when they need to spend money somewhere, they have to cut it from somewhere else. Scratching backs. Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters Throughout his six-decade career working on three continents, Rupert Murdoch has used his media properties to advance the prospects of politicians whose policies help his business interests. Whether it was Margaret Thatchers union-busting in the 1980s or Rudy Giulianis campaign to put Fox News on Time Warners cable system in the 1990s, Murdoch went all-out for leaders who allowed him to protect and expand his corporate empire. Since Election Day, Murdoch, now the executive chairman of Fox News, has personally nudged the network in a more pro-Trump direction, sources tell me. That effort included anointing Trump-friendly Tucker Carlson as the successor to Megyn Kelly as host in the 9 p.m. slot. Fox News staffers are also grumbling that segments now have to fit a pro-Trump narrative, one insider told me. Trump seems to be returning the goodwill: He asked Murdoch to submit names for FCC commissioner and tweeted praise for Fox News. Hes even taken policy ideas from the network. Now Murdoch may be poised to reap a much bigger win from a Trump administration action. Thats because on Saturday Trump oversaw the firing of Preet Bharara, the U.S attorney for the Southern District of Manhattan, whose office is in the middle of a high-profile federal investigation of Fox News. The probe, according to sources, is looking at a number of potential crimes, including whether Fox News executives broke laws by allegedly obtaining journalists phone records or committed mail and wire fraud by hiding financial settlements paid to women who accused Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. Sources told me that prosecutors have been offering witnesses immunity to testify before a federal grand jury thats already been impaneled. Trumps decision to fire Bharara ignited speculation that it was designed to blunt investigations like the Fox News probe. In November, Trump had promised Bharara he could remain in the job. But on Friday, he reversed course and requested Bhararas resignation along with 45 other Obama-appointed U.S. attorneys. (Adding to the intrigue, Trumps prosecutor purge came less than 24 hours after Sean Hannity said on Fox News that Trump should purge the Justice Department of Obama-appointed officials.) Given that Fox News is Murdochs most profitable division, the prospect of indictments is a serious problem. Theyre really worried, one source close to the network said. Another insider said that Fox News executives considered the investigation political because Bharara had been appointed by Barack Obama. Which is why, for Murdoch, it must be a relief that Bhararas replacement could be an ally. According to the Times, Trumps short list to replace Bharara includes Marc Mukasey who just happens to be former Fox News chief Roger Ailess personal lawyer. Considering Mukaseys close relationship with Ailes, he would surely come under pressure to recuse himself from the Fox News probe if he were appointed by Trump to succeed Bharara. I have no comment, Mukasey said when I reached him on Sunday evening and asked if he planned to do so, should he get the job. Why waste the day alone when we can warm each other up. Some dude in Queens Photo: Toshi Sasaki/Getty Images A blizzard watch has been issued for parts of the northeastern United States starting Monday evening, including New York City. If the storm or Stella as its being called by meteorologists, and by people on Twitter making the same A Streetcar Named Desire jokes on repeat actually hits the city, New York is looking at up to a foot and a half of snow. So naturally, New Yorkers are now flocking to Craigslist to participate in what has become a time-honored tradition in inclement weather: looking for a blizzard buddy. Who wants to fuck during the blizzard? Looking for my horny people who want to get a motel room and fuck thru the Storm. Cover for room. Pic and stats. Hung men and bi women preferred! Blizzard is coming maybe we can chill inside and keep each other company all nite and all day while we wait the storm out. Ill be the gentleman of course make sure house is stacked with snacks and everything else we will need. Just be good company is all I ask so whos down ?? A cursory search of the Craigslist personal section for terms like blizzard, snow, Stella, and Id like to have sex with you mostly because my radiator is broken, currently yields plenty of results. This number is only likely to grow if and when Stella actually arrives. Each one sounds like a very legitimate proposition, too. Looking at you here 40-year-old dude in Brooklyn offering tequila, 420, and freaky fun before the storm. I have no plans so far for tonight. Be nice to meet someone new for a night out or in :) some FUN b4 the blizzard ; ) Not into any drama queens or anyone into any kind of games Normal & sane & real male 4 normal sane real female. chat and trading pics first is a must some good fun conversation and couple of drinks would be a good simple way to start, or feel free to offer anything else more exciting .. Im looking for that attractive Caucasian woman who is around after work today and can provide som time together with me, getting to know one another. We can get together at my place for this evening and have a wonderful time. You will be rewarded for this enjoyable time. Would you consider sending your picture for a quick response. Fair warning, should you go guy hunting through the personals on your own, there are a fair number of dick pics awaiting you. Significantly more, Id say, than when people flocked to Craigslist in January 2016 during Winter Storm Jonas. (2017 truly is a desperate time.) If thats what youre looking for, congrats! If not, perhaps wait until you leave work to seek your storm companion. Plus, itll give you something to do while standing in the miles-long line at your neighborhood grocery store. Michel Temer. Photo: Rolex Dena Pena/Pool/Getty Images In August of 2016, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was impeached and her vice-president, Michel Temer, took her place. As part of his new position, Temer, 76, and wife Marcella, 33, moved into the official presidential residence, Alvorada Palace but then moved back to the vice-presidents residence, Jaburu Palace, shortly afterward. And he has a very good, very relatable reason for the relocation: ghosts. I felt something strange there. I wasnt able to sleep right from the first night. The energy wasnt good, he reportedly told Brazilian news outlet Veja. We even started to wonder: Could there be ghosts? Say no more: Bad vibes are bad vibes. But for the future, Mr. Temer, may we recommend stocking up on your crystals? Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer, and Buster Keaton, in Paris Pursuit for Harpers Bazaar, Paris, August 9, 1959. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation It was Christian Dior who gave the late photographer Richard Avedon his big break. In 1948, Avedon flew to Paris to photograph Diors iconic New Look. As a photographer with a penchant for capturing street-style fashion, Avedon decided to approach shooting the New Look in a revolutionary way. Breaking away from the stoic and posed fashion photography of the time, Avedon shot his models in motion, photographing them lounging at cafes and wandering around the streets of Paris. Avedons France: Old World New Look, available now from Abrams, celebrates Avedons relationship with the country that continuously inspired him. The tome highlights some of the most iconic images Avedon shot in France, from portraiture of French sitters, shots of Audrey Hepburn roaming the streets of Paris, and work for various other fashion campaigns or French magazines from as early as the 40s to the mid-90s. Click ahead to see pictures of Audrey Hepburn on the set of Funny Face in Paris, Mel Ferrer posed in a photo booth, stunning shots of the French ballerina Sylvie Guillem, Truman Capote, and Avedons other odes to France. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Margot McKendry and China Machado with members of the French Press, Paris Studio, August 24, 1961. Dresses by Lanvin-Castillo and Heim. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Catherine Deneuve, actress, Los Angeles, September 22, 1968. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Avedon Photomatic Photograph of Mel Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn, and Truman Capote, 1957. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer, and Buster Keaton, in Paris Pursuit for Harpers Bazaar, Paris, August 9, 1959. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Jeanne Moreau, actor, Paris, 1962. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Yves Montand and Simone Signoret, actors, New York, October 23, 1959. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Sylvie Guillem, dancer, New York, March 11, 1991. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Audrey Hepburn, actress, on the set of Funny Face, Paris, 1956. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Marguerite Duras, writer, Paris, May 21, 1993. Photo: Photographs by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Avedons France: Old World New Look published by Abrams. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Auburn University student Kaylee McCormack has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to attend the Technical University of Denmark in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, this fall. McCormack, a senior in the Honors College majoring in chemical engineering with the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, will conduct her research under the direction of Anker Jensen in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the university. A native of Palm Bay, Florida, McCormack has a 3.98 grade point average, and for the past two years has conducted undergraduate research with Michael Squillacote, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry. McCormacks research explores viable methods to form polymers that photodegrade to common gases to be used as photoresists. "The Fulbright award is an acknowledgment of Kaylee's hard work and her potential for future accomplishments," said Melissa Baumann, assistant provost and director of the Honors College. "She is community-minded yet has a global perspective, and is an outstanding representative of Auburn University. We wish her great success during her fellowship studies." In addition to her extensive undergraduate research, McCormack serves as vice president of Honors Serves, an Honors College service initiative, as a consultant in the Miller Writing Center and as power mechanism team captain with the Auburn American Institute of Chemical Engineers Car Team. She is an Emmett Reader Award recipient in the Department of Philosophy and currently serves as the philanthropy chair for Honors Congress. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential. McCormack submitted her application under the guidance of Paul Harris and Ken Thomas with the National Prestigious Scholars Program located in the Honors College. I liked both episodes of Elementary and The Good Fight this week. Goddamn, Lucy Liu and babies. They just work. Also that is the calmest baby ever. The Good Fight. Lucca quoted Alicia Florrick in her post coital bliss with Colin. McHart is still strong but Diane ain't going back. While on the subject of Diane, named partner and brought Chumhum in less than a month after leaving her old firm. Brava Diane! What else? CARRIE PRESTON IS AMAZING AS FUCKING ELSBETH TASCIONI. Never underestimate Elsbeth. Reply Thread Link I'm not caught up yet but seriously, how many times has Chumhum changed representation throughout the series, I've lost count lol. Neil Gross and Elsbeth Tascioni have always been great guest characters so I'm looking forward to their episodes. Reply Parent Thread Link We had such an amazing time filming! #ArchieWinters #elementary @HolmesWatson221 @ELEMENTARYStaff @Elementary_CBS @LucyLiu @opheliabits pic.twitter.com/2cV0MxWE6p Brittany Orzechowski (@brittnicole377) 13 March 2017 Oh my Gregson, those cheeks!! Good thing Kitty didn't make two persons. There would have been too much cuteness on my screen. I'm sad that Shinwell didn't show up this week but I'm glad that Margaret is not a nefarious nanny. Stay away from Victorian sex toys. Oh my Gregson, those cheeks!! Good thing Kitty didn't make two persons. There would have been too much cuteness on my screen.I'm sad that Shinwell didn't show up this week but I'm glad that Margaret is not a nefarious nanny. Stay away from Victorian sex toys. Reply Thread Link I've watched the first two episodes and so far I'm liking everything and everyone, except the Rindells. (They remind me of Peter Florrick?) I'm still waiting for courtroom Diane to show up. Either TGF or FX's Feud is going to win the Emmys for main title design and music. Reply Thread Link Courtroom Diane shows up in episode three. Rindells piss me off as well. Maia is lovable but her parents. GODDAMNIT. Reply Parent Thread Link Thanks. I don't want Diane and her firm to represent the Rindells but inevitably the show is going to make her do just that, isn't it? I find myself rooting for Maia as much as I did Alicia in her first season. No sympathy whatsoever for her parents, though. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah the rindells are def not my favorite part of the show Reply Parent Thread Link Maia is alright, I guess, as long as she's talking to or about her parents. Reply Parent Thread Link i hope she gets to work on cases that aren't about her parents! like i don't expect a season 1 alicia trajectory from her since maia just passed the bar, but i wanna see her, yknow... work for clients? Reply Parent Thread Link i can't hate on maia's family showing up because i live for queen bernadette Reply Parent Thread Link I'm loving Elementary this season but from what I've read it's pretty certain that this is the last year. :( :( I want all the new eps but I don't want the season to end. Reply Thread Link Most of CBS's new shows are not doing that well, so fingers crossed they'll renew Elementary for another season, as long as it's still profitable. Reply Parent Thread Link It can't go. :( It is me and my mom's favorite. Reply Parent Thread Link What's that on your head, Bell Reply Thread Link I'm LOVING TGF!!!!! I'm SO happy to have my bb Elsbeth back and OMG the way she OWNED Matthew Perry's character tonight!!! DAMN I watched and rewatched those scenes and cackled tf out because I hate his character and I'm annoyed asf that he's back. I hope she becomes a regular because she's magic. The Chumhum fucker pissed me off with the "my current lawyers are old white men but these guys, these guys know how to fight" comments! These are lawyers, Ivy League educated and still he sees them as thugs!!!! WTAF I can't believe Diane or Eli's daughter didn't say anything. I'm still not loving the rindells stuff but JFC at her father doing that to her! Her parents really ain't shit and I hope she goes in on them before they do anything else. The relationship things were cute, I'm happy about everything that happened. Also loved tonight's Elementary. With all the talk about his dad I was hoping he'd make an appearance or safe the day with his shady business but that didn't happen. The last scene was lovely and I was happy to see the NSA guy again. Reply Thread Link The Chumhum fucker pissed me off with the "my current lawyers are old white men but these guys, these guys know how to fight" comments! These are lawyers, Ivy League educated and still he sees them as thugs!!!! WTAF I can't believe Diane or Eli's daughter didn't say anything. I didn't see it that way at all. He meant fight in the courtroom, he was clearly referring to their work defending that tv writer; because his "old white men" lawyers were all Trump types, and he wanted someone to go after Trump in the court room the way conservative lawyers went after Obama. Edited at 2017-03-13 07:06 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link 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 Reply Thread Link Anytime Maia says "he is my father"...i just want to slap her across the face. Reply Thread Link Need to watch Madame Secretary Reply Thread Link i came in here to say "what i'm not the only person who watches it?" and i'm happy i saw your comment! idgaf i legit love that show, tea leoni is great and her character is inspiring. we need more women like her character in this world! Reply Parent Thread Link i loooove madam secretary. i never picked it back up when s3 started so my plan is to binge this summer. i'm barely managing the shows i find the time to watch as is! Reply Parent Thread Link I'm behind on eps for this year DX Where can I watch episodes 11 & 12 Reply Thread Link I watched the first ep of The Good Fight but I wasn't into it? Does it get better? Maybe I'm just burned out from this Good Wife universe Reply Thread Link madam secretary was so good last night! i love this show. i'm so behind on elementary this season that i might just give it up idk. Reply Thread Link loving tgf. ELSBETH! she was always my fav. enjoying elementary, i really hope it doesn't end this year Reply Thread Link Last week, when Saudi Arabia let it leak that the kingdom has no intention of leading OPEC toward another cut in production to accommodate the growing volumes of oil from American shale deposits, it was another sign that the Saudi war on shale actually never ended. To properly understand this announcement, we need to return to last fall. Most people believed then that the cuts agreed to by OPEC under Saudi leadership marked the end of Saudi Arabia's war on shale oil in America. At the time I cautioned against such a conclusion, and said I was doubtful that there would actually be any decline in world oil production because the Saudis didn't really want a decline. And, guess what? The OPEC cuts have yet to be fully implemented and have been offset by rising production elsewhere. Furthermore, the Saudis are now complaining that the Russians who, though not part of OPEC, agreed to cuts to support prices, are not keeping their end of the bargain. The Saudis are practicing a marvelous bit of misdirection to keep any blame away from themselves. With the Saudis, it's always necessary to look at the entire game board in order to understand their moves. So, why are the Saudis content to allow oil prices to remain this low and possibly drift lower? I believe it's because their war on shale never ended; they mean to destroy the long-term financial viability of oil from shale deposits--and that job won't be finished until investors say, "Never again!" Related: Can Oil Supply Keep Up With Surging Demand? Apparently, investors in American shale deposits have very short memories, or they have not had enough punishment. They continue to pour money into the Permian Basin located in Texas and New Mexico. The Permian is likely to be the only U.S. shale oil deposit that will see growth in oil production this year as low prices continue to take their toll on other shale plays such as the Bakken in North Dakota. But there are only so many profitable sites in the Permian, and with the continuing rush of capital into the area, the good ones will start to run short at some point. We'll only know that's happened when the second great wave of wealth destruction in the shale fields begins as I suspect it will in the not-to-distant future. And don't be surprised if the Saudis are content to let oil prices drop into the $20 range again just to get their point across. As the next round of capital destruction begins, be prepared for stories about how dramatic efficiency gains in drilling operations are making it possible to bank profits in the Permian at an oil price of $40 per barrel. Then watch the same story repeat for $30 per barrel. Related: Why Is Big Oil Backing The Paris Climate Agreement? The last time we saw this movie there were dubious claims that oil in the higher-cost Bakken could be extracted profitably even with prices at $30 per barrel. As prices have stabilized around $50 per barrel, Bakken production has continued to decline. In part this has been because realized prices have been much lower due to lack of pipeline capacity. This has meant most Bakken oil must be shipped by rail tank car which is expensive. Maybe this time investors will finally feel the pain from their shale investments so profoundly that even a subsequent substantial rise in the price of oil won't lure many of them back. If so, the Saudis will finally achieve their goal, and the war on shale will end. By Kurt Cobb via Resource Insights More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Continued fighting between the Libyan National Army and the Benghazi Defense Brigades may cause the declaration of force majeure at two oil export terminals, a board member of the National Oil Corporation, Jadallah Al-Okli, said, also confirming that the fighting had forced the shutdown of several oil fields, which shaved off 80,000 bpd from the countrys recovering production. Clashes between the House of Representatives-affiliated LNA and the BDB, which has declared no affiliations, broke out earlier this month, focusing on two of the terminals, Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, which the LNA took over last September, along with the other two main oil export points in the Oil Crescent, Zueitina, and Brega. The LNA then handed control of the ports to the NOC, and exports of crude were resumed for the first time in about two years, during which the terminals were controlled by the Petroleum Facilities Guardan armed group affiliated with the UN-backed Libyan government, which, used its control of the terminals to extract money from various authorities. Now, it seems that Ras Lanuf and Es Sider are back in the hands of the PFG. The Benghazi Defense Brigades, which the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium lists as an Islamist group with ideology similar to that of Al Quaeda, was formed as opposition to Khalifa Haftars LNA and includes fighters from other groups that the LNA considers extremist, driving many of them out of Benghazi. Related; Libyan Oil May Be Slipping Out Of Putins Reach Before the latest clashes, Libya produced 700,000 barrels of oil daily, with plans to raise this to 1.1 million barrels by the end of the year. Over the weekend, a new political angle was added to the story: a U.S. military official accused Moscow of supporting Khaftar in a bid to gain control over the countrys oil wealth. Russias support for the LNA became clear earlier, after the head of a private security firm, RSB-group, told Reuters it had deployed military contractors to Libya in a region controlled by the LNA. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher, The HIPA foundation has announced that veteran photojournalist Elliott Erwitt has won the sixth annual Appreciation Award from the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Awards (HIPA). The announcement was made in advance of an awards ceremony on Wednesday for the HIPA competition, which provides over $400K in prizes and grants to photographers. The competition is sponsored by Dubais crown prince Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, a photography enthusiast. Erwitt, 88, is best known for his black-and-white photographs of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings, as well as portraits of 20th century icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Che Guevara and John F. Kennedy. After my long career in photography, it was most surprising and gratifying to receive the HIPA Appreciation Award, Erwitt says. It is especially rewarding to be in the company of my esteemed colleagues. Past winners include Steve McCurry, Sebastiao Salgado, Don McCullin and Oscar Mitri. Erwitt indicated that the prize money will go towards his current activities, which include the preparation of his book about Cuba, to be published in Fall 2017, along with exhibitions following the release. Additionally, HIPA has announced that the Bait Al Zubair Foundation, based in Oman, will receive the Photography Research/Report Award. The Bait Al Zubair Foundation was created with the mission to enrich and encourage arts and photography in Oman. The beneficial value of what our special award recipients contributed to the art of photography is priceless in todays day and age, says the Secretary General of HIPA, Ali bin Thalith. I am sure that the photographic community around the world will continue to appreciate the achievements of these pioneers and be inspired to achieve similar feats in the future. Erwitt and the Bait Al Zubair Foundation will be honored at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 15 in Dubai, when all the winners of HIPAs sixth annual competition will be announced. Related Articles: Aragon Renuncio Wins $120K Grand Prize in International Photo Contest Elliott Erwitt Sees in Color Elliott Erwitts Regarding Women Former President John Dramani Mahama has distanced himself from a programme purportedly being organized by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to celebrate him. He says he is not aware of any such programme, neither was the intention to have such a programme even communicated to him. There are NDC posters making the rounds that the former president is going to be celebrated on Saturday, March 18, in Accra. The programme, which is going to be in a form of a rally, is expected to take place at the Kawukudi Park at Nima from 10am to 2pm, and prospective participants have been asked to wear NDC/JM colours as the dress code. Titled, Celebrating former President John Dramani Mahama, the poster displays the picture of the former NDC presidential candidate in black and white wearing smock and also includes photographs of some of his flagship infrastructural projects like the Community Day Senior High School, the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange aka Dubai and what looks like the University of Ghana Medical School Hospital as side attractions. However, the office of the ex-president issued a statement yesterday through his spokesperson, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, denying Mr. Mahamas involvement in the said programme. The Office of the Former President, John Dramani Mahama has become aware of an advert announcing an event for the 18th of March, 2017 and intended to celebrate him, the statement said. While the former President appreciates the kind of thoughts of the initiators of the said event, he has directed me to indicate that he is unaware of the said programme; he has not been informed or invited to any such programme, and he has not provided any form of endorsement for the programme, it stated. Mrs. Bawa-Mogtari, a former Deputy Minister for Transport, has herself appeared to have stoked fire in the NDC with her recent purported comment that she would not care if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government rules for two terms (8 years). The former deputy minister, who was the spokesperson for Mahamas re-election campaign last year, reportedly said on Starr FM last Wednesday during the commemoration of the International Womens Day that it is normal for the NPP to rule in from 2016 to 2024 and that shows the beauty of Ghanas democracy. Well, I dont really mind if NPP rules for eight years; its democracy and really not an issue. When they lost, you can imagine how they felt when we moved into Flagstaff House and I know the feeling Weve all been there and that is the beauty of our democracy, she is reported as saying. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An unpublished Treasury document predicts that Theresa Mays plans to rely on World Trade Organisation tariffs in the case of a hard Brexit will cause a major economic shock and is worse than any other option.The document, which was leaked to the Independent , warns that crashing out of the EU without a trade deal is the "alternative to membership with the most negative long-term impact" on the economy.They say that the 36-page report uses language far stronger than that employed in the Treasury's published analysis of Brexit's long-term impact on the economy:Let us hope that the Prime Minister takes note. 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. How did I find myself in Pittsburgh? Thats a complicated question. I was born in Tampa to Greek immigrant parents, so my first few years were spent in Florida surrounded by a very Greek community. (There are more Greeks there than you might think.) Then we moved to Gary, Ind., where my father worked as a laborer for U.S. Steel. So, I guess, Im from Gary. When I was a little boy, my parents, my sister and I traveled to Greece for an extended visit, at which time I had the opportunity to meet many of our relatives. Greek was my first language, so the experience was not difficult for me. My family actually moved to Greece when I was 11, but decided to return to the U.S. when I was 13 so I could complete my education. I excelled at school and was always involved in many activities: student council, newspaper, orchestra, and so on. I played the violin and was pretty good. It was a unique and special distinction to be in our school orchestra, and it became a big part of my life. I also continued my studies in the Greek language and Greek history on weekends. But my main focus was on academics because I needed a scholarship to be able to go on to college. In my junior year, I transferred to a different high school because it had an outstanding theater program. It was a Catholic school (even though Im not Catholic) and there was a priest there who was a terrific stage director. I wanted very much to attend that school, which was a private institution, and was able to do so by choreographing the schools musical shows, which helped defray the high tuition costs. I graduated from high school in Indiana in 1971 and went to college (on scholarship) at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. It was the school I had dreamed of attending because I decided in high school that I wanted a life in the theater. At the time, and certainly in the geography of where I lived, Northwestern was the premier theater school. My experience there was wonderful and enriching and, after graduation, I moved to New York immediately. By that time, I was already a working actor. Next stop: Broadway, I thought. Well, Off Broadway, at least. It was exciting. My sister, who is six years my senior, was and is the most influential person in my life. She continues to teach, guide and inspire me. Shes an artist herself with incredibly sophisticated taste. She is adventurous and possesses so many different skills. She continues to surprise and astonish me with the range of her gifts, whether they are in painting or sculpture, or growing trees and flowers, interior design, landscaping or activism. (Shes a passionate supporter of animal rights.) Ever since I was a child, I read the books she read. I learned to play music on her violin, and started dabbling with art because she left her paintbrushes around. I still spend summers near her in Greece, where she and my mother, whos nearly 92, still live. And we are very, very close. My mother was a couture-level seamstress. A beautiful gown or a handsome mens suit was always being assembled somewhere in our home. People came from all over to have their wedding or cotillion dresses made by her. Even my father wore suits that my mother made and, therefore, was always the best-dressed laborer in Gary. In our family, the rule was to always present oneself impeccably. Its a standard that my mother maintains even now. How the table is set, the way that food is presented, and so on: it all matters. She had a sense of finished-ness in everything. Hopefully, my sister and I inherited some of that, though sometimes it was exhausting to live up to that standard when we were growing up. My parents, God bless them, were nurturing people, but were more interested in scholastic achievement than in personal expression. Part of that was their immigrant experience. They wanted to make sure that we were safe and secure before we were fabulous. And as you might guess, they did not like my choice of career. The theater was too insecure and, to them, undignified. It was a waste of what they considered my potential. In their eyes, it could only lead to unhappiness. They were not concerned so much about success. They were more concerned about honoring ones gifts. I think they saw me more in an intellectual light, rather than an artistic one. It was always a bone of contention between my parents and me. They kept hoping, even after I had some measure of success, that I would finally come to my senses. For me, a life in the theater became a very private and personal journey. It was something I did on my own and, I think, for that reason, if for no other, it has remained precious to me. Its something that I chose to do despite resistance. In my view, the art of the theater is something that is handed down, and most of my professional growth has been through teachers and mentors. Even today, I have a hard time realizing that Im 61 years old when, in my head, I feel 16. Im still learning every day about the one thing that really matters to me. When I arrived in New York it was 1975, and the great directors and choreographers were still working: Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Gower Champion and Jerome Robbins, to name some. And I did what I have always done: I rolled up my sleeves, jumped right in and tried to learn. I found a job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (in the Egyptian department while they were preparing the first Tutankhamen exhibit) at the time when fashion editor Diana Vreeland was assembling phenomenal costume exhibits. I got to see many legendary designs up close and in person. Shortly thereafter, John Houseman, who has since passed, of course, was running The Acting Company, and I got a job there as a production assistant, which involved preparing the rehearsal hall, prompting the actors in rehearsal and assisting the stage managers. I was assigned to assist director Gerald Gutierrezin my opinion the finest stage director of his generationwho was working on a play by a young and yet relatively unknown playwright named David Mamet. I became Geralds assistant and, ultimately, his good friend from that time until his death in 2003. He was so incredibly prepared for every play. I learned from him to have a clear understanding of the spine of a play and how every character and every moment fit into it. My entire life and career has been a series of unique coincidences, opportunities and exceptional moments. I have worked with some fascinating and talented people and I still dont understand how I got into the mix. I got a job as Al Pacinos dresser for a Broadway play for which he won a Tony award, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, by David Rabe. From Mr. Pacino, I learned that every performance is sacred. Every time he took to the stage was an attempt at perfection. He was so good that it seemed like he was making up the text as he went along. To see him bring a play to life was extraordinary, and to learn how much he believes in the theater in an almost religious way was very inspiring for me. But even though my career in New York was blossoming, I still felt unfulfilled. There wasnt one thing I wanted. I wanted everything. I wanted to act. I wanted to direct and to choreograph. I wanted to stage-manage. And to this day, other than being accepted at Northwestern, the very best thing that ever happened for me in New York was getting a phone call from the great Harold Prince, king of the theater world. I remember where I was standing and what I was wearing when I returned his call. He wanted to meet with me because he had been hearing nice things about my choreography. Would I be interested in talking to him about choreographing a new project he had in the works? Well, needless to say, the answer was, Yes. So, Mr. Prince hired me and we became friends. From him, I learned that, once you put your team together, you must trust everyone and not second-guess things. You must also treat everyone with respect. I have never met a finer gentleman than Hal Prince. He made me feel as if I mattered, as if I was an equal. When you are optimistic, as I was, you open your life up and many great things can happen. For example, one day, Beverly Sills called me to direct a new production of Naughty Marietta, the Victor Herbert operetta. It required a new book and some new lyrics, which I was commissioned to write for the New York City Opera. The show was a hit for the company and Ms. Sills invited me to stay on. We became very good friends, too. From her, I learned that show business is supposed to be fun, and she made every moment fun. I loved her and miss her. But great as all this was, I still wanted to learn more, so I decided, amid all the other things I was doingLas Vegas extravaganzas, television work and concerts in Europeto go to graduate school. Everyone thought I was crazy because my career was on a roll. But I wanted a different type of life in the theater. I was more interested in classical and analytical work. Eric Bentley, who was, at the time, the dean of international theater critics, was teaching a course at Hunter College in New York, so I got accepted there and studied with him. Once again, I put myself in a position where I had access to genius. I wanted to stay close and ask questions, to watch him work and read his writings before they were edited, and to hear him speak before he edited himself. It was a great experience. Now, all the people Ive mentioned were very generous with me. They were successful and optimistic and liked to give young talent a break. But there are so many different ways of working in the theater, and being in the commercial circus was never really something that enticed me. Inevitably, if you go to New York and manage to work there, youre going to be a part of the commercial theater, but I wanted something else. And it still amazes me that my dream came true because most people, certainly in the arts, are lucky if they realize just a small piece of their dream. For me, the dream came together in Pittsburgh. In the early 1990s, I had been invited to Pittsburgh Public Theater when it was still on the North Side. Edward Gilbert was the artistic director. In New York, I had worked with two wonderful writersJeff Lunden and Arthur Perlmanon a series of shows for young audiences. (I needed to stay in the city to finish my masters, so I signed on to do all sorts of projects.) Jeff and Arthur wrote this gorgeous new musical called Wings based on the Arthur Kopit play. Eddie Gilbert decided to produce it at The Public, the authors recommended me to direct, and thats how I got here, initially. I came and had a lovely success and was invited back, subsequently, seven years in a row. When Eddie Gilbert decided to move on, I was one of 46 people who were up for his job. It was a plum, first of all, because Pittsburgh Public Theater had such a great reputation, but also because they had just built a new theater and someone was going to have the first full season in that space. Many very talented people wanted that job, and I dont even remember why I applied. I never thought it was even a possibility, but I asked myself, Wouldnt it be great? I love the Pittsburgh audience. Its so smart and discerning. I remember that I was rehearsing a show at Goodspeed Musicals in Connecticut and mentioned to the producer, I just got an offer to move to Pittsburgh and run Pittsburgh Public Theater. He said, Youre doing it. Youre finally going to get to do all the shows youve wanted to do. And I have, which is amazing to me. Among all my adventures in New York, I managed to get involved as a board member of my union, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. For 15 years, I served on that board and eventually became its president, which meant I headed up the union that represented all of the professional directors and choreographers of America, including Harold Prince (who enjoyed calling me Mr. President). I had a certain amount of responsibility in helping to negotiate contracts and helping to guide the American theater forward through the work of the directors and choreographers. For the board of Pittsburgh Public Theater, I believe, this experience made me a more viable candidate to become artistic director of the company. I had the private phone numbers of every director in America, for one thing. And I became an unusual resource. Though I had no experience in running a theater company, I had run a national union that was aligned with the arts. That became my calling card, above and beyond the productions I had directed here. So on my birthday, I packed my bags25 years to the week since I had moved to New Yorkgot into a van with my cat and all my books, and moved to Pittsburghand I have never looked back. I just knew that this city and I were a perfect match. As you might expect, Ive met people in Pittsburgh who have continued to teach and mentor me. Ive had great board presidents and board members, and loyal friends here throughout my tenure. But the person who embraced and guided me the most consistently and constantly was David Matter (formerly the president and CEO of Oxford Development Company). He taught me so much about creating opportunities for the company and then seeing them through. And its been a great ride for me. Ive been able to introduce Greek drama here for the first time. We also produced Clifford Odets and Lillian Hellman. Weve had tremendous successes with our Shakespeare productions and with big musicals, for which we have to pull up the floor to make room for a live orchestra below. And, of course, we produced The Chief, a wonderful play with a brilliant performance by Tom Atkins as legendary Steelers founder, Art Rooney. That show just caught fire. It was like lightning in a bottle and was so much more successful than anyone could have imagined. We played it off and on for nine seasons. We filmed it. The script was published. We had a gala around it. And we attracted new audiences and friends, and had a swell time. This season marks the 40th anniversary of Pittsburgh Public Theater, and my job continues to be an exciting adventure and a never-ending challenge, at the center of which is my curiosity about what tomorrow will bring. I have the responsibility to make sure that we end each season in the black, and we do. Its a remarkable achievement that takes a lot of people to accomplish: a terrific board of trustees, a wonderful funding community, solid corporate support, generous individual gifts, and a staff unlike any other. Ive worked at many theaters around the world and dont think Ive ever known a group as smart about maintaining the bottom line without compromising quality. We have a magnificent combination of talent, intelligence, discipline, and energy here. Im really part of a team. At times Im in rehearsal and others must carry the ball, but I never ever worry. I trust everyone implicitly. Theater is the most logical way to introduce young people to the arts. Its entertaining, lively, fun, pretty, boisterous and immediate. And I think we do a really good job of keeping the torch burning brightly for live theater in the region. My dream was always to spend my life in the theater, and I inherited so much from so many wonderful people. Part of my job now is to maintain a certain standard, not only to keep discovering bigger and better ways to produce live theater, but also to build an audience for tomorrow, for when Im no longer running the company. One should want to leave things stronger and more wondrous than when you arrived on the scene. Thats my responsibility, and its a privilege and a pleasure. Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America. QUEENSBURY A 17-year-old from Queensbury has been charged with two felonies for allegedly forcing a girl to have sexual contact last month, police said. Riley M. Kain, of Sunnyside Road North, was charged with first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree criminal sexual act after an investigation by the Warren County Sheriffs Office, authorities said in a news release. Police said the alleged incident with a 14-year-old girl happened at a party in Queensbury where underage people were drinking on Feb. 25. Sheriffs Lt. Steve Stockdale said the inquiry was ongoing as of Monday. Under state law, those over the age of 16 are prosecuted as adults in New York. Kain was arraigned in Queensbury Town Court and released, with a no-contact order of protection issued on behalf of the girl. Kain is due back in Queensbury Town Court on April 10. First-degree criminal sexual act is punishable by up to 25 years in state prison. Sheriffs investigators Jason Palmer and Terri Jeffords investigated the case. JACKSON Brand New Beginnings doesnt actually have a program director yet, the business owner admitted. Just last Thursday, Jesse Brand assured a hostile crowd that he had an extremely experienced director on board to guide his homes for troubled youths. But he hesitated to give details about the therapeutic team, stopping himself mid-sentence. Only after he was pressed by the crowd did he say that he had hired Dr. Richard Dackow to run the therapeutic program. He listed Dackows credentials, including 40 years of experience in treating adolescents mental health. Dackow has specific experience in the type of troubled youths that would be served at Brands homes. Brand wants to help difficult-to-place teenagers: those with sex offending or arson charges, as well as those with drug or alcohol addictions. Dackow was a clinical director for adolescent sex offenders at the Suffolk County Probation Department, as well as for criminals in the arson and aggression programs. He was a supervising psychologist at the department for substance abusers. He also worked as director of classification for the adolescent and womens facilities at Rikers Island, the main jail in New York City. Classification refers to determinations as to each inmates public safety risk. He was clinical supervisor for Rikers Islands dialectical behavior therapy intensive treatment unit, which houses women and their babies. Dackow would be in charge of implementing the program at the Brand New Beginnings facilities, Brand said last week. The homes would also have nine full-time instructors and nine part-time instructors, he said. We are staffed heavily, he said. I promise you, we will have the proper staffing. But it turns out Dackow will not be the program director. Were still looking for that director, Brand said when he was asked Monday. But Dackow will play an important role, he added. Hes going to be training our staff, he said. Dackow wont be guiding the program, after he trains the staff, but he will do some therapy sessions and family intervention sessions, Brand said. CAMBRIDGE A decade ago, some residents worried that turning paper mill sludge into compost could hurt the environment. Their concerns were pooh-poohed at a public hearing, but it turns out they were right. The state announced Monday that it had found PFOA, PFOS and PFC contamination at Agri-Cycle on Belle Road. The compost facility received paper mill sludge that was contaminated, according to the state. Then the company spread the contamination through the area with its compost. The facility has been ordered to stop distributing compost. Its what residents feared when they spoke at a Cambridge Town Board meeting in 2008. Resident Robert McIntosh said he was worried about the environmental safety of the content of the paper sludge, and he was joined by two other residents who expressed similar concerns. Resident Dan Schmitt even accurately predicted what happened: that chemicals from the paper sludge would get into the water supply. The president of the company that owns Agri-Cycle, Cover Technologies Inc. of Springfield, Massachusetts, assured them that there was nothing to worry about. The company makes compost by mixing the paper sludge with yard debris, Kip Foley said, according to minutes from the meeting. A certified nutrient planner works balancing the materials and it has been found that, after a period of time, a satisfactory compost develops. Crops have been successfully planted on the fields that were spread with the mixed sludge and yard waste, he said. The state has begun testing all private wells near the site to get a handle on the amount of contamination in the water supply. So far, no water systems tested have had more than the federal limit in PFOA and PFOS contamination, but tests are ongoing. The state has tested nine wells and began going door-to-door last week to ask owners to agree to tests. Officials are also taking samples from farm fields, where the compost was often spread. Its not clear which paper mill delivered contaminated sludge to the Agri-Cycle, or whether the sludge was contaminated after it left the paper mill. The state is now checking sludge at six mills and six other facilities that use that sludge. While the state regulates paper mills, it doesnt yet routinely test for PFOA and PFOS at the mills, state officials said. For those impacted by the Cambridge contamination, the state is installing individual well water treatment systems. Four property owners have requested those systems so far, and all four have been installed, according to the state. The state began tracking PFOA contamination in White Creek last year. Officials have been searching for the source of the contamination, moving into southern Washington County from the Hoosic River. That led them to find well water with elevated PFOA in Cambridge, and eventually a property owner suggested they check to see if Agri-Cycle was the source, officials said. However, the discovery at Agri-Cycle may not explain high PFOA results in White Creek well water. Officials are still searching for other sources of the contamination. But contamination wasnt just found in Agri-Cycles compost and the paper mill sludge it received. It was also found in water flowing from the compost to the companys collection pond, in the pond and in the companys groundwater monitoring well. CTI officials did not return a call seeking comment. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: South Korean news outlets report that the SEALs, who will join the exercise for the first time, will simulate a "decapitation attack," or a strike to remove North Korea's leadership. Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross later told Business Insider that the US military "does not train for decapitation missions" of any kind. Yet a decapitation force would fit with a March 1 Wall Street Journal report that the White House is considering military action against the Kim regime. The SEALs boarded the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and should arrive in South Korea on Wednesday, Joon Gang Daily reports. South Korea has also made efforts toward a decapitation force, and international calls for action have increased in intensity after North Korea's latest missile test, which simulated a saturation attack to defeat US and allied missile defenses. The Foal Eagle exercise includes 3,600 US troops, in addition to the 28,000 US troops permanently stationed in South Korea. The drills include air, land, and sea operations designed to prepare the joint forces in case of a conflict with North Korea. This year's exercise also integrates preparation for the deployment of US missile defenses to South Korea. Additionally, the US's newest combat aircraft, the F-35, will fly in to simulate attacks on North Korea's missile infrastructure, Joon Gang Daily reports. The F-35 will accompany many of the US's highest-end platforms, like F-22s and a nuclear-powered submarine. "A bigger number of and more diverse US special operation forces will take part in this year's Foal Eagle and Key Resolve exercises to practice missions to infiltrate into the North, remove the North's war command and demolition of its key military facilities," the an unnamed military official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. The new note, bearing the image of Dr James Kwegyir Aggrey, was introduced to commemorate Bank of Ghanas 60th anniversary. This note started circulating on 7th march as a legal tender as well as a collectors item. Reports say, some Ghanaians continue to reject the note amid doubts that it is legal tender. There are also concerns that most people are yet to familiarize themselves with the new note which make them fear that counterfeiters may exploit the situation by printing imitated copies into circulation. READ ALSO: GRA poised to meet 2017 revenue target However, the BoG says the new note is counterfeit-proof. With the security features we have included in the banknote, it is going to be very difficult, it is not possible to make counterfeit copies of what we have, Mr. Musey told Accra FM. He explains that the public recognition features on the note as well as new details, including the drill ship, can be seen when held under light. He is therefore encouraging people to look out for the security features on the note. According to Scott Eisner, Ghana has proven its capacity to be a strong economic partner for American businesses. A robust economic relationship benefits both countries, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting commercial ties in Ghana and throughout Africa, Eisner said. Mr. Eisner led the business mission to Ghana to meet with the President as well as members of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Country. Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo says his government is committed to creating an enabling business environment to increase U.S investment in the country especially in the manufacturing, ICT and the oil and gas sectors of the economy. The meeting also discussed ways the U.S.-Africa Business Center could further support cooperation with the broader Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the worlds largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. READ ALSO: Ghana signs Double Taxation Agreement with Mauritius He argued that the figure must be increased to at least 1 percent of the countrys GDP. READ ALSO: Aggrey Memorial Headmaster cries for help We must increase the quantum of the research and the quality of research should not be research to get a degree as an end in itself, but as a development instrument. Ideally, as a middle-income country, we should be putting at least 1 percent of our GDP into research and development then there must be a policy [to enable the research] to become relevant to our national development, he added. Prof Adei was speaking at a lecture in Kumasi organised by the Graduate Student Association of Ghana. This was part of the celebration of their annual Association celebration week. Meanwhile, an Associate Professor at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Alex Duodu, said researchers must conduct findings that contribute to the countrys economy. The world is moving fast. We must really contribute to GDP growth and the time to start is now. Government must ask the radical question to change the way universities are funded [in such a way that] funding goes to areas of importance and not blanket research and book allowance because sometimes certain incentives tend to be counterproductive, Prof Duodo added. However, their marriage is reportedly reaching its end. READ ALSO: Ed Sheeran just rated Fuse ODG above all the artistes he met in GhanaThe screen gem, known popularly as Kwame for his role in Tinsel tied the knot with his partner and baby mama, Damilola Adegbite on Valentine's Day, 14 February 2015. A source revealed to Ghanacelebrities.com that the marriage between the Ghanaian and Nigerian has hit the rocks for unknown reasons. On their wedding anniversary this year, Chris Attoh shared series of photos of Nigerian wife, Damilola and himself but Damilola didnt share any post publicly on social media. The strictly by invitation celebrity wedding was attended by few friends and family of the actor. The wedding ceremony came months after the two welcomed their first son, Brian Nii Ayittey Olaferomi Attoh. The world renowned and Harvard trained eye doctor founded the Eye Consultants Clinic in Osu, Accra. He was a successful head of ophthalmology at Mass General before returning home to his motherland Ghana twenty years ago to take care of his patients and served his beloved motherland Ghana. After suffering a stroke in Accra, Dr Ghartey was treated for his condition in USA where doctors told him he was terminally ill. Only given months to live, Dr Ghartey was able to survive two more years battling the cancer against all odds through his sheer determination. Jay Ghartey took an extended break from his career to nurse his sick father but eventually his body tired out and he died. Although Dr Ghartey was very ill, the family always had hopes for his recovery and are in deep mourning for the leader of the family. We had gone for rehearsals to prepare for the Ghana at 60 celebrations. When we closed and I got home, I started feeling uncomfortable. I woke up at dawn but didnt look at the time. I realized my heart was beating and was sweating profusely which I hadnt encountered before so I was worried. Mr Yawson mentioned that moment was not easy for him at all, especially when he didn't know what was happening to him. Recounting I decided then to come out and enjoy fresh air but the pain kept increasing, sensing I was alone I quizzed myself: Why dont I step outside, so that should I die, people may find my body outside here rather than die in my room. When I stepped out the pressure was still mounting, the pain in my chest was excruciating, beating very fast. Still sweating, I drove my car in pursuit of help or anything that can ease the pain I was going through, I thought of buying coconut juice and the only thing I was wearing was a track suit. I sat in car and drove to buy some myself, to my amazement there was still traffic on my route. The father of 2 explained that, when he got to the coconut seller, he bought 2 and drank the juice but was still not feeling well and so he relaxed on the heap of coconut behind the seller, feeling helpless at that moment, he said The coconut seller then held my hands and told me we should go to the hospital, we went to the Trust Hospital at Osu and I must admit the nurses did a great job and I commend the coconut seller, he stood beside me till I was discharged. I was in pain at the hospital from midnight till morning and I knew death had come. I lost my breath, and I knew my end had come," the scriptwriter revealed. The Winneba native recounted that Even though I have not fully recovered, I thank God for my life." The first edition of Life Walk, an initiative by the Edybentil Maternal Health Foundation in partnership with Airport Women Hospital and other partners formed to raise funds to support five major conditions that haunt pregnant women during the nine month period, was done in collaboration with The Airport women's hospital. GE employs more than 600 people in the country, 90% of whom are from Nigeria. The company services 100 public and private sector customers from its offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Onne and Abuja. GE is committed to supporting the sustainable development of Nigeria with advanced infrastructure technologies, services and solutions, which are aligned to deliver on Nigerias infrastructure needs as well as to bolster economic development and improve the quality of life in the region. In 2009, GE signed a country-to-company agreement with the Nigerian government to support the financing, design and building of infrastructure, and capacity across key sectors of the economy, including rail, power and healthcare. This agreement was recently renewed for another five years. GE supports Nigerias Vision 2020 goals in the following ways: Power generation GE partnered with the ministry of power to support the development of 10GW of power over the next 10 years. They have also joined forces with a number of local power generation companies in Nigeria to ramp up electrical output throughout the country. With GEs help, the following power plants are now fully operational and producing electricity for the people of Nigeria: - Ogorode Power Plant - Benin Power Plant - Omotosho Power Plant - Olorunsogo Power Plant - Alaoji Power Plant Healthcare Working with the ministry of health, GE supports the development of diagnostic centres in Nigeria. Recently, The Kaduna State Ministry of Health and GE Healthcare signed a partnership to expand primary and referral care services and build capacity at 255 primary healthcare centres and 23 secondary healthcare hospitals across the state. The GE Healthcare footprint in Nigeria includes the following: - Diagnostic imaging centres and specialist hospitals (American Hospital and Echo Scan) - Training 300 clinicians on 16 GE courses across eight states in Nigeria - Building the case and curriculum for trauma, and maternal health in partnership with the ministry of health - Designing a robust curriculum for the training of paramedics - Partnering with the Bank of Industry to finance healthcare development Transportation GE has partnered with the ministry of transportation to modernise and expand Nigerias locomotive fleet. GE is currently working with private sector participants to develop a locomotive assembly facility that would modernise 30 old locomotive engines and assemble 170 new locomotives. The company is also supplying locomotives to the Nigerian Rail Corporation (NRC) as part of the countrys fleet renewal programme. Other significant rail milestones include: - Consignment of 25 NRC locomotives - Training 10 NRC engineers in Brazil - Training more than 100 NRC maintenance and service engineers in Lagos - Auditing facilities for locomotive assembly facility in Nigeria - Supporting Eko Rail Company with the Lagos Metro Blue line light rail project Aviation GEs CFM engines power 70% of Arik Airs fleet. GE Aviations long-standing partnership with Arik Air has fast-tracked its expansion into a leading African airline company. This has enabled Arik Air to contribute to Nigerias economic growth and cement its role as an enabler of regional and international travel connectivity between Africa and the world. GE also announced a multi-million-dollar investment in a multimodal manufacturing and assembly plant in Calabar, which will be a regional hub for manufacturing, service and innovation. So why didnt she pursue medicine? Like many doctors children, shes heard the question before and is ready with an answer. I was always fascinated with human anatomy and physiology, she says. But the idea of interacting with patients directly didnt excite her. What did excite her: building things. So she enrolled at Purdue University to study engineering. But she didnt walk away from medicine completely. Konkel now works as a lean manufacturing lead for GE Healthcare in Phoenix. Her job entails making her ultrasound factory more efficient with data and software. Shes so good at it that she was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in manufacturing and engineering this year. Though her work involves getting insights from GEs Predix digital platform in making the plant run smarter, rather than bone drills and forceps, at its root lies a mission similar to her fathers helping others. Konkel initially thought she might go into designing prosthetics and implants. But ultimately she picked industrial engineering because of a lifelong passion for efficiencies and operations. No, really. Even on her high school volleyball team or in student council, Konkel says, she was constantly hunting for opportunities to tweak and improve the world around her. It was always very frustrating to me when things were inefficient, she says. I thought, Hey, this could be done better why dont we change that? I was doing a lot of those things naturally, which is one aspect of industrial engineering. Konkel was still an undergrad when she realized she wanted to work for GE Healthcare. I didnt think I had a shot of getting a job with GE, she says. When an older classmate insisted she apply for an internship, she went for it despite her misgivings. I thought I bombed the interview, she says. But a couple of weeks later, she got a call asking her to become an intern. The rest is history. That internship turned into another one and then a full-time job with the company after she graduated in 2013. Konkel acknowledges that being a woman in manufacturing makes her a minority women account for just 14 percent of all engineers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics but she doesnt dwell on it. Theres probably been certain scenarios where people saw me and said, Oh, thats a girl. What could she know about manufacturing and engineering and things like that, she says. I just choose to have my work represent who I am rather than my gender, and thats something Id say to any females who are discouraged. Theres probably going to be people who doubt you your entire life, no matter who they are, but you just block those people out and let your work show who you are. As a driven woman at the beginning of her career, Konkel admits that her instinct is to go, go, go a tendency she realizes isnt compatible with long-haul success. She recalls a period early in her time at GE before shed learned this lesson. I just took on too much. I didnt know when to say no to different projects or opportunities, so people kept giving them to me, and I got really overwhelmed and nearly burned out. I didnt want to let anyone down. She says her manager intervened, stressing the importance of leaving work at a reasonable hour and setting aside time for herself. I think you learn in your career that theres always going to be more work to do tomorrow, she says. I need to have other things in my life so that I stay balanced. I learned that taking time to re-energize isnt selfish or letting anyone down its the opposite. I need to take time to re-energize, so I can continue to serve and help others. The work and the problem-solving never end, but Konkel says the team atmosphere at GE keeps things moving in the right direction. GE is definitely a place that promotes the idea that a team will create the best decision, she says. A cross-functional team is even better at getting the different perspectives. Because of that emphasis on teamwork, she says, being singled out for Forbes 30 Under 30 list didnt seem entirely right. It feels weird to get an individual award, because I feel like nothing that I have done at GE has been a solo project. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! He said most of the suicidal case is caused by foolishness. According to him, most parents must be blamed for not bringing up their children properly hence the numerous suicides. READ MORE: Man found dead at Achimota Counselor Lutterodt said "I am not saddened by what is currently happening in the country because as for me I see it be complete foolishness on the part of those who do that". He said until children are brought up the right way and parents keep an open eye on their children, such unfortunate incidents will continue. Counselor Lutterodt said children must be brought up the hard way by making them understand that to achieve success don't come on a silver platter. READ MORE: Legon student falls from 4th floor to death Recent suicide cases A 30-year-old driver, James Ayiem, at Half-Assini in Western Region has allegedly committed suicide. He was found hanging on a mango tree with a twine near the Presbyterian Church at Peace Town, Half-Assini around 0600 hours on Saturday. READ MORE: Man found dead at Achimota A middle-aged man believed to be in his early 30s was also found dead near a tree with a rope on Thursday, March 9, 2017 near the Achimota main overpass. Eyewitnesses at the scene, however, suspect it was a case of murder rather than suicide because "the rope found around the body was "too thin" and "cant be used to facilitate suicide." Last Wednesday, a level 400 student of the University of Ghana fell to her death. She reportedly fell from the balcony of the Akuafo Hall annex A room 407 after staying away from lectures several days. READ ALSO: KNUST student commits suicide over exam results A 16-year-old Junior High School (JHS) pupil, identified as Barbra Asante has committed suicide at Akyem Osiem in the Eastern region. She attends the Child of Hope Preparatory School at Akyem Osiem. READ MORE: Legon student falls from 4th floor to death The body of Barbara was found hanging in the Kitchen of her parents at Akyem Tafo on Tuesday, March 7, after she had gone missing. Meanwhile, the Mental Health Authority (MHA) has blamed the lack of social support system as a major reason people commit suicide in the country. A story published by an online portal, with the headline "Former First Lady Lordina Mahama shot in robbery attack; robbers make away with 600,000 dollars," claims the wife of ex President John Mahama was shot twice in the leg while fleeing from the robbers on Sunday and shes currently receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital, Accident and Emergency Unit. The story added that one Chief Inspector Kwame Addai who was the leader of the patrol team that was dispatched to the crime scene told reporters that the former First Lady confirmed to him the robbers made away with a sum of $ 600,000 and GHC 130,000 which were to be deposited in her account on Monday. READ ALSO: Ghanaians on social media take on Lordina Mahama But a statement from the office of the former First lady signed by Special Aide to the Former President, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, "described as falsehood the news of an attack, and claims that large sums of monies were stolen by the robbers. Theresa May is getting ready to trigger Article 50. UK Prime Minister Theresa May will likely receive the authority to trigger Article 50 Oil's slide continues. West Texas Intermediate crude oil trades down 0.8% at $48.11 per barrel on Monday, its lowest since November 30, the day OPEC announced it was cutting production. The SEC rejected the Winklevoss twins' Bitcoin ETF. Shortly after markets closed on Friday, the Securities and Exchange Commission handed down its ruling, saying it would disapprove the ETF as it believes " Intel is reportedly buying Mobileye. Shares of Mobileye are up 30% ahead of the opening bell following a report from Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing sources, that suggests Intel has agreed to buy it for $15 billion. Vista Equity Partners is nearing a deal to buy DH Corp. The firms are in advanced talks and an agreement could be announced as soon as this week, but could still fall apart, Bloomberg says, citing people familiar with the matter. Terms of the potential deal are unknown. HSBC names a new chairman. The bank has named Mark Tucker, current A blizzard is bearing down on New York. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for New York City and Southern New York State that will be in effect from midnight tonight until midnight Tuesday night. The storm is expected to produce as much as 20 inches of snow accumulation and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour. Thanks for signing up for our daily insight on the African economy. We bring you daily editor picks from the best Business Insider news content so you can stay updated on the latest topics and conversations on the African market, leaders, careers and lifestyle. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! A new farm, called Bowery, says it has found a much more efficient place to grow: inside a giant warehouse in Kearny, New Jersey. Located about 15 miles outside New York City, Bowery estimates it has the capacity to grow 100 times more greens per square foot than the average industrial Currently, Bowery is testing over 80 different varieties of greens, including baby kale, mustard greens, and arugula. Out of those 80, Bowery is selling six types for slightly less than the cost of most organic produce. Available at select Whole Foods in NYC starting the week of March 6, a five-ounce package of greens costs $3.49. Fain says that the farm's operational costs stay low because of a proprietary piece of software, called FarmOS, that is constantly searching for ways to make the growing process more efficient. For instance, if Bowery finds a batch of romaine needs a different intensity of light or a cooler atmosphere, it can change the conditions in the warehouse using FarmOS. Bowery Farm is ramping up for large-scale production (Fain would not disclose the farm's size or growing capacity). It's already working on its next farm in the tri-state area. In the future, Fain hopes to expand and launch more farms in other US cities and, eventually, internationally. More people are moving to cities, and we're going to need a way to feed them, Fain says. The United Nations estimates that 66% of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050. "These are important problems that we're working on. These are problems that aren't unique to New York, let alone the US," Fain says. "We're going to see populations and cities continue to grow, and getting fresh food to these environments in a way that's more efficient and sustainable is even more important." So far, Bowery has raised $7.5 million from investors, including "Top Chef'" head judge Tom Colicchio and Bowery is one of many high-tech urban farming startups that have emerged in recent years. Also in New Jersey, AeroFarms started commercial production inside a 69,000-square-foot warehouse in 2016. Brooklyn's Square Roots, which made its first harvest in early 2017, is growing its produce inside ten 320-square-foot shipping containers . Fain, a former marketing entrepreneur, says Bowery's name comes from the old Dutch word for farm: " Egbegbe, who was charged alongside one Oyekan Ayomide, were arraigned on Feb. 10, before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo. The duo were accused of swindling more than 30 Bureau De Change (BDC) operators of various sums both in local and foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017 in Lagos. When the case was called on Friday, the prosecutor, Mr Innocent Anyigor informed the court that the charges had been amended and the counts raised from 36 to 40. He, therefore, urged the court to allow the charges to be read to the accused for their pleas to be taken afresh. The accused were thus re-arraigned and they both pleaded not guilty to the charges. After their re-arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that he had 30 witnesses in court who are BDC operators, adding that he was ready to commence trial. But the judge said that she would prefer to begin with the testimony of the Investigating Police Officer so as to avoid cases where such police officers are transferred out of jurisdiction. She consequently fixed March 24 for trial. In the charge, marked FHC/L/40c/2017, the accused were said to have defrauded the BDC operators by falsely representing to the victims that they had foreign currencies to sell. The police alleged that on Feb. 2, for instance, the accused fraudulently obtained the sum of N2.5million and 3,000 pounds from one Alhaji Isa Adamu in Lagos under the guise that they wanted to see the naira and buy the pounds. Other victims of the alleged fraud include: Mohammed Sani, defrauded of N2.5million; Jubrila Ado, defrauded of N1.3million; Hassan Amodu, defrauded of N600,000; Sani Hassan, defrauded of N1.43million and 2,750 pounds, among others. 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! Aduke-The-Movie, is a story that appeals to a lot of young people as it relates to actual scenarios that happen in their lives. This short-film also has an epic plot twist that keeps the audience dazed. The movie premiered in the University of Ilorin on the 29th of November, 2016 and had an audience of over 1700 students in attendance. The proposed University of Lagos premiere is set to receive students, some members of staff, and celebrities which include: Yaw, MC Abbey, Helen Paul, Miyonse (BBN 2017), Linda Ejiofor, Annie Idibia, Bunmi Mojekwu, Ogbolor, Freeze (Cool FM), Lala Akindoju, Pearl Okorie, Okey Uzoeshi, Omobaba, Ehiz (MTV Base), Samantha Walsh (MTV BASE), Yvonne Jegede, Chuey Chu, Okey Uzoeshi and more. The event will also feature Comedy performances, Music, Dance, and giveaways from partner brands. Aduke-The-Movie is produced by the Juju House of Comedy, a creative art group that specializes in drama and film production. They have won a few awards with their works in which they use comedy and satires to correct societal ills, some of which shall be entailed in the Aduke movie. This highly acknowledged event is packaged by STEEVANE. Screening Date: March 17th, 2016. Screening Time: Red Carpet 2PM, Main event: 3PM. Screening Location: Faculty of Arts Theatre Hall, Beside Senate Building, University of Lagos. Admission: Tickets @ N500 each (Admits one). Tickets can be gotten at Jekaplay, New Hall, Unilag (08141718570) and online at www.lifeinunilag.com/shop Barely 24 hours after being released from Kirikiri Prisons, the Canada-based Nigerian stripper granted two exclusive interviews to Sahara Reporters, revealing details of her amorous relationship with the man of God. Amongst the many things she had to say, here are five of the most shocking. 1) Apostle Suleiman spent over 8000 Euros, including the proceeds from a crusade on Stephanie Otobo. "He gives me a lot of cash. I am not talking about 8000 Euros, I am not talking about $12, 000, in two weeks. "If I was a cheap prostitute, how much do you send a cheap prostitute all the way from Nigeria to Canada? I live, I base in Canada. I'm sure there a lot of women that needs money here in Nigeria. "Like how many people has he sent money to? How many women or cheap prostitutes has he sent money to here in Nigeria?" 2) Stephanie Otobo claimed to have original pictures from her video chats with Apostle Suleiman, including those of his manhood, shared during calls. She also revealed that the man of God loved sex. Wellits not very small, its an average size, Ms. Otobo responded. Hes very good (in bed), he likes to end it off on the back, on your back all the time, I dont know why. And also, even while sleeping, he doesnt wanna stop, hes dozing off he goes continue, I go Daddy, youre sleeping. He doesnt wanna stop, he wants to keep going while sleeping. 3) Kimora revealed that Apostle Suleiman gave her a substance to drink that almost cost her life. She said, "Also, I want the police to check on the issue of when he gave me a substance to drink and that almost cost me my life. "This was what happened, this was one of the main reason that really caused all of this. "He gave me substance to drink after I got pregnant. He gave me substance to drink and I started bleeding, stooling blood. for over one year. It almost cost me my life. "I was bleeding for so long, I was so scared and I lost the baby. so that was an abortion from a pastor, an Apostle." 4) Stephanie also claimed that she is not the first lady Apostle Suleiman has had an affair with. She also named Nollywood actress, Daniella Okeke as the cleric's ex-girlfriend. 5) She described the respected man of God as a baby that "cannot eat" and that she had to "pet" him. But I know he cant eat because I can say things that I saw when spending time with him. He has I dont know you know when the wicked runneth when no one is pursuing them, he just cant eat, hes worried, hes always worried. He cant eat, he wants me to pet him to eat, then Ill beg him Daddy please eat, and he goes I love you so much.' ALSO READ: Police arrest Chocolate City boss over Kaduna killings misinformation The music exec who alleged that the five were killed by Fulani herdsmen, later released a statement, apologizing for his post and revealing that he had been misguided by his driver who claimed that one of the students was his brother. Maikori was released a day after his arrest following the publics call for his release with the #FreeAudu. However, the music exec was rearrested on Friday, March 10, 2017, and taken to Kaduna where he was arraigned in court on Monday afternoon. It was also reported earlier that Maikori had developed a respiratory infection while in police detention. Maikori was reported to have collapsed at the WIMBIZ conference held in Lagos state, from what a colleague of his described as a mild case of exhaustion. Punch reports that the traditional priest had claimed that with his Spiritual powers, bullets would be unable to penetrate his body and then asked to be shot. In a post shared by Facebook User, Nana Afriyie, @Opoku.tony.9, revealed that someone finally agreed to shoot Nana Tolofasito but after the trigger was pulled, it turned out that the priest was not as strong as he had professed. The RSS which posted news of the arrest of the 47-year-old criminal identified as Ikemefuna Aje revealed that he operates by attending events only to steal items like laptops, phones, money and other valuable properties of the participants. Aje was arrested by the RRS operatives after he had gate-crashed a seminar organized for Internet brand managers at a popular hotel in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. and stole 5 MacBooks, one HP computer and some assorted personal effects of the workshop participants. He was busted after the CCTV camera captured him as he drove into the venue of the event before heading straight into the seminar hall when the participants were having lunch in another room. The RRS wrote on its blog: "The suspect who was corporately dressed wore the tag of seminar participants before making away with the items. He had, after stealing the said items, taken them to the Computer Village, Ikeja, and sold the 5 Mac Books and the HP computer to one Saliu Ibraheem for N1,110,000:00. The RRS operatives in tracking the suspect traced him to 5, Tony Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, where he was hosting about 34 other church members in a house fellowship. Recovered from his house after the arrest were a 4Runner Toyota car with the registration No. KRD 701 DC, driven into the venue by the suspect, a master key, Zinox laptop, several computer bags, computer and tablet accessories as well as seminar materials and a sum of N700, 000:00." One of the seminar organizers who corroborated the statement of the RSS, the participants were shocked to notice their items missing after they had lunch. We were shocked to see participants bringing up issues of missing laptops and computer accessories after returning from lunch. The seminar was not advertised online either in any national newspapers. How did this suspect get to know of the event and managed to come at the exact time participants who were about a hundred, were having lunch? It was from investigations that Aje had several scouts who furnish him with information on conferences and seminars where he goes to steal laptops and properties of the participants. The suspect was quoted to have said that the seminar was one of the many others where he had gate-crashed before making away with several laptops, mobile phones and computer accessories of participants. During the interrogation, the suspect initially denied committing the crime but later confessed when he was shown a copy of the CCTV footages before leading the operatives to Computer Village to arrest the buyer. The buyer of the stolen goods, Saliu Ibraheem said: I have known Ikemefuna for more than seven years. He brought 5 Mac Books and one HP to my shop that he bought them in South Africa. I bought the 5 Mac Books and an HP laptop computer for N1, 110,000 and I resold it immediately for N1, 250, 000:00. The money was transferred into my account immediately. Ogunsakin was killed on Sunday, March 12, 2017, after he was hit on the head with a stone by a Unit Chairman of the branch popularly called Adeco. Punch reports that the murder sparked violent protests from Ogunsakin's supporters, forcing the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe, to deploy armed policemen to the scene and close down the park According to the reports, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers within the premises were reportedly denied access to the motor park. The remains of the deceased have since been deposited at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital morgue, Ado Ekiti, with the culprit detained at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti. Speaking with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, March 13, 2017, the RTEAN State Chairman, Mr. Samuel Agbede, explained that trouble began when the unit executive chaired by Adeco was dissolved over offences which bordered on corruption, autocratic tendencies, and high-handedness. He said, Adeco had been reported by members of his executive to the branch chairman that he was too autocratic to deal with. They also accused him of corruption. The branch EXCO had sat on this case three times and warned him to retrace his steps and work in line with our constitution. Last Friday when this case was brought again for the fourth time, the branch Exco resolved that the unit Exco should be dissolved. The deceased was one of those who supported the idea to curb Adecos excesses. It was after this that he started threatening to deal with the late Ogunsakin and a hot argument ensued. As they were arguing, Adeco just lifted a big stone and ran after the deceased and hit him in the head and he fell immediately. He was first taken to Assumpta Hospital where he was referred to EKSUTH before he finally died on Sunday night. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the free medical treatment, which Jibril, an APC member representing Lokoja/Koton-Karfe constituency, personally supervised, lasted for three days. Shedding more light on the outreach, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, said that the medical team treated a total of 6,243 patients and performed 70 eye surgeries in the two phases of the exercise. We treated 3,700 patients and carried out 41 surgical eye operations in the first phase. In the second, we treated 2,543 patients and carried out 29 eye surgeries with some operations carried out only this morning (Sunday), he said. He said that the medical outreach was an intervention targeted at meeting the health needs of his constituents especially in these difficult times. I feel happy and privileged to assist my people, particularly in Kogi, where civil servants are not being paid, and where health workers and hospitals are on strike, Jibril said The lawmaker, however, urged the Kogi government to pay civil servants and pensioners their entitlements, pointing out that failure to do so was against the constitution. Yakubu also said that he is prepared to prove his innocence regarding the allegations levelled against him. According to Daily Post, Yakubus legal counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN) accused the EFCC of denying his client access to medical care. Raji also issued a statement saying In view of the foregoing facts, our Client has sought an enforcement of his fundamental human rights before the Federal High Court, Abuja in an action constituted as FHC/ABJ/CS/126/17 between Engineer Andrew Yakubu vs EFCC. Our Client has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for more than a month since he voluntarily presented himself to them at their invitation and has fully cooperated with investigations. ALSO READ:Andrew Yakubu slams EFCC with N1bn suit Within this time also, our client has been denied access to adequate medical attention which he desperately needs. Within this time, no formal charges has been brought against our Client by the EFCC or any other government establishment for any offence whatsoever as widely spread in these media reports. Let me first of all caution that he (Buhari) is not going to start in a dramatic way. He has been away from the country for nearly two months, so he needs to get into the temperature of the place, Shehu told Arise TV on Sunday, March 12. For instance, yesterday (Saturday), he went through the newspapers page by page, and he read everything that interested him. So he needs to get back to that place. The thing is that hes basically human like all of us. He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually. Dont expect the president to be given neck-breaking schedules or punishing schedules like from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., or sometimes to 1a.m. to 2 a.m., he added. Buhari had earlier said that he would leave governing to Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo while he continued to rest. He also admitted, upon his return, that he had never been so sick in his entire life. Buhari left Nigeria on January 19 for what was supposed to be a 10-day vacation but ended up spending almost two months. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Abuja. Boroh said the choice of Osinbajo as leader of the governments fact-finding delegation to the crisis-ridden region was informed by President Buharis strategic plan to engender peace in the region. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before now, the Niger-Delta elders were leading the delegation on the resolution of the crisis. However, with the new presidential directive, Boroh said that the Vice President would henceforth head the delegation. According to him, this will meet the Presidents expectations of not only building confidence among the people on governments intentions but also help in its fact-finding mission on a workable and lasting solution. President Buhari knew what he was doing when he directed the Vice President to head the delegation. You need to see him in action when he visited different communities in the oil-producing states. There is no doubt that the President knows that peace in the Niger Delta region is crucial to the development of the entire country, Boroh said. He said that the visit of the vice president to the Niger Delta was in phases to cover all Niger Delta states. According to him, So far we have visited Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Imo states. The next phase will be Cross River, Abia and Ondo states. By that we would have covered the entire Niger Delta states. This visit is in two folds. It is both a confidence-building and a fact-finding mission because a lot of information has been heard about the Niger Delta but no single person can claim to know all about the Niger delta. It requires effort by all stakeholders toward ensuring that issues of the Niger delta are resolved, he said. He also explained that efforts were on to pay beneficiaries of the amnesty programme studying abroad. Boroh said that the problem arose due to the inability of the Federal Government to meet its financial obligations in the various countries. The coordinator said the Amnesty Office would have to offset a lot of liabilities when funds allocated to it were eventually released. He, however, said that priority would be given to the foreign beneficiaries, especially those graduating soon. Boroh said that the Amnesty Office daily deals with false allegations made against it by some aggrieved youth craving to benefit from the programme. The president wrote the Senate and House of Representatives on Monday to inform them of his resumption. I resumed work today. I've formally transmitted letters to @NGRSenate & @HouseNGR, in compliance with S145 of the amended 1999 Constitution, Buhari said. As I settle down to work, first things firstI received a briefing from Vice President @ProfOsinbajo, he added. Buhari was originally meant to spend 10 days on leave but he wrote the Senate on February 5 to extend his vacation indefinitely. The president said at the time that he would not be able to return until his doctors ruled out certain factors. Upon his return, the president confessed that he had never been so sick in his entire life. If that just read like a bad joke, that's because it's a bad joke that turns out to be true. In his first remarks upon after his arrival, Buhari admitted he's never been so ill in his life. I couldnt recall ever being so sick since I was a real young man; including the military goings ups and downs, Buhari said, immediately putting a lie to official lines while he was away that he's been "hale and hearty". Buhari also said he may soon return to where he was coming from, for more medical care. I am feeling much better now. There may however be need to have further follow-ups within some weeks. I have received the best of treatment I can receive, the President said. His voice was barely above a whisper as he addressed cabinet members and media personnel in his first public appearance since January 19. ALSO READ: Now that President is back He looked frail all through. Gone was the glow of his light complexioned skin. His hair at once looked like the colour of snow. His hands and footsteps were unsteady and he quivered momentarily. His characteristic wit and sense of humour came across as forced; stage-managed. The man who touched down at the Air-force base in Kaduna before being airlifted to Abuja in a helicopter, looked in agony. No medical experts were needed to confirm this. The President said so himself. I deliberately came back towards the weekend so that the Vice-President will continue and I will continue to rest, Buhari said through pained laughter. He needed a rest. His body and soul yearns for a rest. Like all mortals, the course of treatment he's undergone in the last couple of weeks would take a toll. He would need to put up his feet some more, have a massage or two, have his grand-kids play with his toes after lunch and watch from a silent apartment in Daura, Katsina State as farmers and herdsmen go about their routine activities. But here he is, in an office stack full with files, documents and so much paper work in the nation's capital of Abuja. Let me first of all caution that he (Buhari) is not going to start in a dramatic way. He has been away from the country for nearly two months, so he needs to get into the temperature of the place, the President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said. For instance, yesterday (Saturday), he went through the newspapers page by page, and he read everything that interested him. So he needs to get back to that place. The thing is that hes basically human like all of us. He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually. Dont expect the president to be given neck-breaking schedules or punishing schedules like from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., or sometimes to 1a.m. to 2 a.m., he added. If the President can't stand a full schedule of work, why is he being rushed back to the office? Aso Rock says the President is only doing what the constitution requires. "In compliance with section 145 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), the President has formally transmitted letters to the Senate and the House of Representatives intimating the national assembly that "I have resumed my functions as the President of the federal republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, 2017 after my vacation", Femi Adesina who is the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said in a statement. The President transferred a letter to the national assembly intimating them of his vacation before leaving the country. The law says he must also write the national assembly to say he's back. But nothing says he can't write the national assembly again to say he wants some more rest while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo continues to function in an acting capacity. Osinbajo had proven himself a safe and stellar pair of hands in the President's absence. ALSO READ: There are insinuations that Buhari is being rushed back to work by persons with sinister political motives. By persons whose end game always revolves around power. They call them the cabal--a power hungry group of persons who don't want the President to portray the impression that he's too weak to govern. They want him to look tough and resilient even in the face of pangs and bouts of ill health because they stand to benefit from him looking that way. They stand to benefit from him putting up appearances. Renown economist Prof Pat Utomi told Pulse recently that this all has to do with politics and power play. "Politics is still everything. Our institutions are still so fragile, so weak that everything is reduced to politics. It is a subject I actually dont like to discuss or dont care for at all because in many ways its inconsequential", Utomi said of the drama behind the President's ill health. He added that: "This country was drained massively and brought to the brink by the ailing. Now, we get to a situation where we are repeating the same thing under another presidency. It should be a simple constitutional provision. We are all humans, we should be ill. If by virtue of being ill we cant continue our duties, the nobility of spirit is to step aside let others continue, and the country goes on. "We are individuals, we play our role, the country goes on. But because power tends to triumph over purpose in Nigeria, the whole thing is more like who are those who have power, who will lose it, who will benefit from it....? It is instructive that spokesperson Shehu who was part of the "President is hale and hearty" choristers, has just told a TV network that Buhari "is coming out of an ailment". Hopefully, after today's half-hearted work day, the President's Doctors sternly impress it on the man to rest and rest, while entrusting Osinbajo with a chunk of the responsibilities of state. Buhari himself has said his age means he shouldn't be counted on to offer the nation his best. Youth and intelligence is clearly behind Osinbajo, age and purely military experience is purely behind me, Buhari said. There's nothing unconstitutional about resting if your body says you should. We've all been there. Dogara stated this in Abuja on Monday when the leadership of the House of Representatives met with pupils of School without Walls from Abuja IDPs camps to commemorate 2017 Commonwealth Day. The theme of the celebration is A Peace Building Commonwealth. The speaker urged the children to dedicate themselves to the promotion of peace in the country. He told the children that there was no one more qualified to fight for peace in the country than them. Dogara expressed concern that recent killings, kidnapping, inter-communal clashes, terrorism and militancy recorded in the country had militated against a peaceful society. It is something that we Nigerians can all rally round, put on our thinking caps and resolve because no one is coming to provide the solution. We have to address the challenges ourselves, he said. Earlier, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori, said that the event was organised to preach peace and tolerance to the pupils while at the camp and beyond. He said that the contributions of young people to peace building could not be ignored, adding that respect and understanding for one another was the cornerstone on which peace was founded. At a time of increasing instability and uncertainty in the world, the Commonwealth of Nations in its rich diversity becomes an ever more needed source of strength and hope for all its members. It is in this regard that this year, the Commonwealth is focusing on peace-building initiatives and is committed to seeking ways of resolving conflict and creating peaceful and stable community," he added. The founder of the school, Mr David Olatunji, commended Nigerians for their support towards the well-being of the children. Fayose also called for the unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. According to Daily Post, the Governor said Buhari should show mercy to Kanu and Dasuki, since God has spared his life and shown him mercy. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said You have received the mercy and favour of God. You have come back from medical vacation alive. By what people had said and by your own account, it is the mercy and favour of God that have seen you through as well as the prayers of everyone. It is incumbent on you to now also show mercy. I advise you to show mercy to Nnamdi Kanu and Sambo Dasuki and such other Nigerians that are suffering unjust, punitive, illegal, and unconstitutional incarceration under your directive or administration. Allow all those who have been granted bail by the court to enjoy their bail while their trial continues. This is the right, just, and merciful thing to do. To continue to disdain the court is reckless and unconstitutional. Moreover, it is a sin and it is oppressive. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee is headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Osarodion Ogie. Inaugurating the committee in Benin on Sunday, the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, directed it to liaise with Ogbemudias family to ensure a befitting burial for him. The burial of the elder statesman, who was military and civilian governor of the Bendel at different times, has been slated for March 17 in compliance with his instruction that his body should not be kept in the morgue for long. The deceased was said to have instructed that, on his demise, his remains should be buried within seven days and his corpse not displayed in public. Members of the committee are the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr Taiwo Akerele, who will serve as Deputy Chairman, Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo, Chief Osaro Idah and former APC governorship aspirant, Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd). Others are two permanent secretaries in the states civil service, six persons from the Ogbemudia family and a representative of Delta State Government. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)s prosecutor had amended the five-count charge and joined Allison-Madueke, as an accused in the case at a Federal High Court, Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Allison-Madueke was charged in absentia alongside a one-time governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Belgore and Sulaiman. Belgore and Sulaiman were first arraigned in February before Justice Mohammed Aikawa on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering. At the resumed trial of the two accused persons on Monday, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge in which the name of Allison-Madueke had been joined as an accused. Allison-Madueke was, however, described as being at large in the new charge. Oyedepo then urged the court to allow the amended charge to be read over to Belgore and Sulaiman who were present in court for their pleas to be taken afresh. The application was not opposed by defence counsel as the court ordered the plea of the accused to be taken. The accused again entered a not guilty plea. Upon their plea, the prosecution called on its first witness, Mr Timothy Olaobaju, a banker. Led in evidence by Oyedepo, the witness informed the court that sometime in April 2014, a cash lodgement of about 115 million dollars was made lodged into the account of Allison-Madueke. He said that subsequently on March 27, 2015, the accused issued payment instructions to convert the said sums into Naira, and paid to some beneficiaries including Belgore and Suleiman. He told the court that the duo received the sum of N450 million and filled the payment form to acknowledge receipt. The prosecutor tendered the form filled by the accused in evidence, urging the court to admit same as exhibit. Justice Aikawa admitted the form in evidence, and accordingly marked them as Exhibits 1 and 1a. Furthermore, the witness told the court no cheque was issued in respect of the funds, adding that the the accused signed the form on March 26, 2015, while they received the money on March 27, 2015. Meanwhile, counsel representing the accused Mr B. O. Shofunde (SAN), and Chief O Ayanlaja (SAN) urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable them cross-examine the witness. Consequently, the court adjourned the case to March 14 for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of trial. In the five counts, Allison-Madueke was alleged to have conspired with Belgore and Sulaiman on or about March 27, 2015, to directly take possession of the sum of N450 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of unlawful act. The accused were also alleged to have taken the said funds in cash which exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution. Belgore and Sulaiman were also alleged to have paid the sum of N50 million to one Sheriff Shagaya without going through any financial institution. Buhari returned to Nigeria on Friday, March 10, after spending 49 days in London on a medical vacation. Osinbajo, who was managing the country as acting president while Buhari was away, said, on Monday, March 13, that he had handed over to the president. He held a meeting with me for over an hour where we discussed a wide range of issues so his readiness for work is not in doubt at all. In fact, he is over-ready, Osinbajo said. He is very well. We just had a very long meeting where basically trying to bring the president up to speed as to some of the things we have done while he was away. And he has given a few directives on what we should be doing on so many areas, the north-east, budget, the economy, a wide range of issues. Im back to my regular position as vice-president, he added. The president had said, upon his return, that Osinbajo would continue to handle governance so he could get a chance to rest. However, the Presidency subsequently announced that Buhari would resume on Monday. ALSO READ: According to the Azeez, the area boys injured him, the producer, Kemi Afolabi and some members of the crew while they were shooting "Esan" in Ikorodu. "This crazy area boys won't kill us the actors one day...this is happening right now on our movie set @ikorodu.please this has to stop help us oooo.#saynotoactorsabuse. They injured me the director @kemiafolabi ,the producer,camera man and some of the crew...please we need Nigerians to stand up for us," Azeez wrote on Instagram. Ijaduade Ololade Azeez's complaint comes after Omoni Oboli shared her experience with area boys while shooting a recent movie. Speaking shortly after the letter was handed over to him by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (House of Reps) Hon. Suleiman Abdurhaman Kawu Sumaila, Dogara said he will read the letter to his colleagues in plenary on Tuesday, March 14, 2017, since the communication was meant for them. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will read this to my colleagues on the floor of the House and thereafter make comments from there, he said. However, permit me to thank you for working hard to ensure that there is harmonious working relationship between the Executive and the National Assembly. In your own case I can say it was an appointment that we can truly say amounted to putting a round peg in a round hole or a square peg in a square hole, so no wonder we have seen to some extent, some form of understanding between the National Assembly and the presidency. We promise that we will cooperate more than we fight; like I said, before we will always fight and that has been the practice in all climes and ours cannot be an exception, but we will cooperate more in the interest of our people rather than fight," he added. The committees Publicity Secretary, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, made the denial on Monday in Abuja. The National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, at a news conference earlier on Monday in Abuja accused the caretaker committee headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, of collecting money from the governors monthly. Sheriff, who was represented at the conference by his deputy, Dr Cairo Ojougbo, also alleged that all organs of the party wanted political solution to its leadership crisis except the caretaker committee. According to him, the caretaker committee does not want to let go because of the N50 million it was receiving monthly from the partys governors. But Adeyeye described the allegation as a lie, cheap and unintelligent attempt to blackmail the committee members. It is a known fact by all critical stakeholders of the party and even the staff that the National Caretaker Committee has from inception been hamstrung by inadequate finance. This is so much that simple secretariat duties have been a struggle not to talk of payment of staff salary. To pay staff salaries of just N18 Million a month has been a problem for us because the funds are not available, he said. Adeyeye added that members of the caretaker committee did not enjoy any remuneration, and that more often, they spent their personal money to meet some of the partys needs. He said that the committee never complained publicly about the paucity of fund because it was an internal matter. He said that the governors ruling on the partys platform were alive for people to verify the truth of their alleged financial support to the committee The publicity secretary, however, pointed out that there was nothing wrong or untoward in receiving contributions from the governors or party members in running a party. Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, giving the heavy responsibilities placed before us. Weighty responsibility, especially the burden of having to deal with distractions caused by Sheriff and his group are left for us to deal with. Nevertheless, no matter how little, it is better to be funded by our party members than by the All Progressive Congress (APC) as is the case with Sheriff and his cohorts. "Cairo should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought Jeeps for them? Gov. Ayodele Fayose has also made a public allegation that Sheriff has received the sum of one million dollars from the APC to organize a new convention for PDP. Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation, he said. On Sheriffs call on Prof. Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee to stop speaking for the party because it is illegal, Adeyeye said that the committee remained legal. He urged Gana and his group to continue with their good work aimed at repositioning the party. On the status of Ojougboh in PDP National Working Committee (NWC), Adeyeye said Ojougboh parading himself as in that capacity was an extreme act of impunity. He said that Ojougboh was neither elected into the position nor appointed by National Executive Council of the party. He was not a member of the NWC that existed prior to May 21, 2016," he added. On political solutions to the partys leadership problem, he said that the committee has not rejected it, rather it had accepted the resolutions reached by former President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors. The agreement states clearly that all parties should resign their various positions. It added that our lawyers should therefore meet and draw up an agreement that we can present to the Supreme Court as a voluntary judgement that we have agreed to. These would have provided both political and legal solution to the logjam, but Sheriff rejected it. Sheriff has continued to insist that he would conduct a National Convention but he does not enjoy the trust and confidence of the vast majority of party members, Adeyeye stated. The result of that meeting was reprieve for Etisalat, the telecom operator in trouble over a N541 billion loan from 2015 which it failed to service. The NCC and CBN successfully urged the telcos creditors to take the take-over bid off the table, suggesting new negotiation over the matter instead. According to a statement from the NCC, the meeting had all the parties involved in the matter in attendance with all parties agreeing to take concrete action which would see a less volatile resolution. The meeting held at the CBN office in Lagos. CBN Governor Godwin Ememfiele chaired the meeting and pushed the regulators stance on the matter. The NCC, for its part, said it was concerned about Etisalats 23 million subscribers, adding that a take-over would throw the entire sector into disarray. All parties will meet again on March 16 to map a payment restructuring path that would keep all parties happy as both regulators (CBN and NCC) emphasized the need for a less hostile solution as the current situation could dissuade foreign investors in a time when the country was facing its worst recession in recent memory. While there are few people who see these pictures as an unnecessary frivolity, it hasnt stopped its popularity among brides and wedding planners, and there have been loads and loads of breath-taking pictures which convinces us that the trend should not stop yet. On March 10, 2017 however, a twitter user shared a picture which reminds us that in the midst of the admired, well-thought and executed pre-wedding photos we see around us, there are some which are not quite as brilliant as weve come to expect pre-wedding pictures to be. For some reason best known to the photographer and couple in that picture, the bride chose to wrap her mouth around a full cucumber in a sexually-suggestive manner, while the groom had his mouth buried in a slice of water-melon in an equally-suggestive manner, too. Understandably, there is a need for creativity in taking pre-wedding pictures as these things are rated for the newness of the ideas behind them, as well as their aesthetic value. However, whatever good intentions this couple had when taking that picture did not come out right, and though I oddly found it friggin hilarious [really, that might be what they actually intended], the point remains that if this was a game of hit and miss, this photographer/couple [whoever suggested the idea] missed by a long, long distance. The decision heightened the uncertainty surrounding Britain as London braces for two years of tough negotiations to leave the European Union -- itself an unprecedented step. The Scottish move also triggered secessionist calls from nationalists in Northern Ireland and Wales. Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum by a majority of 55 percent but recent polls indicate support for the union in pro-EU Scotland is declining as Brexit looms. A BMG survey for Scottish daily The Herald released Monday found that 52 percent were against breaking off from the rest of Britain, while an Ipsos MORI poll last week put the number at 51 percent. The University of Aberdeen's Scottish politics chair Michael Keating said the outcome was "wide open". But Sturgeon does not want a vote immediately "because it's the worst possible time to hold a referendum on independence: the price of oil is down and the economy is not doing very well," he told AFP. An independent Scotland would be hugely dependent on oil revenues from the North Sea fields and secession would raise many pressing economic issues, including what currency the new state could adopt. Sturgeon said the new independence referendum could be held between late 2018 and early 2019, once the outline of the Brexit agreement becomes clear but before Britain actually leaves the EU. The European Commission swiftly warned that Scotland would have to reapply to join the EU if it became independent from Britain. The EU's executive arm recalled comments by its former chief Jose Manuel Barroso, before the last Scottish independence referendum in 2014, that a newly independent Scotland would have to reapply to join the bloc. "Yes, the Barroso doctrine applies, it's clear," Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a briefing in Brussels. 'Worst possible time' For months, Sturgeon has pushed for Scotland to be allowed to stay in the European single market even as the rest of Britain pulls out but on Monday she said she had been faced with "a brick wall of intransigence". "I will now take the steps necessary to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process," the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) leader said of Brexit. The British government retorted that it would seek a deal with Brussels for the whole of Britain including Scotland. "Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time," Downing Street said. A spokesman cited the SNP's claim that the 2014 vote "would decide the issue for a generation", without however explicitly ruling out permission for Scotland to hold a vote. Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable." Mark Diffley, director of Ipsos MORI Scotland, said May could refuse a referendum outright "with the risk that public opinion in Scotland will move firmly behind independence" or agree to allow Scotland to hold it only after Britain leaves the EU. In the June 2016 Brexit referendum, 62 percent within Scotland voted for Britain to remain in the EU, but across the UK as a whole, 52 percent voted to leave. 'End of the UK'? The SNP runs a minority administration in Edinburgh, but with Green support they have the numbers required to back the call for a second referendum. Scottish opposition leader Ruth Davidson said Sturgeon's "utterly irresponsible" and "partisan" proposal "offers Scotland the worst of all worlds". "Her timetable would force people to vote blind on the biggest political decision a country could face," the Conservative said. Meanwhile Irish Republicans Sinn Fein called for a swift referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK and joining the Republic of Ireland. "That needs to happen as soon as possible," said Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's leader in Northern Ireland. And Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru said Sturgeon's announcement meant the time had come for a national debate about Wales's future. "On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," the statement said. Without elaborating, it called the bombings "a message to Iran and its militias". Iran and the Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement of Lebanon are close allies of the Syrian government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up. The Britain-based monitor said 11 bystanders and eight children were among the dead, as were 20 members of the pro-government security forces. State television gave a toll of 40 killed and 120 wounded by "two bombs detonated by terrorists", while Iraq's foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals had died. In January, Fateh al-Sham Front also claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of Damascus that killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers. Damascus, stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad's government, has been largely spared the violence that has rocked other major cities in Syria's six-year war. Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov told parliament that the talks would hold between Tuesday and Wednesday. We are awaiting confirmations from the other parties to the meeting, Abdrakhmanov, adding that delegations had already started arriving in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The Syrian revolutionary forces delegation has received an invitation to take part in the third Astana meeting, but we are setting forth the following conditions for holding any round of talks, a statement read. The delegation wants the meeting to start after March 20 in order to assess the establishment of ceasefire regimes in the Al Waer and East Ghouta areas, the deadline for which has been set for March 20. The delegation gave three further conditions for its participation, including a full ceasefire in opposition-controlled areas, an end to forced resettlement and a conclusion of ceasefire mechanism discussions. NAN recalls that the last round of Astana talks on Syria were concluded on Jan. 25, without issuing a final communique, as was expected. Delegations only made remarks through press briefings. During the last round of talks, it was agreed on setting up a joint Russian, Turkish, Iranian committee to monitor the ceasefire. NAN recalls that on Jan. 24, Russia, Iran and Turkey presented a united front at the conclusion of two days of talks in Kazakhstan between the Syrian Government and the armed opposition, pledging support for the countrys shaky ceasefire and a joint mechanism to ensure compliance. At the conclusion of the two-day conference in Astana on Syrias nearly six-year war, the three countries said they will use their influence to strengthen the truce, which has been in place since Dec. 30. They did not specify how that would work, and continued differences among the warring sides as well as rebel infighting back home threatened to quickly scuttle the deal. Its going to be a challenge, its not going to be easy, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who mediated between the two sides in Astana, told reporters. Russia and Iran, President Bashar Assads main supporters, and Turkey, the rebels chief backer, said they will use their influence to strengthen the truce. Their joint efforts have raised hopes for a diplomatic end to the brutal six-year conflict. Previous efforts by the US and Russia for a lasting ceasefire led nowhere.Five years of war in Syria A look at the key moments that have shaped the war in Syria over the last five years. Following the declaration, read out by Kazakhstans Foreign Minister, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Syrias delegates to the Astana meeting held competing press conferences that underlined the enormous differences between the two sides. We dont accept any role for Iran in the future of Syria, said Mohammad Alloush, the head of the rebel delegation, insisting that all Iranian-backed foreign militias fighting alongside the Syrian Government withdraw. The perpetrators, who have still not been found, stole only the main horn, which is estimated to be worth 30,000-40,000 euros ($32,000-$42,690). The Pairi Daiza zoo, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) southwest of Brussels, has three adult rhinos and a baby white rhino born in March 2016 as part of its 5,000-animal complex. Director Eric Domb wrote on the zoo's Facebook page that the French killing had prompted him to ask "our veterinarian to proceed on a temporary basis and as an additional measure to security procedures already in place at Pairi Daiza" to shorten their rhinos' horns. "This heinous act is the first in Europe but it is part of a long line of rhino horn thefts from many European museums," Domb wrote. With this measure, he said, he also wanted to not only protect the zoo's animals but its security personnel as well. In the Thoiry incident, intruders forced the main gate of the zoo and broke through at least two other security barriers before shooting dead the rhino, called Vince. The killing marked the first time a European zoo had been breached in that way. Investigators believe the murder was part of an organised trafficking ring. Black market rhino horn sells for up to $60,000 per kilo -- more than gold or cocaine -- with demand principally coming from China and Vietnam where it is coveted as a traditional medicine and supposed aphrodisiac. One horn can weigh four kilos -- comprised exclusively of keratin, the same substance in human hair and fingernails. "Depending on circumstances, this measure could be renewed," Domb wrote. "Frequently used in many national African parks, it is considered today as one of the only effective deterrents." At least one woman was killed and eight others wounded in the blast, which left the bus badly mangled and the area littered with charred debris and twisted metal. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it comes as the Taliban step up attacks even before the official start of the annual spring offensive. "There has been an explosion against a minibus in Kabul," Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid told AFP, adding that more casualties were feared. "Police are investigating the nature of the explosion." Gunmen disguised as doctors stormed Afghanistan's largest military hospital last Wednesday, killing more than 100 people in a brazen six-hour attack, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP. Insiders including two interns already positioned inside the facility were among the attackers, the sources said. The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan. The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from point-blank range. The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq -- hours after the Taliban denied responsibility. But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live Taliban" in Pashto. The Taliban, Afghanistan's largest militant group, is known to distance itself from attacks on medical facilities or those that result in high civilian casualties. The violence underscores rising insecurity. The country is bracing for an intense fighting season in the spring as the government's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed. Afghan forces, already beset by record casualties, desertions and non-existent "ghost soldiers" on the payroll, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. Kabul last month endorsed US General John Nicholson's call for thousands of additional coalition troops to hold off the militants before the spring offensive. "This is essential for the continued strength of the transatlantic bond on which our alliance is founded," Stoltenberg said in NATO's 2016 annual report. "For almost 70 years the unique partnership between Europe and North America has ensured peace and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic," he said. "That is an achievement we can never take for granted." Trump caused dismay in Europe when he said on the campaign trail that NATO was "obsolete," and failing to meet the challenge posed by Islamic terror groups. His administration has repeatedly pressed the allies to meet a pledge to spend two percent of GDP annually on defence by 2024. After the fall of the Soviet Union, NATO allies cut defence spending only to find themselves caught out by Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea. NATO leaders, pressed by then US president Barack Obama, agreed the two percent target in 2014 and reaffirmed it at a 2016 Warsaw summit to counter a more assertive Russia. The NATO annual report said only five countries met the two percent target -- the United States, Britain, Greece, Poland and Estonia -- while Washington still accounted for nearly 70 percent of combined alliance defence spending. Overall, the US-led alliance reversed the downturn in 2015 and last year, defence spending rose 3.8 percent or $10 billion (9.3 billion euros), it noted. "In 2017, we must redouble our efforts to sustain the positive momentum and speed up national efforts to keep our pledge," Stoltenberg said in the report. Meeting the two percent target has caused some soul-searching in Europe over what the wider impact will be. Critics cite the example of Germany, currently on 1.2 percent of GDP but an increase to 2.0 percent would put Berlin's defence budget on a par with Russia's at around 65 billion euros. Reasons Locker Service in Buffalo Prairie, Illinois, is recalling approximately 6,686 pounds of its cooked ready-to-eat products. In a news release, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced the products may have experienced temperature abuse during stabilization/chilling and could contain the bacteria Clostridium. The recalled products, which include the establishment number EST. 227, were produced from March 2015 through March 2017. The products including summer sausage, and beef and cheese snack sticks are sold under the Prairie Pride Meats label. Greg Boruff, who owns the business with his wife, Diane Reason, said the products were sold exclusively by Reason's at its main facility in Buffalo Prairie in Rock Island County and in Aledo, Illinois. "We're confident that no harm's been done," he said. "This was not on the cooking side and our chilling process does stand up. But our chilling records were not adequate.'' The Department of Agriculture said the problem was discovered by inspection personnel verifying records. Records did not show actual temperature readings at the required time and place. Instead, it was determined a plant employee filled in a temperature reading without actually testing the product. Boruff said this marks the first recall in the nearly 80-year-old locker's history. "Am I glad it happened? No. But we'll be better for this,'' he said, adding that the locker now has invested in new equipment to record food temperatures. There have been no reports of illness or adverse reactions reported to the department or to Reason's. Any customer with a recalled product should return it to Reason's. Customers with questions, can call Boruff at 309-537-3424. Want to buy a castle? This French chateau will only cost you $58. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. SAUDI ARABIA Secretary of State Mike Pompeo touched down in Turkey's capital this morning to talk with officials about the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. International pressure is growing on Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to Khashoggi, who disappeared this month after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Saudis, sources told CNN, are prepared to say Khashoggi, a critic of the regime, died in an interrogation gone wrong. CNN has also learned the incident was organized by a high-ranking Saudi officer with ties to the kingdom's crown prince. President Trump has defended Saudi Arabia, prompting criticism that his brand of foreign policy is not rooted in traditional US values regarding human rights. 2. HURRICANE MICHAEL It's been a week since Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, and everyone's still trying to get a good handle on the misery. The death toll is still rising, up to at least 29 deaths in four states. Searchers are finding more bodies as the waters recede. And authorities fear some people who didn't evacuate might be buried under piles of wood, metal and concrete in the worst-hit areas in Florida, which now has an online form to report the missing. Residents of Mexico Beach, the coastal town pretty much wiped out by Michael, can now visit their properties to survey damage and salvage items. 3. BREXIT Fears that the UK will leave the European Union early next year without some kind of transition deal have never been higher. Talks on the issue stalled over the weekend, so British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with EU leaders today to get things back on track. The big sticking point is the Irish border. The EU wants the UK to agree to a "backstop" or fallback position that would ensure no checkpoints between Northern Ireland, which will be outside the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, which will remain an EU member state. But getting rid of checkpoints was a key part of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland after years of deadly violence. May argues the status quo would amount to splitting the UK into different customs zones, which is a political nonstarter. Thus, the impasse. Many in the UK are concerned that leaving the EU without a deal could lead to chaos, like food shortages, grounded planes, new tariffs, customs delays and price hikes. 4. CANADA AND MARIJUANA It's now OK for our nice neighbors to the north to light one up. Recreational marijuana became legal in Canada today. Canadian adults can now carry and share as much as 30 grams of legal pot in public, thanks to a bill passed back in the summer. Canadians can also grow up to four marijuana plants at home and make products, such as edibles, for personal use. Legalizing weed is expected to create a $4 billion industry in Canada. Here in the US, nine states and Washington DC allow recreational marijuana use. 5. LOTTERIES What a time to be alive! Both the Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries offer huge jackpots right now. Combined, they're worth more than a billion dollars. The Mega Millions jackpot is at least $868 million -- the largest prize in the game's history and the second largest in US lotto history. No one won in last night's drawing, so get ready for the frenzy before the next drawing on Friday. Meanwhile, Powerball's jackpot is $345 million. The next Powerball drawing is tonight, so if you want to play, you better get to the convenience store! BREAKFAST BROWSE Bingbing is back Fan Bingbing, the Chinese film star who disappeared months ago after allegations of tax avoidance, popped back up in Beijing. Going Gaga Lady Gaga thanked her "fiance" during a speech earlier this week, and all the Little Monsters stopped and said, "Wait, what?" Holy book A Jewish prayer book, owned and annotated by film legend Marilyn Monroe, is going up for auction. Standing strong Much of Mexico Beach, Florida, was obliterated by Hurricane Michael. But not this house, and it's not a surprise why. TODAY'S NUMBERS 3.3% That's how much wages in the US grew in the third quarter, the Labor Department reported. That was enough to beat the rise in inflation and proof that the super-hot job market is finally growing Americans' paychecks. 0 The number of shootings reported to police over the weekend in New York City. It's the first time that's happened in at least 25 years. TODAY'S QUOTE "She was going to do what she was going to do. She never listened to a damn person in her life." Actor John Goodman (as Dan Conner) talking about his TV wife Roseanne Conner (but he could have been talking about actress Roseanne Barr, too) in the first episode of "The Conners," which revealed Roseanne's fictional fate. Barr's racist Twitter tirade led to the cancellation of "Roseanne." AND FINALLY Don't believe me? Just watch You won't believe the moves the four-legged robot Spot comes up with while dancing to "Uptown Funk." (Click to view.) A transient man was arrested Sunday after police say he set fire to an SUV on the side of Interstate 80 in Bettendorf. Brian Dale Risberg Sr., 52, was booked into the Scott County Jail at 10:44 a.m. Sunday on one count of second-degree arson, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Bond was set Monday at $20,000 cash or surety. He has a preliminary hearing March 23. The incident happened at 5:51 a.m. Sunday on I-80 westbound near mile marker 300, according to an affidavit filed by Bettendorf police in support of the criminal complaint. Risberg used a can of gasoline to pour gasoline in the driver seat of his 2009 Kia Sorento and used a lighter and paper to set it on fire, according to the affidavit. He did this on the side of the heavily traveled interstate highway, according to the affidavit. He then walked away from the SUV and did not call 911 to report the fire, according to the affidavit. Both of the I-80 westbound lanes of traffic had to be shut down while the vehicle fire was extinguished. Risberg, according to the affidavit, smelled of gasoline when officers located him inside the westbound rest area. During an interview with police, he admitted that he used gas to set the SUV on fire, according to the affidavit. Risberg said he did so because he was "done driving vehicles, according to the affidavit. The Davenport Police Department has 463 untested sexual assault kits sitting in evidence, the second-highest number in the state, according to a new report released by the Iowa Attorney Generals Office. The report, a yearlong survey of 387 city and county law enforcement agencies conducted by the state Attorney Generals Crime Victim Assistance Division, shows there are 4,265 sexual assault kits that haven't been tested in Iowa. Attorney General Tom Miller said in a news release that his office is working with law enforcement statewide to get a better handle on the backlog of cases with a goal of bringing offenders to justice while supporting and empowering Iowas sexual assault survivors. The audit, known as the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, is the result of legislation passed in 2016 requiring the survey and a report to the Legislature. It is funded by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and is part of a nationwide effort to address a backlog of untested kits. Our hope is to do justice, Miller said during a news conference last week. Our hope is that we will find perpetrators of sex abuse, perhaps some of them serial perpetrators. Well be able to apprehend them and charge them and put them in prison. The results A team made-up of law enforcement, prosecutors, crime victim advocates and public health professionals developed the survey to determine the scope of untested sexual assault kits and reasons behind it. The survey found that 168 of 387, or 43 percent, of law enforcement agencies are storing untested kits and that nine of those agencies, including Davenport, account for 63 percent of the untested kits. Iowa law requires law enforcement to retain sexual assault kits for 10 years for adult victims and 10 years following a minor victims 18th birthday. The law also has a separate statute of limitations for old sexual assault cases; the three-year time frame begins to run if, through the development of a DNA profile, investigators discover the identity of a previously unknown perpetrator, according to the attorney generals office. According to the report, Davenport police had 463 untested kits, Bettendorf police had 25 untested kits and the Scott County Sheriffs Office had 12. Blue Grass, Buffalo, Eldridge and LeClaire police departments did not have any untested kits, according to the report. Des Moines reported 877 untested kits, the highest in the state. Chief Deputy Attorney General Eric Tabor said Monday most survey responses from agencies were returned in the summer of 2016 and there may be more kits that have been collected since then. As of Monday, the sheriffs office has 23 untested kits, Sheriff Tim Lane said. Lane said the department is given criteria from the state crime lab for sending kits for testing. Of course, weve got a reason here for everything that was sent and everything that was not sent, he said. There are various reasons why one would not be sent. One reason, Lane said, is that the accuser did not want to file charges or participate in prosecution. Some kits also may not be sent for testing if there is a guilty plea early on in a case or the county attorney has determined that there is not enough evidence to proceed with the case, he said. The state survey found that 800 of the kits, or nearly 19 percent, were untested because the victim did not want to file charges. Lack of cooperation by the victim and doubt of the truthfulness of the accusation also were the most common reasons why kits are not sent, according to the survey. Davenport police officials declined to be interviewed about its untested kits, saying they could not comment on specifics of past cases. Chief Paul Sikorski said in a news release, however, that the department has been actively working on reviewing our protocols of sex crime investigations since he began his tenure. In addition to our current property and evidence system, the Criminal Investigation Division is establishing a comprehensive case tracking system which includes case review and consultation with the Scott County Attorneys Office specifically regarding sexual assault cases, according to the release. This tracking system will include the submission and or disposition of sex assault kits and other evidence. It will also encompass recommendations made by the Iowa Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). He added that the department will continue to analyze its protocols and assess the need for further training, education and standardization. Kits are provided by the state Division of Criminal Investigation, which also processes the kits at its crime lab in Ankeny. The lab tests DNA from saliva, blood and semen as well as from sweat and skin. The sample then is uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, to find a match to a suspect whose DNA sample already is registered in the national database. In Iowa, anyone convicted of a felony or a sex crime must submit a DNA specimen to that database. The law enforcement agency that sent the kit can use a match in CODIS as evidence to prosecute a suspect. Scott County Sheriffs Maj. Shawn Roth said the turnaround time to get kits back from the lab is between eight and nine months. When we speak to victims, its frustrating for them to wait eight or nine months for some sort of resolution, Roth said. There may not be anything, and they are waiting that long just to hear theres nothing there or, the complete opposite, that we have to wait eight or nine months and we dont know who this person is in those particular cases. Those are the scary ones." The kits can be especially helpful in cases where a perpetrator is not known to the victim but may not yield any significant evidentiary value in cases where consent is in dispute. There should be DNA if there is a sex act, he said. So, the DNA in and of itself would not be something we look at and go, Thats going to break a case. More likely than not, they are going to tell us the sex act in and of itself is not in question. Whether its consensual is the question. Still, medical screening is still important so that the victims can be checked out, Roth said. That way, they have some sort of peace of mind that they didnt catch anything, and they can work work with the right channels to get the appropriate care they need, he said. Victims can request a sexual assault kit, which is typically administered at a hospital, but they do not have to submit their names or talk to police if they do not want to, Roth said. Roth and Lane said that sexual abuse and assault still are very much under-reported crimes. There are a lot of times when you hear of these cases and no one comes forward, or we see sex assault kits come into a hospital and the person doesnt necessarily want to file anything with law enforcement; they just want to find out medically if they are OK, Roth said. Which is fine, thats completely up to the victim. But you know if they are not coming forward to at least give us the story of what happened, we can only speculate that it happens more times than not. Next steps Testing the state's backlog of untested kits would overwhelm the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation labs ongoing workload, Miller said, so the team will seek DNA testing through outside labs. Officials are accepting bids from private labs to analyze the backlog of kits that are undergoing a case-by-case review by a panel of criminologists, victim advocates and law agencies. The bids are due April 24, and the first batch of tests could begin in June, with an expected 90-day turnaround for results, he said. We will put a priority on those that are bumping up against the statute of limitation, Miller said. He estimated about half of the kits would produce usable DNA, and 30 percent or 40 percent of those would generate matches with offenders. A DCI lab administrator then will decide which results to run in the DNA database, and any hits they generate on suspects will be referred to law enforcement, he said. The initiative also is pursuing the establishment of a statewide sexual assault kit tracking system that, when implemented, will track the status of all kits collected at a medical facility, stored by law enforcement or sent to laboratories for analysis. The initiative seeks to improve and standardize protocols associated with testing and victim support, training and a review of statutes on sexual assault kit testing. Kerri True-Funk of the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Abuse said at last week's news conference that the agency with work with local victim services organizations to make sure survivors receive adequate information and support as their cases move forward. "A lot of these kits have been sitting untested with the victims believing their kits have been sent to the lab," she said. "So, that process is going to look very different for some victims than for others because they may believe their evidence has been tested or their case was closed and they don't understand where their evidence is sitting right now." (Rod Boshart contributed to this report.) A daily look at what did well on the web while you were working. U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau of the Northern District of Iowa has resigned, one of the 46 U.S. attorneys across the nation who were holdovers from the Obama administration and whose resignations were demanded Friday by the Trump administration. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Cedar Rapids on Monday confirmed the resignation of Techau, 58, of Cedar Rapids. The acting U.S. attorney for Iowa's Southern District, which covers Davenport, was not affected by the order. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked Techau, who took office in February 2014, to resign, effective at midnight Friday, along with the 45 other presidentially appointed prosecutors. Techau, a native of Marion, is a previous commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety in the administration of Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack. President Barack Obama appointed him to the attorney's post in 2013. "Iowa has excellent federal, state and local law enforcement officers across the state, Techau said in a statement Monday. "It has been a fulfilling and rewarding experience to have served in this office for the past three years with those professionals. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to lead the men and women who work so hard in the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa. They are a top-notch group of public servants and I am very honored to have been their colleague." First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Berry will serve as acting U.S. attorney, pending an interim or permanent appointment by President Donald Trump. The acting U.S. attorney in Iowa's Southern District, Kevin VanderSchel, was not affected by last week's move. "Kevin is not presidentially appointed, so he can stay on until the transition happens, Rachel J. Scherle, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District, said Monday. VanderSchel has been with the U.S. attorney's office since 1989. He had been the first assistant and stepped into the interim position when Nicholas Klinefeldt resigned as U.S. attorney in 2015 to take a job at a Des Moines law firm. He was appointed by Obama in 2009. It's not clear when Trump will nominate replacements. Typically, the senior senator of the same party forwards names to the president to fill U.S. attorney posts. In a statement Monday, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said that, knowing a new president was coming into office, he has been preparing for this and "in the coming weeks" will be sending names to the White House. The administration's demand for resignations last Friday drew criticism in some quarters. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y, said last week the abrupt departures would be disruptive to cases. But a Justice Department spokeswoman, Sarah Isgur Flores, said last Friday that, as in prior administrations, many U.S. attorneys nominated by the previous administration had already left and that Sessions asked the remaining 46 to resign to ensure a uniform transition. She said career prosecutors would continue to administer the offices. In recent years, the administrations of Barack Obama and George W. Bush gradually eased out U.S. attorneys while replacements were sought, according to The Washington Post. Asked about the move Monday, Grassley, who is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, "U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president who has a right to hire or fire a U.S. attorney for almost any reason. When President Clinton came into office, he fired all U.S. attorneys with little or no notice. Every president handles it in his own way." GRAND MOUND, Iowa A Grand Mound , family was assisted by the American Red Cross early Monday after a fire destroyed their home. Grand Mound Fire Chief Kent Brix said the fire started about 6:30 a.m. in the 1-story house on 260th Avenue. Firefighters arrived to see flames shooting from the roof after Steve and Ellen Waldorf and their son, Ryan, called for emergency responders then escaped safely, The origin of the fire appears to be a garage area, Brix said, but the blaze remains under investigation. The house, which is about 17 years old, was a total loss. The family was insured, he said. In addition to Grand Mound, crews from DeWitt and Welton, Iowa, responded to the scene. Three Red Cross volunteers also went to the scene, said Kara Kelly, regional communications officer for the Iowa region of the American Red Cross. The volunteers assisted the family of three adults with immediate needs and also served breakfast and hot drinks to first responders at the scene. Linda Cook Wednesday, March 13, 2002: CLINTON, Iowa Praising Clinton's Vision Iowa project as having potential to create the "highest publicly accessible riverfront area in the state," Gov. Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that the city will get $5 million of its $12.1 million request. Saturday, March 14, 1987: There was a nun. A bookstore owner. A newspaper reporter. A nurse. They were different, yet what really mattered is how they were alike. All were among seven Quad-City women honored Saturday for their work and outstanding service in the community. Wednesday, March 15, 1972: DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Defending Class AA champion Davenport West found that you can survive three quarters of "sloppy" play if you start out right. Eighth-ranked West (18-5) did just that Wednesday in side-lining Decorah 53-45 and will meet Cedar Rapids Kennedy in Friday's semifinals. Saturday, March 16, 1957: ALEDO, Ill. A German refugee family brought to this country six weeks ago by the congregation of the Aledo Presbyterian Church is settled in their new home and are becoming accustomed to their new life in the Midwest. Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Breitmeyer and their four sons, Alexander, 20, Rudolf, 15, Otto, 12, and Bruno, 10, are now settled in an apartment in the home of Dr. and Mrs. E. Albert Cook. Tuesday, March 17, 1942: John G. Dawson, student at the Davenport high school, a former member of the crack drill team of the ROTC, has left for training in the Marine Corps after passing his final examinations in Des Moines. The youth was enlisted through the offices of Erling Larson, 709 Union Bank building. A coincidence in the enlistment of John Dawson at this time is that his father, Clifford J. Dawson, 2209 Farnam St., enlisted as a volunteer World War I, at the same age and from the Davenport high school. Friday, March 18, 1927: One commodity once considered a nuisance is finding more and more uses through city departments. That is cinders, now much in demand in various parts of the city for fills on ungraded or unpaved streets. Several requests for street improvement through the placing of cinders on muddy sections are before the council for consideration at various times. Tuesday, March 19, 1912: The urgent need of a safe and sane Fourth of July celebration is shown by looking over the statistics of the fatalities and injuries in and around Davenport and throughout the country last Fourth. In Davenport, two deaths are recorded as a direct result of too strenuous Fourth of July. Five persons were injured in Davenport and vicinity from the result of last year's celebration. Megan Sanchez of Bettendorf is part of the Western Illinois University student-produced television newscast, "Live at Four," that was named the top newscast in the nation by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System. The nation's top award went to the 30-minute live production that aired Nov. 17, 2016, when students reported live from Canton, Illinois, one day after a major gas explosion downtown. Sanchez is a senior broadcasting major and part of the NEWS3 team. Breanna Descourouez, a senior broadcasting major from Moline, also won an award for Best Community News for her story "Celebrating the Life of Silven Yocum." Arsenic was a poison favored by Victorian mystery writers. The victims would be fed small amounts, not suspecting the cause of their increasing discomfort. At a certain point, the arsenic buildup would send them into organ failure and death. The Republican House health care plan would apply a similar slow-working toxin to the Affordable Care Act. In this case, many of the millions enrolled in Obamacare would not realize what's happening to their health care until it's too late. House Speaker Paul Ryan's approach has drawn fire from conservative groups that want to basically repeal the whole thing. They scorn the American Health Care Act as "Obamacare Lite," hardening an entitlement. These conservatives deserve points for honesty. Their fix for Obamacare is a beheading -- quick and efficient. Everyone would know it's dead. That said, the conservatives are giving Ryan and his colleagues too little credit. Their plan also sets up Obamacare for collapse -- and again, with the advantage of keeping its beneficiaries in the dark. For starters, they would maintain current funding for the Medicaid expansion until 2020. Thus, many of the 11 million low- and moderate-income working families receiving subsidies wouldn't appreciate the consequences for several years. That's when the tax credits would shrink to a shadow of what they are under Obamacare. Rural areas would get hit hardest. In Chadron, Nebraska, for example, the subsidy would be cut by more than half, from $6,670 under Obamacare to $3,000 under the Republican House plan. Many have complained about high deductibles, and understandably so. However, Obamacare does offer some financial assistance for such out-of-pocket costs. That would be gone under the House plan. The bill would provide $15 billion to the states for "high-risk pools" covering sick people private insurers don't want to touch. But in 2020, that federal subsidy would shrivel to $10 billion. The bill would end the individual mandate requiring everyone to obtain insurance or pay a fine. That would encourage the young and healthy to drop their coverage, leaving a weakened insurance pool heavy with expensively ill patients. Yes, the plan also would impose a 30 percent surcharge on those who drop their insurance but later want to sign on. Makes sense until you ask, Who would later sign on? The answer is people who've suddenly discovered they have a serious medical condition and need the coverage. After all, insurers still could not charge more to those with pre-existing conditions. Seeing as the penalty would probably be far lower than the costs the patients are facing, they'd surely want to secure coverage. In sum, getting rid of the mandate this way would encourage the healthy to leave and the unhealthy to join. Subsidies would be tied to age. A 60-year-old would receive $4,000 in tax credits, and a 25-year-old $2,000. That sounds somewhat OK, given that older people tend to have more health issues. However, the proposal would let insurers charge 60-year-olds rates up to five times more than they bill young people (versus three times now). So there would go the tax credit advantage -- and then some. More bad incentives. Many people ages 60 to 64 who are in relatively good shape might drop coverage, wagering that in the event of a health crisis, they could crawl across the age 65 line and into the promised land of Medicare. Those with already high health costs would stay in the Republican plan, further burdening the program. President Trump has given the House plan his blessing. But given the squads of Republicans, never mind Democrats, arrayed against it, the House bill seems destined for an early demise. And it would be no mystery why. If Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan succeeds in convincing the state Supreme Court to consider ordering the state to stop paying employees without an appropriation, and the governor's legal team uses the same arguments as it did in St. Clair County, we could be in for a highly unusual argument. First, a little background. The Illinois Constitution and state laws are clear that no state money can be expended without a legal appropriation, which is legislative speak for a special kind of bill that lists how much government agencies, commissions, etc. can spend on various items. As you probably know, the state hasnt had a real budget in a couple of years. A budget is basically just a collection of appropriations. The last legal appropriation for state employee payroll expired on June 30, 2015. Negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders stalled and shortly thereafter a judge in St. Clair County ordered the state to pay its workers anyway. Everybody back then figured this would probably be a temporary situation, so nobody squawked too much. Its been done before for a few weeks. No big deal. Except, as we are all painfully aware, the governmental stalemate has continued for more than 20 months. In January, Attorney General Madigan got tired of waiting for the governor and the General Assembly to cut a deal and filed a legal motion in St. Clair County to vacate that 2015 order. She lost. Were not sure exactly why because the judge didnt issue a formal opinion, but the governors office was at that hearing and filed a brief opposing AG Madigans motion. The governor doesnt want AG Madigan to win because his bargaining position will be greatly weakened if the courts effectively shut down the state by ruling that money cant be spent without appropriations. Rauner is demanding some business-related reforms, a property tax freeze and a few other things before hell agree to a tax hike to balance the states infamously out of whack budget. So, the man who once bragged that he would use the crisis of the state not having a budget to force through his preferred legislative changes now wants to avoid a much worse crisis that would compel him to abandon his demands in order to prevent the catastrophe of an actual government shutdown. Got all that? OK. One of the arguments used by the governor's lawyers when they won at the county level last month was that a bunch of state laws are in reality continuing appropriations. A continuing appropriation is a law mandating that certain state bills be paid in perpetuity. The General Assembly isn't required to pass new appropriations every year and the governor isnt required to sign them into law. Its automatic pilot spending. But the governors lawyers want to redefine what a continuing appropriation is. According to the governor's legal brief, "there are many statutes that function as continuing appropriations by mandating the State to perform specific services. Employees who provide those services must continue to be paid." Examples the governor's legal eagles used included a state statute, which mandates that the Illinois Department on Aging "shall exercise, administer, and enforce all rights, powers and duties vested in the Department on Aging by the Illinois Act on the Aging." Complying with these and other mandates, they claimed, "necessitates paying personnel" because compliance can't be accomplished without employees. The governor's legal team then argued that it would take a lot of time to sift through all state laws to find these mandates, and that the task needed to be followed up by "evidentiary hearings to assess what employees are necessary to provide such services." Such a process could take months, if not years. There are a ton of those mandates in the state statute books. Needless to say, if such an argument prevailed it would give the executive branch almost limitless authority to spend taxpayer money as it pleased. And it wouldnt end with employee salaries, either. If the Department on Aging determined that it needed a big new Chicago office building to perform its mandated functions, or needed millions of dollars in new contracts, or had to purchase a dozen new vehicles, then, under the governor's legal logic it could go right ahead and do so without any legislative approval whatsoever. The governor's team references what it considers to be favorable court rulings from 1953 and 1974, but this is either one of the most blatant executive power grab attempts I've seen or the biggest legal stretch ever. DES MOINES At the Iowa Statehouse, he often gets the cold shoulder from colleagues and has been shut out of all but one committee. But state Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan said he has no second thoughts about switching his party registration from Republican to independent last year, and he insists he's still working hard on his key issues of education and environmental protection. More than halfway into the 2017 session, Johnson remains convinced he did the right thing in bolting from the party last summer after publicly airing his strong concern for the direction the party was headed with outspoken businessman Donald Trump as the GOP presidential nominee. "I will not stand silent if the party of Lincoln and the end of slavery buckles under the racial bias of a bigot," Johnson said at the time. Trump ultimately became the 45th president, and Johnson watched national politics with a high recoil factor. "It is a period of deconstruction going on ... It is not the party of Lincoln, it is the party of Trump," Johnson said. In the November election, Johnson also watched his former party capture control of the Iowa Senate, 29-21 and maintain its majority in the Iowa House. Of the 150 legislators, Johnson is now the only independent, but he insists the number will grow. Being a distinct political minority is fine with Johnson, who said, "I've never been a follower. I feel I am voicing the opinion of Iowans better than I ever have before." Johnson said he has been unshackled from the days of worrying whether he could air reservations with Republican plans to Senate party leaders. Lots of aspects of the legislative job remain the same for Johnson. The former journalist rises at 5 a.m. and watches MSNBC's morning political show, "Morning Joe" and then pages through daily newspapers. He still works long days at the Capitol, often staying until the early evening hours. After leaving last Tuesday, Johnson described fielding phone calls for four more hours, until 11 p.m. Johnson introduces amendments to bills and gives floor speeches during the so-called personal privileges period. He continues to attend weekend legislative forums in his northwest Iowa district. Much has changed for Johnson, however. After he stopped caucusing with Senate Republicans, Johnson lost all his committee assignments. This session, Democrats gave him a seat on the Natural Resources and Environment Committee after a Democrat stepped aside. Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said he had no qualms about appointing a former Republican to the committee. "He has been an strong advocate for the environment and clean water," Hogg said. Johnson also no longer has access to party research analysts, although he said he always did a lot of his own studying in prior years. When encountering other senators, he often gets a cool reception. "It is disappointing," Johnson said. "It is petty. I've got friends, too." In summarizing whether he has loyal friends or new detractors among Republican and Democratic senators, Johnson would cite only one senator by name, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock. "Senator Dix refused to meet with me, in spite of numerous requests," Johnson said. "I can't help but believe that the leadership has passed down ... that my bills are dead on arrival," Johnson said. Dix did not respond to a Journal interview request. Hogg said it has been fascinating to watch independent Johnson, sometimes voting with Republicans and sometimes not. "He is being highly effective, because he is able to speak up on everything," Hogg said. "It is kind of like he has been liberated from any party apparatus." Last year, the Senate was controlled by Democrats on a 26-24 count. With Republicans holding both legislative chambers and the governor's mansion, the House and Senate have been quickly moving legislation that Johnson contends is not good public policy. He cited Iowa K-12 schools receiving only 1.1 percent growth in their budgets for fiscal year 2017-18, cuts to community colleges and sweeping changes to the collective bargaining law for public employees. "It is outright union busting ... How many times can you slap a teacher or state worker in the face before they flee the state?" Johnson asked. In spite of the obstacles, Johnson insists he's having fun. "I call it serious fun. The adrenaline is flowing, and at (age) 66, I guess that is a good way to feel," said Johnson, who is in his 19th year in the Legislature. Johnson's term runs through December 2018 in Senate District 1, which covers all or parts of Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, Osceola and Palo Alto counties. He has not decided whether to seek re-election to a four-year term. Prior to the election, Zach Whiting announced he would seek the Republican nomination for the Senate post, citing Johnson's decision to leave the party. Whiting, of Spencer, is a staff member for U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. Johnson said he knows many in the state Republican Party and in northwest Iowa are dismayed with his switch to an independent. He also said many Iowans he's known for years have told him privately they like his lawmaking skills. He said he is convinced more independents will be elected, and a third party could arise, "with government accountability at its core." "Let's make this tri-partisan," Johnson said. "The Legislature should get used to this, because I think in the years ahead, you will see more independents. "It is great. I just continue to be amazed by people who are community leaders, maybe not publicly, who voice support for me." SIOUX FALLS | To Sister Janet Horstman, they were the bad days. Immigration agents descending on meat packing plants in the Midwest and loading hundreds of undocumented immigrants onto buses, destined for detention centers and deportation. Sometimes they left behind children in schools with nobody to pick them up or pregnant wives about to deliver babies. "The reality behind it is horrific," she said. "I would never want to live through that again." For Horstman, an immigration legal specialist with the Presentation Sisters in Sioux Falls, the question she has is whether she'll be living through those days again or worse. President Donald Trump is making good on a campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration, releasing a plan this month that calls for greater border security, streamlined deportation proceedings and an additional 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for interior enforcement operations a 50 percent increase in manpower for the agency. Though officials cautioned following the release of Trump's plan that ICE would focus on criminals, Horstman views the 10,000 new ICE agents with alarm. "I look at that and say he's putting a deportation force together," she said. The Argus Leader reports that supporters of Trump's plan hope the new agents are a deportation force. Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for reduced immigration, said the additional agents would be useful to process undocumented immigrants in county jails and to staff fugitive operations teams focused on finding nearly one million people who have already been ordered deported but slipped away instead. "There's almost a million people like that," Krikorian said. "Most of them are not gangbangers or rapists, but they are literally spitting on the legal process. There is plenty of work for ICE to do." How much of that work will occur in Sioux Falls and the surrounding region? It's a question asked on both sides of the issue. "I really haven't heard of much activity here since (Trump) took office," Horstman said. "I keep expecting that will change, but I don't know." "He certainly has people scared," she added. "I've had numerous calls and people coming in frightened about getting picked up." Data on immigration enforcement within specific communities is difficult to come by. ICE, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, is notorious for its lack of transparency. An ICE spokesman in St. Paul, Minn., did not return a message. Outside of the federal government, the most comprehensive data on immigration enforcement exists with the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. TRAC uses requests under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain government data on a variety of issues, including immigration enforcement. During fiscal year 2016, ICE removed an average of 1,250 people a week nationally, according to TRAC's analysis. But only a small number less than 300 a week were deported as a result of being picked up at work or in their homes. The majority of deportations occurred when ICE took people in custody who had been arrested by another law enforcement agency. ICE issues detainers to local law enforcement agencies on immigrants both documented and undocumented who are identified by ICE as having broken laws eligible for deportation. But since 2011, the number of detainers issued by ICE has fallen dramatically, from a high of under 310,000 to 13,253, according to TRAC's analysis. That period of time saw the Obama administration focus deportations on undocumented immigrants who committed serious crimes. But even after ICE issued a detainer, the agency failed to take custody of a person less than 40 percent of the time by the end of 2015. An even smaller number of those taken into custody were deported. The data, said Susan Long, a co-director at TRAC, show that it's "pretty rare" for a detainer to result in a deportation. "It raises all sorts of questions about the efficacy of the program," Long said. In South Dakota, there were about 2,700 detainers issued by ICE to local jails between 2005 and 2015, according to TRAC. The majority were in Minnehaha County. Jeff Gromer, the warden at the Minnehaha County Jail, said ICE, which has a local office in Sioux Falls, typically responds quickly when an inmate with a detainer is ready to be released. ICE picks up the inmate and transports the person to another detention facility. "We don't have a contract with ICE, so we're not an ICE holding facility," he said. "I don't know where they take them." It's unclear how many people picked up in South Dakota end up being deported. That data is not public. "ICE contends they can't tell," Long said. "That's nonsense. They have an integrated database that tracks all events." Without historic data, it's unclear how much of a departure Trump's policies will be compared to the previous administration. Sioux Falls immigration lawyer Henry Evans said he has not seen any changes. Even though ICE focused on criminals over the last few years, the reality is that anyone living here illegally is at risk. "Anyone who is undocumented, you're fair game," Evans said. "Always have been." "I'm expecting basically the same status quo until it's here," he added. The sooner the new policies are in place, the better for supporters like Krikorian. He worries that hiring 10,000 new ICE agents will take a long time, but he also wants to make sure it's done right. Ultimately, he added, it's about rolling back the Obama-era policy of ignoring large numbers of undocumented immigrants and restoring the approaches to immigration enforcement used by the Clinton and Bush administrations. "The Clinton and Bush administrations, for all their faults, did not say ICE agents were not allowed to arrest whole categories of illegal immigrants," Krikorian said. But to Horstman, who lived in Omaha during the Clinton years and saw the fallout from immigration raids, she doesn't want those years to return when it comes to immigration enforcement. The majority of people in the country illegally have been here longer than 10 years. They have U.S. born children. They have established lives. "My hope is we'll remain under the radar screen and not get the attention," she said. SPEARFISH Mark Van Every, Black Hills National Forest Supervisor, has announced that Steve Kozel is the new District Ranger at Northern Hills in Spearfish. Kozel brings more than 29 years of experience in natural resource management. He began his career in 1987 on the Medicine Bow National Forest. He also has worked on the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming and the Boise and Idaho Panhandle National Forests in Idaho. Currently, Kozel is the Bearlodge District Ranger on the Black Hills National Forest in Sundance, Wyo. Im honored and excited to continue my public service career as the Northern Hills District Ranger. The District plays an important role in resource management and collaborative work with diverse interests and communities in the northern Black Hills area, said Kozel. Kozel begins his duties on the Northern Hills Ranger District on March 20. Kozel lives in Spearfish with his wife Beth and two children, Zach and Megan. The quarrel escalated and got personal. The insults stung. An ugly back-and-forth got worse. It happened on CNN's "New Day" on Monday, when documentary filmmaker Jason Pollock and CNN law enforcement analyst Harry Houck clashed over recently released surveillance video of Michael Brown. The 2014 police killing of Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, put a national focus on tensions between citizens and law enforcement in black communities across the country. African-American Brown was fatally shot by a white police officer. The previously unreleased security footage was featured in Pollock's documentary "Stranger Fruit," at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on Saturday. It shows Brown in the convenience store he allegedly robbed, eleven hours before the alleged robbery happened. The new video has renewed interest in the shooting. Pollock claims that the video shows that Brown did not rob the store -- but instead was involved in some sort of drug deal there. The robbery accusation is what spurred the police activity that eventually led to the 18-year-old's death. "Harry is lying and everything he is saying is a lie," said Pollock. "You are a liar and a fraud," Houck responded. CNN law enforcement analyst Houck had questioned Pollock's contentions, saying they weren't based on facts, just assumptions. For example, Houck asks how Pollock knows there were drugs in an envelope shown in the video. Pollock says,"you can see them smelling it" and said "look at the video." "I can't lock somebody up for smelling the bag, that's an assumption on your part," Houck said. The antipathy escalated and the voices got louder as they went over details of the case, with both men shouting over each other. An ugly back and forth "If you're going to be a man," Houck said, "you better know exactly what the evidence is you're talking about." Pollock said, "this reminds me of the inauguration," referring to President Trump's inauguration in January. "When people look at an empty field and Donald Trump said it's the biggest field in the world." Houck told Pollock that all he talks about on his Twitter site is Michael Brown's innocence and the police killing of Tamir Rice, the controversial shooting in Cleveland. "You have no evidence of anything and that robbery still occurred," Houck said, referring to the Michael Brown scenario. "Continue your white supremacy on the air," Pollock said. Later in the discussion, Pollock said, "Harry, how do you sleep at night? Houck said, "I sleep at night fighting guys like you." Under fire now over a racially charged tweet, Rep. Steve King, the Iowa Republican, has for years stirred controversy with a string of controversial remarks about race, immigration and the effects of demographics on American culture. King on Sunday praised prominent Dutch nationalist politician Geert Wilders, writing in a tweet that the far-right candidate "understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." Asked what he meant during an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on "New Day" less than 24 hours later, King doubled down -- and elaborated: "You cannot rebuild your civilization with somebody else's babies. You've got to keep your birth rate up, and that you need to teach your children your values." For those who have followed the Iowa congressman's career, the comments were stunning -- if not particularly surprising. King has long spoke in degrading terms about immigrants and minority groups. 'Cultural suicide' In September 2016, King offered his support to far-right German politician Frauke Petry, the chairwoman of the Alternative for Germany party. "Wishing you successful vote," he tweeted, tagging Wilders. "Cultural suicide by demographic transformation must end." AfD has been a vocal critic of Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policy, and declared -- months earlier -- in a party manifesto that "Islam is not part of Germany." 'We do that with livestock' King constructed a mock border wall on the House floor in 2006. After he snapped a series of blocks together, he suggested putting wire on the top to discourage people who might try to scale it. Still, there was more: "We could also electrify this wire with the kind of current that wouldn't kill somebody, but it would simply be a discouragement for them to be fooling around with it," he said. "We do that with livestock all the time." 'They've got calves the size of cantaloupes' King in 2013 explained his opposition to the DREAM Act, a bill that would have put young undocumented immigrants brought into the US by their parents on a path to legalization, by suggesting that it would open the border to good students and drug mules in equal measure. "For every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that they weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert," he told Newsmax. 'A rape path' During a 2014 interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo, King stated -- without evidence -- that the parents of young girls sent to north to enter the US along its southern border had been giving them "birth control pills" ahead of the trip. "This is a man-caused disaster, and the man that caused it is Barack Obama," King said, calling the former president's immigration policies an "advertisement that has been such a huge magnet that have caused these families to give their daughters birth control pills and send them down a rape path all the way through Mexico. And that's a death path on the death train too." 'A continental origin' During the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, King was asked on Newsmax about calls by the Congressional Black Caucus for the Justice Department to investigation racial profiling by local police. "This idea of no racial profiling," King said, suggesting that none was necessary, "I've seen the video. It looks to me like you don't need to bother with that particular factor because they all appear to be of a single origin -- I should say, a continental origin might be the way to phrase that." 'There's nothing for us to apologize for' In August 2015, King spoke to a Minnesota talk radio host about his burgeoning support for then-candidate Donald Trump and how, as he put it, still-President Obama had created the an environment for Trump to succeed. "They've delighted in dismantling our military, and it seems as though (Obama has) apologized to every continent out there," King said in comments flagged by Right Wing Watch. "You know, he apologized to Africa for slavery," King added (falsely), "and genuflects to the Arabic princes and genuflects to the emperor of Japan, and it goes on and on. Americans are tired of apologizing ... We're a proud people. We're the vigor of the planet and there's nothing for us to apologize for until they come and thank us for the things we've done." 'She didn't change the course of history' King in 2016 tried -- and failed -- to pass an amendment that would have blocked the Treasury Department from replacing President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Asked about his attempt to block the change, King told CNN he didn't believe abolitionist Harriet Tubman's work warranted it. "As much as she did," the congressman said, "she didn't change the course of history." The House Rules Committee ultimately decided the amendment had not been properly drafted and scrapped it before members would have to vote. 'These other categories of people' During the Republican convention in Cleveland last summer, King on MSNBC responded to Esquire political columnist Charles Pierce's observation that, with Trump's nomination, 2016 could be "the last time that old white people would command the Republican Party's attention, its platform, its public face." King said: "This whole 'old white people' business does get a little tired, Charlie. I'd ask you to go back through history and figure out where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people that you are talking about? Where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization?" "...than white people?" host Chris Hayes asked. "Than Western civilization itself," King said. "It's rooted in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the United States of America and every place where the footprint of Christianity settled the world. That's all of Western civilization." 'You get the pick of the litter' During a 2012 campaign event in Iowa, King delivered a rambling disquisition on American immigration history. "You put out a beacon like the Statue of Liberty and who comes here? The most vigorous from every country that has donated legal immigrants to the United States of America," he began. "The cream of the crop." King then compared the current situation to his family's system for sorting dogs: "We've always had bird dogs around our place. In our family there's a black lab and white lab, a yellow lab, and my brother has a chocolate lab. You go in and you look at a litter of pups, and you watch them. You watch how they play they run around a little bit and what do you want? You want a good bird dog, and you want one that's gonna be aggressive? Pick the one that's the friskiest, the one that's engaged the most not the one that's over there sleeping in the corner. You want a pet to sit on the couch, pick the one that's sleeping in the corner. So, you get the pick of the litter, you got yourself a pretty good bird dog. We got the pick of every donor civilization on the planet because it's hard to get here, they had to be inspired to come. We got the vigor from the planet to come to America. Whichever generation it was, and then we taught our children that same thing." Elias Rosenfeld, who emigrated from Venezuela to the United States as a boy in 2004, has faced a precarious future for most of his young life. A few years after their family arrived in Florida, his mother died of cancer. Elias and his sister moved in with their undocumented father. But the boy didn't realize at the time that without his mother able to renew her visa, his legal status -- which depended on hers -- soon lapsed. It wasn't until the ninth grade, when he applied for a learners' permit to drive, that he learned he was undocumented. "It was a total shock," said Rosenfeld, now 19. "It was devastating." After living in the shadows for years the teen found some relief in 2012, when President Barack Obama issued the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a measure that granted protections and work privileges to about 750,000 so-called DREAMers like himself who were brought to the US as children. President Donald Trump, whose hardline position on immigration has left undocumented immigrants throughout the US fearful that they could be deported, said last month that DREAMers without criminal histories would be allowed to remain in the US. But now a recent shift in tone by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has Rosenfeld and others like him fearful that their days in the US may be numbered. Last week ICE published a series of messages on Twitter stating that DACA status was no guarantee against deportation. "It was very frightening, because it was a total reversal from what the Trump administration was saying about the DACA policy," said Rosenfeld, who is now a student at Brandeis University outside Boston. 'ICE is ratcheting up fear' The ICE tweets came in a flurry on Thursday, without warning. "DACA is not a protected legal status, but active DACA recipients are typically a lower level of enforcement priority," one said. "Deferred action may be revoked anytime especially when someone commits a crime or poses a national security (or) public safety threat," read another. The messages rattled many DACA recipients and led their supporters to question ICE's motives. "It is shameful that ICE is ratcheting up fear and terror in young people who courageously stepped out of the shadows," Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. US Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, a Democrat from Illinois, called the tweets "disgusting behavior." "I was very saddened and almost heartbroken to hear that Homeland Security, through a Twitter account, would say to 750,000 young people in this country, 'you are no longer safe,'" Gutierrez told CNN. ICE has not commented on the concerns of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, instead issuing a statement to CNN that mirrored the content of its tweets. "Aliens granted deferred action from deportation are not protected by any kind of legal status, but are typically given a lower level of enforcement priority," an ICE official said. "A decision to grant deferred action may be revoked by DHS at any time, particularly in the case of someone who commits a crime or is otherwise found to pose a national security or public safety threat." The Twitter messages were particularly unnerving to the undocumented community because they came several weeks after ICE agents arrested Daniela Vargas, a native of Argentina whose DACA status had recently lapsed, at her home in Mississippi. After two weeks in detention, ICE released Vargas on Friday. 'I've always considered myself American' Trump has said he wants to crack down on immigration to protect Americans from undocumented residents who may be committing crimes or plotting terror attacks. His executive orders on immigration have so far spared DACA. In recent weeks the President has tried to walk a line between Republicans who want DACA cut entirely and the political and practical impact of eliminating protections for undocumented immigrants. "We're gonna show great heart," Trump said last month. "DACA is a very, very difficult subject for me, I will tell you." But Rosenfeld believes the US's treatment of undocumented people lacks compassion, especially toward youth who entered the country with their parents and know no other home. "It's so hard. Your complete identity changes (when you're undocumented)," he told CNN. "It's a lack of security in a country that you should feel secure in." Rosenfeld says he's been in love with the United States since immigrating more than a decade ago. Despite the pain of losing his mother and the hardship of being undocumented in the country he calls home, he has thrived. Rosenfeld excelled in high school, earned a full scholarship to Brandeis and is currently interning with US Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office. His dream is to earn a degree in political science and one day serve in public office. "I've always considered myself American," he said. CNN's Bill Kirkos, Jennifer Goelz, Tal Kopan and Laura Jarrett contributed to this report. WASHINGTON | Lets hope theres generous funding in Republicans new health-care bill to prevent and cure tone-deafness. Wednesday was International Womens Day, and to observe this annual commemoration House Republicans formally took up their legislation defunding Planned Parenthood, the nations largest provider of health services for women. House Speaker Paul Ryan, at a news conference Wednesday morning, boasted about ending the funding of Planned Parenthood, listing it as one of the things weve been dreaming about doing. And what better time to make this dream come true than on International Womens Day, on the eighth day of Womens History Month? This could be the beginning of a new legislative style in Congress: Bills to build the wall could be marked up on Cinco de Mayo. The Iranian nuclear deal could be scrapped later this month on Nowruz. Plans to cut military assistance to Europe could be rolled out on D-Day. Its enough to give new meaning to National Awkward Moments Day observed on March 18. President Trump, in a morning tweet, marked International Womens Day by hailing women as vital to the fabric of our society. But thats not quite the message his administration and its allies in Congress have been sending. Womens rights activists held a strike and protests Wednesday, declaring it A Day Without a Woman. In the Trump White House, it must often feel like that kind of day and not only because Melania is in New York. A USA Today analysis last month found that men outnumbered women by more than 2 to 1 among top White House aides. Trump named only four women to his Cabinet, the fewest in a generation, and none to the top jobs at the State, Treasury, Defense and Justice Departments. His nominee for labor secretary withdrew as opponents made an issue of the way he and his company treated women, and Trump fired acting attorney general Sally Yates, an Obama administration holdover, after she refused to back his first travel ban. Meeting with the nations governors recently, Trump welcomed the governors and their wives and daughters, as if no women were governors. Trumps vulgar statements about women, caught on tape, were a prominent part of the campaign, and, according to the media outlet Axios, he requires women working for him to dress like women. He has hired as his executive assistant in the White House a 26-year-old barre fitness instructor who served as the elevator greeter at Trump Tower. And it isnt just about appearances, as Emilys List, a Democratic group that supports abortion rights, notes. On Jan. 23, two days after the huge Womens March in the nations capital and other cities, Trump signed an executive order reinstating the global gag rule denying international funding to any organization that discusses abortion, even if the group doesnt perform abortions. A photo of the signing showed Trump surrounded by men. Trump on his first day in office signed an order to ease the burden of Obamacare and has blessed the congressional legislation that could end Obamacares Medicaid expansion and its rule requiring insurance plans to cover maternity care. The bill is silent on the provision in Obamacare requiring contraception to be provided at low cost. Trump, who promised to appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, nominated to the court Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the appellate decision in the Hobby Lobby case exempting employers from providing birth control as part of employer health plans if it conflicts with managements religious beliefs. As of the end of last week, only eight bills had been passed by the new Congress and signed into law by Trump, half of them noncontroversial suspension bills. But it isnt for lack of trying. Republicans in Congress have introduced a variety of abortion bans. The House passed the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, which opponents charge could block even private insurance from covering abortion. The House passed a bill overturning a rule President Barack Obama signed in December forbidding discrimination against Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers under Title X clearing the way, Democrats say, to reducing access to contraception. The Senate, likewise, used the Congressional Review Act in its vote to overturn Obamas Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule, designed to protect against, among other things, sexual harassment in the workplace. Thats quite a bit, and its still early. If this is how Trump and his allies in Congress celebrate International Womens Day, one shudders to think how they will observe April 5: National Go for Broke Day. MOSCOW, March 13 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has refused to lift the seizure of market shares of oil, gas and energetic companies, belonging to opposition politician Alexey Navalny, RAPSI learnt on Monday from the courts press-service. Shares of Rosneft, Transneft, Sberbank, Gazprom-Neft, Quadra company and others are still under arrest in relation to the Yves Rocher embezzlement case. Navalny and his brother Oleg were convicted of committing fraud against cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok. Investigators alleged that the Navalny brothers embezzled over 26 million rubles (about $400,000 at current exchange rates) from the cosmetics company, as well as close to 4 million rubles ($61,500) from the Multidisciplinary Processing Company through a fraud scheme. The brothers were further charged with laundering 21 million rubles ($322,600). In December 2014, Alexey Navalny received a suspended sentence of 3.5 years, while his brother Oleg was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Navalny has also been involved in several other cases, including a case of embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in which he was recently given a suspended sentence for a second time. He has denied all the charges brought against him. Its not often that the complexities behind the myriad of decisions that go into that unique marriage between public and private entities needed to create a conservation easement become so crystal clear. For a moment last week, that clarity happened through the narrow view offered via a spotting scope set up in Brien and Gayle Webers kitchen. Once your eye found that perfect spot behind the tripod-mounted scope, the very first thing that popped into view was a rusted 1911-vintage tractor perched a top a nearby ridge. Brien Webers grandfather, James, must have been proud when he purchased the first gas-powered tractor in the Bitterroot Valley. That piece of history so visible for anyone who cares to look is a steady reminder of the Webers' century-long connection to this piece of land just west of the Calf Creek Wildlife Management Area. But theres more there to be seen. As the eye tracks back just beyond the rust-colored tractor, the large elk herd bedded down in the sagebrush-covered hillside pops into view. Most of the winter range for elk and deer in the Bitterroot Valley is found on private lands along the edges of the surrounding mountainsides. Much of that has become fragmented as those traditional family farms were sold and subdivided. The elk come through here on a regular basis, Gayle Weber said. They spent some time this winter out on top of the manure pile just up behind the house. Theyve been around quite a bit over the last month. Thats something that will never have to change. Recently, the Webers signed the remaining papers that put their 467 acres of land at the end of Hamilton Heights Road southeast of Corvallis into a conservation easement that will forever preserve the family farm as open space. The idea of putting the land adjacent to the wildlife management area had actually been broached back in the 1980s when Webers father, Milt, was still alive. Weber remembers his father thought the idea was crazy. Back then no one knew a whole lot about conservation easements, and for many land-rich, cash-poor family farmers, the idea of giving up development rights wasnt prudent. Over the past decade, the Webers watched many of their friends and fellow family farmers take that step to protect their heritage that had been handed down through generations. We saw that it had worked for them, Brien Weber said. We started thinking about preserving this land that had been in our family for so long. The couple had been talking about the idea for the last couple of years with the Bitter Root Land Trust, but the process went into overdrive last fall when they received notice that a project slated for U.S. Farm Bill funding in eastern Montana had fallen through. With that funding suddenly available, the Webers decided the time was right. An appraisal of the conservation easement value of their land adjacent to the popular wildlife management area was $1.04 million. That value is what the Webers would give up by agreeing never to subdivide the property. The Ravalli County Commission agreed to contribute $200,000 from the countys open lands bond program. The Farm Bill's Agriculture Land Easement program contributed $525,000. In return, the Webers donated $315,000 of the easement value. Bitter Root Land Trust Executive Directer Gavin Ricklefs said the Weber easement is a perfect example in how the communitys investment in open land works to protect wildlife habitat and the valleys farming and ranching heritage. The countys Open Lands Bond funding provided the catalyst for securing the Farm Bill funds, which helps stretch that local funding even further. This is one of the most highly leveraged Open Lands Bond projects, Ricklefs said. The Open Lands Program paid less than 20 percent of the total appraised easement value, while the Farm Bill conservation program paid over 50 percent. Beyond that, Ricklefs said the Webers generously donated nearly one-third of the appraised value of the conservation easement. Ricklefs said the land trust also received generous support from the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association to help make conservation possible on critical winter range properties like the Weber Ranch. RCFWA recognizes how much of our elk and winter range is located on private land here in the valley, and the Land Trust is extremely appreciative of their investment in projects like this that help private landowners keep that winter range intact for healthy wildlife populations. The Weber Ranch has been and will continue to be part of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' block management program, which provides public hunting access to local hunters. The Webers both agree that going the process can be an emotional roller coaster. On the day that we closed, we knew that was right for us, Brien Weber said. Sometimes I think people think that you do this for the money, but thats really the last reason that anyone takes this step. I think that people who say that probably dont own land thats been in their family for generations, he said. You could sell this land for far more, but once its gone, its gone forever. All my memories are here, Brien Weber said. Its nice to know that this place will stay the same forever. America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance! James Lewis Conservatives see the threat of aggressive Islam, which puts us far ahead of liberals, who merely live in stupefied denial. But conservatives tend to treat Islam as monolithic, which it is not. Right now the Trump administration is considering whether to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, which sounds to Arab ears like "Is the Pope Catholic?" Do the Saudis play double games?" "Are the mullahs of Iran really genocidal?" The answer is Yes! Yes! and Yes! Which is why even Saudi Arabia, Russia, Syria, Bahrain, and the UAE have officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terror group. One of biggest on the Sunni side of the street. A new article in Cairo's Al Ahram this week gives an explanation even the New York Times could understand (if it wanted to). The MBs promote violent Jihad, and carry it on themselves in their civil war against Egypt. They sponsor Hamas terror against Israel. They follow radical doctrines. Most of all (and here comes a new word), the MB's are taqfiri. (TAHK-fear-ey). They regularly declare other Muslim groups to be infidels, which means they will kill other Muslims unless they submit to the MB version of Islam. From its most basic belief, the Ikhwan is at war with all Muslims who do not follow its militant war doctrine. The doctrine oftaqfir is basic, and deviation puts you outside of the circle. And yes, there are peaceful Muslim sects, like the Ahmadiyya. But they are small minorities in constant trouble from the violence-supporting majority. There are also rational Muslims like Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has said in a famous speech: It's inconceivable that the thinking that we hold most sacred should cause the entire umma [Islamic world] to be a source of anxiety, danger, killing and destruction for the rest of the world. Impossible! ... Is it possible that 1.6 billion people [Muslims] should want to kill the rest of the world's inhabitants -- that is 7 billion -- so that they themselves may live? Impossible! Those may be the most important words any Muslim leader has said since 9/11/01. Yet Obama chose to ignore Sisi and supported the Muslim Brotherhood instead. What does that tell you? Hillary's closest confidante, Huma Abedin, comes from an MB family, was indoctrinated from childhood onward, and is paid by a family "charity" who are all MBs. Hillary and Bill know all that, of course, but the Moobs bring in huge amounts of money to the Democrats, and that's what counts for the Clintons. (It should also matter to the rest of us.) So -- are the Muslim Brothers terrorists and terror sponsors? The Ikhwan was founded in 1929 as a Nazi-type Broederbund, when Nazi front groups were all the rage in the Middle East. From the beginning the MBs were all for genocide of the Jews, the Armenians, the Copts and other infidels, especially in places like Jerusalem. The Mufti of Jerusalem actually paid a visit to Adolf Hitler, and the MBs recruited Arab troops for the Nazis. Some peaceful outfit, right? Right now, the Moobs are turning a smiling face to the world, when they aren't killing people or funding terror. Obama either fell for that gag, or pretended to. He also supported Turkey's Erdogan, who is another proud MB ally. And of course, Obama sold the nuclear farm to Iran's ancient reactionaries. A lot of Muslim money is still flowing into Democrat coffers today, which is why Muslim radical Keith Ellison was almost elected head of the DNC. The Gulf Arabs gave Bill Clinton a million-dollar "birthday present" a while ago, you might remember. Only the blindest of the blind can think that was just to be nice. We simply have a lot of people in high places working for the other side. They think we are all stupid, so they hardly to hide their corruption. They've got media cover. How does all this look from Cairo? Somehow the left never seems to get that jihad is basic to Islam, no matter how often they see innocent people getting murdered. (There are Muslim sects who interpret jihad in a nonviolent way. It's a complicated world. Those people are not in charge.) Where debate is allowed, as in Egypt under President Sisi, there are very important debates taking place. To defeat global jihad, those internal debates are crucial. Islam responds to reality. The Ottomans were decisively defeated in World War I, leading to more than half a century of better governance, freedom, education, and peace. So it can be done. The Muslim Brotherhood is now making war on the Sisi regime in Egypt. Egyptians are in no doubt about the MBs and terrorism. They know about them. They also know how much money and power the Moobs enjoy in Washington, D.C. This should be a national scandal, with Congressional hearings and more. The Permanent Government in DC is certainly penetrated by groups like the MBs. After all, Michael Scheuer, the Clinton administration's head of the Bin Laden desk at the CIA, actually turned out to be a Bin Laden fan. There's a lot of rot in the Permanent Goverment. Trump's team has a lot to do, and we must keep up the pressure. Guwahati : Security forces had recovered huge quantity of explosives and apprehended a person from Lower Assam's Barpeta district on Saturday evening, officials said on Sunday. A top army official said that, based on specific information, troops of Red Horns Division under Gajraj Corps and Barpeta Police launched a joint operation and recovered explosive from a shop at Goraimari of Barpeta district. The apprehended individual was allegedly involved in fabricating improvised explosives devices (IED) in his shop. On search of his shop, Army recovered five explosives, each weighing approximately 500 gms which were wound in sutli rope with shrapnel and packed in red tape. Further, another plastic bag with white powder was recovered which is suspected to be Potassium Nitrate, a substance used to make explosives. The material will be sent for forensic analysis and the apprehended individual being handed over to police station Barpeta. It is pertinent to mention that the Army in coordination with Assam Police and other Security Agencies is keeping a tight vigil on these kind of anti national elements, who are suspected to be involved in provision of logistical support to various terror groups. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati, : A National Integration tour for the children of Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh as part of OP SAMARITAN 2016-17 was flagged off from Khonsa. Komhima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, the aim of the tour is to acquaint the children of far-flung area with the vast and rich cultural heritage of our country. "23 children and 3 teachers from Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh are participating in the tour which will visit various places of historic interest in Delhi March 16, Agra from March 16-17 and Lucknow from March 18-20. The Students will also interact with President Pranab Mukherjee, Union MoS Home Kiren Rijiju and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat during the stay at Delhi," Konwer said. The event will go a long way in not only widening the intellectual horizon of the young minds but also further solidify the spirit of National integration. The tour was flagged off by Commander, 117 Mountain Brigade and DC, Tirap District. The ceremony was attended by various dignitaries and officials of civil administration, parents of participating children and locals of Khonsa. The children were overwhelmed with the joy and full of enthusiasm,many of whom have never be outside Tirap District. The locals have expressed their partisan support to the initiative of the Army. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati : Smaller parties Conard Sangma led National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) and the lone Independent MLA have emerged as the big players in Manipur to decide who will form the next government in the state, Congress or BJP. The ruling Congress and the BJP are both claiming victory in Manipur. In the 60-member Manipur assembly, the Congress has again emerged as the leading political party with 28 seats, while the saffron party had captured 21 seats and the both party are now trying to manage the magic number with the help of smaller parties. Apart from Congress and BJP, NPP and NPF had secured 4 seats each, while LJP, AITMC and Independent won one seat each. The NPF, who is also an ally party in NDA, has already announced support for a non-Congress coalition government. On the other hand, NPP leader Conard Sangma said that, his party will support to form a non-Congress government. Top BJP leaders including its national general secretary Ram Madhav and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma had attended a crucial meeting with the NPP leaders in Imphal on Sunday evening, following the assembly polls results out. Meanwhile, Manipur BJP spokesperson Nongthombam Biren said, his party will form the next government. "Despite Congress is ahead of BJP in numerical numbers, our party will form the next ministry and working is going on to show majority," Biren said. "People of Manipur given their mandates against corruption and all are wanting a corruption free and development oriented government in Manipur," Biren said. On the other hand, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who elected to the Manipur assembly for consecutive fourth term, said that, people of the state want peace and protection of territorial integrity. After securing 28 seats, Congress has tried to rope the MLAs of AITMC, Independent MLA and LJP to retain in power. Political analytics said that, following the results, it is indicating that the lone Independent MLA will decide actually who will form the next ministry in Manipur. "Both Congress and BJP will try to rope the lone Independent candidate for their side," Utpal Baruah, Editor of the Assamese news daily Dainik Janambhumi said. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said that, his will stake claims to form the next government in the state. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati : Security forces had apprehended two militants of NSCN (R) and NSCN (K) in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday evening, officials said on Sunday. Based on intelligence input the Changlang Battalion and Khonsa Battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of DAO division conducted operations at Jungmaisung and Nogna village and nabbed the militant duo. Komhima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, Wangdi Tailong, a Self Styled Private of NSCN(R) was apprehended based on specific intelligence about presence of one cadre trying to terrorize and attempting forced extortion in Jungmaisung village. The Changlang battalion swiftly launched an operation and apprehended the Self Styled Private with a pistol and live ammunition. Post spot interrogation he admitted allegiance to NSCN(R), he further divulged that he has been an active part of the outfit since August 2016 and had also undergone training in a NSCN camp in Nagaland for three months as an active cadre. In another operation, based on specific intelligence about presence of cadres trying to terrorize and attempting forced extortion in Nogna village. The Khonsa battalion swiftly launched an operation resulting in destruction of a hideout of NSCN(K). The security personnel has been carrying out aggressive operations in South Arunachal Pradesh and this apprehension has struck a blow to the extortion activities being carried out by the underground cadres of the group in the area. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Kathmandu, Nepal: The Local Bodies Restructuring Commission (LBRC) has on Monday submitted its final report to the government. However, the LBRC has yet to delineate special, autonomous and protected areas as assigned by the Constitution. LBRC Chairman Balananda Paudel handed over the report to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa amid a function organized at the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. In the program, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was also present. During the function Prime Minister Dahal thanked to the LBRC for completing the most of the serious and complex issue related to the local bodies delineation. Governing rights would reach the local level for the first time after implementation of the report, Prime Minister Dahas said in the function. Kathmandu, Nepal: Newly inducted Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa has issued a threat to step down from the government if the constitution amendment bill was tabled in the present status. Thapa, who is also the chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the fourth largest party in the parliament, said our party would withdraw support extended to the government if the Constitution amendment bill stalled at the Parliament was put to vote without any change. Various parties and the lawmakers have registered their amendment proposal, which contradicts one to another. But he did not mention about the thing that his party wants to change in the constitution amendment bill. His party RPP is the only party that has been advocating for reinstating the monarchy and the Hindu state. Speaking with the media persons in Kathmandu on Monday, Thapa also claimed that the constitution amendment bill would not be endorsed from the parliament even if it was presented in the parliament. RPP lawmakers would vote against the bill if it was taken ahead for voting as our stand about the constitution amendment bill has not changed even though I have inducted in the government, Thapa said. I have joined in the government for the guarantee of elections and the Constitution implementation and now I have been actively engaged in dialogues with agitating Madhes based parties to take them in into confidence, Thapa claimed. As local body elections are must for the implementation of the constitution I have joined the government with the conditions that the elections would be held on the scheduled date, he said. Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is going to visit northern neighbor China in March last week to take part in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2017. Though the Prime Minister Dahals China visit is yet to confirm officially, it is said that he would leave to China on March 24. The Conference is scheduled on March 23 to March 26 at Boao of Hainan Province in China. The Conference is being held with the theme of Globalization and Free Trade: The Asian Perspective. It is said that Prime Minister Dahal would meet Chinese leaders in the sideline of the conference. His proposed visit to China is taken importantly in the political sector. sacw.net - 13 March 2017 "DEENDAYAL UPADHYAYA is to the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] what Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was to Congressa opined R. Balashankar, former editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sanghas (RSS) organ Organiser and now a member of the BJPas central committee, on Prasikhshan Maha Abhiyan (The Indian Express, September 24, 2016). Cows inhale, exhale oxygen, says Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/cows-inhale-exhale-oxygen-says-rajasthan-education-minister-vasudev-devnani/articleshow/56612529.cms) Rajaram (name changed) Principal of a school near Jaipur, Rajasthan is a worried man. An honest teacher all his life, is not able to comprehend the rationale behind the recent order by the state education ministry asking every secondary and senior secondary school to purchase collected works of Deendayal Upadhyaya. Not only that he has never heard this name before but does not know how funds can be managed for the same. The school does not have a proper library till date. The budgetary situation of the school is such that despite repeated demands by the girl students the sole toilet in the school still remains unrepaired. The circular sent by the state government on 27th February has asked all secondary and senior secondary schools to buy the compendium of essays and speeches titled Deendayal Upadhyay Sampoorna Vangmay - which has been published by a Delhi publisher in 15 volumes at a concessional rate of Rs 4,000. Schools are asked to draw from the school development fund a meant to be utilised for local needs a to make the purchase. The compendium has been edited by Mahesh Chandra Sharma - former state BJP president - which was released by PM Modi in October last year. Where can one keep all these 15 volumes and how their purchase can benefit ordinary students - who lack good quality text books - he asks himself but does not get satisfactory answer. Definitely, as a Principal of a secondary school Rajaram is not alone who finds himself in such a quandary. There are scores like him spread across the state who have similar questions before them . It need be added that this is not for the first time that state government has ordered/instructed schools to order a particular book which is not at all related to their course . It was only last year that Rajasthan government was in the news when it was reported that a biography of RSS founder-member Dr Hedgewar - written by Rakesh Sinha - should be purchased by every government school. First, asking to buy Hedgewars biography and now instructing to buy collected works of a RSS ideologue, it is becoming increasingly clear that the state education ministry is not concerned about the growing criticism of the status of education in state but more keen to push what Congress has called saffron agenda in schools. Close on the heels of the order to schools to buy Deendayals works came another news - credited to the education minister himself that he has changed the name of Akbar Fort in Ajmer to Ajmer fort. His alleged remarks about Emperor Akbar also created controversy. Rajasthan Education Minister Vasudev Devnani Saturday indicated that the emperor Akbar may have been a terrorist. Devnani made the reference while responding to the alleged threat he received for changing the name of Akbar fort to Ajmer fort. He later denied that he called Akbar a terrorist, and had called him an invader. (http://www.indian364.com/india/81006/Rajasthan-Will-remove-terrorist-names-says-Vasudev-Devnani) And the biggest problem with all such orders and the debate or the controversy they generate is that the status of education in the state never gets discussed which suffers not only from lack of sufficient funds, good quality teachers and satisfactory infrastructural facilities in all schools but also is inundated with textbooks which as an expert committee said suffer from limitations of content and implicit biases. 2. It was only last year that a website had provided details about what is wrong with Rajasthan education through four charts. ( https://scroll.in/article/805320/four-charts-show-what-is-wrong-with-rajasthan-education-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-kanhaiya-kumar) The said story published exactly a year ago had described the education ministers zeal to introduce "major changes" in the curriculum to ainculcate the feeling of patriotism in studentsa , circumventing Right to Education law by scrapping ano-detentiona policy that is believed to help keep students motivated to complete their education and his lack of concern "to remedy the falling standards of education in Rajasthan." According to the report "Only about 45% of students of Class Three in the state could actually read words while 20% of those in Class Two were unable to recognise letters, according to the latest Annual Status of Education Report [http://img.asercentre.org/docs/Publications/ASER%20Reports/ASER%202014/fullaser2014mainreport_1.pdf ] published in 2014." and over the years the reading and comprehension ability of primary students has actually decreased. Quoting the survey report the write-up had also talked about deteriorating learning outcomes in the state and compared it with nationwide figures and how "more than 80% of the students in Class 3 across the country were able to recognise words as opposed to Rajasthanas tally of 55% in 2014." The states record in keeping children enrolled had also come under scanner. According to it " A 2013 study carried out across 21 cities at the behest of the Ministry of Human Resources Development found out that school leaving rates in the state are almost double the national average in some cases." Around two years back the state governments move for Public Private Partnership in School Education had also come under scanner from members of civil society and educationists. The open letter issued by them had not only exposed status of education in the state and questioned the way government wanted to ameliorate the situation. It pointed out extremely low levels of investment in the public education system in the state and expenditure made by the state government in elementary level of education which was above 3 % of Gross State Domestic Product and per-student expenditure by the government was much less in Rajasthan than in other states and how the state has the highest number (in absolute numbers) of out-of-school-children in India and ranks 4th among the Indian states with respect to child labour and as per the recent Socio Economic and Caste Census, 2011, Rajasthan has the highest number of illiterates in the country and also its transition rate in secondary education is likewise below the national average. (http://www.epw.in/journal/2015/29/reports-states-web-exclusives/misguided-education-policy-rajasthan.html#sthash.LVsN35yQ.dpuf). This move to go in for PPP in education was later rescinded by the government when it faced resistance from more than 3.5 lakh teachers and also it feared a political backlash. While the state suffers from double school leaving rate than the national average, low levels of investment in education, highest number of out of school children it had no qualms in closing down thousands of government schools in rural areas since last more than two years under the name of rationalisation and curbing of under utilisation of resources. (https://www.telegraphindia.com/1160620/jsp/nation/story_92219.jsp#.WMJHpW997IU) It did not take into consideration the possibility that with increase of distance between home and school the poorer among them will not be able to bear the cost of commuting and will have to drop out. As an aside it may be mentioned here that the centre advised states to "follow the Rajasthan model of "merging" government schools with low enrolment" and the Union human resource development ministry has even decided to prepare guidelines for such mergers. (-do-) The content of textbooks of Rajasthan state board has also been a cause of concern among academicians. (http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/05/23/rajasthan-school-textbook_n_10107124.html). A team of academicians which reviewed the revised textbooks had even decided to file a public interest litigation in the Rajasthan High Court looking at the inherent flaws and limitations of content from a pedagogical point of view. Apart from questioning the hurried manner in which these textbooks were prepared in mere 45 days they also shared the surreptious manner in which content was saffronised and the way marginalised communities remain unrepresented. For example the study material refers to Indus Valley Civilization as Sindhu Ghati Culture, calls Aryans the native of India, hails Varna Pratha as a good practice and striking as wrong or demonstrates its bias towards minority communities openly. In such a milieu where Jawaharlal Nehru hardly finds mention or or Nizamuddin Auliya is described as a great saint despite being a Muslim it does not appear surprising that Deendayal Upadhyaya is introduced before the impressionable minds with a bang. 3. Born in the year 1916 (death Feb 1968) Deendayal Upadhyay started his social-political life as a RSS Pracharak under the direct guidance of M S Golwalkar, second supremo of RSS. He joined RSS in his early 20s and decided to become a Pracharak ( full time worker) in the year 1942. Although it was a period of tremendous ferment in Indian society - where anti colonial struggle against the Britishers was at its peak and people were going to jail or facing batons, bullets, he like all the fellow Swayamsevaks/Pracharaks kept himself aloof from them and concentrated on organisation building. As a loyal soldier of the organisation he was just following the line set by Sangh Supremo Golwalkar as he had famously said : aIn 1942 also there was a strong sentiment in the hearts of many. At that time too the routine work of Sangh continued. Sangh vowed not to do anything directly. However, upheaval (uthal-puthal) in the minds of Sangh volunteers continued. Sangh is an organisation of inactive persons, their talks are useless, not only outsiders but also many of our volunteers did talk like this. They were greatly disgusted too.a [M.S. Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagra Darshan (Collected Works of Golwalkar in Hindi), vol. IV, Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd, 40] Remember the contemporary reports of the British intelligence agencies on the Quit India Movement were straight forward in describing the fact that RSS kept aloof from the movement. According to one such report, a..the Sangh has scrupulously kept itself within the law, and in particular, has refrained from taking part in the disturbances that broke out in August 1942a .[Andersen, WalterK.&Damle, Shridhar D.The Brotherhood in Saffron: the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism, Westview Press, 1987, 44. Deendayal Upadhyay is credited with starting a monthly Rashtra Dharma from Lucknow in the 1940s for spreading the ideology of Hindutva nationalism. Later he started a weekly Panchjanya and a daily Swadesh. He later became one of the most important leaders - its theoretician and ideologue as well - of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the present day Bharatiya Janata Party. The Jana Sangh adopted aIntegral Humanisma as its aguiding ideologya in 1965 which was also adopted by the BJP in 1980. His death at Mugharsarai station still remains a mystery with one of his colleagues ( Balraj Madhok) in his autobiography even pointing fingers towards few key leaders of the Parivar itself. aHe was killed by a hired assassin. But conspirators who sponsored this killing were those self-seekers and leaders with criminal bent of mind of Sangh-Jan Sangha [Balraj Madhok, Zindagi Ka Safara3:Deen Dayal Upadhyay Ki Hatya Se Indira Gandhi Ki Hatya Tak, Dinman Prakashan, Delhi, 22, 23.] A cursory glance at some of his speeches and writings gives one an idea about his thinking who was of the firm opinion that aThe solution of the worldas problems lies in Hinduism and not in socialisma . For him Hindus only form the nation aHindutva alone is the basis of nationalism in Bharat [a] It is altogether wrong for the Hindus to prove their nationhood by European standards. It has been accepted as axiomatic for thousands of years.a [ibid., 27.] and Muslims were a complex problem aafter independence many important problems had to be faced by the government, the political parties and the peopleaBut the Muslim problem is the oldest, the most complicated and it assumes ever-new forms. This problem has been facing us for the last twelve hundred years.a [[v] BN Jog, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: Ideology & Perception-Politics for Nationas Sake, vol. vi, Suruchi Prakashan, Delhi, 73.] Anybody can see that the manner in which Deendayal Upadhaya looks at Muslims as problem has deep resonance with the worldview of Golwalkar - the second supremo of RSS who has described Muslims as Internal Threat no 1 in his book Bunch of Thoughts or his ideas about freedom struggle, or Hindus as basis of nationhood are no different from Golwalkars worldview. It followed that he disliked rather abhorred the idea of secularism. In an RSS meeting in Aligarh, Upadhyaya said: aBy declaring Bharat as a secular nation, the soul of Bharat has been attacked. A secular state is full of woes [sic]. Although Ravanaas dharmaless state of Lanka had plenty of gold, it had no Rama Rajya (state) in it.a In one of his articles he said: aIf we aspire for unity, we must really understand Bharatiya Nationalism, which is Hindu Nationalism, and Bharatiya Culture is Hindu culture.a For him the Constitution had to be changed radically as, ait runs counter to the unity and indivisibility of Bharat. There is no recognition of the idea of Bharat Mata, our sacred mother land, as enshrined in the hearts of our people. According to the first para of the Constitution, India, that is Bharat, will be a federation of States, i.e. Bihar Mata, Banga Mata, Punjab Mata, Kannada Mata, Tamil Mata, all put together make Bharat Mata. This is ridiculous. We have thought of the provinces as limbs of Bharat Mata and not as individual mothers. Therefore our Constitution should be unitary instead of federal. [The] Jana Sangh believes that Bharatiya culture like Bharatvarsh is one and indivisible. Any talk of composite culture, therefore, is not only untrue but also dangerous, for it tends to weaken national unity and encourages fissiparous tendenciesa (Jana Sanghas Principles and Policies, January 25, 1965, page 16). Or he defended casteism in no uncetain terms aEven though slogans of equality are raised in the modern world, the concept of equality has to be accepted with discretion. Our actual experience is that from the practical and material point of view, no two men are alikea Considerable bitterness could be avoided if the idea of equality as conceived by Hindu thinkers is studied more carefully. The first and basic premise is that even if men have different qualities and different kinds of duties allotted to them according to their qualities or aptitudes, all duties are equally dignified. This is called swadharma, and there is an unequivocal assurance that to follow swadharma is itself equivalent to the worship of God. So, in any duties performed to fulfill swadharma, the question of high and low, dignified and undignified does not arise at all. If the duty is done without selfishness, no blame attaches itself to the doer.a [C. P. Bhishikar, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: Ideology and Perception: Concept of the Rashtra,vol. v, Suruchi, Delhi, 169.] Unpacking Deendayal Upadhyayas much talked about ideas of Integral Humanism Christophe Jafferlot discusses fascination of the Hindutva idelogues towards Varna vyavastha for whom it was a model of social cohesion to which each caste could adhere, including the auntouchables Jafferlot adds aUpadhyaya shared similar beliefs. The organic unity of the varna vyavastha is one of the key ideas of his philosophy of aintegral humanisma, referred to as the cornerstone of their ideology by Sangh Parivar leaders. In 1965, he wrote: aIn our concept of four castes, they are analogous to the different limbs of Virat-Purusha, the primeval man whose sacrifice, according to the Rig Veda, gave birth to society in the form of the varna vyavastha.a For him, the varna vyavastha was endowed with the organic unity that could sustain the nation-making process. [http://www.frontline.in/the-nation/merchant-of-hate/article9266366.ece] Or he denigrated the freedom struggle in these words awe were obsessed by the misleading notion that freedom consisted merely in overthrowing foreign rule. Opposition to a foreign government does not necessarily imply genuine love of MotherlandaDuring the struggle for independence great emphasis was laid on the opposition to British ruleaIt came to be believed that whoever opposed the British was a patriot. A regular campaign was launched in those days to create utter dissatisfaction against the British by holding them responsible for every problem and misery which the people in our country had to face.a [Ibid., 11.] His euologisation in the Sangh-BJP camp is understandable as he sticked to Golwalkars organicist thought but also supplemented it with Gandhian discourse.The Danish scholar Thomas Blom Hansen records: aDeendayal Upadhyaya..developed a set of concepts that, under the name of aIntegral Humanisma, was adopted by the Jana Sangh in 1965 as its official doctrine. Integral humanism did not depart much from Golwalkaras organicist thought but supplemented it by appropriating significant elements of the Gandhian discourse and articulated these in a version of Hindu nationalism that aimed at erasing the communal image of the Jana Sangh in favour of a softer, spiritual, non-aggressive image stressing social equality, aIndianisationa and social harmony. This creation of a new discourse suited specifically to the legitimate problematics and dominant discourses of the political field of the 1960s and 1970s in India also reflected an attempt to adjust the party and the larger Hindu nationalist movement to a new high profile on the right fringe of the political mainstream, with a considerable following in the urban middle classes in north India after the 1967 general elections. One of the most significant changes in relation to Golwalkaras writings was the use of the term aBharatiyaa, which Richard Fox has aptly translated aHindiana, a mixture of aHindua and aIndianaa (The Saffron Wave: Democracy and Hindu Nationalism in Modern India, Oxford University Press, pages 84-85). Pralay Kanungo, a Delhi Academic, expresses similar ideas : "aDeendayal Upadhyaya supplements Golwalkaras cultural nationalism with his theory of integral humanism (Ekatma Manavavad). This new theory adds some sophistication to the RSS concept of Hindu Rashtra and enriches its ideological underpinningsa (RSSa Tryst with Politics; Manohar, page 118). 4. A year and half back a special issue of Rashtra Dharma a journal which was started by Deendayal Upadhyay - former PM Atal Bihari Vajpyaee had also served as its joint editor once - was released by Union Minister Kalraj Mishra in Lucknow. This special issue of the monthly carried articles about him and his views. An article in the magazine written by Dr Mahesh Chandra Sharma, who has edited the 15 volume compendium of Deendayal Upadhyays works caught eyeballs as it clearly said that Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya was against aHindu-Muslim unitya and believed that issue of aunitya was airrelevanta and appeasement of the Muslims. It also claimed that Upadhyaya said that aa person turns an enemy of the nation after becoming a Muslima . According to the article, Upadhyaya also believed that while a Muslim may be good individually, he in abad in a groupa , and further a Hindu a who may be bad individually a is agood as part of a groupa . According to the author, Upadhyaya called those advocating Hindu-Muslim unity as aMuslimparasta and opposed such aunitya policy of the Congress. (http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/article-in-rss-monthly-deendayal-upadhyaya-was-against-hindu-muslim-unity/) aIf the nationas control is in the hands of those who belong to India but are not different from Qutubuddin, Allauddin, Muhammad Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Shershah, Akbar and Auarangzeb, then it should be said that centre of their affection isnat the Indian life,a it read. (do) As we write these lines one can very well surmise that there would be many schools in Rajasthan who would be busy implementing the latest circular by the education ministry or few might have put their orders for the delivery of the compendium from the Delhi publisher. And principal Rajarams (name changed) query about the proposed purchase that how can it benefit ordinary students - who even lack good quality text books, must have remained unanswered still. ends. [SEE ALSO: At Rajasthan University, Gita and Vedas replace banking, finance by Shoeb Khan | TNN | Updated: Mar 13, 2017 ] aaa aaaaaaa Aprasangik : aaaaa aaaaa - 13 March 2017 aA Muslim veto institutionalised as an extra-secular mechanism has been demolished. The Sanghas meta-narrative on nationalism and Hindutva has emerged as a hegemonic ideology,a is how an RSS intellectual celebrates the massive mandate given to the BJP by the people in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. To put in it plain words, Indian parliamentary politics has moved away from the concerns of its minorities. Parliamentary politics is now an instrument to marginalise the Muslims and other minorities. Read this with the interpretation of the results as aa victory of the ideology of the BJPa and its meaning is clear . aEnd of caste politicsa , is how other BJP leaders explain this unprecedented vote-percentage that the party has managed this time. Some pundits see a new voter emerging in these elections, who is wary of instability and is tired of coalition politics and wants to see a decisive governance looking after his life. This view looks at the mandate as a continuation of the trend, over the last decade, in Uttar Pradesh which had put Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in power with an unambiguous majority in the past. In the recent polls what is evident, however is that the BJP has established it pan Indian hegemony in a decisive manner. Its determination to capture India is seen by many with admiration and some with fear. Four years ago, when it announced that its focus was on the north-east and east; Bihar, Bengal and Odissa included, it was not taken very seriously. But the long and consistent work by the RSS, its mother organisation, was to serve as the spring board for the BJP. Time was just ripe. The power it got it the centre gave it the leverage in these areas. Its expansion in Odissa is just an example of how you can come back in a place from where you were pushed out effectively only a few years ago. The emergence of the BJP in Odissa, where the BJD had unceremoniously showed it the door needs to be understood in the light of what has happened in Uttar Pradesh. It has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for the last fourteen years. There were theoretical explanations available. It was believed that the politics of social justice would make it impossible for a political language of Hindutva to define politics. But the politics of social justice got reduced or remained limited to giving representation to some sections of the erstwhile marginalised social groups. It meant that all you had to do was to give them a sense of participation in the affairs of politics. If you could bring them around by only doing this what prevented BJP from attempting this formula? The last ten years have shown that the BJP has turned the politics of social justice on its head. Political scientists have kept calling it the party of upper caste Hindu male and it has in the meanwhile slowly co-opted the backwards and dalits in its Hindu fold. This is also a moment for the ideologues to ponder over the rhetoric of Ambedakarism, which failed to see that it was not at all difficult for Dalits to accept a party, which is run along Manuwadi ideological lines. Is it difficult to see that the killing of Rohit Vemula or lynching of dalits by the protectors of cows could not stir the Dalits of Uttar Pradesh? What prevented democratic parties from talking about these issues and make them central in their campaign? The fear that they would be seen as practising a partisan political language? But the other side never refrained from speaking in this tongue? It has been reported at length and for quite some time how the BJP worked on the non-Yadav castes to bring them along. It was done in many ways, by pulling caste groups like Kurmis and Rajbhars and Nishads and Mouryas and non-Jatav Dalits into its fold. Cultural modes were used effectively. The symbolic campaign in the name of Suheldev to dislodge Ghazi Miyan from popular imagination as the hero of both Hindus and Muslims is only an example. While the leaders of the social justice plank got complacent with an assurance of continued support from their sub-caste group, they failed to anticipate the aspiration that it would generate in other sub-caste groups within the wider category of Dalits or Backwards. That it would ultimately generate resentment against the dominant ruling caste group, which in the case of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were Yadavs among backwards and Jatavs in Dalits. To think that with these caste groups as the nuclei , other sub caste groups would keep hovering around them was lazy politics. Also as we can now see from the journey of the politics of social justice, it was devoid of democratic content. A politics which was only a language of negotiation with power could only lead to where it is now. Mayawati has been reduced to the status of a leader of Jatavs and Akhilesh Yadav does not have appeal beyond Yadavs. Their failure to fashion a universal language which could compete with Hindu universal is stark. No human being likes to remain confined in the identity assigned to her or him. We are programmed to be transcendental beings. What was the promise of the slogan of social justice in this regard? It asked Yadavs to remain Yadavs, Jatavs to remain Jatavs forever. Contrary to this brand of politics, the RSS at least promised them an opening in the wider Hindu fold and more recently a pride in being part of a more universal national project. The ambitionless, narrow identity politics was thus defeated by a reverse identity politics , which just reprogrammed them, assured them of being part of a larger Hindu nationalist solidarity project. It is also interesting that the only party which spoke in cultural language in the election campaign was the BJP. Neither the Congress-SP nor the BSP moved away an inch from their economic rhetoric. Their attempt to appeal to the economic insecurities did not cut ice with the people as they knew that in economic policies, both the camps hardy differ. So, the only thing to make a difference was culture. But the hesitation of the so-called secular parties in talking about their cultural platforms, meant that they had utter disdain for the peopleas striving to find their definition of what a good life would be. Analysts have started talking about this election results the way they did with the 2014 election results. They call it inclusive , a mandate beyond caste, etc. They are embarrassed with the campaign, which was openly and brazenly anti-Muslim, casteist and divisive. Ram Mandir, anti-Romeo squads, displacement of Hindus, appeasement of Muslims at the cost of dalits and backward castes were raised in the beginning of the campaign and remained there till the end and there was hardly a leader who did not use this language. So, to call it inclusive is a joke. This is definitely a decisive victory of the ideology of the BJP. We all have to first accept it and then think about ways to deal with this new situation. Scroll, March, 2017 Szyszko: Bulgaria wants to accept six bison and will certainly get them Minister of the Environment Prof. Jan Szyszko said that Bulgaria wanted to receive six bison from Poland, and assured that they would receive the animals. He noted that other countries responded that they were not ready to restore the habitats of bison in Europe. Szyszko, who was a guest at TVP1 on Friday morning, said that he would visit the Embassy of Bulgaria on the same day. "Bulgaria has acceded that they want six bison - three cows and three bulls - and they will certainly get them" - he said. "Other countries have responded - we are not ready for that, there is no social acceptance" - he added. In October 2016, at the EU Council of Ministers of the Environment Szyszko proposed EU countries to help in restoration of bison habitats in Europe. His ministry extended this proposal to the Environment Ministers of the Member States. In early February, the ministry informed that in addition to Bulgaria, Romania was interested in the animals. Other countries were still considering the proposal or refused - for example the Netherlands, pointed to the very small area of the country and too many residents to be able to afford the introduction of bison. European bison was restored in Poland after the war. Currently, we have over 1,500 of these animals - in the Bialowieza Forest, Borecka Forest and the Bieszczady Mountains. When promoting the campaign, Szyszko emphasised that Poland knews how to protect bison and through the reintroduction of the species in the rest of the continent wanted to increase its chances of survival and achieve the population size that had existed naturally in Europe. (PAP) ago/ pad/ kap/ tr. RL XLrator Media will be releasing Jesse Gustafson's action film Black Site Delta in theaters on May 5th and on VOD and iTunes on May 9th. We have the privilege of debuting the key art for you today. Black Site Delta was directed by Jesse Gustafson who is making his feature film debut. It was written by Guy Stevenson whose docket is small but diverse. He wrote last year's crime thriller The Last Heist but he also wrote MADtv episodes for a few years. Black Site Delta was produced by the same team behind other small indie action films like Kill Ratio, Ironclad and The Last Heist. Cam Gigandet stars as the leader of a Dirty Dozen band of military prisoners who must fight off a terrorist attack on the remote "black site" prison where theyre being held, which, unknown to them, is a cover for a secret drone control facility. Black Site Delta stars Cam Gigandet, Teri Reeves, Benjamin Charles Watson, Dion Mucciacito, Casey Hendershot, John Brodsky, Michael Dale, Arash Mokhtar Directed by Mark L. Lester, the new Scream Factory Blu-ray release of Firestarter is hot stuff, indeed. Starring David Keith, George C. Scott, Martin Sheen, and Drew Barrymore in one of her first roles, Firestarter is a Stephen King adaptation of Andy and Charlie McGee, a father and daughter on the run from the "men in black" of The Shop. As part of a clinical trail, Andy (David Keith) developed psychic and telekinetic powers. He also met his future wife (Heather Locklear) in that group, and they had little Charlie (Barrymore), who inherited Andy's skills, but who is a thousand times more powerful --- and dangerous. The government goons at The Shop have killed tortured Vicky to death in search of Charlie, and as a result, Andy and Charlie are on the run. Along the way, Andy mind-trips people into helping them, whether it's making a cabbie see a $500 bill instead of a dollar, or mentally forces a pay phone to release the quarters within it. Charlie's powers are far more destructive. She can read minds, but more importantly, she can set things --- and people --- on fire at will. Many men fall afoul of her and its fun to see them run screaming in flames. George C. Scott plays an extra-scummy assassin, and Martin Sheen is still a bad guy, but perhaps a bit less of a psychopath than Scott. The finale is spectacular. Scream Factory has hit another one out of the park with this release: Firestarter looks and sounds great. I hadn't seen Firestarter in a long time, and I'm happy to say that the film holds up. King's source material is fantastic, of course, and while some King purists might have an issue with adaptations of his work, I love this film. It's got a great pace, an all-star cast, special effects that hold up, and masterful stunts. One of the extras on the disc is an in-depth interview with stuntman Dick Warlock. There are also inteviews with director Lester, actors Freddie Jones and Drew Snyder, and Tangerine Dream's Johannes Schmoelling. Fans of electronic superstars Tangerine Dream will love Schmoelling's live performance of "Charlie's Theme." Firestarter is out on Tuesday. Check out Scream Factory's Firestarter page and the trailer below. Bonus Features One of the France's most prolific writer-filmmakers, Francois Ozon (Sitcom, Swimming Pool, 8 Women) has been delighting moviegoers while exploring and subverting many genres for almost three decades with 30 features and shorts. His new film Frantz, a sumptuously shot period piece, just might turn out to be his best film. I had a chance to sit down with him during the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema Series here in New York. Screen Anarchy: There is a lot of talks on FRANTZ being the remake of BROKEN LULLABY, an old film by Ernst Lubitch. Was that the starting point when you first conceived the idea for the film? Francois Ozon: No, the starting point was the play. Broken Lullaby was a play that was written just after the WWI. I discovered the play first because a friend of mine told me about it. The play was very successful in France at that time but forgotten today. And its author Maurice Rostand wrote Cirano de Berzerac which was a huge success. Rostand is also totally forgotten. For a long time I wanted to make a film about secrets and lies and a friend told me that there is a good play so I went to see the play and I really loved it. I thought it was very touching you know. This French soldier goes to Germany and put some flowers on the grave of a German soldier. And so I decided to make and adaptation then I realized that another director already did it before me and it was Lubitch, so I was destroyed you know, totally depressed. How can I make a film after Lubitch? (Laughs) Finding Broken Lullaby was a challenge. It was quite unknown, forgotten Lubitch: it was a drama and it wasnt successful at all. After seeing that, I realized that like the play it was based on, the film was from the point of view of a French soldier. My idea was to tell the point of view of the loser of the war- from the Germans point of view: especially the point of view of Anna. From the moment they start, you know what the main character has done. So I changed totally from the play and Lubitch. I turned that around to concentrate on the German girl, there is suspense of unknown - no one knows why this French guy is in Germany. The challenge of writing the script was how to create suspense until the twist in the middle and how it will turn out the next half of the film. So it was quite a challenge to write it. It was good to know what Lubitch did with the same material and because he made the film in the 30s, he didnt know the coming of WWII. So his film was more optimistic than mine. After the WWI, everyone was a pacifist and nobody thought nothing like that would happen again. Whats the expression? Never Again! Lubitchs film was about the true reconciliation between France and germany. But I knew, for me it was impossible to have the film like that with an optimistic ending. Well, my film has a happy ending too, but quite different. The film was shot in black and white. I dont recall any of your films shot like that. No. Its the first time. It was still shot on film, no? So how did it come about? The film was supposed to be shot in color. But two weeks before the shoot I decided to put everything in black and white. My producers were very nervous. (laughs) But I had a feeling it would be stronger for the story that it would involve audience into the film more and to believe in this small city. Because of all the memories of this period is in black and white: there are a lot of documents in the archives- films shot in black and white. I had a feeling that it would be more realistic. My natural tendency is shooting in color of course. I love technicolor and all that. It was impossible to give up color totally. So I decided to put some moments in color when things get emotional. Like that music scene? Yes. A lot of shots in Germany resemble the German Romanticism era paintings. You know its very strange when you shoot in black and white. Because I shot everything in color on film. Its during color correction that you make the footage black and white. So when I was looking through the viewfinder, I saw everything in colors. But after the take, Id go and take a look at the monitor to see my shot in black and white and I had a totally different vision - it looked like some 30s Max Ophules movies. It was not my goal! But seeing the black and white imagery wakes the cinephilia in you. Despite what I wanted to make, black and white adds something that you didnt anticipate. It was quite strange. Paula Beer, a young German actress who plays Anna, is wonderful in this. How did you cast her in the role? I didnt know her. Im not familiar with young German actresses that well these days. So we did a big casting. I had this version of young German actress in mind who was very popular in France in the 70s, Romy Schneider. Oh, of course. She was the favorite actress of the French at the time. And when I met Paula, she was just 20 years old. Shes quite different than Schneider obviously. But very mature and beautiful and clever and able to speak in French so it was a miracle. I was very happy to find her because the whole film is on her shoulder. It was important to have someone strong to play Anna and she was perfect. I dont think I saw any of your films where characters are speaking in German. Was it the first time also? Yes, it was the first time also. I can speak German. I travelled a lot in Germany when I was young. I did the Fassbinder adaptation of Water Drops on Burning Rocks, but the play was in German, which I translated it to French. It was very stylized because these French actors are playing Germans. There were very short lines spoken in German but that was about it. Was it difficult for you to direct in German? Not so much. I was very lucky because actors were very good you know. The actors who play the parents, they both are from theater background and involved in German film industry for a long time. I think they were very happy to be in a French movie, because German film industry is (comparably) smaller. But they do a lot of television and a lot of theater. But they really loved the story. Usually Germans in French movies are not well portrayed - they are usually the bad guys, you know. This time they are the nice guys of the story. So they were very involved and happy. Actually it was easier for me to direct them in German than English. Accent in English language is quite difficult for French people. We dont really know where to put the accent in an English word. German and French are (rhythm-wise) closer that way. Usually French dont like German language. They think its aggressive. But to me when girls speak German, its very sexy and very charming. As you told me that there is a revelation in the middle, but whats more interesting about the film is what happens after. It becomes kind of a detective story about this naive young country girl going to this big unknown city and everything. And she finds that her presence is not welcome and as uncomfortable as Rivoire has been when he was in Germany and how he was treated there. Also noticed that when Anna first arrives in Paris and she finds out that her young husband was staying in this kind of a sleazy area full of prostitutes and vice. I found that interesting. Yes. I think Frantz is about disillusionment and facing the truth: do you want to face the truth or stay and live in lies forever? Its the big conflict for Anna. Does she want to know who Frantz was exactly? Maybe Frantz wasnt as prince charming as she thought. So the idea was to make Anna face the reality. So she suffers a lot. But at the end she finds peace within herself. She finds that Adrien wasnt for her and she might find another man in France. We just dont know. But for me, she learns a lot. This film is really about an emancipation of a woman. Because Adrien was played by Pierre Niney, who played Yves Saint Laurant among other things and is a very handsome with very effeminate features, and since I didnt know much about the play or Lubitch film the premise was based on, and since because it is your film, I thought, oh maybe Adriens presence is a stand-in for repressed homosexuality, especially with the setting and time and everything. Am I stretching it too far? No not at all. I play with that of course. I knew that my audience would expect me to put a red herring in my film, so I play with that. Actually, we have revelation in the middle, maybe it wasnt what you as an audience had in mind, but at the end, maybe it was. Because we see this guy is totally lost. With his identity, his sexuality, he doesnt know what he wants. Right. He prefers to stay with his mother, with the girl hes known from his childhood. So life is ambiguity, you know. But I think it comes from todays perspective. In the original play and even in Lubitchs films, that subtext at that time, people didnt see that. Today we know and think about homosexuality more openly. I dont think Lubitch was aware when he was making Broken Lullaby. But in the play, it lies underneath and between the lines because when I was doing the research I found out the writer was gay and he lived with his mother until the death of his mother. Thats why I created that part of Rivoire in the later part of the film. It makes sense. FRANTZ also reflects whats going on in the world -especially Europe and here in the States. I mean there has always been tension and friendship between the two countries. But the rise of nationalism is really visible in France and Germany. I didnt know my film would become political. It wasnt my goal. But I realize it echoes what you just talked about. I didnt know that Brexit would happen in Europe, I didnt know Trump would be elected. I didnt have all that in mind. But I felt something. We had a lot of attacks in France. You could feel all the tensions. Some politicians are asking drawing up new borders based on old boarders, the fear of foreigners, all thats happening now. It was interesting making this film with all these in mind. We know that history repeats itself. To understand it, we need to ask ourselves what happened before. I realized showing the film to many different audiences, that people were very touched, both old and young. And they were quite concerned about whats been going on. I was quite surprised because it was quite difficult to finance the film - my producer, especially shooting in black and white, the fact it was taking place right after WWI, it wasnt quite easy. But I had the feeling that it could touch people. The history would prove me right. But Im afraid my film will change anything. I mean, lets hope so. (laugh) Its a great film. This is the prime time for artists to rise up. no? Yes absolutely. And reflect the society we are living in and do something about it. Yes. So I think its a good time for you to make more films to touch people. Im a big fan and thank you very much for talking to me today. Thank you. Frantz opens on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Film Forum and Lincoln Plaza Cinema in New York, followed by a national roll out. Dustin Chang is a freelance writer. His musings and opinions on everything cinema and beyond can be found at www.dustinchang.com If you missed it on the festival circuit, Sean Byrne's The Devil's Candy, starring Ethan Embry (Cheap Thrills, Fashionista, Can't Hardly Wait), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Heavy, Monster), Kiara Glasco (Maps To The Stars, Bitten) and Shiri Appleby (Unreal, Roswell) is coming to a theater or TV near you this Friday. You can see the film in select theaters and on VOD and digital platforms on March 17th from IFC Midnight. Byrne, who previously directed the fan favorite cult horror film The Loved Ones, is back with another fantastic piece of filmmaking. Far from your typical home invasion flick, The Devil's Candy makes you care deeply about its characters. They're not your typical family, for starters. They love heavy metal and weird art, and the family's dad Jesse (Ethan Embry) is a full-time painter. After they move into a new home, Jesse's art takes a sharp turn into darkness, and a previous resident wants to come back home. I'll keep it short by saying that The Devil's Candy is a crash course in how horror should be written and directed. At no point do you NOT care about the characters or what's going to happen to them. They're not disposable; you care about the harrowing situations in which they find themselves. "Who will survive and what will be left of them," truly. I had an opportunity to chat with director Sean Byrne about empathy, filmmaking, his brilliant cast, and the fantastic bands and art featured in The Devil's Candy. Check out the poster art by kickass illustrator Ken Taylor and the trailer for The Devil's Candy below the interview. ScreenAnarchy: The film is terrifying for parents, children, and anyone with a shred of empathy, frankly. Are there any events or memories that influenced your script? My wife was pregnant with twins when I started writing, and that definitely was a major influence because I was terrified of bringing children into the world. Once kids enter the equation, the world suddenly seems a far more fragile and dangerous place. At the same time, I was feeling frustrated with my career because I was doing rewrites for production companies rather than my own stuff and nothing was getting off the ground. I started thinking about the nature of sacrifice, not only in terms of career versus family, but also how sacrifice in films is often literally depicted as an innocent child offered up to the Devil, much like in Rosemarys Baby. So the script somehow became a strange confluence of professional and parental fears and the key question that presented itself was: if you could have the career you always wanted and be the person you always dreamed of being, would you choose that over family? In that sense, its a crossroads story. Your cast is impeccable. I'd love to hear about how you found each of them and what you saw in them that ultimately got them cast. I had a saying I kept repeating during the making of my last film The Loved Ones: If you dont care, you dont scare." Horror theoretically should be the most dramatic of all genres because youre literally dealing with moments between life and death. The stakes are incredibly high. But so many horror movies treat characterization as disposable, and all that potential is wasted. So I was blessed to land a cast who are not only naturally talented but were determined to do all the hard work necessary to bring the characters to life. To them, this wasnt just another horror movie, it was a movie about a family who love each other deeply and are forced to confront some unimaginably awful things. The producers Keith and Jess Calder brought Ethan to my attention. I think theyd helped distribute Cheap Thrills, so there was a pre-existing relationship. Anyway they knew we were looking for an alternative type of father figure who could convey the soul wrestle between heaven and hell that the character undergoes, and thought Ethan could capture that. I watched Cheap Thrills, loved it, then checked out the rest of Ethans filmography. It was clear from Brotherhood he could play damaged and it was clear from his early films like Cant Hardly Wait and Empire Records that he also had a light, playful side which would be integral to his relationship with Zooey, his on screen daughter. So he ticked all the boxes. Kiara Glasco who plays Zooey just hit her audition out of the park. She auditioned opposite Ethan and the chemistry was instantly recognizable. They were just warm and effortless and cute together. Plus Kiara would go from doing an incredibly dark scene to singing "Let It Go" from Frozen as soon as I called cut so I knew she could emotionally cope with the material, which is obviously important for a child actor. Shiri is just a whip smart, funny, pragmatic New Yorker and a doting mom which was the perfect mix for Astrid because, while Jesses often got his head in the clouds or the canvas, shes the breadwinner. Shes the multi-tasker, the more capable one. I knew I wanted an individual not a movie wife. Astrid and Jesse had to believable as friends first and foremost and as soon as we put Shiri and Ethan in the room together they were riffing off each other, improvising jokes as if theyd known each other for years. Pruitt was always my first choice for Ray. Id first seen him in James Mangolds Heavy and his performance was and is still is one of the most delicate, heartbreaking performances Ive seen. He was worried about being typecast as the monster so initially turned us down but I wrote him a letter stressing I needed an actor capable of capturing the lost child inside. Rays actions alone would take care of the monstrous side of things, it was the internal conflict I was more interested in showing. We met for coffee a few times, swapped thoughts, Pruitt got more and more excited about the challenge so decided to sign on. So, yeah, we got lucky! How long did it take to get the production rolling, from screenplay to wrap? I cant even begin to tell you how long the screenplay took. There were countless drafts. What I ended up with bears no resemblance, not even a single word, to what initially sat me down to write. I just kept going until someone wanted to make it! I guess all up about five years went by after The Loved Ones before I got a green light, but in between I did several page-one rewrites for other companies and wrote multiple treatments for jobs that never came to fruition. Your classic stuck-in-development-hell story. Wrap was probably a year after the initial green light because we waited until Keith and Jess finished a couple of other films on their slate, which gave me a chance to continue honing the script and prepare thoroughly for the shoot. Was it difficult to get such great metal on the soundtrack (Metallica, Slayer, Pantera), and have you heard from any of the band members who've seen the film? Well it wasnt difficult for me, I just wrote the songs into the script! But it was no doubt difficult for the producers and our music supervisor Jonathan McHugh, who did a remarkable job. I cant think of another indie film with this number of heavyweight bands on there. We had an "in" with Metallicas manager, which helped open the lines of communication. Metallica asked to see the film. It was only at fine cut stage, so I was shitting myself. But they dug it and came to the party in a really generous way. And once you have the Beatles of metal, its hard for other bands to say no. Please tell us about the painter who created the disturbing canvases used in the film. Stephen Kasner is his name. Hes represented by the same agent as HR Giger and has done some amazing album cover work for a lot of underground bands including doom legends Sunn O))) who are also on the soundtrack. It was getting to critical stage because we just couldnt find a painter who could genuinely capture the darkness required. If the paintings are bad the film becomes comical so with time ticking away were were all worried. Then I happened to come across this amazing painting of a black snake on Google images that was so elegantly Satanic and I thought this is the guy we need. We reached out, he dug the script, agreed to do it and so, like with the actors, we got lucky. What made the choice seem even more destined is Stephen's a member of the Church of Satan. So in a way we were going straight to the source! If you want to know more hes got a very cool book out of his collected works. What were the logistics of filming with fire, and how difficult was the end result to achieve? It took a while to figure out. We obviously couldnt encircle a twelve year old girl in flames so we shot with fire lighting then our visual effects supervisor Johnny Han and his team reassembled the bedroom set and set portions of it alight to match the exact frames captured on the day. So the practical fire was composited with what was captured on the day. You have a fantastic editor; what can you tell us about working with Andy Canny? Ive known Andy since film school. Weve done shorts, ads and now two features together so theres a natural short hand. Hes got a great sense of behavioral authenticity, knows when to hold back versus when to be aggressively stylish, and he hates to waste a frame. The Loved Ones and The Devils Candy come in around the 85 and 80 minute mark respectively. A lot of people in the industry seem to get scared if a film is under 90 minutes. Im not sure why. The edit is about finding the films natural length. Both Andy and I would rather have a film be 80 minutes and taut than 90 minutes and slow. Some of my favorite songs are around the 2-3 minute mark and the same thing can apply to movies. Be last to arrive and first to leave, thats our motto. A good director builds a strong team. Likewise, your composer Michael Yezerski and your cinematographer Simon Chapman are top notch. I'd love to hear more about each of them. Simon and I also came up together through film school and hes shot everything Ive done since Advantage Satan, the Sundance selected short that helped get The Loved Ones off the ground. Hes got a great eye, puts story first, knows how to make things look glossy on a budget, loves all types of cinema, and is a great problem solver on set when the suns dropping fast. Michaels just a class act. Seems to be able to do anything and do it quickly. We were running out of time to have the film scored for Toronto. He barely slept for a week but somehow pulled it off, seemingly without breaking a sweat. All these guys --- Andy, Simon, Michael --- are well known in Australia, having done lots of features and TV there. Hopefully The Devils Candy will showcase what they can do to a wider audience. What have you felt that you learned from both The Devil's Candy and The Loved Ones? Prepare as much as you can then once the train leaves the station hang on! Surround yourself with the right producers and heads of department who not only share your sensibility but are also decent, passionate, supportive and great at what they do. If you understand the tone of the film, do your best to communicate it clearly and work with the right people then youve at least got half a chance! Oh, and dont think too much about the finish line. Just tackle one obstacle at a time and eventually youll get there. What's next for you? Im writing an action movie. Thats all I can say for now. In Brimstone, a Western thats the English-language debut of Dutch director Martin Koolhoven, young actress Dakota Fanning amazes with her best performance yet, giving life to a character that since the first chapter (the film is divided in four) is revealed as unique. Liz is a mute woman who, with the help of her little daughter, assists women in labor. While the setting is the Old American West, her life is relatively calm as she lives with her husband, stepson and daughter in a town that doesnt seem to be as wild as one can expect. A lot changes, though, when a complicated labor forces the protagonist to save the baby or the mother -- she ends up keeping alive the latter -- something the husband in question wont bear; grief, alcohol and a gun are not a safe combination. The initial chapter also introduces a very mysterious character, the new reverend in town (played by a fearsome Guy Pearce) who immediately mixes religion with the stillbirth, blaming Liz for playing God. Fannings character, on the other hand, has been troubled since the arrival of the reverend and, in fact, accuses him of somehow causing the death of the baby. Thats how we have a striking beginning, in which perhaps theres a supernatural element attached, as the almost omnipresent reverend torments the woman and her family, before the film opts for earthly and quite visceral violence, without leaving its mysterious tone. Koolhoven, who also wrote the script, presents a nonlinear narrative that, through its second and third chapter, takes us little by little to the genesis of the relation between the mute lady and the reverend, before picking up the actions seen in the first part, certainly once everything is in perspective. Leaving aside the possibility of the spectral aspect, the chapters that explore the protagonists past firstly show the brutality of a much familiar Old West in which the duels between gunmen as well as the activity in the brothels never stop to later go in depth into the home of a family of European immigrants where religion reigns and, at the same time, justifies the most vile actions. Brimstone displays, from a female point of view, the brutal side of patriarchy in the Wild West, accepted due to the rules imposed in a specific place in convenience, obviously, of the patriarch. Our protagonist, we learn, lived in two different homes but in several aspects similar before losing the ability to speak and getting married. Her mother (played by Game of Thrones Carice van Houten) and the group of prostitutes that eventually took her in a brothel were silenced by the respective patriarchs (Lizs father and the brothel keeper) each time they tried to disobey the rules that put them in service of the Lord and the eager customer, respectively. Thus the film exposes without reservation the sexual objectification of women, as Fannings character started to experience hell on earth once she had her first menstrual period. In the words of her father, she became a woman. The cowboy played by Kit Harington (Jon Snow in GoT) is the only man who helped Liz prior to her married life. Finally, with a snowy scenery that inevitably recalls such old and modern Westerns as The Great Silence and The Hateful Eight, Liz runs away and tries to protect her natural descendant from that past marked by sexual and physical violence that has managed to return, bringing to the picture a touch of pure horror. Brimstone is undoubtedly one of the most powerful hybrids in recent memory. Kicking heroin and staying off it for 20 years is only the first step for Renton. Facing the likely elimination of his office job, Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to Edinburgh, Scotland in search of something he cannot yet identify. Lost youth? His next step in life? His old mates are not faring so well. Spud (Ewen Bremner), whose many rehabilitations have never been long-lasting, is separated from old love Gail (Shirley Henderson) and his wee lad and on the verge of finally giving up. Begbie (Robert Carlyle) has been in prison for two decades, but he's had enough and decides to return home on his own terms. Simon (Jonny Lee Miller), formerly known as Sick Boy, is doing a tiny bit better in material terms, but he's still a hardcore cocaine addict, which keeps him from making much progress. He's got a girlfriend from Bulgaria, Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova), who is feisty and supportive, but she too wants something better. Renton tries to help Spud, Simon tries to get revenge on Renton for swiping his dough 20 years before, Begbie tries to reinsert himself into his family, and Veronika looks for an angle to get what she wants. Everyone wants to better their lot in life, without knowing quite how to do that. And over everything hangs the ever-present past, like storm clouds that threaten to burst out at any moment. Released in 1996, Trainspotting captured the zeitgeist in Britain, according to everyone, and the angry youth rebellion translated incredibly well in other parts of the world, including the U.S. It was based on a novel by Irvine Welsh, who updated the characters and their world in Porno, published about 10 years after the movie. In a Q&A session after the screening at SXSW, however, Boyle and McGregor both acknowledged their feelings that making a sequel at that time wouldn't interest them. More time was needed to really see any substantial changes in the characters and their times. Thus, John Hodge, who wrote the screenplay for the original as well as others for Boyle, seeks to capture those changes in a realistic and grim manner, while also allowing room for a few boisterous antics. The dialogue is superb and the characterizations make sense. Long-term addiction is a core element in the personalities of Simon and Spud; the former is still functioning, while the latter has been sinking steadily. Renton offers a helping hand to both, whether out of guilt or remorse or friendship or something else. Begbie remains so self-involved that we never see him actually converse with his wife or grown son; he just assumes that he is all that matters and that defines what he does after his escape from prison. As with the original, the sequel is consumed with music, though with different edges to it, and that leads to one of the characters raising the obvious question: 'Is it an appreciation of the past or just nostalgia?' Snippets of the original flash through the minds of the characters as they come upon familiar landmarks or situations, much as they would for anyone in the audience, much as what happened to me when Blondie's "Dreaming" starting playing, accompanying a wistful sequence. As I silently mouthed the words and tapped along to the beat of the song on my cinema seat, I realized I too had fallen under the spell of the movie. Boyle acknowledged afterward that this is very much a partial view; it's all about the men and how they view and deal with the passage of time. Not very well, I'm afraid. Yet that frankness is a great chunk of what makes T2 Trainspotting a sobering experience; it's waking up with a hangover and wondering what you've done with your life for the last 20 years. The film played as a secret screening at SXSW last night. It opens in select U.S. theaters on Friday, March 17, ahead of its wide release on March 31. Visit the official site for more information. It's teddy bears versus unicorns in acclaimed director Alberto Vazquez' upcoming Unicorn Wars. And, yes, Vazquez appears to be making this every bit as dark and absurd as you may hope from that premise. Teddy bears and unicorns have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. Private Bluet craves unicorn blood because it confers eternal beauty, according to the prophecy in the new religions sacred book. His brother, Tubby, is not cut out for war. He lacks confidence and is an emotional eater. All he wants is for his brother to love him. A teddy bear regiment leaves the training camp for a mission that will end in a brutal and disastrous final battle. Unicorn Wars was a participant of this year's Cartoon Movie project market and a teaser from that event has appeared online showcasing both some of Vazquez' previous work and a first taste of Unicorn Wars footage. Check it out below! You be the federal sentencing judge: how long a prison term for convicted "Bridgegate" defendants? | Main | Reviewing why a Justice Gorsuch "might be hard to pigeonhole on criminal justice issues" March 12, 2017 NY Times editorial makes pitch for raising the age This New York Times editorial, headlined "Crime and the Adolescent Brain," makes the case for moving up the age for adult court treatment. Here are excerpts: Over the last decade, seven states Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire and South Carolina have passed laws that channel most young offenders into juvenile courts, where they can receive counseling and support, instead of into adult courts and adult prisons, which are not equipped to deal with adolescents. This wise approach has bypassed New York, which is one of only two states the other being North Carolina that automatically try 16-year-olds as adults. While New York lawmakers fear that raising the age for adult courts would make them seem soft on crime, some state legislatures are now considering proposals to raise the age to 21. Connecticuts experience is instructive. In 2007, it raised the age of adult prosecution from 16 to 18 as part of a package of criminal justice reforms. It moved most nonviolent infractions things like shoplifting, drug possession and disorderly conduct out of the formal court system and invested in counseling and intervention programs that allowed teenagers to avoid criminal records. A 2016 report by the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School found that raising the age for adult prosecution produced sharp reductions in arrests, court caseloads and incarceration costs. Sixteen-year-olds who are tried as juveniles are less likely to be rearrested than those tried as adults. And arrests for people under 18 dropped by an astonishing 68 percent while the crime rate has continued to decline.... Encouraged by these results, Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut has introduced a bill that would include 18- to 20-year-olds who commit all but the most serious crimes under a new category, young adult offenders.... Both Massachusetts and Illinois are also considering bills that would channel most 18-, 19- and 20-year-old offenders into the juvenile system. Setting the age for adult criminal responsibility at 16, as New York does, is inhumane. New Yorks record on this is doubly shameful because state lawmakers in 1962 settled on 16 temporarily when they could not agree on a definition of adulthood. The Legislature promised to revisit the issue, but inertia set in. Generations of young offenders were damaged, some irreparably, by this decision. Surely, its time to correct this mistake. March 12, 2017 at 09:22 PM | Permalink Comments The New York Times is a foreign owned political hate speech propaganda outlet, spouting the foreign and alien, open border views of their owner, Carlos Slim, a Mexican cement billionaire. It has the same amount of bias, and of credibility as the web site of KKK boss, David Duke. And, I am referring even to its news articles, and not just to its editorials. Once managed by Jews, it has become an anti-Semitic, pro-Palestinian, biased newspaper, with the same anti-Semitism hate as David Duke. David Duke differs in one way. He is honest about his hatred of Jews and Blacks. He is not supercilious, nor is he virtue signaling, the way the NY Times does. Dismissed. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 13, 2017 12:31:11 AM @david So you don't like the message shoot the messenger. sigh. As for the substance of the editorial having not read the study I won't comment on it. But I would say that I am skeptical of its results as a background matter. Prior studies have shown that main reason that young adults convicts do better away from adult prisons has nothing to do with their "tender years" and everything to do with the conditions of confinement. In other words, people do better in prison when prison treats them better and it has nothing to do with age. Posted by: Daniel | Mar 13, 2017 12:24:26 PM @david So you don't like the message shoot the messenger. sigh. As for the substance of the editorial having not read the study I won't comment on it. But I would say that I am skeptical of its results as a background matter. Prior studies have shown that main reason that young adults convicts do better away from adult prisons has nothing to do with their "tender years" and everything to do with the conditions of confinement. In other words, people do better in prison when prison treats them better and it has nothing to do with age. Posted by: Daniel | Mar 13, 2017 12:24:27 PM @Daniel. This question has been answered for decades. No matter what is done, from "go home" to "permanent solitary confinement in a cage with food thrown into the savage beast's hole," the outcomes are the same. Half young people in every treatment group improve, and grow up. Half go on to a life of crime, addiction, homelessness. The sole reliable marker is having a girlfriend. That is as likely to be a result and as it is likely to be a cause of being not too bad, just immature. I see conduct disorder, and its adult name, antisocial personality, as a permanent handicap of missing abilities. One should specify their number and severity of impairment before drawing conclusions of any kind. This level of complexity is beyond the Supreme Court's ability to grasp. They do not want to hear about complexity of a technical subject. They just want to coddle criminals to generate lawyer employment. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 13, 2017 1:12:40 PM "Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School," Extreme left wing biased, pro-criminal, Blame America First, Hate America Most indoctrination camp, in the pay of Malcolm Wiener for their biased views. Wiener is a Harvard Law grad. That Kennedy School is all Obama staff, all the time. They brook no dissent from their failed left wing views, abandoned by the facts 100 years ago. "...sharp reductions in arrests, court caseloads and incarceration costs." Oh, come on. Unrepresentative measurements, with no relation to actual number of crimes. Likely government functionaries lying, by putting crime reports in the trash, to avoid getting yelled at (as reported by police officers in New York, one of the "safest cities in the USA." Just make sure no one is behind you, staring, as you wait on a subway platform. Dismissed. Silly. An insult to the intelligence of the reader, especially of the crime victim, who knows better from striking personal experience. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 13, 2017 2:50:58 PM Some lawyers would like to raise the age of adult criminal responsibility to 25. That is when the frontal lobes are completely myelinated (covered by fat that makes neural transmission fast and efficient). So these defendants should be referred to juvenile court and received therapy. From the AP, Mar. 3, 2017 Police: 3 teen girls kidnapped by Salvadoran gang in Houston Mar. 3, 2017 9:21 PM EST Two known MS-13 gang members, formerly of El Salvador, Miguel Alvarez-Flores, left, and Diego... 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. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 13, 2017 4:52:40 PM Post a comment NY Times editorial makes pitch for raising the age | Main | "Reassessing Prosecutorial Power Through the Lens of Mass Incarceration" We are now only a week from the start of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, and this new extended AP article reviews Judge Gorsuch's record on the cases that I usually give the most attention. The article is headlined "Gorsuch has ruled for police, and suspects, in crime cases," and here are excerpts: Judge Neil Gorsuch wasn't convinced that a teenager who made burping sounds in a classroom should be arrested, handcuffed and taken to juvenile detention in a police car. Gorsuch said the 13-year-old student from Albuquerque, New Mexico, should have been able to sue the arresting officer for excessive force. His powerful dissent in the case last year offers a glimpse of how Gorsuch a favorite among conservatives might be hard to pigeonhole on criminal justice issues if he is confirmed to the Supreme Court.... During a decade on the federal appeals court in Denver, Gorsuch has raised concerns about intrusive government searches and seizures that he found to violate constitutional rights. He generally has ruled against defendants appealing their convictions and those who claim they received unfair trials. But he also has warned in writings and speeches about the danger of having too many criminal laws on the books. "What happens to individual freedom and equality when the criminal law comes to cover so many facets of daily life that prosecutors can almost choose their targets with impunity?" he said in a 2013 speech. That skepticism seems to align him with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a strong believer in protecting people from overzealous police and prosecutors. Scalia at times sided with liberals in tossing out evidence that breached privacy rights and in strengthening the right to confront accusers in court. Liberal groups are opposing Gorsuch's nomination, in part based on views that his overall record on criminal justice is too harsh. "At a time when the abuses of our criminal justice system are becoming a national crisis, we cannot confirm a justice who does not understand the role of the Supreme Court to protect the most vulnerable among us," said a report from People for the American Way, a liberal advocacy group. When Gorsuch has said there are too many criminal laws, he has often focused on business regulations, such as requirements that mattress sellers preserve mattress tags or that lobster importers use cardboard instead of plastic.... Some of his opinions have faulted police for seizing evidence in violation of the Fourth Amendment, which bars unreasonable searches. In a case last year, Gorsuch parted from the two-judge majority in a ruling that said police had a right to walk onto a man's property to knock on the front door even though there were several "No Trespassing" signs in the yard. Gorsuch mocked the majority's opinion, saying it gave government agents the right to "invade" a homeowner's property "whatever the homeowner may say or do about it."... Paul Rothstein, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said Gorsuch appears to have a mixed record in criminal cases and "seems to call them as he sees them." "I think his primary area of concern for the citizen is in the privacy of your home or your private belongings," Rothstein said. "He believes there is a private area and he's pretty strong about that." Gorsuch has been less sympathetic to defendants in other rulings. In a 2012 case, Gorsuch dissented from a majority opinion in which his colleagues sided with an Oklahoma man seeking to overturn his murder conviction due to an ineffective lawyer. The lawyer had advised his client to reject a plea agreement that called for a 10-year sentence. Instead, the man went to trial, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The majority said the lawyer's decision to reject the plea had "disastrous results" for his client. But Gorsuch said the man's right to effective representation was not violated because he was later convicted in a fair trial. A dog was injured and a man arrested after an altercation with a police officer in downtown San Francisco Saturday. According to the San Francisco Police Department, an on-duty officer was directing traffic at the intersection of Post and Kearny Streets at 11:51 a.m. Saturday when the incident occurred. Police say that the officer "saw a dog charging at him" so he "fired a shot striking the dog on the leg." The dog's guardian, who police describe as an "adult male," "had been holding the dog's leash" during the alleged attack. According to the SFPD, he was arrested. More details on the case were not immediately available, but police confirm that the officer was not injured in the incident, and the dog is in the care of a veterinarian for treatment of injuries they say are not life-threatening. Related: Helicopter Crew Saves SF Couple Trapped During Abortive Dog Rescue Obama just posed for the "I'm GREAT!" pic you'd petty post after a breakup. pic.twitter.com/DkmjF6CgTJ Behold the Coagula! (@luckyturner) February 7, 2017 In his first trip to the Bay Area as a private citizen since taking office as the 44th POTUS in 2008, Barack Obama flew to San Jose yesterday where he's staying downtown at the Fairmont Hotel. NBC Bay Area reports that Secret Service agents were securing the premises and that guests claim they've seen bomb-sniffing dogs roaming the hallways. During the visit, Obama will reportedly meet with technology leaders. But why? Is he, as has been speculated before, looking for future employment in Silicon Valley? Or, as conspiracy theorists hold, is he working with them to continue his "shadow presidency" leading the "deep state?" Probably neither! Former President Barack Obama's motorcade leaves San Jose Mineta Airport after arriving from Omaha. #obama pic.twitter.com/CynqOqUc8e Sergio Quintana (@svqjournalist) March 13, 2017 Remembering the 44th president's legacy on technology, Engadget called him the most tech-savvy leader the country has ever had President Trump's Twitter fixation notwithstanding. "Obama made it one of his priorities to modernize the federal government on everything from telecommunications policy to White House IT," recalls Engadget. "He tackled infrastructure, STEM education, net neutrality and climate change in serious and substantive ways." And let's not forget Obama's great enthusiasm for drones, shared by many in Silicon Valley. Obama's flight to San Jose wasn't a non-stop: It included a layover yesterday in Omaha, Nebraska for lunch with Warren Buffett and Susie Buffet according to the Omaha World-Herald. Maybe the former president has a new product or business to pitch and just needed some funding perhaps some kind of smart, camera-connected microwave? Related: Obama Moves To Protect More California Coast In Mendocino, Humboldt, Santa Cruz Natalie Portman was an early favorite to win Best Actress for her star turn in Jackie, but then, early Oscar favorites often come home without the golden statue. Along with the La La Land juggernaut, 2016 just didnt seem like a year when the general public cared to remember Camelot. I had mixed opinions when reviewing Jackie in the theater, but rewatching it on the new Blu-ray (and DVD) release. I recognized a well-wrought piece of cinema whose flaws are relatively minor. I was troubled the first time by Portmans facsimile of Jacqueline Kennedy, but on reflection, I see that she gave a remarkable performance whose enormous emotional range was packed inside a good impression of the patrician First Lady. The flaws? I remain unimpressed with Peter Saarsgaards weak, flubbery and uncharismatic Robert Kennedy and by Caspar Phillipsons grumpy performance as Lyndon B. Johnson (see Bryan Cranstons excellent LBJ in All the Way). Billy Crudup fails to invest sufficient interest in Life magazine reporter Theodore H. Whitea problem given the amount of screen time he occupieswhose on and off the record interview with the former First Lady provides Jackie with its structure. But along with Portmans performance, the strengths are in Chilean director Pablo Larrains shuffling the cards of time and memory. Much of Jackie consists of flashbacks, not always in linear order, as the Kennedy widow dials up memories and decides how to edit them for posterity. After JFKs death, she seeks out her priest. Jack and I hardly ever spent the night together, she confesses (a revelation not intended for the public) and wonders, Now what am I left with? The answer is two young children and no certain role beyond her responsibility as the widow in black at the state funeral. She drifts through the White House like a ghost as LBJs henchman, Jack Valenti (yes, the guy who later headed the Motion Picture Association of America), tells her its time to pack her bags. Jackie has many well-mounted scenes, especially the forlorn first lady stripping off the blood-stained pink dress she wore on her ill-fated ride into Dallas, and the pageantry of JFKs full-dress funeral. Larrain, who claims to know little of the Kennedy legend, recreates the famous photograph taken on Air Force One as a hastily recruited judge administers the oath of office to LBJ, and Jackie looks on with abysmal mortification. Portmans face registers devastation after the assassination but settles into cool, aristocratic hauteur for the interview with Life. In flashbacks the First Lady wrestles with self-doubt but is ultimately determined to see things through her way. By the time of her Life interview, she has curated her thoughts and become the cool, collected figure of mystery as she would be remembered by many Americans. This Saturday, March 18, the tallest building in Wisconsin will serve as a vertical race track so that a few thousand area residents can have a good time getting high and raising money for a great cause. Its the 8th annual Milwaukee Fight for Air Climb, a 47-floor, 1,034-stair race to the top floor of U.S. Bank Center, 777 E. Wisconsin Ave. The race is one of a national series of skyscraper climbs that raise money for the American Lung Association. The climb is open to all, from serious athletes to those just off the couch. Using the stair mile conversion, the race is about 1/3 of a forward mile. According to the Fight for Air website, the average climbers time is 13:29. The top finishers in the Fight for Air will reach the top in less than six minutes. The fastest time ever recorded in the tower, during an unimpeded climb, was a 4:50 mark by Springfield, Ill.s Justin Stewart who is one of only two people to ever record a sub-five minute time in the building. Even more impressive than that is the 6:54 mark recorded by last year by West Allis firefighter and paramedic Zeke Dombrowski. Dombrowski made the climb while dressed in full gear 70 lbs. worth and is the two-time defending champion of the full gear climb at Fight for Air. A few hundred firefighters are expected to participate in the climb this weekend. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE For those who might not quite be at the world-class level, the program also offers a half-climb and a virtual climb for those who simply wish to volunteer. The bulk of the days participants will be of the more casual set many even race in costume who play along for the novelty and to help out a good cause. One of the perks of climbing is the rare access to the top floor of the tower, which has been the tallest in the state since 1973 and offers unmatched views of the city and lake. If you want to make the climb, you can register online now or the day of the competition. The registration fee is $25 in advance and $45 the day of. All climbers are required to have raised at least $100. More information is available online. SIOUX CITY Anyone looking to live out their Golden Years in comfort should consider Iowa. A study conducted by MoneyRates.com, an online site dedicated to providing information on bank rates, personal finance, savings accounts and investing, has declared the Hawkeye State the top place to retire in the U.S. for 2017. According to MoneyRates, what makes Iowa such an idea place for retirees is the worry-free lifestyle it offers residents. The methodology the firm used to compile the study looked at life expectancy, personal safety, cost of living, weather, economic conditions and percentage of older residents in the population. Surprisingly, Iowa did not rank No. 1 in any of those individual areas, but still managed to be the best state to retire in due to having above average score in all the categories. Rather than being pulled up by a major area of strength, Iowa avoided being pulled down by any particular problem area, MoneyRate spokesperson Richard Barrington wrote in the study. For people who want their retirement to be smooth and headache-free, that absence of major problems might sound ideal. Iowa wasnt the only Siouxland state to crack the top 10 as South Dakota was named the eighth best state to retire in the U.S. In his report, Barrington said the Mount Rushmore State may not be a tropical paradise, but it has plenty of other benefits. South Dakota offers the comfort of low crime rates, and the overall environment must be beneficial to older citizens because life expectancy at age 65 in South Dakota is among the 10 highest in the nation. Nebraska, the final state in the Siouxland trifecta, was ranked as the 22nd best state to retire in. The worst states to retire in were Illinois, Nevada, Georgia, Louisiana and Alaska. LE MARS Scooping up BoDeans Baking Group of Le Mars was a no-brainer for the decision makers at Joy Cone Company, Americas largest ice cream cone producer. The Hermitage, Pennsylvania-based company last fall purchased BoDeans, which makes cones, wafers and dessert crumbs. Terms of the deal, which followed two years of negotiations, werent disclosed. John Wilhelm, chief operating officer of BoDeans, said the transition has been very good. Joy Cone was the leader in their industry, which is retail and food service, and we were the leader in the novelty side, which is selling to large industrial dairies, Wilhelm said. So it was was a good merger to bring the two companies together. Wilhelm noted that even even before the merger, the two companies shared numerous similarities. Believe it or not, the culture of the two companies were very similar: They both were privately held family-owned companies that put a real high value on employees, he said. BoDeans and Joy Cone both have a long history of taking good care of their employees. BoDeans has about 250 employees at its three sites in Le Mars, and no jobs were lost in the transaction. Additionally, the workers now own 100 percent of the company through an employee stock option plan that was a requirement of the deal. Although Joy Cone has been around for nearly 100 years the company was started in 1918 by Albert George, an immigrant from Lebanon BoDeans was allowed to keep its brand identity after the deal was completed. BoDeans has a good reputation in the novelty industry, so all the novelty customers like Wells (Enterprises Inc., makers of the Blue Bunny brand) and Nestle and Unilever (USA) know who BoDeans is just like how Joy Cone has their identity in retail and food service, Wilhelm said. If you go into a grocery store, youll predominately see Joy Cone on the shelf. Joining Joy Cone is part of a nearly two decade period of success for BoDeans, which was started by Dean Jacobsen and his wife, Bo, in February 2000. The company found success immediately and was listed as one of Americas fastest growing privately owned companies by Inc. magazine in 2005. The company has rapidly grown in 15 years, so its always on to another project, said Wilhelm, who has been at BoDeans since 2002. We pretty much started from nothing and turned the company into a very successful company. Although BoDeans has only been in business for 17 years, the company experienced significant growth during this time. The original cone manufacturing plant expanded from 20,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet within its first year of operation. In 2004, BoDeans underwent another expansion and added another 25,000 square feet in manufacturing and warehouse space. The manufacturer added wafers to its production line in 2006 and built a 134,000-square-foot plant to support that endeavor. Over the next decade, BoDeans continued to grow and the original cone production facility is now 90,000 square feet, has 18 cone ovens and has an annual production capacity of 1 billion cones a year. The company also has the capacity to produce 50 million pounds of wafers and 15 million pounds of crumbs/inclusions annually. Most recently, BoDeans acquired Altesa, Mexicos largest cone producer, in 2013. The Altesa facility, which is located outside of Mexico City, also was included in the Joy Cone deal. In addition to quality, Wilhelm laid out other basic reasons for BoDeans continued success. BoDeans entered the market with the premises of being a low-cost producer, so we always invested in the most current and modern technology and constantly upgraded our assets, Wilhelm said. We have a low overhead structure and self-directed work teams we empower people to make decisions as a group and we just work well from a cost standpoint. When executives from Joy Cone were visiting Le Mars during the negotiation process with BoDeans, one thing that impressed them most about the operation was the latters facilities. Theyre first-class facilities and frankly that was one of the selling points, Joy Cone CEO David George said in December. Their operation is first rate facilities and equipment are top of the line and you can tell right away its a great operation. Like Wilhelm, George thought the two companies fit together really well. It was really a perfect match because its a product we understand and it gets us into a market that we always wanted to get into, but were unable to before, George said. Wilhelm noted joining forces also gives them a few advantages. Some of the benefits are you get to see how each company was doing things and share best practices, he said. Obviously, theres things BoDeans did very well and theres things Joy did very well and we got to look and analyze that and apply best practices in both facilities. Another advantage would be on the purchasing side because we essentially doubled the size of our company. It gives us a lot more purchasing power, so, hopefully, we can buy raw materials and ingredients better as a result. SIOUX CITY | The director of outreach for a Sioux Falls-based Muslim Community Center will be leading an interfaith discussion at 7 p.m. March 20 at Briar Cliff University's St. Francis Center, 3303 Rebecca St. Mohammed Qamar will be delivering "I am a Muslim: Your Neighbor, Friend and Fellow Citizen" as a part of the Sister Ruth Agnes Ahlers Lecture series. Qamar holds a medical degree in nephrology from the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. He practices medicine at Sanford Health, a health system with 43 hospitals and nearly 250 clinics in nine states and three countries. As a Catholic Franciscan institution, Briar Cliff's theology and philosophy department challenges students to gain a broader perspective by examining other faiths and traditions. Free and open to the public, the Sister Ruth Agnes Ahlers Lecture Series is supported by an endowment created in the memory of the longtime Briar Cliff theology professor, who also co-founded the church ministries program in the Diocese of Sioux City. SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City Community Schools superintendent Paul Gausman is now one of two finalists to head Omaha Public Schools. According to the Lincoln Journal Star, a third finalist, Jane Stavem, assistant superintendent for instruction for Lincoln Public Schools, withdrew her name from the search Saturday. Stavem told the Journal Star that she still has work to do in Lincoln and "I'm happy to stay in Lincoln and continue the work." The other candidate is Khalid Mumin, superintendent of Reading (Penn.) Public Schools. Gausman, a Nebraska native, commented on his interest in the position in a release from earlier this month. "The opportunity to go back to my Nebraska roots, to serve the community where I spent much of my early professional career, and to continue serving students in a large Midwestern urban district were opportunities I felt I could not ignore," he said. The Omaha Board of Education is expected to meet and chose the district's next superintendent March 20. SOUTH SIOUX CITY | A conference designed to bring innovation to rural development will be held at the Marina Inn & Conference Center. The 14th annual Midstates Community and Economic Development Conference #RURALROCKS will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 6. The Midstates Community and Economic Development Conference is one of the largest rural development events and a joint project of 10 agencies and organizations in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. It is designed for local leaders and offers workshops on successful strategies and innovative ideas for rural development. The keynote speaker will be Deb Brown of SaveYour.Town. She will share stories of small-town success and help attendees determine ways they can build possibility in their towns. Three breakout sessions will feature 12 presenters discussing topics like marketing, housing, workforce education and local food entrepreneurs. Communities are encouraged to bring two or more representatives to the conference, so people can attend breakout sessions that run concurrently. The registration fee is $35 if received by March 30 and $45 after that. Student rate is $25. Online registration is available at extension.iastate.edu/woodbury. SIOUX CITY | The city is looking to make repairs to the parking lot, wheelchair ramps and west staircases at the Tyson Events Center. The City Council on Monday will hold a public hearing and vote on a resolution for construction documents for the site repairs. The documents include flatwork repairs to the parking lot, replacement of wheelchair ramps on the building's west side and structural repairs to the west staircases, according to city documents. The project costs are estimated at nearly $500,000. The project includes two alternates. One would fully reconstruct the west staircases to fix issues caused by settling. While this would be a more permanent solution to the issue, it will have a higher cost, adding a $646,000 bill. A second alternate includes storm sewer and paving work on the building's northeast corner. This alternate is estimated at $55,000. If approved, a bid letting will take place March 21. The project is expected to be complete by Oct. 1 of this year. Chestnut Hill development The council will also vote on a request for rezoning and a preliminary plat for the 40-home "Chestnut Hill" development on Sioux City's north side. Led by Sioux City developer Rick Bertrand, the project will transition the site of a former "borrow pit" across from the intersection of Floyd Boulevard and 28th Street into an 80-unit housing development consisting of 40 twin homes. The project met mixed reviews at a February Planning and Zoning meeting, with proponents touting the needed addition of north side housing and opponents citing concerns about damage to the loess soil environment and increased traffic due to extending Chestnut Avenue -- currently a dead-end street -- to connect with a new street that will access Floyd Boulevard. The project received 5-0 Planning and Zoning approval. West 7th Street reconstruction In other business, the council will vote whether to award a nearly $8 million contract to SuBSurfco LLC for the full reconstruction of West Seventh Street from Hamilton Boulevard to Wesley Parkway. SuBSurfco's bid of $7,975,097.43 was more than $225,000 above the engineer's estimate for the project. Construction is anticipated to begin this spring and to finish in summer 2018. SIOUX CITY Mackenzie Melemeds experience was key to his victory in the 2017 Iowa Piano Competition, an intense three-day contest for pianists held at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Sioux City. Although he is only 22, Melemed has played in concert nearly 700 times and is in the midst of earning his bachelors and masters degrees in piano performance from The Juilliard School, a New York-based performing arts conservatory. The competition was really amazing, he said. It was a really unique experience for me especially having host families and never having been in Iowa before so it was a really unique experience, I didnt know what to expect, but the Mayne family really took good care of me and I really appreciate the kindness and hospitality of everyone in this competition. Melemed beat out Tzu-Yin Huang of Taiwan and Youkyoung Kim of South Korea on Sunday to take home the $7,500 prize. He is the first American to win the competition since Michael Mizarhi won the initial contest in 2005. The Massachusetts native first developed a taste for tinkling the ivories when he was 3 after his grandfather bought him a keyboard. I started lessons when I was 4, but I didnt start classical training until I was 10, Melemed said. Melemed isnt sure what drew him to the piano, but he remembers that his stepfather was reading their local newspaper when he saw an ad for Music for Little Mozarts, a musical teaching program tailored to younger children. Those initial lessons laid a foundation for Melemed to eventually be accepted into the Juilliard program, which has a less than 8 percent acceptance rate and requires applicants to undergo an audition process. It was a very nerve-wracking process to apply I applied to seven or eight schools but after having the first Juilliard audition of that audition year it was very exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time, he said. At Juilliard, Melemed studies under Robert McDonald, a Council Bluffs, Iowa, native and famed accompanist whose presence on the faculty sold him on attending the renowned creative arts school. Despite his extensive history with live performance hes toured the Czech Republic and played in China, Finland and countless venues domestically Melemed noted the Iowa Piano Competition offered a unique opportunity for him and other pianists. Finalists got the opportunity to play alongside the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, which hosts the biennial event open to pianists between 18 and 35. Its exhilarating to play with orchestras because pianists, no matter how famous we are, we dont get that opportunity as youngsters to play with orchestra especially in a big venue, he said. This is probably one of the biggest venues Ive played in. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy All nations have unique characteristics that make them feel exceptional. But exceptionalism has been a disaster for America even though it was based on three solid pillars: Two centuries ago a unique nation was formed, not on the basis of any ethnic, cultural or religious community but on universal human values: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..... It was a nation of immigrants, providing refuge to people from all over the world. Its Statue of Liberty served as a Beacon of Freedom with its inscribed words: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... The major wars of the Twentieth Century thrust America into a global role. Demonstrating an unprecedented conciliatory treatment of vanquished enemies, its leadership ended centuries of European warfare, while the founding of the United Nations and the World Bank set global standards for peace and prosperity. Continuing American leadership of the Free World led to the collapse of the totalitarian Soviet Union. Entering the Twenty-first Century, America led a world largely at peace. Francis Fukuyama even labeled the situation the End of History, the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government, with America as the indispensable nation. Then it all fell apart. An assertive China challenges the United States while a resurgent Russia covers its domestic economic failings with a confrontational policy to the West. Africa stagnates, while turmoil there and the Middle East results in millions of refugees flooding into a fragmenting Europe, further unsettled by Greek bankruptcy and British Brexit. The Middle East is at the center of intractable wars, including a self-proclaimed Islamic State tenaciously fighting to maintain territorial control while simultaneously fomenting terrorist actions world wide. Globally American ideals are challenged by autocratic, nationalistic and self-serving governments. A stable democratic world is nowhere to be seen. What went wrong? The End of History was premature, focusing on an illusory veneer of democratic ideals over a world of repression and exploitation. Clearly democracy does not simply lead to peace and prosperity. A new worldwide internet ensured that America's inability to overcome its historical legacies of repressing Native Americans and supporting slavery was visible worldwide. Integrating Europe, vanquishing totalitarian communism and creating a positive global framework did indeed attest to the power of American ideals, but this was increasingly overshadowed by an arrogant American attitude that the nation knew best what was important for everyone else. The Cold War was used to justify cooperation with a wide range of autocratic governments as well as repression of popular movements in Iran, Chile and the Congo. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, America and the West totally failed to promote real democratic evolution in Russia. Not only did democracy fail to live up to its potential, so did market capitalism. It is obviously true that it outdid totalitarian communism, but even a century ago it was clear that capitalism was not self-correcting, that an Invisible Hand of the Market was also an illusion. As early as 1890, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act recognized that commercial interests needed to be regulated. In that same era, American business interests led to the establishment of Central American banana republics where pliant governments put commercial interests ahead of local democratic development. These same interests undermined the Hawaiian monarchy and joined in exploitation by the Industrialized World of Third World natural and human resources. Through the Twentieth Century, business came to dominate American politics. Moneyed interests warped Congressional and Executive actions. Corporations came to exploit workers while protecting shareholders and senior executives. As wealth became increasingly concentrated at the top of society, the job market shriveled and labor participation rates dropped, exacerbated by technology and global trade networks. Society became increasingly frustrated as more and more individuals snapped. Then came the invasion of Afghanistan, eliminating a Taliban government but failing to stabilize the nation. This was followed by the disastrous invasion of Iraq; a deep faith in military solutions and a profound ignorance of local conditions supported a simplistic expectation that a vibrant democracy would rapidly emerge. Instead the United States became entangled in vicious battles within the Muslim World and struggles between the West and Islamic states. This had been foreseen ten years earlier by Samuel Huntington, describing how many cultures do not accept American values, but have their own deep seated attitudes on liberty and authority, rights and responsibilities, and religious beliefs in the relationetween God and man, especially in the Islamic World. Widespread awareness of American use of torture and thousands of civilian casualties were followed by the sudden and unexpected rise of the Islamic State. American values came to be seen as a sham, a cover for self-serving actions. Nowhere was the dimming of the Beacon of Freedom more visible than in the Arab Spring; violent demonstrations rocked the Arab world with demands of democracy but without any reference at all to an America no longer seen as representing its own ideals. As this movement faded, America once again supports a repressive military regime in Egypt and fails to bolster Tunisia, the one struggling democracy to emerge from that movement. Domestically, too, American values are being called into question as ethnic rivalries are stoked with divisive protests on immigration programs, officially intensified suspicions of Muslims, and reinvigorated white racism. Economic problems are increasingly blamed on minorities while continuous denunciations of the mainstream media and a rise of fake news leaves the general population unsure of what to believe. The nation can no longer absorb immigrants as before. The Open West disappeared a century ago; now economic changes are all but eliminating any need for more unskilled workers. Even millions of Americans cannot find good jobs. American exceptionalism had indeed fostered a sense of hubris, promoting American values abroad when they supported American efforts, while neglecting them at home. No wonder exceptionalism was widely derided as a delusion that led the nation astray. But this is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. America is indeed an exceptional nation for its deep values and the post-war leadership it demonstrated. American values are not wrong, but America let the world and itself down by failing to live up to them. These basic values are indeed self-evident, even if America is no longer seen as representing them. The importance of democratic ideals to the Arab Spring has already been noted. And even autocratic regimes as extreme as North Korea try to label themselves as democratic and tout their use of elections. Putin talks of a managed democracy; the Chinese leadership talks of an "intraparty democracy" while much of the dissent there focuses on real democracy. There has also been widespread association of Western values with modernization, a growing recognition in many cultures that some traditional elements may not have been in their best interests. Yes, America liked to look upon itself as being the indispensable nation, but in truth it really is. The growing fragmentation, dissension, and belligerency on a global scale underline the need for new leadership. Fukuyama's vision of liberal democracy may not quite be what is needed, but the post-war framework of international standards provided a solid basis for peaceful development. For better or worse, America does remain the indispensable nation, if only because there is no one else. Europe cannot even lead itself. Russia strives to be seen as a global power, but focuses on regional hegemony and lacks the resources to operate again on a global scale. China is the only other nation operating on a global scale; its paradigm of managed democracy appeals to autocrats but not to anyone seeking freedom. Even within China, growing pressures for more democracy threaten to undermine the economic growth that gives the government legitimacy. The Islamic groups which talk of global appeal are the most extreme elements rejected by their own countrymen as vividly and tragically being demonstrated in Mosul. The world badly needs American exceptionalism, but not American arrogance or ignorance. It needs the kind of thoughtful, collaborative and forward-looking American leadership demonstrated in the aftermath of World War II. It needs to demonstrate that primary American values are indeed universal, the only basis for dynamic and creative societies. It cannot do this without basic realignments domestically, reforming the economy so that wealth distribution works for everyone, reviving its fundamental ideals of freedom and equality so that America does indeed model the values it professes. It has to provide global leadership not from some sense of manifest destiny, but from a need for self-preservation America simply cannot prosper in a world of turmoil. Nor can any one else. Failed and failing states have generated some 65 million displaced persons by the end of 2015, a major symptom of the global imbalance that cries for enlightened leadership. The only solution is not to accommodate them in the Industrialized World, but to improve the situation in source nations so that people can build their own countries, their own economies and cultures. Like other major challenges, such as climate change and the potential for global epidemics and major natural disasters, it cannot be addressed militarily. The world needs to work together to make Fukuyama's vision of a peaceful and prosperous world a reality. It is hard to see any route to such a situation without American exceptionalism, an America standing up once again to lead the world in new directions. Kay Elizabeth Jett, 74, of Mechanicsville, MD passed away on March 9, 2017. Kay was the daughter of the late Charles Plauger and Gladys Mullikan. Kay was born in Washington, D.C. on May 22, 1942. She worked for a local community bank until retirement 2013. She loved shopping, sewing, needlepoint and crochet. She was well known for her baby quilts and handmade x-mas stockings. She also loved to go gambling and was labeled the lucky one. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Kay is survived by her husband of 58 years, Benjamin Jett of Mechanicsville, MD; two sisters, Dorothy (Mike) and Virginia (Buddy); seven children, Debbie (Ray), Carol, Benjy (Joanne), Darryl (Cheryl), David (Donna), Wanda (Brian) and Kevin (Jackie). She also had 13 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren and 8 step grand and great grandchildren. She was also an aunt to several nieces and nephews. Family will receive friends for Kay's visitation on March 16, 2017 between 5-7 pm at the Brinsfield Echols Funeral Home located at 30195 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622. Interment will be on March 22, 2017 at the Maryland Veteran's Cemetery located in Cheltenham, MD. Donations can be sent to the Hospice House of St. Mary's County, Po. O. Box 625, Leonardtown, Md 20650. Arrangements by Brinsfield Echols Funeral Home. (CNN) A group representing gay veterans says it was denied entry to Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade over a rainbow flag, reigniting a tense issue that had seemingly been resolved and sparking promises of a boycott from the mayor and other elected officials. OutVets, a group that represents US veterans who identify as LGBTQ, participated in the past two South Boston parades. The group said it was rejected from this year's version by the local Allied War Veterans Council, which organizes the parade. The council on Thursday said OutVets has not been officially told it cannot march. In a statement, the council said OutVets was "informed that our Code of Conduct prohibits 'the advertisement or display of one's sexual orientation,' and that the 'rainbow' flag on its banners and logo was in violation of this rule." 'Heated' meeting over reason OutVets, parade organizers and the Allied War Veterans Council of South Boston met Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to solve the issue, OutVets founder Bryan Bishop said. The meeting became "heated," Bishop said, after the council said OutVets was denied entry because the banner includes a rainbow flag. Bishop declined to change the rainbow in the logo, and said it's the same design used when veterans marched for the past two years. "What about this depiction of color represents sexuality? I don't understand that. It's just crazy, it really is," Bishop said Wednesday. "People are outraged, people are very upset." Bishop said he was heartened by the support OutVets has received from the public and elected officials, "but it doesn't take away the fact of how angry we are that this happened again." "This is not a political issue," Bishop said. "This is an issue of discrimination against those who served." The Allied War Veterans Council said it has received hate-filled emails from people "who are uniformed of the facts." It said OutVets also did not submit its application before the deadline and that the parade is not intended as a political advocacy platform. The matter may be considered again Friday. "We hope for a positive resolution to this situation," OutVets said on Facebook. 'Outrageous and disgraceful' OutVets, in a Facebook post, said, "We served our country with honor and distinction. But even after bringing honor to this parade, this community, and to all those who have served, we fight every day to be treated with the basic dignity that comes with service to country." The Allied War Veterans Council of South Boston had for years banned gay groups from participating in the parade, before finally allowing them to participate in 2015. The council reportedly voted 9-4 to keep the group out of the March 19 parade. The decision prompted a backlash and promises of a boycott from a number of prominent local officials. Mayor Martin Walsh said he will not march in the parade unless the issue is resolved, and encouraged others to boycott it as well. "I will not tolerate discrimination in our city of any form. We are one Boston, which means we are a fully inclusive city," Walsh said on Facebook. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, said he would probably not attend if OutVets was not allowed to march. "The idea that we would restrict the opportunity for men and women who put on that uniform, knowing full well they could put themselves in harm's way, and deny them an opportunity to march in a parade that's about celebrating veterans doesn't make any sense to me," Baker said, according to WCVB. "If veteran's groups aren't allowed to march in that parade for whatever reason, then I'll probably do something else," Baker said. US Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine veteran who has previously marched with OutVets, said the decision was "outrageous and disgraceful" and said he, too, would boycott. Dan Magoon, executive director of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes and a veteran himself, said he resigned as chief marshal of the parade. "The fact that this group wasn't allowed in the parade, I didn't see fit to march without them," Magoon said. "I decided if they were not gonna be a part of it, neither was I." An old issue returns to the fore LGBTQ groups have a lengthy and tense history with the South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade. In 1992, the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Group of Boston, or GLIB, requested to march in the storied parade, but the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council denied their application. GLIB sued, claiming that the decision was a form of illegal discrimination. The case eventually reached the US Supreme Court, which ruled against GLIB in 1995. Still, the controversy led the city to pull public funds from the parade, and longtime Mayor Tom Menino boycotted the parade for two decades. It took until 2015 for the council to allow an LGBT group to participate. That year, OutVets marched for the first time, and Walsh became the first active Boston mayor to participate in the parade in years. At this years Human Right Campaign spring convention tensions were high against President Trump and his cabinet in light of their actions against the LGBT community. Senator Maggie Hassan, a Democrat from New Hampshire gave a keynote speech in which she criticized Trump and his consistently anti-LGBT cabinet for the actions they have taken to limit the rights and protections of all students, including those who identify as transgender. So lets be clear: Every student deserves the right to learn in an inclusive, safe environment, but there is clear evidence that transgender students are subjected to devastating levels of bullying and discrimination in schools, Hassan said in her speech. Our government should be focused on ensuring that all students are safe and it is unacceptable that the administration would prioritize rolling back protections for our most vulnerable students, she continued. Hassan voted in 2009 as a state legislature in favor of marriage equality, making New Hampshire one of the first states to allow same-sex marriage. On Thursday, New Hampshires House of Representatives voted to table a bill that would have added gender identity to the states nondiscrimination law, according to the Washington Blade. Hassan addressed the decision in her keynote speech. Im disappointed that yesterday the New Hampshire House voted to table legislation designed to enact additional protections for transgender citizens in our state, but I know that legislatures will continue fighting for transgender rights, Hassan said. The House also rejected a motion to reconsider debate of House Bill 478, introduced by gay state representative Ed Butler, which would have banned gender identity discrimination in housing, employment and accommodations. I introduced HB 478 because transgender Granite Staters need to be protected from the real and pervasive discrimination they face, Butler said. It motivates me to redouble my efforts to ensure everyone in New Hampshire is treated equally and fairly under the law, including transgender residents and visitors. Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign also spoke telling the audience that the LGBT community is under siege under a president who is hell-bent on undoing all of our progress, according to the Washington Blade. We have a temporary tenant in the White House, Griffin said. But hes temporary, and our job is ultimately to evict that tenant down the street. Dustin Lance Black, writer of the ABC mini-series When We Rise, also spoke, stating that the reason the election went to Trump was due to a lack of solidarity with other communities. Weve lost our connection to our brothers and sisters, Black said. Its because weve become myopic, weve become so focused on our successes, on celebrating our success, and fighting for ourselves, and we were winning and that can be intoxication, but it divided us and we were conquered. He continued, Make no mistake, we were conquered because of our divisions. Black went on to say that despite losing the election, the history of the LGBT movement and rights movements in general have shown the ability to rise up for change after defeats. History can be a guide and history can be an inspiration, but its up to you to take those lessons and move forward, Black said. The common theme from all of the speakers was that change is possible, and as long as LGBT people and their allies are willing to work hard to extend rights, protections and acceptance that they will be able to bring about a more progressive America. Hassan said the founders of the United States had confidence that every generation of Americans would do the work to tell their stories, to demand their position for who they are, their intrinsic value. Hassan continued to say that maintaining the road to inclusion is not without significant challenges. 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. Last week, the public got a first look at some of the preliminary details of Mason-Dixon Downs, the Pennsylvania Standardbred racino that has been proposed for Freedom Township in Adams County, located near the Maryland border. As an article by the Hanover Evening Sun explains, 70 members of the public crowded into a meeting of Freedom Townships board of supervisors last week as some details of the proposals were divulged. During the meeting, David LeVan, the Gettysburg businessman that is trying to make the proposal a reality, explained that there is a symbiotic relationship between gaming and the State of Pennsylvania. "What we're proposing isn't new," LeVan said. "In fact, in a commonwealth with such rich history, it's somewhat common. Gaming and Pennsylvania's rich historical heritage already co-exist quite nicely." Some of the information that LeVan unveiled during the meeting included an aerial layout of where and how Mason-Dixon Downs will be situated in Freedom Township. An early layout plan for the proposed Mason-Dixon Downs LeVan whose proposal has the backing of Hanover Shoe Farms and the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania said in the meeting that the proposed location has passed an archeological survey and has been cleared by the states historical and museum commission. In late December, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order to Mahoning Township that ended the possibility of the much-talked about Standardbred racino Lawrence Downs. The Supreme Court order quashed the townships appeal of the states rejection of the casino licence application. Via that action, the licence formally designated for Lawrence County technically became available to applicants anywhere in the state. In January, LeVan announced his intention to apply for and secure the states final harness racing licence and gaming licence in order to build Mason-Dixon Downs. LeVans vision would be situated on a 700-acre property that is located just over three miles from Gettysburg National Military Park. We have an opportunity to do something special here in Adams County, he said at the time. After the last weeks presentation was completed, the township supervisors voted unanimously to refer consideration for re-zoning of the proposed site to the state planning commission. (With files from Hanover Evening Sun) After 10 years, the case of murdered Standardbred horseman Randy Rankin has made its way back into mainstream headlines. Now, just a few weeks later, another Rankin story has hit the mainstream, and it contains a small tidbit of information that is making people look at the murder in a brand new light. Andrew Duffy of the Ottawa Citizen has penned an article that profiles Rankins involvement in the harness racing industry. During his time in racing, Rankin let his opinions be well known via online industry forums. Randys brother, Gary, has alleged that his brother had received some threatening phone calls in the days before his death, as Randy had made it known that he was planning on divulging some sensitive racing information to the media. Rankin, 47, was killed in the basement of his Morewood, Ont. home during the early-morning hours of February 12, 2007. The horseman was sitting in front of his computer at the time. The assailant, who was outside, shot Rankin through a window. Rankin was hit in the back of the head and passed away. The killer has never been caught. In 2009, the Ontario Provincial Police posted a $50,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of Randys killer. Nothing ever came of it. Duffys article concludes with two paragraphs that brings the murder of Rankin into a brand new light: Was he the victim of a serial killer? Duffys article states that, in the spring of 2014, a badly decomposed body was found in a Morewood ditch. It was just down the road from the bungalow where Rankin had been killed, and its discovery would raise a number of searing questions. Among them: Was Randy Rankin the victim of a serial killer? To read Duffys Ottawa Citizen story, click here. (With files from the Ottawa Citizen) Entries are now being accepted for the 2017 London Selected Yearling Sale, presented in collaboration with the Forest City Standardbred Sale Inc. and Standardbred Canada. The sale will be held at the Western Fair District Metroland Media Agriplex in London, Ont. on the weekend of October 14 & 15, 2017. Entries for the sale close on April 15, 2017. The 2017 entry fee is $250 plus 6 percent commission, with a minimum commission of $600. Entry forms for the 2017 London Selected Yearling Sale are now available online. Click here to enter your yearlings now! For further information, please contact the SC Sales Department ([email protected]). Bishop Charles Blake's Attacker Jailed and Further Criminal Prosecution Possible in Defamation Lawsuit Contact: TRY Williams Consulting Group, 917-725-0440 ORLANDO, March 13, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Bishop Charles E. Blake, pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ (COGIC), one of the largest congregations in America, was awarded yet another victory in his fight against the defamatory acts of Minister Earl Carter, a former preacher within the COGIC denomination. At a March 8 hearing in Orlando, Florida, Carter was held in contempt of court, remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal and sent to jail. This case began on December 11, 2015, when Blake filed a defamation lawsuit alleging that Carter created Youtube videos with the intent to, among other things, damage his internationally-respected reputation. Over the span of two years, Carter uploaded scores of videos attacking Blake. In November 2016, Blake won his defamation lawsuit against Carter. In response to that victory, Blake's attorney, Ulysses Henderson said, "We anticipate that the federal court in Orlando will shortly be issuing a final and formal permanent injunction that will require the take-down of all of Earl Carter's defamatory Internet videos, and will perpetually prevent Mr. Carter from repeating any of the outrageously false, utterly baseless and despicable claims he has made about Bishop Blake." As anticipated, soon thereafter, Judge Dalton of the Orlando court, issued a permanent injunction against Carter. Despite losing the lawsuit, being ordered to remove the offending videos and to cease all malicious comments regarding Blake, Carter continued to upload defamatory videos and boast of his intention to defy the court order. In fact, in the videos, Carter called Judge Dalton disparaging names and accused Dalton of violating his First Amendment rights in ordering the permanent injunction. At the March 8 hearing, Dalton found Carter was in contempt of court. In the order appointing a Federal Defender, dated March 8, 2017, the court wrote, "After hearing argument from both parties, the Undersigned held Defendant in civil contempt based on the following findings by clear and convincing evidence: (1) that Defendant had violated a valid and lawful Order; (2) that such Order was clear and unambiguous; and (3) that Defendant had the ability to comply with the Order. Noting that monetary penalties would not suffice, the court remanded Defendant to the custody of the United States Marshal Service, until he removed the offending videos from online platforms set forth in the Permanent Injunction." Carter remained in jail until the videos were removed. However, Carter's legal woes are far from over. Carter now faces the possibility of a criminal prosecution due to his continual and flagrant prior acts of contempt throughout this case. Contempt has been defined by the Florida Supreme Court as "Any act which is calculated to embarrass, hinder, or obstruct the court in the administration of justice, or which is calculated to lessen its authority or its dignity." Unlike civil contempt of court, criminal contempt of court is a crime punishable by the possibility incarceration. An Order, signed by Dalton, from a November 2016 hearing, noted, "[t]he Court is gravely concerned by Defendant's continual requests for leniency as a pro se litigant, disregard of Court Orders and instruction, and failure to conduct himself in a professional manner." Therefore, the March 8 order, referring the matter to the United States Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution is the consequence of Carter's actions. The March 8 Order Appointing Federal Public Defender continued, "Given the gravity of potential criminal proceedings, the Court finds that the present circumstances warrant the appointment of counsel. Indeed, at the conclusion of the March 8 Hearing, Defendant commented about his inability to employ counsel. Having found that Defendant does not wish to waive counsel, and because the interests of justice so require, the Court appoints the Federal Public Defender to represent Defendant Earl W. Carter, Sr. in connection with potential criminal contempt proceedings." Carter is no stranger to arrest and incarceration. Public documents show that Carter was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in 1994; Battery in 1995; and as recent as 2008, was charged with Battery (Domestic Violence). As reported in the Daily Mail, Carter was sentenced to prison as a result of a plea deal reducing the Aggravated Assault charge. Additionally, throughout his Youtube videos, Carter has often confessed of his frequent incarceration during his youth. Bishop Charles Blake has yet to publicly speak to this matter. In the past, a spokesperson stated, "Bishop Blake would have preferred not to file a lawsuit against Mr. Carter, but the only way to have his defamatory, untruthful and hurtful videos removed is by court order." For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser COLLECTIVE MADNESS Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people." By Delana Isles PREMIER Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has given assurances that the fourteen million dollars that the European Union has been providing to the TCI for budgetary support over the years is not threatened by the United Kingdoms potential exit from the EU. Last week the Premier answered questions from the press about the possibility of the country losing the assistance when the UK finally triggers Article 50 and what exactly the next tranche of the four million EU grant will go towards. The agreement for the latest grant, dubbed the European Development Fund (EDF) 11, was recently signed by the premier and other government officials during an EU conference in Aruba late last month. The upcoming tranche of the 14 million euro grant will also be used for vocational training, sustainable energy, marine biology and disaster risk reduction related to climate change. "As a new government, we have already agreed with the former government actions there isnt much that we can change but education is fundamental, we are able to free certain portions if we arent able to meet certain areas but the program calls for certain demands to be met. "The first tranche is to the tune of $3M in December 2017 and that is going towards the building of a new primary school in Providenciales The money will be used for enhancing the quality of the secondary education curriculum, with information technology enhancement a major focus in that regard. It will also go towards qualifying public primary school teachers with additional training. She noted that they will be able to use a lot of the funding the education labour market demand, which will help the government enhance local training as well as provide scholarship opportunities overseas. "Big for us as well in the EDF 11 program is the implementation of strong support for vocational training - my government is keen on having that as children do learn differently, the Premier stated. BREXIT On the issue of Brexit, the premier told the press that the TCI will not be affected in terms of the EDF as the UK has been supporting the European Union with four billion a year. "The commissioner of the program, while in Aruba, stated that he is committed that the ED11 will continue and will be seen through to its forty month end. She reminded that the UK will be leaving the EU in two years, and that the end of this month they expect to trigger Article 50 will be begin that exit. "So it is not under threat, it will continue, what we dont know is (if) any other [budget] line items -which we have benefitted from EU how that will proceed. The four million is being distributed to the TCI between the years 2014 and 2020. EDF10 achievements Asked about the success of the EDF 10, the hallmark of which was the now discontinued One Stop Shop, Cartwright Robinson said that her government is trying to salvage what it can with the remaining money three million of which was delivered to TCI in December 2016. "The One Stop Shop was cancelled and put inn its place was a new customer service under the former administration and under this administration. We are actually strengthening the customer service centre. "What we are working on is the back office functions and making sure that the services are delivered in a time friendly way. "About 90 per cent of the EDF (10) has been completed, what is outstanding is the area of immigration and work permit and we are going to continue it so that we can benefit from the last one, the Premier said. Under the EDF 10 program, which ended last December, focus was placed on strengthening and improving the business sector. The EDF 10 saw the TCI benefitting from a total of 10.6m in direct budgetary support. BY OLIVIA ROSE AN inferno engulfed the historic 19th century Victoria Public library on Duke Street in Grand Turk early Thursday morning. A library staff member at the institution, who did not want to be named, told the Weekly News that the building was empty at the time of the fire. Although details on how the fire started are still sketchy, many residents were saddened at the news and took to social media to express their sentiments. According to eyewitnesses the fire tender in Grand Turk reportedly rushed to the scene without water, but eventually managed to douse the fire with the help of local residents after a struggle of nearly two hours. The fire which started around 4.30am quickly ravaged the entire inside of the building due to the combustible nature of books. One eyewitness said that after seeing the flames and the smoke belching out of the building adjacent to his home he raised an alarm and summoned the fire brigade team which rushed to the spot aided in the extinguishing of the fire. Police spokesman Kevin Clarke said officers arrived on the scene promptly and noticed the main building engulfed in flames and completely destroyed. A smaller building located at the back received damages to the roof. A number of books, files and other items were saved. An Investigation has been launched by the three responding agencies to determine the exact cause of this fire. Minister of Education and Library Services, Josephine Connolly, speaking of the incident said: "This morning I was very shocked and saddened to learn that our dear historic library was destroyed by fire! "The Victoria Library played a very important part in the lives of many of us; we read there, did research there, met our friends there and learnt a lot there. "At this time we must now give the police and others time to do their investigations to determine the cause of this fire, according to a Magnetic Media report. Minister Connolly added that the Government is committed to restoring some kind of library service to the people of the Capital in a timely manner. The Victoria Public Library in Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, Turks opened in 1887 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, to celebrate her golden jubilee. The beautiful iconic library has served the residents of Cockburn Town and Grand Turk continuously since then. PREMIER Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has promised infrastructural support through the national budget for the island of Grand Turk. The money will be allocated through the upcoming budget, the premier told the media recently during a press conference. She also revealed that she and members of her Cabinet have met with the owners of Carnival Cruise Lines, who were at an impasse with the former government. However, according to the Premier, the new governments efforts to address the beach vendor situation has rung positively with Carnivals owners. "We met with them to look at the master plan and we are left now to decide which will be the most impactful course. "The infrastructure fund is about six million dollars and we do intend to use that fund for the benefit of Grand Turk, the Premier said. As for the monies being allocated to the island out of the national budget, she said that this will be used to carry out road works, in addition to cash taken from the fund. The master plan addresses various issues such as land use planning, site planning, tourism planning, transportation planning and historic preservation. By Delana Isles THE New government is not as gung-ho about 12-storey developments in the Turks and Caicos Islands as the former administration. This was evident last week when questions put to Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson revealed a much more cautious and reasoned approach to allowing taller buildings with increased density in the country. While Cartwright-Robinson was careful to emphasize that her government "is anxious to go forward with development in the country, she was firm about them ensuring that these developments are ones from which the people of the country will benefit. The question of 12-storey developments is one which has been engaging the courts and the publics attention for several months. Recently the appellate court dismissed an appeal by local hoteliers that sought to overturn a Supreme Court ruling last year that allowed the government to go ahead 12-storey buildings. So far, the only known developer that has expressed an interest and even signed an agreement with the former government to construct a 12-storey hotel in the TCI is the Desarrollos Hotel Group. They are seeking to construct a massive luxury resort branded by the world renown Ritz Carlton group. The premier did state that since assuming office, her government has met with the Dessarrollos developers to find out exactly the direction they would like to go. "My deputy would have already begun some dialogue with the developer we met them already several weeks ago, myself and the deputy premier - and I know that they are eager to go forward, but there is still a lot of groundwork to be done because a lot was halted. "So, we do know that the country has to position itself to be ready for anything above seven storeys right now, which is what was validated and what we are used to, she explained. Cartwright-Robinson was called out by leader of the opposition Washington Misick some weeks back about her partys alleged lack of support for the project. She told the Press that Misick is mistaken, as the PDM has never condemned any project. "What we have called for consistently is consultation, and that project will certainly need to go through EIA (environmental impact assessment) to see whether where it is located, whether twelve storeys can happen on those grounds. "There are environmentalists, there are planners who believe that we cant, but at the end of the day we are nowhere near finalizing. She added: "But are we prepared to move forward with them? Yes, we are, but at the end of the day the environment would dictate whether it is even possible to house twelve storeys, and if it is we are going to make sure that our people are poised to benefit from it. Two of the major issues that the local hoteliers (under the Strata Corporation umbrella) and local conservationists had with the project are that of faulty consultation on the former governments part and the need for urgent and early environmental impact assessments to the carried out. However, the issue of consultation was rectified to the courts satisfaction last year, but only after the government suffered a major defeat and had to reopen consultation on 12 storey developments with the public. But it is still one which the Strata Corporation believes was not properly or adequately done. Asked if her government, since they had an issue with the PNPs government consultation process on the matter, would reopen consultation with key stakeholders, the premier responded: "We are not going to be involved, government departments will be, but we will be guided by what the law says. In April 2015, the Rufus Ewing government signed a development agreement with the Desarrollos Hotel Group to build a $224 million Ritz Carlton hotel, resort, casino and spa in the Grace Bay area. The development is expected to consist of 124 luxury hotel guest rooms, penthouses, resort residences and associated facilities. By Delana Isles LAST MONTH two security representatives from the United Kingdom visited the Turks and Caicos Islands to carry out a security needs assessment (SNA) exercise. During the three day exercise held from February 20 to 23 the two person team met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the absence of the Commissioner, members of the Royal TCI Police Force, Leader of the Opposition, Washington Misick, Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson and key stakeholders. The visit focused primarily, but not exclusively on crime and illegal migration, and was funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Governors office informed this publication. The visit to the TCI was one of a programme of SNA visits to all the British Overseas Territories, which are currently being conducted. When these visits are completed, the team will compile their findings in a report which will then be considered for support from Her Majestys Governments Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF). During the press conference on Monday (March 6), the Premier, other members of government and of the opposition expressed their concern about the mounting crime situation, with both the Premier and Opposition leader calling on the United Kingdom to consider the TCI as a special case for assistance after the SNA report has been submitted. In her address, Cartwright Robinson expressed her governments deep regrets over the crime wave over the years, and most recently the terrible experiences of many victims of crimes in the country. "Myself, and the Leader of the Opposition, together with other key stakeholders have held separate meetings with members of the UKs recently retained security assessment team during the course of last week here in TCI. "Its role is to assess our needs and make certain recommendations to the UK. "We are optimistic that more assistance will be forthcoming, but until then we must do what we can and must to assist ourselves by providing the necessary resources at our disposal, the Premier said. She promised that her government will do what it can in the area of resources, enactment of legislation and policies, and the creation of critical partnerships in the fight against crime. "We are even more committed to targeting the causes of crime - of laying the axe to the root of the tree so as to reduce the rate of repeat offenders and to discourage deviant behavior generally. "There is no magic wand, but there is an urgent call to address the social issues that are leading to crime and criminal behavior, Cartwright Robinson noted. The conflict, stability and security fund, which the TCI will hopefully be able to draw down to fight crime locally following the SNAs report to UK, was created on April 1, 2015. It is a pool of money, over 1 billion pounds per year, for tackling conflict and instability overseas, and is a part of the UK Governments official development assistance. The CSSF funds a broader range of activities to help prevent conflict that affects vulnerable people in the worlds poorest countries, and tackle threats to British security and interests from instability overseas. tech2 News Staff Google Doodles celebrate popular occassions, so on the festival of colours we have an interesting animation from the Mountain View based company. The Google Doodle for India shows a group of revellers running across the Google logo, while sprinkling colours, with one fellow waiting till the end to colour the last alphabet of Google again. The end result is a colour-sprinkled Google logo, almost like a graffiti work. Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated in India and many other parts of the world coinciding with the arrival of spring. The celebration is vibrant, involving people painting each others faces with colour which is either dry or mixed with water. It is a day of merriment and street parties during the first half of the day. The night before Holi, there is a bonfire lit up which is called Holika Dahan, which is symbolic for burning the devil. You can read the legend of Holi along with its religious significance. "The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited Festival of Colors that undoubtedly lives up to its name," says the Google Doodle page. The mobile app has got a slight variant of the desktop Doodle for today. Instead of a group of revellers running through the Google logo, you just see the logo being sprinkled with multiple colours. IANS Italian investigators used Facebook to hunt down a wanted fugitive in Mexico after he posted pictures under an alias. According to a report in Telegraph on Sunday, 65-year-old Giulio Perrone used Saverio Garcia Galiero as his alias on Facebook and posted photos on Saturday showing a happy man living large south of the border. Perrone, a convicted drug smuggler, had been running from the law for more than two decades. "Italian forensic police monitoring mobster family Facebook posts discovered he was using the alias Saverio Garcia Galiero. Galiero was his mother's maiden name, which helped police trace him back to Italy," the report said. Perrone closely worked with Mazzarella, Formicola, Polverino and Tolomelli mafia clans and was officially declared a fugitive after a Naples court found him guilty of international drug trafficking, sentencing him to 22-years in jail. "This arrest is part of a larger strategy being coordinated by the anti-crime division of the Italian police to capture mafia fugitives who have been taking refuge abroad for many years," the report quoted Italian authorities as saying. tech2 News Staff If youre reading this, you can thank Tim Berners-Lee, the man who created the world wide web. The very fabric of our current existence only exists because this man submitted a paper 28 years ago, envisioning the creation of a free, open network to share information, access opportunities and collaborate without boundaries. So, 28 years, later, what does he think of his creation? Writing for The Guardian, Lee outlines just this. Heres what he had to say. Our data isnt ours anymore Lee points out that today, the business model involves exchanging services for information. We freely hand over our personal data to companies in exchange for their services. Lee believes this is wrong as were not given control on how our data is handled, once we hand it over. Governments have been known to misuse the data, especially in oppressive regimes, and even safer governments like the US are doing their level best to access this data and monitor everyone. Lee believes that this is unhealthy. Lee wants the web as a space to explore important topics such as sensitive health issues, sexuality or religion. He believes that surveillance undermines all of these beliefs. Fake news Yes, even Lee is worried about fake news. The internet made it easy to spread information and even easier to spread misinformation. Hes amazed at the speed at which misinformation (fake news) can spread through just a handful of social media sites and search engines. He explains that sites that deal in fake news are only doing it to harvest clicks and for financial and political gain. This must stop. Political advertising Lees biggest issues appears to be with political advertising. He says that these vast pools of personal data have enabled politicians to target people like never before. He points out that during the recent US elections, as many as 50,000 different types of ads were being targeted at different users. Whats worse, these ads were being used to direct people to fake news sites and feeding off of peoples biases. This is unethical, says Lee. Is that democratic?, he asks. Whats the solution? The situation is complex, but Lee believes that solutions are available. For example, he suggests that companies focus on newer revenue models that are based around micro-transactions and subscriptions. He suggests that companies hand people back control over their data and even talks about personal data pods. He also insists that we fight government surveillance and overreach, through the courts if necessary. He also insists that we push back against the likes of Google and Facebook and ensure that they do what it takes to fight fake news and the menace it poses to us. Lastly, he says that we need more algorithmic transparency to understanding how decisions impact our lives. Filter bubbles must die, especially in the context of political campaigns. In the end, Lee says, I may have invented the web, but all of you have helped to create what it is today. He adds that his Web Foundation, an organisation that is fighting to advance and protect the web for everyone, is researching the larger issues facing the world wide web and working on solutions. The internet is for everyone and we must build the web we want, he says. Happy Monday lovelies! I hope you all had a great weekend. So many of you have sent me the sweetest notes, comments and messages about my recent move. Weve all adjusted quite well and are loving the Florida sunshine. Im still on west coast time internally and with the recent time change now Im even more confused about timing. The first couple days we arrived in South Florida were the hardest for me. I didnt realize how homesick Id get but I am adjusting and each day we love exploring the Tampa Bay area. Weve driven all over the place in search for cute places to visit, explore and also have found some really amazing food places. My mother in-law flew in to visit us for a week and having her here was the best. Weve also found that the Bahamas are only a little over an hour flight away so we have already started planning some fun weekend getaways! I have upcoming reviews from Tom Ford, Chanel, MAC, Sisley and more coming this week, but first I wanted to do a quick post of what Ive been loving right now and an Instagram roundup as there are some things I dont want you to miss. First, in the top image has a mix of long-time favorites and new items. The MAC Work It Out collection has three new scented Prep + Prime Fix+ Sprays that come in the mini size. They launched scented versions a long time ago (I missed out) and have brought back Lavender, Coconut and Rose. I received Lavender as a press sample and loved it so much I bought the other two. These are setting sprays to make your makeup look a little less powdery. Or you can spray it before you start the makeup process to add a bit of hydration. There are also new eyeshadow palettes from MAC in the x9 version or a x15 version called In the Flesh. I prefer the larger palettes with the full size pans as theyre a bit easier to use and dip a brush into. Also the weather in Florida is quite a bit warmer than what weve experienced this winter in Southern California so Ive had to experiment with different moisturizers, foundations and bases. Two Ive really been liking are the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation (Bisque) and the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation (Bisque, all shades swatched here). My go-to setting powders are still the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (Medium Plus) and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder (Shade 2) but I suspect Im going to have to do more testing with my other formulas to see what will last the best in warmer humid weather. The first thing I did when we arrived in our new home was to burn candles to try and make it smell like home. We went from a 1,100 sq foot loft to a 3,000+ sq foot home and we love all the space we have now! I also ran around spraying a different room spray in each room. Im still hoping that Diptyque will launch all the scents in the US eventually. Baies and Figuier reviewed here. Gingembre and Fleur DOranger reviewed here. I usually buy mine from Nordstrom. One of the things Im most excited about is the Away x Popsuki Collaboration. Im a huge fan of their carry-ons and so is my husband. Weve used ours in the Carry-On size for many trips and are obsessed. The latest is a limited-edition pink in all their sizes. Since I first discovered them last summer theyve since added more sizes. They have a new Bigger Carry-On which they sent over and I cant wait for our next getaway so I can use them. You can see my review of the carry-ons in this post here from our New York trip (save $20 off your first order by clicking this referral link). Next is a sneak peek at two new-to-me brands. I just started testing the Sisley cosmetic line with the new Phyto-Blush Twist. I had used a few sample packets of their skincare before and its just SO amazing. I do love and use the Radiant Glow Express Mask. Based on raves from many of you I found a few packets at my local counter before I moved and my wallet is crying that I now love their Black Rose Mask and the Creamy Mask with Tropical Resins. I also started testing out some Maison Francis Kurkdijian Aqua Celestia is amazing! Many of you asked for a close up and more thoughts on the Stuart Weitzman Nearlynude Sandals. They are pricey but for me well worth the splurge. Different retailers have different colors and finishes so you may have to shop around to find the exact combo you want. At 53 I am high-heel challenged. Most are too high for me to wear. These are just the right height and theres no pain or break in period. They do run large so I recommend sizing a 1/2 size down. In most American brands of shoes Im a 6.5, but with Stuart Weitzman I go down to a size 6. Below is the Naked Suede from Nordstrom. Another close up shot taken by Jessica Alexander of the Black Nappa Leather: Last but not least a sneak peek of some upcoming Chanel goodness. I bought a few of the Rouge Coco Glosses before I moved. My favorite is Tendresse. I just started testing more of the colors and will swatch what I have as soon as I can. I know many of you have asked for comparisons of old colors to new ones. Im still unpacking (its going to take me forever) and we are planning some remodels to a few rooms, so for now Ill most likely only be able to review the new colors for you. Cute eyelash mug below is from Etsy. Many of you asked when the Le Blanc Energies Et Puretes collection would launch in the US its finally here! Currently only available on Chanel.com and this will be reviewed in tomorrows post. One last note, I splurged on a couple new leather goods and a few of you also asked whether I prefer the Gucci Marmont Card Case in the fold over wallet style or the traditional Card Case. I prefer the fold over larger one as it holds more but is still compact. You can fit cash inside and theres plenty of room for ID, bank cards, credit cards without having it feel like its stuffed (I usually carry around 5-6 cards including ID). The leather is soft and plush but has held up remarkably well so far, both are great though. Thats a wrap for my Instagram roundup/sneak peek! A Chanel post will go live tomorrow A duck thats probably just a tad too big for your bathtub is coming to Canada this summer. The Worlds Largest Rubber Duck will reportedly be part of the Ontario 150, a celebration of Canadas 150th anniversary. The 61-foot (!) rubber duck will stop in six different ports in Ontario. The duck will float in downtown Toronto at the Redpath Waterfront Festival on Canada Day (July 1st-3rd). After the ducks Canada Day trek, it will head to Owen Sound, Sault Ste. Marie, Midland, Amherstburg, and Brockville. The floating rubber duck will complete its voyage on August 13th in Brockville. The Toronto Guardian says that The Worlds Largest Rubber Duck was created to inspire locals and tourists to explore and enjoy waterfront festivals around the world. The Ontario 150 events are also set to include live music and The West Coast Lumberjack Show. [Toronto Guardian] 7-member body formed to investigate into sexual harassment Chittagong Bureau : Chittagong University (CU) authority formed a seven member investigation committee to investigate into the sexual harassment on female student against a physician of CU Medical Centre. The committee is led by Pro-vice Chancellor of CU Prof Dr Shirin Akhter. A female student complained against a physician of CU Medical Centre named Dr Mostafa Kamal for sexual harassment on her. Later, the Vice Chancellor of CU Professor Dr Ifthekhar Uddin Chowdhury formed a seven member investigation committee to investigate the sexual harassment on female student under UGC Rule of 2008. Of the rest members, two are from UGC and four from CU. The chief of the committee and Pro Vice Chancellor of CU Prof Dr Shirin Akter said, "We will investigate the matter and submit the report as soon as possible." CU Correspondent adds: Some five hundred students of Chittagong University (CU) on Sunday formed a human chain to press home their four-point demand including immediate removal of a doctor of CU medical centre who was accused of groping a female student during a check-up on Friday night. The other demands are a campus free from all kinds of sexual repression and harassment, full-time female doctor at the medical centre, and its modernisation. Call to project all activities through digital media Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury underpinned the need for making collective efforts by all concerned to project the country's all activities through digital media. She said this while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on "Digital Bangladesh in Digital Media" at the VIP cafeteria of the Parliament here on the 11th instant. The Parliament Secretariat organized the workshop in collaboration with Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Division of the ICT Ministry with an aim of publishing all activities of the country in a coordinated manner availing digital media. Deputy Speaker Md Fazle Rabbi Mia attended the function as special guest. Presided over by Chief Whip A S M Feroz, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak presented a power point presentation on basic concept of the digital media at the workshop, it said. Bangladesh, Switzerland exchange felicitations marking diplomatic ties Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh and Switzerland on Monday exchanged letters extending cordial congratulations to each other marking the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "The excellent relations between Switzerland and Bangladesh have grown and multiplied since March 13, 1972, the day when Switzerland recognized independent Bangladesh," said Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, in a letter sent to foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali here. Federal Councillor Burkhalter conveyed his most sincere wishes to the people of Bangladesh for a prosperous future. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in his letter highlighted the historic relations between the two countries which is based on mutual respect, trust and shared values for democracy, tolerance and secularism. "Two countries are bound by common interests on a wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues," Ali said. Switzerland was among the first countries to recognize independent Bangladesh. At present, Bangladesh is one of the priority countries of Switzerland in terms of development cooperation. Trade ties between the two countries are also growing rapidly. Trade volume has more than doubled since 2010. Since 2013, the foreign ministries of the two countries are holding regular political consultations. The third edition of the consultation is scheduled to take place in Switzerland this year. The Afghanistan players celebrate their T20 series whitewash against Ireland after 3rd T20I at Greater Noida on Sunday. Dutch warn citizens after Erdogan threat Dutch warn citizens after Erdogan threat BBC Online : The Netherlands has warned its citizens over travel to Turkey as a row between the countries shows no sign of abating. Germany, Austria and the Netherlands blocked Turkish attempts to hold rallies in those countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed retaliation, saying: "Nazism is still widespread in the West". On Monday, the Dutch foreign ministry issued a new travel warning, urging its citizens in Turkey to take care and noting the new "diplomatic tensions". The warning to "avoid gatherings and crowded places" came as Turkey's foreign ministry lodged a formal protest with the Dutch envoy. Meanwhile, the Dutch deputy prime minister, Lodewijk Asscher, said that "to be called Nazis by a regime which is walking backwards in regards to human rights is just disgusting". European Union leaders called for calm. "It is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation," said a joint statement by foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn. The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Istanbul, says that Turkey and the Netherlands, two Nato allies, are now locked in an "unprecedented diplomatic crisis". The proposed rallies aimed to encourage a large number of Turks living in Europe to vote Yes in a referendum on 16 April on expanding the president's powers. The plans were criticised by senior EU officials on Monday. In Germany, for example, there are more than three million people of Turkish origin, of whom an estimated 1.4 million are eligible to vote in Turkish elections. In effect, the diaspora is Turkey's fourth-largest electoral district. Planned rallies in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands were blocked after officials cited security concerns or said the rallies could stoke tensions. A gathering in France went ahead, however, after officials said it did not pose a threat. Two Turkish ministers were barred from addressing rallies in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, with one of them escorted to the German border. Police used dogs and water cannon against protesters waving Turkish flags in Rotterdam. Mr Erdogan likened the Netherlands to "a banana republic", demanded international organisations impose sanctions on the Netherlands, and accused countries in the West of "Islamophobia". "I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but I was wrong," he said. He warned that countries would "pay the price" for their actions. Turkey's EU affairs minister, Omer Celik, said Ankara would retaliate against the Netherlands with "sanctions", without specifying what this would mean. On Monday morning, Turkey summoned the Dutch charge d'affaires in Ankara for the third time in three days. He was handed two notes, protesting against the treatment of the minister escorted to Germany, and the treatment of protesters in Rotterdam. Dutch PM Mark Rutte said Mr Erdogan's comment that the Dutch were "Nazi remnants" was "unacceptable", and demanded an apology. The pressure from Turkey comes days before the Dutch election, in which Mr Rutte is facing pressure from anti-Islam candidate Geert Wilders. Responding to Turkish calls for sanctions, he said the Netherlands would "never negotiate under threat". Germany's foreign minister said he hoped Turkey would "return to its senses". Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her government is not opposed to Turkish ministers attending rallies in Germany, as long as they are "duly announced". At a news conference on Monday, she said the Nazi comparisons were "completely unacceptable" and that the Netherlands had her full support. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he had postponed a meeting later this month with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim because "with the current Turkish attacks on Holland the meeting cannot be seen separated from that". He said he was concerned that "democratic principles are under great pressure" in Turkey. IS surrounded and 'trapped' in Mosul Voice of America : U.S. and Iraqi officials are citing gains in the battle to retake western Mosul from Islamic State, saying pro-government troops have pushed farther into militant-held territory and cut off potential escape routes. Major General Maan al-Saadi says Iraqi security forces now control more than one-third of western Mosul after about a month of fighting there. Islamic State has been in Mosul since mid-2014, but lost the eastern part of the city in January to a government offensive.It no longer holds any other major cities in Iraq. Displaced people flee their homes, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq, March 12, 2017. Displaced people flee their homes, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq, March 12, 2017. Iraqi troops on Sunday seized the last road leading out of Mosul, and U.S. envoy Brett McGurk said Islamic State is now trapped. "Any of the fighters left in Mosul, they're going to die there," McGurk said during a visit to Baghdad."So it is a matter of time right now before ISIS is totally defeated, but I do not want to understate the very difficult fight that lies ahead and nobody can put a timeframe on how long will this take, but the Iraqi security forces will complete this mission." James Jeffrey, a former ambassador and distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the pro-government forces "have a huge victory coming," and that the Islamic State fighters are vastly outnumbered. "Estimates that I saw over the last couple of days say as many as 5,000, but it could be well less than that," he told VOA."Certainly I would say that's the highest number, and they're surrounded by about 90,000 troops at this point." The fighting has created a humanitarian crisis that United Nations and Iraqi refugee officials say could eventually force nearly half of the roughly 700,000 civilians remaining in western Mosul to flee. Iraqi Migration and Displacement Minister Jassem al-Jaff said Sunday nearly 100,000 civilians have already been displaced, including an estimated 12,000 people who fled to areas south and east of the city during a single 24-hour period Saturday. The U.N. Refugee Agency Saturday estimated that 5,000 civilians have fled conflict areas each day since government forces began their push into western areas of the city three weeks ago. An agency statement said the unrelenting influx of internal refugees has overwhelmed the government's capacity to screen refugees as they enter safe areas.It said some families are forced to wait days before resettlement screening is completed. Suspension of SCC Mayor Ariful stayed Court Correspondent : The High Court Division of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed Government order that suspended Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury for six months. A High Court Bench comprising Justice Syed Mohammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan passed the stay order after primary hearing on a writ petition filed by suspended Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Sunday. The apex court issued rule asking the Government to explain within four weeks as to why the decision of authorities concerned including the Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Secretary and Home Secretary over suspension of Ariful Haqaue Chowdhury should not be declared illegal. Besides, the HC also directed the authorities including also the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner not to create any obstruction to Ariful Haque in discharging his duties as the Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC). The Ministry of LGRD suspended Mayor Ariful Haque after he was charged in a criminal case in 2015. He filed the writ petition challenging the suspension order. On January 7, 2015, he was suspended as he was allegedly involved in the killing of former Finance Minister SMA Kibria. The mayor's counsel Abdul Halim Kafi said after this order of the apex court, the Mayor can carry out his duties regularly. Barrister Mainul Hosein stood for Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state. IGP finds no IS link with cafe attack Md Joynal Abedin Khan : Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque on Monday rejected outright Professor Rohan Gunaratna's claim about the presence of Islamic State in Bangladesh, saying it is untrue and baseless. "Professor Rohan's claim is baseless. The militants, who launched terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, were actually home-grown. They might have been imbued with the ideology of IS. But they didn't have any link with the IS," he said. He came up with the remarks while attending a three-day Chiefs of Police Conference of South Asia and Neighbouring Countries on Regional Cooperation in Curbing Violent Extremism and Transnational Crime began on Sunday in the city under the auspices of Bangladesh Police and the Interpol. The IGP said Rohan is neither a police officer, nor a military officer. "He does not deal with any security issue. He is a professor of a university. So that he doesn't have any experience over security issue in Bangladesh," he said. "Many people have been arrested in connection with the militant activities but not a single of them claimed to be the members of IS. Even the family members of the slain militants did not say they were IS members," he said. "None of them has taken training from IS," he said, adding that they might have followed the ideology of IS. The IGP further said the IS had claimed that they carried out deadly attack. "Many [militants] of them were killed in operations following the incident but IS did not claim that those militants were members of IS," he added. The IGP termed Rohan's claim as his own statement. Besides, IGP also proposed the Interpol to open a regional office in Bangladesh to ease the communication and share information among the South Asian countries. He claimed that the Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock assured him of taking necessary preparation to set up the local office. Meanwhile, at least 82 per cent activists of the militant organizations were motivated through Facebook, Twitter and other online social media, said Md Moniruzzaman, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG-Secret) "Police will request Facebook authorities to require additional identification, including NID card numbers, from new Bangladeshi users of the social networking platform," the AIG said. A total of 58 foreign representatives, including Interpol Secretary General and police chiefs from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Malaysia are attending the three-day conference to conclude tomorrow. Officials from Interpol, Facebook, US IGCI, FBI, ASEANpol and ICITAP and other international organizations are also participating in the conference. A total of 14 working sessions on various topics are being held at the three-day conference. The topics include terrorism, human trafficking, financial crime, terrorism financing, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, intelligence and cybercrime issues. Girder of Malibagh flyover collapses One killed, 2 hurt: Probe body formed A man was killed and two others including a construction engineer were injured when a concrete girder fell off the under-construction Malibagh-Mouchak flyover on Rly level-crossing in the city early Monday. Staff Reporter : After the death of 16 people in Chittagong girder collapse in 2012, a part-time worker was killed and two others were injured when a concrete girder of the under-construction Malibagh-Mouchak flyover collapsed on Malibagh level-crossing in the city in the small hours of Monday. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Swapan, 40, a woodcarver who was working as a part-time in the flyover project. He was son of Azimuddin, hailed from Pakundia upazila in Kishoreganj district. The two others injured are Nur Nabi, a driver, and Palash Baran Dhar, a Local Government Enginee4ring Department (LGED) engineer (Toma Group) who was supervising the work, police and fire service officials said. Fire Service and Civil Defense Headquarters' Control Room in-charge Belal Hossain said, "The girder fell off the flyover's two pillars on the level-crossing when a crane was placing another girder onto them around 2:00am, leaving three people seriously injured. The fire service units rushed to the spot and pulled out them from under the huge concrete block. Then they rushed the injured to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where on duty doctors declared Swapan dead." The salvage operation took around four hours to remove the girder from the rail tracks, the fire service official said. In a query, Belal said that the salvage operation got delayed as the drivers of two cranes working to lift and place the girders fled the scene after the incident keeping the engines of their vehicles on. One of the labourers Liton said, on-duty engineer Polash and Nurunnobi received injuries in the flyover girder collapse due to negligence of the authorities. Railway Police Station Sub-Inspector Rashed Rana said that train communications from Kamalapur Railway Station with different parts of the county were suspended for nearly three and a half hours following the incident. The communications resumed after the firefighters removed the girder from the trail track around 6:00am. Meanwhile, the LGED has formed a three-member inquiry committee led by Abul Kalam Azad, an Additional Engineer of the department, to look into the accident, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon said. He said that he had gone to the spot on behalf of LGED Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, who could not be there due to a cabinet meeting. With regard to allegations of using low-quality construction materials and lack of public safety, he said: "The investigation committee will look into it. No one will be spared if they are found guilty of negligence." The investigators have been asked to submit their findings "as soon as possible," he said. The Mayor said, he did not find any representative of the construction company at the site. He said that the LGED chief engineer told him that they had taken every possible step to ensure safety. He also termed the incident unfortunate and unwanted and assured that government would pay full compensation for the victims. Moshiur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Ramna Police Station, said, "Usually, a small area is cordoned off when moving girders to avoid any chance of casualties." On November 25 in 2012, at least 16 people were killed and many others injured when a concrete girder of the under-construction flyover at Bahaddarhat collapsed on a kitchen market in Chittagong. Better policy support for ICT sector NEWS reports said that Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services urged the government to allow a 20 percent cash incentive on exports of ICT goods. The sector is already contributing largely to the development of economy, education and employment along with benefits in areas of investment, banking, security, sociability, marketing, tourism and a number of other areas. Bangladesh may earn more foreign currencies if government gives incentive on exports of ICT products. As the industry is capable of earning $1 billion from exports currently, it would be wise for the government to agree to the plea of the association by allowing export incentives. In recent years, the most dominating foreign currency earning sector - the apparel industry is facing setbacks to carry on business abroad because it often fails to meet the requirements of foreign buyers. Besides, labour resentment, political turmoil and an overall negative atmosphere are leading to the slowdown of RMG sector. So, government should think of promoting and patronising other export areas like the ICT sector. It will be sensible for the government to persue a export-friendly policy to accelerate the ICT sector by allowing a 20 percent cash incentive on its exports as demanded by its trade body. ICT experts said that if the industry gets only 20 percent cash incentive for five years, it will perform even better than the garment sector and create thousands of new jobs. ICT is a 100 percent value addition sector; but the garment sector is not. Taking this matter into account, government should open up multiple areas of exports and not be dependent solely on garment sector. Bangladesh's ICT sector is a glimmering example of what can be achieved if government's goodwill and a skilled workforce work together. It may add more value to the economy of the country if the ICT products could be exported providing proper government policy-support. Rapid development in the ICT sector also reflects a rapid growth of skilled manpower which ultimately accelerates the economic growth and it would expand the growth more through export promotion. The government should actively consider the demand of the Association of Software and Information Services to provide better incentives. In our view, the government should be really proactive in building up a good infrastructure and policy support to the ICT sector because the industry is a knowledge-power based one and its development will qualititably add dividend to the national economy at the end. 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. Paris, TX (75460) Today Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 76F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. CARBONDALE A leading brewers association has given its stamp of approval to the new bachelors degree program in fermentation science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The Master Brewers Association of the Americas conferred its full recognition upon the program, which came into existence about a year ago at SIU. The recognition follows a full and careful review of the program and its facilities by MBAA officials. We have determined that your program has much to offer and does meet the requirements outlined in our Guidelines and Learning Outcomes, said Susan Welch, chair of the MBAA Higher Education Committees Review Board, in a letter to SIU. We are pleased to award full MBAA Recognition to Southern Illinois Universitys Bachelor of Science in Fermentation Science program at this time. Matt McCarroll, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and director of SIUs Fermentation Science Institute, said the recognition is an important step because it signals the high quality of the program to students. With the significant growth in the number of breweries over the past five years, there are a number of universities that are trying to incorporate brewing-related programs, McCarroll said. Inclusion of SIU in this inaugural recognition is not only an indication that our program is designed and supported in a way that is desired by the industry, but also provides an external validation of the program to prospective students. On March 1, 2016, the Illinois Board of Higher Education gave SIU the go-ahead to create a new Bachelor of Science degree in fermentation science. Students were able to declare fermentation science as their major beginning last summer semester. The IBHE approval was the capstone of an effort that began at least three years previous to that, when university faculty and administration envisioned locating such a program at McLafferty Annex on the campus far west side. That facility, now finished and outfitted with scientific instrumentation, classroom technology and naturally brewing and fermentation equipment, is the epicenter for the highly interdisciplinary program. Students who sign up for the new program will spend much of their first two years heavily immersed in science, chemistry and mathematics, though they also will have the opportunity to take some foundation courses that touch more directly on the art of brewing, wine-making and distilling. Faculty from several disciplines, including various agriculture and horticulture areas, microbiology, hospitality, chemistry and others, all will teach classes aimed at creating highly trained, well-rounded professionals to work in and lead the fermentation industry. Demand in fermentation-related industries drove the effort, McCarroll said. While fewer than 100 breweries existed nationally in the mid-1970s, that number exploded to more than 1,500 by the turn of the century, with about 95 percent of that growth occurring over a 15-year period. By the end of 2015 there were more than 4,000 breweries nationwide, McCarroll said, and such breweries need brewers who are highly trained in fermentation science. In addition, many breweries are establishing quality control laboratories that will be staffed by highly trained fermentation scientists. The market needs new brewers and advanced training for existing brewers, McCarroll said, and the new SIU fermentation science program can meet both of those needs, especially considering the strong chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology foundation students will develop in the program. The MBAA recognition will help students in several ways, McCarroll said. Fundamentally, it is an outside assurance that we are training students in a way that will enable them to succeed in their careers, he said. In addition, prospective employees can rely on it as something of a validation of skills and background our students will possess as they begin their professional careers, which will help open doors to our students. The MBAA review process began in October and was managed by volunteer professionals from the brewing industry and academia. The recognition is valid for three years and is renewable. As a result of the MBAA recognition, a major brewery has approached the program to explore establishing a recruiting relationship, McCarroll said. The MBAA requirements were very rigorous in terms of the facilities, the qualifications of the instructors and the content of the coursework, so it is a strong testament to the commitment SIU has made in developing the program, McCarroll said. BENTON Two more defendants have been named in connection to a deadly 2014 attempted bank robbery at Cairo First National Bank, according to a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury this past week. The indictment filed March 7 charges Otha Don Watkins III with aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery resulting in death, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, making a false statement, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm. It charges Sharita S. Tipler with transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person. Meanwhile, a change of plea hearing has been scheduled for the man prosecutors allege brutally stabbed to death two bank employees Anita Grace, the branch president, and Nita Smith, an employee. James N. Watts, 32, of Cairo, initially pleaded not guilty to charges of armed bank robbery resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, federal court records indicate. Watts jury trial is scheduled to begin June 19. If convicted in a trial, federal prosecutors previously indicated in court filings they intended to seek the death penalty. Watts is accused of fatally stabbing to death Grace, of Olive Branch, and Smith, of Wickliffe, Kentucky, both 52. A third employee, 23, also was injured, though not fatally. The new grand jury indictment alleges that Watkins was with Watts on May 15, 2014, the day of the deadly bank robbery, despite the fact that Watkins told FBI Special Agent Isaac Bratcher after the 2014 incident that he had not seen Watts for several days. Tipler is alleged to have transferred a Ruger 9 mm pistol to Watkins while knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that Watkins was prohibited from possessing a gun because of a prior offense. After the botched robbery, police said Watts drove away in a vehicle belonging to one of the slain employees. He led police on a high-speech chase, reaching speeds up to 100 mph, and when cornered, threatened suicide with a gun held to his head, prior to being taken into custody, police said at the time. A fitness hearing had been scheduled for Watts for late February, as his attorneys argued his intellectual capacity made him ineligible for the death penalty. Though Illinois no longer allows for capital punishment, this is a federal case and therefore the states punishment laws are not applicable. Watkins, if convicted of aiding and abetting Watts in the attempted bank robbery, faces life without parole or the death penalty. According to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce, Watkins is in custody and will have an initial court appearance on March 21 in the U.S. Courthouse in Benton. Tipler was arrested and had an initial court appearance Monday, with a bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Under fire now over a racially charged tweet, Rep. Steve King, the Iowa Republican, has for years stirred controversy with a string of controversial remarks about race, immigration and the effects of demographics on American culture. Coca-Colas sponsorship of the flagship U.N. climate conference, known as COP27, sparked an online backlash and highlighted broader concerns about corporate lobbying and influence. Environmental activists slammed the company for its outsized role contributing to plastic pollution and pointed to the deal as an example of corporate greenwash." Coca-Cola said its participation underscores its ambitious plans to cut its emissions and clean up plastic ocean trash. The COP27 talks aimed at limiting global temperature increases are set to kick off next month in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. NORTH -- A petition signed by 15 percent of the town's 536 voters, including four town council members, was presented to North Mayor Patty Carson on March 9 calling for a special election on whether or not to switch the town's form of government from "strong mayor-weak council" to "strong council-weak mayor." Sandy Sigmon, CEO of The Challenge Center, made that announcement at what was billed as "an informational meeting" at The Challenge Center on March 7. Approximately 60 citizens attended. Sigmon said the strong council form of government would allow council to delegate specific administrative duties to the mayor, who would have no powers or responsibilities beyond other council members. Among the 111 North voters who had signed the petition by the end of the March 7 meeting were four town council members. According to state law, once such a petition is presented to a mayor, that mayor must count and certify the number of signatures by initializing the petition. The mayor is then required to immediately send the petition to the county election commission. Once verified by the county, the petition must be returned to the town council, which must arrange a special election on whether or not to change the local form of government. The special election must be held within 30 to 90 days following the receipt of the petition by the town council. If a majority of those voting accept the proposal, the new form of local government would take effect at the next council meeting. Sigmon, who served as facilitator at the March 7 meeting, said the session was designed to gather citizen input concerning events at recent North Town Council meetings. She referred to information she distributed to attendees from the Handbook for Municipal Officials in South Carolina delineating the differences between various government types. She said the town's strong mayor form of government gives the mayor dual responsibilities as both a voting member and a presiding officer in addition to executive duties as chief administrative officer of the municipality. Several specific powers and duties of the mayor under that form of government were listed in the handout including to submit to the council and make available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the municipality at the end of each fiscal year. Sigmon said at many council meetings during the past year, no actual budget receipts or financial reports were available to the public and in order to receive a copy of the financial statement, a citizen had to request it through the Freedom of Information Act. During past administrations, financial statements were printed and available to the public at each council meeting, she said. Sigmon added that public comments during North council meetings were previously limited to seven minutes but in February 2016, public comments were limited to three minutes. She said she could find no indication of the time change being approved by council in any of the minutes. Sigmon said the petition came about as a result of those issues and the fact that citizens are not allowed to address North Town Council unless they either preregister to make a public comment and state the topic they wish to discuss or sign a request form the night of the council meeting and be limited to commenting only on an agenda item for that specific meeting. She presented a letter she said she received from a Municipal Association of South Carolina representative stating, "All citizens should be afforded the same opportunity to address council on any issue as long as no derogatory comments are directed toward the council or staff members. The letter also stated that all materials related to council meetings, including the agenda, minutes of past meetings, financial statements and any other materials being considered by council is public information and should be available for viewing. At the close of the session, Sigmon said, I have asked to be on the agenda for the Monday, March 13 town council meeting. If you will bring your written comments (about concerns) to me, I will organize them and make certain that are submitted anonymously by assigning numbers instead of names. This way, we can present them to the mayor and council without fear of personal retribution. She said the informational meetings will be held each month at The Challenge Center, noting the April meeting will center on starting a Crime Watch program in North. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. By Azertac President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today arrived in the French Republic for an official visit. A ceremonial guard of honor was lined up for the head of state at Paris Orly International Airport, which was decorated with the national flags of Azerbaijan and France. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by high-ranking officials of France. By Azertac President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with Senior Executive Vice President of Thales International Raphael Eskinazi in Paris. They hailed long-term very successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Thales International, which spans more than 20 years, adding that very good results have been achieved on different projects. They highlighted the implementation of a range of projects in collaboration with Azerbaijan Airlines and Azerbaijan Railways companies, and noted that certain work will be done with respect to the North-South transport corridor. The sides stressed good potential for continuing cooperation. By Azernews By Rashid Shirinov A French delegation has visited Azerbaijanis, who have violently been driven out of their native lands and obliged to live a refugee life for about 30 years. The delegation led by Andre Reichardt, the head of the France-Caucasus Friendship Group in the Senate of the Republic of France, on March 13 visited the settlement for the refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) located near Masazir settlement of Absheron District to get acquainted with their plight. The French senators talked to the refugees and IDPs living here, got acquainted with the conditions created for them, while expressed hope for peaceful resolution of the conflict. Fuad Huseynov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, expressed gratitude to the guests for visiting the refugees and IDPs, who lost their homes as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He also highlighted the measures the Azerbaijani state and government take to solve the problems of refugees. During their visit to the country, the French delegation also visited the liberated Jojug Marjanli village of Jabrayil region and Horadiz city. In Jojug Marjanli, the delegation was informed about the atrocities committed by Armenians in the occupied territories, as well as about demining and construction works conducted in the village in accordance with the Presidential Decree on the restoration of Jojug Marjanli. The guests were informed that the village, completely destroyed by the Armenian army, will be provided with 50 private houses, a school building and other infrastructure in the first phase. The next stage envisages construction of 150 houses and other infrastructure. After that, the delegation visited Horadiz and was informed about the ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces along the contact line. It was noted that the city, as well as Jojug Marjanli village, was occupied and destroyed by Armenian armed forces; however, after the liberation in 1994, Horadiz was fully restored. 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. Due to the ethnic cleansing policy carried out by Armenia and the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons hit more than 1.2 million. With a population of over 9.8 million, Azerbaijan is among the countries carrying the highest IDP caseload in the world in per capita terms. The French senators were also at the country Parliament, where they discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with their Azerbaijani colleagues. "Azerbaijani territories were occupied, and it would be better to resolve the conflict peacefully. In any way, these lands should be returned to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan should restore territorial integrity and regain control over its territory," Andre Reichardt said at the meeting. He added that active work is done in France to support Azerbaijan's just cause on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Reichardt also stressed that the events of last April show that anxiety is already at the peak. "This shows that the military solution to the conflict is not desirable. But, in any way, Azerbaijan should return its lands. We are ready to contribute to the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he added. The large-scale hostilities in Karabakh ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far. By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva The Syrian armed opposition has put forward a number of conditions for its participation in the upcoming talks in Astana after the invitation was received, RIA Novosti reported citing the official statement. The next round of high-level talks on Syria is scheduled to be held in the capital of Kazakhstan on March 14-15, 2017. The delegation of the revolutionary military forces of Syria, as the opposition calls itself, listed four conditions for its participation. "The Syrian revolutionary forces delegation has received an invitation to take part in the third Astana meeting, but we are setting forth the following conditions for holding any round of talks," the statement reads. The delegation wants the meeting to start after March 20 in order to assess the establishment of ceasefire regimes in the Al Waer and East Ghouta areas, the deadline for which has been set for March 20. The delegation gave three further conditions for its participation, including a full ceasefire in opposition-controlled areas, an end to forced resettlement and a conclusion of ceasefire mechanism discussions. Two rounds of high-level international talks on Syria were held on January 23-24 and February 15-16, while on February 6, a technical meeting of experts took place in Astana. The meetings resulted in an agreement on establishing a joint group on monitoring the Syrian ceasefire that laid groundwork for political discussions during the Geneva talks in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254. 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 and failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since it began five years ago. By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva The next round of intra-Syrian talks in Astana depends on guarantor countries, Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said on March 13. The format, agenda depend on the views of the guarantor countries Russia, Turkey and Iran. They determine the format of the meeting, the agenda," Ria Novosti quoted Abdrakhmanov as saying. He said that delegates to the talks began arriving in the Kazakh capital for the third round of negotiations scheduled for March 14-15. Russia has confirmed its participation at intra-Syrian talks in Astana this week in addition to deputy foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, he said. "We received an official message from Russia, the Russian president's special envoy, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative will take part. Besides, deputy foreign ministers from Turkey and Iran are scheduled to take part in the meeting," Abdrakhmanov told Kazakh lawmakers during a government hour session. The first round of intra-Syrian Astana talks brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran took place on January 23-24 and gathered together representatives of the Syrian armed opposition and government for the first time. The parties agreed to create a trilateral mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Syria, which was established on December 30. The second round of Astana talks took place on February 15-16 and resulted in the agreement of the participants to set up a ceasefire monitoring group, encompassing Iran, Russia and Turkey, that would report to the United Nations. The latest, fourth round of Geneva talks under the auspices of the United Nations concluded on March 3, with the parties agreeing on a number of separate "baskets" to be addressed during the next rounds, including the issues of governance, constitution, elections and counterterrorism. The participation of representatives of official Damascus and the armed opposition of Syria in the meeting in Astana is the prerogative of the guarantor countries - Russia, Iran and Turkey, he stated. As for the Syrian government and the armed opposition, it is for the guarantor countries to ensure their participation, Abdrakhmanov said. He recalled that earlier some representatives of opposition expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the ceasefire is being implemented, as well as with the situation concerning the prisoner release and lifting the siege in districts adjacent to the areas defined by the ceasefire agreements. Abdrahmanov stressed that the United Nations Security Council has praised the peacemaking potential of the Astana process aimed at settling the Syrian crisis as well as its role in strengthening the Syrian ceasefire. Earlier, the Syrian armed opposition has put forward a number of conditions for its participation in the upcoming talks in Astana. "The Syrian revolutionary forces delegation has received an invitation to take part in the third Astana meeting, but we are setting forth the following conditions for holding any round of talks," the statement reads. The delegation wants the meeting to start after March 20 in order to assess the establishment of ceasefire regimes in the Al Waer and East Ghouta areas, the deadline for which has been set 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 and failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since it began five years ago. By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva Moscow and Washington have many issues of common interest, which should be talked over and agreed upon in order to mend the U.S. - Russian ties, whilst the meeting between the presidents of the two countries might take place only in July on the sidelines of G-20 summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump may meet on the sidelines of the G-20 summit that will take place in Germany in summer, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with CNN on March 12. He stated that at the moment this is the nearest opportunity for a personal meeting of the two presidents. "If we do not agree on an early meeting, then, presumably, we can expect that they will meet at the G20 summit in Hamburg in early July, as this will be the first event where they will be together," Peskov said. In 2017, the chairmanship of the G20 passed from China to Germany. The next summit of the "Group of Twenty" will be held in Hamburg on July 7-8 this year. The election of Trump, who had spoken of Putin in a positive way and called for improved U.S.-Russia ties, had raised hopes in the Kremlin. But Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says there are no signs of progress yet. Peskov noted that "unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin." Trump's campaign statements on Russia had led to speculation that the United States would drop sanctions imposed on Russia. Russia will never initiate putting this issue on the agenda, Peskov said. Relations between the two countries are strained over a number of issues, including Ukraine, the war in Syria, and relations with Iran. However, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken of his desire to restore the relations with Moscow. Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia and the United States have an understanding about the first personal meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump and that practical preparation for it has been launched. The fiscal financing needs of sovereigns in the GCC could amount to $275 billion between 2017 and 2019, S&P Global Ratings senior director for sovereign ratings Christian Esters was quoted as saying in a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister newspaper. To read further, please visit gdnonline. Iran's Ahdaf Investment Company and South Korea's Hyundai Engineering Company have signed a 3-billion ($3.21 billion) deal for the construction of Phase Two of Kangan Petro-Refinery Project. Managing director of Ahdaf Investment Company Asghar Arefi was quoted by Shana news agency as saying the project will be one of the most lucrative projects in Iran. Ahdaf Investment Company is a subsidiary of the Petroleum Industry Pension Fund (PIPF). Fully owned by the PIPG, Phase One of the project has made 30 per cent progress with 120 million investment, Arefi said. Phase Two includes four plants. The financing of the deal, signed as an engineering, procurement, construction and financing contract, will be provided by Korean banks, the official said. Construction of the project will take 48 months, the report said. Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the emirate's dedicated body for culture, arts and heritage, has commissioned two young Emirati interior designers to create its stand for Design Days Dubai 2017, the Middle East and South Asias only collectible design fair. The fair, a flagship event of Dubai Art Season 2017, will kick off at Dubai Design District (d3) tomorrow and run for the next three days. Dubai Art Season is the umbrella event on the Dubai cultural and creative calendar, and is held under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice chairman of the Dubai Culture. For the fourth year running, it will bring the city to life with activations of art in public spaces, outdoor art projects, interactive initiatives, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, and performances held across Dubai to highlight the emirates fast-growing creative landscape, said a statement from Dubai Culture. Design Days Dubai will see designers Alya Al Ghafeli and Jawaher Al Khayyal, who have both recently graduated from Zayed University, collaborating in their first joint project to design Dubai Cultures stand, a seating area that is based on the concept of Iqra, or read, and captures Emirati heritage. The stand also continues Dubai Cultures commitment to provide public reading spaces for the community, in line with the UAE National Strategy for Reading 2016-2026. Iqra is the first word revealed in the Holy Quran, and its Arabic form was abstracted to create the stands minimal, modern layout, which will be contrasted with traditional, sustainable materials such as rope and teak wood. Once Design Days Dubai is successfully concluded, the stand will move between various locations around the city, before being finally installed at the Al Safa branch of Dubai Public Library. Moza Suwaidan, the director of Projects and Events at Dubai Culture, said: "We are proud of our strategic partnership with Dubai Design Days, an important event that highlights our continuous commitment to supporting young, emerging artists." "We are delighted to be nurturing and empowering upcoming local talents like Alya Al Ghafeli and Jawaher Al Khayyal, and providing them with a platform from which to showcase their best work. Our stand aims to create a positive, inspiring environment in which visitors can pause, read and exchange views, which will help to promote a healthy reading habit across the community," noted Suwaidan. The annual two-month Dubai Art Season is a definitive initiative that aims to highlight the city's global credentials on the arts scene, bringing together artists from around the world for an unmatched celebration of talent, creativity, innovation and cultural diversity.-TradeArabia News Service PetroRabigh, a joint venture between oil giant Saudi Aramco and Japan's Sumitomo Chemical, has signed a medical health insurance agreement with the Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya). As per the agreement, which is one of the largest in its medical portfolio, Tawuniya will provide medical insurance services to Petro Rabigh employees and their families and give them access to quality health care services through its wide network of hospitals and medical centres. Individual health is of utmost importance to Petro Rabigh, and we give a lot of emphasis to providing our employees and their families the best standard of healthcare services and benefits because our employees are our most important assets and the primary reason for our growth and development, stated Nasser Al Mahasher, the chief executive of Petro Rabigh. In order to provide the best medical insurance we chose Tawuniya because of their extensive experience and the relationship we have shared with them for the past 10 years. We look forward to continue building a strong partnership with this national company to take advantage of the distinctive services they provide and the vast experience they have in providing the finest insurance support, he added. Tawuniya CEO Raeed Al Tamimi, expressed his pride in this partnership considering the important role Petro Rabigh plays in supporting the national economy. This agreement comes as a result of a relationship that began from the foundation of Petro Rabigh and confirms the trust and partnership we have built together over the last 10 years and it will enable Petro Rabigh employees to benefit from our 30 year experience in managing large insurance portfolios by qualified staff using the latest information technologies, he remarked. "Tawuniya will be offering the best services to Petro Rabigh employees through its large network of service providers in the kingdom as well as through the 24-hour call centre which receives more than two million calls a year responding to all types of insurance related requests and inquiries as well as issuing fast medical service approvals," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Dr Bartlett ... Fossil fuels will continue to account for the majority of the worlds primary energy needs Technology and innovation will play an instrumental role in securing heavy oils valuable position in the global energy mix, according to the regions industry experts. Speaking ahead of the upcoming Middle East Heavy Oil Congress (MEHOC), the largest gathering of heavy oil professionals in the region, Dr Peter Bartlett, chief executive of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), said overcoming the challenges associated with leveraging this complex but invaluable energy resource will depend on the industrys ability to develop commercially viable recovery solutions. Fossil fuels will continue to account for the majority of the worlds primary energy needs for the next few decades, and heavy oil will feature in that mix. In order to compete, though, heavy oil producers will have to overcome cost challenges versus commercially competitive alternatives. They will innovate in order to do so. At Bapco, we consider heavy oil in the mix of feedstocks we purchase for our refinery, Dr Bartlett said. Our participation in the Middle East Heavy Oil Congress is part of our strategy in monitoring important developments in the heavy oil marketplace. The event offers key industry stakeholders a platform to network, explore the latest technologies, and share knowledge and best practice across the value chain, enabling us to ensure that heavy oil continues to be a valuable contributor to the evolving global energy mix. According to a recent study by international management consultancy Arthur D. Little, heavy oil accounts for 21 per cent of the worlds crude oil reserves. Of this, nearly 30 per cent is in the Middle East, at 971 billion barrels of heavy crude oil. Despite the global abundancy of this valuable resource, its commercial viability and sustainable production continues to be a challenge for the worlds producers, especially amid a challenging economic landscape. Because of its highly viscous composition, heavy oil requires a different and often more technologically advanced refining process than that which is used for conventional oil. Hosted under the patronage of Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil for the Kingdom of Bahrain, supported by the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga), and organised by the Global Energy division of dmg events, MEHOC 2017 will offer two days of unparalleled networking and knowledge exchange opportunities for heavy oil professionals from across the globe through a dedicated conference and an international exhibition, where industry leaders, including national oil companies, international oil companies, and service providers, will showcase the latest technologies and developments in heavy oil recovery and production. Around the world, trillions of barrels of heavy oil are just waiting to be recovered, potentially extending the hydrocarbon life expectancy by decades, said Jean-Philippe Cosse, vice president dmg events Global Energy. Developing solutions that will enable the safe, sustainable, and cost efficient recovery of this prominent resource could give the world access to new supplies of energy. MEHOC works as a catalyst for industry progress, allowing experts to exchange knowledge and information that will pave the way to a promising future for heavy oil recovery and production. Building on the remarkable success of the inaugural edition in 2015, the second edition of MEHOC will offer attendees exclusive industry insight through both strategic and technical conference sessions that will focus on upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the heavy oil value chain. This year, the conference Call for Papers saw a submission of 150 abstracts across 5 technical categories, covering the entire heavy oil value chain. After meticulous evaluation by the technical committee, 25 abstracts were selected for presentation at the conference. Key participating companies this year include Bapco, the Kuwait Oil Company, Lukoil Engineering, Occidental Petroleum Oman, Schlumberger, Tatweer Petroleum and Total. MEHOC will take place on April 11 and 12 at the Gulf Hotel. The event is expected to welcome more than 20 exhibiting companies, 40 speakers, and 200 professionals from over 15 countries. The merger and acquisitions (M&A) in the renewables sector picked up in 2016 across the Middle East and Africa region after a long period of slow activity, said a report by leading global professional services organisation EY. Greenfield activities continue to dominate power and utility transactions in the region, attracting $8.7 billion of investment last year (based on disclosed values), stated EY in its report Power transactions and trends: 2016 review and 2017 outlook. Key investment announcements in the last quarter of 2016 included the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development co-ordinating a debt financing of $115.5 million to set up a desalination plant in Egypt, it said. Additionally, in the UAE, consortium of lenders including Islamic Development Bank, Natixis, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, and First Gulf Bank invested $924 million to build 800 MW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar PV Phase III, revealed EY in its report. The UAE also saw new projects across coal, nuclear, and solar, funded by both local and Asian investors, to support its raised renewable energy target from 24 to 26 per cent to help fight climate change. Separately, Dubai launched a $27-billion green fund to support global sustainability projects. David Lloyd, Middle East power and utilities transactions leader at EY, said: "In 2016, we saw the continuing successful deployment of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model to procure new generating capacity, for both conventional and renewable energy." "Dewas achievement towards the end of 2016 in reaching financial close on the clean coal Hassyan IPP and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar PV Phase Three shows the pace and scale by which successful projects are coming to market in the region," noted Lloyd. According to EY, the focus in 2017 will be very much on the Saudi renewable energy programme, that has been launched by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, and also on potential investment opportunities from the Saudi Electricity Companys unbundling into four generation companies. Governments in the Middle East are committed to energy reforms and have implemented energy reducing tactics, such as in Oman, where subsidiaries were removed and cost-reflective tariffs were introduced for customers using more than 150 MWh of electricity per annum. Also planning to increase electricity and water tariffs is Kuwait, which will target consumers of large quantities, said the EY report. Saudi Arabia plans to cut electricity and water subsidies by $53 billion and by 2020, and have further plans to unbundle the state-controlled Saudi Electricity Company to eventual privatisation. Moreover, a tender in 2018 for 300 MW will boost solar capacity in the kingdom, followed by other tenders for 900 MW in 2019 and 750 MW in 2020, it stated. Egypt, one of the top 40 most attractive destinations for renewable energy, is planning to build solar plants with capacity for an estimated 250 MW, said Lloyd. In December, Jordan, another top 40 destination, announced its third renewable energy tender for 200 MW and 100 MW wind energy capacity, he added. According to EY, governments are also showing a growing interest in digital and smart technologies. In November, the Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority agreed to partner with Siemens to modernise its grid infrastructure. The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation is partnering with Belgian consultancy Elia Grid to develop smart grid expertise. "We see a clear intent to move on an accelerated basis to greater private sector participation throughout the power and utility value chain," remarked Lloyd. "This will create opportunities for both local and international investors, whether in corporate or project finance form. Our current belief is that the nearer term opportunities lie at the production end of the value chain, in both power and water, although we do see potential opportunities in the medium term in transmission, distribution and even retail," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Nearly three quarters of UAE residents expect business conditions in their country to improve within the next year, according to a survey. Furthermore, a majory of UAE respondents (58 per cent) expect their countrys economy to improve within the next six months, said the Middle East Consumer Confidence Index survey carried out by Bayt.com, a leading job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation. National Economic Conditions About 61 per cent of respondents in the UAE believe that the countrys economy has either improved or remained at the same level during the past six months. When asked about future expectations, 58 per cent of UAE respondents said that they are optimistic about the economy improving, compared to only 9 per cent who believe the opposite. 16 per cent of respondents expect the economy to remain the same. When it comes to current business conditions, more than four in 10 UAE respondents believe that the business conditions are either good or very good and 37 per cent believe that the conditions are average. UAE respondents are very optimistic about business conditions within the next year, where 72 per cent believe that they will improve. 15 per cent expect business conditions to remain the same and only 6 per cent said that they could get worse. Looking at future availability of jobs in the UAE, there is a general positive outlook amongst UAE residents, where 40 per cent of respondents believe the number of jobs available will increase over the next six months. Personal Economic Conditions About 67 per cent of UAE respondents believe that their current financial position is now better or the same as six months ago. When it comes to future expectations, more than half (56 per cent) of UAE respondents expect that their financial situation will improve in the next six months, and 22 per cent believe that it will remain the same as it is now. Only 9 per cent of respondents expect it to become worse. Looking at UAE residents opinions on the cost of living, a considerable proportion of respondents (61 per cent) expect the cost of living to increase in the next six months, compared to 20 per cent who believe that it will remain the same and 10 per cent who believe that it will decrease. Current Job Perspective In the UAE, one third of employed respondents reported that the number of employees in their companies has increased over the past six months. The majority of those who were surveyed (47 per cent) expect the number of employees in their organisation to increase over the next six months. With regards to satisfaction levels, over half (51 per cent) of UAE respondents are satisfied with their career growth opportunities. When it comes to compensation, more than a third of UAE respondents (36 per cent) are satisfied. Half of respondents (50 per cent) in the UAE are satisfied with the non-monetary benefits they receive, and 52 per cent are satisfied with the level of job security that they have in their current organisation. As the leading job site in the Middle East, we find it vital to provide all professionals with insights on the economic and financial conditions and how they connect to the job market and availability of career opportunities, said Suhail Masri, vice president of employer solutions, Bayt.com. Spending and Investment When it comes to future spending and investment plans, 40 per cent of UAE respondents claim that they are planning to buy a vehicle for personal use in the next 12 months. Of those who are planning to purchase a vehicle, 56 per cent are planning to buy a new one, while 38 per cent are planning to buy a used one. Respondents were asked about their plans to invest in property, 29 per cent of UAE respondents say that they are planning to purchase property in the next 12 months. Of those who are planning on making a property investment, 56 per cent will be looking to buy a new property, while 32 per cent plan to invest in a pre-owned property. Elissavet Vraka, research manager, YouGov, said: It is important for us to regularly conduct thorough research regarding consumer sentiments and opinions and share that information with the region. The Middle East Consumer Confidence Index survey gives us many insights into the personal, business and economic conditions of the region. For instance, the majority of respondents are anticipating an increase in the cost of living and perhaps that signals a need to re-evaluate the stability of personal finances and plan income sources accordingly. Data for the Bayt.com Middle East Consumer Confidence Index survey was collected online from January 10 to January 31. - TradeArabia News Service The month-long Abu Dhabi Festival, a leading celebration of arts and culture in the region, kicked off yesterday (March 1) with a a variety of events, exhibitions, and workshops. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture & Knowledge Development, the Abu Dhabi Festival - now in its 14th year - will take place throughout the month of March. Organised annually by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the festival features a variety of events, exhibitions, and workshops. Actively supporting emerging Emirati talent and advocating the importance of arts and culture in all aspects of life, this years sublime programme includes renowned artists and musicians from across the region and the world. 2017 sees Saudi Arabia as the Abu Dhabi Festival Country of Honour. Continuing its legacy, this years Festival celebrates the values of Culture and Tolerance set by the late Sheikh Zayed, Founding Father of the UAE. In celebration of the Country of Honour, the Festival welcomes the renowned Saudi Arabian musician Mohamed Abdo (14 March). This illustrious performer, whose significance resounds across the region and internationally, has a particularly storied connection with the UAE first performing in the early 1970s at the behest of the late Sheikh Zayed The celebration of arts and culture will also see the Festival hosting globally renowned performers and artists including five-time Grammy award winner Tomatito (March 23), Asias finest orchestra Chinas National Centre for The Performing Arts Orchestra (March 24 and 25), jazz legend Wynton Marsalis with a special guest appearance by Naseer Shamma (March 27), the highly acclaimed Queen Of Fado Mariza (March 29) and the sensational, electrifying and Grammy award-winning Silk Road Ensemble With Yo-Yo Ma (March 31). Commenting upon the theme, Huda Ebrahim AlKhamis, founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and the Abu Dhabi Festival said: The Abu Dhabi Festival is unique in that it harnesses culture to bring people of the UAE together. Since its inception, ADMAF has been at the heart and forefront of the UAEs cultural sector and it is our privilege to present this array of cultural initiatives in the UAE as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival. The incredible range of artistic talent within the Festival is testament to the creative spirit of the UAE. In our eyes, the Abu Dhabi Festival is a gateway for culture to the rest of the world and conversely that brings the world to Abu Dhabi. Launched in 2004, the Festival continues to attract the highest caliber of artists to the UAE capital each year, bringing together artists, students, community groups and cultural organisations from across the UAE. - TradeArabia News Service Riyadh is Saudi Arabias busiest city for hotel construction with almost 50 hotel projects under way, a new report has revealed. The 2017 Saudi Arabia Hotel Construction Overview report by Tophotelprojects, prepared exclusively for The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia, found that the kingdoms capital city is preparing to add 48 new properties to its already vast hotel portfolio. Riyadh leads the hotel boom closely followed by Jeddah. Across the country, the exclusive industry report reveals that 170 hotels and 60,395 rooms are currently in various stages of the construction pipeline. Hilton is noted as one of the top hotel operators in the country. Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences is one of three new hotels the brand will bring to the kingdom in 2017. Kamel Ajami, vice president operations Saudi Arabia at Hilton, said: Our presence in Saudi Arabia goes back over 20 years. We have ambitious plans for expansion with up to 29 hotels in the pipeline and by the end of 2018, I expect to oversee double the number of hotels than I do at present. Ajami attributes Hiltons success in the market to providing guests with variety and smart luxury. He continued: Each of our properties has its own distinct features and identity which enables us to meet a variety of customer needs and outperform the market. As a company we have invested heavily in digital innovation. Each of our hotels in Saudi Arabia is enabled with digital check-in and the ability to choose your preferred room via our Hilton Honors app. This is a feature which has been commonplace in the airline world for some time but that we are pioneering in our own industry. Ultimately we are working towards providing guests with the ability to use their smartphones as their physical room keys which is again an industry first. Following the announcement of Saudi Vision 2030, international brands are following Hiltons example by expanding their footprint across the country. New players including Rocco Forte and Nobu Hospitality are opening properties in the kingdom for the first time. Nobu Hotel Riyadh, launching later this year, is already promising a unique experience for travellers to the city. General manager Simon Fricker says the property will be the first five-star luxury boutique hotel in Saudi Arabia which will offer an array of innovative dining opportunities across its three new eateries, including the world-renowned Nobu restaurant. Commenting on the chains decision to choose Riyadh for its first hotel in the Middle East, Fricker said: Riyadh is an important city in the Middle East for future business, tourism, leisure and hospitality. The government, according to Saudi Vision 2030, aims to develop all areas in Riyadh as the kingdoms capital city, with major developments including the Riyadh Metro and King Abdullah Financial Centre. Riyadh is now directed to entertain citizens, tourists and foreign residents to encourage local and foreign investors. As Riyadh and the wider kingdom look set for a busy year of new hotel openings, the fifth edition of The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2017 is taking place in Jeddah from April 4-6, co-located for the first time with Stone & Surface Saudi Arabia. Providing the hospitality industry with the ultimate platform to source the materials required to construct a hotel or restaurant in the kingdom, the events will see hundreds of international suppliers descend on Jeddah. - TradeArabia News Service Ascott, a leading serviced residence owner-operator, is strengthening its presence in Saudi Arabia with the opening of its latest luxury executive residence, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh. The exclusive serviced residence will provide guests with luxurious lifestyle facilities, within an elegant environment and complete with efficient business support services. Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh is an ideal choice for short, medium and long-term visitors who want the luxury of an internationally-branded hotel, with the flexibility and privacy of an apartment. The 234-unit property is located close to King Abdullah Financial District - the citys prime financial centre - and 15 minutes drive from Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, making it highly convenient for business travellers. The onsite business centre ensures executives have everything they require, from meeting rooms and AV equipment to secretarial and courier services. Additional facilities include a residents lounge, prayer rooms, boutiques and a selection of restaurants and cafes. There is also an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, gymnasium, steam and sauna room, separate day spas for men and women and a childrens playroom. We are delighted to welcome guests to Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh, our first serviced residence to open in the Saudi capital, said Vincent Miccolis, Ascotts country general manager, Middle East & Turkey. The Ascott brand is renowned for providing attentive and highly personalised service which is exactly what travellers need to enjoy a hassle-free stay in this busy and dynamic city. Residents can select from well-appointed studio, one and two-bedroom apartments, tastefully designed with contemporary decor to exude a home away from home feeling of warmth, elegance and luxury. The spacious apartments are configured with fully equipped kitchens as well as separate living, dining and work areas. The property will also feature 24-hour reception, complimentary wi-fi, basement parking, airport transfers and daily housekeeping services. As the capital city and commercial powerhouse of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is a strategic destination for Ascott in the Middle East, continues Miccolis. Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh is a key addition to Saudi Arabias thriving hospitality sector, which is being fuelled by an influx of expatriate professionals who need high quality and flexible accommodation options. Increasingly efficient transport links also bring the capital within easy reach of the key religious cities of Makkah and Madinah. - TradeArabia News Service Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Have an event, trend or general energy happening youd like to see in the Energy Journal newsletter? Send it to Star-Tribune energy reporter Heather Richards at heather.richards@trib.com. Sign up for the newsletter at www.trib.com/energyjournal. This week in numbers Friday oil prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) $48.35, Brent (ICE) $51.28 Natural gas weekly averages: Henry Hub $2.67, Wyoming Pool $2.45, Opal $2.49 Oil tumbles The benchmark price of crude fell below $50 a barrel this week, closing at $48.35 on Friday. After months of steady prices, increasing inventory for nine solid weeks finally took its toll. The Energy Information Agency, which releases crude stockpile data every Wednesday, reported a 528.4 million barrel inventory. The news, which the Wall Street Journal reports surprised investors, started a sell off shaking down the price throughout the remainder of the week. Prices had remained in the mid to low-$50s for months, after a deal made with OPEC members to cap production last year. Analyst Phil Flynn wrote in an investors note Friday morning that the bullish market was in a crisis and the price needed to reassert itself over the $50 mark. "The sad irony to this oil price breakdown is that while the supply situation looks insurmountable, right now the market globally is on a path to tightening very quickly," he wrote. "If oil breaks hard like the charts seem to be suggesting it would cause a pause in investment at a time when based on OPEC and cap x cuts, we should be ramping up spending." Ozone days increase State regulators penned a public letter to explain the increase of ozone action days in the Upper Green River Basin, a once common occurrence that hadn't happened in 6 years until this winter. Protections like action days, where oil and gas operators try to decrease emissions due to a rise in ozone levels, were put in place to control the consistent spike in ozone at ground level. "We have consistently said that a challenging winter was needed in order to evaluate the work we have done," wrote Nancy Vehr, air quality administrator for the state. "We have had that winter. While ozone levels are down when compared to previous winter ozone exceedance seasons, they are not yet down to the levels we collectively strive to achieve." The state agency will send out summary updates on days following an action day to keep the public informed, Vehr wrote. Ground level ozone is a hazardous air combination, dangerous for young children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. It is the primary ingredient for smog. Gas field development and geological features in the Upper Green created a perfect storm years ago when ozone levels regularly exceeded safe standards. Wyoming's air quality regulations are strongest in the Upper Green, where oil and gas operators are required to do regular checks for methane leaks and reduce venting and flaring. An end to self-bonds Peabody announced March 6 its intention to replace all of its self-bonds with traditional insurance and a state bond pool when it emerges from bankruptcy. The St. Louis-based firm is the third large coal company that operates in Wyoming to file for bankruptcy with millions in self-bonds, and replace them upon exiting Chapter 11. The company's CEO said he believes Peabody still qualifies for self-bonding despite its recent insolvency. He also said Peabody may continue with the controversial practice in the future. A long battle has been fought, and for now won, in Wyoming over self-bonding coal companies. Opponents say the coal market is too tenuous to trust that reclamation obligations will be met, risking task payer dollars for clean up. Companies and state regulators want to maintain their right to self-bond. The death of BLM 2.0 The Bureau of Land Management's new rule process was the latest federal regulation to get the congressional axe. Rep. Liz Cheney first proposed a resolution to strike down BLM 2.0 in the House, arguing that it undermined local input. the Senate passed the resolution of disapproval March 7. Advocates for the BLM rule say 2.0 allowed for greater transparency by looping in public comment at the beginning of the rule making process instead of the end. The new EPA and Wyoming On Sunday the Star-Tribune launched a three-part series on the Environmental Protection Agency's role in Wyoming, past, present and future. Sunday's piece explores the history of the EPA's establishment and asks whether the state would put environmental regulations in place without the federal agency. Today's story looks at the complex relationship the EPA has with Wyoming, through the lens of Pavillion, a tiny town whose residents say fracking polluted the drinking water. Tomorrow, the series ends with a look ahead at the changing direction of the EPA, and how Wyoming oil and gas operators see the agency's new leader, Scott Pruitt. Most wildlife documentaries are created to raise awareness of an issue: rhinoceros poaching in Africa, dwindling snow leopard numbers in Asia, the overfishing of tuna in the Pacific. While no immediate threat looms for the thousands of Rocky Mountain elk featured in the newly released documentary Elk River, its creators hope to keep it that way. I hope people feel a sense of wonder about those migrations and about Yellowstone and that it still has these amazing things to show us, said Arthur Middleton, the films producer, an assistant professor at University of CaliforniaBerkeley and a University of Wyoming graduate. And I hope people feel inspired to know more about and participate in the conservation of migrations and of ecosystems and connectivity. I hope people think a little differently about Yellowstone that it is connected to the outside world. Elk River is working its way through the film festival circuit, where it won most inspiring adventure film at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival and the peoples choice award at the Les Bois Film Festival. In early March, National Geographic recently released the almost 30-minute film online to the public for free. Riis and Middleton intended the film to help show viewers locally and around the world what the elk face as they migrate in and out of Yellowstone National Park each year. One of the themes of the movie that Yellowstone is not a self-contained box becomes clear as the viewer travels with Riis, Middleton and the Cody elk herd from ranches on the valley floor to the tops of 12,000-foot mountains. Nine elk herds migrate in and out of Yellowstone are the lifeblood of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Middleton said. Donations needed The American Legion Post 2 in Casper is asking for donations of garage sale items for a booth at the Super Garage Sale on March 25. Proceeds from the booth help continue to serve veterans and their families in Natrona County. Large items like furniture cannot be accepted because their is no storage space, but sporting goods, camping gear, hunting and fishing gear, any tools and small cooking appliances would be greatly appreciated. All items donated are tax deductible and all funds will stay in Natrona County. For free pick-up of donations, call or text 267-1800. God bless America and all veterans, past and present. Scarves for Special Olympics Special Olympics Wyoming invites those who knit and crochet to make scarves for the Wyoming Special Olympics athletes to wear at State Winter Games in February 2018. Please use black, grey and white colors, approximately 6- by 60-inches in any pattern. The deadline to receive the scarves is January 2018. Please send scarves to Special Olympics Wyoming, attn. Scarf Project 2017, P.O. Box 624, Jackson, WY 83001. There is more information available at www.sowy.org/other-fundraisers. Food of the month Wyoming Food for Thought Project has announced its food of the month suggestions for the nearly 1,000 weekend food bags its volunteers prepare for food-insecure school students in Natrona County each week. Often, schools, churches and other groups designate certain collection days for a specific type of food as a donation. The suggested food items may be taken to program headquarters at 900 St. John, but its best to call ahead to make certain someone is there to receive it. March, cereal; April, granola bars; May, tuna; June, peanut butter; July, pork n beans; August, mac n cheese; September, Chef Boyardee products; October, cereal; November, soup; December, chili. For more information, call Cassandra at 337-1703. Thanks for socks and gloves Community Action Partnerships Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Community Sock and Glove Drive, which ran in December and January, was very successful. The community exceeded the initial goal of 500 donations, and received a total of 1,578 donations, including 882 pairs of socks, 584 pairs of gloves, 73 hats, and 39 scarves. RSVP volunteers sorted and distributed socks and gloves to various locations throughout Casper. Donations helped provide a substantial amount of community members with basic winter essentials to keep warm, including: 35 schools in the Natrona County School District were each provided with a large bag of socks and gloves in the nurses office for students in need 100 home-based senior citizens through Central Wyoming Senior Services Homeless during the Point in Time Count in January Homeless during First Christian Churchs Sandwich Ministry A family who lost their home in a fire and over 100 additional individuals and families in need. Volunteer for new literacy program INGLES!, a non-profit group teaching English as a second language to adult learners, is currently looking for enthusiastic, patient volunteers. Volunteers will help adult students improve their English one-on-one and in small classes. Volunteering requires a commitment of two hours twice a week. No Spanish proficiency or prior teaching experience required. Volunteer application forms are available at the Natrona County Library Reference Desk located on the second floor. Blood centers extend hours United Blood Services is expanding hours at its Casper and Cheyenne donor centers in an effort to make blood donation more convenient for more donors. The center at 2801 East 2nd Street in Casper will be open six days a week. Closed only on Tuesday, the Casper center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The center at 112 E. 8th Ave. in Cheyenne will be open five days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Blood donations can drop as much as 20 percent during the holidays and winter months, but every two seconds, every day of the year a patient in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion. Whole blood donors are eligible to give blood every eight weeks and are encouraged to donate at least three times each year to help UBS meet the needs of patients. Donors can save time and fill out their Fast Track Health History Questionnaire online at unitedbloodservices.org the day of their donation. To donate blood, volunteers must be at least 16 years old (16 and 17-year-old donors need a minor donor permit which is available online) and be in good health. In addition to its community donor centers in Cheyenne and Casper, UBS operates various blood drives across Wyoming. To make an appointment call 877-827-4376 or go to unitedbloodservices.org. Monthly fleece blanket making continues The Fleece Blanket Project meets on the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Christian Church, 520 CY Ave. Parking is in the back of the building. The group will meet March 18, 2017. Thus far, 289 blankets have been made and given to individuals in need of comfort and warmth and to agencies that serve a vulnerable population. Bring two yards of a print fleece and two yards of a solid fleece for each blanket, or just come and join others who want to make a difference. For more information, call First Christian Church at 234-8964. Disabled vets need volunteer drivers The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers to take veterans to their medical appointment at the VA hospital in Cheyenne. The volunteer driver will transport them in a VA vehicle. If you are interested, please call the DAV transportation office in Cheyenne at 307-778-7577 for further information. English speakers needed CHAT, the English Conversation Club at Casper College Adult Learning Center, needs English speakers to meet international community members and help them speak English. Join us for an international potluck in the Werner Technical Center, Rm. 105: March 22, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; April 13, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; and May 4, 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 268-2230 or email mdugan@caspercollege.edu. Save the date, restorative justice Save the date! Restorative Justice Symposium 2017: Wyomings Introduction to a New Frontier. March 15 and 16, 2017, at the Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center. Hosted by Natrona County Restorative Justice. For additional information and to learn more on what restorative justice is all about, visit and like NCRJsFacebook page. The Wyoming Department of Education has put out a call to residents as it looks to build a committee that will review the states math standards. Parents, teachers, school board members and others are all invited to apply to join the review committee. Those interested in being involved must take the Call for Participants Survey, which is available until 11:59 p.m. on April 11, according to a department news release. The committee will meet for at least two days between June and August, the department said, though it may meet more in 2018. The standards indicate what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level and by the time they graduate, according to the press release. State superintendent Jillian Balow said in an interview in January that Wyoming has an adopted form of the Common Core standards for its current math benchmarks. The current math standards were put in place in 2012, said department spokeswoman Kari Eakins, and are being reviewed now following a timeline approved by the states Board of Education. In a memo released to district superintendents last week, Balow said she has been working with University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols and Community College Commission Executive Director Jim Rose to ensure better articulation between high school and college math. She noted that 40 percent of students who attend UW or one of the states seven community colleges take remedial classes, including a high proportion who need remedial math. She said in the same memo that computational thinking, coding, and discrete math skills will likely play a larger role in new math standards going forward. In November, Gov. Matt Mead approved an update to the states science benchmarks. It was the first update in 13 years, which came more than two years after educators, lawmakers and other groups fought a pitched battle over what to include in the standards. LARAMIE The Wyoming Legislature has directed the University of Wyoming to explore the possibility of closing 15th Street on campus to motor vehicle traffic as a safety measure for pedestrian students. UW would have to initiate consultations with the City of Laramie on the matter. The section of 15th Street involved is between Willett Drive and Ivinson Avenue and is among the most heavily used roads on campus. Speaker of the House Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, showed particular interest in seeing such an initiative move forward, said Chris Boswell, UW vice president of governmental and community affairs. The Speaker wanted to press forward with some further discussions, and this was the vehicle that was used to encourage those discussions, Boswell told the Laramie Boomerang. Hes been very interested in pedestrian safety in the area, especially between the dorms, fraternities and sororities, the College of Business and (Wyoming) Union area, and also the crossing at Willett (Drive). During a 2009 presentation about UWs long-range planning, design firm MIG told an audience at the Wyoming Union that about 3,000-4,000 pedestrian crossings occur on 15th Street every day as students cross from the residence halls or Fraternity and Sorority Row. More recent information was not immediately available. The budget bill that passed the Legislature this winter directs UW to deliver a report to the Joint Appropriations Committee no later than Nov. 1 on its findings. No funding is provided for the project. Its an initial step, Boswell said. Laramie Mayor Andi Summerville and Boswell both said such a project would require collaboration between the city and UW. Representatives from UW and the Laramie City Council previously discussed the roadway during January 2016 meetings to address a reconstruction of Ivinson Avenue between Ninth and 15th streets. Summerville said she expects city representatives will meet with UW, but wants to make sure community members concerns are a part of the discussions. Its really going to be important to bring up all the significant challenges that are going to come with that from the community as a whole, including UW, she said. Without 15th Street open to traffic between Willet Drive and Grand Avenue, Summerville said motorists would be forced to divert as far west as Ninth Street and east to 22nd Street to travel north or south. Besides the convenience of motorists and the strain that could be put on other north-south roadways, she said public safety is a significant concern. How do you get fire trucks into that area if thats no longer a street, or will you be able to allow for that kind of stuff? Summerville asked. Getting rid of 15th Street would have a major impact on city of Laramie traffic patterns. Based on the evidence, investigators believe Walters did not know he was approaching U.S. Highway 26 and drove off a 10-foot snow embankment onto the highway about 22 miles east of Moran Junction. The release says he was thrown from the snowmobile and fatally injured when he landed on the highway. He was wearing a helmet. ROTTERDAM, Netherlands Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would pay the price for their unusual action. While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased. He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police from entering her countrys consulate in Rotterdam. That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally. Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month. The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out. Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders. To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish Cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates. However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summers aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands. The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday. Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants. On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism. If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned. Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price, he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming. Southwest Airlines plans to boost its already strong presence in Phoenix with a major expansion at Sky Harbor International Airport in the next five years. No, the carrier isnt building a jazzy international concourse like it has in Houston and is opening in Fort Lauderdale, and adding glamorous new destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. But new Phoenix flights are definitely on the agenda: Southwest is adding eight gates to the 24 it already occupies in Terminal 4. The airline, the No. 2 carrier at Sky Harbor behind American with more than 170 daily non-stop flights to 50 cities, averages 10 flights per day from each gate. The Dallas carrier has committed to be the tenant of a new eight-gate concourse due to open in 2021, Southwest President Tom Nealon said Wednesday. The gates will be near Southwests D gates, which debuted in 2005. Southwest Airlines is fully on board, Nealon said at a luncheon of the PHX Aero Club. We want that concourse. In addition to the new gates, Southwest plans to double the size of its maintenance center at the airport, going from two bays to four. You dont increase your maintenance capacity and your maintenance facility unless you intend to fly your planes (here) full of passengers, he said. Were not going to fly any planes (to Phoenix solely for) maintenance. The tab for maintenance expansion plus the replacement of its provisioning center and ground-service equipment facility: $40 million. Nealon said the gates are necessary in part to accommodate Southwests larger Boeing 737s. Seven of its 24 current gates cannot accommodate them, he said. The airline has not said whether it will use 32 gates at Sky Harbor when the new concourse is completed. Nealon said its possible a few gates could be given up in Southwests other concourses but that the bottom line is the airline is adding capacity in Phoenix. The gates will be known informally as the high D gates, to differentiate them from the existing D gates. There is a similar set-up in the A, B and C concourses, each of which has two wings. Southwest also has gates in the C concourses. The Phoenix City Council approved the new concourse, a $250 million investment, last fall but tenants were not identified. Southwest and American, the city-owned airports dominant carriers and Terminal 4 tenants, declined to comment at the time. It is the eighth and final concourse planned for Terminal 4, which opened in 1990. Terminal 4 accounts for more than 80 percent of Sky Harbors passenger traffic. Southwest was the most likely candidate because American has been shrinking at Sky Harbor in the past year due to flight cuts and a shift to smaller planes on some routes. The airline has been fine-tuning supply and demand at the hubs of the combined American and US Airways, which merged in 2013. US Airways was based in Tempe and had more flights and planes than it needed at Sky Harbor. The new American remains the largest carrier at Sky Harbor and has thousands of employees here. Nealon said the leasing of the new gates and the $40 million investment are signs that Southwest is here to stay. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some March 13 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. The Arizona Game and Fish Departments Operation Game Thief is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case of a mule deer buck found dead March 7 off Arizona 76 near Redington Road. Acting on a tip, wildlife officers found the buck beneath of bridge over a wash in an area frequented by target shooters. The deer was intact, and apparently had been shot. Evidence was recovered at the scene. Illegal take of wildlife is punishable by up to a $750 fine and six months in jail under state law. Poachers are not hunters. They are thieves stealing wildlife from the citizens of Arizona, said Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game and Fish in Tucson. This appears to be a crime of opportunity that we will investigate further with the publics help. Individuals with information about the case are asked to contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-352-0700, anonymously if they want. They should reference OGT#17-000557. Ive had major dental expenses come up from time to time, including a nasty mountain bike accident that left me briefly without front teeth. But I wasnt prepared for the sticker shock I got last month when my dentist told me a crown Id had since the 90s on one of my lower teeth had come loose and a cavity had formed underneath. The estimate for a new porcelain/ceramic crown, plus related expenses: $2,269. Though I have insurance, the insurance column on my estimate said zero. The patient column said $2,269. Fortunately, it wasnt a root canal situation yet. Fast action was required. There were some options. I could get estimates from other dentists in Tucson, but that seemed time consuming, especially given that after sorting out the estimates, getting a new crown would then require two appointments one to get the old crown taken off and a temporary crown put on, and a follow-up to get the permanent crown. The upshot: I ended up in Mexico, where I got a new crown for $440 in one day. It was all remarkably easy. I parked in Nogales, Arizona for $3, walked over to the Mexican side, and had my first appointment at noon. Thats when Dr. Karina Melendez at Dental Laser Nogales took off the old crown, cleaned out the cavity and made an impression for a new crown. At 3:30 p.m. I went back, got the new crown and was back in Tucson by 6 p.m. In between the two appointments I had time to walk around Nogales and have lunch at La Roca. An estimated 500,000 Americans per year go to Mexico for dental care, North Carolina-based Patients Beyond Borders says. The company estimates the worldwide medical tourism market is growing at a rate of 15 to 25 percent, and says the most popular destinations for Americans getting dental work are Mexico and Costa Rica, with others going to Hungary, Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea. Most of the Americans getting dental care in Mexico live in highly populated border-area cities like Tucson, Patients Beyond Borders CEO Josef Woodman says. He has been researching the industry for 12 years and says while cost is unquestionably the driving factor for seeking out-of country care, he urges dental tourists to do their homework and not to choose based on cost alone. Woodman has heard horror stories and happy ones, too. While my outcome was positive, our conversation did leave me thinking I could have done more research before taking the plunge. How to choose When selecting a dentist on the other side of the border, look for clinics that list their dentists names with photos and education credentials on their website, Woodman advises. Dental Lasers website does not include its dentists education credentials, though the site does does list names and photos. He also recommends using a site called Dental Departures Inc., a company that is based out of Bangkok, Thailand but started in Seattle in 2011. It includes a team that has researched more than 2,000 clinics in 35 countries, including four in Nogales. Dental Laser Nogales is not one of them, though Dental Departures officials say they are working to partner with more Nogales clinics. Company founder Paul McTaggert compares Dental Departures to a TripAdvisor for Americans seeking dental care outside the country. Dental Departures also allows patients to make appointments through its portal. Clinics listed on his site have all been vetted by a visit from the Dental Departures team, as have the credentials of the dentists who work in the clinics, he says. The clinics listed have also completed and returned a quality questionnaire provided by McTaggerts team. Dental Departures then includes reviews from past and current patients on its site. McTaggert suggests Tucsonans not limit their options to just Nogales. There is a large selection of high quality dentists in Los Algodones near Yuma and in Agua Prieta and Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), too, he says. Ive heard a lot of stories about sloppy work in Mexico broken crowns, broken implants, says Woodman of Patients Beyond Borders. The check and balance is that most of these clinics want to do the right thing. They want happy patients. If you can show they screwed up, chances are they are going to want to make good on it. Dental Laser Nogales, just steps from the border, is one of the three Nogales dental clinics recommended by the Sonora Medical Tourism Association an organization I found out about through the Mexican Consulate in Tucson. The associations partners include the Dental College of Sonora. So that was a plus. But I chose Dental Laser Nogales primarily because of its online Google reviews, which were generally very good. I also heard positive word-of-mouth testimonials from two acquaintances. Ive since learned that Dental Laser does a lot of outreach in the Tucson area. Many of the people in the large, crowded waiting room with me had come from the U.S., most from Tucson, Green Valley and Oro Valley. One, a hair stylist from Vail, was getting an implant for $1,850, which was a big savings from the $5,000 shed been quoted in Tucson. Other people I spoke with were retirees who have been going to Mexico for dental care for years. Groups from the Tucson area Voyager RV Resort often carpool to Dental Laser, the resorts activity assistant Adrienne Montgomery told me. At one time, Dental Laser even sent buses to pick residents up, she said. Ive never heard any complaints, Montgomery says. Some people have worries, but weve assured them its not a problem. No complaints Not everyone who gets dental care in Nogales, Sonora goes to Dental Laser Nogales, of course. Tim Janes, a 70-year-old Tucson resident who works at the Center for Biological Diversity, has crossed the border to see Nogales, dentist Dr. Victor Bojorquez several times over the past month. Janes went on the recommendation of a friend. He needed a lot of dental work, including four root canals. It is costing me at least one third or maybe one quarter of what Id pay in the U.S., says Janes, who does not have dental insurance. One of the things I like is that they are more concerned with saving teeth than trying to replace them. Janes either drives or takes a shuttle to Nogales that costs $15 each way. He has no complaints. Neither do I. Dental Laser Nogales did a good job on my crown. The clinic told me most of their dentists are educated in Mexico and are constantly updating their skills with continuing education around the world. Their implant specialist just got back from training in Germany. Still, Arizona Dental Association executive director Dr. Kevin Earle says he knows of dentists in Tucson and Yuma who have had to fix incompetent dental work that was done in Mexico. Thats a shame. But its sort of roll of the dice, he says. If you have an infectious disease exposure in the U.S., you have a dental board to go to, the local health authorities that would be involved in it. Im not sure thats true across the border. I have no plans to switch all of my dental care to Mexico as its a little more than an hour drive each way. Plus, I have a great dentist in Tucson. But in special cases, when the savings for me is more than a thousand dollars and the clinic is professional, clean, modern and friendly (and bilingual), Im willing to roll the dice and go to Mexico. Im happy I did. Resources Dental Care in Mexico Sonora Medical Tourism Association www.medtourson.com Patients Beyond Borders: www.patientsbeyondborders.com Compare prices of U.S. dental procedure by zip code using the Fair Health cost calculator: PHOENIX The states largest electric utility may have outmaneuvered a utility regulator in the fight over its campaign-spending records. Arizona Public Service and Pinnacle West Capital Corp., its parent, have quietly dropped their lawsuit seeking to quash the subpoena issued by Commissioner Bob Burns for corporate records relating to the 2014 election. APS spokesman John McDonald would not comment on the move. In response, Burns filed his own legal action late Friday to compel the companies to comply with the subpoena he claims theyve ignored. But Burns could find himself without legal help to pursue the case. Thats because the other members of the Arizona Corporation Commission previously voted to allow Burns to hire outside counsel but only to defend himself against the lawsuit filed against him by APS and Pinnacle West. Burns said the utilitys decision not to seek a court order declaring his subpoena invalid does not mean the company will finally produce the documents he wants. They are going to try and stop me by some other means in all probability, he said. I dont know what their game plan is. But in dropping the lawsuit, APS game plan could be to leave Burns without the funds he needs to pursue the issue. Commission Chairman Tom Forese said late Friday he could not comment on the latest turn of events. There are indications that the others on the five-member commission are unlikely to give Burns permission to use commission funds to proactively pursue the records. Burns said hes not sure whether he was outmaneuvered by the utility. Well see, he said. If the commission is not going to support me doing my official duties, I think thats a problem. The dispute involves questions about what behind-the-scenes role Pinnacle West and APS played in the 2014 election. Its a matter of public record that the Free Enterprise Club and Save Our State Now put $3.2 million into getting Forese and fellow Republican Doug Little elected to the commission. What is not known is the source of those funds as the two organizations claim they are social welfare organizations exempt from Arizona laws compelling disclosure of donors. APS has repeatedly refused to confirm or deny its role in the 2014 race. Unable to get any records from the Free Enterprise Club and Save Our State Now, Burns subpoenaed the records of APS and Pinnacle West, demanding disclosure of their spending on campaigns, lobbyists and charitable donations. APS, as a regulated utility, did supply some information, but not as much as Burns wants. Heres something that might generate some skeptical groans: When it comes to the quality of highways, arterial and collector streets, metro Tucson is now almost exactly in the middle of the pack among large American cities. Thats the finding of the most recent urban roads report from TRIP, a national transportation research group, which found that of the 70 urban areas with populations over 500,000, Tucson came in at 35th, just ahead of Toledo, Ohio. Back in 2013, the same report famously deemed Tucsons major roads the fifth-worst in the country, but in 2015 the area fell off the top-25 list and continued its way down the list for the 2016 report, released late last year. It beats being in the top of the pack, said County Administrator Huckelberry. Daryl Cole, the citys transportation chief, called the reports findings great news. For the most recent round, 30 percent of roads considered were in poor condition, down from 32 the year before. Though it came out in 2016, the report was looking at 2014 road data gathered by the Federal Highway Administration. At the extreme ends of the report were Californias Bay Area, where 71 percent of arterials and collectors were in poor condition, and Jacksonville, Florida, where just 4 percent were. Phoenix came in 57th with a reported 17 percent of major thoroughfares in poor shape. Local officials chalked the steady progress up to city and county pavement preservation, restoration and resurfacing programs that together have improved conditions along several hundred miles of high-volume metro streets. Tucsons efforts have been funded largely with by Proposition 409, a 2012 $100 million property-tax-funded bond package narrowly approved by voters, and a 2012 $20 million City Council appropriation for preservation work. The county has $4.5 million set aside for road preservation for the current fiscal year, a representative amount in recent years. Though 15 percent of the citys 409 funds were dedicated to local and residential streets 58 miles got some attention as a result the heavy focus for preservation and restoration at both the city and county level has been on arterials and collectors, which see the most use. While the story of major roads appears to be one of steady improvement, it certainly doesnt apply to residential or local streets, the vast majority of which are in failed or poor condition. Between last summer and this March, the percentage of failed to very poor local streets in city limits rose from 19.8 to 27.7 percent, due largely to those formerly considered just poor slipping further down the road-rating system. Those in poor condition constitute just over 51 percent, meaning nearly 80 percent of local city roads are in rough shape, according to roadconditions data provided to the Road Runner. At the county level, just over 65 percent of local roads are poor or failing. In his memo about the TRIP report, Huckelberry acknowledged those conditions, writing that if local roads had been taken into consideration, It is likely we would once again be listed. Our local roadways require extensive repair and rehabilitation and in some cases, replacement, all of which is unfunded. The county has previously estimated that it would take at least $800 million to repair all roads in the county, including Tucsons and other jurisdictions. Those local street conditions, as well as what she described as the countys woefully inadequate pavement-preservation program for collectors and arterials, are why Supervisor Ally Miller says she is still frequently hearing complaints and receiving petitions demanding repaving from northwest Tucson constituents, despite the findings of the TRIP report. Three-quarters of local streets in her district are in failed or poor condition, the highest percentage of the five districts, according to county road data. So, how to address the persistently poor condition of more lightly used local streets? City officials are crossing their fingers that this May voters will approve a proposed half-cent city sales tax, $100 million of the proceeds of which would go to road restoration, repair and resurfacing. This time around, 40 percent of those proceeds would go to residential streets, up from 409s 15 percent. Given that the city is on track to complete all of the promised 409 pavement projects and even add several with savings, like the ongoing work along South 12th Avenue and Valencia Road, Cole hopes that voters will again entrust the city with another $100 million in road funds this May 16. The picture is not as clear at the county level. Huckelberry and other officials were hoping the Legislature would approve a 10-cent hike in the state gas tax, which is the largest source of revenue for county road work. A statewide measure is dead, and while another measure to allow counties to put their own gas taxes to voters may still have legs, Gov. Doug Ducey expressed skepticism about gas taxes in general. Miller also takes a dim view of them, in part due to her distrust of how the county spends the gas-tax proceeds its receiving. The county has also pushed the Legislature to allow the Regional Transportation Authority to ask voters for a 10-year half-cent sales tax dedicated largely to road repair within the next several years. While theres no such bill in the Legislature this cycle, Miller said she is exploring the possibility of supporting such a measure. She had previously advocated for extending the RTA after it expires in 2026. She emphasized her support would be contingent on the findings of a soon-to-be-finished audit of how the RTA spent its money over its first decade, as well as on guarantees that proceeds would be spent on repairs and not siphoned off elsewhere. Without some sort of action from the Legislature, Huckelberry said the status quo is here to stay. In that situation, the best hope for increasing funds for repairing local streets and other neglected roads is to wait for debt-service costs on the 1997 Highway User Revenue Fund Bonds to decline, which wont really start in earnest until 2021. Were still several years away from any local road repair, he said. DOWN THE ROAD Major work on the Tangerine Road-Dove Mountain Boulevard intersection is set to start at 7 a.m. Monday. Crews will work on the east median through Tuesday, with shifts stretching from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Westbound Tangerine will be reduced to one lane, though dedicated left- and right-turn lanes will be unaffected. From Tuesday to Wednesday, March 22, crews will work on the north and south medians with the same shifts. North- and southbound lanes will be reduced to one lane. Farther east, workers will install sewer infrastructure across Tangerine at Sage Brook Road on Monday, March 13, and Tuesday, March 14, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. This coming weekend, the new Sunset Road Bridge will be closed starting at 4 a.m. Saturday to allow for additional work. It will reopen at 4 a.m. Monday, March 20. A contract dispute means Tucson residents with UnitedHealthcare may soon be unable to access a large system of northwest-side health providers. Northwest Healthcare, which is owned by Tennesee-based, for-profit Community Health Systems, sent a letter on March 2 to patients saying the company would stop accepting UnitedHealthcare insurance on May 1. However, both sides in the dispute say negotiations are ongoing. Northwest Healthcare includes, in addition to numerous clinics and primary-care providers, two hospitals: Northwest Medical Center and Oro Valley Hospital. Northwest Healthcare is seeking significant rate increases of more than 25 percent over the course of three years without any commitment to improving the health of our members, UnitedHealthcare officials said in an emailed statement Friday afternoon. We are asking Northwest Healthcare to join other hospitals in our Arizona network and commit to a performance-based relationship that focuses financial incentives on quality and patient outcomes. Officials with UnitedHealthcare in Arizona say the dispute stems from Northwest Healthcares refusal to join other Arizona health systems in belonging to a value-based health-care model. We want a relationship with Northwest, said Lisa Contreras, regional communications director for UnitedHealthcares Western Region. In an email, Northwest Healthcare spokeswoman Kimberly Chimene said Northwest continues to negotiate with United and disputed the way the insurer was characterizing the dispute. UHC is seeking an immediate decrease of 25 percent in reimbursement rates to Northwest Medical Center and Oro Valley Hospital, she wrote. Additionally, we have asked UHC to enter into quality and cost incentive contracts, but have been refused. Northwest Healthcare participates in quality-based in incentives with all other major insurance companies in Tucson. She added that Northwest Healthcare has agreements in place with all other major health plans in the area. The May 1 date is the effective date should we NOT be able to come to terms. All patients with United Healthcare are covered until that date, she wrote. Northwest officials did not provide an estimate of how many people would be affected. The insurance company estimates about 27,500 UnitedHealthcare members accessed a Northwest Healthcare facility in the past 12 to 18 months, and 18,600 members received care from a Northwest Healthcare physician. Contreras emphasized that exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint as theres likely redundancy and crossover among those member visits. A contract termination would affect UnitedHealthcares Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and commercial plans, the letter from Northwest Healthcare CEO Kevin Stockton said. Ill have to find another primary care physician and there arent many around, said Sun City Oro Valley resident Chris Clark, a retired tax lawyer who is covered by UnitedHealthcare through his wife via the Arizona State Retirement System. Its an hour to get into Tucson from here. Marana resident Michael Browning received two of the letters last week one from Desert Cardiology and another from his personal physician. Its going to be a real problem out here if this happens, Browning said. Theyve kind of got a lock on things in this area. It is big, not just from the hospital standpoint, but from all the specialists and urgent-care providers. The letter Clark and others received says anyone with UnitedHealthcare insurance would be unable to use their insurance at the following places: Northwest Medical Center. Oro Valley Hospital. All locations of Northwest Allied Physicians. All locations of QuickMed Clinics. Northwest Emergency Center, the Desert Cardiology & Heart Center of Southern Arizona. Tucson Surgery Center. Center for Pain Management. The exceptions would be patients needing emergency care, since any emergency patients can always access emergency rooms at in-network benefit rates regardless of network status, Northwest officials said. Certain patients may also be eligible for continuation of care benefits through United, Stockton wrote in the March 2 letter. That includes patients receiving ongoing treatment for special conditions, or women in their third trimester of pregnancy. United members who think they may qualify should call the number on the back of their insurance card, officials said. We understand this will be challenging for you if the contract reaches termination, Stocktons letter says. Please consider expressing your dissatisfaction with Uniteds decision by contacting them directly at 1-800-985-2356. As of Monday, United said they did not want people to call the number Northwest Healthcare printed in its letter. Rather, they want people to call the number on the back of their insurance card. A public contract dispute between Carondelet and BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona in 2015 was resolved at the 11th hour. In that case, both claimed the other party was making unreasonable demands and putting patients access to care at risk. BlueCross said Carondelet was demanding 40 percent increases in their reimbursement rates, while Carondelet executives countered that BlueCross had long reimbursed the hospital less than other Tucson hospitals, contributing to years of operating losses for Carondelet. Ultimately, the two sides reached a compromise. Mike Bartletts King Charles III at the Harmon Theatre for Performing Arts (directed by Studio Theatres David Muse) has caught a wave of popularity that draws on the American peoples innate fascination with anything having to do with the British royals. The play also exposes the very modern feminist yearnings of those queens, princesses and consorts of yore who, finding themselves mere ornaments in the royal pageant, yearn like Lady Macbeth to become unsexed and battle with men on an equal playing field. Likewise, Prince Williams wife, Kate Middleton (the Duchess of Cambridge), and Charless Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, must content themselves with acting through their husbands whom they must convince, cajole and bully to screw their courage to the sticking place and ride the tide in the affairs of men . . . which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Now to the plot: after waiting around for the better part of six decades, Charles has been elevated to the throne by the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. In referential Shakespearean iambic pentameters, Bartletts Charles bemoans the shrunken self he has become during the long wait. My better thoughtsthey are From scratch, slow cooked and brewed with time. My life has been a lingring for the throne Charles, however, is somewhat of a royalist Jacobin. He feels strongly about the freedom of the press despite the presss having routinely savaged the royal family over the years. Having previously paid little attention to the flow of Parliamentary business, Charles is taken aback when the Prime Minister during his first audience with the King requests His Majestys approval of legislation passed by Parliament purporting to restrict the press from invading the privacy rights of individuals. Charless refusal as a matter of constitutional principle to sign the press bill triggers a constitutional crisis as both parties coalesce to defend the Parliaments supremacy against a King who has chosen to re-assert long abandoned royal prerogatives to nullify legislation -- prerogatives that have not been exercised since the days of George III. Charles has consulted Walter Bagehot, a 19th century authority on the unwritten English Constitution, and is disconsolate to learn that his role is limited by precedent to being consulted, proffering advice and, in extremis, warning the government of the day when it appears to be embarking on precipitous action. When the parties push back demanding that he sign the bill, Charles rallies and moves to dissolve Parliament and call for a snap election. Parliament refuses to dissolve itself. Riots break out in the major cities of the United Kingdom, and there is a fear that the rioters will storm Buckingham Palace. The King moves additional troops onto the Palace grounds and stations a tank in front of the Palace. In the meantime, we are introduced to the next generation of Royals: Prince William (second in line for the throne) and his wife, Kate Middleton, the exemplar of good sturdy Anglo-Saxon stock; and Williams feckless younger brother, Prince Harry, who inhabits the demi-monde of swinging London, takes up with Jessica, an artist from the West Indies, and seems to want to have nothing further to do with his father and stepmother, Camilla. The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition both come forward to demand an audience with Prince William and Kate. They are there, the politicians state, to reassert the constitutional prerogatives of the Parliament against usurpation by the crown. They drive home the principle that Parliament is the decider in the British constitutional system by threatening legislation stripping the Crown of whatever is left of its royal prerogatives unless Charles signs the press bill. It is at this point that Kate gives William a good spine stiffening, telling him that he is duty bound to stand up to Charles for the sake of both the crown and their son, George, who will someday be King. Camilla, for her part, counsels Charles equally steadfastly to resurrect and breathe new life into the fast vanishing royal prerogatives and urges him to not go all wobbly on his duty to the crown and its prerogatives. Kate and William conspire with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition to launch a coup against Charles. Kate pushes William into the sticking place of mediating the constitutional dispute between Crown and Parliament. When Charles is about to make a speech to the nation giving the rationale for his actions, Kate and William wrest the microphone from his hands, demand that he sign a letter of abdication and play the grandchild card to seal the deal (Charles realizes belatedly that he will never see his grandchildren again if he doesnt sign). Prince Harry (like the Shakespeare character) gives up his dissolute ways, ditches Jess and takes his place as an heir to the throne. The play ends with the coronation of William and Kate and Charles slumping off despondently stage right. As for the actors, Jeanne Paulsen as Camilla and Allison White as Kate have the requisite Thatcherite steel for their parts, but one wishes that Robert Joys Charles were a bit less wimpish. In keeping with his Shakespearean meme, Bartletts Prince Harry is clearly meant to evoke Falstaffs companion, Prince Hal, but Harry White lacks the range required to transform Prince William from the louche rogue reveling in the world of sex, drugs and rock n roll on the mean streets of London to something approximating the transformation that Prince Hal makes at his fathers deathbed when he realizes that he will soon be King with all the attendant responsibilities of 15th century kingship. The play benefits from catching a wave in the affairs of politics that has thrust it into the midst of the national debateboth here in the USA and in Britain. When the play was first produced in 2014, it was considered a witty, but a counterfactual, send-up of both the monarchy and Britain. The conventional wisdom was that it couldnt happen there (or here). But, first with Brexit and, then, the Tsunami that crashed into America on November 8, 2016, many playgoers now see the play as a metaphor for the Age of Trump, in which a new President, aided and abetted by the malevolent likes of Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, seeks to deconstruct and smash the old order, the Constitution be damned. In Mike Bartletts London, something akin to our emerging notion of the deep state struck back to wrest the crown from Charles and return the country to normalcy. Fifty days on into the new Trump Administration, is the same thing happening in America? King Charles III ends its run at the Harmon Theatre Arts on March 18. If you cant get a ticket or enough of the British royals, download the superb Netflix production, The Crown, for a reasonably close approximation of the history of the royals from the abdication of Edward VIII through the resignation of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his successors (Anthony Edens) Suez debacle. John Lithgows award-winning reincarnation as Churchill is not to be missed. The Crown provides a flashback for King Charles III as it depicts a monarch, Elizabeth II, who comes to the throne believing she has some power, but finds out that it would be inappropriate to suggest to an old and doddering Prime Minister that its time to go. There is no power even, as she soon learns, to regulate her own domestic affairs as Elizabeth finds herself continuously overruled by various courtiers, cabinet ministers, Bishops and dowager queens who tell her that she cant take her husbands name, cant take lodgings outside Buckingham Palace and cant, as head of the church, sanction the marriage of her sister, Margaret, to a divorced commoner. You have only five more days to see King Charles III during its current DC run. Not to worry, though, the American public have five more years to enjoy and dissect The Crown as it takes us through the last six decades of the second Elizabethan era, and many will eagerly be awaiting Netflixs take on the Queens opinion of Donald Trump when she meets him during his proposed state visit to Britain, provided of course that he survives his current struggle with the Acela Corridor Establishment (sometimes referred to on this blog as The Borg) who have furiously united to drive him from office. Help India! New Delhi, (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will take the final call on the names of new Chief Ministers for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur after central observers, being sent to the states, hold meetings with local MLAs, it was announced on Sunday. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the partys Parliamentary Board here, Union Minister J.P. Nadda said BJP leaders M. Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav will go to Uttar Pradesh as observers. Support TwoCircles Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party leader Saroj Pandey have been named observers for Uttarakhand. Power Minister Piyush Goyal and National Vice President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been sent as observers to Manipur. We will hold the meetings soon after Holi, Nadda said. Party President Amit Shah has been tasked to decide the Chief Ministers from the party in all the states after seeing the reports that the observers send, he said. The BJP Parliamentary Board also passed a resolution condemning Saturdays attack on CRPF personnel that left 12 troopers dead in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net Pulwama: For Mohammad Akram Mir, 55 a farmer, the marriage of his elder daughter married felt like a dream come true. The dates were set for November 2016 and the shopping had started months earlier. But more than Akram, it was his 16-year-old girl Azra Jan who could not control the joy of watching her elder sister get married. She had bought two dresses for the occasion and had planned to put henna on her hands. Support TwoCircles But weeks before the planned marriage, a tragedy struck the Mir family. On October 31, as other family members went to a nearby town to buy clothes and jewellery for the bride, Azra waited at home in Rahmoo village. And, as we have shown in earlier stories (which can be read here and here), this was a day when the village youth were pelting stones at the security forces following the death of over 100 protesters in the previous months. Azra could hear the tear gas shells, pellet guns, stun grenades and pepper gas grenades being fired and lobbed in the main Rahmoo market. By 3 pm that day, the intensity of tear gas shelling had increased manifold. Azra saw security forces barging into the neighbouring home, vandalising property and beating residents. Feeling threatened as she was alone in the house, she came out and tried to run towards the main road. It proved to be a costly mistake. The moment she stepped out, pellets hit her chest and face as they were raining over her village that day. As I felt blood on my chest and face. I got scared and started crying loud and running towards people.They drove me straight to Pulwama hospital and later to SMHS. On the way to the hospital, I was vomiting heavily, recollects Azra. Back home, the celebratory atmosphere turned into mourning. Family members came rushing to SMHS hospital in Srinagar city. She was badly hit. Along with her, there were many other girls and boys from our village who were hit by pellets. Security forces had wreaked havoc on our village that day; as if they intended to blind our entire generation, says Azras brother Khurshid Ahmed. Azra went through numerous surgeries in the first week of her stay in the hospital. She had lost vision in her left eye as it had been hit by four lead pellets. The marriage was delayed by a month and fixed for December 10. Azra was no longer interested in putting a new dress on her pellet-riddled body and henna on her hands. You dont see your sister getting married every day. These moments come once in every life and for girls, these are moments to enjoy, where friends and relatives get together. But I couldnt see any of this, Azra said. Let alone seeing others, I couldnt even see my sister in the bridal dress, she adds. The attack on Azra has impacted her deeply. She no longer socialises with people like earlier. Most of the times, she sits alone, depressed. She also forgets a lot of things, and her personality has seen a drastic change. Before she was hit by pellets, she used to dedicate most of her time in reading the books and do household chores, but now she usually stays by herself in a room. Doctors at the hospital have advised performing more than two surgeries in her left eyes. Doctors have said that 2-4 surgeries are required to say anything about restoring vision in her left eye and it will at least take six months, says her father Akram Mir. Azra couldnt even appear in her class 10th examinations because she was hit by pellets two weeks before the exams. I felt very bad those days. All my classmates were sitting in the examination centre and I was recuperating on the hospital bed, She says. Like many of her friends, she also wanted to become a doctor, but now she is not sure either she will be able to make it or not. These days Azras family is trying every possible method to let their younger daughter come back to normal. Every day, her friends visit her and try to make her laugh and remind her of the days spent together. But Azra says her mind remains preoccupied with the idea of not regaining vision in her left eye. I have a lot of dreams. I want to study. If I cant see, then all my dreams will die, she adds. Help India! By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter In a shocking incident, Muthukrishnan Jeevanantham, a Dalit PhD student studying at Jawaharlal Universitys Centre for Historical Studies, committed suicide on Monday evening in Munirka, Delhi. Support TwoCircles According to initial posts on social media, Jeevantham, who belonged to Salem, Tamil Nadu and had managed to get into JNU this academic year after numerous attempts, had been under a severe financial crunch. He had been staying at a friends place since he had not been allotted hostel in JNU. In his last Facebook post, he said, When equality is denied everything is denied. There is no Equality in M.phil/PhD Admission, there is no equality in Viva voce, there is only denial of equality, denying prof. Sukhadeo Thorat recommendation, denying Students protest places in Ad block, denying the education of the Marginals. Muthukrishnan had been an active member of the Justice for Rohith Vemula movement and was part of the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) in Hyderabad Central University. Shortly after the death of Rohith Vemula, Jeevantham had written a post called A universal Mother without a nation on his blog, in which he had said, Dear anti-nationals, let me tell you, one day this nations leader is going to sell all. Just for a selfie and for a standing ovation from the outsiders. Hundreds and hundreds of Dappa Raos are going to kill thousands of Rohiths and they are going to say, He/She was a gifted student. All the intellectuals from the marginalised communities will get arrested just for mocking fictional characters. At the same time, all the leading national institutes will be headed by people who cannot even clear the 10th standard exam. These people claim dissenters as anti-nationals and seditious. They are going to kill many Rohiths, like us, just for eating beef, for being rational, for being intellectually productive for the country. But we are the real sons of this land and after we are all killed, there will be no nation. More details are awaited. Help India! Agartala, (IANS): At least 11 policemen, one leader each from the BJP and the TMC, apart from three other political workers and four journalists, were injured when Trinamool Congress and BJP workers clashed here on Monday night, police said. Around 11 police personnel, including five officers, were injured when they tried to tackle a clash between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in the heart of the capital city on Monday night, West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS. Support TwoCircles At least five BJP and TMC supporters, including state BJP Vice President Subal Bhowmik and TMC leader Panna Deb, sustained injuries in the clash. The fight began after a BJP Mandal President Jayanta Dey was allegedly beaten up by TMC leader Sudip Roy Barmans elder brother Sandip Roy Barman, Saptarshi said. Huge contingent of police and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) troopers led by Saptarshi and DIG Uttam Majumder rushed to the spot and tackled the situation after more than three hours of squabbles and chase-and-run game. Four journalists were also injured when the TSR personnel resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Tripura Journalists Union General Secretary Pranab Sarkar said that a team of senior journalists met police officials and demanded action against the TSR personnel who assaulted the journalists. The injured were rushed to the hospital. There is a major flap in the United States about whether trump Tower was wiretapped by former President Obama (impossible) and that has reignited FBI interest into a very unusual email server in Lititz, a small Pennsylvania town in the Amish region of Lancaster County. It is an unusual small town with 9500 residents and nearly 30 computer companies but the big question is why is a Russian bank with ties to Putin (every Russian bank has ties to Putin) is so interested in the mail1.mail-trump (name slightly mangled for reasons Ill explain below.) So, is this small town the mythical Amish attempt to take over the Internet, or is it the home of a Honey Trap for anyone trying to pry open the Trump Organization? Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking? With apologies to Lily Tomlins Ernestine character, the party in question is a Trump Organization owned email server (according to GoDaddys whois registry) and the party calling is the Alfa organization, Russias largest commercial bank. The banks computers have looked up the location or IP address of the Trump server in Lititz, PA 2800 times and did so during a very short period of time during the election campaign. A DNS lookup in itself is not suspicious or unusual but the fact that there were only two companies which made up 99% of all DNS (Domain Name Server) lookups for the Trump server is strange if there is no business relationship. The largest visitor by far was Alfa and the other one was the medical company run by the husband of President Trumps newly-minted Secretary of Education. The FBI had noted this strange and, so far, unexplained connection between a Russian bank and the Trump email server and dismissed it as extremely unusual, but not of particular interest. But when President Trump made his weird claim that President Obama had personally ordered Trump Tower telephones wiretapped, the FBI investigation ordered by President Trump will also necessarily include a deeper look at the connection with the Alfa bank group and the Trump Organization. Actually the Trump Organization, Alfa, and the DeVos family business have all given explanations, but they were all different and unsupported by any evidence. What is DNS DNS is simply the translation database between human memorable website names and the actual number string such as 184.168.211.46 (the IP address for the email server.) The Internet cant find a computer using the name such as BlastingNews but needs to look up the numeric, physical location on the network which is known as the IP address. Your computer does this every time you go to a web page with your browser but the activity is hidden behind the scenes. You can do it directly with a ping of the text-based URL name from a command line on your computer. The Ping will show the actual IP address and will time how long it takes to reach the site but does nothing else. This activity isnt secret and doesnt require any wiretapping of any kind but it is suggested by his staff that President Trump may think so and that may be the basis of his claim that then President Obama had him wiretapped. Wiretapping someone in the United States can only be done by a local prosecutor/law enforcement agency, or at a federal level by the FBI and only by showing probable cause of a crime being committed and obtaining a warrant from a secret court known as the FISA court (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.) Why did I give a fake address? The address I gave above for the Trump email server wasnt correct but it was similar. The reason is simple, when I tested the site I got a blank page but looking into the source code I found a link to a known malware site which can take over your browser. This site is the source of ak2.imgaft virus and if you went to the Trump server out of curiosity you might well have become infected. If you have the technical capability to risk going to the site then you should have no problem finding the correct address. A second Scottish Independence Referendum is on the way, according to Nicola Sturgeon. The First Minister said that she will present legislation to the Scottish Parliament next week to hold a vote in between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019. This announcement comes in response to the possibility that Article 50, the mechanism for a country to leave the EU, will be triggered this week and lead the UK down a 'hard' Brexit of quitting the Single Market as well. An overwhelming majority of Scots that voted in last year's referendum chose to remain in the EU, a figure of 61%. Unequal relationship Sturgeon blamed this outcome on the UK Government for failing to meet the Scottish Government halfway on a special status for scotland in the EU. She added: 'The British Government are moving further away from compromise.' 'It tells its own story about how far from an equal relationship this is between all the different countries in the United Kingdom.' But Prime Minister Theresa May said that allowing Scotland to remain in the EU's Single Market is not a binary choice. The First Minister said that the time has come for Scotland to have a more genuine choice over its future. Asked whether or not she believes that the Scottish National Party could win a second referendum, she said: 'Yes.' She added: 'Why should Scotland be taken down a different path to the one it voted for that throws this country's future into jeopardy?' 'We should have that choice and that choice should be an informed one made by the Scottish people.' Implications and opportunities The Scottish nationalist acknowledged there are many implications and opportunities if Scotland chooses to become an independent country. She said the post-Brexit landscape is 'significantly challenging' and no one can 'magic away' those challenges. She added: 'We will see out the legislative process next week and this should be a choice of the Scottish Parliament, not necessarily the Scottish Government.' Sturgeon said she is confident Scotland would be able to have a Common Travel Area with the rest of the UK, like the Republic of Ireland does. She said she wants to avoid a repeat of 'Project Fear' that took place in the 2014 Scottish Referendum. Asked whether she would consider resigning like her predecessor, Alex Salmond, did after the last vote, she refused to rule that out and said: 'I will do what is right for my country when the time comes.' A special deal She said that she is continuing to discuss with other EU countries about a special deal for Scotland. She added the EU would 'accept and respect' the decision of the Scottish people. The Scottish nationalist said that her party was elected on a manifesto to legislate a second referendum if Scotland is taken out of the EU against its will. She said she will discuss with the UK Government how to hold another vote under Section 30 of the Scotland Act. But she refused to rule out whether an independent Scotland would have the euro or continue to use the pound. Jeremy Corbyn said over the weekend he is fine with a second referendum. But responding to her press conference, he said Labour will oppose it at Westminster unless the Scottish Parliament votes for one. However, the Prime Minister said a majority of Scots do not want a second referendum. 55% of Scots voted to remain in the UK in the 2014 vote. Sturgeon is an opportunist. For all her rhetoric at the 2015 SNP conference that she would accept the result of the referendum and issue another vote in 2021, she has contradicted herself, using Brexit as an excuse for a rematch of the 2014 Referendum. Now there are rumours circulating that Alex Salmond is pushing his ally into legislating a second vote. Something fishy is going on here. 1707 Act of Union For all the debate about how complicated Brexit will be, the First Minister fails to realise how complex Scotland's exit from the UK would be. In 1707, the Act of Union brought together the kingdoms of England and Scotland. The original Scottish Parliament was abolished and Scottish MPs were sent to Westminster. If they vote for independence in 2018 or 2019, the 1707 Act of Union would have to be abolished. If a second vote is held in 2019, there is also the uncertainty about whether or not the Scots will send MPs to Westminster in the event of a general election. The Edinburgh Agreement However, for a second referendum to even become a reality, the Scottish Government would need to secure an agreement with the British Government over when the vote will be. The Edinburgh Agreement stated that the 2014 Referendum was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Theresa May wants to avoid any more obstacles as she triggers Article 50. She has already ruled out a second vote. Therefore, Sturgeon is unlikely to succeed. The SNP would also struggle to legislate a second referendum in the Scottish Parliament. The nationalists lost their majority during the election last year. The Scottish Conservatives are unilaterally opposed to a second referendum. It is unlikely that Sturgeon will receive parliamentary support for this measure. Economic disaster Economically, independence would be a total disaster. The UK still has an extortionate national debt to pay and a budget deficit that it needs to eradicate. It is unclear how much of the debt the Scots would have to take with them. And they would have to deal with their own state-owned bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland. So the consequences of the 2008 Recession would linger for them. Finally, both the EU and NATO have warned Sturgeon that if Scotland left the UK, they would automatically lose their membership of both organisations. They would have to apply to rejoin both groups. Spain and Belgium have already suggested that they will block the First Minister's application due to secessionist threats in their own countries. But most Scots knew all this in 2014, and they know it now. The majority of their electorate rejected independence then, and they are more than likely to do so now. Mosul: A city being liberated The northern Iraqi city of Mosul captured by Islamic State in 2014 is close to being totally liberated. 100 days of fighting for Mosul between the United States backed Iraqi forces and the Jihadis has seen them being pushed back. Government controlled buildings and the famous Mosul Museum once occupied have all been cleared out. 600,000 civilians are thought to remain in areas still controlled by Islamic State. The Jihadi group is thought to have no more than 2,500 fighters left in the city. Islamic State fighters trapped A US official Brett McGurk supervising the offensive against Islamic State said Iraqi forces had now cut off the main road out of Mosul. McGurk said the IS fighters had no escape route now and were cut off from supplies and would die where they were. Heavy fighting between government forces and remnants of Islamic State has continued over the weekend. To back up the consensus that the Jihadis are losing Iraqi Brigadier Yahya Rasool said in his opinion Daesh forces were weakening. Islamic State rule and atrocities When IS forces rolled into Iraq's second city of Mosul life at first seemed ok and the Jihadis offered hope. At least it seemed that way for many Mosul inhabitants but the honeymoon did not last long. IS instigated a rule of terror and brutality that the hapless population of Mosul had to endure. Women were forced to cover up, men had to grow beards, crime was harshly dealt with and the city lived in an atmosphere of fear. Where ever Islamic State held sway this was the daily life of 10 million people under its rule. Daesh in the territory they controlled killed or drove out all those it did not consider as Muslims and regarded as infidels. Shia Muslims, Christians and Yazidis were the main victims of the fanatics wrath and also Daesh executed their victims by beheading on social media. The beginning of the end for Islamic State? Islamic State's success took the world by surprise in a blitzkrieg-like offensive recalling the advances made by the Germans and Japanese. Like the Germans and Japanese of World War II, their territorial success was not to last when Allied and Russian forces attacked them from the air. Anti - Daesh forces rallied and began to push back IS so they lost ground, men and material. Islamic State will be defeated but whether that will be the end or they will morph into something else time will tell. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-11-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. Over the last week, Donald Trump and his administration have been forced to regroup after hitting a major bump in the road. As expected, the President of the United States continued to give his thoughts on Twitter. Trump on Twitter In the three weeks that he's been in office, President Donald Trump has made many decisions that have come under fire and resulted in harsh criticism from his political opponents. The two that have received the most backlash have been his "Muslim ban" executive order, as well as his push to start construction on a Southern border wall. In addition to a federal judge blocking the "Muslim ban" and an appeals courting ruling against him, a new report was also released that found the border wall will cost twice as much as originally projected. As seen on his Twitter account on February 11, the commander in chief isn't happy. Our legal system is broken! "77% of refugees allowed into U.S. since travel reprieve hail from seven suspect countries." (WT) SO DANGEROUS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 "Our legal system is broken!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Saturday morning, before quoting a Washington Times article, writing, "77% of refugees allowed into U.S. since travel reprieve hail from seven suspect countries." (WT). Concluding his tweet, the president added in all caps, "SO DANGEROUS!" Despite Trump's claim that refugees are "dangerous," there's been little to no evidence to suggest that they pose a threat to United States security. I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 The billionare real estate mogul then turned his attention to the border wall, where he pushed back against the report over its projected cost. "I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the design or negotiations yet," Trump went on to tweet. In a follow-up Twitter message, the president doubled down on his defense, writing, "When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!" According to the report released by Homeland Security, Trump's border wall is projected to cost $21.6 billion, which contradicts the president's recent tweets. ...design or negotiations yet. When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 Moving forward Donald Trump's third week in office was his most difficult, though his critics were pleased and able to breathe a sigh of relief. Though the former host of "The Apprentice" didn't have things go his way in recent days, it's expected that he still won't be willing to back down, as the controversy surrounding his administration continues. One of the biggest stories to dominate the news cycle over the last week has been President Donald Trump sounding off at Nordstrom for dropping Ivanka Trump's clothing line. After the president smeared the department store, he's now going after the media for allegedly abusing his daughter. Trump on Ivanka When Nordstom announced last week that they were no longer going to be carrying the clothing line of Ivanka Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul was not pleased. "My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by Nordstrom," Donald Trump sent out on social media, while also describing her as a "great person" who was treated "Terrible!" by the company. In the days that followed, the media was critical of how Trump reacted to the news, especially targeting Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway for appearing to violate ethics laws by publicly promoting the Ivanka's brand. In response, Trump returned to Twitter on Saturday night, and appeared not to be over the news. I am so proud of my daughter Ivanka. To be abused and treated so badly by the media, and to still hold her head so high, is truly wonderful! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 "I am so proud of my daughter Ivanka," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Saturday night. Not stopping there, the president then went on to defend his daughter from alleged abuse from the mainstream media. "To be abused and treated so badly by the media, and to still hold her head so high, is truly wonderful!" Trump concluded. Trump fact-checked Despite the allegations from Donald Trump and the White House, Nordstrom confirmed that the reason they dropped the clothing line was because of poor sales. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the sales of Ivanka Trump's line of clothes dropped by nearly a third during the presidential election, which is likely attributed to the criticism and backlash to her father's campaign. In the aftermath, other stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls have also announced that they will no longer be carrying the line. It's not just Nordstrom -- online sales of Ivanka Trump's fashion brand plunged in January https://t.co/1juux7HPzh pic.twitter.com/eQXeepxzDZ CBS News (@CBSNews) February 11, 2017 Moving forward While Donald Trump and the media continue to battle in a war of words, the former host of "The Apprentice" is facing increased backlash from his recent policy proposals. The most controversial action since Trump came into the White House has been the "Muslim ban" executive order, which has since been blocked and shutdown by a federal court. Earlier this week, the Republican Party finally rolled out their alternative to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Since the bill was introduced, backlash has followed, but that hasn't stopped House Speaker Paul Ryan from defending their efforts. Ryan on health care When Barack Obama was elected president back in 2008, he made enacting a total change in the American health care system one of his top priorities. After just over a year in office, Obamacare was singed into law, but that didn't stop the opposition from fighting back. For the next eight years, Republicans did their best to repeal the law, taking a floor vote over 60 times and using millions of taxpayer dollars to do so in the process. However, since the election of Donald Trump, and with Republicans controlling all of Congress, it was only a matter of time before a "repeal and replace" started to gain traction. These issues were on display with Rep. Paul Ryan during a March 12 interview on CBS' "Face the Nation." How many people are going to lose coverage under ACA? @SpeakerRyan: "I can't answer that question. It's up to people." pic.twitter.com/4RFsbqBXiR Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 12, 2017 Joining CBS News host John Dickerson was Paul Ryan, who did his best to defend the GOP health care alternative known as the American Health Care Act. Paul admitted that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is likely to come out and find that the latest bill will not cover as many people, explaining, "this isn't a government mandate." How many people will lose coverage under the new legislation? @SpeakerRyan says I can't answer that question. It's up to people. Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 12, 2017 When John Dickerson asked straight out how many people will lose coverage if Obamacare is repealed and replaced with the Republican alternative, and Paul Ryan smiled, while answering, "I can't answer that question. It's up to people." "Here's the premise of your question. Are you going to stop mandating people buy health insurance? Ryan said while sitting up in his seat. "People are going to do what they want to do with their lives because we believe in individual freedom in this country," the Speaker of the House continued. Ryan then explained that the Repubican bill will allegedly provide Americans better access to coverage, without the mandate by government to do so. Next up Since the bill's reveal, even some Republicans have pushed back. Though Paul Ryan appears proud of what House Republicans have put forward, Sen. Rand Paul has voiced his opposition, engaging into a public spat over the issue, despite the call from Donald Trump to unify behind the bill. In politics weeks are not independent capsules of time. There are matters that by their very nature take up much time so they are almost permanent parts of the weekly to do list. This week has one matter that must be addressed on the first day and others that may take unexpected directions. Deadline Monday is the day that the House Intelligence Committee requested the Oval Office to supply information on President Donald Trumps accusations that the Obama Administration ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. These accusations came during a stream of tweets two weekends ago which confounded even some of the Presidents supporters and which his Press staff struggled to explain to the public. The reaction of the Democrats in the Capitol was to put more pressure on the Republicans to appoint a Special Prosecutor on the allegation of Russian interference on the presidential campaign won by #Donald Trump which they had so far resisted. On Sunday Republican Senator John McCain, a long time critic of the President within the GOP, entered the fray during a television interview by asking the White House to provide the information on which the accusations were made or to withdraw them. Without second guessing the Oval Offices response, this matter has the potential to bring to a head the issue of the Russian interference. Furthermore, the Presidents resultant twitter silence over the last ten days may be an indication that tweets may no longer be a regular part of Presidential communications. Only time will tell on both issues. Asia North Korea has been a thorn in the side of American foreign policy for decades and under three generations of the Kim family. While many may dismiss the erstwhile communist dictatorship as an insignificant anachronism recent weeks have shown that is it growing in ambition and may wish to challenge the United States on the world stage. As a result of the recent missile tests by Pyongyang the United States deployed a missile defence system in South Korea. This has had led to some tension between Americas ally and China. This week Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will make an official visit to Asia where undoubtedly the behaviour of North Koreas Kin Jong-Un will be a hot topic for the entire continent. This will be a test of the White Houses foreign policy agenda and the first true proving ground of the new Secretary. China itself is playing a role in the uncertainty in Asia as it has increased ts military strength over recent years, as well as constructing artificial islands in the South China Sea for possible use as advanced military bases. This has raised the fears of Chinas neighbours, many of which are American allies, who themselves claim sovereign rights of the sea. This will be a difficult chess game for the Administration to play. Health care and Immigration Added to the above are two issues that were at the heart of Donald Trumps election victory and are his often stated priorities for the beginning of his Administration. The issue of Immigration led to the executive orders banning Moslem immigration and for the construction of the southern border wall. The first orders are in court with a number of states are now challenging the second order which was meant to rectify the details of the first order that was blocked by the courts. The repeal and replacement of Obamacare is causing much heartache within the Republican Party and the proposal presented by House Leader Paul Ryan last Tuesday is being challenged by many of his own congressmen and senators. Its approval is now under a cloud and may well put a spanner in the Oval Offices works for at least the short term. This week will put to the test the political skills of the President. Up to now he has had the benefit of the doubt, but as time proceeds he will be face ever more political realities which have stopped experienced presidents in the past. The true test of the new Administration has well and truly begun. This week sees a visit which will highlight the complexities of the immigration issue that was at the heart of Donald Trumps victorious presidential campaign. During the campaign rallies e constantly referred to the bad Mexicans, but they are not the sole source of illegal migration in the country. Visit As reported by the BBS this week Enda Kenny, the Republic of Irelands Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is on an official visit to the United States. One of the matters that he wants to discuss with President #Donald Trump is the future of the thousands of Irish who are illegally working in the United States. In the week of Saint Patricks Day this report highlights a fact that has been forgotten in the bluster and rhetoric about the Mexican migrants in the United States. There are large numbers of foreign citizens working illegally in the country and they do not come through the southern border, but through airports on tourist visas which they then overstay after they find work. For fear of being deported these migrants live precarious lives and do little to attract the attention of the authorities. This has changed with the recent increased funding and activities of ICE which has grabbed headlines in many countries. The precise numbers of migrants working illegally in the country will never be known, but they would be from many countries, yet despite popular opinion the effects of Illegal Immigration are in fact not negative on the economy of the United States. Taxes and skills The first issue involving illegal migrants is of course that of lower pay rates, any wide spread removal of illegal migrants from the country will immediate increases in production costs and not only in the rural sector. This will then of course have an effect on the cost of living for the population as a whole. Yet there is another aspect of illegal migration that is often deliberately overlooked and it too shows that these migrants do more than just work for cheap hourly rates. As reported in a number of sources, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy has shown that illegal migrants pay higher tax rates than many members of the population. According to this research illegally migrants pay every year nearly $12 billion in income and other forms of taxes. In addition, if these migrants were to have their residency issues resolved then this figure would increase by at least a further $3billion per year. Combined with the lower production costs these figures show that the effects of the presence of illegal migrants are actually beneficial to the economy and not damaging. Although precise figures of the numbers of such migrants are difficult to assess, according to the Pew Research Center there are over 8 million illegal migrants in the country carrying out a wide range of activities from simple labour to skilled professions in the building industry, sales and even in other highly skilled professions. These are jobs where there may not be replacements readily available if the migrants were to be deported. Added to this is the fact that the serious crime rates of these migrants is lower than the national average and thus they are not a danger to the population. The issue of illegal migration may seem to be black and white, but is much more complex than some, beginning in the Oval Office, try to portray. The forced removal of millions is not a true solution, new illegal immigrants would only arrive to replace the deportees. The solution would be simple but what is lacking is the political will to seek it. The presidential campaign only seems like yesterday, but there is another electoral date on the horizon which will soon determine the actions of congressmen and senators. The fate of these individual politicians may well be the deciding factor that will determine the governing of the country in the near future. The past On the morning of November 9th last the future of the Republican Party seemed rosy, #Donald Trump had just won what many considered the unwinnable election and the Party had held on to the majorities in both the Senate and Congress. It seemed that its more conservative wings would finally be able to enact the many plans it held in abeyance while Barack Obama was in the Oval Office. In a few short months these plans have been thrown out the window. Today The business become politician entered the White House after very public arguments with some prominent members of the GOP, not only Marco Rubio and John McCain, but also with House Leader Paul Ryan during the run for the top Office. Hanging over the heads of all involved were also the allegations of Russian interference in the election in favour of the winning candidate which have made other Republicans uncomfortable and has caused worry in many sections of the population. Allegations now under investigation by the country's intelligence community. Then, with a series of hasty, badly designed executive orders President Donald Trump began a course that set him against other members of his Party. The order for the repeal of Obamacare without an adequate replacement has been opposed by some Republican senators and congressmen, added to which the order for the building of the border wall with Mexico may well lead a budget battle in both houses. The first order also led to stormy town hall meetings around the country where Republican Senators and Congressman were attacked by constituents worried that they would lose their health insurance. Paul Ryans proposed replacement announced last Tuesday further fuelled this discontent with some Republicans openly stating that they would vote against the Bill. As reported by Huffington post, on Sunday Republican Senator Tom Cotton publicly appealed to his fellow Senators to vote against Ryans Bill. Senator Cotton, like other Republicans had understood that there was a danger for the Republican Party on the horizon. The future Next year the Senate and Congress will face the midterm elections and Senator Cotton expressed the thoughts of other Republican politicians. The stormy town hall meetings were a clear warning that many of them will face uphill battles due to this issue. In this way they would put at serious risk the Republican majorities in both Houses and particularly in the Senate where it has only a one seat advantage. This would have two effects on the Trump Administration. The first obviously would be to risk stalling any laws not finalized before then and blocking future proposals, this would put at risk all the Presidents campaign promises. Supreme Court On their own these would be serious enough, but the second effect would be the real defeat for the Republican Party; the loss of control of the Senate to the Democrats which would then stall any future nominations for vacancies to the Supreme Court. This has been the undisguised plan of the GOP for some time and after the refusal of the Republican controlled Senate to even consider Barack Obamas nominee to replace the deceased Justice Antonin Scalia until after the presidential election it will be easy to foresee the Democrats returning the favour. The fear of the midterms will be the spoke in Donald Trumps wheel as the Republican priority will be the Supreme Court and not his agenda. So will begin the real battle between the Oval Office and the GOP. It will be interesting to see how the behaviour of Republicans towards the Partys Leader will change as they fear the loss of their seats next year. This future began with Paul Ryans Bill and will continue until the midterms. After completing his third week in the White House, Donald Trump continues to create a constant stream of controversy. With each passing day, critics pile on the new commander in chief, which includes comedian Bill Maher. Maher on Trump In the last week, Donald Trump has come under fire as his "Muslim ban" executive order was blocked by a federal judge, and then his appeal was denied by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In the aftermath, Trump lashed out on Twitter, writing, "SEE YOU IN COURT." In addition, the president has had a difficult time keeping his own administration in order, with Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway, and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer getting caught up in questionable spots with members of the press. As protests continue and backlash increases against the administration, the pressure is on the former host of "The Apprentice." These issues and more were the hot topic of discussion during the February 10 edition of HBO's "real time with Bill Maher." Kicking off the start of his show with his opening monologue was host Bill Maher, who was quick to lay into Donald Trump and didn't hold back. "There's just too much news to get to. There's so much fu**ing crazy," Maher said. "This was a good week for the resistance. This was a good week for checks and balances. This was a good week for maybe surviving President man baby," he continued. Maher then went on to reference Trump losing his appeal in regard to the aforementioned "Muslim ban," stating, "It's almost like he's losing so much that he's tired of losing." Bill Maher went on to touch on the news that former half-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could become the next Ambassador to Canada. "Sean Spicer will not confirm or deny that Trump is considering Sarah Palin to be Ambassador to Canada," Maher said, before mockingly noting, "He said it will take her awhile to learn the language, but she'll get it." It's tempting to say Trump puts out so much crazy shit, we're going to throw up our hands & ignore it. But no. I'm not there yet. @BillMaher pic.twitter.com/E6Wg9GLxlK Real Time (@RealTimers) February 11, 2017 Not stopping there, Bill Maher said that "other countries are literally rolling their eyes," before showing a clip of Japaneses Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rolling his eyes at Donald Trump after the president shook his hand for nearly 20 seconds during a meeting at the White House on Friday. At this point, Maher focused on the recent issue of Kellyanne Conway promoting Ivanka Trump's clothing line, and the former host of "The Apprentice" tweeting against Nordstrom for dropping her products. "The only one interested in getting into Ivanka's pants is him!" Maher said of the president. Closing out his opening monologue, Maher ripped into Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for silencing Sen. Elisabeth Warren during a confirmation hearing for Sen. Jeff Sessions to become the new Attorney General, leading to the HBO host to call him a "Whiny little b*tch." Heating up During the show itself, guests Jim Jefferies and Piers Morgan got into a heated argument over the "Muslim ban." While Morgan appeared to brush it off, Jefferies wasn't having it. Please enjoy this clip of @jimjefferies going to town on Piers Morgan on Real Time. pic.twitter.com/jKc5WgiiLI Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 11, 2017 Moving forward As Bill Maher and others continue to critique and mock Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul appears willing to go head-to-head with the press and all his critics. Considering the current state of emotion when it comes to politics, the relationship between the left and the right doesn't appear like it's going to improve anytime soon. "Days Of Our Lives" fans know that some storylines tend to drag on. This week isn't going to be as action-packed as viewers have enjoyed lately. Things will move along in Salem and things will change, but it just isn't happening all at once. Don't continue to read if you don't want to know. Spoilers will follow. Things are looking up for Abigail and Chad. The two present themselves as a power couple. Jennifer is leery, however. She is wondering if Chad is as loyal as he wants everyone to believe. Meanwhile, Darios is keeping up with his dance lessons and realizes that he has some feelings growing for Abigail. By the end of the week, Chad does make a confession about Gabi to his wife! Jennifer's love life is heating up a bit. Eric and her share another kiss. And speaking of Eric, he returns to Salem and takes the job as a helper at Horton Center. Adrienne gets to be queen for a day thanks to Justin and Lucas. Kate helps them set up a much needed session of pampering. Sonny has a plan! Sonny shares his vision for the family business. He wants to have it all but can he? He needs a little info from Paul, however. Like some sort of proof against Deimos. Could this cause a problem between the two? Steve and Kayla get some information on Steve and Ava's son. Tripp (portrayed by Lucas Adams) will live up to his name. Brady is standing by Nicole as she prepares to flee to Canada with Holly. Though Victor is very upset about it, Brady stays by her side and prepares to go with her! As hard as he tries, Deimos is unable to interfere. Deimos starts a family war with Chad over artifacts. As if he doesn't have enough trouble with the rest of the world, now the drama is in the family circle as well. Two relationships may be in trouble Claire wants to heat things up with Theo as she tries her hand at seduction. Meanwhile, Jade and Joey aren't looking so solid. Joey just doesn't feel the same anymore. Julie throws a Horton family party -- a welcome to her son Eli! He gets a chance to meet everyone. What a happy family! Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 No one could have foreseen this just a little more than four months ago: The next meeting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be held in Chile's capital Santiago after the withdrawal of the United States and with the participation of China. Representatives from 12 countries that formed the TPP, plus China and South Korea, will meet Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since US President Donald Trump announced his country's exit from the group, according to Reuters. Asked on Friday whether China plans to attend the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the Chinese side supports economic integration in the Asia-Pacific and stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with Chile and other relevant countries to build FTAAP (Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific), create an open Asia-Pacific economy and inject new impetus to economic growth in the region and beyond. "We hope that the meeting will help realize the goals. To my knowledge, the Chinese side is actively considering attendance at the meeting," Geng told the daily briefing in Beijing. The 12 economies signing the TPP in February last year included the US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia and Mexico. To most nations, the withdrawal of the US, the largest economy in the group, literally killed the TPP. However, many still have not given up. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe traveled to the US twice to meet Trump after his election win and after his inauguration in a bid to persuade Trump. Japan is the only economy that has ratified the TPP. Even within the US, many trade experts and former officials, especially those who had worked hard in the Barack Obama administration to push for the TPP, have also tried to lobby the Trump administration to change its mind. Just last Tuesday, the Asia Society Policy Institute issued a report on trade and economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, urging the US government to reconsider its position on TPP, even with possible adjustments. However, Trump and his Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have repeatedly expressed their views that bilateral trade agreements, instead of multilateral agreements, would serve the US better economically. The TPP has been criticized by some in the US for being oversold as a geopolitical tool against China, the largest trading partner for many countries in the Asia-Pacific, including the 12 TPP members. Former President Obama had said on various occasions that "the US, not China, should write the rules of the global economy." That kind of rhetoric has deepened suspicions among many Chinese that the Obama administration was weaponizing TPP as a part of its rebalance to Asia strategy to curtail the rise of China. The views of the Chinese government, however, have evolved over time, from initially regarding the TPP as a US containment strategy to expressing an interest to understand more of the US-led agreement. China has been working with 15 other Asia-Pacific economies to advance the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), between the 10 ASEAN countries, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Just a week ago, the 16 RCEP economies concluded its five-day 17th round of negotiations in Kobe, Japan. They will meet again in the Philippines in May and India in July for the next two rounds of talks. While the original plan to conclude the RCEP by the end of year still looks uncertain, the RCEP has been regarded as a viable way for regional economic integration after Trump sounded the death knell of TPP on Jan 23. Many US economists and trade experts believe that the strong anti-TPP sentiment among Americans has been largely due to the poor job the US government has done in helping vulnerable groups negatively affected by past free trade agreements. While China's participation in the TPP meeting in Chile this week is set to make major headlines, no one seems sure about the fate of TPP after the US withdrawal or whether and when China might join the TPP negotiations. One thing that seems sure is that China has increasingly expressed its support for globalization and open trade while the Trump administration increasingly smacks of protectionism and isolationism. Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 03/13/2017 page2) No one could have foreseen this just a little more than four months ago: The next meeting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be held in Chile's capital Santiago after the withdrawal of the United States and with the participation of China. Representatives from 12 countries that formed the TPP, plus China and South Korea, will meet Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since US President Donald Trump announced his country's exit from the group, according to Reuters. Asked on Friday whether China plans to attend the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the Chinese side supports economic integration in the Asia-Pacific and stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with Chile and other relevant countries to build FTAAP (Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific), create an open Asia-Pacific economy and inject new impetus to economic growth in the region and beyond. "We hope that the meeting will help realize the goals. To my knowledge, the Chinese side is actively considering attendance at the meeting," Geng told the daily briefing in Beijing. The 12 economies signing the TPP in February last year included the US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia and Mexico. To most nations, the withdrawal of the US, the largest economy in the group, literally killed the TPP. However, many still have not given up. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe traveled to the US twice to meet Trump after his election win and after his inauguration in a bid to persuade Trump. Japan is the only economy that has ratified the TPP. Even within the US, many trade experts and former officials, especially those who had worked hard in the Barack Obama administration to push for the TPP, have also tried to lobby the Trump administration to change its mind. Just last Tuesday, the Asia Society Policy Institute issued a report on trade and economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, urging the US government to reconsider its position on TPP, even with possible adjustments. However, Trump and his Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have repeatedly expressed their views that bilateral trade agreements, instead of multilateral agreements, would serve the US better economically. The TPP has been criticized by some in the US for being oversold as a geopolitical tool against China, the largest trading partner for many countries in the Asia-Pacific, including the 12 TPP members. Former President Obama had said on various occasions that "the US, not China, should write the rules of the global economy." That kind of rhetoric has deepened suspicions among many Chinese that the Obama administration was weaponizing TPP as a part of its rebalance to Asia strategy to curtail the rise of China. The views of the Chinese government, however, have evolved over time, from initially regarding the TPP as a US containment strategy to expressing an interest to understand more of the US-led agreement. China has been working with 15 other Asia-Pacific economies to advance the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), between the 10 ASEAN countries, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Just a week ago, the 16 RCEP economies concluded its five-day 17th round of negotiations in Kobe, Japan. They will meet again in the Philippines in May and India in July for the next two rounds of talks. While the original plan to conclude the RCEP by the end of year still looks uncertain, the RCEP has been regarded as a viable way for regional economic integration after Trump sounded the death knell of TPP on Jan 23. Many US economists and trade experts believe that the strong anti-TPP sentiment among Americans has been largely due to the poor job the US government has done in helping vulnerable groups negatively affected by past free trade agreements. While China's participation in the TPP meeting in Chile this week is set to make major headlines, no one seems sure about the fate of TPP after the US withdrawal or whether and when China might join the TPP negotiations. One thing that seems sure is that China has increasingly expressed its support for globalization and open trade while the Trump administration increasingly smacks of protectionism and isolationism. Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com. Zhangye Danxia Geopark attracts tourists from around the world to its colorful rock formations in Gansu province's Zhangye, an important commercial hub along the ancient Silk Road. [Photo provided to China Daily] Chinese travel agencies on Wednesday charmed visitors at a key travel trade show in Berlin with Silk Road destinations. Chinese provincial tourism administrations from Shanghai, Hunan, Inner Mongolia and Shandong, as well as Chinese airlines participated in the Internationale Tourismus Boerse, which ran from March 8 to March 12.Destinations in West China's Shaanxi and Xinjiang drew a lot of attention at the event, which saw around 180,000 visitors. Although cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are still at the top of the China holiday destinations list, Silk Road sites like Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Xi'an are also becoming prominent, says Shi Xiang, the Frankfurt-based regional director of the China National Tourism Administration. Meanwhile, selected travel routes along the historical Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting East and West, are offering "early explorer" experiences to visitors. There, visitors can ride horses, camels and live in tents just like the local herdsmen. Viktoria Arneson, a 28-year-old travel expert, says the "early explorer" experiences could appeal to Western travelers as lots of them are "adventurous". "For me, I like grand landscapes like seas, steppes and deserts. The Silk Road route has those landscapes and seems exotic," says Arneson. For many Germans, taking a trip along the ancient trade route is even more tempting since the term Silk Road was coined by German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen, who made seven trips to China between 1868 and 1872. According to a preliminary report by the China National Tourism Administration, foreign travelers made more than 28 million visits to China in 2016, a year-on-year growth of 8.3 percent. This combination of pictures created on March 10, 2017 shows US President Donald Trump (L) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. [Photo/VCG] WASHINGTON After accusing German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the campaign trail of "ruining Germany" by welcoming refugees, President Donald Trump will have his first face-to-face meeting with the German leader at the White House on Tuesday. The two were expected to discuss strengthening the NATO alliance, collaborating to fight terrorism and taking steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, White House officials said Friday. Trump's first encounter with Merkel will be aimed at building a personal rapport with a European partner who was among former President Barack Obama's strongest allies and international confidantes, according to the officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity despite the president's recent criticism of anonymous sources. Merkel, however, will need to look past Trump's past comments, when he accused her of "ruining Germany" because of her acceptance of refugees. Trump often claimed that his Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, was running to be "America's Angela Merkel" and argued that Germany was in the midst of crisis. White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not address past areas of friction on Friday, telling reporters there was "a lot of excitement on both sides of the ocean for this trip." "The president looks forward to meeting with the chancellor and discussing areas of shared national interest," Spicer said. AP 1950 The United Kingdom recognized the People's Republic of China on Jan 6. It was the first major Western country to do so. 1954 China and the UK established diplomatic relations at the level of charge d'affaires on June 17. 1972 China and the UK established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on March 13. 1984 China and the UK signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, affirming that the government of the People's Republic of China would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from July 1, 1997. 1986 s Queen Elizabeth II visited China, becoming the first British monarch ever to do so. She also met with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. 1997 s The Hong Kong Handover Ceremony was held on the night of June 30. The ceremony marked the restoration of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China. 1998 Premier Zhu Rongji and Prime Minister Tony Blair exchanged visits. China and the UK established the comprehensive partnership. 1999 President Jiang Zemin visited the UK. 2004 Premier Wen Jiabao visited the UK. China and the UK established the comprehensive strategic partnership. 2005 Prime Minister Tony Blair made a visit to China in September, during which the two countries decided to establish a strategic dialogue mechanism. In November, President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to the UK at the invitation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 2008 Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid his first official visit to China in January. In August of the same year, Brown attended the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. 2009 The British Government issued its first China strategy paper in JanuaryThe UK and China: A Framework for Engagement, which listed China as "a major priority" in the UK's future foreign policy. 2010 Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in London in January. 2014 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited the UK in June and met Prime Minister David Cameron and Queen Elizabeth. 2015 s Prince William visited China and met with President Xi Jinping in March. Prince William was the most senior British royal to visit China since the Queen's tour of the country in 1986. 2015 s President Xi Jinping made a state visit to the UK in October. President Xi and then-prime minister David Cameron jointly established the China-UK global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century and jointly opened up an enduring, open and win-win "golden era". 2016 Prince Andrew visited China and met with President Xi Jinping in April. 2016 Prime Minister Theresa May attended the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou and met with President Xi Jinping. : , , , , - 28 . I devoted no fewer than 15 posts to its demise (see them all here), and - in a way - it was the story that gave this blog a purpose, but I havent touched on the topic of the late, lamented Cedar Tavern that used to stand on University Place between 11th and 12th Streets since early in 2015. Considering that the establishment itself closed its doors in 2006, its somewhat remarkable I continued to have things to say about it. Well, this week, I stumbled upon something about it worth nothing. But first, some background This week is SXSW, which - for those of you not in the know -- is acronymized shorthand for South By Southwest (also frequently annoyingly truncated to simply Southby), ostensibly a multi-day music festival. It started off, 30 years ago, as simply an organic indie rock festival, playing to the endearing quirkiness of Austin, Texas, but has since grown - much like, say, the Sundance Film Festival - into a comparatively very corporate convention that also involves technology. It may have once been a more freewheeling affair, but, by all accounts, those days are largely over. Id love to say I remember it when it was such, but even in all my travels to Texas over the past several years, Ive never made it to Austin. I hear its cool, or at least was. In any case, SXSW is sort of a big deal for the organization I work for, so in the past several weeks, Ive been busy orchestrating various elements from here in New York. This all culminates this week. I dont get to go, alas or at least not this time. However sanitized and choreographed it may have become, it does sound like a fun few days. Anyway, in searching for some information about one of the venues in town, I spotted a link with a provocative headline, that being New Bar with Legendary Ties Opens in Inside Long-Awaited Austin. Curiosity duly piqued, I clicked on over when what suddenly appears before me is the Cedar Taverns actual, lovingly crafted mahogany bar. Jarringly re-positioned in an incongruously well-lit and brightly tiled environment, there was the very bar that my friends and - crucially - my wife and I spent countless hours propping up over the years. In fact, heres a not-at-all flattering shot of me and my friend Dave from the Gin Goblins enjoying a couple of pints against it circa 2005. Just like the Moondance Diner (re-positioned in Wyoming) and the giant lizard from the roof of the Lone Star Cafe (now also in Texas, as recently discussed), it seems many of the touchstones of my favorite incarnation of New York City have moved out to the wild, wild west. In any case, I now have a new reason to want to go to Austin, Texas. Here, once again, is a video of the Cedar Tavern's final night in business on University Place in 2006 because why not? Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Bo Xuan Hiep AK LAK Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the Central Highlands region to unleash its potential to attract investment, especially in the fields of high-tech agriculture, tourism, forestry and renewable energy. The PM spoke at the fourth conference on investment promotion organised last Saturday in the Central Highlands province of ak Lak. He said the Central Highlands region plays a vital role in the countrys socio-economic development, and in national defence and security. However, the region has failed to tap its potential to attract investment, Phuc said. Although the country is one of the worlds leading coffee and pepper exporters, most of the products are unprocessed with low added value, he said. The region needs to establish large-scale farming areas, pursue organic agriculture and expand the value chain of products from industrial trees, he said. Localities in the region should also strengthen coordination with southeastern and central coastal regions to improve regional transport connectivity, he added. On land and forest issues, the region needs to speed up forest planting and follow the Governments directions on forest management and protection as well as sustainable forest recovery, he said. Protecting forests means protecting the environment, water resources, livelihoods of people and heritage space of our ancestors. Any activities of destroying forests and exploiting forest products illegally are a crime, he said. Phuc also urged the region to review the operation of hydropower plants in the region, particularly those that have a negative impact on the environment, forest and water resources. In addition, the region was asked to develop qualified human resources and skilled management, and encourage technological innovation and transfer. Regarding tourism potential, he said the region boasts a range of natural landscapes with climate suitable for tourism. Phuc said the Government is determined to turn the Central Highlands epics into world intangible cultural heritage, and asked the region to conserve local cultural identities, especially the gong culture. Minister of Public Security To Lam, who is also head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee, said the committee would implement specific action plans in accordance with the Prime Ministers direction. Officials from the Central Highlands provinces signed agreements and delivered investment certificates for investors worth VN80 trillion (US$3.5 billion), of which solar power projects accounted for $2 billion. Commercial banks have committed to providing loans for the projects in the region worth VN29 trillion ($1.27 billion). Potential The Central Highlands region covers an area of 5.46 million ha, accounting for 16.8 per cent of the nations total area. The region has a population of more than 5.6 million. Of the 5.46 million ha of natural land, two million ha are used for agricultural production and 3.2 million ha are forestland. The region has 74.25 per cent of the countrys red basalt soil at almost 2.1 million ha, making the region an ideal place to grow cash crops such as coffee, rubber and cashew nuts, among others. Coffee is grown on 582,000ha, accounting for 90 per cent of coffee plantations nationwide, with an annual yield of about 1.37 million tonnes of beans, which is also over 90 per cent of the countrys total. National productivity of robusta coffee is three times that of the world (2.5 tonnes against 0.8 tonnes a hectare). The region grows more than 82 per cent of the nations pepper on 70,000ha. Coffee, rubber and pepper are the agricultural mainstays of the region. Meanwhile, tea, particularly oolong tea, plays an important position in Lam ong Province. The GRDP (Gross Regional Domestic Product) in the 2011-15 period was about 10.45 per cent per annum. In 2016, the GRDP per capita was VN39.56 million ($1,700) an increase of 8.57 per cent over the previous year. In the 2011-15 period, the region attracted investments of VN265.7 trillion ($11.7 billion) double that of the previous five years. As a result, average annual growth rate in the period was 11.33 per cent. To date, the region has 140 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth $772.5 million. In 2016-20, the region is expected to attract more than VN230 trillion ($10 billion) worth of investment. The conference was attended by more than 500 leaders of the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, ak Lak, ak Nong and Lam ong, and representatives of commercial banks, local enterprises and investors. The conference, organised by the Central Highlands Steering Committee, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and ak Lak Provinces Peoples Committee, is part of the sixth Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival that ended today. VNS HA NOI As many as 110 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Viet Nam participated in a conference in Singapore last Friday to seek business and investment opportunities in this foreign market. The meeting was inspired by the co-operation among the Viet NamSingapore Friendship Association, the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore and the Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Club under the Vietnamese Association of SMEs. At the conference, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Nguyen Tien Minh highlighted the presence of Vietnamese SMEs participating in the event for the first time, which he said indicated their ability to take advantage of opportunities overseas. Through Singapore, Vietnamese firms can better serve the regional and global market, especially Europe, a significant trade partner for both Viet Nam and Singapore, Minh said. The diplomat also said the relationship between the two countries had grown rapidly over the past few years in all fields of co-operation such as economics, defence, education and training and citizen exchange. Singapore is currently the third-largest foreign investor and the leading ASEAN investor in Viet Nam, with over US$38 billion invested in more than 1,600 Vietnamese projects related to the processing, technology, manufacturing and real estate, as well as construction, transportation and logistics industries. In addition, Singapore is Viet Nams 12th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade doubling over the last decade to reach nearly $16 billion last year. Singapore Business Federation (SBF) representative Thian Tai Chew told reporters that the latest survey found the ASEAN was the top region where Singaporean businesses wanted to expand their investments, while Viet Nam ranked third amongst the Southeast Asian countries for targeted investment. He also confirmed that more than 24,000 SBF members, mostly SMEs, were interested in Viet Nams market, typically in the food, retail, e-commerce and supply chain space, as well as infrastructure and urban development. Singaporean SMEs shine in these sectors, and they want to share their experiences with their Vietnamese partners. Besides providing information on investment and the business environment in Singapore, the conference also gave Vietnamese firms answers to their questions and granted them the opportunity to network and form alliances for co-operative projects or to expand their exports in the near future. Recent high-ranking visits between the two countries have developed bilateral relations, promising to open new opportunities for both sides enterprises to foster trade and investment links. The upcoming visit to Viet Nam by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the end of March is expected to promote co-ordination in a variety of areas, especially in the exchange of citizens. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam has halted the import of poultry and poultry products from two US states, Tennessee and Wisconsin, which have been affected by avian flu. Viet Nams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) issued a decision to halt the import of raw poultry and its byproducts that have not been subjected to heat treatment from March 10 onwards, noting that the two states were battling a strain of low pathogenic H5N2 and the highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza virus. The ministry has asked the Animal Health Department to closely inspect all cargo from the two US states that were loaded before March 10 for delivery to Viet Nam. MARD is in regular communication with authorities in the United States on the bird flu situation and will continue to monitor the developments closely. An avian flu outbreak emerged on March 6 in Tennessee, with the low pathogenic H7N9 found infecting 16,500 birds, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report posted on March 10 on the website of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The outbreak marks the first detection of the H7N9 strain in commercial poultry in the United States this year, it said. Tennessee had earlier this month reported finding the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H7 in its chickens. The USDA also said on March 6 that the low pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N2 had been detected amongst 84,000 turkeys in Wisconsin. Viet Nam, where seven provinces across the country have reported H5N1 and H5N6 bird flu outbreaks among chickens and ducks in recent weeks, has been stepping up measures to prevent the virus from spreading. Last month, MARD issued warnings on the H7N9 virus, a rare strain first detected in China in March 2013. It infected 460 people in China between September 2016 and February 2017. Viet Nam has not reported any cases of the strain. VNS HAI PHONG A forum was held in Hai Phong City on Sunday to promote investment and tourism partnerships with Japan, one of the major investors in the northern port city. Hai Phong was one of the first localities to welcome Japanese firms seeking business opportunities after Viet Nam initiated oi moi (reforms). Its achievements in the past three decades are partly thanks to Japanese investors, noted Le Van Thanh, secretary of the municipal Party Committee. Japan is Viet Nams fourth biggest trade partner and its largest official development assistance (ODA) provider, Thanh added. Currently, 486 foreign direct investment projects from 36 countries worth around US$14 billion are underway in the city. These include 130 Japanese projects, which have a combined capital of $4.14 billion. Japan ranks first in the number of projects and second in investment capital in Hai Phong. The country has also provided significant ODA funds for key projects in Hai Phong and has helped the city develop waste treatment plants and transport infrastructure, Thanh said. At the forum, Thanh also promoted Hai Phong as a coastal, tourist city with its magnificent landscape, hundreds of islands, including Cat Ba, a UNESCO world biosphere reserve, and beaches such as o Son. Jun Yanagi, vice-ambassador of Japan in Viet Nam, said 2016 had been a successful year for tourism in both countries. Last year, Japan welcomed 230,000 Vietnamese visitors, while Viet Nam welcomed 470,000 Japanese visitors. Japan now plans to establish an office of Japan National Tourism Organisation in Viet Nam, the 16th of its kind abroad, to promote Japans image to Viet Nam, especially Hai Phong. Japanese investment and trade promotion agencies will also work to further boost cooperation between the two countries in general, and Japan and Hai Phong City in particular, Yanagi said. In 2016, Hai Phong City posted an economic growth of 11 per cent, which is 1.7 times higher than the national average. Its port handled more than 80 million tonnes of goods, a year-on-year rise of 17 per cent. Around $3 billion worth of foreign investment poured into Hai Phong, making it the top foreign investment destination in Viet Nam, he said. Among the Japanese-invested projects in the city is the Nomura Industrial Zone (IZ), a $140 million project located on 153 hectares of land, all of which is now occupied. A representative from inh Vu Industrial Zone, an infrastructure firm, said the city had welcomed 55 investors, which included huge international groups as well as local companies. The project to expand the current IZ and establish Deep C complex had been taken up to attract more investors, especially Japanese firms. At the forum, Japanese entrepreneurs talked about how Hai Phong can benefit from more partnerships with them, especially in the industry and tourism sectors, and create employment opportunities in Japan for Vietnamese people. Hai Phong and Japan signed three memorandums of understanding (MoU) on cultural exchanges and tourism promotion. The city also inked a MoU on flower cultivation with Greenwin Company and another on developing logistics and transportation systems with Fukuyama Transporting Co Ltd. VNS HA NOI The Foreign Ministrys Culture and UNESCO Department has encouraged Vietnamese artists to present their works to Viet Nams embassies and consulate generals worldwide. Addressing a meeting that had gathered many renowned Vietnamese artists, Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, the head of the department, emphasised that these paintings and sculptures would be treated as representative images of the country, its people and its traditions. He added that the artistic works would be solemnly placed in the parlours and reception halls of Viet Nams embassies and consulate generals in 96 countries across five continents. We therefore look forward to receiving the artists support and contributions, with beautiful high-quality works, to promote the image of Viet Nam as a beautiful country with a rich cultural life in the eyes of our international friends, Chau said. The appeal has received great support from artists nationwide. They expressed delight in contributing their works to Viet Nams representative offices worldwide. The Culture and UNESCO Department and the artists who attended the meeting also unanimously supported the creation of a Facebook page called My Thuat Viet Nam va Ngoai Giao Van Hoa (Vietnamese Arts and Cultural Diplomacy), which showcases works by artists who have supported the programme. The works will then be classified by the Culture and UNESCO Department in order to choose the best ones for display in Viet Nams embassies and consulate generals. VNS Late last week, websites at Tan Son Nhat airport in HCM City, Rach Gia Airport in Kien Giang Province and Tuy Hoa Airport in Phu Yen Province were hacked. Photo vnexpress.net HCM CITY A lack of adequate software is the reason many agencies and airports have become vulnerable to hackers, according to Viet Nam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT). VNCERT explained that the shortage has caused security vulnerability which is easily taken advantage of by hackers to attack websites. Although the issue has been highlighted many times by the Ministry of Information and Communications, it has not received enough investment, VNCERT said. Late last week, websites at Tan Son Nhat airport in HCM City, Rach Gia Airport in Kien Giang Province and Tuy Hoa Airport in Phu Yen Province were hacked. Many people were unable to enter these websites to get information. The Ministry of Public Securitys Department of Cyber Security determined and detected that two suspects born in 2002 were behind the attack on the airport websites from last Wednesday to Friday, the online Vietnamplus newspaper reported on Friday. Bkav Corporation, a network security provider, said these were not an advanced threat because hackers did not steal or delete any data in the system. Ngo Tuan Anh, a senior official from Bkav Corporation, said that after checking, they found that the hackers attacked the websites through security vulnerabilities. He added that such vulnerabilities are caused by poor checking and the weak skills of computer programmers. Talking to the Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, Tuan Anh said, The current hacks have proven that the network security of the aviation sector has not been good. The sector has not adequately invested in the system. This is the first time that the websites of Tuy Hoa and Phu Yen airports have been hacked, but for Tan Son Nhat Airport, it was the second time after the first time in July 2016, he said. A report from Bkav said that 40 per cent of websites in Viet Nam have security vulnerabilities. One out of every 10 websites is easily hacked due to this vulnerability. Of the websites, Bkav said, many are important ones owned by States agencies. Security vulnerability is the main reason for website hacks, Bkav affirmed. According to VNCERT, another reason causing security threats is using one infrastructure for many websites without examination. Having no skillful technicians who can handle emergency problems is also another weakness, VNCERT said. To ensure website security, Bkav said websites should be examined before operation. Regular checks are necessary to fix vulnerabilities, Bkav said, adding that training to improve the skills of technicians is also needed. VNS National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan delivers speech at a meeting with leaders of Nam Nhun District in ien Bien Province. VNA/VNS Photo Trong uc IEN BIEN National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on Sunday praised border security forces in ien Bien Province for their efforts in fighting drug crimes and promoting people-to-people exchanges with Laos. Speaking to officials at the Tay Trang International Border Gate during a visit to the northwestern mountainous province, she also lauded the border guards dedication to safeguarding national sovereignty along the 2,124km Viet Nam-Laos border and 10 border markers under their management. They have also done a good job of promoting people-to-people contacts and defence diplomacy in the area that is contiguous with May District of Phongsali Province and Ngoy District of Luang Prabang Province in Laos, she said. She noted improvements in Na U Commune, where the border guard post is located, noting that it once faced complex security issues, especially drug crimes. The border security force has worked closely with local authorities to disseminate the Partys guidelines and policies, as well as the States laws and assisted local residents to boost socio-economic development, she said. Applauding the border guards success in cracking down on drug crimes and smuggling, the NA leader asked them to persist with the work, help poverty alleviation efforts as well as reinforcement of the nations political system. Lieutenant Colonel Phuong Cong Quy, commander of the border guards post at the Tay Trang gate, said they have ensured social order and safety in the area, and stepped up activities to help improve local living standards, like providing advice on crops and livestock farming and sponsoring disadvantaged students. At a working session with the Peoples Committee of Noong Het Commune, Ngan noted that it was one of the the first communes in the province to meet all 19 criteria of a new-style rural area. With fertile soil and good climate conditions, Noong Het should maintain the cultivation area for its special rice variety, and work harder to become an organic agricultural hub. It should also conserve local cultural identities and plant more Ban (Bauhinia variegate) trees, which are seen as an icon of the northwestern region, to attract more tourists, she said. Also on Sunday, the top legislator paid homage to martyrs at the ien Bien cemetery near Hill A1, where the famous Battle of ien Bien Phu took place in 1954, defeating France and ending its colonial rule in Indochina. She also visited the resettlement areas of oi Cao and Noong Bua to learn about locals aspirations. Lai Chau visit At Nam Nhun District in the northwestern province of Lai Chau on Saturday, Ngan noticed the relatively big and diverse potential for development of the border district, which comprises 11 communes and towns that are home to 11 ethnic minority groups. She noted that Nam Nhun has a large area of forests and an unused land area of 49,726ha (36 per cent of the total natural area), which is favourable for livestock farming. Despite several difficulties, the district has done a good job of ensuring social welfares as evidenced by an annual 5.5 per cent decrease in the household poverty rate, she said. Home to the Lai Chau hydropower plant one of the largest in Viet Nam, Nam Nhun should step up forest protection and development to ensure water security, she told local officials. She assured them that the Party and the State are paying special attention to the displacement and resettlement of households (as a result of the hydropower project). She appreciated the districts efforts in resettling 829 households with 3,316 members for constructing the Lai Chau plant. She asked local authorities to continue ensuring adequate living conditions for 738 households with 3,023 people who were displaced by the building of the Son La hydropower plant. She also told them to pay heed to the reinforcement of the political system, particularly in training officials belonging to ethnic minority communities. Ngan also visited and spoke to workers at the Lai Chau hydropower plant on Saturday. VNS All temporary limestone kilns will be forced to stop operation by 2018, as part of an effort to curb environmental pollution and promote safety, the northern coastal Quang Ninh Provinces Peoples Committee has announced. VNA/VNS Photo An An QUANG NINH All temporary limestone kilns will be forced to stop operation by 2018, as part of an effort to curb environmental pollution and promote safety, the northern coastal Quang Ninh Provinces Peoples Committee has announced. At a conference held in the province on Thursday, vice chairman of the committee Vu Van Dien asked local authorities to build specific and feasible plans to end the operation of temporary lime kilns in the province. Local authorities were asked to verify the land fund for the kilns, creating legal basis to dismantle improper structures and encourage kiln owners switch careers. Dien required local authorities to re-examine the number of labourers working for temporary lime kilns and set up supportive plans to help them change their jobs. The task must be completed and reported to the committee by the end of this month. He also asked local authorities to strengthen management on exploiting, transporting and consuming calcium oxide, to organise regular inspection and to deter land use, environmental and traffic violations. Figures from the committee show that there were 64 temporary lime kilns in the province, mostly located in Ha Long, ong Trieu, Uong Bi cities and Quang Yen Township. Of those, six kilns have stopped operation. Among the other 58 kilns, most were business households with a designed capacity of 3,000 tonnes per kiln per year. Dien said the operation of these kilns is temporary without specific investment plans, designs and construction certificates. Local authorities have found it hard to manage the origin of materials supplied for these kilns. In addition, kilns located in residential areas are causing serious pollution and affecting the lives of residents. Statistics from Uong Bi City showed that as many as 41 lime kilns are in operation. Of those, 37 are located in Phuong Nam Ward. Local residents continue to complain about the dust and black smoke discharged from these kilns, causing respiratory diseases for them. A kiln was even about 300 metres away from Phuong Nam C Primary School, covering a layer of dust on the classrooms and blocking all outdoor activities for students. The school and parents have reported to local authorities many times, but the situation has not improved. At the conference, leaders of Ha Long, ong Trieu, Uong Bi cities and Quang Yen Township said they have informed owners of temporary lime kilns and will create conditions for those who want to switch jobs. VNS HA NOI Ha Noi Peoples Committee has asked relevant agencies to take measures to speed up the issuance of land use right certificates to individuals and organisations in the city. The committee wants the work finished by the end of June this year. According to the citys Natural Resources and Environment Department, land-use right certificates have not been granted to more than 131,000 land plots, some 9.65 per cent of total land plots used by individuals or families in the city. About 27,000 house buyers or 18.37 per cent of those who buy houses/apartments in housing projects have not got the certificates. About 5,600 plots, accounting for 29.2 per cent of total land plots used by organisations and offices are not certified. Officials from districts like Soc Son, Chuong My, Bac Tu Liem, Ha ong and Ba inh complained that meeting the deadline would be hard. Vice chairman of Soc Son District Peoples Committee o Minh Tuan said that the district granted land use right certificates to nearly 74 per cent of individuals and families. There remain more than 19,700 cases to deal with. In some of its communes including Tan Minh and Bac Son, just 40 per cent of certificates have been issued. Tuan blamed the slow progress on land users who delay applying for the certificates. The uncertified land plots were usually those that were allocated or used unlawfully. Other plots were in areas planned for forest land, so they are ineligible for certification, Tuan said. Its impossible for Soc Son District to complete the issuance of land use right certificates by June 30, Tuan said, adding that they wanted the deadline extended to December 31, 2017. Vice chairman of Bac Tu Liem District Peoples Committee Nguyen Kim Vinh said that the district had more than 12,000 plots not certified. In Ba inh District, about 2,000 families could not receive land use right certificates because they are using land included in ongoing projects or planned to be used for other purposes. Vice chairman of Ha Noi municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Quoc Hung said that the Natural Resources and Environment Department would establish two inspection groups - besides the four existing ones to visit localities and directly solve problems relating to the certificate issuance. VNS BA RIA VUNG TAU Many low and narrow bridges in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province are posing potential risks of accidents for vessels and affecting the development of local waterway transport. Since 2013, sedimentation at Cua Lap Estuary in Long ien Districts Phuoc Tinh Commune has made it difficult for vessels to go through it to the sea. Therefore, vessels pass under Co May Bridge to get to the sea. This has raised concerns over traffic safety due to the high number of vessels passing under the bridge, with its low height and flimsy piers. Early last month, hundreds of vessels got stuck and could not pass through the bridge due to high tides. Nguyen The Hung, director of the provincial Inland Waterway Port Authority, said that vessels with high capacity could not pass under Co May Bridge and would get stuck under it if they tried. Phuoc Tinh Commune has the highest number of offshore vessels in the province nearly 2,800 vessels. Of the figure, more than 1,000 have capacity between 90 and 750 CV. Tran inh Hung, captain of SG6973 barge said that he found it difficult to drive his barge under the bridge. Its really dangerous to see some large vessels trying to go under the bridge, he said, adding that he wanted a higher bridge. Tran Van Minh, captain of BV976515 vessel agreed, saying he and his crew had to pull things down, lower the vessels antenna and crane to get it under the bridge. Tran Tuan Anh, monitor of Co May Bridge said the water flow was strong, making vessels tilt when passing under the bridge and raising the risk of collision with the bridge piers. He said authorities had to mobilise workers to be on duty around the clock to monitor and guide vessels under the bridge safely. Information on the bridges navigational clearance height and width had been announced to avoid accidents. Rach Bridge in Tan Thanh Districts Phuoc Hoa Commune is another example with restricted navigational clearance height and width. With a height of 3.5 metres and width of 34 metres, most vessels struggle to pass. Hung, director of the provincial Inland Waterway Port Authority, said that upgrading bridges would need big funds. Initially, the Ministry of Transport asked local authorities to monitor vessels around the clock at low bridges and install warning systems. Local authorities were asked to strengthen training of crew members to ensure they were qualified to drive vehicles safely. VNS by Nguyen Khanh Chi Mai, an office cleaner, was groped by an official as she worked. When this happened several times, she had a video taken of the act, and lodged a sexual harassment complaint with authorities in Ca Mau Province. Then something worse happened. The official escaped the scandal almost unscathed, and Mai (not real name) quit her job. It is not known whether she will pursue further legal action, but her plight is not uncommon. In fact, Mai is among very few victims of sexual harassment at work that dare to speak out, especially in countries like Viet Nam where a feeling of shame, a fear of losing dignity and the job are pervasive. However, existing legal tools and work culture are not sufficient to protect her. The striking fact is that not a single case of sexual harassment has been brought to court in Viet Nam. Worse still, the Tieng Chuong a webpage of the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control, reports that no one has even been fined for this offence. One study on sexual harassment at the workplace in Viet Nam, done by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), found that the fear of reprisals prevents most victims from speaking out, let alone lodge a formal complaint. Many only seek help or report their troubles only when harassment escalates to serious sexual assault, or after they move to different jobs. The new Labour Code, which took effect in May 2013, prohibits sexual harassment at workplaces for the first time, but it neither defines the offence clearly nor prescribes specific punishments. Right now, the Labour Code only has a provision that mentions sexual harassment is prohibited, but it doesnt clearly define what sexual harassment is and it doesnt define what sanctions are, said UN Women Country Representative in Viet Nam, Shoko Ishikawa. Relevant regulations are too general without pointing out what specific acts can be considered sexual harassment. This has led to difficulties in preventing and handling of violations, said Trinh Thanh Hang of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL). As far as Im concerned, victims of sexual harassment do not want to report harassers actions because they are more vulnerable, when compared to men, and afraid of losing their job. They also find it hard to gather sufficient evidence to show they are harassed at work, Hang said. Since a Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace was passed in May, 2015, not a single case has been brought to court, Hang added. The code of conduct was introduced by MOLISA in co-ordination with VGCL and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). It aims to close legal loopholes in addressing the issue and serves as a foundation for employers to prepare policies or regulations that help secure a safe working environment. In 2013, MOLISA proposed fines of VN50-75 million (US$2,200 -3,300) for sexual harassment acts in a draft decree on handling labour violations. However, the proposal has not been approved because the violations are not clearly defined. Lack of clarity Sexual harassment is defined in the Code of Conduct as any behaviour of a sexual nature that affects the dignity of women and men, that is unwanted, unacceptable, inappropriate and offensive to the recipient, and that creates an intimidating, hostile, unstable or offensive work environment. The code clarifies forms of sexual harassment as physical, verbal and non-verbal, to help workers recognise sexual harassment and protect themselves. In fact, there is a tendency to confuse sexual harassment at the workplace with insensitive comments. Sexual harassment comes in many forms and its victims are often reluctant to report because they think such misconduct is a cultural norms, the MOLISA-ILO study quoted a male government official as saying. I think sexual harassment has to be something serious, like rape. Once, I was suddenly embraced from behind by a male colleague, I tried to push him away and asked him what he was doing, said a Government employee in Ha Noi. I did not think it was something serious, although I completely objected to the action. I just thought he was teasing me, just that. Sexual harassment does not affect women alone; men can also be victims. However, women are more vulnerable. The majority of victims of sexual harassment at work in Viet Nam are female, 78.2 per cent against 21.8 per cent of male victims, said Nguyen Thi Van of the MOLISAs Legal Affairs Department. In a study on sexual harassment in the workplace in Asia, Sapana Pradhan-Malla of Nepals Forum for Women, Law and Development, said Women are vulnerable to the harassment because they lack similar power, lack self-confidence and are socialised that they are to suffer in silence. Sexual harassment is also used as a tool to discourage women who may be seen to be competing for power. Global research has shown that sexual harassment negatively affects the working environment, undermines gender equality at work, creates unfair treatment in employment and adversely impacts the dignity and well-being of workers, said ILO Vietnams Labour Law Advisor Anne Boyd. It creates psychological anxiety and stress for victims and if ignored, can result in high costs for companies through loss of productivity, low worker morale, absenteeism, and staff turnover, Boyd said. In addition to the damaging psychological and physical affects sexual harassment can have on victims, it can negatively affect workplace communication and overall factory productivity, according to a research related to workplace sexual harassment by Better Work Viet Nam. It hinders women from being productive as they have to work in places of fear, often absent themselves from work or choose to leave the job they have, said Ishikawa from UN Women. Sexual harassment is unacceptable as it creates an intimidating, hostile, unstable or offensive work environment. Illustration by painter Minh Tri Widespread occurrence The 2013 MOLISA-ILO study said statistics and official figures on sexual harassment in Viet Nam are not readily available. However, the information gleaned from mass media highlights that sexual harassment is widespread at workplaces. This suggests that although sexual harassment persists in the Vietnamese society, it suffers from inadequate attention, it said. Another MOLISA-ILO study in 2012 found it was predominantly women aged between 18 and 30 who experienced sexual harassment, and the victims usually occupied lower-ranking positions under the supervision of the perpetrator. An earlier study, Research on Decent Work for Domestic Workers in Viet Nam, conducted by the Institute for Family and Gender Issues, also noted that while sexual harassment at workplace can happen to individuals in all age groups, the risks are higher for young people between 18 and 30 years. We know from our work that sexual harassment occurs in Viet Nam; unfortunately, there is very limited official statistics on it. More research is needed to really understand how common this type of behaviour is, Boyd said. Boyd said that in 2015, the ILO and Navigos Search conducted a survey focused on gender equality in recruitment and promotional practices, which provided further insights into the problem. Seventeen per cent of the candidates for mid-career posts said that either they or someone they know have been asked for sexual favours by a superior in return for some kind of workplace benefit. This type of behaviour constitutes sexual harassment and provides one example of the invidious situation that victims can face when their aim is simply to obtain a job or progress beyond their current role. Nguyen Van Anh, Director of Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA), said research has shown that sexual harassment in the workplace was real problem in the country. A study carried out by childrens rights organisation PLAN found 87 per cent of women in Ha Noi and HCM City suffering all forms of sexual harassment in public places, Anh said. In a study by CSAGA last year, 14 per cent of schoolgirls in 30 schools said they had suffered sexually harassment. Blaming the victim Women and girls will always feel unsafe in an environment where they are considered as a sex toys and where the dignity of women is lowered, which severely affects gender equality in Viet Nam. Sometimes women are blamed for creating the conditions for men to commit sexual harassment, so victims find it hard to speak out. Additionally, how the law can strictly deal with acts of sexual harassment when the definition of these acts remains unclear? Anh said. Even more dangerous, when acts of sexual harassment are underestimated, other serious acts committed towards women such as violence, sexual violence will also be slightly examined. Make it unacceptable First, there is a lack of a thorough understanding of sexual harassment at work. Victims do not know if an act is sexually oriented and harassers also dont know whether their actions are allowed or not, said MOLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Trong am. Second, competent authorities dont strictly abide by legal provisions. Thus, it is essential to strengthen communication to raise public awareness and improve working conditions to eliminate risks of being harassed. Also, increased examinations and sanctions are important, am said. Anh of CSAGA said sex education was vital to equip the young people with knowledge and awareness, but this is a long-term target. The workers have to learn how to say NO to sexually suggestive stories or pictures that they do not want to see and hear. Any touch or comments on sensitive parts of ones body must be rejected and warnings given to stop; (victims) should not remain silent, Anh said. ILOs Boyd said it was important to raise awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment and the impact it has on individuals (both women and men), their families and the workplace. Sexual harassment comes at a high cost to everyone. It is important that strong legal provisions are put in place in this area as a clear signal that such behaviour is unacceptable. However, beyond this, the Government, employers, organisations and trade unions, as well as the media, need to support this effort by communicating to all audiences that sexual harassment is unacceptable. VNS HA NOI Former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio and the Japanese Friendship Association (JFA) presented 60 wheelchairs to disabled Vietnamese children and Agent Orange victims at a ceremony here on Sunday. The recipients come from the northern provinces of Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Thai Binh, among others. Hatoyama, in his speech, said this was the third time he had donated wheelchairs in Viet Nam, noting he hoped to quickly rally more funds for the effort. He said the JFA would help Viet Nam clean up dioxin-contaminated areas and produce high-quality wheelchairs. Deputy Health Minister Pham Le Tuan thanked the Japanese people for their support of disabled Vietnamese. He recalled that former PM Hatoyama had met with disabled children in Viet Nam in 2013 and had collected 50 wheelchairs to send to the country for the first time in September 2014. In October 2015, he sent another 50 wheelchairs to Viet Nam. VNS AN GIANG A 60-year-old Cambodian woman has been arrested and charged with smuggling eight kilograms of gold from her country into the southern province of An Giang. Huynh Ngoc Ho, head of the customs department at Tinh Bien Border Gate, said the suspect has been identified as Vuoch Hea from Kirivong District in Cambodias Takeo Province. On Saturday morning, Hea was driving her motorbike from Cambodia to Viet Nam and did not stop to complete her immigration paperwork. Following the tip-off, officials from the customs department stopped her motorbike and on searching found eight kilograms of gold and 100 million riel, which is around VN8.5 billion or US$373,000. She was detained, and the gold, currency, motorbike and two mobile phones were confiscated from her. The accused has told officials that she had purchased the gold in a Cambodian market and had brought it to Viet Nam to sell. The incident is being investigated. VNS A NANG a Nang has added the mega project of an underwater tunnel crossing the symbolic Han River to the citys master plan, despite public criticism of its cost and necessity. a Nang Peoples Committee Chairman Huynh uc Tho told the press on Saturday evening that the citys master plan for 2030 with a vision towards 2050 had yet to include a tunnel underneath the Han River. a Nang will work with the central government to recalculate and find the most optimal project plan, which will be resubmitted to the Prime Minister, Tho said. The citys decision came a day after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, according to the Government Office, asked the central city to carefully re-examine the need for commissioning the VN4.7 trillion (US$208 million) mega project. The PM directed a Nang to include the project in the citys master plan if the investment was still considered necessary and to report the change to him. The Government Offices statement stressed that any investment procedures related to the project could only be carried out after the PM approves the new master plan. Tho believed that the PM did not mean to suspend the project but only required a Nang to collaborate with the central government in selecting the most reasonable project plan and to add it to the citys master plan. Regarding the investment fund, Tho said the city would receive enough money from its budget and land lease revenue to build the underwater tunnel. The 1.3km-long, six-lane tunnel 900m of which will be under the river will be the first traffic route under the Han River. It will also be the second river tunnel in Viet Nam after HCM Citys Thu Thiem Tunnel. In 2015, the Bridge & Tunnel Consultants (BRITEC) company, assigned to develop some key tunnels in Viet Nam by the transport ministry, proposed building a tunnel in a Nang, beginning at the ong a-Tran Phu junction in Hai Chau District and ending on Van on Street in Son Tra District. Experts were less enthusiastic, voicing anxiety over BRITECs plan at a seminar and suggesting that the city should look carefully at the projects funding, maintenance and construction costs. They said the tunnel would not be an ideal solution to the citys traffic problems either now or in the future. Besides, building a bridge is cheaper and easier, they argued. Currently, a Nang has six major bridges to ease traffic flow within and outside the city: Thuan Phuoc, the Han Swing Bridge, Rong (Dragon) and Tran Thi Ly, as well as Tuyen Son and Nguyen Tri Phuong, in addition to Nguyen Van Troi Bridge, built in the 1960s. The city has started construction of a tunnel at the junction of Le Duan and Tran Phu and plans to build another one at the busiest roundabouts: ien Bien Phu, Nguyen Tri Phuong and Le o. a Nang has been investing a lot in urban development as it targets becoming a green city by 2025. In 2013, the World Bank agreed to provide $202 million for a $272-million sustainable development project to help improve the citys Bus Rapid Transit network, build new roads and revamp the existing drainage system. VNS PHU THO Residents in Tam Nong District on Monday morning used about 20 vehicles to block a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll station in the area to protest what they call unreasonably high tolls. The Tam Nong toll station is located at km67+300 on National Route 32 that passes Tam Nong District in northern Phu Tho Province. It aims to collect toll fees to pay for the BOT project to build a part of the Ho Chi Minh Road and upgrade a section of National Route 32. The roads went into operation in January and toll collections began on March 6. A representative of the investor, BOT Hung Thang Co Ltd, said at about 8.30am, local residents parked vehicles across the road in front of the toll station, causing traffic congestion for about one kilometre. The protesters claimed that the tolls of VN35,000 50,000 (US$1.5 2.2) per vehicle are too high as National Route 32 was just upgraded on the foundations of the old route. The investors representative told Thanh Nien (Young Peole) newspaper that the company applied a whole-route toll rate as set in the Ministry of Finance regulations. However, local residents want to pay tolls based on the number of kilometres that vehicles travel, similar to on highways. After the incident, local police intervened and were able to restore traffic order at about 11am. Earlier, to ease the burden of locals and avoid losses for the investor, Phu Tho Provinces authorities proposed to the Ministry of Transport to cut the toll in half for cars under seven-seats owned by residents living nearby the toll station. However, the proposal was not approved. A leader of the ministry told Dan Tri online newspaper that toll fees are decided by the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The transport ministry has proposed a toll reduction to the MoF but did not receive approval. VNS HCM CITY HCM City has announced plans to invest VN3.6 trillion (US$158.4 million) in the construction of a levee along the canal complex of Tham Luong, Ben Cat and Nuoc Len. The HCM City Anti-Flooding Centre said on Sunday that it had submitted the blueprint for an embankment project along the 33km-long canal complex to the citys Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for approval. The project is part of a larger one intended to manage the flooding risk in the city. The Tham Luong, Ben Cat and Nuoc Len canals form the longest canal route in the city, running through five districts: Go Vap, Tan Binh, Binh Tan, Binh Chanh and District 2. A World Bank loan provides funding for the project. Construction of the dyke is expected to start this year and finish in 2019. VNS Nguyen Hoang Long, head of the Ministry of Healths Department for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, talks to the Tuoi Tre (Youth) about plans for HIV/AIDS treatment. As international donors have halted support for HIV/AIDS treatment in Viet Nam, how will prevention and control be affected? There will certainly be difficulties. Every year, there are about 10,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS carriers in Viet Nam. If we do not have proper and timely intervention, there is a great risk of outbreaks. While other diseases all have vaccines, the only vaccine for HIV/AIDS is communications. However, budget for communications is very limited. Meanwhile, condoms, needles and methadone are essential for intervention and prevention. The current methadone source, which is used to replace drugs, is stable for 50,000 users. However, needles and condoms have no supply sources. In the past, 90 per cent of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for HIV/AIDS carriers were provided for free by international donors, especially the US Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. But such funding has been rapidly cut down, to 40 per cent this year and will end next year. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS has pledged to run until the end of this year. We are working on plans to mobilise more fund to continue the programme. Some projects are calling for private fundings. But they are suitable for methadone replacement and providing condoms and needles. It will be more difficult when dealing with communications, testing and treatment for HIV/AIDS. In 2015, when the information about withdrawing international funding was first made public, the rate of HV/AIDS carriers with health insurance was about 30-40 per cent. So far, the number is only up to some 50 per cent. Do you think the process of providing health insurance is too slow? We have examined why the rate is so low and learned that many people hesitate to use health insurance as their personal information can be exposed. They are afraid that their HIV/AIDS disease will be stated on the insurance card. In fact, such information will not be on the card. The medical record will be confidential. To help the patients understand more about the programme, we will provide them with information leaflets about how to buy health insurance, how much they have to pay and where to buy it. In the past, HIV/AIDS treatment was free so patients did not pay much attention to health insurance. A recent decision of the Prime Minister has set the target of having all patients covered by health insurance by 2020. Also in the past, nearly 400 clinics with ARV supply received fundings for staff salaries, drugs. But now, they will face many difficulties. How will we deal with difficulties when the funding ends by the end of 2018? Currently, there are nearly 230,000 HIV/AIDS carriers in Viet Nam, 116,000 of those are receiving ARV treatment. Without donor funds, we will need a huge amount of finance to maintain treatment. In the past, ARV treatment aimed to reduce the death rate. But now, everyone found to have HIV/AIDS can get ARV treatment for prevention and good health. The Government has pledged a 90-90-90 model, which means 90 per cent of people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90 per cent of people who know their status are on HIV treatment; and 90 per cent of all people on treatment will have undetectable levels of HIV in their body. We are going to reach the first target as some 80 per cent of affected people have been discovered. As for the third target, Viet Nam is among the countries with qualified treatment for HIV/AIDS patients beyond the requirements of international organisations. However, the second target, or the number of patients receiving ARV treatment, is still low. The bidding on providing drugs under the health insurance system for HIV/AIDS patients will start now (within the first quarter of 2017) and the drugs will be provided to patients in the third quarter of this year. VNS Waterloo Fire Alarms Feb. 23 Ambulance runs: 25 12:05 a.m., Bishop Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, automobile accident. 9:29 a.m., 1412 Prospect Ave., assist resident. 1:40 p.m., 1605 Lafayette St., false alarm. 5:41 p.m., 516 Upton Ave., assist resident. 6:48 p.m., Airport Boulevard and Broadway Street, automobile accident. 8:08 p.m., 315 Walnut St., investigate electrical problem. 9:46 p.m., 1122 Meadow Lane, carbon monoxide alarm. 11:23 p.m., 2214 Clearview St., natural gas leak. Fire Alarms Feb. 24 Ambulance runs: 27 3:17 a.m., 2600 Washington St., automobile accident. 5:11 p.m., Interstate 380, mile marker 71, automobile accident. 5:40 p.m., Airport Boulevard and Broadway Street, automobile accident. 7:24 p.m., Columbia and Edwards streets, automobile accident. 9:10 p.m., 3350 University Ave., smoke investigation. 10:53 p.m., 3855 W. Ninth St., vehicle fire. 11:02 p.m., East 11th and Franklin streets, automobile accident. Fire Alarms Feb. 25 Ambulance runs: 20 2:07 p.m., 2214 Clearview St., assist resident. 2:09 p.m., 701 Franklin St., automobile accident. 2:38 p.m., 310 E. Sixth St., false alarm. 6:46 p.m., Broadway Street and Burton Avenue, automobile accident. Fire Alarms Feb. 26 Ambulance runs: 25 3:57 p.m., 180 Pershing Road, smoke alarm. 9:48 p.m., 216 Randolph St., investigate complaint. 11:40 p.m., 435 Conger St., animal problem. Fire Alarms Feb. 27 Ambulance runs: 20 8:49 a.m., 153 Linwood Ave., assist resident. 12:25 p.m., 2711 Crossroads Blvd., automobile accident. 4:21 p.m., Easton and Kimball avenues, automobile accident. Fire Alarms Feb. 28 Ambulance runs: 24 2:27 a.m., 1006 Fairview Ave., house fire, cause under investigation. 8:01 a.m., 302 Cedar Bend St., heat detector. 10:18 a.m., 260 Fairview Ave., assist public. Fire Alarms March 1 Ambulance runs: 16 9:30 a.m., 4015 Hurst St., false alarm. 12:22 p.m., 200 E. Arlington St., false alarm. 2:31 p.m., 3040 Leversee Road, sprinkler activation. 4 p.m., 1515 Lafayette St., false alarm. 7:35 p.m., 3200 University Ave., automobile accident. Fire Alarms March 2 Ambulance runs: 16 8:32 a.m., 4025 Hammond Ave., smoke alarm. 9:02 a.m., 312 Southbrooke Drive, false alarm. 10:57 p.m., 1911 Manitoba Ave., mobile home fire. Fire Alarms March 3 Ambulance runs: 32 9:04 a.m., 3932 Midway Drive, assist resident. 10:09 a.m., 2018 Winston Place, smoke alarm. 3:03 p.m., 827 Riehl St., false alarm. 4:47 p.m., 827 Riehl St., false alarm. Fire Alarms March 4 Ambulance runs: 19 3:52 a.m., 949 Kern St., automobile accident. 5:53 a.m., 511 Sherman Ave., assist resident. 3:57 p.m., 1925 La Porte Road, automobile accident. 4:24 p.m., 105 Madison St., assist resident. 7:33 p.m., 2127 La Porte Road, overheated motor. Fire Alarms March 5 Ambulance runs: 17 11:30 a.m., Commercial Street and West Mullan Avenue, automobile accident. 11:56 a.m., 232 Zelmar Drive, unauthorized burning. 12:27 p.m., 536 Cutler St., unauthorized burning. 4:26 p.m., 1955 W. Seventh St., unauthorized burning. 6:57 p.m., 2834 Ansborough Ave., gas release. 7:36 p.m., 242 Park View Blvd., assist resident. Fire Alarms March 6 Ambulance runs: 19 11:26 a.m., 435 Maxwell St., assist resident. 3:50 p.m., West 18th and Washington streets, automobile accident. 8:05 p.m., 205 W. Fourth St., false alarm. 8:15 p.m., 1825 Logan Ave., false alarm. 8:21 p.m., 2541 Crossroads Blvd., false alarm. 8:24 p.m., 1825 Logan Ave., overheated motor. 8:26 p.m., 302 Cedar Bend St., false alarm. 9:27 p.m., 915 W. Sixth St., power line down. 9:54 p.m., 844 W. Fourth St., false alarm. Fire Alarms March 7 Ambulance runs: 17 12:09 a.m., 2701 Midport Blvd., false alarm. 6:27 a.m., Interstate 380, automobile accident. 6:30 a.m., 312 Southbrooke Drive, false alarm. 7:47 a.m., 2950 W. Shaulis Road, false alarm. 9:21 a.m., 1601 W. Fourth St., overheated motor. 11:39 a.m., 2940 Airport Blvd., false alarm. 2:23 p.m., 2950 W. Shaulis Road, false alarm. 3:39 p.m., Burton Avenue and Newton Street, vehicle fire. 11:30 p.m., 501 Sycamore St., false alarm. Fire Alarms March 8 Ambulance runs: 30 11:50 a.m., 303 Adams St., assist resident. 12:52 p.m., 610 E. Fourth St., smoke alarm. 3:28 p.m., 205 W. Fourth St., smoke alarm. 4:25 p.m., 3729 W. Ninth St., false alarm. Fire Alarms March 9 Ambulance runs: 22 4:16 p.m., 303 Adams St., assist resident. 5:04 p.m., 2215 Falls Ave., false alarm. 7:23 p.m., 3470 W. Airline Highway, false alarm. 10:21 p.m., 130 Linwood Ave., garage fire. Police Log John Wayne Hughes, 41, of 1533 E. Mitchell Ave., was arrested March 9 at his home for simple assault and simple domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Jody Hughes and a 16-year-old girl. Dennis Vernode Harvey Jr., 28, of 230 Cutler St., was arrested March 8 on Cedar Bend Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated and driving while suspended following a traffic accident. Justin Duane Sabo, 27, of 218 Linden Ave., was arrested March 8 at 416 E. Sixth St. for carrying weapons. He was allegedly carrying a knife. Amber Marie Corbin, 35, of 720 W. Mullan Ave., was arrested March 6 on Fletcher Avenue for second-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic accident. Zlatko Didovic, 53, of Waterloo, was arrested March 6 on West 18th Street for second-offense operating while intoxicated and driving while suspended following a traffic accident. Shayla Demetrua Parsons, 26, of 415 Thompson Ave., was arrested March 6 at 1501 E. San Marnan Drive for third-degree theft. She allegedly took $128 worth of items from Target. Breanna Marie Tovar, 26, of Waterloo, was arrested March 6 on West Mullan Avenue for forgery and credit card fraud. She allegedly used a stolen credit card Feb. 19. Christian Deshun Williams, 21, of Waterloo, was arrested March 6 at 1266 Downing Ave. for second-degree burglary. He allegedly entered 1266 Downing and assaulted Ginger Williams. Devonner Coleman, 49, of 1021 W. Fifth St., was arrested March 5 on West Fifth Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic accident. Skylar James Stotz, 34, of 225 Allen St., was arrested March 5 at his home for simple assault. He allegedly assaulted Charles Schmitz, 49. Chad Allen Wolf, 37, of 310 Third St., Washburn, was arrested March 5 at 2827 University Ave. for second-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop. Nicholas Charles Enos, 38, of 3314 Kipling Road, was arrested March 4 on Highway 218 for third-offense operating while intoxicated and driving while suspended following a traffic accident. Tavaras Tyrell Robinson, 27, of 315 Lincoln St., was arrested March 4 on West 11th Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic accident. Terry Tryone Townsend, 52, of 205 Argyle St. was arrested March 3 at West Second and South streets for serious domestic assault, operating motor vehicle without owners consent and driving while suspended. He allegedly assaulted Dianthe Jones on March 2. Black Hawk County Sheriffs Log Kaleck Travonnious Bolden, 18, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested March 2 for assault. He allegedly fired a BB gun at a person in the Waterloo Target parking lot Jan. 31. Shelby Lynn Peak, 25, of 3112 Boulder Drive, Cedar Falls, was arrested March 7 for second-degree theft. She was allegedly found with a stolen Ford Focus on Feb. 26. Martia Stanisha Wise, 27, of 56 E. Parker St., Waterloo, was arrested March 7 on Burton Avenue for carrying weapons and driving while suspended. Police found brass knuckles during a traffic stop. Ashley Shenelle Mainor, 27, of 1266 W. Mullan Ave., Waterloo, was arrested March 7 at the jail for forgery. She allegedly passed a stolen check for $423 on Nov. 4. A Maine lawmaker recently proposed a bill that would require dogs to be harnessed or tethered in moving vehicles. No more dogs joyously hanging out the window, jowls and ears flapping in the breeze. No more small pooches perched on drivers laps like mini co-pilots. On Wednesday, state Rep. Jim Handy (D) withdrew the bill he had sponsored, which was soberly titled An Act Concerning the Transporting of Dogs in Passenger Vehicles. In a statement, Handy said the constituent who had suggested it had changed his mind. Handy, for his part, seemed pretty lukewarm on the idea from the start. He told the New England Cable Network he wanted pets to have the freedom to stick their head out of the window, and his own dog loves the fresh air coming into his face. As a dog owner myself, I had reservations about whether thats a good idea from the beginning, but its my job as a legislator to hear and represent the concerns of my constituents, Handy said in his statement on withdrawing the bill. Had it progressed, the measure would have made Maine a pioneer in pet seat-belt legislation. Some states have laws that restrict unsecured dogs in open pickup truck beds, and others allow police to charge dog-holding drivers under distracted driving laws. Only Hawaii explicitly prohibits driving with a dog on your lap and letting an animal roam loose in a vehicle. But what is the best way to travel with your pooch safely? Unfortunately, theres no great answer. Two-thirds of respondents to a 2011 survey by AAA and Kurgo, a pet travel products company, said theyd engaged in distracting behavior including petting, feeding and playing while driving with their dogs. AAA recommends restraining dogs in the back seat, where air bags cant harm them. So does the American Veterinary Medical Association. And there are plenty of strappy doggy seat belts on the market. But tests of harnesses by the Center for Pet Safety and Subaru resulted in only one being crash-test certified by the center; similarly, just one brands pet travel carriers, which can be strapped to car seats, earned certification. A pilot study of special pet seats, which are kind of like kids car seats, concluded they may offer distraction prevention, but it will likely not offer crash protection. One things for sure: For now, no one in Maine or pretty much any other state will be required to buy these products. WATERLOO Dwight Clark had a surprise for Gene Holmes under an olive-drab blanket. It was something he hadnt seen since he lugged one around in Korea in 1951. It was a flamethrower. Remember how much it weighed loaded? Clark asked Holmes. Seventy-two pounds, Holmes said, without hesitation. Oh boy. I hadnt seen one of those on a long time, Holmes said later. Holmes served in a Marine unit in Korea. Clark served in the Marines in Vietnam. Both are part of the planning for a Korean War exhibit at the Grout Museum scheduled to open in July on the 64th anniversary of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 war where forces on both sides are lined up across the 38th parallel from each other to this day. The exhibit will occupy much of the same space as a recent Vietnam exhibit. Major elements of the exhibit are still being formulated, but it will include a Faces of the Fallen display with names and photos of Iowans killed in the war. Clark trades and accumulates war equipment memorabilia and is helping the Grout accumulate items for the Korean War exhibit, as he did for a year-long Vietnam War exhibit, which ran through last July. Among the items Clark has available for display, in addition to the flame thrower, are a mortar, a light machine gun and and an M-1 military rifle. But the exhibit will be about more than weaponry. Itll be about the people, specifically Iowans, who served in what is still known today as The Forgotten War. Thats kind of our focus the troops story, particularly Iowa troops, said Erin Dawson, Grout exhibits curator.We are trying to pick out individuals. We really, really want to place a larger emphasis on individuals, on Iowa veterans stories to tell the story, said Chris Shackelford, historic content and program developer for the Grout district. The museum district will rely on the veterans on its planning committee, video-recorded oral histories of veterans and their photo albums, diaries and artifacts they bring in from their service to be displayed. There are historical and news service photos available, Shackelford said, However, Theres something about seeing a photograph an Iowan took, seeing it literally through their eyes, this photograph that is passed on. Its amazing how many of them have it. In the 1950s cameras were a lot more available to the general public. A lot of these pictures, composition-wise, are amazing, Dawson said. Its really nice, to hear at least from the vets on the committee, their experiences during the war. What the temperature was like, whether it was hot or cold. What the rice paddies smelled like. Everything. I was there during the winter, during the monsoon, and during summer,Holmes said. The winters they talk about the Chosin guys. Boy, those guys were something else. He recalls, in winter, eating fried eggs that were frozen to his mess kit by the time he finished them. Its a much more human experience than reading it out of a textbook, Shackelford said. Gene Holmes said he became involved because he served with the father of retired Grout exhibits curator Robin Venter. Holmes was in the Reserves when the war started. I got called back in by Uncle Harry (President) Truman, he joked. I was one of the replacements for the boys who were at the Chosin, relieving Marines encircled at the Chosin Reservoir, who fought their way through Chinese Communist forces in bitter winter conditions to the port of Hungnam and safety. Many local Marines served in that campaign. Hed been married four months when called up for Korea. Holmes, a retired John Deere worker, had previously contributed items to the permanent Korean War section of the Grouts Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. Its been a good experience, Holmes said of planning the exhibit.Its a real hoot to be with these guys (Grout staff) who know what theyre doing and plan the exhibit. The contributions of Holmes and his fellow veterans are crucial, Dawson and Shackelford said. To me its invaluable, Dawson said. Theres no way we would understand the perspectives of anybody over there. Its indispensable, Schackelford said. Its magnificent these gentlemen (and women) are around. Given the attrition rate of surviving Korean War veterans, now in their 80s, its imperative this be done now, instead of 10 years from now. The input of these gentlemen is exactly what we need to complete this project. Most of us are old duffers, said Holmes, who turned 89 in January. Hes already brought in some of his old uniforms. The field shoes still have Korean dust on them, he said. Planning committee member Sid Morris of Cedar Falls, former head of the Tallcorn Chapter of Iowa Korean War veterans, is especially fond of one decoration he received from the Korean government on the wars 60th anniversary, made from fence from the 38th parallel dividing South and North Korea. I slept under that damn fence, said Morris, an Army veteran who served in the 31st Field Artillery regiment of the 7th Infantry Division. He served, at times, as a forward observer. I was on Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill, Morris said. Im very honored theyre doing this for the Korean War, Morris said of the exhibit, because the Korean war did have, I think, a major impact on this country. Its called The Forgotten war, but it was the first war to stop the spread of communism. And that, I think is very important. The differences between the South and North, Korean economies and government are significant, Morris noted. Thats the best example I know of what freedom can do, Morris said. The conflict is still significant and relevant today in light of the heightened tensions involving North Korea. For more information about the exhibit and its planning, call the Grout at 234-6357. WATERLOO Cedar Valley Friends of the Family, a local nonprofit providing services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, will host an upcoming fundraiser, Chefs Take a Stand. The event will be at 6 p.m. March 31 at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo Ballroom. The evening will include six chef stations, allowing participants to sample the chefs featured items for the evening. Chefs from Hy-Vee, The Isle Casino Hotel, Moment in Thyme Catering, Marriott Cedar Rapids and Rodneys Kitchen will participate. Dessert is provided by Scratch Cupcakery and Martin Brothers. Beer samples will be provided by Iowa Brewing Co. and Lark Brewing. There also will be silent and live auctions featuring valuable packages and items donated by local individuals and businesses. Purchased tickets by calling 352-1108 or paying securely online at www.cvfriendsofthefamily.org. Tickets are $30 each or $50 for a pair. All proceeds benefit CVFFs services. Woodworkers meet Tuesday WATERLOO The Cedar Valley Woodworkers will meet Tuesday at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. The business meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m. the featured speaker Keith Pitzen, John Deere safety specialist, will present Hearing Safety in the Shop. Guests are welcome. For additional information, call Jerry Krug, 231-0172. Kiwanis Club meeting set WATERLOO The Waterloo Noon Kiwanis Club will meet at noon Tuesday at the Waterloo Elks Club. Lunch will begin at 12:10 p.m. Featured speaker, Steve Phillips, will discuss his Harley Davidson career. Guests are welcome. For more information, call President Bruce Jacobs, 215-8267. Black Hawks to honor volunteers WATERLOO The Waterloo Black Hawks and Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity will partner to bring Hawks players to the ice in one-of-a-kind jerseys Saturday at Young Arena. The 7:05 p.m. game against the Chicago Steel will be Building a Winner for the Cedar Valley Night. The team will recognize the efforts of volunteers from throughout Northeast Iowa. After the matchup versus the Steel, the sweaters will be auctioned to benefit local Habitat for Humanity projects. To order tickets, call 291-7680 or go to waterlooblackhawks.com. Pancake dinner fundraiser set WAVERLY Wartburg Colleges Water to Thrive chapter will host a pancake dinner fundraiser at Waverlys St. Pauls Lutheran Church from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Pancakes, eggs, sausages, coffee, milk and orange juice will be served. Donations will be accepted, and every dollar raised will help build clean water wells in rural African countries. Items from local businesses also will be raffled, and there will be live music during the dinner. In its second year, the fundraiser is the nonprofit groups main source of community donations. Irish research group forming WATERLOO An Irish research interest group is forming with the NorthEast Iowa Genealogy Society. Meetings are planned for the second Tuesday of the month at the Waterloo Public Library Training Lab; the next one is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday. Members will share websites and research strategies to find ancestors in Ireland. Contact neigsinfo@gmail.com with any questions. Diabetes support group planned CEDAR FALLS Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare will offer a free support group for all people with diabetes and their family members from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday in the foundation conference room of Sartori Memorial Hospital. Staff from the Nutrition and Diabetes Education Center lead the group, and this months speaker will be Covenant chaplain Jacob Christian. Fish fry set for Saturday WATERLOO The St. Pauls Mens Club will have a fish fry from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at 207 W. Louise St. The menu includes fish, potatoes, coleslaw, beans and beverage, plus dessert. Cost is $9 for adults $9 and $4 for kids younger than 12. WATERLOO A grand jury has indicted the acquaintance of an alleged gang member for allegedly acquiring pistols. Myneisha Shanae Washington, 25, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a drug user and three counts of false statements in a firearm purchase. She made her initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids and was released pending trial. Court records allege Washington falsely reported her address when she bought a Kahr Arms 9mm handgun and a Berretta 9mm handgun Sept. 5. During the sale, she also failed to disclose she used marijuana and the Berretta was being purchased for another person, both which would have cancelled the sale. Other purchases include a 9mm Springfield XD pistol Oct. 11, a .40-caliber Glock on Oct. 21 and a 9mm Glock on Nov. 6. Court records allege Washington is acquainted with David Quinndale Wright Jr., who police said is involved in the Del Mob neighborhood gang. Del Mob has been tied to several shootings in 2016 including three homicides, court records state. Authorities said in court records they suspect Washington purchased guns for Wright and then reported them stolen in case they were recovered later by police. Three handguns she owned were reported stolen in two burglaries, records state. In one case, Washington reported a burglary to her home Sept. 6 where the Berretta was stolen. A month later, on Oct. 8, police were called to disturbance on West Fourth Street and found the Berretta and another handgun hidden inside a door panel of a Chevrolet operated by Wright, court records state. Police who were investigating the case found marijuana on a table inside Washingtons home in November, court records state. Officers also found three handguns. When Black Hawk County sheriffs deputies arrested Washington on Monday on the federal warrant during a traffic stop in Elk Run Heights. They found a prescription bottle with another persons name on it, and it contained Cyclobenzaprine pills, which are muscle relaxants, according to court records. She was charged with unlawful possession of a prescription drug. Wright is currently awaiting trial on federal gun charges in connection with a .357-caliber revolver found in a car he was driving in Dunkerton on Nov. 30. DES MOINES His job will be to represent the entire United States and act as an intermediary between two of the worlds most populous countries. But some Iowa business and agriculture leaders think the state could benefit from Terry Branstad serving as U.S. ambassador to China. Branstad, the nations longest-serving governor with more than two decades of service as Iowas chief executive, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to be the next ambassador to China. Branstad has not yet been confirmed; that is expected this spring. Branstad will have broad responsibilities as ambassador to represent the entire country, but some say Iowa very well could benefit from having Branstad serve in that role. Hes been such a wonderful advocator for Iowa, said Li Zhao, president of China Iowa Group, a West Des Moines-based business that contracts with Iowa companies seeking to enter the Chinese market or build business relationships in China. I think hes going to be a fantastic ambassador, and Iowa will definitely benefit from that. State business and agriculture leaders pointed to Branstads close relationships with both countrys presidents and his knowledge of international trade issues, particularly as they relate to Iowa farmers and businesses. Branstad has had a professional friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping since 1984, when Branstad visited China. The following year, Xi, then a regional official, visited Iowa. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Branstad was an early post-primary supporter of Trump and did not waver when other Republicans questioned some of Trumps campaign rhetoric. And Branstads son Eric managed the Trump campaigns operation in Iowa. Once confirmed as ambassador to China, Branstad will serve as a primary conduit between the Trump and Xi administrations. Because of his relationships with both leaders and because Iowa and China are significant trading partners, Branstad could advocate for policies that benefit Iowans, leaders here say. We all are looking forward, in ag, to having the governor there in that position, said Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau, which represents more than 159,000 Iowa farm families, according to its website. While it does pose great challenges and will be very rigorous for the governor, were glad that hes taken on that duty. Iowa exported $2.3 billion in goods to China in 2015, including $1.4 billion in agriculture products, according to the U.S.-China Business Council. Hill said Branstads knowledge of international trade should help Iowa continue to benefit from its trade relationship with China, if not expand those benefits. Branstad also is a frequent advocate for state policies that benefit Iowa businesses, chief among them, a 2013 package that reduced property tax rates on commercial and industry properties by nearly $400 million in fiscal years 2014 through 2016, according to the states nonpartisan fiscal estimating agency. Iowa businesses that market goods to China hope Branstad can use his close relationship with the Chinese government to encourage international trade policies that benefit them. We were pleased that Gov. Branstad was chosen as an ambassador to China, Ken Golden, global public relations director for Deere & Co., said in an emailed statement. Gov. Branstad understands the importance of agriculture to Iowa and the entire farm belt of the Midwest. He also understands that global trade is important not only to John Deere as an equipment manufacturer but also to our customers, especially those in agriculture. Once he resigns as governor and becomes ambassador, however, Branstad no longer will be representing just one states goods and businesses. He will be representing an entire nation, including an administration whose stated goals very well may run afoul of Chinas interests. Trump, for example, has stated a desire to renegotiate trade deals to make them more favorable to the U.S. And China has been accused by the U.S. of multiple violations of trade agreements in recent years. Hill acknowledged Branstad may be required to walk a fine line but also said he thinks Branstads experience makes him the right person for the job. I think its a two-way street as always in trade, and (Branstad) understands that, Hill said. It will be a very strenuous role that hell have going forward, certainly. But I think, knowing our governor, hell take a very measured, aggressive approach. It will be a positive approach, one that is respectful and considerate of all parties. But I think hes the right person for the job. Branstad said he understands his role will be, on occasion, to try to encourage agreement between the Trump and Xi administrations. Donald Trumps a businessman. He wrote a book called The Art of the Deal, Branstad said. In the end of the day, (Trump) wants to make things better for America. He wants better deals for America. But the best deal is a win-win, which would be better for America but also good for China. My goal is to try to be the go-between between the two strong leaders, between President Trump representing America and my old friend Xi Jinping representing China, and hopefully working out some of these difficult issues. And theres a lot of issues. Li said she is confident Branstad will be able to work through all those issues and Iowans will benefit from Branstads service as ambassador. She traveled with Branstads administration during a recent trade mission to China and marveled at the work Branstad did to foster those trade relationships. And for Li as with so many other Iowans who think Branstad will excel in his new role it all comes back to that deep-seated relationship with President Xi. The Chinese culture pays a lot of attention to relationships. We have a word called guanxi, Li said, referring to a Chinese word that literally means relationships and in Chinese business refers to a network of relationships. Its literally the key in doing business, making everything happen in China. Gov. Branstad has the perfect guanxi with the highest-ranking officials in China. And that makes him pretty unique. OSAGEMitchell County Emergency Services purchased a drone this month for the countys emergency responders to use. Its another asset we can utilize now, Mitchell County Sheriff Greg Beaver said. Beaver said the sheriffs office could use the drone for aerial views as it investigates traffic accidents, as well as search and rescue. Though it has not been used yet, Capt. Kris Olson of the Osage Fire Department said hes confident it could be used at any time. The drone, which has removable propellers, is easy to assemble for quick use in an emergency situation. It kind of looks like an overgrown insect, Olson said, laughing. It is stored in a large, black case. Its batteries are rechargeable and its video display can be shown on a smart phone or tablet. Its user-friendly, Olson said. Were still learning. Drone operators must have an FAA drone pilot license, so Beaver said the county can only fly based on what state law requires. Olson is one of three designated emergency responders with the licensing and training to operate the drone. A St. Ansgar firefighter and a Mitchell County deputy will be able to fly the drone as well. Olson believes the drone is a great tool for emergency responders in Mitchell County. WATERLOO Veterans Memorial Hall is again accepting applications for commemorative bricks honoring local veterans to placed in Soldiers and Sailors Park outside the hall. We are having a drive to let people know that we are still placing veterans bricks on the brick walk in the park outside Memorial Hall, said Marcia Courbat, a World War II veteran and member of the Memorial Hall Commission wholl turn 95 March 31. Bricks ordered before May 1 can be put in place at the park by Memorial Day. The bricks cost $50 and are engraved with the veterans name, branch and years of service. For those wishing to honor multiple veterans within a family, those bricks can be grouped together. Brick also may be placed around the park fountain for those wishing to honor ancestors who served in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Veterans of those conflicts collaborated to get Memorial Hall built in 1915. Bricks commemorating some Confederate Civil War veterans with local ties also have been placed there. Proceeds from brick sales go to ongoing maintenance of Memorial Hall and the park. More than 3,000 bricks have been laid since the brick program began in 1999. Orders have been received from 39 states and overseas. In one instance years ago a Belgian citizen ordered a brick for a Waterloo flier kiled in World War II and buried at a U.S. military cemetery there. Order forms are available at Waterloo Fire Rescue headquarters at the main fire station, 423 E. Third St., as well as the City Clerks office in Waterloo City Hall or by calling Courbat at 233-4569. Commission members also plan to have forms available in local funeral homes. All veterans off all conflicts up through Iraq and Afghanistan as well as peacetime are eligible to have bricks placed at the hall. Courbat also noted anyone is welcome to volunteer at Memorial Hall and may contact her. The Memorial Hall brick drive is concurrent with a separate, similar brick drive to raise funds for the maintenance of Veterans Park in Cedar Falls, led by Korean War veteran and former Cedar Falls City Council member Sid Morris. The Cedar Valley is very lucky to have two veteran brick walks honoring their veterans, Courbat said. WATERLOO A late winter snowstorm dumped more than 10 inches of snow Sunday and early Monday in the metro area. Cory Martin, meteorologist with the National Weather Services Des Moines office, said the 10.4 inches reported in Waterloo was the highest amount he had received a report on as of 7:30 a.m. Monday. Other reports showed Iowa Falls receiving 6 inches and Tripoli receiving 8 inches. This is a snow that wont stick around long, so that should help, Martin said. Area school districts were cancelling or delaying school Monday. The Waterloo and Cedar Falls schools districts are on spring break this week. Twenty-two car crashes had been reported in Waterloo since the snow began around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the Waterloo Police Department. Cedar Falls Police reported six crashes in that same time period, while Evansdale Police reported 10. Waterloos downtown area clean-up will begin at 8 p.m. Tuesday. All vehicles parked on downtown streets must be moved to allow for effective snow removal. Free parking is available in any of the downtown parking ramps until 7 a.m. Wednesday, as well as under the 218 overpass. Vehicles left unattended once the business area is closed will be towed. Snowplows had cleared most of Waterloo by mid-morning Monday. Tuesday was forecast to be mostly sunny, but still cold, with high temperatures in the low 20s and 5 to 10 mile-per-hour winds from the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. No precipitation was expected. The Republican response to Obamacare preserves many popular features of the health-care program while disdaining its needs-based subsidies in favor of one based primarily on age and dismantling its array of taxes. Democratic opposition was expected, but the American Health Care Act also drew fire from conservatives concerned about costs and permanently establishing another entitlement program. Associations representing hospitals, doctors and nurses denounced it, maintaining it was skewed against the poor, notably ending the expansion of Medicaid for those with low incomes and the disabled. The bill also would eliminate $1 billion for the Centers for Disease Controls Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is used for lead poisoning prevention, immunizations and state-level public health initiatives. Some Republicans have called it a slush fund. The AHCA would continue the ban against pre-existing health conditions determining insurance rates and would allow adult children under 26 to stay on their parents policies. It keeps Obamacares 10 essential health benefits, including free wellness exams. Women still cant be charged more for premiums than men and receive free birth control and preventive health services with no cost-sharing. Maternity care is another essential health benefit. Republicans would keep the ban against annual and lifetime limits on coverage, but insurers could charge older Americans five times as much for premiums as young adults, rather than three times as under Obamacare. Gone are the individual mandates requiring everyone to have health insurance or face a tax penalty of up to 2.5 percent of total household adjusted gross income, or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (a maximum of $2,085). Instead, the AHCAs continuous coverage incentive has a 30 percent penalty if health insurance lapses. Large companies no longer would have to provide health insurance to their employees. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, employers account for 49 percent of all coverage; Medicaid, 20 percent; Medicare, 14 percent; other government, 2 percent; the ACA or direct purchases, 7 percent; and uninsured, 9 percent. The proposed annual tax credits range from $2,000 for those under 30 to $4,000 for those over 60 available in full for individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples up to $150,000, then gradually phased out. Tax-free Health Savings Account maximum contributions would increase for individuals from $3,400 to $6,550 and for a family from $6,750 to $6,550. The 31 states, including Iowa, with expanded Medicaid coverage would be allowed additional federal funding through 2020, but with reduced federal aid for new enrollees or those returning after that. States then would assume a greater Medicaid cost burden estimated at $370 billion over 10 years. Obamacare was desperately in need of reform. The Congressional Budget Office underestimated 11 million people being added to Medicaid rolls, a huge cost, and overestimated enrollees in the ACA marketplace program, particularly young adults. While Obamacare was attractive to older people and those with medical problems, its formulas jacked up premiums for healthy, young people who became an anomaly in a system weighed down by people with more illnesses and leading insurance companies to exit the ACA marketplace en masse. Among the biggest demographic groups in the ACA are individuals with annual incomes of $29,700 less than 2.5 times the poverty level who receive the largest subsidies. Under the Republican bill, those subsidies invariably will be reduced. As for AHCA costs, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., a co-author and chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, promised, We'll begin this process in an open and transparent way. But no scoring the predicted 10-year budget impact from the CBO was forthcoming. Indeed, Republicans and the Trump White House spent more time criticizing the CBOs faulty projections on Obamacare than providing any clue concerning what the AHCA would cost. Republicans also will need to debunk projections the plan will raise everyones health-care premiums because universal coverage such that it is will be lacking. The Iowa Hospital Association alone reported a $300 million decrease in charity cases and bad debt between 2013-15. Politically, 2016 exit polls showed lower-income, working-class Trump supporters resentful of Medicaid recipients benefits. With the proposed subsidy reductions the AHCA will be a harder sell among that group. The Republican aversion to needs-based subsidies many come back to haunt them. While age is a primary factor in determining health insurance premiums, subsidies seemingly would be more appropriate based on ability to pay. As President Donald Trump recently said, the issue is unbelievably complex, adding, Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated. Democrats may mourn the demise of Obamacare, but are probably delighted the albatross of devising a better solution is now wrapped tightly affixed around Republican necks. Zimmerman case ROBERT A. CAMARATA GRUNDY CDENTER -- In response to Jeremy Holmes' letter March 8, which claimed a problem in Florida with men like George Zimmerman running around with a gun, let me refresh his memory. Trayvon Martin had attacked Zimmerman after an argument and was in the process of bashing Zimmermans head into the sidewalk. Blood on the sidewalk and a wound to his head corroborated Zimmermans story. The only problem with this incident in Florida was Zimmerman waited too long to shoot Martin, and nearly got himself killed in the process. The police chief said Zimmerman was released because he acted in self-defense. Six weeks after the shooting, amid intense and in some cases misleading media coverage, Zimmerman was charged with murder by a special prosecutor. Zimmerman's trial began on June 10, 2013, in Sanford, Fla. On July 13, a jury acquitted him of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Due to unwarranted hysteria in the press, the U.S. Department of Justice investigated Zimmerman on civil rights charges. In February 2015, the DOJ concluded there was not sufficient evidence that Zimmerman intentionally violated the civil rights of Martin. Waterloo streets JERALD SMITH WATERLOO -- Since moving to Waterloo last July, I am less than amused with the condition of streets. When I drive in Waterloo, I dont know for sure if I am driving on a washboard or riding a mechanical bull in a Texas beer joint. I watched as crews shoveled patch material into potholes with snow and water in them. The patch was not even pressed down with a shovel. Within 48 hours, it was pulled out of the potholes by traffic and scattered all over the streets. When asked why the streets are not built with drainage under the surface, I am told the city cannot afford to do that. I find it strange the city does not have the money to do a job right the first time, but has the money to do it wrong over and over. The streets with potholes big enough to lose an 18-wheeler in are a fine attraction for visitors to the city. It must be true, no mater how much money government gets, it will never be enough. Is there a connection here with the fact there are no poor politicians? Defense budget TRISH BRUXVOORT COLLIGAN STRAWBERRY POINT -- President Trump has called for a historic increase in defense spending. On March 8, the House overwhelmingly voted to pass the first in a series of bills intended to make the presidents increase our reality. Currently, we spend roughly $600 billion per year on defense. Thats three times more than China, 10 times more than Russia. Still, as Senator Grassley said in a July 2016 floor speech, the Pentagon develops and produces the most advanced weapons the world has ever known, yet it cant seem to acquire the tools it needs to keep track of the money it spends. The Pentagon has never been audited, and the governments own accounting expert testified very little of the DoDs annual spending is actually accounted for. Why would we continue to pour funds into a system so utterly broken? And how can we justify it by shrinking the Coast Guard and TSA, diminishing FEMA and the State Department, and taking food and health care from our own children? I hope Sens. Grassley and Joni Ernst and Rep. Rod Blum will act wisely and responsibly where the Pentagon has not, and vote against any increases in the Pentagon budget. Q: What is the date for the UNI-Dome antique show? A: Its set for March 17-19. Q: The mayor said it cost $2,000-$3,000 per year to maintain a property where a house has been torn down. Can he explain what costs are involved to add up to that much? A: That was not a statement from the mayor. Waterloo Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson said it generally costs the city that much each year to maintain lots due to contracted mowing, snow removal on sidewalks and sometimes cleaning up debris, tree limbs, etc. Q: My neighbor has diverted his sewer line to come out in my yard where my kids play, which causes a big mess. What can be done about this? A: We assume the caller is talking about a sump pump discharge and not a sanitary sewer line. Waterloo city ordinances do not cover a situation where runoff from a sump pump causes issues for a neighbor. That is an issue the neighbors need to resolve amicably or with lawyers. Q: When issues between public sector workers and employers go to arbitration, what percentage of the issues are decided in favor of the union versus employers? What do the firefighters and police in Waterloo pay for their health insurance? A: Waterloo city employees currently pay $80 a month toward their family health insurance premium and $40 a month for single coverage. We are not sure whether anyone keeps a scorecard of interest arbitrations in Iowa. The Iowa Public Employee Relations Board, which oversees public sector bargaining, was forwarded your question but did not respond. Q: When are they going to build a roundabout at 12th and Main in Cedar Falls? A: Cedar Falls Community Development Director Stephanie Houk Sheetz replies: A public meeting regarding Main Street was held in September 2016. Several options were shown for this upcoming project, including possibilities for the intersection of 12th and Main. A second public meeting will be scheduled soon to discuss recommendations. Please call the city at 273-8600 for more information. Q: If the Iowa bargaining bill is so great for Iowa public employees, why are they excluding the fire and police from such legislation? A: Republican lawmakers say workers who put their lives on the line deserve extra rights. Opponents say the exemptions were included because Republicans know attacking firefighters and police officers is politically unpopular and would have endangered the bill. Critics also warn public safety workers could be next. Now that one set of public workers unions has been neutered, Republicans are free to go after firefighters and police officers. 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Dutch company best known for its ceramic 3D printers, has joined forces with the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) to launch a new state-of-the-art metal 3D printer: the ADMETALFLEX. The new heavy-duty 3D printer is the latest addition to the ADMAFLEX series, and promises to deliver high-quality metal printed components, low surface roughness values, perfected features, and no residual stresses. Admatec and ECN will preview the 3D printer at the Additive Manufacturing User Group conference in Chicago later this March. Michiel de Bruijcker, Managing Director of Admatec, noted that with the new ADMETALFLEX, his company is underscoring a strong cooperation with the Dutch energy specialists ECN, and an increased dedication to push their 3D printer line to a broader market. Pulling off this task will strengthen Admatecs market position as a leading additive manufacturing brand, de Bruijcker said in a statement. While the jump from ceramic 3D printing to metal additive manufacturing may seem like unchartered territory, producing both materials requires comprehensive knowledge of powder metallurgy, which Admatec has evidenced time and again. Company representatives confirm that it was always Admatecs aim to launch this new 3D metal printer. High-material quality combined with form freedom and fine product details were the goal of our development, said ECN Director of Engineering and Materials Jaco Saurwalt. By improving both the process as well as the machine, the current ADMATEC ceramics printing technology has been extended to high-density metals. The ADMETALFLEXs operating principles revolve around Digital Light Processing (DLP), as seen with previous Admatec releases such as the ADMAFLEX 130 ceramic printer. DLP is unique in its involvement of filled photosensitive resin, but the new 3D printer has the added combination of debinding and sintering processes. With its new 3D printer, Admatec aims to satisfy the increasing market demand for high-precision, high-performing metal components that are relatively small in size. With that in mind, the new ADMETALFLEX will 3D print metal components that have been, up until now, manufactured by traditional shaping technologies like CNC machining or metal injection molding. The ADMETALFLEX 3D printer matches the 96 x 52 x 120 mm build volume of the ADMAFLEX 130, and can print layer heights as fine as 10 microns with an x, y resolution of 50 microns. The minimum feature size for parts printed on the ADMETALFLEX is 0.3 to 0.4 mm, and the 3D printer comes with an optional integrated process control feature. Beyond matters of Admatecs product line expansion, the new 3D printer release is significant in a broader way as well, as it demonstrates that 3D printed metals are continuing to soar. And with ceramics leader Admatec coming in as the latest 3D printing company to tap into this burgeoning field, it seems as though, now more than ever, no holds are barred in the race for high-quality, effective 3D metal printing. Posted in 3D Printer Maybe you also like: Sarigolepas wrote at 3/29/2017 3:37:24 PM:That's the fucking 3D printer I have always dreamed of Mar 13, 2017 | By Benedict Cazza Construction Technologies, an architectural 3D printing startup that is currently working with the Dubai Government, says it is planning to build the worlds first 3D printed skyscraper. The company will purportedly use a new 3D printing technique called crane printing. 3D printing startup Cazza Construction Technologies is planning to 3D print skyscrapers For a company whose 3D printing technology has never been seen in public, Silicone Valley 3D printing startup Cazza Construction Technologies certainly seems to inspire faith in people. After drumming up a lot of interest over the last year or so, Cazza announced at the end of 2016 that it had been contracted by the Dubai Government to start 3D printing buildings there. (Dubai, of course, famously claimed that 25% of its buildings would be 3D printed by the year 2030.) Cazza now says it has the technology to 3D print skyscrapers. In an interview with Construction Week Online, Cazzas wunderkind CEO Chris Kelsey explained that his companys new crane printing technique could be used to create high rises at least 80 meters tall. When we first thought of implementing 3D printing technologies, we were mostly thinking of houses and low-rise buildings, Kelsey said. Developers kept asking us if it was possible to build a 3D printed skyscraper. This led us to begin researching how we could adapt the technologies for taller structures. This all sounds very exciting, but how will it work? What even is crane printing? The company says that the 3D printing process can be used to make structures made of concrete and steel. It also says that, while specific parts of a building will be 3D printed, other parts will be made using existing construction methods. In other words, we dont really know anything about how the technology will work, besides the fact it can be easily adopted with existing cranes and that something called layer smoothing will be used. Thats according to Cazza COO Fernando De Los Rios, who added: We are adding new features to make it adaptable to high wind speeds along with the use of our layer smoothing system that creates completely flat surfaces. You wont know [its] 3D printed. Renderings of (shorter) buildings that could someday be 3D printed by Cazza While its easy to get excited about the idea of a 3D printed skyscraper, its just as easy to be skepticalespecially when you cant see the much-hyped technology in front of you. The Cazza website, of course, gives nothing away, marrying a slick corporate design with airy phrases like A sustainable future is impossible without significant change. Clearly something about Cazza has attracted interest (and large financial offers) from the industry, but the company is keeping its cards close to its chest. Through our technologies, we will be able to build architecturally complex buildings at never-before seen speeds, Kelsey added. It is all about economies of scale where the initial high technology costs will reduce as we enter the mass-production phase. Cazzas first 3D printed skyscraper will purportedly be built in the UAE, though details about that project are yet to be revealed. Posted in 3D Printing Technology Maybe you also like: Mar 13, 2017 | By Tess Leading Canadian metals and industrial parts manufacturer Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd. has announced it will be increasing its stake in 3D printing technologies through the acquisition of Burloak Technologies, a Dundas, Ontario-based additive manufacturing solutions company. Founded in 1855, Samuel, Son & Co. is one of the oldest and most established companies in the Canadian metals industry. Peter Adams, President of Burloak Technologies (left); Colin Osbourne, President of Samuel Manufacturing (right) Samuel, Son & Co. recently signed an agreement to buy Burloak Technologies, a company founded in 2005 which specializes in engineering and designing 3D printing solutions, including DMLS metal 3D printing, and SLS plastic 3D printing. The acquisition will mark Samuel, Son & Co.s first significant move into the additive manufacturing industry, a move which is expected to further reinforce its leading position in the market. We are very excited about this announcement and what it will mean to Samuel and its customers, commented Colin Osborne, President of Samuel Manufacturing. Every indicator is pointing to additive manufacturing and 3D printing being a disruptive technology in many of the industries we supply. Samuel says it plans to rapidly scale Burloaks current operations so that it can integrate and offer metal 3D printing solutions at its many facilities across North America. Burloak Technologies, for its part, has experience designing, prototyping, and developing production grade parts for the aerospace, defense, and commercial industries. Samuels acquisition of Burloak has the potential to result in the strongest independent supply chain solution in North America. Peter Adams, President of Burloak Technologies issued a statement about the acquisition: I strongly believe this deal will deliver a level of stability and scale to the additive supply chain that both larger manufacturers and specialty players have been waiting for. It combines the stability, expertise and financial strength of a 160-year-old North American powerhouse in the metals market, with the passion for transformational engineering and manufacturing solutions that is part of the Burloak culture. In 2014, Burloak Technologies announced it would be opening Canadas first full production 3D printing center. The timeline for the center, which saw it operational by 2019, has not been addressed by Burloak Technologies or Samuel, Son & Co. Currently, Samuel, Son & Co. has over 100 facilities across the North American continent and employs over 4,800 people. With a network of over 40,000 customers, the well-established company provides metal manufacturing, processing, and distribution services. There is no word on whether management of Burloak Technologies will stay the same. Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: by Carl Pierer It is often the case in mathematics that by noticing some kind of symmetry, a problem can be simplified substantially. This makes them very useful. But, much like in art, mathematical symmetries also have an air of beauty and harmony. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why their study is a particularly satisfying branch of mathematics. A symmetry in mathematics is considered as an invariance under certain transformations. Consider, for instance, a square. There are the four rotational symmetries and four symmetries of reflection. While the vertices get permuted under these transformations, the configuration of the triangle is invariant. What this means is that if vertex 1 is joined to the vertices 2 and 4, then no matter what transformation we apply, these vertices will be joined afterwards as well. A transformation that does not keep these joints fixed will not be a symmetry. All these transformations taken together form a mathematical group. These can be, for a lack of a better word, considered as discrete symmetries and belong to the theory of finite groups. A different approach is to consider symmetries of continuous transformations. These are somewhat harder to visualise. Consider a circle. A rotation of the circle by any degree, no matter how small, will preserve the configuration of the circle. This is an example of a continuous transformation. The groups of these kinds of transformation find a natural place in Lie theory. The person responsible for launching the early investigation of groups of continuous symmetries was Sophus Lie (1842-1899). In the 1860ies, the study of finite groups became a solid part of mathematics; by this time, tools had been developed and mathematicians started using them for various problems. In 1870, Camille Jordan published his Traite des substitutions et des equations algebriques. This was the first detailed study and clarification of Galois Theory. Evariste Galois (1811-1832) had studied algebraic equations and solutions to them. By finding symmetries in the roots of a polynomial and associating a group, he launched a wholly new and fruitful field of mathematical research. His work, possibly due to the highly tumultuous circumstances of his life and his early death, remained in sketches and it was not until others cleared up the ideas that the full impact of the theory was appreciated. Jordan's Traite was an effort to showcase and elaborate on the earlier work on groups by, amongst others Galois and Cauchy. But it also included substantially new contributions, introducing the concept of solvable groups, composition series and proving part of what is today known as the Jordan-Holder theorem. The work has been credited with being an inspiration for many mathematicians and bringing group theory into the focus of late 19th century and 20th century mathematics. Jordan's contributions to group theory inspired many mathematicians, including Lie. Lie's research between 1869 and 1873 led the way to what would later become known as Lie theory. In 1869, Lie moved to Berlin, where there was a strong research focus on analysis, including such famous mathematicians as Kummer, Kronecker, and Weierstrass. In Berlin, he met the younger Felix Klein (1842-1899) and they soon formed a friendship. The two were brought together by a common interest in geometry and their dislike for the prevalence of analysis in Berlin at the time. They met on a daily basis from October 1869 October 1872 and influenced each other substantially. Lie's first insight concerning the notion and relevance of groups of continuous symmetries was to have realised that the solution to certain types of differential equations depended entirely on their invariance under certain continuous transformations. He published a first work, which was edited by Klein, using this idea in 1869. Their ideas developed somewhat differently on the course of the following years. Klein became interested in understanding different kinds of geometry through groups. He developed this idea, which was later to form the core of his Erlangen Programm (published in 1872). Lie, however, envisaged a Galois-style theory for differential equations. Eventually, this approach proved fruitless, as the group associated to a differential equation in this way is in general trivial. In spite of this, the project developed into a beautiful theory in its own right. In 1873, Lie had reached a major breakthrough. While he had realised early on that he was able to associate finite-dimensional transformation groups to certain differential equations, he lacked a way of determining them exactly. In that year, he discovered that "he could determine these transformation groups in one variable" via infinitesimal transformations, which are closed under a bilinear operator (the bracket) and which we now call Lie algebras. This means he was able to approximate the transformation groups by working with linear approximations. This discovery is lauded as the mathematical origin of Lie theory. Lie would devote the rest of his life to a systematic development of this theory. In 1886, he was offered the chair of geometry in Gottingen. There, Friedrich Engel (1861-1941) would soon become his assistant. Together, they created "() a school dedicated to the further development, application and dissemination of his theory of transformation groups" (Hawkins, 2000). Their research flourished, and in the years 1888-1893 Lie and Engel published the Theorie der Transformationsgruppen. Their work soon attracted international attention. Amongst the most interested were mathematicians in Paris, partly due to Lie's connections and visits. Lie had visited Paris in 1887, by which time Poincare and Picard were spearheading the mathematical community in Paris. His research was met with great sympathy. Poincare and Picard send students to study with Lie in Leipzig. At this time of Franco-German tensions, such an exchange was rather unusual. It is surely a testament to the interest Lie's work aroused in Paris. Because of his bad health, Lie returned to Norway in 1898. He died the following year. But his school in Leipzig was thriving, and three mathematicians there (Friedrich Engel, Friedrich Schur, and Eduard Study) oriented their work to aspects of Lie's theory. But also elsewhere, Lie's theory attracted many mathematicians. Amongst others, Wilhelm Killing (1847-1923). Killing had studied in Berlin, where he had become acquainted with methods of linear algebra. Thanks to this Killing was able to contribute a new perspective to determining the classification of transformation groups. With this perspective, he was able to give a classification of simple Lie groups. This was a big first step into the direction of classifying more general Lie groups. In Paris, Picard wrote to Lie: "Paris is becoming a center for groups; it is all fermenting in young minds, and one will have an excellent wine after the liquors have settled a bit.''[i] Elie Cartan (1869-1951) fulfilled Picard's prophesy. He carried Killing's initial research further and discovered many of the structures that are still being used. In 1913, he arrived at a complete classification of the complex finite-dimensional representations of semisimple Lie groups. A representation of a Lie group can be thought of as describing a way of a Lie group acting on a vector space. We say a representation is complex finite-dimensional if the vector space is complex and finite-dimensional. Cartan's classifying theorem, known as the Theorem of the Highest Weight, thus describes a way of understanding the ways in which a large class of Lie groups manifest themselves in their action on complex finite-dimensional vector spaces. While the contributions of Lie, Killing, Cartan, and others provided a solid foundation for the study of Lie groups, the subject thrived in the 1920ies when Hermann Weyl, with an eye on developments in the theory of relativity and quantum theory, developed the subject further. Today, Lie groups pop up in many different aspects of mathematics. While a large interest comes from physics representations of Lie groups are studied, for instance, in quantum theory they are also of intrinsic interest in mathematics. Because of their rich structure, their study allows many different approaches: from geometry and algebra to analysis. This makes them into fascinating representatives of the beauty of symmetries. References Bourbaki, N. (1975). Lie Groups and Lie Algebras. Addison-Wesley. Hawkins, T. (2000). Emergence of the Theory of Lie Groups (1869-1926). Springer. by Maniza Naqvi I've traveled across the city from M.A. Jinnah Road and the Pioneer Book House in the neighborhood of Meriwether Tower to an art gallery off 26h street Block 4 Clifton in Karachi now in the shadow of another occupying towering tower. Same story. Of ground breaking points of references reaching back 1200 years. This route that encompasses galleys which brought Sidis and slaves and the Empires' soldiers, of alleys, and gullies and godowns and corridors, and mandirs and mazars and mosques, and synagogues. This route of the gods, part men-part women, and their many guest houses, whore houses, book houses, teahouses, sharab houses and more. I've crossed them all. I have two hours before I call in to workthousands of miles awayin the world where I am not quite like this. But still I hope the same. I'm here, this evening to meet my friend Hani. But instead in the moment I've walked into the opening reception in the courtyard for Taqseem the art exhibition. While I wait for Hani to arrive I go in to see the exhibit. I stare at a photo shopped gigantic portrait of Jinnah by the artist Imran ChannaJinnah in all his different iterationsperhaps seven different poses, now European now Indian, now Pakistani, so cool, so well dressed, debonair, effete, sophisticated, immaculate. And I'm theregazing at him, this beautifully dressed manand I'm dressed in my 20 year old khadi kurtaregretting not having washed my hands or feet or having taken a shower before I came hereAnd would it have killed me to have dragged a comb through my hair? But there wasn't enough time to fix things. For him. I mean. And I could've scrubbed my face. The one in the shades I'm picking that as the one I'm feeling The founder of the Gallery, Noorjehan Bilgrami takes me aside and asks me whether I'll try my hand at writing about this exhibition and critiquing it. I'm astonished. I've never done this. And what would I know about critiquing art? But she insists that I do this and so here I am in between being at the Pioneer Book House and finishing a report on remittances in Somalia and discussing a Safety Nets Core Course's next agenda iteration. Of course you can. She says. I know you can. Try it at least. She guides me to Omar Wasim.who is standing near his art workThis artist has a partner for this artSaira Sheikh but she is not here. I ask him if he's telling me the truth is there really another partner in his work or is she just a figment of his imagination a part of the conceitThe she of he? And he assures me she very much exists. And he tells me about her. And why she is not here this evening and I listen to him tell me about her. And I wish her the very best. And then I listen to him explain to me about the art workand how developers have divided and destroyed and made the earth sick. Over the noise of the milling guests, the noise in my own head, I piece together his narrative of how monuments precede the land grabbing and the land destroyingand I examine the image on the wall, a black and white tower in a desolate landscapeand the way the light falls on it and given my references of homelandsit appears to me as if it is that tower. That one tower that drives all narrative now. That towering tower. Monuments that precede destruction Just then a pointy headed pale young man lithe and long walks past and inadvertently with his foot he grazes the side of part of the installmenta mud embankment growing grasshis pink sneakered foot chips of a chunk of its cornerI see that happen and I see him walk away I call after him Hey look what you've doneyou've damage the art work hereHe stops stares at me and looks at the damage and replies in defense of his actionwhat is he supposed to doI say come back and help fix itown up to it do somethingHe comes back and with his pink sneakered foot starts to kick sweep the fallen scattered dirt back to the base of the installation. Not like that I sayshow some respect gather it up with your hands..He looks at me and what I place to be a Belgian accent he demands haughtilyWho are you to tell me what to doyou will not tell me what to doyou cannot tell me what to doI will do what I want and he walks away as quickly as he can. I have been left there shaking like a leafsaying yes I can tell you what to doI am telling you what to do. Now do it. Who the hell do you think you are some kind of spiked haipink toed thug? That's in my head. I find out later that he is a ballet dancer from Albania via Berlin. The curator, the gallery staff, the artist himselfall of themtry to calm me down They are hesitant to accost this foreignerthey are somehow intimidated by him I feel that they are not willing to confront this arrogant creatureand I am incensed. I go after him but he has left the premises..left the gallery entirely.If there ever is a narcissistic moment as all art is expected to beI think I'm engaged in it at full tilt and throttle. And I am so angry it colors the rest of my eveninghot pink angry. That pink toed creature. In the evening as I think back to what has happened. I wonder what did happen. How did I go from serene earth mother, peace love and rock n rollFaizdirt under her fingernails to raging crazy person ninja bitch? Was all that art? Was his clipping the side of the piece of landdestroying itbreaking it aparttaking off a corner of itthen my reactionmy almost hot rage after being all sweet and gentle all day longthen his arrogance and refusal to fix itrestore it-fix what he had broken and the rest of itincluding my impotent demand that he come back right now, right this second and fix itfix itwas it all part of the installationwas that all supposed to happen just that way. Did I just get taken in by an elaborate artistic theater? Or am I as always reading into things only what I want to. Projecting whatever it is that's going on in my head onto the art that I engage with? Or for that matter anything that I engage with. Did I just walk into this? Next Noorjehan introduces a very rattled me to Jamil Dehlavi. He is standing near his own work and looking at it. Noorjehan introduces us. I am expected I feel to know who Dehlavi is but my brain is already dealing with ten different poses of Jinnah and a pink sneakered poser and I can recall who this person is. So I immediately ask him about his workthe art in front of us. Just as we begin to talk, Noorjehan leaves us, and a newly discovered nephew of mine, an artist in residency at a collective in the neighborhood who is standing nearby greets me but I tell him that I'll catch up with him. He wears sun glassesits night and we're indoors. He's young. He's beautiful. He's an artist. Of course he's wearing shades indoors, at night. And he reminds me of a sepia photograph of my father and two unclesand a photograph taken in Indiabefore partition, all of them wearing dark glassesfor a studio photograph. I learn from Jamil Dehlavi that he is a film maker. And he made a film on Jinnah. I haven't seen it. Can't imagine how Christopher Lee gets to play Jinnah. Have they ever used an Indian or Pakistani to play Churchill or Mountbatten? I'm distracted by this and I tell him that Imran Aslam would make a great Jinnah. I don't know why I say this at this moment. Maybe the seven poses of Jinnah remind me that I had said that to Imran Aslam the one time I met him. Koel had invited Dehlavi to create art for this exhibition Taqseem. Divide. His work is based on a personal history spanning the globe. And now as I recall my conversation and piece it together in my memorythe script goes something like this: The scene is an art galleryfull of people. I am still recovering from the rage of art being damaged a bit of earth being disrespected, damaged and kicked around. While the natives' quietly gather it and try to fix it all the while not confronting the destroyer. I am tired. I've been trying to save a bookstore. I'm grimy. And I add to my anxiety another one, that I have here a nephew whom I should get to know better and I hope that he doesn't think I'm ignoring him. I tell Jamil Dehlavi about myself. I request the artist that on all the things on my resume the different categories of me I'd like him to focus on the fact that I'm a writer. We are so many things at once. My hands and feet are dirty because I'm trying to restore a bookstore, the oldest in the city on the street named after the man of seven images and I'm trying to save it from closing down. And the man I'm talking to is a film maker who has made a film about the man of many images and he is other things too. His father was Indian when he met his mother and married her. She was from France. They traveled back from Europe to live in Bombay. She brought with her many books. I asked if the bottle green ocean liner trunk carried the books his mother had brought with her. No he replies. Puzzled at the question. I sayin the world we live in what is home? Is it a house? Can it be books? A bookshelf? A book house? The choice of books as luggage. The heaviness of it. The lightness of it. Or perhaps the seafaring trunk is just a metaphor for what is home. Or a coffin. He listens and shrugs and contemplates his work. I wonder why he considers himself divided after all we are all many thingsno one is just one thing anymorenever ever not now not ever was or isand everyone is always traversing many different cultures, nowadays, every daywhy in a given daywithin a few hours. I check my watch and turn my gaze to another place. At the far end I look towards the metal panelAmin Gulgee's work. The rectangular piece is suspended from the ceiling, like a grilllike a gate the lattice work appears as if Urdu calligraphy it casts a shadow of itself on the wallas light passes through it. And as I think back to it now-I thinkeven the hintthe very image of what might be words-needs light to take on fleeting meaningsand it leaves an indelible impression. Taqseem Exhibit (here) by Emrys Westacott Back in 1930, the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that the continuous increase in productivity characteristic of industrial capitalism would lead within a century to much more leisure for everyone, with the typical working week being reduced to about fifteen hours. This has obviously not come about. To be sure, in virtually all relatively prosperous countries the average number of hours worked annually has fallen over the last few decades. Between 1950 and 2010, in the US, for instance, this number dropped from 1,908 to 1,695, in Canada from 2,079 to 1,711, and in Denmark from 2,144 to 1,523. Even in Japan, famed for its workaholism, the average number of hours worked per year went from a high of 2,224 in 1961 to 1,706 in 2011.[1] But even the lackadaisical Danes are still working twice as hard as Keynes predicted. Given the increases in productivity and prosperity in the industrialized world, one could have reasonably hoped for more. People in the UK are now four times better off than they were in 1930, but they work only twenty percent less, and that is fairly typical of other advanced economies. The rich, who used to relish their idleness, now boast about how hard they work, while for many of the poor unemployment is a persistent curse. Moreover, according to economist Staffan Linder, economic growth is typically accompanied by a sense that we have less time available for the things we wish to do. This feeling is not mistaken, but the lack of time is in large part due to the fact that members of affluent societies will opt for more money over more leisure if given the choice. They then start to carry the mentality and values of workplace productivity into every part of their lives, resulting in what Linder calls the "harried leisure class."[2] So why was Keynes wrong? According to Robert and Edward Skidelsky in How Much Is Enough? his mistake was to underestimate the difficulty of reining in the forces unleashed by capitalism, particularly people's desire for ever increasing wealth and the things it can buy. Our natural concern for improved relative status, hardwired into us by evolution, is inflamed by the capitalist system, complete with incessant advertising and free market ideology, so that we always want more than we have and more than we really need.[3] This explanation of why we still work much harder than we need to has some plausibility. But I would suggest that the problem is not solely, or even mainly, that most people are driven by an insatiable desire for more. Rather, as Juliet Schor argues in The Overworked American, the main problem is that individuals are at the mercy of the system.[4] Many would prefer to work less than they do, but for various reasons they don't feel that they have much choice. One obvious obstacle to working less is that one's employer may not offer this option. After all, it is usually in the employer's interest to have a smaller number of employees working long hours rather than spreading the work over a larger workforce. And even if working fewer hours is technically an option, many employees will be reluctant to work less for fear that doing so will send the signal that they are insufficiently motivated or committed to the work. Another obvious problem is the fact that many jobs pay poorly, so people work overtime or take on more than one job. No doubt some people who take on all this extra work are driven by avarice; but far more are motivated simply by the need to make enough to pay the bills. Here it is not the workers who insatiably crave more money, but the bosses (which includes the top executives and the big shareholders). They are the ones who, although often fabulously wealthy themselves, insist on paying their lower grade employees subsistence wages. The system also includes the way that market forces determine the cost of living. Ideally this is supposed to benefit the consumer as suppliers compete for custom by lowering their prices. But although things work this way with respect to items like computers or cameras, in some crucial spheres the market drives prices up. The most obvious of these is housing. Normally everyone cheers when prices of a commodity drop, for who doesn't want to see cheaper plane tickets or lower gas prices? But economists treat house prices differently. A fall in house prices is a "slump," and it is typically reported as bad news. But why? One reason is that if you own a house, an increase in its value means an increase in your net worth. People are pleased by this, even if the corresponding rise in other house prices means that they are not necessarily any better off. True, they can sell their house for more, but they then have to spend more to buy something similar. A second reason for cheering a rise in house prices is that one can take out a loan using one's house as collateral, so the higher its value, the more one can borrow. Yet most people don't need to borrow sums so large that a hefty increase in the value of their house is necessary to secure the loan. A third reason is that rising house prices means high demand for houses, which means work for those who provide the goods and services involved in building and equipping new houses, improving old ones, and helping people move. This last reason for viewing an increase in house prices positively makes some sense, although even here rising prices are not so much good in themselves as a sign of something else that is goodviz. the prospect of increased economic activity. But on the other side of the ledger, high property values have some significant drawbacks. Most obviously, they make it impossible for many people to buy a house. And in population centers like London or San Francisco, where property values are especially high, rents will also be exorbitant. So those on modest incomes must either devote a good chunk of what they earn to paying the rent, or settle for a long and often unpleasant commute. Market forces are also responsible for escalating costs in health care and higher education. The problem for people without much money is that these things, like housing, cannot reasonably be considered optional luxuries. Diseases and injuries can threaten one's life; disabilities and pain can seriously reduce one's quality of life. That is why people are willing to bankrupt themselves in order to get treatment for themselves or their family members. The need for a college education is obviously not quite of the same order: failing to get into the college of your choice may be disappointing, but it is rarely fatal. All the same, for most people hoping to pursue any sort professional career today, a college degree is indispensable. And even though in some countries (e.g. France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil) it is still possible to get a decent education and a respectable qualification quite cheaply, there are far more where this is not true. The minimum wage, working hours and conditions, public transport, and the cost of essentials like housing, health care, and education, are all aspects of the system we live in that government could do something about to make working less a viable option for those who would prefer it. But we are also pressured to make more money by features of our economic and cultural environment that government policies cannot easily influence. The Skidelskys emphasize people's uncontrolled desire for wealth, status, and stuff. A lot of this kind of consumption is "relational" in the sense that it is fueled by one's concern for how one stands in relation to others rather than by an authentic need for the thing in question. As such, it is often criticized by anti-materialists. But this criticism is too simple. As Judith Lichtenberg points out, our needs form a spectrum from absolute necessities to sheer luxuries. And while some relational desires are morally problematicfor instance, the desire for superiority over our otherssome can be understood more sympathetically. Our desire to be on a more or less equal footing with our peers is tied to our deep-seated need for self-respect. And some relational consumption is forced on us by the surrounding infrastructure. Think of cars, telephones, cell phones, computers, or internet access. At first they are luxuries; but once a critical mass of people acquire them, they become requirements of a normal integrated lifestyle. As Lichtenberg wittily puts it, "invention is the mother of necessity."[5] So, if many people in the modern world are spending more time at work than they would like to, this is not primarily because their desire for more money, stuff, and status is out of control. To a great extent they are pressed into this behavior by the system they find themselves participating in. The Skidelkys and others are surely right, though, in questioning the assumption that unlimited economic growth is a good thing, and in criticizing the blind drive for growth that motivates the policies favored by mainstream economists and politicians. Yes, economic growth has clearly improved the lives of millions and brought into being many wonderful things from airplanes to iphones. But our technical cleverness has outpaced our moral wisdom. And this is the case not just in areas like weaponry or medicine. Many societies, most obviously the US, are awash with wealth and talent yet plagued by unemployment, poverty, crime, and environmental problems. The top universities are engines of brilliant research, yet the majority of students in the lower socio-economic tiers leave high school woefully uneducated. Medical science provides a stream of astonishing breakthroughs, but millions continue to suffer from preventable diseases. Why these paradoxes? One obvious reason is that large complex societies are very difficult things to organize and control. Policies made with the best intentions will often have unforeseen and undesirable consequences, as all economists recognize. But ideology and interests also play a huge role, as is well illustrated by the political opposition in the US to reforming an absurdly inefficient health care system or to introducing a carbon tax (a measure supported by an overwhelming majority of economists). The philosophy that identifies the good life with one in which people work less and enjoy more leisure does not necessarily entail a particular political line or specific economic policy; but its general outlook naturally tilts toward a position that is critical of consumerism and rejects the values of Wall Street. Consumerism misguidedly seeks happiness and meaning in the acquisition of things; corporate capitalism is driven by the desire for ever more wealth and measures everything by its contribution to this end. Simple living fundamentalists will denounce these capitalistic values wholesale, perhaps following in the footsteps of Diogenes or Thoreau in opting for a lifestyle removed from the mainstream. Those of a more moderate persuasion will acknowledge the many benefits brought by economic growth, but will see these as insufficiently realized so long as they are distributed so inequitably and require so many to keep slogging away on the working-getting-spending treadmill. They will thus naturally favor government policies that, by making the basic elements of the good life easy to obtain, free everyone to live more simply if they choose.[6] The survey for patients who had received an AWV asked whether they did so at the suggestion of their doctor, whether the visit met all of their needs, whether there were unexpected costs, whether they would recommend the AWV to others, and how helpful specific AWV components were. The survey for patients who had not received an AWV asked whether they had heard of the AWV, whether they had heard bad press about the AWV, whether they were concerned about costs, and whether they saw various AWV components as important. Both surveys inquired about age, race, and gender, but no other demographics were requested. The survey for providers asked about the perceived value of the AWV as well as potential barriers, such as time, training, competing agendas, understanding billing requirements, and level of confidence in carrying out various AWV elements. Respondents could also provide written comments. Make time for training. This is essential to developing a successful relationship with your new colleague. Whether your PA or NP is a veteran or newly certified, he or she will need orientation to your practice style and clinical preferences. Plan some time daily for the first few weeks so the new PA or NP can ask you questions and you can provide feedback on what you've observed that day. Your coaching may be as simple as saying, That drug you prescribed for Mrs. Smith is an acceptable drug choice, but in our practice setting, this alternative might be preferable because ... . It is important to discuss everything from individual style preferences to recommended specialists or community resources for referrals. If the PA or NP came from a different practice setting or specialty, you may need to provide orientation specific to family medicine, such as helping the PA or NP consider the current illness in the context of the needs of the whole person. Expect that many patients will be hesitant and dubious about the helpfulness of these tools, at least initially. This reaction can be part of their negative thinking, a cornerstone of depression. You might hear from patients, Nothing is fun anymore, I can't exercise like I used to because of my pain, I can barely afford money for the bus much less a gym membership, No one wants to spend time with me anymore, or It's hopeless. My life will never get better. For the majority of physicians (and people in general), the automatic reaction is to try to convince patients that things will get better and to try to fix the situation. However, it is important to anticipate, honor, and explore ambivalence and barriers, especially in the early stages of behavior change. Motivational interviewing offers several ways to gauge patients' readiness for change and to address ambivalence. Asking open-ended questions, uncovering the patient's motivations for change, highlighting discrepancies between the patient's values and behaviors, and supporting self-efficacy can all strengthen the patient's ability to change. Potential risks and vulnerabilities to all of the ePHI that the practice creates, including all forms of electronic media, such as hard drives, personal digital assistants, tablets, workstations, and laptops. How the practice collected data about the storage, use, maintenance, and transmission of ePHI. This could be based on interviews with staff or business associates, reviews of current systems where ePHI is stored, reviews of documentation, and the like. Potential threats and vulnerabilities to the practice's ePHI. This will depend heavily on the practice's ePHI infrastructure and even on its physical layout. For example, if there are no exterior windows in the building, you do not need to consider the risk of passers-by viewing ePHI on unattended workstation screens. Likewise, if the practice uses a remote website to allow physicians to access patient records from home and never uses thumb drives or laptops with ePHI stored on them, there is likely little risk posed if a laptop is lost or stolen. Security measures currently in place. This, too, will vary from one practice to another. The ultimate goal is to determine whether the existing security measures are sufficient in light of the identified potential risks and vulnerabilities. The impact of potential threats, if they occur. This assessment may be qualitative, quantitative, or both. This is separate from determining the likelihood of a threat's occurrence. For example, the practice might determine that because it uses a remote website for physicians' home access to ePHI there is a low risk of threat to the ePHI and that its passwords and website security are sufficient to keep its vulnerabilities low. However, if the remote website was hacked, the impact could be catastrophic. The level of risk involved in each identified threat and vulnerability. After considering the likelihood of the threat occurring and the severity of its impact, the practice would assign a risk level. So, the unlikely but catastrophic threat might still receive a low or medium risk level. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. What county auditors want voters to know ahead of the midterm election elections 10,000 and counting; DTC here to serve more re-deployers The Air Force Deployment Transition Center is continuing to push forth its mission to support the Air Forces most valuable assets: Airmen. The deployment decompression facility, which recently marked the arrival of its 10,000th redeployer on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, aims to help Airmen coming home from deployment transition back into a non-deployed environment. Gen. Tod Wolters, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, praised the personnel at the DTC for taking care of Airmen and working to enable the joint warfighter. "The DTC helps Airmen transition from deployment to back home....the center has been in place for nearly seven years, Wolters said. This vital program ensures our deployers get the time and the assistance they need to adjust from deployment life back to at-home life. Our Airmen are committed to supporting the joint fight, and the DTC is a critical part of our commitment." The DTC offers its services to Airmen of every career field and combatant command. We have to take care of people; they are the human capital that the Air Force banks on, said Maj. Corey Carnes, the DTC director. Why do we think the DTC is important? Because we need our Airmen. Airmen pass through the DTC at the discretion of their deployed commander. A deployment commander wishing to send people through the DTC only has to fill out a form called the DTC Nomination Assessment Tool. Commanders also have the option to call the DTC director to discuss sending their Airmen. Another way for Airmen to pass through the facility on the way back is if their career field functional manager defines it as a requirement before they deploy. Carnes explained that although the criteria for sending Airmen through the DTC was once much more selective, it has since broadened in order to take in more redeployers, including those deployed to locations in Europe and Africa. Airmen used to go through the facility based on actual or potential exposure to hazards down range, he said. The benefits have since been shown to be applicable to a wide range of redeploying Airmen. The DTCs four-day reintegration course includes a welcome dinner upon arrival, sessions about post-deployment life, and experiential outings in the local area. The program aims to give Airmen tools to immerse back into normal society. Were not teaching them rocket science or anything new, Carnes said. We are reminding them of the positive skill sets they probably already possessthings you learn in basic training or on wingman days. We need reminders, and the DTC kind of serves as that reminder. You dont just have your job to do youve got a life to live. Throughout the program, the Airmen and staff dress in civilian attire. They are only in uniform upon arrival to Ramstein. The course is meant to be as laid back as possible while still maintaining professionalism, Carnes said. Carnes remained adamant about giving redeployers plenty of time to decompress, saying the objective of the DTC is to help them reconnect with the sights and sounds of a non-deployed environment, not fill up their schedule. The re-deployers are here for approximately 72 hours, but we only control a small portion of their time, he said. Baloch political and human rights activists have demanded a special rapporteur in the United Nations to probe gross human rights violations in Pakistans Balochistan province. Baloch activist Ahmar Mastikhan has stressed that Balochistan is a graver crisis than Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. It has been delayed. It could have happened a long time ago and we have a situation of mass graves where there is no domestic redressed available to the people of Balochistan. Has there been some domestic mechanism for them to have their basic and birth human rights protected, we would not have raised this question. We are happy over the Rohingya r rapporteur in Burma, but I assure you, it is more serious issue than Rohingya issue. It is more multi- dimensional and multi-faceted, Mastikhan said. Baloch Republican Party member Abdul Nawaz Bugti said the renewed impetus to conduct investigations came after, he claimed, that a mass grave was discovered in Pakistans Dera Bugti in February this year where only women and children were buried. We have always highlighted these issues we are facing in Balochistan, especially the human rights violation. In the past two years. Pakistan has been targeting and blackmailing Baloch activists in the UN and in Balochistan. They have now stated to abduct women and children, who are being tortured and facing problems like lack of food and medication, Bugti said. Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council. The event was organised by the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) to highlight the gross genocide in Pakistans largest and resource-rich province of Balochistan. Islamabad has thrown to the winds at least 25 out of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan. The execution style, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, and kill and dump of thousands of Baloch, use of degrading forms of torture such as feeding feces and sodomy of the Baloch activists have taken place in the last 12 years and is still continuing, said Ahmar Musti Khan, founder of the American Friends of Balochistan. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced financial support of Rs. 10 lakh each to the kin of the three CRFP jawans from the state, who were killed in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announces financial support of 10 lakh from GoM to the family of each of the 3 CRFP jawans, the Chief Ministers Office said in a tweet. Shaheed Mahesh Balpande(Tumsar), Nandkumar Atram(Chandrapur), Premdas Mendhe (Wardha) is from Maharashtra. We stand with the brave families, Fadnavis tweeted. Maharashtra salutes the courageous efforts of the brave CRPF martyrs towards the service of our Nation in #Sukma, Chhattisgarh, the Chief Minister said in another tweet. Twelve CRPF personnel belonging to 219th battalion were killed and three others injured when Naxals ambushed their patrol party in Bhejji police station area of Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Sukma district on Saturday. Hafiz Saeeds brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who carries a $2 million bounty on his head, has been given the charge of the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawah after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind was put under the house arrest by Pakistans Punjab government. Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed, a JuD official said on Sunday. Makki was the second in command of JuD and he took over the reins of the group soon after Saeeds detention, he said. Asked about reports that Saeed is still running the JuD from his house (which is declared sub-jail by the Punjab government) in Lahore, the JuD official denied. Makki sahib is looking after all affairs of the organisation, he said. Makki has led over half-a-dozen rallies in Lahore and elsewhere since the detention of Saeed. The Punjab government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997. Various offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest of Saeed. Both organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. JuD has rebranded under the new name of Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir, just days after Saeeds house arrest. Federal interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Councils resolutions. The names of Saeed and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country. As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of $10 million on his head, Makki has also $2 million on his head. In a statement issued, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed. The Bhartiya Janata Partys (BJP) splendid win in Uttar Pradesh (UP) raised many questions and opposition was involved in arguments because of this. Most of the political pundits had projected 160-210 seats for BJP in the state, which sends 403 lawmakers to the Assembly. But the party, by winning 312 seats, surprised many, including some of the BJP leaders itself. On the other side, those who collectively stood against Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to face humiliating defeat in the assembly polls. Akhilesh Yadav advocated that the BJP had won by misleading the voters and supported BSP chief Mayawati who raised questions over EVMs. The vital victory in UP and Uttarakhand(UK), reinforces Modis standing as countrys tallest leader. Having led the party back to office in UP, he could well claim the mantle of the saffron helmsman, the most popular leader from the Sangh corral since Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Some would argue that he has edged ahead of Vajpayee in popular reach, aided by technological advances like social media and the incessant TV coverage of his campaigns. Whatsoever, but Narendra Modi ensures his partys near-domination of Indian politics. Because of Modi, BJP now heads the government in states where more than half of Indians live, while the Congress party, which has ruled India for most of the 70 years since independence, leads in regions covering less than 8% of the population. At stake in these polls was the survival of the Congress and relevance for a clutch of regional parties, especially the Aam Aadmi Party which was seeking to expand its influence beyond the national capital where it came to power in 2015. Aam Aadmi Party lost due to its over confidence, and moreover Arvind Kejriwal is in a hurry to expand his partys base before setting Delhi in order where he is the chief minister. After poor governance in Delhi, his insolence cost him in Punjab and Goa polls. Congress played it well by giving all the control to Capt Amarinder Singhs hand and not pushing Rahul Gandhi in Punjab for political campaigning. Modis campaign began with pro-development credentials but weeks before the close of the polls played Hindutva card that appeared to have helped BJP consolidate votes on religious lines. The entire UP election was polarized in two religions, and this time caste, community and creed remained way away. Modis stand on Triple Talaq fetched Muslim votes, this is first time a prime minister of the country who stood for the justice and rights of Muslim women, many Muslim votes (especially women) were pulled for BJP. Dalits too stood as Hindus in polarization, and Mayawati allotting many seats to Muslim candidates was not accepted or approved by her own voters. In a nutshell, this time Modis BJP was favoured by the people of Uttar Pradesh at large. In a state where people tend to vote along traditional caste and religious lines, and successive governments exploited communal divisions to fire up their base, Modi expanded his appeal among a cross section of castes and sub-castes that traditionally voted for the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. To leverage Modis social status as a member of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the BJP started a special unit in Uttar Pradesh to mobilise OBC support in 2015. Additionally, Shahs decision to appoint Keshav Prasad Maurya as the party state president ensured a new social combination consolidating roughly 40 per cent non-Yadav Other Backward Caste votes. This time, it was Prashant Kishor versus Amit Shah in strategy making. A seasoned politician versus a news declared election strategist who once assisted Amit Shah, and later on shown doors by Shah himself. Bihar was accidental win, but still Prashant Kishor took lots of credit, in Uttar Pradesh, his strategies failed and he got exposed by his failure. Though, the Congress admitted that the loss in Uttar Pradesh its campaign was led by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi was hurtful. Finally, the angry Mulayam Singh of Samajwadi Party confessed that they would have come to power if there was no alliance with Congress. No one likes Congress. He was the one who publicly opposed Congress, and Modi took good jibe at it. His party came to power in 2012 with full majority. If we look at other states, Congress has performed better in Punjab, Goa and Manipur. In Manipur, BJP and Congress was neck-and-neck, Goa where smaller parties hold the balance of power. Riding on Modis charismatic campaign, the BJP registered the biggest-ever victory by any political party in Uttar Pradesh since Indira Gandhi led the Congress to 309 seats in 1980 before the state was divided. In doing so, the saffron outfit replicated its landslide victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The results routed the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party, once a dominant power in a state where the BJP last ruled in 2002. The 2017 state assembly elections were very much interesting and it ended on very good note, there was no place for any regional party. The entire contest was between two national parties. And winners too are BJP and Congress. That concludes saying the fight would be always between Congress and BJP while the rest are irrelevant. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday was given additional charge of Defence Ministry after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar resigned to take over the old role of as Goa Chief Minister. President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the resignation of Parrikar from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect and assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence to Jaitley, in addition to his existing portfolios. Parrikar will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa on Tuesday at 5 PM. I have tendered my resignation as Defence Minister and have sent it to the PMO. I will be taking the oath (as Goa chief minister) on Tuesday evening, along with the cabinet ministers, Parrikar said. BJP president Amit Shah, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend the swearing-in ceremony, said Parrikar. This comes after BJP had pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and independents under Manohar Parrikar, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress. The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Manohar Parrikar, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Shri Arun Jaitely, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios, reads the press release from Rashtrapati Bhavan. Asked how many ministers would be sworn in, Parrikar had said, The decision on the number of ministers and other issues are being currently worked out. Once the cabinet is finalised, we will inform the media. The BJP, which failed to cross the half-way mark in the assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup yesterday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house. Thirteen BJP MLA and other legislators who pledged support to the party met Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday, who later invited Parrikar to form the government. However, a split within the Congress Party also comes in wide open in the coastal state. Vishwajit Rane, the LoP in outgoing Assembly and Congress MLA from Valpoi said he is quitting the party. Rane is also the son of former Goa CM Pratapsingh Rane. I am very disillusioned with the way the Goa scenario was handled is very shameful, he said. He indicated that more MLAs could follow in his footsteps, saying, Congress MLAs are disgusted. Reacting to the news, Congress spokesperson KC Venugopal, while admitting that the Congresss strategy in Goa will have to be rethought, said, Nobody will leave the Congress. Venugopal added that he will speak to Vishwajit about the matter. Is the party raising this issue to garner political mileage to corner BJP? Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took an aggressive stand against the BJP and asked his legislators to disrupt the functioning of the state assembly until its senior alliance partner offers loan waiver to farmers. Sena had earlier sharpened its knives against BJP and said that the latter was not serious about the hardships faced by farmers. On one hand, Sena is attacking the BJP by raising the loan waiver issue on the other hand the party is reluctant to withdraw support to the state government. Thus a question which arises here is whether Sena is raising this issue to garner political mileage to corner BJP? The party has been attacking BJP for rising farmer suicides in the state. Sena nonetheless is firm on its demand and want the BJP to immediately resolve this issue. Sena had earlier made the loan waiver an election issue during the BMC and other municipality polls. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other ministers of BJP are yet to comment on this issue. Senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam said, We wont allow the assembly to function smoothly unless and until BJP gives an assurance to us to waive farm loans. Our party has been making this demand since last two years but the BJP has remained non-committal. We are working in the interest of farmers. We will disrupt the proceedings of the assembly until the state government waives loans of farmers. Uddhav Thackeray has sent across a stern message to all of us in this regard and we will abide by them, he added. While campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls BJP had promised to write-off farmers loans in the state. If BJP can waive farm loans in UP why cant similar step be taken in Maharashtra asked Sena leaders. Uddhav Thackeray had earlier said that Sena will support BJP only if the party offers financial assistance to farmers. He added that the BJP led state government is on notice period and threatened to withdraw support. He also took a jibe at the BJP by saying that the party had won UP assembly polls by announcing loan waiver to farmers while campaigning and not due to demonetisation. Meanwhile, Sena is planning to have an alliance with Congress and NCP in municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra to counter BJP. BJPs victory in the municipal corporation polls across the state has raised alarm bells among Sena-Congress and NCP. According to sources, these parties have held a discussion about having a tie up for municipal corporation elections. Since BJP had offered unconditional support to Shiv Senas Mayor candidate in the BMC, Sena reciprocated by allowing the saffron party to install its mayor in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. By John Stone The charity started by Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumper and which has Dr Offit on both its Executive Board and Scientific Advisory Board continue to attack me for allegedly misrepresenting his views on vaccination overload. The explanation by resident expert Joel Harrison is that I am being naive in my understanding of Dr Offits claim about 10,000 vaccines. Unfortunately, it was not me who made the extravagant and wild claims claims and this is very easy to document. So, it is very interesting if ECBT are now ashamed of them. For instance in 2005 Dr Offits institution Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, alarmingly known as CHOP proudly reproduced a feature from the magazine Babytalk in which the following Q&A appears: Myth1: Getting so many vaccines will overwhelm my child's immune system No doubt about it, the immunization schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) can seem daunting. Your child can receive up to 23 shots by the time she's 2 years old and as many as six shots at a singledoctor visit. So it's not surprising that many parents have concerns about how vaccines might affect a child's developing immunity and often cite these as a reason to refuse a vaccine. But it should be the least of your worries. "Children have an enormous capacity to respond safely to challenges to the immune system from vaccines," says Dr. Offit. "A baby's body is bombarded with immunologic challenges - from bacteria in food to the dust they breathe. Compared to what they typically encounter and manage during the day, vaccines are literally a drop in the ocean." In fact, Dr. Offit's studies show that in theory, healthy infants could safely get up to 100,000 vaccines at once. The bottom line: It's safe to give your child simultaneous vaccines or vaccine combinations, such as the five-in-one vaccine called Pediarix, which protects against hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (also known as whooping cough). Equally important, vaccines are as effective given in combination as they are given individually. In a lecture from 2008 on youtube Dr Offit states: I think conservatively, one could say that, based on their caveats, that one could probably respond to about 100,000 different vaccines at one time."... "I would say you probably could get 100,000 vaccines every day. Dr Offits claims which originate in an article in PEDIATRICS in 2002 were immediately take up by the United Kingdom Department of Health and National Health Service. A leaflet from the MMR the Facts website from 2002 reads: What about giving three live vaccines at once it overloads the immune system? A babys immune system has an enormous capacity to fight the thousands of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that it is bombarded with every day. A study from America shows quite clearly that even babies who are poorly can still produce protective immune responses to vaccines. This study also shows that a baby could, in theory, respond to around 10,000 vaccines at any one time. If, for example, 11 vaccines were given to a baby at one time, this might only use about a thousandth of the immune system. In providing protection vaccines prevent weakening of the immune system. In July 2004 I reported in a letter to BMJ Rapid Responses: In an NHS leaflet Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer is asked: "Does MMR overload young bodies?" to which he replies: "Again, all the evidence refutes this. In fact, a child's immune system is designed to cope with many different viruses at the same time, so a combined vaccine is a natural choice. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Areas of patchy fog early. Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 79F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Speaks on the Future of Christians in the Middle East Munich (AINA) -- The future of Christians in the Middle East was the subject of a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference, held on 17-19 of February. Organized by the Hanns-Seidel Foundation, the panel was titled "What future do Christians have in the Middle East?" and focused on the situation of the churches in Syria and Iraq. The panel was chaired by Professor Ursula Mannle, Minister of State (ret.). Speakers included Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of Syriac-Orthodox Church, Dr. H.C. Heiner Bielefeldt, formerly UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom and Belief, Dr. Franz-Josef Jung, Commissioner for Churches and Religious Issues of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group and former Defense Minister, Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, Archbishop of Mosul, and Archimandrite Emanuel Youkhana, Chairman of Christian Aid Program Northern Iraq (CAPNI) of the Assyrian Church of the East. Professor Mannle said that the humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East is the largest we face since World War II and Christians are particularly targeted; they are at the verge of losing not only their homeland but also their identity. She pointed to statistics of people impacted in both Syria and Iraq. "We must not make ourselves complicit in the ongoing Christocide by abstaining; we cannot and will not allow Eastern Christianity to be extinguished. To cope with the crisis in the Middle East and thus improve the situation for the Christians in the Middle East, it needs the influence of all European countries in close relationship with the USA." The session was moderated by H.E. Dr. Heinrich Kreft, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Prof. Heiner Bielefeldt noted that human rights are nowhere violated as dramatically as in Syria and Iraq, and asked for the public "outcry instead of a private anxiety." Dr. Franz-Josef Jung saw a duty of the West in the fact as its Christian cultural imprint demands more European commitment in the region. Archbishop of Mosul, Nicodemus Sharaf, described the catastrophic situation on the ground and placed a particular focus on the hopeless situation of the refugees in northern Iraq while blaming the West for failing to create a "save zone" for the Assyrians in the Nineveh Plains. Archimandrite Youkhana pleaded to give hope to Christians in the Middle East so that they could stay in their homeland. "Christian presence is needed in the Middle East,", he said. Everywhere walls are built, while the Christians built bridges between the various groups. They were often helpless, but never hopeless. With the event. "the Hanns-Seidel Foundation has once again given voice to the persecuted Christians in the Middle East in the circle of world leaders." In his speech, Patriarch Aphrem II issued an urgent call for support of the Christians in Syria and Iraq. He stressed that they need to stay in their homeland to secure Christian identity and presence in a country where Christianity emerged while they need support and require protection from an ongoing genocide, which aims to erase the Christian presence in the Middle East. The Patriarch described the current situation and living conditions of the Christians in Iraq and Syria. The hopeless situation, as he said, is reason for many Christians to migrate. Hence, the Christians presence is dwindling. Below are excerpts of the Patriarch's remarks (transcribed by Sarah Abed). Understanding ISIL's Sexual Attacks Against the Yazidis Femicide is essential to genocide. Any genocide. It's what emerged from the International Yazidi Women's Conference that took place on March 11 and 12 in Bielefeld, Germany. Almost nobody had heard of the Yazidis before 2014, when the community living on the Shengal mountains, in Northern Iraq, was brutally massacred by ISIL. What especially shocked people all over the world was the scale of the violence towards women: while men were generally killed on the spot, women were raped, tortured, brutalised, enslaved and sold mostly as sexual slaves. Last December the European Parliament assigned the Sakharov Prize to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar), two young Yazidi women who managed to escape their ISIL captors, for their work and dedication in helping the other victims of this violence. Last week's conference focused on a number of aspects concerning the Yazidi genocide : ethnic, political, historical, psychological... However, at the centre of the different topics analysed by the panelists -- and the core of the conference -- was the women's perspective. The direct connection between genocide and femicide was underlined by all the panellists. Dr. Hanush Horanissyan, a senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, who made reference to past genocides of Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds and Jews, said: "What is common in genocides is that sexual violence is used as an inevitable byproduct of war or as a weapon". Vania Martins, a psychologist who treats women victims of violence, explained that women are the main target in genocides "because they are the organisers of the society", so targeting them is the best way to destroy a community. Also, she continued, raping women both humiliates men and is used to dishonour women, so that communities disown them. In the case of ISIL, rape is also used as a powerful tool of recruitment: candidates to join the group are promised they will be able to have sex with the women of the populations they are going to conquer. There were intensely emotional moments when Yazidi women described their experiences. A 16-year-old Yazidi girl who managed to escape ISIL after six months in captivity told her story of horrors and slavery. She lost her father and brother and was sold, raped, tortured and beaten by her captors. Her testimony was part of a session on the trauma women and girls suffered from the massacres and from these experiences and on how to overcome it. As psychotherapist Ulrike Held explained, working together in the women's movement in order to raise awareness on the Yazidi massacre is one of the ways to overcome trauma. Another being joining Shengal's militias. Daye Bihar, founder of the Shengal Women's Council and a board member of the Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement talked via videoconference because she couldn't get a visa to come to Europe. She was welcomed by Kurdish women in the audience standing up and chanting "Long live resistance in Shengal". Bihar spoke for more than an hour, describing the horrors of the massacre, such as a woman who had to leave her son behind because he was disabled, or the bodies that were found of women who had been raped and then killed, or again, the woman who threw herself from a cliff in order not to fall into the hands of ISIL." Fractures within the current Kurdish movement is undermining the fragile security recently established in the region, she warned. Former member of the European Parliament Feleknas Uca, now an HDP member of Parliament in Turkey and herself of Yazidi descent also addressed the conference. In her speech she called for the granted of autonomous status for Shingal, which, like other contested Iraqi regions such as Kirkuk or Maxmur, does not belong either to the Kurdish administration nor the government in Baghdad. In Uca's view, this makes these areas particularly vulnerable to attacks: "If Shengal had had a status," she claimed, "They would have been able to defend themselves, and there would have been no massacre". She also highlighted the plight of the 3,000 Yazidi women and girls in the hands of ISIL, not only in Iraq or Syria, but also in other Arab countries, where they were sold as sexual slaves. March 10, 2017 BAGHDAD In a meeting held Feb. 21, Najafs provincial council followed in the footsteps of Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Wasit and Diwaniyah and voted against the privatization of the electricity sector in the province. Meanwhile, the Iraqi government insists on privatizing the distribution of electricity in all Iraqi regions, despite popular protests against this decision, which many believe harms the poor, who make up 30% of the country's population. On July 20, 2012, parliament voted on the privatization of electricity after the government failed to improve the situation despite spending $22 billion over the course of nine years attempting to fix the crisis. Iraq needs 30,000 megawatts, but citizens are only provided with 8,000 megawatts. On Jan. 25, 2016, the Ministry of Electricity applied the privatization project in Zayouna in eastern Baghdad, in partnership with the local company al-Noor al-Thaqib. This year, it concluded agreements with local as well as foreign companies to implement the project nationwide. Musab al-Moudarres, the spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, told Al-Monitor, As a result of residential slums scattered around the country, in which people steal electricity from each other, 65% of the produced energy was wasted. The majority of citizens refuse to pay electricity bills, which are now worth $2.7 million, enough to cover the salaries of the ministries employees for two years. He stressed, The ministry has come to the conclusion that the electricity crisis will not be resolved if the situation remains the same, so it suggested the idea of privatizing the distribution of electricity, which aims to rationalize consumption and collect fees while ensuring around-the-clock electricity. He added, The project was a success in some areas in Baghdad and it contributed to rationalizing consumption by 30% and putting an end to waste by 100%. Moudarres said, The ministry is carrying on with implementing the project, which it covers by 94%; 1 kilowatt[-hour] costs the state 180 dinars ($0.15) and it is sold [to citizens] for 10 dinars ($0.01), noting that the ministry has agreed with Basra, Kirkuk, Samarra, Karbala and Babylon to start implementing the project there. He further explained, Some of those who were negatively affected by the project are working against it and trying to mislead public opinion by forging bills and posting pictures of them on social media. Meanwhile, Iaraz Abdullah, the head of parliament's Oil and Energy Committee, told Al-Monitor, We are still experimenting with the project to privatize electricity, despite the opposition expressed by some provincial councils and citizens, stressing, The project succeeded in Zayouna, but it might not in other areas. He continued, The Energy Committee is following the policy adopted by the Ministry of Electricity, which still needs major upgrades in terms of production, noting that the committee will express its final position in the coming days. The Ministry of Electricity currently sells citizens 1 kilowatt-hour for 10 dinars for usage up to 1,000 kilowatt-hours. The price rises to 20 dinars (2 US cents) per kilowatt-hour up to 1,500 kilowatt-hours; beyond that the price goes up to 40 dinars per kilowatt-hour. Faleh al-Ziadi, the governor of Muthanna, told Al-Monitor, Our rejection was not random; we considered the project and asked the ministry several questions such as whether we would be provided with around-the-clock electricity, whether the prices would be suitable for the poor, especially since half of the provinces population lives under the poverty line, and whether it will support agriculture and industry, adding, But the central government and the Ministry of Electricity are yet to answer the questions we raised. Ziadi continued, The province has alternative solutions, such as restoring our existing power plants in order to turn Muthanna from a province that imports power from Basra and Dhi Qar into a province that produces electricity and relies on collecting fees and providing maintenance. Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Azzawi, a resident of Zayouna neighborhood, told Al-Monitor, The privatization of electricity has increased the fees, without taking into account the economic conditions in our country. During the first month, I paid 520,000 dinars [$442] for 5,000 units [kilowatts]. If middle-class citizens cannot afford such fees, how can the poor? However, Azzam Karim, who lives in the Yarmouk neighborhood in west Baghdad, believes that the privatization of the electricity is the first distinguished project to be launched after 2003. He told Al-Monitor, I used to pay the local power generator 320,000 dinars [$272] for 16 amps, but now I only pay 50,000-100,000 dinars [$42-$84] a month. For his part, Abdul Rahman al-Mashhadani, an economics professor at The Iraqi University, said that the project is bound to fail. He told Al-Monitor, The project aims to distribute the current production, which amounts to 8,000 megawatts, to all Iraqi regions, in exchange for the investors collected fees. The areas in which the project is not implemented are denied electricity, while others can enjoy electricity 24 hours a day. He added, Even after the project is completely implemented throughout Iraq, the electricity crisis will persist and power cuts will continue to occur, because despite the billions of dollars that were spent, no improvements were made to the production sector. Mashhadani further noted, The Ministry of Electricity has concluded agreements with international companies in the past, but those projects stalled, and the current contracts will not be implemented in the next couple of years due to bureaucracy. It should be noted that the Ministry of Electricity signed two contracts with General Electric on Jan. 26 to build power plants in Nasiriyah and Samawah to increase their generating capacity by 2,250 megawatts. The ministry also signed a contract with Japan on Jan. 11 to develop the Hartha plant in Basra province and another contract to build secondary power plants. The success of the privatization project depends on its management by the government and whether it will be supported by major and rapid investments for its implementation. March 13, 2017 They contributed to our 'yes' votes with at least two points. You can be sure of that. The assertion by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Huseyin Kocabiyik, during a televised debate sums up the thinking that is driving the row between Turkey and the Netherlands. On April 16, millions of Turks will go to the polls to vote on a constitutional package of reforms that will concentrate power in the hands of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Opinion polls consistently show that Turkish voters are evenly divided, with around 40% in favor of the changes, 40% against and the remaining 20% undecided. Millions of ethnic Turks in Europe who are either permanent residents there or dual nationals some 1.5 million eligible voters reside in Germany alone are a lucrative pool to fish for more "yes" votes. And that is precisely what the AKP has been aiming to do, only to face stiff resistance first from Austria and Switzerland, then Germany and now the Netherlands. All have cited security concerns in their refusal to let Erdogan and his lieutenants take their polarizing campaign to the continent. Erdogan is gleefully spinning the rebuttals as further proof that Europe is bent on blocking his super-presidency because it knows that this will further empower Turkey. The well-worn us against the world narrative summed up by the Turkish adage the Turk has no other friend than the Turk has served Erdogan well in the past and may likely pay off again, helping to rally nationalists around the yes vote. Marc Pierini, a former European Union ambassador to Ankara and a nonresident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Al-Monitor, "By now, Ankara earned some tens of thousands of 'yes' votes in Germany and the Netherlands. Things already began to turn ugly over Germanys refusal last week to allow Erdogan to stump on German soil, prompting the Turkish leader to charge that Germany had failed to shake off its Nazi past. In the Netherlands, tensions spiraled out of control after the Dutch authorities refused landing rights to Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, on March 11. Later that evening, Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya arrived by car from Germany and was refused entry to the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. Around a thousand Turkish protesters draped in Turkish flags gathered at the consulate chanting Ya Allah Bismillah Allahu Akbar ("Oh God, in the Name of the Compassionate and the Merciful, God is Great"), an Islamist slogan that is often heard at AKP rallies. In a research note, Wolfgango Piccoli of Teneo Intelligence, a risk consultancy firm, noted that Turkeys insistence to hold rallies in the Netherlands appears to have been a calculated attempt to trigger a confrontation with the Dutch authorities. That is what they got. Turkish newspapers carried images of baton-wielding Dutch riot police with dogs rounding up bloodied Turkish protesters on their front pages today with headlines such as Nazi Dogs and They will pay. The scenes also played straight into the hands of Geert Wilders, the far-right anti-Islamist Dutch populist whose fortune in the parliamentary elections March 15 is seen as something of a bellwether for like-minded xenophobes Europe-wide. Erdogan repeats we are nazis + fascists. He insults Dutch police. No de-escalation. Expel Turkish Ambassador to NL and entire staff! he wrote in a tweet March 13. Pundits say that Liberal Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes muscular response to Turkey was calibrated in part to fend off his rivals charges of wimpishiness ahead of Wednesday's vote. The war of words escalated with Cavusoglu calling the Netherlands the capital of fascism and playing on Turkish slang to question whether Rutte was an asshole. Erdogan, who had earlier opined that the Dutch were Nazi remnants, warned them at a gathering in Istanbul on March 13, saying, If you can sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations for an election on Wednesday, you will pay the price. But it is more likely that Turkey and its diaspora will pay the price. The immediate consequence is that the EU-Turkey relationship has gone cold, Pierini said. EU summits [with Turkey] may be off for quite some time. Froukje Santing, a veteran observer of Turkish-Dutch relations, told Al-Monitor, This will backfire on Turks in Holland. They are already seen as the worst immigrants in terms of integration. The majority of Dutch feel affronted that they support a leader [Erdogan] who is creating a more and more undemocratic Turkey. Santing added, The Dutch Turk will be under increasing pressure to decide whom they are loyal to in the end. Holland or Turkey. March 13, 2017 Iranian officials harshly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his accusations against Iran over a biblical story from 2,500 years ago. During an open session of parliament March 12, Speaker Ali Larijani said, It is necessary to discuss two points about the leader of the Zionist regime [Israel]. First, he has distorted the history of pre-Islamic Iran, and he has reversed the events. Larijani continued, Apparently, he knows neither history nor has he read the Torah. Of course more cannot be expected from a nefarious Zionist to spread lies like this. In this vein, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted March 12, To sell bigoted lies against a nation which has saved Jews 3 times, Netanyahu resorting to fake history & falsifying Torah. Force of habit. Zarifs tweet was accompanied by a screenshot of text that cites the Persian Kings Xerxes I and Cyrus the Great, who stopped a plot to kill Jews and freed Jews from Babylon respectively, and also World War II, in which Iran took in Jews fleeing Europe. To sell bigoted lies against a nation which has saved Jews 3 times, Netanyahu resorting to fake history & falsifying Torah. Force of habit. pic.twitter.com/N09PyyGwqy Javad Zarif (@JZarif) March 12, 2017 This particular row was sparked by comments from Netanyahu with respect to the Jewish holiday of Purim, which is believed to involve Xerxes I. During a March 9 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Netanyahu cited Purim and said, There is an attempt by Persias heir, Iran, to destroy the state of the Jews. Putin dismissed those remarks, saying that those events took place in the 5th century B.C. and we live in a different world now. Some Iranian media outlets particularly enjoyed Putins dismissal of Netanyahus concerns. Then, on March 11, a video also surfaced of Netanyahu speaking to children celebrating Purim saying, Today in Persia they also want to destroy us. Netanyahus narrative of Purim, much like most of his analysis on Iran, misreads important parts of the story, which comes from the Book of Esther from the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament. Though much of the story cannot be corroborated by history, it recounts how a Persian kings viceroy, Haman the Agagite, plotted to kill all the Jews in Persia over a personal vendetta against a Jewish subject, Mordechai, who correctly assessed the threat against the Jews. The queen, Esther, reveals to the Persian king that she is Jewish and what the viceroy had plotted. The king then allows Mordechai and Esther to take revenge on Haman and his men by killing them. This isnt the first time Netanyahu has invoked Purim to make geopolitical attacks against the Iranian leadership. In 2012, Netanyahu gave President Barack Obama a copy of the Book of Esther. Later, in a 2015 speech a time when relations with Obama had already soured Netanyahu made his appeal to the US Congress. In the speech, he recounted the story of Esther, drawing a link to Irans leaders today, especially Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Irans main ally in the region, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. Zarif had also responded to those comments in 2015, saying that it was the Iranian king who saved the Jews. March 13, 2017 Relations between Iran and Turkey have long displayed a sinusoidal cycle, with ups and downs. On Feb. 13, speaking at the International Peace Institute in Bahrain, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan added fuel to the fire of the regional conflict between Tehran and Ankara by saying, There are those who are working to divide Iraq. There is a sectarian and ethnic struggle there because of the question of Persian nationalism. We also have to prevent this in Syria and do what is necessary together with the Gulf [states], because we cannot just sit back and will not sit back in the face of oppression. A few days later, on Feb. 19, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the Munich Security Conference, Iran is trying to turn Syria and Iraq into two Shiite states, adding, This has to be stopped. Security and stability in the region can only be secured then. Both comments were criticized by Iran. On the same day as Cavusoglus remarks, Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman Bahram Qassemi described the comments made by the Turkish foreign minister as counterproductive and said, They should know that instability and insecurity in the region is caused by them and a few other delusional states. Those who dream about the return of empires, who have caused bloodshed and escalated tensions in the region by their unlawful and interventionist actions, they cannot play the blame game and instead need to shoulder the responsibility for their actions. A day later, on Feb. 20, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador to object to the comments made by Cavusoglu and Erdogan. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also reacted, telling the government-run Iran daily Tasnim News on Feb. 24, Our friends in Turkey have a short-term memory. They accuse Iran of sectarianism but dont remember that on the night of the coup d'etat, we stayed up all night for the sake of their government, which is not even Shiite. They have a short memory, and they are ungrateful to those who have been kind to them. However, while tensions have escalated between the two neighbors, the recent Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Pakistan presented an opportunity for both countries to reduce friction. Indeed, on March 1, President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart met on the sidelines of the ECO meeting and emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation, especially in the economic sphere. On the same day, Cavusoglu reacted to Zarifs criticism during an interview with Irans official IRNA news agency: We have not forgotten Irans kindness during the failed coup d'etat. Iran and Turkey have many opportunities to collaborate with each other, and they never lose any opportunity to work together. Iran and Turkey are also in agreement regarding the cease-fire in Syria and that this [Syrian] crisis can only be resolved through diplomacy. The question here is what prompted Turkish officials to make such contradictory statements about their positions. Al-Monitor spoke with former Iranian Ambassador to Jordan Nosratollah Tajik. He said, Turkey was completely on the losing side in the Syrian crisis. By supporting the anti-[Bashar al-] Assad movement, especially Daesh [Islamic State] and the terrorists, Turkey made a gamble and lost disastrously. Although confidentiality is part of foreign policy and one must not allow ones enemies and rivals to know what goes on in ones head, this theoretical assumption does not apply to Turkey. Their foreign policy has become disorganized and chaotic. On the other hand, another issue that should be taken into consideration is the high level of economic exchanges between the two countries. Turkey is Irans third-largest export destination, with 8.4% of Iranian exports going to its western neighbor, while Turkey is Irans fourth-largest source of imports, with Turkey accounting for 4.6% of Iranian imports. On the other hand, and according to the European Commission, Iran is Turkeys fifth-largest trading partner. In this vein, Saeed Laylaz, a prominent professor at Tehrans Shahid Beheshti University and an economic expert, told Al-Monitor, Political analysis should be filtered through economic relations. Precisely for the same reason that tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia escalates, the tension between Tehran and Ankara cannot escalate beyond a certain point, because the economies of Iran and Turkey are complementary to each other. On the other hand, some believe that since there has been an increase in tension between Turkey and the European Union, Turkey might be seeking to pursue a policy that both pleases the Arab states in the Persian Gulf region and decreases tension with Iran. This may be why when among the Arabs in Bahrain, Erdogan attacked Iran, and while in Germany, Cavusoglu criticized Irans regional policy, while at the same time, both have spoken about the necessity of increased collaboration with Iran. In sum: Turkey may simply be trying to keep both Iranians and Arabs content. However, there is also another theory that seeks to explain Turkeys behavior a theory that revolves around US President Donald Trump. According to Hakki Uygur, the deputy director of the Center for Iranian Studies in Ankara, former US President Barack Obamas regional policy was such that Turkey and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf felt as if they were alone in their battle against Iran, considering that Iran and Russia were active in the Syrian war. Uygur argued that because of Trumps constant threats against Iran, now that he is the president, Turkey and her allies feel that, unlike the past six years, Iran will no longer be at ease and that it is time for them to make up for the past losses. Nonetheless, while Iran and Turkey have serious disagreements especially when it comes to Syria it is likely that tension this time around will not escalate beyond a certain level. Indeed, beyond economics, this may also be due to how the situation in Syria has considerably changed compared to only a few years ago, with fewer demands for Assad to step down. March 10, 2017 RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah told the local Donia al-Watan website March 7 that the consensus government is discussing with developing companies the extraction of natural gas off the coast of the Gaza Strip. However, the prospects for this remain hindered by security and political obstacles. On Feb. 21, the Palestinian Investment Fund (PIF) announced that there are ongoing Palestinian talks with the Anglo-Dutch Shell company to develop the Gaza Marine gas field off the coast of Gaza. Mohammed Mustafa, the head of the PIF, told Al-Monitor that the talks with Shell are about the development of the Gaza Marine gas field, with Shell having the largest share of the field development rights (55%). The Palestinian side is urging the company to accelerate its efforts to develop the field as soon as possible given the benefits that this would bring to the national economy. While the PIF has 17.5% of the field development rights, Consolidated Contractors Company owns 27.5% of these rights and Shell 55%, Mustafa said. The development and gas extraction rights differ from the ownership and revenue rights, which belong to the Palestinians alone. Shell only has 55% of the rights to develop the gas field as per an agreement signed by the government with British Gas (BG) in 1999. The abovementioned companies were also part of the agreement that stipulates that BG would have the exclusive rights to prospect, explore and develop any oil and gas sources found across Palestine. However, in 2015, the Palestinian government resumed negotiations on the agreement with BG and abrogated the exclusive rights it had given to the company. It also raised the PIF share from 10% under the old agreement to 17.5%. Subsequently, Shell acquired BG on April 8, 2016. The Gaza Marine gas field was discovered along with another field in 1998, 30 kilometers (19 miles) off the Gaza shore. The field is 600 meters (0.4 miles) in depth, but due to the Israeli obstacles that have prevented any gas extraction attempts, this field is yet to be developed and exploited despite its abundant resources, which could solve the energy problems plaguing the Palestinians, Mustafa said. The gas field is fully located in Palestinian territorial waters. The gas field's development has been hampered due to several reasons, namely the lack of gas buyers at the time and in the foreseeable future. In addition, Israel did not allow access to the field with the outbreak of al-Aqsa intifada in 2000, and it prevented any attempts to extract gas from the field. This remained the case following the victory of Hamas in the legislative elections of 2006 and Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Asked what gave the Palestinians hope, Mustafa said that two years ago, Israel gave BG the approval to develop the field. Also, the Palestine Power Generation Company (PPGC), which manages the power plant in the city of Jenin, is now interested in buying the gas. Another interested buyer is Jordan, which signed with BG a goodwill memo showing the country's willingness to discuss the purchase of gas; however, this was obstructed when Shell acquired BG, according to Mustafa. As for the financial profitability of the gas field, Mustafa pointed out that the field contains roughly 32 billion cubic meters (about 1 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas, and these amounts are capable of satisfying the electricity needs of the Palestinian market in the event that the extracted gas is used to generate power at the power generation plant in Gaza, and subsequently in the power generation plant in Jenin. In addition, some natural gas could be sold to Jordan. Mustafa said that the project development cost will amount to about $1.4 billion, and that the total expected return from gas development will depend on the quantity produced and the gas selling price worldwide at the time of extraction. Also, roughly $8 billion is expected to be made in the event that the Israeli-purchased electricity is replaced by locally produced electricity. Palestinians hope that the negotiations conducted by the PIF will contribute to solving the energy problems plaguing the Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip, through the launch of projects related to the field. Mustafa said, In partnership with institutions and companies from the Palestinian private sector, the PIF is working on a set of investments in the energy sector. Chief among these was the start of construction of the Jenin power plant on Nov. 24, 2016, in partnership with the PIF with a share of 4%, the Palestine Development and Investment Company with 2%, the Arab Bank Group with 10%, the Palestinian Telecommunication Company with 10%, the Palestinian Electricity Company with 5% and private foundations with a few percentages. The power plant will start operating on natural gas early 2019." Mustafa added, We hope that the Jenin power station will be provided with gas from the Gaza gas field. A goodwill letter was signed by PPGC with BG before it was acquired by Shell, to pave the way for negotiations over the purchase of the Gaza gas to be used at the Jenin station, whose production capacity is expected to reach 450 megawatts, a capacity that accounts for 40% of the current Palestinian electricity needs. He continued, The Gaza field development is linked to the PPGC [and the PIF is its major shareholder] and to its potential plan to let the power plant in Gaza operate on natural gas instead of diesel; and thus double its production to save the electricity production cost and meet the significant shortfall in electricity supply in the Gaza Strip. The PIF expected the total production capacity of the Gaza power plant once it starts operating on gas to reach about 280 megawatts. For its part, the PPGC is expected to carry out seawater desalination and wastewater treatment projects that would amount to about $200 million. Despite the Israeli obstacles that prevent the Palestinians from developing the gas field, Mustafa said, Any obstacles that may face us are treated as challenges that must be dealt with, and this goes in line with the Palestinian pursuit to preserve their natural resources rights. This encouraged [Palestine] to join the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which was signed by President Mahmoud Abbas on Dec. 31, 2014. The convention gives Palestine the right to exercise its authority in the zone contiguous with its territorial waters and the right to explore and use resources found in its exclusive economic zone and neritic zone. Not only does the importance of the Gaza Marine gas field lie in its resources that are capable of solving the energy problem plaguing the Palestinians, but also in the fact that it increases the financial returns of the Palestinian government. The right holder in the gas and natural resources is the Palestinian people. Studies suggest that the government returns will account for 61% of the gas field project revenues, Mustafa said. Despite the importance of the talks taking place between the PIF and Shell over the gas field development, the next step for the Palestinians, which they hope will be realized on the ground soon, is that Shell starts developing the field and extracting gas from it for the implementation of gas-related investment projects to start a step the government is working on through negotiations with the company. March 13, 2017 The presidents of Russia and Turkey say their recent meeting in Moscow produced encouraging results in diplomatic, trade and economic sectors and paved the way for further bilateral cooperation. The event was of special importance, as it marked the resumption of the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council meetings for the first time since Turkey downed a Russian jet in late 2015. The March 10 meeting was largely hailed as a success in the Russian and Turkish government-owned press. Sergey Zheleznyak, of the United Russia Party and a member of the Russian Duma Foreign Relations Committee, said the event exemplifies the political wisdom of Russia-Turkey relations. Semyon Bagdasarov, director of the Moscow-based Center for the Study of the Middle East and Central Asia and a popular political commentator on Russian TV, was among a handful of skeptics, saying, Im always alert when people are talking about yet-another 'historical visit,' since it tends to end up badly. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were accompanied by national delegations composed mostly of ministers and businessmen, all chosen to improve the relationship between the two countries. At the bilateral level, both parties hoped to restore the pre-crisis level in trade and economics. At the final press conference, Putin and Erdogan sounded optimistic about this facet of their relations. The Turkish leader proclaimed, Moscow and Ankara have totally completed the normalization process. Erdogan added, Even if we dont come to agreement on all the issues, we continue to leave the communication channels open. Given the trust restored, well continue our cooperation." Putin said the two agreed that Ankara will create an infrastructure to allow Russias national payment system, Mir, to be available in Turkey. The project will be implemented through the Turkish DenizBank. What makes it particularly interesting is that, starting this year, Russians will be able to pay in rubles, while Turks in Russia will be able to pay in liras. Another important aspect agreed upon was to have bilateral trade payments done in the countries' national currencies. In the past, when the Russian ruble and Turkish lira dropped in value, it raised the debts of the governments and private companies. Some of those debts are in international currencies, which puts an additional burden on the governments. Thus, getting some of the trade on the rails of national currencies is seen as a way to help both economies. Putin reiterated the plans of Russias gas giant Gazprom to launch construction by midyear of the two lines of the Turkish Stream, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters (556 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per year. The men also discussed another important business project construction of the $20 billion Akkuyu nuclear power plant. The two leaders said there is good impetus behind the initiative, which is scheduled to begin operating by 2023 and in which Russia has already invested about $5 billion. However, a problem they don't talk about is that Turkey seems to lack qualified experts to service the facility, and Russias nuclear power plant builder Rosatom lacks funding for the project. Moscow and Ankara also agreed that 2019 will be a year of cross-culturalism and tourism for the two states. The return of Russian tourists to Turkish resorts, which has recently become a trend again, is something Ankara wants to sustain. Putin mentioned that respective Russian and Turkish departments are tasked with expanding security measures for Russian tourists. Erdogan emphasized that Turkey is still waiting for Russia to repeal the visa requirement for Turkish citizens that was introduced after the jet crisis in late 2015. Lifting sanctions was among the top objectives for Turkey at the talks. Last year alone, an export ban for Turkish goods and food to Russia caused Turkeys economy a $550 million loss. As a token of political courtesy, days before Erdogans visit to Moscow, the Russian government repealed the ban for some Turkish agricultural products, but theres a long way to go. Moreover, there are still legal limitations for Turkish nationals to work in Russia, even when the employing companies belong to Turks. The head of the Russian-Turkish business association complained that many Turkish companies are struggling in Russia, even though they have created as many as 100,000 jobs there. Answering a question from a Turkish journalist on the issue, Putin felt the need to encourage Ankara, saying, This ban will be lifted in the near future. After todays conversation [with Erdogan], this is [just] a technical issue. Erdogan voiced expectations about renewing contacts in the defense industry, which boosted rumors about the sale of Russian S-400 long-range air and missile defense systems to Ankara. But despite Russian high-level officials making all sorts of statements over time, the deal has never materialized, for two major reasons. First, Turkey's NATO membership restricts some deals with Moscow. Second, if delivered, S-400 systems could potentially limit Moscows own maneuvers in Syria and those of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's air forces something Russia should and does take into consideration for the long run. The meeting was nuanced regarding foreign-policy issues. The presence of Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar who was part of the group and who had hosted four days earlier his American and Russian counterparts in Antalya made it evident that a lions share of the Putin-Erdogan meeting focused on Syria. However, when asked about the issue, the two leaders placed emphasis on different aspects. Putin insisted that a joint military and intelligence operation will be expanded, with the Islamic State (IS) being a prime target. Erdogan listed among Turkey's serious security challenges the Kurdish People's Protection Units, the Gulen organizations and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (Conquest of Syria Front, formerly Jabhat al-Nusra). However both Moscow and Ankara see their negotiation efforts along with Iran on the political process in Syria as critical. Both also reiterated their commitment to Syrias territorial integrity, with Putin calling it a precondition to any further initiatives on the countrys future and Erdogan promising that Turkey wont tolerate its partition. Probably the thorniest issue of dealing with the Kurds remains a hidden agenda and neither leader, rather expectedly, voiced any specifics. In a conversation with Al-Monitor, Russias Middle East experts were almost unanimous in their assessment of Erdogans major objective: to put an end to what Ankara calls a Federation of Northern Syria, a territory under Kurdish control. Referring to his sources in the Russian Foreign Ministry, a notable Russian specialist on the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned that there is an understanding that despite the pressure from Erdogan, cutting ties with Kurds is not in Russias interests. If Moscow abandons the Kurds now, it will reinforce Americas position. They [the US] have already secured some of northwest Syria with their own military infrastructure. It will also allow Turkey to seize further control of the Syrian territory. Ironically, the day after the meeting, Russian media outlets were racking their brains over what to make of the reported news that Turkey cut ferry services with Crimea, virtually halting the delivery of Turkish goods and food to the peninsula. The major storyline seems to be that Ankara is trying to trade some political preferences for the West, showcasing that it has a card to play in what has become a sensitive point between Russia and the West. Commenting on the presidents' meeting and the news on what some are calling the Crimea blockade, a Russian-Turkey watcher close to the Kremlin told Al-Monitor, The current trend is definitely toward a warming of the relations because both objectively need each other. But its still early to talk about a comprehensive partnership. March 13, 2017 The Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in June 2016, took over villages in the Syrian south Feb. 16 after breaking free from the siege that opposition Syrian factions had imposed on it for years in the Yarmouk Basin in Daraas countryside. This occurred a few kilometers from bordering Jordanian villages, and there has since been increased activity at the northern Jordanian border. On Feb. 16, the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army widely deployed its troops and took advantage of the Syrian factions preoccupation with the ongoing battles since Feb. 12 otherwise known as Death Rather than Humiliation between the Syrian regime and Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham (Liberation of the Levant Committee) in the south. Hassan Abu Bakr, the spokesman for the Army of the Revolution in the Southern Front, said that the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army tightened its grip on dozens of Syrian villages, namely al-Shajara, Jamla, Abidin, Qusayr, Nafaa, Ain Thakar, Tasil, Adwan, Jillen and Sahm. Abu Bakr told Al-Monitor, Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army confiscated 130 mm cannons with a maximum firing range of 27 kilometers [17 miles] and a limited amount of ammunition from the opposition. It also took possession of T-55 tanks and 122 mm field guns as well as medium and light weapons, thus threatening large cities in northern Jordan such as Ar-Ramtha and Irbid [Jordan's second-largest city], where around 1 million people live. Issam al-Rayess, the spokesman for the Southern Front, told Al-Monitor, Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army used sleeping cells in the villages under the Free Syrian Armys [FSA] control and took advantage of the FSAs preoccupation with battles with the regime forces, which explains its advance and increased deployment. He added, Battles are ongoing to regain control of these villages. Since 2012, the Jordanian authorities have managed to keep the Daraa base IS-free, in cooperation with factions that enjoy the support of the Military Operations Center (MOC). But this base was destabilized after IS expanded in December to the eastern borders adjacent to the Syrian Desert, and after radical groups in Daraa and Yarmouk mainly the Islamic Muthanna movement, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade and Jaish al-Mujahideen, which gathered in 2016 under the umbrella of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army pledged loyalty to IS. The expanding deployment of these factions has sparked the concerns of Jordanian analysts and experts who fear the establishment of a radical emirate on the northern borders, luring radical organizations that have lost ground in Syria and Iraq. Political analyst Amer al-Sabayla called for eradicating extremist groups in southern Syria before they get enrooted and turn into an emirate. Sabayla told Al-Monitor, The radical groups close to the Jordanian border constitute a huge threat and might wage unconventional attacks by launching missiles on Jordanian cities and planning for qualitative operations such as the Rukban operation, which killed seven Jordanian soldiers and wounded 14 others in June 2016 after IS detonated a car bomb against a military checkpoint at the Jordanian border. The Jordanian authorities agree that radical groups in southern Syria constitute a danger for Jordanian national security. Jordanian Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat told the BBC on Dec. 30, The Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army, which has pledged allegiance to IS, is only 1 kilometer [0.6 miles] from the Jordanian border and can target the armys front lines. A Jordanian government source told Al-Monitor that the country would defend itself. Anyone who comes close to the border will die. We have the best border protection systems in the world, the source said. Sabayla said, Jordan has a realistic and practical choice to ensure the protection of its borders. It can coordinate with a real partner on the Syrian territories hence Russia or the Syrian regime especially since the international coalition does not have a vision for the post-airstrikes phase. In a step showing Jordans inclination toward Russia in terms of the Syrian situation, Jordanian King Abdullah II visited Moscow in January to discuss Syria and the war on terrorism. Hassan Abu Haniyeh, an independent Jordanian researcher on Islamic groups affairs, told Al-Monitor, The problem is that the international strategy specifically that of the United States in dealing with the Syrian situation has gone downhill. Western support for moderate factions in southern Syria that relied on armament by the West has declined. The Jordanian supervision of the Syrian opposition in south Syria through the MOC is weak now. Haniyeh said the declining support pushed the moderate factions to join the ranks of al-Qaeda, represented by Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham or the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army. In addition, he expects the moderate opposition factions in southern Syria to grow weaker in the medium-term. In regard to military operations, retired Maj. Gen. Fayez al-Duwairi told Al-Monitor, The expansion of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army in Syria was not along the Jordanian border as much as it was in the Syrian interior. The demarcation line between this army and Jordan thus stretched from the Yarmouk Basin area toward the northern towns. He said, This expansion is dangerous for Jordan due to the increasing influence of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army and its far-reaching fire strength into Jordan due to machine guns, mortars and cannons. Haniyeh expects any clash between Jordan and this army to trigger a reaction from the kingdom by using fire and air weapons. He ruled out the use of ground troops and the entry of Jordanian forces into Syria. FSA sources in the south told Al-Monitor that the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Army consists of around 1,500 fighters, 300 of whom are so-called Sharia qadis (judges). Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, a Jordanian, spearheads the army, which mobilizes people in villages under its control by offering financial remuneration and giving them religious jihad training. There are 120 factions under the FSA in the south, and they receive funding from the US-funded MOC. Those factions include the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, Ahrar Nawa Division, Liwa Tawhid al-Janoub, Harakat Fajr al-Sham, 46th Division, Alwiya al-Furqan, the military council in Quneitra and the Army of Free Tribes. March 10, 2017 Turkey has been expanding its relations with Gulf Cooperation Council members, particularly Qatar. Turkey-Qatar relations have gained significant momentum during the past three months, led by the personal actions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who address each other as "brother." This interesting development calls for a closer look. When Qatar's emir visited Turkey in December 2014, the countries set up a bilateral cooperation and consultation group called the Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee and forged agreements on military training, the defense industry and deploying Turkish Armed Forces in Qatari territory. As a result, about 150 Turkish army, navy and special forces personnel have been stationed temporarily at a Qatari military base since October 2015, waiting for construction to be completed on a permanent Turkish base. Turkey plans to augment its force there to 3,000 personnel once the base is ready. Erdogan and Al Thani meet frequently. The latest meeting was Dec. 18, when the emir visited Trabzon on the Black Sea. During that trip, the men signed significant agreements regarding energy, tourism, construction, defense and security. Turkey is expected to export to Qatar $2 billion worth of armored vehicles, radars and drones, as well as assorted military equipment for communications, night/thermal optics and other uses. On Feb. 15, during Erdogans visit to Qatar as part of his GCC tour, he emphasized the importance of Turkey-Qatar relations and said: Qatar has always been, especially in recent difficult times, a strong friend of Turkey. With Qatar, we look at all regional problems from the same window. Such close Turkey-Qatar cooperation is very important for the future of the region. There have been manifestations of this friendship in the field. When Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane in November 2015, Turkeys relations with Russia its main natural gas supplier seriously soured. Qatar agreed to supply Turkey with liquefied natural gas. In addition to basing its military personnel in Qatar to conduct training and joint exercises, Turkey also intends to sell Qatar defense industry products. Qatar appreciates Turkeys approach for joint production, research and development, and easy technology transfer. Turkey is aware that Qatar, in addition to its traditional allies like the United States, is interested in diversifying its defense and security procurement. Realistically speaking, what Qatar really needs is beyond what Turkey can offer. Qatar is particularly interested in systems and platforms that require high technology, as in Israels sophisticated Iron Dome air defense system, satellite and space technology, drones and frigates. At first glance, one gets the impression Turkey's main motivation is money, and Qatars warming up to Turkey is because of the opportunity to diversify and obtain military technology. But it is a bit more complex than that. Turkey and Qatar have opted for closer relations in defense and security because they face similar security dilemmas. One of their common perceived threats is their joint regional opponent, Iran. Irans growing influence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen; its skill in mobilizing effective, armed militias; and its ballistic missile and nuclear programs have compelled the Turkey-Qatar cooperation. Another consideration is Russia's growing presence in the Middle East, especially in GCC countries. While GCC countries expect economic benefits from Russias interest in their region, they are also concerned with its security threat implications. They are particularly concerned with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent reference to the "post-West" world order, which was seen as a reflection of Russias revisionist attitude. Something else encouraging closer Turkey-Qatar relations is the ambiguity and uncertainty in the Middle East that began with US President Donald Trumps election. His visa embargoes on six Islamic countries, his references to radical Islamic terrorism and his adviser Steve Bannon's opinions on Islam have motivated the GCC to move closer to Turkey. Some Qatari officials and academics fear that the visa embargo could well be expanded to GCC countries, although that's highly unlikely given the US economic interests in the region and its massive military presence in Qatar. Qatar and Turkey also share a common security threat from violent, extreme Salafi networks in the region. According to Nejar Tarakci, an expert at the Turkish Asian Center of Strategic Studies, Qatar is truly skilled and pragmatic when it comes to adapting to developments in the region. Turkish companies doing business in Qatar in construction, defense, finance and retailing have reached the level of $15 billion. After Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Qatar has become the third-favorite country for Turkish business, he told Al-Monitor. I believe this volume of economic relations automatically brings about military cooperation. Details are not yet finalized, but in two years Qatar will base 3,000 Turkish soldiers on its land. And, if it so wishes, Qatar will be allowed to open a military base in Turkey. According to a security source from Qatar Military Strategic Studies Center, who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, there is a security vacuum in the region because of the Arab Spring; the gradual withdrawal of Iraq, Syria and Egypt from the Middle East stage; the preoccupation of Saudi Arabia and European countries with their own issues; and declining US interest in the region's security. This is why Turkey has an opportunity to counteract Iranian and Russian influences. The Qatari expert, a retired colonel, said it is time to question the validity of old habits of putting all our eggs in the same basket. He added that it is time for Qatar to diversify its partners and risks. In light of regional developments, Qatar has developed a two-pronged geopolitical strategy. First, by taking the sovereign asset funds it earns from energy revenues and investing them in international fields, it diversifies its national income. Second, the country is working to balance the potential security threat of Iran with the cooperation of regional and external players. This situation makes Turkey the best-qualified candidate to meet both Qatari needs. Nevertheless, Qatar-Turkey cooperation, which is built on the personal friendship of Erdogan and Al Thani, so far is an elite, top-down process that still needs to develop a foundation reinforced by considerable input from the security bureaucracies of both countries, their think tanks and defense industries. Cullman is among the nation's leading small urban centers, according to an economic development publication. Site Selection picked Cullman as its second micropolitan area, among more than 500 such communities in the United States. A micropolitan area is larger than 10,000 residents but smaller than 50,000, and is a classification used for statistical purposes. There are 575 micropolitan areas nationwide, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Only Findlay, Ohio, finished higher than Cullman. Last year, Site Selection placed Alabama among the nation's leaders for business climate. Alabama placed ninth in the magazine's 2016 state business climate rankings, and eighth in a survey of corporate site selectors asked to rank states based on their experience locating facilities in them. In its article, Site Selection called attention to Cullman's position as the only Alabama town among the top, and its position on Interstate 65. "The mix of products out of Cullman includes a bunch of automotive parts moving both ways on that highway," it states. The article goes on to spotlight the city's Rehau plant, which manufactures polyethylene pipes, and has expanded four times. Last year, the plant announced a five-year, $5 million expansion expected to add 50 jobs to the already 1,000 employed there. Peggy Smith, director of Cullman's Economic Development Agency, called the area's high profile on the list "an outstanding recognition for our community and the industrial base here." Fried-Chicken-Waffles.jpg Fried chicken and waffles from Metro Diner. (MetroDiner.com) An eatery featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is hiring more than 100 workers for its first restaurant in Alabama. Metro Diner, which specializes in "classic comfort food with flair," is opening a new location next month on 1800 McFarland Boulevard East, #404, at Midtown Village in Tuscaloosa. The Florida company is accepting applications for all positions, including servers, hosts, cooks and kitchen staff. Interested candidates can complete an application on MetroDiner.com/employment or call 205-886-5626. Metro Diner said long-term growth opportunities and competitive pay are available. Metro Diner offers breakfast all day, a full lunch and breakfast menu and meals for kids. Click here to check out the menus. Three of Metro Diner's most popular dishes -- Meatloaf Plate, Pittsburgh Steak Salad and Yo Hala on the Square -- were featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," hosted by Food Network personality and chef Guy Fieri. Check out a clip of Metro Diner on Food Network below: Levite JCC sign.JPG Expected security upgrades at Levite Jewish Community Center could cost as much as $1 million. Christian ministries have offered to help raise the funds. (Levite JCC) Supporters of the Levite Jewish Community Center gathered for a town hall meeting on March 6, 2017. A group of high-profile evangelical Christian ministries in Birmingham has announced a plan to raise $100,000 toward security upgrades at the Levite Jewish Community Center, which has been the target of four bomb threats this year. "We want to help in any way we can," Scott Dawson, founder of Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, told AL.com today. "It just seems like the right thing to do. I think we can raise $100,000. I'm trying to get pastors to take up an offering to help them." About 125 of the 200 children enrolled at the Levite Jewish Community Center's pre-school program are not Jewish, and the physical fitness program is open to the community. Dawson said leaders of the Jewish community expect the cost of security upgrades to be as much as $1 million and are hoping for support from the community. The ministries involved so far include Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, The Center for Executive Leadership, Young Business Leaders, Lifework Leadership, JH Ranch, Alliance Ministries, and the National Christian Foundation of Alabama. Several major churches have pledged contributions of $5,000 to $10,000. "We all want to live in safety and have freedom for everybody to exercise their faith," Dawson said. The National Christian Foundation of Alabama has agreed to receive tax deductible donations designated for "JCC-SECURITY". Since the IRS requires tax receipts for all donations of $250 or more, they will mail such receipts (for donations less than $250, the cancelled check is sufficient). Checks can be made payable to NCF/Alabama and mailed to 400 Office Park Drive; Birmingham, AL 35223, or you can use the link below to make a credit card donation. Use this link to make online donation: A weekend crash in Birmingham left one man dead, and a woman with serious injuries. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office on Monday identified the fatality victim as Demetre Terell Felton. He was 25. The accident happened at 12:55 a.m. Saturday on the Fifth Avenue North on-ramp to Elton B. Stephens Expressway. Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said Felton was a passenger in a 2015 Kia Forte that crashed into a concrete sidewall on the on-ramp. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced Felton dead on the scene at 1:21 a.m. The female driver - whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital. The cause of the crash remains under investigation Birmingham police. A GoFundMe account created to help with Felton's funeral expenses says this: "This was a very bad tragedy for a 7-year-old boy that loved a very devoted single dad very much...leaving the family saddened and trying to find a way to tell Li Meaty and how to pay for funeral arrangements. The Family will appreciate any and all donations. No Blessing is too small. We thank you for all your blessings and prayers." Shelby County lawmen seized a haul of high-grade marijuana on Birmingham's Southside as part of a multi-jurisdictional drug probe. On Friday, the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force carried out a search warrant at the Highland Park home of 24-year-old Joshua Christopher Burchfield, said task force Commander Lt. Clay Hammac. On Facebook, Burchfield describes himself as "purveyor of dope stuff." The raid took place in the 3000 block of Highland Drive. Investigators found 48 pounds of marijuana that was packaged in a vacuum-sealed bags, intended for concealment and transport, Hammac said. The drugs are worth more than $150,000. The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office helped the task force get the search warrant. Burchfield is now charged with first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana and drug trafficking. He remains in jail with bonds totaling $82,500. Hammac said the success of the operation is a testament to the partnership the task force shares with other jurisdictions and state prosecutors. "Regardless of the changing cultural perception of marijuana and the public opinion of the legalization of marijuana," Hammac said, "the fact remains that it is illegal in the State of Alabama and our team will continue to tirelessly pursue drug traffickers and dealers of all illegal drugs." Pleasant Grove police officers have a little gratitude: Thanks bumbling drug dealers. And tipsters too. Because now, thanks to an OnStar tip two years ago that led them to four pounds of powder cocaine and a quarter million dollars, the whole police department is better armed and more dangerous to drug dealers. This is what that contraband bought: Twenty five pistols - or one for each cop. Nine rifles, 13 ceramic plate body armor carriers, two new patrol cars and more. "Even in small communities like Pleasant Grove, we will find you, arrest you, and seize your assets,'' Lt. Danny Reid. Gerand Ratcliff, then 45, was arrested in November 2015. It all began about 6 p.m. that Tuesday night when OnStar alerted police to a possibly stolen vehicle in the 400 block of Fourth Terrace. The 2016 Cadillac Escalade had been reported missing from a car dealership in Vicksburg, Miss. Patrol officers went to the home and spotted the $75,000 SUV in the garage. They knocked on the front door of the house, and were hit with a cloud of marijuana smoke when Ratcliff opened the front door, Reid said. The United Narcotics Investigations Team - made up of drug investigators from Pleasant Grove and Hueytown - responded to the scene. Ratcliff was detained, and police secured a search warrant for his home. At that point, police said, Ratliff offered them $50,000 to not arrest him. Officers proceeded with the search. The safe was in Ratcliff's bedroom and contained $247,781. Police also discovered a brick of cocaine on a shelf in the basement, and another hidden on a shelf in the living room. The cocaine was valued at about $50,000 wholesale, but would be triple that when broken down for sale on the streets. Authorities also found about a dozen other empty kilo wrappers. Investigators also found guns, a Food Saver Vacuum Sealer often used in drug deal, and six digital scales with a white powder residue on them. Ultimately, Ratcliff pleaded guilty in federal court in Birmingham in August 2016. He admitted to selling drugs to support himself, saying he hadn't been employed in over a year, according to federal court records. He faces five to 40 years in federal prison, a fine of not more than $5 million and supervised release for four years after he gets out of prison. He was supposed to be sentenced in January, but that sentencing has been reset for April 11. Forfeiture of his seized property was part of the deal. "The police department has immediately put these funds to good use by purchasing much-needed equipment and providing vital training,'' Reid said. The total seizure was $318,793.39 which has been used to buy the new patrol cars, duty weapons for all officers, new patrol rifles in all of the police cruisers, a Taser for each officers and enhanced body armor for all officers that is designed to stop rifle fire in the event of an active shooter. All police officers are also receiving trauma training, and trauma kits have been placed in all patrol cars. Reid said the seizure comes at an important time for the city. The department has an annual budget of nearly $2 million but as one of the cities hardest hit by the 2011 tornadoes, the department is short three officers, including a school resource officer and a narcotics officer because of the sharp loss of the ad valorem tax caused by the housing destruction. "None of this could have been possible without the seizure and award of these funds,'' he said. "While the war on drugs continues, and more lives are being affected every day and in every community by overdoses and deaths, at least there is one small positive result for a community in needs." Kentucky vs. Auburn Baseball Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler awaits an appearance by Gov. Robert Bentley to question him under oath about use of state funds Monday, May 2, 2016, at the Capitol in Montgomery, Ala. Bentley declined to appear. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com) (JULIE BENNETT) State Auditor Jim Zeigler says he's might run for governor next year and has written a book with a fictional account of that race. Zeigler said his book is classified as humor and takes jabs at other politicians. He got the idea from presidential candidates, who commonly release books a year or so before running for the White House. Zeigler, a Republican, says he will make up his mind on whether to enter the governor's race based partly on response to the book, "The Making of the People's Governor 2018," published on the self-publishing website Lulu. He's planning some book-signing tours later this year. Zeigler said he will also base his decision on how much encouragement he gets to run and how many people volunteer and contribute to his campaign. Fundraising can begin in June. Zeigler said he will seek a second term as auditor if he decides not to run for governor. The deadline to qualify for the Republican primary is in February. "So there's plenty of time to decide," Zeigler said. Zeigler, an attorney who specialized in elder care before his election as auditor in 2014, has been running for public offices for decades. In 1974, he won election to the Public Service Commission as a Democrat and served one term. After that, he lost races for state Board of Education, state Supreme Court, state treasurer, Court of Civil Appeals and the PSC before breaking through with the win for state auditor in 2014. Zeigler said he wrote the book on his own time at nights and on weekends and spent no taxpayer money on the project. Zeigler has been a regular critic of Gov. Robert Bentley, filing lawsuits against the governor and an ethics complaint. Dorcas, 25, died last week after struggling to find proper cancer treatment amid the government and doctors standoff. Nairobi, Kenya One month after Al Jazeera published the story of Dorcas Kitenges struggle for cancer treatment in a nation whose doctors are on strike, the 25-year-old has died due to lack of proper care. Some 5,000 public sector doctors walked out on December 5 after Kenyas leaders failed to make good on a 2013 agreement to raise salaries, hire new physicians and improve conditions in public hospitals. The standoff between the health ministry, which lost $53 million last year due to corruption, and the doctors, continues to drag on. Nobody knows how many hundreds or thousands of Kenyans have died as a result of the governments refusal to pay and the doctors refusal to return to work until that happens. This is the story of one of those victims the final days in the life of Dorcas Kitenge. Delays Al Jazeera met Kitenge on January 30. She was stoic, sitting in a wheelchair outside Kijabe Hospital, which became overwhelmed with Kenyans seeking treatment after public hospitals turned them away when the doctors walked out. Kitenge had been sick since December, suffering from abdominal pain and having trouble walking. When she started feeling pain, the public hospitals were on strike, says Mwende Mutambuki, Kitenges sister-in-law. The nearest public hospital was staffed only by nurses. They kept saying, You have diabetes, you have diabetes. But she didnt have diabetes! Many Kenyans prefer to avoid the nations understaffed and under-resourced public hospitals if they have the money to afford private care. At public hospitals, sometimes you are told there is no blood, Mutambuki says. Youre told, Buy syringes, go and find someone to give you their blood. Its a bad system, Mutambuki says. Our hospitals are not for life. Theyre for death. In January, Mutambuki took Kitenge to three different private hospitals in Nairobi. But all were either too overburdened to perform the surgery to remove cancerous tumours from her ovaries and breasts, or demanded more money than her family could afford. At last, the doctors at Kijabe that day declared Kitenge fit for surgery, so her family cobbled together the 100,000 shilling (about $1,000) deposit and were told to come for the operation the following week. But it was just being delayed, delayed, delayed, Mutambuki says. There was a backlog of surgeries, likely due to the abnormal number of Kenyans seeking care, so theyd have to wait until the following week instead. But by the time a surgeon reviewed Kitenges medical imaging, her cancer had reached stage four. Instead of surgery, shed need to go back to Nairobi in the hopes of finding a hospital that would offer her chemotherapy. Life is cheap Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobis largest public health facility, had been operating on only a small staff of military doctors since the usual doctors went on strike. But some doctors still operated privately out of an adjacent clinic, so Mutambuki took Kitenge there. For two weeks they waited, hoping the chemo would come through. That two weeks, Dorcas was in so much pain. She used to cry and cry, Mutambuki says. Theyd tell her to take drugs for the pain, but in three hours the pain would be unbearable. Mutambuki begged a doctor to admit Kitenge for a biopsy and chemo. He said, If there was no strike, I would admit you at Kenyatta immediately. He said they would do a biopsy much cheaper than the private clinics, Mutambuki recalls. But he said there would be a long queue, so Mutambuki decided she had no choice but to transfer Kitenge to a private hospital instead. To cheer her up while she waited there, Kitenges family kept her company, filling the small hospital room with chatter and warmth. But on Wednesday night, Kitenge died there, alone. The next day, Kitenges husband, Daniel, walked around in a daze. He was unhinged, Mutambuki says of her brother. He has these two little kids seven and three. He doesnt know where hell start. He has never had to take care of those kids by himself. Whats more, the funeral expenses will cost the family 170,000 shillings, about $1,700 a seemingly impossible cost on top of the 400,000 shillings, about $4,000, the family already raised from friends and neighbours to pay for Kitenges treatment in her final months. Funerals, healthcare these things are expensive, Mutambuki says. But life is very cheap in Kenya. Very cheap. READ MORE: Senegals cancer patients struggle for treatment Presidents responsibility Mutambuki believes Kitenges life might have been saved, if only Kenyas public sector doctors had been around to treat her during the three-month ordeal. They could have alleviated her pain, alleviated her suffering. They could have prolonged her life, Mutambuki says. If she could tell Kenyas leaders one thing, she says, I would ask them to stop making all this political. It becomes a war of words instead of trying to find solutions, says Mutambuki of the ongoing standoff. The president is in power. What is he doing? she says of Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking re-election this August. He should be talking to the doctors. What is all this childishness? Why cant he take responsibility and do what is right with the doctors? Earlier last week, the government and the medical union seemed close to ending the standoff. Theyd drafted a revised agreement that would have allowed for a 50 percent pay rise still less than half of what the doctors were entitled to under the original agreement. According to news reports and posts by various medical union members, the government refused to send the agreement on to Kenyas governors for ratification until the doctors called off the strike. But having entered into deals that Kenyas government has reneged on before, the doctors refused, at which point the chairman of Kenyas Council of Governors, at a press conference flanked by the president, announced the government was withdrawing its offer. WATCH: Women make change Kenyas Water Women (24:29) Underfunding In late January, the Naivasha Sub-county Referral Hospital, a two-hour drive north of Nairobi, was eerily empty on account of the strike. The blue door to the operating room was locked shut. Theres no one to do the operations, explained Douglas Osoro, a pharmacist there. Osoro said the hospital couldnt look more different from usual. He typically works 12-hour shifts with barely a moment to rest between making the rounds with doctors to visit patients and recommend certain treatments, fulfilling the prescriptions, and then going along with the nurses to help administer the drugs. Public sector nurses are threatening to strike as well, for similar reasons of pay and overworking. One nurse here takes care of 40 patients in a night! Osoro said. If nurses go, people will stop trying to come to the hospital entirely because theres no point. Recently, some Kenyan nurses did precisely that, protesting against delays in the payment of their salaries and delays in promotions. According to Kenyas medical union, Kenya has registered about 9,000 new doctors in the last 32 years, but an estimated 25 percent of them are no longer active. A major shortage has resulted from a lack of funding. In 2014, Kenya was estimated to spend just $78 of its budget on healthcare per capita. In contrast, South Africa spent $570, the UK spent $3,935 and the US spent $9,403 a person that year, according to estimates by the World Bank. Even basic treatment is sometimes unavailable in Kenyas public sector. My second day, I was really shocked when I saw a patient who couldnt afford dialysis, said Osoro of his residency. If you look at the amount of people who have kidney problems, dialysis is supposed to be a basic, basic service to the public. It costs about 10,000 shillings (less than $100) per session. And yet, If you dont have the national health insurance fund, you have to pay it out of pocket, Osoro said. Nine out of 10 people in Kenya cant afford that. The system is failing everyone us, and the patients, said Marcy Gichinga, a pharmaceutical intern in Naivasha who was also on strike. If doctors had their way, we wouldnt just leave patients, Gichinga said. If there were a way to reach an agreement without going on strike, we would do it. Health officials have attempted to paint the 2013 agreement as unreasonable, arguing a new one should be written in its place. Wilfred Machage, chairman of Kenyas Senate Health Committee, called that document illegal, saying, Nobody has prevented doctors from coming up with another legal document. These are problems that we want solved, said Osoro, of Kenyas underfunded and overburdened public healthcare system. I sympathise with people who think doctors want money and its a bit selfish. But ultimately this is for the patients. We want better conditions for our patients. Our patients are everything to us. Dorcas: She was beautiful The day after Kitenge died, Mutambuki recalled her sister-in-law as a timid-but-loving mother of two. When Mutambukis brother first married Kitenge, she was just a village girl and very shy. But soon, whenever we came home she would welcome us. She was always cooking for us, Mutambuki says. Shed run around trying to make us comfortable. She was beautiful. Mutambuki recounted Kitenges final Christmas Eve when, despite her pain, she lifted herself to slowly rotate her hips to the jovial Taarab music Mutambuki had put on the stereo. Theres a song called Pole Samaki Swahili for Sorry, Fish. It talks about how fish suffer. When a man is eaten by a fish or a shark, it makes news. But when we eat a fish, nobody cares. That is the one she danced to. That made Dorcas get up and dance despite her pain, Mutambuki says. She got up and danced the whole track. The time is ripe for a rapprochement between Cairo and Tehran, say Iranian analysts. Tehran Despite recent backstage talks, Egypt and Iran are unlikely to re-establish full diplomatic relations any time soon, Iranian analysts said. A recent string of diplomatic overtures has suggested a thaw in the relations between the two countries. Last week, Yasser Othman, head of Egyptian interest section office in Tehran, met Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of the Iranian parliaments foreign affairs committee. Othman said that Egypt was interested in improving ties with Iran, as an influential regional country. Boroujerdi, a parliamentarian heavyweight, said that Iran was determined to boost political and economic ties with Egypt, especially in tourism. The two countries have many common views on regional issues, Boroujerdi was quoted by the local media. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry confirmed last week that Iran and Egypt have had diplomatic contacts. However, he refrained from disclosing the content of the talks. Addressing the Egyptian parliaments foreign relations committee, Shoukry, according to Beirut-based TV al-Mayadeen, disclosed the contacts saying: The only problem with Iran is its efforts to expand influence in Arabic countries. OPINION: Iran after Khamenei Once a close ally, Egypt and post-revolution Iran have been through strenuous relations in the past four decades. The two countries cut diplomatic ties in 1979. Thorny issues ranged from Egypts sheltering of Irans ousted Shah and Irans naming of a street in Tehran after the assassin of late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to the more serious issues like Egypts support for Saddam Hussein during the first gulf war between Iran and Iraq. There were some limited diplomatic overtures by Iran after reformist President Mohammad Khatami took office, when both Khatami and then Egypts President Hosni Mubarak met for the first time in 2003 in Geneva. However, this did not evolve into full diplomatic relations, either. During ousted President Mohammed Morsis presidency relations improved. Morsi was the first Egyptian president since 1979 to visit to Tehran. Currently, the two countries have diplomatic representation through interest sections. According to Iranian analysts, the time is ripe for a rapprochement between Cairo and Tehran. Currently, there is a good momentum for better relations between the two countries, said Hossein Royvaran, senior Middle East expert and former manager of Irans al-Alam Arabic satellite channel. Egypts foreign policy has become more independent and the new government can create a new atmosphere, and a new situation in the violence-scarred region, Royvaran told Al Jazeera. Iran's strong support for Egypt's participation in Lausanne conference on Syria shows that it has recognised Egypt as a stabilising power in the region which shouldn't be marginalised. by Hussein Royvaran, senior Middle East expert Egypt, a close ally of Saudi Arabia, has always been concerned about the Saudi reaction to getting closer to Iran, according to Iranian analysts. However, Iranians have recently praised Cairos independent foreign policies. Royvaran believes that Cairos historic balancing role, as the seat of the highest Sunni authority, is precisely what the region, already aflame with sectarian tensions, needs at this point. The Egyptian government has been able to maintain a balance between respecting its traditional allies like the Saudis and at the same time adopting an independent policy and stance in troubled areas like Iraq and Syria, which are close, though not necessarily in the same direction, to Irans views and policies. Back in October, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior adviser to the parliament speaker, praised Egypt for its constructive and useful positions on the Syrian crisis and campaign against terrorism. Iran and Egypt are two big and influential countries which can play a constructive role through mutual cooperation in the region to help soothe tensions, said Abdollahian following a meeting with Othman. Iran has been strongly supporting Egypts active participation in the Syrian peace talks and even adamantly lobbied for the Egyptian foreign ministers presence as a pre-condition for Lausanne talks on Syria last October. Irans strong support for Egypts participation in Lausanne conference on Syria shows that it has recognised Egypt as a stabilising power in the region which shouldnt be marginalised, Royvaran told Al Jazeera. In the past few months, speculation has been rife regarding oil and petrochemical shipments expected to be dispatched to Egypt after a long halt. Talks are under way to get Egypts consent to start exporting Iranian oil through Sumed pipeline- to the European countries. The Iranian Petroleum ministrys website quoted a few days ago Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh as saying: Iran pursues negotiation with countries who are not necessarily Iranian friends to resolve issues, an apparent reference to the Egyptian transit pipeline. Last May, Egyptian authorities initially gave the green light to Iranian oil exports through Sumed, but failed to finalise the deal. The pipeline would enable Iran to ratchet up its exports to the Mediterranean and southern Europe with the capacity of 2.5m barrels a day. According to Iranian Diplomacy website, that is run by a group of former Iranian diplomats, Tehran advocated -and helped in- striking a landmark oil deal between Egypt and Iraq in February. Experts in Irans flourishing tourism industry, that has been steadily growing after the Iran Nuclear Deal, believe that should the oil diplomacy between Tehran and Cairo spread into other sectors especially tourism both countries can build a billion-dollar business around it, given the rich cultural heritage the two countries share. The head of tourism department said recently that Iran received 5.2 million tourists in 2015 and numbers show there has been 50 percent growth in incoming tourists in the past 10 months. Last week, Irans commerce ministry issued permits to import Egyptian oranges, despite the countrys self-sufficient agricultural industry and enormous production of fruits and vegetables, a move interpreted by local media reports as strengthening business ties with Egyptians. However, despite the increasing backstage talks between the two countries, analysts remain sceptical that both countries would re-establish a full diplomatic relationship anytime soon due to the complicated nature of issues at stake. Cairos concerns and difficulties for resumption of diplomatic ties with Tehran is much more serious, said Mosayyeb Naimi, editor-in-chief of Irans Arabic language daily al-Wifaq. Naimi believes that the backstage talks that the Egyptian foreign minister has recently confirmed are not rare but that the two countries efforts to reach a thaw in the relations have been constantly thwarted by some regional countries. Many regional countries wont let Cairo experience some sort of reconciliation with Tehran, Naimi told Al Jazeera. Cairo and Tehrans relations have been an exception in the region. There are countries which have had extensive business and diplomatic ties with Tehran despite being critical of Tehrans regional policies, so why shouldnt Cairo [do the same thing]? A simple answer, according to Naimi, lies in regional rivalry. In essence, it is quite possible that Egypt and Iran would re-establish lucrative business ties, but this has been hampered by other actors. Europe depends heavily on Morocco for cooperation on two most important concerns: Migration and counterterrorism. In the early hours of February 20, around 600 sub-Saharan African migrants passed undetected to the Ceuta border fence. Attacking the six-metre fence at multiple points, 359 made it through the heavily fortified perimeter, leaving Morocco and arriving in the Spanish north African enclave of Ceuta. Three days earlier, almost 500 did the same it the largest single penetration of the Ceuta border fence in a decade. News footage from the morning of February 20 shows hundreds of young men running through the city, and many later receiving treatment for injuries sustained from climbing the razor-wire fence. They are exhausted but jubilant they have finally made it to Spain. They are only a fraction of the thousands of migrants in Morocco thought to be trying to reach Europe, and many will have spent months or even years waiting for this opportunity. Several men shout to the camera in Spanish: Thank you, Spain. In a span of three days, almost 900 people crossed the Ceuta border, leaving the small Spanish citys immigration centre at almost three times capacity. In the entire previous year, around 1,000 people crossed the fences in Ceuta and fellow enclave city Melilla combined, according to the EU border agency Frontex. The sudden influx of migrants was likely Morocco sending its European neighbours a message, according to Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero. [The sudden migrant influx] was a reminder, Cembrero told Al Jazeera. A way for Morocco to show that it controls immigration and holds the migrant pipeline in its hands. EU-Morocco free-trade deals have come under attack from the Polisario Front, which lodged a series of lawsuits contesting the deals. In December 2016, the European Court of Justice nominally sided with Morocco, upholding agricultural accords. Both by Ivan can be opened at any time, and that the more you close other options [] there can become more pressure on the Western Mediterranean route.] The court decision, however, distinguished Western Sahara from Moroccan territory proper, which meant that goods there were not covered by the deal, thereby reigniting debate over the disputed region. The European Court of Justice decision was kind of a pyrrhic victory for Morocco, said Markus Gehring, lecturer in law at the University of Cambridge. For the past [] 50 years, the parties agreed to disagree on the status of the Western Sahara and that is perhaps no longer a tenable situation. On February 6, a week and a half before the mass Ceuta border crossings, Moroccos Minister of Agriculture Aziz Akhannouch called on Europe to find a solution to the trade dispute, warning that failure to do so would bring grave consequences, both commercially and in migration policy. Any impediment to the application of this agreement is a direct attack on thousands of jobs on both sides in extremely sensitive sectors and a real risk of resumption of migratory flows that Morocco has managed and maintained through sustained effort, Akhannouch said in a press release. Between 25,000 and 40,000 sub-Saharan African migrants are believed to be living in Morocco at the moment, many of whom intend to continue on to Europe, according to Ivan Martin of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Immigration at Pompeu Fabra University. Morocco has worked closely with Europe to regularise migrants there and block them from continuing on towards Spain along the so-called Western Mediterranean Route to Europe. It is not in the headlines because it is more or less working in terms of migration control, Martin said. Both Moroccan authorities and European authorities are aware that this [route] can be opened at any time, and that the more you close other options [] there can become more pressure on the Western Mediterranean route. The EU leadership is certainly eager to maintain good relations. The day after Akhannouchs warning, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met the Moroccan minister to reaffirm the blocs commitment to preserving free trade accords as they stand. The EU is Moroccos most important trading partner, representing 55.7 percent of its trade in 2015. Sixty-one percent of Moroccos exports went to the EU in the same year. Yet, while Moroccos significance for the EU in trade is relatively minor for the bloc as a whole, Europe depends heavily on Morocco for cooperation on two of its most important concerns: migration and counterterrorism cooperation. Within the next few months, the Polisario Front, according to its lawyer, will present a parallel case seeking to prevent an EU-Morocco trade agreement being applied to fish caught in Western Saharan waters. Several experts consulted by Al Jazeera predicted a similar outcome to the December case. Morocco is offended that the EU courts lent legitimacy to the Polisario Front and considered it the sole representative of the Saharawi people many of whom live in the Moroccan-administered Western Sahara according to Samir Bennis, political analyst and editor-in-chief of Morocco World News. It is very likely that Morocco will stop its cooperation with the European Union on immigration if the EU takes no action to show its willingness to respect Moroccos concerns and its position regarding the Sahara, Bennis said. The prospect of such a scenario would be disastrous for Spain, which would find itself dealing on a daily basis with an avalanche of immigrants trying to reach its territory through Ceuta and Melilla. According to Bennis, Madrid has reached a tacit agreement with Rabat to support Moroccos claim to the Western Sahara in the EU in exchange for continued cooperation on controlling migration. Yet border crossings continue. On March 7, 17 migrants in a raft were filmed crossing from Morocco to Spanish waters in broad daylight and in plain sight of numerous passersby. Moroccan police failed to intercept the vessel. However, if Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was concerned about what this impending diplomatic crisis could mean for his country and its reliance on Morocco for security and migration cooperation, he wasnt letting on. Cooperation with Morocco, he told the press, was magnificent. Cembrero, on the other hand, sees Europe and Morocco heading towards a political impasse with no obvious way out. And, should Morocco decide to flex its muscles over the Western Sahara issue, Spain will feel the brunt of its anger, most likely on the border fences in Ceuta and Melilla. [Spain] is the weak link of the European Union, Cembrero said. Im not saying it will happen within a few weeks, but I think were entering a period of uncertainty. And has the far-right politician managed to steer the country in his own nationalist direction without being in power? An earlier version of this article stated that Wilders is predicted to win a quarter of the seats in parliament. Polls now show it's closer to almost one-fifth. This story has been updated to reflect this. As the Dutch parliamentary election edges closer, traditional parties fear a victory by Geert Wilders and his far-right Party for Freedom (PVV). But attempts by these parties to win back voters only seem to have strengthened Wilders nationalism. There are only a few days left until the Dutch cast their votes. Many are still in doubt, but a steady group of angry voters have already made up their minds. They will vote for Geert Wilders and his PVV. Of the 150 seats that the parliament offers, Wilders is predicted to win almost a fifth of them, a huge gain in a parliamentary system that is built for 12 to 15 parties. A ban on migration from Muslim countries, closing all Dutch mosques and a ban on the Quran are just some of the controversial commitments that the far-right politician has made in his one-page manifesto for the upcoming Dutch elections. Those foreigners think that we have always been this rich, says Janine, a retired cleaning lady who says she will vote for Wilders next week. But many here were penniless. Can you imagine how frustrating it is to see that newcomers get everything? Janine left her neighbourhood in Amsterdam a few years ago after migrants moved in. I do want to speak with others, but it doesnt work with those people. Maybe not all of them, but the ones I met should all go back to their own country, she says. Defining identity and immigration Dutch political and public discourse has been dominated by questions of national identity and immigration, primarily related to Islam, explains Cas Mudde, a specialist in European populism from the University of Georgia. Wilders is more a catalyst than a cause of this. Surveys show that the Dutch support many of the right-wing issues, but they are not more right-wing than several neighbouring countries. And neighbouring countries will be following the Dutch ballot closely as it will be one of many European elections this year in which populism may prevail. Larger countries such as France and Germany are next. If Wilders does win, it will strengthen the already dominant narrative in the European media that the status quo is embattled and that the populist parties are the voice of the people, says Mudde. People should solve their own misery elsewhere, why do they have to come here? Janine asks. Peter, a young cafe owner who says he will vote for Wilders, agrees: I pay a few thousand euros in taxes every month. I have to give all that money to the Dutch state, so why dont we keep it within the Dutch state? We should stop giving it away all the time. We can use some more nationalism in that sense. The cafe owner and Janine are just two of the 64 people that were interviewed by Koen Damhuis, a Dutch sociologist at the European University Institute in Florence, who made it his mission to speak with Wilders voters. Last month, he published his findings from 165 hours of interviews in his new book, Ways to Wilders. Most surprising to me was the diversity within Wilders constituency, Damhuis explains. Ive seen every corner of the Netherlands during this project and, on first sight, it seemed impossible to generalise this big group. But Damhuis succeeded and has now divided Wilders voters into three main categories: the ones who feel that they dont get enough, the ones who feel they have already paid too much and those the smallest group who are ideologically motivated and fear a loss of Dutch culture and sovereignty. The last group is closest to Wilders himself, he says. It is unique, Damhuis says, that the first two groups are part of the same electorate, as they have traditionally been pitched against each other: the poor, who used to vote for left-wing parties, and wealthier people, who typically voted more right-wing. What those groups share today is a fear that people who are entering the system do not deserve entrance. A phenomenon that we call violated reciprocity, the sociologist explains. READ MORE: Geert Wilders tweets fake picture of rival This coincides with a fundamental shift in the Dutch political landscape. Political parties used to be divided economically: left-wing parties were always in favour of a strong social government while right-wing parties preferred a rather modest administration with more space for free-market solutions. Today, we see that the dominant dichotomy has become globalism versus nationalism, says Ewald Engelen, a professor at the University of Amsterdam. According to Damhuis, it is precisely this change in political thinking that has confused the traditional parties. Some of them havent decided yet how they want to position themselves, Damhuis says. Labour, for example, is split between those who believe in internationalism and those who advocate for safeguarding the national welfare state. They are visibly confused. National Identity In an effort to win back people like Janine and Peter, a stronger emphasis on national identity and a more reluctant stance towards migrants and globalism has been visible in the campaigns of the traditional parties the centre-right liberal VVD, Christian democratic CDA and social democratic PvdA that had led Dutch politics for decades. We feel a growing discomfort when people abuse our freedom to cause havoc, while they came to our country because of this freedom, wrote Mark Rutte, the prime minister and leader of the centre-right liberal party, the VVD, at the beginning of this year in a public letter addressed to all the Dutch people. Act normal or get out was his main message. According to Rutte, not acting normal includes refusing to shake hands and accusing normal citizens as racists. According to the Christian Democratic Party (CDA), the Netherlands is suffering from a moral crisis. They have proposed a tougher stance on migration, reintroducing conscription and singing the national anthem more often as solutions to this crisis. It is a clear form of nationalism, says Meindert Fennema, a professor of political theory and the author of a book on the rise of Geert Wilders. Just as Wilders, they make the presumption that there is one nation with one common view. Thats a totalitarian thought and, just as with the other traditional parties, a way of presenting yourself as PVV-light. Even the centre-left Labour Party (PvdA) has adopted a nationalistic approach, Engelen says. Which they thinly disguise with a term like patriotism. The new Labour leader and current deputy prime minister Lodewijk Asscher, wrote just as Rutte did a public letter in which he called upon his Social Democratic colleagues in Europe to take a stance of progressive patriotism. According to Asscher, this is an alternative to the politics that ridicules or even throws suspicion on the longing for community or national identity. The left-wing politicians most important patriotic proposal was to restrict labour migration within the European Union. Freedom of movement of workers is a cornerstone of the European Union, but has aggravated many Dutch blue-collar workers who make up the traditional electoral heartland of the social democrats. A man like my father has been fired because a Polish labourer was cheaper, says a young delivery man from the city of Rotterdam, who voted for Wilders in the last elections. We should close our borders. Our own lower educated people should get those jobs. READ MORE: Dutch mosques lock doors at prayers after Canada attack Adopting nationalist rhetoric to drag disillusioned voters away from the PVV is a political strategy often referred to as taking the wind out of Wilders sails, but after years of practising this method, it seems that Wilders competitors have only blown more wind into those sails. Of course, it doesnt work, says Engelen. Why would you vote for the weaker extract of the real thing? If all the parties make migration and national identity the most important issue, but present a weaker version of it than the PVV does, that doesnt work. Mudde agrees, saying that adopting Wilders rhetoric may bring some short-term gains, but it only serves Wilders in the end. And inflict[s] lasting damage on liberal democracy in the long run. The same goes for parties that present themselves too strongly as the anti-Wilders party, a strategy that has been tried by smaller progressive parties such as the Greens (GroenLinks) and the Social-Liberals (D66). The growing right Copying the populist message of Wilders has another nasty side effect: while the political landscape moves towards him, he moves even further to the right. Its remarkable to see that what the PVV said years ago is now propagated by other parties, says Fennema. He gets more extreme. The only thing a party can do, according to the different political experts, is to stay close to their own ideology and adopt a strong narrative that is not defeatist and doesnt radiate confusion about their own beliefs. But Engelen is pessimistic about the chances of political parties adopting such a strategy: All the major parties in the Netherlands have lost their ideological roots. They turned into parties of pragmatic administrators who are affected by every wave of populism that comes by, rather than being ideologically inspired. The best way of defeating Wilders would be giving him the responsibility to lead the country, Damhuis thinks. He has made many promises that are impossible to combine with our political system, which is based on coalitions. If he finds partners to cooperate, it will most likely be right-wing parties. Many left-wing promises regarding the welfare state would, therefore, be difficult to realise. Janine, however, would like to see how it turns out. This man has been doing this for years, with a lot of bodyguards around him. That must mean something right? Janine says. I admire that. It makes me believe that its not just talk. Or at least, thats what I hope. Most of the parties have out ruled cooperation with the politician, making it almost impossible for Wilders to form a government, even if the PVV becomes the largest party. He is probably very happy with that because it strengthens his image as an outsider, Fennema says. Besides, Geert Wilders has already shown that he doesnt need to be part of a government to steer the Netherlands in his own nationalist direction. Even if he doesnt win as a person, his views and ideas will, Damhuis reflects. Uganda With his shoulders hunched forward and his hands curled over the curve of the steering wheel, James Isabirye scans a dusty road in southern Uganda for signs of life. The driver at Hospice Jinja is looking for a narrow inlet, somewhere between a neighbourhood shop and a primary school, that his colleague and passenger Esther Apolot is directing him to. And you remembered to pack the morphine? Esther asks. This patient is very sick. James takes a hard left turn down a winding footpath carved in the dirt, which grows increasingly narrow until it dead-ends at two crumbling redbrick houses. This is it, says Esther. Shes inside. Covered by a single sheet atop a foam mattress on the concrete floor is 32-year-old Harriet Namuwoya. The mother of seven has abdominal cancer. A watermelon-sized tumour protrudes from her stomach. Shes in a lot of pain, says Esther. If it was caught earlier, she wouldve benefited from radiation. Harriet is not alone. She is one of hundreds of patients dying from treatable cancer in Uganda after the countrys only external-beam radiotherapy machine broke last April. It has not been replaced. Too poor to travel to the nearest machine in Nairobi, Kenya, where treatment and living expenses for the duration of treatment often run upwards of $5,000, Harriet and those like her are simply waiting to die in homes across Uganda. Should Scotland and N Ireland leave the UK after Brexit, the term Little England will really come into its own. The union that binds together the four political entities within the United Kingdom has never been more at risk. What nobody in the English political and media class seems to have realised is how badly England will fare if Scotland, which is more than likely, and Northern Ireland, which is plausible though by no means certain, split off. It will be the end of England the dominant power of the UK, when the term Little England will really come into its own. Almost exactly two and a half years ago, the Scottish electorate decided against leaving the UK. They were told by pro-union campaigners that if they did vote to leave Britain, they would lose their membership of the European Union. At the time this was probably true. There was no incentive for European decision-makers to allow accession for Scotland, not least because it would embolden Spanish Catalonian independence, and therefore Spain at least perhaps Belgium too would veto Scotlands membership. Now the circumstances have changed. Britain has voted for Brexit, but Scotland did not, with just 38 percent of Scottish people voting to leave the EU. In contrast, 53 percent of the electorate in England voted to leave. As Brussels reckons with the result, the European project is looking shakier than ever. What better way to bolster its reputation than for European leaders to say: Well, England you voted to leave, and best of luck to you. Scotland, welcome to the party. A second Scottish referendum Talk of a second Scottish independence referendum is everywhere, and English ministers and officials are now quietly briefing the press that a vote on Scottish independence is inevitable. The Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has said it would be absolutely fine if one took place. The Scottish National Party leader and First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has already said a referendum is highly likely. Would the independence movement win, though? The prevailing narrative among the chattering classes of London is no; but they are wrong. They base their arguments largely on the collapse in oil price, an industry upon which the Scottish case for independence had originally rested. Post-Brexit Scots originally looked as if they would vote pro-union once again in a second referendum but, as the negotiations draw closer, support for independence is now beginning to creep up. Of course, yes, the oil price has dropped, and of course this means that the presented plans for an independent Scotland look less convincing in the new cheap oil world. But this is easily cancelled out if an independent Scotland has access to the Customs Union, and England does not. READ MORE: Can Nicola Sturgeon turn Brexit into an opportunity? English manufacturers, who are actually benefiting far less from a collapsing pound than was expected, need access to the European single market. Relocating to an independent Scotland, which is close by and helpfully speaks the same language, would be an easy choice. Unfortunately, for every factory that ups sticks and heads over the border, that is one less factory, and fewer jobs, left in England. A very good deal for Northern Ireland What of Northern Ireland? The case for their independence or joining Ireland, known as republicanism is clearly being felt by the public. The sudden and remarkable rise of Sinn Fein in the recent elections an explicitly republican party is perhaps evidence of this. For the first time, parties who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK no longer have an effective majority in the parliament. Even if Northern Ireland does not gain full independence as a result of historic tensions, those same historic tensions may cause the Northern Irish to get a very good deal from the EU after Brexit anyway. This could take the form of custom spot checks, not dissimilar to arrangements between Norway and Sweden, or it could be that Northern Ireland is given special access to the customs union that England will not enjoy. OPINION: Nicola Sturgeon The new champion of liberalism The other option, less likely but not implausible, is that Brexit pushes Northern Ireland fully out of the UK. If so, no doubt some of those same manufacturers considering a move to Scotland, not to mention financial firms, might alternatively hop across the Irish Sea. Already, more than 100 major financial firms are said to have made inquiries with Irish regulators about such a move. Either way, uniquely across the UK as it stands, far better access to the largest free trade bloc in the world will be enjoyed by Northern Ireland than by its English counterparts. Boorish arrogance What is remarkable about all this is how little interest the London-centric media is showing in the imminent break-up of our country, not to mention that England is facing a long-lasting economic challenge when compared to her national siblings. There have been some exceptions. Adam Boulton, a high-profile commentator and columnist, noted after the shock gains of the pro-Remain and pro-republican Sinn Fein party in the Northern Irish elections that the almost complete absence of reports in London-based national newspapers on the Northern Ireland election shows the capital is barely aware of whats going on across the Irish Sea now the bombs arent going off, predicting that restless Ulster may beat Scots to the exit. Woe betide their boorish arrogance - Little England may end up being the big loser of Brexit. by The increasingly imperious new Prime Minister, Theresa May, also seems oblivious. Politics is not a game, she jeered when she visited Scotland for her own partys national conference in early March, as if a country that produced the highest turnout in British electoral history since universal suffrage, at the last independence referendum, needed reminding of this. She chided the SNP for wanting another referendum, accusing them of petty electioneering. OPINION: Scotland is trapped in a zombie union The Labour Party were also in hot water for sending their London mayor north to accuse the Scottish independence movement, which is hugely pro-immigration, of playing the same divisive politics as Donald Trump. The disconnect is extraordinary, but understandable when you consider how Little England increasingly looks in on itself alone, even to the detriment of the other political entities in the UK. Woe betide their boorish arrogance Little England may end up being the big loser of Brexit. Alastair Sloan covers international affairs, politics and human rights for a variety of British newspapers and magazines. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. S Africas decision to revoke its notice of withdrawal from the ICC does not mean the matter is conclusively settled. South Africa has been summoned to appear before the International Criminal Court on April 7 to answer for its failure to arrest President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan during his visit to the country in June 2015. This announcement came only days after South Africa informed the United Nations of its decision to revoke its withdrawal from the court. In October 2016, South Africa announced its decision to withdraw from the ICC. But earlier this year, South Africas High Court declared the decision, which was taken without parliamentary approval, as unconstitutional and invalid and ordered the government to rescind the notice it sent to the UN. On March 7, the South African government adhered to the courts decision and wrote a letter to the UN secretary-general officially rescinding its notice of withdrawal from the court. Understandably, this has brought a sigh of relief to the ICC and its supporters, who feared of an African exodus from the Hague-based court, following a spate of withdrawals in October 2016 involving two other countries: Burundi and The Gambia. Not surprisingly, The Gambia under its new President Adama Barrow also overturned his predecessors decision to withdraw from the ICC and expressed his governments support for the court. At the moment, only Burundis withdrawal remains effective and there is no indication that it faces a similar prospect of reversal. While the fear of African exodus from the ICC is now partially eased with the reversals of withdrawals from The Gambia and South Africa, the issue is not conclusively resolved. Premature celebrations Many, particularly those supporting the ICC, welcomed the decision of South Africas High Court to revoke the notice of withdrawal and the governments adherence to the decision. Some even saw it as a manifestation of the end of the so-called African exodus from the court. The celebration may, however, be premature. The South African High Court did not challenge the legality or constitutionality of withdrawal from the ICC per se. The issues it addressed were whether parliamentary approval was a prerequisite for issuing a notice of withdrawal and whether a law repealing the act implementing the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, should be adopted before the withdrawal. There is no indication that President Jacob Zumas government has abandoned the plan for withdrawal. South Africas reversal of its notice of withdrawal from the ICC does not thus mean that the matter is conclusively settled. It merely expressed acknowledgement that the particular process followed was not legally acceptable. OPINION: Africas challenge to the ICC The Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Repeal Bill (Repeal Bill) is currently before parliament (PDF). The High Court which declared the notice of withdrawal unconstitutional found that the process for tabling this bill is legitimately and properly before parliament. So, the battle over the withdrawal is not over, it has only shifted to the parliament. And the campaign against the bill has now started to include contributions from South Africas heavyweight legal minds (PDF). Ongoing concerns In its judgement on the countrys withdrawal from the ICC, the South African High Court did not address the concerns that President Zumas government raised about the court. The instrument of withdrawal deposited with the UN secretary-general pointed out that South Africa found its role in, and obligation for, promoting a peaceful resolution of conflicts to be incompatible with ICCs interpretation of the Rome Statute. South Africa is not alone on this. There is strong view in Africa, which underwrites much of the opposition to the ICC, that pursuing prosecutorial justice in ongoing armed conflicts impedes peace efforts by hardening the position of key protagonists. There is strong view in Africa, which underwrites much of the opposition to the ICC, that pursuing prosecutorial justice in ongoing armed conflicts impedes peace efforts by hardening the position of key protagonists. by Related to this is also the policy debate on whether to implement dogmatic legal positions in the face of impending violence or to facilitate negotiated peace deals in order to halt ongoing carnage and killings arising from the continuation of armed conflicts. The instrument of withdrawal also indicated South Africas decision to give effect to the rule of customary international law in the apparent divergent legal position between South Africas Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act, 2002 and the rule of customary international law recognising immunity of heads of state. Legally contested It is to be recalled that South Africas ICC controversy started in June 2015 when it allowed Bashir, who has an ICC arrest warrant in his name, to attend the African Union summit held in Johannesburg. This gave rise to both political/security and legal dilemmas. While South Africas failure to execute ICCs arrest warrant attracted criticism, it was not clear if South Africa was ready to assume responsibility for what was to happen to Sudan if it executed the arrest warrant and arrested Bashir. Also in legal terms, while non-execution of the arrest warrant was contrary to South Africas obligations under the Rome Statute, it was believed that the treaty did not affect the customary international law rule on immunity of sitting heads of state in countries not parties to it. This was the case with South Sudan as well, and/or its effect at least in respect to such countries remains legally contested and hence unsettled. The South African governments position on these two substantive issues remains unchanged. These issues are now to be a subject of parliamentary debate as South Africas parliament considers the Repeal Bill. The ruling party, African National Congress, enjoys an overwhelming majority in the parliament and hence has the necessary numbers to pass the bill. If the bill passes and South Africa withdraws from the ICC, it would be a major loss for the court. This is not only because South Africa is a major African country, but also because its withdrawal would strengthen other ICC state parties cases for exiting the court. OPINION: Bashir and the double standard of international justice This does not, however, has to be the outcome. Even though the decision to withdraw from the ICC is now a matter of South Africas parliamentary process, it can still be prevented, if the court takes action. Indeed, the planned appearance of South Africa before the ICC in April 2017 offers an opportunity for finding a solution within the ICC process for the two aforementioned issues that motivate the country to leave the court; such a solution may help to remove the steam from the campaign for withdrawal and bury the repeal bill. Solomon Ayele Dersso is a senior legal scholar and an analyst on Africa and African Union affairs. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. US charity Samaritans Purse says South Sudanese staffers detained by armed personnel in countrys north. Aid workers employed by a US-based Christian charity have been abducted in famine-hit South Sudan and negotiations were ongoing for their release. The local aid workers were taken from a village near Mayendit in Unity state, where a famine has been declared, 680km northeast of the capital, Juba. The circumstances of the kidnappings were unclear. The rebels attacked and abducted eight local staff from Samaritans Purse and they are being held to ransom, Brigadier-General Lul Ruai Koang told Reuters news agency. However, the rebels dismissed as propaganda the militarys claim of a kidnapping, The Associated Press reported. READ MORE: Famine largest humanitarian crisis in history of UN The charity confirmed the abductions in a statement, but denied a ransom had been demanded. We have been in contact with them and they have not been harmed. No ransom request has been made and we are hopeful that they will be released soon and safely, it said. South Sudan has been devastated by three years of civil war, with tens of thousands killed. The fighting has slowed the humanitarian response to the famine, and United Nations and aid groups have been pleading for access. An estimated 100,000 people are said to be at risk. Last week, South Sudan announced plans to charge a levy of $10,000 for each foreign aid worker, which with the danger of abduction could hurt efforts to help the hungry. The situation in Mayendit, South Sudan, is a level 4 famine. We call on all the parties involved to immediately provide complete and unfettered humanitarian access in order to meet the needs of a starving population in order to save lives, the Samaritans Purse statement said. Two Indian nationals working in South Sudans oil fields in the northern Upper Nile region were abducted by rebels last week, Information Minister Michael Makuei said Monday. He said the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of one million dollars from the oil company which he named as the partly Chinese-owned Dar Petroleum or the government. The government of South Sudan will not pay the ransom, the minister said, calling for the unconditional release of the hostages. WATCH: What can be done to save millions facing famine? South Sudan is trying to revive its oil production the governments main source of revenue which has plummeted because of the ongoing military conflict. A split between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar turned violent in December 2013. Tens of thousands have since been killed and 3.4 million displaced. Aid workers have frequently complained of bureaucratic obstacles, checkpoints where government or rebel troops demand payments from aid convoys, looting of compounds, and even the rape and murder of humanitarian workers. Washington says money used for food but prime minister calls it dirty money used to buy weapons. A recurring demand by the United States that Cambodia repay $500m in war debt has prompted fury in the Southeast Asian nation. The loan started out as $274m in the 1970s, which the US says was used for food supplies, but Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has called it dirty money and said it was used to buy weapons. Sen said the US had no right to demand repayment of a debt that was blood-stained from US bombing of Cambodian territory during the Vietnam war. The US created problems in my country and is demanding money from us, he said, according to local media. We also dont demand that the US pay for the damage and destruction caused by the war. We just want the US to be responsible for the problem of the debt. Sen called on US President Donald Trump to cancel the debt late last year, but Washington ignored pleas to cancel the decades-old arrangement. READ MORE: Cambodians mark 40 years since Khmer Rouge takeover Between 1972 and 1974, the US Department of Agriculture financed $274m in purchases of US cotton, rice and flour by the US-backed Khmer Republic, then an ally in the war to stem the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. During that time, the US dropped more than 500,000 tonnes of explosives on Cambodias countryside. Journalist Elizabeth Becker, who covered the Cambodian genocide in the 1970s, told Al Jazeera it was immoral for the US to ask for repayment. US would not drop it. It would have been so easy to forgive the repayment, it would have been easy to refinance it for education like they did in Vietnam, she said. The US intervention in Cambodia was easily the most controversial that we had in that era. They [US] dragged Cambodia into the Vietnam War for hopes that by expanding it they could win, the complications now are that even 50 years later, the Khmer Rouge legacy is horrible. Apparent roadside bomb attack targeting state telecom workers strikes in smart Kabul district, killing at least one. An explosion in the centre of the Afghan capital Kabul destroyed a bus carrying government employees on Monday, killing at least one person and wounding eight, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said. Security forces surrounded the smoking remains of the completely burned-out bus that was carrying employees from one of the countrys biggest telecoms firms. A security official said the blast was caused by a suicide bomber on foot, but Sediqqi said it appeared to have been caused by a roadside bomb. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it comes as the Taliban step up attacks even before the official start of the annual spring offensive. There has been an explosion against a minibus in Kabul, police spokesman Basir Mujahid told AFP news agency, adding more casualties were feared. Police are investigating the nature of the explosion. READ MORE: Taliban kills eight Afghan police in insider attack Gunmen disguised as doctors stormed Afghanistans largest military hospital last Wednesday, killing more than 100 people in a brazen six-hour attack, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP. Insiders, including two interns, already positioned inside the facility were among the attackers, the sources said. The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards, and shot people from point-blank range. Officials are still investigating that assault, which was claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS). The two attacks underline the broad security threat in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has stepped up its insurgency against the Western-backed government and ISIL has also expanded its reach. Rodrigo Duterte orders military to assert ownership of Benham Rise area to Beijing but in a nice way. President Rodrigo Duterte says he instructed the military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the countrys northeastern coast where Chinas survey ships were spotted last year. However, Duterte said on Monday he ordered the military to claim the Benham Rise area in a friendly way, repeating that his country has no option but to be diplomatic because it cannot match the might of China. My order to my military, you go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship, Duterte said in a news conference when asked about the issue in the Pacific Ocean. The Philippine military spotted the Chinese survey ships suspiciously crisscrossing the Benham Rise waters from July to December last year, defence chief Delfin Lorenzana said last week. WATCH: South China Sea, the worlds next big war? Lorenzana said the government is considering an increase in patrols and the building of territorial markers in the offshore region, which is believed to be rich in mineral resources and a vast coral reef ecosystem. The Chinese ships presence in the area was to be discussed late on Monday at a meeting between National Security Council executive members and Duterte. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it asked China through its embassy on Friday to clarify what the survey ships were doing in Benham Rise. In 2012, the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf declared Benham Rise to be part of the Philippine continental shelf, where the country has exclusive rights to fish and exploit resources, including undersea deposits of oil and gas. Innocent passage The Chinese foreign ministry has said its ships have a right to innocent passage through the area under international law. Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Duterte took office in June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid, downplaying the issue during his visit to Beijing last year. Duterte has also shelved plans made under his predecessor for joint Philippine patrols with the US Navy in disputed waters to avoid offending China. A US Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, has been sailing on a mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, claimed virtually in its entirety by China. America wants to pick a fight there, said Duterte, who has openly criticised US security policies. Why would I get into a trouble in that area? Public prosecutor orders release of former president as early as Tuesday following court acquittal. Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown as president of Egypt in an uprising in 2011, will be released from detention in a military hospital after a six-year legal battle over accusations of involvement in the killing of protesters. He will go to his home in Heliopolis, Mubaraks lawyer Farid el-Deeb said, adding the ageing former president would likely be released on Tuesday or soon after, but would be barred from leaving the country pending an ongoing corruption investigation. The prosecutors decision came on Monday, days after an appeals court acquitted Mubarak on March 2 of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ousted him. His acquittal, which is final, has angered relatives of those killed in 2011. Our sons blood was spilled for nothing, said Mostafa Morsi, whose son was shot dead aged 22 on January 28, 2011. The president who ruled for 30 years was accused of inciting the deaths of protesters during the 18-day revolt, in which about 850 people were killed as police clashed with demonstrators. Mubarak, 88, was sentenced to life in 2012, but an appeals court ordered a retrial, which dismissed the charges two years later. Amid public anger, prosecutors had levelled various charges against Mubarak following his February 2011 resignation. In January 2016, the appeals court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges. But the sentence took into account time served. Both of his sons, Alaa and Gamal, were freed. Six years after his overthrow, most of the charges brought against his regime members have been dismissed while the country struggles to recover from the aftermath of the uprising. The revolt ushered in instability that drove away tourists and investors, taking a heavy toll on the economy. Mubaraks elected Muslim Brotherhood successor, Mohamed Morsi, served for only a year before the military toppled and detained him in 2013, before launching a deadly crackdown on those who backed him. WATCH: Seeds of Change: Revisiting Egypts April 6 activists Hundreds of Morsis supporters were sentenced to death after speedy trials. Morsi himself has also stood trial in several cases. Critics say that the abuses they fought under Mubarak have returned with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former army chief who toppled Morsi. Mai Mogib, a politics professor at Cairo University, said times have changed since the Middle East uprisings six years ago. Talk of the Arab Spring has completely stopped, she said. But discussing Mubarak and symbols of his era has become acceptable in the media and in the street. Hes in a better position than all other presidents who faced the Arab Spring, Mogib said. Sisis pardon Also on Monday, Sisi issued a pardon for 203 youths jailed for taking part in demonstrations against his rule, according to state news agency MENA. No official list of names was immediately available. Since seizing power, Sisi has presided over a crackdown on his opponents that has seen hundreds killed and many thousands jailed. Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein has been detained in Egypt without charge for more than 80 days. Hussein, an Egyptian based in Qatar, was stopped, questioned, and detained by the Egyptian authorities on December 20 after travelling to Cairo for a holiday. More than 65,000 fled their homes in the past two weeks as Iraqi fighters push into the citys densely populated west. Iraqi forces battling ISIS/ISIL faced tough resistance from snipers and mortar rounds on Monday as they tried to advance on Mosuls Old City and a bridge across the Tigris River in their campaign to retake it. Progress was slowed by heavy rain but units were only 100 metres from the Iron Bridge that connects the Old City with the eastern side of Mosul, military officials said. Since starting the campaign in October to push the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) out of its last stronghold in the country, Iraqi forces with US-led coalition support have recaptured eastern Mosul and about 40 percent of the citys west. READ MORE: Iraqi general 40 percent of west Mosul taken from ISIL Federal police and rapid response brigades an elite interior ministry unit said over the weekend they had entered the Bab al-Tob area of the Old City, where fighting is expected to be toughest because of its narrow alleyways where armoured vehicles cannot pass. But advances in the area stalled on Monday. Due to the bad rainy weather, operations have been halted for now. We are facing stiff resistance from the Daesh [ISIL] fighters with sniper shots and mortars, an officer told Reuters news agency. Troops exchanged fire with snipers, while trying to drag blinds made of blankets and curtains across streets to obscure their movement. Heavy explosions later hit a hotel where ISIL gunmen had been returning fire. Were moving on the old bridge and then we will free that area and hopefully in a few days well liberate the west side of Mosul, said one Iraqi captain. IN PICTURES: Mobile courts give hope to displaced Iraqis As many as 600,000 civilians are trapped with ISIL fighters inside Mosul, which Iraqi forces effectively sealed off from the remaining territory the hardline group controls in Iraq and Syria. Iraqi forces include army, special forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and Shia militias. More than 200,000 Mosul residents have been displaced since the start of the campaign in October, of which more than 65,000 fled their homes in the past two weeks alone, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Residents fled from the Wadi Hajjar district carrying bags and belongings through the muddy streets to areas controlled by the army before being transported out by truck. It was a nightmare and we are finally done with it. It cannot be described. There is no water and there is no food and nothing, said Ghanem Mohamed, one of the residents who fled. Capturing the Iron Bridge would mean Iraqi forces control three of the five bridges spanning the Tigris River between eastern and western Mosul, all which have been damaged by ISIL and US-led air strikes. The two southernmost bridges have already been retaken by Iraqi forces. Losing Mosul would be a major loss for ISIL. It is by far the largest city the group has held since its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed himself head of a self-styled caliphate spanning Iraq and Syria from a mosque in Mosul in the summer of 2014. At least six people killed by bomb-laden vehicle in Mogadishu, according to police and medical services. A vehicle exploded near a busy hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Monday, killing at least six people and wounding four others, police said. The blast happened near the entrance of Weheliye hotel on the busy Maka Almukarramah road, Captain Mohamed Hussein said. The hotel was left intact, but the explosion damaged a nearby house. Hours before, a minibus exploded when police shot at it after it refused to stop as it approached a checkpoint in the capital, police officer Nur Osman told Reuters news agency, adding that two people were wounded. A policeman at a checkpoint shot at the speeding minibus. It exploded and killed the al-Shabab fighter that drove it, he said. Somalias new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire condemned the two attacks, saying they were carried out by bloodthirsty groups. No one has claimed responsibility for todays explosions in Mogadishu. In the past al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab have claimed responsibility for gun, grenade and bomb attacks in Somalia, and tend to focus on Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government. Israeli police say they shot Palestinian dead after two border guards were attacked with a knife. A Palestinian was killed by Israeli police on Monday morning in Occupied East Jerusalem after wounding two border guards with a knife, police said. The attacker, who was a resident of Occupied East Jerusalem, entered a border guard post and wounded the two before being shot dead, according to the police. One of the guards was seriously injured, the other sustained light injuries, police added. Israel annexed Arab East Jerusalem after the 1967 war. A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has killed 255 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, one Eritrean and one Sudanese, according to an AFP news agency tally. Others were killed during protests, in clashes or during air raids on Gaza. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his rhetorical attacks on European leaders on Monday by accusing German Chancellor Angela Merkel of supporting terrorists. Merkel called the accusations clearly absurd after Erdogan made the comments in an interview with Turkeys A Haber TV. The chancellor has no intention of taking part in a game of provocation, Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a brief written statement. Erdogan whose government is embroiled in a spiralling row with some European governments over the cancellation of political rallies on their soil ahead of an April referendum had earlier accused Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Turkey on suspects. Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country? Why are you not doing anything? Erdogan said. Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists. Erdogan did not cite specifics, but made references to the Kurdistan Workers Party, a group deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The scathing broadside against Merkel came hours after the EU urged him to avoid inflammatory rhetoric in a growing standoff with Germany and the Netherlands over the blocking of Turkish ministers seeking to address rallies promoting a Yes vote in the April 16 referendum. Erdogan has been seeking to harness the Turkish diaspora vote which numbers as many as 1.4 million in Germany alone ahead of the referendum on creating an executive presidency and scrapping the post of prime minister. READ MORE: Erdogan compares Germany rally ban to Nazi practices The president twice over the weekend accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. The row erupted on March 2 when local authorities in the western German town of Gaggenau cancelled a rally which Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was set to attend, ostensibly for logistical reasons. Other local authorities followed suit, sparking fury in Ankara. Turkey said on Monday it would suspend high-level diplomatic relations with the Netherlands after Dutch authorities also prevented Turkish ministers from speaking at rallies on Saturday. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus, the governments chief spokesman, also said Ankara might re-evaluate its deal with the EU to halt the flow of migrants from Turkish shores to Europe. We are doing exactly what they did to us. We are not allowing planes carrying Dutch diplomats or envoys from landing in Turkey or using our airspace, Kurtulmus told a news conference. Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish journalist and visiting fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College, told Al Jazeera that both sides were playing into nationalist emotions ahead of key votes in their respective countries. Within Turkey this [dispute] has certainly stoked nationalist ambitions and nationalist feelings, said Akyol. And even openly President Erdogans supporters are saying that this is going to help them in the upcoming referendum in April. However, Akyol said that the dispute could ultimately be damaging for both countries. This is creating a big rift between Turkey and the West, and that is combined with anti-Turkish or anti-Islamic elements in European politics right now; the far right and Geert Wilders in Holland. So we are going to a rift and I think that is bad for both sides. Early warning system established between two countries after spate of xenophobic attacks on migrants in South Africa. South Africa says it will launch an early warning system with Nigeria to track and deter xenophobic attacks following a surge in violence in the rainbow nation. South Africas Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said the new monitor would help prevent violence against foreigners and their businesses as she met with Geoffrey Onyeama, her Nigerian counterpart on Monday. Last month, more than 20 shops were targeted in Atteridgeville, 120km west of Pretoria, while in Rosettenville, an area south of the commercial capital Johannesburg, residents attacked at least 12 houses. In response to the violence, the Nigerian government called for the African Union to step in and stop the xenophobic attacks, claiming 20 Nigerians were killed in South Africa last year. South African authorities have declined to confirm the figure, which may have been the result of other criminal activity, not just anti-immigrant violence. Nkoana-Mashabane told reporters it was untrue that the attacks were specifically targeting Nigerians, adding that citizens of other countries were also affected. She said the monitor would meet every three months and would be made up of representatives from both countries including immigration officials, business associations, and civil society groups. Mass attacks Onyeama said he had received assurances that Nigerians in South Africa would be able to live in peace and called for an end to mass attacks. According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, there are about 800,000 Nigerians in the country, many of them living in Johannesburg. A protest march against migrant crime was held in Pretoria on February 24 and resulted in violent clashes between crowds of young South African men and migrants from elsewhere in Africa, including Nigerians and Somalis. Attacks against foreigners and foreign-run businesses have erupted regularly in recent years in South Africa, fuelled by the countrys high unemployment and poverty levels. President Jacob Zuma called for calm and restraint, saying that migrants should not be used as a scapegoat for the countrys widespread crime problem. SNP leaders move for a second independence referendum further complicates the UKs process to leave the EU. Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her plans to hold an independence referendum in a scathing speech attacking the British governments handling of the process to leave the European Union. Sturgeon has instructed the Scottish Parliament, where her Scottish National Party (SNP) is the largest party, to authorise a referendum and to request a section 30 order from the UK government, which would allow it to take place. Scotlands parliament, based in Edinburgh, has the power to legislate on a number of issues including taxation, education, and health policies, but the UK reserves the power to allow an independence vote to take place. The SNPs 63 members of the Scottish Parliament fall just shy of a majority, but the pro-Independence Green party would make up the numbers needed for a vote to pass. Last month, members of the Scottish parliament voted 90 to 34 against triggering Brexit, but the move was symbolic as the Supreme Court had already ruled that the British government only needed consent from British politicians sitting in Westminster. Scotland rejected independence before in a referendum in 2014 when 55 percent of the population chose to remain apart from the UK. But that was before the UK voted last year to leave the EU, a decision 62 percent of Scots voted against. Scottish nationalists maintained that a second referendum was a possibility given significant and material change in the circumstances that prevailed in 2014, which Sturgeon maintains is exactly what Brexit will bring. OPINION: If Scotland leaves, England will lose the Brexit game British Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly stated her objections to permitting a second Scottish independence vote. Commenting after Sturgeons speech, a Downing Street spokesperson said the move would cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. May later condemned the SNPs tunnel vision. If May allows the referendum to go ahead, she would have to campaign to keep Scotland a part of the union as she simultaneously negotiates a complex divorce with the EU. If she refuses, she would incur anger from the Scottish public that would turn many on the fence towards the nationalist cause. No compromise Even leading unionist and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has warned Westminster against blocking a second independence vote. In her speech on Monday, Sturgeon painted a picture of an unequal partnership in which London and not the Scottish people decided the fate of their country. The UK government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement, the SNP leader said The language of partnership has gone completely, she added. Attempts to stop a second vote would help to reinforce that idea. The UK government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement by Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister However, a successful vote for independence is nowhere near a certainty for Sturgeon and polls show Scottish support for leaving the UK teetering at 50 percent or just below. Support for the EU was strong in Scotland but far from universal, including in her own party with 36 percent of SNP supporters voting to leave the EU. Sturgeon was careful in her language; her criticisms of the UK government centred on its decision to leave the single market rather than the EU itself. The 2014 vote was billed as a once-in-a-generation vote, but amid the ruptures of Brexit, and a government in London struggling to deal with the scale of negotiations with the EU, there may not be as good an opportunity for todays nationalists to push for independence. Citing security concerns, Sweden plans to add tens of millions in military spending to a $5bn defence budget. The Swedish will increase defence spending by tens of millions of dollars this year to bolster military capabilities in the face of growing security concerns. Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist announced on Monday that the Nordic nation will pump an additional $55.7m into military expenditures in 2017. We have seen a deterioration of the security situation over time, so it is important to respond to that with different measures and this is a part of that strategy, said Hultqvist. We will now analyse and continue the discussions and get back to how we handle this, he said, referring to the budget for 2018, which is due later this year. READ MORE: Sweden military service reintroduced to face threats Sweden said earlier this month it would reintroduce military conscription in 2018 as the voluntary draft failed to fill the ranks at a time of increased security concerns. A resurgent Russia and tensions over the conflict in Ukraine prompted politicians to call for an improvement of military capabilities, which have been allowed to slide since the end of the Cold War. While the funds allotted were minor, political parties also flagged that further additional spending would be considered in the budget process for the coming years. For 2017, Sweden has already earmarked an estimated $5bn for defence spending, according to the defence analysis website Global Security. The funds announced on Monday would be in addition. The Nordic countrys top military chief, General Micael Byden, said earlier this year the armed forces lacked at least $724m to fully fund planned operations in the coming three years. Sweden, which is not a NATO member, cut military expenditure continuously in the years following the Cold War. In 2015, spending stood at 1.1 percent of GDP versus 2.6 percent in 1990, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The government and parts of the opposition agreed in 2015 to increase the defence budget by $1.13bn for the years 2016-2020. Last opposition area held by fighters in Homs city to be evacuated after heavy bombardment in recent weeks. Syrian opposition fighters will be allowed to leave the last rebel-held neighbourhood in the city of Homs under a Russia-backed deal signed on Monday. According to Talal Barrazi governor of Homs province, where Homs city is the capital the deal is to be carried out within six to eight weeks. It follows other agreements that were never fully implemented between the government and rebel groups in al-Waer, their last bastion in Homs, which has been pounded by air strikes in recent weeks. Homs, the countrys third-largest city, was once the centre of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Throughout Syrias war, now at the end of its sixth year, wide parts of the city were held by rebels but state forces eventually regained control of all areas except for al-Waer. Al-Waer is home to about 75,000 people and has been under a government siege since 2013, triggering shortages of medicine and occasionally food. The UN has not been able to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the area since September 2016. Barrazis statement, carried by state SANA news agency, said the evacuation is the third phase of a deal reached last year that saw hundreds of fighters and their families leave al-Waer for other rebel-held areas. Opposition activist Bebars al-Talawy said the agreement was signed on Monday, adding that a committee will be formed to prepare the lists of names of those who want to leave. People are happy that they will get rid of the siege, but sad because they will leave Homs, Talawy said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12,000 al-Waer residents will be displaced, including 2,500 fighters. It said the first 1,500 people will be evacuated next week. READ MORE: UNICEF 2016 was the worst year yet for Syrian children Those who leave will be taken to rebel-held areas in the countryside of Homs, the northwestern province of Idlib, and the town of Tal Abyad near the border with Turkey, according to the Syrian Observatory. Mondays deal followed weeks of intense bombardment and air strikes on the neighbourhood that left 250 killed or wounded. Syrias war pits Assads forces, backed by Russia and Iran, against rebels supported by the United States, Turkey, and Gulf kingdoms, along with hardline groups affiliated with al-Qaeda. Assads government has increasingly tried to press besieged rebel areas to surrender and accept what it calls reconciliation agreements, which involve fighters departing for northern Syria with small arms. Moscow, Ankara and Tehran are pressing ahead with a fresh round of Russian-led Syria talks in Kazakhstan, despite a request from Syrian rebels to delay the meeting over ceasefire violations. A Syrian government delegation arrived in the Kazakh capital Astana late on Monday evening. The Astana talks, now in their third round, began in January in efforts to shore up a widely violated ceasefire between the sides that was brokered in December by Russia and Turkey. WATCH: Syrias war Manbij struggles to cope with influx of displaced Syrias future will be decided only after getting rid of extremists and achieving political reconciliation, the countrys President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Monday. As the war that has ravaged his country approaches its seventh year, Assad told reporters it was still early to talk about his vision for Syrias future. Its a luxury now to talk about politics while youre going to be killed maybe in a few minutes, you have terrorist attacks, he told a group of Western journalists, state news agency SANA said. So this is the priority, getting rid of the extremists, the political reconciliation in the different areas, this is another priority. On Wednesday, Syrians mark the sixth anniversary since the beginning of the conflict, which the Syrian Observatory says has killed some 465,000 people, including 96,073 civilians. Notes given to Netherlands criticise the treatment of Turkish ministers and protesters. Turkey summoned the Dutch envoy in Ankara to complain about the actions of Rotterdam police against Turkish protesters over the weekend as a row over Ankaras political campaigning abroad widened. The Dutch Embassys charge daffaires, Daan Feddo Huisinga, was called on Monday to the Foreign Ministry where a senior official handed him two formal protest notes. In the note, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned what it said were practices contrary to international conventions and diplomatic courtesy and immunities, and requested a written apology from the Dutch authorities. WATCH: Turkey-Netherlands war of words intensifies Turkey also reserved its right to seek compensation, the Dutch diplomat was told. The second note protested against the treatment of Turkish citizens who had gathered outside the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam, saying disproportionate force had been used against people using their right to peaceful gatherings. The Turkish community and our citizens were subject to bad treatment, with inhumane and humiliating methods used in disproportionate intervention against people exercising their right to peaceful assembly, a statement attributed to ministry sources said. It was the third time the Dutch charge daffaires had been summoned since Saturday over the row. The Dutch ambassador is on leave and the Turkish foreign ministry has said it does not want him to return for some time. READ MORE: Turkey-Netherlands row shows no sign of ebbing Al Jazeeras Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said there were no protests in the city and that there were hopes the situtation between the two countries would be resolved soon. It seems like the diplomatic relationship between the two countries will be dealt with within the diplomatic framework, she said. On Sunday night, Dutch riot police were called in to end a protest by Turks in Amsterdam and arrested 13 people. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys President, on Sunday vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming that Nazism is alive in the West. Dutch officials have condemned the statements. The Turkish government has sought to hold campaign rallies in European countries to appeal for Turkish diaspora votes to help secure victory in a referendum next month that would grant Erdogan sweeping executive powers. In the run-up to a general election next week in the Netherlands, the Dutch government cited security and public order concerns over a proposed Turkish rally and withdrew landing rights for the Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The Dutch authorities later prevented Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkeys family minister, from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. UN says more Syrian children suffered grave violations in 2016 than in any year since ruinous war began. On a winter morning in January, Majed, 13, and his friend Omar, 11, were heading to a public park near their homes in eastern Aleppo to play and ride their bikes. It was only two weeks since the December ceasefire began, and the lull in fighting allowed the two friends and many children in the neighbourhood to venture outside. On their way to the park, they spotted a strange metal object buried in the sand. It looked like a soda can. I stepped on it, and it exploded, Majed recalled. I was thrown in the air, but I never lost consciousness, he said. I was worried about Omar, I didnt know how to help. READ MORE: Searching for a light, Syrian children struggle with trauma People rushed to the scene to find Majed and Omar severely wounded. Shrapnel tore through Majeds face and body, causing some of his intestines to be removed. But he was lucky that his foot was not amputated. I was so cold and in pain, he said. Majeds friend Omar did not make it to the hospital. He died inside the taxi five minutes after two men rescued them. Majed and Omars story is told in a UNICEF report published on Monday. Despite an ongoing ceasefire, deadly incidents such as those experienced by the boys continue, highlighting what UNICEF said was the highest on record level of grave violations against children in Syria since the war began in 2011. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country, the report said. According to the report, at least 652 children were killed in the last year, making 2016 the worst year for Syrias children since verification of child casualties began in 2014. Of that number, 255 children were killed in or near a school in 2016, UNICEF said. The number of child fatalities in 2016 was at least 20 percent higher than in 2015. At least 647 children were also reported injured, including Majed. There were also at least 338 attacks against hospitals and medical personnel. In one incident in November, Al Jazeera captured the moment an air raid hit a childrens hospital in eastern Aleppo, forcing medical staff to evacuate patients, including several newborn babies still in incubators. READ MORE: You probably wont read this piece about Syria The depth of suffering is unprecedented, UNICEF Regional Director Geert Cappelaere said in a statement. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. Aside from the child fatalities, UNICEF also recorded that more than 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict double the number recruited in 2015. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the front lines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers or prison guards. After six years of conflict, nearly six million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012, with millions of children being forced to evacuate multiple times. UNICEF said that reporting in some areas remains a challenge, with 2.8 million children living in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 living under siege and cut off from humanitarian aid. Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented, the report said. Access to medical care, life-saving supplies and other basic services remains difficult. More than 2.3 million Syrian children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq, the report said. Those who have managed to stay or return to their homes, like the families of Majed and Omar in eastern Aleppo, are no less vulnerable to life-threatening risks, such as unexploded ordnance. READ MORE: Syrias civil war explained According to the report, at least 88 percent of explosive remnants are a life-threatening hazard, and 75 percent of incidents involving explosive weapons occurred in densely populated areas, including eastern Aleppo. Recalling the day her son was wounded, Majeds mother said she was at the market when she heard about the explosion. Two children were [reportedly] injured in a bomb, and one of them was killed, she said. They were saying it was Majed. There was no more bitter feeling a mother could have. While Majed recovers from his injuries, he said he holds onto a dream of continuing his education, having lost four years of schooling to the war. I stopped going to school when the fighting escalated. I was excited to go back to school this semester, but I still need help to walk and eat, he said. I cant wait to go back when I recover. Majed said he has a message for other children: I now tell all my friends and neighbours to never approach deserted parks and never play with strange items. It can kill them. Unidentified negative forces took UN observers hostage along with four DRC nationals in Kasai region. Two United Nations workers from peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been kidnapped by unknown assailants in the central Kasai region. The government of DRC said in a statement one of the victims was Michael Sharp, an American, and the other Zaida Catalan, a Swede. The UN lists Catalan as Chilean, however. They had fallen into the hands of negative forces not yet identified near the village of Ngombe along with four Congolese nationals, including three motorcycle-taxi drivers and an interpreter, it said. Charles-Antoine Bambara, spokesman for the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, said on Monday the two went missing on Sunday. Sharp and Catalan were among a UN panel of experts investigating conflicts that have simmered in DRC since the mid-1990s, when a civil war spawned dozens of armed groups and drew in half a dozen neighbouring armies. Congolese and UN officials said efforts to locate the victims were under way. WATCH: Can another civil war be avoided in DRC? (24:59) An Uruguayan peacekeeper was shot and wounded last week in the same region, which has been wracked by a rebellion since September. The uprising erupted after government forces in August killed a tribal chief and militia leader, Kamwina Nsapu, who had rebelled against President Joseph Kabila. The violence has since spilled over to the neighbouring provinces of Kasai-Oriental and Lomami, leaving at least 400 people dead. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said last week that three mass graves had been discovered in the area where clashes are taking place. The UN has almost 19,000 troops deployed in DRC, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission. About 100 of those soldiers were recently dispatched to Kasai. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the Security Council to send an extra 320 UN police to the country after a deal to end a dispute over the presidential election stalled. UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar calls for international probe into abuses against Rohingya Muslims. Myanmar may be trying to expel all ethnic Rohingya from its territory, a UN rights expert says, pushing for a high-level inquiry into abuses against the Muslim minority community. Yanghee Lee, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, told the UN rights council in Geneva on Monday evidence indicated a full purge could be the ultimate goal of the institutional persecution being perpetrated against the Rohingya. Conducting a household survey where those absent may be struck off the list that could be the only legal proof of their status in Myanmar indicates the government may be trying to expel the Rohingya population from the country altogether, she said. The army launched a bloody crackdown against the Rohingya in October in the northern Rakhine state following attacks by rebels on several border posts. UN investigators say during the military operation women were gang-raped by soldiers and Rohingya babies were slaughtered. Lee wants the rights council to establish the UNs highest-level probe, a Commission of Inquiry, to investigate the crackdown, as well as violent episodes in 2012 and 2014. Myanmars UN envoy in Geneva U Htin Lynn said at the council on Monday the allegations were unverified and one-sided. He said security operations in Rakhine had stopped and the curfew was eased earlier this month. The situation in Rakhine state is very complicated in nature and thus requires complicated answers. It also requires greater understanding by the international community, he said. Myanmar does not accept the idea of a commission of Inquiry, as we are seriously addressing the allegations nationally. Threat to democracy The council could set up the commission before its session ends later this month, but key players including the European Union have not yet backed Lees call because of concern that a damning UN investigation might threaten the countrys fragile democracy drive. Speaking to reporters after her council appearance, Lee said she believed support for an inquiry was tepid, including within the EU. Countries wont say they are not going to support your call, but I do hear [countries] say that maybe Aung San Suu Kyi needs more time, Lee said, referring to the Nobel peace laureate who leads Myanmars civilian government. Aung San Suu Kyis administration, which took charge last year after decades of oppressive military rule, has rejected Lees bid to set up the investigation and insisted its own national probe can uncover the facts in Rakhine. Lee conceded a full international probe could have a destabilising effect in that it may implicate the military in crimes against humanity but she insisted it was in the governments interest to get the facts out. WATCH: The Rakhine crisis (24:57) She also told the council the governments internal probe had already been proved inadequate. Representatives from the EU, the Netherlands and Britain all avoided the question of the investigation during Mondays discussion. Julian Braithwaite, Britains envoy to the council, said the international community needed to engage [Myanmar] without damaging the delicate civilian-military balance. Dutch voters will decide on Wednesday between two starkly different candidates and party ideologies. The Netherlands has long been known as a country of socially liberal values. But the recent refugee crisis and anti-immigrant sentiments have led to the popularity of far-right groups. On Wednesday, Dutch voters will decide between two starkly different candidates and parties. The vote is one of several taking place across Europe this year including in France, Germany and perhaps Italy. And it will be the first test of how well far-right candidates will do. Latest opinion polls suggest the Dutch Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy, led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and the far-right Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, are in a tight race. Both advocate very different agendas. The Peoples Party is progressive on social issues and fiscal austerity. While the far right whose leader has called Moroccan immigrants scum wants to close mosques and pull the Netherlands out of the European Union. So what will a possible far-right win mean for the Netherlands and Europe? Presenter: Hazem Sika Guests: Jan Kleinnijenhuis Professor at the Free University of Amsterdam Saida Derrazi Member of the Collective Against Islamophobia in the Netherlands Matthijs Rooduijn Political Sociologist at Utrecht University Editors note: Smith Meyers declined to answer any questions regarding his arrest after multiple requests for comment. Read his statement here. Despite student criticism of UF Student Body President-elect William Smith Meyers Spring Break arrest, several university and campus leaders have remained silent. Key West Police arrested Meyers on a charge of criminal mischief at about 2 a.m. Tuesday after a witness reported seeing Meyers, 22, drunkenly attempt to start and knock over two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, according to an arrest report. Meyers was so intoxicated that he did not even recall coming down to Key West for spring break vacation, the arresting officer wrote in the report. In a statement released Sunday, Meyers wrote that he recognized he had to earn back the trust of those around him, and apologized for representing UF in a negative light. I am fully cooperating with law enforcement to resolve this incident and will be as transparent as possible as the case continues, he said. Meyers was arrested less than two weeks after his successful and unopposed run to be the next Student Body president under the campaign slogan, Character that counts. Since Meyers release from the Monroe County Detention Center on Tuesday afternoon on a $328 bond, he declined to answer any questions about the incident. Impact Party spokesperson Janae Moodie and UF Senate President Jackie Phillips (Impact) have not responded to requests for comment. UF President Kent Fuchs declined to comment on Meyers arrest. Jen Day Shaw, the Dean of Students, declined to comment as well. UF Spokesperson John Hines wrote in an email that the university is aware of Meyers arrest and his status as a UF student has not changed. Generally, a misdemeanor type of offense would not impact a students enrollment, Hines said. Despite being reportedly drunk in public, Meyers was not arrested on an alcohol-related charge. In an interview with the Gainesville Sun, Key West Police spokesperson Alyson Crean said officers in the island city try to use discretion when considering charges against college students who visit for Spring Break. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now We dont want to ruin this kids life for knocking over a couple of bikes, Crean told the Sun. UF student Anthony Rojas is holding a protest Tuesday on Turlington Plaza to demand for Meyers resignation. The 21-year-old political science junior said he hopes UF makes an example out of Meyers and asks for his resignation. Meyers alleged behavior smeared the universitys reputation the incident was reported in news outlets across the country and should not be tolerated. If nothing is done in this particular case, then people will think its alright, he said. In March 2010, UF Student Body President Jordan Johnson was cited for disorderly conduct by the University Police Department after demanding a ride from the Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol, or SNAP, to his off-campus housing. He was cited and finished his term as Student Body president a couple months later. UF Student Senator Zachariah Chou (Independent, Infinity Hall) said he believes Meyers should resign, because public officials need to be held to a higher standard. If I were in his shoes, I know what I would have to do, Chou said. I would just resign. Contact Paige Fry at pfry@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @paigexfry Caroline Celeste Alfano felt free. She wasnt wearing makeup, she didnt do her hair and she was wearing one of her favorite tie-dye dresses as she walked barefoot at Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival on March 5. She and her best friend, Meghan Mapes, admired the art on display after watching one of their favorite musicians, Porter Robinson, perform the night before. She looked at me and said how free she felt, Mapes, 21, said. It was the fifth and final festival the two friends, who met through the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, would attend. Alfano was still wearing the tie-dye dress as she left to drive home with Nicole Scherten, 23, a UF German exchange student who attended the festival with her. Alfano, a UF architecture senior, left the festival early because she wanted to spend time with Scherten at home in Boca Raton, Florida. As the pair drove home, Joseph David Lagrego, 22, rear-ended their stopped car at the corner of Southeast 128th Avenue and State Road 710. As a result, Alfanos 2015 Honda CR-V crashed into the vehicle in front of her, which then struck the one in front of it, according to Alligator archives. Scherten, a German exchange student studying in the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was pronounced dead at the scene. Alfano was rushed to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, according to Alligator archives. Theres no way (Alfano) cant be here anymore, Mapes said. I still havent accepted that it happened. On Thursday, a memorial will be held for Alfano at 5:30 p.m. at the Architecture atrium, according to an email from Jen Day Shaw, the associate vice president and Dean of Students. Nicole Scherten hoped her first semester at UF would lead to a life in the U.S. The Aachen, Germany, native applied to UF after she and her boyfriend, Marcel Dilk, had visited Clearwater, Florida, and the Keys and fell in love with the state. With aspirations of becoming a German language professor at an American university, Scherten left the University of Bonn for a semester abroad in Gainesville. She liked to meet people and speak to people, Dilk, 25, said. She found a lot of good friends at the university. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Alfano was one of those friends. The pair met at a UF NaviGators International meeting beginning Spring 2015, Alfano served as historian where they bonded over their love of music and travel. The two eventually made plans to spend Spring Break together at the music festival and then Alfanos home. Alfanos friendship with Scherten, said UF NaviGators International President Sara Horning, was indicative of her generosity. She was always looking out for everyone, the 21-year-old UF public relations senior said. She saw the best in people, more than anyone else. Friends say theyll remember Alfanos kindness and passion for architecture, a major she chose after realizing her love for visual arts. Hoping to become a New York architect, she would work until 5 a.m. in her studio in Fine Arts C, on top of working as a lifeguard for UF RecSports and swimming for UFs club team. Shes very much a perfectionist when it comes to her architecture work, Mapes said. She wanted to get it just right. Scherten was fascinated by the cultural differences between her home country and the U.S. She and her friends would play badminton every Sunday, and her friend Palani Te said she had a sweet tooth. Te, a 20-year-old UF health education and behavior junior, would go with Scherten to Midnight Cookies and Cold Stone Creamery. She was like a sister to me, he said. Te said Scherten was successfully adjusting to life at UF. He said she had received an internship helping a UF German professor and was focusing on her future career as a language professor. She was quiet, but when she got excited, she got very, very excited, he said. The sudden loss, Dilk said, has been felt across two countries. He planned to surprise Scherten in April by visiting her in Gainesville. Instead, he flew to Florida on Friday with Schertens family to clean out her apartment. They didnt find out about her death until three days after the crash because of a miscommunication between Florida Highway Patrol and German authorities. We had the same goals, he said. We always wanted to go to the U.S. and live here. Alfanos friends started a GoFundMe on Friday to place two bricks honoring the students on campus. The pages goal was $2,000 and, as of press time, $3,020 has been raised. The extra funds will go back to the families of the two women, Mapes said. She said she doesnt want to go home to the apartment she and Alfano shared behind Midtown, where Alfano left sketches on the refrigerator door and an embroidery in the living room. We shared so much over the past two and half years, Mapes said. Its things like that you take for granted. Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @MerylKornfield From left: Caroline Alfano, Nicole Scherten, Laura Delaney and Meghan Mapes pose together at Okeechobee Music Festival on March 4. The next day, Alfano and Scherten left for Alfanos home in Boca Raton and died in a crash. People always stare at Cameron Haights hands. The 4-year-olds fingers are twisted together and fused, the result of a condition called amniotic band syndrome. Its like everywhere we go, people ask about his hands, his mother, Sarah, 31, said of their life in Charlotte, North Carolina. But over the weekend, along the vast land at Camp Crystal Lake in Starke, Florida, Haight said she could tell her son was unusually at ease among strangers. He was at the campsite to attend this years Hand Camp, hosted by the nonprofit Hands to Love, just 30 minutes north of Gainesville. At- tending for the second time, Cameron was one of about 70 children who all have what organizers refer to as limb differences. Here, he is the normal, Haight said. From Friday to Sunday, families from across the country came to Starke, partaking in bonfires, hayrides, educational presentations and long nights under the stars. Ruthie Dell, who started the camp with her husband, Paul, in 2001, said the three-day camp is a way to demystify the differences among the children. Its a safe haven, said Dell, an occupational therapist who specializes in treating patients arms and hands at UF Health Shands Hospital. A trio of UF doctoral students gave a presentation Friday about their mind-controlled drones, which they used in 2016 to host what they billed as the worlds first brain drone race. On Saturday, the UF group GRiP brought the campers activity-specific prosthetics they designed, including one attached to a fishing rod and another with a pingpong paddle. The featured speaker at the camp was Kyle Smith, a 32-year-old from Illinois who lost his arm in an eight-story fall from his balcony in 2010. An avid hunter, Smith said he refused to let his lack of a right arm stop him from practicing archery; he pulls the trigger with his mouth. For him, being able to reach children with limb differences at a young age and instill in them the motivation to continue living their lives uninterrupted gives him a sense of purpose. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now You can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it, Smith said. Kim Vogelgesang, 47, traveled to the camp from Cincinnati, Ohio, with her 12-year-old son Gabe, who was born with symbrachydactyly, which causes short, webbed or missing fingers. As Gabe looked on during the drone presentation, Vogelgesang said learning about the future of tech along with his peers and being in- stilled with a can-do attitude was a powerful experience. I just enjoy seeing my sons light shine, she said. Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter at @martindvassolo Members of UF GRiP, a club that 3-D prints activity-specific prosthetics, pose with some of their newer models at Hand Camp 2017, a gathering of children with limb differences held from Friday to Sunday in Starke, Florida. UF student made national news over Spring Break. If you caught a glimpse of the headlines, you know it wasnt for casting UF in a positive light. Six days ago, the Alligator, along with other local and national outlets, reported that police arrested UF Student Body President-elect Smith Meyers in Key West after police said he drunkenly knocked over two Harley-Davidson motorcycles during Spring Break. An arresting officer said he was so drunk he didnt even know he was in Key West. He was jailed and released after posting a $328 bail. By then, Meyers name had made headlines in publications as far reaching as the New York Post and the Associated Press. Where was Meyers during all of this? For five days, he and Impact Partys spokesperson ignored repeated calls from multiple Alligator reporters, unwilling to answer questions. Instead, Sunday evening we received statements from Meyers and current Student Body President Susan Webster, which appeared insincere and contradictory. In Websters statement, for example, she calls Meyers actions uncharacteristic before lampooning the media for reporting on the details of his arrest, which she says are still being determined. In Meyers statement, he says he recognizes he must work to earn back the trust of those around me, and he promises to be as transparent as possible as his case continues. But how, we wonder, can he do that when he ignores his constituents for five days before releasing a statement? How can he expect to gain public trust when he refuses to answer a single question from those he represents? Webster was clear in her statement when she said Meyers position in Student Government would not be called into question following this arrest. We at the Alligator believe Meyers should have done more to take responsibility for his actions. Instead of immediately ad- dressing the Student Body during the time following his arrest, he did nothing. We can only imagine he and Impact were doing damage control, waiting until the very end of Spring Break to release a statement. Why did Meyers arrest make such an impact? As the next UF Student Body president, Meyers is in line to help oversee a more than $20 million Student Government budget, along with taking the only student position on the UF Board of Trustees. As a trustee, he would be charged with representing students to the governing body of UF. No one forced the position upon Meyers. We can only infer it was what he wanted when he chose to run for Student Body president. He knew going in he would take it, as he ran unopposed. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now This story deserved to be covered, not because we seek to sensationalize any incident but because, as with any elected official, be it at a university, local, state or national level, we believe those elected are accountable to the people they represent. Meyers, who campaigned on the motto Character that counts, made the decision to represent more than 50,000 students when he ran for arguably the highest position in UF SG. If Meyers wants to earn the Student Bodys respect, he needs to start by respecting us. If Meyers wants to be transparent, he needs to start by answering our questions. We can only hope he starts now. Out of respect for every student, UFs Student Code of Conduct and the legacy of The Gator Nation, Student Body President-elect Smith Meyers should step down immediately. Meyers unopposed campaign has made him more than just a campus representative. He will be placed on UFs Board of Trustees as the only student to serve as our voice. The presidents advocacy for students extends to meetings with politicians from local to national levels. Such a privileged position demands someone who can be trusted. Instead, Meyers Spring Break endeavors have painted him as careless, with a lack of regard for his prestigious role within Floridas best public university. We deserve better. Meyers statement claiming commitment to character is all but promising, and its not enough to ensure UF is being represented by its best. Student Body President Susan Websters comments attempt to defend Meyers by claiming his behavior was out of character. If character is what counts, then out of character is unacceptable. Meyers must resign. Megan Newsome is a UF astronomy and physics junior. The South African media are invited to submit their entries for the 2017 SADC Media Awards Competition. The Awards were established following a decision by the Council of Ministers in 1996 to establish a sector that deals with matters relating to amongst others, information, culture and sport. These awards serve as part of ensuring a []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... English News China launches more favorable policies to lure overseas talents Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 13 Mars 2017 By now, a total of 1,499 foreign experts from 70 countries have received the honor. Fifty experts from 18 countries were conferred with the award in 2016. By Li Ning from Peoples Daily The Chinese government, in the past years, has launched a series of programs to introduce overseas high-end talents and improve Chinas scientific research environment. Such endeavor has generated fruitful outcomes and has been appreciated by foreign experts. "China's economic and social development in the past decades has indicated the superiority of the country's political and economic system," Anders Lindquist, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and chair professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told the People's Daily in a recent interview. "As a foreign expert working in China, I'm impressed by the Chinese government's emphasis on scientific research," said Lindquist, adding that it is an honor for him to become a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2015 and to win the 2016 Shanghai Magnolia Award. The topic that Lindquist is most interested in during the ongoing two sessions is China's new policies to encourage scientific research. He told the People's Daily that the Chinese government is always willing to take advice to improve the environment of scientific research. Lindquist is one of the first batch of foreign scholars recruited by China in the "Recruitment Program of Global Experts, also known as "Thousand Talents Program", a campaign to bring highly skilled researchers and elites to China. A total of 381 foreign talents have been introduced in six batches by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs since the program was initiated in August, 2011. China has attached great importance to recruitment of foreign talents in the past four years. Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out in May 2014 at a symposium of foreign experts that China should create better work conditions for talent from overseas. The 2016 government work report confirmed that China would adopt more active, open and effective policies to attract overseas talent. A series of favorable polices have been packaged in the "Thousand Talents Program". For instance, experts on long-term projects under the program will receive a one-off grant of 1 million yuan ($144,800). In addition, the employers will also receive certain amount of scientific research funds and subsidies. To lure more talents, China has increased support for them on entry and residence, project application, resources of scientific research and intellectual property protection. The Chinese government established the Friendship Award in 1991 to recognize foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress. It is the highest prize awarded to foreign experts by the government. By now, a total of 1,499 foreign experts from 70 countries have received the honor. Fifty experts from 18 countries were conferred with the award in 2016. Pic: Roger Detels, a 2016 Friendship Award winner, also a professor in the Department of Epidemiology at University of California at Los Angeles, gives a lecture to Chinese students. (Photo from State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs) 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) English News Chinese President stresses importance of ethnic unity in Xinjiang Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 13 Mars 2017 China consists of 56 ethnic groups, in which Han people make up 91.51 percent of the whole population. Xinjiang is home to 47 of them, among which Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui and other nine ethnic groups are native inhabitants. By Huan Xiang from Peoples Daily Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on all ethnic groups in the far-west Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to boost ethnic unity, asking all the people living there to unit together "like seeds of a pomegranate." "We must love ethnic solidarity just as we love our own eyes, and we must cherish ethnic solidarity just as we value our lives, the president added. Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during a panel discussion with deputies from Xinjiang at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). The president also inquired the life of Kurban Tulum family living in Xinjiang, and asked Xinjiang deputy Mamtimin to convey his greetings to the family. The bond of Kurban family with Chinese leaders started from more than half century ago. Tulum was a Uygur peasant living in Hetian. In order to express gratitude for the peaceful liberation of Xinjiang in 1949, Tulum wished to ride a donkey from Xinjiang to Beijing to visit late Chairman Mao Zedong in the 1950s, before he later twice received by Mao. Tohtihan Kurban, the eldest daughter of Tulum, sent a letter to Xi dozens of years later, in which she expressed her gratitude to the care of Party and government as well as her love for the nation, for Xinjiang and for the hometown. In a reply letter Xi wrote on January 11, he sent his best wishes to Tohtihan family as well as their friends and neighbors, saying that he hoped all ethnic groups in Xinjiang could unit together "like seeds of a pomegranate and join efforts to build a bright future for Xinjiang under the leadership of the CPC. When I departed for Beijing, the Kurban family said again and again that I have to tell General Secretary (Xi Jinping) that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang will remember the care of the Party forever, said Mamtimin, also a village director and deputy county head from Hetian. Ethnic solidarity and common development of the region has been high on Chinas agenda since its founding. Last October, regional government of Xinjiang launched a campaign to encourage local officials to build family-like ties with the ethnic minorities in order to promote national unity and accord. The campaign themed "family-like ethnic bonding" advocated government officials across the region to build one-to-one relationships with people in four prefectures - Kashgar, Hotan, Aksu and Kizilsu Kirgiz - in southern Xinjiang. The government officials are required to visit their one-to-one partner every two months in order to build a close bond. As a deputy from Xinjiang, Mamtimin said that "family-like ethnic bonding" campaign goes very well now, through which people from different ethnic groups can learn from and help each other. All the 56 ethnic groups in China are members of a whole family, and we will certainly unite like seeds of a pomegranate, he added. China consists of 56 ethnic groups, in which Han people make up 91.51 percent of the whole population. Xinjiang is home to 47 of them, among which Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui and other nine ethnic groups are native inhabitants. Data by the end of 2011 showed that ethnic groups other than Han make up about 60 percent of Xinjiang population. Pics: Photo taken on October 9, 2016 shows a "golden anniversary" celebration held in Barkol county of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to mark the Double Ninth Festival, a traditional Chinese festival to pay respect to the seniors. A total of 12 pairs of couples from Han and Kazak ethnic groups celebrate the day in romantic atmosphere. (Photo by Peoples Daily) 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) Today Seychelles joins its Commonwealth family in celebrating a unique bond of friendship and diversity offered by our association of 52 independent states. This bond is further exemplified by our common desire for peace, security and the betterment of the lives of all our peoples. This free association of states provides us with one key []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... In celebration of its new office space at the Helnan Palestine Hotel, the U.S. Consulate General in Alexandria hosted an Opening Day reception on March 11. Consulate Alexandria and Embassy Cairo staff described the many ways the U.S. Mission works with Egyptians throughout the country. Approximately 600 guests attended the event, which included a performance []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... Concerns that not all of the unions will agree to ratify their labor agreements have caused rail shippers and other transportation industry stakeholders to push President Joe Biden to act. There is a lot of hand wringing and concern over the correct order and the details of repeal and replace for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and various related budget issues. Even now, the GOP House Plan for repeal and replace is being derided as Obamacare Lite. The base wonders if the Congressional leaders are wavering in their commitment to repeal the entire ACA. When they knew Obama would veto it, the Congressional Republicans had no trouble voting unanimously for repeal. When they were running for election, they had no problem promising to repeal every word of it. Now, suddenly they have cold feet. They want to replace it as soon as they repeal it. We do not yet know the details of that replacement promised in phases two and three -- but I am betting it will be long, intricate, and hard to understand. They dont want anyone to think they are being cruel or unsympathetic to anyone benefiting from the ACA subsidies. But this is the wrong approach. I suggest that it is actually fairly easy to handle this problem in a conservative way while minimizing political risk and maximizing political gain for the Trump administration and the Republican Party. As suggested by the title, it is useful to separate the functional issues from the budgetary ones. So much has been written about the ACA that I will take it for granted that the reader is reasonably familiar with its main features and the arguments surrounding them. I will not try to provide a systematic discussion of these features. Even so, there are troubling hints that Congressional Republicans are wavering. They fear that any adverse consequences of repeal will be blamed on them. They want the comfort of a full replacement in place before they vote to repeal. There is even talk of repair instead of repeal. This would be an error. They have been promising full repeal for years now. It would be a betrayal of their core constituency to do otherwise. There is a safe path to do so. I start with a brief analysis of the current law. I am one of the crazy people who actually read the law before it passed. That was not the final version. It got longer and more complicated, but I read the penultimate version or maybe it was the antepenultimate version. You get the idea. There are many terrible features. The worst one is the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB, aka death panel). The many rules and codicils are so intertwined with each other and with older laws that the only way to make a clean break is to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act as of a date certain, say in 2018 or 2019. With that in mind, the first step is straightforward. Step 1: Repeal the ACA -- Every word of it. Remember we are replacing a multi-million word monstrosity of legislation and regulation. Lets be sure the replacement avoids the attempt to micromanage everything with rules that no human being could fully comprehend. To simplify the discussion break up the replacement into two broad categories: Insurance Rules Government Subsidies and Taxes. Three big features never should be replaced, namely the IPAB, the individual mandate to buy insurance, and the employer mandate to provide insurance. These are incompatible with a free society. Step 2: Insurance Rules States should retain the right to regulate insurance policies sold only within their borders. Create a new category of medical insurance that can be sold nationwide without regard to individual state requirements. There would be some requirements on such policies. For easy reference, call eligible policies conforming policies. There are numbers of very popular and not so popular features in the ACA that various interest groups would like to see retained. The biggest one is coverage of pre-existing conditions on newly issued policies. I propose that at or near the time of repeal of the ACA, just a few provisions be required to qualify as a conforming policy. Whenever a provision is placed on allowable policies, a complex set of rules is needed to even define the implementation of risk pools and premiums to describe compliance. These rules should be made as simple as possible, but must be dealt with by whoever writes the legislation. Once a policy is conforming, additional features may be offered as optional add-ons. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions for the list of conformance rules: Once Insured, Always Insured (OIAI): As long as premiums are paid, the policy cannot be cancelled due to illness or financial hardship nor can any cap on coverage be imposed. Functionally, this amounts to unlimited catastrophic coverage. Renewal from year to year is guaranteed at the same premium as members of the original risk pool. If that risk pool is based on employment, and if the insured leaves that pool, then enrollment in a substantially similar pool is guaranteed with no increase of premiums. Family Policy Coverage (FPC): Family policies must cover all immediate family members who have not yet reached their 27th birthday. Pre-Existing Conditions (PEC): Premium categories may not depend on pre-existing conditions. Now OIAI and FPC are the core of PEC. The adverse selection problem remains to be dealt with. There should be no formal mandate to purchase insurance, but the option to buy insurance with no penalty for pre-existing conditions should probably expire at some age, say 30, a bit like a call option on stocks. National Marketplace (NM): As long as a policy conforms to the national standards set out here, it may be sold anywhere in the country. States may not block such sales. Equal Tax Treatment (ETT): Employers do not have to offer subsidized health insurance, but if they do, the tax deductibility to the employer must be the same as to an individual policy purchaser. Financial Hardship Insurance (FHI): To be conforming, a policy must include a provision for paying premiums and/or deductibles in extenuating circumstances. Details need to be worked out and a federal subsidy may have to be part of the final rules. It should be left open for Congress to impose additional requirements on conforming policies. There might be certain procedures or treatments that are mandated be included with or without an allowable deductible fee. The point is that this is not meant to be a complete health care bill, but only enough to calm fears of a coverage vacuum while more final features are hammered out. Step 3: Government Subsidies and Taxes The ACA is loaded with complicated rules and formulas to give nearly everyone without a six-figure income a subsidy to buy health insurance. It also gives subsidies to states for Medicaid. Ignore CBO and OMB projections. Nobody really knows just how much these add up to or how much they distort the pricing mechanism of the free market. Nevertheless, there is overwhelming public support for some level of subsidy. In that sense, the lefts call for single-payer is seductive. However, history has taught that free markets lead to better outcomes. Since premiums will have to get some government subsidy, Congress should strive for a simple voucher or tax credit to accomplish this. For now, the details of the middle class subsidies and Medicaid expansion should be left open. The beauty of this approach is that with repeal of the ACA and implementation of the rules for conforming policies, there will be a new status quo. A robust debate should ensue. Since the new status quo after repeal of the ACA will be no subsidies, it will behoove the Democrats to cooperate in designing a mutually acceptable solution. There are some middle class subsidies built in the ACA and these should largely be preserved, not because it is sound policy, but alas, it is hard to take away a benefit from your core constituency, namely working people. That is a crass political fact, but a fact nonetheless If liberals want any input into the final rules, they will have to bargain in good faith (to steal a popular labor meme). This is a good general strategy which can be used to set new norms in government for years to come. Of course others may have priorities different from the ones I have listed. This is not an attempt to design a take-it-or-leave-it solution -- just an example of how Congress could proceed with very simple, transparent rules. Cancer is a devious and devastating disease. All it takes are a few bad cells to grow uncontrollably, first destroying organs, then an entire person. It can also lie dormant for years after supposedly being cured, then at some moment awaken from its remission slumber to resume its search-and-destroy mission. Even if cancer is controlled, it can still leave its victim in a weakened or debilitated condition, a shadow of its former robust self. What if the Affordable Care Act, affectionately known as Obamacare, was unintentionally infected with cancer back in 2010 when it was voted into law? What if the cancer could be reactivated at any time? After all, we had to pass the bill to find out whats in it according to one of its proponents. Surprise, the dormant cancer is already in the law. Ideally, cancer is removed from the body entirely. A true cure. For Obamacare, this would mean repealing the bill entirely. Despite campaign promises of repeal, legislatively, this is a nonstarter. This is worth a brief review as many think a simple repeal bill from the House is possible. Remember that the Affordable Care Act originated in the U.S. Senate. Thanks to the eventual election of Al Franken after numerous recounts, and the defection of Arlen Specter to the dark side, the Senate had the necessary 60 votes for cloture, shutting down the filibuster. This led to passage of the ACA without any Republican votes, on Dec. 24, 2009. Merry Christmas. Enter Scott Brown a month later, eliminating the 60-vote Senate majority. The bill went to the House. If they made any changes to the bill, it would go to House-Senate conference and the resulting new bill would need to be voted on again by the Senate where 59 Democrat votes wouldnt shut down the inevitable Republican filibuster. So Nancy Pelosi and the House voted on and passed the original Senate bill, without changes, which then went to President Obama to be signed into law. A very practical compromise by the Democrats to get a bill passed. House Democrats still had concerns after being shut out of the debate. A second bill then emerged, called the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. This new bill dealt with budgetary items only - funding, subsidies, taxes meaning, it would not be subject to the filibuster based on the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Only 50 Senate votes would pass the reconciliation bill, which the Democrats had. Undoing all of this, like untangling a knot, requires backing up, reversing the process in order. Which is why the current House repeal plan is a reconciliation bill, involving only budgetary items, not needing the 60 votes necessary, and unobtainable in the current Senate, to repeal the actual legislative bill. This is not a defense of Paul Ryan and his establishment pals, but those are the rules. Just as three outs are needed to end an inning, not two outs. A straight repeal bill would be filibustered in the Senate and never pass. Could President Trump use executive orders to dismantle Obamacare? Perhaps, but lawsuits will follow, thwarting each executive order, as is happening with Trumps immigration orders. Eventually the Supreme Court would weigh in. After John Roberts twisted himself into a legal pretzel to find Obamacare constitutional, I wouldnt bet on him having a change of heart if Trump starts swinging a wrecking ball at Obamacare. So how can President Trump activate the cancer which is buried within Obamacare? It wont be a cancer doctor, but close. How about a bone cruncher, an orthopedic surgeon by the name of Tom Price? Most dont remember how the Secretary is sprinkled generously throughout the Affordable Care Act. Dormant cancer cells waiting to be activated. For a good summary, read Philip Kleins excellent piece from 2010 in The American Spectator. When the bill was signed into law, Kathleen Sebelius was the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Not so today. Now its Dr. Price. Within the bill there are 2,500 references to the Secretary. 700 times the Secretary shall do something, 200 times the Secretary may do something, and 139 occasions when the Secretary determines what should be done. These "shall" and "may" determinations cover things like what type of insurance coverage Americans are required to have, how insurance networks and exchanges are organized, how grant money is doled out, what the essential health benefits that every insurance policy must cover are. Suppose the new Secretary determines that Americans shall only be required to have catastrophic insurance? Or no insurance at all? What if the essential health benefits are left to the discretion of the purchaser of the insurance policy? What if the Secretary determines that there will be no insurance mandates or penalties? Or that insurance may be sold across state lines? The Secretary also has discretion over pilot programs and demonstration projects for controlling costs. These include wellness plans, information technology, quality measures, and national payment for Medicaid. Perhaps throw in tort reform and a rollback of many of the many more onerous regulations strangling the medical profession. The Secretary may implement these reforms. In reality, the Secretary has the statutory power to infect Obamacare with the cancer of repeal and replace, metastasizing into so many aspects of the law that what emerges is a shadow of the original bill. Repeal and replace from within. The downside is the finite tenure of a Republican Secretary of HHS. What Secretary Price shall implement can be undone in the future by another Secretary Sebelius. So what? Even if Congress could somehow repeal the entire law, a future Democrat Congress and President could resurrect it, or implement something worse. Thats the cyclical nature of politics but its not an excuse for inaction today. Let Congress wrangle and debate over the current bill. If their three-part plan works as advertised, Secretary Price can watch from the sidelines. If it stalls, which is quite likely, the orthopedic surgeon can fire up his bone saw and gut Obamacare from within, creating the reform he and the President shall determine is best for America. Brian C. Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter. Amid ballistic missile tests by Irans Revolutionary Guard and continued economic and political isolation, Irans domestic unrest is escalating. Simultaneous protests of thousands of angry teachers in more than 22 cities broke out in Iran on Thursday, March 9. The nationwide teachers demonstration took place in Tehran, Mashhad, Bojnourd, Ferdows, Torbat-heidaria, Mazandaran, Sanandaj, Saqqez, Marivan, Qorveh, Tabriz, Ardebil, Zanjan, Shiraz, Bushehr, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Kangan, Dehgolan, Lordegan, Ahwaz and Aligudarz. The demonstrators held a sit-in in front of the local branch of the ministry of education buildings, calling for their demands to be met. They chanted slogans against suppression, repression and plundering policies of the ruling mullahs in Iran. They were holding placards that read: 'Detained Teachers Must be Freed,' 'NO to Prison,' 'Teachers future must be secured.' See the photo at right. According to Iranian Opposition (MEK) report, in Tehran, more than 1,000 teachers, as well as the families of political prisoners, and staff from the Ministry of Education demonstrated in front of the Iranian regimes parliament, demanding proper jobs and security. In todays teachers gathering, one of the security force members of parliament tried to confiscate the smartphone of one of the protestors in a provocative manner, but he was pushed back by the protestors. In what was an act of bravery for the teachers in Esfahan, they chanted: 'Teachers are ready to die but wouldnt be bullied by the government.' The photo is below. In Shiraz, the protesting teachers sat at a table with no food on it, in a symbol of their poor economic condition. The problem is so bad many are severely suffering from food insecurity. They said they are unable to feed themselves or their children with the meager wages and salaries they are getting. They had placards that read: 'Teachers must rise to end the discrimination and a petty monthly salary.' In some cities, the special anti-riot guards had surrounded the protesting teachers, but the protestors ignored the intimidation and continued with their protest for hours. Passersby hailed the protestors and paid sympathy and tributes to them as they signaled their hatred of the regime. The security forces prevented any passerby from stopping in the street. The protestors were holding placards that read: 'We will not rest until we get our rights.' Teachers in Sanandaj demanded an end to the rising instances of torture and the high number of executions of the mullahs government. In Kermanshah, in southwestern Iran, the presence of female teachers was remarkable in the streets of that city. The suppressive security forces were trying to prevent the demonstration but failed miserably. The protestors continued to protest there and had placards that read: 'Discrimination and inequality must end.' 'We are crying out of poverty and frustrated of discrimination', In their final statement, the protestors condemned the exiles and expulsions of teachers for teaching and speaking out, and demanded the freedom of teachers, especially the freedom of Mr. Baghani who is a known teacher in Kermanshah. In Ardebil, northwestern Iran, the protesting teachers were chanting: 'Teachers are willing to die but not to submit to discrimination. They demanded unpaid wages and benefits. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) roundup report of February 2017 on the teachers' protests, there were 13 protests classified as cultural. Statistics for the month showed a slight increase from January. Protests were over the lack of salary increases, lack of equalization of retirement wages and lack of formal employment. Also, a group of teachers published a text about the prosecution of Jafar Azim Zadeh. Teachers who retired in 2016 gathered in front of parliament to demand their 30-year employment bonus. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, in her last statement regarding the teachers' protest hailed the noble teachers who have staged protest gatherings in various parts of the country to attain their lawful rights and to protest the oppressive and criminal measures by the mullahs regime. She called on the nation, especially the students and their parents and the youth throughout the country to support and express solidarity with teachers. Rajavi said: In circumstances where the clerical regime spends most of the Iranian peoples wealth on suppression, export of terrorism, the massacre of peoples in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, the bottomless and anti-patriotic nuclear projects, or which funnels this wealth to the bank accounts of regimes leaders and their families, the hard-working and noble teachers of the country that play the greatest role in building the future of Iran are living in poverty and face the most hardship in their lives. In Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes, two con men came to town. The emperor loved clothes more than anything else. The conmen convinced the emperor to pay them a huge amount of money to weave him an outfit made with a beautiful unique fabric. They pretended to be hard at work weaving. The con men said any government official who could not see the fabric was unworthy of their office. Anyone else who could not see the fabric was simpleminded. On the big day of the unveiling, the emperor paraded through the city in his new outfit. Fearful of being thought of as unworthy of their office or simpleminded, everyone raved about the emperor's outfit; the perfect fit, the flow of the fabric and the beautiful colors. A little boy yelled, The emperor is naked. It is the 2015 ESPN Awards. The hall is filled with the best of the best in sports. And, the winner of the 2015 Author Ashe Courage Award is Caitlyn Jenner! The hall erupts with applause. Everyone knows they had better pretend this is wonderful or risk losing their job, branded simpleminded and a hater. A little boy is overheard, Mommy, why is Mr. Jenner dressed like a lady? No, a child did not ask such a question, but it is exactly what most in that hall were thinking. Like the supplicants in the fairy tale, Obama and his Leftist brethren intimidated Americans into not publicly stating obvious truths. Anyone quoting the Genesis view of marriage was toast, losing their job and being forced into mind-altering "therapy". Pastors thrown from their pulpits and Christians were jailed. We have been living in this bizarro world in which telling the truth is not tolerated. On the one hand, we are told that gay pride is beautiful. Obama ordered the military to celebrate gay pride. Obama officially declared June LGBT month. Grade school kids are taught to celebrate gay pride. Tens of thousands show up at gay pride parades. http://bit.ly/2mdGW0m And yet, showing pictures of the triple X debauchery on display in our streets during the gay pride parade will land you in big trouble. I thought, okay, if this is beautiful, why not feature a few pictures in my article of the routine behaviors in gay pride parades: naked men simulating copulating; two men in a giant penis costume. Readers of my article thought me rude and crude for using those pictures. Thousands of people, including families with children, witnessed these acts live. We're told all who do not celebrate this behavior are simpleminded and haters. Meanwhile, I caught heck for merely showing pictures of the wonderful event the federal government was mandating that Americans celebrate. That is how the Left's game is played. They (fake news media, Democrats, and Hollywood) paint a beautiful picture of their non-mainstream stance on an issue. Then, they bully us, attacking us as haters whenever we dare to tell the truth or show pictures. Leftists celebrate abortion as a woman's right even as late as the day of the baby's birth. Meanwhile, they claim we hate women if we dare to tell the truth or show pictures. Leftist hate ultrasound and pictures confirming that it is a baby inside the mother. Fox News blocked Matt Drudge from posting a picture of a 21-week-old unborn child reaching its hand out of the womb during a rare operation. Drudge wanted to show its humanity. Here are more abortion truths that drive Leftists up the wall. Planned Parenthood was founded by racist Margret Sanger to exterminate blacks. PP still targets black neighborhoods. PP was caught chopping up and selling baby body parts for profit, intact heads selling at a premium. Partial birth abortion is when the abortionist delivers the entire body except for the baby's head. The abortionist inserts scissors into the back of the baby's head to kill it. I realize that sounds horrible, folks, but it is the truth. Leftists help PP hide these repulsive truths from the masses. If the public saw it, they would be sick and outraged. Over the years, I have noticed that rabid pro-abortion Leftists are outraged whenever someone harms a puppy. As I said, Leftists are angered by any image confirming that the mother is carrying a baby. Doritos caught heck from leftists for their Superbowl ad which featured a fetus in ultrasound imaging reacting to its father eating Doritos. Leftists hate ultrasound because when mothers see the truth that its a baby rather than an unviable tissue mass, they usually choose life. Then, there is the black thing. Leftists say you had better not tell the truth about why blacks are suffering in cities controlled by Democrats -- generational poverty, epidemic school dropouts, high out of wedlock births, over 70% fatherless households, high unemployment and record-breaking black-on-black crime. All this black suffering is the result of Democrats pardoning blacks of all personal responsibility for their lives. Democrats claim all issues plaguing blacks are the fault of white racist America. This leftist poisonous lie robs blacks of their personal power by placing their success or failure in the hands of someone other than themselves. Leftists hate this truth. America is the greatest land of opportunity on the planet for all who choose to go for it! Period. Despicably, leftists lie claiming cops routinely murder blacks. The truth is blacks are killing each other to the tune of 20, 30, and 40 every weekend in cities like Chicago and Baltimore, controlled by democrats for decades. But Leftists forbid us from telling the truth about black lives. Doesn't common sense suggest that if Leftists truly cared about black lives, they would relish an honest discussion? Leftists high-tech crucified white TV commentator Bill O'Reilly for compassionately daring to address the real reasons why blacks are suffering. For years, I have been routinely excoriated, called an Uncle Tom and a traitor to my race for simply stating truths; petitioning blacks to assume responsibility, which equals real black empowerment. Since Trump's election, I sense a new positive vibe rapidly spreading across America. I believe Americans are feeling free to speak truth again. Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American Author: Confessions of a Black Conservative: How the Left has shattered the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black America. Singer/Songwriter and Conservative Activist mr_lloydmarcus@hotmail.com http://www.lloydmarcus.com/ Conservatives see the threat of aggressive Islam, which puts us far ahead of liberals, who merely live in stupefied denial. But conservatives tend to treat Islam as monolithic, which it is not. Right now the Trump administration is considering whether to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, which sounds to Arab ears like Is the Pope Catholic? Do the Saudis play double games? Are the mullahs of Iran really genocidal? The answer is Yes! Yes! and Yes! Which is why even Saudi Arabia, Russia, Syria, Bahrain, and the UAE have officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terror group. One of biggest on the Sunni side of the street. A new article in Cairos Al Ahram this week gives an explanation even the New York Times could understand (if it wanted to). The MBs promote violent Jihad, and carry it on themselves in their civil war against Egypt. They sponsor Hamas terror against Israel. They follow radical doctrines. Most of all (and here comes a new word), the MBs are taqfiri. (TAHK-fear-ey). They regularly declare other Muslim groups to be infidels, which means they will kill other Muslims unless they submit to the MB version of Islam. From its most basic belief, the Ikhwan is at war with all Muslims who do not follow its militant war doctrine. The doctrine of taqfir is basic, and deviation puts you outside of the circle. And yes, there are peaceful Muslim sects, like the Ahmadiyya. But they are small minorities in constant trouble from the violence-supporting majority. There are also rational Muslims like Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has said in a famous speech: Its inconceivable that the thinking that we hold most sacred should cause the entire umma [Islamic world] to be a source of anxiety, danger, killing and destruction for the rest of the world. Impossible! ... Is it possible that 1.6 billion people [Muslims] should want to kill the rest of the worlds inhabitants -- that is 7 billion -- so that they themselves may live? Impossible! Those may be the most important words any Muslim leader has said since 9/11/01. Yet Obama chose to ignore Sisi and supported the Muslim Brotherhood instead. What does that tell you? Hillarys closest confidante, Huma Abedin, comes from an MB family, was indoctrinated from childhood onward, and is paid by a family charity who are all MBs. Hillary and Bill know all that, of course, but the Moobs bring in huge amounts of money to the Democrats, and thats what counts for the Clintons. (It should also matter to the rest of us.) So -- are the Muslim Brothers terrorists and terror sponsors? The Ikhwan was founded in 1929 as a Nazi-type Broederbund, when Nazi front groups were all the rage in the Middle East. From the beginning the MBs were all for genocide of the Jews, the Armenians, the Copts and other infidels, especially in places like Jerusalem. The Mufti of Jerusalem actually paid a visit to Adolf Hitler, and the MBs recruited Arab troops for the Nazis. Some peaceful outfit, right? Right now, the Moobs are turning a smiling face to the world, when they arent killing people or funding terror. Obama either fell for that gag, or pretended to. He also supported Turkeys Erdogan, who is another proud MB ally. And of course, Obama sold the nuclear farm to Irans ancient reactionaries. A lot of Muslim money is still flowing into Democrat coffers today, which is why Muslim radical Keith Ellison was almost elected head of the DNC. The Gulf Arabs gave Bill Clinton a million-dollar birthday present a while ago, you might remember. Only the blindest of the blind can think that was just to be nice. We simply have a lot of people in high places working for the other side. They think we are all stupid, so they hardly to hide their corruption. Theyve got media cover. How does all this look from Cairo? Somehow the left never seems to get that jihad is basic to Islam, no matter how often they see innocent people getting murdered. (There are Muslim sects who interpret jihad in a nonviolent way. Its a complicated world. Those people are not in charge.) Where debate is allowed, as in Egypt under President Sisi, there are very important debates taking place. To defeat global jihad, those internal debates are crucial. Islam responds to reality. The Ottomans were decisively defeated in World War I, leading to more than half a century of better governance, freedom, education, and peace. So it can be done. The Muslim Brotherhood is now making war on the Sisi regime in Egypt. Egyptians are in no doubt about the MBs and terrorism. They know about them. They also know how much money and power the Moobs enjoy in Washington, D.C. This should be a national scandal, with Congressional hearings and more. The Permanent Government in DC is certainly penetrated by groups like the MBs. After all, Michael Scheuer, the Clinton administration's head of the Bin Laden desk at the CIA, actually turned out to be a Bin Laden fan. Theres a lot of rot in the Permanent Goverment. Trumps team has a lot to do, and we must keep up the pressure. "You're not going to let us speak." You would expect to hear those words in oppressive Communist regimes, or in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, where unacceptable speech can get you beheaded. No this is what was disgracefully heard this month at Middlebury College, an elite private liberal arts college in Vermont. This was what Professor Allison Stanger acknowledged to an unruly crowd of Middlebury students who decided it was "unacceptable" for Dr. Charles Murray, an invited controversial conservative political scientist and author, to speak on their campus. Among chants yelled by the mob was "Shut it down!" and "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Charles Murray has got to go!" Stanger, who had agreed to moderate the discussion, then pursued plan B go to a closed location and live-stream the discussion. The angry students pursued and banged on the walls and set off fire alarms to stop any talk with Murray. Murray was there to discuss his book, called Coming Apart, that details the plight of poor working-class white Americans and how whites in America live in a stark two-class society. Murray has been vilified for a previous book he co-authored called The Bell Curve. This book had some discussion on ethnicity and I.Q., which has led Murray to be called a "racist" and "white supremacist" among many other nasty labels. No one seemed to know or care that Murray is the father of two biracial children, has degrees from Harvard and MIT, and even has a daughter who is an alumna from Middlebury. During the interrupted live-stream talk, Murray asked simply, "What is it that is so terrible that I cannot speak?" While Murray was trying to leave the campus, Stanger was assaulted and endured a neck injury and was treated at a hospital. Stanger later wrote, "I feared for my life." The incident at Middlebury has received national attention and articles have been written in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many others. Last month, a violent protest also broke out at U.C. Berkeley to stop Milo Yiannopoulos, a controversial conservative writer, from speaking that resulted in $100,000 in property damage. Though the media has portrayed the incidents at Middlebury and Berkeley as a new trend, censorship of conservative speakers on U.S. college campuses has been ongoing. Furthermore, Caroline Glick writes in the Jerusalem Post, "Jewish speakers and students have been subjected ... to campaigns of repressions for nearly 20 years at universities and colleges throughout the US. What is new about the riots against Murray and Yiannopoulos is that they were shouted down despite the fact that they weren't talking about Israel." In 2016, a commentary in the Washington Examiner describes how Ben Shapiro and Young America's Foundation "were greeted by a raucous mob ... at California State University-Los Angeles. Hundreds of Black Lives Matter activists formed a human chain around the lecture hall, hitting and shoving conservative students." Disruptions also occurred at Shapiro's 2016 lectures at Penn State and at University of Wisconsin. Last year, at DePaul University, a Yiannopoulos event was disrupted after Black Lives Matter "protesters stormed the stage, blew whistles, grabbed the microphone out of the interviewer's hand and threatened to punch Yiannopoulos." As security stood by and watched, Kati Danforth, an African-American student, came on stage and scolded the protesters. She said, "I'm pretty sure your parents didn't raise you to be disrespectful! ... It's an opinion, guys! It's an opinion! It's not going to kill you!" she shouted. "If you believe in who you are and you know who you are, it will not bother you!" Amen to Kati Danforth. As someone who spent almost two decades at Harvard, first as a student and then as a member of the faculty and officer of the university, I am ashamed at how far an institution that proclaims "Truth" ("Veritas" in Latin) as its motto has fallen away from that mission. The Harvard University library system is now in the business of warning away students from polluting their minds with dissident information that might raise uncomfortable questions in Liberalville. Can't have the youngsters questioning the orthodoxy of the left! Thus, we have the spectacle of Harvard librarians rating political websites and warning away students and faculty, lest their minds become confused by viewpoints that might disturb the liberal mindset. (For instance, remembering that when Bill Clinton fired all the U.S. attorneys, it was a normal "replacement," but when Donald Trump did the same thing, it was an outrageous "ousting" of dedicated crime-fighters.) Harvard undergraduates, too young to remember the Clinton firing, must be protected from viewpoints that might confuse them. This graphic published by the librarians ought to be a matter of shame for the university: "When in doubt, ask a librarian." ...because librarians are sophisticated consumers of political news, and because they have exhaustively researched each of the hundreds of websites they "rate"? I am sorry, but this is dangerous nonsense. I was grateful for the help that the staffs of several Harvard libraries (there are dozens of libraries at Harvard) gave me in my years there. They knew what their collections contained and how to get a hold of even the most obscure items. But they always knew they were in a service role, not in the role of determining what sources I should rely on. That was my job! How about, when in doubt, read what they have to say, read others, and make up your mind? That was what I always did. Consider this: the Harvard librarians do not trust students to make up their own minds. Instead, they find certain viewpoints dangerous, and want to make sure that youngsters are warned away from viewpoints dissenting from liberal orthodoxy. In actuality, it is the job of librarians to collect, organize, and store source materials for students and scholars to use in their work. It is the job of scholars and students (not librarians) to evaluate those sources and appropriately draw on them in their research and writing. At the mammoth Harvard University Library system, they seem to have forgotten this role distinction. In the age of Trump, the dangers of exposing bright young minds to information incompatible with the worldview of leftists is so great that the librarians took it upon themselves to warn away students before those viewpoints ever reach their eyes. One of the websites the Harvard Librarians ban as "biased" is American Thinker. We have plenty of company on the right, much less on the left. Doug Ross has collected the ratings for us and a number of our colleagues: Site Harvard Labels Real Description americanthinker.com bias Political news and opinion liberals hate AmmoLand.com bias Firearm news liberals hate barenakedislam.com hate News about Isamic terror that liberals hate breitbart.com political unreliable bias Political news and opinion liberals hate canadafreepress.com conspiracy bias Political news and opinion liberals hate centerforsecuritypolicy.org bias conspiracy News about Isamic terror that liberals hate citizensunited.org bias Pro-free speech group that liberals hate city-journal.org political Urban news that liberals hate CNSNews.com unreliable bias Political news and opinion liberals hate commentarymagazine.com political Political opinions that liberals hate conservativereview.com political Pro-Constitution articles that liberals hate counterjihad.com bias News about Isamic terror that liberals hate dailycaller.com political clickbait unreliable Political news and opinion liberals hate dailysignal.com bias Pro-Constitution articles that liberals hate drudgereport.com political bias Political news and opinion liberals hate familysecuritymatters.org conspiracy bias News about Isamic terror that liberals hate FreeBeacon.com bias Political news and opinion liberals hate freedomworks.org political Pro-Constitution articles that liberals hate frontpagemag.com bias hate News about Isamic terror that liberals hate gatesofvienna.net hate conspiracy News about Isamic terror that liberals hate heartland.org bias Pro-business group that liberals hate heritage.org unknown Pro-Constitution articles that liberals hate jihadwatch.org unknown News about Isamic terror that liberals hate judicialwatch.org unknown Pro-Constitution articles that liberals hate lifenews.com bias clickbait Pro-Life articles that liberals hate lifezette.com clickbait Pro-Life articles that liberals hate nationalreview.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate pamelageller.com conspiracy fake bias News about Isamic terror that liberals hate PeakProsperity.com unknown Economic facts that liberals despise pjmedia.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate powerlineblog.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate rightwingnews.com bias unreliable Political news and opinion liberals hate ShadowStats.com unknown Economic facts that liberals despise SteveQuayle.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate theamericanmirror.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate TheBurningPlatform.com unknown Economic facts that liberals despise theconservativetreehouse.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate theduran.com unreliable Political news and opinion liberals hate thegatewaypundit.com bias conspiracy unreliable Political news and opinion liberals hate theintercept.com unknown Political news and opinion liberals hate therightscoop.com fake clickbait Videos of news shows that liberals hate truepundit.com bias clickbait Political news and opinion liberals hate twitchy.com clickbait rumor Tweets that liberals hate unz.com unknown Politically incorrect articles that liberals hate weaselzippers.us unreliable bias Political news and opinion liberals hate weeklystandard.com political bias Political news and opinion liberals hate westernjournalism.com bias clickbait Political news and opinion liberals hate wikileaks.org unknown Government documents that liberals hate wnd.com bias clickbait unreliable Political news and opinion liberals hate zerohedge.com conspiracy Political news and opinion liberals hate Missing from any hints of bias are the New York Times, NBC News, and pretty much everyone in the MSM. Both the chairman and ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee have asked President Trump to produce evidence that Trump Tower phones had been wiretapped by the Obama administration no later than today. The request came in a letter to the White House by Republican chairman Devin Nunes and Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff. President Trump has requested that Congress investigate the wiretapping as part of its probe into Russian hacking of the election. The Hill: A congressional aide confirmed to The Hill that Schiff and Nunes made the request in a letter to the White House. The letter was first reported by The Associated Press. Trump has kept his distance from the press since last weekend, when he accused former President Barack Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower before the November election. Trump did not provide any evidence of the claim, and a spokesperson for Obama denied that he or any White House official called for the surveillance. The White House has asked that an investigation of the alleged wiretaps be part of the probe into Russia's interference in the presidential election. Nunes has said that the intelligence panel would investigate potential surveillance of political parties as part of its Russia inquiry. Democrats have slammed Trump for the accusations, with Schiff calling them "outlandish" and destructive." If there are any ongoing inquiries resulting from wiretaps authorized by a secret FISA warrant, President Trump may be unable to comply with that request not without blowing up the investigation. But it is more likely that if any surveillance of Trump campaign aides occurred, no warrant would have been issued at all. NSA intercepts of communications originating in Trump Tower could have been accessed under certain circumstances by other intelligence agencies. If that were the case, any evidence would be anecdotal. It's hard to see Nunes and Schiff accepting that as proof. Trump may be unable to respond to the intel committee request because there is no paper trail that investigators could examine. Unless there are warrants issued by the Justice Department of which no one is aware, it is likely that the intel committee's demand that Trump put up or shut up about wiretapping will go unheeded. As hard as it will be to pass health insurance reform, tax reform, and infrastructure legislation, President Trump's toughest challenge will come in trying to cut the numbers of federal workers. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but budget and government experts are calling the planned reductions in the federal workforce a "historic contraction" not seen since the drawdown after World War II. Cabinet secretaries will have some leeway in how they reduce their departments' workforces. Some may rely on the normal attrition that occurs in any workforce with retirements and vacancies created by promotions being responsible for most reductions. Others may seek to eliminate entire departments with the subsequent layoff of government workers. Other presidents have tried and mostly failed to cut the Leviathan that is the federal workforce. But there is no doubt President Trump has a historic opportunity to actually make that promise a reality. Washington Post: Still, budget experts said it was unclear what the precise impact on many agencies might be because the departments could choose to implement reductions in a variety of ways. Administration officials have also stressed that discussions are ongoing between budget officials and agencies, and that the size of the budget cuts remains fluid. Moreover, the cuts cannot take effect unless they are authorized by Congress, which could prove difficult. Lawmakers routinely rebuffed budget requests from President Barack Obama, leading instead to protracted negotiations between both sides. Already, Democrats have vowed to fight Trump's proposals, and some Republicans have also expressed unease at the size of the reductions. The White House declined to comment publicly, but administration officials have signaled for weeks that large cuts will be part of the budget. "Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to reinvest in our military and make ourselves a military power once again," National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said on "Fox News Sunday." "If you're doing that in an area where you have to balance the budget and you cannot create a further deficit, you have to make cuts. It's no different than every other family in America that has to make the tough decisions when they need to spend money somewhere, they have to cut it from somewhere else." The federal government is projected to spend $4.091 trillion next year, with roughly two-thirds of that going mostly toward Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, poverty assistance and interest payments on the government debt. This spending is expected to be left untouched in the budget proposal next week. What Trump will propose changing is the rest of the budget, known as discretionary spending, which is authorized each year by Congress. Slightly more than half of this remaining money goes to the military, and the rest is spread across agencies that operate things like education, diplomacy, housing, transportation and law enforcement. Trump's power of persuasion will be tapped to get most of these cuts through Congress. He is going to have to convince the GOP that there will be no shrinking of government without pain to the voters. Although this is self-evident, many conservatives in Congress over the years have talked a good game when it comes to shrinking the size and influence of Washington on people's lives but, in the end, voted to increase the size of government. In effect, Trump will be telling Republicans who call themselves "budget hawks" to put up or shut up. As for the rest of the Republican caucus, the pressure from interest groups not to cut certain programs will be enormous. As usual, the media will portray any cuts in the budget as (choose one) 1) the war on the poor, 2) the war on science, 3) the war on women, or 4) the war on sanity. Because only a crazy person believes that the government is too big and spends too much money. How to measure success? If Trump can get 50% of the budget cuts he's asking for, he will be doing well far better than any president since Reagan. He should do better in shrinking the size of the federal workforce. Department heads who refuse to fill vacancies could result in a substantial reduction in federal workers. "Draining the swamp" represented by the permanent bureaucracy will prove more difficult than the president imagines. But the rewards will be great. Thousands of federal workers will no longer be forced to justify their existence by expanding their powers at the expense of the people and the states. If that happens, a historic reversal in the growing power of government will be stopped in its tracks. Journalists and academics are not alone in underestimating Donald Trump. A foreign ambassador has now gone on the record as having been "pleasantly surprised" by the "informed questions" President Trump asked in two extended phone calls, despite having been advised to keep the conversations short because Trump "does not have a long attention span." Benny Johnson of the Independent Journal-Review attended a dinner with the Afghan ambassador in which the diplomat, Dr. Hamdullah Mohib, spoke on the record about his conversations with our president: During this Q and A, the ambassador was asked about the current American administration and how the people of Afghanistan viewed President Trump. His answer stunned those listening, not only for its candor but also for its rare insight into how the president approaches foreign policy. His full response to the question: "I've personally met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago and the president has had two phone conversations with President Ghani [The president of Afghanistan]. One call was after he won the election and one after [Trump] became president. Before the calls, we were advised to keep conversations short because, we were told, Trump will not be interested in the details of the call and does not have a long attention span, so it would be pointless to have a long call. However, we were pleasantly surprised at how much time President Trump spent asking very informed questions. The first time the presidents spoke, the questions Trump asked impressed us. "How can you win in this fight [against terrorism]?" he asked. "What do you need to become financially independent?" and "How can American business invest in Afghanistan? How can we develop businesses and mining in your country?" Trump would listen intently after each question, often asking follow-ups. Trump's second call with our president was even longer than the first. Asking these types of questions for our country is something the Obama administration never did. The Obama administration was the most academic administration we have ever had to deal with but the Trump administration has been the most thoughtful and intelligent. Trump continually asked "How can you win? What does Afghanistan need to win?" in reference to our fight with terrorism. Trump wants to win. Sincerely. All the Obama administration wanted to do was not lose. The Obama administration was hesitant with us. The enemy could sense that. When the Obama administration announced its plans to pull troops out of the region, they announced the exact date they would do it. All our enemies had to do was wait [Obama] out. They knew the date they had to hang on until which gave them the will to fight. They used that time to recruit and build up resources. Madeleine McCann: a manhunt, a lifeline and a missing man Madeleine McCann: a look at reporting on the missing child. Daily Mirror (front page): Maddie Cops Hunt Worker At Resort. The now ex-employee has vanished. Like the missing child, he just disappeared? In the very first paragraph we get not facts but news that cops believe the missing worker has clues about her disappearance. The Portuguese man worked at the Ocean Club resort at the time Madeleine McCann was snatched in 2007. The next headline adds: Madeleine McCann cops hunt worker at resort as they fear he kept secrets from local police. So the missing man spoke with police, then. He gave a statement at the time but detectives fear he may have kept secrets. The man spoke with police two days after the child vanished. Believe. Fear. May. Its the Maddie Mantra. As ever with this story of the missing child, facts give way to feeling. Unable to add anything of substance, the Mirror repeats itself: British officers trying to find the youngster fear he may have kept secrets from local detectives that could have led to a breakthrough in the case. Why do British police believe the wanted man may not have told local police everything? A Portuguese police source tells readers: British officers are convinced he knows more than he was previously saying and are very keen to question him. They dont believe it. They know it. they are convinced. Is that why the Maddie cops are hunting him? They are not looking for him to help with their enquiries. They are hunting him, as you might hunt for a man who doesnt want to be caught. The word is more loaded than Gorge bush at a frat house party. But hold on. The unnamed source tells us that the hunted man might not have anything to do with the missing child. They are not suggesting he stole Maddie, says the source, but he may know people who could have been involved after a burglary went wrong. The investigation in Britain seems to be grinding to a halt and they want to rule him out of the case if not rule him in. Then detectives know they have done everything in their power to try to solve the case. So much for the manhunt. As for the facts, the Mirror soon revisits the old news: Her doctor parents Kate and Gerry McCann , of Rothley, Leics, have always believed their daughter is still alive. As ever, the paper mentions the parents jobs. Daily Express (front page): Parents joy at lifeline in hunt for Madeleine Another hunt, but this time its the search for the missing child. The Express hones in on Madeleine McCanns parents. The child peers out from the papers cover, as she has done scores of times over the past decade. And we learn nothing new. All we know is the child went missing. The rest is speculation. Such are the facts. Anorak Posted: 13th, March 2017 | In: Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Rome, March 13 - The Il Sole 24 Ore board on Monday granted the request of the financial daily's editor, Roberto Napoletano, to be placed on unpaid leave amid a three-million-euro misappropriation probe, to be replaced on an interim basis by Guido Gentili. The newspaper's staff had said they would strike until Napoletano resigned. Tax police on Friday raided the Il Sole 24 Ore group offices in a probe where 10 people are under investigation for false reporting and misappropriation to the tune of 3 million euros. Among those probed for false reporting are the former chairman of the group, Benito Benedini, former CEO Donatella Treu and Napoletano. The probe is focused on the suspected fictitious registration of tens of thousands of digital subscriptions, police said. Il Sole said in a statement it had complete faith in the judiciary, which it was sure would get to the bottom of things, and was weighing actions to safeguard shareholders. Napoletano voiced "full, total and absolute confidence in the investigating magistrature" and said "I am certain I will be able to demonstrate in all fora the full correctness of my conduct, which I have shown all my life". Il Sole 24 Ore is Italy's leading financial daily. The group also controls a business radio station, Radio24. Journalists at Il Sole said they would strike until Napoletano stepped down, and staff at Radio24 also announced a strike. TUNIS - A group of over ten civil society associations and NGOs have called on the local authorities to publish the text of a recent agreement between Germany and Tunisia concerning the voluntary repatriation of approximately 1,500 irregular migrants, announced during the visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 3. The signatories of the call include the Italian Council for Refugees. They are opposed to all readmission agreements on grounds these violate the fundamental right to freedom of circulation and dignity and physical integrity of migrants. In addition, the new measures allegedly deny the right to appeal for those who are ordered to leave the country. The organisations denounce the excessive pressure that is allegedly being put on Tunisia in relation to migration policy and are calling for a national debate on the issue. They are also critical of the fact that their opinion was not sought in relation to the agreement and call on the German authorities to develop integration policies that conform to human rights and international conventions. Ramses statue to be shown at Great Egyptian Museum Ministry denies remains were damaged by digger (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MARCH 13 - The giant statue of Pharaoh Ramses II found by archaeologists in Cairo recently will be displayed at the future Great Egyptian Museum if it can be reassembled, Daily News Egypt reports. The ministry of antiquities has denied that the eight-metre statue was damaged by a digger during recovery, the source added. The photograph of the head in the mechanical shovel "caused un uproar", the news site said. It also reported criticism of the failure to use more sophisticated techniques for removing the huge remains. In a statement Thursday the head of Egyptian antiquities at the ministry said that only the head was moved using the digger under the supervision of Egyptian and German archaeologists, and that wooden beams and cork were used for protection. It also recalled that pharaonic monuments suffered considerable damage in Greek and Roman times. The Great Egyptian Museum is due to open in Cairo next year. (ANSAmed). ROME - Police chiefs from western Mediterranean countries have met in Marseilles for a conference on boosting measures to counter terrorism and human trafficking in the region. The meeting of police reps from Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Malta, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania saw the presentation of the Interpol project for fighting criminal networks involved in people smuggling and crimes against minors from North Africa, and of the 'Euromed Police IV' project to improve the safety of people living in the Euro-Mediterranean area through greater cooperation between police forces and joint training protocols. Council of Europe urges Italy to pass torture law Ministers 'concerned' by delay in applying Genoa G8 ruling (ANSAmed) - STRASBOURG, MARCH 13 - The Council of Europe (CoE) on Monday urged Italy to swiftly introduce the crimes of torture and degrading treatment, ensuring they are properly sanctioned and culprits can no longer get off. Voicing "concern", the CoE's council of ministers said measures taken by Italy to comply with an April 2015 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on the infamous police night raid on sleeping quarters of demonstrators at the 2001 Group of Eight summit were "insufficient". On April 7, 2015 the ECHR condemned Italy and called for legislative changes after "torture" during a police raid in July 2001 on anti-globalization protestors camping out at the Diaz school during the Genoa G8 summit. The court condemned Italy not only for what happened to the demonstrators, but also because it said the country lacks appropriate legislation to punish the crime of torture even though it ratified a UN convention on torture in 1988. The government said in response that an anti-torture bill mandating sentences of up to 12 years now before the Lower House would be sped up. The Diaz raid is perhaps Italy's most notorious case of police brutality. In the night assault on the Diaz school, hundreds of police attacked about 100 activists and a few journalists, wounding 82 and seriously injuring 61 - three critically and one, British journalist Mark Covell, left in a coma with rib and spinal injuries. Officers planted evidence including two Molotov cocktails and hammers and knives from a nearby construction site to justify the raid. Amnesty International called the event "the most serious suspension of democratic rights in a Western country since the Second World War". In its ruling in April 2015, the ECHR upheld a complaint from a 62-year-old Italian, Arnaldo Cestaro, who was brutally beaten that night and still suffers from the injuries he sustained. It noted that none of the officers who actually inflicted the beatings are serving jail time because of the statute of limitations, and urged Italy to rectify this. In reaction after that sentence, ruling Democratic Party (PD) chair Matteo Orfini said it is "shameful" that Gianni De Gennaro was now president of State-controlled defence giant Finmeccanica, recently renamed Leonardo, because he was national police chief during the scandal-hit Genoa G8 summit. De Gennaro, appointed head of Finmeccanica in July 2013, ordered the raid on demonstrators but was not punished by the courts. He was the only ranking officer to escape nominal punishment. AMMAN - The Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Dario Scannapieco arrived in Jordan to meet officials to discuss means of boosting cooperation with the kingdom, an official statement said. "The Economic resilience Initiative is an important step up in the Bank's commitment to Jordan at a critical point in its political and economic development," Scannapieco said ahead of the visit that starts today and ends on Teusday. During his visit to Jordan, the EIB Vice President will attend a business breakfast organised in coordination with EDAMA business association on the EIB supporting economic resilience in Jordan through private sector investments. Several members of the government and Mr. Andrea Fontana, the EU ambassador to Jordan will attend the business breakfast as well as representatives of the Jordanian business community. The EIB Economic Resilience Initiative forms part of the joined up EU response to the challenges posed by forced displacement and migration, and will be implemented in close cooperation with EU member states and other partners. The initiative involves support for the public and the private sectors in Jordan and other affected countries. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. As part of the agreement, 50% of the funds collected from the Dubai Duty Free Foundation charity boxes located in all terminals at Dubai International and Al Maktoum International Airport as well as in other premises in Dubai, will be donated to Dubai Cares. This significant contribution will go towards supporting education programmes implemented by the UAE-based global philanthropic organisation in developing countries. The agreement, which will run for three years, was signed by Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free and Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares at Dubai Duty Free Head Office. McLoughlin said, We are delighted to sign this agreement with Dubai Cares who do a fantastic job in identifying and implementing effective human development programmes throughout the world. We believe this partnership is the start of something very exciting and we will work closely with Dubai Cares to identify specific initiatives that tie in with our own Foundations objectives. Al Gurg said, Providing education to children and young adults is the first stepping stone towards higher education, valuable opportunities, personal development and social success. It ensures that children and young adults obtain the basic skills required to gain autonomy and independence. Dubai Duty Free Foundation shares similar values as we do and the partnership will enable us to significantly improve access to quality education in developing countries. The EAP Shared Services centre was officially opened today, Monday 13 March, by Aleksandar Vucic, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia; James Hogan, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, and Sinisa Mali, Mayor of Belgrade. The new facility, located near Serbias capital city centre will perform contact centre and loyalty operations in Europe for Etihad Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Regional, expanding in time to include Alitalia and Air Berlin, as well as their respective loyalty programmes. Initially over 200 Serbian nationals will be employed at the centre, which is planned to increase to approximately 685 people by 2020. The workforce is set to handle more than 4.4 million calls by 2020. Speaking to guests and media at the opening, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, said: The EAP Shared Services Centre is another example of successful foreign investment in Serbia. The fact that this centre is being established right here in Belgrade demonstrates the confidence that renowned international companies such as Etihad have in our country and workforce. The EAP Shared Services team is multi-lingual and trained to provide world-class customer service which is a true reflection of the modern Serbia. James Hogan, said: We are delighted to open this latest EAP Shared Services centre which brings many EAP airlines, and their loyalty programs, under one roof. This Centre of Excellence will provide a wealth of efficiencies for each airline and allow them to compete effectively in an increasingly complex and competitive global marketplace. The EAP Shared Services centre is located in the Airport City business park in New Belgrade and adds to the global portfolio of service centres operated by partner airlines. Today, Etihad Airways operates three contact centres in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one in Manchester. This new route will connect Americas largest metropolitan area and Dubai through one of Europes great capitals, said Hubert Frach, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West, Emirates. The launch of this year-round daily service will allow us to offer Emirates unique product and award-winning service to passengers on a route long neglected by other airlines. We expect this service to generate consistently high demand and enhance business, culture and leisure connections on both sides of the Atlantic. It is always a great pleasure to announce new air services, route expansions and partnerships at our airport, said Diane Papaianni, the General Manager at Newark Liberty International Airport. Our airport has a vast network of destinations, and we are delighted to have Emirates join our airline family and offer more travel options to our customers. "Emirates' direct, year-round operations on the Athens-New York route is a spectacular development for the Athens market, enhancing its connectivity and presenting the traveling public with new travel options on Emirates' excellent product. At the same time, Athens strong traffic volumes to/from the US, underpinned by the vibrant Greek-American community, signify the potential and the success of the route. We wish to our airline-partner all the best to this ground-breaking endeavor", said Dr. Yiannis Paraschis, CEO, Athens International Airport. "The United States is a priority market for Greece, said Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Koutras. Greece has experienced a double-digit increase in arrivals from the United States in the past two years. The establishment of the new direct flight Dubai-Athens-New York will significantly empower Greece's appeal among the U.S. travel audience. Emirates will serve the route with a wide-body Boeing 777-300ER powered by General Electric GE90 engines, offering eight seats in First class, 42 seats in Business class and 304 seats in Economy class, as well as 19 tons of belly-hold cargo capacity. Iran Airs A330-200 features a two class cabin layout, seating 32 passengers in business and 206 in economy. The delivery, which took place at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, marks yet another milestone for Iran Air, as it celebrates its 56 anniversary since establishment. The A330 Family has now attracted more than 1,500 orders and over 1,100 A330 Family aircraft are flying with more than 100 operators worldwide. The A330 is one of the worlds most efficient aircraft with best in class operating economics. German company Lufthansa Technik is pioneering paperless maintenance following on from, and linking with, the paperless cockpit otherwise known as the digital flightbag. Now introduced at its maintenance sites in Germany for its entire fleet of Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A350 aircraft, all documents involving the resolution of defects on aircraft from parent company Lufthansa Airlines, and its freight offshoot Lufthansa Cargo, will be stored and actioned purely in digital form, eliminating paper. Over the coming year, the project will result in the elimination of all current computer writing devices and enable a simple overview of MRO operations throughout the Lufthansa fleet, with the same inputted real-time data being visible worldwide from Frankfurt or Munich to New York and from Sydney to the Philippines. An electronic job sheet (eJobcard) has already been introduced throughout Lufthansas German line maintenance operations and the ground log book (GLB), a paper-based document, has been replaced with the electronic ground log (eGL), saving tonnes of paper a year. By initiating this project, the worlds largest MRO provider is already saving hundreds of thousands of pages of paper each year, and over the coming couple of years this will save many millions of sheets. The electronic initiative is enabled through an application called maintenance log, developed by Lufthansa Technik. It assists aircraft technicians in recording and outputting data, and it can be used on various mobile devices including smart phones and tablets. Lufthansa Technik claims that electronic documentation, when used in combination with mobile devices, requires one-off data entry by the maintenance personnel directly at the site when the information is acquired. It will also facilitate the technicians work by introducing, over time, in-cockpit data entry directly into their hand-held devices, meaning that they will no longer need to sit in the pilots seats to ascertain what a specific issue is and how to solve it. Linking in with the electronic job card the next stage of the project it will eliminate the risk of Chinese whispers, where information is passed by word of mouth from person to person and then re-entered by hand. Gerald Frielinghaus, head of the MROs paperless maintenance programme said: With paperless maintenance, Lufthansa Technik is not only saving paper, environmental resources, time and money; it is also accelerating the provision and transmission of information globally. It also makes some work processes fully obsolete and others, thanks to electronic documentation, more streamlined, clearer, and less prone to error. Superfluous data entry is also no longer necessary. Our colleagues working on the aircraft appreciate the new application, as it brings noticeable improvement in terms of unnecessary documentation and allows personnel to concentrate more on their technical work. The entire project is now being taken over by Dr Rainer Sebus, who assumed leadership of the project on Frielinghaus recent retirement. Over the coming months, more than 2,000 technicians in Frankfurt will be equipped with smartphones and tablets as part of the project. This will enable them to document their findings directly where theyre working, in just about every work situation. Other advanced steps in the project include individualised digital ordering and the more comprehensive integration of complaint management support processes, for example when documenting delays or damage. Over the coming years Lufthansa Technik will, subject to regulatory approval (particularly regarding e-signatures), launch its paperless maintenance project worldwide, simplifying the work of its more than 25,000 employees globally where its work encompasses the entire spectrum or MRO activities including maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification, conversion, engines and components. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) still has to sign-off on the project, although Boeing has agreed to paperless MRO operations; the only exception, for obvious reasons, is work undertaken within fuel tanks, where electronic devices are unlikely ever to be acceptable. According to Lufthansa Technik, its technicians already love what the programme is bringing, as it reduces the need for multiple data-input and also, potentially, links directly with Lufthansa Techniks and each of the airlines planning and engineering departments. Currently, more than four million .pdf job cards are created and then printed-out annually, so this project is saving vast quantities of paper, along with printer ink and time. Some airlines have yet to agree the introduction of the paperless era but the Lufthansa Technik team is confident that they will see the cost and time benefits over the coming months. In 2015, British Airways received operational approval from the UKs Civil Aviation Authority to use Boeings electronic logbook (ELB) on its 787 fleet, making it the first Dreamliner operator to go paperless for technical and cabin logs. Developed in partnership with Ultramain Systems, the ELB is intended to enable improved and more efficient communication between flightcrew, cabin crew and ground-based maintenance and engineering staff. The ELB software runs on the 787s integrated electronic flightbag and on-board server system to gather both automatically collected flight data and crew-observed fault input. Information is shared with ground-based personnel and maintenance systems while the aircraft is still airborne, enabling ground maintenance crews to be ready at the gate with parts and documentation. Jaime Hayon has accomplished many things in his career, creating products, art and interiors that have firmly established him as world class talent but with the opening of the new Hotel Torre Madrid, he opens a new personal chapter. As a native Madrileno the chance to create something unique for the Barcelo Hotel group in one of the citys most iconic buildings was an opportunity to bring his signature talents to his hometown. I was fully dedicated to the creation of a very special and unique space that would represent a new vision of Spain, a vision far from the traditional aesthetic , aside from being my hometown, for me Madrid represents Spains diversity and richness. Steeped in Spanish historical and cultural references, Hayon takes us on a visual journey through Spains past, mixing architectural details that evoke Roman arches and rich, jewel like tones and finishes reminiscent of the Arabic and Moorish influences that have helped create the beauty of Spain. The influences of the past are matched by an elegant design that unifies historic grandeur with a modern approach, amplifying the natural light and filling each space with some of the finest European brands of furniture, perfectly lit and furnished in a palette of colours that reflect the richness and warmth of Spain itself. In the Torre Madrid, Hayon has created a magical space that will undoubtedly become a destination not just for visitors but for the people of Madrid. This is a hotel that sits perfectly in a city that is home to the Prado, a museum level quality of materials and finishes combined with Hayons clever and thoughtful design brings a luxurious glamour to this iconic building at the very heart of the city. Entering the lobby, you are greeted by an enormous sculpture of a bear, zebra striped in pattern and tipping his large brass top hat in welcome, a wonderfully surreal nod to the coat of arms of the city of Madrid but also uniquely Hayon in its joyful, energy and sophisticated execution. This playful but imposing entrance sets the tone throughout, luxurious golden glazed ceramics, hang above the stunning Garra bar which features possibly the tallest drinks cabinet in the city, a cosmopolitan space of Romanesque arches, looking out to the city through windows that feature emblems of Spanish culture rendered as brass drawings. Throughout the hotel, small sculptures, masks, multiple characters from the vivid imagination of Hayon populate the public spaces and hallways. Each unique detail, lends the ambience of a boutique hotel but carried out on a scale across nine floors that only a truly grand hotel can provide. The framed artwork on display was commissioned from the photographers Klunderbie who taking their cue from Hayons desire to showcase the richness and diversity of Spanish culture have created a series that combines deeply Spanish subjects; the bullfighter, the flamenco dress, palm trees, a variety of cultural icons and emblems with their unique painterly approach to make work that feels both exuberant and classically restrained, stark in beauty and rich in detail , the perfect complement to Hayons design. The furnishings and light fixture are the result of the many fruitful collaborations that Jaime has worked on in the last decade with some of Europes finest furniture brands and design houses. The rooms are furnished with pieces by Fritz Hansen, &Tradition, Gubi, Arflex, Cassina, BD Barcelona, Parachilna lamps and more, each piece part of a unified design language that involved many expert craftsmen to bring to fruition this dazzling interior. Every corner of the hotel has been thoughtfully designed to create vignettes that balance a sophisticated aesthetic with comfort and luxury. The curves of the sofa and chairs, the subtly elegant lighting, the sumptuousness of the colours, the wit and humour of the decorative details, across the hotel Hayons trademark ingenuity is on display at its most effective and appealing heights. Since its construction in 1957, the Tower of Madrid has been a symbol of modern Madrid with 142 meters of height and its 34 floors. And now, with the opening of the Torre Madrid hotel across nine of those floors it boasts an interior that fully reflects its grandeur and location. With the completion of this ambitious design Hayon has given his hometown the ultimate compliment, a beautiful, unique space that pays homage to the wonder that is Madrid, creating a hotel to match the glamour of any of the grand cities of Europe. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Big expectations shouldnt be made in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement associated with the regional visits of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, David Babayan, spokesman of the President of the Republic of Artsakh, told ARMENPRESS. It isnt right to expects a positive movement in the settlement process at this stage, because Azerbaijan continues its terrorist actions and its destructive policy, Babayan said. Babayan highlighted the Co-Chairs visit to the region and said that the visit will be interesting since two of the Co-Chairs are new. No breakthrough should be expected. This visit will have more of a familiarization nature. They will visit Armenia, Artsakh, we of course will present the facts and evidence on Azerbaijani violations. It is always done through different channels. Evidence and assessments over the February 24-26 actions were also presented to the OSCE Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. So the process continues, Babayan said. He mentioned that various issues are being discussed during the meeting with the Co-Chairs relating to the regions situation, existing violations. Artsakh will once again focus on the issue of introducing mechanisms for investigation of ceasefire violations. Speaking on the border situation, Babayan said the night of March 13 was relatively calm, an average amount of violations were recorded. Armenias FM Edward Nalbandian had announced the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will visit Armenia and Artsakh on March 27. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Syrian armed opposition will not take part in the meeting over the Syrian conflict in Astana, Osama Abu Zeid, the delegations representative told RIA Novosti. Our yesterdays statement was very clear: the armed groups have no plans to take part in the Astana meeting since the promises on ceasefire are not fulfilled yet, Abu Zeid said. The regular international high-level meeting on Syria will be held on March 14 in Astana. According to the Kazakhstans MFA, on March 14 preliminary consultations are scheduled, and plenary session will be held on March 15. The result of the second round of talks was the final agreement reached over creating monitoring group on ceasefire in Syria with the participation of Iran, Russia and Turkey. The armed opposition groups participated in the first and second rounds of talks. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenias minister of agriculture Ignati Arakelyan held a meeting with Nadia Petkova, regional director for agribusiness of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The meetings purpose was to discuss directions of further cooperation in the agriculture sector and outline the possibilities for joint programs, the ministry told ARMENPRESS. Ignati Arakelyan said the upcoming programs in Armenias agriculture sector are currently in the designing stage. The EBRD expressed readiness to provide credit resources for major business operators in Armenias agriculture sphere. Petkova said they expect the Armenian agriculture ministrys assistance in this issue. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry exchanged messages on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, Edward Nalbandian documented in his message that the past quarter of century was a period of developing inter-state relations and deepening of friendship between the two peoples. Minister Nalbandian stressed that Armenians in Egypt have had an important role in the history of Egypt and today also significantly contribute to the development of relations between the two states. Edward Nalbandian noted that he is proud to have had his personal contribution to the establishment and strengthening of inter-state relations as the first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Egypt. The Armenian FM expressed conviction that the cooperation will be jointly developed and deepened for the sake of the welfare of the two friendly peoples. Sameh Shoukry noted in his message that the warm relations between the two states come from the roots of the history. The Egyptian FM stressed that the friendly relations and cooperation between the two states are based on reciprocal respect and common interests. Sameh Shoukry added this has led to dialogue over numerous issues, including regional and international issues, apart from bilateral relations in different spheres. Sameh Shoukry expressed conviction that friendship and cooperation between Armenia and Egypt will continue to develop and deepen during the coming years. Upcoming events The Army takes part in and hosts many public events throughout the year, from musical spectaculars to displays of some of the most up to date equipment in use today by armed forces around the world. The way the Canadian industry is set up right now, we fund people to make work, but we dont fund people to market work. If people dont know a film is out there, and youre not marketing it to them as American companies do, then you wont get people to see it. Its not that complicated, actually. On March 2, 1917, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, handing power to a socialist provisional government; in October, led by Lenin, the Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Place in St. Petersburg and formed a new government. A year later Lenin launched his Plan for Monumental Propaganda: painting, sculpture, photography, posters, textiles, and ceramics were all to proclaim the glory of the Bolshevik state. Last month, the RBI had issued a notification that there would be no restrictions from March 13. RBI had issued a notification saying that the withdrawal limit of cash from savings bank accounts will be relaxed to Rs. 50,000 from February 20 New Delhi: All restrictions on cash withdrawal from savings bank account have been removed from today as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had announced about it last month. Earlier, it had removed cash withdrawal limits from ATMs from February 1. Last month, the RBI had issued a notification saying that the withdrawal limit of cash from savings bank accounts will be relaxed to Rs. 50,000 from February 20 and there would be no restrictions from March 13. The Central Bank had put curbs on cash withdrawals and set a withdrawal limit from the ATMs and from bank accounts after the announcement the decision to demonetise old Rs. 500 and 1,000 currency notes on November 8 last year. The 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage' actress will be celebrating the colourful festival with her family this year. Mumbai: The festival of Holi is celebrated on Sunday and Monday and our Bollywood stars are also not the ones to be far behind. Deepika Padukone, who is making headlines for her recent venture in Hollywood with the film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, will be celebrating Holi with her family. The actress realizes that is important to take care of your hair from the harsh colours. When asked about her plans and beauty tip for this Holi, Deepika says, Last year during Holi, I was filming in Canada for The Return Of Xander Cage. This year I will be celebrating the festival at home with my family. During the festival, all of us religiously apply coconut oil. It protects my hair and also repairs any damage caused by the colours". Sharing her favourite Holi memory, she says, Playing Holi with colour and water guns with my friends in the building. Deepika also shared her favourite Holi song and it is Balam Pichkari from her own film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. When it comes to food, the beautiful lady says that she always prefers home food. The Pakistani troops earlier in the day fired along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. Poonch: Cross-LoC Poonch-Rawlakote bus service was suspended on Monday as a precautionary measure in view of fierce exchange of fire and mortar shells between the armies of India and Pakistan. The bus service has been suspended for a week. Earlier in the day, Pakistani troops fired along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. The Indian troop was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of 'unprovoked' ceasefire violation in the last three days. Troops from Pakistan opened fire in four villages. No casualty had been reported yet. Pakistani nationals had earlier expressed that the trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade between the two hostile countries through the Poonch-Rawlakot route should remain normal at Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. The President has accepted Manohar Parrikar's resignation, following which Jaitley has been given the Defence portfolio. New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accepted Manohar Parrikar's resignation from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. He also has directed that Arun Jaitley, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios as advised by Modi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to form the government in Goa under the leadership of Parrikar, who will be sworn-in as the chief minister on Tuesday. Governor Mridula Sinha had earlier invited Parrikar to form the next government in the coastal state last night after he submitted a letter of support of 21 legislators. Jaitley had the additional charge of the Defence Ministry from May 2014 to November 2014. The decision was taken after Parrikar resigned on Monday. He will take oath as the Chief Minister of Goa on Tuesday. The BJP, which failed to cross the half-way mark in the assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup on Sunday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house. The Congress got 17 seats in the recently concluded polls. The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly. New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday cried foul as the BJP was set to form the government in Manipur with the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32. "As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting the law and democracy," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in New Delhi. "Federalism and the rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi Government," he alleged. He also alleged the BJP was misusing the CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct an Independent MLA travelling with an outgoing Congress minister from Imphal to Kolkata. "The BJP is now misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA (Jiribam seat) Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport," he said, adding that the legislator was travelling with outgoing minister Abdul Nasir. Congress general secretary CP Joshi, who is in charge of party affairs in Manipur, has been camping in the state. The BJP on Sunday bagged support from three NDA constituents - the National People's Party (NPP), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Naga People's Front (NPF). Besides, one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP in evening. The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly. The NPP and the NPF has won four seats each, while the LJP has bagged one seat. Eight MLAs have declared cases related to murder and 34 MLAs have declared cases related to attempt to murder. New Delhi: An average of one in four newly-elected MLAs in Uttar Pradesh is named in a serious criminal case like murder or rape, while eight out of 10 is a crorepati, a study showed on Sunday. As per the study released by the UP Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 143 (36 per cent) MLAs have declared criminal cases against them, though down from 189 (47 per cent) among those elected in 2012 Assembly polls. Besides, 107 MLAs (26 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases and this has risen from 98 MLAs or 24 per cent in 2012. The serious criminal cases include offence for which maximum punishment is of five years or more, non-bailable offence, electoral offence, offence related to loss to exchequer, offences that are assault, murder, kidnap, rape related, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, as well as crimes against women. Eight MLAs have declared cases related to murder and 34 MLAs have declared cases related to attempt to murder. One MLA has declared case related to crime against women, such as assault or criminal force to woman. The study said that 83 from the BJP, 11 from the SP, four from the BSP, one from the Congress and three Independents have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. On financial details of the winning candidates, the study said 322 (80 per cent) are crorepatis, up from 271 or 67 per cent of those who won the 2012 assembly elections in UP. The average of assets per MLA who won in the Uttar Pradesh 2017 assembly elections is Rs 5.92 crore whereas the average asset for each candidate who contested in the 2017 assembly elections was Rs 1.90 crore. In 2012, the average assets per MLA analysed was Rs 3.36 crore. A total of 50 MLAs have declared liabilities of Rs 1 crore and above. Only 4 MLAs have not declared PAN details. Number of re-elected MLAs analysed in the assembly elections of 2017 is 92. The average assets of re-elected MLAs in 2012 were Rs 4.62 crore, which has now risen to Rs 8.62 crore. The study further showed that 101 (25 per cent) MLAs have declared their education qualification to be between Class VIII pass and Class XII pass, while 290 (72 per cent) MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. As total of 201 (50 per cent) MLAs have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years while another 201 MLAs have declared their age to be between 51 and 80 years. On gender details, it said only 10 per cent or 40 are women, though up from 32 or 8 per cent in 2012. Earlier, Ibobi Singh had claimed that he had garnered majority support and refused to resign. Imphal: N Biren Singh has been elected as the leader of BJP legislature party in Manipur and will be party's chief ministerial candidate, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. Goyal also said that they will meet Governor soon to stake claim for forming government. The decision was taken Congress veteran Okram Ibobi Singh on Monday said that he would resign as the Chief Minister of Manipur on Tuesday. Thanking senior leaders including Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, Biren Singh said that he had left Congress due to misgovernance. He further said he was sure the party would deliver governance to the state. On the other hand, Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on Monday said he would resign by Tuesday to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung assembly following the just-concluded elections. "I will resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation," he told reporters here. Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah had earlier said that she could start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned. Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me," Singh had said. Chidambaram said based on a single election, there is no need to conclude that only BJP or Modi will sustain and Congress will not. Chennai: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday denounced the seven-phase election schedule in Uttar Pradesh and alleged that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it to "polarise" voters. One of the reasons for the defeat of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh was the absence of a robust party organisational structure there, he said, a day after stating that Modi had emerged as the "most dominant political figure" after the Assembly polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday. "The elections have clearly established that the most dominant political figure in India is Prime Minister Modi and he has a pan-India appeal," Chidambaram had told a gathering at the Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai on Saturday. The Rajya Sabha MP on Sunday said Modi used the intervals between poll phases to alternate between communal "kabristan" (graveyard) talk and "downplaying" such comments in the minorities-dominated areas. "What has happened in Uttar Pradesh? In the first two phases, the presence of minorities were huge and Modi downplayed...after that the tenor of his speeches changed," he said at a public meeting in Chennai. Citing Modi's "kabristan, Diwali and Eid" comments, Chidambaram alleged that the Prime Minister made "false allegations" and polarised the people. "If Prime Minister Modi's speeches kept changing on the basis of constituencies, day in and day out, it was because of the seven-phase election. If the election had been held in a single phase, could Modi have spoken like this?" he asked. "What would have happened if he had talked about 'kabristan' on day one? I denounce the seven-phased election. Why can law-and-order not be maintained in a single phase... does Uttar Pradesh not have a police force?" Chidambaram asked. He said the seven-phase election was itself a "complication". Election in a state should be held on a single day and only then, the campaign speeches will be the same, Chidambaram said. Referring to his party's organisation in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "There may be many reasons for the Congress' big failure in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mischievous campaign was also a big factor. Another reason is there is no party structure," he said. "Although there are district units of the Congress, there are no units below them," Chidambaram claimed, underscoring the need for robust party units right from the booth-level. "There are no local, circle and ward committees. Friends in Uttar Pradesh tell me this," he said. He said to achieve their aspirations, Congress cadre should immediately start strengthening the party units. Referring to the hung verdicts in Goa and Manipur Assembly polls, Chidambaram said, "I do not know if they (BJP) will give opportunity to Congress to form governments or deny them that by giving a price (to others to muster support)." "Only the BJP has the shakti (power) to give a price, and deny opportunity to Congress. Our party does not have that power," he said. Chidambaram said based on the outcome of a single election, there is no need to conclude that only the BJP or Prime Minister Modi will sustain and the Congress or its leaders will not. Referring to the Punjab Assembly polls result, where his party has got a clear majority, he said, "You must understand that no one has decimated the Congress in this election... we have both failures and victories." "I am not denying that the BJP has got a huge victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, the saffron party is not agreeing that they have faced a big defeat in Goa and Punjab... and in Manipur their electoral efforts have not succeeded," Chidambaram said. He said the BJP has set a wrong precedent by not giving poll tickets to Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, where approximately 20 per cent of the population belong to minority communities. "You should realise how they are dividing Indians on the basis of religion," he said. "I am not denying that the BJP has won by its divide-and-rule line in Uttar Pradesh. But the party should not believe that it will help them win in all elections," Chidambaram said. "The Gujarat model of not giving tickets to Muslims was replicated in Uttar Pradesh. The Gujarat model led to huge riots in that state. I cannot even imagine the consequences of the Gujarat model of dividing people being implemented in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "I would tell the people of Uttar Pradesh to be vigilant to avoid bad consequences," Chidambaram said. The series 'Game2: Winter,' which will be filmed on a remote Siberian island, will see 30 participants, armed with knives, face hell. Not even the birth of a baby would make them halt the play (Photo: AFP) Moscow: Just when you thought reality shows couldn't get any weirder and crazier, Russia came up with a real-life Hunger Games, wherein rape and murder will be allowed. The series 'Game2: Winter,' which will be filmed on a remote Siberian island, will see 30 participants, armed with knives, face nine months of hell as they tackle bears, wolves and vicious gnats on the Ob River and its surrounding wilderness, the Mirror reported. Organisers of the show said that they will not intervene with the contestants if any should horrific scenes like rape and murder play out, claiming not even the birth of a baby would make them halt the play. However, they stressed that the participants will be liable to the full force of the Russian law for criminal offences. Despite temperatures ranging between plus 35C in summer and minus 50C in winter, the potential gamers will have only a single set of cold weather clothes to survive the intense frost. The show, the brainchild of Novosibirsk entrepreneur Yevgeny Pyatkovsky, will be filmed on 2,000 fixed cameras and broadcast live 24/7 on the web in various languages including English. After an earlier outcry, the Russian team behind the show removed a "rule" that openly stated, "Everything is allowed. Fighting, alcohol, murder, rape, smoking, anything." But when asked in a report if he will intervene if there is "physical violence, rape, a murder," 35-year-old Pyatkovsky told The Siberian Times, "No, we won't," adding, "I am pretty sure there will be fights, and more. We are not scared of negative reaction if that happens either." He noted that the international participants will be informed ahead of the show "that punishment will follow according to the Russian Criminal Code." Pyatkovsky revealed that the conditions would be more testing than on any TV reality game show. The show is all set to hit the Internet in July. After the packets containing white powder were removed from his abdomen, it was sent for testing and was confirmed as heroin. Noida: An Afghan national who was booked on charges of smuggling heroin has been arrested, police said on Sunday. Abdul Ali (55) was admitted to Metro Hospitals and Heart Institute in Noida on February 28 with complaints of pain in the abdomen and loss of consciousness. He was operated on March 2 and some plastic packets containing white powder were surgically removed from his abdomen. After the packets containing white powder were removed from his abdomen, it was sent for testing and was confirmed as heroin, a police official had said on March 9. During the probe, it was found that two mobile numbers on which Ali had spoken, were registered at Jaitpur in Delhi. But, when police reached there it was found to be fake addresses, police had said. Ali was arrested after he recovered from the surgery, an official at Sector 24 Police Station in Noida said. The bullet fired by the assailant hit the victim's forehead, said police. Mumbai: A man around 30 to 35 years old was on Monday allegedly shot dead by an unidentified person in suburban Dharavi, police said. The incident took place around 12.30 PM in Sangam-gulli near Milan hotel in Dharavi, police said. The deceased is yet to be identified, said police. The bullet fired by the assailant hit the victim's forehead, said police. He was taken to Sion hospital, but was declared dead before admission, the official said. The shooter fled from the spot after firing the bullets, he added. The matter is being investigated and the motive behind the murder can be ascertained only after the identity of the victim is established, said police officials. DCP Crime Manere said of the 19 accused allegedly involved in the crime, seven have been arrested and hunt is on for the remaining suspects. Thane: Police have invoked charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the 19 accused allegedly involved in the murder of a Congress leader in Bhiwandi. "The accused were already charged under the provisions of the IPC and the Arms Act for the murder of Congress leader Manoj Mhatre and now we have added provisions of MCOCA," Thane Additional CP (Crime) Manoj Ranade confirmed on Monday. "The alleged accused indulged in organised crime and let loose a reign of terror in the locality for political and personal gains and this has been revealed during the probe," the order by Thane police stated. DCP Crime Parag Manere said of the 19 accused allegedly involved in the crime, seven have been arrested and hunt is on for the remaining suspects. Congress leader of the house in Bhiwandi-Nizampur civic body Manoj Mhatre was shot dead on February 14 over political rivalry. Marcel Hesse had been rejected by the German army for being mentally unstable. Berlin: A 19-year-old German thrill killer, Marcel Hesse was arrested on Thursday night, for murdering two people, stabbing the first one 56 times and the second one 68 times. He proceeded to send a picture of himself with a bloodied knife to his friend. Hesse had been rejected by the German army for being mentally unstable. According to a report by the Daily Mail, Hesse called 9-year-old Jaden to a cellar in Herne, under the pretext of helping him set up some ladders and stabbing him to death. After the first murder, he alerted the police after four days, who found another murdered victim, 22-year-old Christopher W, in a burning house. After his arrest, he confessed to both the murders. He also, reportedly, took pictures and a video of Jadens murder and posted it on the dark web. Along with the pictures, he also shared messages that were on WhatsApp and in online chat rooms. In one message on an internet chat room, he wrote: I have cut myself in the hand as I fought the 120kg beast. Another note said, I just killed the neighbour's child, doesn't feel bad tbh, my hand bleeds lil' which is the only thing annoying me. I actually wanted to get a girl in here so I can rape her. (sic) His second victim was a college friend, at whose place they ate and played computer games before the murder. After killing him, Hesse stayed at Christopher Ws place and then called the police. He walked into a fast food joint Thessaloniki Grill, in Herne, introduced himself and told the owner, Look on your tablet. You will see a picture of me there. He asked the owner to call the police, who came 10 minutes later and arrested him. Police said in a tweet: 'The arrested man gave us information about the burning flat.' On Friday morning, Reinhard Peters, lawyer for the family of Jaden, said: 'The family is relieved that he has been captured alive to await the full punishment of the law for his crime.' Jadens stepfather found his body in a huge pool of blood. The police also believe that Hesse may have also killed a woman. He had apparently tortured her to get her bank details and pin card number. Authorities also accused Lanning of maintaining ties to leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. (Videograb) Jerusalem: A British activist who advocates boycotting Israel over its occupation of Palestinian territory has been denied entry to the country, authorities said Monday. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv over his "ongoing actions to promote boycotts against Israel," a statement from the immigration authority said. He flew back to London on Monday morning, authority spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said. "The organisation Mr. Lanning heads is one of the leading anti-Israel delegitimisation and BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) organisations in Britain, and one of the largest in Europe," a joint statement from the immigration authority and the strategic affairs ministry said. It also accused Lanning of maintaining ties to leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip. Lanning's organisation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Israel has carried out a campaign against calls to boycott it over its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory. It sees the boycott movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism, a claim that activists deny, saying they only want to see the occupation end. Last week, Israel's parliament adopted a law barring entry to foreigners who support boycotting the country, a move denounced by human rights groups and the opposition as "thought control" harmful to the country's international standing. Lanning was however not stopped due to the new law but instead on the discretion of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who can bar those they see as working to harm Israel, Hadad said. Israeli politicians have become more combative against BDS activists under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history. by Purushottam Nayak The website will be inaugurated on 15 March. it will collect data on those who seek work in another Indian state or abroad. The Labour Office of the Bishops Conference and the Workers India Federation are behind the initiative. New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Labour Office of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) has decided to set up an online portal where migrant workers can register. "We are happy to announce a new online portal for the management of data on migrants, said CBCI Labour Office secretary Fr Jaison Vadassery. It corresponds to our mission to care for the migrant workers of our country as well as promote safe migration and ensure social protection for workers who migrate between the Indian states and abroad." Presented last Friday, the portal is a joint venture with the Workers Federation India (WIF) and will be launched on Wednesday in the presence of CBCI President Card Baselios Cleemis, CBCI Secretary General Mgr Theodore Mascarenhas, and Labour Office President Mgr Oswald Lewis. The number of Indians moving abroad or to the countrys most developed cities in search of employment is constantly rising. Migrant labour has become increasingly important for the global economy, especially since those who go abroad send remittances to their homeland, to the benefit of both the nation and their families. Often however, migrants are victims of abuse, mistreatment, violence, inhuman and degrading living conditions, poverty and misery, ignorant of their rights and unable to assert them. The purpose of the website is to collect data on migrants in order to ensure support and protection for them during their travels and migration at home and abroad. According to the website, Migrants Data Manager is a web based data management system intended to promote the safe migration of the informal workers into the different parts of the country in view of their livelihood. It will promote the culture of a structured and regulated migration in search of jobs reducing the vulnerability of the both employee and the employers. This will give the facility of tracking of the migrants from origin to destinations. Overall, the programme is aimed at building capacity for all the stakeholders in the process of migration in order to achieve better social inclusion of migrant workers and their families at departing and target points. From a practical standpoint, workers will have to register prior to departure and will receive an identification number. Those who register will be given contact details for WIF centres in their place of destination. Registration of workers movements will enable the WIF network (five national and 14 regional) to track places of destination to provide support and assistance to migrants. Founded in 2010 and affiliated with the CBCI, WIF aims at developing inclusive workplaces, and offering training and employment initiatives, as well as health services and pastoral care. Parliamentary approval on March 10. Myanmar opens to relations with other six countries. The Vatican proposal was issued on February 8, 2017. Cardinal Charles Bo, the Nuncio Msgr. Paul Tsang in-Nam and Fr. Maurice Nyunt Wai protagonists of the historic agreement. Yangon (AsiaNews) - The Parliament of the Republic of Myanmar unanimously approved the Vatican proposal to establish diplomatic relations at its meeting on March 10. The approval news was broadcast on state television on March 10 and was published on March 11 by the Mirror, the official government news organ. In a statement on 24 February, the Minister U Kyaw Tin had revealed that the new government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) would begin diplomatic relations with seven countries, once the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the national assembly, he had given their consent. The seven countries with which the Republic of Myanmar will now have new reports include the Vatican City State, Guinea, Malta, Ecuador, Seychelles, Liberia and the Marshall Islands. The Vatican proposal was made on February 8, 2017 to State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, by Archbishop Paul Tsang in-Nam, Vatican nuncio to Thailand and Apostolic Delegate to Myanmar. Under the guidance of Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon and Myanmar's first cardinal, Msgr. Tsang in-Nam officially met with Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence in Nay Pyi Taw, the administrative capital of Myanmar. The apostolic delegates meeting with the Lady was also attended by Card. Bo, tied to the prime minister by a deep friendship, and Fr. Maurice Nyunt Wai, executive secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Myanmar. by Felix Machado* Vasai (AsiaNews) - It will sound superfluous to say that Pope Francis is God's special gift to the Church. In my life, this has been true of all the Pope. Jesus, the Wisdom of God, gave the Church the gift of Peter and his successors. Pope Francis has brought a new vitality to the Church. He makes the Church loved by so many people who, had for some reason or the other, had distanced themselves from the Church. Pope Francis also has brought a renewed motivation for us the ministers (servants) in the Church and I feel happier and happier to be one of the chosen servants in the Church. The Joy of the Gospel, the Joy in the Family and Joy in being a Christian is more explicit in the Church. (Evangelii Gaudium, Amoris Laetitia Laudato Si')) And the world of today needs to see this joy more than ever. The question of migration has become most serious in our times. Migration can be understood in its internal context, as refugees and more subtly, human trafficking. It is alienation of the human person and it is linked to the larger problem of poverty which is understood as economic scarcity and also as isolation, that is, loss and absence which leads to humiliation of a person. The question of poverty can be further linked to injustice, corruption, consumerism (when people are ensnared in a web of false and superficial gratification rather than being helped to experience their personhood in an authentic and concrete way), environmental degradation (Cf. Pope Francis, Laudato si, nn. 48-49), health and welfare of the human person from womb to tomb. Marxist analysis of capitalist bourgeois societies narrowly reduces commercialization and alienation of human existence to a materialistic production and ownership, that is, giving them materialistic foundation. On 8 July 2013 Pope Francis visited Lampadusa, the port in Italy where the refugees arrive if they survive their journey. Pope Francis appealed to the world: Immigrants dying at sea, in boats which were vehicles of hope have now become vehicles of death! This is happening all too frequently. I want to challenge your consciences lest this tragedy be repeated. Pope Francis continues, These are people who journey in hope of a better future. I expect a concrete change of heart in all of us. Gods two questions echo even today as forcefully as ever: 1) Adam where are you?, and 2) Cain, where is your brother? (The Holy Bible, Book of Genesis 3:9 and 4:9). When humanity as a whole loses its bearings, it results in tragedies like the one we are witnessing. The two questions are really directed to each one of us. These miserable brothers and sisters of ours are trying to escape difficult situations to find serenity and peace. Who is responsible for their blood? Nobody! That is our answer because we have lost the sense of responsibility for our brothers and sisters. We are living in a world of globalization of indifference. The globalization of indifference makes us all unnamed anonymous without name! The globalization of indifference has taken from us the ability to weep for our brothers and sisters! On the 30th anniversary of that historic gathering in 1986 at Assisi, In September, Pope Francis travelled to Assisi for for the latest edition of an interreligious prayer for peace Regarding Ecumenism Pope Francis has felt strongly that while we continue to hope for the full and visible unity we must not interrupt proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations and work jointly, untiringly and urgently to bring the mercy of God to our wounded world. He said to the Anglican and Roman Catholic pairs of bishops from 19 countries on 5 October 2016 during the Vespers in the Church of San Gregorio al Celio in Rome: To work always and everywhere as instruments of communion is a great calling. It involves working for the unity of both the Christian family and the human family. These two goals are not only not opposed, but are mutually enriching. When, as disciples of Jesus, we serve together side by side, when we promote openness and encounter, and reject the temptation to narrow-mindedness and isolation, we are working both for the unity of Christians and for the unity of the human family. We acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters with different traditions but inspired by the same Gospel to undertake the same mission to the world. It would always be good, before beginning a particular activity to ask ourselves the following questions. Can we not do this together with our Anglican brothers and sisters? Can we not witness to Jesus by working together with our Catholic brothers and sisters? The Holy Father continues, The mission of shepherds is to help the sheep entrusted to them to go forth and actively proclaim the joy of the Gospel, not to remain huddled in closed circles, in ecclesial micro-climates which would bring us back to the days of clouds and thick darknessThe Church is reinvigorated when she goes out of herself in order to practise and proclaim the Gospel on the byways of the world. (The ecumenical movement is) truly the fire of mission that made it possible to surmount barriers and tear down walls which kept us apart and made a common path unthinkable. Thank you Pope Francis. May God give you many years of service as the head in the Church. Pope Francis knows very well that it is Christ who is still the Head of the Church but the Pope's responsibility is also great and so we pray that God give him strength and courage to strengthen everyone in the profession of faith that Peter made. by Mathias Hariyadi Banners and notices have been displayed in several Jakarta mosques. Police are investigating the matter. Concerned, Religious Affairs minister calls refusals unislamic." The election campaign was marked by acts of intolerance by Islamists against Ahok and his supporters. Tensions are building ahead of the second round of voting in April. Moderate Muslims react. Jakarta (AsiaNews) Some radical Muslim leaders refuse to celebrate an Islamic funeral for those who supported Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in his re-election bid. Currently, elections are scheduled in 101 regencies and cities. Last February, a local chief refused to officiate at the funeral of a resident because of his political preference for Ahok during the first round of voting. A similar incident occurred on 9 March, in the same residential area, arousing the indignation of moderate Muslim Indonesians. Indonesias Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin expressed great concern on Saturday about religious hate messages by some radical Islamist groups. His reaction follows the start of a police investigation into the posting, in different Jakarta mosques, of notices and banners that invite the faithful not to perform funeral rites for Muslim supporters of the outgoing Christian governor. For Minister Saifuddin, a member of the Islamic United Development Party (PPP), such calls are "unislamic" because praying for the dead and carrying out funeral rites are legal and moral duties, fardu kiyafa, that is a moral obligation incumbent upon every Muslim. "If a residential area refuses to fulfill this moral obligation, then the result is clear: all the Muslims of that area are committing sin," the minister said. Saifuddin is also prominent figure in the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesias largest and most moderate Muslim organisation. In his statement, he called on all Jakarta Muslim not to act in an in tolerant manner towards people and families whose political preference is different from theirs, or simply because they voted for Ahok during the first round in February. The campaign saw many religious Islamist leaders call on Muslim voters not to vote for non-Muslim candidates, in particular Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who is facing a blasphemy trial. In Greater Jakarta, the first round of local elections ended with Ahoks victory and that of his running mate, Djarot Saiful Hidayat. in April, they will face off against Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno. Meanwhile, some radical Muslim groups have continued their hate campaign, provoking the reaction of moderate groups. On Saturday, NU representative Ishomuddin Ahmad stated that refusing to pray for the dead suspected of having supported Ahok is an act of intimidation. Ishomuddins statement is echoed by a press release issued by Gerakan Pemuda Ansor, a NU-affiliated youth organisation, which has offered itself to Jakarta Muslims should funeral ceremonies be denied by extremist clerics. by Vladimir Rozanskij A poem ironizes on a recognition - rather unique - awarded by the Minister of Defence and not by the Geographical Society raises a protest Authority for complaints against the press. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Authority for complaints against the press (an independent institute, created in Russia in 2005 by the organs of information, inspired by Putin), is considering an appeal filed last March 10 concerning the publication of some verses composed by the poet Dmitry Bykov, dedicated to the Moscow Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev). The text was published by the magazine "Sobesednik" ( "The Contact") last August, after the Patriarch was conferred with the title of member of the prestigious Russian Geographical Society by the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shojgu. Such recognition, according to the reasoning set out by the Minister, was intended to reward the participation of Kirill, in his youth, in different geological research expeditions, and in general his passion for geography and history, along with the discoveries made also by members of the Ortodox church. During the ceremony, the Patriarch was gifted some photographs, including one taken by the same minister, winner of the contest "The most beautiful country", organized by the Geographical Society. As stated by the chief editor of "Sobesednik" Yuri Pilipenko, the fact aroused some curiosity and Bykov was approached to compose some verses for a satirical publication. In the poem, the poet portrays the Patriarch receiving a messenger of the spirit in the austere academic circles of the powerful: In the elite club of the servants of the crown / whose doors are open for the leaders / under the Minister sign of Mammon / comes the pillar of the spirit, Kirill. The poem then describes the amazement of the geographers at the arrival of a representative of the Church: Looking at his impressive profile / I thought with my usual goodness / that geographers head must be spinning like a globe / at the unexpected arrival of the homiletic. // The religious seemed a bit 'old / hardly a lover of geography: / first he thought that the earth was flat / and many still think so, however. The poem then ends transforming the prize in geography into a proclamation of geopolitics, where the Patriarch stands out as great inspiration. In the note of protest it is therefore noted that the poem "contains improper and unfair comparisons, as a whole raises the indignation of citizens and encourages the hostile feelings toward the Church and the person of the patriarch Kirill." In fact, the personality of the Gundjaev patriarch has often been subject to smear campaigns, since the unfortunate episode of Pussy Riot. In 2012, the three girls from the feminist punk band held an impromptu concert in the Cathedral of Our most Holy Saviour, considereda litany blasphemous (Mother of God, deliver us from Putin!). They also attacked the Patriarch who "believes in Putin rather than in God." Already before becoming patriarch, Metropolitan Kirill had been repeatedly targeted for his social and economic hyperactivity, with initiatives that were rather too daring and which had earned him the reputation of " church oligarch ". Another famous gaffe of 2012 led to him being further pilloried when his 30 thousand euro watch by Breguet, "disappear" from the official photographs only to reappear on various internet sites causing endless controversy. In general, the personality of Kirill is often presented as too "worldly" and compromised with power, unlike the rigid standards of asceticism that usually distinguish the leaders of the Orthodox Church. by Sumon Corraya Some 20 Christian journalists from 13 Asian countries met on 10-11 March and told their stories. SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication. One Indonesian editor cannot sign with his Christian name. Fake news is becoming a problem. Selangor (AsiaNews) "We cannot sell our magazines in public, one Pakistan Catholic journalist said. Indeed, We cannot pin our name to stories of persecution." This case highlights the fact that minority media face obstacles in doing their work. The Asia Journalists' Roundtable focused on the issue on 10-11 March at the Ecumenical Centre of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), Jalan University Selangor. Organised by SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, the meeting, titled Communication, hope and trust in our time, saw the participation of some 20 journalists from 13 countries. The associations aim is to promote ethical professional journalism in the new multimedia era to build a global network for Catholic journalists working across different media in different regions as well as support freedom of expression, and strengthen solidarity among Catholic journalists, said Jim McDonnell, SIGNISs Journalism desk secretary. For most journalists present, being Christian is a real challenge in the field of communication. The Pakistani journalist noted that it is hard for someone from a religious minority to get into journalism. "We're really a few, he explained, so much so that we can be counted on the fingers of a hand." Yohanes Agus Ismunarno from Indonesia has the same difficulties. "I work in mainstream media as chief news editor but I cannot use my Christian name. I cannot freely practice my confession in my country and express the teachings of Christ in articles." The roundtable also focused on the proliferation of fake news. Increasingly, the latter have become commonplace in a world where it is difficult to check the reliability of sources. For Alan John, director of the Asia Journalism Fellowship, this makes the journalist's task even more important. For Perry Paul Lamanilao, from the Philippines, We need to report first-hand information and always check with extreme accuracy the stories we tell. At the same time, "journalists must regain confidence in the professions guiding principles, said Cheng Chomneth, from Cambodia. The Sunni extremist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham claimed responsibility for the attack of March 10; at least 40 victims, about 120 wounded. Two busloads of Iraqi Shiite pilgrims targeted. The attack is a "message to Iran" for supporting Assad. New round of talks in Astana mediated by Tehran, Moscow and Ankara. Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Syrian jihadist group affiliated with al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the double suicide bombing that struck the capital Damascus on March 10, killing at least 40 people. The Sunni extremist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stressed that the attack was "a message to Iran" for the support provided by Tehran to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an NGO based in London with a dense network of sources in the area, most of the victims were Iraqi pilgrims. The group, which has ties to the opposition, the death toll is 74, but there has been no official confirmation. The Iraqi Government adds that at least 120 people are wounded. The double attack was launched with a remote controlled bomb and a suicide bomber who detonated himself, as the buses loaded with pilgrims passed. The double explosion, a rare episode for the Syrian capital, took place near the cemetery of Bab al-Saghir, which is home to a Shiite mausoleum. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, ed] is a new terrorist group, formed by exiles from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (the former Nusra Front, an offshoot of al Qaeda in Syria) and four other smaller groups. Since December 30 last year in Syria, a nation battered by six years of bloody civil war that has left more than 310 thousand deaths and millions of refugees, a fragile truce promoted by Russia, Turkey and Iran is in effect. However, outbreaks of violence and sporadic attacks continue to claim victims. Most of the Damascus territory is under the control of President Assad, although there are several rebel groups in some outlying districts. In January, a double suicide bombing in the Kafr Sousa district claimed at least 10 victims. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham jihadi militias were behind the attack. Meanwhile on the diplomatic front final preparations are being completed for the third Astana meeting, scheduled in the coming days, despite the requests for referral by the opposition groups. "We await the confirmation of some parts - said Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister. The rebels accuse the government and the militias supported by Iran, Assad's allies, of continuing to bomb areas in the hands of the opposition in Damascus, Homs, Deraa et Idlib. Two rounds of Astana talks for peace have already been held, on January 23-24 and mid-February. Moscow, Tehran and Ankara want to consolidate the truce signed after the regular army wrested Aleppo. The UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura emphasized that this appointment should lay the foundation for the "maintenance of the ceasefire, the signing of immediate steps to rebuild trust and practical issues in the fight against terrorism." Turkish President Erdogan accuses even the Netherlands of "Nazism" for refusing entry to two ministers. Other European countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, cancel meetings with the Turks. Germany and the Netherlands fear the growth of "populism" in the upcoming elections. Erdogan takes advantage of the incidents to garner a more powerful nationalism. Istanbul (AsiaNews) - The crisis is mounting between Turkey and some European countries, notably the Netherlands and Germany, accused of "Nazism" by President Recep Tayyep Erdogan for not allowing Turkish personalities hold rallies in in European cities. The rallies were to publicize the "yes" vote in favor of the referendum to be held in Turkey on April 16, with which the country could move from a parliamentary to a presidential republic, increasing Erdogans powers. The rallies were to polarize the Turkish electorate abroad, about 1.4 million in Germany; almost 400 thousand in the Netherlands. Last week some German cities (Cologne, Gaggenau) canceled meetings set to be attended by the Minister of Economic Affairs Nihat Zeybekci and Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag. Two days ago, the Turkish minister of family, Fatma Betul Kaya Sayan, was practically expelled from the Netherlands, who also refused a visit to the head of Turkish diplomacy, Mevlut Cavusoglu. Yesterday Erdogan railed against "Nazism and Fascism" in The Hague and called the Netherlands a "banana republic" and accused the West of "Islamophobia". He also criticized the excessive force used by the police to disperse a thousand pro-Erdogan protesters massed in front of the consulate in Rotterdam to demand the arrival of Turkish ministers. The Dutch police used vans, water cannons, horses and even a brigade of dogs. In retaliation, protesters replaced the Dutch with the Turkish flag on the flagpole at the Netherlands Consulate in Istanbul for a short time. The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called the Erdogans words "unacceptable", but also asked that both sides lower their tones. Yesterday, in front of thousands of supporters, Erdogan said. "You have not paid the price to speak about restoring relations with Turkey. You still have to pay the price for your insult. " The tension spread to other European countries: Cavusoglu had to attend a meeting in Zurich (Switzerland), but the meeting was canceled after the hotel's refusal to host it. Other rallies were canceled in Austria and Sweden. Finally, the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has asked his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to postpone a visit to Denmark, scheduled for the end of March. The current crisis hides the embarrassment of European diplomacy towards this decreasing democracy in Turkey, where on the back of an alleged "coup" state, tens of thousands of personalities were arrested - including academics, judges, journalists, parliamentarians - suspected of being supporters of Feithullah Guelen, considered "the mastermind" of the putsch, or of having links with "terrorism." At the same time, both Germany and the Netherlands are preparing for political elections and there is a fear that the pro-Erdogan gatherings will garner support for "populist" parties, critical of the presence of Muslims in Europe. The tension also seems to facilitate Erdogan and his referendum campaign, which is becoming more nationalistic in tone and full of contempt towards Europe. By Darren Curnoe, Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, and Director, Palaeontolog Xiu-Jie Wu, IVPP Just a decade ago we thought we had solved the mystery of mysteries. We were confident we had finally puzzled out the evolutionary origins of modern humans. Two hundred thousand years ago our species evolved in sub-Saharan Africa and by around 60,000 years ago strode out to settle Asia, Australia, Europe and eventually the Americas, replacing the Neanderthals as we set up home. But as is so often the case in science, the story of our origins would turn out to be so much more complicated than we had expected. The rapid pace and unexpected nature of discoveries over the last 10 years have led both scientists and the media to muddledom, leaving the wider community in a bit of a daze. The publication of the first draft sequence of a Neanderthal genome was a game changer, showing that Neanderthals had interbred with the ancestors of non-African people tens of thousands of years ago. It was followed very quickly by the genome sequence of the mysterious Denisovans which showed that 4-6% of its DNA was present in people living today in New Guinea as a result of interbreeding with their ancestors somewhere in Asia. Since then, weve learned a heck of lot about the extent and timing of interbreeding, the specific genes transferred into the modern human genome from Neanderthals and Denisovans, and even the negative impact of this gene mixing; including that hybrid modern males were the human equivalent of mules. And while anthropologists had argued for over a hundred years about whether the Neanderthals were a separate species from us, this was finally resolved in the affirmative during last half decade thanks to genomics research. If you read the recent media hype surrounding two new skulls of archaic humans from Xichang in eastern China you might be forgiven for thinking anthropology was yet again being subject to a major overhaul. The discovery was announced by a team led by Zhan-Yang Li and was made in the prestigious journal Science. It took Li 7 years of painstaking excavation to recovery the bones, which are dated to between 125,000 and 105,000 years old. These are important fossils that help fill a major gap in time in the human fossil record, especially in East Asia. In terms of their physical traits, they combine features found in many archaic humans from this period shared with modern humans, like large brain cavities and thin skull bones. At the same time they possess primitive features like very prominent eyebrow ridges and the greatest width of the skull being across the ear bones, not high up on the brain case like modern humans. They also share with the Neanderthals some features of the skull including the shape of the organs of balance (or semi-circular canals) contained deep within the bony ear tube. Ann Gibbons writing for Science speculated the Xichang skulls might be from the Denisovans. Fun to speculate, but we only have two finger bones and a tooth from this species so we have no idea what their skulls looked like. Other outlets claimed the discovery challenged our African origins and proved that Neanderthals had made it to China. Headlines claiming humans evolved in China might be good click bait but they misrepresent a long standing consensus among anthropologists and geneticists. It would take a heck of a lot more evidence than two incomplete skulls to overturn the African origins theory. And the features shared with Neanderthals dont prove or disprove they were in China. How about a couple of actual Neanderthal bones from the region for a start? Still some of the confusion originates from the scientists involved, so we cant blame the media entirely for getting it wrong. The researchers behind the new study want to have a bet both ways, acknowledging on the one hand the validity of the African origins theory, but then claiming on the other hand the Xichang skulls represent the immediate precursors of modern humans in China. Logically, modern humans could only have evolved once, and the overwhelming evidence points to Africa. So how does this work, you might ask? The Xichang skulls are seen as proving a long discredited model dubbed regional continuity which would see living Chinese populations evolving from very early humans in China, as far back as two million years ago. Only in this case some genes were apparently introduced into this long lasting archaic group from modern humans from Africa and also from Neanderthals from Siberia or Europe. This, the authors think, would explain their mixed set of bony features and gave them a boost on their trajectory to becoming modern people. But theres no getting around the issue that regional continuity is not supported by genetics or the fossil record anywhere else; not even in China actually. Or that regional continuity makes many spurious assumptions about how evolution broadly, and human evolution specifically, has occurred. To my mind, if the similarities between the Xichang fossils and modern humans are genuinely reflective of shared ancestry (i.e. they are homologies) then interbreeding offers us far more plausible explanation than a clapped out theory like regional continuity. Alternatively, the Xichang skulls might simply be an example of a late surviving archaic group in China. Sort of like an East Asian equivalent of the Neanderthals or the Hobbit. And why not? Disclosure Darren Curnoe receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Originally published in The Conversation. By Will J Grant, Senior Lecturer, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University Shutterstock On April 22 scientists around the world are downing microscopes, pipettes and lasers and declaring its time take a public stand and be counted. Standing shoulder to shoulder with their scientific kindred, theyll raise fists to the sky, united with one voice and shouting science is [insert message here]! The question is: what is the message? We appreciate its hard to combine diffuse and complicated ideas about the modern relationship between science and society into one straightforward message. As science writer Ed Yong has pointed out, scientists seem to be planning to march for as many as 21 different things, including: Celebrating passion for science and the ways science serves our communities Encouraging the public to value, invest, appreciate and engage with science Encouraging scientists to share their research Encouraging scientists to listen to the wider public Affirming science as a vital feature of a working democracy Showing that science is a human process Calling for robust funding Advocating for open and accessible science, and so on. Others have boiled these down to four core points: a support for universal science literacy; open communication of scientific results; better use of science in policy; and a more stable investment environment for science. Shutterstock More personal reflections on these can be found in the March for Science Facebook page. These include personal stories of disease survival thanks to science, stories of science transforming lives and of science transforming communities around them. These are all valid points, and important for us inside the scientific community to recognise. But imagine a reporter sifting through these various points trying to find the story on April 23. What pictures do scientists want the rest of the world to see? What headlines do we want the worlds newspapers to write? What do we want to achieve with this march? In short, what specifically do we really really want people to be talking about the next day? Now we need to turn that into one simple, direct, plain-language sentence. No jargon, no caveats or butt-covering. Just one short, straightforward sentence thatll make other people listen and care. If we cant do it, how could someone reporting on us be expected to? Seven tactical suggestions Its a likely that the images and headlines that will be used to describe the march will be chosen by various media outlets to suit their particular agenda. Stories, images and headlines will be chosen that journalists and editors believe will be the most likely to engage their readers. This means that complicated and nuanced points may be ignored in favour of simplicity and drama. Its up to us to try to influence the media to cover what we think is most important. So here are some tips for how to do just this. Dont show off about your scientific knowledge. This isnt the time to demonstrate how terribly clever you are, or how much scientific jargon you can spout. Dont put that stuff on a sign or a T-shirt. It can be alienating and (in this explicitly public forum) its condescending as hell. Do write your messages in everyday terms. Avoid jargon and use everyday language. Dont dress up as a scientist, dress as a citizen. If your goal is to show that science matters to everyone, try looking like everyone. Do talk about how you can help and about what science can do for others, but not about what others should do for science. Even with the best of intentions, protesters demanding things of other people can come off looking myopic and self-serving. This is a great way to get people offside. Dont pick fights (either verbal, physical or metaphorical) with people who you think are dumb, wrong, dangerous or unpleasant. Now is not the time to try to correct the misconceptions and woo of people who might not be as scientifically informed as you. Assuming you want to have a positive influence on people, barking at other people is only going to emphasise the conflict itself, not focus people on your message(s). But do stick to your guns. Appealing to broader interests doesnt have to mean pandering to interests that you think are dumb, wrong, dangerous or just plain unpleasant. Were here to stand up for what we believe in, lets not soften the message so much it doesnt mean anything. Publicly embrace others, and get them to embrace you. If anyone should stand out at this march, its people who arent scientists. Do you know a group of firefighters, senior citizens or sex-workers whod be prepared to march with signs saying [non-science group of people] for science? Give them a call and get them on board. Maybe get them to dress in uniform! Now get out there Theres still a bit of time to think about this and get it right. Of course, what right means will differ from person to person, so lets get that clear before rushing out on April 22 and making all kinds of different noises. Its a wonderful feeling to unite with like-minded people, but lets strive to show we are united for something that non-science people can relate to as well, or well be portrayed as being united against those very same folks. Will J Grant receives funding from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. He is also co-host of The Wholesome Show podcast, now available on iTunes. Rod Lamberts has in the past been a recipient of funding from the ARC. He is also co-host of the Wholesome Show (now available on iTunes!) Originally published in The Conversation. Hello,can you advice me on good suburb in Melbourne for rent?? There are more than 300...WE are family of 4, 2 kids 2 and 3 years old.Must have: good transport from/to center, safe, green spaces,parks etc, kindergarten and schools,close to medical facility or good link to get there. Some local groceries -supermarket is always good to have around (we using online shopping recently which may also be an option)Do not need plenty cafes, pubs,beach etc just normal rural settings like a village with good access to city. Maximum distance to travel about 1 hour with many links not one bus in hour or similar.I know there are lot of discussion here and there so I was trying to point the main ''must have'' here. I will be looking also at similar website, crime rates statistics etc to be sure that we can relocate without any issues.We have been planning to go over to Queensland, but after some research was done, we just decided that it was not the best option job-wise and crime wise.So I have no idea where should I be looking for, partner is from Brisbane, so he know bit about that area, but new here.I am not in pressure,it's just a long term (about year) before we plan to come over.I am planning to put our kids as soon as possible to preschool or long daycare,so any recommendation will be really appreciated.The bottom line the price...somewhere in the middleThanks for any comments Hi everyone, I will apply soon for 309/100. However, there's something that's been making me very anxious. I met my now partner in 2014 during my first visitor visa and we stayed in contact. In 2015 I applied again for a tourist visa, but I didn't mention him as a contact, just my brother (he's an Australian citizen). I know, big mistake to avoid doing that...I ended up visiting my brother for about 2 weeks and the the rest of the time stayed in my partner's house and travelled with him (2 months) Note we were not partners before I arrived into Australia. I guess I only wrote down my brother's name because my partner and I had decided we would travel outside Australia together after my visitor visa, and I really did thought I would spend more time in my brother's house...also, I had never lived with him before and I didn't know if it was going to work out or not. I always saw my brother's house as a safe place in case things wouldn't work out. Anyways, we will apply for the partnership very soon and I'm just wondering what's the best way to go around this? I know DIBP goes through your previous visas. Should I be honest right from the start and explain why I didn't mention my partner in my second application? Also, a few months ago I applied for a thir tourist visa where I did mention my partner and I claimed to be in a de facto relationship. This was refused. I re applied with some more evidence and it was granted. Hi hoping you can all help me I am unsure of the Visa to apply for i met my partner 19 months ago and have been supporting her financially for 17 months. One of the partner visa regulations is " You must live with your partner or, if you do not, any separation must be only temporary." we are in a situation where she is on her third tourist visa so we have spent approx 12 months of the last 17 months together, she has mail coming to my address, no issues in photos, people inviting us to events as couples etc, showing support Do we qualify as defacto and living together only seperated temporarily) and therefore only need apply for the partner Visa I was orignally going to apply for the propective marriage visa however i am unsure of how this works, once we are married What happens next, what visa do we need to apply for and what is the cost and is there another 12 motnh waiting period outside Australia There would be no issue doing that.If he is able to get 457 sponsorship would it not be worth waiting 2 years and having the company sponsor him for permanent residency, it will work out much cheaper for you....just food for thought. Although the health insurance that your forced to purchase does cost a fair bit.One thing to remember whenever you are coming onshore is that you need to be a genuine entrant for the purpose of the visa. So he is coming onshore in a 457 for business - he is NOT coming in to apply for an 820. Once He is here then perhaps you could have a discussion with him about applying for a permanent visaHas anyone done this - yes, I for one came via the 457 route however I was made redundant and as I was unable to find further sponsorship was unable to work for 9 months as the bridging visa doesn't kick in until your 457 expires.As long as you are eligible for a visa you shouldn't be penalised for being eligible for another one.Another route you could consider is getting a short visitor visa say 3 months and having a holiday in Australia. During that holiday if you applied for an 820 then once the visa expires, then the BVA he would now be on would have full working rights. Photo via Wikimedia Avis Budget Group Inc. has been featured on the annual list of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs) by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Now in its 17th year, the national recognition celebrates companies that have strategically implemented processes and driven results to support sustainable inclusion of WBEs in the corporate and government supply chains. Avis Budget Group is the only car rental company to earn a spot on the annual listing, and it has been featured on the selective list for 16 consecutive years. "We remain committed to assuring that women-owned businesses have the maximum practicable opportunity to work with us, and are proud to be recognized once again for our continued efforts in identifying and integrating them into our supplier base," said Larry De Shon, CEO of Avis Budget Group. Avis Budget Group was one of 59 U.S. corporations that met the standards to be recognized as one of America's Top Corporations for 2016. This year's list represents nearly 20 distinct industries, including aerospace & defense, automotive, consumer products, financial services, nonprofits, retail, technology, transportation & logistics, and travel & hospitality. "Our Top Corporations know that stronger WBEs will drive new sources of revenue, deepen customer satisfaction, and generate a stronger economy," said Pamela Prince-Eason, president and chief executive officer of WBENC. Avis Budget Group will be honored in front of an audience of business leaders at the WBENC Summit & Salute to WBEs taking place March 21-23 in New Orleans. B-29 Doc has been cleared for takeoff at airshows across the country. Docs Friends announced last week the FAA has granted them a special airworthiness certificate for the enormous Second World War bomber. The new status means the end of the first phase of flight test operations and removes many of the accompanying flight restrictions. Weve been working for the past several months with the Wichita FAA office, along with the FAA team in Washington, D.C., and we are pleased that we have satisfied the requirements for phase one of flight test operations, Jim Murphy, Docs Friends Restoration Program Manager, said on the organizations website. The FAAs approval means we can begin the next phase of our restoration and flight operations plan, and that includes sharing our historic warbird with airshows around the United States. Heading the list of possible airshow dates is AirVenture 2017. Since the Commemorative Air Force often takes its B-29 Fifi to Oshkosh, it could mean the only two flying B-29s in the world will meet there. The group says its looking at shows in at least six states and the schedule will be announced later. In the meantime, the airplane is being woken up from its winter hiatus. We have a few more minor winter maintenance items to complete and well begin running engines before the end of March. If everything goes as planned, I expect us to be back in the air in early April, Murphy said. One Aviation will stop building Eclipse 550 aircraft this year as it gets ready to replace that design with the code-named Eclipse Canada. CEO Alan Klapmeier told an event in Hammond, Louisiana, last week the company will make about four new 550 models before switching back to upgrading legacy Eclipses. According to the Hammond Daily Star, Klapmeier told the meeting the Canada model (its final name still isnt being used) will be certified by early 2019 and be a much more capable aircraft than the existing models. Its a much better airplane than I expected, Klapmeier was quoted by the newspaper as saying. One Aviation announced the Eclipse Canada project at AirVenture 2016. The cabin will be 14 inches longer than the current design and the aircraft will have bigger engines, beefier landing gear and longer wings to carry more fuel without tip tanks. So thats a basic original idea: more power and more fuel for more speed and longer range, he said. The beginning concept was that we can do better. The event was held at Pierce Aero, a designated Eclipse service center. 13 March 2017 13:11 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The Kazakh company Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty delivered to Azerbaijan next consignment of diesel locomotives of Evolution series, Kazakh TV channel reported on March 13. Currently, 10 Kazakhstan locomotives are running along the railways of Azerbaijan, according to the channel. Evolution diesel locomotives meet modern requirements and are more economical. The cabins of the locomotive have all the amenities for drivers - a refrigerator, an air-conditioning system. A special system monitoring traffic safety is also installed. The whole control system of locomotives is controlled by the on-board computer. The engine with a capacity of 4,600 horsepower will not fail, TV channel quotes Akim Aslanov, the head of locomotive service at Azerbaijan Railways. Today locomotives produced in Kazakhstan are operated on the railways of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Turkmenistan. Depending on the increase in cargo traffic along the route "North-South", the country can purchase additional diesel locomotives from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani Railways reported. Joint Stock Company "Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty", a subsidiary of JSC "National Company "Kazakhstan Temir Zholy" (Kazakhstan Railways), opened in 2009 under the State program "Forced Industrial-Innovative Development of Kazakhstan". The plant was one of the first signs of start of serious structural changes in the economic growth of Kazakhstan, departure from rough manufacturing, start of a new history of heavy engineering. The main purpose of the company is to make a worthy contribution to the industrial and innovative development and competitiveness of the rail transport system in Kazakhstan, as well as providing quality products to the rolling stock holders of the "1520 zone". Azerbaijan Railways and Kazakh Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty signed an agreement on the supply of 10 locomotives to Azerbaijan in August 2015. The first part of Kazakh locomotives was delivered to Baku in August 2015. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan amounted to almost $124.4 million in 2016, including more than $26 million that accounted for the export to Kazakhstan, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 12:34 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has so far paid compensations worth over 726.17 million manats ($411,59 million) to depositors of Parabank, Zaminbank, Dekabank, Kredobank, Caucasus Development Bank, Atrabank, Bank of Azerbaijan, Gandjabank, Texnikabank and Bank Standard, which were closed in 2016. Banks Volume of paid compensations (million manats) Volume of paid compensation out of the total volume (pct) Bank Standard 435,814 99 Zaminbank 54,479 75 Dekabank 3,086 98,7 Kredobank 27,771 99,9 Caucasus Development Bank 1,974 94,4 Atrabank 14,280 98,1 Bank of Azerbaijan 24,161 97 Gandjabank 0,976 94 Texnikabank 120,433 98,2 Parabank 43,195 98,4 The licenses of all the banks were revoked in 2016, as their assets were not classified in line with the law, and they didnt create adequate reserves and their aggregate capital did not meet the minimum requirements. Some 32 banks are currently implementing their activities in the country. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 16:30 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijans State Committee on Property Issues will hold another auction for privatization of 158 state objects on April 11, the agency announced on March 13. The auction will feature 20 joint stock companies, 96 small businesses, 36 non-residential areas and six vehicles. The small businesses are located in Baku, Sumgayit, Shaki, Saatli, Mingachevir, Ujar, Shirvan, Sabirabad, Shamkir, Zagatala and other regions of Azerbaijan. As for the non-residential objects, they are situated in Baku and Mingachevir cities. The list of small enterprises includes a dental clinic in Surakhani district, shop for gearbox repair in Shirvan, fish factory in Shamkir, rest area in Shaki, gas station in Baku, as well as a number of shops, cafes, restaurants and other state objects. As for the joint stock companies put up for privatization, they operate in the fields of construction, repair, agriculture, transport, and others. These enterprises include a plant for brick production and office for receiving cotton in Barda region, cannery in Tartar region, plant for production of building materials, agrochemical companies in Lerik, Oghuz, Kurdamir and others. The third stage of privatization in Azerbaijan started in the framework of the presidential decree dated May 19, 2016. Under the decree, the acceleration of the state property privatization process has been defined as an important direction of the economic policy. So far, more than 700 state enterprises and objects have been put for sale. Over 300 new state-owned enterprises and facilities were declared open for privatization in Azerbaijan in 2016. The portal for privatization privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country. The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as improve the business environment of Azerbaijan. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 17:22 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan Airlines, AZAL, will increase the number of flights it performs to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. AZAL will operate flights on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route eight times a week from March 28 and ten times per week from May 2. The Civil Aviation Agency of Georgia has already issued the appropriate permission to the national air carrier of Azerbaijan. Flights will be carried out on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The airline plans to fly till the end of the summer navigation season. The additional flight from March 28 will be carried out on Sundays, and from May 2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays by Airbus A319. To date, Azerbaijan Airlines operates flights on this route seven times a week AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 30 airplanes, does not have a single old plane. Staring last year the company provided its passengers with low-cost flights. The tickets (including all dues) for these flights cost 99 euros one way if purchased through the AZAL website and the airline ticket offices. Flights to 13 popular destinations are operated under AZALJET brand since March 2016. Sales and flight scheme on these flights is close to low-cost airlines, that is, passengers have a choice of several services in the form of paid options. AZAL plans to establish a national low-cost carrier BUTA AIRWAYS. The airway, which is expected to begin flights in autumn 2017, will have its own fleet on the basis of Embraer aircrafts in its own livery, its own staff and independent tariff policy. Being one of the leaders of the aviation community of the CIS countries, AZAL plans to launch direct flights to 100 major European cities until 2025. Thus, the number of direct flights between Baku and major European cities will be increased from 49 to 100. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 10:49 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Day of National Clothing maybe announced in Azerbaijan, as the issue was reflected in a letter of the Culture and Tourism Ministry addressed to Gulnara Khalilova, the head of the Center of National Costumes, Trend Life reported. Earlier, Gulnara Khalilova has sent a letter to the Ministry offering to establish the Day of National Clothing with a view to preserve national customs and traditions, as well as ensure propaganda of ethnic creativity. The Culture and Tourism Ministry considers appropriate the announcement of the Day given the importance of promoting the national dress, which is part of Azerbaijan's intangible cultural heritage, and popularization of this sector, the letter reads. The government of Azerbaijan pays special attention to the development of culture and art, preservation and promotion of national heritage and realizes successful projects, various festivals, contests, parties and events in this regard. The announcement of the Day of National Clothing, which can be one of the holiday days during Novruz, in particular Last Tuesday of Novruz or birthday of one of the outstanding women in the history of Azerbaijan, will become a bright event in the life of our country", said Gulnara Khalilova. She further continued that the national clothing is an integral part of spiritual, cultural and historical heritage. It is necessary to preserve these traditions and at the same time encourage designers, who bring own characteristics, i.e. styling, that allow to reveal the deeper beauty of Azerbaijani national clothes. Such kind of clothes can be worn not only during the holidays but also in everyday life, she added. Khalilova says that the Day may also significantly contribute to the development of the tourism industry in the country. "In many countries, various festivals and carnivals on the Day of National Clothing attract many tourists. Realization of this idea will be another opportunity to show off our beautiful country to the world. On this day one can take part in various competitions, festivals, exhibitions and fashion parties, a carnival procession can be organized. Gorgeous holiday will long remain in the memory of the people, and, no doubt, will be a wonderful promotion of our heritage, culture and art, "she added. National costumes of Azerbaijanis are unique for their pretty look. Some twelve stages can be identified in the formation of national costume. Each stage saw further development and improvement, corresponding to changing tastes and living conditions. The women dresses have elegant silhouettes and are cut to emphasizing flexible waist of Azerbaijani beauties. They are decorated with intricate embroidery and beautiful golden band. Azerbaijani men's clothing is also very distinct. They emphasize the masculinity without restricting a mans rapid movements. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 12:10 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Armenia should comply with the requirements of the UN Security Council resolutions adopted on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Laila Akhmetova, Professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Doctor of Historical. Akhmetova, talking to Day.az, said that the collapse of the Soviet Union caused a number of problems in all 15 former Union republics, as well as regional conflicts, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I think the conflict will not be resolved until the parties reach an agreement at the negotiating table. I am convinced that this is the only acceptable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Akhmetova. The expert noted that the agreement should fully meet the norms and principles of international law. Armenia should comply with the requirements of the four resolutions of the UN Security Council, which call for liberating Azerbaijani territories, Akhmetova emphasized. Such an approach to the solution to the protracted conflict will be mutually beneficial for both parties as it will exclude military means of intervention and contribute to a consistent and logical normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations in future, the expert said. I believe that neither Armenia, nor Azerbaijan needs war, and development and progress in the Baku-Yerevan relations can be achieved only by peaceful means. She noted that neighboring countries in the region, who are interested in the stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus, will also benefit from the normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. 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. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 15:17 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov A French delegation has visited Azerbaijanis, who have violently been driven out of their native lands and obliged to live a refugee life for about 30 years. The delegation led by Andre Reichardt, the head of the France-Caucasus Friendship Group in the Senate of the Republic of France, on March 13 visited the settlement for the refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) located near Masazir settlement of Absheron District to get acquainted with their plight. The French senators talked to the refugees and IDPs living here, got acquainted with the conditions created for them, while expressed hope for peaceful resolution of the conflict. Fuad Huseynov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, expressed gratitude to the guests for visiting the refugees and IDPs, who lost their homes as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He also highlighted the measures the Azerbaijani state and government take to solve the problems of refugees. During their visit to the country, the French delegation also visited the liberated Jojug Marjanli village of Jabrayil region and Horadiz city. In Jojug Marjanli, the delegation was informed about the atrocities committed by Armenians in the occupied territories, as well as about demining and construction works conducted in the village in accordance with the Presidential Decree on the restoration of Jojug Marjanli. The guests were informed that the village, completely destroyed by the Armenian army, will be provided with 50 private houses, a school building and other infrastructure in the first phase. The next stage envisages construction of 150 houses and other infrastructure. After that, the delegation visited Horadiz and was informed about the ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces along the contact line. It was noted that the city, as well as Jojug Marjanli village, was occupied and destroyed by Armenian armed forces; however, after the liberation in 1994, Horadiz was fully restored. 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. Due to the ethnic cleansing policy carried out by Armenia and the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons hit more than 1.2 million. With a population of over 9.8 million, Azerbaijan is among the countries carrying the highest IDP caseload in the world in per capita terms. The French senators were also at the country Parliament, where they discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with their Azerbaijani colleagues. "Azerbaijani territories were occupied, and it would be better to resolve the conflict peacefully. In any way, these lands should be returned to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan should restore territorial integrity and regain control over its territory," Andre Reichardt said at the meeting. He added that active work is done in France to support Azerbaijan's just cause on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Reichardt also stressed that the events of last April show that anxiety is already at the peak. "This shows that the military solution to the conflict is not desirable. But, in any way, Azerbaijan should return its lands. We are ready to contribute to the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he added. The large-scale hostilities in Karabakh ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 17:51 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Andre Reichardt, the head of the France-Caucasus Friendship Group in the French Senate, has announced about plans to hold a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian parliamentarians at the French Senate. He noted that a meeting was held with the President of the French Senate in this regard, and he gave his prior consent. We can take positive steps in this direction. The meetings date is unknown yet because it is only an initiative. However, we have got approval from the Senates President. Once the Presidents confirm this decision, we can give accurate information about the location and date of the meeting, Reichardt said at a press conference in Baku on March 13. The senator noted that the issue of organizing a meeting between parliamentarians was raised back in times of the previous President of the Senate, but the meeting did not take place. Our primary expectation is that some positive progress be made towards settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has a negative impact on regional stability. We expect to be able to take certain steps at the meeting to eliminate these negatives, Reichardt added. 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. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 17:03 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Polad Bulbuloglu, Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan and countrys Ambassador to Russia, will vie for the post of Director-General of UNESCO, the UNs cultural and educational organization. Azerbaijan has officially submitted his candidacy for consideration to the UNESCO Executive Board, TASS reported. Ambassador Anar Karimov, who heads the Azerbaijani mission to UNESCO, said that the Executive Board received the biography and discourse of the candidate. Bulbuloglu has presented his vision of the main tasks that stand before UNESCO and activity for the forthcoming four-year period. UNESCO's next chief will be chosen in autumn 2017. Currently, Irina Bokova leads the organization. She became the first representing the Eastern-European group in this position. UNESCO rules do not allow the election of a senior official for more than two terms. No later than April 1, the UNESCO Executive Board will notify the organization's participants of all submitted candidates. At the 202nd session of the Executive Board just before the 39th General Conference this fall, the Council will consider the proposals and select a candidate who will then be recommended to the general conference on the basis of a secret ballot. The name of Polad Bulbuloglu - musician, state and public figure - is well known in the world. With his well distinguished sonority and light voice, Polad Bulbuloglu was lucky to gain love of millions in his very young age. His talent erupted inside. As a student, he realized creative inclinations of a musician in himself. By the age of 17, the talented Polad composed several masterpiece works, which are a hit up to date. He became famous in the whole Soviet Union by composing jazz-influenced pop songs with deep folk feelings in Azerbaijani and Russian. Methods and motives of the Azerbaijan national music Mugham have always been heard in Polads songs. He spared no effort to promote the national music both in the country and abroad. His musical compositions made a great contribution to modern Azerbaijani music. Polad correctly mixed contemporary rhythms with bright national notes, which became a role model for the next generation of musicians. Polad was also extremely talented to enrich the cinematography. His beautiful songs, performances and popular roles in many films turned him into a film star and gained ever large popularity and sympathy among cinema lovers. Polad is the only Azerbaijani musician who was honored as a star in Stars Square" in Moscow in 2000. In the 1990s, despite having a huge success with a new version of his old song Gel Ey Seher (Come, Hey Morning!) in Turkey and sold out concerts in Russia, Polad started a political career. He has become the Azerbaijani Culture Minister and is currently the Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 17:28 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan has purchased Drone Killer system, designed to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the Turkish company Harp Arge. The company reported that the deal is its first agreement on the export of military systems to Azerbaijan. The weapon system was successfully tested in Azerbaijan, according to the company. Drone Killer can break connection between a drone and a control center, and disorient a GPS system. The system uses high-speed electromagnetic interference on a frequency of 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz for that. Drone Killer is used by Turkeys Armed Forces, National Intelligence Organization and other security agencies of the country. Azerbaijan, which is in war with neighboring Armenia over the latter's groundless territorial claims, keeps in focus the armament. Azerbaijan enjoys the most modern army in the Caucasus and leaves behind many CIS countries to take its place among the first 60 strongest militaries of the world, according to the U.S.-based Global Firepower survey center. Along with purchase of armament, Azerbaijan increases the volume of local defense production every year. Some 10 countries purchase the production of twenty-eight military factories that currently operate within the Defense Industry Ministry of Azerbaijan. During 2015-2016, the number of local defense products increased by 1.8 times. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 11:00 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The Syrian armed opposition has put forward a number of conditions for its participation in the upcoming talks in Astana after the invitation was received, RIA Novosti reported citing the official statement. The next round of high-level talks on Syria is scheduled to be held in the capital of Kazakhstan on March 14-15, 2017. The delegation of the revolutionary military forces of Syria, as the opposition calls itself, listed four conditions for its participation. "The Syrian revolutionary forces delegation has received an invitation to take part in the third Astana meeting, but we are setting forth the following conditions for holding any round of talks," the statement reads. The delegation wants the meeting to start after March 20 in order to assess the establishment of ceasefire regimes in the Al Waer and East Ghouta areas, the deadline for which has been set for March 20. The delegation gave three further conditions for its participation, including a full ceasefire in opposition-controlled areas, an end to forced resettlement and a conclusion of ceasefire mechanism discussions. Two rounds of high-level international talks on Syria were held on January 23-24 and February 15-16, while on February 6, a technical meeting of experts took place in Astana. The meetings resulted in an agreement on establishing a joint group on monitoring the Syrian ceasefire that laid groundwork for political discussions during the Geneva talks in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254. 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 and 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 13 March 2017 12:17 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Moscow and Washington have many issues of common interest, which should be talked over and agreed upon in order to mend the U.S. - Russian ties, whilst the meeting between the presidents of the two countries might take place only in July on the sidelines of G-20 summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump may meet on the sidelines of the G-20 summit that will take place in Germany in summer, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with CNN on March 12. He stated that at the moment this is the nearest opportunity for a personal meeting of the two presidents. "If we do not agree on an early meeting, then, presumably, we can expect that they will meet at the G20 summit in Hamburg in early July, as this will be the first event where they will be together," Peskov said. In 2017, the chairmanship of the G20 passed from China to Germany. The next summit of the "Group of Twenty" will be held in Hamburg on July 7-8 this year. The election of Trump, who had spoken of Putin in a positive way and called for improved U.S.-Russia ties, had raised hopes in the Kremlin. But Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says there are no signs of progress yet. Peskov noted that "unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin." Trump's campaign statements on Russia had led to speculation that the United States would drop sanctions imposed on Russia. Russia will never initiate putting this issue on the agenda, Peskov said. Relations between the two countries are strained over a number of issues, including Ukraine, the war in Syria, and relations with Iran. However, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken of his desire to restore the relations with Moscow. Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia and the United States have an understanding about the first personal meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump and that practical preparation for it has been launched. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 12:50 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Turkmenistan plans to submit an application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include Akhal-Teke race horses into the World Heritage List. Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has given instructions to prepare a catalog of the Akhal-Teke horses with the prospect of their international registration, Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary reported on March 1. Stressing the importance of continuing the fruitful work in the field of Akhal-Teke horse breeding, President Berdimuhamedov tasked to study the opportunities and prepare relevant proposals for the opening of a research center or university of this profile. He also instructed to hold a meeting with the participation of employees of the State Association Turkmen Atlary and eminent domestic specialists to discuss ways of realizing the objectives set today in this direction. Akhal-Teke is a horse breed from Turkmenistan, where they are a national emblem. They have a reputation for speed and endurance, intelligence, and a distinctive metallic sheen. The shiny coat of palominos and buckskins led to their nickname "Golden Horses". These horses are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds. Turkmenistan created an International Association of Akhalteke Horse Breeding with its headquarters in Ashgabat. Well-equipped equestrian complexes operate throughout the country, the holiday of Turkmen racer for which the international beauty contest of Akhalteke racers dated is annually celebrated. Today, when a steady interest in revival of horse-breeding centers and jockey clubs is shown in many countries, the traditions of Turkmen horse breeding, the national school of training of horses attracts a great attention of professionals, the statement said. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 14:01 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe has adopted an opinion on the law on introducing amendments and supplements to the Constitution of Kazakhstan, the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan reported on March 13. "The commission adopted an opinion, which emphasizes that constitutional changes in Kazakhstan represent a step forward in the process of democratization of the state," the report said. The Venice Commission believes that the reform sets the right vector for the further development of the country and shows obvious progress. The increase in the role of the parliament, transfer of some of the president's functions to the government, strengthening of mechanisms for presidents accountability and control by parliament are regarded as positive changes that are consistent with the logic of previous constitutional reforms, according to the Commission. To prepare the draft opinion the Commission attracted well-known experts from a number of countries. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed the law On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution on March 10. The new law keeps the president as the "supreme arbitrator" who serves as a power broker between different branches. He also keeps his powers to appoint ministers of foreign affairs, defense and interior. The document expands the role of the Majilis in the formation of the government, and also strengthens the parliamentary control powers over the activities of the Cabinet. Under the changes, the president will no longer be able to suspend decisions taken by the prime minister and cabinet, so they will be fully responsible for implementing state programs and policies. Nazarbayev put forward the initiative to redistribute powers in December 2016. At the same time, the president noted that Kazakhstan "has been, is and will be a state with a presidential form of government." --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 15:49 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The next round of intra-Syrian talks in Astana depends on guarantor countries, Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said on March 13. The format, agenda depend on the views of the guarantor countries Russia, Turkey and Iran. They determine the format of the meeting, the agenda," Ria Novosti quoted Abdrakhmanov as saying. He said that delegates to the talks began arriving in the Kazakh capital for the third round of negotiations scheduled for March 14-15. Russia has confirmed its participation at intra-Syrian talks in Astana this week in addition to deputy foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, he said. "We received an official message from Russia, the Russian president's special envoy, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative will take part. Besides, deputy foreign ministers from Turkey and Iran are scheduled to take part in the meeting," Abdrakhmanov told Kazakh lawmakers during a government hour session. The first round of intra-Syrian Astana talks brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran took place on January 23-24 and gathered together representatives of the Syrian armed opposition and government for the first time. The parties agreed to create a trilateral mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Syria, which was established on December 30. The second round of Astana talks took place on February 15-16 and resulted in the agreement of the participants to set up a ceasefire monitoring group, encompassing Iran, Russia and Turkey, that would report to the United Nations. The latest, fourth round of Geneva talks under the auspices of the United Nations concluded on March 3, with the parties agreeing on a number of separate "baskets" to be addressed during the next rounds, including the issues of governance, constitution, elections and counterterrorism. The participation of representatives of official Damascus and the armed opposition of Syria in the meeting in Astana is the prerogative of the guarantor countries - Russia, Iran and Turkey, he stated. As for the Syrian government and the armed opposition, it is for the guarantor countries to ensure their participation, Abdrakhmanov said. He recalled that earlier some representatives of opposition expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the ceasefire is being implemented, as well as with the situation concerning the prisoner release and lifting the siege in districts adjacent to the areas defined by the ceasefire agreements. Abdrahmanov stressed that the United Nations Security Council has praised the peacemaking potential of the Astana process aimed at settling the Syrian crisis as well as its role in strengthening the Syrian ceasefire. Earlier, the Syrian armed opposition has put forward a number of conditions for its participation in the upcoming talks in Astana. "The Syrian revolutionary forces delegation has received an invitation to take part in the third Astana meeting, but we are setting forth the following conditions for holding any round of talks," the statement reads. The delegation wants the meeting to start after March 20 in order to assess the establishment of ceasefire regimes in the Al Waer and East Ghouta areas, the deadline for which has been set 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 and 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 13 March 2017 16:13 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Turkey has sent two notes of protest to the Netherlands in connection with the recent incident concerning the blocking of visits of Turkish ministers to the country and the Dutch police ill-treatment with Turkish citizens, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 13. The first note states that blocking the visit of Turkish ministers is a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention. The note demanded an official apology from the Dutch government on the treatment with Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and Turkish diplomats who accompanied her to Rotterdam on March 11. The second note protested against the ill-treatment with the Turkish citizens who had gathered outside the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam, saying "disproportionate force" had been used against "people using their right to peaceful gatherings. Meanwhile, some sources urge that Turkey is pushing for legal action against police misconduct. Rotterdam police detained 12 protesters outside the building of the Turkish consulate due to riots. The people protested against the ban by the Dutch authorities on Turkish Foreign Ministry Mevlutu Cavusoglus entry to the country. Before Kaya being escorted out of the country, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied permission to land to campaign for the April 16 referendum that would greatly expand Erdogan's powers. Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the attorney in the affairs of the Netherlands, according to sources. It was the third time that the Dutch diplomat has been summoned since tensions broke out between the two countries after two ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands. Erdogan on Sunday vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming that "nazism is alive in the West." Earlier, Cavusoglu warned that "if the Netherlands cancels my flight, we will impose severe sanctions on them that will affect it economically and politically." --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 March 2017 18:03 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva A meeting of the presidents of Russia and Iran will be held in late March in Moscow, said Mahmud Vaezi, the Iranian Minister of Information and Communication Technologies and co-chairman of the Russian-Iranian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation The minister said that now preparations are underway for the meeting. The agenda is being formed," he said on March 13, TASS reported. The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral relations, as well as regional and international interaction. Russia and Iran hold regular and close consultations concerning the latest developments in the region, Syria in particular, toward coordinating their efforts in helping restore security in this country. Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov also confirmed the visit of Iranian President Hasan Rouhani to Moscow. Besides, a number of agreements are expected to be signed during the high-level talks in March. Russian Energy Minister, co-chairman of the Russian-Iranian intergovernmental commission Alexander Novak said a document on formation of a free trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) may be signed during the visit of Rouhani to Moscow. "The delegation on consideration of the agreement has been staying in Tehran since yesterday, the text of the document is being agreed, and hopefully it will be ready for signing by the time Iranian President arrives in Moscow," Novak said at a meeting of the Commission in Tehran on March 13. The two countries will also consider the issue of oil for goods barter deal. Iran is ready to discuss with Russia delivering 100,000 barrels of oil per day as part of the oil-for-goods program, Vaezi said before meeting with Alexander Novak. "Today, Iranian Deputy Minister of Petroleum for International Affairs and Trading Amir-Hossein Zamaninia is a member of my delegation, and he is ready to hold talks on this issue as well as on the issue of our working group on energy," Vaezi said ahead of his meeting with Novak. Novak previously said that Moscow and Tehran were expected to reach an "oil-for-goods" delivery agreement with Iran in the coming weeks. He said later that the deliveries may constitute 100,000 barrels a day and five million metric tons a year. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Contributing columnist Jose Gaspar is a news anchor for KKEY, Telemundo Bakersfield. Email him at elcompa29@gmail.com. His work appears here every third Monday; the views expressed are his own. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers in the afternoon. High 62F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 51F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has threatened the government over the budgetary issues that were raised in the former CBA to be addressed or they go on strike. According to the KNUT chairman Mudzo Nzili, the government through the Teachers Service Commission have been busy intimidating and bulldozing the teachers with unnecessary circulars. According to the CBA, the government was to hire more teachers to cover the teacher's deficit in the country. The CBA will be revised in April or in the opening of the second term. The KNUT leaders urged TSCto provide a clear method on how the teachers will be hired and renumerated. The Education cabinet secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i urged the teachers to be vigilant as the government is looking forward for the CBA. The teachers are expected to abandon classes in the beginning of the second term if the government will not honour the teachers CBA. According to the KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion, the ministry of education and Teachers Service Commission urged the teachers to stay calm since last year but it looks like nothing has been done on the payroll. " The main aim of the strike is not only CBA but also to make sure the TSC hires more teachers. We have a deficit of 10000 teachers across the country." Says Sossion. The Teachers union members strike will be a third group this year following Lecturers and Doctors strike. According to the KNUT officials, the draft budget did not have an aspect of teachers salary increase and teachers hiring. They also warned the government to amend the budget and provide an article that will describe how the CBAs will be tackled. The Mombasa governor has been blocked from attending the Mtongwe ferry launch and locked in his county office. Police from all departments; GSU, ant-terror, Recce e.t.c were deployed in his office to make sure he does not attend the launch. The police officers blocked all the Mombasa entrances to search for vehicles which carried the Governor and his allies including Kisauni M.P Rashid Benzimba.The Police have locked the governor in his offices until the president launches the Mtongwe ferry. According to the sources arrived, the Kenya ferry services has realized the ferries to the Mtongwe launch leaving thousands stranded at the Likoni channel. Only one ferry was left.The Opposition leaders at the coast are on fire following the Manhunt from the government. It is also allegedly that the Police were issued a statement to arrest the Mvita M.P Abdulswamad Nassir as he was the Mvita grounds rally spearhead. Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and other Opposition Leaders are on Fire as they were blocked today from attending any function in Mombasa CBD.The Mombasa Governor who has been criticizing the president this weekend did not have any chance of doing so. The opposition named the frustrations as intimidation. According to the NASA principal, Kalonzo Musyoka who is also blocked to attend the launch said that the JAP has failed in providing their mandate and responsibilities. Storms possible overnight in Central Florida before a cold front sweeps through the area. Here's the weather forecast for overnight and Tuesday: Strong thunderstorms possible overnight Rains taper off Tuesday morning Winds to pick up as skies clear SEE BELOW: See our 7-day forecast An active night ahead with scattered showers and even a few strong thunderstorms possible. The biggest threat from the storms will be very heavy rainfall and gusty winds. A few may even contain some small hail. In general, a of rain is expected but there will be spots that receive over an inch. Our lows will be near 60. The rain tapers off as we start our Tuesday. The skies will slowly clear and the winds pick up out of the west at 15-20mph with gusts up to 30. The highs will be in the lower 70s. WEATHER ON THE GO: Download the News 13+ app and get StormTracker 13 & Safety Net alerts wherever you are. GET WEATHER ALERTS: Sign up to receive weather text alerts from News 13 We have a big cool down as dry air moves in for the rest of the work and school week. Mostly sunny skies for the rest of the week with highs dropping into the middle 60s Wednesday and Thursday. The overnight lows will dip into the 30s and 40s Thursday and Friday morning. Enjoy the cooler air. It will most likely be the last blast of cool air for the season. The highs warm back into the upper 70s for the weekend. The boating conditions will be hazardous on Tuesday. Small Craft Advisories will be in effect as the winds howl out of the west at 15-20 knots with higher gusts. The seas will be running at 4-6 feet. There will be a moderate rip risk along the coast. The water temperature is 66 at Daytona Beach and 71 at Cocoa Beach. StormTracker 13 interactive radar &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; View LIVE Interactive StormTracker 13 Radar Map We want your pictures! Show us what the weather looks like in your neighborhood. Your photo could end up on News 13 and mynews13.com/weatherpics. Two victims are in stable condition after they arrived to St. Mary Hospital following a midnight shooting at the Prince Hall Apartments in Port Arthur, according to a release from the Port Arthur Police Department. The release states that officials reported to 934 W. 14th St. at 11:57 p.m. in reference to shots fired. Officials said the two victims showed up to the hospital, in a private vehicle, shortly after the reported time of the shots fired. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Colorblind people have been rejoicing recently thanks to California-based technology company EnChroma. The tech firm recently released a pair of glasses that allow wearers to see the world in full color, or close to it. Each pair will run between $269 to $349, but judging from the reactions of people who've tried them out, it seems like a fair price to pay. SECOND OPINION: Color Blind Test Austin Mitchell-Goering, a Kansas University lacrosse player who occasionally has trouble on the field differentiating red and green boundary lines, told the Chicago Tribune, "I'd always get the blue and purple confused, so I would always have to ask the person next to me." Now Mitchell-Goering says he can see everything. "The sky is a much more vibrant blue," he said. "The building in the background here just keeps getting brighter and brighter. It's strange. It feels great." To get some idea of what color blindness looks like in Texas, Chron.com ran several images through color-blindness.com's color blindness simulator. SIMILAR TECH: New glasses help the legally blind see Click through above to see iconic Texas things and what they would look like with color blindness. After years of criticizing Obamacare, the Republican Party now owns it - or at least its successor. That plan was unveiled last week by House Speaker Paul Ryan and others, though it will undoubtedly be revised when - or if - it arrives on President Trump's desk. Republican members of Congress from Texas must do their part to shape it as well as possible. They have influence in Washington and they should use it. The Republican plan has only a few certainties. Coverage for pre-existing conditions will remain. Children can stay on their parents' policies until they are 26. But the requirement to buy health insurance or be fined is gone. Some subsidies for low-income consumers would remain, but not as many under Obamacare. One estimate is that 2 million to 4 million people would lose coverage quickly. The expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare would be phased down, which will mean that some of those people who had coverage will not at some point. That could be 4 million to 6 million people by one estimate. Many other effects remain unclear, or subject to revision. Will average people be able to buy good policies? Will the plan help many hospitals that are struggling to survive because they treat so many poor people who don't have insurance? Sixteen rural hospitals have closed in Texas since 2013. The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office is expected to release its economic analysis of the plan this week. That should provide some hard numbers where now there are only hazy guesses. The blunt reality is that the plan almost certainly will not cover as many people as Obamacare did. If the coverage is close, and the plan has other benefits, such as health savings accounts for individuals that actually work, that tradeoff might be acceptable. But the bottom line is here is performance. In last November's election, Republicans benefitted from the votes of many disaffected working class people. If those voters like the new plan, the GOP will not lose their support. But if the Republican plan seriously underperforms and undermines health care, those voters will be making different choices in the voting booth next time. Firefighters and hazardous materials and decontamination teams reported to Stanford (Calif.) Hospital after a lab containing bio-hazardous waste caught fire Saturday, the SFGate reports. The fire began at approximately 7:30 a.m. in the medical school's pathology department and was extinguished within an hour, Palo Alto Deputy Fire Chief Catherine Capriles told the SFGate. Hazardous materials teams reportedly remained onsite after the incident. Firefighters evacuated the area around the lab. No hospital buildings housing patients were affected and officials did not report any injuries, according to the report. Officials closed Stanford Hospital's main entrance until 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Patients were redirected to the facility's emergency department entrance during that time, according to the report. The chemicals present in the lab were completely consumed by the fire and officials have not determined what materials were burned, according to CBS San Francisco. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is at risk of losing its Medicare contract following a CMS survey that found deficiencies related to the Boston-based cancer hospital's oversight of its inpatient unit. At the direction of CMS, the Massachusetts Department of Health surveyed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Aug. 4. The survey revealed the hospital "was not in substantial compliance" with six Medicare rules, according to a letter CMS sent to Dana-Farber in August and recently obtained by Axios. In a statement to Becker's Hospital Review, Dana-Farber said most of the issues CMS identified were related to the "oversight and administration of care" provided in its 30-bed inpatient unit. Although Dana-Farber and Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital are independent organizations, Dana-Farber's inpatient unit is housed in Brigham and Women's. According to CMS, Dana-Farber violated Medicare rules by relying on Brigham and Women's to handle a number of processes, including verifying staff credentials and managing patient complaints. "Dana-Farber has been providing excellent, safe and effective inpatient cancer care in our current structure for 20 years," the hospital said in the statement to Becker's. Dana-Farber said CMS officials have been "been very complimentary about the actual care we provide, but want to ensure that Dana-Farber is more clearly responsible for all of the services provided to patients in our inpatient hospital." Dana-Farber has until the end of June to correct the issues CMS identified. The hospital has already submitted a plan to fix the problems to CMS, which includes the following changes: Independently verifying credentials of all physicians who may see a patient in Dana-Farber's inpatient unit Entering into more detailed and explicit contracts with Brigham and Women's for services provided to Dana-Farber patients Implementing specific policies and procedures covering all aspects of care in Dana-Farber's inpatient unit Establishing an independent, Dana-Farber-specific patient complaint process Using Dana-Farber-specific staff for some services in the inpatient unit "We are committed to meeting all of CMS' current conditions of participation and fully expect to be able to keep caring for patients in the Medicare program," said Dana-Farber. More articles on healthcare finance: 5 hospital bankruptcies, closures so far in 2017 5 steps to get your hospital's MACRA strategy off and running Joint Committee on Taxation puts $600B price tag on GOP healthcare plan Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based Saint Francis Healthcare System President and CEO Steven C. Bjelich is retiring, effective Sept. 1, 2017. Here are six things to know: 1. Mr. Bjelich has served at the helm of the health system since 1999. 2. During his tenure, the health system reinstated obstetrics after 36 years and also developed the region's only Level III neonatal intensive care unit. 3. Mr. Bjelich was also instrumental in developing Saint Francis Medical Partners, a medical group practice with more than 200 physicians, and negotiating clinical affiliations with prestigious institutions, such as the Cleveland Clinic. 4. He received Missouri Hospital Association's Visionary Leadership Award in 2010. 5. Maryann Reese, the health system's current executive vice president and COO, will take over as president and CEO. 6. Previously, Ms. Reese was CEO of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, Ill. Louisville, Ky.-based ZirMed, which provides cloud-based revenue cycle management solutions, is cutting 60 positions from its total workforce of about 670 people, according to a Louisville Business First report. Here are four things to know about the layoffs. 1. ZirMed attributes the layoffs to realignment efforts. The company is realigning with its clients as well as current market trends, CFO Jim Lacy told Louisville Business First. 2. Mr. Lacy told the publication the layoffs will affect employees in the company's Louisville, Chicago and Culver City, Calif., offices. 3. Affected employees worked on ZirMed products that no longer need the engineering or support staff, according to the report. 4. Mr. Lacy told Louisville Business First affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for other ZirMed positions. The South Carolina Medical Association is fighting a bill that would allow advance-practice registered nurses broader ability to provide care without the supervision of a physician, according to Greenville Online. While nurses say the proposed legislation could expand access to care and help remedy the state's physician shortage, physicians contend the bill would put patients' safety at risk. "At SCMA, we strongly feel that patient safety comes first and the curriculum of an APRN is not at the level of experience to practice independently," said Marshall Meadors, MD, immediate past president of the SCMA. In addition to reducing requirements for physician oversight, the bill would eliminate the maximum number of APRNs that a physician can work with, as well as the mandate that nurses practice within 45 miles of a physician, according to the report. It would also allow APRNs to refer patients to physical therapists, certify patients as handicapped, order hospice and palliative care and pronounce death and sign death certificates. Judith Thompson, CEO of the South Carolina Nurses Association, said during a Senate Medical Affairs Committee hearing last week that the bill would allow APRNs and certified midwives to practice at the top of their licenses, according to the report. The South Carolina Medical Association is vehemently opposing a state bill that would grant advance-practice registered nurses full practice authority without physician oversight, according to Greenville Online. Here are five things to know. 1. The proposed legislation would no longer require APRNs to work within 45 miles of a physician and allow them to write prescriptions, order tests and certify students as unable to attend school, among other gains of autonomy. 2. While nurses argue the bill would increase care access in the state, which suffers from a provider shortage, the SCMA argues the bill could put patients at risk. Last week, the organization urged its members to call legislators and voice their concerns regarding the bill. "At SCMA we strongly feel that patient safety comes first and the curriculum of an APRN is not at the level of experience to practice independently," said Marshall Meadors, MD, former president of the SCMA, according to Greenville Online. 3. The South Carolina Nurses Association argues the bill would simply allow APRNs to practice at the level of their education. "It's nothing mysterious," said Judith Thompson, CEO of the South Carolina Nurses Association, according to Greenville Online. "For an advance-practice degree, the minimum in South Carolina is a master's degree, and we're having more and more people at the doctoral level." 4. Currently, 22 other states have similar legislation already on the books, according to Greenville Online. Ms. Thompson told the publication her organization has been lobbying to change the practice for years. "It makes no sense in a state like South Carolina, where you do not have adequate numbers of any kind of healthcare providers ... to deny persons with education, licensure and certification to be able to deliver certain kinds of health benefits to populations in need of care," said Ms. Thompson. 5. While Dr. Meadors told Greenville Online his group would support parts of the bill like the 45-mile limit, he described physician supervision as the "line in the sand" on which his group would not budge. More articles on human capital and risk: Benefis Health System nurses file for union election: 4 things to know Baystate Franklin nurses rally over contract Hospitals add 6k jobs in February A patient at Health First Viera (Fla.) Hospital suffered a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound early Sunday morning, according to an email from Health First Vice President and COO Stuart Mitchell III to hospital employees obtained by Becker's Hospital Review. The patient, whose name has not been released, arrived to Viera Hospital's intensive care unit by ambulance on Saturday evening, which allowed her to bypass the hospital's security screening process. The patient had a gun hidden in her belongings. Around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, the patient shot herself. Hospital staff tried to revive the patient but failed, according to Mr. Mitchell's email to employees. Due to the incident, Mr. Mitchell said the hospital is updating its security screening procedures for patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance. More articles on healthcare news: Patient's death after scuffle with hospital security officer ruled homicide 79-year-old physician convicted in bribes-for-test-referrals scheme Medicaid Fraud Control Unit recoveries grow to $1.8B in FY 2016 President Donald Trump on Friday selected Scott Gottlieb, MD, as his nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, reports STAT. Here are six things to know. 1. Dr. Gottlieb is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., and a partner in New Enterprise Associates, a large venture capital fund that invests in new companies focusing on health IT, medicine and life sciences, according to the report. Dr. Gottlieb is also a senior principal at the healthcare-focused merchant and investment bank TR Winston, and he serves as an advisor to major drug companies like GlaxoSmithKline, Cell Biotherapy and Bristol-Myers Squibb. 2. Dr. Gottlieb is well-known in Washington. He's has authored dozens of articles and speeches on healthcare regulation and testified before Congress numerous times, reports STAT. He's also served as a deputy commissioner for the FDA under former President George W. Bush. 3. If the Senate confirms him, Dr. Gottlieb would spearhead President Trump's plan to slash regulations at the FDA. Prior to his nomination, he told STAT his first goals in office would be to ensure the safety of the blood supply and get stricter on unsafe foods an issue he thinks doesn't get enough attention. Dr. Gottlieb would also likely reduce restrictions on off-label marketing and streamline the FDA's generic drug program to accelerate the approval of more generics, according to the report. 4. Dr. Gottlieb beat out two Silicon Valley leaders for the nomination: Jim O'Neill, managing director at Mithril Capital Management, and Balaji Srinivasan, founder of a bitcoin startup company called 21. 5. Opponents of the nomination express concern that Dr. Gottlieb's relationships with drug companies and his investment history may present potential conflicts of interest. "Scott Gottlieb's conflicts are much worse in that he's on the board of so many companies," Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, a research advocacy group in Washington, D.C., told STAT. "He'd clearly need to divest his own stock and resign from the boards, and unless he swore on a stack of Bibles that he wouldn't return to boards, investments, etc., it would be a good example of the 'swamp' that Donald Trump promised to drain." 6. Other people see Dr. Gottlieb's ties to the pharmaceutical industry as an advantage. "Scott is an exceptional choice for FDA commissioner," Paul Howard, senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute a conservative think tank in New York City told STAT. "He has led investments in new medicines and in new approaches in therapeutics. It's extraordinarily helpful for someone who is leading the agency at a time of tremendous technological change to have that kind of vision and experience." More articles on supply chain: 5 quotes on managing high drug costs from Ascension's COO Viewpoint: Trump is 'crying wolf' on drug price measures 6 must-reads for supply chain leaders this week The global healthcare revenue cycle management market is set to reach $100 billion by 2024, according to a Global Market Insights report. Here are nine things to know: 1. As insurance transitions from fee-for-service to value-based healthcare, there is an increasing demand to decrease billing errors and implant big data analytics, which will spur the healthcare RCM market. 2. In 2015, the integrated solutions segment accounted for a large chunk of market revenue. 3. The cloud-based solutions sector captured more than 75 percent of the healthcare RCM market share in 2015, due to the increasing adoption of EHRs. 4. In the United States, a boost in funding and insurance coverage will likely lead to the market's growth in the coming years. 5. The German healthcare RCM market captured more than 20 percent of the European RCM market revenue in 2015, due to increased healthcare spending. 6. The Chinese market will likely see a 15 percent jump through 2024, because of an increase in IT skills and economic growth. 7. The Japanese market is expected to pass $6 billion by 2024, because of industry adoption of cloud systems. 8. In Brazil, the market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13 percent through 2024. A rise in government and private investment in HIT as well as an increasing life expectancy will spur market growth. 9. Dominate players include: Cerner in North Kansas City, Mo. Athenahealth in Watertown, Mass. Allscripts in Chicago Siemens in Munich, Germany CareCloud in Miami GE Healthcare in Little Chalfont, U.K. McKesson in San Francisco Experian in Dublin, Ireland Quest Diagnostics in Madison, N.J. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa. We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant. 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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 ... Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ... 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! 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For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ... 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 ... Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ... Nayyera Haqs Bio What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ... 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 ... Meet Phil Mudd of CNN The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ... Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ... The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ... 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 ... WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ... 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 ... Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a The corporate finance section of business advisory firm HNH has said it had its best ever year after cutting 14 deals in 2016. Among the deals by HNH Group in Belfast were three acquisitions, two company sales and four growth capital backings. Its work included acting for Belfast Telegraph owner Independent News & Media on the purchase of four magazines, including Ulster Business from Greer Publications. HNH also acted in the sale of Northern MRI to Affidea, a Dublin-based healthcare business, as well as advising Your Doctor Medical Services on the acquisition of clinics in the Republic. The Belfast practice advises on corporate finance, business restructuring, forensic accounting, human capital and digital strategy. So far this year, it has advised on investment deals for Click Energy in Londonderry and agri firm PE Services in Cavan. Craig Holmes, managing director of HNH Group, said its position in the market had been boosted by a steady upturn of the market for M&A and healthy levels of fundraising activity. He said: It is encouraging to see different types of transactions taking place and activity spanning industries as diverse as engineering, healthcare, technology and hospitality, not to mention a range of active companies including plcs, privately-owned large companies and early-stage businesses. The firm was last week named Insider NI Corporate Finance Firm of the Year for 2017. Mark Cutifani's maximum annual bonuses will be cut to 300% from 350% of his basic salary (Anglo American/PA) Anglo American has moved to cap the bonuses of its executive directors in attempt to stamp out a potential shareholder rebellion at this year's annual general meeting (AGM). Mark Cutifani's maximum annual bonuses will be cut to 300% from 350% of his basic salary to bring it "into line with other executive directors". The mining giant will also introduce a cap on executive awards through the long-term incentive plan (LTIP), with Mr Cutifani's being limited at 13.1 million. The move, which will cap the LTIP at twice the face value of the award at the time of vesting, follows a shareholder outcry when the firm's low share price boosted the CEO's pay for 2015. The changes were revealed as the firm published its annual report showing a 15% rise in Mr Cutifani's pay package to just short of 4 million for last year. It included salary, bonuses and pension payouts, but he did not receive an LTIP award after failing to meet company targets. Writing in the annual report, chairman Sir John Parker said: "As you know, at the AGM held in April 2016, we received a substantially lower percentage of support from shareholders than that achieved in previous years. "Although there is no perfect remuneration system, the board believes that at Anglo American there is a relatively good correlation between profitability and levels of variable remuneration, and that our remuneration system is fair, performance-based and peer-comparable." The company said it had decided to increase executive salaries by 2% in 2017, "in the light of the directors' contribution to the company's improved financial position over 2016". The adjustments to the remuneration policy will face an investor vote at the AGM on April 24. The firm faced an investor backlash last year when 42% of shareholders voted against the boss's bumper pay deal in a non-binding ballot. Luke Hildyard, policy lead at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), said the changes may not be enough to satisfy investors. "Research increasingly questions whether very generous pay packages, far beyond pay levels of ordinary workers, are necessary to attract, retain and incentivise business leaders. "When we surveyed our members on this issue last year, pension fund investors took the view that executive pay is too high and that pay gaps are damaging to business. "While Anglo American's direction of travel is to be welcomed, it remains to be seen whether shareholders will be happy to approve executive pay awards that remain very high by most people's standards." Anglo's remuneration proposals come amid a flurry of pay announcements, which revealed that Sir Martin Sorrell was on course to pocket 50 million when WPP publishes its annual report. Royal Dutch Shell and Rolls-Royce also outlined on Thursday that they had given hefty pay rises to top bosses despite lacklustre results. Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden was handed a 54% hike in his pay package last year to 8.59 million euro (7.5 million), as he was awarded a potential 4.4 million euro (3.8 million) under a long-term shares bonus scheme. Rolls-Royce boss Warren East landed a 916,000 bonus and will receive an 18,000 pay rise this year despite the aircraft engine maker posting its largest ever loss and one of the biggest in UK corporate history. Deepa Mann-Kler is among the Northern Ireland delegation at SXSW More than 20 firms from Northern Ireland have travelled to Austin, Texas for the world's biggest showcase for creative digital industries. Four start-up companies travelling with support from Belfast City Council, and 19 backed by Invest NI, will take part in South by Southwest (SXSW), which starts today. Deepa Mann-Kler, a producer and artist working in virtual reality, neon, light and paint, was among the Belfast delegation taking part in the visit to the renowned SXSW. Councillor Guy Spence, who led the City Council delegation, said attending the event was a "key business development initiative" for the council's support of the creative sector. Deepa Mann-Kler is among the Northern Ireland delegation at SXSW The making of the two films caused too much of a clash for the ex-Harry Potter star. Emma Watson turned down a role in Oscar-winning musical La La Land for Beauty And The Beast because she did not want to half-arse her work on the Disney film. The actress, 26, stars in the new live-action version of the 1991 animated film as Belle, opposite ex-Downton Abbey actor Dan Stevens as the Beast. She said it was a big commitment, one that would need her devotion and left her having to choose between the two films. When asked on ITVs Lorraine about turning down the La La Land role, Emma said: With a movie like Beauty And The Beast its like three months prep, its like three or four months shooting, its in the UK. I had to be there to do that and, as I was saying before, its like you cant half-arse a project like this, you know, youre in or youre out. And I was like, Ive got to be all-in and so this was really where my heart was and I knew I had to fully commit and make sure that I did this. Emma Stone played the female lead opposite Ryan Gosling in La La Land. The film won six Oscars, including best actress for Stone and best director for Damien Chazelle. Emma also said she previously turned down the chance to star in Disneys live-action remake of Cinderella in 2015 because the character wasnt right for me. The former Harry Potter actress said she wanted to take on the character of Belle because shes so fierce, shes so smart. But there was still plenty to learn to portray Belle, including taking time-consuming horse-riding and singing lessons. She said: Ive never ridden a horse before (making this film) and so I was like, okay. This is what I mean about the prep. I mean I really went into, like essentially, a Belle boot camp. I was riding three or four times a week, singing four times a week, dancing three or four times a week. I was manic. I was so hectic but I loved it. Her recipes hit the spot with fans this week. Mary Berry appears to have shaken off bolognese-gate, winning widespread praise for the latest recipes on her BBC show. The former Great British Bake Off judge shocked viewers when she used white wine, thyme, cream and an oven to create her version of the Italian-inspired staple in last weeks instalment of Mary Berry Everyday. But things were back on track on Monday night as Mary whipped up favourites such as stew, pizza, a sorbet and a cheesecake. Good to see #maryberry hasnt sent Twitter into meltdown this week, said another of Marys army of devoted followers. However, with no culinary controversy in sight, some viewers could not resist dredging up the bolognese saga. Another quipped: #MaryBerry has cut her carrots too thin, and committed an unforgivable sin putting mushrooms in a beef and ale stew. One is shocked. Martin Garrix performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Hot 100 Festival. The Dutch superstar is to perform in Belfast in the summer. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Billboard) Belsonic organisers have unveiled the final headline act for this summer's festival, the internationally renowned DJ Martin Garrix. The Dutch superstar, whose meteoric rise to the top of the industry has been unstoppable, will play Ormeau Park on June 19. Picked up by Spinnin Records and subsequently backed by Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber, Arianna Grande, Kanye West), Martin has become one of electronic dance musics youngest superstars, amassing a chart-topping, high-streaming musical legacy along the way. The young producer has made both Billboards prestigious 21 under 21 as well as Forbes 30 under 30 list, he won a MTV European Music Award for Best Electronic Act, is holding the #3 position in the DJ Mag Top 100 and has hooked up with superstars like Usher and Ed Sheeran. Not only the music scene is impressed by the talent Martin Garrix posses, world renowned brands like 7UP and Tag Heuer are lining up to collaborate with him and that while Martin Garrixs story has only just begun. With a debut album fresh in the works and a summer schedule filled with every major festival worth attending, the young adult wiz kid shows the hes at the forefront of todays electronic music scene.. Martins new single Scared to be lonely was released in January 2017. Tickets for his Belsonic appearance go onsale on Thursday at 9am from Ticketmaster. Mike Nesbitt has given his final speech as Ulster Unionist leader, admitting that the party's disastrous Assembly election performance was "not good enough" and so "the buck stops here". The Strangford MLA announced his departure as UUP chief as the election results rolled in and it became increasingly clear the party had taken a major hit. The UUP went from holding 16 seats in a 108-seat Assembly (14.8% of MLAs) last year to 10 seats in a 90-seat parliament (11.1% of MLAs). It was also demoted to being the fourth largest party after being overtaken by the SDLP. Combined unionist losses in the election meant that for the first time unionists were not a Stormont majority. The former Victims Commissioner and broadcaster was strongly criticised by fellow unionists - including some within his own party - for revealing he would be giving his second preference vote to the SDLP in his constituency, rather than another unionist. Speaking at the Ulster Unionist Party Executive in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown, on Saturday, Mr Nesbitt admitted: "My big regret is the Assembly." He said he had hoped that Northern Ireland "was ready for its first post-sectarian Assembly election". "I argued the election should be about how well people thought the Executive had delivered. The DUP and Sinn Fein had 10 years and three mandates - the last collapsing within months," he said. "I argued they did not deserve another chance to lead. "I pointed out that this was the first opportunity in the 96-year history of Northern Ireland when people could realistically replace the parties of government with parties of opposition." Looking at the election results, Mr Nesbitt noted that "16 seats in a 108-seat Assembly is the equivalent of 13.3 seats in a 90-seater. We got 10. We could not afford a single loss. Three was three too many." He took heart from areas in which the UUP went up, but concluded, "that's all meaningless". "The buck stops here," he added. Mr Nesbitt, who took over the reins of the party from Tom Elliott in March 2012, also took a swipe at political rivals in the DUP as he insisted that the UUP had put "country first, party second, individual third". "My vision remains of a partnership, a partnership of the willing," he said. "That is not what I hear from the DUP, which is unionism whose language is intent on domination. "They talk of 'rogue' and 'renegade' ministers. They can talk of the 'crocodile' that needs starved. "All that language achieves is further division, polarisation and the energising of voters who were previously content to put their constitutional aspirations to one side as they enjoyed the benefits of being within the UK - making money, educating their children, having access to a health service without having to pay - and all the rest. "What is missing from the DUP is any sense of the values and principles of 1998: reconciliation, tolerance, trust building and the demonstration of mutual respect. It is the unionism of domination, not partnership. It is - to my mind - the politics that endangers our future." While Mr Nesbitt is expected to continue on as an MLA, his leadership predecessor Mr Elliott has been named the party's chief negotiator in the Stormont talks. Assembly Members Robin Swann and Steve Aiken are among the front-runners for the leadership. blog of the State Geologist of Arizona A prison officer is being treated in hospital after being attacked at Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim. The woman, who is understood to be one of the newer officers, was taken to hospital after the incident involving a male inmate on Monday. The prison officer is reported to have suffered a serious neck wound and was taken to the Ulster hospital. Police have said her condition is not thought to be life-threatening. It's understood the woman was attacked with a weapon "made from a razor". The incident has been referred to the PSNI. Adrian Smith from the Prison Officers Association (POA) told the Belfast Telegraph: "The woman has a three-inch gash below her left ear on the neck, it's a pretty deep wound. "Anybody knows the difficult and dangerous job that prison officers do and it's getting more and more dangerous with cuts to prison service budget and staffing levels. "Unfortunately things like this will happen more often." A Prison Service spokesperson said: "A prison officer has suffered a serious injury following an assault by a prisoner in Maghaberry this afternoon. The Prison Service utterly condemns this attack and has referred the incident to the PSNI." Chief Inspector Jonathan Wilson said: "At approximately 5:47 pm this evening police received reports of an incident during which a female prison officer was assaulted. "The prison officer was taken to hospital where her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Enquiries are ongoing." Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in Carrickfergus. Police said the victim, aged in his 40s, is in hospital with life threatening injuries. He was shot in the neck. The attack has been linked to a paramilitary feud in the area. It happened in Pinewood Avenue in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, on Monday afternoon at around 2.15pm. Police have said they are following "significant lines of enquiry" and voiced their concern at guns being fired during daylight hours with children in the vicinity. Superintendent Darrin Jones said: "While the investigation is still at an early stage police are following significant lines of enquiry and I would appeal to anyone who has information about todays attack to contact us. Firearms being discharged in a residential area, particularly during daylight hours when children are in the vicinity, is concerning. We need the community to give us the information needed so we can remove the dangerous individuals who carried out this attack from our streets and put them before a court of law. There will be a continued police presence in the area as we search for those who carried out this brutal attack. Witnesses have described hearing five shots ring out in the afternoon sky. The ambulance service said it attended to a report of a man with a gunshot wound before he was rushed to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police at the scene of the Pinewood Avenue shooting in Carrickfergus. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Police at the scene of the shooting. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Police at the scene of the shooting. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene of the Pinewood Avenue shooting in Carrickfergus. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye There is a large police presence in the town following the incident and earlier there were reports of large crowds gathered. Independent Councillor for Carrickfergus, Jim Brown said people were frustrated and don't want the situation to escalate. He said: "It's the last thing we need in Carrickfergus "Unfortunately, this has been a long time coming, as many who serve the community here will know. "We're frustrated by the lack of police activity and response in Carrickfergus. They aren't on the street as much. "The police station is only open from 1.30pm to 5pm, that's inadequate cover. It's been going on for years. "The police and their intelligence know who's behind it. The community is frustrated by this." One neighbour watching events from outside his house said it was an "absolute shock for everybody". He said he agreed with councillor Brown that police did not have a strong enough presence in Carrickfergus. "We definitely need more police in Carrickfergus, it's very seldom we would see a police car here. " Another woman who lived next door called the incident a "disgrace." "Especially with children out on the street. I'm not so concerned for myself but my son who is five years of age and running around the street when this happens. "I agree 100% about the police presence. Back in the day there was a lot of police patrols, now they don't do anything." Reacting, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said: "This type of behaviour has no place in our society. I condemn it and urge anyone with info to come forward to the PSNI." Unconfirmed reports suggest police made one arrest following searches. The attack comes after three men appeared in court charged over the attempted murder of a doorman at nearby pub, The Royal Oak. Detectives are investigating and have appealed to anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 605 13/03/17. Alternatively, information can be passed to the Crimestoppers charity anonymously by telephoning 0800 555 111. Police in Belfast are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of 30 year old man, Glenn Black Missing 30-year-old Glenn Black, who was last seen at the weekend, has been found safe and well. Mr Black, who is originally from Bangor, Co Down, was last seen in near Central Station, in Belfast, at around 6pm on Sunday March 12. A police appeal had been launched to find him. On Monday afternoon police issued an update to say he had been found safe and well. Volunteers empty a ballot box in the counting centre at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast for the March 2017 vote. The DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said it will be unlikely the current political talks will resolve the differences between Sinn Fein and his party within the three-week deadline. Talks are continuing throughout the week and Secretary of State James Brokenhire has cancelled plans for a US visit to help concentrate minds. The parties have until March 27 to hammer out a deal. Should no First Ministers be put forward on that date at the Assembly sitting, it is up to Mr Brokenshire to then call an election. He could, however, bring emergency legislation to Westminster to restore direct rule. Or, as has been mooted, stall on calling an election. In the law Mr Brokenshire must call an election within a "reasonable amount of time" giving the secretary of state some wriggle room should additional time be required for talks. Speaking to Good Morning Ulster on Monday, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it would be "very difficult" for the talks to be concluded within that time frame. It comes as last week the BBC reported polling stations were being booked in anticipation of another poll. A UK government source, speaking to this newspaper, also dismissed suggestions of a potential June 8 date for another snap poll. The earliest date for an election - should one be called - after the March 27 Assembly sitting could be Thursday May 4, should the timetable follow as it did in January after the resignation of Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister. But should the parties again go to the ballot box, who would be the possible winners and the losers? We asked polling company supremo Bill White. His LucidTalk company had a fantastic election, predicting the final result to within 1%. Mr White said another second election would likely be good for the middle ground and be to the detriment of the unionist parties. He said: "There is bound to be a reaction among unionist votes. The UUP in particular would be vulnerable to losing more seats so you couldn't rule out the possibility of pacts to ensure transfers. "In hindsight a five-seat constituency poll was always going to benefit Sinn Fein. We estimated they had a ceiling of 28 seats and they almost maxed out on that. Whereas for the DUP their floor was 28 seats and they hit that with a bump. "As there are only two main nationalist/republican parties it is not such a confusing ballot paper for their voters compared to the amount of unionist parties their voters face. "Alliance was the bigger winner in the election and could grow again in a second poll with the chance of getting as many as an extra two seats. "So the dangers of another poll are all on the unionist side, but of course it all depends on the campaign and 'events dear boy, events'." A Northern Ireland man with "real and undisputed paedophile tendencies" has lost a High Court battle over his daughter being taken into care. The convicted sex offender was appealing a ruling that he posed a real sexual risk to the four-year-old child. But a judge confirmed she could have no confidence in him being a protective parent. Mrs Justice Keegan said: "A court in the circumstances of this case is left with no option other than to look at a plan for care of this child outside of the family home." The man, referred to only as DM, has convictions for a series of crimes including indecent behaviour and making and possessing indecent photographs of children. He has repeatedly breached a sexual offences prevention order and been subjected to threats. In 2009 DM and his wife were forced to sell their home due to intimidation in the area. They had also allowed 14-year-olds to drink alcohol in their home, the court heard. Within months of the couple's daughter being born in 2013 DM was jailed for exposure. By that stage the relevant Health and Social Care Trust had added the baby to its Child Protection Register under the categories of potential sexual and physical abuse. Proceedings were launched after the parents indicated that they no longer intended to adhere to a protection plan. In 2014 the girl was taken into foster care, and a year later a judge sitting at the Family Care Centre made an order confirming those arrangements. Based on the evidence he held that DM minimised his offending and breaches, describing him as "capable of distorted thinking and of a devious manipulative disposition". The judge further found: "He harbours real and undisputed paedophile tendencies and on balance I am satisfied that those extend to children younger than 10 years of age." Lawyers for DM appealed the verdict at the High Court, arguing that no reasons were given for a conclusion that he posed a real sexual risk to his daughter. It was claimed that making the care order was "immoral, perverse and entirely unreasonable". However, Mrs Justice Keegan ruled that the judge was entitled to reach his decision. DM's assertions that he is no risk at all represents a fundamental problem with his case, she held. Dismissing his appeal, the judge said: "In my view, the argument in this case is aimed towards DM achieving personal vindication rather than a full appreciation of the welfare of this child. "The fact of the matter is that any court would validly consider that DM poses a risk on the basis of his past convictions and his breaches of protective court orders, in association with his lack of appreciation of the risk and his lack of a risk management plan and his lack of cooperation." ends Michelle O'Neill says the British Government is ignoring the views of the majority in Northern Ireland Sinn Fein has said there is an urgent need for a referendum on Irish unity as the British government has "refused to listen" to the majority of people in Northern Ireland over Brexit. Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's leader in the region, said the British Government was " on the verge of triggering Article 50 that is going to take the North out of the EU against the expressed wishes of the majority of people here". She added: "They are continuing to refuse to listen to the majority views. Brexit would be a disaster for the economy and the people of Ireland. "To us in Sinn Fein that increases the urgency for the need of a referendum on Irish unity and that needs to happen as soon as possible." Calling for a unity referendum is not a new call for Sinn Fein. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said calls for an Irish border poll were "premature" and an issue for the longer term. Mr Flanagan, who is taking part in political talks at Stormont in a bid to restore powersharing, said the focus must be on getting the institutions up and running first. "I don't think there is an area from here to the Baltic Sea, or from there to the Black Sea, or from there to the Mediterranean Sea, that is as potentially adversely affected by the withdrawal of the UK from the EU as is here in Northern Ireland and I think it is important therefore that we have a fully functioning Executive up and running to deal with this challenge at the earliest opportunity - this day fortnight," he said. Mr Flanagan added: " As far as border polls or a united Ireland is concerned these are much longer-term issues. "It is important that we address the urgent issues to task, which are the forming of the Executive at the first opportunity, getting the administration up and running here, the need to agree a budget, the need to put together a programme for government for the benefit of the people of Northern Ireland and also of course the imminent withdrawal of the UK from the EU. "Anything else is premature, anything else is for the longer term." The development came as Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to stage a second independence referendum before the expected date for UK withdrawal from the EU in spring 2019. Prime Minister Theresa May looks set to keep Brussels waiting for the official notification that she is triggering talks to take Britain out of the European Union. The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces 55 times, from late Sunday night to early Monday morning. March 13, 2017, 09:15 Azerbaijan fired from rocket-propelled grenade launcher at night STEPANAKERT, MARCH 13, ARTSAKHPRESS: During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired more than 550 shots toward the position-holders of the Republic of Artsakh Defense Army, and with different-caliber shooting weapons, the defense army informed. In addition, the adversary fired one grenade from a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, in the southern direction of the line of contact. But the Artsakh defense army vanguard units are in command of the operational and tactical situation at the frontline, and they confidently continue to reliably maintain their military positions. Police at the scene of the attack Three men have been arrested over a vicious gang attack in a Carrickfergus bar that left a member of staff in hospital with serious head injuries. Police said the male was "assaulted by a number of individuals" at the Royal Oak Bar on Green Street, beside the town's PSNI station, at around 9.40pm on Saturday. A source said that a doorman was attacked with a fire extinguisher, and would have "potentially life-changing injuries" if he survives. Police said that the victim was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment to major head injuries and was in a serious condition. Two men, aged 36 and 52, were later arrested and were in police custody yesterday. A third man aged 50 was arrested in the Carrick area yesterday and was also taken into custody for questioning. In a statement on social media the Royal Oak thanked customers for their concern for the injured staff member. It stated: "He is currently in hospital recovering at the minute. Thank you to all who was (sic) in the bar last night for your help and patience." East Antrim Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson condemned the attack, which he described as "incredibly brutal". "I have been speaking to people in Greenisland and Carrick and there is a great deal of shock at the brutality of it," he said. "My thoughts are with the person who was injured and his family. "We do sometimes see incidents happening in and around licensed premises late on Saturday night, but this was early in the evening while people were out having a drink. "The irony of the attack taking place next door to the town's police station hasn't been lost." East Antrim UUP MLA John Stewart added: "My thoughts are with the individual who was seriously assaulted and his family, and I hope he makes a speedy recovery. "We don't hear about things like this happening very often in Carrick, this is the exception rather than the rule. It's out of the blue, and this is a very well-run, established premises." The PSNI is asking anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has information, to contact detectives in Ballymena on 101, quoting reference number 1275 11/03/17. Police at the scene of the attack A pub doorman suffered serious injuries after being attacked with a fire extinguisher for refusing his alleged assailants entry, a court heard today. The man remains in hospital with a blood clot to the brain and facial fractures following the weekend incident with a suspected link to an ongoing paramilitary feud in Carrickfergus. Details emerged as three men from the Co Antrim town were remanded in custody charged with his attempted murder. Amid heavy security at Belfast Magisrates' Court, brothers Brian and Ian Sinclair, aged 50 and 36, appeared in the dock alongside 52-year-old Glen McCullough. All three men were allegedly involved in an outburst of violence at the Royal Oak bar in Carrick on Saturday night. Ian Sinclair, from Elizabeth Avenue, and McCullough, of Castlemara Drive, did not seek bail during the hearing. Opposing an application mounted by Brian Sinclair, of O'Rorkes Row in the town, a detective claimed there was a risk of witness interference. He said CCTV footage shows both brothers punching the doorman after being refused entry to the bar. Brian Sinclair allegedly forced him to the ground before Ian Sinclair lifted a fire extinguisher and repeatedly hit him as he lay in the hallway, the court heard. According to police McCullough then picked up the extinguisher and threw it at the man's head. District Judge Peter King was told the bouncer is in a serious condition in hospital, where he is expected to remain for a considerable period of time. His injuries include a blood clot and air pockets to the brain, along with fractures to his eye socket, cheek and nose. Solicitor Michael Madden, representing Brian Sinclair, told the court the accused had all gone to the pub for a social evening. During questioning the detective said the defendants believed the decision to stop them getting in was linked to the ongoing paramilitary feud. He confirmed, however, that there is no intelligence suggesting a connection. The court also heard that Brian Sinclair lost a tooth during the incident. His lawyer argued that he could be released to start a job as a rigger which would see him living in Wales until October. But refusing the application, Mr King said: "The concern of the police is one of witness interference. "I'm told there's a context to all this, one of organised paramilitarism - there's always going to be a difficulty in those circumstances." He remanded all three accused in custody, to appear again by video-link on April 10. Taoiseach Enda Kenny (right) with Minister of State for the Diaspora Joe McHugh at the Irish Famine Memorial in Philadelphia yesterday Plans to hold a referendum on extending presidential voting rights to Irish citizens outside the Republic are of little relevance to unionists, they say. The referendum, announced by outgoing Taoiseach Enda Kenny, could happen as soon as next year. If approved, Irish citizens living outside the State would be eligible to vote, including those in Northern Ireland. DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he was not overly concerned. "Well, I'm not an Irish citizen so I wouldn't be taking up that offer. In the end I think we've enough to be doing with elections in the United Kingdom," he said. "Anything that affects our constitutional position is obviously contentious, but there are citizens of the Irish Republic who live in Northern Ireland and I see no reason why it wouldn't be appropriate for them to have a vote." UUP MP Tom Elliott is of a similar view. "If the Irish Government wants to give voting rights to Irish passport holders living outside the Republic, that's entirely up to them. "However, there should be no subsequent consequences for Northern Ireland. They shouldn't be expecting to be awarded any broadcasting airtime here or in any other part of the United Kingdom." By contrast, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and the Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams embraced the announcement. Mr Eastwood called it "an important step in recognising the immense contribution that Irish citizens and communities across the world make to our island". He said: "It would be a significant endorsement of the principle of self-determination that secured support for peace in the North if our Irish citizens were given the right to choose our President. The time is right to move on this issue." Mr Adams commented: "The Taoiseach's announcement today is very welcome, but the Government needs to quickly clarify what this means in practice and when the referendum will be held," he said. Mr Kenny said holding the referendum in 2018 was a "realistic" possibility. Speaking at the Irish Famine Memorial in Philidelphia during his annual visit to the United States for St Patrick's Day, he said it was likely citizens abroad could vote online. "If you take a welder in Alaska or a farm worker in Queensland, Australia, they may not be in a position to travel to an individual centre, so we will have to explore all of the opportunities that exist here," he said. The Taoiseach said that the memorial on Philadelphia's waterside was an apt setting to announcing a move aimed at allowing Ireland's wide diaspora to play a more active role in their homeland. "I do think it will be something that Irish emigrants or their descendants will be very happy to be associated with and to have the option, and hopefully the opportunity, to cast their votes for whoever the candidates are in the presidential election in 2025 or afterwards," he added. "I hope this will be well received by Irish people all over the world." The potential change was suggested by the Convention On the Constitution in 2013, which brings together Irish citizens and parliamentarians to debate potential changes to the State's legal framework. Previously the forum recommended the introduction of gay marriage - which was endorsed in a historic referendum. Earlier, Mr Kenny took part in a colourful St Patrick's parade in Philadelphia. The Taoiseach is on his final major foreign tour before he is due to announce his retirement plans. The Irish Government is in "direct contact" with the coroner conducting the Kingsmill inquest, foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan said. The Ulster Unionists have criticised the amount of information provided by Dublin about the 1976 IRA murder of 10 Protestant workmen in South Armagh. UUP chief negotiator Tom Elliott said the level of Irish transparency had not come close to what the UK was planning to deliver on legacy cases. Mr Flanagan said: "The Irish authorities' co-operation with the Northern Ireland coroner is part of an ongoing legal process and they remain in ongoing direct contact with the coroner to identify ways in which further support or assistance can be given to the inquest, in accordance with the law." He said the Government was strongly committed to the early establishment of and full support for the comprehensive framework set out under the Stormont House Agreement to deal with the legacy of the past. He added: "In respect of the Northern Ireland coroner's inquest into the murders at Kingsmill, the Government has been very clear about its willingness to assist the coroner in accordance with the law and has put in place explicit measures to facilitate the transfer of material." Judge Brian Sherrard is holding the new inquest. Mr Flanagan added: "The transfers of relevant material to the coroner has already taken place." More generally, Mr Flanagan said the next few weeks of political negotiations present an opportunity to deal with the legacy of violence in a new fashion. "We now have an opportunity to agree the fully functioning operation of the institutions under Stormont House." He said the Irish Government has a positive role to play and will meet its obligations surrounding matters such as legislation. "We will fully co-operate with the new institutions as established in order to ensure that this issue can once and for all be dealt with for the victims, for the families, for the survivors, for communities and for everybody across Northern Ireland. "We will most certainly step up to the plate." Any future pathway to securing citizenship for the thousands of undocumented Irish living in the United States should also be offered to other illegal immigrants, Enda Kenny has urged. The Irish Taoiseach acknowledged the administration in Washington should not pick and choose in regard to which nationalities living in the US without permission could secure clarity around their status. His comments came after meeting Boston mayor Marty Walsh. The gaelic-speaking Irish American mayor said he was very proud of his heritage but rejected any suggestion that the Irish undocumented could be treated as a "special case". Mr Kenny will lobby on behalf of the 50,000 undocumented Irish when he meets President Trump in Washington on Thursday. The Taoiseach, who is on his annual St Patrick's trip to the US, said he would like to see any potential accommodation extended to other immigrants. "Clearly we have some concerns and anxieties about those who are undocumented here and we want to work with the administration in a way to deal with that, not just in the case of Ireland but also in the case of some of the others. "Because It's not a case of picking and choosing. While we might like to think we can sort out our own problem of 50,000 undocumented, there are 11 million people in the United states who have not the required paperwork and documentation." With such worldwide focus on Mr Trump's controversial immigration policies, Mr Kenny's efforts to raise the undocumented Irish will draw intense scrutiny. As part of his crackdown, the president has taken steps against "sanctuary cities" in the US, where local authorities refuse to implement federal immigration policies. Boston is one such city. Mr Walsh has been highly critical of the new administration's stance on immigration. "Hopefully the Taoiseach will be able to help a little bit here and be able to say and have a conversation with the president and the administration and the leadership of the Republican party about how do we come up with a solution, rather than accusing folks of being illegal or being criminal," he said. "I can't stand here today and say I feel comfortable with where we are as a country. Hopefully at some point we will be able to move to that point, but not today." In regard to special status for the Irish undocumented, the mayor said: "I am a proud son of Irish immigrants but I would not be supportive of rules and regulations that just benefit people that are undocumented Irish. "We need a comprehensive piece of legislation - we need some clarity for all immigrants, all undocumented immigrants." He said Boston was a very "multicultural" city. "I couldn't support something that just benefited one country," he added. Charlie Flanagan said the parties had recognised the urgency of the situation The mood is positive at the Northern Ireland powersharing talks, the Irish Government has said. Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said the parties had recognised the urgency of the situation. Only two weeks remain to strike a deal as the threat of a second election or direct rule from London looms. Mr Flanagan said: "There is a positive disposition on the part of all parties who are now currently in the Assembly. "It is important that the urgency of the situation be fully acknowledged and I detect an acknowledgement in that regard. "We have two weeks within which to form an Executive in accordance with the wishes of the people in the recent election." He said there was a particular urgency given the imminent withdrawal of the UK from the EU and the consequences for Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, new Assembly members gave an undertaking to support the rule of law and signed the membership roll in the first piece of business since the March 2 poll. If no agreement is reached on forming a new Executive by March 27, Northern Ireland faces another snap election. The recent poll saw an end to the unionist majority at Stormont. Sinn Fein now holds one seat fewer in the Assembly than the Democratic Unionist Party. Last week, in a letter to all MPs, Secretary of State James Brokenshire set out the consequences of the two largest parties failing to strike a deal, including no budget or programme for government and risks to public services. STEPANAKERT, MARCH 13, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: It isnt right to expects a positive movement in the settlement process at this stage, because Azerbaijan continues its terrorist actions and its destructive policy, Babayan said. Babayan highlighted the Co-Chairs visit to the region and said that the visit will be interesting since two of the Co-Chairs are new. No breakthrough should be expected. This visit will have more of a familiarization nature. They will visit Armenia, Artsakh, we of course will present the facts and evidence on Azerbaijani violations. It is always done through different channels. Evidence and assessments over the February 24-26 actions were also presented to the OSCE Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. So the process continues, Babayan said. He mentioned that various issues are being discussed during the meeting with the Co-Chairs relating to the regions situation, existing violations. Artsakh will once again focus on the issue of introducing mechanisms for investigation of ceasefire violations. Speaking on the border situation, Babayan said the night of March 13 was relatively calm, an average amount of violations were recorded. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson admitted the UK has no evidence that Russia is actually involved in undermining democratic processes. Russia has accused British intelligence agencies of trying to divert attention from the latest WikiLeaks revelations on surveillance by talking up Moscows subversive threat. Russias Embassy to the UK said the security services were engaged in a brutal propaganda campaign after GCHQ spies warned political parties of the threat Kremlin hackers pose to democracy. According to the Sunday Times, seminars will be held to educate politicians on the threat from Russia after its spies were accused of carrying out cyber-attacks to tamper with US and German elections. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties to offer advice on how to withstand attacks, the newspaper said. Commenting on the revelations, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson admitted the UK has no evidence that Russia is actually involved in undermining democratic processes, adding: but what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that. The Russian Embassy seized on his comments and claimed they showed that agencies are trying to divert from WikiLeaks release of thousands of purported CIA files, apparently laying bare its covert hacking programme, including techniques targeting consumer software It was claimed that software was developed to turn smart TVs into listening devices in a project codenamed Weeping Angel and including input from Britains MI5. In a statement posted online, the Russian Embassy said: Russia is accused of conducting subversive activity against Britain. We absolutely cannot accept that. In that regard, highly relevant are the words of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that Britain has no evidence of Russias interference in the UK domestic affairs. And this is true. At the same time, we would like to note that already for a long time, a brutal propaganda campaign has been under way to paint Russia as a country engaged in undermining Britain, including through hacking. Key to all this is that those allegations are not supported by any evidence or facts. And the Foreign Secretary had to admit that. Still, the campaign is going on, and the British people are being scared by the so-called Russian threat. However, it is well-known that according to the reports, it is the British special services who, together with the CIA, are active in development of technologies for total surveillance over the private life of citizens and society as a whole. Particularly broad possibilities for that are associated with the CIA library of fingerprints/stolen identities of various foreign hackers which could be used to put blame on others. That makes the murky business of hacking even murkier. The British special services, among other things, seem to be rendering CIA sisterly assistance in trying to divert attention from the intelligence debacle of the latest WikiLeaks disclosure, as all too often, at Russias expense. We call upon the British side to stop its anti-Russian campaign which undermines our bilateral relationship. In February, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, many of which threatened national security, had struck Britain in the previous three months. Downing Street said another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. A second Scottish independence referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time, the UK Government has said. After Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed her intention to call a fresh vote to give Scots a choice between Brexit and leaving the UK, a UK Government spokesman said she should focus on delivering good public services for Scotland. The spokesman also pointed out that Scotland voted decisively to remain in the UK in 2014, in a referendum the Scottish Government described as once in a generation. Ms Sturgeon said that next week she will seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree with the UK Government the details of a section 30 order the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum. A UK Government spokesman said: As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK Government seeks a future partnership with the EU that works for the whole of the United Kingdom. The UK Government will negotiate that agreement, but we will do so taking into account the interests of all of the nations of the UK. We have been working closely with all the devolved administrations listening to their proposals, and recognising the many areas of common ground, including workers rights, the status of EU citizens living in the UK and our security from crime and terrorism. Only a little over two years ago people in Scotland voted decisively to remain part of our United Kingdom in a referendum which the Scottish Government defined as a once in a generation vote. The evidence clearly shows that a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. The Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people in Scotland. Jeremy Corbyn confirmed Labours intention to oppose a second referendum in the Scottish Parliament, but would not seek to block it in Westminster if the idea is backed by Holyrood. The European Commission indicated an independent Scotland would have to apply to join the EU, rather than automatically being a member. Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the Barroso doctrine continued to apply. Former commission president Jose Manuel Barroso set out the legal view that if one part of an EU country became an independent state it would have to apply for EU membership. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said his party would oppose a second independence referendum and warned that Scotland could find itself outside both the UK and EU. He said: Scottish Liberal Democrats stood for election last year on a platform to oppose a new independence referendum. That is what we will do. Former first minister Alex Salmond has absolutely no doubt there will be a resounding vote in favour of independence in a second referendum. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a second independence referendum. The SNP leader said it could take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019. At a press conference on Monday, she said Scotland was at an "important cross roads," which Scotland had not chosen. "In my view it is important that Scotland is able to exercise the right to choose our own future at a time when the options are clearer than they are now, but before it is too late to decide our own path. "For better, for worse," she said, "the future of Britain looks very different to what it did two years ago." Since the UK vote to leave the European Union, Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly said a second independence referendum is "highly likely". Scots voted 62% to 38% to remain the EU while the UK as a whole voted to leave. Ms Sturgeon said: "The timing of the Brexit negotiations are not within the control of the Scottish Government. However, we must plan on the basis of what we do know now and what we know is that on the timetable set out by the Prime Minister, the shape of the Brexit deal will become clear in the autumn of next year ahead of ratification votes by other EU countries. "That is therefore the earliest point at which a referendum would be appropriate." She said that given the "collapse of the Labour party" there could be a "prolonged period" of Conservative rule until at least 2030 and of power being centralised in London. "It is not just our position in Europe that is at stake," she said, "what is at stake is the type of country we will become." She said she would work hard to protect Scotland's interests in the EU exit negotiations, but doing nothing was not an option. She said her appeals to the UK government for compromise had been met with a "brick wall of intransigence". She added: "Not only is there no UK wide agreement way forward, but the UK government has not moved an inch. "Leaving us not just facing Brexit, but a hard Brexit." She said legislation would be proposed in the Scottish parliament next week. The final say, however, on if an referendum can take place has to come from Westminster. "We know Brexit has changed everything," she said. "Having a referendum at the time when the Brexit deal is known will make it a decision for all on what path we take. "These steps ensure Scotland's future will be decided by the people of Scotland and it will be Scotland choice." It is widely expected Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger Article 50, signalling the beginning of the exit negotiations, this week, possibly on Tuesday. Ahead of Mrs Sturgeon's speech, an SNP spokesman said: "It is no surprise that polls continue to show support for independence higher than in 2014 - we are being driven ever closer towards an economically catastrophic hard Brexit by a right-wing Tory government who think they can do what they want to Scotland and get away with it. "If the Tories' hard Brexit obsession continues, the trend seen in this poll is only set to continue once Theresa May triggers Article 50." We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference MPs return their result after voting to reject Lord's amendment on EU nationals rights in the House of Commons, London (PA) The House of Lords backed down in its battle with ministers over its attempt to change the legislation. Britain has moved a step closer to leaving the European Union after Parliament cleared the way for Theresa May to commence formal Brexit negotiations. The House of Lords backed down in its battle with ministers over its attempt to change the legislation that authorises the Prime Minister to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaties marking the start of the two-year withdrawal process. The votes in the upper chamber after the Commons overturned two amendments previously backed by peers allow the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill to complete its passage through Parliament. The result was hailed by Brexit Secretary David Davis who said ministers would now get on with the job of building a positive new partnership with the remaining member states. We are now on the threshold of the most important negotiation for our country in a generation, he said. Despite speculation that Mrs May would immediately notify the European Council she was beginning the formal withdrawal process, Downing Street indicated she would wait another two weeks until the end of the month her long-stated deadline for doing so. The Prime Ministers official spokesman played down suggestions she was delaying due to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeons bombshell announcement of a second independence referendum in the run-up to Brexit expected in spring 2019. The spokesman told reporters Mrs May had always said she would trigger Article 50 by the end of March, adding: Ive said end many times but it would seem I didnt put it in capital letters strongly enough. EU leaders had been prepared for an announcement this week, with April 6 pencilled in as the date for a meeting of the other 27 to respond to the move a gathering which will now be pushed back until later that month. Waiting until the last week of March would not only avoid a clash with the Dutch general election on Wednesday, but also delay the start of negotiations until after a special summit of the remaining 27 in Rome on March 25 to celebrate the EUs 60th anniversary. Earlier, the Commons voted overwhelmingly to overturn two previous Lords amendments, requiring Parliament to be given a meaningful vote at the end of the negotiations and guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. After rebel Tory MPs who had previously backed similar moves in the Commons largely chose to abstain, Labour accepted it would be an empty gesture to try to reinstate them in the unelected upper chamber. While Liberal Democrat peers continued to resist, the amendment on the meaningful vote was defeated by 274 to 118 in the Lords and the EU nationals amendment was defeated by 274 to 135. It followed Commons votes earlier in the day rejecting the meaningful vote amendment by 331 to 286 and the EU nationals amendment by 335 to 287. Opening the Commons debate, Mr Davis said the majority of voters, regardless of whether they backed Leave or Remain, wanted Mrs May to get on with the job in hand and to do so with no strings attached. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was deeply disappointing the Government had refused to give ground but it was only the start of the process. Labour, at every stage, will challenge the Governments plans for a bargain basement Brexit with Labours alternative of a Brexit that puts jobs, living standards and rights first, he said. The 22-year-old says after two years she still hates the House of Commons. The youngest MP to be elected in Britain since 1667 may not run at the next general election because she finds Parliament a depressing place where little gets done. The SNPs Mhairi Black was 20 when she ousted Labours Douglas Alexander from the constituency of Paisley and Renfrewshire South in 2015 which he had represented for 18 years. But when asked if she would stand again at the next election, the former chip shop worker told The Sunday Post: I dont know. It has been nearly two years and I still hate the place, the 22-year-old said. It is depressing. She said she has to work with some quite troubling people but has found friends in MPs from the other side of the political spectrum, such as Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. Ms Black is also put off by the procedural traditions and systems which she largely finds are a waste of time. Professionally, it is more just that so little gets done, she added. A Royal Highland Fusiliers battalion will undergo a six-week training programme. Soldiers have been enduring the ultimate stress test as part of gruelling training exercises in the Kenyan bush. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) swapped snowy Penicuik near Edinburgh for the blistering heat of Archers Post, more than 185 miles north-east of Nairobi, to take part in Exercise Askari Storm. The troops are being put through their paces by the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in a six-week programme designed as the most extreme test of their skills short of going to war. The 394 infantry soldiers from the 2 SCOTS battle group are backed up by a support team of about 500 personnel drawn from across the country, ranging from medics and engineers to artillery units. They face punishing conditions in the hot and arid terrain, carrying up to 40kg of equipment in temperatures pushing 40C (104F), with heat exhaustion along with the local wildlife an ever-present danger. With the battalion due to deploy to the Middle East and Africa on operations later in the year, the exercise is seen as crucial preparation for any eventuality. Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Graeme Wearmouth said the Kenyan terrain ensured there was no hiding place for his troops. He said: Its a chance to put everything that weve learnt, everything that weve trained for, into practice, so this is really, I suppose, the optimum test short of going to war. I think its fair to say that its very demanding. This is the hottest time in the year in Kenya, we left Scotland in snow and we came here to 35C (95F) of heat, and its a really good test for us as soldiers. Troops first have to successfully negotiate scenarios such as bringing humanitarian aid to a village while battling a real enemy a role played by the Black Watch 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS). Soldiers use blank rounds and weapons fitted with laser transmitters which are picked up by sensors on body armour, helmets and vehicles, giving a play-by-play review of the action afterwards, before moving to live firing using targets. One soldier particularly looking forward to getting back to Scotland is Platoon Sergeant Steven Alexander, 37, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, whose wife Angela gave birth to their son Harry just days before the battalion deployed for the exercise in February. The father-of-four said: The company put me on the last flight, so the wee man was born on the Saturday night and then I flew out here on the Thursday morning, so they gave me a couple of days. He came just a day or so early, if Id flown out on the Saturday I would have missed it, so it was just by luck that I managed to be there. It is what it is but Im looking forward to getting back to see him. Responding to a letter from provincial governor Noah Kool, a member of the national parliament of PNG, Noosa mayor Tony Wellington said the Simbu people had a reputation for dynamism, resilience and a positive attitude towards blending the benefits of the modern world with the values of their traditional lives. The pioneering scheme was proposed by the Simbu provincial government in the Papua New Guinea highlands following a visit to Noosa by a group of PNG writers and journalists last year. WITH Noosa Council giving its blessing to a Simbu-initiated scheme in which people in Noosa Shire will cooperate across a range of projects with people in Simbu Province, more details have been released in a draft project document. This will be a good shared project with the Noosa end being convened on a voluntary basis by Keith Jackson, who has a long association with PNG, he said. The project will encourage young people and community leaders in our respective regions to engage with each other. Projek Wantok (Project Friendship) will establish a voluntary committee in both Simbu and Noosa which will include elected members of the respective governments and leaders in schools, business, the arts, the environment, churches and womens organisations. The committees will initiate and manage collaborative activities and promote them within the respective regions. The objectives of the relationship are to: Encourage contact and productive engagement between individuals, organisations, churches and schools in our respective regions. Extend the hand of friendship across our cultures and provide the peoples of Simbu and Noosa with a strong connection to a different culture. Promote the Papua New Guinea - Australia relationship at a citizen level. Provide support to our counterparts in Simbu where this is feasible. Indicative projects may include linking Simbu and Noosa rugby league through an information exchange, undertaking a comparative study of the role of government in the community in each region, establishing inter-school links, providing support for existing Simbu welfare programs, Noosa businesses mentoring emergent Kundiawa tourism personnel, mounting a Simbu art exhibition in Noosa and encouraging literary exchanges and conducting a comparative study of womens equity issues and domestic violence in each region. For the most part, this project will be managed by email communication and similar virtual means with occasional face-to-face contact between individuals or organisations if deemed desirable and if funding is available. It is not intended that the project will impose financial obligations on either government. Publicly advertised grants, corporate sponsorships and private donations may be sought where funding is required. In the first instance, Projek Wantok will be established for a period of one year with a review by both governments to determine whether it is delivering the worthwhile results that would warrant its continuation. Simbu & Noosa: Comparative Data Key facts & statistics Simbu Noosa Original inhabitants Kuman Language Group Kabi Kabi First Nation First outside contact 1933 1870 Derivation of name Sipuuu - Kuman for welcome Nusa Kabi Kabi for shade, shadows Location 400 km north-west of Port Moresby 130 km north of Brisbane Population 400,000 55,000 Area 6,100 sq km 870 sq km Highest point Mount Wilhelm, 4510 metres Mount Cooroy, 440 metres Main religion Christianity Christianity Main language Tok Pisin English Main towns Kundiawa*, Kerowagi, Chuave, Gumine Noosa, Tewantin*, Cooroy, Pomona Economy Farming, coffee, arts & crafts Tourism, construction, retail Elected leader Governor- Noah Kool Yamba MP Mayor - Tony Wellington Administrative leader Administrator - Joe Kunda Naur MBE CEO - Brett de Chastel * Centre of government Could the Belfast Telegraph please stop propagating the false propaganda that we somehow now do not have a regional flag? From any brief glance at events where Northern Ireland has a team representing it internationally, it's rather obvious from the support what our flag is. It is also used by several councils and I recall seeing it recently at the Queen's birthday celebrations. That the old Stormont was closed in the 1970s does not stop its use elsewhere (such as councils), nor negate the increased civic status of the regional flag, nor should the fact that Stormont currently flies the sovereign flag. The flying of the sovereign flag at the recent incarnation of Stormont was a decision made by Peter Mandelson before local politicians even sat - probably a wise decision given it is not an important issue and that we do not have a decisive form of democracy. It is also not normal practice in the UK for flags to be defined in law and the status of the Northern Ireland flag is little different to that of England - England not having a parliament at all, yet no one suggests England does not have a flag. I have followed in detail and researched this issue for a number of years and I believe this notion has been spread by nothing other than a campaign by Irish nationalists to try and delegitimise Northern Ireland and its symbols. I would hope to see increased use of the Northern Ireland flag to counter this propaganda. For example, I do not understand why Northern Ireland-focused parties use the sovereign flag on their election material. R McALLISTER By email A riot on the corner of York Street and Donegall Street in Belfast in 1920. The War of Independence was raging at the time At present there is much debate about dealing with the past in Northern Ireland. Many people who lost family members in the Troubles want to know what happened to them and who was responsible for their deaths. There is talk of some type of truth recovery process. Unfortunately, from the example of other violent incidents in recent Irish history and how these stories have been recorded and revealed, and because of contemporary political exigencies, it is unlikely that we will ever get the full picture of what happened. In 1947 in the south it was decided to record what happened during the revolutionary period in Ireland, 1913-21, from the recollections of those who had been active in these years in support of the revolution. Over the next decade 1,773 witness statements were collected by the Government-run Bureau of Military History. After the last statement was collected in 1957, however, it was decided these records would be sealed, and only in 2003 were they made available for public access. The reason for the closure of the documents was that many of the events recorded were still controversial and contained allegations which had not been checked. The period covered ended in July 1921 and deliberately avoided the Civil War, which was even more divisive. When the records were opened they helped to cast light on this revolutionary period. Nonetheless, there are problems with this evidence. Some leading figures, such as Eamon de Valera and Tom Barry, refused to make statements. Witnesses declined to come forward for some of the more controversial or notorious incidents. These accounts were recorded many years after the events and sometimes people made statements with the benefit of hindsight. Other times witnesses tried to present themselves in a particular light, or had bad memories. These statements were not interrogated or questioned at the time, and we know they often contain inaccuracies, deliberate or not. These records are important but they have to be treated very carefully by historians. It is unlikely that such a process would work here. When an effort was made by Boston College to record memories of some former paramilitaries under a promise of secrecy, the organisers were ordered by the courts to hand over material relevant to police enquiries about events during the Troubles. In our case, no guarantee of secrecy can be given. Anyhow, the whole point of the idea of getting the truth about these events is that people want to know now, not a century later. Even if some sort of amnesty was given to those former paramilitaries who told their story, there would still be a lot of the problems encountered earlier in the south. Many, in particular leaders, would refuse to testify, while the testimony of others would be selective or inaccurate. It is likely information would not be forthcoming on the most notorious incidents. On the UK Government side, information on past events is also likely to be partial. A very interesting insight into its attitude to the past, in light of concerns for national security, was revealed recently in a court case in London. In June 2015 Irish historian Barry Keane took a case to an appeals tribunal in London to be allowed to see some documents in the National Archives at Kew in London. He had previously been refused permission to see these papers. Curiously, the documents were over a century old and contained the names of informants against Irish secret societies in the period 1892-1910. Even more curiously, opposed to their disclosure were the Information Commissioner, the Home Office and the London Metropolitan Police. There were two main concerns for this opposition. The first was that it was believed there was danger to the lives of the descendants of these informants if their identities were revealed. Even after all this time, it was feared that resentment over their actions would lead to violence. The second, and probably the main concern, was that to disclose their names would be a serious risk to national security. How could this information from over 100 years ago affect current national security? It was argued by a Metropolitan Police officer that disclosure of the information would have an immediate effect on the recruitment of what were called covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), ie informants and agents. Complete confidentially was essential to recruit and retain these individuals who were critical in the fight against current terrorism and crime. It was argued that the release of information regarding CHIS activity, no matter how historical, would damage CHIS activities nationally and internationally. It was the policy of all three respondents "to protect the identity of informants in perpetuity". In the end the tribunal accepted that, for the safety of descendants and for the ability of the State to maintain its national security, the records should remain closed. For these same arguments, security records in Northern Ireland will be heavily redacted or censored. The fear would be that the many people who gave information about our violent events - informers, to use the local parlance - would be in real danger. There can be no doubt about this, as we know from the fates of Denis Donaldson and Eamonn Collins. The Government will be unwilling to release material which could provide information to reveal the activities and identities of informers. Their main concern is not to conceal what happened in the past, but to make sure it can recruit and retain such people in the future. So it is primarily because of current exigencies that the Government will not provide full information about our Troubles. It is also the case that, due to current exigencies, former paramilitaries will be reluctant to tell their full stories. In part this is because between 1966 and 2006 the paramilitaries were responsible for 3,264 out of 3,720 deaths. In part, also, this is because they lost many of their volunteers at their own hands. Of the nearly 400 republican dead, over half were killed by premature bomb explosions, by their own organisations as informers or due to internecine feuding. A significant number of loyalists lost their lives for similar reasons. Paramilitaries will not want the full story told of their activities in the past because of modern day repercussions. This is especially true for the republicans, who have a strong political agenda. At the moment Sinn Fein is hopeful of future success in Dail Eireann elections and the Irish presidential election. Full disclosure of republican activities would severely damage such hopes, not only in the general public but among their own followers. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that we will ever get the full truth of what happened. As we have seen in the case of the information gathered in the south, there are deep problems with witness statements about such historical events. Full truth about the past will not be revealed by either the Government or the paramilitaries. For the former, concerns for national security in the present will outweigh the need for full disclosure. For the latter, present day political considerations will prevent full truth. Everyone wants the truth. Over the next weeks there will be renewed debate about this matter. Sadly, it is unrealistic to expect success in obtaining the truth about our violent past. Comment Premium Allison Morris Opinion Major change may be the Good Friday Agreements last hope A statement to the media at 7.30am on Friday by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris ended speculation around a pre-Christmas Assembly election. He learned the hard way that deadlines are not an effective motivator when it comes to politics in Northern Ireland. Clive Staples Lewis, the bespectacled Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, is one of the most celebrated writers of the last century. His contributions to not only the field of Christian apologetics, but to fiction, will continue to be read, re-read, and studied far into the future, bequeathing joy and wisdom to new generations. Now is a great time to discover Lewis for the first time, or to simply pick up where you ve left off in years pastHarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has announced the addition of 18 C.S. Lewis classic works to their existing Lewis collection, becoming one of the primary sources of Lewiss writing in the U.S. In addition to these 18 titles, HarperOne is releasing The C.S. Lewis Collection: The Complete Works, as well as a Lewis-inspired devotional for Easter. Its never been a better time to become a fan of Lewis, but with so many books and essays to choose from, where does a newcomer begin? To help you start your journey into the world of C.S. Lewis, lets take a look at 8 of his greatest worksthose that best represent who C.S. Lewis was, what he taught, and what he stood for. Each year millions of people observe St. Patricks Day around the world in honor of Saint Patrick of Ireland. Many will celebrate the heritage and the culture of the Irish by participating in Irish pride parades, wearing all green, eating Shamrock cookies, drinking with friends at their favorite pub, and sharing their favorite Irish quotes and blessings across social media among other things. How much do you know about the life of the patron saint celebrated each year in so many parts of the world and the legend behind the holiday? While the dates of St. Patricks life arent completely certain, we know that as an active missionary in Ireland, he lived a life worth noting. Here are seven things you probably didnt know about the popular patron saint of Ireland. His Real Name Was Not Patrick According to Irish legend, his birth name was Maewyn Succat, or Magonus Succetus in Latin. He only began going by Patrick when he became a priest. He Was Not Actually Irish St. Patrick was not Irish. Most scholars believe that St. Patrick was born in a village in Roman Britain sometime in the late 4th century. He considered himself both a Roman and a Briton. He lived in Roman Britain until around the age of 16, when he was captured by pirates, sold into slavery and brought to Ireland. He Was Sold Into Slavery When St. Patrick was captured by Irish raiders; he was forced as a slave to work as a shepherd, herding and tending sheep. Ireland at the time was a land of Druids and pagans. He reflected on this period in his memoir, The Confession, sharing how he was able to turn to God in the darkness. St. Patrick wrote: The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the dame. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain. After six years of being in captivity, he managed to escape after having a dream from God where he was told to leave Ireland going to the coast. Following Gods voice he found sailors there who took him back to Britain where he was able to be with his family again. During this period, he experienced a spiritual conversion. After leaving Ireland, he returned. He developed a strong desire to proclaim the Good News to the Irish. Visions St. Patrick was led by visions. These visions, or dreams guided many of the decisions he made in life. When he returned home, he had a vision that he talks about in detail in his memoir. I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: The Voice of the Irish. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Focult, which is beside the western sea and they cried out, as with one voice: We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us. In this vision, he heard the people of Ireland who were practicing paganism telling him to walk among them. This vision prompted his studies and journey towards priesthood. He Converted Thousands to Christianity After following his calling to the priesthood, he was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre who he studied under. He was later ordained a bishop and sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. As previously mentioned, when St. Patrick first came to the country, Ireland was made up of mostly Druids and pagans. He often used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity to non-believers. Entire kingdoms were converted to Christianity because of his message. Over a span of four decades, he was able to convert Ireland to Christianity. He ordained many, held church councils and urged the people of Ireland to seek holiness in Christ. St. Patricks poem The Breastplate acknowledges his complete faith, how important spreading the Good News was to him, and his total trust in God, no matter the opposition. Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. Though he faced much opposition from pagan Druids, he was still able to live out his mission. Legends There are many legends about St. Patrick. One of the popular legends concerns what happened when St. Patrick arrived in Ireland. One claimed that he met the chieftain of one of the druid tribes who tried to kill him. Because of an intervention from God, St. Patrick was not only able to escape death, but also able to convert the chieftain and preach the Gospel throughout Ireland. Another legend claimed that St. Patrick was able to drive all the snakes out of Ireland. Scholars believe that snakes in ancient texts refer to pagan rituals beliefs and practices, not necessarily the animals themselves so these legends may have referred to St. Patricks ability to drive paganism out of Ireland. A Life of Example St. Patrick is recognized today by many for spreading Christianity throughout Ireland as a missionary and the example he set during his ministry. He is admired for his humbleness, his complete trust in God in all circumstances manifested in his unwavering faith. His mission was his life and this is one of the many reasons he is still celebrated today. Lesli White is an Editor for Beliefnet.com Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that a state of emergency will be in effect for New York beginning at midnight Tuesday. New York officials are preparing for a major winter storm that is expected to affect nearly every region of the state. Snowfall is expected to begin overnight and continue all day Tuesday and into Wednesday. In the Finger Lakes region and central and western New York, snowfall totals could reach up to 20 inches over a 36-hour period, Cuomo said on a call with reporters. Higher elevations will likely receive the highest totals. For the Albany area and parts of the Capital Region, up to 24 inches of snow is expected from late Monday through Tuesday night. Long Island, New York City and the mid-Hudson region will get between 20 to 24 inches of snow and snowfall rates could reach 2 to 4 inches an hour, Cuomo said, citing weather forecasts. These regions will have an additional challenge: high winds. Wind gusts could reach 40 to 50 miles per hour. There may be minor coastal flooding on Long Island. "This forecast has been fairly consistent for a period of time and is significant in terms of snowfall, so we're taking it very seriously," Cuomo said. All of New York is under a winter storm warning from late Monday until early Wednesday. A blizzard warning is in effect for some parts of the state, mainly New York City and Long Island. Cuomo said non-essential state employees in every region of the state except for the North Country will be excused from work Tuesday. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will suspend above-ground service beginning at 4 a.m. Tuesday. The Long Island Railroad will be operating on a normal schedule Tuesday, but cancellations are possible. Metro-North will suspend service at noon. Cuomo said Monday that both services will be "significantly impacted" by the storm. The state has called up nearly 2,000 National Guard soldiers to aid in the storm response across the state. That's in addition to between 4,000 and 5,000 state employees mostly state Department of Transportation workers who will be responding to the storm and helping remove snow from roadways. Cuomo said the state is deploying equipment based on the forecast and where it will be needed the most. The state's arsenal includes 2,000 large plow trucks, 200 medium plows, 300 front-end loaders and 61 tow plows. The state has 440,000 tons of road salt ready to treat roads. The governor's advice for New Yorkers: Tuesday will be a good day to stay home. "It's going to be a dangerous, dangerous situation," Cuomo said. "I would only plan on travel if it's especially important tomorrow." Indian police walk ahead of students during a protest march outside Delhi University in New Delhi, Feb. 28, 2017. Indian police plan to launch a retaliatory strike on Maoist rebels after suspected left-wing extremists killed 12 security personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in a deadly ambush in Chhattisgarh state over the weekend, an official said Monday. The attack occurred Saturday when suspected Maoists guerrillas triggered a blast and opened fire on CRPF personnel in the Sukma district of the insurgency-torn central Indian state, police spokesman B.K. Singh told BenarNews. It was a pre-planned strike, Singh said, adding that security forces were gearing up for a befitting reply. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier warned of heavy retaliation following Saturdays attack. Maoists have executed a cowardly act on security forces who were doing their duty. Security personnel were patrolling an area where a major road construction project is under way when they were ambushed, the minister told reporters. I want to assure the nation that the martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain. There will be heavy retaliation, he said. Maoists, also known as Naxalites, have been fighting Indian security forces since the late 1960s from jungle hideouts in more than a third of central and eastern Indias 600 districts. The armed rebels, who are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have accused successive governments of uprooting poor and landless people to exploit mineral-rich forests scattered throughout the region, known as the Red Corridor. Although the level of violence has declined sharply in recent years, with the government offering cash incentives for rebels who surrender, the group continues to stage occasional attacks on security forces and police informers. The attack on security forces is a direct result of the aggressive approach adopted by Indias right-wing government to counter insurgency in the Maoist-infested belt, said security analyst S.K. Srivastava, referring to the countrys Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Partys zero-tolerance stance against Naxalites. You can expect stiff resistance from Maoists as the government continues to push development in regions that once belonged to them and the tribals they claim to be fighting for, he told BenarNews. Philippine Coast Guard personnel escort a Vietnamese cargo ship after it was attacked by unknown gunmen Feb. 19 near the Malaysian coast in this photo released Feb. 21, 2017. Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines will launch joint patrols in the Sulu Sea as soon as next month to safeguard ships crews from piracy and kidnappings, officials from the three countries said. Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed the planned launch on Monday following similar statements last week from an Indonesian defense ministry spokesman and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. This launch follows the agreement reached during a meeting between the three defense ministers myself, Ryamizard Ryacudu and Lorenzana during the fourth three-corner meeting on Nov. 17, 2016, after the 10th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers Meeting, Hishammuddin told BenarNews. The Sulu Sea initiative involves joint training operations, coordinated maritime patrol and air patrol on maritime waters and coastline near the east coast of Malaysia including the standard operating procedures for hot pursuit into Philippine waters, he said. New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last year gave Malaysia and Indonesia the green light to pursue militant boats into Philippine waters to capture kidnappers and free their hostages. The Indonesian spokesman said a soft launch of trilateral maritime security cooperation was slated for April 11 from Sandakan Port in Malaysia. The three defense ministers will attend the event, the spokesman said. 31 hostages Defense and foreign officials from the three countries began talks last year about the need for joint patrols in the region that has been marred by piracy and kidnappings linked to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a southern Philippines-based militant group aligned with the Islamic State (IS). In May 2016, foreign ministers agreed to launch joint patrols to protect ships and their crews. A month later, defense ministers held more discussions on the plan, including focusing on coordinating air-sea patrols. By November, an Indonesian spokesman said a series of obstacles had slowed efforts to launch the patrols. I really hope we can do it in the near future, Indonesian Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Wuryanto told BenarNews. We feel a bit disgraced now [because] the kidnappings keep going on and on. In December, Malaysian security personnel killed three gunmen and captured two others during a shootout off eastern Malaysias Sabah state. The shootout occurred after seven suspected Filipino gunmen in a boat attacked three ships in the area around Semporna, a town on Sabahs east coast close to the southern Philippines. Last week, Lorenzana said ASG is holding 31 hostages including six Vietnamese seamen attacked on their cargo ship off the southern Philippines last month, according to Agence France-Presse. The 31 includes five Malaysians and two Indonesian sailors. Pirates kidnapped 27 Indonesians and 10 Malaysians in 2016, most of whom have since been released. In 2016, ASG collected at least 354.1 million Philippines pesos (U.S. $7.3 million) from ransom paid for hostages, Philippine-based news website Rappler.com reported. Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi (third from left) and his staff show photos of nine alleged militants during a press conference in Poso, Central Sulawesi, March 12, 2017. Malaysian counter-terrorism officers arrested seven suspected Islamic State (IS) supporters last week, six of them in the eastern state of Sabah, the nations top cop announced Monday. The statement came one day after an Indonesian police official said nine militants captured Friday by the elite counter-terror squad Densus 88 were linked to IS through a new Middle East network. The six arrests in the part of Malaysia closest to the southern Philippines followed four counter-terrorism arrests there in mid-January. Officials then said IS militants were planning to make Sabah a transit point for South and Southeast Asians seeking to join IS Philippines (ISP). The seventh suspect, a former medical assistant at a local government hospital, was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday after he was detained and deported by Turkish authorities, Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said. Two of them are Malaysian citizens, three are Philippine citizens having Malaysian permanent residence (PR) status and two others are Philippines citizens, he said, adding that all were being held under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012. Indonesia: a new network On Sunday, meanwhile, an Indonesian police official said nine militants captured Friday were linked to IS through a new network. They are a new group of a radical Middle East network affiliated with IS, Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi told reporters at a press conference in Poso regency. The nine were not linked to the Eastern Indonesian Mujahideen (MIT) as previously reported, he said. The MIT was seen as the remnants of the Jemaah Islamiyah network responsible for the 2002 Bali bombing. In 2016, security forces reduced the group from about 30 members hiding in the mountains of Poso to some nine fugitives. Rudy denied reports from Friday that one of the militants arrested that day had been shot dead. Six suspected militants were arrested Friday in a house in Tolitoli, a regency about 428 km (266 miles) north of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province. About two hours later, three others were captured in neighboring Parigi Moutong regency. The leader of the group lives in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Rudy said, but he did not elaborate or name the new network. Immigration officer Police identified one of the Malaysians arrested as a 31-year-old female immigration officer at an airport in Sandakan, a coastal town near the southern Philippines, who allegedly arranged for militants from Malaysia and Indonesia to travel there without valid documents. On Wednesday in the capital of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, officers arrested two men, a 27-year-old Filipino with permanent resident status and an 18-year-old Filipino, over alleged direct links to IS in Southern Philippines. The suspect with the Malaysia PR status is believed to have secured funds for Malaysian fugitives Mahmud Ahmad and Mohamad Joraimee Awang Raimee, Khalid said. Mahmud, 37, is a former lecturer in comparative religion at Universiti Malaya and one of several Malaysian militants operating in the southern Philippines, according to Southeast Asia terrorism analyst Rohan Gunaratna. The other suspect is an IS militant who has sworn allegiance to Isnilon Hapilon, a senior leader of the ASG in Basilan who is also an IS emir in Southern Philippines, Khalid said. Isnilon, the leader of the Philippine branch of IS, was wounded by a military operation in Lanao del Sur in January, according to reports. On Thursday, Malaysian authorities arrested two Filipinos with permanent resident status in Sandakan, a 53-year-old female ferry ticket seller and a 40-year-old male laborer who allegedly smuggled IS members through Sabah. The sixth suspect, a 36-year-old male Filipino car mechanic detained in Sandakan on Thursday, was planning to leave for Syria to join IS, Khalid said. The last suspect, according to Khalid, was the Malaysian man arrested at the airport on Sunday. He is a former medical assistant at the Jerantut Hospital in Pahang who left for Istanbul in October 2016, trying to enter Syria, Khalid said. Since 2013, Malaysian authorities arrested 285 people with suspected IS links, of whom 66 have since been freed, according to the latest figure obtained by BenarNews. Anis Natasha in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. The New York State Police is mourning the loss of one of their own. Trooper Brian Falb, an 18-year veteran of the state police, died Monday. According to media reports, Falb was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. The illness has been attributed to Falb's work at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He assisted with the search and recovery operation at the site. Falb joined the state police in May 1998 and most recently served with Troop B, which covers the North Country. His latest assignment was with the agency's Traffic Incident Management Team. Funeral arrangements haven't been finalized. Falb is survived by his wife and four children. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Womens History Week. The proclamation stated, in part, "Men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well. ... I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality: Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman and Alice Paul." Since 1988, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as Womens History Month. We are excited to celebrate the history of women in our region by offering two authors talks at Seymour Library. Susan Savion, author of "Quoting Matilda," will talk about her book and the life of suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage at 6 p.m. Monday, March 13, at the library. Learn about the radical suffragist author, who advocated for the rights of Native American women, championed women inventors and was the inspiration for her son-in-law L. Frank Baums "Wizard of Oz" books. Rediscover the family that ignited the quest for womens political rights with author and historian Dr. Linda C. Frank at 6 p.m. Monday, March 20. In her recent book, "An Uncommon Union," Frank offers the first account of Elizabeth Cady Stantons transformation from debutante to radical reformer. A native of upstate New York, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the author of and the advocate for the resolution demanding womens voting rights that was introduced at the nations first womens rights convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Looking for something to read? Join in the discussion of Margaret Atwoods classic "The Handmaids Tale" at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27. 2017 marks the centennial of womens suffrage in New York state. Explore the rich history of the womens suffrage movement through literature with the librarys newest book club, Votes for Women! Cayuga County Historian Dr. Linda C. Frank will facilitate the discussion series, which is sponsored by Humanities New York. Join us for a brief intro meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12. Books will be available to pick up in the History Discovery Center on April 10. Supplies are limited, so if interested, please register by contacting the library at (315) 252-2571 or stop in at the main desk to sign up. For more information, visit the librarys website at seymourlibrary.org. This month you can check out the librarys Fearless Females book display, spotlighting women in fiction and real life. Here are some of the titles: In fiction: "Queen of the Tearling" by Erika Johansen "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas "The Bear and the Nightingale" by Katherine Arden "Howls Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy "The Time Travelers Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon In real life: "The Glass Castle: A Memoir" by Jeannette Walls "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert "The Underground Girls of Kabul" by Jenny Nordberg "Bossypants" by Tina Fey "Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously" by Julie Powell "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War" by Karen Abbott "A Very Dangerous Woman: Martha Wright and Women's Rights" by Sherry H. Penney "An Uncommon Union: Henry B. Stanton and the Emancipation of Elizabeth Cady" by Linda C. Frank "Nothing Daunted" by Dorothy Wickenden "Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero" by Kate Clifford Larson "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" by Cheryl Strayed "I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai "Queen of the Bremen" by Marlies Adams DiFante 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 Part of the reason Dr Kenneth Alexander, division chief of infectious diseases at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida, visited South Africa recently is to figure out how South Africa got it so right in implementing a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme. South Africa has achieved an 82% vaccination rate in girls, whereas back home, in the US of A, the decade-old campaign has only yielded a 40% immunisation rate. Alexander attributes the better local results to using the school system to implement programmes. Schools are a great equaliser, because it doesnt matter whether you are rich or poor, or black or white, everybody goes to school. Virus is egalitarian In April 2014, the South African National Department of Health implemented a school-based HPV vaccination programme for all girls nine years and older in grade 4 in public schools, targeting almost half a million girls. Private schools were not included in the rollout. Thanks to the programme, HPV has become an egalitarian virus, Alexander says, evolving into a form of reversed healthcare inequality, where poorer and middle-class girls are getting better pre-emptive HPV care than their wealthier counterparts in private schools. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are more than 100 types of HPV, of which at least 13 are cancer-causing. One of the cancers associated with HPV is cervical cancer, the second most common form in women living in less developed regions with an estimated 445,000 new cases in 2012 (84% of the new cases worldwide). Stumbled in the messaging As a paediatrician and proud owner of two daughters, Alexander says, In terms of vaccine implementation, I worry, weve stumbled a little on communication. We need to teach doctors better messaging to parents. He says that obviously the conversation between a paediatrician and parents on immunising their child against what is a sexually-transmitted disease is uncomfortable. Its not about sex at all, but rather about cancer. Doctors should explain to parents the potential of the vaccine to prevent misery by substantially reducing the risk of having to go through the trauma of a cancer experience in the family, he says. We as paediatricians need to put on our big girl pants in getting the message across. Where South Africa has been smart is in normalising the HPV vaccine. he concludes. I attended my first Digital Swarm event, hosted by DigitLab at the Hardy Boys' offices in Durban North on 8 March 2017, with this year's focus on Storytelling'. The selection of storytellers were perfectly selected to provide a balanced insight into storytelling and the role it plays in marketing broadly, and digital marketing in particular. Agency unpacks Trojan horse Tomfoolery co-founder, David Leslie, was the first speaker. His story was mirrored in his personality, conveying authenticity and honesty from start to finish. Wikipedia Leslie described storytelling in a world gone mad (the digital world that is) as a Trojan horse. We want to get in behind the barriers our audience erect around themselves to keep from being sold to. To do so, we offer them a great story. They trustingly wheel it in until it is safely locked within the very boundaries they erected to keep us out. Then, when no one is looking, we sneak in our brand message and hope like crazy to achieve our objectives. To achieve those objectives, Leslie laid out what he and the Tomfoolery team have identified as the most important facets of a good story. Good storytelling in a digital world should be: Disruptive As CH Spurgeon explained, Their attention must be gained, or nothing can be done with them: and it must be retained, or we may go on word-spinning, but no good will come of it. In a world that is ever changing, we need to be creating the kind of content that gets peoples attention and keeps it. Interesting It should be new, innovative and interesting and it needs to be relevant to the audience we are trying to engage. Human Humans are the most interesting content on earth. Manifold beings, they bring an infinite variety to everything they do. No two are alike and all are engaging when they are simply being real. Often, real life is funnier than fiction could ever be. Which brings us to the next thing storytelling needs to be: Honest Just be real. Leslie described the arc of Reuters success, which started with the founders realisation that information was a commodity that could be bought and sold for profit. In the digital age, information is no longer a commodity. The new commodity of the modern age is authenticity and it is increasingly rare as we try to measure and optimise every engagement, rather than creating genuine connections with real human beings. Craft the telling of a good story is a craft in itself. Further, great stories include an element of craft: people being makers and creating change in their world. Great at using layers layers refer to the figurative layers of the story itself, as it builds diverse narratives into a meaningful outcome. In addition, they can include media layers, depending on the platform on which they are presented. In the case of Tomfoolery, those layers include story, sound, score, texture, location, and more all of which build together to grab and hold the audiences attention, and keep it until the storys climax. Narratively rich This is often the area people battle with most. Telling a story is taking your listeners on a journey. Storytelling in the digital world, brought to you by David from @Tomfoolery_TV #DigitalSwarm pic.twitter.com/jBwjFa8low The Hardy Boys (@THB_DBN) March 8, 2017 The narrative, in Leslies view, is the most important part of the story. To help us get it right, he generously shared a lesson he had learned from South African filmmaker Justin Bonello, called the Bonello curve. Bonell Curve Essentially, a story starts with context. It builds with details and it needs to finish with a strong take away a solid close. Whenever we are telling any kind of story in any format these pillars need to be created before the story can begin. To demonstrate the power of combining these elements, David shared these powerful short videos: Bucket Boards and Hitched Trailer. (I am definitely keeping an eye out for this series when its aired.) Recommended references were Simon Senek on Millennials and Arianna Huffington - Thrive. Read more by Davies on the Jellyfish blog. PARIS - Fashion house Chloe, previously overseen by such fashion superstars as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has named the young French designer Natacha Ramsay-Levi as its new creative director. Natacha Ramsay-Levi. Image credit: Paolo Roversi Ramsay-Levi Chloe's press office disclosed only that she is in her 30s takes over from British designer Clare Waight Keller, who announced her departure in January. Waight Keller, who joined France's Chloe in 2011, presented her final collection for the label at Paris Fashion Week on 2 March. Her Paris-born successor has spent the previous four years as head of women's ready-to-wear at Louis Vuitton under Nicolas Ghesquiere, and before that worked with Ghesquiere at Balenciaga. Ramsay-Levi said she was delighted to be joining the venerable brand that was founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, a Parisian woman of Egyptian origin. "I am very proud to join a house that was founded by a woman and whose mission is to dress women," Ramsay-Levi said in a statement. Her first collection for Chloe will hit the catwalks in September at the spring-summer 2018 shows in Paris. Chloe is owned by the Swiss luxury group Richemont. Source: AFP Despite the uncertainty that Donald Trump's presidency in the US has introduced into the global economy, America remains an important market for South African citrus growers. They can also consider expanding their exports into that country through the introduction of locally produced niche-market citrus products. Valentyn Volkov via 123RF This is according to Marc Solomon, of the Crocodile Valley Citrus Company, who is an expert on citrus exports from South Africa into the United States. Addressing hundreds of citrus industry role players from around South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, Solomon was speaking on the last day of the Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) Citrus Summit at the Sun Boardwalk Hotel and International Convention Centre. Tackling primarily the current status of South African citrus exports into the United States and access into that market, Solomon said the local industry enjoyed a very good reputation in the US " which has its own high-quality citrus industry in California. "Since entering into that market in 2000, South African exports have shown a healthy upward trend, good growth," he said. "The exports peaked [last year] with 60,000 tonnes being exported into the US. While South Africa is not the only exporter to that country, we have 34% overall market share." Solomon said that due to the high quality of the US industry, foreign citrus producers could only access that market when California closed its seasons each year. He named Chile, Peru and Uruguay which boast the advantage of being able to ship to both America's east and west coasts as being among South Africa's biggest competitors in the US citrus market. Solomon said another positive development for South Africa was that it had recently been granted access to the country's Port of Houston in Texas, which would significantly reduce the logistics costs involved in delivering the produce to the various markets across the United States. He said that, going forward, there were opportunities for growers to export soft citrus, which would be considered as niche products and included produce such as grapefruit and clementines, which were not of that high quality in the US. The biennial CGA summit provides one of the country's more successful agricultural sectors with the opportunity to gain industry updates and a chance to network. Covering a wide range of issues and challenges faced by the industry, the summit format included presentations by experts, followed by question-and-answer sessions. Source: Herald A brief history lesson I had just finished reading Roger Crowleys Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire which tells the story of the intrepid, ambitious and aggressive Portuguese explorers like Bartolomeu Dias who, after the deaths at sea of many of their compatriots, were finally able to reach and pass around the tip of South Africa in 1487. Portuguese King John II named that tip the Cape of Good Hope (which eventually became Cape Town) because of the fortunes they expected to find ahead in the East Indies. By the start of the 1900s, Britain had won full control of the country, and South Africas gold and diamonds created many fortunes. Travelling via train from Pretoria to Cape Town, I stopped at the historical De Beers diamond area, where millionaires were created almost overnight in the late 1880s for those lucky few who discovered large diamonds there. My colleagues and I were able to see the Big Hole, an enormous crater in the ground that was dug out over the years by hand. Two brothers (Diederik Arnoldus de Beer and Johannes Nicolaas de Beer) had owned the land and rented out plots where diamond hunters could dig. Eventually, Cecil Rhodes (who became famous for the Rhodes scholarship, among other things) purchased and consolidated all the mines and became one of the worlds richest men. The promise of a rainbow future There are, of course, many books and articles about South Africas history and apartheid, a legacy the country still grapples with. The African National Congress (ANC) spearheaded the struggle to end apartheid, and by the 1990s, apartheid laws were abolished and the ANCs most notable political prisoner, Nelson Mandela, was released from jail. I had the opportunity to meet President FW de Klerk around that time and heard him describe the very difficult time he had reconciling his own party to the change. The meeting with De Klerk was in his office in Cape Town and it was clear at that time that he and Mandela did not agree on a number of issues and he was quite frank about it. But his tolerance and patience shone through the challenges he was facing. His openness and strength of character made me confident that the political transition would work. Since then, the country has become known as the Rainbow Nation, not only because of its multicultural diversity but also because of its tolerance. For example, South Africa was one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage. The cracks begin to show The ANC won by a massive majority in South Africas first universal elections in 1994, and has continued to win subsequent elections. Unfortunately, the government change has not substantially improved the economic situation for the majority of people previously denied political and social freedoms; unemployment levels hit a 13-year high of 27% in 2016.Poverty remains prevalent, and in 2014, the United Nations Human Development Index of South Africa ranked the country 116 out of 188 countries and territories. The country has failed to significantly improve its standing since the 1990s. The ANCs previous dominance is beginning to crack amid South Africas lack of economic progress. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), founded by the radical Julius Malemaformer president of the ANCs Youth League who was thrown out of the ANChas been rising in popularity. If South Africas economic situation doesnt improve, attracting the young and unemployed could make the EFF a more potent force. Opposition parties have been gaining control of key cities, and their strength has increased when they are able to better provide services such as water, power and public transport. The Zuma effect Since taking office in 2009, Jacob Zumas administration has been plagued with scandals and allegations of nepotism. One political blunder was the appointment of a finance minister many saw as unqualifiedwho was then quickly replaced after a dramatic market reaction. Despite setbacks, the ANC still supports Zuma, and it seems that he will be able to survive his second and final term, which ends in 2019. Some analysts say that over the next two years, the ANC will likely become increasingly subject to competing factions, resulting in government paralysis and potential for further downgrades in the countrys credit ranking. The countrys economic growth has also suffered, although we are seeing a signs of improvement on the horizon. De Krans Wine Cellar in Calitzdorp has added two additions to their wine collection, the De Krans Tritonia White 2015 now the flagship white wine from De Krans and the quirky De Krans A Twist of Fate 2015. De Krans Tritonia White 2015 is now joining the flagship red wine, De Krans Tritonia Red (Calitzdorp Blend, made from Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barocca). This maiden 2015 Tritonia White is produced from Malvasia Rei (also known as the Palomino Fino) and Verdelho grapes. Planted in 1947, the Malvasia Rei vineyard was almost forgotten and ready to be replaced with a new vineyard. However, this almost 70-year-old vineyard was producing perfectly low yields of small berries of superior quality. This allowed winemaker Louis van der Riet and his team to produce this unique blend of Malvasia Rei (85%) and Verdelho (15 %). This union has created the perfect opportunity to showcase the Klein Karoos forgotten legacy. A beautiful golden yellow colour, Louis describes the Tritonia White as showing subtle flavours of honeysuckle, orange peel and straw on the nose, which are further enhanced with floral blossom, spice, and vanilla oak nuances. The palate delivers a smooth and elegant wine with flavours of dried orange, nuts, and soft oak. This is perfect to partner with seafood, especially salmon and sea trout. A twist of fate A Twist of Fate is simply just that, a mistake that went incredibly well. Co-owner Boets Nels father Chris had planted what he thought was Shiraz in 1973 only to discover that it was, in fact, Tinta Barocca, making it the first Portuguese grape to find its way to Calitzdorp. In another twist of fate, Boets and his brother, Stroebel, planted what they believed was Tinta Roriz, when, in fact, it was Tinta Amarella. Instead of pulling out these vineyards, it resulted in a beautiful union of Tinta Barocca (50 %) and Tinta Amarella (50 %), which is now known as A Twist of Fate. Van der Riet describes this maiden 2015 vintage as a wine with a striking cherry red colour, showcasing sweet strawberry flavours. This carries through to complex underlying flavours of spice, leather, earthiness and subtle oak. The palate delivers red berry and spicy flavours, resulting in smooth tannins and an integrated acidity. Without a doubt the perfect wine to enjoy at a braai. As a twist enjoy chilled for the perfect summer red wine. As farmers worldwide experience more frequent droughts and erratic rainfall linked to climate change, the race to find and improve drought-resistant crops grows ever more important. AnnaJB via Wikimedia Commons - Intercropping maize and beans In recent decades, research has increased to see how food crops cope with dry conditions, and scientists are breeding and crossing seeds to make them more drought-tolerant. But major obstacles exist in scaling up their use. "Getting new crop varieties into the hands of a large number of farmers quickly is the challenge," said Robert Asiedu, head of biotechnology and genetic improvement at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, a research centre based in Nigeria. "It can be five to 10 years before large quantities of new varieties reach farmers... That's the main bottleneck now." It is crucial for farmers to grow drought-resistant crops as part of a range of proactive measures, experts say. For example, soil degradation and deforestation exacerbate the effects of drought because soil loses its ability to retain water, so farmers must improve soil fertility and irrigation practices. Below are some of the drought-tolerant crops and methods farmers across the world are using to combat drought: 1. Intercropping Staple food crops like sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, pearl millet, cowpea, and groundnut are naturally more drought-tolerant than maize. For centuries, farmers in parts of West Africa have grown maize alongside cassava and sweet potatoes. The practice known as intercropping - growing two or more crops together - means farmers have another crop to fall back on when maize harvests fail because of poor rainfall. Intercropping was introduced to maize farmers in East Africa in the 1990s. 2. Cowpea Cowpea, also known as black-eyed pea, is mainly grown by small farmers in more than 80 countries, from Nigeria to Brazil. Cowpea thrives in parched soils and drought-prone areas where its roots can grow with as little as 300mm (11.8 inches) of rainfall per year. Once cowpea seeds have enough moisture to take root, the plants can survive drought. The stems and stalks of the high protein grain can also be used as fodder for livestock. Often intercropped with maize and cotton, cowpea plants provide shade and dense cover that help protect soil and preserve moisture. Researchers are trying to map the genes found in cowpea to produce improved drought-resistant varieties. 3. Chickpea Chickpea is one of the most important grain legume crops in the world. Thanks to its drought resistance, it is widely grown among small farmers in dryland areas of South Asia and in China. Scientists in Australia are leading the way in research to enhance drought tolerance in chickpeas and to better understand how the food crop adapts to prolonged dry spells. 4. Early maturing crops Shifting rainfall patterns, often linked to climate change, have shortened the rainy season in many countries worldwide. Hardest hit are small-scale and subsistence farmers as they largely depend on rain-fed crops for their livelihoods. To adapt, farmers are increasingly planting new varieties of food crops that take less time to grow. New varieties need 90 to 110 days to mature - against 120 days plus for traditional crops - and can survive without rain for three weeks. In recent years, early-maturing food crops have been adopted by tens of millions of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. 5. Ancient plants Chia, a flowering plant, is grown for its edible seeds and is known to thrive in hot and dry weather. Once widely grown by the ancient Aztecs of Central America, chia is being rediscovered by small farmers across Latin America, including Guatemala, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. High in protein, chia seeds can be eaten whole, ground into flour and pressed for oil. 6. Tarwi With its brilliant blue blossom, the tarwi pea plant stands out from the rest in the field. Once grown centuries ago by the Incas, more Andean subsistence farming communities, particularly in Bolivia's highlands, are growing tarwi again. The drought-resistant seeds are nutritious, high in protein and a source of cooking oil. 7. New maize varieties Maize is one of the world's most important cereal crops. In the past decade, farmers - especially in sub-Saharan Africa - have tried new strains that can withstand drought, allowing crops to grow when there is little or no rain. Maize has also been genetically modified to include the desired DNA traits that thrive in drought conditions. A 2010 study found that the widespread adoption of drought-tolerant varieties could boost maize harvests in 13 African countries by 10-34 percent. 8. New bean varieties Beans feature on any given plate in most of Latin America. In drought-hit Central America - Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras - prolonged dry spells since mid-2014, linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, have decimated food harvests. In 2015 alone, drought in these countries left 3.5 million people in need of food aid, prompting scientists to look for varieties of bean that can withstand drought. "It is a priority in all the research centres to develop these new varieties of crops," said Tito Diaz, subregional coordinator for Mesoamerica at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Some have been successful, as in El Salvador. Farmers there recently started to grow a new variety of drought-tolerant bean, named after the country's National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology (CENTA) where the research took place. The CENTA-EAC bean is a hybrid, made from crossing black and red beans after years of trial and error. In Nicaragua, farmers are also growing a new variety of red bean, INTA-Tomabu, which can thrive with little rainfall. Sources: FAO, global research partnership CGIAR, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney @anastasiabogota, editing by Lyndsay Griffiths. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) The Thomson Reuters Foundation is reporting on resilience as part of its work on zilient.org, an online platform building a global network of people interested in resilience, in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Construction group Basil Read made a net loss of R53.6m in 2016, saying problems in trying to complete the Olifants River water resource development project for Trans Caledonian Water Agency weakened the company's profitability. Basil Read, which released financial results on Friday, 10 March, said the project had cost it R61m in the financial year to December, bringing its loss to date for the project to R499m. CEO Neville Nicolau said there was an after-tax loss of R53.6m, after the deduction of a tax expense of R25.4m, which had been incurred mainly from profits generated in subsidiary companies domiciled outside SA, as well as a loss of R33m on the SprayPave sale. Basil Read restructured itself during the reporting period into five divisions from a holding company with subsidiaries. The construction division, which houses the Olifants River project, contributed an overall operating loss of R108m. The company recorded operating profit of R64m, thanks to its mining division contributing a R112m profit, and its St Helena airport project, which is accounted for as one of the construction group's five divisions, having contributed R86m in operating profit. "Although this flagship project is coming to an end, Basil Read still has work worth R852m on its order book - R400m to complete the new bulk fuel facility and R452m to service the airport for the next nine years," the group said. "In the reporting period, financial systems, Buildsmart and Hyperion, as well as a human resources and payroll solution were implemented to enable better information management and reporting from operational level to the corporate level. This has facilitated better decision-making and Basil Read now has a single accounting and procurement system operating throughout the organisation," said Nicolau. The benefits included increased efficiency and reduced overheads. "The availability of more timely and accurate information also supported better cost management and decision making across all areas of operation," Nicolau said. The company chose not to pay a dividend, saying it needed to retain working capital. Source: Business Day Over the years, employers have been plagued with uncertainty regarding the intersection between the Prescription Act, 68 of 1969 and the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995, specifically, in respect of the prescription of arbitration awards awarding reinstatement. The question is whether an arbitration award constitutes a debt and therefore is capable of prescribing within three years. This issue was recently settled by the Constitutional Court in the case of Mogaila v Coca Cola Fortune (Pty) Limited (CCT76/16) [2016]. Background Coca Cola employed Mogaila as a stock controller until it dismissed her as a result of her alleged misconduct in 2007. Mogaila referred an unfair dismissal dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). On 29 April 2008, the CCMA ruled that Mogaila's dismissal was procedurally fair, but substantively unfair. Coca Cola was required to re-instate Mogaila by 2 June 2008 and provide her with back pay. When Mogaila returned to work she was informed that Coca Cola was taking her arbitration award on review. Accordingly, Coca Cola declined to reinstate Mogaila. The Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court dismissed Coca Cola's review application and subsequent appeal. On 4 November 2013, Mogaila once again attempted to return to work. However, she was informed that the arbitration award had prescribed, as a time period greater than three years had lapsed since the award was issued. Constitutional Court's consideration and reasoning In making its determination, the Constitutional Court relied heavily on the decision of Myathaza v Johannesburg Metropolitan Bus Services (SOC) Limited t/a Metrobus and Others (CCT232/15) [2016]. In Myathaza, the Court found that the arbitration award in question had not prescribed. However, in coming to this conclusion, the judges relied on different reasoning. This rendered three judgments each coming to the same conclusion that the award had not prescribed. The parity of votes meant that none of the three judgments secured a majority and therefore no binding decision was reached. The first Myathaza judgment stated that the Prescription Act did not apply to the LRA because the acts are inherently incompatible. Even if the Prescription Act did apply, an order for reinstatement could not prescribe within three years because it is not a debt, as envisioned by the Prescription Act. The third judgment reiterated the first judgment's stance and added that a CCMA referral cannot be conceived as interrupting prescription because it is not a court process as envisioned in the Prescription Act. In contrast, the second judgment stated that the LRA and the Prescription Act were compatible provided the correct tools of interpretation were utilised. It stated that the initiation of CCMA proceedings could interrupt prescription. The judgment also stated that the reinstatement of an employee constitutes a debt because it placed a positive duty on the employer to do something. Due to the absence of a majority judgment in Myathaza, the Court in Mogaila applied each of the Myathaza judgments to the issue before it. On the basis of the first and third Myathaza judgment, the Court found that the Prescription Act does not apply to the LRA, and even if it did, the reinstatement order does not constitute a 'debt'. It surmised that a 'debt' is an obligation to pay money, deliver goods or render services, which reinstatement was not. As such and in applying these judgments, Mogaila's award did not prescribe. On the basis of the second judgment, the CCMA proceedings interrupted prescription. Mogaila's claim had not yet prescribed because prescription had been interrupted during the preceding CCMA and court processes. Based on any one of the judgments, Mogaila's reinstatement order had not prescribed and was still enforceable. Employer lesson Employers are well-advised to do an audit of any arbitration awards awarding reinstatement that they have not complied with on the basis of prescription. This judgment is likely the final word, for now, on this topic and may result in ex-employees crawling out of the woodwork expecting reinstatement. After three years of working with over eleven of the world's leading digital, tech and behavioural science experts, MSC Cruises unveiled its fleet-wide digital innovation programme, MSC for Me, at travel show ITB Berlin. MSC Cruises holistic programme puts guests at the heart of every step of the development, design, and construction of its ships. The company envisions a fleet-wide rollout of the programme, to the 11 upcoming next-generation mega ships to be built under its 9 billion, ten-year investment plan as well as to its 12 existing ships. MSC for Me will bring some of the very latest advances in customer-centric technology to the sea, in a programme designed to meet the needs of guests for years to come. It will debut on MSC Meraviglia, the companys first next-generation new mega-ship coming into service this June, which will be fitted with 16,000 points of connectivity, 700 digital access points, 358 informative and interactive screens, and 2,244 cabins with RFID/NFC access technology. The programme will next be rolled out on MSC Seaside in November. MSC Cruises Business Innovation team, supporting the vision and leadership of the companys executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, has overseen the integrated development, design and construction of the new ships. There will be three new classes of ships built from three new prototypes under the companys ten-year investment plan. As a result, MSC Cruises will ensure that state-of-the-art technology is fully incorporated into every step of the development process of each prototype, from conception and construction through to the coming into service of each individual ship. Innovation at the core of MSC Cruises Vago commented: From day one, innovation has been at the very core of what MSC Cruises stands for. Each time we bring to the market a new class of ship we develop a brand new prototype, so that we can best address the evolving needs of guests. This distinct approach has led to over 800% growth over the first ten years since we entered the cruising business. The length and scale of our investment plan are unprecedented in the industry and it means that we arent just planning ships and experiences relevant to our cruise guests in the next few years, but to those we will welcome on board as far out as 2030 and beyond. Technology at the service of the guest experience is advancing at a rapid pace and that is why weve already invested 20 million in the first two ships alone, to develop technology and infrastructure that is capable of meeting the needs of guests for years to come," Vago added. The holistic and guest-centric programme is focused on connecting guests to their desired holiday experience through cutting-edge technology that is specially engineered to meet their every need, regardless of how they prefer to use technology when travelling. Luca Pronzati, MSC Cruises chief innovation officer, concluded: This journey started three years ago and today guests are less than 90 days away to experience a whole new cruise experience. Together with over eleven of the worlds leading digital, tech and behavioural science experts, among which Deloitte Digital, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and Samsung, we are bringing some of their latest and most advanced solutions and technology on board our ships in fact, this is where most of these will be available for the first time ever on a cruise ship. Like smart, connected cities, but with the added complexity of being at sea, our fleet will demonstrate MSC Cruises commitment to true innovation today and for years to come, making our ships a holiday destination in their own right. The need for more connectivity and digitally enhanced guest experiences Guest needs have informed and driven MSC Cruises investment in MSC for Me, directly shaping the cruise experience of the future. A research study carried out in partnership with Deloitte Digital identified some of the following key findings: Technology must enable our crew in providing an even better service to our guests and ultimately must enrich human contact. With 170 different nationalities sailing with us, the challenge for communicating effectively with guests is complex. There is a need to provide relevant information based on the guest profile, and the digital channels must facilitate the effective delivery of this information. To simplify and optimise planning before and during the cruise to help guests better understand all of the offerings available, leaving more time to enjoy their holiday. To enhance the experience beyond the life on board by integrating the guest experience before and after the cruise as part of a complete customer journey. Additionally, research showed that more than one in two guests are increasingly looking at customising their holiday experience both before and during their cruise (59%), with one out of six guests (17%) claiming to do so only once theyre onboard. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters (73%) of guests claimed to be interested in a holiday at sea on a more connected ship. The research also identified that more than two out of three guests (69%) wish to use a smartphone on board, and more than one in three (36%) uses a tablet whilst at sea. Samsung smart bracelets MSC for Me In response to increasing demand for real-time flexibility, some of the innovative features that are available from MSC for Me are: Navigation: this digital way finder will provide guests on board with advice, guidance, and information on whats on. The technology is similar to smart maps and helps them find their way on the 300+ metre long ships with a five-metre precision. It also allows guests to locate their children, as needed. Concierge: allows guests to easily book services, restaurants, excursions and more in real time, 24/7. Capture: digital immersive discovery through virtual reality to preview excursions and a gallery with interactive screens showing the unique story of a guests trip, which they can share in real time. Organiser: a planning tool for guests to check in with their mobile device, book trips, seats for shows, or the best dinner table, before embarking or when on board. TailorMade: this digital, personal advisor will provide tailored recommendations, based on preferences. Intelligent face recognition will help staff take care of guests in a highly personalised way. Interactive bracelets will connect guests to the ships services and will activate geo-located suggestions through 3,050 bluetooth beacons. Overall, MSC for Me will provide guests with over 130 smart features geared toward a fully optimised holiday experience. These include a dedicated app to help guests tailor their holidays at any point on their journey, whether they are booking their excursions prior to embarkation or a specialty restaurant whilst relaxing by the top-deck pool. This will improve the overall guest experience, while also freeing up more time to enjoy ones holiday at sea. MSC Cruises as the Company will celebrate the christening of MSC Meraviglia in Le Havre on 3 June and MSC Seaside in Miami on 21 December. Two more ships, MSC Seaview and MSC Bellissima are currently under construction and will come into service in June 2018 and March 2019, respectively. #BrandManagerMonth: Carlson Rezidor, Africa's aspirational brand Carlson Rezidor , one of the world's largest hotel groups, aims to be the leading player in the travel and tourism sector across Africa according to senior vice president business development Africa and Indian Ocean, Andrew McLachlan. The hotel group, which includes well-known brands such as Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson, is well on its way to achieve its target of more than 23,000 rooms open or under development in Africa by the end of 2020. We spoke to Neil Hughes, brand manager for the group across Africa and the Indian Ocean, to find out what we can expect from this prolific brand in 2017. Neil Hughes Tell us about the Carlson Rezidor brand and what we can expect from the brand this year Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has been active on the African continent since 2000 with the opening of the first Radisson Blu Cape Town Waterfront within the V&A. Since then our Radisson Blu brand has catapulted into being the leading brand under development in Africa today. Within the last 24 months, Carlson Rezidor has signed a new hotel deal to our portfolio every 32 days and opened a new hotel on the African continent every 60 days. In 2017, we will deliver at least eight new world-class hotels to the African market. This list will include some exciting new brands for the group, with the introduction of Africas first Radisson Red hotel opening in Cape Town in September 2017 and Pearl of Africa in Kampala, Uganda, the first on the continent from our new luxury brand, Quorvus Collection. Tell us more about these brands and the brand ethos that stands behind them We have two core brands: Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson. Radisson Blu is our upper upscale brand which invokes style and sophistication within these iconic hotels and locations through our trademark Yes I Can! service philosophy. Park Inn by Radisson is our upper midmarket hotel brand offering uncomplicated service and facilities to our clients with a smile and by adding colour to life. Quorvus Collection is our luxury branded collection of unique hotels around the world. Quorvus Collection is a new generation of expertly curated luxury hotels inspired by the lifestyle of the modern consumer. Individual, iconic, inspiring, each hotel within the collection offers a distinguished guest experience an invitation to immerse oneself in the best a destination has to offer. Its a modern take on luxury - a different kind of exclusivity where our guests can experience the distinctive character of culture at the very heart of the city. Radisson Red is our upscale lifestyle select brand, the brand connects with that ageless millennial mindset and we believe that hotels can enhance their world via art, music, fashion and a distinctive personal connection. At Radisson Red, the guest experience is everything. So we think in reverse. Instead of starting with a concept and hoping guests like it, we start with the emotions we want guests to experience, then create the concepts necessary to bring them to life. What does brand management mean to you? Brand management is all about the collaboration of each guest experience, and not only meeting but exceeding our guest expectations all the time. This drives us each day to deliver on our individual brand promises and create memorable moments for our guests. Each brand has specific DNA running through its veins that excite and resonates with our global audience. Its up to the brand management team to ensure that all key elements are present in all new developments and current operating hotels to ensure our guest experiences are consistent throughout each of our hotels. Carlson Rezidor is proudly driving the importance of the guest experience and engagement within our hotels to the next level within the hospitality industry. Simply put, our brand teams are the custodians of this mission. Whats on your wish list for brand objectives for 2017? Our main objective is to remain consistent in delivering on our brand promises to our guests and creating as much value for our shareholders and partners as possible. This consistency is driven by the passion of our management teams within our hotels. Our brands have become the benchmark across the African continent in terms of quality and service level and this is something that we are very proud of. Raising our brand profiles within the wider consumer base is also key to our 2017 objectives and the quality of the hotels we have opened in the last 24 months has been truly remarkable and a testament to this. Two of our brands debut in Africa this year: We launch Africas first Radisson Red here in the Mother City in Q3 2017. This hotel product will ignite the African hospitality experience and deliver a hotel experience that has never been offered before in Africa watch this space and become part of the RED revolution! We also open the continents first Quorvus Collection hotel in Kampala, Uganda in Q2 2017. This property will offer a unique African luxury hotel experience in the heart of Kampala. What are the main challenges and opportunities for the brand currently? Africa has many opportunities for companies that are willing to go the extra mile for investors, owners and guests. Carlson Rezidor is renowned for being innovative in its approach towards African hotel developments by tailoring each hotel individually to its specific market. It is important to understand the market you are operating in. Africa has many nuances that can very easily be overlooked if you are not paying attention to what the needs and requirements of a specific market are. We would not be growing at the pace we are today if we did not fully understand our markets. Signing new hotel deals is one thing but opening these hotels is a totally different challenge, which many of our competitors are yet to overcome. Over the past 30 months we have opened more than 15 hotels, which is more than any other hotel operator on the continent and we have only been able to do this because we have a full understanding of our trading environments and we have chosen partners who we are certain can deliver on their promises as well. Finding the right brand partners is key to the success of any hotel development and at Carlson Rezidor, we have been truly blessed to have found such owners and partners that believe in our brands and live the brand promises together with us, as we deliver superior products and services across Africa. What do you love most about your brand? We are always pushing the boundaries of architecture and design. This has been instilled across our brands from day one and we will never stop challenging the status quo and raising the benchmark for others to follow. Our hotels stand out in Africa as the trendsetters in all aspects of our guest experience. Our brands such as Radisson Blu and soon Quorvus Collection, are recognised as aspirational brands in Africa and our guests feel a sense of accomplishment when they step into any of our hotels. Its up to us to deliver on our brand promises and keep our guests centre stage as we create memorable moments together. 2017 International Tourist Guides' Day celebrations took place on Robben Island from 2 to 3 March 2017, under the theme Peace and Development through Guiding. The celebrations aimed to create awareness about peace and sustainable development in the tourism industry and provided tourist guides across the country a platform to network, discuss challenges and share best practices. Industry experts shared presentations on various issues affecting the sector with some 250 tourist guides and stakeholders. Robust discussions also took place among tourist guides in the form of round-table discussions where key concerns were noted and proposed solutions were discussed. The round-table discussions formed a critical component of the policy review process which is currently underway. International Tourist Guides Day is celebrated every year on 21 February. It was first launched by the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations in 1990 and at which time only 15 countries participated. Today, tourist guides in more than 75 countries join in the celebrations. The Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, gave the keynote address at a dinner which formed part of the activities during the two-day event. He praised tourist guides for the excellent work and referred to them as the leading lights of our country. Tourist guides are absolutely critical to the continuing success and growth of tourism in our country. Everyone involved in the long and wide tourism value chain whether as tourist guides or as other links in the chain, has reason to feel very proud of how our sector is performing right now," said Hanekom. Tourist Guides App As part of new ways to develop the sector, a Tourist Guides App was showcased. This app is the first of its kind that would enable users to access registered tourist guides at their convenience. Consumers of such services will be able to utilise the app to verify the status of their guides which would help in our fight to curb illegal guiding practices, said Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa. As it celebrates 20 years as a National Museum, Robben Island Museum is one of the World Heritage Sites in the country that benefits from the Departments programme to capacitate tourist guides at World Heritage Sites. These programmes are aimed at improving the quality of the tourist guiding sector, attracting the right people into the profession and continuously growing the economy through tourism. The deputy minister concluded by saying: We are here as government to create the conducive environment to help you thrive and feel that you are part of South Africas heritage through peace and development. LONDON: British telecoms giant BT Group has agreed to legally separate its broadband unit Openreach to remedy concerns over competition in the sector... Created by BT in 2005, Openreach maintains tens of millions of copper and fibre lines connecting telephone exchanges to homes and businesses across the UK. However rivals, including Sky and Vodafone, argued that the existing set-up gave BT a competitive advantage - and the UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom agreed, forcing BT into the changes announced on late last week. 32,000 employees to be transferred As a result, about 32,000 employees will transfer to the new Openreach Limited in "one of the largest such transfers in UK corporate history", BT said in a statement. According to the statement, "BT and Ofcom have reached agreement on a long-term regulatory settlement that will see Openreach become a distinct, legally separate company with its own board, within the BT Group. The agreement is based upon voluntary commitments submitted by BT that the regulator has said meet its competition concerns." Ofcom chief executive Sharon White said: "The new Openreach will be built to serve all its customers equally, working truly independently and taking investment decisions on behalf of the whole industry - not just BT." BT shares up Investors welcomed the announcement, with BT shares up 4.5% at 344.90 pence in early trading, topping London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, which was up almost half a percent overall. "BT's rivals such as Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone, which use Openreach's network to offer broadband to consumers, have long complained of high charges, poor service and failure to invest in the division," noted Ian Forrest, investment research analyst at The Share Centre. Source: AFP The organisers of gaming expo rAge have announced that the show's Cape Town leg has been cancelled. Says Michael James, owner and senior project manager of rAge: While I was happy with the high level of enthusiasm and excitement with which rAge Cape Town was received in 2016 and was committed to hosting an even better show this year, the reality is that financial and logistical concerns mean that we cannot in good conscience run a rAge event in the Cape that could potentially disappoint our valued gaming community. James continues, Last year we said that our intention was to improve rAge Cape Town with more games, new technology, and cool things to see, buy and do. Some visitors felt these areas were somewhat lacking in 2016. After much hard work over the last four months weve come to a point where there isnt sufficient financial support and commitment towards the event to make this a reality. In addition, while weve been fighting hard behind the scenes to solve unforeseen technical issues in hosting a bigger and better NAG LAN in Cape Town, weve hit a brick wall where the only way to make a LAN possible would be with a significant cash investment." Integral part of rAge "We do know that people have been eagerly asking us on social media about the LAN a clear indication that this is an integral part of the rAge experience. Without a significantly improved LAN offering and other important elements such as e-sports and playable code for unreleased games, we dont feel confident that rAge Cape Town would deliver the awesome show we always strive to put on for our visitors and exhibitors. Based on where we are now, making this years rAge Cape Town experience as good as Johannesburg, complete with all the elements the expo needs to make it a true rAge experience, isnt something we can feasibly deliver. We could host something, but not something of the outstanding quality our visitors deserve. The goal was never to make the event bigger than Johannesburg, but to at least match it in overall quality. Not doing an amazing event damages the brand and the communitys belief and trust in our ability to give them the very best experience possible. There are many amazing and daring companies that have committed to Cape Town (and we thank them for their support), but not enough to make a difference. Having said that, there are other events happening in Cape Town this year that are also showcasing gaming, technology and other geek stuff, so I appeal to you to support them. Doing so ensures that they and the entire gaming sector will continue to grow and thrive. Were really sorry we cant do rAge in Cape Town at this stage. Please also note that you can get a full refund from Computicket if youve already bought tickets, he concludes. rAge Johannesburg will take place 6-8 October 2017 at the Ticketpro Dome. Event Organiser's Network (EON), South Africa's biggest event organiser network, is only 10 days away. It is returning to Durban for their second annual KZN Conference and Event Showcase at Greyville Convention Centre on 23 March 2017. Delegates can enjoy the following: Free entrance Free lunch and refreshments Experience mind-altering speakers and excellent entertainment Networking opportunities with top venues and event service providers Improved product knowledge Although at no cost, there is a registration process to ensure you have booked your place at the Conference: click here to register. If it needs to be RSVP'd, pampered, fed, entertained, transported, herded, decorated, illuminated or just plain hugged, you will find the companies, skills and people who know how best to do it at The Event Organiser's Network. Delegates, this is your one-stop resource for all things conference- and event-related. EONs mission is to introduce their members to whats out there in the event ecosystem and to make event-organising tasks simpler and better informed, by giving members experiential access to products and services, tools, tips and knowledge using social, face-to-face and digital media. Get immersed in the showcase before the event has even started, by downloading the Durban Showcase Event App. Jump the queue and get the app: http://www.eonetwork.co.za/index.php/the-app. You will be able to see speaker and entertainer video clips, check out the awesome prizes on offer and enter competitions for jaw-dropping prizes. Engage and interact now. Check the event website for download details. You can find EON on their website - www.eonetwork.co.za. Their Facebook page - www.facebook.com/EventOrganiserNetworkSouthAfrica. This is an event you cannot afford to miss! The King Price family arrived to work this morning to find an empty throne their king (mascot) has been abducted by one of its (green with envy) competitors over the weekend... Breaking news: Our king is missing! Weve filed a report and are investigating all leads. Foul play has not been ruled out. pic.twitter.com/fIYKBcRPov King Price Insurance (@KingPriceIns) March 13, 2017 True to form, the team reacted quickly, and already managed to take one of the suspects into custody. CAPTURED! One suspect in custody. So... For the safe release of "Bossie" we want you to match our donation to charity!@OUTsurance #kingsOut pic.twitter.com/9eTz3Lc03C King Price Insurance (@KingPriceIns) March 13, 2017 King Price is proclaiming that although stealing is a crime, theyll let it go this time all in the name of a good cause. The rivalry kingdoms are going head-to-head in aid of charity, with King Price taking on the challenge to cough up cash for charity before the end of the week. In an official statement, King Price maintains you could have just asked!, and has extended the challenge to its competitor to match the kings donation. Follow the developing story here. #IABDigitalSummit2017: Digital debrief with CSA's Davin Phillips SA's digirati and rising stars are ready and waiting for the #IABDigitalSummit2017, taking place on Thursday, 16 March. Summit speaker Davin Phillips is Celebrity Services Africa's executive director. Here, he shares his digital business perspective. Web-savvy consumers and always-on audiences are seeking opinions and insight from brands they trust. If these words fill you with dread, best you dont miss Phillips speaker presentation at the third IAB Digital Summit, taking place later this week. Phillips offers a preview of what we can expect from his IAB Digital Summit 2017 talk, as well as the benefit for individual attendees, their companies and the industry overall as well as the positives and downside trends for businesses to look out as the world goes increasingly digital Share the essence of your IAB Digital Summit 2017 talk in a nutshell? Share the essence of your IAB Digital Summit 2017 talk in a nutshell? In short, it will revolve around how mobile and streaming are set to change the way brands remain relevant in the digital world. To elaborate, today 32% of all news is consumed by peer-to-peer connectivity and with live streaming becoming even more innovative, the number will only increase. Add to this the growth of mobile in Africa and the Internet of Things where all your devices are connected consumers are no longer limited by physical location, hardware or time, instead they can tap into an infinite source of information with the click of a button. This means that while brands can now connect with more people, more often, a simple TVC will no longer work. LIVE streaming is nothing new but the way platforms are packaging it make it accessible (eg. Snapchat specs) #DIgitalSummit2017 https://t.co/LTz4hQ3zAd Davin Phillips (@DavinPhillips) January 31, 2017 To stay relevant, brands need to be selective and there is no better way than by connecting with artists and influencers who are set to become 21st century-style media conglomerates, empowered by mobile convenience. Welcome to a world where content is what mobilises an audience. Why is it so important for the industry to attend summits like the IAB Digital Summit? Whats the overall benefit for individual attendees, their companies and the industry? Why is it so important for the industry to attend summits like the IAB Digital Summit? Whats the overall benefit for individual attendees, their companies and the industry? This is a special event as its a day where the leaders in the digital industry come together to share their ideas the ideas that shape the industry; the ideas that can make you a better marketer. Anyone whose business touches digital in any way, shape or form, should attend the IAB Digital Summit. What are you personally looking forward to from this years Summit and Bookmark Awards? What are you personally looking forward to from this years Summit and Bookmark Awards? Im very excited to hear what each lead in his/her particular field has to say at this years Summit, but a particular topic Im interested in is hearing solutions for Tbo Touchs topic concerning high data costs in South Africa. As the world goes increasingly digital, list a few positive trends for businesses to look out for in your own as well as in the broader industry. As the world goes increasingly digital, list a few positive trends for businesses to look out for in your own as well as in the broader industry. With more people migrating from feature phones to smartphones (560m units by 2020 in Africa), businesses now have access to a bigger customer base and are no longer limited by geo-location or physical distribution. In addition, web-savvy consumers have begun to tune out traditional ads, they are also becoming increasingly connected to each other and now, more than ever before, they are turning to trusted networks to share and gain recommendations. have begun to tune out traditional ads, they are also becoming increasingly connected to each other and now, more than ever before, they are turning to trusted networks to share and gain recommendations. Audiences are always on they no longer wait for information to come to them, they go out and find it. A consumers media journey has become a process of active engagement , not passive consumption. they no longer wait for information to come to them, they go out and find it. A consumers media journey has become a process of , not passive consumption. They want opinions from people they trust they look for meaningful content and relevant information to help them make purchase decisions and they want opinions from people they trust. they look for meaningful content and relevant information to help them make purchase decisions and they want opinions from people they trust. Consumers are having conversations with their peers online long before they make a purchase to be effective, brands need to be part of that dialogue. to be effective, brands need to be part of that dialogue. Traditional push-based marketing strategies vs engagement-based approaches consumers are specialising their social space to become more reflective of their interests. These changes have forced brands to reconsider traditional push-based marketing strategies and seek out engagement-based approaches. consumers are specialising their social space to become more reflective of their interests. These changes have forced brands to reconsider traditional push-based marketing strategies and seek out engagement-based approaches. Trust is the number one factor in any buying decision According to AC Nielsen, conversions increase by 90% when recommended by a trusted source. Lastly, what should businesses be aware of digitally over the next few months? Lastly, what should businesses be aware of digitally over the next few months? Traditional media has less impact, day by day. They need to be mindful of where media digestion is moving, especially with regard to the media habits of their targeted consumers. It seems digitals definitely dominating the local business scene, in every industry. Thats why you cant afford to miss out on the IAB Digital Summit on 16 March! Until then, click here for my interview with IAB SAs CEO Josephine Buys, here for a recap on all of this years Bookmark Awards finalists, here for what to expect from the IAB Digital Summit and keep an eye on our IAB Digital Summit and Bookmark Awards special section for all the latest updates! The report released last week by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York raised quite a few eyebrows in its high price-tag analysis of Gov. Andrew Cuomos free tuition plan, otherwise known as the Excelsior Scholarship Program. The report was largely based on earlier research done by Georgetown University on erstwhile presidential candidate Hilary Clintons free tuition proposal. The New York study used figures from the previous study to estimate the impact on the New York economy, to the tune of over $1 billion in hidden costs. Why would the governor, a Fordham graduate, propose a plan so utterly poised to fail? Cuomo has a history of reacting to events or movements in the spirit of the moment. In this fashion he seeks to appear to us as a leader who is at the forefront. Yet some of his reactive measures tend to miss the mark. The SAFE Act has become a lightning rod for his largely rural opposition. He has been hot or cold on the Common Core reforms depending on which way the political winds were blowing. The Excelsior Scholarship Program is just the latest in a series of following winds of populism. Bernie Sanders won wide acclaim among the young voters with his free tuition plank; Clinton tried to capture that segment by adopting a similar stance but failed. Cuomo appears next in line to do the same. His appointments on the SUNY board of trustees are no doubt in line with his desire to send millions of dollars their way. When the administration is original, and not reactive, the results are much more positive. He instituted the regional economic development council grant-funding scheme, derisively known as the Hunger Games, in order to make himself appear business friendly. Following a type of New Federalism, ironically a Republican philosophy, Cuomos funding program follows the axiom that the closer the funding decision to the site of investment, the better the result. Richard Nixon, for all his faults, did a good thing when he initiated the Community Development Block Grant program and moved federal development dollars to state and local control. This has had positive effects for communities all over America. Beyond the cost to the industry, if everyone has a college degree, then the value of that degree will be diminished. Thats economics 101. Part of the problem with some of my liberal friends is the unexamined belief that a college education should be the ultimate goal for every child in America. This belief places an expectation on our children that cant be met by all of them, and that can create a complex of shame and a sense of failure in them. I have met plenty of skilled and bright tradesmen on job sites who were productive and essential to our world, but had never set foot in a college. Cuomos current copycat move devalues these skilled workers and the things they create. If anything, Cuomos tendency to follow momentary trends undermines his ability to shine as an original thinker. TEHRAN: Iran received its second new Airbus plane on Saturday under an order that Tehran placed last year after a partial lifting of international sanctions. Image via Airbus The Airbus A330-200 landed at Tehran's Mehrabad airport to join national carrier Iran Air's fleet for long-haul flights, state news agency IRNA reported. Iran Air received its first Airbus, an A321 used for domestic flights, on 12 January 2017. It completed a deal for 100 Airbus planes with a list price of around US$20 billion on 22 December 2016, after approval from Washington as some parts are manufactured in the United States. Limits on atomic programme The purchase, along with a historic deal with US manufacturer Boeing, followed a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers lifted some sanctions in 2016, in return for limits on Tehran's atomic programme. Boeing has said the contract for 80 planes, also finalised in December - Iran's first with a US aviation firm since its 1979 Islamic revolution - was worth US$16.6 billion. The Islamic republic projects a demand for between 400 and 500 new commercial airliners over the next decade. Source: AFP The sustained, high level of quality research at Wits School of Mining Engineering puts it at the cutting edge of mining innovation. This is reflected in the doctoral work of five students, which are geared to solve real problems in the mining industry. Jana Jacob Seismic instability under Joburg CBD In his PhD, Sarfraz Ali highlighted the future risk to the safety and stability of buildings in the Johannesburg central business district arising from mining-induced seismicity. The risks arise from the many steeply-dipping geological formations under the CBD area, underlain by flooded and abandoned mines. He has applied advanced numerical modelling techniques to simulate various source mechanisms for estimating site-specific ground motions. Deregulate precious metals? Ashok Kumar Damarupurshads doctoral thesis is the first attempt to analyse the current debates on regulating the precious metals industries in South Africa. Noting that South Africa is the only country in the world apart from the Russian Federation that regulates the possession, trade and fabrication of gold and platinum group metals, Damarupurshad explores whether the local precious metals industry should be deregulated in the light of changed conditions. Air flow for safer coal mines In his PhD research, Tariq Feroze aimed to enhance safety in coal mines by applying a mathematical model to air flow rates close to the face of a heading where the majority of methane explosions have been found to occur. His research revealed that Computational Fluid Dynamics advanced numerical code, ANSYS Fluent, was an appropriate tool to evaluate the face ventilation of a heading in a three-dimensional environment using full-scale models. Diamond potential off Namibias coast In her research, Jana Jacob focused on new methods of quantifying exploration risks in the absence of hard data, with reference to diamondiferous coastal deposits along the south western coast of Namibia. The submerged beaches within the 4km coast parallel strip hold great potential for being highly diamondiferous, said Jacob. Her thesis illustrated how virtual orebodies can be created, based on geological proxies as a basis to assess and rank different sampling and drilling strategies. Improving pillar design Investigating the bord and pillar design procedure in chrome and platinum mines, Rudiger Kersten concludes in his doctoral research that improvement is essential as current methodologies suffer from drawbacks that can be detrimental to the mining industry due to overdesign or rendering an excavation unsafe. His solution introduced the mine stiffness concept to determine the pillar load, which automatically included the influence of the pillar and strata stiffness, excavation spans, pillar yield and failure. JORDAN Friends and employees of Diana Sleiertin attended Thursday's Elbridge Town Board meeting to represent the Elbridge resident in the cleanup complaint against her 980 Schaap Road property. The property was Sleiertin's home and the site of her Maxman Reptiles Rescue animal rescue and reptile education business, which was damaged in a December fire that also killed Sleiertin's husband, 43-year-old Scott Dombroski, and most of their animals, include dog Diesel and cat Salem. Prior to the fire, Supervisor Ken Bush Jr. said, there were maintenance issues on the property being addressed through the town's code enforcement official. I was touched by her personal loss of her husband, house, animals and belongings," Bush said. "We (the board) needed to take a deep breath and to take a reset, but also the process had already started through the court system. Sleiertin's friend Leslie Carlson, of Peru Road, Elbridge, spoke for Sleiertin from a document they had created together. She updated the board on the property's cleanup to date, which included removing two trailer loads one of fire debris and one of metal debris with the trailers now back on the property for more. Carlson said some of what looks like junk on the property is actually reptile enclosures, and these have been moved to the back of the property. Two of the three unregistered cars on the property have been removed with a search for the other's keys under way. She detailed the 30- to 60-day cleanup plan and the 60- to 90-day cleanup plan weather permitting. She (Sleiertin) wants to rebuild and be part of this community, Carlson said. There was an attempt to clear up misunderstandings about details on the property, including a goat barn that is a 64-square-foot structure that does not fall under the 140-square-foot size that requires a permit as well as misunderstandings about reptiles and their care in general. Another reptile rescuer, Donna Record, of the Wildlife Education Coalition, spoke on Sleiertin's behalf as to her knowledge and skill with animals and their care, as they had been on rescue missions together. Record is a longtime educational outreach speaker with a specialty in reptiles. Architect Robert Vanderwater, of Liverpool, said he knows Sleiertin because his son had worked for her with the animals. He said he has offered to walk the property with Code Enforcement Official Robert Herrmann on Sleiertin's behalf. After a fire, safety becomes an issue," Vanderwater said. "I've offered to walk the property with your codes enforcement. Bush replied that the town can be held liable if it doesn't enforce the codes. Resident Tom McGuire represented himself and other residents on Towpath Road who had made the initial complaint. He has been concerned when Sleiertin's animals have gotten loose and roamed their neighborhood. This includes a 17-foot python that was found in front of his house and a dog that bit a teacher. Couple years ago, I found Diana in the back of my barn on my personal property looking for the tortoise in which she had no right to do so, he said. She claimed she had talked to a psychic that stated it was in the barn. There has been garbage burning and a prior arrest because of abuse of animals, Maguire added, as well as dogs barking all the time. He said he was sorry that things had happened to Sleiertin but that the town needs to look at whether this is a business or a residence. We all see things in our own light, Carlson said. Several of Sleiertin's friends spoke on behalf of her dogs that are now back on the property, and people whose children had worked with her and the animals were there to give character references. Bush said the fact that people have rallied around Sleiertin in her cleanup efforts and at this time of such great loss is what community is all about. He added that the board appreciates her involvement in the community, as she has brought her animals to the parades and festivals. What Leslie is saying is very important and valid in that she has put a game plan together, Bush said, adding her plan and actions needs to be conveyed to the code enforcement official so this can be documented. I don't think that is unreasonable. Herrmann said he takes his lead from the town board, and it was up to them to decide on further action. He thanked Vanderwater for the offer to walk through the property, and the two arranged a meeting. I would simply like to thank the five town of Elbridge board members for their time, patience and open-minded, professional considerations last night, as well as the many people who continue to support me both in the town of Elbridge and the greater surrounding community," Sleiertin said Friday. SKANEATELES The audience was riveted as the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel told of her personal journey with Alzheimers disease at the Lodge at Welch Allyn Thursday during the Skaneateles Rotary Clubs annual International Womens Day celebration. And when she finished, 150 people jumped to their feet in applause. Hummel put a personal face on a disease that 5 million Americans are living with today, and she did it in a way that was inspirational and thought-provoking. Her kernels of wisdom handed down from a mother who was bold, brilliant and pragmatic could guide people in any tough situation, even a diagnosis as devastating as Alzheimers disease. Hummel was 50 and studying for her doctorate when she first experienced symptoms. I couldnt remember the classes I had taken, the books I had read or even my professors and fellow students," she said. "It was very upsetting, and it started me on a quest to figure out what was going on with my brain. Eventually, she had to give up her ministry as a Presbyterian minister, which she loved. With her mothers voice in her head If at first you dont succeed to try, try again and Into every life, a little rain must fall she boldly marched on, taking on the cause of Alzheimers disease as her new mission. She continues to perform with two music groups to exercise and to embrace life. I had an epiphany thanks to my mom and the lessons she imparted to us, lessons about not feeling sorry for ourselves, that everyone has their cross to bear, stepping up to a challenge and doing what we could do to make a difference," Hummel said. "I could sit back and wait for someone else to do something or do it myself. And so I decided to volunteer for the Alzheimers Association. Rotarian and event chairwoman Amy Tormey introduced Hummel as a woman who fits the International Womens Day motto of being Bold for change. Her hard work as a national spokesperson is helping the Alzheimers Association bring awareness and raise funds for research for a disease that threatens to cripple society in a few years. As we celebrate International Womens Day, it is important for us to take a moment and consider the impact of Alzheimers disease on women and men, on individuals and families and all who are directly and indirectly affected," Hummel said. "There is no cure for Alzheimers disease. It is fatal. Alzheimers took my mom in 2014, and in the last years of her life, she wasnt sure who I was. There are more than 5 million Americans who are living with Alzheimers disease and two-thirds of them are women. Moreover, approximately two-thirds of those caring for those with Alzheimers disease are women women who are juggling work and care-giving, women who have had to stop work to care for a parent, a spouse, a loved one with dementia, women who are raising children and caring 24-7-365. It is exhausting." Hummel praised Rotarians for never standing back. Rotarians are bold people who see a need, who step up and get the job done. When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica, it was the Rotary Club of Black River that raised the money for the school that I was helping to start, a school for special needs children. Rotarians dont sit around on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do something. Rotarians are not spectators. Rotarians are bold leaders. You are doers. Look at what you have done for polio. You stepped up together and raised funds for research, and now you are boldly tackling Alzheimers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Rotary International has taken on Alzheimers disease after helping to nearly eradicate polio throughout the world. It started with one Rotary Club on Marthas Vineyard and grew to include Rotary International. The reach is far. Rotary is made up of more than 33,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries. Hummel doesnt consider herself brave, she said. But I am bold. I know that what I do can and will make a difference," she said. "So on this International Womens Day, where we salute those who are being bold for change, I want to thank you Rotarians for being bold for change, for linking arms with us, for partnering with us as we work side-by-side raising awareness and funds for Alzheimers. Together we can make a difference. Together we will end Alzheimers disease. Firebrand anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, poses for a selfie with supporters during a campaign stop in Heerlen, Netherlands, Saturday, March 11, 2017. The Dutch electorate go to the polls for parliamentary elections of March 15. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) Firebrand anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, poses for a selfie with supporters during a campaign stop in Heerlen, Netherlands, Saturday, March 11, 2017. The Dutch electorate go to the polls for parliamentary elections of March 15. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- With his flamboyant shock of blonde-dyed hair and fiery anti-Islam rhetoric, Dutch politician Geert Wilders comes across a man who doesn't mind the limelight. Yet for the past dozen years, the right-wing populist has spent much of his time holed up in anonymous safe houses or in a heavily guarded wing of Parliament. Tight security surrounds Wilders night and day, and he hardly ventures outdoors. For his handful of campaign events ahead of a March 15 election, he travelled in convoys of armoured cars. "It's a total lack of freedom. That's how I would say it," Wilders, who leads the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. The elaborate protection apparatus that surrounds him is a reaction to death threats from extremists enraged by his fierce criticism of Islam. Wilders has made headlines and drawn condemnation for more than a decade for his anti-Islam rhetoric, which has included comparing the Qur'an with Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and calling for a tax on the veils some Muslim women wear. At the same time, support for his party has grown in fits and starts, mirroring what he calls a "Patriotic Spring" sweeping Europe. Despite slipping in the polls recently, the Party for Freedom remains on track to become one of the biggest parties in the 150-seat lower house. He also is regularly compared to President Donald Trump, for his policies and also his penchant for communicating via Twitter. As protests and riots unfolded this weekend in Rotterdam over a Dutch government decision to block the visits of two Turkish ministers, Wilders fired off regular incendiary tweets. "Go away and never come back ... and take all your Turkish fans from The Netherlands with you please. .byebye," he said in one as Turkey's family affairs minister was at the centre of a tense standoff at the Turkish consulate. His one-page election manifesto is light on economic policy and heavy on pledges to "de-Islamize" the Netherlands, a nation of 17 million where an estimated 5 per cent of the adult population is Muslim. Wilders calls Islam a threat to western democracy and vows to close all mosques and ban the Qur'an, if he wins power. But he has alienated so much of the political mainstream that even if he wins the popular vote he is considered unlikely to be able to form a ruling coalition in a nation where no single party has ever ruled alone. Crucially, Prime Minister Rutte has ruled out working together after the election. Polls show Rutte's centre-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy with the most voter support in the days leading up to Wednesday's election. There are a lot of differences between Forrest City, Arkansas, and Appleton, Minnesota, but people in both communities have come to see prisons as a driver of their local economies. That's why we found the closing section on John M. Eason's article in the Winona Daily News, Why prison building will continue booming in rural America, so interesting. The assistant professor at Texas A&M University, author of Big House on the Prairie, writes: The CSOs made the criticism during the meeting on future development concerning the environmental impact assessment of the Shwe project held at the meeting hall of the District General Administration Department in Kyaukphyu on 9 March. Only the company and government officials are involved in carrying out the EIA. CSOs and civilian experts arent included. So, the people dont trust the EIA results, which have been released. So, CSOs and civilian experts need to be included in carrying out the EIA of this Shwe gas project, said U Tun Kyi from Kyaukphyu Rural Area Development Association. According to him, the Arakan State has suffered many damages from the Shwe gas project and the government has failed to take charge in solving the issue of farmlands that have been destroyed by the project. In response to U Tun Kyi, U Zeyar Moe, chief officer from Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise said: If any land has been damaged, you need to submit us a letter stating who owns it, what the extent of the damage is and what type of land it is, with photos. We will solve it. Photo: The meeting on future development concerning the environmental impact assessment of the Shwe gas project. During the meeting, respective officials explained that POSCO-DAEWOO Corporation is planning to expand Shwe Phyu natural gas offshore block number (A1) and Mya natural gas offshore block number (A3). According to 2015 Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure, all offshore oil and natural gas projects need to conduct EIA in order to receive the governments approval to carry out the projects. POSCO-DAEWOO Corporations project involves the construction of an offshore platform, installation of submarine equipment and pipelines and oil drilling. In implementing the next stage of the Shwe Natural Gas Project, ERM Myanmar Company Limited will conduct the EIA. The assessment will mainly focus on the shallow water environment where new buildings are located, Daw Myat Mon Swe from ERM Myanmar Company Limited explained at the meeting. Water quality, sedimentation, and marine benthos will be assessed in conducting the EIA. Based on the information received from phase 1, information relating to the deepwater environment will be added for future consideration in conducting the assessment. Existing buildings will be avoided for safety reasons when conducting the assessment, Daw Myat Mon Swe added. According to U Min Kyaw Thu from POSCO-DAEWOO Corporation, 560 million cubic feet of natural gas are currently produced daily from Shwe block and Mya block (north) of the Project Phase 1. A total of 400 million cubic feet is sold to China while 160 million cubic feet is used by the country. The company has also been fulfilling its corporate social responsibility (CSR). Natural gas production started in 2013. We have built schools, clinics, hospitals and roads to [fulfill our] CSR. US$1.2 million is used annually for [the CSR activity], said U Min Kyaw Thu. POSCO-DAEWOO Corporation owns 51 percent of the shares in the Shwe gas project and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise owns 15 percent of the shares while ONGC Caspian E&P B.V and GAIL India Corporation from India and Korea Gas Corporation from South Korea own 34 percent of the shares. The natural gas pipeline passes through two states and two regions and it is 793 kilometres long from Kyaukphyu to China. Zeelandia UK has presented 20 students from the National Bakery School, London, with copies of the Craft Bakers Association (CBA) Book of Breadmaking as part of a presentation and Q&A session. The presentation, held at the London Southbank University, gave first-year students the opportunity to hear from industry professionals about the UK baking industry. Presentations from Zeelandia UK were conducted by David Amos, managing director, and Michael Stimpson, marketing manager, on current trends, product ranges and the history of the industry. Daniel Carr, CBA Laser president, joined Amos during his talk and presented each student with the book. Elaine Thompson, course director at the National Bakery School, thanked the Zeelandia team and Daniel Carr for taking time out of their busy schedules. Its a real inspiration for the students to know they have the backing and support from the industry, she added. Amos, who is also a former president of the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST), ended the day by encouraging students and lecturers to become members of the ABST and attend the annual conference in June. In 2016 alone, 105 murder cases occurred, U Sein Lwin, chief of the Rakhine State police force said at an education and awareness event in Sittwe on March 11. The highest concentration of 2016s cases occurred in Kyaukpyu township, where 20 murders were recorded, followed by Taungup township with 14 murders and Sittwe township with 13 cases. Police chief U Sein Lwin said that more of the murders occurred in rural areas than in urban areas. Around 70 percent of the murders were committed by drunk aggressors. The March 11 event involved members of the state police force, civil society organizations and members of the public, with the aim of boosting cooperation to counter crime. Translated by Aong Jaeneh Edited by Laignee Barron for BNI The Generation Focused Monitor (GFM) invited business people, state Hluttaw representatives, policy experts, and officials from the State Industry Association and university students to the Hpa-An event on March 9. These states and region [Karen, Mon, Tanintharyi] will truly become developed if activities are undertaken carefully and [are implemented] well, said Ko Nay Linn Htike, a member of the board of directors of GFM. I think the results of the [event] discussions could be used as the basis for productive policy for the government. He added that with limited employment opportunities in Kayin State at the moment, young people often have to leave the country to seek work in Thailand or Malaysia. But to harness its economic potential, Kayin State needs to retain and tap into its workforce. Nang Myint Aung, an activist in Kayin State, said the event could help promote awareness about the kind of opportunities currently available. The reason why they leave the country to work abroad is because they cannot make enough income to support the family, said Nang Myint Aung. According to figures collated from the 2014 census, Kayin state had the nations second-highest unemployment rate, after Rakhine, at 7.5 percent. Nationally, 4pc t of the labor force aged 15 to 64 were found to be actively seeking but unable to find work. Translated by Aong Jaeneh Edited by Laignee Barron for BNI Fighting between Kokang rebels - the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Myanmar troops in Laukkai, a region on Myanmar's border with China, has killed at least 30 people and caused new flows of refugees to flee across the border into Chinas Yunnan province. Residents of Yunnan province, meanwhile, have shut themselves inside their homes at night and many local residents said that they heard heavy gunfire and felt tremors during the night and they can see bright flames. Li Xingwei, who is the headmaster of a Kokang mission school, told Mizzima that he led more than 20 children fleeing into the town of Nansan in Yunnan. We found an abandoned house to live in. It is a bit crowded and we are trying to find the rest of the kids. At present, tens of thousands of Myanmar refugees have been placed in several open squares in the town of Nansan, and the local government has set up refugee camps to accommodate them. Guo Lunfeng told Mizzima, who is a volunteer teacher in Kokang and also the member of an NGO for refugees. After the conflict, we organised aid action on social media, and we arranged a dozen cars to freely pick up refugees who are old, weak, and disabled on the main roads. Some local residents who had vacant houses provided them with temporary accommodation. In addition, several local volunteer organisations and a Chinese insurance company also provided free food to refugees for several days, including instant noodles, rice pudding and mineral water. Kokang people are an ethnic group of Myanmar. Most of them are descendants of Chinese speakers who migrated to what is now Shan State from the 17th century. Probably because of this reason, the voice of support for the Kokang is not rare to see among Chinese people. Nevertheless, some people think that the cause of the conflict is not so simple. U Min Zaw Oo, a political analyst in Yangon who advises a government peace commission, told The New York Times that he believed the rebel group currently had about 1,000 to 1,500 fighters and that it targeted casinos in Laukkai controlled by rivals in the Kokang community who are loyal to the Myanmar government. The office of Aung San Suu Kyi said in a statement Monday evening that MNDAA had attacked a hotel, casinos, and police and army posts. However, in a statement released by Justice Kokang, which is an account on Chinas social media platform Weibo and which states it is, The official account of MNDAA, the rebels denied that it was MNDAA that provoked the conflict. Myanmar troops gathered and laid siege to Kokang from different directions since January, and they dropped at least dozens of shells a day, never stopped. Justice Kokang constantly posted news about the war situation for several days and attracted the attention of many Chinese netizens. On Wednesday, the account published a name list showing donations to the MNDAA from dozens of Chinese netizens. In contrast, the attitude of the Chinese government on this issue is clearly more cautious. China is highly concerned about the military clashes recently in the Kokang region, said the spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China urges all parties to cease fire immediately to prevent the escalation of conflict and restore normal order in the border areas as soon as possible. Myanmars real heroes and villains are well-known amongst the international community. Some stand out and others are largely forgotten and never credited. Heroes like Bogyoke Aung San, the father of an independent Burma and his daughter the international democratic icon, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. And villains such as General Ne Win, who in 1962 plunged Burma into a socialist programme which saw it slip off the international world map into decades of military dictatorship. Less well known is economist U Hla Myint who came from modest beginnings. U Hla Myint who was born in 1920 in Pathein, Burma into a family with little financial means during the period of British Colonial rule. He was noted through his school life as a bright child and was allowed to undergo a test at the age of 14 to begin university studies. He officially enrolled in Rangoon University at the age of 15. The entire time that U Hla Myint was in university, he achieved top grades despite only being in his mid-teens. He finished his degree early and continued at university associating with other brilliant minds of the time, the most well-recognised being economist Joseph Schumpeter, a noted Harvard professor. Eventually, in the late 1930s, he went off to study at the London School of Economics. World War II broke out leaving U Hla Myint stuck in England. All of LSEs top economists had left to serve under British leader Winston Churchills war cabinet creating a brain drain at the school. As London buttoned down under war-time austerity and occasional Luftwaffe bombing raids, U Hla Myint began researching his Ph.D. under Austrian economist, Friedrich Hayek, the well-known defender of classical liberalism who won a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1974. After the end of the war and finishing his Ph.D., U Hla Myint returned to Rangoon where he helped to reestablish what was then Rangoon Universitys economics department as it had been destroyed during the war. The buildings were reconstructed from the ground up and during the rebuilding, classes usually took place in bamboo huts. Despite the hurdles, the department became known as one of the leading economics departments in the world, living in a golden age economic theoretical development. U HlaMyint had his eyes on Myanmars agriculture sector, stressing the need for an export-orientated mindset, calling for open borders and a cut in international tariffs. As noted Australian economist Sean Turnell said during a recent lecture on U Hla Myints economic achievements, the noted Myanmar economist stressed the importance of export-led growth at a time 1940s-50s when conventional economic models stressed industrialization, import substitution, and state-led and protected economic growth. In retrospect, it can be seen he was a visionary. U Hla Myint was preaching the importance of property rights, incentive-based economics, and economic freedoms well before the ideas were thrown around in the international community. Others would go on to achieve prizes with ideas similar to his own. After leaving Myanmar in 1962 amidst the turmoil of General Ne Wins coup detat which saw his foreign friends deported, U Hla Myint begun his best economic work while serving as Emeritus Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics from 1966 to 1985. He expressed the importance of an export-oriented development strategy for Myanmar and the Southeast Asia, noting that if you export to the world the market you could enjoy would allow economies of scale production and efficiency. Trade was not about earning money, but lifting the economy and productivity, avoiding leaving industrial resources idle. He sought institutional change. He stressed the importance of exporting agricultural products, a process that would lead to other developments that would help transform the broader economy. The expansion of peasant exports leading to the development of the market system by drawing the peasant households into the exchange economy, this would be a powerful factor in reducing the marketing and organizational costs of the traditional sector, this will pave the way for further economic development through a greater degree of specialisation and divisional labour, wrote U Hla Myint at the time. U Hla Myint returned to Yangon in 2012 to attend an economics event headlined by Joseph Stiglitz, 20012 Nobel Prize winner, entitled, An Agenda for Equitable and Sustainable Development for Myanmar. Mr Stiglitz received all the attention. Even on U Hla Myints return, he was to focus on the growth of Myanmars agricultural sector and was against centralization saying: Look it never worked 50 years ago when I was arguing against it 50 years ago. It isnt going to work now. U Hla Myints main argument was that there was not the storage capacity and infrastructure for a centralised agricultural system in Myanmar. He stressed that a free market system would allow an expansion of capacity and growth in the economy, as seen in many other countries around the world. Jaiden Coonan for Mizzima. Source material supplied by Sean Turnell More than thirty organizations were represented, including Mon political parties as well as many ethnic Mon organizations such as Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) and Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFORM). We want to celebrate female leaders and also push for more female leadership. Women should be part of the major decisions being made for the country and should be in positions of leadership in politics and national organizations. We also want to work with international women organizations to prevent violence against women, said Mi Kon Chan Non, MWNs vice-chairperson. Many women in attendance wore traditional Mon clothing in the color of the Water Hyacinth, a symbol of facing lifes challenges with strength. Mi Rot Chan, vice-chair of the MYPO said, I see few women in positions of power in politics, but women are much better represented in CSOs and youth organizations. Female leadership will grow when these women gain experiences and, as importantly, realize that they can lead. Mon Womens Day celebrations were [also] held across Mon State in townships and villages where the MWN is active. The date of the annual celebration is said to be the birthday of the famous 15th century Mon Queen Shin Saw Pu on the 12th day of Tabaung month of Burmese/Mon [lunar] calendar. This year that date fell on March 9 of the Christian calendar, one day after women around the world celebrated International Womens Day. Her Face Ruined After A Dentists Visit! Life oi-Syeda Farah There are many changes that our body goes through and we need to keep a track of these changes, as it can indicate a very serious underlying condition. This is what happened to a teenage girl who had been to a dentist for her tooth treatment and she ended up contracting a deadly condition, in which her face was ruined due to a deadly flesh-eating infection. Find out what happened to this poor girl who ended up with a flesh-eating disease after a dentist's visit. She Visited The Dentist For A Tooth Extraction She is Suth Ret, an 18-year old girl, who went to a dentist for a tooth extraction and did not think much of it, as it was just a common procedure. She Had A Sinus Infection She had fought a sinus infection few weeks earlier. Apart from this, she was all healthy. But tragedy struck her shortly, after she got her tooth removed. Her face began to erode away. She Was Suffering From A Flesh-eating Disease She was suffering from necrotizing fasciitis, which is commonly known as a flesh-eating disease. According to reports, the dental procedure that she had undergone was an open wound and the bacteria from the sinus infection, believed to be in her throat, made its way into her bloodstream. It Killed Her Skins Soft Tissues It is said that the flesh-eating disease is rare, but it can be treated with antibiotics and surgery to stop the infection from spreading. Also Read: Have You Ever Wondered What Your Name Says About You? She Was Left Without A Part Of Her Face A team of German doctors examined her for a facial reconstructive surgery. She is currently going through a treatment and the doctors have claimed that the treatment will be a long one with painful recovery involved. Do share your thoughts and comments on this in the comment section below. All Images Source Different Types Of People We Meet During Holi Pulse oi-Syeda Farah It's Holi time and the time of celebration where people love to meet and make friends and smear colour on each one. It is the day when the environmentalists suggest that less water should be used on this day; however, it falls on deaf ears. Here is a list of different types of people or "Namunas" that one would come across on this day! Also Reda: Holi Special: What Does Each Colour Signify? Find out about each of these interesting characters, as we bet you would relate to them! These are the people who can annoy you as well as make you laugh! Check them out... The Romeo Types! These are the people who have been literally dreaming of playing Holi with their crush. And what better way than to start a conversation this way!! The Talli Types! These are the type of people who are always seen near the Bhaang and snacks counter. Smearing a bit of colour and enjoying the free drinks drives them to these parties. The Stars Of The Party Type! These are the people who one would often see being dragged into the crowd and colour being smeared all over them. They are the ones with whom all love to party with. The Attacker Types! These are the types of people who are seen attacking their friends with dollops of colour from behind and smearing it all over each other's faces. They generally attack from behind. Strange Coloured Zombie Types! These are the people who manage to get all the strange colours over them. They ensure that the rest are smeared with all the silver or black colour just like them! Also Read:How To Stay Safe This Holi? The Fearful Types! These are the type of people who would generally skip the Holi parties. Even if they are seen in these parties, they tend to stand in a safe, secluded corner with a glass of drink and see people having fun. The Oil-Drenched Types! These are generally the girls who are all conscious about their skin and hair. They dip themselves in oil, so that it is easy to wash the colours off them. The Balloon Goons! They are the ones who would aimlessly throw balloons at any random person in the party and smile at their victims. They mostly do it from their balconies! So which type of a character are you during Holi? Do share it with us in the comment section below. GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 11:35 [IST] He Wanted To Kill His Wife & Kid, But His Foolishness Saved Them Pulse oi-Syeda Farah There are so many cases of people murdering their loved ones for the sake of money; and this is what a man thought was the best thing to do. He planned the murder of his wife and innocent kid to get the insurance money! But luck was on the side of his family, as they were saved after one wrong text of his to a wrong person. His one silly mistake saved the lives of the wife and kid. Thank god! Also Read: She Died And Her Family Discovered A Letter Written By Her Find out about this bizarre story... He Is Jeff Lytle He is Jeff Lytle, a 42-year-old man from Monroe Washington. He intended to kill his wife and kid to get an insurance money of worth $1.5 million. He Hired A Hitman He hired a hitman named Shayne' for a deal to kill his wife and their 4-year-old daughter. He was willing to do the evil deed in exchange for half of the amount that would be got from the insurance. His Wife Is From Philippines His wife "Rhoda Mee Funtanilla Lydle" is from Abra in the Philippines. He Sent The Wrong Text This is what saved the lives of these individuals, as he had instructed the hitman to make the murder look like a robbery that had gone wrong'. The twist was, he ended up sending this text message to his ex-boss who immediately reported the matter to the police! Also Read: Her Face Ruined After A Dentist's Visit! The Text Read The content of the actual text that he had sent said: Hey Shayne hows it going. You remember you said that you would help me kill my wife. I'm going to take you up on that offer.' He Gave The Lame Reasons! When he was confronted by the cops, he gave the most lame reasons stating that his 4-year-old daughter would have sent the text. He even claimed that it was a way how he could vent out his frustration, but did not wish to hatch a real murder. He Is Currently Cooling His Heels! All thanks to the wrong texts sent to the right person, this man's wife and kids are in safe hands and their lives have been saved. Jeff is currently facing criminal charges against him. For more interesting stories, do keep checking this section. Images Source GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 16:04 [IST] Canada NewsWire TORONTO, DAMASCUS, Syria and AMMAN, Jordan, March 12, 2017 TORONTO, DAMASCUS, Syria and AMMAN, Jordan, March 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Grave violations against children in Syria were the highest on record in 2016, said UNICEF in a grim report of the conflict's impact on children, as the war reaches six years. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. "We've reached yet another devastating milestone in the Syrian humanitarian crisis. Not only has the conflict entered its seventh year, but more children than ever are suffering the tragic consequences," said David Morley, UNICEF Canada President and CEO who recently returned from visiting refugee children in neighbouring Jordan. "Canada has shown tremendous leadership in responding to the crisis, but the growing need continues to far outpace the response, at the expense of children's lives and their hopes and dreams for the future." Nearly six million children require urgent aid After six years of war, nearly six million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. Over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Challenges in access in several parts of Syria stand in the way of assessing the full scale of children's suffering and of urgently getting humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable girls and boys. Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult. Inside Syria and across its borders, coping mechanisms are eroding, and families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. In more than two thirds of households, children are working to support their families, some in extremely harsh conditions unfit even for adults. 280,000 children living under siege The most vulnerable among Syria's children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. "The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa speaking from Homs, Syria. "Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future." Yet despite the horrors and suffering, there are many remarkable stories of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations. Darsy, 12, now a refugee in Turkey said: "I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars." "We continue to witness the courage of Syria's children. Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syria's children," said Cappelaere. UNICEF calls for five urgent actions Canada has demonstrated global leadership through a comprehensive response to the Syrian humanitarian crisis. Last year, the Government of Canada committed $1.11 billion over three years to address the crises in Syria and Iraq, while also matching eligible donations to the Syria Emergency Relief Fund from September 2015 to February 2016, which saw $31.8 million generously donated from individual Canadians. The government's $31.8-million contribution to the matching fund was allocated entirely to UNICEF, to increase the number of vulnerable and conflict-affected children that can access education in Jordan and Syria and to support a life-saving nationwide vaccination campaign in Syria. At the UNGA in September 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also committed $78 million for UNICEF's No Lost Generation initiative, bringing Canada's total contribution up to more than $238 million since 2014. Still, the needs continue to rise and greater action must be taken to help the vulnerable children of Syria. UNICEF is appealing to all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, the international community and anyone who cares about children for: UNICEF's publication Hitting Rock Bottom and broadcast quality b-roll is available here. About UNICEFUNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more. UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries - more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.ca. For updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook or visit unicef.ca. SOURCE UNICEF Canada The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. Aryzta has announced that its revenue has fallen by 2.8% to 1.9bn (1.6bn) for the six-month period ended 31 January 2017. H1 results revealed that European revenues decreased by 2.3% to 861.8 million (752m), North American revenues by 5.8% to 915.2m (799m) while rest of world revenues were up by 20.3% to 129m (112m). Underlying net profit at the company decreased by 22.4% to 109.4m (95.7m). EBITA declined by (31.3%) to 158.5m (138m). In its statement, Aryzta said it had continued with a strong cash generation of 99m (86m) and reduced its financing costs by 26m (22m). A strategic review of joint ventures investment strategy is underway and the board of directors have issued that it is not in a position to provide guidance. As well as its results, Aryzta has announced the appointment of David Wilkinson as the companys interim chief financial officer (CFO) with immediate effect. Wilkinson joins Aryzta to support the executive management team following the announcement that Owen Killian, CEO of Aryzta and three other senior figures will be leaving the bakery business from 31 March 2017, rather than the end of July as previously announced. Wilkinson will report directly to the chairman of the board until a new CEO is appointed. An Aryzta statement said: This senior team, together with executive management, will ensure Aryzta remains fully focused on delivering for its customers during a period of transition. Aryzta will engage a leading international recruitment firm to assist the nomination and governance committee in the task of recruiting a new CEO as well as a permanent CFO. The Association of Bakery Ingredient Manufacturers and the Federation of Bakers have signed an open letter calling on the government to make an early agreement on future trade with the Republic of Ireland. As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union, the baking bodies have addressed that a key priority for the food and drink industry is to secure a tariff-free trade with the EU. However, the open letter has outlined that this is of particular importance with Ireland, as nearly a fifth of UK food and drink exports go to Ireland, with more than a third of Irelands reaching UK shores. The UK also supplies 80% of the flour used in Ireland. Thirty-five representative bodies from the food and drink industry have all signed the open letter. Our industry needs the government to ensure existing tariff-free trading arrangements between the UK and Ireland are maintained, the letter said. We are pleased that the Prime Minister is seeking a frictionless border between the UK and Ireland post-Brexit. It is imperative that, once Article 50 is triggered, the future border arrangements are high on the target list for prompt resolution. Government should make a clear and early statement of principle that it is committed to maintaining this trade with Ireland and that it will make it a priority in negotiations. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017 - beginning formal negotiations on Brexit. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email sunnews@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes A Blue Springs man who sold methamphetamine to a police informant was arrested on a warrant. The warrant for Steven M. Caporale, 59, was issued earlier this month. According to Gage County Court documents, a Nebraska State Patrol informant provided Caporale with $300 in undercover drug funds to purchase three grams of methamphetamine on May 19. The transaction occurred in the parking lot of Casey's General Store in Wymore. The informant was delivered three grams of methamphetamine from Caporale at the location, under surveillance of the State Patrol. Last August, a Nebraska State Patrol criminalistic lab report confirmed the substance was methamphetamine. Caporale was arrested and charged with Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, a class 2 felony. He appeared in County Court Monday, where bond was set at $25,000 with a 10 percent deposit. His next hearing is scheduled for March 20. WAYNE Jason Barelman, director of career services at Wayne State College, likes to joke with students that, hopefully, their dinner etiquette consists of more than just throwing a fast-food bag out their car window. If it doesn't, she's there to help. The college's career services department has hosted an etiquette dinner every year since the late 1990s, the Norfolk Daily News (http://bit.ly/2myuj3W ) reported. It's a chance for students to prepare for both social and business settings that may require certain etiquette that everyday life doesn't. "It's going through, 'Do you know what to expect, do you know the protocol, do you know how to make others feel comfortable around you?' " Barelman said. "That's really what etiquette is making other people around you feel comfortable." For many students, the skills touched on during the dinner may be ones they've never been exposed to. Carol Erwin, who teaches family and consumer science courses at Wayne, attributes that at least partially to the informal culture of our society. If you go back to the early 1900s, she said, people were taught etiquette as a way to move up the social ladder. People dressed up for dinner and church services. Overall, things were more formal. Now, students know basic manners, such as "keep your elbows off the table." But it's the more refined skills, like how to arrange a formal place setting, that they may not be familiar with, she said. "Truth is, we have an expectation that the knife goes here and the fork goes here. The salad fork goes on the outside," said Erwin, who touches briefly on etiquette during her Meal Management class. "You don't know what you don't know, and it's hard to know that you don't know it until you're put in that situation where it's in your face." That's where the etiquette dinner and Erwin's class come in handy. For example, the etiquette dinner takes participants through "mocktails" where they learn the basics of how to introduce themselves, how to introduce others, how to shake hands properly, and what side their name tag goes on. (It's the right.) They even learn tricks for how to hold their plate, napkin and drink in one hand so they can properly greet people. Christina Fielder, who presents at the dinner and a similar event that Northeast Community College holds, said this is sometimes what students are most impressed with. Then students will participate in a formal dinner typically four courses where they learn tips and tricks for dealing with each course, Fielder said. "If I was going to be really honest, for college students we focus on the basics, helping them get comfortable and helping other people around them get comfortable. It's just really the nuts and bolts," said Fielder, director of advising for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Arts and Sciences. She began giving these presentations while she worked in UNL's Career Services Department. Her goal at the end of the night? For students to know how to act if they attend a fancy wedding or are asked to network at a formal event or do a job interview over dinner. During a portion of Erwin's meal management class which is a required for early childhood education, food and nutrition, family and consumer science, and family and consumer science education majors students must make breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to setting the table for each meal. They are then expected to sit down, converse and enjoy the meal with the other students. While this exercise has multiple purposes, Erwin said it can help students learn what she calls "unwritten rules." "When you don't know the rules and it seems like everyone else does, it can be very, very uncomfortable," she said. So, how are people supposed to learn these rules? At home with your family is a good place to start, Erwin said. But given that every family is different, young people might not have that opportunity. Some students may be used to eating on TV trays at the couch for meals. Others may have eaten with their family at the dining room or kitchen table, but it was informal. "Most don't set the table unless it's a special occasion," Erwin said. "One person will say that at Christmas my grandma does the whole shebang. She'll set a whole long table. Then another person will say, 'Well, at my grandma's we just use paper plates so we don't have to do dishes." But it's not just young people who could use etiquette lessons either, Barelman said. There are several generations that could use a brush-up given that the need for etiquette is lacking in day-to-day life. Archived Results for Monday, March 13th, 2017 Older Page 1 Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Although he works as an accountant during the day, Kevin Huang is proud to show off his culinary skills as a means of sharing his Chinese culture with those in Brandon. On Saturday, he served as the days instructor at the Westman Immigrant Services-hosted World Cooking Class at the Global Market Community Kitchen. Huang immigrated with his family to Canada from China in 2013 in search of a different lifestyle, settling in Brandon where he found employment as an accountant. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Kevin Huang cuts pork ribs as students offer their assistance at the Global Market Community Kitchen on Saturday, when he hosted the days World Cooking Class centred on Chinese dishes. A key selling point in Canada was its education system, Huang said, offering that his daughters (seven years of age and 10 months) will have a far less stressful experience at school in Canada than they would in China. Theres too much preparation for ones future in China, he said while setting up ingredients at the Global Market Community Kitchen on Saturday. Cooking has always been a hobby of his, whether hes cooking for family or friends, and Huang draws from his traditional practices in doing so. While many cultures use the same basic ingredients, a key difference, he said, is in how they spice their meals. On Saturday, he employed a hidden weapon by using a special seasoning named prickly ash, which is known as coming from the Sichuan area of China. While it doesnt originate from his native Canton home, near Hong Kong, its a spice that has immigrated to his household over the years. On Saturday, Huang led a group of students by preparing 1 2 3 4 5 pork ribs and Chinese smashed spice cucumber with garlic and sesame oil. He deliberately chose simple items in order to make sure theyre able to replicate the process at home. Huang said that he takes pride in the knowledge that past people he has taught cooking skills report back to him that they have continued cooking the traditional dishes at home. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Pouring ingredients into a pot of pork ribs, Huang prepares 1 2 3 4 5 pork ribs during Saturdays World Cooking Class at the Global Market Community Kitchen. Huangs lesson was the latest in a series hosted by Westman Immigration Services, with the next sessions scheduled to place on March 25, volunteer co-ordinator Angie Nor Addin said. Due to an increase in demand, two sessions on Indian cuisine will be hosted that day. For more information, phone Westman Immigrant Services at 204-727-6031 or visit the organizations website at westmanimmigrantservices.ca. Its just really great to share culture with people, Nor Addin said. Its bonding over food, basically; getting to know culture over food, hearing chefs experiences, their culture, where they come from. I just think its a great experience. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Like father, like son, like grandson. The Vasilarakis familys ongoing efforts to secure their next generation a better life has led to three generations running Brandons Pizza Express restaurant. Last week, the Family Enterprise Xchange named Pizza Express Manitobas Family Enterprise of the Year during a ceremony in Winnipeg. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Pizza Express owner Gus Vasilarakis (foreground) joins his son Tony Vasilarakis in preparing pizza dough on Saturday in preparation for the days customers. Tony plans on taking over the pizza shop when his father retires within the next five years. Owner Gus Vasilarakis said that he couldnt quite believe it when Pizza Express was announced as the winner. Were just a small little pizza restaurant in Brandon, he said with a shrug, adding that while there were other worthy businesses up for the award, hes proud to have received it on behalf of his familys longstanding efforts. We never expected anything like that, but Im glad to get some recognition after 35 years of hard work, he said. Hard work might be an understatement, given the steep hill the Vasilarakis family climbed in order to get to where they are today. Gus said that he remembers a time when he was living in Greece while his father, Antonios, worked at hydroelectric projects in northern Manitoba in order to send money back home for his family. The Second World War had left little by way of opportunity in Greece, forcing the familys hard-working and determined patriarch to seek gainful employment elsewhere, tearing him apart from his family for two-year stretches, after which hed fly back to be with his family in Greece for six-month breaks. It was hard work that paid off, with the family relocating to Brandon as a unit in 1979. One of Guss uncles had a pizza restaurant that the balance of the family learned the ins and outs at before opening Pizza Express in 1982. Antonios, a carpenter by trade, gutted the building at 360 10th St. in order to rebuild it as the family restaurant the community knows today. Antonios left the restaurant due to health concerns in the late 80s, at which time Gus took over its operations, having spent his early adulthood running it alongside his father. Like Antonios did for his children, Gus and wife Antoinette tried as best they could to set up their three children for success in life. Their approach was through supporting their childrens post-secondary aspirations. Eldest son Tony pursued post-secondary studies and at one time even considered taking up law school, but ultimately decided that his ideal life with wife Brittany and eight-month-old daughter Ayla would be at Pizza Express. Gus wasnt so sure. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun The second and third generation of Pizza Express leadership are seen with the Family Enterprise Xchange awards they received during the 2017 FEX Manitoba Family Enterprise of the Year Award ceremony in Winnipeg last weekend. From left is third-generation pizza shop leader Tony Vasilarakis and his father and current owner Gus Vasilarakis. He tried as best he could to discourage his son from taking over the family business, but ultimately gave up when he recognized how dedicated and passionate his son was to keep the family legacy going. Those family values, thats super important and that has carried this restaurant for 35 years, Tony said. Because its a family business, we put a lot more into it, and its really cool to be part of it and to say this is my familys business. Tony has already introduced online ordering and a social media presence to the restaurant in order to hit up the younger generation and ensure the restaurants continued viability in this digital age. When Gus retires within about five years, Tony will be on hand to take over the family business. Itll be curious to see whether little Ayla adds another generation to the family effort, Tony said, adding that for now hes proud to see his familys hard-won legacy continue. While his efforts arent as physically strenuous as his grandfather working at northern Manitoba hydroelectric projects an ocean away from his family, the restaurant business is no easy field to work in. Even though the restaurant is only open to the public in the afternoons and early evenings, its a 24/7 business, Gus said a stressful life that he said that he tried to spare his son from living. Still, Tony said that hell be happy to keep at it, adding; I couldnt see myself doing anything else. Having already secured the 2017 FEX Manitoba Family Enterprise of the Year Award, Pizza Express is now a contender for the national awards in Halifax, to be held in mid-June. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Today would have been Sora McLeans eighth birthday. While his cancer journey ended with his death on April 20, 2016, Soras family has kept up the battle. In their latest effort to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society, Soras mother, Sara McLean, has been named Brandon and Westman Relay for Lifes honorary chair for 2017. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Sara McLean holds a picture of her son Sora, who died last year following a battle with cancer, with daughter Kayree in their Rivers home on Sunday. Sara has been named this years Brandon and Westman Relay for Life honorary chair. In the buildup to this years June 3 event, shes helping drum up interest and support, which includes sharing the story of her late son. Although the family relocated from Brandon to Rivers since Soras death in order to give themselves some space from their grief, Sara said that she has no qualms with talking about Sora. She actively pursued her current honorary chair role. I dont mind having my name out there to bring more people in to bring awareness to cancer, she said at her familys new home on Sunday, next to a shrine dedicated to Sora. I want to keep his name alive, his image alive, and him alive in that sense, so I find that little projects help. Soras older sister Kayree, 10, has joined in the effort by raising money with a few efforts at her school and intends on spending much of the summer running a lemonade stand to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. Its important to help out, the youngster said, to make things better for everyone affected by the disease. Sora was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on Oct. 10, 2015. In the preceding weeks hed complained about leg pains, but Sara was assured by doctors that it was just growing pains. Accompanied by weight loss and night sweats, Sara remained insistent on getting him tested, which resulted in his cancer diagnosis. There wasnt much warning, she said. It was subtle. It wouldnt jump out at you that he had cancer. Sora underwent four rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, two bouts of radiation treatment and a stem cell transplant, with his mother serving as a donor. Having gone through all of the difficult things a parent does when their child has been diagnosed with what turns out to be terminal cancer, Sara developed an insiders perspective about the shortcomings of the process. Similar to how her son was dedicated to helping people, with intentions of becoming a police officer, Sara wants to help improve the cancer treatment process so that others might find better outcomes. The main shortcoming is with childhood cancer research, which Sara considers severely limited, with pretty much every treatment Sora received considered trials. Even the processs positives, including Canadian Cancer Society volunteer services and supports, need ongoing financial support, Sara said, adding that her honorary chair role is but one means of supporting this important organization adding a face and personal story to this years Relay for Life. Next year, she hopes to participate in the Relay for Life again, this time as part of a team she intends to call Super Soras Squad! This years Brandon and Westman Relay for Life will take place at the Keystone Centre on June 3 from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., so nows the time to get your teams fundraising efforts underway. Team registrations are currently being accepted online at relayforlife.ca. More information is also available by calling 204-571-2800 or by visiting the Facebook page Brandon Westman Relay for Life. So far, the top fundraising team listed on the official website is Isabelles Angels, with $355. Manitoba Relay for Life manager Jill Somers said that organizers have high hopes for 2017, setting their total fundraising goal at $60,000 and a stretch goal at $80,000. Last years event raised about $35,000, which she said was down significantly from the approximately $80,000 they typically raise at the annual event, which has been taking place in Brandon since 2002. Were looking to bring it back to where it once was, she said, adding that while their main push is for teams, theyre also looking for volunteers in general. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. With previous Conservative Party of Canada environmental deregulations reaffirmed, Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa Tory MP Robert Sopuck is pleased as punch. The federal Liberals had launched a review of The Fisheries Act to investigate changes the previous Conservative government made to the Fisheries Act in 2012. As a result of this process, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans offered a number of recommendations that affirm key Conservative Party of Canada changes last week. Protections and provisions for those in the agricultural industry and municipalities have been put in place, and the allowance for expedited permits for work that involves the restoration of damaged infrastructure and emergency work are being advocated for. While Sopuck said that there are still some concerns in the committees recommendations that merit a closer look, he hopes that these key affirmations are retained throughout the parliamentary process that might lead to Fisheries Act changes. The Conservative changes put into motion back in 2012 lessened the number of waterways protected, which led to strong wave of criticism from critics. On this criticism, Sopuck points back to the mid-90s, when the definition of fish habitat was greatly expanded to the detriment of farmers and rural municipalities. That meant all of a sudden drainage ditches, puddles, wetlands, the water in front of peoples cottages all of a sudden became fisheries habitat, he shared. The Conservative Party of Canada fixed it in 2012, he said. Association of Manitoba Municipalities executive director Jo Masi said that its fair to say that pre-2012, there were a lot more calls into his office regarding concerns about delays getting repairs to infrastructure due to fisheries issues. Since the changes were made, I think the number of concerns we hear about this have dropped significantly, he said. While he hasnt read all of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans recommendations, he said that the few highlights Sopuck provided around greater leeway for municipalities seem positive. It certainly appears from the information that I have is that the committee is coming down in a positive way to keep these municipalities to allow (emergency) repairs on a timely basis, he said. Weve had situations in the past where delays were stopping critical repairs from getting done so it was costing people a lot more money. Masi said that hed be meeting with Sopuck in the near future to discuss these changes, among other issues, and that he trusts the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will weigh in as more details from the review process come out. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Already have an account? Log in here After passing out in a common area at Brandon University, a 31-year-old Brandon man found himself lodged at Brandon Correctional Centre overnight to appear for remand in the morning. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! RALEIGH - A host of luminaries led by UNC system President Margaret Spellings used a Thursday press conference to announce a newly branded North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program.The proposal, which is set to be introduced next week in the General Assembly, would offer loans of as much as $8,250 to students who plan to teach in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math, or special education.Individuals with high school diplomas, associate's degrees, and bachelor's degrees would be eligible for the loan, said Sen. Chad Barefoot, R-Wake, one of the bill's primary sponsors.Loan recipients would be selected by a program commission appointed by the UNC Board of Governors and the General Assembly.The loans, which are repayable over 10 years, also are forgivable under one of two methods. For each year a recipient teaches at a low-performing school, one year of payments would be forgiven. Recipients also could get a year of loan forgiveness for every two years they spend teaching at other schools, and could earn forgiveness through a combination of the two.State leaders hope the program will recruit and retain top teachers for North Carolina's public schools, said Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, who joins Barefoot as a bill sponsor.Among the others attending the event on the campus of N.C. State University were state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities President Hope Williams, and N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson.Horn said.A similar program enacted in 1986 was administered by the North Carolina Public School Forum. The program's funding was phased out in 2011 by the General Assembly. Legislative leaders said the program was not as effective as it could be, because it did not target teachers in STEM, special education, or those who sought to work in difficult-to-staff schools.The new proposal is promising, and may relieve some teacher shortages in the STEM and special education fields, but it's merely a first step, said Terry Stoops, director of research and education studies for the John Locke Foundation.he said.Lawmakers should also strengthen certification and licensure programs for accomplished professionals who don't have an education degree, but who wish to become teachers, Stoops added. The jury in the trial of a man charged with murdering his friend in County Cork has been told that he has discharged his legal team, writes Natasha Reid. The 42-year-olds trial was in its sixth day at the Central Criminal Court. Ciprian Grozavu with a last address at Bridge House, Sean Hales Place in Bandon, is charged with murdering Jonathan Duke at that address. The Romanian father of one has pleaded not guilty to murdering the 27-year-old in Co Cork on November 13, 2011. The court has heard that Mr Grozavus acquaintance, Catherine OConnor, has since been found guilty of murdering Mr Duke, whose body was found in the River Bandon. The eight men and four women of the jury spent Monday morning listening to the content of his garda interviews. However, when they returned after lunch, they were told that he had discharged his legal team. They were then sent home and asked to return on Wednesday. The jury had spent a number of hours listening to the content of the interviews, in which he described Catherine OConnor stabbing and poking Mr Duke in his flat, before dragging him, unconscious, down the stairs. D Gda Tim OMahony testified that his colleague D Sergeant Ann Murphy left the interview at one stage and returned with the news that Mr Duke had most likely died of strangulation. She was choking him, responded Mr Grozavu. It was put to him that he had never mentioned choking. But you never asked me about it, he said. I cant be a computer to remember every single detail, he continued. Especially with drink, how can I remember every single little detail? Now you remember it? he was asked. Now that you mentioned it, yes, he replied. The case continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler. The Lord Mayor of Cork has accepted a surprise invitation to the White House to meet with US President Donald Trump for the St Patricks Day celebrations. The visit will be confirmed to city councillors tonight and could be met with some opposition, given the controversy surrounding some of Trumps policies, particularly his stance on immigration. Corks First Citizen, Councillor Des Cahill, will fly out to Washington DC tomorrow for a 48-hour trip where he will take part in the ceremonial presentation of a bowl of shamrock by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to President Trump on Thursday. It is the first time that a Lord Mayor of Cork has been invited to the St Patricks Day celebrations in the White House. Following the ceremony, the Lord Mayor will depart the US and return to Cork in time to take part in the St Patricks Day parade at 1pm on Friday. The invitation was issued to the Lord Mayors office by the US embassy in Dublin. Speaking to the Evening Echo, Lord Mayor Cahill said he would be bringing the invitation to the attention of city councillors at tonights meeting in City Hall. He said it was an honour that Cork would be represented in the US for St Patricks Day, a key calendar event for US-Irish relations. It was a pleasant surprise and an honour. The event is on Thursday so I will be able to attend and make it back for the parade in Cork on Friday. The Taoiseach has come under pressure to cancel his visit to the White House given the numerous controversies involving President Trump. However, the Lord Mayor said the visit was not about personalities. This is an invitation from the US to the Office of the Lord Mayor of Cork, and is a huge honour for the city. Given the large number of US companies here in Cork and the number of Irish companies in the US it is fitting I attend, he said. This story first appeared in the Evening Echo. Gardai investigating an assault that occurred outside a public house in Cork on Saturday March 11 are appealing for witnesses. A 30-year-old man suffered serious injuries during the incident at Pearse Street in Clonakilty, which occurred shortly before 12.30am. Smart technology is to be used in a major crackdown on illegal dumping. CCTV cameras will be installed in problem areas and drone and satellite imagery will be used to catch offenders. Any future pathway to securing citizenship for the thousands of undocumented Irish living in the United States should also be offered to other illegal immigrants, Enda Kenny has urged. The Taoiseach acknowledged the administration in Washington should not pick and choose in regard to which nationalities living in the US without permission could secure clarity around their status. His comments came after meeting Boston mayor Marty Walsh. The gaelic-speaking Irish American mayor said he was very proud of his heritage but rejected any suggestion that the Irish undocumented could be treated as a "special case". Mr Kenny will lobby on behalf of the 50,000 undocumented Irish when he meets President Trump in Washington on Thursday. The Taoiseach, who is on his annual St Patrick's trip to the US, said he would like to see any potential accommodation extended to other immigrants. "Clearly we have some concerns and anxieties about those who are undocumented here and we want to work with the administration in a way to deal with that, not just in the case of Ireland but also in the case of some of the others. "Because It's not a case of picking and choosing. While we might like to think we can sort out our own problem of 50,000 undocumented, there are 11 million people in the United states who have not the required paperwork and documentation." With such worldwide focus on Mr Trump's controversial immigration policies, Mr Kenny's efforts to raise the undocumented Irish will draw intense scrutiny. As part of his crackdown, the president has taken steps against "sanctuary cities" in the US, where local authorities refuse to implement federal immigration policies. Boston is one such city. Mr Walsh has been highly critical of the new administration's stance on immigration. "Hopefully the Taoiseach will be able to help a little bit here and be able to say and have a conversation with the president and the administration and the leadership of the Republican party about how do we come up with a solution, rather than accusing folks of being illegal or being criminal," he said. "I can't stand here today and say I feel comfortable with where we are as a country. Hopefully at some point we will be able to move to that point, but not today." In regard to special status for the Irish undocumented, the mayor said: "I am a proud son of Irish immigrants but I would not be supportive of rules and regulations that just benefit people that are undocumented Irish. "We need a comprehensive piece of legislation - we need some clarity for all immigrants, all undocumented immigrants." He said Boston was a very "multicultural" city. "I couldn't support something that just benefited one country," he added. Meanwhile, the Taoiseach has been forced to cancel some of his stops in his visit to the United States, because of serious weather. Kenny is due to visit nearby Rhode Island tomorrow before departing for Washington. But transport in the area has been massively hit by severe winter storms, with up to two feet of snowfall forecast for some parts of the north-east of the country. Thousands of flights have already been cancelled and Mr Kenny's delegation is now considering cutting back on some events, in order to ensure he makes it to Washington before his first events on Wednesday. Update 2.45, 16 March 2017: Sebastian Michta has been found safe and well Earlier: Gardai in Wexford are appealing for help in finding a man who has been missing for three days. Sebastian Michta, who is 27 years old, was last seen in the Gorey town area and was believed to be wearing a black jumper and light trousers with brown shoes. He is a Polish national who has been living in Ireland for a number of years. Sebastian is described as being five foot six inches tall with brown hair. He has not been seen since Friday, March 10, and Gardai are urging anyone with information to contact Gorey Garda station on 053-9430690, the Garda confidential line 1800-666-111, or any Garda station. Two United Nations officials, one American and one Swedish, have been kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the government said. Government spokesman Lambert Mende said Michael Sharp of the United States and Zahida Katalan of Sweden were taken with three Congolese drivers and a translator while travelling by motorcycle. A British man charged with attacking a traffic police officer and causing his death in Bali has been sentenced to six years in prison and his Australian girlfriend to four years. David Taylor (pictured), a dreadlocked DJ who adopted a more sober appearance for the trial, said he accepted the judge's decision. During the trial, his girlfriend, Sara Connor, who faced the same charge, said she was not an active participant in the attack. But the judges found that her role prevented the officer, Wayan Sudarsa, from defending himself. Prosecutors sought eight-year prison terms for Connor and Taylor, who were arrested last August over the death of Mr Sudarsa, whose bloodied body was found on the beach outside the Pullman Hotel in the popular tourist area of Kuta. They were charged with committing violence leading to death, which carries a maximum 12-year prison term under Indonesian law. Taylor, 34, who promoted himself as DJ Nutzo, admitted hitting the Indonesian man repeatedly with a mobile phone, binoculars and a broken beer bottle, leaving him face down and unconscious. But he said he did not realise Mr Sudarsa would die. Connor, 46, and Taylor were drinking beer on the beach in the hours before the late-night incident. Taylor said he got into a fight with Mr Sudarsa, who was on duty, after Connor realised she had lost her handbag and accused Mr Sudarsa of being a fake police officer and stealing it. Bali, famous for its Hindu culture, lush interior and white sand beaches, is Indonesia's highest-profile tourist island and a particular magnet for holidaymakers from Australia. - AP Young men will VET a girl before they ask her to marry them. Fathers will VET a boy before they agree to let their daughter date a boy ( or at least that used to be the case. Employers will VET a potential hire to be sure they are capable of doing the job and evaluate their past employment history.> The Army use to VET draftees before inducting them into the Army. As an aside those that were questionable were sent to the Group W bench. The IRS use to VET the income tax returns of people that they suspected of evasion. Not they do not VET, they merely run an algorithm to select the 99% of the filers that they suspect of evasion. Then they fall back on the old system of VETTING but they call it auditing.. We should VET all recipients of welfare, food stamps, or any form of government subsidies to individuals. We should VET recipients of Social Security to be sure they are alive and breathing. Let us call it a health check benefit. We should VET votors to be sure they are eligible to vote and are voting in the correct precinct based on their current VETTED residence. We should VET all news stories that have been accused of being "FAKE NEWS." Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. VETTING EVERYONE WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OR JUSTIFICATION LEST WE TAKE THE CHANCE TO OFFEND SOMEONE WHO PROBABLY SHOULD BE VETTED Vetting is certainly not a new word, but you would think it was only invented on November 8th or 9th, 2016. The word originally was used in horse-racing when it referred to checking all horses in a race by a veterinarian. The original term was to 'VET' because of the examination. ( Origins of the word VET The word has certainly gained momentum in today's political climate, but if you think about it for a minute. Everyone does it even if they do not call it "VETTING."This list could go on and one but I think you get the point.Now we have a new emphasis on the practice. It is just not good enough to use VETTING; we now have to use. The media is practicing this now in it examination and reporting on the Trump Administration. To take it a bit further, they are not just looking at the horse's mouth, they are looking at the other end as well. Good taste () prevents me from displaying that picture here. They seem to be against doingwhen it is applied to the process of checking potential immigrants to our country.I propose that we expand the process to the following categories:Maybe we should install signs in every government building or agency that states:For the people who do not speak English, there should be another sign that everyone can understand.I doubt that this would pass the legal challenges that would immediately be filed. We could just change the term to something else that does not sound so ominous. I touched on the subject in a previous article but I did not call it VETTING: Profiling Vs Stereotyping. My point is that it is going to happen whether you agree or disagree, whether it is legal or illegal, whether it is a Democrat of Republican in office, or whether they have a warrant or not. There use to be a system that required an "IMPARTIAL" judge to make a "JUDGEMENT" on the threshold of privacy before a warrant was issued.However, we now have a judicial branch which is just a partisan as the congress and executive branch. I guess we are just stuck with the existing procedure which is straight from the horse's mouth: Sensitive documents setting out Theresa May's travel plans were left on a train in a blunder branded a "serious security breach". Downing Street has launched an investigation after the details of the Prime Minister's schedule were found by a passenger. As well as setting out transport arrangements for a visit to the North West, the papers included the address of a hotel Mrs May was booked in to work from during the afternoon. They also outlined plans for a call to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as arrangements for a "treasurers' dinner" in Altrincham. The documents, discovered in the first class train carriage of a train heading for Edinburgh on the day of the visit, were handed to The Daily Mirror. Former royal bodyguard Inspector Ken Wharfe told the newspaper that leaving travel documents on a train was "inexcusable" and a "serious security breach". He said: "In today's environment, it becomes a serious security matter when documents like this detailing the hourly movements of a protected person are misplaced. That's just not acceptable. "Theresa May is given this protection because she is a target and so, of course, this is a serious security risk. "These papers give a detailed -assessment of her movements. Had such information reached potential terrorists it could serve to confirm their plans. "But also, importantly, it would highlight the lapse and suggest to those with such terrorist intentions the weakness surrounding their potential target." Mrs May had flown from RAF Northolt, West London, to Manchester before heading to a science park in Warrington for the January 23 visit. After meetings and questions from the media, the plan was to travel by car to The Mere Hotel in Knutsford and later fly back to London after dinner. A Government spokesman said: "We have been made aware of claims around a Government document and will investigate accordingly." PA A makeshift cannabis "factory" was discovered by firefighters after white smoke was spotted billowing from the roof of a semi-detached house. West Midlands Police said overloaded wiring at the property in Hamstead Hall Avenue in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, posed a "huge threat" to public safety and had endangered the lives of neighbours. Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man after confirming he was a Nazi unit commander suspected of ordering the killing of 44 Poles during the Second World War, a prosecutor said. Robert Janicki said that various evidence gathered in years of investigation into US citizen Michael K confirmed "100%" that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defence Legion, which is accused of burning villages and killing civilians in Poland. The Associated Press has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. Karkoc's family denies that he was involved in any war crimes. Prosecutors of the state National Remembrance Institute have asked a regional court in Lublin, Poland, to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Mr Janicki said. He said the man's age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. "He is our suspect as of today," Mr Janicki said. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in the villages of Chlaniow and Wladyslawin in July 1944, Karkoc could face a prison term for life. Karkoc's son said the claims about his father are "misinformation or disinformation" launched by Vladimir Putin's government. Andriy Karkoc said his father was not in Poland and was not responsible for any war crimes. He accused The Associated Press of "scandalous and baseless slanders", and he said AP is "letting itself be used as a tool for Putin's fake news". Meanwhile, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's top Nazi hunter is applauding the prosecutors for deciding to seek an arrest warrant for Karkoc. Efraim Zuroff said that "it's high time that the Poles became more active seeking people who committed crimes in World War II on Polish soil". He says any legal step "sends a very powerful message". Prosecutors in Germany previously launched their own investigation of Karkoc after stories in 2013 by The Associated Press revealing that he had been a former commander in the SS-led unit that had committed war crimes in Poland. They never expressed doubts about Karkoc's identity, but shelved their investigation after saying they had received "comprehensive medical documentation" from doctors at the geriatric hospital in the US where he was being treated that led them to conclude he was not fit for trial. - AP Several states seeking to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban moved forward with court action on Monday just days before it is due to come into force. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, joined in his lawsuit by Democratic California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon, asked for a hearing with a federal judge in Seattle before Thursday when the administration plans to implement the ban on new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim nations. A hearing in a separate lawsuit by Hawaii has been scheduled for Wednesday. Mr Ferguson said the revised ban is still unconstitutional and harms residents, universities and businesses, especially tech companies such as Washington state-based Microsoft and Amazon who rely on foreign workers. "No one is above the law, not even the president - and I will hold him accountable to the Constitution," Mr Ferguson said in a statement. "Cutting some illegal aspects of President Trump's original travel ban does not cure his affront to our Constitution." Mr Ferguson filed new court documents after the judge who put Mr Trump's original order on hold said last week he would not immediately rule on whether his decision applies to the new version. Bob Ferguson. US District Judge James Robart told the federal government to quickly respond to Mr Ferguson's claims but said he would not hold a hearing before Wednesday. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the most populous US state was joining Washington state's challenge, saying the order, despite its changes, is an attack on people based on their religion or national origin. In Hawaii, which is alone in its lawsuit, the US government asked a federal court on Monday to deny the state's request to temporarily block the ban from going into effect. A judge will hear arguments on Wednesday, with the heavily Democratic state claiming the new order will harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students. The government says Hawaii's allegations that the ban will negatively affect tourism and universities are pure speculation. The revised ban applies to Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen and temporarily shuts down the US refugee program. Unlike the original order, it says people with visas will not be affected and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities. Mr Ferguson acknowledged the changes but said it still "bars entry for virtually all other individuals from the listed countries," including relatives of US citizens and students who have been admitted to state universities and people who might seek work at schools and businesses. "This court's original injunction protected these individuals and institutions," Washington state's new court filing said. It said the federal government cannot enforce the new travel ban unless it asks Judge Robart to modify his original restraining order. "Until they do so, they cannot escape the injunction and continue their illegal conduct," the filing said. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said last week that the administration believes the revised travel ban will stand up to legal scrutiny. AP A murder inquiry has been launched after a 93-year-old man died in an apparent fall from a towering seafront apartment block. A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after police were called to the art deco Marine Court in St Leonards-on-Sea, near Hastings, East Sussex. Nicole Tarling with her two children Colby, 3, and Olivia, 5 months, at home in Banks. Credit:Rohan Thomson Welcome back from the long weekend, hopefully you had a good break. We're in for a drizzly old week, weather-wise. Today is forecast to be cloudy and 27 degrees, with a 60% chance of some showers, plus the chance of a thunderstorm. Much the same for the rest of the working week too. New data reveals the ACT's population growth hotspots set to boom in the coming years - and babies, not blow-ins are expected to drive it. Residents are projected to flock to the north and west, with the population of the Cotter-Namadgi region expected to explode by up to 139 per cent by 2020. Gungahlin will be another centre for growth, with new suburbs like Crace helping to grow the population by 19 per cent in the next three years. Katie Burgess and Markus Mannheim have crunched the numbers, with an interactive map, here. Nine months of lane closures Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer will not be in charge of what is left of the company after its primary business is sold to Verizon. Instead, the investment company called Altaba will be headed by board member Thomas McInerney, Yahoo said in a regulatory filing on Monday. Mr McInerney, 52, is a former executive with Ticketmaster and internet firm InterActiveCorp. Ms Mayer, 41, would receive a golden parachute of $US23 million ($30 million) if she were terminated without cause or for "good reason" of her own after the deal closed, according to a proxy statement Yahoo filed. That figure was lower than the $US55 million or $US44 million golden parachutes specified for Ms Mayer in previous Yahoo filings, because the payment was based in part on stock options that had vested since the earlier filings, a person familiar with the situation said. The sun is up at the rabbit patch, and the wind is brisk and has a chill. The old house is as silent as it can be. There isn't a bit of news, other than is cooking and the house smells like it. The green glass and a clean tablecloth will soon transform the lowly kitchen table. I will gather flowers for a vase, shortly, as yesterday, I ended up scrubbing the kitchen cabinets. After all, I was moving dishes around and the task seem to come about quite naturally, as they often do.I went out to gather flowers for an arrangement, while the stove earned its' keep. I found the day true to what is expected in March, at the rabbit patch. The air was pleasant with only a slight chill. The air of March is like that. The day was bright and the territory was dotted with all sorts of flowers. The pear tree is blossoming along with two young peach trees. The oldest peach tree bloomed last week and a few cold nights have burned the tender buds to an awful brown. Wild hyacinths are blooming in their familiar places. The wild variety is not as spectacular as their hybrid cousins, but they have the same wonderful, sweet scent. The Japanese roses are breath-taking now. When I walked around the barn, their bright yellow flowers almost startled me. Truly the "rose" looks like a carnation. The flowers bloom along the slender branches, before the leaves appear. It looks like the flowers are floating and the effect is very fairy-like. I cut some branches for the vase, and then was off to the daffodils. Of course, the spireas are a favorite. Their blossoms look like tiny roses and the bushes are full of them. Christopher Robin walked with me, and true to his good nature, did not complain a bit. He laid briefly, on a bed of running periwinkle and that made a charming picture.The green glass did make a pretty table. The arrangement was pretty too and quite complimented the setting though it did not compare to Pansy and Ivy, in Elizabeth City. ( I declare that Mandy has Divine help in her arranging.) Mama and daddy got to the rabbit patch just as I was putting the cheese biscuits on the table. While we ate the creamed turnips, we remembered my grandmother. When we got to the pie, daddy was telling stories about his childhood. I grabbed my book and wrote them down in fragments, to be composed later into a story that makes good sense. Today, Mama and Daddy talked about their memories of the Ice truck. Mama said, that when the ice truck came, her mother made iced tea for supper, that night. It was something she looked forward to, as a child. The truck came every two weeks. Daddy remembered he and his brother running to catch up with the truck when they saw it. They gathered the broken chips that fell as the blocks were broken apart.While, I washed the green glass, I thought about the stories, my parents told, at the little kitchen table. I thought of Mama, as a little girl waiting for supper happily, as she would have ice in her tea-and daddy running fast, as a young boy, for a handful of ice.I kept thinking, once upon a time, people were thankful for ice and this thought humbled me, greatly. The weekend marked the start of a two-month road test for the right-wing populism that delivered President Donald Trump, Brexit and Pauline Hanson Mark II. Fresh from One Nation's lower-than-expected showing in the Western Australian election, many analysts might expect the political centre to reassert itself against right-wingers and other nationalists in key decisions and elections throughout Europe. A protester shows his opposition to far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders as he campaigns in Heerlen. Credit:Bloomberg But diplomatic tensions between mainland European nations and Turkey threaten to re-energise the far right, especially on Islamic immigration. The first challenge for populism will come as early as Tuesday (Australian time) when British Prime Minister Theresa May hopes to gain parliamentary approval to begin the Brexit process. Britons supported the breakaway from Brussels at a referendum in June. It was held amid acrimonious debate about immigration and the European government being out of touch. Since Oliver Curtis was jailed eight months ago for insider trading, rumours have persisted about his marriage with Roxy Jacenko. Catch-ups with her ex-boyfriend, millionaire property developer Nabil Gazal; stepping out to the gym without her wedding and engagement rings on; and hashtagging a picture on Instagram with "single girl issues" - have kept the rumour mill ticking over. But Sydney's PR Queen, 36, appeared on Seven's This Morning on Monday to put an end to the wagging tongues. "I don't know who goes to the gym with their jewellery on. I definitely put a face on because there's always a few good looking boys at the gym, but nah I'm still married," she told presenters Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur. Looking for a perfect night out in Melbourne, the perfect part including not having to spend money? The Plaza at the Melbourne Fashion Festival may be the ideal spot for some "fashiontainment". Back for the second time, the "friendly, stylish pop-up" is at the Royal Exhibition Building the hub of the 21-year-old festival and promises a glimpse into the world of high fashion for free. Festival chief executive Graeme Lewsey says the venue is perfect for those who love a creative atmosphere, both as a prelude to the fashion shows and as an after-party destination. Pelvic devices developed in Australia from the 1980s and 1990s are at the centre of a global medical scandal that includes regulatory failure, and allegations of research fraud and experimental surgery on women in multiple countries. Devices invented, or co-developed, by an Australian and a Swedish doctor to treat urinary incontinence were bought, modified and led to regulatory clearances in America for companies including Johnson & Johnson from 2001, with little or no "good quality" evidence to support their use to treat prolapse complications in women after child birth. Caz Chisholm, who set up the Australians Pelvic Mesh Support Group in November 2014, can barely contain her rage against doctors, regulators, the manufacturers of the mesh devices and a health system that she says has catastrophically failed women. "We were guinea pigs, we didn't know until it was too late," she said. The Turnbull government has been accused of engaging in "the politics of survival" by a senior NSW government minister who has demanded it "get on with some proper reform" including to address housing affordability. Linking his government's ability to pursue stamp duty and land tax reform with changes to the GST, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said NSW cannot go it alone. "The reality is we do not have the capacity to do substantial tax reform on our own, because of our dependency on revenue from Canberra," he said. Mr Constance said his message for the Commonwealth government was: "Be brave and get on with some proper reform". The NSW Business Chamber is urging Premier Gladys Berejiklian to address stamp duty growth as she and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet prepare to unveil housing affordability measures in the June budget. In its mid-term report card on the NSW government's performance in five areas identified before the 2015 election and two others, chief executive Stephen Cartwright notes Ms Berejiklian has taken over as Premier "with NSW performing strongly". "However, there's still plenty of unfinished business the government needs to address," Mr Cartwright says in the report, to be released on Tuesday. The report says that stamp duty rates and thresholds have not changed since 1986 and the bill on the median Sydney house is approaching $50,000. A quiet street in Sydney's east has turned into a crime scene, after a woman and a child were found dead inside an apartment on Monday afternoon. Police and firefighters were called to an apartment block on Grace Campbell Crescent at Hillsdale at 1.20pm, after a man called the local police station and said he was concerned about the woman and boy who lived there. Officers from Botany Bay Local Area Command went to the home, where they "sadly discovered the bodies of a lady and a young child", Superintendent Leanne McCusker said. "Police have established a crime scene. Detectives are here investigating, homicide detectives are assisting as well," Supt McCusker said. A four-wheel-drive carrying eight tourists has rolled on Fraser Island, leaving the car's roof crushed and two people in hospital. Two RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters were needed to airlift the injured off 75 Mile Beach after the crash about 7.30am on Monday. Two tourists were flown to hospital in stable conditions after a 4WD rollover on Fraser Island. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight Rescue The driver, a 22-year-old British woman, was airlifted to Nambour Hospital in a stable condition with head, neck and chest injuries. A Swedish man also suffered neck injuries and was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition. The disappearance of a Brisbane 22-year-old whose head-turning car was found abandoned in New South Wales is being investigated by more than 40 detectives, as police reveal they suspect foul play. Homicide detectives have been called in to investigate Albion man Samuel Thompson's disappearance after he vanished on Tuesday. Detective Inspector Tim Trezise said the circumstances were "highly suspicious". "He's just vanished off the face of the earth. It's completely out of character," he said. Proposed laws to tackle domestic violence could instead harm the women they are intended to protect, an advocate group for women in the criminal justice system argues. The LNP has introduced a private member's bill to reverse the presumption of bail for an alleged offender charged with domestic violence-related offences, such as strangulation, assault and kidnapping. That means someone charged with a domestic violence-related offence would need to show why they should be released on bail, rather than prosecutors arguing why they should remain behind bars until being sentenced or found not guilty. The bill would allow offenders to be ordered to wear GPS trackers if granted bail and create a system to alert victims when the defendant applies for bail or receives parole. A Billings man accused in a prostitution investigation denied charges on Monday in U.S. District Court. Bigwind Windyboy, 41, pleaded not guilty to a crime related to using a cellphone to promote the prostitution of a person identified as B.M. in Billings from about Oct. 26 to 28 last year. An indictment charges Windyboy with use of interstate facility in aid of racketeering. If convicted, Windyboy faces a maximum five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan continued Windyboys release pending trial. The case will be heard by U.S. District Judge Susan Watters. Good Morning There were coughing fits and technical glitches, and he wasn't as chatty as Adele, but Justin Bieber still managed to pump up the 40,000-strong crowd at Suncorp last night. And speaking of Adele, guess where she was performing last night when the lights went out. Poor old South Australia. Your two must-know moments from TV last night were protesters at Q&A - more on that shortly - and Casey Donovan being crowned Queen of the Jungle. In the world of radio, the first ratings of the year come out today. Lots of interest because of changes to several breakfast shows - including Triple J, Hit 105, 97.3, 882, ABC and Triple M (now with Robin Bailey, pictured). You'll find the numbers here. Meanwhile, for a fun thrown-back to the '80s and '90s, Jamie Dunn has revealed more of his secrets in this week's Game Changers: Radio podcast. Robin Bailey is now at Triple M. Credit:Triple M 1. Sara Connor jailed over death of Bali police officer Four years in jail is the price Byron Bay woman Sara Connor will pay for her role in the death of a Bali police officer. In sentencing the mother of two (she has boys, nine and 11), the judge said an aggravating factor was that Connor tried to get rid of evidence by cutting up the officer's cards. Connor had claimed she did so to protect him from identity theft but the judge found she had acted out of guilt. 2. Rescued British backpacker breaks silence The British backpacker allegedly raped and beaten by her former boyfriend as they drove from Cairns to Mitchell has broken her silence. The 22-year-old, who's waiting for a new passport so she can return home to England, has posted on social media : "I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me." Her alleged attacker faced court in Roma yesterday. At the same time, concerns have been raised that proposed laws to tackle domestic violence could instead harm the women they're intended to protect. 3. Crocodiles will be 'encouraged to leave' under plan The Australian reports crocodiles will not be culled in Queensland under a new state government management plan to be unveiled today. If they're spotted near large urban populations, they'll be moved to croc farms and zoos. Crocs bigger than 2m in the waters off Cairns and Townsville will be "encouraged to leave the area". 4. Waning immunity blamed for mumps outbreak Mumps are back and it's not because of anti-vaxxers. In fact, a recent outbreak - what The Courier-Mail describes as the largest in 20 years - predominantly affected people who had been fully vaccinated during childhood. "Waning immunity" means a third vaccination during adolescence is now under "active consideration". 5. Queen's message to the Gold Coast begins its 12-month journey The 2018 Gold Coast and Brisbane Commonwealth Games (yes, we do have events in Brisbane) are a step closer with the Queen's baton leaving Buckingham Palace last night. Here's how the BBC is talking about the relay and our games. To capitalise on this week's attention in the UK, Queensland has plastered images of Surfers Paradise on 50 London cabs. Also catching my eye... Bill Makris didn't want to add a fee for customers paying with credit cards but the owner of Tank Fish & Chippery felt he had no choice. "We work really long hours for small profits," he says. "Especially in the hospitality industry it's long hours, seven days a week, you look at the bottom line and think 'Gee is it worth it?' " Makris charges a 30 fee per transaction under $10 for customers paying with credit cards and his Melbourne stores don't accept American Express "because of the high fees". "We mention [the fee] before they purchase and some people are happy with it and some people aren't," he says. Melbourne has had its worst year for serious injuries on trams in almost a decade, new figures show, mainly due to passengers falling inside trams and at tram stops while boarding or alighting. To deal with the growing problem, Yarra Trams is investigating changing the way its trams accelerate and brake, improving its driver training and identifying injury hot spots around the network. There has been an increase in the number of serious injuries on Melbourne's trams. Credit:Joe Armao There were 61 serious injuries on Melbourne's tram network last year, a 30 per cent rise from 2015. It was the worst result since 2008, safety watchdog Transport Safety Victoria said. Perth builder Aveling Homes will face court over allegations its "independent" review websites misled consumers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched Federal Court proceedings alleging "misleading conduct and false or misleading representations" relating to review websites Aveling created for its businesses, Aveling Homes and the First Home Owner's Centre. The ACCC alleges these websites represented they were independent, and that their appearance and features gave consumers the overall impression they were affiliated with independent third-party consumer review site Product Review, when they were not. The ACCC also alleges the sites were deliberately managed by Aveling to ensure a favourable overall impression, by obscuring or removing unfavourable reviews. Sara Connor arriving at Denpasar District Court on Monday. Credit:Alan Putra The fight was sparked after Mr Taylor accused the police officer, whom he believed to be a bogus police officer, of stealing Ms Connor's handbag, which had mysteriously disappeared as they kissed at the water's edge. "I don't even know why I am here," Ms Connor told reporters outside Denpasar District Court last December. Sara Connor during her trial in February. Credit:AP And, more recently, she lamented: "How different my life would have been if my bag was never stolen and the taxi driver had taken me to the police station that night." The prosecution believes Ms Connor's claim that she cut up Mr Sudarsa's identity cards to protect him from identity theft to be preposterous. Co-accused: British national David Taylor. Credit:AP They say her expression of regret is an admission of guilt and she should have reported directly to the police instead of going to the Australian Consulate-General when she realised there was a manhunt for her. Prosecutors have requested both Ms Connor and Mr Taylor, 34, serve eight years behind bars, a sentence demand which came as a massive shock to Ms Connor and one her lawyer says is "1000 per cent not fair". The couple, who say they are still very much in love and have been photographed walking around Kerobokan jail holding hands, both testified it was Mr Taylor who bashed the officer. The bite wounds on Ms Connor's arm and leg were inflicted while she was trying to separate the men, they allege, and she was off searching for her handbag when the blows that would prove fatal took place. Mr Taylor and Ms Connor were grilled in court about why they did not report the incident to police. Ms Connor testified she initially tried to do so. She wanted to go to the police station to report her stolen bag, she said, but the ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver refused to take her because she had no money. (According to the ojek driver, he didn't take her because she was covered in blood, and this triggered flashbacks of the Bali bombing.) Ms Connor, who provided almost as much commentary outside the courtroom during her four-month trial as she did inside, claimed she subsequently decided not to pursue it after returning to her Kuta homestay. "After I had a shower, I was calmer. I thought: 'It's OK, I don't have to report him, I don't want to give him any trouble'," she said. Mr Sudarsa's widow, Ketut Arsini, an elementary school teacher in Jimbaran, spoke of her disbelief over the loss of her "humorous and healthy" husband of 31 years. She has called for the couple to receive the maximum penalty under Indonesian law. In one dramatic court scene, Ms Arsini refused a $2500 'donation' from Ms Connor, saying "I don't want a dime from her." The judges have three options when they deliver their verdicts and sentencing today. Ms Connor and Mr Taylor, who are being tried separately, have been indicted on three alternative charges: murder, fatal group assault, or assault causing death. The three charges carry maximum prison sentences of 15, 12 and seven years respectively. The prosecutors accepted the argument that the pair did not intend to kill the police officer and he was still alive when Mr Taylor left him on the beach. They have not asked that the murder charge be imposed, instead requesting eight years' jail for fatal group assault. Although judges can impose a greater or lesser sentence, they usually agree with the charge recommended by the prosecutors. However Ms Connor's lawyer, Erwin Siregar, believes none of the three charges are appropriate. Allowing a vote in Scotland - and potentially the devolved bodies in Wales and Northern Ireland - would further complicate May's Brexit plans. Credit:Getty Yes, Scotland was one of the fiercest 'Remain' strongholds in the British Isles during the Brexit referendum. But the word 'mandate' is one of the most abused in the political vocabulary, and not even Sturgeon tried to pretend last year's Brexit vote patterns gave her a mandate for Indyref 2. The Scots have been burned once. Indyref 1 stirred up a lot of anger. There was some appalling bullying on social media. It divided families, towns and cities. And the result was fairly convincing. They may not want to go there again, just yet. Independence supporters gather in George Square after the announcement that Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will ask for permission to hold a second independence referendum. Credit:Getty On the other hand, it's hard to argue that the Scots shouldn't be given a say if they want one. Brexiteers, long-standing or recently converted, have been banging on for a year now about how wonderful and democratic a referendum is, and how the will of the people must be respected. Independence supporters gather in George Square in Glasgow, Scotland. Credit:Getty For them to turn around and deny the Scots a referendum, either through a refusal by Number Ten to even consider the option, or through a hostile vote in Westminster, would be a bold work of hypocrisy by direct democracy's most fervent self-proclaimed fans. Scotland voted to stay in a pre-Brexit UK, but post-Brexit UK will be a very, very different place, politically and economically. Indeed, one of the big issues in the 2014 referendum was whether Scotland would be part of the EU if it left the UK. Researchers were worried they'd lose their EU grants. Businesses fretted about years of economic uncertainty. A big chunk of voters chose the UK because it represented the status quo - but it turned out this wasn't an option. They may justifiably feel betrayed. If Theresa May, or the Westminster parliament deny the will of the Scottish Parliament and refuse to allow a referendum, they'd stoke a fire of political and social unrest. Half of Scotland, roughly, is pro-independence, and they're not likely to take "no, so shut up" as an option. So there may well be an Indyref 2. Would it succeed? It's such an interesting question. The case for independence has lost none of its major flaws. There's even less oil under the North Sea than there was two years ago. Scotland leans, if anything, more heavily on subsidy from the south than before. The argument that Scotland could join the EU with minimum fuss and maximum speed is made up of more parts wishful thinking than political, or legal evidence. Europe is barely holding together at the moment. The east is pushing away from the west, the south from the north, and bits of the middle from each other. The EU might not want Scotland: a case study in how nationalists get rewarded (the counter-argument, of course, is that Europe would dearly love a demonstration that nationalism and European federalism aren't mutually incompatible). Still Sturgeon has ammunition. There is a perception, not too far from the truth, that the political class currently in the ascendant in Westminster and Downing Street couldn't actually give a toss about Scotland, because with Labour about as electable as the Monster Raving Loonies they don't need to worry about anything north of York to stay in power for a generation. The country's social services are screaming with need but the Whitehall mantra is "crisis, cash, repeat" against a rising theme of austerity economics. The gang of SNP MPs in Westminster are a rowdy, entertaining breath of fresh air, but their impact on the nation's policies has so far been nil. Without the threat of an Indyref, Scotland has very little clout in London. If Scottish voters are presented with a stark choice between Brussels and Westminster, they may well decide the Eurocrats are a much more congenial choice, a more benign overlord. Nicer. More socialist. Sturgeon isn't stupid. She knows all this. There's a theory that this is all a bluff. That she knows Indyref 2 will fail, but its very existence gives her a lever to jump on to win a better Brexit deal for Scotland. But this is the stuff of conspiracy theories. There's a simpler explanation. She's the leader of the Scottish National Party. Tokyo: US Vice President Mike Pence will reportedly visit Japan, Indonesia and Australia next month as part of an Asian tour amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia". US President Donald Trump has already withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which was seen as an economic pillar of the strategy. The tour will also include South Korea, the Nikkei Asian Review reported, with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and South Korea's political crisis likely topics for discussion. China has been infuriated by South Korea's plan to deploy a US missile defence system, targeted at the North Korean threat, and South Korea is going through political turmoil after the dismissal of its president in a corruption probe. A revolutionary innovation centre for scientific enterprise is set to open in Bristol this Friday in conjunction with British Science Week. The science incubator will provide entrepreneurs with laboratory space and business support they need to bridge the gap between academia and industry. The 15,000 sq ft facility will accommodate over 100 scientists and engineers. It offers flexible private laboratories for industry and individual lab benches for new start-ups. The repurposed industrial unit in central Bristol takes inspiration from Silicon Valley by providing science and tech start-up companies on-site access to instrumentation, technicians and a network of business and technical support, including a partnership with the University of Bristol's SETsquared Centre. The UK is an internationally recognised leader for scientific research, ranked second only to the US in terms of research outputs, yet lags behind in converting these research opportunities into commercial technologies. The inspiration came from a problem experienced by University of Bristol PhD graduate and Unit DX founder Dr Harry Destecroix. Whilst launching his first start-up, Ziylo, based on research conducted during his doctorate at the University, he found a remarkable lack of appropriate laboratory space in the area to house his new company. Further investigations showed that it was a common complaint from scientific entrepreneurs, and Unit DX was created to overcome this. Dr Destecroix said: "Scientific companies need spaces built specifically for them. They need laboratory space to conduct research and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. Unit DX is designed around the needs of scientists and will lower the time and cost required to take a great idea and turn it into real world working technology. "I'm especially excited about whats going to be achieved when great scientific minds from across different disciplines such as synthetic biology and quantum technologies come together under one roof, in one of the UKs most entrepreneurial cities." Unit DX is only a few minutes walk from the University of Bristols new Temple Quarter Campus near Temple Meads train station, and the team have been working closely with the University to ensure the facility meets the needs of local spin-outs and start-ups. This includes the launching of a new service, The Instrument Link, which will provide its customers with access to a full suite of cutting-edge research instrumentation at the Universities of Bristol and Bath. Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor & President of the University of Bristol, said: "We actively support and encourage our graduates to think outside the box. Its been a revelation to witness the journey of Unit DX since first meeting Harry a year ago. Innovation and entrepreneurship is at the heart of the University of Bristols new strategy and we look forward to working with Unit DX to inspire our science graduates." Unit DX opens in St Philips, Bristol on Friday, March 17. More information can be found at www.unitdx.com or on twitter - @unit_dx Sign up to our daily newsletter for the latest local and breaking news in Bristol. Now the sun has started shining and its beginning to feel a bit spring-like, many peoples attention will turn to the thought of enjoying a lunchtime pint with work colleagues. But could it get you fired? There was a time when it wouldnt be an ordinary lunchtime without a few drinks in the local. We journalists famously often worked out of the local boozer each afternoon, and in the 1990s in Bristol there were few people in the financial services sector that didnt partake in a long lunch to do those final deals over a bottle of red. Arne Ringner, owner of the Glass Boat restaurant in Bristol city centre recalls: Those were the days of long lunches, and you could come in here any lunchtime and just see a cloud of grey pinstripe. On a Friday financial services guys would be here by 12.30pm and nobody would leave before 5.30pm, by which time everyone had drank at least one bottle of wine. They had a wonderful time, and I think we should think about all becoming a bit more continental in our lunchtime habits again this idea of a sandwich munched at your desk isnt good for anyone. A lot of deals were done here in those years. But would you get away with it today? Attitude towards alcohol consumption at lunchtime during working hours varies quite a bit from one employer to the next, says Owen John, senior associate at commercial law firm Darwin Gray. For example, I act for some clients who, as employers, take quite a lenient approach to alcohol consumption at lunchtime and have a fairly laid-back policy to reflect that attitude. On the other hand, I also have clients who take a completely zero tolerance attitude towards employees being under the influence of alcohol at work and therefore alcohol consumption at lunchtime. Employment lawyer Angharad Aspinall, of Capital Law agrees: I dont think anyone could argue that it's a good idea for a pilot to be having a pint during a shift. An employee who is required to adhere to additional health and safety requirements would be expected to be more stringent with alcohol consumption. If that one (or more) pint at lunch could potentially risk the health and safety of those around you, or in your care you might be putting your job, as well as other people, at risk. And Ms Aspinall adds: "One very grey area when considering drinking during working hours what if your boss is there having a pint with you? What if theyre the ones telling you to go and blow off some steam and enjoy the weather? Can they still penalise you? If the employer has previously condoned employees drinking at lunchtime they would find it very difficult to argue that if you do just that, you should now be fired for it. If an employer wishes to take such a zero tolerance approach, Mr John says its important the employer in question clearly outlines that position in a written policy and applies that policy consistently. In such circumstances, where an employer can prove that an employee has breached the policy and consumed alcohol at lunchtime, such action could certainly result in disciplinary action. However, whether that disciplinary action would be likely to result in dismissal depends entirely on the circumstances and on whether it would be reasonable for the employer to dismiss the employee. Factors relevant to that question of reasonableness could include the nature of the industry, the type of work involved, the employers attitude towards lunchtime drinking, and the level of intoxication of the employee. Ms Aspinall adds: Its also important to remember that theres a difference between that one pint at lunch and an employee with an alcohol problem. In the latter situation, we often recommend the employee should be given help and assistance. A failure to do so could also render any resulting dismissal unfair. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. FIND OUT WHAT'S ON NEAR YOU WITH OUR NEWSLETTER Prepare for the return of the UKs biggest, meatiest, smokiest and noisiest festival. Grillstock BBQ and Music Festival is set to return to Bristol for the eighth year this summer. The two-day festival celebrating the very best in food, music and booze will be running at Bristol Harbourside between July 1 and 2. The heart and soul of Grillstock is King of the Grill competition which is a huge two-day, US-style, low and slow barbecue contest which will see 30 teams battling to be the victor. Theres big prize money at stake as well as gaining entry to other worldwide competitions. For teams that are consistently winning, competition is often a route to bigger adventures: travelling the world like rock stars, opening a restaurant or catering business, launching a BBQ sauce and much more. Ben Merrington, Grillstock co-founder, said: Competition barbecue needs to be your new favourite hobby. Its a legitimate excuse to hang out with your mates, playing with fire, cooking meat and drinking beer and bourbon for 48 hours. And if you compete at Grillstock, you get to listen to some awesome live music too. More attention is paid to a piece of meat in competition BBQ than in any kitchen anywhere in the world. Pitmasters will sit up all night babysitting their brisket, rubbing, spritzing, basting to make sure they present eight perfect slices to the judges the next morning. Sitting by the smoker back in 2009, we dreamt up the idea of bringing competition BBQ to the UK, said Jon Finch, Grillstock co-founder. The plan was simple, create something that would gather mates and strangers together to drink, eat, laugh and listen to great music. We were just two ordinary blokes with the simple need to have a good time and smoke some meat. Its not just all about the meat though. Grillstock also boasts multiple music stages with over 30 live music acts and DJs, dozens of the very best food trucks, epic street theatre, BBQ masterclasses, eating competitions and plenty of festival bars to help wash everything down. Well be bringing the music announcements ahead of this years festival in the coming weeks. If you want to enter the festivals King of The Gill competition email KOTG@grillstock.co.uk and to find out more about the festival visit the events website. https://grillstock.co.uk/festival/ MISSOULA Montana's plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act has been pulled back for review. Superintendent Elsie Arntzen announced Monday that she will be pulling back the state's ESSA plan, which was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in December. It needs to be updated, she said, "with a new administration" at DOE in Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and hours after DeVos released an updated application for state plans. The announcement also came a few days after Congress voted to get rid of accountability and teacher preparation regulations issued under the Obama administration. Montana Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester split on nixing the accountability regulations, with Daines voting in favor and Tester against. Both voted to get rid of the teacher preparation regulations. Each state must submit a plan for the 2015 law, which replaces No Child Left Behind, to show how they will meet federal standards in order to receive federal funding. The first deadline for states is April 3; the second is Sept. 18. Montana's plan was submitted under previous superintendent Denise Juneau in December before she left office. Montana was the only state in the country to have already submitted a plan. "Montana rushed the submission process," according to an Office of Public Instruction news release. DOE was not reviewing plans if they came in ahead of the April deadline. Throughout February, OPI did not say in emails to The Billings Gazette whether Arntzen would pull back the plan though in a Feb. 14 Education Week story, Arntzen confirmed she would retract the plan and make changes. Monday's announcement was sudden, OPI media assistant Dylan Klapmeier said, following last week's congressional action and Monday morning's application revision from DOE. There were also three new requirements, which Klapmeier said were "somewhat unexpected." The news release stated that Arntzen informed OPI staff and previous Montana ESSA stakeholders of her decision Monday afternoon. "We didn't decide to make that decision until today," Klapmeier said. "It's been an ongoing conversation talking with stakeholders and people at OPI who were involved, but we had not had a long-term goal of planning to do this today." He pointed out this does not mean that Arntzen is scrapping the plan. "Montana's plan is what it is, we're just building up on it and updating it, making sure it meets the needs of our school districts," Klapmeier said. "The federal government has provided Montana with increased flexibility in this plan now, which goes right along with the superintendent's priorities of ensuring passing that flexibility back to school districts as well." Juneau's plan included a similar message of flexibility, as at the time regulations were not yet finalized. Klapmeier said this announcement should not worry schools or teachers, as it comes three weeks before the first deadline. "This is not going to create uncertainty for school districts," he said. Arntzen said she was advised by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Education Northwest and other stakeholders that Montana's plan needed more work, specifically in long-term goals and achievement benchmarks. "The new (DOE) guidance makes some common sense changes to streamline the application process while preserving the spirit of the law," CCSSO executive director Chris Minnich said in a news release Monday. "States have been moving ahead to write plans that are in the best interest of the kids in their state, and we are confident their work creating their plans will meet the requirements of this template." In the news release, Arntzen said updates will also include "a more robust strategy for college and career readiness which aligns with Superintendent Arntzens priorities." The review will happen with OPI staff and stakeholders statewide, according to OPI, which said the "process will be very transparent" and will include locals. Arntzen said she will address the plan's review in front of the Board of Public Education on Thursday. Klapmeier said the review process and timeline are not yet set in stone, but that Arntzen will be "making her way around the state" to get feedback on the plan. Arntzen plans to have an updated plan for the public and Gov. Steve Bullock in July. Feedback will be incorporated into the plan before the Sept. 18 submission deadline. It is my intent to honor the work done by dedicated stakeholders and strengthen Montanas plan," Arntzen said in a news release. "I am excited for this new opportunity to work with local communities, business leaders, and schools to update and build upon Montanas state plan and ensure flexibility." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. From things to see and do, to in-depth features of those who make up our thriving, eclectic and buzzing city - with the BristolBuzz, get your weekly dispatch of what's going on in Bristol city centre straight to your inbox The family of a young woman found dead at a flat in central Bristol have questioned police over two men who were the last to see her alive. Maxine Wiley, from Sea Mills, was captured on CCTV exiting Manos Bar in Clifton Triangle around 2am with two unknown men on September 2. Just hours later, the 23-year-old was found hanged at her Corn Street flat after texting her ex-partner to say she had done a bad thing and I dont feel very well. Her father, Anthony Wiley, asked an officer about the identities of the two men at Maxines inquest at Avon Coroners Court today. He was told by Police Sergeant Andrew Mason, a senior investigator in the case who was present at todays proceedings, police found no evidence of third-party involvement in Maxines death and did not consider the two men relevant. In a statement read out in court, Mr Wiley said: I have the full CCTV at Manos before she leaves with two males at 2am. She was having fun and I am not seeing anything untoward. At 2am, I know she left with two males. Were any of the people she was with spoken to by the police? PS Mason responded: I am not aware the police identified who she was with. We didnt speak to other people. Maxine, a former engineering student at the University of Bristol and pupil at Bristol Grammar School, was discovered at her Corn Street flat, above The Slug and Lettuce, by ex-partner William Buddo on Friday, September 2, around 11.20am. Mr Buddo had become concerned for Maxine after she sent him a series of text messages between 9am and 10am asking him to look after her pet hedgehog and admitting to have done a bad thing. The last message she sent to Mr Buddo, at 10.42am, read I dont feel very well. Mr Buddo arrived at Maxines flat by 11.10am and knocked on her door but did not get a response. Increasingly concerned for her welfare, Mr Buddo forced his way into her flat via a broken window after entering The Slug and Lettuce and scaling a ladder. The court was told Mr Buddo used to work at the restaurant and had prior knowledge of its access to the flat. After discovering Maxine, who worked as a manager at a bar in Bristol, Mr Buddo contacted the emergency services and attempted to revive the 23-year-old. She was pronounced dead by a paramedic shortly after midday. Dr Russell Delany, a Bristol-based Home Office pathologist, found no evidence of any injuries externally or internally to suggest someone else was involved in Maxines death during a port-mortem on September 12 last year. His examination also revealed alcohol found in the 23-year-olds blood was at nearly twice the legal driving limit, as well as traces of cocaine and MDMA. Her father, in his statement, said the family were aware of Maxines recreational drug use but believed this was in the past. I was aware she had taken MDMA in the past and we were assured this was all in the past, Mr Wiley added. However, I can see there was a trace of MDMA and cocaine. It would appear it was taken sometime [in the hours before her death] but I am not aware of any people Maxine was with having fessed up to the drug usage. Police confirmed no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found during a search of Maxines flat on September 2. But PS Mason added officers were not looking for drugs during a search of the property, but a note. No note was found. Assistant coroner Dr Peter Harrowing recorded a narrative conclusion of hanging, with the intention unknown. He explained: In determining whether someone has taken their own life, that is a very high test in this court and I have to be satisfied. I have to be sure in this case that Maxine took a deliberate act with the intention to end her life. Having heard the evidence, there is no suggestion of any previous attempts and no evidence of any note being found. We have a text message saying she had done a bad thing but that could have been a reference to many things. I am not going to give a conclusion of suicide but my narrative conclusion was Maxine Wiley died as a result of hanging. Her intention was unknown. A tribute to Maxine Staff at Bristol Grammar School have paid tribute to former pupil Maxine Wileys sense of humour and cheerful demeanour. Maxine, 23, attended the Clifton school before heading to the University of Bristol in 2012, where she enrolled on an electrical engineering course. She completed two years of the degree before embarking on an alternative career path in hospitality, finding work in a bar in Bristol. Her father, Anthony Wiley, said she had plans to start her own business in the future. In a tribute to Maxine on the schools website, she is described as a popular student who always gave her best and had a natural flair for maths and science. We were deeply saddened to learn of the death earlier this month of former BGS student Maxine Wiley, the statement read. We send our sincere condolences to her family and friends, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. Maxine was a popular student throughout her time at BGS. Whether studying academic subjects or engaging in sporting and extra-curricular activities, she always gave her best, often with a cheerful and heartfelt exchange between her teachers and peers. Her keen sense of humour frequently defused the tension that formed during arduous sporting events and protracted learning tasks. Her teachers remember well the sound of laughter emanating from classrooms in which Max was present, giving a clear measure of the joy she derived from learning. Maxine is remembered with warmth and affection by all who knew her at BGS and she will be greatly missed by the BGS community. Most people who are thinking of taking their own life have shown warning signs beforehand. These can include becoming depressed, showing sudden changes in behaviour, talking about wanting to die and feelings of hopelessness. These feelings do improve and can be treated. If you are concerned about someone, or need help yourself, please contact the Samaritans on 116 123. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our free email alerts for the top Clifton Redland stories sent straight to your e-mail He may be the patron saint of Ireland, but plenty of Bristolians have taken St Patrick's Day to their hearts. There are celebrations taking place across the city this weekend, and in true Irish style, the Guinness will be flowing. From traditional food, to fancy dress, to Riverdancing, here are all the ways to you raise a glass to St Paddy St Patrick's Day parade and family party - Russell Town Avenue Bristol Irish Society will be holding its annual St Patrick's Day parade on Sunday, along with a family party. Gypsy Kiss, Bristol Samba Band and Hibernian musicians will be providing the music, while there will be a bouncy castle and activities for the children. There will be a bar and Irish stew on offer all day. The parade sets off at 1pm from Russell Town Avenue, going up Church Road and in to St Patrick's school. Adult tickets for the party cost 5, children's are 3, and under 5s are free. Russell Town Avenue, BS5 9JH, Bristol Seamus O'Donnells - St Nicholas Street Situated near St Nick's Market this traditional pub has been peddling Irish charm for more than a decade and a half. As well as serving Guinness and whiskies they also have Irish Moonshine 'Poteen'. But at 70 per cent ABV you will need a strong stomach - and no where to be the morning after - to get through it. 13 St Nicolas Street, Bristol, BS1 1UE 01179 251283 www.seamusodonnellsbristol.co.uk Molloys - Baldwin Street For St Paddy's Day this year this city centre pub will be giving you live music from with performances from The Ceili and Fergusson Elliott, and a special set from the Quinn School of Irish Dance. Celebrations start at 12pm, and house DJ's will keep things going until 3am. 16-24 Baldwin Street,Bristol, BS1 1SE 01179 458891 www.MolloysBristol.co.uk Steam Bristol Clifton Down Station Steam will be hosting its St Patrcik's Day celebrations on Saturday, and there will be a lot of booze involved. There will be great whiskey, cocktails, live music and the theme of the evening will be 1920s. There will be costumes, shoe shining, and barber haircut touch-ups available on the night, along with a photo booth. The event is in association with Tullamore Dew whiskey, and will have 'true Irish character. Clifton Down Station, Bristol BS8 2PN 0117 317 9200 www.steambristol.co.uk/ Bristol Bierkeller - All Saints Street Bristol Bierkeller will be hosting the city's biggest ever St Patrick's Day celebrations, apparently. Taking place on March 16, there will be live Riverdance dancers, along with live music, team drinking games and Irish fancy dress. They are also offering a free shot with every stein. All Saints Street, BS1 2NA Bristol 0117 930 4264 www.bristolbierkeller.co.uk/ Zion Bristol Bishopsworth Road Zion Community Space will be hosting a family-friendly music event to celebrate St Patrick's Day on Friday. There will be live Irish music from Fife & Strum, and hot food and drink from Ribstreet Takeaway available all night. Tickets are 5 for adults and 3 for children. Bishopsworth Roadd, BS13 7JW Bristol www.zionbristol.co.uk Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for the latest local and breaking news in Bristol. A street on a Bristol estate was sealed off for around four hours today as police dealt with a man who had locked himself inside a house. For the people who lived in Willinton Road, Knowle West, there was excitement at seeing a drama unfold on their doorstep. But there was also the inconvenience of not being able to freely move in and out of their street and worries over the what would happen at the besieged house. Its easy with to think it should never have taken so long to wrap up this incident. But put yourself in the mind of the police commander who was in charge with dealing with this highly volatile situation, in which at least one persons life was at risk. He would not necessarily have known at the outset whether the man in the house was with other people or on his own. Or whether he was armed. Police later described the man as vulnerable and there have been unconfirmed reports that he had doused himself in petrol. The police cannot barge in during situations like these; they have to gather information before making decisions about resolving an incident. This takes time, sometimes several hours if not longer. And the removal of a number of swords from the house after the man was taken away shows officers were right to be cautious about the possible dangers inside. Police forces throughout the land follow laid-down procedures to deal with these kind of incidents which can easily spiral out of control for no explicable reason and with potentially tragic consequences. The National Decision Model (NDM) sets out how the police have to: + gather information and intelligence; + assess the threat and risk; + develop a working strategy; + consider their powers; + identify their options and contingencies; + take action; + review what happened. Each incident has its own set of unique circumstances which obviously have to be taken into account. And in some cases, the circumstances can change dramatically and very quickly. The bottom line always has to be reducing the risk of harm, so no one gets hurt. Sometimes, a delay is not an option. When trained negotiators are used, they always aim to resolve an incident peacefully. But they can be dealing with people who are emotionally or mentally distressed, who can act in an unexpected or extreme manner. The polices guidelines say: The fact that the subject is emotionally distressed does not in any way reduce the harm they may cause to themselves or others if the incident is not resolved. However, officers must be aware that an inappropriate or disproportionate response to someone experiencing emotional or mental distress could itself escalate the situation, causing greater harm to the subject or to others. You may also be interested in... Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs Specialist lender Bluestone Mortgages has announced a 50% increase in volume of its Business Easy product in the twelve months prior to February this year.This upwards trend correlates with the growth of the small & medium enterprise (SME) sector with this specific product aimed at individuals, trusts and companies which have been trading for less than one year.Business Easy is highly appealing to start-ups and self-employed applicants as it only requires a three-month ABN to secure a loan, versus the traditional 24-month requirement, said Royden DVaz, national head of sales and marketing at Bluestone Mortgages.In real terms, this means that a previously disadvantaged group has a financial solution that supports their requirements and doesnt discriminate based on trading history hence why the product uptake is significant, and is expected to increase as market demand increases.The success of this product has paralleled the success of Bluestone overall with total loan volume growth doubling year-on-year since 2014, DVaz told Australian Broker.The self-employed sector is a big part of what we do. Sixty-four per cent of what we write comes from the self-employed products. Business Easy is particularly attractive because its for borrowers that only have a startup business.As long as the borrowers income is growing in their three-month bank statement, Bluestone can offer a loan to that client. Loans range from $100k to over $1m with the average loan size sitting at around $440k.To have a product like this, its particularly attractive to brokers with customers who are just starting up a business.What its done is its made us stand out. Its created a real niche and when brokers hear about it, theyre just really surprised that we can even do that.DVaz said Bluestone was committed to ensuring the product was qualified under responsible lending guidelines through proper due diligence on the customer without detracting from the flexibility required by self-employed startups.Kristina Spencer of Finance Solutions Central in Queensland has recommended Bluestones Business Easy product to one of her clients, the Pinzon-Leal family, to help them purchase property.In this situation, Neferson Pinzon-Leal had a well-established family business overseas, but only had his commercial lighting franchise operational in Australia for four months. This precluded them from being able to secure finance through traditional lenders for his property purchase in Brisbane, she said.As this example shows, the product is flexible while being designed for self-employed borrowers, DVaz said.The recent LOC facility and Part 9 and 10 impairment adjustments help extend Business Easys full suite of features and benefits. The line of credit facility enables benefits day-to-day operations by alleviating immediate cash-flow issues.Without a need for loan mortgage insurance, the borrower does not need to meet the lending guidelines of LMI providers, he added. Furthermore, adjusting the way in which Bluestone views borrowers in a Part 9 or Part 10 agreement allows for greater flexibility and access to faster, more customised lending. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams The Saint is marching in! St. Patricks Day falls on a Friday this year, so your celebration of Irelands patron saint can last all weekend. The Guinness will be flowing at every Irish pub in Brooklyn, but weve put together a list of the best events on St. Paddys and beyond, so you can dedicate your time to washing down some corned beef with a pint or five: My green Haven Beloved neighborhood pub the Irish Haven will host a full weekend of festivities to celebrate St. Patrick, opening at 8 am on March 17 for those who want to throw back some Guinness before heading to Manhattans parade. And starting at 2 pm, help yourself to the bars free corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes it is all gratis as long as you buy a drink. Saturday boasts drink specials and an Irish rock cover band playing tunes by Thin Lizzy, the Pogues, and Van Morrison. The weekend will culminate with traditional Irish band the Brooklyn Bards, who will hit the stage on Sunday at 7 pm. Irish Haven (5721 Fourth Ave. at 58th Street in Sunset Park), March 1719. Free. A Wicked time Bay Ridges most elegant Irish spot, the Wicked Monk, celebrates the holiday by holding its weekly Sunday session of traditional Irish music on St. Patricks Day itself, starting at 5:30 pm. Sip a stout and enjoy the music or if you can play the fiddle, feel free to join in! Wicked Monk [9510 Third Ave. between 95th and 96th streets in Bay Ridge, (347) 4975152. www.wicke dmonk.com ]. March 17 at 5:30 pm. Free. Ballads and booze Spending St. Paddys day getting hammered plays to a ridiculous stereotype of the Irish one that drinking and singing group Three Pints Shy plays right into! The five-member band performs both new and traditional drinking songs, and its repertoire includes the boozy tunes that Whisky in the Jar, Donald, Wheres Your Trousers? and Ill Never Drink Again. Bands the Rascals & Rogues and the Waysties follow, and the bar will have Jameson drink specials all night. The Way Station (683 Washington Ave. between St. Marks Avenue and Prospect Place in Prospect Heights, (347) 6274949, www.thewa ystat ionbk.com ]. March 17 at 8 pm. $5 suggested donation. Green screen Take a break from boozing for a silly, semi-Irish flick featuring Ice-T taking on an evil leprechaun played by Warwick Davis. Leprechaun in the Hood will screen at Nitehawk Cinema just after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Leprechaun in the Hood at Nitehawk Cinema (136 Metropolitan Ave. at Berry Street in Williamsburg, www.niteh awkci nema.com ), March 17 and 18 at midnight. $12. Slainte Slope Park Slopes 42nd annual St. Patricks Day parade will hit the streets on the Sunday after St. Patricks day. This years procession will be led by James Houlihan, the owner of Windsor Terrace institution Farrells Bar and Grill, and the parade will feature plenty of bagpipes, kilts, and brogues. Park Slope St. Patricks Day Parade (Starting at 15th Street and Prospect Park West, www.brook lynst patri ckspa rade.com ), March 19 at 1 pm. Free. Bays big day Bay Ridgites will have an extra week to build up their supply of Irish pride, since the enormous annual Bay Ridge St. Patricks Day Parade will kick off on March 26 this year. The 30-block procession will include floats, marching bands, and (of course) plenty of bagpipes. Bay Ridge St. Patricks Day Parade (Starting at Third Avenue and Marine Street in Bay Ridge, www.brpar ade.com ), March 26 at 1 pm. Free. Updated to replace a canceled event. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Brooklynites lined 13th Avenue in front of Rep. Dan Donovans Dyker Heights office on March 8 demanding the pol protect Planned Parenthoods funding after House Republicans unveiled a bill that seeks to effectively defund the reproductive health care provider. It is a chilling prospect that would be a blow to locals who rely on the organization for health care, said one demonstrator. Planned parenthood has been there for my family members basic health care needs when they didnt have insurance, said Bay Ridgite Jannie May. And I just think its absolutely draconian to take away the only option some people have. Its just unthinkable and cruel. On March 6, House Republicans introduced their long-awaited bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act which drops the mandate for most Americans to have health insurance in favor of a new tax-credit system to encourage people to purchase insurance on the open market. The bill would eventually roll back the Medicaid expansion and takes specific aim at Planned Parenthood clinics with language that would cut off federal funds through Medicaid and other government programs for one year. Planned Parenthood clinics are vilified by conservatives for offering abortions, but also provide other reproductive-health services, including cancer screenings, access to birth control, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted disease. The district Donovan (RBay Ridge) represents includes one Planned Parenthood clinic in Staten Island. There are four others across the city one per borough. News of the bill sent Planned Parenthood supporters scrambling to voice their outrage, and by Tuesday morning coordinators with the organization rallied concerned Brooklynites to Donovans Dyker Heights office. The lawmaker has supported legislation to defund Planned Parenthood in the past, and has recently come under fire for refusing to hold a town hall. The last-minute rally sought to send the congressman a clear message, said an organizer with Planned Parenthood of New York City. After the news, Tuesday morning we got up and decided we needed to take swift action, said Elizabeth Adams, the branchs director of government relations. We needed to let Congress know that right here in New York City there are people who rely on our services that are not going to let this stand. Dozens of demonstrators armed with hot-pink posters declaring, I stand with Planned Parenthood encouraged drivers on the Dyker Heights thoroughfare to honk in support of the group. Motorists blared their horns, straphangers waved from busses, and even one passenger whipped out a planned parenthood sign waving it back at demonstrators. It was an empowering outlet for constituents to voice their concerns, said one local who attended the rally. We are fully embracing our power to speak up and fight back, said Bay Ridgite Teri Brennan. Were not taking anything for granted anymore, and we want Donovan and Congress to hear us. But the legislator has no intention of leaving those seeking quality health services on a budget high and dry, and instead feels the funds are better spent elsewhere, according to a rep for the congressman. Consistent access to health services and expanding the network of health providers should be the main priority, which is why Congressman Donovan has consistently voted to re-direct funds to local community health centers, which provide a full range of health and preventive care services, said spokeswoman Alexia Sikora. Most of us agree that maintaining access to quality womens health services is critically important. Congressman Donovan has consistently supported community health centers that offer care to women at affordable rates, and hell continue to do so. It is time for the Breakfast Flakes to return on air at KCTR radio. The Flakes have undergone enough punishment for the controversial blog post. Its time for folks to consider their entire career and value to the community. Outside the studio, they have put on Flakes Giving for many years providing hundreds of boxes of food before Thanksgiving for people undergoing hard times, no questions asked, just show up and pick one up or request a delivery. They have participated in the spelling bee, spoke at high school graduations, etc. Their early morning show and first news is very informative and entertaining, thus having thousands of faithful listeners not only in Billings, but across the state and even listeners in other states. The Native American community does not want to all be condemned for the actions of some unruly fans and/or players. The Flakes listeners do not want Paul and Mark condemned for a controversial blog post. One of the favorites of the Flakes in the olden days of communication was their wake-up calls. Perhaps this blog post was a wake-up call for all sides. Hank and Patti Hewett Billings Was there a murder 100 years ago at Yardley's Continental Tavern? Frank Lyons began excavating the basement of the Continental Tavern in Yardley. He found a gun, bloody corset and part of a woman's purse. HELENA Montana is unique in the world of aviation. Since it's the last state to operate a system of airway beacons through the rugged western mountains, pilots today may fly the same way as early U.S. Mail planes, soaring through the night skies from beacon to beacon on the way to their destination. The 1920s saw a buildup of airway beacons across the country primarily as a means of postal transportation, according to a history written by Brenda Spivey for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. By 1933, 1,550 beacons guided pilots along 18,000 miles from the Midwest to the West. During the 1960s the FAA decided the beacons no longer served a great public purpose, and began efforts to decommission them. By 1972, Montana was the last state still operating a beacon system, down from a statewide high of 84 to 17 in the western mountains. But as history meets the realities of budgeting priorities, late last year the state of Montana decided to decommission 14 of the 17 remaining beacons. Funding technology of long ago does not make sense, supporters of the decision say, given the time to maintain them and the limited usage of their intended navigational purposes. The decision has irked some pilots, however, who see history as important but also the beacons as a failsafe particularly for pilots flying visually. It is a familiar debate for many that have seen the beacons on the chopping block in the past only to have them saved when they pushed back. We wish we could do everything for everyone, said Debbie Alke, administrator of the Aeronautics Division at the Montana Department of Transportation. Here at the division and in the state I just think that we have to prioritize to give our customers the best bang for their buck. To keep or not to keep? In late 2015 the division decided to test the beacons usage by simply allowing them to go out, and waiting for the response. What came over the next few months was overall few calls and messages, save a passionate group of Helena pilots, Alke said. In December, Aeronautics, after dialogue with pilots, announced that it would only continue to maintain easily accessible beacons on MacDonald Pass, Spokane Bench east of Helena and a site called Strawberry northwest of Bozeman. The beacons would light a path from the pass to Helena to Townsend to Bozeman. With keeping the last three, it is to try to compromise and hope to please all of our customers, Alke said. Montana will continue to be the only state to have any of them so pilots can still have that experience. Aeronautics is funded through a tax on aviation fuel and fees. The division has a variety of obligations, including search and rescue, administering grant programs, operating 15 state-owned airports, offering training programs and registering aircraft. Maintaining all the beacons, some of which require snowmobiles to access, costs about $35,000 per year. Cutting the system to three will save about $30,000 needed for other programs given a tight budget, Alke said. Thats the fork in the road -- does anyone use them as they were intended and designed, said Scott Newpower, former president of the Montana Pilots Association. Invariably everybody loves the beacons when you ask them, but when you ask if theyre used as intended, the answer is well, no. With all the other technology we have theyre simply irrelevant. Newpower believes the beacons have carried on in Montana largely due to nostalgia and says he enjoys them as well. For practical flying purposes, the beacons are not monitored by anyone such as the FAA. Often Aeronautics only learns of an issue from a pilots call. It could be days or weeks before someone calls, he said. You cant count on that. Theyre cool and they bring you back to the old days, but is that worth spending valuable taxpayer resources when theyre not used as intended? Pilot surveys showed stronger support for funding Aeronautics other obligations, Newpower said, and other aviation organizations have come to similar conclusions. He also pointed out that Montanas safety record as far as crashes does not standout compared to other states. If theyre being used as intended -- flying low at night in the mountains in marginal weather -- we should get a hint through accident rates, he said. Its not a scientific study but you take the clues you find to make as good a decision as you can. Last month the association passed a resolution acknowledging the divisions budget and staffing challenges, and supporting the maintenance of as many beacons as Aeronautics deemed possible. Mike Rogan retired from Aeronautics in 2015 where he worked as an aviation support officer. Among his duties was maintaining the beacons -- a task divided up within the agency. Pilots earn various certifications with higher grades allowing more complex flying, such as by instruments only. The majority of Montanas 3,000 pilots are certified for visual flight rules or VFR, meaning they must be able to use landmarks to fly. Theyre a good failsafe for VFR pilots to fly and they just dont cost that much to continue operating, Rogan said. Sure it is an old antiquated system, but it is still functional. Stories of pilots who have used the beacons are common throughout the aviation community, he said. Rogan recalled one search and rescue flight looking for a wrecked airplane near Helena. As he flew listening for an ELT transmitting from the plane, snow squalls made visual flying difficult. The beacons showed a safe path and helped us get back, he said. They still have the same manpower so its just an internal decision to shut them off, he said. Theyre near and dear to me so I do get a bit sentimental, but theyre more than just historical. Helena pilot Mike Korn was also critical of Aeronautics decision in an opinion piece submitted to the Independent Record and other newspapers. Korn echoed the historic and safety factors of the beacons, but also focused on the internal decision to shutter the majority of the system as against good government principles. Aeronautics did not land at this point by reaching out and engaging the public, leading an open, thoughtful discussion and dialogue about the issues, and then arriving at an informed choice, he wrote. Instead, they talked amongst themselves and a handful of other people and then rendered a verdict. In the course of that they overlooked a wide range of citizenry outside their limited, narrow circle, ignoring many people who have a legitimate stake in the beacons future. Alke defended the process and said an agency legal review determined the decision did not rise to a significant level of public interest which would have triggered a more public review process. What now? What will happen to the beacons Aeronautics will no longer maintain remains unclear. Leases continue for the properties where the towers sit, and contracts call for reclamation of those sites if the state walks away. Restoration estimates are $500,000 or more. Landowners may have an interest in keeping them on the property or they could be taken down and sold. Towers could also be repurposed for other uses, such as cellphones, Alke said, adding that some organizations have expressed interest in taking over care. Newpower said he would love to see another agency, perhaps the Montana Historical Society, see to the towers as historic sites. The state could face a worst case scenario in paying for reclaiming the sites, but nobody knows until those questions are asked, he said. From a historic standpoint, the beacons provide a window into Montanas aviation past, said Kate Hampton, community preservation coordinator for the Montana Historical Society. This system is really important and it is a system and its important to save what we can, she said. The loss of beacons along the system brings a loss of understanding for their historic use, she said, adding that she believes no one beacon is more important than another in that story. Efforts to do away with the beacons as a money saver seem to come up about every 20 years, with pilots the vocal group that has kept them lighting up the sky, Hampton said. Theres this wonderful history of activism that goes along with saving this pieces of history that remain functional and close to our hearts, she said. MacDonald Pass is the lone beacon registered on the National Register of Historic Places. Hampton and others are in the process of seeking designation for the entirety of the system as time and resources allow. As the beacons are historic state property, registration would not overtly change any process surrounding the states obligation to them as agencies must already consult with MHS, she said. Theyre so important to understanding how people traveled in the 20th century, how lighthouse people and others put up these technological marvels in these remote locations and the connection to the air mail is really significant, Hampton said. The whole line of them is really a physical vestige of aviation in Montana through the 20th century. We dont always realize what were driving past and flying over is national and Montana aviation history. UB, NYSTAR pair to extend WNY Incubator Network (WIN) to 2021 Funding, tax incentives extended to incubator companies from five counties Our mandate is to build globally relevant, market-driven companies to create jobs in Western New York. That happens when we work together, combine efforts and share resources. NYSTARs re-designation shows Albanys support for this work is stronger than ever. BUFFALO, N.Y. The WNY Incubator Network (WIN), a collaborative effort of business incubators managed by the University at Buffalo, has received a five-year extension from Empire State Developments Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and will continue its operations through 2021. The extension includes annual funding of $250,000 from NYSTAR and WIN partners, as well as the ability to issue state tax incentives to early-stage incubator ventures. WIN began operations in 2013 with the support of NYSTARs Innovation Hot Spot program. Programs led by WIN include: Pitch Prep: an in-person and online continuum of programming to help companies prepare to raise capital for the first time. Embedded Consultants: a program subsidizing the cost of incubator ventures retaining outside experts to lead them past significant development milestones. Deals & Discounts: a network of vetted, trusted services providers offering discounted rates to incubator companies. Tax Incentives: a set of state incentives for early stage companies made possible through the NYSTAR Innovation Hot Spot initiative. WIN has been an active partner in attracting entrepreneurship programs to fill ecosystem gaps in WNY, including the Critical Path Life Sciences Accelerator, SBA Growth Accelerator, and UBs pending I-Corps initiative. WIN partners have been actively involved in regional entrepreneurship programs including Bright Buffalo Niagara, Startup Weekend, the Student 2 Biz competition and Student Sandbox. WIN is managed and staffed by the UBs Office of Economic Development. Partner incubators hail from across Western New York, and include: 43 North (Buffalo). The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (Buffalo). UB Directed Energy (virtual clean-tech incubator). Fredonia Technology Incubator (Dunkirk). Harrison Place (Lockport). Incubator Works (Alfred). Olean Business Incubator (Olean). UB BioSciences Incubator (Buffalo). UB Technology Incubator (Amherst). Z80 Labs (Buffalo). Our mandate is to build globally relevant, market-driven companies to create jobs in Western New York, said Thomas Murdock, manager of incubator network. That happens when we work together, combine efforts and share resources. NYSTARs re-designation shows Albanys support for this work is stronger than ever. Matt Watson, director of NYSTAR, said, We are proud of the continued success that WIN, one of our 10 Innovation Hot Spots across New York State, is experiencing in Buffalo. Throughout New York, our NYSTAR partners are doing important work to develop and coordinate regional ecosystems for entrepreneurs that is leading to better and stronger support for innovative businesses. Christina Orsi, associate vice president for economic development at UB, said WIN is another clear example of New York States commitment to growing technology-based companies in our region. WIN works in concert with our other state-backed programs START-UP NY, our Center for Advanced Technology, two Centers of Excellence, and the Buffalo Institute of Genomics to create jobs, grow investment, and develop new ventures. Incubators like Z80 Labs exist to provide deep pockets of expertise to help our portfolio companies grow and create jobs in Western New York said Z80 Labs Managing Director Jon Spitz. Teaming with our partner WIN incubators builds breadth and scale to our capabilities. Alan Rae, executive director of Alfreds Incubator Works, looks to WIN as a business development tool to make all Western New York incubators stronger. Its much harder as job creators if we try to go it alone. WIN allows us to combine our resources and provide incubated companies with the kinds of tools previously unavailable in Western New York. Our affiliation with WIN opens up Cattaraugus County and its entrepreneurs to a host of resources not previously available in our area, said Larry Sorokes, president of Olean Business Development. This is especially important for the city of Olean as the unprecedented overhaul of its downtown is setting the stage for a local economic renaissance. An employee at Rudridge in Farnham has celebrated the impressive milestone of 15 years of service at the business. April Burchmore, who joined the civil engineering and groundworks specialist as a finance assistant in 2002, was presented with the companys long service award, flowers and a bottle of champagne by regional director Clive Summerfield. Mr Summerfield said: Our team at Rudridge are paramount to our success so we are delighted to be celebrating this significant milestone with April. Everyone here would like to thank her for her hard work, loyalty and commitment over the past 15 years. Were very proud of her achievements and the high level of work that she produces. Ms Burchmore added: It feels like only yesterday I started working at Rudridge its amazing to think that I am now celebrating 15 years. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable time and I am extremely proud of everything I have achieved and count my fellow team members as really great friends. Picture caption: L-r: Emma Beckett, Clive Summerfield, April Burchmore, Darren Price, Kerrie Betteridge and Chris Bysouth. Ridgeons has announced that its elected charity of 2017-2019 is East Anglias Childrens Hospices (EACH). EACH supports families and provides care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. The charity has a reputation for excellence and commitment to pioneering development and innovation, and provides specialist medical and emotional support completely free of charge. Ridgeons has set a 30,000 fundraising target for the two-year period to support the charity which heavily relies on voluntary donations. The builders merchant is set to host various events throughout this year including Easter activities, an EACH Summer Fest with BBQs, raffles and games, a company quiz night and will also participate in Decembers Merry EACHmas. These events will take place across Ridgeons 26 branches in the East of England, with encouraged involvement from both employees and customers. Ridgeon group director, Gordon Ridgeon, said: I am delighted that we have partnered with EACH as our elected charity for the next two years. EACH is an inspiration to us, and is so close to our employees hearts as a regional charity. I look forward to kickstarting our fundraising activities! Higher taxes, trash pickup? Many special questions await voters Nov. 8 They're sometimes easy to miss, but many South Jersey communities have special questions before voters on their Nov. 8 ballots. GRANGER, Wyo. Flooding along the Blacks Fork River in southwest Wyoming has forced the evacuation of about 40 residents in the small town of Granger. Runoff from melting snow sent the river to record levels late Sunday. The river hit 12.5 feet at Little America. The previous record was 11.2 feet on March 13, 1997. The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office said a trailer court in Granger had to be evacuated over the weekend because of the high water. The water had receded some Monday, but residents remained out of their homes until authorities determine it was safe to return. The National Weather Service said widespread flooding along the Blacks Fork at Granger was expected to continue into Tuesday. A flood advisory was posted for southwest Sublette and southern Lincoln counties into Tuesday morning. The Miss Rodeo North Dakota Pageant Association will host a rodeo queen seminar from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 18 and 8 a.m. to noon March 19 at the Comfort Inn and Suites, 1516 27th St. N.W., in Mandan. Instructors will include former Miss Rodeo North Dakota titleholders Megan Haag, Codi Miller, Krystal Carlascio, Sadie Wardner and Ellen Huber. Haag, Miss Rodeo North Dakota 2016, said she attended the seminar when she became interested in competing for her title and recalled it giving her a leg up for the next time she was in a pageant. I want to pass on the skills that Ive learned to these young women and make them aware of the opportunities that being the rodeo queen has, its more than just a pretty face that rides around the arena. Its a job, said Haag. Creating cowgirls with character, said Miller, Miss Rodeo North Dakota 2014. Miller explained that when a young woman is crowned Miss Rodeo North Dakota it is like an unpaid internship, "Your main job is promoting agriculture and being a role model to young kids," said Miller. The seminar is geared to prospective rodeo queen and princess participants from ages 12 to 25. During the event participants will be instructed on overall appearance, horsemanship and personality skills. According to a press release from Huber, in the category of appearance, instructors will provide lessons in modeling, hair, makeup, western clothing, hat selection and photo planning. Under the horsemanship area, participants can expect to learn about riding skills, the sport of rodeo and all things equine. The personality portion of the seminar will address interview skills, answering impromptu questions and both prepared and extemporaneous public speaking. Judging perspectives, sponsor relations and tips for school visits may be included as well. Its always worthwhile when you see girls build that skills base and confidence through the seminar to competition, said Huber, seminar coordinator. Registration is required by March 14 and there is a $120 fee per participant. Registration forms are available at www.missrodeond.org. Parent participation is free. Other spectators may attend for $30 to include resource materials or $15 without materials. For more information on the seminar, contact Huber at eahuber@outlook.com or 701-400-6249. She was a punk in the 80s, lived in squats and modelled with Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in the 90s before moving to New Zealand with her husband in the 2000s. Now, this decade, 57-year-old model Mercy Brewer is challenging convention starring in a lingerie campaign Known for their powerful, boundary-pushing lingerie campaigns - search #LonelyGirlsProject for endless scrolls of confident, beautiful women of all shapes and sizes all over the world or last year's campaign featuring trans model Aurel Haize Odogbo and feminist artist Petra Collins - cult New Zealand label Lonely have once again made a powerful, positive statement (and international headlines in the process) with their AW17 campaign star and muse, 57 year old Mercy Brewer. In a press release from the brand, Brewer describes, "Perceptions of beauty have and always will change, therefore I think we can conclude its standard is not set in stone, and new beauty is always waiting to be discovered. I believe we are in a moment in time where older women's beauty has been a startling revelation. If we don't recognize it, we, every one of us, deny ourselves a future to look forward to." The completely unretouched shoot (unheard of in our digital, Insta-filtered age) was shot by Harry Were at one of New Zealand's historical homesteads. Here, co-founders Helene Morris and Steve Ferguson discuss the powerful creative choices they made for the A/W'17 campaign. Buro: How did you wind up working with Mercy Brewer for the shoot? Lonely: When we were looking for models who could broaden our definition of diversity we came across a televised interview of Mercy talking about her modelling career. Her humour, confidence, brutal honesty and healthy dose of non conforming attitude felt so authentic, it captivated us. It was these inner qualities that are so aligned to the spirit of Lonely, that drew Mercy to us. What makes Mercy a Lonely girl? She has had such a rich and interesting life, from being a punk in her youth, to modelling alongside Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in the 90's, to emigrating to New Zealand to embark on a different way of life. She has not been afraid to challenge norms, is confident and independent. She is also very open minded and non conforming in her beliefs which makes her a perfect fit with Lonely and our embodiment of a Lonely girl. You are always pushing the boundaries of conventional beauty and sensuality in campaigns, why is this so important to the brand and so intrinsic? Its important for people to see there is another way, outside of society convention, free from judgement and boundaries. We love to challenge and are not afraid to challenge the status Quo. Our authenticity is based on our company values which are determined by the attitudes and beliefs of everyone on the Lonely team. In your opinion, what makes Mercy sexy? We have always had an aversion to the word "sexy" as we have associated it with traditional lingerie advertising imagery featuring women in highly sexualised poses, highly photoshopped, heavily made up, with very little diversity in age, body shape or skin colour. This kind of imagery is so unnatural and unsexy to us at Lonely. We wanted to challenge the traditional stereotype of what this can look like. Being comfortable in our own skin, not needing makeup to feel beautiful, being relaxed and comfortable, wearing lingerie to make ourselves feel good first and foremost, these things are all sexy to us. We are most beautiful (and sexy) when we celebrate our differences, are comfortable with our imperfections and have the confidence to be ourselves. Mercy embodies our values and beliefs so perfectly and is such a beautiful, inspiring women both inside and out. For more, visit Lonely. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. BlackRock Inc, which wields outsized clout as the world's largest asset manager, on Monday planned to put new pressure on to explain themselves on issues including how could affect their business as well as boardroom diversity. The move by BlackRock, a powerful force in Corporate America with $5.1 trillion under management, could bolster efforts like climate-risk disclosure practices developed by the Financial Stability Board, the international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system. BlackRock, which holds stakes in most major U. S. corporations, identified its top "engagement priorities" for meetings this year with corporate leaders in documents to be posted on its website on Monday, with climate risk and boardroom diversity on the list. Reuters received advance copies of the materials. Michelle Edkins, set to oversee the outreach effort as head of a 30-person team, said BlackRock might want to hear from about how they are assessing the risk that may pose to their operations. Edkins cited the example of how rising ocean levels could swamp a real estate company's valuable beachfront property. Some have shown leadership on the areas BlackRock considers priorities, Edkins said, while others need improvement. "There are firms where we think they're probably not moving fast enough given the risks to the business," Edkins said in a telephone interview on Sunday. The action marked a step-up in BlackRock's advocacy with boards and executives, and comes after the fund giant was criticized by environmental and labor activists for not backing proxy resolutions dealing with and other topics more often at shareholder meetings. BlackRock stopped short of pledging to vote more often against companies' management. It said it still prefers private meetings with executives and casts critical proxy votes only as a last straw. "We can't micromanage," Edkins said. Activists said BlackRock deserves credit for making climate change a central focus. "They have made a turn in the road. They are looking at their proxies differently," said Tim Smith, who leads shareholder engagement efforts at Walden Asset Management in Boston. Outlining its priorities, BlackRock urged some companies to be ready to discuss concerns such as how they could use climate-risk disclosure practices developed by a Financial Stability Board task force. BlackRock also said it will expect that at companies in sectors associated with climate risk such as oil producers, miners or real estate companies, all directors should "have demonstrable fluency in how climate risk affects the business" and how a given company will address it. As a result of BlackRock's new initiative, Smith said Walden and others including a Seattle city employees' retirement system have withdrawn a proposal calling for the fund giant to review its proxy-voting process and record on climate change. Smith said BlackRock's new approach could make a difference such as on resolutions urging energy giants to report on the impact that public policies aimed at curbing climate change could have on their business. One such resolution at Exxon Mobil last year received support from around 38 percent of votes cast. BlackRock opposed the resolution and owned about 6 percent of the company at the time, securities filings show. Edkins said BlackRock's votes on such measures in the future would depend on circumstances like how they are worded. An Exxon spokesman declined to comment ahead of the company's proxy statement due next month. Boardroom diversity BlackRock also said it will look to understand how companies are working to increase boardroom diversity, such as adding more women. "Diverse boards, including but not limited to diversity of expertise, experience, age, race and gender, make better decisions," BlackRock said in the documents. Some companies wrongly believe they already possess a diverse board of directors, Edkins said. "A guy from Yale and a guy from Harvard does not count as diversity," Edkins said. BlackRock's guidance marks the latest investor call for corporate executives to pay more attention to matters to which they might have given little thought in the past. New deposits into funds that invest according to environmental, social or responsible governance criteria have been a rare bright spot for active fund managers lately. Big fund firms have taken notice. State Street Corp, a BlackRock rival, used International Women's Day last week to urge companies to improve their board diversity. BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink has advocated governance reforms in annual letters to other CEOs, such as urging them to avoid too much focus on short-term results. BlackRock said it also plans to press boards about worker issues in light of matters such as uneven wage growth. Edkins pointed to Wal-Mart Stores Inc as an example of a company that embraced the idea that higher wages can lead to a more-engaged workforce. "Pay that doesn't seem to achieve some sense of equity within a company is likely to make an unattractive place to work," Edkins said. Reuters Euphoria around the Avenue Supermarts (D-Mart) initial public offering (IPO) of equity that saw 104 times more demand than the shares on offer might have overlooked a critical factor in the companys growth so far. Namely, the predominant ownership model for its stores. Lawmakers sent a bill to the governor Monday that bars the acceptance of campaign contributions from foreign nationals. House Bill 1234 enjoyed wide support during its trip through the Legislature, passing the Senate by a 45-0 vote after passing the House earlier in the session by a 91-2 vote. HB1234 was in response to a Federal Elections Commission complaint in 2015 regarding contributions to three individuals. The complaint was later dropped, but it House Minority Leader Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, said there should be clarity in state statute to avoid future incidents. The two Republican majority leaders as well as Mocks counterpart in the Senate minority agreed, signing on in support of HB1234. Ratan Tata and Kris Gopalakrishnan-backed electric bike company Ampere Vehicles is planning to go for its second round of fund raising to the extent of Rs 50 crore. This will support the company's plan to expand its operations on pan-India basis and increase its capacity. The company has also got an order from Germany for an inhouse mobility solution. The Coimbatore-based company designs and manufactures Electric Vehicles (EV) including E-scooters, E-cycles, E-trolleys, and vehicles for the differently-abled. When the festival of colours is here, how can Google be behind in celebrating it? On Monday, it dedicated its Doodle to celebrate Holi, using a fresh set of colours. On its blog, Google described its Doodle as: "Today, the Google letters are taking on a fresh set of colors in honor of the Holi festival. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the vibrant celebration looks a lot like the Doodle: people run around happily covering each other in a rainbow of powdery hues." It added: "Amid the cloud of red, blue, yellow, green, and everything in between, festival-goers can often be found laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited "Festival of Colors" that undoubtedly lives up to its name." The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest. It lasts for two days starting on the Purnima (Full Moon day). The first day is known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and the second as Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Dhulivandan. New Delhi will most probably host a Commonwealth SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) summit in May as the next stage in a bid by the 52-nation association to evolve an ease of trading accord, which is aimed to be formally announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London next year. The US Army is permanently stationing an attack drone system and its support personnel in South Korea amid ongoing tensions with the North, a Defense Department spokesman has said. Officials said the deployment, due by next year, was not unique to South Korea and was being conducted across the Army to provide infantry divisions with better intelligence. But the announcement comes just one week after Pyongyang launched four ballistic missiles in its latest provocative test. "The US Army, after coordination with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the US Air Force, has begun the process to permanently station a Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems company at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said on Monday. The sensor-rich MQ-1C Gray Eagle is capable of carrying Stinger and Hellfire missiles, as well as other armaments. It typically takes a company of 128 soldiers to maintain the drones, and there are usually 12 Gray Eagles per company. However, Commander Gary Ross said only two or three of the aircraft were planned for the upcoming Kunsan deployment. The drone company will be assigned to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division. It "adds intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to that particular infantry division, as well as to our Korean allies," Davis said. North Korea fired at least four missiles toward Japan last week, three of which splashed down in waters near Japan, saying they were tests for a possible strike on US bases on Japan. A US missile defense system, THAAD, is being deployed to South Korea in the face of threats from the North. The United States has about 50,000 troops in Japan, and another 28,000 in South Korea. China on Monday hoped the admission of India and Pakistan into the Beijing-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security grouping will contribute to security and stability in the region. Currently, all sides are going through relevant legal procedures in accordance with the Memorandum of Obligations signed at last year's SCO summit at Tashkent to admit India and Pakistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing. She was responding to a question about reports that both the countries may be admitted to the six-member bloc at this year's summit in June and the impact of the SCO membership on their relations. "China looks forward to the early accession of India and Pakistan to the SCO as full members, so that they will work with the existent members to contribute to security, stability, common development and common prosperity of the region," Hua said. "Both India and Pakistan are China's important neighbours and important countries in South Asia. China hopes that India and Pakistan can enhance mutual trust and improve relations through more dialogues. This is conducive to not only the two countries themselves, but also to regional prosperity and development," she added. The SCO is expected to officially embrace India and Pakistan as full members at its upcoming summit in the capital of Kazakhstan, Secretary General of the organisation Rashid Alimov was quoted as saying in the media here on March 10. TheSCOSummit will be held on June 8-9 in Astana, when welcoming its seventh and eighth member nations would be a key item on the agenda, Alimov announced in the account ofSCOin Sina Weibo, which is similar to Twitter in China. Beijing-headquartered SCO, which focuses mostly on security-related issues such as counter-terrorism cooperation in Central Asia, is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have "observer" status. Its 2015 summit in Ufa in Russia had formally adopted a resolution which started the procedures to admit India and Pakistan into thesecurity grouping. Both the countries signed a Memorandum of Obligations to join the organisation in last year's summit in Tashkent. With India and Pakistan's membership, the SCO will include countries encompassing over 40 per cent of the world's population. The chairman of Britain's biggest retailer has said he was joking after telling an audience of aspiring non-executive directors (NED) that white men were "an endangered species" in UK boardrooms. John Allan, who became chairman in 2015, told the Retail Week Live conference earlier this week that women and people from an ethnic background were in an "extremely propitious period" when it came to getting top jobs in business. "For a thousand years, men have got most of these jobs, the pendulum has swung very significantly the other way now and will do for the foreseeable future, I think," British newspapers quoted Allan as saying. "If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard." Allan later told the Guardian his comments, made the day after Women's Day, were not meant to be taken at face value and that they had amused his mainly female audience. "It was intended to be humorous, a bit hyperbolic. Clearly, white men are not literally an endangered species, but I was actually wanting the make the reverse point, which is that it is a great time for women and people of ethnic minorities who want to get on in business." In a statement on Saturday, Allan said he was a strong advocate of greater diversity and regretted if his remarks had given the opposite impression. "The point I was seeking to make was that successful boards must be active in bringing together a diverse and representative set of people," he said. "There is still much more to be done but now is a good time for women to put themselves forward for NED roles." The proportion of female directors among FTSE 100 is 26 percent, according to the Guardian, while only 10 percent of executives at those same firms are women. Allan had told the conference that had appointed an almost entirely new board in the last 18 months and that three of the six new non-executive directors were women. However, Tesco's board still only has three women and all its members are white. According to the Cranfield School of Management's 2016 "Female FTSE Index" of the top 100 UK companies, Tesco ranked 33rd. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alexander Smith) In a first for the Indian region, Columbia Business School is launching a blended executive education program on digital business leadership in partnership with Mumbai-based Eruditus Executive Education. The has tied up with and looking at a mix of on-campus and online modules. India's from Iran rose nearly 17 per cent in February from a month earlier as refiners received less crude from key Opec producers Saudi Arabia and Iraq after an Opec deal to cut output, shipping data showed on Monday. The jump meant Iran replaced regional rival Iraq as India's second-biggest oil supplier - a role Tehran used to occupy before Western sanctions were imposed against it over the country's disputed nuclear programme. While Saudi Arabia remained the biggest oil supplier to India, ship tracking data and a report compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts showed imports from Iran rose to 647,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February. That was 16.7 per cent more than January, and almost trebled from February 2016. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) pledged to curb production by about 1.2 million bpd from Jan 1, the first cut in eight years, in a move designed to boost prices and drain a supply glut. Iran, Libya and Nigeria were, however, granted exemptions from the deal. In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, between April and February, India imported about 542,400 bpd from Iran, compared to about 225,522 bpd for the same period a year ago. Average oil volumes supplied by Iran over this period were the highest on record. In the first two months of 2017, India's from Iran averaged 598,400 bpd compared to about 192,500 bpd a year ago, the data showed. Indian refiners including Reliance Industries Ltd operator of the world's biggest refinery complex at Jamnagar, have returned as buyers of Iranian oil after having stopped imports from Iran during the sanctions period. Meanwhile, India's February from Saudi Arabia and Iraq were nearly a third lower than the same month a year ago. Nigerian oil supplies in February stood at 527,400 bpd, the data showed, a jump of 94 per cent from the previous month. That meant the African nation emerged as the fourth-biggest oil supplier to India, displacing Venezuela. The latter, witnessing a decline in production, is cutting supplies to India as it is fulfilling obligations under oil for loan deals with China and Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has summoned Pakistan's Charge d'affaires to Kabul and lodged a strong protest over the persecution of Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan and the frequent artillery shelling on Khans Kunar and Sarkano districts of Kunar province. Expressing the deepest concerns of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with regard to the indiscriminate shelling and the violation of Afghan airspace by the Pakistani military helicopters along the presumed Durand Line, the Director of the first Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Mosa Arefi asked the Pakistani side to immediately cease such provocative actions. In return, Pakistan Charge d'affaires to Kabul promised to convey the protest and concerns of the Afghan Government to the authorities and relevant officials of his country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Al Qaeda-linked group has claimed the responsibility for twin blasts near holy shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed at least 40 people. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said the attack was "a message to Iran" over the country's support for Syrian president Bashar al Assad. The Levant Liberation Committee said in a statement Sunday that the attack was carried by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targetted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. The attack also wounded over a hundred, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials. The Al Qaeda-linked group said the blasts were a message to Iran - a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The attacks came two weeks after members of the same group stormed two different security offices in the central city of Homs, killing and wounding scores of people, including a top Syrian security official. A nationwide truce in Syria, brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran, took effect on December 30 after talks in Kazakhstan, but sporadic attacks continue. There have been two rounds of talks, with another planned next week. Damascus is mostly under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but rebel groups are present in the outlying districts of the city. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Multiple opponents of a bill that would subject some welfare program applicants to drug screenings cast themselves as success stories who once fell on hard times. On Monday, many of them argued against public perceptions of welfare programs being full of people abusing the system. Bismarck resident Melissa Hammond told the Senate Human Services Committee about her attempt at applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Hammond moved from Dallas to the Bismarck area in 2011 with her husband, who was working in the oil industry. Several months later, her husband became addicted to drugs, and they eventually separated. At one point, Hammond applied for TANF but was denied due to having too high of an income to qualify. She said the disappointed feeling of having to resort to applying for TANF was one thing, but having to worry over a possible drug test even though she wasnt on drugs was quite another. The only thing that could have made that worse, Hammond said of a possible drug test. House Bill 1308 would require those who obtain TANF benefits through the states Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program to undergo an addiction screening. Contractors hired for conducting screenings would be able to work with the state Department of Human Services to determine appropriate treatment, if necessary. HB1308 primary bill sponsor Rep. Daniel Johnston, R-Kathryn, said the bill isnt meant to go after people and take away their benefits. We live in a time when people are concerned about how their tax dollars are spent, and rightly so, Johnston said. HB1308 passed the House by a 77-12 vote last month. Another drug testing bill for TANF program recipients, Senate Bill 2279, failed earlier this session. I look at this bill as a tool for encouraging people to get help for their addiction, Johnston said. Johnston referenced Tennessee as an example of such a program. As of February 2016, a total of 65 people tested positive for drugs as part of a program that began in 2014, and 116 more hadnt taken the initial questionnaire. This was out of 39,121 applicants. In late 2015, North Carolina began a screening program for TANF. In early 2016 out of the first 7,600 people screened, 159 were deemed as qualifying for a drug test. Of these, 21 of 89 who showed up for a drug test tested positive. Mandan resident Susan Beehler questioned the need for HB1308, as someone who in the 1980s had to utilize TANF for a couple of years after a divorce. Shes now a small business owner; she, too, said the belief of widespread drug abuse among welfare recipients is overblown. Its a complicated issue, and its not going to be solved by a pee cup, said Beehler, adding shes seen no hard data proving that drug screenings for TANF would be cost-effective for the state. Sen. Curt Kreun, R-Grand Forks, disagreed with the opponents of the bill. This bill is a proactive bill to keep people out of incarceration, Kreun said. I dont understand why you dont want to be proactive. The committee didnt immediately take action on HB1308 Monday morning. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has conveyed his felicitations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the recent election results during a telephonic conversation. "HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, spoke to PM to convey his felicitations to PM at the election results," Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) performed extremely well in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand the recent round of assembly elections in five states. The BJP, which won 13 seats in the 40-member assembly, has also been successful in garnering support from other parties and Independents to attain majority in Goa. The BJP, which won 21 seats in Manipur, submitted a list of 32 MLAs - claiming a majority of two in the 60-member assembly. The Congress registered a massive victory in Punjab. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in the Bharatiya Janata Party's astounding victory in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, party spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao on Monday said that under his leadership, India now has a new face. "The Prime Minister is committed to development and eradication of corruption in the country. Owing to this, India is now on at a significant position globally. By 2022, the vision is to provide basic amenities to all citizens across the country," Rao told ANI. With regards to the alliance that was formed for a possible government in Goa under Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Rao said that the alliance has been proposed envisioning stability and good governance in the state. "In Goa and Manipur, Congress has not been able to form a government. It is time for them to stop making accusations in public since they are only being portrayed in bad light through this," Rao added, responding to the Congress' claims on taking over the government in the two states. Earlier on Sunday, Parrikar, along with BJP MLAs, three MGP MLAs, three Goa Forward Party MLAs and three other Independent MLAs, met the Goa Governor to discuss the possibility of forming a government under Parrikar. In Goa, the party finished second with 13 seats, with the Congress leading with 17 seats in the 40-member Assembly. Meanwhile, the BJP established its supremacy in the recently concluded state elections in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, while the Congress took center stage in Punjab. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The German Police have sealed off a major shopping centre in the central city of Essen, citing the threat of a terror attack. In a statement, the local police said they have concrete information regarding a possible attack and the shopping centre will be closed on Saturday. Though there was no announcement of arms or explosives being found, the police said two men had been picked up for questioning. The country is on a high alert following scenes of carnage at a Christmas market in Berlin in December, when an IS terrorist rammed a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 12 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turns out, gaining a super-sized memory is as easy as attending the 30-minute training sessions daily. The ability to perform astonishing feats of memory, such as remembering lists of several dozen words, can be learned, according to a team of researchers. After 40 days of daily 30-minute training sessions using a strategic memory improvement technique, individuals who had typical memory skills at the start and no previous memory training more than doubled their memory capacity, going from recalling an average of 26 words from a list of 72 to remembering 62. Four months later, without continued training, recall performance remained high. Brain scans before and after training showed that strategic memory training altered the brain functions of the trainees, making them more similar to those of world champion memory athletes. "After training we see massively increased performance on memory tests," said first author Martin Dresler of the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. "Not only can you induce a behavioral change, the training also induces similar brain connectivity patterns as those seen in memory athletes." Dresler examined the brains of 23 world-class memory athletes and 23 people similar in age, health status and intelligence, but with typical memory skills. He used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a means of measuring brain activity by detecting blood flow changes inside the brain, to measure differences in the strengths of communications between brain regions. He used structural MRI to measure differences in sizes. Those who trained using method of loci showed substantial improvement in their ability to recall lists of words. Before training, individuals could recall on average between 26 and 30 words. Afterwards, those with strategic memory training could recall 35 more words on average. Those who trained short-term memory could recall 11 more words. Those with no training recalled 7 more words. A day later, those who had trained still showed improvements in recall. Four months later, only those with strategic training continued to show substantial gains, still recalling over 22 more words than prior to training. "Once you are familiar with these strategies and know how to apply them, you can keep your performance high without much further training," said Dresler. After training, brain scans of those in the strategic training group had changed. They showed patterns that more closely resemble those of memory champions than scans taken prior to training. Dresler and his team are still analyzing their brain scan data to learn more about the differences in brain connectivity patterns they found and how they affect memory. The study appears in Neuron. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the gang-rape in Delhi's Pandav Nagar area, where a woman from Nepal was allegedly molested by five men, the women activists on Monday said that the Delhi Government has failed to ensure the safety of women. "Delhi does not have a good reputation when it comes to safety and security of girls. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised that his party will work in the area of security and safety of the society. He has failed to do so," Former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Barkha Shukla Singh told ANI. She added that the security of women is a vital issue, both for Delhi and the Central Government. "Whether the woman was hired or not this has to be probed. The question is why still women are not safe in the city, be it bus, metro or anywhere on the street. Where are those CCTVs and commandos which Kejriwal promised to provide for the safety issues?" she asked. She further said that in this developing era, such cases would discourage women to take bold steps. "In Goa and Punjab Kejriwal has seen the reactions of the people, at least now he should start working on this issue," Singh added. Echoing similar sentiments, another women activist Saswati Ghosh said north-east people would lose their confidence as they are exploited. "Incidentally, she not an Indian woman but a Nepalese, but she has an extreme look-alike with northeast people. Generally northeast people are taken to be quite simple and that they can be taken for any kind of exploitation, which is very disappointing," Ghosh said. She added that there has to be an exemplary punishment against the culprits. "Whenever we visit any northeast region, we can hear people say "You Indians!", which shows that they do not feel like a part of this country," she asserted. She further said that there is a law and order problem in Delhi. Omvir Bishnoi, DCP (East Delhi) said that an emergency response vehicle was sent with man power and they immediately admitted the victim to the hospital. "She was treated and counselled as well. On her statement an FIR has been registered and all five culprits have been arrested and have been sent to the judicial custody," Bishnoi said. He added that two accused already knew the victim. A 28-year-old woman from Nepal was allegedly gang-raped by five men at a house in Pandav Nagar in east Delhi yesterday. The woman claimed that one of the accused, an acquaintance, offered to drop her home in south Delhi, but forcibly took her to the rented house where all five took turns to rape her. Three of the youth work at a BPO in Noida, while another one works at a finance company in south Delhi. The police received a PCR call around 5.30 a.m. from the woman and found her sitting by the road side. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian skipper Virat Kohli has slipped to number four spot in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batsmen whereas ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has once again reached the numero one spot in the Test Rankings for all-rounders. In the latest rankings released on Monday, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has gained two spots to reach second rank for Test batsmen. The latest rankings, which also take into account performances in the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle, which the home side won by 259 runs on Saturday, sees Williamson leapfrog. Williamson, who was number-one ranked for a brief while in November-December 2015, is now on 869 points, 21 points ahead of third-placed Root but a good 67 points adrift of table leader Steve Smith of Australia, who is on 936 points. Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan has conceded the top spot for all-rounders to India's Ravichandran Ashwin after having overtaken him earlier this week. Shakib has dropped 38 points and is now on 403 points, 31 behind Ashwin. The top 10 of the Player Rankings for Test Bowlers has remained unchanged but Sri Lanka all-rounder Dilruwan Perera has moved up three slots to 14th rank after his five wickets in the Galle Test while Bangladesh spinner Mehedi Hasan's six wickets have helped him gain four places to reach 36th rank. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a jibe at the Congress Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday said although the mandate is fractured, the grand old party could not stake claim to form government in Goa. "The mandate is fractured but Congress could not stake claim to form government, neither they were able to elect a legislative leader," Lalu told ANI. He also supported the allegation put forth by Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) chief Mayawati in connection to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being tampered. On the occasion of Holi, Lalu sent out wishes to everyone including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German counsellor Angela Merkel will meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump's criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record trade surplus tos Merkel's liberal refugee stance, as well as his backing for Britain to leave the European Union, has been the issue of tussle. According to local media reports, Merkel herself underlined that she is travelling to Washington not only as Germany's leader, but also as an envoy of the Europena Union. The meeting would also allow for an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important. Merkel will be accompanied by an army of business leaders, but this time the delegation faces an uncertain reception as Trump advocates for an "America First" policy. While Merkel is a firm believer in the European Union and globalisation, Trump cheers Britain's departure from the EU and scrapped the TPP free trade deal in his first days in office. The two also differ on immigration policies - she slammed his ban on citizens from mainly-Muslim countries, while he criticised as "catastrophic" her liberal refugee stance that led more than a million asylum-seekers into Germany. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the greatest challenge before them is to mobilise funds and enhance revenue. Speaking at Kumbakonam railway station in Tamil Nadu, he said the state government should associate more with the railways to implement various rail projects. The Minister said that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's style of functioning, he is meeting and interacting with the maximum number of people to know local issues. Through video-conferencing from Kumbakonam, the minister inaugurated a waiting hall at Thanjavur Railway Station at a total cost of Rs. 12 lakh. The Railway Minister also inaugurated two passenger lifts at Madurai Railway Junction station built at a cost of about Rs. 52 lakh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, who congratulated him on the BJP's decisive victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The BJP emerged victorious in Uttar Pradesh by a resounding margin. The BJP along with its alliances won 324 seats out of 403 in the state assembly, the biggest majority for any party in Uttar Pradesh since 1980. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Charlotte Manstrom was told for years to get a colonoscopy. At age 62, she was more than 10 years past the recommended age to get a colonoscopy. Still, she didn't think she needed one. Manstrom, a registered nurse anesthetist at Sanford Health in Bismarck, said her family physician urged her for five years straight to schedule one. After all, her cousin had died from colon cancer in his late 60s. Her uncle, too, died from colon cancer. Finally, she did. Dr. Doug Renton, a gastroenterologist at Sanford Health, performed the colonoscopy. He found a lump in her colon resembling a tumor, and, shortly after the exam, she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The tumor was surgically removed about six weeks later. Certainly, mortality looks you in the eye when you get a call like that," said Manstrom, 64, who is cancer-free now, adding that she's glad she got a colonoscopy, despite the procedure being less than comfortable. Colon cancer is the nation's second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It's also one of a few cancers that can be prevented. There's not many situations where we can prevent disease, and this is one where we can," Renton said. State health officials estimate 380 people in North Dakota will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and 140 will die from the disease. The recommended age to get screened is 50, because a vast majority of colon cancer diagnoses occur after that age, and most people are diagnosed when they are in their late 50s to early 70s, Renton said. If people have risk factors, such as family history of the cancer in their first-degree relative, that increases the risk. Doctors recommend getting a colonoscopy about 10 years before the relative was diagnosed with cancer. Manstrom said she was "shocked" when she got the call from Renton at her lake cabin in Minnesota, telling her she had colon cancer. Its very frightening," she said. "Other than the one thing that you know is that its a slow-growing cancer. It is recommended that, if a tumor is discovered and the patient is diagnosed with cancer, then he or she should return in a year for another colonoscopy. Manstrom did, and Renton said they found a polyp a precancerous tumor and he removed it; no surgery required. Manstrom is now scheduled to have another colonoscopy in a year. "I was really surprised that it was cancer, too, because most times they cant remove it. But that was because it was caught at such an early stage," said Renton, adding that, in another couple of years, it mightve been much more invasive. A colonoscopy is a test that involves a colonoscope, a thin, flexible tube, which a doctor will advance past a person's rectum and into the colon to look for tumors or polyps. "People are worried about the procedure, not knowing what it will be like," Renton said. "I think once people have gone through the procedure and they have a better idea of what it actually entails, they find out its not as bad as they thought." A patient can choose whether they want to be sedated or not during the test. There are also other options to screen for colon cancer, such as a stool test and at-home tests, such as Cologuard. There are other options, but the biggest thing is it needs to be talked about. They need to talk about it with their doctor to find out whats best for them," Renton said. Most of those other tests, if it finds something, lead to colonoscopy, anyway. A colonoscopy is the only test where a doctor can remove the polyps and lower the risk of colon cancer. So after a patient has had a colonoscopy, the risk is lowered. Manstrom said she encourages everyone who is considering getting a colonoscopy to get one. She told all eight of her siblings to get colonscopies, only to find out they already had been tested, which was "encouraging," she said. For more information about colon cancer, visit www.cancer.org/colon or www.ndcancercoalition.org. A group representing Rohingya in Europe has called on the European Union to support a United Nation (UN)-led investigation into "Myanmar's Crimes against Rohingya." The European Rohingya Council (ERC) said in a statement it was "deeply shocked and extremely concerned" about the EU's decision not to support the UN investigation, reports the Anadolu News Agency. It was reported earlier last month that the EU decided not to back up the international investigation sought by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. The fresh wave of violence and subsequent reprisals against the civilian population began last year mid October after insurgents, believed to be mostly from the Rohingya minority, attacked Myanmar border posts on October 9, killing nine police officers there. "The EU's backing up of the military formed Commission of Inquiry to investigate the very crimes the military has been committing is completely shocking. This irresponsible stand of the EU will be a green light for the Myanmar armed forces to further commit atrocities against Rohingya," the ERC said in its statement. "We strongly urge the EU to reverse its decision, and to support the U.N. led the international investigation of the crimes against Rohingya perpetrated by Myanmar armed forces in Northern Arakan," the statement added. It said that Myanmar does not allow international media into the affected area in Rakhine State and will not cooperate with a UN probe into the killings, rape and mass arrests of Rohingya is proof of the government's humanitarian crimes. The statment suggested that "only an independent UN-led international investigation of Myanmar's abuse against Rohingya can reveal the crimes against Rohingya," that could help end "Myanmar's state-sponsored institutionalized persecution of Rohingya community. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea's ousted president Park Geun-hye left the mansion, days after the Constitutional Court voted to remove her from office over corruption. Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye gathered outside her house in Seoul's Gangnam district. "I thank people who have supported and believed in me. I will accept all the results. It will take time. but I believe that truth will definitely come out," CNN quoted Park as saying. She left office after a Constitutional Court on Friday upheld a vote by lawmakers to impeach her over allegations of corruption and cronyism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people from the Sikh community converged at Anandpur Sahib, a holy shrine in Punjab on Monday to celebrate an annual spring festival called 'Hola Mohalla'. The nearly 300-year old festival marks the transformation of the Sikhs into a martial fraternity by their tenth Guru (leader), Guru Gobind Singh, to counter the Mughal Empire ruling from Delhi. Incidentally, it falls a day after the Hindu festival of colours, 'Holi', with revellers also daubing each other in powdered colours. Sikh martial exponents on horseback showcased their traditional art form with the swift movements of swords and sticks. A devotee, Amandeep Singh, said he was delighted to witness the festivities. "I am delighted to be here. For many years, my family and I wanted to be at this particular function which is of course one of the four main events in the Sikh calendar and I am so delighted because it is nearly 62 years of my add age, 62, that I am able to make it here and it really is a fantastic occasion. The gathering is superb and it is all enlightening should we say," said Singh. Many came to the congregation with guns and bows to watch the proceedings, or take an active part in the same, amid drum beatings and slogans praising the Sikh Gurus. Visitors from across the world visit the holy Sikh shrine at Anandpur Sahib and also take part in 'Hola Mohalla.' "I think it is very exciting and very good to be here. I really enjoyed it. It is like, one like (an) event you do not see anywhere else," said a tourist from Germany. Traditionally attired Nihangs, the title by which the army of the tenth Sikh Guru came to be addressed, happened to be the centre of attraction at the gala event as they displayed their martial skills in the ancient warfare known as 'Gatka' and fencing. A large number of local police and volunteers were reportedly deployed by the administration to maintain order at the large gathering of people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has described the budget presented by Finance Minister Etela Rajender as the one useful for welfare of the people and for the progress of the state's economic development. He said that the budget is a deviation from the traditional budget, based on the ground realties and is a perfect match to the needs of the state. The Chief Minister is hopeful that the budget will strengthen the rural economy. He hailed the Finance Minister for giving equal importance to all sectors and for giving justice to all thereby balancing all sections. He is also happy that the Budget allocations are made for the betterment of the lives of the poor, women and small level employees. The Chief Minister is particularly happy the way large funds are given to the SC/ST/BC/Minorities/ people in hereditary professions. He also congratulated the Finance Minister for giving more allocations to the sectors that were neglected under the united AP rule. The budget is formulated after properly estimating the financial resources in the state, having a good understanding of the actual needs and to utilise the human resources. Though the Centre made changes, the state Finance Ministry quite efficiently had allocated funds for the progress and administrative heads. He said it is a good development that an effort is made to reduce the administrative expenditure and instead increase expenditure on welfare, development and progressive schemes. He congratulated Rajender, Principal secretary (Finance) Ramakrishna Rao, Finance Secretary Sandeep Sultania, Advisor G.R. Reddy and the CMO officials for preparing such a good budget. Several ministers and MLAs have met the Chief Minister in his Chambers in the Legislative Assembly and congratulated him on the budget which is aimed at strengthening the rural economy. Under the leadership of minister T. Srinivas Yadav, leaders of Yadav and Kuruma Community have gifted the Chief Minister with a flock of sheep and the fishermen presented the Chief Minister with a fishing net. The women legislators have congratulated and thanked the Chief Minister for enhancing the funds under Kalyan Laxmi/Shaadi Mubarak schemes and for announcing special cash money for delivery of the pregnant women. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senator John McCain has asked President Donald Trump to either retract or substantiate his claim that his predecessor Barack Obama wire-tapped him in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. "The State of the Union has no reason to believe Trump's allegation. The President has not supported it with any evidence. I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but, I also believe that the President of the United States could clear this up in a minute," CNN quoted McCain as saying. Under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant from a secret court to undertake such monitoring Reports that Trump's associates contacted Russians known to US intelligence during the campaign have dogged Trump for months, raising questions about whether those contacts had anything to do with Russia's meddling in the US election. The US intelligence community had concluded that Moscow launched an aggressive hacking campaign to undermine the candidacy of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a reaction indication show of force following the increased provocations from North Korea, the United States has announced that it will permanently station attack drones in South Korea. The announcement came a week after North Korea shot off four ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, and also while the US and South Korea are conducting their annual joint military exercises. According to CNN, the first pieces of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), a US-built defensive missile designed to take down incoming missiles from North Korea, arrived in South Korea last week. "The stationing of this company, which will be assigned to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, directly supports the US Army's strategic plan to add one Gray Eagle company to each division in the Army," United States Forces Korea(USFK) said in a news release. "The UAS adds significant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to US Forces Korea and our ROK (Republic of Korea) partners." According to a profile on the US Army website, the Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial System is capable of staying in the air for 24 hours and is equipped with Hellfire missiles,. With Pyongyang conducting a series of test missile launches in recent months, the development had built up to be a particularly worrying one for the US and its allies. However, this is the first time that US forces have made the news of the drone movement public, according to USFK spokesman Christopher Bush. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria's President Bashar al-Assad called US military action in Syria as "invaders" because he hadn't given permission for them to enter the country. According to CNN, Assad added that there's been no "concrete action" from the Trump administration toward ISIS. "Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one. The Americans lost nearly every war. They lost in Iraq, they had to withdraw at the end. Even in Somalia, let alone Vietnam in the past and Afghanistan, your neighbouring country," CNN quoted Assad as saying. He added that anywhere U.S. sent troops, it only create a mess and remarked that US is very good in creating problems and destroying, but they are very bad in finding solutions. In Syria, it is working with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. Their current focus is to encircle and ultimately capture Raqqa - Islamic State's base of operations in Syria. China and Russia last month blocked U.N. sanctions on Syria over accusations of chemical weapons attacks during the war. The new 400 troops, who are also set to help rebels take back Raqqa from ISIS, won't breach any caps because the assignment will last for no more than 120 days. There are already 500 U.S. troops stationed in Syria. Peace talks have fallen through in Geneva, giving Assad a strong edge in the conflict on the ground. This week, the U.S.-led coalition announced that around 400 additional U.S. forces had deployed to Syria to help with the Raqqa campaign and to prevent any clash between Turkey and Washington-allied Syrian militias that Ankara sees as a threat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Online market player Amazon on Monday announced the entry of Amazon Pantry -- its grocery and household service -- here. In a statement here, Amazon Seller Services said that with the entry of Amazon Pantry into Chennai, the service is now available in 29 Indian cities. Using Amazon Pantry, customers in Chennai can shop for over 4,000 everyday essentials from over 250 brands of groceries and household products. According to the statement, customers can build a basket and have all the products delivered in a single box at their doorstep the following day. Amazon Pantry also offers some selection to customers which is specific to Pantry. The online store offers essentials ranging across staples, including regional brands specific for the relevant cities, in different categories. While Amazon Pantry would charge delivery charge of Rs.49 per box, the launch offer delivery price is fixed at Rs 20 per box. Delivery for Amazon Prime customers is free. --IANS vj/ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Monday deftly outmanoeuvred the Congress to clinch power in Manipur and was set to form its first government in the northeastern state, headed by Nongthombam Biren, a former minister who quit the Congress last year. Biren was to meet Governor Najma Heptulla on Monday night to stake claim to forming the new government. In a day of fast-paced developments, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost no time to cobble up the numbers required to form government. The BJP, which was at second spot in the state, winning 21 seats to the Congress party's 28, did not waste time in getting four MLAs each of the People's Party and the Naga People's Front (NPF), which is also one of NDA's alliance partners at the Centre, to its side, plus three other lawmakers. The BJP now has the support of 32 members in the 60-seat assembly. Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, in his attempt to hold on to power, refused to step down when asked by Governor Najma Heptulla, saying the numbers were on his side. However, later in the day, Ibobi Singh announced that he would step down in 24 hours. He resigned on Monday night. Biren, a former editor who joined the BJP last year, was elected legislature party leader under the watch of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal here. His name was proposed by Thongam Bishwajit, MLA, and seconded by Radheshyam and Nemcha Haokip, besides several others. All the 21 BJP MLAs were present in the crucial meeting. Earlier, Bishwajit was one of the contenders. But he later withdrew to allow Biren's unanimous election. Biren had been editor of Maharolgi Thoudang, a vernacular daily. Later he joined politics and got elected from his Heingang constituency. He had been a cabinet minister in the Congress government for over 10 years holding important portfolios. He got elected from Heingang in the March elections. Biren told IANS that people had voted against corruption and atrocities, including staged shootouts. "Our government shall probe various incidents of corruption and book those guilty of fake encounters (shootouts). We are thankful to the people for voting us to power and we will not let them down," Biren said. He was one of the Congress ministers who were critical of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who had faced several ouster campaigns. Earlier, Ibobi Singh claimed that he enjoyed the support of the four MLAs of the People's Party on the basis of a letter he got from the party soon after the declaration of the assembly results. But, Heptulla pointed out to him that just a letter of support would not suffice and insisted on the physical presence of the four NPP MLAs. However, NPP General Secretary Vivekraj Wangkhem said: "There have been changes. We have decided to support the BJP. This is final. There is no question of our party supporting the Congress even if Ibobi is given a chance." Criticising the developments, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said that the party that came at second spot has no right to form government, and slammed the BJP for "stealing elections" in Goa and Manipur. "A party that comes second has no right to form the government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur," said Chidambaram on his official Twitter account. In Goa, where too the BJP came second after the Congress, is set to have a BJP government under Manohar Parrikar. The consumption of coal in China is on the decline, despite economic growth, showing the country is making efforts to combat climate change. The 2016 Statistical Communique on Economic and Social Development released by China's National Bureau of Statistics last week, said China's electricity sector transformation continued over 2016. With coal consumption down 4.7 percent in 2016, the data also confirms that China is now more than three years past its 2013 peak in coal. "Energy demand has decoupled from economic activity, and when this is combined with record annual renewable energy installations, China continues to diversify away from coal faster than anyone expected," said Tim Buckley, the Energy Finance Studies Director with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). IEEFA conducts research and analyses on financial and economic issues related to energy and the environment. The Chinese report says solar and wind capacity grew dramatically; solar increasing by 81.6 per cent to 77 GW in 2016 and wind growing 13.2 per cent to 149 GW. But problems remain, as electricity from renewables is unable to be evacuated to the grid adequately. In total, 57.1 TWh generated by wind and solar was wasted last year, equivalent to the total annual generation of Denmark and Ireland in 2015. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Erik Solheim is optimistic about the energy landscape transformation in China -- one of the world's fastest-growing economies. "On China, I'm optimistic. There are bold targets and huge challenges but we're also seeing enormous progress. A fundamental shift has taken place in Chinese thinking. China is not only concerned with economic growth but also the quality of that growth," he said. Solheim told IANS in a recent interview that corporate sourcing of renewable electricity can be a major driver of the transition to a robust, zero-emissions economy. "What we are hearing time and again from the private sector is that they consider carbon pricing to be an increasing certainty. More and more companies feel they need to begin right now to factor this into their way of doing business." Solheim said RE100 grouping of the world's most influential companies committed to 100 percent renewable power reflects this new way of thinking. "I'm convinced that this will kick off a wider trend where all companies will not be able to afford to ignore the sustainability of their operations. In addition, this will help grow demand for renewable energy, which in turn will drive innovation and redirect investment away from fossil fuels." "As the market is pushed to maturity, prices will come down. Renewables will become the new standard," Solheim added. IEEFA's Buckley said China has exceeded all expectations with its investment in renewable energy capacity, once again breaking its own world record for installation. The pace of growth and the decline in cost, he said, are extraordinary. China plans to invest $360 billion in new renewable energy capacity by 2020, driving new employment and technology development. Interestingly, coal imports by China has increased by 25 percent. China's net coal imports in 2016 were 255 million tonnes, an increase of 25.2 percent on 2015, says the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics. Imports had previously declined in 2014 (minus 11 percent) and 2015 (minus 30 percent), but rebounded in 2016 as a result of a Chinese government policy to reduce overcapacity in the domestic coal sector, which significantly reduced domestic coal production. On expectations from India in achieving this target, UNEP head Solheim said with commitment and leadership, then yes. "I was enormously encouraged to see India's rapid ratification of the Paris Agreement (in October 2016). We have to remember that we're in the midst of a revolution here. Five or 10 years ago, the kind of commitments and changes we are seeing today in India would have been unimaginable. But here we are today -- with bold targets, a clear commitment and what I'm convinced is sincere leadership." India's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submitted for the Paris COP21 Climate Agreement is committed to source 40 percent of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. "We're also seeing unprecedented engagement by India's private sector, not only locally but also regionally and internationally. I'd go as far as to say that India could quite feasibly surpass its targets," he told IANS. According to the draft National Electricity Plan prepared by the Central Electricity Authority, India does not need any coal power capacity addition for 2017-2020 and beyond. By 2027, India aims to have 275 GW of total renewables, plus 72GW of hydro and 15GW of nuclear. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/vm/hs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two people were arrested after about 83 pounds of marijuana was found during a traffic stop near Bismarck on Thursday. Yia Thao, 57, of California, and Yia Vue, 48, of Minnesota, were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class A felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. According to an affidavit filed in the case, a deputy stopped the vehicle for an obstructed license plate on Interstate 94 just east of Bismarck. During a conversation with the occupants, the officer began to suspect drug trafficking. The officer saw Vue drape a blanket over something in the backseat, according to the affidavit. During a conversation about their trip itinerary, Thao allegedly said he went to a funeral, but hesitated when asked for a name. Thao said he was traveling from California to Wisconsin, according to the affidavit. Profi, a K-9 with the department, smelled drugs on the vehicle and a search uncovered about 83 pounds of high-grade marijuana, according to the affidavit. Burleigh County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Dustin Olson said it was one of the department's largest seizures. During a court appearance Friday, South Central District Judge Sonna Anderson set bond for Vue at $10,000 and Thao at $50,000. Both have applied for public defenders. A Customs official has been booked on the charge of sexually assaulting a CISF woman constable who works at the city airport, police said on Monday. "We have filed an FIR against Customs officer Hemaraj Gurjar, on a complaint by the victim that he had sexually exploited her after promising to marry her but backed out later," Bengaluru North-East Deputy Commissioner of Police P.S. Harsha told IANS. Gurjar is posted as an Inspector at the Kempe Gowda International Airport at Devanahalli on the city's outskirts, where the victim also reports for duty on shifts. "The accused has not been arrested as the investigation is still on. We are questioning him on the charges the victim made that he had taken her to his rented house at Yellahanka and got into physical relationship, promising to marry her soon," said Harsha, citing the complaint. The victim filed the complaint after she came to know last week that Gurjar was already married and has two kids, who do not live in the city. "He (Gurjar) lied to me that he was single and promised to marry me, but betrayed me after sexually exploiting me," said the victim in the complaint. --IANS fb/lok/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was on Monday ordered released in view of his having served his maximum pre-trial detention sentence, the official Al-Ahram newspaper reported. In May 2014, Mubarak was sentenced to three years in jail after he was found guilty of appropriating millions of Egyptian pounds which had been allocated to the presidential palaces, Xinhua news agency reported. The Attorney General's release order in this regard declared that Mubarak served his term during the pre-trial detention period, according to Al-Ahram. Back in April 2011, an Egyptian prosecutor ordered Mubarak's detention for 15 days pending an investigation into charges of corruption and abuse of power. The former President was subsequently tried for murdering protestors who demonstrated against his rule in 2011. Mubarak, 89, spent his entire detention period at a military hospital in Cairo. On March 2, an Egyptian upper court issued a final verdict affirming Mubarak's acquittal of the murder charges of protestors demonstrating in the 2011 uprising which ended his 30-year rule. Mubarak has previously been acquitted of similar charges in 2015, however, the prosecution later appealed the verdict. After Monday's court order, Mubarak will soon be able to freely leave the hospital in a matter of hours following the finalisation of procedures as no other charges exist against him. --IANS lok/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Egyptian general prosecutor's office ordered the release of former President Hosni Mubarak from detention, after he was acquitted of charges of killing protesters during the 2011 revolution that led to his ouster, media reports said. Efe news agency cited a report by state-run Middle East News Agency on Monday which stated that the general prosecution ordered Mubarak's acquittal after deducting the period of his pre-trial detention, which started in April 2011. After he was convicted in 2015 for seizing public funds through embezzling money specified for presidential palaces, the prosecution considered that the period he spent behind bars in pre-trial exceeds the time that he was supposed to spend in line with the court's verdict. On March 2, a court ruling cleared Mubarak of charges holding him responsible for giving orders to kill 239 demonstrators during the January 2011 revolution. The ruling is final as it was Mubarak's second retrial, which cannot be appealed, after he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012, and then acquitted of the same charges two years later. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Family members of a patient on Monday lodged a police complaint, blaming a private hospital in the city of negligence and wrong treatment for his death. The wife of Sunil Pandey, who died at the Medica Superspecialty Hospital on Monday morning, alleged that he died due to "wrong treatment and negligence" on the part of the hospital and lodged a police complaint. "We have received a complaint from the wife of the deceased about the patient's sudden death at the hospital. We will look into the issue once we get the autopsy report," an officer from East Jadavpur Police Station said. Pandey, who was admitted with chest pain, got admitted to the hospital on March 6 and underwent multiple surgeries, including a leg amputation in the last few days. On Monday morning, doctors at the hospital declared him dead. "He did not have blood sugar, high blood pressure or any major health issues. We took him to the hospital as he felt chest pain, but his condition drastically deteriorated after the surgery," the widow alleged. "The hospital finished him by doing wrong treatment. I have lodged a police complaint against them for taking him away from us. I want justice in this case so that no one else has to go through the same in future," she said. According to the patient's side, Pandey underwent cardiac surgery which the hospital claimed to be successful. However, the doctors amputated one of his legs as there was a major blood clot. "Why did he have the blood clot in his leg if the cardiac operation was successful? Why could not they save him in spite of the leg amputation? The hospital is asking for 48 hours to produce the case history details. This clearly shows there is an issue of negligence at their end," a friend of the deceased said. The hospital authorities, however, rubbished the allegations and said proper course of action was followed during the patient's treatment. "The incident is unfortunate, but I am certain that the doctors here followed a proper course of action that was required for the patient's treatment. The condition of the patient was critical and we kept the patient party updated on his condition at every point," a doctor from the hospital said. "We had to go through the leg amputation as a standard treatment procedure as the blood supply to that leg had completely stopped due to massive blood clots in the vein. The unresponsive body part had to be removed to stop the entire body from rotting," he added. --IANS mgr/ssp/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Rwandans were killed while another was injured in an attack by armed gunmen in western Rwandan town of Rusizi, on Sunday morning. According to information from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), one of the deceased and the wounded were on night patrol locally called irondo at a health post, while the second dead victim was a 12-year-old. "This morning, at around 1.00 in Rusizi District, Bugarama Sector, Ryankana cell, Kabuga village, unidentified armed group attacked and killed two civilians and wounded one," Xinhua quoted acting Defence and Military spokesperson Lt Col Rene Ngendahimana, as saying. It said the unidentified gunmen withdrew to Burundi as the incident took place near the border with Burundi. "Investigations into the incident have started to establish the identity of the attackers," Ngendahimana said. The year 2016 ended with frosty relations between Rwanda and Burundi following allegations that Kigali was meddling in Bujumbura affairs. Rwanda denies the accusations. --IANS sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tens of thousands of people converged on this Sikh holy town on Monday to be part of the Hola Mohalla festival. It was a virtual sea of humanity of men, women and children near the main shrine, Takht Keshgarh Sahib. The three-day Hola Mohalla celebrations coincide with the Hindu festival of Holi. All roads to the holy town, which is home to the second most important Sikh shrine after the "Harmandar Sahib" (popularly known as Golden Temple) in Amritsar, had heavy vehicle movement with people coming in hordes on buses, trucks, tractor-trolleys and other vehicles. Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs assemble in this religious town for the Hola Mohalla celebrations and show their prowess through the Gatka martial art. "It is a really festive and colourful spirit here. Some of the Nihangs have very interesting and huge turbans which are decorated with religious symbols," Harkirat Singh, a tourist who had come with a group of foreigners for the Hola Mohalla, said. It was at this shrine that Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, had in 1699 baptized five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern day Sikh . The Hola Mohalla celebrations began around 1701 as Guru Gobind Singh wanted his troops to have mock battles to keep them battle-ready. Anandpur Sahib is located about 85 km from Chandigarh. --IANS js/ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a vote split along party lines, Hungary's parliament on Monday re-elected Janos Ader as the country's President for a new five-year term, handing him a win over law professor Laszlo Majtenyi. The ruling Fidesz Party and its ally, the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), which hold 131 seats in the 199-member parliament, nominated Ader for both his first and second terms, Xinhua news agency reported. Left-wing opposition parties nominated law professor and former data protection ombudsman Laszlo Majtenyi, current chairman of the Eovos Karoly Institute political think tank, as essentially a protest candidate, since Ader's re-election was assured by the Fidesz party support. Ader was elected with the support of the 131 Fidesz party Members of Parliament (MPs) while Majtenyi received 39 votes from left-of-centre MPs in the second round of voting. The 24 members of the right-wing Jobbik party did not participate in the vote. The President is elected by parliament. To be elected in the first round of voting, a candidate must receive two-thirds of the vote. Ader was two votes short of the 133 needed for a first round election since Fidesz and the KDNP have only 131 seats and Ader was not supported by any other party. Since a simple majority is sufficient for election in the second round of voting, Ader won re-election in the second round with the 131 Fidesz votes. This will be Ader's second term as President. He took office in May 2012 following the resignation of his predecessor, Pal Schmitt, who became involved in a plagiarism scandal. Ader was born in 1959. He holds a law degree, served as a Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and was a Member of the European Parliament until 2012, representing Fidesz. He resigned from the party as a prerequisite to serving as the country's President. Hungary's President may not be a member of any political party and represents the unity of the Hungarian state. --IANS lok/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the indefinite hunger strike by Assam's Bodo community entered its fourth day demanding a new state, the leaders on Monday said that the government is committing a blunder by ignoring the Bodo political issue and will be responsible if the agitation hits law and order in the state. The Bodos -- who have been on hunger strike since March 10 -- also said that if the government fails to address the decades-old Bodo's political issue, it must be prepared to send coffins for the people on hunger strike. "Government through its various channels is sending messages that they could not reach a decision on the Bodo issues due to several reasons. This appears to be a silly excuse. "If the government can't reach out to us politically, then they should be ready to send us coffins. Let democracy prevail on our dead bodies," said Pramod Bodo, President of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU). The hunger strike is being led by the ABSU, National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Progressive (NDFB-P) and the People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement (PJACBM). These groups have alleged that the governments is deliberately avoiding taking up the separate state demand, so that the Bodoland issue dies down. As the condition of people on the hunger strike started deteoriating, the Bodo bodies denied taking any medical aid till both the central and state governments give a commitment to create a separate state for the Bodos. The Bodo groups also threatened economic blockade on the lines of the Manipur economic blockade. Dhiren Bodo, Chairman NDFB-P said: "We would like to humbly tell the government that if the hunger strikes is not responded to positively, national highways and railway lines passing through Bodoland will be blocked for equal number of hours." "We hope the government is not testing our nerves. We would like to urge the government to respond to our peaceful and non-violent protest against the historical injustice and initiate political dialogue at the earliest," said Bodo. The NDFB-P said that despite shunning arms and joining peace talks on the demand for Bodoland on the government's plea, there is no positive response from the government. According to the Bodo communities, the Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) -- formed to give autonomy to the Bodo people under the Sixth Schedule (Amended) of the Constitution -- has several shortcomings in terms of executing the monetary schemes of the central government for the welfare of the Bodos. They said that the BTC government would not be able to do overall development. The community members have urged the government for an immediate solution to the Bodo issue, failing which "the government will be responsible for the law and order problem in the state". "If this country is still governed by the democratically-elected representatives, why are they failing to respond to such a peaceful and non-violent movement by one of the largest indigenous communities of the country," asked U.G. Brahma, former parliamentarian and a Bodo leader. Rakesh Bodo, President PJACBM said: "We are continuously urging our people to maintain pace and harmony. However, after 100 hours of hunger strike, people at large are getting really agitated. Hence, before law and order in the region is affected, we want the government to come up with a solution." --IANS rup/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A week after the Israeli parliament approved a law banning entry of foreigners who call for boycotting Israel, Jerusalem on Monday said an anti-occupation activist from Britain was denied entry into the country. Hugh Lanning, chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), was barred from entering Israel at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, late on Sunday, according to a joint statement by the Population and Immigration Authority and the Strategic Affairs Ministry, Xinhua reported. The statement said Lanning's organisation leads a campaign for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. "The organisation (PSC) works in cooperation with other organisations that work to delegitimise Israel in order to advance boycotts and other activities against Israel," the statement said. "In addition to advancing boycotts, Lanning maintained ties with the heads of Hamas in Gaza," the statement added. Last Monday, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, approved a law to enable authorities to bar entry of foreign nationals who have publicly supported the BDS campaign. First launched in 2005, the Palestinian-led campaign calls for ending the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Israel seized in 1967, and acknowledging the Palestinians refugees' right of return to their pre-1948 lands. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her support for Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte after Turkey accused his Netherland's government of "Nazism". During a press conference in Munich on Monday, Angela Merkel qualified Turkey's accusations of "Nazism", "completely unacceptable" after similar claims were leveled at Germany, Efe news reported. Merkel pointed out that she had rejected Ankara's comparison last week, adding that this rejection extended to comparisons affecting the Netherlands, who had "suffered so much" under the Nazis. A diplomatic spat between the Netherlands and Turkey gained momentum over the weekend after Dutch authorities denied landing permission for a plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister who was planning to attend a referendum campaign in Rotterdam. The Turkish government recently launched a verbal attack on the German government after similar events were cancelled in Germany. Turkey is preparing for a referendum that could pave the way for Erdogan to assume more powers as president. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up and thumbs down on the issues from the past week. Up Bismarck voters left no doubt where they stand on school improvements. A $57.5 million bond issue to expand and renovate three middle schools and two high schools easily passed last week with 85 percent in favor. The turnout wasnt exceptional, with 8,295 voting compared to more than 13,800 who voted in 2012 on the last bond issue. Turnout tends to be lower during special elections, but the public was clearly in favor of the proposal. There was no organized opposition and few cast their ballots against it. Hopefully this round of improvements will keep the district strong for some time. Down Its no secret that North Dakota has a drinking problem and a new report highlights it. The state ranks No. 2 among the 10 worst states for drinking under the influence problems, according to BackgroundCheck.org, an organization that describes itself as devoted to public safety, online privacy, home security and open government. DUI appears to be a regional problem as Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana also make the top 10. Minnesota comes in at 37th. North Dakota has a DUI death rate of 6.6 people per 100,000 residents. These deaths are preventable, which makes the figures more shocking. The state continues to rank high in binge drinking and youth drinking. Clearly we need to find ways to reduce our drinking problem. Up The Legislature has decided to leave history courses up to the educators and thats a wise decision. There was an effort to require schools to teach the Federalist Papers and another bill requiring all college history majors to complete at least one U.S. history course. The intentions behind both bills were good, but its best schools and colleges decide the courses to be studied. Arriving at a curriculum isnt an easy task and having a third party adding requirements makes it more difficult. Down Does North Dakota need to return to parking meters? The Tribune Editorial Board doesnt believe its a good idea, but it appears likely. The House and Senate have approved bills to allow parking meters but must resolve the differences between the bills. Gov. Doug Burgum has signaled his support, suggesting the meters will increase downtown shopping. The state has done fine without the meters cluttering our downtowns. Plus, why ruin an interesting piece of North Dakota history about one mans fight to abolish parking meters? Up Its good that the North Dakota Game and Fish Department has identified suspects in two deer poaching cases. One case was especially gruesome as a whitetail buck was dragged from the Cannonball River and then stabbed and suffocated in mud. If arrested and convicted the men should lose their hunting privileges in North Dakota and other states. Overall, North Dakota residents support hunting. These two cases, however, werent hunting. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg asked NATO partners Holland and Turkey to show mutual respect and reduce tensions amid their diplomatic tussle. Stoltenberg on Monday said at a press conference that he had contacted the Dutch and Turkish governments after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the Netherlands is acting like "Nazis and Fascists", Efe news reported. "Robust debate is at the heart of our democracies but so is mutual respect," Stoltenberg told reporters. "I would encourage all allies to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach and to contribute to de-escalate the tensions." "It's important that we now focus on everything that unites us," the Secretary General said. He said Turkey's presence in NATO was "good for Turkey but also for Europe and for the rest of the alliance" in face of the instability in neighbouring countries such as Irak or Syria. A diplomatic spat between the Netherlands and Turkey gained momentum over the weekend after Dutch authorities denied landing permission for a plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister who was planning to attend a referendum campaign in Rotterdam. The Turkish government recently launched a verbal attack on the German government after similar events were cancelled in Germany. "They are Nazi remnants, they are fascists," Erdogan said and went on to describe the Netherlands as a "banana republic" and warned of sanctions in retaliation. Turkey is preparing for a referendum that could pave the way for Erdogan to assume more powers as president.--IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In its most aggressive tactic to date, the ruling ally Shiv Sena has decided to disrupt the ongoing budget session of Maharashtra legislature till a complete waiver of farm loans is announced, a minister said here on Monday. The senior ruling partner, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not reacted on its ally's threat so far, as the government prepares to table the state budget for 2017-2018 later this week. Senior leader and Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam told mediapersons that Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday "specifically instructed" all party legislators not to allow the legislature to function until all farm loans were written off. "All the farmers in Maharashtra must be freed of their debts under any circumstances. This has been our demand in the past and even today," Kadam said. Thackeray has now directed all party legislators to create hurdles in the functioning of the legislature till the government bows to its demands after it reopens on Wednesday after the Holi festival break. During the last month's civic polls in the state, the Shiv Sena had made vociferous demands for a full-farm loan waiver, on the lines promised by the BJP in the campaigning in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections. With the latest threat, the Shiv Sena hopes to isolate the BJP in the legislature as even other parties like Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have raised a similar demand in the past. Interestingly, the developments came barely five days after the Shiv Sena got its Mayor elected in BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation after the BJP dropped out of the mayoral race. --IANS qn/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's bid to form governments in Goa and Manipur despite being a runner-up in both states, by cobbling up a coalition with regional players, drew flak from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday. While the Congress called the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s bid to form the governments as "stealing elections", the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asked the Election Commission (EC) to just "auction" every seat to the highest bidder instead of holding elections henceforth. While in Goa, Governor Dr. Mridula Sinha has already invited BJP legislative party leader Manohar Parrikar to form the government, in Manipur, Governor Najma Heptulla forced Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to resign to clear the decks for the swearing-in of BJP's Nongthombam Biren Singh. In Goa, it got 13 seats, while the Congress got 17 and others, including Independents, 10 seats. Three MLAs each of the Goa Foward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, three Independent MLAs and a sole Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator were literally worth their weight in gold, but also available for picking. After day-long hectic parleys on Sunday, the BJP claimed to have got the support of 21 MLAs and the Governor invited Parrikar to form the government. Reacting to the BJP move, AAP Goa Convenor Elvis Gomes said: "Money plays a big role in deciding who is elected, because the EC machinery has failed. "Sometimes I wonder why we should have elections at all! It would be better if the Commission conducts an auction of the seats. Let the highest bidder win it, instead of going through this whole process of contesting election and holding rallies." In Manipur, the BJP got 21 seats while the Congress got 28. The Naga People's Front (NPF) and the National People's Party (NPP) got four sets each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Trinamool Congress got one each, besides an Independent MLA. Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, who had claimed to have the numbers on his side, resigned on Monday evening under pressure from the Governor. He had claimed to enjoy the support of four MLAs of the NPP on the basis of a letter he got from the party soon after the declaration of the assembly results. However, Vivekraj Wangkhem, General Secretary of the NPP, said: "There have been changes. We have decided to support the BJP. This is final. There is no question of our party supporting the Congress even if Ibobi Singh is given a chance." Heptulla pointed out to Ibobi Singh that just a letter of support would not suffice. She insisted on the physical presence of the four NPP MLAs, which under the changed scenario seemed only next to possible, and the Chief Minister was forced to resign. Critcising the BJP's moves, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Monday said in a tweet: "The Prime Minister says that they would become more humble after victory. Abduction of an MLA in Manipur and haggling for power in Goa! We bow to Modiji's humbleness." In another tweet, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said that a party that comes second has no right to form the government. "BJP is stealing elections in Goa and Manipur," Chidmabarm said. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manohar Parrikar's 27-month tenure as Defence Minister has been eventful with several achievements under his belt, including the new Defence Procurement Policy (DPP), hiking compensation for widows and families of soldiers who died while fighting for the country and dealing sternly with Pakistan's misadventures. In fact, Parrikar was hand-picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2014 as Defence Minister for his clean image and proven administrative abilities to relieve Arun Jaitley who was then also holding the crucial charge of Finance Ministry at a time when the six-month-old NDA government was still trying to find its bearings. Through his efforts, Parrikar tried to break the middlemen-arms agents-officials nexus in the defence sector and usher in transparency, ease of doing business and expedite the decision-making process. As the minister, Parrikar controlled the world's third-largest military. On the administrative front, Parrikar's most conspicuous achievement could be the DPP 2016, in consonance with Modi's 'Make in India' vision, that lays the road map of how India, currently the world's largest arms importer, will acquire equipment in future. The new policy created a new procurement category, called the Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) category, to be the most preferred category for buying equipment. "I don't want to buy from a company that pays bribes. If you want to pay a bribe, put it on the table for the government and reduce the price," Parrikar was quoted as saying at that time. Notably, defence exports have risen from Rs 1,153 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2,059 crore in 2015-16. This despite two-thirds of items being removed from the military goods list. It was under Parrikar's tenure that the government tried to address the long pending One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy. In November last year, Parrikar also doubled the compensation for widows and families of soldiers dying while fighting for the country in five categories. For soldiers dying in action during border skirmishes or fighting against militants, the compensation was revised to Rs 35 lakh from the existing Rs 15 lakh. For deaths occurring during enemy action in war or war-like engagements, in a war-torn zone in foreign country, the compensation was increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 45 lakh. Under Parrikar, the Indian forces dealt with Pakistan quite sternly whenever the neighbouring country showed any aggression, including the surgical strikes across the LoC in September last year. He is also said to be quite popular among the Generals and forces with his unassuming manners and no-nonsense approach. Despite being the Defence Minister, Parikkar was known to take a lot of interest in Goa and made frequent trips to the coastal state, so much so that an MLA accused him of "selling fish" in Goa when the Rafale deal was being signed with France in New Delhi. Interestingly, the same detractors have now insisted on Parrikar being made the Chief Minister of the state, with some non-BJP groups extending support on this condition only. In perhaps an indication of his impending return to Goa, Parrikar, when asked on polling day, February 4, whether he was set to return as Chief Minister, had told reporters: "I have lost four kilograms in Delhi because of the food. I like Goan food. You can interpret this the way you want." Congress legislator Anil Akkara on Monday said telephone tapping has become a normal affair in Kerala, with even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's telephone being tapped. Akkara, a first time legislator, raised the issue in the Kerala Assembly and said it was not just Vijayan's telephone but those of close to 27 top CPI-M leaders, including legislators, that had been tapped. Speaking to IANS later, Akkara said the telephone tapping incident was raised in the CPI-M party committees also. "I know for sure that my telephone has been tapped when I was taking forward a case of rape that involved CPI-M leaders in my assembly constituency. Since I have nothing to hide nor am I involved in anything against the law, I have no issues in my phone being tapped," said Akkara. He said one reason why the telephones of CPI-M leaders were being tapped was because the service provider BSNL had a strong Left union, and with issues in the party surfacing on and off, it kept happening. Akkara also referred to Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas having gone public with the assertion that his telephone was also being tapped. "No action is being taken against this intrusion and when it comes to private service providers, it's the police who do this directly," Akkara added. --IANS sg/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italian investigators used Facebook to hunt down a wanted fugitive in Mexico after he posted pictures under an alias. According to a report in Telegraph on Sunday, 65-year-old Giulio Perrone used Saverio Garcia Galiero as his alias on Facebook and posted photos on Saturday showing a happy man living large south of the border. Perrone, a convicted drug smuggler, had been running from the law for more than two decades. "Italian forensic police monitoring mobster family Facebook posts discovered he was using the alias Saverio Garcia Galiero. Galiero was his mother's maiden name, which helped police trace him back to Italy," the report said. Perrone closely worked with Mazzarella, Formicola, Polverino and Tolomelli mafia clans and was officially declared a fugitive after a Naples court found him guilty of international drug trafficking, sentencing him to 22-years in jail. "This arrest is part of a larger strategy being coordinated by the anti-crime division of the Italian police to capture mafia fugitives who have been taking refuge abroad for many years," the report quoted Italian authorities as saying. --IANS qd/ruwa/ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday greeted citizens on the occasion of Holi and urged to "spread happiness and share joy with the needy and downtrodden". "Warm greetings and best wishes to all my fellow citizens on the auspicious occasion of Holi. Let us on this day spread happiness and share joy with the needy and downtrodden," the President tweeted. The President also wished that the spring festival bring together the diverse hues of India and strengthen brotherhood. "Holi is a harbinger of hope and fulfilment in our lives. May this festival of colours bring together the diverse hues of India's culture in a rainbow of unity and strengthen brotherhood and harmony amongst all our people. "Let this year's Holi mark the beginning of a new phase of peace and prosperity in the country," he added. --IANS rak/ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's former External Affairs Minister and former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna is set to join the BJP this week in New Delhi, said a party official on Monday. "Krishna will join our party in New Delhi on March 15 or 16 after meeting party's national President Amit Shah. He will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later," a BJP official told IANS here on the condition of anonymity. Krishna, 84, resigned from the Congress on January 29 after 46 years of association with the grand old party for "being sidelined by its leadership". "Krishna will leave for Delhi on Tuesday and meet Shah on Wednesday. He will join the same day (March 15). If not on that day, then he will join on March 16 at 11:20 a.m.," the official said. BJP's state unit President and Lok Sabha lawmaker B.S. Yeddyurappa also told reporters at Mysuru earlier in the day that Krishna would join the party on March 15 in New Delhi. "As the budget session of Parliament will resume from Tuesday, I will also be in Delhi to personally welcome Krishna into the party fold," said the former BJP Chief Minister of the state. Union Ministers from Karnataka D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Anantha Kumar will also be present on the occasion. A Krishna's aide also confirmed that the octogenarian leader would leave for Delhi on Tuesday to meet Shah and Modi on Wednesday or Thursday. Ever since leaving the Congress, Krishna has been bidding time to join the BJP but was told to wait till this week, as Shah and Modi were busy with the elections in the five states, especially Uttar Pradesh and their results. Yeddyurappa officially invited Krishna to join the party at the latter's house here last week (March 6). "With the BJP securing thumping majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand and set to form governments in Goa and Manipur, Krishna thought it is the right time to join the BJP and strengthen the party in Karnataka, where assembly election is due in April 2018," added the official. --IANS fb/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 11 policemen, one leader each from the BJP and the TMC, apart from three other political workers and four journalists, were injured when Trinamool Congress and BJP workers clashed here on Monday night, police said. "Around 11 police personnel, including five officers, were injured when they tried to tackle a clash between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in the heart of the capital city on Monday night," West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS. At least five BJP and TMC supporters, including state BJP Vice President Subal Bhowmik and TMC leader Panna Deb, sustained injuries in the clash. "The fight began after a BJP Mandal President Jayanta Dey was allegedly beaten up by TMC leader Sudip Roy Barman's elder brother Sandip Roy Barman," Saptarshi said. Huge contingent of police and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) troopers led by Saptarshi and DIG Uttam Majumder rushed to the spot and tackled the situation after more than three hours of squabbles and chase-and-run game. Four journalists were also injured when the TSR personnel resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Tripura Journalists Union General Secretary Pranab Sarkar said that a team of senior journalists met police officials and demanded action against the TSR personnel who assaulted the journalists. The injured were rushed to the hospital. --IANS sc/lok/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The keenly awaited results of the five Assembly elections are largely out. Given the trends as of 2 pm, and they are unlikely to change too dramatically from now, heres a party-wise analysis of the verdict. The popular Van Hook recreational site on Lake Sakakawea will take on a different character this summer with the development of an 11-well drilling pad about 800 feet from the public boat ramp and parking lot. Slawson Exploration Co. was issued a permit Friday by the Interior Department Bureau of Land Management and a company spokesman said drilling will start as soon as May. Drilling on the mega well project will take more than a year and hydraulic fracking operations wont likely start until sometime late in 2018, according to Eric Sundberg, Slawsons environmental and regulator manager. Each well will cost $7 million to $8 million, partly because of the number of frack stages and partly because the horizontal legs will extend 3 miles to reach oil deep under the bed of the lake, Sundberg said. The oil leases include a combination of federal, Three Affiliated Tribes and reservation fee land owners. The company will operate under several conditions to lessen the impact to the public at one of the busiest boat ramps anywhere on Lake Sakakawea. Its located south of Highway 1804 between New Town and Parshall. Conditions include building a 32-foot sound barrier around the drill pad, using a quieter electric drill rig instead of gas-powered and utilizing a closed-loop mud system so drill fluids are removed off site rather than buried in adjacent mud pits. Other permit conditions require additional containment measures in case of a spill and access to spill response equipment. Sundberg said all the wells production equipment heater treater, storage tanks and emission flares must be located at a location about three-fourths of a mile further away, using flow lines for all but the salt water production. The wells required state and federal permits and Sundberg said the company started the application process in 2012. The state permits were issued in May 2015. The federal permit required an environmental assessment and was reviewed last week by new Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Sundberg said the top-shelf review was very rare and in his view, unnecessary for what he calls in infill project, meaning more wells in an existing production area. This (delay) was purely internal politics within the BLM. Washington wanted to review all that was done at the state and field level, said Sundberg, adding the cost of the delays is in the millions. On the flip side, a Van Hook cabin owner and president of the Friends of Lake Sakakawea advocacy group, said that level of review was necessary for a drilling project so close to where thousands of people boat, camp and recreate. Terry Fleck said members of the Friends did all they could to prevent potential issues for lake users as many as 5,000 people are at Van Hook over the busy July Fourth holiday, including his own family which is one of 215 lot holders with a home or cabin nearby. It should have been moved back further, said Fleck said. He said Slawson Co.s earlier blowout at a well near Lake Sakakawea, when it spilled 1,200 barrels of oil and salt water across from Van Hook, was reason enough to move the well. If theres a blowout and 150 people are out on the water in the boats, where are they supposed to land their boats? Where do we go? There are a lot of moving parts here. If they have this one go bad, the three people on the State Industrial Commission will wish they had set this one back, Fleck said. Due to public comments the company was required to move the drill pad an additional 500 feet from the public ramp area. Fleck said oil and gas law favors the mineral lease holder because of the legal right to develop minerals. If this is how the law works, then we probably need to change to law, he said. Sundberg said he expects work to build the well pad will start soon to accommodate drilling in May. This is a big project, he said. Slawson has about 300 Bakken wells and a peak production of about 42,000 barrels a day. He said oil prices are relatively low now, but that could change by the time the wells start production in 2018. Other than the blowout, Slawson has an unremarkable spill record, according to State Health Department investigator Bill Suess, who said its one of those companies they hear little about. The company reported 142 fluid spills up to mid-2016, of which all but 31 were contained within the well berm. Mumbai stock brokers were celebrating a Bharatiya Janata Party victory in Uttar Pradesh even before the results of the Assembly polls were announced officially. For all practical purposes, the informal satta markets had more precise information on whom the voters were backing than what the various exit polls and the journalists could offer. Insiders say brokers have their own network of sub-brokers and investors who give them first-hand information on whats happening on the ground politically or otherwise. Based on that information brokers invest millions of dollars in the markets. After landslide victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to take the tally to four, against the Congress one in Punjab, with government formations in Goa and Manipur, where the party did not get clear mandates. The Congress alleged the BJP was doing horse trading in the two states. Setting the tone not only for the 2019 general elections but beyond it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the results of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa were a stepping stone to usher in a new India by 2022, when the country would mark 75 years of Independence. Two experts from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been kidnapped in the violence-wracked central Kasai region, UN and Congolese sources said today. The two have been missing since yesterday, according to Charles-Antoine Bambara, the spokesman for the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission. One of the victims is a US national, the other a Swede, Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende told AFP. "They were kidnapped at a bridge over the Moyo river and taken to the forest by unknown assailants," Mende said. Four Congolese nationals - three motorcycle-taxi drivers and an interpreter - were also taken hostage, he added. The Congolese and UN officials said efforts to locate the victims were under way. A Uruguayan peacekeeper was shot and injured last week in the same region, which has been wracked by a rebellion since September. The uprising erupted after government forces in August killed a tribal chief and militia leader, Kamwina Nsapu, who had rebelled against President Joseph Kabila. The violence has since spilled over to the neighbouring provinces of Kasai-Oriental and Lomami, leaving at least 400 people dead. The United Nations has nearly 19,000 troops deployed in the DR Congo, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission. About 100 of those troops were recently dispatched to the Kasai region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the Security Council to send an extra 320 UN police to the country after a deal to end a dispute over the presidential election stalled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two employees of the Metal and Still Factory, run by the defence ministry, were killed in an explosion in a furnace of its factory at Ishapur in North 24 Parganas, a defence spokesman said today. The blast in the furnace took place on March 11 injuring nine employees, ministry of defence CPRO in Kolkata, Wing Commander S S Birdi, said. Of the nine injured, two died yesterday, he said adding that the remaining seven, who were under treatment in the Command Hospital in Kolkata, were out of danger. A committee has been formed by the defence ministry to probe the incident, Birdi said. Metal & Steel Factory, Ishapore, is the main producer of basic Ferrous and Non-Ferrous raw material for military hardware. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Army major visiting the famous 'Toorji ka Jhalra' stepwell here along with his colleagues fell into it and died last night, police said. The 28-year-old Army officer, Major Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, lost his balance and fell into the stepwell and was drowned said police adding his body could be recovered only this afternoon. Police is awaiting the arrival of his family members from Dehradun, SHO (Kotwali) Indra Singh said. Major Dwivedi was posted at the Signal Core in Jodhpur military station here. "After enjoying the burning of Holi in the city, all the three had dinner in a guest house and headed to a nearby ancient stepwell, Toorji ka Jhalra, past midnight, which is a tourist attraction in the city," the SHO Singh said. While all the three stepped into the stepwell, Major Dwivedi suddenly lost his balance on the steps and purportedly due to darkness fell into the water, the SHO said. His friends raised an alarm and the people rushed to the spot along with the police. Divers were roped in to rescue him. But his body could be finally recovered from the stepwell by the afternoon, the SHO said. Police have informed the army officials, who informed the family members of Dwivedi, who belonged to Dehradun. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Terrence Malick's "Song To Song" will feature garage rock band Black Lips from Atlanta, Georgia. The rockers will star as Rooney Mara's band in the film. The "Lion" actress actually went on stage with a guitar to perform with the group when they were shooting the movie at Austin City Limits in 2012, reported Contactmusic. "That was not a normal Black Lips show with Rooney up there jamming with us. But we like to cause a shocking scene sometimes," frontman Cole Alexander says. The romance drama also stars Ryan Gosling opposite Mara and Michael Fassbender alongside Natalie Portman. Malick says he wanted a very authentic atmosphere for his movie, which follows the complicated love quadrangle between two budding songwriters on their journey towards success. Talking about Mara's performance with the band, Portman says, "It was so brave of Rooney. Up on the real stage playing for these real crowds, and to see that, I mean, it's just so, so, so incredible. It's real." "And to have that in front of a real audience, it brings a different kind of energy I think than these concert scenes you see where everything's like extras and cast and stuff; it feels much more vibrant and alive," she adds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dan Lilley, a brash defense lawyer who was involved in many of Maine's highest profile cases including a prostitution scandal at a Zumba studio and the case of a restaurateur who shot her husband 15 times, has died. He was 79. Lilley died on Saturday night at Maine Medical Centre, his law office said today. The cause of death was not immediately released. Lilley was known as a tough, old-school defense attorney and was sometimes called a maverick in the courtroom. "He was a guy to be cherished if you had a good cause and had Dan at your side, and feared if you were on the wrong side," said F Lee Bailey, another prominent attorney who was part of the defense team at OJ Simpson's murder trial. Lilley used a "battered wife syndrome" defense to win acquittal for an Ogunquit (oh-GUHNG'-kwit) restaurateur who in 1990 shot her husband so many times she had to stop to reload. More recently, he represented insurance agent Mark Strong, who was accused of serving as the business partner of a Zumba instructor accused of running a brothel in Kennebunk. The scandal in Kennebunk, a village known more for its sea captains' homes and beaches than crime, attracted international attention. "In the middle of the circus that was Mark Strong's trial, Dan was undoubtedly the ringleader, bringing an air of drama and comedy, in equal measure, to the proceedings," said Tina Nadeau, who served alongside him during that trial. Lilley enjoyed many of the trappings of his legal success. For years, he enjoyed racing around Portland Harbour in a speedboat before giving it up in favour of a 50-foot power yacht, the Barrister. But he also had a "heart of gold" that shown through in helping other lawyers, forgiving indebtedness and making donations to causes, Bailey said. "I was pretty sure that Dan would outlive us all. I know there will never be another attorney like Dan in Maine or anywhere: They don't make attorneys like him anymore," Nadeau said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aten-member delegation of top Chinese painters and artists visited India last week and interacted with their Indian counterparts in different cities. The delegation, which was led by Wu Shan Ming; member of China Academy of Arts, visited the country from March 5 to 11 and comprised artists from the Zhejiang Kaiming Art Gallery. The delegation included famous painter Shen Shu who had earlier presented a portrait to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his last year's visit to Hangzhou to attend the G20 Summit. It also included distinguished painters from Shanghai led by Luo Wei Min and Zhang Yi Ren. Min, who is a student of eminent painter late Wang Zhijie, has contributed a set of paintings titled "India through Chinese Eyes", the Indian Consulate in Shanghai said in a statement today. The Chinese delegation visited at the invitation of theIndian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). During the India tour, the delegation visited New Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi and interacted with ambassador Amrendra Kathua, Director General of ICCR. They also met several other leading artists from India. Workshops with Indian artists were also organised in Varanasi and Jaipur. It is expected that the artists would attempt another set of impressions of their visit to India through a series of paintings to be put on display at the India Culture Week likely to be hosted in Hangzhou in mid-June this year, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 38-year-old Dalit died after he was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon yesterday following which two persons have been arrested. Police officials said that the incident took place yesterday when the person, identified as Sant Ram, a Dalit and resident of village Budha Kala under Khalilabad police station area, was murdered. The body has been sent for postmortem and two persons from the same village have been arrested, they added. Old enmity may be a possible cause of the crime, police said. Following the murder, a large number of police personnel have been deployed in the village. The situation is under control, and investigations in the case are going on, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FARGO -- Jared Olson is a big fan of solo living. He moved out on his own when he turned 18 and continues to live alone in a one-bedroom apartment. Now 24, Olson prefers the freedom that living alone affords. He admits to being particular about his surroundings and has never considered living with roommates. It gives you a sense of independence living on your own, he said. I can pretty much do what I want. I feel like you have more options if you live by yourself. Olson has plenty of company. North Dakota has the highest percentage of young adults, those ages 18 to 34, living alone at 13 percent, according to figures from 2015 compiled by the North Dakota Census Office. That makes sense, Olson said, when told hes part of a larger pattern. Pretty much everyone I know lives alone. I dont know very many people who dont live alone, unless theyre still in school. Olson, a Fargo native, attended North Dakota State University for a time, but dropped out to enter the workforce. He works weekdays as a front desk agent at a motel and works on weekends to help arrange weddings. Kevin Iverson, manager of the North Dakota Census Office, said the states relatively affordable housing costs and living expenses probably help to explain why living alone is so common. In North Dakota, 16 percent of those ages 18 to 34 live with their parents, less than half the national rate of 34 percent, according to census figures. The median rent in North Dakota is $705, compared to the national median rent of $928, according to census figures, while the states median monthly housing cost for homeowners with a mortgage is $1,243, compared to the national median of $1,492. For instance, Johnson pays $655 for his one-bedroom apartment. Earlier, he lived in a studio apartment that was re-rented the day after he gave his notice. Among non-Hispanic white young adults in North Dakota, those in households with higher incomes were more inclined to live with their parents. I wasnt expecting to find that when I went into the data, Iverson said. Its comfortable, he added, offering a theory. Maybe when you have more resources, youre not so crowded and you have less of a need to push the kids to go out to college. Despite North Dakotas young adults high rate of living alone, they also ranked near the top in the percentage of those residing with a spouse. At 34 percent, North Dakota was exceeded only by Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Krysta Larson, 29, lives alone in an apartment in north Fargo. A native of St. Paul, Larson first came to Fargo for clinical training as a lab technician and ended up getting a full-time job, so she stayed. During her first year, Larson lived with two roommates in a townhouse. She had been used to living with roommates at school, but now prefers living alone. I can pretty much do whatever I want, whenever I want, she said, adding that she can lounge around in her pajamas watching television if the mood strikes. Larsons monthly rent is $555 for her 600-square-foot apartment. Its definitely affordable, she said, adding that she owns little furniture, and uses her ottoman as a makeshift table. Bella La DePaulo, a psychologist who champions the benefits of the single lifestyle, said more and more people are opting to live alone, a trend that has persisted for decades. A lot of people worry about that, she said. They think its going to be bad. In fact, single people are more connected, and married couples become more socially isolated. DePaulo, a visiting professor of social psychology at the University of California in Santa Barbara, also said the average age when people marry continues to go up. Now men are almost 30 on average when they marry. Lots of people think this is a bad thing, said DePaulo, author of the book Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After. I think men are going to be much better at a whole lot of things because of this, she said,adding they will have to acquire skills considered traditionally female, including cooking, housekeeping keeping track of social obligations. Men are getting better at interpersonal relationships, DePaulo said. I think thats all a very great thing. For his part, Olson has added a few domestic touches to his apartment. Hes painted the walls and installed new light fixtures. It looks more like a home, he said. Video footage of a doctor being brutally assaulted at a government hospital at Dhule in North Maharashtra went viral on social media today. The incident happened last night, a health department official said here, adding that a probe has been ordered. The footage shows a crowd, which included relatives of patients, beating up the doctor at the Dhule civil hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A prosecutor allowed today for Hosni Mubarak to be released, his lawyer said, after an appeals court acquitted Egypt's ex-president of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. "He can go home now when the doctors decide he is able to," Farid al-Deeb said, adding that Mubarak is banned from leaving the country pending an ongoing graft investigation. Mubarak, 88, has spent most of his time detained at a military hospital in Cairo since his arrest in 2011. Egypt's top appeals court on March 2 acquitted Mubarak of involvement in the killing of protesters during the revolt that toppled him, ending the final trial for the strongman who had ruled for 30 years. He was accused of inciting the deaths of protesters during the 18-day revolt, in which about 850 people were killed as police clashed with demonstrators. Mubarak was sentenced to life in 2012 in the case, but an appeals court ordered a retrial, which dismissed the charges two years later. His acquittal this month is final. Amid public anger, prosecutors had levelled various charges against Mubarak following his February 2011 resignation. In January 2016, the appeals court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges. But the sentence took into account time served. Both of his sons, Alaa and Gamal, were freed. A former air force chief and vice president, Mubarak became president after jihadists who had infiltrated the army shot dead president Anwar Sadat at a military parade in 1981, in an attack in which he was himself wounded. Six years after his overthrow, most of the charges brought against his regime members have been dismissed while the country still recovers from the aftermath of the uprising. The revolt ushered in instability that drove away tourists and investors, taking a heavy toll on the economy. Mubarak's elected Islamist successor, Mohamed Morsi, served for only a year before the military toppled and detained him in 2013, before launching a deadly crackdown on those who backed him. Hundreds of Morsi's supporters were sentenced to death after speedy trials. Morsi himself has also stood trial in several cases. Morsi's overthrow sparked a jihadist insurgency that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers. Critics say that the abuses they fought under Mubarak have returned with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former army chief who toppled Morsi. It has also led Sisi to argue that while he supports human rights, the dangers facing the country also require a firm hand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Egyptian prosecutor allowed today for Hosni Mubarak to be released, his lawyer said, after an appeals court acquitted the ex-president of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. "He can go home now when the doctors decide he is able to," Farid al-Deeb said, adding that Mubarak is banned from leaving Egypt pending an ongoing graft investigation. Mubarak has been in detention at a military hospital in Cairo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "supporting terrorists", in a spiralling row with EU states after the blocking of poll rallies by ministers. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television, accusing Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects. "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists," he added. Erdogan said Germany, which Turkey has long accused of harbouring Kurdish militants and wanted suspects from the failed July 15 coup, was "giving support to terror in a ruthless way". He also lambasted Merkel for her public backing of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the diplomatic crisis sparked by The Hague's refusal to let Turkish ministers hold rallies in the country ahead of an April 16 referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers. German authorities had also last week blocked rallies from taking place, infuriating Ankara. Referring to the developments across Europe in recent days, Erdogan reiterated his controversial comparison with the Third Reich. "Nazism, we can call this Neo-nazism. A new Nazism tendency," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria's future will be decided only after "getting rid of extremists" and achieving political reconciliation, the country's President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published today. As the war that has ravaged his country approaches its seventh year, Assad told reporters it was "still early to talk about" his vision for Syria's future. "It's a luxury now to talk about politics while you're going to be killed maybe in a few minutes, you have terrorist attacks," he told a group of Western journalists, state agency SANA said. "So this is the priority, getting rid of the extremists, the political reconciliation in the different areas, this is another priority," he added. "When you achieve these two, you can talk about every discussion you want to regarding any issue." SANA did not specify which outlets the Western journalists were from. Assad's comments come ahead of the six-year anniversary of Syria's conflict, which began in March 2011 with anti- government protests. The conflict has since spiralled into a vicious and complex civil war that has killed more than 320,000 people and displaced more than half the population. New peace talks brokered by Russia and Turkey are scheduled to start tomorrow in the Kazakh capital Astana, with UN-sponsored negotiations in Geneva set to resume on March 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Technology firm Smartron India on Monday said it has roped in former chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, Sanjay Jha, to its board of directors with immediate effect. Jha, who is currently serving as CEO of US-based GlobalFoundries, has also been associated with chipmaker Qualcomm as COO. "Besides, being an investor himself, Sanjay will be an independent director with Smartron. With his wealth of experience and knowledge in semiconductor and mobile industries, he will serve as a mentor and strategic advisor to strengthen Smartron's operational excellence and global expansion road map," the company said in a statement. Mahesh Lingareddy, founder and Chairman, said Jha's broad industry experience and successful track record will help in the accelerated growth of Smartron and help achieve its vision of building India's first global OEM brand that can rival global brands. On his appointment, Jha said there are huge opportunities Smartron can address in consumer, enterprise, industrial and infrastructure markets with tight integration of devices, sensors, and services and by innovating and investing in disruptive IoT and AI technologies. "Smartron has the right vision, passionate team, and a strong foundation. I am looking forward to helping home grown Smartron into a leading global brand," he added. A PhD In Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Strathclyde University, Scotland, Jha has also led design and engineering role with Brooktree Corporation in San Diego, and GEC Hirst Research Centre in London. Two persons were today killed after being attacked by a sloth bear in Danta tehsil in in Banaskantha district, a forest official said. "Two shepherds who had taken their goats and sheep in the forest area in Kansa village for grazing were attacked and killed by a sloth bear," Danta range forest officer Bajit Khan Sindhi said. He said when the duo, Bhikhabhai Bhagora (35) and Manabhai Angari (25), did not return home to their native village Khapra last night, some of their fellow villagers went out looking for them. Two of the villagers were also attacked and injured by the bear in the same area, he added. "The bodies of two shepherds were recovered and have been sent for postmortem. The exact cause of death will be ascertained after postmortem. The injured were rushed to a hospital," added Sindhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP today sought to justify its claims to form governments in Goa and Manipur, saying it has both "legitimacy and the numbers" even as the Congress termed the attempts as a "murder" of democracy. "We have both the legitimacy and the numbers to form the government in Goa and Manipur," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told Times Now channel. In both these states, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the assembly elections. In Goa, the Governor has already invited BJP leader Manohar Parrikar, who earlier resigned as Defence Minister, to form the government. However, in Manipur, Governor Najma Heptulla has asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately, so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. "We definitely have genuine numbers and allies who were a part of the BJP government in the state (Goa)," Rao said, adding, "we have four per more votes than the Congress. What else you want?" Asserting that the legitimacy comes from the popular votes, the BJP spokesperson said, "What is more important to form a government is the legislative majority which the party has by way of support from these parties and the other additional support which would come to us by way of Manohar Parrikar being made the chief ministerial candidate." Hitting out at the BJP, the Congress said the party should be aware that governments are not formed on the basis of popular vote share. "Parrikar did not contest polls? So how do we know that he is popular among the people? This is the murder of democracy in broad daylight," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said. "Even in the case of Manipur, if you look at the number of seats that the Congress has got, the governor should have asked the single largest party first to try and stake claim in forming the government," she said. The Congress also said the BJP should gave been given the chance to form the government only if the single largest party refuses to do so. Chaturvedi also accused the BJP of "kidnapping" the Independent MLAs, saying they are being kept away from exercising their right to choose the party they want to go with. "They are also trying to kidnap Independent MLAs. They are being taken to Guwahati in Assam and kept them away from going to whom they want to go with. This is a breach of democracy and democratic principles," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) was today celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in Bihar. The people, particularly children, were seen applying colour on one another and dancing to the beat of music to celebrate the festival of colour throughout the state. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, however, did not hold any festivity at their respective residences. In a micro-blogging site, Kumar greeted the people with a message "Happy Holi", while the RJD chief urged the people to protect and preserve the united colours of India. "Let's be committed to protect & preserve colorful cultures and united colours of India. Spread more Love & Humanity... #HappyHoli," Prasad said in a post. The BJP leaders and workers were seen celebrating the festival with fanfare following their party's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In Patna, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav, celebrated the festival with his supporters before driving a couple of people on a rickshaw on the state capital. Sanjeev Chaurasia, BJP MLA from Digha, took a ride on a bullock cart with supporters to celebrate the festival. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the state capital and elsewhere to maintain law and order, police said. Holi was today celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in Bihar. The people, particularly children, were seen applying colour on one another and dancing to the beat of music to celebrate the festival of colour throughout the state. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, however, did not hold any festivity at their respective residences. In a micro-blogging site, Kumar greeted the people with a message "Happy Holi", while the RJD chief urged the people to protect and preserve the united colours of India. "Let's be committed to protect & preserve colorful cultures and united colours of India. Spread more Love & Humanity... #HappyHoli," Prasad said in a post. The BJP leaders and workers were seen celebrating the festival with fanfare following their party's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In Patna, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav, celebrated the festival with his supporters before driving a couple of people on a rickshaw on the state capital. Sanjeev Chaurasia, BJP MLA from Digha, took a ride on a bullock cart with supporters to celebrate the festival. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the state capital and elsewhere to maintain law and order, police said. (REOP CES2) In the evening, Lalu Prasad allowed visitors in his house and applied 'abeer' on the faces of his sons and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, besides other guests. Speaking on the occasion, Prasad wished a happy holi to 1.25 billion people of the country. He denied that the BJP's unprecedented victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand had anything to do with the sombre mood in his family or party. "Elections come and go...It has nothing to do with festival," he said. His son Tejaswi Prasad Yadav echoed his father's statement on not mixing politics with festivals. More than 140 people visited the North Dakota Capitol Monday for a lobby day focused on women's issues. The event is in its fifth year, this year marking nearly the highest turnout, which may involve some reaction to the 2016 election. This is the time to be engaged, if any other time, said Zahra Mohamed, of Bismarck. Young girls, women and men attended the 2017 WE Rise: Women Empowerment event, sponsored by the North Dakota Women's Network. The all-day event began with House and Senate committee hearings. Renee Stromme, executive director of ND Women's Network, said the event is a way to familiarize women with the political process and galvanize them to get involved in politics. The event includes education on current legislation that affects women, as well as civil rights. We do take some time to educate them about some of the issues so that we can give it a better connection," Stromme said. Its been a pretty useful way to bridge the gap." Attendees went to committee hearings on several bills, including House Bill 1308, which would require drug addiction screenings for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program participants, and House Bill 1222, which would legalize sexual assault restraining orders. (HB1308) is ill-fitting; its just invasive. Its not solving the problem, said Ellie Schockley, who works at Bismarck State College. Schockley said this was her first time attending a women's lobby day. She attended the TANF bill hearing to learn about it from those who opposed and supported it. She said quite a few women testified against it, while some men testified for it. I think that shows who it really impacts," said Shockley, adding that she doesn't think the legislation solves drug addiction issues. Shockley said she met and bonded with Mohamed, another event participant, at an advocacy training event in Bismarck on Sunday. I feel like (HB1308) is targeting a specific social economic section of our population," said Mohamed, who wasn't able to attend the committee hearing, but instead sent an email to her elected representative. This is another way to further humiliate and criminalize and stigmatize a population who really, right now, needs help," she said. Mohamed is a refugee from Somalia who lives in Bismarck with her husband and four kids. Last month, she testified against a proposed bill that would establish a refugee absorptive capacity, which was later turned into a study. I try to stay engaged and testify if I can," she said. We can all be engaged in one form or another. Some younger girls attended the event to get them engaged and aware of potential careers in politics. According to ND Women's Network, about 18 percent of North Dakota's legislators are women. "We need more of them," said State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, who joined other women legislators who spoke to the group in the Brynhild Haugland Room Monday afternoon. Christine Simon and her, daughter Aubree, 5, of Bismarck, came to the event with Aubree's Girl Scout troop. Simon said the event was helpful for her, though some of the concepts were difficult for her daughter who wants to be a veterinarian to understand quite yet. We really want to de-mystify the legislative process, said Caitlin McDonald, of the ND Women's Network. "We want to take away the barriers that the average person off the street encounters what keeps you from taking part in this? A lot of times its just education and not knowing about how it works." Nicole Derenne, an art history professor at the University of North Dakota, said she came to the Capitol to learn more about how bills are introduced and passed. I have been wanting to become more engaged in the political process ... learn strategies and how to better advocate for causes that I care about," said Derenne, who drove with four other women from the Grand Forks area. The event also was sponsored by several other organizations, including CAWS North Dakota and Planned Parenthood. Popular TV host Jimmy Fallon and his family are celebrating Spring break by hitting the slopes. The 42-year-old comedian shared a rare photo of his daughters and wife, Nancy Juvonen, on Instagram from their snowy vacation in Deer Valley, Utah. "The Tonight Show" star's daughters, Winnie Rose, three, and Frances Cole, two, donned matching outfits in the snap captioned, "There's no 'i' in Utah. #SpringBreak #DeerValley." Fallon's vacation comes weeks after his show celebrated their three year anniversary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today rejected a report that he was planning to meet the Dalai Lama in India. A local report had claimed that Sirisena was to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader at a university function in Bihar. "The President (Sirisena) has no immediate plans to visit India whatsoever," a statement from his office said. Sri Lanka supports the 'One China' policy. After Sirisena's victory in 2015, a group of Buddhist monks had invited the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka, a Buddhist majority country, but the visit did not take place. China views the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace laureate who fled into exile in India after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959, as a dangerous separatist. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The House intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence that the phones at Trump Tower were tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged, a request reinforced by an influential Republican senator who says the president must either come up with the evidence or retract his claim. "I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," Sen. John McCain said. President Donald Trump asserted in a tweet last week: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence. The request for evidence by Monday was made in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the House committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a senior congressional aide said Saturday. The aide wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity. Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place, but that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration. Trump has asked Congress to investigate. Early this past week, Schiff said the committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim. He also said he would ask FBI Director James Comey directly when he appears later this month before the full committee, which is investigating Russian activities during the election. Yesterday, Schiff said he doubted there was any evidence of wiretapping, but that Comey and others called to testify at the upcoming hearing "would be in a position to have to know." "I think on March 20 if not before we'll be able to put this to rest," Schiff told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week." ''I don't think anyone has any question about this, George. The only question is why the president would make up such a thing." McCain said Trump could "clear this up in a minute" if he were to call "the director of the CIA, director of national intelligence and say, 'OK, what happened?'" The president has an obligation to provide evidence that Obama broke the law or retract his claim, the Arizona Republican said. "I do believe on issues such as this, accusing a former president of the United States of something which is not only illegal, but just unheard of, that requires corroboration. I'll let the American people be the judge, but this is serious stuff," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union." Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to the president, said Sunday on Fox Channel's "MediaBuzz that the House and Senate intelligence committees have agreed to investigate and "we'll make a comment after those findings are complete." Nunes has said that so far he has not seen any evidence to back up Trump's claim and has suggested the media were taking the president's weekend tweets too literally. "The president is a neophyte to politics - he's been doing this a little over a year," Nunes told reporters this past week. Other lawmakers also have asked for evidence. Declaring that Congress "must get to the bottom" of Trump's claim, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked Comey and Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Department's criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An RSS functionary, looking after the Sangh's overseas affairs, today blamed the media for creating "hype" over "stray incidents" of attacks against Indians abroad. Sadanand Sapre, the coordinator of RSS Viswa Vibhag, however, flayed the attacks against Indians on foreign soil and said such incidents should be stopped. "Media many a times exaggerate the scene. Yes, some instances are there. To create hype... That is the nature of media," he said. Sapre's comments came in response to a question about attacks on Indians abroad during an interactive session with the audience after a programme organised here as part of 'Navathi' celebrations of Bharathiya Vichara Kendram Director P Parameswaran. Referring to incidents of attacks against Indians at Melbourne in Australia some years back, Sapre said in some cases Indians were at fault. "Melbourne incidents reported by media gives an impression that all Indians are being targeted. So I spoke to local people. They said that is not (the case). It is not at all that all the Indians are targeted. Media have an habit of creating hype," he said. "These are stray incidents and those sort of stray incidents are everywhere... Even in India," Sapre said, referring to incidents of attacks against people from Bihar in Mumbai some years back. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German Chancellor Angela Merkel regards accusations by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that she supports "terrorists" as "clearly absurd", her spokesman Steffen Seibert said late today. "The chancellor has no intention of taking part in a game of provocation," Seibert said in a brief written statement. "These accusations are clearly absurd." Erdogan, whose government is embroiled in a spiralling row with European governments over the cancellation of pro-Ankara rallies on their soil, had shortly earlier asked Merkel why she was "hiding terrorists" in her territory, accusing Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television. "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists," he added. The scathing broadside against Merkel came hours after the European Union urged him to avoid inflammatory rhetoric in a growing standoff with Germany and the Netherlands over the blocking of ministers seeking to address rallies promoting a 'yes' vote in the April 16 referendum on giving him greater powers. Erdogan had twice over the weekend accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. Erdogan has been seeking to harness the Turkish diaspora vote - which numbers as many as 1.4 million in Germany alone - ahead of the referendum on creating an executive presidency and scrapping the post of prime minister. The row erupted on March 2 when local authorities in the western German town of Gaggenau cancelled a rally which Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was set to attend, ostensibly for logistical reasons. Other local authorities followed suit, sparking fury in Ankara. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Excise and Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan has been hospitalised here after he suffered a heart attack. Sixty seven-year-old Ramakrishnanwas admitted to the Intensive care Unit of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital yesterday, after he complained of chest pain, hospital sources said today. A senior doctor of the Cardiology department of KMCH said the Minister underwent angioplasty after two blocks were detected in his arteries, they said. "The Minister is under observation at the super-speciality block of the hospital," he said. Ramakrishnan was at his residence in Perambara in the district, when he complained of chest pain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal's Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today said that no force could stop the upcoming local body elections as all legal and managerial frameworks had been prepared for the polls which are being conducted after a gap of nearly two decades. Talking to journalists here, Yadav said the Commission had been expediting preparations to hold the nationwide polls on May 14. Last month, the Nepal government had decided to hold the much-delayed but crucial local body elections in May, the first such polls in two decades. The local body elections have not been held for 20 years years due to the decade-long Maoist insurgency. It was last held in 1997. Yadav said the works regarding the printing of voters' list had reached the final stage while ballot papers were being printed. "The Commission has been carrying out technical tasks speedily," he said, adding that works relating to human resource management are also underway. He said the Commission has directed the government to deploy staff for the polls in all local levels by March 16. "The environment for polls is being gradually created," Yadav said and called all political parties to cooperate with the Commission to create a poll-conducive environment. "All kinds of disagreements and dissatisfactions should be turned into consensus. The government and major parties should play important role for the same," he said. Yadav hoped that the agitating Madhesi parties which had warned to boycott the polls would ultimately take part in them. Madhesi parties have warned to boycott the local body polls as the government did not pay attention to amend the constitution for addressing their concern before announcing the poll date. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, had launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. The protest had resulted in the death of at least 50 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese officials are issuing new warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country, following reports of fighters from China's Muslim minority fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq. Sharhat Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, yesterday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn about China becoming destabilised by the "international anti-terror situation" and calling for a "people's war." Over the past year, regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures and police patrols and staged massive rallies intended to showcase the power of the security forces. Those demonstrations are intended to "declare war against terrorists, to showcase the party and the government's resolve to fight terror, resolve to preserve public safety and (China's) mighty combat strength," Ahan told officials gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks are active in the country, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. In recent years, hundreds have died in violent incidents mainly in Xinjiang that officials blame on Uighur separatists inspired by the global Jihadi cause. While it has provided little evidence, the government, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence, warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianhua drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. "What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the US or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture." Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 2,500 DMK workers were arrested today from Coimbatore, Tirupur and Nilgiris districts when they tried to stage picketing in front of ration shops over alleged non-availability of PDS items in these districts. The workers, including party Singanallur MLA, N Karthik, former minister Pongalur N Palanisamy,district secretaries and local leaders raised slogans in front of different ration shops in and the city. Nearly, 1,050 party workers were arrested from the city, police said, adding DMK activists were also arrested at Pollachi, Mettupalayam, Sulur in the district. Tirupur, having 200 rations shops, also saw protests by DMK workers, among them a large number of women. DMK young wing secretary S Swaminathan led the picketing in Vellakoil in the district, About 1000 workers were arrested in that district, they said. In Nilgiris district, protests were held in front of 75 of a total of 200 shops and 600 party workers were arrested, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An international conference of female lawmakers from 12 nations began today in Pakistan with the objective to highlight the role of women in democracy. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz opened the seminar titled 'The Role of Women Parliamentarians in Strengthening Democracy and Social Justice' being organised by the Women's Parliamentary Caucus in Pakistan. She lauded the important role played by the group in the empowerment of women in the country and pointed out that women have equal opportunities in Pakistan in the democratic set-up. She said Pakistan has remarkable individuals who have done a great job in different fields like education. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also spoke at the three-day conference being attended by women lawmakers from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Australia, Romania, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Maldives, Indonesia and Nepal. He urged parliamentarians to become torch-bearer of change and harbinger of common world with equal opportunities, Radio Pakistan reported. Sadiq appreciated the role being played by women legislators in the Pakistani parliament. He said Pakistan's Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms has recommended reservation of a mandatory five per cent quota of awarding party tickets to women on general seats. He said that five to 10 per cent mandatory women voters' turn-out for the validity of any constituency election has also been proposed. The speakers also underscored the influential role media can play in combating extremism and empowering women. Minister of State for Interior Baligh-ur-Rehman said the government stands committed to empower women. He said the women need to be encouraged, educated and made aware of their role in countering terrorism as they have the most crucial role to play in bringing up new generations. The Conference was also attended by delegates from Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Sri Lanka which shared their views about the role women are playing and can play in promoting peaceful and just societies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In second ceasefire violation in less than 24 hours, Pakistani troops on Monday resorted to mortar shelling and firing by automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the army to retaliate. "There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Poonch sector from 0640 hours on Monday, using 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons," a defence spokesman said. Indian Army personnel took positions and responded befittingly to the Pakistani firing, the spokesman said, adding that intermittent firing was going on. There is no casualty on Indian side, he said. This is the second ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Poonch district since Sunday. On Sunday, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and mortar shelling in Krishnagati sector along the LoC in Pooch district. On March 9, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch. Condemning Pakistan for the ceasefire violation, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said, "It is an old habit of Pakistan that it always resorts to unprovoked firing along the LoC whenever there is a festival." The Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said that the soldiers were guarding the border with the same determination as "we vow to end evil things on Holi". Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said, "I think the Indian government, Indian agencies are capable of meeting any kind of challenge. You must trust the Modi government to give a befitting response (to by Pakistan). The PCB has initiated an inquiry into an incident involving an unidentified fan entering the dressing room of one of the teams before the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this month. As the final was being organised at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, an unidentified fan managed to enter the dressing room of Peshawar Zalmi franchise. The incident, which came to light through England batsman David Malan, has come as an embarrassment for PCB officials who had promised tight security. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told the media in Lahore today that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. "It is a matter of concern for us and it came to our knowledge few days back about this person getting into the dressing rooms. We have ordered an inquiry to find out how this happened and where the security lapse occurred," Khan said. According to Malan, the person managed to get into the dressing room before the final and went about asking for selfies and autographs. Malan said he had brought the presence of the unauthorised person to the notice of the security people deputed with the teams. Around 12,000 policemen, paramilitary rangers and military personnel had been deployed for the final. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today expressed shock over the recent attack on a student from Arunachal Pradesh and said the perpetrator has been arrested. "Attack on student from Arunachal is shocking. Police has taken prompt action and the perpetrator has been arrested," Siddaramaiah tweeted. Higio Guntey, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh and is a fourth-semester student of Christ University, was allegedly beaten and forced to lick his house owner's shoes for using excessive water in Bengaluru on March 6. A case was registered against the house owner, Hemanth Kumar, following a complaint from Guntey. A police official said Kumar has been arrested. Earlier, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who also hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had described the attack on the student in Bengaluru as "saddening." He had said the Home Ministry was also pursuing the matter besides the police investigation. Kumar had earlier surrendered and police were investigating the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man exposed by The Associated Press as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II, prosecutors said today. Prosecutor Robert Janicki said evidence gathered over years of investigation into US citizen Michael K confirmed "100 per cent" that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion. He did not release the last name in line with privacy laws but the AP has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. "All the pieces of evidence interwoven together allow us to say the person who lives in the US is Michael K, who commanded the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion which carried out the pacification of Polish villages in the Lublin region," Janicki said. The decision in Poland comes four years after the AP published a story establishing that Michael Karkoc commanded the unit, based on wartime documents, testimony from other members of the unit and Karkoc's own Ukrainian-language memoir. Karkoc's family has repeatedly denied he was involved in any war crimes and his son questioned the validity of the evidence against him after Poland's announcement, calling the accusations "scandalous and baseless slanders". "There's nothing in the historical record that indicates my father had any role whatsoever in any type of war crime activity," said Andriy Karkoc. He questioned the Polish investigation, saying "my father's identity has never been in question nor has it ever been hidden". Prosecutors with the state National Remembrance Institute, which investigates Nazi and Communist-era crimes against Poles, have asked a regional court in Lublin to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. "The prosecutor in Lublin intends to direct a motion to the US justice authorities asking that the suspect...Be handed over to Poland," the institute said in a statement. Janicki added the man's age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. "He is our suspect as of today," Janicki said. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. The US attorney's office in Minnesota declined to comment on the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia's powerful Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seeking foreign investment in an economic reform plan, left for the US today to meet President Donald Trump, state media said. Prince Mohammed will be the highest-ranking Saudi official to hold talks with Trump since the US leader took office in January. The visit, which officially begins Thursday, focuses on the "strengthening of bilateral relations... And regional issues of mutual interest," the Saudi Press Agency said. Second in line to the throne, Prince Mohammed is the son of King Salman and holds the post of defence minister, although much of his focus is on economic issues. He is the chief proponent of Vision 2030, a wide-ranging social and economic reform plan begun last year to diversify the oil dependent economy. Washington and Riyadh have a decades-old relationship based on the exchange of American security for Saudi oil. But ties became increasingly frayed during the eight-year administration of former president Barack Obama. Saudi leaders felt Obama was reluctant to get involved in the civil war in Syria and was tilting towards Riyadh's regional rival Iran. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has expressed optimism that the Trump presidency will be more engaged in the region, particularly in containing Iran. Saudi Arabia regularly accuses Iran of interfering in the affairs of its neighbours, particularly in Yemen where Tehran backs rebels fighting the internationally recognised government. The US provides weapons, refuelling and intelligence support for a Saudi-led coalition helping Yemen's government battle the Huthi rebels and their allies. Prince Mohammed's trip comes as King Salman, 81, is on an Asian tour lasting about one month and emphasising economic ties. A foreign diplomat told AFP the king is travelling with a large cross-section of the royal family and the tour is seen by some as a way to help him build loyalty to Prince Mohammed. Analysts have pointed to rivalry between Prince Mohammed and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 56, the first in line to the throne who is also interior minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A "progressive" writer's face was smeared with black ink here, allegedly by right wing activists who also warned him of "dire" consequences if he dare write against Hindu gods, said a senior police official. was attacked by eight or nine persons who smeared his face with black ink and fled, when he was having tea at a nearby stall here on Tuesday, Davanagere Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled told PTI. He said Yogesh, the author of controversial Kannada novel "Dundhi," was here to attend a book release function organised by Gauri 'Lankesh Patrike,' a Kannada tabloid. Journalist Gauri Lankesh runs the weekly. Yogesh was warned of dire consequences for writing against Hindu gods, Guled said, adding that the suspects shouted "Jai Sri Ram" before fleeing. Two persons have been arrested, he said. The participants and organisers, including Gauri Lankesh, held a protest march to the police station and registered a complaint, Guled said. CPI state general secretary Siddanagouda Patil also participated in the march, he added. The protesters alleged that the attackers were right wingactivists and demanded a thorough investigation into theincident and stringent action against them, Guled said. Guled said several police teams have been formed to probe the matter. Yogesh was arrested in August 2013 after local Hindu outfits lodged a complaint against him for allegedly hurting the Hindus' sentiments by depicting Lord Ganesha in poor light in his novel 'Dhundi'. RSS bigwigs will take part in a crucial three-day meet from March 19 to chalk out the future plans of the Sangh and its allied outfits, in the wake of the BJP's impressive show in the recent assembly polls. Sangh Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat, who arrived here last night, immediately left for the Amrita University, the venue of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha meet, RSS sources said here today. The Sangh chief will be joined by RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyya ji Joshi and Joint General Secretaries Dattatreya Hosabale, Krishna Gopal, Suresh Soni and Bhaigaih tonight, they said. The annual meeting of ABPS, the highest decision-making body of the RSS, will start from March 19 and activities of all the organisations, including the ABVP, the Sevabharati, the Samskrita Bharati, the Vidya Bharati and the BMS would be submitted to it, an RSS press release had said recently. The outcome of the discussions, in which elected representatives of the RSS and state leaders will take part, will be put in the form of resolutions for ratification at the Sabha, to be attended by 1,500 members, the sources said. The leaders will hold discussions with senior RSS office-bearers from North, East, West and South zones (Kshetram) on March 18. The proceeding of the three-day Sabha, being held for the first time in Tamil Nadu in its 92-year-old history, will be jointly chaired by Bhagawat and Joshi. Various issues being faced by the country will be dicussed during the meet. BJP National President Amit Shah and Union minister Nitin Gadkari are among the top party leaders expected to attend the meeting on the last day - March 21, the sources added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President B S Yeddyurappa on Monday said former Congress leader will join the BJP on March 15. "Krishna will join BJP fold on March 15 in New Delhi," Yeddyurappa told reporters in Mysuru after addressing a rally in the run up to the Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls. Yeddyurappa also mentioned about Krishna's induction in the BJP in his speech during the rally. He said Krishna would be inducted into the party in the presence of BJP National President Amit Shah and other central leaders. Krishna, on the other hand, has neither commented nor denied reports of Yeddyurappa claiming that he would be joining the saffron party. The 84-year-old Krishna had announced his resignation from the Congress on January 29, saying the party was in a "state of confusion" on whether it needs mass leaders or not. Krishna, who was Karnataka chief minister from 1999 to 2004, had returned to state after stepping down as the minister for external affairs in 2012. He had also served as Governor of Maharashtra. The bypolls are scheduled to be be held on April 9. The Nanjangud seat fell vacant after the resignation of veteran Congress leader V Srinivas Prasad in December 2016 as he was disgruntled with the Congress after he was dropped from Siddaramaiah's cabinet. Prasad later joined the BJP. The Gundlupet seat fell vacant after the death of MLA H C Mahadeva Prasad on January 3, who was Cooperation and Sugar Minister. Yeddyurappa said he would be in New Delhi on Tuesday to attend an internal party meeting. The district vice president of Shiromani Akali Dal was shot dead allegedly by a retired Colonel at Pheochichi village in this district tonight, police said. SAD leader Gurbachan Singh (80) was returning home after getting fodder for cattle when Surjit Singh Pherochichi, a retired Colonel, allegedly shot him dead with his licensed pistol, they said. The accused managed to escape after committing the crime. The reason for the shooting is being investigated, a police official said. Pherochichi, the accused in the case, is said to be a Congress worker and had earlier worked for the People's Party of Punjab before its merger, police said, adding a case has been registered against him. DSP of Gurdaspur A D Singh and other police officials reached at spot and started investigations. The body of the SAD leader has been sent for post-mortem, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks today mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters today that Japan is willing to provide support for the economic power in the Middle East. "We will discuss growth strategy, including our 'Saudi Vision' project," he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030, a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives. He did not confirm reports that the countries would agree to set up a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and was to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later today. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatised, seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a USD 25 billion private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen (USD 18.6 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen (USD 4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late yesterday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Salman's stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialisation and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged USD 1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday said that she will be seeking the Scottish Parliament's permission to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. Sturgeon wants this referendum to be held between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019 for Scotland to be able to have a say over its relationship with the European Union (EU) post- . If it gets parliamentary approval, this will be the second such Scottish independence referendum after 2014, when the region had voted to remain part of the UK. Scotland had rejected independence from the UK by 55 per cent in the September 2014 vote. "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. A choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe," Sturgeon said from her official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The First Minister said the second referendum had become necessary because of the UK government's failure to fully take Scotland's interests on board in the process. Scotland, in contrast to the rest of the UK, had voted to remain in the European Union (EU) in last June's referendum. Sturgeon will seek Scottish Parliament's permission to request a Section 30 order from the Westminster government next week, which will allow a fresh legally-binding referendum to be held once consent is granted. Sturgeon's speech came ahead of a debate in the House of Commons where MPs will considerthe Article 50 bill today. British Prime Minister Theresa May is getting closer to invoking Article 50 to trigger negotiations for Britain's exit from the EU asthe European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Billcomes up for its final vote. Sturgeon believes she can win a second independence referendum this time around because of the implications of for the country and to resist being forcibly taken out of the EU single market. "I have been genuine and sincere about trying to reach a compromise agreement with the UK government. We have not met with a Government and a Prime Minister who is willing to meet us half way on that... They have moved away from compromise with language that has appeared to become harder and harder," said Sturgeon. She claims the economic benefits of staying in the UK in a post-Brexit landscape are "significantly more challenging" than they were last time the vote was held in 2014. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today said she will be seeking the Parliament's permission to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence from the UK, a move described as "divisive" by Downing Street. Sturgeon wants this referendum to be held between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019 for Scotland to be able to have a say over its relationship with the European Union (EU) post-Brexit. If it gets parliamentary approval, this will be the second such Scottish independence referendum after 2014, when the region had voted to remain part of the UK. "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. A choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe," Sturgeon said from her official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. A UK government spokesperson said British Prime Minister Theresa May has already set out future plans that take into account the "interests of all of the nations of the UK". "Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time," he said, adding that the government had been working closely with all the devolved administrations. "Only a little over two years ago people in Scotland voted decisively to remain part of our UK in a referendum which the Scottish government defined as a 'once in a generation' vote. The evidence clearly shows that a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum," he noted. However, Sturgeon said the second referendum had become necessary because of the UK government's failure to fully take Scotland's interests on board in the Brexit process. Scotland, in contrast to the rest of the UK, had voted to remain in the European Union (EU) in last June's referendum. Sturgeon will seek Scottish Parliament's permission to request a Section 30 order from the Westminster government next week, which will allow a fresh legally-binding referendum to be held once consent is granted. Her speech came ahead of a debate in the House of Commons where MPs will considerthe Article 50 bill later today. British Prime Minister Theresa May is getting closer to invoking Article 50 to trigger negotiations for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) astheEuropean Union (Notification of Withdrawal)Billcomes up for its final vote. Sturgeon believes she can win a second independence referendum this time around because of the implications of Brexit for the country and to resist being forcibly taken out of the EU single market. "I have been genuine and sincere about trying to reach a compromise agreement with the UK government. We have not met with a Government and a Prime Minister who is willing to meet us half way on that... They have moved away from compromise with language that has appeared to become harder and harder," said Sturgeon. She claims the economic benefits of staying in the UK in a post-Brexit landscape are "significantly more challenging" than they were last time the vote was held in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today vowed to completely eliminate terrorism from Pakistan as he reviewed the progress made in the recently-launched nationwide military campaign 'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad'. Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting at the PM House where participants reviewed the operation Radd-ul-Fasaad - which translates roughly to 'elimination of discord' - and resolved to continue their action against terrorists. Sharif expressed satisfaction on the progress made by the army and other law enforcement agencies and gave directions for the pace of the operation to be expedited further. "It was reiterated unanimously that elimination of extremism and terrorism are policy imperatives for Pakistan's security," said a statement issued by the PM Office after the meeting. Operation Radd-ul-Fassad was launched last month after a series of militant attacks in the country killed more than 125 people. Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif, Advisor to PM Sartaj Aziz, National Security Advisor Lt Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua and DG ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar and other top civil and army officials attended the meeting. Various laws governing the anti-terrorism efforts were also reviewed, and ways and means to make these laws more effective were discussed. It was emphasised that enemies of peace and development will never be allowed to disrupt the attainment of peace and security across the country. It was also decided to further energise efforts on implementation of National Action Plan and ensure its better implementation by the federal and provincial governments. The recent initiatives on better management of Pak-Afghan Border were also reviewed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) co-founder Sandeep Aggarwal today said he has filed a criminal defamation case against other co-founders -- Sanjay Sethi and estranged wife, Radhika -- in Delhi courts earlier this month alleging them of downplaying his role in creation of the online marketplace. The statement, issued by Sandeep's press team, comes a day after he made several allegations against Radhika in a series of Facebook posts. was valued at over $1 billion last year. Its investors include GIC Pte Ltd, Tiger Global Managment LLC and Nexus Venture Partners. Apologising for the emotional outburst on social media and saying such acts will not happen again, the statement said, "Sandeep has been wronged on multiple counts by people he trusted the most. He is deeply hurt and while he stands by each and every word, he regrets having made the emotional outburst and using public media to express it." "He lost love of his life, ShopClues, and hardly gets to see kids and that took a toll on his emotions...While he stands by each and every word, he regrets having the emotional outburst and using public media to express it," it said. ShopClues, an online marketplace that is focussed on tier II and III cities, was founded in 2011 by the Aggarwals and Sanjay Sethi. Sandeep handed over the reins of the company to his wife as he was allegedly involved in an insider trading case in the US in 2013. Since then, he had not been actively involved with . When contacted, ShopClues denied any knowledge about the defamation cases filed by Sandeep. "The company is not aware of any of those cases. Officially, we are aware of the two cases FBI and SEC (in the US) have against him - both of which he has pleaded guilty to and he is awaiting sentencing in both of those. Sandeep has been separated from the company since 2013 after his indictment," a ShopClues spokesperson wrote in an e-mailed reply to PTI. "Sandeep filed an adultery case in district court of Gurgaon against Sanjay Sethi in December 2016. This case is being actively investigated as part of judicial process. Sandeep also filed a criminal defamation case against Sanjay and Radhika in Delhi courts in March 2017 as they have been lying in press and media and minimise Sandeep's role in creation of ShopClues," the statement issued on behalf of Sandeep said. Radhika, who is currently the chief business officer at ShopClues, said she is shocked by the unfounded and baseless allegations made in Sandeep's Facebook posts. "I am shocked by unfounded and baseless allegations being made. In the interest of privacy of my family I will not be commenting on any personal matters, however, ShopClues was always a team effort and by God's grace and hard work of a strong team, ShopClues has become a force to reckon with and I want to focus my time and energy to do what I owe to my employees, my investors, my country and myself," she said. Sandeep, through Facebook posts had questioned Radhika's educational and professional credentials and alleged that she had fraudulently taken away his voting rights in the firm. Sandeep is the largest individual shareholder in ShopClues and majority holder of the company's common shares, Sandeep's statement said. Singapore today banned a former Goldman Sachs banker from working in the city-state's financial industry for 10 years after he was linked to a corruption scandal involving Malaysian state fund 1MDB. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) also said it planned to bar three more people, all ex-employees of two Swiss banks alleged to have used the island's financial system to facilitate illicit money transfers to 1MDB. Allegations that huge sums were misappropriated from 1MDB triggered a scandal which has embroiled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, though he has denied any wrongdoing. The MAS, which serves as Singapore's central bank, said Tim Leissner, a former director of Goldman Sachs in the city-state, will be banned from "performing any regulated activity under the Securities and Futures Act". He will also be barred from "taking part, directly or indirectly, in the management of any capital market services firm" on the island, a regional financial centre. Leissner had issued an unauthorised reference letter saying that due diligence had been carried out on Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, a close family friend of Najib who had helped the Malaysian leader set up 1MDB, and that no money-laundering concerns were detected. MAS said the letter was unauthorised by Goldman Sachs and its contents were false. Low has denied any wrongdoing. Leissner resigned from the bank in February 2016. "MAS will not tolerate conduct by any finance professional that threatens to undermine trust and confidence in Singapore's financial system," Ong Chong Tee, a MAS deputy managing director, said in a statement. "It is imperative that industry professionals and representatives of financial institutions are fit and proper persons. They must be worthy of the trust that people place in them and their institutions." MAS said it had served notices to three other people linked to the 1MDB investigation who it intends to ban as well. Among them is Swiss banker Jens Fred Sturzenegger, who headed the Singapore branch of Swiss lender Falcon Private Bank. Sturzenegger, who will be banned for life, was jailed for seven months in January for money laundering and other offences related to 1MDB. MAS said it also intends to ban Yak Yew Chee for life and Yvonne Seah for 15 years. Both Singaporeans are former private bankers with the local branch of Switzerland's BSI bank and were jailed for fraud in relation to 1MDB. Singapore as well as Switzerland and the United States have launched separate probes into alleged unlawful fund flows linked to 1MDB. Singapore, known for its transparency and tough stance on corruption, last year kicked out Falcon Bank and BSI for what regulators called massive lapses in financial controls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been postponed from tomorrow until Friday due to a major snow storm closing in on the US East Coast, the White House said. "The president spoke to the Chancellor of Germany. They agreed due to the weather that the meeting should be postponed, rescheduled to March 17th," Trump's spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Model Hailey Baldwin says social media often makes her feel "depressed and anxious" even when she tries not to take it seriously. Although the 20-year-old model is a keen user of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, she says she often does not like what she reads or sees about herself on the public platforms, reported Femalefirst. "It definitely does something to the soul. There are times when I feel depressed or anxious and a big part of it comes from that. If we didn't have social media, we'd have a weight lifted off our shoulders. "It does affect you. People tell me I'm ugly, fat. I try not to care but the fact is, everyone wants to see what people are saying about them. Whoever says they don't google themselves is a liar," Baldwin told Times magazine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 55-year-old Sufi spiritual leader and his daughter were on Monday brutally murdered by unidentified attackers in Bangladesh, police said. Farhad Hossain Chowdhury and his adopted daughter Rupali Begum were found murdered in a Khanqah -- a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood -- close to the man's home in Dinajpur's Bochaganj upazila, about 350 kilometres north of Dhaka, police said. Both of them had bullet marks and the woman's throat was slit with a sharp-edged weapon, Dhaka Tribune reported. Farhad, a Pir or Sufi spiritual leader, was also the former president of Setabganj municipality unit of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party which is headed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Bochaganj police station oficer-in-charge Habibul Haque said the case was under investigation. "We are carrying out an inquest and then the bodies will be sent to the morgue," the officer added. Police said there was a power cut in the area when the incident took place. Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman said today. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, saying one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities." The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin tomorrow. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP today, saying rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. According to Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the government, the regime's delegation was scheduled to arrive in Astana today. The delegation will be headed once again by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, who has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, constitutional process, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protectionism is often associated with patriotic zeal and concern for America. While citizens should certainly have concern for their nation, protectionist measures do not necessarily secure the economic results desired. Actons director of research, Samuel Gregg, writes about the unintended effects of protectionism in a recent article for The Stream. These policies often hurt the very people theyre meant to help. Gregg, while admitting protectionism may be well-intended, indicates the superiority of free trade in bringing about human flourishing. Samuel Gregg begins by criticizing the concept of protectionism: The very word protectionism is one of its selling points. It implies that those who favor protectionist measures want to shield, guard and defend Americans from forces which undermine their economic welfare. But does protectionism realize these goals? Generally speaking, the answer is: no. In the first place, measures to protect particular businesses dont buffer them from the technological changes that are among the biggest disruptors of the economic status quo. No subsidy from the federal government in 1900 could protect the American horse-and-buggy industry from the birth of the modern car when Karl Benz built the first prototype in Germany in 1885. His technology crossed the Atlantic and Henry Ford eventually developed the Model-T. This created wealth for many, jobs for millions, and greater ease for all. Gregg affirms the fruits that can arise from free trade and criticizes the protectionist ideals that stifle innovation and economic growth. The stifling of free trade will cause more harm than good in its goal of benefiting Americans. Additionally, while having the intention of saving jobs, protectionism can actually cause a net-loss in jobs. To illustrate his point, Gregg covers the U.S. auto-import quotas of the 1980s. He says: Between 1981 and 1984, the US imposed import quotas on the car industry. In this case, the import quota sought to limit foreign car imports and thus ostensibly benefit American car manufacturers and workers. Indeed, approximately 22,000 jobs were saved. Unfortunately, it also resulted in a 41 percent average price increase in the cost of a new American car over that same period. In other words, this protectionist policy encouraged the American car industry to be less efficient. Millions of American consumers picked up the bill. The problems didnt end here. The price-increases contributed to lower demand for cars from those same American consumers. That led to fewer sales and subsequent lay-offs of over 50,000 American workers by car manufacturers. As one report retrospectively noted, Thus, even though 22,000 jobs apparently were saved, the layoffs caused by the price increase actually produced a net loss of 30,000 jobs. In his conclusion, Gregg affirms that free trade may not be a fix-all to our economic problems, but indicates that it can serve as an incentive-force in the market that creates economic growth and greater access to resources and, although imperfect, is certainly preferable to protectionism. The competition created by free trade generally results in one of two responses from affected American businesses. The first response is to try to out-innovate and out-compete foreign competitors. As a result, some businesses will not only survive but grow and prosper. Consumers benefit from better and cheaper products. Other businesses will, despite their best efforts, fail. This happens every single day. And sometimes the competition that drives an American company out of business comes mainly from other American companies. The second response for businesses facing foreign competition is to request state assistance. This is usually made in the name of the national interest or American jobs. But it actually has more to do with (1) protecting what industries regard as their markets and (2) their inability to make the hard-decisions which are part-and-parcel of business. An entire industry may even calculate that its more cost-effective for them to spend resources on lobbyists to secure some sort of government subsidy. Thats called crony capitalism, which, because of its corrupting effects, is even more reason for America to resist protectionism. Certainly free trade isnt without its downsides. But thats not a reason to blind ourselves to protectionisms many flaws. In the long-term, protectionism isnt in Americas national interest. It wont make America great. Lets hope we dont have to rediscover that truth the hard way. To read the full article, click here. Image is public domain. Three persons, including a five-year-old girl, were killed and as many others were injured in a collision between two motorcycles near Chhapiheda town in Rajgarh district today, the police said. The deceased are identified as Bajrang Malviya (30), Jagdish Malviya (25) and Sandhya. The accident occurred on Chhapiheda-Jirapur road when Bajrang and two others were headed to Borband village in bordering Rajasthan on the bike after celebrating holi in Chhapiheda, said Chhapiheda Police Station in charge J S Thakur. Those accompanying Bajrang were injured and subsequently admitted in the district hospital in Rajgarh by the police. While Jagdish was driving another bike, Sandhya and another person were riding pillion. The deceased duo were residents of Jirapur town, the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's special envoy Jason Greenblatt has met Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, as the White House put out feelers on reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The US State Department described the yesterday's visit by Trump's special representative for international negotiations as an orientation trip to enable him to get a sense of how "we can create a climate that leads to eventual peace negotiations". "I hope that we can do some good things together," Netanyahu told Greenblatt at the start of their meeting, according to a video posted by the premier's office. Greenblatt replied: "I think we're gonna do great things together." He is due to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Greenblatt would be doing "a lot of listening, discussing the views of the leadership in the region, getting their perspectives on the current situation and how progress towards eventual peace can be made". "I characterise it as the first of what will become many visits to the region," Toner added. He said that the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank was likely to be discussed, although he did not expect immediate movement on the issue. "We see them as a challenge that needs to be addressed at some point," Toner said. Trump on Friday invited Abbas "to visit the White House soon to discuss ways to resume the (Palestinian-Israeli) political process," in their first telephone conversation since Trump's inauguration in January. Greenblatt advised Trump on the Arab-Israeli conflict during the presidential election campaign. Trump received Netanyahu at the White House in mid-February and broke with decades of US policy by saying he was not bound to a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli daily Haaretz yesterday quoted Palestinian Authority officials as saying "the Palestinians will make it clear they are interested in the Trump administration presenting its own peace plan". The peace process has been deadlocked since April 2014 following the collapse of indirect negotiations led by then US secretary of state John Kerry. Since Trump came to power, having pledged to lead the most pro-Israel US administration in history, Palestinian officials have been quietly alarmed by their lack of access to senior White House figures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey has halted high level relations with the Netherlands, citing the Dutch government's barring of Turkish politicians from holding rallies ahead of a referendum on a new constitution. "Until the Netherlands compensates for what it has done, high level relations and planned meetings at a ministerial and higher level have been suspended," said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus after a cabinet meeting in Ankara yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two women labourers were today killed and two others injured when they got trapped under a huge heap of mud at an under-construction site in Madhapur area here, police said. The incident occurred at around 10.15 AM burying two women workers alive while two other workers --both men--managed to escape with minor injuries. They have been shifted to a nearby hospital, they said. "Around four labourers were working on erection of pillars 40 feet below ground level for a commercial complex when a huge heap of mud (of the retaining wall) caved in and they got trapped beneath it," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Madhapur Zone), Vishwa Prasad said. The deceased were identified as A Bharatamma (25), belonging to Nizamabad district and P Kistamma (45), a native of Medak district, the DCP told PTI adding the bodies have been sent for post-mortem and police are in the process of registering a case against the builder. Hyderabad Mayor B Rammohan, who visited the spot, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 8 lakh each to the family of the deceased workers, out of which Rs 2 lakh will be given from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Rs 6 lakh from the Labour department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person was injured in a brawl between two groups of drunken youths at a night club in Sector V of Salt Lake in the eastern fringes of Kolkata today. An officer of Bidhannagar Police Commisionerate said the youth sustained injury when two groups clashed over some arguments during a drinking session at the night club. The youth was hospitalised. The officer said the CCTV footage of the nightclub was being examined to know the circumstances. The said nightclub has been sealed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FILE - U.S. Attorney John Huber leaves the federal courthouse Friday, July 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Utahs top federal prosecutor is among dozens of U.S. attorneys nationwide whose resignations were requested by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a move to shed holdovers from the Obama administration. U.S. Attorney John W. Hubers status remained unclear Saturday. He remained identified as the U.S. attorney on the offices website Saturday, and office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch told The Spectrum newspaper (https://goo.gl/cOfS4v ) that the office was not commenting. The Department of Justice said Friday that Sessions had sought the resignation of 46 U.S. attorneys remaining from the Obama administration. Many other U.S. attorneys nominated by Obama had already left. A career prosecutor, Huber was appointed in 2015 and he acknowledged in an interview late that year that the approaching end of President Barack Obamas second term made his job security tentative. Cabinets of Wonder: What Are They and Why Were They Created? The term, cabinet of wonder, comes from the term wunderkammer (literally meaning wonder chamber). The tradition of creating cabinets of wonder began during the Renaissance, the period of time between the 14th and 17th centuries. In England and France, these cabinet of wonder collections were called cabinets or curiosity cabinets. German speaking countries called the collections a variety of more specific terms: kunstkammer (art cabinets), schatzkammer (treasure cabinets), rustkammer (history cabinets), and eventually wunderkammer (marvel or curiosity cabinets). People during the Renaissance referred to these collections generically using the terms wunderkammer or curiosity cabinet interchangeably. The first published pictorial representation of a Renaissance cabinet of curiosity in Ferrante Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale. (Image digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.) The Renaissance idea of creating a collection of (formerly) animate, inanimate, and botanical objects, and even odd specimens, came from a human desire to place mankind somewhere within the larger scheme of things. Formerly, European princes built their own private studiolo or cabinets, which contained rare natural objects and books, and acted as status symbols to impress others. Then the cabinets came to be used for scientific observation and contained more humblebut importantnatural objects and specimens. During the Renaissance, theorists from all fields of academia were making new scientific and philosophical discoveries, and realized that all of this new knowledge sometimes challenged previous beliefs about existence and mankinds place within it. Different from modern museums, wunderkammer were generally created by a single scholar: in our example, Ferrante Imperato (1550-1625), an apothecary and scholar living in Naples. In addition, the objects were believed to be interconnected by some singular purpose that could shed light on mans place within existence. Humanism was one of the most predominant movements in Italy during the Renaissance, and some humanists believed, among other things, in a notion of universalismthe idea that all things and all people were connected by some shared visible and/or invisible similarities, and all created by the divine. The Renaissance humanists endeavored to use reasoning to explain unknown aspects of nature, which developed into the study of natural history: empirical observations and experimentation were used to make conclusions about the physical world. Thus the Renaissance, and the creators of cabinets of wonder, were important in setting the stage for extraordinary advances in scientific knowledge in the decades following. What Were the Beliefs of Some Creators of Cabinets of Wonder, and Why Was Ferrante Imperato So Important? Some creators of cabinets of wonder used for scientific observation and experimentation were pietistic, and stressed living a good and helpful life. For this reason, the cabinets creators often wrote of their collections and made them open to the public to make people aware of the beauty of nature and the usefulness of natural objects. The creators would also observe and experiment on items in their collections in an endeavor to increase knowledge of all aspects of the world. Additionally, creators of cabinets of wonder often corresponded with, and visited, one another and discussed their collections and findings to increase the collective knowledge about the natural world and existence. In this vein of sharing knowledge, Ferrante Imperato was convinced by his son, Francesco, and by his own friends, to produce a written account of his cabinet of wonder, in the form of the 28 books which comprise his work Dellhistoria Naturale. The majority of the works books are concerned with stones, minerals, gems and earth (i.e., minerology and related fields). The last two books deal with living organisms: plants and animals. Imperato especially featured and worked with herbs used to create medicines as an apothecary. The first version of Dellhistoria Naturale, printed in 1599, totaled 791 pages between the 28 books that comprised it, with 119 woodcut illustrations interspersed throughout the text. One of the first European natural history research collections, Imperatos cabinet may have contained as many as 35,000 plant, animal and mineral specimens. Imperato quoted other authors at the beginning of his subject sections and discussed what he thought of the authors ideas, and then launched into his own beliefs about the subjects based on his experimentation on, and observation of, specimens in his cabinet of wonder. Marine creature and Horned Viper, from Ferrante Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale (1599). Digitized by Smithsonian Libraries. Many creators of these cabinets were drawn to collecting specimens in an endeavor to make life more comfortable for people in acts of piety, either by collecting herbs and natural materials like Imperato did in order to create medicines, or by collecting natural materials believed to be alchemical or metallurgical in order to experiment with new recipes (segreti, or secrets) to ease human ailments. Sometimes piety, however, was considered heretical by the Catholic Church in Italy at this time due to pietisms emphasis on individual religious devotion (which leaves room for the idea that the Church may not be needed). Imperatos friend and scientific rival, Giovanni Battista Della Porta, who practiced pietism, created the Academia Secretorum Naturae (Accademia dei Segreti), which translates to The Academy of the Mysteries of Nature, in order to study and share information about natural science with like-minded scholars. In 1579, Della Portas Accademia was accused of sorcery and disbanded by the Pope. Arachnids and other insects from Ferrante Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale (1599). Digitized by Smithsonian Libraries. Some humanist scholars did, in fact, possess objects in their cabinets of wonder believed to have magical properties based on arcane knowledge, and these items included magical lanterns, speaking tubes, and distorting mirrors. So the humanist sharing of secrets of nature did include, for some, secret of a magical (heretical) sort. Imperato saw his cabinet of wonder as a place to derive knowledge directly from the artifacts before him, rather than trying to apply secret knowledge from arcane ancient and contemporary manuscripts to the objects in order to try and produce a result, like other scholars of his time, such as Girolamo Ruscelli (who had his own Accademia Segreta). When Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale was being printed in 1599, and more people knew about the pietism, and beliefs in magical properties of some items in some cabinets of wonder, Imperatos son, Francesco, feared his fathers text might lead to heresy charges. Francesco thus quickly printed another shorter version of his fathers text with many references to saints and Christian writers. Imperato was not charged by the Church with heresy or sorcery when his full text, in all 28 books, came out, and this text became the first to feature an illustration of a cabinet of wonder, and the first work on natural history completely written in Italian (rather than scholarly Latin). An experiment with asbestos, from Ferranto Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale (1599). Digitized by Smithsonian Libraries. Interesting Facts: Some of the scholars and knowledgeable men with whom Ferrante Imperato corresponded included: Ulisse Aldovrandi, Gaspard Bauhin, Pierandrea Mattioli, and Fabio Colona. Imperato was amazed by asbestos, which was a relatively new substance at the time, with paradoxical and malleable qualities. Imperato experimented with asbestos and included an illustration of one of his experiments with it in Dellhistoria Naturale (fig. 18)the only experiment depicted in the work. In order to argue that a toads skull was actually a stone unlike any other natural stones, Imperato captured a pregnant viper and gathered many toads to prove that the viper could not penetrate the toads skull, and called the toads skull toadstone (pietra di rospo). In 1611, Galileo demonstrated for other scholars the luminescent nature of a stone called the Bologna stone (lapis Bononiensis), or the solar sponge. When Imperato heard about this stone, he was fascinated but thought it qualified as natural magic and claimed: I believe that it is not natural but artificial. Cabinets of wonder often included fossilsImperato had manyand humanist debate in Italy in the early fifteenth century led to subsequent discussions about what the existence of fossils meant; European students visiting Italy spread this debate throughout many regions when they returned to their home towns. Ferrante Imperatos Dellhistoria Naturale contains medical folklore such as the ideas that wearing amethyst in the navel prevents drunkenness, sapphire cleans the eyes in such a way as to prevent lust, and jasper worn as an amulet can stop bleeding. References: Dion, M. (n.d.). History of the wunderkammern (cabinet of curiosities). Mark Dion: Tate Thames Dig. Retrieved from http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/mark-dion-tate-thames-dig/wunderkammen Duffin, C.J., Moody, R.T.J., & Gardner-Thorpe, C. (Eds.). (2013). A history of geology and medicine. Geological Society: Special Publication, 375, 23-24. Findlen, P. (1994). Possessing nature: Museums, collecting, and scientific culture in Early Modern Italy. Berkeley, C.A.: University of California Press. Grice, G. (2015). Cabinet of curiosities: Collecting and understanding the wonders of the natural world. New York, N.Y.: Workman Publishing. Guitard, E. (1937). Ferrante Imperato. Revue dhistoire de la pharmacie, 25(100), 196. Mottana, A. (n.d). The first modern translation of Theophrastus On Stones (pi epsilon rho Anot sign lambda AI omega I1/2; De lapidibus): Ferrante Imperato (1599). Rendiconti Lincei-Scienze Fisiche E Naturali, 21(1), 1-25. Philippe, J. (2003). Les curiosites de trois apothicaires. Revue dhistoire de la pharmacie, 91(340), 603-610. Rosenberg, G.D. (Ed.). (2009). The revolution in geology from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. GSA Memoir Series, 203, 84. Vai, G. B., & Cavazza, W. (2006). Ulisse Aldrovandi and the origin of geology and science. The origins of geology in Italy: GSA special papers, 411, 43-63. LOGAN Cache County Sheriffs deputies arrested two people on multiple drug charges, after they allegedly led law enforcement on a chase through Blacksmith Fork Canyon early Sunday morning. Lt. Mike Peterson said the chase started after a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a car, driving along SR-101 near Hyrum. The deputy suspected the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A chase began when the driver refused to pull over, continuing east on the highway into the canyon. Deputies pursued the vehicle all the way to Hardware Ranch where the road was covered with snow and the car was not able to continue. Peterson explained that the driver turned the car around and faced deputies. After a short time with deputies giving commands for the occupants to exit the car, the driver drove toward deputies, attempting to ram a police vehicle unsuccessfully. The suspect then started driving back down the canyon, until a deputy deployed a spike strip, bringing the car to a stop. Deputies arrested Jesus Winces and Jessica Gonzalez, both 20-years-old. They were both booked into the Cache County Jail on multiple drug charges. Investigating deputies discovered the suspects were in possession of substances believed to be drugs along with other evidence of criminal activity. A K9 search of the area where the vehicle stopped near Hardware Ranch also found what is believed to be drugs, believed to have been thrown from the car. Peterson said there was no other traffic in the canyon and no citizens were endangered at any time during the incident.

will@cvradio.com The critical but aging Georgian hydropower facility of Enguri is currently closed and under inspection, likely in urgent need of repairs. The facility serves both Georgia and Abkhazia, with portions of the facility located in each territory. Existing agreements compel Georgia to keep the lights on in Abkhazia for free in return for Abkhazia's (and Russia's) continued acknowledgement Georgia as the owner and operator of the facility. With Abkhaz consumption continuing to rise, Georgia is increasingly questioning how much it should be willing to do in order to maintain control of its largest power plant. BACKGROUND: On February 19th, Enguri Dam in the Zugdidi region of Georgia was shut for an assessment of what critical maintenance needs to be done. The dam and power plant will remain closed for two to four weeks. How much damage inspectors will find is uncertain (Georgian estimates of 30 million Euros and 3-4 months of repairs compare oddly to Russian estimates of US$ 1 billion and 3 years of repairs), but what is clear is that another dangerous moment in regional relations is at hand. The aging Enguri Dam, modeled on Colorado's Hoover Dam and first opened in 1978, is considered an engineering marvel. It is the second-highest arch dam in the world, and the largest single source of power in Georgia. Last year it generated almost a third of all Georgia's electricity, and provided all of Abkhazia's power. Although the dam is situated securely in Georgian territory, the electricity facility it powers is located 15 kilometers away, in the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia. In spite of Abkhazia's declaration of independence in 1992, and Russia's recognition after the 2008 war, Georgia still considers the region part of its own territory. In stark contrast to the decisions taken by Ukraine regarding Crimea, Georgia is unwilling to cut off power to the residents of its breakaway province. And if it were to grow less charitable, there is still the matter of Abkhazia controlling access to the power facility. Somewhat bewilderingly, Georgia supplies power generated by Enguri to Abkhazia at no charge. Back in 1996, the government agreed to give Abkhazia 40 percent of the power generated in exchange for recognition of Georgian ownership and access to the facility. As years passed, Georgia went through major reforms in metering, billing and demand reduction, while Abkhazia's demand (where power was free) remained at Soviet levels. Abkhaz demand has been on a sharp upward path ever since the 2008 war with Abkhazia (population 241,000) now consuming more electricity than Georgia's capital city of Tbilisi (population 1.2 million). According to the Georgian Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission report, Georgia provided 17.31 percent of all its power supply to Abkhazia in 2015. As Abkhaz demand rose, now backed by Russian presence, the 40 percent somehow became a guaranteed minimum amount of power for Abkhazia regardless of Enguri's production. The Georgian grid has been improved and strengthened, and is now the strongest in the region, but meanwhile Enguri has remained in decline, due to significant silt buildup at the dam, deteriorating concrete and seepage, and declining water levels. In recent years, during low-flow seasons, Abkhazia often gets all the power generated from Enguri, and during past repairs and inspections, Georgia has been compelled to buy power from Russia to keep the lights on. Unless Georgia were willing to cut Abkhazia off its grid, keeping the lights on in Abkhazia is a key component of keeping the rest of Georgia's grid stable. This might seem like delicious irony to Abkhazia, but the implications are deeply troubling and the situation unsustainable. Abkhazia's rise in consumption is no doubt influenced by the arrival of 5,000 Russian troops, plus their 5,000 family members and the establishment of three military bases all of which are receiving power at no cost from their adversary. Meanwhile, the very source of that power is being degraded. IMPLICATIONS: With the glaring exception of Abkhazia, Georgia has developed an electricity sector that is a model in the region relatively efficient and transparent, and ready to sell seasonal hydroelectricity to its neighbors. Georgia was recently invited to join the European Energy Community after years of negotiations, which reflects both Georgia's accomplishments in energy and its aspirations to continue to develop a western-approved model of energy sales. Even Russia, which owns significant assets in Georgia, has benefitted from Georgia's electricity sector reforms. The Russian parastatal Inter-RAO, which manages all of Russia's dealings with transboundary electricity, has many years of experience in Georgia, where it is the lead owner in the Telasi company (which manages the electricity grid of Tbilisi) as well as the owner of several blocks of thermal power. The Georgian government reports a good relationship with Inter-RAO, a company whose behavior in the former Soviet space tends to vary from professional to predatory, depending on the strength of the regulatory institutions of the host state. In a break from past practice, whereby Georgia had been compelled to purchase electricity from Russia to supply Abkhazia during periods when Enguri was not operating, this time Inter-RAO has offered to supply power to Abkhazia during current inspections. Georgia welcomed this announcement, but the role Inter-RAO plans to play at the facility remains unclear. Inter-RAO may be attempting to create a debt-for-equity situation with Abkhazia whereby it will angle to become a part owner of the facility based on its coverage of Abkhaz energy debt. Inter-RAO has tried to take on a role at Enguri in the past, without success. Six months after the 2008 war, Russia and Georgia arrived at a secret agreement regarding the management of Enguri, but Inter-RAO leaked the agreement (which showed that Georgia was bypassing Abkhazia to negotiate directly with Russia) and public outcry caused it to be abandoned. The government of Abkhazia has not been open to renegotiations since then. The cost, both of renovations and alternate power during the renovations, is a critical uncertainty as is the amount of time repairs will require. EBRD is fronting the first 30 million Euros for repairs, but no one (not even the Georgian public) is eager to provide substantial capital for a facility that has to manage across hostile borders without clear agreements, and gives away much of its power. Abandoning Enguri would be a disaster for both entities. Georgia wants to continue to own and operate it, but cannot afford extensive repairs without collecting payment for electricity. Abkhazia cannot produce electricity without Georgian cooperation, not even if with greater assistance from Russia. Both are bound to the shared energy infrastructure, and neither entity is made better off by shared energy instability. Clear agreements on supply, political will to implement power distribution sector reforms on the part of the Abkhaz de-facto authority, together with individual re-metering, introduction of cost-based retail tariffs, payment enforcement, demand side management and improved transparency are all essential to provide Abkhazia with longer term energy security. If Inter-RAO (whose corporate motto is "energy without borders") can play that role, it will be a welcome strengthening of the regional grid. If, on the other hand, Inter-RAO seeks to profit from continued confusion associated with the facility, it will hasten the demise of Enguri. CONCLUSIONS: Global electricity exports are rising, and can serve as an important vehicle for reducing costs and bringing more green energy into grids. As a world leader in international electricity trade, Russia's interest in helping move Abkhazia to a more secure electricity footing exceeds its interest in continuing to consume free electricity at its bases there. Abkhaz interests are not well-served by unaccountable and rising electricity consumption. Reliable, affordable electricity is a critical component of development and security. International attention to the problem should be looking to ensure that Russia helps ensure that its client, Abkhazia, doesn't become colder and darker by destroying its long-term access to energy. Meanwhile the widely disparate estimates of the cost and time needed for repairs suggests that outside technical advice and oversight will be a critical aspect of confidence-building and a fair resolution. AUTHORS BIO: Theresa Sabonis-Helf is Professor of Security Studies at the National War College/National Defense University, and is currently on sabbatical researching electricity politics in Central Asia and the Caucasus. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an Adjunct Professor in the Science, Technology and International Affairs program at Georgetown University. The opinions represented in this article are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official position of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Image source: Theresa Sabonis-Helf on 29.10.2016 | BY Ricki Green | By Jonas Lembke (left), executive creative director, Atomic 212 Once upon a time, to create a fantastic establishing shot of a spectacular location, you were looking at dropping thousands and thousands of dollars hiring a helicopter, a pilot, as well as a camera that was up to the task, and someone to with the skills to actually use that bulky, technical piece of kit. Last week, we took our drone out over Sydney Harbour and shot some of the most breathtaking footage of the worlds best harbour that Ive ever seen. And that most breathtaking accolade comes with no qualifier. Professional film crews havent done it better. But thats nought to do with the photographer the fact is, the equipment we had on hand is good enough to allow just about anyone to capture the kind of shots that would make James Cameron proud. For less than $2000, just about anyone can get their hands on a quality quadcopter packing a camera that shoots at 4K resolution, which takes video as smooth as a top-of-the-line Steadicam thanks to its gimbal. No, none of this is news, but it doesnt hurt to occasionally reflect on just how far technology has come, and the amazing doors it has opened for creatives. But while the idea of creativity having been democratised is all the buzz, the reality is that this process has been going on for decades. Film remains one of the most popular and therefore most powerful forms of creative expression, and continues to hold an allure for many of us. However, the idea of democratising creativity through making the creation of film the property of the masses is not a new one. Take a filmmaker like Kevin Smith. His feature debut, Clerks, was made on a budget of just $27,575 funded by driving himself into massive credit card debt. Of course, the film became a cult classic and launched Smiths career. All this occurred in 1994, more than 20 years ago, at a time when some of the films biggest expenses were $3400 renting a camera (plus $730 to insure the rental), $1600 for film, and $3295 spent processing said film. Thats over $9000 these days, he could have bought two top-of-the-line digital cameras and a Mac with some decent editing software for that kind of price. Boom, youve got your own film studio! And Smiths brand of DIY creativity was hardly films first. The Super 8 and VHS Camcorder were brought to market for that very purpose, and a revolution in filmmaking was expected. But what mostly resulted was shelf-warmers; rows of film-rolls or cassettes of footage that were more fun to make than to watch. Projectors were put in boxes in garages, along with dreams of Scorsesean fame and fortune. So why are we talking about the democratisation of creativity again now with the serge in electronic filmmaking? Has anything changed? Are we better artists now? Was the problem all along that the audiences just didnt get it? Well yes and no. Because even if levels of average artistry might never change, one very important thing has and changed dramatically: the democratisation of distribution. Thanks to the likes of YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud, along with exponentially growing social platforms such as Periscope, Facebook Live and Snapchat, distribution of film, music and ideas is free. Access to the global market is gratis, not just the means of production, and that makes all the difference. Along with this comes a massive shift in behaviour. George Orwell predicted a dystopian future where a camera on your wall recorded your every move, sending shivers down the spine of readers for generations. But now we rush to put cameras in our homes, complaining only when insufficient numbers of people are watching what we do. We record our friends, our commute, our sustenance intake and our free time. We have become broadcasters. In 1992, Bruce Springsteen famously sang 57 Channels (And Nothin On) as a criticism of the oversaturation (and poor quality) of American television media. (As an aside, in late 2014, The Boss described the filmclip for that particular tune as being Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels and no flat screen TVs. His medium of choice for explaining the motivation behind the song? Facebook, of course.) So where are we now? At an estimated 3.5 billion people (and growing) broadcasting to the world on a daily basis, is there anything on? The short answer is that theres a lot more filler than quality content people want to tune into, but perhaps all this broadcasting is in aid of something else. Perhaps the cameras we use are no longer aimed at a career in film, but used simply as tools to communicate. Watching and being watched has become a seamless aspect of modern life. Expected. Integrated invisibly and comfortably into late-night chats, intercontinental conferences and family reunions. And if my generation still harbours some reservations about this on-air life, then they are totally lost on the generations that will follow us. In fact, YouTube claims that YouTube on mobile alone, reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S., while according to Hootsuite, Snapchatters watch over 10 billion videos per dayan increase of more than 350% since 2015. This explosion of user-generated content saw Defy Medias fourth annual Acumen Report find that for consumers aged 13-24, YouTube is the must watch platform. In fact, 67% of that particular demographic said they cant live without YouTube, while 48% couldnt be without the videos on social-media services an aggregate of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Tumblr. Sure, it was an American study, but those staggering findings cant be ignored in our market. So what do those numbers tell us? In many ways, the total saturation of broadcasting has once again put the focus back on something else: ideas. Its ideas, not technology, that determines success. Not structures, strategies or models. Ideas. | BY Ricki Green | Nationwide Super (formerly NSF) has just undergone a major rebrand undertaken by The Proverbials and Sticky. Its new Small Business Super Business positioning reflects its focus on providing the Super designed for the workers and owners of small businesses around Australia. Says Brian Daly, The Proverbials: None of the other funds really seem to care about the small business sector. They are all either niche industry or big industry players no-one was looking out for small business except Nationwide, so we thought it was important to get our message out there. The launch includes testimonials from small business owners from a variety of industries from around the country. Says Craig Wilson, Sticky: The campaign is predominantly digital based. There will be some TV and print media support, but digital definitely gives us the biggest opportunity for growth. The campaign commences on 14 March with creative from The Proverbials, media and digital assets through Sticky, with logo design by DMG, photography by Hannah Rose and video production through Eluminate. | BY Lynchy | Join Campaign Brief at AdFest next week for Sunset Drinks overlooking the magnificent views at the Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. We are again joining with The Sweet Shop, Fin Design + Effects and The Gunnery to though put on a sunset drinks party late afternoon on Friday March 24th just before the first AdFest awards presentation. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. "Most of these, it would be fair to say, are people who have retired and are looking to move back to where their kids are, like I myself just did, or move away from the cold," he said. "The cultural significance of the whole development area is pretty high," he said. "You have to understand for my people to survive for thousands of years we had to navigate through the landscape and waterways were our pathways. Most of our sites are pretty close to the Ginninderra Creek zone." The controversy flared up again this month when the agency's boss revealed that she and other senior staff were spending their days in a McDonalds restaurant in the town, doing their work using the burger joint's free wi-fi because there was no other office space for them in Armidale. The Turin 5G project, which entered the operational stage after an agreement was signed on Friday, will see over 100 smart cells installed from as early as this year in the main streets and squares of the city. TIMs first 5G technology trial in a metropolitan area will be launched by 2018 in its innovation and development centre in Turin, with the aim of driving the development of a new generation mobile network. The signing of this agreement demonstrates TIM's capacity to be a leader in the companys innovation process, stated Giuseppe Recchi, executive chairman of TIM. We are the first private investor in the country with a business plan that includes 11 billion of investments in 3 years, 5 billion of which will be dedicated to developing the new ultra-broadband networks: the plan concerns the future, fast connections and the development of cities. When we talk about big data, digital identity and the Internet of Things, we are aware that underlying all this there is always quality and the speed of the networks. TIM has the privilege of being a leading company in the development of the digital culture of the country and today this agreement adds another important element to our strategy. The trial will involve up to a maximum of 3,000 users who will be able to take advantage of very high performances and transmission speeds and experimental services and applications, provided by the city administration and made possible by TIMs 5G network. These small cells will be in addition to the 200 mobile ultra-broadband sites which TIM will use to for its radio coverage in the city. The new mobile network will be supported by TIM's fibre-optic infrastructure which covers most of the city. The project will see the gradual extension of the new mobile broadband infrastructure to the municipal urban area with the aim of covering the entire city by 2020. Back in October 2016, TIM announced that it had deployed what it claimed to be the first 500Mbps mobile data connection on its LTE network in Italy, after collaborating with Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies. The operator conducted innovation lab tests in Turin and then in the field, on the radio base stations of the city, reached download speeds of more than 500Mbps on a single data connection on the LTE live network. Turin is set to become part of the first pan-European network of 5G interconnected cities amid the European Commissions 5G Action Plan. Chiara Appendino, Mayor of Turin, added: It is a positive sign that TIM has chosen Turin as an urban area to test an innovative technology such as 5G, linked to the mobile network. A decision that confirms the historical connection with the telephone company which has deep roots here in the city of the Mole Antonelliana. The high speed services and applications can only bring benefit, in the immediate future, to the manufacturing world and the community. In December 2016, TIM launched a 4.5G offering to business and retail customers in Rome and Palermo with speeds of 500 Mbps download plus a new Sony Xperia XZ. 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 ... Doe Publius (nice alias) runs the The Real Write Winger blog, hosted by WordPress. He was unhappy about Californias ammunition purchase registry, which publishes the drivers license information, residential address and telephone number, and date of birth for anyone who purchases or transfers ammunition in California. To protest, he made a blog post, Tyrants to be registered with California gun owners, that included the names, home addresses and home phone numbers of 40 legislators (the so-called tyrants) who supported the registry. This resulted in several legislators getting angry calls at home. California Govt Code Sec. 6254.21(c) allows politicians to opt-out of having their home contact information published via a notice-and-takedown scheme: No person, business, or association shall publicly post or publicly display on the Internet the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official if that official has made a written demand of that person, business, or association to not disclose his or her home address or telephone number. Sec. 6254.21(e) adds that An interactive computer service or access software provider, as defined in Section 230(f) of Title 47 of the United States Code, shall not be liable under this section unless the service or provider intends to abet or cause imminent great bodily harm that is likely to occur or threatens to cause imminent great bodily harm to an elected or appointed official. A state legislative counsel issued a takedown-and-staydown demand to WordPress that included the threat that we reserve the right to file an action seeking injunctive relief, as well as associated court costs and attorneys fees. As quoted by the court, the letter did not attempt to address WordPress obvious Section 230 immunity or, for that matter, show how the (e) exception applied to WordPress, i.e., how WordPress intended to abet or cause imminent great bodily harm that is likely to occur or threatens to cause imminent great bodily harm. (Indeed, in a footnote, the court says California does not suggest Publiuss speech was a threat or otherwise not protected by the First Amendment). Nevertheless, and despite its probable legal immunity, WordPress promptly removedwithout further explanationPublius blog post after receiving the demand. Note that WordPress user guidelines say its not OK to disclose the sensitive personal information of others, so WordPress may have decided to enforce its own guidelines even if Section 230 immunized it if it took no action. Separately, Hoskins runs the Northeastshooters.com message boards in Massachusetts. A user, headednorth, reposted Publius directory of home addresses and phone numbers. The legislative counsel sent a similar takedown demand to Hoskins, and he complied. The Court Opinion The plaintiffs sought a declaration that Sec. 6254.21(c) violates the First Amendment, the Dormant Commerce Clause and Section 230. The court grants a preliminary injunction based on the First Amendment and DCC but not Section 230; and seemingly to emphasize how ridiculous the governments position is, it requires the plaintiffs to post a bond of $1.00. Standing. Hoskins had standing because As the owner of Northeastshooters.com, Hoskins has a First Amendment right to distribute and facilitate protected speech on the site.Defendants takedown demand letter threatening legal action against Hoskins if he did not immediately comply and remove headednorths post, coupled with Hoskinss compliance with the demand, constitutes a cognizable constitutional injury. In a footnote, the court adds Hoskins, as the owner and operator of Northeastshooters.com, has third-party standing to assert the First Amendment rights of its anonymous users, such as headednorth. Paging Hassell v. Bird!!! Publius injury was the removal of his blog post, but the state contested that it was responsible for the removal of his post because WordPress did the deed. The court says its plausible that WordPress acted only because of the states takedown-staydown demand. First Amendment. The court says Sec. 6254.21 triggers strict scrutiny because its content-based on its face: it applies only to speech that contains certain contentthe home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed [California] official.' The court quotes Bartnicki v. Vopper: state action to punish the publication of truthful information seldom can satisfy constitutional standards. More specifically, the First Amendment protects the right to publish highly personal information of private individuals, such as the names of rape victims and juveniles involved in legal proceedings, when they relate to matters of public concern. Here, publication of the legislators information was part of a political protest against the ammo registry, which disclosed similarly private info for ammo traders. The court explains: Plaintiffs means of protesting the legislation is by compiling their own database of the legislators residential addresses and phone numbers. Like the plaintiff in Ostergren, that information is not just integral to [Plaintiffs] message, it is their message. The court then explains a number of reasons why the law isnt narrowly tailored: * the law only requires the politician to subjectively perceive a threat, irrespective of whether the threat is credible * the law doesnt distinguish between information that is private and information that has already been publicized * the law is underinclusive because it only restrict Internet publication, not other media. Dormant Commerce Clause. The court says that, as applied to Hoskins, the law reaches extraterritoriality to govern activity taking place solely outside California. The statute does not limit its application to California, nor does it require that websites displaying officials home address or telephone numbers bar California only internet users access. Section 230. Hoskins apparently takes the position that California violated Section 230 by sending him a takedown demand. I like that theory, but thats not how Section 230 works. The court says Section 230 only acts as a shield from lawsuits and possibly a sword against statutes that violate it; its not a sword against wrongful takedown demands (compare the uncited 17 USC 512(f), which is such a sword, though imperfect). Citing Google v. Hood, the court says that the laws imposition of liability on intermediaries isnt ripe for review because no such imposition occurred in this case. Implications Watching the watchers. I dont personally love the protesting method of publishing a politicians home contact information. I dont think a politician should have to sacrifice all privacy as part of the job; they deserve private spaces where they can feel personally safe. This case reminds me a little of the Planned Parenthood v. ACLA case involving the publication of home addresses of doctors who performed abortions, followed by strikethroughs in their names when they were killed. Politicians shouldnt have to feel this kind of stress. However, in this case, this particular protest against the ammo trader registry effectively made its point that government-mandated disclosures are a powerful and possibly overly blunt tool. Furthermore, Sec. 6254.21 expressly suppresses truthful information, which is a big no-no. This reminds me a little of the anti-IMDb law recently passed by the California legislature, which also was struck down as unconstitutional in IMDb v. Becerra Internet exceptionalism. The law regulates the publication of politicians personal information online, but not in other media. What justifies this Internet exceptionalism? Probably nothing. The court says in a footnote that Ironically, a newspaper could face no liability under 6254.21(c)(1) for publishing in print the same information that it posts online. I can (and eventually will) make the case for Section 230s exceptionalism, but I cant construct any cogent argument for 6254.21s exceptionalism. State laws that provide qualified exclusions for Section 230. The law expressly acknowledges Section 230, but then it provides an inconsistent exclusion from liability thats narrower than Section 230s immunity. (Hoskins raised this implicit conflict, but apparently too late). State legislatures have occasionally made this type of gesture to Section 230, and though it wasnt resolved in this case, those efforts to provide narrower immunities than Section 230 will fail in court. Even if the base law survived, Section 230 would override the states exception. Dormant Commerce Clause. Ive long taken the position that all state-based efforts to regulate the Internet violate the Dormant Commerce Clause. This ruling is a nice and clean application of that principle. At minimum, states that want to regulate the Internet should expressly limit their laws to situations when all relevant parties are located in their state and they all know that fact. Even then, I may have DCC concerns, but any state law without such territorial restrictions should be constitutionally dubious. Whats Next? Last Friday, the parties filed a joint status motion: Defendant has advised that it will not appeal the preliminary injunction ruling but rather wishes to proceed with discovery and, ultimately, to a final judgment in the District Court. The parties agree the case should not require a trial. Defendant has further advised that it objects to Doe Publius proceeding pseudonymously and has requested that Publius file a motion to continue proceeding in that manner. Publius has agreed to file such motion by March 29, 2017. Plaintiffs and Defendant engaged in a preliminary discussion and written meet-and-confer on what discovery Defendant contends is necessary or appropriate in light of the preliminary injunction ruling and Plaintiffs desire to promptly position the case for resolution at summary judgment. If the parties are unable to reach agreement, Plaintiffs anticipate filing a request that the June 8, 2017 mid-discovery status conference be advanced, as the magistrates calendar permits. Case citation: Doe Publius v. Boyer-Vine, 2017 WL 772146 (E.D. Cal. Feb. 27, 2017). Doe Publius victory blog post. This is a thoughtful, careful and well-constructed opinion that made me proud to be an American, so Im going to give the Technology & Marketing Law Blogs Judge-of-the-Day award to Judge Lawrence J. ONeill. Flying Irishmen 009.jpg A popular downtown Ocean Springs nightspot, The Flying Irishmen, will close its doors after one last party Friday night -- St. Patrick's Day. (Warren Kulo/The Mississippi Press) The Flying Irishmen owners Todd Cockroft and Amy Balius-Walper. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- One of the more popular nightspots in downtown Ocean Springs is shutting its doors for good, but not before one last "blowout." The Flying Irishmen on Government Street will close after more than three years in business at the end of the night Friday -- St. Patrick's Day. It is the only "Irish pub" in downtown Ocean Springs. "We're just done," said owner Todd Cockroft, who operates the bar with his wife, Amy Balius-Walper. "It was fun. We got it off our bucket list. It was just a good time for me to go." The pub had developed a loyal following since opening in December 2013 and, according to Cockroft, did "good business. We did well there." "But owning a bar just doesn't fit into my life right now," he said. The Flying Irishmen was a family-run business, with Cockroft, his wife, brother-in-law and step-daughter all helping out. But Cockroft said he has an eye on a future venture which would not only be family-run, but more family-friendly. "I'd like to do The Flying Irishmen again, except do a more family-oriented place," he said. "A bigger, open venue -- something the city wouldn't look at as just another bar. Something with awnings, outdoor seating. "I really just want out of the bar scene and do something more conducive to a family-friendly environment." Signs outside The Flying Irishmen in Ocean Springs countdown the days remaining until the pub closes for good and advertise Friday's night's St. Patrick's Day festivities. Cockroft, an experienced pilot, says aviation is his "real career" and he wants to "concentrate on that." He said he has sold The Flying Irishmen and it will remain a bar, but under a confidentiality agreement he cannot reveal the name of the new owner(s) or what the pub may become. In the meantime, Cockroft and the "Irishmen's" loyal following are looking forward to a perfect going out of business party Friday night. St. Patrick's Day would seemingly be the perfect time to close out an Irish pub. Traditional fish & chips will be served, as well as boiled shrimp, during the event, and there will be free giveaways, along with live music. Part of the proceeds from Friday night will be donated to the Home of Grace in Vancleave, Cockroft said. "We should have a bunch of people down there for one last blowout," he said. 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. On day of Holi today, the Karnataka II PUC accountancy exam took place in the festive mood with students ready to celebrate their exams success as the accounts paper turned out to be easy. Being not even a lengthy paper, the exam gave students ample time to solve the questions and do it dexterously. How did Karnataka II PUC Accountancy exams go? Says N Pavithra, an invigilator, "In the room that I supervised, students did not even ask for extra papers. But they all sat and wrote very neatly. Their presentation was good and it all went on smoothly." In an exam center in Jayanagar, third block, 668 students attended the Accountancy exam from three different pre university colleges. While anxious parents waited outside the exam hall, the students seemed happy and satisfied about the ongoings of the exam and came out cheerfully discussing the answers. "The subject is a little difficult but I am hoping that my daughter has done well," said a parent Suma, as her daughter Meghana came out happily after having given her best shot. While Part B was the easiest for S Anusha, for Nishy Prateshi, Part C was the part where she expected to secure the highest. "The questions on shares were quite easy. The paper was good and we have all done well," said Prateshi. Accountancy Paper Analysis Section A This part carried ten 2 marks questions with a choice to answer any 7. There were no numerical questions in this section and it was fully theory. Section B This section carried five marks questions. There was a choice to answer any four out of the seven questions. It had mostly sums to calculate and balance sheets to solve. Section C This sections contained 14 marks questions for five pages long. It was full of accounts problems but students reported this to be the easiest section that had the scope to score more. Section D This is the last section that had practicals oriented questions carrying five marks. Students were given a choice to attempt any two out of the three. Karnataka II PUC Computer Science Exam Paper Analysis The SSLC exams are around the corner, most schools are holding special program or evening classes to improve the performance of their students. A Mangaluru government school has gone a step further. It has offered an encouragement to its students are unlikely to ignore a two-day tour by flight to Bengaluru for those who score more than 90 per cent in the exams that are considered a foundation in a student's life. The Headmistress of the Car Street government school here revealed that the teacher who handled social studies in the school had casually told the students last year about the prize on doing well. The students had got "super excited" and worked very hard after that. "To motivate the students to study well in the very important SSLC exams, Sujatha Hegde told them that the school would fly them to the state's capital city. When three students went on to score in access to 90 per cent marks, we honored her announcement even though we had no funds for it," Rajeevi K said. Money was arranged through donations, the students were taken to Bengaluru by flight, which they enjoyed a lot, as it was their first such experience, according to her. They were also taken to prominent places like the Vidhana Soudha before returning by bus. After the good results, it brought them last year, teachers of the school are repeating the formula this year too. As many as 26 students of the school are appearing for the upcoming SSLC exams. "We made the announcement this year too. Our children come from very poor economic backgrounds. Many of them are children of laborers. This is an attempt to encourage them to perform well. We can see them working really hard to get past the 600 mark," she said. Solar lamps are provided to students. In an earlier event, the headmistress said they were shocked when they got to know that a few students were not performing well because they had no electricity at home. "At a time when children spend the whole night studying, these children would have to sleep as soon as it turned dark. We approached a club with the request to light up these homes, and through their help provided solar lamps to such households," she said. The nation is waking up to cruelty as an indicator of social pathology. First offenders typically start on animals, and then turn their violent instincts to people. Photo by iStockphoto 3.1K shares Ill get to that matter, but some background first. In 2014, South Dakota became the 50th state to adopt felony-level penalties for malicious cruelty. That action puts an exclamation point on the notion that opposition to the worst forms of cruelty is a universal value in the United States and that people who commit such acts deserve punishment by the state. In 2016, in another clear expression of that national commitment, President Obama signed an executive order, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), to adopt an anti-cruelty standard for military installations, one that is on par with the states animal cruelty statutes. In the UCMJ, violations will be separated by abuse, neglect, or abandonment of an animal and bestiality. The maximum punishment will include bad conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and jail time ranging from up to one year to up to five years, depending upon the offense. Four times over the last 15 years, Congress has strengthened our federal laws against animal fighting, making it a federal crime to transport animals for fighting purposes, to ban possession of fighting animals, to stop shipping cockfighting instruments across state lines, and to outlaw attending or bringing a minor to an animal fighting venture. In 2010, Congress banned the sale of videos depicting animal crushing and other malicious forms of cruelty. The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act prohibited the trade in obscene video depictions of animals being crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or subjected to other forms of heinous cruelty. The law is valuable but limited in scope, and while it bans the trade in video depictions of cruelty, it does not prohibit the underlying conduct of the cruelty itself. That leaves one major gap in our federal animal protection framework there is no distinct law that mirrors at least some of what the anti-cruelty statutes do in the states. Where abuse occurs on federal property, or in cases that span multiple states or other territorial jurisdictions, a federal anti-cruelty statute would allow a crackdown on cruelty. Weve been trying to secure one for a few years. Its called the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act. The Senate approved the bill unanimously last year, as introduced by Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., but the House did not act on it, despite a bill from Reps. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Ted Deutch, D-Fla., that attracted a solid majority of the House (253 cosponsors). Sens. Toomey and Blumenthal are expected to reintroduce that legislation this week, and last Friday, Reps. Smith and Deutch, along with 11 other original cosponsors, reintroduced their bill, designated as H.R. 1494 this year. In May 2015, in Temecula, California, a U.S. Marine couple living at Camp Pendleton were accused of shattering their dogs legs and binding his mouth with rubber bands for days. In a case like this the state can prosecute under its anti-cruelty statute, but given that the practice occurred on a U.S. military installation, it might give local prosecutors pause. Thats precisely why Congress should enact the PACT Act. There is a raft of studies to indicate the link between cruelty to animals and violence against people: Of 36 convicted multiple murderers questioned in one study, 46 percent admitted committing acts of animal torture as adolescents. All seven school shootings that took place across the country between 1997 and 2001 involved boys who had previously committed acts of animal cruelty. A 2002 study found that 96 percent of juveniles who had sexual conduct with animals also admitted to sex offenses against humans. The National Sheriffs Association backs the PACT Act, along with a raft of other federal law enforcement agencies. So does the National Childrens Advocacy Center, a non-profit that combats child abuse and neglect. The nation is waking up to cruelty as an indicator of social pathology. First offenders typically start on animals, and then turn their violent instincts to people. Congress should act on this legislation now. Theres no excuse for a delay. As a society, we have an unspoken pact with vulnerable creatures to protect them from needless and malicious violence, and the PACT Act is part of any good plan to act on that principle. Specialty insurer Hiscox USA has launched a new workers compensation insurance program for small businesses in California. The policy covers medical benefits and wages should an employee suffer an injury or illness as a result of their work and provides access to medical providers who can assist with their recovery. The new workers comp policy is underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. and is offered along with Hiscoxs professional liability, general liability and business owners policies. With Hiscoxs workers compensation coverage, small business owners can rest assured that their employees will get the care they need in the unfortunate event of an injury, said Kevin Kerridge, EVP of Small Business Insurance at Hiscox USA. We look forward to launching this new offering in additional regions. Source: Hiscox Cities from Oslo to Sydney are setting goals to curb climate change that exceed national targets, causing tensions with central governments about who controls policy over green energy and transport and construction. More than 2,500 cities have issued plans to cut carbon emissions to the United Nations since late 2014, setting an example to almost 200 nations that reached a Paris Agreement in December 2015 to fight global warming. Although there are no officially collated statistics available, many city targets are more ambitious than those set by governments under the Paris accord, which imposes no obligations on cities, regions or companies to define goals. Just over half the worlds population lives in urban areas, meaning municipalities will help to determine whether the historic shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy agreed in Paris succeeds or fails. But as many cities become more assertive, governments are reluctant to cede control. Cities are starting to encroach past their boundaries on policies at a national level, said Seth Schultz, director of research at the New York-based C40 climate group that includes most of the worlds megacities, from Tokyo to Los Angeles. There will be more and more conflicts, he said, over defining policies to curb local air pollution and help wider aims to limit droughts, mudslides, heat waves and rising seas. The trend is clearest in rich cities, which are more able to cut emissions to meet the demands of affluent, environmentally-conscious voters than fast-expanding cities such as Bangkok, Nairobi or Buenos Aires. One example of the growing friction: Oslo, where left-wing authorities are at odds with Norways right-wing government over their push to more than halve the capitals greenhouse gas emissions within four years to about 600,000 tonnes, one of the most radical carbon reduction intentions in the world. The plan for the city of 640,000 people includes car-free zones, fossil-fuel-free building sites, high road tolls and capturing greenhouse gases from the citys waste incinerator. In a sign of city power, a 2016 study projected that climate plans by cities and regions could cut an extra 500 million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 equivalent to the emissions of France beyond cuts pledged by governments. The benefits are very local in cities less air pollution, better public transport, said Niklas Hoehne, one of the authors at the NewClimate Institute think-tank in Germany. Diesel Pollution But that doesnt always sit well with central governments. Many of Oslos green ideas are anathema to voters of the populist right-wing Progress Party, which together with the Conservatives forms the coalition government. Deputy Mayor Lan Marie Nguyen Berg said the government was delaying Oslos plan for new road tolls which reach 58 crowns ($7) for diesel cars in rush hour. The Transport Ministry is dragging its feet, by demanding large, new road signs to explain the varying costs and to modify computer systems to register passing vehicles, she said. Norways Transport Minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen, of the Progress Party, said the ministry was cooperating. Berg is making an invalid argument, he said. Still, a Nov. 4 letter from the ministry obtained by Reuters told the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to design a national computer system for the environmental road tolls rather than one just for Oslo the only city that wants the system. The letter said the extra work would delay the project by three months, until October 2017. Thats convenient for the Progress Party, one government official said, because national elections are due in September and the party will not be associated with unpopular tolls. The city has also been slow to submit detailed plans. Buses vs. Trains Cities in other parts of the world also face hurdles as they step up actions to press on with their own targets for carbon emissions that often exceed their governments goals under the Paris accord. In Australia, Sydney is in a dispute with the national government in Canberra because the city wants to generate more electricity locally, without paying high charges for using the national grid, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. Sydney is now a local energy generator through its solar initiatives but has to pay the same charges as a remote coal or gas station that exports its power hundreds of kilometers, she said. But the governments Australian Energy Market Commission said in December that Sydneys plan for local generation network credits would be too costly to implement. It cited an estimate of A$233 million ($176.12 million) in extra costs for consumers by 2050. Moore dismissed the findings, saying credits would mean a fairer system overall. And Copenhagen Lord Mayor Frank Jensen said colleagues in cities around the globe are demanding more legislation to transform our cities to be more green. He complained that fees paid to the government for electricity from the national grid used by green buses in Denmark often under city control were too high compared to those for trains that are controlled by the government on a countrywide network. Trump Factor Perhaps nowhere in the world is the difference between government and city more stark than in America. U.S. President Donald Trump rejects the scientific consensus that climate change is man-made and said during his election campaign that he would cancel the Paris Agreement and favor domestic fossil fuel production. But Trumps plans are unclear the president has since said he has an open mind about Paris. On Thursday, Scott Pruitt, the new head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said he is unconvinced that man-made carbon dioxide is the main driver of climatechange, a conclusion widely embraced by scientists. If Trump relaxes standards for clean air, power plants or vehicles there would be a greater burden on cities to implement programs to fill the gaps, said Amy Petri of the office of sustainability in the Texas city of Austin. That would make it hard for Austin to reach its goals to cut emissions by 2020, she said. Still, mayors in 12 big U.S. cities including Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston this week reaffirmed a commitment to the Paris deal. India has long been a creator and manufacturer of high fashion for Western designers and brands such as Dries van Noten and Christian Louboutin. Now, the countrys homegrown talent is hitting the global stage and will be on show in Hong Kong during the first edition of ICE (Indian Couture Experience) on March 18. The one-day event was conceived and is being curated by Ankita Sareen Batra, a former model and managing partner of Delhi-based creative agency Green Room Creative. Im a globetrotter and noticed a need and demand for good Indian designers in countries like Hong Kong (sic), Singapore and Australia. Not only do these places have a big Indian community but locals are also looking to discover new talent. Our designers arent easy to access outside of India, so I wanted to bring them to a new audience, says Batra. ICE, which will be held at a showroom in Kennedy Town, will feature a range of labels, from bridal and ready-to-wear designers to accessories brands a mix of high-profile names favoured by Bollywood actresses to rising stars in the fashion world. I want to change the current mindset of the international market, who have this very cliched view that Indian designers only create clothes with heavy embroidery, that are gaudy and over-the-top. In truth, India has amazing designers who can appeal to a range of aesthetics, whether its minimalist and understated to powerful and glamorous, says Batra. Headliners at the event include designer Nikhil Thampi a favourite of stars such as Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra who is known for his glamorous red-carpet gowns, body-conscious dresses and chic jumpsuits. Many of the collections also highlight Indian craftsmanship, which is given a modern twist by designers such as Zoraya and Pariah Pranami, who will be showcasing her Boho-inspired pieces handmade from traditional silks. Lola by Suman B is another Bollywood favourite thanks to her casual yet luxe staples such as sheer blouses, calf-length dresses accented with details such as hand-drawn prints. There also will be costume jewellery by Prerto and home accessories by Casa Pop. While the majority of clothing will be Western in silhouette, there are some traditional collections that will also appeal to foreigners and prospective brides. Favourites include those of Gujurat-based designers Shyamal & Bhumika, who are known for heritage textiles and traditional crafts, and modern East-meets-West silhouettes by Izzumi Mehta, including long, cape-style tops with palazzo pants. Prices range from US$200 to US$2,000. The event will also include makeovers and styling sessions. We really want to bring in the Chinese and expat community. So many of these pieces can work for different events or occasions, no matter what your culture, says Batra. junior bridesmaid dresses | orange bridesmaid dresses Its been 70 years since Ferrari first started building supercars and the company launches its official celebrations for the milestone. On March 12, 1947, Enzo Ferrari fired up the 125 S, the first road car to bear his name, taking it for a test-drive on the streets of Maranello. The 125 S was designed by Gioacchino Colombo with Giuseppe Busso and Luigi Bazzi as contributors. On March 12, 1947 the car was still a rolling chassis without a body when it roared into life. Two months later, the 125 S made its track debut at the Piacenza Circuit, with Franco Cortese at the wheel. Enzo Ferrari said that this debut was a promising failure after the car had a fuel pump problem whilst leading the race. Despite the initial failure though, the 125 S won its first race nine days later with Cortese behind the wheel at the Rome Grand Prix. Fast forward 70 years later and Ferrari is celebrating this anniversary with their latest limited-edition hypercar, the LaFerrari Aperta. The sexy bodywork of LaFerrari now loses its top while retaining the fantastic 950hp V12 hybrid powertrain of the coupe. Over 60 countries will host events to celebrate Ferraris milestone, with Australasia opening the programme and the LaFerrari Aperta being present at each stage as the symbol of the 70th anniversary. The celebrations will end in Maranello on September. Ferrari has even launched a special website, www.ferrari70.com, to follow the celebrations around the world. PHOTO GALLERY VIDEO Earlier this month, images surfaced online reportedly showing one of just two 1968 Ford Mustang fastbacks used in the Steve McQueen classic Bullitt. At the time, the presence of an accurate VIN number suggested the car located in Mexico was the real deal but some had their doubts. Nevertheless, Americas most respected Ford authenticator Kevin Marti recently made the trip to Mexicali and has confirmed that it is indeed the missing Bullitt car. Remarkably, the prized muscle car was found in a scrapyard in Baja California and was originally going to be turned into an Eleanor by Ralph Garcia Jr. A quick Google search of the VIN number by his associate Hugo Sanchez found that it was the car from Bullitt. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Marti said he was skeptical about the authenticity of the vehicle until he checked the VIN stamps and looked at a number of distinctive elements of the car which wouldnt have been known about by someone trying to make a replica. According to Marti, the Bullitt car in question was the jumper and used in a selection of chases and jumping stunts. The other car from Bullitt acted as the hero car and was used in every other scene. The car is expected to be worth well over $1 million but Marti says it would have been worth more if Garcia Jr and Sanchez hadnt commenced restoration work before Martis inspection. VIDEO PHOTO GALLERY Outspoken FCA president and Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne has suggested that the Italian company needs to rethink the California T, as it is not a full-blown Ferrari. During a press conference at the Geneva Motor Show, Marchionne said that the biggest topic of conversation at Ferrari revolves around the Californias future. The car Ive had the most difficulty is the California. I bought two of them I bought the first one and I liked the car very much but its the one car that, from an identity standpoint, has the hardest time of seeing itself as a full-blown Ferrari, he said, according to a Motoring report. Marchionne suggested that there is a space in Ferraris arsenal for a vehicle like the California but that the companys interpretation of it may never have been correct. Ever since launching in 2008, the Ferrari California has been an oddity in Ferraris range and understandably so. It was originally conceived as a Maserati but became too expensive forcing Ferrari to slap its badge on it. While the characterful executive didnt drop any hits at the California T being culled, his comments do suggest that it could be re-imagined in the future. PHOTO GALLERY This is part three of our interview series with the Top Gear hosts, where we speak with Chris Harris. Harris needs no introduction really; he is the man who forced a massive audience online to watch his reviews, a pioneer among car journos on YouTube, proving that car reviews can be insightful and entertaining at the same time. Of course, being sideways everywhere while speaking to the camera with extreme clarity also helped. All we say is that Harris was destined for Top Gear glory for quite some time now. [CS = CarScoops | CH = Chris Harris] CS: The second season of Top Gear is here, how do you feel compared to the last years series? CH: Like any new job, the more experience you have, the more comfortable you are with your surroundings and with the people you work with. Weve got a new home, its a fantastic set and to feel comfortable here, to know the people I work with even better -my co-presenters and also the big team behind this show- is great. We got all the right materials in place now, I feel, confidence is the wrong word -I never walk around feeling confident about stuff because Im not like that- but I feel comfortable that we could make really enjoyable car-based television. Thats what Im here to do. CS: Tell us about the differences in the format of this years show. CH: Theres no great reinvention going on, because if you sit down and deconstruct a television show based around cars that lasts an hour -as we have done, weve all done that-, what you come up with is a studio-based format that has some beautiful videos that are interspersed, probably as fronted by three people and a couple of other elements, maybe a celebrity and another voice to come in. Its not rocket science. So you can try and reinvent it, but you still come back with the fact that the original format thats been run for 10 years is there for a reason: because it works. So we shouldnt be ashamed of doing that; were not copying anyone, thats just the sensible format. We got rid of the Rallycross track, because it didnt quite work visually and it didnt extract the kind of exciting language from the car that we wanted. If you want to make someone go really fast sideways on dirt, that requires a lot of skill. If you want to go big slip angles, you kind of need to be good at big slip angles. That didnt work. I think weve all felt that we are very lucky to have this place; this is the best place on the planet to make a car show: weve got this massive hangar here as our studio and then you walk 30 yards and weve got a test track! Why not celebrate that? Why change it? CS: What about the new studio? CH: The studio is also quite different: any studio that has a Countach Quattrovalvole over my head when Im presenting is a good place to be and I think we own this space now; last year we were kind of in the space that was owned by the previous presenters. The way that the celebrity guests will interact with us as presenters on the show is slightly different; weve basically teased everything and I think the end result will feel actually quite a bit different. We also know each other better, the films are great, the film-making team is ridiculously talented, I dont have to do much, I just turn up, skid the car, smile, and they make me look good. Whats not to like? CS: Is that your car? (Pointing at the Ferrari Testarossa hanging over our heads) CH: No, you know, you used to work at Evo Greece, they are both Harrys [Harry Metcalfe, founder of UKs Evo Magazine]. Thats Harrys Countach and thats also Harrys Testarossa. Ive got a 512TR, the later one, and I said to my boss can I have my car up there? and he said yeah, but Monkey dont forget its going to be here until the end of April and you might want to use the car, and actually I do want to use the car, so we phoned up Harry and borrowed his. CS: In an older interview you said that your top speed record with a car is 227mph with a Bugatti Veyron. Are we going to see this record broken this year? CH: Im not going to tell you that. CS: It was worth the shot! What was the most disappointing car you had to review this year? CH: The Porsche Cayman 718. I love the Cayman, you love the Cayman, we all love the Cayman. Its a great car. But part of the Caymans personality is in that normally aspirated flat six engine, the induction noise, the way the throttle response really matches the dynamics and the behaviour of the chassis. This new engine is uncouth, I dont like the sound of it, its personality is wrong for the car and it also alters the personality of the chassis as well, because that heavy torque kick you get early on means the car now wants to get into oversteer much earlier. [The engine] places demand on the chassis that can cope with but it has changed the whole character of the car. The car itself is selling really, really well and I cant believe it, because its shit! CS: Thats the merit of downsizing CH: Well I hear that the VW Group now says that downsizing is now over, and they are upsizing again. CS: Thats right. CH: The turbocharging thing as you know is a fallacy. Its a lie. Because on an EU drive-by test, they can just knock the car, so effectively its turbochargers are not even boosted, and can they just do 56mph and just roll it past the meter. And then the car achieves 30 percent, whatever, better efficiency that an N/A engine. But the moment you use any boost at all, I mean the turbo Cayman I had was doing 21mpg. Useless! CS: Which one of your co-presenters is the most fun to work with? You can only pick one! CH: I love Rory to bits but I have to say Matt. Because I pinch myself. Im of an age that means in the mid-90s, when he was at the peak of his fame in Friends, I was a student on a sofa, with a hangover the whole time, watching him on television. It feels totally bizarre to be working with him. Hes the ultimate professional. I learned so much from him about the way that you work a room, the way that you work a set, I mean the guy is super-bright. He sees stuff, subtle little things and then just changes them and it makes such a difference. He looks for the joke and we have a right laugh together. Hes sort of become my friend, which is a bit weird. But in the end, theyre both great guys. Top Gear Season 24 Debuts in BBC America this Sunday, March 12 PHOTO GALLERY VIDEO Award-winning short filmmakers Uri and Michelle Kranot (White Tape, Hollow Land) are organizing a new residency program in Denmark for documentary animators. The theme of the Anidox 2017 Summer Residency Workshop is The Sinking of the Truth, taking its inspiration from Winsor McCays seminal 1918 short The Sinking of the Lusitania, which is among the earliest animated documentaries ever made. During the residency, which will take place for three weeks between June and July 2017 in Viborg, Denmark, six artists will each create a one-minute animated sequence that will be edited together to form a short animated film. The artists will create works around the themes of post-truth and fake news. The Kelowna International Airport is now the only location in Canada where passenger Boeing 737 aircraft will be converted into cargo aircraft. Last month, KF Aerospace announced 80 new positions for the project and construction of a new hangar. The company has confirmed that a contract has been signed with Aeronautical Engineers Inc., out of Miami, Florida. Just recently, we signed an agreement with Aeronautical Engineers Inc., that establishes us as an aircraft completion centre for their service, said Brian Akerstream, director of business development at KF Aerospace. Akerstream said the U.S. company converts passenger aircraft to cargo aircraft and KF Aerospace will now be able to complete the job on their behalf. Work on the planes will start in the first week of April. That is a very impressive and important customer to us, he said. They have roughly 17 aircraft that need to be converted over the next few years and they are looking to place as many of those aircraft as they can here. Only three other locations in the world convert the planes. KF Aerospace was chosen by AEI as the fourth authorized conversion centre because of the companys consistent reputation for delivering high quality aircraft maintenance and modification services and for the breadth of additional services that may be offered to AEI customers, said Robert T. Convey, senior vice president at Aero Aeronautical Engineers Inc. Akerstream noted the company is still trying to hire for the 80 positions, specifically experienced structural technicians. Photo: The Canadian Press A father and son are battling for the lead in Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Mitch Seavey, a two-time Iditarod champion, was the first musher out of the checkpoint in the village of Kaltag on Sunday, leaving at 4:40 a.m. His son, current champ Dallas Seavey, departed five minutes later. Dallas Seavey has won four of the past five races. He is a third generation musher who grew up helping his dad train his racing teams, according to the Iditarod's website. The father and son are close but competitive. Mitch Seavey finished in second place behind Dallas the past two years. This year's race across nearly 1,000 miles of grueling Alaska wilderness started March 6 in Fairbanks. The winner is expected early this week in the town of Nome, along Alaska's frozen Bering Sea coast. Last week, two dogs from two separate Alaska teams died. A necropsy on an injured dog that died Friday while being flown to Alaska's largest city indicated the animal overheated, race officials said. The 2-year-old male dog on musher Scott Smith's team died while in transit to Anchorage from the Galena checkpoint. Smith dropped the dog, Smoke, from the team Tuesday because of a wrist injury. The necropsy findings were consistent with hyperthermia, but further testing will be conducted, race marshal Mark Nordman said in a news release. The sequence of events that contributed to the warm temperature in the aircraft also are being reviewed, he said. The other dog, from musher Seth Barnes' team, died late Thursday near Galena. A necropsy also will be conducted on that 2-year-old male, named Deacon, to determine a cause of death, race officials said. Mushers begin the Iditarod with teams of 12 to 16 dogs and must finish with at least five on the towline. The Council of the Great City Schools kicked off its annual legislative and policy conference this weekend with uncertainty over how education priorities under the nascent Trump administration will affect its districts, but also with a commitment from members to continue long-standing initiatives, including improving district governance, curriculum, and supporting African-American, Latino, and Native-American boys. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is expected to address the groups members during lunch on Monday, and some members said this weekend that they were looking forward to hearing her message. Equity, the rollout of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, and school choice were among the topics that district leaders said in interviews they would like DeVos to address. (The council represents nearly 70 school districts.) We have decades of experience leading Americas largestand most complex districtsand we are hopeful to have a dialogue about how we continue to do that, said Seattles superintendent Larry Nyland. It is a new system, her voice will be heard, and we will be watching, said Michael McQuary, a school board member from San Diego. We hope to learn more about who she is and how we can work together, he said. McQuary and Darrel Woo, a school trustee from Sacramento, Calif., said they were interested in hearing about her efforts to support education equity for all students and English-learners. We must be vigilant on behalf of all students, Woo said. Woo said he was wary about DeVos advocacy for school vouchers. He fears that a voucher program will draw funds away from traditional public school districts and funnel those public dollars to private religious institutions, he said. In a February speech to Congress, President Trump proposed a school choice program that would allow disadvantaged Latino and African-American families to choose schools that are best for them, including charter schools, private schools, home schools, or religious schools. The White House has yet to float a detailed proposal for a federal choice plan, but a federal tax credit scholarship program seems one likely avenue. Vouchers [are] an avenue for getting public money into private schools, thats how I see it, thats what I fear, Woo said. Districts Pledge to Continue Focus on Males of Color In addition to getting an overview of possible education policy changes on the federal and state level, the Council also held a day-and a half session on its Males of Color program part of a pledge the districts signed in 2014 to expand initiatives to improve academic outcomes for boys of color. Sessions included updates on local initiatives and a discussion of laws and federal policies they should keep in mind to avoid running into legal challenges as they attempt to set up those programs. The American Civil Liberties Union, for example, challenged the District of Columbia school system after it announced plans to set up Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, an all-boys high school. The school opened last fall. The councils efforts on boys of color got a boost from former President Barack Obama in 2014 when the White House launched the My Brothers Keeper program. District leaders said they did not expect Obamas departure from the White House to affect their emphasis on those initiatives. Allegra Happy Haynes, the secretary of the Denver board of education and a deputy mayor, said Denver mayors office and the school district had been working collaboratively on the programs, which are expected to continue regardless of who is in the White House. But there is some concern about how much support those initiatives will get from the White House, she said. I am not sure that anybody knows what that is going to look like, she said. But it doesnt mean that we are not going to continue the work at the grassroots level in our communities. Steve Gallon III, a Miami-Dade school board member and a former superintendent in Plainfield, N.J., said he was optimistic that the new administration will keep a focus on disadvantaged students given that data show males of color were frequently trapped in underperforming schools. Some of the campaign discourse that was proffered by President Trump actually spoke to efforts to engage underperforming, underserved communities, specifically in the black communities, which he felt were being deprived of the best opportunities for success, Gallon said. Now, how that is implementedits something that well have to wait and see. But based on the campaign discourse, I would expect that increased attention will continue to be given to those in underserved communities, specifically those communities of color. ... As always, the devil is in the details. U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat who started a mentoring and dropout prevention program that serves about 8,000 students annually while she was a Miami-Dade school board member, spoke to the group Saturday about the programs success, partnerships, and its expansion beyond Miami-Dade. Students in the program are matched with community mentors and receive college scholarships when they graduate from high school. Some districts have includedand others are consideringmentoring programs as part of their pledge. Wilson told the group that they must continue to use the bully pulpit to advocate for young males of color. You cant be scared because thats not a topic people feel comfortable with ..., she said later in an interview. Those of us who have the common sense to know better, we have to use whatever bully pulpit we canwhether its in the church, whether its in the schoolhouse, or its on the street corner, or just in the community or the neighborhoodto say these are our kids. Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson also addressed the group on Sunday. Leadership Change The council also selected its new batch of leaders. Darienne Driver, the superintendent of Milwaukees school district, was named the chair of the executive committee. Lawrence Feldman, a school board member from Miami-Dade, was named chair-elect. Eric Gordon, the CEO of the Cleveland school district, was named secretary treasurer. All three will take their new positions on July 1. Image: Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, addresses school board members and superintendents at the organizations annual policy conference. Courtesy Alex Jones. Photo: Contributed Canadians planning to file their taxes online could face difficulties as the threat of hacking prompted the Canada Revenue Agency to take down the service indefinitely. A notice was posted on the agency's website that says it detected "an internet vulnerability" and took down many of its services, including electronic tax filing. The services include ones such as "My Account," "My Business Account," "Netfile," "EFILE" and "Auto-Fill My Return." The notice says people can still complete their forms, but will have to wait to file. A spokesman for the Canada Revenue Agency says the tax filing services were taken offline Friday as a precaution to protect Canadians' tax information. Patrick Samson says the CRA isn't aware of any personal information being affected, but says the agency will monitor the situation. "Digital services were taken offline as a precaution, not as the result of a successful hack or breach," Samson says in an email. Digital services will remain offline until officials are satisfied there is no longer a security risk, he says. The CRA website itself remains online as Samson says it was determined it wasn't a risk. The CRA was not the only government website offline over the weekend. Statistics Canada remained down Sunday. On Friday the agency tweeted it was due to "circumstances beyond our control." The agency and the federal government did not immediately respond to emails Sunday for details on the cause of the shutdown. Photo: Contributed Before Fake News there was Fake Tech Support. And its still here. Dont get faked out. Microsoft does not phone you to tell you about viruses on your computer. They just dont. Please dont fall for this one. Theyre not Microsoft. This is the Fake Microsoft Technician Scam. Dont touch that dial Some scams are more convincing than others. One that tends to scare the heck out of people is a popup on the computer saying that the computer has been compromised. The page shows you a toll-free number to call to get help from a technician. Sometimes it even shouts at you. This is ALWAYS a scam. These phone numbers point to call centres that are the same as the Fake Microsoft Technician Scam. Sadly, these popups are not limited to Windows computers. Ive seen it on Macs and iPads as well. Bad people hijack a browser and display this terrifying message. Do not ever call that number. And if you get a little panicked and you do, dont grant these people remote access to your device. When you do that, you are giving these guys permission to steal your money. Dont google a repair number Scammers buy ads in online search engines like Bing and Google. When searching for help, you can be directed to legitimate-looking sites promising to speed up, clean up or fix your computer. They have legit-looking logos. They have toll-free numbers to call. Read more about this here. These sites can look like a legitimate company. And its not just for help with Windows. Ive seen fake ads for printer software, antivirus programs, and even cable companies. If you grant them remote access, they will show you a scary-looking page of errors from your computers Event Log. The idea is always the same: Gain access to your computer and scrape data in the background while they sell you something and get your credit card information. Find the number of your cable or phone company on the bill. Get the number for printer support from the printer manual. If you must search online for a support number, make sure the site youre going to is really the support site you want, and not fake technicians. Uh, oh. This warning might have come too late If you have been scammed, report the scammer. If its someone purporting to be from Microsoft, you can report the problem here. If its fake technical support for another company, report the problem to the real company and to law enforcement. Also, if you have granted remote access to scammers, get help from a legitimate computer repair technician. When I receive a call like this, I make sure to remove any malicious software the scammers have installed, any malware that may have been there before, and I try to secure the computer so that its difficult for that to happen again. Once you are sure any malicious software has been removed, you should: Change the password for your computer. If you are signing in with a Microsoft Account, change that password. Write it down! If you dont have a password for your computer, set one. Write it down! Change your email password. Write it down! Discuss the matter with your bank, credit card companies, and any financial institutions. Be guided by their recommendations regarding cancelling cards or changing account numbers. Next time someone tries to fool you, remember: The first and most powerful line of defence isYOU. Be careful and be skeptical. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: The Canadian Press Residents in Newfoundland and Labrador spent Sunday taking stock of the damage caused by a fearsome windstorm that roared through the province a day earlier. Utility crews worked around the clock over the weekend to restore power to the tens of thousands of customers who were left without electricity. Newfoundland Power said 8,600 customers were without electricity Sunday evening, down from 20,000 earlier in the day. The utility said more than 60,000 of the 70,000 customers affected by Saturday's outages were back on the grid, but some residents may be without power until Monday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted a "salute" to the crews for their efforts. "Wishing everyone in the province a quick (and) safe recovery," he wrote Sunday. St. John's resident Phonse Fagan said he slept fully clothed under six blankets to stay warm after the heat and lights went out at his house Saturday afternoon. A shrieking gale had been picking up speed for the previous two hours when the power failed, he said as he sat Sunday reading in a warming centre at St. John's City Hall. "I was doing a few chores around the house and I just noticed the sound was very unusual," he said. "The sound of the wind was just roaring through the whole neighbourhood," he said. Fagan said there was flying debris from split trees. "I've been talking to people who said siding was blown off their houses," he added Around St. John's, damage was evident Sunday as a lengthy cleanup began. Slate tiles from a downtown church were blown into an alley 100 metres away, roofs were partly off several houses and buildings and a home in nearby Torbay had its top floor blown off. Salvation Army Maj. John Goulding helped co-ordinate warming centres in St. John's and Mount Pearl for dozens of people who needed refuge. "It was very powerful," he said of the storm that knocked out hydro to his house in Mount Pearl for several hours. Goulding said the damage may not be on par with hurricane Igor in September 2010, which brought torrents of rain over much of southeastern Newfoundland. Still, he said, it was a reminder of nature's power. "I was out briefly yesterday doing some personal chores and I had great difficulty standing up," he said of trying to walk in the blasts of wind. "It's something you really had to experience to imagine what was happening." Photo: The Canadian Press The House intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence that the phones at Trump Tower were tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged, a request reinforced Sunday by an influential Republican senator who says the president must either come up with the evidence or retract his claim. "I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," Sen. John McCain said. President Donald Trump asserted in a tweet last week: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence. The request for evidence by Monday was made in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the House committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a senior congressional aide said Saturday. The aide wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity. Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place, but that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration. Trump has asked Congress to investigate. Early this past week, Schiff said the committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim. He also said he would ask FBI Director James Comey directly when he appears later this month before the full committee, which is investigating Russian activities during the election. On Sunday, Schiff said he doubted there was any evidence of wiretapping, but that Comey and others called to testify at the upcoming hearing "would be in a position to have to know." "I think on March 20 if not before we'll be able to put this to rest," Schiff told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week." ''I don't think anyone has any question about this, George. The only question is why the president would make up such a thing." McCain said Trump could "clear this up in a minute" if he were to call "the director of the CIA, director of national intelligence and say, 'OK, what happened?'" The president has an obligation to provide evidence that Obama broke the law or retract his claim, the Arizona Republican said. "I do believe on issues such as this, accusing a former president of the United States of something which is not only illegal, but just unheard of, that requires corroboration. I'll let the American people be the judge, but this is serious stuff," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union." Photo: The Canadian Press A news report says the senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye have offered to resign days after the country's constitutional Court formally ended her rule over a corruption scandal. Park, whose power had been suspended in a parliamentary impeachment vote in December, was formally removed from office Friday after the court dismissed her from the top post. Park vacated the presidential office on Sunday. Yonhap news agency says nine senior presidential advisers tendered their resignations to acting leader Hwang Kyo-ahn on Monday. Hwang's office could not immediately confirm the report. Park will now likely face a direct investigation over the scandal that has resulted in dozens of high-profile figures facing criminal charges. Photo: The Canadian Press In this Wednesday, March 8, 2017 photo Barbara Widmayer adjusts a sweater for "Prince Peep," a rooster native to Malaysia, at Fuller Village retirement home in Milton, Mass. Sweaters for chickens? It sounds like a joke, but a plucky group of retirees in suburban Boston has hatched a plan to keep poultry warm during the New England winter. "I donAot think in my wildest dreams I ever thought anybody made sweaters for chickens," said Widmayer, 76, who started knitting when she was 15 years old. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Sweaters for chickens? It sounds like a joke, but a plucky group of retirees in suburban Boston has hatched a plan to keep poultry warm during the New England winter. The unusual project began after members of a knitting club at Fuller Village, a retirement home in Milton, Massachusetts, heard about the hardships that some chickens suffer this time of year. Certain breeds shed their feathers and grow new plumage in the winter months. Others imported from tropical climates just aren't suited for the wintry conditions. Organizer Nancy Kearns said the project benefits birds kept on a neighbouring estate known as the Mary M.B. Wakefield Charitable Trust. "I don't think in my wildest dreams I ever thought anybody made sweaters for chickens," said Barbara Widmayer, 76, who started knitting when she was 15 years old. Among the sweaters Widmayer crafted by hand was one for Prince Peep, a rooster native to Malaysia. "There's so much going on these days that's kind of contentious in the world," she said. "It was actually very calming to me to work on this." Another knitter, 76-year-old Libby Kaplan, said the experience has helped her to overcome her fear of birds. "One person I heard say there were more important things to do in this world. 'Make things for people that need it.' I think animals need to be warm, too, and I'm so glad we did it," Kaplan said. The chickens seem to like their sweaters: Estate spokeswoman Erica Max says egg production has jumped noticeably since the birds began wearing them. It's got some members of the club wondering what exotic project to take on next. Kearns said someone gave her an article about a need for blankets at an elephant refuge in India. Making something pachyderm-sized, she joked, might be a little too ambitious. "Probably not something we're going to do," she said. "But you never know." Photo: The Canadian Press In Syria, last year was the worst yet for the country's rising generation, with at least 652 children killed in 2016, the United Nations' child relief agency said Monday. There was no letup to attacks on schools, hospitals, playgrounds, parks and homes as the Syrian government, its opponents and the allies of both sides showed callous disregard for the laws of war. UNICEF said at least 255 children were killed in or near schools last year and 1.7 million youngsters are out of school. One of every three schools in Syria is unusable, some because armed groups occupy them. An additional 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East. The figures came in a UNICEF report released ahead of the sixth anniversary later this week of the 2011 popular uprising against President Bashar Assad's rule. The uprising, which was part of the Arab Spring movements across the Mideast, quickly escalated into full-blown civil war. Photo: The Canadian Press A suicide car bomber detonated near a hotel in Somalia's capital Monday morning, killing at least six people and injuring four others, police said. The bomber detonated near the Weheliye hotel on the busy Maka Almukarramah road, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said. Ambulances rushed to the scene. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast, according to the group's Andalus radio. The group has often targeted hotels in Mogadishu, including a hotel attack in late January that killed at least 26 people. In a separate blast Monday morning, a suicide bomber detonated a minibus laden with explosives at the gate of a military camp south of the capital. The bomber was killed and two people were wounded, said Col. Yusuf Burhan, a Somali military officer. Somalia's new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire condemned the two attacks, saying they were carried out by "bloodthirsty groups." Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, al-Shabab continues to carry out deadly guerrilla attacks across the country. In the past couple of years it has started to target checkpoints and bases of both the Somali military and the multinational African Union force. Al-Shabab poses a major challenge to Somalia's new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who has vowed to make security a priority in this Horn of Africa country as the fragile central government seeks to expand its control outside key areas like the capital. Photo: The Canadian Press Republicans pushing a plan to dismantle Barack Obama's health care law are bracing for a Congressional Budget Office analysis widely expected to conclude that fewer Americans will have health coverage under the proposal, despite President Donald Trump's promise of "insurance for everybody." House Speaker Paul Ryan said he fully expects the CBO analysis, set to be released as early as Monday, to find less coverage since the GOP plan eliminates the government requirement to be insured. But Ryan and Trump administration officials vowed to move forward on their proposed "repeal and replace" plan, insisting they can work past GOP disagreements and casting the issue as one of "choice" in which consumers are freed of a government mandate to buy insurance. "What we're trying to achieve here is bringing down the cost of care, bringing down the cost of insurance not through government mandates and monopolies but by having more choice and competition," Ryan, R-Wis., said on Sunday. "We're not going to make an American do what they don't want to do." The CBO's long-awaited cost analysis of the House GOP leadership plan, including estimates on the number of people expected to be covered, will likely affect Republicans' chances of passing the proposal. GOP opponents from the right and centre are already hardening their positions against the Trump-backed legislation. House conservatives vowed to block the bill as "Obamacare Lite" unless there are more restrictions, even as a Republican, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., warned the plan would never pass as is due to opposition from moderates. "Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote," Cotton said. "If they vote for this bill, they're going to put the House majority at risk next year." Trump was bullish about Republican chances of passing a health care bill, tweeting Monday, "Republicans will come together and save the day." "ObamaCare is imploding. It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far!" he tweeted. The GOP legislation would eliminate the current mandate that nearly all people in the United States carry insurance or face fines. It would use tax credits to help consumers buy health coverage, expand health savings accounts, phase out an expansion of Medicaid and cap that program for the future, end some requirements for health plans under Obama's law, and scrap a number of taxes. Photo: Contributed A new report suggests a foreign buyer tax alone can't solve Toronto's soaring housing prices. The report, titled "In High Demand" and released Monday by Ryerson University's City Building Institute, favours a tax on foreign buyers similar to the one introduced in Vancouver last summer but suggests it should be implemented in addition to a "progressive surtax" on expensive homes owned by people who aren't paying income tax, including people with foreign capital. "The surtax essentially gets wiped out if you're earning money locally and paying taxes locally or in Canada," said report author Josh Gordon, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University. It's a system that hasn't been implemented elsewhere, Gordon said, though it was first proposed several months ago by his colleague Rhys Kesselman. The surtax would target foreign buyers who don't contribute to the local labour market, as well as wealthy Canadian citizens who have "aggressively evaded taxes," the report said. And it would also be progressive, like income tax. The surtax would only apply to the value of a home over a certain threshold, the report said. The further you get from that threshold, the more the property is taxed. "Most importantly, the tax would alter expectations," Gordon wrote in the report. "Torontonians would come to recognize that subsequent demand for housing would be primarily local, not foreign, and thus that prices were likely to fall." Gordon noted that both the policies are related to demand in the housing market, as opposed to supply. He noted while the number of active real estate listings in Toronto has declined in recent years, the number of new listings has stayed the same. In other words, the same number of houses are going on the market, they're just getting snapped up quickly. "This isn't normal. A lack of supply isn't causing this. It's a surge in demand, and demand that's beyond the normal growth of population, construction and new listings of homes," said Cherise Burda, executive director at the Ryerson City Building Institute. "I think often demand is overlooked by this cry for more supply," she added. "We can't build our way to affordability." But she said supply shouldn't be ignored altogether. "When you look at supply, it's what type of supply you need to build." She said developers are largely building high rises downtown, and detached houses in the "suburban periphery," far from transit, schools and services. She said Toronto needs to build "missing middle housing": townhouses, midrises, and stacked flats. Figures from the B.C. government show a drop in real estate transactions in the Vancouver area after the provincial government brought in a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers last August. However the market had been showing signs of softening prior to the tax after months of scorching sales. In a bid to keep high-performing teachers at high poverty schools, Utah lawmakers have sent a bill to the governor that would give high flyers at economically challenged schools $5,000 annual bonuses . Around the country, school administrators often struggle to attract teachers, particularly veteran educators, to schools that enroll large numbers of poor students. Often, higher salaries and better working conditions draw these educators to wealthier schools. That means poor schools usually have much higher teacher turnover rates and are much more likely to be staffed by novice educators. Its a huge disparity, state Representative Mike Winder, a Republican from suburban Salt Lake County and the sponsor of the bill, told The Salt Lake City Tribune . And we, as a state, have a statutory duty to step in. This bill defines a high-poverty school as one where either 70 percent or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches or where at least 20 percent of students are classified by the state as affected by intergenerational poverty. The bill would reward educators in those schools based on a measure of year-to-year student growth on state standardized tests. Its extremely tough for a school, Amber Clayton, a principal at one of the schools where teachers would qualify, told KUTV, the CBS-affiliated in Salt Lake City . Teachers will spend a few years here and then move on to what they may perceive as an easier school because it doesnt have the same challenges. Under the proposed legislation, the state would foot half the bill, leaving the other half to charter schools and school districts. Lawmakers have allocated $250,000 for the program in the first year, down from the $672,000 per year originally proposed. The law lets the state board of education reduce or limit the bonuses if $250,000 wont cover the costs. That amount would only cover 100 teachers. The bill passed the states senate by a unanimous vote, but the margins were much closer in the state house, where both Republicans and Democrats voted against the bill. Only two of the 12 members of the houses Democratic contingent supported the bill. Those two Democrats represent portions of the Granite and Salt Lake school districtsthe two districts with the most high-poverty schools. The Utah Education Associationan affiliate of the National Education Associationopposed the bill because it defined teacher quality solely based on test scores. They were concerned that the bill would only help educators who taught subjects and grades covered by the states standardized testing system. It actually fractures our teaching force when we have one educator able to receive a bonus that another wouldnt, UEA President Heidi Matthews told The Salt Lake Tribune. Photo: Youtube Dr. Lisa Robinson graduated from the University of Torontos medical school in 1991, and was only one of two black students in her class. Not much has changed 26 years later. Chika Oriuwa, 23, is the only black student in her class of 259 first-year medical students. Oriuwa was surprised by this as over eight percent of residents in Toronto identify as black. We would expect to see a medical class thats reflective of the population we are servicing, she said. More women have applied and gotten accepted into med school, but racial diversity is lacking. Its not just that black students aren't getting accepted into medical school. Oriuwa was the only black student in the pre-med, health sciences program. The univeristy has an initiative in plan to change this. The new Black Student Application Program aims to attract more black students into the medicine program while also working to keep them there by building a strong community. Dr. Robinson stresses that BSAP shouldn't be seen as a program to reach a certain quota. What is different for BSAP students is they will write an additional essay to give them the opportunity to tell us something about themselves that might not otherwise be captured in the application, she said. Students will be able to apply to the program starting in the fall of 2018. - with files from CTV Photo: Contributed Optimism fills the group of volunteers raising funds for the Okanagan Rail Trail between Coldstream and Kelowna, so much so there is hope the trail could open sometime next year. The 48.5-kilometre line has just been granted $500,000 from the province's Rural Dividend Fund, bringing the total raised to $3,176,170 since the campaign began last May. Safety work on the trail is expected to start this spring. This will be the biggest year yet, said trail spokesman Brad Clements. Trail construction activities will be proceeding, and there will be a final push to complete fundraising so that the trail can be finished and open by 2018. An estimated $7.85 million is needed to put in a gravel walkway and safety features. The latest donation will be used to create safe trail/road crossings in the North Okanagan and Lake Country; to build test sections to determine the most appropriate and economical means for constructing the remainder of trail; and to encourage local construction companies to get involved, according to a press release. Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster said the provincial funding is intended to support economic development in rural communities. In the North Okanagan and Lake Country, communities and entrepreneurs are preparing to benefit from the tourism and jobs that the trail will bring when fully constructed, he said. Trail ambassadors are urging people and businesses to step forward in order to see the trail opened. More information on the trail route, construction stages and how to donate can be found online. Meanwhile, information has been released on how the money raised will be used, including: Photo: Kate Bouey The leader of the BC New Democrats has welcomed Barry Dorval to the race. Dorval won the NDP nomination for the Vernon Monashee riding on Sunday ahead of the May 9 provincial election. Barry Dorval brings a strong voice for people in Vernon-Monashee to our B.C. NDP team, said NDP leader John Horgan. He has what it takes to help defeat Christy Clark and to build a better B.C. Dorval, a teacher at W.L. Seaton Secondary School, defeated health care professional Harwinder Sandhu during yesterday's meeting to take the nomination. Here in Vernon, peoples costs are going up, said Dorval, in a press release issued by party headquarters. Christy Clark gives her wealthy friends tax breaks while she increases ICBC and hydro rates for ordinary people. Dorval said, The decisions she is making are hurting our community. Her choices threaten our kids schools, make our healthcare suffer and neglect seniors in our community. Photo: The Canadian Press UPDATE: 12:25 p.m. Legislation that would make it illegal to require women to wear high heels on the job in British Columbia is getting support from Premier Christy Clark. "In some workplaces in B.C., women are still required to wear high heels on the job," Clark wrote on her verified Facebook page. "This isn't just old-fashioned; in 2017, it's unacceptable." Clark says she backs the intent of a private member's bill introduced last week by B.C.'s Green party leader, Andrew Weaver. The bill he introduced on International Women's Day would prevent employers from setting footwear requirements based on gender. Clark's Facebook entry posted Sunday promises that the government will take action, saying "this practice needs to stop" There's no indication in Clark's post if the Liberals will back Weaver's bill or bring in separate legislation. In the United Kingdom, MPs debated a ban last week on mandatory workplace high heels in response to a petition started by a receptionist who was sent home without pay for wearing flat shoes. The debate was non-binding, but the government promised to act against heel-height rules, makeup guidelines and other corporate codes that apply to women but not to men. Nicola Thorp was told in December 2015 that her flat shoes were unacceptable for a temporary assignment in London with finance firm PwC. Her employment agency, Portico, had a dress code specifying that female workers must wear non-opaque tights, have hair with "no visible roots," wear "regularly re-applied" makeup and appear in shoes with a heel between five and 10 centimetres high. Thorp started an online petition, calling formal workplace dress codes "outdated and sexist." It gathered more than 150,000 signatures, making it eligible for a debate in Parliament. Photo: City of Vernon Vernon city council took a first-hand look at the 80-year-old Civic arena on Monday and then asked staff to come up with a report on how much it would cost to repurpose the building. Council spent an hour touring the building and listening to a staff presentation. The old ice rink will be decommissioned once the new arena is built at Kal Tire Place. Work on the new ice sheet is expected to begin this year with a targeted opening date of Sept. 1, 2018. Cost estimates for renovating the aging Civic would include: hard costs for work on the building itself soft costs for site landscaping and parking development There will be public consultation on possible future uses of the building and staff have been asked to explore options and prepare cost estimates as a starting point for public engagement, said a press release. For the past decade, the Civic Arena block has been identified as a future park which would entail knocking the building down. According to the release, a number of plans, including the official community plan, have identified the need for more parkland in the city centre in order to maintain quality of life for residents while increasing residential and commercial development in the city centre to serve a growing population. Staff expect to return to council with a cost report in June. Photo: Google Street View Police say a 32-year-old woman is traumatized but expected to recover after being beaten and sexually assaulted while jogging in suburban Victoria. West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube issued a news release saying officers were called just before 11 p.m. Sunday. He says the woman was attacked while jogging along the Colwood section of the Galloping Goose trail, a 60-kilometre walking trail connecting Sooke to Victoria and Saanich. A police dog was quickly brought in but could not locate a suspect. Berube says in the release that the investigation is in its early stages. He urges anyone using area trails to be aware of their surroundings. I have an article here that was in the Edmonton Sun paper not too long ago and it states the following: According to Canadian sources, Canada has 990 million acres of forests, 370 million acres of wetlands and 167 million acres of crop-yielding farmland. These are known as carbon sinks, i.e.: they absorb carbon. Biologists tell us that trees absorb about 2.6 tons of carbon per acre. So, if you do the math, 990 million acres x 2.6 tons/acre = 2.574 billion tons of carbon being absorbed every year here in Canada. Now if you do more math: 36 trillion tons (amount of world emissions x 0.0167 (1.67%)= 601.2 million tons this is the amount of carbon that Canada contributes to world emissions - in the forests alone, Canada absorbs almost 4 times the amount of carbon it emits. Again: In the forests alone, Canada absorbs 4 times the carbon it emits! This means that the other three quarters of our forests are being sustained by carbon being emitted by the rest of the world. This calculation does not take into account the wetlands and farmlands that also absorb carbon. Canada really couldnt get any greener, so why are our politicians hell bent on punishing us with these ridiculous carbon taxes? If the media were honest, this information would be made public. Every paper, radio and TV station should publish this. Considering the fact that Canada is given no credit for absorbing much more carbon than it emits, I think there is a good case for some lawyer to charge governments with a class action suit. Since there is a restriction on the size for these letters, I will stay away from my own opinions in regards to the above. However, one thing I want to say to all of those carbon tax crooks, as long as you cant control just one single volcano, shut up. Roger von Dach There has been much discussion recently sparked by media coverage of a local shelter facility run by NOW (New Opportunities for Women) Canada offering refuge to transgender women. We at Kelowna Women's Shelter are committed to providing safety and support to women and their children who have experienced intimate partner violence. Caring for women in a shelter setting, which usually involves some level of communal living, can be difficult at the best of times. When the need in the community is overwhelming, bed space is limited (we have space for 16 but often exceed that number), and clients bring with them a range of complex physical and emotional issues, it makes the notion of working for the greater good especially complicated and nuanced. Each potential resident, and her needs, must be assessed individually in order to ensure the best course of action is taken for all concerned, and I commend the passionate and skilled staff at all our local shelters for their daily efforts to protect and nurture women in need. It's important to note, on this topic in particular, not only are transgender women more at risk of abuse (one in two will experience abuse or sexual assault in their lifetime), but the BC Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender identity or expression. At Kelowna Women's Shelter, we believe all women have the right to a life free of harassment and abuse, and we commit to the community we will continue fighting for that. Karen Mason Photo: Contributed - Boston.com Pope Francis 1 p.m. Update: Argentine Jorge Bergoglio was elected pope Wednesday and chose the papal name Francis, becoming first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. A stunned-looking Bergoglio shyly waved to the crowd of tens of thousands of people who gathered in St. Peter's Square, marveling that the cardinals had had to look to "the end of the earth" to find a bishop of Rome. He asked for prayers for himself, and for retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose stunning resignation paved the way for the tumultuous conclave that brought the first Jesuit to the papacy. The cardinal electors overcame deep divisions to select the 266th pontiff in a remarkably fast conclave. Bergoglio had reportedly finished second in the 2005 conclave that produced Benedict, who last month became the first pope to resign in 600 years. Update 12:12 p.m.: The new pope is Jorge Bergoglio and he will be called Pope Francis. He is from Argentina. Over the past few years, several school districts around the country have pushed their start times later for high school students in response to research that shows students internal clocks shift around adolescence, making it more difficult for them to rise early in the morning. In many districts, the move to a later school start times for high school students means elementary school students will have to start school earlier. Thats the proposal on the table in the Cherry Creek school district, which is located in the southeast Denver metropolitan area. But the plan has been met with strong opposition from elementary school parents who say an earlier start time would be detrimental to their children. The Cherry Creek school board is set to vote tonight on a proposed schedule change that would push elementary school start times back from 9 a.m. to 8 a.m. The start times for high school students would go from 7:10 a.m. to 8:20 a.m., while middle school start times would shift from 7:50 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. Lisa Meltzer has a son in 1st grade who attends school in that district, but shes also an associate professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health who has written extensively about adolescent sleep patterns. She recently addressed the board to offer her support for the proposal. She said the scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that early school start times are problematic for adolescents. As adolescents go through puberty, their internal clock, or circadian rhythm, is delayed, so that makes it very challenging for them to fall asleep early but in particular, very challenging for them to wake up early, said Meltzer. So we ask adolescents to wake up, often cases get behind the wheel of a car, go to school, and learn at a time when their brains should biologically be asleep. Opposition Amy Hair also has a 1st grader who attends school in the district. Last month, she started a Change.org petition against the proposed schedule , and so far its generated more than 380 signatures. Hair told KDVR shes concerned that the school boards proposal is unfair to elementary school students. Im really worried about the safety of the kids having to get up so early and them walking to the bus, walking to school, and not getting enough sleep, she said. I just worry what it does to the community because families wont be spending as much time together. In her petition, she cites those concerns for the elementary school students who would have to adjust to an earlier schedule as well as several others, including adverse affects on academic performance, an increase in school absences and tardiness, and an increased need for after-school care. The petition refers to a proposed elementary school start time of 7:55 a.m., but since then the school board has modified its proposal, which now calls for an 8:00 a.m. start time for elementary schools. Tamiko Abo shares those concerns. Her daughter attends the nearby Littleton school district where the school board is considering a similar proposal. She created a Change.org petition to ask the board to reconsider . If this new start time is adopted, weve got kids that are going to be going to the bus stops and walking to school in the dark or dawn hours, said Abo. She said it would also have adverse effects on families in the evenings who would have to make big adjustments to their childrens bed times. We go to bed between 7:30 and 8, said Abo. We would have to go to bed between 6:30 and 7, so that doesnt leave a huge amount of time for family time, especially if you have families that are working. While there is lots of research showing the benefits for later school start times for adolescents, there is very little research on the impact of earlier school start times for elementary students. Both Hair and Abo cite a 2015 University of Kentucky study that found adverse academic outcomes for upper- and middle-class elementary school students with earlier school start times. But critics argue that more research is needed and point out what they say are flaws with that study. Meltzer said she understands those parents concerns, but elementary students should be able to adjust well to the change. Most elementary school children wake early, and for those that dont because their circadian rhythms have not been delayed, it is easier to adjust their sleep schedules to wake earlier if needed, said Meltzer. Related stories: New York might soon get rid of the literacy exam requirement for prospective teachers, partly because a large amount of Hispanic and black candidates were failing it. The Associated Press reported that the state Board of Regents is expected on Monday to vote to eliminate the Academic Literacy Skills Test, which was introduced in the 2013-14 school year as one of four assessments meant to raise the level of teaching in the state. But just 46 percent of Hispanic candidates and 41 percent of black candidates passed the literacy exam on the first try, compared with 64 percent of white candidates. Having a white workforce really doesnt match our student body anymore, said Leslie Soodak, an education professor from Pace University who was on the state task force that recommended eliminating the exam. She told the AP that the state still wants high standards for teachers, but a test that screens out so many nonwhite candidates might not be the best way to get there. The test, which costs $131 to take (in addition to an optional $20 practice exam), is administered online and consists of multiple-choice questions about a series of reading selections, as well as a written section. The tests critics say that in addition to the test being prohibitively expensive, it doesnt reflect what teachers actually do in the classroom, and that it is redundant considering everything else prospective teachers must passincluding the SAT, the GRE, and subject-matter certification tests. Meanwhile, defenders of the test say that it is necessary to maintain teacher quality. One such defender is the National Council on Teacher Quality, which has called for higher standards for teachers. President Kate Walsh told the AP that the assessments in New Yorks teacher certification process, including this literacy exam, really got at the lack of rigor in teacher prep. My colleague Brenda Iasevoli reported in November on an NCTQ report that cites survey data suggesting that most top college students would consider majoring in education if admissions standards were higher. Instead of lowering standards to battle teacher shortages and decreasing enrollments, education schools should keep quality high, the report concludes. And in a recent opinion essay for Education Week, Lawrence Baines, an associate dean at the University of Oklahoma, bemoaned the continual dumbing-down of the preparation of teachers. He wrote: The biggest losers here are the children in American classrooms. A child taught by an effective teacher develops a stronger work ethic, has a better chance of going to college, and earns a higher salary as an adult, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Still, the New York exam might not be the appropriate measure of teacher quality, the AP reported. Charles Sahm, the director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute, took the practice exam and told the AP that it was a poorly designed assessment, since the multiple-choice questions seemed to have more than one correct answer. I found the reading comprehension section to be kind of infuriating, he said. I only got 21 out of 40 right. Image via Getty ACLU Sues Missouri Over Understaffed Public Defender's Office Way back in September in 2015, John Oliver dedicated a segment of his "Last Week Tonight" show to the nation's underfunded and understaffed public defender system. And like so many of Oliver's past topics, this one has also resulted in litigation. The American Civil Liberties Union, along with the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center at St. Louis, and law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, filed a class-action lawsuit against the state of Missouri over its public defender system. The suit claims the system lacks the resources and attorneys to provide constitutionally mandated legal counsel for criminal defendants. Unconstitutional Representation The Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants the right to counsel in criminal proceedings, and in a landmark case in 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that this right meant that attorneys must be provided for criminal defendants that can't afford them. The Court has also ruled that, beyond just being appointed a lawyer, defendants also have a right to effective assistance of counsel. The ACLU is claiming that, even though Missourians are given public defenders, those attorneys are so overburdened with cases that they don't have the time or resources to properly defend their clients, amounting to violations of the constitutional right to an attorney: Each year, the Missouri State Public Defender office has more than 80,000 cases. It employs approximately 370 attorneys. In 97% of their cases, Missouri public defenders fail to reach the minimum number of work hours required for constitutional representation, according to analysis by the American Bar Association and lawyers across the state. The ACLU claims the state knew about the problem for decades, and failed to act. (Missouri ranks 49 out of 50 when it comes to state funding for public defenders.) "This chronic underfunding has resulted in an equally chronic constitutional crisis in Missouri that has cost the livelihood of thousands of Missourians who are denied justice because their attorneys couldn't devote the necessary time or resources to their cases," said Anthony Rothert, Legal Director at the ACLU of Missouri. A Winnable Case The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, Shondel Church, was charged with felony theft in 2016 but pled guilty to a misdemeanor. Like many other plaintiffs who could not afford bail, Church's guilty plea came in the face of long detention before his case could go to trial: "I sat in jail for 42 days before I saw my public defender, who told me that I had a winnable case, but he wouldn't have time to go to trial for another four to six months. In jail, you're starving on what they give you and you're dying to get out. I was hoping things would move faster -- but those 129 days cost me a whole lot: I lost all that time working, and I finally had to give up and plead guilty, just to get out and help my family." Ultimately, Church spent more than five months in jail over what he claims was a family dispute. And Church is far from the only defendant adversely affected by Missouri's inadequate public defender department. According to the ACLU lawsuit, "[t]he lack of funding for MSPD has created an environment in which no public defender in this State can provide constitutionally adequate representation for all of their clients." Related Resources: Cemtech MEA 2017 Published 03 April 2017 Delegates from over 30 countries, including all of the Gulf Cooperation Councils member states, gathered in Dubai, UAE, between 19-22 February for this years Cemtech Middle East and Africa conference and exhibition. By ICR Research, UK. Over 200 delegates gathered in the Grand Hyatt Dubai between 19-22 February for the 12th Cemtech Middle East and Africa conference and exhibition. Thomas Armstrong, managing editor of International Cement Review, welcomed guest of honour, His Excellency Sheikh Yasir Bin Ahmed Bin Humaid Al Qassemi, general manager of Union Cement Company and chairman of the Cement Producers Association of the UAE, and delegates from across the world to the conference. In his opening presentation Mr Armstrong set the scene for the conferences 25 presentations by providing an overview of global markets and expectations for 2017. He predicted that market growth ex-China would accelerate in 2017, driven by developed economies, and finally overtake capacity growth for the first time since 2013. Utilisation rates are seen recovering to in excess of 70 per cent by 2018, making it possible for producers to secure cement price improvements as the demand-supply gap narrows. GCC markets Matthias Herles, IHS Markit (Germany), provided an update on the construction markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, while Hettish Karmani of Ubhar Capital (Oman) reviewed the latest developments in the Gulf cement sector Economic growth in the GCC is expected to decelerate despite increased hydrocarbon output. While this is reflected in lower infrastructure spending in Oman, other GCC countries are increasing their investment in infrastructure. For example, Qatar is nearly doubling its investment while significant advances are also forecast in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, on the back of cement demand growth, GCC producers have steadily built their capacities from 104Mta in 2010 to 139Mta in 2016. However, supply is considerably above demand and a surplus of over 40Mt is anticipated in 2017. A further challenge to the industry is presented by the removal of energy subsidies by the government with increases in the prices of electricity, water and fuels. However, raw material prices are on the decline, giving cement producers some relief going forward. Focussing on Saudi Arabia, Santhosh Balakrishnan of Riyad Capital (Saudi Arabia) considered the demand drivers and outlook for the Saudi cement industry. He foresees a structural shift in the countrys cement demand from mega projects to housing construction but does not anticipate a recovery before 2018 as currently falling demand, peaked inventory and competitive pricing are key industry concerns. In addition, cost pressures are expected to increase with the implementation of new gas prices from 2019 as the country faces the brunt of fuel hikes. Further afield Dr Lotfali Bakshi of Iran Cement and Mehr Machine Co highlighted new trends in the Iranian cement industry, where capacity has reached 90Mt. Due to tough domestic conditions, exports remain key for producers and totalled 15Mt in 2016. Moving to Africa Tony Hadley of Baobab Advisory (France) explored the recent turmoil of the continents cement industry, resulting from a combination of negative economic forces and poor industrial leadership. Increased competition has seen prices falling to a new lower level and companies will now be required to improve operational excellence to remain competitive. On the demand side, however, the outlook is positive as African consumption continues to rise. Birla Corporations Alok Agarwal focussed on industry consolidation in the Indian cement sector and the market outlook for the worlds second-largest cement producer, where capacity is approaching 400Mta. Supporting the sectors sustainable development The conference also supported the cement industrys drive for sustainable development with several specialist papers. Jim OBrien of Jim OBrien CSR Consulting (Ireland) explained how a cement producers efforts in sustainable development benefit the bottomline. UK independent consultant Peter Hoddinott highlighted working capital reduction strategies, a vital management skill for companies attempting to remain competitive. Reducing working capital can free up significant levels of cash in a business, which can be used by management to reinvest more productively within the company. S Raja and V Murthy of Fujairah Cement Industries of the UAE reviewed the performance of a 12MW waste heat recovery plant. Dr Suchismita Bhattacharya, Ercom Engineers (India) highlighted the role of slag and fly ash cements in the Middle East. Tahir Abbas of Cinar (UK) and Jawad Baidari of Beumer (Germany) presented alternative fuel case studies as they explained the supply chain from preparation to combustion and fuel handling systems, respectively. Hassan Jradi of FLSmidth Pfister provided his companys perspective on alternative fuel and biomass in the Middle East. Updating technical knowledge Delegates were able to update their technical knowledge via a series of presentations relating to a range of aspects of the cement production process. Volker Hoenig of Germanys VDZ provided information on kiln reviews to improve efficiency, output and production costs while Mogens Fons of Fons Technology International, Turkey, highlighted his companys clinker cooler technology with a number of case studies. Gebr Pfeiffers Patrick Heyd provided an update on the latest experience with MVR mills while Mohammad Mehidi Khoozestani of Namadin Sanat Co of Iran explained how a novel control system could improve ball mill energy efficiency. Fernando Duenas of Cemengal, Spain, explored ways to quickly penetrate booming cement markets by means of modular grinding units. Together with Juliano Arantes of ABB, Osman Nemli of Bursa Cimento presented a case study on how the Turkish cement producer improved its energy and process efficiency with ABBs Expert Optimiser. Union Cement plant tour Delegates also had the opportunity to visit Union Cement Companys 4.8Mta cement works situated in Ras-Al-Khaimah. The facility, which acts as one of the main exporters in the UAE, boasts a 10,000tpd clinker line and has also recently installed a 12.38MW waste heat recovery (WHR) system. Networking opportunities In addition to the conference, delegates were also able to get first-hand information from some 25 equipment suppliers in the accompanying exhibition while other hospitality events, including a sumptuous Gala Dinner, provided further opportunities to network with industry leaders and cement professionals. Technical workshop Parallel to the conference and exhibition, Cemtech was also home to a three-day workshop on cement manufacturing technology, held between 20-22 February. Led by industry expert Dr Michael Clark, the classroom-based training course covered all aspects of the production process, from raw material processing to cement grinding. The course explored best-practice techniques and plant optimisation, including alternative fuel utilisation and CO 2 reduction. Next Cemtech conference Next on the calendar is Cemtech Asia 2017, to be held between 9-12 July at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Tanzania: state offers Dangote land to mine coal 13 March 2017 Following last years deal by Tanzanias government to supply natural gas to Dangote Cement in the southeastern town of Mtwara, the state has offered land to the Nigerian company to mine coal for its operations. Tanzanias Ministry of Energy and Minerals handed a 10km2 plot of land to the 3Mta cement factory set up in 2015. According to local sources, the move was sanctioned by President John Magufuli to allow the company get a reliable supply of coal to fuel its activities. Tanzania has banned coal imports from South Africa, but Tancoal, the only coal producing company in the country, cannot meet the entire demand. Dangote runs on expensive diesel generators and requested Tanzanian government support last year to supply natural gas at a reduced price. President Magufuli said that Dangote will now buy natural gas directly from the state-run TPDC (Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation). Published under Homeland Security Considering Plan to Separate Parents, Children at Mexico Border New Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly confirmed earlier reports that his department is considering separating undocumented parents and children caught entering the United States at the Mexico border. Kelly said the move would be aimed at deterring "more movement along this terribly dangerous network" as families fleeing violence and poverty in Central American countries from trying to illegally enter the U.S. So what is the DHS policy concerning family detention now, and how might that change under the proposed detention plan? The Past and the Plan Under the Obama administration, families fleeing to the United States were held in detention centers until immigration judges and asylum officers could consider their cases. That was until a federal judge ruled that detaining children, even with their parents, in such jail-like settings was illegal. Following that ruling, families were released together while they awaited adjudication. A former Department of Justice official confirmed that the Obama administration considered the same plan but rejected it, preferring to "detain the family as a unit or release the family as the unit." Kelly told CNN the new plan would allow immigration officials to separate children from adults accompanying them across the border. While parents and guardians would be kept in detention, the children would be moved elsewhere, possibly to other family members already in the country or to child protective services or other state protective custody. Reuters reports around 54,000 children and guardians were apprehended between October 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017 Legal Concerns "I would do almost anything," Kelly said, "to deter the people from Central America getting on this very, very dangerous network ... going through Mexico." When asked about the treatment of children separated from their parents, Kelly asserted, "We have tremendous experience of dealing with unaccompanied minors ... We turn them over to (Health and Human Services) and they do a very, very good job of putting them in foster care or linking them up with parents or family members in the United States." There may be some pushback from Congress on the plan, however. U.S. Representative from Texas Henry Cuellar said, "Bottom line: separating mothers and children is wrong." Cuellar, whose district includes around 200 miles of the border with Mexico, added, "That type of thing is where we depart from border security and get into violating human rights." Related Resources: These Are the States Suing Over Trump's New Travel Ban When President Trump released his first executive order on immigration and refugees from Muslim-majority countries, we noted the "response -- from protestors and civil rights attorneys -- was immediate." That immediate response included a stay from federal judges and, ultimately, an enforcement ban from the Ninth Circuit. Trump has dropped his appeal to that ban and issued a revised executive order on the issue, and the response to the new travel ban has been pretty much the same as to the old travel ban. Four states have sued to block the new executive order from going into effect, but will they have the same success as last time? Washington v. the White House The Washington Attorney General's Office successfully blocked the travel ban one month ago, gaining a unanimous decision from the Ninth Circuit finding that the "government has pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States." While many speculated the president might appeal to the Supreme Court, the administration chose instead to revise and reissue another order. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson told reporters that his office believes the two executive orders are essentially the same, and will ask the court to rule that the enforcement ban applies to the new version of the travel ban just as it does the old one. Aloha, Travel Ban Attorneys General from Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon will join Washington's lawsuit over the new ban. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called Trump's latest executive order "a Muslim ban by another name, imposing policies and protocols that once again violate the Equal Protection Clause and Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution." And Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin filed a separate suit in federal court this week, claiming the latest travel ban would hurt Hawaii's tourism industry, businesses, and educational institutions. Hawaii's was the first legal challenge to President Trump's revised travel ban, and claims the order is "motivated by animus and a desire to discriminate on the basis of religion and/or national origin, nationality, or alienage" and thus violates the Establishment Clause by disfavoring Islam. We'll have to wait and see how courts react to the new legal challenges to Trump executive order, but we're guessing we won't have to wait too long. Related Resources: At the March 10 launch event in Lay Kay Kaw village where 100 of the residential units have been completed the Nippon Foundation said it was committed to helping Myanmar realize peace, and announced plans to continue with its rehabilitation project. We have heard that there have been rumors that when the work here is finished, assistance from the Nippon Foundation and the Japanese government will stop. This is not quite correct, said Yohei Sasakawa, chair of the Nippon Foundation and Special Envoy of the government of Japan for the National Reconciliation in Myanmar. He said that following the completion of the US$10 million first phase, scheduled for September this year, the Nippon Foundation plans to expand to a second phase with additional houses, schools, clinics and livelihood programs. Mr Sasakawa added that the project was launched following a request from the Karen National Union (KNU). The Nippon Foundation worked in collaboration with the government and the ethnic armed organizations in Kayin State. The first phase of the project encompasses 25 project sites in Kayin and Mon states and Tanintharyi Region, and includes 1250 houses, 7 schools, 3 health clinics, 1 health center, 1 bridge and 5 wells, according to a Nippon Foundation press release. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs funds the project, and has donated the infrastructure to the state government and the KNU for free. Our Rehabilitation Programme [sic] is the first Rehabilitation Programme supported by the MOFA of Japan, and is the largest program of its type in these conflict-affected areas, the release said. Naw Paw Lwe Mu, a former refuge who returned to Myanmar from the Umpeum camp in Thailand, recently moved in to one of the resettlement homes in Lay Kay Kaw. There have been some difficulties in [accessing] education for the children and in obtaining health care. The school is very far. We expect more help not only for our children, but also for our health and occupation, she told KIC. The March 10 launch ceremony was attended by U Tin Myo Win, deputy chair of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center; Kayin State Chief Minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint; State Minister of Border Affairs Colonel Aung Lwin; Ichiro Maruyama, Minister Counselor of the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar and General Mutu Say Poe, chair of the Karen National Union. This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way. The Irish Pub Company offers Irish pub interiors in six styles: "Modern," "Brewery," "Shop," "Country," "Celtic" and "Victorian." Choose your package and they'll ship you a bar, as well as "flooring, decorative glass, mirrors, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, furniture, signage, and bric-a-brac." They're partnered with Guinness, and ship ready-to-assemble pubs all over the world: in 27 years, they've outfitted more than 500 pubs, including establishments in Russia and Kazakhstan. OL Irish Pubs, a competitor of the Irish Pub Company, goes further, building and installing pubs, including ones in private homes and on cruise ships, and participating in menu development. McNally, the effective grandfather of the movement, is a formalist, and everything he manufactures and sells is Irish-made. Wood and other materials are sourced from an array of indigenous suppliers and fashioned into custom-built bars and fixtures at IPC workshops. This happens to be true of most peers in the space. "I don't consider them a competitor if they don't do that," he says flatly. On top of his insistence upon use of materials derived exclusively from Ireland, McNally tends to resist anything locally sourced. In China, some of his clients were adamant about the use of their own suppliers and builders. McNally says it led his colleagues to pull their hair out, but they eventually relented. The results can be mixed. On one occasion, McNally provided a drawing for a decorative table fashioned out of a barrel. The client in question, having elected to go some of the way alone, whittled a tree into a solid barrel. The story makes him laugh. Meet the Companies Literally Dropping 'Irish' Pubs in Cities Across the World [Siobhan Brett/Eater] (via Marginal Revolution) (Image: Irish Pub Company) Texas state rep Jessica Farrar has introduced legislation that would fine Texas men $100 for "unregulated masturbatory emissions"; it forces men seeking vasectomies or Viagra prescriptions to undergo medically unnecessary rectal exams, and would require them to review a government pamphlet called "A Man's Right to Know." The bill mirrors provisions in a 2011 Texas law that requires doctors to sexually assault women seeking abortions by inserting medically unnecessary probes into their vaginas, and then forces the women to read a Texas government pamphlet called "A Woman's Right to Know." Farrar's bill also immunizes doctors who refuse to prescribe Viagra or perform vasectomies from lawsuits, provided they commit this malpractice under color of their "personal, moralistic or religious belief" another provision lifted from the 2011 anti-abortion law. Farrar's bill penalizes masturbatory emissions outside a vagina or a medical facility, describing them as "an act against an unborn child" that fails to preserve "the sanctity of life." Fines collected under the measure would be funneled to the Department of Family and Protective Services for the care of children. The lawmaker proposes that the state keep a registry of private hospitals and organizations that counsel men to stay "fully abstinent," offer physicians to supervise masturbation and store semen for future conception. Men seeking a vasectomy, a colonoscopy or a Viagra prescription would first undergo a "medically unnecessary" digital rectal exam and magnetic resonance imaging of the rectum, per Farrar's bill. After the exam, men would have to wait at least 24 hours before they could get the procedure or the prescription they wanted. These provisions of the Democrat's bill echo the 2011 Texas law requiring women to take two trips to a clinic to get an abortion. The bill also calls on the state to include medically accurate and objective information in its booklet for men. Texas men would face fine for masturbating, need rectal exam for Viagra under proposed law [Julieta Chiquillo/The Dallas Morning News] (via William Gibson) (Images: Texas Flag Map, AnonMoos, CC-BY-SA; Digital Rectal Exam, PD) Average retail gasoline prices in Chattanooga have fallen 1.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.00 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 170 gas outlets in Chattanooga. This compares with the national average that has fallen 1.3 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.29 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Chattanooga during the past week, prices on Sunday were 22.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 0.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on March 13 in Chattanooga have ranged widely over the last five years: $1.77 per gallon in 2016, $2.13 in 2015, $3.22 in 2014, $3.49 in 2013 and $3.56 in 2012. Areas near Chattanooga and their current gas price climate: Knoxville- $2.01, down 2.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.03. State of Tennessee- $2.04, down 1.8 cents per gallon from last week's $2.06. Huntsville- $2.05, down 1.1 cents per gallon from last week's $2.06. "A sudden plunge in the price of oil is likely to weigh on gas prices, at least temporarily, said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. "With little warning or expectation, crude oil last week broke out of the rut it had well established, with crude prices falling out of a 3-month range of $51-$54 per barrel to $49. Fundamentals of oil have weakened, and with last week's large 8.2 million barrel rise in crude oil inventories, the market has turned decidedly bearish for now. Naturally, when oil prices take a beating such as they did last week, one might expect gasoline prices to move in lockstep, but due the complex relationship of oil and gasoline prices and the middleman- U.S. refineries- motorists may not see as large a decline at the pump as they may hope for- but certainly stay tuned. I remain optimistic that the annual spring rally at the pump could be less severe than expected, but remain cautious as it remains difficult to know where the new path will lead oil prices in the week ahead." Roughly 13,000 years ago, large ice-age mammals known as megafauna horses, camels, mammoths, mastodons and many others suddenly disappeared in North America. At the same time, a widespread human culture vanished. Mounting scientific evidence suggests this happened in dramatic fashion by a comet or an asteroid slamming into the Earth. New research by UC Santa Barbara geologist James Kennett and colleagues bolsters the argument for indications of such an event, which ushered in a cool period known as the Younger Dryas. The team had previously identified, from a thin layer at the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) dated to 12,800 years ago, a rich assemblage of high-temperature spherules, melt glass, nanodiamonds and other exotic materials, which can be explained only by cosmic impact. Now they can add platinum to the list. Prompted by a 2013 study in which Harvard University scientists reported platinum in cores from the Greenland ice sheet, Kennett and colleagues expanded their analyses to include the heavy metal. Their latest results show even higher concentrations of platinum than those found in the ice cores. We identified an easily measurable and identifiable fingerprint for this impact layer, which has previously been well dated, said Kennett, a professor emeritus in UCSBs Department of Earth Science. This provides an invaluable time marker for comparison with the multitude of abrupt changes that occurred around this time interval, including the extinctions, human cultural shifts and population decline, and climate change. The researchers had sediment samples from 11 sites analyzed for platinum and palladium, which according to Kennett also are indicative of an impact. While both elements work together, the new paper mainly focuses on the platinum anomalies. The team started with three locations where the YDB impact layer had been previously identified: Arlington Canyon on Santa Rosa Island off the coast of Santa Barbara, Blackwater Draw in eastern New Mexico and Murray Springs in southeastern Arizona. All show a platinum peak that corresponds with the YDB. The investigators added Sheriden Cave in Ohio, where remnants of extinct megafauna were evident up to the impact layer. Then the scientists expanded their analysis to include seven additional but less well-dated sites in North and South Carolina that contained archeological evidence suggesting the position of the YDB layer. In each site a platinum anomaly was found exactly at the onset of the Younger Dryas, as predicted. Theres a high chance a researcher who runs the same analysis will find a platinum anomaly, but its not 100 percent sure, said Kennett. Most of the sites that we analyzed reveal the platinum anomaly, but not all. This is not surprising because the geological record is not perfect. Theres reworking, erosion. Some sites have really high-resolution stratigraphy and continuous records, while others have much lower rates of deposition, a coarser stratigraphy and are not as finely resolved. The Greenland ice sheet platinum data is so precisely tuned, you can almost discern the changes annually. But this resolution is not possible for most terrestrial sedimentary sites. This latest research provides perhaps the most persuasive evidence yet that a cosmic impact precipitated the onset of Younger Dryas climate cooling. Its conclusive that an impact was the cause, Kennett said. However, some scientists still debate whether the proxies came from the redistribution of terrestrial materials or from a cosmic impact. The platinum anomaly data we report supports the extraterrestrial impact theory 12,800 years ago. We think a comet rich in platinum collided with the Earth or the comet collided with platinum-rich sediments in Eastern Canada. Kennett noted that this platinum abundance anomaly will likely become the signature fingerprint for the cosmic impact and the resulting extinction of the mammoths in North America much in the same way the iridium anomaly marks the end of the Cretaceous and the dinosaur extinction. Kristen Sonday, co-founder of Paladin, will be the newest Entrepreneur in Residence at 1871. (Bill Levey photo) The co-founder of a startup matching lawyers to pro bono cases will join the push for diversity in tech at 1871. Kristen Sonday was announced Saturday as 1871's next Entrepreneur in Residence through the Code2040/Google for Entrepreneurs program, where she'll work to expand opportunities for underrepresented minorities. Advertisement "I live the ideas of Code2040 building community and helping others find their way both personally and professionally, the same way I did," said Sonday, 29. The post gets $40,000 in seed money, workspace at the tech hub, training, networking and mentoring. The residency supports high-potential entrepreneurs as well as participating tech hubs' quests to diversify. Advertisement Entrepreneur in Residence were also announced for Durham, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; Atlanta; Detroit; and Minneapolis. Sonday takes over next month at 1871 for Thomas K.R. Stovall. Stovall is founder of Candid Cup, a microsurvey software company and creator of the ImBlackinTech network that produced events for black and Hispanic tech workers and entrepreneurs. According to a new report on the residency program, blacks account for 8 percent of membership at 1871 and Hispanics make up 3 percent of the membership. Those numbers include founders affiliated though incubators and programs housed at 1871. Because 10 percent of respondents didn't report their race, and 6 percent identified their race as "other," those numbers could be higher, 1871 said. "Part of my mission will be to increase those numbers," Sonday said. "We're going to plan some fantastic programming to help increase diversity in tech and entrepreneurship in tech." Sonday moved to Chicago in 2015 and has been working out of 1871, where the company was part of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's incubator's first cohort that ended earlier this month. Her company, Paladin is based in New York, but plans to launch operations in Chicago next month. The legal tech company was started in 2015 and began matching lawyers with cases in January, in time for a surge in interest in pro bono services as a result of President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration. "It's shining a spotlight on how valuable pro bono work is and managing the impact that someone can have," Sonday said. The company charges law firms and companies a subscription fee to use its platform to track and measure impact of pro bono hours. Advertisement The American Bar Association urges lawyers to provide at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services a year. Paladin, which has five employees, has grown from 50 lawyer and law student members in January to about 1,500. Cases have included domestic violence survivors, custody and asylum issues and low-income entrepreneurs. About 80 percent of low-income individuals who need legal help never get it, said Sonday, who founded the company with lawyer Felicity Conrad. She has a bachelor's degree in politics with an emphasis on Latin American studies from Princeton University and worked on international criminal matters with the U.S. Department of Justice before joining the founding team of the Grouper dating platform. Sonday was drawn to Code2040 because it's so closely aligned with her personal ethos of supporting diversity, she said. "To me, it seems like a natural extension of what I'm already doing," she said. "We're helping underserved groups gain access that they might not have had otherwise." Advertisement Cheryl V. Jackson is a freelance writer. Twitter @cherylvjackson Former Vice President Joe Biden outlines his plan for the Biden Cancer Initiative during a panel at South by Southwest Interactivein Austin, Texas, on Sunday, March 12. (Ricardo B. Brazziell / Austin American-Statesman via AP) AUSTIN, TEXAS Former Vice President Joe Biden spoke about his cancer initiative and highlighted progress on a program based at the University of Chicago in an emotionally charged speech Sunday afternoon at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas. Biden, who was introduced by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, talked about the progress of the "Cancer Moonshot" initiative and called on innovators to tackle issues surrounding the disease. Advertisement He spoke about his decision not to run for president after losing his son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015. "Like many of you, the passion Jill and I bring is driven by a desire to spare other families what our family, and so many other families, have gone through," he said. He recalled his answer when President Barack Obama asked if he had any regrets about his decision not to run. Advertisement "At the time, I had one regret about making the decision not to run, and that was I would have loved to become the president who presided over the end of cancer as we know it," he said. Biden spoke about the progress of the Moonshot initiative, including a tool that helps patients identify where cancer trials all over the United States are taking place and the trial criteria. He also mentioned the Genomic Data Commons at the University of Chicago, which helps researchers assess genomic and clinical information from cancer patients, and could be used to develop more effective treatments. The platform went live in June 2016 with more than 14,000 anonymized patient cases, according to a University of Chicago blog post. "Just since we started this aggregation of information at the University of Chicago 80 million times that that has been accessed. Eighty million times. By researchers all over the world," Biden said. He called on the audience to find ways to better deal with the technological difficulties relating to cancer in health care, and improve the connectivity of data between organizations. "We need your help," he said. "Some of the most innovative minds in the world are sitting in front of me." One of them: Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky , who said before the event he was going in early to meet Biden. Lefkofsky, who is the CEO of Chicago-based cancer-fighting genomics startup Tempus, spoke at a "Connect to End Cancer" panel earlier Sunday. mgraham@chicagotribune.com Twitter @megancgraham The wide-bodied Boeing 747 was once known as the queen of the skies, an instantly recognizable behemoth revered for its luxury and spaciousness. As time passed, however, the original jumbo jet was outstripped by more efficient twin-engine planes. Advertisement Now the 747's days as a passenger plane are numbered. Delta and United the last two U.S. airlines that fly 747s have said they will retire those planes from their fleet by the end of the year, 48 years after the jet first took flight. Today, Boeing Co. produces just six 747s a year. The Chicago-based aerospace giant says it is eyeing the cargo market for new customers. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 The fuselage of a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is put together in the manufacturing step known as final body join at Boeing's Everett, Wash., plant. For the second time this year, Boeing this month curtailed production of the new 747-8, citing weak demand. Though Boeing spokesmen insist there are no plans to retire the 747, experts point to growing signs that the fuel-guzzling plane is finished. (Timothy Stake / Boeing) The winding-down of 747 production is a reminder of Southern California's diminished role as a builder of big planes and their parts. The most prominent local supplier is a fuselage-panel plant in Hawthorne that once employed thousands. Today, the factory has 300 employees. "The 747 was a fabulous airplane," said Scott Hamilton, founder of aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. "But like any technology, it moves on." At the time, the big jet represented a spectacular gamble for Boeing. Up until the 747's debut, flying was a cramped or more cramped experience in narrow-body planes. When the plane rolled off an assembly line in the late 1960s, it was already larger and had longer range than later "airbus" aircraft, such as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011. Aspiring 747 pilots were specially trained to taxi the large aircraft by riding in a mock-up of the plane's flight deck boosted on three-story-tall stilts in a moving truck. Pilots maneuvered the "simulator" by radioing directions down to the truck driver. Boeing poured financial resources into the 747's development, which almost bankrupted the company as cost overruns were exacerbated by a recession that broke just as the plane made its debut, said Suresh Kotha, professor of management at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business. The company had to cut deals with suppliers to produce parts on their own dime. Production began while the massive Everett, Wash., assembly plant was still under construction; the plant's construction alone cost $200 million, according to the book "Boeing 747: A History." Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 19 On Sept. 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet was rolled out of the Everett, Wash., assembly building before the world's press and representatives of the 26 airlines that had ordered the plane, and first flight took place on Feb. 9, 1969. (AFP/Getty Images) Expected orders disappeared, and airlines that did buy the plane opted to install lounges in the 747's famous hump rather than fill the plane to its 400-seat capacity. American Airlines even placed a piano bar near the back of its planes. Advertisement "It had unparalleled spaciousness," Hamilton said. "The fliers of today are used to stepping on a 747 or 777 that has wide bodies. Back then, you'd step onto the airplane and go, 'Wow.'" At the time, commercial aerospace was still a major industry in Southern California. Northrop Corp. won a Boeing subcontract to produce the plane's fuselage panels in 1966. The company's Hawthorne plant made the basic fuselage assemblies, while another facility in Ventura built the structure that connected the fuselage skin with the wing. Plants in Anaheim and Long Beach produced the plane's flooring. In 1969, the Hawthorne plant employed 5,000 workers, as well as an additional 2,400 who were indirectly involved in 747 production. Lockheed and Douglas later ceded the commercial market to Boeing, and the region focused more on space and defense, said Peter Westwick, adjunct professor of history at USC and editor of the book "Blue Sky Metropolis: The Aerospace Century in Southern California." "Northrop ended up being the one to keep building these commercial aircraft," he said. "And Northrop is not usually seen as one of the main players." Advertisement In 2005, Boeing rival Airbus unveiled its own jumbo jet, the 555-seat A380. Boeing tried to counter the move by announcing plans for updated versions of the 747, but airlines weren't interested in what they saw as an outdated plane. Boeing shifted its strategy and began promoting a future of more point-to-point travel to smaller airports, versus the old hub-and-spoke system that favored huge planes, Kotha said. More important, technology shifted to more fuel-efficient jets. Lighter engines were developed using more titanium and capable of generating more thrust, with more reliable turbine blades. Twin-engine planes were eventually certified to fly over the ocean. Planes such as the Boeing 777 and 787, and Airbus A340 and 350, combined the perks of a wide body with greater fuel-efficiency. A typical 290-seat Boeing 787-9 would use about 18,400 gallons of fuel to fly from Los Angeles International Airport to London's Heathrow Airport, according to an analysis from Leeham. A 405-seat 747-8 passenger plane making the same trip would use about 33,000 gallons. Now Airbus is facing a similar sales cliff with its massive A380. The company recorded no net orders last year and is working through a dwindling backlog of orders. Advertisement Boeing, meanwhile, is hoping to squeeze out some last years from the 747 as a cargo plane. In October, UPS ordered 14 new 747-8 cargo jets for its air shipping service, with an option to purchase an additional 14. Boeing spokeswoman Jessica Kowal said the UPS order indicates that customers still see value in the 747 for its carrying capacity and its hinged nose door for accommodating larger loads. "We continue building 747-8s, and there are no plans to discontinue that work," she said in a statement. "While the previous economic downturn slowed the market, we are working with customers across the globe and expect activity to increase to match growth of the cargo market." Analysts say the international air cargo market has grown, especially with the rise of e-commerce. But unless Boeing is able to secure additional orders beyond that of UPS, the plane could be out of production, Kotha said. Also encountering some turbulence is the 747's most prestigious assignment the heavily modified Air Force One plane that transports U.S. presidents. Boeing has initial contracts amounting to $170 million to develop a new version, based on the latest 747-8; but President Trump has challenged the jet's price tag, and the two sides have held discussions on possible cost savings. Advertisement Over time, the vast 747 supplier base in California has shrunk. In 1993, there were about 320 suppliers in the state; today, there are only 118 factories in California that support the program. The plane's fuselage panels are still produced in Hawthorne and transported via rail cars to Boeing's facility in Washington. In 2000, Northrop Grumman sold its commercial aero-structures business, including the Hawthorne plant, to the Carlyle Group, a private investment firm. The plant was later purchased by Triumph Group. At the current production rate, Triumph will be under contract with Boeing through the end of the decade, Boeing said. The factory's neighborhood reflects the shifting focus of Southern California's reinvigorated aerospace industry. Elon Musk's SpaceX has moved in along Jack Northrop Ave.; at one end of the block, the first rocket booster the company landed back on Earth towers over nearby buildings. Large tubes for the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition run along most of the street. Triumph's buildings are largely hidden behind a black fence, with the company's name and logo on a few modest signs. "Any future depends on whether UPS exercises options for ... another 14 (planes)," Hamilton said. "But basically once Air Force One is delivered, and once UPS is delivered, there's really no future left for the 747." Advertisement A brief history of the original jumbo jet 1966: Pan American places the first order for Boeing's 747. The airline orders 25 planes. 1966: Northrop Corp. announces it was selected to build the fuselage of the 747 in Southern California. 1970: The Boeing 747 enters commercial service, taking passengers from New York to London on Pan American. 1974: NASA acquires a 747 jetliner from American Airlines and converts it into the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to carry the space shuttle back and forth across the country. 1990: Two 747-200s are modified to serve as Air Force One, replacing the Boeing VC-137s that had served as the presidential aircraft for almost 30 years. 2006: A modified 747-400 freighter debuts as the platform for the U.S. Air Force's Airborne Laser Program, which was intended to destroy ballistic missiles with a laser mounted in the plane's nose. The plane is later designated YAL-1 but is eventually canceled. Advertisement 2007: Airbus' jumbo jet, the A380, enters service. The double-deck plane seats 555 people. 2014: Boeing delivers its 1,500th 747. 2015: Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic says it will use a modified version of a 747 nicknamed Cosmic Girl to serve as the carrier aircraft for its satellite-launching rocket, LauncherOne. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga Employers could impose hefty penalties on employees who decline to participate in genetic testing as part of workplace wellness programs if a bill approved by a House committee this week becomes law. Employers, in general, don't have that power under existing federal laws that protect genetic privacy and nondiscrimination. But a bill passed Wednesday by a House committee would allow employers to get around that if the information is collected as part of workplace wellness programs. Workplace wellness programs which offer workers a variety of carrots and sticks to monitor and improve their health, such as lowering cholesterol have become increasingly popular among companies. Some offer discounts on health insurance to employees who complete health-risk assessments. Others might charge people more for smoking. Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are allowed to discount health insurance premiums by up to 30 percent and in some cases 50 percent for employees who voluntarily participate in a wellness program. The bill is under review by other House committees and still must be considered by the Senate. But it's already received strong criticism from a broad array of groups as well as House Democrats. In a letter sent to the committee earlier this week, nearly 70 organizations, representing consumer, health and medical advocacy groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, AARP, March of Dimes, and the National Women's Law Center, said the legislation, if enacted, would undermine basic privacy provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA. Congress passed GINA to prohibit discrimination by health insurers and employers based on the information that people carry in their genes. There is an exception that allows for employees to provide that information as part of voluntary wellness programs. But the law states that employee participation must be entirely voluntary, with no incentives to provide it, or penalties for not providing it. But the latest legislation would allow employers to impose penalties of up to 30 percent of the total cost of the employee's health insurance on those who choose to keep such information private. "It's a terrible Hobson's choice between affordable health insurance and protecting one's genetic privacy," said Derek Scholes, director of science policy at the American Society of Human Genetics, which represents human genetics specialists. The organization sent a letter to the committee opposing the bill. The average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health coverage in 2016 was $18,142, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Under the plan proposed in the bill, a wellness program could charge employees an extra $5,443 in annual premiums if they choose not to share their genetic and health information. The bill, Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act, HR 1313, was introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. A committee statement said the bill provides employers "the legal certainty they need to offer employee wellness plans, helping to promote a healthy workforce and lower health care costs." The bill's supporters in the business community have argued that competing regulations in existing federal laws make it too difficult for companies to offer these wellness programs. In congressional testimony earlier this month, the American Benefits Council, which represents major employers, said the burdensome rules jeopardize wellness programs that improve employee health, can increase productivity, and reduce health care spending. A House committee spokeswoman said those opposed to the bill "are spreading false information in a desperate attempt to deny employees the choice to participate in a voluntary program that can reduce health insurance costs and encourage healthy lifestyle choices." Holy Cross Hospital, in Chicago's Marquette Park neighborhood, is seen in 2015. The hospital has settled a lawsuit over whether it should have had to follow a federal law on pension plan funding. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Chicago's Holy Cross Hospital has agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle a lawsuit over whether it should have had to follow a federal law designed to protect employee pensions despite its religious affiliation. Holy Cross has agreed to pay $4 million as part of the settlement. It also will distribute the $5 million left in its pension plan. The money will go to about 2,000 pension plan participants and beneficiaries. Advertisement Former Holy Cross nurse Andrea Fitzsimmons and former Holy Cross occupational therapist Corinne Butler brought the class-action suit in June of last year, saying the hospital was incorrect to claim that its religious affiliation exempted it from the federal law, called the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. That law requires that pension plans be insured and sufficiently funded, among other things. A number of religiously affiliated hospitals, however, say they shouldn't have to follow that law because their plans are technically "church plans," and church plans are exempt from that federal law. Hospitals have argued that the exemption is important in order to limit government intrusion into church activities. Advertisement Without the federal law's protections in place, Holy Cross underfunded the pension plan, the former employees alleged. Ultimately, when it was announced the plan would be terminated, some beneficiaries received only half of what they should have in lump sum distributions, the former employees said. Holy Cross, which became part of Sinai Health System in 2013, denied all the allegations as part of the settlement agreement. Sinai Health System said in a statement Monday that Holy Cross' pension plan has always been considered a "church plan" exempt from the federal law designed to protect employee pensions. Sinai noted that the Sisters of Saint Casimir of Chicago established Holy Cross Hospital in 1929 to provide "essential health care to the southwest side of Chicago." "Holy Cross Hospital and the Sisters of Saint Casimir of Chicago have a long and proud tradition of providing Catholic health care to Chicago," the statement said. "Over the years, the sisters have carried out their mission of teaching and evangelizing, caring for the sick and sharing Christ's special love for the poor, through ministries in education, health care and community development." Andrew Friedman, a spokesman for the law firm that represents the former employees, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, declined to comment Monday, citing a part of the settlement that prohibits the law firm from talking with media about the agreement. The issue, however, is one that hospitals across the country and their employees are grappling with in court, including the U.S. Supreme Court. As of July, at least two dozen hospitals and hospital systems had been sued over the issue. A number of those suits were brought by the same law firm that brought the suit against Holy Cross. On March 27, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case over the matter involving Downers Grove-based Advocate Health Care, which has 11 hospitals and a two-campus children's hospital. Advocate is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ. Despite that upcoming Supreme Court case, which could settle the debate, Holy Cross and the former employees decided the time was right to settle their dispute, they said in the settlement agreement. The Holy Cross case would require each side to "expend significant time and resources to litigate regardless of how the Supreme Court rules," according to the settlement agreement. Advertisement Other Illinois hospital systems also have been battling lawsuits over the issue in court. lschencker@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lschencker Travelers arrive at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Business travel may be hurt by the travel ban from six mostly Muslim countries, according to a business travel group. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The second travel ban proposed by the Trump administration, redesigned to better withstand legal challenges, is just as likely as the previous ban to reduce travel to the U.S., industry representatives say. The latest executive order temporarily bans travel from six Middle Eastern countries and imposes a temporary ban on all refugees. President Trump's previous order was blocked by federal courts. Advertisement "The administration's restriction of travel to the United States for nationals of six countries and a perceived 'anti-welcome' sentiment have caused deep concerns across the international travel and tourism community," said Ernest Wooden Jr., chief executive of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. The U.S. Travel Assn., the trade group for the nation's $2.1-trillion travel industry, echoed Wooden's comments. Advertisement "The question remains whether the revised order did enough to mollify the prospective traveler from Canada, Europe or elsewhere around the world who may have been put off by the initial travel ban," said Roger Dow, chief executive of the group. There is yet no conclusive data to show that travel has dropped since the new ban was announced. However, a survey of 324 corporate travel managers from the U.S. and Europe found that 37% of U.S. travel managers expect the new ban will reduce travel to the U.S. while 47% of European managers said they expect a reduction in travel to the U.S. The survey, conducted on behalf of the Global Business Travel Assn., a trade group for the world's business travel managers, also found that the ban made 34% of travel managers worried about the harassment of U.S. travelers visiting the Middle East. "There is always the risk that closing our borders sends the message that the United States is closed for business," said Michael McCormick, executive director and chief operating officer of the trade group. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. A Chicago woman says an app connected to her personal massage device sent private information to the manufacturer. Standard Innovation Corp., the We-Vibe massager's Canadian manufacturer, agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle her lawsuit. (We-Vibe / Handout) The maker of an app-controlled personal massager agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the device collected "highly intimate and sensitive data" on customers' usage without their consent. Two plaintiffs, including an Illinois woman identified as N.P., filed the proposed class-action lawsuit against Standard Innovation Corp., the We-Vibe massager's Canadian manufacturer, in a Chicago federal court last year, claiming the company's data collection violated privacy and consumer fraud laws. Advertisement The woman said she purchased a $130 We-Vibe Rave and downloaded the companion We-Connect app, but was never notified that the device maker was monitoring her usage and collecting "personally identifiable" information, according to the lawsuit. Customers who use the app can text and video chat with partners and control the device remotely through a paired smartphone, adjusting the settings on their own device or a partner's. But according to the lawsuit, the app also transmitted date, time, usage details and registered users' email addresses to company servers without their knowledge. Advertisement Under the proposed settlement agreement, which is still awaiting court approval, Standard Innovation agreed to destroy the data it has collected and stop collecting emails and personal user information. Users will be notified about any anonymized data Standard Innovation collects for internal use and will have a way to opt out of having that data shared, according to the agreement. The company also agreed to set aside roughly $3 million for people who downloaded the app and used it with a We-Vibe device and about $750,000 for people who purchased the devices alone. Each person who used the device as well as its app could receive up to $10,000, and each person who simply purchased the device could receive up to $199, according to the court records. About 300,000 people purchased We-Vibe devices covered by the settlement, and about 100,000 downloaded and used the app, according to a memo filed with the settlement agreement. Standard Innovation denied any wrongdoing in the settlement, which spokesman Denny Alexander called "fair and reasonable." Some changes agreed to in the settlement have been in place since We-Vibe updated its We-Connect app and privacy notice in September, he said. "At Standard Innovation we take customer privacy and data security seriously. We have enhanced our privacy notice, increased app security, provided customers more choice in the data they share, and we continue to work with leading privacy and security experts to improve the app," he said. lzumbach@chicagotribune.com Twitter @laurenzumbach Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings said President Trump in recent meetings was "enthusiastic" about proposals to lower drug prices by having Medicare negotiate with pharmaceutical companies and by importing less costly medicines from Canada or other foreign countries. Cummings said he met three times over the past week with the president about drug prices. I can tell you that the president was enthusiastic about not the only proposal that Congressman [Peter] Welch and I had with regard to Medicare being able to negotiate drug prices, but he was also enthusiastic about another proposal and that is the importation of drugs from places like Canada and other foreign countries, Cummings told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on ABCs This Week on Sunday. But in an earlier interview on the show, the president's budget director, Mick Mulvaney, downplayed the possibility of letting Medicare deal directly with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices. Stephanopoulos asked Mulvaney: So is the administration going to get fully behind this idea to have Medicare negotiate drug prices directly? The one Im more familiar with, George, is how were looking at trying to figure out a way to drive down drug prices through changing the regulatory requirement, Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said. Mulvaney said the reason drug prices are high is the inability for drug companies and medical device manufacturers to get things approved by government regulators. Cummings, however, said he talked to the president on Wednesday in a meeting at the White House, and that Trump also called him Friday morning and Friday evening to reiterate that lowering the costs of prescription drugs is a top priority for him. The president -- I was surprised on Friday evening when he called me Friday evening. He called me Friday morning So we have had now three discussions with regard to this issue, said Cummings. When Stephanopoulos noted that Mulvaney didnt seem to endorse the proposal for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, the congressman replied, Yes, I heard that." Cummings said Trump "made it clear to me that he was going to do something about" drug prices. So we will see. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 2022 election guide: Here are Pueblo County's top races, ballot issues Here's what you need to know about the local candidates and ballot questions in the 2022 election, as well as how to vote in Pueblo, Colorado. With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than... Two special exhibitions at National Gallery Singapore showcasing the evolution of Chinese ink painting and its impact on Singapore art history opened to the public on Saturday. Entitled "Rediscovering Treasures: Ink Art from the Xiu Hai Lou Collection", the exhibition is the first comprehensive survey by a national museum to focus on collections from Xiu Hai Lou, one of the most important ink collections in Singapore. The exhibition offers important insights into how art collecting and patronage developed in Singapore during the early 20th century, and provides visitors the chance to see rare masterpieces by prominent artists such as Chen Hongshou, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong and Zhang Daqian. Chen Chong Swee was one of the first artists in Singapore to use Chinese ink painting techniques to depict local landscapes. The exhibition "Strokes of Life: The Art of Chen Chong Swee" is a major retrospective survey of Chen's artistic career spanning six decades, and it focuses on his key contributions to artistic developments in Singapore from the 1950s to the 1980s. "Many of these masterpieces are rarely seen in public. In these exhibitions, visitors can look forward to a visual feast of masterful brushwork, inventive approaches and distinctive styles," said Low Sze Wee, Director (Curatorial, Collections & Education), National Gallery Singapore. The exhibitions will run till Dec. 4, 2017. National Gallery Singapore will organize a series of complementary programs to encourage greater appreciation of ink art, including lectures by respected academics and practitioners, and hands-on activities for visitors of all ages. You are here: Home The year 1984 is unforgettable for soprano Dilber Yunus. That year, China's women's volleyball team won its first gold medal at the Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles. Soprano Dilber Yunus plays the lead role in Visitors on the Snow Mountains. [Photo provided to China Daily] The same year, while still studying at the department of vocal music and opera at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, Yunus won second prize at the prestigious Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in Helsinki, Finland. "I became a star in the campus like the women's national volleyball team," recalls Yunus, who is better known by her stage name, Dilber. After finishing her master's degree at the conservatory, Dilber was signed by the National Opera House of Finland in 1988. Since then, the Kashgar native from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has achieved success overseas, playing Gilda in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto and Lucia in Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor over her three-decade career. "Really good art celebrates truth, kindness and beauty, reflects man's most prevalent emotions and seeks peace between mankind and the world. Enduring classics do not show their greatest value by being stored, but by being brought to the ordinary people." said Wu Weishan, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the head of the National Art Museum of China, in his interview with a reporter from China.org.cn. Wu Weishan, head of the National Art Museum of China. [Photo / China.org.cn] In China, public art museums have a collection of nearly 500,000 works. Most of these masterpieces are kept in storage. "Every dynasty and era leaves behind some classics that reflect the spirit of that time." Therefore, Wu proposed that "we should integrate the collection resources, enliven the classics and promote this spirit." In this proposal there are two keywords; one is "integrate," while the other is "enliven." "Take the National Art Museum of China as an example. We have nearly 110,000 works, but only 2,000 of them are displayed for the appreciation of the public each year," Wu said. It is therefore an issue for Wu and the National Art Museum to examine, integrate, categorize and sort these un-displayed works into different themes for the appreciation of people both at home and abroad. This also corresponds to the notion "integrate" raised by Wu. Last year, a large exhibition titled "Chinese Freehand-Art from National Art Museum of China" was held simultaneously in three exhibition halls in Harappa, Mexico. More than 300 collections from China's National Art Museum travelled to be exhibited in Mexico. 150 local volunteers in Mexico explained the five cardinal virtues of the Chinese people benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and trust presenting to the audiences in Latin America the Chinese people's inclusive love and longing for peace. Wu also brought his own works on tour exhibitions through France, Poland, Italy, South Korea, Singapore and other countries. "Despite differences in Chinese and Western aesthetics, there is one thing in common: the wonderful affection between human being," said Wu. "Therefore, we are confident that as Chinese classics go global not only will they tell Chinese stories, but also reflect the consensus on aesthetics of the mankind," he added. Civilian groups and residents gathered in downtown Taipei on Sunday to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, calling for opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting China's peaceful unification. Sunday marked the 92nd anniversary of the death of Sun, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China. Hundreds of residents and members from local civilian groups, including the Zhong Shan International, named after Sun, visited the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, bowing to Sun's statue and singing patriotic songs. They held banners and shouted slogans such as "oppose Taiwan Independence" and "peaceful unification." Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou also paid respect to Sun's statue. More than 560 civilian groups in Taiwan announced that they have established an "alliance of anti-independence," based on adherence to the 1992 consensus, which stresses the one-China principle. They called on people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to make common efforts for unification and national rejuvenation. "The alliance is aimed at carrying on Dr. Sun's ideas and promoting the peaceful unification of the nation," said Sun Wu-yan, head of Zhong Shan International. He said Dr. Sun is very important in the minds of Taiwan people, but some are trying to eliminate Sun's legacy with an ulterior motive, which is not tolerable. On Sunday, ceremonies were also held on the Chinese mainland to commemorate Dr. Sun. Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony at Zhongshan Park in Beijing, observing a moment of silence and bowing three times in front of a statue of Sun. Local officials and residents of east China's Jiangsu Province also marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the provincial capital. Sun was born in 1866 and is known as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China. Long March-7 Y2 ready for cargo spacecraft launch [Photo / Xinhua] A Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket arrived at a launch center in south China on Saturday in preparation for the launch of China's first cargo spacecraft next month. After about a week of ocean and rail transport, the carrier rocket arrived at Wenchang, Hainan, where it will undergo assembly and testing prior to the April launch of China's first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1, said China's manned space engineering office. Tianzhou-1 is expected to dock with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab three times and conduct propellent refueling in orbit as well as other space experiments before falling back to earth. Tiangong-2 will remain in orbit and continue its experiments. The Long March-7 Y2 is a medium-sized rocket that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It is able to carry cargo spacecraft and man-made satellites. It made its maiden flight in June 2016. The launch of Tianzhou-1 will complete the second phase of the country's manned space program, a crucial step for China in building a space station by 2020. Wang Yi in class. [Photo/Weibo account of the Henan Communist Youth League] An 11 -year-old girl who has been paraplegic for eight years has had one of her dreams fulfilled with the help of China's internet community. Wang Yi is a fifth-grade student in a village in central China's Henan Province. She recently wrote a letter to the provincial Communist Youth League asking for help. In the letter, the girl said she had an accident when she was 3 years old, which made her paraplegic and incontinent and forced her to wear diapers all day long. Wang said it was becoming difficult for her to get proper-sized diapers, as children's diapers are too small and those for adults are too large. She said this has brought a lot of inconvenience to her life. "My mum is worried about it every day. Dad needs to work away from home. I get extremely upset when thinking about this." Wang's mother told local media that they had to change her diapers several times each night, in case she feels uncomfortable wearing unsuitable diapers. "My biggest wish is to find proper-sized diapers so dad's burden would be eased and mum can have a good rest at night," Wang said in her letter. The letter was posted on the official Weibo account of the Henan Communist Youth League on March 3. Many online users were touched and offered to help. A Hangzhou-based diaper producer Miffy announced later that day it had sent samples to the girl. Xiong Mumu, a spokesperson from the company, told China.org.cn that several online users brought the post to the company's attention, and the company afterwards learned from the Communist League the girl's waist and weight. Xiong said the company happened to have large-size diapers made for plus-sized children and decided to send a box of XXL-sized diapers to the girl. After learning the diapers worked for the girl, the company decided to provide diapers for free "as long as it works for her." The company has now sent diapers that Wang can use for two months, Xiong said. "The diaper is expected to work for the girl till she is 17 or 18, after which she can use adult diapers. Should she outgrow the diapers, we can ask other diaper makers for help," he said. The local Communist Youth League has already offered help to Wang in the past, including charity money from volunteers, according to local media. The trouble maker [By Zhai Haijun / China.org.cn] A conference of American and Indian scholars was held in New York recently that led to a conclusion in favor of cooperation between the U.S., India and Japan as an important counter to Chinese assertiveness, determining the parameters of security in Indian Ocean and Pacific region. Apart from Indo-U.S. cooperation in different fields, the participants discussed the need for enhancing security cooperation in East and South Asia and the Middle East. The first important point to be considered is what is meant by talking about "Chinese assertiveness?" And what is the Chinese threat that needs to be neutralized? And, how does it affect the U.S.? If it's about South China Sea issue, then we need to remember that the region's strategic environment has undergone a prominent change since 2011 when the U.S. decided to station troops in Darwin, northern Australia. Before 2011, the South China Sea issue was rarely heard in the news; however, a lot has happened in the past six years. Japan, Philippines and other countries, which had been peacefully living with the issue, started to raise their voices. It seems the Americans are playing the same old card of using alliances, as was the case with former Soviet Union. The strategy is to use regional countries to defeat a rising power, in this case, using India and Japan. What sort of cooperation are they taking into consideration which does not involve China? Surely such cooperation cannot be economic in nature, because China is already the largest trade partner of the aforementioned countries. However, if the U.S. and India are considering a security bloc, involving Japan, against China, then, instead of stabilizing the Asia-Pacific region, it will surely end in destabilization. China is the world's second largest economy, and is also a regional military power, so that any security arrangement in Asia-Pacific region from which it is excluded will not be viewed as friendly towards China. This leads to another important question as to whether India is able to afford such security cooperation in regions as far away as the Middle East. Will India's poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment allow it to take on such an adventure? Instead of involving itself in strategic adventures possible leading to the underdevelopment of its people, it should focus on economic development and bridging the huge gap between its "haves" and "have-nots." However, one can see that regional strategic developments have placed India in such a position that, all of a sudden, it has become important to the U.S., as a counterforce to China. Japan, on the other hand, has remained a country focusing on its economic development since the Second World War, but now has to understand an extra-regional power is trying to manipulate its strategic geographic position for its own interests. China's economic growth is due to the stable economic policies it has long been following. It has consistently stated it believes in peaceful and cooperative development. Beijing has realized that the age of economic development superseded that of strategic development, thus allowing it to focus on gaining economic security. This should also be the approach of its neighbors, who should see the benefits to be gained from working with China, the world's largest market. All the issues that exist in the Asia-Pacific region, South Asia or Middle East are a matter of concern for the countries directly involved, and should be solved through bilateral or multilateral cooperation. The countries should determine the parameters of regional security instead of imposing an imported formula from an extra-regional power. Because the regional countries understand more about the sensitivity of issues and the strategic culture of the region, they can determine what a strategic miscalculation can cost them. American involvement for peace in Middle East, its adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven that it's the last country to be consulted with when it comes to peaceful settlements. As long as the regional countries will not stop looking for help from an external power, they will never be able to create an environment of peace and prosperity. Assigning a country to play the role of cop in the region, as the U.S. is trying to encourage India to undertake, will lead to further deterioration in the regional security situation. Therefore, the need of the times is to look for opportunities to cooperate instead of promoting conflict. Japan and China are two growing economies of the region and an economic arrangement will not only provide opportunities for the two countries to grow but other regional countries will also benefit. The author is a Pakistani research scholar of international relations based in Shanghai. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Islamic State (IS) fighters are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. "Just last night, the 9th Iraqi armydivision, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," said Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the anti-IS coalition. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 percent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city center in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. Flash When the European Union (EU) is preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, from which the whole integration process stemmed, the future of Europe aroused hot discussions inside the bloc. Giles Merritt, founder and chairman of Friends of Europe think tank and author of "Slippery Slope Europe's Troubled Future," said EU "still has much worth" but argued that poor productivity is Europe's greatest weakness, and it is going to be exacerbated by aging and youth unemployment. He said, "European productivity growth used to outstrip America's. But now Europe's rate is half that of the United States. It's time for the Commission to identify the backsliders, the greatest threat to prosperity." According to Emma Marcegaglia, president of BusinessEurope, the Brussels-based representative body for Europe's business community, industrial policy, trade and investment are "key" for growth, competitiveness and job creation in Europe and to take the European project forward. Ulrike Trebesius, a centre right German European parliamentarian, believed that past hopes in Europe and the eurozone have fallen victim to "centralism and delusions of grandeur", adding, "The EU should concentrate on fewer policy areas and become more efficient, for example, in fighting terrorism and protecting its borders. "Times have changed, we need more flexibility and to adapt our institutional set-up", she said. Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now a member of European Parliament (MEP) who will play a key role in the Brexit negotiations, said the bloc currently lacks real capabilities to address many of today's challenges. Therefore, he stressed the need to start a further inter-institutional reflection on the future of Europe. Earlier this month, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled a White Paper on the future of Europe, in which he outlined five possible scenarios for the remaining 27 member states of the bloc (considering Brexit as done) by 2025. The leading consultancy, Grayling, has drafted a policy paper on the White Paper which will feed into member state discussions on this issue during the EU summit in Rome on March 25. It said Juncker is aware that a multi-speed Europe (one of his scenarios) can be supported by both founding members, such as Germany, France and Italy, as well as by non-Eurozone countries such as Poland, a country with no plans to join the euro in the foreseeable future. It went on, "Indeed, it could be argued that the Euro, the Schengen Area, and the process of "enhanced cooperation" signify that a multispeed Europe already exists. Deeper pan-EU cooperation, however, could be expected in foreign affairs, defense, growth, investment, and migration policies." For Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, the EU needs to be changed but not weakened. "The 60th anniversary celebrations of the Treaty of Rome should not be just a formal ceremony but an opportunity to consolidate our abilities to deliver concrete results to European citizens," he said. But, with populist parties on the rise, eurosceptics like Gerard Batten, an MEP with the UK Independence Party, see this moment as their big chance to seize the initiative. He said that the commission's White Paper recognizes the problems facing the EU, "but fails to understand that many of these were created by the EU in the first place". On March 25, the "White Paper on the Future of Europe: Avenues for Unity for the EU at 27", will be officially handed over to the governments of 27 EU members in Rome, and they will be asked to provide input "in a structured way" by December. The EU summit in December will be the culmination of the process to forge the "new vision" for Europe for the next decade. You are here: Home Flash Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday left the presidential Blue House for her private home in southern Seoul two days after the constitutional court upheld her impeachment. Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye (C) arrives at her private residence in Seoul on March 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Park came out from the residence inside the Blue House at about 7 p.m. local time (1000 GMT). A queue of black sedans and vans, carrying the ousted leader and security guards, departed from the presidential office around 15 minutes later, TV footage showed. Park arrived at her home in southern district of Seoul at 7:37 p.m. Outside her home, hundreds of Park supporters gathered to cheer up the removed president. The loyalists to Park waved national flags in their hands, shouting for invalid impeachment. She smilingly waved her hand to the supporters and shook hands with some lawmakers of the Liberty Korea Party before entering her home. Two days earlier, the constitutional court unanimously upheld the bill to impeach Park, which was passed by the parliament on Dec. 9. Park became the first South Korean leader to be ousted through impeachment. She was stripped of all executive power and lost the title as head of state immediately after the ruling. Park was supposed to leave her office on Friday, but it was delayed as her home needed renovations. The defamed ex-president left no message on her removal from office, according to local media reports. Before departing for her home, Park met with senior secretaries for the last greetings. Without the impeachment, Park's five-year term was supposed to end in February next year. She was sworn in as the country's 18th leader in February 2013. By law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days as the head of state is formally unseated. The election is highly likely to be set on May 9. About 2,000 police officers were deployed near Park's home to prevent possible violence. Three people died and dozens were wounded in the pro-Park demonstration near the court building on Friday. The Park loyalists held a rally in central Seoul Saturday, resisting the court's decision. They said Park was innocent and the ruling was unconstitutional. According to a survey released Saturday, 86 percent people believe the court's ruling was right. Only 12 percent said it was not right, with 2 percent declining to reply. A whopping 92 percent said people should accept the court's decision. Those against the ruling took up just 6 percent of the total respondents. An employee works on a van as it moves along the assembly line at the Peugeot Citroen PSA Sevelnord factory in Hordain, northern France. [Photo/Agencies] After its recent purchase of the Opel and Vauxhall brands, French car manufacturer PSA Group, which is partially owned by Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Co, is now under intense pressure due to its lackluster performance in the world. PSA's revenue fell 1.2 percent last year to 37 billion euros ($39.36 billion) from 37.5 billion euros in 2015 globally. Industry analysts have warned that PSA's purchase of Opel is likely to be anything but an instant cure for the company's woes in China. "As a new brand, it's a tough job for Opel to beat SAIC GM in China," said Shu Chang, principal at German firm Roland Berger Strategy Consultants' Shanghai office. "If Opel is introduced into the Chinese market, it will take some time for the brand to become established. It will need to learn to compete in the local market, strengthen its marketing, establish sales channels and localize research and development," said Shu. PSA announced last week the purchase of General Motor's Opel and Vauxhall brands for 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion). PSA said in a statement it was also buying GM Europe's financial operations for 900 million euros in a joint deal with bank BNP Paribas. With GM's Opel and Vauxhall operations, PSA would become Europe's second-largest carmaker behind Volkswagen. SAIC General Motors has sold the Buick Regal, Excelle GT, Verano, and Chevrolet Malibu models in China and has managed to consolidate its market share. Opel's models are on the exactly same platforms, with slight difference in tuning and configurations. A senior analyst at a securities firm, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "PSA and Dongfeng Motor are simply continuing to roll the dice on this, however Opel won't help PSA in China because the domestic market for international brands is already saturated." The analyst added that Peugeot and Citroen were competing with similar products on the same platforms, and battling with other joint ventures under the umbrella of China's second-largest auto making giant, Dongfeng Motor Group. Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Sales, both based in Hubei province, made a combined profit of 3.6 billion yuan ($522 million) in 2016, 27.3 percent less than in the previous year. Dongfeng Motor acquired a 14 percent stake in PSA for 800 million euros ($844 million) in 2014, and became one of the three main shareholders in the group, along with the Peugeot family and the French government. Zhou Liqin, media manager at Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile, said the two brands were carefully positioned and differentiated in the market and the joint ventures under Dongfeng Motor are sister companies generating "great synergy". "The two brands are focusing on different demographics and are targeted at varied segments. The customers might not perceive the differences, but they certainly exist. For example, the Peugeot brand strengthened its presence in the sport utility vehicle segment in 2016," Zhou said. She continued: "We are trying to expand the lineups of both brands this year to every segment from 100,000 yuan to 250,000 yuan, and both brands are going to be well balanced," Zhou continued. A staff member at Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen said the carmaker gave more incentives to sell Peugeot models than Citroen ones last year, which led to salespeople making exaggerated efforts to promote the Peugeot brand. This included attempts to turn potential Citroen customers into Peugeot buyers. Local media cited a Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen employee as saying that about 1,000 workers were transferred from the plant to Dongfeng Honda Automobile, and attributed the switch to the Peugeot Citroen plant's low sales volume. Zhou said the transferred employees are a team of nearly 700 line workers and supervisors to support the Donfeng Honda plant, because Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen has reserved a certain capacity and number of personnel in preparation for expected growth. "We will have substantial development in the Chinese market this year. After the adjustment made last year, we are now, through increased focus on marketing, working to realize growth as soon as possible," Zhou added. Roland Berger's Shu recommended heavier emphasis on branding as well as a rapid expansion of the company's compact and SUV line-ups. He added: "The French brands do not have a clearly defined image as far as Chinese consumers are concerned." By contrast, German brands are synonymous with technological advancement, Japanese brands are perceived as economical and US ones are known for their size and balanced characteristics. "PSA has a lack of new products in the compact and SUV segments, which are the most popular segment in China." MOSCOW - Smartphones made in China took a larger share of the Russian market in January than a year ago, local retailers said recently. In January 2017, five Chinese brands -- Lenovo, Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi and ZTE -- collectively accounted for 24 percent of the Russian market in sales and 19 percent in revenue, increased from 19 percent and 13 percent respectively against January of last year, electronic devices retailer M.video revealed. Chinese manufacturers are no longer perceived by Russian buyers as suppliers of cheap phones, said Svyaznoy's spokesman Sergei Tikhonov. According to him, earlier smartphones of Chinese brands were sold mainly in low price segments, but now they appear in both medium and high price categories. Another reason is technology, said Tikhonov, adding that in recent years Chinese smartphones are in some respects even superior to the smartphone leaders in terms of technical characteristics. China's structural shift toward an economy based on innovation and knowledge and driven by domestic consumption and services should be key to discussions at this year's two sessions, said Danae Kyriakopoulou, who heads research at the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, an independent think tank for central banking, economic policy and public investment. "A successful rebalancing should allow China's economy to avoid the middle-income trap as it matures and develops," Kyriakopoulou said. The middle-income trap contends that countries can become stuck at a certain development level after losing their competitive advantage. "The difficulty, however, will be striking a delicate balance between reducing the economy's reliance on credit, and allowing funds to flow from less-productive sectors of the economy to more promising ones, while at the same time avoiding sharp corrections that could damage growth." China's economic growth in the decades following its economic reform and opening-up has relied mainly on exports, leveraging the country's manufacturing competitiveness, but in more recent years, it has moved toward innovation-driven growth and expanding the service sector. Kyriakopoulou said ensuring a successful transformation from an economy that has industrial and manufacturing sectors as its key drivers toward one with more competitive new industries should be supported by policies, such as supply-side reforms aimed at boosting promising new industries. Danae Kyriakopoulou, researcher at the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum "This process should be gradual, to avoid sharp corrections as resources move away from the less-promising sectors into more productive ones," she said. While implementing domestic reforms, China is also taking an international lead in supporting globalization and free trade, and the effective implementation of supporting policies should be key to discussions at the two sessions, Kyriakopoulou said. "The Belt and Road Initiative will allow China to diversify its resources into regions and seek growth elsewhere," she said. "It is not just a way to generate returns, but also to connect regions and build regional networks, which will be key for China as it emerges as a new leader in this vacuum as the US and UK retreat from globalization." Meanwhile, she also sees China's reduced focus on manufacturing as helpful for many emerging economies, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and countries in Africa, because it leaves room for them to generate growth by becoming the world's factory. A pedestrian walks past skyscrapers including, left to right, the Leadenhall building, also known as the Cheesegrater, the Aviva Tower, 30 St Mary Axe, also known as the Gherkin, and The Scalpel, in London. [Photo/Agencies] Chinese-owned companies have recorded triple-digit growth in the past two years in United Kingdom, the Financial Times reported, citing research by Grant Thornton, a UK-based professional services firm. Revenues of the top 30 companies, which had a combined turnover of 9.8 billion pounds ($11.94 billion) and employ about 20,000 people in the UK, expanded by an average 174 percent in 2015 against the previous year, according to the Grant Thornton data. The UK in 2015, the most recent full year for the company reports, registered a 2.2 percent GDP growth, said the newspaper. The study marks the first time that revenues for a representative sample of Chinese-owned companies in the UK have been published, reported the Financial Times. A total of 280 Chinese-owned companies with revenues over five million pounds are registered in the UK but only 153 of these had reported earnings for at least two consecutive years by October last year, said the paper. The 153 Chinese-owned companies posted revenue increases on average of 20 percent against the previous year, according to Grant Thornton. The United Kingdom has become a favored investment destination for Chinese companies in recent years. Shenzhen-listed Lianhetech snapped up Fine Industries, a chemical manufacturer based near Middlesbrough, UK, from private equity firm NorthEdge Capital in February. In January, Hong Kong-listed CC Land acquired One Kingdom Street in Paddington for 292 million pounds and confirmed in March that the company is in advanced discussions to buy 122 Leadenhall Street, the tallest building in City of London, for 1.02 billion pounds. This year also marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations between China and Britain. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) foreign ministerial meeting held in the German city of Bonn on Feb 16 that Beijing would like to work with London to boost high-level exchanges and promote the value of the two-way ties in the "golden age". His British counterpart Boris Johnson said Britain will jointly promote bilateral and global free trade to enhance stability and prosperity. A resident charges an electric car at an electric-car rental service bay in Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJINGChina is considering dialing back or delaying proposed measures aimed at pushing automakers to produce more electric vehicles, after industry feedback that the targets are overly ambitious. Under draft rules released in September for public consultation, automakers will be required to obtain a new energy vehicle credit score of 8 percent next year, derived from different weightings assigned to various types of zero and low-emission vehicles. Companies that fail to meet the requirement face fines or have to buy credits from those that exceeded the minimum. Average production of new energy vehicles last year may have contributed only about 3 percent of the score required, 5 percentage points short of the proposed 2018 target, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel told German media in November that he expressed the view to his Chinese counterpart that the 2018 targets were not attainable. Miao Wei, China's minister of industry and information technology, said on March 5 that his ministry was considering either lowering the credit requirement in percentage termsor delaying the implementation date. "We are still working on the regulation," Miao said on the sidelines of the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress. "It may be finalized around May or June." Electric vehicle sales plunged in China in January after the government cut subsidies by more than a fifth starting this year, raising the question of whether the country could sustain demand for green cars without generous grants. Sales of new energy vehicles, the term China uses to refer to battery-powered vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell cars, dropped 74 percent in January from a year earlier to 5,682 units, according to data released by the auto association. "The current proposed NEV (new energy vehicle) quota is indeed too ambitious and early for the industry," said Robin Zhu, an autos analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein in Hong Kong. BLOOMBERG A Haval H2 from Great Wall Motor is displayed at an auto expo in Shenyang, Liaoning province. [Photo/Xinhua] Government's new tax deduction rate stalls industry growth after massive purchasing boom last year The auto market may be signaling a shaky year after the government's eased tax deduction, and the industry may need to tackle issues under the hood for solid and healthy growth. A total of 3.9 million passenger cars were sold in the first two months of 2017, breaking the bimonthly sales record of 3.6 million units of the same period last year for year-on-year growth of 6.3 percent, according to statistics released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers on Friday. The data showed sport utility vehicles continue to climb by 28.7 percent to 1.6 million units sold. Sedans and hatchbacks kept growing by 6.4 percent to 1.9 million units, while multipurpose vehicles fell by 15.7 percent to 352,000 during the period of January to February of this year. "The changes made to the tax deduction policy had minor influence on the market. We found the cars with 1.6-liter or smaller engines are still popular," said Chen Shihua, assistant to the secretary-general of CAAM. Xu Haidong, another assistant to the association's secretary-general, said, "The policy is playing its proper role in the industry, and generating positive impacts. But the effects are certainly softer, not as stimulating as in 2016." John Zeng, managing director of LMC Automotive Consulting (Shanghai) Co, foresaw a negative impact from the weakened tax deduction policy. He said: "The moderate amount of tax deduction, which is about 10,000 yuan ($1,450) for a luxury car, means little to the buyers. Many have already made purchases last year to benefit from the more favorable policy at that time." The tax rate climbed to 7.5 percent beginning January 1, 2017 and will rise back to the normal 10 percent in 2018 for small cars with engine displacement of 1.6 liters or less. The central government slashed the purchase tax by half to 5 percent in October 2015. The tax break was in effect for October 2015 to the end of 2016. LMC predicted the annual growth rate would reach no more than 2 percent, less optimistic than CAAM's 5 percent, after the country saw growth of 13.7 percent in 2016. Analysts look at the combined sales volume of the first two months of the year, as the lunar new year holidays fell in January this year, but in February last year, according to Zeng. "Only if the first half resulted in 4 to 5 percent growth would the annual rate touch 2 percent. It's unlikely to see growth in the second half, as the sales achieved a sky-high record in the last several months last year," Zeng said. Zeng noted that 2 percent annual growth based on China's tremendous market size would be exceptional growth, and 5 percent would be huge. In 2016, auto sales in the world's largest auto market reached a record high of 28 million, up 13.7 percent year-on-year. Auto sales growth hit 26.1 percent year-on-year, in September last yearthe highest in more than three yearsbefore winding down in the following months. Xu said the pattern of the market's development is usually not clear in the first two months, so there's no fuss in the figures. "We are expecting the industry's healthy and sustainable development instead of short-term, stimulated, explosive growth," he added. The rapidly-growing SUV segment has been serving as carmakers' profit source because the production facilities and platforms are usually shared with the sedan models, but priced higher. "The SUV fever reflects the customers' preferences. Carmakers are market-oriented companies following consumption trends," Shi Jianhua, deputy secretary-general of CAAM, said. "However there's room for carmakers to developfor example, in higher comprehensive quality, lower fuel consumption and better environmental protection." There are already international car manufacturers applying the cutting-edge technologies in preparation for future trends. Daimler AG is using biturbocharged engines to squeeze more output from combustion engines. BMW i keeps the engine in an energy-efficient mode all the time by charging the battery when the car is idle and using the electricity to accelerate. Xu pointed out that Chinese carmakers are still behind and in need of further research and development and a stronger supply chain, despite the fact that they are catching up in the compact and mid-size segments. "Chinese brands are still weak in large sedans and SUVs. There's not a single model yet capable of rivaling Toyota's Camry or the Honda CR-V," Xu said. "Only when Chinese brands take a total market share of more than 30 percent can we say China has a strong automotive industry," he added. To realize significant growth again this year, Zeng recommended carmakers give price discounts to the buyers to complement the eased tax deduction. "The affluent margin easily made from transforming hatchbacks to SUVs will be no more," Zeng said. Techrule's first production-ready racecar, Ren, debuts at the ongoing Geneva International Motor show after a concept car was revealed last year at the same event. [Photo/China Daily] A business plan Tesla founder Elon Musk wrote 11 years ago goes like this: create a low volume car, which would necessarily be expensive; use that money to develop a medium volume car at a lower price; use that money to create an affordable, high volume car; and provide solar power. A Chinese car startup, called Techrules, is following the same steps, or the first three, to be specific, with a super racing car powered by a micro-turbine system as its first model, as it makes its foray into the competitive car market. The turbine, which is more often found in helicopters, charges a battery pack and the pack powers electric motors that drive wheels, said Jin Xinzhong, president of the company founded in 2011. Techrules said the turbine is able to get the pack 80 percent charged in 15 minutes and enables a car to run 2,000 kilometers on 80 liters of fuel, either aviation kerosene, diesel, gasoline, biogas or natural gas. Does it sound surreal? Techrules has unveiled a version it said is "production-ready" at the ongoing Geneva auto show, one year after a concept car drew effusive comments from international media including the BBC at the same event last March. Together with the racecar, Techrules is showcasing a variable platform that is said to be able to accommodate different models, ranging from racecars and sedans to SUVs and multipurpose vehicles, all of which already sit on the company's blueprint. Jin, a 52-year-old former planning official, attributed the achievement to Jin Pu, his son, who is also the chief technology officer and co-founder of the company that aims to "create new rules through new technology", as its name suggests. "Despite his youth, he has many talented ideas and plans, not even limited to cars," Jin said of his 25-year-old son during an interview in the company's headquarters in Beijing. The younger Jin said he studied briefly in the UK from 2008 to 2009, during which he cracked an ancient Greek mathematical problem, of which he did not provide details, though. Thanks to his talent, the younger Jin said the country beckoned him back. He then spent a year or so at Tsinghua University, before quitting and becoming the youngest scientist in the country's aerospace system. In an interview with the China Business Journal, he said China Aerospace Science& Technology, a major contractor of the country's space program, played a part in the development of the car's powertrain system headed by his 100-member team. Jin's quitting of a top-class university and strong ability in innovation evoke comparisons to Tesla's Musk, although neither of the twowhom are seen as disruptive forces in the traditional marketare likely to agree. For Musk, it is understandable that the young Chinese is yet to prove his success, and for Jin and his company, the closer rivals are super racecar makers such as Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini, instead of Tesla. That would be equally understandable if one can come up with a car that has a torque of 2,340 Nm, gets from 0-100 km in 2.5 seconds, and runs a top speed of 320 km per hour. But Techrules did find encouragement from the California-based carmaker. The senior Jin said the company is optimistic about the market, though it has never been in the automotive sector before, because Tesla's performance shows that society is more open than ever to new ideas. He quoted an anonymous designer at Lamborghini as saying that the Italian carmaker has taken it as a serious rival by hanging a picture of the Techrules concept car on its wall. It won't take long to see the results. L.M. Gianetti, its engineering partner, said it is ready to produce the car at its facility in Turin, Italy, and if there are any orders the first vehicle will roll out in 2018. The car will be priced starting from at least 20 million yuan, according to the senior Jin. That will make Techrules a decent rival of established super racecar makers, at least judging from the price. GENEVAAs Britain prepares to leave the European Union, some carmakers are considering softening the blow of any trade tariffs by sourcing more parts locally and producing more models they can sell domestically rather than export. Eighty percent of UK-assembled vehicles are exported and they could face tariffs of up to 10 percent if Britain has to fall back on World Trade Organization rules, with some components subject to multiple, varying tariffs each time they cross a border. "If we do find there are tariffs on sending cars out, or there are tariffs on bringing components in, then that would be a motivator to repatriate some component production to the UK," McLaren Automotive Chief Executive Mike Flewitt told Reuters at the Geneva Motor Show. The country's largely foreign-owned car industry is due to hit a record high production of around 2 million units by the turn of the decade, making it one of Europe's largest, and some firms have warned tariffs could push production abroad. The sector is a major employer, which British Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to champion in the Brexit negotiations with the EU she plans to trigger this month; executives are concerned uncertainty could persist beyond the two-year process. A local sourcing push would help mitigate some of the risks of leaving the EU's single market and be a bonanza for smaller UK parts makers but a headache for international suppliers, whose manufacturing footprints are reliant on free trade. Only 41 percent of the parts in British-built cars are made within the country on average, less than the typical 50 to 55 percent local content requirement to which Britain would have to agree in some bilateral trade deals. The proportion of parts sourced locally varies among automakers, making it easier for some to meet the "Made in Britain" threshold than others. McLaren expects to reach a 58 percent "localization rate" by the end of the decade from around 50 percent now, under a plan that pre-dates the June Brexit vote. Jaguar Land Rover, Britain's biggest carmaker, also sources around half its content locally. The level falls to less than 40 percent at German luxury carmaker BMW's Mini plant in southern England, while Opel/Vauxhall Astras built in the UK contain only 25 percent British parts. French carmaker PSA Group, which last week announced a deal to buy Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors, said trade barriers in the event Britain loses access to the single market would push it to increase the percentage of local components. "If it's a hard Brexit then of course the supplier base needs to be developed, and I think this is something that the UK government completely understands," Chief Executive Carlos Tavares told reporters in Geneva. The jury is out on how feasible this might be. Ralf Speth, CEO of JLR, doubts Britain produces enough mass-market vehicles to attract the major supplier investments it would need to cross the 50 percent localization threshold. It and other carmakers have been slowly boosting UK parts content for years. Britain's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, however, believes UK-built cars could source up to 80 percent of parts domestically. The fall in the pound since the Brexit referendum has raised import costs, adding a further incentive. Matt Boyle, the chief executive of electrified powertrain specialist Sevcon, based in England's northeast, said it had seen rising demand since the referendum and is able to respond quickly through the use of flexible third-party sites. "We've got off-the-shelf hybrid systems and electric systems today," he said. The industry is lobbying for British government support, which could be required to kick-start investment in parts production that would be new for Britain, such as alloy wheels. Over 4 billion pounds ($4.9 billion) worth of components such as engine castings, steering systems and seat parts could be sourced in Britain, according to a joint industry-government report published in 2015, adding to roughly 10 billion pounds currently spent by car firms on UK suppliers. Model mix Carmakers are used to picking parts makers to supply their plants across borders, benefiting from unfettered trade among members of the European single market or the North American Free Trade Agreementand between the EU and Mexico. But Donald Trump's election in the United States and protectionist candidates in upcoming elections in the Netherlands and France mean the Brexit referendum is not the only risk to free trade. That has prompted some executives to ponder how plants and supply chains could be refocused on domestic demand. "Our interest and our competitive advantage will be to have UK plants with a pound cost structure to supply a market where revenue is in pounds," PSA's Tavares said. Britain is Opel/Vauxhall's biggest European market, accounting for 77,000 annual sales of its Corsa minithe country's second-biggest seller after Ford's Germanmade Fiesta. But the Corsa is built in Spain and Germany, rather than GM's British plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton. While Astra hatchbacks are produced at Ellesmere Port, some of the 60,000 sold in Britain last year were imported from Poland, leaving potential scope for more UK production. Progress with modular assembly techniques in recent years has given car manufacturers more flexibility to shift production of single models between factories in different countries. BMW said recently it would begin building some of its X1 SUVs at a plant in the Netherlands, which already builds Mini cars. Asked whether Mini's British plant could build BMW-badged cars, Chief Executive Harald Krueger did not rule it out. "Purely theoretically, you can also build the 1 series in the UK," he told reporters. REUTERS The model of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System at an expo in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Nov 1, 2016. [Photo/VCG] China's location detection tech seeks to hit big time in Belt & Road regions A recurring theme in the annual Government Work Report, the latest edition of which Premier Li Keqiang presented to the National People's Congress on March 5,has been promotion of high-end manufacturing and the Belt and Road Initiative, and helping Chinese companies to globalize their equipment and homegrown technologies. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a perfect example of that spirit. The GPS-like navigation system, a product of the Chinese National Space Administration, and managed by the China Satellite Navigation Office, is to accelerate its expansion into economies along the Belt and Road Initiative as China plans to launch six to eight BeiDou satellites this year. BeiDou has made significant progress in terms of accuracy of location detection. The go-global strategy is part of China's broad plan to build a BeiDou navigation system with a constellation of 35 satellites by 2020. In comparison, GPS consists of 24 satellites. "The globalization era for BeiDou is coming," said Miao Qianjun, secretary-general of the Global Navigation Satellite System and Location-based Services Association of China. The GLAC was founded in 1995 to promote the commercial application of BeiDou technologies. "China is supporting BeiDou's exports roughly the same way it supports exports of high-speed railway products and technologies. BeiDou will become another high-tech name card for China," Miao said. In February, the GLAC invited its enterprise members involved in BeiDou-related industries for discussions. With help from the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, it set up an alliance for enterprises that seek to take BeiDou products and solutions to markets along the Belt and Road Initiative. "We've received affirmative responses from 27 enterprises within a week. They are all eager to be part of our efforts," Miao said, adding the alliance members will receive financial support from the government. Policy support for navigation technologies was first articulated in a guidance released by the NDRC in November 2016. It called for more help for enterprises to enable them to apply BeiDou technologies in Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries. "The close economic ties between China and ASEAN will pave the way for BeiDou's entry. More importantly, in Southeast Asian countries located in low latitudes, BeiDou is more accurate than GPS," said Ming Dexiang, director of the Beidou Open Laboratory, an agency that promotes commercial applications of BeiDou. Steady improvements to BeiDou's technologies have helped improve the accuracy of its navigation and location-detection systems. China announced earlier this year that BeiDou's satellites can locate ground-based users to an accuracy level of one or two meters of their exact location with the help of a new chip. Prior to this, BeiDou's accuracy level was a radius of 10 meters from the actual spot. Li Xueli, an engineer working with BeiDou, said: "For users, there are two big improvements. One is the time the system takes to process your journey. This is down from 30 seconds to just three seconds. The second improvement is the position accuracy. The system can now tell if the car is on the main road or side road." With precision of 1 to 2 meters, BeiDou is just behind the European Union's Galileo satellite system that gives consumers an accuracy level of just 1 meter. GPS' accuracy level is 5 meters while Russia's GLONASS satellite gives an accuracy level of 4.5 meters to 7.4 meters. Given the potential for wresting lead globally, China is accelerating steps like launching new navigation satellites to expand the coverage area of BeiDou. Yang Yuanxi, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said: "China will launch six to eight satellites this year. After constructing a network of 18 satellites by around 2018, we will serve economies along the Belt and Road Initiative." That will mark a long way from the first BeiDou satellite's launch 16 years ago. At that time, it was designed to serve the military. It was not available for commercial applications until 2012. But within just four years of development, the commercial model has been widely applied in smartphones and automobiles in China to help consumers navigate through crowded traffic. As of August 2016, about 759 smartphone models supported BeiDou's navigation services, accounting for 21 percent of all smartphones, reflecting the enormous potential of China's navigation satellite market. In 2015, BeiDou was used to help Singapore in tracking vehicles. GLAC's Miao was instrumental in clinching this deal for BeiDou. A joint venture was set up to run the project. Singapore's Economic Development Board, a government agency for planning and executing strategies, poured 50 million yuan into it. Sun Jiadong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former chief designer of the BeiDou system, said: "Domestic trials are checking for possible applications in foreign countries. The globalization boom for BeiDou will come around 2021, but we need to start as soon as possible." Two areas where boats ride easy 1. China has set up a BeiDou-powered monitoring system to track and help fishing boats in Nansha Islands as they have been involved in frequent mishaps due to ordinary equipment on board. So far, more than 30,000 boats have been equipped with BeiDou-enabled gadgets that can help fishermen contact others when telecom signals go weak. The equipment can offer digital messaging services, positioning, navigation notices, emergency help and information on weather and sea waves. It can also help fishery management departments to locate vessels, manage their navigation and extend help in time. BeiDou's system has been widely applied in many areas including fishery departments of the government, fishery companies, large fishing boats and individual fishermen in Nansha Islands. This has greatly reduced maritime accidents, brought IT to the marine fishery segment and professionalized information management in China. 2. China has set up a ship detection and monitoring system on the Lancang-Mekong River in southwestern China, using the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. Southwestern China is known for its rapids, dangerous shoals and a large number of telecommunication blind zones. It has also been facing difficulties like straying foreign ships and international terrorism. The system also makes use of a GPS satellite and a GSM network, and creates a 3-D monitoring and communication mechanism. It is integrated with 3-D geographic information system that can provide users with clear images of landscapes, especially rapids. With simulated maps of the Lancang-Mekong River, the system visualizes land forms around and can guide the ships on safe and optimized routes. Nation to target cases involving hunting, eating, abuse of wildlife A senior official said on Sunday that China needs to step up its wildlife protection efforts in relation to regulations, law enforcement and public education. Zhang Jianlong, head of the State Forestry Administration, made his remarks along the famous "ministers' passage" before the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. Several recent cases involving the hunting, eating and alleged abuse of animals have triggered public discussion on social media platforms, such as a business banquet where attendees were served pangolin; a 22-year-old giant panda at Lanzhou Zoo named Shulan being seen foaming at the mouth and with blood on her back; and a live-streaming program about hunting Chinese bamboo rats. Zhang said an investigation was launched into the meal, which took place in 2015, shortly after images of the pangolin dish began to circulate on social media in February. It was discovered that the banquet had been arranged for a business delegation from Hong Kong to the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. "Two men have been arrested and the case is still under investigation," Zhang added. He also commented on netizen's concerns over the health of giant panda Shulan. Pictures online of Shulan at the zoo in Gansu province raised concerns among netizens recently, while visitors to the zoo have also complained that its pandas look unhealthy. "After an evaluation by experts, Lanzhou Zoo has been deemed unsuitable for taking care of elderly pandas," Zhang said, adding that Shulan will be returned to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, where she was born in 1994. As for live-streaming the hunting of animals that are also under protection, despite not being endangered, the administration made a statement through on its Sina Weibo account saying that it suspects such activities violate the law. Zhang said measures would be adopted such as introducing more regulations to facilitate the revised law on wildlife protection, which took effect on Jan 1, enhancing law enforcement and combating crime, as well as stepping up efforts to educate the public. Chang Jiwen, deputy director of the Research Institute of Resources and Environment Policies at the State Council's Development Research Center, a high-level think tank, said live-streaming the hunting of animals should be banned. "It is not about whether the animals are endangered or under special protection. I think hunting is a brutal activity. Live-streaming such content could abet the crime," Chang added. Kong Rong, a resident of East China's Anhui province, hit the lowest point of her life 10 years ago, when her mother was killed in a traffic accident and she was left with significant debts from medical and funeral bills. The driver failed to pay the 157,000 yuan ($22,700) in compensation awarded by the courts, while Kong had little income and few assets. "I went through a really hard time. I told myself not to get sick, because I could not afford to," recalled Kong, who is now in her 50s. She resorted to petitioning the local government. In 2011, she finally received about 60,000 yuan from a relief fund which uses public money to address difficult court cases in which both plaintiff and defendant are poor. Kong is one of numerous Chinese people to have benefited from the petitioning system that dates back to 1950s. Also known as "letters and calls", petitioning is the administrative system for hearing public complaints and grievances. In China, petitions mostly relate to land acquisition, healthcare, education or environmental protection. Filing a complaint has been made easier now the process can be conducted online. The State Bureau for Letters and Calls started receiving petitions via the internet in July 2013. Last year, some bureaus allowed petitioning through mobile apps, including WeChat. The number of petitions lodged via the internet last year was more than double that of the previous year, Shu Xiaoqin, head of the State Bureau for Letters and Calls, told reporters during the ongoing two sessionsthe annual gathering of the nation's top legislature and its top political advisory bodyin Beijing. "The internet is becoming the main channel for petitioning," Shu said, adding that mobile devices have accounted for more than half of all online submissions so far this year. In addition, some local governments have asked legislators, political advisers and scholars to help petitioners. In 2011, former truck driver Gong Jianping was severely paralyzed in a traffic accident and his wife had to quit her job to take care of him. As the couple did not have the means to file for a compensation claim, they petitioned the government. Political adviser He Zongwen helped the family to take the case to court and secure compensation of 650,600 yuan. "Political advisers are an important force in solving social conflicts," He said. Petitioning is an important channel for administrative aid and an important way for the Communist Party of China to hear public opinion, according to Xin Ming, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. "Petitioning should work alongside the rule of law," Xin added. An air quality inspection team sent by the Ministry of Environmental Protection visit a casting corporation in Linfen, Shanxi province, in February.[Deng Jia/For China Daily] China should speed up establishing unified standards for monitoring and curbing air pollution, so that different regions can coordinate their antipollution efforts, experts say. Bao Jingling, a deputy to the National People's Congress and former chief engineer of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection, said that to curb pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China should bring neighboring Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces under unified standards for both planning and control. Bao said that because of geological and meteorological conditions, airborne pollutants can travel from Shanxi, Shandong and Henan to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. One day in December, as a result of pollutants traveling from the southwest, Tianjin's air quality deteriorated from "good" to "severely polluted"within three hours. "As pollution can travel across regions, we need standard systems that cover all these regions on issues such as emission standards, pollution discharge fees, fines for polluters and punishing polluters with administrative penalties," Bao said. He also suggested setting up an administrative organization in charge of air quality control in all these regions, so that they can more effectively coordinate their efforts. Ministry of Environmental Protection data showed that in 2016, the density of PM2.5fine particulate matter measuring 2.5microns or less in diameter that is hazardous to humanswas reduced by 7.8 percent to 71 micrograms per cubic meter in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region compared with the previous year. About 56.8 percent of the whole year in this region had good air quality, while the national average was 78.8 percent. Hou Xinyi, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a law professor at Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, said that for the past few years, China has made significant progress in air pollution control, but the results still do not meet public expectations. He noted the lack of a system of laws and regulations that apply to multiple provinces and regions, saying that the current regulations are normally applied nationally, or made by a specific province. "China needs some regional laws and regulations for air quality control, and to set up unified standards for environmental protection," he said. Hou also suggested setting up a high-level leading organization to supervise, evaluate and coordinate the regional air quality work. The Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket.[Photo/official Sina Weibo account of CCTV News] A Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket arrived at a launch center in south China on Saturday in preparation for the launch of China's first cargo spacecraft next month. After about a week of ocean and rail transport, the carrier rocket arrived at Wenchang, Hainan, where it will undergo assembly and testing prior to the April launch of China's first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1, said China's manned space engineering office. Tianzhou-1 is expected to dock with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab three times and conduct propellent refueling in orbit as well as other space experiments before falling back to earth. Tiangong-2 will remain in orbit and continue its experiments. The Long March-7 Y2 is a medium-sized rocket that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It is able to carry cargo spacecraft and man-made satellites. It made its maiden flight in June 2016. The launch of Tianzhou-1 will complete the second phase of the country's manned space program, a crucial step for China in building a space station by 2020. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, greets National People's Congress deputies from the PLA during the two sessions in Beijing on Sunday. Li Gang / Xinhua Military's science and technology innovation and civilian integration stressed President Xi Jinping urged the Chinese military on Sunday to further boost integration with civilian sectors while highlighting scientific and technological innovation as the key to military upgrades. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the People's Liberation Army should take advantage of China's achievements in science and technology to help modernize its weapons and equipment. He made the remarks while meeting military deputies to the 12th National People's Congress who are now in Beijing attending the top legislature's annual session. The president said that civilian and military technologies are increasingly connected. He asked the military to pay more attention to science and technology and to speed up civilian-defense integration. Xi told officers to look for, support and make full use of advanced technologies that can serve the military's modernization and to assist the transfer of defense technologies to the business sector. Institutional barriers and special interest groups must be removed to pave the way for civilian-defense integration, he said. Xi also asked the military to improve its education and training systems so they can produce more professionals, adding that the PLA should also strengthen the teaching of science and technology among soldiers. Xi, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has repeatedly stressed the significance of civilian-defense integration, which generally refers to the military transferring technologies to the civilian sectors, and including private companies into its suppliers' list and military research and development. In late January, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee set up a Central Commission of Civilian-Military Integration with Xi as its head. It was the first time the top leadership had established a dedicated body on civilian-military integration. The PLA has created a website to publish its needs in technology, equipment and services, saying qualified private companies are welcome to offer their products and services. Many private firms have been given military contracts, the PLA Daily reported. The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which oversees China's defense industries, has also pledged to gradually reduce restrictions on private businesses in the defense sector and to help State-owned defense contractors increase the use of parts made by private companies. Peacekeepers head to the airport terminal to meet with their families.[Jia Ce / Provided to China Daily] A team of 140 Chinese peacekeepers landed in Hangzhou late on Sunday after completing a yearlong UN mission in Liberia. The unit, mostly officers from the public security frontier corps in Zhejiang province, were deployed on March 11 last year. During its mission in the West African nation, The 4th China FPU to UNMIL carried out 627 operations involved 16 cases of crowd control with more than 16800 person-time police force dispatched, according to Chen Dingwu, a senior official with the Ministry of Public Securitys Border Control Department. "Dispatching peacekeepers overseas proves China's commitment and responsibility to world peace," Chen said. "Through their dedication, our peacekeepers have gained recognition from the UN, the Liberian government and the world. They are our diplomats in uniform." The unit was the fourth sent by China to join the peacekeeping mission in Liberia. Farid Zarif, special representative of the UN secretary-general, said in October that the unit's use of data in peacekeeping was the most sophisticated in all 89 peacekeeping forces in the world. "China is the forerunner in information technology-driven peacekeeping," he said. The unit received the UN Peace Medal of Honor on Feb 21 for their performance, becoming the fourth Chinese peacekeeping force to receive the honor. "Disciplined, responsible, capable and innovative these characteristics are the Chinese style of international peacekeeping," Chen said. A fifth group of peacekeepers another 140 officers departed for Liberia on Friday amid heavy staff cuts in the UN peacekeeping mission, the Ministry of Public Security said. Correction: The 4th China FPU to UNMIL carried out 627 operations involved 16 cases of crowd control with more than 16800 person-time police force dispatched. An Italian woman living in China has pledged 200,000 yuan ($28,900) to help a man who was badly burned as a baby to undergo reconstructive facial surgery, according to local media. The woman contacted the doctors treating Zhao Xuecheng in Wuhan, Hubei province, after reading about his plight in the media, Wuhan Evening News reported. She was identified only as the regional director of a medical company. Zhao, 22, was taken in as baby by vegetable farmers who discovered him abandoned under a bridge in Xiangyang, Hubei. His face had severe burn injuries, but the couple could not afford the cost of plastic surgery. As a child, Zhao was rejected by the local schools because of his facial disfigurement so had to be home-schooled by his parents who had only primary school education themselves. Li Xianyu, his mother, said she believes surgery will make it possible for her son to find a job and enter society. However, an operation in Chongqing in January failed to meet expectations, so the family traveled to Wuhan for further treatment. Xie Weiguo, vice-president at Wuhan Third Hospital, said Zhao needs to undergo a number of operations over a period of six months to a year. The total cost, he said, will be in the region of 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. On Thursday, the hospital received an initial payment of 50,000 yuan from the Italian donor. The hospital has also raised more than 40,000 yuan in donations from employees and has waived some expenses. Donations will be handled by the Hubei Charity Federation's fund for burned women and children, according to Wuhan Third Hospital. Guo Xiaojun contributed to this story. A pilot program that allows prosecutors to file public interest lawsuits has been a great help in protecting the public's rights in environmental and food and drug safety issues, and the top procuratorate is moving to make the practice into law, the country's procurator-general said. Between July 2015 and the end of February, prosecutors handled 5,109 such cases and filed 547 public interest lawsuits. That helped restore 128,000 hectares of polluted farmland, forests and grassland, and forced 443 companies operating illegally to pay compensation of about 200 million yuan ($28.9 million), according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate. "Such a pilot program has effectively prevented State and social public interests from being harmed," Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the SPP, told China Daily in an exclusive interview. "Prosecuting departments will further streamline the process, clarify standards and mull legislative proposals to give legal backing to the practice." Public interest litigation is fairly new and rare in China. For years, plaintiffs had been strictly confined to citizens, corporations and organizations whose interests were directly related to the lawsuit. An amendment to the Civil Procedure Law in 2012 first allowed agencies or organizations to bring litigation against those who undermine public welfare by polluting or infringing on consumers' interests. That was considered a major step forward in creating a public interest litigation system in China. Amid increasing pollution and food safety offenses, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the top legislature, authorized the two-year pilot program in 13 provincial regions in July 2015. It allows prosecutors to institute public interest lawsuits in civil and administrative cases. Before that, prosecutors mainly handled criminal cases. Under the program, prosecutors can file a civil suit based on any act that compromises public rights and interests through pollution or undermining food and drug safety. They may also sue government agencies over abuse of administrative power or failure to perform their duties in cases related to environmental protection, State assets and State land use. Cao said engaging prosecutors in such lawsuits is an effective way to supervise administrative power, ensure law enforcement and safeguard social justice. However, the system is designed for a public interest lawsuit filed by prosecutors to be the last resort, according to the SPP. Before that, prosecutors should urge governmental and nongovernment organizations to file such cases and assist them in doing so. Also, they should push governments to stop their wrongdoing and correct their actions before taking them to court. Cao said that under the program, prosecutors had put forward 4,562 suggestions to government departments or social organization as of the end of February. Government agencies had made corrections in 3,206 of the cases, and social organizations had filed 28 public interest lawsuits. "Prosecutors instituted 547 public interest lawsuits against those who refused to perform their duties or if the harm continued," he said. In July 2015, for example, prosecutors in Qingliu county of Fujian province found the local environmental protection bureau had failed to ensure electronic waste was safely disposed of and urged the bureau to correct the situation. The bureau replied that it had disposed of the waste properly, but actually it hadn't. Prosecutors then filed a public interest lawsuit against the bureau that December, and the bureau finally performed its duty under the pressure, according to the SPP. But Cao acknowledged that prosecuting departments face challenges, too. "Faced with the needs of reform, the conflict between limited human resources and mounting cases has become more prominent," he said. "In addition, some prosecutors need to accumulate more experience and improve their capabilities in evidence discovery, case investigation and trying such civil and administrative lawsuits." Cao said prosecutors will beef up information sharing, transferring cases and other types of cooperation with other authorities, including the public security and environmental protection departments. He also called for more thorough legal research. Liu Hongyu, a national political adviser and a partner in the Beijing-based Jincheng Tongda & Neal law firm, suggested amending the Civil Procedure Law and Administrative Procedure Law to give legal backing for such litigation. "A separate law on the mechanism and procedures of public interest lawsuits should be drafted, too," she said. Ning Guiling, an NPC deputy and vice-president of Dalian University of Technology. [Photo by Jiang Xingguang/chinadaily.com.cn] "In the documentary Deng Xiaoping in Historic Transformation, Deng decided that traditional college entrance examinations based on academics would be resumed in 1977," said Ning Guiling, vice president of Dalian University of Technology and an NPC deputy on March 12. "So higher education was where he first turned his attention to after regaining the leadership," said Ning, a professor of chemical engineering, in an exclusive interview with chinadaily.com.cn. "Colleges and universities have directly supported the development and construction of Northeast China." The two sessions -- the annual gatherings of the nation's top legislature and its top political advisory body -- started in early March, with more than 5,000 deputies and political advisors participating in them. Ning said it is a huge challenge for her university in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, to compete and keep its favorable position in the "double first-class university" plan. The term "double first-class" refers to "world-class university" and "world-class discipline", which were approved by China's deepening reform lead group in 2016 as a new impetus for the development of China's higher education sector. The government should build more platforms to attract talents to study and work in Northeast China after graduation, according to Ning, who emphasized that funding support to attract first-class teaching staff from home and abroad and to nurture academic leaders from the school's own talent pool is of great significance. "Talent nurturing is the responsibility of the whole society," said Ning. "Colleges and universities cannot solve the problems all by themselves." At a panel discussion with lawmakers from Liaoning province during the ongoing annual session of the country's top legislature, President Xi Jinping urged Northeast China to depend on the real economy and emphasize supply-side structural reform to revitalize the region's economic growth, which has slowed in recent years with overcapacity cuts in heavy industries. At this stage, whether in supply-side structural reform or reform of State-owned enterprises, talent development is one of the most important elements, Ning added. More integrated internship programs connecting the university, enterprises and government should be built, said Ning, adding that high-quality internships are very important for graduates to gain hands-on experience and enjoy an edge in the job market. The school is also expanding channels for students to have broader global visions, according to Ning. More than 20 percent of undergraduate students in Dalian University of Technology can access experience abroad through exchange and internship programs and summer schools, among other mechanisms, said Ning. Boasting three campuses across Liaoning province, the university has over 3,600 faculty members, including about 600 PhD supervisors. It has over 34,700 full-time students, including more than 3,700 PhD students, 9,600 master's students, 20,700 undergraduates and more than 700 international students. Liu Huihao, a CPPCC National Committee member and a professor from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. [Photo by He Shuang/chinadaily.com.cn] Young entrepreneurs should be more rational about business startups and should prepare themselves in every possible way before venturing into them, urged Liu Huihao, a CPPCC National Committee member and a professor from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in an interview with chinadaily.com on March 9. Since the Chinese government is encouraging mass entrepreneurship and innovation, many college students have made innovative undertakings their goal. Innovation, undoubtedly, is good for economic and social progress. However, many people are not very well informed about the various problems that may occur when they start and develop new companies, and some even start businesses without a clear target and careful thinking, which may lead to failure, according to Liu. She explained that a college student's starting up his or her own business requires business acumen and understanding of the commercial world. Liu suggested that young entrepreneurs should be more rational about business startups. "Not everyone has the ability to launch a startup and not all entrepreneurs succeed. It needs basic competency and willingness. People should be rational in their judgments of themselves and their analysis of the market." She said that students should be sure that they have the necessary capacity and capability to run a business before jumping into the fray. It's also important that they should do something different that makes them stand out among the innovating mass, said Liu. As regards ways to get financial support, Liu, an expert in finance and economy, suggested that young entrepreneurs on the one hand study government policies in funding, subsidies, and affordable land use, and on the other hand try to attract investment from financial institutions and angel investors. "Joining the burgeoning trend blindly is risky. As a student, study comes first. They should only do it under the premise that they can keep up with their studies and have sufficient time and energy," Liu added. Solutions to toxic tracks, school bullying in works The synthetic running tracks have been uninstalled. [File photo by CHINA DAILY] Playground standards to be updated; broad effort advised for moral training The Ministry of Education is working with other departments to root out toxic synthetic running tracks and reduce bullying on campus to guarantee students' health and safety, Education Minister Chen Baosheng said on Sunday. Toxic synthetic running tracks and bullying at schoolsparticularly at primary and middle schoolshave attracted widespread public attention in recent years, as both are believed to have posed threats to students' growth. The running tracks were alleged to have caused physical illnesses characterized by vomiting, nosebleeds and skin rashes among students in many places in China, including Beijing and Shanghai, and in Hebei and Jiangsu provinces. After investigating the incidents, the authorities found that standards for school running tracks were inadequate and out of date, Chen said at a news conference on the sidelines of the fifth plenary session of the 12th National People's Congress. "Some schools are even building running tracks under the standards of more than two decades ago," he said. "There are also problems with the bidding process," he said, noting that some construction companies have won bids with low prices rather than high quality. The ministry is working with research institutes and government bodies to draft a new set of standards. "We'll pilot the new standards and will implement them nationwide after they prove suitable," Chen said. Meanwhile, the ministry will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate to crack down on school bullying. Some positive effects have already been seen, Chen said. "But school bullying is not uprooted yet. More efforts are needed." Chen said people should be informed of the difference between bullying and violence. The former is a kind of misbehavior, while the latter is a crime, he said. Zheng Huiqiang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice-chairman of the China Democratic League's Central Executive Committee, believes that clearer definitions and distinctions between behaviors are necessary. "We should avoid exaggerating the problem of school bullying, but we cannot ignore the damage it does to children's development and to social order," he said. Zhong Binglin, a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC who serves as president of the Chinese Society of Education, told Legal News that school bullying and violence demonstrate a shortage of moral education at school. "School education is a reflection of social and family education. To reduce school bullying, efforts from families, schools and the whole society are required," Zhong was quoted as saying. Key TPP role could await China Joining group would help integrate the Asia-Pacific region, experts say China should not be absent from talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership this week, since its participation will not only add value to the trade deal but also facilitate domestic reforms and opening-up, experts said on Sunday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday that China is considering attending the meetings, which will be held in Chile on Tuesday and Wednesday, after receiving an invitation from the Chilean government. The withdrawal of the United States from the 12-country trade alignment in January has caused other members to adjust their stance on welcoming China into the group. Some, including Chile and Australia, have been eager to invite China to become a TPP member to enhance the integration of the Asia-Pacific region. "To meet the TPP demand, China must adopt measures to promote market-oriented reforms at home to diversify its companies' earning ability, open the market further and improve government supervision," said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the China Institute for WTO Studies of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. The main themes of the TPP, according to the trade agreement document, are zero tariffs for some countries and discount tariffs for others, investment liberalization, an investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, intervention by member governments in domestic rules and regulations involving companies, as well as social policies including State-owned enterprises and labor standards. These factors will help member countries increase the level of economic integration and efficiency, according to a report last month by the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization. Zhang Wenkui, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, said TPP membership could lead to combining the TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which would end fragmentation in the Asia-Pacific region that undermines economic integration. "However, if an application to join is filed, negotiations will be long drawn out, similar to the multiple Doha round of negotiations," he said, referring to global trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization that have emphasized improving the economies of developing countries. Zhang Yunling, director of international studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, said, "TPP membership may also be practical to help China further secure the channel of foreign direct investment, since the country is inclined toward reform and opening-up." Zhang said it would also build closer business ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and further reduce the potential for trade friction, especially with major trade partners such as the US. Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said on Saturday that he was looking forward to meeting with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "China-US economic and trade cooperation is very much in the interest of both countries," Zhong said. "A trade war does not meet the fundamental interests of the two countries or the two peoples. It won't benefit the global economy." Last year, trade volume between China and the US reached $519.6 billion207 times higher than in 1979, when diplomatic relations between the two countries were established. Courts act to improve protection of rights Zhou Qiang (left), SPC president, and Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the SPP, deliver speeches.[Photo by XU JINGXING/CHINA DAILY] China's judicial authorities will continue efforts to correct wrongful verdicts this year and take comprehensive measures to protect citizens' personal and property rights, two senior judicial officials said on Sunday. Last year, 1,076 criminal defendants were declared innocent, 37 more than in 2015, and 1,376 wrongful verdicts or sentences were changed on appeal, the Supreme People's Court President Zhou Qiang said during a work report to about 3,000 national legislators. He mentioned a case on Dec 2 in which the top court posthumously pardoned Nie Shubin, a native of Hebei province executed in 1995. Nie was found to have been wrongly convicted of rape and murder on the basis of unclear and insufficient evidence. "Such wrongful convictions humiliate justice," Zhou said, adding that courts at all levels must learn a lesson from such cases. Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, asked procurators on Sunday to find, report and correct possible wrongful cases, as well as to compensate victims and hold liable those involved in judicial miscarriages. The top court and procuratorate also pledged to help maintain social stability and boost economic growth, ahead of a key Communist Party of China congress to be convened in the second half of this year. The chief justice and procurator-general noted that judicial organs will also target cases related to poverty alleviation, a fundamental task in building a moderately prosperous society by 2020 as set by the Chinese government. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012, courts nationwide have rectified a number of mistaken convictions in serious cases, which "finally let justice prevail" and "reflects the achievements of the rule of law", he said. Zhou Guangquan, an NPC deputy and a criminal law professor at Tsinghua University, said the authorities' strong determination to act in wrongful cases impressed him. "I'm glad to see the correction of some wrongful cases, but what I find more gratifying is the improvement in rules and regulations to prevent such miscarriages," he said. Zhao Wanping, a national legislator from Anhui province, suggested that judicial authorities take more initiative in preventing and finding improper verdicts. "Several cases were corrected after the defendants' families had appealed for decades. That's far from enough," he said. Legislators said they expect courts to retry more controversial cases that might involve improper expropriation of land and houses in an effort to better protect property rights this year. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council jointly issued China's first State-level guideline on the protection of property rights late last year. The guideline says that all kinds of property rights, public or private, will receive equal protection. "For wrongful cases in which governments failed to provide statutory or reasonable compensation for individuals whose property was expropriated, courts should start the retrial procedure after a review," Teng Wei, deputy chief judge of the Trial Supervision Tribunal at the Supreme People's Court, said in an earlier interview. Regulator says Made in China 2025 is fair The Made in China 2025 initiative brings equal opportunities to foreign and domestic enterprises and will strengthen the role of the market, the country's top industry regulator said in response to a suggestion by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China that the initiative creates uneven playing field. The initiative, which was designed to promote high-end manufacturing in China, adheres to government-led, market-oriented principles, said Miao Wei, minister of Industry and Information Technology. "Foreign and Chinese enterprises will continue to be treated equally. We have never forced foreign companies to transfer technology," Miao said at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual plenary session of the National People's Congress. The remarks followed a report by the EU business group saying the push to upgrade industry will give Chinese companies an unfair advantage. Miao rebutted the allegation, saying entry policies in sectors such as new energy vehicles are applicable to both foreign and domestic businesses, and China's intent is to prevent companies from cheating on government subsidies. The EU group said in an email to China Daily over the weekend that it welcomes the ministry's public commitment and will look at policies being put in place. The Made in China 2025 initiative, unveiled in 2015, came into existence partly because foreign countries ban export to China of certain technologies and products. Xiang Ligang, a telecom expert and CEO of the telecom industry website cctime.com, said, "China's market is so huge that foreign companies can all find a place. The initiative is unleashing big potential that everyone can tap into." When it comes to the shrinking market share of foreign companies in the telecom sector, Xiang said, it is because domestic companies are making steady progress and even outshining their foreign rivals in technology and services. "It has nothing to do with government support," he said. Miao also rejected the claim that the government has set market-share targets for domestic products. "The targets are not in the government's plan but in a greenpaper issued by a panel of expert consultants. The panel made it clear from the beginning that such targets are of predictive nature, not mandatory," he said. Fu Liang, an independent analyst, said foreign companies should step up localization efforts to pounce on the opportunity brought by Made in China 2025 initiative. "The technology gap is narrowing. Foreign businesses should reconsider their core competency in China," he said. Chen Yingqun contributed to the story. Government vows to control risks in financial markets Steps will be taken to redirect capital toward producing goods and services and away from speculation. Li Xiang reports. China has shifted the focus of its financial policy toward controlling risks, underscoring the desire of the nation's policymakers to contain systemic risks and ensure financing for real economic activities, such as providing goods and services. In the Government Work Report, delivered to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislative body, Premier Li Keqiang warned about the accumulation of risks in areas such as nonperforming loans, bond defaults, shadow banking and internet finance. While the overall risks are controllable, the premier vowed the government will be vigilant toward financial risks and will build a "strong firewall" against them. This year, the top leadership has made the prevention of financial risks a key priority, as evidenced by the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference in December. The emphasis on curbing financial risks also reflects the government's concerns about the rising trend of "exit the real, enter the fake", whereby companies abandon real economic activity and seek financial speculation instead. The premier's pledge has been echoed by the nation's legislators and political advisers, who have urged tighter supervision and greater regulatory coordination in the financial markets at the ongoing two sessions, one of the country's biggest annual political events. Coordinated efforts The latest evidence of tighter risk control are the coordinated efforts by the People's Bank of China, the central bank, and the regulators of the banking, securities and insurance industries to draft a comprehensive regulatory framework to tackle the risks inherent in the opaque investment products sold to retail and institutional investors. Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China, said there is excessive speculation in the country's asset and wealth-management sector, and the central bank and other financial regulators have reached a consensus on tightening regulations on the industry. Detailed policies will be unveiled soon, he added. While the draft regulations are still under discussion and subject to change, analysts said they will create better synergy among the various regulatory bodies, and will also help to rein in risks in the country's rapidly growing shadow-banking sector, in which some products are often unregulated or are provided by unauthorized lenders. "Such a framework would be credit-positive for banks, because it would enhance the regulatory capacity to manage the growth of shadow-banking sectors, such as banks 'wealth-management products," said Nicholas Zhu, senior analyst at Moody's Investors Service. By the end of last year, the outstanding value of Chinese banks' off-balance-sheet wealth-management products exceeded 26 trillion yuan ($3.8 trillion), a rise of 30 percent from a year earlier, according to the PBOC. Banks have worked with other financial institutions, such as trust companies, securities firms and fund companies, to sell risky, high-yield investment products to both retail and institutional investors. These investment products often have dubious structures and many exist in a regulatory void. Opaque investments Guo Shuqing, the newly appointed chief of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, has warned about the opaque nature of many investment products. "Some financial products... are invested in each other, with no one really knowing the underlying assets or the final destination of fund flows," he told a recent media briefing. The draft rules to regulate China's asset management industry will prohibit off-balance-sheet wealth-management products sold by banks from investing in risky and less-liquid credit assets. The rules will also ban financial institutions from offering guaranteed returns to investors; a practice intended to attract retail investors who often fail to distinguish between wealth-management products and regular bank loans. "We recognize that by fostering less risk with greater constraints, the potential reforms call for greater transparency, which would increase investor confidence in investment funds and benefit the long-term growth of the sector," said Vanessa Robert, a senior credit officer at Moody's Investors Service. The regulators have adopted a string of measures to curb financial risks and the domestic asset bubble, including capping the amount and frequency of secondary share offerings by listed companies and tightening checks on radical investment by insurers. The regulators have imposed hefty fines on insurers for violations of investment rules and vowed to capture big financial "crocodiles", or unscrupulous operators, and others who wield their capital power to manipulate the stock markets. Balanced, sustainable growth In the Government Work Report, China lowered this year's growth target to about 6.5 percent, while reducing the target for broad money-supply growth to 12 percent. Economists said trimming the overall growth target will likely give policymakers greater leeway to ensure financial stability and more balanced and sustainable growth. "The further reduction of the annual growth target is appropriate against the backdrop of China's continued efforts to reduce overcapacity, corporate sector deleveraging and destocking in the housing market," said Zhu Haibin, chief China economist at JPMorgan. "All these are necessary steps to contain risks and to achieve a more balanced and sustainable growth model in the long run, but they are likely to weigh on growth in the near term." He added that the first quarter of the year may see a tightening bias in the central bank's financial stability operations, as part of the government's effort to contain financial risks. Zhao Yang, chief China economist at Nomura Securities, warned that shadow-banking activity has shifted from financing the real economy to other areas, such as speculation in capital markets. However, he added that the synergy of financial regulation and improved economic growth in the last quarter has pushed financing via the shadow-banking sector back toward the real economy. Contact the writer at lixiang@chinadaily.com.cn Honored to report and play my part Are fetuses entitled to property-inheritance rights? How can China protect people's personal information? And how will the nation chart its course over the coming year? Two sessions. One minute. Twelve episodes. Dozens of vocabulary words. And more than 27 million views of the first few episodes on video app Miaopai alone. The series I'm hosting, Two Sessions, One Minute - Lianghui Chinese with China Daily, helps foreigners learn Chinese while also informing a global audience about the annual meetings and what they mean for the country and the world. Key words are translated, providing a bilingual format that aims to shed light on the direction the nation is heading in. Viewers not only learn how to say Government Work Report - zhengfu gongzuo baogao - but also gain an understanding about what the report means for our shared future. The same goes for yian (motions), daibiao (deputies) and fupin (poverty alleviation). One thing I've come to realize as the first foreign journalist from China Daily to cover the two sessions from the Great Hall of the People is how consultative the Chinese government is. It solicits suggestions from the public and acts on responses that come in tens of millions at a time. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang regularly solicit advice from people from all walks of life, in addition to meeting with scholars and experts. I had the honor of offering face-to-face advice to Premier Li recently during an event marking Spring Festival at the Great Hall of the People. That was after becoming the youngest foreigner in history to win the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor for "foreign experts who have contributed to China's social and economic development". I also offered suggestions to the central government during last year's National Day celebrations. It has been an honor to return to the Great Hall of the People during the two sessions to help China's story be heard and - I hope - be better understood. These are monumental moments in a nation of increasing global importance - a place I've come to love and call home. It's a place to explore, raise a family in and, whenever possible, give something back to. I'm deeply honored to be front and center on such momentous occasions. I truly wish China and the Chinese people the best in the coming year, and beyond. Modest growth seen good for development China can be satisfied with its current economic growth rate and will continue to contribute a large amount to global GDP, according to a senior US researcher. On March 5, while delivering the Government Work Report, Premier Li Keqiang confirmed that the country's growth target for this year would be slightly lower than last year, or about 6.5 percent. Nicholas Hope, a China specialist at the Stanford Center for International Development, described this forecast as a "very satisfactory achievement for an economy now as large as China's, especially if that growth can be achieved without exacerbating structural problems of supply". Given Beijing's ongoing emphasis on reducing excess capacity in steel, coal and other basic materials, as well as reducing the inventory of unsold dwellings, a more modest growth rate might actually serve to expand the supply of goods by more than would be achieved by faster, less-efficient growth, he said. "If the target growth rate is achieved, then China will add more than $750 billion to global GDP, which will account for a major part of the projected global increase in GDP," said Hope, who is former director of the Stanford Center and previously worked at the World Bank as country director for China and Mongolia. China's Asian trading partners can also expect to benefit from rising Chinese demand for their products, he said. The growth rate of 6.7 percent that China achieved last year accounted for more than 30 percent of global growth and outpaced most other major economies, the International Monetary Fund said in a report in January. That compared with a 2.3 percent growth rate for the United States. However, Premier Li cautioned in his report that China should be ready to face "more complicated and graver situations" in the future. "The premier's description reflects the uncertainties that beset the international economic outlook, with the possibility that rising protectionist sentiment in Europe and the US could lead to detrimental trade wars and severe damage to the economic prospects of the major trading nations," Hope said, adding that China's ongoing battle to limit the damage to peoples' health from pollution and other forms of environmental degradation must have also been on Li's mind. Commenting on the premier's promise to reduce production capacity of steel by 50 million metric tons and coal by 150 million tons, Hope said sustained attention to resolving structural imbalance problems in the supply of basic materials will be beneficial to the Chinese economy in the long run. Such efforts will also help to improve relations with China's trading partners, he said. "One can question whether the reductions are sufficient to remove all concerns about 'dumping' of excess supplies of basic materials from China," he said. "But fair-minded officials in other countries should recognize that China is tackling a difficult situation with vigorous actions." Lawmakers work to build new civil law Ma Weihua, a CPPCC National Committee member and a well-known banker, refers to the Work Report of the Supreme People's Court during a group discussion at the ongoing two sessions in Beijing on Sunday.Zou Hong / China Daily National lawmakers and political advisers have engaged in heated discussions during the ongoing two sessions over draft general provisions of civil law - new statutory language that would lay a foundation for the protection of civil rights in China. Some of its clauses reflecting socialist core values have been widely applauded. Others - including hot issues such as the protection of personal information - are still being worked out. The draft, if adopted on March 15 at the conclusion of the annual plenary session of the National People's Congress, will represent the first step in the formulation of a broad Chinese Civil Code, which is expected to be complete by 2020. The draft addresses such core values as justice, equality and amicability, and it responds to many concerns in society, legislators said. For example, the draft stipulates that good Samaritans are not liable for minor injuries inadvertently inflicted on a person they help during an emergency. However, liability remains in the current working version of the draft for a case in which a helper inflicts great harm. Shi Jie, a lawyer from Sichuan province and a political adviser, suggested that good Samaritans should be fully protected. "We shouldn't assume helpers have rescue knowledge. I think it's better to set up special government funds to compensate people injured while being helped," he said, adding that such funds would further encourage rescuers to save others without hesitation. Xu An, an NPC deputy from Jiangsu province, said protecting good Samaritans in some fashion will encourage people to help others - and as such is important in upholding China's traditional values. China established a set of core socialist values in late 2012. They include the national goals of prosperity, democracy, civility and harmony; the social goals of freedom, equality, justice and the rule of law; and individual values of patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendship. Another clause in the draft, which clarifies one's obligation to look after and protect parents, was applauded by Li Jing, an NPC deputy who serves as a judge in Hubei province. "It's good to see this virtue - filial duty - upheld by giving it legal status," Li said. "It will better comfort senior citizens, and it's consistent with the pace of China's aging society." Apart from the stipulations that reflect traditional Chinese values, some rules addressing new problems, such as the protection of personal information, have also received wide attention. It's necessary for the general provisions of civil law to highlight the protection of personal information as a basic principle because "it relates to everyone's private rights and property", said Yang Daya, an NPC deputy. Zheng Shanglun, a national legislator and a police officer from Chongqing, said the new entry will help safeguard personal information and aid in the fight against fraud. More than 7,600 organized telefraud rings were broken up last year across the country, according to the Ministry of Public Security. Preparing ethnic minority students for better tomorrow Bao Hongyi, a primary school teacher in Southwest China's Yunnan province and an NPC deputy of the Va ethnic group, at the annual two sessions in Beijing, March 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG] The Va ethnic group living along the border with Myanmar in Yunnan province is one of the least known minority groups in the country. But their concerns and suggestions are heard thousands of kilometers away in Beijing thanks to NPC deputies' motions during the annual two sessions. Bao Hongyi, a 43-year-old primary school teacher in Cangyuan Va autonomous county, has been an NPC deputy for five years. Every March she travels to Beijing to propose her motion on improving local education system. This year, she proposed that primary school teachers should be provided more opportunities to attend the country's profession rank evaluation. Climbing the evaluation ladder is very difficult in her area, particularly for primary schools. Unlike middle school teachers who can automatically achieve a higher rank based on their work experience, few opportunities exist for primary school teachers, which may affect their passion for the job, said Bao. She said the education system in her area is in bad state. "Training and hiring of teachers in the border area where ethnic minorities live is an urgent requirement," said Bao. One of the reasons why the region lacks development is that people were still living in primitive society when the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. But a lot of progress has been achieved in recent years. Rural teachers in her area now can get subsistence allowance of 500 yuan ($72) to 900 yuan every month. And some teachers who were sent to Shanghai on a one-year training program have become the backbone of local education. Such programs can also be conducted online now. To attract more teachers to the region, more budget should be allocated to solve the problem of teachers' housing, said Bao. Another pressing problem is the large number of left-behind children. The children feel saddest during parent-teacher conference and parent-child activity held by the school. She said teacher should play a bigger role in moral education. She shared the experiences of integrating such education into training with youth.cn. "When we were teaching the concept of percentage in math class, we asked the students to collect used bottles and taught them calculation using those bottles. This way they learned math along with the importance of environmental protection." Bao is proud to be a primary school teacher. Whenever she interacts with her students she feels happy. One of her students moved to another city with his parents, but stayed in touch with her for years. He later enrolled at a major university in Beijing and also got a job in the capital after graduation. "Now he very proudly tells others, 'My primary school teacher is an NPC deputy'." Globalization stance welcomed by Europe Geoffrey Harris, a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Belgium. [Photo provided to China Daily] China's national lawmakers and political advisers will discuss ways in which the nation can further engage in globalization, a key topic addressed by President Xi Jinping in his speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, said an academic in Europe. "The clear messages coming from President Xi in support of globalization are certainly reassuring to Europeans concerned about the possible economic consequences of the America First policy announced by President Donald Trump," said Geoffrey Harris, a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Belgium. President Xi visited the college in early 2014 and said China and the European Union should deepen their partnership on peace, reform, growth and civilization. Harris expressed his views to China Daily as national lawmakers and political advisers gathering in Beijing for their annual two sessions to discuss the country's development roadmap. He said globalization has sometimes been seen as Americanization under another name but he noted that, long before Trump arrived on the scene, challenges were emerging, most notably in Europe and Asia, where regions have been developing their own structures to enhance their trade interests. "Developing countries also now want to be partners, rather than objects of others' commercial arrangements," said Harris, who was formerly deputy head of the European Parliament liaison office with the US Congress. "Growing inequality within and between all societies is leading to political uncertainty and potential conflict. China is profoundly affected by these global trends." But he said many years of significant economic growth have given China the confidence it needs to advance its views about global trade and economic issues. Harris said China now needs expanding export markets, even if it is also looking to enhance domestic demand and address concerns around slowing growth. "The readiness of China to play an active role in saving globalization and making it work in all countries' interests comes at a time when the well-established structures appear rather shaky," said Harris. But, he said, world leaders in the immediate future will need to find ways to reassure each other at a time when trading conflicts are becoming more numerous and against the backdrop of political distrust and intensifying competition for markets. Harris said they "need to find ways to overcome widening ideological differences and bear in mind that each has an interest in the others' success." Cartoon Commentary on Xi's two sessions talks : Let national unity flowers bloom On March 10, Chinese President Xi Jinping joined a panel discussion with lawmakers from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region during the annual session of the National People's Congress, the top legislature in Beijing. Xi said China has many ethnic groups, and summoned to implement the Party's policy for ethnic groups, hold high the banner of ethnic groups unity and guide all ethnic groups to enhance their sense of identity with the motherland, Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Safeguarding ethnic unity is just the same as protecting their eyes. National unity must be cherished as their lives. According to the website of the autonomous region's government, Xinjiang covers an area of 1.66 million square kilometers. It has about 23 million people, about 63 percent of whom are from ethnic groups other than Han. Xi attaches much importance to national unity, and has conducted many investigative trips to ethnic areas. During the two sessions, Xi also listens to the advice of lawmakers and political advisers from ethnic minority, and shows great concern for ethnic group work and promoting national unity. Xi said the relationship between various ethnic groups resembles pomegranate seeds assembling tightly together. Full implementation of targeted poverty alleviation Xi mentioned reflects he always keeps the lives of all ethnic groups in his mind. National unity is the lifeline of all people and common will of the 1.3 billion Chinese people. Through implementing the party's ethnic group policy into the fields of economic development, improving people's livelihood, poverty alleviation, and safeguard social harmony and stability, the national unity flowers would bloom and flourish. By Han Xu, director of political system research office, Institute of Political Science, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, cartoon drawing by Liao Tingting. China should slow growth and consolidate, says think tank expert China's steady development has strongly contributed to the economic growth of the whole world, says an economist with a leading London think tank. Alan Wheatley, associate fellow for international economics at the Royal Institute for International Affairs at Chatham House, said, "It is very heartening that the world can look forward to another year of strong Chinese growth, at 6.5 percent, because the stimulus policies that Beijing provided last year are an important reason that the global economy, as a whole, is doing better." The International Monetary Fund said that China's contribution accounted for 33.6 percent of the world's economic expansion in 2016. It recently overtook the United States to become Germany's leading trading partner. Alan Wheatley, associate fellow for international economics at the Royal Institute for International Affairs at Chatham House. [Photo provided to China Daily] "What is good for China is good for the world," Wheatley said. Wheatley hopes that China will try to manage economic growth by introducing reforms, such as reforming State-owned enterprises and trimming excess capacity in industries including coal and steel. "A lot of (so-called) zombie companies in China are serving useful purposes in providing jobs, which I agree with, but ultimately, if China wants to increase productivity and rely less on credit, increasing the efficiency of its economy, it needs to find a way to allow these companies to exit the market," he said. Wheatley said China has been running a sprint for the past 40 years and needs to adapt its style for long-distance. It needs to slow down and ensure its development is more measured and sustainable. "There was an urgent need for rapid development because there were hundreds of millions of people in China in poverty, but it seems to me that the first phase has been largely concluded," he said. Wheatley said he hopes the two sessions will send a clear signal that a lower, more sustainable rate of growth will be acceptable. From overseas media: Top court's work report and anti-corruption drive Chief Justice Zhou Qiang and Procurator-General Cao Jianming delivered their annual work reports on Sunday reviewing the work of the judiciary sector in 2016. Among all the topics in the work reports of China's Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate, anti-corruption-related legal achievements grabbed the biggest headlines. Fight against terrorism and national security-related crimes Zhou promised to keep a firm hand on crimes undermining national security and on violent and terrorist crimes in accordance with the law. --Press Trust of India Anti-corruption drive China's top prosecutor has pledged that there will be no easing off in the country's anti-corruption campaign. --Straits Times Education China has pledged to keep up heavy spending on education reform in order to close its urban-rural education gap. Among the priorities are hiring and retaining teachers in the nation's poorer parts, and improving the quality of instruction, said Education Minister Chen Baosheng. --Straits Times Made in China 2025 China's Industry Minister Miao Wei brushed aside foreign firms' concerns on Saturday that Beijing's program to upgrade its industry would become a market barrier. He made the remarks in response to a detailed analysis by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, which lashed out against "the problematic" Made in China 2025 initiative to move up China's industry base, saying it hurt foreign companies. --South China Morning Post Hi-tech industry Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Beijing, on March 11, 2017, the Minister of Science and Technology, Wan Gang, announced that government is providing 17 Billion Yuan (about 1,512 Billion FCFA) for the setting up of businesses. Wang said the country's 146 hi-tech zones also support micro and small enterprises to grow. He emphasized the role of research, saying 172 Hong Kong researchers have come over to the mainland to help manage key scientific projects. Meanwhile, government plans to build an industrial park in the country's economic hub, Shenzen, which lies adjacent to Hong Kong. --Cameroon Tribune Workload for judges addressed Shanghai calculates proper number of cases and assistants required Shanghai has calculated how many cases a judge can handle per year to find a solution to the ongoing problem with judges' workloads, the city's top judge said on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions. "After measuring the effective working hours and the average time spent on every case by the more than 1,000 judges in Shanghai last year, we found that the number of cases handled by a judge should be 134 a year," Cui Yadong, president of the Shanghai High People's Court, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily. If they work overtime for two hours every working day, the number rises to 168, and if each judge has an average of 1.75 assistants, the number climbs to 210, he said. "But take Shanghai as an example. Trials of more than 710,000 cases were concluded last year. There was severe overwork," said Cui, adding that the number of cases handled by the courts has risen by around 15 percent every year in the past three years. Thirty-six judges died last year nationwide due to constant overwork, Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, said on Sunday when delivering the Work Report of the Supreme People's Court. Others decided to leave under the heavy workload. In Shanghai, latest figures from the municipal Party committee showed that 86 judges quit in 2014, and in Beijing more than 500 legal officers have resigned in the past five years, according to Mu Ping, former president of the Beijing High People's Court. "Under such circumstances, we came up with the idea of making the calculation because the quality and efficiency of handing the cases are two important elements of ensuring fairness and justice for the people," Cui said. "Efficiency serves as an important support for judicial justice, and belated justice will impair the authority and credibility of judicial work," he continued. Cui said the result of their calculation will be provided to the country's top court for reference, and he suggested recruiting more judges to match the increasing number of cases. "We also hope to see more assistants shoulder tasks such as pretrial exchanges of evidence and filing documentation on the cases so that judges can focus on hearing cases," Cui said. Last year 1,900 judicial assistants were employed in Shanghai and on average a judge has 1.75 assistants, but Cui suggested judges have at least two or three assistants. More than 140,000 cases in Shanghai were handled by presidents of courts and heads of tribunals in 2016, and the number has been rising by 20 percent year-on-year. It was also an attempt to ease the burden on judges. On Jan 11, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena pushed the button controlling the dam gate that allows water into the Moragahakanda Reservoir, marking the successful operation of the water control project that will have a significant impact on the local economy and society. The Moragahakanda project, costing $1.15 billion, is a major infrastructure project for Sri Lanka's post-war reconstruction. It is expected to end water scarcity challenges in several regions, including Matale, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya and Anuradhapura. The facility is a milestone project for the cooperation between China Development Bank and the Sri Lankan government. In 2012, the bank signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance and Planning to offer $214 million worth of loans to the project. The second-largest water control project in Sri Lanka, the Moragahakanda project is expected to play an important role in boosting local agriculture. After the civil war ended in 2009, the country had great demand for post-war reconstruction funding, especially for agriculture and related industries such as irrigation. Agriculture is the dominant industry in the Sri Lankan economy. Farmland accounts for roughly 60 percent of Sri Lanka's land area and roughly 72 percent of the country's population are engaged in the agricultural industry. The online newspaper Asian Tribune, which has a special focus on Sri Lanka, estimates that the direct benefits of the dam project include an additional production of 109,000 tons of rice per year, resulting in annual income of $27.7 million. In addition to irrigation, the project will supply drinking water to millions of local people. It is also expected to generate 20 megawatts of power, fulfilling a long-term need for domestic and industrial electricity demand in the north-central, northern and eastern provinces, according to Asian Tribune. China Development Bank's loans are an important part of the nation's efforts to help Sri Lanka to recover and grow. By the end of 2016, the bank had pledged to lend $1.27 billion to the Sri Lankan government for its infrastructure projects, which range from irrigation and water supply to highways. Located at the hub of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Sri Lanka is China's important partner in the South Asia and Indian Ocean regions. The Moragahakanda Reservoir is a key infrastructure project for Sri Lanka's post-war recovery. (China Daily 03/13/2017 page15) Belt and Road initiative the focus of lender's strategy, as it provides much-needed cash to various programs Since the Chinese government proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, the program has made unexpected progress with the participation of more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations. Chinese enterprises, especially large financial organizations like China Development Bank, have played an important role in promoting the progress. Since the very beginning of the initiative, the bank has offered crucial financial support for a great number of infrastructure and industry projects in the regions along the routes, boosting local growth and enhancing multilateral cooperation. According to Hu Huaibang, chairman of the bank, China Development Bank had approved loans worth $160 billion to countries along the Belt and Road by the end of 2016. The loan balance reached $110 billion, accounting for more than 30 percent of the bank's international business. "Guided by the central government's various measures for implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, China Development Bank has carried out its global strategy in a steady and active manner," Hu said. He said that serving the Belt and Road Initiative has been a focus of the bank's international operations, adding that it highlights both business expansion and risk control. Milestone projects A milestone project that was financially supported by China Development Bank is the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station in Somerset, England. The HPC project is co-invested by EDF of France and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, with EDF holding a 66.5 percent stake and the latter holding the remaining 33.5 percent. The two investors and the British government signed all final agreements for the power station in September 2016, meaning the project was officially initiated. China Development Bank entered into an agreement with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group in October 2015 to offer financing support and other financial services. Total investment of the project will amount to about $29 billion. China Development Bank will offer long-term and medium-term loans to China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group to cover 80 percent of its investment in the project, according to a Xinhua report. Construction on the HPC project is planned to begin in 2019. In addition to the HPC project, major overseas projects that received China Development Bank's financing include the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia, the China-Russian petroleum and gas project and the Central Asian natural gas pipeline. Built and invested by a joint venture between China Railway Co Ltd and several Indonesian enterprises, the Jakarta-Bandung railway will be Indonesia's first high-speed railway. This is also the first overseas deal that a Chinese high-speed rail enterprise has secured, using China's advanced technologies and equipment. China Development Bank will offer loans to cover about three-quarters of the investment of the project, which requires more than $5 billion in total funding. Construction on the project began in January 2016 and it is expected to be operational in 2019, according to a Xinhua report. The bank has also participated in the planning of a number of bilateral and multilateral programs in the Belt and Road Initiative framework and in partnership with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce. Intl cooperation These include bilateral development cooperation plans between China and eight countries including Kazakhstan, Laos, Cambodia and Kuwait. The bank has also taken part in the planning for the China-Mongolia-Russia, China-Pakistan and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridors. In addition to bilateral and multilateral schemes, China Development Bank has helped several Belt and Road countries to plan their own national development programs. These include plans for the Suez Canal Economic Corridor and a number of key industrial plans for Laos. By the end of 2016, China Development Bank had planned more than 500 projects in countries and regions along the Belt and Road, requiring a combined investment of $350 billion, according to the bank. China Development Bank has played an important role in establishing bilateral and multilateral financial cooperation mechanisms between China and the Belt and Road regions. The bank is the initiator of inter-bank association establishments under the frameworks of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China-ASEAN Dialogue and the BRICS. The bank has also established partnerships with financial institutions in 98 countries, regions and subregions under bilateral or multilateral frameworks. China Development Bank has also cooperated with domestic and foreign governments and international organizations to host a number of meetings and forums to facilitate networking among global financial institutions. Capitalizing on its own advantages as an experienced bank in international operations, China Development Bank has organized a number of training programs for countries along the Belt and Road. In 2016, the bank hosted 20 such training sessions for more than 900 trainees. Ninety-eight students from 18 countries have received scholarships from the bank to study in China. "The active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is our unshakable responsibility," said Zheng Zhijie, president of China Development Bank. He added that the bank will continue to make full use of its strengths in development finance and international operations to better serve the countries and regions along the route. zhaoshijun@chinadaily.com.cn Construction of the White Rock Wind Farm project in Australia, which is financially supported by China Development Bank, begins in May 2016. Photos Provided To China Daily The container terminal in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is one of the key infrastructure projects using loans from China Development Bank. (China Daily 03/13/2017 page15) FxPro is one of the world's leading online brokers, with offices in Cyprus and Britain, hundreds of thousands of clients and global recognition. Founded in 2006, the company's vision was to deliver a more enhanced trading experience to traders worldwide. "We wanted to differentiate ourselves, and to do that we primarily focused on solving the various issues that traders faced across several key areas," said Charalambos Psimolophitis, CEO of FxPro Financial Services. "We wanted to meet traders' needs all around the world ... and we had to ensure that they could trade in a professional and, above all, secure environment. In other words, we wanted to offer seamless and secure access to the markets." According to Psimolophitis, the key to FxPro's success lies in the company's client-centric approach, as well as its continuous investment in technology. The global online trading industry is a fast-moving field in which things seem to change with each millisecond. "Over the past 10 years we've invested heavily in research and technologies, and we've not only managed to evolve with the times, but also to stay one step ahead when it comes to our technological capabilities," Psimolophitis explained. Another factor that has played a major role in the growth and success of FxPro is its commitment to transparency. This is what Psimolophitis believes separates his company from the rest of the industry. "We are a fully transparent broker," he declared. "We are open about how we execute client orders and the way we handle client funds. We also publish key statistics on our operations on a quarterly basis. Our clients are confident that they can trust us for their trading activities, knowing that when they trade with FxPro they are trading with a serious broker." With increasing worldwide interest in online trading these days, 2017 is set to bring about more advances - particularly in terms of facilitating access to global markets. Traders seek more: more platform options, more asset classes, better support and greater analysis. "Meeting these demands remains a priority for FxPro, and I expect that we will be seeing many interesting developments throughout this year," Psimolophitis said. www.fxpro.co.uk (China Daily 03/13/2017 page16) Soprano Dilber Yunus plays the lead role in Visitors on the Snow Mountains. [Photo provided to China Daily] The year 1984 is unforgettable for soprano Dilber Yunus. That year, China's women's volleyball team won its first gold medal at the Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles. The same year, while still studying at the department of vocal music and opera at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, Yunus won second prize at the prestigious Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in Helsinki, Finland. "I became a star in the campus like the women's national volleyball team," recalls Yunus, who is better known by her stage name, Dilber. After finishing her master's degree at the conservatory, Dilber was signed by the National Opera House of Finland in 1988. Since then, the Kashgar native from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has achieved success overseas, playing Gilda in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto and Lucia in Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor over her three-decade career. Ruby Lin (left) and Alec Su promote The Devotion of Suspect X in Beijing on March 9. [Photo provided to China Daily] Taiwan stars Alec Su and Ruby Lin team up again in the forthcoming thriller The Devotion of Suspect X, adapted from Japanese author Keigo Higashino's award-wining novel with the same title. With their portrayal of lovers in a series of such popular TV series as My Fair Princess and Romance in the Rain, Su and Lin have become well-known faces in the Chinese mainland since 1990s. In the new film, which is Su's second directorial feature, Lin stars as a divorced mother who inadvertently kills her ex-husband. Since his directorial debut The Left Ear achieved commercial success and critical acclaim in 2015, Su has refocused on directing. Su says that his decades-long friendship with Lin played a key element in persuading her to join the cast. "On the set, I'm quite demanding," Su said at a Beijing event on March 9. "Only good friends can tolerate my bad temper. Besides, Lin's veteran experience and personal flair make her pretty much match the character." Su reveals the Chinese version of The Devotion of Suspect X will be different from the previous Japanese and South Korean movies, as required by Higashino, one of the most famous novelists in Japan. In addition to Lin, the stellar cast also includes actors Wang Kai, known for Nirvana in Fire, and Zhang Luyi, who shot to fame in The Red. Wang and Zhang respectively star as a physics professor and a genius mathematician who are drawn into the murder. The movie, which is slated to open in the Chinese mainland on March 31, will also be released in North America, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, according to Chinese producer Enlight Media. Related: Bringing lives of 20 Chinese cultural masters to big screen Chinese studios to produce Kurosawa's shelved script CPPCC member Wang Wenzhang speaks to China Daily. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] While intangible cultural heritage (ICH) should be exploited as a significant cultural resource, the first priority must be ensuring that inheritors pass the traditional practices down, says Wang Wenzhang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). "If there is no inheritance, exploitation will be meaningless," he said. Wang, China's former vice minsiter of culture, who is the honorary president of the Chinese National Academy of Arts and chairperson of the governing board of the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO, discussed proposals to safeguard ICH and foster inheritors of traditional culture in an interview with China Daily during the two sessions. Increase subsidy for ICH inheritors According to a recent general survey on ICH nationwide, there are about 870,000 ICH items in China, and more than 1,900 national-level inheritors - people who have been recognized by government as masters of a traditional practice passed down from generation to generation. Despite the campaign on ICH inheritance, support for inheritors is still weak. "Now the subsidy for national-level inheritors is 20,000 yuan ($2,896) each year, and I suggested in my proposal this year raising it to 30,000 yuan," Wang said. "For the provincial, city and county-level inheritors, I suggest local governments also raise the subsidy for representative inheritors accordingly." Japan gives its national-level artisans a subsidy of about 170,000 yuan each year, and South Korea provides 75,000 yuan. "We should fully respect ICH inheritors, recognize their values, and respect their dominant role in inheritance and innovation. Social enterprises can develop ICH in a creative and modern way, but in terms of how to do it properly, inheritors know it best and no one can replace them," Wang said. Teaching ICH inheritors should be part of education system ICH protection faces new challenges now as many excellent inheritors are losing capacity to inherit, some ICH items have no influential artworks left, and many ICH items are also facing extinction. According to statistics, among the current 1,986 national-level inheritors, more than 250 have died away, and many are at least 70 years old. Given this, Wang has proposed making the cultivation of ICH inheritors a part of the nation's modern education system. He advises setting up a specialized ICH academy or establishing related majors in universities. "In fostering ICH inheritors, the traditional teaching method of 'master guiding apprentice' is still effective, but it can't adapt to the reality now. As students who learn in the traditional way don't have academic certificates, young people are not willing to become inheritors, even though they have the chance to be taught by art masters," Wang said. A piece of seal cutting work from Yin Hailong. [Photo/namoc.org] An exhibition of new works from seal cutting artist Yin Hailong will be held at the National Art Museum of China from March 22 to April 1. The 100 pieces on show are Yin's creations in recent years, which combine calligraphy and seal engraving together. Born in Heilongjiang province in 1970, Yin is one of the seal cutting artists whose works are popular among collectors. As Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said, when speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on Saturday, a trade war between China and the United States would only cause pain, and benefit neither. Despite being the world's largest economy, richest nation and mightiest military power, the US administration is fond of saying the country is being treated unfairly. According to the alternative facts of tweet-loving US President Donald Trump and the accusations of other representatives of his administration, countries that have smaller economies, and which are poorer and weaker, are bullying the US, and it has become the victim of "unfair trade practices that disadvantage American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses in global markets", as claimed by the recently released President's Trade Policy Agenda. Of course, given so many anti-China ideologues within the administration, it comes as no surprise that China is one of the countries the US' accusing finger is pointed at, with the increase in US trade deficit in goods and services with China highlighted in the report released by the US Trade Representative Office at the beginning of the month. Such finger-pointing has not been rare in the past year or so, as during his presidential election campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed China was the source of the US' economic and trade woes. However, as his trade policy agenda goes on to note, a rising trade deficit "is not inconsistent with a stronger economy", even though "that has not been the experience of the typical American household". And there's the rub. The report makes no mention of the benefits trade delivers the US economy. Nor the widening wealth gap in the US, which highlights the fact that those benefits remain firmly grasped in the hands of a few. Nor is it just a bilateral issue. The US has registered trade deficits with about 100 economies. Which, as many economists have rightly pointed out, are deeply rooted in the US' excessive credit-based consumption and lack of savings. As a result, the US must import saving from surplus countries such as China, Germany, and Japan, to sustain growth, leading to its colossal trade imbalances. Although many may think that China cannot live without the US, as Zhong noted on Saturday, "that's only half true", the US also cannot live without China. Instead of seeking a trade war, the US should cast away its inward-looking mentality and respect the role of the WTO and other multilateral trade negotiation and dispute-settling mechanisms to help build a unified and inclusive global trade regime. A sign promotes the use of China UnionPay cards at Selfridges department store in London. [Zhang Chunyan / China Daily] AT THE ONGOING FIFTH PLENARY SESSION of the 12th National People's Congress, Yu Chun, a deputy from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, called for more efforts to establish a cash-free society. Thepaper.cn commented on Saturday: Yu, a bus driver, said she was talking from her own experience, as more and more passengers were asking her: "Driver, I can use Alipay, I don't have any change." It has taken the country just a few years to embrace third-party mobile payments apps such as Alibaba's Alipay. In the big cities, it is now more important to carry a smartphone than a wallet. People can now effortlessly survive a day without cash, making all their payments digitally with a smartphone. In fact, the growing popularity of digital payments is a worldwide trend. The European Union has been scaling down its issuance of large banknotes in recent years, and Denmark granted retailers the right to refuse cash payments last year. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also encouraging the use of digital payments. A cashless society means not only more convenient and efficient exchanges between customers and retailers, but also the establishing of a credit-based society. The more people use mobile payments the easier credit supervisors can assess a person's credit record, including income and current financial status. A cashless life also has the potential to break the barriers separating governmental payments, commercial exchanges, and individual consumption. A "cashless society" can be promoted as the foundation for public services, whether it is government's paying health insurance or social security, or people paying their taxes or parking fines. However, as a cashless society emerges, it is also important to help the "digitally underprivileged", those who cannot use smartphones and mobile payments adeptly or simply do not have access to a smartphone. The Republic of Korea is set to have a presidential election, likely in early May, thanks to the country's Constitutional Court stripping Park Geun-hye of her presidential powers on Friday. Many parts of the worldthe ROK's neighbors and allies in particularare watching closely what will happen next. Among them, Japan has the reason to worry about relations with its neighbor. The main presidential candidates in the ROK have committed themselves to repeal, or at least renegotiate, the agreement on the issue of Japan's wartime sexual slavery of Korean women, known euphemistically as "comfort women", which was inked between the ROK and Japan on Dec 28, 2015. According to the deal, Japan offered an apology and one billion yen (approximately $8.7 million) to establish a fund that offers payments to the surviving comfort women and their families. In exchange, the ROK is supposed to let the issue rest, with the two governments pledging to refrain from criticizing each other regarding comfort woman issues in international settings including the United Nations. The ROK also agreed to strive to resolve the issue of the statue of a comfort woman located in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. A Gallup Korea poll released on Friday showed that the former Democratic Party leader, Moon Jae-in, currently leads the prospective field of ROK presidential candidates with a 32 percent approval rating. Ahn Hee-jung, governor of South Chungcheong Province, is in second place with a 17 percent approval rating. Moon Jae-in has described the Dec 28 agreement as "a good example of deep-rooted problems with our foreign policy", adding that what Japan needs to do is to acknowledge its legal responsibility and to make an official apology. "We need new negotiations that will make this clear," Moon has said. The 2015 settlement, which both the ROK and Japan agreed to end the issue of the comfort women "fully and irreversibly", seems on the brink of falling apart. Critics in the media and civil society in the ROK described the deal as Park effectively selling out the dignity of survivors of wartime sexual slavery for short-term diplomatic and geopolitical gain. Some have called on their government to return the compensation back to Japan. And some of the surviving comfort women and their supporters in the ROK have denounced the apology as informal and insufficient, and they have rejected the informal donation and instead call for formal compensation. A new comfort women statue was installed in front of the Japanese consulate in Busan in December. In early January, Japan recalled its ambassador to the ROK, Yasumasa Nagamine, in protest. Yasuhiro Morimoto, Japan's consul general in Busan, was also recalled "temporarily". Japan has also halted negotiations on currency swaps between the Korean won and the Japanese yen. The future of the General Security of Military Information Agreement the two countries signed in November is also uncertain, as the agreement is criticized by opposition parties in the ROK. The absence of a Japanese ambassador in Seoul highlights how fragile the relationship between the two East Asian nations is. The ROK and Japan failed to resolve their diplomatic frictions at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bonn on Feb 17. ROK Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida discussed the issue of the comfort woman statue in Busan, but could not bridge the two countries' differences. The United States wants its East Asian allies to establish close cooperation. But the prospects for closer ROK-Japan cooperation are not promising. Moon Jae-in says the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in his country should be reviewed. The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn ABC/Image Group LATheres new music on the way this week from breakout country star Maren Morris. The Texas native will release a digital-only expanded edition of her debut album Hero this Friday, complete with three songs that were not included when the record came out last June. Hero Deluxe adds Company You Keep, which was previously available on Marens self-titled EP, as well as Bummin Cigarettes and Space. The trio of songs has been a staple on Marens headlining Hero trek, which will set out for the United Kingdom and Ireland later this year. Tickets for the overseas leg of the tour go on sale Friday. Marens significant other, Ryan Hurd, will continue to open the dates. Heres the itinerary for the UK/Ireland portion of Maren Morriss Hero Tour: 11/12 -- Dublin, Ireland, Academy 11/13 -- Glasgow, Scotland, ABC 11/15 -- London, England, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 11/17 -- Birmingham, England, O2 Institute 1 11/18 -- Bristol, England, Anson Rooms 11/20 -- Manchester, England, O2 Ritz 11/21 -- Sheffield, England, Leadmill Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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The village has shaken off poverty thanks to assistance from Party and government officials at all levels over the past 30 years. [Photo/Xinhua] An ambitious goal of China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), which entered its second year, is to eliminate extreme poverty by 2020. The progress is well on track, as 10 million people had been lifted out of poverty by the end of 2016. This success is very encouraging as it is an indication of China's continued contribution to global development goals. The strategy consists of a variety of approaches, including ecological civilization, education, social protection and industrial development, all focusing on rural poverty. The strategy is making at least three important contributions to society. First, the approaches adopted are highly focused on providing public and social services, which are vital to build up an asset portfolio of the poor, and thus address the root causes of poverty. This means poverty is increasingly being considered as a multi-dimensional problem. The root cause of poverty is not merely a lack of income or necessities for material well-being such as food, housing and land, but also other factors such as access to education, healthcare and inclusiveness in society. All these are essential to address inequalities beyond mere poverty numbers. Second, the approaches are well in line with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. If implemented effectively, the strategy will help create jobs, provide more and better public services, and promote sustainable urbanization and natural resources conservation. Doing so means not only lifting millions of people out of poverty, but also helping them stay above the poverty line. Third, China's poverty reduction experience provides valuable lessons for other developing countries. As the causes of poverty have evolved over time due to changes in socio-economic and environmental conditions, China's poverty-alleviation programs have become more precise. This is manifested in various aspects of China's poverty-alleviation drive, including for instance how the poor are identified, how programs and instruments are designed, and how financial resources are managed and monitored. However, making poverty reduction inclusive remains a challenge, particularly looking beyond 2020, when other patterns of poverty may emerge in different parts of China. While strategies to address future poverty and inequality trends are yet to be devised, an integrated approach that helps address inter-linked SDGs can be adopted now to reduce inequalities and the causes of unequal access and opportunities for all. This is where the United Nations system can play a vital role in supporting China. First, the UN can help implement the SDGs at the sub-national level where most of the actions are needed for overall national-level results. This entails integration of sectoral approaches and convening of necessary partners and resources, for which the UN System is well built. It can also bring in various tools to help assess the needs for financing and budget planningall with an integrated view, which ultimately leads to mainstreaming the SDGs as a key development principle. Second, the UN can continue offering international perspectives and experiences to China. For example, through the Belt and Road Initiative (the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road), which provides a promising channel to expedite the exchange of knowledge, the UN can help China and other countries to share their experiences in development and trade in servicessuch as infrastructure, education and healthcareto promote economic transformation and inclusive growth. And third, to make the implementation of the targeted poverty-reduction strategy more effective, the UN can help monitor and assess the poverty-alleviation measures. For instance, with more financial resources being allocated for poverty reduction, the UN can help evaluate the cost-effectiveness of public spending by setting up an overarching appraisal system. To prevent people from falling back into poverty and identifying those who have to be lifted out of poverty, real-time and real-place tracking is very important. On this front, the UN can assist China experiment with innovative instruments, such as big data, to monitor poverty dynamics, which complements the traditional household surveys that feed the national database. China is at the "last mile" of poverty reduction. The UN looks forward to supporting and working with it to consign poverty to history in the near future. The author is resident coordinator of the United Nations System in China. Xie Heping, president of Sichuan University Editor's note: During the two sessions, China Daily has collected questions from foreign netizens on what they care most about and solicited answers from experts, CPPCC National Committee members and NPC deputies. Should China increase the salaries of teachers in rural areas and provide them with further professional support so rural kids can receive a better education? I worked as a rural teacher in Shuangfeng county, Hunan province, after leaving high school in 1975, so I have good understanding of rural education. A major problem is the imbalance in village teachers' abilities and professionalismand that is largely due to their low incomes. Although the law stipulates that teachers' salaries should be the same as, or higher than, civil servants' salaries, this just isn't the case in many village schools. Just look at the reality: Hundreds or even thousands of people regularly compete for just one civil servant job, but few want to be village teachers. If we gave rural teachers the same treatment as civil servants, things would be totally different. The job would become truly respected and would attract more applicants, thereby raising the standard of rural teachers. Zhang, partner at Ruihua Certified Public Accountants, member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) committee, was doing interview with China Daily website.[Photo by Zhang Guangteng/chinadaily.com.cn] Individual income tax reform is the priority in an overhaul of the countrys fiscal and tax system, top accountant Zhang Lianqi, who is a member of the 12th CPPCC National Committee says. "A major breakthrough could be achieved this year," Zhang said in an exclusive interview with China Daily website. Zhang, who is a partner at Ruihua Certified Public Accountants, suggested that most of his proposals submitted to the committee this year would focus on fiscal and tax reform, covering the budget, individual income tax and tax cuts. "A principle that I followed through the formulation of all suggestions is hearing the needs of people to improve peoples livelihood," Zhang emphasized. Since China's value-added tax (VAT) reform was officially launched last year, debate among the public has not stopped with doubts about whether it would really help corporations and individuals achieve the amount of tax savings it claimed. Zhang was involved in the process of drafting the policy and has observed it in operation in various industries and believes it has brought solid benefits for corporations. "If a company has business segments both in manufacturing and the service industries, a composite tax rate of 17 percent was applied before, while after the VAT reform, the two sectors are deducted as separate tax rate of 6 percent respectively, which is, in fact, equivalent to offering tax preference for this company." "The crucial problem here is there needs to be a process for corporations to get familiar with the reformed tax system so they can make use of it and benefit from it," Zhang concluded. As for individual income tax, the public wants to know whether the monthly income tax exemption threshold - the amount people can earn before paying tax - will be raised. However, Zhang said they are more likely to adopt various exemption levels depending on individual financial burdens. "The threshold in essence is a unified deduction. Simply indiscriminately raising the amount deducted is neither fair, nor the direction of our tax reform." Trial programs allowing more expenses to be deducted, such as commercial health insurance, have been in place since last year. For individuals whose commercial health insurance premiums reached 2,400 yuan, the mean monthly tax exemption threshold would rise from 3,500 to 3700 yuan, under the new policy adopted in 31 pilot cities. The expenses of raising a second child, supporting the elderly and getting professional training have also been named as possible deductible items from an individual's taxable income. "Obviously, that's equivalent to offering incentives for people to better perform their responsibilities," Zhang said. He was keen to point out that, in the long run, this move would not hit the governments tax revenue. He said it may in fact benefit both government and individuals. "For example, if the employees are trained to obtain more professional skills, consequently he would get paid better in the future, the increased part of his salary is actually within our governments schedule of making the source of taxation more sufficient," Zhang said. Zhang predicted major breakthroughs in the reform process would be achieved this year,,although he said it would be a gradual implementation due to unbalanced development among the regions and the need for supporting measures that are still being developed. He said hearing opinions from experts and the public would help develop such comprehensive policy. Autumn scenery of Charlevoix, Quebec. [Photo provided to China Daily] For tourist Zhang Jin, 33, the most impressive part of her trip to the Canadian province of Quebec is the local residents. "They are hospitable and proud of Quebec's history. When we were taking photos on the street, passers-by would often come and give us travel tips that you can't find in books," says Zhang, who visited the province with her friend last October. Zhang is the co-founder of Daydow Info & Tech Ltd Co, a new media company in Guangzhou, in Guangdong province. "I liked chatting with them. They were like ambassadors for Quebec. The tour guides said they wanted tourists to fall in love with Quebec and return." Zhang says the local tourism information centers offer a variety of brochures about the province and the staff are very courteous. One can also sign up for city tours based on different themes at the centers. During one tour of Quebec City, the tour guide played the role of the wife of an executioner in the old days and explained the laws and famous cases from that period. Quebec, which is Canada's second-largest province by area, is a popular travel destination due to its blend of French heritage and North American culture. Located in eastern Canada, the province is the only one in the country where French is the sole official language. Private investors continue to seek opportunities in China as the mainland shifts its economic focus from exports and manufacturing to consumption and services. On Sunday, Ocean Link, the first private equity firm focused on the tourism sector in China, announced a strategic partnership with Ctrip, the largest online travel agency in China, and General Atlantic, a US global growth equity firm. "The travel and tourism sector in China is at a pivotal period of growth. The industry's ongoing transition will provide Ocean Link with ample opportunities to bring capital and operational expertise to innovative companies serving the rising number of travelers in this market," said James Liang, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Ctrip. Bain & Company's "Greater China 2016 Private Equity Market Overview", which was released earlier this year, found that the greater China private equity (PE) market had a blockbuster year in 2015, driven by a surge in multibillion-dollar deals and growing opportunities in the digital/internet sector. The business consultancy found that deal value jumped 56 percent to a record $69 billion last year, due to a doubling of multibillion-dollar deals - 14 in 2015, up from seven in 2014. Robust PE activity in the internet sector accounted for 40 percent of deal value, up from just 15 percent in 2014, and more than 50 percent of volume, far exceeding other sectors. "Public-to-private buyouts soared to $17 billion in value, more than three times the five-year average, and made up 14 percent of total PE deal value in 2015," according to Bain's Asia-Pacific Private Equity Report 2016. "The trend spawned three of the top four deals in China including the $7.1 billion Qihoo 360 deal, the $3.1 billion buyout of WuXi PharmaTech led by a consortium of PE funds, and the $3 billion buyout of mobile social media company Momo, put together by the company's CEO, Matrix Partners, Sequoia and Huatai Ruilian Fund Management." The Bain report said digital technology increasingly defines the daily routine in middle-class China and companies offering internet-based solutions are exploding, generating interest among PE funds looking for growth. Warburg Pincus LLC has been active in the Chinese mainland since 1994 when current global Co-CEO Chip Kaye established a Hong Kong office. The firm has invested more than $6.5 billion and supported the growth of nearly 100 companies in China - making it one of the largest global private equity investors in the country. "We are confident on the long-term growth of the Chinese economy and the investment opportunities driven by the consumption upgrade, which translates into investment themes in various sectors," a spokesman for the firm in Beijing told China Daily in an email. The spokesman said Warburg Pincus takes a sector-focused, thesis-driven investment approach to investing. The firm's current portfolio of more than 30 Chinese companies covers six sectors: energy; financial services; healthcare and consumer; industrials and business services; real estate; and technology, media and telecommunications. paulwelitzkin@chinadailusa.com (China Daily USA 08/29/2016 page2) A unit of aluminum maker China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd Monday agreed to acquire US-based Aleris Corp in a deal valued at about $2.33 billion. Aleris is based in the Cleveland suburb of Beachwood, Ohio, and employs about 2,400 in the US and about 2,600 in Europe and Asia, including China. Aleris supplies fabricated aluminum products to the aerospace, construction, and automotive industries. Zhongwang International is the world's second-largest producer of aluminum extrusions. Terms of the transaction call for Zhongwang to pay $1.11 billion in cash for Aleris and assume about $1.22 billion in debt. Sean Stack, president and CEO of Aleris, said lightweighting or using aluminum to replace steel is one of the main factors driving the deal. "Clearly lightweighting is a continuing and growing trend, especially with the North American automotive industry's growing demand for aluminum auto body sheet," Stacks told China Daily. Auto manufacturers like Ford Motor Co are replacing steel with aluminum to make their vehicles lighter and more fuel efficient. Ford reportedly shaved 700 pounds off of its top-selling F150 pickup by using aluminum instead of steel in some sections. Stack said airplane manufacturers have been utilizing aluminum for years. "That is a very important market for Aleris and there is a big order backlog for planes," he said. Stack said this is not a consolidation acquisition by the Zhongwang unit, which is majority owned by Liu Zhongtian, the founder of China Zhongwang Holdings. "We will continue to be headquartered in Cleveland and will be operated as an independent entity. The Aleris management team will remain in place, providing continuity for our employees and customers," he said. Aleris will retain its name and continue to serve its customers with no changes to current operations, contracts or commitments. Stack said the company will continue all expansion projects, including a major one in Lewisport, Kentucky, to serve the automotive industry. Stack said Aleris has yearly revenue of about $2.7 billion. In 2010, Aleris filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after growing quickly through a series of acquisitions. Then came the downturn from the financial crisis and between 2008 and 2009, volume declined 40 percent while the company carried a heavy debt load. Aleris has been owned by a group of private-equity funds, including Oaktree Capital Management LP and Apollo Management LP, since it emerged from bankruptcy. "We have been lucky that our owners have been generous with funding," said Stack. "They have been good stewards of the business." He said that Aleris operates a state-of-the-art aerospace plate mill that was constructed in China a few years ago. Aleris also makes gutters and downspouts for the construction industry. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 08/30/2016 page2) Chinese investment in commercial real estate in the Bay Area remains robust despite an economic slowdown at home. Industry leaders, excited about two big-ticket acquisitions by Chinese investors, are optimistic that they're a sign of more to come. In August, Greenland USA, a leading developer with parent company Greenland Group headquartered in China, announced that it had acquired South San Francisco's 42-acre Oyster Point property for $171 million and plan to pump another $1 billion into developing it. The waterfront property will be built into a large-scale complex combining office and research and development centers for the life sciences industry. To be completed in phases, construction on the first 500,000-square-foot section will begin once needed infrastructure improvements are made by the city, including streets, utilities and grading. Greenland's third strategic acquisition in the US, Oyster Point is expected to transform the cityscape of South San Francisco and bolster the local economy of one of the world's best-known biotech innovation hubs. Over the years, Greenland USA has invested more than $1 billion in Los Angeles' Metropolis and $6 billion in New York's Pacific Park Brooklyn. Both projects focus on developing properties in gateway cities that transform surrounding communities. In an earlier interview, Greenland Group chairman Zhang Yuliang said the San Francisco Bay Area was known globally for its leadership in innovation and "we're proud to bring Greenland's expertise and vision for transformative properties to the area. The US continues to play a critical role in our overseas expansion and we look forward to what will be a landmark property." Mark Addiego, mayor of South San Francisco, applauded the deal. "The development of Oyster Point presents tremendous opportunities for the South San Francisco community and Greenland USA has approached it with the vision, expertise and energy needed to bring it to fruition," he said, adding that by investing in Oyster Point, "we will further cement our position as the world's leading center for innovation in biotechnology." In a concurrent deal, an investment subsidiary of China-based Fortune 500-ranked Hainan Airlines Group (HNA) purchased a 29-story office tower at 123 Mission Street in downtown San Francisco for $255 million from Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings. The Class A 346,000-sq-ft office building went up in 1986 and is currently 95 percent occupied with 14 tenants. It will be HNA's first West Coast office property in San Francisco's financial district. Earlier this year, HNA made headlines when it paid $6 billion for Ingram Micro, a US tech company that distributes Apple and Microsoft products. "As the prices of office buildings in San Francisco have appreciated rapidly over the past year, especially in downtown San Francisco where the building is located, the general partner and asset manager believes that it is appropriate to dispose of the property," said Great Eagle Holdings in their filing. Representing Greenland for the Oyster Point transaction, the San Francisco office of Kidder Mathews walked its Chinese client through the negotiations and deal-signing. Skip Whitney, executive vice-president at Kidder Mathews, created the firm's China services desk several years ago to address the unique China-focused issues his clients face buying and managing business properties in America. The group offers services to Chinese companies searching for investment opportunities in the US and vice versa. In what Whitney called the "super-heated market of commercial property" in San Francisco, "I'm confident that Chinese investors are going to be buying more business properties from the US," he said. Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com. Customers in China have agreed to buy nearly $1.8 billion worth of soybeans from the US, totaling 146 million bushels. The US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) made the announcement this week, and said the commitment was made at the organization's Global Trade Exchange in Indianapolis. "China has a preference for US soybeans because of its consistency and quality," said Xiaoping Zhang, China country director for the council in an interview Thursday. "China first started importing soybeans from the US in 1995 with 140,000 metric tons. By 2015 US soybean exports to China totaled about 30 million metric tons." Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota are among the top soybean producing US states. China was a net exporter of soybeans until it began importing large volumes of soybeans and products in the mid-1990s, said Fred Gale, an agricultural economist at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). "Now soybeans sold to China are the largest US agricultural export as their value rose from about $400,000 annually during 1996-97 to as high as $14.5 billion in 2014. Last year the value fell to $10.5 billion due to declining prices and China's shift toward exports from Brazil," Gale said. Other countries that supply soybeans and soy products to China include Argentina and Canada, said Zhang. Soybeans originated in Southeast Asia and were first domesticated by Chinese farmers around 1100 BC. "China produces about 12 million metric tons of soybeans," noted Zhang. China's soybean production has been stagnant or declining at about 12 million metric tons, Gale said. "Chinese farmers prefer to grow more profitable crops like corn and rice," he added. China's domestic soybeans are used mainly for two purposes, according to Gale. "Non-GMO (genetically modified organism) soybean oil and food products like tofu and soybean milk. Imported soybeans supply most of China's cooking oil and the protein in animal feed. Most of China's imported soybeans are genetically modified while China does not allow GMO soybeans to be produced domestically," he said. Last year, US soybean farmers exported a record 62.88 million metric tons of soy and soy products, valued at $27.7 billion, a record high, according to the USSEC. Economists are predicting even more for 2016. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com Despite e-commerce giant Alibaba's promise to crackdown on counterfeits, trade groups are still saying the company isn't doing enough to monitor and pull fake goods from its e-commerce platforms. In a letter dated Aug 23, a group of 10 apparel and accessories trade groups said that the Hangzhou-based Alibaba has yet to make good on its word and rid their various websites of the phony brand-name goods. "Trust cannot be hostage to delay and this trust is tested when, for example, over a year ago Alibaba committed to optimize its algorithm to detect 'blurred images' where the offer is for a product with the logo hidden. Using such images is now a breach of your terms, but no software is in place to proactively spot this," said the group, which includes the Union des Fabricants, the Asian Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. In a statement e-mailed to China Daily, Alibaba Group said that it welcomed the letter. "We appreciate its constructive tone and look forward to working closely with the brands represented by the trade groups, many of whom have already built successful online businesses on Alibaba platforms," it said. The American Apparel & Footwear Association, though not a signatory on the August letter, told China Daily that it too has communicated with Alibaba several times to address the issue of not having clearer take-down procedures and that the site is still flooded with counterfeits. "We file a number of comments every year with the US Trade Representative outlining our concerns about the website itself - on any given day, any given moment you look at it, thousands and thousands of counterfeits of our members' brands," said Stephen Lamar, executive vice-president of the AAFA. "That's abating, that's continuing and in many cases it's continuing." The US Trade Representative (USTR) office, which is responsible for recommending US trade policy and conduct trade negotiations, has requested public comment on whether or not to add Alibaba to its annual "notorious markets" list. The list, published at the end of the year, highlights markets and platforms that, they say, engage in copyright piracy and trademark infringement. Alibaba missed being put on the list last year, but the USTR said it is "increasingly concerned" about the company's efforts to remove fake goods from its websites, saying that Alibaba's enforcement program is "too slow, difficult to use and lacks transparency". "The ultimate end result is that the situation we're trying to fix is not improving. We look at the tools being offered to fix it and they're insufficient. The takedown procedures that Alibaba has articulated and have made available to companies are difficult to use," said Lamar, citing ignored requests for take-downs or take-down requests being rejected for invalid reasons. "Even if you're successful in navigating through all of this, and getting a take-down executed, the products pop back up again," he added. AAFA has asked Alibaba to make it easier for brands to get certified and to initiate take-downs, allow brands to approve sales and enact a transparent verification process. The association represents about 1,000 brands. It does not track how many of them sell on their wares on Alibaba platforms. Alibaba made headlines earlier this year with backlash over the company's counterfeit policing efforts. Founder Jack Ma told an investor conference that fake goods were hard to differentiate from the real ones because they are often made in the same factories. Critics reacted immediately, saying that Ma was trying to pass the blame to sellers of fakes. Ma subsequently responded in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal defending his remarks. Earlier, Alibaba had been admitted as a member of the International AntiConterfeiting Coalition under a newly created category, and Ma was scheduled to speak at an IACC conference. The coalition received such a swift backlash from many of the luxury brands it represents that it suspended the new category and cancelled Ma's appearance at the conference. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com In some guest suites at the Crowne Plaza Suites Houston, you might find a few special amenities not typically found in American hotel rooms - a carafe of hot water and two bags of Jasmin tea labeled in Chinese, a pair of slippers, a welcome letter (also in Chinese) and a copy of the Southern China Daily News. "We are getting more and more guests from China," said JohnPaul Jourard, senior sales manager of the 240-suite hotel. "Last year, about 30 percent of our clients were Chinese, a significant number." Jourard first Chinese guests came about 10 years ago. "Nancy Li, owner of Easton Resource Development which provides training programs to Chinese leaders, began introducing customers to me in 2006," said Jourard. "That's how I started and I've been chasing the Chinese market ever since." A few years ago, Jourard read an article about how some East Coast hotels were offering small touches to appeal to Chinese visitors. "I thought we should do the same thing here," he said. "So starting in 2010, we began to offer congee (porridge) for breakfast and a welcome letter in Chinese." The hotel went a step further by hiring international business travel consultant Joanna Xie in 2011. With her input, the hotel began to offer slippers and a carafe of hot water to Chinese guests. As of today, the hotel's chefs are trained to make Chinese dishes such as fried rice and the bar is stocked with Qingdao beer. "We rotate Chinese dishes on our special menu and offer them on request too," said Jourard. The hotel has celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year. "We borrowed Chinese decorations like lanterns from the Consulate General of China here in Houston. The events were very well received," said Xie. The hotel has gradually developed a reputation for being Chinese-friendly. Over the past few years, it hosted business groups from Chinese companies of all sizes, from big names like Sinopec, CNPC, Sinochem and Huawei to many smaller provincial and municipal groups. "The former Deputy Consul General of China Li Guixi stayed with us for a month and half until his residence was ready," said Jourard. The China-friendly trend is catching on with other Houston-area hotels too, according to Leo Yao of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Most hotels close to Chinatown are starting to do what the Crowne Plaza Suites has been doing," Yao said. "The two Westin hotels in the Galleria (the largest shopping mall in Houston) have employed Mandarin speaking personnel to help the Chinese guests." Dimples Boettcher, sales manager of the Crown Plaza River Oaks hotel which is eight miles away from Chinatown, has seen a considerable increase in the number of Chinese guests over the past year. "Roughly 5 percent of our guests were Chinese last year," she said. "We realized that Chinese are where the international market is, and I have been talking to travel agents and others to get some ideas. Slippers and hot water carafes seem to be a big deal for the Chinese. So we provide those." The hotel also plans to add a couple of Chinese dishes to its breakfast menu, and offer instant noodles, said Boettcher. "I was told most of them like instant noodles. However, I think the Chinese are also becoming more adventurous. Some guests are starting to ask for recommendations of American food. They want to try it." Yao attributes the increase in numbers of Chinese visitors to the direct Houston-Beijing air service that began three years ago. "The direct flight allows the Chinese to avoid a layover in the US, a considerable obstacle for a lot of people with limited English," said Yao. "We want to make Chinese visitors feel welcome," Yao said. mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com JohnPaul Jourard and Joanna Xie, senior sales manager and international business travel consultant, respectively, at the Crowne Plaza Suites Houston, show the Chinese-language welcome letter and newspaper package specially prepared for guests from China. 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Provided To China Daily A Flushing, New York-based company has secured a $100 million loan to develop a high-rise tower in Long Island City in Queens, New York. Citing property records, The Real Deal reported Tuesday that Jiashu (Chris) Xu, the founder and president of United Construction & Development Group Corp and United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance Corp, refinanced the Long Island City site with a $100 million loan from the Bank of China. Xu's firm plans to build a 78-story tower at 23-15 44th Drive on the site that was acquired from Citigroup Inc for about $143 million in 2015. Called Court Square City View Tower, the building will feature 660 luxury residential units and 100,000 square feet of commercial space, according to the United Construction & Development Group website. The architectural firm for the project is Goldstein, Hill & West Architects. The project is expected to break ground in 2017. Xu is the founder and president of United Construction & Development Group Corp. and United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance Corp. At the age of 18, Xu emigrated with his family from China to the US. Eventually he became the founder and co-partner of United Plumbing, Heating & Appliance, and a plumbing and heating distributor in Queens, New York. In 1996, Xu founded his second company that later became United Construction & Development Group. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com General Motors is selling more cars in China than it is in the US. GM's sales in China through August rose 8.1 percent to 2.38 million, compared with a 4.2 percent drop to 1.96 million in the United States. GM and its joint ventures delivered a record 293,537 vehicles in China in August, up 18 percent year over year, GM China announced recently. The Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet and Baojun brands reached all-time sales highs for the month. "Our mainstream passenger-car entries drove our sales momentum," said Matt Tsien, GM executive vice-president and GM China president. "We are looking to build on our success by adding another five new and refreshed models in the final four months." Cadillac deliveries in August rose 93 percent year over year to 9,914 units. Deliveries of the ATS-L luxury sedan and XT5 luxury crossover both surpassed 3,000 units. Sales of the XTS, a luxury sedan, increased 65 percent from the year-ago period. Buick deliveries in August rose 23 percent to 94,188 units, led by the Excelle GT sedan. Envision SUV deliveries increased 53 percent on an annual basis, and the Verano series exceeded 13,000 units. (Sun Yat-sen, China's first president, took his first car ride in a Buick in 1912.) Chevrolet deliveries increased year over year to 38,706 units in August, led by demand of more than 19,000 units for the Cruze family, spurred by the arrival of the new Cruze in July. Chevy recently launched the Cavalier compact midsize family sedan and will introduce the sixth generation of its Camaro later this month. GM partner Baojun, known for its budget pricing, delivered 51,099 units in August, an increase of 41 percent year over year. Sales of the Baojun 730 MPV and Baojun 560 SUV were up 37 percent and 52 percent. "GM has a strong presence in China - clearly it's the best-positioned among US-based automakers - built on its solid brand and partnership strategies," Dave Zoia, editorial director for Ward's Auto, told China Daily. "China now is Buick's key market, and as evident in August sales momentum, is in the right direction for GM's Cadillac luxury brand as well. "After taking a bit of a breather last year, the volume brand of Chevrolet is rebounding in part on the strength of the newly arrived Cruze," Zoia said. "And the domestic Baojun brand gives it what looks to be a pretty successful entry in the entry-level end of the market. So overall, GM's huge investment in China is paying off nicely." Another GM partner, Wuling, reported that deliveries grew last month despite a tough market for mini commercial vehicles. Deliveries rose 8 percent year over year to 99,589 units, driven by the strong performance of the Hong Guang MPV family. In the first eight months of 2016, GM and its joint ventures' auto deliveries in China increased 8.1 percent year over year to a record 2,374,542 units. GM has 11 joint ventures, two wholly owned foreign enterprises and more than 58,000 employees in China. According to Economic Times, GM faces competition from Chinese companies whose products are selling better due to more consumer confidence in the vehicles. The local companies also have advantages on labor and materials costs. GM is looking to counter the trend with the rollout of 10 energy-efficient vehicles and is also considering ride-sharing as a potential growth area. GM's longtime US rival Ford isn't doing so bad in China itself, as the company and its joint ventures there set another sales record in August with 96,450 vehicles, up 22 percent. "We continue to build momentum in China on the strength of the most comprehensive and exciting Ford lineup we have ever offered Chinese customers," said Peter Fleet, vice-president of marketing, sales and service, Asia Pacific. Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 09/15/2016 page2) Xiamen Airlines launched Xiamen-Shenzhen-Seattle service on Sept 26th, creating an air bridge connecting two of China's major special economic zones with an economic heavyweight on the US West Coast. The ceremony to welcome the inaugural flight to Seattle was hosted at SeaTac Airport arrival hall Wednesday morning. Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman and Xiamen Chairman Che Shanglun took part in the ribbon cutting and toast to Xiamen by the Boeing Company. Port of Seattle CEO Ted Fick Economic and Commercial Counsellor from Consulate General of China in San Francisco Yang Yihang and other guests attended. This is not only the first long haul route originating in Xiamen with an end point in the United States, but also the first direct international service between Shenzhen and the US. The service will be handled by a Xiamen Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with three flights per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Xiamen Airlines chairman and general manager Che Shanglun said, "The launch of the Xiamen-Shenzhen-Seattle service is an important reflection of the results of the meeting between Chinese and American leaders in 2015. On the heels of these events, a Fuzhou-New York and a Xiamen-LA service will also be initiated, making air travel, and, by consequence, exchanges between the two countries much easier." The Xiamen-Shenzhen-Seattle service is the sixth long-haul and first American route that Xiamen Airlines has launched. Existing services include Xiamen-Amsterdam, Fuzhou-Sydney, Xiamen-Sydney, Xiamen-Melbourne and Xiamen-Vancouver routes. The newly opened Seattle service is Xiamen Airlines' first long-haul route with a stop at a city outside of Fujian province. To complete the build out of a network that extends beyond Seattle, Xiamen Airlines has signed a partnership agreement with Alaska Airlines that enables passengers traveling to Seattle via Xiamen Airlines to fly onward to 61 major and secondary destinations across the US, Canada and Mexico. The launch of the route marks the first time the Xiamen Airlines fleet has had a chance to visit the home of their "birth", as Seattle, where Boeing is located, is where each member of the 165-strong fleet of aircraft was manufactured and first saw the light of day. As a loyal client of Boeing, Xiamen Airlines operates the largest all-Boeing aircraft fleet in China. Over the past three decades, Xiamen Airlines has taken delivery of hundreds of brand new Boeing airliners and, due to the cost advantage of an all-Boeing fleet, Xiamen Airlines has continuously shown a profit for 29 years, the longest period of reporting uninterrupted profits in Chinese civil aviation history. lindadeng@chinadailyusa.com Xiamen Airlines Chairman Che Shanglun (left) gives Port of Seattle CEO Ted Fick the gift of a Xiamen Airlines model plane at the ceremony celebrating the launch of Xiamen-Shenzhen-Seattle service by the airlines, at the SeaTac Airport on Wednesday morning. Linda Deng / China Daily (China Daily USA 09/27/2016 page2) Washington is about to get more China-friendly. Representatives from hotels, restaurants, museums, airports and other tourism-related industries across the greater DC area each got a checklist of things they could do to help make their operations more Chinese friendly, as they gathered at this year's Destination DC Global Marketplace conference Welcome China, on Tuesday in Washington. For the first time, Destination DC has hosted a conference focusing on the Chinese tourist market. The gathering was also part of the Welcome China program initiated by Destination DC recently to help Washington better accommodate Chinese visitors. With record arrivals of around 300,000 visitors from China last year, Washington has witnessed a 635 percent growth in Chinese visitors over the past 10 years, according to Scott Johnson, president of Travel Marketing Insights. "One out of every nine Chinese visitors that comes to the United States actually comes to Washington," said Elliott Ferguson, president of Destination DC. "So not only are we trying to grow the number of Chinese coming to Washington but also the number coming to the United States." "Clearly, China is going to outpace all other markets in the next five years," Johnson said, showing a graphic predicting Chinese arrivals increasing 96 percent for the next five years compared to India, ranking the second, with about a 30 percent increase. "We're always asked what we're doing as a destination not only to make those Chinese visiting us feel more welcomed but to become more of an international destination," Ferguson said. "Sometimes it's as simple as offering hot water with green tea." Through the program, they want to offer the tourism industry a way to learn about Chinese culture, incorporate Chinese customs into their offerings and effectively communicate with Chinese visitors, Ferguson said. "This is our first entrance into a certification program, so we're going to do a lot to promote the program out to the customers," said Theresa Belpulsi, vice-president of tourism and visitors services at Destination DC. To earn Welcome China certification, the business must offer a at least three of a list of 12 requirements, such as having Chinese social media accounts, providing Chinese subtitles on videos and audio tours in Chinese. Belpulsi said they were working to build content and spread word about the quality of their products, "not just about the museums that are here but all the other cultural experiences that they can have". The goal is to attract about 500,000 Chinese visitors by 2020, she said. Mavis Zhang, vice-president of SinoMedia, and Eagle Yi, director of business development of WeChat, made a presentation on how to market to the Chinese tourist. Yuan Yuan in Washington contributed to the story. (China Daily USA 09/29/2016 page2) A Chinese company's planned $2 billion, 850-acre paper mill in Virginia took another step forward when a contract for design services and permit acquisition was awarded. The contract signed on Wednesday with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc is for supporting permit acquisition and developing the overall site design, which includes pulping facilities, tissue making and fertilizer production using the proprietary technology of Vastly, also known as Tranlin Inc, the US subsidiary of Shandong Tranlin Paper Co Ltd. "It's a complex project and as Jacobs lays out the design for the site a major part of the work will involve all the environmental permits that will be required," John Stacey, senior vice-president of marketing and product development at Vastly said. In 2014, Shandong Tranlin Paper said it would invest $2 billion over five years to build its first US manufacturing operation in Chesterfield County, which is about 20 miles from Richmond, the state capital. The plant is expected to generate 2,000 new jobs by 2020. It is the largest Chinese investment and job-creation project in Virginia. The company broke ground on the plant's site along the James River in 2015. "We are within the schedule to begin full operations by 2020," said Stacey. The plant is expected to begin limited production of bathroom tissues, paper towels and napkins in 2018 by importing rolls of paper from China. "In 2020 everything including the rolls of paper will be made in America with American materials," Stacey said. "This is an exciting opportunity for our global consumer products business. We have a long history of assisting our clients in growth and expansion in global manufacturing. We look forward to forging a strong, ongoing partnership with Vastly as we work together to develop this state-of-the-art facility," Bob Pragada, president of Jacobs Industrial Line of Business, said in a statement. Stacey said Tranlin has decided to use the Vastly name to represent the brand in the US. "The selection of Vastly was made after detailed market research and collaboration with a nationally recognized branding firm," continued Stacey. "The research indicated that often Americans associated the name, Tranlin, with a transportation or language translation company. Given the massive scale and many facets of the manufacturing operations, multiple product lines and our earth restoration efforts we wanted a big name with virtually endless possibilities." paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 09/29/2016 page2) Fred Bergsten of Peterson Institute says fact that intervention not over 2% of GDP is one example A top US economist has dismissed two US presidential candidates' accusations that China manipulates its currency. Fred Bergsten, a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, was the champion years ago talking and writing about the gross undervaluation of Chinese currency and currency manipulation in China. But he told a seminar on Wednesday that "there is no Chinese currency manipulation." "Indeed, if there is any manipulation, it is what I will call positive manipulation," he told a forum on the Chinese economy at the Peterson Institute. Bergsten explained that for the last couple of years, China has not intervened to limit the appreciation of its currency, known as renminbi (RMB) or yuan, as it did in some earlier years. Instead, China sold a half trillion dollars of its foreign currency reserves to keep its currency from weakening further. He said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump does not have much basis for labeling China a currency manipulator and raising the issue again. Trump has called China "the single greatest currency manipulator that's ever been on this planet" and he accused China of devaluing its currency in his opening remarks during the first US presidential debate on Sept 26. Trump is not alone. Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton also vowed repeatedly to confront China on currency manipulation. Bergsten said Trump is just taking the talking points from 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney by swearing to label China a currency manipulator on his first day in office. Fred Bergsten, director emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics He expressed that President Barack Obama, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and thoughtful members of Congress are aware of the facts. "But there is still a lot of politics around this," he said, adding that Clinton and her people also know better about this. Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers noted months ago that it was a mistake for the US to push for China's exchange-rate liberalization in the hope that the yuan appreciates while market forces are pushing down the currency. A US Treasury report in April did not accuse China of currency manipulation. Bergsten, who is serving his second term as a member of the President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, described the issue of currency manipulation as "in remission". He warned of any possibility of renewal by China or any other country. He believes part of the reason for the concern among US lawmakers is that the problem has not been satisfactorily resolved for a long time. Congress passed legislation on a new currency policy early this year. Under the law, a country will be designated a currency manipulator if it meets three criteria. The criteria are: a large bilateral surplus with the US, a large global current account surplus and a persistent one-sided intervention in the currency markets. Bergsten indicated that China may meet the first two criteria but it does not meet the third one of persistent one-sided intervention in the market exceeding 2 percent of the GDP. "So the situation is now clear. China is now not manipulating," he said. Bergsten indicated that this is why there is no US-China currency conflict at the moment, but if the problem comes back, the domestic pressure will rise. "I think we have a clear path forward to avoid new US-China currency conflict. It's now in remission; let's keep it that way," he said. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/06/2016 page2) A senior Chinese banker championed free trade and globalization in Washington on Thursday while anti-trade and anti-globalization sentiment permeates major economies from the United States to United Kingdom. Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, said that people need to look at a longer time frame in history, saying the anti-trade sentiment can last for only two years. Anti-trade sentiment has run strong on the US presidential campaign trail, with both candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. Anti-globalization feeling also was a major force behind the Brexit - UK's vote in June to exit the European Union. From left: People's Bank of China Deputy Governor Yi Gang; Bank of England Governor Mark Carney; IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde; and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble speak at the CNN Global Economy Debate at the IMF Headquarters in Washington on Thursday. The talk was moderated by CNN anchor Richard Quest. Chen Weihua / China Daily Yi said that maybe three years or five years later, people will again have the consensus for free trade and globalization. "And that is the correct direction to go," he said at the CNN Global Economy Debate. Other panelists at the talk, held at the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington, included Christine Lagarde, the IMF managing director; Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England and chairman of the G20's Financial Stability Board, and Wolfgang Schauble, finance minister of Germany. "Because if you look at history longer, if you look at the Great Depression history, if you look at the competitive devaluation history, if you look at the currency war history, and isolation history, none of them are working," Yi told a packed audience of financial leaders from around the world attending the 2016 IMF/World Bank annual meeting. Yi believes that if people look deeper into history and into the future, they will have more confidence to improve the system and make the world better. "I am a believer of free trade. I think free trade will promote the welfare of mankind," he said. Yi emphasized that people need to pay serious attention to inclusive growth, address the problems of uneven growth and uneven income distribution, as well as the concerns of small and medium enterprises, Africa and emerging markets and developing economies. "That's why this year at G20, we added the inclusive growth into the agenda," he said of the G20 Summit held in East China's city of Hangzhou in early September. He expressed China's hope to help improve the current global system, such as making developing countries more representative in international governance and getting their voices heard. Lagarde cited the fact that four emerging economies are now among IMF's top 10 shareholders as a major achievement of her organization in the past years. Yi assured the audience that China's economic transition is well under way, saying the Chinese economy is more stable now than before, citing that consumption contributed to 70 percent of economic growth in the past two years while employment is robust. He said the domestic consumption market will continue to expand, and the imports from the rest of the world will also continue to grow. "That is a significant contribution to the global growth," he said. An IMF report on the Asian economy released on Thursday said that consumption growth in China remains particularly strong, consistent with the ongoing rebalancing toward a consumer- and services-sector-oriented economy. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/07/2016 page2) One of Detroit's Big Three making bid to access China market with local partner General Motors' motivation for investing in a Chinese car-sharing app developer goes beyond just acquiring technology, according to one expert. GM on Wednesday declined to reveal the size of its investment in Yi Wei Xing (Beijing) Technology Co Ltd, which developed Feezu, a car-rental and car-sharing app that merges hardware and software and enables users to rent vehicles by the minute, hour or day. "GM would have no reason to invest in Yi Wei Xing for access to technology or talent," Eric Dennis of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said in an email. He said the technology supporting car-sharing and ride-sharing services is rather simple. "Most likely, this investment is for access to China's car-sharing market. Entering the market without an established local partner would be very difficult," he said. "GM already sells a fair amount of vehicles in China (and) getting a toehold in the mobility sector is probably a smart move," Dennis said. "(It's) likely GM is looking to find a revenue stream from mobility services in China, as well as a partner who will have a large demand for fleet vehicle sales." "It is GM's first investment in a startup in China related to urban mobility," a company spokeswoman told Reuters. "This cooperation is very important to our company to explore the ride-sharing market in China." "Every market has its unique requirements for car-sharing services," Julia Steyn, GM vice-president of urban mobility programs, said in a statement. "Yi Wei Xing has solid technologies and innovations that will help us explore more efficient and personalized mobility solutions for consumers in China." As ride-hailing services like Uber in the US and Didi Chuxing in China have grown, GM and other major automakers have been quick to partner with companies and participate in this fast-growing segment of what is referred to as the "sharing economy". Earlier this year, GM invested $500 million in the ride-hailing company Lyft and also launched Maven, which provides short-term car rentals. "This is an important step for GM to explore and engage with new mobility markets in China, in particular with a company who already has a presence in that market," Jeremy Carlson, principal automotive analyst for IHS Markit, said in an email. "GM has been aggressively building up the Maven brand, and the investment in Yi Wei Xing may be a signal that the automaker is likely looking to bring its Maven brand to China, a very important market both for new mobility solutions and for the company overall," he said. "Only time will tell if this move is significant, but it shows that GM is paying close attention to the Chinese market," Dennis said. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily 10/13/2016 page2) Carnival signs off on two new vista-class liners to serve the China market, brand to be based in Hong Kong Cruise companies are doubling down on their efforts in China, which is set to be the largest cruise market in the world. Carnival Corp, the largest cruise-ship operator in the world, announced that its China joint venture signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to order two new vista-class cruise ships for the Chinese market. This MOA will add China-built cruise ships to the company's business in the China market starting in 2022, furthering its initial goal to launch a domestic Chinese cruise brand using the Miami-based Carnival's home fleet. The agreement signed on Sept 23 will accelerate the company's growth in what is expected to be the largest cruise market in the world, the company said in a news release. A joint venture between Carnival's China arm and China State Shipbuilding Corp and China Investment Capital Corp was announced last fall. It said that the Chinese government has granted it approval to incorporate in Hong Kong. "We are excited about the potential for the first new cruise ships to be built and deployed in China for the enjoyment of Chinese travelers, which will be an important milestone in the development of the Chinese cruise market," Alan Buckelew, global chief of operations officer for Carnival Corp, said in a statement. "As we work with our Chinese partners to launch the first domestic Chinese cruise brand in the next few years, being able to offer cruises on China-built cruise ships represents a new opportunity for us to generate excitement and demand for cruising amongst a broader segment of the Chinese vacation market, which is already the largest in the world and continues to see strong growth every year," he said. Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corp, told China Daily that the company is seeing consistent growth each year as Chinese vacationers begin experiencing cruises for the first time. Only about a million of the 130 million international travelers from China took a cruise in 2015, so "the opportunity is significant", he said. This year Carnival Corp has 45 percent of the market share in China, with six ships based in China across its Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises brands. "Cruising today has less than 1 percent penetration in China, and we have an amazing product and experience to offer our Chinese guests, so this is an exciting opportunity not just for our Carnival Corporation brands but for the whole industry," Frizzell said. The company plans to bring the Majestic Princess to China, a luxury cruise ship specifically built for the country, Frizzell said. Outside of the US, MSC Cruises, the largest privately owned cruise line based in Switzerland, announced on Sept 21 that it will deploy its second China-dedicated ship by May 2018 in order to better serve the Chinese market. The MSC Splendida, built in 2009 with more than 1,600 rooms that can accommodate 4,363 guests, joins the MSC Lirica, which has been serving the China market since May this year. It moved to Tianjin to serve the North China market during the winter season, the company said. "Deploying MSC Splendida to the shores of China is a further testimony of our commitment to this key growth market," said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, at a press conference announcing the MSC Splendida's move to China. "In fact, since it came into service, MSC Splendida has been the most popular ship for Chinese and other Asian guests cruising the Mediterranean with us," he said. The Chinese market has been the focus of cruise companies, with many expecting Chinese cruise travelers to surpass the number of American ones in the coming years. By 2020, 4.5 million passengers are expected to travel on cruise ships every year, according to the Shanghai International Shipping Institute. That number is still smaller than the 11 million people in the US who take cruises every year, but "when you think about the different population, the size of the middle class, at some point in the future, we think there will be as many Chinese taking cruises", said Michael Bayley, CEO of the international arm of Royal Caribbean International, an American cruise company also based in Miami. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com A ship operated by Carnival Corp leaves port in Miami. Provided To China Daily (China Daily USA 10/14/2016 page12) Iowa Governor Terry Branstad spoke of his "old friend" President Xi Jinping as business representatives from China and the US signed soybean deals worth more than $2 billion. Sixteen soybean purchase agreements valued at $2.1 billion were signed between more than a dozen Chinese and American companies and producers in Des Moines, Iowa on Oct 14. The signings took place at the World Prize Hall of Laureates where Xi, then China's vice-president, was hosted during his second visit to Iowa in 2012. In welcoming the Chinese delegation, Branstad recalled Xi's previous two visits to Iowa. "President Xi's first visit to Iowa in 1985 planted a seed that has grown over three decades and yielded tremendous value to both the people of Iowa and the people of China," Branstad said. "I have no doubt these contracts will enhance our trade and investment partnership and will be of great mutual benefit to both people in China and people in the US. Often I have been referred to by President Xi as an old friend, and we value our old friendship with the people of China." Officials from both China and the US, including CFNA (China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce) President Bian Zhenhu, Deputy Consul General of China in Chicago Liu Jun, Branstad and Lt Governor Kim Reynolds attended. Phil Karsting, administrator of the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, applauded the deals by saying that "cooperation like this helps us to meet the ever-increasing demand to feed the world population". According to Zhang Xiaoping, China director with the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), China buys about 60 percent of all imported soybeans in the world, or 83 million tons. China imports about 30 million tons of soybeans from the US, which translated into $15 billion a year for US farmers in very year in recent years. Kirk Leeds, CEO of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), said that Iowa, the top soybean and corn producer in the US, has been exporting soybeans to China for more than 10 years. About one quarter of the state's soybeans have been sold to China in recent years. Prior to the signing ceremony, a trade seminar between Iowa and Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces was held. Organized by CFNA, USSEC and the ISA, experts from both countries discussed the sustainable production of soybeans and market trends in the US and China. CFNA President Bian Zhenhu said that the state-province cooperation mechanism between China and the US is fruitful. During the two-day visit to Iowa, the delegation visited farms where they met with farmers, exchanged ideas and held seminars. "Information and issues discussed and shared by the industrial experts are very valuable. It deserves to be further examined by business people on both sides," Bian said. The impact on soybean imports due to China's slowdown in economic growth also was discussed at the seminar. Bian assured the US farmers and businesspeople that China's demand for agriculture products will continue to grow. Despite China's adaption to the new normal, i.e., a slower growth rate, China's demand for quality produce like soybeans remains strong. "Don't worry, Chinese buyers will continue to come here to sign purchase contracts," echoed Liu Jun, deputy consul general of China in Chicago. "When China imports agriculture products, we worry that our own agriculture will suffer and face competition from other countries," Liu said. "However, we don't close our market or accuse others. Similarly, China exports many industrial products to the US, and we hope we will not see trade protectionism or hear politicized and irresponsible accusations." mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/17/2016 page2) News / International by Ruzvidzo Jena Manchester -Zimbabweans living the United Kingdom took time to mark exactly two years after the abduction of missing pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara by suspected state agents close to his Harare home. The commemorations were held at Manchester University's Martin Harris Centre on Saturday the 11th of March 2017.The sold out event which was organised by Zimbabwe Citizens Initiative UK Chapter (ZCI) and Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe(ROHR), was meant to bring back into global attention Zimbabwe's poor rights record and to put pressure on the regime of Robert Mugabe to account for the missing firebrand activist who disappeared on March 9 2015.Artist Silvanos Mudzwova put up a brilliant performance with his play titled the Dungeon, in which he played Itai Dzamara himself, told a gruesome story of how the ZANU PF government abducts and torture opposition activists.The event also saw the screening of a short video on the Gukurahundi massacres that was compiled by Panyika Karimanzira and prominent activist Rufaro Kaseke.Under the banner of his Occupy Africa Unity Square campaign which comprised a handful youthful firebrands, and, in his smallness, the journalist turned anti-Mugabe activist had caused enough discomfort to President Robert Mugabe's continued stranglehold on power.His disappearance further spotlighted the Zanu PF regime's history of abductions, rape, killings and torture, among a list of brutalities on critics.Dzamara who was bashed and arrested several times, but that could only fuel his resolve to continue demanding that "failed Mugabe" to step down.Despite repeated insistence by the State that it knew nothing about his whereabouts, the Harare administration has failed to convince those familiar with Zimbabwe's murky history of cruelty against opposition activists.Speaking after the event one of the organisers and a member of the Zimbabwe Citizen Initiative Mr. Kingstone Jambawo said ZCI will to put pressure on the government by ensuring the Itai Dzamara's story remains on the global spotlight until he is accounted for.Zimbabwe Citizen Initiative was founded by United States based activist Promise Sande who also its interim chairperson, now has several chapters across the world.ZCI is a globally-diverse platform of Zimbabweans with a deep passion for the conditions in our country whose mission is promote participatory democracy by providing technical and financial support to social movements in Zimbabwe and providing a platform for all citizens to openly hold government official accountable A senior US Treasury official expects the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to eventually have a chief from outside Europe. Nathan Sheets, the US undersecretary of treasury for international affairs, was talking about IMF reform on Tuesday when he was asked if the IMF managing director could come from an emerging economy such as China and Brazil. "I do expect that in the not too distant future, there will be discussions of managing directors from other parts of the world. And I think that is altogether appropriate and the way it should be," he said at a talk at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He said the goal would be to find the most qualified and effective people to continue to move forward in the senior leadership of the IMF. As a tacit agreement between the US and European nations, the IMF has always been headed by a European while the World Bank is presided over by an American. That has raised eyebrows over the years when emerging economies seek to have more of a say in international financial institutions. "My sense is very much that the managing director at the IMF must be chosen based on competence, on experience and on the broad set of qualities and attributes that person brings to the table," Sheets said, praising the current managing director Christine Lagarde, a Frenchwoman, as being "exceptionally effective in that position". After a five-year delay and a harsh warning from Lagarde, the US Congress approved the IMF 2010 quota and governance reforms last December. The reforms doubled the IMF's permanent resources and gave greater voice to emerging markets and other underrepresented countries. The reforms preserved US voting share. "The 2010 reforms made important progress, but we are not finished reforming the fund," Sheets said, adding that the US is working to further modernize the IMF's system of governance and improve its capacity to deal with evolving challenges. He said that as emerging economies grow, they desire and deserve a greater stake in the institutions at the center of the global economy. "We believe that further enhancing the voice of emerging markets at the IMF is necessary to preserve the legitimacy and effectiveness of the institution," Sheets said. "Emerging markets comprise an increasing share of the global economy, and we should incentivize them to embrace greater responsibility to contribute to global economic prosperity through cooperative policies," he said. Sheets dismissed the notion that the US saw institutions such as the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a threat to US influence in the international financial system. "But we have been clear that the US stands ready to welcome new institutions into the international architecture, provided that they share the international community's strong commitment to sound governance principles and high social and environmental standards," he said. The US government drew sharp criticism at home and abroad early this year for its efforts to dissuade its allies, such as the UK, Australia and South Korea, from joining the AIIB. The efforts, which failed, were attributed to the fact that Congress would not grant the money needed for the US to join AIIB, according to former US treasury secretary Larry Summers. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/19/2016 page2) Miami the Magic City is pushing hard to become even more of a global tourism destination than it already is. Plans include another convention center, a new harbor terminal that can handle the largest cruise ships and a Chinatown. "All of our facilities will become home to any of the Chinese that we hope to serve and take care of and welcome to our shores," Bruce Orosz, chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), told hundreds of local tourism industry leaders at its annual meeting on Tuesday. A group of us from China Daily were invited to the meeting after the paper recently started to circulate in Miami. People were coming up to us and saying "ni hao" with a smile, and many we talked to seemed to be in a secret competition to see who had the closest China ties. Boxer Steve Geffrard said he's going on his first trip to China trip next month to fight a Russian opponent in Shenzhen. Jerry Libbin, CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, has been to China six times to promote Miami's inbound culture-based tourism. Larry Lee (third from right), vice-chairman of China Daily (Holding) Ltd, poses for a photo with Bruce Orosz (sixth from right), chairman of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB); William D. Talbert III (seventh from right),president of GMCVB; and leaders of the Chinese community in Miami at the GMCVB annual meeting at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Tuesday. Photos By Hezi Jiang / China Daily John Cuddihy, CEO of Trigate Lomas-Connect, has been to the country more than 20 times, helping his Miami clients produce and deliver content for Chinese television. Recently, he's been talking with the Shanghai Media Group to make a new TV series called Ni Hao, Miami. Kevin Luong of Cross Culture Tours, a US-based travel agency targeting Chinese tourists, also attended the meeting. William D. Talbert III, president of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), speaks at the GMCVB annual meeting. Provided To China Daily He said that because Miami is lesser-known than the US' Northeast and West Coast cities, and there is no direct flight from China to southern Florida, Miami hasn't been a popular destination for Chinese travelers' first trip to the US. But now his company is adding Miami to their East Coast tours, so tourists can mix their metropolitan and political visits to New York and Washington with a little beach and sun. Larry Lee, vice-chairman of China Daily (Holding) Ltd, holds up an "I vote Miami" sticker on Tuesday at the 2016 Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting, where many local businesses are looking to Chinese visitors and investors for economic opportunities. The GMCVB is geared up for its approaching peak season, as winter grips the northern parts of the world. "China, we welcome you as a partner. We are China ready," Orosz said to guests sitting comfortably in the newly renovated Hard Rock Stadium under an 80-degree blue sky. Larry Lee (left), vice-chairman of China Daily (Holding) Ltd., and Zhang Yuan (second from left), vice-president of China Daily USA, present the China Daily USA Miami edition to leaders of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade Countys public-private economic development arm. Cuddihy sees leisure tourism as a step toward further cooperation between China and Miami, including medical tourism and real estate investment. Many of his clients in those industries are also eyeing China, he said. Wayne Pathman, chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, hopes to cooperate with China on combating rising sea levels. Zhang Yuan (left), vice-president of China Daily USA, poses for photo with boxer Steve Geff rard, who will go on his fi rst China trip next month to fi ght Russian boxer Dmitry Sukhotsky in Shenzhen. Orosz's wife Kathryn hopes to see more Chinese students at Miami's universities, as she was used to seeing at her alma mater, UCLA. It will take some time before Miami becomes a travel and investment destination for Chinese comparable to New York or California, but the first steps have already been taken - Miami is China Ready. hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/28/2016 page14) Looking to capitalize on the rising demand for housing in Jersey City, New Jersey, the real estate arm of China Construction America broke ground on Thursday on a $350 million project. Called Park and Shore, the luxury condominium development in Jersey City's trendy Newport neighborhood will consist of two buildings. "Jersey City is really a reflection of the New York metro market that features strong job and real estate growth," said Phillip Gesue, chief development officer for China Construction's real estate operations. "Not only do we anticipate interest from millennials and those who work in New York City, but also from suburban New Jersey residents such as empty nesters from Bergen County." With lofty real estate prices in the Brooklyn and Manhattan boroughs of New York City, Jersey City - a 10-minute train ride from the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in Manhattan - looks like a bargain. "Our units will price at a 30 percent discount to Brooklyn and a 100 percent discount to Manhattan," Gesue said. Located across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, Jersey City is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in New Jersey and on track to surpass Newark as the state's largest city. Jersey City is in the midst of a building boom, registering the highest number of residential permits in the state in 2015. The two-building Park and Shore development is situated on adjacent blocks in the Newport section. The 75 Park Lane building will include 358 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences and penthouses. At 37 stories, the views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline will be a defining feature of the project. The second building, called the Shore House, is located across but adjacent to 75 Park Lane. It will feature 71 one- and two-bedroom residences designed in the industrial luxury style of developments found in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood. One-bedroom units for both will begin at $650,000. Gesue said the company hopes to complete the Shore House in the winter of 2018 and 75 Park Lane in the summer of 2019. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who participated in the ceremony, is particularly pleased that this is a condo project. "We like to see projects that encourage home-ownership in Jersey City," he said. Established in 1985, New Jersey-based China Construction America is the North American and South American subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corp Ltd. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com Express delivery services company will buy more trucks, land after NYSE debut Shares of ZTO Express Inc (NYSE: ZTO), a Chinese express delivery services provider, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday but fell from their initial public offering price. The stock opened at $18.40, $1.10 below its IPO price of $19.50, and closed almost $3 lower at $16.57. "Up and down is normal; we're better to not focus too much on a single moment," Lai Meisong, chairman of ZTO, said about the stock's first-day performance. "I believe in the quality of ZTO; it would definitely pay back to the shareholders sooner or later," Lai said firmly. Founded in 2002, the Shanghai-based company is now a leading express delivery company in China and one of the largest of its kind globally in total parcel volume in 2015, according to the iResearch Report. ZTO has demonstrated the fastest growth rate among the top five Chinese express delivery companies as of Dec 31, with its annual parcel volume growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 80.3 percent between 2011 and 2015, during which it recorded consecutive annual increases in market share. The company mainly delivers parcels for businesses, including e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com Inc. Alibaba accounted for 75 percent of ZTO's business during the first half of the year. ZTO raised $1.4 billion by selling 72.1 million American depositary shares at $19.50 apiece, after offering them for $16.50 to $18.50 each. In its IPO filing, the company said it generated revenue of $638.8 million last year and had a net profit of $115 million, with a profit margin of 18 percent. With more than 23,000 branches and 74 operations centers nationwide, ZTO Express has assets worth $1.77 billion with liabilities of $412 million. It had a market share of 14.3 percent in China last year. ZTO domestic rivals STO Express and YTO Express have unveiled plans to go public through reverse mergers, while the country's biggest player, SF Express, received conditional approval to list in a similar way in Shenzhen. Lai said listing on the NYSE instead of a domestic stock exchange will create more brand awareness for ZTO overseas, a plus for the development of cross-border and international business, and help ZTO build a sophisticated investor base. "We also want to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase the advanced development model of Chinese express delivery and its market," Lai added. He said ZTO will use the IPO proceeds to buy more trucks, expand capacity through the purchase of land, facilities and equipment, and for general corporate purposes. "We would increase the productivity construction. The outlook of China's express industry is pretty good, which will have a middle-high speed growth period in the future," Lai predicted. xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/28/2016 page2) A Chinese clothing manufacturer plans to open a plant in the Arkansas state capital that will eventually employ 400, continuing the state's success in luring investment from the mainland. Suzhou Tianyuan Garments Co, which makes clothing for Adidas, Reebok and Armani, said earlier this month it will invest $20 million in the plant in Little Rock. The 400 workers will be paid an average of $14 an hour. Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, said that Little Rock's location was a major factor in securing the plant. "Little Rock was chosen due to its strategic location that allows companies to ship products throughout the US and the world efficiently. Little Rock provides easy access to a major interstate (Interstate 40) that connects the east and west coasts, excellent rail infrastructure and a port on the Arkansas River," Preston said in an email. Tianyuan makes about 10 million articles of clothing annually and supplies 90 percent of Adidas garments. The company hopes the Little Rock plant will be operational by the end of 2017. Incentives for the plant include a $1 million infrastructure assistance grant, $500,000 for training and an estimated $1.6 million in rebates based on the company's annual payroll. Tianyuan will also gain the state's assistance in obtaining 20 work visas. The Tianyuan investment comes as Sun Paper, based in Shandong province, hopes to begin construction in 2017 on its first facility in North America in the city of Arkadelphia which is located about 65 miles southwest of Little Rock. Company and state officials said they expect the mill to employ 250 directly, about 2,000 during construction and create an additional 1,000 jobs indirectly in the timber industry. "Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and I have been very aggressive in seeking foreign direct investment from China," said Preston. "Last week we completed our second trip to China where we met with a variety of companies." paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 10/31/2016 page2) BYD Motors, the US arm of the Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd, and Wayne Engineering, a waste management-equipment manufacturer, launched a fully electric garbage truck on Thursday. The 3.9-ton truck, which can go 100 miles after being charged for 2.5 hours, is expected to save private haulers and municipal fleets operating costs by 58 percent per mile due to savings from diesel fuel, fewer moving parts and regenerative braking. The truck will produce zero tailpipe emissions and greatly reduce noise pollution. "This truck represents a new era in waste management, one of the last remaining sectors untouched by green energy and electrification," Stella Li, president of BYD Motors, said at the even in Phoenix, Arizona. "Only 10 percent of refuse trucks use any alternative fuel at all, pumping our neighborhoods full of expensive and dangerous diesel fumes - or worse, PM2.5 from CNG (compressed natural gas) engines," she said. "Many are particularly bad on greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter, harming the health of those around them," she added. Garbage trucks are excellent heavy-duty vehicles to electrify because the routes are defined and short, while traditional diesel vehicles burn unnecessary fuel while idling for lifting. "This new truck is the chance to finally make cleaning our neighborhoods a clean prospect in and of itself," she added. Designed with sanitation workers in mind, the truck has a body that allows for improved visibility and operation on tight roads and alleyways. With 100 miles of range on a single charge, a first for an electric refuse truck, fleets can handle larger routes and distances between sites. "We've been proud to design and manufacture innovative equipment for the waste management sector for half a century and are thrilled to be a partner with BYD for this huge step into the future," said Kevin Watje, CEO of Wayne Engineering. "Refuse trucks are a part of every community in the country and these all-electric trucks will start making a difference right away," he said. The truck's cab, chassis and power train will be assembled at BYD's facilities in Lancaster, California, and then delivered to the body manufacturer Wayne Engineering at its facilities in Phoenix and Cedar Falls, Iowa. The production schedule will be based on sales orders. The Los Angeles-based BYD Motors began introducing all-electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks in early 2015, focusing on three markets: urban delivery, goods movement and refuse trucks. liazhu@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 11/11/2016 page2) US President-elect Donald Trump, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and many Chinese may have one thing in common. None of them is fond of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, but for vastly different reasons. Clinton, when secretary of state, called TPP the "gold standard", but she opposed it during the campaign in order to win more union voters. Trump seems more consistent. He announced on Nov 21 that a top priority for his administration is to withdraw from the 12-nation TPP, which he has repeatedly called "a potential disaster for our country". For many Chinese, the death knell sounded by Trump is welcome news because they finally don't have to listen to President Barack Obama say: "The United States, not countries like China, should write trade rules." Such words sound not only humiliating to many Chinese, but also ridiculous and hypocritical. Why on earth would anyone think China, with a fifth of the world's population, should not be represented in writing global trade rules or any global rules? For Obama to think like that is akin to wishing that all the red states in the US should be banned from voting in the Nov 8 election. Excluding China from making global rules and norms reveals a zero-sum and anti-democratic mindset, not to mention that China, rather than the US, is now the world's largest trading nation. The fact that Obama has constantly used TPP as a US foreign policy tool in its rebalance-to-Asia strategy altered the true meaning of the free trade agreement. The TPP before the Obama administration was never meant to be a geopolitical game. TPP's economic benefits are controversial to say the least. Some US economists who studied the documents carefully concluded that the economic benefits to the US are quite limited, in contrast to the praise heaped on it by US officials in lobbying Congress and the US public in the past year. Some multinational corporations may be the winners from TPP, but many US workers and communities vulnerable to free trade agreements are likely to suffer. Over the years, the US government has done a poor job to help them, and Obama has not successfully assured them this time. The opposition to TPP among Americans is so strong that at a rally on Nov 17 by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and his supporters near Capitol Hill, many held anti-TPP plaques and claimed that it was Sanders' movement that brought an end to TPP. In the past week, some in the US have made a last-ditch effort for TPP by arguing that the death of the treaty will give China an opportunity to advance its influence, and more specifically the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), reflecting the same zero-sum approach Obama had in selling TPP. At the 27th China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Washington last week, Vice-Premier Wang Yang, US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, US Trade Representative Michael Froman and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other officials all talked about the rapid growth of bilateral trade and investment relations and more importantly, the huge potential ahead. With such a prospect, there is no reason for China and the US not to pursue a win-win game that will benefit their peoples, but instead try to exclude the other in pushing forward their own multilateral trade deal as the Obama administration exhibited in TPP. People close to Trump, such as former CIA director James Woolsey Jr, have indicated that the next US administration might join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and even the One Belt One Road initiative. Though nothing is sure, this is an encouraging signal, suggesting that the Trump administration may pursue more win-win cooperation with China instead of politicizing a trade agreement, a regional infrastructure investment bank and efforts to build connectivity whenever they are initiated by China. Indeed, ditching the zero-sum mentality and pursuing win-win cooperation is the only right choice for both China and the US. Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 11/28/2016 page2) Sharp drops in smartphone sales for China's Xiaomi Inc will not have a major impact on the company as profit growth will be driven by sales from smart home devices as well as revenue from its software ecosystem, a senior executive said. Xiaomi was valued at $46 billion in its last fundraising in 2014 - making it briefly the world's most valuable startup at a time when it was China's best-selling smartphone maker and looked set to make a splash worldwide. But last year it missed its global smartphone targets by 12 percent, while its third-quarter China smartphone sales have tumbled 45 percent, according to research firm IDC - raising doubts that the valuation is still warranted. Xiaomi's Global Vice-President Hugo Barra said that the company's business model was not based on money from handset sales per se and that it did not need to raise more funds or see any point in doing so at a valuation of less than $46 billion. "Basically we're giving [handsets] to you without making any money we care about the recurring revenue streams over many years," he told Reuters in an interview. "We could sell 10 billion smartphones and we wouldn't make a single dime in profits," he added. Xiaomi, which discloses little of its profit and revenue figures, has increasingly emphasized its range of home appliances such as air and water purifiers, and rice cookers as key earnings-drivers. In April, Xiaomi Vice-President Liu De said the firm expects sales of smart home devices to double to 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) this year. The company has invested heavily in India and Southeast Asia and is making its first forays into the US market. Next month it will launch its first device capable of roaming on the country's 4G networks. Barra said they are first targeting Chinese users traveling in the US, but are laying the groundwork for direct sales to US consumers. In January, Xiaomi will also make its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, launching a new product during the event, he said. Xiaomi's tentative first steps in the US smartphone market come as cash-strapped rival LeEco faces a crippling shortage of funds, which were revealed in a public letter by CEO Jia Yueting months after the company launched its first flagship phones in the United States. "There's no pressing need to do an IPO or even a private round," said Barra, brushing off concerns that Xiaomi could face a similar funding shortage. "We are not a flash in someone's PR pan. (China Daily USA 11/28/2016 page2) It remains the conventional wisdom among overseas companies that their success or failure in China will be largely determined by the effectiveness of their local strategies. There are approximately 77 million foreign companies that operate in China in some fashion, according to a report released by China's Administration for Industry and Commerce in January. It came as no surprise to me that during the recent Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Facebook, the social networking giant, was reported to have quietly created software to censor content on its website in China, an effort that signifies its willingness to abide by local laws on cyber content and security. Given China's massive potential as the world's largest mobile and internet market with more than 721 million users, no US brands can afford to lose an opportunity there. Facebook is under pressure for continuous growth and looking for its next billion users. It sells ads for many businesses from its Hong Kong office. Some Western observers suspect that Facebook is paying too high a price for entering the Chinese market; for example, a recent article on Forbes.com called Facebook's content censorship "a tough choice", and an analysis at The New York Times referred to the software as "suppression tools". All foreign companies operating in China need to follow local rules, and they should carefully construct their strategies to consider differences in ideology, cultural and social norms, and more importantly, the laws of China. To be effective in China, the management of a foreign company should nurture cultural sensitivity and display a willingness to adapt products, services and management styles to meet industry norms. Companies must build trust with local clients and industry administrators while adhering to international business standards and corporate ethics. I applaud the great efforts that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made over the years to cultivate a relationship with China. He, among several other CEOs at American high-tech companies such as Tim Cook at Apple, Virginia Rometty at IBM and Jeffrey Bezos at Amazon, was received by President Xi Jinping in Seattle during his US state visit in 2015. Zuckerberg has made himself a household name in China by visiting many times, giving a speech at Tsinghua University in Mandarin, jogging near the Forbidden City, and along with his wife and toddler daughter, sending Chinese New Year greetings in Mandarin. According to insiders, the new feature of Facebook's software will prevent certain content from appearing in feeds to comply with government requests. Instead of blocking the posts itself, Facebook would open-source the software to a third party, most likely a Chinese partner company, to monitor sensitive posts that might go viral. It would be the Chinese partner's responsibility to determine whether such content should be removed or not. In response to employees' questions about the tool, Zuckerberg said at a gathering in July at Facebook's Menlo Park, California headquarters: "It's better for Facebook to be a part of enabling conversation, even if it's not yet the full conversation (with China)." A Facebook spokesperson said "we have long said that we are interested in China, and are spending time understanding and learning more about the country". Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 11/29/2016 page2) Baidu Map, a desktop and mobile map service provided by China's online search giant Baidu Inc, is set to become a world mapping service provider covering more than 150 countries and regions. On Wednesday, the company will launch its map services for more countries and regions. The new map services will cover countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania, and provide services for 99 percent of the world population. "This signals that we will finally transform from a Chinese map provider to a world map provider and become the Chinese brand that provides global services for mobile travel applications," said Li Dongmin, general manager of Baidu Map. Currently, Baidu Map claims that it accounts for about 70 percent of domestic market share, with more than 300 million active monthly users and about 100 million car owners using its mapping service. At the beginning of the year, Baidu Map initiated its internationalization strategies and has been expanding rapidly globally. On Monday, Baidu Map started strategic cooperation with the tourist administrations of four northern European countries - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The two sides will exchange data, share resources, and jointly develop more events to improve the traveling experiences of Chinese visitors. "The cooperation signals a further step forward in the localization of Baidu Map in the course of its internationalization, following our cooperation with the tourist administrations of South Korea and Thailand," Li said. In the first half of 2016, Chinese people made 59.03 million trips abroad, up 4.3 percent year-on-year, according to the China National Tourism Administration. Baidu Map said it has covered 25 percent of Chinese outbound tourists and by 2020 expects verseas users will account for half of the total. "We will strengthen in-depth cooperation with overseas governments and leading enterprises and choose some key countries to provide mapping services in local languages and increase our local impact," Li said. zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily USA 11/29/2016 page2) News / Local by Staff Reporter The underdevelopment in Binga is proof of ZANUPF failure and lack of care, President Biti has said.Addressing a rally at Siachilaba business centre in Binga Mr Biti said " The poverty we see today reflects that the 37 years of independence in the country has not done anything to improve the lives of the people in Binga, maybe there is need for real independence to visit the district."He told the meeting that underdevelopment was just but an indicator of ZANUPF maladministration and incompetence."The people of Binga therefore have the right to ask the question as to how much it costs to be a citizen of Zimbabwe; as a matter of fact people in Binga are not citizens because Mubabe and ZANUPF have decided to make them 14th class citizens."Mr Biti said ZANUPF have created a reason for a revisit of the National Question of what it means to be a minority whether Nambia or TONGA because ZANUPF has clearly failed to address the demands of the National issue."There fact that Binga is lagging behind in terms of development by all indicators qualifies the validity of the point on devolution which is the best way to deal with uneven development not only in Binga but in most marginalized places."In a raft of solutions the President argued that for Binga to catch up with the rest of the country there was need for education to be free in Binga and for Binga students so as to produce Medical Doctors and Engineers who would accelerate growth in the community.He also demanded the scrapping of fishing licenses for the people of Binga who are paying a fee of US$20 to sell fish even when they catch just two breams.The President was in the Company of National Chairperson Lucia Gladys Matibenga, National Youth Chairperson Moses Manyengavana National Secretary of International Relations Willias Madzimure, Provincial Chairperson Eugene Dube. The US looks forward to cooperating with China technologically and commercially on China's One Belt, One Road Initiative, building infrastructure to make more world trade possible. "We want to joyfully participate with China in international trade operations and economic growth. I think we have no reason why China and the US cannot be close and friendly nations," James Woolsey, senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, said on Wednesday at the Belt & Road Forum in Washington. China and the US have the capability, the history and the consciousness to be friendly and economically viable states. The One Belt, One Road Initiative (OBOR) can potentially be a useful and profitable joint effort by the two countries, he said. The Belt & Road Forum, co-hosted by the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), Development Research Center of the State Council of China (DRC) and Asia Society, introduced the content and timeline of OBOR and presented perspectives on the initiative from both Chinese and US scholars. OBOR is a strategic concept proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 to boost the connectivity among countries and people by borrowing the concept of the historical Silk Road, according to the CEFC's Belt and Road Monograph. Globalization is a broken system focusing exclusively on profits and economic efficiency that is no longer able to carry the world effectively and sustainably, said Patrick Ho, secretary general of the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC). "Our world is now desperately looking for new models of growth that can replace globalization - one that is inclusive and farsighted," he said. "China's One Belt, One Road Initiative is an answer to this need." The ambitious trans-Eurasia and transoceanic economic strategy include two major parts: the Silk Road Economic Belt" and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. One Belt begins in Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, and stretches west through Urumqi in the Xinjian Uygur autonomous region to Central Asia. It goes to northern Iran then Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands before heading to Venice, Italy. The other part of the plan, One Road, begins in Quanzhou in East China's Fujian province crossing Malacca Strait, Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia, Nairobi of Kenya, the Horn of Africa and moves through the Red Sea into Mediterranean before meeting the land-based One Belt in Venice. Despite the geopolitical concerns surrounding the initiative, Ziad Haider, special representative of the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs with the US Department of State, sees the opportunity for China-US relations to move from climate-centered policies to focus more on trade. "2016 is considered the slowest economic-growing year since the international financial crisis in 2008," said Zhao Jinping, director general of DRC's Research Department of Foreign Economic Relations. "There is clearly a great demand in infrastructure construction funds." China has long been expected to take more responsibilities in global trades and international relations, he said. "Belt & Road reflects the growing sense of responsibility in China's international strategy," Zhao said. Yuan Yuan in Washington contributed to this story. (China Daily 12/01/2016 page2) If home-sharing giant Airbnb acquires Chinese rival Xiaozhu Inc, it will help the US company gain market share in the mainland market, analysts said. Published reports this month have indicated that Airbnb is in talks to buy Xiaozhu. Airbnb has a relatively small presence in China, with a staff of just 30 and 75,000 home listings. Xiaozhu said it has more than 100,000 listings in more than 300 cities in China. However, Xiaozhu and Airbnb both trail Tujia.com in China, which said it has listings for 450,000 homes, including 335 destinations in China and 1,018 overseas. Peng Liu, an associate professor of real estate and finance at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, said in an email that Airbnb is doing well in China but not great. "Acquiring Xiaozhu at a reasonable price is a great strategy for Airbnb," he added. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, director of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute in Hamburg, Germany, said a Xiaozhu acquisition would help Airbnb to become a more "Chinese" company when dealing with the authorities and the Chinese market. Arlt said the home-sharing market in China has great potential. "For a group-orientated society, the idea of home-sharing is very attractive; meeting new people combined with saving money sounds like a formula for success. If Airbnb and similar companies can succeed in giving home-sharing a positive image and avoid the image of 'only people too poor to pay for a hotel do this' and can succeed in convincing the authorities that there is no danger for political stability involved, it can open domestic travel to new segments of the society," he wrote in an email. Liu doesn't anticipate any resistance from regulatory officials in China if the transaction becomes a reality. He also said having a local partner will help Airbnb avoid some of the problems that US startups like ride-sharing service Uber have had in China. "Earlier this year, Uber sold its entire China business to rival Didi in exchange for a stake in its Chinese rival. Uber was doing great, but Didi is doing even better. Home accommodation is a local business, and a low-entry and competitive industry. Local firms would have the natural advantage of operations and understanding the ever-changing consumer preference," he said. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 12/01/2016 page2) Bilateral economic cooperation between the US and China was emphasized by political and business leaders at a Houston business gathering. More than 200 officials and business executives of both Chinese and American companies attended the first annual gala and award ceremony of the China General Chamber of Commerce-Houston (CGCC-Houston) on Friday to celebrate bilateral economic cooperation. At the gala, Chinese company Sinopec America and American company Yates Construction won an Outstanding Member Award, TPCO America Corp won the Community Champion Award; Harmonia Capital USA won the Annual Rising Star Award and Ernst & Young won the Annual Outstanding Contribution Award. "Since 2015, we have acquired 71 members, and CGCC-Houston has now become the commercial service organization for Chinese and US companies in Houston and eight other states in the Southern US," said Li Shaolin, president of CGCC-Houston and Petro China America, Inc. Li said that an increasing number of Chinese businesses have expanded their operations into the US and some of them have become market leaders here. "Chinese firms have invested in the US nearly $29 billion so far in 2016, and investments of Chinese private enterprises exceeded the state-owned ones for the first time," said Li. Xu Chen, chairman of the CGCC and president and CEO of Bank of China USA, said that this year China has overtaken the US to become the largest asset acquirer in the world. Also, the annual flow of foreign direct investment from China to the US has exceeded that of the US to China. "China and the US, as the world's two largest economies, are still at the early stages of realizing the full potential of bilateral investment cooperation," Xu said, adding that with the improving oil price and the new US administration's plan for infrastructural construction, the bilateral economic cooperation will bring more benefits to Houston. Li Qiangmin, consul general of China in Houston, said that in the eight Southern states covered by the consulate, Chinese companies registered number more than 220 with more than $20 billion in investments, resulting in the creation of 5,000 jobs in local communities. "I believe a lot of Chinese companies haven't registered with us and the actual numbers are bigger," Li said. Li also pointed out that the Chinese investment in the US has been fast growing, with a 30 to 40 percent rate of increase in the past a years. As the No. 1 and No. 2 GDP nations of the world, it's important for China and US to continue to work together," Li said. US Congressman Al Green congratulated Li Shaolin for reaching a significant number of members within one year of the establishment of the organization. "I believe our relationship with China should continue and grow. We are entering into uncharted waters," Green said. mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 12/06/2016 page2) Finding new partners, integrating big data into businesses and fostering cross-border e-commerce are just some of the things Jiang Ming and 25 other representatives from the Chinese retail industry have been talking about as they started a weeklong tour in the US and Canada. The fast-growing consumer market in China has inspired Chinese retailers to look for new ways to accommodate the country's growing middle class. "The structure of the Chinese economy has changed," said Jiang, the chairman of China General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC), the largest retail association in China. "Consumption has become the engine. We are stepping into a new age of retailing." "While the Chinese GDP achieves 6.7 percent, our retail growth is still above 10 percent, and it will stay above it for a long time," he told the audience on Thursday at the 2016 Sino-American Retail Summit held in New York City, the delegation's first stop before it heads to Toronto and San Francisco. The trip was sponsored by CGCC together with China International Travel Service (CITS). A promoter of leisure tourism between the US and China, recently CTIS has put more effort in bridging the enterprises of the two countries and assisting trade and investment. China has become the US' largest trading partner with a total two-way trade of $598 billion in 2015. "China is experiencing rapid consumption upgrade. Consumers have evolved from wanting basic goods to seeking personalized and diversified products and experiences," said Jiang. "We will welcome American brands and retailers to join us and share the pie." Fu Yuehong, chairman of Beijing Capital Retailing Group, was there to see how she could combine the advantages of the two countries and bring new products to her customers. She operates two department stores, a shopping center and outlets in Beijing. "China and the US complement each other in many ways. We have a booming consumer environment, and they have the up-to-date technology and business solutions," she said. "We have a rich history and culture, and they have the best product designers. "Combining their technology and design with our silk and tea, we can build a new market," said Fu. Like any Chinese tour group, the delegation will be visiting malls and outlets - Westfield Mall at the Oculus in New York, Fashion Outlets Niagara Falls and San Francisco Premium Outlets. More important than bringing back shopping bags, however, they hope to land partners. "I'm open to all kinds of possibilities," said Fu. "We can develop new projects together; we can invest in them; or we may bring back new brands to China." hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 12/09/2016 page2) China has launched dispute settlement procedures at the World Trade Organization (WTO) by requesting consultations with the US and the European Union (EU) regarding the surrogate country approach when calculating anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports, the Ministry of Commerce said Monday. In a statement on its website, the ministry said in accordance with Article 15 of the accession protocol signed when China joined the WTO in 2001, the surrogate country approach expires on Dec 11, 2016. All WTO members should live up to their international obligations to abandon the surrogate country approach when calculating anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports, it said. Unfortunately, the US and the EU have not fulfilled this obligation yet, said the ministry. Under the surrogate country approach, WTO members use costs of production in a third country to calculate the value of products from countries on its "non-market economy" list, which includes China. The practice allows countries to levy high tariffs easily in trade disputes. In November, the US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said the time was "not ripe" for the US to grant China market economy status, suggesting old anti-dumping practices would be retained. Meanwhile, to cut the link with the "non-market economy" list, the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, last month presented a new methodology for its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy calculations, replacing the concept with those of "market distortion". Although the surrogate country approach has been dropped, the EU left open the option to use "international" prices and cost reference in further anti-dumping cases if "market distortion" was found, which analysts said is simply another way of extending the previous practices. The US and the EU's use of the surrogate country approach has seriously affected exports and employment in some Chinese industries, said the commerce ministry. The ministry stressed that filing litigation is a normal way for WTO members to settle disputes under WTO rules. By lodging the case at the WTO, China is protecting its rights and the seriousness of international trade rules. Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said in an article published earlier Monday that all WTO members should fulfill the obligation enshrined in the accession protocol, which is clear and unquestionable. "China's lawful rights must be protected," he said, adding that China will "firmly defend its lawful rights and reserves the right of further action." China firmly opposes the distortion of WTO rules and the dismemberment of a multilateral trade mechanism, the minister said in the article. Gao said protecting the seriousness of rules and obligations, as well as the authority of the multilateral trade mechanism is a shared duty of all WTO members and is in line with their common interests. (China Daily USA 12/13/2016 page2) Lucid Motors' luxury electric sedan faces obstacles moving from being a prototype into production and mounting a challenge to Tesla, observers said. Menlo Park, California-based Lucid revealed its first electric car, called the Air, on Dec 15, not far from Tesla's factory. The Air is designed to take on Tesla's Model S. Peter Rawlinson, Lucid's chief technology officer, was the chief engineer for the Model S. Rawlinson told TheStreet.com that Lucid's investors include Beijing Auto and the Chinese online video company LeEco, which is also a backer of Faraday Future, another electric vehicle (EV) startup that has plans to produce vehicles in the US. Lucid plans to break ground on a $700 million assembly plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, early next year, with production set to begin in 2018. Similar to how Tesla started with the Model S, Lucid plans to build 10,000 Airs in the first year and eventually increase production to 60,000 cars a year. Zach Edson, Lucid's director of supply chain, told the Phoenix Business Journal that the company has the funds to get through the design and permitting stages and into the construction stage. The company will also begin sourcing its supplies and partners. Eric Paul Dennis with the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is skeptical that Lucid can meet that schedule. "They have not yet even designed the factory? They haven't begun permitting? They haven't even started establishing a supply chain? No way they begin assembly in 2018, and I can't believe they would even claim that," he wrote in an email. Lucid's David Salguero told China Daily in an email that the company's factory program is on track. "We will break ground in 2017 and start production in late 2018. The Arizona facility will be funded by a combination of current and future investment and will be constructed in phases." EV companies need a lot of cash. Tesla, which reported sales of a little more than 50,000 vehicles in 2015, burned through $611 million in the first half of 2016 and $2.2 billion in 2015, according to a report in Investor's Business Daily. "Whether they (Lucid) succeed will depend on continued access to capital over the next few years, a challenge for any startup automaker, as it's a capital-intensive business. They still need to ramp up to meaningful volume beyond production start to get scale, and Tesla isn't even there yet, so it does not make the odds of success high," said David Whiston, auto analyst for Morningstar Inc. "Lucid is a well funded company. We have raised hundreds of millions of dollars in three rounds of funding from a worldwide group of investors. There are no majority shareholders," Lucid's Salguero said in response. Initial Lucid Airs are expected to cost more than $100,000, with a special launch edition costing up to $160,000. The company hopes to offer less-expensive versions in the future and has started taking deposits of $2,500. Dennis said that to sell a $100,000 electric vehicle the US, where the market is in the hundreds, possibly thousands of units, the company must "convince people it's better than a Tesla of similar price. So it will be competing with Tesla X and heavily-optioned S. "At that cost, Teslas are wicked fast and have their industry-leading automation features. I would not want the task of trying to get a foothold in such a market with a startup," he said. Salguero said the Air will retail for more than $100,000, but future models will start at $65,000. "We intend to sell approximately 10,000 units in the first year and will ramp up production to the point where we are making 130,000 cars by the end of 2022 (about 60,000 Air, 70,000 future models)," he said. While initially focusing on the US, Salguero said Lucid will expand to China and the Europe. (China Daily USA 12/19/2016 page2) The emerging Chinese tourist to New York City is younger, more affluent and independent with a taste for adventure in The City That Never Sleeps. NYC & Company, the city's tourism marketing agency, said the Chinese market is transitioning from business and group tours to fully independent travelers, with a younger and more affluent generation traveling to the US. "We prefer not to travel in groups, which could just give us a hurried and cursory glance at the city on chartered buses," said Yang Fang from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, who recently finished her master's degree at a college in Kentucky. She was visiting New York with her parents on Monday. "Chinese outbound independent tourism has had an explosive development in recent years. Also, Chinese tourists traveling in groups overseas has had a steady growth," said Jason Song, director of the Product Planning & Promotion Division of L&L Travel Inc, the largest Chinese local travel agency in the US, headquartered in Manhattan. Song said one of the reasons that more tourists choose to travel independently is that they are getting younger. "This generation of Chinese all know English pretty well; there are no barriers for them to travel in an English-speaking country like the US by themselves," Song said. He said New York City is the prime choice in the US for Chinese independent travelers because of the large number of popular attractions and the 24-hour subway system. "And travel-strategy websites like Trip Advisor and hotels.com are well developed; they all established Chinese version websites because of the growing number of Chinese users. Tourists can have abundant information for preparation," Song added. According to NYC & Company's visitor market profile from October, visit from Chinese mainland to New York has been growing rapidly over the past decade. "NYC is China-ready, with attractions, cultural organizations, hotels and more catering specifically to Chinese travelers with amenities and language offerings," said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, the city's tourism marketer. The most popular and the biggest tourism destination in the US with foreign tourists, New York welcomed more than 950,000 visitors from China this year, a sevenfold increase since 2007. Back then, more than 15 countries, including Switzerland and Israel, sent more tourists to New York than China did, according to NYC & Company statistics. But this year, only visitors from the UK outnumbered the Chinese - and the British total of about 1.2 million has not grown since 2007, according to The New York Times. Chinese surpassed Brazilians and Canadians as tourists to New York this year and will overtake the British by 2022, Dixon told the Times. During President Xi Jinping's state visit to the US in September 2015, he and President Barack Obama jointly announced 2016 to be the China-US Tourism Year. "It provides great opportunities and platforms for both sides to promote tourism; I'm sure the promoting events organized by both sides made a great contribution to the increasing number of tourists traveling to each other's country," said Wang Yanjie, director of the China National Tourist Office in New York. "NYC & Company recognizes the importance of this crucial market and continues to educate iconic tourist institutions and lesser-known gems in welcoming Chinese visitors, time and time again," Dixon told China Daily. Dixon said that New York City continues to evolve, with new hotels and attractions in all five boroughs. By year's end, the city will be home to 113,000 hotel rooms and 135,000 rooms by the end of 2019, meaning more accommodation options than ever for visitors from all over the world. Yang, the student from Kentucky, put a lot of effort into her trip. "I began to prepare very early, about half a year before, to book tickets and hotels," said Yang. "But it's worth it, my mom likes the street view of New York very much, so we can wander along the streets here as long as we like," said Yang, watching a street performance with her parents on Times Square. To meet increasing demand from Chinese tourists, travel companies like L&L are expanding their tourism products to include smaller group interests. "For example, usually tourism groups would spend only one day to visit New York City, but now we are expanding some of the tours to two days; tourists could spend half a day at the World Trade Center site, the 911 Museum, to have a deeper experience of that unforgettable terrorist attack, " Song said. Still, there are many Chinese tourists who prefer some of the more traditional activities, such as taking a sightseeing cruise to the Statue of Liberty or posing for a group photo with the Charging Bull near Wall Street. xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 12/20/2016 page2) Company will be world's third-largest aircraft leaser following this, recent deals Bohai Capital Holding Co Ltd, a Chinese finance leasing company, plans to fully acquire US commercial jet leasing firm C2 Aviation Capital for $10 billion in cash, according to a statement from Bohai Capital. Shares of Shenzhen-listed Bohai Capital resumed trading on Thursday, and the stock surged to the 10 percent daily limit and closed at 7.9 yuan ($1.14). The stock's trading has been suspended since September. It is reported that the deal is expected to close in early 2017. New York-based C2, owned by US commercial lender CIT Group Inc's aircraft-leasing unit, is one of the leading companies that provides commercial aircraft leasing services to airlines. Since 1999, the company has purchased airplanes directly from aircraft manufacturers. As of June 30, C2 owned 307 aircraft and had orders for 132 jets. Its net assets are about $6.9 billion. Last year, C2 achieved sales revenue of nearly $1.2 billion, and net profit of $385 million, according to the company's earnings report. The latest deal would add to a string of overseas acquisitions by privately-owned Bohai Capital, after its acquisitions of aircraft-leasing company Avolon Holdings, and the airplane assets of GE Capital Aviation Services. The acquisition is also expected to enhance the international competitiveness of Bohai Capital in the global aircraft leasing market and raise its global market share, the company said. After the transaction, Bohai Capital is set to become the third-largest aircraft leasing company worldwide in terms of fleet size, following GE Capital Aviation Services and AerCap Holdings N.V. Ordinary S, according to the statistics of aviation information provider Flightglobal. Meanwhile, the total number of customers of Bohai Capital is expected to nearly double to more than 150, with a more balanced distribution among Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. The company will also strengthen its ability to resist the risk of regional economic cycle fluctuations. Bohai Capital said after the completion of the transaction the company will expand its market share and raise the scale of its business. It is expected to further improve its competitiveness in the sector, increase its profitability, and bring positive returns to the shareholders. zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily USA 12/23/2016 page2) As a Chinese company entering America's mature insurance market, China Taiping found its own niche - the growing number of Chinese companies that do business in the United States. The Chinese state-owned financial and insurance group also found a partner - New York-based insurer C.V. Starr & Co, which is led by Maurice Greenberg, former chairman and CEO of American Insurance Group and an old friend of China who contributed to the development of the country's young insurance industry. China Taiping and C.V. Starr teamed up to form a joint venture. With a majority stake, China Taiping Insurance Group Ltd is the holding company of the Delaware-registered Taiping-Starr Holding LLC. "We have been planning to enter the US since 2014. Our expansion corresponds with China's 'going out' policy that has led to the boom of Chinese investment in the US," said Victor Li, president of Taiping-Starr. He was the CEO of Taiping's subsidiary in Singapore. Founded in Shanghai in 1929, Taiping is the oldest insurance company in China. In 1956, Taiping and a few other Chinese insurance companies merged to become the People's Insurance Company of China (PICC), as a part of China's nationalization of the industry. In 1998, when PICC was again split into four state-owned Chinese insurance companies, most of the overseas business became a part of Taiping. As a result, Taiping has an extensive international presence, with offices in Singapore, New Zealand, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Holland, and now, the US. The company, headquartered in Hong Kong, has 200,000 employees and 24 subsidiaries worldwide. The Taiping-Starr joint venture received a thumbs-up from the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Li and his team of people from both companies now work at the C.V. Starr headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. Chinese insurers have been mostly focusing on real estate investment in the US rather than the insurance business, and when they do look for insurance opportunities, it's usually through acquisitions. China Oceanwide recently said it agreed to buy Virginia-based Genworth Financial, and Anbang Insurance was going to acquire Fidelity & Guaranty Life but later withdrew its application after failing to provide information requested by New York state. China Taiping is the first Chinese insurer stepping into the US insurance market by starting a company. "We eyed the opportunity of serving Chinese companies because we speak their language and understand their needs," Li said. "They know who we are, and they can trust us. Some have been our clients in China or elsewhere. "And we can't ask for a better partner," he said. "Greenberg understands how things work in China and he likes China. "The US insurance market is much more mature than ours. It's amazing that we can consult our Starr colleagues on things from quotations to legal compliance in different US states," Li said. Taiping Asset Management, an offshore subsidiary of China Taiping, invested $229 million for an equity stake in a Manhattan luxury condo project, 111 Murray Street. The 792-foot-tall tower is scheduled for completion in 2018 and will include 157 condos over 58 stories, according to The Real Deal. The Hong Kong-listed company reported total assets of $65.6 billion at the end of June. Total premiums for 2015 were $17.8 billion, an increase of 24 percent from 2014, while profit increased 56.9 percent to $817 million. hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 12/26/2016 page2) 'Search Dog' looks to sell about 10% of its shares, probably by end of year China's third-biggest search engine expects to hold a U.S. initial public offering at a valuation of as much as $5 billion as it raises cash to close the gap with leader Baidu Inc in the mobile market. Sogou, whose name means "search dog," plans to sell about 10 percent of its shares in an IPO that will probably be held this year, Chief Executive Officer Wang Xiaochuan said in an interview. The company, which is backed by social media giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Sohu.com Inc., hasn't formally hired banks to run the listing. A Sohu spokesperson said a Sogou IPO is "not on the agenda" right now. While Baidu remains the biggest provider across all platforms in China, it's under siege after a scandal over medical advertising as smaller rivals including Sogou and Qihoo 360 Technology Co win mobile users. Wang plans to use part of the IPO proceeds to improve search results by backing companies developing artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies. "Over the past year, we've seen a trend where people are finding themselves not trusting Baidu as much and some are even seeking a replacement," he said at the company's Beijing headquarters. "So over the next year or two, as more people feel more comfortable with Sogou they'll realize it is able to replace Baidu." Sohu shares rose 3.9 percent to $35.20 at 9:33 a.m. in New York. They are down 39 percent over the past year. Baidu accounted for 44.5 percent of mobile search queries in the third quarter, while Alibaba Group Holding Ltd-backed Shenma had 20.8 percent and Sogou was third with 16.2 percent, according to research from iiMedia. Other independent researchers including Analysys International reported that Sogou was China's second-largest provider of search engine services to the country's mobile users. A Sogou spokeswoman said that according to some surveys it's the second-biggest search provider overall. Wang said Sogou can match Baidu in mobile search within three years. Baidu declined to comment. Marie Sun, an analyst at Morningstar Investment Service, said Wang's emphasis on artificial intelligence was the correct strategy as search engines around the world adopt the technology to improve results. Still, Baidu has a massive advantage in machine-learning given its history of dominance and access to data. "The problem is I don't think they have that much data -- Baidu has a lot more data," said Sun. "If you don't have the data, then you can't expect your machine to learn as fast." Sogou, which merged with Tencent's Soso search business in 2013, is counting on partnerships with investors and smartphone makers to win market share. Sogou is the only search engine formally allowed to trawl through public messages on Tencent's WeChat platform, which has more than 800 million users. It's also signing deals with device makers to ensure more smartphones are shipped with its software already installed, adopting a successful strategy used by microblog Weibo. While Tencent owns a substantial stake in Sogou, the search company is run as a subsidiary of Sohu.com thanks to a dual-class share structure. Wang said the relationship between its main backers is strong but both sides were still discussing how the ownership structure would change once Sogou is listed. "We'd float about 10 to 12 percent," Wang said of the expected IPO. "After the listing I'd estimate we'd reach $4 to $5 billion." Tencent didn't respond to an e-mailed request for comment while calls to the mobile phones of its spokeswoman weren't answered. Sogou's IPO plans come at a complicated time for search companies in China. An outcry over paid medical advertising on Baidu's site, linked to the death of a student seeking a cancer treatment. (China Daily USA 01/04/2017 page2) News / Local by Staff Reporter President Robert Mugabe late son's grave in Kansaworado Public Cemetery in Sekondi in Ghana has reportedly been destroyed.According to a Ghanaian publication - The Chronicle said Nhanodzenyika Mugabe's tombstone was desecrated by private developers."Information reaching The Chronicle indicates that some private developers have encroached upon the Kansaworado Public Cemetery in Sekondi and desecrated tombstones, including that of Nhamo Mugabe, the late son of Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe."The tombstone of the late Dr. Mrs. Esther Sophia Boohene, the late twin sister of President Mugabe's late Ghanaian wife was also affected by the construction of a warehouse at the Kansaworado public cemetery" reads part of the report.The Zimbabwean Embassy in Accra has also been informed about the development.Mugabe was in Ghana recently.Nhanodzenyika which means 'our country has problems' in the local Shona language was born in 1963.However, he died of cerebral malaria three years later while Mugabe was serving 10 years as a political detainee.Authorities refused him permission to attend the funeral. Xiaomi made its CES debut this week looking to transform its image as a smartphone maker into a technology company of international vision that goes beyond its core smart devices and connects 50 million devices through its internet of things (IoT) platform. Xiaomi has more than 70 products on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center, including smartphones, TVs, routers and dozens of Mi Ecosystem products across categories such as smart home, health and fitness, personal transportation and smart toys. Although approximately 23 million Mi bands (heart-rate monitors) and 3.3 million webcams have been sold so far, and more than 1 million Mi Air Purifiers are sold annually, Xiaomi's international marketing and sales approach remains modest, as there is no immediate plan to officially enter "developed markets" such as the US, Canada or Western Europe. Xiang Wang, senior vice-president, said at Thursday's media conference that his company believes the Consumer Electronics Show is an "ideal place for us to showcase our innovations" to a tech-savvy audience. "We have proved that the Mi Ecosystem model works, and our focus going forward is to ensure that we can scale this model further in terms of products and also geographically." Functioning like an umbrella, the Mi Ecosystem covers hundreds of smart products manufactured by Xiaomi's "ecosystem" partners. Xiaomi has invested in 77 companies that design and manufacture products beyond its three core product categories: smartphones, smart TVs and smart routers, said Hugo Barra, vice-president. "We incubate and invest in specialized companies to effectively expand product line in a highly scalable manner." Barra introduced three Xiaomi products at CES: the white version of the Mi Mix smartphone; Mi Router HD and Xiaomi's thinnest smart TV to date, the Mi TV 4. Spending about 10 minutes detailing the "revolutionary features" of the Mi TV 4, Barra explained why the 4.9mm-thin, frameless set is a "must-buy". The Mi TV 4 (65") has been crafted with a modular design, and the TV set is separated into two parts: a 4K display and the Mi TV Bar, which incorporates both the motherboard and an independent sound system that includes up-firing speakers. The speakers, together with a subwoofer and two rear wireless satellite speakers, make up the Mi TV 4 Dolby Atmos home theater. junechang@chinadialyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/06/2017 page2) Lenovo has returned to this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with new laptops and a fresh new category. After a few years of struggle amid the global slowdown of PC sales, the world's biggest PC maker has bet its future on smartphone and cloud connectivity - with an eye on smart homes - for next phase of its potential growth. "We now have a clear and comprehensive strategy," said chairman and CEO Yang Yuanqing at a media conference on Wednesday. He said the company now has three main goals. The first is to maintain its leadership in the PC market by innovation. During the CES, Lenovo released its new ThinkPad X1 family that targets the need for slimmer computers for customers who blur the line between work and personal PC use. It also launched a new brand of gaming PC called "Legion". Lenovo's second goal is to finally cash in on its efforts in smartphones and cloud connectivity. The company has been trying to revitalize the Motorola smartphone business it bought for $2.8 billion in 2014. "We expect to start making a profit in smartphones this year," said Yang. Lenovo launched a line of ultra-thin Motorola phones, Moto Z, last July with Moto Mods - accessories that can be attached to the back of the smartphone to expand functionality. On Wednesday, it unveiled more apps for the Phab 2 Pro, Lenovo's Augmented Reality (AR) smartphone powered by Google's Tango technology. New apps highlight AR and virtual reality games. "We see that in the future, every device will be smart, and all devices will be connected," said Yang, and that vision leads to Lenovo's third goal and the new category - smart homes. "We are heading toward a company of device plus cloud, powered by artificial intelligence," said Rui Yong, who joined the company from Microsoft as Lenovo's new chief technology officer in November. The company introduced a smart speaker that recognizes voice commands to conduct web searches and play music, and a home cloud storage system. "Smart home is a hot category but it's still at an early phase," said Yang. "We are launching the products to enter the field, and it may become our next engine in a few years." "Lenovo has gone though many challenges and changes since the slowdown of PC. The transition hasn't been easy, but we are honing for our next rise," he said. hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/06/2017 page2) China's Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd's return to the North American International Auto Show - one of the world's most prestigious auto displays - represents another sign of a growing Sino presence in the global industry. Now in its 29th year as an international event, the NAIAS officially opens to the public on Jan 14 in Detroit. The show's press review, one of the largest media events in North America, is scheduled to begin on Jan 9. Guangzhou Automobile Group or GAC, introduced a sport utility vehicle called the GS4 at the 2015 event. The company didn't participate in the 2016 show. GAC has hinted that it might enter the US market as early as this year. There are indications that GAC may debut a new model at the Detroit show and if so the company selected an ideal venue for the introduction. NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts noted that over 5,000 journalists from 60 countries attended the 2016 press preview which has become synonymous with attracting the world's top automotive leaders. Attending media saw 61 vehicle introductions with nearly 90 percent of them being worldwide reveals. The global coverage that GAC received at the 2015 show was one of the key factors in the automaker's decision to come back to Detroit. "GAC Motor's market share in China increased following the world debut of the GS4 two years ago and was a direct result of the international coverage we received," Zeng Qinghong, chairman of GAC said in a statement last year. "As we look to establish ourselves as a global brand we are optimistic we can gain more momentum following the announcements we will make this January in Detroit." GAC is a symbol of the growing auto culture and industry in China, the world's largest auto market. In 2015, a total of 24.6 million cars, trucks and buses were sold in the mainland. On Thursday, General Motors Co (GM) and its joint venture partners reported that they sold 3.87 million vehicles in China in 2016, up 7.1 percent from the previous year, cementing the country's position as the US automaker's top market for a fifth consecutive year. Sales of GM's budget Baojun brand, developed for China with JV partners SAIC Motor Corp Ltd and Guangxi Automobile Group Co Ltd, that surged nearly 50 percent last year helped drive growth. GM has pledged to introduce more models in the fast- growing sport-utility vehicle and multi-purpose vehicle segments by 2020. As the US automotive industry continues its comeback after a near collapse from the financial crisis in 2008-09, China has been steadily expanding its presence in the Michigan-based market. Two Chinese companies with Michigan roots will be active participants in the Detroit show. Yanfeng Automotive Interiors and Nexteer Automotive are set to hold press conferences on Jan 10. Companies like Yanfeng and Nexteer are now important members of the global automotive supply chain. In addition to providing critical components, Yanfeng and Nexteer may also be paving way the way for China's auto producers to enter the prestigious US auto market. Yanfeng has several Detroit-area facilities and is now a Tier-one automotive supplier of interior components like instrument panels and door panels. Tier-one companies are direct suppliers to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like General Motors and FCA Chrysler. Nexteer, which opened new global headquarters in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills last year, operates a plant that produces steering components for vehicles sold in the US like Ford Motor Co's popular F150 pickup truck. The company has a global workforce of more than 12,000, and 5,000 of its employees are based at its Saginaw, Michigan center. On Jan 8, AutoMobili-D, a dedicated exposition focused on the rapidly evolving global automotive and mobility landscape including autonomous or self-driving vehicles will open. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/06/2017 page2) China's Anbang Insurance Group is in talks to invest in a project to redevelop a flagship New York City building owned by Kushner Companies, the family real estate business run by US President-elect Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The talks to revitalize the 41-floor building located at 666 Fifth Avenue, were first reported by the New York Times on Saturday in an extensive article about Jared Kushner that detailed a November meeting between him and Anbang Chairman Wu Xiaohui days after Trump won the presidential election. The deal has not been completed and key points remain in discussion, the newspaper reported, citing representatives for Jared Kushner. A source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the talks to Reuters but did not elaborate. Representatives for Kushner and Trump did not respond to requests by Reuters for comment, while Anbang declined to comment. Kushner is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka and is the chief executive of Kushner Companies. He is believed to be in consideration for a senior White House role as a trusted confidant to his father-in-law, who takes office on Jan 20. Kushner is studying with lawyers how to divest and distance himself from the family business if he were to take a role in the Trump administration, the New York Times reported. Kushner will also have to determine whether federal anti-conflict of interest laws, which prohibit the hiring of a family member including a son-in-law, would preclude him working in a government run by Trump. Privately-owned Anbang, established in 2004 as an auto insurer, has emerged as one of China's most aggressive acquirers of overseas assets in the past two years, spending more than $30 billion buying luxury hotels, insurers and other property assets. It owns the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. The Fifth Avenue building was purchased by Kushner Companies in 2006 for $1.8 billion, which at the time was the highest sales price for a single building in Manhattan. (China Daily USA 01/09/2017 page2) "Connectivity" probably is the most-heard term at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), along with "innovation". All companies, no matter how large or small, American or overseas, are trying to come up with solutions for many of the world's most challenging problems through the Internet of Things (IoT), and they are touching literally every facet of our lives. Like never before, China's delegations - including Huawei, Lenovo, Haier, ZTE, Xiaomi and many small startups - queued up to flaunt their innovations, trying to live up to all of this year's hype with their exhibits ranging from smart homes and smart cars to smart cities and the IoT. More importantly, Chinese companies are joining the international competition by not only operating in accordance with the industry standards, but also by striving to be part of the standards by serving on various industry committees. Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer ZTE Corp joined LORA (low power wide area) in June, becoming one of the board members with influence on the deployment and development of a low-power worldwide network. The phrase IoT, originally coined in 1999 by a British technology guru who co-founded the auto-ID center at MIT, refers to the network of physical objects that contain embedded technology communications and senses or interacts with their internal states or the external environment. According to Gartner Inc, the whole IoT business will generate roughly $310 billion in revenue by 2020 with a compound growth rate of over 60 percent. The growth rate in such fields as vehicle, energy, industry and household security can rocket to 80 percent. The development of IoT services currently faces many challenges - the difficulties in improving the existing network infrastructure and access, the need to accommodate exponential connection growth and the requirements for bandwidth and reliability. However, "we strongly believe that a wide-spectrum of innovative IoT applications will keep emerging," said Chen Jie, chief information officer of ZTE Corp, at CES. IoT provides tremendous opportunities to industry players and consumers, said Chen. "It will change how society works and how individuals live," Chen said. "We're on the eve of a powerful new IoT-enabled revolution in business and as a global society." Chen revealed ZTE's five-year strategic plan, called M-ICT 2.0, which consists of virtualization, openness, intelligence, cloudification and IoT VOICE. Specifically, ZTE is focusing on smart city, smart home, industrial internet and car internet. To date, ZTE has been involved in the construction of more than 150 smart city projects across China. "We have a very active participation in the smart city business," Chen said. "We offer solutions including smart metering, smart lighting and smart parking for municipal and regional governments." The smart city execution in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, is one of ZTE's acclaimed projects. Under the terms of the contract signed in 2014, ZTE will help Yinchuan install smart transportation, surveillance, community, environmental protection, all-in-one cards, tourism, an enterprise cloud, government and a big data analytics center. ZTE has also created several vertical IoT solutions with local partners, launching a 5G innovative lab with China Mobile last June. In Paris, "we cooperated with our partners to provide a smart lighting solution for the city, a project we named 'The City of Lights'", said Chen. Through sensors in smart street lamps, the system is able to centralize resource management and reduce energy costs by 30 percent. Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 01/10/2017 page2) The competition to develop self-driving vehicles is also creating opportunities for auto suppliers. On Tuesday two Chinese companies - Yanfeng Automotive Interiors and Nexteer Automotive - unveiled new initiatives at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit to tap into the burgeoning market. Yanfeng, a leading vehicle interior component maker, is attempting to answer the question: What can we do in a car if we no longer have to drive? "We are creating the next living space," said Johannes Roters, CEO of Yanfeng. The company introduced the Experience in Motion demonstrator 2017 (XiM17), a vehicle equipped with an interior that is designed to shift between four modes: driving, family, meeting and lounge, allowing for different ways of engaging. With a touch of a button for meeting mode, the driver's seat goes back and the front passenger seat rotates, turning the car into a face-to-face working space with a fold-out table in the middle. In the lounge mode, both front seats move back to create legroom. In the rear is a refrigerator for drinks, and a vehicle control touch panel that is integrated into the floor console and allows control of the car while relaxing. The XiM17 was developed by designers and engineers from Yanfeng's technical centers in China, Germany and the US. The seats were produced in China with the rest of the car made and assembled in Michigan. Yanfeng was set up a year and a half ago as a joint venture between Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co, which is owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp, and US-based Johnson Controls. Headquartered in Shanghai, Yanfeng has manufacturing plants and technical centers in 18 countries and more than 30,000 employees globally, including at several facilities in Michigan. Nexteer and Continental AG agreed to form a joint venture focused on the advancement of motion control systems for automated driving. The joint venture will combine Nexteer's advanced steering and driver assistance technologies with Continental's portfolio of automated driving and advanced braking technologies. Nexteer, which supplies steering components to car manufacturers and is majority owned by China's AVIC Automotive, and Continental, a leading automotive and tire supplier, will each hold a 50 percent stake in the venture. It will be based in Michigan and is expected to become operational in six months. Frank Lubischer, senior vice-president of global engineering and chief technology officer for Nexteer, said industry innovation is driving partnerships like this one. "Collaboration is the ingredient we need to keep up with the pace of innovation," said Lubischer. "I think many of the autonomous vehicles that are now part of testing programs that have been announced here at the show could be available (to the public) as soon as next year." Lubischer said Nexteer and Continental will focus on integrating state-of-the-art electronic brake and steering systems for improved safety in automated driving. Contact the writers at paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/11/2017 page2) For students at the University of Texas at Austin, it's not uncommon to sign next year's apartment lease as soon as the fall semester starts due to high demand from its 48,000 students - the 2016 enrollment number - at its downtown campus location. Now that high demand has attracted a Chinese company to build student housing next to the school's west campus, an area known for its high occupancy rate. Grand China Fund has partnered with Austin developer Aspen Heights Partners to build the 17-story residency for students. The project with an estimated cost of $60 million and known as Aspen West Campus is expected to be completed by fall of 2018, according to Austin local media. The tower will have 166 units, ranging from efficiencies to five-bedrooms, and a fitness center, game room, study lounge and pool. The Aspen West Campus is the first student-housing project for Grand China Fund, a Beijing-based real estate private-equity fund with about $1.5 billion in managed assets. The fund has been creating diversified portfolios for investors since its inception in 2012. According to a company statement, Grand China has funded 22 residential projects across the US. The Austin project is not the first Texas project for Grand China Fund. In 2013, it partnered with Gaia Real Estate Investments and acquired a 286-unit apartment complex south of the Texas Medical Center in Houston. "As we develop our first student housing high-rise in our own backyard, our team feels particularly proud of this project that will not only bring value to one of Austin's most desirable neighborhoods, but serve the housing needs of students attending UT," Ryan Fetgatter, vice-president of development for Aspen Heights, said in a statement. mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/11/2017 page2) More than half of all investors who received green cards through the federal EB-5 investor program between 2009 and 2014 chose to live in California, according to the Department of Commerce. Between 2009 and 2014, more than 8,000 EB-5 investors and their family members resided in the state, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services data (USCIS), the report said. USCIS, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), administers the EB-5 program that grants foreign investors green cards in exchange for a minimum investment of $500,000 in job-creating projects in the US. The second-biggest EB-5 settlement area was New York, which had roughly 1,500 EB-5 residents during the same period. In addition to California and New York, the top five states where EB-5 investors and families resided were Florida, New Jersey and Washington. California also surpassed New York and all other states on total EB-5 investment. Nearly $1.5 billion flowed through its regional centers into 38 projects between 2012 and 2013, while New York saw $1.2 billion in 17 projects, the report found. Chinese companies have invested heavily in downtown Los Angeles for new residential units in skyscrapers, with Greenland USA's Metropolis among the developments funded by EB-5. Ten states account for roughly 85 percent of all immigrant investors and families, and every state except Montana and the District of Columbia has EB-5 related immigrants, according to the report, and the majority of immigrant investors and family members reside in coastal states. By using EB-5 investment and job creation estimates over the two-year period of fiscal years 2012 and 2013, the report released on Jan 10 said there were 10,644 investors, total dollar value of investment was $16.4 billion and 169,759 jobs were expected from 134 projects in EB-5 regional centers. "California attracts a lot of investment because of its size and population, and EB-5 is a job creation program after all," Gregory Karns, an attorney at Cox Castle & Nicholson who specializes in Asian investment, told The Real Deal in an article published on Jan 12. Investors can also expect larger returns in Los Angeles than in New York because the city has more favorable capitalization rates and underwriting terms, he said. Karns said, however, that the flow of EB-5 money into Los Angeles may level off as investors turn to cities with lower cap rates. "I'm already seeing these investors looking at Portland, Austin, and around Boston," he said. "They're beginning to branch out. There's a learning curve, but the low cap rates will end up driving them outside of the three big choices: New York, San Francisco, and LA". A major attraction of Los Angeles is that the majority of EB-5 investors are Chinese nationals and Los Angeles County has Chinese enclaves, such as Arcadia. "For the Chinese, there's a lot of appeal in Beverly Hills and other tony locations like Bel Air and Holmby Hills," Nourmand of Beverly Hills-based brokerage Nourmand & Associates, told The Real Deal. He said that Chinese buyers are partial to new construction, and that they tend to stay within the $3 million to $12 million range. Sally Forster Jones, president of John Aaroe Group's Beverly Hills office, said, "At the moment, the number of my Chinese clients is a fraction of what it used to be." aiheping@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/18/2017 page2) China wants 5 million plug-in cars on its roads by 2020 and the pedal's to the metal. More electric cars are already sold in China than in the rest of the world combined, Reuters reports. The catch is that they are mainly locally branded models that are cheaper with a shorter range than the vehicles offered by foreign plug-in car makers like Tesla and Nissan. The Chinese-branded electric vehicle (EV) market is propped up by substantial government subsidies as part of Beijing's policy to become a global leader in clean energy. China has spent billions of dollars on subsidies to help companies - including Warren Buffett-backed BYD and BAIC Motor - achieve large-scale production of plug-in vehicles, which are gaining traction among urban drivers, taxi fleets and government agencies. China's domestic EVs don't have the fast, long-range, luxury status of a Tesla. They sell on price. In Shanghai last year, a two-door battery electric Chery eQ cost around 60,000 yuan ($8,655) after subsidies. Without subsidies, the eQ would cost an additional 100,000 yuan ($14,500) or so. At last week's Detroit auto show, General Motors showed off its latest Bolt EV, with a $30,000 price tag (after a $7,500 federal tax credit). "EV cars are very cheap (in China)," said Xie Chao, who works for a chemical company in Shanghai. "You'll only spend a little money to buy a car. If you just go to work or use an EV in the city, it's OK for using within 100 km (62 miles)." Chinese electric cars tend to come with identical specs, so price is the deciding factor, said Dawei Zhang, CEO of EVBuy, a dealer. "It's a transport tool," he added, "purely for mobility rather than for showing off." Some EV buyers in China's big cities mainly buy plug-in vehicles because it's easier to get a license plate. China's biggest cities tightly control license plates for gasoline cars, but freely award plates for plug-ins. Still, cost is the name of the game. "I only considered BYD and BAIC. I definitely can't afford the 300,000-600,000 yuan price of a luxury-style Tesla or Denza," said Qu Lijian, a 31-year-old government worker in Beijing, who eventually opted for a BYD Qin pure electric. Denza is a Chinese brand produced by a joint venture between BYD and Daimler. China's cocktail of pro-electric policies is a challenge for global automakers, as foreign manufacturers can access subsidies only via joint ventures with local partners, producing cars under new made-for-China brand names such as Denza. The version of the Leaf that Nissan's joint venture with Dongfeng Automobile offers in China, under the Venucia brand, "isn't selling very well," Nissan's global chief Carlos Ghosn told Reuters in November. Chinese EV buyers don't want to spend much more than $8,000, after incentives, and the Nissan vehicle is too expensive, Ghosn said. The playing field for foreign brands in China should, though, gradually even out as subsidies are phased out by 2020. Local EV manufacturers have, with the help of subsidies, been able to build economies of scale, pushing down their cost per unit and allowing them to spend more on R&D, Li Yunfei, BYD's deputy chief of branding, told Reuters. "By 2020, China will have no subsidies, but your scale has expanded, your costs have come down, and you'll be able to hit a price that consumers can accept," he said. While China has grabbed early-mover advantage, global automakers plan to quickly ramp up their plug-in offerings in the world's biggest market. GM's local joint venture, for example, promises to spend $3.8 billion on electrification and developing 10 "new energy" models by 2020. It won't be one-way traffic. Chinese brands such as GAC Motor and BYD are looking to advance on global rivals' home turf. GAC Motor debuted its pure electric GE3 sport utility vehicle at the Detroit show last week, announcing plans to enter the US by 2019. Shenzhen-based BYD already sells its electric buses in Africa, Europe and South America and has a factory in the US. The company is preparing "on all fronts" to enter foreign passenger car markets, Li said, without elaborating. "Because Chinese companies have this large Chinese market, when they have big enough scale and their power grows, their products improve and they increasingly understand foreign markets," he said. "In the future, they will definitely take the world stage. The potential is huge." Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 01/18/2017 page2) Foreign Minister Hua Chunying cites speed, openness of China China remains a "highly attractive" destination for companies from the United States, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday, refuting a survey report published on the same day by a US business organization. In the 2017 China Business Climate Survey Report, the American Chamber of Commerce in China said more than 80 percent of its 462 member companies surveyed "feel foreign businesses are less welcome in China than before", and more than 60 percent expressed a lack of confidence in the Chinese government's commitment to further opening China's markets. In response, Hua quoted statistics issued by the Ministry of Commerce, which show that the US' actual investment in China witnessed a year-on-year increase of 52.6 percent in 2016. "The speed and extent of the openness of China's markets is obvious to all," Hua said. She also echoed a speech delivered by President Xi Jinping at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, in which the president said "China will keep its door wide open and not close it". "An open door allows other countries to access Chinese markets, and China itself to integrate with the world," Xi said. "We hope that other countries will also keep their doors open to Chinese investors and keep the playing field level for us." On Jan 12, the State Council issued a notice in which it asked authorities at different levels to implement 20 measures it had designed in order to make more active use of foreign investment and to create a more favorable environment for business. On Wednesday, Hua reiterated that the essence of China-US trade is mutually beneficial, and China "welcomes all countries to invest here". "In many areas of the economy that should be driving growth - from finance and insurance, to logistics and healthcare - the handbrake of regulation is still firmly on," William Zarit, chairman of American Chamber of Commerce in China said in a statement. "Globalization doesn't just mean exporting and buying up foreign assets, but also making sure that Chinese workers, private companies, farmers and consumers benefit from dynamic, open markets for goods and services." More companies are slowing investments and downgrading China as an investment destination due to slowing growth and increased concerns over barriers to market entry, the regulatory environment, and rising costs, the survey found. The percentage of companies that say China is a top three global priority dropped to 56 percent this year, compared with a peak of 78 percent of companies in 2012. A total of 462 companies were surveyed during and after Donald Trump's November election victory, and it showed 72 percent of members felt that positive US-China relations were "critical" to business, but only 17 percent thought they would improve in 2017. Li Gang, vice-president of the Ministry of Commerce's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said he doesn't believe China will turn to protectionism. "It is not only China which benefits from its policy of opening up - opening up drives reform. The more open China is, the more its development will benefit," he said. "It is also a favorable situation for the rest of the world." A major reason for US companies feeling "less welcome" is that China is improving its institutions concerning foreign investment, leading to higher and stricter standards, Li said. Contact the writers at paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 01/19/2017 page2) News / National by Staff reporter TEN people including a Zimbabwean man, his wife and their two children died after thousands of shacks (imikhukhu) caught fire at an informal settlement in South Africa's Cape Town City.Vusumuzi Nsimba (48), originally of Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo died together with his family, whose names are still to be established, on Saturday night when their shack which is located along Pleasant Street in Wesbank, caught fire.Fire-fighters battled the blaze for more than 12 hours and ran out of water.The informal settlement is said to be built on a slope without discernible pathways, impeding fire-fighters.A South African police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said investigations into the cause of the fire are still in progress."I can confirm that cases of inquest were opened for investigation. There is a Zimbabwean family a man aged 48, woman 32- years-old and their two children aged five and three that died on March 11 when their shack caught fire," said Ms Rwexana."We're also investigating cases of six other people who died in the fire that occurred on 11 March 2017 at 00:45 a 32 year old man, 28 year old female and a three-year-old child. There are also three unidentified victims who died after the fire broke out in the shacks, March 11 at 00:55 in Kosovo informal settlement," she said.The Chronicle yesterday visited Nsimba's family in Bulawayo and his brother, Mr Godwill Nsimba, said he is still in shock about the tragedy.He said Vusumuzi left three minor children who reside in the rural areas in Zimbabwe.The mother of the children, he said, followed him to South Africa and found him having started the new family that perished."I was really shocked when I received a phone call from South Africa. I last spoke to Vusa last year and I was thinking of calling him last week. Vusa was married to Nokuthula Ncube and he left for South Africa to look for a job," said Mr Nsimba."We heard that he remarried but we don't know his wife's name or the children's. What I know is that he left his three children here in Zimbabwe whom he sired with MaNcube."Mr Nsimba told The Chronicle that funeral arrangements are still in progress."For now we will send a family member to go to South Africa to make funeral arrangements. Maybe that is when we will know the names of his late wife and their children."It's really sad, instead of receiving groceries now we have to look for money and go to South Africa to collect their bodies," he said.Community leaders have said the provincial government in the neighbouring country and the City of Cape Town failed to take necessary steps to avoid the disaster, which they said was the worst since 2004. Beijing said on Tuesday it will support ongoing deliberation of two free trade arrangements in the Asia-Pacific region after the US quit the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Beijing has been an advocate of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Free-Trade Agreement on the Asia-Pacific. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China will stay committed to pressing ahead with the economic integration process in the region. Some observers and media have said the Trump administration's quitting the TPP will give China more chance to play a bigger role and even assume political or economic leadership in international affairs. In response, Hua said the word "duty" is more accurate than "leadership". American allies are weighing what role the US will play in ongoing global trade negotiations. Leaders of some of the 11 other economies besides the US in the Trans-Pacific initiative said they hoped to push ahead with some type of trade agreement. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he had discussed the pact's future with the leaders of Japan, Singapore and New Zealand and believed it could survive without the US. TPP was signed in 2016 by the US and 11 other Pacific Rim economies. The pact aimed to deepen economic ties between the economies by slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth. Wayne Morrison, a specialist in Asian trade and finance at the Congressional Research Service, said the idea of TPP was to create a "high standard" agreement that would focus on a number of issues important to the US economy, such as intellectual property rights protection and digital trade. It was envisioned that other countries would join the TPP and that this would be a template for broader FTAs and eventually a multilateral agreement in the World Trade Organization. "While some have argued that a US-led TPP was conceived as a strategy to counter growing Chinese economic influence, I believe that it was intended to draw China in as an eventual TPP member, because doing so could be a way to induce China to significantly reform its economy and reduce trade barriers," he said in an email. "The economic implications of pulling out of the TPP are significant. There is now an issue of credibility for the United States because of the withdrawal from TPP and plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Will countries still want to negotiate FTAs with the United States now? We will have to wait and see," Morrison said. Jeffrey Schott of the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics said that TPP is much more comprehensive than the existing trade pacts in terms of both trade liberalization and new rulemaking. "So the US withdrawal means that American firms and workers will lose those additional benefits. And other TPP countries will lose the new opportunities created by the TPP in the US and other markets," he said. Meg Lundsager, public policy fellow at the Wilson Center and a former US executive director at the International Monetary Fund, said Japanese officials hope to change President Trump's mind on TPP. "That signals that Japanese leaders view TPP as very much to their country's benefit, although as far as bilateral trade goes, the US would have gained substantially by opening up Japanese agricultural and other markets, had the US ratified TPP," wrote Lundsager in an email. "A US-Japan bilateral could start by replicating TPP terms. Mexico and Canada are very dependent on trade with the United States, with supply chains deeply linked across borders." "When NAFTA renegotiation is raised, I suggest the US ask our two North American partners to agree to the terms in TPP. That could be a very quick negotiation and would benefit all three members," said Lundsager. Schott noted that seven of the 12 TPP signatories already participate in the talks on RCEP, a proposed free trade agreement between the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the six states with which ASEAN have existing free trade agreements. (China Daily USA 01/25/2017 page2) The CEO of Foxconn, the Taiwan electronics maker, met with a representative of Pennsylvania's economic development agency last week and expressed a desire to invest in the state, an agency spokeswoman said on Monday. The spokeswoman's comment in an email to China Daily follows remarks made on Sunday by Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn - the world's largest contract device maker best known for assembling iPhones for Apple Inc - who told reporters that Foxconn is considering setting up a display-making plant in the US in an investment that would exceed $7 billion and could create 30,000 to 50,000 jobs. Gou did not say where, and the email from the Pennsylvania agency said the meeting "did not address specifics on a proposed project as of yet." Foxconn already has some small operations in Pennsylvania. "The chairman of Foxconn met with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's investment office representative last week and expressed a desire to invest in Pennsylvania, but the meeting did not address specifics on a proposed project as of yet," said the statement. "Previously in mid-December 2016, Foxconn contacted the department's office in Taiwan to investigate the programs available for companies interested in locating within the commonwealth. DCED will continue to work with Foxconn to explore potential investment opportunities in Pennsylvania." Gou said that Foxconn had been considering building a plant in the US for years. "There is such a plan, but it is not a promise. It is a wish," Gou, told reporters. He added that he wanted guarantees of inexpensive land and electricity before the company made its investment and warned against US protectionism, according to Reuters. Gou said that business partner Masayoshi Son, head of Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, talked to him before a December meeting Son had with then President-elect Donald Trump, according to Reuters. As a result of the meeting, Son pledged investments of $50 billion in the US and inadvertently disclosed information showing Foxconn's logo and an unspecified additional $7 billion investment. At the time, Foxconn issued a brief statement saying it was in preliminary discussions to expand its US operations, without elaborating. Gou said he told Son that the US has no panel-making industry but it is the second-largest market for televisions. In his inaugural speech on Jan 20, Trump vowed to put "America first" and on Monday signed an executive order canceling an agreement for a sweeping trade deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with several economies including many in Asia but not China. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 01/25/2017 page2) Museum of Modern Art in New York sees 49% increase, helped by promotions Efforts by New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to accommodate Chinese travelers have paid off with a 49 percent increase in Chinese visitors for fiscal year 2016, and a 218 percent increase in Chinese visitors over the last five years. "During my 20 years' observation at MoMA, I have definitely seen major efforts on bringing more diversity to the museum. Our Chinese visitors are growing every year," said Meagan Johnson, director of membership and visitor services at MoMA. As Chinese travelers continue to select New York City as a top destination, the museum has been making itself as "China ready" as possible, which has included celebrating the Chinese New Year with a special after-hours tour, curating more China-related exhibitions and interacting more with Chinese media. In celebration of the Chinese New Year, MoMA will be holding an evening tour of the permanent collection on Feb 2 at 5:30 pm. The after-hours tour of works that employ the most important aspects of the Chinese New Year will focus on themes of red and gold and the circle as a symbol of completion, unity, wholesomeness and prosperity. "This will be a special guided tour of the gallery. Visitors get to enjoy the museum exclusively and celebrate the Year of the Rooster with our precious collection of artworks," Johnson said. MoMA is also acknowledging the size of its Chinese audience by curating more China-related exhibitions. "We have an international program devoted to connecting MoMA to an international network of artists, scholars, and institutions," said Carly McCloskey, assistant director of tourism sales and marketing. The next Night at the Museum program at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens, on Jan 27 will celebrate the Lunar New Year by featuring projections highlighting 25 years of firework events by famed artist Cai Guo-Qiang, who had his first US studio at MoMA PS1. The entire museum will be open until midnight. "We have an ongoing mission to encourage understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art by the diverse local, national, and international audiences that we serve," McCloskey said. As part of being "China ready", the museum is also dedicated to interacting more with Chinese media to make the museum more well-known with the Chinese community in New York and abroad. "We are the first museum in New York City to have official WeChat and Weibo accounts," McCloskey said. The accounts are home to detailed information about the collection, special exhibitions and events. Judy Zhu in New York contributed to this story. (China Daily USA 01/26/2017 page2) China's slower economic growth and its economic transition and fuel mix will have a major impact on the global energy market in the next 20 years, according to the 2017 BP Energy Outlook released in Washington on Wednesday. The report projects that China's energy demand growth will slow to 1.9 percent a year through the next 20 years to 2035, less than a third of China's pace in the last 20 years of 6.3 percent a year. However, China will still consume more than a quarter of the world's energy in 2035. The report also predicts that China's energy intensity will decline by 3 percent a year going toward 2035, compared with the global average of 2 percent. It forecasts that China's energy mix continues to evolve, with coal's share falling from 64 percent today to 42 percent in 2035, according to the report. Spencer Dale, BP's chief economist, said on Wednesday that China is likely to see a sharp change in the pattern of coal consumption due to the changing pace and pattern of growth - slower economic growth, less energy-intensive growth and a commitment to reduce dependency on coal. The suffocating pollution in Chinese cities has sparked a public outcry. As a result, the government's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) has focused on sustainable and less energy-intensive growth and has set a series of more stringent climate and carbon-reduction targets. While coal fueled China's rapid industrialization in the 1990s, Dale said "those days are over". "The growth of Chinese coal consumption is likely to slow sharply, and ultimately stops and declines," he said at the report's launch at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The report predicts China's energy consumption to grow by 47 percent and production to grow by 38 percent during the 2015-2035 period, both faster than the global average of 31 percent and 29 percent, respectively. It forecasts that China's share in global energy demands will rise from 23 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2035. The report also forecasts that China's nuclear energy will grow by 10.6 percent a year from 2015 to 2035, to account for 31 percent of global nuclear energy generation by 2035. And by 2035, China will also become the second-largest shale gas producer after the US. In an article on China-US Focus website this week, Dongping Han, a professor at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, compared China's recent announcement to scrap 85 coal power plants under construction and investing $361 billion in green energy to US President Donald Trump's talk about investing more in coal as a source of energy. "China's move in this direction will further strengthen China's leadership position in green energy," Han said. While global energy demand will grow by around 30 percent over the next two decades, Dale said almost all of that growth is coming from the emerging markets, where 2 billion people are being lifted out of low incomes and into middle incomes. "In that sense, increasing energy use is a good news story. It's related to increasing prosperity, living standards we expect to see in the emerging markets, which drive global growth over the next 20 years," he said. The annual report also noted that the increase in global energy demand is substantially offset by rapid gains in energy efficiency. Dale said that forecasting is not about being right or wrong. "For me, the point of forecasting is better understanding the nature of uncertainties," he said, adding that BP is still investing $17 billion a year in the energy sector. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/02/2017 page2) The sale of an Oregon-based technology company to Chinese state-owned enterprises faces a review by a US government panel in a new political environment under US President Donald Trump. In November, Lattice Semiconductor Corp in Portland agreed to be acquired by Canyon Bridge Capital Partners for $1.3 billion. In a US regulatory filing last month, Lattice emphasized that Canyon Bridge's investors are Chinese state-owned enterprises. Christopher Rolland, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group, a market maker in the securities of Lattice, said having Chinese SOEs as investors "definitely is a sticking point" when the deal is considered by CFIUS, or the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. It is made up of representatives from several federal agencies, including the departments of Treasury, Defense, State and Homeland Security. It reviews foreign acquisitions, mergers and takeovers of US businesses to assess national security concerns. In light of the new political environment in Washington, Rolland believes the transaction has a 50-50 chance of gaining CFIUS approval. In November, he wrote in a research note that "the Donald could ultimately decide the fate of the deal", referring to President Trump. In the presidential campaign, Trump was critical of China. Lattice's main product is a computer chip called a field programmable gate array or FPGA, which are chips that can be programmed after they are manufactured. Rolland said Lattice's FPGAs are used in the low end of the market while competitors Xilinx Inc and Intel Corp's Altera produce chips that are used in higher-end military applications. Lattice doesn't sell chips to the US military. Last year, more than 20 members of Congress, including one from Oregon, wrote to then Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urging the blockage of the Lattice acquisition over security concerns. "FPGA technologies are critical to American military applications, and the purchase of an American FPGA designer and manufacturer by a (Chinese)-affiliated firm could disrupt the military supply chain and possibly lead to a reliance on foreign-sourced technologies for many critical Defense Department programs," the lawmakers wrote. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/02/2017 page2) A Michigan-based subsidiary of China's largest plastics compounder will invest $60 million and create 150 jobs over the next three years with an expansion of its suburban Detroit plant. Kingfa Science and Technology (USA) Inc in Canton Township, is also the recipient of a $1 million performance-based grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp that will be used in the expansion. "We are not solely focused on the automotive industry, but that is the largest part of our business," Christina Zamenski, Kingfa USA's human resources manager, said in an interview. Zamenski said Kingfa supplies raw materials to plastic-injection molding companies that produce door panels and other automotive products. "Currently we have 27 employees and over the next three years we will add 150 employees, including 20 to 30 this year," said Zamenski. She said Kingfa moved into the Canton facility last March. "We have a very diverse work force including employees from China," Zamenski said. Kingfa also is expected to seek tax abatements from Canton. Canton was selected for the company's US headquarters following a 2015 trade mission to China by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. Kingfa USA is a unit of Guangzhou-based Kingfa Science and Technology Ltd, a global leader in the engineered plastic resin industry. Products include advanced engineered plastics, biodegradable plastics, cellulose-based materials, carbon fiber and composites. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/06/2017 page2) Gratitude is probably one of the most widely cherished virtues in every culture. In China, children are taught from their earliest days that "A drop of water should be returned with a gushing spring", meaning that one should return even the smallest favor with everything they have to offer. I'm not sure how many people these days still follow this commandment. But if there's one thing all of the agitation and revolt in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland over the election teaches us, it's that as human beings, we still need the power to heal and have hope and positive energy. I just heard about a wonderful example. On Feb 3, Australia's University of Newcastle (UON) announced the establishment of a $20 million scholarship program, its largest ever. And it comes as the result of a three-decade-long friendship that transcends ideological differences and geographic distance. The program is funded by Alibaba founder Jack Ma and is his foundation's first philanthropic donation in Australia. But the story really starts 37 years ago. In 1980, on his first trip overseas with his parents and the Australia-China Friendship Society, Newcastle teenager David Morley met a Chinese youth Ma Yun, 17, who used to hang around tourist attractions in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, hoping to hone his spoken English skills by speaking with native speakers who were visiting. After playing Frisbee in the park, the two decided to become pen pals. David's father Ken, a retired electrical engineer, took the time to correct Ma's English in the double-spaced letters he wrote to David. Little by little, Ken became an influential figure in Ma's life, instilling core values and opening his eyes to the world beyond China, which, since 1979 and Deng Xiaoping's opening up and reform policy, was coming more and more into view. The Morleys were generous enough to subsidize Ma's living expenses when he was enrolled at Hangzhou Teachers College and happened to mention that he was short of funds. Ken would send checks of a few hundred dollars now and then to help Ma complete his course. In 1985, the 21-year-old Ma, at the invitation of the Morleys, traveled outside of China for the first time on a 29-day visit to Australia. It turned out to be a defining moment for Ma. It was during that trip that his vision for his business plans solidified and he would go on to become one of the richest people in China, with an estimated worth of $33 billion. Ma and the Morleys have remained close friends, even after Ken, his "Australian dad", passed away in 2004. Decades on, the Morleys' generosity has yielded fruitful results. "I'm very thankful for Australia and the time I spent there in my youth," Ma said on Friday at a ceremony commemorating his first trip to Australia. "The culture, the landscape and, most importantly, its people had a profound positive impact on my view of the world at that time." "For an unknown reason, I was lucky enough to make it. I have been wanting to do something for UON, for Ken used to talk about it all the time," Ma said. "I want to be just like Ken, staying ready to help strangers, to help some young fellow he just happened to meet on the street." UON Vice-Chancellor Caroline McMillen said the program would have a transformational impact on the lives of students and shape the next generation of leaders. "Through this remarkable friendship spanning decades, a new generation of talented students will have the opportunity to reach their full personal and professional potential," she said. The program in its initial year will support 30 new UON scholarships - 20 to support students throughout the duration of their degree and 10 to support educational exchanges, internships or immersion activities. When the program reaches full capacity, it will support 90 students a year for at least 20 years. "This scholarship program will exemplify the shared values between Mr Ma and Mr Morley, and aims to develop the next generation of globally aware and socially conscious Australian leaders," McMillen said. Generosity can be a gift that keeps on giving. Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/07/2017 page2) China has called on the United States to cut the number of trade remedy investigations on Chinese products, to reduce the chances for trade friction, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. The US launched 20 trade remedy investigations on Chinese products in 2016, up 81.8 percent on a year-on-year basis. Among these investigations, there were 11 anti-dumping and nine countervailing investigations. The amount of trade involved in the cases reached $3.7 billion, about 131 percent higher than the previous year. The US recently announced several major findings on trade remedy investigations into Chinese products, including tires and stainless steel plates. "Trade friction between China and the US is quite normal, as the trade volume between the two countries is significant," said Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at the Ministry of Commerce. The US will make final decisions on several trade remedy investigations concerning China this year. "We have noticed that the rate of rulings on Chinese cases is abnormally high, and there are several practices that did not conform to the World Trade Organization rules, leading to strong objections from Chinese manufacturers in related industries," said Wang. The US government has launched 265 trade remedy investigations on Chinese products including steel, glass, ceramics and photovoltaic products, worth $29.8 billion, since 1980. Wang said China urged the US to implement trade remedy measures within the framework of WTO rules. A total of 49 countries and regions have launched 1,745 investigation cases on trade remedies against China by the end of 2016, worth $126 billion. Among these multi-billion-dollar cases, 1,392 were on anti-dumping and 117 on countervailing duties. There are 623 measures remaining active with estimated $62.1 billion amount of volume involved. According to the WTO, China has become the biggest target of anti-dumping investigation for 21 years, and of countervailing investigations for a decade. Xue Rongjiu, deputy director of the Beijing-based China Society for WTO Studies, said that apart from the rising frequency of these cases, the situation will remain challenging and complicated because both the US and European Union are to or may soon experience dramatic changes in their political system, which will have a direct impact on their trade relations with China. Last year was particularly tough, with frequent trade conflicts involving China. Twenty-seven countries and regions have filed 119 cases, up by 36.8 percent from 2015. The total value involved in the cases surged 76 percent since 2015, topping $14.3 billion. It means that cases worth $100 million were filed against China every three days in 2016. Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn and renxiaojin@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily USA 02/10/2017 page2) Steven Mnuchin, US President Donald Trump's pick for treasury secretary, was confirmed by the Senate on Monday evening after a lengthy, partisan process. The Senate voted 53-47 to make the 54-year-old Wall Street financier the 77th US treasury secretary. Mnuchin was immediately sworn in at the White House by Vice-President Mike Pence, in front of Trump and Louise Linton, Mnuchin's domestic partner. Trump praised Mnuchin and said "our nation's financial system is truly in great hand." During a seven-hour Senate debate that started at noon, Democratic lawmakers, such as Minority Leader Charles Schumer, accused Mnuchin of being anti-working class. Trump had pledged to help American workers since launching his presidential campaign in mid-2015. The Democrats described the former Goldman Sachs executive as incapable of being tough on Wall Street, another Trump campaign promise. They accused him of profiteering from mortgage foreclosures when he was heading the One West Bank during the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Mnuchin is the third treasury secretary from Goldman Sachs since 1995. The other two were Henry Paulson under President George W. Bush and Robert Rubin under President Bill Clinton. Democrats boycotted his Senate Finance Committee confirmation vote on Jan 31, but the panel approved Mnuchin the following day after Republicans changed rules. Bernie Sanders, a senator from Vermont, tweeted shortly before the Monday vote that "Trump's pick of Steve Mnuchin to run the Treasury shows he wants to cater to the same Wall Street executives that hurt working families". Mnuchin will face huge tasks in tax and financial regulation reform. And his remarks on Trump's campaign rhetoric of naming China a currency manipulator have been closely watched. In a Jan 19 Senate hearing, Mnuchin said he was willing to label China a currency manipulator if warranted. The message has been widely interpreted to mean there would be no immediate action. Trump also has softened his tone in the past months. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last month, Trump said that he wouldn't name China a manipulator on his first day in office as previously promised. "I would talk to them first," he was quoted as saying. "Certainly they are manipulators. But I'm not looking to do that." The softened tone has helped ease concerns that the Trump administration might start a trade war with China, triggered either by labeling China a currency manipulator or by imposing a 45 percent tariffs on Chinese exports, as Trump once threatened. As described by the White House, Trump had a "lengthy" and "extremely cordial" phone call with President Xi Jinping last Thursday night. It came on the eve of a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Most US economists no longer believe that China is manipulating its currency to gain a trade advantage. Instead, they point out that the Chinese government has intervened to prop up its currency, renminbi (RMB), also known as yuan, thereby helping the US economy become more competitive. These include Fred Bergsten of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a main critic of China's currency policy not that long ago. The US Treasury headed by Jack Lew under the Obama administration also said in its report last October that China met only one of three criteria to be labeled a manipulator. The report also credited China's recent efforts to prop up its currency as helping prevent a rapid depreciation that would hurt the world economy. The next US Treasury report to assess the foreign exchange practices of major trading partners is due on April 15. If the US Treasury names China a currency manipulator, it will be required by US law to start bilateral negotiations to resolve the issue. It could result in punitive tariffs on Chinese goods. The International Monetary Fund also may be asked to provide its expert evaluation if the Trump administration does not choose a path of unilateralism. At the January hearing, Mnuchin said currency manipulation is a serious infraction of free trade principles and needs to be effectively addressed. "As treasury secretary, I will ensure that we defend American jobs by combating currency devaluation utilizing the reporting and monitoring functions of the Treasury and legislative processes established by Congress," he said. He said he would work through existing multilateral institutions such as the IMF, G7 and G20 to address currency manipulation as an unfair trade practice and also work with major trade partners bilaterally. Mnuchin is estimated to have a net worth of as much as $500 million. He was the national finance chairman of Trump's presidential campaign. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/14/2017 page2) China has made remarkable progress in building infrastructure in the past decades from roads to bridges to high-speed railways, but experts believe that enhancing soft infrastructure will be critical to the country's sustainable growth in the future. In its latest book, Modernizing China: Investing in Soft Infrastructure, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes that as China rebalances its economy toward more sustainable and efficient growth, it is necessary to invest more in "soft infrastructure", such as strengthening fiscal and monetary frameworks, continuing the reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), developing a policy to address financial risk and improving the dissemination of macroeconomic statistics. "In China, building resilience means reform and rebalancing of the economy," IMF Deputy Managing Director Mitsuhiro Furusawa said in a talk on Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was referring to China's bid to shift away from investment- and export-led growth to a more domestic consumption-driven and sustainable economy. Furusawa noted that China's rebalancing could have an impact across the globe. According to IMF estimates, a one percentage point decline in China's GDP growth could reduce global growth by 0.2 percent and almost twice that rate in many Asian economies. Markus Rodlauer, deputy director of IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, emphasized that the rebalancing means to change the role of the state, especially in the area of economic governance. "This means transforming government away from direct ownership of assets, allocation of resources and physical investment in planned infrastructure towards a much more indirect role as an enabler," he said. Zhang Tao, IMF's deputy managing director and a former vice-governor of China's central bank, made a similar comment in Beijing last month. "One shift (to a new generation of reform) is for government to move from directing, owning and investing in physical infrastructure, to one as a facilitator and regulator of private initiative, enterprise and innovation," he said. The new IMF book described the SOE reform as an Achilles heel. The 150,000 SOEs in China account for half of the credit. Their productivity is less than half of private companies. And they are responsible for a large part of the overcapacity, corporate debt and "zombie" firms, businesses that are extremely inefficient, according to Alfred Schipke, IMF's senior resident representative for China. "You have to make sure that you're creating a level-playing field of SOEs, the private sector. That means enforcing hard budget constraints," he said. Recognizing that China is now moving toward using the market and moving ahead with liberalization, Schipke said the key is to have strong frameworks. "Because in the absence of that, just liberalization might create more problems down the road," he said. "That is why we believe investment in soft infrastructure will be the most critical part going forward." It is not the first time an international financial organization offered policy advice to the Chinese government. Back in 2012, the World Bank, in collaboration with the Development Research Center of China's State Council, published China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society, mapping out a path for China to avoid the "middle-income trap" and attain "rich country" status by 2030. Rodlauer described the Chinese government as "very open to external advice" and then makes its own decisions. Furusawa said that as China continues to develop, the IMF would continue to provide policy advice, training and technical assistance. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/15/2017 page2) News / National by Stephen Jakes The continuing civil war in the neighbouring Mozambique has seen Zimbabwe receiving a huge influx of Mozambicans entering Zimbabwe fleeing the war to seek refugee in Zimbabwe.This was revealed by Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi in parliament."The situation that we have is that inside Zimbabwe, we have got peace all over and that is something to be very proud of. Along our border with Mozambique there are cases of people or rebels, to put it bluntly, who are fighting against primarily the Mozambican Government and not against Zimbabwe. As you know, whenever there is conflict, there is a lot of movement by people running away from being assaulted seeking refugee status in areas which they consider to be safe," he said."So what we have along our eastern border with Mozambique is a process of people leaving Mozambique coming to seek safety and refuge in Zimbabwe.From a purely security point of view, we do not regard that border as a major threat to our security but as we have said before, if a situation should arise requiring us to take action, we will not be found wanting and if that situation does arise, we will let the people of Zimbabwe know and we will take the necessary police and military steps to defend our border, people and the rest of our country." It's been a busy week for US toymaker Mattel. On Tuesday, the California company announced a strategic partnership with Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd to develop products for Chinese e-commerce site Tmall.com. Mattel also announced that one of its companies, popular doll maker American Girl, would add a boy doll, a drummer named Logan Everett, to its lineup. Mattel will market and sell to China via Alibaba's business-to-consumer marketplace Tmall.com, but also will be "leveraging the company's media ecosystem to develop and promote learning resources and educational content - inspired by Mattel's beloved brands and characters - to help parents and families get the most out of play," the company said in a statement. Mattel also will work with Alibaba's artificial intelligence lab to develop products designed to aid child development through the use of technology and interactive learning. "Play has a tremendous impact on a child's cognitive, social and emotional growth," said Margo Georgiadis, a former Google executive who took over as Mattel CEO on Feb 8. "By combining Mattel's unmatched expertise in childhood learning and development with Alibaba's immense reach and unique consumer insights, our goal is to help parents in China raise children to be their personal best." Daniel Zhang, Alibaba CEO, said the company looks forward to "supporting Mattel's growth through our robust data and commerce technology infrastructure, which will help to elevate their overall business from product development to brand-building to rural penetration for this unique and massive market". Georgiadis added that "the multibillion dollar toy category in China is highly fragmented, with tremendous potential for growth. Working with Alibaba, we see a terrific opportunity to develop and lead the category." Mainland parents buy fewer toys for their children compared with parents in some other countries, according to Patty Wu, Mattel's vice-president of China Growth, in an article on Alizila.com, a website for Alibaba news. Wu said many parents believe idle play distracts them from homework and hurts academic performance. She said that is a reason why toy sales in China underperform relative to other child-related products. The market in China for baby formula is three times that of the US, while the diaper market is 30 percent larger, according to Wu. hengweili@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/16/2017 page2) A US company that is the fourth-largest airbag manufacturer in the world and a subsidiary of China's Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp, is reportedly a candidate to acquire Japan's troubled Takata Corp, according to a published report. Takata is in the midst of a massive recall that may affect as many as 100 million vehicles worldwide after faulty Takata airbag inflators were linked to 13 deaths globally and more than 100 injuries. Takata hired investment bank Lazard Ltd last year to lead a financial restructuring to reduce the impact of the recalls, which could cost the company more than $24 billion, according to Bloomberg. China's Ningbo Joyson may be looking to build on its 2016 acquisition of Sterling Heights, Michigan-based Key Safety Systems Inc (KSS) for $920 million. In 2016, Key Safety President and CEO Jason Luo told Crain's Detroit Business that Joyson and Key Safety were evaluating opportunities in the active and passive safety market and that Takata "could be of interest". Sanjay Gupta, dean of the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, told China Daily that Joyson might be interested in Takata to leverage the lessons learned from its Key Safety purchase into Takata. "As we venture deeper into automation, safety will play an even bigger role, and so airbags and other safety products are likely to receive more attention," Gupta said. "Fixing Takata's problems and getting the products right would enable Joyson to have a commanding position in an area of potentially high demand and growth in the future." Ningbo's purchase of Key Safety created an auto supplier generating revenue of approximately $3 billion globally. "Our company's culture isn't Chinese or American. We are truly a global company with over 12,000 employees, operations in 15 countries," Luo told China Daily in 2016. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/16/2017 page2) More Chinese than ever are traveling to the US and other foreign destinations, and hotels in the mainland are going with them. In 2015, more than 2.5 million visited the US, and that figure was expected to rise significantly in 2016, which was designated China-US Tourism Year. One hotel group seeking to capture those tourists is Shanghai-based Green Tree Hospitality Group, which has five hotels in the US, in Arizona and California. Kevin Brooks, a co-managing director, said the company operates more than 2,000 hotels in China that range from budget or limited-service options to five-star designations. He said that a Green Tree budget or limited-service hotel in China is similar to a Holiday Inn Express in the US. "About 18 months ago, the company decided to expand in the US, and last year we converted five hotels to our brand," said Chris Petroff, co-managing director. "In 2017, we have embarked on franchising." Petroff said the company is hoping that existing franchise operators in China will consider a US location to help spread the brand. Brooks said Green Tree intends to build on its familiarity in China to spur growth in the US. "We currently have a loyalty program in China that has 12 million paying members," Brooks said. "We are seeing strong demand for US travel from that group." Driven by a rapidly growing middle class, the number of Chinese outbound tourists is expected to reach 150 million in 2020 from 122 million in 2016, with an estimated average annual growth rate of 5.09 percent, according to the China National Tourism Administration. Travelers have many incentives for visiting other countries. In addition to a vacation, business or family considerations may require a trip from the mainland. "There have been several articles on the growth of what is called the 'bleisure' group," said Petroff. "That is a fast-growing segment that combines business and leisure travel by taking a week before or after a business trip to visit prominent places." Another growing source of overseas travelers from China is parents sending children to study in the US, Petroff added. Brooks said Alex Xu, the founder and chairman of Green Tree, has a vision for the company that sees it becoming a global brand. "We are also exploring other countries in Asia and Europe for expansion," he said. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com The Green Tree Hospitality Group Inc, which has five hotels in the US, including this one in Florence, Arizona, is a Chinese brand that hopes to capitalize on rising Chinese tourism to the US. Provided to China Daily (China Daily USA 02/27/2017 page2) La La Land, the musical that won six Academy Awards, received financing from Hunan TV's film subsidiary, one of three financial backers for a film that cost $30 million to make and has earned $368 million worldwide since its initial release in December. Along with Lionsgate - which signed a $1.5 billion co-financing and co-production deal with Hunan TV in 2015 - Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary Co and Black Label Media financed the film, which is a relatively small budget by Hollywood's blockbuster standards. La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone about a jazz musician and an aspiring actress' romance, was nominated for 14 Oscars - including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Movie - tying the record for the most nominations ever. Stone won Best Actress and 32-year-old Damien Chazelle was named Best Director, the youngest person to ever win the award. Best Picture went to Moonlight. La La Land was released in China in time for Valentine's Day, with its domestic distributors enthusiastic that the colorful musical would do well with Chinese audiences looking for a romantic movie that had strong reviews and strong buzz for winning seven Golden Globes in January. Since opening on Feb 15, the film has grossed $24.5 million in China, where US musicals tend to not do well. "I think the Chinese tend to invest in films they hope will also play in China, even if they're independent films that are not part of the revenue sharing 34 films," said Stanley Rosen, politics professor at the University of Southern California. Rosen said that La La Land was also a prestige picture because of its strong critical support and "there is some interest in being associated with such pictures as well". "The Chinese invest in part of course to make money, but also to 'learn the business', so if their investment allows them to be involved in various aspects of the production, post-production and distribution, that will provide useful information as the Chinese industry moves forward," he said. But Chinese investments in Hollywood might be in jeopardy because stricter government restrictions on capital outflow have potentially stalled or derailed some, including Dalian Wanda Group Co's $1 billion purchase of Dick Clark Productions and, according to The Wall Street Journal, a deal that would have given Chinese investors control of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/28/2017 page2) Hong Kong-based CLSA Ltd to shutter operations citing competition, costs CLSA Ltd, the Hong Kong brokerage owned by China's Citic Securities Co, will close its US equity-research operations because of intense competition and declining profit as asset managers built their own research teams and the costs of hiring analysts rose. CLSA said Monday it will pivot its US domestic equity broking business to focus exclusively on execution and trading services to institutional investors. CLSA is laying off about 90 US-based employees, including well-known banking analyst Mike Mayo. "Since 2009, CLSA Americas has built an outstanding equity research platform with some of the best analysts on the street. While we succeeded in this regard, the economics of providing US equity research have become increasingly challenged," CLSA Americas CEO Rick Gould said in a statement. The longstanding practice of paying for research through trading commissions also has been challenged in part by proposed new regulations in Europe that call for investors to pay for research directly. Simone Wheeler, the global head for communications at CLSA, told Reuters, "It's probably true to say that the decline in payment for equity research had an impact on our business. It wasn't one contributing factor, it was probably many but that was the significant one." CLSA said it remains committed to its Asian equity business and will continue to provide research to global investors. The company said CLSA Americas has one of the largest Asia-sales teams of any brokerage operating in the US and will continue to offer Asian research and global execution services to US clients. According to its website, CLSA has 1,500 employees located in 25 cities across Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe. Citic acquired a stake in CLSA in 2012 from France's Credit Agricole SA and a year later purchased the rest of the company. It saw the acquisition as a way to improve its overseas business. Citic, China's biggest broker, was the first Chinese securities firm to purchase a global financial institution. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/01/2017 page2) Hershey Co, the largest chocolate maker in North America, will cut about 2,700 jobs from its global workforce 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. J.P. Morgan analyst Ken Goldman believes many will come from SGM, The Associated Press reported. Hershey CEO Michele Buck said the China business will undergo a transformation over the next three years, Reuters reported. The layoffs are part of a plan to help its international businesses "return to profitability as soon as possible", Buck said in a press release, and to boost profits. In its fourth-quarter report 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 on 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. "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 competition from Mondelez International, Pepsico and Mars. Hershey rejected a $23 billion takeover offer from Mondelez last year. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/02/2017 page2) Officials and experts have played down concerns that US President Donald Trump's administration might defy World Trade Organization rulings, as some believe is signaled in its latest trade agenda report. In its 2017 trade policy agenda released to Congress on Wednesday, the US Trade Representative office said the administration "will not tolerate" unfair trade practices that distort markets, from currency manipulation to unfair government subsidies and intellectual property theft. The report signals that the Trump administration may try to push the limits of what is acceptable under WTO rules in its quest to make good on campaign promises to slash US trade deficits with China and Mexico and bring manufacturing jobs back home, Reuters reported. Asked how China would respond if the US government was to ignore WTO rulings, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that preserving and improving the WTO-centered, rules-based, fair and open multilateral trade regime is conducive to boosting world trade and economic growth and is in the best interest of all parties. "China will work with all WTO members to safeguard the important status of the WTO in global economic governance and ensure that the WTO will continue to play a constructive role in world economic affairs," he told a daily briefing in Beijing on Thursday. Wayne Morrison, a specialist in Asian trade and finance with the Congressional Research Service, said that despite the rhetoric on trade policies, it is difficult to predict what the Trump administration intends to do regarding the WTO dispute settlement process. He noted that it was the US that pushed for a strong and effective dispute settlement mechanism when the WTO was created in 1995 because of the ineffectiveness of the dispute settlement process under the GATT. "So it would be somewhat ironic if the United States chose to undermine the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism," he told China Daily on Thursday. Morrison expressed his doubts that it would happen. The US has been one of the biggest users of the WTO dispute settlement process, although it has been one of the biggest targets as well, according to Morrison. The US has brought 21 dispute settlement cases against China and has largely prevailed. Morrison argued that not abiding by WTO dispute settlement rulings could undermine the process. "How could one WTO member insist that other members comply with WTO dispute settlement decisions that it prevails in but then refuse to comply with cases that go against it?" he said. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was also asked on Wednesday if the US will potentially ignore WTO rules. "No," Spicer said. "That is not our policy and that's not where we're going." Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the document does not suggest that the US is prepared to blow up the dispute settlement rules of the WTO. But he said it rightly notes that the WTO dispute bodies have at times overstepped their authority in challenging US trade laws in such areas as the "safeguard" rules designed to protect US industries from a sudden, harmful surge in imports. "More importantly, it calls out the limitations of WTO rules in ensuring fair trading relationships with 'large countries that do not adhere to free-market principles in the organization of their economic systems' - an unspoken reference to China," he wrote on the CFR website on Wednesday. Morrison noted the frustration on the US side regarding China's compliance with its WTO commitments. "Therefore, it is very important for the two sides to do more to resolve trade disputes, as well as to push forward on new agreements, such as completing negotiations for a US-China Bilateral Investment Treaty and the completion of China's accession to the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement," he said. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/03/2017 page2) By Zhao Huanxin in Washington and Cui Shoufeng in Beijing | China Daily USA | Updated: 2017-03-07 11:37 China welcomes the prospect of a visit by the United States secretary of state, and both countries are in communication over related matters, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. "China welcomes US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to pay a visit to China at a time convenient for both sides," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily media briefing in Beijing, without giving further details. The US State Department did not reply to a request for confirmation as of Monday evening. Observers of China-US relations in Beijing said the maiden trip is part of ramped-up efforts to enhance "regular high-level engagement" between the two countries and would "set the tone" for future bilateral exchanges. Tillerson is likely to go to Asia later this month, visiting Japan, the Republic of Korea and China, possibly meeting Foreign Minister Wang Yi and even more senior Chinese leaders, Japanese media reported on Saturday. He is expected in Japan on March 17-18 and will meet Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Kyodo News Agency reported. Wang Dong, an associate professor of international studies at Peking University and secretary general of the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal Institution, said Tillerson's likely trip to China bodes well for the joint efforts to build "regular high-level engagement" between the two countries. Unlike US Defense Secretary James Mattis' visit to Tokyo and Seoul last month, Tillerson adds Beijing to his itinerary in an attempt to balance and elaborate on Washington's Asian policy, said Wang. "Tillerson's stay in Beijing is expected to convey a message that the Trump administration is recalibrating its China policy by 'returning to normal' and paving the way for further cooperation," he said. That Trump has come to uphold the "one-China principle" as his predecessors did and accept the fact that it is non-negotiable greatly alleviated uncertainty surrounding China-US relations, he said. Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said, "Tillerson's visit, if realized, will pave the way for a meeting between the two countries' top leaders, where they could express their core concerns face to face." The burning nuclear ambition of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the country's frequent long-range ballistic missile tests are among Washington's top security concerns, Li said. The DPRK test-fired four ballistic missiles into eastern waters early on Monday as combined forces of South Korea and the US launched joint military exercises last week, Xinhua reported. The reported travel to China seemed to be a response to an invitation from China's top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, last Tuesday. Mo Jingxi contributed to this story. (China Daily USA 03/07/2017 page2) ZTE, one of the largest telecom equipment manufacturers in China, announced on Tuesday that it was entering into a global settlement with the US government regarding its conduct relating to US export control and sanctions. A statement by ZTE on Tuesday said the company agreed to a criminal and civil penalty above $892 million. A US Commerce Department investigation followed reports in 2012 that ZTE had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars in hardware and software from some of the best-known US technology companies to Iran's largest telecom carrier. In March 2016, the Shenzhen-based company was placed on a list of entities that US suppliers could not work with without a license. ZTE acted contrary to US national security or foreign policy interests, the Commerce Department said at the time. The Commerce Department will recommend that ZTE be removed from that list if the company lives up to its deal and a court approves its agreement with the Justice Department, according to Reuters. "ZTE acknowledges the mistakes it made, takes responsibility for them, and remains committed to positive change in the company," Zhao Xianming, chairman and CEO of ZTE Corp, said in the statement. "Instituting new compliance-focused procedures and making significant personnel changes has been a top priority for the company. We have learned many lessons ... and will continue on our path of becoming a model for export compliance and management excellence. We are committed to a new ZTE, compliant, healthy and trustworthy," he said. Zhao was named chairman and CEO of ZTE Corp in April 2016 with a mandate to lead a new ZTE with a best-in-class export compliance program. "The agreements we reached will enable us to move forward in a stronger position than ever before," he said. "ZTE has made tremendous progress in building a world-class compliance program and I look forward to working with others in the company's leadership to further build and improve our operations and processes," said Matt Bell, chief export compliance officer. "Our global legal and compliance professionals will continue to work together to identify risk across the company and continually improve the effectiveness of our overall compliance program," he said. The action marks the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control's largest settlement with a non-financial entity, according to Reuters. The fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the US, ZTE sells handsets to US mobile carriers AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. It relies on US companies including Qualcomm and Intel for components. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/08/2017 page2) As Zane Wang sees it, China's young "are confident about their future earning power, so they want to borrow money to improve their lives". Wang is part of a new wave of Chinese financial technology (fintech) companies looking to shake up banking and wealth-management channels in much the same way Airbnb and Uber have altered the hotel and taxi businesses. He is the founder and CEO of China Rapid Finance, which was started in 2001 and developed a credit-scoring technology for China that is similar to the FICO or Fair Isaac Corp system in the United States. China Rapid Finance, now operator of the Chinese mainland's largest consumer lending marketplace, and Nuoyuan Technology Development Co Ltd, a risk control management company, were two of the companies present on Tuesday at Lendit USA, a networking event for the emerging fintech industry, in New York. "In 2010, we leveraged our technology to start a marketplace lending platform," Wang said. China Rapid Finance, based in Shanghai, is targeting the estimated 500 million Chinese who are working but do not have access to credit yet, Wang said. Banks in China tend to cater to the well-established and affluent clientele, he added. Wang said China Rapid Finance does not provide the actual financing product to consumers. "We are a facilitator and we don't use our balance sheet to make loans. We match borrowers and lenders," he said. Wang believes that China's developing middle class provides ample expansion opportunity for his company. To achieve that growth, he needs an expanding middle class, and he believes government policy is promoting that objective. "The Chinese government is trying to encourage domestic consumption," he said. China Rapid Finance is a so-called peer-to-peer lending company. In 2015, Internet lender Ezubo allegedly defrauded more than 900,000 people out of the equivalent of $7.6 billion, in what was called China's biggest Ponzi scheme. Since the scandal, the government has imposed a regulatory framework that Wang believes will protect consumers, lenders and investors. Reports published last month suggested that China Rapid Finance would seek an initial public offering in the US this year. Wang said no decision has been made yet. "We need a secure capital base to grow, but we haven't made any announcement yet," he said. Nuoyuan Technology Development, a unit of Hanfor Holdings, has developed a risk control system designed specifically for the Chinese market. "China's fintech emerged from a less-mature market (and) aims to reinvent the financial services system," said Guo Lu, president of Hanfor. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/08/2017 page2) News / National by Staff reporter PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe had a plan to establish a "Zezuru only" crack army unit to deal with the Gukurahundi insurrection of the early to mid-80s, blamed for the deaths of over 20 000 civilians under the guise of hunting down a handful of dissidents, former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has said.Mujuru, now leading the opposition National People's Party (NPP), told a meeting with Diaspora business women, during her tour in London to celebrate International Women's Day that while she was a Cabinet minister during the Gukurahundi era, Mugabe's plans were even concealed to the military's top brass including her late husband Solomon Mujuru who was head of the army.The former Zanu-PF number two and now opposition leader said Mugabe had sown seeds of division during the struggle, when he discouraged unity between liberation war armies, Zipra and Zanla, under the banner of Zipa.Mujuru argued that had the Zipa plan worked, then the post-war genocide would have been avoided."He (Mugabe) had his own ideas, because when he came (to the war front) he found soldiers having already agreed to work together as Zipa. This brought together Zanla and Zipra, if Mugabe had allowed that argument to work, we would not have had Gukurahundi because that arrangement had already started uniting the two armies,"she said.Mujuru revealed that NPP's head of security, retired army colonel Beta Guveya was approached by Mugabe to recruit a "Zezuru-only brigade from Zvimba" to create what became known as the 5 Brigade trained by North Koreans and responsible for the atrocities. Zvimba is Mugabe's rural home and Guveya was a military trainer in the early years of independence."This friction he had created, I did not know its magnitude, I only knew just recently, this year or end of last year when Beta told me that he had been approached by Mugabe just after independence and instructed to recruit soldiers from Zvimba, so that he could turn them into the lethal force. He then reported this to my late husband (Solomon)," she said.According to Mujuru, Guveya then refused to be part of the sinister plot, leaving Mugabe to use "his own ways"."The instructions for this unit of the army were not coming from the normal channels of the army, but directly from Mugabe, it was his own thing," she said.She said as Women's Affairs minister at that time she was totally in the dark and did not know that soldiers were in the countryside killing, raping and maiming innocent people.Mujuru said she has found it hard to read a report by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace on the atrocities titled Breaking the Silence that Mugabe has forced to remain unpublished."You will not be able to sleep if you read the horrific tales," Mujuru said.Mugabe came short of apologising publicly for the genocide, describing the killings as a "moment of madness". Business Council calls for China and US governments to focus on priorities The US business community on Wednesday called on the US and Chinese governments to continue strengthening the commercial relationship between the two countries. A statement of priority actions released by the US-China Business Council (USCBC) focuses on the efforts needed by both governments on the top priorities for US companies that conduct business with China. USCBC represents more than 200 companies doing business there. The four major goals listed are to further solidify the foundation for mutually beneficial commercial relations, reduce trade barriers and enforce globally accepted trade rules, ensure competitive neutrality and improve transparency and strengthen intellectual property rights protection and adhere to mutually beneficial innovation policies. "The United States and China must work to achieve the shared goals of our bilateral relationship to fulfill the potential for growth and success in both countries. The fundamental steps we have outlined form a solid path to guide actions of both governments in the years ahead," USCBC Chairman Mark Fields, who is president and CEO of Ford Motor Co, said in the statement. USCBC President John Frisbie said the US business community is a partner to both governments in achieving the shared goal of tangible progress in the coming year. "Through the declaration of our priorities, American business leaders are highlighting the need for the US and Chinese governments to create a stronger foundation for what is the most important bilateral relationship in the global economy," he said in the statement. The business leaders called on the two governments to quickly resume and complete high-standard Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations. Under President Barack Obama, China and the US held more than 20 rounds of talks on the BIT. While the two sides had come closer, a final agreement was not reached as the US awaited a much shorter negative list from China. Kenneth Jarrett, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, argued in a recent seminar that Trump should support the BIT because this is a good deal for US companies. Trump has expressed his distaste for multilateral agreements and a preference for bilateral deals, saying there are good deals and bad deals. David Dollar, a senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, believes China should not give up on the BIT but expressed doubt that the Trump administration would react very positively right now. "But certainly talk to them, see if they might be interested," he said. The USCBC statement has also called on the US to accelerate its sensible export control reforms, saying the US should allow greater exports of items that do not present a security risk and are already available on open markets for non-US sources. China has long called for the US to lift its restrictions on high-tech exports to China, believed also to be an effective way to cut the huge bilateral trade deficits now in China's favor. There had been widespread concern that Trump might trigger a trade war with China by imposing high tariffs on Chinese exports and naming China a currency manipulator, as he threatened during the presidential election. But recent developments, including high-level phone calls and meetings, have shown that this is unlikely, even though Trump's China policy is still far from clear. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/09/2017 page2) With globalconnectivity havingfueled its 40-year growth spurt, China is now looking to help its fast-growing neighbors build infrastructure needed to tap internationalmarkets. And that means opportunity for the US,experts said on March 2 at a Belt and Road Initiative conferenceat the Carter Center in Atlanta. Fueled by billions in infrastructure funds, the ambitious plan aims to restore or enhancemillennia-old links between China and its historic trading partners. China has already begun helping countries and international organizations which showed interest in the plan to accelerate their existing growthplans through capital and construction know-how. So far, about 40 countries and international organizations signed cooperation agreement with China. NicholasKwan, research directorof the Hong Kong Trade Development Council,believes the world is in need of productive capital, especially in a time of "de-globalization". "We are at a time when capital only goes to quick and easy places and perceivedsafe places after the crisis," Kwan said. In a venue that housesthe library and nonprofit ofUSPresident Jimmy Carter, who normalized relations with China, speakers acknowledged how far bilateralties have come since 1979. But working together commercially in Asia won't necessarily be easy as many major economies like the US seem to beshifting inward. Geopolitical tensions are alsomounting, asUS President Donald Trump has surrounded himself with economic advisers wary of China's rise and defense officials taking a harder line on China's stance in the South China Sea. Tian Deyou, minister counselor for economics at the Chinese Embassy,emphasized that Belt and Road Initiative focuses onlong-term growth and is"open and inclusive", providing opportunities for American firms with exposure inChina,like Dell, John Deere, Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar. GE Power is a tangibleexample. The American giant is working with aconsortium ofChinese utilitiesto build three plants in Pakistan, a deal that made use of itsdeepChina partnershipsand financial support of the Chinese government, said James Suciu, GE's vice-president of strategic accounts. "Chinese engineering-procurement-construction companies are great partners, and with that, because of our footprint we can obviously tap into that financing that's available for Chinese exports, and we do it quite a bit," Suciu said. These stories show how the bilateral relationship can work, despite the rocky start under the new president, Tian said. "We respect the choice of the American people, and we are ready to do our best to try and continue the existing China-American relationship," Tian said. "This is too big of a relationship. We have to treat it with care." (China Daily USA 03/10/2017 page2) David Dollar has spent a lifetime studying China, including nearly a decade living and working in China as a professor, World Bank official and US Treasury emissary David Dollar was about to graduate from high school when US President Richard Nixon made his historic trip to China in February 1972. He enrolled in Dartmouth College to study Chinese language and history. Now a senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, Dollar recalled that Nixon's trip caught a lot of attention on television in the US "in the sense that China was starting to open up". "It was the beginning of a new era. So I think that influenced me to study Chinese language and Chinese history," he told China Daily in his Brookings office. Pictures on the wall show his close connection with China, such as ones with his family on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall outside Beijing, playing mahjong during a break at a World Bank project site in Chongqing, and a 2006 group photo of him with then Premier Wen Jiabao and other recipients of the Friendship Award, the top prize for foreign experts working in China. At Dartmouth, Dollar studied Chinese history and politics, everything from the communist revolution to the founding of the People's Republic. He liked the small classes with specialized faculty at Dartmouth. Some classes had five or six students. The Chinese language was difficult, he admitted. Finishing Dartmouth in just three years, Dollar received a fellowship to study Chinese at a university in Taiwan. He spent the academic year living with a local family and spoke Chinese every day. "Back then, my Chinese was mamahuhu (so so), not bad," he said. Taiwan just had a new leader Chiang Ching-kuo, son of former leader Chiang Kai-shek who passed away in April 1975. The Taiwan economy was taking off and exports were booming, very much like what would happen on the Chinese mainland a decade later. "That was when I got interested in economics, watching the export boom in Taiwan," Dollar said. Returning to the US, he went in the PhD program at New York University, focusing on international trade and investment. He remembers the macroeconomics exam on balance of payment back then is still quite relevant today. First trip to China After graduating in 1984, Dollar went to teach economics at UCLA, a school that had quite a few collaborative programs with China. In 1986, he made his first trip to the Chinese mainland, teaching for six months at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. China was still relatively poor then. There were no elevated roads in Beijing and the Third Ring Road was just under construction, he recalled. Dollar found that China's economic reform at the time had a major impact on the countryside, but not as much in big cities. China had not yet got rid of the rationing system and dual currency system. He had a little booklet to show the stores that as a foreign expert working in China, he could pay with renminbi (RMB) instead of FEC (foreign exchange certificates). But he found the stores were not always happy hearing that. In his early 30s then, Dollar spent a month travelling around China, from Sichuan, Yunnan to Guangdong and the east coast. There were no airports at Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan province then, so he had to travel from Kunming by bus. He travelled between Suzhou and Hangzhou in East China on an overnight barge on the Grand Canal. "That was unbelievable," he said. Travelling around the country, Dollar found ordinary Chinese were very friendly. "I told them I was an American, they had very positive attitude. That was nice," he said. He also saw a lot of enthusiasm in the countryside about economic reform. "That was visible. People's lives were getting better," he said. He was impressed how open China was, recalling a lot of interesting discussions with his students on topics ranging from Taiwan and US-China relations to China's economic reform. China years Coming back to UCLA, Dollar continued to teach economics while doing some consulting work for the World Bank. In 1989, he accepted a job offer from the World Bank and moved to Washington. He worked for six years as a country economist for Vietnam, which just launched its economic reform. He then moved to the research department for another seven plus years before becoming country director for China and Mongolia in 2004. That assignment turned into a nine-year stay in Beijing for him and his family, including five years with the World Bank and four as US Treasury emissary in Beijing. The relationship between the World Bank and the Chinese government was "very good" in general but "it changed over time," he said. In the early days of Chinese economic reform and opening-up, the World Bank financed the earliest expressways in China and introduced new ideas, including advising China on its accession to the World Trade Organization. When Dollar arrived in 2004, China was already a middle-income country and one of the biggest economies in the world. Its agenda had also shifted. "So what I tried to do with the World Bank program was to shift and to focus more on environmental issues and social issues," he said, citing the cleanup of the West Lake in Hangzhou, the Li River in Guilin, the Pearl River in Guangzhou and Suzhou Creek in Shanghai. "I think we played a helpful role," Dollar said. In 2006, the Chinese government granted Dollar the "Friendship Award," the top prize for foreign experts who made outstanding contributions to China's social and economic progress. "I am officially a friend of China," Dollar said with pride. He had also travelled extensively during the nine years in China, including to remote places such as Xinjiang and Tibet. He pointed to a photo he took of the Qomolangma (Mount Everest), where he slept in a tent at the base of the mountain. Besides business trips, he also went on many vacations with his family. "Frankly, my family was very happy in Beijing. They didn't want to move back," he said. His daughter and son attended the Western Academy of Beijing, a private international school, and his wife, who had also studied Chinese in Taiwan, was the best Chinese language speaker at home. "Whenever we travelled around, she would be our spokesperson" Dollar said. He felt especially privileged to have travelled extensively in China in 1986 because it has given him a perspective on what's been accomplished in China, achievements he calls "really remarkable." During his trips in 1986, Shanghai's Pudong area was mostly farm fields and there was nothing in Shenzhen but officials saying what they were going to do. "You go around the world and local officials tell you to come back in 10 years and this is going to be a big city, most of the time that's nonsense," Dollar said. He has since revisited Shenzhen several times. It now boasts a population of over 10 million. "It's unbelievable," he said. When Dollar left the World Bank in 2009, US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner hired him as the Treasury emissary in Beijing. Dollar admitted that he was a bit nervous because the World Bank is a friend of China while the US Treasury's relationship with China was more complicated. "I think in a lot of ways US and China are friends," he said. "But there is also some tension." Trump policy Despite tough campaign rhetoric on China, US President Donald Trump has softened his tone since taking office. "It does seem that he is approaching China cautiously, which is probably good," Dollar said. In his view, the administration might still take some protectionist measures against China, but they will be relatively small and almost symbolic. He is sure that China will retaliate. "But if the measures are small on both sides, then it's a minor annoyance," he said. "But I could be wrong. I do think if the Trump administration does any major protectionist measures against China, I am sure that China will retaliate in a major way. And that will be quite bad for our two economies," he said. Dollar believes it's very hard for Trump to bring back the manufacturing jobs lost over the years. "I am pretty sure that protectionism is not going to bring jobs back," he said. He warned that protectionism might bring some specific jobs back, but it's going to lead to the loss of other jobs - high productivity and high-paying jobs. "So I think it's a losing strategy," he said. Dollar finds Trump's economic officials, including internationalists and protectionists, quite inconsistent. "Usually that means within a year, some start winning, some start losing, some leave probably," he said. In a January article, Dollar dismissed Trump's accusation of China being a currency manipulator by devaluing the RMB. He argued that China has been intervening to keep its currency high, not low. He also called the big imbalance developed between the two countries in the 2000s as "unfortunate." "I blame both countries because it takes mistakes on both sides to create that kind of problem," he said. He believed the US needs more saving while the Chinese should save less but consume more. "So the irony here, the US saves too little, China saves too much. If you put US and China together, it makes a perfect economy, if we actually merge," he joked. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com David Dollar, then Beijing-based World Bank country director for China and Mongolia, plays mahjong during a break at a World Bank-financed project in Chongqing, in a file photo taken around 2007. Photos Provided To China Daily David Dollar and his family pose for a photo at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall outside Beijing in 2011. (China Daily USA 03/10/2017 page11) Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan speaks at a news conference in Beijing on March 11, 2017. [Photo/Feng Yongbin] The Chinese Minister of Commerce said on Saturday he was looking forward to meeting with the US Commerce Secretary. "Wilbur L. Ross is an outstanding entrepreneur and negotiator. I am willing to work with great people, because they are always far-sighted with strategic thinking," Zhong Shan said at a press conference during the annual session of the National Peoples Congress. The Chinese government will continue to build mutually beneficial and complementary economic and trade relations with the United States, with a goal to generate more benefits for both peoples, the minister of commerce said on Saturday. Minister Zhong Shan said he was looking forward to meeting with the US commerce secretary. "Wilbur L. Ross is an outstanding entrepreneur and negotiator. I am willing to work with great people, because they are always far-sighted with strategic thinking," Zhong said at a press conference during the annual session of the National Peoples Congress. Sino-US economic and trade cooperation is very much in the interest of both countries, Zhong said. "A trade war does not meet the fundamental interests of the two countries, neither the two peoples. It will be a disaster for the global economy, he added. Zhong noted that China and the United States are mutually reliant and very important to each other. He took the case of export statistics in the last decade, when US exports to China grew much faster than those from China to the US - the average annual growth of US exports to China stood at 11 percent, while China's annual growth rate of US exports was 6.6 percent. For example, the US exported 26 percent of its Boeing aircraft and 56 percent of soybeans to China, as well as 16 percent of vehicles and 15 percent of integrated circuits. Cooperation is the only right choice between the worlds two largest economies, Zhong said, citing what Chinas President Xi Jinping underscored in a previous call with US President Donald Trump. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides, Sino-US economic and trade relations have been developing in the right direction, Zhong added. Data shows both trade and investment volume have notably surged. In 2016, the volume of commodity trade between China and the US reached $519.6 billion - 207 times higher than in 1979 when bilateral diplomatic relations were established. In the same period, bilateral service trade exceeded $110 billion and two-way investment amounted to $170 billion. Joining group would help integrate the Asia-Pacific region, experts say China should not be absent from talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership this week, since its participation will not only add value to the trade deal but also facilitate domestic reforms and opening-up, experts said on Sunday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday that China is considering attending the meetings, which will be held in Chile on Tuesday and Wednesday, after receiving an invitation from the Chilean government. The withdrawal of the United States from the 12-country trade alignment in January has caused other members to adjust their stance on welcoming China into the group. Some, including Chile and Australia, have been eager to invite China to become a TPP member to enhance the integration of the Asia-Pacific region. "To meet the TPP demand, China must adopt measures to promote market-oriented reforms at home to diversify its companies' earning ability, open the market further and improve government supervision," said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the China Institute for WTO Studies of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. The main themes of the TPP, according to the trade agreement document, are zero tariffs for some countries and discount tariffs for others, investment liberalization, an investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, intervention by member governments in domestic rules and regulations involving companies, as well as social policies including State-owned enterprises and labor standards. These factors will help member countries increase the level of economic integration and efficiency, according to a report last month by the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization. Zhang Wenkui, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, said TPP membership could lead to combining the TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which would end fragmentation in the Asia-Pacific region that undermines economic integration. "However, if an application to join is filed, negotiations will be long drawn out, similar to the multiple Doha round of negotiations," he said, referring to global trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization that have emphasized improving the economies of developing countries. Zhang Yunling, director of international studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, said, "TPP membership may also be practical to help China further secure the channel of foreign direct investment, since the country is inclined toward reform and opening-up." Zhang said it would also build closer business ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and further reduce the potential for trade friction, especially with major trade partners such as the US. Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said on Saturday that he was looking forward to meeting with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "China-US economic and trade cooperation is very much in the interest of both countries," Zhong said. "A trade war does not meet the fundamental interests of the two countries or the two peoples. It won't benefit the global economy." Last year, trade volume between China and the US reached $519.6 billion - 207 times higher than in 1979, when diplomatic relations between the two countries were established. zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 03/13/2017 page3) Chinese goods move up global value chain, earn respect of world's consumers BEIJING - With the unremitting efforts of Chinese industries to move up the global value chain, more consumers around the world are recognizing the higher quality and cutting-edge technology of products labeled 'Made-in-China.' China introduced its national Made in China 2025 blueprint in May 2015, which listed several goals for the manufacturing industry, including boosting innovation, fostering Chinese brands and promoting service-oriented manufacturing. Thanks to the country's innovation drive, high-tech products made in China and indigenous Chinese brands have increasingly in recent years entered daily lives of worldwide consumers and taken a growing share of the international market. More and more users and observers have come to agree that Made-in-China is now more about high technology and quality and less about large quantity at low prices. In many countries, including the Czech Republic, Made-in-China once meant cheap commodities. Nowadays, this impression has begun to change. With China-Czech trade on the rise, more Chinese high-tech products are entering the Czech market, noted Cheng Yongru, commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in the central European country. Those Chinese products which were once peddled with low prices now have been replaced by quality ones, Cheng added. In the Czech Republic - as well as across Europe - Chinese telecommunications, electronic and mechanical equipment companies are gaining a larger market share. For example, the market share of Chinese tech giant Huawei in the Czech smartphone market has exceeded 24 percent, ranking third after Apple and Samsung. As a matter of fact, Huawei already became the world's third-largest smartphone brand in 2015, with a shipment of 108 million devices. Huawei's fast growth stems from its long-term investments in research and development. The company invested $38 billion in R&D in the last 10 years, Richard Yu, head of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, told Xinhua during the Consumer Electronics Show held last month in the US city of Las Vegas. In 2015 alone, Huawei spent $9.2 billion on R&D, making it a larger investor in that area than Apple and Cisco and the ninth largest among all its peers across the world, added Yu. As of June 2015, Huawei had submitted more than 76,000 patent applications in China, the United States and Europe. According to a report published by the World Intellectual Property Organization last November, China surpassed the US, Japan and South Korea to rank top in the world for patent applications, receiving over 1 million applications in 2015. Last August, China also joined the ranks of the world's top 25 innovative economies in the Global Innovation Index released by Cornell University, the international graduate university INSEAD, and the WIPO. "This is in keeping with all the developments that we have seen in China in recent years, including the use of innovation as a major component in the transition of the Chinese economy from 'made in China' to 'created in China,'" said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. In Fiji, an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, low-end products from China such as textiles and petty commodities for daily use still take up a significant market share. However, products such as buses, personal computers and mobile phones are quickly making their presence felt. On the streets of the Fijian capital of Suva, as well as on Queens Road connecting Suva with the tourism hub of Nadi, old buses are typically out-of-date Japanese ones manufactured more than a decade ago, while new buses tend to be Chinese brands, such as King Long and Yutong. Xinhua Visitors try using Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei's newly released mobile phones prior to the opening of the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Xinhua (China Daily 03/13/2017 page16) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends a news conference during the EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 9, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] LONDON - A failure by the British government to have a "plan B" if Brexit talks with Brussels collapse, would be a dereliction of duty, a report by MPs warned Sunday. Even if Britain and the European Union enter negotiations with goodwill and the desire for a successful outcome, parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee say negotiations could stall, or be derailed, ending with no deal between Britain and the EU's 27 member states. Committee chair, MP Crispin Blunt, has called for government departments to produce a "no deal" plan, saying anything less would be a dereliction of duty. Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted in interviews on Sunday that the government is working on a contingency plan in the event of talks with Brussels stalling. But Davis insisted he believed it was not remotely likely that there would be a breakdown between both sides. The warning comes at the start of what could be the most important 48 hours in generations for Britain. Speculation among politicians, commentators and most of Britain's Sunday newspapers is that Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger the Article 50 exit process on Tuesday, two weeks ahead of her end-of-month target. The precise timing will depend on a furious game of political ping-pong to be played out Monday in the Houses of Parliament. MPs in the House of Commons want to finally approve May's Article 50 Bill to enable Queen Elizabeth II to give royal assent. Until that moment May will be unable to start the official exit process. The House of Lords has added two amendments to May's Bill, one guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens living in Britain, the other for politicians to be given a meaningful vote on a final Brexit deal. Under parliamentary processes, the elected House of Commons, can accept the amendments or use its power to force the House of Lords to accept their bill without amendment. That would still leave May with time to trigger Article 50 on Tuesday, but any delays could make it Wednesday. The Foreign Affairs Committee report is concerned about what happens, once the negotiations start between both sides, a process scheduled to take two years. The report "Article 50 negotiations: Implications of 'no deal'" is the first select committee report to focus specifically on the implications of a "no deal" between Britain and the EU. The report said: "The full potential implications of 'no deal' include, ongoing disputes over the exit 'bill', uncertainty and confusion for British citizens in the EU and EU citizens in Britain, and trading on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms. Other implications include legal uncertainty in areas not covered by the "Great Repeal Bill", the measure proposed by May to absorb EU law into British law after Brexit, as well as uncertainty over British participation in the EU's common foreign and security policy. With the message "there is no evidence the government planning for possibility of 'no deal'", chair Blunt said: "The possibility of 'no deal' is real enough to require the government to plan how to deal with it. "But there is no evidence to indicate that this is receiving the consideration it deserves or that serious contingency planning is underway," Blunt said. "The government should require each department to produce a 'no deal' plan identifying the likely consequences and making proposals to mitigate potential risks. " COPENHAGEN - Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said on Sunday that he had proposed delaying the planned visit to Denmark by Turkish Prime Minister Prime Minister Binali Yilderim. In a press release, Rasmussen said the decision was made in light of the escalating tensions between Turkey on the one hand and Germany and the Netherlands on the other hand. "Under normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome the Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim," Rasmussen said, noting that he had a "frank and constructive dialogue" with Ankara on Dec 10, 2016, during his visit to Turkey. "However, with the current Turkish attack on Holland, the meeting can not be seen separated from that. I have therefore suggested to my Turkish colleague that our meeting be postponed," the prime minister said in the press release. News / National by Staff reporter War veterans say Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa and his gang of renegades purporting to be fighting for the cause of freedom fighters are in fact pursuing a long standing "evil" agenda aimed at destabilising the Government.They said Mr Mutsvangwa had no clear liberation war credentials and at one point was arrested during the war in Nampua, Mozambique for his rebellious tendencies.Last year he was expelled from Zanu-PF for bringing the name of the party into disrepute and for gross insubordination.Last week Mr Mutsvangwa tried to hoodwink unsuspecting freedom fighters across the country to attend a dubious meeting he claimed would be addressed by President Mugabe.War veteran and Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Mandi Chimene said there was nothing new in what Mr Mutsvangwa was doing as he was exhibiting his true colours as a rebel.She said most people failed to understand her when she and other war veterans passed a vote-of-no-confidence in Mr Mutsvangwa and members of his executive. She said it was now clear to all that he was up to no good."As I always said, these people have a hidden agenda. I am happy that people can now see for themselves and this is the reason why we passed a vote-of-no-confidence in him a long time ago," she said."As war veterans, we will not be shaken by people who decide to jump from the train before they reach their destinations. They are not the locomotive and the train will continue moving without them on board. The war credentials (Mutsvangwa's) are even questionable and ask them where they operated during the war or to simply give you his autobiography."Chimene said Mr Mutsvangwa and his cabal wanted to use war veterans for self aggrandisement.Said Chimene: "I urge all Cdes out there not to be hoodwinked by these power hungry people. I have received numerous calls from the Cdes asking me about this Mutsvangwa meeting and I told them that there is nothing like that. We have a ministry that coordinates our programmes and we have our patron President Mugabe who always guides us."Another war veteran who refused to be named said: "Remember Mutsvangwa has always been a rebel. He was a member of the Vashandi group that rebelled during the liberation struggle and was detained, only to be released at independence in 1980."The problem that Mr Mutsvangwa is making is that of trying to use war veterans to fight his personal wars with some Zanu-PF members like Cdes Saviour Kasukuwere and Jonathan Moyo."Mr Mutsvangwa last week called a Press conference in Harare where he all but attacked the Zanu-PF leadership and Government.He said he was fighting for the improvement of the livelihoods of all Zimbabweans, whom he claimed were suffering under the Zanu-PF Government. KAMPALA - The rainy season has set off and in the swampy villages of Budaka district in eastern Uganda, Joyce Nabejja tills her hybrid rice field in anticipation of greater yields. Nabejja is one of the thousands of Ugandan small scale farmers benefiting from an agriculture project that is run by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Ugandan government and China. The two million US dollar project, which is in its second phase, is run under the FAO South-South Cooperation program. It was set up to help developing countries share knowledge and expertise so that all can benefit from innovations and good practices that have been tried and tested in countries facing similar conditions and challenges. This program is part of China's move to channel its aid to Africa and other parts of the world through multilateral organizations like the UN. In September 2015, China made major pledges in foreign aid, including two billion US dollars to support South-South cooperation and debt relief for least-developed countries. Also among the pledges is a 10-year, one billion dollars peace and development fund to support the UN. These pledges have started exerting a positive influence on Africa, one of the major beneficiaries. Farmers in Uganda are being trained by Chinese agronomists on better farming skills. The scientists have introduced Chinese hybrid rice Foxtail millet, apple farming, and irrigation among others. From rice field to the classroom, China is also helping to boost Africa's education sector to promote social development. About a week ago, the Chinese government through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) donated equipment to three teacher training institutions in Uganda. Figures from the Chinese embassy here show that 137 tutors were trained and 272 pieces of Information Communication and Technology, and studio equipment were donated. The tutors were skilled on how to integrate technology with traditional methods of training, according to Beatrice Byakutaga, head of Shimon Primary Teachers College, one of the three beneficiary institutions in Uganda. Other African countries like Ethiopia, Namibia and Cote d'Ivoire are benefiting from the same scheme of skilling teachers and trainers. China has in the past decade been in the front line of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in Africa, with more than 2,400 Chinese blue helmets currently on duties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan and Mali. The troops carry out security, engineering and medical work. The Chinese military engineers in the DRC have been involved in road renovation, bridge construction, landmine detection and airport maintenance, while the medical personnel have been providing treatment for local people. China is the biggest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces among the five UN Security Council permanent members. In 2015, China also pledged to provide military aid worth 100 million dollars to the African Union to support the African Standby Force, Africa's peacekeeping troops. African women showcased their traditional national attire. [Photo/provided to China Daily] Women from China and more than 10 African countries gathered on March 12 to celebrate International Women's Day, on March 8. About 50 African women showcased their traditional national attire, while enjoying performances from artists of a variety of Chinese ethnic minorities and visiting the Museum of Ethnic Cultures of Minzu University of China. Dolana Msimang, South Africa's ambassador to China, said that Chinese and African cultures are so different, yet very similar and it is this that sparks people's curiosity. "It is important to embrace the theme of this event, which is about integration and culture. It is about synergy of diverse cultures. It is about us getting together to celebrate all that is beautiful and wonderful about China and Africa. I hope we will be able to share our unique characteristics and knowledge defined by everything from language, cuisine, social habits, music and arts." Li Yafang, president of the weekly magazine Beijing Review, said Chinese and African women, though having different values and traditions, are beautiful, diligent, resilient and kind. "The activities today will help us have a better understanding and recognition of each other, and a more profound friendship," she said. The event was sponsored by Beijing Review and Minzu University of China, and organized by China Africa magazine. Mala xiangguo at MaLa Project. [Photo/provided to China Daily] Amelie Ning Kang was looking to be a pastry chef or a Michelin star chef when she moved to New York state from Beijing in 2010 to pursue her bachelor's degree at the Culinary Institute of America. Now, the 25-year-old is running her own restaurant, MaLa Project, with Meng Ai, a recent graduate of New York University. The duo are part of a growing number of Chinese students who were bored with sesame chicken, and more importantly, the routine Chinese cuisine found in the US. So they decided to do something different. They craved the large variety and authenticity of dishes they had back home, and they believe that jiaozi, Chinese dumplings, deserve the same respect and price tag as ravioli. Kang's restaurant features mala xiangguo, translated to English as "numbing spicy stir-fry pot". It is a popular Chinese dish that Kang and her friends used to get every week in Beijing. When she first came to the city, the only place she could find the dish was in Flushing, Queens, one of the three New York Chinatowns. "There's no service, a very poor dining environment, and the ingredients are not always fresh," Kang said. She wanted to recreate the best mala xiangguo she had in China, "with great service, ambiance and culture". For months, Kang and Ai experimented with traditional Chinese medicine and exotic spices, finally arriving at the now-secret recipe made with 24 ingredients, ranging from orange peel to ginseng. Located in Manhattan's East Village, MaLa Project seeks to attract Chinese students at NYU who crave the taste of home after a long day of classes, along with New Yorkers looking for authentic ethnic food. Last July, MaLa Project got a new Chinese neighbor right next door. Customers dine at MaLa Project in Manhattan's East Village. Unlike the interiors of many traditional Chinese restaurants in the US, the owners used brick floors and Edison bulbs and decorated with cultural objects, such as China's iconic hot water bottles. [Photo/provided to China Daily] The Tang, co-owned by two seniors and an NYU graduate, is a noodle bar featuring dishes from different regions of China, including zha jiang mian from Beijing, pork belly string beans steamed noodles from Shanxi and dan dan mian from Sichuan. Like many others from Northern China, Yu Li, who first came up with the idea of the restaurant, constantly hungers for noodles. However, the only places in the NYU area that specialize in noodles are Japanese ramen shops. "If marketed well, Chinese noodles will one day become an icon like ramen. We want to make The Tang a brand," said Li, who studies computer science. His idea was backed by his parents and the co-owners: Eric Shi, who graduated with a bachelor's in hospitality, and He Shuting, who's studying math and economics and acts as the restaurant's accountant. Walking into The Tang, customers are transported to old Beijing. With the painted wall art, it's as if they are slurping a bowl of noodles in an aged hutong, an alley enclosed by gray brick-and-tile walls. Not only students in metropolises like New York or Los Angeles are bringing change to Chinese food. Those studying in America's Midwest are changing the food scene too. When Jason Zhang first moved to East Lansing from China in 2011 to attend Michigan State University, the Chinese eateries in the college town were all owned by immigrants who came a decade or two ago to make dollars. "Now I have at least double as much as the restaurants to pick from, and there are more varieties of dishes in each restaurant," said Zhang. A half dozen Chinese restaurants are owned by Chinese students. PawPawQ, a new restaurant opened by a Chinese undergrad, serve some of the most popular food in China: spicy crawfish, jianbing (Chinese crepe), and xiao long bao (soup dumpling). One of the take-out restaurants that Zhang used to go for a cheap lunch box of "American Chinese food" has been acquired by a Chinese student. "There are more authentic Chinese dishes, and we'd sit and dine in there. And service has gone from none to pretty good," he said. The university's 5,000 Chinese students keep the restaurants busy. The college town also has Chinese karaoke bars, bubble tea shops and three Chinese student-owned car dealers. A little more than 300 miles away, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where another 5,000 Chinese students are enrolled, Amy Yang and her five housemates from China opened a hot pot restaurant. Like other Chinese student restaurateurs, they came with no knowledge of the food business but lots of passion. They pitched their business plan to parents, who provide the funding to most student-owned restaurants. Yang was in charge of construction and decorations because she studied civil engineering. The other partners took the parts, including business analyst, accountant and HR. They stayed in the restaurant until dawn for the first few weeks they were open, moving the appliances in the kitchen to maximize efficiency and experimenting with new recipes. "It's a lot more complicated than we expected," said Yang, but rewarding when she sees her fellow students enjoying the hot pot and Chinese kebabs after a midterm and asking for more sliced lamb. Back in New York, Kang is hoping to expand MaLa Project as she sees America getting ready for more authentic and thoughtful Chinese restaurants with the prices to match. "There's the demand for Chinese restaurants to offer authentic food, along with strong branding and stories to tell, just like the market for French and Italian," she said. Chinese construction machinery companies will continue to grow quickly with more investment expected in the US, said industry insiders. More than 110 Chinese companies of construction equipment participated in the just-concluded ConExpo in Las Vegas, one of the largest international trade shows for the construction industry. "China's construction machinery is competitive in the international market, and the industry is ready to go global," said Zhang Yujing, president of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCMA), at the trade show which concluded on March 11. China has become the largest manufacturing country of construction equipment in the world, and Chinese manufacturers are the world's leading suppliers of concrete machinery, cranes, excavators, loaders and road rollers, he said. Last year, China's exports of construction machinery reached $12.5 billion, in contrast to $1.56 billion in 2001. "In the past decade, Chinese manufacturers have achieved rapid growth," said Hu Xiangyang, deputy general manager of Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG). "Ten years ago, industry leaders like Caterpillar and Liebherr seemed high up and beyond reach, but now I believe XCMG and other Chinese manufactures have become their competitors, with quality products and competitive prices," he said. International brands of excavators accounted for 95 percent of the Chinese market 10 years ago. In recent years, Chinese brand excavators have improved in quality with market share exceeding 50 percent and volume exports, according to CCMA. Hu said his company's excavators have received positive feedback from the mainstream market in the US in the past three years. This year, the company plans to build a greenfield facility in the US and expects to start manufacturing excavators this year. "President Trump has called for $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 1o years, but the extent to which it will be financed by the private sector or by new, additional federal funding remains unclear," said Jiang Yonghua, managing director of China/US cross-border deals at PwC US. This means increased partnerships, investment and growth opportunities for companies across sectors, such as engineering and construction, despite recent political headwinds, he said. "Outbound investments (from China), which are considered to be strategic in nature, will continue to be encouraged," said Jiang. "Overall we think the outbound M&A will decline somewhat from its 2016 peak but will continue to grow to new record levels by 2018." The US market is mature and has great potential for construction machinery, said Hu. "The US will step up investment in infrastructure to increase jobs and deliver his (Donald Trump) campaign promises, so we think it's an opportune time for XCMG to expand our presence in the US," he added. NEW DELHI - India Monday celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colors which comes at the end of the winter season and marks the beginning of spring. In the Indian capital, people cutting across ages threw colored powder and liquids at each other to mark the festival which also signifies the victory of good over evil, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. "This is the time to smear each other with colors. It's the festival of love and togetherness when you forget the past," said Navin Chowdhury, a local resident, sipping a glass of thandai (a special drink laced with bhangs (addictive substance) prepared only for the festive day. "It's the most energetic festival," he added. Some of the biggest celebrations took place in Mathura and Vrindavan, two adjacent towns in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, barely 150 km from the national capital. Mathura is the birthplace of Hindu god Krishna and Vrindavan is where he played Holi with his consort Radha. "I held a pichkaari (water gun) and I just didn't want to stop. It's time to immerse in colors. It's like an explosion in a paint factory here," said Dhiraj Singh, a Delhi resident who went to Mathura like every year just to play Holi for half a day. So, what's the history of Holi in India? Once upon a time, there was a demon king called Hiranyakashyap who asked everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But his own son, Prahlad, disobeyed him and became a devotee of Hindu god Lord Naarayana instead. Holi is celebrated to commemorate the miraculous escape of young Prahlad, despite being carried into the fire by the demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashyap. In India, on the day before Holi, people light bonfires to recall Prahlad's escape. Holi derives its name from Holika and is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil. It is Wednesday evening and Sarah Evans's friends are enjoying a drink at a pub but the 25-year-old, who works for a hedge fund company in the City of London, does not join them because she is at her weekly Mandarin class. Scottish students write in Chinese. "I think to be able to speak Mandarin fluently is very important to me as it can undoubtedly give me an edge at my job," said Evans, who is already able to make good conversation in Chinese. Her story is one example of the growing interest in Britain in learning Mandarin. As relations between China and the United Kingdom have improved during the last 45 years, learning Mandarin has become increasingly popular. According to the British Council, the number of people taking Mandarin exams at the General Certificate of Secondary Education level increased by 92 percent in five years, to 4,044 students in 2016. Wang Yongli, minister counselor for education at the Chinese embassy in London, said Mandarin was of little interest to British people 45 years ago, but the expansion of the Confucius Institutes and the smaller Confucius Classrooms, with support from local governments and universities, has played an important role in the rise in popularity. "To date, there are 29 Confucius Institutes and 135 Confucius Classrooms in the UK," Wang said. His view was echoed by the UK's Minister of State for School Standards Nick Gibb, who believes that a high level of fluency in Mandarin will become increasingly important in the competitive global economy. "As part of our drive to extend opportunity, we want to give young people the opportunity to study the language and to acquire fluency in both spoken and written Mandarin," Gibb said. The British government launched its 10 million pound($12.96 million) Mandarin Excellence Program last September, which is designed to make teenagers fluent by 2020. In 2013, the British Council introduced its Generation UK campaign, which aims to increase the number of British students and interns with placements in China to 80,000 by 2020. Carma Elliot, director of the British Council in China, said there are now some 7,500 young British people gaining experience in China. This number has grown by around 40 percent in the last three years. British students' ambition to excel in Mandarin follows strong interest among Chinese students to learn English, which began in the late 1970s. As a result, China now boasts the largest English-learning population in the world, with an estimated 200 million students. In China, most students take their first English lesson during the first or third year of primary school. Li Qing, an English professor at Zhejiang Gongshang University, said: "China began the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, when the nation became aware it was lagging behind many other countries, especially those English-speaking developed ones, The young generation consciously shouldered the responsibility to rebuild the shabby country and urged themselves to learn from other developed countries." Li said English is important for China's international relations, and is beneficial to China's academic advances. While there has been a surge in the number of Britons learning Mandarin, the number of Chinese students studying at British universities has also continued to rise during the past four decades, making Britain the most popular destination in the European Union. More than 90,000 Chinese students were enrolled at UK colleges and universities in 2015-16, which was up 94 percent on the number from a decade ago (46,960). George Osborne believes China and Britain can help each other improve China and Britain can help each other grow economically, according to George Osborne, Britain's former finance minister. George Osborne, Britain's former Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne, 45, who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer under the premiership of David Cameron from 2010 to 2016, said: "China is such an important part of the world now. When China grows, the whole world grows." As a key figure in orchestrating the "golden era" relationship between China and the UK, Osborne said Britain can help China's economic development. He said: "Because Britain is an advanced economy with high-tech manufacturing and services, I think we are particularly suited for this stage of China's development, to help China move to the next level of income growth." Osborne said he was impressed by China's achievements of the past 20 years and said: "I hope that China does not now rest on its laurels, but continues to reform and grow, which I think British companies can help with." However, he said he believed there was also an opportunity for China to help Britain to become a more productive international economy. He said: "In the aftermath of Brexit, it is particularly important that Britain strengthens its trade links with countries beyond Europe, of which, of course, China is one of the principal ones." Osborne, who has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton in the northwest of England since 2001, said he remains firmly committed to playing a role in British politics, despite leaving the UK cabinet last July following Theresa May's appointment as prime minister. He said: "One of the issues that I particularly want to focus on is British-China relations make them stronger and explain to people in Britain why they are good things." He said he believed it is in the UK's best interests to have a strong dialogue with the Chinese government. Britain was the first Western economy to endorse China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, in the face of United States opposition. He said: "I think it is a great opportunity to co-partner with the AIIB on investment and infrastructure, not only in China but also across Central Asia. Many British companies which are brilliant at infrastructure, design and architecture, have already been involved in some of China's airports and urban regeneration projects." Osborne also strongly encouraged Chinese investment in Britain as he said he believed the investment should go in two directions. He said: "I want Chinese companies to invest in Britain and in particular I want Chinese companies to invest in industrial cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Liverpoolas part of the Northern Powerhouse project." The Northern Powerhouse is a project to create an economic area in the North of England, which could compete with London. During President Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK in 2015, Manchester was a key stop in the president's schedule "As a result of that visit, there is a lot of Chinese investment across the North of England. That is very welcome," he said. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of ambassadorial relations between China and the UK. Osborne said he was proud that it was Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath who started bilateral relations and it was a Conservative government, whichhelped create the "golden era" of relations in 2015. "We have so much in common, including joint interest in peace, security and prosperity in the world, so I hope we will be continually working together," he said. It is surprising to think that ambassadorial relations between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China have been in place for just 45 years. Alok Sharma, UK Minister for Asia and the Pacific Today, on the 45th anniversary, we see cooperation at an all-time high and a bilateral relationship going from strength to strength. The global partnership established during President Xi Jinping's successful visit to the UK in 2015 is delivering real benefits for both nations. Prime Minister Theresa May made clear its ongoing importance during her visit to Hangzhou at last September's G20 Summit hosted by President Xi. And I have seen the impact firsthand in my recent visits to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Fuzhou and Xiamen. Throughout those 45 years, the UK-China relationship has steadily strengthened. Personal ties and mutual understanding are at the heart of any successful relationship, and the UK has more dialogues with China than any other European country. Our established annual high-level dialogues on finance, international strategy and cultural links all demonstrate the breadth and depth of this relationship. Prime Minister May will visit China again later this year and looks forward to taking part in wide-ranging discussions with both President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang during that visit. Today, more people travel between China and the UK than ever before. Chinese visitors to Britain have doubled in five years, with around 150,000 Chinese students now studying across the UK. We want to be the most inspirational and welcoming European destination for Chinese visitors, so we have enhanced visa options and expanded visa application centersone of which I was pleased to open on my most recent visit to China last month. During that visit, I led a business delegation showcasing world-class UK expertise in fields that will support China's continuing economic development. In the past 45 years, bilateral trade between the UK and China has increased 200-fold. The UK is now one of the top destinations for Chinese investment and China is the UK's largest export market outside Europe and North America. As Prime Minister May has made clear, the world is built on the foundations of free trade, partnership and globalization, and I warmly welcome President Xi's commitment to free trade and market access during his speech in Davos earlier this year. As we prepare to leave the European Union, the UK will build a truly global Britain that is open for business, and brings with it new and exciting opportunities for our partnership with China. We will work to enhance our discussions on free trade and work together to expand trade and investment links. We also look to China to use its position of global influence to champion the rules based international system. We must work together to ensure nations play by the same rulesthat is fundamental for global security and prosperity. The UK has worked closely with China to strengthen our financial and economic links, including issuing the first RMB sovereign bond outside China and enhancing London's position as a hub of Chinese financial activity. Our joint leadership through the G20 on green finance has led to new and sustainable growth in the global financial system. We expect this positive work to develop even further. I was delighted the UK was the first G7 nation to ratify membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Joining at the founding stage will create an unrivalled opportunity for the UK and Asia to invest and grow together. It will support access to finance for infrastructure projects across Asia. China's development of its Belt and Road Initiative, which will create new trade routes with Europe, will also present new opportunities for UK and Chinese business to work together to drive economic growth. It further demonstrates China's growing international outlook. Security cooperation is another important aspect of our Global Partnership. As permanent members of the UN Security Council, it is in our collective interests to work together to tackle today's global challenges. We have regular exchanges on issues including the situation in South Sudan, the importance of implementing UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea, and dealing with foreign terrorist fighters. We are working together to support stability in Afghanistan and tackling the threat from international terrorism, which affects us all. Our cooperation on climate change and energy has been crucial, and we are working hand-in-hand on healthcare, learning from each other to tackle global issues like anti-microbial resistance. It is because of our strong and mature relationship, we are able to have an open and constructive discussion on all of these issues, as well as areas where we do not always agree. The pace and scope of what we have achieved is extraordinary, but it is not just about the past. We have a great deal to look forward to, including planning for the visit to China by Prime Minister May later this year. That will be an excellent opportunity to reinforce our shared commitment to even greater cooperation between the UK and China. At the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, theatergoers watch a play about false accusations, injustice, and their consequences. It may share Shakespearean themes but Snow in Midsummer is an adaptation of a classic 13th century Chinese drama. Visitors enjoy a Mithras sculpture in Beijing during the A History of the World in 100 Objects exhibition on March 1. [Photo/Xinhua] The play, also known as The Injustice Done to Dou E, is studied by many Chinese students and has been translated by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig as part of the Chinese Classics Translation Program, a Royal Shakespeare Company project to bring Chinese classics to British audiences. The program's partner project is the Shakespeare Folio Project, which brings translations of Shakespeare's plays to Chinese audiences. The exchange of classic theater is one example of the burgeoning cultural links between China and the United Kingdom, which have increased immensely in the last 45 years. Other important exchanges include the upcoming Terracotta Warriors exhibition in Liverpool and the British Museum's A History of the World in 100 Objects, currently on display in Beijing. From April 2017, the British Library will take some of the most rare and important English literary icons to China for a major exhibition at the National Library of China in Beijing. It's very different from the 1970s when little Western culture was seen in China and the only Chinese culture seen in the UK was the Japanese TV adaptation of Chinese classics The Water Margin and Monkey. Now, millions of Chinese people watch BBC programs such as Sherlock and Downton Abbey. In the UK, a week doesn't go by without a new offering of Chinese music, theater or dance. Rachel Harris, director of the China Changing festival at London's Southbank Centre, said:"We had about 5,000 visitors and their response has been incredible. The next one this autumn will be bigger." Harris said her festival high point was Zhang Jun's one-man interpretation of Hamlet, using Chinese opera techniques. Lik Yuen, deputy head of the Confucius Institute in London, welcomed the prospect of technology increasing the depth and frequency of cultural interchange, citing the National Theatre Live simultaneous broadcasts of plays in Britain to cinemas in China. "With this platform, we can do all kinds of things," she said. The effort to build Sino-UK cultural bridges started decades ago. The Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding has been doing so since it was founded in 1965. Zoe Reed, who leads the society, said its work today is as relevant as ever. "Our role is also much more about helping Chinese visitors understand Britain," she said."We think it's increasingly important to understand and respect China and its culture, in a world that is being increasingly influenced by China." The writer is a freelancer for China Daily UK. News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF already has a solid coalition with the people of Zimbabwe ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections and a mooted alliance between Western-sponsored political parties is certain to lose, the revolutionary party's senior members have said.Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo yesterday said politicians such as National People's Party leader Dr Joice Mujuru, angling to reverse the land reform and indigenisation programmes, would not win against Zimbabweans.The revolutionary party's National Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere also said Zanu-PF remained unfazed by the purported coalition between Dr Mujuru and the MDC-T.Dr Mujuru, in an interview with BBC in London last week, said her new party was close to a coalition with Mr Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T.She said the two parties were drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).Said Dr Mujuru: "Between Tsvangirai and myself, we are working together, we have done some addresses together and right now we are working on a MoU so that we are able to work together."She said her party would also reverse Zanu-PF's indigenisation and empowerment programme as it was "anti-investment".Chombo said a coalition of rejects was clumsy."It's a marriage of rejects," he said. "Tsvangirai has been rejected by the people for the past 20 years and was further rejected by groups within his party. Mai Mujuru is a reject from Zanu-PF. She formed her own party and within a few months she was rejected by that party. They are not genuine opposition parties, but individuals using opposition politics to front for Western imperialists," said Chombo."One reject plus another reject will never give you acceptance. As the ruling party, we have always represented the aspirations of the people and will continue to march forward to improve the people's livelihoods while they continue campaigning for the intensification of sanctions as if people are not suffering enough."On Dr Mujuru's plans to undo empowerment programmes, Chombo said: "By reversing indigenisation you are reversing the land reform yet the land issue was the main reason why the liberation war was fought. In the same interview, she talks about her sole business being the farm that she is running. She is a beneficiary of the land reform programme and if she is genuine she should move away from the farm."Kasukuwere said politics was not about MoUs, but resonating well with the masses."Two zeros entering into an MoU what do you expect? It's all about having a greater understanding of the people," he said."In politics, if one is to sign an MoU it has to be with the masses who matter most and as Zanu-PF we are solidly on the ground delivering service to the masses. The two are spent forces and even if they were to merge, it won't change anything."Political analyst and lawyer Mr Tendai Toto said "kindergarten political players" couldn't unseat Zanu-PF as they lacked a common ideology."These creche players are a greedy, selfish and ungrateful lot that will not pass the test of truthfulness and uberrimae fidei on issues of national interest," he said."They are bound to unbundle as soon as they sign their so-called common understanding agreement bound on non-tangible and a sellable agenda that addresses national interest. It is wrong to mislead Zimbabweans to believe that this political bloc will carry the country into any promised land because the greedy and glutinous political appetite that they all have will inevitably attend to self-interests than national, satisfying their political hungers."Another political analyst Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi said previous marriages of convenience had failed to remove Zanu-PF from power."This is because despite the challenges that people are facing, they are intelligent enough to see that the coalitions have no solid foundations to salvage the economy," he said."It is a desperate arrangement built on the ambitious will to power template than a shared trajectory to take the country forward. More so, the biggest threat to this coalition is its foundations. Now that it is not being pushed or driven by indigenous fundamental realities and considerations nor the people, but by Washington and Number 10 Downing Street, who have made it categorically clear that they will fund a coalition only and not individual groups. Given the several by-elections that have taken place which Zanu-PF has won, the writing is on the wall that it is the only party grounded in the masses."During his 93rd birthday interview, President Mugabe also described the purported coalition as a blend of weaknesses."My teacher ndichiri muGrade One aiti ukaisa mazero maviri haaite two, rinongoramba riri zero. Kana ukaawanza kusvika gumi it just amounts to a huge pile of zeros, nothing, you see." Trade and investment between China and Britain have increased dramatically since 2009 but the UK government hopes there is greater room for growth as it prepares for uncertainty after its departure from the European Union. Chinese and British officials greet the launch of China's sovereign offshore RMB bond in London in June last year. Collaboration in areas including financial services, infrastructure, power and energy, and advanced engineering has expanded rapidly in recent years. China is Britain's second-largest trading partner outside the EU, while the United Kingdom is China's largest investment destination in Europe. Jin Xu, minister counselor in the economic and commercial office at the Chinese embassy in the UK, said: "After Brexit, the UK will become even more open to global investment. This provides great opportunities to Chinese companies hoping to invest in the UK. "Bilateral collaboration in areas such as financial services, pioneering technology, infrastructure, new energy, and advanced manufacturing has massive collaboration potential." China and the UK's bilateral business relations have grown steadily ever since the two countries established ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations 45 years ago. This growth accelerated after the 2008 financial crisis, an event which significantly increased the global economy's reliance on China for growth. According to the embassy, trade between China and the UK more than doubled between 2009 and 2014, growing from$39.1 billion to $80.9 billion. Chinese investment in the UK surged from just $100 million in 2004 to an aggregated $40 billion 10 years later in 2014. These numbers take account of deals including China Investment Corporation's purchase of an 8.68 percent stake in Thames Water and a 10 percent stake in Heathrow Airport in 2012some of China's early investments in the UK's public infrastructure. According to the Grant Thornton Tou Ying Tracker 2016, the fastest growing 30 Chinese companies in the UK in 2015 employed more than 20,000 workers and had an aggregate turnover of almost 10 billion pounds. The tracker is compiled by the London-based accountancy in collaboration with China Daily. Britain has also been working to help its companies connect with China's major ecommerce platforms, and on establishing reliable distribution channels for instant online sales between the UK and China. Liam Fox, British minister for international trade, said: "China is the world's second-largest economy, and one of the fastest-growing markets on Earth. Now, more than ever, China's future is all of our futures." China's direct investment in the UK's nonfinancial sectors in 2016up until Novemberexceeded $1 billion. The value of British exports to China has skyrocketed, increasing by 108 percent between 2010 and 2016. The openness of the UK to inward investment has enabled Geely to support the expansion of its businessenabling it to recruit some of the best and brightest engineers to develop a taxi for which "no city is off limits", said Chris Gubbey, CEO of London Taxi Company, the UK subsidiary of Geely, one of China's big private automakers. China's largest single investment into the UK so far is China General Nuclear's $6 billion investment in the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant, which is also the first Chinese nuclear power investment in a developed economy. Other notable Chinese infrastructure investments include Beijing Construction and Engineering Group's investment into Manchester Airport's 800 million pound business hub, and Chinese developer ABP's 1.7 billion pound investment to transform London's Royal Albert Dock into a new commercial cluster. Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at King's College, London, said: "China has great experience in building infrastructure, the UK will benefit from China's investment and technology. The UK is a free and liberal environment, it is one where China can showcase some of its technology, so it can take these technologies to other countries too." The UK's research strength has attracted many Chinese companies to conduct cutting-edge work in collaboration with British universities. China's largest train manufacturer, CRRC, is working with the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, and the University of Southampton on research into advanced train technologies. Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is working with the University of Surrey on developing fifth-generation mobile networks. Chris Rudd, pro-vice-chancellor for external engagement at the University of Nottingham, said the research partnership between China and the UK had "reached a degree of maturity" and had been helped by government support on both sides. By coordinating responses in many areas, China and UK benefit the world Forty-five years ago today, on March 13, 1972, China and Britain upgraded their diplomatic ties to the ambassadorial level. This was a milestone in the history of China-UK relations. Today, by the WHO's definition of the beginning of middle age, the China-UK relationship at 45 is entering a new phase of increased maturity. Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the UK praises cooperation and creativity Such maturity, honed by 45 years of wind and rain, is embodied by the 5 C's, that is, the comprehensive, cooperative, coordinative, creative and constructive nature of China-UK ties. This comprehensive relationship covers a wider range of areas than ever before and is taking on a greater global and strategic significance. From comprehensive partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership and then to global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century, the China-UK relationship is now entering a "golden era" for all-round development. The cooperative nature of this relationship is evidenced by the increasing quality and quantity and the maturing mechanisms of the bilateral cooperation. Together, China and Britain have established a series of high-level dialogue mechanisms, including the annual Prime Minister's Meeting, the Economic and Financial Dialogue, the High-Level People-to-People Dialogue and the Strategic Dialogue, plus a few dozen ministerial-level consultations and dialogues. In many respects China-UK cooperation is a pacemaker for China's overall relations with the West. Good coordination is another key feature of China-UK ties. The two countries have worked together effectively within multilateral frameworks, such as the UN and the G20. By coordinating their efforts on counter-terrorism, climate change, global governance and many other major regional and international issues, China and Britain have continued to make a contribution to world peace and development. Being creative has helped the bilateral relationship achieve its potential. China and the UK have never stopped innovating where and how they can cooperate and have constantly created new highlights in their cooperation. The UK was the first major Western country to apply to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; It was the first to issue and RMB sovereign bond; It is now the largest offshore RMB center outside China. As a major power in nuclear energy, Britain is also the first among all Western countries to welcome the investment from Chinese nuclear companies. The constructive element is crucial to the China-UK relationship. The two countries have been able to handle their differences in a constructive way, managing to shelve or resolve differences and build and expand common ground. Against rising protectionism and anti-globalization, the constructive roles of China and the UK are all the more needed as they work together to share the responsibilities bestowed on them, to promote development, to advance globalization and to be the standard bearer of free trade. We celebrate 45 years of ambassadorial relations not only to review what we have achieved, more importantly, it is an opportunity for us to look ahead into the future. In China right now, delegates from all around the country are gathering in Beijing for the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference where comprehensive blueprints are drawn for the new year. For China, 2017 is a crucial year to implement China's 13th Five Year Plan(2016-20), to deepen the supply-side reform and to advance the Belt and Road Initiative. For Britain, 2017 will witness the launch of the Brexit negotiations that is going to shape the UK's relations with the EU. It will also see great efforts here in the UK to build a "one-nation government that works for everyone" and a truly"Global Britain". Opportunities are up for grabs if China and Britain advance their respective development strategies in tandem and upgrade the level of cooperation. Today, China-UK relations have come to a new starting point where both countries are faced with the task of building an enduring "golden era" for the bilateral ties. To achieve that, China and Britain need, as I summarized in a speech at the end of last year, mutual respect, mutual understanding, mutual trust and mutual exchanges. This is how the two countries can expand their shared interests, achieve new success in their cooperation, and manage their differences well. This is how the "golden era" can endure. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." In his Davos speech early this year, President Xi Jinping quoted this famous line from Charles Dickens. To create the "best of times", China and the UK need to work together, seize the opportunities together and stand up against challenges together. We are lucky to live in the "golden era" and we are duty-bound to make it last. We must cherish the "best of times" of China-UK relations and be more innovative in our cooperation in broader areas and greater depth to ensure that China-UK relations bear more "golden fruits" in this"golden era". EDINBURGH Scotland's leader on Monday said that she would seek authority for a new independence referendum because Britain is dragging Scotland out of the European Union against its will. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attends the Brexit debate in the Scottish Parliament Edinburgh Scotland, Britain January 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that she would move quickly to give Scottish voters a chance to make Scotland an independent country.Sturgeon said the referendum should be held between the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019. She said by then, details of Britain's post-Brexit deal with the EU would be clear and Scottish voters would be able to make "an informed choice."The British government must agree before a legally binding referendum can be held.Sturgeon spoke as Britain's Parliament was on the verge of approving a Brexit bill that would allow Britain to start the formal withdrawal from the EU in the next few days.Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, but Sturgeon said that the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU had brought about a "material change of circumstances."Sturgeon said that British Prime Minister Theresa May has so far refused to compromise with Scotland over Brexit. She said she had made good faith proposals for a compromise but had been met with a "brick wall of intransigence."Britons voted in the June 23 referendum to leave the EU, but Scottish voters strongly backed staying inside the EU.Sturgeon said she hoped Scotland would be able to stay in the European single market and customs union, but has become convinced May is pursuing a "hard Brexit" that would leave Britain on its own.The Scottish leader also warned that May's Conservative Party had consolidated power and may govern until 2030 because of weakness in the Labour Party opposition.In this circumstance, she said it is important for Scotland to take active steps to protect its interests as Britain prepared to trigger its departure from the EU.She says Scotland is at a difficult crossroads not of her own choosing but must not stand by and simply hope for the best. AP Chinese, British premiers exchange congratulations on anniversary of relations Xinhua | Updated: 2017-03-13 22:51 BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and British Prime Minister Theresa May exchanged congratulatory messages Monday on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between China and Britain. Over the past 45 years, mutual integration of interests between China and Britain has kept deepening, with plenty of achievements made in mutually beneficial cooperation, while people-to-people and cultural contacts between the two countries have become increasingly closer, practically in the interest of the two peoples, Li said in his congratulatory message. Currently, China-Britain relations stand at a new starting point and have a solid foundation for cooperation and a broad space for growth, Li said. China is willing to make joint efforts together with Britain to further consolidate mutual trust, pursue new achievements in bilateral pragmatic cooperation, and push bilateral ties to advance further and steadily on the track of mutual trust, mutual complementation and mutual benefit, in the greater interest of the two peoples, he said. Theresa May expressed good wishes to the Chinese government and people in her congratulatory message. The Britain-China partnership is in sustained development, with frequent high-level exchanges and contact, with fruitful high-level dialogue, with increasingly closer trade and investment links, and with people-to-people and cultural exchange keeping deepening, which has greatly promoted the well-being of the two countries, she said. The British prime minister expressed the belief that Britain-China cooperation will surely score more achievements in future. CAIRO - Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown as president of Egypt in an uprising in 2011, will be released from detention in a military hospital, the public prosecutor ruled on Monday, his lawyers and judicial sources said. Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak waves to his supporters inside a cage in a courtroom at the police academy in Cairo April 13, 2013. [Photo/Agencies] "He will go to his home in Heliopolis," Mubarak's lawyer Farid El Deeb said, adding the ageing former president would likely be released Tuesday or soon after. Mubarak was cleared of murder charges this month in his final trial, having faced various charges ranging from corruption to ordering the killing of protesters who ended his 30-year-rule. He had one more jail sentence to serve but was cleared after serving time for the murder charges, judicial sources and the state news agency said. The prosecution subtracted the time served in the murder case from the time he was meant to serve for a separate case in which he was found guilty of appropriating funds reserved for maintaining presidential palaces. 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. An appeals court ordered a retrial that culminated in 2014 in the case against Mubarak and his senior officials being dropped. An appeal by the public prosecution led to a final retrial by the Court of Cassation, the highest in the country, which acquitted him on March 2. Reuters The Scottish government has announced plans to call for a second independence referendum when the terms of the United Kingdoms exit from the European Union become clear. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is seen on screens in a television production truck as she demands a new independence referendum to be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union have become clearer, outside Bute House, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain March 13, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Nicola Sturgeon, Scotlands first minister, said her government would put legislation on the vote before the Scottish Parliament next week. She estimated that the vote would take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, before the UK leaves the EU. She said her government was elected on a manifesto that said there could be a second referendum if there was a material change in political circumstances. The UKs vote to leave the EU provided that material change, Sturgeon said. The Scottish government cannot call for a referendum on its own - that must be done by the UK government - but its unlikely that London would block a referendum if it is supported by the Scottish Parliament. A spokesman for the UK government said a majority of Scots did not want a second independence referendum. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time, he said. In 2014, Scots rejected independence by 10 percentage points - 55 percent to 45 percent and most believed that the subject would not be revisited for a generation. Sturgeons Scottish Nationalist Party can only muster a majority in the Scottish Parliament with the support of the Green Party, which also supports independence. The First Minister said she had worked very hard to reach a compromise with the British government on the UKs departure from the EU but this had not been reciprocated. Sturgeon said she was willing to accept Scotlands departure from the EU but not its departure from the European Single Market. The UK Parliament is expected to vote on legislation on Monday that will allow Theresa May, the Prime Minister, to trigger Article 50, which would start the UKs negotiations with Brussels on its departure from the EU. If the government wins the votes, May could start the process as early as Tuesday. Sturgeons announcement has added a whole new layer of confusion to the Brexit process. It is far from clear how the UK will leave the EU and the circumstances of a potential Scottish departure from the UK are even murkier. Scotlands main reason for leaving the UK would be to stay in the EU, but it is not clear if European countries would welcome Scotlands secession from the UK because it might encourage similar demands in countries such as Spain and Belgium. The effect of Brexit on the economies of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is also causing major concern, and political parties are considering whether a united Ireland might be the only way to deal with the UKs departure from the EU. Sturgeon said she hoped to win an independence referendum but her case will be damaged by economic changes since 2014. Her SNP based its estimate of Scotlands economic potential on 8 billion pound ($9.8 billion) oil revenue receipts. The fall in the price of oil and other factors means Scotlands oil receipts are close to zero. The writer is a freelancer for China Daily UK. The London Book Fair kicks off on Tuesday, with publishers and rights agents from around the world convening in the United Kingdom for one of international publishing's largest trade fairs. Several of China's leading booksellers will hold events throughout the week, looking to enhance their influence and offer companies a route into China's book market, the second-largest after the United States. China generated 470,000 new titles and 10.5 billion euros ($11.2 billion) of revenue in 2015, according to the International Publishers Association. Beijing is keen to push Chinese titles globally, and home-grown publishers are actively pursuing rights to foreign titles and partnerships with foreign firms. The Chinese market is particularly attractive to British publishers - China produces around 20 million new English speakers each year, while English classics and contemporary bestsellers, such as Harry Potter are already hugely popular among Chinese readers. Chinese publishers are holding events in and around the capital throughout the week. More than 100 industry leaders will discuss cooperation in international publishing on Wednesday afternoon at West London's Olympia Exhibition Center at a summit co-organized by the China Publishing Group, the Publishers Association of China and the International Publishers Association. The International Publishing Journal's Big Data Report on the Chinese Publishing Market will be launched at the summit. China Publishing Group donated more than 100 titles to Bohunt School in Hampshire on Monday, where a leading sinologist Cecilia Lindqvist gave a lecture on the beauty of Chinese characters. Proportionally, Bohunt, which was featured in a BBC documentary on British and Chinese ways of teaching in 2015, has more Mandarin learners than any other British school. CPG Vice-President Jiang Jun said: "We the CPG have always been committed to promoting Chinese culture overseas and as a State-owned publishing group, we feel duty-bound to promote Chinese culture overseas." Two dozen of Europe's leading sinologists will convene on Tuesday afternoon for the launch of three new texts in the field. Later that day, at London's Southbank Center, English-language titles about China's biggest business moguls, including Alibaba's Jack Ma, Wanda's Wang Jianlin and Huawei's Ren Zhengfei, will be unveiled. On Wednesday morning in Olympia, the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House and Massachusetts-based Berkshire Publishing Group will launch a co-published encyclopedia about China, and that afternoon the CPG will launch prints of two ancient Chinese classics at Oxford University's Bodleian Library. And on Friday afternoon at central London's Oxford and Cambridge Club, UK-based education think tank Macat International will announce the addition of 100 Chinese works to its digital library. Liu Zhong, CPG's director of international cooperation, told China Daily: "The major point of our participation in the London Book Fair is to get people interested in China, to move some of the focus from Western culture to Eastern culture. The LBF is a great platform to achieve these goals, as it's one of the most well organized and attended publishing trade fairs in the world. We also share a close relationship with UK publishers." Bo Leung in London contributed to this story. China is sending a senior Foreign Ministry official to a high-level dialogue on Asia-Pacific economic integration to be held in Chile starting Tuesday. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in Beijing on Monday that the gathering is "not a meeting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership as some media have said". China's Special Representative on Latin American Affairs Yin Hengmin will lead a delegation to the meeting, which will see an "extensive exchange of views over the next step in Asia-Pacific regional cooperation", Hua said. "China hopes the meeting will contribute to pushing forward the process of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, the construction of an open economy in the Asia-Pacific and promoting economic integration of the region," said the spokeswoman. Representatives from 15 countries, covering all signatories of the TPP, all members of the Pacific Alliancea Latin American trade blocas well as China and the Republic of Korea, were invited to the two-day meeting to be held in the Chilean city of Vina del Mar, according to the website of the Chilean General Directorate of International Economic Relations. Hua said China's position on the TPP has not changed, which is to work with all parties to push forward Asia-Pacific economic integration for the benefit of all countries and all peoples in the region. In an earlier news conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang was asked whether China would play a bigger role and benefit from United States' withdrawal from the TPP. "Affairs in the Asia-Pacific should be decided upon consultation among all countries in the region, rather than being dictated by one country," Geng said. He said China is open to all trade arrangements "that are conducive to economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment, and common development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific". Chen Fengying, a researcher in global economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said China sending a delegation to attend the meeting shows it is taking "a more active attitude" and shouldering more responsibility in global trade. The meeting will focus on Asia-Pacific cooperation after the US withdrawal from the TPP, rather than the TPP itself, Chen said. A major issue of the meeting will be how to promote integration of the Asia-Pacific to further enhance globalization, she said. Chinas Relations With the West: Straight Line Decline There are those who believe China's ongoing Party Congress will bode well for companies that do business in or with China. I am firmly convinced that the opposite is true and that it will used as yet another opportunity by China to show that it will not be cowered by the declining relations and sanctions/counter-sanctions between the United States / EU / Australia / Japan on the one hand, and China on the other. I see China using this Congress to let the world (domestic and external) know that it fully intends to fight back and fight back hard. In other words, this Party Congress will lead to China's decoupling from much of the world accelerating, not slowing down. iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) As President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan grapple to keep their own party on board with the Obamacare alternative they unveiled last week, Democratic lawmakers are decrying the proposed law as a blow to lower-income Americans. In the end, the bill's success may hinge on the math. The Congressional Budget Office is expected to release its assessment of the GOP's plan, the American Health Care Act, as early as Monday. The nonpartisan report will include an estimate of the law's cost and statistics on how many Americans will lose coverage under the new plan. Of course, the CBO isn't the only organization crunching the numbers. Ratings agency Standard & Poor's last week released a report predicting between 6 million and 10 million people would lose coverage under the GOP's plan. Some liberal think tanks, like the Brookings Institute, put that number even higher. Democrats, confident that the CBO's forecast will paint a similar picture, have blasted Republicans for marking up the bill without a CBO score. But the Trump administration has been preemptively undermining the CBO's credibility, pointing to flaws in the office's early assessments of the Affordable Care Act. The CBO has been "woefully underperforming when it comes to evaluating health systems," Health and Human Services Sec. Tom Price said on Fox News Friday. "I love the folks at the CBO. They work really hard, they do, but sometimes we ask them to do stuff they're not capable of doing," White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. "Look at how off they were last time," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said at Wednesday's press briefing. "If you're looking at the CBO for accuracy, you're looking in the wrong place." While Spicer and the president, for that matter have cited CBO statistics to bolster their agenda in the past, their current skepticism is not without some basis: Some of the office's initial predictions about Obamacare were off the mark. When the healthcare law passed in 2010, the CBO projected that about 21 million people would purchase coverage through the new exchanges by 2016, and after the Supreme Court ruled the Medicaid expansion optional for states, it increased its projection to 22 million. In actuality, just over 11.5 million people have purchased coverage that way, according to an HHS report. In the same projection, the CBO put the number of uninsured at around 21 million by 2016. But according to preliminary data from the CDC, more than 28 million people remained uninsured in the first three quarters of 2016. On Sunday, Ryan acknowledged that the CBO's analysis of the Republican healthcare bill would likely include the projection that many Americans would lose coverage. "CBO will say, well, gosh, not as many people will get coverage," Ryan said on CBS's Face the Nation. "You know why? Because this isn't a government mandate. This is not, the government makes you buy what we say you should buy." "There's no way you can compete with, on paper, a government mandate with coverage," the Speaker added. "What we are trying to achieve here is bringing down the cost of care, bringing down the cost of insurance, not through government mandates and monopolies, but by having more choice and competition." So how many people will lose coverage? "I can't answer that question," Ryan said. "It's up to people." Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. News / National by Staff reporter The MDC has reacted angrily to threats by a State media columnist who said yesterday that popular opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was only being saved from harm by the "grace" of President Robert Mugabe.Speaking to the Daily News after reading the controversial column, Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka described Zanu-PF as an "evil" party adding that yesterday's threat should be viewed as part of the ruling party's ongoing "dastardly" plots against the former prime minister in the government of national unity.This comes as Tsvangirai is on the cusp of wrapping up an electoral pact with smaller opposition parties, which analysts say could finally see both Mugabe and Zanu-PF defeated in the eagerly-awaited 2018 polls.Tamborinyoka said the MDC viewed the threats against Tsvangirai very seriously, especially considering the "many previous attempts" on the life of the former labour union leader by Zanu-PF.Reacting to Tsvangirai's comments which were carried by the Daily News in its Friday edition, a shadowy columnist in the Sunday Mail who writes under the inappropriate pseudonym of Bishop Lazarus made ominous threats against the MDC leader."A few days ago, Morgan said something to the effect that; 'You will be safe under me.' Morgan was trying to give assurance to President Mugabe and security chiefs that they would be safe under his rule. Unonyatsoona kuti munhu haasi kunzwa zvakanaka (One can see that he is not well)."Instead of hallucinating, Morgan should know that the real question is: 'Is Morgan safe going into the future?' True, there are some people who really love Morgan, but there are many who are really angry with the man. They whisper in the dark saying; 'This man brought us all these troubles and if it wasn't for President Mugabe..."What is unfortunate for Morgan is that those who love him are so insignificant in the scheme of political things yet those who are angry with him have the capacity to do anything they want with him. I mean anything. So the question going into the future is; 'Is Morgan going to be safe?"The answer may be found in history. Just check what happened to that sell-out Morris Nyathi after the attainment of independence," the vituperative Bishop Lazarus wrote.Tamborinyoka told the Daily News yesterday that they were aware that Zanu-PF always wanted Tsvangirai dead."But he will only die when he achieves God's purpose, even though we are aware that Zanu-PF wants Tsvangirai dead."Tsvangirai's life has always been under threat from Zanu-PF. There have been many assassination plots. He was also brutally attacked in a police station and lost his wife (in suspicious circumstances) but his source of protection is God."The whim of human wishes will always falter on the anvil of God's grace. Whatever attempts on Tsvangirai they scheme will always fail as long as God is willing to protect him," Tamborinyoka thundered.Speaking in Harare on Thursday, after holding a crucial meeting with the MDC national executive, Tsvangirai said Mugabe and top securocrats had nothing to fear as he would give them immunity from prosecution when he forms the country's next government."I have a message to those who have in the past resisted change and who remain keen to subvert the people's will because of their uncertainty due to the prospect of political change in the country."I wish to assure everyone that there is nothing to fear in the change that we seek. We have no intention to engage in retribution, and we are only driven by the genuine patriotic spirit to ensure peace, stability and growth."Change will be good for everyone. Change will allow everyone to pursue and live their dreams under the protection of the State," Tsvangirai said."In 2008, a large part of our fellow citizens in State institutions were reticent and suspicious about the prospects of change."The people won the election but there was no transfer of power because of the sceptics of change, those whose reticence about a new Zimbabwe cost this country the opportunity to set a new political direction."There will be neither vengeance nor retribution against anyone. There is certainly nothing to fear. In fact, there will be a pension for those who are afraid," the dogged former trade union leader added.This statement clearly did not go down well with the likes of Bishop Lazarus, whose sick threats yesterday triggered anxiety among Tsvangirai's followers.Tamborinyoka said it would be naive to brush aside the threats, as Zimbabwe's history was littered with heinous acts and human rights violations which occurred after Zanu-PF had issued threats of a similar nature.Tsvangirai, the only politician to defeat Mugabe hands down in an election, in 2008, has previously survived a number of State-sponsored acts of terror against him including barbaric attacks that were meted on him and other senior opposition officials in the Harare high density suburb of Highfield in 2007, during a prayer march there.On that fateful day, Tsvangirai was so maliciously battered by heavily armed police officers that they left him with a fractured skull.A prominent MDC supporter, Gift Tandare, was shot dead in cold blood by police, while several senior party officials at the time including Tendai Biti, Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinjeh were also savaged brutally by the authorities.The Highfield fiasco eventually led to the intervention by Sadc, whose mediation later led to the formation of the inclusive government after the hotly-disputed 2008 polls which the MDC still won.After Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in that year's presidential election, the results were withheld by panicking authorities for a suspiciously long six weeks, amid widespread allegations of ballot fiddling and manipulation.When the discredited results of that poll were eventually announced, Tsvangirai was forced into a run-off which he pulled out of following massive intimidation and violence which saw hundreds of his supporters being murdered in cold blood.Mugabe would go on to stand in an embarrassing and widely-condemned one-man race in which he declared himself the winner.However, Sadc and the rest of the international community would not accept the poll, forcing the nonagenarian to share power with Tsvangirai for five years to prevent the country from imploding completely.Former State Security minister and one of the founders of the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) party, Didymus Mutasa who was for decades a close confidante of Mugabe later lifted the lid on that election's rot, following his sacking from Zanu-PF, revealing that the nonagenarian remained in power through chicanery and brute force.A few months after becoming the country's prime minister in the uneasy coalition government in March 2009, Tsvangirai lost his wife Susan in a road accident which his supporters say was yet another attempt on his life, although he ruled out foul play at the time.Previously, Tsvangirai had survived the gallows by a whisker after the State had preferred false charges of treason against him, after the government claimed it had evidence that he wanted to assassinate Mugabe.The case collapsed in 2004 after a year-long trial in which it was relying on questionable evidence from a grainy videotape that was secretly recorded by Ari Ben Menashe, a discredited Canadian-based political consultant. News / Press Release by Kudakwashe Chakabva, Executive Director Zimbabwe Dream Project A few days ago the world celebrated the International Women's Day. It was a day observed in different fashions from fine speeches, pomp gatherings and of course highly celebrated on social media. But as all this happened it was just like any other day for mai Chitsungo in Mbire. Her story echoing that of mbuya Smoko in Yomba and resonating with Ndaizivei's story in Bvochora tell a sad story. She is Zimbabwe's rural woman. So entrenched and ravaged by patriarchy yet living so far away from the speeches and not even aware of the celebrations.Her hands calloused by the hard labour that forms the main part of her miserable life. She wakes up before the sun rises prepares her seven children for school and sets off for work in the fields in Mbire's barren lands. She does some of the dirtiest and hardest jobs just to put food on the table for herself and her children. She is the first wife to a husband who works at a Chinese mine but has since abandoned her and the children for a second then third wife. Here and there he visits her and takes the little money she has. She had her own dreams but they are all shuttered now.She is a hero whose valour is concealed by geography and patriarchy. The beginning of her struggle starts when she is born in a world already dominated by men. She enters a world where she is taught to be dependent, submissive, hard working and enduring her world is all anchored on men's benevolence. She is treated as a second class citizen who is owned and needs men to think for her, she has no rights to challenge the men even if it is her brother years younger than her. All her childhood she is groomed to be a good wife ought to be docile, soft and understanding even in the face of aggression. She grew up to see fellow women stand in solidarity with patriarchy as attributes of a good wife she painfully remembers how her mother in law pushed her husband into polygamy.She is owned property sub-human as if she was livestock not capable of reasoning, she has no say in the choice of her marriage despite it being all she has to live for. She was married off early regardless of her physically and psychologically readiness. In her life she has witnessed girls used to settle inter family disputes, appease a dead spirits and she has witnessed a girl child doing grade seven impregnated by her teacher and in order to avoid an arrest the teacher convinces his wife that if he goes to prison their marriage collapses and the docile wife goes to pacify the girl's mother with an offer of a herd 10 cattle. So strong is the oppression that she can't even enjoy her own sexual and reproductive health rights and in the end she is left vulnerable to STIs and HIV AIDS.It is the remiss of irony that although she was raised being told to be good and subservient to her husband who shall be her provider all her marriage life she has been working hard to provide for herself and the children. Each day she comes face to face with the reality of a double standard system that taught her to focus on the kitchen yet hard labour would be all her life. She has stood firm circumstances tempting her to be immoral to fend for her children. She has heard and saw women engage in prostitution to fend for families but she has remained firm, her hands now calloused by the day to day hard labour.She is part of that twofold and commune economy inherited at independence that has maintained a developed fast urban economy versus a marginalised rural poor. The poverty in her community perpetrates gender inequality by making sure opportunities are dominated by a few men. Although more women are involved in informal businesses they are mainly small scale enterprises usually vegetables vending and second hand flea marketing at the growth point. She wanted land during the land reform but being married only her husband secured a piece of land. She has nothing to offer as collateral so no one is willing to give her capital to start or invest in her vending or anything bigger. Without access to the means of production as well the limited access to paid formal employment has rendered her even more dependent and again she has to be both loyal and submissive to her husband.Battered by poverty she also has to endure the violence of her husband. She is beaten for the smallest things an argument can bring. She has embraced the torture as part of her life and her community tells her its normal for a men to beat up his wife and she is made to believe she must stay endure the torture for her children. At one point she reported the assault to the police but withdrew the charges herself. She is tortured beyond imagination but the soft manner she was brought up dictates that she must pardon the perpetrator.She speaks of her aunt, sister, nice who joined the armed liberation struggle, the brave acts her mother took to support the war supplying the freedom fighters with both food and intelligence. To her and to them they were only doing their duty but despite all this the patriarchal structure post 1980 remained hostile to women's participation in politics and decision making. The mention of the word politics reminds her of heinous acts of political violence that creates a chilling effect in her. Even if the Member of Parliament is a woman she is a distance opulent person who just like the men are detached from her plight.Her struggle like crossing a river, the water can get so cold, the river bottom so uneven and under a strong current. She must keep striding forward even when the banks never gets any closer and the river becoming deeper and deeper with every single stride she must keep going even as the water gets deeper and deeper. (Photo : Getty Images. ) Chinese military expert Richard Fisher during last month's congressional testimony claimed that China is making its its own arsenal of lasers, electromagnetic railguns and high-power microwave weapons that will be specifically used against the light war satellite attacks. Advertisement China does not want to leave anything to chance in case if a space war breaks out with military rivals like U.S. Even though the possibility of a space war looks very distant, but chances of such an extreme eventuality cannot be ruled out in today's unpredictable times. According to Chinese military expert Richard Fisher, Chinese military is in the middle of processing its own arsenal of lasers, electromagnetic railguns and high-power microwave weapons that will be specifically used against the 'light war' satellite attacks. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Fisher, who works with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, shed light on China's highly secretive laser weapons program during last month's congressional testimony. He anticipated that China may use its future space stations to launch an attack on the key U.S. satellites. "The Chinese government would not hesitate to use the lives of its astronauts as a shield to deceive the world about the real purpose of its space station,' said Fisher at the congressional testimony. He further warned that Chinese "combat space station could begin attacks against key US satellites, thus blinding the US to the launch of new combat satellites that would attack many more US satellites." Fisher encouraged the U.S. policy makers and military strategists to actively respond to China's space war program. "The US must possess options for at least neutralizing potential threats, preferably short of threatening lives," he added. Certain reports in the U.S. media claim that the American government is already in the process of developing what has been widely termed as a 'super weapon,' the 'Railgun projectile launcher.' This experimental weapon promises to give a new edge to the U.S. military as it has potential to even bring down nuclear missiles. But it is still not known whether it is powerful enough to destroy satellites swirling through the earth's lower orbit. The world got the first big sniff about China's secretive 'laser weapon system' program when three Chinese researchers Gao Ming-hui, Zeng Yu-quang and Wang Zhi-hong proposed the idea in the journal Chinese Optics in December 2013. Anti-satellite weapons will be 'very important' in future wars, with the space-based laser weapon system being one of the major developments, they wrote in the article. The U.S. has been long critical about China's space program, alleging that much of its ambitious space program is used to advance its secretive military technologies. China has apparently pumped in billions of dollars into its space missions in a bid to catch up with the western nations. Advertisement Tagschina, China and US, chinese space program, China Laser Weapon Technology (Photo : Getty Images) Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) shankes hands with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain (3nd-R) at The Great Hall Of The People on September 2, 2015 in Beijing, China. Advertisement Pakistan needs to pay China $90 billion over a span of 30 years against the loan and investment portfolio worth $50 billion under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Tribune reported citing an estimate from a brokerage house. The amount increased to $54 billion after it included more projects such as the Pakistan Railways and Karachi Circular Railways project. The volume of return is slated to increase accordingly. Other projects including infrastructure and power initiatives are expected to be completed by 2030. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Average annual repayment of CPEC will be $3 billion. [However, in medium term] between fiscal year 2020-25, it will range between $2.0-$5.3 billion with average payment of $3.7 billion," Saad Hashemy, an analyst from Topline Securities, said in a report. Hashemy further noted that CPEC is financed by both Chinese companies and banks, and about 25 percent of CPEC investment is expected to come in Pakistan. The report entitled "Pakistan's External Account Concerns and CPEC Repayment" argued that repayment will be manageable in spite of the added debt servicing and repatriate of profits. The finances for additional repayment will come from the anticipated export surge, import decrease, and increase remittances. The report also forecasts exports to increase by 4.5 percent a year until fiscal year 2025, up 1.5 percent from the previous decade's average. Imports, on the other hand, are also expected to grow by 4 percent, while remittances to increase between 4 percent and 4.5 percent, lower than the last couple of decade's average of more than 7 percent. According to Arif Habib Limited, CPEC-related transportation will likely earn from $400 to $500 million per year to Pakistan, enough to cover its repayments. Advertisement TagsPakistan, china, CPEC, Topline Securities, Pakistan Railways, Karachi Circular Railway (Photo : Getty Images. ) The Public Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly plans to double the strength of its marine corps, with two big marine brigades set to be dispatched to the Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti port in Africa. Advertisement China is set to increase the number of its marine corps at oversees ports in a bid to protect its strategic assets in foreign locations. The decision comes amid reports that the Chinese government is pushing very hard to strengthen its naval force. The Public Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly plans to double the strength of its marine corps, with two big marine brigades set to be dispatched to the Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti port in Africa. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The Gwadar Port located in Pakistan's Balochistan province is a strategic part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Pakistani government is not leaving anything to chance to safeguard this high-profile infrastructure project, with most of its security being focused on the strategic Gwadar Port. Several reports from Pakistan suggest that the government is setting up a Special Security Division comprising of 15,000 troops to protect the CPEC as well as Chinese personnel. Islamabad is making these special provisions due to security threats to the CPEC, especially emanating from alleged Indian secretive agents operating on Pakistani soil. The Djibouti Port, which is an international trade hub, is an equally strategic asset for China. The Chinese government is already engaged in building its naval base in Djibouti port in what is being touted as China's first naval base at oversees location. However, Beijing has stated that its naval base in Djibouti is only meant to protect the international trade route from illegal pirates. At the recently concluded annual Chinese parliament session, Beijing announced that its military budget would increase only by seven percent this year. Most of it would go for the development of China's navy as the Asian giant steps up its effort to take control of the South China Sea region as well as other maritime challenges across the world. Advertisement Tagschina, China and Pakistan, Gwadar Port, Pakistan, Djibout Port, China Djibout Port I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up. Update (March 14): The Samaritans Purse staff members taken by armed rebels in South Sudan were released today. All eight kidnapped aid workers are now on their way to a safe location. The Christian aid group said it was thankful to God for the safe release of its South Sudanese national staff, and thanked the World Food Programme for helping to relocate them. Samaritans Purse was forced to evacuate most personnel from the country two weeks ago due to violence, and calls on all parties to stop hostilities and allow immediate full access to distribute emergency food supplies. ----- [Originally posted on March 13 as Samaritans Purse Staff Kidnapped as South Sudan Faces Famine] Samaritans Purse is hopeful that eight local staff members kidnapped by rebels will be released soon. Samaritan's Purse confirms that some of our South Sudanese staff in the Mayendit area of South Sudan have been detained by armed ... 1 Ex-Luciferian Satanist Jacob McKelvy Saved by God Contact: Jacob McKelvy, Jacob McKelvy Ministries, 713-979-6772 HOUSTON, March 13, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- We've all heard miraculous redemption stories about people straying away from God and returning, but none quite like Jacob McKelvy's. What makes his story so different? Jacob is the first confirmable satanic leader to be reborn into Christianity. Jacob's story starts when he was just a young boy. After the loss of his younger sister due to a snake bite, Jacob became bitter and hopeless towards God. This anger and rage sent him on a path that eventually lead him to become a Luciferian "archon," or world leader, and he founded the Greater Church of Lucifer in Texas. In 2015, Jacob opened his church doors to the public, which caused hate infused protesting against his church by Christians both from and outside the community. While many gathered outside the doors to cry out against the churches practices and beliefs, Robert Hogan, pastor of Spring First Church, encouraged his congregation to not protest. "God hasn't called us to hate those people. He's called us to love those people," explained Hogan to his congregation. Hogan also expressed that he had faith that something good could come out of the situation. "I just believe that God could break a revival out at that church." It turned out that Hogan's faith was not misplaced. Sometime afterwards, Jacob walked through the doors of Spring First Church and asked to talk to Hogan. At the end of a four-hour meeting, Jacob McKelvy surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. The Greater Church of Lucifer has been shut down in Old Town Spring Texas, but at the time of Jacobs exit there were 41 branches worldwide. Now Jacob is using his 20-year occult experience to not only tell his story but to also educate people on what he refers to as the "knowledge gap," of understanding what the occult is and to teach others the true nature of adversary. Jacob hopes that his story will help to inspire others to follow his footsteps. As someone who turned their back on God a long time ago only to be welcomed back into his arms, Jacob knows that true power of love and prayer. "No matter how far from God you think you are, there is always a home." Jacob is now speaking in churches to prove the power of prayer and the love of God. More information: www.jacobmckelvy.org Opinion / Blogs Nyasha Reward Mapuvire is a young and talented author,poet and playwright. He is an author at #RosGwen and also blogs at http:// www.heavmany.wordpress.com What money? That was my reaction after receiving a message telling me to go and collect my money. During those days for cheap and fast communication people used - , what did they call it then. WhatsApp!! Of course I had forgotten, since back then there existed many of these messenger applications. What happened on this so called WhatsApp was that people tended to lie and trick each other, so when I received the message I thought people were now back to their old tricks and I just ignored the message. After two days, another message came, this time pleading with me to take the money for it was nothing more but just an offer.On the very same day, I took courage and went where I was instructed to take the money.On my way I was visited by too many unanswered questions. Even up to now some of them are not yet answered and am still wondering what gave me the confidence of going to collect money with a mystery background and from a diaspora stranger. Many people had flocked out but yet I didn't know which country used which country code all I know is it was not a Zimbabwean.This offer came at the right moment and time, in the following three months I was supposed to be at university. So I had no choice but take the money because I really needed it. If I had not taken the money where was I going to get the money for varsity level.This issue of university fees made me recall my life's situation. Where was my father? I remember very well that he never told me where he was going and where he was now.To this point I had learned to live without him for it was now almost five years without hearing anything from my father and I was bearing in mind that my own father had abandoned us, leaving me with my poor mother languishing in our village "home".I collected the money and there it was $1500.I cant remember which currency it was, maybe Zimbabwean or American dollar, all I remember is it was in 2014. On returning we took the money and recounted it and quickly hid it in a safe place in my mother's no corner bedroom. We agreed that the money was to be used for my fees, because I did'nt want to be selfish we had to agree first on the spending of the money.All went well, three months passed and there I was at the University of Zimbabwe doing my Arts and Theatre degree, back then it used to pay for it was just its third year of introduction at the university. But now it was given anyone and everyone could just be accepted without denial as long as one had money. I was lucky to have it through the same way.The stranger continued sending money, to us it was now normal we even checked at the month end like civil servants and we could get more than they. The money helped me up to the end of my four year course. Graduated well, caped by His Excellence himself, but there arose a problem. Where was I going to get employed with my fundraising degree.Dont remind me about that period. It was my most beautiful and good time of my life. I enjoyed staying home with my mother helping her cultivate and sell her groundnuts for a living for that was the last option for me.One day in the fields, a small boy came and informed us that we had received an important visitor. As someone expecting to be called for a job interview, I rushed quickly home full of curiosity. On arrival, the first thing that caught my eyes was a brand new black isuzu with a South African number plate and inside the canopy was something like a "big box", but I didnt mind what it was. A smartly dressed elderly gentleman wearing all black from top to bottom grinned to me and we shared greetings asked each other's health, you know how Africans greet each other.When we were about to ask whence these people came from this man quickly ordered the three youthful men who seemed to be his workers to collect that "box" from the back of the truck, to my surprise it was a coffin. The men opened the coffin and asked if we recognised the corpse.Honestly, I had forgotten who the person was but I heard mother saying, "Baba Tinashe, why did you abandon us just to return like this"The man was surprised to hear this and that is when I learned from that man that the deceased was working for him for the past seven years in South Africa and also that he used to claim that all the money he got, he was sending it to his son and wife in Zimbabwe. And these words I felt powerless and all I could was "At least my father was a good man." home World Islamic militants from Sweden fund themselves through welfare benefits, new report reveals A new report has found that individuals who traveled from Sweden to Syria and Iraq in order to join extremist groups have supported themselves through state benefits. The report, published by the Swedish National Defense University on behalf of the Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), has revealed that a majority of individuals who joined groups such as the Islamic State between 2013 and 2016 are still receiving living allowances, child benefits, maintenance support and parental benefits while abroad. According to Russia Today, the mail of the potential jihadis is handled by other people to make it look as if they are still at home. "This is of course totally unacceptable. No state funds should be used for anything even close to terrorism," said Anna Ekstrom, the Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education. "We need to get a hold of this issue immediately. We are preparing now to go to parliament and ensure that the government gets the opportunity to stop the payout of such large sums at once," she continued. Tax authorities have noted that payday loans have been used to fund trips to Syria and Iraq. However, it became less common since 2015, maybe because the recipients intended to return to Sweden. Police have also reported that the jihadis are using student loans to fund themselves by pretending to study overseas and receive large sums from the government. One of the known cases in which Sweden paid for someone to join an extremist group was that of Abdul Samad al Swedi, also known as Michael Skramo, who fled with his wife and four children to Syria in 2014. Over the course of eight months, he received $5,000 in benefits while appearing in ISIS propaganda videos. The 2016 annual report released by the Swedish Security Service has found that about 300 individuals have traveled to Iraq and Syria from Sweden to join groups like ISIS or the Al Qaeda-affiliated al Nusra Front. Most of the men, who are between the ages of 18 and 30, typically have little to no income, and over half have criminal records. According to the report, a total of 44 of these men has already been killed while 135 have returned to Sweden as of 2016. Bishop Calls For 'Thanksgiving' Prayers For Gay Couples The Bishop of Chelmsford is calling for thanksgiving services and eucharists for gay couples amid controversy on how the Church should move forward. Stephen Cottrell said the CofE was seen as 'immoral' for its refusal to welcome gay marriage stressing it would 'particularly foolish' to ignore the damage done to the Church's mission. In the most forthright call for change by a bishop so far, Cottrell said the Church should reach an 'agree to disagree' compromise over gay marriage as it had done over women's ordination. He acknowledged such a compromise would be a 'step too far' while 'others think it nowhere near far enough' but said change 'cannot simply wait til there is complete ecumenical and Anglican Communion agreement'. It is the latest intervention since the Archbishops of Canterbury and York called for a 'radical, new Christian inclusion' after a report maintaining a largely conservative stance on sexuality was rejected by the CofE's ruling general synod. 'It would be particularly foolish for us to ignore the missiological damage that is done when that which is held to be morally normative and desirable by much of society and by what seems to be a significant number of Anglican Christian people in this country, is deemed morally unacceptable by the Church. As I have said before, I am not sure the church has ever before had to face the challenge of being seen as immoral by the culture in which it is set,' he said in an address to Chelmsford's local diocesan synod. LGBT Eucharists and prayers for gay couples are already offered by some clergy but it is not clear whether the Church's teaching permits such moves and Cottrell's address marked the first time a bishop has openly backed them. He went on to say the Church's attitude to gay couples was fundamental to its existence and role in society. 'It is therefore not sufficient to say, "Oh if only we could stop talking about human sexuality and get on with the real business of preaching the gospel!" This is the real business of preaching the gospel: it is about what it means to be made in the image of God and of the new humanity God has won for us in Christ. It is about finding the legitimate boundaries within which Christian people can legitimately disagree.' Comparing the divisions over sexuality with those over women bishops, which the Church allowed for in 2014, he said a similar deal could be reached. 'Whether you believe there should be same sex marriage or the blessing of same sex unions or whether you do not, you are still a faithful Anglican,' he said. 'We need to find ways of living with this diversity, not being torn apart by it.' Responding from conservative blog site Anglican Mainstream, Andrew Symes wrote: 'It is now over to the orthodox clergy and laity in Chelmsford Diocese, first, to see what they will do. 'Some will be talking about looking for some form of differentiation, perhaps alternative oversight, whether informal or more visible. Some, especially laity, will be looking for another denomination. We hope that those who continue to recognise the Bishop's spiritual authority and do nothing, will see the need to join others in taking principled action. This pattern will be repeated in other Dioceses in coming months.' Black Southern Baptist Leader Urges Reconciliation Between Russell Moore And His Critics A senior Southern Baptist leader has called for reconciliation between the embattled president of the denomination's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Russell Moore, and his opponents. Moore has been a trenchant critic of Donald Trump, widely supported by white evangelicals including many Southern Baptists, and more than 100 SBC churches have now said they will withhold contributions to the denomination's Cooperative Program, from which the ERLC is funded, in protest. Moore is meeting today with Frank Page, president of the SBC's executive committee, amid speculation he may be asked to resign. Byron Day, president of the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote in an open letter to the SBC posted on Baptist Press that while 'feathers have been ruffled on both sides', 'obedience to the Bible's teaching can surely offer a solution so that we can get back to working together to share the good news of God's love, forgiveness, and gift of eternal life'. He said: 'What would happen if those offended by Dr Moore were to take a biblical approach and talk to him privately concerning comments that offended them and then give him opportunity to apologise and be reconciled, to the glory of Christ? What would happen if Dr Moore would receive their calls and agree to meet with them and experience reconciliation, to the glory of God? What would happen if Dr Moore, upon learning that his brother has something against him, would leave his offering at the altar, seek him out, and be reconciled to his brother, to the glory of Christ? Would not God be glorified and Southern Baptists be better served?' In a clear expression of support for Moore, he said he had done nothing to deserve being fired and had been 'outstanding' in his role. Day joins other black leaders in backing Moore, including Dwight McKissick who warned of 'huge implications' for black churches if he were fired. Bulgarian Church 'Should Win' Nobel Peace Prize For Protecting Jews During Holocaust A campaign has been launched to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the Bulgarian Independent Orthodox Church for 'heroic acts' to protect Jews in the Holocaust. The campaign is being led by Bulgarian-Israeli lawyer Moshe Aloni, according to The Jerusalem Post. The church voted unanimously in condemnation of anti-Semitic laws during World War II and vocally opposed the deportation of Bulgaria's 48,000 Jews to Nazi death camps. Aloni, who leads the committee for friendship between the Israeli and Bulgarian Advocates, nominated the church in January for its 'brave acts of heroism'. Aloni said last week that while his campaign has gained support from Europe and the US, he is still seeking to raise awareness and backing from the Israeli community. An online petition for the cause has gained 758 signatures so far. The petition notes the particular heroism of two individuals who signified the church's opposition to the ethnic cleansing of the Holocaust: Metropolitan Bishop Stephan, the highest ranking cleric of the Bulgarian Church at the time, and Metropolitan Kirill, the head of the Bulgarian Church in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government was an ally of Nazi Germany dring the war. Both clerics reportedly put their lives at risk in defence of the Jewish people, with Kirill's intervention at one time saving 1,500 Jews marked for deportation. Aloni wrote in his letter to the Nobel Committee: 'Due to the heroic acts of these two prominent leaders and their willingness to speak up and take action, the deportation of the Jews of Bulgaria was postponed again and again until it was finally cancelled with the end of the war.' Aloni concluded that the nomination of the Bulgarian Church was particularly prescient 'in these days filled with hate and racism and modern day ethnic cleansing'. Cathedral mission: Reaching the churched, de-churched and unchurched Anna Norman-Walker leads a dedicated team of volunteers at Exeter Cathedral in creating a space "for anyone who is interested in engaging with Christian spirituality in a contemplative and creative way and who perhaps find traditional models of church a little inaccessible". It's called Holy Ground, a fresh expression of church that meets on the second Sunday of every month, offering a time of liturgical worship, a cafe space - sometimes with a guest speaker or a Q&A - and a time for contemplative prayer, though the format is fluid and those taking part are encouraged to join in with whichever parts they feel comfortable. Holy Ground is the subject of a study by the Church Army's Research Unit in which research director George Lings spent some time at fresh expression last year, learning their story and investigating the cathedral's position in reaching out to the community in Exeter. Specifically, he was looking at the question of "How can we build community and not just put on meetings?" His report concluding that Holy Ground is "a congregation of the cathedral providing uniquely what a cathedral can do". Anna, a diocesan missioner, agrees: "Exeter Cathedral is here in the middle of the city. This is a vessel that can hold all sorts of different things, and I think that's what cathedrals can uniquely do. I think cathedrals can be something that a parish or independent church would find quite hard. "I think cathedrals can be at their best a great space to showcase the life of the wider church. It can be a great place for signposting." Holy Ground has a wide demographic, with members ranging from teenagers to those in their nineties - it obviously has wide scope for appeal. It is different from other fresh expressions in that about a third of its members are those who actually attend local churches but find the creativity of Holy Ground refreshing. A third are 'de-churched' those who no longer attend a regular service, and another third are those who are merely curious about faith and want to find out more. It's an unusually fluid gathering for a traditional cathedral setting, and that's the idea, Anna explains. "We're not trying to build up a church, we're trying to create a space for people to experience church. "We have found that occasionally we have people who do want to go a bit deeper, because of course that's the big question that George Ling is asking: where do we do discipleship, and for me that is the big question, but we take it on a fairly ad hoc, case by case basis." The wide range of 'Holy Grounders', as they call themselves, must make it difficult to work out how best to structure gatherings so as to meet everyone's needs? Anna is quick to challenge that assumption: "I don't think we set out at the beginning and said: 'right, how are we going to cater for committed Christians, de-churched people and un-churched people, because we've got to have something for everyone'. "In an open handed way we offer a creative act of worship, a cafe conversation, generous hospitality, we don't impose any kind of membership. "The critics would say 'that's not really church is it?', but I think we have to create pathways into faith in all sorts of ways across the Church, and I think Holy Ground and the cathedral can offer something of that." Anna is keen that the cathedral uses its position as a pillar of British religious history to engage with the local community. "Other places don't have the longest piece of vaulted roofing in Europe, and they haven't got amazing pillars and unbelievable stained glass and the most fabulous acoustic, and when you go into a cathedral you immediately sense something of the stillness and the sacredness and the thousand year history. "There's a thousand years of prayers in the walls. People's stories have been held here through generations and there's such a fabulous space to use. And then to blend that with some use of contemporary technology, to blend the ancient with the future, there's something really exciting about that." Anna praised the work of other churches in Exeter, many of which offer charismatic, evangelical styles of worship, but she notes that it doesn't suit everyone, which is why Holy Ground focuses on a more liturgical style. "I don't think that the Church is very good at drawing in people into more liturgical worship, which is why that's an aging group of people," she says. "And yet what we're seeing is some young people who really like it, and find it to be helpful, and connect with it far better than they do with modern contemporary worship songs." For Anna, it's about creating a diversity of ways into the Christian story. "We're all singing about the same Jesus and saying prayers to the same God and the same Spirit, but just as some people like ska music and others like heavy rock, some people do candles and contemplation, stillness and beauty and are much more multi-sensory, while others are much more intuitive and like music that they can relate to. "I think that's a theological thing; we have a God who is transcendent, who's 'other', who's awesome, who's indescribable, and we have a God in Christ who comes near and is a close and intimate friend. I think if you look at the different expressions of worship, they help people to connect to the face of God that they most relate to. "The contemporary, charismatic evangelical acts of worship make real sense of 'Jesus is my friend, he's beside me and he meets me on my turf, on my ground, in my space' and for some people that's the point of connection. But for other people the beauty, the awesome, the stillness, the mystery and the magnitude help them to connect. We all have different connecting points." Holy Ground attracts between 100 to 150 visitors each month, and the team are looking forward to the future as they hope to engage with more people and encourage them to seek God in new ways. "It feels like we've added to Exeter's menu of worship and learning options: something new, and something that complements but doesn't compete," Anna concludes. The next meeting will be on 9 March, for more information click here, or email Anna at missioner@exeter.anglican.org Catholic Bishops Say Justin Trudeau's New Abortion Policy 'Exploits Women' Two Catholic bishops have condemned the Canadian government's latest overseas abortion policy, with one calling it 'a reprehensible example of Western cultural imperialism'. Bishop Douglas Crosby, the president of the Canadian bishops' conference, made his comments in a highly critical letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to Crux. Another letter to the Prime Minister, from Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto, said that public comments from Mr Trudeau 'suggest that unless a woman has access to abortion or contraception, she is not empowered or able to realize her full potential.' Both clerics were responding to an announcement last week that the Canadian government would 'invest' $650 million (US$483 million) in providing abortion services for the developing world in the next three years. Canadian finances would thus be directed toward funding abortions, sexual health programmes, and would also support organisations working to legalise abortion in countries where it is currently illegal. Bishop Crosby wrote: 'Such a policy is a reprehensible example of Western cultural imperialism and an attempt to impose misplaced but so-called Canadian 'values' on other nations and people. 'It exploits women when they are most in need of care and support and tragically subverts true prenatal health care. It negates our country's laudable efforts to welcome refugees and offer protection to the world's homeless, when the youngest of human lives will instead be exterminated and the most vulnerable of human beings discarded as unwanted human tissue.' He said the Prime Minister's position was 'in conflict with the principles instinctively shared by the majority of the world's population and consistently upheld by the Catholic Church: to defend and protect human life from conception to natural death.' Cardinal Collins said it was 'praiseworthy to offer international aid; it is arrogant for powerful, wealthy nations to dictate what priorities developing countries should embrace'. 'Money spent on promoting abortion and contraception could be spent on vaccinating millions of women and girls against malaria or other diseases,' the cardinal wrote. The British debate The news comes as the UK parliament is set today to debate the loosening of abortion restrictions in Britain. Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, wants to repeal a law which marks unregistered, medically unauthorised abortions illegal. 'Women buying pills on the internet to bring about a miscarriage are committing a criminal act, which is punishable by life imprisonment,' she said, according to The Times. 'Parliament should consider whether that is appropriate.' In 2016, 375 online-bought abortion pills were confiscated by authorities across the UK, a vast increase from just five in 2013. Christian Concern called the news about the parliament debate 'shocking', and called Christians to take a stand in defence of the unborn, according to Premier. They said: 'This motion wouldn't change the law directly, but if passed it may be used in future to suggest that Parliament supports decriminalisation. 'It is vital that is defeated. But lobby groups are already at work trying to persuade MPs to support it. So, please act now.' Christian Dad claims falsely that he raped own daughter in order to protect priest A Christian dad in India claimed falsely that he had raped his own daughter in order to 'protect the priest and the Church' after she became pregnant and had a baby. The truth of the father's 'confession' has emerged after police arrested Fr Robin Vadakkuncheril, 48, of the Mananthavady diocese, in what is the most serious sex scandal ever to emerge from the Catholic establishment in Kerala, according to India Express. Vadakkuncheril was arrested last Thursday on charges of raping the girl, aged 17, in his parish of St Sebastian's in Kottiyoor. He was detained through the weekend. The father, a farm labourer, told India Express: 'The priest betrayed our family and our faith in the Church. After my daughter delivered the baby, he wanted someone to take responsibility for the birth. How could I find someone for this job? Finally, I had to falsely state that I was the father of my daughter's baby. As a believer, I also wanted to avoid the disgrace falling on the priest and the Church. 'But I realised the seriousness of the crime after police arrested me as the rapist of my own daughter. They told me that I would be jailed for several years. That was when I revealed the name of the priest.' He said the priest paid the hospital bill for the birth. Police said the priest raped the girl during the summer holidays last year when she was working on the parish computers. Christian Group Claims BBC Is Trying Covertly To Islamise The UK, Petition Gains Support A petition that accuses the BBC of attempting to Islamise Britain, protesting the appointment of another Muslim as its head of religion, has reached nearly 7,000 signatures. The petition is authored by Voice for Justice UK (VFJUK) who say that Christianity, the majority religion in the UK, is being covertly but deliberately side-lined by the broadcaster. The petition calls for an 'urgent investigation into the governance and policy of the BBC, and for review of the licence fee'. The appeal comes in response to the appointment of Fatima Salaria, a Muslim, as the BBC's new head of religion. It was the BBC's second, consecutive appointment of a Muslim in the role following Aaqil Ahmed, who stepped down from the role last year. The VFJUK's petition writes: 'The BBC appears complicit in an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK. Such an attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and values on which the UK is founded.' At the weekend it was announced that the BBCs flagship Christian programme Songs of Praise will no longer be produced by the BBC. In a post published on their website today, VFJUK wrote: 'So how long before Songs of Praise becomes Celebration from the Mosque? And how long before Christianity is quietly dropped, because Muslims classify anyone and everyone who doesn't follow Islam as unbelievers? The Koran, after all, is not noted for its tolerance towards other religions.' It adds: 'Yes, the BBC will assure us this is arrant nonsense, because Islam is a religion of peace, and Auntie is committed to multiculturalism while Christianity remains central to the Corporation's religious output. But ... can we really rely on what they say?' The BBC brought back the position of head of religious broadcasting after announcing the role had been dropped last year. VFJUK say that the head of religion role should belong to a Christian since the faith group represent, according to one survey, 59.5 per cent of the UK population. They say the BBC are 'operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair representation'. Controversial Pro-Palestinian Vicar Stephen Sizer To Be Allowed To Preach At Easter A provocative pro-Palestinian vicar is to be allowed to say 'goodbye' to his parish before he leaves his post after breaching an agreement that restricted his use of social media. Rev Stephen Sizer has courted controversy a number of times for sharing contentious articles including one linking Jews with the 9/11 attacks in the USA. The Bishop of Guildford announced on Friday Sizer has been blocked from 'all preaching, teaching and leading of services with immediate effect' after he ignored an order limiting what he could share online. But he will be allowed to lead his church's ministry over the Easter weekend before he finally retires on Easter Sunday. The Jewish Board of Deputies branded the decision 'very disappointing' and pointed out the rebel priest has flouted the terms of his ban a number of times. Jonathan Arkush, Board of Deputies president, said: 'Stephen Sizer has repeatedly transgressed the terms of the agreement he made with the Church of England on 14 February 2015. He was issued with a final warning on 2 November 2016 following yet another breach. 'So it is very disappointing that the Church has allowed him to remain in his ministry, albeit with restrictions, until Easter, when he will again be permitted to preach. 'The Jewish community will feel let down that the church has failed to dismiss a minister who has repeatedly posted slurs.' It comes after Sizer was warned a number of times about sharing Holocaust denial and Zionist conspiracy articles. In 2015 he was banned from writing, preaching, teaching, emailing, tweeting, posting on Facebook or commenting in any way in relation to the current situation in the Middle East after he posted a link on his Facebook page to an article entitled The '9-11/Israel did it'. His latest breach was met with a firm rebuttal but the Andrew Watson, the Bishop of Guildford, who said in a statement: 'Dr Sizer admits that material shared on his Facebook page in the past two weeks has breached our agreement, and so I have required him to cease all preaching, teaching and leading of services with immediate effect. He will also desist from all use of social media until his retirement takes effect.' But he added: 'To allow the parish of Virginia Water to say a proper goodbye, I have conceded that Dr Sizer leads ministry over the Easter weekend.' Ex-Radical Islamist turned Christian evangelist warns of educational Jihad that seeks to Islamise West A former radical Islamist turned Christian evangelist is warning the West of another form of jihad being waged in the education front. Isik Abla told The Christian Post last week that wealthy fanatical Muslims are sending jihadist students to America and other Western countries to infiltrate the world's top universities as part of their group's ultimate objective to Islamise the West. She explained that there are different types of jihad. Aside from the physical jihad, which is the use of force to kill and conquer "infidels," Abla mentioned four other types of jihadeducational, population, media, and economical jihad. "We are seeing these ... types of jihad integrated in the Western world today," she said at the Proclaim 17, NRB International Christian Media Convention in Orlando, Florida. Abla said she herself was recruited to wage educational jihad by her first Muslim husband. "Educational jihad pays the tuition of the students to send them to high prestigious colleges and universities" in the West like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, the Turkish native explained. She said the goal is to put jihadists "in high places [of] power to dictate what needs to happen in the Western world [and] to Islamise the Western world." Abla said she woke up to the realisation that she was just being used by the Islamist extremists to further their own agenda when she fled Turkey to America to escape from two extremely violent marriages. She said it was when she began working under a Christian employer in America that she found Jesus. "On the day that I was going to kill myself, commit suicide, Jesus Christ revealed Himself to me in a miraculous way and changed my life completely," said Abla, who is now an ordained minister. Writing in her ministries' Facebook page, Abla said, "I had no identity and no self worth until I met Jesus!" "Jesus showed me who I was created to be and how precious I was to Him. That revelation changed my life!" she wrote. "As a Muslim woman I was inferior to men. But today, I am child of the Only Living God through Jesus Christ." Opinion / Columnist Ms Belinda Chowa: you are a star in the face of absolute ignorance to some of our sister that still thinks to be white is superior. I read your article on Bulawayo24 in disbelief: are there still women out there who are role models to our young growing girls. I loved your article Madam Chowa; I hope you keep the work going in sensitizing our women regarding the white bleaching of their faces and sometimes chemical-treating their hair to be like Europeans.Skin-bleaching is actually removing the black pigment in your skin. Some even take in as capsules orally so that this pigment removes the whole body. Ms. Chowa rightly put it well, and it is scientifically proven that in these creams there are traces of mercury: an element that is hazardous to health: indeed it causes kidney failure in most cases. We thank you for this very articulated article and very educative indeed. We hope that you continue educating us in many aspect of women's health.Skin-bleaching creams are a multi billion industry and the women who use these creams are from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and the wave is slowly coming to the shores of Zimbabwe. It is appalling to see role models like Mrs Elizabeth Tsvangirai in total denial of herself. At the early time of her marriage to the former Prime Minister Richard Morgan Tsvangirai: she was used to wearing Indian Saris in political rallies? Sure, Saris from India and she is wife the "Can be President of Zimbabwe" any time now! What precedence is she giving to the growing girls of Zimbabwe? She is abnormally white, and her hair is European hair? Do we really need to go so low as to deny ourselves in that absoluteness? Ms. Chowa puts it well: better than I will put it on paper. We women do have a low self-esteem.When the Black Americans said: "Say it loud; I am black and proud" they were trying to tell the black population that we should be proud of what we are: black naturally skin and kinky hair given by god as it is: Our hair is kinky can't we be satisfied with that? Our skin is black: can't we satisfy with that? We have thousands of African material from Nigeria till South Africa: did we need to wear an Indian Sari to be conspicuously different from all of us women? We make ourselves a laughing stock in this global village. There are news media we read: in Europe and many other places that actually mock Africans for their outright self denial of their colour-skin! Industries take advantage of this stupidity of Africans and make billions of dollars: because they know a black woman can do anything to get her skin white. An African loathes her/his skin evidently.Coming back to Mrs. Elizabeth Tsvangirai: her husband is so black, black and beautiful in his own right: what makes his wife go out of her way to bleach so much that it obvious to all that her whiteness is wholly artificial and not worth admiring at all because a naturally light-skinned person is attractive in as much as a naturally black shined person. Is Mrs.Tsvangirai saying to her husband: "Nutten-Black nun- Good!" These bleaching skin-lightening creams: present in the composition is Mercury and Hydroquinone. Hydroquinone actually kills the skin-cells and this is non-repairable because the cell- making melanolyte will have permanently died: this may also cause skin cancer and many other diseases we are not aware of: because these creams are consumed in developing countries: whose deaths are not comprehensively researched due to un availability of finds.The madness of skin-lighting use is intertwined with detrimental effects not only on health as we have seen but the question of identity, self-image, race-supremacy and absolute colonial mentality. There is a common concern about yearning for beauty: beauty of the skin that must be white like a European, beauty of your dressing: iffi wear aa Sari, I will different from everybody else around me, if I wear a European wig or treating ones hair to that of a white person I will be beautiful. Such problems are a serious problems of nations in Africa. We need to address physical, mental slavery, symbolic remnants of light-skinned superiority and the notion that dark skin is inferior. This must be done at national level: now I do not see how we in Zimbabwe can achieve that because our future first Lady: Mrs. Tsvangirai is in deep denial: her artificial face- skin-bleached, her European wig, her Sari dressing had died down thanks to those to told her about this Sari dressing in rallies. Is Mrs, Tsvangirai the face of a Zimbabwean woman or the mixture of a British hair/Indian Sari attires?There is not much to say what Ms. Belinda Chowa has not highlighted already in her today's article. I did not need to repeat what she has already said in her beautiful article that was spot on. We need 10 more of Belinda Chowas in our socities. We are deeply concerned about the message Mrs. Tsvangirai is putting across to younger generations. They look up at her and emulate everything she does because she is the national icon by virtue of her being married to Richard Morgan Tsvangirai. Mrs. Elizabeth Tsvangirai: you will never be like Queen Elizabeth the Second of United Kingdom & Ireland if you are modelling yourself to be white: Please chinja maiitiro, guqula izenso: izenzo guqula. How can Christians know for sure that they are saved? How can Christians know for sure that they are saved? Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church said their guarantee lies only in God. When it comes to assurance of salvation, Warren explained on his website that Christians need only look at the story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and the conversation He had with one of the criminals hanging next to Him on the cross. In Luke 23:42, the criminal pleaded, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Warren said the criminal did not ask Jesus to stop his suffering, nor did he ask for any miracles to be freed from the excruciating pain they must be feeling at the time. The man did not ask Jesus to save him from death as well, and only wanted Jesus to remember him. "Why? Because he knew that his deepest need was salvation from sin not just salvation to get into Heaven. He believed in Jesus," said Warren. Just like the criminal, Christians can eliminate their doubts about salvation by placing their full trust in God, Warren said. Once they do, they can feel assured that they are going to heaven. "Your assurance of salvation is not by your works, because you can't earn your salvation. Your assurance of salvation is not by your feelings, because feelings come and go," he said. "What is your assurance of salvation? The promise of God's Word. If God says it, that settles it, because God cannot lie. You can trust the promise of God's Word. You can rest in it." Warren also said that once people accept Jesus Christ into their lives, their salvation is guaranteed. He clarified though that people need to work on their relationship with Jesus once they receive their salvation. "Salvation is not a religion. It's not rules or regulations or rituals. Salvation is a relationship," he stressed. "That relationship doesn't begin when you get to Heaven. It begins here on Earth. Jesus Christ wants to be your best friend, and He wants to talk to you all the time. God made you for a relationship with Him!" Man Who Mocked Christians Banned From Church For Five Years A man has been banned from all churches after he was jailed for harassing Christians online. Robert Skynner, 55, has also been barred from making allegations of paedophilia about anyone whether by message or on social media after he was jailed for eight months last year. It comes after he was imprisoned for a YouTube campaign against one particular Christian couple that the judge ruled constituted harassment. A court handed a restraining order to Skynner that prevented him from contacting the couple again after his prison sentence in November last year. But a judge has now imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order meaning he cannot make allegations of paedophilia about anyone, according to the Plymouth Herald. The ban applies to messages of any form including Twitter, YouTube and other forms of social media. Skynner appealed his initial conviction after being released from prison but Plymouth Crown Court threw out his appeal and instead urged the Crown Prosecution Service to consider an application for further restraint. The judge sitting with two magistrates subsequently made the five-year order. When Skynner was told he was banned from any church he replied he 'would not be seen dead in one'. Pope Francis: is he a saint or a sinner? Pope Francis was elected as the successor to Pope Benedict XVI on March 13, 2013. Some might see the date as auspicious. Christians should resist superstitious tendencies to fear otherwise, although subsequent events have shown he certainly has his opponents. So is Pope Francis a Saint or a Sinner? We list 20 things he has done and things he has left undone that he ought to have done on both sides of the argument. Pope Francis Saint 1. He has put a modern face to the papacy and tried to move it on from obsessions with contraception, abortion and gay marriage. 2. He has stood up for the family under pressure in modern life, controversially indicating in his document Amoris Laetitia that a more mercifull approach to divorced and remarried Catholics was needed when it came to admission to Holy Communion. 3. He has often spoken out for financial probity both inside and outside the Church, instituting a series of reforms in the Vatican organisation itself in an attempt to bring everything into line. 4. He practises what he preaches about social need. He speaks up for refugees, hugs and comforts the poor and sick, kisses the feet of the 'most reviled' such as prisoners on Maundy Thursday services and goes out at night in Rome to minister to the homeless. 5. He has spoken out for gays and against homophobia in the Church. Early in his papacy, he told journalists on a plane: 'If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?' 6. Although not personally particularly literate with modern communications technology, he allows people to take selfies with him in Rome, and encourages the Church in his name to be active on Twitter and Instagram. 7. His Year of Jubilee last year enabled him to emphasise the theme of 'mercy', countering a more traditional and judgmental image that many had associated with the Church. 8. He has met and personally apologised to victims of child sex abuse. 9. He issued an encyclical advocating care for the environment in which he openly advocated the biblical concept of 'stewardship' of the earth. 10. He sold his Harley Davidson for charity and also became the first pope to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine Pope Francis - Sinner 1. He's being a bit too nice to Protestants. The Vatican supported naming a square in Rome after Martin Luther. He gets on exceptionally well with the current Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, a conservative evangelical. 2. According to some criticis, he seems to prefer visiting mosques and synagogues to attending a traditional Latin Mass. 3. Is it strictly within Catholic doctrine to suggest that divorced and remarried Catholics could be allowed to receive Holy Communion? Conservative cardinals who have challenged him on this have been met with a stony silence. 4. He reduced sanctions against a few paedophile priests critics fear this is a mistaken application of his abiding passion to be merciful to all. 5. Other critics want more mercy. An illicit poster plastered around Rome stated: 'Ah Francis, you've taken over congregations, removed priests, decapitated the Order of Malta and the Franciscans of the Immaculate, ignored cardinals ... but where is your mercy?' 6. Possibly he picked the wrong reform. Instead of going for the divorced and remarried, perhaps he should have focused first on relaxing the rules against married priests. 7. Besides being nice to Protestants, some critics have accused him of 'protestantising' the Church itself. He recently signed a joint declaration with Lutherans, marking the Reformation and its 500th anniversary this year and stating that Protestants and Catholics have more in common than they have differences. 8. He is rumoured to have something of a temper. One well-informed Rome commentor, Edward Pentin, described him in a recent tweet as 'boiling with rage' after four cardinals asked him to clarify whether his stance on divorced and remarried Catholics was or was not at odds with Catholic doctrine. 9. Despite an apparent reformist agenda for change, he has ruled out women priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Forever. 10. The supporters of the US Cardinal Raymond Burke, the ultra-conservative who has been an outspoken critic of the Pope, have complained of his 'authoritarian' style of leadership. Pope Francis May Be 'Backsliding' On Paedophile Crackdown Pope Francis may be 'backsliding' in his crackdown on paedophile priests, a senior Australian Catholic official is warning. Francis Sullivan, head of the Catholic Church's Justice and Healing Council, said a determined Vatican establishment was blocking Francis' attempts at reform. 'Bureaucrats and courtiers [were] doing all they can to either undermine the Pope or driving an agenda' of protecting the institution, he said according to Australian Associated Press (AAP). Sullivan, who has led the Australian church's response to the four-year child sex abuse royal commission, said it could end up as a 'marginalised rump' unless there is a change to the institutional culture of self-protection. In 2014 the Pope ordered a 'zero-tolerance' policy to clergy who had abused children. But Sullivan said the resignation of Marie Collins from the Vatican's child protection commission has evidence of a cluture of self-preservation. Collins accused the Church of a 'shameful lack of cooperation' over the issue. Sullivan said: 'You have to seriously wonder whether this isn't the Pope backsliding on what has been a strong and determined crackdown on offending priests and the circumstances that allowed abuse to take place.' Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Abuse claimed seven per cent of Catholic priests were accused of crimes concerning children between 1950 and 2010. Most were never investigated and responding in February Sullivan said they were 'shocking' and 'indefensible'. He said in Sydney on Friday night: 'Together these two developments paint a picture of the Vatican establishment, its bureaucrats and courtiers, doing all they can to either undermine the Pope or driving an agenda that is about maintaining the status quo and protecting the institution.' He added: 'If the church in Australia doesn't see continuous, concerted change from our leaders driven and backed by an active and demanding Catholic community, then our church as a religion will become a marginalised rump, stripped of credibility and relevance, left to preach to an ever ageing congregation with eyes on an ever dimming hereafter.' Pope Francis: The Cross Is Not Jewellery, But a Call To Imitate Christ's Love Pope Francis has called Christians to contemplate the meaning of the cross, which he says is not just symbol, or a piece of jewellery, but a call to imitate the love of Christ. 'The Christian Cross is not a furnishing for the house or an ornament to wear, but a call to the love with which Jesus sacrificed himself to save humanity from evil and from sin,' the Pope said in his traditional Angelus address at the Vatican yesterday. He said: 'In this Lenten season, we contemplate devoutly the image of the crucified Jesus on the cross: it is the symbol of the Christian faith, is the symbol of Jesus, who died and rose for us. We make sure that the Cross marks the stages of our Lenten journey to understand ever more fully the seriousness of sin and the value of the sacrifice with which the Redeemer has saved us all.' The pontiff drew attention to the story of the Transfiguration told in Matthew's Gospel. He described the blinding light that the disciples witness when Jesus's face 'shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light' (Matthew 17:2). The purpose of this light is also a metaphorical illumination: 'to illuminate the minds and hearts of the disciples so that they can clearly understand who their Master is. It is a flash of light that suddenly opens the mystery of Jesus and illuminates all his person and all his story'. Through the Transfiguration, the disciples see a Messiah they did not expect: 'not a powerful and glorious king, but a humble servant, and unarmed; not a gentleman of great wealth, a sign of blessing, but a poor man who has nowhere to lay his head; not a patriarch with numerous offspring, but a homeless bachelor without a nest'. Francis called this 'a revelation of God upside down'. This revelation is most clearly seen in the 'scandal of the cross', through which the glory of the resurrection is possible. In the Transfiguration, Jesus shows the disciples glory not to prevent from them the pain of the cross, but to show 'where the cross leads'. The Pope said: 'Whoever dies with Christ, with Christ will rise again. And the cross is the door of the resurrection. Those who struggle with Him, with Him will triumph. This is the message of hope that the cross of Jesus contains'. Why I'm Happy To Sing Bad Christian Music Pope Francis has called for an end to the 'mediocrity, superficiality and banality' that has entered into Catholic liturgical music. He was addressing a conference on sacred music at the Vatican last week. As you'd expect,he was actually quite wise and balanced: according to Aleteia, he said Catholics should use the old stuff but not in a nostalgic or 'archaeological' way, but 'inculturate' worship in today's musical language. They should 'embody and translate the Word of God in songs, sounds, and harmonies that make the hearts of our contemporaries throb...' Fair enough; and I don't know enough about Catholic worship to know what counts as banal and superficial. I know a good bit about contemporary evangelical worship, though, and can confidently say that in the mediocrity stakes we're right up there with the best of them. I'm of the generation that saw the old hymns I grew up with largely swept out of use in the so-called 'worship wars'. Some of them were just lovely, as full of poetry as of theology. What's replaced them is largely, yes: banal, superficial and mediocre. It expresses a dreadfully limited range of theology, with very little feel for language or insight into real Christian experience. There are honourable exceptions, but on the whole it's religious pop: catchy, but shallow and disposable. And that is absolutely fine. Because every new movement in Christian music has been met with the same objections. Isaac Watts, the granddaddy of all English hymn-writing, was regarded as dangerously irreverent when he first put quill to paper. He had his day in the sun, but was scorned as primitive and over-emotional by the next generation. John Keble, the Victorian Anglican church leader whose hymns and poems which sold hundreds of thousands in their day now seem unbearably stuffy, was sniffed at as being too much like a Methodist because he dared to put actual feelings into his poems. Non-conformist Victorian gospel hymnwriters like Ira Sankey, unashamedly emotional, were regarded with horror by conventionally religious people. It goes even further back followers of John Mason, the very odd end-times prophet of Water Stratford in 17th-century Buckinghamshire, were known for making up simple songs that wouldn't be out of place today. Here's one: Our Jesus this day is proclaimed in the streets, He's visibly crowned and he's highly renowned From the East to the West, from the North to the South, 'Tis the language I hear in everyone's mouth. That Jesus is King, let us joyfully sing Our Jesus is King, our Jesus is King. It was, the learned Puritans thought, trivial nonsense and dangerous nonsense, too. But what's happening what always happens is that there comes a point when spiritual experience just can't be contained within the words that used to be used to express it. The wineskins are too old. If the new wine of the Gospel is put into them, they will burst and it will be lost. The artists, the musicians, the wordsmiths have to do something new. Much of it will be pretty bad ('Jesus, I'm so in love with you') or sound as if it's come straight out of a buzzword generator (Lord, king, Jesus, love, praise, worship, glory mix 'em up at random and there's your lyric). But out of it often comes genuine praise and genuine worship, in which the hearts of God's people are stirred with awe and wonder. When that happens, musical traditionalists like me have two options: we can resist change and insist on everyone thinking and feeling like we do, or we can accept, learn and grow in unexpected directions. Does that mean we should just sing whatever the worship group chooses to inflict on us? No: we have no excuse for not being discerning, and sometimes there are painful conversations to be had when something just isn't up to scratch artistically or theologically. And what the wise pastor has to do is make sure that creativity is liberated, but disciplined. He or she has to be open to the voice of God speaking through the congregation as well as the traditional gatekeepers of worship, while at the same time remembering who's been placed in charge and exercising that responsibility. What's not often remembered today is the reason why organs became so popular in churches in the 19th century. One reason, at least, is that one person could be responsible for all the music in church and one person is much easier to control than a group. So out went the village minstrels with their serpents and bass-viols and sackbuts, tipsy at evensong, perhaps, and in came the prim and proper organ voluntaries, the old dance tunes trimmed of their flourishes and made to keep proper time. What we've seen in the last 20 or 30 years is the return of the minstrels' gallery, only now it's a stage with speakers and wires everywhere. We should be glad: power is back with the people. And if they choose, they can even sing hymns. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Why Religious Freedom Is Vital: British Parliamentarian Speaks Out On Commonwealth Day British parliamentarian Baroness Berridge has urged the importance of freedom of religion as part of building peace and social cohesion. Writing on the Politics Home website to mark Commonwealth Day, Berridge, who is director of the Commonwealth Initiative on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, said: 'In recent years, scholarly research into conflict situations around the world has borne out that the greater respect for freedom of religion or belief correlates in significant ways with a reduction of conflict.' She admitted religion could also be a source of conflict, but said it was 'often pulled into circumstances of pre-existing ethnic, social, economic, and political tension'. However, she added it 'can also be a source of peace and reconciliation. Religions and religious leaders can often marshal significant social, spiritual, and educational resources toward conflict reduction and resolution. Religious leaders are often at the forefront of democratization and peace-building efforts.' Berridge, a Conservative peer, quoted Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Scotland, who said at the UN last month that freedom of religion or belief is a cornerstone of democratic societies. She appeared critical of the UK government's failure to reiterate its commitment to FoRB during the same session, saying it was 'even more vital that we, as parliamentarians, united across the Commonwealth, ensure that FoRB rights are upheld and respected'. PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. A Treasure Coast man was arrested Friday morning, accused of trying to set a convenience store on fire. Police said 64-year-old Richard Lloyd, of Fort Pierce, told them he was targeting the manager, who he believed was Muslim. >>Download WPBF 25 News App: Apple IOS | Android The manager, Hemant Patel, is not Muslim. He is of Indian descent. According to the police report, Lloyd was in the parking lot of the Met Mart in Port St. Lucie around 7:40 Friday morning. The store was closed and security shutters were up around the building. RELATED GALLERY: The best anti-Muslim ban protest signs from around the world Investigators said Lloyd told them he wheeled a dumpster to the front of the store and set the garbage inside on fire. He said he was hoping the fire would spread to the building and then the alcohol inside would ignite, causing the building to collapse. Police said the dumpster was burning when they arrived. They said when Lloyd saw deputies arrive, he immediately put his hands behind his back and surrendered. The police report said Lloyd had been inside the store a few days earlier and got angry when they didn't have the brand of orange juice he was looking for. He then saw Patel and assumed he was Muslim, making Lloyd even angrier. Patel was visibly shaken when he talked to WPBF 25 News Friday afternoon. He said he's glad Lloyd was arrested and only minimal damage was done to the store but he's disappointed to hear hatred was the motivation. "It's a messy situation," Patel said. "You just can't change the thinking of some people." Lloyd was charged with first degree arson. He told police he has a long history of mental illness. It's not clear if he will charged with a hate crime. -- Story was originally published on WPBF.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate President Donald Trumps policies and rhetoric have rippled out to international high school students whod once expressed interest in pursuing a U.S. college degree. About one-third of more than 2,100 high school juniors and seniors responding to a survey said the current political climate makes them less interested in enrolling in a U.S. college or university. The survey, released Monday, was conducted by Royall & Company, a higher education enrollment consulting division of advisory group EAB. Texas universities may need to take note. Last fall, 9.1 percent of University of Houston students came from outside the U.S. from countries including India, China and Vietnam. Texas Southern University enrolled 844 foreign students last fall, about 9.5 percent of its student body a massive increase from fall 2012s roughly 3 percent. WHITE HOUSE TALK: Trump aide says government can spy from microwaves International students contribute to a diverse student body that many universities say creates a more meaningful college experience for undergraduates. But these students also pay higher tuition than in-state students, boosting colleges bottom lines. Of the 32.7 percent of students whose interest declined, a top concern was Trumps administration. Nearly half of those students worried about prejudice and discrimination. More than 61 percent of students said the current political climate had no influence on studying in the U.S., but they said visa restrictions, a travel ban or a wall on the southern U.S. border would make them reconsider. Students from the Middle East and North Africa were the most likely to say that their interest in the U.S. had declined. The survey was conducted from Feb. 17 through Feb. 28, in the weeks following Trumps preliminary executive action on immigration. >>>Scroll through the above gallery to see how Donald Trump's immigration policy is playing out This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate This story ran in the Houston Post on Nov. 2, 1986. Story excerpts are reprinted below. Dr. Red Duke, the driving force in launching Life Flight a decade ago, admits, "I didn't have the foggiest notion what I was doing." But in the past 10 years, 27,500 patients have been whisked aboard Life Flight helicopters, making it the busiest hospital-based air ambulance service in the nation. "It's getting to be so common now it's a way of life," Duke said about Life Flight, which is scheduled to mark its 10th anniversary today with a party in Hermann Park for more than a thousand former patients. James Henry Duke Jr. is well-known for his down-home, folksy medical advice featured on Channel 13 news and syndicated to 69 television stations in 30 states. But 10 years ago, the surgeon got Life Flight off the ground and continues to be its medical director. Duke's plan for using helicopters as ambulances soared as a way to cut the time required to transport critically injured or ill patients to Hermann Hospital. Or as Duke said in a recent interview: "We get along little dogie." Life Flight has become such a part of Houston that scenes of a helicopter crew rushing an accident victim to the hospital are a staple of local TV news. In fact, people often misuse the copyrighted name, as in, "He was Life Flighted to Hermann Hospital." Duke, sitting in his cluttered office and listening to country-western music, smiles about the way Life Flight has eased into people's vocabulary. "Life Flighted" doesn't bother him, but he readily admits he's a stickler about grammar. "I raise hell with people all the time," said Duke, still smiling. "Doctors do it all the time. 'He had a bleed.' That's making a verb into a noun Now, when I speak, I speak one way, and I write another way." Duke, who turns 58 later this month, says grammar is just one of his "obsessive-compulsive traits." Another of his passions is wildlife preservation. He's president of three wildlife groups and founded the Texas Bighorn Society. Professionally, he is a trauma surgeon. He was the doctor who cared for the two Houston policemen seriously shot last week and performed the four-hour operation on one of the officers. He also was a resident at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas the day President Kennedy was assassinated. He is credited with saving the life of then-Gov. John Connally, who was riding in the car with Kennedy. After growing up on a small Central Texas ranch, Duke graduated from Texas A&M and the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary before earning his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and working as a medical missionary in Afghanistan. Asked how an Aggie ended up working for UT in Houston, Duke doesn't skip a beat: "I'm a missionary." But he quickly points out he doesn't want to see an article about himself. He agreed to an interview to discuss Life Flight and, more important, the prevention of injuries. The No. 1 cause of death for people under the age of 44 is injury. And most injuries occur in traffic accidents. In 1983, 353,000 potential years of life were lost because of injury - more than from heart disease, cancer and infection put together, Duke said. National studies estimate that 40 to 70 percent of deaths caused by car wrecks are preventable if people are taken to an adequate hospital quickly enough. Thirty percent of auto accident deaths occur in the first half-hour because of mortal wounds. But early treatment during the next hour could save many lives. "If you get injured right down here on Main Street, you got a good chance of getting to Ben Taub (by ambulance), and you're all right," Duke explained. "You get injured out between Livingston and Nacogdoches, you're in deep trouble if somebody doesn't get you out of the mess." The ambulance crews who first arrive at a scene are "the great unsung heroes of our time," Duke said. "Get out there, identify the problem, and call for help." When Life Flight first started, Duke believed most of its activity would be outside Houston's city limits. "It actually is, but I really didn't believe there would be any need whatsoever in the city limits of Houston. I don't drive in traffic. I refuse to drive in traffic. I will not drive in traffic," he said. "I couldn't believe it. It turns out something like 30 percent of our flights are to the scene, and half of those are within the city limits." When Life Flight began a decade ago, it was only the third such program in the country. Now, it includes five helicopters and an airplane for long- distance travel. The "birds," as Duke frequently calls the helicopters, take off with a pilot, a doctor and a flight nurse and serve a 150-mile radius. Three of the copters operate from Hermann, while the other two are stationed in Galveston and Beaumont. "People say, 'Red, how do we call Life Flight?' And my answer is: Don't. Call the fire department (for an ambulance) or get to a hospital and let them decide if you need to ride the bird. Most people don't need it." Only a small percentage of injuries or illnesses demand Life Flight and the quick attention of a trauma center. But if Life Flight is called with an emergency by the appropriate medical, law enforcement or safety personnel, "we hook 'em, weather permitting," Duke said. When Duke first joined the then-fledgling University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 1972, one of his first functions was to develop a trauma center at adjoining Hermann Hospital. "There was a lovely emergency room, but there wasn't anything going on with it much," Duke recalled. "I didn't have the foggiest notion how we could develop a trauma center in a private hospital." In addition, Hermann sits next door to Harris County's Ben Taub Hospital, "a great trauma hospital," he continued. "I thought they were talking like they had been smoking high-grade pot or something," Duke said about those early faculty conversations. But the following year, the hospital built the John S. Dunn Helistop with money donated by the late businessman and former officer of the Hermann Hospital Estate board of trustees. "I'll never forget the day they dedicated it. I thought, 'What in the world? How can I use this?' " Duke said. The hospital had no helicopters, and even an Army helicopter pilot refused to use the landing pad - opting instead to land in the parking lot. Meanwhile, Duke heard that people living in the Cypress Creek area north of FM 1960 willingly donated money to buy an ambulance, because in the early 1970s they were far from any major hospital. "I became impressed with the fact they had done that on their own. But still, when somebody was in real trouble, they couldn't get to the medical center. We really needed something, and we really began to scratch around to find something," Duke said. By 1976, a meeting in Denver got Life Flight moving. Whitey Martin, a deputy chief with the Houston Fire Department, attended a conference in Denver and heard about Flight for Life, an air ambulance service primarily used to get injured people out of the mountains. Martin told Duke about Flight for Life because the two men had been working together in training emergency medical technicians and paramedics. "We thought: 'Let's check it out.' " Duke had to give a talk in Loma Linda, Calif., and looked over the small air ambulance program there. Then he went to Denver to examine Flight for Life. Duke returned to Houston and floated the idea to Hermann officials, who quickly approved it. The first helicopter arrived on June 15, 1976. "I had six weeks to train flight nurses, and I didn't even know what a flight nurse was," Duke quipped. The program also didn't have a name. Duke said there was a radio quiz, and someone working at nearby Methodist Hospital won $500 for coming up with Life Flight. "On Aug. 1, we went into business. And our only communication was a red telephone on the triage desk," he continued. "The first day we made three flights. We were kind of pleased with that and made 45 flights the first month, and it just started growing." Duke said he personally laid much of the groundwork with surrounding hospitals and the Harris County Medical Society to help launch the program. Life Flight has served as the prototype for nearly 40 other medical centers that have permission to use the same name. About 150 air ambulance programs operate in the country. And when asked what makes him most proud of Life Flight, he says: "There's a lot of people walking around who wouldn't otherwise be walking around." UPDATE Duke died of natural causes on Aug. 25, 2015. Memorial Hermann Life Flight, the largest air ambulance system in the United States, has served as a model for programs across the country. The service has notched more than 150,000 missions and has a fleet of six Eurocopter EC-145 twin-engine helicopters that fly within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center. The Coldspring United Methodist Men's organization hosted Patrick Clark of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter where their speaker gave an update to the organization's activities. The Coldspring chapter was founded in 2002 to further the organization's mission of providing homes for needy families. The Coldspring chapter built their first home in 2004 and have built five more homes since then. Clark is the vice president of the Coldspring Habitat chapter. He explained the organization's mission as seeking to put God's love into action. Habitat for Humanity does not provide the home for free as those who are going to be housed in them are expected to assist in the construction labor as well as pay a mortgage to cover the cost of materials. Habitat operates not as a hand out but as a hand up. One recent community project by the Coldspring Habitat chapter involved building a new porch for the San Jacinto County Chamber of Commerce office. "It really was in need," said Clark. The project had the Chamber purchasing the required materials while Habitat provided the labor. Clark also discussed Habitat's ReStore, which is their resale shop consisting of household items local citizens can purchase to use to complete home projects such as furniture, fixtures, door knobs and other necessary items. "We're getting overstocked for the space we have," said Clark. The ReStore is in need of volunteers, according to Clark, who emphasizes the need for younger volunteers to help move heavy objects that older volunteers have a harder time handling throughout the day. Clark explains that the ReStore not only provides donated materials for anyone completing projects as the funds generated from sales go to funds for a new house building project. One of Habitat's projects that can affect the local Coldspring economy is a Builder's Blitz. Clark explains that a Builder's Blitz is an event that gets different companies involved to compete and see who can build the best house. A Builder's Blitz uses local resources and therefore can help stimulate the local economy. The Coldspring Habitat chapter recently received donated land located on FM 222. "It's about a three or four-acre tract," said Clark. Clark says Habitat is still trying to raise funds for future building projects. The new property on FM 222 can potentially hold three or four new homes for needy families. The property also needs to be cleaned out before any building can begin. "Then we'll start doing the family interviews," said Clark. Family interviews are conducted to determine who will be able to get into the next new home. For more information on Habitat for Humanity or to discuss volunteer opportunities with the Coldspring Habitat chapter call 936-653-1890 or email habitatsjctx@gmail.com or visit habitat.org. Tiffany Trump has avoided the spotlight from the very beginning of her father's presidential journey and now that Donald Trump has become the president of the United States, his youngest daughter continues to avoid the spotlight. But with her recent trip to Belize with boyfriend Ross Mechanic, how could we not write about her desirable adventures. Instagram photos of the 23-year-old's ventures in Belize's beautiful jungles and crystal clear waves were shared throughout last week on both Trump's and Mechanic's Instagram accounts. Following what has been a shaky Houston economy after the oil industry crash in 2014, the Katy Area Economic Development Council has formed a strategic plan designed to grow business in the area and further stabilize markets as the downturn lingers. Named Katy 2020, the plan discusses goals in marketing, business development and competitiveness that aim to increase the growth already present in the area. "We don't want to be patient," said Lance LaCour, president and CEO of the council. "We want to be more proactive. The challenge is for us to continue to proactively recruit companies, and we will continue to do that." Using the plan as a goals-oriented guide, the council will study market trends while increasing recruitment of small businesses. It also seeks to create a pipeline of talent for the area's top businesses and leadership positions, and in doing so, increase efforts for candidates to better represent the area's diversity. Katy 2020 also outlines promotion of infrastructure funding and establishing closer relationships with local government. It's a needed plan, LaCour said, especially in the current economic climate. From 2014 to 2016, the labor market from Sealy east to downtown lost about 38,000 jobs, 22,000 of which were in the energy industry, according to the council. Since the energy industry downturn began, other industries in the area have been increasingly affected, with the largest impact having been felt by office space leasing. The area's office occupancy - the amount of office space filled with tenants - fell by 10 percent from 2014 to 2016 to approximately 86 percent, the council reports, with the most expensive office spaces being about 13 percent vacant. Mike Baker, who owns Freeway Properties, which developed the Katy Ranch Crossing office building near Interstate 10 and U.S. 90, said the building is only about a third leased since opening in 2015. Baker said he's had to offer incentives such as cheaper lease deals to entice tenants during this downturn. "When the oil crash hit, it's like someone turned the lights out," Baker said. "It's affected office space buildings all over Houston." For the Katy area, it's about building on what has already become a diversified market. In recent years, investors and corporations have poured cash into industries such as healthcare, where hospital expansions have happened at facilities such as Memorial Hermann Katy, and in retail, which has seen new shopping centers rise as developers plan for more in the near future. The council is credited with some of that success. The council reports that since 2010, more than 8,000 jobs have been created in the area. There's also been about $1.5 billion in capital investment, and the council played a role in developments such as a new University of Houston System campus that will open in Katy in 2019. LaCour said the plan will be shared with the council's partners, which include Harris and Fort Bend counties, the Greater Houston Partnership and several of the region's other economic development councils. Oil prices, while still not close to their strong numbers pre-downturn, are recovering. Baker is hopeful that Katy Ranch Crossing will be almost entirely leased by the end of 2018. To read the 15-page economic plan, visit the council's website at www.katyedc.org. One of three members of Montgomery County Commissioners Court indicted on a charge of conspiring to circumvent the Texas Open Meetings Act has agreed to testify against the other two elected officials and a political consultant in their upcoming trial, according to the attorney representing him. Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark was granted a pretrial diversion in exchange for his testimony against County Judge Craig Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and political consultant Marc Davenport, said Conroe-based attorney E. Tay Bond, who is representing Clark. Houston defense attorney Rusty Hardin, who is representing Doyal, and Conroe defense attorney Steve Jackson, representing Davenport, said they don't blame Clark for taking the deal, but both look forward to questioning him on the stand. The two also maintain their clients are not guilty. "What is interesting is they are charged with conspiring to violate the act," Hardin said. "They aren't even charged with violating it. They are charged with reaching an agreement among themselves to violate the act, and Clark knows that is not true. "Craig Doyal is not guilty. Charlie Riley is not guilty. Whatever Jim Clark says in order to help himself and save his own hide is not going to be anything that harms Craig Doyal." All four face the TOMA violation charge stemming from negotiations in August 2015 to place a $280 million road bond referendum on the November 2015 ballot. After a six-month investigation, a Montgomery County grand jury indicted the four in June 2016 on one count each of the Class A misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to six months in jail and a maximum $500 fine, if convicted. It is unclear whether a guilty verdict or plea would force the elected officials to vacate their positions. All four are scheduled to start trial proceedings March 27 in the 221st state District Court in Montgomery County. However, on Monday, Bond confirmed that Clark has worked out the agreement with the special prosecutor handling the case. According to Bond, if Clark "lives up to the terms" of the diversion, his case will be dismissed. While some pretrial diversions require admission of guilt, Bond said that is not the case with Clark's agreement. "He would be required to voluntarily complete training offered by the Texas Attorney General's Office (regarding) the Texas Open Meetings Act as required by (the) Texas Government Code," said Bond, noting that Clark then would provide documentation to Special Prosecutor Chris Downey that he completed the training. "He would have to retain a consultant to advise him and his staff on the applicability and proper implementation of the requirement of the Texas Open Meeting Act. "He will have to testify truthfully under oath in any trials concerning this alleged violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act." Downey did not respond to requests for comment. In a released statement, Clark said he believes that the special prosecutors, after reviewing grand jury testimony in its entirety, felt comfortable approaching him. "I gave a true and honest testimony to the grand jury, and I believe the special prosecutors knew the truth when they heard it and were inspired to approach me through my attorney," Clark stated. "The other conditions of the agreement are fair, and I look forward to fulfilling these terms so that we can move forward from this event." Jackson said he has never seen such an agreement in his 24 year career. "Usually, a pretrial diversion agreement typically comes with a confession," Jackson said. "However, there is no confession here. I do not believe, based on everything I have read, that anybody conspired to violate the Texas Open Meetings Act. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Everybody tried to be very careful to not do so and did nothing more than to try and benefit the county by eventually getting a road bond passed." Hardin called the agreement "a gift." "All it does is get diverted and then gets dismissed and later (Clark) can seek to have it expunged," Hardin said. "I don't have any criticism of Mr. Clark of taking the plea. I will be curious to what he has to say. We don't know what he has told them. "I must confess, I look forward to visiting with him on the stand." An Aug. 24, 2015, Open Records request by The Courier and subsequent article regarding the email communications led to the appointment of Downey as special prosecutor to investigate the case. Then-9th state District Court Judge Kelly Case, who did not seek re-election in 2016, appointed Downey after Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon requested that someone else handle the case due to some conflicts of interest involving his office. Case had the choice of hiring a special prosecutor or requesting that the state Attorney General's Office handle it, according to Downey. The information provided to The Courier showed dozens of emails between the county judge, certain members of Commissioners Court, Davenport and others, including members of The Woodlands-based Texas Patriots PAC, which negotiated the framework of the bond package with the elected officials and political consultant. No Patriots PAC member was indicted and it is not known whether any were a subject of the special prosecutor's investigation. The Courier did not receive any emails from Clark regarding the open records request. However, in the emails provided by Doyal, Bill Smith, an inspector with Clark's office, forwarded an email from O'Sullivan containing a draft of the memorandum of understanding between the PAC, Riley and Doyal. In a previous article, Clark said he provided Davenport with a hard copy of his road bond projects. The Courier requested documents between Aug. 11 and Aug. 21, 2015, because commissioners took no action on a November 2015 road bond on Aug. 11, 2015, which was the last scheduled court meeting before the Aug. 24 deadline to place a bond referendum on the November 2015 ballot. However, on Aug. 21, 2015, Doyal and Riley announced they had reached a memorandum of understanding with the Patriots PAC that opened the door for the bond referendum. At the same time, a special meeting of Commissioners Court was posted for Aug. 24, 2015. On that date, commissioners unanimously approved the referendum, and voters later passed it. The bond package did not include the controversial Woodlands Parkway extension or the Robinson Road project in Oak Ridge North. The parkway extension led to the demise of a $350 million road bond referendum in May 2015, which voters rejected due to the overwhelming opposition in The Woodlands. The Courier also requested phone logs and text messages but never received any documents responsive to that request. According to a previous Courier article, campaign finance reports show Riley paid Davenport $5,000 on Aug. 6, 2015, for a "consulting expense." Riley also gave Davenport $10,000 on May 14, 2015. Along with $5,000 to Performance Marketing on the same day. The same mailing address is listed for Davenport and Performance Marketing. Doyal paid Davenport $10,000 on May 16, 2015, for a consulting expense. In addition, Doyal paid $5,000 to County Treasurer Stephanne Davenport - Marc Davenport's wife - on May 17, 2015, for her campaign for Montgomery County treasurer. Riley contributed $2,500 to her campaign as well. Clark, Doyal and Riley all are up for re-election in 2018. This week's in-depth and investigative reporting includes an eerie story of bones found in a wall, the moving tale of conjoined twins and a look at inmate suicides in the county jail. Bones found in wall of Heights home of woman who disappeared in 2015 By Emily Foxhall @emfoxhall No one knew what happened to 61-year-old Mary Cerruti. The lawn of her west Heights bungalow grew wild. A window broke. Mail piled up. The signs of her disappearance troubled neighbors, who had rallied behind her as a hold-out against a massive new apartment complex that had gobbled up much of the surrounding property. They contacted police in 2015. One neighbor hired a private investigator. Eventually they noticed when the for sale sign went up in her yard. Still they wondered: Where was Mary? Only when the new residents started moving in last weekend did a startling possible clue surface. In a gap in the wall, the new residents found a pair of red eyeglasses - like the type Cerutti once wore - and a jumble of human bones. Parents came to Houston to save conjoined twins; now, it's time to go home By Mike Hixenbaugh @Mike_Hixenbaugh Leaving the hospital with a newborn is a moment no parent is ready for. What if the baby screams in the car? What if she won't take a bottle once you get home? Chelsea and Nick Torres have an even darker worry: What if the girls don't survive the drive? For parents of conjoined twins, even simple tasks are fraught with danger - a nerve-wracking reality the couple confronted as they packed up to leave the Texas Medical Center for a long drive home to Idaho. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Trial starts for Woodlands man charged with drug trafficking in Dominican Republic By Andrew Kragie @AndrewKragie Friends and family say 44-year-old Larry Davis had no way of knowing the Honduran who leased his boat the son of a prominent businessman in the industry would use it to smuggle nearly 1,000 kilograms of cocaine. But now the Woodlands father is biding his time in a Dominican jail, where he's facing up to 20 years in prison. Inmate suicide prompts changes at Harris County jail By St. John Barned-Smith @stjbs In a move welcomed by criminal justice advocates and experts, the Harris County Sheriff's Office is strengthening jail policies to improve prisoner safety after an inmate killed himself in the jail last month. Vincent Dwayne Young, 32, was found dead in his cell Feb. 13 after hanging himself with a bedsheet. Inspectors from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards subsequently declared the jail out of compliance with minimum state standards because jailers had not checked on Young as often as required by state law. Lawmakers, judges square off against bail bondsman in push to end cash bail for nonviolent offenders By Lise Olsen and Gabrielle Banks @gabmobanks and @chrondigger A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and judges is backing broad pretrial detention reforms in Texas that could eliminate cash bail for nonviolent offenders who are not deemed dangerous or a flight risk. Legislation introduced this week in Austin would require judges statewide to determine within 48 hours whether a defendant accused of a nonviolent crime might be eligible for a so-called personal bond based on factors such as prior criminal offenses and past failures to appear in court. Personal bonds carry a financial penalty only if a person fails to appear in court. Deported immigrant trying to adjust to life alone in the foreign land of his birth By Lomi Kriel @lomikriel Early on March 2, despite a legal appeal and a congressional inquiry into his case, immigration agents put Jose Escobar on a plane in Laredo. Three hours later, he was in San Salvador, a city he hasn't seen since he was 13, still in the work uniform he'd worn to attend an immigration appointment weeks earlier, and with only $20 in his pocket. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston lawmaker has written and submitted a Senate bill that would eliminate vehicle safety inspections in Texas. Senate Bill 1588 would repeal the act that requires Texas car owners to get an annual safety inspection. Sen Don Huffines (R) wrote the bill, but it is also sponsored by Senators Charles Perry (R), Carlos Uresti (D) and John Whitmire (D). HOUSTON SAFTY: The 25 most dangerous intersections for drivers in Houston Currently, safety inspections for cars require vehicles to be properly equipped with safety features such as functioning turn signals, mirrors, braking, etc. But the inspection also looks out for how much emissions the car is releasing into the atmosphere. Texas is one of just 16 other states that still have a vehicle inspection law and if the law passes, the action would result in a $150 million loss to the state, but a type of tax cut for Texas citizens, Huffines told KTRK. "With significant technological advances in vehicle design and technology, this 66-year-old program is a relic of the past," Huffines said in a news release. "State government is wasting Texans' time & money on the annual chore of passenger inspections when 34 other states, including populous states like California, don't require it of their drivers. Once you realize that these inspections aren't about safety, it's clear that they're simply a tax on Texans' time and money." To learn the Texas cities that are the safest drivers in the Lone Star State, click through the gallery above. STAY SANE: The 17 worst commutes in Houston ranked "When you get as old as I am," said Warren Johnson during his 100th birthday celebration at The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church, "people often think you're wiser than you are those suckers." Sitting in a chair with large numerical balloons tied to his chair, Johnson threw his head back and laughed along with the attendees. The Fellowship Room was filled on Sunday with friends and family gathered to celebrate Johnson's 100th birthday. The former Presbyterian minister was surrounded by his four children (Kirk, Mark and Jay Johnson, and Sue Davis) and other members of the extended family. In total, he has four children, eight grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and two great-great-great grandchildren-all of whom Johnson was able to visit with in the days preceding the celebration at the church. One wouldn't be able to tell Johnson's age if it weren't for the balloons tied to his chair. He lives unassisted in his own apartment in The Forum of The Woodlands, takes only one medication, just recently switched from a cane to a walker and voluntarily gave up his driver's license because the transmission on his car went bad. The secret to Johnson's longevity may be in his genes (his sister lived to 100 as well) or possibly his workout regime (five days a week), but his son Jay believes it's his positivity. "His secret to life is just being a happy person," Jay said. "I think it's just his good attitude." Johnson spent the majority of his life in the business of helping people. He served as a U.S. Navy Chaplain for roughly 16 years, worked with the U.S. Veteran's Association in Chicago, served in the Marine Corps and raised a family with his wife, Dorothy. He and his family lived in 47 different houses throughout his lifetime due to his job in the Navy. After all the big things Johnson has done, his beginning started in the small town of Bronson, Iowa-population roughly 200. While Johnson's family didn't have much money, "we didn't know we were poor," he said. The Great Depression put a hold on Johnson's college education, but after a two-year delay, he was able to go to college in Storm Lake, Iowa studying business administration. It was in college that the direction of his whole life changed. "The Lord took hold of me and said, 'I want you,'" Johnson said. "I was, at that time, pretty much in love with a co-ed there on campus and we were beginning to think about marriage." The co-ed was his future-wife Dorothy, who was studying to be a teacher. Davis, Johnson's daughter, said that at first, Dorothy wanted nothing to do with Johnson. That was until Johnson recited poetry to Dorothy on a hill to win her heart. Poetry is an affinity Johnson still has to this day. He enjoys 18th century American and English poets, like William Wordsworth and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and has absolutely no care for modern poetry. In fact, Johnson said he's even incorporated poetry into his sermons over the years. Marriage was put on hold for Johnson and Dorothy as Johnson went to study at the seminary where he made $12 per week as a student pastor. They got married on Jan. 1, 1943 after Dorothy finished her first and only semester of teaching high school-she was asked to resign, Johnson said, because schools didn't like having married teachers. It was during his second year at the seminary that an old friend from college visited Johnson and Dorothy. At the time, Dorothy was pregnant and Johnson's friend was serving as a pilot with the U.S. Navy. "The next thing I knew, he'd been shot down and lost," Johnson said, his voice cracking. "And that's the day I went down and volunteered for the Navy and became a Navy Chaplain." As a Navy Chaplain, he rode a transport ship across the Pacific roughly 40 times, traveling 7,000 miles each trip. He did this for 16 years, all the way from World War II to the Korean War, through the Vietnam War. While Johnson was in the Navy, his family moved across the nation, living in Iowa, Ohio, Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, the Philippines and more. Being in the Navy meant much of Johnson's time was spent at sea and not as much spent with his family, which he said was a challenge. Although Johnson wasn't able to be present with his children steadily, Davis said she remembers nothing but love and patience. "I couldn't have imagined a more loving household," Davis said. "He never cussed, he was able to discipline without it." After the wars, Johnson was hired as a chaplain for the Veterans Association hospital in Chicago, Ill. After spending much of their adult life in Chicago, Johnson and his wife moved to The Woodlands in 1989, quickly integrating themselves into the community. They became active with The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church, where Johnson has even given a handful of sermons over the years. After 66 years of marriage, Dorothy passed away in 2009. Soon after, Johnson moved into The Forum of The Woodlands. Roughly three years ago, Johnson met his girlfriend, Joan Brown. Brown said they enjoy talking about religion, having dinner together every night and exchanging books. She said Johnson is a "blessing to many, many people" and "he lives his faith." Now, he enjoys beating his 26-year-old grandson at pool, playing Russian Bank, reciting poetry, dancing, reading and discussing religion. Johnson's favorite Bible verse is one from the Old Testament, the King James version. While the modern version of the verse has changed slightly, it remains his favorite in either translation. "It was the scripture I used for my first sermon as a student in the seminary," Johnson said. "It comes from the Book of Romans in the New Testament, Romans 8:28 which says 'All things work together for good to those who love God.'" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ivanka Trump's products weren't always the hottest items online. In January, for instance, the first daughter's fashion line ranked No. 550 based on the number of orders from Lyst, the biggest fashion e-commerce website in the world, according to Forbes. That changed dramatically the following month. Sales of Trump's products skyrocketed in early February, making her Lyst's 11th most popular brand. The biggest spike, according to Lyst, came on Feb. 9, when sales jumped by 219 percent from the day before. Yes, Feb. 9 - the same day that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway promoted Trump's clothing and jewelry line on "Fox & Friends." "Go buy Ivanka's stuff is what I would tell you," Conway said. "I'm going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody." And viewers did, apparently. Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, said in a statement that "the beginning of February" shows "the best performing weeks in the history of the brand." "For several different retailers, Ivanka Trump was a top performer online, and in some of the categories it was the best performance ever," Klem said. More for you The list of retailers dropping Ivanka Trump's line Sarah Tanner, Lyst's spokeswoman, said increases in sales are usually tied to current events. For instance, interest in pantsuits went up by 460 percent last year because of Hillary Clinton's affinity for the style, she said. Sales of the first daughter's products went up by 86 percent in November, when her father won the presidential election, according to the company. But the brand was "largely featured" in the news in February, Tanner said. Conway gave her on-air endorsement of Ivanka Trump's brand after President Trump had complained on Twitter that his daughter had "been treated so unfairly" by the department store Nordstrom, which dropped her clothing line over slow sales. "It would not be a surprise to us if it resulted in the increase in sales," Tanner said of Conway's Fox interview. "I think that's one of the reasons the brand was largely in the news and could have attributed to this increase." Conway did not respond to an email requesting comment. Her promotion of the fashion line appeared to violate an ethics rule barring federal employees from using their public office to endorse products and immediately drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Conway's comments were "absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong" and "clearly over the line," The Washington Post reported. The White House later said that Conway had been "counseled." But concerns about her comments remain. On Thursday, the government's top ethics official criticized the White House for not disciplining Conway, The Post reported. Walter Shaub, director of the Office of Government Ethics, had urged officials last month to reprimand the White House counsel but was rebuffed. On Thursday he wrote to Stefan C. Passantino, who handles White House ethics issues as the president's deputy counsel. "When an employee's conduct violates, disciplinary action serves to deter future misconduct," Shaub wrote. "Not taking disciplinary action against a senior official under such circumstances risks undermining the ethics program." Last month, a group of law professors filed a professional misconduct complaint against Conway - a law school graduate and member of the District of Columbia Bar - partly because of her on-air endorsement of Trump's products. According to Lyst, February drew unusually large numbers of orders across many Ivanka Trump-branded products, including dresses, shoes, pants, coats, knitwear and tops. Heels were the bestsellers, followed by dresses. "We've never seen such a large uptick," Tanner said. "Typically, she's not in our top 100 sellers." Comparing February's numbers with last year's average number of orders of Ivanka Trump products shows a difference of 557 percent. (Tanner said company policy prohibits her from sharing the actual numbers of online sales.) The excitement on the brand, however, may be slumping. The company's numbers show sales were gradually tapering off toward the end of February. March does not appear to be as remarkable, but sales are still on track to be about eight percent better than they were in January, according to Lyst. The Ivanka Trump brand also appears to have weathered an aggressive boycott campaign called Grab Your Wallet, which began in October and encouraged shoppers to avoid retailers that stock Trump-branded products. Some retailers have partially or completely distanced themselves from the Trump brand. Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Belk have stopped selling Trump's branded line of clothing, shoes and jewelry. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls have instructed employees to stop promoting Trump products in stores and to move Trump clothing into general merchandise racks. Sears Holdings and subsidiary Kmart discontinued online sales of 31 items from the Trump Home collection last month, though their websites still contain items sold by third-party sellers. The collection includes living room and bedroom furniture, lamps and chandeliers. The companies attributed their decisions to product performance. Nordstrom, for instance, said sales of the brand have steadily declined, particularly in the last half of 2016. Still, despite the boycott, Trump's line of fragrances enjoyed top spots in Amazon's best-selling list last month, The Post reported. The Ivanka Trump Eau de Parfum spray was the top-selling item in the "Perfumes & Fragrances" category. The Bill of Rights was created to preserve liberty and restrain the central government. If you spend any amount of time reading the works of the Founding Fathers, you will reach the same conclusion. Unfortunately, there has been a steady attack on one of our most important rights - the right to keep and bear arms. As a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, I have introduced two bills this session designed to protect and advance these rights. In the 84th Legislative Session, we expanded the rights of gun owners to carry their firearms openly or concealed. Unfortunately, many apartment complexes and businesses have forbid access to their properties by lawfully permitted handgun owners. While I believe it is the right of the property owner to do so, I also certainly believe that such a decision bears consequences. As a result, I authored HB 556. This bill holds the property owner liable for any injury or death on their premises, that would have otherwise been deterred by a permitted handgun owner. During this session, I also drafted HB 99. Although attempts by the Federal Government to restrict the Second Amendment have been mostly unsuccessful, I believe the time has come to strengthen Texas' gun rights against such overreach. HB 99 prohibits any agency, municipality, state funded university, or any other entity of the State from enforcing Federal firearms regulations that contradict Texas law. Agencies engaged in contrary behavior can be deprived of state funds. In addition, this legislation enables an affected citizen to file a complaint with the Attorney General. Our nation was born out of a pursuit for life and liberty. I am passionate about the Second Amendment because it is critical to preserving both. State Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, represents District 15. U.S. Customs and Border Protection/AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Approximately $1.3 million in cocaine was seized in Fayette County, Texas Friday. Sheriff's deputies and K-9, Lobos, discovered 13 kilograms of the substance hidden behind the license plate of a white sedan around 12:45 p.m. at mile marker 658 on Interstate 10 in central Texas. ARRESTED: Houston man arrested after young daughters found holding cocaine Police stopped Gricelda Garcia, 37, of Mexico for a traffic violation. They said she exhibited tell-tale "criminal indicators of narcotic trafficking." Garcia allowed the officers to search her vehicle, at which point officers David Smith and Deputy Pannell found the illegal substance. Garcia was arrested on a felony possession charge but could face additional charges. She's being held on $50,000 bond. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Trophy Club Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Fox4News.com via Twitter Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Texas Game Wardens via Facebooik Show More Show Less 5 of 5 A north Texas man who went missing on a fishing trip with his 2-year-old son died after the boat propeller hit him in the head, authorities said. The body of Matthew Meinert, 38, of the Dallas-area town of Trophy Club, was found Friday in Denton Creek, according to the Dallas Morning News. His body was found about 10 to 15 yards downstream from where his beached boat had been spotted Monday, March 6. The toddler was found Tuesday morning alone. A Bellmead, Texas, man was arrested Wednesday after he was accused of harming a 4-year-old family member and assaulting a disabled good Samaritan who attempted to intervene. Bradley Santana Monrail, 29, is accused of knocking the 4-year-old boy off his bike in what he told police was an attempt to "toughen" up the child to protect him from bullying. AUSTIN -- The state Senate plans to vote on the so-called "bathroom bill" this week, advancing debate on whether Texas could be the next state to regulate which restrooms transgender people can use in government buildings. The controversial bill is expected to pass in the upper chamber, where the legislation is a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The conservative Republican has been an outspoken advocate of the bill, which he says will protect women using the bathroom. The bill's future is uncertain in the House which has expressed little appetite to regulate which bathrooms transgender people should use. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Gatestone Institute..13 March '17..Palestinian journalists are up in arms. The Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are arresting and torturing them, and imposing severe restrictions on their work and freedom of expression. But that is not what is upsetting them.No, the journalists are angry because a Palestinian daily newspaper dared to publish a paid advertisement by the Israeli authorities. The journalists are now demanding that the newspaper,, apologize for running the advertisement by the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank. 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. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Ridge View to keep on sharing The Galva-Holstein and Schaller-Crestland School Districts have reached a tentative agreement that will likely reflect Schaller-Crestlands consolidation to a single... Pipeline company sought to limit required safeguards for soil Navigator CO2 Ventures wanted to reduce its obligations to sample and restore topsoil for the construction of its proposed carbon... Amy Jackson, the 25 years old model and actress from Liverpool, has shot to starry heights in India in the film industry. Yesterday, she shared a hot photograph on her Instagram, showing off her long sexy legs. Coming on the photograph, the brunette beauty is seen sitting on sofa, showing off her hot assets in the revealing number. A pair of pointed black heels summed up her sexy outfit. She left her open opens. Pop of red lipstick added beauty to her. With over a million followers combined on her Instagram and Twitter accounts and twelve films under her belt, Amy is big news in India and recently she has wrapped the shoot of her part from upcoming much awaited movie 2.0 starring Superstar Rajinikanth and Akshay Kuamar, which is gearing up for grand release on the occasion of Diwali. Chennai, March 13 (IANS) Ahead of the highly anticipated trailer launch of "Baahubali: The Conclusion" on Thursday, its makers released a sneak peek of the trailer on Monday to entice audiences.Actor Rana Daggubati, who plays Bhallaladeva in the film, shared the 12-second video on his Twitter page. The video give us a quick glimpse of a bleeding Prabhas, who plays Baahubali.On Thursday, the film's trailer will be released in four languages - Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.On April 28, the film will have a simultaneous release in all the four languages.Also starring Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty, Sathyaraj and Ramya Krishnan, the film is about the battle for an ancient kingdom between two brothers. New Delhi, March 13: Actress Athiya Shetty, who is currently busy shooting for the romantic-comedy "Mubarakan", says she would love to be part of an actioner. The actress, who has donned a biker's avatar for the cosmetic brand Maybelline New York's Colossal Kajal product, says she enjoyed sporting the look. Asked if she would like to be part of a stunt or bike-based film, Athiya told IANS over e-mail: "Yes, I absolutely enjoyed donning the biker girl look for the TVC and, if given a chance, I'd love to do an action film as well." Athiya, who is the daughter of veteran actor Suniel Shetty, made her debut in the 2015 romantic-action film "Hero", directed by Nikhil Advani. She made her debut with actor Sooraj Pancholi. The film was a remake of veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai's directorial 1983 film of the same name, which starred Jackie Shroff. The actress will now be seen sharing screen space with veteran actor Anil Kapoor, actors Arjun Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz in "Mubarakan", which is directed by Anees Bazmee. The film is slated to hit the screens on July 28. Fundatia de Binefacere Caritas Moldova solicita oferte de pret de la companii cu privire la productie de pliante A fiery train derailment in rural Iowa that burned for more than 36 hours has at least one group suggesting that the industry should move faster to upgrade aging rail tankers. A Union Pacific train hauling 100 tankers full of ethanol from Omaha, Nebraska, derailed around 1 a.m. Friday on a trestle bridge spanning Jack Creek near Graettinger, about 160 miles northwest of Des Moines. It sent off the tracks 27 tanker cars considered by federal investigators as older, less sturdy tanks set to be phased out over the next dozen years. God forbid this happens in a community or with people sitting in their cars waiting for the train to go by. Its not like we havent seen that kind of tragedy before, said Karen Darch, co-chair of an Illinois-based coalition of local officials, called TRAC, that has pushed for rail safety enhancements. The group was formed after a 2009 derailment of ethanol tankers killed a woman at a crossing in Cherry Valley, Illinois. Darch is village president of neighboring Barrington, Illinois. There have been at least seven significant accidents involving trains hauling ethanol since 2006 that released a combined 2 million gallons of the fuel. Federal rules enacted in 2015 call for replacing or retrofitting the aging, soda can-shaped rail tankers by 2029, although most would have to come off the tracks sooner. Those that carry ethanol would have to be replaced by 2023. The derailment in Iowa happened miles from any communities, and no one was injured. The fire occasionally sent explosions and fireballs high into the sky as highly flammable ethanol fumes poured from the ruptured tanks. Officials were also concerned that tankers, which carry 25,000 gallons each, would spill ethanol into the creek that feeds into the Des Moines River. Iowa Natural Resources field office manager Kenneth Hessenius said Friday that checks of water downstream found no obvious signs of a spill, leaving officials hopeful the ethanol would burn off. Two tankers were still burning by Saturday afternoon, according to National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said. On Friday, the NTSB said the derailed tankers were believed to be an older type, known as the DOT-111. The agency deemed that tanker a hazard as far back as 1991, noting its steel shell is too thin to resist puncture in accidents. The ends are especially vulnerable to tears from couplers that can fly up after ripping off between cars. We would love to see the industry stepping up and beating the deadline the law has given them, Darch said. I dont know if someone will go back, after something like this, and take a look at whether the deadlines can be hastened, but it certainly wouldnt be a bad idea. (AP correspondent Matthew Brown contributed from Billings, Montana.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Texas tour bus hit by a freight train in a deadly crash wasnt supposed to have taken the road where it got stuck at a rail crossing earlier this week, a federal official said Thursday. National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt said the driver may have followed a GPS set for commercial vehicle use rather than directions from the tour company, WLOX-TV reported. Speaking at a news conference, Sumwalt also said two other buses apparently followed the route provided by Florida-based Diamond Tours to the casino where they were headed in Biloxi, Mississippi. In Texas, survivors and family members of the dead began filing lawsuits as more details emerged of Tuesdays crash, in which the CSX freight train slammed into the bus at a humped rail crossing on Biloxis Main Street. The NTSB official Sumwalt said a forward-facing camera on the train took clear color photos of the bus leading up to and immediately after the crash, The Sun Herald reported. Sumwalt didnt give details of what the pictures showed and said investigators havent yet interviewed the driver. He said the investigation is continuing and a team will be traveling to Dallas to meet with bus owner Echo Transportation, and to Florida to meet with Diamond Tours. A survivor said Thursday that after bus became lodged on the crossing, the bus driver yelled for all the passengers to get off shortly before the train hit. The female passenger was seated right behind the driver. He told us to get off, and he was trying to see that everybody got off, said Justine Nygren, speaking by phone with The Associated Press after returning to her Texas home. He stuck with the bus, I know that. He didnt get off when we did. Nygren said she left through the front door of the bus and walked a short distance alongside the tracks, not looking back. As she did, the train struck the bus and pushed it past her, she said. Another bus returned her and seven other uninjured survivors Wednesday night to Bastrop, Texas, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The weeklong trip was organized by a senior citizens center in Bastrop, about 30 miles east of Austin. Among the lawsuits, Mitch Toups of Beaumont, Texas, sued CSX and Echo on Thursday in a Dallas County court on behalf of survivors Darwyn and Marie Hanna. Both were injured, according to the lawsuit. It doesnt describe the injuries but said they probably will endure physical pain, suffering, and mental anguish for the rest of their life. Attorney Mikal Watts said he filed suit Wednesday against the railroad, the bus company and its unidentified driver in state court in Dallas for Peggy Hoffmans son. His lawsuit, like Toups, requests at least $1 million in damages. The two others killed were identified as Clinton Havran, 79, of Sealy, Texas, and Deborah Orr, 62, of Bastrop, Texas. Sumwalt had said earlier that the crossing on Biloxis Main Street has a hump that has caused tractor-trailers to bottom out, and the federal agency is looking into whether the steep grade played a role in Tuesdays crash. A soft drink delivery truck and a tractor-trailer also were hit by trains after getting lodged at the same crossing in January of this year and August 2014, respectively. Watts lawsuit said CSX Transportation allowed ultra hazardous conditions at the crossing, and that the Echo Transportation driver failed to follow traffic signs. The crossing has a warning sign about low clearance, topped by a graphic of a tractor-trailer stuck on a railroad track. CSX was responsible, Watts said. Instead of fixing it they put up a sign warning that vehicles could get caught. The bus driver either didnt see the sign or, if he did, went over anyway, resulting in the deaths of four good people and injuries to 25 or 30 others. CSX spokeswoman Laura Phelps and Echo spokesman John Ferrari said in separate emails that their companies dont comment on pending litigation. Phelps said Wednesday that the railroad can only work four to five feet out from its tracks on a public road, so creating a more gradual slope would be up to the city. The crossing has had at least 17 accidents involving vehicles and trains since 1976, though 11 involved moving cars or trucks including one in which an automobile hit the 38th car of a train that had stopped on the crossing. Two other wrecks involved cars which were stalled or stuck on tracks; neither report had any clarifying details. (McConnaughey reported from New Orleans.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Mandel Jewish Community Center The Mandel Jewish Community Center in Beachwood received a bomb threat Sunday for the second time in three weeks. Neither threat was credible, officials said. (Jeff Piorkowski, Sun News) BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The Mandel Jewish Community Center received a non-credible bomb threat Sunday for the second time in three weeks, administrators said. The JCC determined the threat it received via email Sunday evening was fraudulent, administrators said in an email to members. The center previously determined a Feb. 20 threat it received via phone was not credible. Mandel JCC President and CEO Michael G. Hyman and Board Chair Alan Semel denounced the threats Sunday in an email to members. "We condemn these cowardly and despicable acts and urge national law enforcement and public officials to make it their highest priority to find these perpetrators and bring them to justice," Hyman and Semel wrote Sunday in the email, which was also provided to cleveland.com. The Mandel JCC was among several Jewish Community Centers in the U.S. that received emailed bomb threats on Sunday, which coincided with the religious holiday of Purim. Also receiving non-credible threats were centers in Rochester, New York; Indianapolis, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, according to CNN. U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, a Democrat from Warrensville Heights, condemned the threats to the Mandel JCC in a statement released Sunday. "I am appalled by the second bomb threat made on the Mandel Jewish Community Center and strongly condemn this, and other, recent actions," Fudge said in the statement. "As a community, we must do all we can to reject hate in any form and ensure the safety and security of all JCCs." The Mandel JCC instituted its emergency protocols Sunday after it received the threat. Security officers searched the building and determined the threat was not credible, Hyman and Semel wrote in their email. The building was not evacuated during the search. The Mandel JCC adopted new security protocols in response to the recent threats. Those measures include closing the JCC's Stonehill entrance and installing a new visitor management system. Non-members will be asked to scan a valid photo ID and wear a name tag while in the building. More than 100 threats to Jewish Community Centers have been reported in the past few weeks. Federal officials have accused a 31-year-old man of making at least eight of the threats in an effort to harass his ex-girlfriend. The Mandel JCC was not listed in the federal complaint against the man. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. federalcourthouse.jpeg U.S. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown are looking to fill two federal judge seats in Cleveland and Columbus. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio's senators are looking to fill a federal judge seat in Cleveland, after longtime U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent assumed senior status in January. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown will create a bipartisan commission to make recommendations on who should fill the seat. President Donald Trump has the ultimate say on who will be nominated to be judge, which is a lifetime appointment. But presidents generally take the recommendations of the senators in a given state for who should assume the seat. Judicial nominees must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Portman and Brown are also looking to fill a seat on the federal bench in Columbus, following U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost's retirement in May. Information on how to apply can be found here. The deadline to apply is April 12. Trump, like all presidents before him, has the opportunity to transform the federal courts, both here and nationally. Federal judges often work hard to maintain their judicial independence, as the appointment is a lifetime one, but the federal courts have been ground zero for partisan issues such as abortion and voting rights. There are 123 vacancies in the federal judiciary as of Saturday, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Nugent, an appointee of President Bill Clinton who has been on the bench since 1995, is still on the bench. However, his taking senior status, a form of semi-retirement, opens up his seat for a new judge. In the Northern District of Ohio, more than half of the judge's seats are filled by people over the age of 60. Four of those were nominated by Democratic presidents. Eddie Vedder,Neil Young Eddie Vedder, left of Pearl Jam performs with Neil Young, right, during the Bridge School Benefit concert in Mountain View, Calif. (Tony Avelar) CLEVELAND, Ohio - For music fans who found themselves glued to everything alternative rock during the early 1990s, the 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony will seem like deja vu. Neil Young is set to induct Pearl Jam, continuing the long running friendship between the two iconic acts. Pearl Jam and Neil Young at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. Young and Pearl Jam have hopped on stage together and joined forces in the studio before. But their most legendary collaboration came at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. At the time - Sept. 2, 1993 - Pearl Jam was pretty much the biggest rock band in the world. The band would win four awards that night, including Video of the Year, for the groundbreaking clip "Jeremy." Eddie Vedder and company were also set to perform, which they did, delivering "Animal," the third single from their massive album "Vs." What followed was one of the most memorable moments in VMAs history. Young joined the band on stage with his guitar and shared a microphone with Vedder for a performance of Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." It went on for more than seven minutes. It's hard to overstate just how monumental such a performance was and still feels. Sure, the Grammys often bring together big name artists - old and young - for "once in a lifetime" collaborations. But they rarely seem natural. Pearl Jam and Young had been friends for a while before the 1993 VMAs. But their performance marked the first time their musical love affair hit the mainstream. The fact someone like Vedder, whose personality has been rumored to go from warm-hearted to volatile, and Young, who can be ornery if you push him, were friends somehow seems almost stunning. Then again, it almost makes perfect sense. These are two acts who never really seemed to give a crap what people thought of them. They were always about the music, an attitude that sometimes portrayed them as villains to haters, but made fans love them even more. The 1993 VMAs performance concluded with a barrage of guitars and Vedder obliterating the mic stand. The performance created a vibe in the arena that's representative of a bygone era when guitar-savvy rock ruled the earth. But fans in attendance at the Rock Hall Ceremony in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 7 will find themselves in a bit of a time warp. It's all but guaranteed Young will join Pearl Jam for "Rockin' in the Free World," probably at the end of the show. Fans have already penciled it in as the night's standout moment. And despite it being more than two decades after that legendary VMAs showcase, there's no way it will disappoint. Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. March 13, Saint Source: Catholic.org Saint Euphrasia (also, Eupraxia) (380 March 13, 410) was a Constantinopolitan nun who was venerated after her death as a saint for her piety and example of charity. Life Euphrasia was the only daughter of Antigonusa nobleman of the court of Emperor Theodosius I, to whom he was relatedand of Euphrasia, his wife. When Antigonus died, his widow and young daughter withdrew together to Egypt, near a monastery of one hundred and thirty nuns. This was less than a century since St. Anthony had established his first monastery, but monasticism in that time had spread with incredible speed. At the age of seven, Euphrasia begged to take vows and become a nun at the monastery. When her mother presented the child to the abbess, Euphrasia took up an image of Christ and kissed it, saying, "By vow I consecrate myself to Christ." Her mother replied, "Lord Jesus Christ, receive this child under your special protection. You alone doth she love and seek: to you doth she recommend herself." Soon after, Euphrasia's mother became ill and died. Hearing of her mother's death, the Emperor Theodosius I sent for Euphrasia, whom he had promised in marriage to a young senator. She responded with a letter to the Emperor declining the offer to marry; instead, she requested that her estate be sold and divided among the poor, and that her slaves be manumitted. The emperor did as she requested shortly before his death in 395. Another version of her biography states that Euphrasia was raised in the court of Theodosius, and that her mother joined the monastery; Euphrasia joined her as a child. The same version says that it was Theodosius' successor, Arcadius, that commanded her to marry the senator, but she was likewise permitted to remain a nun and give away her property. Euphrasia was known for her humility, meekness, and charity; her abbess often advised her to perform manual labor when she was burdened with temptations. As a part of these labors, she often carried heavy stones from one place to anotheronce she did so for thirty days at one time. Euphrasia died in the year 410 at the age of thirty. Veneration Euphrasia was said to perform miracles before and after her death. For example, she is said to have healed a deaf, dumb and crippled child, and she delivered a woman from possession by the devil. Moreover, before she died, the abbess of Euphrasia's monastery reported having had a vision of Euphrasia transported to God's throne, surrounded by angels. After her death, she was venerated as a saint. In Western Christianity, her feast day is July 24, according to the Roman Martyrology reformed after the Second Vatican Council; in the Eastern churches, it is celebrated on July 25. General Motors announced on March 6, 2017 that it was selling its European-based Opel and Vauxhall divisions to the PSA Group, parent company of Peugeot and Citroen. For Chattanoogans, the news may have jogged some memories of two different eras when Opels were sold at local car dealers. Opel was founded in Germany in 1862 by Adam Opel as a sewing machine manufacturer, later expanding to bicycles and automobiles. General Motors acquired a controlling interest in Opel in 1929 and by 1931 owned all of Opel. Both Opel and Vauxhall were operated as a subsidiary of General Motors for many years. In 1958 General Motors decided to have their Buick dealers sell the Opel to draw customers away from the increasingly popular Volkswagen. Locally, Amos & Andy Buick sold Opel beginning in 1964 alongside the much larger Buick sedans and coupes. Faced with continued competition from other import brands and demands for greater fuel economy, General Motors introduced new subcompacts such as the Chevrolet Vega, Monza, and Chevette during the 1970s. The importing of the Opel automobiles soon waned. In 2008 a second appearance of cars with Opel roots occurred in Chattanooga with the introduction of the Saturn Astra subcompact at the local Saturn dealership on International Drive. The Astra was an example of a world car with initial engineering in 1991 by Opel and re-badging under assorted brands by Buick of China, Holden in Australia, Saturn, and Vauxhall. Intended to replace the Saturn Ion, the Saturn Astra had poor sales and was soon discontinued as part of the sunset of the entire Saturn division of GM in 2009. If you have memories of the Opel Kadett or Saturn Astra, please share them by sending an e-mail to me at jolleyh@bellsouth.net. Ill update this article with some of your recollections. A Chinese flag flies outside the Google China headquarters in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010. Nelson Ching | Bloomberg | Getty Images watch now There was hope that a part of Google's business would return to China first, gradually followed by others, the lawmaker said. "The academic sector will be the first to get through," Liu said. "China's focus is on [making] academic progress, such as academic exchanges as well as [exchanges in] science and culture, instead of news, information or politics." Other Google functions under negotiation included "service functions that do not involve [politically] sensitive information," according to the lawmaker. But no timetable had yet been set for Google's return, he said. Since Google pulled its search engine out of mainland China in 2010 after a bitter spat with Beijing over its strict censorship rules, the internet giant has from time to time expressed its desire to venture back into the world's biggest internet market. China has 721 million users and the number is still growing. In 2015, Alphabet executive chairman Eric Schmidt told a tech conference in Beijing that Google was in constant dialogue with Beijing as it sought to "serve the whole of China". Alphabet is Google's parent company. watch now Although it's not currently in his plans, don't shut the door on the possibility of Mark Cuban running for president. "I wouldn't say never, but it's not my lifelong dream," Cuban told CNBC at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. "It depends on how things turn out." Cuban had some harsh words to say about Trump during a panel at the festival on Sunday. Although he agreed with his conservative economic policies, Cuban voiced vehement opposition to his conservative social stances and Trump personally. He noted he stopped supporting Trump after he "got to know him." "The economic policies of his that are pretty much traditionally conservative I like.... But in terms of him personally, he's the Zoolander president," Cuban said to a SXSW audience. At the very least, Cuban said he could do better at being president than Trump is doing right now. "Yeah I think I could," he said to CNBC, smiling. South Korean foreign policy is set for a broad revamp under the next president amid expectations for friendlier ties with Pyongyang and delayed deployment of a controversial missile defense technology two areas of paramount concern for U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when he visits the country later this week. As Asia's fourth-largest economy continues to reel in the aftermath of Friday's landmark ruling that made Park Geun-hye the country's first president to be ousted via impeachment, attention has partly shifted from Park to the question of her successor. A presidential election to replace the former leader will be held by May 9 at the latest and many political pundits say the public will elect the nation's first liberal president in a decade. The ruling conservative party, which was newly renamed from Saenuri to the Liberal Korea Party, has yet to produce a strong contender after being damaged by the Park scandal, leaving left-leaning opposition parties in the lead. Moon Jae-in from the Democratic Party, has been topping polls so far, with a 29.9 percent approval rating, according to a weekend survey of 2,046 citizens by the Korea Research Center the highest figure among presidential hopefuls. A separate survey by Realmeter on Saturday showed the Democratic Party, who has four presidential candidates in total, obtaining 45.7 percent support, the most of any political group. Traditionally, liberal governments have pursued different foreign policy agendas from their conservative peers. If such a policy shift were to occur, it would be particularly significant amid North Korea's recent missile launches and Chinese retaliation over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an anti-ballistic missile system designed to protect South Korea from North Korean weapons. Singapore's police took issue on Sunday with a Reuters report on a public protest over water price increases, saying it presented a "false and misleading" picture of the use of Speakers' Corner, a designated place for citizens to speak publicly on issues. The Reuters report said that more than 100 people gathered at Speakers' Corner on Saturday to protest against a two-step, 30 percent increase in water prices, sweetened with tax rebates to help lower-income households pay bills. Large protests are rare in Singapore, but residents are allowed to air grievances at Speakers' Corner in a small downtown park if they comply with defamation laws and avoid fanning ethnic and religious tensions. Gilbert Goh, an organizer of the water price hike protest, said in a Facebook exchange with Reuters that some people had told him they were afraid to join the protest. He did not say how many had told him this. President Donald Trump discusses the federal budget in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on February 22, 2017 in Washington, DC. Getty Images A civil war has broken out within the White House over trade, leading to what one official called "a fiery meeting" in the Oval Office pitting economic nationalists close to Donald Trump against pro-trade moderates from Wall Street. According to more than half a dozen people inside the White House or dealing with it, the bitter fight has set a hardline group including senior adviser Steve Bannon and Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro against a faction led by Gary Cohn, the former Goldman Sachs executive who leads Mr Trump's National Economic Council. More from the Financial Times: Republicans confronted by risks of Obamacare repeal Reasons to be sceptical about US climate sceptics Tillerson struggles to make his mark in Washington At the centre of the debate is Mr Navarro, a firebrand economist who has angered Berlin and other European allies by accusing Germany of exploiting a "grossly undervalued" euro and calling for bilateral discussions with Angela Merkel's government over ways to reduce the US trade deficit with Europe's most powerful economy. The officials and people dealing with the White House said Mr Navarro appeared to be losing influence in recent weeks. But during the recent Oval Office fight, Mr Trump appeared to side with the economic nationalists, one official said. watch now The battle over trade is emblematic of a broader fight on economic policy within the Trump administration. It comes ahead of a visit to Washington next week by Ms Merkel, the German chancellor, and amid preparations for a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Germany next week at which allies' concerns over protectionism are likely to be high on the agenda. The White House declined to answer specific questions about the internecine dispute. In a statement, a spokeswoman said: "Gary Cohn and Peter Navarro are both valued members of the president's economic team. They are working together to enact the president's economic agenda, protect American workers and grow American businesses." According to people familiar with White House discussions, Mr Cohn and others have seized on Mr Navarro's public comments and widespread criticism by economists of his stand on trade deficits and other matters to try and sideline him. That has led to discussions over moving Mr Navarro and the new National Trade Council he leads out of the White House and to the Commerce Department, headed by another Wall Street veteran, Wilbur Ross. watch now Mr Cohn has also been featuring more prominently in discussions over the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, one of Mr Trump's top trade priorities. After a meeting with Mr Cohn and other White House officials on Thursday, Mexico's foreign minister, Luis Videgaray, said the goal was to wrap up talks quickly and by the end of this year. That contradicted Mr Ross, who has called for deeper and potentially longer talks that could drag well into next year. Mr Navarro's case has not been helped by his interactions with Republicans in Congress. He was criticised for being ill-prepared and vague at a closed-door briefing he held with Senators last month to discuss Mr Trump's trade agenda and angered some Republicans as a result. People familiar with the White House battle over trade said that Mr Navarro, who did not respond to a request for comment, was cutting an increasingly isolated figure in the administration. He has been operating with a very small staff out of an office in the Old Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, while Mr Cohn has been adding staff to his NEC base inside the president's residence itself. Among Mr Cohn's recent appointments has been Andrew Quinn, a respected former diplomat and trade official who served as a senior negotiator during the Obama administration's push for a Trans-Pacific Partnership with Japan and 10 other countries. watch now Retailers' heated price wars may get doused with a bucket of cold water. As companies like Target and Wal-Mart go head-to-head on value, a House bill proposing a tax on imported goods threatens to undermine any progress they make. While the specifics around potential legislation remain fuzzy as well as its odds of passing the current version being pushed by the GOP calls for a 20 percent tax on products coming into the U.S. Given that the majority of apparel, footwear and consumer electronics sold in the U.S. are manufactured abroad, retailers have frequently, and vociferously, asserted that such a tax would wipe out their profits and force them to charge more. That rhetoric stands directly at odds with their promise to offer low prices every day, underscoring just how tightly they're being squeezed as they compete for penny-pinching shoppers' dollars. "In the long-run, it's not sustainable to absorb these costs," Johan Gott, a principal at strategy and management consultant A.T. Kearney, told CNBC. "Retailers don't have very large margins to play with." Yet the very real possibility of being forced into price increases hasn't stopped retailers from promising more consistent deals. At its recent investor day in New York City, Target said it would dial back its use of one-off coupons in favor of everyday low prices a phrase that's become synonymous with Wal-Mart's strategy. Like Target, the world's largest retailer over the past year has been looking at its cost structure to systematically lower prices. And on a call with investors earlier this month, a Costco executive said the club retailer, too, is moving toward an everyday low pricing model on more of its items. In Adrenalin and Stress, Dr. Archibald Hart discusses the link between stress and physical well-being. A series of high-stress events including good stress, like getting married, the birth of a child, moving into a new house as well as negative occurrences, such as the death of a loved one, losing a job, or dealing with financial setbacks, can have a cumulative effect on ones health.A couple weeks ago I experienced this. Over the span of days, in addition to my usual writing and editing routine, I faced an unusually demanding schedule of mostly good things: numerous lengthy business meetings, five long-distance phone interviews, two family birthday parties, church activities, a small group gathering, and an intense, four-hour consultation with the staff of a small company.Leading up to this, my car was hit by an SUV as I was entering a grocery store parking lot, prompting numerous phone calls to insurance companies and a visit to the auto body shop.Individuals that relish constant human interaction and non-stop activity would regard such a schedule as delightful. Not me. As an extroverted-introvert, I enjoy people and activities in small doses. As experience has shown me, overdoses of people and activity tend to move me into stress mode.This flurry of meetings and events left me mentally, emotionally and physically depleted. According to stress tables in Dr. Harts book, I had unintentionally put myself into stress overload, making an adverse physical reaction highly predictable.I share this not to evoke sympathy, but to introduce a favorite biblical character whos often wrongly accused of lacking in faith. I call him the maxed-out, pooped-out prophet. Elijah, according to 1 Kings 18 and 19, also had a stressful series of events. While mine amounted to a flurry, his was the equivalent of an avalanche.Elijah had prophesied a drought in Israel and it had not rained for 3 years. One day he confronted 450 prophets of the false god, Baal. (Maybe the very first prophet-making organization.) He suggested an unusual duel: Both sides would carve up a bull, lay it on an altar of wood, then summon their respective deities to consume the sacrifice. Outnumbered 450-to-1, Elijah graciously said, You guys go first.Their false god did absolutely nothing, despite the prophets dancing, screaming and mutilating themselves to evoke a response.When his turn came, Elijah built an altar of 12 stones with wood on the top, then dug a trench around it, filling it with water. Placing the sacrificial bull upon the altar, he decided to leave nothing to chance in proving his point. He had the sacrifice, wood and altar thoroughly drenched with water three times. Then he prayed.Immediately the Lord sent fire that consumed the sacrifice, wood, stones, soil, even the water in the trench. Witnesses, including Israels king Ahab, knew without a doubt who served the true God.Next, at Gods direction, Elijah commanded all the prophets of Baal be executed. Finally, after 1,200 consecutive days with no rain, the prophet forecast the drought would end suddenly. Despite much skepticism, soon a torrential downpour sent everyone scrambling for cover.After all this, one might have thought Elijah was on an emotional high, but when someone informed him evil queen Jezebel was out for revenge, he fled.On this point, preachers and writers have chastised Elijah for not having strong enough faith. Balderdash! He had participated in a series of miraculous events, and even though God had performed them, the prophets stress hormones must have been maxed out. His energy depleted in every way, Elijah wasnt up for another clash. So he ran.How do we know this wasnt due to disobedience or weak faith? Because God sent a ministering angel that caringly provided Elijah with food and allowed him to rest for many days before He gave him the next assignment. There was no word of rebuke during this recuperation period.Moral of the story: Were spiritual beings, and as followers of Jesus have new life through Him. But were also physical beings, and at times we encounter more than we can handle. We require renewal and refreshment. Even Jesus would withdraw at times by Himself to rest after miraculous demonstrations.God gives us the privilege of joining in what Hes doing. But when were felling tapped out, that our physical, mental and emotional resources have been used up, the Lord understands. He says, Take a break! It may mean heading for the coffee shop, taking a day off, going on vacation, or even spending a day or two in bed.Then, after weve had time to recharge, God says, as He instructed Elijah, Okay, now get back into the fray!---- A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer guides a vehicle into a secondary screening at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on February 10, 2017 in San Ysidro, California. The travelers came from across the nation, and were both naturalized citizens and people born and raised on American soil. They traveled by plane and by car at different times through different states. Businessmen, couples, senior citizens, and families with young kids, questioned, searched, and detained for hours when they tried to enter or leave the U.S. None were on terror watchlists. One had a speeding ticket. Some were asked about their religion and their ethnic origins, and had the validity of their U.S. citizenship questioned. Shibly and McCormick's experience is not unique. In 25 cases examined by NBC News, American citizens said that CBP officers at airports and border crossings demanded that they hand over their phones and their passwords, or unlock them. "I was not about to get tackled," she said. She handed it over. Within seconds, he was surrounded: one man held his legs, another squeezed his throat from behind. A third reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. McCormick watched her boyfriend's face turn red as the officer's chokehold tightened. "One of the officers calls out to me and says, 'Hey, give me your phone,'" recalled Shibly. "And I said, 'No, because I already went through this.'" Three days later, they returned from another trip to Canada and were stopped again by CBP . "It just felt like a gross violation of our rights," said Shibly, a 23-year-old filmmaker born and raised in New York. But he and McCormick complied, and their phones were searched. When Buffalo, New York couple Akram Shibly and Kelly McCormick returned to the U.S. from a trip to Toronto on Jan. 1, 2017, U.S. Customs & Border Protection officers held them for two hours, took their cellphones and demanded their passwords. But the officials caution that rhetoric about a Muslim registry and ban during the presidential campaign also seems to have emboldened federal agents to act more forcefully. DHS has published 24 reports detailing its extensive technological capability to forensically extract data from mobile devices, regardless of password protection on most Apple and Android phones. The reports document its proven ability to access deleted call logs, videos, photos, and emails to name a few, in addition to the Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram apps. The more aggressive tactics of the past two years, two senior intelligence officials told NBC News, were sparked by a string of domestic incidents in 2015 and 2016 in which the watch list system and the FBI failed to stop American citizens from conducting attacks. The searches also reflect new abilities to extract contact lists, travel patterns and other data from phones very quickly. What CBP agents call "detaining" cellphones didn't start after Donald Trump's election . The practice began a decade ago, late in the George W. Bush administration, but was highly focused on specific individuals. "This is just going to grow and grow and grow," said Senator Wyden. "There's tremendous potential for abuse here." "This really puts at risk both the security and liberty of the American people," said Senator Ron Wyden , D-Oregon. "Law abiding Americans are being caught up in this digital dragnet." "That's shocking," said Mary Ellen Callahan, former chief privacy officer at the Department of Homeland Security. She wrote the rules and restrictions on how CBP should conduct electronic searches back in 2009. "That [increase] was clearly a conscious strategy, that's not happenstance." According to DHS officials, 2017 will be a blockbuster year. Five-thousand devices were searched in February alone, more than in all of 2015. Data provided by the Department of Homeland Security shows that searches of cellphones by border agents has exploded, growing fivefold in just one year, from fewer than 5,000 in 2015 to nearly 25,000 in 2016. What most of them have in common 23 of the 25 is that they are Muslim, like Shibly, whose parents are from Syria . "The shackles are off," said Hugh Handeyside, a staff attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project. "We see individual officers and perhaps supervisors as well pushing those limits, exceeding their authority and violating people's rights." And multiple sources told NBC News that law enforcement and the Intelligence Community are exploiting a loophole to collect intelligence. Under the Fourth Amendment, law enforcement needs at least reasonable suspicion if they want to search people or their possessions within the United States. But not at border crossings, and not at airport terminals. "The Fourth Amendment, even for U.S. citizens, doesn't apply at the border," said Callahan. "That's under case law that goes back 150 years." Customs and Border officers can search travelers without any level of suspicion. They have the legal authority to go through any object crossing the border within 100 miles, including smartphones and laptops. They have the right to take devices away from travelers for five days without providing justification. In the absence of probable cause, however, they have to give the devices back. CBP also searches people on behalf of other federal law enforcement agencies, sending its findings back to partners in the DEA, FBI, Treasury and the National Counterterrorism Center, among others. Callahan thinks that CBP's spike in searches means it is exploiting the loophole "in order to get information they otherwise might hot have been able to." On January 31, an engineer from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory was pulled into additional screening upon his return to the U.S. after a two-week vacation in Chile. Despite being cleared by the Global Entry program, Sidd Bikkannavar received an "X" on his customs form. He is not Muslim, and he is not from any of the seven countries named in President Trump's original "travel ban" executive order. Half his family comes from India but he was born and raised in California. Bikkannavar was brought into a closed room and told to hand over his phone and passcode. He paid particular notice to the form CBP handed him which explained it had the right to copy the contents of the phone, and that the penalty for refusal was "detention." "I didn't know if that meant detention of the phone or me and I didn't want to find out," said Bikkannavar. He tried to refuse but the officer repeatedly demanded the PIN. Eventually he acquiesced. "Once they had that, they had everything," Bikkannavar said. That access allowed CBP officers to review the backend of his social media accounts, work emails, call and text history, photos and other apps. He had expected security might physically search any travelers for potential weapons but accessing his digital data felt different. "Your whole digital life is on your phone." The officers disappeared with his phone and PIN. They returned 30 minutes later and let him go home. CBP also regularly searches people leaving the country. On February 9, Haisam Elsharkawi was stopped by security while trying to board his flight out of Los Angeles International Airport. He said that six Customs officers told him he was randomly selected. They demanded access to his phone and when he refused, Elsharkawi said they handcuffed him, locked him in the airport's lower level and asked questions including how he became a citizen. Elsharkawi thought he knew his rights and demanded access to legal counsel. "They said if I need a lawyer, then I must be guilty of something," said Elsharkawi, and Egyptian-born Muslim and naturalized U.S. citizen. After four hours of questioning in detention, he unlocked his smartphone and, after a search, was eventually released. Elsharkawi said he intends to sue the Department of Homeland Security. The current policy has not been updated since 2009. Jayson Ahern, who served in CBP under both Bush and Obama, signed off on the current policy. He said the electronic searches are supposed to be based on specific, articulable facts that raise security concerns. They are not meant to be random or routine or applied liberally to border crossers. "That's reckless and that's how you would lose the authority, never mind the policy." The Customs & Border Patrol policy manual says that electronic devices fall under the same extended search doctrine that allows them to scan bags in the typical security line. "As the threat landscape changes, so does CBP," a spokesperson told NBC News. Since the policy was written in 2009, legal advocates argue, several court cases have set new precedents that could make some CBP electronic searches illegal. Several former DHS officials pointed to a 2014 Supreme Court ruling in Riley v California that determined law enforcement needed a warrant to search electronic devices when a person is being arrested. The court ruled unanimously, and Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion. "Modern cellphones are not just another technological convenience. With all they contain and all they may reveal, they hold for many Americans 'the privacies of life,'" wrote Roberts. "The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought." Because that case happened outside of the border context, however, CBP lawyers have repeatedly asserted in court that the ruling does not apply to border searches. For now a Department of Justice internal bulletin has instructed that, unless border officers have a search warrant, they need to take protective measures to limit intrusions, and make sure their searches do not access travelers' digital cloud data. The 'cloud' is all content not directly stored on a device, which includes anything requiring internet to access, like email and social media. Former DHS officials who helped design and implement the search policy said they agreed with that guidance. Wyden Pushes to Change the Policy On February 20, Sen. Wyden wrote to DHS Secretary John Kelly demanding details on electronic search-practices used on U.S. citizens, and referred to the extent of electronic searches as government "overreach". As of publication, he had yet to receive an answer. Now Sen. Wyden says that as early as next week he plans to propose a bill that would require CBP to at least obtain a warrant to search electronics of U.S. citizens, and explicitly prevent officers from demanding passwords. "The old rules ... seem to be on the way to being tossed in the garbage can," said Senator Wyden. "I think it is time to update the law." Asked about the Shibly case, a CBP spokesperson declined to comment, but said the Homeland Security Inspector General is investigating. The spokesperson said the agency can't comment on open investigations or particular travelers, but that it "firmly denies any accusations of racially profiling travelers based on nationality, race, sex, religion, faith, or spiritual beliefs." Explaining the sharp increase in electronic searches, a department spokesperson told NBC News: "CBP has adapted and adjusted to align with current threat information, which is based on intelligence." A spokesman also noted that searches of citizens leaving the U.S. protect against the theft of American industrial and national security secrets. After repeated communications, the Department of Homeland Security never responded to NBC News' requests for comments. Nonetheless, the Homeland Security Inspector General is currently auditing CBP's electronic search practices. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also has filed two dozen complaints against CBP this year for issues profiling Muslim Americans. CAIR and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are considering legal action against the government for what they consider to be unconstitutional searches at the border. President Donald Trump may have backed away from a critical promise to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, Democratic former New York Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman said Monday. "From my point of view, it appeared that the president had given his word to Preet, saying you're going to stay on. We didn't hear that from the president, we heard it from Preet," Holtzman, also a former district Attorney of Kings County, New York, said on "Squawk Box." "In politics, your word is critical," she said. Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whom many regard as the Justice Department's most powerful prosecutor, said the Trump administration fired him on Saturday after he refused to step down. Preet told reporters late last year that Trump had asked him to stay in his post. @PreetBharara tweet. Bharara and his office are known for their successful prosecutions of Wall Street figures, such as securing the guilty plea of Bernie Madoff's brother, Peter, for his role in the infamous Ponzi scheme. Holtzman said it is "hard to think" the Trump administration would fire Preet because he could undermine the president in the future. "Nobody really knows the answer. Could've been to get rid of Preet? Could be,'" she said. The White House has not officially commented on Bharara's departure. Reuters and CNBC's Christine Wang contributed to this report. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said Monday that Raphael Bostic will succeed Dennis Lockhart as president and CEO. Bostic, 50, will take on the role after Lockhart retired from the Atlanta Fed on Feb. 28. "We are very pleased that Raphael will join the Atlanta Fed as its president and chief executive officer," said Thomas Fanning, chairman of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. "He is a seasoned and versatile leader, bringing with him a wealth of experience in public policy and academia. Raphael also has significant experience leading complex organizations and managing interdisciplinary teams. He is a perfect bridge between people and policy," he said. Bostic said in a statement, "The Reserve Banks are vital contributors to our nation's economic and financial success. I'm excited about the opportunity to work with the Bank's well-respected staff in advancing the excellent reputation this organization has built over many years." Lockhart served in his role since March 1, 2007, and is beyond the 65-year age limit that the Fed sets for reappointment of regional bank presidents to a new 10-year term, Reuters reported. He plans on continuing to pursue his "interests in public policy, civic work and private business," the bank said. Bostic worked at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors from 1995 to 2001, serving as an economist and then a senior economist in the monetary and financial studies section. Reuters contributed to this report. David A. Grogan | CNBC Many investors follow Warren Buffett with the goal of uncovering secrets to investing. But no such secrets exist, says Larry Swedroe, director of research at BAM Alliance. Buffett has earned his success, but it's attributable to identification of key characteristics that can deliver above-market returns. These are not hidden. There is now even a term for it, which Swedroe, among others, has written about: factor-based investing. Smart investors now know they don't have to pay active managers to identify factors that can lead to outperformance. The market continues to see a huge shift in investor interest away from higher-fee active investing and into lower-cost, market-weighted core equity index funds. Investing in an S&P 500 index fund works, as Buffett reminds investors often and he has long said it's getting harder to beat. The massive outflows from actively managed mutual funds is not slowing. In 2016 index fund king Vanguard saw more net inflows than all of its active fund company competitors combined $289 billion to $244 billion. More from ETF Strategist: A critical move to make before a market correction The best options for investors seeking safety and income Why Warren Buffett violates his No. 1 rule of investing all the time But the popularity of factor-based investing and smart beta ETFs show that there are additional ways to invest without paying an active manager. Inflows to smart beta ETFs exceeded $52 billion in 2016, and total smart beta assets hit $559 billion by the end of the year, according to Morningstar. Smart beta ETFs go back at least a decade, and hundreds of options exist under the umbrella depending on your exact definition. After eight consecutive years of a bull market that has returned 250 percent for the S&P 500 since the recession ended in 2009, it makes sense to be worried about a downturn. That can make active management seem appealing. Active managers certainly want to entice investors using that fear. And down markets are when active manager tend to do better versus an index. Here are a few ideas that fall under the broad smart beta umbrella that can bridge the gap between traditional core market-weighted equity index investing and ideas more often associated with active managers. watch now 1. Get high (dividends) Dividends serve many masters: stable companies and cash flow, and uncertainty hedge, if they are not in rate-sensitive sectors. That is poised to be more important as the Fed is expected to raise rates this week. One good option is the PowerShares S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio ( ), which looks at the 75 highest dividend-yielding stocks in the S&P 500 and then invests in the 50 it deems the least volatile. Todd Rosenbluth, senior director of ETF and mutual fund research at CFRA, noted that SPHD is designed to do well in uncertain markets. But unlike active managers, the $3 billion ETF only charges 30 basis points. This fund has a healthy $3.1 billion in assets, and has returned more than 19 percent in the past year. Neena Mishra, director of ETF research at Zacks Investment Research, favors the iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO ), among all smart beta ETFs. This $1.3 billion fund charges only 8 basis points and has returned 22.2 percent over the past year. "It holds companies that have a history of consistently growing their dividends and are likely to continue growing dividends," Mishra said. "Companies with uninterrupted dividend growth record usually have solid balance sheets and strong cash flows," she said. The stability and downside protection during market downturns, in addition to growing income streams, is her focus. And the ETF doesn't have a lot of exposure to rate-sensitive sectors, so it would be a good choice for investors worried about the rising rate environment, Mishra said. Sectors like utilities, real estate and telecom outperform in low-rate environments as an equity market alternative to bonds, but when rates are rising, they lose their biggest appeal as stocks. 2. Seek less risky stocks in each sector BlackRock's iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF (USMV ) is another fund designed to minimize volatility. "You get exposure to the least risky stocks in every sector," Rosenbluth said. Though the fund is heaviest in the financial and health-care sectors, it is broadly diversified and one of the larger smart beta ETFs in total assets, at $12.4 billion. Plus, USMV charges 15 basis points and has returned 15.8 percent over the past year. "It looks good to us," Rosenbluth said. Smart beta ETFs and benchmarks ETF 1-year (%) 3-year (%) 5-year (%) iShares Russell 1000 Value 23.4 29.6 88.9 Russell 1000 21.5 32 89.9 PowerShares Dynamic Market Portfolio 19.6 20.1 91.1 S&P 500 21.4 33.8 91 Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight 20.8 28.7 91.1 S&P 500 21.4 33.8 91 PowerShares FTSE RAFI 1000 22.7 29.9 91.2 Russell 1000 21.5 32 89.9 WisdomTree MidCap Dividend 19.9 35.8 99.5 S&P MidCap 400 24.6 27.4 84.1 (Source for performance data: XTF.com; ETFs chosen based on ETF.com history of smart beta development.) 3. Base decisions on more than one investing factor The Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (GSLC ) has a low fee, 9 basis points, and that has helped it attract more than $1.5 billion since its launch in 2015. Rosenbluth said that GSLC uses a combination of factors that typically perform well value, momentum, quality and low volatility. "It's not a broad market fund, but you pay about the same in fees," he said. "These factors tend to outperform in different market conditions, and, in fact, value and momentum tend to complement each other," Mishra, another fan of GSLC, said. "By combining those different factors, this ETF has a good chance of outperforming the market over the long term." The fund has returned more than 17.3 percent over the past 12 months. Not all are very transparent and simple to understand. I like smart beta ETFs that follow transparent and easy-to-understand strategies and are not too expensive. Neena Mishra director of ETF research at Zacks Investment Research Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told CNBC on Monday that Preet Bharara's dismissal is ironic considering the U.S. attorney helped investigate him. "Preet was very much involved working with Sen. [Chuck] Schumer in trying to come after me," Gonzales, who was attorney general under George W. Bush, said on "Squawk on the Street." In 2007, Gonzales resigned as attorney general after months of questions about his competence and accusations from Congress that he politicized the office to benefit Bush. Bharara, then counselor to Schumer, investigated the dismissal. "It has been one of my greatest privileges to lead the Justice Department," Gonzales told reporters after his announcement to resign. Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whom many regard as the Justice Department's most powerful prosecutor, said the Trump administration fired him on Saturday after he refused to step down. The news came after Bharara told reporters late last year that Trump had asked him to stay in his post. @PreetBharara I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life. Gonzales said if the president no longer has pleasure in your service, you are expected to leave. "It is the kind of thing that happens all the time," he said. "The attorney general and the president ... they want their own U.S. attorneys out there." Reuters contributed to this report. investors have taken the U.S. regulators decision last week to reject listing a bitcoin-backed exchange-traded fund (ETF) in their stride and are continuing to invest in the digital currency. On Friday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission denied a request to list an ETF designed to track bitcoin, which was backed by investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The decision caused bitcoin's price to plunge about 20 percent, from around $1,287 to $1,026. However, the price for the crypto currency has since recovered back to around $1,233. The regulator's primary concern was consumer protection, according to Charles Hayter, founder of digital currency comparison website CryptoCompare. He says bitcoin has already shaken off the decision. "In some sense, the market is playing to bitcoin's strong libertarian tune saying we don't need regulation," he told CNBC via email. "There are other jurisdictions that might look to take a leap of faith into the unknown and attempt to capture new business in the digital currency sphere with their own ETFS." Following the regulator's decision, investors remain optimistic not just about bitcoin, but across the market of crypto currencies. "We're seeing not just bitcoin retaining its recent highs, but also a huge increase of liquidity into the rest of the asset class. Everything from Ethereum to Dash, Gambit, Factom and many others are breaking new grounds in the markets," Fran Strajnar, co-founder & CEO of data and research company Brave New Coin, told CNBC via email. "Ethereum volumes alone have done half of all bitcoin trading in the last 48 hours. It's never got close to this volume before." Strajnar added that he expects a lot more money will continue to pour into crypto currency assets for the rest of the year. A much-anticipated estimate of how many people would have health insurance coverage under the top Republican proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare could be revealed as early as Monday. The Congressional Budget Office's analysis also will include an estimate of the cost to the federal budget of the GOP's proposal, which is currently making its way through the House of Representatives. The nonpartisan CBO is expected to project both a sharp drop in the number of insured people, as well as an increase of hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal budget deficit over the next decade. Both forecasts by the CBO are certain to be used by a number of GOP lawmakers as ammunition to defeat the controversial bill, which they have strongly criticized despite it being touted by leaders of their own party. The estimates also will be heavily cited by Democrats who oppose not just this particular GOP replacement plan, but any legislation that would gut and replace Obamacare. The CBO's analysis likely will be an uncomfortable reminder to Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump, about the potential political perils of getting rid of Obamacare. The ACA has been credited with driving down the nation's uninsured rate to record low levels, from 18 percent of Americans in 2013 to 10.6 percent in the last quarter of 2016. Recent estimates about the number of people who would lose coverage under the Republican plan reflect the effect of the bill's revocation of the Obamacare requirement that most Americans have some form of health coverage or pay a fine, as well as the rollback of funding for the expansion of Medicaid starting in 2020. The estimated increase to the deficit reflects the bill's revocation of Obamacare-related taxes. The Brookings Institution last week estimated that the bill would increase the number of uninsured Americans by more than 15 million. And the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated it would cost the federal government an additional $600 billion over a decade. In anticipation of the CBO's estimates, backers of the bill sought to delegitimize the office's analysis. That critique of the CBO conflicts with the fact that members of Congress of both parties for the past four decades have depended on the office to provide analyses of budgetary and economic issues. "If you're looking to the CBO for accuracy, you're looking in the wrong place," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week. Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said, "If the CBO was right about Obamacare to begin with, there'd be 8 million more people on Obamacare today than there actually are." "Sometimes we ask them to do stuff they're not capable of doing, and estimating the impact of a bill of this size probably isn't the best use of their time," Mulvaney said. The bill being analyzed by the CBO was introduced last week by Republican leaders in the House of Representatives and passed by two committees. The bill is now headed to review by the House Budget Committee this week. The bill, dubbed the American Health Care Act, is being supported by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and other key members of the House, in addition to Trump. Trump, Ryan and the other leaders in the past week have repeatedly described Obamacare as a failing program that has led to skyrocketing insurance premiums, and millions of people being unable to use their coverage because of unaffordable deductibles. Trump tweeted new criticism of Obamacare on Monday. Tweet While many Republicans agreed with Trump's broad critique of the Affordable Care Act, the Republican bill has been greeted by criticism from many GOP conservatives, in addition to liberal supporters of Obamacare. The conservative case against the bill is that it does not go far enough in repealing the ACA because it would continue to issue subsidies, albeit in reduced amounts, to people to help them buy individual health insurance plans. Conservatives also do not want to delay the rollback of Medicaid funding until 2020. But in the Senate, several GOP senators have said they will not support a replacement bill that does not protect coverage gains made by Medicaid under Obamacare. Other Republican senators object to defunding of Planned Parenthood, as the GOP bill would do. Tom Price, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that, "There are a lot of people that are worse off right now when they're paying for health care and they aren't getting the care that they need." "Again, the premiums are up and deductibles are up. If you're an individual out there making $50,000, $60,000 and your deductible is eight, 10, 12 thousand bucks you may have that insurance card, but you don't have coverage," Price said. "And I hear from my former colleagues all the time about patients who come into their office and they recommend something for them, and they're not able to get it because the deductible is so high." Price also said he did not expect that the Republican plan would result in higher costs of insurance, and that he does expect an increase in the number of people with health insurance. "I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially," he said. "There's coverage that's going to go up." When asked about the Brookings Institution estimate that more than 15 million people would become uninsured as a result of the GOP plan, Price said, "I'll tell you that the plan that we've laid out here will not leave that number of individuals uncovered." "In fact I believe, again that we'll have more individuals covered," Price said. Obamacare led to unprecedented drops in the nation's uninsured rates through a combination of measures. The first measure to take effect was the provision that allows people under the age of 26 to be covered by their parents' health plans. The ACA's so-called individual mandate requires most people to have health coverage of some kind such as through a job, an individual insurance plan, Medicare, Medicaid, or military insurance or pay a tax penalty. For the 2016 tax year, that penalty is the higher of $695 or 2.5 percent of household income. Obamacare also authorized the creation of government-run insurance marketplaces, which sell individual plans offered by private insurance companies. Customers of those marketplaces, also known as exchanges, can get federal subsidies that lower the cost of their monthly premiums if they have low and moderate incomes. Lower-income customers can get additional subsidies for their out-of-pocket health expenses. Medicaid expansion has been credited with having the largest impact on reducing the number of uninsured people. More than 10 million Americans are estimated to have gained coverage through the ACA provision that allows states to loosen eligibility requirements for their Medicaid programs so that nearly all poor adults can sign up for them. Thirty-one states, along with the District of Columbia, have expanded their Medicaid programs. A Republican congressman has sparked a social media storm with a provocative tweet endorsing far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders ahead of Wednesday's general elections in the Netherlands. The tweet sent on Sunday by Iowa's Republican Representative, Steven King, was interpreted as racist by many on the social media platform, who read overtones of white nationalism in the message which read: "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." TWEET Wilders is no stranger to controversy, having raised some hackles last year upon posing the question of which 'subgroup' had done more for civilization than white people. King has also devoted substantial energies to a quest to radically reform the current interpretation of the 14th amendment of the U.S. constitution which automatically extends U.S. citizenship rights to any child born within the country. The Republican Congressman believes the children of undocumented immigrants should be denied the automatic right to a passport. King faced a media barrage after bucketing these children of undocumented immigrants as criminals back in 2013. While Sunday's tweet prompted cries of protest from some Democrats, including David Cicilline, Representative for Rhode Island who denounced the comments as "shameful", the Republican party has so far been silent on the matter. Indeed, the party seems to have been largely unfazed by the continued enthusiasm with which President Donald Trump has approached Twitter since assuming the top job in the U.S. in late January, with the party's press machine seemingly allowing Trump free rein to frequently express his views on the platform, even when controversial and despite the factual accuracy of the content being questioned on occasion. Furthermore, Breitbart News, the conservative news organization formerly headed by President Trump's senior adviser Steve Bannon, has often thrown its support behind far right political leaders in Europe, including Wilders. Despite the backlash, King's inflammatory tweet was warmly received in some Twitter circles with the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacy group tweeting, "GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!" TWEET Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. watch now As the market heads into the Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday, Jim Cramer saw major obstacles for stocks to clear this week. "I see contradictions everywhere, and I see historic moves that are based on false preconceptions, or an atmosphere that is too bullish for my tastes," the "Mad Money" host said. Cramer expects retailers to make the case that a border tax could force them to lay off thousands of people. The loss of retail jobs could overwhelm whatever jobs are created by manufacturing. Marginal retailers won't be able to keep the pace with Amazon or Wal-Mart if they have to pay more for their goods. "They will most likely not make it. That is a real risk, not a canard," Cramer said. Regardless if the tax is phased in or not, Cramer is already seeing signs in retail stock that signal tremendous losses and massive layoffs if Congress passes a border tax. An employee arranges a sneaker display at a Foot Locker Inc. store inside the South Park Mall in Strongsville, Ohio. Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images J. Jill is a recent IPO in retail that stood out to Cramer from the rest of the sector, which has been largely under pressure from changing shopping trends. J. Jill is a clothing brand targeting 40- to 65-year old women that uses data to drive its sales and has affluent, loyal customers. However it is growing fastan "outlier" compared to other retailers, Cramer said. But the challenging retail environment could dampen the success of the stock, which by most recent number trades at 24 times earnings, a huge premium to competitors like Gap. "I think J. Jill could have tremendous potential, but given the horrific backdrop, I think it might be too soon to give the stock my blessing," Cramer said. "But you wouldn't be crazy for wanting to speculate on it." Cramer pointed to two brands that have overcome the struggle thanks to strong management and focused long-term strategies. "Children's Place and Foot Locker have both been able to triumph at a time when most retailers are struggling to stay afloat, and I think these two stocks could have even more room to run," he said. Janet Yellen Carlos Barria | Reuters The strategic headquarters of Citrix Systems in Santa Clara, California. Shares of Citrix Systems ' stock popped higher on Monday, after Bloomberg reported that the company may be working with advisers on a possible sale. Citrix, an enterprise technology company, is said to be working with Goldman Sachs to sound out potential buyers on a possible sale process, unnamed people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Shares were as high as $87.99 a share, and closed at $84.93 a share, up nearly 7 percent. CNBC is reaching out to Citrix for comment. The search comes amid the well-documented rise of the super-rich in Asia and associated demand for wealth management products. Still, Lim's successor faces multiple challenges, including fierce competition for clients, fee and margin pressure and tighter regulation. DBS Group , Southeast Asia's largest bank, is looking for a new chief investment officer for its expanding wealth management division to replace Lim Say Boon, who is retiring after serving seven years, people familiar with the matter told CNBC. :The DBS Group Holdings Ltd. logo is displayed atop the company's DBS Asia Hub building in Singapore, on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. "It may be competitive, but at least it is a growing segment of the market,' said CIMB economist Song Seng Wun. "DBS is looking to get more income from their wealth management team." The wealth management business has doubled in the last five years and now accounts for almost 15 percent of DBS's top line income, Group CEO Piyush Gupta said earlier this month. DBS is targeting 20 percent growth over the next few years. Its private bank is ranked fifth-largest in Asia by assets under management (AUM). The 2016 acquisition of the wealth management and retail banking business of ANZ added 23 billion Singapore dollars ($16.3 billion) in AUM to DBS's books. Asked about Lim, DBS spokeswoman Edna Koh told CNBC the bank did not respond to rumors and "nothing is imminent." "Succession is a consideration but Say Boon remains the CIO for the consumer banking group and wealth management at DBS Bank for the foreseeable future," she added in a follow-up statement. A popular, urbane and well-respected figure in Asia's wealth management industry, Lim, 60, was appointed CIO for DBS's wealth management business in July 2010 and joined the Singapore bank from Standard Chartered. "He's going to be hard to replace," one private banker said. The bank is understood to have interviewed both local and international candidates for the role, but the recruitment process is believed to be taking longer than usual. "All I heard is it's a real struggle," said one banker who asked to remain anonymous. "They have also been reluctant to sign up head hunters so (it's) a bit chaotic." As such, Lim has agreed to continue to work with DBS in an advisory capacity, or possibly a mentoring role, until a permanent successor is found, CNBC understands from conversations with private bankers. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. watch now The Netherlands will head to the polls on March 15 to elect its next prime minister. The vote is the first of several to take place across Europe this year and is seen as something of a bellwether for political sentiment on the continent. Could Wednesday's vote see the Netherlands succumb to the populist attitudes that characterized the 2016 and U.S. election? Here's everything you need to know. Main candidates A total of 28 parties are vying for a chance to form a new Dutch government. The Netherlands is a fractured political environment, based on proportional representation or fair shares for all which means that a coalition government is always necessary. With 150 seats up for grabs in the Dutch parliament, and 76 required to form a majority, the incoming government is likely to be made of at least four to six different parties. Here are the front-runners among them. VVD People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (40 seats) Led by current Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte -- the Liberal Party has held a majority in the Dutch government since 2012. PvdA Labour Party (35 seats) The Labour Party is headed by Lodewijk Asscher, who is current Deputy Prime Minister but has faced criticism for his austerity measures. SP Socialist Party (15 seats) The Socialist Party is led by Emile Roemer and focuses on policies including affordable healthcare. CDA Christian Democratic Appeal (13 seats) Sybrand van Haersma Buma leads the Christian Democratic Appeal party and recently sought to follow PVV's Geert Wilders in building on EU disillusionment, voicing aims for significant reform of the union. PVV Party of Freedom (12 seats) Euro-skeptic Geert Wilders heads up the populist Party of Freedom, which has gathered momentum among Dutch voters in this year's campaigning, capitalizing on growing nationalist and anti-Islamic sentiment. Jasper Juinen | Bloomberg | Getty Images D66 Democrats 66 (12 seats) Alexander Pechtold is vying to increase the Democrats' stance in government with policies including legalizing the production of weed, a subject of continued debate in the country. GL Greens (4 seats) Thirty-year-old Jesse Klaver heads the Green Party, which has garnered appeal among younger votes. What the polls say The latest Dutch polling indicator Peilingwijzer shows the Liberals in the lead, set to win 23-27 seats. Wilders, who was previously seen at the top of the polls, appears to have lost momentum in the final week. However, his Freedom party is poised to secure the second-largest number of seats, around 21-25. With an estimated 18-20 seats, the Christian Democratic Appeal look set to come in third position, followed by the Democrats 66 (17-19), the Greens (15-17), the Socialist Party (14-16) and Labour (11-13). Church of St Nicholas and canal in Amsterdam. Richard L'Anson | Getty Images What does this mean for the Netherlands? Based on the current figures, at least five parties will need to team up together to reach the 76 seats required to form a coalition government. While Rutte's Liberals ostensibly appear to secure a majority of votes, his success in government will be dependent on striking an allegiance with other parties. The same applies for Wilders' Freedom party. Rutte has previously ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition with Wilders, who was previously a member of the Liberal party until 2004. Other parties have been somewhat less definitive about their intentions, however, Wilders' anti-EU policies stand at odds with many of the other main players. The most likely outcome currently looks to be a coalition between the four parties that cover the center spectrum Liberals, Christian Democratic Appeal, Democrats 66 and Labour but the probability is that they will have to strike an allegiance with a fifth and, given the shock election results of 2016, all bets are certainly not off. Impact on bonds Dutch 10 year bonds have been steadily recovering over recent months, having suffered a fall at the start of the year. However, the past month has continued to be volatile and investors will be watching closely to see the impact of the election on returns. Voting day Dutch voters will go to the polls on Wednesday March 15 and have until 9pm to vote for their preferred leader. The results Results will be counted and announced overnight. It is anticipated that there will be a clear indication of the winner by 5am or 6am local time. However, it can take days, weeks or even months for Dutch parties to agree on a coalition. The stars of European Union (EU) membership sit on a euro sign sculpture outside the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany. Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty Images What does this mean for Europe? While the final coalition decision will be important for Europe and its continued EU-relations, the outcome of the leadership race will also have particular significance for France and Germany, which are also both holding general elections this year. Should Wilders gain a stronghold among voters, the rest of Europe is likely to face an uneasy wait to see how this populist sentiment translates across neighboring countries. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: MobilEye Intel announced a deal to buy the provider of autonomous driving technology for about $15.3 billion, or $63.54 per share in cash. Yahoo Yahoo named its post-Verizon deal executive team, with board member Thomas McInerney serving as CEO and Alexi Wellman filling the CFO position. CEO Marissa Mayer will remain up until the deal's closing, upon which the company will be renamed "Altaba." Boeing The jet maker's shares were downgraded to "equal weight" from "overweight" at Morgan Stanley. The firm makes the call on a valuation basis, noting a 40 percent jump in Boeing shares since mid-2016 and earnings potential largely unchanged. Gartner The technology research and advisory company was upgraded to "top pick" from "outperform" at RBC Capital, based on its January acquisition of technology practices advisor CEB. Navistar Carl Icahn increased his stake in the truck maker to 17.02 percent as of March 10 from 16.61 percent as of February 28. Icahn has been involved with Navistar for years and at times his stake has been higher than it is now. Dish Network The satellite TV company announced it would issue at sell $1 billion in convertible notes due in 2024 to a group of institutional investors. BlackRock The asset manager plans to unveil new "engagement priorities" in documents to be posted on its website today. Reuters reports the firm will put pressure on companies to define their stances on issues like board diversity and climate change. Ford The automaker's Lincoln luxury car unit is planning to produce luxury SUVs in China by late 2019. Currently, Lincoln vehicles are imported into the country, with sales nearly tripling this past year. Amgen The biotech firm will release data later this week of a study on its Repatha cholesterol drug. The data will detail how much the injectable drug will cut heart attack risk in people already taking the maximum dose of other cholesterol drugs. HSBC HSBC hired an outsider as its chairman for the first time in its 152-year history, naming AIA Group Chief Executive Mark Tucker to the post. One of Tucker's first duties will be to lead the bank's search for a new CEO. Amec Foster Wheeler The company is the target of a takeover bid by rival oilfield services company John Wood Group. Wood is offering $2.7 billion in stock for the company, representing a premium of about 15 percent above Amec Foster Wheeler's Friday close. Urban Outfitters , Frontier Communications , and First Solar These stocks will move from the S&P 500 to the S&P MidCap 400, following the announcement by S&P of new market cap guidelines. They'll be replaced in the S&P 500 by Advanced Micro Devices , Raymond James Financial , and Alexandria Real Estate Equities . American International Group AIG was downgraded to "sell" from "hold" at Deutsche Bank, which cut its price target on the insurer's stock to $57 per share from $61. That follows the announcement last week that President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Hancock would resign as soon as a successor is found. AIG shares have fallen for the past five sessions in a row. GameStop The video game retailer was cut to "market perform" from "outperform" at Telsey Advisory Group. Telsey said its prior thesis that the decline in GameStop's physical video game business would be slower than anticipated has not played out. Vodafone Vodafone is planning to add 2,100 customer service jobs in Britain over the next two years, as the mobile company tries to recover from issues related to a new billing system. General Electric shares on Monday gave up most of their gains from Friday when a report of a possible early retirement by CEO Jeff Immelt , spurred on by activist investor Nelson Peltz of Trian Partners, sparked a rally in the industrial conglomerate. A JPMorgan analyst was behind the decline Monday after saying the company would need more than just a change at the top to turn around the underperforming stock. "Further discussion of a CEO transition does not change our standing view that GE is an expensive stock, and we believe that a change would likely bring with it an imminent reset that would further reinforce our thesis," wrote JPMorgan's Stephen Tusa on Monday. The "facts are cash is weak, margins/share of customer wallet are already at entitlement, the sum of the parts valuation points to a low 20s stock price, not even considering tax and GE corporate accounting dis-synergies, with businesses that are too big to be take-outs, in our view." Tusa rates GE underweight with a $29 a share 12-month price target. The shares were down a little more than 1 percent in midday trading on the NYSE. GE has fallen 5 percent so far in 2017, badly trailing the market and other industrial stocks. "We don't usually comment on Friday afternoon rumors, but we are getting asked our view," said the analyst. "With fundamental performance that is decidedly weaker than what Sell Side Bulls have been pitching for the last two years (an activist for about 18 months), we understand why they are now turning to the potential for CEO change as a possible catalyst for the stock in classic Sell Side parlance, 'the problem is management, not my stock call.'" But Tusa believes it comes down to a company that is simply too big and not generating the kind of free cash flow growth like other industrial conglomerates such as Danaher . GE's free cash flow yield, which compares cash generated to market value, is 3.5 percent, far below the 5.9 percent average for the group, according to JPMorgan. "Discussion of a move by an activist, who owns < 1% of the company, is a rerun of the case made two years ago, except coming after a thesis that has not worked," wrote Tusa. He added, "This is not necessarily because of execution or something the CEO has done wrong, but because of the stubbornly low growth and secular challenges embedded in end markets where a company of this size is forced to play, as evidenced by limited profit growth despite $8B of restructuring and significant gains since 2012." Jeff Immelt Udit Kulshrestha | Bloomberg | Getty Images Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) signs legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and to cut off federal funding of Planned Parenthood during an enrollment ceremony in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol January 7, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Republican plan to overhaul Obamacare could have a dire impact on hospital finances, some health care experts warn, creating serious concerns about patient safety and health care quality. Josh Sharfstein, a pediatrician and former top health official for the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland, says the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) goes far beyond expanding health insurance coverage to millions of Americans so they can get the treatment they need. That insurance reimbursement also helps keep hospitals afloat, he says. "It's underappreciated how much the ACA has focused the health care system on delivering a higher quality of care. This could easily be lost," says Sharfstein, now a professor and associate dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "The consequences of hospitals being under financial distress include closing all together, stopping particular services that may be very necessary to the community and struggling to maintain quality of care." More from USA Today: Feds reverse course, will release hospital mistake data Obamacare repeal and replacement plan riles patients, hospitals Deadly 'superbugs' invade US health care facilities All of the major hospital groups, including the American Hospital Association and those representing children's hospitals and psychiatric hospitals, came out against the new legislation last week. They cited the number of low income people who would become uninsured due to changes in the Medicaid program, as well as cuts in subsidies to those with ACA individual plans. However, some suggest hospitals are being unduly alarmist about the effect the proposed Obamacare replacement law the American Health Care Act could have on hospitals' ability to provide quality care. "It's an attempt to get more money from the taxpayers through this legislation," says James Gelfand, senior vice president for health policy at the ERISA Industry Committee, which represents major employers on benefits issues. Joe Kiani, founder and CEO of the medical technology company Masimo, founded the Patient Safety Movement Foundation in 2013 to prod hospital systems into reducing the number of preventable injuries and deaths through collaboration and public commitments. His mission was buoyed by the ACA. "When we talk about 125,000 lives being saved because of the ACA, we're completely talking about the very proactive provisions of the ACA" that helped boost quality and safety, says Kiani. For example, the ACA established penalties against hospitals when Medicare patients have to be readmitted within 30 days of a procedure. It also beefed up Medicare penalties against hospitals that have so-called "never events" those serious, preventable hospital incidents like pressure ulcers that should never happen. Since the foundation's launch, the number of deaths it says have been prevented when hospitals met safety commitments has increased from 60 in 2013 to an estimated 33,500 lives saved in the U.S. in 2016. These numbers also reflect the doubling of safety commitments every year, At the foundation's fifth annual summit last month, for example, 3,526 companies made safety commitments, up from 1,624 last year. The quality and safety of hospital care are top priorities among the ERISA Industry Committee's employer members, Gelfand says. In January, the committee's board set as a top priority the movement away from health care that pays for the number of treatments instead of the quality of care. "Unless we're able to maintain progress in this space we'll never saturate the market with the kind of improvement that's needed," says Gelfand, a former Republican congressional aide. "There's a very legitimate open question as to where (Health and Human Services Secretary Tom) Price is going to come down on this question regarding quality and safety in the federal health programs and the amazing progress made in the past seven years," That progress has included a 50% reduction in serious safety events in the last five years at the MedStar Health hospital system based in Maryland. There are financial savings in other areas. When you have "less bad care, you don't have to waive bills" for patients' procedures, says David Mayer, MedStar's safety and quality chief. "You want to really piss someone off? Operate on the wrong side of their body and send them a bill, says Mayer. President Donald Trump's advisor Kellyanne Conway on Monday sidestepped questions about whether any evidence backs Trump's explosive claim that President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on him ahead of the 2016 election. Top lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee asked the Justice Department to turn over any information showing that Trump Tower was wiretapped by Monday. Trump made the claim earlier this month without citing evidence, and bipartisan members of Congress have cast doubts on it. In a series of morning show interviews, Conway, a counselor to Trump, did not cite any specific information to back the accusation. She said the White House wanted to see how investigations in Congress played out. "I'm not in the job of having evidence. That's what investigations are for," she told CNN's "New Day." She echoed that sentiment in a "Good Morning America" interview, saying she had "no evidence" to back Trump's claim and deferred to the findings of the congressional intelligence committees. On NBC's "Today," she said the White House did not want to comment on the issue more until it saw what lawmakers concluded. Trump has faced harsh criticism for accusing the Obama administration of wiretapping him without citing any evidence. An Obama spokesman has flatly denied that the former president did so. A House Intelligence Committee scheduled for next Monday may provide more clues about Trump's allegations and the ongoing investigation into whether any Trump campaign associates had contact with Russian officials. FBI Director James Comey, who reportedly asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trump's wiretapping accusation, is invited to testify. The U.S. intelligence committee previously concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 election and developed a preference for Trump. The president's wiretapping accusation followed increasing pressure on his administration about contacts between his top advisors and Moscow. Border wall? Maybe we don't need a wall after all. Illegal Mexican border crossings to the U.S. went down 40 percent in President Donald Trump's first month in office, Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said recently. Oh, and it's all happening before we have even a blueprint for that "big and beautiful" border wall President Trump keeps promising us. And the reason is simple: The fear of a crackdown on illegal immigrants can be greater and more powerful than a wall. Remember that an illegal border crossing into the U.S. is risky enough, but if the chances of getting deported once inside the country have just gone up significantly, it starts to look like a much better option not to try in the first place. Think about what happened in 2014: Fueled by rumors and false news reports, tens of thousands of Central American migrants trekked across Mexico under the false belief that the Obama administration had essentially opened the U.S. border to young people. The U.S. apprehended as many as 68,000 of them, but the deluge did not subside until President Obama called it an "urgent humanitarian situation" and the actual U.S. position on the matter was clarified in the American and Central American news media. That leaves us with the obvious question: If simply promising to crack down on illegal immigration works so well, why do U.S. taxpayers need to foot the bill for a new border wall project at all? The answer is we probably don't. If curbing illegal immigration is really the goal, that is. But now that President Trump and others have called for building the wall also as an important jobs and infrastructure project, there are other factors at play. So don't bet against that wall just yet. And it isn't all about politics. To be clear, a key part of the ongoing deterrence of illegal immigration and illegal border crossings of any kind is improving its physical security. Tough talk on deportations needs to be backed up with action from time to time to keep that message alive and potent. Plus, President Trump and his supporters would like to see something that resembles more permanent border security that would survive beyond his presidency. But the current price tag according to Senate Majority Mitch McConnell is $12 billion to $15 billion. And as long as this reduced illegal border crossing trend continues, the Trump administration will have the luxury of scoring enough political points with a smaller and less expensive project. Reduced illegal immigration to the tune of 40 to 50 percent would justify that without handing the Democrats and other Trump opponents the "victory" of getting the project scaled down. Maybe that was the Trump team's plan all along: Promise a big wall and mass deportations, reap the benefits of reduced illegal immigration, and then green light only token changes after that reduction becomes more widely reported. But either way, the first month of the Trump presidency has taught us all something very important about the power of messaging compared to the power of actual policy. So far, it's Messaging 1, Policy 0. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday with her delegation bolstered by some high profile German business figures. Merkel is arriving in the U.S. Monday flanked by the CEOs of automaker BMW and industrial firm Siemens as well as representatives of other German companies with American operations. Both men will want to stress the number of U.S. jobs created by their firms but face the recent backdrop of a U.S. administration that has been less than complimentary about German trade. Trump's top trade representative has openly complained about Germany's use of the euro to undercut U.S. brands. In January, Trump himself suggested to Germany's largest newspaper that a tariff on BMW imports could be in order. "I would tell BMW if they want to build a factory in Mexico and sell the cars in the U.S. without paying a 35 percent tax, then they can forget about it," Trump told Bild. Subsequently, BMW Chief Executive Officer Harald Krueger defended the importance of free trade and highlighted that BMW employs 70,000 people in the United States. "Free trade has only made this success story in the U.S. possible -- 70 percent of the automobiles produced here are exported," Krueger said at a conference in February. Krueger will accompany Merkel on her U.S. trip alongside another heavyweight ally, Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser. Here are the new business licenses from the County Clerk's office: 4TH AVENUE CORNER STORE 2800 E 4TH AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, TN 37406 550 CONSTRUCTION LLC VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402 ARMOR EXTERIORS 2531 CROSS WINDS LN CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 ARTIST RESIDENCY CHATTANOOGA LLC 1400 WISDOM ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37406 BASECAMP 346 FRAZIER AVE CHATTANOOGA, TN 37405 BEES ON A BICYCLE 1909 MARKET ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37408 BOBBY RYAN MARKETING 1308 ALETHEA DR HIXSON, TN 37343 C&L FLOORS & JANITORIAL 1721 DALLAS LAKE RD SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 CARGON USED CARS 4702 DAYTON BLVD RED BANK, TN 37415 COULTER & COMAPNY VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402 . DCBLOX-TN INC 807 E 16TH ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37408 DIVERSIFIED LANDSCAPE 4817 NORTHWIND DR CHATTANOOGA, TN 37416 DUC WOODWORKS 1507A WATERHOUSE ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37412 FRONTIER AXE AND TOOL 803 FAIRMOUNT AVE SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, TN 37377 HTS HOWARD TRANSPORTATION SERVICE 312 MCBRIEN RD STE 5108 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37411 IRRIGATION SERVICES 605 NORTH BROOK DR HIXSON, TN 37343 JC CONSTRUCTION VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, GA 37410 JSR CONSTRUCTION INC 8386 GLENSHIRE LN CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 JUDAHSHOP LLC 3829 WINDTREE DR SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, TN 37377 KATY HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY 13251 EMERALD CREEK CIR SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 . LOVE TO LEAVE GETAWAYS 4703 ROLLING GREEN DR OOLTEWAH, TN 37363 LOVE YOUR LIPS 886 BROOKE STONE DR SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 M&L STEEL CONSTRUCTION LLP VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, TN 37401 MAKE BELIEVE GIFTS 4504 S CHOCTAW DR CHATTANOOGA, TN 37411 MELLOW MOMENTS MASSAGE THERAPY VARIOUS LOCATIONS HIXSON, TN 37343 NOOGA-T BOOGA-T THINGS CHATTANOOGA & MORE 2700 BROAD ST STE 132 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37408 ON THE GO LAWN CARE 2277 VIRGIL LN SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 ONSITE PLUMBING 1408 VITTETOE RD CHICKAMAUGA, TN 30707 PAM PARTNERS LLC 605 CHESTNUT ST STE 1010 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37450 PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #2055 9408 APISON PIKE OOLTEWAH, TN 37363 . PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #2076 5942 HWY 58 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37341 PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #279 3908 HIXSON PIKE CHATTANOOGA, TN 37415 PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #4357 2700 S BROAD ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37408 PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #444 7000 LEE HWY CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 PAPA JOHNS PIZZA #746 6210 HIXSON PIKE HIXSON, TN 37343 PETCLOUD LLC 3431 HALL ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37415 PHANTOM FIREWORKS 6515 RINGGOLD RD EAST RIDGE, TN 37412 ROOST RACING LLC 504 YOUNG AVE CHATTANOOGA, TN 37405 SARATOGA TECHNOLOGIES INC 7694 E BRAINERD RD CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 SODDY DAISY HEATING & AIR 2227 GREENPOND RD SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 . SQUARE ONE REALTY LLC 407 EAST 5TH ST STE B CHATTANOOGA, TN 37403 SWISS BLISS MATTRESS COMPANY 1265 EAST 13TH ST CHATTANOOGA, TN 37408 TAZ CONSTRUCTION 2735 HARRISON PIKE CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 TEAM GREEN LOGISTICS LLC 907 CHESTNUT WOOD LN CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 THE NAIL BAR 220 HAMILTON PLACE BLVD STE 6-2 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 TINDALL CORPORATION VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402 TOSCANO ITALIAN GRILL 6219 LEE HWY STE 129 CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421 TRIMMIN FOR A LIVIN LLC 289 BRUMLOW HOLLOW RD SODDY DAISY, TN 37379 TUCKER SEARCH GROUP 8574 SEVEN LAKES DR OOLTEWAH, TN 37363 UNIVERSAL GARAGE DOOR LLC 3615 AL HWY 68 GAYLESVILLE, AL 35973 . US SMOKE & FIRE CORP VARIOUS LOCATIONS CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402 For many countries, taking steps to achieving sustainable development over the next decade has become a priority, and one scientist suggested to CNBC that having more women in scientific fields and research could speed things up. Science is the basis for sustainable development, according to Nisreen El-Hashemite, founder and president of Women in Science International League. "We need to empower women in science, and to achieve parity in science, if we want to transform our world in 2030," El-Hashemite told CNBC's "The Rundown." One of the highlights of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, is the importance of maximizing the potential of women and girls through access to education, economic resources, political participation and providing them equal opportunities for employment, leadership and decision-making at all levels. El-Hashemite is a medically trained doctor and scientist and is also a member of the Iraqi royal family her grandfather, King Faisal I, was the first king of modern Iraq. While science and scientific research can lead to new discoveries that can help with achieving sustainable development, the field remains dominated by men. Data from UNESCO Institute of Statistics, as of July 2015, indicated women constituted a minority in the research world, had less access to funding than men and tend to be less represented in prestigious universities and among senior faculty. This put them at a disadvantage when it comes to high-impact publishing of their research. The Northeast is bracing for a historic late winter storm that is forecast to bring blizzard conditions, damaging winds and the heaviest snowfall the region has seen all season. New York City, Boston and Philadelphia are set for up to one foot of snow lasting from late Monday through Wednesday and interior areas could see up to two feet. More from NBC News: The week in pictures: March 3 - 10 Late wintry wallop targets 39M from Ohio to Cape Cod Record wildfires in southern plains could keep growing through weekend But the most dangerous part of the storm will come Tuesday morning when the snow combines with wind gusts of 55-70 mph, threatening power outages and minor damage from falling trees. "This is when the snow will be falling so hard and blowing around so much cars and trucks will be at risk of getting stranded," NBC News meteorologist Bill Karins said. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch for New York City and parts of northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut, while winter storm warnings and watches were issued for the remainder of the Northeast. The heaviest snowfall is expected Tuesday morning through the afternoon, with snowfall rates of as much as 2 to 4 inches per hour. @BillKarins IF #NYC see's over 18.1" of snow it will make top 10 all-time recorded snowstorms. Even more crazy, then 7 out of top 10 be since 2003 A coastal flood watch was issued for Brooklyn, Staten Island and southern Queens for Tuesday morning, NBC New York reported. According to The Weather Channel, 36 winter storms since 1869 have produced a foot or more of snow in New York, but only four happened in March most recently March 3-4, 1960. "This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City," said Faye Barthold, a NWS meteorologist based on Long Island. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and help keep the roads clear for sanitation crews and first responders. "We're preparing for a significant storm on Tuesday, and New Yorkers should also prepare for snow and dangerous road conditions," de Blasio said. @weatherchannel Winter Storm #Stella moving from the MW to the NE. Heavy snow, gusty winds, low visibility, #blizzard & coastal flooding @weatherchannel app John DiMarco was thrilled to get the last snowblower at his New York City-area Lowe's. "Hopefully, it is not as big as they are saying," DiMarco told NBC New York. "I have a snowblower at home that doesn't work, and now I'm here. I don't want 18 inches of snow my back can't take it." In Cranston, Rhode Island, store crews left winter gear on the shelves even as they stocked up on spring products. "I was thinking we should be on a beach with a pina colada" Marie Carpinelli said as she shopped at an auto store. "I was getting ready for spring, but it doesn't seem like it wants to cooperate," Carpinelli told NBC station WJAR of Providence. @gdimeweather Winds a BIG concern along New England coast Tuesday. Making matters worse, high tide is right around time shown in graphic #costalflooding Washington, D.C., will also catch up on some snow after it saw only 1.4 inches all season quite a bit less than its typical 16 inches. This storm will bring the city to a halt with 8 to 12 inches of snow, and it could threaten the city's cherry blossom blooms. The National Park Service said the low temperatures could cause the blossoms to lose about 10 percent of their blooms. They had previously forecast that the oddly warm February would cause peak bloom from Tuesday through Friday. Don't expect the weather to change for the better after the storm, either the wintry chill is going to last for a while. "Behind the system a lot of the Northeast will stay cold," said Sherri Pugh, a meteorologist for NBC News. "It's not like we have these great warm temperatures behind it we're going to stay chilly." @weatherchannel Here are 5 things to know about Winter Storm #Stella: http://wxch.nl/2mBBNm5 It was a rough week for the crude oil market. After months of relative price stability, with WTI oil prices pinned between $50 and $55 per barrel, the floodgates of selling opened wide, as the record amount of long positions that was built up by speculators over the preceding weeks was, quite obviously, liquidated, as evidenced by sky-high volume in both futures and option contracts. There were several catalysts: Crude oil inventories in the United States hit a new, record level, according the Department of Energy's weekly status report, which also showed U.S. oil production rebounding to within five percent of last year's record to nearly 9.1 million barrels per day. Of course, the steadily rising oil rig count indicates that even more production is on the way, and it is not impossible to foresee overall production rising toward 10 million barrels per day over the course of the next 12 months. There was also a large gathering of global energy interests in Houston, Texas this week that included officials from several OPEC countries and Russia. Statements by Saudi Arabia's oil minister and OPEC's Secretary General were hardly reassuring about them continuing the current production limiting accord, after June 30, when it is set to expire. The Saudi oil minister explicitly said that the accord adherents would not abide "free-riders," which is how he referenced the shale producers, in particular. Apparently, sideline discussions among this disparate group was even more pointed. The production deal has been shouldered almost entirely by Saudi Arabia. If you take out their over-compliance, the OPEC compliance rate with the cutbacks is under 50%. Up until this week, rosy rhetoric about limiting output from OPEC and Russia, among others, lifted prices and kept them elevated. At one point, a run at $60 per barrel looked possible, if not likely. Not anymore. It is natural to think that the renewed sell-off would harden the resolve of producers to limit production, and restore the market balance, but that looks increasingly unlikely. Crude market sentiment is under pressure as OPEC sends mixed messages about its deal to cut oil output, according to Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reached a historic accord with 11 other exporters late last year to reduce total production by 1.8 million barrels a day in a bid to reduce brimming stockpiles of crude. That lifted oil prices firmly above $50 a barrel until last week, when the cartel's united front began to fracture at CERAWeek by IHS Markit, one of the world's most closely watched energy industry conferences, Croft said on Monday. "What had been sort of working against the sell-off had been OPEC having very strong message discipline. For most of the year, they just kept coming out and saying, 'We've got this. Compliance is great,' and then it starts to break down at CERAWeek," she told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Monday. Top OPEC exporter Saudi Arabia once vowed to defend the accord at any cost, but the kingdom's oil minister expressed disappointment in Russia's output cuts at CERAWeek and warned that Riyadh would not underwrite other countries' investments at its own expense. Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister Of Scotland has announced that she will start proceedings for a second Scottish referendum on independence. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivers a speech during a media conference at the Scotland House in Brussels as she is on a one day visit to meet with EU officials, on June 29, 2016. The Scottish leader said she expected a referendum to take place sometime between fall next year and spring 2019. In a speech in Edinburgh, the First Minister said that the language of partnership from the United Kingdom had "gone completely" in relation to Scotland's view on Brexit. "Scotland stands at a hugely important crossroads," she told reporters in Edinburgh. "On the eve of Article 50 being triggered, not only is there no U.K.-wide agreement on the way ahead the U.K. government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement. "All of our efforts at compromise have been met with a brick wall of intransigence." Scotland voted 62% to 38% to remain in Europe, but as it currently exists as part of the United Kingdom would be forced to leave the European Union. Sturgeon told reporters that she would take steps to make sure Scotland would have the right choose whether to become an independent country. "I will continue to stand up for Scotland's interests during the process of Brexit negotiations," she said. "But I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process a choice of whether to follow the U.K. to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the U.K. and our own relationship with Europe." Sturgeon said she was not turning back on further discussions should UK government change its mind. In 2014, Scotland voted to remain a member of the United Kingdom but Sturgeon said that she believed she could win a new independence vote and that the EU would "accept and respect" such a result. US Concrete 's stock is up more than 40 percent since the election, but CEO Bill Sandbrook says this has nothing to do with President Trump's victory in the White House. "Things are good right now, and this has nothing to do with the Trump infrastructure bill," Sandbrook said to "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer on Monday. Instead, Sandbrook attributed the strength of infrastructure to the underlying building economy. He confirmed strength in all four of US Concrete's major markets in San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., and the Northern New Jersey and metro New York areas. US Concrete is a purveyor of concrete for commercial construction, residential construction and infrastructure building. It has been involved with large infrastructure projects such as the Tappan Zee Bridge and Oakland Bay Bridge, which require a significant amount of concrete to build. Watch the full interview here: Shares of aircraft maker Boeing , which have jumped nearly 25 percent since the election, were downgraded by Morgan Stanley on concerns about the pace of future plane orders and valuation. "With BA shares up 40 percent since mid-2016 and our view on the underlying earnings potential largely unchanged, we believe there is now more balance in the risk-reward outlook," wrote analyst Rajeev Lalwani, who lowered the stock to equal weight from overweight in the note to clients Monday. Boeing shares have surged on the hope that President Donald Trump will boost the prospects for big industrial exporters through tax cuts and other measures. Trump held a speech touting his "America First" message at a Boeing plant in South Carolina last month. But the company's core business still faces some risks, Morgan Stanley believes. "Aircraft order flow will likely remain light and with a book to bill in the sub-1x range, while the backlog faces risk around a more subdued airline profit environment," wrote Lalwani. The book-to-bill ratio is an important one for Boeing, comparing the number of orders landed in the quarter versus the number of shipments. Analysts generally want that number to be above 1. To be sure, the stock's Trump bump may not be over yet, the analyst notes. "We could argue that upside opportunities may quickly mount given potential tax reform and broader economic stimulus," said the note. "The former could be powerful if accompanied by some type of border adjustment and could propel shares to our bull case of $254." And Lalwani's updated price target of $190 is still about $12 higher than where the stock was at the open of trading Monday. But Boeing's valuation will ultimately weigh on the shares, Lalwani said. "On a 2018E P/E basis our updated PT implies an 18x multiple vs. peers at 16.5x and the market at 17x, equating to a 5-10 percent premium, within the range of history," he wrote. With reporting by CNBC's Michael Bloom . Boeing Dreamliner 787 planes sit on the production line at the company's final assembly facility in North Charleston, S.C. Travis Dove | Bloomberg | Getty Images Syrian children suffered the most war-related violations in 2016 as military conflicts and political games in the embattled country waged on for the sixth year, UNICEF's latest research showed. There were more verified records of killing, injuring and recruitment of children last year compared to 2015, according to UNICEF's "Hitting rock bottom: How 2016 became the worst year for Syria's children" report, which was released Monday. About 652 Syrian children were killed last year alone, and more than one-third of the deaths having occurred at or near a school, the report showed. The number of child deaths had climbed by 20 percent from the previous year and was the worst since child casualties documentation started in 2014. Another 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict in 2016 and some extreme cases included children recruited as executioners, suicide bombers or prison guards, UNICEF said. A boy looks out from a window of his home in the border town of Jarablus, Syria. Defne Karadeniz | Getty Images "The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down," Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a release. Another major problem for Syrian children is the lack of access to medical care and basic medical supplies, which make otherwise preventable diseases a serious problem. "Targeting of health facilities and health staff increased sharply in 2016, killing and injuring hundreds of medical personnel and civilians," Bachir Tajaldin, an internist in Syria, said in the UNICEF report. "Children are missing out on their routine immunizations, exposing them to the risk of disease," Taljaldin added. Since the six-year civil war began, nearly 6 million Syrian children have depended on humanitarian aid, and almost 2.3 million are living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. Data from Mercy Corps show that Syrians are the largest refugee population in the world the biggest exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago. watch now Comedian Corey Forrester from Chickamauga, will be a featured guest on ABC television's midday show "The View" on Tuesday . The show airs at 11 a.m. on WTVC, Channel 9 in Chattanooga. Mr. Forrester will be alongside his comedy and writing partners Trae Crowder and Drew Morgan. The trio are currently in the second year of their national comedy tour and authors of the book Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin' Dixie Outta the Dark. According to the comedian's dad, local advertising creator Dale Forrester, the appearance was the idea of Whoopi Goldberg, the long-standing member of "The View" cast."Somehow she came across their book and started talking about it a few weeks ago," he said. "And on-the-air she told the producers she wanted to have them on the show. Next thing they know, they're booked!" The trio, whose tour is titled the WellRED Comedy Tour have performed 14 sold out shows already this year. Buoyed by foreign interest in its Thai property projects amid burgeoning tourist arrivals, Thai property developer Sansiri is expanding internationally with its sale pitch of a vacation home that will also attract rental yields. "(Rental) yield is quite high at 5-8 percent, which is attracting investors from Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China. In a way, our property prices (in Thailand) are quite low compared to the rest of the region," said the company's CEO and co-founder, Apichart Chutrakul. Sansiri is aiming to sell THB7,500 million ($212 million) of property to foreign buyers this year, a 40 percent increase over THB5,400 million ($153 million) last year. In 2016, foreign sales grew 55 percent from a year ago. Some 84 percent of its foreign buyers last year were Asians from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, mainland China and Taiwan, the company said in an announcement in January. This year, the Thai developer is planning to launch 19 projects worth THB41,200 million ($1.2 billion). Of these, nine will be launched at roadshows in Asia. Ticket scalpers who use bots to bulk -buy tickets online and resell them at inflated prices will be subject to "unlimited fines" under new plans laid out by the U.K. Government. Amendments to the U.K.'s Digital Economy Bill mean that it will be illegal to use bots to circumvent limits on the maximum number of tickets that can be bought by an individual. Tickets purchased by bots can appear on secondary websites for vastly inflated sums, which has prompted criticism from high profile artists such as Adele and Ed Sheeran. Last month, secondary tickets website Viagogo was accused of "moral repugnance" after it was found reselling tickets to an Ed Sheeran cancer charity concert for up to 5,000 ($6,100). The U.K.'s Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said the profiteering was "simply not fair." The move comes after U.K. ministers accepted in full recommendations of a review by Professor Michael Waterson of the University of Warwick. The report also suggests that ticket websites should feature tougher measures to fight bot and action against the ticketing industry if it fails to act against touts. Some ticketing groups have already taken action to combat bots. In January, the Broadway musical "Hamilton" announced new measures to prevent resale when the show opens in London this year. Theatergoers will be required to swipe the bank card used to purchase the ticket in order to gain access to the show. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Senior White House advisor Kellyanne Conway was mocked via social media after she claimed that surveillance could be done with "microwaves that turn into cameras." In an interview with New Jersey's The Record newspaper Sunday, Conway said the government has many options available to conduct surveillance against citizens beyond wiretapping. "There are many ways to surveil each other," Conway told the newspaper. "You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of ways." Conway told ABC on Monday she had no evidence for this and wasn't making a suggestion in regard to Trump Tower. President Donald Trump claimed earlier this month that former President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on him before the November election. Trump has given no evidence to back the claim, and bipartisan members of Congress have cast doubts on it. @realDonaldTrump Tweet Conway was ridiculed on Twitter after her comments. @kmeloy @ddale8 @eschor Finally someone is speaking up about spy microwaves and the secret plot to record Trump - aka Operation Hot Pocket @FO_ASchatz I just pressed the Popcorn setting on my microwave and it showed me secret spy video of Kellyanne Conway eating lunch. @gelliottmorris Better unplug your microwaves, kids; Kellyanne Conway says the gov can use them as spy cams. The Associated Press and CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report. Watch: Conway's plug alarms WH ethics lawyer President Donald Trump meets with CEO of General Motors Mary Barra (L), CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Sergio Marchionne (2nd R) and Fiat Chrysler Head of External Affairs Shane Karr (R) in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit the Detroit area on Wednesday to hold an event with the chief executives of U.S. automakers to announce a restart of a review of vehicle fuel efficiency rules sought by the industry, according to two sources briefed on the matter. Trump is expected to visit Ypsilanti, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, to tout his administration's decision to revive a review of the feasibility of the 2022 through 2025 vehicle emissions rules, after the Obama administration moved in its final days to lock in the rules. In addition to the chief executives of General Motors , Ford Motor , and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , officials from Japanese and German automakers are also expected to attend. A White House official confirmed Trump plans to visit Michigan, but did not immediately confirm details. U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. The two-day meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7, the U.S. media outlet reported. Reuters has not verified the Axios story and does not vouch for its accuracy. Representatives of the White House and for Xi could not be immediately reached for comment. The planned summit would follow a string of other recent U.S-China meetings and conversations seeking to reaffirm ties following months of strong rhetoric from Trump. Last month, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited Washington to discuss the two countries' economic ties and security interests. Yang, who outranks China's foreign minister, met separately with Trump, as well as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. During his presidential campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea claimed by several countries, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbor, North Korea. Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has written a letter to Xi, seeking "constructive ties" and later speaking with him by phone. In December, Trump incensed Beijing by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Under that policy, Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a part. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honor the policy. President Donald Trump suggested again Monday that Republicans could hurt themselves politically by trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, saying the GOP may be better served letting it fail on its own. Key House Republicans and the White House have pushed the American Health Care Act, a bill to replace the landmark Obama administration law, also known as Obamacare. Trump and key congressional Republicans have repeatedly promised to roll back the law and made it a priority at the start of the new administration. The party faces a possible backlash as millions of people could lose health care under the plan. Trump on Monday echoed his earlier sentiment that letting the ACA fail on its own could prove more politically wise for Republicans. "The Republicans, frankly, are putting themselves in a very bad position I tell this to (Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price) all the time by repealing Obamacare," Trump said during a White House session with people he called "victims" of Obamacare. He argued that the system would eventually implode, and said letting it do so is "certainly an option" though not one he likes. Rupert Murdoch leaves the News Corporation building with his son Lachlan Murdoch (R) on July 21, 2016 in New York City. President Donald Trump's firing of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara may work out well for Rupert Murdoch, as Bharara's office is in the middle of a high-profile probe into the media mogul's Fox News division, New York Magazine reports. The publication's sources say the U.S attorney for the Southern District of New York is looking into "a number of potential crimes, including whether Fox News executives broke laws by allegedly obtaining journalists' phone records or committed mail and wire fraud by hiding financial settlements paid to women who accused Roger Ailes of sexual harassment." 21st Century Fox declined to comment. According to The New York Times, the personal lawyer for former Fox News chief Roger Ailes, Marc Mukasey, is one of the attorneys on Trump's shortlist to succeed Bharara. New York Magazine reached out to Mukasey to ask if, given the position, he would recuse himself from the Fox News probe. "I have no comment," Mukasey told the magazine. Read more at New York Magazine. Political tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands reached new levels over the weekend when Turkey's President described Holland as a banana republic just days before the country is due to elect its new Prime Minister. Here's everything you need to know. Why are the countries at odds? Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Netherlands of Nazism and vowed harsh retaliation on Sunday after two Turkish ministers were barred from campaigning in Rotterdam in a bid to drum up support ahead of an upcoming Turkish referendum. The Dutch government first banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam amid concerns that the visits were undesirable and would cause unrest in the days before Holland is set to hold its general election. The ministers had planned to appeal to Turkish immigrants in the port city as part of on-going efforts by the Turkish government to secure backing for a vote next month which seeks to expand Turkish presidential powers. President Erdogan called the Dutch government "Nazi remnants" and "fascists" and called for sanctions against the country for what it described as unacceptable behaviour. The comments come days after the President accused Germany of "Nazi practices" after it prevented similar campaigning. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded by saying he would do everything to "de-escalate" the diplomatic confrontation, which led to overnight protests within the Netherlands' Turkish community. How this impacts the Netherlands The latest spat between Turkey and Europe comes just days before the Netherlands holds its general election on Wednesday, March 15. The incumbent Dutch government said that the decision to ban the ministerial visits came amid concerns that Turkish political divisions could flow over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Already, the Netherlands faces strong internal divisions, with rising nationalist sentiment having propelled far-right electoral candidate Geert Wilders to the front of the race alongside Prime Minister Rutte. Shortly after Minister Kaya was escorted out of Holland on Saturday, Wilders wrote on Twitter "go away and never come back." TWEET How this impacts Turkey Turkey's referendum is scheduled for April 16 and seeks to turn Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential republic, giving the President greater powers, including the ability to appoint ministers, prepare the budget and enact certain laws. Supporters of the bill argue that reforms would streamline decision-making and avoid parliamentary coalitions which they claim have previously held back Turkey's progress. Resource 1, a data security and destruction firm headquartered in Chattanooga announced they have attained the AAA Certification for Mobile Hard Drive Destruction from NAID, the National Association for Information Destruction. The company is now the only non-franchised data security and destruction company in Tennessee that holds this designation from NAID for onsite physical computer media destruction. Resource 1 was founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of local systems integration firm Harwood International. In 2015 former Harwood Executive Chuck McDonald acquired the company. The companys focus was shifted, and it now offers a secure method of eliminating the risk of data loss from retired server and computer data-bearing devices. Their mobile platform for destroying computer hard drives and magnetic tapes, (containing private information,) eliminates all chain-of-custody risks associated with traditional plant-based media destruction. We are proud to further prove our commitment to the growing data-security sector by helping organizations keep private consumer and patient information private, Mr. McDonald stated, and this accreditation demonstrates our compliance with operational and security specifications created by the IT industrys top information security professionals. The national AAA certification will allow Resource 1 to continue to assure that organizations remain compliant with laws that govern data-security at a computer systems end-of-life. The firm currently assists clients in a multitude of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, law, finance, accounting, education military, government utilities, aerospace and more. Resource 1s service area encompasses the entire Southeast including Atlanta, Birmingham, Knoxville, Nashville, Huntsville, Memphis, Greenville, as well as national accounts in California, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Illinois. For more information about Resource 1s secure services, contact them at info@resource1electronics.com. Complex talks to prepare the U.K.'s departure from the European Union could begin this week with lawmakers expected to finish debating a bill that would give Prime Minister Theresa May permission to formally start the Brexit process. The government has previously stated that May would trigger Article 50 by the end of the month, but a so-called Brexit bill could complete its final stages if both Houses of Parliament on Monday, leading to speculation that the formal announcement could be made as early as Tuesday. Once this happens, London and Brussels have only two years to negotiate how the U.K. is leaving the bloc and what their future relationship will be. Lawmakers have told CNBC they are concerned that the two years will not be enough to agree on all the details. "We've got something like 14 months (to negotiate)," Seb Dance, a Labour member of the European Parliament, told CNBC last week via telephone Apart from the complex technicalities that the process involves, the slew of elections in key member states this year could derail Brexit given that these countries will likely prefer to spend their time focused on their domestic battles. "France and Germany will be focused on domestic policies and it's not a very popular message 'I'm going to give concessions to the U.K.,'" Dance added. Above all, it seems that Brexit isn't starting on the best footing. There have been reports that the European Commission which negotiates on behalf of the other 27 countries wants the U.K. to pay a 60 billion euro ($63.64 billion) bill to leave the bloc. The money is expected to be used to pay for the pensions of U.K. citizens who work in the European institutions, for the relocation costs of certain European authorities out of London, and for projects in the U.K. that have already seen funding approved by the EU. However, some U.K. lawmakers have said there's no way the U.K. will pay such an exit bill. There are also divergent views between Brussels and London on how the negotiations should take place: The European Commission wants to discuss how the U.K. will leave the EU and then how they can work together in the future, but Theresa May wants both points to be discussed in parallel. Furthermore, it seems that European officials are still in disbelief regarding the U.K.'s decision. President Jean-Claude Juncker of the European Commission said last week that he believes the U.K. will rejoin the EU in the future. Moody's Investors Services said on Monday the United States will retain the rating agency's top-notch debt rating as long as it meets its interest payments even if the government's borrowing cap is reinstated on Thursday. Back in November 2015, federal lawmakers suspended the federal debt ceiling, which would be about $19.9 trillion, if they do not vote to extend the suspension which ends on Wednesday. "While the periodic impasse over raising the debt ceiling is a credit negative feature of the country's debt management, it has not affected the sovereign's credit rating to date," Moody's analysts wrote in a research report published on Monday. Like Moody's, Fitch has kept its top AAA-rating on U.S. government debt. However, Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S.' rating by one notch to AA+ in August 2011. It cited its high level of debt and uncertainty about the federal government's ability to manage that debt load following a debt ceiling showdown. The Treasury Department said last week it will embark "extraordinary measures" to meet its debt obligation if the debt ceiling goes into effect. These steps include suspension of SLUGS, which are used by state and local governments to temporarily store the proceeds of their bond sales and ensure tax compliance; stopping investments in federal employee pension plans and halting sales of U.S. savings bonds. "There is little risk the Treasury will exhaust such measures before the end of fiscal year 2017. These extraordinary measures would have a limited impact on the economy," Moody's analysts said. The government's current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday called on Congress to raise the federal debt ceiling "at the first opportunity." and announced the first of several likely cash management measures aimed at staving off a U.S. default. Meanwhile, U.S. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told Politico on Thursday the Unite States will not default on its debt and will raise its debt limit in some fashion. The White House insisted Monday that it is not "relevant" whether President Donald Trump told fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara he would keep his job during the new administration. The ousted federal prosecutor said he was "fired" Saturday after the Justice Department asked him and 45 other U.S. attorneys to resign. Months ago, Bharara met with the then-president-elect in Trump Tower, saying after the meeting that Trump wanted him to stay on. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday he was not "privy" to their conversation and does not know if Trump asked Bharara to stay on the job. However, he argued it did not matter what Trump told him then, as attorneys general have often turned over federal prosecutor positions in new administrations. "I don't think it really matters at the end of the day," Spicer told reporters at this daily briefing. He added that Trump called Bharara last week to "thank him for his service." Several officials familiar with the matter told NBC News that Bharara was certain Trump wanted him to stay on. President Barack Obama appointed Bharara to the post in 2009. He became known for aggressive prosecution of Wall Street crime following the financial crisis. CNBC's Marty Steinberg contributed to this report. Six years ago, Raviv Melamed and his co-founders were in the basement of his house testing technology they hoped could bring medical-grade x-ray vision to the masses. A year later in 2012, the lightbulb moment occurred and Melamed's company Vayyar had a product - a sensor that would allow devices to "see through" barriers such as skin and walls. The first application was the ability to see malignant growth through human tissue to identify early-stage breast cancer. "When you start to look for things like breast cancer imaging, you realize why 40 percent of women don't go get biannual testing, because it's very uncomfortable. Now think about a woman who doesn't make a lot of money, she has to drive to the clinic and take the day off. She would prefer to take this day off when needed. I was thinking about bringing the device to the woman rather than the woman to the device," Melamed told CNBC by phone in a recent interview. "You need to make it low cost. When you think about emerging markets, no government will install a system that involves an x-ray machine because it's too expensive. The idea was to create a super low cost device." Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer could receive a more than $23 million "golden parachute" payment as part of an exit from the company, including more than $3 million in cash and nearly $20 million in equity, according to SEC filings. She will remain at least up until the deal's closing, which is expected to happen in the second quarter of this year. It's unclear what Mayer's role would be with Verizon after the deal, although she has said she's planning to stay. Separately, Yahoo has named the team that will lead its remaining assets, to be renamed "Altaba," after the core business merges with Verizon. Board member Thomas McInerney will serve as Altaba CEO and Alexi Wellman filling the chief financial officer position. Altaba's holdings will include interest in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba, its cash, convertible notes, certain minority investments, and a noncore portfolio of patents called Excalibur. McInerney, 52, previously served as chief financial officer of IAC and Ticketmaster, and has been on Yahoo's board since 2012. McInerney will be based in New York City and receive a base salary of $2 million, with a potential annual incentive award of 100 percent of his base salary, according to regulatory filings. Wellman, 46, will have a base salary of $500,000, with a potential annual incentive award of 75 percent of her base salary, according to the filings. "Our local footprint is our strong suit," is the first thing Cabus says. "Our affiliates, 4,000-plus service stations in Africa and our longtime presence are all assets for working with local stakeholders and building the trust needed to create sustainable relationships." The first energy-access building block Total put in place in Africa was the Awango by Total project in 2010. The individual solar solutions sold in its service stations and through distributor networks offered far higher quality and service than the products available in the market at that time. "After five or six years, we'd reached more than nine million people and break-even," says Cabus. "Providing that kind of initial access to energy saves money, since people no longer need to buy kerosene or candles. It also supports education, because children can study in the evening. And it promotes safety, local business and also health, by eliminating smoke in homes for example." The list is not exhaustive, but it does underscore what a big factor any kind of access to power, no matter how simple, is to human development. For more on the subject: Awango by Total Comes of Age The second building block, rolled out in early 2016, dovetails with growing consumer expectations. After getting lighting and cell phone charging, customers wanted a way to install several light sources, plug in a radio or television or run a fan. The solar kit went from being an individual to a household solution. Solar Home Systems (SHS) were developed and marketed. But there was one big stumbling block: their cost. While you could buy a solar lamp for only $30, these systems ranged in price from $150 to $600. Cash sales were replaced by an innovative pay-as-you-go financing system, a type of leasing that lets customers earn credits via cell phone for using the SHS and pay it off until they own it six months to three years later. Cabus sees this as "innovative in two ways. First, technologically, battery performance has soared, the lamps are brighter and the photovoltaic panels are more efficient. This has cut costs and allowed us to offer a viable product. Plus, a pay-as-you-go system which cell phone users were becoming increasingly familiar with represented a real innovation in energy use. It's growing at a fast pace." The ultimate goal is to design more efficient SHSs that can power several home appliances for six to eight hours. Households could use the money no longer spent on other sources of energy, mainly fossil fuels, to install a second, also pay-as-you-go SHS, plug in new appliances and sharply enhance user convenience and comfort. They could also add new products yet to be defined, which might in turn make other services necessary. "We'll gauge the product's success by several criteria," says Cabus. "The number of people who benefit, of course, and the profitability of the model so that it is worthwhile for all players, including our resellers and us. But also by the ripple effect on their expenses, job creation, customer loyalty and a few others, such as carbon emission reduction." There is lots of work ahead. Lastly, the third energy-access building block is moving to a higher level using mini-grids or micro-grids. These small PV power plants can also be paired with a biomass source and generate enough power to supply villages of two to three hundred households not or not yet hooked up to the national grid. The pay-as-you-go principle applies here too. "Recent changes have been significant," notes Cabus. "Technology has made big strides, manufacturing costs have fallen and regulations have changed significantly. Since access to power poses major challenges in Africa in particular, the single-grid solution will in the short to medium term become unviable. Some government stakeholders wanted to provide solutions for each market segment, creating opportunities for new players. Especially since, technologically, grid and mini-grid solutions are mutually compatible." For more on the subject: Total Connects with Micro-Grid Start-Up to Improve Energy Access in East Africa Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria for the 2017/2018 academic session. 2.0 REGISTRATION PERIOD The period of sale/registration for UTME is from Monday 20 March to Wednesday 19th April 2017 while registration closes on Saturday 22 April 2017. For DIRECT ENTRY, the application will be on sale from Sunday 23 April, 2017. 3.0 STEPS FOR 2017 REGISTRATION AND APPLICATION DOCUMENTS i. Each candidate must have personal e-mail address and mobile phone number. ii. Each candidate is to use his/her functional and valid personal e-mail address. The system would reject at the point of registration any already used e-mail address. iii. Each candidate must personally create a JAMB profile on the JAMB portal through JAMB Mobile App available on Android, Windows and iOS platforms OR visit a Bank, NIPOST to create his/her JAMB profile on the JAMB portal: www.jamb.org.ng . Name, date of birth, personal e-mail address and place of origin are required to create the profile. iv. Payment for JAMBs E-PIN-registration and the recommended reading text is done at the banks and NIPOST. Banks have also agreed to make these services available at CBT centres and JAMB State Offices. v. Each Candidate should visit any accredited CBT centre (the list of accredited CBT centres are on our website i.e. www.jamb.gov.ng) with his/her personal details, the profile and evidence of payment. vi. The CBT centre or JAMB State Office, supplies, at no extra cost, the prescribed reading text and the CD containing: a) e-brochure showing guidelines on admission detailing list of tertiary institutions and available programmes of study. b) Syllabus (e-syllabus) for the examination. c) Step by step guide on completion of the application form. d) A video messages from the Registrar of JAMB and a demo on how to use eight (8) keys for UTME examination without mouse.(For candidates with litle familiarity with Computers) vii. Each Candidate is to complete the online application form by supplying the required details such as name, e-mail address, L.G.A., academic qualification, etc. viii. At the CBT centre, Candidates ten fingers biometric and image will be captured and uploaded. ix. O/L and/or A/L grades are to be provided by candidates. Candidates who are awaiting result should supply the result online as soon as the results are available on JAMBs portal. No recommendations from any Institution will be considered by JAMB if the candidate has not supplied his/her O/L result on the portal of JAMB. x. Each Candidate is to collect his e-slip at the end of registration as evidence of registration. There will be no offline registration, as all the accredited CBT centres have been empowered for real life online registration. No candidate should register at any centre other than the accredited CBT centre and JAMB State office. Any candidate who is registered outside approved centres will be identified and disqualified. 4.0 GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS 4.1 The general entry requirements for admission into the First Degree, National Diploma (ND), National Innovation Diploma (NID) and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in Universities, other Degree-Awarding Institutions, Monotechnics, Polytechnics, Innovation, Enterprise Institutes and Colleges of Education are available in the e- Brochure which would be given to each Candidate at the accredited CBT centres and JAMB state offices. 4.2 Candidates with one of the following qualifications may be considered for admission by Direct Entry: (a) A minimum of five (5) GCE/WASCE credits at not more than two sittings with at least two Principal or Advanced level G.C.E. and the others. (b) Two passes at the IJMB Advanced Level Examination, Cambridge moderated Schools of Basic Studies Terminal Examination, JUPEB or Institute of Baccalaureate from recognized institutions with SSCE/GCE, NTS/NBC credits equivalent in three other subjects (SUBJECT TO UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS). ( c) Passes in two major subjects in the NCE with S.S.C.E., NTC/NBC credits or equivalents in THREE other subjects (mainly for Education Courses) and ND. Education may be accepted as a third A Level subject for those taking courses in Education. (d) Minimum of lower credit grade in National Diploma or National Innovation Diploma including the OLevel requirements. (e) Candidates are to note that they will be required to provide their JAMB registration number which they used in gaining admission to NCE, Diploma etc for Direct Entry admission. ORDER OF CHOICE OF INSTITUTIONS On the 2017 registration platform, Candidates are to note that their 1 choice can be a College of Education, University, Innovation Enterprise Institutes, Polytechnics/Monotechnics, NDA (Nigerian Defence Academy) or Nigeria Police Academy. 6.0 DATE AND VENUE FOR THE 2017 UNIFIED TERTIARY MATRICULATION EXAMINATION 6.1 The 2017 UTME will commence on 6 May and end on 20 May, 2017 (excluding May 12, 2017 because of Candidates sitting for WAECs Further Mathematics examination). 6.2 The venue of the examination will be at any centre in the candidates chosen examination town. 7.0 REGISTRATION FEE 7.1 Registration fee for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculaon Examinaon or Direct Entry is Five Thousand Naira (5,000) only. Candidates are also, as usual, to pay Five Hundred Naira (500) only to obtain the reading text- In Dependence for UTME candidates and The Last Days at Forcados High School for Direct Entry Candidates. 7.2 Candidates should note that e-PINS being purchased are tied to individual profile and are not transferable. 7.3 Candidates are advised to keep as confidential their security details such as registration numbers, password/numbers of ATM Cards, e-mail addresses and E-Pins. 8.0 OPTIONAL UTME-MOCK-EXAMINATION The Board will mount a mock examination in all the accredited CBT centres to prepare and familiarise INTERESTED Candidates with the CBT environment. Interested candidates are advised to indicate their interest in the mock examination during the registration process. The CBT Centres are allowed to collect through their (CBT Centres)bank accounts, a separate Seven Hundred Naira (700) only, for this exercise after notification of centre has been received by the Candidate. The payment for mock examination shall be made to the centres to which the candidate is assigned after the notification of assigned centres for the mock examination. No Association or body is permitted to run any mock examination on behalf of JAMB. NOTE: Do Not pay for Mock until JAMB assigns you to a CBT centre. The mock examination shall take place on Saturday 8 April, 2017. 9.0 REGISTRATION CENTRES 9.1 In line with with the Boards regulated registration exercise, only the accredited Computer Based Test Centres and JAMB States and FCT Offices will be allowed to register candidates. This is to avoid exploitation, off-line registration, mismatch of candidates particulars and other registration-irregularities. 10.0 GENERAL INFORMATION 10.1 The registration fee, once paid is non-refundable. 10.2 Registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is available at the CBT centres and JAMB Offices Nationwide. The accredited centres have been empowered to assist in this regard. 10.3 As it is the practice, centres are allowed to charge not more than Seven Hundred Naira (700) only as registration fee. Any centre that charges more than Seven Hundred Naira (700) should be reported to JAMB for appropriate sanctions. 10.4 All CBT centres have been mandated to select any of the participating banks. These banks are to be present in their premises for the purposes of collection all fees. No centre-staff is allowed to conduct cash transaction with the candidates. 10.5 Candidates are advised to read and understand the guidelines on admission and instructions on how to complete the online registration before commencing the process of registration. 10.6 Muliple registrations are not allowed. Candidates who register more than once will be identified and disqualified. 10.7 Candidates should note that their uploaded image or photograph will be embossed on their result slips and admission leers. 10.8 Candidates are to note that irrespective of their choice of course of study or method of testing, they will also be tested on a general text: In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika for UTME and The Last Days at Forcados High School by A.H. Mohammed for Direct Entry Candidates. 10.9 Candidates are warned that the Board has not authorized or solicited the services of ANY establishment/group or individual other than the accredited CBT centres for this registration exercise. This is the official publication from JAMB. Codedwap within the next few minutes, will be breaking down all these points so you can have a hitch free registration and exam procedure. Jewelry made from coins, like these necklaces made of old U.S. coins we came across at the ANA convention in 2015, are the subject of debate in the coin collecting hobby. Its a wrap! The latest Coin World Weekly issue, dated March 27, 2017, has been sent to the presses, and we have a quick preview of some of the Coin World Weekly exclusives found in our latest digital edition. Want access to magazine exclusives? Learn more about our digital edition subscription. Coin Jewelry: Numismatic Art or Crime? Jewelry made from coins and other numismatic items can be found for sale all over the Internet, and even at major coin shows. Young numismatist Jack Topping asks the question in a Guest Commentary column, At what point does art, something truly subjective, cross the line into desecration of old or valuable coins? Read his opinion and see if you agree. Find this article on Page 14 of the March 27 issue Will the 2017 U.S. Commemorative Programs Be Busts? The two U.S. Mint commemorative coin programs in 2017 honor anniversaries of the Lions Clubs of America and Boys Town, two organizations worthy of recognition. Even so, managing editor William T. Gibbs is worried that sales for the two programs will not meet production costs, and the two organizaitons might not reap any financial benefit from the coins. He fully explains his concerns in his latest Editorial Opinion. Find this article on Page 14 of the March 27 issue For the Morgan Dollar Lovers One of the more intriguing findings from recent Morgan dollar variety research has been a reevaluation of expedient die repair work found on some 1878 San Francisco Mint marriages. John Roberts, a longtime collector of Morgan dollars and ANACS director of attribution services, gives an in-depth explanation in his latest About VAMs column. Find this article on Page 16 of the March 27 issue Pioneering Fraud Paper money expert Wendell Wolka explains the longstanding mystery behind the fraudulent note producer Pioneer Association of Lafayette, Ind., whose notes are well known but whose fate and background are not. Well, a tiny news item found in an 1862 edition of a small Indiana newspaper has taught us more about the Indiana swindlers. Find this article on Page 26 of the March 27 issue Want to subscribe? Get access to all of these articles, and a whole lot more, with a Coin World digital edition subscription! Judge Shelley D. Rucker Linda Mines Members of the Hixson High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp Judge David Campbell Chapter members Previous Next Members of local Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters joined family and friends on Friday in welcoming 74 new citizens and 11 youth who took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. The two ceremonies, morning and afternoon, were held at the Joel P. Solomon Federal Courthouse in Chattanooga. Members of the Hixson High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp presented the colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Judge Shelley D. Rucker presided. In her welcoming speech, after the administration of the Oath, she reminded everybody of the value of freedom and the responsibilities that come with that freedom. Linda Mines, member of the Chief John Ross Chapter, welcomed the new citizens also. In her talk, she told them that, although members of the Daughters of the American Revolution had ancestors who sacrificed their lives and fortunes to secure the freedom we enjoy today, we too were once immigrants to this great country. Members of Chief John Ross provided each new citizen with a U.S. flag lapel pin and a copy of The American Creed, The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States and the Oath of Allegiance. After the ceremony, members of the Judge David Campbell Chapter served refreshments and gave new citizens and members of their family American Flags and copies of the Flag Code. Advertising mirror not only served as a medium of exchange but also boasted a mirror on the back side. Bell-shaped token with abalone shell inset was issued in conjunction with the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. This 42-millimeter octagonal silver medal was issued to major prospective investors by C.C. Julian, one of the most renowned swindlers in California history. Crowd at the Northern Saloon in Goldfield, Nev., witnesses the closing of gambling on Oct. 1, 1910. Polin Brothers of Oatman, Ariz., and Goldfield, Nev., issued this good-for token for use at the Northern Saloon in Goldfield. A 162-lot auction dedicated to tokens and medals will be held at 6 p.m. Pacific Time March 25 by Holabird Western Americana LLC at The National Hotel in Jackson, Calif. The sale is being conducted in conjunction with the Western States Token Society annual jamboree. Among the tokens offered is one referencing renowned California swindler C.C. Julian; a bell-shaped piece from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco; a good-for mirror from Mountain Home, Idaho; and a good-for token from the Polin Brothers in Goldfield, Nev., and Oatman, Ariz., to be used, among other places, at the Northern Saloon in Goldfield. C.C. Julian The 42-millimeter octagonal silver medal issued by C.C. Julian references the New Monte Cristo Mine in Arizona, one of the many enterprises concerning which the noted swindler is credited with defrauding investors. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter According to the auction lot description, during the early 1920s, Julian purchased marginal oil leases and promoted the Julian Petroleum Corp. in Los Angeles; he also founded the town of Leadfield in Death Valley, for which he bilked additional investors. The New Monte Cristo Mine medal, dated 1927, was presented to prospective major investors. The operation quickly folded. Julian picked up stakes to promote oil in the fields of Oklahoma. Julian died a pauper in Shanghai, China, and was buried in a cheap pine box on May 11, 1934. PPIE token The Panama Pacific International Exposition from 1915 in San Francisco is celebrated on a 43-millimeter bell-shaped token referencing the California mission bell. The PPIE souvenir is inscribed SAN FRANCISCO and 1915 on the obverse with THE CALIFORNIA MISSION BELL in four lines on the reverse. The obverse also has an abalone shell inset. Idaho mirror A. Rosenheim in Mountain Home, Idaho, issued a Good for 12 in trade advertising mirror that measures 56 millimeters in diameter. It carries an estimate of $1,500 to $2,000. Generally the obverse of an advertising mirror bears advertising, with or without an image, and is encased in celluloid, while the reverse has a reflective surface. Is coin jewelry a form of self-expression or mutilation?: Inside Coin World: Jewelry made from coins can be found for sale all over the Internet, and even at major coin shows. Is it numismatic art or numismatic crime? The Rosenheim mirror features an image of a provocatively clad woman with an elaborate hat, a common theme on advertising mirrors of that era, intended to catch the eyes of customers. Because of the cost associated with manufacturing mirrors, few are believed to have been redeemed for their face value, according to Hal V. Dunn in Catalog of Western Good For Trade Mirrors. Polin Brothers The 20-millimeter bronze token, graded and encapsulated About Uncirculated 55 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., was issued by the Polin Brothers from Oatman, Ariz., and Goldfield, Nev. The token was good for 6.25 cents in trade. According to the auction lot description, ?Tex Rickard and his partners operated the Northern Saloon. To promote Goldfield, he stage a prize fight on Labor Day, 1906. Joe Gans and Battling Nelson fought for the Lightweight Championship of the World. In the 42nd round Nelson was disqualified and Gans declared the winner of the $30,000 purse. The token is accompanied by an 8.5-inch by 6.5-inch photo depicting the crowd at the Northern Saloon in Goldfield witnessing the closing of gambling at noon on Oct. 1, 1910. The lot carries an estimate of $300 to $500. For a copy of the auction catalog, contact info@fhwac.com. The subject of Luxembourgs first new 2 coin of 2017 Luxembourgs new circulating commemorative 2 coin honors the 50th anniversary of the nations volunteer army. Luxembourg has released a circulating commemorative 2 coin marking the 50th anniversary of the nations volunteer army. The army has roots dating back 200 years, but in 1967 became an all-volunteer organization, with Grand Duke Henri as the figurehead leader. The obverse portrays Grand-Duke Henri facing right. Behind his head, in three lines, is the inscription 50 JOER FRAIWELLEGEN-ARMEI, with the armys logo positioned within the O of JOER. At the top of the design is the year-date, 2017, flanked by the Mint mark and the initials of the Mint master. At the bottom appears the name of the issuing country, LETZEBUERG; all inscriptions are in Luxembourgish, the countrys national language. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The reverse carries the common European map design. The 12 stars of the European flag appear on both sides of the ringed-bimetallic 2 coin. Is coin jewelry a form of self-expression or mutilation?: Inside Coin World: Jewelry made from coins can be found for sale all over the Internet, and even at major coin shows. Is it numismatic art or numismatic crime? The 2 coin weighs 8.5 grams and measures 25.75 millimeters in diameter. Each nation is allowed to issue up to two different circulating commemorative designs annually, with designs of their choosing, though few nations have issued the maximum number of designs. Joint euro programs like the 2015 coins honoring the 30th anniversary of flag of the European Union do not count toward this limit. All 2 coins are legal tender throughout the eurozone. San Marino is changing its euro coin designs. Have a look at the newly released circulating coin designs. The Republic of San Marino is issuing a new series of euro coin designs in March, marking the first overhaul to the designs since their debut in 2002. The Republic of San Marino was granted the right to mint euro coins because of its monetary agreements with Italy. Most of the tiny nations coins are absorbed into collections and not generally used in circulation, but regulations in 2012 mandate that most of the coins be released into circulation at face value. Euro coins of San Marino feature separate designs for every denomination, each inscribed with the nations name and the 12 stars of the European Union. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Several of the new motifs are borrowed from the earlier coin series, but the denomination featuring them and the exact design are changing. The new 2 coin is slated to depict detail fromThe Portrait of San Marino, a painting by Giovan Battista Urbinelli. Is coin jewelry a form of self-expression or mutilation?: Inside Coin World: Jewelry made from coins can be found for sale all over the Internet, and even at major coin shows. Is it numismatic art or numismatic crime? The 1 coin will show the Second Tower (La Ceste), one from a group of towers located on the three peaks of Monte Titano in the city of San Marino, the capital of San Marino. The Portrait of Saint Marino detail, from a painting by late 19th century artist Emilio Retrosi, was chosen for the 50-cent coin. Mount Titano and the three towers will appear on the 20-cent coin. The 10- and 5-cent coins depict different churches of San Marino; the 10-cent coin shows the Church of St. Francis, and the 5-cent coin, the Church of St. Quirinus. San Marinos city gate graces the new obverse of the 2-cent coin, and the official coat of arms of the Republic of San Marino appears on the 1-cent coin. At press time March 8, the Azienda de Autonoma de Stato Filatelica e Numismatica had shared no information at its website about offering products featuring coins with the new designs. March 13, 2017 Budweiser has set its sights on brewing the first beer on Mars. "The King of Beers" announced its "Bud on Mars" initiative including a partnership that could lead to flying malt and other experiments on the International Space Station on Saturday (March 11) at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. "This takes the Budweiser experience to the future, where colonization and socialization might go," Valerie Toothman, Anheuser-Busch's Vice President of Marketing Innovation, said during a panel discussion devoted to brewing beer on the Red Planet. "We know that travel to Mars might still be a decade or two away, but this is the first step in the journey in a long-term commitment by the company to make sure that when we get there and we achieve that American dream, Budweiser is the beer people will be toasting with and will be enjoying there on Mars," said Toothman. Budweiser's "Bud On Mars" logo. (Budweiser/Anheuser-Busch) The early evening event, which included a happy hour with specially-labeled "Bud on Mars" beer, also featured former astronaut Clayton Anderson and Patrick O'Neill, marketing and communications manager for the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory at CASIS, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. Actress Kate Mara, who played an astronaut in the 2015 movie "The Martian," moderated the panel. "I'm so flattered to be here, but I don't at all feel qualified," said Mara. "That said, I will just go with it and do what I did when I made the movie 'The Martian' and pretend like I am a genius when it comes to space." Burps, pops and hops A mission to send humans to the Red Planet is well-within NASA's long-range plans, said Anderson, who is a veteran of two space missions, including spending 152 days on the space station. "A successful mission will include many key components, including the need to provide crew members with commodities that remind them of home." "Popping the top on a cold Budweiser mid-mission could very well be one of those things," he wrote in an email sent to collectSPACE after the panel. A carbonated color-water bubble on the space station. (NASA) "While the idea poses considerable technical challenges, the concept which may lend itself to some valuable initial test ideas and experiments on the space station is valid and potentially worthy of consideration with respect to a commercial partnership," Anderson added. Beyond the possible issue of "wet burps" ("you just tumble a few times and all the liquid in your stomach will separate from the air; then you burp a solid dry burp," Anderson told the panel to laughter), there are also container concerns. Astronauts during the space shuttle-era experimented with non-alcoholic carbonated beverages in the 1980s, but the cans, cups and dispensers were unsuccessful. "When you have a Budweiser and you pop the top [of the bottle], the pressure inside is higher than outside, so things will happen. As soon as the lid is popped on Earth, you let it 'fizz' and you enjoy. In space, it 'pops,' and then maybe you'd need to clean everything," described Anderson, who wrote about his experience with alcohol in orbit in his book, "The Ordinary Spaceman" (Univ of Nebraska Press). "That would be an interesting dilemma to solve for the engineers at Anheuser-Busch." The pull of gravity on Mars, which is about one-third of that on Earth, may help with bottle designs, but the distance to the Red Planet from our home planet may mean having to grow and source the main ingredients to brew Budweiser on Mars. Barley malt used in the making of Budweiser beer. (Budweiser) The American-style pale lager is made of two- and six-row malt, rice, hops and is propagated from the original strain of yeast as was first used by Adolphus Busch in 1876. And that is just 10 percent of the recipe. "Beer at its core is 90 percent water," said Toothman. "And does everyone know what doesn't exist on Mars' surface? Water. There is ice and [other sources] like that, so we are going to learn about that." Bud on Mars, for the benefit of Earth "My 'enginerdiness' loves that we might completely rethink what it takes to deliver the signature Budweiser experience when we colonize Mars," Toothman said. Acknowledging that it may still be decades before there is a colony in need of a beer, Budweiser has identified some short-term studies it can do to advance its long-term goal while also benefiting the brand today. "We realized there could be benefits about what we would learn that could make our product here on Earth even more efficient, and help make a better world, which is also a part of the Budweiser dream," said Toothman. Budweiser and CASIS have recently agreed to look at how the U.S. National Lab on the International Space Station could be used to improve the brewing company's products and processes, said O'Neill. "It is the role of CASIS to seek out new and non-traditional research partners interested in leveraging our orbiting lab," O'Neill said in an email to collectSPACE. "No flight projects have been selected at this point, but we are always excited to participate in discussions with unique brands who have an interest in microgravity research for terrestrial benefit." Toothman said during the panel that working with CASIS could help the company with making "short-term sprints." "Bud On Mars" panel at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas on March 11. (Jack Plunkett/Invision for Budweiser/AP Images) "We've already started to construct a set of experiments to take our barley malt up to the space station to understand what kind of effect those low Earth orbit conditions puts on [the grains]," she said. "Then, bringing [the grains] back to Earth, planting them, growing, harvesting and testing them and understanding what kind of changes might happen." Such an experiment, together with longer-term studies into genotyping and DNA, could help create the ultimate barley strain for disease-resistance, drought-resistance and yield, Toothman explained. "That will help us be part of creating a better world with the same Budweiser on Earth in the shorter term," she said. For more about the U.S. National Laboratory, see CASIS's website. For more about Clayton Anderson, see here. The support group for women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers will hold its meeting on Tuesday, March 21. The FORCE support group meets once every quarter from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Rees Skillern Cancer Institutes Cancer Risk and Survivorship Center, Suite 307. Catherine Marcum, DPN, APN, AGACNP-BC, AGN-BC, advanced practice nurse with training in clinical cancer genetics through the City of Hope, and Rhonda Edwards, LCSW, OSW-C, facilitate the group. More than 2 million women in the United States may be at increased risk for hereditary cancers because of their family history, according to Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE). Hereditary cancers mean someone is born with changes or mutations in certain genes which normally protect against cancer. These changes are usually inherited from a parent and can increase the risk for cancers in different parts of the body. The Rees Skillern Cancer Institutes Cancer Risk and Survivorship Center offers cancer risk counseling to help people better understand how their family history of cancer might affect their individual risk of developing cancer. Specially trained staff will assist you in finding accurate information about your cancer risk and answer your questions. They will explain how that information relates to you individually and address testing for cancer genes, when appropriate. To RSVP for the FORCE support group meeting, or if you would like more information on cancer risk counseling, or to schedule an appointment, call (423) 495-2258. Julie Payne RN, BS, CHPN, of Harrison, is the 2017-2018 Tennessee Hospice Organization board president. Ms. Payne is the chief operations officer at Hospice of Chattanooga, the largest not-for-profit hospice in this region. During her tenure at Hospice of Chattanooga, Ms. Payne completed a Bachelors of Science degree in Organizational Management at Covenant College, Hospice and Palliative Care Certification (2006), the MVI Clinical Leader program and the MVI Hospice Administrator program. Under Ms. Paynes leadership, Hospice of Chattanooga was most recently successful in attaining accreditation from Joint Commission. is starkly different from what Masooma had imagined. She was just a little girl when her family fled the Afghan war against the Soviets in the 1980s. They left everything they owned behind to look for sanctuary in Pakistan and she has few memories of the place. But when she found out six months ago that her family were going to be forcibly repatriated to a war-torn country her seven children had never set foot in and she had last seen 30 years ago, she tried to stay positive. I had always wondered what life in our own country would be like - I looked forward to my homecoming.' When her family of 10 finally arrived in Afghanistan, any hope they had died. They were unable to return to the province where Masooma was born due to sustained conflict across the country. With no immediate family in Afghanistan to look out for them and little savings, they ended up in a tented settlement for displaced people. Her children have been out of school for six months as there are no schools near the settlement. Even if there was a school close by, they couldnt afford the fees, Masooma says, describing how even half a year after returning to Afghanistan her husband has been unable to find work. The harsh reality is that so many other Afghan refugees are returning from Pakistan the labour market is simply flooded with more people than there are jobs. 250,000 have in the last 10 months. Her family and other returnees are not the only ones struggling. 600,000 Afghans were internally displaced due to conflict in 2016. For Matthew Graydon, public information officer at International Organization for Migration (IOM), this should be a clear sign to the government that Afghanistan is not safe enough for refugees to be returning. There are returnees who belong to districts they cant go back to due to fighting between the Taliban, Daesh and national forces. We are experiencing secondary displacement, or even a third level of displacement, he explains, adding that fresh conflict is forcing returnee families in some parts of the province to flee the IDP settlements where they previously found sanctuary - A group of Hamilton College (Clinton, N.Y.) students are making the trip from Central New York to Soddy Daisy, to work on Cumberland Trails maintenance and restoration during part of their spring break, March 19-25. The Cumberland Trail, a Tennessee State Scenic Hiking Trail, became Tennessees 53rd state park in 1998. The Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park contains a core corridor of 300-plus miles of trail beginning in the Cumberland Gap National Park (KY.) and stretching south to Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park and Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area just outside Chattanooga. This trip is part of Hamiltons 24th Alternative Spring Break, an annual volunteer venture which this year consists of more than 70 students going on eight different service trips to non-profit organizations. The groups will travel south for week-long construction projects, direct service work with children or environmental service. The holidays are creeping up on us the complete review - linguistics / literature The Tongue of Adam by Abdelfattah Kilito general information | review summaries | our review | links | about the author French title: La langue d'Adam Translated by Robyn Creswell With a Foreword by Marina Warner - Return to top of the page - Our Assessment: B+ : nice little volume of interesting musings See our review for fuller assessment. Review Summaries Source Rating Date Reviewer Publishers Weekly . 10/10/2016 . From the Reviews : "(B)oth poignant and relevant for contemporary readers. Fans of Kilitos work should be pleased here, and those who have never read him should be intrigued this introduction." - Publishers Weekly Please note that these ratings solely represent the complete review 's biased interpretation and subjective opinion of the actual reviews and do not claim to accurately reflect or represent the views of the reviewers. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. We acknowledge (and remind and warn you) that they may, in fact, be entirely unrepresentative of the actual reviews by any other measure. - Return to top of the page - The complete review 's Review : The Tongue of Adam is based on a series of lectures Kilito gave at the College de France in 1990, and consists of seven fairly short pieces, with a final chapter, from 2016, making for a (new) afterword. The pieces focus on questions of language -- singular (the primacy of one language over others; the idea/question of an 'original' language) and plural (Babel; the choice of languages (including Kilito's own, between Arabic and French)). Kilito looks at the idea of an 'original' language from a variety of vantage points -- including noting that the ancient Greeks didn't seem much bothered by it (the primacy of Greek so obvious to them that nothing else really mattered). The biblical story of Babel -- that there was one original language, and that, because mankind blew it, there were than many, widely dispersed -- is the obvious starting- and focal-point, and Kilito examines it in a variety of interesting ways -- the first chapters titled: 'Babblings', 'Babels', and 'A Babelian Eden'. Original sin -- Adam and Eve's fall from grace -- is also considered, another path to multilingualism. The (literal) idea of a single 'original' (and/or 'natural', perfect) language is, of course, quite silly -- the development of language is considerably more complex -- and Kilito acknowledges that: "No one bothers to ask about the tongue of Adam any more". But the myth is a popular and appealing one -- and was long taken very seriously. As Kilito notes, the answer had serious implications. Kilito is a scholar, and he knows his sources, but he presents this material accessibly and entertainingly here -- more casual conversation that scholarly treatise (even as he cites very widely), and all the better for it. With a perspective employing much Arabic source material, his vantage point is also slightly different than those that might be more familiar to most readers. With Arabic itself touted by many as 'the language of paradise', Kilito considers its status and use (also for 'creative' writing -- arguably profaning). There's also Adam's funeral elegy for the death of Abel, "the first elegy (ritha') in Arabic poetry", and Kilito uses it (and its reception and discussions of it) as a case-study. Finally, in his new afterword, Kilito considers his own example, speaking and writing both Arabic and French, a revealing little autobiographical bit. Among the points of interest: that in teaching French literature for forty years: "I never spoke a word of Arabic to my students, nor did I mention the ame of a single Arab author". Yet he also suggests: "I learned French, paradoxically, so that I could write in Arabic". While focused on a single (albeit mythical), primordial or uber-language, Kilito nevertheless completely embraces and encourages multilingualism, recognizing the value of the multiplicity of means of expression. There are many fascinating observations in the book, but perhaps none is more valuable than his recognition that: Plurality and heterogeneity are the conditions of knowledge. - M.A.Orthofer, 13 March 2017 - Return to top of the page - : New Directions publicity page Excerpt See Index of Literary Essays See Index of books dealing with Translation - Return to top of the page - About the Author : Moroccan author Abdelfattah Kilito ( ) was born in 1947. He teaches at Muhammad V University in Rabat. - Return to top of the page - Last week saw Google holding, for the second time, a conference dedicated to its cloud portfolio. Roughly 12 months ago Google reorganized its products and combined its office productivity offering, GSuite, with its public cloud solution, Google Cloud Platform, to form one business unit under the management of famed enterprise IT leader, Diane Greene. Since that time Greene has been working hard to build out enterprise muscle memory within Google, something that the company has never had before. She has been on a massive hiring spree, and the legion of executives presenting at last week's event with resumes including companies such as Microsoft, Cisco and VMware was telling. Indeed the entire spirit at Google Next was a marked departure from the Google of old. While discussing this with a number of the other analysts at the event, I recounted how I had spent literally years trying to engage with Google so that I could better cover the company -- and in turn be able to better advise buy-side organizations about their strengths and weaknesses -- but to no avail. Despite repeated attempts, Google seemed intent on shunning the advances of myself and all the other analysts. So to attend the Google Next analyst day was telling; there were several hundred analysts in attendance -- both independents such as myself, as well as representatives from all the big firms. And where historically Google had exuded an arrogance that dismissed anyone who wasnt deeply technical, or advocating a business requirement, or outside of the Google tent, the Google of today wants to engage, is happy to discuss a product and business roadmap, and sees analysts as a key conduit between end-users and itself. And that new-found eagerness to engage seems to be paying dividends, if the product announcements at Next were anything to go by. At the end of the analysts day, when we were all briefed under embargo about what was being announced at the show, there was a general fatigue as we digested in just how many fronts Google is innovating. From pricing to security. From open source involvement to new approaches to professional support -- Google isnt hanging around. This was obvious when my colleague, Holger Mueller of Constellation Research, reflected on the "Olympics of the public cloud." As he pointed out, there are three generally accepted leaders in the public cloud -- Amazon, Microsoft and Google. And everyone, Google included, agrees that Google is currently a distant bronze medalist. Mueller asked the gathered executives what their ambition is, a question all the more telling given the huge lead Amazon has on both Google and Microsoft. The answer was emphatic -- Google is going for gold and in no way will be satisfied being a bit player in the space. Of course ambition and actualization are two different things, and time will tell how well Google is able to build gains over its rivals. But the cloud division seems to be doing everything right. Greene told the attendant analysts just how quickly she is growing headcount and upping spending -- a $19 billion capital investment and the fastest growing division in the Alphabet portfolio, with over 1,000 individuals added to the headcount. And all of this spending, and all of these people, seem to be slowly delivering enterprise wins Google had Disney, HSNC, Home Depot and eBay as examples of large organizations leveraging its platform. Partnerships is another enterprise angle that Google is leveraging -- including an announcement that SAPs HANA in-memory database is now certified to run on GCP. SAP even rolled out an executive to talk up the partnership -- although, it has to be said, this anointing by SAP is table stakes -- all three big public cloud platform can now tick that box. Google is also moving to differentiate itself based on machine learning. At the event it rolled out one of its newest hires, Fei Fei Li, a famed Stanford professor of all things artificially intelligent. She unveiled Googles new video intelligence API that, while pretty incredible in demos, will take a little while to become something customers actually move up to needing. She also announced Googles acquisition of Kaggle, an A.I. community site that runs competitions in the space -- the acquisition will both increase the community around Googles A.I. initiatives, and also provide much-needed data to tune all those algorithms. Also announced were some innovative new pricing approaches that look set to remove the complexity and hassle of calculating and acquiring cloud capacity in advance. And Googles innovative new models around customer success and site reliability services should help it further differentiate. MyPOV As I said at the event, the difference between the Google of today and that of only a year or two ago is like night and day -- this is one company that now totally gets what it needs to do to win enterprise customers. Time will tell, in a marketplace where its two biggest competitors are also innovating fast, whether that will be enough -- AWS is also ramping up its attractiveness to the enterprise via partnerships with VMware, while Microsoft is leveraging its huge existing enterprise footprint to build its cloud business. One thing is for sure, next years Google Next event will be a fascinating chance to reflect upon how the foundational work to date has driven growth for the unit. Saturday: 12pm to 12am for this St. Patrick's Day celebration, which will feature live music, food and libations for the holiday. The allages street party is designed to showcase and promote local and regional musicians and celebrate the universally loved St Patricks Day holiday. The Party on the Parkway festival uses the entire length of Patten Parkway to celebrate with an additional outdoor stage, food and beer vendors. Visit Patten Parkway will be closed fromfor this St. Patrick's Day celebration, which will feature live music, food and libations for the holiday. The allages street party is designed to showcase and promote local and regional musicians and celebrate the universally loved St Patricks Day holiday. The Party on the Parkway festival uses the entire length of Patten Parkway to celebrate with an additional outdoor stage, food and beer vendors. Visit www.parkwayparty.com for more information. St. Chatty's Day Parade: Northbound Market Street, from E. 4th Street to Frazier Avenue, as well as both eastbound lanes of Frazier Avenue from Market St. to Veteran's Bridge, will be closed from 11:30am to 2:00pm for this festive parade that celebrates St. Patrick's Day, features a variety of floats and benefits Kids on the Block. Visit www.kidsontheblock.net for more information. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) Saturday claimed that hackers were trying to gain access to his personal and government-issued devices through bogus password-reset notifications. In a short flurry of Twitter messages, Sasse blamed the hacking attempts on his criticism of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, earlier in the week. "Heads-up...I've been critical of Assange & WikiLeaks this week. So...big surprise: Am having multiple 'password reset' attempts right now," Sasse tweeted Saturday. The probing was hitting "basically every device, every platform, personal and govt," he added in a follow-up tweet. Sasse did not elaborate on the exact nature of the password-reset messages he said he'd seen, such as whether they were limited to a single app -- Twitter, for instance -- and how they had been sent. Sasse was not the only federal lawmaker to make the claim about reset requests. "Getting a lot of 'password reset' requests. Must be angering the hacker/WikiLeaks crowd by calling out Trump/Russia ties," tweeted Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) Sunday. Most attacks featuring password-reset requests rely on email. The messages purport to be from a service's support team. The links embedded in such notifications direct users to bogus sites, which harvest the credentials as they're entered. Security experts have urged users for decades to ignore the links within emails like these, and instead steer their browser directly to a service's legitimate password reset function. Confusing that advice, however, have been the seemingly endless parade of service breaches, and the ensuing large-scale forced password resets those services then demand of their users. As Sasse noted in his weekend tweets, he was critical of Assange after the secret-spilling WikiLeaks released a trove of CIA documents that alleged the agency could hack smartphones, personal computers, routers and other digital devices worldwide. In a Thursday statement, Sasse -- who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight -- said, "Assange should spend the rest of his life wearing an orange jumpsuit" and called the Australian "an enemy of the American people and an ally to Vladimir Putin." Assange in 2012 took refuge in the London embassy of Ecuador to stymie extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning on sexual assault allegations. He held a press conference Thursday during which he pledged to provide technology firms like Apple, Google and Microsoft with technical information on the software vulnerabilities the CIA supposedly used to compromise devices. The vendors could then use that information to patch the flaws. This story, "GOP senator alleges password-hijack attempts after blasting WikiLeaks founder" was originally published by Computerworld . Los Angeles is testing sensors attached to streetlights to wirelessly detect gunshots and other noises, and may expand the service to include sensors to recognize air pollution and earthquakes. Dozens of cities globally, including New York, began monitoring gunshot sounds with sophisticated rooftop sensor technology that measured two to three feet in length more than a year ago. However, newer sensors to detect gunshot sounds that are being tested by L.A. are smaller, about 1.5 inches in diameter, and can be placed farther apart, on a light pole every 10 blocks, according to Ed Ebrahimian, director of the city's bureau of street lighting. These gunshot detection sensors are being tested on some of the 25,000 poles that already have wireless controllers installed for turning city streetlights on and off remotely and for monitoring, he said. "Now we're taking the next step with gunshot detection sensors and working closely with Philips [Lighting]," the manufacturer, he said. Philips Lighting Los Angeles has launched a pilot project to add sensors for noise, including gunshot sounds, to streetlamps where wireless controls have already been installed. "We can easily connect [the gunshot information] with 911 and instantly detect gunshots in high crime areas," Ebrahimian said. "With 911, we can send police cars to a location in minutes. If we can send a car five minutes earlier and save someone's life, we've done our job." The light pole controllers can also be equipped with inexpensive sensors for general noise levels and have been tested successfully next to an elementary school where peaks in noise were detected when school children were outside. Sensors to detect earthquake tremors, pollution and moisture are also under consideration, Ebrahimian said. "Our first phase is to have sensors without cameras, but really the sky's the limit" on what can be detected, he said. L.A. police already use cameras in high crime areas, but that information is handled on a separate network infrastructure from the city's streetlight network, he said. L.A. already has seen energy and repair savings by installing LED lighting on 170,000 of the city's 219,000 streetlights. For that project, begun in 2009, the city spent $65 million to retrofit older streetlights with efficient LED lights. Some of the newer models are expected to last up to 15 years. About $9 million a year has been saved in energy costs, Ebrahimian said. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] The city has also seen a dramatic drop in streetlight maintenance in the shift to LED, going from 24,000 repairs before the program started down to 10,000 last year. While the return on investment with LED lights is clear, Ebrahimian said there's no established financial ROI for the sensors that will be attached to street poles. Each sensor could cost $150 or more when installed. While the sensor benefits aren't directly measureable in dollars, they can bring other benefits because they will help city planners and elected officials respond more directly to city problems and citizen needs, he said. "Frankly, for all cities, you need someone at the top to be able to support sensor tech like this that is cutting edge," Ebrahimian said. "Mayor [Eric] Garcetti has given us amazing support. He's a tech person and embraces all this new technology and is excited by the LEDs and sensors and controls." Last year, Garcetti talked about the city's lighting and "smart pole" program at a conference, mentioning streetlight cameras that were then being used to spot illegal trash dumping. He also suggested that public Wi-Fi could be attached to city streetlights. "The mayor calls our streetlights 'information beacons' where data can be disseminated to fire and police and planning officials and the mayor or whoever, so the city can do data analysis and we can put it on a dashboard," Ebrahimian said. For other city governments weighing smart city technology, Ebrahimian advised not using any single manufacturer to provide sensors, controllers or LEDs. Cities need to perform their own rigorous evaluations of vendor products as well. Contracts should be kept to short terms, of one to two years, he added. "We don't give three to four year contracts," he added. "We don't trust everything manufacturers are claiming." However, Ebrahimian also said city governments "should jump on LED lighting" because LEDs are more than 80% more energy-efficient than older technology. "I don't understand why cities are so slow to implement LED," he said. "What is holding them back?" Philips Lighting, which was spun off from Royal Philips last year, first announced a partnership with the city of Los Angeles in 2015 to install smart poles that work with controllers and 4G LTE wireless from Ericsson. Last month at Mobile World Congress, the two companies announced a newer generation of the smart pole technology for use in European cities. Other vendors also showed smart light pole technology, including Verizon and AT&T. ShotSpotter makes sensors that can detect gunshot noises which can be put on streetlight poles and roofs. The company has deployments in 90 cities worldwide, including San Francisco. After nearly five rocky years as CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer will be leaving her post with something of a tarnished image. As Yahoo continued to struggle under her tenure, so did Mayer's reputation as someone who could run a top-tier company. And that is likely to affect the jobs she'll look at taking on next. "I think she'll end up on the boards of directors of several companies, but probably will not receive an offer to head up a top company anytime soon," said Dan Olds, an analyst with OrionX. "Her tenure at Yahoo has tarnished her brand, and it will need to be rehabilitated a bit before she gets another shot at the top slot in another tech firm." News broke early Monday that once Yahoo sells its core Internet assets, Mayer will vacate her CEO position with the remaining holding company. She will leave the company with a $23 million severance package. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mayers severance package is dependent on a successful transition during the sale and as long as she is not terminated with cause. The SEC filing on Friday reported that after the sale is complete, Thomas J. McInerney, 52, will take over as CEO of the new holding company, to be renamed Altaba. He has been a member of Yahoo's board since April 2012. The company reported in January that Mayer would resign from the company board once the deal closed. Yahoo announced the deal with Verizon last July. The sale is expected to close in the second quarter. Its also not clear whether Mayer will have a spot with the part of the company that is being sold to Verizon. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] Expectations were high when Mayer, who had been a top-line executive at Google, first took over as Yahoo's CEO in the summer of 2012. Even as she was stepping into her new role, industry analysts were clear that Mayer had a tough job ahead of her. She was the company's third CEO in less than a year. Despite the challenge, Mayer, who had often been the public face of Google, inspired confidence that Yahoo could be turned around and once again live up to its beginnings as an Internet pioneer. For a while, it seemed Mayer was making headway at Yahoo, and there were predictions that she might pull off an "epic turnaround." But Yahoo didn't rise up to a level where it competed head-to-head with the likes of Facebook and Google. Jeff Kagan, an independent industry analyst, said Yahoo had been in a tumultuous state before Mayer arrived, and it was in too much trouble to save. "She was not a success at Yahoo but I'm not sure anyone could have been," he said. "It's impossible to say what would have worked since so many CEOs have tried so many different strategies and nothing worked." Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Enderle Group, had a different, and less flattering, take on Mayer's tenure. "She was poorly matched to the job from day one," Enderle said. "It wasn't that she didn't work hard. She just lacked the needed skills to execute a turnaround, and the Yahoo board was no apparent help, either." Mayer did have some missteps In early 2013 less than a year after she had taken over at Yahoo Mayer was criticized for issuing a memo that called the company's telecommuters back into the office. An even bigger problem was that Mayer was unable to stabilize the company's financials and a stream of acquisitions were made that didn't boost the company as expected. "Mayer joined Yahoo with a lot of positive press and momentum, which faded over time," Olds said. "During her tenure, she bought 53 companies for more than $2.3 billion, the vast majority of which have had their personnel absorbed into Yahoo while their products have been killed. Thus, it's hard to point to anything positive that has come from her tenure at Yahoo. For example, its $1.1 billion acquisition of Tumblr was eventually written down by more than $700 million, adding little to Yahoo." Talk of a reorganization or splitting up the company began to swirl later in 2015. Enderle noted that the company was lucky that Yahoo made the deal with Verizon before news of its major 2014 security breach came to light last fall. Kagan agreed. "Fortunately, Verizon wanted Yahoo for its users not for its technology," he said. "She was fortunate to get the Verizon acquisition done in the middle of all the chaos and security problems I think her performance would have been judged better had there not been so many security problems at the end." Clarification: This story has been updated since it was originally posted to add conditions for Mayer to receive her severance package and that it's unclear what if any role she will have in the portion of Yahoo that's being acquired by Verizon. Four years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories. Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts. Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters. To help remedy this, every fortnight we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented. Met Office Chair The Met Office Chair is appointed by the Secretary of State for BEIS, and will be responsible for advising the Minister on the organisations overall direction and performance. The role of Chair is pivotal and demands effective strategic leadership of the Board and the ability to speak on its behalf. The Chair will work closely with the full-time Chief Executive, who is also the Met Offices Accounting Officer The Secretary of State is seeking applications from individuals with top-level strategic experience commensurate with the responsibilities and the challenges of the Met Office. Applicants are invited from both public and commercial settings. Time: 36 days per annum. Remuneration: 35,000 per annum plus reasonable expenses. Closes: 13 March Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Small Business Commissioner We are seeking to appoint the UKs first Small Business Commissioner. This is a new statutory role covering the UK and established under provisions within the Enterprise Act 2016. The Small Business Commissioner will enable small businesses to resolve payment disputes with their larger customers and avoid future issues by encouraging a culture change in how businesses deal with each other. They will provide general advice and guidance to small businesses to prevent disputes occurring in the first place, direct them to existing support and help them resolve their complaints about payment issues. Time: Full-time. Remuneration: 120,000-130,000 per annum. Closes: 13 March College of Policing Chair Together with the College Board of Directors, the Chair will set the Colleges strategic direction and aims against budgets and priorities. They will provide the College Chief Executive and their Executive team with the necessary leadership, challenge and support to enable the College to meet its goals. The Chair and Board hold the Executive to account to ensure that the College meets all of its statutory responsibilities and financial imperatives. The College is still in its early stages of development, so the Chair will play a leading role in shaping the organisations values and culture as it builds the profession of policing and wins the confidence of the public, its members, policing and Parliament. Time: 4-6 days per month. Remuneration: 135,000 pro rata. Closes: 13 March Independent Office for Police Conduct Director General The role of the Director General is to ensure that the IOPC delivers on the following 3 functions: to independently investigate serious and sensitive cases where police misconduct is alleged or where someone has died or sustained serious injury; to act as an appellate body for members of the public whose complaints, if proven, could result in charges of misconduct or criminality,[and] to ensure public confidence in the police complaints system as a whole This is a demanding and high profile role which demands strong leadership skills proven in a complex environment with multiple and diverse stakeholders. There is no prescribed background for the Director General and you do not need experience in the criminal justice system but candidates will need to demonstrate a broad understanding of the IOPC remit and policing. Time: Full time. Remuneration: 140,000-160,000 per annum. Closes: 20 March Highways England Non-Executive Director Highways England is a public sector company, owned by the Government, responsible for delivering a modern network of strategic roads in England. Our primary role is to deliver a better service for road users and to support a growing economy. The Strategic Road Network is arguably the biggest and single most important piece of infrastructure in the country. It is at the core of our national transport system. It connects our major towns and cities, ensures commuters make it to work every day and helps millions of us visit our friends and families. Time: Two days per month minimum. Remuneration: 25,000 per annum. Closes: 20 March UK Research & Innovation Board Members The UKRI Board will be expected to support the set-up of the organisation, providing clear strategic direction and oversight, promoting the importance of UK Research and Innovation and supporting the senior leadership team of the organisation to embed new ways of working across UKRI As well as the above requirements which would be expected for all UKRI Board Members, there are specific roles on the Board that will require additional expertise, and a larger time commitment to UKRI. Time: 20 days per annum. Remuneration: 9,180 per annum, plus 459 per diem for extra days. Closes: 31 March Intellectual Property Office Chair of the Steering Board The Intellectual Property Office Steering Board is responsible for advising the CEO and Minister on the overall direction and policies of the IPO. It ensures the IPO delivers on its strategic priorities and that resources are allocated effectively for their delivery. The Steering Board also regularly reviews the management and performance of the IPO and ensures high standards of corporate governance are maintained at all times. The role of Chair is an important one and demands effective strategic leadership of the Board and the ability to speak on its behalf. The Chair will work closely with the full-time Chief Executive, who is the IPOs Accounting Officer. Time: 22 days per annum. Remuneration: 450 per diem up to 10,000 per annum, plus reasonable expenses. Closes: 31 March Independent Monitoring Board National Chair We are looking for an outstanding individual to lead the IMB operation through a period of internal reform and change; and at a time when strengthened independent scrutiny is an important part of the Governments prison safety and reform programme. The recent White Paper on Prison Safety and Reform set out plans to strengthen the governance arrangements and accountability for IMBs, to support them in providing high quality scrutiny and the successful candidate will work closely with the Deputy Director IMB Secretariat lead to put the new governance arrangements and processes in place. Time: Eight days per month. Remuneration: 400 per diem plus expenses. Closes: 03 April Nicky Morgan is a former Education Secretary, and is MP for Loughborough. Tomorrow, I will do something which MPs dont do as much as they should: I will listen to a Commons debate; listen extra carefully to what the Minister says at the despatch box and then once I have heard everything decide how to vote. Since 2010, in the vast majority of Commons votes, Conservative MPs have been voting to implement manifesto commitments, and are therefore expected to vote in support of the Government. Just occasionally, there have been votes on matters of conscience which are not whipped, and in which MPs therefore vote as their consciences dictate, having first listened to their constituents. When a Minister, I was also bound by collective responsibility. If, in a vote to which that responsibility applied, I had found that I couldnt support the Government I would have had to resign my position, including as a Parliamentary Private Secretary. So what is the debate taking place tomorrow? It is the consideration by Commons of the two amendments that the Lords made to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. First, I think it entirely within their rights for members of the Lords to ask MPs to be sure that we accept the Governments position on the areas covered by the amendments which are, in turn, the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and giving Parliament a meaningful final vote. That last Lords amendment calls for Parliament to give its approval for the outcome of the Governments Brexit negotiations with the EU. In accordance with the ruling of the High Court and Supreme Court, Parliament has had to give its approval via legislation to the start of the Brexit process. In the same way, many members of both Houses firmly believe that Parliament must be involved throughout the negotiations, and that it must have a say at their end. During the Committee stage of the Bill in the Commons, the Government conceded that Parliament would have a vote on the final deal in both Houses before it comes into force. David Jones, Minster at the Department for Exiting the EU, said that: This will cover both the withdrawal agreement and our future relationship with the European Union. I can confirm that the Government will bring forward a motion on the final agreement, to be approved by both Houses of Parliament before it is concluded. We expect and intend that that will happen before the European Parliament debates and votes on the final agreement. In this way, Ministers have given an assurance which deals with paragraphs one to three of the Lords amendment. In the Commons last month, Jones could offer no certainty about whether Parliament would be able to vote if the Government decided that, in the words of the Prime Minster, no deal is better than a bad deal. So it is this point reflected in paragraph four of the Lords amendment which Ministers must address in the Commons debate today if they are to gain widespread support in the Conservative Parliamentary Party for both overturning the Lords amendment, and avoiding a prolonged ping-pong between the Commons and Lords this week. I think that those who say that any such vote amounts to a veto, or is a way to defeat Brexit, or would incentivise the EU to offer us a bad deal are wrong. Many people said that Parliament would stand in the way of the triggering of Article 50 and thwart the will of the people. But MPs and Peers have shown this fear to be unfounded. And at the end of the negotiations, deal or no deal, Parliament will be very aware just how high the stakes are and of the consequences of a no vote. But it must be the case, particularly for those who argued that leaving the EU was all about taking back control, that this rests with our sovereign Parliament, and that Parliamentary approval is a useful safety valve for any Government. There may be very good reasons for the Government to decide that a deal is impossible to conclude but Parliament must be involved in that decision, and not sidelined. Our constituents expect their MPs to have a say on their behalf. We represent not just individuals whose jobs and futures will be affected by Brexit but farmers, businesses, universities and social enterprises who, amongst many others, currently rely on EU funding. It would be a dereliction of Parliaments duty if we agreed to have no final say on the outcome of the Governments negotiations. And it would be outrageous for the EU Parliament to have a greater final say than the UK Parliament. The truth is that Parliament will find a way to have a say. There are various means of doing so as the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU knows, because he has used most of them himself over the years. And Downing Street and the Whips know this too: so, later today, the Minister should recognise, on behalf of the Government and formally at the despatch box, that Parliament will have its say regardless of whether there is a deal or no deal. That is the assurance I shall be listening out for. Would the Lords manage to wreck the glorious simplicity of the Brexit Bill passed by the Commons? David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, wished to avert any such outrage. But while opening the short debate on the Lords amendments, he adopted the laid-back tone of an old House of Commons hand, who has no desire to antagonise disconsolate MPs, whether on his side or the other, and indeed recognises the genuineness of their concerns, while disputing the efficacy of their proposed solutions. So Davis accepted that the Government has a moral responsibility to guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in this country. His word at the Dispatch Box was, he added, binding on the Government, and legislating to this effect, as the Lords proposed, would only benefit the lawyers. Davis suggested some of the Lords wished to reverse the result of the referendum, and said they would certainly weaken the Governments negotiating position. Sir Keir Starmer, opening for Labour, sided with the peers. He was appalled that the Government proposed to use the EU citizens living in the UK as a bargaining chip. And yet Sir Keir somehow managed to keep his horror within bounds. He did not sound like a man who thought he was about to inflict a humiliating defeat on the Government. Sir Oliver Letwin, who spent many years as David Camerons right-hand man, demonstrated with a dazzling display of logic that sub-clause four in the Lords amendment, which would require the prior approval of Parliament to any deal reached, or not reached, by the Government, was deeply deficient as a matter of law. No one disputed his logic. Sir Bill Cash (Con, Stone) agreed the measure would be a gift to the courts, a gift to the lawyers. Anna Soubry (Con, Broxstowe) instead claimed this is all about parliamentary sovereignty. Parliament, she claimed, must be able to vote even in the event of the Government reaching no deal and falling off the cliff edge, which would be the worst possible outcome, for it would endanger the Union both with Northern Ireland and with Scotland. One of the wonderful effects of Brexit has been to impel Remainers, such as Soubry, to speak in vehement support of parliamentary sovereignty. Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, spoke in even more vehement support of his mother and his wife, who are, respectively, Dutch and Spanish, and who for him make the fate of the three million EU citizens living in this country a deeply personal matter. Joanna Cherry (SNP, Edinburgh South West) raised the temperature yet further by quoting a Lithuanian constituent who had told her this country is now worse than Lithuania under the Soviets. Mark Harper (Con, Forest of Dean) expressed the hope that Cherry had been able to give her constituent very clear reassurances that the position of EU citizens living here will in fact be protected. Cherry just said her constituent did not have private health insurance, so could not apply for permanent residence. But it seemed clear that MPs want to get rid of that stipulation, as part of a deal which protects Britons in the rest of the EU as well as EU citizens living in the UK. Once the Lords amendments had been defeated by 48 votes and 45 votes, with not a single Tory voting against and only a handful abstaining, it was clear too that the Commons was in no mood to yield to the Lords. Clegg, incidentally, had mothers on his mind, for he also referred to the Commons as the mother of Parliaments. That is a widespread but regretable misconception: in 1865 John Bright declared, in a speech supporting the extension of the franchise, that England is the mother of Parliaments. England, one might add, is the mother of Brexit. But that is not a line which would ever occur to Clegg. An intervention by prime minister Theresa May due to an outcry over chancellor Philip Hammonds Budget plan to raise NIC on the self-employed has been welcomed. The Freelancer and Contractor Services Association says the PM is right to pause to reflect on the impact of raising Class 4 NIC, so the Taylor review can report first, probably in June. But Mrs May has only said that the vote on the NI increase, which Mr Hammond promised last week at Budget 2017 to take effect from April 2018, will not be held until the autumn. Let me if I may just talk about the Budget yesterday, because we did make some difficult decisions, the prime minister acknowledged on Friday. The decision on national insurance was taken in the context of a rapidly changing labour market in which the number of people in self-employment, often doing the same work as people employed more traditionally is rising rapidly. The PM did not apologise for breaking the Tories NIC manifesto pledge, which a No.10 Downing Street source told Saturdays Financial Times that the Treasury had absent-mindedly forgotten about, when drafting the plan. Nor did Mrs May say the increase in National Insurance will be reconsidered, although such a rethink is being called for by a reported 30 MPs and Britains biggest-selling tabloid, The Sun. The MPs, including the Conservatives own Tom Tugendhat and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, are said to reject No.11 Downing Streets claims that the plan does not, technically, break the manifesto pledge. In fact, the chancellors spokesperson claimed to the i newspaper after the Budget that the 2015 pledge not to raise NIC was only meant in relation to employees, not people who work for themselves. In her intervention since then, Mrs May reassured that the Class 4 NIC hike will be accompanied by some changes to the rights and protections for the self-employed. But this does not seem to have pacified the MPs. On the contrary, potential sweeteners to the bitter pill of higher NIC like new pension rights and maternity protections seem to have angered the MPs, for being regarded as a diversionary tactic or a tacit admittance of wrongdoing. And it is not only Mr Hammond who is being blamed. According to the Guardian, a Tory backbencher says a number of MPs are pointing the finger at the chief secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, who has long experience at the department. The MPs are buoyed by David Cameron, as the former PM was seen after the Budget in a video next to defence secretary Michael Fallon, appearing to comment to him on Mr Hammonds announcement: breaking a manifesto promise; how stupid can you get? Others apparently blame the previous chancellor, who is understood to be behind the 2015 pledge not to raise NI, although allies of George Osborne apparently say he looked at a similar increase during his chancellorship, but decided to leave it alone. Another ex-chancellor Lord Lamont, who Mr Hammond poked fun at on Thursday for being sacked subsequent to his own 1993 Spring Budget, said at the weekend that the NIC hike announcement was a rookie error. The comment will dismay the current chancellor, colleagues of whom the FT has quoted as saying that No 10 staffers have distanced themselves from, describing it as not a good place for him to be. Announced at chapter 3.5 of Budget 2017, the staged rise of National Insurance Contributions from 9p to 11p is projected to raise 2.06billon by adding as much as 700 extra onto the Class 4 payments of almost 2.5million sole trader individuals. State Reps Set To Introduce Bill For $15 Minimum Wage In Illinois By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 13, 2017 6:18PM State Rep. Will Guzzardi / Photo: SEIU HCIIMK The long-percolating battle for a $15 minimum wage in Illinois is heading back to Springfield. Reps. Will Guzzardi (D-39th) and Litesa Wallace (D-67th) on Monday morning announced a new push to increase the state minimum wage to $15. "$15 is the only forward for Illinois, Guzzardi said in a statement. "We need to get Illinois' economy moving again and that begins by putting money in workers' pockets. Guzzardi spoke at a press conference on Monday at the Thompson Center, where he and Wallace were joined by workers from SEIU and representatives from Action Now. The push for $15 has been brewing for years in Chicago, where the minimum wage stands at $10.50. (The Illinois minimum is $8.25.) Most recently, advocates demonstrated in favor of the raise at an International Women's Day action that also spotlighted charges of workplace abuse. California and New York have made legislative inroads toward a $15 minimum in recent years. As Crain's points out, Springfield has seen modest steps toward a wage hike, although never as high as $15. Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-majority Senate have put forth $10 and $11 proposals, respectively. Last year, Rauner vetoed a bill that would have raised the minimum wage to $15 for caregivers of the developmentally disabled. "The bill does not provide any mechanism for funding this additional cost," Rauner said in a statement at the time. Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis told Chicagoist via email on Monday, Gov. Rauner supports raising all wages by making Illinois more competitive through structural changes to grow the economy, create jobs and strengthen our schools. The new bill will likely face stiff opposition from groups like the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, who for years have maintained that such a wage hike would push merchants to either slash hours employee hours, raise prices or both. Guzzardi and Wallace hope to ease retailers' anxieties by staggering the wage hike, first to $9 next year then tiering up until 2022, the Tribune reports. Small businesses could also be eligible for a tax credit under the bill to help counterbalance the increase in labor cost. The pro-$15 group argues that the increase will support workers and also help the state's lagging economy, since low-wage workers would be afforded more income for consumer purchases. The group said that a childless, single worker needs to make $32,500 per year (or $15.63 full time) to "afford the basics." Close Marijuana is beginning to be legalized in many states in the US both for medicinal and recreational purposes. However, in an analysis conducted with 20 million health records across the United States, using marijuana is linked to heart disease. The Medical News Today reveals that as marijuana becomes a legal and welcomed recreational and medicinal drug in the US, it is also posing a great risk to America's health. Abuse of the substance is feared due to the increasing number of US states that are legalizing the use of the substance, both for medical and recreational purposes. The lead author of the study, Dr. Aditi Kalla of the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA and colleagues help in enlightening the possible side effects that come with marijuana use. This discovery may help doctors enlighten their patients on the dangers and side-effects that come with unsupervised marijuana use. The CBC News also reports that besides food options, heredity, and other known risk factors, a considerable number of incidences of stroke, heart disease, and heart failure has been associated with the use of marijuana. In the 20 million health records reviewed for the study, test subjects ranged from 18 to 55-years old and were discharged from one or several hospitals across the US from 2009 to 2010. One and a half percent of these patients used marijuana. This was enough reason to associate its use with a higher risk for heart disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, and sudden cardiac death. Marijuana use was linked to 26 percent of increased incidences of stroke and 10 percent increase in the risk of heart failure. However, marijuana advocacy groups see this number as insignificant and inconsistent for all marijuana users. Although, they believe that those with psychiatric illnesses, pregnant women, and adolescent refrain from using marijuana due to possible effects on their health. Results of the study were published at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session in Washington D.C. Despite marijuana being legalized in the Americas, it remains to be the most commonly used illicit drug in the country. With 28 states already allowing the use of marijuana, uncovering the link between marijuana use and poor cardiovascular health and heart disease becomes more urgent. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Scientists in South Korea have managed to create a sensor that can monitor blood sugar levels by analyzing sweat on the skin. The device will require one millionth of a liter of sweat to be able to perform a sugar level test, improving the process of diagnosing and monitoring diabetes patients. The sweat sensor device that can be used in determining type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes blood sugar levels were initially tested on laboratory mice, the BBC reports. The sensors were hooked up to a patch composed of tiny needles that will also automatically inject diabetes medication after the blood sugar levels are tested. The device, developed at the Seoul National University, can be a substitute for the conventional and painful blood collection that is frequently needed in diabetes patients. However, there are still a few challenges that come in the experimentation of the device to make it work efficiently on humans. Sugar present in sweat is harder to find compared to sugar in the blood. Other chemicals such as lactic acid, present in sweat, can also disrupt the results. Earlier this month, the Science Daily revealed that the cause of type 1 diabetes is possibly due to the mistake in identifying insulin-secreting beta cells and destroying them in the process during the treatment or management of type 1 diabetes. Juvenile diabetes or type 1 diabetes has no developed cure but this incredible step in managing diabetes painfully, especially for the young ones, is a big step in the commitment to deal and hopefully cure the disease. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system attacking the body organ that controls blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is caused by the inability to control blood sugar levels due to lifestyle damaging reasons. These patients constantly require their blood sugar levels to be determined to be able to intake medication when needed. This current sweat sensor device can help in creating advance medical procedures that can lessen the pain and stress diabetes patients endure. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close In two separate incidents, a 50-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man were rushed to the hospital and were immediately resuscitated after consuming tea product that caused poisoning. The incident happened an hour after the victims consumed tea with leaves brought at a Chinatown business at Sun Wing Wo Trading Corporation, a report on CBS SF Bay said. The victims suffered abnormal heart pressures and are now facing a serious near-death situation and are taken care of in an Intensive Care Units for close monitoring. Laboratory tests were made and the tea product was found to have Aconite Leaves, a plant-based poison that can cause lethal health problems, health care officials said to the U.S.A Today. As of the time being, there is yet a cure for Aconite poisoning so health officials are warning those who have purchased the same tea not to proceed in its consumption and to dispose of it to avoid accidental drinking of it from those who does not know its danger. The tea products are being pulled out from the stores and are tracing the root of contamination. According to Dr. Thomas Aragon, a San Francisco Health Officer, aconite poisoning is lethal and immediately attacks the heart muscles and arteries. Its symptoms include gastrointestinal abnormalities such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It can also affect sensory capabilities which result to the numbing of the mouth and face, weakness in the limbs and even to the extent of paralysis. Above all, it troubles the cardiovascular flow with chest pains, irregular heartbeats, low blood pressure, palpitations, and difficulty in catching one's breath. It may lead to death when not prevented. Aconite Roots are usually toxic but with proper and adequate processing, it may be used. In addition, aconite is a famous Asian herbal medicine that's used to treat pain and bruising. It may also be called as wolfsbane, helmet flower, and monkshood. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare The Merchandise Mart Will Be Lit Up With A Massive New Art Projection By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 13, 2017 4:12PM If Portlands unofficial motto is put a bird on it, Chicago's might very well be "put a light on it." From The 606 to seesaws to "L" tracks, the city seems to love nothing more than working the intersection of public art and big, bright lights. We can now officially add the Merchandise Mart to that list, as well. Projection engineers Obscura Digital and A+I Architects will collaborate on a large-scale illumination project that will bedazzle the entire south, River-facing side of the massive Mart, the City of Chicago announced Monday. The redevelopment of Chicagos riverfront is vital to our ongoing efforts to attract 55 million visitors annually to the City of Chicago by 2020, creating new jobs and injecting millions of dollars into our local economy, said Mayor Emanuel in a press release. The mayor, of course, never misses an opportunity to tout the city's recent run of tourism success. Will the Mart lights be enough to carry the trend, especially as cities around the country are predicting a dip of foreign visitors in the wake of President Donald Trump's travel ban? That might be too much to ask, but judging from a rendering put forth by the city in a 2014 RFP and Obscura's portfolio of past large-canvas architectural light-ups, it should at the very least look pretty cool. The announcement jibes with the city's yearlong doubling down on public-art installations and Emanuel's "meeting of the mayors" to urban-waterway development with city leaders from around the worldwhich, perhaps not coincidentally, is underway on Monday. According the the city, the project will be privately funded and is scheduled to debut in 2018. [Shouts to Curbed for showing us toward the RFP.] No photos are allowed in the exhibition, so Ou Xiaoyang took out her sketchbook and drew the shadow puppet on display. It was Saraba, a character from the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. In the poem, Saraba aids a prince in his attempt to rescue his wife from a demon king. The puppet was made on the Indonesian island of Java in the early 19th century. "I never knew that Indonesia made such beautiful shadow puppets," said Ou, a senior student at Beijing Forestry University. "I am impressed by the brilliance of many civilizations. They each have their own colors and shapes. But they are interconnected because they all represent humanity's pursuit of beauty," she continued. The puppet is one of the items which comprise "A History of the World in 100 Objects," a travelling exhibition tour curated by the British Museum, which arrived at the National Museum of China in Beijing on March 1. This exhibition showcases 100 objects from the British Museum's collection of more than eight million items. STORIES OF THE WORLD The selected objects are as diverse as the exhibition's title implies, ranging widely in age and origin: from a 1.8-2 million year-old stone chopping tool from Tanzania's Olduvai Valley, to a 3,000 year-old statue of Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, to a plastic solar-powered lamp created in China just seven years ago. The exhibition was inspired by a 100-part radio series made by the British Museum and BBC in 2010. The program was a hit in Britain, achieving 1.1 million listeners at its peak. In 2011, the British Museum published A History of the World in 100 Objects through Penguin Books, and in 2014 the namesake touring exhibition began in Abu Dhabi. Thus far the exhibition has visited the United Arab Emirates, Japan and Australia, and the British Museum now invites Chinese audiences to explore this special presentation on the history of the world. DIALOGUES BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS The 100 objects come from five different continents, and span two million years. Together, they create a colorful image of the world. "Cultures from all around the globe should be represented and be able to be viewed side by side," said Belinda Crerar, exhibition curator from the British Museum. "We hoped to illustrate how similar concerns and desires have motivated the development of human societies in all parts of the world and are reflected in the objects that they have made," she told Xinhua. "The exhibition, with this unique approach to history, leads the audiences through the world's close cultural ties and makes them understand the importance of dialogues and mutual respect between civilizations." said Lyu Zhangshen, director of the National Museum of China. Lyu added that the equality and balance between different civilizations offered wisdom and strength, and will ultimately contribute to global harmony and prosperity. The National Museum of China added a 101st object to the exhibition -- the wooden hammer and pen used during China's accession to the WTO in 2001. The final object was selected in collaboration with the host venue, said Crerar. "It allows the exhibition to end with an object that resonates personally with the local audience." The American Bankruptcy Institute announced this morning that it has convened a commission to study and propose reforms of the US consumer bankruptcy system. In light of the success of ABI's Chapter 11 commission, we can expect big things from this commission on Chapters 7 and 13. Some major names in consumer bankruptcy are among the 15 members of the commission, and Credit Slips is well represented, with Bob Lawless as Reporter and Katie Porter on the membership roster, along with one more super-prominent academic, professor-cum-judge-cum-professor Bruce Markell, now of Northwestern. I wish the commission had consulted Bob about its name. He would have pointed to his empirical work on small business debtors to suggest that this be called a personal bankruptcy commission, rather than consumer, but perhaps the inclusion of a good deal of small business debtors and business-related debts is taken as a given. Anyway, best wishes to the commission--we'll eagerly await its first reports and calls for comments! The 100th anniversary of the graduation of China's late prestigious scholar Hu Shih from Columbia University was celebrated at the Columbia Global Centers in Beijing, on March 11, 2017. China's late prestigious scholar Hu Shih [File photo] A slew of memorial photos, documents and credentials were put on display at the Columbia Global Centers in Beijing to mark the 100th anniversary of the graduation of China's late prestigious scholar Hu Shih from Columbia University on March 11. The exhibition initiated by Song Xiaoxia, a professor from China Central Academy of Fine Arts is in an attempt to review the Chinese intellectual history of the 20th Century. In its opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon, Professor Ouyang Zhesheng from the History Department of Peking University delivered a keynote speech on Hu Shih's academic years at Columbia University. Ouyang said Hu's life had three major turning points his childhood in Anhui Province, where he finished his education of Chinese classics, his overseas academic years spent in Columbia University and his rise to prominence at Peking University. "The study of Hu is not simply a personal issue but a wider vision of the cultural exchange between China and the United States," Ouyang said. A beneficiary of the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program, Hu set out to the United States in 1910 to study agriculture at Cornell University. But uninterested in his classes, he shifted to philosophy for his postgraduate education in 1915, choosing the widely-renowned John Dewey as his mentor at Columbia University. The student and the professor established a lifetime friendship that grew immensely two years later upon Hu's graduation, when he became Dewey's full-time interpreter during the latter's two-year stay in China. By combining foreign philosophies with early Chinese thoughts, Hu's PhD dissertation was entitled "The Development of the Logical Method in Ancient China." Despite the skepticism about when he exactly finished his paper, Hu remained prominent by introducing ancient Chinese wisdom in a well-written language to foreign audiences. According to Hu, the inspiration came from Dewey's training of instrumentalism. Few contemporaries of Hu ever imagined to combine modern science methodology with ancient Chinese textology. He was the first to undertake such an attempt, which Hu said should be indebted to the training from Dewey in an interview for the compilation of "The Personal Reminiscences of Dr. Hu Shih," an oral history program initiated by Columbia University in 1957. "Our life today is much more complicated than the times when Hu Shih lived, so we should neither overestimate nor underestimate his contributions," Ouyang said in his opening remarks. "But we need to pay equal attention to the historic legacy while respecting the work of our predecessors who have laid a foundation from which we can continue to march forward." The exhibition was held at Lifangting Plaza, No.1 Shanyuan Street, Zhongguancun. Components & Peripherals News Partners: Intel's Mobileye Deal Shows Its Commitment To Being A Leader In Autonomous Vehicle Market Lindsey O'Donnell Share this Partners are cheering Intel's move Monday to acquire Mobileye in a blockbuster $15.3 billion deal, as the company looks to boost its share in the connected car space. "The intended acquisition of Mobileye by Intel highlights the commitment that Intel has to the growing market for autonomous vehicle systems," said Douglas Grosfield, founder and CEO of Five Nines IT Solutions, a Kitchener, Ontario-based strategic service provider and Intel partner. "Todays automobile manufacturers are baking in ever-more-sophisticated systems and software into their vehicles, all designed to make our crowded roads safer. Technology that helps the driver make more informed decisions, in a faster and safer way, have obvious value and provide the human driver greatly enhanced tools to perform a complex task." Israel-based Mobileye comes to Intel with a portfolio of tools for advanced driver assistance systems -- including surround vision, sensor fusion, mapping and driving policy products for car manufacturers including Honda, BMW and Volvo. [Related: Intel Drives Roadmap For Connected Cars With $15.3 Billion Mobileye Acquisition] The company's EyeQ chips, which pack cars with the intelligence to identify and read traffic signs and detect roadway markings such as lanes and debris, were installed in as many as 16 million vehicles in 2016. "Vehicle automation could be one of those technology game-changers, both on a productivity side as well as a safety side," said Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of LAN Infotech, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Intel partner. "This acquisition shows you the importance of being a leader in up-and-coming technologies. ... The price alone speaks for itself." Intel and Mobileye have worked together in the past, with the two partnering with BMW to test self-driving cars in July. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said Monday that Mobileye will help accelerate the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company's efforts around computer vision, localization and mapping, and machine learning and artificial intelligence in the autonomous vehicle space. "Many of you have asked why we think autonomous cars and vehicles are so important to Intels future," he said in an email to employees. "The answer is data. Our strategy is to make Intel the driving force of the data revolution across every technology and every industry. We are a data company. The businesses we focus on, and deliver solutions to, create, use and analyze massive amounts of data." As part of its overall efforts to push deeper into the cloud, data center and Internet of Things markets, Intel has been deepening investments in automated vehicle systems, which it estimates will have a market opportunity of up to $70 billion by 2030. Intel isn't alone in its efforts to double down on connected cars -- in October, Qualcomm unveiled a $47 billion deal to acquire automotive chip supplier NXP, which broadens the company's portfolio of sensors, networking and other tools essential for autonomous driving. Intel, for its part, in November said it would invest $250 million to research autonomous driving connectivity and security, and officially lifted the curtain on the Automated Driving Group, which the company said will research and develop innovative next-generation autonomous driving solutions and driver-assist connected systems. Despite the race for automated driving market share, Five Nines IT Solutions' Grosfield warned that chip manufacturers still have a ways to go in working with car manufacturers to provide adequate and secure connected solutions for cars. "Once technology can prove itself in this space, which it has not yet accomplished, then the real challenging work begins," he said. "Convincing governments and insurers to change their legislation and policies to allow the world to embrace these technologies will be a far greater challenge than creating the technologies themselves." You are here: Home Customs officers in south China's Guangdong Province seized 236 wild animals smuggled from overseas, local authorities said Monday. Customs authorities in Shenzhen said they intercepted a container truck at 1 a.m. on Sunday and found 165 turtles and 71 scorpions hidden in three polystyrene boxes. The truck driver said he had received 900 yuan (130 U.S. dollars) to ship the animals to several pet shops. The turtles are all under the protection of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the type of live scorpions involved is still being determined. The driver was detained and the animals were handed over to the wildlife protection center in Shenzhen. The investigation continues. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW FAIRFIELD Dee Poquette had been to France as a tourist enough times that she figured it was time to start leading her own tours. To share her passion for the food and shopping available in southern France, the New Fairfield resident founded Jackdaw Brocante and Cuisine Tours. She leads two tours each year one in the spring and one in the fall featuring a small number of guests, full itinerary and unique experiences. Ive been touring France and Italy for over 10 years. I know the area very well and have made a lot of contacts and friends there, Poquette said. I have a passion for travel and I just cant wait to share the pleasures offered by the incomparable region of Provence Poquette avoids the big cities and typical tourist attractions in France and hones in on the smaller villages with old-country charm during the seven-day tour. Visitors fly in and out of Nice, which is the largest city on the tour. The tours feature cooking classes and wine tastings, but Poquette said shopping has become a focal point of the tours. The markets are really the heartbeat of France. Communities revolve around these markets, she said. I know where to go and when the big events are. A shopping highlight is the LIsle-sur-la-Sorgue, which Poquette said is the second-largest antique market in Europe after Paris. The large antique shopping event coincides with the towns weekly food market. One of the highlights for foodies in the group is a private morning tour of a local bakery. Its wonderful to see how the baguettes are made. Its a behind-the-scenes look, Poquette said. We also visit a goat farm to see how they make their cheese. Then we eat some of the cheese. The itinerary also includes a several-hour boat tour. Throughout the week, tour members will also explore castles, visit feudal and medieval villages, sleep in a 19th-century farmhouse and shop at a flower market that Poquette describes as a riot of colors and scents. Its a really busy tour. We throw a lot in seven days, but theres also some freedom in the schedule, she said. We take mostly back roads getting from place to place. We avoid the highways as you dont see anything there. Poquette, a native of Mississippi, is also a personal trainer at Associated Neurologists Medical Fitness Gym in Danbury. A jackdaw is a small, black European bird, but Poquette said she derived the name of her company from one of her favorite stores in England. When she and her husband lived in England in the 1970s, a womens clothing store named Jackdaw served as her connection to the U.S. I always said if I started a business, Id use that name, she said. Jackdaw Brocante and Cuisine Tours next trip is scheduled for May 16-23. Space is available, said Poquette. Additional information is available at jackdawbrocanteandcuisinetours.com, or by emailing jackdawbrocanteandcuisine@yahoo.com cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 HARTFORD Three days before a legislative deadline to act on a casino bill, Attorney General George Jepsen on Monday cast further doubt on the possibility of expanded gambling in Connecticut. In an eight-page opinion, Jepsen warned of the potential legal risks, including the threat of losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue from the two existing tribal casinos, owned by the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN). In sum, the risks attendant to authorizing a casino gaming facility operated by an entity jointly owned by the MPTN and Mohegan, while impossible to quantify with precision, are not insubstantial and cannot be mitigated with confidence, Jepsen wrote to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. We are not in a position to opine on the nature or extent of the economic or other benefits that may result from approving such an entity, Jepsen said in response to Malloys request for an assessment of the legal risks granting the tribes cooperative effort to build a satellite casino in East Windsor to possibly keep Connecticut gamblers from driving to a new $950-million casino in Springfield, Mass. MGM Resorts International, which expects to open the Springfield facility in the autumn of 2018, said Jepsens report illustrates the need to open up the entire process for others to bid on a third casino. Uri Clinton, MGMs senior vice president and legal counsel, said Jepsens Monday statement is essentially the same as two years ago when lawmakers and the tribes first agreed on the casino expansion. Once again, the conclusion is clear and unmistakable: Connecticut risks hundreds of millions in annual revenue if it proceeds with a commercial casino - even if that casino is to be operated jointly by the two federally-recognized tribes, Clinton said. There is a better, no-risk option. Connecticut can generate more revenue, create more jobs, and drive greater economic development for the state as a whole by establishing a competitive bidding process. The legislative Public Safety Committee is considering bills that would allow the joint venture to proceed in East Windsor; and open up bidding that could lead to a casino in Southwestern Connecticut from tribes other than the Pequots and Mohegans. But its deadline is 5 p.m. on Thursday. As noted, we must be circumspect in our comments in light of our responsibility to defend such claims if, as is foreseeable, they are asserted and their merits litigated, Jepsen wrote to Malloy. We do believe that there are potentially meritorious defenses that we would be able to raise against these constitutional claims, including that the special nature of state-tribal relationships permit special legislative treatment and require judicial deference. However, the relative novelty of the legal issues such claims would present makes it difficult to predict their outcome with confidence. Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, an opponent of expanded gambling, took Jepsens letter as an affirmation. As a state, we need to leave the idea of casino expansion - and all of the significant societal costs that come with it - alone. We need to stop betting on an industry that has a downward trajectory. We need to focus on sound and sustainable economic growth solutions for our state. Andrew Doba, spokesman for the joint tribal venture, said Jepsens statement does not address the pending bill. The Senate bill makes the authorization of a casino expressly contingent upon (federal Bureau of Indian Affairs) approval of the Tribes compact amendments, which should assuage concerns about losing the Tribes sharing of slot revenues, Doba said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the legislature in the weeks ahead to make sure that any bill that passes maintains the States long-standing partnership between Connecticut's two federally recognized tribes and protects critically important jobs in our state, he said. kdixon@ctpost.com; This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD - A contingent of Milford lawmakers and residents on Monday asked the General Assembly to stop the states plan to charge admission to Silver Sands State Park and construct new buildings. As a new resident in Milford, I freely admit I was drawn to this area because of the natural beauty I found at Silver Sands, said Lisa Tryon. I want to protect the park's incredible feeling of peace that is enjoyed by so many of the quiet, respectful people who enjoy this area. The solution, park supporters told the legislatures environment committee, is to pass a bill that places a moratorium on and requires local approval for a $10 million plan by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to charge admission to the seaside park and construct a maintenance garage, bathhouse, concession stand, viewing stand and entrance booth. Supporters said DEEPs project will motivate visitors to park in surrounding neighborhoods to avoid the fee, causing headaches for those homeowners. They said the pristine, mostly vacant park does not need a snack bar and other buildings. This is our only state park that has remained in its natural state with little commercial development, said State Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford. We held meetings in Milford and over 400 residents came out opposing this development, Rose said We have extreme parking conditions around the areas by the beach. Once the park reaches capacity they are directed to local streets. I have residents parking 10 blocks from their house to bring groceries home. DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee told the committee parking problems can be solved by signage and other local remedies and defended the states improvement plan for the 297-acre park. In our decision to proceed with the project, we weighed these concerns with the sanitation and safety benefits for the 250,000 annual park visitors, as well as the opportunity to perform wildlife habitat improvement work, Klee said. We also considered the positive impact on the local economy that is likely to result from hosting a premier shoreline park, he said. We are planning to proceed with this project because visitors deserve restrooms, changing areas and other modest amenities to make their visit sanitary, safe and convenient. Klee added the bill would also set a precedent by allowing local groups to reject park improvements that benefit all residents. We believe such a move would be short-sighted, and we ask this committee to consider the interests of the thousands of Connecticut families who enjoy this park each year and whose experience would be improved with basic amenities, Klee said. Eric Hammerling, executive director of Connecticut Forest & Park Association, agreed with Klee. The reason for our opposition is straightforward: It would be poor public policy to have DEEP projects which are carried forward on behalf of the public to be subject to approval by a local town which may have parochial motivations, Hammerling said. But Heather Profetto of Milford said Silver Sands is a unique place that should not be changed. I wish the park to remain as is and not ever have a fee to enter the natural beauty, she said. Cuba: an example on the work with handicapped people Submitted by: Juana Havana Health and Medicine 03 / 13 / 2017 Cuba is an example in the attention and inclusion of handicapped people, despite the limitations in resources due to the over 50 years long US blockade, an Ecuadorean expert said in Havana. Ana Lucia Arellano, president of the Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and their Families (RIADIS), praised the work of Cuban Association of Persons with Physical and Motor Disabilities (ACLIFIM) that, according to her, is unmatched in Latin America and widely respected in the region. Cuba is a role model for us, and when we have visited this country before we have met with its leaders and got to know firsthand their work and love to empower people with disabilities, Arellano told Cuban News Agency She announced that during the Sixth Riadis Conference to take place in Havana from this Monday through the 17th, leaders from Latin America will exchange on good practices, learn and build together a base where everyone can contribute with ideas and experiences and others take from there. This Congress will have the Havanas Conventions Center as its venue and will be attended by over 200 delegates from 20 nations to define the work of the Association for the next 4 years. (acn) Still Standing: Four the Moments legacy honoured at Nova Scotia Music Week When a quartet of Halifax women began singing together a cappella in the name of social justice in 1982, there was little in the way of a music industry at play in Atlantic Canada. And even if there had been, its likely that Four the Moment would ... STORY LINK Markets Brace for Brexit, GBP AUD Exchange Rate Volatile Pound Australian Dollar (GBP AUD) Volatile as Brexit Set to Begin Australian Dollar Struggles as Iron Ore Continues to Slump GBP AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: UK Employment Data Ahead Current Interbank Exchange Rates Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Australian Dollar exchange rate was met by increased volatility this morning as reports suggest that Prime Minister Theresa May could invoke Article 50 by the end of the week.The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP AUD) exchange rate fluctuated in trading today as markets brace for the possibility of Theresa May will begin the formal Brexit process sometime this week.However this is not set in stone yet as the government still faces a parliamentary battle to pass its Brexit bill after the House of Lords made a couple of amendments to it last week.The changes seek to ensure the rights of EU citizens living in the UK post-Brexit and to provide parliament with a guarantee that it will be given a meaningful vote on the final terms of Britains exit from the EU.But with reports suggesting that MPs will vote to reject the amendments and Peers not expected to challenge the bill any further in the event that they are defeated, Theresa May could be granted the authority to trigger Article 50 as early as Tuesday.Such an event is likely to cause Sterling to tumble as the official start of Brexit triggers up to two years of uncertainty for markets, with many analysts predicting that the UK could find negotiations difficult.James McCormack, Fitchs Global Head of Sovereign Ratings said;The UK will have a strong incentive to settle its exit bill quickly to preserve as much of the two-year negotiating period as possible for more difficult and important issues. But in so doing, it risks criticism at home of an early and unnecessary concession.The Australian Dollar ceded its early gains against the Pound this morning as it was pressured by tumbling commodity prices.Iron ore in particular has been hit hard by the recent downturn in commodity markets, with the key Australian export having fallen 8.6% from multi-year high of $94.86 a tonne a couple of weeks ago to $86.72 a tonne at the start of trading on Monday.However an uptick in Chinese commodity futures late in the Asian Trading session suggests that the decline could be coming to an end as Chinese construction activity begins to climb again after slowing down for the winter.The GBP AUD exchange rate may weaken on Wednesday following the release of the UKs latest employment data.While the unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 4.8% in January, markets are likely to be disappointed by an expected drop in average earnings from 2.6% to 2.4% over the same period.Meanwhile NAB is predicted to report a drop in Australias February Business Confidence survey on Tuesday as global economic uncertainty weighs on sentiment.At the time of writing the GBP AUD exchange rate was trending around 1.61 and the AUD GBP exchange rate was trending around 0.61. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Australian Dollar Forecasts We must rethink the U.S. response to infectious disease. Here's why. 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Syrian security forces and locals gather at the scene of a twin bombing targeting Shiite pilgrims in Damascus' Old City on March 11, 2017, in one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital. [Photo/Xinhua] The announcement came a day after another rebel group called the Levant Swords said in a statement that the deadly bombings were its doing. The rebels claim that the Shiite Iraqis were not pilgrims to shrines in Damascus, but fighters supporting the Syrian government forces against the six-year-old rebellion. On Saturday, two bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of Damascus. The first explosion was carried out through an explosive device that went off near a gathering of buses carrying Shiite Iraqi visitors to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery to visit Shiite shrines, as part of Shiite pilgrim practices. After the first explosion, passengers from nine buses gathered to see what had happened, when a suicide bomber wearing a bomb vest detonated himself among the crowds, killing 74 of them and wounding nearly 100 others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Chancellor Philip Hammond is burdening small firms, savers and aspirational families with yet more taxes and red tape Hallelujah! Unelected Lords permitting, this week we should finally set sail for freedom from the statist, anti-democratic, inward-looking EU. Yes, die-hard Remoaners in both houses will continue to resist the peoples will, with keen backing from the BBC and other Brussels-besotted media. But with most accepting the popular verdict and even arch-Europhile Lord Heseltine saying the Lords should not block the withdrawal process all seems set fair for triggering formal negotiations. So how deeply depressing that the Tories are squeezing the risk-taking, self-reliant, middle-class backbone of Britain the very people who will lead our drive to compete in the wider world after Brexit. Five days on, as the small print of the Budget comes under the microscope, details of the scale of the Treasurys depredations are still coming to light. Not only will the self-employed be hammered by the slashing of tax relief on dividends, higher National Insurance contributions and VAT bills in blatant breach of the Tory manifesto it now emerges that revenues from wealth taxes on middle-class savers will also double. A triple whammy of increased receipts from inheritance tax, capital gains tax and a death tax, masquerading as probate fees, will push takings from these sources to a blistering 84billion. What a reckless way to prepare for Brexit! Yes, this paper accepts the urgent need to control borrowing. But this should be done by cutting still-bloated spending in such wasteful areas as overseas aid (now set to increase still further as the economy grows). Indeed, the last thing the Government should be doing is burdening small firms, savers and aspirational families with yet more taxes and red tape. We will not become fighting fit for Brexit by emulating the EU and slaughtering the geese that lay the golden eggs. Human life and the law MUCH has changed in the half-century since abortion was legalised. For one thing, a law intended to cover only exceptional cases is now exploited as a routine alternative to contraception. Indeed, 500 terminations are carried out in this country every day while last week, this paper exposed how abortion provider Marie Stopes makes a mockery of the law by getting doctors to certify grounds for termination without seeing the patient. At the same time, scientific advances mean babies born before the 24-week limit for most abortions have an increasing chance of leading healthy lives. In some English hospitals, as many as 70 per cent born at 23 weeks survive. Yet this is the moment Labours Diana Johnson chooses to propose a law scrapping the criminal offence of abortion without medical approval thus making it still easier to kill a viable human life. Meanwhile, the BMA doctors union is consulting members on whether it too should press for decriminalisation. Yes, the law needs reform. But the pressure from Ms Johnsons backers and the BMA is in quite the wrong direction. A criminals charter Living illegally in Britain for 15 years, Iranian Hassan Massoum Ravandy committed a string of offences including burglary, handling stolen goods, criminal damage, possession of cocaine, disorderly behaviour, theft and affray. Yet turning justice on its head, he has now been awarded 40,000 of law-abiding taxpayers money, after a court heard he had been unlawfully detained for 17 months while he awaited deportation. Could there be any more powerful argument for the Tories to keep their ten-year-old pledge to scrap the hated Human Rights Act? Yogis everywhere will tell you about the benefits of yoga on the mind, body and spirit, but now there's scientific evidence to show how much it can help. Researchers have found that yoga has such an impact it can even alter the function of DNA of women who are 'chronically stressed'. The findings, from a study conducted by experts at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University, found that regular yoga not only led to psychological, but also biological changes. A study from Australian universities has found that yoga can alter the way your DNA functions (stock image) The researchers divided a group of 28 chronically stressed women into two, with one group doing two yoga classes a week, and the other continuing with their daily routine. The women were aged between 35 and 65, were experiencing anxiety and/or depression, and had never done yoga before the clinical study. The research, published in Cogent Psychology journal last year, found that the women who did yoga were less stressed, which was evident both in their own reports and their DNA. The study monitored chronically stressed women who then started doing yoga twice a week (stock image) Specifically, doing yoga changed the way a specific gene related to inflammation in the body functioned. Chronic stress has been proven to increase inflammation, and the study found that after eight weeks of yoga, this gene expressed itself differently. 'Longer-term, by understanding the biological mechanisms of things such as yoga and other exercise, potentially we then perhaps have further avenues for treating stress-related illness,' researcher Dr Sarah Cohen-Woods told the Adelaide Advertiser. 'A lot of people are quite sceptical that eight weeks of yoga could make such a change, but we found evidence both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in the study that it does.' It found that yoga can help to reduce inflammation in the body and increase well being The authors of the study said that more research should be done to see what other benefits yoga could have. But they said that women experiencing depression, anxiety or stress should consider trying yoga classes. 'Given that yoga very likely provides physical benefits, or is comparable with other stress reduction interventions (i.e. psychotherapy), it could provide a multifaceted intervention targeting both cognitive, emotional and behavioural output as well as autonomic output,' the study's conclusion stated. It's not every day that you get to see the stunning coastline of Australia from the sky. But for two young men, taking photos and videos of beaches from above is their full-time job. Jampal Williamson and Michael Goetze, from Western Australia, were friends studying media and economics respectively. But they ended up forging a very different career path for themselves, after Jampal bought a drone and let his friend have a go. The duo went on to create a photography business Salty Wings - using drones to capture on camera the red earth and idyllic blue oceans Australia is famous for. Stunning photos captured by the Salty Wings team showcase the Australian coastline. Pictured here is a beach in the Kimberly Salty Wings creators Jampal Williamson (left) and Michael Goetze (right) Friends pose in a love heart for a drone photo in Rottnest Island The pair became hooked on drone photography after Jampal purchased a drone and let Michael take it for a spin. He loved it too and bought his own Phantom 3 Professional drone - and the two set about turning their new toys into creative tools, by capturing landscapes on camera. 'We have the opportunity to be more intimate whilst photographing landscapes. We can fly earlier, stay longer in the air and be patient whilst framing each photograph,' the pair told DJI. 'For us, its about finding landscapes that are unlike anything we have ever seen before, and capturing them in a dream-like way, usually just before sunrise or just after the sun is set when the light is soft.' The images capture the mix of earth and ocean on Western Australian coastlines An aerial capture of The Whitsunday beach in Queensland Now boasting over 90,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, the pair regularly posts stunning images of Australian beaches and coastlines. Before starting Salty Wings, Jampal was a freelance photographer and videographer and dropped out of university to pursue his passion. Michael teamed up with Jampal and the pair have not looked back since. Pretty in pink! The Salty Wings team also feature in their photography sometimes, as pictured here at Lake Hillier in Western Australia 'We teamed up in January last year to start Salty Wings and we've definitely grown on social media,' Jampal and Michael told Daily Mail Australia. 'Since we started, we've hired one more person to help us and have travelled to Queensland, The Northern Territory and we're currently in Bali. 'Over the next few months we plan to do a lot more international travel to expand our content and reach. We have trips planned to Tahiti, the USA, Mexico, UK, Europe.' The Cliffs of Cape Leveque in Western Australia truly showcase the unique landscape of the coast Crystal clear! Another aerial capture of Rottnest Island in Western Australia Love is in the air with this drone image of an Australian island off the coast Queensland The pair have launched their own website to sell their photos in prints, which is now their number one source of revenue. 'We've obviously got a few more followers which allows us to plan trips like this with the confidence that we can support ourselves via print sales and brand collaborations,' they said. 'We want to do what we want, and not have any rules or briefs. Living off the support of our print sales let's us be organic with our photography and our travelling.' Although the brand is supported mostly by Australians, the pair hope their brand will take off internationally. Candice Catherine received 14 love letters during her three year relationship with now husband Timothy. Every love note started with a capital letter that, if the letters were placed all together, spelt out the words 'Will you marry me'. Timothy sent the first note after only a week of the couple dating. Candice and Timothy exchanged letters back and forth so they had a way to remember the time they had dated But Candice didn't realise her husband-to-be was using those love notes as a way to propose to her. They swapped letters back and forth for three years 'Tim and I didn't live far away from each other but we sent letters because the idea of having our hearts poured out in the form of paper meant we had tangible memories to look back on,' Catherine told Daily Mail Australia. 'I am very difficult to surprise so this totally caught me off guard!' Candice's husband took his now wife on a surprise holiday to Hamilton Island and then a picnic at Watsons Bay, the place of their first date, before he revealed the letters' hidden message. The 25-year-old wife admits Timothy is always this 'romantic, thoughtful and genuine' but she was totally surprised by the gesture Engaged! The couple got engaged three years after they fell in love and were married a year later 'I woke up on the morning of December 16, 2015, with a letter next to me instructing me to get dressed and to only come out when Im fully ready. As soon as I opened the door, I found rose petals and candles everywhere my heart skipped a beat and I knew it was coming.' 'He sat me down in the living room with all the letters that he had written to me on the table. We read them out one by one reliving the memories of our dating years. After we read all of them he then carefully arranged the letters and asked me to look at them,' Candice said. When she finally noticed the cryptic message Candice said she burst into tears. But she admits this is the kind of grand romantic gesture her husband is good at. 'I burst into tears!' A very surprised Candice is usually hard to surprise but Timothy had worked out a way to propose that would catch her off guard 'On our wedding day Tim sang a song he'd written for me two months after we started dating. So he'd been saving this piece of music for years,' the 25-year-old said. 'Tim is always like this. He's genuinely a thoughtful and romantic kind of guy,' she added. The pair first met on Maroubra Beach in 2009 after their mutual friends organised a hang out. On the couple's wedding day Timothy sang a song he'd written for Candice after they'd been seeing each other for just two months Happily married: The pair, who both live in Sydney, were good friends before taking the chance on a relationship They barely spoke that day but chance encounters over the next four years, and a six month stint overseas that saw them separated, led them to reunite as a couple in 2013. 'Even though it took a long time for our friendship to blossom into love we are so grateful that we got to become friends first. The fact that we knew each other so well made the relationship feel so secure,' Candice said. 'We always look back and say we made the right choice by being good friends first.' Six years ago, Brenda Kelly lived in a regular terraced home like thousands of others around the world. However, the 36-year-old from Auckland said she had always had a 'passion for small spaces', which culminated in her finding and building her own 45-square-metre home made from a shipping container in 2011. 'I remember reading my diaries and discovering that even as a teenager I was obsessed with designing small spaces and figuring out where to put the furniture,' Ms Kelly told Daily Mail Australia. 'I'd always been into minimalist living, and so making my home inside a shipping container hugely appealed.' Six years ago, Brenda Kelly (pictured), 36, from Auckland, quit her job, sold her home and designed her own tiny home made from a shipping container 'I remember reading my diaries and discovering that even as a teenager I was obsessed with designing small spaces,' Ms Kelly told Daily Mail Australia (pictured: her tiny home) 'I'd always been into minimalist living, and so making my home inside a shipping container hugely appealed' (pictured: the interior of Ms Kelly's home) Before she knew it, the 36-year-old had quit her job at Bunnings Warehouse, sold her terraced home and started designing the tiny house of her dreams - purchasing a plot of land. 'I'd fallen in love with the space several years previously, but wasn't ready to buy,' Ms Kelly explained. When you design from scratch and on a small status, you have to like every inch of space. In my home, there is no cavity that's not used 'But when I found a shipping container on the market for AUD $3,000 and bought the space, things came to life.' Ms Kelly said shipping containers can be picked up for 'a few thousand dollars but everything you put in it is the same as normal price'. She ended up spending around $120,000 on appliances in order to make her container a home. Her design currently incorporates one 40-foot container comprising the entry, sitting area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom of her house. She also has a second 20-foot space containing her office and a spare bedroom. 'When you design from scratch and on a small status, you have to like every inch of space. In my home, there is no cavity that's not used,' she said. Ms Kelly's design currently incorporates one 40-foot container comprising the entry, sitting area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom of her house. She also has a second 20-foot space containing her office and a spare bedroom (pictured) 'When you design from scratch and on a small status, you have to like every inch of space. In my home, there is no cavity that's not used,' she said (pictured: Ms Kelly) Some examples of Ms Kelly's clever usage of the space include adaptable furniture - such as a a sofa that becomes a double bed (pictured) Ms Kelly said that one of the main lessons she's learned is to buy your furniture before you design your tiny house (pictured) - you can fit the house around the furniture Some examples of Ms Kelly's clever usage of the space include adaptable furniture - such as a corner sofa with huge storage beneath the cushions, a sofa that becomes a double bed, as well as a lift-down bed on the wall in the second bedroom - and sustainable features. 'I've learned lots from making my dream home,' Ms Kelly explained. 'Namely that it pays to buy your furniture before you buy your house. You can make your home fit around it. 'For me, this home has given me any number of benefits - it's affordable (I think the sum total of my bills last month was AUD $2), I don't fill it up with junk and it's very low maintenance. I can sleep seven people too!'. Ms Kelly said that there are many benefits to living in her tiny home - she amasses less junk, it is more affordable and low maintenance (pictured: Ms Kelly) 'Think outside of the square box of convention when it comes to design, and have an open mind,' is one of Ms Kelly's top tips for shipping container home owners 'It's also important to know that while this will be affordable, making a shipping container home shouldn't be seen as cheap - it took me a while to figure that one out,' she said SOME OF MS KELLY'S CLEVER FEATURES * Water run-off from Ms Kelly's roof is fed into the laundry and toilet, saving up to 45 per cent of water costs. * Ms Kelly has a vermiculture waste system, whereby a large green tank absorbs the building's wastewater, while tiger worms within the tank break it down. * A second large black water tank handles waste from the dishwasher, as the salts used in cleaning would harm the worms. * Power is generated by solar panels on the roof. Excess power is sold to the national grid and in return, the electricity can be 'bought back' to be used at night when the solar panels are not activated. Advertisement With regard to tips for others who might want to have their own tiny home, Ms Kelly said that the most important thing is to have an open mind: 'Think outside of the square box of convention when it comes to design, and have an open mind. 'Get furniture that has more than one purpose and lose all of the junk from your life that you don't need. 'It's also important to know that while this will be affordable, making a shipping container home shouldn't be seen as cheap - it took me a while to figure that one out.' Ms Kelly additionally said that it pays to adopt an ecological outlook with regard your plans. Ms Kelly's home is solar-powered, filled with sustainable features and rain water harvesting. These days, Ms Kelly (pictured) runs her own shipping container home business, IQ Container Homes She remains passionate about small spaces. 'I still get a buzz out of having very little,' she said (pictured: her home) These days, Ms Kelly runs her own shipping container home business, IQ Container Homes. She remains passionate about small spaces. 'I still get a buzz out of having very little,' she said. 'But if you can't live without fewer than ten pairs of shoes, you might want to think again.' You can visit Brenda Kelly's shipping container business here. While she flew around the world promoting causes close to hear heart, Princess Diana ensured she maintained a close bond with her two young sons. Humanitarian Michael Stone told Hello! magazine that the royal would write to her sons who were at boarding school in the UK. 'Im always writing postcards,' she told him. They only know where Ive been when I send them a postcard. Michael was commissioned by the Red Cross in 1997 to arrange Diana's now iconic trip to Angola where she walked through the killing fields and met amputees as part of a campaign to have landmines banned - an endeavour Michael has said was the greatest humanitarian trip of all time. Princess Diana would keep in touch with her sons by sending them postcards as she jetted around the world on humanitarian missions Diana meeting Meets Sandra Thijika At Neves Bendinha, an Orthopaedic Workshop In Luanda, Angola Poignant images of her meeting with amputee Sandra Tigica were beamed around the globe, highlighting the appalling problems in Angola, which had the worlds highest rate of death and disability caused by landmines. Sandras left leg had been blown off by a landmine three years earlier as she fled from fighting in her countrys civil war. 'Taking the most famous person in the world and putting her next to one of the world's most horrific problems was unique. Yet she was completely selfless about it. 'She shone the light on the victims, not on herself, and genuinely cared about what she was doing. There are people alive now who would have been killed by those landmines were it not for her.' The now iconic moment Princess Diana walked through one of Angola's minefields in 1997 Later that same year, the UN introduced its mine ban treaty, which has since been signed by 162 countries. Michael, who worked with Mother Theresa and in war zones, including Afghanistan, also praised the Princess for her down-to-earth nature and said she was just like a friend with no airs and graces. Sandra Tigica, now a married mother of three, has previously expressed her hope that one day Prince Williams wife will carry on his mothers good work. The Princess is believed to have saved thousands of lives by highlighting the devastating impact of landmines during her visit to Angola, which led to a UN treaty She said: Princess Diana helped our country. It is a much safer place thanks to her. I would like to meet Princess Kate. 'I have heard that she is doing a lot of charity work and I think she must continue what Princess Diana started. She should come to Angola. Sandra, who watched Kates wedding to Prince William on the internet and was delighted by news of her pregnancy, added: I cried a lot, for many hours, when Diana died. She brought hope to Angola. With the humanitarian support from foreign countries, the mines are disappearing little by little. But since shes been gone, people have started to forget. A grandmother has been hailed a hero after a photograph of her doing shots with spring breakers while on holiday in Mexico became an online hit. Doreen Grett, who lives in Olathe, Colorado, shared a picture of herself alongside three students in matching swimsuits with the caption 'shots with the girls' with family and friends on Facebook. Her granddaughter Payton shared the photograph of the four women by the pool in Playa Grande, Cabo San Lucas, last week on Twitter where it has attracted the attention - and admiration - of tens of thousands. New friends: US grandmother Doreen Grett, pictured far left, was hailed an online hero after downing drinks with spring breakers, pictured, in Mexico 'My grandma is in Mexico taking shots with random girls on the beach and posting pics of it with captions like they're BFFs [sic],' she wrote. The students wore revealing swimsuits featuring the words 'blonde ambition,' 'frat stars' and 'Asian persuasion' across their stomachs - in contrast with Doreen's modest navy sundress. A video, shared by one of the students, shows her knocking back the drink at the same speed as the younger women, saying afterwards: 'That was a good shot.' Shots! Doreen, who lives in Olathe, Colorado, was photographed drinking with three students in matching swimsuits she met by the pool in Playa Grande in Cabo San Lucas Online hero: Her granddaughter Payton shared a picture of the four women downing drinks on Twitter last week where it has attracted the attention of tens of thousands Small world: The image even reached Anna Maria, one of the students in the photograph, who sent Payton a video of Doreen, pictured left, drinking with them Anna Maria, from San Diego, California, who shared the video, tweeted Payton saying: 'We love your grandma so much OMFG.' She added: 'I'm so glad we met her she was so sweet and told us all about you and your brother.' Payton's photo has been liked by over 90,000 users and re-tweeted more than 19,000 times. Attention-grabbing: The students wore revealing swimsuits featuring the words 'blonde ambition,' 'frat stars' and 'Asian persuasion' across their stomachs Popular grandmother: In contrast, Doreen, whose granddaughter Payton communicated with one of the students on Twitter, pictured, wore a modest navy sundress Hit: Payton's photo has been liked by over 90,000 users and re-tweeted more than 19,000 times The student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, has also received hundreds of comments from people commending her grandmother. Chuy Amaya wrote: 'Doreen is a legend.' Alethea Frances added: 'May we all be like Doreen one day.' Barbara Gutierrez said: 'Your grandma is taking over the internet and I love it.' Bristol Palin is in the last few months of her pregnancy, but that didn't stop the expectant mom from enjoying another weekend away with her family. The 26-year-old, who is about seven months pregnant, took to Instagram to share photos of herself at a cabin with her family, including a snapshot of her holding her one-year-old daughter Sailor Grace. 'My girl - can't believe we're having another soo soon!' she captioned the image, which sees her and Sailor outside in the snow. Scroll down for video Snow bunnies! Pregnant Bristol Palin took to Instagram over the weekend to share a photo of herself holding her one-year-old daughter Sailor Grace All together: The 26-year-old also posted a snapshot of her and her husband Dakota Meyer posed with their children, Sailor and Tripp, and Bristol's eight-year-old brother Trig Bristol, who recently announced that she is expecting a baby girl, is all smiles as she cuddles Sailor in the sweet photo. The pregnant mom's baby bump is covered up underneath her ski coat and pants, and Sailor is equally bundled up in a pink and purple snowsuit featuring a hood and matching gloves. Bristol also shared a photo of herself posed with Sailor, her husband Dakota Meyer, her eight-year-old son Tripp, and her eight-year-old brother Trig, writing: 'cabin trip with my fam.' The soon-to-be mother-of-three's entire family appeared to be on the trip, including her parents and sisters. Cabin trip: Bristol's 15-year-old sister Piper shared a snapshot of herself posed with their mother Sarah Palin and her little brother Trig Staying warm inside: Bristol's sister Willow, 22, showed off her electric blue hair while holding her niece Sailor inside the family's cabin Bristol's 15-year-old sister Piper posted a photo of herself outside with her little brother Trig and her mother Sarah Palin, using the hashtag '#springbreak'. And while Bristol and Piper were taking photos in the snow, their 22-year-old sister Willow shared a snapshot of herself inside, enjoying some quality time with her niece. 'My wittle wittle baby SailorG,' she captioned the image, which sees her holding the adorable tot. Willow is all smiles as she shows off her electric blue hair, and Sailor looks as happy as can be in her aunt's arms. Hacked! Bristol's son Tripp, her only child with her ex-fiance Levi Johnston, took a series of selfies on her cellphone last week Mommy's helper! Bristol shared a Boomerang video of her daughter Sailor Grace playing peekaboo while helping her pack before they left Dakota's home state of Kentucky last week Bristol and her family returned to Alaska last week after visiting Dakota's home state of Kentucky, where they enjoyed plenty of outdoor activities. To commemorate the end of their trip, she shared two Boomerang videos: one from when she was packing and another that was taken at the Louisville International Airport ahead of their departure. 'We aren't ready to leave!' she captioned one clip of Sailor standing on her father's lap in their airplane seat. Feeling fussy: Bristol shared this sweet photo of Dakota holding their squirming daughter in his arms during their family trip Adventure time! Dakota also went mountain biking with his stepson Tripp A few hours before they arrived at the airport, Bristol gave her fans a glimpse of what her life is like trying to get things done when you are a pregnant mom with a toddler in tow. 'Packing with a one-year-old,' she wrote while posting a clip of Sailor sitting on her suitcase. During their trip, Sailor fed cows and Tripp had plenty of time to bond with his stepfather Dakota, who went mountain biking with him while his mom watched Sailor. Earlier this month, Bristol announced on Instagram that she and Dakota are expecting a baby girl by sharing photos from their gender reveal shoot. Surprise! Earlier this month, Bristol and Dakota revealed that they are expecting a baby girl Almost there! Bristol snapped photo of herself flaunting her baby bump in honor of her final trimester last month And she couldn't help but gloat about how there is about to be one more girl in their house. 'Dakota and Tripp officially outnumbered so excited to let you all know, ITS A GIRL!!' she captioned the image, which sees her staring lovingly at her husband while he holds a sign announcing the baby's gender. Bristol is pregnant with her third child her second with Dakota and she announced back in December that their bundle of joy is expected to arrive this spring. Together, the two are raising their daughter Sailor and her son Tripp, her only child with her ex-fiance Levi Johnston. A teenage model has penned expletive-filled message rant about the 'less glamorous' side of the fashion industry. Jazz Egger, 19, from London, took to Instagram on Sunday to complain about the pressure to slim down in order to keep up with 'unrealistic beauty standards' and being forced to do hours of unpaid work. She penned the message in a bid to encourage young girls to 'embrace their imperfections' after allegedly being told she was 'ugly' and needed surgery during her early modelling days. Jazz's Instagram post, which has racked up almost 1,300 likes, calls out the 'less glamorous' side of the modelling industry - alongside a snap of her working on an unpaid shoot The Austrian-born model, who has walked at London Fashion Week and appeared on Germany's Next Top Model, posted the message alongside a 'real' picture of her at a studio in London working on a campaign for free. 'You all think models earn a s***load of money, right?' Jazz wrote to her 27,000 followers. 'Well if we earn money we have to give up to 50 per cent back to our agencies.' She described working on unpaid 'test shoots' where she was forced to 'shoot till midnight without earning a single '. Jazz also complained about 'casting directors telling you you are ugly and need beauty surgery, the pressure to be thin and nearly becoming anorexic so you can be more successful, the meal skipping and the fainting.' Austrian-born Jazz, who is now based in London, told her 27,000 Instagram followers how it was not uncommon for budding models to work for free while establishing their careers 'The industry is so f***ed up': Jazz's Instagram rant in full 'You usually see posed pics of me on my Instagram. Well here's a real one. I was at a studio in London shooting a campaign for free. You all think models earn a s***load of money, right? Well if we earn money we have to give up to 50% back to our agencies. 'When you start working as a model you have to build your portfolio in order to get big jobs. You have to do a lot of so called "test shoots", which are basically unpaid shootings. There are times where you have to do your own makeup and bring your own clothes and then you shoot till midnight without earning a single . But it's okay bc I am trying to work myself up so I can change the less glamorous parts of modelling. The teenage model has walked the runways at London Fashion Week 'Casting directors telling you you are ugly and need beauty surgery, the pressure to be thin and nearly becoming anorexic so you can be more successful, the meal skipping and the fainting, the photographers asking you to undress yourself in the middle of winter at outdoor shoots for the sake of art, the lonely nights in cities you have never been to before when you are only 15, the hairstylists cutting your long hair off to chin length without asking you for permission, ... I could go on for hours. 'We all know that many models crack under pressure because of the unrealistic beauty standards and we all know that not only models have problems with that. My heart goes out to all the people looking at themselves in the mirror thinking they are not good enough, worrying that no one will ever truly love them and their body. 'The industry is so f***ed up BUT - you are stronger than the pressure to be perfect! Don't we realise that we are the ones who have the power to define what is perfect? Your body was made with love. How could anything made with love be a failure? Embrace your imperfections, they will make you stand out from the grey mass. 'I want you all to believe in yourselves and please keep in mind that there is absolutely no need to change your body if you are healthy. It makes me so sad when people tell me they want to be "as pretty as me" bc yooo y'all are freaking BEAUTFIUL. However, I will keep fighting and trying to use my voice for a better tomorrow. And I hope you all will do too.' Advertisement The teen urged followers to remember there is 'absolutely no need to change your body if you are healthy' and has so far racked up 1,300 likes. Jazz hit headlines earlier this year after claiming she had set a 'world record' in Tinder matches after notching up 5,400 right swipes in just a matter of months. The music writer said she could no longer keep up with all the romantic offers after being inundated with Likes and Super Likes on the dating app. 'I downloaded Tinder some months ago and I think I might have reached a world record,' she told FEMAIL. Model Jazz Egger says she can no longer keep up with all her romantic offers on Tinder after being inundated with Super Likes on the dating app and receiving 5,000 matches 'I travel a lot and people keep Super Liking me [every Tinder user has one Super Like to give away per day].' Jazz said she used to think it was 'normal' to get so many Super Likes - also known as 'blue matches' - until a friend explained to her that the average female user gets just one or two per month. She added: 'I reached a point where I couldn't answer everyone anymore, because I [had] swiped right on every Super Like.' Jazz eventually attached a message to her profile saying: 'Sorry this is getting out of hand. I can't answer everyone anymore. I only reply if your message is super interesting. Hope you understand.' Jazz says she used to think it was 'normal' to get so many Super Likes until a friend explained to her that the average (female) tinder user gets about around one or two per month The singleton, who says she's so far matched with 5,000 men and been on 20 dates, insists she's never fallen for anyone on the dating app but has had 'many interesting conversations' The message 'improved her Tinder game even more,' Jazz claimed. 'I would receive the craziest pick up lines and unbelievable offers,' she said. 'I even matched with Conor Maynard and other well known musicians, YouTubers, and actors. 'Another crazy offer was when a guy invited me for a week in Greece on his yacht. He offered to pay for everything, even my flight. Just so he could have a chance. Of course I declined that offer.' Jazz who has almost 20,000 Instagram followers, has been modelling since the age of 13 and took part in Germany's Next Top Model as well as making the finals of Elite Model Look Resourceful: Jazz says her Tinder success has even helped her secure modelling gigs as she's been snapped up by fashion designers since she started using the app a few months ago Jazz, who has matched with more than 5,400 men and been on 20 Tinder dates, insisted she had never fallen for anyone she's met on the dating app but has had 'many interesting conversations'. The model and music journalist has worked in the fashion industry since the age of 13 and took part in Germany's Next Top Model as well as making the finals of Elite Model Look. Diana Andrews has been criticised for 'body shaming' a fellow gym-goer on social media A female bodybuilder has been criticised for 'body shaming' a fellow gym-goer by posting unflattering photos of her on social media. Diana Andrews, from London, shared an image of a woman on a treadmill with the caption 'love handles', while a further post joked she would be 'ordering burgers for delivery'. Campaigners called the comments 'tragic' and accused her of discouraging people from trying to lose weight. Her social media accounts have now been made private but one of the images was shared on a support group for women on Facebook. It had the caption: 'This is why most people hate going to the gym to try and better themselves.' Ms Andrews has now apologised to her 17,000 followers. She wrote on Snapchat: 'I realise I was wrong to make this silly joke. 'It wasn't my intention to body shame, hurt or disrespect anyone.' Emmy Gilmour from The Recover Clinic, which helps people with eating disorders, said: 'This is a really tragic example of a how society has conditioned women to judge and compare one another. Ms Andrews shared an image of a woman on a treadmill with the caption 'love handles', while a further post joked she would be 'ordering burgers for delivery' Ms Andrews has now apologised to her 17,000 followers. She wrote on Snapchat: 'It wasn't my intention to body shame, hurt or disrespect anyone' 'We're living in an era where it's normal to tell women that they're inadequate, and that they must apologise for how they look,' she told the Huffington Post. Ms Andrews competes in competitions run by the United Kingdom Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (UKBFF), although the organisation said she is 'not a paid-up member at the moment'. It told MailOnline it would not be getting involved in the controversy beyond condemning Ms Andrew's behaviour. 'We are totally against this kind of thing. We have already told her off and she has apologised. It is not very nice,' a UKBFF spokesman said. Ms Andrews later wrote on Facebook insisting she was not body shaming the woman but merely joking about the fact she was using a phone on a treadmill. The controversy echoes a row that erupted last year after Playboy model Dani Mathers mocked a 70-year-old woman who was showering at a gym. The former Playmate of the Year's trouble snapped a secret photo of the elderly woman at an LA Fitness gym last July. This was accompanied by a selfie that showed her covering her mouth in laughter. 'If I can't unsee this then you can't either,' read the caption on the images. Ms Andrews later wrote on Facebook insisting she was not body shaming the woman but merely joking about the fact she was using a phone on a treadmill Playboy model Dani Mathers was charged with invasion of privacy for sending this cruel Snapchat that poked fun at a 70-year-old woman who was taking a shower at her gym In November, Mathers was charged with a misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy and could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if she is convicted. The model appeared to try and rehabilitate her image following the controversy, pledging her support for anti-bullying non-profit The Tyler Clementi Foundation. In one tweet, Mathers said she had signed the foundation's Upstander pledge - which asks supporters to vow they will stand up to bullying and never use demeaning language to insult others. She's been out of the spotlight for more than a month, but Crown Princess Victoria seems determined to make her mark now she's back on duty. The royal, 39, today attended a memorial service for the Swedish Volunteer Corps during the Winter War, at Finland Park, Stockholm looking elegant in a tailored white coat. She added a hint of colour to the monochrome ensemble with a navy wide brimmed hat and court shoes in a matching shade. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked elegant in a white coat that accentuated her slim waist as she attended a memorial service for the Swedish Volunteer Corps Victoria was joined by her younger brother Prince Carl Philip (left) and (left to right) the Finnish ambassador Matti Anttonen and Finnish president Sauli Niinist She was joined at today's service by her younger brother Prince Carl Philip. The first in line to the Swedish throne stepped out of the limelight in January, but is now firmly back on royal duty. Yesterday she and her family took part in festivities for Victoria day, which is celebrated every year on 12 March. Victoria looked solemn as she paid her respects at the war memorial at Finland Park in Stockholm Victoria accessorised with a distressed silver bangle Crown Princess Victoria, Finnish ambassador Matti Anttonen and Finnish president Sauli Niinist at the Swedish Volunteer Corps memorial service, Stockholm, Sweden - In Sweden each calendar day is linked to a name, with many belonging to saints or members of the royal family. It was her first public engagement since 20 December, spending Christmas and the early party of the New Year privately, even missing her aunt Princess Brigitta's birthday celebrations in January. In February, the Swedish court informed the press that Princess Victoria and her husband Princes Daniel were taking a private holiday abroad. The royal added a touch of interest to her outfit with marbled shell earrings and a necklace Victoria looked cheerful as she caught up with the Finnish president Sauli Niinist The long-planned trip continued into this month, and was organised to give the Crown Princess to spend quality time with her children while they're still young and neither is in school. Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel have a five-year-old daughter Estelle, and a son, Oscar, who recently celebrated his first birthday. The proud mother celebrated by following in the Duchess of Cambridge's footsteps and releasing a photo she'd snapped of her son rather than official photo. After a long-awaited return, some 7.5 million viewers have been tuning into the third series of Broadchurch - but it seems that some are switching off already. Last week's installment of the gritty crime drama may have left fans on the edge of their seats as they attempted to figure out who Trish Waterman's attacker was but Monday night's episode has been dubbed 'boring' by viewers. Many were left disappointed after the nail-biting episode failed to hint at a resolution, with detectives still no closer to finding Trish Waterman's attacker. Frustrated viewers are starting to swith Broadchurch off as they complain there's 'nothing happening' three episodes into the final series By the end of Monday night's third show, DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller (played by Olivia Colman and David Tennant) are still searching for the person who attacked Trish, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh. 'Absolutely nothing happened in that episode', moaned one Twitter user, whilst another added: 'Broadchurch, you're boring now.' Another person said they really wanted to like the show but found it too boring, and another hailed it 'a boring bag of s***'. In one particularly tense scene, Miller commented: Do you know whats bothering me? Its not narrowing down. It feels like the more men we talk to, the more we rule in. Its a scarily wide net right now. The detective also admitted to Hardy that it felt like a 'scarily wide network out there' when it came to the number of suspects they are faced with. Desperate to expose Trish's attacker, the pair were faced with a staggering list of 50 male suspects to work through including cab driver Clive Lucas (Sebastian Armesto), shopkeeper Ed Burnett (Lenny Henry) andJim Atwood (Mark Bazeley) - and no apparent motive. 'It was about power and control, not sex,' said Miller. Meanwhile, thousands of fans took to Twitter to claim the case was 'hurting their brains' with one remarking they 'all look as guilty as sin'. By the end of Monday night's third show, DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller (played by Olivia Colman and David Tennant) are still searching for the person who attacked Trish, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh - and viewers were left disappointed Thousands of Twitter users vented their frustration as the list of possible suspects failed to shorten, with one remarking: 'Broadchurch is freaking me out I'm so scared' Others resigned themselves to the possibility that they may not get answers until the series finale. One frustrated fan remarked: 'Love Broadchurch but a snail would be moving faster! Not sure anything happened tonight!' To make matters more complicated, Trish was mysteriously defensive about a man who had shared her bed the morning of the party. Meanwhile, her ex-husband Ian (Charlie Higson) only fuelled rumours that he could be behind the attack after admitting he had 'blacked out' during the party and falsified his alibi. Frustration: Desperate to expose Trish's attacker, the pair are faced with a staggering list of 50 male suspects to work through including cab driver Clive Lucas (Sebastian Armesto) The return: Trish was taken back to the scene of the crime with Miller and Hardy, alongside victim support worker Beth Latimer (Jodie Whittaker) and broke down in tears over the visit Whodunnit? Desperate to expose Trish's rapist, it appears DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller (played by Olivia Colman and David Tennant) are still no closer to finding out Evidence: Teasing that there could be more to Clive's alibi than was thought, a teaser clip released ahead of Monday's episode showed Ed getting a mouth swab DNA test Harrowing scenes of Trish's initial examination at the police station in episode one saw the show's producers praised for their sensitive and realistic approach, but seeing officers begin to exert pressure on a traumatised Trish in last week's episode raised eyebrows among some watching at home. However, others were incredulous to see support worker Beth broach the subject of Trish's rape ordeal in a busy cafe. 'They would not do that type of interview in a cafe surely, degrading treatment for a victim,' one viewer wrote on Twitter during last week's episode. The plot thickens: Hardy, right also asked one suspect: 'You didn't think to tell us you'd found this stuff?' - perhaps alluding to more secrets surrounding the identity of the attacker New case: The nailbiting show has veered somewhat off piste from its normal format, which has mostly centred around murder - this time focusing on a case of sexual violence Victim: Trish's ex husband Ian also pays Jim a visit at his garage, and then approaches Trish herself, who ended the last episode by receiving an ominous text from an unknown number Julie Hesmondhalgh, 47 (right) is joined by series stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman, who have returned as the magnetic investigative duo DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller Another wrote: 'Police pushing for rape victim's ABE [achieving best evidence interview] before she's ready because it's in the police's best interest. Clearly not victim focused.' Trish's assault took place at her friend Cath Atwood's birthday party, at a remote country house, where 50 male guests were present. In tonight's episode, she mysteriously receives a bunch of flowers and sympathy card from a stranger who leaves the package on her doorstep late at night - sending viewers into a spin once more. 'Who sent the flowers? Omg,' wrote one. Broadchurch continues next Monday night at 9PM on ITV EAU CLAIRE Stanley-Boyd High School senior Kaylee Bourget pulled a long plastic sleeve over her arm and prepared to reach deep inside a bovine reproduction system to examine the ovaries. Thats usually not part of a high school students day, but it wasnt a problem for Bourget. This was only a simulator at the Chippewa Valley Technical College Ag Skills Competition, and shes done that sort of thing for real. I worked on a farm, and we always did artificial insemination, she said. Then we had to do it for a class, too. The Stanley-Boyd students were familiar with the hands-on parts of animal science and were well-prepared for the annual event. Students from 15 high schools attended the Ag Skills Competition this year, which included tours of CVTCs Energy Education Center where the college agriculture programs are housed, interaction with CVTC Agriscience students, and a trip to the nearby Eau Claire Farm Show. CVTC holds the Ag Skills competition each year so high school students from a wide area can come to Eau Claire for a day of ag education. The dairy competition involves teams of students completing tasks at multiple stations, like evaluating feed rations, determining a proper medicinal dosage for a cow, and identifying common animal science tools. There were also competitions in agronomy and floriculture. A Stanley-Boyd team finished first in the floriculture contest, and student Ben Milas was second in agronomy. Two Stanly-Boyd teams finished third and fourth with 92 and 90 points in the dairy contest behind two Chippewa Falls teams with 94 and 93 points. This goes hand-in-hand with all the dual credit agreements we have in agriculture classes with our partner high schools, said Adam Wehling, CVTC Dean of Agriculture, Energy and Transportation. And we want to get the students to our campus so they can see what we have to offer. We teach horticulture and animal science classes with CVTC transcripted credit, so its good for the students to come here and see that what they are learning is what is being taught to college-level students, said Amy Gerhardt, Agriscience teacher at Neillsville High School. Plus this is good preparation for the contest in River Falls they have coming up. This is a great partnership with CVTC and the local high schools, said Adam Zwiefelhofer, CVTC Agriscience Instructor. These are our future students. It gives them a quick snapshot of what we do on a daily basis. It allows them to get to know the faculty. Zwiefelhofer acknowledged that the competition encourages students to consider furthering their education in agriculture and is a great recruiting tool for CVTC, but its also about learning and sharpening knowledge and skills in agriculture. Im getting experience and putting my knowledge to the test and maybe furthering by knowledge of stuff I didnt know, said Neillsville student Don Cappadora, who also had experience with bovine reproduction systems prior to the simulator station at the competition. A mother-of-two has revealed her surgery nightmare after being left for dead following a botched tummy tuck. Quanna Brown, 34, decided to have the operation in June 2015 after being called ugly and fat with her pregnancy weight. However, the 'mummy make over' procedure to improve her confidence went wrong. Her incisions opened and became infected. Doctors told her that they had never seen anything like it before, giving her a dose of medication to try and improve her. But her condition worsened and she was rushed to hospital, staying there for 50 days and having to endure five life-saving operations. Now pregnant with her third child, she has been left with a deformed stomach that she struggles to look at. Scroll down for video Quanna Brown, 34, decided to have a tummy tuck in June 2015 after being called ugly and fat with her pregnancy weight Ms Brown, from Chicago, Illinois, said: 'I basically wanted to make changes. I'd been through a lot and had people saying I was fat and ugly and after having kids, I wanted to get a mummy make over.' Before undergoing the original operation, Ms Brown had conducted research on the doctor. She was happy to go through with the procedure after scrolling through the endless positive reviews online. But just four days after the surgery, she was experiencing a lot of pain and was unable to move. 'It felt like my bandages were too tight and I couldn't walk. I'd never had surgery before so at first I thought it was normal. 'I could smell it and I could see all this pus and blood like it was infected, it felt like my skin was ripping apart.' However, the 'mummy make over' procedure to improve her confidence went wrong. Her incisions opened and became infected Ms Brown required a walker to get to her follow-up appointment. She added: 'The doctor said he'd never seen anything like this before and gave me antibiotics. 'But my parents demanded that they fix me. My insides were opened and I was ripped. WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF A TUMMY TUCK? A tummy tuck, or 'abdominoplasty', is cosmetic surgery to improve the shape of the abdomen. It can involve removing fat and excess loose skin and tightening the abdominal muscles. The aim is to remove excess skin that can't be removed through exercise - for example, after losing a lot of weight or after pregnancy. But various things could potentially go wrong. A tummy tuck can occasionally result in: thick, obvious scars developing bulges under the skin 'dog ears' at the edges of the scar wounds failing to heal a collection of fluid a collection of blood numbness or pain in the tummy cramps or breathing problems Source: NHS Choices Advertisement 'He redid the wounds and sent me home. The next time I went back in wasn't there and his partner looked at me but also sent me home afterwards.' In severe pain and unable to move, she was rushed to the emergency room the next day. She continued: 'They saved my life. I barely remember it. I just remember one of the doctor's face, she was looking so angry at what happened to me. 'When I got released from hospital, I wasn't able to walk straight and I was on a cane. 'I was back and forth in hospital with blood clots, I spent two more weeks in hospital and I still wasn't feeling well, and I had to do something.' Her turning point came when her daughter asked for a bowl of cereal and she was unable to get it for her. After that day, she became determined to get better before Ava's 5th birthday in October and started physical therapy. Ms Brown, whose third child is due in May, credits her children with keeping her fighting and smiling throughout the nightmare. She added: 'The kids keep me going. I can't look at my stomach, it reminds me of a mushroom. But my daughter hugs and kisses me, she makes me feel better. 'A lot of my friends didn't know what I had been through because I always have a smile on my face. 'I take care of my kids, they are my main concerns. I'm excited for my miracle baby and I am excited to just be alive.' Doctors told her that they had never seen anything like it before, giving her a dose of medication to try and improve her. But her condition worsened and she was rushed to hospital, staying there for 50 days and having to endure five operations Adventure: Holly Greenhow has cerebral palsy The hope and anticipation felt by Holly Greenhow and her family when their flight touched down in Los Angeles was tempered by not a little trepidation. It was, they were all acutely aware, a leap into the unknown. Holly, 11, who captured the nations hearts three years ago when she starred in a Boden modelling campaign, has cerebral palsy and has been severely physically disabled since birth. She could neither walk nor talk and it seemed that was how it would always be. Then, last year, came a flicker of hope. Having been told of a clinic in California offering pioneering stem cell treatment that had produced extraordinary results with stroke victims and cases similar to Hollys, the Greenhow family boarded a plane in October. There was a possibility, they were told, that some of the damage to Hollys brain could be repaired, perhaps even enabling her to walk and talk one day. It sounded miraculous but the family had no idea what the outcome would be. We knew we had to give it a go, says Hollys mum Fiona. The worst that could happen, we were told, was nothing. It couldnt harm Holly. The family went to see Dr Bryn Henderson, who runs the Regenerative Medical Group, the day after arriving in America, thinking it would be an introductory meeting. But after an ebullient greeting, Dr Henderson said briskly: Lets get on with it. Todays gonna change your life. Holly was first sedated, then given, via a drip, an infusion of stem cells from the amniotic fluid of women who gave birth by elective Caesarean. The idea, Dr Henderson told Hollys parents, 45-year-old Fiona and Paul, 48, was based on a simple premise: the stem cells travel to the area of the body that needs help in Hollys case, the damaged part of her brain then multiply, creating new cells to replace dead ones. The Tesco advert which Holly Greenhow appeared in Stem cells can develop into many different cell types in the body during their early life. When a stem cell divides, it has the potential to become another type of cell with a more specialised function, such as a brain cell. Hollys parents were told that the stem cells ingenious work could go on for up to two years after treatment. The procedure cost 10,000 paid for by the family and took just two hours. Holly, although a little woozy from the sedation, was soon back to her old self. Dr Henderson had warned Hollys parents that the nature of the treatment meant there would be no Hallelujah moment, rather a gradual improvement. But when the family arrived back home a week later, something very strange occurred. Holly, always a light and fretful sleeper, began to sleep through the night. Her eyesight improved backed up by an eye test which for the first time showed near-perfect vision. Then, most miraculous of all, Fiona, who is responsible for trade planning at Tescos convenience stores, and Paul, managing director of a food manufacturer, began to hear Holly utter her first words previously limited to a mumbled Mum. First came hello and bye, followed by dancing, trouble, game and Ninja Warrior. Other phrases soon entered the mix: on my own, yes you can and how are you?. Then, two weeks ago, Hollys brother Oliver went into Hollys room and she said Oliver. Its not even a particularly easy word to say. Holly was so proud of herself, Fiona remembers. And there has been dramatic improvement in Hollys control over her body. She now flails her arms and legs much less and much more slowly. Her condition isnt degenerative but it wont get better on its own, explains Fiona. So any improvement we see has come about as a result of the stem cell treatment or the other therapies Holly has had. Holly posing with other girls for fashion label Boden, aged seven So is the stem cell treatment the miracle that it sounds? Professor Brendon Noble, adviser to the UK Stem Cell Foundation, says caution should be exercised in interpreting Hollys improvement. There is not enough known, he says. Any new medicine or drug or stem cell therapy has to go through clinical trials, for safety checks and also to prove that it does something positive with respect to the condition. This has not gone through clinical trials and has not been proven to work. Scientifically it is incredibly complex. If youve got some stem cells, they can turn into different cells but they normally turn into a particular cell type because they have a particular cue they are prodded to do it, by us in a lab or a medicine production unit, he says. Squirting them into the body and hoping they do what you want them to do . . . its just uncertain. But I celebrate the fact that there appears to be improvement. Hollys cerebral palsy was caused by her traumatic birth in November 2005. Fionas labour was progressing normally when her Caesarean scar from her son Olivers birth two years earlier ruptured in her womb. Fiona was examined and told that Hollys head had moved into her mothers abdomen as a result the doctors would have to perform an emergency Caesarean under general anaesthetic. The placenta had broken away; Holly had been without oxygen for 35 minutes. Doctors said if she survived she would be brain dead. At one week old, Holly was given an electroencephalogram to record electrical brain activity. Confounding the prognosis, it indicated only moderate damage. The doctors refused to believe it and told Hollys parents to take the results with a pinch of salt. Holly with her mother Fiona, left, and with her older brother Oliver Aged two, Holly was diagnosed with athetoid cerebral palsy, a condition characterised by involuntary body movements. She was, however, intelligence intact, as it is termed. The family home near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was adapted around Hollys needs. Because she has no mental disabilities, Hollys parents felt she should go to a mainstream school. She was enrolled at Hartford School in Huntingdon, where she is treated like everyone else except that she has a teaching assistant to help her. Last year, Holly did a three-week brain mapping course at a London-based clinic, during which a cap is placed on the patients head and sensors detect how the brain is working. A computer compares brain activity to goals or targets you wish to reach. Sounds and images tell you when your brain has reached its goal and when it hasnt. In this way, the user is said to learn how to quieten brainwaves associated with low performance and increase those associated with high function. Holly also began, every other night, to receive treatment in a so-called Mollii suit. The two-piece suit, rather like a wetsuit, gives mild electro-stimulation to target muscle groups, which is said to help relieve motor disabilities and aid muscle function. She also takes anti-Parkinsons medication to control dribbling. Professor Noble says the fact that Holly is having more than one treatment makes it harder to pinpoint which is working best. Following last Octobers stem cell treatment, Fiona was advised to keep a diary of any differences she noticed in Holly. In month one, I noticed how much better she was sleeping. She showed signs of wanting to be more mobile. For example, she wanted to walk from her bed to the loo, with us holding her up. She started saying the odd word. At the end of the first month, she told me she could see better and we discovered through the eye test that her close-up vision was much sharper. Her concentration improved, too. In the second month, more words started coming out. At the end of month three there have been other little things weve noticed. Cutting Hollys nails can be a trial because Holly cant keep her hands still, but Paul said it was the easiest it had ever been. Her breathing has always been very fast and now she is starting to control it. She can open her mouth wider and put her tongue out, which she couldnt before. In September, Holly will move on to secondary school. When we decided to do the stem cell treatment, my imagination went on all sorts of flights of fancy, says Fiona. I know we have to be realistic, but so many amazing things have happened. What we would love is for Holly to be able to learn how to speak fluently. And who knows, it could happen were just at the beginning of this adventure. The BJP is all set to form the next government in Manipur as the National People's Party (NPP) and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) formally extended their support on Sunday. Flanked by NPP and LJP leaders and their winning candidates, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav told a press conference in Imphal, 'We have been able to come to an understanding with the NPP and LJP in our bid to form the government in Manipur.' The NPP and LJP, both NDA constituents at the Centre, have won four and one seats respectively, which will add up to 26 with BJP's 21. The BJP is all set to form the next government in Manipur as the National People's Party (NPP) and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) formally extended their support Though the BJP is five short of the magic figure of 31 to form the government, Madhav said as per an understanding with another NDA partner Naga People's Front (NPF), which has won four seats, the number would go up to 30 and the support of one more MLA would be secured. He said that on Saturday, the NPF had issued a press statement wherein it said that it was willing to form a non-Congress government in Manipur. The NPP's Conrad Sangma said that the popular verdict was for a change in Manipur. Asked who would be the chief minister in the event of BJP forming a coalition government, Madhav said the party leadership would decide soon. Meanwhile, the Congress cried foul as it cut a lonely figure in the state. 'As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting law and democracy,' Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in New Delhi. 'Federalism and the rule of law is being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi government,' he alleged. He also accused the BJP of misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct an Independent MLA travelling with an outgoing Congress minister from Imphal to Kolkata. 'The BJP is now misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct independent MLA Ashab Uddin (Jiribam seat) at Imphal airport,' he said, adding that the legislator was travelling with outgoing minister Abdul Nasir. Congress general secretary CP Joshi, who is in charge of party affairs in Manipur, has been camping in the state. After a day of hectic drama, it emerged that one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP on Sunday evening. The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly. Senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to be the new Punjab chief minister, but the Maharaja of Patiala will have to wear the crown of this 'rich' state with a heavy financial burden. His predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal of the SAD, has left a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and a severe liquidity crisis on what was one of the wealthiest states in the country. Every resident of the state has a debt of Rs 38,536 hanging over his or her head. Senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh (right) is all set to be the new Punjab chief minister, but the Maharaja of Patiala will have to wear the crown of this 'rich' state with a heavy financial burden So despite a comfortable majority, Captain will find it tough to run the state smoothly and the empty coffers will also make it difficult to fulfil the poll promises the party had made in its manifesto. This would force the state government to rely heavily on the generosity of the Centre. However, Amarinder is optimistic about getting financial support from the central government and said he would meet the Prime Minister to discuss matters soon. Parkash Singh Badal of the SAD, has left the Captain (left) with a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and a severe liquidity crisis on what was one of the wealthiest states in the country 'I had faced no problems in working with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during my previous tenure as chief minister. I will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon to discuss various development projects for the state,' he said. The biggest drain on the coffers of the new state government will be funds required to waive off the farmer loans, which was a key poll promise of the Congress. Other major promises like a government job for each household and 50 lakh 4G-enabled smartphones will also be Herculean tasks. But Amarinder presented a brave front on Sunday. 'I am fully committed to implement the schemes and would ensure that adequate funds are raised for it. Global tenders would soon be floated to procure smart phones as promised under the Captain Smart Connect programme launched ahead of the polls,' he said. He further assured the people of Punjab of quick execution of all election promises, including elimination of the drug menace, which he said would be wiped out within four weeks through the establishment of a special task force. He underlined the importance of setting up more rehabilitation and 'de-addiction' centres as well as appointment of more psychiatrists to tackle the drugs problem. On his promise of revival of industries, he said the industrial policy of the state would be liberalized to check the flight of industries and make Punjab an attractive investment destination. He said that several leading industrialists had been in touch with him and evinced interest in investing in the state. Children as young as nine are trapped in the vicious circle of drug abuse in Delhi, a government survey has found after studying 70,000 street kids dwelling in the shadow-world of the desperate and destitute. Experts say health and welfare programmes don't reach millions of such children in the Capital and other parts of the country because they don't have documents and are invisible to the system. Dr Mrinalini Darswal, project director of Delhi State AIDS Control Society, told Mail Today, 'This is first and a major government survey on Delhi's street children. A government survey has found after studying 70,000 street kids dwelling in the shadow-world of the desperate (file pic) 'About 70,000 street children are in the habit of consuming drugs in any form, out of which 20,000 intake tobacco. 'Alcohol consumption is prevalent among 9,450 children, inhalants in 7,910, cannabis in 5,600, heroin in 840 and pharmaceutical opioids and sedatives among 210 children each.' To estimate the prevalence of drug use among street children in the city, Delhi government's women and child development department conducted the survey in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS. Mail Today has a copy of the report, which says, 'Initiation of drug, tobacco as well as inhalants use started at 9 years of age. Experts say health and welfare programmes don't reach millions of such children in the Capital (file pic) 'Cannabis and alcohol use started a little at about 11 years of age. Even substances such as heroin or opium started at the young age of 12-13 years of age.' Most of the street children reported peer pressure, curiosity to experience high, handling cold or hunger and attempts to forget about families and be part of groups among reasons for starting drug use, noted the survey. More than 60 per cent of these kids were actually living with their families, siblings or relatives. Most of the street children reported peer pressure, curiosity to experience high, handling cold or hunger and attempts to forget about families and be part of groups among reasons for starting drug use, noted the survey (file pic) About 20 per cent of them were out on the streets to support their families. The kids were found near shopping areas, railway platforms, bus terminals, dumping grounds, traffic signals, places of worship and eateries. Only 10.9 per cent of these children were studying in schools, compared to more than 30 per cent of the non-drug using street kids. However, more than 30 per cent received non-formal education at some point. About 30 per cent of the kids dropped out of school due to drug abuse. The Delhi government is now planning to start dedicated juvenile drug-rehabilitation-centres in six hospitals. The Delhi government is now planning to start dedicated juvenile drug-rehabilitation-centres in six hospitals (file pic) The survey was con conducted in all districts of the Capital, with children between 7 and 18 years of age and any gender. As drug using people tend to know other members of the drug using network of their area, therefore, a Respondent Driven Sampling method was used. 'This method has been specially picked because substance users are largely a marginalised and hidden population,' a senior AIIMS doctor, one of the investigators from NDDTC, told Mail Today. (file pic) Bovis Homes has seen its shares climb 10 per cent after the troubled developer rebuffed two takeover bids over the weekend - as rivals circle the wounded business. Bosses have knocked back approaches from both Galliford Try and Redrow on the grounds they were undervaluing the company. However Bovis remains in discussions with Galliford, which if successful, would create one Britain's biggest housebuilders capable of producing of 7,000 homes a year. Troubled developer Bovis Homes has rebuffed two takeover bids Galliford is offering around 1.2billion in shares to the company's investors and the pair are hopeful a deal can be thrashed out. The potential tie-up is likely to be music to Bovis investors' ears after a torrid nine months, with shares down more than 19 per cent since the eve of the Brexit vote. In a statement, Bovis said: 'The board of Bovis reviewed the proposals and concluded that neither reflected the underlying value of the Bovis business and therefore both should be rejected. 'The board also concluded that the Redrow proposal was not in the interests of Bovis shareholders as the cash element of the offer would require shareholders to crystallise value at the current Bovis valuation. 'Redrow subsequently indicated that it was not willing to improve the terms of its proposal and discussions were terminated. Discussions with Galliford Try are ongoing.' Galliford Try said a tie-up would deliver 'significant' cost savings by combining their 'operational structures, sourcing and operating practices'. Galliford has until April 9 to make a formal offer under takeover rules. Knocked down: Bosses have rejected approaches from both Galliford Try and Redrow on the grounds they were undervaluing the company Bovis has also become mired in a scandal over poor-quality houses rushed up in a bid to get them sold ahead of financial reporting deadlines. Some outraged buyers were even offered 3,000 to move into unfinished properties so staff could hit their targets. At the end of December, Bovis admitted the completion of 180 homes would be 'deferred' into early 2017 meaning annual profits for 2016 would be lower than previously expected. Less than two weeks later, boss David Ritchie suddenly quit. The firm is currently without a chief executive and asked finance head Earl Sibley to fill in on a temporary basis. In February, Bovis announced it was setting aside 7million to compensate buyers who had moved into shoddy premises. Google is seeking to give its artificial intelligence system a key role in controlling Britains power network. The tech giants machine learning business DeepMind has reportedly been in talks with the National Grid over plugging into the UKs electrical systems. It aims to improve efficiency, with the firms algorithm able to analyse everything from TV viewing patterns to the weather as it predicts peaks and troughs in energy demand. Google's machine learning business DeepMind has reportedly been in talks with the National Grid Theres huge potential for predictive machine-learning technology to help energy systems reduce their environmental impact, a DeepMind spokesman said. One really interesting possibility is whether we could help the National Grid maximise the use of renewables through using machine learning to predict peaks and demand in supply. Googles holding company Alphabet uses the algorithm to cut power consumption at its huge data centres, allowing it to slash the energy required to keep them cool by 40 per cent. Vodafone is planning to create 2,100 new customer services roles across the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland over the next two years, the company said today. The mobile phone network said the move represents the 'largest single expansion of its UK employment base in many years.' The company is creating around 800 new jobs at its existing customer services centre in Manchester, almost 150 new jobs at that in Newark, over 150 new jobs at its Stoke centre, and around 100 new roles in Glasgow. Vodafone is beefing up its customer service centres in several UK cities Vodafone UK's third-party customer service partners will chip in with the creation almost 600 new roles in Newcastle, almost 200 new roles in the West of Scotland and 100 in Cardiff. The company said it considers the Manchester recruitment as a contribution to making the city 'a Northern powerhouse' in line with the Government's stated policy. It added that it anticipates the new jobs will have 'positive wider impacts' within the communities involved. Vodafone has embarked on a 2billion investment programme to be implemented between 2016 and 2019, with 'enhancing the quality of its UK customer services operations' a central aspect of that. 'These new, skilled roles will make a real difference to our customers and a real difference to the communities that are the focus of our customer services investment,' said Vodafone UK chief executive Nick Jeffery. 'Our ambition is to give our customers the best experience possible, providing an outstanding level of service and support as we continue to invest in building the biggest and best network in Britain.' Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley welcomed the new jobs Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley MP said: 'Vodafone is one of our country's great international success stories and it's fantastic this global organisation is demonstrating its confidence in the UK by creating new jobs across the north, in the midlands, in Scotland and in Wales.' 'This Government is building an economy that works for everyone, one that backs business and builds on our strengths to drive growth and create jobs,' she added. 'We are working hard to create the right conditions for commercial investment in the UK, and today's announcement is proof that Britain is well and truly open for business.' China is hardening its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country. A top Communist party official from a Muslim dominant region on Sunday warned political leaders gathered in Beijing that China is becoming destabilised by the 'international anti-terror situation'. Over the past year, Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the party to 'sinicise' the country's ethnic and religious minorities, while regional leaders in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid an uptick in violence blamed on Islamic separatists. The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region is inhabited by Uighur people, who are Muslims. Pictured, women wearing Islamic dress in shopping street in the city Kashgar in Xinjiang Leaders of Xinjiang have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols over the years. Pictured, officers and soldiers of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps attended a pep rally for the anti-terrorism and maintaining stability at Shuanghe on March 8, 2017 Shaerheti Ahan, 55, warned that Islamic extremism is spreading in Xinjiang during the National People's Congress being held in the Beijing this month. XINJIANG FIGURES Muslims in China make up 1.8 percent of the country's population. Xinjiang province is home to 10.37 million Uighur. The province has some 24,200 Muslim mosques. Source: Statistic Bureau of Xinjiang Advertisement Mr Ahan explained that terrorist activities are still 'active' in Xinjiang due to the influence of 'international terrorist forces', according to Guancha.cn. Mr Ahan, who is ethnically Kazakh, is a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China in Xinjiang and the deputy secretary of the Commission of Politics and Law in Xinjiang. He spoke at a news conference at Beijing's Great Hall of the People. However, Mr Ahan also ensured the general stability of the Xinjiang society. Shohret Zakir, 63, the chairman of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, said on the same news conference that Xinjiang will continue to aim for 'social stability and long-term stability'. The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region is situated in the far Western part of China and is a part of central Asia Xinjiang, in Western China, is home to some 10.37 million Uighurs and 24,200 mosques. Pictured, Uighur men walked in front of the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, China's largest mosque Some scholars question whether global jihadi networks have indeed penetrated the country. However, top Chinese officials, including those overseeing areas outside Xinjiang, are increasingly echoing certain strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region - which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence - warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianguo drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. 'What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence,' Li said. 'This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. 'It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the U.S. or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture.' Shaerheti Ahan, 55, warned that Islamic extremism is spreading in China during the National People's Congress, which is held at the same time of the Chinese People's Political and Consultative Conference Delegates attended the closing meeting of the Fifth Session of the 12th Chinese People's Political and Consultative Conference today Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. 'The roots of the Hui are in China,' Wu said. 'To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people.' Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong and an expert on Islam in China, said the comments by Ningxia party officials reflected the increasingly anti-Islamic rhetoric that has been rolled out over the past year by the top leadership in Beijing. 'There's a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society,' al-Sudairi said. 'Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I don't think things will take a softer turn.' In Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have died in recent years in violent attacks, the government's rising rhetoric has coincided with new security measures that activists say exacerbate a cycle of repression, radicalisation and violence. The government, meanwhile, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, though it provides little evidence for such claims. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. On Sunday, the delegation of Xinjiang leaders appeared at a news conference at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, but absent was the region's new top leader, Chen Quanguo. Mr Chen has led a series of high-profile anti-terror rallies that have involved phalanxes of police and armored vehicles rumbling through the streets of the regional capital. As was the case for several other regions and provinces, most of the Xinjiang delegation's meetings were conducted with top Chinese leaders behind closed doors this past week, according to state media reports. On Friday, Xi met with Xinjiang officials, according to state media, and directed them to safeguard the region's stability by erecting a metaphorical 'great wall of iron.' It was a reference loaded with historical and martial overtones: Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping praised the People's Liberation Army as a 'great wall of iron and steel' in June 1989, days after the military quashed a pro-democracy protest in Tiananmen Square in a bloody assault. In his January inauguration speech, President Donald Trump made a seemingly straightforward pledge: 'We will follow two simple rules: buy American and hire American.' His daughter is the exception: even as he spoke, at least eight shipments of Ivanka Trump-branded shoes, bags and clothes -- more than 53.5 tons -- were steaming towards American ports from China, according to US Customs bills of lading examined by AFP. Trump uses his presidential pulpit to censure manufacturers -- both domestic and foreign -- for using overseas labor to make goods for American consumers, but the Ivanka-branded orders have kept rolling in. Both as a candidate and as president, Donald Trump has launched repeated fusillades against firms that manufacture abroad, vowing to punish them with massive tariffs. But Ivanka Trump-branded clothes continue to be made in China Ivanka often dons shoes from her namesake label, as she did last week More than two tons of ladies' polyester woven blouses, 1,600 cowhide leather wallets and 23 tons of made-in-China footwear were among at least 82 such shipments that passed US Customs -- almost one per business day -- from Trump's November 8 election win through February 26, records showed. The goods were made in China by three US companies holding licences to manufacture products for Ivanka Trump's fashion line: garment maker G-III, Mondani Handbags and Marc Fisher Footwear. Marc Fisher told AFP it had no comment, while the others did not respond to requests. The first daughter's business has come under scrutiny since major US department store chain Nordstrom announced in February it would stop carrying her products, citing poor sales. More than 1,200 shipments of Trump-branded products have flowed into the US from China and Hong Kong over the past decade, according to an examination of US import data last year by anti-Trump political action committee Our Principles PAC That provoked a scathing attack from Trump and his advisers and even prompted senior counsellor Kellyanne Conway to urge Americans to go out and buy his daughter's products. The Washington Post reported this week that many had done just that, with February proving a banner month for the brand, in terms of sales. - 'Very hypocritical' - More than 1,200 shipments of Trump-branded products have flowed into the US from China and Hong Kong over the past decade, according to an examination of US import data last year by anti-Trump political action committee Our Principles PAC. During his campaign, Trump defended the licensing of the Trump name for goods made in China -- from shoes to ties to dress shirts -- as smart business. But at the same time he frequently accused China of stealing US jobs through unfair trade practices and currency manipulation, while also slamming US firms such as Ford and Nabisco for off-shoring. Donald Trump has repeatedly accused China of stealing US jobs through unfair trade practices, and vowed to bring jobs home Since taking office, he has kept up the pressure, vowing to punish domestic and foreign companies that manufacture abroad with massive tariffs of as much as 45 percent. His frequent fusillades have led some companies to second-guess decisions to build production facilities overseas. In February, Japanese firm Nisshinbo Holdings, a leading global maker of automobile brake parts, dropped plans to open a factory in Mexico, saying it was due to Trump's trade policies. But the president has been notably silent on his daughter's products, which are sold in American retailers like Macy's, Lord & Taylor and TJ Maxx. G-III alone sold $29.4 million of the goods in 2015, and sales in the first nine months of 2016 were up $13.3 million over the same period the previous year, according to the company's public filings. But rather than chide his daughters partners for making their products abroad, Trump instead lashed out at Nordstrom last month after it announced it would stop carrying Ivanka's fashion range. 'My daughter has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom,' he tweeted. Christopher Balding, an expert on Sino-US trade relations at Peking University, called it 'very hypocritical to make (bringing jobs back to the US) a policy plank and manufacture her products in China'. Sales of Ivanka Trump-branded goods have reportedly soared since Kellyanne Conway, a senior counselor to the president, urged Americans to go out and buy them But 'in their defence... she couldn't get those products manufactured in the US at a reasonable price point.' However, a long-time garment industry executive who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP simple products like polyester dresses could 'definitely' be made in the US at a similar price once savings from transportation and tariffs are factored in. 'The less labour involved in making the garment, the more they can compete with Asian manufacturers.' - 'Tough policies' - Late last month, Ivanka sat in on a White House meeting where her father discussed 'tough policies' to bring 'our jobs back'. 'Everything is going to be based on bringing our jobs back,' the president said, as he addressed a group of manufacturing moguls from a dozen American firms. Following the meeting, a spokesperson for the Ivanka Trump brand told AFP the company has 'consistently expressed that we share industry leaders' interest in bringing more manufacturing opportunities to the US and are looking forward to being a part of the conversation'. Just not yet: two days later, more than 5,000 Ivanka Trump polyester blouses arrived in Newark, New Jersey. And at least one shoe factory in southern China has received an order for 10,000 shoes for next season, according to Chinese newspaper the Global Times. MADISON Its been 20 years since state superintendent Tony Evers first ran to oversee the states public school system. Eight since he won over enough voters to get the job. Seven years since Republicans took control of the rest of state government. Six since public school teachers stormed the state Capitol ahead of losing their ability to bargain over their pay, and private school vouchers became available statewide. And five years since a doctor told Evers he was cured of a cancer that kills most people who get it. Evers, 65, has held his post as head of the Department of Public Instruction during eight years of significant transition in states education landscape, which began while he was still recovering from esophageal cancer. Evers began his career as a teacher and principal in Tomah, then became superintendent in tiny Oakfield and oversaw a population boom in rural Verona in the mid-1990s before moving into regional and state school administration. Evers has morphed into a fierce public school advocate on the side of teachers from a schools administrator who once encouraged his employees not to unionize, promoted the creation of charter schools and once said the voucher system is an experiment that should continue. All along, Evers has maintained that public schools need more money and the ability to raise it through property tax increases. Evers has been promoted by Democrats and demonized by Republicans for his 2010 adoption of the controversial Common Core academic standards, and criticized for the DPIs rocky rollout of a new state test to measure their effect on student learning. Now, he seeks a third term after years of battles with Republican lawmakers who often characterize Evers as a champion of the status quo, unwilling to support publicly funded alternatives for lower-income students. Democrats largely support Evers, labeling him the last and only obstacle they have to keep public dollars from going to private voucher schools. Cancer diagnosis Months before he embarked upon a campaign for what would become his first term as state superintendent, Evers was lying on a Madison operating table while surgeons worked to rid him of a cancer that few survive. I thought I was going to die, Evers said in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal. Evers awoke that day after the surgery at St. Marys Hospital in 2008 without an esophagus and part of his stomach removed. He spent 12 days in the hospital and another two months recovering at home, he said. Evers lost so much weight he could have quit his job and collected disability insurance payments. He still cant eat full-size meals and has to sleep at a 45-degree angle. It changed my outlook on life, he said. Im less risk averse than I ever was before. I think that served me well. I dont respond to little detours in the road like some people, and Im not afraid to take a stand. The ordeal triggered a desire to again seek the top job at the DPI, where he had worked as deputy to Libby Burmaster for seven years. Its something I felt strongly about, Evers said. (The diagnosis) was difficult, but it was transformational, too. Tomah to Oakfield to Verona Evers experience in schools and overseeing districts began in Tomah, where he worked as a teacher and principal from 1974 until 1984, when he was hired as superintendent of the Oakfield School District. We were really impressed with his ideas and his positive attitude, Raye Marie Steffes, a former Oakfield School Board member who was on the board when Evers was hired. He was 32-years-old I do remember that. He just blew everybody away. After four years in Oakfield, Evers was hired by the Verona School District as the districts superintendent. He spent another four years there, overseeing a building boom, according to former Verona School Board member Gregg Miller. Tony had some very good ideas, we implemented those ideas and they worked extremely will in our district, Miller said. He does the best of anyone Im aware of at balancing not only the needs of the students and the staff but also the abilities of the taxpayers to pay for those things. Evers longest job was as administrator of CESA 6 in Oshkosh, a regional organization that provides services for schools, from 1992 to 2001, where he once discouraged his employees from unionizing, telling them that he and his fellow managers do not believe that union representation serves the best interest of our employees. Evers, who has since opposed Gov. Scott Walkers collective bargaining legislation known as Act 10, said last week that he conveyed to employees the position of the CESA board and that it was not a position he supported at the time. School choice and Common Core While in Verona, Evers promoted the creation of charter schools, Miller said, which Evers still supports. The ability for school boards to use charters as kind of an incubator I think thats great, Evers said, who lamented that the public often conflates private voucher schools with charter schools. Evers, who now opposes the expansion of taxpayer-funded school vouchers in Wisconsin, also once voiced support for them in 2000 when only students in Milwaukee could use them. To me, the key is student learning. I dont care if we find success in voucher schools, charter schools or Milwaukee public schools. The idea is to find what works and replicate it as soon as possible. So from that standpoint, I believe the (voucher) experiment needs to continue, Evers said in 2000. By 2001, however, while running against former West High School principal Libby Burmaster, who would go on to beat him, Evers had publicly opposed the expansion of vouchers beyond Milwaukee and said the systems level of financial and academic accountability must increase. Evers said he has tried to thread the needle on the issue since then. Basically, it was a recognition that its not a genie that you can put back in a bottle, Evers said. It wasnt like I gave up the political argument about it. The reality is we have kids in voucher schools and kids in public schools and both sectors are struggling. And kind of focusing on the fact that vouchers existed was not productive. Some public school advocates, who typically support Evers, have said he has not been aggressive enough in opposing Republican lawmakers seeking to expand the voucher system. He should be leading the fight for our children and against the people who are trying to do this hostile corporate takeover, but hes playing defense, said former Racine Park High School math teacher Rick Melcher, who also is challenging Evers as a write-in candidate. He is trying to come up with ways to play nice with the Legislature when they are not playing nice at all. But John Matthews, former longtime executive director of the Madison Teachers Inc. teachers union, said Evers has been exceptionally good at advocating for the needs for our public schools and exceptional in trying to make sure money didnt go into the private school system. Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, leaders of the Legislatures education committees, did not return phone calls seeking interviews. While Walker is currently promoting his agreement with Evers on school funding levels, conservatives and groups interested in expanding taxpayer-funded, non-public school options traditionally have seen Evers as an obstacle. He is clearly an ally of the teachers union and a staunch defender of the status quo in education, said C.J. Szafir, vice president for policy and deputy counsel at the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. This has put him at stark odds with the priorities of the Republican state Legislature and Gov. Walker, who is more supportive of education reform and empowering parents to make their own decisions on their childrens education. Opponent Lowell Holtz, a former Whitnall and Beloit superintendent who is seeking support from conservatives, has made his opposition to the Common Core academic standards a focal point of his campaign, as a contrast to Evers who in 2010 adopted the standards and has continued to support them. In 2014, controversy over the standards in Wisconsin erupted and prominent GOP lawmakers, including Walker and Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, publicly opposed the standards, prompting Evers to heavily promote keeping them. But soon after, DPI officials struggled with the implementation of a state test designed to measure Wisconsin students academic skills learned through lessons linked to the controversial standards, which ended up being millions over budget and scrapped after a year because of technical problems that delayed administration and didnt work like it was supposed to. Evers acknowledged the test rollout as a fiasco, but said the implementation of the standards in teachers curriculum has been successful. Szafir called the ordeal a huge debacle. Thats on him as the administrator of the states public schools, Szafir said. Outside money? Evers, who continues to be backed by the states largest teachers union, is seeking another term at a time when the coffers of the Wisconsin Education Association Councils political arm are not nearly as robust as they once were after the passage of Act 10. As the last Democratic-leaning head of a major state agency, the hefty spending that conservative-leaning outside interest groups can produce could turn his landslide first place finish in the primary into a more competitive race in the general election. I worry like hell about it. It pops in the last couple weeks and wipes people out, Matthews said. A farmer who fled ISIS's terrifying reign in northern Syria with his family and now lives in a windowless shack in Lebanon has been talking about life under the jihadists. The family are among 1.5 million Syrians who have fled the region controlled by ISIS, who are referred to in Arabic as Daesh. Jamil Hussein Hawayish, 50, said: 'Even if Daesh were just walking down the road they would find someone to slaughter. No-one could intervene.' Jamil Hussein Hawayish (pictured, second left) sits in the wooden hut he built in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon with the support of the UNHCR. The father-of-five said: 'I used to shake like a little baby. I hoped it was not my turn. 'I still see the images in my head everyday but I'm safer here and I'm trying to be strong for my children.' He had a farm and three wives in a village in the Al-Hasakah governorate in the far north east of Syria. After ISIS took over they endured 18 months of its reign of terror but he successfully shielded his youngsters from the spectre of violence by keeping them permanently indoors. In 2015 he fled with one of his wives, Helwa, and five children to the Akkar region of Lebanon, near the border with Syria, with little to remind them of their home apart from psychological scars. Jamil (pictured) said: 'When I got to Lebanon I felt I was getting my dignity back' He recalls seeing two men having their heads cut off in the street in his home village. On another occasion he was confronted by an ISIS fighter who had a man's head in his hand. Jamil survived by answering the killers' questions and praying he would be spared their unpredictable savagery. He says the men were decapitated with knives, on the street and in broad daylight, while ISIS killers gloried in their terrorism. One of the victims was apparently targeted for listening to music, others were attacked and killed because of the way they dressed. The family have built a makeshift wooden hut on a patch of land in Lebanon, with help from UN staff and Irish aid agency Concern. They are one of 40 families who live in windowless huts with electricity rationed to a few hours a day. Jamil said: 'When I got to Lebanon I felt I was getting my dignity back.' Khaled, 12, (pictured) said: 'I don't have time to live my life. I don't go to school. I want to see my home again but it could be destroyed' Two of his sons, Mohammad, 20, and Khaled, who is 12, and his daughter Khouloud, 14, work from daybreak to sunset for a few dollars. Mohammad said: 'Life under ISIS was like slavery. If you have 10 cows you have to give them the cows. You have no choice.' Khaled, evidently exhausted from day after day of hard work on Lebanese farms, said: 'I don't have time to live my life. I don't go to school. I want to see my home again but it could be destroyed. 'I don't know anything about my future. I don't even have time to live my life as a child.' Jamil said ISIS hounded Sunni Muslims as much as they hounded everyone else in Syria Jamil, who is a Sunni Muslim, said ISIS barred traditional prayers at a funeral. He said: 'The graveyard, they even blew the graves up. The dead even had a share of this. And the mosque, the house of god they destroyed it.' But Jamil said: 'Don't go away with the idea that all Sunni are ISIS or Daesh. 'We have been hounded by Daesh. If you are Sunni and you don't apply the law of Daesh you will be slaughtered. The Sunni have been hounded as much as any other religion in Syria. 'We used to live next door to each other - Christian, Sunni, Alawite. We lived. When Daesh came, if you were a Christian sometimes killing them was good for them.' Jamil (pictured) said Christian families were particularly persecuted by ISIS and sometimes a quick death was the best fate they could hope for Unicef spokeswoman Juliet Touma, speaking from Damascus, said: '2016 has been the worst for the children of Syria. 'The more the war continues the more we realise, that there are no winners to this, or that there are only losers, and the biggest losers really are the children.' But she said: 'Luckily, and thanks to the determination of the people of Syria - parents, fathers, mothers, teachers - thanks to the support of host governments, children are able to go back to school, they are able to resume their studies, catch up on what they've lost.' Advertisement Soldiers have been enduring the ultimate 'stress test' as part of gruelling training exercises in the Kenyan bush. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) swapped snowy Penicuik near Edinburgh for the blistering heat of Archers Post, more than 185 miles north-east of Nairobi, to take part in Exercise Askari Storm. The troops are being put through their paces by the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in a six-week programme designed as the most extreme test of their skills short of going to war. The 394 infantry soldiers from the 2 SCOTS battle group are backed up by a support team of about 500 personnel drawn from across the country, ranging from medics and engineers to artillery units. They face punishing conditions in the hot and arid terrain, carrying up to 40kg of equipment in temperatures pushing 40C, with heat exhaustion - along with the local wildlife - an ever-present danger. With the battalion due to deploy to the Middle East and Africa on operations later in the year, the exercise is seen as crucial preparation for any eventuality. British soldiers have been enduring the ultimate 'stress test' as part of gruelling training exercises in the Kenyan bush A soldier shelters from the heat and sun with the use of a truck after taking part in a live firing exercise earlier in the day A member of the regiment applies a liberal dose of sun cream before the day's activities in the Kenyan bush, where temperatures can smash 40C A member of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) runs through a field covered in smoke as part of a training drill One soldier empties his water bottle on his face during a hard afternoon of training drills under the boiling Kenyan sun The regiment swapped snowy Penicuik near Edinburgh for the blistering heat of Archers Post, more than 185 miles north-east of Nairobi They face punishing conditions in the hot and arid terrain, carrying up to 40kg of equipment in temperatures pushing 40C The troops are being put through their paces by the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in a six-week programme The training is designed as the most extreme test of soldiers' skills, short of going to war and engaging live enemies Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Graeme Wearmouth said the Kenyan terrain ensured there was 'no hiding place' for his troops. He said: 'It's a chance to put everything that we've learnt, everything that we've trained for, into practice, so this is really, I suppose, the optimum test short of going to war. 'I think it's fair to say that it's very demanding. This is the hottest time in the year in Kenya, we left Scotland in snow and we came here to 35C of heat, and it's a really good test for us as soldiers. 'Importantly, though, it is also preparation for us before we look ahead to operations we've been warned off for at the end of this year and into 2018. 'We've been told as a battalion that we are due to go away on operations, somewhere Middle East and in the Africa area. 'It's part of ongoing operations, we're basically going to be replacing other battalions that are already out doing various training tasks. A group of soldiers take shelter from the heat, using any shelter that is available to them - be it a vehicle or netting The soldiers had to battle a series of challenges including heat exhaustion, with with the local wildlife also posing an ever-present danger With the battalion due to deploy to the Middle East and Africa on operations later in the year, the exercise is seen as crucial preparation for any eventuality As well as having to deal with the traditional duties of a medic, Chris Abba was also tasked with making sure soldiers were protected from the harsh conditions A military vehicle gets a helping hand from three troops at battlefield headquarters, after a long day of training drills Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Graeme Wearmouth said the Kenyan terrain ensured there was 'no hiding place' for his troops Taking on fluids is a matter of life and death in the Kenyan bush, where the harsh conditions can kill soldiers should they not stay hydrated The regiment gathers for a battle briefing, with a stick and the sand used to demonstrate the drill to the participating soldiers 'So whilst this is very much us in our war-fighting role - and that's not what we're going to be doing later in the year - what this allows us to do is to stress-test the team and understand where our development points are, and also where our good points are, and knowing that going into operations for real you really do ensure that you are going forward with the best possible preparation for the most demanding things that we do as soldiers.' Troops first have to successfully negotiate scenarios such as bringing humanitarian aid to a village while battling a real 'enemy' - a role played by the Black Watch 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS). Soldiers use blank rounds and weapons fitted with laser transmitters which are picked up by sensors on body armour, helmets and vehicles, giving a play-by-play review of the action afterwards, before moving to live firing using targets. Corporal Ross McClelland, 25, from Ayr, South Ayrshire, said: 'In live rounds it is real grenades that are going in, there's smoke, there's mortars, so it is not just a case of having blank firing where you could have that element of not thinking all the time, you're constantly thinking about where everyone is. Having just finished taking part in a live firing exercise, a small troop of soldiers takes a break under the shelter of a tree Sgt Craig McGurk can be seen repairing a vehicle at LAB E base in Nanukye as part of operations in northern Kenyan While most tourists to the country actively seek out the local wildlife, the fauna around Archers Post is just another challenge for the troops to overcome A soldier enjoys a stretch moments after waking up in the Kenyan bush, where even the early morning sun can make conditions uneasy A pair of troops from the regiment are tasked with watching a convoy of vehicles pass by their position on a track 'There's actually a few boys in our platoon it's their first time out of the country, they've not really ever been anywhere properly warm. 'It is very challenging but it's the adrenalin that will get you through it.' One soldier particularly looking forward to getting back to Scotland is Platoon Sergeant Steven Alexander, 37, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, whose wife Angela gave birth to their son Harry just days before the battalion deployed for the exercise in February. The father-of-four said: 'The company put me on the last flight, so the wee man was born on the Saturday night and then I flew out here on the Thursday morning, so they gave me a couple of days. 'He came just a day or so early, if I'd flown out on the Saturday I would have missed it, so it was just by luck that I managed to be there. It is what it is but I'm looking forward to getting back to see him.' From prowling lions to poisonous snakes: The local wildlife that is all part of a day's work in the Kenyan bush Dodging charging elephants, prowling lions and poisonous snakes is all part of the day job for British soldiers training in Kenya. While most tourists to the country actively seek out the local wildlife, the fauna around Archers Post is just another challenge for the troops to overcome. Each morning a helicopter is deployed to chase animals away from the exercise areas but close encounters are frequent. Combat medical technician Chris Abba got more than he bargained for when he and a colleague stopped to take footage of some passing elephants. The 25-year-old, from Nottingham, who is attached to the 2 SCOTS battle group for the duration of Exercise Askari Storm, said: 'We were going up to do med cover for a couple of guys doing a platoon attack and on the way there we saw some elephants. Dodging charging elephants, prowling lions and poisonous snakes is all part of the day job for British soldiers training in Kenya With his machine gun sat next to him on the table, Royal engineer Sgt Paul Foxcroft enjoys an early morning shave A soldier cools off after a long afternoon of training drills, while a pair of socks is aired on a ground-mounted machine gun A soldier take the time to eat his daily rations while taking shelter from the unforgiving Kenyan sun at Archers Post 'We just stopped, got our phones out and walked towards them. We had a briefing saying that if they start looking at you, flapping the ears and walking towards you, it means they're going to charge. 'There was just me and my driver, so we got out and as soon as it started walking towards us that's when we bombed it, and when I turned around as I was running away it was coming after us. 'We were running pretty quick, so it was pretty fast, it came pretty close. 'We got straight back into the ambulance and just drove away, it was pretty funny. It was probably a mother protecting its baby or something, if you get close to the baby that's when they'll attack you.' Combat medic Stephen Smith, 31, helped treat soldiers who had close shaves with wildlife alongside the more common heat, knee and ankle injuries. Combat medics help treat soldiers who had close shaves with wildlife alongside the more common heat, knee and ankle injuries A machine gunner inspects his weapon ahead of another training exercise, opting for the cooler alternative of flip flops As part of the regiment's training, a mock settlement is mocked up to allow troops to undergo training for real-life events Each morning a helicopter is deployed to chase animals away from the exercise areas but close encounters are frequent The reservist from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, who is also attached to the battalion during the exercise, said: 'We had a guy in who fell down a hill, I think he fell about 30ft but just round a corner from where he was there were puff adders. 'They're really poisonous, you don't want to get bitten by a puff adder. 'We had another guy who had been bit by a scorpion, it was inside his webbing and he put his hand in and it stung him.' Another group of 2 SCOTS encountered lions during a night-time exercise in the first phase of their training. Garry John Urie, 33, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, said: 'I was here four years ago and they were close to us then, and that was even closer, within 150 metres I think. 'All of a sudden guys carrying heavy kit could move quite quickly.' A father has been convicted of plying two of his daughter's friends with drugs and alcohol before having sex with them. The 42-year-old Bundaberg man is appealing his rape conviction after the Brisbane Supreme Court heard he sexually assaulted the girls, aged 17 and 14, in his room after giving them drugs and alcohol, and played a strip game with them. The girls said the man pulled them up and placed them down on his bed before holding them down while he had sex with both of them, Byron Shire News reported. A 42-year-old Bundaberg man had sex with two of his daughter's friends The girl said she was 'hurting' after the sexual assault, her older friend told the court. The 17-year-old girl said the sex was consensual between the two but the man was found guilty of raping the younger girl in late 2016 after she made a complaint to police. His defence team argued that the pair never had sex, but the man later admitted they did. He is now appealing his conviction on the grounds that it was consensual and that he should be convicted of unlawful carnal knowledge instead of rape. He plied the two girls, aged 14 and 17, with drugs and alcohol and played a strip game with them Defence barrister Simon Bain told the three Court of Appeal judges on Friday that the victims' accounts were inconsistent with one another. She told the panel that while the man's actions were 'despicable', he could have 'accompanied' the girls to his bedroom instead of 'forcing' them. The younger girl told the court that she and her friend played a game with a mask after the incident, and the judges discussed whether this behaviour was normal for someone who had just been raped. Crown Prosecutor Vicki Lowry said the girl's young age and the fact that she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol could explain the 'somewhat unusual' behaviour. The panel has reserved its judgment. A famous Old West gun is finally returning home to Colorado after a museum bought it in the hopes that it will bring tourism. The Glenwood Springs Historical Society pulled the trigger and authorized the $84,000 purchase of Doc Holliday's derringer. The derringer is one of the few items that is believed to have been in the Hotel Glenwood room where the notorious gunslinger died on November 8, 1887. The Glenwood Springs Historical Society pulled the trigger and authorized the $84,000 purchase of Doc Holiday's derringer The previous owner was Jason Brierly of Vancouver, British Columbia. The society originally planned on renting the gun, but after reviewing it met and voted to buy it, reported the Post Independent. The derringer was given to Holliday by his common-law wife, Mary Katherine 'Big Nose Kate' Horony- Cummings, who was a Hungarian-born prostitute. The handle reads 'To Doc from Kate.' It is currently in a safe deposit box until an exhibition can be planned. The society plans to have it on show to the public as soon as possible. Holliday died in a bed on November 8, 1887 at the Hotel Glenwood from tuberculosis Doc Holliday was one of the Old West's most notorious gunfighters. Doc Holliday was one of the Old West's most notorious gunfighters He worked as a dentist and a gambler, and at just 36 years old moved to Glenwood Springs in hopes that vapor caves would help in curing his tuberculosis. He died in a bed at the Hotel Glenwood from the disease. Mayor Mike Gamba told the Post Independent: 'Doc Holiday is a very important character in the history of Glenwood Springs, and we are extremely excited that this piece of history will return to the city where he spent his final days. 'Along with visiting the cemetery where he is buried, we have no doubt that this will be one more attraction that will draw visitors to Glenwood Springs'. Historian RW 'Doc' Boyle, and other society members pledged contributions on Wednesday night to help repay the lender, and the same night Boyle assessed the gun's authenticity. 'The gun is real. There's no doubt the gun is real,' he said emotionally. Historian RW 'Doc' Boyle, and other society members pledged contributions on Wednesday night to help repay the lender, and the same night Boyle assessed the gun's authenticity The derringer is believed to be one of few possessions in the hotel room with Holliday when he passed. Hotel bartender William G Wells received the gun as partial payment for his funeral, and it remained in his family until it was purchased by a Utah gun dealer in 1968. The gun was bought again in the early 1980's by a Tennessee lawyer, then by the current owner in July. Moves to decriminalise abortions in England and Wales could open the floodgates to pregnancy terminations on demand, campaigners fear. Labour MP Diana Johnson will introduce a Private Members Bill in Parliament today calling for Victorian abortion laws that carry a potential life sentence to be scrapped. Miss Johnson says the outdated laws deny women control over their bodies, and instead she wants abortion to be regulated by professional medical bodies, such as the General Medical Council. Currently abortion is legal up to 24 weeks if signed off by two doctors. After that, it is allowed only in exceptional circumstances ...as other countries get tougher USA Laws vary but are becoming tougher under Donald Trump. Missouri is the latest of 17 states to pass an act aiming to ban abortion in the second trimester. IRISH REPUBLIC Near-total ban, including in cases of rape, incest or foetal abnormalities. Anyone who has an abortion faces up to 14 years in prison. NEW ZEALAND Abortion is a crime and women can only have terminations if their mental or physical health is at risk. AUSTRALIA Queensland and New South Wales are the only states where abortion remains an offence under criminal law. FRANCE Legal on demand up to 12 weeks, later if two doctors agree. SPAIN Legal in the first 14 weeks, up to 22 weeks in cases of foetal deformities. CHINA Available on request for all women except for sex selection. NORTH KOREA Abortion and contraception were made illegal in 2015 to reverse the population decline. Advertisement It is unlikely to succeed but midwives, MPs and pro-life campaigners claim it could pave the way for the legalisation by stealth of abortion after the current 24-week limit, with healthy foetuses being aborted late in pregnancy for the convenience of the mother. Rob Flello, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, said: The proposed Bill, which would allow for abortion on demand up to birth for any reason is extreme and out of touch with the views of the general public. Bringing this dangerous and radical proposal before Parliament is significant as it gives the impression that such an idea holds some sort of weight with the general population. It does not. One recent poll showed that 88 per cent of women either want to keep the current law and time limit as it is, or restrict it further. Currently abortion is legal up to 24 weeks if signed off by two doctors. After that, it is allowed only in exceptional circumstances. Miss Johnson, a former shadow health secretary, insisted decriminalisation would not lead to deregulation, and would merely mean that desperate women who attempt abortion at home or without approval from doctors would not face prosecution. But she admitted that women who attempt abortion after the 24-week limit or doctors who carry it out would also escape prosecution. Prosecutions are rare but campaigners warned decriminalisation was a step towards abortion on demand becoming a sad reality. Maria Caulfield, Tory MP for Lewes, said: Already... we have seen doctors pre-signing forms, gender-selective abortions being offered, live babies being left to die following abortions that have gone wrong and children with minor disabilities, such as cleft palate, being aborted. Campaign: Midwives' leader Cathy Warwick signed her members up without asking them More than 1,000 midwives have signed a not in our name petition after discovering their union, the Royal College of Midwives, is among the groups backing the change to the law. The RCMs outgoing chief, Professor Cathy Warwick, signed her members up without asking them. The RCM said it was not for or against abortion but supported womens choice. The British Medical Association has been accused of launching a crusade to abolish the 24-week limit after it put forward arguments for liberalising the law. It urged medical professionals to consider whether some form of decriminalisation would be better than current laws. Several of the members of the BMAs medical ethics committee are supporters of decriminalising abortion. They include Professor Wendy Savage, a staunch advocate for womens rights in abortion, and Professor Emily Jackson, who has signed a letter commending Miss Johnson for her Bill, which even if backed by MPs would need Government support to become law. The proposal is also being promoted by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, a charity which receives 26million a year from the NHS to carry out abortions. Campaigners say that allowing abortion on demand would put Britain in the company of countries such as China. The proposal also flies in the face of calls to tighten the 24-week cut-off following medical advances. In some English hospitals up to 70 per cent of babies born at 23 weeks survive. An Iranian asylum seeker who fled to Australia by boat after being offered as a child bride to a 50-year-old man is facing the threat of being placed back in detention. Mojgan Shamsalipoor, 23, has been living in Brisbane with her husband who she met in a youth camp since she was freed from detention six months ago. But Ms Shamsalipoor could be separated from her husband and placed back into detention when her temporary bridging visa expires next week. Scroll down for video Mojgan Shamsalipoor, 23, has been living in Brisbane with her husband (pictured together) who she met in a youth camp since she was freed from detention six months ago Shamsalipoorwas accepted into Yeronga State High School in Brisbane (she is pictured at graduation) Ms Shamsalipoor studied at Yeronga State High School in Brisbane She told ABC's Australian Story she still gets goosebumps when she remembers being released back into the community in September last year. 'When they opened the door and they said "you're free to go" it was like a miracle.' But if her bridging visa is not renewed again in the next week, Ms Shamsalipoor faces being separated from her husband Milad Jafari and being placed back in detention. She fears being tortured or killed is she returns to her home country, and Iran does not accept the involuntary return of asylum seekers. Ms Shamsalipoor and her husband Mr Jafari are pictured in December with her temporary bridging visa when it was renewed Ms Shamsalipoor is pictured before fleeing Iran, where she claims she was raped and offered as a child bride Unlike her husband, Ms Shamsalipoor was not granted refugee status by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection Unlike her husband, Ms Shamsalipoor was not granted refugee status by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. She says she fled Iran after suffering rape and domestic violence, and claims she was offered as a child bride to a man in his 50s. She had travelled by boat and arrived at Australia's Christmas Island detention centre when she was 17. While her refugee claim was processed, Ms Shamsalipoor was allowed into community detention when she met the love of her life at a youth camp. Ms Shamsalipoor is pictured with her husband and Yeronga deputy principal Jessica Walker Ms Shamsalipoor is pictured with her husband Mr Jafari, who she met in a youth camp Ms Shamsalipoor has been living with her husband Mr Jafari in Brisbane since she was granted a temporary visa in September They moved in together and married two years after they met. As teenagers, Ms Shamsalipoor and Mr Jafari were both accepted at Yeronga State High School. The 23-year-old woman has since completed a health science course in the hopes of becoming a midwife and is working in retail. 'My dream would be to live peacefully without having that little bit of stress and I'd love to work and save money, I'd love to go to uni and I'd love to be a midwife,' Ms Shamsalipoor told Australian Story. Ms Shamsalipoor is pictured with supporters during her time in the Brisbane community Ms Shamsalipoor is pictured at the Yeronga State High School graduation She has since completed a health science course in the hopes of becoming a midwife (pictured at her school graduation) But in 2015, the Refugee Review Tribunal said she did not meet the criteria to be granted refugee status and she was placed back into detention. Her husband, teachers and students from her school campaigned for her release, and she was unexpectedly freed on a temporary bridging visa by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in September last year. The visa was then reviewed in December, and expires next week on March 21. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Shamsalipoor, her lawyer Kevin Kadirgamar, and the Department of Immigration for comment. Her story, On Borrowed Time, will air on ABC's Australian Story at 8pm on Monday Her husband, teachers and students from her school campaigned for her release (a rally for her freedom is pictured) A Republican Congressman prompted outrage Saturday with a tweet praising a far-right, anti-Islam Dutch politician, stating that 'we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies'. Steve King, who represents Iowa's fourth district, shared his message Saturday as thousands of protesters rallied in Rotterdam after Turkish ministers were denied entry to the Netherlands. His tweet commended nationalist party leader Geert Wilder's understanding of 'culture and demographics'. Wilder has espoused an anti-Islam rhetoric and last month called Moroccan immigrants 'scum'. King's comment prompted furious responses calling him 'hateful' and a 'bigot'. One voice, however, offered an enthusiastic reply: former KKK leader David Duke's. Scroll down for video Republican congressman Steve King (pictured) prompted outrage Saturday with a tweet praising a far-right, anti-Islam Dutch politician King's message commended Geert Wilders' understanding of 'culture and demographics' and stated 'we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies' The representative wrote his message in response to this tweet from a self-described 'anti-EU' account, which appeared to be an account of protests unfolding in Rotterdam The Republican representative wrote his tweet in response to a message shared by a self-described 'anti-EU' account Voice Of Europe. The tweet to which King replied read: 'Hundreds of Islamists shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Wilders is right for over 10 years.' That message appeared to be an account of the protests unfolding in Rotterdam after Dutch authorities barred Turkey's family affairs and foreign ministers. King shared Voice Of Europe's message, adding his own comment: 'Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies.' It wasn't immediately clear what King meant by 'somebody else's babies', but many took it as an anti-immigration message. 'You are a stain on our country,' one Twitter user told King in response. Another reply stated: 'You tweeted this from a phone or computer that was probably designed by an immigrant, you hateful piece of garbage.' One person hinted that King might soon be replaced by a Democrat, writing: 'You, Congressman, are simply a bigot. Good thing is, I know a lot of smart Dems eyeing your seat.' Wilder (pictured), a nationalist party leader in the Netherlands, has espoused an anti-Islam rhetoric and last month called Moroccan immigrants 'scum' It wasn't immediately clear what King meant by 'somebody else's babies', but many took it as an anti-immigration message. This Twitter user called King a 'bigot' An apparently sarcastic retort to King's comment stated: 'About time someone went after babies. Been given a pass for too long' Former KKK leader David Duke however praised King for his comment, writing: 'GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!' in reaction to the congressman's message An apparently sarcastic retort read: 'About time someone went after babies. Been given a pass for too long.' Former KKK Imperial Wizard Duke chimed in, writing: 'GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!' A follow-up tweet by Duke expressed the hope that King would 'finish the job' in 2024, presumably by becoming president after two Donald Trump mandates. King has a history of emphasizing with the European far-right, having met with French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. In December, he lamented the loss of far-right candidate Norbert Hofer in the Austrian presidential election. The Dutch government on Saturday barred a plane with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing. Turkey's families minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was also blocked by Dutch police from entering the consulate in Rotterdam. Dutch authorities said they didn't want the two ministers campaigning among Holland's Turkish minority, prompting Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to brand the country a 'Nazi remnant'. King's tweet came as protesters rallied in Rotterdam (pictured) after two Turkish ministers were denied entry to the Netherlands Dutch police, some mounted on horse back, began to disperse protesters who had broken up into smaller groups of demonstrators, according to reports Police sealed off the entrance to Holland Street, where the embassy is located. Around 500 people were seen waving Turkish and Ottoman flags near the embassy building Screaming men faced off with Dutch riot police outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam during Saturday's protests Lizzy Georgeson, 26, had both of her legs amputated but still managed to have a child A young woman forced by a lifelong condition to have both her legs removed has amazed doctors by becoming a mother. Lizzy Georgeson, 26, suffered months of agony throughout her pregnancy to give birth to son Henry. Doctors had been worried about the extra weight pressure on her prosthetic legs, which did cause her to topple over on a number of occasions. Mrs Georgeson, who became the UKs first double amputee model, after she signed up to a modelling agency, said: Doctors were worried about me carrying so much more weight in front and it did affect my balance and I did have a few falls. There was so much pressure on my hips I developed a painful condition which made it difficult to walk and I spent a lot of time in a wheelchair, especially towards the end of my pregnancy. But I would go through it all again to have Henry. Hes an amazing baby and I feel so lucky to be a mum after everything Ive been through. Mrs Georgeson and her husband Lewis, who live in Leeds, were thrilled when she discovered she was expecting a baby in February last year. She said: We had planned the pregnancy and we were overjoyed when I discovered I was pregnant. I was worried about how I was going to carry the weight, but I didnt want my amputations to stop me being a mum. Georgeson and her husband Lewis with their newborn son Henry in October The new mother became the UKs first double amputee model, after she signed up to a modelling agency I also suffer from a syndrome which causes my joints to dislocate and pregnancy itself relaxes muscles, so I knew that I may suffer throughout the pregnancy. Mrs Georgeson suffered from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) during the pregnancy, where the pelvis moves and causes a lot of pain. She said: It was incredibly painful and I had to take morphine for the pain. When Henry was born, he had been used to the morphine, so he had to be weaned off it. Other than the pain, I did have a good pregnancy, and it was amazing seeing my bump growing each week. I did have a few falls where my bump put me off balance, but towards the end of the pregnancy, I spent a lot of it in a wheelchair because I was in so much pain. Henry was born by caesarean section in October at St Jamess Hospital in Leeds when Mrs Georgeson was 39 weeks pregnant, weighing a healthy 8lb5oz. Georgeson as a child. She was born with club foot - meaning both her feet were back to front as seen above Mrs Georgeson said: It was just the most wonderful moment when he was born and I held in my arms at last. I didnt want not to be able to be a mum just because I was disabled, and even though it was a tough battle, it was all worth it. I cant use a pram or a moses basket in case I fall on it, but we manage. And Lewis is a fantastic hands on dad too. People are amazed when they see me out and about with Henry - that Ive been able to be a mum despite losing my legs. Mrs Georgeson was born with club foot - meaning both her feet were back to front. She has suffered a lifetime of chronic pain and endured 36 operations - the first when she was just ten weeks old. Her first leg was amputated below the knee the day after her wedding to soldier Lewis Georgeson, 23 in August 2013, and her second amputation was carried out 12 months later in August 2014. She said: I felt amazing afterwards. It was such a relief to have them amputated. I had wanted to remove them for a long time as I knew life would be easier for me with prosthetic legs. I may never be completely pain free, as the way I have walked has affected my spine, but already I feel much better. While Im fit and young I can adapt to my life, and I dont let my disability stop me from doing anything. At times in my life, the pain had gotten to the point where I wanted to chop my own legs off and in the end I had to see a psychologist to try and change the thought process. From the age of seven, I knew as soon as I could, that I would have my legs amputated. 'I was so excited to be a model, and not embarrassed about my amputations at all. Ive just recently done a tv advert, which was incredibly exciting. Finding a $1 mule coin could be easier than you think with up to 6,000 released into circulation almost two decades ago. The $1/10c mule coin, created in 2000, is worth much more than its face value, with some being sold for more than $2,700 on eBay, according to coin collectors. It is estimated 1,500 to 2,000 of the coins were released by the Royal Australian Mint, but Steve Troha with Town Hall Coins and Collectables in Sydney said he believes anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 coins could have entered circulation. Finding a valuable $1 Australia mule coin (pictured) could be easier than you think with up to 6,000 released into circulation almost two decades ago, according to coin collectors Mr Troha said although there is no official documentation on how many $1 mule coins were made, his estimate is based off how frequently he has seen them in auctions and collections. The coins, which were the result of a mix-up at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, must bear the 2000 date and are thicker than usual. 'The mule was made when a technician at the Mint in Canberra accidentally paired the mob of 'roos dollar reverse with the Queen's head obverse, normally used for the 10 cent piece,' according to the Australian Coin Collecting Blog. EBAY SALE PRICES $425 Auction 22 February $536.57 Auction 28 December $550 Offer Accepted 14 Feb $600 Buy It Now 2 January $650 Auction 21 January $715.50 (incl. BP) 22 November 2016 $954 (incl. BP) 22 November 2016 $1,050 Offer Accepted 6 February $1073.25 (incl. BP) April 2016 $1507.50 Auction 2 March $2,450 Offer Accepted 8 February $2742.75 (incl. BP) April 2016 Courtesy of Australian-coins.com Advertisement The majority of the coins appear to have been sent to Perth, Mr Troha told Daily Mail Australia. 'The first place they were discovered was the Burswood Casino [now Crown Perth],' he said. 'A gentleman who used to work there and had access to the coins and went through them and supposedly he found 300 to 400 of them just through the casino - thats when it exploded in popularity.' Initially the coins sold for $300 each but their value increased with their publicity, Mr Troha said. 'I wouldnt call it a rare coin, I would call it a scarce, very well publicised and known coin,' he said. 'If you wanted one you could get it within five days easy. I've never seen, in the past 8 or 9 years, a day on eBay where there hasnt been any up for sale or for bid.' Asking prices on eBay range from $980 to $8,500 but the final auction prices for the coin appear to range from $400 to $2,742. The Australian $1/10c mule coin (pictured), created in 2000, is worth much more than its face value, with come being sold for more than $2,700 on eBay (pictured) Asking prices on eBay range from $980 to $8,500 (pictured) A furious customer has recorded the moment he was accused of 'ripping off' a rental company over fuel. Adam Falzon, who works for a Melbourne eco-energy firm, claims Thrifty employees wrongly accused him of not filling a truck's petrol tank on Saturday after he had hired it. Mr Falzon recorded the moment a Thrifty worker drove him back to a service station in a vain attempt to prove he was cheating them. Adam Falzon (left), from Melbourne, filmed the moment he was accused of trying to cheat a truck rental company by failing to fill up the fuel tank Mr Falzon claims he filled the truck up as requested and provided a receipt to prove it, but the rental firm refused to believe him. Footage shows Mr Falzon sitting in the cab of the truck as a Thrifty employee drives the vehicle to the service station. 'They've been quite rude to me, one of the employees raised his arm, and now we're going to find out who's right and who's wrong,' Mr Falzon says. 'He's actually taken me to the petrol station with him after I've shown a receipt, to suggest that I've ripped them off.' In the video, the Thrifty employee can be seen opening the fuel tank as what appears to be petrol runs out from underneath the cap. The man inserts the handle and pulls it, but the pump clicks immediately. A Thrifty employee was filmed attempting to fill up the tank, but ending up spilling petrol all over the floor because it was apparently too full He then tries several more times but the pump continues to click, before fuel spills out of the tank as it appears too full. The employee then spills fuel on the floor of the service station before claiming to have put seven litres into the tank. 'That's what you'll be getting charged,' the employee says before walking away. Mr Falzon has claims Thrifty then attempted to charge him $200 for the petrol. A Thrifty spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that they have been in contact with Mr Falzon and offered him a full refund for the petrol and the vehicle hire. The employee concerned will also receive customer service training, the spokesman added. Former Democratic US Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday in one of his first major speeches since leaving office this year that he would have liked to have been the US president who ended cancer as we know it. Biden, whose son Beau died from brain cancer in 2015, delivered an emotional speech at the South by Southwest technology summit in Austin, Texas, about continuing the work he led under former Democratic President Barack Obama in the so-called 'Cancer Moonshot,' an initiative aimed at speeding up research into new cancer therapies. He spoke of the need for prevention, research collaboration and big data to battle cancer. Biden did not mention President Donald Trump by name but said in the speech before several thousand people he was willing to work with the current administration on the fight against cancer, which kills an estimated 600,000 Americans a year. 'The only bipartisan thing left in America is the fight against cancer,' he said. Former Vice President Joe Biden prepares to give his remarks to the South by Southwest technology forum in Austin, Texas, on Sunday The former vice president and his wife, Jill Biden, shared a warm embrace and kiss during the appearance Biden said that just before he made his formal announcement in 2015 not to run, Obama asked him if he had any regrets. Biden said he told Obama: 'I would have loved to have been the president who presided over the end of cancer as we know it.' He said in the months that followed his son's death, he did not have the stomach to run for president. 'No one should ever run for president of the United States unless they are prepared to give every, every ounce of their energy,' he said. He praised Republicans for working with Democrats on the fight against cancer while he was in office. He had one slight dig at the Trump administration by suggesting some 'in the new outfit' do not abide by research on global warming. 'I shouldn't have said that but it frustrates me,' he said. The former vice president said on Sunday in one of his first major speeches since leaving office this year that he would have liked to have been the US president who ended cancer as we know it about continuing the work he led under former Democratic President Barack Obama in the so-called 'Cancer Moonshot' The Cancer Moonshot is an initiative aimed at speeding up research into new cancer therapies Biden devoted the final months of his term in office to cancer research It became his signature issue after the 2015 death of his son, Beau, who succumbed to brain cancer Biden said on Sunday that Beau's death was a decisive factor in his decision not to run for the presidency He spoke of the need for prevention, research collaboration and big data to battle cancer Biden did not mention President Donald Trump by name but said in the speech before several thousand people he was willing to work with the current administration on the fight against cancer, which kills an estimated 600,000 Americans a year This was Biden's first public appearance since it was learned that his married son was having an affair with his widowed sister-in-law. On March 1, it was learned that Hunter Biden, the former vice president's son, was dating Hallie Biden, the widow of Beau Biden, Hunter's brother who died of brain cancer in May 2015. Joe Biden gave his blessing to the relationship even though Hunter was still married to his wife, Kathleen. Hunter and Kathleen, who are separated, filed papers in court last week seeking to expedite the dissolution of their marriage. On March 1, it was learned that Hunter Biden (left), the former vice president's son, was dating his sister-in-law Hallie Biden (right), the widow of his late brother Beau Biden Joe Biden gave his blessing to the relationship even though Hunter was still married to his wife, Kathleen. Hunter and Kathleen are in the process of divorcing The move comes one week after Kathleen stated in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com that Hunter, 47, was spending money on 'drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, and strip clubs.' 'The parties recognize the benefit to themselves, their children, and their families in moving to finalize their divorce amicably and privately,' the couple said in their filing, which was obtained by Page Six. Both parties are now said to be working with their counsel in hopes that they can 'resolve this matter promptly as Hunter's relationship with his sister-in-law Hallie is getting more serious. Kathleen had even claimed in previously filed court documents that Hunter had purchased an $80,000 diamond, though she did not say who it was for in the papers. A police constable raped his policewoman partner while sobbing that he loved her after she cheated on him with a custody sergeant, a court heard. He allegedly forced himself on her when she came home from a boozy police social and confessed to being unfaithful that night. She was upset with him after he booked a sunshine holiday with his ex-wife and children without telling her. The female officer didnt report the incident for about ten years because she didnt want to be a victim, York Crown Court was told. York Crown Court where a police officer has gone on trial for allegedly raping his policewoman partner History repeated itself years later when she had another fling while on holiday in Benidorm and he allegedly sexually assaulted her after having a row over the phone with the other man. The Yorkshire policeman, who cannot be named, denies rape and sexual assault. The court heard how the couple had not long moved in together when the woman discovered he had booked a two-week break to Crete with his children. She told the jury: I was upset the man I lived with was going on holiday with his ex-wife. It was a holiday he booked while we were together behind my back. On a night out with a girlfriend, she ran into colleagues at a club, including a custody sergeant she had a spark with. The sergeant invited her to his room at a local police training centre where he was on a course. They started discussing her domestic problems, but ended up having sex. She returned home to her partner inconsolable with guilt. He asked what was wrong with me and I told him I had had sex with someone else. She said her partner was very angry because he was a friend of the sergeant. She went off to sleep in the spare bedroom and claimed her partner came in and forced her to have sex against her will. She added: I felt like I deserved it. It was not violent. When he came into the room, he was crying. He said how much he loved me. The couple continued to live together after her affair, but her partner was controlling and if I did not have sex with him he would always throw it back in my face, she said. The female officer claims her husband sexually assaulted her again after she had another fling while on holiday in Benidorm, pictured She only broke her silence when he allegedly sexually assaulted her years later after she had another fling on holiday with an old friend. The couple finally split in 2014 and the woman blurted out details of the assaults to a colleague. I never ever thought for one moment that a police officer would come knocking on my door, she said. I was supposed to be a police officer. Im supposed to be strong. I never wanted to be a victim. I was so weak. Giving evidence on Friday, the accused officer denied rape. He said his partner woke him in the early hours in tears and told him about the sergeant. They argued and she went to sleep in the spare room. He denied raping her, claiming he never left his room. He also denies the second alleged assault. Michael Duck, QC, defending, claimed the woman concocted the vicious fabrication after her former partner started seeing another policewoman. The accused said he had reported his former partner to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for harassment. The case continues. Most Australians toss aside the pesky 5c pieces they find tucked into the corners of wallets and stuck in between the couch. But the tiny coin could be worth upwards of $2000 dollars if it has the rare markings that eagle-eyed collectors are on the lookout for. Coin collector Steve Troha from Town Hall Coins & Collectables stumbled upon a 2007 5c Double Heads piece when paying for his coffee in Surry Hills. Steve Troha found the rare 'Double Heads' 5c coin after receiving change from his coffee in Surry Hills Mr Troha sold the rare coin - which has the Queen's head showing on both sides - for $1000 and it was then sold again for $2000. The coin was minted accidentally with the reverse and obverse having the same design, and Mr Troha said only about 600 to 700 pieces like this escaped the mint. 'This coin was struck in 2007 and was first discovered in 2008 in change from a coffee shop on Commonwealth Street near the old Billy Hydes Drum Craft', Mr Troha told Daily Mail Australia. 'The first example sold privately for $1,000 in Uncirculated quality and that same example sold soon after for $2,000. More were discovered a few months later around the Sydney CBD area and the Balmain/Rozelle area.' Mr Troha said it is likely that the Royal Australian Mint discovered the error shortly after dispatching the coins and they were all sent to the same area in NSW. He said: 'They have scarcely been found outside of NSW due to natural circulation patterns. Having come across 20 to 30 examples since 2008, Id estimate a mintage of just under a thousand coins.' A Double Headed 2007 5c coin - exactly like Mr Troha's - is selling on eBay for $3,888 Australian 5c coins that were minted with errors are also worth significant prices Sellers on eBay list damaged coins for hundreds of dollars which attract coin collectors 'This is hard to pin down due to the 5c being a neglected coin. The exciting part of that is many people have jars of 5c lying around and it is definitely worthwhile having a check through these.' Rare 'error' coins like Mr Troha's double head piece can also be found on eBay for hundreds of dollars. Coin collectors are willing to pay a high price for coins that were damaged in the minting process, with one even selling for $4000. One coin which was stuck the wrong way during mintage is selling online for $490 and a similar 5c piece is on eBay for $149. The $1/10c mule coin, created in 2000, is also worth much more than its face value, with some being sold for more than $2,700 on eBay, according to coin collectors. The coin must bear the 2000 date and is thicker than usual with a double rim on the Queen's side of the coin because of a mix-up at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, according to the Australian Coin Collecting Blog. 'The mule was made when a technician at the Mint in Canberra accidentally paired the mob of 'roos dollar reverse with the Queen's head obverse, normally used for the 10 cent piece,' the blog clarified. The Australian $1/10c mule coin (pictured), created in 2000, is worth much more than its face value, with come being sold for more than $2,700 on eBay, according to coin collectors Asking prices on eBay range from $980 to $8,500 but the final auction prices for the coin appear to range from $400 to $2,742. 'The value of your rare coin will now depend on the condition after spending 17 years in circulation some coins are more valuable than others,' the Australian Coin Collecting Blog said. The coin's error was not realised until a year or two after it was released into circulation, and coin collectors claim they picked up on it in 2003. The final auction prices for the $1/10 coin appear to range from $400 to $2,742 'The majority of the 2000 $1 / 10 cent Mules were sent to Perth, where in 2003 and 2004 there was a frenzy of mule hunting in the local casino and lots of dollar coins were withdrawn from Perth banks,' collectors said in 2009. 'The mule hunt has slowed in the last few years as the number available in circulation is slowly reduced and diluted around the rest of Australia.' 'But, the mules are still out there to be found by those willing to look.' Peers and MPs are today set to back a historic vote paving the way for Brexit after a Conservative rebellion melted away. A small number of Tory Remainers could abstain or vote against the Government on the Bill giving Theresa May the power to begin the process of leaving the EU. But insiders say there will not be enough to thwart the process, while senior figures in the unelected House of Lords indicated they would not block the will of the Commons. Brexit Secretary David Davis urged MPs not to tie the Prime Ministers hands by backing wrecking amendments passed last week by the Lords. Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured, on the Andrew Marr Show) says the Prime Minister must be given a free hand to negotiate If MPs and peers reject all amendments today, it is understood the Queen could give Royal Assent tomorrow morning, meaning the Bill would be passed into law. That would free up Mrs May to trigger Article 50 starting the two-year period of negotiation before Brexit as soon as tomorrow. She has vowed to invoke Article 50 before the end of this month, meaning Britain will exit the EU by March 2019 at the latest. This afternoon, MPs will debate two Lords amendments to the Brexit Bill. One would give Parliament a meaningful vote on the divorce deal, while the other guarantees protections for EU nationals living in Britain. If, as expected, they are rejected, peers will meet in the evening to decide whether accept the verdict of MPs. Voters are confident People have not stopped shopping Consumers are unfazed by Brexit uncertainty and feel confident about their future, a survey has found. Less than a third of those questioned said they were worried about the effect of leaving the EU, and just 15.5 per cent were anxious about job security. And less than one in ten homeowners expected the value of their property to fall this year, according to HSBCs survey of 2,000 people. HSBC said: It seems fair to say that the message from the Remain camp in the pre-referendum period that voting for Brexit would threaten your job and knock down the value of your house simply has not resonated with voters. Consumption has been critical to the UKs resilience following the vote to leave the EU, with the average household having remained largely unfazed by the prospect of political change. Advertisement George Osborne, who masterminded the Remain campaigns Project Fear, is expected to back the Government, although others such as former education secretary Nicky Morgan may still rebel. Allies of the ex-Chancellor say he believes ministers will give assurances the Commons will have a truly meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal. Tory MPs including ex-chancellor Ken Clarke and former business minister Anna Soubry could still rebel. But the number of rebels ten at most is not enough to defeat the Government. Pro-Leave MPs warn that, if the amendments passed, Parliament would have an effective veto, giving Brussels an incentive to offer a worse deal. Yesterday Mr Davis urged rebels to pass the Bill unamended. On the Andrew Marr Show, he said: Please dont tie the Prime Ministers hands in the process of doing that for things which we expect to attain anyway. Tory rebel MPs backing the amendment may include ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve and Treasury committee chairman Andrew Tyrie. Asked if Parliament will get a meaningful vote, Mr Davis said: What we cant have is either House of Parliament reversing the decision of the British people. If the votes go the way of the Government, the Bill will go before the Lords this evening. Labour sources warned there was a 20 per cent chance of peers sending the Bill back if their amendments were dismissed out of hand. But Labours leader in the Lords has promised not to defy the will of the Commons. And yesterday two Tory peers who rebelled last time Baroness Altmann and Lord Heseltine suggested they would back down. Ex-deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, sacked from Government roles after voting against Mrs May in the Lords, admitted yesterday that he would fall in line if MPs defeat the amendments, adding: The arguments for the supremacy of the Commons would be very powerful. Theresa May (pictured) will start the ball rolling by writing to European Council president Donald Tusk, setting out Britain's demands of the EU post-Brexit To begin the process of leaving the EU, Mrs May will write to European Council president Donald Tusk, setting out Britains demands. She would also be expected to tell the Commons Article 50 has been invoked. Mr Tusk has said EU leaders will respond within 48 hours. EU leaders will then hold a meeting, probably next month, to agree a response, before Mr Tusk replies with the EUs position and sounding the starting gun on talks. Nicola Sturgeon is today expected to issue a string of demands over what Westminster should request for Scotland from Brexit. The First Minister of Scotland will announce her response to Brexit, ahead of Article 50 being formally triggered. She could also this week announce plans for a second Scottish independence referendum. Australia's trade minister has backed new Indonesian laws that will require all meat sold in the Muslim majority nation apart from pork to be halal certified. From October 2019, Australian beef cattle and sheep will have to have their throats cut, before or after they are stunned, to be widely marketed in the world's biggest Muslim country. Trade Minister Steven Ciobo, who visited Indonesia for three days last week, has backed the new laws which had input from religious clerics. Australia supplies 80 per cent of Indonesia's beef, marking a huge slice of the nation's $9 billion beef export industry. All Australian beef cattle sold in Indonesia will have to be halal certified Trade Minister Steven Ciobo (right) discussed closer beefing up economic ties with his Indonesian counterpart Lukita last week All Indonesian meat will have to be halal certified to be sold to consumers by October 2019 'Halal product assurance is important to Indonesian consumers,' a spokeswoman for the trade minister told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. 'Australia already operates a halal certification scheme and the vast majority of Australian beef and meat products currently exported to Indonesia are halal certified.' To qualify as halal, live animals must have their throats cut as part of the slaughter and die from blood loss. This usually occurs shortly after the livestock is stunned. However, animal rights activists in Australia have been campaigning to close a loophole that allows some halal abattoirs to refrain from having to stun beef cattle before the slaughter ritual. Former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (right) signed halal certification laws shortly before leaving office in October 2014 WHAT IS HALAL? Halal is an Arabic term for permissible. For the meat to be lawful in the Muslim faith, the meat or poultry must be slaughtered as part of a ritual known as Zibah or Zabihah. The blood must be drained from the carcass, which means the throat of the animal is slit. An animal must not be dead before the ritual and a Muslim is required to perform the slaughter. Advertisement In October 2014, outgoing Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a law stipulating that by 2019, halal certification would be compulsory on all food imports into Indonesia. It also covers beverages, cosmetics and medical products. The Indonesian Ulema Council, also known as the Majelis Ulama Indonesia, is the peak body for the nation's Islamic clerics which administers halal certification. This group is dominated by Sunni Muslims, who exclude other Muslim denominations including Shias and the more secular Ahmadiyyas. Trade Minister Steven Ciobo hailed the Indonesian Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement before he set off for Indonesia last week Before setting off for Indonesia, Mr Ciobo last week hailed the Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which will see trade barriers removed between the two nations. Australia must comply with halal laws to be able to continuing exporting meat to Indonesia, even though many secular Muslims do not regard halal food as necessary. 'With a population of more than 255 million and an economy approaching US$1 trillion, there is enormous scope to expand our trade with Indonesia our 13th largest trading partner,' Mr Ciobo said. Compulsory halal certification of meat violates Indonesia's independence philosophy of Pancasila, which also recognises Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and the ethnic Chinese. Australia has had third-party halal certifiers since 1980. Australian live cattle exports to Indonesia were temporarily halted in 2011 after Animals Australia supplied footage to the ABC's Four Corners program showing cruel methods of slaughter. Halal certification is a controversial topic, with some activists in Australia arguing consumers have a right to see clear labeling. A Senate inquiry into halal certification received 1,000 submissions opposing the practice. In Britain Dr Taj Hargey, a practising Muslim who founded the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, argued it was wrong for consumers in the West to be sold halal meat by stealth. 'This is covert religious extremism and creeping Islamic fundamentalism making its way into Britain by the back door,' he wrote in a column for MailOnline in May 2014. 'It is completely wrong that the food sensitivities of Britains Muslims who amount to just 4.8 per cent of the population should take precedence over the other 95 per cent.' The Queen is throwing open the doors of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to Commonwealth leaders as the UK looks to forge new trade relations ahead of Brexit. Prime ministers and presidents from more than 50 countries will gather for meetings in the royal residences during a summit next year. It will be the first time the buildings have been included in the list of venues for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm). The Commonwealth is made up of countries who were once part of the British Empire but it also includes Mozambique, which was never a British colony The decision was made following discussions between Number 10 and the palace. The announcement came as Boris Johnson pointed out the Commonwealth will soon overtake the EU in terms of the size of its economy. He said it illustrated how important it is to get good trade deals with the Commonwealth, and how the UK can survive outside the EU. He told ITVs Peston on Sunday: It is a stunning fact that when the UK joined the Common Market back in 1973, the 28 countries then had about 38 per cent of global GDP. The Commonwealth then was about a quarter of that. The EU and the Commonwealth in GDP, in output terms are now roughly level-pegging and the Commonwealth is growing far faster. Now, of course the EU is massively important for us and will continue to be colossally important for our trade and our investment. But we now have the opportunity to do deals with the Commonwealth. Prime Minister Theresa May said: The UK has a long-standing and firm commitment to the Commonwealth and to the values it upholds, of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. And in hosting the Commonwealth summit next year, the UK is committed to working with all members not only to reaffirm these shared values, but also to re-energise and revitalise the Commonwealth to cement its relevance to this and future generations. As we look to create a truly global Britain, the deep partnerships that we share through a 21st century Commonwealth can help us strengthen the prosperity and security of our own citizens, and those of our many friends and allies across the world. Theresa May (pictured with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi) realises the Commonwealth presents an opportunity to boost British trade after Brexit A new ministerial group co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd has been set up to deal with preparations for the summit. A team has been created in the Cabinet Office headed by Tim Hitchens, former ambassador to Japan and ex-assistant private secretary to the Queen, to liaise with other countries. The 52 country network of the Commonwealth, which has a population of 2.4billion, is viewed as crucial to Britains future trading success once ties with Brussels are severed. As well as established economies like Australia, Canada and New Zealand, it includes emerging markets such as India, Malaysia and South Africa. Trade across the Commonwealth is projected to be worth $1trillion (821billion) by 2020. Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell has spoken of the moment he told his ex-wife that he was going to wed his gay lover. The 58-year-old revealed he and Maria broke down into tears during Paul's agonising revelation, and that Maria warned how he faced losing their two sons. Mr Burrell, 58, now a florist living in Cheshire, will wed his lawyer partner Graham Cooper, 58, next month and they have reportedly been together for up to a decade. The father-of-two divorced his Maria, 63, last year and the wedding was the first public acknowledgement that he is gay - despite a source close to Mr Burrell claiming the only person her ever told about his sexuality was Diana. Previous relationship: Paul Burrell and ex-wife Maria, who divorced last year after 32 years of marriage, left in 1984, and have two sons, who were only told recently their father was gay Getting married: Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell is believed to be tying the knot to his lawyer partner Graham Cooper next month (both pictured) Burrell told The Mirror how he feels 'selfish' about the decision as he had 'hurt the most important people' in his life. He told the newspaper: 'Myself and Maria have been to hell and back. Our marriage lasted 32 years, and I still want to be there for her. We cried, when I told Maria I was marrying Graham. 'And she said, "Does that mean well never be together as a family again?" I said, "No, it doesnt mean that." She said, "You could lose your sons. Youll lose them because they wont understand," but she was wrong.' The couple's adult sons Alexander, 27, and Nicholas, 24, are expected to fly over from the US to attend the wedding ceremony in the Lake District. Burrell revealed how his two sons inquired if their mother would be invited to the wedding, to which he admitted to being concerned about. He said it 'broke his heart' to talk about his sexuality with sons, and was worried they would 'get up from the table and walk out of my life'. Royals: Burrell, who served Princess Diana (pictured together in 1994) for ten years, claimed the Princess of Wales called him her 'rock' and the 'only man I ever trusted' - her sons would later accuse him of 'betrayal' New life: Paul (far right) shows friends some pictures during the US holiday with his new partner Graham (far left) His 'lavish' wedding ceremony will be 'circus themed' with waiters dressed as clowns and ringmasters and Paul and his boyfriend have already held their stag do with friends at a Blackpool drag club. Mr Burrell and Mr Cooper live together and were listed as directors at the same company in records from 2011. Mr Cooper is believed to be a Legal Director for HBOS in Chester since 2010, having previously spent 22 years working for Lloyds Bank. They were also pictured together on Facebook at the Blackberry Creek Retreat Bed & Breakfast, during a holiday in Missouri, US, in 2014, two years before Mr Burrell's divorce. The couple were not at home today - and Mr Burrell was not at his florists, his staff said. Mr Burrell has always refused to discuss his sexuality despite a 2002 expose in which an Australian man claimed they had enjoyed a three-year relationship in the early 1980s before he married Maria. However, a source close to the former butler has revealed that he confided in his special friend, Princess Diana. New love: Mr Burrell and partner Mr Cooper while on a holiday in Missouri, US, in 2014 Pictured: Paul Burrell outside his florist, Paul Burrell Flowers, in the Cheshire village of Farndon last month They told the Sun: 'Paul's friends and family all know but for a long time he kept it a closely guarded secret. 'He did share it with Diana while he worked with her because they were so close. 'But at the time she was the only woman he felt he could tell.' Mr Burrell and his wife announced their divorce just months ago, but it is believed that they had been living separately for some time before they split up. While he decided to stay in Cheshire, Maria now lives in a luxury home in Florida. Burrell now runs his florist, Paul Burrell Flowers, close to where the family used to live in the village of Farndon. Last month he was pictured taking flowers inside the store and serving customers. Although he is not thought to work there on a day-to-day basis. Paul and Maria Burrell met while they were both working at Buckingham Palace, with Maria serving as the Duke of Edinburgh's maid, and married in 1984. Home: Paul Burrell lives in this rural Cheshire mansion with his fiance Graham, who he plans to marry next month An established tradition suggested one of them should give up their job with the Royal Family, but the Queen made an exception for them, allowing both to remain in Royal service. Mr Burrell started working for Diana four years later and went on to become one of her most trusted members of staff. He joined Prince Charles and Diana at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire in 1987 and remained there until her death in 1997. Mr Burrell then made millions from a series of books about his life with the princess and from appearing on reality shows such as I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. How William and Harry blasted Burrell's 'betrayal' of their mum Princes William and Harry attacked former royal butler Paul Burrell for his 'cold and overt betrayal' of their mother. In a 2003 statement unprecedented for its strength of feeling, William, then 21 and also speaking on behalf of his younger brother, showed his deep pain at Mr Burrell's revelations in his tell-all book. The Princes said the late Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been 'mortified' at his actions if she were alive today. They called on him to put an end to his disclosures. Mr Burrell, who worked for the Princess, made a series of claims including one that Diana feared for her life and spoke of a plot to tamper with the brakes of her car. Prince William said in the statement released by Clarence House: 'We cannot believe that Paul who was entrusted with so much could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal. 'It is not only deeply painful for the two of us but also for everyone else affected and it would mortify our mother if she were alive today and, if we might say so, we feel we are more able to speak for our mother than Paul'. Advertisement In the international bestseller he claimed Diana described him as her 'rock' and 'the only man I can trust'. In 2003 he wrote a tell-all memoir 'A Royal Duty' that went into detail about his time serving the Prince and Princess of Wales, and featured letters to him from Diana. But in a rare public statement, Prince William and Prince Harry accused him of betraying their mother and said she would have been mortified by his breach of confidence. 'We cannot believe that Paul, who was entrusted with so much, could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal,' they said in 2003. 'If we may say so, we feel we are more able to speak for our mother than Paul. We ask Paul to bring these revelations to an end.' With the proceeds of the book, he bought a property in Clermont, near Orlando, Florida, in 2004. The relocation came two years after he was accused of stealing 352 items from Princess Diana's estate after she died - charges that were later dropped. In 2006 he also released a follow-up book called The Way We Were. In this work, he claimed Diana's mother Frances Shand Kydd didn't like him and believed he was 'just another hanger-on grasping at Diana's celebrity'. Maria Burrell moved to Florida in 2010 after her husband admitted he had not told 'the whole truth' at the inquest into Diana's death in 1997, which was held in 2008. Last year they divorced. Mr Burrell was quoted as saying: 'I still love my wife. Marrying her was the best thing in my life, and to witness the boys being born nothing compares. It's sad when people part, but it happens a lot.' A spokesman announced last year that their decision to divorce was a 'mutual one'. A statement said: 'Our clients Paul and Maria Burrell would like to end any speculation over the past few days by confirming that they are currently going through a divorce. 'The decision to file for divorce was a mutual one, both Paul and Maria remain the best of friends and have two wonderful sons together who remain their priority. 'Paul and Maria will not be giving any further comments and would kindly request that their privacy is respected during this time.' New job: Burrell now runs his florist, Paul Burrell Flowers, close to where the family used to live in the village of Farndon, Cheshire After his career serving the Royals, Mr Burrell made a number of TV appearances. In 2004 he was runner-up in series four of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in which he stayed in the Australian jungle for three weeks - coming second to comedian Joe Pasquale. He was also a judge and trainer on Australian Princess in 2005, and in March 2006 appeared on Countdown in Dictionary Corner. In early 2006, he appeared as Richard Gere on ITV's Stars In Their Eyes, singing Razzle Dazzle from the film Chicago. In September 2015, Paul appeared in Celebrity Big Brother as part of a shopping task. A woman claiming to be the niece of a western Sydney man accused of murdering his wife has launched an extraordinary 'victim-blaming' attack on the dead woman. In a lengthy Facebook rant, Simran Kaur Sheena described suspected murder victim Harjit Kaur, from Glenwood, as 'the devil of the house'. Aged care worker and mother-of-two Ms Kaur was allegedly stabbed to death by her husband, Jagdish Singh, last Tuesday afternoon. In her posts, Ms Sheena from Singapore - defended the accused killer as the 'best husband and father' Ms Kaur could get. 'He has done everything a man could have done for his wife and kids,' she wrote. Aged care worker and mother-of-two Harjit Kaur was murdered by her husband Jagdish Singh, police have alleged Singh's self-described 'niece', Simran Kaur Sheena (her Facebook display picture featured), launched the attack on a news channel page last week She continued to say alleged murder was 'not justified, I know it's not, I'm not saying it is.' 'But who are you to judge that she was a victim? He was the victim for 20 years. 'Who are you to judge that he was such a filthy man? 'Who are you to judge that he deserves to be in hell?' Much of the screed which has since been deleted from Facebook cannot be published for legal reasons. When asked if she was a relative of Singh's, Ms Sheena identified herself as his niece. Mr Singh reportedly lived in Singapore prior to moving to Australia. Some punters on Facebook expressed shock at the remarks 'blaming the (alleged) victim'. 'Wow... the comments on here blaming the victim. Disgusting,' said one user. A nephew of Ms Kaur's was told: 'Sorry that you need to read this trash this person keeps spreading about your aunty.' The normal suburban street in Glenwood, north-west of Sydney, became a crime scene last week - with the couple's brick home taped off Punters on Facebook expressed shock at a purported relative's remarks, which they said 'blamed the suspected victim' Ms Kaur (left) has been remembered by friends as a 'good lady'. On right, a flyer advertising a candlelit vigil in her honour next Saturday The purported relative published her comments just days before a candlelit vigil was due to be held in Ms Kaur's honour in Glenwood on Monday. Harjit Kaur's body was found by one of the couple's two sons in the kitchen of their home about 4pm last Tuesday. Husband Mr Singh was found at a nearby shopping centre. He was taken to a police station where was charged with murder. He was refused bail at Blacktown Local Court on March 8. Mr Singh has yet to enter a plea and is set to face court on May 5. Blacktown Council is holding a vigil in the Village Green on Flushcombe Road at 5.30pm on Monday to honour Ms Kaur. National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero. Theresa May will demand a 9billion refund from the European Union as she negotiates on Britains Brexit bill. The Prime Minister will say Britain is entitled to have its holdings in the European Investment Bank (EIB) returned. Ministers have dismissed claims made by the EUs negotiators that the UK will face an exit bill of around 60 billion euros (53billion). Theresa May and her Brexit Secretary David Davis are confident they can reduce the 53billion bill that the EU expect Britain to pay for leaving the EU The Government is confident it can reduce the size of its Brexit bill. One Minister recently said he thought the bill would be about a third or a quarter of the EUs current demand. Legal opinion circulated among Ministers says the EUs demands for the cash are wholly without merit in law and that it is hard to see any credible basis upon which the UK could be said to be obliged to pay for pensions liabilities, loans guarantees and other projects. Leading Tory barrister Martin Howe said: The UK on EU exit is entitled to the return of its paid-up capital and indeed to a corresponding share of the reserves of the EIB. This would amount to around 10 billion euros (9billion) as the UK has a 16 percent share of the bank. Anna Soubry (pictured) said: 'The Government is putting in place basically scaffolding at the bottom of the cliff to break our fall when we come to fall off that cliff' Mr Howe added: Overall the UK should be entitled on exit to a net payment in its favour, corresponding to the value of its capital invested in the EIB. Demanding a refund from the European Investment Bank could catch EU negotiators off guard. But former business minister and Remain campaigner Anna Soubry said she thought Brexiteers were purposely focusing on the cost of the divorce settlement to make the UK crash out of the EU much more quickly. She told the BBCs Sunday Politics that Brexiteers would stoke up the demand from the EU for 60 billion. She added: My very real concern is that within six months where were not making much progress, it may be nine months... People are getting increasingly fed up with the EU because theyre being told it wants unreasonable demands and then we crash out. The Government is putting in place basically scaffolding at the bottom of the cliff to break our fall when we come to fall off that cliff. And I think many in Government are actually preparing, not for a two-year process, but six to nine months off the cliff, out we go. Thats my real fear. A man and a woman in Sydney were busted for making more than a million counterfeit DVDs. Mosaic Defredes and Allison Daniel pleaded guilty last year to violating the Copyright Act after police seized more than 1.2million fake movie DVDs during a 2013 raid. If sold, the DVDs would have brought in over $21million, according to estimates by the Australian Screen Association, a movie industry organisation. A pair of Sydney bootleggers were busted for making more than a million counterfeit DVDs. Part of the haul from a 2013 raid is pictured Defredes and Daniel will be sentenced on Friday in Downing Centre District Court. The pair sold more than 65,000 DVDs through eBay for a total of over $1,6million, the ASA said. Investigators from the ASA supported detectives from Quarry Hills Police in the investigation, the organisation said. Police would not comment as the matter is before the courts. The pair conducted their counterfeiting operation out of a factory unit in Sydney's Kings Park suburb, the ASA said. 'This was a massive scale operation, conducted without any regard to the many legitimate businesses in the area who do their best to provide a quality service,' ASA Executive Director Greg Fraser said after last year's conviction. If sold, the DVDs would have brought in over $21million, according to estimates by the ASA Pictured, officials destroy illegal DVDs seized in an unrelated raid in 2004 'Thousands of people that have worked hard to make a film are seeing their proceeds go to criminals,' Mr Fraser continued. Defredes is registered as the owner of a company called Freak Marketing, which is listed at an address in Sydney's Marayong suburb. Upon sentencing, the Defredes and Daniel risk up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $180,000 under 132AJ and 132AC of the Copyright Act 1968. The court is expected to issue a destruction order for the counterfeit DVDs, which weigh a total of 15 tons, an ASA spokesperson said. WASHINGTON President Trump, long at the forefront of intellectual discovery, last week came up with a major finding: Health care reform is hard. Unbelievably complex, in fact. Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated, the president said. Actually, we all knew. Thats why Republicans successor plan to Obamacare, repeal and replace, became repeal and delay. Thats why House Republicans kept their draft legislation under guard in a secret, GOP-only reading room in the Capitol, so copies wouldnt leak. Thats why they decided to push the legislation through committees this week only a couple days after introducing it and before waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to say how much the legislation would cost taxpayers and how many people would lose health insurance. Apparently they have to pass the bill so we can find out whats in it. And now that Republican leaders in the House have finally revealed their plan, the magic formula turns out to be ... a cheap knockoff of Obamacare: covering fewer people, charging them more and giving a tax cut to the rich. Democrats, predictably, panned it because its a cheap knockoff of Obamacare, and they prefer the original over imitators. The bigger problem for GOP leaders is that conservatives also panned it because, well, its a cheap knockoff of Obamacare. Outside the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon, conservative legislators lined up to denounce the bill. A step in the wrong direction, said Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) likened the flawed bill to horse excrement. Lets not lower the bar on what we believe simply because a Republican is in the White House, said Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.). Obviously, deduced Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), we have some serious concerns. The sales effort so far has been wanting. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), defending the legislation on CNN on Tuesday, suggested that Americans, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and they want to spend hundreds of dollars on that, maybe they should invest in their own health care. The authors of the legislation, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.), didnt do much better. They paraded their 123-page bill before the cameras Tuesday morning with a sign pasted on it: Read the Bill. CBSs Nancy Cordes pointed out that Republicans complained for years about Democrats ramming through Obamacare. So arent you doing the exact same thing? No, not at all, replied Walden who then admitted he was indeed following the procedure the Democrats did when, in passing Obamacare, they didnt have a CBO score before it went up to the Budget Committee. The Republican legislation also includes many of the gimmicks they decried in Obamacare: delaying implementation of costly provisions to out years to make the bill appear cheaper than it is. The bill, which Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) called Obamacare 2.0, uses the structure of Obamacare, sustains Obamacares Medicaid expansion at least through 2020 and keeps the Cadillac tax on generous health care plans. Democrats say the GOP plan would cause at least 11 million to lose health coverage, cause premium, co-pay and deductible increases, deplete the Medicare trust fund, and amount to a huge transfer of wealth to the richest. They are getting a bit of support from a group of four relatively moderate Senate Republicans who have already demanded protections for those covered by Obamacares Medicaid expansion. Powerful conservative groups such as Heritage Action, FreedomWorks and Club for Growth have all denounced the GOP legislation. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called the bill Obamacare lite, and he and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said they would reintroduce legislation calling for an outright repeal of Obamacare. Brady, one of the authors of Obamacare lite, warned Republicans: We can act now, or we can keep fiddling around and squander this opportunity to repeal Obamacare. Apparently, that argument hasnt prevailed. As Brady and Walden finished their news conference, an email from House Speaker Paul D. Ryans (R-Wis.) office arrived announcing a do-over: Brady and Walden would have another health care news conference later in the day, this time joined by Ryan. Who knew it would be so hard? Police are searching for a resort worker who they claim 'kept secrets' from them during the initial investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance. An insider has revealed officers are searching for a Portuguese man who was nearby when the three-year-old went missing while on holiday in the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. A Portuguese police source told the Daily Mirror: This Portuguese man used to work at the club resort, he speaks a bit of English. Police are searching for a resort worker who they claim 'kept secrets' from them about Madeleine McCann's disappearance The Portuguese man was working at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, the Algarve, in 2007, around the time Maddie went missing British officers are convinced he knows more than he was saying and are very keen to question him. They are not suggesting he stole Maddie, but he may know people who could have been involved after a burglary went wrong. The investigation in Britain seems to be grinding to a halt and they want to rule him out of the case, if not rule him in. Then detectives know they have done everything in their power to solve the case. The man is understood to have given a witness statement two days after Madeleine, from Rothley in Leicestershire, vanished. Another source told The Daily Mail: There is just one person who detectives want to speak to, who was near the area where Madeleine disappeared almost ten years ago. An international search has been under way to find them. A source has said: 'They are not suggesting he stole Maddie, but he may know people who could have been involved after a burglary went wrong' The Portuguese press yesterday reported that police are understood to have clues pointing to a new suspect. The Correio da Manha newspaper said: British police are understood to be preparing to question this new suspect. The Metropolitan Police have refused to comment on whether the person of interest was a suspect or a potential witness. The news of the potential lead in the decade-long investigation comes after her parents were given an 85,000 cash boost to aid their search. Kate and Gerry McCann said they were 'very grateful' for the continued support by Scotland Yard amid fears the controversial 11.1million investigation into Maddie's disappearance, codenamed Operation Grange, was being shelved. A family spokesman said: Kate and Gerry remain incredibly grateful to the Home Office and the Met Police for the continued work into the search for their daughter. The potential new lead comes after the investigation was given an 85,000 cash injection, which Kate and Gerry McCann were 'incredibly grateful' for A close friend of former GP Kate, 49, and heart doctor Gerry, 48, said: They have never given up hope of finding out what happened to Madeleine, and believe she could be alive. Government officials are being briefed on progress after the Home Office granted the funds to extend the investigation until September. Policing minister Brandon Lewis, who signed off the payment, said: I am pleased to be able to support the British police who are trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Madeleine McCann, and give some kind of closure and justice to her family. Tickets for non-stop passenger flights between Australia and the United Kingdom go on sale next month. Qantas is gearing up to start selling tickets for their new non-stop Perth to London route, Australian Business Traveller reported. But the airline is remaining tight-lipped about just how much the flight will cost and if there will be any special launch fares. Qantas will fly non-stop between Perth and London from March 2018 Perth (pictured) travellers will be able to purchase tickets for the Perth to London flight from next month The non-stop flight from Perth to London (pictured) will take about 17 hours The airline would only say all will be revealed next month, although airline expert Ellis Taylor from Flightglobal previously speculated a return economy ticket could cost about $2000 because of the fuel surcharge. The exact start date for the route has not been penciled in but the airline says the new service will take flight in March 2018. Qantas has also yet to reveal the date tickets will be offered for sale but their booking system accepts reservations from 350 days out. The flight will take about 17 hours to cover the 14,498 kilometre distance, making it one of the longest in the world. Qantas will deploy their new Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the route, which offers 236 seats spread across business, premium economy and economy. When the airline announced the non-stop service in December last year, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce described it as a 'game-changing route'. Qantas currently operates two daily flights into London, one from Sydney and the other from Melbourne, both via Dubai. Thousands of strange black blobs discovered at a beach have fascinated swimmers who couldn't figure out what the mysterious creatures were. Beach-goers in Queensland spotted the jellyfish-like critters floating in the water and took to social media in the hope of identifying them. The blobs were most impossible to avoid at the Sunshine Coast's Coolum Beach where swimmers couldn't enjoy the ocean without brushing up against them. Scroll down for video One Twitter user asked online what the strange, gelatinous blobs were after finding them at Coolum Beach One swimmer posted a video of the strange blobs to Twitter and asked wildlife presenter Steve Blackshall what they were. Twitter user Tanferre asked: 'Hi Steve, we were swimming with these today at Coolum Beach, Queensland... what are they? Thank you.' Experts identified the organisms as the common ocean salp - a form of plankton. Stinger Advisor expert Lisa Gershwin said the salps have a strong connection to humans and are eerily similar in shape and size to an embryo in its very early stages. 'They are more closely related to humans than jellyfish,' Dr Gershwin told Sunshine Coast Daily. 'And they can go through two generations in a day. They can be born at noon, be a parent at midnight and then by noon the next day, a grandparent.' Salps travel in large swarms and are often mistaken for jellyfish - but they won't sting you The small dots inside of salps are the digestive system and they pump water through their tiny bodies to travel across the ocean The black inky dot inside of the salp is the creature's digestive system, not an eye as it appears to be. Salps travel in enormous swarms and are found in equatorial, temperate, and cold seas. The ocean critters are even more abundant than krill and moves by pumping water through its gelatinous body. Salps don't sting despite their resemblance to jellyfish and are more closely related to humans than their stinging marine counterparts. The translucent blobs aren't rare, but so many close to the shore means they were attracted by either a sewerage spill or major rainfall. Wealth taxes will cost families more than 80billion over the next five years in a major windfall for the Treasury. The amount households will pay in capital gains tax and inheritance tax is set to soar as the Government hammers the middle classes to balance the books, Budget documents show. That spells misery for millions who have invested their hard-earned savings in the stock market, property and other assets. The tax spells misery for millions who have invested their savings in the stock market, property and other assets Critics said taxes on wealth were wrong and acted as a disincentive to aspiration and enterprise. Philip Hammond has not moved to increase either of the levies, but critics say he and previous chancellors have stood by while the amount HM Revenue and Customs collects from them rises. The revelation comes days after it emerged the state is also making millions more each year from probate fees, which are collected from bereaved families and which many say are a death tax. It follows a disastrous Budget in which the Chancellor mounted a 2billion National Insurance raid on the self-employed a key sector of the workforce vital to the countrys economic success. The revelation follows a disastrous Budget in which the Chancellor mounted a 2billion National Insurance raid on the self-employed Figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility show that the Treasury earned 11.8billion from inheritance and capital gains taxes in 2015-16. But in 2021/22 it will make 19billion from them a 60 per cent rise. There will be an estimated 300million a year from the new probate fees. The figures show that HMRC is in line to collect 54.9billion in capital gains tax between 2017/18 and 2021/22. Revenues from the levy are set to hit a record 12.8billion in 2021/22 alone nearly double the 7.1billion collected last year. The OBR has also pencilled in 27.7billion from inheritance tax over the five years. The double-whammy represents an 82.6billion wealth tax on households. It comes on top of the extra 1.5billion the Treasury is set to collect over the next five years following a rise in probate fees. Mark Littlewood, of the Institute of Economic Affairs think-tank, said: Taxes on wealth are wrong. Significant reform of inheritance and capital gains taxes should be an explicit aim of any government which wishes to promote simplicity and economic efficiency. Capital gains tax is the levy paid on profits made when an asset, such as a holiday home or shares, is sold. Higher-rate taxpayers pay 28 per cent on gains made on residential property and 20 per cent on other assets. Basic rate payers pay 18 per cent and 10 per cent. Critics have also claimed inheritance tax is increasingly a tax on middle classes. Currently, estates worth up to 325,000 can be passed on without paying inheritance tax, with a levy of 40 per cent above that threshold. For married couples the threshold is 650,000. A new family home allowance means the threshold is rising to 500,000 for singletons and 1million for married couples in the coming years. However, soaring house prices mean inheritance tax revenues are forecast to rise from 4.7billion last year to 6.2billion in 2021-22. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: The Government are hammering Middle England to try to plug their Budget black hole. A Treasury spokesman said: This Government has cut capital gains tax rates, and helped married couples over inheritance tax. It has also increased the personal allowance and the higher rate threshold. Ministers refuse to back Hammond in tax row Under fire: Chancellor Philip Hammond Ministers yesterday refused to back Philip Hammond over claims he did not explain to colleagues that his Budget tax reforms breached manifesto pledges. The Chancellor sparked fury when he said National Insurance for self-employed workers was to go up by 2p in the pound. Tory MPs attacked the move, saying it broke the partys 2015 manifesto pledge not to put up National Insurance, income tax or VAT. It was claimed over the weekend by allies of Theresa May that Mr Hammond failed to brief the pre-Budget Cabinet meeting that the move could be seen as a breach of the promise. As the war between No 10 and No 11 escalated, the Chancellors supporters claimed Downing Street was economically illiterate and had wanted an even higher National Insurance rise. Asked yesterday whether Mr Hammond had briefed the Cabinet on the manifesto breach, three ministers David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox declined to say he had. All three Cabinet ministers supported Leave before the referendum. Remain supporters have accused Brexiteers of using the National Insurance row to try to force the Remain-supporting Chancellor out. In an interview on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Brexit Secretary Mr Davis would say only that Mr Hammond did not hide the details of his NI reforms from the Cabinet. But he declined to say if there had been warnings about breaking election promises. Pressed on whether the policy broke an election pledge, he replied, Yes, before adding: No, no, you are trying to trip me up. Mrs May last week promised to listen to concerns raised by Conservative MPs over the 2billion hike in National Insurance contributions (NICs) for the self-employed and said there would be no vote until the autumn. Labour claimed the promise amounted to a partial U-turn, but the Prime Minister insisted the planned 2 per cent hike in NICs for self-employed workers was fair because their benefits have improved. About 20 Tories have raised concerns about the changes, including Wales minister Guto Bebb, who said the Government should apologise for breaking the manifesto pledge. Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson told ITVs Peston on Sunday: We dont go into conversations that we have in Cabinet, certainly not conversations before a Budget. Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, told Sky News: We all get briefed in terms of the Budget at the Budget Cabinet. When you look at the package as a whole, (it) was a very fair one, and I didnt think that we had breached our manifesto commitments. Last night the Treasury said: There was a full Budget briefing to Cabinet, as is routine, and a full discussion of it. 40million loophole open for another year A crackdown on a 40million tax dodge used by super-rich company directors has been delayed by a year. Chancellor Philip Hammond had pledged to end so-called disguised remuneration schemes that have been abused for decades to avoid income tax and national insurance. The scheme sees directors given huge tax-free loans, usually through offshore trusts, instead of being paid a salary that would be taxed as normal. These loans are arranged so they are never repaid, meaning no income tax and national insurance is owed. The closure of the loophole was supposed to come in as soon as next month, but it will now not be introduced until 2018 due to unspecified concerns from HM Revenue and Customs. The delay is expected to allow those who use the scheme to save 40million in tax this year. Shadow treasury secretary Peter Dowd said: Hammonds first Budget has gone from one blunder to another. The Chancellor is giving 40million away. She has been remanded on bail and will be sentenced in April The young mother was driving without a licence at the time of the crash Saphire died on January 13, 2016 in a car crash near Hastings, New Zealand Charged with causing her death while A young mother has been found guilty of killing her daughter while driving under the influence of methamphetamine and without a licence. Valencia Marie Skipper, 21, from Hastings, New Zealand, pleaded not guilty to one charge of causing the death of her two-year-old daughter Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira while under the influence of the drug, NZ Herald reported. Saphire died on January 13 last year after she was thrown from a rolling car in a violent crash on the Hawke's Bay expressway, near Hastings, Stuff.co.nz reported. Two-year-old Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira (left) was killed on January 13 in 2016 after she was thrown from a rolling car in a violent crash near Hastings in New Zealand Skipper, who is pregnant, appeared in the Napier District Court on Monday morning, but her defence lawyer William Hawkins decided to have a judge-alone trial and potential jurors were sent home. Skipper was driving the Nissan Primera south towards Flaxmere at about 5pm on the day of the accident. She lost control of the car in a 100km/h segment of the State Highway 50A, causing the vehicle to veer right across the centre line towards oncoming traffic in the north-bound lane. The car then rolled across a large grass area and crashed into dirt bank near a ditch. The young mother did not own the vehicle but had driven it many times and did not have a driver's licence at the time. Despite there being a child restraint in the back of the vehicle, the two-year-old was not wearing a seat belt or any restraints. Ambulance crews tried to resuscitate Saphire, who was flung from the vehicle while it rolled along a dirt bank, but she died at the scene. Valencia Marie Skipper and her 11-year-old sister, who was in the front seat of the car, were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital with minor injuries. Her 21-year-old mother Valencia Skipper (pictured) has been found guilty of killing her daughter while driving under the influence of methamphetamine Skipper was driving the Nissan Primera south towards Flaxmere on the Hawke's Bay expressway (pictured), near Hastings, at about 5pm on the day of the accident The mangled wreckage of the Nissan Primera shows the remnants of the violent crash. Photos of the white car show a smashed in roof and windows, buckled bumpers and doors and mud covering the vehicle after the accident. Inside, an empty child seat sits knocked to one side, a child's hat sitting next to it. Skipper has been remanded on bail and will be sentenced in April. Graham McCann describes his Kafkaesque experience when he found his Wikipedia entry was littered with mistakes An investigation by this paper has revealed how Wikipedia banned the Daily Mail as a source after just 53 out of its 30 million editors voted to do so. Their spurious argument was that the Mail could not be trusted to be accurate. But as the internets inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee says online fake news must be tackled what about the accuracy of information on Wikipedia? Here, two writers describe their Kafkaesque experiences when they found their entries were littered with mistakes . . . The call from a friend one quiet Sunday afternoon last summer was disturbing to say the least. Youre not going to like this, she said and she was right. Someone had set up a Wikipedia page about me, and I didnt like it one little bit. In fact, I hated it. It might seem quaint, in the remorselessly selfie-taking, soul-baring, fame-craving culture in which we now find ourselves, for anyone to object to being thrust into the public eye, but it felt like a rude intrusion. Admittedly, Id been a Fellow at Cambridge, and Id written a few books, mostly about popular culture, but I was hardly a public figure. And that was how I liked it. Ive never made multiple applications to appear on Big Brother, Britains Got Talent or Gogglebox. I dont use Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram. I dont alert the world to all of my prosaic daily thoughts via Facebook. 'I dont alert the world to all of my prosaic daily thoughts via Facebook. It soon became apparent that the people at Wikipedia saw things very differently. To them, I was to discover, my decision to teach some people and write the odd book was tantamount to making a Faustian pact with Fame' It soon became apparent that the people at Wikipedia saw things very differently. To them, I was to discover, my decision to teach some people and write the odd book was tantamount to making a Faustian pact with Fame. When I set out to contact the person responsible for imposing a page on me, I discovered that every Wikipedia author is hidden behind a pseudonym that can only be found, as far as I could tell, on an obscure ancillary page called revision history statistics. To them, I was to discover, my decision to teach some people and write the odd book was tantamount to making a Faustian pact with Fame I hoped this person would agree to wipe any trace of me from Wikipedia. Failing that, I thought he would at least consider removing the page temporarily until it was substantial and accurate enough not to seem like a complete waste of space. In its initial state, it was merely a name and one desultory paragraph, most of which was inaccurate, misleading and/or irrelevant. Surely, I thought, even if my privacy no longer mattered, the issue of accuracy still did. I was soon disabused of such naive delusions. After what seemed like endless fruitless attempts at making contact (via a Talk page on the website, and by email), the person finally deigned to respond. However, it was from behind a pseudonym, and with the agitated air of John Bercow arriving to find Donald Trump slouching in his Speakers Chair. Who are you? he inquired testily. Graham McCann, I replied. I very much doubt you are who you say you are, he declared. It was at this point that, like so many others who have tried to get something changed on Wikipedia, I felt as though I was slipping down the rabbit hole in Alice In Wonderland. I can assure you that I am who I say I am, I insisted. Then prove it, he announced haughtily. And how do I do that? I asked. He didnt answer. Hed gone. That was the end of my audience. Exasperated, I tried a different tack. The Edit link at the top of each Wikipedia page says constructive changes are welcome from anyone. 'When I set out to contact the person responsible for imposing a page on me, I discovered that every Wikipedia author is hidden behind a pseudonym that can only be found, as far as I could tell, on an obscure ancillary page called revision history statistics' So I attempted to delete the inaccuracies the wrong chronology, lecture courses and specialist subjects, the vastly inflated number of books, the imaginary titles, the many misleading or incorrect references only to receive an anonymous email warning I would be banned for vandalism if I tried to correct my own life ever again. (Apparently deleting errors is not considered constructive by Wikipedia.) I then found there is a formal procedure for someone outside Wikipedia to trigger a request for a page to be deleted. But it was a labyrinthine and laborious process. The initial email I received from the Wikipedia information team listed seven links to tortuously elaborate and badly written geek-speak policy pages, which I was expected to study before commencing with a complaint. When such a complaint is lodged, it eventually results in several of Wikipedias self-appointed editors gathering to judge whether one of their own was right to create a page on that particular subject. This led me into the downright surreal situation of having to argue with this group of people in an online chatroom that I was far less important and noteworthy than they had decided I was. 'I hoped this person would agree to wipe any trace of me from Wikipedia. Failing that, I thought he would at least consider removing the page temporarily until it was substantial and accurate enough not to seem like a complete waste of space' This was not a calm and sober discussion. It was more like a squabble in the schoolyard, with both my request and me being ridiculed and abused on a page that was, in theory, viewable by any curious bystander for challenging the will of Wikipedia. Ringleader of this fierce and foul-mouthed circus one of them called me a k**b was a spectacularly arrogant fellow who called himself, risibly, Dr Blofeld, presumably after the cat-stroking Bond baddie. Arriving with a veritable mountain of chips on each shoulder, he clearly regarded himself as the Grand Poobah of the proceedings. Youve been asking for this, he snarled menacingly, towards the end of all the bilious babble, explaining that, by publishing any books at all, I a snotty lecturer in a Hooray Henry university had more or less provoked people like him into chronicling my life and career in whatever way they saw fit. He concluded by instructing me to shut up and go away. By now, I couldnt wait to do just that. 'So I attempted to delete the inaccuracies the wrong chronology, lecture courses and specialist subjects, the vastly inflated number of books, the imaginary titles, the many misleading or incorrect references only to receive an anonymous email warning I would be banned for vandalism if I tried to correct my own life ever again' As, I can only assume, a parting shot of pettiness, my page was changed to claim I had prematurely retired. From everything. I gather that, recently, that calumny has finally been removed, but not before it succeeded in confusing or discouraging at least a couple of interested parties from contacting me on professional matters. My personal case is, of course, a trivial one, and I am well aware of the irony in going public about wanting to remain private, but there is a much bigger aspect to this issue that compelled me to contribute to this debate. Wikipedia, as it is currently run, is simply and literally out of control, and a potential menace to all kinds of institutions and individuals. This is an organisation that quite scandalously polices itself, judges itself, and legitimises itself. It is always right because it decides what is right. You are always wrong because it decides what is wrong. You can choose to bow to its authority and become a loyal subject, or be condemned as an unbeliever. This would be comical if it were a small, insignificant enterprise, but Wikipedia is huge, and hugely powerful. And it has power without responsibility or accountability. This is unacceptable. It is high time this arrogant, self-admiring, self-regulating, often bullying organisation be placed under the formal supervision of an independent watchdog. Believe me, Dr Blofeld and your brothers: youve been asking for it. Cast into an Orwellian world of faceless bullies By Michael Cole Michael Cole (pictured) said an error about his schooling was left unchanged because several anonymous sources claimed it to be true Working as a reporter for almost 30 years first for Anglia TV and then the BBC it was always imperative to be accurate. Thats why I never looked at Wikipedia after the online encyclopedia launched in 2001 and quickly gained in popularity. Id heard it was full of errors and shot through with personal prejudices and score-settling. But our daughter said she had stumbled upon its entry for me and the very first line was wrong. It claimed that I had been educated at Millfield, one of the most expensive private schools in the country. Naturally, I wanted to get this mistake corrected. But this meant being plunged into a disturbing world similar to the one conjured up by Kafka in his novels about the oppression of the human spirit by sinister, powerful forces. It is a world now coming under increasing scrutiny after 53 of its editors, almost all of whom remain anonymous, collaborated in a vote which persuaded Wikipedia that it ought to ban the Daily Mail. The move was revealed by the Left-wing Guardian newspaper, which said the sites editors had decided that the Mails journalism cannot be trusted though no statistics were offered in support of this claim. Meanwhile, the website has no qualms about using the state propaganda outlets of many of the worlds most repressive dictatorships as a source. Wikipedia has yet to ban the Chinese governments Xinhua news agency, Irans PressTV or the Kremlin mouthpiece Russia Today. As for my story, first the facts: I went to Preston Manor County Grammar School, near the old Wembley Stadium, in the Fifties. My father was a London taxi-driver, my mother a book-keeper. They could certainly not have afforded the fees at Millfield which was 130-plus miles away. So I emailed Wikipedia about the error, using an address it provides to contact its volunteer editors, thinking it would be easy for them to remove such a glaring mistake. Exactly who had made the error, I didnt know. The sites pages can be written and edited by anyone in the world, with 30 million people now registered as editors, of whom around 130,000 have been active in the past six months. But I was told that there were several sources citing my attendance at Millfield, as if this proved that I did go there. I felt I was being told to shut up and go away. How could I give them proof? Send them a picture of me aged 11, in a Preston Manor School photograph? Dig out my old school report and send it to Wikipedias Volunteer Response Team at info-en-o@wikimedia.org? Even then, would they believe me and correct the entry? 'I emailed Wikipedia about the error, using an address it provides to contact its volunteer editors, thinking it would be easy for them to remove such a glaring mistake. Exactly who had made the error, I didnt know' Since I noticed other factual errors (such as the sequence of the jobs I have done and their dates), rather than embark upon the laborious task of correcting everything, especially in the face of clear resistance, I asked Wikipedia to delete my entry entirely. I then received a message from someone who initially signed himself as Axl though it emerged after my probing that this was a pseudonym and he claimed his name was Alex Matulic. I found out that most of the contributers to Wikipedia hide behind such aliases. Axl told me that this was to protect them from people who became irate about the websites anonymous profilers. I assured him that I was not irate but simply wanted my privacy protected from an organisation that was so careless it couldnt get right something as basic as where I went to school. Axl then informed me it was most unlikely that what he called The Community of Wikipedia would permit my entry to be deleted. The Community sounded like something from George Orwells 1984 novel and the faceless men in Big Brothers Ministry of Truth. 'The sites pages can be written and edited by anyone in the world, with 30 million people now registered as editors, of whom around 130,000 have been active in the past six months' Next, I asked for the identity of the person who had written my profile. Axl was reluctant to tell me, but said the man was an academic based in Northern Ireland specialising in ethnic studies, then revealed another pseudonym with a link to the mans personal profile, listing his academic achievements but hiding his identity which I never discovered. I told Axl the one thing a proper journalist would have done before writing such a piece would have been to speak to people who knew me. Thats what happens when a profile appears in a newspaper. Eventually, Axl agreed to remove the reference to Millfield, but informed me that my request for full deletion would have to go for consideration by The Community. I would not be informed of its judgment for a week. By now I had discovered that The Community consists of anyone in a group of self-appointed busybodies with time on their hands who sign up for Wikipedia and chip in with their views and judgments on people they probably do not know. The results of the work of these individuals then appear on the Wikipedia website masquerading as a bulletin of record. All this correspondence took several weeks with emails going back and forth. When The Community graciously began to consider my request for deletion, a hint of their true nature was revealed when Axl directed me to the online thread in which they discussed the issue. One said that as my public profile was lower than a gnats belly, it would be no loss to delete me. Another added: We will easily survive without him. Then, the still unidentified man who had written my own entry joined in. I found out that the name he hid behind was Kerasapa, rather sinister, I thought. He said it had not been his finest work and he had no objection to its deletion. Finally, several weeks after my initial complaint, Axl informed me that my Wikipedia entry had been deleted. 'But I was told that there were several sources citing my attendance at Millfield, as if this proved that I did go there. I felt I was being told to shut up and go away. The website has no qualms about using the state propaganda outlets of many of the worlds most repressive dictatorships as a source. Wikipedia has yet to ban the Chinese governments Xinhua news agency, Irans PressTV or the Kremlin mouthpiece Russia Today' Thus freed from the unelected tyranny of Wikipedia, I felt pleased with my small but significant victory against the seemingly all-seeing and all-powerful website by revealing it to be arrogant, obstinate and wrong. But how many others have they traduced? My experience at the hands of Wikipedias editors demonstrates just why their online encyclopedia so ready to smear the Mail as unreliable has become notorious for inaccuracies. But far more is at stake than the inconvenience and upset they cause to individuals, unpleasant though it is. When the term fake news is increasingly used by political opponents as a catch-all criticism against reputable outlets, the authority of what is presented to the world as fact has never been more important. If those online editors who banned the Daily Mail really do want to lead their readers to the truth, I suggest that they warn them off a source much closer to home: Wikipedia itself. Two jet skiers were dramatically rescued by a heroic deputy who pulled the women from the water moments before they were hit by a 130,000-ton cruise ship. Deputy Taner Primmer had no choice but to act fast when he learned that two young women were in the path of a Carnival Cruise ship in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday. In town for Spring Break, Allison Garrett, 20, and Skylar Pentasuglia, 19, were riding the watercraft together when it overturned, dumping them into the water. The day's wind pushed the women into the port's narrow channel and in the way of the 13,000-ton ship. Primmer, of Brevard County Sheriffs Office, steered his boat to rescue the frantic women and within a minute, pulled each of them out of the water, just before the ship sailed past them. Deputy Taner Primmer (left) dramatically rescued two jet skiers (right) who had fallen off their watercraft in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday He is seen saving Allison Garrett (left), 20, and Skylar Pentasuglia (right), 19, both of Princeton, West Virginia, and who were in town for Spring Break. Pentasuglia said she was the second woman pulled out of the water by Primmer The dramatic moment was captured by a passenger aboard the vessel, as Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Captain Doug Brown steered the cruise ship slightly, trying to avoid hitting the capsized jet skiers. The Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post: 'Were it not for the quick actions of both Deputy Primmer and Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown, the girls could have been pulled under the ship causing potentially serious if not fatal injuries.' Sheriff Wayne Ivey added: 'I could not be more proud of the actions of Deputy Tanner Primmer, a member of our SeaPort Security Marine Unit who placed his life in peril without hesitation to rescue the Port visitors.' They were pulled to safety moments before they could have been hit by a 130,000-ton cruise ship that was attempting to steer around them One of the women collapsed on the floor of the boat, obviously shaken by her near-death experience that day Once in the a safety boat, Primmer backed the water cruiser away from the larger ship into safety, and no one was injured in the event. Passengers on the cruise ship gathered near the boat's rails to witness the rescue attempt. One commented that the boat hadn't hit the girls but had hit the overturned jet ski. Both Garrett and Pentasuglia are of Princeton, West Virginia, according to police. Theresa May is gearing up for a bitter battle to stop Nicola Sturgeon holding a fresh Scottish independence vote before Brexit. The PM lashed out at Miss Sturgeon for 'playing games' with the future of the UK after the First Minister demanded a new poll as early as Autumn 2018 - potentially disrupting negotiations with the EU at a crucial stage. In a speech at her official residence in Edinburgh, Miss Sturgeon said the UK stood at a 'hugely important crossroads' and Scotland must have a 'genuine choice' about its fate. But critics pointed out that Scots would not know what they were voting on as the deal with the EU will not have been finalised. And Downing Street made clear Mrs May is ready to fight to ensure the timetable does not undermine the country's interests. Miss Sturgeon's bombshell announcement came with parliament on the verge of passing legislation allowing Mrs May to trigger Article 50, after rebel Tory MPs and peers indicated they will back down over two key amendments. Nicola Sturgeon said she would demand authority from the Westminster government to hold a fresh Scottish independence referendum The move is the biggest gamble of Miss Sturgeon's political career, and will trigger a high-stakes clash with Downing Street over the timing of the vote Prime Minister Theresa May insisted the majority of Scots did not want another referendum on independence despite Mrs Sturgeon's 'tunnel vision' In the biggest political gamble of her career, Ms Sturgeon set her sights on an early referendum that could capitalise on fears about the impact of the UK leaving the EU. She said the Westminster government had agreed in 2014 that a second independence referendum could be triggered by a material change in circumstances. She said: 'These conditions have of course now been met. 'I can confirm that next week I will seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree with the UK Government the details of a section 30 order the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum. 'The UK government was clear in 2014 that an independence referendum should, in their words, be made in Scotland, by the people of Scotland. 'That is a principle that should be respected today.' Mrs May now faces a finely-balanced decision over how hard to resist Miss Sturgeon's demands. In Glasgow, pro-independence campaigners waved saltire flags adorned with the word 'Yes' during a rally held at the city's George Square. They also held an enormous banner reading 'End London Rule' just hours after the announcement of Ms Sturgeon's plans to hold a second referendum on separation. Pro-independence campaigners waved saltire flags adorned with the word 'Yes' during a rally held at Glasgow's George Square The campaigners also held an enormous banner reading 'End London Rule' at the rally in Glasgow's George Square Independence activists have been fervently campaigning for a second referendum since their hopes of a separate Scotland were dashed in 2014 One campaigner in Glasgow donned a mask and a t-shirt with Scots vernacular reading: 'Sovereign Scot, nae British slave' The activists in Glasgow's George Square have been vocal in their desire for Scotland to have 'IndyRef2' - a second ballot on separating from the UK One man even brought an enormous flagpole to Glasgow's George Square to make sure the 'Yes2' message could be seen from all around UK ministers have been increasingly resigned to the idea that the SNP will call a second vote. MAY AND STURGEON SET UP CLASH OVER WHETHER POLL SHOULD BE BEFORE OR AFTER BREXIT Nicola Sturgeon's dramatic announcement today will trigger a high-stakes political poker game. The First Minister and Theresa May are set for a major clash over whether the referendum should be held before or after Brexit takes place. Mrs Sturgeon insisted today that Scots should have a vote before we leave so there is time to keep the country within the EU - with Autumn 2018 her favoured date. But Mrs May will fight to avoid a tumultuous referendum campaign at a time when negotiations with Brussels are likely to be at their most fraught. Instead she would prefer to have the ballot at least a year later after Brexit has been finalised. Ministers privately concede they are unlikely to be able to block a fresh referendum altogether if the Scottish parliament votes to have one. But Downing Street drew a strong line today by making clear Autumn 2018 would be the 'worst possible time'. Advertisement Although the Westminster government could technically prevent a binding poll being held, political realities make it extremely difficult as Miss Sturgeon could simply stage a vote and claim the result carries moral weight. Speaking from Downing Street today, Mrs May said she wanted to negotiate a Brexit deal that 'works for the whole of the United Kingdom and that includes the Scottish people'. 'The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable. It sets Scotland on a course for more uncertainty and division, creating huge uncertainty. And this is at a time when the evidence is that the Scottish people, the majority of the Scottish people, do not want a second independence referendum,' she said. 'So instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. 'Politics is not a game.' A No10 spokesman condemned Miss Sturgeon for proposing to hold a vote at the 'worst possible time'. Mrs May will wait until the Scottish parliament formally approves the call for a referendum - which should happen next Tuesday - before delivering her full response. The bold gambit by Miss Sturgeon appeared to contribute to a rethink in Downing Street over the timing for triggering Article 50. Despite speculation she could act tomorrow as soon as the Brexit Bill becomes law, Mrs May is not now expected to launch the process until the final few days of this month. No10 denied that the Scottish referendum announcement had changed their plans. Miss Sturgeon suffered an early blow this afternoon as the EU insisted an independent Scotland could not automatically remain a member of the club. Polls have shown the nationalists are far from certain to emerge victorious. Recent surveys have suggested the result is on a knife edge, with some showing a 50-50 split. The bombshell announcement comes with parliament on the verge of passing legislation allowing Mrs May to trigger Article 50. The law could receive Royal Assent as early as tomorrow, freeing the PM to get the ball rolling. The SNP leader has been furiously positioning for another bid at breaking up the union since the historic Brexit vote in June. Nicola Sturgeon, left, and Mrs May at the dedication to the new Iraq and Afghanistan war memorial in London last week Previously the nationalists had signalled they would wait to see consistent lead for independence in the polls before calling a referendum. The 2014 ballot, which delivered a 55-45 result in favour of staying in the UK, was meant to have settled the issue for a 'generation'. BMG research for the Herald newspaper today - which was retweeted by Miss Sturgeon herself - showed 48 per cent for independence, with 52 per cent supporting the union. But Miss Sturgeon said today: 'In my view it is important that Scotland is able to exercise the right to choose our own future at a time when the options are clearer than they are now but before it is too late to decide our own path. 'Let me be clear: the timing of the Brexit negotiations are not of course within the control of the Scottish Government. 'However we must plan on the basis of what we do know now. 'What we know is on the timetable set out by the Prime Minister for the Brexit deal will become clear in the autumn of next year, ahead of ratification votes by other EU countries. 'That is therefore the earliest point at which a referendum would be appropriate. 'However, it is just as important we do not leave it too late to choose a different path in a timely way. 'If the UK leaves the EU without Scotland indicating beforehand, or at least in a short time afterward, that we want a different relationship with Europe we could face a lengthy period outside not just the EU but the single market. Miss Sturgeon summoned the media to her official residence in Bute to announce her plans Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon have held a series of talks about Brexit over the months since the UK voted to leave the EU The latest poll on Scottish independence showed voters split with a very narrow advantage for staying inside the UK Miss Sturgeon tweeted this morning that she would be making an 'important speech' in advance of Article 50 being triggered Former SNP leader Alex Salmond flatly denied a report that he had 'bounced' Miss Sturgeon into calling for a referendum 'These considerations lead me to the conclusion that if Scotland is to have a real choice, when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to change course, that choice must be offered between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019.' Miss Sturgeon has faced calls for restraint from critics in her own party. STURGEON MUST ASK SCOTS PARLIAMENT BEFORE GOING TO UK GOVERNMENT There are a set sequence of steps Miss Sturgeon must go through in order to trigger a binding independence referendum. The First Minister must first get the consent of the Scottish Parliament. While she does not have an overall majority, this will be straightforward. In 2014, this was followed by a written agreement between London and Edinburgh known as the 'Edinburgh Agreement', setting the terms for the referendum taking place. Westminster must then give permission as constitutional reform is not devolved to Scotland. This means a 'section 30' order must be agreed in Parliament under the Scotland Act. If powers are passed to Holyrood, the Scottish Parliament will pass a law setting out the rules of the referendum - including the date, question and franchise. Advertisement Former Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has criticised her record in the day job of running education, health and other key areas. He also launched a scathing attack on Miss Sturgeon's dominance of the SNP, pointing out the party 'has to be bigger than any individual member'. Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars also said it is 'irresponsible' to push a second referendum and said it should not happen until at least 2020. And former Scottish Health Secretary Alex Neil called on Miss Sturgeon to 'spell out a strategy' before she triggers another independence campaign. Jeremy Corbyn was accused of a 'gift' to the SNP over the weekend after he said that he was 'absolutely fine' with a fresh Scottish referendum being held. The Labour leader's own MPs accused him of a 'special kind of idiocy' after the comments, which appeared to contradict official party policy. He has since clarified that he does not support a referendum being held, but does not believe the Westminster government could block one. Responding to Miss Sturgeon's announcement, Mr Corbyn said: 'The 2014 Scottish Independence referendum was billed as a once in a generation event. 'The result was decisive and there is no appetite for another referendum. Labour believes it would be wrong to hold another so soon and Scottish Labour will oppose it in the Scottish parliament. 'If, however, the Scottish parliament votes for one, Labour will not block that democratic decision at Westminster.' Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said the SNP leader had 'given up acting as First Minister for all of Scotland'. Ms Davidson said: 'She has ignored the majority in Scotland who do not want a referendum and has decided instead to double down on division and uncertainty. 'The First Minister's proposal offers Scotland the worst of all worlds. Her timetable would force people to vote blind on the biggest political decision a country could face. 'This is utterly irresponsible and has been taken by the First Minister purely for partisan political reasons.' Both the pro-independence and the pro-union camps were split over their attitudes in the Brexit referendum, according to YouGov Not my problem now: Former Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured, left) was a spectator at the England v Scotland rugby match at the weekend. He is now just a political observer as his successor battles the consequences of the Brexit referendum and demands for a new one over Scottish independence Scotland is on a knife edge: Polls since the 2014 referendum offer few clues to the second vote Polls show Scotland remains deeply divided on the question of independence as most surveys show support for the Union only narrowly ahead. The most recent survey out today showed support for the Union on 52 per cent against 48 per cent for independence, once don't knows are removed. This is closer than the 2014 result and the SNP insist the increase in their vote during the last campaigns means a new one is winnable. The turbulent political landscape since the No vote in the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 has had pollsters recording surges and dips in support for an independent Scotland. Polls since 2014 have generally shown support for the Union ahead - but often by less than the result at the referendum A poll the month after the referendum found a majority would support independence, given the chance to vote again. The YouGov poll for The Times found increased support for independence, with 49 per cent of the 1,078 adults surveyed between October 27 and 30 indicating they would vote Yes against 45 per cent voting No. However, the bounce did not last and the following month a Survation poll for the Daily Record recorded Yes voters dropping to 44 per cent with No at 48 per cent. A YouGov survey for the Times at the end of August last year putting Yes at 47 per cent and No at 53 per cent once the 'don't knows' were removed. One of the most recent polls, conducted by BMG for the Herald at the end of January, showed support for independence rising following the Prime Minister's 'hard Brexit' speech. The survey of 1,067 Scots found 49 per cent back independence while 51 per cent want to stay in the UK, when the 'don't knows' are excluded. Current polls are closer than the 2014 result and the SNP insist the increase in their vote during the last campaigns means a new one is winnable Professor John Curtice said the polls had been 'bouncing around a pretty constant average' between the independence and EU referendums, but neither side could be sure of securing their desired result if another Scottish vote was held. He said: 'Basically, if we take the polls after September 18, 2014 through to June 22, 2016, they averaged about Yes 47% and No 53% with no discernible change. It's just been bouncing around a pretty constant average. 'Three polls had Yes ahead in the immediate aftermath of Brexit but since then were back to Yes 47%, No 53%.' He added: 'There's more people in favour of Scottish independence than in 2014, that's absolutely clear but it's still not quite half. 'We're still in the situation where the SNP can't be sure of winning but equally Theresa May can't be sure of them losing another independence referendum.' Independent Scotland would have to hike taxes or cut spending and join the euro An independent Scotland would have to hike taxes or cut spending and faces being forced to join the euro, a leading economist has warned. Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said public spending was more than 1,000 higher per person north of the border compared to the rest of the UK. He added that the fall in the price of oil had made Scotland's financial position more difficult since the independence referendum in 2014. Brexit had made the situation more complicated because if Scotland was inside the European Union single market and the rest of the UK was outside, trade with its largest partner could suffer. The head of the respected IFS think-tank has warned that an independent Scotland would be forced to adopt the euro in order to join the EU Setting out why spending cuts or tax hikes may be required, Mr Johnson said: 'Scotland looks very much like the rest of the UK in terms of its income per head, so we get just about as much tax per person from everyone in Scotland as we do in the rest of the UK. 'But spending in Scotland is more than 1,000 per person higher than spending in the rest of the UK. 'So what that means is that there is a big transfer of money from the rest of the UK to Scotland and, obviously, if Scotland were to become independent it would have to either reduce its spending by more than 1,000 per head or increase its taxes by more than 1,000 per head.' The question of whether Scotland would be able to continue to use sterling was one of the major economic arguments during the 2014 referendum - and the UK's departure from the EU could make that more unlikely. He said: 'It would clearly be more difficult to maintain the pound if the UK was outside the EU and Scotland was inside and the pressure on Scotland politically from the rest of the EU to join the euro would be significant. 'But in the end that would be a political, as much as an economic, choice.' Heavy rain has lashed Sydney as a super cell storm sweeps through, with a severe thunderstorm warning in place for much of the state. Large hailstones, damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding, have been predicted across New South Wales on Monday. Residents are bracing for a wet 24 hours ahead, with possible thunderstorms predicted to sweep through the night and into Tuesday. However, Sydney may have avoided the worst of the wild weather on Monday night - after severe storm warning was called off for the city. Meanwhile, golf-sized hailstones are battering parts of central-west, with Dubbo appearing to be the worst hit-location during the morning, with 48mm of rain in just two hours. Scroll down for video Dark thick clouds sweep through Sydney as wild weather is predicted across NSW on Monday Heavy rain has started to lash Sydney as a super cell storm rolls through the city Large hailstones lashed Dubbo on Monday morning, with 48mm of rain in just two hours New South Wales has been hit with supercell storms bringing damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain (pictured, rainfall in Dubbo, in the state's west) Residents have been warned of the risk of flash flooding in the state's west and north, with severe conditions also possible in Sydney (pictured, lightning in the town of Parkes) While some were suffering through hail the size of golf balls, others decided to put a ready supply of ice to good use by chilling beer Large hailstones hit the central west of New South Wales on Monday (pictured in Dubbo) Graeme Brittain, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, told the Sydney Morning Herald there is also the risk of tornadoes across the north-west slopes and plains. But he stressed that winds are likely to cause damage in the region even in twisters fail to materialise. Sky News Weather metrologist Tom Saunders added that super cell storms, like those above New South Wales, are 'the most dangerous type.' The Bureau of Meteorology initially issued a warning for the northern and central parts of the state early on Monday, but the warning area was expanded before midday. Numerous areas, including Tenterfield, Tabulam, Drake, Baryulgil and Narromine, are in the path of a low-pressure system that's moving across the state. Warm temperatures was quickly overshadowed by the dark clouds on Monday afternoon Heavy hail in Dubbo on Monday morning made it appear as if it was snowing Dubbo appeared to be the worst affected area on Monday morning, as forecasters warned of 'perfect super cell conditions' across much of New South Wales Sydney is braced for a super cell storm as forecasters have warned the city could be hit by 90km/h winds, heavy rain and hail on Monday night More than 100mm of rain is also due to hit Inverell on Monday. Ashleigh Lange, a meteorologist with BOM, told Daily Mail Australia: 'If we do get a storm in Sydney, there is a chance we could see winds of up to 90km/h and hail larger than 2cm. 'The whole area will remain unstable overnight, with conditions dropping off at around 10am on Tuesday. 'Those conditions are already present in the western plains and northern slopes, with potential for winds to reach up to 125km/h later in the day.' Those in western and northern areas of New South Wales have been warned of the risks of flash flooding, with water rising in Dubbo on Monday morning Commuters are bracing for the worst as 'perfect storm cell conditions' brought heavy rain Forecasters have warned of the possibility of flash flooding and even tornadoes for those living in the north-west slopes and plains on Monday (pictured, hail in Dubbo) Those living in the north-west plains and slopes have been warned tornadoes may form (pictured, hail in Dubbo) Flash flooding hit parts of NSW on Monday following heavy rain, including Dubbo (pictured) Meanwhile forecasters said Brisbane will likely see rain from 5pm onwards with the chance of storms overnight, though the worst weather will taper off in the early hours of Tuesday. A severe storm warning for the state was cancelled on Monday morning, though Brisbane and the south could get a month's worth of rain in the next few days. NSW SES spokesman Phil Campbell says emergency services are 'quite concerned' about the supercell thunderstorms. 'We're asking people up in that northeast part of the state and also inland around Tamworth and Moree just to make sure they're well prepared. 'At the moment, we've not had any calls for assistance, which is good news. 'We do have a number of weather models, according to the bureau, that are forecasting very heavy rain from the middle to late part of the week. We're just keeping an eye on that.' Sydney is expected to be hit from around 5pm with the risk of heavy rain continuing until 10am on Tuesday (graphic shows thunderstorm risk at 5pm, with purple the highest) Large areas of inland New South Wales were under a severe weather warning on Monday morning, with storms progressing to the coast during the afternoon Higgins Storm Chasing warned that 'Monday and Tuesday's thunderstorms are forecast to be severe and potentially dangerous' Jason Kendall, 52, beat a Middle Eastern restaurant employee with a pipe on Saturday in Salem, Oregon A racially charged attack has confused and shocked the residents of Salem, Oregon over the weekend. Jason Kendall, 52, barged into Al Aqsa Fine Middle Eastern cuisine, which is two blocks from the state's capitol building, around 3pm on Saturday because he thought a woman was being held hostage there. Kendall then allegedly called a restaurant employee a terrorist, told him to get out of America, then beat him with a metal pipe. Kendall reportedly started shouting when he first entered the restaurant because of a 'Saddam Hussein looking-guy' inside, referring to the employee. He said that he thought the woman was being held against her will 'because of a shirt she was wearing,' and later told police that holding women hostage is 'what Arabs do'. Video courtesy of KATU Kendall reportedly started shouting when he first entered the restaurant because of a 'Saddam Hussein looking-guy' inside, referring to the employee The other restaurant employees were able to briefly calm him down until he left, but shortly later, he came back brandishing the pipe, the Statesman reported. Kendall bizarrely referred to the pipe as his 'horn of Gabriel,' that he was using on his 'warrior's path'. He hit the employee hard enough to cause a large bump on his head. Kendall bizarrely referred to the pipe as his 'horn of Gabriel,' that he was using on his 'warrior's path'. He hit the employee hard enough to cause a large bump on his head As well as spewing many offensive expletives at the victim, he said: ''Go back to your country, terrorist ... Get out of America.' He was arrested on the charges of second degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and intimidation. His bail was set at $65,000 on Sunday and he is set to reappear in court on Friday. Second degree assault is a Measure 11 crime and carries a prison sentence of at least 70 months. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime. It is one of four incidents of reported racially motivated crimes in the area since Donald Trumps presidential election. A number of horrific racial attacks have occurred across the nation in recent weeks. In Kent, Washington, a white man wearing a mask shot a Middle Eastern man in the arm after telling him to 'go back to his own country'. A man was arrested last week after he shot dead one Indian man and killed another in Kansas City and told them to get out of 'his' country. Sunshine Week the time set aside to celebrate freedom, openness and transparency in our democracy is a wonderful time to pause for a brief reminder about our rights as Americans. How brief? Just 45 words. Its called the First Amendment. Congress passed the measure on Sept. 25, 1789, and it was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution form the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The wording is sweeping, inclusive and straightforward, and it protects each of us. It doesnt differentiate by nation of origin, gender or color of skin. It doesnt differentiate by political party. It guarantees freedom for all, and is a basic tenet of the democracy that makes America truly exceptional. At a time when the president of the United States insists on framing journalists as the enemy of the American people, the framers of the Constitution had a different view of a free press. The same constitutional right that the president exercises when he speaks or Tweets his mind protects all of us when it comes to faith, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances. Freedom depends on openness a concept too often attacked by legislators who would prefer the public didnt know what government is up to. The First Amendment has been a bedrock of our nation for 225 years. But we dare not take it for granted. We need to guard it and celebrate it not just during Sunshine Week, but every day. Coopers is facing a boycott and backlash after teaming up with a Bible group who used the beers in a bizarre debate on marriage equality. The South Australian brewery has released a commemorative range of light beers with Bible verses on its cartons to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bible Society. But Coopers says the brewery has nothing to do with a bizarre video debating marriage equality by the Bible group. Scroll down for video The Bible Society video featured Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie (right) and gay politician Tim Wilson (left) debate marriage equality, while drinking and cheersing Coopers beers The South Australian brewery has released a commemorative range of light beers with Bible verses on its cartons to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bible Society 'We want you to know that Coopers did not give permission for our Premium Light beer to feature in, or "sponsor" the Bible Society's "Keeping it Light" video,' the brewery said in a statement. The video featured Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and gay politician Tim Wilson debate marriage equality, while drinking and cheersing Coopers beers. A spokesperson for the Bible Society told Daily Mail Australia: 'Coopers has definitely not paid any money or donated any money towards the video. It was produced solely by Bible Society Australia.' One social media user even posted a photo of a Coopers beer being poured down the drain One person put their Coopers branded cap in their rubbish bin, and shared an image on Twitter Coopers had not gone so far to distance itself from the video in an earlier statement. 'With regards to the "Keeping it Light" video from the Bible Society featuring Andrew Hastie and Tim Wilson, this is a light hearted but balanced debate about an important topic within Australia,' the earlier statement said. 'Coopers isn't trying to push religious messages or change your beliefs by celebrating 200 years of charitable work undertaken by the Bible Society, in fact, over the years we have produced a number of different celebratory cans to recognise the historical achievements of a vast array of different organisations.' In a second statement, Coopers put further distance between the brewery and the video. Coopers is releasing a range of light beer in partnership with the charity The Liberal MPs are pictured debating marriage equality in the Bible Society video with Coopers beers Tim Wilson, a gay Liberal MP, is pictured cheersing Coopers beers in the video Bible Society said the charity produced the video to reach 'more Australians with God's word'. The Bible Society website says the charity had 'teamed up with Coopers Premium Light', and the video zooms in and lingers on the Coopers bottles. Coopers is releasing a range of light beer in partnership with the charity. The cartons will have Bible verses written on them, and the cans will feature the Bible Society logo. Coopers said the brewery respected community beliefs. 'We aren't trying to push a religious message, we see these commemorative cans as a celebration of the Bible Society's 200 years of charitable work in Australia,' the company said in a statement. Tim Cooper (left) and Bible Society's Greg Clarke (right) are pictured together) In a statement, Coopers put distance between the brewery and the Bible Society video 'We respect the beliefs of our community and do not wish to try and change them. 'Our family brewery is made up of individuals from a number of different backgrounds, all of whom hold differing views on politics and religion, which we think is reflective of the wider community. 'We would like all Coopers fans to know that we support and embrace all of our beer drinking community.' A boycott of Coopers is underway, with Melbourne and Sydney institutions Hollywood Hotel, Newtown Hotel and The Old Bar all announcing the beer will no longer be available at the pubs. 'If Coopers want to nail their political colours to the mast they must understand they'll put 50 per cent of their customers offside,' one person wrote on Twitter 'lol @coopersbrewery way to alienate an enormous demographic of people that consume your products,' another wrote The Coopers light beer to commemorate Bible Society with Bible verses on the carton is pictured Coopers was trending on Twitter on Monday, as many Australians declared they would no longer be drinking the brand's beers. One social media user even posted a photo of a Coopers beer being poured down the drain. Another put their Coopers branded cap in their rubbish bin, and shared an image. Coopers is a donor of the South Australian Liberal Party. Bible Society said the charity was 'entirely responsible for the "Keeping it Light" video'. A boycott of Coopers is underway, with Melbourne and Sydney institutions Hollywood Hotel, Newtown Hotel and The Old Bar all announcing the beer will no longer be available at the pubs Newtown Hotel said Coopers beers on tap would be replaced 'Unfortunately we will no longer be purchasing any stock from Coopers,' The Old Bar wrote 'It was not sponsored by Coopers. No money has changed hands between Bible Society and Coopers in regards to this campaign,' a statement said. 'Bible Society remains grateful to Coopers for both the release of light beer commemorating our bicentenary and their support through their foundation for the distribution of bibles to the Defence Force and those who need them. 'The interest from the public in this campaign reinforces the message of the video that it is important for Australians to have respectful conversations about serious issues "keeping it light".' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coopers for comment. Sam Cason was only 11 died after he rode passenger on a quad bike and was thrown from the machine in 2011 A fun weekend at a farm in regional Victoria ended in tragedy after an 11-year-old was thrown from a quad bike and killed instantly. Sam Cason was riding passenger on a 500cc quad bike with his 11-year-old friend in 2011 when he was violently catapulted off the machine. Now his mother Emily Cason is educating other parents about the dangers of quad bikes to ensure 'no other family has to live with the pain of losing their child in such a heartbreakingly devastating accident'. Sam was both unsupervised and was not wearing a helmet - all of which is perfectly legal. He died of head injuries at the dairy farm in Numurkah, north of Shepparton. Mrs Cason said since the passing of her son she has made it her mission to make sure no other child's life is taken by a quad bike. She said: 'I would like to see laws enforced for the use of helmets and other protective gear as standard on private land. As well as appropriate training for the general farming and recreational users on private land. There will also hopefully soon be a support group set up to provide care and understanding to parents going through a similar devastating experience.' Sam's mother Emily Cason is fighting for tighter quad bike safety in memory of her son Mrs Cason's mission is supported by Trevor Duke, Deputy Director of Intensive Care at Royal Children's Hospital, who said: 'Quad bikes are very unstable if they dont have all four wheels on the ground. If one or two wheels come off the ground, the quad bike is likely to roll onto its back and the rider is crushed.' Acting Senior Sergeant Justin Embleton-Smith of Victoria Police added: 'Quad bikes pose a number of safety hazards including riding on steep slopes and over rough terrain which may cause the quad bike to become unstable and very dangerous.' After the tragic incident Mrs Cason created a blog and Facebook page titled 'Fight For Sam' to raise public awareness about the dangers of quad biking. Sam's death is just one of many quad bike fatalities that occur on rural properties across Australia. Emily Cason (second from right) is on a mission to educate other parents about the dangers of quad bikes His life was cut short after his quad bike toppled - Sam died instantly from head injuries On March 6 a 6-year-old girl was killed in a quad bike accident on a property near Pilliga, west of Narrabri in NSW. Police said five children aged between five and 13 were riding quad bikes at the time, the ABC reports. A 7-year-old boy was also killed at a Griffith property in January after he was pinned under a heavy quad bike. The National ATV Safety Conference is being held on March 30 and 31 in Cairns which raises awareness of quad bike safety while also encouraging its continued safe use. It will discuss current safety products, helmet regulation, legislative and training requirements, coronial finding outcomes, farm safety systems and quad bike duty of care, inductions and training. A Jewish community in upstate New York reopened after receiving its second bomb threat in less than a week. The Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center in Rochester, New York, reopened its doors late on Sunday afternoon after closing earlier that same day. Nearly 200 people were cleared from the space and after the threat was emailed in but the center declared: 'We will remain open. Whoever is doing this doesn't realize this only makes us stronger.' The center's first report of a bomb was made on Tuesday, in a string of threats made to various Jewish community centers in North America. The Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center in Rochester, New York, reopened its doors on Sunday afternoon after receiving bomb threats, closing the building for the second time within a week The latest scare has prompted New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to order state police to investigate, as it has been the latest instance of bomb threats made to Jewish centers across the nation over the past few weeks. The Anti-Defamation League claims there have been 152 threats against Jewish centers in 37 states and two in Canada in 2017 alone, the New York Post reported. Governor Cuomo said in a statement: 'We will find whoever is responsible for this and bring them to justice. 'Like all New Yorkers, I am profoundly disturbed and disgusted by the continued threats against the Jewish community in New York. 'As New Yorkers, we will not be intimidated and we will not stand by silently as some seek to sow hate and division.' According to CNN, law enforcement is unsure where the calls are originating from, one senior official arguing that one person is behind most of the calls, sparking copycats, and others believe they are coming from overseas. It received its first threat on Tuesday and the center declared: 'We will remain open. Whoever is doing this doesn't realize this only makes us stronger' Also on Tuesday, several other Jewish community centers received a fresh round of bomb threats, including the Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center and others in Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and in Toronto. Threats were phoned in or emailed, and United States federal authorities have been investigating a surge of threats against Jewish organizations, including more than 100 hoax bomb threats in five separate waves in January and February. The Trump Administration denounced the newest round of threats 'in the strongest terms,' White House spokesman Sean Spicer told a news briefing. 'As long as they do continue, we'll continue to condemn them and look at ways in which we can stop them,' Spicer said. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has suggested young people who can't afford a home in a capital city should move to regional Australia. Mr Morrison encouraged first home buyers to break into the market by purchasing in Tamworth, 400km north-west of Sydney, famed for its annual Country Music Festival. 'For young people who are thinking ''can I buy a house in Sydney, or can I buy a house in Melbourne or Brisbane''... now there is an option if people want to take it in places like Tamworth,' he told 2GB's Ray Hadley on Monday. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison (pictured) has suggested young people who can't afford a home in a capital city should move to regional Australia Mr Morrison encouraged first home buyers to break into the market by purchasing in Tamworth. Here, the regional city is pictured as participants prepare for the start of the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2015 'That doesn't mean they have to, but it's important that these towns can say to people, you can have a future here, and there's a great future for families in Tamworth.' Mr Morrison also suggested that couples are delaying having children so they can break into the property market. 'The problem is being able to save quickly enough to get a deposit which is big enough to get yourself into the market,' he said. 'And that's a big challenge, particularly for younger people.' 'People are putting off when they buy their house, they are even putting off when they have kids so they can save more. The Peel Inn hotel is pictured, just outside of Tamworth in north-west New South Wales Tamworth is famed for its annual Country Music Festival and The Big Golden Guitar (pictured) Mr Morrison said: 'There is an option if people want to take it in places like Tamworth' 'The ramifications of this run right through the community. That's why it's a very important issue and that's why we will be dealing with it in the budget.' Mr Morrison last week met with officials from the Reserve Bank, Australian Securities and Investments Commission and Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. Official figures released on Friday showed housing approvals rising to a record in January, with the value of money lent to investors surging 4.2 per cent in the month. The treasurer told Bloomberg TV on Monday he would not describe it as a 'situation of risk'. Australian house values increased at the fastest pace in seven years in 2016. Pictured, a real estate billboard in front of newly constructed apartments in the Sydney suburb of Putney Hill Mr Morrison speaks during a Bloomberg business breakfast event in Sydney last year 'The latest rise in investor credit growth is still below the 10 per cent mark,' he said of ARPA's target. '(But) you do have to keep an eye on this and the regulators do need to keep the tension in the cord.' He said Australia's prices were high 'but they are real'. President Donald Trump is refusing to say whether he has donated any part of his presidential salary after pledging not to touch a single dollar of it, a report stated Sunday. The mogul announced in his first interview as president-elect in November that he wouldn't take the $400,000 annual salary reserved for the commander-in-chief. Federal law, however, dictates that the president must receive the sum, and that it should be paid monthly. To comply with the obligation, a Trump aide said last month the president would instead donate his salary or give it back to the Treasury. But requests from MSNBC asking for details about about any salary donations made by the president have all been rejected, the network reported. President Donald Trump is refusing to say whether he has donated any part of his presidential salary after pledging not to touch a single dollar of it, a report stated Sunday Trump told 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl in November: 'I'm not going to take the salary,' adding: 'I think I have to by law take $1, so I'll take $1 a year.' The law in fact indicates that he must receive a monthly salary of $33,333. This prompted spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders to tell Politifact in January: 'He is required to get a paycheck but will be giving it back to (the) treasury or donating.' President Trump's promise to give up his presidential salary dates back to his presidential campaign, when he told the crowd at a rally in Rochester, New Hampshire: 'The first thing I'm going to do is tell you that if I'm elected president, I'm accepting no salary, okay? That's not a big deal for me.' Trump's first paycheck should have come on February 20, a month after the inauguration, and the next one should be expected for March 20. MSNBC reached out to the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office Of Personnel Management on Wednesday asking for details about salary donations made by the president All three departments declined to say whether Trump has made any donations to date, and the Office Of Personnel Management referred the question to the White House, MSNBC reported MSNBC's chief legal correspondent Ari Melber reached out to the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office Of Personnel Management on Wednesday and asked them to provide details and documents about salary donations made by the president until now. 'Has Pres. Trump accepted and deposited the funds for his first paycheck?' the network asked in a letter. 'Has Pres. Trump donated the funds from his first paycheck, and if so, to what entity (Please provide documentation.)' 'If not, when does Pres. Trump plan to donate those funds, and to what entity?' 'In the potential absence of documentation confirming donation of the first paycheck, what is the Trump administrations position on the Presidents pledge to donate his salary? Has the Presidents reversed his decision, or does the President plan to delay donating the salary as he receives it each month? If so, on what date does the President intend to donate his salary?' All three departments declined to say whether the president has made any donations to date, and the Office Of Personnel Management referred the question to the White House, MSNBC reported. If President Trump ends up donating his salary to charity, he won't be the first one to do so. His predecessors John F Kennedy and Herbert Hoover both parted with their earnings. A 38-year-old man has woken up from a coma after he was brutally bashed by a group of teenagers who gatecrashed his party. Ryan Ball was hosting a school ball after-party for his friend's teenage daughter when up to 15 young boys stormed his Perth property in Vernon Place, Padbury in late February. The invite-only party spiralled out of the control when the Padbury man tried to break up a fight between gatecrashers and teenage guests outside his home. Scroll down for video Perth man Ryan Ball (pictured) has woken up from a coma after he was brutally bashed by a group of teenagers who gatecrashed his party He was placed in an induced coma after he suffered severe head injuries Mr Ball was left with severe injuries including a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain following the attack. The party host was rushed to the Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition where he was placed in an induced coma, which doctors brought him out of on Monday. Ryan's brother, Leon Ball, told 7 News the family hold 'grave concerns' for Mr Hall after he suffered critical head injuries when he tried to stop the brawl. 'From what the doctors were saying to me, where the bleeding is on the brain, it's where his motor skills and everything are,' Leon said. 'We have grave concerns on what position he's going to be [in] when he does... or if he does wakes up. 'When they [doctors] tried to bring him out of the induced coma, he didn't react well to it so they put him back down, back under.' Police were called to the property after young boys gatecrashed the party on February 25 His brother Leon Ball (pictured) said the family hold 'grave concerns' for Mr Hall after he suffered critical head injuries when he tried to stop the brawl The Perth man was hosting a school ball after-party when he tried to break up a fight outside Police are investigating the incident. An 18-year-old man and a teen have been charged The family believed Mr Hall was headbutted when he tried to protect the teenage partygoers from the gatecrashers after a brawl broke out. Leon told 9News a professional photographer at the party had managed to snap images of the group who they believed were involved in the attack. The photos have reportedly been handed over to police for further investigation as Joondalup detectives hunt for the suspects. An 18-year-old man from Merriwa has been charged with grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning bodily harm. A Perth teenager was also charged over the alleged assault and an attack on a 17-year-old boy which left him with a broken jaw. He has been refused bail and will appear in the Northbridge Magistrates Court. Thumbing through a law journal, Desmond Ricks recognized the name of a gun expert whose testimony had helped convict him of murder in 1992. The Detroit man wrote a letter, made phone calls and even offered gas money to persuade him to visit prison. That tenacity could lead to freedom. Ricks and a team from University of Michigan law school are making a remarkable claim with help from the expert: Detroit police, they allege, framed him for that slaying 25 years ago with sham evidence bullets that didn't come from the victim. 'I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had nothing to do with this,' Ricks, 50, said, referring to the shooting of a friend outside a burger dive. 'They switched the bullets on me.' Desmond Ricks says cops framed him for the murder of his friend in 1992. Ricks says he was getting a burger with the victim, but fled the scene when he was shot. Ricks believes police swapped test-fired bullets for crime-scene evidence to secure an easy conviction The law school's Innocence Clinic, with an affidavit from firearms expert David Townshend, is urging a judge to order new tests on evidence still in police storage and throw out Ricks' second-degree murder conviction. The clinic has exonerated 10 people and freed three others since 2009 by exposing bad police work in Michigan, finding new witnesses and tapping specialists. But prosecutor Kym Worthy isn't giving up on Ricks' conviction. Her office has dismissed the new argument as 'ingeniously imaginative.' Innocence Clinic director David Moran said 'it's hard to imagine something so brazen' as police swapping bullets. But he noted that the Detroit police lab was shut down after a 2008 audit revealed sloppy work, including the botched analysis of gun evidence. 'Detroit police were infamous at taking unconstitutional shortcuts in order to try to close murder cases,' Moran said, referring to the early 1990s when Gerry Bennett was killed. 'Detroit police is a much different institution now.' Ricks was with Bennett when Bennett was shot in the head outside a Top Hat restaurant in 1992. Ricks, an ex-convict at the time, said he ran away, dodging gunfire. But a few days later, police pinned the killing on him and seized a gun that belonged to his mother. Firearms expert David Townshend suspects the bullets he was asked to examine in 1992 did not come from the murder victim, because they were in 'pristine condition' Townshend, who had retired from Michigan State Police, was asked by a judge to inspect the evidence before trial. His task was very specific: Did bullets delivered to him by Detroit police match Mary Ricks' .38-caliber revolver? Yes, he told jurors. Desmond Ricks was halfway through his 32-year prison sentence in 2009 when he recognized Townshend's name in an ad in the back of a law journal. He reached out for help. The expert remembered the case, visited Ricks three times and told him about some nagging concerns. The bullets in 1992 appeared to be in 'pristine condition' with no trace of blood, bone or hair that would suggest they were removed from Bennett's brain and spine, recalled Townshend, now 76. At the Innocence Clinic's request, the Wayne County prosecutor's office in 2015 turned over new digital photos of bullets and fragments still in police custody. Townshend said the photos show bullets that were 'severely mutilated and extensively damaged' not the bullets he inspected years ago. 'We need to get to the truth,' Townshend said. But the prosecutor's office said his recollections might not be credible. 'Since Townshend has examined countless spent bullets during his 47 years as a firearms examiner, it is possible that Townshend is merely mistaken about what he remembers,' assistant prosecutor Jonathan Mycek said in a court filing. The law school also has filed an affidavit from a restaurant employee who has recanted her trial testimony. Arlene Strong said Ricks could not have been the gunman because he was still in a car when Bennett was killed. She said she was frightened by police back in 1992 and bullied by a prosecutor. 'The people we're relying on now were all found by him' while in prison, Michigan law student Nicole Leibow said of Ricks. 'He's very suspicious of law enforcement and the state. He knows they're going to fight us,' Leibow said. 'He's very consumed by it.' A group of tourists were rushed to hospital on Monday after their 4WD rolled over on Fraser Island, crushing the roof. A man and two women were airlifted to hospital in stable condition after emergency workers were called to 75 Mile Beach on the eastern side of the island about 7.40am. The car, which is believed to belong to a 'tag-along' sight seeing tour company on the island, was carrying eight tourists at the time of the accident, according to RACQ LifeFlight Rescue. A man and two women were airlifted to hospital with neck and leg injuries after their 4WD rolled over on Fraser Island on Monday morning (pictured) A woman in her 20s, believed to be a British tourist who was driving when the car rolled, was airlifted to Nambour Hospital with head, neck and chest injuries. She was in the most serious condition out of the three injured, RACQ said. A Swedish man also received neck injuries and a European woman injured her knee, RACQ said. The pair were treated at the scene and were taken to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition. Advertisement The Associated Press photographer who took the iconic 'Napalm Girl' picture during the Vietnam War has announced his retirement after 51 years behind the lens. Pulitzer Prize-winning snapper Nick Ut, 65, said he travelled 'from Hell to Hollywood' during his astonishing career which took him from the frontline to the red carpet. He is credited with saving the life of nine-year-old Kim Phuc on June 8, 1972, after her village of Trang Bang was set ablaze with napalm. Mr Ut, who was just 21 when he took the heartbreaking photograph, had just finished photographing four planes flying low to drop the napalm that would set Kim's village ablaze when he saw a terrified group of men, women and children running for their lives from a pagoda. After getting that perfectly framed photo, he set aside his camera, gave the badly burned girl water, poured more on her wounds, then loaded her and others into his AP van to take them to a hospital. South Vietnamese forces follow terrified children, including nine-year-old Kim Phuc, centre, as they run down Route 1 near Trang Bang after an aerial napalm attack on suspected Viet Cong hiding places on June 8, 1972 Associated Press photographer Nick Ut in Vietnam. Ut will be retiring from the AP in March 2017 after 51 years of taking photographs from the front lines of the Vietnam War to the red carpets of Hollywood Muhammad Ali throws a punch at a sandbag during workout at a gym in Tokyo in June 1976. Later in the week, the world heavyweight boxing champion met Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki in the world's Martial Arts Championship When doctors refused to admit her, saying she was too badly burned to be saved, he angrily flashed his press pass. The next day, he told them, pictures of her would be displayed all over the world, along with an explanation of how the hospital refused to help. Now a 53-year-old wife and mother-of-two who lives in Canada, Ms Phuc remains Mr Ut's close friend. 'That picture changed my life. It changed Kim's life,' he said. 'I cried when I saw her running,' Ut once said. 'If I don't help her - if something happened and she died - I think I'd kill myself after that.' The photo of the terrified child running naked down a country road, her body literally burning from the napalm bombs dropped on her village, has become a symbol of the horrors committed during the Vietnam War. 'That photograph illustrated dramatically what had become a regular occurrence in Vietnam over the years - napalm on distant villages, civilians killed and scared by the war, pictures we'd rarely had in the past,' said Peter Arnett, a distinguished network news war correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner himself. 'This picture revealed the kind of details that were an integral part of what the war had been about, which made it so significant and important to be published.' But Mr Ut almost never became a photographer. A Skyraider, a propeller-driven plane of the Vietnamese Airforce 518th Squadron, drops a bomb with incendiary napalm and white phosphorus jelly over Trang Bang village on June 8, 1972 Bombs with a mixture of napalm and white phosphorus jelly dropped by Vietnamese AF Skyraider bombers explode across Route-1, amidst homes and in front of the Cao Dai temple in the outskirts of Trang Bang, Vietnam, on June 8, 1972 A South Vietnamese soldier holds his personal belongings in a plastic bag between his teeth as his unit crosses a muddy Mekong Delta stream in Vietnam near the Cambodian border on March 11, 1972 A refugee clutches a baby as a government helicopter gunship carries them away near Tuy Hoa, Vietnam, 235 miles northeast of Saigon on March 22, 1975 The 11th of 12 children, he grew up idolizing one of his older brothers, Huynh Thanh My. Huynh was hired by the AP and was on assignment in 1965 when he and a group of soldiers he was with were overrun by Viet Cong rebels who killed everyone. At his brother's funeral, Mr Ut approached the late Horst Faas, photo editor for AP's Saigon bureau, to ask for a job. But Faas, a two-time Pulitzer winner, turned him down. He didn't want the Huynh family losing another son. After weeks of Mr Ut's pestering, Faas finally relented, hiring him in 1966, but giving the 15-year-old strict orders: Under no circumstances was he to carry his camera into a war zone. So he spent the next couple of years working in the darkroom and shooting feature photos around Saigon until one January morning in 1968 when the war came to him. 'I remember Nick coming in later that morning very excited and saying, "The Viet Cong are fighting near my house. I have pictures of Vietnamese troops attacking them, great pictures,"' Arnett, who worked for the AP then, recalled in a recent interview. From that day forward, 17-year-old Mr Ut was a combat photographer. Over the coming years he would be wounded four times and have a rocket come so close to his head that it literally parted his hair. His closest friend in the Saigon bureau, noted photographer Henri Huet, died in 1971 after volunteering to take the weary Mr Ut's place on an assignment during which the helicopter he was in was shot down. It was Huet, Mr Ut says, who gave him his nickname, Nick, after others in the bureau had trouble getting his given name - Huynh Cong Ut - right. 'That's why I keep the name Nick Ut. In Henri's honor,' he said. Phan Thi Kim Phuc and Nick Ut remained friends after the Vietnam War. Left, Mr Ut is seen visiting her at her home in Trang Bang, Vietnam, in 1973 (left). The pair also met at a presentation at Liberty Baptist Church in Newport Beach, California, in June 2012 (right) Michael Jackson waves to his fans from atop his limousine after his arraignment on child molestation charges at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, in 2004 OJ Simpson and defense attorney Robert Shapiro sit in a Los Angeles Superior courtroom as Judge Lance Ito refused a request to open an afternoon session to the media in August 1994 Paris Hilton is transported in a police car from her home to court by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles on June 8, 2007 - 35 years to the day after Mr Ut took his Napalm Girl photograph Screen legend Bette Davis smokes a cigarette at an awards presentation in her honor in Beverly Hills, California, in 1982 President Ronald Reagan points toward the crowd as he speaks during a rally at Pierce College in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles in 1984 When Saigon fell to the rebels in 1975, two years after the U.S. military pulled out, Mr Ut had to flee Vietnam like thousands of others. After a brief stay in a California refugee camp, the AP put him to work in its Tokyo bureau. It was there he met his wife, Hong Huynh, another Vietnamese ex-pat. She even hailed from the same neighborhood as Mr Ut, but the two had never met. They moved to Los Angeles in 1977 when Ut began the Hollywood chapter of his photo career. They have two grown children and two grandchildren, aged eight and 10. He would go on to take literally tens of thousands more over the next 44 years, including images of practically every A-list celebrity who walked a Hollywood red carpet or entered a courtroom on the wrong side of the law. 'Every star who has trouble, they will see me,' he joked. Among his vast portfolio are photos of the likes of a sobbing Robert Blake, the actor's head on a courtroom table moments after he was acquitted of killing his wife. In another, Michael Jackson is dancing on an SUV outside a courtroom where he would be acquitted of child molestation. Perhaps the most ironic of all, of a tearful Paris Hilton headed to jail for driving violations, was taken on June 8, 2007, the 35th anniversary of the day he took the 'Napalm Girl' picture. Warren Beatty once called Ut aside at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to spend 30 minutes talking about the 'Napalm Girl' photo. After learning he was the one who took it, actress Joan Collins opened a bottle of champagne for Ut during a shoot at her home. It was a much friendlier reaction, he says, than the one he got when he previously photographed her heading into a courtroom to settle an acrimonious divorce. He plans to spend retirement helping take care of those grandchildren and taking more pictures. 'I'll take pictures until I die,' he said. 'My camera is like my doctor, my medicine.' A Los Angeles firefighter looks under a fire truck stuck in a sinkhole in the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles in 2009 People gather on a pier in Huntington Beach, California, as the sun sets on Saturday May 29, 2004 Two boys aged 10 and 12 were arrested over an arson attack on a house but were let off with a warning, police say. The pair allegedly started the blaze which destroyed a property in Geelong on Saturday at about 4pm. Most of the house was destroyed by the fire. 'Emergency services were called to attend a fire at an unoccupied house in Moa Street on Saturday 11 March,' Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia. Fire crews were called to the vacant house on Moa Street, Norlane (pictured) but it was damaged beyond repair 'As a result of enquires, police later arrested two boys at an unrelated address. A 10-year-old and a 12-year-old, both from Norlane, were cautioned in relation to the fire.' Detective Senior Constable Damien McKeegan told The Geelong Advertiser the property will need to be demolished. A 37-year-old man was also arrested at Herne Hill after a fire broke out at another property on Saturday afternoon. Arsonists have targeted homes in Victoria with three major blazes lit over the past few days It appears the fire was lit over a domestic dispute and the man was charged and remanded in custody. Detective McKeegan said: 'A 37-year-old male has attended the address in Matlock Street, hes entered into the premises after the female victim has left and lit a fire causing damage to the front room.' Those inside the Matlock Street home were treated for smoke inhalation. An empty building on the Bellarine Peninsula - south-west of Melbourne - was also deliberately lit. Country Fire Authority crews were called to the building at the coastal township pf Point Lonsdale in the early hours of Sunday. The fire in Matlock Street was lit over a domestic dispute and its occupants were treated for smoke inhalation Bishop Charles Blake's Attacker Jailed and Further Criminal Prosecution Possible in Defamation Lawsuit Contact: TRY Williams Consulting Group, 917-725-0440 ORLANDO, March 13, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Bishop Charles E. Blake, pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ (COGIC), one of the largest congregations in America, was awarded yet another victory in his fight against the defamatory acts of Minister Earl Carter, a former preacher within the COGIC denomination. At a March 8 hearing in Orlando, Florida, Carter was held in contempt of court, remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal and sent to jail. This case began on December 11, 2015, when Blake filed a defamation lawsuit alleging that Carter created Youtube videos with the intent to, among other things, damage his internationally-respected reputation. Over the span of two years, Carter uploaded scores of videos attacking Blake. In November 2016, Blake won his defamation lawsuit against Carter. In response to that victory, Blake's attorney, Ulysses Henderson said, "We anticipate that the federal court in Orlando will shortly be issuing a final and formal permanent injunction that will require the take-down of all of Earl Carter's defamatory Internet videos, and will perpetually prevent Mr. Carter from repeating any of the outrageously false, utterly baseless and despicable claims he has made about Bishop Blake." As anticipated, soon thereafter, Judge Dalton of the Orlando court, issued a permanent injunction against Carter. Despite losing the lawsuit, being ordered to remove the offending videos and to cease all malicious comments regarding Blake, Carter continued to upload defamatory videos and boast of his intention to defy the court order. In fact, in the videos, Carter called Judge Dalton disparaging names and accused Dalton of violating his First Amendment rights in ordering the permanent injunction. At the March 8 hearing, Dalton found Carter was in contempt of court. In the order appointing a Federal Defender, dated March 8, 2017, the court wrote, "After hearing argument from both parties, the Undersigned held Defendant in civil contempt based on the following findings by clear and convincing evidence: (1) that Defendant had violated a valid and lawful Order; (2) that such Order was clear and unambiguous; and (3) that Defendant had the ability to comply with the Order. Noting that monetary penalties would not suffice, the court remanded Defendant to the custody of the United States Marshal Service, until he removed the offending videos from online platforms set forth in the Permanent Injunction." Carter remained in jail until the videos were removed. However, Carter's legal woes are far from over. Carter now faces the possibility of a criminal prosecution due to his continual and flagrant prior acts of contempt throughout this case. Contempt has been defined by the Florida Supreme Court as "Any act which is calculated to embarrass, hinder, or obstruct the court in the administration of justice, or which is calculated to lessen its authority or its dignity." Unlike civil contempt of court, criminal contempt of court is a crime punishable by the possibility incarceration. An Order, signed by Dalton, from a November 2016 hearing, noted, "[t]he Court is gravely concerned by Defendant's continual requests for leniency as a pro se litigant, disregard of Court Orders and instruction, and failure to conduct himself in a professional manner." Therefore, the March 8 order, referring the matter to the United States Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution is the consequence of Carter's actions. The March 8 Order Appointing Federal Public Defender continued, "Given the gravity of potential criminal proceedings, the Court finds that the present circumstances warrant the appointment of counsel. Indeed, at the conclusion of the March 8 Hearing, Defendant commented about his inability to employ counsel. Having found that Defendant does not wish to waive counsel, and because the interests of justice so require, the Court appoints the Federal Public Defender to represent Defendant Earl W. Carter, Sr. in connection with potential criminal contempt proceedings." Carter is no stranger to arrest and incarceration. Public documents show that Carter was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in 1994; Battery in 1995; and as recent as 2008, was charged with Battery (Domestic Violence). As reported in the Daily Mail, Carter was sentenced to prison as a result of a plea deal reducing the Aggravated Assault charge. Additionally, throughout his Youtube videos, Carter has often confessed of his frequent incarceration during his youth. Bishop Charles Blake has yet to publicly speak to this matter. In the past, a spokesperson stated, "Bishop Blake would have preferred not to file a lawsuit against Mr. Carter, but the only way to have his defamatory, untruthful and hurtful videos removed is by court order." Despite the intense weather forecast across the country this weekend, a Florida couple were startled by something even more unexpected falling from the sky. While meeting at an outdoor patio in Tallahassee with their tenants on Thursday, Bo and Terry Fountain saw a catfish mysteriously fall from the sky and hit the ground next to them. The fish had its side gashed open, and the group said they heard a loud clatter as it hit a nearby roof before rocketing to the sidewalk. A kapow. A thud and a catfish from the sky https://t.co/FNH5RotM69 pic.twitter.com/6X5QMuU0tZ Tallahassee Democrat (@TDOnline) March 10, 2017 'We heard a kapow,' Bo Fountain told the Tallahassee Democrat. 'It sounded like a gunshot. Then a catfish landed on the ground.' The couple suspect that the catfish was dropped from the mouth of a bird that Terry had noticed circling above shortly before the fish fell. The nearest lakes Lake Piney Z and Upper Lake Lafayette, are more than a mile north of where the group sat at Fountain Plaza on Apalachee Parkway. 'If it had hit the table instead of the ground, I would have had a heart attack,' Terry said. The two weren't frightened of the fish for long, however, and simply threw it in the back of their pickup truck and headed back to their farm in Georgia. Top New York and Philly mob bosses are among 46 gangsters who could walk free because FBI agents reportedly leaked case information to a Mafia fan-blog and lost wiretaps worn by a key informant. Alleged mobsters, hailing from four of the five major Mafia crime families, are hoping that an alleged blunder by federal investigators could turn into a 'get out of jail free card', it was revealed on Sunday. Among the 46 accused crooks are notorious names in the organized crime community, Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello, allegedly a Genovese capo, and former Philadelphia boss Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino. The reported screw up came from three investigators who lost wiretaps from the case's key witness, John Rubio, and leaked case information to Gang Land News, a blog claiming to be expert on Mafia news. If reports are true, it means that nearly 50 accused mafia members could walk free after they were rounded up in a massive racketeering charge bust in August of 2016. Alleged mobsters are hoping that a reported blunder by FBI agents could turn into a 'get out of jail free' card, it was revealed on Sunday. Among the 46 accused crooks are big names such as Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello (left) and former Philadelphia boss Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino (right, pictured in 1995) The top New York and Philly mob bosses could walk free because FBI agents reportedly leaked case information to a Mafia fan-blog, Gang Land News (pictured), an online blog claiming to be experts on the Mafia. Agents are also accused of losing wiretaps worn by a key informant One of the biggest fish caught in the August 2016 roundup was Parrello, who owns Pasquale's Rigoletto Ristorant in the Bronx (pictured). He made headlines in January when a retired judge agreed to help his case because he liked the veal scallopini at the restaurant The men are hoping they will be able to get the slew of charges dropped, after the New York Post reported the alleged massive mishandling of the case by agents. Rubio is the key witnesses in the bust, which was seen as a huge break for feds, as each of the suspected organized crime members faced at least one racketeering charge with a maximum 20-year sentence. One of the biggest fish caught in the roundup was Parrello, who owns Pasquale's Rigoletto Ristorant in the Bronx. He recently made headlines in January when retired judge Anthony Fiorella agreed to help out on his case because he liked the veal scallopini at the restaurant. The other prize of the bust was Merlino, who allegedly ran the Philly mob. Other accused mobster's mugshots: (l-r) John 'Johnny' Lembo is accused of acquiring a machine to duplicate credit cards; Pasquale 'Mustache Pat' Capolongo is referred to as a 'longtime bookmaker' in documents; John 'Tugboat' Tognino was linked to gambling Accused: Richard Valentini of East Longmeadow, was accused of conspiring with Santaniello, Calabrese and Depergola. The men are all members of the so-called 'Springfield Crew' Named: (l-r) Wayne Kreisberg was linked to medical scams; Anthony 'Harpo' DePalma was named as 'a member of the Enterprise'; Richard 'Richie' LaCava is accused of selling contraband cigarettes worth $3million The informant, who previously worked for both Parrello and Merlino, had worn a wire and that information was to be used heavily in the case, the Post reported. The news outlet also said Rubio collected evidence against Parello ordering a man to choke a victim. Parello allegedly said: 'I want Buddy to choke him, choke him, actually choke the m****r f***er and tell him, "Listen to menext time Im not gonna stop choking Im gonna kill you."' The total of 46 accused mobsters- including alleged members of some of New York's biggest Mafia families - were indicted on charges including extortion, gun-running and assault, according to officials. Alleged members of the Genoveses, Gambinos, Lucheses and Bonannos - four of NY mob's 'five families' - as well as alleged members of a Philadelphia family, were arrested. Mark 'Stymie' Maiuzzo (left) allegedly set fire to a car owned by someone from a rival gambling syndicate; Anthony 'Tony the Wig' Vazzano (right), who is also known as 'Muscles' was also arrested back in August 2016 Reynold Alberti - also known as 'Randy' - was one of the 46 people charged with racketeering Bradford Wedra (left) is seen entering Manhattan federal court on. An alleged member of the East Coast Enterprise, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if he is convicted on racketeering charges. Ralph 'Ralphie Sant' Santaniello (right), of Longmeadow, is allegedly a member of the New York-based Genovese crime family The FBI made a detailed list of how the organization of a crime family works in hierarchy Among those arrested are the colorfully named Anthony 'Tony the Wig' Vazzano, who is also known as 'Muscles'; Pasquale Capolongo, whose nicknames include 'Mustache Pat' and 'Fish'; and Vincent 'Big Vinny' Terracciano. The massive syndicate - known as the 'East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise' - was formed from a rare pact between the powerful families. Suspects were arrested on charges throughout the East Coast, including New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida, during which agents recovered three handguns, a shotgun, gambling paraphernalia and more than $30,000 in cash. However, an indictment in Manhattan federal court said the crime activities were mostly based in New York. Most of those arrested were from the Genoveses and Lucheses. They include Parrello of the Genovese family and Eugene 'Rooster' Onofrio, the NY Daily News said. Nicholas 'Nicky The Wig' Vuolo (left) and other mobsters were also seen outside Manhattan federal court John 'Johnny Joe' Spirito seemed calm as he walked alongside a friend outside Manhattan Federal Court Vincent 'Vinny' Casablanca (left) of the Bronx, New York, was pictured smoking a cigarette as he left court and Joseph Falco (right)- better known as 'Joe Cub' - of the Bronx, New York, appeared to smirk They and alleged Philadelphia mob boss Merlino 'supervised and controlled members of the enterprise engaged in illegal schemes,' according to the indictment. Those alleged schemes included selling untaxed cigarettes - worth up to $3million - and handguns, as well as healthcare fraud, arson, extortion and assault. The assault occurred outside 'Pasquale's Rigoletto Restaurant' in the Bronx, owned by Parrello, when he told his goons to beat up a panhandler, court papers claim. They said that his men - who allegedly included another indicted man, Israel Torres - first threatened the wrong man, then set about beating the panhandler 'with glass jars, sharp objects and steel-tipped boots, causing bodily harm.' He's also accused of ordering a retaliatory attack on a man who stabbed one of his associates outside a Bronx bar. Parrello cautioned Anthony 'Anthony Boy' Zinzi, who was also indicted, to 'keep the pipes handy and pipe him, pipe him, over here (gesturing to the knees), not on his head,' according to court papers. Busted! Giovanni 'Johnny Cal' Calabrese was not among the 46 names but was nonetheless arrested in Springfield, Mass., and accused of conspiring with men with ties to the Genovese crime family. Vincent Thomas (right) was also charged with racketeering Victoria will introduce laws banning face coverings at protests as authorities warn 'idiots' not to try to disrupt the end of the Moomba festival. The law changes could see rioters facing jail terms of up to 15 years in prison, the Victorian government says. Attorney-General Martin Pakula told the ABC: 'Too often we see at these events people turning up with masks and face coverings to try and hide their identity or to shield themselves from the effects of capsicum spray.' Officers were forced to deploy pepper spray as organised brawls broke out in front of horrified families at the community event He said the legislation hopes to send a message that if you commit violent offences with face coverings on, you'll risk a longer prison sentence. Police made 53 arrests at the festival on Saturday night. Mr Pakula said on Monday: 'There seems to be a small band of idiots who want to chance their arm.' 'All I can say to those people is Victoria Police is ready for you, they demonstrated that on Saturday night, and no doubt they'll demonstrate it again if anyone is stupid enough to try it on,' he said. Moomba descended into violent riots last year as groups of youths battled each other in Melbourne's streets. That incident - and other political protests that turned violent - has prompted the state to propose laws banning face coverings at protests. Among the 53 people arrested were nine for weapons offences and five for riotous behaviour Police seized weapons including knives, scissors, a taser and a knuckle duster Mr Pakula said the laws were meant to be ready earlier, but had been complex to draft. They will give police the power to arrest people with covered faces if they believe the coverings are for avoiding detection or to prevent the use of capsicum spray. Mr Pakula said the laws will be introduced into Parliament next week. Richard Lloyd, 64, was arrested for first degree arson in Port St. Lucie, Florida A Florida man who told police he wanted to 'run the Arabs out of our country' was apparently foiled by mistaken identity, after being arrested in connection with an arson targeting an Indian-owned convenience store. Richard Lloyd, 64, was arrested for first degree arson in Port St. Lucie, Florida on Friday, after allegedly setting a convenience store trash dumpster on fire in an unsuccessful attempt to burn the store down. The confrontation had been brewing for several days, police say, after Lloyd came into the store earlier in the week and got mad because they didn't sell his favorite kind of orange juice. Lloyd told police that he was 'doing his part for America' when he returned to the shop on Friday, which he believed was owned by Muslims, according to WPTV. Scroll down for video Lloyd filled this dumpster with newspapers, lit it on fire, and wheeled it in front of a convenience store he thought was owned by Muslims, cops say. He told police he wanted to 'run the Arabs out of the country' because of 'what they're doing in the Middle East' Security footage allegedly captures Lloyd right after the fire is set. Police say he had an altercation with the store owner several days ago because they didn't have his favorite juice His plan was to set a fire that would 'run the Arabs out of the country' because of 'what they're doing in the Middle East,' police say Lloyd told them. Lloyd piled news papers into a trash dumpster, lit them on fire, and wheeled up to the front door of the convenience store, believing that the alcohol in the beer and wine inside would go up in flames and burn the building to the ground, according to police. He was still on the scene when firefighters arrived to snuff out the dumpster fire, and surrendered peacefully. Police say Lloyd has a history of mental illness, and will be given a mental health assessment. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue hate crime charges. On Saturday morning, Lloyd told a judge that he wanted to represent himself. Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby's looming return from Indonesia has reportedly delayed a court matter involving her sister. Mercedes Corby is fighting the application for an apprehended violence order against her made by police on behalf of former professional surfer Trudy Todd. The two women were friends and opened a bar on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, last year but they fell out soon after, with the apprehended violence order application lodged against Corby. Mercedes Corby (above) has reportedly won a new court date so she an be in Bali for sister Schapelle Schapelle Corby (pictured) is due to leave Bali at the end of May following her drug smuggling conviction On Tuesday, at the Tweed Heads Local Court, in northern New South Wales, magistrate Michael Dakin adjourned the matter to June 2 for a hearing. News Corp Australia reports Corby told the court an original hearing date of May 31 would prove troublesome given she expects to be in Bali around that time for the end of her sister's sentence. Schapelle Corby is expected to be released by Indonesian authorities on or around May 27 on the expiration of a 15-year sentence, including reductions for good behaviour, for smuggling cannabis into the country in 2005. Corby reportedly has four witness statements relating to the AVO application matter, including one by her mother Rosleigh. Schapelle Corby (above) is expected to be released by Indonesian authorities on or around May 27 on the expiration of a 15-year sentence A man who filmed a friend allegedly kicking a quokka into a concrete fence has been fined $3500 after pleading guilty to the ill-treatment of an animal. Corey Douglas James, 21, recorded the alleged attack in the front yard of a Rottnest Island unit in WA, before posting it to Snapchat in February. James was initially charged with cruelty to animals, however it was downgraded in the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday because the quokka's condition could not be determined. Scroll down for video Corey Douglas James, 21, recorded the alleged attack in the front yard of a Rottnest Island unit in WA, before posting it to Snapchat in February (he is pictured outside court) Corey Douglas James, 21, filmed the alleged attack on Rottnest Island, WA (he is pictured outside court) The man James filmed, Harrison Angus McPherson, 19, (pictured) is accused of kicking the quokka into the wall and will front court in May The court heard that James was 'extremely intoxicated' while filming the incident and was 'deeply remorseful' for the act. James' lawyer Nicole Young also told the court that he lost his job as a boilermaker because his employer could not guarantee his safety due to 'intense social criticism' he was receiving. The man James filmed, Harrison Angus McPherson, 19, is accused of kicking the quokka into the wall and will front court in May. Once common across WA, the quokka is now listed as an endangered species and is protected. However, they are still found in abundance on Rottnest Island, and are a major part of its tourist attraction. Once common across Western Australia, the quokka is now listed as an endangered species and is protected Quokka's are still found in abundance on Rottnest Island, and are a major part of its tourist attraction Despite their adorable appearance, this is not the first time someone has been accused of attacking a quokka. Last year a teenager was fined $2,500 for kicking one of the animals two metres into the air. The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in the Fremantle Magistrates Court in December 2015 and was granted a spent conviction, meaning it will disappear from his record after a certain amount of time. Earlier the same year, two French tourists were fined $4,000 for burning a quokka with a lighter and also filmed the incident. The pair spent seven days in jail instead of paying the fine. The White House intruder who entered the president's residence Friday had two cans of mace on him and told Secret Service he was a friend of Donald Trump, authorities have said. Jonathan Tuan-Anh Tran, 26, of Milpitas, California, has been identified as the suspect in the incident and made his first court appearance on Saturday, ABC News reported. Tran will appear in DC court for a second time on Monday, and he has now been pictured in a courtroom sketch. He was deemed a flight risk by a judge, and is accused of entering or remaining in restricted grounds while using or carrying a dangerous weapon. Secret Service previously reported seeing an individual scaling a fence at 11.38pm Friday night while Donald Trump was in the White House. Scroll down for video Jonathan Tuan-Anh Tran, 26, of Milpitas, California, is accused of jumping a fence near the White House Friday night before being stopped near the South Portico (pictured in a Saturday courtroom sketch) The White House intruder who entered the president's residence Friday had two cans of mace on him and told Secret Service he was a friend of Donald Trump, authorities have said In addition to the two cans of mace, one of which was in his jacket pocket, Tran was carrying a US passport, an Apple laptop, a book written by Trump, and a letter to the president, the report states. In the letter, 'Tran mentioned Russian hackers and said he had information of relevance. Tran alleged that he had been followed, and his "phone and email communications (had been) read by third parties," and that he had "been called schizophrenic," ' Secret Service officer Wayne Azevedo said in the complaint. Tran's 19-year-old brother told CNN the suspect had been fired from his job at an electrical engineering company and was 'troubled'. He was living in his car, the sibling added, before calling Tran a 'very good brother'. The suspect was seen 'walking from the east side of the south grounds of the White House Complex,' then 'walking close to the exterior wall of the White House Mansion ... approaching the South Portico Entrance to the White House Mansion,' the arrest affidavit states according to ABC News. Security footage shows Tran jumping a fence near the Treasury Building, which adjoins the White House, the complaint says. Tran at one point can be seen hiding 'behind a White House pillar before proceeding to the South Portico Entrance,' according to the document. The suspect then saw a Secret Service officer in uniform and went towards the South Lawn, the affidavit reads. That is when the officer stopped him, after which Tran said: 'I am a friend of the President. I have an appointment,' the complaint states. When asked how he managed to get here, Tran replied: 'I jumped the fence,' authorities said. Tran was seen walking from the south grounds of the White House, then jumping a fence and approaching the South Portico entrance, according to the arrest affidavit President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the incident and has since commended the Secret Service for its 'fantastic job' President Trump on Saturday commended the Secret Service for its 'fantastic job'. 'It was a troubled person,' he said about the intruder, whom authorities later identified as Tran. 'It was very sad.' White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters the agents did a 'phenomenal job' protecting the first family and said 'the president was very appreciative of their efforts.' The White House was put under a code 'orange' which is the highest levels of security for the Secret Service, the network reported. Agents previously said the president was not in danger, and the Secret Service initially reported that the backpack didn't contain anything dangerous. 'Nothing of concern to security operations was found,' the Secret Service said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was briefed on the incident, according to White House press secretary Sean Spicer. In 2015, a man named Joseph Caputo was arrested after jumping over a White House fence while the Obamas were celebrating Thanksgiving. The White House also faced a security breach in 2014 when a man named Omar Gonzalez, 42, jumped a fence and ran through the North Portico doors with a folding knife. Australian mother Sara Connor was sentenced to four years jail for killing a Bali police officer on Kuta Beach last year. Wayan Sudarsa's body was found face down with dozens of wounds across his face, upper body and neck in the early hours of the morning last August. Her British DJ boyfriend David Taylor was earlier on Monday sentenced to six years jail for beating him to death by the panel of three judges in Denpasar District Court. Australian mother Sara Connor (R) was found guilty for killing a Bali police officer on Kuta Beach last year Connor closed her eyes and covered her mouth as she heard the verdict and sentence handed down She was found guilty of fatal assualt in company as the victim didn't die directly of his wounds but from a brain haemorrhage caused by them not being treated They were found guilty of fatal assualt in company as Mr Wayan didn't die directly of his wounds but from a brain haemorrhage caused by them not being treated. The judges said the Byron Bay woman sat on the officer's back not to break up the fight but to stop him from fighting back - leaving him defencesless to Taylor's blows. 'The defendants action was not intended to separate [them] but to help David Taylor so that the victim could not fight back,' they said. They also found she cut up Mr Wayan's ID cards not to protect his identity and stop them from being stolen, but because she panicked and felt guilty. The Australian woman earlier arrived in court to hear her fate and that of Taylor's, with her family, including brother David, in the audience. The judges said the Byron Bay woman sat on the officer's back not to break up the fight but to stop him from fighting back - leaving him defencesless to Taylor's blows Connor and her translator Chandra Katharina (L) listen as the judges read their verdict Her British DJ boyfriend David Taylor was earlier sentenced to six years jail for the same crime The judges said all elements of the charge of group violence were proven, and his actions had caused great anguish to Mr Wayan's family Taylor smiled and embraced his parents John and Janet (pictured) on the way out of court Taylor will now begin his sentence as Connor awaits her own verdict in court The judges said all elements of the charge of group violence were proven, and his actions had caused great anguish to Mr Wayan's family. Taylor was found guilty of group assault causing death as Mr Wayan didn't die directly of his wounds but from a brain haemorrhage caused by them not being treated. They took into account his lack of previous convictions and apology to Wyan's family when sentencing. He will spend another 5.5 years behind bars after time served. Taylor simply said 'I accept the charge, thank you,' before shaking hands with his lawyers and embracing his parents John and Janet on the way out of court. Australian Sara Connor arrives at court for the expected verdict in her trial over the death of a police officer at the Denpasar District Court in Bali She and her British DJ boyfriend David Taylor are charged with murdering a Bali police officer last August Mr Taylor said he was 'content' with the sentenced and gave condonences to Mr Wayan's family, but believed his son took action because he feared for his life. Prosecutors, who asked for but he and Connor to get eight years jail, have seven days to appeal the sentence now Taylor has accepted it. Mr Wayan's widow Ketut Arsini said only 'what can I say?' when she heard of the sentence. She was disappointed he was not convicted of murder. Connor has maintained she did nothing during the fatal fight but try to separate Mr Sudarsa and Taylor. But prosecutors have called on the Byron Bay mother-of-two to receive the same eight-year sentence for the charge of fatal assault in company. Connor said the 'nightmare' was supposed to be a relaxing holiday. She had touched down in Denpasar airport, and met up with Taylor to have drinks before going to Kuta Beach and cuddling at the water's edge. They will hear their verdict on Monday in the Denpasar District Court Three judges are expected to hand down their decision as to the pair's guilt and what, if any, time they should serve Sara Connor and British boyfriend David Taylor are pictured after her trial at Denpasar Court in Bali in January Taylor entered court earlier in the day before Connor as his verdict was first Connor and Taylor embrace during a re-enactment of the events leading up to Wayan Sudarsa's death Taylor, a British DJ, re-enacts a scene on Kuta Beach as a police officer poses as the alleged murder victim Connor holds a walkie talkie as she re-enacts the events leading up to the police officer's death Connor is escorted by an officer to testify at Taylor's trial at Denpasar Court in Bali Connor noticed she had lost her purse, and a suspicious Taylor confronted the police officer and began frisking him. The situation violently escalated. Connor says she was bitten by Mr Sudarsa when trying to separate the pair, and ran away, ending her involvement. Taylor, 'in fear of his life', struck Mr Sudarsa over the head with a beer bottle. The Byron Bay mother is pictured kissing Taylor outside Denpasar Police Station after a re-enactment of the scene on Kuta Beach Connor is led to a court room for her first trial at Denpasar Court in November Police officer Wayan Sudarsa was found dead face down and covered in sand on Kuta Beach in the early hours of the morning last August When Mr Sudarsa was motionless, Taylor took the officer's identification cards. He later told Connor the police officer was 'passed out' on the beach. They had no idea, they say, of the seriousness of Mr Sudarsa's injuries. Dr Dudut Rustyadi, who performed the autopsy on Mr Sudarsa, told their trials it would have taken him at least two hours to die and had someone intervened he might have been saved. The couple are escorted by police officers to Kerobokan Prison in Denpasar The Byron Bay mother is pictured arriving for her trial in March Instead, Connor and Taylor returned to their hotel, cut up Mr Sudarsa's cards and left for nearby Jimbaran later that morning. Two days later, Connor turned on her mobile phone and learnt of his death. Connor maintains her innocence, but admits she made a mistake. 'I let David burn the clothes (they wore on the night of Mr Sudarsa's death) because I was confused and in shock and I apologise for that.' Taylor is pictured being arrested by police in Bali after the officer's death last August Connor sits in a court room accompanied by a translator at Denpasar Court in November 'How different my life would be now if my bag was never stolen (on Kuta Beach) and the taxi driver had taken me to the police station that night,' Connor told her trial this month. Connor's lawyers insist she is not guilty of fatal assault and should have been charged with destroying evidence. Because prosecutors didn't use this offence, they argue she should be released immediately. Meanwhile, Taylor's legal team say he acted in self-defence, is young, has shown remorse and has good chances of rehabilitation. Police believe that a missing Queensland man may have been murdered as homicide detectives join the search. CCTV footage has been released of childcare worker Samuel Thompson's last sighting at 9.30am on Tuesday to trigger new leads in their search, according to 9news.com.au The 22-year-old has not been seen since Tuesday morning as friends and family have failed in attempts to contact Mr Thompson through social media or on his mobile phone. Scroll down for video Samuel Thompson, 22, has not been seen since Tuesday morning and his friends and family have been unable to reach him through social media or on his mobile phone The new CCTV footage clearly shows Mr Thompson leaving alone, as he walks along the hall and waits for the elevator. Further footage released shows his distinctive Ford Mustang leaving the car park of his apartment block before further sightings of the vehicle in Deep Water Bend Reserve Car Park on Tuesday at 1pm and at Wooyung NSW on Wednesday about 7.30pm. Officers hope that the released footage may prompt anyone with any information about his whereabouts to come forward. Mr Thompson can clearly be seen exiting his apartment on Tuesday morning Mr Thompson makes his way to his car wearing sunglasses and a hat in his final citing before disappearing He drives off in his Ford Mustang before it is found abandoned near Byron Bay His dog was found unattended in home in Albion, a Brisbane suburb on Thursday. It had been abandoned in the apartment for two days - something that added to investigators' 'suspicion' Mr Thompson's orange Ford Mustang car (pictured) was discovered unlocked near Byron Bay, NSW on Thursday and his dog was left unattended in his apartment Search crews were spotted near Deep Water Bend, in the northern Brisbane suburb of Bald Hills, on Saturday afternoon 'The circumstances of Sam's disappearance are quite concerning in that he's just vanished off the face of the earth,' Detective Tim Trezise said on Monday. Search crews were spotted near Deep Water Bend, in the northern Brisbane suburb of Bald Hills, on Saturday afternoon. Mr Thompson had been spotted there before his car was found in Byron Bay, police said. His dog was found unattended at his home in Albion, a Brisbane suburb on Thursday. It had been abandoned in the apartment for two days - something that added to investigators' 'suspicion,' the police spokesperson said. Mr Thompson's orange Ford Mustang car was discovered unlocked near Byron Bay, NSW on Thursday. That location, as well as other spots around Brisbane, were considered possible search areas, police said. He is described as Caucasian, 180cm tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with any information about Mr Thompson's movements or that of his car are urged to come forward to the police. British DJ David Taylor has today been jailed for six years after being found guilty of beating a Bali policeman to death. The 34-year-old, from Stoke Newington, London, was arrested with Australian girlfriend Sara Connor two days after Wayan Sudarsa's body was found near the Pullman Hotel in Kuta. Taylor, who has always maintained he was acting in self defence, has been found guilty of hitting the 53-year-old with a bottle. Three Denpasar Court judges will next hand down their decision as to 46-year-old Connor's guilt and what, if any, time she should serve. Connor has always claimed she only tried to separate the two men as they fought. The bloodied body of Sudarsa was found on the beach with dozens of wounds across his face, upper body and neck in the early hours of the morning last August. Sara Connor's British DJ boyfriend David Taylor was sentenced to six years jail for beating a Bali police officer to death on Kuta Beach last year The judges said all elements of the charge of group violence were proven, and his actions had caused great anguish to Mr Wayan's family Taylor will now begin his six-year sentence as Connor awaits her own verdict in court Judges said all elements of the charge of group violence were proven, and Taylor's actions had caused great anguish to Mr Wayan's family. They took into account his lack of previous convictions and apology to Wyan's family when sentencing. He will spend another 5.5 years behind bars after time served. Taylor simply said 'I accept the charge, thank you,' before shaking hands with his lawyers and embracing his parents on the way out of court. Prosecutors have seven days to appeal the sentence now Taylor has accepted it. Australian Sara Connor arrives at court for the expected verdict in her trial over the death of a police officer at the Denpasar District Court in Bali She and her British DJ boyfriend David Taylor are charged with killing a Bali police officer last August Connor has maintained she did nothing during the fatal fight but try to separate Mr Sudarsa and Taylor. But prosecutors have called on the Byron Bay mother-of-two to receive the same eight-year sentence for the charge of fatal assault in company. Connor said the 'nightmare' was supposed to be a relaxing holiday. She had touched down in Denpasar airport, and met up with Taylor to have drinks before going to Kuta Beach and cuddling at the water's edge. They will hear their verdict on Monday in the Denpasar District Court Three judges are expected to hand down their decision as to the pair's guilt and what, if any, time they should serve Sara Connor and British boyfriend David Taylor are pictured after her trial at Denpasar Court in Bali in January Connor and Taylor embrace during a re-enactment of the events leading up to Wayan Sudarsa's death Taylor, a British DJ, re-enacts a scene on Kuta Beach as a police officer poses as the alleged victim Connor holds a walkie talkie as she re-enacts the events leading up to the police officer's death Connor is escorted by an officer to testify at Taylor's trial at Denpasar Court in Bali Connor noticed she had lost her purse, and a suspicious Taylor confronted the police officer and began frisking him. The situation violently escalated. Connor says she was bitten by Mr Sudarsa when trying to separate the pair, and ran away, ending her involvement. Taylor, 'in fear of his life', struck Mr Sudarsa over the head with a beer bottle. The Byron Bay mother is pictured kissing Taylor outside Denpasar Police Station after a re-enactment of the scene on Kuta Beach Connor is led to a court room for her first trial at Denpasar Court in November Police officer Wayan Sudarsa was found dead face down and covered in sand on Kuta Beach in the early hours of the morning last August When Mr Sudarsa was motionless, Taylor took the officer's identification cards. He later told Connor the police officer was 'passed out' on the beach. They had no idea, they say, of the seriousness of Mr Sudarsa's injuries. Dr Dudut Rustyadi, who performed the autopsy on Mr Sudarsa, told their trials it would have taken him at least two hours to die and had someone intervened he might have been saved. The couple are escorted by police officers to Kerobokan Prison in Denpasar The Byron Bay mother is pictured arriving for her trial in March Instead, Connor and Taylor returned to their hotel, cut up Mr Sudarsa's cards and left for nearby Jimbaran later that morning. Two days later, Connor turned on her mobile phone and learnt of his death. Connor maintains her innocence, but admits she made a mistake. 'I let David burn the clothes (they wore on the night of Mr Sudarsa's death) because I was confused and in shock and I apologise for that.' Taylor is pictured being arrested by police in Bali after the officer's death last August Connor sits in a court room accompanied by a translator at Denpasar Court in November 'How different my life would be now if my bag was never stolen (on Kuta Beach) and the taxi driver had taken me to the police station that night,' Connor told her trial this month. Connor's lawyers insist she is not guilty of fatal assault and should have been charged with destroying evidence. Because prosecutors didn't use this offence, they argue she should be released immediately. Meanwhile, Taylor's legal team say he acted in self-defence, is young, has shown remorse and has good chances of rehabilitation. home US Wyoming governor approves state's first pro-life bills in 28 years Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has signed into law two pro-life bills that are said to be the state's first restrictions on abortions in one generation. On Thursday, Mead signed House Bill 182, which requires the physician to offer pregnant women the chance to see an ultrasound of the unborn child before the procedure. He also signed House Bill 116, which makes it illegal to sell, transfer or distribute aborted baby parts for the purpose of experimentation. The state's last abortion law, which required minors who want to terminate their pregnancy seek parental permission, was signed in 1989. The new ultrasound law would also require physicians to ask women if they want to hear the unborn baby's heartbeat, according to Casper Star Tribune. A provision requiring the doctor to obtain a signed confidential statement from the pregnant woman that she was offered the ultrasound has been removed. The ultrasound law also carries an exception for abortions performed in cases of medical emergency. Wyoming lawmakers have tried to pass similar ultrasound bills back in 2009 and 2011, but they failed. According to a survey by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, 78 percent of abortion-minded or abortion-vulnerable women changed their views after seeing an ultrasound image of their unborn baby. Around 83 percent of women also stated that the ultrasound had a positive impact on their decision to continue with their pregnancy. Mead did not offer any comments before he signed the bills, but he received thanks from pro-life supporters who attended the signing ceremony, according to The Associated Press. Life Site News reported that students who lobbied for the legislations stood behind Mead as he affixed his signature to the bills. "March 9th, 2017 will be remembered as a landmark day for the Wyoming pro-life movement," Bethany Janzen, Students for Life of America's Rocky Mountain regional coordinator, wrote in a blog post. She noted that pro-life students and families, including the Cheyenne homeschool community, attended the committee meetings to testify in favor of the legislation. Deacon Vernon Dobelmann, director of pastoral ministries for the Diocese of Cheyenne, also hailed the signing of the two pro-life laws, which goes into effect on July 1. "After many years of work, prayer, and witness, it is good to finally see some incremental steps toward preserving the sanctity of human life," he told Life Site News. Karin Ward, 58, unmasked Jimmy Savile as a serial paedophile and rapist The BBC has been forced to pay out money to a sex abuse victim it 'betrayed' by screening clips in which she claimed Freddie Starr had groped her. Karin Ward was one of the first to publicly unmask Jimmy Savile as a serial paedophile and rapist a scandal which sparked the biggest crisis in the BBC's history. The 58-year-old says she was persuaded by Newsnight to reveal her story and told any legal fees would be covered if she was sued. However Panorama showed clips of Ms Ward claiming Starr also 'preyed on her' - despite assurances the comic would not be named. Starr sued her for libel in 2015 and while he lost, he refused to pay her 952,400 legal costs. Ms Ward, from Oswestry in Shropshire, subsequently sued the corporation for 1million claiming it betrayed her, according to The Sun. Ms Ward's lawyer told the High Court court BBC bosses had left her to 'twist in the wind'. Ms Ward was sued by Starr over comments she gave to BBC Newsnight in 2011 for a story which was controversially spiked by the broadcaster. The BBC instead broadcast Christmas tributes to the deceased DJ. But her interview was later used by Panorama. Comic Freddie Starr (left) sued Ms Ward for libel in 2015 and while he lost, he refused to pay her 952,400 legal costs. She revealed how she was forced to perform sex acts on the Jim'll Fix It star (right) in the back of his Rolls-Royce Ms Ward, from Oswestry in Shropshire, sued the corporation, claiming it 'betrayed' her Ms Ward and the BBC have now settled the dispute for an undisclosed figure. A spokesman for the BBC said: 'The BBC has agreed to make a contribution to Ms Ward's legal costs. 'The BBC and Ms Ward are pleased that this matter has been resolved.' The mother of seven told how she was forced to perform sex acts on the Jim'll Fix It star in the back of his Rolls-Royce, and saw Gary Glitter having sex with an underage girl in Savile's BBC dressing room, during the filming of his show Clunk Click. She also said she was 'groped' by Freddie Starr when she was just 15. Mr Starr was cleared after an 18-month investigation but lost a libel case against Miss Ward in 2015. Ms Ward claims she was persuaded by Newsnight to reveal her story and told any legal fees would be covered if she was sued. The comedian had faced financial ruin after losing a High Court court case against Ms Ward. Starr claimed he had lost 300,000 in earnings as a result of the allegations. However, Mr Justice Nicol ruled that Miss Ward was telling the truth and dismissed the case in July 2015. Instead of paying 952,400 to cover her legal fees and court costs as he was ordered to by the judge, Starr liquidated his assets and left the country, buying a flat on the Costa del Sol. Pedro Aguilar, 47, was killed by a carjacker in northern Houston on Saturday A carjacker has shot a man dead in front of his wife and ten-year-old daughter after exploding into a furious rage when he discovered their vehicle was a manual, not an automatic. Pedro Aguilar, 47, was killed after pulling up outside his family's apartment in northern Houston, Texas, at about 11pm on Saturday, police said. Mr Aguilar's wife, Ana, and child had got out of the car and were helping him park it when a sedan pulled up with at least two young men inside. The men held the father at gunpoint and told him to get out, with one of the men pistol whipping their victim because he was taking too long, police told 9 News. The two men eventually clambered into the vehicle, but became enraged when they realised that the car had a manual transmission, the police source said. One of the men shot Mr Aguilar in the chest and he died at the scene, in front of his horrified family. Officers are now hunting down two men, described as being in their late teens or early 20s, who fled the scene in the silver or white four-door vehicle they arrived in. One of the two carjackers shot Mr Aguilar in the chest and he died at the scene, in front of his horrified family. Pictured, the crime scene Mr Aguilar's son, Kevin, paid tribute to his father, who was a mechanic. 'The best person, my inspiration, my everything,' he told Click 2 Houston. 'He always was happy. He would say, "I want the best for you." It's difficult.' Turkey has threatened to 're-evalute' a landmark deal with the European Union, in a move that could see Europe flooded with migrants. A Turkish government minister said today that the country 'should re-evaluate' a landmark deal with the EU to curb the flow of migrants in response to an escalating crisis with the Netherlands, which barred Turkish ministers from holding rallies. 'Turkey should re-evaluate the issue of land crossings' under the March 18, 2016 migrant deal with the EU, Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik was quoted as saying by the state-run news agency Anadolu. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan previously labelled Holland a fascist nation and said the country will pay for blocking election rallies in Rotterdam and the ensuing riots. Ugly scenes erupted in the city as dogs were unleashed on Turkish nationals amid protests over two ministers being blocked from entering the Netherlands Erdogan repeated hugely controversial accusations that the Netherlands - occupied by Germany in the Second World War - was behaving like a fascist Nazi state and in its treatment of his officials. The comments have provoked anger from Dutch politicians, and leader of the Freedom Party Geert Wilders demanded 400,000 Turkish nationals be stripped of their citizenship in Holland. A Dutch riot policeman tries to get his dog to let go of a man after riots broke out during a pro Erdogan demonstration at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands Screaming men face off with Dutch riot police outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam A man prepares to launch a metal railing as demonstrators and riot police clash in Rotterdam Mr Erdogan addresses his supporters in Istanbul after the Dutch government withdrew landing permission for the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's aircraft A line of riot police advance towards demonstrators as violent clashes erupted in the Netherlands Dutch riot police battle pro Erdogan demonstrators after riots broke out at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam Dutch riot police used powerful water cannons on protesters as violent clashes intensified As the race row heightened ahead of Turkey's referendum, Wilders hit out at the the country's nationals living in Holland, according toThe Times. Analysts are predicting a tight outcome to the April 16 referendum on a new constitution and Turkish ministers have planned major rallies in key EU cities to win votes from millions of Turks residing abroad. But Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled after being prevented from addressing a rally in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. Also this weekend, The Hague refused to allow Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane to land ahead of a planned rally. Violent clashes between protesters and Dutch riot police officers turned ugly quickly as 1,000 people turned up to voice their disapproval of the ministers' access to the country being blocked. Some men were seen throwing stones, others were seen kicking police officers who had fallen to the ground and metal railings were also hurled in the riots. In reaction, police used powerful water cannons in an attempt to control the crowds. 'Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price,' an angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, referring to the March 15 election in Turkey's NATO ally. 'They will learn what diplomacy is,' he said, adding that what happened 'cannot remain unanswered'. 'If you let horses, dogs on my citizens you have to be held to account,' he said, referring to dogs, horses and water cannons used by Dutch police to disperse pro-Erdogan demonstrators after clashes in Rotterdam early Sunday. If you let horses, dogs on my citizens you have to be held to account Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan But Dutch Prime Prime Minister Mark Rutte ruled out apologising, and said: 'There's absolutely no way excuses can be made, they should make excuses for what they've done yesterday.' Erdogan repeated his accusations that the Dutch response to the Turkish visits was 'Nazism, fascism'. Speaking at a rally in the French city of Metz - which was allowed to go ahead - Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the 'capital of fascism'. The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin while Germany has 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey - the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. A well-dressed man in a suit cowers as a man in dark clothing kicks a riot police officer on the ground A man in a suit and a riot police officer come together as another officer falls to the ground Faced with an upsurge in support for the far-right, European governments have come under pressure to take a hard line on Erdogan, who is accused by critics of seeking one-man rule in the constitutional changes. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to delay a planned March visit because of the 'tensions'. Police clashed with pro-Erdogan demonstrators in the Netherlands overnight while in Istanbul on Sunday a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replaced the Dutch flag with a Turkish flag. A Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman said the Netherlands had 'protested to the Turkish authorities' over the incident. The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday he was against Turkish ministers holding political rallies in Germany. 'A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany,' he told public broadcaster ARD. Separately, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he hoped Turkey 'would return to its senses'. Berlin has also emerged as a strident critic over Ankara's crackdown following an attempted coup, which has seen more than 100,000 people arrested or dismissed from their posts over alleged links to the plotters or to Kurdish militants. 'The West has clearly shown its true face in the last couple of days,' Erdogan said. 'What we have seen is a clear manifestation of Islamophobia,' he added. The president indicated that he himself plans to travel to Europe for rallies, a move that could potentially create an even greater row. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks about the Dutch being 'Nazi remnants' were made at a rally in Istanbul, as he currently hopes to secure a 'Yes' vote in a referendum over whether he be granted increased powers A demonstrator aims a boot at a Dutch riot police officer who has fallen to the ground A demonstrator with his arms behind his back screams as he is surrounded by three policemen demonstrator throws a stone during clashes with riot police in the streets near the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam Turkish residents of the Netherlands gather for a protest in Rotterdam on March 11, 2017 Turkey's family affairs minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, also blocked by Dutch police from entering the consulate Turkish family affairs minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya (pictured), was also denied entry into Holland, according to reports Turkey's family affairs minister says Dutch authorities escorted her to the border with Germany in a manner that 'tramples on all democratic and human values.' Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya said through her twitter account that she was being taken to the town of Nijmegen, near the border with Germany, adding that she condemned the Dutch authorities' action in 'the name of all of our citizens.' Kaya wrote: 'The whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted.' As demonstrations in Rotterdam grew, police moved in to disperse protestors using water cannon and horses to break up protests. After several hours of a calm, but tense demonstration involving more than 1,000 people outside the Turkish consulate, police were seen - some carrying out mounted charges on horseback - beginning to forcefully disperse the protestors. The port city's mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told reporters police had moved in to try to break up 'a few groups', but that the situation in the city centre was stabilising as police 'try to get everyone to return home.' But after initially dispersing, the crowd began to gather in smaller groups again, with the police once again moving in, a source said. Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had crossed into Holland several hours earlier aiming to attend a rally in support of the Turkish government's planned April referendum, despite angry Dutch pleas to Ankara to keep its ministers away. Earlier Dutch authorities had also refused Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu permission to land in the city for a rally to gather support for a referendum on boosting the presidential powers. Advertisement The vote on whether Mr Erdogan should be given more power (his supporters are pictured here) is a potentially divisive issue in Turkey, and Rotterdam authorities said on Friday they was banning the rally The nation will go to the polls on April 16 to decide whether the president's powers should be increased Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the opening ceremony of the Bagcilar district subway station in Istanbul Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks were made at a rally in Istanbul, as he currently hopes to secure a 'Yes' vote in a referendum over whether he be granted greater powers. He is targeting expat voters in European countries with high Turkish populations, such as the Netherlands and Germany. Mr Erdogan told the crowd back in Turkey earlier in the day: 'You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on,' Mr Erdogan told booing crowds. 'They do not know politics or international diplomacythese Nazi remnants, they are fascists.' Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (left) believes he should be able to fly 'wherever I want'. Dutch prime minister. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte (right) said Turkey was not respecting the rules relating to public gatherings A spokesman for the Dutch government said: 'Many Dutch people with a Turkish background are authorised to vote in the referendum over the Turkish constitution,' 'These gatherings are not allowed to contribute to tensions in our society and everyone who wants to hold a gathering is obliged to follow instructions of those in authority, so that public order and safety can be guaranteed.' the spokesman added Demonstrators took to the consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands to wave flags and protest Members of the police stand in line during a gathering of several hundred demonstrators waving Turkish flags outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam The protesters were demanding to see the Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya who was barred by police and escorted to the German border Earlier in the day, Dutch government denied landing rights to Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu who planned a speech at the consul's residence in Rotterdam State-run television said some protesters hurled eggs toward the Dutch embassy but were warned to keep the protest peaceful Police sealed off the entrance to Holland Street, where the embassy is located. Around 500 people were seen waving Turkish and Ottoman flags near the embassy building Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said that while the Netherlands and Turkey could search for 'an acceptable solution', Turkey was not respecting the rules relating to public gatherings. A spokesman for the Dutch government added: 'Many Dutch people with a Turkish background are authorised to vote in the referendum over the Turkish constitution,' it said. 'The Dutch government does not have any opposition to gatherings in our country to inform them about it. The nation's favourite saucy search terms have been unearthed on Google with surprising results across the country. According to the internet giant, the most searched for term in Brentford, west London, is spanking while orgies are what people in Luton have looked up most. Those in Edinburgh appear to take a more intellectual approach to sex judging by the most common search term there - the Kama Sutra - but people in Glasgow spend more time looking for 'd*** pics'. The UK's favourite saucy search terms have been revealed across the country thanks to Google Trends According to the Sun, the results show that Bradford may be the most innocent place in the UK considering the most frequently searched term was 'how to have sex'. Meanwhile southern England was far more risque with those in Southampton looking up BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) and others in nearby Bournemouth looking up threesomes. Kim Kardashian is a popular figure in Leicester according to the results, given that the most searched term there was her sex tape, while Liverpool could be described as the UK's 'porn' capital after it topped the search list in the Merseyside city. The people of Watford appeared to be divided as their most popular term was split between swinging and sex toys, while 'dogging' was the most popular search in Milton Keynes. Other fetishes such as Latex and amateur action were most searched for in Kennington and York, respectively. Kim Kardashian's (left) 'sex tape' is the most popular search term in Leicester while Tinder was most searched for in Aberdeen Big Beautiful Women (BBW) appear to be the most popular fetish in Wolverhampton judging by the Google results, while dating app Tinder was most searched for in Aberdeen. And the most health conscious part of the UK appears to be Nazeing in Essex where 'sexually transmitted infection' was searched for most. The results are based on the proportion of searches per area for specific words and not on total number of searches. It comes after previous research into the sex habits of Britons revealed fetishes including cross dressing and leather were becoming more popular. Bondage equipment was searched for by people in Southampton, with BDSM the most searched for term Channel 4's The Great British Sex Survey declared that the rise of the internet and erotic novels like 50 Shades Of Grey have led to more couples experimenting in the bedroom. But the revelation of the UK's top 10 sexual fetishes including cross dressing, humiliation and a love of materials like leather was too much for some, with one woman tweeting about the awkwardness of threesomes being discussed while her father was in the room. Channel 4 commissioned the survey conducted by YouGov in which 2,073 UK adults were quizzed on their sexual pleasures. MailOnline has approached Google for comment. Saudi Arabia's royal court said Monday the kingdom's second-in-line to the throne will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November's presidential election. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 31, who is also defense minister and King Salman's son, is scheduled to start his Washington visit on Thursday. He departs for the United States on Monday. The royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of U.S. officials to discuss 'the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest.' Meeting: Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to meet President Trump at the White House this week, his country's court said The prince is spearheading the kingdom's economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in U.S. technology firms. No details were given on when he would meet Trump. He would be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. There was no confirmation from the White House regarding the visit. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include discussion on global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years. Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and biggest buyer of American-made arms, is also part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. On tour: Saudi's King Salman is on a month-long Asian swing, where he landed with hie entourage on his personal Boeing 747, descending by golden elevator Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticized by Trump. Obama had also openly criticized Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Iran's reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners. A Hasidic Jewish couple from New York has opened up about their open marriage that they've kept secret from everyone in their community for fear of being exiled. James and Monica, two 30-somethings living in Williamsburg, have used the dating app Tinder to pursue kinky sex and extramarital affairs since 2014. The couple, who are part of a strict Orthodox community in north Brooklyn and have changed their names to hide their identities, 'look the part, but don't follow the rules', says Monica. They use separate and joint Tinder accounts to search for individual encounters and threesomes, swiping through other users aged 25 to 40 for 'casual fun' as well as 'emotional connections'. Adultery is illegal under Jewish law, and offenders are banished from their communities, so James and Monica have to be very careful with their extramarital adventures. James and Monica, who are part of a strict Orthodox community in north Brooklyn, have used the dating app Tinder to pursue kinky sex and extramarital affairs since 2014 By day, they wear the traditional clothing associated with Hasidic communities - James in a black overcoat and Monica in a floor-length skirt and wig - and look after their brood of children ranging in age from three to 18 years old. But at night, the pair shed their conservative garments and go for more casual looks, appearing like any other young trendy couple in Williamsburg. In Tinder profiles seen by The New York Post, the couple call themselves 'Hasidic' at the top of their profiles, but reveal a much kinkier side in their photos and bio. Photos include one of a shirtless James, his head cut out of the photo, and of Monica in a wig and bra, with her eyes obscured by a black bar. 'Looking for multicultural experience. Due to our situation, we don't have the liberty to expose ourselves on here,' their joint profile says. The profile explains James's interest in 'role play', while Monica says she's 'pansexual through humor, warm and professional'. James calls himself 100 per cent straight, while Monica is '70 per cent into men, 30 into women', her husband says. When the couple find a match on Tinder, they usually open with 'Hi beautiful', before starting a conversation and sharing their phone number. They often grab dinner with a potential suitor before moving into anything sexual. 'Sometimes we're both interested in someone, or sometimes just one of us is,' Monica told the Post. Their extramarital rendezvous started about ten years ago, when James started flirting with a non-Jewish waitress who worked at a restaurant he did business with. Adultery is illegal under Jewish law, and offenders are banished from their communities (file photo of a Hasidic couple) When he told Monica about his flirting, she was surprisingly 'excited by it', and it turned her on knowing another woman wanted her husband. It was then that they realized both of them craved relationships and sexual experiences outside their own marriage. The couple met through a family matchmaker just once before they wed - Monica was 18 and James was 20, and both of them were virgins. Despite not having 'butterflies-in-your-stomach love', they developed chemistry in bed, and have since encouraged each other to look for love affairs elsewhere. Their double life, however, comes at a cost. Like all other families in their community, James and Monica observe the Sabbath, take their children to temple and yeshiva and only speak Yiddish in their house and around other community members. The couple keep kosher and they pray and sing the Torah before meals. They hide their modern clothes from their children and have no social media accounts apart from their Tinder accounts. They even have a separate phone for Tinder, telling everyone that they have it for work purposes. And when they do have sexual rendezvous, they always use condoms, something that is illicit among Hasidim. They stay in their conservative community simply because they don't want to lose their family. 'We would be shunned forever,' Monica said. Connor Allen-Howe, 21, from Colchester in Essex, used Skype to make contact with boys A youth politician posed as a teenage girl on Skype to groom underage boys to carry out sex acts on a dog and encouraged one to drink his own urine. Connor Allen-Howe, 21, from Colchester in Essex, used Skype to make contact with boys aged between 12 and 17 before secretly recording videos and taking photos of the children. He told them that his webcam and microphone had broken so they wouldn't know they were chatting to a man, rather than a teenage girl. Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Allen-Howe's sick acts were first uncovered when one of the boys, who lived in Colorado, USA, reported the conversations over Skype to his parents, who then went to their local police department. Eventually, five separate Skype accounts linked to Allen-Howe were uncovered and traced back to Halstead, Essex, where he was arrested and interviewed by police. Officers also seized his laptop and mobile phone where they found an 'archive' of illicit material, showing many of his 22 victims either naked or performing sex acts on themselves. Mr Rose honed in on some of the most harrowing instances, which included the defendant urging one of the boys to sexually assault his own dog. The boy, just 13 at the time, was asked to drink his own urine and perform a sex act on a dog, which he then did. Four videos were sent to Allen-Howe, two of which showed the abuse of the dog. In another instance, the vile paedophile, who represented Halstead Youth Council, urged a different 13-year-old boy to touch his sleeping sister and 'try to take her pyjama bottoms off'. A third boy was asked to penetrate himself with a toothbrush. Prosecutor Stephen Rose said: 'The over-arching point here is that we say there is a course of conduct in which the defendant would encourage boys and young men to strip naked on camera, and in many cases, go on to perform depraved sexual acts. 'At the heart of what was going on was a fundamental deception that the victims did not realise they were speaking to Connor Allen-Howe, a 17 or 18-year-old male, rather than the younger female they thought they were speaking to. 'In many of the instances, these young victims have been left with a deep sense of shame and embarrassment about what had occurred.' Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Allen-Howe's sick acts were first uncovered when one of the boys, who lived in Colorado, USA, reported the conversations over Skype to his parents Allen-Howe admitted 21 counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, eight counts of causing or inciting child pornography and two counts of making indecent images of children. Judge Emma Peters adjourned the case until March 23, for a psychiatric report and pre-sentence report to be completed. But she warned the defendant that the most likely outcome was an immediate prison sentence. Allen-Howe was released on bail until he is sentenced later this month. Gavin Cox and his wife, Minh, are seeking punitive damages from Copperfield and MGM in Las Vegas for alleged negligence A lawyer acting for a British tourist who is suing David Copperfield over a bungled vanishing trick has threatened to expose the magician's secrets when the case comes to court. London-born chef Gavin Cox, 57, said he suffered brain damage when the stunt went horribly wrong and his lawyer has said he will lift the lid on Copperfield's methods at trial. Cox's lawyer, Benedict Morelli, said: 'I'm going to have a good time questioning Mr Copperfield, because he may try, but I'm not going into any box.' 'I do believe that certain secrets are going to come out,' he added. Cox had to gone to see the world-famous magician at the MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for his 53rd birthday in 2013, along with his wife Minh. He was thrilled when he was picked from the audience to take part in an illusion in which 13 fans 'vanish' from inside a suspended cage on stage - only to 'miraculously' reappear moments later at the back of the theater. But according to Mr Cox, a chef who once cooked for the Queen Mother, the trick went wrong when he slipped and fell in a dimly lit area, leaving him permanently brain damaged. He has made a legal claim for millions of dollars against the magician and the hotel. He told the New York Post: 'People were saying to him, "Mr Copperfield, this man's been hurt". 'And Mr Copperfield looked at me and smirked. He just walked away. He never showed any concern for me.' In an interview with the Mail on Sunday last year, he said: 'Seeing David Copperfield was the highlight of a dream trip to celebrate my 53rd birthday. Instead it turned into a nightmare. My health has been wrecked, and I've lost my business and my life savings.' David Copperfield with his wife, designer Chloe Gosselin at an event in Beverly Hills, California. Copperfield is one of the biggest names in magic Mr Cox, who worked for years as a chef at London's Buck's Club, can't even bake a muffin now because he has nerve damage in his hands and no sense of smell. Having had multiple operations on his back and neck, he has been diagnosed with permanent brain damage and a form of Parkinson's. Mr Cox, who has not worked since the accident, said: 'It's turned my life upside-down. I have pretty much constant pain, and my difficulty is my short-term memory. 'I have a ventilator,' Mr Cox added. 'Otherwise, I stop breathing at night.' David Copperfield performs a trick involving inflatable balls to the crowd but few realise the audience participants have to run through a darkened secret passage and it was here where Mr Cox fell Mr Cox's plight is a world away from Mr Copperfield, who earned $64million in 2016 alone according to Forbes. The magician, born plain David Kotkin in New Jersey, was once engaged to supermodel Claudia Schiffer and is now dating French model and designer Chloe Gosselin. He has an estimated fortune of $670million and also owns a string of 11 private islands in the Bahamas known as Copperfield Bay. Copperfield's lawyer, Theodore Blumberg, said the trick in question 'has been performed for more than 15 years and with more than 100,000 participants. The history of the show speaks for itself. We deny all allegations. 'Unfortunately we cannot comment further due to ongoing litigation.' He declined to comment on specific allegations or Morelli's threat to expose the magician at trial in October. Bernadette Hendrickson faked a school form to get a friend's child into an oversubscribed primary A teacher was sacked for forging documents to allow a friend's child to jump the queue into a popular state school. Bernadette Hendrickson, 50, faked official forms to trick the leading primary school to accept the five-year-old girl's transfer from a 8,568-a-year independent school. Hendrickson was working as a council education coordinator when the personal friend failed twice to get her little girl into the 'over-subscribed' primary school. A disciplinary hearing was told Hendrickson offered to tell 'a white lie' to jump the queue to get the child into the popular primary. She then forged documents to say the girl was a 'Looked After Child' - whose education was supervised by council officials - to help with the queue-jump. But school bosses became suspicious and an investigation was launched into the forms. Hendrickson wrongly named a genuine social worker who she pretended was looking after the little girl's welfare. A disciplinary hearing of the Education Workforce Council was told the 'white lie' potentially cost other children a place at the school in Newport, south Wales. It also caused 'embarrassment and confusion' to the little girl involved, who was removed from the school after only a few days. She wrongly stated the child was being looked after by council workers so that the little girl would be pushed up the queue and given a school place, a disciplinary hearing was told The identity of the girl's mother, as well as her independent and state schools in the case, were not named to protect the child's identity. Case presenter Cadi Dewi told the hearing: 'Hendrickson suggested to the mother they tell a white lie that the council shared responsibility for her daughter. 'Hendrickson said the daughter was a "Looked After Child" and submitted a form to the council. 'Having sent that form off on behalf of the mother Hendrickson maintained that false information after a place was given to the girl at the school. 'The school and the local authority found out about the lie, but not until after the child had begun attending the school. 'The child was asked to leave the school and Hendrickson was suspended from work. 'This was not a momentary lapse of judgement. They were actions that took place over a number of days and weeks.' Miss Dewi said registered teacher Hendrickson was later sacked from her job responsible for the educational needs of 'Looked After Children' - often vulnerable children placed into council care. She lost her job at Cardiff City Council (headquarters pictured) after the incident The hearing in Cardiff was told 'Looked After Children' were given priority places at schools even if their classrooms were full. The hearing was told Hendrickson was sacked from her job as education coordinator with Cardiff County Council. Colin Adkins, representing Hendrickson, said: 'The mother was not an unwilling actor in this. Text messages show her actively chasing Hendrickson into doing what she did. She was badgering her.' Hendrickson told the hearing the schoolgirl's mother 'couldn't pay the fees' at her daughter's independent school. She said she'd always admitted to the fraud and now wanted to return to a teaching job. Hendrickson said: 'At the time I thought what I did was right. In hindsight now I don't think it was. 'The way I went about it was wrong. If I'd thought about from the beginning and was of clear mind I wouldn't have done it.' Hendrickson, from Cardiff, admitted unacceptable professional conduct and was given a suspension order banning her from teaching until July 31 this year. A father has told how his life was ruined when a police typing error led to him being wrongly accused of being a paedophile. Nigel Lang, 44, from Sheffield, was suspended from his job, had to move out of his home and was barred from unsupervised contact with his son after the police blunder, Buzzfeed News reported. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing when officers examining his computer found no evidence of the indecent images he was mistakenly accused of viewing. A police typing error led to Nigel Lang being wrongly accused of viewing indecent images Following a five-year battle to find out the cause of his nightmare, it emerged that an extra keystroke by a police worker had changed the IP computer address of a suspect they were investigating. It meant that police were wrongly sent to Mr Lang's home rather than the house of the person police should have investigated. Mr Lang told Buzzfeed: 'I was accused of the thing that I most despised. 'One of the hardest things was going home to tell my 78-year-old mum. It was devastating for her. I had to tell her gently I didn't want her to have a heart attack.' Mr Lang was arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children in 2011 and given strict bail conditions while police scoured his computer. He was also questioned by social services and it was decided he could not live at the family home, where his then two-year-old son lived, during the investigation. The incident came after a worker at Hertfordshire Police made a wrong keystroke during the investigation, meaning Mr Lang's partner's IP address was wrongly linked to the case He was cleared after a three-week probe but spent years trying to get his name wiped from police databases and find out the reason for his arrest. Hertfordshire Police settled out of court last year, agreeing to pay damages of 60,000 plus legal costs. In a statement, Hertfordshire police said: 'The constabulary made an early admission of the mistake once it had been identified and would like to apologise again for the wrongful arrest and further impact caused. 'It was an administrative error which led to this occurring and lessons have been learnt to help prevent this happening again. 'This man was completely innocent and compensation has now rightfully been settled.' 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! Advertisement Scenes from the Prohibition Era have been dramatically brought back to life in a series of newly colorized photographs. From 1920 to 1933, the US government issued a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. The ban increased the illegal production and sale of liquor, known as bootlegging, and the proliferation of speakeasies, or illegal drinking locations. In 1933, Congress repealed the 18th Amendment and brought the Prohibition Era to a close. The originally black-and-white photographs, shared by Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, DC, were colorized by British colorization expert Tom Marshall. Scroll down for video From 1920 to 1933, the US government issued a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. Now, British colorization expert Tom Marshall, has taken originally black-and-white photos from the era and brought them back to life in full color. Pictured above, New York City Deputy Police Commissioner John A. Leach, right, watching agents pour liquor into sewer following a raid during the height of prohibition The alcohol, the ban increased the illegal production and sale of liquor, known as bootlegging, and the proliferation of speakeasies, or illegal drinking locations. Pictured above, woman seated at a soda fountain table pouring alcohol into a cup from a cane, with a large Coca-Cola advertisement on the wall in 1922 Marshall's images show 'Prohibition agents' regulating alcohol consumption and sale throughout the United States in the 1920s. Pictured above, a man carries a case of 'Four Roses' whiskey on his shoulder, possibly confiscated by the US Internal Revenue Bureau 'I was asked to colorize these images of the Prohibition, perfectly capturing both the fashion and atmosphere of this fascinating chapter in American history,' Marshall said. 'In January 1919 the American Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment, outlawing alcohol and ushering in the infamous Prohibition era.' The government tired to enforce prohibition for years, but largely failed. 'Those who opposed the law found ever-creative ways to enjoy a drink,' Marshall said. 'Bootlegging was rampant, as were stores and clubs who secretly served liquor. 'These became known as "speakeasies" since customers had to keep their voices down to avoid attracting police attention.' In 1933, Congress repealed the 18th Amendment and brought the Prohibition Era to a close following a large campaign to repeal the alcohol ban. Pictured above, women from the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform show off posters calling for Prohibition's reform Throughout the ban, Americans found sneaky ways to drink and sell alcohol, and many attended parties at speakeasies, or secret bars that served liquor. Pictured above, a woman pulls a pint of alcohol out of her boot, while another woman shows off a poster reading, 'Abolish Prohibition!' Policeman and Prohibition agents often pulled over suspisious looking vehicles they believed to be carriying illegal cases of alchol. Pictured above, one policeman stands alongside a wrecked car and cases of moonshine, that were likely confiscated Marshall's images show 'Prohibition agents' and their official badge, which was used to pull over suspicious automobiles during the alcohol ban. Other photos show people involved in the illicit transportation and consumption of alcohol. The ban ended in 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt signed a new amendment which approved the manufacture and sale of beer and light wines. Later that year the Prohibition was completely abolished, and the production and consumption of all alcohol legal again. 'One of the many factors that influenced this decision was the Great Depression which hit in 1930,' Marshall said. 'The American government realized that they could make millions of dollars by taxing alcohol.' Agents from the US Official Bureau of Prohibition adopted their own insignia plate during the Prohibition Era and put it on vehicles used to stop other drivers they suspected of carrying alcohol Unhappy: Britain youngest MP Mhairi Black, 22, could stand down at the next general election because she 'hates' being at Westminster and finds it 'depressing' Britain youngest MP Mhairi Black could stand down at the next general election because she 'hates' being at Westminster because she finds it 'depressing' and a 'waste of time'. The SNP politician, 22, who last week appeared to accuse a Tory minister of talking 'sh**e' in the Commons, was just 20 when she won Paisley and Renfrewshire South in 2015. She ousted Labour's Douglas Alexander from the constituency he had represented for 18 years. But Miss Black has revealed she has little time for Westminster life and may quit in 2020. She said: 'It has been nearly two years and I still hate the place. It is depressing. 'It is the personal elements - it is a pain to come up and down every week and you are working with a number of people you find quite troubling. 'Professionally, it is more just that so little gets done. It is so old and defunct in terms of its systems and procedures - a lot of the time, it is just a waste of time.' Theresa May has also failed to impress Mhairi Black. She believes the PM is rubbish when it comes to holding court in the Commons cauldron and has terrible 'patter'. Ms Black said: 'May is worse than Cameron. I don't know if it is arrogance or nerves, but she told us our Brexit would be red, white and blue. What kind of patter is that?' The revelation that she may stand down in 2020 when the next general election is due will surprise supporters who have hailed her as a plain-speaking politician who young voters can relate to. Big win: The SNP MP was just 20 when she won Paisley and Renfrewshire South in 2015. She ousted Labour's Douglas Alexander from the constituency he had represented for 18 years Last week, she made headlines when she seemingly mouthed 'you talk sh**e, hen' while Tory minister Caroline Nokes was debating housing benefit cuts in the House of Commons. But Ms Black says she is fed-up of being asked about her youth. 'I'm sick of folk mentioning it,' she said. 'During the campaign, no one asked about my age, it was all in-depth political questions. 'What I always say is that trying to tailor politics to be 'young, hip and cool' is exactly the kind of patronising guff that puts off young folk. If you want to talk to young folk about politics then just talk politics.. They will listen.' She has found pals in the most unlikely of places, though, jokingly calling the Eton-educated, arch-Eurosceptic Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg 'her boyfriend'. It is a pain to come up and down every week and you are working with a number of people you find quite troubling. 'Professionally, it is more just that so little gets done. It is so old and defunct in terms of its systems and procedures - a lot of the time, it is just a waste of time Mhairi Black on life at Westminster 'I get on quite well with a lot of the Labour old guard and quite a few Tories actually,' she said. 'There is my boyfriend - Jacob Rees-Mogg. He's my favourite. 'It's the kind of place where, if you are reasonable with folk then they will soften a little.' When told she is viewed by some as a future SNP leader, Ms Black laughs off the idea. 'Have you seen how little personal time Nicola Sturgeon has? I wouldn't fancy that at all,' she said. But asked if she would agree to be the poster girl for the Yes campaign if there's is a second independence referendum, she said: 'I would do whatever I need to do. It is why I got into this whole game, so aye I would. Independence is going to happen. 'I don't know how, I don't know when, but it is going to happen. All roads point to it.' Heated debate: Last week the SNP MP appeared to tell a Tory minister: 'You talk sh**e, hen' as she blasted her about cuts to housing benefit Conservative MP Caroline Nokes (pictured) said in the debate that the Scottish government already has a wide range of powers which would allow them to alleviate the changes proposed Outside politics, life has changed dramatically for the Paisley-born politician who has represented the seat of Paisley and Renfrewshire South since the SNP landslide in May 2015. For one, she has quit smoking, switching instead to e-cigarettes. She said: 'I stopped about a year ago. It saves you so much money. This e-cigarette cost 20 and it does me for about two months. I am a pure cheapskate quitter.' Second, she has a long-term partner. She said: 'She will kill me if she ends up in a newspaper, so I can't tell you anything. She works for a breast cancer charity but I can't say more.' While Ms Black is unsure if she wants to be an MP again, she says she is relaxed about her future. 'I have a habit of falling into things,' she said. I fell into university, fell into this and have fallen into most jobs I've had.' A UK retailer has been hit with complaints from grieving customers after it sent out personalised Mother's Day emails telling them their dead mothers have 'got it goin' on'. Three shoppers claim they were left devastated by the 'insensitive' personalised email from online clothing retailer Very.co.uk, which mentioned them by their first names. Hollie Carew, who lost her mother to cancer just seven months ago, said she immediately felt sick before bursting into tears when she read the email last Tuesday. The 33-year-old, from Leeds, was one of a number of Very.co.uk customers who complained to the store over the email subject line, which references Fountains of Wayne song Stacey's Mom. Hollie Carew, 33, right, was outraged after online retailer Very.co.uk sent her an email saying her late mother Lyn, left, had 'got it goin' on' The email was a reference to a lyric in the popular Fountains of Wayne song Stacey's Mom and was part of a Mother's Day campaign by the clothing brand Shop Direct, which operates Very.co.uk, has apologised for any distress caused and said the email was 'fully-intended to be light-hearted'. Ms Carew, who works for a dog daycare company, said: 'It was the title of the email that caught my attention. It said 'Holly's mum has got it going on'. 'I was like, "what'?" I was shocked, and felt a bit sick, then I was really upset and started crying. 'I was angry that they had actually said that. Because they had personalised the email for me it was even more of a shock.' Ms Carew's mother Lyn died of cancer in August last year aged 63, just weeks after she was diagnosed. This Mother's Day will mark the first one Ms Carew and sister Jessica, 36, have spent without her. Ms Carew complained about the email, which also spelled her first name incorrectly, direct to Very.co.uk but said she was unsatisfied with their response. She said: 'My mum lived in Cornwall and I'm up in Leeds, so I had to be down there really quickly, and she died just weeks after she was diagnosed. 'It all happened really quickly, and we're still trying to sort things out now. It's all still very fresh and I'd only just started to think I was starting to deal with it about a month ago. 'Christmas was really hard, then it was her birthday in January. We're still sorting things out with the solicitors and I was just starting to get on with things again. Ms Carew, pictured, lost her mother to cancer last year and complained to the website after the email 'made her feel sick' Another customer complained on social media, criticising the company and saying Mother's Day is 'hard enough' already 'This kind of reminder was the last thing I needed - a first Mother's Day without her is hard enough as it is. 'I saw that other people had also complained to Very.co.uk and been upset about it after me, so then I felt sure that I wasn't overreacting about it. 'I think they were trying to be clever with their marketing. I'd never noticed anything really like this from them before - it was the use of my name with that title that made me open it. 'When I and others complained we only received a generic apology. There was no personal response. 'We were asked to fill in a form, if we wished, that would remove us from the Very.co.uk email list. 'That was just extra work for me to do after something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. 'I would have liked a proper apology. It's given me a different impression of the company.' Another customer, 40-year-old James Mawdsley, was also left upset when he spotted the email in his inbox. Mr Mawdsley, from Chester, Cheshire, whose mother died of cancer two years ago, also complained to Very. He said: 'I was shocked to receive a message with the title, "James's mum has got it goin' on." Very.co.uk, which also mispelled Ms Carew's name in the email, has apologised to the customer and others who have complained 'I thought it was really quite insensitive. I lost my mum quite recently and thought it was very strange to send an email with that title. 'It was targeting me personally, which made it worse. Quite frankly I can't imagine many marketing managers approving an email like that. 'I understand that it's Mother's Day and they want to promote it but what's wrong with something like 'Treat your mum on Mother's Day'?' A third customer complained to Very.co.uk on social media, saying: 'As if Mother's Day isn't hard enough to then receive an email with that title. 'I totally understand the need for them to advertise Mother's Day but the title of the email was so insensitive.' A spokesperson for Shop Direct, which operates Very.co.uk, said: 'We apologise sincerely for any distress we may have inadvertently caused to customers with this campaign. 'We fully intended the email to be light-hearted, but we appreciate that a small number of people found it upsetting. 'We'll learn from it and bear those learnings in mind for future campaigns.' Barack Obama visited Silicon Valley for a secret meeting with tech bosses after lunching with billionaire business magnate Warren Buffett. It was the former President's first visit to the Bay Area since he left office in January. Sources told NBC Bay Area that Obama had a meeting with tech bosses at the Fairmont hotel in downtown San Jose. Barack Obama visited Silicon Valley for a secret meeting with tech bosses after lunching with billionaire business magnate Warren Buffett. He is seen greeting a child on the tarmac at Moffett Field airport on Monday He kept is trip to the west coast low-key, after a string of appearances in New York that have drawn crowds He posed for pictures with small crowd that gathered alongside his private jet The former president is seen smiling as he leaves Upland Restaurant in New York after having lunch with wife Michelle and Bono Several Secret Service agents could be seen around the hotel, and some guests said they saw Obama motorcade and bomb-sniffing dogs. Others said the interior hallways of the hotel was packed with security, according to the NBC Bay Area. Prior to arriving in San Jose from Washington DC, Obama stopped in Omaha briefly on Sunday to have lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett. Buffett and Obama have a long-standing relationship that has included campaign support and economic policy advice. In 2011, Obama awarded Buffett the nations highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The 44th President has faced calls from liberals to spearhead the resistance against Trump while the Democratic party is mired in post-election disarray. Obama has taken the highly unusual step of staying in Washington after the end of his term in office - but has so far resisted the temptation to speak publicly against his successor's policies. Obama had a meeting with tech bosses at the Fairmont hotel in downtown San Jose (pictured) The ex-President landed in Omaha on Sunday afternoon and was driven to Happy Hollow Country Club. Susie Buffett said she and her father spent about 2 hours together in a private room with Obama at the country club where her father is a member. She declined to say what the three discussed during the lunch except that she said the meal wasn't a fundraiser. The Buffetts both had Thunderbird salads and Obama had a taco salad. The last time Obama visited Omaha was in January 2016 as part of a series of speeches he gave after his final State of the Union address. A shocking video of a Chinese factory worker chasing and hacking his snoring roommate with a cleaver has emerged online. Footage of the accident shows assailant Hong, with a cleaver in his hand, running after his colleague Wang along a corridor of a factory dormitory in Zhejiang. According to Wenzhou Daily, the victim sustained severe wounds on his back and legs and Hong was arrested for criminal offence. CCTV footage shows Hong (behind) chasing after Wang (covered with duvet) with a cleaver Hong was enraged by Wang's snores and attacked Wang at midnight at the factory dormitory The shocking accident took place at a factory in Ouhai district of Wenzhou city on February 10 at around 4:43am. It is reportedly that both Hong, 47, and Wang, 46, have snoring problems and the factory manager had arranged to put them in the same room so they wouldn't disturb other workers at night. However, Hong and Wang had apparently continued to complain about each other's snores. Wang recalled the incident and told the reporters: 'I was sleeping hard and suddenly I noticed something had hit my face. I saw Hong holding a butcher knife, standing at my bedside, and I have blood all over my face!' The footage shows the moment a half-naked Wang ran out to the hallway with a duvet while Hong was chasing after him closely. Hong had a torch in his left hand and a cleaver in his right hand. Wang collapsed at the end of the hallway and was pushed to a corner, where Hong wielded the knife to his body. Footage showed Wang collapsing on the floor while Hong wielding the weapon to his body From another angle, the two men were running from one end of the corridor to another end Hong was arrested on the scene. He is remanded in custody and will face criminal charges Officer Guo Tao from the Ouhai Louqiao Police Station arrived on the scene after one of the colleagues called the police. Officer Guo arrested Hong on the scene and sent the victim to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. As a result of the attack, Wang is reported to suffer from grade II injuries, according to China's Standards for Assessing the Extent of Bodily Injuries. Hong is remanded in custody and will face criminal charges. Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to hold a second independence referendum, insisting a ballot on leaving the UK is necessary to allow Scotland to choose its own course and avoid a hard-line Tory Brexit. The First Minister confirmed she is to seek the approval of MSPs at Holyrood next week to start negotiations with the UK Government on a deal that would allow a legally binding ballot to be held. That could see a second independence vote take place as early as autumn 2018 just four years on from when Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to stay part of the United Kingdom. Scroll down for video Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks during First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament on March 2., She has announced plans to hold a second independence referendum Prime Minister Theresa May said Ms Sturgeon's decision was 'deeply regrettable' and warned the move was setting Scotland on a course for 'more uncertainty and division'. The move comes after nearly two thirds (62 percent) of Scots opted to stay in the European Union in June 2016, but the UK as a whole voted for Brexit. Speaking at her official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh, the First Minister said: 'I will now take the steps necessary to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process a choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit or to become an independent country, able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe.' Ms Sturgeon said she would go to Holyrood next week and 'seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree with the UK Government the details of a Section 30 order the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum'. The SNP shared Surgeon's plans on Twitter, seen above. The First Minister said: 'If Scotland is to have a real choice, when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course, then that choice must be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019' She stated: 'If Scotland is to have a real choice, when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course, then that choice must be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019.' In her response, Mrs May said she would negotiate a Brexit deal which worked for 'the whole of the UK that includes the Scottish people'. She added: 'The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable. It sets Scotland on a course for more uncertainty and division.' The Prime Minister said the evidence showed that 'a majority of the Scottish people do not want a second independence referendum'. Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Ruth Davidson also took to Twitter 'Instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. Politics is not a game.' A poll by BMG for The Herald newspaper showed about four in 10 Scots support another vote on independence before Brexit happens. It suggested that voters are split 52-48 in favor of remaining in the Union. Meanwhile, an Ipsos Mori poll for STV News which was published just four days ago indicated that those who were certain to take part in a second independence ballot were divided 50-50. Ms Sturgeon said 'compromise' proposals put forward in December 2016, which would see Scotland stay in the single market when the UK exits the EU and new powers going to Holyrood as a result of Brexit, had been met with a 'brick wall of intransigence' from Mrs May's Government. A second independence vote take place as early as autumn 2018. The SNP shared this post to Twitter on Monday The Scottish Labour party is against a second referendum and shared its thoughts to Twitter on Monday She hit out at the Prime Minister, saying: 'UK membership of the single market was ruled out with no prior consultation with the Scottish Government, or indeed with the other devolved administrations leaving us facing not just Brexit, but a hard Brexit. 'There has been talk of special deals for the car industry and others but a point-blank refusal to discuss in any meaningful way a differential approach for Scotland. 'And far from any prospect of significant new powers for the Scottish Parliament, the UK Government is becoming ever more assertive in its intention to muscle in on the powers we already have.' A Sydney man, reportedly under arrest in Bulgaria on terrorism charges, claims that he was coerced into going to a shooting range, but Bulgarian authorities claim he was there to improve his 'combat training'. John Zakhariev, 21, converted to Islam while he was still in high school when he allegedly travelled to Syria on a 'humanitarian trip' in 2013, a year after graduating Sydney's catholic school for boys Waverley College. But Bulgarian authorities claim the former private schoolboy travelled to the war-torn country to join the terrorist group, Islamic State, but was sent packing because he was not competent for combat training, Fairfax Media reported. Scroll down for videos Former private schoolboy John Zakhariev, 21, (pictured) has been reportedly arrested in Bulgaria on terrorism charges Mr Zakhariev denies the allegations saying the he was 'coerced' to visit shooting ranges and was in Bulgaria only to help his father move back to his homeland Returning to Australia to further his training, officials allege that the Sydney man then went to Bulgaria as 'training would be cheaper' so that he could 'hone his combat skills'. Frequenting shooting ranges in the capital city of Sofia, Mr Zakhariev denies that it was for 'training' purposes, rather that he was invited to go through a family friend, Peter Petrov. However in a letter from prison, Mr Zakhariev spoke of his fears that Mr Petrov had been sent by police to 'befriend' him. Mr Zakhariev claims that he was in Bulgaria so that he could help his father, 82, a former UN diplomat, to move back to his homeland to retire. His lawyer Hristo Botev says that the allegations against his client were 'absurd' and believes that it is a poor attempt to justify the money the Bulgarian police have received to fight terrorism, he told Fairfax Media. The 21-year-old was also an acquaintance of Australia's most senior Islamic State member, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, according to a report by A Current Affair. The former Parramatta street preacher, who was known to 'recruit people on Sydney streets' defected to Syria in 2013 and was allegedly involved in a plot to behead a man in Sydney. Barayalei is believed to have died in 2014. The man allegedly travelled to Syria after graduating from Sydney's Waverley College in 2012 His 25-year-old sister Nevena Zakhariev told Fairfax Media the family thought it was a joke when her brother was arrested. Zakhariev reportedly converted to Islam when he was still a school student at Waverley College where he felt compelled to visit Syria for 'humanitarian' purposes 'At first, I just thought it was a big misunderstanding, we laughed it off thinking he'd be home in a couple of weeks because he's done nothing wrong,' she said. 'But as months and months passed, it became more serious. My fear is that the government wants to make an example out of him and he'll go to jail for something he didn't do.' The man has been detained since September last year as he's expected to front a court hearing on March 17. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing appropriate consular assistance to an Australian man detained in Bulgaria, in accordance to the Consular Services Charter,' a DFAT spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. A British backpacker who was allegedly held hostage and repeatedly raped and beaten in Queensland has broken her silence on her horrific ordeal. She is planning to head back the UK now that she has been released from hospital, and has spoken out for the first time on how she survived. The 22-year-old from Liverpool, Merseyside - who cannot be named for legal reasons - took inspiration from an American author to detail how she escaped her captor. Scroll down for video A British backpacker, 22, who was allegedly held hostage and repeatedly raped and beaten on a Queensland road trip is planning to head back the UK now that she has been released from hospital Police allege the woman was 'raped four times, bashed and held captive' by her ex-boyfriend, also aged 22, for two months (pictured is her alleged attacker) CCTV footage shows the British backpacker walking into an outback petrol station and her ordeal was revealed for the first time - and she told the store owner: ''I'm sorry, I can't pay. My ex-boyfriend has my wallet and credit cards' 'I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me,' she posted on social media, according to The Courier Mail. It is a quote from the award-winning Joshua Graham whose book Darkroom hit three bestseller lists on Amazon the night of its release. It comes after it was revealed the 22-year-old tourist, from Liverpool, England, had walked into a Cairns hospital with serious facial injuries in the lead up to the brutal attack. She tried to admit herself to get stitches on her face after suffering a cut to her eyebrow, The Courier Mail reported. But when staff members asked the woman whether her injuries were inflicted from domestic violence, she left without an explanation. She is now being cared for by friends and family and is arranging her return home with the British Consulate, according to 9News. Police allege the woman was 'raped four times, bashed and held captive' by her ex-boyfriend, also aged 22, for two months. Saved: Beverley Page (left), who manages the Caltex outback stop in Mitchell, 350 miles east of Brisbane says the girl (right) was wearing a summer dress but had black eyes, a wounded neck and looked like 'a zombie' On Sunday afternoon, the injured woman was found behind the wheel of a white Pajero on the Warrego Highway, near Mitchell in Queensland. Just minutes earlier, the backpacker had told a petrol station owner after filling the tank of the SUV: 'I'm sorry, I can't pay. My ex has my wallet and credit cards.' Beverley Page, who manages the Caltex outback stop in Mitchell, 350 miles east of Brisbane, said the girl was wearing a pretty summer dress but had black eyes, a wounded neck and looked like 'a zombie'. The 22-year-old woman from Liverpool then fled without paying and police later stopped the white 4x4 car she was driving and found her alleged kidnapper, also 22, hiding in a compartment in the back. Miss Page told the Mail: 'I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I thought her tears were tears of embarrassment because of the payment problem. 'But what struck me were her black eyes and marks down the side of her neck. She looked bad shaking uncontrollably.' 'She was like a person in a trance. She leaned on the counter and the tears flowed down. The inside of the 4x4 is pictured here on Tuesday, which has been adapted to acommodate a bed and numerous cubbyholes to hide in - and where the alleged rapist was found cowering inside The 22-year-old tourist, from Liverpool, England, tried to admit herself to Cairns Hospital (pictured) after suffering a cut to her eyebrow 'I asked if there was some way she could get someone to pay or if there was a chance of her getting her wallet back. She didn't say anything. She was like a zombie, answering a few simple questions sometimes and then just being silent. TIMELINE OF THE HORROR ROAD TRIP JANUARY AUSTRALIA DAY WEEKEND: British backpacker meets man, 22, at a 'bush doof' party in Cairns. FEBRUARY Police alleged the 22-year-old tourist was raped in a Cairns hotel room. MARCH 1-5 The woman was allegedly forced to drive the suspect as they travelled south. She was allegedly beaten and repeatedly raped during this time. MARCH 5 The woman was rescued after being pulled over by police. The man was arrested and charged. Advertisement 'In the end she turned and walked out and I thought she was going to look for some money in the car. But she just got in, sat behind the wheel, started it up and drove out on to the main road.' It came as the 22-year-old Briton, who police say was 'raped four times, bashed and held captive', was released from hospital overnight and is being comforted by her family. She was allegedly regularly choked, beaten and humiliated during a terrifying drive across Queensland. She will now be interviewed by police after being counselled for trauma caused by an ordeal detectives have described as 'catastrophic'. The victim started a relationship with her alleged captor after they met at an outdoor dance party, known as a 'doof', in Cairns. But within days the relationship began to sour as he allegedly became 'obsessive and clingy'. Her friend said the suspected attacker, who is accused of a string of crimes against the tourist, was 'really clingy' and 'just blew in to town and latched on to the first single girl' he saw. The man, who MailOnline is not naming for legal reasons, also said his friend's visit to the petrol station was a 'brilliant cry for help', which led to her being saved. The pixelated face of the woman's alleged attacker, whose identity must remain anonymous due to Queensland law The worker said the backpacker got back in her car and took off after being told if she didn't pay, the police would have to be called CCTV footage shows the moment the British tourist walked into a petrol station, prompting the cashier to call the police and save her. The backpacker appeared distressed on Sunday as she pulled up in a white SUV to fill up the tank. But as she wandered into the station, the woman told the female owner behind the counter she was unable to pay for the petrol. A 27-year-old friend of the woman told Daily Mail Australia he was shocked to hear about his friend and said he believes the 'trip to the petrol station' was a 'brilliant cry for help'. The friend said: 'I tried calling her a few times but couldn't get through. 'I have spoken to her aunt from the UK since.' The friend, who met the young woman at a pub in Cairns just before Christmas, described her as a nice girl who was very trusting. The young Briton is currently being treated for her injuries at a hospital in Roma, a small country town close to where she was rescued from her terrible ordeal. Her close friend said: 'She is being kept in overnight. I haven't been able to get through to her yet. I just hope she will be ok.' This is the white 4WD police stopped in south-west Queensland on Sunday afternoon - finding a 22-year-old woman in extreme distress and a 22-year-old man in a back alcove The SUV at the centre of the woman's horrific ordeal was filled with cubbyholes to hide and has been seized by police as the investigation continues Jump-start cables and blankets piled up on a makeshift bed in the back of the white Mitsubishi The 22-year-old victim walked into this petrol station where she talked to the cashier A police officer investigates the Mitsubishi Pajero SUV that the victim filled with $60 of fuel The alleged attacker was found hiding under a pile of clothes and other items in the car, which had been adapted to accommodate a bed and a number of storage compartments Police believe the woman was in the four-wheel-drive on a trip from far north Queensland The pair allegedly met in January at a dance party in Cairns. From there, they allegedly embarked on a road trip together between Cairns and Roma - before they were pulled over in Mitchell, a rural town 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, Queensland on Sunday Recent history of troubling attacks on backpackers travelling Australia On Wednesday, a 60-year-old man will stand trial over an alleged sex attack on two female backpackers at a remote beach southeast of Adelaide. The man, who denies the charges including attempted murder and indecent assault, is accused of attacking the women at remote Salt Creek, in the Coorong National Park, in February last year. And just last week, Queensland police revealed a 24-year-old Polish nanny, who was violently raped while working at Petrie north of Brisbane last year, as killed in a car crash back in her homeland. She died just days before a 28-year-old man was charged over the vicious attack in a council car park, that saw her undergo facial surgery for injuries including a broken nose. But one of the worst cases in recent years involved the rape of 21-year-old French student Sophie Collombet, who was left to die on a Brisbane park bench in March, 2014. In October last year, Benjamin James Milward was jailed for life for raping the student while he was high on ice, and then leaving her covered in nothing but a jacket and a newspaper. Milward was high on ice when he attacked the young traveller, and she remained alive for several hours as passers-by thought she was a sleeping homeless person. Advertisement The petrol station owner said the woman filled up the white Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with $60 of petrol. Beverley Page said had the backpacker paid for the fuel, she would still be suffering the same ordeal. If she'd paid for the fuel and gone on her way heaven knows what would have happened to her,' Ms Page said. The backpacker told the cashier she could not pay for the petrol because her ex-boyfriend had her wallet and credit cards. Ms Page informed the woman if she could not get in touch with him to arrange a payment or get her wallet back, she would be forced to call the police. At this point, the backpacker walked out to the forecourt, got back in her car and drove away. 'I made the decision to follow her because I thought that if I could get the registration number I'd be able to file a report to the police,' Ms Page said. 'I couldn't ring the police because it's very difficult to raise anyone in this area and you can't the emergency triple-0 number to report a drive-away,' the petrol station owner added. The police then pulled the vehicle over during a routine traffic stop. 'That's when they stopped the vehicle and found the man at the back. 'I realise now that the man in the vehicle was the ex-boyfriend she was talking about. 'I asked her where she was from - meaning where had she driven from - and she misunderstood my question and said 'From England'. 'I'd already guessed that because she had a very English accent. 'There's no doubt that she was upset and I thought it was because of not being able to pay but now I know the circumstances I realise her tears were because of what she was going through. 'I was very concerned about her, but I didn't expect her to just walk out, get in the vehicle and drive off. 'It was as well that she did. If she had been able to pay for the fuel I might not have interfered with her life and she would have gone off and who knows?' A pile of clothing police will reportedly allege belonged to the man, 22, who has been charged with raping and beating the woman This is the area police pulled over the white SUV on a road between Mitchell and Roma Police officers found her in a state of distress and suffering from facial fractures and other injuries. Photographs reveal the inside of the SUV where the tourist was allegedly held against her will during the horrific ordeal. Her accused captor was found in an alcove built in the back of the white Mitsubishi Pajero, hidden underneath clothes and 'other items'. Investigators claimed the couple had met in January at a 'bush doof', a popular outdoor dance party, in Cairns and had agreed to go on a road trip together. But a court in Roma heard on Monday that the woman was held against her will by the man between January 2 and March 5, as they made their way across Queensland. Police also believe the man damaged the backpacker's passport, meaning she could not leave the country. Ms Page, who had also noted marks on the woman's neck, spoke to her for ten minutes. The restaurant inside the petrol station where the crying victim talked to the owner Police from the station in Mitchell, pictured here, happened to be carrying out breath tests The petrol station worker alerted police setting up a roadside breath test near the National Australia Bank in Mitchell The 22-year-old woman was rescued after a routine traffic stop in Queensland (Warrego Highway pictured) Police said they pulled the car over about 15 minutes drive west along the Warrego Highway towards Charleville. It was immediately clear to officers that something was wrong and they soon found her alleged captor hiding in an alcove that had been built into the back of the car. The petrol station owner had given chase because she had not written down the number plate of the car. And as Ms Page was driving up the road, she saw local police had pulled up doing random breath tests. 'I missed the number plate, I was going to try catch up to it and get the number plate,' she said. 'Mitchell police had just pulled up up the street doing random breath tests. I just told them this white Pajero had just taken off from the fuel station without paying.' A 22-year-old woman had serious facial injuries and was extremely distressed when police pulled over a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway (pictured) at Mitchell Police believe the backpacker had been doing the bulk of the driving against her will allowing her alleged attacker to hide in the alcove of the SUV to avoid being seen. Arresting officer Acting Sergeant David Harper said they had left Cairns last week, and told the Brisbane Times: 'Her demeanour and her injuries alerted police that there was something more to the story.' Detective Inspector Paul Hart described what had happened to the woman as 'quite catastrophic'. He told ABC the pair had met when she was travelling in the north of country and had spent time together but that their relationship had subsequently 'obviously soured. 'During the course of their travels throughout the state then a number of very serious offences have occurred,' Detective Hart said, adding the alleged attacker was appearing to be hiding from police. A 22-year-old British backpacker who is alleged to have been repeatedly raped, bashed and choked had been saved by a routine traffic stop near Mitchell, 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane (Mitchell train station pictured) Police will allege the woman met the Cairns man three months ago and they agreed to go on a road trip (Warrego Highway pictured) Police found the woman in a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell (pictured) The man, from near Cairns, faces charges including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four counts of strangulation, and two of deprivation of liberty. He's also facing drug charges. He was remanded in custody to face court on May 23. Police pulled over the four-wheel drive about 5pm on Sunday, March 5, in what's been described as a random traffic stop. When they approached the vehicle, they found the injured woman at the wheel. 'It appears she was terrified and not able to hide that,' police said. The woman is being treated for facial fractures, bruises and cuts to her body in hospital after sh allegedly travelled nearly 1,400 kilometres between Cairns and Roma with the man. She is now said to be considering moving home to England once her damaged passport has been replaced. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting a British woman following an incident in Queensland and remain in contact with the local authorities.' A police investigation is continuing. Captain Cook's waistcoat is expected to sell for almost 700,000 at auction in Australia. The garment was worn by the explorer in 1770 when he journeyed to Oceania A waistcoat worn by Captain Cook in the 18th century is expected to fetch almost 700,000 at auction. The garment was used by the explorer in 1770, the year he sailed to Australia on his voyage of discovery. The cream silk waistcoat is embroidered with flowers and is fastened with brown leather buttons. The flowers stitched on the piece of clothing are believed to have been inspired by Cook's travels around the country. Among the flowers depicted are exotic plants like the hibiscus, banksia seed, and boronia. The hibiscus, the national flower of Malaysia, is native to countries in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. According to auctioneers Aalders, the colour of the waistcoat was also inspired by his Oceanic explorations. James Cook landed in Australia with botanist Joseph Banks and artist Sydney Parkinson in May 1770. The intricate waistcoat features exotic flowers Cook encountered on his voyages, including the hibiscus, banksia seed, and boronia. It is fastened by unusual brown leather buttons Banskia seeds are thought to be named after botanist Joseph Banks, who travelled to Australia with Captain Cook. Experts say the colour of the waistcoat is inspired by Oceania James Cook landed in Australia with botanist Joseph Banks (pictured left) in May 1770. They were sent to explore the unknown seas and took an interest in Australia's flora and fauna They were sent to explore the unknown seas around Australia. The group were especially interested in detailing the flora and fauna of the unknown island. The banksia seed, identified on Cook's waistcoat, is said to be named after fellow explorer Joseph Banks. Sydney Parkinson made detailed drawings and paintings of the exotic flowers they found there. Their ship, the HMS Endeavour, landed in Cape York, far North Queensland, where they stayed for eight weeks. They then sailed to Botany Bay, where they only spent six days. Their ship, the HMS Endeavour, landed in Cape York, far North Queensland, where they stayed for eight weeks. Pictured, a painting of Captain Cook taking possession of New South Wales When Joseph Banks returned, he spoke so favourably about the area that the first colonists decided to make camp at Botany Bay. But the first governor of Australia, Arthur Philip, found that it did not live up to Banks's description. Captain Cook returned to Britain in 1771 and was hailed a hero, but the explorer was killed in Hawaii eight years later. After his death, his family kept the waistcoat, which was then bought by antique dealers Helen and Isabel Woollan. It was bought by Viscount Leverhulme, who presented the vest in London to Dr Ruby Rich of Sydney in 1912. Captain Cook returned to Britain a hero and continued to explore the South Seas and Asia until his death in Hawaii in 1779. Pictured, ships the Resolution and the Adventure during Cook's second voyage, between 1772 and 1775 Dr Rich, a feminist and pianist, had darts stitched into the front of the waistcoat so she could wear it. She gave it to her nephew Charles Rich Esq of Sydney, who put it up for sale in 1981. Auctioneer Julian Aalders told the Daily Telegraph: 'We have had a lot of interest from both overseas and local collectors. 'We would like to see it bought by someone who is happy for it to be on loan to a museum.' Advertisement Fascinating photos belonging to one of the last Viceroys of India reveal life in Britain's 'Jewel in the Crown' 90 years ago. The family album of Viscount George Goschen provides a snapshot of the pomp and pageantry the British aristocracy enjoyed in the country in the 1920s and 30s. They show the then Governor of Madras and his family lavished with parades and banquets and depicting them hunting and horse racing in the heyday of the Raj. Society wedding: Fascinating photos of India have emerged showing Britain's 'Jewel in the Crown' in all its splendour 90 years ago. Cicely Winifred Goschen, daughter of the Governor of Madras, Viscount George Goschen, married Major Edward Bertram Portal in a spectacular wedding in November 1926. The couple are shown together in the front row surrounded by family and friends Pomp and pageantry: Maharaja's attend a lavish banquet in Ooty, southern India. The picture is believed to have been taken in the 1920s or 1930s One striking image is of a group of native soldiers in Ooty holding guns in a car with a tiger in front of them which shows a merging of Western and Indian cultures The high-life: Viscount Goschen (left), Governer of Madras and later Viceroy of India, and his wife Lady Margaret Evelyn-Gathorne Hardy (right) enjoyed lavish parades and banquets during their time in the country At the time, Mahatma Gandhi was organising peasants, farmers and labourers to protest against excessive land-tax and discrimination. The movement eventually led to Indian independence in 1947. The album consists of some 300 large photographs. They have remained in the Goschen family for 90 years but have now emerged for auction following a house clearance and are tipped to sell for 200. Lord and Lady Goschen can be seen disembarking the SS Madura at Madras 1924 and undertaking an inspection of their palace and staff. Honoured guests: Viscount Goschen arrives at Governers House in Madras in 1924 in front of his mounted Governer's Bodyguard Flying the flag: Lady Goschen and her daughter meet Indian Girl Guides during one of the official engagements Parade: The Governer's Bodyguards are pictured welcoming Viscount Goschen to Madras in 1924. A family album has provided a fascinating snap shot of the era The British escaped the heat and the dust of the lowlands during the summer months by heading to the Ooty hill station in Tamil Nadu. The Ootacamund hunt is pictured outside the Assembly Rooms of the hill station Passage to India: Viscount Goschen is pictured arriving in Madras on the SS Madura in 1924 to become Governor of the region Guard of honour: The family enjoyed lavish parades, including when Viscount Goschen arrived in Madras and made his way to Governers House in 1924 (pictured) There are photos of the British high command gathering before a hunt and various portraits of members of the Goshen family. A spectacular state occasion with animals in ceremonial dress and photos of the wedding procession of the governor's youngest daughter Cicely Winifred to Major Melville Edward Bertram Portal also feature in the collection. In stark contrast to the opulence of the Goshen's lifestyle are intimate photos of natives going about their everyday business of fishing and tending to the land. The family also enjoyed theatrical performances during their stay in India. including at the Ootacamund Assembly Rooms (pictured) Photos show the British high command gathering before a hunt in an Indian hill station where the British escaped the heat and the dust of the lowlands during the summer month The Ootacamund hunt is pictured preparing for action in the rolling Nilgiri hills. Such scenes were typical of the life of luxury enjoyed by the Viceroy and his family during the 1920s Cicely Winifred Goschen, daughter of the Governor, married Major Edward Bertram Portal in a spectacular wedding in November 1926. They are pictured (front, centre) on their wedding day surrounded by their family Splendour: Crowds lined the streets of Madras when Cicely Winifred Goschen, daughter of the Governor, married Major Edward Bertram Portal in November 1926 The family album of Viscount George Goschen provides a snapshot of the pomp and pageantry the British aristocracy enjoyed in India in the 1920s and 30s THE GOSCHEN FAMILY: FROM PUBLISHING AND BANKING TO POLITICS AND VICEROYALTY Family photos from the heyday of the Raj show the extraordinary pomp and ceremony enjoyed by the Goschens during their time in India. But the family name can be traced back centuries and to Leipzig, in what is now eastern Germany, where the prominent publisher and printer Georg Joachim Goschen lived. It was his third son Wilhelm Heinrich who came to Britain in 1814, setting up a merchant banking firm. His eldest son George entered politics having started off in the family company and went on to serve as an MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer and First Lord of the Admiralty. He was raised to the peerage in December 1900 by Queen Victoria. Formal greetings: Viscount Goschen and his wife arrive at Governers House in Madras 1924 in another photo from the family album It is understood that he once refused the post of Viceroy of India having been offered the position by British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone in 1880. His son, also named Viscount George Joachim Goschen, entered politics and served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and went on to beceom Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929. Then, on July 29, 1929, Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, left for London on leave and appointed the Second Viscount Goschen to act as the Viceroy during his absence from 1929 to 1931. During the family's spell in India, Goschen's daughter Cicely Winifred, married Major Melville Edward Bertram Portal in a spectacular ceremony. Goschen died in July 1952 at the age of 85. But the family name would maintain its prominence in public life with the third Viscount Goschen acting as Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords in the Conservative administrations of Harold Macmillan, Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath. When he died in 1977, Giles John Harry Goschen became 4th Viscount Goschen. He would go on to be among the Conservative hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act in 1999. Advertisement One striking image is of a group of native soldiers holding guns in a car with a tiger in front of them which shows a merging of Western and Indian cultures. Goshen was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and as Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929. He then acted as the Viceroy of India from 1929 to 1931. He was the son of prominent politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Joachim Goschen, 1st Viscount Goschen, who once refused the post of Viceroy of India. Tim Harper, specialist at Ashford based C & T Valuers who are auctioning off the photo album, said: 'These photographs provide an insight into the last days of the Raj and the decline of the British empire. Goshen was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and as Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929. He then acted as the Viceroy of India from 1929 to 1931 The SS Madura, carrying Viscount Goschen, arrives in Madras in 1924. The picture is in an album that is set to go under the hammer at auction Pictures also show Lord and Lady Goschen (centre) with various local dignitaries and four magnificent ceremonial elephants during one lavish parade Lord and Lady Goschen had the use of a Rolls Royce loaned by the Maharaja of Mysore. Locals and dignitaries line-up as they drive past Day at the Races: Lord Goschen is pictured presenting prizes at a point to point race in the southern hill station of Ooty The governor's daughty, Cicely Winifred Goschen, is pictured leaving in a horse-drawn carriage after her marriage to Major Edward Bertram Portal in November 1926 'They are of a governor of a particular Indian state and the images reflect their status. 'We can certainly see the sheer extent to which they took care of their appearance - they were immaculately dressed and presented. 'The images are really stunning - they are so clear - and they have emerged from the family.' The auction takes place on March 15. As well as family shots, the stunning album also contains pictures of the scenery as well as photos showing local fishermen in Madras A native family is pictured travelling in the Nilgiri hill's near Ooty in one of the many photos in the family album In stark contrast to the opulence of the Goshen's lifestyle are intimate photos of natives going about their everyday business of fishing and tending to the land A killer who kicked a boy to death has boasted about the murder in messages sent from a phone smuggled into prison. Jordan McCready, from North Ayrshire, Scotland, was given a life sentence in 2012 for killing 13-year-old Jon Wilson. But shocking messages McCready, 23, sent to a woman on Facebook appear to show he has little remorse for his crime. Killer Jordan McCready (pictured left in prison) sent messages joking about his crime from his cell. He was jailed for life in 2012 for kicking a schoolboy to death The woman received the vile messages after she accidentally added McCready, who was using a false name online, as a friend on the social network. From his cell in Lanarkshire's HMP Shotts, McCready sent the woman a picture of his feet, commenting they had 'done yer boy'. After the woman slammed him over the messages, he taunted her saying 'I'm coming for you' and 'How's Jon doing?'. He also threatened to rape the woman and wrote: 'Kick to kill, stab for a laugh,' the Daily Record reported. McCready attacked schoolboy Jon while high on a cocktail of alcohol and drugs, telling police how he 'jumped up and down' on his head. He has repeatedly sent messages from inside jail, boasting last year about his 'hotel lifestyle' and saying he'd be 'back on the streets in no time'. McCready (left after his arrest) attacked schoolboy Jon Wilson while high on alcohol and drugs McCready previously posted a photo of himself posing in boxing gloves in his prison cell Last year he posted a photo captioned: 'Eazzzzzzy Dayyzzz'. The Scottish Prison Service said: 'Possessing a mobile phone in prison is a criminal offence. 'If we receive information that prisoners are in possession of such devices, we will take all appropriate action and report it to the relevant authorities.' Speaking after McCready last posted comments online, Jon's sister Lisa, 27, questioned how the killer was able to access social media sites from behind bars. She said: 'Why cant prisons stop this happening? The authorities clearly arent doing their jobs properly.' Scotland's prisons watchdog said last week that criminals should have phones installed in their jail cells so they can chat to friends and family. McCready is being held at Lanarkshire's maximum security prison, HMP Shotts HM Chief Inspector of Prisons David Strang, a former chief constable, said he was 'supportive' of the landline phones being fitted. He claimed it would help rehabilitation because inmates are encouraged to keep in touch with relatives and friends. Earlier this month, it emerged that inmates at the UK's biggest and newest prison, HMP Berwyn, in Wrexham, will have a laptop as well as a phone, shower and toilet. The laptops will not have access to the internet but will be used to arrange visits, order meals for the week and do weekly shopping, as well as complete any work related to their studies. Prisoners can only use phones when they have earned the privilege to do so and they can only call numbers which have been checked and approved by prison staff. A new bride had $100,000 worth of valuables including her engagement and wedding rings stolen at the Ritz Carlton the day before her wedding. Jeanette Engler returned to her room at the $600-a-night hotel in Dallas to find her belongings had been taken. She said her own wedding officiant had his room ransacked the previous evening. Jeanette Engler returned to her room at the $600-a-night hotel in Dallas to find her belongings had been taken Her engagement ring, wedding rings and sapphire and diamond ring her mother had bought her for Christmas were taken. She even considered calling off the wedding. Speaking to Fox 4 News, she said: 'It will never be the day that I wanted it to be because I didn't get any sleep. I spent all night screaming and crying.' The burglar also made off with Chanel earrings for her bridesmaids and a Chanel necklace for her wedding planner. Ms Engler says the burglar also took makeup, a Gucci wallet, her wedding day accessories and a Gucci wallet. She told the broadcaster: 'I didn't even know if I wanted to do the wedding because I just couldn't pull myself together because everything was just, like, ruined.' A new bride had $100,000 worth of valuables including her engagement and wedding rings stolen at the Ritz Carlton, in Dallas (pictured) She claimed the hotel had not informed her about the safe in the room, nor at the front desk. The general manager of the Ritz in Dallas would not comment on specific security measures at the hotel, but said, 'Police are investigating two incidents at the hotel. We take the safety and security of our guests very seriously, and are cooperating with [Dallas] Police.' The second incident relates to Ms Engler's wedding officiant who was burgled the previous evening. A police force has admitted a four year-old was 'quizzed' over a sex attack as it released a full list of crimes allegedly committed by young children. Cumbria Police data, released this week after a Freedom of Information request, shows 23 children aged between from four and nine were accused of sex crimes. Force data also shows a three-year-old was reported to them for a physical assault and another of the same age was accused of car crime. Because of their age they cannot be prosecuted and it came as the NSPCC said young children cannot be accountable for their actions and urged for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to 12. Shocking: 478 children under 10 were listed as being responsible for crimes in Cumbria in the past five years Cumbria Police's alarming figures highlight fears that the UK's primary school generation of youngsters are living increasingly unsheltered lives. Among the figures, the largest number - 114 children - were responsible for assaults without injury. Meanwhile 61 children - one as young as three - was listed as being responsible for car crime. Other crimes included bike thefts, burglaries and hate incidents - with one child as young as five being listed as responsible. The figures show 478 children under 10 were listed as being responsible for crimes in the Lake District county in the last five years. A Cumbria Police spokesman said: 'There are other punishments that can be given to children under 10 who break the law. Revealed: Children accused of serious crimes and reported to police Theft - 15 children ages ranging from four to nine Arson - 1 child aged 8 Assault with injury - 64 children ages ranging from 6 to 9 Assault without injury - 114 children ages ranging from 3 to 9 Bicycle theft - 8 children ages ranging from 6 to 9 Burglary dwelling - 2 children ages ranging from 8 to 9 Burglary other - 10 children ages ranging from 6 to 9 Damage to dwellings - 27 children ages ranging from 5 to 9 Damage to other buildings - 23 children ages ranging from 4 to 9 Damage to vehicles - 61 children ages ranging from 3 to 9 Harrasment - 2 children ages ranging from 6 to 7 Hate incident - 13 children ages ranging from 5 to 9 Other damage - 40 children ages ranging from 4 to 9 Other public order offences - 1 child aged 9 Sexual offences - 23 children ages ranging from 4 to 9 Possession of weapons offences - 4 children ages ranging from 8 to 9 Public fear, alarm or distress - 24 children ages ranging from 5 to 9 Sex offence - 7 children ages ranging from 5 to 9 Shoplifting - 35 children ages ranging from 5 to 9 Theft from a motor vehicle - 4 children ages ranging from 8 to 9 TOTAL: 478 children Advertisement 'Options available to the police include a Local Child Curfew which gives the police the power to ban children from being in a public place between 9pm and 6am, unless accompanied by an adult. 'If a child breaks their curfew, they can be given a Child Safety Order. 'If a child has committed an offence or broken a Local Child Curfew, they can be placed under the supervision of a youth offending team.' The age of criminal responsibility in England is 10 years old. This means that children under 10 cannot be charged with a crime. A spokesman for the NSPCC said: 'The criminal justice system must support children who have committed offences. 'They must support them to change their behaviour and hold young people increasingly accountable for their actions as they mature. 'But at age ten, children are unlikely to understand the consequences of their actions or be able to effectively participate in criminal proceedings. 'The NSPCC believes the current age of criminal responsibility should be raised to at least 12 years of age in England. 'Robust action outside the youth justice system to deal with child offenders aged 10 and 11 would serve justice more effectively and better prevent future crime.' The police spokesman added: 'When children do commit offences, they tend to be against other children. 'The majority of the offences reported to have been committed by children are antisocial-type offences such as damage to property. 'Changes to the way crimes are recorded means that offences recorded as assault can be relatively low-level common assaults.' Local headteacher Chris Armstrong, principle of Brampton Primary School, stressed the behaviour of young children at his aged 11 and under school was 'very good'. On the figures, he said: 'A four-year-old committing a sexual offence is shocking, quite alarming actually. 'The figures are quite worrying and it has shocked me that there are so many. You wonder why that is happening.' Mr Armstrong said every school has a robust procedure in place to deal with troublemakers. He added: 'If a child under 10 commits a crime then we would obviously talk to the parents, seek advice from the local authority and children's services and involve the police. 'It would depend on the nature as to what it is. 'These days we worry about the content of some computer games and the access children have to the internet. 'We are very strict in school about that.' Today West Mercia Police admitted children as young as nine had been reported to them for cyberbullying offences last year. The number of victims aged under 18 has also more than doubled according to the West Midlands-based force - up from 71 reports in 2015 to 121 reports in 2016. Convicted terrorist Carlos the Jackal today described lawyers as 'scavengers' as he attacked them for dragging him back to court over a deadly grenade attack 43 years ago. The 67-year-old Venezuelan, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, smiled and blew kisses as he stood in the dock in Paris, where he has spent the last 23 years in a high security prison. Then he launched into a diatribe about wealthy 'Zionist interests' who wanted to subdue anybody who stood up to Israeli aggression. A court sketch shows Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal, gesturing during his trial in France for the deadly bombing of the Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop once located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres inl Paris more than 40 years ago Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, smoking a cigar in May 1996 Carlos the Jackal's lawyer Francis Vuillemin, reads files at the Paris court, France on Monday, March 13 Carlos the Jackal in the early 1970s (left) and arriving at court in Paris back in 2013 (right) Files are displayed with Carlos the Jackal's name at the Paris court, France, Monday, March 13 Carlos the Jackal's lawyer and fiancee Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, arrives at the court in the French capital As arguably the most notorious terrorist of his generation, Carlos was responsible for a series of atrocities across France in the 1970s and 80s, slaughtering victims including police officers. But he insisted he had nothing to do with the explosion at the Publicis Drugstore, on the upmarket Boulevard St-Germain in the French capital, on September 15, 1974. Two men died and 34 others were severely injured in the late afternoon attack that shattered all the windows in the store. The ruthless hit man was said to have carried the mission out in the name of Palestinian liberation at a time when the Arab-Israeli war was being fought on the streets of Paris. An attempt by Carlos legal team to have the case thrown out of court was rejected, but the panel of judges agreed with a defence request that the terrorist should undergo a medical investigation. Ms Coutant-Peyre, defending, said her client had rejected the chance to give evidence via video-link from prison, where medics would have been available. We would not know if the witness had a pistol in his back, said Ms Coutant-Peyre. Carlos, who was today wearing a black suit and turtleneck jumper, with a white silk handkerchief in his breast pocket that matched his silver hair, said the evidence against him was 'non-existent'. Francis Vuillemin, fields questions outside court 'The victims deserve all the respect, but the scavengers who make money on the back of the French people are not right,' said Carlos, pointing at the prosecuting barristers in court. He claimed 'Zionist organisations' were denying French citizens democracy, before being told by the trial judges to 'try to summarise a bit, our attention spans are limited'. Among his own counsel was Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who has not only defended him for decades, but is also his fiancee. She told the court that the latest charges against her boyfriend were completely unjustified, saying: 'This court violates the principles of justice, it judges political affairs.' Asked for his name and profession, Carlos described himself as a 'professional revolutionary' whose only interest was 'fighting war' for those who were being oppressed around the world. He gave his home address as 'my mothers place in Venezuela' and when asked his age suggested that he retained the idealism of a '17 year old'. At the time of the Publicis attack, Carlos was a 24-year-old member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), but said none of the survivors could describe him. His first ever gun attack was in 1973, when he shot Englishman Edward Sieff, then the director of Marks and Spencer. Seiff, who was also honorary vice-president of the British Zionist Federation, survived a bullet wound to the head. He died in 1982. Five years after the Publicis killings, the Arab language news magazine Al Watan Al Arabi ran a long interview with a man it identified as Carlos. He apparently claimed throwing the grenade, and described details of the operation and why it was carried out. Carlos has since claimed the interview was fabricated. Ilich Ramirez Sanchez (right) sits next to his lawyer Francis Vuillemin (left) in court in 2000 Francis Vuillemin flicks through his client's files at the Paris courtroom before the trial Eleven files, all labelled, are lined up in court ahead of the trial of Carlos the Jackal Carlos was finally arrested in Sudan by the French intelligence services in 1994, 20 years after his first mission on French soil. His nickname came from the fictional terrorist played by Edward Fox in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, The Day of the Jackal, which was turned into a popular film. Today's dedicated terrorism court is made up of professional judges, and there is no jury. The trial is expected to last three weeks. It comes as Paris remains in a State of Emergency following deadly terrorist attacks by Islamic State and al-Qaeda operatives in 2015. Theresa May has finally won the power to trigger Article 50 after peers backed down and passed the Brexit Bill after two crucial votes in the Commons earlier. MPs followed orders to delete an amendment on guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals, backing the Government 335 to 287, majority 48. The Commons also defeated the second amendment on the timetabling of votes at the end of the negotiation by a majority of 45. Peers then debated the deletions but did not offer any further resistance. It means the historic legislation will be law by tomorrow. Viscount Hailsham, a Tory peer who voted in favour of the amendment last time, said tonight: 'We have asked the Commons to think again, they have thought again, they have not taken our advice, and our role now I believe is not to insist.' Despite the climb down by Remain supporters in Parliament, Mrs May will not trigger Article 50 tomorrow - despite expectations having risen she might. No 10 today denied the Prime Minister had been spooked by Nicola Sturgeon's shock announcement of plans for a second independence referendum. Theresa May (pictured at Westminster Abbey today) will start the ball rolling by writing to European Council president Donald Tusk, setting out Britain's demands of the EU post-Brexit - but not until the end of the month Brexit Secretary David Davis said tonight: 'Parliament has today backed the Government in its determination to get on with the job of leaving the EU and negotiating a positive new partnership with its remaining member states. 'We are now on the threshold of the most important negotiation for our country in a generation. 'We have a plan to build a Global Britain, and take advantage of its new place in the world by forging new trading links. 'So we will trigger Article 50 by the end of this month as planned and deliver an outcome that works in the interests of the whole of the UK.' MPs followed orders to delete an amendment on guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals, backing the Government 335 to 287, majority 48. The Commons also defeated the second amendment on the timetabling of votes at the end of the negotiation by a majority of 45. Brexit Secretary David Davis opened today's debate with a warning to MPs the Government was not prepared to undermine the 'national interest' by accepting either amendment. The warnings were heeded and just two Conservative MPs - Alex Chalk and Tania Mathias - rebelled despite fears of a more widespread revolt. Even staunchly Pro-EU peers admitted tonight there was no appetite in the Lords to defy the will of the elected chamber again. Historic moment: A sign of the importance of the House of Lords debate tonight was that Theresa May herself watched the debate and signed the visitors' book The crucial legislation should receive Royal Assent on Tuesday morning - at which point Mrs May will be free to fire the starting gun on the formal EU divorce process. She is due to make a statement to the Commons on the EU summit at lunchtime, which would be the first opportunity to announce she has notified Brussels. But No 10 indicated it would now take place in the week beginning March 27, following EU celebrations for the Treaty of Rome next week. Brexit Secretary David Davis opened the debate with a warning to MPs the Government was not prepared to undermine the 'national interest'. Mr Davis opened a two-hour debate in the Commons that is due to end in the House of Lords later tonight following a bout of Parliamentary ping-pong over Article 50 Mr Davis urged MPs not to 'tie the Prime Minister's hands' by backing wrecking amendments passed last week by the Lords. One of the amendment sought to give Parliament a 'meaningful' vote on the divorce deal, while the other demanded guarantees protections for EU nationals living in Britain. As he opened today's debate, Mr Davis said ministers had given an 'undertaking' to schedule proper votes on the Brexit deal. Mr Davis vowed: 'We take very seriously, I take very seriously our moral responsibility to all four million United Kingdom and European Union citizens. 'The Prime Minister has been clear that issue will be one of the top priorities for the immediate negotiations. Tory Anna Soubry and Labour's Hilary Benn led cross-party resistance against the Government's Brexit plans 'I also welcome the encouraging words from across the Channel, particularly from Poland and Sweden, which fill me with confidence that we will reach a swift agreement with our European partners.' Mr Davis refused to make a further concession on the rules on binding final votes but acknowledged one way or another MPs would get at least a symbolic vote, even if they scheduled it themselves. He said: 'This place will have its say and will have its way.' Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said protecting EU citizens was 'a matter of principle', saying: 'Are we prepared to use one set of people - those that are here - as a bargaining chip, to get the rights for people in the EU? That is exactly what it is. CLEGG: BREXIT WILL MEAN ID CARDS Brexit will mean implementing ID cards, Nick Clegg claimed in the Commons today The Government could have to introduce something similar to ID cards to distinguish between EU nationals who arrived before and after Brexit, Nick Clegg has claimed. The former deputy prime minister also accused ministers of 'procedural machismo' in trying to push the Bill to trigger Article 50 through Parliament. Liberal Democrat Europe spokesman Mr Clegg said the Government's stubbornness in refusing to accept Lords amendments to the Bill could be perceived as a sign of weakness. Advertisement 'Once the whole argument about reciprocal rights is about bargaining, it is saying we will not do what we should do by this group of people until we get something in return for it. That is bargaining.' Stephen Gethins, the SNP's Europe spokesman, said: 'If we pass this today we are passing this Government a blank cheque, a blank cheque on one of the most crucial issues that this Parliament has ever discussed, and one that will have an impact on each and every one of us and each and every one of our constituents.' He later added: 'It is the House of Lords, of all places, the House of Lords, that has given us another opportunity today to save the House of Commons' blushes.' Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit select committee, said: 'I listened also carefully to the language which was used by Mr Davis. 'He talked about being able to act without our hands being tied. He talked about being able to pass the Bill without any strings attached. 'I just say to him, we, this House, we are not strings. 'We are part of our democracy, and we are very attached to that democracy.' George Osborne, who masterminded the Remain campaign's Project Fear, backed the Government. Allies of the ex-Chancellor say he believes ministers will give assurances the Commons will have a truly 'meaningful' vote on the final Brexit deal. There had also been speculation Ms Morgan may rebel. But she suggested today 'assurances' from Mr Davis would be enough to win her over. 'If the Prime Minister wants a united party then this is a simple reassurance that can be given by ministers at the despatch box that will have the effect, as I say, of my and my colleagues supporting the Government in this,' Ms Morgan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. She signalled she would back the Government on EU nationals. Scotland's former First Minister Alex Salmond (right) said the government's view on Brexit was 'Our way or the highway'. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quipped that a post-Brexit free trade deal with the US might 'liberate the haggis' which currently can't be exported there The Commons was packed today for the start of constitutional ping pong, which is expected to end in the Lords later tonight The Scottish Nationalists seized their opportunity for a second referendum, which they said would come after the terms of Brexit were known following negotiations with the EU Lord Darling of Roulanish - better known as former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling - said peers should back down if their amendments were overturned by MPs. 'The Commons has got to be supreme,' he said. 'I was 27 years a member of the House of Commons, I feel very strongly about that, the Lords is there to revise but at the end of the day the House of Commons is a democratically elected body. MAY'S BREXIT TRIGGER WILL BE PRINTED ON VELLUM If Theresa May gets her wish and MPs and peers drop their resistance, her Article 50 powers could be law tonight. While Royal Assent from the Queen will allow Mrs May to start her Brexit talks, it will also trigger an archaic archiving process. The new law will be printed onto Vellum, better known as goat skin. Two copies will be made - one for the Parliamentary Archive and another for the National Archives. The expensive, and occasionally controversial, process is the traditional way of storing British laws and has been used for centuries as an extremely long-lasting record. Advertisement 'I don't want Brexit, I think it's bad, I think we'll regret it, but that's the way it is.' Lord Oates, the Lib Dem peer, accused government ministers who had been part of the Remain campaign of betraying EU nationals in Britain. Labour peer Lady Hayter said: 'Our view has been rejected in the elected House of Commons, and it is clear that the Government is not for turning. 'On behalf of the opposition I say to the people concerned we are not giving up on you.' Lib Dem peers jeered Lady Hayter and she replied: 'I'll take no lessons from the Liberal Democrats, who confessed to me outside the chamber that this is appealing to their core vote and they're piling on members because of it.' Tory MPs including ex-chancellor Ken Clarke and former business minister Anna Soubry could still rebel. But it appears there will not be enough to threaten the government's majority. One rebel told the FT: 'We're aware that politics is a numbers game and we don't have the numbers' Yesterday Mr Davis urged rebels to pass the Bill unamended. On the Andrew Marr Show, he said: 'Please don't tie the Prime Minister's hands in the process of doing that for things which we expect to attain anyway.' Tory rebel MPs backing the amendment may include ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve and Treasury committee chairman Andrew Tyrie. Remoaners: Hundreds of people calling for EU residents in the UK to be given the right to remain in the UK following Brexit protested outside Parliament tonight Eurolover: Remainers protesting in Parliament Square tonight were disappointed when Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who had pleaded for people to come to the rally, failed to show up Rabble rousers: In Corbyn's absence the demonstrators listened to speeches from Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell Voters are confident People have not stopped shopping Consumers are 'unfazed' by Brexit uncertainty and feel confident about their future, a survey has found. Less than a third of those questioned said they were worried about the effect of leaving the EU, and just 15.5 per cent were anxious about job security. And less than one in ten homeowners expected the value of their property to fall this year, according to HSBC's survey of 2,000 people. HSBC said: 'It seems fair to say that the message from the Remain camp in the pre-referendum period that voting for Brexit would threaten your job and knock down the value of your house simply has not resonated with voters. 'Consumption has been critical to the UK's resilience following the vote to leave the EU, with the average household having remained largely unfazed by the prospect of political change.' Advertisement Asked if Parliament will get a meaningful vote, Mr Davis said: 'What we can't have is either House of Parliament reversing the decision of the British people.' After the votes went the way of the Government the Bill went before the Lords this evening. During the debate in the Lords the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, said the vote against the amendment was not due to a 'lack of compassion' but because of a respect for the process. He pointed out that under the law people who have continuously resided for more than five years are automatically allowed to remain. Labour's leader in the Lords promised not to defy the will of the Commons. Two Tory peers who rebelled last time Baroness Altmann and Lord Heseltine suggested they would back down. Ex-deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, sacked from Government roles after voting against Mrs May in the Lords, admitted he would fall in line if MPs defeat the amendments, adding: 'The arguments for the supremacy of the Commons would be very powerful.' To begin the process of leaving the EU, Mrs May will write to European Council president Donald Tusk, setting out Britain's demands. She would also be expected to tell the Commons Article 50 has been invoked. Mr Tusk has said EU leaders will respond within 48 hours. EU leaders will then hold a meeting, probably next month, to agree a response, before Mr Tusk replies with the EU's position and sounding the starting gun on talks. A father has made a heartbreaking plea in an effort to find his two young children who have been missing for more than two years. Harry Speath has not seen his daughter Serena, aged seven, and six-year-old son Thomas since December 5, 2014 after their mother Jane Adare picked them up from his Brisbane home. As he continues to search for his children - who were aged five and six when they vanished - Mr Speath wanted to remind the pair he hasn't forgotten about them. 'Just let the kids know, if they are reading it, that their Daddy loves them. I don't want them to think I've forgotten them,' he told Sunshine Coast Daily. Serena (right) and Thomas (left) were last seen after their mother picked them up from their father's Brisbane home on December 5 2014 Father Harry Speath (centre) has made a heartbreaking plea in an effort to find his two young children who have been missing for more than two years There were possible sightings of the children with their mother at the Pittsworth Show in Queensland's Toowoomba over the weekend. The location of the trip are unknown but Mr Speath believed they were frequenting the Sunshine Coast hinterland because Ms Adare has family in the Maleny and Yadina Creek areas. Young Serena will celebrate her eighth birthday on March 29 while her brother Thomas will turn seven on April 27. 'They might have changed a lot,' Mr Speath said. He feared his children were being improperly home schooled after the Department of Education confirmed they were not enrolled at any school. Thomas - who will turn seven on April 27 - has short blond hair, blue eyes and is medium build Serena - who will turn eight on March 29 - has been described as having short blond hair, blues eyes and slightly built. She is extremely allergic to eggs and allergic to peanuts Mr Speath said he is worried his children would forget him as he struggles to cope with not knowing their whereabouts. 'That's the thing, the not knowing, I guess. It's a bit like they've died but I don't know what's happened and I've got no-one to bury,' he said. Serena has been described as having short blond hair, blues eyes and slightly built. She is extremely allergic to eggs and allergic to peanuts. Thomas has short blond hair, blue eyes and is medium build. Ms Adare has light brown hair with some grey but it may have since been dyed blond. She has hazel eyes and a fair complexion and is approximately 165cm tall. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the children are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A picture of a pair of giraffes mock fighting in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania makes it look like the animals have morphed into the same body with two heads At first glance, this 'two-headed giraffe' could be mistaken for a mythological creature. But the photograph is just an optical illusion, making it look like a pair of giraffes share the same body. The mock fighting animals used their gangling limbs to butt and hit each other in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. In the photograph, one giraffe's head is leaning forward, while the other is bending over its back. Photographer Mohammed Alnaser took the picture at an angle where the two animals' legs are completely lined up, making it seem like they share a body. The 38-year-old investment banker from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said: 'Because of the movement of their necks I knew that would create some kind of interesting photos for me. 'One of the pictures looks like they have one body and two necks and heads. 'Lots of people who have viewed the photo have said that to me. 'When you look at it you have to look again and pay closer attention to the detail of the photo. It is an optical illusion. 'I can see why people find it funny.' Scroll down for video The giraffes used their gangling limbs to hit and clobber each other in the middle of the desert. The act of fighting is a social tool used by giraffes to make groups of friends One of the animals throws its head back as the other stands placidly beside. The pose is similar to the optical illusion, but the photographer's angle is different Peeka-boo: as one of the animals moves its head in a bid to hit its friend, the other moves its neck around the giraffe and peers into the camera The photographer also took pictures of the giraffes knocking each other in a mock fight. He 'Giraffes are very difficult to try and get pictures of, as they do not do a lot things and often can just be grazing or moving slowly. 'So when I saw these two I kept taking a lot of photos. 'They look like they were fighting but they weren't actually properly fighting, they were just mock fighting and playing. 'The other photo looks like the giraffe is trying to photobomb his friend. That one is interesting too. 'Normally it is hard to get photos of giraffes doing anything so unusual so I was really pleased. They were not fully grown, they were younger, but I am not sure if they were male or female.' Mohammed has been interested in photography for the last 14 years and began snapping animals and wildlife eight years ago. Investment banker Mohammed Alnaser, 38, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, took the picture on his first visit to the Serengheti National Park. He is a regular safari-goer Mr Alnaser has visited the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve in South Africa and the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. He has been interested in photography for the last 14 years He has visited Africa numerous times to take pictures, making trips to the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve in South Africa and the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. But he was on his first visit to the Serengeti when he spotted the bizarre two-headed giraffe. Mohammed said: 'I am a regular in Africa but this was my first time at the Serengeti National Park. 'I love photography in general, but I relate most to wildlife and animals.' A classroom pet has been killed and thousands dollars worth of damage caused after heartless vandals broke into and trashed a Melbourne after school care room. Staff at the Rosebud Primary school were horrified to find flipped over desks, destroyed books, and even a flat screen TV ripped off the wall after the classroom was broken into on Saturday night. The class's gold fish was found on the floor after vandals smashed its tank and fire extinguisher foam was sprayed all over the room turning the dark carpet white. Scroll down for video Thousands dollars worth of damage was caused after heartless vandals broke into and trashed a Melbourne after school care room The class's gold fish was found on the floor after the hoodlums smashed its tank The damage bill is expected to be in the thousands of dollars but Principal Stephen Fisher has praised the community spirit after posting a call to help on Facebook on Sunday. 'Last night someone thought it was a good idea to break into the old building,' the post began. 'They trashed the before and after school care room, breaking the fish tank so flooding the place, killing the fish, pulling the TV down and stomping on it, upending everything, and then to finish with sprayed everything with the fire extinguisher.' 'We are going to have a working bee Tomorrow at 12.30pm Monday 13th March, to try to clean the place up. Fire extinguisher foam was sprayed all over the room turning the dark carpet white Staff at the Rosebud Primary school were horrified to find flipped over desks, destroyed books, and even a flat screen TV ripped off the wall after the classroom was broken into on Saturday night 'If anyone could come I would greatly appreciate it. If you can come along and help, please bring a mask and gloves. Thanks.' Dozens of people responded to the principals plea and rocked up on Monday to help clean up the mess. 'It's created an enormous job for everybody cleaning up,' Mr Fisher told Nine News. 'It's quite emotional really to see so many people here today, It really is incredible. Police on Monday charged a teenager over the incident and are expected to charge four others Advertisement If fears of a second Dale Farm camp was ever in doubt, these latest aerial pictures appear to show work to build a new unauthorized travellers site is well underway. This is the scene from overhead at at the five-acre Hovefields site in Wickford, Essex, only two miles from the original Dale Farm at Crays Hill that was cleared amid violent scenes in 2011. Neighbours close to the 'Dale Farm 2' site said today they are horrified at the aerial photographs and say it is proof that an illegal camp is being constructed. One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: 'We have been threatened and are too afraid to go down to view the site. We knew it was a large site as there were five lorries delivering tarmac last Saturday, but seeing these aerials really highlight the extent of the plans.' Dale Farm 2? This is the scene from overhead at at the five-acre Hovefields site in Wickford, Essex, only two miles from the original Dale Farm at Crays Hill Bird's Eye view: The overhead photographs appear to show new fenced off areas that appear to be caravan plots taking shape Anger: Neighbours in the area (right) around the site (far left of picture) said today they are horrified at the aerial photographs and say it is proof that an illegal camp is being constructed Controversial: This was the scene at Dale Farm in 2011 (pictured) where protesters set fire to tyres, wood and caravans and this woman faced the bailiffs who cleared the site Another added: 'It is clear that the intention is to put down hardcore and tarmac the site with the purpose of bringing caravans and mobile homes onto illegal pitches. Whilst I appreciate that people need homes, we cannot allow the law to be broken.' But Phien O'Reachtigan of the Gypsy and Traveller council said: 'It is nimbyism. Not all people are the same. These people who are complaining about their new neighbours are sitting in their cosy houses complaining about homeless people looking to accommodate themselves.' Last week it was revealed that traveller ignored a High Court injunction as hundreds of tonnes of building material was delivered to a site where they are believed to be planning a massive new illegal camp near the notorious Dale Farm Last week it was revealed that travellers ignored a High Court injunction as hundreds of tonnes of building material was delivered to a site where they are believed to be planning a massive new illegal camp near the notorious Dale Farm. Horrified residents watched as 30 lorries loaded with hardcore turned up over the weekend. The green belt land was split into plots and a fence around the home of a couple in their 80s was demolished by a digger to create space for three mobile homes and three caravans to be delivered on Friday. A quarter mile-long Tarmac access road was laid to make it easier for construction vehicles to move up and down the site. Septic tanks were also delivered. It is feared that up to 50 families could move into the land dubbed Dale Farm II after the camp just two miles away that was once home to 800 travellers, in defiance of planning laws. Locals said the travellers had brazenly boasted of their plans, confident that no one would stop them. Jill Walsh, of Hovefields Residents Association, said: 'This is going to be a case of Dale Farm eat your heart out. It will have nothing on Hovefields.' Association chairman Jenny Mace added: 'There was a convoy of 21 twenty-tonne lorries loaded with scalpings and aggregate driving down to tip their loads onto the green belt field. 'There will be more travellers coming onto the land this weekend, apparently. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes.' A quarter mile-long Tarmac access road was laid to make it easier for construction vehicles to move up and down the site. Septic tanks were also delivered It is feared that up to 50 families could move into the land dubbed Dale Farm II after the camp just two miles away that was once home to 800 travellers, in defiance of planning laws Basildon Council is still reeling from the pitched battle it funded to remove the travellers from Dale Farm, at Crays Hill (pictured in this map, in relation to the site at Hovefields) The land, which is understood to be owned by travellers, was made the subject of a High Court injunction in October after residents alerted Basildon District Council to activity that suggested work was due to start. But the ease with which the travellers have flouted the ban makes a mockery of assurances by the last Coalition government that planning laws had been toughened to stop such developments springing up. The introduction of stop notices with breaches carrying the threat of a jail term was supposed to give local authorities the power to end the scandal of illegal traveller camps. Previously, unscrupulous families had made use of retrospective planning applications and Human Rights laws to delay eviction by years as they argued they had a right to a home and to education once their children were in local schools. But Mrs Mace added: 'Any breach of the injunction is a contempt of court yet Basildon Council has repeatedly refused to initiate legal proceedings against the culprits. 'This effectively has sent out a message to the Gypsy/Traveller community that they can do what they like as Basildon Council will not take any action against them. 'They have totally betrayed their duty of care towards our law-abiding residents and the wider community.' The trauma caused by the Dale Farm camp in Crays Hill is still fresh among locals. It sprang up from 2001, leading to a decade of legal battles as the travellers dug in their heels and built fortress-like barricades. It culminated in a clash between the travellers and campaigners and police and bailiffs as the six-acre plot was finally cleared in October 2011. The total cost of the eviction was 6.7 million, with Basildon Council paying 4.3 million and Essex Police 2.4 million. Travellers are feared to be secretly building 'Dale Farm II' on Green Belt land by using 600 tonnes of building material to illegally expand Residents near the Hovefields site took these pictures purportedly showing trucks delivering building materials for the purpose of asphalting Green Belt land Residents living near the Hovefields site in Wickford, Essex, watched in horror as nearly two thirds of a five-acre field was covered in asphalt (shown) The Hovefields site was cleared back in 2005 (shown), but it is now feared up to 50 new families could move onto the site The travellers were supposed to pick up the bill for the operation but to date not a penny has been recovered. Hovefields saw the clearance of a number of illegal pitches between 2005 and 2010 at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Residents complained of being terrorised as they were shot at and rocks were thrown into houses and car windows. Signs of reoccupation were flagged up as far back as March last year, but the residents association said in a statement: 'The council has served stop notices, enforcement notices, High Court injunctions and article 4 directions in an attempt to stop these actions, all of which have proved to be totally ineffective as they are all routinely ignored.' It added: 'Residents are now very frightened and are living in fear for their safety.' An exchange of emails with a senior planning enforcement officer was released which revealed the council's impotence. Neil Costen said existing laws were 'in the short-term ineffective', adding: 'There is unfortunately no power of arrest available to the council or the police in respect of a flagrant breach of existing notices and the extant injunction. 'Neither the council or the police have any powers to stop persons from residentially occupying the land with caravans or the laying of further areas of hardcore.' Council leader Phil Turner said last week: 'As a public body, we must act within the existing legal framework, as set out by Parliament, and this adds considerable time and cost in dealing with such situations. 'However, all residents can be assured that the council is taking all appropriate steps to deal with unauthorised development.' Harrowing footage has captured the moment an elderly man lost his life on Scotland's most dangerous road. Video from the scene caught the moment a white VW Caddy van and a grey BMW crashed on the A9 near Alness in Easter Ross last December. The unnamed 85-year-old driver of the BMW was cut free from the wreckage and taken to hospital with serious leg injuries, but later died. Video from the scene caught the moment a white VW Caddy van and a grey BMW crashed on the A9 near Alness in Easter Ross The horrific collision involved a Transit Van, a BMW and VW Caddy Van It is not known whether the man died as a direct result of the injuries he suffered in the accident. Remarkably, no-one else was hurt in the crash despite the weight and speed of traffic. At the start of the clip, a vehicle further down the road can be seen getting shunted to the left as it is hit by the BMW. An HGV roars past the dashcam vehicle and then BMW comes into sight, a fraction of a second later colliding with the VW van. Both vehicles are spun sideways and come to a sudden halt as debris explodes across the carriageway and clouds of smoke rise into the night air. The dashcam vehicle emergency brakes in time to avoid ploughing into the wreckage. The notorious road has claimed a number of lives and this footage was released in a bid to prevent further deaths The incident happened around 4.30pm on December 8 last year and involved a Transit Van, a BMW and VW Caddy Van. Police confirmed today that the elderly man subsequently died and a report had been sent to the Procurator Fiscal. No-one has been charged in connection with the collision, added a spokeswoman. The spokeswoman added the family of the driver would be warned aboutexistence of the footage, which was obtained by road safety website Scotland's Worst Drivers (SWD). The unnamed 85-year-old driver of the BMW was cut free from the wreckage and taken to hospital with serious leg injuries, but later died An SWD spokesman said: 'On this occasion I don't think it's fair to apportion blame, as the footage is unclear. 'First and foremost my thoughts are with the family of the elderly gentleman who sadly lost his life as a result of this devastating collision. 'I'm deeply saddened that the A9 has claimed another life. The dangers on all roads are all too clear, and I urge drivers to take care especially in the hours of darkness.' Known as the most notorious road in Scotland, the A9 stretches from Thurso to Stirling, spanning 273 miles. In 2014 average speed cameras were installed at 27 sites on the vital route between Inverness and Dunblane at a cost of 2.5m, in an effort to save lives and prevent speeding. The speed limit for HGVs using the road was also increased from 40mph to 50mph on single carriageways as a pilot project, following calls from hauliers. This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! Sadistic robbers who poured boiling water over an elderly couple in two-hours of brutal torture have pleaded guilty. The three thugs appeared in court to admit to the horrific raid on the home of a businessman and his wife in Sevenoaks, Kent. John Buswell, 66 and wife Janis, 64, were scalded with water from the kettle and threatened with a knife and hot iron during the break in - leaving Mrs Buswell with liver failure fighting for her life and Mr Buswell with burns to 10 per cent of his body. The vicious thugs also tried to cut off the ear of Mr Buswell's ear as they shouted at the pair to reveal the combination for two safes in the house. Victims: John Buswell, 66 and wife Janis, 64, were scalded with water from the kettle during the break in at their home in Sevenoaks, Kent Last month, Daniel Wallace, 33, and Kacey Adams, 34, pleaded guilty to smashing their way into the pensioners' home in Halstead near Sevenoaks, Kent, and then subjecting them to a brutal two-hour ordeal. Today the third gang member 27-year-old Drew Morris appeared at the same crown court in Maidstone, Kent, to admit to his involvement in the terrifying raid. The raid happened at Oak Tree Farm in London Road on April 26 last year. The torture was inflicted on the couple as the thugs demanded money and tried to extract the combination numbers to two safes at the property. Mrs Buswell was left fighting for her life in intensive care with horrific burns to 30 per cent of her body and liver failure. Her husband suffered burns to 10 per cent of his body. Wallace, of Dagenham in Essex, and Adams, of Hainault in Ilford, Essex, were arrested at Heathrow Airport just over a month later on May 31 as they returned from a shopping trip in Dubai. Last month, Daniel Wallace, (right) 33, and Kacey Adams, 34, (left) pleaded guilty to smashing their way into the pensioners' home in Halstead near Sevenoaks, Kent, and then subjecting them to a brutal two-hour ordeal Both pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two offences of causing grievous bodily harm with intent when they appeared at Maidstone Crown Court via a TV link with high security Belmarsh Prison in south east London on February 23. Morris, of Rayleigh in Essex, who appeared via TV link with Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent admitted burglary. He denied the more serious offence of aggravated burglary and this was accepted by the prosecution. Morris had pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing to two charges of causing grievous bodily with intent and two of false imprisonment. Judge Philip Statman was told at today's hearing they will not be proceeded with. Wallace and Adams also denied two charges of false imprisonment at their hearing last month and again this was accepted by the prosecution, who asked they be left on the court file. The maximum sentence for causing GBH with intent is life. The raiders were armed with cable ties when they broke into the property. They stole CCTV equipment, cash, jewellery, two men's gold watches, premium bonds, foreign currency, cheque cards, personal documents, the contents of two drawers and car keys. Prosecutor Tracy Ayling QC told a previous court hearing: 'They tied them up with cable ties and then poured boiling water over them to extract the combinations of the two safes in the property.' 'It was poured twice on Mrs Buswell and once on Mr Buswell. They were kept captive for about two hours. 'However, the Crown is satisfied the seriousness of the offences is represented by the offences of aggravated burglary and grievous bodily harm and that is why the pleas have been accepted.' All three will now be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex, where last month Wallace and Adams were also convicted of conspiracy to murder in relation to a 'tit-for-tat' drive-by shooting. The court heard the Halstead raid took place during the time when Wallace, Adams and another man were plotting to kill Tony Saunders. The 59-year-old was sitting in a Transit van at traffic lights just yards from his home in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, in May last year, when a stolen Mercedes pulled up alongside him. Mr Saunders was shot at point blank range through a passenger window. He survived but suffered serious facial injuries. Adams was the driver and Wallace, who also has links to Barking in Essex, was a passenger. They denied conspiracy to murder but were convicted with their accomplice. Mr Saunders was targeted after his son, Paul, 30, attacked a man with a machete outside celebrity haunt Nu-Bar in Loughton, Essex. He was later jailed for eight years. A hearing will be held at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday (March 15) to fix the sentencing date. All three defendants have been remanded in custody. Media outlets and social media users have been accused of racism for suggesting the woman who pulled two children out of the room when they hilariously interrupted their dad's BBC television interview was the nanny and not their mother. The hilarious footage shows expert Robert Kelly, an associate professor of Political Science at Pusan National University in Busan, South Korea, handling serious questions about the country's president, Park Geun-hye, being ousted from power. The video, which has been viewed hundreds of millions of times since going viral last week, shows his two children Marion, 4, and nine-month-old James bursting into his home office. His wife then rushes in behind them, staying close to the ground while trying to keep out of the shot of the camera, and drags the kids out before lunging to shut the door. Robert Kelly and his wife Jung-a Kim and daughter Marion - who started the interruption which created a viral sensation. Many people mistook Mr Kelly's wife for his children's nanny The interviewee's toddler bursts into the room in a bright yellow top and performs a hilarious dance behind him His parental problems soon double as a baby also excitedly makes his way into the room in a stroller To complete the farce, his wife comes skidding through the threshold to collect the children Several media outlets reported that the woman was the children's nanny, when she was in fact his wife, Jung-a Kim. The assumption has sparked a backlash with many people criticising media outlets for demonstrating bias and perpetuating stereotypes. Thousands of people commenting on the video on Facebook and Twitter also wrongly assumed she was the nanny, with many saying they felt for her and 'hoped she kept her job'. Critics have said that the assumption was based on racial stereotypes about the roles played by Asian women, with many seeing them as servient. 'People fell back on stereotypes,' said Phil Yu, a blogger at Angry Asian Man. 'There are stereotypes of Asian women as servile, as passive, as fulfilling some kind of service role,' he continued. 'People were quick to make that assumption.' Others have suggested that they believe that people's prejudices prevent them from accepting the fact that a white man with a high status job would be married to an Asian woman. The media was also criticised for naming Prof Kelly, but not his wife. But some have claimed that these suggestions are unfair, as it was the frenzied look on the woman's face that caused them to believe she was the nanny, and fearing for her job - although critics say she was reacting as any mother would. However, to Korean speakers it would have been obvious that Ms Kim was the children's mother, because during the video, Marion appears to say in Korean: 'Why? What's wrong?' and 'Mummy, why?' Even though a tweet shows Prof Kelly with his wife, some people still believed she was the nanny Media outlets and people commenting online received a backlash from people who pointed out that Jung-a Kim was clearly the children's mother Critics have said that the assumption was based on racial stereotypes about the roles played by Asian women People questioned why those on Twitter and Facebook were assuming Jung-a Kim was the children's nanny A highly respected expert on South Korean politics, Prof Kelly has written for outlets including Foreign Affairs, The European Journal Of International Relations and The Economist. He earned his bachelors degree in political science from the University of Miami and completed his PhD at Ohio State. Kelly moved to Korea in 2008, and married Jung-a Kim, a former yoga teacher who is now a stay-at-home mother to their two children. Among the critics was author Roxane Gay, who tweeted: 'Today one of the funniest, most charming videos showed me that we have way more work to do than I ever thought.' She was then challenged by a Twitter user who argued: 'I think it's a fair assumption. 'She looks way younger than the dude and looks like a different ethnicity than her children.' But Gay replied with: 'It's only a fair assumption if you're racist', and added: 'Some of you should look long and hard at why you assume that mother is the nanny.' Author Roxane Gay was among those criticising people for making assumptions One man replied saying he thought it was a far conclusion to draw because his wife 'looks way younger' But Gay hit back saying she thought those making the assumptions were racist Writer Maria Chong also pointed out that Jung-a Kim was the children's mother Another writer, Maria Chong, also criticised those who made the assumption, tweeting: '1) It's his wife, not a nanny or maid. 2) She has a name, Jung-a Kim. 3) Cute kids 4) Life happens', followed by a series of crying-with-laughter emojis. Journalist Ashitha Nagesh also tweeted: 'CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STOP ASSUMING THE WOMAN IN THAT BBC VIDEO IS THE NANNY, SHE IS HIS WIFE (sorry for the all caps) #stopbeingracist.' Roxie Cooper tweeted: 'Why is everyone assuming the woman in that hilarious BBC video is a nanny? Why isnt it his wife?' And Thomas Castle said: 'That is Robert's wife, not his nanny. I find it curious so many people assume she's a nanny.' Following the incident a hashtag, #notthenanny, started trending on Twitter, and other mothers - some of children of dual heritage - shared their own experiences of being mistaken for a nanny, with some tweeting pictures of themselves and their children. People have also stepped in to share their own stories about people making assumptions based on race. Helier Chung, writing on the BBC website said: 'Some families in South Korea do hire nannies - especially if both parents work long hours. 'But many people feel the assumption that Ms Kim was a helper, rather than the children's mother, was grounded in racial stereotypes about the roles played by Asian women. People use to ask if he was mine. I can understand why, but no I am #notTheNanny. pic.twitter.com/LasjbmpIEv LadyGreyBeads (@TannerRuff) March 12, 2017 'Conscious - or unconscious bias, does happen sometimes. 'When I was at university in London, most people I met assumed that I (as a British Chinese student) was studying either medicine or economics - when I was actually studying English literature. 'It was a little annoying, but not a huge deal. But sometimes assumptions can be more hurtful.' While UK couple Tiffany Wong and Jonathan Smith, told the BBC they have experienced discrimination from strangers in the past. 'We have had people shout stuff at us - once, when we were walking down the street, a guy yelled 'it's so sad you're going with an Asian girl' to John,' Tiffany said. While Jonathan added: 'When I mention my fiancee at work, people normally just assume she's Caucasian, and they might be surprised to learn she's not. It's not offensive - it's just that their first thought is that you date someone from your own race.' The children's grandmother Ellen Kelly, who lives in, Ohio, told DailyMail.com that the children may have thought they were Skyping their grandparents. Mrs Kelly, the professor's mother, said she and her husband Joseph usually Skype with Robert, his wife Jung-a Kim and the two children from the same place as he was carrying out the BBC interview. 'Robert usually Skypes with us from his home office, which is where he did the interview. 'The kids probably heard voices coming from the computer and assumed it was us,' she said laughing. 'It was just hilarious'. Mohammed Humza, 26, was jailed for four years and two months A car thief who stole a Saudi sheikh's luxury Rolls-Royce worth 97,000 has been jailed for more than four years. Mohammed Humza, 26, filled out a DVLA V62 form claiming he was the new owner of Sheikh Mohammed Alibrahim's Phantom Coupe after seeing it parked in Mayfair, London. He went on to sell the car along with a BMW and a Mercedes, before claiming he was the rightful owner of a Ferrari, an Aston Martin and a Porsche 911 until he was caught. Jailing him for four years and two months, the judge said Humza's 'professional and sophisticated fraud' should serve as a 'salutary lesson to the DVLA'. Humza was seen driving the Sheikh's supercar out of the Audley Street car park in Mayfair with the help of an unknown accomplice on 18 April 2015. It was reported stolen four days later. The father-of-two ordered new keys for the Rolls Royce and sold it to Shaks Specialist Cars in Huddersfield for 27,500 along with a Blue BMW 5 Series and a White Mercedes-Benz A Class. Sheikh Alibrahim was unable to reply to the DVLA on whether the ownership had changed because he was abroad, Southwark Crown Court heard. The court heard if the DVLA receives no reply from the owner they will re-register the owner in the applicant's name and issue a new logbook. Humza filled out a DVLA V62 form claiming he was the new owner of Sheikh Mohammed Alibrahim's Phantom Coupe (pictured) after seeing it parked in Mayfair, London Jailing him for four years and two months, the judge at Southwark Crown Court (pictured) said Humza's 'professional and sophisticated fraud' should serve as a 'salutary lesson to the DVLA' 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. But the DVLA were eventually able to contact the owners and found Humza's fingerprints on the V62 forms. Prosecutor Margia Mostafa said: 'The method of fraud the defendant used was submitting a V62 form to the DVLA to register owner details. 'On 28 March 2015 the DVLA received a V62 form request for change of ownership details from the Sheikh to the defendant. 'As the Sheikh was living abroad he didn't respond to the DVLA request and the DVLA, having not received a response changed the ownership to the defendant on the 13 April 2015.' Humza, from Watford, was jailed for four years and two months after he admitted one count of theft and five counts of fraud by false representation. Sheikh Alibrahim was unable to reply to the DVLA on whether the ownership on his car (pictured) had changed because he was abroad He showed no emotion as Judge Martin Griffith told him: 'You have been involved in what to my view is a professional and highly selective car theft business. 'The car that was stolen was a Rolls-Royce, owned by what appears to be a wealthy gentleman who lives outside of the country. 'It must surely be something in the way of a salutary lesson to the DVLA. It shouldn't really allow people to get new V5s on the strength of "I get can't get hold of the registered keeper".' 'This was a high culpability sophisticated fraud in which you played the leading role.' A young girl dubbed the real life Little Red Riding Hood has spoken of her ordeal in walking for six hours through a wolf-infested forest in a temperature of minus 34C. Little Saglana Salchak was sent out by her blind grandfather to go to her nearest neighbour in a remote region of Siberia after her beloved grandmother suddenly died. Her five mile trek through shoulder-high snowdrifts took six hours in treacherous conditions, and was mostly in total darkness, starting at 5am, but insists she was never scared. The girl - who was fighting hunger - has been praised for her astonishing bravery by local leaders in the Tuva republic, and a rescue chief said she was 'lucky' not to have been eaten alive by a wolf pack. It has emerged the child's mother could face negligence charges. Saglana Salchak, four, holds two plastic bags as she stands in the snow in Russia Under this pile of snow is a river that Saglana walked alongside in her search for help Salgana Salcjak wearing a bobble hat with the word 'smile' written on it holds hands with with local official Sayana Chypsyn Contrary to earlier reports, the girl suffered hypothermia from the cold, but she successfully made it to her neighbour's home - who sounded the alarm to rescue her grandfather. Now in care after a hospital stay, Saglana - who has since marked her fifth birthday - said: 'It was very cold and I was so hungry. 'But I wasn't scared. 'I was just walking, walking, walking. 'And I finally got there.' Her route last month from her remote farmstead was partly along a frozen river. She told how she tried to follow the tracks of her neighbours horse-drawn sleigh. These were still visible in the snow from an earlier visit, and she knew they would lead to his farm. Saglana with her mother Eleanora, who could potentially face negligence charges But after the death of her 60-year-old grandmother, Saglana may be faced with a new ordeal. The girl's mother Eleonora, 31, could be charged with negligence for leaving the girl with the grandparents who 'could not ensure the safety of the child'. Her grandfather is registered blind and the grandmother was known to have a heart condition, say reports. Despite this, regional governor Sholban Kara-ool has offered for the girl and her mother to stay at a health spa to help the child over her ordeal. Saglana plays with a toy after her grueling trek to find help after her grandfather sent her out Local officials comfort the four-year-old after her brutal walk in temperatures as low as -34C Meanwhile, Saglana has been praised for her bravery and composure in walking through bone-chilling temperatures. Semen Rubtsov, head of the search and rescue in Tuva, said she was a 'professional' who knew to take matches with her, enabling her to light a fire if needed. The child of a shepherd family, she was used to 'extreme situations', he said. 'Such children in Siberia learn to ride a horse as soon as they start walking - and can manage great distances. 'They know the dangers of the taiga, and how to counter them. 'This girl acts as a professional already. She took the matches to light a fire, in case. 'The difficulty was that she had to make her way through snowdrifts. Semen Rubtsov, head of the search and rescue in Tuva 'There also was a great danger - wild animals. 'Bears are hibernating now, but Tuva is crowded with wolves. 'They plague the cattle, and shepherds groan because of them. 'In the dark she could easily have stumbled on a pack. 'This girl was lucky that she did not meet them. 'Her only hope would have been to climb a tree.' He claimed that the temperature - colder than the coldest ever recorded in the UK - would not have seemed unduly extreme to her. She was dressed in a sheepskin coat and felt boots. 'It was not extreme cold by our standards, only minus 34C,' he said. 'This is generally a warm winter.' A social worker caring for her said: 'Saglana is an open-minded, intelligent and tender girl. 'We are proud that this small heroine from the taiga is growing up here. 'We treat her like our own daughter, and kiss and hug her each day. 'After all, not every four year old child manages to perform the feat that she accomplished.' The social worker said that Saglana becomes 'sad' when people mention her grandmother. She remains 'sad' over the grandmother. Saglana Salchak (in the white hat) sits on the lap of local official Sayana Chypsyn with her mother Eleonora (left) at a social centre Footage from a news programme of Saglana recovering from the trek with her mother 'She is very upset by her death,' said the social worker, according to The Siberian Times. 'To help distract her from grieving, we have organised a campaign - Let's help Saglana. 'Complete strangers have already sent a lot of gifts to her.' Local politicians have lined up to visit her and praise her bravery. The home she 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 mot mysterious landmarks, the Por-Bajin fortress, a 1,300 year old mountain palace rumoured to have been built 'for a tragic Chinese princess'. Author Mem Fox has vowed to never return to the United States after she was 'interrogated' by immigration officials last month Author Mem Fox has vowed to never return to the United States after she was 'interrogated' by immigration officials at Los Angeles Airport. Appearing on ABC's Q&A on Monday night, the Australian best-selling author opened up about the 'humiliating' ordeal after being 'badly treated' last month. 'I did go to the US and I was let in, amazingly I was allowed in but not until I had been interrogated... not interviewed,' she recalled. 'I was pulled out of line to see a real person, and that's where the trouble started.' The 71-year-old woman said she was required for further questioning because she was travelling with the 'wrong visa' after customs officials found out she was 'getting paid to give a speech in the States'. Scroll down for video Appearing on ABC's Q&A on Monday night, the Australian best-selling author opened up about the ordeal where she was left feeling 'humiliated' after being 'badly treated' last month 'It was the way they were trying to protect their borders. It was the fear they caused in me. It was the humiliation in a public room, in which everything about my finances were shouted out to the entire room,' she recalled. 'It was the way other people in the room were treated, which made me ashamed of being a human being. 'Of course they can keep their borders safe. There are ways of doing it that are polite. That are friendly. That are warm. I hope that Australians who would be in the same situation as those border police would be slightly more polite, slightly warmer.' Ms Fox fired up when she was asked on the program whether she would ever set foot in the US again following the incident. 'No I won't, absolutely not, it wouldn't be safe for me to do so, I don't think I would be allowed in. I'd faint in the immigration queue,' she said. 'I couldn't even stand in the immigration queue. I would just faint with fear. People have said, "Get over it. Don't be so precious". I was in that room. They were not in the room that I was in. 'They were not there after Trump came into power. They were not interviewed by the man who interviewed me who was much younger than I was and who was absolutely terrifying and he humiliated me from the first sentence. 'The person that says get over it was not there with me.' Beloved Australian author Mem Fox (pictured) has received an apology after she was left 'sobbing like a baby' after she was detained by immigration officials in the US Her latest television appearance comes after she received an apology after she was left 'sobbing like a baby' when she was detained in the US. Fox was questioned for two hours by customs officers at Los Angeles Airport earlier this month - and said she'd never been 'treated with such disdain.' 'I felt like I had been physically assaulted which is why, when I got to my hotel room, I completely collapsed and sobbed like a baby. And I'm 70 years old,' she told the ABC. Fox received an apology after lodging complaints with the Australian embassy in Washington and the United States embassy in Canberra. However, she says she is unlikely to return to America after the experience. She said the customs officers appeared to have been given 'turbocharged power' by President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. 'I have never in my life been spoken to with such insolence, treated with such disdain, with so many insults and with so much gratuitous impoliteness,' she said. She had been travelling to Milwaukee for a conference on February 9 when she was led into an airport holding room - and accused of having the wrong visa. Fox said the customs officers appeared to have been given 'turbocharged power' by President Donald Trump's (above) executive order on immigration Fox, who has travelled to the US more than 100 times over the past three decades, said she felt like a 'prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.' 'I am old and white, innocent and educated, and I speak English fluently,' she told the Adelaide Advertiser. Fox is the author of several best-selling children's books including Possum Magic 'Imagine what happened to the others in the room, including an old Iranian woman in her 80s, in a wheelchair.' She added: 'The way I was treated would have made any decent American shocked to the core, because that's not America as a whole, it really isn't.' Ms Fox is the author of several best-selling children's books including Possum Magic, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Wombat Divine and Where is the Green Sheep? She said her experience has only made her see how important her latest book is. Ms Fox wrote I'm Australian Too, Indian-born Australian, Ronojoy Ghosh, in response to the rising hostility towards immigrants and refugees. 'And it's got worse since then,' she said. Elderly tabbies Benny and Barney were driven down the country by Twitter users Kind strangers volunteered to help abandoned cats get to a new loving home 300 miles away in a four-stage journey. Elderly tabbies Benny and Barney were driven down the country by Twitter users during nine hours from Keighley, West Yorkshire, to their final destination in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The cats also made pit stops in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, then driven to Huntingdon before getting to Oxford where the new owner picked them up for the final leg. The cats were originally taken in by Keighley Cat Care rescue centre (KCC) after they were rescued from a home in a joint operation to take in 30 cats from a squalid. But after six months the feline friends had still not been adopted and an appeal was put out on Twitter. Welfare officer at KCC, Angela Gray, said: 'The problem was that they were so inseparable that they had to be re-homed together. 'Then with the added complication that they are elderly and have some health problems, it meant that they were still here six months later and we were desperately wanting to get them to their forever home.' Benny is 14-years-old and Barney is also thought to be in his teens. The rescue centre did not know their history and how they had come to be so close, whether they were related or how long they had been together, but, Ms Gray said: 'In all the time I have been here I have never seen anything like it.' The pair were so close that they follow each other everywhere, they eat together and when they sleep they snuggle together in a little ball. 'You can't tell where one starts and the other ends,' said Angela. 'They do everything together, they are like a couple who've been married for 50 years.' The cats also made pit stops in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, then driven to Huntingdon before getting to Oxford where the new owner picked them up for the final leg When the centre appealed on Twitter they managed to find a perfect home within a month - the problem was it was almost 300 miles away. But amazingly, without any prompting from the centre, followers of their cat call on Twitter started to get together, creating their own group to orchestrate their journey down south. Ms Gray said: 'In the end it was four people, including the owner, who had sorted the journey, the itinerary, with drop off times, rests and collections all arranged. 'We did nothing at all. It was simply the kindness of strangers. Before this, none of the people knew each other. 'It was so heartwarming.' The cats were originally taken in by Keighley Cat Care rescue centre (KCC) after they were rescued from a home in a joint operation to take in 30 cats from a squalid But after six months the feline friends had still not been adopted and an appeal was put out on Twitter Their whole overnight hitchhike was documented on Twitter with the hashtag #ProjectB2. Julia Malloch, who undertook the first leg of the mammoth cross-country journey, said it was a 'privilege' to get Benny and Barney to their new home. The 50-year-old librarian from Leeds, West Yorks., said she had adopted a cat of her own from Keighley Cat Care and volunteered for the mission after seeing the appeal on Twitter. Ms Malloch, who adopted her own cat, Millie, a year ago, said: 'I didn't think it was much to ask to get people to go in a car for a couple of hours to get the cats to their new home. 'It would have been a big ask for one person to do the whole journey and my part was over by about 11am. 'The cats were pretty good in the car - they weren't too distressed. 'I put them in a cage each and put them facing each other because I thought it would help keep them calm if they could see each other. 'I met the lady I was handing them over to at a service station and then that was my part done. 'It was a real privilege to be involved. I'n really pleased I could do it.' They were set off on their journey with a travel pack of toys and treats to keep them going A woman in Italy even helped with the social media and publicised their mammoth drive with a mock-up of car travelling down the country with the two cats' heads popping out the windows. They were set off in separate cat carriers but the drivers made sure they were facing each other on the back seats of the cars to make them feel better. One driver noticed the pair were reaching out to each other with their paws. They were set off on their journey with a travel pack of toys and treats to keep them going. The cats' journey began at 1.20am on Monday January 23, and ended in Portsmouth at 10.21am - a staggering nine hours later. Ms Gray said: 'We cannot thank our Twitter followers enough. What they did is wonderful.' A Florida officer who fatally shot a 73-year-old woman during a training exercise was fired from the police force on Friday. Punta Gorda police officer Lee Coel, 28, accidentally shot Mary Knowlton during a citizen's police academy demonstration back in August. Knowlton, a retired librarian and mother-of-two, later died at a local hospital. Coel was fired from the police force on Friday after he pleaded not guilty to a first-degree manslaughter charge. Scroll down for video Florida officer, Lee Coel (pictured), 28, who fatally shot a 73-year-old woman during a training exercise has been fired Coel accidentally shot Mary Knowlton (pictured with husband Gary) during a citizen's police academy demonstration in August 2016. Knowlton, a retired librarian and mother-of-two, later died at a local hospital Coel (pictured) fired the fatal round while dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt and black ski mask - in a bid to look like a 'criminal' Coel was charged last month with felony manslaughter, while police chief Tom Lewis was charged with culpable negligence. The cop was placed under arrest but Lewis was given a summons to appear in court over his misdemeanor charge. Coel (pictured) was fired from the police force on Friday after he pleaded not guilty to a first-degree manslaughter charge Lewis said at the time that 'everyone involved is in an overwhelming state of shock and grief', adding that it was a 'horrible accident'. Coel faces up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. Knowlton had volunteered to play the role of a shooting victim in a 'shoot, don't shoot' exercise in front of dozens of people, according to WINK-TV. She was pretending to be a cop, while Coel was playing the role of the 'bad guy'. The gun he had was supposed to contain blanks, but it was mistakenly loaded with live rounds. Her husband, Gary Knowlton, was standing just 10 feet away when she was shot in the shoulder and chest. She and her husband had been married for 55 years. The aim of the class was to teach people when not to shoot. Coel fired the fatal round while dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt and black ski mask - in a bid to look like a 'criminal' as seen in the Charlotte Sun Herald. On October 30, 2015, Coel's K9 mauled cyclist Michael Schumacher (on the ground) for nearly two minutes while he was arresting him in Punta Gorda Experts told NBC News that the revolver, like the one used in the August shooting, should have been equipped with sizing collars that would have prevented live ammunition from being loaded. Firearms instructor, Jay Hawkins, told the station: 'If the collars were inserted in the revolver, only the training ammunition marking or blank would be able to fit into that firearm.' Coel, who had worked for the department since March 2014, was placed on administrative leave while the incident was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The Punta Gorda City Council approved a more than $2 million settlement with the Knowlton family in November 2016. On October 30, 2015, Coel's K9 mauled cyclist Michael Schumacher for nearly two minutes while he was arresting him in Punta Gorda. The incident was caught on police dashcam and went viral. The cyclist was left with horrific injuries that left him hospitalized. Mary Knowlton had volunteered to play the role of a shooting victim in a 'shoot, don't shoot' exercise in front of dozens of people. Her husband, Gary Knowlton (pictured), was standing just 10 feet away when she was shot in the shoulder and chest. They were married 55 years The Punta Gorda City Council approved a more than $2 million settlement with the Knowlton family in November 2016 Coel was investigated by internal affairs over the mauling but he wasn't fired over the incident. Punta Gorda police have insisted he did not violate any of the department's policies during the canine arrest. Coel was also asked to resign from a previous post with the Miramar Police Department in Florida in April 2013 for 'failure to satisfactorily complete agency field training program', according to NBC. The city's human resources manager wrote a letter to Coel and his attorney last month saying his actions 'if true, constitute sufficient cause for disciplinary action up to and including potential discharge'. Coel received another letter informing him of his termination. He has 10 days to appeal the decision. The academy, where the shooting occurred, is a free eight-session course offered to 35 people at a time who are interested in learning local civics, Punta Gorda's website says. A sex tape featuring troubled actress Mischa Barton is being shopped around Hollywood, DailyMail.com can reveal. The x-rated video, which shows Barton having sex with a dark haired man, is being offered to the highest bidder with the starting price of $500,000. The footage is being touted to online porn companies, with a number of porn industry giants considering the offer. Kevin Blatt, Hollywoods sex-tape broker, was approached by a third party with the video. He told DailyMail.com: 'The tape is being shopped around porn valley, the asking price is $500,000. A sex tape featuring troubled actress Mischa Barton is being shopped around Hollywood with the starting price of $500,000, DailyMail.com can reveal. Pictured, Barton in a photo shoot at Huntington Beach earlier this month The news comes just weeks after Barton's 'drug-induced' meltdown, when she was filmed by a neighbor hanging over a fence in her backyard and calling her mother a 'f****** witch' 'I know that at least three large online porn sites, YouPorn.com, Porn.com and RedTube.com have reviewed it and they're all seriously considering the offer. 'I've seen stills from the video, it's clearly Mischa in my opinion. 'She's seen performing a sex act on a guy and can be seen having sex in various positions.' It's not clear who the man in the video is and Barton has not stepped out with anyone publicly in recent months. It's believed the video was shot at a private residence in Hollywood within the past year. As for the x-rated video of the actress, Kevin Blatt, Hollywoods sex-tape broker (pictured with Snoop Dogg), was approached by a third party with the video and is confident Barton is the woman in the scene Barton is seen wearing a grey hoodie and nothing else having sex on a double bed with a man wearing just a black t-shirt. The explicit footage appears to have been shot in a bedroom, the bed has a leather padded headboard and mirrored panels, while coffee cups and an empty bottle of Gatorade litter a bedside table. Adding to the less than glamorous surroundings, there's also a flier on the table for CURRENT: LA, Los Angeles' first city-wide Public Art Biennial. Sources close to the star fear for her emotional well-being, should the video be leaked online. One source told DailyMail.com: 'This is the last thing Mischa needs. Her name has been dragged through the mud enough times, she doesn't need a sex scandal right now.' Barton, 31, has had a series of private meltdowns this year that included screaming in her backyard while hanging over a fence and damaging her apartment building with a U-Haul moving truck. The star had appeared to have sprung back to life, though, in a stunning photo shoot earlier this month. The OC vet looked in great form as she was snapped wearing a skimpy string bikini while posing for a bottled water company on the shores of Huntington Beach, California. But yet again it is her private life that continues to trouble the New York native. The Beautiful Life: TBL star, who came to fame with 1999's The Sixth Sense, crashed a rented U-Hail truck into an apartment building in mid-February. The Notting Hill actress was moving out of a building where she had been living in the same neighborhood. Barton moved all of her belongings into the U-Haul truck and drove to another building located right below the Sunset Strip hitting an overhanging beam as she did. According to TMZ, her old neighbors complained that Barton was disruptive 'to the point cops were called every few months.' The London-born beauty has been busy with her career, with four films in post production and she has just completed Monsters at Large, a family film with Stephen Tobolowsky. She is pictured with Monsters co-stars Trevor Dolden, Matthew Kosto and Austin St John in May 2016 'I know that at least three large online porn sites, YouPorn.com, Porn.com and RedTube.com have reviewed it and they're all seriously considering the offer,' Blatt said about the tape The star's outing came just weeks after she had a 'meltdown' in her backyard where two of her neighbors called 911 saying that Barton had threatened to kill herself. Barton later claimed that she had been given the date rape drug GHB following the incident, which led to her being hospitalized after paramedics arrived on the scene. In previously released footage of the meltdown, which appeared to be filmed by a neighbor, Barton could be seen ranting and raving while she hangs over a fence in her backyard. The actress could be heard wailing as she rocked back and forth, even calling her a mother a 'f*****g witch.' 'Ah, planet Earth. Um, bye,' Barton says at the top of the video. 'Like, like anybody. Oh my God, it's over. I feel it. And it's angry.' Barton then falls off the balcony and back onto her patio, but quickly gets back up. Despite all the problems in her private life, the London-born beauty has been very busy with her career with four films in post production and she has just completed Monsters at Large, a family film with Stephen Tobolowsky. Dr Eve Speight, 54, has been struck off after she billed her tribunal for travel expenses A shameless doctor who had kept her job despite a drunken assault on police with her stiletto shoes has been struck off after she billed her disciplinary tribunal for travel expenses. Dr Eve Speight, 54, got drunk on beer and wine in a village pub then fought with officers in the street, saying: 'I'm a f***ing GP, don't you know?' before stamping on their feet with her heels. Speight, of Soulbury, Buckinghamshire, was convicted by a court of assault but only received a six month suspension at a tribunal last year - despite her saying doctors 'should be able to let off steam'. She said the incidents occurred in her 'private life' and had no bearing on her work and also claimed 'if a builder had behaved in a similar manner they would not be treated in the same way in which' she had. She also said she would have resisted arrest even if she was sober. Last week a review hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester checked on Speight's progress - but the GP refused to attend and instead sent two letters to the General Medical Council insisting her crimes were 'petty' and that no one had ever had a 'harder punishment' than her. She also complained about 'attending sessions with fellow offenders' and 'having to spend an extra year in Britain' whilst completing a year long community order issued to at a magistrates' court. Included in her letters was an invoice for travel expenses to and from the tribunal with Speight accusing the panel chairman of helping 'destroy her reputation in the UK and the rest of Europe' by having the hearing held in public. Speight, of Soulbury, Buckinghamshire, was convicted by a court of assault but only received a six month suspension last year - despite her saying doctors 'should be able to let off steam' She said she been depicted in a 'very unsuitable way' and also threatened to 'expose' the MPTS and NHS England for 'the way they treat doctors in the UK'. In one letter Speight, who was working a locum GP having earlier been a partner for five years at a GP practice in Bicester, Oxfordshire, said: 'As for my reflection time I can tell you I had the most lengthy punishment for my petty crime - misbehaviour. 'As you might know I had to stay an extra year in the UK, had to attend 20 hours community education with fellow offenders and prove that I behave. 'I also paid fines to the people I offended - if ever there was a harder punishment for such a petty offence then it was mine!' But her ranting has fallen foul of a new disciplinary panel which has ordered Speight to be struck off - adding that the GP had made her position worse with her moaning. Chairman Peter Scofield said: 'The tribunal was concerned that she fails to recognise the gravity of her behaviour and its impact on the profession and the wider public interest. 'Furthermore, in her correspondence she seeks to blame the regulator rather than considering her own behaviour. 'Her lack of insight is, indeed, staggering and tribunal concluded there remains a risk of repetition of the type of behaviour which led to her criminal convictions. Dr Speight got drunk on beer and wine at the The Swan pub in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire, then fought with officers in the street, saying: 'I'm a f***ing GP, don't you know?' He added: 'Dr Speight was expressly advised of evidence she should provide to determine whether she addressed her shortcomings. However, this tribunal has received little evidence of reflection, insight and remediation. 'On the contrary, Dr Speight has sought to minimise her behaviour and has attempted to apportion blame to others, rather than address the matters which brought her to the attention of her regulatory body. 'The tribunal considered whether it should afford Dr Speight a further opportunity to engage with the GMC and to provide positive evidence of insight and remediation. 'However it considered the position now is graver than that presented to the 2016 tribunal. That tribunal noted a disturbing lack of insight, which has now become persistent. 'Since the 2016 hearing the tribunal has received no evidence of any regret, apology or meaningful acknowledgement of wrong doing. 'She failed to recognise the serious nature of her offending, and said "Doctors should be able to let off steam". She also made an inappropriate analogy concerning the behaviour of a builder and that of a doctor. 'She has continued to minimise her criminal conduct, referring to "petty crime" and a "petty offence" and at no stage has she reflected, meaningfully, on the reputation of the medical profession.' Speight's bust up with police occurred in June 2015 just hours after she had was involved in another drunken foul mouthed bust up in which she raged at a neighbour during a child's third birthday party over their family dog barking too loudly. During that incident she spat in the unnamed neighbour's face saying: 'Your f***ing dog is annoying. I will f***ing kill your dog. I will cut your balls off. I don't f***ing care about your family, you can all go and f*** off'. She was arrested and bailed but went to The Swan pub in Stewkley with her husband where they had a row. He walked off and she was subsequently seen staggering around outside at 6pm. Two constables alerted by a concerned local moved in to arrest Speight but she began spitting in the street and shouting: 'I'm going to have a f***ing cigarette - what the f*** am I being arrested for?' The drunken GP, who hails from Vienna, Austria, then raised her left foot and stamped her high heel on the ankle of one of the officers before scraping the stiletto down his colleague's leg. As the two officers pulled her to the ground to restrain her, Speight added: 'why the f*** have I been arrested? I just want to go f***ing home, this is not my home, I'm from Austria. 'Is this how you treat people here? I've done nothing wrong, my husband left me in the pub after eight years, I've had enough. I'm a f***ing GP don't you know?' Speight later pleaded guilty to six public order charges including assault and threatening behaviour at Aylesbury Magistrates' Court in August 2015 and was given a 12 month community order. During the review hearing James Gelthorpe, counsel for the GMC, said: 'In her evidence to the tribunal Dr Speight remarked she would have resisted arrest even if she would have been sober. 'References were made to her laughing as the offensive language she used was read out by the GMC. Her subsequent apology was more an expression of regret on the impact to her - rather than to the wider public.' Japan is planning to send its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea in response to Beijing's claims to the disputed wars. China's growing military presence in the area has fuelled concern in Japan and the West, with the United States holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation. The 816ft Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and U.S. naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July. Scroll down for video Japan is planning to send its largest warship Izumo (pictured) on a three-month tour through the South China Sea in response to Beijing's claims to the disputed wars It will set off in May and return to Japan in August, sources claim, in the country's biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two. 'The aim is to test the capability of the Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission,' said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. 'It will train with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea,' he added, asking not to be identified because he is not authorised to talk to the media. A spokesman for Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force declined to comment. Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei also claim parts of the sea which has rich fishing grounds, oil and gas deposits and through which around $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. Japan does not have any claim to the waters, but has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea. The 816ft Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and U.S. naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July Japan wants to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has pushed ties with China in recent months as he has criticised the old alliance with the United States, to visit the Izumo when it visits Subic Bay, about 62 miles west of Manila, another source said. Asked during a news conference about his view on the warship visit, Duterte said, without elaborating, 'I have invited all of them.' He added: 'It is international passage, the South China Sea is not our territory, but it is part of our entitlement.' On whether he would visit the warship at Subic Bay, Duterte said: 'If I have time.' Japan's flag-flying operation comes as the United States under President Donald Trump appears to be taking a tougher line with China. Washington has criticised China's construction of man-made islands and a build-up of military facilities that it worries could be used to restrict free movement. Japan wants to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (pictured), who has pushed ties with China in recent months as he has criticised the old alliance with the United States, to visit the Izumo when it visits Subic Bay, about 62 miles west of Manila Beijing in January said it had 'irrefutable' sovereignty over the disputed islands after the White House vowed to defend 'international territories'. Izumo is as large as Japan's World War Two-era carriers and can operate up to nine helicopters. It resembles the amphibious assault carriers used by U.S. Marines, but lacks their well deck for launching landing craft and other vessels. Japan in recent years, particularly under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has been stretching the limits of its post-war, pacifist constitution. It has designated the Izumo as a destroyer because the constitution forbids the acquisition of offensive weapons. The vessel, nonetheless, allows Japan to project military power well beyond its territory. Based in Yokosuka, near to Tokyo, which is also home to the U.S. Seventh Fleet's carrier, the Ronald Reagan, the Izumo's primary mission is anti-submarine warfare. Multiple arrests have been made after shots were fired at protests in Ferguson which erupted after a new video disputed police statements about the shooting of Michael Brown. A new documentary suggested Michael Brown did not rob a convenience store shortly before he was fatally shot by police in Missouri in August 2014. The robbery allegation is what led to the confrontation between police and Brown, which resulted in Brown, a black man, being killed by Darren Wilson, a white officer. Following the release of the film, protesters gathered outside the Ferguson Market on Sunday and police were called in to control the crowd. At least four people were arrested after gunshots were fired, according to ABC News. A never-before-seen video sheds new light on the Michael Brown case and suggests the teenager (pictured) did not rob a convenience store, unlike what authorities said at the time There were protests in Ferguson on Sunday evening following the release of the footage The video, filmmaker Jason Pollock argues, suggested that Brown didn't rob the store but was instead involved in a drug deal with the clerks. In the video, Brown, 18, appeared to give the clerks a small bag of marijuana. The clerks then handed Brown a bag with cigarillos, which he took, but he then turned around and gave it back to them for safe keeping before leaving the store. The film suggests Brown didn't return later that day to rob the store but rather retrieve the bag. Pollock argued the new footage challenged what authorities had said about Brown pushing a worker and taking cigarillos during the later store visit, shortly before the fatal police confrontation. 'There was some type of exchange, for one thing, for another,' Lesley McSpadden, Brown's mother, said in the new documentary. Following the release of the film, protesters gathered outside the Ferguson Market on Sunday The new footage shows Brown appearing to give the store clerks an item, which according to filmmaker Jason Pollock was a bag of marijuana, during a previous visit to the shop in Ferguson Brown can then be seen walking out of the store with a bag in his hand, which contains cigarillos that seem to have been given to him by the employees But a lawyer for the store and its employees said no such transaction took place, and that Brown stole the cigarillos when he returned to the store about 10 hours later. Attorney Jay Kanzler said: 'There was no transaction. There was no understanding. No agreement. Those folks didn't sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back.' He also told CNN's Sara Sidner the full surveillance video will be released today. Kanzler claimed the the soon-to-be-released video will refute the filmmaker's 'edited version of events.' He claimed the video was 'not new' and the full video was handed over to police, the FBI and also the Brown family 'very early on.' Previously released surveillance video showed Brown strong-arming the store's co-owner, Andy Patel, and pushing him as he left the store during the second visit. Patel reaffirmed his version of events on Sunday, telling the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Brown 'grabbed the cigarillos and stole them.' Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer on August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. His body lay on the sidewalk (pictured) for four hours afterwards There were protests outside the Ferguson Market and Liquor store yesterday evening Brown, who was 18, was fatally shot minutes later by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown, who was black, was unarmed. Wilson is white. The shooting led to months of unrest and violent protests in the St. Louis suburb. A local grand jury and the US Department of Justice found no evidence of wrongdoing by Wilson, who resigned in November 2014. But the shooting and protests led to scrutiny of Ferguson, resulting in a scathing Justice Department report alleging racial bias in the city's criminal justice system. Brown's parents have filed a federal lawsuit against Officer Wilson, the city of Ferguson and the former Ferguson police chief. A civil trial is scheduled to start next year. Officer Darren Wilson (pictured), who fatally shot the teen, was not indicted. A grand jury exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing Police released shortly after Brown's death a video (pictured) that shows the teen pushing the store clerk - but didn't publish footage of his prior visit to the shop Filmmaker Pollock (pictured) said authorities didn't show the public what actually happened when they didn't release footage of Brown's earlier visit to the store Some of the local officials who investigated the fatal shooting said they didn't think the new footage shed much light on the case. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he wasn't surprised that Brown was in the Ferguson Market earlier in the day. Belmar said his department focused on investigating the shooting, not the incident at the store. Former Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said he hadn't seen the earlier surveillance video, but didn't think it was fair to connect the store to a drug transaction. The new documentary called 'Stranger Fruit' premiered Saturday at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. James Woods is being sued for mistakenly identifying a Bernie Sanders supporter as the woman who gave a Nazi salute at a Donald Trump rally in Chicago last year. Now, Portia Boulger, 64, is demanding the actor pay $3 million in damages for the death threats she received as a result of his tweets. On March 11 last year, then-candidate Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Chicago. That evening, a local newspaper posted a photo to its Twitter account of a woman at the rally, wearing a Trump T-shirt and giving a Nazi salute. James Woods is being sued for a tweet mistakenly identifying a Bernie Sanders supporter as another woman who gave a Nazi salute at a Donald Trump rally in Chicago last year Several Twitter users re-tweeted the photo, mistakenly identifying the woman as Boulger, including Woods. Twitter user @new_debis, who uses the hashtag #AlwaysTrump, posted Boulger's picture. 'It appears Portia works for Bernie. Promoting violence at Trump Rally,' she said. Another user, @brassidio, wrote, 'Hitler was a National Socialist. It's unsurprising to see a Socialist giving a Nazi salute. #PortiaBoulger #trump.' Boulger's court documents, seen exclusively by DailyMail.com, explain: 'At about 10:12 a.m. on Saturday March 12, 2016, Mr. Woods' verified Twitter account tweeted the same picture of the woman giving the Nazi salute at the rally; with a picture of and caption relating to Ms. Boulger, identifying her as a leader of 'women for Bernie' and Ohio grassroots organizer. Woods tweeted the photo of a woman wearing a Trump t-shirt and giving a Nazi salute - he claimed she was 64-year-old Bernie Sanders supporter, Portia Boulger, but she was later identified as Trump supporter, Birgitt Peterson, 69, of Yorkville, Illinois His tweet read, 'So called #Trump "Nazi" is a #BernieSanders agitator/operative?' implying that she had given the salute purely to stir up trouble at the rally Other twitter users called Woods out on his mistake, with one account, Hispanics 4 Trump tweeting: '@RealJamesWoods REALLY? ... HOW BLIND ARE YOU?' The 'Staw Dogs' actor did not immediately remove the post but eventually tweeted: 'I have an opportunity to clarify something I challenged immediately when it hit Twitter. Portia A Boulger was NOT the "Nazi salute lady"' 'Mr. Woods' tweet read: 'So-called #Trump 'Nazi' is a #BernieSanders agitator/operative?'' Donald Trump Jr. then re-tweeted and responded to Woods saying, 'Big Surprise. However, the media will never run this.' Shortly after it was revealed that Boulger was not the woman in the photo but Trump supporter Birgitt Peterson, 70, from Yorkville, Illinois. Despite the news, Woods, 69, did not immediately remove his post, which was re-tweeted more than 5,000 times. Boulger's counsel demanded the tweet be deleted and that Woods apologize for the 'false and defamatory' claim that she was in fact the woman giving the Nazi salute. But Woods' lawyers fired back saying he had done nothing wrong. Woods eventually tweeted: 'I have an opportunity to clarify something I challenged immediately when it hit Twitter. Portia Boulger is suing Woods for defamation, harm to her reputation and emotional distress. She is seeking $1 million in compensatory damages plus $2 million in punitive damages Boulger, from Chillicothe, Ohio, is a union carpenter by trade, who works part time as a teacher for at-risk children. She was most recently campaigning for Senator Bernie Sanders 'Portia A. Boulger was NOT the 'Nazi salute lady'. 'Ms. Boulder [sic] has reached out to me and asked me to use my many followers to stop people from harassing her. I am more than happy to do so.' & 'Though she supports @BernieSanders, I am happy to defend her from abuse. I only wish his supporters would do the same for other candidates.' But Boulger claims the second and third tweets are false, as she 'never asked him to reach out to his many followers to stop people from harassing her', she only expected a retraction and an apology. Her suit explains that she received hundreds of threatening messages and death threats as a result of Woods' social media posts. Boulger, an activist for 'progressive causes' and the Democratic Party, is suing Woods is Ohio Federal Court According to court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, 'At about 10:12 a.m. on Saturday March 12, 2016, Mr. Woods' verified Twitter account tweeted the same picture of the woman giving the Nazi salute at the rally; with a picture of and caption relating to Ms. Boulger, identifying her as a leader of 'women for Bernie' and Ohio grassroots organizer Examples of such messages include: 'Hi C**t. Just wanted to let you know the internet knows you're the 'f**king bleeding c*m oozing twat that was found giving a hitler salute and pretending to be a trump supporter'. And, 'Hope you get c*nt cancer and die. What's wrong? Can't you win, honestly? You f**king coward! I hope you go to one of your f**king rallies and get raped by a gaggle of thugs with AIDS!' Portia Boulger, from Chillicothe, Ohio, is a union carpenter by trade, who works part time as a teacher for at-risk children. She has been an activist for 'progressive causes' and the Democratic Party for several decades, and was most recently campaigning for Senator Bernie Sanders. Boulger is suing Woods for defamation, harm to her reputation and emotional distress in Ohio Federal Court. She is seeking $1 million in compensatory damages plus $2 million in punitive damages. President Donald Trump should hunt down and fire federal employees in high-ranking positions who don't support his agenda or have them reassigned, Newt Gingrich says. The former Trump transition team member and House speaker said the president was right to get rid of U.S. attorneys who were appointed by Barack Obama, comparing the move to Abraham Lincoln's purge at the beginning of his administration. 'Lincoln, when he came in, fired 70 percent of the senior bureaucrats in the federal government because he had to get rid of southern sympathizers and he had to have people in place who were willing to fight a Civil War,' Gingrich said Sunday on Fox & Friends. 'Trump's gonna have a similar process. He's not going to have any choice.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO President Donald Trump should hunt down and fire federal government employees in high-ranking positions who don't support his agenda or have them reassigned, Newt Gingrich says Trump last week ordered the dismissal of 46 Justice Department prosecutors appointed by his predecessor. Among them, Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for Southern District of New York. Bharara's division oversaw Manhattan, where Trump Tower is located. He met with the president at his residence before the inauguration and told reporters gathered in the lobby afterward that Trump asked him to continue on his position and he agreed to. Trump apparently changed his mind and ordered Bharara's resignation along with the rest of the Obama holdovers last Friday. Bharara resisted and said on Twitter the following day that he had been fired. Trump last week ordered the dismissal of 46 Justice Department prosecutors appointed by his predecessor. Among them, Preet Bharara, who oversaw Manhattan, where Trump Tower is located Bill Clinton in 1993 cleaned house, ousting all 93 US attorneys. George W. Bush transitioned most of the prosecutors out after he took office. Obama began giving US attorneys notice in May of his first year in office. 'Elections matter,' Attorney General Eric Holder said at the time. Trump is being chided for the way he went about the firings because the attorney were given no warning. The president attempted to contact Bharara on Thursday but the Justice Department official did not speak with him. The prosecutor informed a supervisor, instead, saying he did not want to break protocol. He was subsequently asked to resign from his job. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a spokeswoman for the president, told the New York Times, 'The president reached out to Preet Bharara on Thursday to thank him for his service and to wish him good luck.' Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said Monday on Fox & Friends that the Justice Department firings are 'a lot of noise, not much news because it's very uniform, and it's very common for presidents to ask for the resignations of a political appointees like ambassadors and like U.S. attorneys.' 'The president made it uniform so that there were no carve outs, there was no special treatment,' Conway said. Sole exemptions were former US attorneys Trump reassigned to different roles, she said. Rod Rosenstein, the former US attorney for Maryland, has been put forward as the deputy attorney general. Dana Boente, the former US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia stayed on to serve as acting deputy AG after having held the title of acting attorney general after Trump fired Sally Yates. One of Trump's first official acts, as Conway mentioned, was to ask Obama's ambassadors to resign. They were asked to leave 'without exceptions' in State Department cable on Dec. 23. Gingrich said Sunday that Trump should take the same approach to the top-tier of government. 'I would say to every cabinet officer and every agency head, identify the people who are totally opposed to us, and figure out how you're going to fire them, or reassign them,' he said. 'I would methodically go through the entire government.' Bharara tweeted on Saturday afternoon that he had been fired by the Trump administration Recalling an analysis conducted by The Hill newspaper of campaign giving, Gingirch noted that 95 percent of donations from federal employees went to Hillary Clinton. The percentage was even higher at Justice and State - 97 and 99 percent, respectively. 'That tells you, there are a lot of folks out there who ain't for Donald Trump and they're not gonna help him,' he said. This afternoon Trump will sign an executive order mandating a review of all federal agencies, but the White House says it's aimed at identifying waste. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a tweet that the directive that precedes the president's budget proposal 'requires thorough exam of every exec dept & agency to see where money can be saved & services improved'. Philadelphia police say they're investigating how a 16-year-old boy with autism wound up being left out in the cold with his feet bound. Police were alerted to the situation after receiving calls about the boy at about 11am on Sunday. When they arrived at the scene in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Mantua neighborhood, they found the boy outside, in freezing temperatures, between two row homes. The 16-year-old autistic boy was found with his feet bound between the row houses at right The boy had bruises on his wrists, possibly from being bound. His feet were still bound together when he was found. Witnesses at the scene say the 16-year-old lives up the block from the row houses where he was found, reports ABC 6. The boy was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and is in a stable condition. Police haven't released his name or indicated whether they have any clues as to who might have mistreated the boy. Police brought the boy to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in stable condition Neighborhood residents told ABC 6 that they 'couldn't believe' something like this would happen, but would not discuss the situation on camera. The Special Victims Unit is believed to be investigating what happened to the boy. Posters for slave auctions created by fifth-graders have been removed from the wall of a New Jersey elementary school hallway after parents became outraged over the assignment. The South Orange School District is planning a community meeting to discuss whether the assignment is appropriate for fifth-graders. Superintendent John Ramos said in a note to parents that the project at South Mountain Elementary School is part of a larger Colonial America unit that's been used for ten years. One poster listed the names of available slaves, who included 12-year-old Anne, described as 'a fine housegirl'. Posters for slave auctions created by fifth-graders at a New Jersey elementary school have outraged parents after the posters were hung on the school's walls The project at South Mountain Elementary School is part of a larger Colonial America unit that's been used at the South Orange, New Jersey school, for ten years, the district superintendent said Another poster says, 'All slaves raised on the plantation of John Carter,' and specifies that only cash is accepted. Ramos said the projects should have been accompanied by an explanation, according to NJ.com. After parents found out about the assignment, they took to social media to express their outrage and to organize a movement against the project. One parent wrote on Facebook: 'Educating young students on the harsh realities of slavery is of course not the issue here, but the medium for said education is grossly insensitive and negligent. 'In a curriculum that lacks representation for students of color, it breaks my heart that these will be the images that young black and brown kids see of people with their skin color. 'Furthermore, it is COMPLETELY lost on me how this project could be an effective way to teach any student in any age group about American history. 'It is the responsibility of the community members to hold the board accountable for the future of our towns education.' perintendent John Ramos said the projects have been removed from the school's walls and should have been accompanied by an explanation The district is still undecided as to whether or not it will include the project in next year's curriculum South Orange, a suburban township in northern New Jersey, has predominantly white residents. According to its 2010 census, of its 16,198 residents, 66 per cent are white, while only 28 per cent are black or African-American. Ramos apologized for the project in his letter to parents, and the posters have since been removed from the walls. 'One of the anti-bias experts highlighted the fact that schools all over our country often skip over the more painful aspects of American History, and that we need to do a better job of acknowledging the uglier parts of our past, so that children learn the full story,' Ramos said in his letter. Ramos added: 'We completely understand how disturbing these images are, and why parents were upset. This was exacerbated by the fact that the displays did not include an explanation of the assignment or its learning objectives.' Ramos said that while some parents are outraged over the project, others have been supportive 'because they see it as an important opportunity to examine this shameful and too-often ignored chapter of American history'. The district is still undecided as to whether or not it will include the project in next year's curriculum. A family of Syrian refugees will be moving into a specially adapted six-bedroom home after council could not find a local family to give it to. The property has been used as emergency accommodation for a year but Sevenoaks District Council and the landlord, West Kent Housing Association, had not been able to find a suitable permanent family. Residents had been lobbying the council to house refugees in the home in Eynsford, Kent, since last year, but many have reacted with outrage that a refugee family will receive the property rather than a local family. Some even labelled it a 'absolute disgrace' with the decision sparking a huge debate on social media. Residents in Sevenoaks, Kent, pictured, have reacted with fury after it was announced a Syrian refugee family will be housed in a six-bed property in the town after a 'local family could not be found' Sevenoaks District Council made the decision at a meeting last week and said it was a 'good outcome for everyone' The decision has caused outrage on social media, with some branding it an 'absolute disgrace' that a local family is not getting the home Others say they are left paying hefty private rents because they cannot get social housing and said the UK was 'rubbish at looking after its own people' Some said there were 'plenty of English families in Kent that need help' over families coming in from Syria Teresa Osborne said: 'Bloody hell, we have many families that need bigger properties in Kent, this is an absolute disgrace.' A commenter writing under the name Deano Kentish added: 'So this family of refugees just gets given a six bedroom home adapted for somebody who is disabled because there were no other candidates? 'I find that extremely annoying, being that my mum is disabled and has been on the list for an adapted home in West Kent for almost 19 years. 'And that I myself applied for a home in West Kent along with my wife and four children and got refused, even though we are in a two-bed property. 'It's overcrowded and I have to travel 35 miles daily to care for my granddad who lives in Eynsford. 'When are people born and bred and who work hard in this country ever going to be considered before outsiders? 'And just to clarify to every person who wants to jump at me, this is not a racial rant of any kind. 'This is a rant that families and disabled people who are born in this country - regardless of race or ethnicity - could have been homed happily in this home before any outside refugee was ever considered.' After considering other options, such as splitting the property or selling it, the decision was made to resettle the town's first refugee family from Syria. Cllr Michelle Lowe, cabinet member for housing, said: 'We have agreed to bring our first Syrian refugee family to the district and I firmly believe this is a good outcome for everyone. But others said refugees should benefit because they are 'fleeing war' and 'need help' Others said taking up 'temporary refuge' in the UK is 'not a shortcut to "perks" available to UK citizens' The leafy Kent location, pictured, is part of the 'stockbroker belt' with many residents London City workers who commute in 'We offered support to councils across Kent since the start of the government's Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, but with no housing of our own, and no properties coming forward from the private rented sector, we couldn't make a commitment to house any refugees. 'We will be helping a refugee family escaping from a terrible situation. 'At the same time the district keeps a social rented home that otherwise could have been sold and would never be available through the housing register again. 'We have been overwhelmed with the generosity of local people contacting us to offer support.' The six-bedroom semi-detached home was specially adapted some time ago with wheelchair ramp access, but requires some modernisation and updating. The property was used for emergency accommodation while the council and landlord tried to find a family who needed a home of that size. According to local estate agents, a six-bedroom house in the area would fetch a price of at least 500,000. But fuming locals took to social media complaining that the property could have been given to another Kent family. The decision was made at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, March 9. Locals have been left fuming at the decision and say they 'cannot believe' a family from the area could not be found. Pictured is the local Vine cricket ground The house was available to residents of Sevenoaks and neighbouring authorities. West Kent considered splitting the property into two or more smaller homes, but due to the way it is laid out, it was not cost effective. They considered selling the property but there was no guarantee the money would have been reinvested in the Sevenoaks District. Frank Czarnowski, West Kent chief executive said: 'West Kent is pleased this home will support the council to help a family fleeing the war in Syria and we hope it will give them an opportunity to settle and thrive while they remain in the UK.' Sevenoaks District Council are also supporting the government's community sponsorship scheme which encourages local groups to have a greater role in supporting refugee families. Police in suburban Chicago have released a chilling 911 call on which a father tells a dispatcher that he had just shot dead his twin daughters, wounded his wife and was about to kill himself. When officers with the St Charles Police Department responded to a luxury condominium complex from which the emergency call came at around 5.15pm on Friday, they found the bodies of Randall Coffland, 48, and his children, Brittany and Tiffany Coffland. They would have turned 17 on Tuesday, The mans estranged wife, 46-year-old Anjum Coffland, was discovered at the scene suffering from gunshot wounds to her legs and taken to Delnor Community Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition on Sunday. Scroll down for audio and video Domestic drama: Police in a Chicago suburb say Randall Coffland, 48 (left), shot dead his 16-year-old twin daughters, Tiffany (center) and Brittany Coffland (right) Taped confession: Mr Coffland (left) called 911 after the shootings, telling a dispatcher he had killed his children and shot his wife, Anjum Coffland (right), 46 Authorities say a neighbor called 911 around 5.15pm on Friday to report that shots were fired on the 400 block of South First Street, as a second 911 call was placed moments later from inside the residence (scene above) Anjum and Randall Coffland were married but living separately in St Charles, according to police. Their daughters shared an apartment with their father. On the dramatic 911 call released by the authorities during a press conference on Sunday, Randall Coffland says: 'I just shot and killed my two kids and I shot my wife, and Im going to kill myself now.' The father-of-two then recites his address to the dispatcher before reiterating his intent to commit suicide. Mother's horror: Mrs Coffland called 911 after the shooting of her children and her husband's suicide, begging police to come 'I'm going to kill myself now too. My two girls are dead, and Im killing myself,' he says. The dispatcher asks the caller to stay with him, but there is no response from the other end of the line. Coffland then can be heard shouting in the background, apparently at his wife, 'I want you to live and suffer like I did.' Moments later, a wounded and distressed Anjum Coffland placed a frantic call to police begging them to come. 'Oh my god, my husband shot my kids!' she screams. 'My daughters are dead!' According to his LinkedIn page, Randall Coffland worked as a network manager for a mid-size Chicago law firm. His wife has been employed as a claims adjuster with the insurance company MetLife since September 2015. Police Deputy Chief David Kintz says the Cofflands were married but living separately in St Charles, about an hour from Chicago. Tragic: Brittany (left) and Tiffany (right) Coffland, were both juniors at St Charles East High School. They would have turned 17 on Tuesday In the immediate aftermath of the murder-suicide, police characterized the deadly shooting as a 'domestic related incident.' A neighbor called 911 around 5.15pm on Friday to report that shots were fired on the 400 block of South First Street, followed by two back-to-back calls from Randall and Anjum Coffland. Tammy Hartje, a neighbor, said about 15 minutes before police arrived she heard a commotion. 'When I walked across the street I had heard screams. I looked up and I noticed in that apartment they had the door open and I was thinking that's weird because it was so cold outside,' Hartje told the TV station WGN. Authorities say the twins Brittany and Tiffany, their father and mother were the only people inside the residence at the time. The girls and their dad each sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, reported the Chicago Tribune. A search of the crime scene yielded two firearms, included a 9mm handgun that was found near Randall Coffland's body. Police say the man had a valid gun permit. Rocky relationship: Police responded to a report of 'domestic trouble' on February 9 involving the married couple (pictured together, left), but no arrests were made When officers arrived to the scene (above), they found the twins and their father dead, while Anjum was still alive with non-life threatening injuries. She was rushed to Delnor Hospital in Geneva Authorities say the twins, their father and mother were the only people inside the residence at the time. Police say Anjum and Randall were married but living at separate addresses. (scene above) Officers responded to a report of 'domestic trouble' on February 9 involving the couple at a residence in the 100 block of South Fifth Avenue, the Daily Herald reported. 'The report indicates that nothing physical happened' during the previous incident and no one was arrested, police say. After news broke of the tragic shooting in the community, a memorial was created outside of the condo, as mourners left candles, flowers and signs to remember the twins who were juniors at St. Charles East High School. 'It's kind of unnerving to realize that someone you were so close with, and could see in a day, and could be gone in a matter of hours,' Ally Siebrasse, a friend of the twins, told WGN-TV. A memorial adorned with crosses, flowers and candles sits outside the double murder-suicide scene Saturday in St. Charles, Illinois A photo of the dead sisters is seen hanging on a wall above bouquets of flowers left by moujrners in St Charles, Illinois 'Tiffany would just absolutely light up a room with her smile. Her personality. She was an amazing young girl. 'You could tell made everyone better just by knowing her.' She added that Brittany was more 'kindhearted' as she was on the cheer squad at the school. Gabrielle Willaert, 17, who was in an honors English class with Brittany, told Chicago Sun-Times that he was aware his classmate had a turbulent home life. 'I didnt really think much of it. A lot of teenagers think their parents are crazy,' he said. 'She just felt like no one cared and all my friends in English tried to make her feel like she was cared about.' School officials had counselors on campus for students or staff who needed to talk or grieve over the weekend. Randall Coffland (left) worked as a network manager for a mid-size Chicago law firm. His wife (right) has been employed as a claims adjuster with the insurance company MetLife St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina issued a statement about the 'horrific personal tragedy.' 'Being the close-knit community we are, an incident of this nature has impact beyond the immediate family,' Rogina said. 'We think about and pray for the extended family which includes relatives, high school students and other friends. 'We also pray for the greater community, all of us, that we will stand tall and provide calm and peace at such a tragic moment.' An online fundraiser has been launched to help Anjum Coffland with her medical bills and her children's funeral expenses. As of Monday morning, just over $500 has been raised. President Donald Trump blasted the media as 'rude' while White House counselor Kellyanne Conway made her way through contentions morning TV interviews including one where she said 'animosity' against her was so bad she needs Secret Service protection. 'It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives. Be nice, you will do much better!' Trump Tweeted Monday morning, as Conway navigated a gauntlet of appearances. Conway sparred with host Chris Cuomo on CNN, a network Trump regularly derides as 'fake news' for what he calls its unfair coverage of him. Cuomo raised the stakes in the interview, pressing Conway on why she and Trump would put out unsubstantiated claims that President Obama was tapping President Trump's phones without providing evidence. 'Feeding peoples animosity? Look over your shoulder. I have 24/7 Secret Service protection because of people feeding peoples animosity' 'The question is why were you doing this? This goes to personal integrity, what kind of message you're putting out,' he said. 'I'm allowed to talk about things in the news without you questioning anybody's personal integrity. There were articles in the paper about how we surveil people generally,' Conway responded. Conway told several networks Monday she had 'no evidence' for her claims in a Bergen Record interview suggesting that microwaves and smart TVs could have been involved in Trump Tower surveillance. 'You answered to a specific question and it seemed to be an effective way of putting more doubt on a situation. That's what it came across as,' Cuomo said, suggesting the surveillance claims were a way to muddy an ongoing story about the Trump camp's Russia ties. He said Trump could clarify the situation by making a phone call, rather than calling for a congressional investigation of a claim without providing evidence. 'Maybe to you and maybe to other people who don't necessarily want Donald Trump to be the president,' Conway retorted, pivoting to the issue of perceived media bias. She revisited the charge later, bringing up members of the media who 'don't want people to be president.' LET'S BE NICE: President Trump said the media was being 'rude' to his 'hard working representatives' and suggested they would do better if they were 'nice' NOW YOU'VE HURT MY FEELINGS: Cuomo called one of Conway's rejoinders 'hurtful' BEYOND THE PALE: In an interview that grew testy and brought charges of personal integrity, Conway said the level of 'disrespect' for President Trump were 'beyond the pale' That seemed to hurt Cuomo's feelings. 'That's unfair, and it's hurtful because you are feeding people's animosity. Why even put out out there?' Cuomo said. Conway shot back: 'Feeding peoples animosity? Look over your shoulder. I have 24/7 Secret Service protection because of people feeding peoples animosity.' She has spoken of death threats against her before, telling Fox News' Sean Hannity in January: 'Because of what the press is doing now to me, I have Secret Service protection ... We have packages delivered to my house with white substances. That is a shame.' 'The level of disrespect for the president of the United States and the way he is described by people, people whose approval rating is half of his frankly ... is really beyond the pale,' she said, continuing the back-and-forth with Cuomo on CNN. Conway continued to dismiss a series of reports cataloguing Trump campaign ties to Russia during and after the elections. Informal campaign advisor Roger Stone confirmed Friday in an interview that he had had Twitter contacts with Guccifer 2.0, the person published hacked Democratic emails who U.S. intelligence believes is a front for Russian intelligence. Conway got grilled repeatedly by ABCs George Stephanopoulos on Monday about her claims about TV and microwave surveillance Of course I dont have any evidence for those allegations,' Conway told ABC's 'Good Morning America' WATCH: "I have no evidence but that's why there's an investigation in Congress..." @KellyannePolls on Trump's wiretap claims. pic.twitter.com/W4kGlrK0Um Good Morning America (@GMA) March 13, 2017 'I was the campaign manager I was speaking to people in Macomb County Michigan, not Moscow,' Conway said. Conway admitted Monday she had no evidence for her sensational suggestion in an interview that the Obama administration may have been spying on Trump Tower through peoples TV sets. Of course I dont have any evidence for those allegations and that answer had nothing to do with what the president said last week, Conway told ABCs George Stephanopoulos on Monday morning when pressed repeatedly about her claims. Conway told the Bergen Record 'you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of ways' when asked in a interview about President Trump's unsubstantiated claim that President Obama spied on Trump Tower. Pressed repeatedly on her claim by Stephanopoulos, Conway downplayed her original claim and said she wasn't referring to Trump Tower when she said, it just running through the news of the day. 'All I said to the Bergen Record is I was making a comment about the articles from this past week where it is revealed that one can be surveilled through any number of techniques, through microwaves, through the cameras, through televisions. I wasnt talking about anything specifically,' she explained. In another interview, with CNN, she tried to make light of her high-tech insinuation, telling host Chris Cuomo: 'Chris, Im not Inspector Gadget. I dont believe people are using their microwave to spy on the Trump Campaign. However, I am not in the job of having evidence. Thats what investigations are for.' At another point in the ABC interview, she called the idea that there was a Trump campaign-Russia tie 'attenuated' 'The presidents just happy that this investigation now includes this aspect that the House Select Intelligence Committees and the houses are now going to have this as part of their very attenuated Russia campaign connection,' she said. A property tycoon at the centre of a 132million legal dispute has denied he threatened to 'cut the t**s off' his PA for making a mistake. Nick Candy, husband of popstar Holly Valance, today rejected claims by a former business associate that he and his brother Christian, 42, bullied staff and sacked an executive who had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Mr Candy, 44, said the seriously ill executive was a 'a fantastic human being' who had recently asked him to for help by passing on some songs to pop mogul Simon Cowell. Nick Candy, husband of popstar Holly Valance, today dismissed claims he bullied his staff Mr Candy is giving evidence at the Royal Courts of Justice in London during a 132million lawsuit brought by businessman Mark Holyoake. Mr Holyoake borrowed 12million from Christian Candy's company CPC in 2011 to finance a property development scheme but eventually had to pull out of the property redevelopment, at a loss of 100million in potential profits. The Old Harrovian ended up paying back more than 37million on the two-year loan after signing a series of finance deals. Mr Holyoake, a married father of three, says Christian repeatedly threatened to destroy his life and ruin his business during a campaign of blackmail and intimidation which left him fearing for his own life. Mark Holyoake is suing the Candy brothers for 132million over a loan deal they gave him Nick Candy claimed that he believed Mark Holyoake was running a 'Ponzi scheme' fraud in relation to the property deal at the centre of the court case. Giving evidence todaty he said he felt 'responsible' for the 12million loan to Mark Holyoake even though he was not involved with CPC. 'I put my brother into this deal so I felt an element of responsibility. I still feel today the reason we are in this court is my responsibility.' He added: 'My brother provided a 12m loan within 24 hours. I don't know how many people could do that. I think everyone in this court room regrets it.' Roger Stewart QC, for Holyoake, claimed that the distinction between Nick Candy's company Candy & Candy and Christian Candy's company CPC was 'entirely a charade.' Nick Candy replied: 'It's absolutely not.' Mr Stewart also suggested the Candy brothers bullied staff, made threats to a PA to 'cut off her t**s' and fired an executive who had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Nick Candy said the allegations - which were made by his former colleague Clive Hyman - were 'disgusting'. Candy said the marketing executive with MS was 'a fantastic human being' and added: 'He had already agreed to leave, I didn't fire him. 'I find these allegations absolutely disgusting, they are made up to embarrass me and my family.' The brothers deny Mr Holyoake's allegations, saying he wanted to extract money from them He claimed the executive recently texted him asking him for help with contacting pop mogul Simon Cowell. Candy said: 'He wanted me to pass on his songs to Simon Cowell.' He added: 'I have an incredible relationship with my staff. 'There are going to be one or two issues that's normal in a business but in general we have a fantastic retention of staff.' Asked about the threat to 'cut the t**s off' a member of staff, he replied: 'I don't speak like that, it's just not how I behave. Yes I do use foul language but I don't talk to my staff like that.' Nick Candy told the court he went offshore to Monaco for tax purposes between 2005 and 2010 after making 'tens and tens of millions of pounds' on the property market in London. The Candy brothers deny all of Mr Holyoake's allegations and claim he has invented the threats in a deliberate attempt to extract money from them. Mr Holyoake is seeking 132million for lost profits, over-payments, legal costs and aggravated damages. The hearing continues. The hunt for a father-of-five who is believed to have kidnapped his wife on Saturday continues - as it emerged that she had tried to get protection from police and courts in the months before she disappeared. Trevor Summers, 39, is believed to be the man seen bundling a bound and screaming Alisa Summers, 37, into a car in Hillsborough County in Florida on Saturday. Now it has emerged that she told police and courts that he had threatened her with a knife prior to her disappearance - but they did nothing, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Gone: Alisa Summers (left and right) was seen being kidnapped at around 9pm on Saturday. Police say husband Trevor (left) is a likely suspect. She filed for divorce in December Kids: The pair have five children together. In February she told police he had kept her in his home at knifepoint for hours, and threatened to tie her up with rope and tape Denied: Trevor denied the claim and said she shoved their son. Police said they didn't pursue the case because they only had the statements to go on Alisa was seen with her hand tied behind her back, being shoved into her dark blue Saturn Outlook, license plate GLH M32, outside a Walgreens on Fishhawk Crossing Boulevard at around 9.05pm Saturday. Police believe Trevor Summers, of Riverview, is the culprit. Alisa had visited him from her home in Valrico to discuss their marriage, but then vanished. Authorities conducted a wide-ranging search for the pair on Sunday, and distributed details to other law enforcement agencies, without luck. The couple - whose children, aged 3-14, are being cared for by Trevor Summers' father - had suffered a deteriorating relationship over the past six months, including claims of violence. On October 31 she asked a judge for a domestic violence injunction, but her request was dismissed. In November, her Facebook page says, she moved to Valrico - around 20 minutes from her husband in Riverview - and in December she filed for divorce. Chillingly, on February 21 she filed for another protection order, claiming that after she had gone to his home to discuss a divorce settlement, Trevor had threatened her with a knife. She claimed he had held her against her will, and threatened to tie her up with duct tape and rope. The following day, he filed for a protective order against her, saying she had made up the claims and had angrily pushed their 12-year-old son into a corner. Police made no arrests because they only had the two statements to act on. Alisa Summers was reportedly heading to Trevor's home again to discuss their divorce when she disappeared. 'Obviously, we're very concerned for our client,' her divorce attorney, Steven Glaros, said. 'She's expressed lots of fear of her husband.' Trevor's own lawyer, Hope Lefeber, said she was shocked to hear the claims about her client, saying he was a Christian man with no violent criminal record. 'I know he always wanted to work out his marriage,' she said. Vehicle: This is Alisa's dark blue Saturn Outlook, license plate GLH M32, which she was said to have been bundled into. She was screaming and her hands were tied behind her back Con artist: Trevor pleaded guilty in September to wire fraud and conspiracy charges after prosecutors said he tried to con at least $345,000 out of investors in his business The breakdown of the couple's relationship may well have been spurred on by Trevor Summers' conviction for wire fraud and conspiracy on September 16 last year. Summers, who was to be sentenced Wednesday, pleaded guilty to trying to defraud investors out of at least $345,000 with a scheme to print advertisements on straws. One of his victims, high school friend Krissy Flynn, 39, invested $10,000 in his scheme, and says he was 'brilliant but weird'. He bought cell phones for his staff on the project, but the phones ran out when bills went unpaid. 'I don't trust this guy for a second,' Flynn said. 'He's a brilliant person, and he knows how to scam money out of people.' A federal lawsuit against him in 2008 said he had more than 20 civil suits filed against him and that he'd filed for bankruptcy three times between 2004 and 2008. It also claimed he had served probation for minor charges such as passing bad checks. And in 2011 he lost a $4milion judgement although it's not known whether the plaintiffs collected. Alisa's Facebook page shows her to be a very religious woman. In one post on February 25, she shared this post from author Lisa Terkeurst: 'The enemy wants us to get so discouraged that we flirt with feelings of defeat. He wants our hearts broken, our spirits weakened, and our minds filled with fear. 'But we know how this story ends. So we will not back down or shy away. We are Jesus girls!' Alisa remarked: 'Exactly what I needed!' Anyone with information on Alisa, Trevor or the car is asked to call Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on (813) 247-8200. A state prosecutor in Poland says that evidence shows without doubt that a Minneapolis man was a Nazi unit commander suspected of contributing to the death of 44 Poles. Robert Janicki said that years of investigation into US citizen 'Michael K' confirmed '100 percent' that he was in charge of an SS unit accused of burning villages and killing civilians during the Second World War. Michael K has been identified as Michael Karkoc, 98, whose family deny he was involved in war crimes. He may now face extradition. 'Nazi': A Polish state prosecutor said Minnesotan Michael Karkoc (left in 2014, right aged 20 in 1940) was '100 percent' the ex-Nazi officer who ordered 44 Polish civilians killed in 1944 Extradition: Polish prosecutors are now trying to get an arrest warrant for Karkoc (seen in May 2014 outside his house) that would allow the country to seek his extradition Prosecutors of the state-run Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw, which investigates and prosecutes German and Soviet crimes on Poles during and after World War II, have asked a local court in Poland to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, Janicki said. Documents show that a Michael Karkoc, born March 6, 1919 in Lutsk, Ukraine, was the commander of a unit in the Ukranian Self Defense Legion (USDL), which operated in collaboration with the German army. The unit of which he was lieutenant allegedly participated in massacres at the Polish villages of Chlaniow and Wladyslawin on July 23, 1944. The massacres - which saw women and children murdered - were allegedly ordered in retaliation for the killing of the USDL's commander, Siegfried Assmuss. Home: Karkoc used to live in this home in Minneapolis but is now in an assisted living facility. In 2015 a German court declined to extradite him as he 'wasn't fit to stand trial' Official records don't say that Karkoc was responsible for the massacres, but Associated Press (AP) says that a statement given to Soviet interrogators in 1967 by one of his former men put his squad at the scene of the killings. In a 2013 report, AP said Vasyl Malazhenski told Soviet investigators that in 1944 the unit was directed to 'liquidate all the residents' of the village of Chlaniow, 'men, women and children'. He did not say in the statement, which was found in the archives of the Institute of National Remembrance, who gave the order. His statement was used to successfully prosecute platoon leader Teodozy Dak of war crimes in Poland in 1972. He died in prison in 1974. Both Dak and Malazhenski served under Karloc in the USDL, according to SS files obtained by the AP. A German Nazi payroll sheet found in Polish archives signed by an SS officer on 8 January 1945 suggests he was present in Krakow, Poland, to collect his salary as a member of the USDL, AP said. 'Disinformation': Karkoc's son, Andriy Karkoc (seen in 2015) says that the claims are Russian disinformation to brand Ukrainian independence campaigners like his father as Nazis Karkoc himself denies the claims of civilian massacres, but the retired carpenter also told the AP in 2013 that he 'couldn't explain' what he did in the war. Speaking on Monday to DailyMail.com, Karkoc's son, Andriy Karkoc vehemently denied the claims of civilian massacres made against his father. He said that there was no evidence linking his father to the massacres other than Malazhenski's testimony, which he said could be attributed to 'duress or torture' on the part of Soviet interrogators. 'I'm fairly certain that the witness was not present [when their testimony was taken],' he said. 'I'm fairly certain the testimony was typed, dictated and delivered to them; I'm fairly certain that there was no cross-examination.' He went on to say that his father was not a Nazi as he was not a German citizen, and that he had been 'forcibly conscripted' into working for the German army. In fact, he suggested, these stories had been leaked to the Associated Press to discredit men like his father, a prominent activist for Ukrainian independence from Russia and the development of Ukrainian identity. 'It's convenient, it's beneficial, it's a fake news story that [implies] Ukrainians who want Putin to remove his boot from their throat are motivated by nationalism and neo-Nazism and all the evils under the sun,' he said. He went on to say that the recurrence of accusations about his father in the media 'Harms only Ukrainians and Poles and benefits only Mr Putin. 'We're sorry, we're disappointed, it's shameful and it's incredibly evil to point the finger at an innocent man in the absence of any proof or evidence,' he said. He added that 'only the enemies of Ukraine and the enemies of freedom and justice benefit from this persecution. It's not prosecution, it's persecution.' Video courtesy of KSTP Nazis: SS head Heinrich Himmler (center) reviews troops of the Galician SS-Volunteer Infantry Division in 1944. Michael Karkoc's unit was folded into the Galican division in 1945 German prosecutors also opened an investigation into Karkoc in 2013, and declared the year later that the then-95-year-old's wartime service made him the 'holder of a German office'. That meant he 'served the purposes of the Nazi state's world view' and made him open to prosecution by Germany even though he is not German, his alleged crimes were against non-Germans and they were not committed on German soil. However, in 2015 German courts declared that he was not fit to stand trial, based on 'comprehensive medical documentation' from his doctors in the US. Nazi documents show Karkoc applied for German citizenship in 1940 but was declined due to a lack of German language skills, instead being given a pass stating that he was an 'ethnic German'. He joined the regular German army after the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1941, he claimed in his memoirs, which he published in Ukrainian in 1995. Karkoc, who was also a member of The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), arranged for the creation of the USDL using German soldiers in 1943. He became an officer in the USDL, which is when he allegedly participated in the destruction of the villages. His unit also took part in suppressing the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. The Uprising saw the Polish resistance Home Army trying to liberate Warsaw in a 63-day siege that ended when they were crushed because expected Soviet reinforcements stopped short of the city center. Destruction: Karkoc's division is also said to have taken part in quashing the Warsaw Uprising, which saw resistance groups crushed. Pictured: Civilians being taken from a Warsaw ghetto The USDL was then folded into the SS Galician Division in 1945. Following the war, Karkoc ended up in a camp for displaced people in Neu Ulm, Germany, according to documents obtained from the International Tracing Service in Bad Arolsen, Germany. He emigrated to the US with his two sons in 1949; his wife had died the year before. In a background check by US officials on April 14, 1949, Karkoc said he had never performed any military service. He told investigators that he 'worked for father until 1944. Worked in labor camp from 1944 until 1945.' He became a naturalized American citizen in 1959. After he arrived in Minneapolis, Karkoc remarried and had four more children, the last of whom was born in 1966. He now lives in a Ukranian-dominant area of Minneapolis. A longtime member of the Ukrainian National Association, Karkoc has been closely involved in community affairs over the past decades and was identified in a 2002 article in a Ukrainian-American publication as a 'longtime UNA activist.' Naturalized: This is Karkoc's petition for naturalization, which he submitted in May 1959. He had arrived in the US in 1949 and told immigration officials he didn't perform military service A 21-year-old man has been charged with murdering his grandmother after police found her body wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a metal shed behind her trailer. Police found 67-year-old Hazel Billingsley's body on her property in Cypress, Texas, on Sunday afternoon. Nathan Billingsley was found with his girlfriend hiding in bushes nearby with a gun in his hand. The 21-year-old was arrested and charged with murder. His girlfriend, who is also 21, was released without charge. Nathan Billingsley, 21, was charged with murdering his 67-year-old grandmother Hazel whose body was found wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a metal shed in her backyard on Sunday Police told DailyMail.com how Nathan had threatened to kill Hazel the day before. Relatives tried to contact her on Saturday evening but got no response. On Sunday, when family still had not heard from her, they stopped by the home and found Nathan and his girlfriend piling her belongings into her car. They called 911, prompting the young couple to run away on foot. Police found Hazel's body upon arrival. 'When family members were unable to make contact with her on Sunday, they drove to the residence, where they observed Nathan Billingsley loading personal items into Ms. Billingsleys car. Nathan Billingsley and his girlfriend fled the residence on foot. 'Deputies were called to the scene, where they located Ms. Billingsleys body wrapped in a blanket, inside a metal shed, in the backyard of the residence. Relatives went to Hazel's home on Sunday after not getting a response from her a day earlier. They say they found Nathan and his girlfriend piling her car up with her belongings Police say they found Nathan hiding in bushes near the home holding a handgun Police found Hazel's body stuffed in a metal shed behind her home (pictured above) 'Deputies searched a wooded area near the residence and located Nathan Billingsley and his girlfriend hiding. Nathan Billingsley was armed with a handgun,' a Harris County Sheriff's Department spokesman said. Forensic investigators are yet to complete an autopsy. Police will not disclose the nature of Hazel's injuries before then. Sunny Zamir, Hazel's son-in-law, told Click 2 Houston how Nathan was Hazel's favorite grandchild. 'She really favored him most. I can't believe he would do something like that too my mother-in-law.' There was no answer at the family home on Monday morning. Nathan's mother Melanie has not spoken of the tragedy. Police were searching for Siwaphiwe Mbambo who was said to be stolen in an apparent car-jacking in Durban The mother of a baby girl who was reported to have been snatched in a South African car-jacking has been arrested for making up the crime after the child was found with her boyfriend. Siwaphiwe Mbambo's mother reported her daughter missing when she claimed to have been targeted by two armed suspects as she was breastfeeding. The 34-year-old called the police saying strangers had driven away with her one-month-old girl in Durban on Friday. But two days later, Siwaphiwe was found in a car at Mariannhill Toll Plaza, some 22 miles from where she went missing. Police set up a roadblock at the toll after a tip off, and found the baby in a car. It was being driven by the mother's boyfriend and a second woman understood to be another girlfriend of the man. All three adults were arrested and now face charges over the temporary disappearance of the child. It is understood the bizarre circumstances revolve around a custody dispute relating to the Siwaphiwe. The boyfriend is said to be claiming he is her actual dad, which is disputed by the girl's biological father. The car, a white Toyota Yaris, was found nearby but the car seat was missing after the attack A relative told South African newspaper IOL the family was devastated when they found out the mother had been arrested. They said: 'We were crying with her and praying for the safe return of the baby. Now the news of her arrest is a tragic turn of events and has shocked the whole family I was there on Saturday night when the cops took her in for questioning. 'He [the husband] wanted to accompany her, but the police refused.' The mother appeared at Durban Magistrates' court on Monday, but her case was adjourned because her lawyer was absent. Her boyfriend and the second woman believed to be his other girlfriend have also been arrested. The South African court has ordered the police to test Siwaphiwe's DNA in order to determine who her father is. More than 15,000 had been put up as a reward for information leading to the baby's recovery as police officers (pictured) scrambled to find the child As a nationwide search was sparked for the baby, some were questioning the mother's version of the story. She said gun-wielding attackers took Siwaphiwe in a white Toyota Yaris, which was fitted with a satellite tracking device monitored, and was found nearby with the car seat missing. More than 100 officers were involved in the search. Police spokesman Thulani Zwane previously told Sky News: 'It's alleged that the mother was breastfeeding her child in the car and the two suspects came and hijacked the vehicle and took the baby. 'Later the vehicle was recovered where it was found abandoned. 'Up to now the baby is still missing. She was last seen wearing a vest and nappies.' More than 15,000 had been put up as a reward for information leading to the baby's recovery. Concerned citizens even took to social media to spread awareness of the missing child. The hashtag #HelpFindDurbanBaby was trending yesterday afternoon. One user said: 'Let's #HelpFindDurbanBaby Siwaphiwe who was abducted during a hijacking in Durban today.' A thug who repeatedly stabbed his friend in the head with a pair of scissors after a row about a 1 can of beer has been jailed for 10 years. Victim Matthew Holmes told Joshua Hare he had no money on him and couldn't buy him the beer before the pair exchanged words. Hare - who has 21 convictions for a string of violent crimes - then followed Mr Holmes and the argument continued. Victim Matthew Holmes told Joshua Hare (pictured) he had no money on him and couldn't buy him the beer before the pair exchanged words Mr Holmes made an insulting comment about Hare's mother, prompting him to walk into a nearby barber shop and grab a pair of scissors. Hare then chased Mr Holmes down before 'viciously and violently' stabbing him in the head, neck and hand in broad daylight as horrified shoppers in a city centre looked on. Salisbury Crown Court, Wilts, heard Mr Holmes thought he was going to die and feared Hare had struck his jugular vein as he was left bleeding heavily on the floor. Fortunately shoppers who witnessed the horrific attack in Salisbury rushed to his help as Hare fled on foot. Crime scene: Brown Street car park in Salisbury where Joshua Hare launched his attack on Matthew Holmes Hare had 21 convictions for 48 offences, including various cases of battery, assaulting police, actual bodily harm, affray, criminal damage, theft, robbery, possessing class A drugs, aggravated vehicle taking, and public order offences. He admitted wounding with intent for attacking Mr Holmes - whom he knew - and was jailed for 10 years by Judge Keith Cutler. Mr Holmes told police after the attack: 'I actually thought I was going to die. I didn't know if he had got my jugular. 'All I saw was all the blood, I thought I was bleeding out badly.' Prosecuting, Ceri Harrison said: 'The injuries were extremely serious and needed hospital treatment but could have been far more serious.' Hare chased Mr Holmes down before 'viciously and violently' stabbing him in the head, neck and hand in broad daylight as horrified shoppers in a city centre looked on Salisbury Crown Court, Wilts, heard Mr Holmes thought he was going to die and feared Hare had struck his jugular vein as he was left bleeding heavily on the floor Mr Holmes still has problems using his hand and has lost a place on a welding course as a result. Defending, Audrey Archer said Hare was very ashamed and had said: 'It's the biggest regret of my life. It's the stupidest thing I have ever done and I'm very lucky the victim was not more badly hurt.' Ms Archer said Hare had not meant to cause more serious injury, but Judge Cutler said it looked 'almost like an intent to kill'. Judge Cutler added: 'He wasn't going to give him a haircut, was he?' He also said Hare had admitted the 'horrific' offence of stabbing Mr Holmes 'viciously and violently' to the head and neck, adding: 'There really is no mitigation for that.' Judge Cutler said: 'I come to the very firm conclusion that you pose a high and very serious risk of harm to members of the public.' Hare will serve four years in custody and six out on licence. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, didn't back down from comments he made in a tweet promoting a far-right Dutch politician, known for holding anti-Islamic views and wanting to curb Muslim immigration. During an appearance on CNN this morning, King said he was concerned that Americans were aborting their babies and the country was trying to fill that hole with illegal immigrants, who were not assimilating to American culture. 'There's been this effort we're going to have to replace that void with somebody else's babies,' King said. 'That's the push to bring in much illegal immigration into America, living in enclaves, refusing to assimilate into the American culture and civilization.' While King admitted that some immigrants have embraced being Americans 'many are two and three generations living in enclaves that are pushing back in resistance against assimilation.' Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, doubled down on a tweet he sent out this weekend in support of a far-right Dutch politician known for his anti-Islam views CNN's Chris Cuomo (left) interviewed Rep. Steve King (right) this morning, who told the newsman it wasn't race he was concerned about, but culture On Saturday, Steve King dashed off a tweet in support of Geert Wilders. Today he explained that he was concerned that the void left from American babies being aborted was being filled with illegal immigrants, who weren't assimilating to American culture The Iowa Republican noted that it was far worse in Europe, but he warned that the country still needed to be mindful of its birth rate and needed to do away with illegal immigration. 'That makes us stronger,' he said. In a Sunday afternoon tweet, the Iowa Republican had praised Geert Wilders, a Dutch far-right politician, known for his anti-Islam views. King had passed along a cartoon of Wilders plugging a hole in a leaking wall, which was labeled 'Western Civilization.' 'Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies,' King opined. The tweet got him praise from white supremacist and former KKK member David Duke, who wrote, 'GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!' In other pockets of the internet, the tweet was swiftly condemned and rebuked. Sitting down with CNN's Chris Cuomo, King said he meant what he said in the tweet. 'Of course I meant exactly what I said as is always the case, Chris,' King told the newsman. King explained that he had visited Germany and seen what was happening in Western Europe, with most countries experiencing a diminishing birthrate. 'I've said to them you can't rebuild your civilization with somebody else's babies,' King said. 'You've got to keep your birth rate up and you need to teach your children your values.' 'In doing so, you can grow your population and strengthen your culture, strengthen your way of life,' the Iowa Republican continued. 'That's not happening in any of the Western European countries,' King added. Wilders, King argued, 'knows that.' 'That's part of his campaign and part of his agenda,' King said. Cuomo pushed back, suggesting what King had just said was a 'complete contradiction' to America as a 'melting pot.' 'Who is somebody else's babies?' Cuomo also asked. King explained that when you look at the country 'you see all different kinds of Americans,' who are raised in an American culture. 'We've also aborted nearly 60 million babies in this country since 1973,' the pro-life congressman added. King suggested that in order to replace that void, people have been receptive of bringing illegal immigrants into the country and he pointed a finger at those immigrants saying that they weren't assimilating. Cuomo charged that King kept 'making this point that this country needs to be about white people raising their birth rate and not bringing in other people.' The congressman countered that by saying that it's not about race, but about culture. 'It's the culture, not the blood,' King said. 'If you can go anywhere in the world and adopt these babies and put them into households that were already assimilated in America, those babies will grow up as American as any other baby with as much patriotism and love of country as any other baby,' the congressman added. When Cuomo challenged him again, King stated, 'Well, actually, if you go down the road a few generations or maybe centuries with the intermarriage, Id like to see an America that's so homogenous that we look a lot the same from that perspective.' He added, again, that it wasn't about race. King, however, paused when Cuomo asked if Muslim Americans, Italian Americans Irish, Scotch and German Americans were all equal. 'They contribute differently to our culture and civilization,' King said, noting that 'moderate Muslims' are equal. When asked the question again, King noted that all people are viewed equally in the eyes of God and Americans are all viewed equally in the eyes of the law. 'Individuals will contribute differently, not equally to this civilization and society,' he added. 'Certain groups of people will do more from a productive side than Other groups of people will,' King said. 'That's just a statistical fact.' A prominent Muslim community leader claimed extremism has been a problem at Punchbowl Boys High School for at least six years. Jamal Daoud said he heard concerns about radicalisation at the Sydney public school since 2011, and the NSW Government should have acted years ago. 'It's been going on for years,' he claimed. 'I had a friend whose son attended the school and was worried about extremism... there was violence and radical name-calling,' he told the Daily Telegraph. Prominent Muslim community leader Jamal Daoud claims extremism was a problem at Punchbowl High for at least six years Punchbowl High's Muslim convert principal Chris Griffiths and his deputy Joumana Dennaoui were dumped earlier this month after an investigation Mr Daoud claimed the government had 'turned a blind eye' to students who were supporting Islamic extremism and called for a 'holistic' approach to the problem. He said radicalisation 'spread like a disease' and the source needed to be investigated - including looking into mosques linked to the school. 'It is an organised process that starts at home, school and at the mosque,' Mr Daoud said. 'My friend whose son attended the school himself ended up becoming radicalised and the things he had once seen as wrong, he started to see as right.' Mr Daoud said he heard concerns about radicalisation at the Sydney public boys school since 2011 and the NSW Government should have acted years ago NSW Education boss Mark Scott said Mr Griffiths blocked an anti-radicalisation program, which lead to them being removed from their positions Punchbowl High's Muslim convert principal Chris Griffiths and his deputy Joumana Dennaoui were dumped earlier this month after an investigation. NSW Education boss Mark Scott said Mr Griffiths blocked an anti-radicalisation program, which lead to them being removed from their positions. The school was identified as one of 19 New South Wales schools at risk of radicalising Muslim students. It followed a series of allegations by staff, parents, and students into Mr Griffiths' running of the school, with Mr Scott conceding it was 'off the rails'. Mr Griffiths allegedly stopping female teachers from participating in official events such as the Year 12 graduation ceremony. He was also said to be trying to make the school Muslim-only, preventing police liaison officers from entering - with 'actively hostile' relations so bad they couldn't get in for 2.5 years. He was appointed to lead Punchbowl Boys High School in late 2015, taking over from Jihad Dib who became a NSW state MP A Sydney student allegedly attacked and threatened a teacher at Punchbowl Boys High School (pictured) last year after refusing to participate in an anti-radicalisation program Police were 'concerned about his rhetoric' and felt he was leading students down a 'dangerous path', after they had good relations when his predecessor Jihad Dib was in charge. 'Students were being told that if 'the pigs' stop you, to film them and refuse their directions,' a senior constable told the Telegraph. Several employees claimed non-Muslim staff were verbally attacked, including with threats of beheading, by Muslim students declaring themselves ISIS sympathisers. Non-Muslim students said they were bullied into attending Muslim prayers, lectures on the Koran and cut their hair to conform to Islam. Another student allegedly attacked a teacher last year after refusing to participate in an anti-radicalisation program. There was no suggestion either Mr Griffiths or Ms Dennaoui condoned the threats or incidents, but they were not reported to police. New school principal Robert Patruno (pictured) has vowed to teach students traditional values Then, just as Mr Griffiths' replacement Robert Patruno took over, two men of Middle Eastern appearance, aged 19 and 20, allegedly threatened him. 'We're going to get you. We're going to f*** you up, you dog. F*** you,' the men allegedly said, according to the Telegraph. Undeterred, Mr Patruno vowed to tackle radicalisation and sexism at the school by implementing the Stronger Communities Working Together program - and fly the Australian flag every day. 'It all comes down to education. If there is those values in the school, I'm going to address them. I'm not going to turn my back on them,' he said. Dad jailed: Antonio Simmons, 45, was arrested in Oklahoma on first-degree murder charges in connection to a deadly shooting that claimed the lives of his stepdaughter's ex-boyfriend and an 18-year-old girl An Oklahoma father has been arrested after police say he fired a gun into a car occupied by his 17-year-old stepdaughter's ex-boyfriend, killing him and a teenage girl. The deadly shooting that occurred on Sunday night in Tulsa also left a third teenager wounded. Tulsa Police Sgt. Dave Walker says the incident was apparently prompted by the breakup of Antonio Simmons' daughter and her 18-year-old boyfriend, identified as Christopher Foster, over claims of domestic abuse. The girl's family say Foster also had allegedly vandalized their cars and property. Walker says the 18-year-old victim arrived at around 7.30pm at Simmons' home in the 2300 block of West Oklahoma Place in search of his ex-girlfriend. He was let in along with two girls, 18-year-old Cynthia Peraza and a 19-year-old whose name has not been released, but the trio were soon asked to leave. Police say Simmons then followed Foster to the car and opened fire, killing the man and Peraza who was in the backseat. The 19-year-old woman, who was the driver, suffered a gunshot wound but was able to drive away and contact a friend, who then rushed all three victims to a hospital, reported Tulsa World. Victim: Simmons is accused of killing Cynthia Peraza (pictured), who was in the backseat The male victim was fatally shot after arriving at Simmons' home in the 2300 block of West Oklahoma Place in Tulsa (pictured) in search of his ex-girlfriend A short time later, Antonio Simmons called 911 saying he had just shot three people. Simmons was booked into the Osage County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder, assault and battery with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction. The 45-year-old suspect has a vast criminal record dating back to the 1990s, which includes convictions and prison sentences for robbery and burglary. The station KJRH reported that in 1995, he was one of Oklahoma's most wanted fugitives for four felony warrants. A 78-year-old Laura Ashley boss and his 70-year-old ex-wife should still try to settle their differences despite years of fighting in courts, a judge said today. Malaysian mother-of-five Pauline Chai and her ex-husband Khoo Kay Peng are fighting over tens of millions of pounds after their 42-year marriage broke down. Mr Justice Bodey told the pair in London that they could still settle differences and urged them to negotiate, adding: 'You are not in the first flush of youth.' Court battle: Malaysian mother-of-five Pauline Chai (left) and her ex-husband Khoo Kay Peng (right) are fighting over tens of millions of pounds after their 42-year marriage broke down Argument: Ms Chai said they had moved their home to Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire (above) before separating and therefore decisions should be made in an English court The judge began analysing evidence in the Family Division of the High Court in the capital on Thursday and the hearing is expected to last for weeks. Ms Chai, who lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, wants more than 100million. She says their asset kitty is at least 205million and she should get a 50 per cent share. Dr Khoo, non-executive chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings, says former Miss Malaysia beauty queen Ms Chai should pocket about 9million, the judge has heard. Ms Chai and Dr Khoo, who both come from Malaysia, married in 1970 and have five children, have spent more than 6 million between them on lawyers since their marriage broke down, judges have heard. The pair could not agree on whether decisions about who got what should be made in English or Malaysian courts, and litigation was launched in both countries. Dr Khoo (left), non-executive chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings, says former Miss Malaysia beauty queen Ms Chai (right, in 1969) should pocket about 9million, the judge has heard Legal fight: In December 2015, Ms Chai (pictured) claimed victory in the fight over jurisdiction following a ruling by three Court of Appeal judges in London Dr Khoo, who is based in Malaysia, said the marital home was in Malaysia and said a judge in Malaysia should make decisions about the division of money. He says Ms Chai, who was Miss Malaysia 1969, is a 'forum shopper' and wants to fight in England because an English judge will give her a more generous award. Ms Chai said they had moved their home to Berkhamsted before separating and therefore decisions should be made in an English court. In December 2015, Ms Chai claimed victory in the fight over jurisdiction following a ruling by three Court of Appeal judges in London. Mr Justice Bodey told the pair: 'You are not in the first flush of youth. If arrangements were made, you could live the rest of your lives in considerable comfort.' The hearing is due to continue on Wednesday. Charlie Rose returned to work on Monday morning, taking his spot behind the anchor desk at CBS This Morning just five weeks after undergoing emergency heart surgery. The normally reserved 75-year-old could not contain his excitement to be back on the air at the beginning of the program, telling his co-hosts Norah O'Donnell and Gayle King how happy he was to be back with them in the studio. 'Thanks to everybody for hanging in there as I went through this,' said Rose at the start of the show. 'I'm pleased to be back!' There was also an impressive list of A-list names who taped messages welcoming Rose back to CBS, including former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter and President Donald Trump, who said: 'Charlie, welcome back. We all missed you.' Rose responded by joking: 'Are you sure he's talking about me?' Scroll down for videos Back and better than ever: Charlie Rose returned to CBS This Morning on Monday (above) after leaving the show in early February to undergo emergency heart surgery to replace a leaky valve Commander-in-chief: 'Charlie, welcome back. We all missed you,' said President Trump (above), to which Rose quipped: 'Are you sure he's talking about me?' Rose also revealed that his recovery is going far better than expected, which explains why he looked so healthy for his return to morning television. 'The interesting thing is that the surgeons say to me, "Everything, everything that we wanted to do came out even better than we expected. So we're very excited about what it's going to be in terms of how you can perform,"' said Rose, who had surgery to replace a valve in his heart. 'It's always good when you come back and people are happy to see you, as opposed to, "Oh, he's back,"' joked King, who then added: 'We're very happy!' Rose then joked: 'Or he looks like a corpse.' It has been over a month since Rose took an extended absence so he could undergo heart surgery, with doctors replacing one of his valves during a procedure that took place on February 9 in Paris. He said in a statement on Friday that doctors were pleased with his progress, and had determined that he could return to his post anchoring CBS This Morning. Rose will then begin filming his eponymous PBS talk show later in the week while also getting to work on new segments for '60 Minutes.' It will be a welcome return for one of the hardest working people in the industry, who at 75 is more than a decade older than every other network morning show anchor and managing a workload that is roughly three times as demanding. In his statement announcing his return, Rose said as little as possible about himself and his recovery, electing instead to praise his CBS This morning co-anchors Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell as well as his substitute for the past six weeks, Anthony Mason. CBS News Senior National Correspondent Mason stepped in for Rose on This Morning and on The Charlie Rose Show during his absence, in addition to his normal Saturday hosting duties on This Morning. Mason paid tribute to Rose on social media Friday, posting a photo of Rose's morning newspaper pile and writing: 'Been a privilege picking up C. Rose's newspapers for the past month. So happy to report @CharlieRose will be back Monday on @CBSThisMorning.' He later posted a picture with King and O'Donnell, writing: 'Deepest thanks to 2 truly great ladies for having me as their house guest this past month!' And O'Donnell seemed thrilled to have her friend returning, writing on Twitter: It's a great day in America. @CharlieRose is coming back Monday! #newsisback' She then included a photo of herself and King with Rose, with the two women waving miniature US flags. King, who is incredibly close to Rose, did not post a message on social media but did tease the big announcement that was coming on Friday's show in an Instagram post on Thursday night. Reunited: Rose (center) thanked his fans and spoke about how thrilled he was to be back with his co-hosts Gayle King (right) and Norah O'Donnell (left) Baseball great: Derek Jeter (above) also filmed a welcome back message for Rose's return to TV WATCH: Derek Jeter left a special message for the one and only, @CharlieRose! #WelcomeBackCharlie pic.twitter.com/eolxhFv0G2 CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 13, 2017 The CBS This Morning Twitter account shared what my be one of Rose's most memorable appearances to mark the occasion, posting a clip from the 2016 segment during which he wore the $849 Versace pants that Cam Newton had dressed in while arriving in Santa Clara ahead of the Super Bowl that year. 'I cant wait to see my friends at CTM who have been so gracious in sitting in for me and making up for the fact that I was not there, especially Gayle and Norah, and a special thanks to Anthony Mason who not only has done such a remarkable job filling in for me but also on my PBS show,' said Rose. He then took some time to acknowledge his fans and well-wishers, saying: 'And for you all of you when I said that I was going in for the surgery I said to each of you, "stay close" and boy have you stayed close. The messages, the heartwarming well wishing, the sense of recover soon has all been memorable to me.' Rose then closed out the statement with a bit more gratitude, stating: 'Thank you for staying close, thank you for being my friend, and thank you for being with me... Ill see you Monday.' Rose's return could not have come at a better time for CBS, with This Morning continuing to steadily grow over the past four years in its quest to catch up with NBC staple 'Today' and ABC's 'Good Morning America.' CBS This Morning has done a far greater job in retaining their audience year over year for the first two months of 2017, posting steady or only slightly declining percentages as compared to their 2016 numbers while Today and GMA have repeatedly suffered double-digit losses in both total viewers and the key demo. And the program closed out 2016 on a very high note, posting their best fourth-quarter numbers in 29 years, with total viewers reaching 3.68million - an increase of over a million viewers from the same quarter five years prior in 2011. Prep work: Rose records some audio ahead of the show on Monday morning (above) Orange people glad to see him: Rose announced he would be returning to CBS This Morning on Monday last week (Rose above walking his dogs after surgery) Rose previously released a statement in February before leaving for his surgery, which he used to explain his condition to viewers. 'Almost 15 years ago skilled surgeons replaced my aorta valve with a new replacement valve. It has served me well enabling me to live the vigorous, full, complete life you are all so familiar with,' said Rose. 'No one loves life more than I do.' He went on to explain: 'To continue to live this amazing life so full of challenges and friends, including so many of you in the audience, I have chosen to replace the valve with a new one. The timing is my choice.' The return of Rose could help bolster viewership for the show too, pushing the number of total viewers up next week. Isabel Gentry, 16, was released by medics at the Bristol Royal Infirmary A teenager who died of meningitis was discharged from hospital despite her mother showing doctors a school letter warning about the disease. Isabel Gentry was released by doctors at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and sent home until her condition deteriorated so badly that she was unable to communicate. An inquest into the 16-year-old's death heard how her frantic mother had shown staff a college letter warning about meningitis - but was told it was 'just a virus'. Her grief stricken mother Claire Booty said the family had raised concerns about meningitis with a call operator, paramedics and doctors but said her daughter 'wasn't given a chance'. The teenager had been studying for her AS exams when she began complaining of a bad headache, vomiting and fainting. But after being seen at the Bristol Royal Infirmary she was sent home in the early hours of the morning - only to be readmitted 24 hours later when she got worse. She died in the intensive care unit on May 20, 2016, after an MRI scan showed irrecoverable brain swelling had caused brain stem death. The 16-year-old had taken to social media to share news of her illness, but tragically died just two days later Her mother told paramedics, nurses and the doctor that a fellow pupil at St Brendan's Sixth Form College had recently been diagnosed with meningitis and that the school had issued a warning letter to parents. Mrs Booty told the inquest: 'Given the symptoms were flu-like, I was given no guidance about what to look out for if her condition deteriorated. Izzy wasn't given a chance. 'When I got home about 6pm she was complaining of a headache and took paracetamol about 7pm. Her symptoms became worse, and during the evening my husband rang and we discussed it. 'I rang 111 to seek further advice. In particular my husband and I discussed meningitis and the letter.' She looked for a rash on her daughter's body, but told the inquest that the two male paramedics who attended were reluctant to examine her. Paramedics Gary White and Christian Chambers of South West Ambulance Service took the teenager to hospital in an ambulance. Mrs Booty said the pair appeared 'understandably reluctant' to examine Izzy as she was a teenage girl. Mrs Booty said: 'They seemed fixated about an upset stomach, but this wasn't one of the symptoms she was complaining of and this wasn't one of the symptoms we had raised when we called 111.' After being admitted at 1am, Isabel was seen by a doctor who sent her home after five hours - although she could hardly walk to her mother's car. Mrs Booty told the inquest: 'I was concerned that the examination was not particularly thorough and that the doctor was distracted. 'The school letter we had seemed to make no difference to the risk assessment which was undertaken.' Nurses at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (pictured) reassured the pair that 'it was just a virus' and she would recover in a couple of days Isabel was sent home until her condition deteriorated so badly that she was unable to communicate Nurses reassured the pair that 'it was just a virus' and she would recover in a couple of days. Isabel struggled to walk to the car and said: 'I can't believe they're sending me home Mum, I feel so ill.' The following day Mrs Booty phoned her GP surgery at 5.10pm but was told it was too late for a home visit that day. Due to Izzy's worsening condition Mrs Booty called for an ambulance at 5.30pm. Ambulance staff arrived, by which time the teenager was unable to communicate and her limbs were 'thrashing and flailing'. Within half an hour of arriving at A&E, Mrs Booty was told it was likely her daughter had meningitis, and she was taken to the intensive care unit. But the following day her condition worsened and an MRI scan showed irreparable brain swelling had occurred and brain stem death had taken place. Her death was recorded at 7.30pm on May 20, two days after Isabel had posted on Twitter: 'Lol I knew something was up. Did not expect I'd be rushed to hospital in an ambulance, how peak.' Paramedic Pippa Bishop told the inquest she had been unable to pre-alert the hospital as she had to restrain Isabel on the stretcher. Senior coroner for Avon, Maria Voisin, said: 'Would it have been preferable to pre-alert before leaving the scene?' Ms Bishop said: 'With hindsight it would have been.' The inquest heard that the cause of the 16-year-old's death was 'most likely meningococcal meningitis' The first paramedic to treat Izzy said he performed a series of tests to determine whether or not she had meningitis. Gary White also denied being told about the letter sent by her school when he visited the family home. He saw Izzy just after midnight on May 18, and described her being 'ferociously sick'. He did assessments to test for the illness, and said she was not 'manifesting complete meningitis-type syndromes' but was suffering neck pain and dizziness. After being given intravenous paracetamol and an anti-nausea drug, her pulse began to slow and her blood pressure rose, with her temperature dropping. Isabel's mother said she 'wasn't given a chance' Despite the bright lights of the bathroom where she was examined, Izzy was not deemed to be photo-phobic, but the paramedic decided to take her to hospital to get a second opinion. He said: 'I felt myself looking at Isabel that my only cause of action was to take her to hospital. My impression was she would have been slightly dehydrated due to vomiting. She was quite pale and I was querying sepsis. 'On the way in, Isabel was telling me about her exams, she was doing six A Levels, I was very impressed. She told me about her brother being in the military. She was looking a lot better.' Initially she was taken to Bristol Children's Hospital but then referred to the BRI due to her age. Mr White said: 'All the time at the back of my head was 'could it be meningitis' but there was nothing clinically to indicate that. I wanted a second opinion. There were so many things it could have been.' Mrs Booty had told him she had looked for a rash and found none, which Mr White said was the first time meningitis was mentioned to him by her, and as Isabel was wearing shorts and a vest top her skin was exposed and no rash was visible. He asked her to touch her chest with her chin, a preliminary test which she was able to do so without being in pain. Mr White said: 'I went through all the symptoms she was presenting with to rule out meningitis.' The teenager had been studying for her AS exams at Brendan's Sixth Form College (pictured) when she began complaining of a bad headache, vomiting and fainting His colleague, emergency care assistant Christian Chambers, agreed that when a second observation was carried out, Isabel seemed to have improved. The inquest heard that the cause of death was 'most likely meningococcal meningitis'. University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said in a rapid review after Izzy's death that the assessment and treatment were 'appropriate' as initial symptoms were 'not typical of meningitis'. After the tragedy, tributes quickly flooded in for the popular teenager with friends describing her as a 'gorgeous' and 'bubbly' young woman who had an 'amazing energy'. The inquest in to her death is scheduled to last for five days and presided over by senior coroner, Maria Voisin. A New Jersey man pleaded not guilty Monday to killing three young women and attempting to kill a fourth - and a prosecutor said it's unlikely the defendant will get a plea bargain. Khalil Wheeler-Weaver entered the plea through his attorney at a brief court appearance. The 20-year-old wore glasses and a light blue shirt with his hands cuffed behind his back, and he didn't speak during the proceeding. When asked whether his office would offer a deal to Wheeler-Weaver, Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Adam Wells said he would be 'surprised if he would take a plea that would satisfy us.' Scroll down for video Khalil Wheeler-Weaver (above in court Monday), 20, of Orange, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty on Monday to killing three women and attempting to a kill a fourth Defense attorney Shevelle McPherson, left, stands next to her client, Wheeler-Weaver during his court appearance in Newark on Monday. He pleaded not guilty Courtesy of NEWS12 Wells stopped short of designating Wheeler-Weaver a serial killer, though he said others might use the term based on their own definition. According to the indictment, Wheeler-Weaver killed 19-year-old Philadelphia resident Robin West on September 1 in Orange, an economically struggling city of 33,000 outside New York City. He allegedly started a fire at the vacant house where he dumped her body in an attempt to hide his crime. Joanne Brown, 33, of Newark, was last seen October 22 in Orange, and a work crew found her body December 5 at a vacant house there. Wheeler-Weaver is accused of killing Philadelphia resident Robin West (left), 19, on September 1 in Orange. Joanne Brown (right), 33, of Newark, was last seen October 22 in Orange, and a work crew found her body December 5 at a vacant house there Sarah Butler (left), a 20-year-old college student from Montclair, New Jersey, was found dead in a New Jersey park near Orange on December 1. Wheeler-Weaver (right) was charged in her death in December Sarah Butler, a 20-year-old New Jersey City University student from Montclair, was reported missing November 23. Her body was found buried under leaves and debris in a park in nearby West Orange, on December 1. Wheeler-Weaver is currently being held on $5million bail. Prosecutors say a plea deal is unlikely for his case Wheeler-Weaver was charged in the deaths of Butler and Brown in December, and the grand jury in February indicted him in West's death. The indictment also charges him with kidnapping, sexually assaulting and attempting to kill a 34-year-old woman in November. Shevelle McPherson, an attorney representing Wheeler-Weaver, said after Monday's hearing that her client 'has a lot of family support' from his mother, stepmother and siblings. 'He's remained strong, faithful and confident that we're going to be able to do a good job for him,' she said. 'He's in a pretty good state of mind considering what the allegations are.' Wheeler-Weaver is being held on $5million bail. A 21-year-old police officer in Miami has been arrested following accusations he robbed members of the public while pulling them over for traffic stops. Jose Acosta, who only started in the job in May 2016, was arrested and charged following an internal investigation. He was charged with one count of armed burglary of a conveyance and one count of armed grand theft. On his arrest, he was relieved of duty without pay pending his termination. Jose Acosta, who only started in the job in May 2016, was arrested and charged following an internal investigation Miami Deputy Police Chief Luis Cabrera confirmed the arrest during a briefing on Saturday. He said: 'On March 10, 2017, the city of Miami department conducted a joint operation with the Florida department of law enforcement and Miami state attorney office which resulted in the arrest of a city of Miami police officer, Jose Acosta. 'This officer was hired in May 2016 and was last assigned to patrol in the Wynwood area.' The officer was 'relieved of duty without pay, pending termination,' Cabrera said. He added: 'The city of Miami Police Department will not tolerate actions that betray the oath of our office as public servants and contradict our duty to serve and to protect our communities.' A full press conference will be held today at 2pm local time. A university police officer is being hailed a hero after she saved the life of her choking colleague last week when she performed the Heimlich maneuver. Surveillance footage shows officer Julie Wilk rushing to help the unnamed woman at an office at the University of Central Florida. In the video, the choking woman starts to panic and points at her throat. University of Central Florida Officer Julie Wilk (right) is being hailed a hero after she saved the life of her choking colleague (left) last week The incident was captured on surveillance footage in an office at the University of Central Florida. Another female employee (right) in the office rushed over to try and assist the woman. The employee started the Heimlich maneuver but stopped when Wilk ran over Another female employee in the office rushed over to try and assist the woman. The employee started the Heimlich maneuver but stopped when Wilk ran over. Wilk got behind the woman and started the Heimlich maneuver. The video only showed 23 seconds of the incident as Wilk continued the Heimlich maneuver and appears to call for help on her radio. Wilk was able to help the woman cough up what she was choking on. The incident occurred on International Women's Day last week, which made Wilk's actions 'especially meaningful,' spokeswoman Courtney Gilmartin told the Orlando Sentinel. 'Though UCFPD officers do great things all the time, it was especially meaningful for a female officer to save another woman's life on International Women's Day.' Gilmartin said Wilk hopes the incident encourages others to learn how to do the Heimlich maneuver and get CPR certified. Wilk has been with the department since 2011. Wilk (pictured) got behind the woman and started the Heimlich maneuver. The video only showed 23 seconds of the incident as Wilk continued the Heimlich maneuver At one point it appeared Wilk called for assistance on her radio. Wilk was able to help the woman cough up what she was choking on An obsessed stalker who bombarded Jemima Goldsmith with tweets and sent a minicab to her door to take her on a date was today handed a restraining order. Conor O'Mahony, 60, sent the 42-year-old socialite five messages a day on Twitter and told a court she was a 'silly woman who doth protest too much'. The stalker from Deal, Kent, turned up outside the journalist's house and attended events where she was speaking, asking her out for dinner. In court: Conor O'Mahony (left), 60, sent 42-year-old socialite Jemima Goldsmith (right) five messages a day on Twitter and told a court she was a 'silly woman who doth protest too much' O'Mahony also sent an unwanted Addison Lee car to her home address with instructions to drive her to a restaurant where he was waiting for her. At Hammersmith Magistrates' Court today, he was handed a community order with a mental health treatment requirement and an indefinite restraining order. He was banned from contacting Miss Goldsmith including on social media and ordered not to go within 200m (650ft) of her home in Chelsea, West London. O'Mahony, who was smartly dressed in a blue suit for today's hearing, had previously received a caution in November 2015 for harassing Miss Goldsmith. Kerry McNulty, prosecuting, told the court: 'This primarily took place via online stalking on social media, particularly Twitter. 'The complainant was given extra concern because Mr O'Mahony ordered an Addison Lee taxi to her home address. 'The taxi was given to instruction to collect her and drive her to a restaurant in central London. He sent her a message telling her to meet him at this restaurant.' Ms McNulty said it was 'particularly worrying' that he knew her home address. He previously brought a letter he claimed was written by the Queen with him to court. The judge said the public at large would want him to pass a sentence that would protect Miss Goldsmith (pictured) and give O'Mahony the treatment he needed O'Mahony declared himself 'an innocent man' and said the world now knew him as an 'Irish stalker' who could not get a fair trial in this country. Miss Goldsmith told police that O'Mahony had contacted her five times a day via Twitter. Between February and March 2015 he travelled to her home outside London. Jemima Goldsmith: Socialite and Hugh Grant's ex-girfriend Jemima Goldsmith is the older sister of former Tory MP Zac Goldsmith. Her father was the late billionaire tycoon Sir James Goldsmith, while her mother, Lady Annabel, is the daughter of the Marquess of Londonderry. She is an associate editor of New Statesman and European editor-at-large for Vanity Fair. She is still known as Jemima Khan following her marriage to former cricketer and politician Imran Khan and tweets under that name. Miss Goldsmith is the older sister of former Tory MP Zac Goldsmith (pictured in 2010) Miss Goldsmith has also had high profile relationships with Hugh Grant and Russell Brand. She also has a close association with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Miss Goldsmith previously tweeted about a man following her and her children in September 2014. Advertisement She told officers that in April 2015 he attended an event where she was speaking, approached her and asked where he was taking her for dinner. Then in October 2015 O'Mahony turned up at Miss Goldsmith's house and asked for her over the telephone system. He sent her a message saying: 'I am knocking, your lights are on but no one is home. Try smelling the coffee or contacting the Met.' O'Mahony received a caution in November 2015 for harassing Miss Goldsmith but continued to pursue her. Between January and June 2016 he hand delivered signed letters to her home address. O'Mahony stepped up his campaign, sending numerous messages to Miss Goldsmith and her friend via Twitter and Instagram. On September 27 he instructed a taxi driver to go to Miss Goldsmith's house and bring her to a hotel where he would be waiting. O'Mahony, who has previous convictions for drink driving in 2002 and being drunk and disorderly in 2004, has been treated for skin cancer and was diagnosed as a bipolar sufferer in 1999. He claims his medication for his cancer treatment and for 'excessive dental work' had effected his medication for bipolar. The court heard that Miss Goldsmith had made statements saying she did not want O'Mahony prosecuted. David Freedman, defending, said O'Mahony had deleted his Twitter account. The defendant pleaded guilty to harassment in February. In one of his many outbursts from the dock on that occasion he said: 'I have been very helpful with this trivial matter with this silly woman who doth protest too much.' Today District Judge Michael Turner said that after the messages and minicab, Miss Goldsmith would have been 'worried about what came next'. The 60-year-old stalker (pictured) from Deal, Kent, turned up outside the journalist's house and attended events where she was speaking, asking her out for dinner 'That is the harm that this offence causes, she had no way of knowing about your problems that lay behind your behaviour,' he said. 'She has since been informed that your tweeting has stopped and you are receiving treatment, I hope this has allayed her fears and concerns. Clearly a restraining order is necessary.' The judge said he accepted there was 'little risk' of the harassment 'turning into anything more menacing or the risk of physical harm' but said Miss Goldsmith 'was not to know that'. I have been very helpful with this trivial matter with this silly woman who doth protest too much Conor O'Mahony He added: 'All she knew is your were tweeting her obsessively and you sent the taxi.' He said the public at large would want him to pass a sentence that would protect Miss Goldsmith and give O'Mahony the treatment he needed 'to address his problems and behaviour'. 'I am going to pass a 12-month community order with a mental health treatment requirement for the whole period and a rehabilitation requirement for 30 days.' He also gave O'Mahony a restraining order to not directly or indirectly contact Miss Goldsmith, including on social media and not to go near her house indefinitely. Judge Turner warned him if he breached this order he could face five years in jail. O'Mahony admitted one count of harassment involving serious alarm and distress. He was given a community order with a mental health and rehabilitation requirement and an indefinite restraining order, and told to pay 85 costs and a 85 surcharge. Advertisement More than 7,600 flights have already been cancelled for Tuesday as the incoming Northeast blizzard is predicted to cripple the country's air travel. Authorities have advised 50 million people to prepare for what could be the worst storm this winter season from New York City to Boston. Winter Storm Stella is expected to sweep the New York region with blizzard conditions, as experts predict the region could see 12 to 24 inches of wind-blasted snow from Monday to early Wednesday. In preparing for the huge storm, airline officials have already begun cancelling flights ahead of time. According to the airline-tracking website FlightAware, more than 5,000 flights Tuesday were canceled, including more than 2,800 in the New York City area, where about 200 passengers were stranded at John F. Kennedy airport. Amtrak also canceled and modified service up and down the Northeast Corridor. In New York City, the above-ground portions of the subway system were being shut down Tuesday morning. More than 2,000 flights were cancelled for Monday, and more than 7,600 have been cancelled for Tuesday. Scroll down for video Getting ready: In preparing for the huge winter storm, airline officials have already begun cancelling flights ahead of time. Above a United Airlines plane departs at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Monday during the snowstorm More than 7,600 flights have already been cancelled for Tuesday as the incoming Northeast blizzard is predicted to cripple the country's air travel. Above a departure board in the American Airlines terminal at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago The above satellite image shows Winter Storm Stella activity in the Eastern part of the U.S. on Monday as nearly half of the country is caught in an icy blast. The East Coast is preparing for what is believed to be the worst winter storm of the year Officials are warning of blizzard conditions that will hit the East Coast due to Winter Storm Stella. More than 5,000 flights have already been cancelled on Monday and Tuesday Weather officials say that due to the blizzard-like conditions, visibility will be difficult Tuesday morning at the three major airports in the tri-state area Tuesday's cancellations includes roughly hundreds of flights on Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and American Airlines. More cancellations were expected, with Southwest planning to stop almost all of its Northeast flights Tuesday. Other airlines were considering similar moves. Major US airlines will allow ticketed travelers affected by the storm to change their flights without an additional fee. Officials are asking those with travel plans early this week to check with airlines ahead of time to see about possible cancellations or delays. A state of emergency has been issued in four states across the northeast as Winter Storm Stella is set to slam the area with up to two feet of snow on Monday and Tuesday. State of emergencies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland have all taken effect as of midnight on Monday and 50 million residents are being urged to prepare for the 'life-threatening' storm. The harsh winter weather has already claimed lives in Milwaukee after two elderly men on different sides of the city collapsed while shoveling snow on Monday. Officials have warned of unsafe driving conditions caused by the snow, which have spurred statewide travel bans in Connecticut and modified public transportation services in several other states. Also in Milwaukee, a 17-car pileup involving 12 cars and five tractor trailers crashed just before noon on Monday on the northbound lanes of I-43. Three people suffered minor injuries but there were no deaths. Several crashes were also reported in Michigan due to the snowy weather. Cities from Buffalo, New York all the way to Boston, Massachusetts are currently under winter storm warning as the New York City region is under blizzard warning. Up to two feet of snow is expected to fall in some cities in the Northeast The darker blue regions depict areas where more snow is likely to fall beginning Monday night On Tuesday a snow ice mix will hit parts of New York City to Philadelphia as the temperatures will still be chilly Going into Tuesday night, the weather will still be cold, as many parts of the East Coast will still see a mix of snow and ice mix Dan Zionce refills the milk section for the third time since the morning at Gerrity's Supermarket in Luzerne, Pennsylvania on Monday. The store was bustling with shoppers buying milk, bread and other groceries in preparations for the storm Gloria Ann Rinus, of Shavertown, places a half gallon of milk in her shopping cart at Gerrity's Supermarket, in Luzerne on Monday ahead of the storm Stella is expected to sweep the New York region with extreme conditions, as experts predict the storm could bring 12 to 24 inches of wind-blasted snow from Monday to early Wednesday. HOW MUCH SNOW? New York City: 20 - 24 inches Boston: 12 - 18 inches Philadelphia: 6 - 12 inches Baltimore: 8 to 12 inches Washington D.C.: 6 - 8 inches Chicago: 3 - 6 inches Detroit: 2 to 3 inches Advertisement The city previously issued a snow alert for Monday night into Tuesday, expecting snowfall rates of up to 2 to 4 inches per hour Tuesday morning and afternoon, with gusts of up to 50 mph. 'This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City,' said Faye Barthold, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island. President Trump tweeted urging 'everyone be safe' as he met with local authorities in D.C. to discuss preparations there, where the region is experiencing a winter weather warning, alongside mid-Atlantic and Northeast cities including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore. Blizzard warnings have been issues for areas in eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, southeast New York, Connecticut, northern Rhode Island, western/central Massachusetts, southeast New Hampshire and southern Maine. Authorities are warning residents across all affected areas to prepare for the possibility of widespread power outages, road closures and flight disruptions. WINTER STORM STELLA TIMELINE Forecasters predict that Tuesday's commute will be dangerous as blizzard conditions will make roads and highways impassible. With winds of up to 50mph predicted, whiteout conditions will likely be created for many commuters along the Northeast. Winter Storm Stella is expected to dump up to two feet of snow in New York City, according to National Weather Service forecasters. Below is an hour by hour timeline of what to expect for this winter storm in New York City, according to weather forecasters: TUESDAY: Beginning after midnight snow will begin to fall in the city Temperatures will drop to around 31 degrees overnight and stay there roughly throughout the morning National Weather Service meteorologist Melissa Dispigna said around that 'the period of intense snow will probably start around 6am' About 2 to 4 inches of snow per hour will fall along with winds gusting up to 50mph creating 'whiteout conditions' At 10:20am, forecasters predict 2 to 3 feet of flooding in coastal areas which is around the time of high tide In the late morning to early afternoon, snow may be interrupted with some precipitation during this period By sundown around 7pm, the storm is expected to be roughly finished, though some snow flurries may continue through the evening into the night Forecasters say winds will continue through the night with temperatures dropping to around 20 degrees WEDNESDAY: Forecasters say that temperatures will rise up to roughly 32 degrees as the winds will continue to blow around 20mph Snow showers will happened occasionally throughout the day and into the afternoon THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: Forecasters say the sun should come out and temperatures will begin to rise, which will help to melt the snow Thursday it is expected to be around 36 degrees in the day and on Friday it will be around 41 degrees Advertisement As of Monday evening, 5,320 flights had been cancelled within, into or out of the United States. This had increased to 7,600 by early Tuesday. The brunt of those cancellations took place at Chicago O'Hare International airport, where the city is anticipating its first snow of 2017, which is rare for the exceptionally cold city. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was installing hundreds of pieces of snow equipment at the three New York area airports. Thousands of tons of salt and sand were prepared for airport roads, parking lots, bridges and tunnels. 'Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,' the weather service said. New York City issued a snow alert for Monday night into Tuesday, expecting snowfall rates of up to 2 to 4 inches per hour Tuesday morning and afternoon, with gusts of up to 50 mph. A Wisconsin Sate Patrol officer checks on a person involved in a crash on Interstate 41 southbound Monday while heavy snow falls during the winter storm that's heading east Streets Department crews load salt in preparations for an expected winter snow storm in Philadelphia on Monday A pickup truck with a snow plow passes a sign at a garden supply store in Alexandria, Virginia on Monday ahead of the winter storm Mayor Bill de Blasio warned New Yorkers that 'besides the snow, it will be cold,' while officials recommended that people avoid driving and use mass transit when possible. Blowing snow and strong winds could lead to whiteout conditions with visibility as poor as a quarter mile, the service said. Sub-freezing temperatures were forecast in the upper 20s Fahrenheit. New Yorkers began stocking up on groceries, salt and emergency supplies over the weekend through Monday as they prepared for a snow day inside. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced that all public schools in both cities will be closed Tuesday due to the storm. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THE WINTER STORM HITS Air travel Air travel will be disrupted, as more than 5,000 flights have been grounded ahead of the storm. More than 2,145 flights have been cancelled already for Monday, and a whopping 5,082 have been cancelled for Tuesday. More cancellations were expected, with Southwest planning to stop almost all of its Northeast flights Tuesday. Other airlines were considering similar moves. Major US airlines will allow ticketed travelers affected by the storm to change their flights without an additional fee. Public transportation A meteorologist predicted travel chaos in the New York area once the storm begins. 'Traveling on Tuesday is going to be a no go, to be honest with you,' meteorologist Tom Kines told the New York Post. 'All travel, by land or air, is going to be a problem. If you have a choice of staying home on Tuesday, I would chose to stay home.' The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was installing hundreds of pieces of snow equipment at the three New York area airports, including snow melters that can liquefy up to 500 tons of snow per hours and plows that can clear snow at 40 mph. Thousands of tons of salt and sand were prepared for airport roads, parking lots, bridges and tunnels. The New York City Department of Sanitation is taking similar action and also notifying additional workers to supplement staff if needed. All above-ground Metropolitan Transportation Authority train service will be shut down beginning at 4am Tuesday as a dangerous snowstorm blows into the area. Once the nor'easter hits, motorists in New York state can call 511 or access www.511ny.org to check on road conditions and transit information. Road closures New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned commuters against road closures, delays and cancellations. 'I encourage all New Yorkers in affected regions to plan ahead, and avoid any unnecessary travel as the storm progresses,' he said in a statement. Trains Amtrak will be running on a modified schedule on March 14, with some cancellations and delays. Keystone Service will operate on a severe weather schedule. The following Empire Service trains will not operate: 230, 234, 238, 242, 281, 235, 237, 241. The following Downeaster Service trains will not operate: 688, 689. Amtrak is encouraging commuters to check weather conditions and and allow additional time for travel. Travelers can check https://twitter.com/amtraknec for updates. School closures New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that all public schools in the city will be closed Tuesday due to snow. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh also announced on Monday that schools in the city will be closed Tuesday. New Jersey schools also seemed likely to be affected as some of them have experienced closures or delayed opening due to snow in recent days. Advertisement The EU and Nato both warned Scotland today that if it votes for independence it will lose membership and have to apply again. The SNP want an independent Scotland to be a member of both but insisted in 2014 quitting the Union would not revoke membership. Unveiling her plans for a second referendum today, First Minster Nicola Sturgeon insisted she wanted to hold the poll in time for Scotland to 'secure our relationship with Europe'. A newly independent Scotland joining the European Union would be deeply controversial and faces the prospect of veto by some countries, including Spain, facing separatist demands of their own. The European Commission, run by President Jean-Claude Juncker, told Nicola Sturgeon today Scotland would not get to keep its EU membership if it voted for independence. Mr Juncker and Ms Sturgeon are pictured together in June 2016 And the European Commission, which is run by President Jean-Claude Juncker, today insisted continuing membership was not available. Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the so-called 'Barroso doctrine' continued to apply. Former commission president Jose Manuel Barroso set out the legal view that if one part of an EU country became an independent state it would have to apply for EU membership. At a briefing in Brussels, Mr Schinas said: 'The commission does not comment on issues that pertain to the internal legal and constitutional order of our member states.' But he added: 'The Barroso doctrine, would that apply? Yes that would apply, obviously.' Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Sky News Scotland would also have to apply to be a new member of the 28-member alliance. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a similar message today, telling Sky News Scotland would have to apply for membership as a new member He said the alliance had no view on the question of independence but warned the rules of the alliance were clear. Mr Stoltenberg said: 'If it happens then the UK will continue as a member of Nato but a new independent state has to apply for membership and then it is up to 28 allies whether we will have a new member. 'All decisions are taken by consensus, we need the consensus of all allies to invite a new member.' He added: 'By leaving the UK it would also leave Nato - of course it is absolutely possible to apply for membership and then the allies will then decide.' Montana Fishburne, the wayward eldest daughter of The Matrix actor Laurence Fishburne and a former porn star, was arrested near her Florida home over the weekend, Dailymail.com has learned exclusively. Montana, 25, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers Saturday morning after an accident on I-95 near the South Florida city, according to records. She was charged with DUI, DUI with property damage and DUI with blood alcohol readings above .15 and spent the night in a Broward County Sheriffs Office jail. Laurence Fishburne had Montana with ex-wife and C-series actress Hajna O. Moss. He told me he was embarrassed by me, Montana said Montana, 25, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers Saturday morning after an accident on I-95 near the South Florida city, according to records. Her booking photo above shows Fishburnes eyes are still blood-shot and her nose red The three charges could combine for a maximum three-year sentence in a state prison. Her booking photo shows Fishburnes eyes are still blood-shot and her nose red after what appears to be a long period of crying. She was released Saturday afternoon on $2,500-bond, according to records. Fishburne was driving a white Toyota Corolla on the six-lane interstate in Fort Lauderdale about 1 a.m. when she rear-ended a Range Rover that slowed down to avoid a previous accident. Fishburnes car sustained extensive damages and she was not injured. But when the trooper approached Fishburne, he writes in his report, he smelled a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. I noticed an open bottle of wine on the real left floor, and the two front seats were splashed with a purple liquid with a strong odor of alcohol, the trooper wrote on the report first obtained by DailyMail.com. He also reported Fishburne was incoherent while walking around the accident scene. Subject (Fishburne) was moving around constantly and was making incoherent statements such as her drivers license being different if I was to arrest her, the report reads. The paperwork also shows Fishburne failed a series of field sobriety tests. According to the report, she then squatted and urinated on the shoulder of the interstate as rescue personnel and police were busy clearing the accident. At the stationhouse, Fishburne allegedly blew a .177 and .181 on the breathalyzer. In Florida, the legal limit is .08. Records show Montana Fishburne moved to the beach side city in 2014, shortly after a career as porn star started when she was 19. At the time, she did a graphic video of her having sex with a man because she said she wanted to become the next Kim Kardashian and parlay the sleazy footage into mainstream acting fame. Instead of receiving propositions for acting roles, Fishburne managed to alienate her famous dad, who also starred in Hannibal and Man of Steel. Laurence Fishburne had Montana with ex-wife and C-series actress Hajna O. Moss. He told me he was embarrassed by me, Montana told The Hollywood Reporter in 2011. Montana Fishburne moved to the beach side city of Ft. Lauderdale in 2014, shortly after a career as porn star started when she was 19 In 2014, it was reported she quit porn in favor of stripping when a video of her on the stage of Houston strip bar popped up online. Since she moved to Fort Lauderdale, however, Fishburne has managed to stay below the radar. She didnt return a call and a text message requesting comment. Advertisement Shocking video shows the moment fire crews blasted a father-of-six out of his van with a water hose after he was pulled over for a broken tail light - before police shot him dead. The suspect, identified by his sister as Michael Anthony Perez, had been pulled over in Anaheim, California, on Saturday evening when police say he refused to get out of his minivan. Officers say they became concerned when the 33-year-old pulled out a lighter and gas container. 'We felt this guy was going to light himself on fire or blow the car up,' Orange police Lt. Fred Lopez said. This is the moment fire crews blasted a father-of-six out of his van before cops shot him dead during a traffic stop The suspect, identified by his sister as Michael Anthony Perez, had been pulled over in Anaheim, California, for a broken tail light on Saturday evening 'We thought it could be combustible, so they felt that a plan needed to be put into place to save his life,' Lopez told KTLA. Scene footage shows officers talking to Perez, who was sitting, smoking a cigarette in the drivers seat. As he was kept talking, two officers were seen sneaking up the side of the vehicle. Suddenly, the window behind Perez was smashed and two firefighters pointed a powerful water hose into the van. Scene footage shows officers talking to Perez, who was sitting, smoking a cigarette in the driver's seat. As he was kept talking, two officers were seen sneaking up the side of the vehicle Suddenly, the window behind Perez smashes and two firefighters point a powerful water hose into the van Water blasted in through the broken window as Perez scrambled into the backseat The stunned suspect was blown back by the blast of water but managed to scramble into the backseat. Half a dozen officers attempted, but failed, to open the van's door before trying to smash in the vehicle's windows. Perez then emerged from the front window of the van, accidentally setting off the horn, and dropped with what appeared to be a small knife in his hand. A voice was heard to yell 'knife!' moments before two shots were fired. Several more gunshots were heard before Perez slipped and fell to the ground. An officer could be seen trying to take hold of the suspect, who was shirtless, and the cop managed to get him to the ground before another gunshot from behind appeared to cause the officer to back off. Half a dozen officers attempted, but failed, to open the van's door before trying to smash in the vehicle's windows Perez emerged from the front window of the van, accidentally setting off the horn, and dropped to the ground as the water gushed behind him Perez emerged from the front window of the van and gunshots were head as he landed on the ground Perez managed to stand again for a moment before collapsing as five officers pointed their weapons at him. Two knives were later recovered from the scene. Witnesses could be heard shouting at the police and demanding to know why the officers shot the suspect. 'What the f**k are you shooting for? What are you shooting for?' one man asked repeatedly. Perez, of Orange, was hit once with gunfire and rushed to hospital in an ambulance but was pronounced dead the next day. Orange police Sgt. Rob Thorsen said Perez had a criminal record that included weapons and drugs violations. He added that the less-than-lethal round was not effective in subduing the suspect so police were forced to use deadly tactics. Perez manages to stand again for a moment before he collapses to the ground as five officers point their weapons at him. Two knives were later recovered from the scene Perez, of Orange, was hit once with gunfire and rushed to hospital in an ambulance but was pronounced dead the next day A police car is parked next to yellow police tape where Perez was shot dead on Saturday 'We try to use less lethal rounds, but it is not always possible,' Lopez said. 'I had never seen anything like that,' said Fabian Huerta, who watched with surprise as police started spraying water into the van. 'I thought he was going to surrender.' Huerta, who works cleaning businesses at the strip mall, said in Spanish that he saw an officer grab the suspect by the hand before he heard gunshots. The shooting was being investigated by the county district attorney's office. It was the second fatal shooting by police in California's Orange County in a four-day period. On Thursday, police in the city of Huntington Beach shot and killed a man who a witness said was chasing children with what looked like a broken wine bottle at a sports complex. Obamacare is going to collapse regardless of whether Republicans take action, President Donald Trump warned Monday at a White House event for 'victims' of the health law. 'It's going to blow itself off the map!' Trump declared. The once unpopular law is now being called 'wonderful' because it's about to be gone, the president argued. 'Its a little bit like President Obama. When he left, people liked him. When he was here, people didnt like him so much. Thats the way life goes. Thats human nature. The fact is, Obamacare is a disaster.' Later during a cabinet meeting, Trump said that he has 'a big, fat, beautiful negotiation' underway with members of Congress. Obamacare is going to collapse regardless of whether Republicans take action, President Donald Trump warned Monday at a White House event for 'victims' of the health law: 'It's going to blow itself off the map!' The president said as his first cabinet meeting began that he has 'a big, fat, beautiful negotiation' over Obamacare underway with members of Congress 'Obamacare all of a sudden the last couple weeks is getting a false rap, that maybe it's okay. It's not okay. It's a disaster. And people understand that,' the president said. 'It's failed and it's imploding. And if we let it go another year, it will totally implode. In fact I've told the Republicans, "Why don't you just let it go another year? That way everybody will really understand how bad it is." But it would be the wrong thing for us to do and for the American people.' The earlier listening session with 'victims' of Obamacare on Monday was the administration's latest attempt to sell legislators and the public the GOP's repeal and replace bill. Americans unhappy with their health care options from 10 states shared their stories on camera. One participant said she put her family on federal exchange after her husband's employer dropped their coverage because the previous administration said she'd be able to keep her doctor. But her family's pediatrician wouldn't take it, and neither would her personal doctor, so she and her husband paid $8,000 for five months of coverage 'and were never able to use it.' For effect, the president asked her how she would rate Obamacare. 'We'll be so happy to see it gone,' the woman, Brittany Ivey of Georgia, replied. 'It's almost put our family in financial ruin, and that's the story for a lot of people.' Jumping in, Trump said the law 'put businesses in financial ruin. It's one of the biggest costs. It has been disastrous for businesses.' The 11 attendees each shared stories of health care chaos they attributed to the existing law. Ohio small business owner Greg Knox gave Trump a portrait his 11-year-old son had drawn of the president as he told his tale The room erupted in laughter, as Trump told LKnox, 'I wish I looked that good' The president asked a computer programmer who said his daughter had a disability if he had acceptable insurance before the reforms kicked in. 'Oh, absolutely,' the gentleman, Elias Seife of Florida, told him. Continuing to talk, Trump proclaimed that 'many plans were great before Obamacare. They were so happy. 'But people are miserable now. and It's putting people out of business. It's putting them in the poor house,' he said. Seife echoed a comment Trump made last week and said he thinks 'the real scenario was that this law was supposed to implode.' He also said the law was rooted in socialism. 'I know what socialism is,' Seife said, revealing that his parents lived in Communist Cuba. 'This whole system was meant to have one single provider.' 'Well it turns out so expensive, it's almost not socialism when you think about it,' Trump told him. 'Sorry about the hair,' Knox told Trump, explaining, 'All we had was orange' Another participant gave Trump a portrait his 11-year-old son had drawn of the president as he told his tale. 'I wish I looked that good,' Trump teased as the gentleman flashed the oval-shaped paper depicting Trump with orange hair. The picture had a note on that back that the man, Ohio resident Greg Knox, read aloud. 'Dear President Trump, it is a great honor to be able to write to the president of the USA. I think you're a great president and a great man. Also, don't worry the picture of you on the front of this looks nothing like you.' The room erupted in laughter, as Trump again said, 'I wish I looked that good.' 'Sorry about the hair,' Knox, a small business owner, said. 'All we had was orange.' Trump told him to 'thank your boy.' A Republican Ohio state lawmaker has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence and improper handling of a gun after officials say he was found passed out in his car at a McDonald's drive-thru window. The Butler County Sheriff's Office says state Rep. Wes Retherford, 32, was taken into custody at 7.43am on Sunday after police responded to a report of a man slumped behind the wheel at a fast-food eatery in Liberty Township. Responding deputies searched Retherford's vehicle and found a loaded handgun on a car seat. Politician charged: Rep. Wes Retherford, 32, a Republican state lawmaker from Ohio, was arrested on drunken driving and weapons charges Sunday. Retherford is pictured in his mugshot on the left Down for the count: Police say Retherford was found passed out behind the wheel of his car at the drive-thru window at this McDonald's in Liberty Township, Ohio (pictured) The 32-year-old politician was booked into the county jail on charges of operating a vehicle while under the influence and felony improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle. Retherford, who represents a district in southwestern Ohio and describes his political stance as 'very conservative', according to his official Facebook page, just began his third two-year term after defeating a challenger by more than 30 percentage points, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer. His biography states that Retherford is a retired disabled US Marine Corp veteran who is married with two children, a son and daughter. Besides representing the 51st District in the Ohio House of Representatives, Retherford also works as a mortician's assistant at a local funeral parlor. Retherford, pictured above getting sworn in, has just begun his third two-year term after defeating a challenger by more than 30 percentage points If convicted of the felony weapons charge, Retherford, pictured above at an event with Ohio Governor John Kasich, would not be allowed to continue serving as a state representative Retherford, who lives in Hamilton, faces charges of OVI and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, the Dayton Daily News reports. He was expected to appear in court for his arraignment on Monday. If convicted of the felony weapons charge, Retherford would not be allowed to continue serving as a state representative. Retherford was arrested the morning after the Butler County GOP's Lincoln Day dinner at an event center in Fairfield. Other lawmakers who attended the annual event told the Cincinnati Enquirer that their colleague did not seem inebriated at the celebration. At the conclusion of the festivities, Retherford reportedly told several guests he planned to head to a bar in Liberty Township, according to the Hamilton Journal News. The Butler County Republican Party released a statement to the Dayton Daily News, saying it is disappointed to learn of Retherford's arrest. Butler County Democrats also reacted to the Republican lawmakers arrest, lambasting Retherford as the laziest and one of the most disengaged members of the state legislature. Family man: Retherford is a retired US Marine and a mortician's assistant who is married with two children (family photo) Alcohol and guns are a reckless mix, and were glad nobody was physically hurt as a result of Rep. Retherfords actions, Democratic Executive Committee Chair Jocelyn Bucaro said in a statement. We are extremely disappointed in Rep. Retherfords actions and pray he takes this opportunity to get the help he so obviously needs. The Journal News reported that back in 2015, Retherford made headlines after Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger ordered the lawmaker to remove a liquor cabinet from his office. Retherford claimed he had used the cabinet to store two unopened wine bottles, a sealed bottle of bourbon that he got for Christmas and bottles of water from his hometown of Hamilton. Ali Qazimaj faces life in jail for the 'callous' murder of a retired couple in Suffolk An Albanian asylum seeker who entered the UK using a false identity murdered an elderly couple during a suspected robbery, a jury has found. Ali Qazimaj, 44, targeted Peter Stuart, 75 and his wife Sylvia, 69, at their cottage in Weybread, Suffolk after he was told they were millionaires. Mr Stuart was stabbed nine times and dumped in a water-filled ditch. The body of retired insurance clerk Mrs Stuart has never been found. Qazimaj lied to claim asylum in the UK in 1999 by giving a false name and saying he was fleeing persecution in his homeland of Kosovo. But official records in Albania uncovered during his trial confirmed that he was born in Albania, rather than the former Yugoslavia. His lies meant he was given leave to remain in the UK five months after being smuggled in a lorry into Harwich, Essex. He was then granted UK citizenship in 2005. Qazimaj denied the murders of Mr and Mrs Stuart, but a jury took just under four hours to find him guilty today after a five week trial. Peter Stuart, 75, was stabbed nine times. The body of his wife, Sylvia, has never been found Mr Stuart's body was found in a ditch not far from the couple's home in Suffolk Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC said: 'He is an arrogant man. He is a professional deceiver. He is a callous murderer and guilty of these terrible crimes.' He stood expressionless in the dock as the verdicts were announced while Mr and Mrs Stuart's daughter Christy, 42, gasped and hugged her husband Stephen in the public gallery. Mr Justice Stuart-Smith adjourned sentencing until tomorrow. The court heard that Qazimaj had worked as a carer for the stepmother and father of the couple's son-in-law Steven Paxman, 62, who was married to their only daughter Christy. Mr Paxman's father Sidney innocently told Qazimaj that Mr and Mrs Stuart were millionaires living in north Suffolk. The prosecution said that the comment led Qazimaj to hatch a plan to rob them to help fund his serious gambling habit as he was losing up to 1,000 a day on gaming machines. Mr Stuart, a retired Tate & Lyle sugar factory worker, and his wife were last seen alive on May 29 last year when they were filmed on CCTV visiting Goodies farm shop in Pulham Market near Diss, Norfolk, around six miles from their home. Ali Qazimaj at the port of Dover was spotted at the Port of Dover as he fled the country Grey hairs belonging to Mrs Stuart were found in the boot of Qazimaj's car Qazimaj was recorded by mobile phone signal records and number plate recognition cameras driving to and from the couple's home the next day on May 30 when they were believed to have been killed as they prepared lunch. The same records showed him making six earlier trips to the area on apparent reconnaissance missions. Qazimaj was also placed in the vicinity of cash machines where attempts were made to withdraw money using Mrs Stuart's Barclaycard. Around the time the couple are thought to have died, Qazimaj sold his possessions and furniture, quit his full time job at recycling firm Shields and drove to Dover, Kent, where he dumped his silver Citroen C3 in a side street and fled to France on a ferry. He was found by police at an asylum seeker's hostel in Luxembourg after a two week international manhunt and was extradited back to the UK. The couple are said to have been targeted for their money after a relative said they were rich He denied being Qazimaj and claimed he had never been to the UK. But his fingerprints and DNA were found to match those on record. Mr Stuart's blood was also on the door handle of the abandoned car and three of his wife's grey hairs were in the boot. Qazimaj claimed he was the victim of mistaken identify and that fingerprint evidence had been tampered with by 'corrupt police' to 'fit him up' and resolve the case. After the jury returned its verdicts, Judge Jeremy Stuart-Smith said: 'I know you've not taken very long in absolute terms to reach your verdicts, but I don't find that at all surprising.' First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wore her favourite red power suit for today's dramatic announcement that she will call for another Scottish referendum. And while it is not the only red suit owned by the Scottish minister, who tends to favour bold blocks of colour, it is certainly the one most often chosen by the minister for big events. Over the last two and a half years she is believed to have worn the very recognisable number at least 11 times - and has even donned it twice in the last week alone. The First Minister at today's press conference (left) and (right) wearing the same outfit - with the addition of a brooch - during a tour of a manufacturing hub, Rotherham, in November 2016 Ms Sturgeon joins Jeremy Corbyn, the Queen, Teresa May and Michael Fallon at the dedication service of The Iraq and Afghanistan memorial in London on March 9, 2017 The First Minister's red dress and jacket combination is by Edinburgh-based designers Totty Rocks, who ensure that all of their clothes are designed and produced in Scotland. Seamstresses and owners Holly Mitchell and Lynsey Blackburn are clearly delighted at dressing their First Minister, and even issued a gushing tweet in September expressing their delight at having clothed her for the last two years. The Scottish leader favours the duo's 255 show jacket - which she also owns in tartan - and the 189 bow dress she teams it with for big events. In fact, the fiercely patriotic leader even wore their tartan jacket for her swearing in as First Leader in November 2014 and owns a number of similar items from the designers. According to the designers, Ms Sturgeon owns several of the designs in different colours - cerise, pink, purple - but television lighting sometimes makes it look like she is wearing the red outfit. First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon waves after she addressed the Scottish National Party Conference 2016 on October 15, 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland September 26, 2016: Ms Sturgeon delivering her keynote address to delegates at the SNP Conference in Glasgow, Scotland Totty Rocks celebrity clients include Kate Moss, America Ferrera, Sandi Thom and Gok Wan. Ms Sturgeon has been spotted wearing the particularly eye-catching outfit in March 2016, at the STVs televised leaders debate; at Westminster to meet the newly-elected SNP MP in May 2015; and at First Minister's questions at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, May 6, 2015. The bold colour, smart tailoring and strong shoulders ensure that all eyes are on her - and she clearly sees it as an instant confidence-booster. Nicola Sturgeon poses with supporting MSPs as they gather outside the Scottish Parliament with vote remain EU banners on June 16, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland WHO ARE SCOTTISH DESIGNERS TOTTY ROCKS? The First Minister's red dress and jacket combination is by Edinburgh-based designers Totty Rocks. Totty Rocks is an independent womenswear fashion label and boutique situated in the stylish Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh. Nicola Sturgeon wearing a Totty Rocks creation with designers Holly Mitchell (left) and on Lynsey Blackburn (right) All of their Totty Rocks products are designed and produced in Scotland. Their current bestseller is the signature Totty Rocks Mac which they offer in seasonal colours and fabrics. They also sell trousers, blouses, skirts and dresses. Over the years celebrity clients have included Kate Moss, America Ferrera, Sandi Thom, Gok Wan - and of course, the First Minister. Advertisement Ms Sturgeon at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, May 6 2016 (left) and (right) walking out of Bute House, Edinbrugh, with her new cabinet on May 18, 2016 Lib Dem Willie Rennie, Scottish Labour's Kezia Dugdale, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson of the Scottish Conservatives, and Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens attend the STV election debate on March 29, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland Today, in a speech at her official residence in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon said the UK stood at a 'hugely important crossroads' and Scotland must have a 'genuine choice' about its future. But critics pointed out that Scots would not know what they were voting on as the deal with the EU will not have been finalised. The bombshell announcement came with parliament on the verge of passing legislation allowing Mrs May to trigger Article 50, after rebel Tory MPs and peer indicated they will back down over two key amendments. Ms Sturgeon takes applause following delivering her keynote speech to the Scottish National Party Spring conference on March 12, 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland After firing prominent crime-fighter Preet Bharara from his post as Manhattan U.S. attorney, President Trump is considering for the post the personal lawyer of ex Fox news boss Roger Ailes. Marc Mukasey, the son of former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and a 'protege' of former New York Mayor New York Giuliani, emerged as a leading contender this weekend after Trump fired Bharara. Bharara, a former chief counsel to Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer, got sacked along with 45 other remaining Obama appointees although Bharara had said following a meeting with Trump in Trump Tower in November that he had been asked to stay on. As a personal attorney representing Ailes, Mukasey has helped the former Fox News chief battle a series of sexual harassment allegations. Numerous current and former Fox employees accused Ailes of inappropriate behavior. Scroll down for video Attorney Marc Mukasey, who represents ex Fox News chief Roger Ailes, is under consideration to be the top U.S. attorney for Manhattan Ailes left the network last summer. He has strongly denied the allegations, although former host Gretchen Carlson got a $20 million settlement. A 2016 Vanity Fair article about the scandal describes Mukasey as 'something of a protege' of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuiliani. Mukasey is also the son of former George W. Bush attorney general Michael Mukasey, a friend of Giuliani's. The younger Mukasey is Giuliani's law partner at Greenberg Traurig. 'During the 1989 mayoral race, when he was barely out of Dartmouth, Mukasey had delivered doughnuts to Ailes,' according to the article. The New York Times reported Mukasey was under consideration for the post. Edward O'Callaghan, who advised the Trump transition, is also under consideration for the newly-created vacancy Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara met with Donald Trump at Trump Tower in November, when he said Trump had asked him to stay on. Pictured: Bharara saying his farewell to colleagues on March 13 after his firing Bharara told reporters after meeting with Trump that he had been asked to 'stay on.' Bharara was sacked along with 45 other Obama appointees after Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked them to resign. Bharara refused Giuliani was constantly at Trump's side during the presidential campaign, and had been a candidate for attorney general, although he withdrew from consideration after reports about his past financial dealings. Bharara's office has been engaged in a high-profile probe of Fox News, New York Magazine reported. The magazine cited sources who said it was 'looking at a number of potential crimes, including whether Fox News executives broke laws by allegedly obtaining journalists phone records or committed mail and wire fraud by hiding financial settlements paid to women who accused Roger Ailes of sexual harassment.' The sources claimed prosecutors 'have been offering witnesses immunity to testify before a federal grand jury thats already been impaneled.' Bharara was looking into Fox News executives who allegedly obtained journalists' phone records and who might have hidden financial settlements paid to women who accused Roger AIles of sexual harrassment, sources told New York Magazine Bharara tweeted: 'By the way, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like,' which stoked theories he was sacked for his reputation. The commission was an anti-corruption one shut down by Governor Cuomo Bharara stoked theories that he got sacked for reasons having to do with his reputation for going after corrupt politicians when he tweeted: 'By the way, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like.' He was referencing the anti-corruption commission in Albany that Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down. Bharara tweeted over the weekend: 'I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.' A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office said Bharara wasn't saying what he meant by his Moreland Commission reference. 'Hes not providing context on his tweet or tweets,' said the spokesman. He got fired by telephone by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente. Although the spokesman wasn't privy to the call, he said Bharara was told he was let go because he was one of the group of 46 U.S. attorney's appointed by President Obama. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had asked for the resignations of all 46, and Bharara refused to tender his. Trump reportedly has regular contacts with 21st Century Fox Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, and Ailes reportedly spoke with Trump before his appearances in presidential debates. Bharara tweeted this weekend: 'I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life' The U.S. Attorney's Office said Bharara was not providing context for his tweet referencing the Moreland Commission Another potential candidate for the post is former federal prosecutor Edward OCallaghan, who advised Trumps transition team, the New York Post reported. O'Callaghan is a Republian and a former assistant U.S. attorney. Mukasey's office didn't immediately return a request for comment. Bharara met with Trump in Trump Tower in November and told reporters afterward he had decided to 'stay on.' As the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, Bharara has helped bring down top political leaders in both parties. His jurisdiction also could interface with the Trump Organization, which is located in Manhattan. He helped bring down New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, on corruption charges, and then prosecuted Senate minority leader Dean Skelos, a Republican. White House press secretary Sean Spicer got pressed about Bharara's firing at a press briefing Monday and whether it was contradicted what Bharara said was an assurance that he could stay on. 'I dont think it really matters,' said Spicer. 'At the end of the day the attorney general followed the practice that existed for the last several administrations and asked every attorney general from the last administration to submit their resignation,' he said, in a reference to fired U.S. attorneys. He said Trump 'called him to thank him for his service last week. He followed the practice of last several administrations to step down and I think thats the appropriate thing.' A Lyft driver who doctors say may never fully recover after he was viciously attacked by a biker gang on a San Francisco highway has spoken out from his hospital bed. Alex Quintana was knocked to the ground, beaten and had a rider run over his left leg, breaking it in three places, in the assault after he inched into the Highway 101 lane one of bikers was using on Wednesday. 'They were just going, one after another, boom boom boom boom,' he told the Today show from his hospital bed. 'They kept coming at me like bulldogs. I definitely was afraid for my life. 'I couldn't believe it was starting to happen. It was like, "what did I do to deserve that?"' Alex Quintana (pictured in hospital) was knocked to the ground, beaten and had a rider run over his left leg, breaking it in three places in the assault after he inched into the Highway 101 lane one of bikers was using on Wednesday Quintana, who has a three-month-old son at home, had been on the way to pick up a passenger on Wednesday evening when his car was surrounded by as many as 20 motorbikes. The 32-year-old described how the gang had begun smashing his wing mirrors and windows. 'Every time they hit the window, I was like "What the heck is this guy doing?" 'He hit it until he broke it and shards of glass started in flying at me. After it broke, I thought "oh heck, I have to get out and do something."' But as soon as Quintana, who is mostly disabled by spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis, exited his car, he was set upon by the group. Quintana (in hospital) had been on the way to pick up a passenger on Wednesday evening when his car was surrounded by as many as 20 motorbikes The 32-year-old described how the gang had begun smashing his wing mirrors and windows, before he got out to confront them. They later drove over his leg breaking it (pictured) 'Everything happened so fast,' he told the Today show. 'It was just one punch after another.' The attack ended with a biker brutally running down the prone victim, breaking his leg in three places. 'The guy who thought I was trying to run him over, he looked at me directly in the eyes, turned on his motorcycle and ran over my leg,' he added. After the gang finally left, abandoning Quintana in the middle of highway, fellow motorists came to his aid. 'They pulled up and said they saw everything, they were sorry they didn't get out of their vehicle but they got it on video tape.' Several other drivers and witnesses partially videoed the bizarre attack, including one Uber driver. 'I saw the male bikers surround the vehicle and start to yell, break side mirrors and also physically hitting the vehicle. It seemed like they were provoking the driver to come out,' the Uber driver told the San Francisco Chronicle. Video shows bikers stopping Alex Quintana's white Toyota Camry and vandalizing it. The vandals broke his side mirror and window and proceeded to attack Quintana, 32, when he got out of his car to confront them about the damage to his vehicle Quintana, a Lyft driver, was on his way to pick up a passenger at San Francisco International Airport when he inched into the lane of a biker, who as part of a gang that was harassing drivers. The bikers proceeded to stop his car and assault him Quintana, who has a three-month-old son, was taken to San Francisco General Hospital after the attack. His leg was run over by one of the bikers during the assault Another unidentified man who filmed the attack told Inside Edition: 'I felt helpless. I wanted to help.' He added: 'I didn't know how far they were going to go with beating this man.' The footage shows Quintana falling to the ground as one of the bikers, who was wearing acid-wash jeans and a dark top, stood over him and punched him repeatedly. Other witnesses told police that before the attack took place, other bikers were driving slowly and recklessly, causing traffic to slow across all lanes. Officer Vu Williams, of the California Highway Patrol, said that the motorcyclists fled before officers were able to arrive at the scene. Quintana was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Quintana, pictured with his girlfriend, Cecelia Dunn, lives in Modesto but frequently makes the 90-mile trip into San Francisco for work. Dunn said: 'They picked an innocent person' The new dad, who has a three-month-old son with Cecelia (in hospital after the birth of their son) says he hopes his attackers are brought to justice Doctors say his leg may need at least one more surgery, while he may never fully recover from the attack. He will need follow-up care for up to three months and the potentially lost time he could be working may pose a financial strain on his family. The Lyft driver is just hopeful he recover, and the men responsible can be brought to justice. 'These guys need to go to jail,' he said. The assailants have not yet been identified but police know which gang was responsible, Quintana told the Modesto Bee. Quintana lives in Modesto but makes the 90-mile trip into San Francisco at least three times a week to work as a driver. The victim's girlfriend, Cecelia Dunn, told the Bee: 'They picked an innocent person.' She added: 'I am a Christian, and I am trying not to let my heart feel a lot of hate.' The grandfather of his child told the Bee: 'Here he is trying to make a living and he's barely scraping by. I know he did not ask for it.' A GoFundMe to help pay for Quintana's medical bills has already raised more than $3,000. Thomas Sleigh, 45, pictured, was convicted of sexual assault after 'poking an airline steward in the groin' A father-of-three is facing jail for sexual assault after he 'poked an airline steward in the groin' before asking him 'if he was gay' when he complained. Thomas Sleigh, 45, reached forward and 'flicked' the Ryan Air cabin crew member on the crotch after he was ordered to surrender a haul of alcohol he and his wife Michaela were drinking in their seats, a court heard. The steward, who had been carrying in flight magazines along the central aisle of the aircraft, recoiled and said: 'Don't ever touch me in that area ever again' only for the passenger to allegedly retort: 'Are you gay?' Scrap metal dealer Sleigh, from, Stockport, Greater Manchester, who was travelling home with his 45-year old wife and their daughter, 24, tried to apologise but was arrested when the flight from Murcia in Spain touched down in Manchester. He denied sexual assault but was convicted after a trial at Manchester Magistrates' Court and will be sentenced later this month when he could be jailed for up to 10 years. The incident occurred on September 7 last year shortly before the flight was about to land after a four hour journey. The steward, who cannot be named, told Manchester Magistrates' Court: 'I was on duty on board a flight from Murcia to Manchester at 2.30pm and the plane was due to leave at approximately 6.15pm. 'At about 5.45 I was collecting the in-flight magazines and at some point became aware of a family drinking alcohol that wasn't bought on board the flight sitting in seat 14F. 'After I confiscated the alcohol I was stopped in the aisle with the flight magazines in my hands. The defendant, who was sat in 14D, grabbed my crotch and flicked it in an upward motion. 'The whole situation lasted about 30 to 50 seconds and he said to me: "Are you gay?" I didn't answer his question. Manchester Magistrates' Court heard Sleigh and wife Michaela had been drinking alcohol on a flight from Murcia to Manchester when the steward tried to 'confiscate the drinks' The court heard Sleigh, pictured, asked the steward 'if he was gay' when he complained about him touching his groin 'I stepped back in shock and I said: "Don't ever touch me in that area ever again." 'The lady in 14F then said to me: "He's only joking, he's only joking." So I said do you think it's a joke to touch me in that area? 'I left the area to get over what had happened and there was another crew member who I briefly told the situation to whilst I was calming down. 'I went back down the cabin aisle and spoke to another passenger who said they had seen what happened. I also spoke to other crew members and the captain and the police met the aircraft on its arrival into Manchester. When asked how could he be sure that the incident was not an accident, the steward added: 'Because you don't just go touching someone in that area.' Passenger John Casson told the hearing: 'I was sat in 14C and I was made aware of another group on the aircraft because they were quite rowdy in the airport and then again on the flight. They were sat in front of me to the right. 'There was a gentleman sat in the aisle, a middle aged woman sat in the middle and a younger woman in the window seat with a child sat on her lap. 'There was a bit of a debate between the passengers and the steward. The steward asked for the alcohol to be confiscated at which point it was handed to the steward. 'The defendant then touched the steward in the crotch area in an uplifting motion with his left hand. The steward was clearly surprised and he said: "You can't touch me there." Sleigh, pictured left and right with his wife Michaela, denied the offence and claimed any contact with the steward was an accident The father-of-three, pictured, claimed he tried to apologise and said 'his own son was gay' so he would not have 'used it as an insult' against the steward 'The steward then turned and walked back towards the pilot end of the plane at which point the passenger said to him: 'Are you gay?' 'He then swore at him using a hang gesture. Later the steward walked back down the plane to carry out his duties and the defendant stopped him to apologise for what had happened.' Prosecutor Nicola Durham said: 'A woman was drinking her own alcohol and the steward asked her not to drink her own alcohol but this defendant reached towards the steward and grabbed his penis. The complainant jumped back in shock and said 'don't ever do that again.' 'Afterwards, the defendant proceeded to make comments and gestures towards the complainant and asked him if he was gay.' Sleigh denied any wrongdoing and accused all the witnesses of lying. He told the hearing: 'I was travelling back from a holiday with my wife and daughter. I had drunk three small cans of Heineken before boarding the flight. I was sit around the middle of the plane in the aisle seat. 'Me and my wife were having an argument and the flight attendant was speaking to my daughter and snatched a can out of her hands. 'My wife elbowed me in my right arm which pushed my hand off the arm rest and accidentally hit him in the groin. I said sorry straight away. 'My own son is gay there is no way I would have called him gay. I didn't make any threats towards the man.' The incident took place on board a Ryan Air flight from Murcia to Manchester and Sleigh was arrested upon landing at Manchester Aiport (file picture) Mrs Sleigh told the court: 'We were on our back from a family holiday with my husband, son, daughter grandchildren and other relatives. Me and Thomas had been rowing and I elbowed him with the intention of getting him to shut up. 'As a result it caused him to move his left arm towards the steward's leg. My husband did try to apologise but the steward was having none of it.' But finding Sleigh guilty, JP Lorraine Lighton said: 'We found that the evidence of the complainant was clear, consistent and concise and the evidence of Mr Casson was also clear and he had a good view of the incident. 'Your evidence was not so consistent as you say you didn't see the complainant but you did see him he took the can off drink off your daughter. ' We therefore find you did deliberately touch the steward's groin.' Sleigh will be sentenced on March 23 and was remanded on unconditional bail. An eight-year-old girl in Florida wrote a letter to burglars who broke into her family home in an attempt to teach the thieves a lesson. Wendy Chay Son's father, Jose Chay, found a letter, and hung it in their window days after burglars broke into their home, ransacked the place and took a tablet computer, jewelry and shoes. The Chay Son family had lived in their home in Lake Worth for less than two weeks when the house was broken into on February 13. Wendy Chay Son wrote a letter to burglars after they broke into her family's Lake Worth, Florida, home on February 13 Wendy, a second grader, doesn't know if the burglar will ever see her message, but she hopes they will The incident happened within a ten-minute time period, when Jose was at work and his pregnant wife, Albertina, was driving Wendy to school. It is the first home that the couple, who are from Guatemala, purchased in the United States, after renting in nearby Delray Beach. Wendy was so hurt by the robbery, that she decided to pen a letter to the people who stole her family's belongings, including a new tablet that the young girl had been using for schoolwork. 'This is for the robbers Please do not steel (sic) in our house,' Wendy wrote. 'There are good kids and people in this house. We are people that do not steel. (sic) 'We are sad that you have been steeling (sic) in this house. You are not the only one that has feelings we all do. Right now I feel sad that you robed (sic) our house. My dad is working so hard and you are not. The Chay Son family had lived in their home for less than two weeks when the house was broken into on February 13. It is the first home that the couple, who are from Guatemala, purchased in the United States, after renting in nearby Delray Beach he incident happened within a ten-minute time period, when Jose was at work and his pregnant wife, Albertina (pictured), was driving Wendy to school . Wendy was so hurt by the robbery, that she decided to pen a letter to the people who stole her family's belongings 'You are just stealing stuff. Tell me why you are steeling (sic) and I will help you be a good person. You think this is a joke but it is not. 'If you start being nice you will have friends that will be nice to you. If they are not nice just go with somebody that is nice. I hope you will have a better life. Bye - Wendy. 'I hope you will change and be good. God will forgive you.' Wendy, a second grader, doesn't know if the burglar will ever see her message, but she hopes they will. Since the incident, a neighbor shared Wendy's story and set up a GoFundMe to help the family replace what was stolen. Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, died after collapsing while running near his home in Weybridge, Surrey, in November 2012 Police missed vital clued over the death of a Russian whistleblower, who helped uncover a 150million money-laundering scam. Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, died after collapsing while running near his home in Weybridge, Surrey, in November 2012. Police were quick to rule out anything suspicious surrounding his death, but it emerged yesterday that he may have been fatally poisoned with soup. The businessman's death was originally attributed to natural causes, but traces of a chemical in the poisonous plant Gelsemium elegans were later found in his stomach. Hermitage Capital Management has previously claimed that Mr Perepilichnyy could have been deliberately killed for helping it uncover the scam involving Russian officials. The court heard of evidence Mr Perepilichnyy had received threats by phone from an organised crime group and had taken out 'multiple' life insurance policies before his death. Only one of two of his phones were examined by police and most of his stomach contents had been disposed of. At a pre-inquest hearing at the Old Bailey, a lawyer suggested the victim may have dined on a popular Russian dish based on the sorrel herb, which could have been switched. Bob Moxon Browne, QC, for Legal and General Assurance Society, queried why no one appeared to have asked Mr Perepilichnyy's widow what he had for lunch that day. He said: 'The contents of Mr Perepilichnyy's stomach were flushed away very shortly after his death. There is no bag of stomach contents. There is a quantity of material that was subsequently retrieved from the stomach cavity.' Tests had shown a 'suspect compound' that matched the atomic weight of a 'vegetable poison', he said. Mr Moxon Browne said: 'If he was murdered, it does seem likely he was poisoned rather any other method of bringing about his death.' He said the likely poison was vegetable rather than irradiation or a heavy metal. He said: 'It is almost incredible a fact no statements have been taken by police from the widow, who was with him that day and had lunch with him.' Russian whistle blower 'linked to money laundering by Interpol' was found dead in 'possible assassination' near his Surrey mansion (pictured) He said there was a 'rumour' he had soup containing sorrel, which is a component of a popular Russian dish, but tests did not identify the herb in his stomach contents. He said the examination was either 'not fit for purpose' or there was a 'possibility somebody had substituted another vegetable matter for sorrel'. Henrietta Hill QC, for Hermitage, called for a 'wider' investigation and said on the day of his death, his daughter had spent a 'significant' amount of time with her father. Ms Hill said: 'There is an issue why Mr Perepilichnyy had so much life insurance. It has been suggested at one point he was advised to take out multiple policies by his bank manager.' Last November, Home Secretary Amber Rudd won a High Court order preventing the disclosure of 'sensitive material' at the inquest. Fiona Barton QC, for Surrey Police, said no 'identifiable toxin' was found in the body After coroner Nicholas Hilliard QC had reviewed the secret material, a 'form of words' was agreed by the coroner and Government. It stated: 'Nothing in the material that was subject to the Public Interest Immunity (PII) application materially assists the coroner in answering the question of how Alexander Perepilichnyy died. 'Nothing in the material alters the decision on scope.' The private St George's Hill estate in Weybridge, Surrey, where Russian supergrass Alexander Perepilichnyy was found dead outside his mansion The coroner said: 'The form of words represents my view at this stage about the significance of sensitive material which I have reviewed.' Ms Hill said it 'came as something of a surprise' that none of the material had 'materially assisted' the inquest. But Peter Skelton QC, counsel for the inquest, said: 'Relevance is a matter for the coroner. A piece of evidence may be relevant, but it may not in the overall scheme of the inquest be significant.' The coroner set a three to four-week full inquest for June 5 at a London court, but said he was proposing to deliver his conclusions in Surrey. Mr Moxon Browne suggested Special Branch had been 'keeping tabs' on the victim's movements as he frequently travelled by train in the months before his death. He said: 'The question we will be wanting to ask - how does it come about they knew exactly what he was doing but Surrey Police were unable to identify him for three to four weeks after his death.' He called for previous rulings in the case to be made public, including the decision not to have an inquest jury and whether the deceased had or had not been in contact with British intelligence. Fiona Barton QC, for Surrey Police, said no 'identifiable toxin' was found in the body. A father who lost his two toddlers in a tragic house fire bowed his head in a final prayer to his children after their funeral today. Jamie McGinn's children, Holly, three, and Jordan, aged four, died in the apartment blaze in Clondalkin, Dublin last Wednesday. Their mother Biddy O'Brien, who is gravely ill in hospital after being rescued, had brought her children to visit Annmarie O'Brien, 27, in the Cluainin Cronan apartments which houses women who have escaped domestic violence and crisis. Annmarie had already named unborn baby AJ when she died beside her two-year-old daughter Hannah Paris. Jamie McGinn, father of Jordan and Holly, sits in the hearse with the coffin after the funeral Grief-stricken family and friends gathered yesterday to say their final goodbyes to the 'five angels in heaven' who were killed in a fire in Clondalkin last week The coffins of Jordan and Holly O'Brien, who died in the fire, are carried from St Anne's Church Mr McGinn, father of Holly and Jordan, embraced the coffins before shouldering the one holding his four-year-old son into the church. Outside the church he clutched a single, pink rose along with a framed-picture of his two deceased children. Sean Patel, father to Hannah Paris and AJ, Annmarie's unborn child, shouldered his partner's coffin. His brothers lifted the tiny coffins for Hannah Paris and her brother. The coffin of Annemarie O'Brien, who died in a fire, is carried by her partner Sean Patel Hundreds of mourners packed St Anne's in Shankill, Co Dublin, for the funeral Mass, with floral tributes, balloons, photos and teddies adorning the church as the coffins sat below the altar. It has not yet been revealed what caused the fire but foul-play is not suspected. Three hearses arrived in succession after 10am this morning. One for the body of three-year-old Holly, another for her big brother Jordan, four, and the third carrying Annmarie, 27, her two-year-old daughter Hannah Paris, and a coffin for the unborn baby she would never hold. No hymns were played during the service and no eulogy was given from family or friends. Hundreds of mourners packed St Anne's in Shankill, Co Dublin, for the funeral Mass, with floral tributes, balloons, photos and teddies adorning the church as the coffins sat below the altar Mourners packed St Anne's in Shankill, Co Dublin, for the funeral Mass this morning Ann-Marie O'Brien, pictured above left, was living with her child Hannah Paris, pictured above right, at the building in Dublin when the blaze struck. Both of them died in the fire Biddy O'Brien, 31, who was staying in the apartment was fighting for her life in hospital after her four-year-old son Jordan, pictured above left, and three-year-old daughter Holly, pictured above right, died in the blaze Parish priest Fr John O'Connor said no words of his could soften the blow of the tragedy. 'Without doubt you are God's toughest soldiers and you can be sure you are not alone in the battle of life,' he said. 'Now you have five more angels in heaven to accompany you and bare the cross.' Father O'Connor informed the congregation a small comfort to Holly and Jordan's father Jamie is that his children are together. He said: 'Last evening, I spoke with Jamie, and he told me how much Jordan and Holly loved their mammy. And how much she loved them. 'Jamie is obviously deeply upset by the death of his two beautiful children. But he is happy they are together with God. They are together, they are not alone and that's very important to Jamie. And he wants his children to know that he will look after their mammy.' Mr McGinn has lost his two children and his wife Biddy O'Brien, 31, remains in a critical condition in St James's Hospital having suffered severe burns in the blaze. She has remained in a coma since the accident last Wednesday and is unaware that her two children have been killed. 'Biddy is a very strong and intelligent person and she now needs the love and support of all of us as never before,' Fr O'Connor said. The coffin of Jordan O'Brien, who died in the fire last Wednesday, outside St Anne's Church Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral at St Anne's Church following the blaze last week 'No words of mine can soften the terrible blow that you have received but I ask you all to put your trust in God and to accept his holy will. And, with the parish priest to travellers Fr Paul O'Driscoll alongside him, he spoke of the unique bonds and practices of the community. 'As travellers you are also part of a very strong and noble tradition and your culture will stand by you and give you strength and courage in these difficult times,' Fr O'Connor said. Following the service the coffins were brought to Springfield cemetery for burial. Annmarie and her children were buried with Annmarie's brother Andy. The other two children were buried in a separate plot. Cousins Annmarie and Biddy were brought up together and were described as being as close as sisters. Relatives of those who died in the Carrickmines fire disaster on a traveller site in October 2015 also attended the funeral as did Colonel Michael Kiernan, President Michael D Higgins' aide de camp. Residents in a wealthy London neighbourhood claim they will be forced to live in 'Third World conditions' if a proposed luxury housing development goes ahead. Billionaire developer Christian Candy wants to build a seven-storey apartment block in Holland Park, complete with a double basement. But the move is being blocked by locals - including Queen guitarist Brian May - who fear the construction work and heavy lorry presence will exacerbate the 'war zone'-like congestion in the area. Residents in Holland Park, London, claim they will be forced to live in 'Third World conditions' if the Duke's Lodge flats (pictured) are knocked down to make way for a luxury development One neighbour said: 'The pollution is so bad that I cover my mouth every morning when walking to the Tube. 'It's unacceptable that residents need to worry about their health in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We will soon be living in Third World conditions.' Objecting to the plans, Ross Yealland added: 'This plan will bring us local residents three years of hell from life-reducing air quality to nightmare traffic from thousands of individual lorry movements.' Jon Bradley said the nearby junction was already a 'war zone', adding: 'The proposal to add a stream of heavy lorries access is insane.' The move is being blocked by locals - including Queen guitarist Brian May (left) - who fear the construction work will exacerbate the 'war zone'-like congestion in the area. David and Victoria Beckham (right) live near to the proposed development Mr Candy, who head up CPC, wants to demolish a 27-flat 1930s mansion block known as Duke's Lodge and replace it with five villa-style property. The planning application includes five storeys above ground as well as a double-level basement and was initially rejected by Kensington and Chelsea's due to the authority's ban on 'multi-storey' excavations. The plans have been put forward by CRC, run by property developer Christian Candy (pictured) But the ruling was overturned on appeal and developers are now drawing up detailed plans to start work. According to the application's traffic and management plan, there could be up to 80 lorry visits a day to and from the construction site. Over the two-and-a-half years expected for building to take place, that equates to 32,500 journeys. Simon Farrell QC, writing on behalf of May, said the plan would 'greatly affect his life and that of his neighbours and all the residents in the area'. He went on: 'The amount of lorry movements if not closely controlled will put the health of residents at risk.' The Kensington Society has also objected, saying the proposal could result in an 'unacceptable harmful threat to the living conditions and health.' A CPC group spokesman said: 'The development at Duke's Lodge was approved by the planning inspector in 2016 and we are now dealing with pre-commencement of works requirements for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 'We have submitted an industry-leading traffic management plan for construction vehicles entering and leaving the site. Local disruption will be kept to a minimum.' A former Virginia mayor has pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine after getting caught in a drugs-for-sex bust last summer. Ex-Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne, 51, entered the plea Monday in Fairfax County Circuit Court. Silverthorne had been free on bond from the time of his August 2016 arrest, but a judge ordered him held in jail until his June 9 sentencing. Scroll down for video Disgraced mayor: Former Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne, 51, has pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine after being caught in a sting at a Virginia hotel last August Bust: Silverthorne was arrested after offering an undercover detective 2 grams of crystal meth at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner (pictured) Attorney Brian Drummond says Silverthorne faces up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, but will likely get a light sentence or probation, considering that he does not have a past criminal record. 'The facts were such that it would have been futile to go to trial,' Drummond said. 'He is guilty of the transaction, but he didnt get any money for it.' The judge's order sending Silverthorne to jail pending his sentencing stunned his family and friends gathered in the courtroom, some of whom wept. 'I love him. He made a mistake,' the defendant's sister-in-law Mary Silverthorne told The Washington Post. 'Who is going to throw that stone? I know hes learned from his mistake.' Silverthorne was arrested on August 4 on a felony drug distribution charge after a sting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner. Dirty secret: Police set up the sting after receiving a tip that Silverthorne was using a dating website called Bare Back Real Time to set up sexual trysts with men in exchange for drugs Police said they set up the sting after receiving a tip that Silverthorne was using a dating website called Bare Back Real Time to set up sexual encounters with men in exchange for drugs. They lured Silverthorne, who went by the user name 'Another Fun D.C. Bottom,' to the Tysons Corner location by posting a profile on the website that they said they expected would appeal to him, reported Inside NoVa. Within two days, police said, Silverthorne, who was third-term mayor, contacted the undercover officers through the website to set up a meeting. According to investigators, the mayor gave an undercover detective 2 grams of methamphetamine outside the hotel. Following his arrest, Silverthorne was also fired from his job as a substitute teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. Terrible year: Silverthorne had lost his job, went bankrupt, lost his home to foreclosure and was diagnosed with cancer Silverthorne had been re-elected mayor in May 2016 after a rough year in which he lost his job with the National Association of Manufacturers, filed for bankruptcy, lost his home to foreclosure and was diagnosed with cancer, The Washington Post reported. In November, Silverthorne announced that he'd been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, and the Post said he underwent treatment that ended two months before the election. His father, the late Frederick Silverthorne, was mayor of Fairfax in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Advertisement A matador dubbed 'The Pirate' has had his glass eye knocked out after being gored by a bull during a fight in Spain. Juan Jose Padilla, who has worn an eyepatch and glass eye since he was first gored in the face by a bull in 2011, was sent flying by the powerful animal during the bullfight held yesterday at the festival of Fallas in Valencia. Dramatic pictures from inside the bullring, show the legendary matador's facial scars revealed when his eye patch flew off and his glass eye went soaring through the air. Padilla, who is known professionally as the Cyclone of Jerez, was gored in the right thigh and in the chest region during the bullfight on Sunday. Scroll down for video Juan Jose Padilla, dubbed 'The Pirate' because he has worn an eyepatch since he lost his eye after being gored in the face by a bull, is hurled into the air by the raging beast Padilla was gored in the right thigh and in the chest during the agonising bullfight held yesterday in Valencia Who is 'The Pirate'? Pirate of the bullring: Juan Jose Padilla Juan Jose Padilla, 43, was born in Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia and always aspired to be a bullfighter. He took on his first bull when he was 21 and soon earned the nickname, the 'Cyclone of Jerez'. In October 2011 he was gored by a bull in Zaragoza and almost died from his injuries. The bull's horn went through his skull, he suffered multiple skull and jaw fractures. He ended up with loss of hearing, facial paralysis and was blind in his left eye. But he refused to retire and five months later returned to the bullring with an eyepatch. Fans coined the nickname The Pirate. In May 2012 he survived serious injury when a bull threw him into the air in Madrid. Then in October last year he was gored again in the same eye socket by a bull in Zaragoza. Then, yesterday, his glass eye flew out when he was gored by a bull in Valencia. Advertisement After taking a few moments to recover immediately after the incident, and with a tourniquet containing the bleeding on his thigh, Padilla faced the animal again, slaying the beast and cutting off an ear, which he took with him to the clinic. He was treated by medics at the bullring before he was later transferred to the hospital where he was kept in for treatment to his injuries. He has worn an eyepatch since losing his eye in October 2011, in an incident that saw him paralysed down one side of his face after he was horrifically gored during a bullfight. The bull's horn pierced Juan Jose Padilla's jaw and emerged through his left eye socket during the grizzly incident, at the northeastern city of Zaragoza's Fiestas Del Pilar event. With blood gushing from his head, he was helped out of the ring screaming 'I can't see, I can't see'. He was lucky to survive the 2011 incident and underwent a life-saving five-hour operation to repair severe damage to his eye, bone, muscle and skin. Five months later in March 2012, he returned to the bullring in Olivenza with an eyepatch - gaining him the nickname 'The Pirate'. Months earlier, in May 2012, he suffered another mishap when a bull picked him up and threw him in the air during a fight in Madrid. He was lucky to escape serious injury when he was d ashed to the ground at Las Ventas bullring, after taunting the 1,400lb animal before it rammed into his chest. In 2001, the Jerez native also suffered serious injuries to his neck during a fight in Pamplona. He then had the same eye-socket gouged again after tormenting one of the powerful animals at the La Misericordia bullring in Zaragoza, in October last year. The 43-year-old fell to the floor after being charged at by the 100-stone animal, sending his glass eye flying. He was rushed to hospital after taking a blow close to his eyepatch, in similar circumstances to the mauling which saw him lose his left eye. Undeterred by his most recent serious run-in, Padilla has vowed not to cancel the running of the bulls event that is scheduled in Castellon for the festivities of La Magdalena, which begins on March 18. The Spanish matador is thrown into the air by the bull. He lost his eye in October 2011 after a bull picked him up during a fight in Zaragoza, and has worn an eyepatch ever since Spanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla gives a pass to 'Hortensia', during a bullfighting of the Las Fallas Feria in Valencia, Spain The bullfighter appears to fly through the air as he is gored by the angry animal in front of a shocked crowd Recovery: Padilla in a bed at the La Salud Hospital, in Valencia Padilla has vowed not to cancel the running of the bulls event that is scheduled in Castellon for the festivities of La Magdalena Padilla pictured before losing his eye in 2011, left, and, right, with his eyepatch The bullfighter is knocked to the ground by a bull which then gored him in the face Gored: In October 2011 a bull's horn pierced Padilla's jaw and emerged through his left eye socket after his fight went horribly wrong in the northeastern city of Zaragoza's Fiestas Del Pilar Back in business: Unperturbed by the mere loss of an eye, Juan Jose Padilla simply wore an eyepatch and a legend was born In May last year pictures captured the moment he was tossed in the air and trampled during a bullfight - five years after he lost an eye when he was gored by another beast Counter-attack: Padilla, was easily picked up and thrown to the ground at Las Ventas bullring in Madrid Legend: Padilla (right), with fellow matadors Jose Maria Manzanares (centre) and Morante de la Puebla (left)In In October Padilla was hit by a bull during the El Pilar Feria at La Misericordia bullring in Zaragoza Terrifying: Padilla fell to the ground, and the huge bull's front leg lands on his stomach The founder of a world-renowned New Orleans cocktail festival has come under fire after a photo showed her in blackface and Zulu Krewe regalia for Mardi Gras. The photo on Ann Tuennerman's Facebook page was captured by her husband, Paul Tuennerman, as he made a video recording at the Zulu den. It was captioned: 'As he said, "Throw a little blackface on and you lose all your Media Skills." He did his best as the interviewer.' Criticism soon erupted on Facebook. 'It is 2017,' said one critical post. 'No reason for adults or anyone to still be putting on blackface, even if tradition.' Outrage: New Orleanian Ann Tuennerman has come under fire, after she wore blackface Some were upset at the comment - deeming it racially offensive - but not so much at the blackface get-up. Others were upset at both. According to NOLA.com, New Orleans bartender Mark Schettler said on Facebook: 'The comment suggests that by performing blackness Ann loses her ability to intelligently and effectively engage media. Which is racist.' Chicago bartender Nikkole Palmatier, the website reported, commented on Facebook: 'I have a problem with the blackface entirely. As do most people outside of the New Orleans tradition. 'Just as those who live outside of Cleveland think the Indians logo is racist and the term "Redskins" is racist.' Blackface is the racist, minstrel-show practice of whites imitating blacks. A different blackface is where black Mardi Gras revelers don outlandish garb to poke fun at that racism. A third blackface involves modern-day whites wearing paint and accompanying New Orleans' black Zulu krewe. The Tuennermans, both white, are founders of Tales of the Cocktail, an annual event that draws thousands in the alcoholic beverage industry to New Orleans every year. Both Tuennermans immediately accepted responsibility, acknowledged the racial insensitivity, and the pain it caused and tried to make amends. Response: Ann Tuennerman has offered online apologies in the wake of the controversy In an online apology last week, Paul Tuennerman announced his resignation from Tales of the Cocktail. He said his comments had been meant to tease his 'camera-shy wife' but that he realized in retrospect they were 'hurtful and just plain dumb'. Ann Tuennerman has offered online apologies and took part in a live Facebook discussion on race with Ashtin Berry, a local African-American bartender who objected to her post. She said on the Tales of the Cocktail website on March 3: 'Earlier this week, I rode in a Mardi Gras parade with the Zulu organization, in which participants, both people of color and of all races, traditionally wear blackface makeup, and shared photos of myself in costume on social media. 'I now recognize how deeply offensive this is to many, and I am sincerely sorry. 'It was a naive and inconsiderate action, the consequences of which have made it clear that I have much to learn. 'Regardless of anyone's intentions, we all have to take responsibility for our actions, especially those of us in positions of authority. 'As an industry leader, I assume full responsibility for my actions, and am ready to listen to all those who I have angered and hurt in the process.' She continued: 'It was an honor to ride with the Zulu organization, but in my ignorance, I did not consider how videos and photos of my participation in this parade would cause pain and incite anger for so many. 'I understand that my role comes with a responsibility to take these considerations into account and to be mindful and respectful of everyone in our global community. 'I failed at this, and have no excuse to offer.' Couple: Ann and her husband Paul are founders of Tales of the Cocktail, an annual event that draws thousands in the alcoholic beverage industry to New Orleans. Paul announced his resignation from Tales of the Cocktail last week 'To be honest, intentions are not relevant here. It's the impact that counts, especially for a leader,' Tuennerman said Thursday in emailed answers to questions. 'Moreover, it was my decision to post the photo and comment and I bear the full responsibility.' Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club lore holds that the club's traditions go back to around 1909 and a group of black laborers known as The Tramps. Tramps members also are believed to have been part of one of the black community's Benevolent Aid Societies, formed to provide financial help for members who became ill. Group members are believed to have seen a vaudeville-era musical comedy show that included a skit about an African king. They adopted the Zulu name and costume, leading to incorporation of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club in 1916. Mardi Gras historians say the organization's parades on the back streets of New Orleans developed into a kind of satirical nose-thumbing at white, high society Mardi Gras 'krewes,' when New Orleans and its celebrations were strictly segregated and a black organization would never have been allowed on a main parade route. Tuennerman says she doesn't regret wearing Zulu garb, and that 'it was respectful to the organization to wear their traditional costume when riding in their parade' Zulu membership declined during the 1960s civil rights struggles, according to a history on the club's website. 'Dressing in a grass skirt and donning a black face were seen as being demeaning,' it said. But the club has bounced back. A seat on a float is coveted - Tuennerman said she paid $1,400 in dues for the privilege. And the blackface, grass-skirt tradition continues. 'You have a lot of Zulu members who even today don't think it's offensive at all because they've adopted it as being their own,' says Christopher Williams, 38, a lifelong New Orleanian and former Zulu member. Williams said in an interview that he doesn't find the Zulu blackface tradition offensive. Still, he wonders aloud whether Zulu should continue it. If members do, he said, they need a full-throated explanation as to why it survives. 'The blackface needs to be discussed,' he said. 'If she's the vehicle of having them do that, I think that a negative situation has turned into a positive situation both for the community and Zulu itself.' So far, the club hasn't addressed the Tuennerman controversy. Questions were referred to Danatus King, a former New Orleans NAACP president and the attorney for the club. He dismissed the flap as a matter between the Tuennermans. 'Zulu has no response to that domestic matter,' he said. Ann Tuennerman, meanwhile, has taken part in a great deal of online soul-searching, including the Facebook discussion with Berry. Does she regret donning Zulu garb - a club requirement for riders of all races? 'I do not, as it was respectful to the organization to wear their traditional costume when riding in their parade,' she said. A mom of five who was kidnapped on Saturday by her husband was brought back alive and unharmed after deputies swooped on their car, police said. Cops say Trevor Summers, 39, kidnapped his estranged wife, Alisa, 37, on Saturday after manipulating his own daughter, 14, into leaving a window of her house open. He then held her hostage for more than two days, they say, until a witness spotted them on Monday in Alisa's car in Ruskin, 25 miles from where she was last seen. Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said Alisa was freed while Trevor was hospitalized with 'a self-inflicted knife wound to the throat'. Gone: Alisa Summers (left and right) was kidnapped early Saturday morning by husband Trevor (left), police said. She was seen trying - and failing - to escape on Saturday night Kids: The estranged pair, who have five kids together, were found in her car in Ruskin, Florida. She was unharmed; Trevor was hospitalized with a 'self-inflicted, non-fatal cut to the throat' Knifepoint: In February Alisa told police he had kept her in his home at knifepoint for hours. He denied the claim and police did not prosecute Police were alerted to Alisa's plight on Saturday at 9.05pm, when she was seen bolting from her car outside a Walgreens on Fishhawk Crossing Boulevard only to be bundled back in by a man. But police said her ordeal began more than 15 hours earlier, as part of a twisted plot by her husband. Trevor Summers has been separated from his wife since at least November, when she left him behind in Riverview and moved to Valrico, around 20 minutes away, with the children. Prior to her kidnapping, Trevor had been secretly communicating with their 14-year-old daughter, Gee said. He asked the girl, who is not being identified, to leave a window open in Alisa's Valrico home so that he could enter early on Saturday morning, the sheriff continued. Summers had told the girl he just wanted to head over and speak to Alisa, Gee claimed, and entered early in the morning, before telling the girl to wait in his car outside. At 5.30am Saturday he told the girl to drive her siblings to his Riverview home, 20 minutes away, saying he was going to speak to their mom over the course of the next day. Police were only notified 15 and a half hours later, at 9.05pm, when the Walgreens witness saw Alisa with her hands tied, trying to escape from her dark-blue Saturn Outlook. It's not yet clear why they stopped there. A fruitless day of searching followed, but on Monday morning a citizen spotted the vehicle in Ruskin. The car drove a mile away and parked outside a house, but details given by a witness helped police isolate, locate and surround it. Manipulated: Cops say Trevor manipulated his 14-year-old daughter into leaving open a window in Alisa's home so he could sneak inside and kidnap her mom on Saturday morning Uniformed and plain-clothes deputies converged on the address. Gee said Trevor stayed in the front seat while Alisa exited from the rear. Trevor resisted arrest, Gee said, and has been hospitalized with what appeared to be a self-inflicted knife wound to the throat. It did not appear to be life-threatening, he said. Alisa has a cut wound on her wrist but it's not known who inflicted it, or whether the kidnapper inflicted violence on her during her ordeal. Police don't yet know his Trevor Summers' long-term plans were or why they were in Ruskin, but said those questions will be raised with Alisa. Trevor has been charged with kidnapping, theft of his wife's vehicle and a violation of a domestic injunction she had already taken out on him. He may be subject to more charges once police speak to local prosecutors. He is already to face sentencing on Wednesday after being found guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy last year. Alone: Trevor told his daughter to drive her siblings to his house by herself at 5.30am, cops claim. He told her he wanted to talk to Alisa alone - but then he took the mom As the search for the missing woman intensified over the weekend, it emerged that she told police last month that Trevor Summers threatened her with a knife. When asked whether sheriff's deputies had not believed her claim, he said the situation was complicated by Trevor's conflicting statement, in which he denied her claim and said she shoved one of their children. 'The legal standards that we have to get to are very tough,' he said. As police searched for Alisa, it emerged that she told police and courts that he had threatened her with a knife prior to her disappearance - but they did nothing, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The couple - whose children, aged 3-14, are being cared for by Trevor Summers' father - had suffered a deteriorating relationship over the past six months, including claims of violence. On October 31 she asked a judge for a domestic violence injunction, but her request was dismissed. In November, her Facebook page says, she moved to Valrico - around 20 minutes from her husband in Riverview - and in December she filed for divorce. Chillingly, on February 21 she filed for another protection order, claiming that after she had gone to his home to discuss a divorce settlement, Trevor had threatened her with a knife. Vehicle: Alisa was seen trying to bolt from her car (pictured) outside a Walgreens on Saturday night. She failed, but police were called in. They were in the car when found Monday She claimed he had held her against her will, and threatened to tie her up with duct tape and rope. The following day, he filed for a protective order against her, saying she had made up the claims and had angrily pushed their 12-year-old son into a corner. Police made no arrests because they only had the two statements to act on. Speaking on Monday morning, Trevor's own lawyer, Hope Lefeber, said she was shocked to hear the claims about her client. She said he was a Christian man with no violent criminal record. 'I know he always wanted to work out his marriage,' she said. The breakdown of the couple's relationship may well have been spurred on by Trevor Summers' conviction for wire fraud and conspiracy on September 16 last year. Summers, who was to be sentenced Wednesday, pleaded guilty to trying to defraud investors out of at least $345,000 with a scheme to print advertisements on straws. Con artist: Trevor pleaded guilty in September to wire fraud and conspiracy charges after prosecutors said he tried to con at least $345,000 out of investors in his business One of his victims, high school friend Krissy Flynn, 39, invested $10,000 in his scheme, and says he was 'brilliant but weird'. He bought cell phones for his staff on the project, but the phones ran out when bills went unpaid. 'I don't trust this guy for a second,' Flynn said. 'He's a brilliant person, and he knows how to scam money out of people.' A federal lawsuit against him in 2008 said he had more than 20 civil suits filed against him and that he'd filed for bankruptcy three times between 2004 and 2008. It also claimed he had served probation for minor charges such as passing bad checks. And in 2011 he lost a $4milion judgement although it's not known whether the plaintiffs collected. Press Secretary Sean Spicer today said President Trump remained committed to donating his salary to charity, but would wait to do so until the 'end of the year.' 'And he has kindly asked that you all determine where that goes,' Spicer said, motioning to the White House press corps. One America News Network's Trey Yingst had asked the press secretary about the salary donation on the heels of an MSNBC report that said the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management all declined to say whether Trump had donated any of his salary to date. Scroll down for video President Donald Trump (left) will donate his salary to charity at the end of the year, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (right) said today White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer asked reporters in the briefing room to give him suggestions for where President Trump can donate his salary Trump made a campaign promise to donate his salary to the Treasury Department or to charity. He receives a Constitutionally-mandated salary, now set at $400,000 annually, receiving a paycheck each month. Under federal law, Trump would have already received a February paycheck for $33,333 on the 20th and would receive his March paycheck of $33,333 on March 20, which will mark two months into his administration. Today Spicer said Trump would donate a lump sum at the end of 2017. He was met with laughs from reporters when he said that president wanted them to choose a charity. 'The way that we can avoid scrutiny is to let the press corps determine where it should go,' Spicer said. 'In all seriousness, in his view he made a pledge to the American people and he wants to donate it to charity and he'd love your help to determine where it would go,' Spicer continued. As the press secretary moved on to the next question, Yingst shouted that the money should go toward the journalism scholarships given out each year by the White House Correspondents' Association. President Trump has already announced that he will not be attending the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, which is the biggest fundraiser for those scholarships each year. Spicer didn't say whether the scholarship fund would be an option. John Rogerson has been jailed after crashing his lorry into a JCB, whose driver died at the scene A 72-year-old truck driver with poor eyesight has been jailed after ploughing his 44-tonne lorry into a father-of-two's JCB in a motorway smash. John Rogerson, who had been told two weeks earlier by his optician that his sight was no longer good enough for driving, crashed into Stephen Clarehugh's vehicle knocking it down an embankment 45 meters away from the impact. Rogerson, who smashed into the JCB at a speed of around 50mph, remained at the scene of the crash on he A1 at Shilbottle, Northumberland, in December 2015. He told witnesses: 'I didn't see him'. Accident experts concluded that Mr Clarehugh's JCB would have been visible to Rogerson, who had a history of cataracts, diabetes and high blood pressure, for 17 seconds before the smash. Mr Clarehugh, a 54-year-old father-of-two, was thrown from the JCB, which caught fire, and died at the scene as a result of multiple injuries. The flying instructor had previously been hailed a hero when he helped land a plane with engine difficulties land at Eshott Airfield, Northumberland in 2006. He also featured on Crimewatch after he helped police track down a stolen vehicle by guiding them with his plane. At Newcastle Crown Court, Rogerson, of Innerleithen, Scotland, who had been an HGV driver for 53 years, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. A court heard Rogerson had been told his eyesight was too poor to drive before the crash Pictured: Stephen Clarehugh with the light aircraft he used to help guide police to an airfield, while they were tracking a stolen car Judge Robert Adams jailed him for two years and four months and banned him from the roads for six years and two months. The judge told said: 'It must be pointed out, Mr Rogerson did not intend death or any serious harm to Mr Clarehugh. He took a risk, knowing of his eyesight difficulties, driving a large lorry, after sunset.' Judge Adams said the crash, which was caused by Rogerson's 'inattention or his bad eyesight or a combination of the two' had 'catastrophic and tragic consequences' which have shattered the lives of Mr Carehugh's family. The court heard Mr Clarehugh's JCB's lights were not working due to an electrical function, which he may not have known about, and the beacon on his roof was blocked to those behind him by the digger. But the judge told Rogerson: 'You had 17 seconds to perceive, recognise and avoid the JCB in front of you but you did not react. You failed to take any evasive action at all. I know you did not intend to harm anyone that day but you took a risk, you knew you were taking a dangerous risk.' Mr Clarehugh's daughter Sarah Clarehugh branded Rogerson's decision to drive when he knew he has such poor sight as 'abhorrent and selfish'. The tragic incident happened on the A1 near Shilbottle, Northumberland in 2015 From the witness box, Mr Clarehugh's daughter told Rogerson: 'I cannot and will not ever forgive you' She said to him from the witness box while reading her statement: 'You knew you have been told not to drive. You knew yourself how bad your sight was. I cannot and will not ever forgive you.' Prosecutor Joylon Perks told the court Rogerson had been making a delivery from his firm in Kelso to a depot in Cambridgeshire. Mr Clarehugh had been at at a friend's farm with his JCB, which could reach a maximum speed of 20mph, and was on his way home when he was killed. The court heard Rogerson, who has vowed never to drive again, had passed an eye test in the April before the accident but his sight had deteriorated in the months before. Rogerson, who has never served a prison sentence and was supported by his family in court, handed in references to his ordinarily positive character and good driving record. He said through his legal team he is genuinely sorry for his actions and thinks about what he has done every day. Victim: Terry Robinson, 60, from South Shields was attacked by paranoid schizophrenic Dean Marshall A man who was stabbed 36 times by his neighbour says he has been advised to steer clear of a large part of his home town because his attacker is back on the streets. Victim Terry Robinson was horrified when he received a letter from the probation service explaining that paranoid schizophrenic Dean Marshall has been granted 'escorted leaves for rehabilitation purposes'. The 60-year-old, of South Shields, was also sent a map detailing an exclusion zone of 1.5miles by 1mile around his home that Marshall has been banned from entering. However, Terry says he has been advised not to leave this zone himself in case he bumps into his attacker who was only sentenced last March. He said: 'This does not feel like justice. 'I feel trapped. I have lived in South Shields all of my life, and now I am being told there are parts of my own home town I should avoid. It's not fair. 'Now I know he is back on the streets I am scared to even leave the house. 'I will live the rest of my life in fear because I don't know if he will be around the corner. 'I could see him at any time and there would be nothing stopping him from killing me, a member of my family or the general public. 'I am so angry that I feel I have been confined to this tiny part of South Shields, but he is able to roam free in the rest of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. He received a letter from the probation service explaining that Marshall has been granted 'escorted leaves for rehabilitation purposes' and a map of where he should and shouldn't go 'No-one should have to live like this.' During the brutal and sustained attack outside his flat on May 4, 2015, Terry suffered 15 slashes to his head and neck, as well as punctures in his stomach, chest, shoulders and hands. The attack, witnessed by his niece and her children, only came to an end after a brave neighbour stepped in and bashed Marshall on the head with a frying pan. Following the stabbing, Marshall pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent at Newcastle Crown Court. Judge Paul Sloan QC ordered that he be detained in hospital indefinitely. The map details an exclusion zone which encompasses a 1.5mile by 1mile radius around Terry's house, which Marshall is forbidden from entering. However, Terry says he has been advised not to leave the exclusion zone himself, in case he bumps into Marshall. The brutal attack happened outside his flat on May 4, 2015, the result of which is pictured left. Pictured right is the map Mr Robinson has now been sent Mr Robinson suffered 15 slashes to his head and neck, as well as punctures in his stomach, chest, shoulders and hands The letter Mr Robinson received from the probation service informing him of the news about his attacker But he says he does not trust Marshall, previously of River Drive and who was 32 at the time of sentencing, to stay clear of the zone and is now too scared to leave his house. The letter is dated March 1. It reads: 'I have recently been informed that the Ministry of Justice has authorised escorted leaves for rehabilitation purposes with regards to the patient we keep you informed. 'I appreciate that this news may be upsetting, however, may I reassure you that the patient will be continually assessed with such leaves only going ahead if appropriate.' Mr Robinson has said he's now scared to leave the house and is living in fear At court the judge added: 'I make it clear, this was a very serious offence. 'But for the courageous intervention of members of the public, there is every likelihood Mr Robinson would have been killed. 'There should be no question of you being set at large unless and until the responsible authorities are completely satisfied that you no longer present a risk to the public.' A life long restraining order was also put in place, banning Marshall from contacting his victim. However, Terry says he has now been told Marshall is being let out into the community with an escort for rehabilitation purposes and is due to be released imminently. Terry added: 'My life has been nothing but stress since this whole ordeal. 'I think about it every day and I relieve the attack all the time, 24/7 'He is just a danger to the public. 'I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and have a lot of flashbacks and deja vu which stop me from sleeping.' A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'Public protection is our priority. Any applications for rehabilitative escorted leave are made by independent medical professionals and are fully risk assessed by officials within the Ministry of Justice.' A makeshift cannabis 'factory' was discovered by firefighters after white smoke was spotted billowing from the roof of a semi-detached house. West Midlands Police said overloaded wiring at the property in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, posed a 'huge threat' to public safety and had endangered the lives of neighbours. Crews from Handsworth community fire station attended the blaze at about 6.50am on Sunday. Firefighters found a 'makeshift cannabis factory' at a property in Birmingham, pictured, after a fire on Sunday The cause of the blaze was found to be an electrical box with 'overloaded wiring', pictured Pictures posted on the station's Twitter account showed a jumble of wires rigged up to a fuse box inside the three-bedroom home. In a comment on the same Twitter page, the West Midlands Police Cannabis Disposal Team said: 'Huge threat to public safety. Neighbours at risk of damage or death!' Resident Lee Jones, 30, said: 'All you could smell was drugs coming up the road. 'I joked with my missus that if it wasn't so early all the teenagers in the neighbourhood would have been rushing outside.' A British tourist was found hanged in a police cell in Spain after telling officers: 'You never forgave us for the Armada', an inquest has heard. Antony Abbott, 36, was detained in Benidorm on the last night of his holiday after a row in a hotel foyer with his partner over a cigarette lighter. As he was arrested, the father-of-two told police: 'You Spanish b****** - you've never forgiven us for the Armada'. Less than two hours later, Mr Abbott was found hanged in his cell. Antony Abbott (pictured), who was detained in Benidorm on the last night of his holiday, was later found hanged in a police cell At an inquest into his death, the coroner heard how, after his arrest, his 28-year-old partner Catherine Corless went to Benidorm police station to speak to officers. She claims she was greeted by a Spanish interpreter who stroked her face and said: 'You poor thing he really didn't care for you or your children.' Ms Corless also said Mr Abbott had bruises around his head when she identified his body. The hearing in Bolton was told how the incident took place in 2015 when the couple, also from Bolton, were at the Spanish resort for a week's holiday with their two children. Ms Corless, who was with Mr Abbott for nine years, told the inquest how, on their final night, the couple had gone to the bar at Hotel Palm Beach for a circus. She said Mr Abbott was 'in his element' and was getting involved in the show, while drinking lager. But, when they returned to their room balcony after midnight, Mr Abbott realised his lighter was out of fuel and he could not have a cigarette. She told the hearing that Mr Abbott started to get 'panicky' because he was a heavy smoker and he needed his cigarettes. 'He told me he was going to buy a lighter,' she told the hearing. 'I asked where he was going to get it and he said "I don't know but I will get one".' She said Mr Abbott then started shouting at her and asking for the safe key so he could get some money and buy another lighter. When she said no, he became frustrated and started to throw clothes around the room, she said. Ms Corless said a security guard then turned up at the room and, as Mr Abbott started to go downstairs, sent a message on his radio to the reception, where a janitor stopped him. 'Tony was saying "leave me I'm going into town",' she said. 'The security guard restrained Tony so Tony started shouting at him calling him names. The receptionist asked me if I wanted him to call the police and I said "if he wouldn't calm down, yes". 'The police arrived at the hotel really quickly and I was trying to speak to them but they didn't speak English and I didn't speak Spanish so it was difficult. 'Tony was shouting "You Spanish bastards you've never forgiven us for the Armada".' Ms Corless said that, as he was taken away, he said: 'I'm sorry Cat, I love you, we'll sort this out tomorrow. See you soon.' But, less than three hours later, the mother-of-two received a phone call explaining that her partner had died. 'I just collapsed to the floor and was unable to comprehend what I had just been told,' she said. 'I was in a total state of shock.' Ms Corless said she then went to the police station to identify Mr Abbot's body. She claims she was refused access to CCTV images and was told she could not have the names of any of the offices involved in the arrest. Miss Corless told the inquest she was also quizzed by the interpreter who made inappropriate comments. Ms Corless said her partner (pictured) had never spoken about harming himself and was in good spirits the day he died She said: 'I was told he had been there for ten minutes and he had hung himself. The interpreter said that he was selfish. 'She started to ask me questions and I answered all the questions but it didn't make sense to me about why he would kill himself. I felt like they were trying to convince me that Tony wanted to kill himself. 'I said that Tony wouldn't do it and he loves me and the kids. The interpreter said he mustn't have loved you to kill himself. I was very shocked by her response.' Ms Corless said her partner had never spoken about harming himself. 'I don't understand how what was done, was done in such a short space of time,' she said. They just left him and didn't do anything to help him'. Dr Charles Wilson a pathologist who examined Mr Abbot's body in the UK said he had a small graze on his forehead and jaw. He added: 'He had bruises consistent with gripping on the upper part of his right arm on his biceps. 'When people are arrested they can be restrained and it is not unusual by gripping the arms or wrists in this way. He also had a bruise on his left wrist but there were no signs of resisting handcuffs. 'The injuries are consisted with self suspended hanging. There is no sign of assault, only minor injuries. There were no injuries to his face that suggest he was assaulted. There was nothing that gave me concern that a third party was involved in this death.' Dr Wilson said tests showed Mr Abbott had 173 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood at the time of his death. The legal limit for driving is 80mg. The hearing continues. A Ukrainian judge who is the spitting image of a Disney villainess has become the butt of numerous jokes on the Internet after an image of her in frightening make-up went viral. Alla Bandura is a dead ringer for Ursula, the half-woman, half-octopus baddie from The Little Mermaid. Wearing a ton of foundation, bright red lipstick and dramatic eye make-up Mrs Bandura really is a sight to behold, even more so when her black and white bouffant is taken into account. Twitter user @MitryKhitry was the first to put his finger on the similarities. He tweeted: 'And you thought these characters multiplied out of their (Disney's) heads?' But whereas Ursula the villainess was killed with a ship's mast by the hero, Prince Eric, in the Little Mermaid, Judge Bandura has actually survived an assassination attempt. In 2006 two unknown assailants stabbed her 12 times but she survived. Mrs Bandura, a judge in northern Ukraine's Rivne oblast region, is clearly made of sterner stuff. Are you missing a member? Some Internet jokers suggested she would not look out of place in the rock band Kiss Some Ukrainian critics on the Internet suggested she looked like a missing member of the rock band Kiss. Natalia Pishuk joked: 'All she needs is finding a good stylist who would transform her into one of the most stylish judges. All she needs is to wish for one.' But Vladimir Penyak came to her defence,: 'It is unfair to judge her by her look. This woman with poor make-up is somebody's wife and mother. People should be more considerate.' Aleksey Golubotskiy hit back: 'It is a free country. We can laugh at her picture as much as we want to.' Cabinet minister Liam Fox has denied sending out a controversial tweet - despite sitting in front of a giant picture of it. The International Trade Secretary made the embarrassing blunder during an interview on Sky News. Presenter Sophy Ridge asked about the post, in which he claimed that Britain was 'one of the few countries in the European Union that does not need to bury its 20th century history. Liam Fox denied sending out the controversial tweet despite an image of it being displayed on a giant screen behind him She questioned whether it had been necessary to inflame tensions with the EU given that the government was going to be negotiating with the bloc over Brexit. As Ridge spoke an image of the tweet, sent out last March, appeared on a huge screen behind them. But seemingly unaware, Dr Fox insisted: 'Just as a point of clarification I didn't send out a tweet. Number two, it was taken from a speech I gave about a year and a half ago and it was tweeted out, I think by the Guardian, and was an incomplete reference in any case. What I said was Britain has felt less emotionally attached to the EU because given our history we had never felt the need to bury the 20th century in a pan-European project. Despite the presenter motioning to the screen, Dr Fox did not look around to see the visual evidence. Dr Fox and his two fellow 'Brexiteers' Boris Johnson and David Davis all took to the broadcast studios over the weekend as the government gears up to trigger Article 50. It had been thought Theresa May would launch the process as soon as the EU Bill is passed by parliament. But she is now not expected to fire the starting gun on Brexit until the end of the month. Police fear a surge of men ordering sex dolls from Hong Kong that look like children could lead to attacks on real girls. Dozens of the 'lifelike' figures have been impounded by Norwegian authorities in the past six months with convicted paedophiles among the men aged 18-60 who have bought them. Police fear the purchasers 'may pose a risk of committing abuses against children in the future'. A spokesman said the realistic dolls could be in violation of Norwegian law and three men have been questioned by detectives. A fourth was arrested for possession of indecent images of children. But counselling organisation Sexpo has sparked controversy by arguing the figures should be made available to give paedophiles 'a channel for their desires'. Dozens of the 'lifelike' child figures, pictured above on the table, have been impounded by Norwegian authorities in the past six months Police fear the purchasers of the child dolls, one of which is pictured above, may pose a risk of committing abuses against children in the future' In an open letter to the Norwegian authorities it said: 'A person who uses a lot of money and effort to purchase the doll has already made the decision that he wants to carry out the sexual tendency. 'Therefore, it is important that the customs authorities or others concerned about the sex dolls actors do not hamper their availability.' Last year it was revealed that up to 18 consignments of life-size dolls had been seized by the border force officials in Australia since 2013. The anatomically-correct rubber dolls sent from overseas have been destroyed or used for pending further investigation, a Department of Immigration and Border Protect spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. A spokesman said the realistic child dolls, pictured above, could be in violation of Norwegian law and three men have been questioned by detectives Sexual counselling organisation Sexpo said the highly controversial dolls, which are dressed in clothes and with wigs such as those above, should be made available to give paedophiles 'a channel for their desires' The sexualised dolls, which resemble children as young as five, were sold via the Japanese website to paedophiles across the globe. Trottla founder Shin Takagi, a self-confessed paedophile, has defended his range of dolls, telling Fairfax Media: 'I am an artist'. He had previously claimed the dolls acted as a substitute to satisfy the needs of the perverts so they did not commit crime against real children. He said: 'I am helping people express their desires, legally and ethically. It's not worth living if you have to live with repressed desire.' The sexualised dolls purchased by men in Australia, pictured, were sold via the Japanese website to paedophiles across the globe More than 60,000 Australians signed a petition to ban the sale and import of 'these sickening aids for paedophiles'. The dolls that appear on the Japanese website are dressed in lace or leather lingerie, sometimes completely naked. Many of the imitation girls are sprawled out on a bed or laid in other provocative positions, often with child-like props like a school uniform and backpack. Some girls are smiling while others are made to appear as if they crying or in pain, which Mr Takagi stating the dolls are made in a 'variety of expressions to fulfill a variety of client needs'. A powerful nor'easter in the forecast has delayed a meeting between President Donald Trump and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, until later this week. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed until Friday because of the coming storm. The meeting will be the first between the two leaders. Their itinerary is set to include discussions on NATO, the Islamic State group and Ukraine's conflict, all matters that require close cooperation between the U.S. and Germany, as well as a joint press conference. Talks are still on: Angela Merkel was supposed to fly in for talks on Tuesday but has put them off until Friday because of a devastating winter storm set to hit the north-eastern U.S. Take-off: Merkel's Airbus A340 plane, which is operated by the German air force, was stuck on the tarmac at Berlin when the talks were postponed A blast of late winter weather is expected to blanket much of the Northeast this week, with up to 8 inches of snow and sleet accumulation forecast for Washington, starting Monday evening. Merkel told reporters on Monday that had called her to explain the severity of the expected storm. She had already underscored the importance of free trade in a speech to business leaders in Munich, before her first trip to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington for talks on a range of issues, including defense spending. Briefing reporters before the trip, a senior German official said he expected the talks to focus on foreign policy issues ranging from NATO and Russia to Syria, Middle East peace, Iran, North Korea and the European Union. Talks between German officials and members of Trump's administration suggest the two countries will cooperate closely on policy towards Russia, the official said. 'The United States of America is a key trading partner for Germany and for the entire European Union,' Merkel said. 'Trade is advantageous for both sides and I'm looking forward to the chance to speak to the newly elected American president about these issues. 'I believe that direct, one-on-one conversations are always much better than talking about each other. 'Talking together instead of about each other - that'll be my slogan for this visit, which I'm really looking forward to.' Trump has called Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany a 'catastrophic mistake' . He has also threatened to impose tariffs on German carmakers that import into the United States and has criticized Berlin for not spending more on defense. Another source of tension is Germany's 50 billion-euro trade surplus with the United States. Defense talks: Merkel and Trump are likely to speak about one of the major causes of friction between them - the European's country's low level of spending on its military The United States is Germany's biggest export destination , buying German goods and services worth 107 billion euros ($114 billion) last year while exporting just 58 billion euros' worth in return. It is Germany's third-largest trading partner, just behind China and France. Merkel said German companies employ about 750,000 people in the United States and 1 million to 2 million jobs in the United States depend indirectly on German companies. Causes of friction between Berlin and Washington also include an accusation by a senior Trump adviser that Germany profits unfairly from a weak euro and a threat to impose 35 percent tariffs on imported vehicles. The senior German official also said Merkel was committed to boosting defense spending in line with a NATO target for military budgets to account for 2 percent of economic output, and would offer convincing arguments to Trump on this issue. An 8 percent rise in the 2017 defense budget was 'a clear sign that we are sticking to our commitments,' the official said. But the official described it as a 'symbolic goal' and said the most important thing was to close holes in NATOs defense capabilities, a view shared by Trump's national security adviser, Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster. 'The most important thing is to close the capability gap,' the official said. Germany's 2018 budget plan calls for defence spending to rise by 1.4 billion euros in 2018 to 38.45 billion euros, or 1.23 percent of gross domestic product, and to reach 42.3 billion euros in 2021. That amounts to 8.3 billion euros more over the four years than previously planned, but it will still fall short of the 2 percent target, a second government official said. A model was left red-faced when she showed off a bit more than intended on the QVC shopping channel. The blonde Anastasia Demidova was modelling a pair of see-through white sweatpants. She struts confidently towards the camera before twirling around to give shoppers a better look. Viewers on QVC Italy were then left stunned to see the model's thong through the light material. Anastasia was clearly unaware of just how see-through the tracksuit bottoms were and how her black underwear would stand out against them. QVC is no stranger to controversy and wardrobe malfunctions, and this embarrassed model will add to the ranks. Sammi Marsh-Wade became an internet sensation last year when she modeled an incredibly tight dress leaving next-to-nothing to the imagination. The clip starts off innocently enough with the model showing off the sweatpants But as she twirls around her thong is clearly visible through the see-through joggers Earlier in February a model appeared on the French version of the channel baring her nipples while modelling a bra. The channel has started selling iconic Le Creuset casserole dishes to help lure in more middle class shoppers. While most of the items cost the same price as on the High Street QVC has a daily Special Value deal. Prices are driven right down and stock is often limited. Girlfriend arrested: Juanita Bentley, 51, is accused of repeatedly slashing her boyfriend with a Samurai-style sword during a domestic dispute A woman has been arrested in Connecticut after police say she repeatedly stabbed her boyfriend with a Samurai-style sword during a heated domestic dispute. Juanita Bentley, 51, was taken into custody in New London on Friday night and jailed on charges of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and breach of peace. According to a press release from the New London Police Department, officers responded to an apartment at 70 Farmington Avenue at around 11.44pm after getting a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance. Juanita Bentleys boyfriend told investigators that he and the woman were having an argument, which escalated to the point where his girlfriend ordered him to leave the apartment. When the man failed to clear the premises fast enough, he said Bentley grabbed a decorative Samurai-style sword from a wall and proceeded to slash him on his back and arms as he fled. Crime scene: Police were called to Bentley's apartment on Farmington Avenue in New London, Connecticut (pictured), Friday night Dangerous toy: Bentley's boyfriend said the grabbed a decorative Samurai-style sword from a wall and proceeded to attack him because he didn't leave right away (stock photo) The bleeding victim ran for help to a neighbor who called 911 to summon police. He was then taken to an area hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. By the time police arrived to arrest Juanita Bentley, the woman had allegedly cleaned the crime scene, but responding officers were reportedly able to recover some physical evidence. Bentley was held on $10,000 cash bond over the weekend. Advertisement Photographer John Kucko arrived at his Rochester holiday home on Sunday and found a very cold reception - literally. The home, which sits 25 feet back from the shore of Lake Ontario, had been almost buried under thick folds of ice. That was thanks to Wednesday's windstorm, which saw gusts of up to 36mph spattering his home with freezing spray. Blustery winds and temperatures as low as 12 degrees over the next few days left his home looking like something from Frozen. But rather than being upset, Kucko has decided to 'let it go,' and turned his misfortune into a dazzling series of photographs. Scroll down for video Chilling photos: The lakeside holiday home of photographer John Kucko was left looking like a badly iced cake on Sunday by frozen lake spray. The house next door is protected because it's set further back from the water and is inhabited all year round Ice, ice baby: Spray from Lake Ontario (pictured), coupled with temperatures as low as 12 degrees, led to ice building up on the building and its lakeside porch The big freeze: Plants were completely engulfed in thick ice along the Webster shoreline. Other homes that were inhabited fared better than Kucko's, which had been vacant while the ice was accruing Kucko posted the photos online Sunday, leading to some accusing him of using Photoshop to edit the images. And for those who have never experienced something like this, they do seem almost unbelievable - especially when you see the surrounding houses with far less ice on them. But that's because those homes are set further back from the water, have preventative walls and are inhabited all day round - meaning the little ice that hits the homes melts rather than collecting. Even when he posted video proof of the scene, people refused to believe it could be true. Kucko said he was 'amazed at how many people think I sprayed foam on the place, too funny.' Although the photographer laughs off his misfortune, the effect of the windstorm on his area was huge, he said, with more than 160,000 people losing power, and some still not having electricity as of Sunsay. Professional photographer John Kucko, pictured at a snow-covered river valley, took the photos at his Ontario Lake holiday home after the area was subjected to intense windstorms last week Water disaster: The build-up of ice was stunning - and will be followed by deep snow that is set to begin falling Monday night and continue through Wednesday Slippery customer: The ice left the photographer's back porch treacherously slippery. Kucko says some couldn't believe the photos were real, and accused him of photoshopping the pictures or even coating his home in foam A dumbfounded driver was left with a $50 fine and docked two demerit points after driving in the right hand lane. The Western Australian motorist was pulled over last Tuesday while travelling on the Tonkin Highway in Perth. The driver told officers: 'I was driving in the lane I always do'. A dumbfounded driver was left with a $50 fine and docked two demerit points after driving in the right hand lane Posting a picture of the driver's fine online WA Police Traffic simply said driving in the right lane in a 100 zone is a big 'no no'. 'Keep left. It's the law.' Failing to keep left is not only against the law, it affects drivers who are unable to overtake, the police said. The offence carries a $50 fine and two demerit points. On multi-lane roads with speed limits of 90km/h or over, motorists must drive in the left lane, according to the Road Safety Commission. You can only drive in the right hand lane if you're turning right, overtaking, the left lane is a turning lane and you're driving straight, you're avoiding an obstacle or if other lanes are congested. Posting a picture of the driver's fine online WA Police Traffic simply said driving in the right lane in a 100 zone is a big 'no no' In a bold move commensurate with someone far taller, the Ginger Dwarf from the North has declared there will be a second once-in-a-lifetime referendum. Not only that, but this second once-in-a-lifetime referendum even has a date: between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, once the Scots have had a chance to see exactly what the post-Brexit apocalypse looks like. By then, according to the prophesying powers of our wise son-of-a-bus-driver mayor, Sadiq Khan from Londonistan, we will surely all be languishing in a bloodied, repentant mess on the rocks, having leapt in our ignorance over the edge of the cliff of doom. Nicola Sturgeon knows a second referendum for Scottish independence is her last chance for any kind of relevance in a political landscape, writes Katie Hopkins If you wondered how or why the little GDFTN is managing to move her little ginger legs so fast, it is because of one huge thing which is entirely disproportionate to her polly-pocket stature: her ego. Nicola Sturgeon knows this is her last chance. Her last desperate bid for any kind of relevance in a political landscape where things are changing fast and her voice is not being heard. She demanded special treatment for Scotland in the Brexit negotiations. She was ignored. She demanded Scotland remain in the EU single market even if the rest of the UK leaves (which would involve the devolution of nearly every policy area except defence and the macro-economy). No one listened to that, either. She even tried to get an amendment through the House of Commons for the triggering of Article 50 to be delayed for at least a month until the devolved nations agreed a UK-wide approach to Britain's exit. Her Brexit amendment wasn't just defeated it was crucified. By 332 votes to 62. A majority of 270 told the SNP exactly how much authority it has over Brexit. And how much power Nicola Sturgeon has. And frankly, my AAA batteries from Aldi have more. Nicola Sturgeon reminds me of a small child desperate for attention at any cost, writes Katie Hopkins Her minister for Brexit, Mike Russell, even instructed party MPs to vote down Brexit because by voting in support of leaving the European Union they would be endorsing Prime Minister Theresa Mays vision of an isolationist Britain. And they were proved to be an irrelevant group of motor-mouths in that vote, too. The idea that the Sturgeon voted against the will of the British people for fear of seeming isolationist, only to call for a second referendum to become an independent nation of only five million people that use Irn Bru caps for currency is laughable. Even an American would get the irony. Even if the Scots who voted for Independence and also voted Remain did follow the GDFTN down her suicidal path to Haggis Hell, she would still need to convince the largest group the anti-independence, pro-EU voters to vote against the status quo. And that's more than just a big ask. She would have to win over these pro-union Remain voters at the same time so as not to alienate Brexit voters that already side with the SNP. Given she is about as popular as Blair, and is blinkered by separatist ambitions, I don't fancy her chances. Pictured: Independence supporters gather in Glasgow as Scottish First Minister Sturgeon confirms she will seek permission for a second referendum I would be tempted to give her a name badge with her job title on it as a handy reminder. First Minister for Scotland. Quite different to First Minister for Separatist Sturgeon, on whose behalf she seems to speak. She reminds me of a small child desperate for attention at any cost. Even if that means taking a poop in a pot and using it to paint a thistle by numbers. And all this whilst she tries really, really hard to ignore the huge mammoth in the room. Jacqueline Minor, the European Commissions Head of Representation in the UK, said Scotland would need to formally apply for EU membership after leaving the UK. The second referendum smacks of desperation and the Sturgeon is the reason why, writes Katie Hopkins And Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Commission, has said he did not want to see any more enlargement of the EU beyond its current 28 members during his term of office. There are already four countries on the waiting list. Scotland is not one of them. Yet, despite all this, the GDFTN has called a second once-in-a-lifetime referendum. Because she knows it is her last chance. She knows the European Union is collapsing in on itself. Much like my first marriage, I give it a year. There is a reason she wants a her second referendum before our two year Brexit negotiations are complete in March 2019. Her biggest fear, and the new project fear for Remain voters, is that Brexit will be a spectacular success and they will all have been proven horribly wrong. The second Indy referendum smacks of desperation. And the GDFTN is the reason why. President Donald Trump said Monday that the federal government is prepared to help Americans weather a massive snowstorm that could affect as many as 50 million in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. 'We're in good shape. We're prepared. Everybody in government is fully prepared and ready,' Trump announced at the beginning of his first cabinet meeting at the White House. 'I've spoken with my homeland security advisor who's spoken with the acting FEMA administrator and instructed him to make certain that the federal government is ready to provide assistance to the states that need federal help,' he said. 'FEMA and the federal government are ready to assist. They are literally waiting by the phones and ready to go.' New York City and most of northern New Jersey have been placed under blizzard warning beginning Monday night as the East Coast could be blanketed by up to two feet of snow. Winter Storm Stella is expected to sweep the New York region with blizzard like conditions, as experts predict the region could see 12 to 24 inches of wind-blasted snow from Monday to early Wednesday. Scroll down for video 'We're in good shape. We're prepared. Everybody in government is fully prepared and ready' for Winter Storm Stella, President Donald Trump declared Monday as he began his first official cabinet meeting Multiple cities including New York City to Norwich are currently under blizzard warning (red highlighted area) due to Winter Storm Stella. Surrounding areas are under winter storm warning (green highlighted area) The snowfall forecast through Wednesday shows many areas along the East Coast receiving between 18 to 24 inches of snow during the storm 'The entire Northeast, it seems, is under a very severe winter storm warning,' Trump said, 'so let's hope it's not going to be as bad as people are predicting. Usually it isn't.' New York City issued a snow alert for Monday night into Tuesday, expecting snowfall rates of up to 2 to 4 inches per hour Tuesday morning and afternoon, with gusts of wind up to 50 mph. 'This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City,' said Faye Barthold, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island. Authorities are warning residents to prepare for the possibility of widespread power outages, road closures and flight disruptions. New Yorkers began stocking up on groceries, salt and emergency supplies over the weekend as they prepared for a snow day inside. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that all public schools in the city will be closed Tuesday due to snow. Early Monday afternoon, New Jersey was added to the blizzard warning list. Trump emphasized that Americans should pay close attention to advisories issued in their areas. President Trump said Americans should listen to warnings issued by their state and local goernments Winter Storm Stella has already brought snow to Chicago on Monday. Above commuters wait for the train as the snow continues falling There's plenty of snow already in Mankato, Minnesota, as the above photo shows Jeremiah Luntsford working to dig out his car on Monday Officials are warning of blizzard conditions that will hit the East Coast due to Winter Storm Stella as up to two feet of snow is expected to fall in some cities in the Northeast Monday evening President Trump tweeted a picture of himself in a meeting with Washington, D.C.'s mayor and the head of the city's transit system, saying they were going over preparations for the storm 'Everyone should listen to their state or local officials who will be providing regular storm updates. Take that advice very seriously,' he said. WINTER STORM STELLA FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS Officials are warning of significant travel delays, as thousands of flights have already been cancelled ahead of Winter Storm Stella. For Monday, more than 2,059 flights have already been cancelled as of 12:30pm. In addition, more than 5,000 flights have been delayed on Monday. For Tuesday, more than 4,214 flights have been cancelled. That total includes roughly 880 flights on Southwest Airlines, 616 flights on JetBlue, 489 flights on United Airlines and 524 flights on American Airlines. More cancellations were expected, with Southwest planning to stop almost all of its Northeast flights Tuesday. Other airlines were considering similar moves. Major US airlines will allow ticketed travelers affected by the storm to change their flights without an additional fee. Source: Flight Aware Advertisement Earlier in the afternoon, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that Trump 'has directed his inner government staff to remain in contact with governors and mayors in the path of the storm.' Later Monday, Trump tweeted a picture of himself in a meeting with Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Metro transit system's general manager Paul Wiedefeld, explaining that they had chatted about 'incoming winter storm preparations here in D.C.' 'Everyone be safe!' the president advised. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced preparations for the so-called Nor'easter storm, activating the state Emergency Operations Center as of Monday night while also directing state agencies to be on heightened alert. 'I encourage all New Yorkers in affected regions to plan ahead and avoid any unnecessary travel as the storm progresses,' Cuomo said in a statement, adding that commuters should expect road closures, delays and cancellations. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch Sunday for coastal regions including New York City and surrounding areas of Long Island, Westchester County and Connecticut. The storm also raised the potential for power outages with damaging winds across eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut, the National Weather Service said. 'Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,' the weather service said. Significant disruption to air travel in the region was also anticipated with the storm. Blowing snow and strong winds could lead to whiteout conditions with visibility as poor as a quarter mile, the service said. Sub-freezing temperatures were forecast in the upper 20s Fahrenheit. Mayor Bill de Blasio warned New Yorkers that 'besides the snow, it will be cold,' while officials recommended that people avoid driving and use mass transit when possible. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was installing hundreds of pieces of snow equipment at the three New York area airports. Thousands of tons of salt and sand were prepared for airport roads, parking lots, bridges and tunnels. Harsh winter weather has already hit Sioux City, Iowa, as nearly 9 inches of snow has been reported in the city as of Monday (above) Winter Storm Stella is also impacting the Midwest with light to moderate snowfall accumulations across a large part of that region A winter storm watch was in effect for a larger area of the Northeast: New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New England. As some 50 million people along the Eastern Seaboard came under storm or blizzard watches, Washington, D.C., which often bogs down with even low levels of snow, was expecting 5 inches and twice that in outlying areas. Boston also could get 12 to 18 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 2 feet across northeastern Massachusetts. In Philadelphia, crews began treating some area roadways on Sunday. The city could see 6 to 12 inches of snow. The weather service said there is a chance the snow could change over to a wintry mix or rain for a time Tuesday morning, which could limit total snowfall amounts. Forecasters predict that strong 40 to 60mph winds Monday night into Tuesday night will affect the North East Blizzard conditions are predicted from Hartford, Connecticut all the way up to Bangor, Maine beginning Tuesday as forecasters say traveling may be impossible The storm comes near the end of an unusually mild winter along much of the East Coast, with below-normal snowfalls in some areas, including New York City and Washington. It was the warmest February on record in nearly the entire area, according to the Northeast Regional Climate Center. Last week in New York, temperatures hovered near 70 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Accuweather.com, hitting 60 or higher on six days in February. In addition, Chicago is seeing its first snowfall since December on Monday after spending the entire months of February and January without snow - a first for the windy city in 146 years. On Monday, officials in Philadelphia began preparing for Winter Storm Stella. Above Streets Department crews load salt on Monday in preparations for the expected storm in Philadelphia Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety officers and other rescue personnel work at the scene of a crash involving a semi trailer under the Cooper Street bridge of Interstate 94 westbound on Monday in Michigan Authorities are also bracing themselves by preparing tons of salt for use on the streets in New York City (above) During the 2015-2016 year, the windy city saw 31.2 inches of snow fall, but this year forecasters think it will fall below that. The first measurable snow fall occurred on December 4 when roughly six inches of snow fell around the Chicago area. Each winter, the city averages over 40 inches of snow, and preparations for the brutal weather take place months ahead before the start of the cold season. Meanwhile, in the western United States, the weather service forecast potentially record-setting heat in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, where temperatures were expected into the 90s in some places. President Donald Trump tried to reach U.S. attorney Preet Bharara to 'thank him for his service' before ultimately firing him over the weekend, the White House said Monday. White House press secretary Sean Spicer addressed the high-profile firing in public for the first time at his daily press briefing, as he fielded questions about why Trump decided to sack the crusading prosecutor, who built a reputation for taking town top Democrats and Republicans for corruption. He got fired on Saturday after refusing to turn in his resignation, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions requested all 46 remaining Obama-appointed U.S. attorneys resign. Scroll down for video REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME: Preet Bharara, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, didn't take a call from the president two days before he got fired along with 45 other U.S. attorneys Trump reportedly called Bharara on Thursday, in a timeline the White House didn't dispute. 'The president was calling to thank him for his service,' Spicer said Monday when asked whether the president had changed his mind about Bharara. When the two met in November at Trump Tower, Bharara said Trump had asked him to 'stay on.' 'We had most of them or a good chunk of them had already submitted their resignation letter. This is just the final swath of individuals who had not at this time,' Spicer said. A U.S. law enforcement official said over the weekend Bharara didn't take the call because he didn't want to talk to the president without the approval of his superiors. WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE: Trump met with Bharara in November, and Bharara says he was asked to stay on 'The president was calling to thank him for his service,' White House press secretary Sean Spicer said New York attorney Marc Mukasey, a law partner of former New York mayor Rudy Giuiani's, has been mentioned as a possible successor Spicer called the firings followed 'standard operating procedure,' and referenced a similar purge in previous administrations. President Obama let some U.S. attorneys stay on while their replacements got confirmed, although President Bill Clinton got rid of the previous GOP-appointed crop. Bharara stoked theories that he got sacked for reasons having to do with his reputation for going after corrupt politicians when he tweeted: 'By the way, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like.' He was referencing the anti-corruption commission in Albany that Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down. Bharara tweeted over the weekend: 'I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.' A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office said Bharara wasn't saying what he meant by his Moreland Commission reference. 'He's not providing context on his tweet or tweets,' said the spokesman. He got fired by telephone by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente. Although the spokesman wasn't privy to the call, he said Bharara was told he was let go because he was one of the group of 46 U.S. attorney's appointed by President Obama. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had asked for the resignations of all 46, and Bharara refused to tender his. President Trump is considering for the post the personal lawyer of ex Fox news boss Roger Ailes. Marc Mukasey, the son of former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and a 'protege' of former New York Mayor New York Giuliani, emerged as a leading contender this weekend after Trump fired Bharara. Bharara, a former chief counsel to Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer, got sacked along with 45 other remaining Obama appointees although Bharara had said following a meeting with Trump in Trump Tower in November that he had been asked to stay on. As a personal attorney representing Ailes, Mukasey has helped the former Fox News chief battle a series of sexual harassment allegations. Numerous current and former Fox employees accused Ailes of inappropriate behavior. Advertisement Happy children donned colourful hats and danced with their friends while adults raised their glasses to celebrate the ancient Jewish festival of Purim. Youngsters put on their favourite fancy dress and grown ups enjoyed a drink or two - and some even more than that - as Orthodox Jews across the neighbourhood of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem enjoyed the annual religious event. The celebration commemorates the foiling of a plot to massacre the Jewish people 2,500 years ago in ancient Persia. Purim usually falls in March and is celebrated on the 14th and 15th days of Adar in the Jewish calendar. Children are encouraged to dress up to celebrate Purim and everyone congregates at the synagogue to hear a retelling of the ancient story. On the evening before, Jews do not eat or drink, but then enjoy feasts and parties during the festival. Pictured: A man wearing a fancy dress crown dances at a party to celebrate Purim in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem Pictured: These pals have decided to join in on the fun by wearing matching multi-coloured hats and ties at a Purim party Pictured: Children wearing fancy dress are joined by an older reveller as they take a rest from the Purim celebrations Pictured: Orthodox Jewish men enjoy a song and dance after tucking into a celebratory feast to mark the festival of Purim Pictured: The partying gets too much for one man, who is helped to his feet by friends after Purim celebrations in Jerusalem Pictured: This man appears to have lost his footing as people enjoy party celebrations during the ancient festival of Purim Pictured: Bemused children in fancy dress stare at a man lying in a doorway, after succumbing to the excitement of the Purim celebrations in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem Pictured: Youngsters wearing vibrant colourful hats stumble into the street as they enjoy the fun during Purim celebrations Pictured: Three friends skip off down a street in Jerusalem as the Orthodox Jewish community mark the Purim festival Pictured: It appears that this man might have enjoyed a drink too many as he rests on a floor after a Purim party Pictured: The partying gets too much for a group of revellers with one man passed out, another resting his head on his arm and one man having dropped his glass of wine on the floor Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte clashed with his main rival anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders on Monday, as they laid out starkly opposing visions of their country's future in an election campaign now consumed by a diplomatic row with Turkey. Two days before Wednesday's crucial general election, The Netherlands is mired in a war of words with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has provided fodder for Wilders and his uncompromising anti-immigration stance. 'You are being taken hostage by Erdogan. Close the Dutch borders,' Wilders told Rutte, as tempers flared in the 30-minute head-to-head televised debate. Right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders (pictured) made the most of a fiery TV debate against Prime Minister Mark Rutte to sound off against Islam and the escalating tit-for-tat row with Turkey 'That's a totally fake solution,' Rutte shot back, 'you want Nexit, you want The Netherlands out of Europe. You know what it will cost ... don't do it.' Wilders, who says he is on a mission against the 'Islamisation' of the country, has promised to shut Dutch borders to Muslim immigrants, close mosques and ban sales of the Koran. He also wants to follow the British and pull the country out of the European Union which it helped found. Polls suggest Wednesday's results could be close, with Rutte's Liberal VVD returning as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament by a whisker. The elections are being closely watched as a signal of the possible rise of far-right and populist parties in Europe, with key elections also planned this year in France and Germany. 'I want The Netherlands to be the first country which stops this trend of the wrong sort of populism,' Rutte told reporters, just hours before the debate. Monday's debate, plus Tuesday's vote-eve round-table with eight political party leaders, could yet sway the poll, with one analyst estimating some 60 percent of Dutch voters remain undecided. Wilders has delighted in the chaos which erupted over the weekend when riot police moved in to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags in Rotterdam, angered by a Dutch government ban on their ministers. 'You are being taken hostage by Erdogan. Close the Dutch borders,' Wilders told Rutte during the heated debate. Discussing the tit-for-tat row with Turkey, he added: 'We must answer back. We must expel the Turkish ambassador and his staff.' Rutte appealed for calm, but he has rejected Turkey's calls to apologise for expelling one of its ministers who tried to attend the pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam. In one tense exchange, Rutte said it was time to de-escalate the crisis, but Wilders retorted: 'We must answer back. We must expel the Turkish ambassador and his staff.' 'There's the difference between tweeting from the sofa and running a country. If you are in charge of a country you need to take sensible measures,' Rutte replied, to loud applause, in a jab at the Dutch MP known for his love of Twitter. The VVD is predicted to return as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament with between 23 to 27 seats, according to the latest aggregated polls. Rutte (left) appealed for calm and called to de-escalate the feud with Turkish leaders who were barred from speaking at rallys in Holland this week following fears of heightened tensions That is well down from the 40 VVD MPs in the outgoing lower chamber however, and would leave Rutte scrambling to cobble together a viable coalition which may have to include four or five parties to reach the 76-seat majority. After weeks of flirting at the top of the polls, Wilders has seen his ratings slip and may now come second with between 19 and 23 seats, polls suggest. But that would still leave him a difficult voice to ignore. Rutte repeated his vow never to work with Wilders again, accusing him of causing problems for the country after the peroxide-haired MP triggered the collapse of an earlier coalition in 2012. Rutte's liberal VVD party is predicted to return as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament with between 23 to 27 seats, according to the latest aggregated polls - however, despite a ratings slip - Wilder's is still expected to return with a strong hand of between 19 and 23 seats Telling Wilders he had become 'radicalised' and was making 'extreme statements' about Moroccan-Dutch citizens, Rutte insisted: 'I will not cooperate with such a party. No, never, no.' But Wilders retorted that he was standing up against 'the liars and the legislators' and urged Dutch voters 'if you want to take the Netherlands back for ourselves, then chase this man away and put me in the prime minister's office.' There are 28 parties seeking to woo the 12.9 million eligible voters, and observers have warned that forming a coalition will likely take months and demand tough compromises. Wilders' 'ideology might be negative, it's anti-Muslims, it's anti-EU, it's anti-immigration, it's anti-refugees. But it is a clear ideology that addresses concerns of a substantial group of the Dutch. So it is there to stay,' Monika Sie Dhian Ho, director of the Clingendael Institute said. Advertisement Prince William skipped a major Commonwealth ceremony with the Queen to party with friends in the Swiss Alps where he was seen enjoying a boozy lunch with a glamorous Australian model. Hours before other royals attended a service at Westminster Abbey to mark Commonwealth Day, an occasion with deep personal resonance for the monarch, the 34-year-old was drinking and dancing in a club in the upmarket resort of Verbier. Earlier in the day, William, who will one day follow his grandmother as head of the 52-strong family of nations, had been drinking beer on the slopes with friends, including high-spirited nightclub boss Guy Pelly and 24-year-old model Sophie Taylor. During the jaunt, he was seen giving Ms Taylor a high five as they enjoyed a leisurely lunch on mountainside restaurant La Vache. Scroll down for video Prince William was pictured giving a high five to Austrlian model Sophie Taylor, 24, (pictured) during at boozy lunch on his ski trip to Switzerland William (shown left in a bobble hat) and his group had lunch at mountainside restaurant La Vache, which is known as one of the best in Switzerland. Also pictured is Ms Taylor, who was seen chatting to the prince Two blondes (left) who were seen enjoying beers with the prince make their way back to their slopes after the afternoon session. One of those with the prince was Ms Taylor (right) Today, Ms Taylor (pictured) was described as a 'straight talking Aussie girl' with few inhibitions about showing off her body Ms Taylor (left) posed for a series of topless shots (right) for photographer Glen Krohn when she visited the paradise island of Bali last year where he is based The 24-year-old is pictured on the beach as she takes part in a topless shoot she volunteered for. Sophie is currently working in hospitality in Verbier for the winter season, where she met the prince After meeting William, Ms Taylor posted a message to the Verbier Lost and Found Facebook page saying she had lost her phone during the night. She is pictured during her beach model shoot Ms Taylor (left and right) works at the Farinet nightclub, the popular apres-ski hangout in which William and his friends were spotting drinking and dancing until the early hours It is believed that William left his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and their young children at home for the weekend jaunt, returning to England late yesterday afternoon. The prince's decision to miss such a key event in the royal calendar will revive criticism that the father of two is workshy and failing to knuckle down to his royal role. Ms Taylor works at the Farinet nightclub, the popular apres-ski hangout where William and his friends were spotted until the early hours. The stunning blonde has previously worked for Australian model agency Chadwick models and also posed topless for photographer Glen Krohn in Bali when she visited the island last year. Glen said: 'Sophie is a real down to earth straight talking girl from Oz. She would be very comfortable in the company of the royals even though I don't think she had met any of them before. He added that she is 'very confident' and had 'no inhibitions about posing topless'. 'She was great to photograph and a real fun person to be around. I'm sure Prince William enjoyed her company. She is a great girl,' he added. Last night, Ms Taylor's boyfriend Aaron Goodfellow said he was also present as the prince enjoyed drinks, calling the royal a 'great guy' and 'very down to earth'. The morning after her night out, Ms Taylor posted a message to the Verbier Lost and Found Facebook page saying she had lost her phone during the night. The model has stated on Facebook that she has 'not followed through with' in psychology and nutrition. In pursuit of her modelling career, she was signed by Australian modelling agency Chadwick Models, but she was in 2016. The prince was first spotted on Saturday as he took to the slopes with Guy Pelly, widely considered to be a less than steadying influence on William and Harry when they were younger, childhood pal Tom van Straubenzee and close friend James Meade It is believed that he left his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and their young children at home for the weekend jaunt, returning to England late afternoon Prince William (pictured wearing a blue and black skiing jacket) is a keen skier, taking after his father Prince Charles Later that evening William, having changed into a Nordic-style sweater and jeans, and the group were seen dining at La Channe restaurant, where a beef fondue costs 48 and a chicken salad is 32 The Queen would also have seen the event as being particularly important as it marked the 40th anniversary of Commonwealth Day. In Verbier, however, William appeared more concerned with choosing which black run to tackle A glimpse at the bombshell's Facebook page also offers an insight into her very glamorous lifestyle - from idyllic holidays to expensive resorts. Over the past few years, Ms Taylor has jetted around the world and lived it up across the United States, Asia and Europe. Snaps show her looking playful on the beach and lazing by a private pool in Bali, as well as partying it up with her boyfriend in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Tobacco Caye. The prince was first spotted in Verbier on Saturday, as he took to the slopes with Mr Pelly, widely considered to be a less than steadying influence on William and Harry when they were younger, childhood pal Tom van Straubenzee and close friend James Meade. The four of them were seen on a ski lift together as they prepared to take to the slopes. Later that evening William, having changed into a Nordic-style sweater and jeans, and the group were seen dining at La Channe restaurant, where a beef fondue costs 48 and a chicken salad is 32. On Sunday the group enjoyed a challenging day on the slopes, and a lazy lunch at mountainside restaurant La Vache, which is known as one of the best in Switzerland. William stripped off to his thermal jumper and wore a bobble hat as he sipped a cold beer in the sunshine, laughing and high-fiving with Ms Taylor as another blonde chatted intently to Mr Pelly and Mr Meade. Later that night he was seen in the Farinet nightclub. William was there until the early hours, drinking and dancing with his friends to a string of hits. William did not have to try hard to blend in with the crowd on the slopes, with his sunglasses and a helmet providing an adequate disguise The group of boys make their way through the resort village of Verbier, considered among the world's finest The prince let loose while he enjoyed a break from the skiing, while other senior royals were back in London and on duty The party enjoyed several beverages while sitting out on the decking of a restaurant and bar situated on the slopes in Verbier A band which played at the club, Husseyband, tweeted on Sunday: Great gig tonight Prince William even made an appearance! The prince would have been accompanied by at least two plain-clothed Scotland Yard police officers at all times while in the nightclub, which is open until 2am. Meanwhile, almost every other senior member of the Royal Family was at Westminster Abbey for a Commonwealth Service, including the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. William and Kate's absence was notable, particularly as they have attended the annual event for the past two years. Princess Anne was in Wales on an official engagement while Edwards wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, was on a Commonwealth-related trip to Malawi. The Queen has been head of the Commonwealth throughout her 65-year reign, which is an important symbolic and unifying role, according to Buckingham Palace. Following an action-packed afternoon in the Swiss Alps, the prince swapped his ski gear (left) for a more casual look (right) The prince (pictured earlier in the day) would have been accompanied by at least two plain-clothed Scotland Yard police officers at all times while in the nightclub, which is open until 2am After a day of skiing, the Prince (seen in blue) was seen in the Farinet nightclub, a popular apres-ski hangout. William was there until the early hours, drinking and dancing with his friends to a string of hits William, who juggles his part-time role as an air ambulance pilot with royal duties, has often been accused of being workshy Yesterdays service, organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, is the largest inter-faith gathering in Britain and was designed to highlight the diverse attributes of the Commonwealth, made up of 2.5billion people. Government ministers see the organisation as a rich source of trade for post-Brexit Britain and several royal trips are being planned to strengthen ties with its nation states. The Queen would also have seen yesterdays event as being particularly important as it marked the 40th anniversary of Commonwealth Day, which is always held on the second Monday in March. William, who juggles his part-time role as an air ambulance pilot with royal duties, has often been accused of being workshy. Last year both the Queen, 90, and her 95-year-old husband, Prince Philip, conducted more engagements than their grandson, who undertook 188. The Queen had 332 visits and meetings, and Philip 219. Last night a Kensington Palace spokesman insisted that William and Kate had never intended to go to the Commonwealth Service, adding: The duke and duchess have attended the event for the last two years and look forward to doing so often in the future. Asked about Williams ski trip, the spokesman said: His schedule was private and we would not comment on it. The Queen and Prince Philip make their way out of Westminster Abbey having attended the Commonwealth Day service Almost every other senior member of the Royal Family was present alongside the Queen and Prince Philip, including Prince Charles and Camilla (left), and Prince Harry (right) The monarch showed off her second colourful ensemble of the day, wearing yellow to this afternoon's Commonwealth Day service (left) and bright pink to launch a The Queen's Baton at Buckingham Palace this morning (right) Mary Jane Kelly, pictured above, is the final known victim of Jack the Ripper. Experts said it would be a 'Herculean effort' to locate her remains The remains of Jack the Ripper's final victim Mary Jane Kelly could be lost forever after experts said it would be a 'Herculean effort' to locate her in the ground. Researchers from the University of Leicester planned to exhume a grave in Leytonstone, east London, but concluded the project would take too long and cost too much. The team was commissioned by crime writer Patricia Cornwell, who has written two books on the infamous serial killer believed to have murdered at least five women in the Whitechapel area of London between August and November 1888. But after visiting St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone, where Ms Kelly is thought to have been buried, the scientists decided that searching for the murder victim's remains was simply impractical. In a new report entitled the The Mary Jane Kelly Project they pointed out that it was likely to involve excavating an area containing hundreds of graves, and each exhumation would legally require the consent of next of kin. Lead researcher geneticist Dr Turi King said: 'To complete any exhumation application to the Ministry of Justice, a compelling case for the exhumation as well as detailed information on the location and state of the grave would be required. 'Not only for the exhumation of Kelly's remains, but also to determine if any other remains might be disturbed in the process. Mary Jane Kelly's grave marker in St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, pictured above, may not actually mark her exact resting place Finding her remains would involve excavating an area containing hundreds of graves, pictured above The researchers would need to inform the next of kin of every person whose grave they wanted to exhume at St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone, pictured above 'However, the precise location of her grave is unknown and, not only that, it rapidly became clear that as such, the remains of a number of other individuals would have to be disturbed. 'Her remains are highly likely to have been dug through when the communal grave site she was buried in was reused in the 1940s, making accurate identification of any of her remains highly problematic if not impossible.' Dr King was part of the team that confirmed a skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 belonged to Richard III, who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. This graphic police image shows the murder of Mary Jane Kelly on November 9th 1888 Jack the Ripper stalked London's East End in the late 1800s taking the lives of five known victims This illustration from a London newspaper in the period shows suspicious characters 'with the vigilance committee in the East End' Finding the remains would make it possible to conduct DNA analysis to test the claim of surgeon and author Wynne Weston-Davies that the Ripper victim was his great aunt Elizabeth Weston Davies. Dr King added: 'As information presently stands, a successful search for Kelly's remains would require a Herculean effort that would likely take years of research. 'It would be prohibitively costly and would cause unwarranted disturbance to an unknown number of individuals buried in a cemetery that is still in daily use, with no guarantee of success. Dr Turi King, pictured above left, is pictured with Jon Sears who is part of the team who were looking to discover the remains of Mary Jane Kelly Dr King, pictured above right with archaeologist Matthew Morris, was part of the team that confirmed a skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 belonged to Richard III - who died in 1485 Dr King said: 'As information presently stands, a successful search for Kelly's remains would require a Herculean effort that would likely take years of research.' Mary Jane Kelly's grave in Leytonstone is pictured above 'As such it is extremely unlikely that any application for an exhumation licence would be granted. 'The simple fact is, successfully naming someone in the historical record only happens in the most exceptional of cases. 'Most human remains found during excavations remain stubbornly, and forever, anonymous and this must also be the fate of Mary Jane Kelly.' The deciding Board cited the fact that a larger percentage of minorities were failing the test in their decision making New York State is planning to scrap a test designed to measure the reading and writing skills of people trying to become teachers after accusations that it is racist. The New York States Board of Regents cited the fact that a larger percentage of black and Hispanic candidates were failing the test Academic Literacy Skills Test in their decision making process. The move has met with mixed reviews. Those who support the exam believe that eliminating it could be putting weak teachers into the classroom, while critics say that the test is confusing, redundant and a poor predictor of who will succeed as a teacher, reported Fox. New York State has decided to test the Academic Literacy Skills Test after a large percentage of minorities were failing it The literacy test was one of four assessments introduced in 2013 to raise the elementary and secondary school teaching standards in the state. It was originally introduced as a result of many years of complaints from education reformers about the caliber of students entering schools compared to the quality of the education that they were receiving. A study, conducted in December 2016 by the National Council on Teacher quality found that 44 per cent of teacher-preparedness programs accepted students from the bottom half of their high school classes, reported Fox. It was originally introduced as a result of many years of complaints from education reformers about the caliber of students entering schools compared to the quality of the education that they were receiving The aim of these literacy tests is to weed out those who might end up being poor teachers. However, after they went into effect, they came under scrutiny for an alleged racial bias. Just 46 per cent of Hispanic test-takers and 41 per cent of black test-takers passed the test on the first try, compared with 64 per cent of their white peers. The test consists of a series of multiple-choice questions about reading selections, plus a writing passage. It comes at a steep cost of $131, which critics believe is too much. 'We want high standards, without a doubt. Not every given test is going to get us there,' said Leslie Soodak to Fox News. She is a professor at Pace University, and served on the task force that examined the state's teacher certification tests. It was ultimately the suggestion of that task force that lead to the Board's decision. A ruling in 2015 by a federal judge found that the test was not discriminatory, however, faculty members says that the fact that it screens out so many minorities flags up an issue. President of the National Council on Teacher Quality, Kate Walsh, said that minorities weren't scoring as well because of factors like poverty and systematic racism. She said that it is the same with other standardized tests as well. Ian Rosenblum, executive director of the New York office of the Education Trust, which is a nonprofit that advocates for high achievement for all students, said the test is something a high school senior should be able to pass. Additionally, many education professors told the Associated Press that the test doesn't measure anything that isn't covered in exams such as subject matter certification tests, the SAT or the GRE. A study, conducted in December 2016 by the National Council on Teacher quality found that 44 per cent of teacher-preparedness programs accepted students from the bottom half of their high school classes, reported Fox However, Charles Sahm, director of education policy at the conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute said he is a strong supporter of raising the bar for teachers, but isn't a fan of this specific test. He took the $20 practice exam, available on the New York State Education Department website, and said the test was poorly designed and included multiple-choice questions that seemed to have more than one correct answer. One question, for example, includes a passage from President John F Kennedy's inaugural address, and asks 'In which excerpt from the passage do Kennedy's word choices most clearly establish a tone of resolve?' Sahm told Fox that he found the reading comprehension section to be 'kind of infuriating,' and said he only got 21 questions of 40 correct. A snowplow clearing a California mountain pass discovered a Jeep buried under 20 feet of snow. As a snowplow was clearing the way of a notoriously snowy section of the Donner Pass, it discovered a Jeep Cherokee entombed within a wall of 20 feet of snow on Thursday. The vehicle is believed to have been abandoned on the side of a road outside of Truckee, California, and snow mountain was built around it as snowblowers cleared the way. Some of the car was damaged when the machine crushed into the mound of snow, not realizing it was underneath, and the owner will have to wait to retrieve the vehicle until the pile thaws out. A Jeep was found buried under 20 feet of snow on the Donner Pass in California on Thursday. A snowblower hit the abandoned vehicle as it was clearing a bank. No one was inside the car There was no one in the car when officials found it buried, as it is believed it was abandoned, likely due to a breakdown, some time ago, reported Fox News. The California Highway Patrol said the Jeep was found in the Serene Lakes neighborhood near Donner Summit when snowblowers were cutting into a bank and hit the car, according to AOL.com. The Donner Pass is located in the northern Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The area receives some of the most snow in the United States, averaging around 400 inches per year. More than 20 people linked to the Comancheros bikie gang have been arrested and are expected to be charged over arson attacks, drive-by shootings and drug trafficking after dramatic pre-dawn raids in Melbourne. Police began storming 25 residential and commercial properties across the city early on Tuesday morning, seizing drugs, cash, cars and motorbikes. At one property in Lyndhurst in the city's south-east, police smashed their way through a window at around 5am. Scroll down for video More than 20 people linked to the Comancheros outlaw motorcycle gang have been arrested and drugs and cash have been seized during more than two dozen dramatic raids across Melbourne. Police are seen loading evidence into a car after raiding a home in Lyndhurst Police began storming 25 residential and commercial properties across the city early on Tuesday morning Police seized drugs, cash, cars and motorbikes during the early morning raids across Melbourne A neighbour told reporters it wasn't the first time police had raided the home. 'We just heard noises and rumbling and some screaming. We didn't really wake up because it's quite normal. It's the third time in a couple of weeks,' he said. Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said several firebombings and shootings are believed to be linked to the Comencheros and charges were expected to be laid. 'We believe that (the Comancheros) are responsible for up to 21 non-fatal shootings, four arson attacks, serious drug trafficking and firearm related offences,' he said. Security cameras were seen mounted on the roof at one property in Lyndhurst Police were seen seizing two motorbikes, a Holden Commodore and a Landrover Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said several firebombings and shootings are believed to be linked to the Comencheros and charges were expected to be laid. Pictured, Members of 14 NSW outlaw motorcycle gangs gather in Sydney as part of the United Motorcycle Council for a Legalise Freedom ride in 2013 'As a result of today's operation it is anticipated that 21 individuals will be interviewed and charged with serious offences including drug trafficking, criminal damage by fire and a number of drive-by shootings.' He said that some people linked to the gang were behind a series of firebomb attacks on strip clubs in the south Melbourne area. In February last year police suggested a breakaway gang of bikie thugs was behind an explosion that destroyed a Kittens strip club in Caulfield South. A Landrover is seen being removed from the Lyndhurst home. A neighbour told reporters it wasn't the first time police had raided the property Police smashed their way through a window (pictured) at the property at around 5am By 6.30am, 20 people across the city had been arrested and police had seized drugs and cash Police said at the time bikies were trying to muscle back in on security contracts they had lost during an internal split 18 months earlier. The operation is expected to continue throughout Tuesday. More to come. Armed police as seen carrying out one of 25 raids early on Tuesday morning Mr Fontana said some people linked to the gang were behind a series of firebomb attacks on strip clubs in the south Melbourne area Gable Tostee has posted a derogatory post on Facebook to mark International Women's Day. Tostee, under his Facebook name Eric Thomas, posted: 'Happy International Women's Day to all ma hoes!!' last Thursday. The post angered some social media users with one woman claiming she was going to screenshot the post and send it to Clementine Ford - an Australian feminist writer. Gable Tostee (pictured in October outside of the Supreme Court in Brisbane) has posted a derogatory post on Facebook to mark International Women's Day Tostee, under his Facebook name Eric Thomas, posted: 'Happy International Women's Day to all ma hoes!!' last Thursday on this Facebook account (pictured) But Tostee was not fazed by the comment telling the woman, 'Go on send it to the c***'. Along with the comment Gable Tostee used a screenshot of a post Clemetine Ford wrote on her Facebook page in November last year when she wrote: 'Gable Tostee is a piece of s***'. In retaliation to a media outlet picking up the comment Tostee blasted Sunrise. 'The bitter feminists presenting this segment are just mad that no men would touch them with a 10 foot pole. As for the dude on the left, who'd he hand his testicles over to?' he wrote on Tuesday. Tostee was cleared of killing Warriena Wright, 26, from New Zealand in October of last year. Gable Tostee shared Sunrise's Facebook post and called the segment hosts feminists in this post on Tuesday Tostee was cleared of of killing Warriena Wright, 26, from New Zealand. The pair are pictured together above This is the heart-melting moment when a four-month-old baby goat walked on its two legs in Liaoning province of northern China. The video, widely shared on Chinese social media, has left the web users praising for the disabled animal's strong will. In the footage, the baby goat can be seen walking on its forelimbs while wobbling to balance its body. Mr Hou saw a two-legged baby goat walking around a farm in Kazuo County, northern China The uploader, Mr Hou, told Liaoshen Evening News, that he had spotted this kid on a farm in Kazuo County, western Liaoning Province. The video was shared by People's Daily Online yesterday. According to the report, Mr Hou visited the farm to collect goats for trading business. He was surprised to see a white baby goat walking on just two limbs. The muscles on the goat's hind limbs were damaged by the adverse weather condition on the day it was born, according to the farmer. The farmer took care of the newborn goat and saved its life. However, the tiny animal lost its two hind legs for good. 'The little goat has a very strong will. He recovered slowly and he can eat normally now. He can walk for a few hundred meters without taking a rest,' said the farmer. The tiny animal can be seen walking on its forelimbs slowly and wobbling to balance its body The little goat has touched many web users' hearts with its strong will and steely spirits Web users were amazed by the little goat's steely spirits and his determination to move around. One web user named 'Jingzhou show' wrote on Weibo: 'An indestructible life. Salute!' Another web user, 'Mr140y', commented: 'It's not the disability that defines you. Stay strong, little goat!' Advertisement A huge artificial island with its own airstrip and harbour could be built in the North Sea to power Europe by 2050, if plans are approved later this month. The 2.5 square mile (6.5 square km) island could serve as a 'crazy and science fiction-like' energy plant that would be surrounded by fields of offshore wind turbines. The 'North Sea Wind Power Hub' would house a small team of permanent staff and generate power for more than 80 million people across Europe. An artificial island (artist's impression pictured) with an airstrip and harbour could be built in the North Sea to help power Europe by 2050. Energinet, the Danish state-owned energy operator, said it hoped that the offshore power plant would be completed by 2050 THE NORTH SEA WIND POWER HUB ISLAND - Could be built by 2050 - Cover an area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 square km) - Provide power to 80 million people - Cost over 1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) - The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, including Energinet - Discussions with other energy companies and industrial partners, who together will pay for the project, are ongoing - Power homes in Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium - Comes with an airstrip, harbour, buildings for housing and workshops, an artificial lake and even a park Advertisement The island would serve a vast network of solar panels and wind turbines spanning across Dogger Bank, a large sandbank 62 miles (100km) off the east coast of England. It would supply energy to six European countries through underwater cables Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium. Dogger Bank is relatively shallow with depths of between 15 and 36 metres, which is expected to reduce the cost of the project. The Copenhagen Post reported that the island, if approved, would cost just over 1.1 billion ($1.3 billion). Energinet, the Danish state-owned energy operator, said it hoped that the offshore power plant would be completed by 2050. The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, including Energinet. Discussions with other energy companies and industrial partners, who together will pay for the project, are ongoing. They are expected to be agreed in Brussels on March 23. Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet's technical director, told the Independent: 'Maybe it sounds a bit crazy and science fiction-like but an island on Dogger Bank could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective.' Dutch power grid operator TenneT announced on Wednesday that Energinet was the first partner for its plan to create the offshore energy hub. The Copenhagen Post reported that the island would cost just over 1.1 billion ($1.3 billion), if the green light is given to the project. It would include a harbour (artist's impression pictured) for the delivery of supplies to the small workforce stationed on the island The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany and are expected to be agreed in Brussels on March 23. This artist's impression shows a section of the island's airstrip, which would allow small passenger aircraft to take staff to and from the island The 2.5 square mile (6.5 square km) island is part of ambitious plans for a huge new offshore energy project that could supply power to Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium. This artist's impression shows the route that the plant's undersea electric cabling would make back to each country ORIGINS OF THE IDEA The company says that the idea for the island came in response to the European Union's need to meet CO2 emission targets in the wake of rising international pressure to combat climate change. They say that renewable energy will be key to achieving these targets, and that both sun and wind will be needed to provide consistent levels of energy through every season. The summer months will bring more sun, while the colder months will bring more wind, meaning that the plant will have both solar panels and wind turbines. TenneT claim that the levels of renewable energy production needed by the EU is too much for individual Member States to cope with, and so say that a cooperative system is needed between several countries. The North Sea boasts a higher and more stable wind speed than wind farms experience on land, and the farms will provide energy without taking up any land space that could be used for housing or farming. TenneT plans to creates a basis, or point of departure, for a joint European approach up to 2050 and focus on developing the North Sea as a source and distribution hub for Europes energy transition. Advertisement TenneT says that the large European electricity network is based on a 'hub and spoke' principle, and was designed to help the European Union to meet targets for cuts in its carbon dioxide emissions. TenneT will formally sign a deal with Energinet on March 23. 'Discussions with other potential partners are ongoing, which not only include other North Sea transmission system operators, but also other infrastructure companies,' TenneT said in a statement. Energinet.dk CEO Peder stermark Andreasen said the project has the potential to lead to a 'further reduction in prices of grid connections and interconnections.' Dutch power grid operator TenneT announced on Wednesday that Energinet was the first partner for its plan to create an offshore energy hub in the North Sea. The island could include green spaces and parks for the staff, as shown in this artist's impression Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet's technical director, told the Independent: 'Maybe it sounds a bit crazy and science fiction-like but an island on Dogger Bank could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective'. Pictured is an artist's impression of the island with its large bank of offshore wind turbines stationed behind it This artist's impression shows a bird's eye view of the island, which would provide power to more than 80 million people. the airstrip and artificial lake can be seen on the lower half of the island, while the harbour and park are in the upper half Separately on Wednesday, TenneT said it would invest 21 billion ($26 billion) in new transmission capacity over the coming decade to support a number of offshore wind and onshore renewable projects currently in the pipeline. The company also wishes to improve interconnections between the Netherlands and Germany. The amount is an increase from the 19 billion ($23 billion) in a March 2016 forecast, after the Dutch government announced plans last autumn for a major acceleration in funding for renewable energy projects. The 'North Sea Wind Power Hub' would serve a vast network of solar panels and wind turbines spanning across Dogger Bank, a large sandbank 62 miles (100km) off the east coast of England The plans included permitting 5 gigawatts of new offshore turbine farms. TenneT will provide infrastructure for the new farms. 'If we want to exploit all this green electricity in our Northwest European region to the full, we cannot do so without new power transmission links, both onshore and offshore,' CEO Mel Kroon said in a statement. 'The ongoing coupling of the European energy markets will lead to more convergence of electricity prices in the various European countries, and will make electricity more affordable for end users,' he said. TenneT reported 2016 underlying operating profit of 701 million euros on revenue of 3.23 billion euros ($3.41 billion), both down slightly from 2015, due to lower reimbursements for its services. A superhuman skill once the preserve of comic book heroes could soon become a reality. Scientists have used a combination of brain scanning and artificial intelligence to read the minds of 'criminals' to determine whether they are guilty of knowingly committing a crime. This is the first time that neurobiological readings alone have been used to determine guilt, according to the study, and the findings could impact how we judge criminal responsibility in the future. Scroll down for video Scientists at Virginia Tech used a combination of brain scanning and artificial intelligence to predict whether each of their 40 volunteers was guilty of knowingly carrying drugs across the border during a simulated smuggling operation (stock image) USING BRAIN SCANS TO PREDICT RE-OFFENDERS A 2013 study found that researchers could predict how likely prisoners were to re-offend through brain scans. A team of neuroscientists at the Mind Research Network in Albuquerque studied a group of 96 male prisoners shortly before they were due to be released. They scanned prisoners brains while they were carrying out computer tasks in which subjects had to make quick decisions and inhibit impulsive reactions. They then followed the subjects for four years. Among the ex-criminals studied, those showing low activity in an area of the brain associated with decision-making and action are more likely to be arrested again. Advertisement The researchers say that their brain scans are not currently admissible in court. They caution that the mental state of a defendant should not be reduced to the classification of brain data. But it is a big step forward for the emerging field of 'neurolaw', which connects neuroscience to legal rules and standards. Neuroscientists at Virginia Tech set up a simulated drug smuggling operation involving 40 volunteers. Each 'runner' was given a probability that a suitcase they were asked to carry across the border would contain drugs. The team scanned the brains of each subject using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They processed the results using AI machine-learning techniques to find patterns in the data. This allowed the scientists to accurately determine whether the research subjects 'knew' drugs were in the case or whether they were acting recklessly by taking a chance. The full results of the study have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr Read Montague, director of the research institute's human neuroimaging laboratory, said: 'People can commit exactly the same crime in all of its elements and circumstances and, depending on their mental states, the difference could be one would go to jail for 14 years and the other would get probation. 'Predicated on which side of the boundary you are on between acting knowingly and recklessly, you can be deprived of your freedom. 'In principle, we are showing these brain states can be detected when the activity is taking place.' Dr Read Montague (pictured) led the study, which used functional magnetic resonance imaging to look at blood flow in the brain to detect areas of activity. This allowed his team to determine whether volunteers were guilty of 'knowingly' committing a crime Neuroscientists can now begin to ask further questions about the relationship between the mind and criminal activity. Research in the future could examine whether a range of factors - like developmental disorders, mental health conditions, brain damage and substance abuse - could impact upon decisions made by defendants in criminal cases. A 2013 study found that researchers could predict how likely prisoners were to re-offend through brain scans. A team of neuroscientists at the Mind Research Network in Albuquerque studied a group of 96 male prisoners shortly before they were due to be released. They scanned prisoners brains while they were carrying out computer tasks in which subjects had to make quick decisions and inhibit impulsive reactions. They then followed the subjects for four years. Among the ex-criminals studied, those showing low activity in an area of the brain associated with decision-making and action are more likely to be arrested again. People see black men as bigger and more threatening than same-sized white men, according to a new study. This could explain why black men are more likely to be shot by police, the researchers claim. And the team suggest that the perception of black men as larger and more threatening arises from racial stereotypes. Scroll down for video People see black men as bigger and more threatening than same-sized white men, according to a new study. This could explain why black men are more likely to be shot by police and vigilantes. Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Minnesota in July 2016. His girlfriend broadcast the gruesome aftermath on Facebook live STEREOTYPES 'WARP' HOW WE SEE FACES Last year, neuroscientists discovered that our stereotypical views can warp how our brains see faces, ultimately forcing them to conform to preconceptions. The discovery sheds light on how unintended bias affects the way people behave, and why biases are so hard to shake. The research found that stereotypes shape the way our brains process an image of a person and bend it to suit existing biases. Participants were shown different faces while neuroscientists monitored their brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. Men, particularly black men, were initially perceived 'angry,' even when their faces were not objectively angry and women were initially perceived as 'happy' even when their faces were not objectively happy. Advertisement While black people don't see members of their own race as so dangerous, they still think they are larger, according to the study. Many study participants assumed that black men were more capable of causing them harm and thought that police were more justified in using force to restrain them. 'Unarmed black men are disproportionately more likely to be shot and killed by police, and often these killings are accompanied by explanations that cite the physical size of the person shot,' said lead author Dr John Wilson of Montclair State University in New Jersey. 'We think these biases are likely based in societally common stereotypes. 'The concepts black and large seem to be linked in Americans minds, and these stereotypes may lay the groundwork for perceptual bias,' he told MailOnline. Dr Wilson and his colleagues conducted a series of experiments involving more than 950 US online participants. All of the experiments but one quizzed non-black participants only, and most of the subjects were white in each one. Participants were shown a series of colour photographs of white and black male faces of individuals who were all of equal height and weight. The participants were then asked to estimate the height, weight, strength and overall muscularity of the men pictured. 'We found that these estimates were consistently biased,' Dr Wilson said. 'Participants judged the black men to be larger, stronger and more muscular than the white men, even though they were actually the same size. 'Participants also believed that the black men were more capable of causing harm in a hypothetical altercation and, troublingly, that police would be more justified in using force to subdue them, even if the men were unarmed.' Even black participants displayed this bias, according to Dr Wilson. But while they judged young black men to be more muscular than the young white men, they did not judge them to be more harmful or deserving of force. People see black men as bigger and more threatening than same-sized white men according to a new study. The Black Lives Matter protests (pictured) gained traction in 2015 after a series of police murders of unarmed black men (stock image) In one experiment, where participants were shown identically sized bodies labeled either black or white, they were more likely to describe the black bodies as taller and heavier. In another, the size bias was most pronounced for the men whose facial features looked the most stereotypically black. 'We found that men with darker skin and more stereotypically black facial features tended to be most likely to elicit biased size perceptions, even though they were actually no larger than men with lighter skin and less stereotypical facial features,' said Dr Wilson. 'The size bias doesn't rely just on a white versus black group boundary. It also varies within black men according to their facial features.' Black men are disproportionately more likely to be killed in interactions with police, even when unarmed, according to Dr Wilson, and this research suggests that misperceptions of black men's size might be one contributor to police decisions to shoot. A series of killings of unarmed black men, such as 32-year-old Philando Castile who was shot during a traffic stop next to his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter last year, sparked the Black Lives Matter campaign in the US. But, Dr Wilson cautioned, the studies do not simulate real-world threat scenarios like those facing actual police officers. The study's results could explain why black men are more likely to be shot by police, the researchers claim. And the team suggest that the perception of black men as larger and more threatening arises from racial stereotypes (stock image) More research should be conducted on whether and how this bias operates in potentially lethal situations and other real-world police interactions, as well as into how other races are affected, Dr Wilson said. 'It will be important to find out just how generalisable this finding is, and whether it occurs beyond black/white perceptions,' he told MailOnline. 'The social world is a lot more complex than just Black and White.' Previous research, also published in this journal, suggested that people view black boys as older and less innocent than similarly aged white boys, and that training and experience can help police overcome racial bias in shoot-don't shoot scenarios. Last year, neuroscientists discovered that our stereotypical views can warp how our brains see faces, ultimately forcing them to conform to preconceptions. The discovery sheds light on how unintended bias affects the way people behave, and why biases are so hard to shake. The research found that stereotypes shape the way our brains process an image of a person and bend it to suit existing biases. Participants were shown different faces while neuroscientists monitored their brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. Men, particularly black men, were initially perceived 'angry,' even when their faces were not objectively angry and women were initially perceived as 'happy' even when their faces were not objectively happy. A skull fragment from almost half a million years ago could provide new insights into how humans evolved in western Europe during the middle Pleistocene. The remarkable fossil also provides tantalising hints about a mysterious possible ancestor of the Neanderthals, researchers said. It was unearthed from the Aroeira cave site, and marks the oldest human cranium fossil ever found in Portugal. But there is plenty of mystery around the skull. Researchers don't know if it was from a male or female, how the person died, or even what form of early human it was. Scroll down for video Slide me Researchers discovered part of a 400,000-year-old Hominin cranium bone (left) which suggests we shared common origins with Neanderthals. Using 3D reconstruction, the researchers were able to restore two thirds of the skull fragment (right) THE DISCOVERY The cranium fragment was discovered in between layers of sediment in the Aroeira trench of an ancient cave near Torres Novas, Portugal. Scientists drilled through sediment around the cranium in order to remove it from the rocky cave. The skull fragment was found encased in a rocky sediment known as breccia. The sediment was sandwiched between two flowstone deposits, which enabled the researchers to use an accurate dating technique called Uranium-Thorium dating. By dating the flowstone rather than the rock, they were able to say with certainty that the fossil is 400,000-years-old. Although only one third of the cranium was discovered, Professor Zilhao and his team were able to study two thirds of the bone using reconstruction techniques. They uploaded the fragment to a computer using a 3D CAT scanner and then used a computer programme to restore parts of the skull. Advertisement 'There is a lot of question about which species these fossils represent. I tend to think of them as ancestors of the Neanderthals,' co-author Rolf Quam, an anthropologist at Binghamton University, State University of New York. 'It is not a Neanderthal itself,' he added. 'It has some features that might be related to the later Neanderthals,' including a lump of bone near the ear called the mastoid process. Researchers say this bone may be related to regulating pressure in the ear, although its exact purpose is unclear. The ancient fragment, bears characteristics showing it is the ancestor of both Neanderthals and humans ancestors. This suggests that, while Neanderthals evolved in Europe and modern humans evolved in Africa, the two never formed separate species. Instead, our ancestors could have come from one interbreeding species spread across the two continents, according to researchers. What researchers can say with certainty is that the skull belonged to an adult, based on the formation of the bones. A couple of teeth found with it appear worn, as if belonging to an adult rather than a child. They also know its age - 400,000 years - based on precision dating of the surrounding stalagmites and sediments. The same cannot be said for other skulls of its kind found elsewhere in Europe. The fossil could help us understand how we are connected to other species or subspecies in the genus Homo, which is characterised by bipedalism, small teeth and large brains The skull fragment, pictured right, was found encased in a rocky sediment called flowstone, which scientists to used to date the bone Some were uncovered years ago, before modern technology existed. Researchers have sometimes had to guess at the ages of these skulls, ranging from 200,000 to more than 400,000 years, according to Quam. The Portuguese skull shares some features with bones uncovered in northern Spain that are some 430,000 years old, and in southern France dating even further back, to around 450,000 years. 'There is a lot of debate currently in the anthropological literature about what species to call these fossils. There is not a lot of agreement,' said Quam, who co-authored the study with Portuguese archaeologist Joao Zilhao and colleagues. The researchers found that the bone was a 'mosaic' of anatomical features commonly associated with Homo erectus, an ancestor to modern humans, and the later populations of Neanderthals. Professor Zilhao told MailOnline: 'The cranium is not modern human-like, it predates by 200,000 years the time of emergence of the features used to define anatomical modernity. 'Aspects of the supra-orbital torus [fossil] have a configuration similar to that which will characterise, later on, the Neanderthals. 'Others evoke earlier fossils, namely the so-called Homo erectus.' Its location is the furthest west of any human fossil ever found in Europe during the middle Pleistocene period. The cranium bone was found alongsie pear-shaped Acheulean stone tools, pictured, an innovation in hunting first used by Homo erectus in Africa It is also one of the earliest in Europe to be associated with the Acheulean stone tool industry, a more advanced kind of toolkit than used among the earliest humans in Europe. The Acheulean stone tools included tear-drop-shaped hand-axes that were more complex to build than previous iterations. They originated in Africa and probably made their way into Europe via the Middle East around 500,000 years ago. 'It is not just the bones, but the context in which they were found, with Acheulean stone tools and faunal remains, that is important,' said Professor Zilhao told MailOnline. 'These remains show us what the group used to eat and they used to hunt, with stone axes.' To find evidence of these tools 400,000 years ago, all the way over in western Europe, 'means relatively quickly the Acheuleans spread through Europe,' Quam said. The cranium bone was found in the Aroeira trench of an ancient cave in Portugal. It was found alongside Acheulean stone tools and animal remains WERE NEANDERTHALS A DIFFERENT SPECIES TO HUMANS? A Neanderthal skull showing the primitive human's enlarged nasal cavity There is some debate about whether Neanderthals were truly a distinct species, known as Homo neanderthalensis, or a subspecies of modern humans, Homo sapiens. One theory suggests that Neanderthals evolved in Europe while modern humans evolved separately in Africa. Researchers studying the nasal cavities of Neanderthal skulls have spoken out in support of this theory. Scientists from Suny Downstate Medical Centre, in New York City, indicated that the structure of their noses proved that the primitive people were a separate species to humans. Jeffrey Laitman, of the Icahn School of Medicine, said of the research: 'The strength of this new research lies in its taking the totality of the Neanderthal nasal complex into account, rather than looking at a single feature. 'By looking at the complete morphological pattern, we can conclude that Neanderthals are our close relatives, but they are not us.' But other scientists have claimed that Neanderthals can't be a distinct species from humans because large chunks of our DNA is the same. Neanderthal DNA is 99.7 percent identical to the DNA of modern humans. But others have pointed out that the DNA of a chimpanzee, our closest living ancestor, is 99.8 percent identical to our own. Professor Zilhao's discovery adds weight to the idea that Neanderthals were not a distinct species. That's because the cranium bone is made up a 'mosaic' of morphological features common to the ancestors of both Neanderthals and humans. This suggests here may not have been a clear 'barrier' separating the two groups. Instead our ancestors may have interbred across the continents, exchanging genes back and fourth. Interbreeding between the two groups could have resulted in a 'spectrum' of primitive humans with a range of different morphological and genetic characteristics, according to Professor Zilhao. Advertisement While there remains much to be learned about the skull, researchers feel lucky that they found it at all. In fact, they almost missed it. Glimpsed as an outline of a skull in sediment as hard as cement, the skull was found on the last day of an excavation project in 2014. Workers toiled for a week to cut a block out of the Earth. At one point, a heavy duty demolition hammer broke the skull into pieces. It took two and a half years to painstakingly extract the skull itself from the block. The fossil will go on display in October at the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia in Lisbon. A team of researchers from the University of Portugal and the University of Barcelona work on the excavation (left), where machinery was used to saw the rock around the cranium (right) Scientists drilled through sediment around the cranium in order to remove it from the rocky cave. The cranium was then reconstructed using computer programming Professor Zilhao said that the mix of anatomical features, along with the stone tools find, suggests that the ancestors of humans and Neanderthals may have been one interbreeding species. There is some debate about whether Neanderthals were truly a distinct species or a subspecies of Homo sapiens. One theory suggests that Neanderthals evolved in Europe while modern humans evolved separately in Africa. But Professor Zilhao's discovery suggests there may not have been a clear 'barrier' separating the two groups. Instead our ancestors may have interbred across the continents, exchanging genes back and fourth. Interbreeding between the two groups could have resulted in a 'spectrum' of primitive humans with a range of different morphological and genetic characteristics, he said. 'The lesson from this fossil, in my view, is that, half a million years ago, humans were already a single species,' he said. 'Regional differences existed, but gene flow [from breeding] maintained the unity of the species. 'The Neanderthal-modern human dichotomy is the aspect that such regional diversity acquired later on, during the period between 150,000 and 50,000 years ago. 'But while the two groups may have been morphologically and genetically distinct, it is my theory that they were still part of the same species.' WHO WERE THE NEANDERTHALS? An artist's impression of a Neanderthal man, our closest human relatives that lived in Europe and Asia from around 200,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago Neanderthals are our closest human relatives that lived in Europe and Asia from around 200,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago in the Pleistocene Epoch. Our primitive cousins looked similar to us, but they were shorter, more heavily built and had wide noses and prominent brow ridges. Their skeletons were discovered in the Victorian times, and it was once believed that Neanderthals were less intelligent than modern humans and more aggressive. But recent discoveries have proved that they used tools, held elaborate burial ceremonies and could even use fire. There is also genetic evidence that Neanderthals and the ancestors of modern humans frequently interbred and large swathes of our genome are still made up of Neanderthal DNA. There is some debate about whether Neanderthals were truly a distinct species or a subspecies of Homo sapiens. Professor Zilhao believes that his discovery reinforces the idea that Neanderthals were not a distinct species. Advertisement A bird's-eye view of the Almonda escarpment, pictured in the background, where the cranium was discovered in a cave by Professor Zilhao and colleagues, in Portugal The images were spotted by controversial alien enthusiasts SecureTeam10 The images were taken by the Nasa Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter An 'alien structure' has been spotted rising off the surface of the moon, UFO hunters claim. The disc-like object could be a mobile lunar base for aliens, according to the latest bizarre theory. The radical claim has been made by controversial UFO channel SecureTeam10 who believes Nasa is covering up evidence of aliens. Scroll down for video Images of an unnatural disc-like shape, pictured, were spotted on the surface of the moon by controversial conspiracy channel SecureTeam10 SECURETEAM10 CONTROVERSY SectureTeam10 is one of the most viewed YouTube channels, with over 785,000 people subscribing to its conspiracy videos. But the channel has come under fire, as Lions Ground, a rival channel, claims that it has been intentionally fooling its viewers. According to Lions Ground, SecureTeam10 has been raking in an estimated 600 ($745) a day by posting fake videos that 'outsmart UFO believers.' But Lions Ground is not happy about this, and has told The Sun Online that many of SecureTeam10's videos are damaging to 'real' UFO research. The Marbella-based channel has produced a series of videos called 'SecureTeam10 debunked' calling SecureTeam10's claims into question. Heathcliff, the owner of Lions Ground, told The Sun Online: 'He outsmarted the UFO believers and today he drives a fancy car thinking: thank you donkeys.' Advertisement The images were taken by the Nasa Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been orbiting the moon for the last seven years. The UFO hunters posted a series of photos taken by the satellite which show a disc-like object from different angles. They have claimed that the unusual structure appears at different points of the moon's surface, suggesting that the object is moving around. They added that one image captures the disc-like object in the sky above the moon, suggesting that the structure could be a 'mobile alien base'. The conspiracy theorists also drew attention to another lunar photo which shows a crater that seems to be in the shape of a man-made triangle, with unnaturally clear edges. They have said that this perfectly-shaped triangle has mysteriously now gone missing. The group used Google Moon, a mapping tool similar to Google Earth, to scour the surface of the moon. Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, told MailOnline: 'Mysterious structures on the Moon have fascinated us for decades. 'One of the most striking images in the popular imagination, is the Monolith discovered by astronauts on the Moon in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. 'The images that are now being claimed as proof of artificial structures on the lunar surface are not so impressive, as they can be explained as being caused by natural structures and the way they are illuminated by the sun.' The bizarre lunar structure could be a mobile base for aliens, according to conspiracy theorists from SecureTeam10 SectureTeam10 is one of the most viewed YouTube channels, with over 785,000 people subscribing to its conspiracy videos. But the channel has come under fire, as Lions Ground, a rival channel, claims that it has been intentionally fooling its viewers. According to Lions Ground, SecureTeam10 has been raking in an estimated 600 ($745) a day by posting fake videos that 'outsmart UFO believers.' The conspiracy theorists also drew attention to a crater that seems to be in the shape of a man-made triangle, pictured, with unnaturally defined edges SecureTeam10 claim that the disc-like object (left, upper right) was also captured in the sky above the moon's surface (bottom right) But Lions Ground is not happy about this, and said that many of SecureTeam10's videos are damaging to 'real' UFO research. The Marbella-based channel has produced a series of videos called 'SecureTeam10 debunked' calling SecureTeam10's claims into question. Heathcliff, the owner of Lions Ground, told The Sun Online: 'He outsmarted the UFO believers and today he drives a fancy car thinking: thank you donkeys.' Talking about one of SecureTeam10's videos which claims to show a 'flying saucer' in Antarctica, Heathcliff said that if was really just a pond. He said: 'This is nothing more than a collection of frozen water. 'The only thing he has proven is a lack of research.' They have claimed that the unusual structure, pictured, appears at different points of the moon's surface, suggesting that the object is moving around They have said that this perfectly-shaped triangle has mysteriously now gone missing from Google Moon, a mapping tool similar to Google Maps Humpbacks have been gathering in large groups in a bizarre never-before-seen behaviour that is baffling scientists. The gatherings can reach 200 whales and have been spotted in the midst of mass feeding frenzies off the coast of South Africa - thousands of miles further north than their normal feeding grounds around the Antarctic. The whales are not normally social creatures, preferring to travel and hunt alone, in pairs, or as small groups that quickly disband. Scroll down for video Humpbacks have been gathering in large groups in a bizarre new behaviour that scientists are unable to explain. Aerial photograph of a 'super-group' encountered three miles (5km) west of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa HUMPBACK WHALES The huge mammals grow up to 16 metres (52 feet) in length. They weigh approximately 36,000 kg (79,000 lbs). Despite their intimidating size, humpback whales are harmless to humans. They mostly eat krill and small fish. During the winter months, humpback whales leave the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and migrate past the UK to warmer locations. They are rarely seen in large groups, preferring to travel and hunt alone, in pairs, or as small groups that quickly disband. Advertisement One expert theory suggests that the behaviour is simply a return to sociable activity that was seen before the species had its numbers reduced 90 per cent by whaling in the early 20th century. 'I've never seen anything like this,' Dr Ken Findlay, lead author of the study from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa, told New Scientist. 'It's possible that the behaviour was occurring but just not where it was visible - because there were so few of them, we may not have seen it.' The whales could also be gathering in response to shifts in prey availability. Despite whaling crippling their numbers, the humpback has seen a mysterious resurgence in numbers in recent years. 'For the last few decades, suddenly they seem to have overcome some threshold and have begun to increase very fast,' Dr Gisli Vikingsson, head of whale research at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland, told New Scientist. The gatherings can reach 200 whales and have been spotted in the midst of mass feeding frenzies off the coast of South Africa. Photograph of a 'super-group' within a widely distributed collection of smaller feeding sub-groups (foreground) off South Africa's Dassen Island Researchers have spotted the bizarre behaviour on three separate cruises around the Cape Peninsula of South Africa in 2011, 2014 and 2015, as well as a handful of public observations from aircraft The huge mammals grow up to 16 metres (52 feet) in length, and weigh approximately 36,000 kg (79,000 lbs). Despite their intimidating size, humpback whales are harmless to humans and mostly eat krill and small fish. Humpbacks were found feeding off the Cape Peninsula area once before, but that was almost a century ago. Now researchers at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa have spotted the bizarre behaviour on three separate cruises in 2011, 2014 and 2015, as well as a handful of public observations from aircraft. 'It's quite unusual to see them in such large groups,' said Dr Vikingsson. Humpbacks usually spend the summer months around the Antarctic where they feed on krill and build up fat stores for the winter. In winter they swim to tropical and subtropical waters where female whales give birth to new calves. Humans are now spread across all corners of the globe, but what's the next step? According to the head of the British Interplanetary Society, they could be living in space colonies in as little as two decades time. And life in space would be good - with people growing taller and even living longer than their counterparts left on Earth. Scroll down for video The British Interplanetary Society says humans could be living in space colonies in as little as two decades time (artist's impression) SPACE COLONIES A space settlement would be a large structure, comparable in size to a town or small city, built in Earth's orbit. It would have similar amenities and services to towns and cities on Earth, and would enable people to live in space. The ISS currently houses six astronauts at a time, but a space settlement would thousands of people on board. The British Interplanetary Society have created designs for 20-mile long colonies which could hold up to ten million people. They believe the first colonies could be up and running in 20 years time. Advertisement Jerry Stone, head of the British Interplanetary Society told the Independent that these colonies would would consist of a vast rotating hollow cylinder which would create gravity for people living on board. Although it might sound a far-fetched, Mr Stone believes they could be up and running in 20 years time. Mr Stone said it depended on private space companies developing cheap space travel in the coming years. 'If we were to say start in 10 years' time, we could potentially have this up and finished in 20 years from now, which is pretty amazing, isn't it?' he told the Independent. He believes we even had the technology to start on it 40 years ago. 'If we were to do this now we could probably to it far more efficiently than back in the 1970s that's why I started this project at the British Interplanetary Society', he said. Speaking ahead of the British Science Festival lecture, Mr Stone said space colonists would build solar panels to provide power on earth. A space settlement would be a large structure, comparable in size to a town or small city, built in Earth's orbit. It would have similar amenities and services to towns and cities on Earth, and would enable people to live in space. The ISS currently houses six astronauts at a time, but a space settlement would have hundreds or thousands of people on board. One of the most well known of these space colonies is 'Cooper Station' (pictured), a satellite seen in Christopher Nolan's 2014 film 'Interstellar' Future space settlements may also have artificial gravity by rotating around an axis. 'On the International Space Station, people are completely weightless and that's not what we want. 'For most of the time, [the colonists] will be working and living under simulated gravity, which will be much better for them health-wise.' The BIS has been in contact with Rothamsted agricultural research about space crops that could feed people in the colonies. 'When you are building a space settlement, you are also involved in a huge range of topics such as town planning, housing, offices, administration, parkland and so forth, agriculture ecology is a huge thing', he said. The team are still undecided about exactly what form these colonies will take. 'There are other designs for a ring-shaped colony and the cylinders could be four miles in diameter and 20 miles long,' Mr Stone said. 'They could hold up to 10 million people.' It has been billed as Samsung's 'make or break' handset following the firm's disastrous Galaxy Note 7 launch. But now a leading analyst has said the Galaxy S8 will struggle to outsell the previous model in the range. Prominent Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI said Samsung's phone lacks 'sufficiently attractive selling points' and thus the OLED iPhone could be a 'bigger draw for consumers'. Scroll down for video Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI said Samsung's phone lacks 'sufficiently attractive selling points' and thus the OLED iPhone could be a 'bigger draw for consumers'. 'We project Galaxy S8 shipments of 40-45mn units in 2017F, implying slower momentum compared to Galaxy S7 in 2016 (around 52mn units shipped),' the note says. 'We are conservative on demand for Galaxy S8, and believe its contribution to the supply chain will be limited. 'Instead we recommend focusing on the sales outlook and supply chain momentum of Apples (US) OLED iPhone model.' The latest images claiming to be the Samsung Galaxy S8 have revealed a device with thin bezels and a missing home button - showing off what the firm is expected to call its 'infinity display'. The fingerprint scanner has been relocated to the back of the handset, but the pictures have also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S8 could be equipped with an iris scanner. SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 The latest images The latest leaks claiming to be the Samsung Galaxy S8 were unearthed by Slashleaks. The images show a smartphone in a clear casing with a curved edge-to-edge screen. The bezels are also very thing bezels and the home button has been removed. However, the images suggest that the fingerprint scanner has been relocated to the back on the handset - and it could be designed with an iris scanner. Its also speculated that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will have a headphone jack and a USB-C connector. Advertisement The latest leaks were unearthed by Slashleaks, which also shared a short video of what could be the Samsung Galaxy S8. For many Samsung customers, the Galaxy S8 is not just the firm's next phone, but a chance for the smartphone maker to redeem themselves for the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco - 2.5 million devices were recalled after reports that some were exploding. And although other rumors speculate the handset won't be out until March 29, it has been one of the most talked about devices for the past few months. The images from Slashleaks gives users a clear view of the handset, which is inside a clear case. The front of the smartphone looks similar to other rumors, as it has a curved edge-to-edge display and the home button has been removed from the front. And the S8 will have a few feature the iPhone 8 won't have a headphone jack and USB-C connector. Although we have seen numerous images claiming to be Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone, a video surfaced last month that provides a quick look at how it could work. A video claiming to show a gold Galaxy S8 revealed the keyboard setup and Contacts application. The fingerprint scanner has been relocated to the back of the handset, but the pictures have also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S8 could be equipped with an iris scanner The clip also suggested that the handset will have a dual-edge curved display with minimal bezels and no physical home button the same rumors unearthed by Slashleak on Monday. The video was obtained by MobileFun, a British online retailer, which is known for detailed leaks. 'We were sent this from our china sourcing team for the Olixar brand who received the phone ahead of launch to test the following screen protectors which I'll attach in this email,' Mike Hart, who creates and runs the content on the MobileFun YouTube channel, told DailyMail.com in an email. 'We're 100% sure this is the S8 due to the teaser released by Samsung yesterday in which they reveal the new button-less front panel, allowing for a larger screen to body ratio, previously unseen in smartphones of this nature.' The handset in the short video boasts a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge screen and because the display takes up a majority of the phone's face, it appears Samsung was not able to include their logo on the front. The Samsung Galaxy S8 appears to have a think and sleek design and it will have a few feature the iPhone 8 won't have a headphone jack and USB-C connector MobileFun's leak also confirms that the smartphone will have tiny top and bottom bezels and will run on a new version of Samsung's TouchWiz UI. 'We can confirm that the S8 will come in two models, the S8 and the S8 Plus. Both featuring no home buttons in favor of digital buttons,' explained Hart. 'We also noticed that the on screen buttons will be switchable to allow for more customization.' The smartphone shown in the video does look very similar to other images that have surfaced in the past. Although we have seen numerous images claiming to be Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone, a video surfaced last month that provides a quick look at how it could work The smartphone shown in the video does look very similar to other images that have surfaced in the past. But this is the first leak that gives users a look at how the keyboard could look and at the Contacts application MOBILEFUN LEAKS CASES A video from MobileFun gives users a glimpse at what could be the cases for the Samsung S8 and the S8 Plus. The leaks suggest that both smartphones will be similar in height to the Galaxy S7 family, but the S8 Plus could be the widest handset the firm has yet to make. There are three cutouts on the bottom that Hart believes is a speaker, a jack for the headphones and the stylus. The cases shows what could be dual speakers. It appears that both the S8 and the S8 Plus will be designed with wireless charging, as the charging port cutouts are missing, and will be come with the S Pen. The power button has been relocated to the same side as the volume buttons, leaving one side empty for a cleaner look. Advertisement Samsung shared a teaser at the end of the press conference on Sunday, inviting customers to 'unbox their phones,' an apparent reference to handset's super-slim bezels. The South Korean firm was forced to push back to launch of the handset, as they are still dealing with the Galaxy Note 7 recall. The delay also gives Samsung more time to make sure it has done everything right, given that any minor bug will surely draw outsized attention. Simon Wong, an unemployed 61-year-old, pays 184 a month to live in a four-foot by eight-foot box Hong Kong prices are so high that for some, cramped wire cages and 'coffin apartments' are the only option In Seoul, South Korea, 73-year-old divorcee Kong Kyung-soon lives in an apartment measuring six square feet Advertisement The world isn't getting any bigger, but its population certainly is. And for many of its most condensed cities, it's the poorest who must bear the brunt of a worsening battle for space. In Hong Kong, where the cost of property has more than doubled since 2012, some are forced to live in spaces ominously referred to as 'cage homes' or 'coffin apartments' - tiny, cramped and for what they are, ludicrously expensive. One woman pictured here lives with her young son in a 60-sq-ft room for a staggering 400 per month. Not far away, a man lives alone in an even smaller coffin apartment, measuring just 20-sq-ft. There's not even enough space to stand up and yet he pays 182 per month. In South Korea, 73-year-old divorcee Kong Kyung-soon makes do with little more than six square feet in Seocho-gu, adjacent to the wealthy Gangnam suburb in Seoul. Other living situations documented here include the family-of-three who lost their home during the 2009 financial crisis and had to move into a Los Angeles garage; and the 300-sq-ft micro-apartments in New York City, which cost a whopping $2,700 (2,218) per month. Home prices have increased nearly 50 per cent since 2012 in Kong Kong, making the property here among the most unaffordable in the world - and forcing some to live in these stackable 'cage homes' Some of these inhabitants have lived in caged homes for decades, paying around the equivalent of 185 per month in rent The alternative in Hong Kong is one of these 60-sq-ft 'coffin' apartments. This woman lives in one with her young son for around 400 per month In 2011, Tracy Burger, his wife Elizabeth and their son, pictured, were forced to move into the cramped one-room garage attached to the house of Elizabeth's mother after losing their jobs during the 2009 financial crisis Kong Kyung-soon, 73, lives alone in a space measuring little more than six square feet in Seocho-gu, adjacent to the wealthy Gangnam suburb in Seoul, South Korea She boils water in a rice cooker to save money and pays around 280 per month to live here, having divorced more than 30 years ago after her husband was caught having a string of affairs and then a love-child Simon Wong, a 61-year-old unemployed man, pays 183 per month to live in this box, which measures just four by six feet There is no room to stand up and only enough space to hang a few items of clothing on pegs next to where he sleeps Lee Oi Lin, a 56-year-old woman, pays around 157 per month for her 45-square-foot subdivided flat inside an industrial building in Hong Kong A woman perching on the bed in her minute cubicle home, one of the 19 24-sq-ft units inside a 600-sq-ft residential apartment complex in Hong Kong The coffin home pictured here fits a single bed and residents share a common space with a toilet and sink and pay around 120 per month Elsewhere in Hong Kong, Li Rong, 37, uses the bottom bunk in her nine-foot-square apartment as a bed and the top bunk as space to store the rest of her belongings In the Chinese city of Hefei, a patient who can't afford a bed at the local hospital camps out in the tiny room of a nearby apartment complex instead The Indian slum of Dharav in Mumbai is home to more than a million people who live hand-to-mouth in tiny shacks like these This apartment block, located in New York's Kips Bay neighbourhood, is the city's first micro-unit development, with studios in the region of $2,700 (2,218) per month, measuring around 300-sq-ft, and equipped with space-saving pull-out tables In Poland, this one-person house measures just 36 inches across at its narrowest point, and is wedged into the gap between two buildings in Warsaw Definitely not designed with family life in mind, Keret House is barely big enough for one person to inch their way from the single bed, through the minuscule kitchen and into the tiny toilet In Portland, Oregon, Yves Manika (centre), his wife Mamie (left) and sons Aristote and James (right) lived in this small room at the Chestnut Street shelter in 2013 while they found work and an apartment of their own For Colorado couple Merete Mueller, left, and Christopher Smith, right, living small is a choice. They've built a tiny home on land near Hartsel, measuring 19 by seven feet Advertisement Forget getting a decent seat, here you're lucky if you can squash yourself onto the roof. These staggering images capture the crushing daily grind for commuters in Bangladesh, which sees thousands of workers clambering over one another to board a train out of Dhaka city. Men, women and children are yanked up onto the 12-ft-high roof of the train as they struggle to find themselves space on the often-dangerous journey home after work. These staggering images capture the crushing daily grind for commuters in Bangladesh, which sees thousands of workers clambering over one another to board a train out of Dhaka city With no seats available inside, many commuters decide to take the risk and choose a rooftop view for their journey out of the city. Documentary maker Yousuf Tushar spent all day at Dhaka city train station to capture the overcrowded busy scenes. The 33-year-old, of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, explains: 'It is busiest on the trains in the mornings and evenings when people are coming into the city to work or leaving to go home. 'Those who fail to get a place inside the train end up climbing onto the roof or holding onto the sides and fronts of the train.' With no seats available inside, many commuters decide to take the risk and choose a rooftop view for their journey out of the city Men, women and children are yanked up onto the 12-ft-high roof of the train as they struggle to find themselves a space and make the often dangerous journey home after work Documentary maker Yousuf Tushar spent all day at Dhaka city train station to capture the overcrowded busy scenes The 33-year-old, of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, said: 'It is busiest on the trains in the mornings and evenings when people are coming into the city to work or leaving to go home' He added: 'Around 2,000 people climb onto the roof of the trains. Many people need help climbing up - either from those inside or those already on the roof because the carriages are at least 12ft.' Mr Tushar was at the train station for the whole day taking these photos - sometimes on the footbridge until he caught the train home himself. 'I travelled on the roof to get some photos,' he reveals, remarking that the average speed is around 27mph. Those who fail to get a place inside the train end up climbing onto the roof or holding onto the sides and fronts of the train Mr Tushar travelled on the roof to get some of his photos, he reveals, remarking that the average speed is around 27mph He was at the train station for the whole day taking these photos - sometimes on the footbridge until he caught the train home himself He explains: 'Around 2,000 people climb onto the roof of the trains. Many people need help climbing up - either from those inside or those already on the roof because the carriages are at least 12ft' Mr Tushar explains: 'Most people just sit on the roof, they often don't hold onto anything so just have to rely on balance although sometimes you'll see passengers holding onto each other. 'During festivals or even long holy days, the crowds can get even bigger. 'There is very poor transport management in Bangladesh which is why people opt for the roof and sides of the train if they can't get a seat. 'Most people just want to get home and so they take the risk for their journey.' Mr Tushar says: 'Most people just sit on the roof, they often don't hold onto anything so just have to rely on balance although sometimes you'll see passengers holding onto each other' During festivals or even long holy days, the crowds can get even bigger and the trains take on even heavier burdens Mr Tushar remarks: 'There is very poor transport management in Bangladesh which is why people opt for the roof and sides of the train if they can't get a seat Despite it being a dangerous way to travel, he says: 'Most people just want to get home and so they take the risk for their journey' It's been nearly five years since Jersey Shore aired on television. But on Saturday night, the MTV reality show alums reunited for one more memorable night, bringing back the nostalgic wild days of the hit show. The former cast members celebrated Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola's 30th birthday at a club in New York City. Scroll down for video Back together again! Jersey Shore alums reunited on Saturday for Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola's 30th birthday bash in NYC Snooki, 29, and JWoww, 31, took a break from parenting for one night and captured the festivities on social media. Also present was Deena Cortese and Vinny Guadagnino along with plus ones including JWoww's husband, Roger Mathews, and Deena's fiance, Christopher Buckner. On JWoww's Instagram, the star shared a snap of eating dinner and drinking a martini at a steakhouse before heading to the club with the rest of her friends. Night out: JWoww, 31, took a break from parenting for one night and celebrated the night with husband Roger Mathew From left: Snooki, Michael Fabiani, Deena Cortese, JWoww and birthday girl Sammi sipped some drinks with their former cast members Nostalgic: The gang brought back the wild days of the MTV reality show In a later shot, the whole crew were seen drinking and posing for pics, as they crowded on the dance floor, moving to Drake's One Dance song. In true Jersey Shore fashion, the mom-of-two captioned the photo: 'And I'm wasted' with the hashtag, 'goodnight.' The crew also took pics with Michael Fabiani, who worked behind the scenes on the show. Well-deserved: Snooki also left her little ones at home to spend time with her friends One dance: JWoww and Snooki took to Instagram to show off the celebrations 'These two': JWoww's hubby and Vinny Guadagnino buddied up for a shot Jersey Shore aired on MTV between 2009 and 2012. Many cast members still remain friends including Snooki and JWoww, whose children are also close. The two appeared on the spinoff Snooki & JWoww and the go90 digital series, Snooki & JWoww: Moms With Attitude. They're preparing to marry on Bride and Prejudice. And fan favourites Chris and Grant have revealed their family plans to New Idea magazine. The happy couple said they won't be having children, but plan to have two fur babies instead. Scroll down for video 'Kids aren't really our thing': Bride and Prejudice's Chris (R) and Grant (L) said they won't be having children, but plan to have two fur babies instead 'Kids aren't really our thing,' Chris said with a laugh. 'We love kids, but in terms of my work commitments and our lifestyle, it's probably not a good thing for us.' He added: 'Fur kids, absolutely,' saying they will call their pet dogs, Ruff and Tumble. 'Fur kids, absolutely!' The smitten star said they will call their pet dogs Ruff and Tumble The buff TV star added that he and partner American partner Grant were considering moving to the US to live. On last week's show, Channel Seven left fans hanging after promos for the show said they would air Chris and Grant's wedding, only then telling fans it will be aired this Monday night. 'Dragging out the Grant and Chris storyline on Bride and Prejudice? Playing these games with viewers is f*****,' an angry fan wrote online. Leaving Oz? The buff TV star added that he and partner American partner Grant were considering moving to the US to live Wedding bells: On last week's show, Channel Seven left fans hanging after promos for the show said they would air Chris and Grant's wedding, only then telling fans it will be aired this Monday night 'False advertising! Why did you end tonight's episode before Chris' wedding! Am so P****D OFF! Will not be watching next season!' another commented. The tense episode last week, centred around Chris offering his father - who had previously told his son he wouldn't attend the wedding - one last chance to be at his special day. Having given his father a final chance to attend his wedding in America by offering him paid plane tickets, a very anxious Chris held out hope his Dad would arrive. 'Maybe he's had time to think about it,' Chris said after arriving in Palm Springs, California, the location of his wedding. 'I guess we'll see.... It would be absolutely massive if my Dad turns up,' he continued, as he and Grant were joined by Grant's supportive parents, toasting to the couple. Family: The tense episode last week, centred around Chris offering his father - who had previously told his son he wouldn't attend the wedding - one last chance to be at his special day She brought another man into bed with her and Andrew during their Gold Coast home stay. And now Married At First Sight's bullied wife Cheryl Maitland has declared she never slept with her TV husband during the show, according to an intimate conversation on the Kyle and Jackie O Show. Asked by Kyle if she ever had ever had sex with the Perth firefighter, the 25-year-old replied 'I definitely did not'. 'I definitely did not': Married At First Sight's Cheryl claimed in an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show that she did not sleep with TV husband Andrew No spark? Cheryl reportedly knocked back Andrew's advances, stating she 'only knew him for a short period of time' Cheryl claimed that Andrew tried to spark things between the pair, but she felt she 'only knew him for a short period of time', so knocked back his advances. She also revealed that she has yet to be with anyone since the show, after she remarked: 'I'm scarred for life'. When asked by host Jackie 'O' Henderson if she had discussed personal details with the other partners on the show, the brunette beauty said not all the couples shared the same problems as her and Andrew. 'Yeah, some of them had normal relationships and some of them had that connection and I'm happy for them. Over: The couple who faced numerous troubles, finally parted ways on Sunday night's episode Details also emerged in the interview about the pair's Gold Coast home stay, where it was reported Cheryl brought another man into the couple's bed. The busty brunette clarified that the man in question was her gay friend and that at the time 'it wasn't a big deal'. The home stay occurred before Andrew's infamous 'boy's night out,' where the fireman made fun of Cheryl's intelligence and said he considered himself single. After Cheryl discovered Andrew had made comments about her, she confronted him at the dinner party about the events of the night. But Andrew refused to admit any wrongdoing, lying to the 25-year-old and saying that she was 'full of s***'. Moving on: The 25-year-old also revealed that she has yet to be with anyone since the show Andrew has been touted as a villain on the show, with an unidentified woman recently claiming to Woman's Day magazine that she hooked up with the reality star on Tinder after he was dumped by runaway bride Lauren and before he was re-matched with Cheryl. Cheryl and Andrew's relationship was short lived, with the pair finally parting ways on Sunday night. Asked if she would return to the show during her radio interview, Cheryl said that while it is a 'whirlwind experience' she wouldn't do it again. 'People need to know their true selves before going on it. Stay true to yourself,' she said. He's the Irish chef and My Kitchen Rules judge who can leave contestants shaking in their boots with his feedback. But Colin Fassnidge also knows how to leave them hot under the collar, when the 44-year-old impressed midwives Karen and Ros when he pulled up to the outdoor challenge on Monday's show, on his gleaming Ducati motorbike. After pulling up in his leather jacket and helmet, Karen and Ros giggled to camera when they spoke about his entrance. Scroll down for video Bringing the heat: MKR judge Colin Fassnidge left Karen (L) and Ros (R) hot under the collar on the show on Monday, when he pulled up to a challenge on his motorbike 'He shakes the curly hair out,' Karen said, as Ros continued. 'He gave the hair a bit of a shake and didn't look too bad actually, in his bikie gear,' Ros said with a laugh. Valerie - who is known for her flirty ways on the show - said she was impressed with Colin's bike riding skills. 'He shakes the curly hair out': Colin (pictured) arrived in his leather jacket and looked a little embarrassed as the contestants cheered for him At the wheel: Colin pulled up to the outdoor challenge on his gleaming Ducati motorbike Loving it: 'What a vision that was,' Valerie (L) said to camera, with her daughter Courtney (R) saying her eyes lit up 'What a vision that was,' she said to camera, with her daughter Courtney saying her eyes lit up. Colin joined Pete and the contestants in a car park as they informed them of the day's challenge. Dubbed the baking for bikers challenge, the teams had to make baked goods for charity. They would serve their dishes to 1,000 bikers who were out for the Pink Ribbon Morotcycle Ride. Gulp! Dubbed the baking for bikers challenge, the teams had to make baked goods for charity and 1,000 bikers The contestants would help raise money for the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute with their bake sale. Upon hearing about the challenge, Demi said how excited she was to get going because it was such a good cause. 'Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer, so we're really happy to be baking for a good cause today,' she said. Charlotte Rampling has opened up about her experience of depression, describing it as a dark sickness that consumed her for most of her forties. The Oscar-nominated actress removed herself from the limelight during the 1990s to battle the problem, and explained I could only do that, more or less. Yet she does not subscribe to any technical psychoanalysis of depression, saying: You just live with your time and try to work out as well as you can how the f*** you survive in it.' Scroll down for video 'A dark sickness': Charlotte Rampling has opened up about her experience of depression, describing it as a dark sickness that consumed her for most of her forties In a candid interview about her illness, the 71-year-old said it was so severe that to overcome it required her whole focus, meaning she took on very little work. Its a dark, dark sickness. You either come out or you dont. I did, but it takes a long time, she told The Sunday Times Magazine. My forties were about dealing with that [depression]. I could only do that, more or less. Hard struggle: In a candid interview about her illness, the 71-year-old said it was so severe that to overcome it required her whole focus, meaning she took on very little work And the natural result of her absence from the screen was that the calls from casting directors soon dried up. Once you say no to everything for a while, well, then they just go on to other people, its natural, she added. In 1967, Miss Ramplings elder sister Sarah committed suicide in Buenos Aires, shortly after giving birth to a son. But despite acknowledging in previous interviews that she turned inwards after that, the Broadchurch star was only treated for depression for the first time almost 20 years later, in 1984. She later suffered a nervous breakdown, and then in 1995 she split from her second husband, the French composer Jean-Michael Jarre, after he was seen checking into a hotel with another woman. Suffering in silence: After her elder sister Sarah committed suicide in 1967 the Broadchurch star turned inwards but was only treated for depression almost 20 years later, in 1984 Loving mother and sister: Charlotte, pictured here with her son Barnaby in 1976, has had a turbulent love life - leaving her second husband Jean-Michael Jarre after he had an affair However, she cautioned those who view her illness as a reaction to Sarahs death and the break-up with Jarre. Its all these influences that you cannot handle, she said. Its too easy to say, Oh yes, because the sister. Oh, her husband was leaving her, thats why she had the depression. Miss Rampling will shortly grace our screens alongside Jim Broadbent, Michelle Dockery and Emily Mortimer in The Sense of an Ending, a film about memory based on Julian Barnes Booker Prize-winning novel. In demand star: Miss Rampling will shortly grace our screens alongside Jim Broadbent, Michelle Dockery and Emily Mortimer in The Sense of an Ending She has also been working with Jennifer Lawrence on a Russian spy thriller, and said of Hollywoods highest-paid actress: Shes from a generation of these young girls who are really cool, really together, really down to earth. As a model in London during the Swinging Sixties, Miss Rampling or Charley as she was known then - became one of the great pin-ups of her generation. She made her film debut in 1965, but her most famous role came in 1974 when she starred alongside Dirk Bogarde in The Night Porter. Miss Rampling has now acted in more than 100 films, including the 2015 romantic drama 45 years, for which she received an Oscar nomination. She has also starred in several TV series, including Dexter, Broadchurch and London Spy in the last few years. Stunning beauty: As a model in London during the Swinging Sixties, Miss Rampling or Charley as she was known then - became one of the great pin-ups of her generation Since her divorce from Johnny Depp was finalized after a trying year in early January, she's counted heavily on her friends for support. And on Saturday, Amber Heard attended an event to raise money for Planned Parenthood alongside a group of her girlfriends. The 30-year-old actress enjoyed a cocktail reception, a female-centric play, and an art gallery at the Palace Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Girls' night: Saturday, Amber Heard, 30, attended an event to raise money for Planned Parenthood alongside a group of her girlfriends Amber, who is rumored to be dating Tesla CEO billionaire Elon Musk, wore an understated satin black slip dress for the event. She was joined for a picture by three gal pals, one holding a bouquet of flowers. Also present at the event were Demi Moore, who came to support her daughter Scout Willis' performance, Jonah Hill and his entourage, and Dustin Hoffman and wife Lisa. Stunning: The 30-year-old actress looked good in a black nightie-inspired number A good cause: 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood Supportive mom: Also present at the event were Demi Moore, who came to support her daughter Scout Willis' performance Talented family: Scout, a devout feminist, performed at the female-centric event The We the Women, a Women's Art Collective is a theater and fundraiser event held in Los Angeles, supported by Planned Parenthood, which will receive 100% of the proceeds. It was put together by actresses Nathalie Love and Samantha Ressler. The event saw the debut of the play Women of Manhattan by John Patrick Shanley, an art exhibition curated by Laura Watters, the screening of two original short films, music by DJ Allie Teilz and plenty of dancing. Amber herself has pledged to give her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to two charities. Friendly faces: Jonah Hill was joined by his entourage. He is photographed here with event coordinators Nathalie Love (L) and Samantha Ressler (second from right) Hungry: Dustin Hoffman and his wife were also at the empowering event She told TMZ: 'The donation will be divided equally between the ACLU, with a particular focus to stop violence against women, and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, where I have worked as a volunteer for the past 10 years.' She added: 'Hopefully this experience results in a positive change in the lives of people who need it the most.' The former couple finalized their divorce in January 2017, after Heard filed in May 2016, citing domestic abuse, which Depp denied. Because they did not have a pre-nup, Heard was entitled to all residuals Depp received during their 15-month marriage. Azealia Banks used a box cutter to slash her sister's neck, arm and hand in an April 2009 attack, prosecutors in Manhattan said Friday. The revelation comes as the New York City native faces current accusations she bit a bouncer on the breast. The 25-year-old rapper Banks, who was 17 at the time of the violent incident, was given special treatment as result of her young age, despite her guilty plea in connection with attempted assault in the incident, the New York Daily News reported. Troubled times: Azealia Banks, 25, slashed her sister's neck with a box cutter in 2009, prosecutors in her ongoing trial said The 212 artist is currently in court accused of assault and harassment after she allegedly bit the breast of Christine Soares, a worker at the the New York City nightclub Up&Down. The incident allegedly happened during a skirmish that occurred December 16, 2015 as the rapper was booted from the Chelsea establishment. She was apparently denied entry to an 'invite-only downstairs party' at the club because she did not have the proper entry stamp and was told to get one from 'Upstairs,' Page Six reported. Current events: The New York City native currently faces accusations she bit a worker at a Chelsea nightclub on the breast in December 2015 Court date: Banks was snapped in NYC Friday getting searched as she entered Manhattan Criminal Court She became angry and encountered a pair of bouncers, one female and one male, neither of whom recognized her, according to a source who spoke with Page Six. Banks proceeded to attempt to explain 'who she was, that she's on Rihanna's album.' She got into an altercation with both of them and as the bouncers escorted Azealia out of the club, 'she bites the [female guard] in the breast, almost breaking her shirt,' a source told Page Six. Boomerang? Prosecutors say that the artists's history of violent incidents figures into the current trial Banks was handcuffed and arraigned by police for allegedly punching a female security guard and biting her breast. The star was reportedly 'screaming at the top of her lungs' and 'cursing,' according to Page Six. She was later released. The attack caused 'redness, swelling and bruising' on the victim, prosecutors said in court docs. Got the time? Banks appeared to ask an officer for the time as she passed through detectors The Ice Princess rapper was also accused in October 2015 of attacking a bouncer at a Los Angeles nightspot, according to Assistant District Attorney Shea Donato, though the charges were subsequently dropped. Donato noted the incidents as possible indicators of her past behavior in relation to her current legal on-goings, the newspaper reported; in addition to challenging the credibility of the artist, who's slated to take the stand in the trial. The jury selection process commences Wednesday, with Judge Ann Scherzer presiding over the Manhattan Criminal Court trial. Dr Chris Brown confirmed on Monday morning that he is off the market. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! host was grilled on his relationship status by Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa after it was revealed his girlfriend Kendall Bora flew out to see him in South Africa last month. And while the 38-year-old sounded extremely hesitant to confirm the romance, he eventually relented when asked directly if he was a taken man, saying: 'Ah... yes.' Snapped up: Dr Chris Brown confirmed on Monday morning that he is off the market The Bondi Vet's revelation was met with a euphoric reaction by presenters Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Wipfli, who had been keen to pry into his notoriously private love life. The duo got the answer they were looking for despite Chris stating that he thought Fitzy and Wippa were 'away from that idle chatter' as he tried to dodge several of their earlier questions. Chris didn't disclose how long he and his girlfriend had been together, swerving the question by joking 'it's a pretty bad line' as he spoke to the broadcasters via telephone from the jungle. In the spotlight: The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! host was grilled on his relationship status by Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa New flame: It was revealed his girlfriend Kendall Bora (middle) flew out to see him in South Africa last month His secret's out: While the 38-year-old sounded extremely hesitant to confirm the romance, he eventually relented when asked directly if he was a taken man, saying: 'Ah... yes' However, earlier this month The Daily Telegraph reported that the couple had got together approximately six months ago. Kendall, who is the chief of staff for Channel Nine, then flew out to join Chris in South Africa. The TV presenter was spotted showing the brunette around Cape Town with his father Graham and brother Tim. Asking the questions: The Bondi Vet's revelation was met with a euphoric reaction by presenters Ryan Fitzgerald (L) and Michael Wipfli (R) Putting up a fight: The duo got the answer they were looking for despite Chris stating that he thought Fitzy and Wippa were 'away from that idle chatter' Setting a date: Earlier this month The Daily Telegraph reported that the couple had got together approximately six months ago Late last year, Chris was romantically linked to Hannah Thomas, a project manager from Bondi. The veterinarian also counts former Home and Away actress Kassandra Clementi among his former flames. The pair split in 2015 after striking up a relationship a year earlier. She is never shy to show off her womanly body in an array of skimpy ensembles. And Olivia Buckland flaunted her voluptuous figure in a red halterneck bikini with matching bottoms while on holiday in the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland on Sunday. The Love Island star shared the sizzling snap with her one million Instagram followers while on vacation in the exotic location with her fiance Alex Bowen. Scroll down for video Holiday snap: Olivia Buckland flaunted her bikini body and collection of tattoos in a scarlet two-piece as she holidayed in the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland with fiance Alex Bowen Olivia posed confidently in the holiday picture, proudly displaying her tattoo collection as she pointed her foot to make sure her legs were captured at the most flattering angle. The 23-year-old blonde beauty's scarlet bikini featured a row of pearls which drew the eye to her impressive bust, barely contained in the cups of the halterneck. Her tummy looked toned and trim as she showed off her developing tan. Olivia pulled her blonde locks back into a messy up do and pouted for the camera. The reality star has been enjoying a string of holidays with her fiance Alex. Just a week ago the pair were enjoying the blazing Caribbean sunshine in Barbados. Olivia showed off her enviable physique and womanly curves in a chic crochet two-piece as she topped up her tan on the beachy island. Bikini babe: It's the latest holiday for the star - she confidently flaunted her figure once again last week, as she hit the beach in Barbados last week Gorgeous: The blonde beauty, 23, showed off her enviable physique and womanly curves in a chic crochet two-piece as she topped up her tan in the blazing Caribbean sunshine The reality star displayed her slender figure and flat stomach in the bikini, which was lined with a stylish multi-coloured crochet trim. Making the look both saucy and chic, the top plunged into a sweeping V neckline, to give a glimpse of her delicate cleavage and plenty of sun-kissed skin to all. Her matching briefs then rose far above her hip to lengthen her already long and lean legs - before cutting into a saucy thong at the back to draw attention to her peachy derriere. Stylish: The reality star displayed her slender figure and flat stomach in the bikini, which was lined with a chic multi-coloured crochet trim Cooling off: Making the look both saucy and chic, the top plunged into a sweeping V neckline, to give a glimpse of her delicate cleavage and plenty of sun-kissed skin to all Adding nothing but a sporty cap to her beach-side look, Olivia left her petite waist and her numerous tattoos on show, as she strutted her stuff on the sand. Clearly fully relaxed on the idyllic getaway, the Essex native left her face completely make-up free as she topped up her tan, to display her clear and glowing skin. With her blonde hair falling into loose waves across her shoulders, the reality star appeared comfortable and content as she enjoyed a quick cooling dip in the sea. Leggy lady: Her matching briefs then rose far above her hip to lengthen her already long and lean legs Baring all: Adding nothing but a sporty cap to her beach-side look, Olivia left her petite waist and her numerous tattoos on show, as she strutted her stuff on the sand Bottoms up! Olivia later returned to her sunbed to top up her tan - showing off her derriere with it poised in the air Romantic getaway: Later joining her man, 24, on his sunbed, the pair proved they were as loved-up as ever as they indulged in a steamy embrace, with Olivia straddling the hunk Later joining her man, 24, on his sunbed, the pair proved they were as loved-up as ever as they indulged in a steamy embrace, with Olivia straddling the hunk with her behind poised high in the air. Alex and Olivia have been inseparable in recent weeks - especially after OIivia was involved in three car collision in London earlier this month. The beauty sustained an injury to her head in the terrifying crash, when a van ploughed into the back of her taxi as she was travelling home from a showbiz bash. Chilling out: The duo have been enjoying a romantic getaway in Barbados over the last few weeks Besotted: Alex and Olivia have been inseparable in recent weeks - especially after OIivia was involved in three car collision in London earlier this month My babe: The pair cuddled up on their sunbeds as they soaked up the sun Helping hand: Olivia then made the most of a cloudy moment as she put more sun cream on her beau's back Their own Love Island! Alex and Olivia met 10 months ago on the 2016 series of Love Island However she took to Twitter to confirm she was not more seriously hurt, and to explain that Alex had picked her up from the scene - proving their relationship to be as solid as ever. Alex and Olivia met 10 months ago on the 2016 series of Love Island, and swiftly became engaged in December during a romantic trip to New York City. Recently speaking to new! magazine about whether she'd invite the Love Island girls to her hen do, Olivia said: 'Yeah, I've spoken to a few of them. Stronger than ever: The pair swiftly became engaged in December during a romantic trip to New York City Reality show romance: She recently admitted that she would invite her Love Island co-stars to her hen-do Firm friends: Talking about the friends the pair made on the show, the blonde admitted that the group were still 'really close' Forward planning: She also admitted that Cara De La Hoyde, who won the show with her boyfriend Nathan Massey, might be a bridesmaid at the pair's wedding Hunk: Meanwhile Alex set pulses racing with his toned physique in a tiny set of black swim shorts 'I still speak to Cara quite a lot, so she's definitely going to be there. Yes. [She might be a bridesmaid]. We're still really close.' Olivia then admitted that she and Alex do have plans for children - but are keen to spend time alone as a couple before adding to their brood. She said to MailOnline: 'We have said we want kids eventually. We just want to enjoy our time together, we have a lot to do, experiences to have, holidays to take. 'It will be nice but maybe not in the next seven years. I'm still a baby anyway. I would never let my kids watch Love Island! There's not as much controversy in sex on TV as there used to be. But I won't be showing my kids Love Island. Maybe keep it secret from them for quite a while.' Chilling out: Alex happily sipped on a beer as he watched his girl enjoy a dip in the sea Forever: Olivia also recently admitted that she and Alex do have plans for children - but are keen to spend time alone as a couple before adding to their brood Jet-setters: She said to MailOnline: 'We have said we want kids eventually. We just want to enjoy our time together, we have a lot to do, experiences to have, holidays to take' Gina Rodriguez looked fantastic as she made an appearance at the premiere of movie Seed on Saturday. The 32-year-old actress kept it casual as she showed off her natural good looks at the South by Southwest event in Austin Texas. Seed tells the story of three startups from around the world as they descend on San Francisco for AngelHacks Silicon Valley Week. Showing support: On Sunday, Gina Rodriguez, 32, made an appearance at the South by Southwest premiere of movie Seed, in Austin Texas The Jane the Virgin star wore a loose-fitting cream top with applique trim. Gina kept it simple with a pair of skinny jeans and suede ankle boots. The pretty Latina wore her shoulder length locks straight, while her make-up featured a heavily-winged eye and nude lip. Feminine frills: The Jane the Virgin star wore a loose-fitting cream top with applique trim. She is pictured with AngelHack founder Sabeen Ali Classic route: Gina kept it simple with a pair of skinny jeans and suede ankle boots. The actress was joined by director Andrew Wonder During the event, the Golden Globe winner addressed the attendees once inside the theaters. The 32-year-old was also a guest panelist for the Hacking the Script: Disrupt Diversity in Hollywood discussion. In January, it was announced that the star's I Can and I Will production company signed a deal with CBS Television Studios. Business chats: The duo engaged in light conversation Through her company, she will create content for both television and streaming services, according to Deadline. Gina's company recently sold a project to Hulu based on the book, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your A**. Later this year, The Star actress will release her first book, called I Can and I Will: Tools My Daddy Gave Me. Her CW series, Jane the Virgin, has also been renewed for a fourth season. Talking points: During the event, the Golden Globe winner addressed the attendees once inside the theaters On Sunday, 12th March, AnnaLynne attended SXSW's most anticipated pop-up conference with Hormel Foods. AnnaLynne arrived in fabulous style, wearing a two piece denim set and her signature golden locks in loose waves. The pop-up at South by Southwest featured a-list panels and speakers including Kristen Bell and Lisa Selk of Hormel. McCord debuted her guacamole-making skills at the Austin soiree, creating her custom guacamole at the Wholly Guacamole build-your-own-guac bar, complete with fresh local veggies and fixins picked by McCord. Yum: AnnaLynne McCord stops by SXSW event for a fun-filled day with Hormel Gatherings, Natural choice and wholly Guacamole The actress also dined on premier HORMEL GATHERINGS' and Natural Choice meats, cheeses and snacks, piling them high on her personal charcuterie board. Guests at the event also joined in on the fun- creating signature charcuterie snacks featuring Italian Dry Salami, Sopressata, Hot Sopressata, Cheddar and Colby Jack Cheese, Mixed Nuts & Dried Fruit, fresh local fruit, NATURAL CHOICE Turkey Breast, Pepper Jack Cheese, Oven Roasted Chicken, and more. Before leaving, McCord stopped to write on the Hormel Foods' chalkboard wall, writing her favorite thing to have at a gathering is "cheese!!!" McCord was in fantastic spirits at the event, her first public appearance since her candid BBC interview. It was one of the most popular programmes ever to air on the BBC. So speculation as to who will fill the Mary Berry-shaped void in the new era of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 is being scrutinised by ardent fans across the nation. Now The Sun has claimed the restaurateur and cookery writer Prue Leith is is expected to sign a deal with the broadcaster for around 200,000 for the series - which dwarfs the 70,000 Mary, 81, was paid by the BBC for the same role. Scroll down for video That's some serious dough! Prue Leith 'to be paid 200,000 for judging role on Great British Bake Off reboot... three times as much as Mary Berry' Channel 4 bought the rights to the Bake Off from the BBC and producers Love Productions last year with a 75 million three year offer. And the drama all kicked off when Mary, Mel, 48, and Sue, 47, refused to follow the money over at Channel 4 - while co-judge Paul Hollywood secured a deal that he said 'doubled his wages'. Last month 77-year-old veteran foodie Prue admitted she was one of two people still in the running to replace national favourite Mary Berry as a judge in the new series, which is set to start filming later this year. A source told The Sun: 'Prue is a cooking legend and has a lot of respect in the food world. 'The BBC were really under-paying both Mary and Paul during their time on the show. Filling her shoes: Leith will join Paul Hollywood as a judge when the revamped show moves to Channel 4 this year, in place of Mary Berry (pictured) 'Prue will be on a lot of money but it's not an unexpected amount for one of the main faces on a show as big as Bake Off to be earning.' A Channel 4 spokesman said: 'We will announce the line-up for the next series of The Great British Bake Off in due course.' Prue, who has already proved her television metal as a judge on the BBC programme Great British Menu. Should she sign on, Prue would also bring the old school star factor Mary added to the judging panel. Similarities: The likeness between the two has been drawn no doubt as food writer Prue is the same age Mary - now 81 - was when Bake Off debuted in 2010 And the winner is...: Current Bake Off champ Candice Brown attended the annual catwalk show and party to raise funds for the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity at the Savoy London on Monday In the dark: Candice claims she knows nothing about who will be officially presenting and judging the Channel 4 version of Bake Off (pictured with Nell McAndrew) The cookery writer and award-winning restaurateur was awarded an OBE in 1989 and a CBE in 2010. And the likeness between the two has been drawn, no doubt, as food writer Prue is the same age Mary - now 81 - was when Bake Off debuted in 2010. Leith started out in the cookery world as a caterer in the 60s, before opening her famous Michelin-starred restaurant Leith's in 1969. In 1975 she founded her own cookery school, Leith's School of Food and Wine, to train professional chefs and amateur cooks. They go way back: 'Both are from similar backgrounds, so hopefully viewers will be accepting and give Prue a chance to win them over,' the insider said Prue revealed that it was a contest for the role between her and one other candidate back in February. She told the Press Association: 'I think I'm close but I know there are two people in the running. One other person. 'I've had two auditions with them and lots of meetings. I can wish. I can dream. 'Of course I'd love to do it. Who wouldn't want to do it? I've known Mary for years and she loved it.' Scandal: 'She's got a soft spot for the men. But she likes her men with a degree of risk,' he declared, before elaborating: 'The most scandalous one: she was having a 13-year affair with the husband of her mum's best friend. And then she married him!' Rylan explained And while the baker may have sealed the deal on the highly paid gig, details of her colourful past recently started to seep out of the woodwork. According to Rylan Clark Neal on This Morning, she is 'the saucy version of Mary Berry'. 'She's got a soft spot for the men. But she likes her men with a degree of risk,' he declared, before elaborating: 'The most scandalous one: she was having a 13-year affair with the husband of her mum's best friend. And then she married him!' He added: 'We like a bit of drama and [the new Bake Off] hasn't even started yet!' Cookery queen: Leith started out in the cookery world as a caterer in the 60s, before opening her famous Michelin-starred restaurant Leith's in 1969 Reaching a reported turnover of 15m, Prue sold all but the restaurant in the group in 1993. Two years later she sold the restaurant, and later that year helped found the Prue Leith College, (later renamed Prue Leith Chef's Academy) in South Africa. Names floated around as replacements for all three loved stars have included the likes of Davina McCall, Richard Ayoade and French & Saunders as potential replacement hosts. While Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson have also been slated to replace Mary Berry. Michel Roux Jr, 56, a two-star Michelin chef, was also previously tipped as a hot favourite to replace Mary after he was spotted arriving at a test shoot in London in January. Cooking up a feast: Proving her television experience, she has been a judge on the BBC television programme Great British Menu since it launched in 2006 (pictured) The 56-year-old boasts previous presenting experience on Masterchef and Saturday Kitchen. He was joined by Irish chef Rachel Allen, a baking whizz, 44, who has hosted the Good Food Channel's Market Kitchen show and a series called Rachel Allen: Bake! for RTE. Joining them at the secret venue appeared to be potential replacements for baking queen Berry herself, including Frances Atkins - one of only six female Michelin starred chefs in the UK. Lone wolf: At the moment baker Paul Hollywood is the only judge officially set to return to the show when it moves to Channel 4 The former gang: Beloved double act Mel and Sue refused to follow the money over at Channel 4 when it moved over from the BBC for around 75 million One of the many perks of being a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show are the unique and extravagant gifts. And first-timer on the show, Luke Evans, was treated with quite the surprise after revealing he was a big Adele fan. Ellen gifted the 37-year-old Beauty And The Beast actor with a shower curtain of Adele and a cut-out for his face so he can sing beside her in the shower. Scroll down for video First timer! Luke Evans sat down with Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show for the first time and spoke about his admiration for Adele The actor - who plays Gaston in the live-action Disney remake - showed the audience a video of his usual Sunday morning shenanigans. 'I'm the biggest fan of Adele,' the actor said as the video portrayed Luke belting out When We Were Young while FaceTiming his mom in his shower towel. 'This is what I do Sunday morning, sing Adele tracks,' Luke said. 'I FaceTime my mom when I learn a new song and she loves that. She tells me if I should drop it there or learn it better.' Huge fan: The 37-year-old actor showed audiences a video of him FaceTiming his mom while belting out tunes to When We Were Young The 59-year-old comedian then rolled out the shower curtain cut-out and said, 'now you can sing with Adele.' Luke treated the audience with a few verses of When We Were Young as he stuck his face out of the shirtless cutout. Ellen also welcomed The Girl On The Train actor to her show with a slideshow of his shirtless photos. Surprise! The 59-year-old talk show host then gifted the Beauty And The Beast actor with a shower curtain of Adele with a cutout for his face 'We have a ritual, and you have to bear with us. Whenever it's your first time on the show, we have to show shirtless photos,' she said as Luke replied: 'Oh no, don't embarrass me.' Images of Luke on the beach, lying down on his couch and in a bathtub drinking a beer emerged on the screen as the audience cheered loudly. 'Now I'll never post another one,' Luke joked, adding: 'This is a very female-heavy audience. That worked out quite well.' 'Ritual:' The comedian had some more fun with Luke as she played a slideshow of his shirtless photos for the female audience The UK born actor also spoke about his dream role where he was able to merge his musical career with his film career as the portrayal of Gaston. 'It's always fun playing a bad guy,' Luke said. 'The good thing about Gaston is that he's lovable, so I want people to like him a little. So that when he turns into a monster, you're questioning his moral compass.' The highly-anticipated film hits theaters on March 17. She is an Oscar winner and one of the most famous actresses in the world. So it comes as no wonder Anne Hathaway made sure to go incognito on her latest outing. The 34-year-old star was spotted wearing a large sunhat and shades while taking a trip to the farmers' market in Hollywood. Out and about: Anne Hathaway, 34, was snapped at the farmers' market in Hollywood Sunday She also wore a long blue denim jumpsuit with a plain white shirt underneath. The Academy Award-winning Les Miserables beauty looked relaxed after an eventful week. Anne, who's part of the ensemble cast of the upcoming Ocean's Eight, appeared at the United Nations Wednesday to commemorate International Womens Day, delivering an impassioned speech on parents taking paid leave. All-natural: The Academy Award-winning actress carefully examined the fresh fruits and vegetables available at the outdoor facility Beaming: Something caught the Ocean's Eight beauty's attention as she rummaged through the goodies All done: The star kept to herself as she left the market with two bags full of fruits and veggies She brought up the conundrum associated with the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which new parents receive leave for 12 weeks without pay. The UN goodwill ambassador said in her speech that decision-makers need to 'redefine and de-stigmatize mens roles as caregivers,' pointing at issues germane to the ongoing social climate of the day. 'In order to liberate women, we need to liberate men,' she said. 'Why do we continue to undervalue fathers and overburden mothers?' Changing times: Anne said that men should be treated the same as women when it comes to taking parental leave from their jobs Activist: The beautiful actress has never been shy about speaking out on social and political issues she holds dear The Devil Wears Prada star also gave her 7.7 million Instagram followers a first look at Jonathan Rosebanks Shulman, her 11-month-old son with actor-producer husband Adam Shulman. The Princess Diaries performer Thursday shared a shot of the tot watching her outing at the U.N., writing: 'RS watching Mommy give her speech at the UN yesterday #forourboys #forourgirls #forthefuture #loveislove #parentsareparents #paidparental #iwd #ppl @unwomen.' The proud parents are set to celebrate Jonathan's birthday later this month, as The Alice Through the Looking Glass actress gave birth to her first child March 24, 2016. She might have a demanding Hollywood career, but it's her family life she adores. And on Sunday, Rachel Zoe spent the day at a farmers market in Brentwood with husband Rodger Berman and their two sons. A low-key afternoon was not the norm for the fashion designer, who made the city streets her runway in a spring-inspired ensemble. Bonding time: On Sunday, Rachel Zoe, 45, spent the day at a farmers market in Brentwood with husband Rodger Berman and their two sons, Skyler, five and Kaius Berman, three Rachel wore a flowing, black dress adorned with pink flowers. The mum-of-two threw a denim jacket over her shoulders and accessorized with multiple rings and a pair of shades. The celebrity stylist and designer added extra height to her frame with a pair of sky-high wedges. Spring ready: Rachel wore a flowing, black dress adorned with pink flowers Quick change! The mum-of-two threw a denim jacket over her shoulders, but later put it on as it proved impractical when it was time to carry her youngest Despite standing tall in her heels, the busy mum did not leave parenting duties to husband Rodger. The Rachel Zoe Project star kept a close hold to both her boys, trading off between pushing them in a pram or carrying one on her hip. The entreprenuer later stopped to grab items from a local vendor. Buying some lunch: The Living in Style author looked to have purchased some vegetable goods from a vendor Moving along: Husband Rodger pushed young Skyler in his pram Sundays appear to be family days for the celebrity designer. For five years, Rachel had her own Bravo reality show, The Rachel Zoe Project. She also had a talk show called Fashionably Late With Rachel Zoe, which premiered in July 2015. Now, the star is taking advantage of social media, specifically Instagram Stories. Each Sunday at 9 a.m. PT, the mum and wife broadcasts live for two minutes. 'Since The Rachel Zoe Project has been off the air, there's been a constant ask , whether it's in person around the world or on social media, to bring the show back,' she told the Hollywood Reporter. 'People really feel like they know you, and in a sense they do. So it sparked this idea where we literally take whatever was going on in my life that day, that hour, that week, whatever it is, and post the videos. It's completely unscripted, anything from an Insta story or a selfie or Roger filming me making pancakes for the kids.' Their relationship is reportedly on 'rocky ground.' And on My Kitchen Rules on Monday, Amy and seafood king Josh did nothing to dispel rumours when they had a dramatic argument on the show, during a challenge. Amy stuck her finger up at her husband while exchanging words with him, and at one point calling him a 'f***ing dog!' Scroll down for video 'Hurry up and crisp your ham you f***ing dog': On MKR on Monday, Amy (pictured) and husband Josh had a dramatic argument after rumours their relationship is on 'rocky ground' 'Hurry up and crisp your ham you f***ing dog,' Amy said, as Josh cooked some in a fry pan for their zucchini, goats cheese and chorizo muffin. 'If we go to sudden death, because of you, it's just how it is,' he added to camera mid-spat. After he again said they would be going to sudden death because of her, she told him off. Feud: 'If we go to sudden death, because of you, it's just how it is,' Josh (pictured) added to camera mid-spat She told him: 'I don't give a f*** to be perfectly frank!' The pair were arguing because Amy thought he wasn't listening to her as they cooked, with her taking on the role as head chef. She thought he was talking to much and doing nothing and first broke out arguing in front of judge Colin Fassnidge. Josh wanted Amy to make another batch of muffins so that they don't run out for the challenge and complained their muffins were too 'doughy' and they should go back in the oven. Dubbed the baking for bikers challenge, the teams had to make baked goods for charity. Who is taking charge? The pair were arguing because Amy thought he wasn't listening to her as they cooked, with her taking on the role as head chef They would serve their dishes to 1,000 bikers who were out for the Pink Ribbon Morotcycle Ride. The contestants would help raise money for the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute with their bake sale. Amy and Josh's feud came after Woman's Day reported that the Broome-based couple may have already split after a number of 'heated spats' during filming. They are apparently on 'rocky ground.' The publication quote a source as claiming: 'The show really put her relationship into perspective as Josh didn't make a lot of friends on set. She definitely had a few breakdowns because of the way he made her feel.' Speculation: Amy and Josh's feud came after Woman's Day reported that the Broome-based couple may have already split after a number of 'heated spats' during filming Josh has clashed with a number of contestants on the Channel Seven show, most notably an on-going feud with Court. And his determination to succeed in the kitchen has allegedly driven the couple apart, according to the magazine's insider. They claimed: 'Once he told Amy she didn't know what she was talking about - it was really humiliating and awkward. Out of all the couples, they definitely argued most.' 'The press team at MKR were worried about them being in the same room together when all the couples filmed the Grand Final in January, because things between them aren't exactly friendly.' While Woman's Day claims the pair could soon be heading separate ways, an article in the latest edition of New Idea says otherwise, with Josh telling the magazine he wants to have a baby with Amy. James McAvoy was all smiles as he arrived at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday to promote his latest film Atomic Blonde. The Scottish actor, 37, donned an all-black ensemble for the premiere of the film which won't open in theatres until July. Still, he and co-star Charlize Theron along with director David Leitch were clearly thrilled to be able to offer festival attendees an early viewing of their action thriller. James McAvoy was all smiles as he arrived at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday to promote his latest film Atomic Blonde. McAvoy wore a lightweight black jacket over a black t-shirt paired with black jeans. The boy-ish looking actor sported some serious stubble too. The X-Men star happily stopped to greet fans and pose for photos ahead of the event. Chiseled: McAvoy, 37, wore a lightweight black jacket over a black t-shirt paired with black jeans. The boy-ish looking Scottish actor sported some serious stubble too. Gracious: The X-Men star happily stopped to greet fans and pose for photos ahead of the event Said a few words: McAvoy addressed the audience before the special screening of the movie that won't hit theatres until July Ahead of the screening, McAvoy took the microphone to talk tot he audience about being at the festival and talk briefly about the movie. He plays the British station chief in Berlin who seeks to help MI6 assassin Lorraine Broughton, played by Theron, spirit a priceless dossier out of the city. Together the two kick some serious butt under the director of John Wick co-director Leitch, who will also direct Deadpool 2. Cast event: The actor joined co-star Charlize Theron and director David Leitch for the Atomic Blonde premiere Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were manipulated by studio bosses who pit the aging stars against each other during Sunday's episode of Feud: Bette And Joan. Studio boss Jack Warner, played by Stanley Tucci, was so thrilled at the on-set hatred of the women that he encouraged director Robert Aldrich to leak gossip to the press and play the Hollywood legends off against each other. 'The more that they despise each other, the more that each one tries to crush the other one the better they get,' Warner told him as he urged Aldrich, played by Alfred Molina, to ramp up the hatred between the stars. United front: Joan Crawford and Bette Davis briefly enjoyed a united front during Sunday's episode of Feud: Bette And Joan The second episode of the anthology series kicked off with a young actress playing the Hudson sisters' neighbor asking Joan, played by Jessica Lange, for an autograph for her grandmother. 'She has loved you since she was a kid,' said the actress, causing Joan to demand she be fired by Aldridge. When he refused to sack the actress Joan went to Bette and told her that the young actress might 'pull focus' away from them and that she had demanded someone 'less showy.' Studio boss: Jack Warner, played by Stanley Tucci, wanted tension between the actresses ramped up Autograph seeker: A young woman playing the Hudson sisters' neighbor asked Joan for an autograph Bette sided with Joan and shouted at Aldridge that he was 'casting with the wrong head' and she was going home sick if the actress was not fired. In the parallel 1978 documentary, Joan Blondell, played by Kathy Bates, said that the rivalry had developed in the 1940s with studios determined to cast them as enemies. Blondell told the cameras that in the 1940s Warner signed Joan to Warner to send a message to Bette that 'You're not the only bitch in the kennel.' Sent home: Bette threatened to go home sick if the young actress was not fired after siding with Joan During the shooting of the movie Jack told Aldridge that he was so pleased with how it was going he would give it a wide release if he could keep his 'f***ing electric' leading ladies 'at each others throats' to create buzz. 'If you do this you will be able to write your own ticket in this town,' Warner told the director. Later Aldridge told wife Harriet that the whole crew knew that Crawford and Davis 'were running the show' as he compared the women to the 'Hitler-Stalin Pact.' Documentary interview: Joan Blondell, played by Kathy Bates, talked about how the studios were determined to cast the stars as enemies Looking back: Olivia de Havilland, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, also talked about studio dynamics Husband and wife: Bob Aldrich was warned by his wife about spreading gossip Harriet told him that he should be careful as there was gossip about his sexual behavior on set with the women and she warned him about spreading gossip of his own. But Aldridge took out gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, played by Judy Davis, who told him she was looking for 'red meat not pabulum' as he told her he had 'too much dignity to get into the gutter' with her. 'I hope that dignity pays your gas bill,' she told him. Spreading gossip: Hedda Hopper got juicy quotes from Bob about Joan and Bette Aldridge agreed to give her a blind item about Joan's 'falsie' breasts and that Bette felt they were 'too perky' and was 'afraid to chip a tooth' if she fell onto them in a scene. When Joan read the column she was furious and threatened to sue Bette - despite her denials she was the source of the story. 'Listen to me I am the only opinion that matters,' Aldridge told his sensitive star. Ourtrageous remarks: The gossip columnist was shocked by the quotes offered by Bob In the 1978 documentary actresses Olivia de Havilland, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, said she was furious at the way the pair 'were being manipulated so cruelly by the men around them.' Joan wasted no time in calling Hedda's rival, Louella Parsons, and gave her an on-the-record quote that 'Miss Davis looks old enough to be my mother. One look at her face and you would not think she has had a happy day or night in her life.' Bette then confronted Joan and reminded her about what was important. Her turn: Joan called up a rival reporter and gave her juicy quotes 'I am not interested in vanity, I am not interested in the gossip, I am interested in the work, that's what I want to do,' she told her angrily as she threatened to 'steal this picture right out from under your nose.' Jack Warner sat down with Aldridge to watch scenes from the movie and was delighted with the 'pure, naked rancor' between the two ladies. Bette then confronted Aldridge about her performance and her relationship with her co-star. Loving it: Studio boss Jack was loving the 'pure, naked rancor' between the stars 'I don't want to end up a joke. I feel like I need to gain control but I don't know if I can do that when I am seeing red all the time,' she told him. Bette suggested that she go out to dinner with Joan to try and make the situation better but Aldridge discouraged her. 'There is such a thing as alchemy Bette, you don't mess with alchemy. My advice is to keep on doing what you are doing,' he said as he told her the performance had her on track for her next Oscar and he assured her he would prevent her from 'looking ridiculous.' Private practice: Bob helped Bette with a scene Getting close: The director got hands on with the actress Joan was told about Aldridge and Bette's private rehearsals and phoned him late at night to tell him that she wanted to quit the movie because she claimed her lover Peter had left her over it. When Aldridge arrived at her home Joan confronted him about his relationship with Bette and demanded to know how long he had been sleeping with her. Aldridge denied it but Joan reminded him about their own 'private rehearsals' on the set of Autumn Leaves as she tried to seduce him. Private visit: Joan called Bob to her house claiming her lover Peter had left her But he refused her and the pair were interrupted by Peter arriving home. Later Hedda stormed into Joan's house to berate her for giving a scoop to her rival and Joan told her she had only done it to get her attention. Joan told her off the record hat she was in financial trouble and owed $2m because of her late husband's debt and had to continue working to put her children through school. He's back: Peter surprised Joan by arriving home while she was trying to seduce Bob 'I have been undermined, sabotaged, it is unfair,' complained Joan about Bette. Hedda told her that Oscar would buy her another five years and that her opinion 'was the only one that matters' and she would help her land one. Back on set Bette met her leading man, Victor Buono, who predicted she was expecting someone 'thinner and less homosexual.' Teaming up: Hedda met with Joan and threw her support behind the actress Leading man: Victor Buono introduced himself to Bette Bette was not impressed at daughter B.D, played by Kiernan Shipka, flirting with members of the crew and told her she was being sent to Maine for the rest of the summer. 'You are jealous because men don't look at you any more and they look at me, you can't take it that your turn is over and you are punishing me,' B.D. told her spitefully. Her daughter then accused her of not moving aside gracefully as other aging actresses before her had done. Mother and daughter: Bette and her daughter B.D. got into a nasty argument 'You know what those women had that you don't mother? Dignity. They moved aside with class when their spin on the carousel was over and that is something you have refused to do and now look at you. 'You are single, lonely and doing this ridiculous role because you cannot live without being in the spotlight. Well guess what? Nobody wants you any more, nobody is watching you any more.' After the fight Bette called Aldridge late at night and when he arrived she told him that she needed 'a friend' before the pair kissed on the floor. When he got home Aldridge climbed back into bed just moments before his alarm went off for his return to the movie set. Nobody watching: B.D. told her mother that nobody was watching her movies She's the kiwi model expecting her first child with jeweller husband Dane Rumble. And as she enters her second trimester, Nikki Phillips showcased her incredible physique in a stunning monochrome striped bikini as she strolled along a Sydney beach with Dane and their two dogs over the weekend. Wearing her blonde locks out the 33-year-old went makeup free for the outing. Looking good! Nikki Phillips showcased her incredible physique in a stunning monochrome striped bikini as she strolled along a Sydney beach with Dane and their two dogs over the weekend Maintaining her svelte frame, Nikki looked in great shape for as she walked on the sand. Smiling happily, the beauty cut a relaxed figure as she walked her dogs near the water. Recently, Nikki appeared on The Morning Show and revealed her heartache after she suffered three miscarriages before she conceived her son. She admitted she still worries about whether her unborn child will make it through the full term of her pregnancy, saying: 'I still worry every single day.' Au natural: Wearing her blonde locks out the 33-year-old went makeup free for the outing 'We had been there before,' she said, referring to hearing she was pregnant. 'We had actually had three miscarriages before he came along, so we felt like we were repeating the whole thing, we had this amazing news and your so excited,' she said. Great shape! Maintaining her svelte frame, Nikki looked in great shape for as she walked on the sand 'But then your like, "is he going to make it? Is it really gong to happen?" 'So when we found out this time, it was like, here we go again, here goes this journey. But once we got to about 12 weeks and we had the harmony test and we found out the sex of the baby as well, it became a bit surreal and we got to enjoy it.' She added: 'I'm still on edge but still, clearly, very happy!' She said they conceived their baby boy after two years of trying. 'There are so many things that can go wrong, from fertility to IVF, to miscarriages....it's such a journey.' So radiant! Smiling happily, the beauty cut a relaxed figure as she walked her dogs near the water 'He didn't just happen, it's been a very mentally and emotional roller coaster.' Nikki said she was overjoyed that she could conceive, having battled stage three cervical cancer after being diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Doctors discovered cancerous cells after Nikki had routine pap smear. They were able to remove the cancerous cells and years later, the model is now believed to be cancer-free. Nikki met Dane while undergoing post-operative testing for cancer and she once told Cleo magazine that he was supportive and 'amazing' throughout the ordeal. Happy news! The pair - who have been married for three years - announced their pregnancy news on Instagram The pair - who have been married for three years - announced their pregnancy news on Instagram, sharing a sweet snap of themselves holding hands and a pair of baby sneakers. 'Its no Beyonce post but our best adventure yet is on its way,' the post read. 'Baby Phillips Rumble is due early July and we are beyond excited, slightly terrified but utterly blessed.' They recently revealed they were expecting a baby boy, announcing the news on Nikki's blog. Supportive: Nikki met Dane while undergoing post-operative testing for cancer and she once told Cleo magazine that he was supportive and 'amazing' throughout the ordeal She recently shared a sweet photo of herself and husband Luke Hunt from their secret wedding three years ago, in celebration of their three year anniversary. And on Sunday, Samantha Harris, 26, opted to embrak on a girls' trip with two friends. The trio arrived at Sydney domestic airport and checked-in ahead of their scheduled flight. Girls getaway! Model Samantha Harris has ditched her husband for trip with two of her gal pals The ladies appeared to be in high spirirts as they made their way through busy terminals. Samantha wore an edgy all-black ensemble that showed off her stunning physique. She sported a short black dress that displayed her trim pins, while the criss-cross detailing on her across her decolletage accentuated her outfit and matched it with a cool leather jacket. Passing the time: After checking their luggage in the ladies were left to peruse through the terminal pass the time waiting for their flight out to an undisclosed location Checking social media: Samantha looked effortlessly cool in a black dress, matched with a leather jacket. She accessorised with a Prada Galleria hand bag Walking through the queues: The short black dress showed off her trim pins, while the criss-cross detailing on her across her decolletage accentuated her outfit Snack time: The girls waited in line to order snacks from the airport's cafe She coordinated the outfit with a pair of black ankle boots and carried her Prada Galleria hand bag. As she toted the designer bag in the crook of her arm, she couldn't help but flaunted her stunning wedding ring. Meanwhile, Samantha kept her makeup natural and minimal in preparation for the flight. Passing the time: The trio also took a seat at the cafe while waiting Headed to the gate: Samantha and her friends then headed to the departure lounge Nervous about the flight: Samantha making her way down the escalators Her tall blonde friend sported a chambray look and white sneakers, as their brunette friend went for a monochrome look with a white Ralph Lauren button down shirt, black ripped skinny jeans and black flats. The trio made efforts to blend in with other travellers, lining up to purchase some pre-flight drinks and snacks, as well as sitting at the cafe table. The group then waited over by the departure gate, looking a little bored, but eager to get on their Virgin Australia flight out of the city. Missing the hubby? She seemed to have something on her mind as she waited at the departure gate Time to board! Their friends make their way to the front as their flight is called for boarding Girls getaway here we come! Her tall blonde friend sported a chambray look and white sneakers, while brunette friend went for a monochrome look with a white Ralph Lauren button down shirt, black ripped skinny jeans and black flats It was only days ago that Samantha was on the runway modelling Kylie Minogue's exclusive glasses range to Specsavers in Sydney. She also revealed to Yahoo Be that she intends to have her own family but not anytime soon. 'I have no idea how many kids, I have friends who have just had children, and I think, 'Oh, I might just have one!' but it's all personal,' she said. Claims emerged on Monday that he is planning a move to the United States with his new girlfriend, Jasmine Yarbrough. But Karl Stefanovic appeared to have packed lightly as he flew out of Sydney Airport over the weekend. The 42-year-old Today show host was pictured walking through the terminal without Jasmine by his side on Sunday, appearing downcast as he toward his departure gate. Scroll down for video Going somewhere? Karl Stefanovic was seen flying out of Sydney airport over the weekend as he reports claims he is considering a move to the United States with new girlfriend, Jasmine Yarbrough While he's renowned for being the funnyman of breakfast TV, Karl looked to be serious on his day off. Wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, he added a tucked-in light blue shirt and a pair of comfortable brown heeled RM Williams boots. Carrying his favourite wide brimmed hat in his hand, it appeared Karl was opting for what can only be described as an 'Outback chic' ensemble. Fashion man! Wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, a tucked-in blue shirt, a pair of brown boots and with a wide brimmed hat in his hand, it appeared Karl was opting for an outfit that can only be described as 'Outback chic' With a number of his shirt buttons undone, the father-of-three showed off his chest hair to add to the country-inspired look. His trip, which is believed to have taken him to Noosa to interview Bindi Irwin and her boyfriend Chandler Powell, comes New Idea claimed on Monday that he is planning to leave Australia. According to the publication, Karl and Jasmine, 33, are set to take their partnership to the next stage as he looks to quit Today to 'follow his heart' to the model's abode in the U.S. According to New Idea, 'Karl met with lawyers to explore options around leaving the breakfast show and becoming Nine's US bureau chief so he can be close to his girlfriend'. Smitten: Moving on? It comes amid rumours Karl, 42 and Jasmine, 33 are set to take their partnership to the next stage as the Today host reportedly looks to quit his job and 'follow his heart' to the U.S. The woman who stole Karl's heart: Jasmine is currently part owner of fashion brand Mara & Mine and spends the majority of her time in the United States 'He knows he would take a pay cut, but would love to relocate to the US in a similar role,' a channel Nine insider reportedly told the publication. The publication claims that despite friends cautioning the father-of-three against any drastic moves, Karl has already made up his mind. 'He's 100 per cent committed to the relationship and sees a future with Jasmine. And after 21 years of marriage, he's not interested in taking things slow - he wants it all with Jasmine,' a friend told New Idea. 'But he knows long-distance relationships are hard - especially when you're talking about the U.S. and Australia. New role? According to a report in New Idea, it is believed 'Karl met with lawyers to explore options around leaving the breakfast show and becoming Nine's US bureau chief so he can be close to his girlfriend' The blonde beauty is currently part owner of fashion brand Mara & Mine who create luxury slip on shoes for celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Margot Robbie. It's believed the couple, who are said to have met on a boat party in December and have been seeing each other since Christmas. Karl split from his wife of 21-years, Cassandra Thorburn, last year. Tegan Martin and Kris Smith were voted out of the jungle just days apart, and it seems the friendly pair were keen to catch up and debrief back home in Sydney. The attractive twosome caught up for a coffee at the upscale Indigo cafe in Double Bay in Sydney on Monday, taking outdoor seats on what was a spectacular sunny summery day. Tegan was dressed casually for the occasion in white jeans and a green shirt, but accentuated her figure by tying a side knot in the top just above tummy level. Hanging out: Tegan Martin and Kris Smith were voted out of the jungle just days apart and it seems the friendly pair were keen to catch up and debrief back home in Sydney The 24-year old paired the shirt with tight white jeans worn below her hip line, her taut, flat tummy on display. The trousers also clung to her bottom in a flattering manner as she leaned over the counter at the cafe to pay the bill. The model's hair was in a cute half-up do with a fun yellow bauble holding her pony tail in place. Looking good: Tegan was dressed casually for the occasion in white jeans and a green shirt, but accentuated her figure by tying a side knot in the top just above tummy level Eating out: The attractive twosome caught up for a coffee at the upscale Indigo cafe in Double Bay, taking outdoor seats on what was a spectacular sunny summery day Pretty good look: The 24-year old paired the shirt with tight white jeans worn below her hip line, her taut, flat tummy on display You don't say! Tegan seemed to be amused by the story Kris was telling I don't believe it! Perhaps the two were talking about all those gross tucker trials Who's next? Perhaps Tegan and Kris were debating who will be voted out next Pretty: Tegan looked natural with a hint of mascara and lipgloss Her 'mate date' Kris looked polished in a crisp white T-shirt and khaki pants that cutoff above his ankles. The outfit was paired with what appeared to be a brand new set of running shoes, and the model was looking a little less thin than he had in the jungle. Tegan and Kris looked to be having a great time catching up, with Tegan laughing heartily and gesturing with her hands. I'll have what she's having: Kris' instruction to the waiter made Tegan laugh Chats: Tegan and Kris enjoyed a spirited discussion while sipping coffee Contemplating: Kris looks like he's having flashbacks to a tucker trial! Crisp! Tegan's 'date' Kris looked polished in a crisp white T-shirt and khaki pants that cutoff above his ankles Stirrer! Tegan appeared to either dip her finger in her drink or stir it with her hand Deep thoughts: It's easy to imagine that the jungle buddies were reminiscing over their wild adventures in South Africa Glowing: Kris appears to have regained some of the weight he lost in the jungle and is looking healthy indeed It's easy to imagine that the jungle buddies were reminiscing over their wild adventures in South Africa. After they finished their coffees, the pair left the cafe together, smiling as they walked down the street side by side. Kris jumped into his nearby car before driving off into the day. Looking back: Tegan's trousers flattered her figure as she leaned over the counter at the cafe to pay the bill Viewers sensed chemistry between Kris and Tegan early on during their days on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Me. Fans took to Twitter during one episode of the show, commenting on just how perfect they would be as a couple, despite the blonde beauty's status as taken. 'Surely Tegan Martin's boyfriend is sweating bullets right now,' wrote one social media user, dismissing fellow contestant Ash Pollard's previous attempt to woo the English hunk. Mates: Tegan and Kris are just friends as Kris is believed to be rekindling his relationship with his former girlfriend, Maddy King The I'm A Celebrity camp soon took notice of the banter between the two, in particular Lisa Curry, 54. 'He and Tegan look good together I reckon,' the former Olympic swimmer told singer and actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte, 41. However Natalie dismissed the idea, telling Lisa that she's off the market, in a relationship with rugby union player Sam Croke. Boost? The former Miss Australia appeared to be wearing a push-up bra under the shirt, the outline of the undergarment showing through the clingy fabric Lisa wasn't the only one to take notice, with fans of the series also voicing their thoughts. One in particular posted a hilarious meme of Winona Ryder at the recent SAG Awards, alongside the caption: 'Tegan's boyfriend as he watches this episode.' While another shared a comparison of Sam Croke and Kris Smith, with the text: 'You versus the guy she told you not to worry about.' Kris is believed to be rekindling his relationship with his former girlfriend, model Maddy King. Meanwhile Tegan is dating hunky rugby union player Sam, with whom she went public in September last year. He's the Australian hunk who's renowned for playing tough roles. And actor Jai Courtney recently recalled how his masculinity once left him questioning his ability to make it on the big screen. The 30-year-old recently told GQ Australia that he has found his calling as an actor while also gushing about 'the woman of his dreams.' Opening up: Jai Courtney recently recalled how his masculinity once left him questioning his ability to make it on the big screen In his interview with the magazine, Jai posed for the camera in a wet t-shirt and said he expected that sport (not theatre) would rule his life. 'Being a guy who'd come up around sport and hung out with guys of that nature... I genuinely thought it was all playing against my ability to get into theatre and study this stuff,' he said. The Suicide Squad star went on to reveal how he overcame self-doubt. Priorities: In his interview with the magazine, Jai posed for the camera in a wet t-shirt and said he expected that sport (not theatre) would rule his life He said looking up to fellow Australian actors such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Sam Worthington kept him optimistic about his career prospects. 'I found it comforting to look at them and see that you could be a bloke, and it could f****** work for you,' he said. 'So there it is I'm a bloke. A bloke who loves theatre and I'm also a sensitive guy.' And not only does Jai love theatre, he's also becoming a bigger part of it everyday worldwide. Superstar: The 30-year-old star of movies such as Suicide Squad and Jack Reacher has told that fellow Australian actors Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe helped him believe he could make it True love: In addition to his professional success he's also enjoying success in his private life, as he is enjoying a blossoming rmance with girlfriend of two years Mecki Dent From small roles on Australian dramas such as All Saints and Packed to the Rafters, he got his big break in 2013 alongside Bruce Willis in 'A Good Day To Die Hard.' Since then he's gone on to become one of Australia's leading faces in Hollywood and has most recently played the leading role in The Exception. In addition to his professional success he's also enjoying success in his private life, as he is enjoying a blossoming rmance with girlfriend of two years Mecki Dent. 'I feel I've met the woman of my dreams and this is it, I hope,' Jai said. He's reportedly 'very unhappy' with the women cast as his potential love interests on The Bachelor. And Matty 'J' Johnson is allegedly so disappointed with his initial suitors, he's demanded 'producers bring in the intruders - and fast', according to NW magazine. 'And if it means hauling themselves down to Bondi Beach to pluck a few bikini babes, so be it!' added the reported show insider. Scroll down for video Not a fan? According to NW, Matty J is unimpressed with the bevy of beauties vying for his attention on The Bachelor The alleged on-set source has claimed that Matty is 'losing it' inside the mansion that houses the reality show's stars. His former Bachelorette co-star Cam Cranley told the publication he was 'worried' his friend won't become attracted to any of the ladies 'if none of them are his type'. Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg had a different view on the situation, telling NW the rumours are 'utter bulls***'. 'Whoever told you that is absolutely full of it,' he added. Red hot: Seen is one blonde contestant (on set of a photo shoot with Matty in Sydney this week). A source told the publication: 'He's said there are better girls he could have found himself in Bondi' Still in love? The source added that the personality regrets going on The Bachelor because he could have a shot at winning back ex Georgia Love, after split rumours with Lee Elliott (pictured) The show insider added Matty is 'still not over Georgia' in reference to The Bachelorette star Georgia Love, who chose Lee Elliott over him in the show's finale. 'He wishes he didn't do The Bachelor as he thinks he could have another chance with Georgia if she and Lee split,' the source alleged. A Network Ten spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the claims are false. Unhappy? The alleged on-set source has claimed that Matty is 'losing it' inside the mansion that houses the reality show's stars, including aspiring contestant Laura-Ann Rullo 'The unsubstantiated claims by an "insider" are completely wrong,' they said. 'With 22 of Australia's most eligible Bachelorettes vying for his affection, Matty J is excited to meet his perfect match.' The network hinted at Matty finding his dream girl, saying: 'Strong chemistry is already developing with some Bachelorettes and viewers will be excited to watch his genuine romance blossom later this year.' Is she the one for Matty? A brunette is seen making facial expressions during the photo shoot On Tuesday, some of the beauties on the show were spotted doing a photo shoot in Sydney while on a group date with Matty - who was shirtless. One brunette was dressed up as a lifesaver, while another blonde stunned in a red bikini. Another raven-haired woman made silly facial expressions as she mucked around on set. Meanwhile Matty was also straddled by a blonde as they channeled the hit flick, Grease. Rescuing Matty? During the shoot, one brunette contestant was dressed up as a lifesaver Hitting it off? Meanwhile, Matty was also straddled by a blonde as they channeled the hit flick, Grease The latest reports clash with what Matty told OK! Magazine, saying he will propose on the finale if he finds the right woman, and wants to start a family. Last week it was confirmed that Matty J was the new Bachelor. He said he was excited to meet the love of his life on the show, and to get to know someone without having sex. The 29-year-old personality also took a swipe at ex Georgia, saying a text message would have sufficed, instead of him being brutally rejected on live television on The Bachelorette finale. 'You get to know someone and it's just about your connection - sex can overshadow getting to know someone,' Matty said about the perks of the show. Meanwhile, Matty is rumoured to be getting a whopping $200,000 for the gig, but he said he signed up because he had some fond memories of his stint on The Bachelorette. 'Without question, the most exciting part is the chance to meet the girl I'm going to spend the rest of my life with,' Matty told The Daily Telegraph. She's an expert when it comes to sporting Hollywood glamour. But Amy Adams favoured a much more natural look when she stepped out to stock up on groceries in Beverly Hills, California, on Sunday. The actress, 42, cut a cool figure while proving she isn't afraid to ditch the war paint as she headed out make-up free in the LA sunshine, wearing a very sexy semi-sheer skirt. Scroll down for video Ditching the glam: Amy Adams chose to head out make-up free, wearing a semi-sheer maxi skirt as she picked up groceries in Beverly Hills on Sunday And while she may have been wowing on the red carpet all awards season, the Arrival star looked just as flawless fresh-faced. Amy sported huge sunglasses to shield her eyes from the rays and chose to don a casual ensemble for her shopping trip. She stepped out in a bohemian inspired maxi dress and teamed her floaty design with a distressed denim jacket. The mum-of-one finished off her outfit with a pair of burnt orange sandals and clutched onto shopping bags as she spent her day running errands with her daughter, who was not pictured with her on the day. Stocking up: The actress, 42, cut a cool figure for her shopping trip in a bohemian maxi dress and sandals, as she loaded dog food into the back of her car Amy is mother to Aviana Olea Le Gallo, six, who she shares with husband Darren Le Gallo, 42. They initially began dating in 2001, but didn't marry until many years later in May 2015. Amy's appearance in Beverly Hills comes as she prepares to reprise her role as Lois Lane in Justice League alongside Ben Affleck, Amber Heard and Henry Cavill, due out in November later this year. Going glam: Amy, pictured at Vanity Fair's Oscar party in February, is known for dazzling on the red carpet thanks to her glam ensembles The red-haired beauty will also return to the small screen in 2017 for HBO series Sharp Objects. Amy plays the role of Camille Preaker - a reporter who returns to her hometown, after being released from a mental hospital, to cover the violent murder of two teenage girls. The series is based on the novel of the same title by Gillian Flynn, the author of Gone Girl, and will run for eight episodes. Filming began for Sharp Objects in early March, but the starting date of the series is yet to be confirmed. The look of love: The Arrival star posed with husband, Darren Le Gallo, 42, at the bash - the couple share a daughter together, Aviana Olea Le Gallo, six Melissa George hit the headlines this week following reports that she attempted to use a Russian billionaire's private jet to take her two children, who are living in France with their father Jean-David Blanc, to visit family with her in Australia. But now the Australian actress has come out to slam the shocking allegations as 'totally fabricated.' In an exclusive statement to New Idea, the 40-year-old's rep said: 'The allegations of Melissa kidnapping her children are fabricated.' 'The allegations of Melissa kidnapping her children are fabricated!' Melissa George has denied reports that she tried to 'kidnap' her own children from estranged lover Jean-David Blanc Melissa herself added: 'I am not taking these allegations lightly and it is in the hands of my lawyers. 'I deny these allegations and all actions today and always will be in the best interest of my sons Raphael and Solal.' The plane Melissa allegedly planned to use to exit France following a domestic violence incident with lover Jean-David Blanc, was reportedly owned by Russian billionaire Alexei Kuzmichev. 'I am not taking these allegations lightly and it is in the hands of my lawyers,' she said in a statement to New Idea magazine The 40-year-old Australian-born actress had kept a low-profile following the alleged incident last September, until her lawyer this week revealed her now former partner had refused to allow the couple's two sons to leave with their mother. It later emerged that a private jet George hoped to use to escape with her sons Raphael, three, and Solal, one, belongs to Russian oligarch Alexei Kuzmichev, News Corp reported. Mr Kuzmichev - the husband of George's friend Svetlana Kuzmicheva-Uspenskaya - is the founder of Russia's largest bank, Alfa Group, and has a net worth of AUD $9.3b. Controversy: Melissa reportedly borrowed a private jet from a Russian billionaire in an effort to leave France with her children following a domestic violence incident with her now ex-partner Jean-David Blanc The businessman reportedly allowed the actress to borrow his plane on September 13-14, which she then boarded with her two children and pet dog. But as Melissa attempted to fly out of France for the safety of the United States, she was stopped by border police who enforced a non-fly legal order obtained by Blanc. Melissa told New Idea that she was unaware of the no-fly block, and that the trip to take the children to Australia had been pre-planned for a month and approved by Blanc. Her attempts to leave Paris came just days after a physical altercation with her lover on September 7, with Blanc held in custody by police until September 9. Helping hand: Alexei Kuzmichev (pictured) - the billionaire husband of George's pal Svetlana Kuzmicheva-Uspenskaya - lent a private jet to the actress which she attempted to leave Paris in It is not suggested that Mr Kuzmichev or his wife were aware of the no-fly order. Melissa's lawyer, Christophe Ayela, has previously claimed the Hollywood actress did not know a travel ban had been put in place by her husband. 'Melissa George did not know there was a travel ban concerning the children,' he told the Daily Telegraph in a statement. 'She had the plane booked well before the September flight and we can prove it.' Stopped: As George attempted to leave France for the safety of the United States, she and her children were stopped by border police who enforced a non-fly legal order obtained by Blanc Representative: George's lawyer, told News Corp, that the 40-year-old actress can't get work, as ex Jean-David Blanc has refused to allow their two sons to leave France It came as Mr Ayela also claimed that not being able to leave France has prevented Melissa, who first rose to fame on Home and Away, from securing work. 'It's terrible for her career, disastrous,' he said in relation to the Family Court order keeping her children in France. 'The two children are forbidden to leave the country without the written consent of the father. And of course he refuses to allow this.' 'It is scandalous that Australian kids (the children have three nationalities - French, Australian and American) can't even go to visit their relatives in Australia.' Alleged altercation: In September, Melissa was admitted to Cochin Hospital after turning up to a local police station with bruises to her face and complaints of pain In happier times: The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party and welcomed their first son Raphael in February 2014 and their second son Solal in November, 2015 Melissa and her former partner were seen separately outside a Parisian court back in October, where Blanc denied charges of domestic assault. The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party and welcomed their first son Raphael in February 2014 and their second son Solal in November, 2015. Jean-David is a businessman, writer and film producer, famed for founding cinema service organisation AlloCine. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jean-David Blanc for comment. She took her parent Caitlyn Jenner out for a spin in her flashy new Lamborghini earlier in the day. And Kylie Jenner was spotted at the wheel of her new Lamborghini Aventador roadster - which retails for at least $400,000 - later in the day on Sunday, joining a female friend for a shopping spree at Canoga Park in California. The 19-year-old social media star looked incredible in a nude bralet and matching leggings, highlighting her curvaceous figure in the co-ords. Scroll down for video Top of the crops: Kylie Jenner was dressed to impress in a tiny, flesh-coloured bralet and matching leggings as she arrived at Canoga Park in California on Monday Kylie made the most of her physique in the flesh-hued top and high-rise trousers, which drew attention to her hourglass curves. She completed her look with matching trainers and slung a snakeskin print handbag over one shoulder. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star and her gal pal were seen leaving Gyu-Kaku restaurant in Topanga Mall, hopping into her car together. Hourglass: Kylie made the most of her physique in the flesh-hued top and high-rise trousers, which drew attention to her hourglass curves Flashy ride: She was seen clambering into her new Lamborghini Aventador roadster - which retails for at least $400,000 Back in December, the teen was spotted with her boyfriend Tyga browsing Lamborghinis, including an orange one that was seen inside the car dealership. Kylie headed out for a drive with her parent Caitlyn's at the wheel of her fancy new Lamborghini earlier in the day. She Snapchatted with her usual array of filters, from the passenger seat as they headed out together in the fancy convertible. Road trip! Kylie headed out for a drive with her parent Caitlyn earlier in the day Eye-popping display: Kylie flashed her ample cleavage, as she attempted to contain her ample bosom bra-free in a strappy top Caitlyn, 67, was behind the wheel in a pale blue blouse. She added sunglasses, and wore her hair loose - which remained remarkably unscathed considering they had the roof down. Kylie flashed her ample cleavage, as she attempted to contain her ample bosom bra-free in a strappy top. Fast car: The 19-year-old Snapchatted with her usual array of filters, from the passenger seat as they headed out together in the fancy convertible Ruff ride? Caitlyn, 67, was behind the wheel in a pale blue blouse Taking it easy? She wore her hair loose - which remained remarkably unscathed considering they had the roof down The make-up entrepreneur also wore her dark tresses loose. She added so many dog-face filters it was hard to see what she looked like without it - but she did share a sexy selfie before hitting the road with the Olympian. It's possible they were in the teen's latest motor - she was spotted on Saturday in Los Angeles stepping out of a lavish orange Lamborghini Aventador roadster, which retails for at least $400,000. Good hair do care: The make-up entrepreneur also wore her dark tresses loose Avid-snapchatter: She added so many dog-face filters it was hard to see what she looked like without it Quite the view! Kylie made sure we could see her from all angles Captured: She hit the road with the Olympian and took plenty of selfies Flashy: It's possible they were in the teen's latest motor - a lavish orange Lamborghini Aventador roadster, which retails for at least $400,000 It's not clear whether Kylie owns the car herself, is on loan or belongs to a friend. Kylie looked fresh despite a late night out with boyfriend Tyga. Caitlyn has two daughters with Kris Jenner - Kylie and Kendall. She also has sons Brody and Brandon from a previous marriage, to actress Linda Thompson. And son Burt and daughter Casey from her first marriage, to Chrystie Scott. She came out as transgender in 2015. Since embarking on a romance with Prince Harry, many of Megan Markle's former roles have come back to haunt her - a number of which have shown her range. But her latest role revelation might make the Royal family cringe, as it's been discovered that she once appeared in a very raunchy scene that saw her character getting caught performing oral sex on a high school hunk on 90210. The 35-year-old actress appeared in the premiere episode of the Beverly Hills, 90210 reboot, which aired in 2008 and saw her getting frisky in the front seat of a car with scene co-star Dustin Milligan, who played Ethan. Scroll down for video This one's a bit dirty, Harry! Meghan Markle is seen getting caught performing oral sex on co-star Dustin Milligan in a racy scene during the premiere episode of 90210, back in 2008 Her character, Wendy, and Ethan were seen enjoying their intimate moment in broad daylight before being caught by Annie Wilson, played by Shanae Grimes. Annie is particularly shocked as Ethan already has a girlfriend - Naomi Clark, played by AnnaLynne McCord. The revelation comes days after her very first film role was unveiled - which earned her only the title of 'hot girl' on the end credits. Down and out in Beverly Hills: Initially, Meghan's head is nowhere to be seen as her character Wendy makes the most of pleasuring high school hunk Ethan Emerging talent: She soon lifts her head up as Ethan appears fearful that they've been caught Saving face: With her raven tresses obscuring her face, Wendy sheepishly peers out Cut short: Wearing a blue off-shoulder top, Meghan's character soon realises the jig is up Shocked and appalled: They're caught by a shocked Annie Wilson, played by Shanae Grimes, who's horrified as he already has a girlfriend The then-unknown actress who had been seen on TV just twice before the role - appeared alongside the Hollywood heartthrob in the 2005 film called A Lot Like Love. On-screen for less than two minutes, she attempted to flirt with Kutcher's internet entrepreneur character Oliver Martin on a flight. But she was left stunned when Oliver showed no interest because of his complicated on-off relationship with photographer Emily Friehl, Alias actress Amanda Peet. Budding film star: Meghan in her very first film role alongside Asthon Kutcher in the 2005 romantic comedy, A Lot Like Love Travelling: The then-unknown actress had only appeared on television twice before when she landed the role of a passenger who flirts with Ashton Kutcher's character on a flight No name: Unfortunately, Meghan's film debut sounded rather underwhelming in the credits And she ended up being chatted up by business partner Jetter played by actor Kal Penn - instead. Although she introduced herself as Natalie, she only appears in the credits as Hot Girl. Earlier this month, Harry demonstrated how serious he is about Meghan, by taking her along to the wedding of his close friend Tom Skippy Inskip in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The pastor who presided over the ceremony said the couple looked so very much in love. Hot new role: Despite introducing herself as Natalie in the film, Meghan was relegated to 'hot girl' in the film's end credits Showing interest: Meghan's character ended up being chatted up by Ashton's business partner Jetter, played by actor Kal Penn Look into my eyes: The actress practiced her best smouldering glance on Hollywood heartthrob Ashton She didn't get the guy this time! Ashton's character wasn't interested in Meghan due to a complicated on-off relationship They sat next to each other and held hands as they walked out, he added. I will never forget their radiant smiles and they looked so happy together. His final, prescient words to Harry were: Its your turn next, Sir. If Harry does propose soon, it's rumoured that chancellor Philip Hammond would prefer the wedding to be on a Saturday to avoid disrupting productivity. New romance: The American beauty embarked on a romance with Prince Harry last year She only gave birth to her son Anaca, her first child with fiance Hermann Nicoli, in October. But Candice Swanepoel has wasted no time in getting back to work as she embarked on another stunning photo shoot on Monday - with her five-month-old in tow. The blonde model, 28, looked truly beautiful in a classic white robe and minimal make-up on set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as she breastfed her tot in-between stints of shooting. Scroll down for video Gorgeous: Candice Swanepoel has wasted no time in getting back to work as she embarked on another stunning photoshoot on Monday - with her five-month-old in tow Working mother: The model, 28, looked truly beautiful in a classic white robe and minimal make-up on set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as she breastfed her tot in-between stints of shooting The South African beauty was truly radiant as she enjoyed a break by the pool during the photo shoot with her son. Dressed in a white flannel robe, the star looked utterly relaxed as she held her newborn close to her chest to feed him inbetween takes. With her wet hair swept across her shoulders and her face fresh, Candice displayed her naturally striking features and enviably glowing complexion as she spent quality time on set with her offspring and fiance Hermann Nicoli. Gorgeous: With her wet hair swept across her shoulders and her face fresh, Candice displayed her naturally striking features and enviably glowing complexion Happy family: The handsome couple were joined by Hermann's mother at the shoot, who could not help but document the exciting day on her phone Say cheese! Cuddling up next to each other on their sun loungers, Candice and Hermann proceeded to pose for a sweet family snap with Anaca at one of his earliest photo shoots Proud: The pair then admired the shot together, smiling sweetly The handsome couple were joined by Hermann's mother at the shoot, who could not help but document the exciting day on her phone. Cuddling up next to each other on their sun loungers, Candice and Hermann proceeded to pose for a sweet family snap with Anaca at one of his earliest photo shoots - before admiring the shot together. Getting back to work, Candice later swapped her robe for a skimpy grey hooded jumper as she took to the water with her sweet little boy. Back to business: Getting back to work, Candice later swapped her robe for a skimpy grey hooded jumper as she took to the water with her sweet little boy Like a natural: Candice's boy remained calm as she posed like a natural with him for cameras Tender moments: The star playfully dipped him in the pool for a selection of shots Having a ball: The tot could not help but laugh as they captured the stunning shots on camera, while Candice beamed on proudly Model material: Despite only giving birth five months ago, Candice was straight back to work on Monday thanks to her impressively slender post-baby body Leggy lady: Clad in nothing but the grey hoody, the beauty gave a glimpse of her famously long pins as she posed in the water Tenderly cuddling him and and playfully dipping him in the pool, the tot could not help but laugh as they captured the stunning shots on camera, while Candice beamed on proudly. The Victoria's Secret Angel welcomed her first child in October with fiance Hermann, a Brazilian model. The pair began dating after meeting in Paris when she was 17, and stayed together until they became engaged in August 2015. Like his mother! The baby looked comfortable in the water as he posed straight at cameras, as the son of a successful model Stunning: The sun fell directly on the pair as it set in the sky, making for even more idyllic shots Doting mother: Candice posed effortlessly during the shoot, handling her baby with ease as he husband and mother-in-law looked on We did it! Candice smiled down at her son as the shoot came to a close Candice has been very vocal about her opinions on open breastfeeding in the past - and has spoken out about her experience of being 'shamed' for the act on her Instagram. She wrote back in December: 'Many women today are shamed for breastfeeding in public, or even kicked out of public places for feeding their children. 'I have been made to feel the need to cover up and somewhat shy to feed my baby in public places but strangely feel nothing for the topless editorials I've done in the name of art..?' New chapter: The Victoria's Secret Angel welcomed her first child in October with fiance Hermann, a Brazilian model Standing her ground: Candice has been very vocal about her opinions on open breastfeeding in the past - and has spoken out about her experience of being 'shamed' for it on her Instagram 'The world has been desensitized to the sexualization of the breast and to violence on tv...why should it be different when it comes to breastfeeding?' Candice continued. 'Breastfeeding is not sexual it's natural- Those who feel it is wrong to feed your child in public need to get educated on the benefits breastfeeding has on mother and child and intern on society as a whole. #mothernature'. Just days after the birth, the blonde had again taken to social media to gush of the amazing feeling of becoming a mother. She wrote to fans in Portuguese: 'It was very exciting to see my son for the first time. It was so wonderful to me. 'Every woman deserves to have this moment. To feel how much of a strength and blessing it is to have a new life in the world.' He's been portrayed as a villian on Married At First Sight thanks to his treatment of 'TV wife' Cheryl Maitland. Now, it's been reported Andrew 'Jonesy' Jones recently earned himself a swift eviction from a club after reportedly 'throwing a cup of ice at one of Maitland's friends.' On Monday, Jordan Galleio, who has now been identified as the 'other man' who jumped into bed with the TV couple during Andrew's homestay on the Gold Coast, detailed the wild night out in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. Scroll Down For Video. Kicked out! Married At First Sight's Andrew Jones (R) was reportedly kicked out of a nightclub after throwing a cup of ice in the face of 'wife' Cheryl's (L) friend Galleio outed himself as the 'other man' Cheryl was accused of bringing into the bed she shared with the Perth firefighter. The Gold Coast hair stylist explained he was fast asleep and the trio were all clothed when they shared the bed. He also pointed out that he's gay. He told the publication that during the group's night out, Andrew was escorted out of a club (East in Broadbeach) by a bouncer.' Not her type: Jordan Galleio explained that at the time when the trio shared a bed, he was fast asleep and that they were all clothed before pointing out that he's gay. 'All I know is that he threw a cup of ice at Cheryls friend and she got him removed from the nightclub,' he said. 'He seemed like a nice guy, but a few drinks later it kind of changed.' Over the weekend, details emerged about the pair's Gold Coast home stay, where it was reported Cheryl brought another man into the couple's bed. The busty brunette clarified that the man in question was her gay friend and that at the time 'it wasn't a big deal.' Changed man: 'He seemed like a nice guy but a few drinks later it kind of changed,' Jordan added The home stay occurred before Andrew's infamous 'boy's night out,' where the fireman made fun of Cheryl's intelligence and said he considered himself single. After Cheryl discovered Andrew had made comments about her, she confronted him at the dinner party about the events of the night. But Andrew refused to admit any wrongdoing, telling the 25-year-old she was 'full of s***.' That hurts! He also expressed confusion at the recent support suggesting their could have been something sinister about Cheryl's actions, claiming the reports seemed to be trying to hurting her image Meanwhile, Cheryl was forced defend her own image on national radio this week. She also declared on The Kyle And Jackie O Show that she never slept with her TV husband during the series. Asked by Kyle if she ever had sex with the Perth firefighter, she replied 'I definitely did not.' Cheryl claimed that Andrew tried to spark things between the pair, but she felt she 'only knew him for a short period of time', so knocked back his advances. 'I definitely did not': The brunette beauty was also compelled to defend her image on national radio this week, declaring on The Kyle And Jackie O Show she never slept with her TV husband during the series No spark? Cheryl reportedly knocked back Andrew's advances, stating she 'only knew him for a short period of time' She also revealed that she has yet to be with anyone since the show, remarking: 'I'm scarred for life.' When asked by host Jackie 'O' Henderson if she had discussed personal details with the other partners on the show, the brunette beauty said not all the couples shared the same problems as her and Andrew. 'Yeah, some of them had normal relationships and some of them had that connection and I'm happy for them,' she said. Over: The couple who faced numerous troubles, finally parted ways on Sunday night's episode Moving on: The 25-year-old also revealed that she has yet to be with anyone since the show Andrew has been touted as a villain on the show, with an unidentified woman recently claiming to Woman's Day magazine that she hooked up with the reality star on Tinder after he was dumped by runaway bride Lauren and before he was re-matched with Cheryl. Cheryl and Andrew's relationship was short lived, with the pair finally parting ways on Sunday night. Asked if she would return to the show during her radio interview, Cheryl said that while it is a 'whirlwind experience' she wouldn't do it again. 'People need to know their true selves before going on it. Stay true to yourself,' she said. Nick Viall's dad isn't so sure about one of the two women his son is going to choose between. And Chris Viall expressed those concerns about contestant Vanessa Grimaldi in a clip for the final episode of The Bachelor. The clip shows Nick's dad sitting down with Jessica to have a heart to heart about love. 'She could hurt Nick:' Nick Viall's dad, Chris, expressed concern about Vanessa Grimaldi in a clip for the final episode of The Bachelor Is love enough? In a clip from the final episode, Nick's dad is seen sitting down with Jessica Grimaldi to have a heart to heart discussion about love 'Do you think that love is enough to make a relationship last?' Vanessa asks Nick's father, Chris. Chris replies: 'You have to not just love the person, but you have to be willing to give up you have to sacrifice. So no, love's not enough. It's commitment. It's selflessness.' The concerned dad then gets very emotional as he tears up thinking about what he wants for his 36-year-old son. 'I just never thought I was going to meet anyone like your son,' Vanessa tearfully shares. Emotional moment: The concerned dad then gets very emotional as he tears up thinking about what he wants for his son 'I could really feel her emotion': The elder Viall admits he could feel her emotion, but was still concerned his son would get hurt 'I really could feel her emotion,' Chris admits to the camera. 'But it was a little bit of fear that she could hurt Nick.' In Monday's episode Nick gets to enjoy one final rendezvous with both Vanessa and Raven Gates before he has to choose between the two women. New photos from the upcoming episode show the 36-year-old reality TV star on two different romantic snow-filled dates in Finland. Final change: In Monday's episode Nick gets to enjoy one final rendezvous with both Vanessa and Raven Gates before he has to choose between the two women In honor of the roller skating date the duo had - which was when Raven realized she loved Nick - the Bachelor vet took her on an ice-skating adventure. The would-be couple had a great time on the ice, laughing and doing tricks, with Nick lifting the brunette beauty up in his arms. They packed on the PDA as Nick laid on top of Raven and shared a kiss. The couple also got cozy in front of a blazing fire. Fun in the cold: In honor of the roller skating date the duo had, Nick takes Raven on an ice-skating adventure in Finland Cute date: The duo post on an ice sculpture in the crisp, snowy climate True love? They later cozy up by a roaring fire to get warm as they share an intimate moment Meanwhile, Vanessa and Nick enjoyed a horseback ride up the mountain to Santa Claus's work shop before also having some quality time in front of the fire. 'I am so in love with Nick, he's what I've always dreamed of in a future husband,' Vanessa gushed on her date, before contemplating if ending up with Nick would be right for her. Vanessa confessed that she wouldn't be comfortable if she was chosen if her relationship with Nick is just 'slightly greater than someone else's,' referring to Raven. Christmas in March: Vanessa and Nick enjoyed a horseback ride up the mountain to Santa Claus's work shop Quality time: After their Christmas adventure, they warmed up in front of a fire surrounded by fresh snow 'I'm in love with these two women,' Nick mused between dates, 'but I've been incredibly terrified because I was very much in love with Andi [Dorfman] and Kaitlyn [Bristowe] and I was really heartbroken both times. I'm terrified that will happen again.' The finale is set to air on Monday, March 13. After the final rose, Nick will return to reality TV as he joins Dancing With The Stars. Naomi Watts was spotted bundling up against the chill as a frigid climate gripped New York City on Monday. The 48-year-old strolled on the street while holding hands with one of her two sons, seemingly her younger child Samuel. This sighting comes days after the Ring star posted a quote from Maya Angelou about how life's a b***: 'I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a b***. You've got yo go out and kick a**.' Prepared: As as frigid climate gripped New York City on Monday, Naomi Watts was spotted bundling up against the chill in a charcoal coat She likes this quote: This sighting comes days after the Ring star posted a quote from Maya Angelou: 'I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a b***. You've got yo go out and kick a**' Accessorizing with an off-white scarf, a zaffre beanie and tortoiseshell sunglasses, she'd slid on warm-looking grey trousers and walnut brown leather boots. Eight-year-old Samuel and his nine-year-old brother Alexander are the product of their mother's relationship with Liev Schreiber, which began in 2005. The couple, who've appeared together in three films beginning with the 2006 drama The Painted Veil, shocked fans when they announced they'd split last September. The week's begun: The 48-year-old strolled out and about in town while holding hands with one of her two sons, seemingly her younger child Samuel She told the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph in November that 'I feel like change is always scary, but thats only because transition for anyone is new and you wonder how things are going to go.' The Shoreham native had described her situation: 'I feel Im in a good place in my life and I want to make sure my kids are healthy, my kids are happy and things are going to go well. Those are my hopes for me and for all of us.' She'd also reflected on the influence of celebrity on her breakup, saying: 'I feel, whether youre famous or not, transitions are scary for anybody.' The way they were: Eight-year-old Samuel and his nine-year-old brother Alexander are the product of their mother's relationship with Liev Schreiber, which began in 2005; they are pictured here last September, weeks before announcing their split Near the end of this February, on the day of the Academy Awards, Watts and Schreiber were spotted sharing what appeared to be quite an emotional embrace. He gave her a kiss on the cheek as they hugged outside a residence in Brentwood, where Minnie Driver's sister Kate - a longtime friend of Watts' - looked on. Kate Driver stood for the cameras with Schreiber on the red carpet outside the Vanity Fair Oscars Party that evening in Beverly Hills. She's rumoured to be 'top of the list' for the upcoming celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off. And Michelle Keegan was stepping out style amidst the rumours, looking lovely in a rock chic ensemble as she strolled along Loughton High Street in Essex on Monday. The former Coronation Street star, 29, highlighted her slender figure and long legs in a pair of skinny fit jeans with a frayed hem. Scroll down for video Stepping out in style: Michelle Keegan was stepping out style amid the rumours, looking lovely in a rock chic ensemble as she strolled along Loughton High Street in Essex on Monday Coffee break: She was enjoying a leisurely morning at the shops, picking up a coffee and chomping on some snacks as she wandered down the street Michelle paired her trousers with a white slogan T-shirt and simple leather jacket. She added some statement accessories to her look, including a pair of patent leather boots, a studded belt and layered chokers. Michelle added a fun, youthful twist to her look thanks to a double bun hairstyle. She was enjoying a leisurely morning at the shops, picking up a coffee and chomping on some snacks as she wandered down the street. Chowing down: Michelle couldn't resist breaking into her crisps, enjoying a light snack as she strutted along Legs for days: The former Coronation Street star, 29, highlighted her slender figure and long legs in a pair of skinny fit jeans with a frayed hem Michelle is reportedly 'top of the list' of names that bosses are hoping to sign up for the celebrity spin-off of the show. It is hoped that the Our Girl star, who is said to be a keen baker, would add some glamour to the revamped programme when it moves to Channel 4 later this year. A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'After they managed to wrestle the Great British Bake Off away from the BBC, the bosses know the pressure is on. Simple style: Michelle paired her trousers with a white slogan T-shirt and simple leather jacket Cute: Michelle added a fun, youthful twist to her look thanks to a double bun hairstyle 'Theyve made signing up names for the celebrity special priority and Michelle Keegan is top of the list, as she is apparently a very keen baker. 'She is also a real Bake Off fan and thinks it would be a fun thing to do. The issue is whether or not she can fit it in with her other work projects.' Michelle, who is married to TV presenter Mark Wright, is set to fly out to South Africa this month to film the third series of Our Girl, where she plays Corporal Georgie Lane. New signing? Michelle is reportedly 'top of the list' of names that bosses are hoping to sign up for the celebrity spin-off of the show Celeb version: It is hoped that the Our Girl star, who is said to be a keen baker, would add some glamour to the revamped programme when it moves to Channel 4 later this year She left the country in an uproar after illegally bringing her pet dogs in with ex-husband Johnny Depp in 2015. But it looks like Amber Heard is headed back to Australia in the near future. The 30-year-old and her rumoured new boyfriend, billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, are reportedly planning a business visit soon, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph on Monday. Scroll down for video Headed Down Under: Amber Heard and her rumoured new boyfriend, billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, are reportedly planning a business visit to Australia soon The actress is allegedly embarking on a return to Queensland to film the blockbuster movie Aquaman later this year. She's set to play the main female role of Mera in the DC Comics film alongside Jason Momoa, who's playing the lead character of Aquaman. Amber and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via their private jet in 2015. She's back! It will be her first time there since her and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via their private jet During the debacle, Australian politician Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the former couple's dogs euthanised if they failed to take them out of the country. 'If we start letting movie stars even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?' Joyce said at the time. 'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States,' he continued. International: The billionaire businessman, 45, is currently in talks with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull regarding South Australia's energy issues Amber is undoubtedly hoping for a smoother trip with Elon this time, who she's been rumoured to have been dating since separating from Johnny. The billionaire businessman, 45, is currently in talks with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull regarding South Australia's energy issues. He is planning a visit to Australia in the near future and is said to be travelling with his new girlfriend. Tough: Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores Amber's last visit was when she accompanied Johnny in April last year to appear in a Gold Coast court over the dog smuggling charges. A video of the duo saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was presented before a magistrate gave Heard with a one-month good behaviour bond and a $1,000 fine over the incident. In May last year, news emerged Johnny and Amber had called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage. Apologising: A video of the duo saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was then presented The actress was granted a restraining order after accusing him of domestic abuse. Amber alleged Johnny threw a phone at her during an argument and insisted there were other occasions where he had been violent towards her. But she filed court papers to dismiss her domestic violence case against him once they agreed on a reported $7 million divorce settlement. Amber publicly pledged to donate her settlement to charity. The former couple, who met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011, were married in 2014 and separated in 2016. Nicole Kidman bared her pert derriere during yet another steamy sex scene with Alexander Skarsgard on Sunday's episode of HBO's Big Little Lies. The Oscar winner easily defied her 49 years while showcasing her enviably taut 5ft11in figure during the gratuitous grinding session. In the episode - titled 'Push Comes to Shove' - the Hawaiian-born Australian stunner's character Celeste Wright straddles her rich banker husband Perry. Scroll down for video Cheeky: Nicole Kidman bared her pert derriere during yet another steamy sex scene with Alexander Skarsgard on Sunday's episode of HBO's Big Little Lies Peach: The Oscar winner easily defied her 49 years while showcasing her enviably taut 5ft11in figure during the gratuitous grinding session. The Wrights - who are parents to twin sons Max and Josh - have a kinky and vital sex life, but there is definitely a dark side to their relationship. When the series finally premieres Monday on Sky Atlantic, UK audiences will discover that Perry is physically abusive towards Celeste - pulling her arm and slapping her. When asked how her second husband Keith Urban feels about sex scenes, Nicole told Kyle & Jackie 0: 'He gets that it's work. he's special.' Titled 'Push Comes to Shove': In the episode, the Hawaiian-born Australian stunner's character Celeste Wright straddles her rich banker husband Perry Sex and violence: The Wrights - who are parents to twin sons Max and Josh - have a kinky and vital sex life, but there is definitely a dark side to their relationship Turbulent: When the series finally premieres Monday on Sky Atlantic, UK audiences will discover that Perry is physically abusive towards Celeste - pulling her arm and slapping her 'When I would come home after shooting [domestic abuse scenes] he was pretty shaken,' Kidman explained on KIIS 1065 Sydney. 'Because it was you know tough doing the role, and I would get really bruised and battered particularly as it goes along, so he was actually emotionally protective.' The seven-part miniseries - airing Sundays on HBO - centers on three Monterey mothers and stars Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoe Kravitz. When asked how her second husband Keith Urban feels about sex scenes, Nicole told Kyle & Jackie 0: 'He gets that it's work. he's special' Kidman explained on KIIS 1065 Sydney: 'When I would come home after shooting [domestic abuse scenes] he was pretty shaken...so he was actually emotionally protective' It was the perfect weather for a day at the park. So Saturday, Jaime King donned her finest floral to attend the launch party for Pottery Barn Kids' latest capsule collection outdoors in Beverly Hills. At the event, the 37-year-old star looked positively glowing, wearing a flirty maxi-dress while staying close to her sons James and Leo and socializing with party goers. Flower power! Jaime King was ready for a summer day, seen in Beverly Hills enjoying a party put on by Pottery Barn Kids on Saturday Gang's all here: The 36-year-old star was joined by her husband Kyle Newman and their sons James and Leo The mother-of-two's blonde hair was glittering underneath the Southern California sunshine, which she complimented with clean skin and fluttering lashes. Her ensemble was equal parts chic and care-free, as the Heart Of Dixie lead donned a floral maxi-dress that featured tiers of subtle ruffles down the skirt. The dress's rib-level cut-outs helped to show off the star's dainty frame and trim middle. Jaime added quirky touch to her look with a brimmed top-hat. Sunny day pals: At the event, the star cozied up to actress Odette Annable, who brought her daughter Charlie Mae Top of the morning! The mother-of-two added a quirky touch to her outfit with a top hat The Star Wars: Clone Wars actress was joined by filmmaker husband Kyle Newman, who posed for a family shot at one of the event's many photo booths. Her little guys James, 3, and Leo, 2, looked sweet as can be as they relaxed in some charming beanbags decorated with cat faces which were from the Pottery Barn Kids collaboration with The Great designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliot. At the event, the Mother's Day actress posed with mom-friend Odette Annabelle, 31. The actress is most recognized for her role as Dr Jessica Adams in House. Mother-daughter time! Actress Odette Annable had fun posing with daughter Charlie Mae amidst the Pottery Barn decorations The brunette beauty also donned a flowing maxi-dress, hers in a pink and berry paisley print. Odette's beauty was clean-cut, as she slicked back her hair in a tidy center part to reveal her radiant skin and winning smile. The star was joined by her little one Charlie Mae, who looked sweet as can be in a blue romper and darling pigtails. They were joined by husband Dave Annable, who currently appears in the Fox comedy The Mick. Breezy babe! The House actress also donned a breezy maxi-dress in the SoCal sunshine Jaime recently announced she'll soon be returning to the big screen, starring in Escape Plan 2 alongside action legend Sylvester Stallone and rapper Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson. Right now, there are few details about the impending sequel but it's safe to guess prison thriller will continue to follow Stallone's character Ray Breslin, a structural engineer who escapes the world's most secret and secure prison. Escape Plan 2 will start filming this summer and is set for a 2018 release. Little ones: The family fun event featured items from Pottery Barn Kid's collection with Emily & Merritt Family portrait: Odette and husband Dave Annable captured some memories together Shanina Shaik regaled her Snapchat following on Monday with a couple of dispatches from her latest holiday, which has seen her sun herself in Antigua. The 26-year-old Victoria's Secret model gave the camera her best smoldering stare in a selfie in which she her cleavage by way of a lacy cherry red bikini top. Grey-rimmed cat-eye sunglasses sat on her head, and the snapshot was wide enough to offer a glimpse of the Melbourne native's enviably flat midriff. Scroll down for video Sunning herself: Shanina Shaik regaled her Snapchat following on Monday with a couple of dispatches from her latest holiday, which appears to have been to Antigua Another Snapchat photo she'd posted that day was of her feet as she lay on a beach stretched her white-trousered legs across across the sand. Several boats drifted across the water in front of her, and a caption in white text vamped: 'I don't want to go back to NYC.' Small wonder she dreads returning to New York City, as the National Weather Service has declared a blizzard warning there that'll span Tuesday and Wednesday. Vista: Another Snapchat photo she'd posted that day was of her feet as she lay on a beach stretched her white-trousered legs across across the sand She'd revealed she was in Antigua on Saturday, uploading an Instagram photo of herself stood on the beach in a decolletage-flashing white dress. A black shirt was tied at her waist, and she'd written in her caption that she was 'By the beach in Antigua,' chucking in the hashtag: '#wishyouwerehere'. In an interview she'd given to Into The Gloss in January, however, the fiancee of Greg Andrews, a.k.a. DJ Ruckus, revealed a penchant for a rather different holiday spot. 'By the beach in Antigua': She'd revealed she was in Antigua on Saturday, uploading an Instagram photo of herself posing near the sea in a decolletage-baring white dress 'Vegas is the best place to go out,' said she, qualifying that 'You cant stay more than two nights, but everything is so big and grand.' Shaik recalled: 'We did that recently, my fiance and I - we were in Vegas, and we got sushi, and we went and listened to music. That's kind of like our version of date night. And getting ready is so much fun. 'I'll put on Top 40 music, which in my opinion, is the best to get ready to. I think every girl has that problem, where halfway through getting ready, they just get up and dance. So sometimes it takes a big longer than planned,' she quipped. Their DASH New York store is officially closed. And Kim, Kourtney and Khloe reached that decision after visiting their New York location on Sunday's Keeping Up With the Kardashians premiere. According to the brand's official website, DASH New York is no longer in business, although their other locations in Los Angeles and Miami still have their doors open for the time being. Scroll down for video Business deal: Kourtney, Kim and Khloe sat down to discuss their New York DASH store in the season premiere of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, opting to close the expensive location Outdated: The three sisters were shocked by how outdated and 'cheesy' the merchandise was in their stores News of the store shutting down first broke back in December when a moving truck was spotted outside the SoHo location in Manhattan. The rent for the upscale boutique was reportedly $1.4 million a year and it just became too much of a burden. The tense conversations leading up that decision were documented on Sunday's episode when the sisters finally reached an agreement to close the New York store because of the insanely high rent, but keep the Miami shop open. 'We put so much blood, sweat and tears into this,' Kim admitted. 'At the end of the day it makes sense to close New York because it's so expensive but keep Miami.' Outdated: The episode began with Kourtney visiting the New York DASH store and lamenting that it felt like they were still in 2009 Need a revamp: Kourtney quickly called Kim to tell her they needed to update the boutique's 'cheesy' inventory as soon as possible. The drama began when Kourtney and Jonathan Cheban visited the Manhattan location and found that the store was super outdated and contained merchandise that didn't really reflect the brand. Kourtney quickly called Kim to tell her they needed to update the boutique's 'cheesy' inventory as soon as possible. 'It's so 2009. I don't even have the words to explain,' she admits. While attending a Kanye concert in Miami, Kourtney and Khloe visited that location as well and decided it was also just as cheesy and in need of a revamp. Miami outdated too: While attending a Kanye concert in Miami, Kourtney and Khloe visited that location as well and decided it was also just as cheesy and in need of a revamp Kim also joined them at the store and all three sister's agreed the store was insanely outdated Cheesy merchandise: They were appalled they had allowed their store to get so bad Expensive rent: Kim argued that the New York boutique was not worth saving because the rent was so high Kourtney, Kim and Khloe, who are predominantly hands-off when it comes to their boutiques, later sat down to discuss when Kim, 36, revealed that a major department store wanted to buy the brand and put one in each department store. 'That would be so cool,' said 32-year-old Khloe as Kim revealed it would be 'such a smart idea' and let them 'move one.' 'There is no way to salvage any of this; its horrible,' Kim says, as she and Khloe agree they need to sell.'The store is really past putting any money into it.' But Kourtney, 37, wasn't as convinced. She told her sisters that she was still into the stores, but Kim and Khloe responded that they were over it and ready to sell. 'We are overriding you honey,' Kim asserts. Kourtney fights back: Kourtney told her sisters she wasn't ready to give up on the brand they started together Not having it: Kourtney told her sisters that she was still into the stores, but Kim and Khloe responded that they were over it and ready to sell 'We are overriding you honey:' Kim sticks to her guns telling Kourtney she is not going to win the argument 'This is such a huge opportunity,' said Kim as she told them she had advised their mom, Kris Jenner to move ahead with the deal. 'Kourtney is delusional, the stores are past us putting the money in to make the changes we would need to,' said Kim as she said she was ready to close the stores down. A little later on in the episode a massive fight erupts between the three sisters. 'Do you want to take over Dash on your own?' Khloe snaps. 'I don't think we should close Dash Miami,' Kourtney replies. 'Kourtney just can't go with the flow, I don't get it,' Khloe told the cameras. 'She's the last one that wants to do hard labor.' Emotional: Kourtney was upset that her sisters could easily let go of the store they had built together years ago Not agreeing: The sisters had a hard time finding common ground on the fate of their popular DASH stores 'Kourtney is delusional.' said Kim as she said she was ready to close the stores down Not having it: A little later on in the episode a massive fight erupts between the three sisters The 32-year-old then explodes on Kourtney, saying, 'Are you f on drugs? You complain about tile on the floor and you can't even buy the tile on time.' 'How dare you try to argue us on getting rid of the stores!' she continued to tell her older sister. 'We are getting rid of the stores, Kourtney!' 'I am trying to figure out how to make things better for DASH but it seems that my sisters are already so checked out that they seem to already have made up their minds about closing the stores,' said Kourtney to the cameras. The girls again tried to decide what they would do with DASH, with Khloe telling the cameras it was 'a blessing from God' that someone wanted to buy the brand from them. 'Are you f on drugs?': Khloe explodes at her sister over her defiance in closing their DASH stores 'How dare you try to argue us on getting rid of the stores!' Khloe continued to yell at her sister Conflict resolution: Their momager Kris Jenner said the deal had not yet been completed as they agreed to close the New York store but keep the Miami shop open Khloe told Kourtney that they were making no profit from the stores and that her sister must 'be on drugs' if she wanted to hang on to it. 'I don't like that my sisters want to let go off DASH so easily, our stores are more than just a business,' Kourtney complained. Later Kourtney told Kim that owning the stores was 'sentimental' as it gave the sisters a shared project after their father's death. 'Now I kind of get it, it makes sense,' Kim told her as she said she would like Kourtney to look at it differently but would consider her feelings. Emotional attachment: Kourtney explains she doesn't want to sell the stores because it reminds her of their late father When Tyra Banks revealed on Sunday that she'll assume a judgeship on America's Got Talent, her predecessor Nick Cannon was the picture of graciousness. 'Salute Queen!' he replied to her tweet announcing the news, adding: 'Congrats, I know you will be amazing! Wonderful Choice'. He'd ended the tweet with a thumbs-up emoji, and Banks went on to quote his tweet, responding: 'Thanks, boo,' before an emoji of a face puckered for a kiss. Stepping in: When Tyra Banks revealed on Sunday that she'll assume a judgeship on America's Got Talent, her predecessor Nick Cannon was the picture of graciousness The 43-year-old America's Next Top Model impresaria'd sprung the news on her Twitter following, crowing: 'Surprise! TyTy is the new host of #AGT @nbcagt!' She'd gone on: 'Can't wait 2work w/new fam' and tagged her co-hosts-to-be: Mel B, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell. Cannon's departure from the variety competition show had been similarly startling when he'd announced it on Facebook on February 13. 'Thanks, boo': 'Salute Queen!' he replied to her tweet announcing the news, adding: 'Congrats, I know you will be amazing! Wonderful Choice' He claimed he'd had 'extremely disappointing news that I was being threatened with termination by Executives because of a comedy special that was only intended to bring communities closer together, I was to be punished for a joke.' In Stand Up, Don't Shoot - Cannon's third comedy special for Showtime - he'd ribbed NBC at length, including saying the acronym should mean: 'N**** Better C'mon.' A comedy bit about his network gig featured a punchline vamping that 'once I started doing America's Got Talent, they took away my n**** card!' Eight years on: He'd begun to host the show during its fourth season in 2009, completing his eighth and what turned out to be his final season - the show's 11th - last September The day the special aired, February 10, TMZ had reported 'serious discussions' at the network tabled his potential firing for breaching contract by disparaging NBC. However, the website had also claimed that the broadcaster ultimately decided not to sack the comedian for having made jokes about them. Cannon abandoned the show nonetheless, writing on Facebook that 'as a man, an artist, and a voice for my community I will not be silenced, controlled or treated like a piece of property. There is no amount of money worth my dignity or my integrity.' He'd begun to host the show during its fourth season in 2009, completing his eighth and what turned out to be his final season - the show's 11th - last September. He's been taking some time out in South Africa during his extended break from EastEnders. And Danny Dyer has now been pictured for the first time since leaving the BBC One soap amid claims he is suffering from 'exhaustion and stress', looking happy and healthy as he poses with a fan. The 39-year-old star boasts a slimline physique a tan as he flashes a peace sign alongside his new pal. Scroll down for video Beaming: Danny Dyer has now been pictured for the first time since leaving the BBC One soap amid claims he is suffering from 'exhaustion and stress', looking happy and healthy as he poses with a fan in South Africa Danny has been keeping a low profile in recent weeks since flying out on February 10. A source told The Sun: 'Danny was looking a lot healthier and seemed to be glowing. He was happy to pose for pictures with fans and appeared to be in good spirits.' This comes amid reports Danny is reportedly planning to whisk his wife Joanne Mas on a 'no expenses spared' second honeymoon following his alleged work woes. A source told The Sun: 'Danny was looking a lot healthier and seemed to be glowing. He was happy to pose for pictures with fans and appeared to be in good spirits' Danny married his partner of 20 years in September last year yet wants to revisit their post-wedding festivities. Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his momentary split from the BBC show. It was reported in January that an incident at the National Television Awards saw an 'intoxicated' Danny become embroiled in a 'meltdown' leading to claims that he was bowing out of EastEnders for a rest period. Loved up: Danny is reportedly planning to whisk his wife Joanne Mas on a 'no expenses spared' second honeymoon following his alleged work woes (pictured in 2004) Despite the claims, and an accompanying video, soap bosses came forward after the leaked clip to deny that he is 'spiralling out of control, exhausted and needs to control his temper.' Following the explosive allegations, Danny has removed himself temporarily from his role as Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter to recuperate in South Africa. Now, sources have revealed that aside from his professional dramas he is planning to dedicate himself to his wife Joanne, who proposed in February 2015, before they walked the aisle in Hampshire last year. Give me a break: The 39-year-old EastEnders star, who is said to be taking a break from the soap after being stricken with stress, married his partner of 20 years in September last year yet wants to revisit their post-wedding festivities During Danny's South African break, Joanne has reportedly been staying at home with their three children daughters Dani 19, Sunnie nine and two-year-old son Arty. According to the Mirror the couple are now set to relight their romance by jetting to the Maldives: 'Since they got married Danny has been working non stop, they havent had a lot of time together and he wants to make Jo feel special. 'Hes very focused on his family. His time in South Africa has done him the world of good. Now he just wants to do lots of fun things with his family. Following his wedding, Danny told Hello magazine: 'I was overwhelmed. Jo looked stunning - and seeing her there with all my beautiful children - I was really moved. It couldn't have been any better.' MailOnline has commented representatives for Danny for comment. Despite the romantic gesture, reports surfaced last months stating he had exchanged racy messages with a young mother, who he met at an Essex book signing event the previous year, as she claimed he told her 'bend over and show me that bottle' - cockney rhyming slang for her backside. On June 27, just nine weeks before his wedding to Ms Mas, he sent the woman a picture of his privates poking out of boxer shorts. A source said after the revelation: 'This was a bit of fun between Danny and a girl that has got a bit out of hand. 'There was no relationship, it was nothing serious and Jo is not about to split up with the love of her life over a few messages. Everything we have heard suggests Jo will stand by her man.' News of the romantic getaway comes after it was claimed that the cast of EastEnders are reportedly planning a surprise welcome back party for Danny when he makes his return from South Africa to the BBC soap. Homel life comes first: Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his break from the BBC show His co-stars, according to the Daily Star, are keen to show their support for the soap favourite when he makes his anticipated return. A source told the newspaper: 'They're keen to show everyone is behind him 100% after his tough few months. They are planning a round of applause when he steps back behind the bar for filming for the first time.' 'The cast know how important Danny is to the show's success and don't want it to be awkward.'. Danny is said to be taking some time away from the soap for personal reasons, after a string of emotional storylines for his character. Bowing out: Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his break from the BBC show Last month Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale came forward to slam accusations that he and Danny had clashed prior to his sudden departure from the show. According to the Daily Star, Danny had criticised Adam for only ever playing one character on screen, and branded himself the superior actor. However the soap stalwart has since admitted that the claims were 'news' to him, as he and Danny had enjoyed a 'nice chat' before his departure. The paper first reported tensions between the pair - with Danny allegedly stating of his co-star: 'Adam has played one role. He's auditioned once in his whole career. Out of every soap actor I've got the most experience.' Not true: Last month Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale came forward to slam accusations that he and Danny had clashed prior to his sudden departure from the show Following the release of the NTAs clip back in January, despite The Sun referred to the video as depicting a '15 minute meltdown', a friend of Danny's told MailOnline: 'He wasn't behaving badly at all. He was presenting an award so he was tired as he had been at the venue since 6pm. 'He was struggling to find the exit to get out as he was worried he was going to be mobbed by fans as there were queues everywhere and he just wanted to get to his car. The rest of the group were saying, 'Just go, go now,' before it gets any busier. He wanted to get out and nothing more. 'Danny is one of the nicest people you can work with. He's always so lovely and a rye professional.' It's set to get it's world premiere at revered film festival SXSW on Friday. And film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson are already kicking off promo for the sci-fi flick Life as they attended a photocall for the film in Paris on Monday. 33-year-old Swedish beauty Rebecca stunned in a white Ralph Lauren collection tuxedo as she cosied up to her handsome co-star for the cinematic event. Scroll down for video Promo trail: Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson kick off promo for the sci-fi flick Life as they attended a photocall for the film in Paris on Monday Her sartorial look highlighted her slender figure as she slipped on a longline blazer with silk lapels while resting her ring decorated hand on Jake's chest. Adding to her textured look, she teamed her two-piece with a matching silk shirt which she kept buttoned all the way to the top. Injecting height into petite frame, she adorned her feet in a pair of peep-toe platform wedges that elongated her palazzo pant covered pins. Looking effervescent, the Girl On A Train actress worked her brunette tresses into a curl which fell down her shoulders in a tousled style. Style stars: 33-year-old Swedish beauty Rebecca stunned in a white Ralph Lauren collection tuxedo as she cosied up to her handsome co-star for the cinematic event Sartorial: Injecting height into petite frame, she adorned her feet in a pair of peep-toe platform wedges that elongated her palazzo pant covered pins Complementing his co-star Jake, 36, sported a dapper look for the photocall as he donned a charcoal grey double buttoned suit. The BAFTA winner teamed his tailored look with a light blue shirt and patterned tie, while working a leather dress shoe for the occasion. Jake - who is currently starring on Broadway in Sunday in The Park With George - worked his trademark scruff and slicked back his dark locks off his face. Work it: Adding to her textured look, she teamed her two-piece with a matching silk shirt which she kept buttoned all the way to the top All white: Her sartorial look highlighted her slender figure as she slipped on a longline blazer with silk lapels while resting her ring decorated hand Dapper: Complementing his co-star Jake, 36, sported a dapper look for the photocall as he donned a charcoal grey double buttoned suit and leather dress shoe for the occasion Noticeably absent from the photocall was Hollywood star and Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds - who plays Roy Adams. The movie's first trailer was released by Sony Pictures last month, giving fans a first look at the Sci-fi thriller due out later this year. Jake and Ryan play astronauts who are a part of a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station who fight to save Earth from an evolving life form on Mars. Tailored: The BAFTA winner teamed his tailored look with a light blue shirt and patterned tie Trademark: Jake - who is currently starring on Broadway in Sunday in The Park With George - worked his trademark scruff and slicked back his dark locks off his face At ease: The pair looked at ease in each other's company at the photocall The pair star alongside Ariyon Bakare, Rebecca Ferguson as well as Hiroyuki Sanada and Olga Dihovichnaya. It's set directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Deadpool screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. The highly-awaited flick is set to hits theatres on March 24. Her Instagram was lined with envy-inducing snaps of her recent getaway to New York. And Kelly Brook proved she couldn't resist the Big Apple's local delicacies during the trip as she picked up a box of cupcakes from the famous Magnolia Bakery, before gorging on them on a park bench. The former glamour model, 37, looked as though she didn't have a care in the world as she chowed down on the scrumptious treats, while her hunky beau Jeremy Parisi looked on. Scroll down for video Rising to the occasion! Kelly Brook, 37, picked up a box of cupcakes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York during a recent trip, before gorging on them on a park bench while beau Jeremy Parisi looked on Kelly looked sensational as she battled the bitter NYC chill with a faux-fur lined multi-coloured cape, over a tan leather jacket and skinny leather trousers. She began the day by opting for a casual romantic stroll with her Frenchman other half of two years, kissing away before the Kent native's sweet tooth kicked in. The curvaceous beauty picked up a box of cupcakes and proceeded to sit down, before devouring the yummy treats, which she held hostage on her lap. Jeremy, who looked handsome in a biker jacket and jeans, didn't seem to be hungry as he placed more focus on keeping his hands in his pockets to keep warm. Sugar rush! The former glamour model looked as though she didn't have a care in the world as she chowed down on the scrumptious treats Loved-up: She began the day by opting for a casual romantic stroll with her Frenchman other half of two years, kissing away before the Kent native's sweet tooth kicked in Kelly's trip to New York proved to be true foodie experience, with the British star taking to Instagram to upload a snap of her eating a cheesy slice of pepperoni pizza. The good-looking couple also tucked into frozen sweet treats at Little Italy, and a delicious looking creme brulee in Manhattan. However, Kelly's figure proved to be on impressive form as she shared a saucy snap of herself, taken from behind, in the bath of her Big Apple bathtub. The brunette's hair is pulled into a bun and she is seen in the water leaning onto the window sill of the room, showcasing a slither of her derriere, while admiring the scenery. Wrapping up in style: Kelly looked sensational as she battled the bitter NYC chill with a faux-fur lined multi-coloured cape, over a tan leather jacket and skinny leather trousers A slice of the action! Kelly's trip to New York proved to be true foodie experience, with the British star taking to Instagram to upload a snap of her eating a cheesy slice of pepperoni pizza Meanwhile, Kelly recently admitted she was 'amazed' that people still wanted her to do a calendar, and felt 'self-conscious' about stripping off. 'I am still amazed that they want me to do my calendar,' she told The Sun. 'That's the only time of the year I go, "Oh God I have got to put a bikini on and have my picture taken." 'I am just as self-conscious as anyone else. I am in LA right now and I turned up with puny white hairy legs, they have not seen daylight for at least six months.' Kelly first became known as a model after her mum entered her into a competition at the tender age of 16, before she scored huge deals with brands including Bravissimo, Renault Megane, Walker's crisps, Foster's Lager and Piz Buin. Sizzling: However, Kelly's figure proved to be on impressive form as she shared a saucy snap of herself, taken from behind, in the bath of her Big Apple hotel bathtub Smitten: Kelly, who has been dating Jeremy for two years now, described him as 'cultural, intelligent and lovely' She later dipped her toe into acting, yet it was her high profile romances to stars including Billy Zane, Jason Statham and Thom Evans which really propelled her into the limelight. Kelly, who has been dating Jeremy for two years now, described him as 'cultural, intelligent and lovely'. The couple met after Kelly 'fell in love at first sight' while watching a video of performing martial arts and got in touch for fitness advice. Letting their romance progress gradually, they chatted on Skype for six months before finally meeting in person. They're certainly making an impression while on their girls' holiday in Dubai. And Chloe Khan put on yet another eye-popping display as she headed to the Billionaire Mansion with pal Katie Salmon for a night out. The former Celebrity Big Brother star, 25, showed off her assets in a revealing one-shoulder gown featuring a dramatic plunging neckline. Attention grabbing: Chloe Khan put on yet another eye-popping display as she headed for a night out in Dubai Highlighting her curves in the figure-hugging dress, she completed the attention-grabbing get-up with a glitzy statement necklace and a grey fur coat. Opting for a glamorous make-up look, she accentuated her eyes with lashings of mascara and kohl eyeliner. Not to be outdone by her friend, Katie, 21, went for a similarly daring halter-neck dress featuring cut-outs at the waist and a low V neckline that showed off her cleavage. Pals: The former Celebrity Big Brother star, 25, showed off her assets in a revealing one-shoulder gown as she headed to the Billionaire Mansion with pal Katie Salmon The Love Island star displayed her toned pins in the tight-fitting mini dress, which she accessorized with a silver choker necklace and metallic wedges. Wearing her blonde locks up in a high ponytail, Katie accentuated her plump lips with a berry gloss. The pair have been flooding Instagram with glamorous shots since touching down in Dubai last week. Racy: Katie, 21, went for a similarly daring halter-neck dress featuring cut-outs at the waist and a low V neckline In one snap, Chloe is seen posing with Katie in a racy peach baby doll dress, which she wore on a night out on Friday. In another shot, the X Factor reject poses inside a car in a tight jumpsuit, which featured raunchy lace-up detailing on the legs. Katie also shared a snap on her Instagram page, showing her displaying her toned physique in a tight-fitting nude mini dress. While the girls had been seen excitedly heading for their flight at Manchester Airport on Thursday, it was Chloe's bandaged nose that had caught attention - which now appears to have fully healed. Fun-filled trip: The pair have been flooding Instagram with glamorous shots since touching down in Dubai last week Chloe reportedly underwent a second nose job to rectify sinus and breathing problems last month. A source told The Sun Online: 'Chloe recently underwent recent nose surgery to fix a deviated septum which was causing her severe sinus and breathing problems. 'It wasnt for vanity reasons. Her nose is still very swollen and she is in the early stages of recovery.' Daring: Chloe posed in a tight jumpsuit, which featured raunchy lace-up detailing on the legs Uma Thurman looked tranquil as she walked down a busy street in New York City on Monday. The 46-year-old Gattaca star stared off in the distance as she wore a head-to-toe black outfit and carried a bottle of water. This sighting comes after the blonde beauty won primary custody of daughter Luna Thurman-Busson, aged four, in an intense battle her ex, businessman Arpad Busson. Tough times: Uma Thurman looked strained as she walked down a busy street in New York City on Monday Blues: The 46-year-old Gattaca star failed to crack a smile as she wore a head-to-toe black outfit and carried a bottle of water Thurman - who was once wed to actor Ethan Hawke - looked off in the distance as she headed toward a building in midtown Manhattan. Uma wore a down parka coat with a fur-trimmed hood and black slacks with a black turtleneck. She sensibly wore socks with her loafers, but left the gloves at home. The beauty had a ring on her wedding finger (perhaps from on-again beau Andre Balazs, 60) and carried a structure Louis Vuitton purse. Trouble with her ex: This sighting comes after the beauty won primary custody of daughter Luna, aged four, in an intense battle her ex, businessman Arpad Busson. Pictured 2012 The Kill Bill star's bitter custody battle with multimillionaire Busson over their daughter Luna finally came to an end late last month. The Golden Globe winner's attorney, Eleanor Alter, confirmed that the actress won primary custody of their daughter. She added: 'The only thing that is lacking, and I hope is forthcoming, is that her parents can reach some kind of place where they can put aside their anger and are able to cooperate If parents can work together collectively, then she will have everything that any child could want in life.' Mommy mode: Uma with her little Luna at an airport in Paris in February Thurman profusely thanked the judge and the trial was concluded. The actress, dressed sharply in a black suit with white shirt, smiled broadly as she left court. She said: 'It's a wonderful thing to have closure.' The judge told Thurman that he was delighted that the parents had come to an agreement on how to raise their daughter and that he would not need to make a decision. He also made clear that their agreement would carry the same legal weight as a decision made by him. Cooper said: 'The agreement is so ordered and I am pleased we have reached a resolution in this matter. It is an excellent thing for the court, the lawyers, for both parties and most of all, the child. New role: Last week it was announced Thurman will star in Lars von Trier's new serial killer movie The House That Jack Built with Matt Dillon, Pictured March 7 Familiar: The actress will appear alongside Dillon and Bruno Ganz for the controversial Danish director's first feature since 2013's Nymphomaniac, which also starred Thurman 'Luna has all the advantages in life, two parents who love her and provide amply for her. She has every opportunity to be culturally and educationally enriched and to be loved by her parents and brothers and sisters.' Uma briefly appeared in court with her lawyers to confirm that she agreed with the terms of the settlement with Busson. It brings to an end the rancorous two-year battle between Thurman and 53-year-old French-born Busson over how and where their little girl, Luna, should be raised. Scary! The House That Jack Built is set in the 1970s and stars Dillon as Jack, an extremely intelligent serial killer who considers murder to be an art form Thurman and Busson dated for seven years and were briefly engaged until their March 2014 split, two years after the birth of their daughter, whose full name is Altalune Florence. She has been living in New York with Thurman and her two children from actor Ethan Hawke but Busson wants her to spend more time at his homes in London and the Bahamas. Meanwhile Busson shares two teenage sons with ex-girlfriend and supermodel Elle Macpherson. Last week it was announced Thurman will star in Lars von Trier's new serial killer movie The House That Jack Built shooting in Sweden. A co-star: Elvis Presley's grand-daughter Riley Keough of Mad Max fame has also joined the cast. Pictured last week in Paris The actress will appear alongside Matt Dillon and Bruno Ganz for the controversial Danish director's first feature since 2013's Nymphomaniac, which also starred Thurman. 'Uma and Lars first worked together on Nymphomaniac and complimented each other in an exceptional way; I can't wait to see which character they'll create together this time,' producer Louise Vesth said in a statement. Elvis Presley's grand-daughter Riley Keough of Mad Max fame has also joined the cast. Due out in 2018, The House That Jack Built is set in the 1970s and stars Dillon as Jack, an extremely intelligent serial killer who considers murder to be an art form. Sony Pictures launched a global search on Monday to find an actress to play Lisbeth Salander in The Girl in the Spider's Web, which begins shooting in September. Uruguayan filmmaker Federico 'Fede' Alvarez will helm the big-screen adaptation of author David Lagercrantz's 2015 continuation of the Stieg Larsson Millenium books. 'I'm hugely excited and grateful for this opportunity,' the 39-year-old director (Don't Breathe, Evil Dead) said in Sony's press release. Scroll down for video Who's next? Sony Pictures launched a global search on Monday to find an actress to play Lisbeth Salander in The Girl in the Spider's Web, which begins shooting in September 'Lisbeth Salander is the kind of character any director dreams of bringing to life. We've got a great script and now comes the most fun part finding our Lisbeth.' The titular hacker was originated in 2009 by Swedish actress Noomi Rapace in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. New York native Rooney Mara took over the part for the successful 2011 version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo directed by David Fincher, who remains on as executive producer. Next chapter: Uruguayan filmmaker Federico 'Fede' Alvarez will helm the big-screen adaptation of author David Lagercrantz's 2015 continuation of the Stieg Larsson Millenium books The 39-year-old director (Don't Breathe, Evil Dead) said in Sony's press release: 'I'm hugely excited and grateful for this opportunity...We've got a great script and now comes the most fun part finding our Lisbeth' Badass: The titular hacker was originated in 2009 by Swedish actress Noomi Rapace in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest Blockbuster: New York native Rooney Mara took over the part for the successful 2011 version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo directed by David Fincher, who remains on as executive producer The announcement for Spider's Web - hitting theaters October 5, 2018 - was made at the London Book Fair launch for the fifth Millennium book (also penned by Lagercrantz). Back in 2015, TheWrap reported that then Sony heads Scott Rudin and Amy Pascal were eyeing Swedish sensation Alicia Vikander as frontrunner to head up the sequel. The 28-year-old Oscar winner - who's currently filming Tomb Raider - will next play Sophia in the 17th century drama Tulip Fever alongside Christoph Waltz. Pictured February 26: Back in 2015, TheWrap reported that then Sony heads Scott Rudin and Amy Pascal were eyeing Swedish sensation Alicia Vikander as frontrunner She a top model of a reason. And Kendall Jenner, 21, proved she belongs in the Vogue crowd as she touched down in Los Angeles on Monday after posing for a lingerie shoot in Miami over the weekend. The Victoria Secret catwalker looked fashionable in a chic newsboy cap and matching white-rimmed sunglasses. Scroll down for video Model behavior: Kendall Jenner, 21, looked fashionable in white, sporting a chic newsboy cap and matching white-rimmed sunglasses as she touched down at LAX on Monday She opted for a basic white tee that she paired with on-trend high rise black ripped jeans. The style maven completed the look with pointy black stiletto boots and an ankle-length beige overcoat. She accessorized with a silver sparking belt that hung down a little around her tiny waist and a black handbag that she carried in her right hand. The reality star wore her short, dark hair styled straight and poking out of the sides of her hat and appeared to have little makeup on her fresh face. Chic style: She opted for a basic white tee that she paired with on-trend high rise black ripped jeans and completed the look with pointy black stiletto boots and an ankle-length beige overcoat Naturally gorgeous: The reality star wore her short, dark hair styled straight and poking out of the sides of her hat and appeared to have little makeup on her fresh face Kendall was coming back from a racy shoot in Miami that had her stripped down to her underwear. The reality diva was sitting on fake green grass as she wore lace lingerie that looked rather see-through. The bra had thin straps with a wide band on the ribs. The panties had wide sides. Complete look: She accessorized with a silver sparking belt that hung down a little around her tiny waist and a black handbag that she carried in her right hand The rumoured girlfriend of A$AP Rocky also had on red heels and red lipstick, making her appear ready for a night of romance. Her hair was parted in the middle and worn straight. Around her were oversized wood flowers that made her look like she was on the set of Alice In Wonderland. It is not known was the shoot was for. Working hard: Kendall was coming back from a racy shoot in Miami that had her stripped down to her underwear, wearing lacy lingerie and sitting on fake grass The tenth series of Doctor Who will Peter Capaldi's final one as the Time Lord. And the producers have pulled out all the stops to give the star a good send-off, as the hotly-anticipated trailer showed on Monday. Released via the BBC show's Twitter feed, the Doctor is seen for the first time with his new assistants Nardole (Matt Lucas) and Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie). Scroll down for video Out with a bang: The tenth series of Doctor Who will Peter Capaldi's final one as the Time Lord. And it will be good send-off as the hotly-anticipated trailer showed on Monday The minute-long teaser also reveals that the Time Lord's arch nemesis Missy (Michelle Gomez) will be returning, having been last seen negotiating with the Daleks. Also in store for the new trio, will be the return of classic series monsters the Ice Warriors and Mondasian Cybermen. And it looks like the team will have a lot on their hands, as The Doctor could be heard announcing ominously: 'I have the feeling that we're going to be very busy!' New faces: Released via the BBC show's Twitter feed, the Doctor is seen for the first time with his new assistants Nardole (Matt Lucas) and Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) 'Time for heroes': The minute long teaser gave fans a glimpse of what to expect Something wrong? The Time Lord looked in a state of panic for several shots Loving life: Period costumes were donned as they travelled back to 1814 Curious: Nardole looks set to be a fun comical addition to the show Life on Mars: The pair were seen suiting up for a journey in outer space during the trailer Whole new world: The pair looked set to take on a host of new locations and places Speeding off: The tardis was seen landing in a host of new countries and planets Thrilling: The special effects were impressive during the trailer As well as the explosive trailer, fans were treated to an official still from the series. The Time Lord can be seen leaning precariously out of the flying Tardis while reaching out to grab the hand of Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie, pulling her away from the ground in the dramatic image. In the backdrop, buildings are ablaze and the Tardis - which also houses a concerned-looking Nardole, played by Matt Lucas - is surrounded by sparks from the fire. A new assistant: Bill Potts, Doctor Who's latest companion played by Pearl Mackie, can be seen leaning precariously out of the flying Tardis while outgoing Time Lord Peter Capaldi grasps her hand and Nardole (Matt Lucas) quivers in fear in a new image released by the BBC The 10th series of the relaunched Doctor Who will be the last starring Peter as the Time Lord but is the first for Pearl, who is taking over the sidekick role from her predecessor, Jenna Coleman. Pearl, 29, previously appeared in BBC daytime soap opera Doctors and acted in the stage production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time. Jenna played the Doctor's ally Clara Oswald between 2012 and 2015. Series 10 will premiere on BBC One on April 15. New kid on the block: Pearl Mackie, 29, is a Brixton-born actress who appeared in BBC daytime soap Doctors and stage production The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time Goodbye: Jenna Coleman, 30, played the Doctor's ally Clara Oswald between 2012 and 2015. She now stars as Queen Victoria in the ITV drama series Victoria The next outing of Doctor Who also marks the last time showrunner Steven Moffat will helm the series. Peter will continue to play the leading role throughout the 10th series, and will make his final appearance as the Doctor during the 2017 Christmas special. There has been fierce speculation about which actor will step into The Thick Of It star's shoes on the cult show and many assume it will be Doctor Strange star Tilda Swinton. Moving on: The search for a new Time Lord began after Peter Capaldi announced in January that he will be stepping down by the end of the year The show's executive producer Mr Moffat has suggested the next Doctor could be a woman, previously saying: 'I think the next time might be a female Doctor. I don't see why not.' Even politicians have joined the debate about who should play the cult character, recently voted the world's second favourite BBC character. Speaking at a Westminster lunch, former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said it was time for a female Time Lord. She said: 'Peter Capaldi was excellent but yes, of course there should be a female Doctor Who. And what we need is a man as her assistant. She's got to just tell him what to do he'll need that leadership.' Tilda is just one of the many stars tipped to become the new Time Lord along with Kris Marshall, Olivia Colman and Richard Ayoade. One to watch: Hollywood star Tilda Swinton is currently the bookies' favourite to take up the cult role The search for a new Time Lord began after Peter Capaldi announced in January that he will be stepping down by the end of the year. The 58-year-old was the 12th actor to play the iconic role, having landed the coveted spot on the long-running series after Matt Smiths departure in June 2013. 'I feel its time to move on,' he reasoned, adding: 'One of the greatest privileges of being Doctor Who is to see the world at its best. 'From our brilliant crew and creative team working for the best broadcaster on the planet, to the viewers and fans whose endless creativity, generosity and inclusiveness points to a brighter future ahead. 'I cant thank everyone enough. Its been cosmic.' Charlize Theron effortlessly dazzled at the debut of Atomic Blonde at South By Southwest Friday. But creating the film was a little more involved, requiring blood, sweat, tears and even a few teeth, according to Page Six. During a post-screening Q&A, the South African beauty revealed how during her training the 41-year-old cracked 'two teeth in the back of [her] mouth,' so badly she needed surgery to fix them. Scroll down for video Dedicated to her craft! Charlize Theron revealed she broke two of her 'back teeth' while filming the action-thriller Atomic Blonde Training hard: The 41-year-old star worked with eight different trainers to prepare for her role in Atomic Blonde At the Q&A Charlize - who performed her own stunts in the film - was asked if she suffered any injuries while filming the high-octane action flick. 'My teeth are in bad shape,' Theron said. 'Im actually still undergoing surgery.' Apparently the Mad Max: Fury Road actress cracked her own chompers while clenching down on her jaw as she focused on her fight moves. Hit me with your best shot! In the spy thriller, the blonde beauty plays an MI6 agent who's not afraid to throw a punch Not all it's cracked up to be! The Snow White And The Huntsman star was asked if she endured any injuries on set when she revealed clenching her jaw during fight training broke two teeth 'Its really crazy. When I trained, I cracked two teeth in the back of my mouth, clenching while fighting, because apparently my arm strength wasnt strong enough.' Over time, the Monster actress boosted her strength with the help of eight trainers and months of hard work to get into fighting shape. The Academy Award winner also recalled how first weeks of training were so difficult, she could barely hold her dukes up. Armed and ready! The Monster actress's character has no qualms using violence to get her way in the spy thriller set in 1989 Berlin Beautiful brawler: The Academy Award winner worked with filmmakers over five years to developing the stylish action flick Steaming up the screen! The thrilling film features a sultry scene between Theron's character and a mysterious brunette The Prometheus lead said she told director David Leitch 'This is never going to work! I look like Big Bird. Im cupping small t**ies, and I dont know what Im doing.' It was a labor of love for the Snow White And The Huntsman actress, who spent over five years developing the project - adapted from the graphic novel The Coldest City - with filmmakers. In the film she plays an MI6 operative Lorainne Broughton, who is tasked to hunt down double agents in Berlin right before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The sure-to-be-blockbuster hits theaters on July 28. She hit headlines as the one half of The Bachelor's first lesbian couple. But after recently splitting from girlfriend Tiffany Scanlon, Megan Marx is baring all in a raunchy nude beach shoot shot on Bingin Beach in Bali. The 27-year-old showcased her ample assets and lithe limbs as she posed topless on the beach. Baring all! After recently splitting from girlfriend Tiffany Scanlon, Megan Marx is baring all in her a raunchy nude beach shoot shot on Bingin Beach in Bali Wearing her long blonde locks out in beachy waves, Megan kept her makeup smouldering with a smokey eye and pink lip. In one shot, the blonde beauty barely concealed her modesty with a fishing net strategically held over her breasts. In another, Megan stared moodily into the camera as she sat completely nude, apart from a pair of small black briefs, wearing just a few items of jewellery. Moody: Megan stares moodily into the camera as she sits completely nude, wearing just a few items of jewellery Beachy: Wearing her long blonde locks out in beachy waves, Megan kept her makeup smouldering with a smokey eye and pink lip In other shots, the Perth-born star wore sexy sheer navy lingerie with lace detailing which highlighted her taut stomach and impressive cleavage. Meanwhile, she's been coy about the status of her relationship with Tiffany Scanlon with hints of their break up dotted all over their Instagram in the past two weeks. But last week, Megan posted to her account: 'Tiffany and I have broken up'. Sheer beauty: the Perth-born star wore sexy sheer navy lingerie with lace detailing which highlighted her taut stomach and impressive cleavage After finding love with each other on The Bachelor last year, the busty blondes openly shared their same-sex relationship on their respective social media accounts. As a result, the unlikely couple won a legion of supporters. The pair later moved to Bali to start a business together, but rumors of trouble in paradise swelled following Tiffany's shock decision to return to Perth and Megan's abrupt announcement that she would be flying out to travel around Europe. Split: Megan posted to her account: 'Tiffany and I have broken up' last week On social media, fans begged the Maxim magazine Couple of the Year to confirm the status of their relationship, while others went as far as to accuse the pair of faking a split for further publicity. 'The reason people are asking is because they feel like they deserve to know because you were so public,' one frustrated social media user wrote on Tiffany's Instagram profile last week. 'They put themselves in the public light .... the public is going to ask,' another follower commented. 'I think they're both regretting going so public so quickly.' The old city of Jerusalem, seen from the West Bank town of Abu Dis Israeli police Monday killed a Palestinian who attacked and wounded two border guards with a knife near an entrance to the Old City in occupied east Jerusalem, police said. The attacker, a resident of east Jerusalem, entered a border guard post and wounded the two before being shot dead, they said. One of the guards was seriously injured, the other more lightly, police added. Family members named the dead assailant as 25-year-old Ibrahim Matar from the Jabal Mukaber area of east Jerusalem. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said security forces later raided his home and that four people were arrested. Family members said they included Matar's father. Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 Six-Day War in a move never recognised by the international community. A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has killed 255 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count. Most of the Palestinians who lost their lives were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were killed during protests, in clashes or Israeli air raids on Gaza. Violence has greatly subsided in recent months, despite sporadic attacks. Australian Sara Connor attends her trial at a court in Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on March 13, 2017 An Australian woman and her British DJ boyfriend were jailed Monday over the killing of a policeman who was beaten to death on a beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Sara Connor and David Taylor were convicted of the fatal group assault of officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose battered body was found in the popular tourist area of Kuta in August. Connor, 46, was jailed for four years and Taylor, 34, was sentenced to six years. Traffic policeman Sudarsa's blood-soaked body was found covered with dozens of wounds on his neck, chest and head. Taylor, whose stage name is DJ Nutzo, admitted getting into a fight with Sudarsa on the beach after accusing the officer of stealing Connor's handbag, and hitting him with items including binoculars and a beer bottle. However Taylor, who had messy dreadlocks when first arrested, claimed that he had been in "fear of his life" and acted in self defence during the late-night brawl, and never intended to kill the officer. Mother-of-two Connor had maintained her innocence, insisting she only intervened to try to break up the fight, but this was rejected by the judges who said she held down the victim as Taylor beat him. Briton David Taylor (pictured) has been jailed for six years for the killing of police officer Wayan Sudarsa "The defendant's actions meant the victim could not get up and move his body to resist," said I Wayan Sukanila, one of the judges ruling on Connor's case. Chief judge Made Pasek handed down the verdict and sentence in the Australian woman's case, saying she had been "legally and convincingly proven guilty" of group assault causing death. The verdict in Taylor's case was handed down at a separate hearing shortly before. - Row over handbag - Their sentences were shorter than the eight years each previously recommended by prosecutors, and will be reduced by the seven months they have already served in detention. Taylor said he accepted the sentence, but prosecutors said they would consider whether to appeal it. Connor's lawyer Erwin Siregar said he would suggest to his client that she appeal, telling reporters: "There are some parts of the verdict which do not correspond to the facts." The couple had been enjoying a romantic rendezvous on the beach when they realised that Connor's handbag was missing. Taylor confronted Sudarsa and accused him of stealing the bag, which led to the fight. Australian Sara Connor walks towards court for her trial in Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on March 13, 2017 They fled the scene but Connor's driving licence and ATM card were found next to the body. Connor cut up the policeman's identity cards taken from him during the killing and the couple also burnt the clothes they had been wearing on the night of the attack. After police launched a massive manhunt for them, they took refuge in the Australian consulate in Bali but soon handed themselves over to local authorities. Taylor and Connor, who are based in Australia and had been on holiday on Bali, had been accused of murder as well as two lesser charges, including fatal group assault. But prosecutors said the pair, who were tried separately, should not be convicted of murder, recognising they did not intend to kill the officer. A murder conviction would have carried a maximum jail term of 15 years. Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches. Minor crime is common but murders are rare. South Korea's impeached ex-president Park Geun-Hye arrives at her private residence in Seoul on Sunday Ousted South Korean leader Park Geun-Hye was assailed by newspapers and politicians Monday for her defiance over the court ruling that ended her tenure as president. Park left Seoul's presidential complex on Sunday, two days after the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment by parliament and stripped her of executive power and privileges. "It will take time but I believe that the truth will eventually be revealed," she said through a spokesman after arriving at her private home in Seoul -- her first remarks since the ruling. TV footage showed a broadly smiling Park waving to hundreds of supporters who gathered around her home, taking selfies with some as many chanted "Our president forever!" The conservative Dong-A Ilbo daily, which long supported Park, said in a front-page headline: "To the last... there was no word of acceptance" of the ruling. Thousands of her supporters staged protests in Seoul after the court verdict, with violent clashes leaving three protesters dead and dozens including police and journalists wounded. In an editorial, the centre-right JoongAng Ilbo daily accused her of trying to incite her remaining supporters and hampering an impending probe into allegations against her. "Park Geun-Hye's defiance -- is she trying to break the nation into two?" it asked. Park has been named as an accomplice to the secret confidante at the heart of the corruption and influence-peddling scandal that triggered her dramatic downfall. The friend, Choi Soon-Sil, is standing trial for using her ties to Park to force local firms to "donate" nearly $70 million to non-profit foundations Choi allegedly used for personal gain. Park is accused of offering policy favours to businessmen who paid Choi, including the heir to the smartphone giant Samsung, Lee Jae-Yong, who has been indicted for bribery and other offences. A new presidential election must be held by early May, and opposition politicians urged Park's investigation. "To the last, Park did not say a single word of apology and only talked of the so-called truth in apparent disobedience of the ruling," said Choo Mi-Ae, leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party (DP). She call for a "swift and resolute" investigation into Park and "stern punishment" if she was found guilty. Moon Jae-In, a former DP lawmaker and the presidential frontrunner, described Park's remarks as an "unacceptable" bid to paint the court as flawed. "This is an unacceptable behaviour, after her scandal left the country's reputation deeply tarnished and South Koreans deeply traumatised," he said. Another opposition group, the People's Party, slammed Park for "showing zero willingness" to honour the Constitution and urged her to cooperate with prosecutors. As president, Park repeatedly refused to make herself available for questioning, but has now been stripped of the executive privilege that gave her immunity from prosecution. The prosecutors are reportedly mulling imposing a travel ban on the 65-year-old daughter of late former dictator Park Chung-Hee. Pakistan's first census phase will take place from March 15 to April 15, the second from April 25 to May 25, and final results are expected by the end of July Fast-growing Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, with an estimated 200 million people, but has not held a census since 1998, despite a constitutional requirement for one every decade. The process starts Wednesday and will deploy a team of more than 300,000 people and involve 55 million forms -- a challenge in a country known for corruption and dysfunction. It will be the basis for revising political boundaries, parliamentary seat allocations and federal funding, while also giving a clearer picture about religious minority numbers in the Muslim-majority country as well as counting the transsexual population for the first time. The census is a highly charged issue, coming one year before national parliamentary elections. "Pakistan is not a country with a homogenous population," said Muddassir Rizvi, head of programmes at the Free and Fair Elections Network, "we are multiple ethnicities, more than 80 different languages are spoken. The count actually determines the political power of various ethnicities." The mighty Punjab province, for example, could see its political grip weaken as a result of its population not rising at a similar rate to other provinces. "It is not a well received exercise by political actors. It's only on the orders and insistence of the Supreme Court that this exercise is being undertaken," said Rizvi. - Army escorts - The lack of political will has resulted in hasty preparations. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has been primed and ready on the starting blocks for ten years, but the government only gave its green light less than three months ago -- a short time to train staff and reassure parties and communities. "There was very limited time to get everybody on board (and) ensure everyone feels the importance of being counted " said Dr Hassan Mohtashami, of the United Nations Population Fund. Many within the country are unhappy about how the presence of approximately two million Afghan refugees, whose nationality is difficult to determine because of falsified documents, could skew the numbers if they get counted as Pakistanis belonging to the Pashtun ethnic group. In Balochistan, the country's largest province by area but the least populated, a nationalist party has rejected the census, calling it tantamount to "suicide" because an influx of Pashtuns -- both from other parts of Pakistan as well as from Afghanistan -- would make the ethnic Baloch a minority in their own region. The PBS will deploy some 119,000 people, including 84,000 enumerators: teachers and local officials who will go door-to-door to count homes and then individuals. Pakistan's powerful army meanwhile announced it would dispatch up to 200,000 troops for the exercise, including 44,000 participating directly in the census-taking and making a parallel count. Asif Bajwa, the PBS's chief statistician, said the army would act as 'observers' to ensure enumerators did not inflate local counting. "Being a local person, the enumerator is susceptible to pressures, because everybody knows that a larger population translates into more jobs, more seats, and more money for the province," he said, adding each census-taker will be accompanied by a military counterpart. But that has created some disquiet for the UN who are concerned about the army's role as parallel data collectors. "The administration of any kind of other questionnaire during the census is (infringing) on the principle of confidentiality," said Mohtashami. The first census phase will take place from March 15 to April 15, the second from April 25 to May 25, and final results are expected by the end of July. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif gestures during a press conference in Prague on November 11, 2016 Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu of ignorance about history and the Jewish faith on Monday after he said ancient Persian rulers tried to destroy the Jews. In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Netanyahu said Persia had made "an attempt to destroy the Jewish people that did not succeed" some 2,500 years ago, an event commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Purim over the weekend. Zarif responded overnight on Twitter, calling Netanyahu's comments "bigoted lies" and saying Iran had saved the Jews on three occasions in history. "Netanyahu resorting to fake history and falsifying Torah. Force of habit," he tweeted. He linked to longer comments in which he said the Israeli premier "distorts the realities of today, but also distorts the past -- including Jewish scripture". "The Book of Esther tells how Xerxes I saved Jews from a plot hatched by Haman the Agagite, which is marked on this very day. "Again, during the time of Cyrus the Great, an Iranian king saved the Jews -- this time from captivity in Babylon; and during the Second World War, when Jews were being slaughtered in Europe, Iran gladly took them in," Zarif wrote. Netanyahu had sought to link ancient history to the present day, saying Iran was again seeking "to destroy the state of the Jews". Putin tried to return the conversation to the present day, saying the events described took place "in the fifth century B.C. We now live in a different world. Let us talk about that now." Ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran has been implacable in its opposition to Israel and has provided extensive support to Palestinian militant groups. Iranian officials say they oppose the state not the people, and underline that Iran has its own Jewish community. A picture taken on July 19, 2016 shows an El Al Israel Airlines' Boeing 777-258 being refuelled on the tarmac at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv A British activist who advocates boycotting Israel over its occupation of Palestinian territory has been denied entry to the country, authorities said Monday. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv over his "ongoing actions to promote boycotts against Israel", the immigration authority said. He flew back to London on Monday morning, authority spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said. "The organisation Mr Lanning heads is one of the leading anti-Israel delegitimization and BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) organisations in Britain, and one of the largest in Europe," a joint statement from the immigration authority and the strategic affairs ministry said. It also accused Lanning of maintaining ties to leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip. The PSC condemned what it called an "undemocratic" decision and called on the British government to intervene. "The PSC will not stop raising its voice to highlight the systematic violation of Palestinian human rights in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel itself," its director Ben Jamal said in a statement. Israel has carried out a campaign against calls to boycott the Jewish state over its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory. It sees the boycott movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism -- a claim activists deny, saying they only want to see the occupation end. Last week, parliament adopted a law barring entry to foreigners who support boycotting Israel, a move denounced by human rights groups and the opposition as "thought control" harmful to the country's international standing. "If Israel believes that by introducing these draconian undemocratic laws it will intimidate its critics into silence, it is mistaken," Jamal said. Lanning was however not stopped due to the new law but instead on the discretion of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who can bar those they see as working to harm Israel, Hadad said. Israeli politicians have become more combative against BDS activists under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history. China's securities regulator has handed down hefty fines for stock manipulation including what it said was the first case involving the landmark Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect programme China's securities regulator has handed down hefty fines for stock manipulation including what it said was the first case involving the landmark Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect programme. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said in a statement that it had fined Tang Hanbo and his family-operated group of stock traders more than 1.2 billion yuan ($173.9 million). They were accused of manipulating several stocks including one Shanghai-listed firm that is traded through the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect programme, which gives foreign investors access to hundreds of Chinese companies not quoted elsewhere, and vice-versa. Tang, a Chinese mainland citizen, bought and sold the stocks of Zhejiang China Commodities City Group, which is traded through the stock connect programme. He and his associates created fake buy orders to artificially lift the stock's price before dumping it, the regulator said in the statement issued Friday. The commission called it the first cross-border market manipulation case under the connect program since its launch. China started the landmark connection between the bourses of Shanghai and Hong Kong in late 2014, opening up its closeted share market to the outside world. A similar programme was launched in December linking Hong Kong with Shenzhen, China second stock exchange. Tang's group of traders includes his brother and uncle, China's Securities Times reported on Monday. China has strengthened supervision over stock manipulation after a market bubble burst in 2015, causing the benchmark Shanghai index to collapse nearly 40 percent in just two months. Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism forces take position as they advance towards Mosul's Nablus neighbourhood on March 12, 2017 Iraqi forces said Monday that they have taken more territory from jihadists and were searching for militants and bombs on the edge of the Old City as they press an offensive in west Mosul. They are also striking IS with armed drones as part of a renewed push launched on March 5 that has forced the jihadists out of several neighbourhoods and key sites, including the famed Mosul museum. West Mosul is the most-populated urban area still held by the jihadists, followed by Syria's Raqa, which is also a key target in the US-led anti-IS campaign. Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced additional gains on Monday, saying that forces from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service had recaptured Al-Nafat and Mosul al-Jadida neighbourhoods. Iraqi forces close in on west Mosul Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were working to search and clear territory on the edge of Mosul's Old City. The forces are conducting "combing and search operations in the liberated areas of Bab al-Toub, searching for traps and mines and terrorists hiding among the people", Jawdat said in a statement. The Old City -- a warren of narrow streets and closely spaced buildings where hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to still be living -- could see some of the toughest fighting of the campaign to retake Iraq's second city. The commander also said that armed observation drones are being used to monitor and strike IS, as Iraqi forces also targeted jihadist defences and positions with field artillery and rockets. He did not specify the type of drones being used. More than 68,000 people have fled west Mosul since February 25, streaming to camps around the city, according to the International Organization for Migration. But that is only a small fraction of the 750,000 people who were estimated to still be in west Mosul at the time the operation was launched. - No escape for IS - While CTS and Rapid Response are spearheading the advance inside Mosul, Iraqi army forces and pro-government paramilitaries are fighting IS to the west. Soldiers from the 9th Armoured Division scored an important victory on Saturday night when they cut the last road out of west Mosul, said Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the international anti-IS coalition. An Iraqi girl is helped by a man during aid distribution in western Mosul "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there, because they're trapped," McGurk told journalists in Baghdad. "We are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape," he said. In practice, IS fighters may still be able to sneak in and out of the city in small numbers, but the lack of access to roads makes larger-scale movement and resupply more difficult, if not impossible. "We now believe that we are killing so many of their fighters that they are not able to replace them. That was not the case even a year ago," said McGurk, putting the toll for IS leaders at 180 dead. In Syria, the US-led coalition is backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces that is pushing towards the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa. "Raqa remains their (IS's) administrative capital, it's where we think a lot of their leaders are located, it's where we think they are planning a lot of attacks around the world," said McGurk. Turkish-backed rebels are also advancing against IS in northern Syria, as are government troops supported by Russia. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, more than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria's six years of conflict, including 96,000 civilians. And the United Nations children's agency said Monday that violence against Syrian children was "at its worst" last year, with the number of minors killed, maimed or recruited into armed groups in 2016 the "highest on record". Syria's regime and rebel groups have so far held two rounds of talks in Astana sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, adding that one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities". The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP, and rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. Syrian state television on Monday reported that the government delegation, headed by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, had arrived in the Kazakh capital. Jaafari has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said the Russian and UN delegations had also arrived in Astana for the talks, with other teams expected later Monday. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, the constitution, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction, according to UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. De Mistura had earlier said he expected negotiators in Astana "to actually address the issue of counter-terrorism" and discuss a "concrete possibility of the exchange of detainees and abducted people". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday discussed the Astana meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, according Lavrov's office. The Russian foreign ministry did not release details of the call. Lavrov's deputy Gennady Gatilov said Monday that Moscow had "invited all the parties present at the previous meeting in Astana, and we hope that everyone who attended will also be present this time." More than 320,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. A woman walks up a street lined with heavily-damaged buildings in former rebel-held district of Shaar that Syrian government forces recaptured in December, in picture taken on March 9 When the army recaptured Aleppo in December, Mohammad Baqdul left Beirut and returned with his family to his native city, convinced the end of Syria's six-year war was near. Baqdul fled Syria's second city when rebels overran its east in 2012, posing one of the most serious threats yet to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. But four years later, the tables have turned. Assad's forces have recaptured the whole city, shattering rebel dreams of toppling the regime and putting the brutal war on a new trajectory. "When I heard Aleppo had been secured, I thought the war was on the brink of ending, so I brought my family back," says Baqdul, speaking to AFP in the once rebel-held quarter of Shaar. The devastation in Shaar is striking: its dusty streets are flanked by flattened buildings and piles of rubble. Baqdul stands proudly with his young daughter in front of his new brick shop, welcoming residents who are buying materials to fix up their homes. - 'People are tired' - Syria's war erupted on March 15, 2011 with peaceful demonstrations that, after a violent crackdown by government security forces, transformed into an armed uprising. In six years, the multi-front war has become one of the most destructive conflicts of the 21st century. Backed by Turkey, the Gulf and some Western nations, Syrian rebels were at their strongest in 2012 and many thought they would march to Damascus. But Assad's powerful allies came to the rescue: Iran sent military advisers and fighters, Lebanon's Shiite militant group Hezbollah joined forces and Russia began a deadly bombing campaign in support of Damascus in 2015. That support was key to retaking Aleppo, allowing the government to consolidate its upper hand by seizing other strategic territory, including from Islamic State group jihadists in northern Syria. While swathes of the country remain embroiled in violence, Syria's government has decidedly won the crux of the conflict. Aleppo, meanwhile, has become a symbol of the most destructive streak of the war -- but some have found a silver lining. "I think the war is heading toward an end, because people are tired and they prefer to stay where they are instead of being displaced again," said Ibrahim Amoura, a 35-year-old labourer. He spoke to AFP while working on a ceiling in the formerly rebel-held district of Karm al-Jabal. For years, residents of Karm al-Jabal had only heard the sounds of gunfire and bombardment. Now, the nearly-incessant whirring of generators, cement mixers and pounding hammers fill their days. - 'Reconstruction will take time' - Syrians walk past a giant poster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the city of Aleppo, which was recaptured by government forces in December 2016, in photo taken on March 9 A larger-than-life portrait of Assad with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the background looks over what was once Aleppo's front line, teeming with military vehicles and Russian soldiers. The municipality is eager to erase all trace of the former fault line that split the city for years between the government-held west and rebel-controlled east. But the divide is powerful: buildings in the west were indeed damaged by rebel rockets, but the east has been totally ravaged, reduced to rows of crumbling buildings nearly indistinguishable from each other. Water remains a precious commodity in Aleppo, cut off for almost two months by IS jihadists who controlled the main pumping station further east. Syrians stand in line at a water tank in the once rebel-held Shaar neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo on March 9, 2017 Government forces recaptured the pump at Khafsah last week and have pledged to repair the lines. For now, residents still queue up at local distributors with tanks to fill up. State electricity is equally rare, and generators are cropping up across the city. For Aleppo's deputy governor Abdulghani Kassab, "reuniting Aleppo is a turning point in the Syrian crisis because it's our second city, the economic and cultural capital." "Residents are full of energy and optimism... Reconstruction will take time, but we will work hard," he told AFP. - 'Mother of all revolutionaries' - For rebels living just outside the city, Aleppo's fall was indeed a turning point -- but instead of a harbinger of stability, it was a death knell for their dreams of Assad's ouster. "Aleppo was the mother of all revolutionaries. Losing her really was like losing our mother," said Abu Maria, a 30-year-old Islamist rebel. Thomas Pierret, a Syria expert at the University of Edinburgh, told AFP that "Aleppo symbolised hope for the opposition that it could position itself as an alternative to the regime." "It's this same hope that was shattered in December, that reduced the uprising to a peripheral insurrection," Pierret said. Syrian pro-government forces advance on rebel-held areas of the northern city of Aleppo in picture taken on December 14 The opposition "dreamt of building an administration that could compete with Damascus", said Fabrice Balanche, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute. "But the defeat (in Aleppo) shattered their morale. Around Damascus, the surrenders are multiplying," he said. According to Balanche, regime forces now control 36 percent of Syria's territory, with IS in second place at 29 percent, Kurdish forces at 23 percent and rebels with only 12 percent. Back in the devastated northern city, Aleppo's municipal council has planted rows of lemon and orange trees by a bridge. Mohammad Jassem Mohammad, a 43-year-old municipal employee, is watering them patiently. "This is the sign that life is returning," he says. Hyundai Engineering plans to invest 3.1 billion euros in the second phase of the Kangan oil production and refinery project in southwest Iran Hyundai has signed a deal worth three billion euros ($3.2 billion) to invest in a major Iranian oil project, the South Korean firm confirmed on Monday. Hyundai Engineering plans to invest 3.1 billion euros in the second phase of the Kangan oil production and refinery project in southwest Iran, it said in a statement. The agreement marks one of the biggest investments since a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers lifted global sanctions on Iran. Iranian media said the deal was signed in Tehran by Hyundai Engineering CEO Sang Ruk Sang, who then headed south to oversee the launch of a new assembly line for the company's Elantra car. The report said Hyundai was partnering with Kerman Khodro for the new car factory, without giving further details. The South Korean company will have nine months to secure financing for the oil project -- a potential obstacle due to continued reluctance of international banks to engage with Iran. Securing the funds through Korean banks will be "the most important and most difficult step", said Asghar Arefi, head of Iran's Ahdaf Investment Company which is partnering on the project, according to Shana news agency which is linked to Iran's oil ministry. "The start and execution of this project relies on 95 percent of the project's financing coming from Korean banks (with) full support from the Hyundai Engineering Company in securing those funds," Arefi told Shana. However, a Hyundai Engineering spokesman told AFP that 85 percent of the funding would come from Korean lenders, including Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation. The second phase of the deal, involving the construction of four production plants at the Kangan site, is expected to take four years. Iran has signed initial oil deals with European firms Total and Shell in recent months, potentially worth billions of euros. But doubts persist over how these deals will be financed given the reluctance of global banks to return to Iran, and fears that the US may reimpose sanctions lifted under the nuclear deal. China and the Philippines have had a long-running dispute over competing claims in the South China Sea. Parts of that strategically vital waterway are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he had agreed to allow Chinese surveillance ships into Filipino waters, contradicting his defence minister who described their presence as "very concerning". Duterte also told reporters he did not want to have a "fight" with China over Benham Rise -- waters recognised by the United Nation as indisputably Philippine territory -- partly because he wanted Chinese economic help. "They have no incursion because we have an agreement," Duterte told reporters when asked about the reported presence of Chinese surveillance ships at Benham Rise. "Some people are just blowing it up. We previously agreed. It was a research ship. We were advised of it way ahead." Duterte's comments came after his defence secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said last week that Chinese surveillance ships had been seen in Benham Rise, which is believed to sit atop lucrative oil and gas deposits. "The very concerning thing is they have several service ships plying this area, staying in one area sometimes for a month as if doing nothing. But we believe they are actually surveying the seabed," Lorenzana said. "I have ordered the Navy that if they see this service ship this year, to start to accost them and drive them away." Lorenzana said China may be "looking for a place to put submarines". Duterte emphasised Monday the Philippines was set to enjoy billions of dollars in Chinese investments and grants, following his decision not to argue with China over another territorial dispute in the South China Sea. "Let us not fight about ownership or sovereignty at this time because things are going great for my country," Duterte said in reference to China. Benham Rise is an underwater landmass 250 kilometres (155 miles) off the east coast of the main island of Luzon. In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the Philippines' undisputed territorial claim to Benham Rise. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said last week that although the UN had ruled in the Philippines' favour, this did not mean Benham Rise was part of its territory. China and the Philippines have had a long-running dispute over competing claims in the South China Sea. Parts of that strategically vital waterway are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino, had forcefully challenged China in diplomatic and legal circles over the South China Sea dispute, leading to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations. Duterte, who took office last year, has reversed that policy, preferring instead to placate China in return for hoped-for billions of dollars worth of investments and grants. President Mohammadu Buhari returned to Nigeria on March 10 after nearly two months' medical leave in Britain Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari returned to work on Monday after nearly two months' medical leave in Britain, the presidency said. "President Muhammadu Buhari today resumed duties after his vacation," presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said in a statement. Buhari, 74, who returned to Nigeria last Friday, hopes to end weeks of uncertainty about his health and fitness to lead. In line with the constitution, he returned to work by sending a letter to the country's parliament. During his absence, his office had repeatedly denied claims the leader was ill and insisted he was "hale and hearty". But when he returned to Nigeria's capital of Abuja on Friday, a gaunt-looking Buhari said he "couldn't recall being so sick since I was a young man" and described receiving "blood transfusions". He also said that despite feeling better, he still required rest and further treatment for his undisclosed sickness in the coming weeks. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said he had an hour-long meeting with Buhari on Monday to "bring the president up to speed" on the state of the nation. "He has given a few directives on what we should be doing on so many areas, the northeast, budget, the economy, a wide range of issues," Osinbajo told reporters after the meeting. "His readiness for work is not in doubt at all. In fact he is over-ready." - No 'dramatic' return - Another presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said Buhari would take some time to ease back into his job after so long away, warning that there wouldn't be a "dramatic" return. "He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually," Shehu told Nigerian-owned Arise News television in an interview broadcast on Sunday. Shehu said the date of Buhari's return to London for follow-up treatment was unclear and would only be determined by the president and his doctors. Buhari had "no knowledge" of his illness before he left for London on January 19, he added. The health of Nigeria's president has become a sensitive issue following the 2010 death of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from a long-standing, but secret, kidney complaint. The presidency had been keen to avoid the impression of a political vacuum and Osinbajo has been a visible presence in the months Buhari has been away. He was formally handed powers as acting president during Buhari's absence. Buhari faces a tough task of rehabilitating Nigeria's sputtering economy, which contracted in 2016 for the first time in two decades, before the next general election due in February 2019. But observers see his health as a key factor in the coming months, with the potential for it to create a bitter power struggle within his All Progressives Congress party. In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013 Two civilians and two Malian soldiers were killed Monday in an attack blamed on jihadists in the country's restive north. Mali's defence ministry confirmed two soldiers were killed and two injured during the assault by armed men close to the village of Fafa, which lies near the border with Niger. Reinforcements were on their way to the area, the ministry said. A security source reached by AFP from the nearby town of Ansongo said two civilians also lost their lives. "We have unfortunately lost two men. Two civilians were also killed. Two army vehicles were taken," the source said, blaming jihadists for the attack. The soldiers were in the area to protect stallholders, according to the same source. In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013. The implementation of a 2015 peace accord between militias and the government has however been piecemeal, and insurgents who refused to sign the deal are still active across large parts of Mali. Meanwhile five Malian jihadist groups -- most of them with previous Al-Qaeda links -- have recently joined forces to create the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), raising fears of better-coordinated operations. The jihadist alliance has already claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 11 soldiers close to Mali's border with Burkina Faso. Moroccans demonstrate outside a court on March 13, 2017 against the killing of security forces in the Western Sahara in 2010 A Moroccan court on Monday resumed the trial of 25 Sahrawis accused of killing 13 people, mostly Moroccan security forces, in the contested Western Sahara's Gdeim Izik camp in 2010. The killings allegedly took place during riots that broke out as security forces cleared the camp near the city of Laayoune in November 2010. The Court of Appeal in Sale, near the capital Rabat, was packed with lawyers, relatives of victims and defendants, observers, journalists and security forces for the hearing. The courtroom was dominated by a giant screen broadcasting the hearing. Knives, axes, road signs and hard disks were presented as evidence. Outside, supporters of the two camps, separated by a line of policemen, exchanged slogans and insults. "No to impunity for killers!" shouted dozens of victims' relatives, waving Moroccan flags and pictures of soldiers who had died. Polisario Front supporters outside the court on March 13, 2017, demonstrate in support of the 25 Sahrawi suspects on trial for the killing of security forces in the Western Sahara in 2010 "Freedom for political prisoners!" a crowd of Sahrawi activists chanted. A military court in 2013 sentenced the 25 defendants to jail terms ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment following a high-profile legal drama. International NGOs condemned the trial as "unfair", and in July the Court of Cassation ordered a new trial in a civilian court. The Polisario on Monday called on the United Nations to intervene "urgently for the immediate and unconditional release of these detainees". In a letter to UN chief Antonio Guterres, the group's head Brahim Ghali condemned a "new series of violations" and the "unfair trial of innocent Sahrawi political prisoners and victims of the illegitimate Moroccan military court". Defence lawyers said they had little faith that the new trial would deliver justice. The trial "is taking place in very unfair conditions, but we remain at the defendants' side," the defence team said. Ahmed Atertour, president of an association for families and friends of the victims, said he had "confidence in Moroccan justice to commemorate the memory of our (...) martyrs". Morocco says Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony under its control, is an integral part of the kingdom. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front demands a referendum on self-determination for the territory. The United Nations has nearly 19,000 troops deployed in the DR Congo, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission Two foreign experts from the United Nations have been kidnapped in the violence-wracked central Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN and Congolese sources said Monday. "What we can say for now is that two members of our Group of Experts are missing and MONUSCO is looking for them," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said, referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in the troubled central African country. Haq said one of the victims was American and other Swedish-Chilean. "They were kidnapped at a bridge over the Moyo river and taken to the forest by unknown assailants," Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende told AFP. Four Congolese nationals -- three motorcycle-taxi drivers and an interpreter -- were also taken hostage, he added. A government statement said the group was travelling in the Kasai region without the local authorities being informed. A Uruguayan peacekeeper was shot and injured last week in the same region, which has been wracked by a rebellion since September. The uprising erupted after government forces in August killed a tribal chief and militia leader, Kamwina Nsapu, who had rebelled against President Joseph Kabila. The violence has since spilled over to the neighbouring provinces of Kasai-Oriental and Lomami, leaving at least 400 people dead. The United Nations has nearly 19,000 troops deployed in the DR Congo, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission. About 100 of those troops were recently dispatched to the Kasai region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the Security Council to send an extra 320 UN police to the country after a deal to end a dispute over the presidential election stalled. The so-called Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo is made up of six people and provides annual reports on the situation in the country, notably on the movement of illegal arms. burs-mj/txw/mkh A summary of the agreement shared by the opposition National Coalition said that those evacuating Homs would go to rebel-held north Homs province, Jarabulus in Aleppo province or Idlib province Syria's government and opposition said Monday they had agreed a Russian-supervised deal to complete the evacuation of fighters and civilians from the last rebel-held part of Homs city. The new agreement aims to finalise implementation of a "reconciliation deal" that has already seen several phases of rebel evacuation from Waer district, but which had stalled in recent months. State news agency SANA said rebels and their families wishing to leave Waer would begin evacuating from Saturday, and the process would last no longer than two months. "The implementation of the Waer operation will be in cooperation with the Russian reconciliation office, the police and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent," Homs provincial governor Talal Barazi told journalists. "The police and Red Crescent will supervise the exit and the agreement, and the Russian forces will coordinate and secure the route," he added. A summary of the agreement shared by the opposition National Coalition said that those evacuating Waer would go to rebel-held north Homs province, Jarabulus in Aleppo province or Idlib province. It also said a military contingent of 60-100 Russian troops would deploy in Waer to monitor the deal's implementation and the safety of remaining residents and returning civilians. It said the Russian force would be responsible for "preventing the arrest of residents of Waer" and stopping militias allied with the government from entering the district. "Syrian forces and Russian forces bear full responsibility for the safety of those leaving Waer neighbourhood," the summary said. Three waves of rebels and their families have already quit Waer under a deal first agreed in December 2015. The original agreement envisioned rebels and their families leaving the district by January 2016, with police but not soldiers then reentering to take control. The deal stalled, although two additional waves of evacuations took place in September 2016. Over the past month, government forces have stepped up bombardment of the district, killing dozens of people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. And no aid has reached the area in at least four months, with a UN convoy that attempted to reach Waer in February seized by gunmen who diverted the assistance to a government-held area. Syria's government has agreed "reconciliation" deals in several rebel-held areas, and touts the local agreements that grants safe passage to surrendering fighters as key to ending the country's war. But the opposition says it is forced into such deals by siege and bombardment. US President Donald Trump (right) held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in February 2017, where he broke with decades of US policy by saying he was not bound to a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict US President Donald Trump's special envoy Jason Greenblatt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed ways to reach peace with the Palestinians as well as settlement construction, a statement said Tuesday. The five-hour meeting, held in Netanyahu's Jerusalem office late Monday, came as Trump's administration begins to enter the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The two "reaffirmed the joint commitment of both Israel and the United States to advance a genuine and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians that strengthens the security of Israel and enhances stability in the region," a joint statement from the premier's office and US embassy said. They also "continued discussions relating to settlement construction in the hope of working out an approach that is consistent with the goal of advancing peace and security." The international community considers continuing settlement growth in the West Bank a major obstacle to peace. According to the statement, Greenblatt "reaffirmed President Trump's commitment to Israel's security and to the effort to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting peace through direct negotiations." Greenblatt was due to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law The statement cited Netanyahu as telling Greenblatt he believed "it is possible to advance peace" while Trump is in the White House. Greenblatt himself wrote on Twitter that he had a "very positive and productive meeting" with Netanyahu during which they discussed the "regional situation, how progress towards peace with Palestinians can be made & settlements." At a White House meeting in February, Trump asked Netanyahu to "hold back on settlements for a little bit." But Netanyahu has found himself caught between maintaining relations with Washington and holding together his right-wing governing coalition, with some pushing for immediate action. - Abbas US visit 'soon' - On Tuesday, pro-settlement members of the coalition were seeking to advance a bill to annex a large Israeli settlement east of Jerusalem of some 37,000 people called Maale Adumim. The bill was on the agenda for a ministerial committee meeting later Tuesday. Amid warnings that such unilateral moves could lead to a crisis with Trump's administration, Netanyahu has reportedly been seeking to delay the bill. More than 400,000 settlers now live in dozens of settlements across the occupied West Bank A source familiar with the discussions told AFP the coalition chairman wants to put off the vote by three months, but Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the hardline Jewish Home party is only willing to agree to a one-week delay. On Friday, Trump invited Abbas to visit the White House "soon" to discuss ways to resume the peace process. When Netanyahu met with Trump at the White House last month, the US president broke with decades of US policy by saying he was not bound to a two-state solution to the conflict. The peace process has been deadlocked since April 2014 following the collapse of indirect negotiations led by then US secretary of state John Kerry. The US State Department had on Monday described Greenblatt's visit as an orientation trip to enable him to get a sense of how "we can create a climate that leads to eventual peace negotiations". Spokesman Mark Toner said the trip was "the first of what will become many visits to the region." Cherry and other trees close to bloom are seen along the tidal basin on the National Mall on March 13, 2017 in Washington, DC As the northeastern United States braces for the biggest snowstorm of the winter, officials in Washington had other concerns -- the fate of the city's prized cherry blossoms, which draw hordes of tourists every year. "There is no risk for the trees themselves. They've seen snow, cold temperatures, wind," National Park Service (NPS) spokesman Mike Litterst told AFP on Monday. "The concern right now is for the blossoms, not really because of the snow but we are very concerned about the temperatures. (...) The blossoms are so far advanced," he said. Damage begins when the temperature drops to about 27 degrees Fahrenheit (-2.5 degrees Celsius), Litterst explained. Washington was under a winter storm warning Monday night, with the mercury possibly plunging into the 20s. Up to eight inches (20 centimeters) of snow was possible in some areas, along with strong winds -- also not a good thing for the cherry blossoms. The NPS had been predicting "peak bloom" of the roughly 3,000 cherry trees around Washington's Tidal Basin -- the time when 70 percent of the Yoshino trees are in full flower -- would be sometime between March 19 and March 22. Hundreds of thousands of people come to the US capital to see the clouds of pink flowers each year. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a top tourist draw, bringing in tens of millions of dollars. The Yoshino trees, one of the 12 varieties planted around the Tidal Basin, are the most at risk, Litterst said, as they are at a critical stage in the blooming process and especially susceptible to cold and frost. Only those flowers still in their protective buds are likely to survive the storm, the spokesman said. The National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of roughly 3,000 cherry trees to Washington by the mayor of Tokyo, as a symbol of US-Japanese friendship. There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. Now this Maldivian reef is dead, killed by the stress of rising ocean temperatures. What's left is a haunting expanse of gray, a scene repeated in reefs across the globe in what has fast become a full-blown ecological catastrophe. This May 2016 photo provided by the Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey shows coral bleaching in the Maldives. Coral reefs, unique underwater ecosystems that sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and half a billion people, are dying on an unprecedented scale. Scientists are racing to prevent a complete wipeout within decades. WHY DOES CORAL BLEACHING HAPPEN? Corals have a symbiotic relationship with a tiny marine algae called 'zooxanthellae' that live inside and nourish them. When sea surface temperatures rise, corals expel the colourful algae. The loss of the algae causes them to bleach and turn white. While mildly bleached corals can recover if the temperature drops and the algae return, severely bleached corals die. Advertisement The world has lost roughly half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are now scrambling to ensure that at least a fraction of these unique ecosystems survives beyond the next three decades. The health of the planet depends on it: Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine species, as well as half a billion people around the world. 'This isn't something that's going to happen 100 years from now. 'We're losing them right now,' said marine biologist Julia Baum of Canada's University of Victoria. 'We're losing them really quickly, much more quickly than I think any of us ever could have imagined.' Even if the world could halt global warming now, scientists still expect that more than 90 percent of corals will die by 2050. Without drastic intervention, we risk losing them all. 'To lose coral reefs is to fundamentally undermine the health of a very large proportion of the human race,' said Ruth Gates, director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Coral reefs produce some of the oxygen we breathe. Often described as underwater rainforests, they populate a tiny fraction of the ocean but provide habitats for one in four marine species. Reefs also form crucial barriers that protect coastlines from the full force of storms. They provide billions of dollars in revenue from tourism, fishing and other commerce, and are used in medical research for cures to diseases including cancer, arthritis and bacterial or viral infections. 'Whether you're living in North America or Europe or Australia, you should be concerned,' said biologist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, director of the Global Change Institute at Australia's University of Queensland. In this May 2016 photo released by The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey, a boat sails near a coral reef that has been bleached white by heat stress in the Maldives. Coral reefs, unique underwater ecosystems that sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and half a billion people, are dying on an unprecedented scale. Scientists are racing to prevent a complete wipeout within decades. (The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey via AP) 'This is not just some distant dive destination, a holiday destination. This is the fabric of the ecosystem that supports us.' And that fabric is being torn apart. 'You couldn't be more dumb ... to erode the very thing that life depends on - the ecosystem - and hope that you'll get away with it,' Hoegh-Guldberg said. Corals are invertebrates, living mostly in tropical waters. They secrete calcium carbonate to build protective skeletons that grow and take on impressive colors, thanks to a symbiotic relationship with algae that live in their tissues and provide them with energy. THE 50 REEFS PROJECT 50 Reefs, aiming to identify those reefs with the best chance of survival in warming oceans and raise public awareness. It brings together leading ocean, climate and marine scientists as well as conservation practitioners from around the world to develop a list of the 50 most critical coral reefs to protect. The final list and corresponding initiatives, to be announced later this year, will raise awareness of the increasing severity of climate change impacts on the ocean and catalyze the global action and investment required to protect these important reef systems for the future, organisers hope. A unique philanthropic coalition of innovators in business, technology and government are supporting 50 Reefs, led by Bloomberg Philanthropies with The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, with the aim of preventing the worst economic, social, and environmental impacts of this enormous crisis. Advertisement But corals are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and are suffering from rising ocean temperatures and acidification, as well as from overfishing, pollution, coastal development and agricultural runoff. A temperature change of just 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) can force coral to expel the algae, leaving their white skeletons visible in a process known as 'bleaching.' Bleached coral can recover if the water cools, but if high temperatures persist for months, the coral will die. Eventually the reef will degrade, leaving fish without habitats and coastlines less protected from storm surges. The first global bleaching event occurred in 1998, when 16 percent of corals died. The problem spiraled dramatically in 2015-2016 amid an extended El Nino natural weather phenomenon that warmed Pacific waters near the equator and triggered the most widespread bleaching ever documented. This third global bleaching event, as it is known, continues today even after El Nino ended. Headlines have focused on damage to Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef, but other reefs have fared just as badly or worse across the world, from Japan to Hawaii to Florida. Around the islands of the Maldives, an idyllic Indian Ocean tourism destination, some 73 percent of surveyed reefs suffered bleaching between March and May 2016, according to the country's Marine Research Center. 'This bleaching episode seems to have impacted the entire Maldives, but the severity of bleaching varies' between reefs, according to local conditions, said Nizam Ibrahim, the center's senior research officer. This May 2016 photo provided by the Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey shows a snorkeler surveying the coral bleaching in the Maldives. Coral reefs, unique underwater ecosystems that sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and half a billion people, are dying on an unprecedented scale. Scientists are racing to prevent a complete wipeout within decades. (The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey via AP) Worst hit have been areas in the central Pacific, where the University of Victoria's Baum has been conducting research on Kiritimati, or Christmas Island, in the Republic of Kiribati. Warmer water temperatures lasted there for 10 months in 2015-2016, killing a staggering 90 percent of the reef. Baum had never seen anything like it. 'As scientists, we were all on brand new territory,' Baum said, 'as were the corals in terms of the thermal stress they were subjected to.' To make matters worse, scientists are predicting another wave of elevated ocean temperatures starting next month. 'The models indicate that we will see the return of bleaching in the South Pacific soon, along with a possibility of bleaching in both the eastern and western parts of the Indian Ocean,' said Mark Eakin, coral reef specialist and coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch, which uses satellites to monitor environmental conditions around reefs. It may not be as bad as last year, but could further stress 'reefs that are still hurting from the last two years.' The speed of the destruction is what alarms scientists and conservationists, as damaged coral might not have time to recover before it is hit again by warmer temperatures. But some may have a chance. Last month, Hoegh-Guldberg helped launch an initiative called 50 Reefs, aiming to identify those reefs with the best chance of survival in warming oceans and raise public awareness. His project partner is Richard Vevers, who heads the XL Catlin Seaview Survey, which has been documenting coral reefs worldwide. This May 2016 photo released by The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey shows coral that has bleached white due to heat stress in the Maldives. Coral reefs, unique underwater ecosystems that sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and half a billion people, are dying on an unprecedented scale. Scientists are racing to prevent a complete wipeout within decades. (The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey via AP) 'For the reefs that are least vulnerable to climate change, the key will be to protect them from all the other issues they are facing - pollution, overfishing, coastal development,' said Vevers, who founded The Ocean Agency, an Australian organization seeking new technologies to help mitigate some of the ocean's greatest challenges. 'If the reefs remain healthy and resilient, 'they can hopefully become the vital seed-centers that can repopulate surrounding reefs.' Nature itself is providing small glimmers of hope. Some of Kiritimati's corals, for example, are showing tentative signs of a comeback. But scientists don't want to leave it to chance, and are racing ahead with experiments they hope might stave off extinction. 'We've lost 50 percent of the reefs, but that means we still have 50 percent left,' said Gates, who is working in Hawaii to breed corals that can better withstand increasing temperatures. 'We definitely don't want to get to the point where we don't intervene until we have 2 percent left.' Going a step further, she is also trying to 'train' corals to survive rising temperatures, exposing them to sub-lethal heat stress in the hope they can 'somehow fix that in their memory' and survive similar stress in the future. 'It's probably time that we start thinking outside the box,' Gates said. 'It's sort of a no-win game if we do nothing.' TOKYO (AP) - King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks Monday mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. Saudi King Salman walks upon his arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Salman arrived in Japan as part of a month-long Asian tour. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Monday that Japan is willing to provide support for the economic power in the Middle East. "We will discuss growth strategy, including our 'Saudi Vision' project," he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030, a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives He did not confirm reports that the countries would agree to set up a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and was to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later Monday. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatized, seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen ($18.6 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen ($4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late Sunday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Salman's stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialization and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report. Saudi King Salman, left, rides on a special escalator to disembark from his plane upon his arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Salman arrived in Japan as part of a month-long Asian tour. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Saudi King Salman, center, rides on a special escalator to disembark from his plane upon his arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Salman arrived in Japan as part of a month-long Asian tour. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Saudi King Salman, center, disembarks from his plane upon his arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Salman arrived in Japan as part of a month-long Asian tour. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats and some Republicans on Monday criticized a veteran GOP congressman for saying America can't restore "our civilization with somebody else's babies" and warning of a liberal effort to destroy Western civilization through immigration. On Twitter Sunday, Rep. Steve King of Iowa paid tribute to a Dutch politician who opposes immigration and has spoken against Islam. It came as the Dutch prepared for an election for prime minister. King, who has served in the House since 2003, said Geert Wilders "understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2014, file photo, Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa speaks in Des Moines. King in a tweet Sunday, March 12, 2017, paid tribute to Geert Wilders, a veteran member of the Dutch Parliament who founded the Party of Freedom. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) In an interview Monday on CNN, King said he stood by his remarks, "I meant exactly what I said," and noted that he delivers the same message to countries in Europe. "We need to get our birth rates up or Europe will be entirely transformed within a half a century or a little more," King said. King is known for making racially charged commentary. Last year, at the Republican National Convention, King questioned contributions to civilization by nonwhites. In 2013, he described children in the country illegally as having "calves the size of cantaloupes because they've been hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert." King said his comments aren't focused on race, but critics disagreed. A spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on GOP leadership to condemn King's statements. "Republican congressman Steve King's vile racism has no place in decent society, much less in the U.S. Congress," said spokesman Drew Hammill. Pressed on the issue Monday night, House Speaker Paul Ryan told Fox News that he disagreed with the statement. "We're a melting pot. My family's here because the potatoes stopped growing in Ireland," he said. "The American idea is this beautiful idea which is there for everyone, which is that the condition of your birth doesn't determine your outcome in life." Ryan said he hasn't spoken with King. "I'd like to think he misspoke and it wasn't really meant the way it sounds and hopefully he's clarified that," Ryan said. In defending his remarks, King told CNN that he wants to see Americans "bonded together." "If you go down the road a few generations or maybe centuries with the intermarriage, I'd like to see an America that (is) so homogenous that we look a lot the same from that perspective. I think there's far too much focus on race, especially in the last eight years. I want to see that put behind us," King said. Iowa Republicans, including Gov. Terry Branstad; Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party; and Rep. David Young, said they disagreed with King. Most members of the House were still back in their home districts Monday, muting reaction from King's colleagues. But two Florida Republicans took to Twitter to voice their displeasure. "Get a clue, @SteveKingIA. Diversity is our strength. All looking alike is such a waste. A travesty. I wanna be me. All others are taken," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, who was born to Cuban exiles who fled Fidel Castro's regime in the 1960s, asked King via Twitter: "What exactly do you mean? Do I qualify as "somebody else's baby?" #concernedGOPcolleague" Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a civil rights leader in the 1960s, said the United States is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, appearance and languages. "Rep. King's statement is bigoted and racist. It suggests there is one cultural tradition and one appearance that all of humanity should conform to," Lewis said. "These ideas have given rise to some of the worst atrocities in human history, and they must be condemned." ISLAMABAD (AP) - Islamabad is hosting female lawmakers from 12 countries at a conference on the role of women in strengthening democracy. Pakistanis Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter opened the three-day gathering on Monday. Maryam Nawaz saluted the Women's Parliamentary Caucus in Pakistan for taking the initiative for the venue. She says it's high time to work for women's empowerment for the betterment and development of societies. Along with those from Pakistan, women lawmakers from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Australia, Romania, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Maldives, Indonesia and Nepal are attending the event. Women make up over half of the population in Pakistan and though they have some rights, they are still hugely discriminated against. Much of this Islamic society still believes women should not work but stay confined to the home. WASHINGTON (AP) - A familiar name from Massachusetts, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, is carrying his family legacy into a new era, battling Republicans who want to undo Barack Obama's health care law. Kennedy, the 36-year-old grandson of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and great-nephew of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy, has been a low-key presence in the House since he was first elected in his Boston-area district in 2012. He emerged last week as a major Democratic voice against the Republican health care bill, delivering several speeches in a committee's all-night session that have been viewed millions of times on the internet. While the technology may be new, his support for the Obama-era health care law and more services for the poor are familiar Kennedy territory. Sen. Ted Kennedy was a fierce proponent of the law before his death from brain cancer in August 2009. In this photo taken March 9, 2017, House Energy and Commerce Committee member Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, D-Mass., joined at left by Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., listens on Capitol Hill in Washington as debate continues after working through the night with members of the committee on the GOP's "Obamacare" replacement bill. A familiar name from Massachusetts is carrying his family legacy into a new era, battling Republicans who want to undo Barack Obama's health care law. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Now his great-nephew is fighting Republicans who are trying to unravel the 2010 law. Kennedy challenged House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who had called the GOP replacement bill an "act of mercy." "With all due respect to our speaker, he and I must have read different scripture," Kennedy said. "The one that I read calls on us to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, and to comfort the sick. It reminds us that we are judged not by how we treat the powerful, but how we care for the least among us." He added: "This is not an act of mercy. It's an act of malice." His office posted the video on Facebook, and as of Sunday, it had almost 10 million views and more than 225,000 shares. Kennedy acknowledged his family legacy but stressed that he can't allow it to overwhelm his actions. "I obviously am very proud of what my family has accomplished and what they have done," he said in an interview, but "if you try to do this job and carry that weight around, you're never going to be able to do anything." When talking about his grandfather's speeches, he is emotional, putting his hand on his heart. "God, have you read some of his speeches?" he asks, and notes that a one-minute viral clip is an easier task. It's clear that he'd rather be talking about the details of his opposition to the health bill. At the committee debate, he criticized the bill for its one-year freeze in Planned Parenthood funding, and the resulting decrease in health services for women, and the repeal of a requirement that state Medicaid plans must provide "essential health benefits," including mental health care. A separate Facebook video of him talking about mental health care has more than 4 million views. That issue is important in his family - mainly to his cousin, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who left Congress in 2011 and has since been open about his own battles with mental health. Now an advocate for increased mental health services, Patrick Kennedy says his cousin "managed to capture a moment when all eyes were on health care, and focus it with laser precision." He says Joe is the right person to carry on the family legacy. "Most members have to be around for a long time and pay their dues before they garner the kind of credibility he'll have," Patrick said of Joe. "The fact is, is he going to use that to good purpose? As he demonstrated this week, he is not only prepared but is using to good purpose that incredible family legacy he was given by birth." One of Kennedy's good friends in Congress is Rep. Markwayne Mullin, a 39-year-old Oklahoma Republican who entered Congress with Kennedy four years ago and says he disagrees with the Massachusetts Democrat on almost everything. Mullin says they joke a lot, but they rarely joke about health care. They both sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where they took opposite sides on the bill last week. "He doesn't speak out very often. He's not someone that is front and center," Mullin said. "But health care is something that is very important to him." The internet took notice, with retweets and Twitter shout-outs from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who tweeted: "Wow. This is a Kennedy who could be President. A must watch." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi cited his "passion and his leadership." New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee and a lawmaker who worked with both Ted Kennedy and Patrick Kennedy before Joe came to Congress, says his party needs more young people talking about the benefits of the health care law, since many don't think it helps them. Joe Kennedy says millennials are engaged, apolitical, want the system to work and want solutions. "Trying to get to some of the solutions here is difficult," Kennedy said. "But we need to find a way to get there." WASHINGTON (AP) - A year ago, the U.S. government was campaigning for an international ban on shipments of rechargeable batteries on passenger planes because the batteries can self-ignite, creating intense fires capable of destroying an airliner. "The risk is immediate and urgent," Angela Stubblefield, a U.S. aviation official, declared then. Today, that urgency has evaporated as safety regulations stall under President Donald Trump's push to ease what he sees as red tape holding back the U.S. economy. FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2006 file photo, firefighters battle a blaze onboard a UPS cargo plane at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency that sets global aviation safety standards, decided last year to ban shipments of lithium ion batteries on international passenger flights and require that the batteries be no more than 30 percent charged on cargo flights. As a result, countries around the world have been adopting the new international safety standard for their domestic flights as well. The United States is a notable exception. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek, File) The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency that sets global aviation safety standards, decided last year to ban bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries on international passenger flights. On cargo flights, the batteries can be charged to no more than 30 percent, a level that may reduce the likelihood of fires. As a result, countries around the world have been adopting the new international standard for domestic flights as well. The Obama administration also looked to do so, submitting rules for publication that makes them binding. But after Trump took office on Jan. 20, he signed an executive order freezing the publication of new regulations. That means airlines and cargo operators remain free to ignore the standard for domestic flights. The Obama administration had considered the change so urgent that it was fast-tracked in the rulemaking process. Trump's executive order says urgent safety rules can be exempted from the freeze, but the new administration isn't invoking that exemption for battery shipments. "This is part of our ongoing regulatory review," the Transportation Department said in a statement. "The safe movement of hazardous materials remains a priority. We will provide updates as soon as decisions are made with regard to these and other issues at hand." No time frame was provided. Rechargeable batteries are used in consumer products ranging from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Manufacturers like them because they pack more energy into smaller packages, but the batteries can self-ignite if they have a manufacturing flaw, are damaged, exposed to excessive heat, overcharged or packed too closely together. The fires can burn up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, close to the melting point of the aluminum used in aircraft construction. Since 2006, three cargo jets have been destroyed and four pilots killed by in-flight fires that accident investigators say were either started by batteries or made more severe by their proximity. Most passenger carriers and some cargo operators are voluntarily abiding by the international standard for their domestic operations for the time being. Trade associations for the U.S. and international airline industries say they support extending the standard to domestic flights. But lobbyists for the battery industry, which opposed the international standard when it was adopted last year, are urging administration officials to make changes that would allow certain batteries to continue to be shipped on passenger flights. The ICAO standard already allows for limited exemptions, but lobbyists are asking for blanket exemptions for medical-device batteries and shipments to remote locations and other changes. The position of U.S. negotiators last year was that medical-device batteries were no less dangerous than other kinds. Extending the international ban to domestic flights is "a matter of life and death," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the House transportation committee's senior Democrat and an advocate of banning air shipments of batteries. "If we don't start following the ICAO guidelines and stop stuffing giant boxes of lithium batteries that are fully charged into passenger aircraft, sooner or later we're going to kill a lot of people," he said. "When something is this critical that it will take down an airplane, voluntary compliance with a non-existent rule is not adequate." But Bob Richard, a battery industry lobbyist, said people living in the Alaskan outback, for example, might not be able to receive batteries for their backup heaters or emergency beacons if the international standard is extended to domestic flights. Under Trump, "regulators are going to be held more accountable for understanding the impacts of their rules," Richard said. "I think that will cause agencies to take a closer look at the implications." Battery makers and electronics companies say the problem is mostly limited to manufacturers in China who make substandard batteries and don't follow hazardous materials shipping regulations. They say that greater enforcement of the previous, less stringent shipping rules is the better solution. But a study by Canadian safety authorities found that the problem of battery shippers not following regulations was widespread and not limited to China. Congress directed the Transportation Department last year to adopt the international standard for domestic flights. But it's not uncommon for federal agencies to ignore, or drag their feet about complying with, congressional directives, especially if they disagree with them. Without harmonization, the U.S. also can't enforce the ICAO standard for international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States. The U.S. is the world's largest aviation market. Safety concerns about rechargeable batteries increased after FAA tests in 2014 showed gases emitted by overheated batteries can build up in cargo containers, leading to explosions capable of disabling aircraft fire suppression systems. An organization representing aircraft manufacturers said in a 2015 statement that airliners aren't designed to withstand lithium battery fires and that continuing to accept battery shipments is "an unacceptable risk." BALI, Indonesia (AP) - A court on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali on Monday sentenced a British man charged with attacking a traffic police officer and causing his death to six years in prison and his Australian girlfriend to four years. David Taylor, a dreadlocked DJ who adopted a more sober appearance for the trial, said he accepted the judge's decision. During the trial, his girlfriend, Sara Connor, who faced the same charge, said she wasn't an active participant in the attack. But the judges found that her role prevented the officer, Wayan Sudarsa, from defending himself. British national David Taylor, right, talks to his interpreter during his verdict trial in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, March 13, 2017. Indonesian judges sentenced Taylor for six years and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor for four years in prison for the murder of an Indonesian police officer in August, 2016. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) Prosecutors sought eight-year prison terms for Connor and Taylor, who were arrested last August in the death of Sudarsa, whose bloodied body was found on the beach outside the Pullman Hotel in the popular tourist area of Kuta. They were charged with committing violence leading to death, which carries a maximum 12-year prison term under Indonesian law. Erwin Siregar, a lawyer for Connor, said an appeal was being considered. "It seems she doesn't accept the sentence, but has not yet decided whether to appeal," Siregar said. "My position is that we have to appeal. We will meet in next two or three days to decide." The 34-year-old Taylor, who promoted himself as DJ Nutzo, admitted hitting the Indonesian man repeatedly with a cellphone, binoculars and a broken beer bottle, leaving him face down and unconscious. But he said he didn't realize Sudarsa would die. Connor, 46, and Taylor were drinking beer on the beach in the hours before the late-night incident. Taylor said he got into a fight with Sudarsa, who was on duty, after Connor realized she had lost her handbag and accused Sudarsa of being a fake police officer and stealing it. Bali, famous for its Hindu culture, lush interior and white sand beaches, is Indonesia's highest-profile tourist island and a particular magnet for holiday makers from Australia. Australian national Sara Connor sits in a court room during her verdict trial in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, March 13, 2017. Indonesian prosecutors want jail sentences of eight years for Connor and British man David Taylor for the murder of an Indonesian police officer in August, 2016. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) British national David Taylor sits in a court room during his verdict trial in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, March 13, 2017. Indonesian judges sentenced Taylor for six years and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor for four years in prison for the murder of an Indonesian police officer in August, 2016. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) Australian national Sara Connor sits in a court room during her verdict trial in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, March 13, 2017. Indonesian prosecutors want jail sentences of eight years for Connor and British man David Taylor for the murder of an Indonesian police officer in August, 2016. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) British national David Taylor, right, listens to his interpreter during his verdict trial in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, March 13, 2017. Indonesian judges sentenced Taylor for six years and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor for four years in prison for the murder of an Indonesian police officer in August, 2016. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) BERLIN (AP) - Ground staff at Berlin's two airports went on strike Monday for the second time in four days, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The ver.di union called on staff at the Tegel and Schoenefeld airports to walk out from 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) Monday until 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) Tuesday, then extended the strike by another 24 hours until early Wednesday. The strike follows an all-day walkout on Friday. Airport authorities said 465 departures from Tegel, the busier airport, and 195 from Schoenefeld were canceled on Monday - most of the flights planned for the day. Participants of a strike organized by the German ver.di union walk past travelers queuing in front of a booking change counter at the Tegel airport in Berlin, Germany, Monday, March 13, 2017. The union, representing airport ground staff, has called on its members to go on strike again at Berlin's two airports Tegel and Schoenefeld. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) Ver.di argued that another walkout was necessary because employers hadn't reacted to the previous strike and made a new offer in their wage dispute. Those affected by the strike included Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller, who had to set off on a planned trip to Moscow from Dresden, more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) away. RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Several hundred Palestinians marched in an anti-government protest Monday, calling for the resignation of President Mahmoud Abbas and criticizing his security coordination with Israel. Separately, Palestinian journalists staged a sit-in nearby to protest the violent dispersal of an anti-government protest by Palestinian riot police a day earlier. In Sunday's incident, helmeted troops beat demonstrators and journalists with clubs. Jihad Barakat of Palestine Today TV said he was pushed and that his camera was broken. He said he saw three colleagues being beaten with clubs. Palestinians gather in an anti -government demonstration calling for the president Mahmoud Abbas to resign and an end to security cooperation with Israel in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Critics have said Abbas and his government are becoming increasingly intolerant of dissent. Dozens of people have been detained after peaceful protests in the past six months, though most were released, said Amar Dweik, head of Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah promised Monday that he would launch an investigation into Sunday's incident. He said he formed a committee that includes Dweik, the deputy interior minister and members of the lawyers' union. Meanwhile, several hundred protesters marched through the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday, calling on Abbas to resign. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority, a self-rule government that administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Marchers also chanted that "security coordination is treason." The policy, in which Abbas' forces and Israeli troops cooperate against Islamic militants, is unpopular among Palestinians. Nearby, dozens of journalists protested against Sunday's violence by the security forces. Nasser Abu Bakr, head of the journalists' union, said his organization demands that the riot troops who beat journalists on Sunday be put on trial. Palestinians gather in an anti -government demonstration calling for the president Mahmoud Abbas to resign and an end to security cooperation with Israel in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The Latest on tension between Turkey and Western Europe (all times local): 10:30 p.m. Turkey says it is halting all high-level political discussions with the Netherlands in the wake of the Dutch government's decision to bar two cabinet ministers from campaigning in the country. A riot police officer stands guard outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, Sunday, March 12, 2017. The escalating dispute between Turkey and the Netherlands spilled over into Sunday, with a Turkish minister unable to enter her consulate after the authorities there had already blocked a visit by the foreign minister, prompting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch " fascists." (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel) Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said during a news conference following a weekly cabinet meeting that Ankara also is closing its air space to Dutch diplomats until the Netherlands meets Turkish requests. Kurtulmus also says the Dutch ambassador to Turkey, who was traveling when the diplomatic row started, won't be allowed to return. He says Turkey's government plans to advise parliament to withdraw from a Dutch-Turkish friendship group. Kurtulmus says the political sanctions will apply until the Netherlands takes steps to "redress" its actions. He said: "There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didn't create this crisis or bring to this stage." ___ 10:00 p.m. The Dutch foreign affairs minister has reacted laconically to the Turkish president's announcement that two of his cabinet ministers will apply to the European human rights court over their treatment in the Netherlands. The Dutch government barred Turkey's foreign minister from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday and then removed the family affairs minister from the country when she drove to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. The ministers wanted to speak to rallies of Turkish voters about next month's referendum on constitutional changes to give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more powers. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said Monday he had confidence in the Dutch position should the court accept Turkey's case. He added that Turkey "is more or less at the top of the list when it comes to convictions" by the rights court. ___ 8:25 p.m. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says two of his cabinet ministers will apply to the European human rights court over their treatment in the Netherlands. In an interview with A Haber television on Monday, Erdogan said the appeals would be made even though he didn't think the court would rule in favor of Turkey. He also advised Turks living elsewhere in Europe not to vote for anti-Turkish parties. The Netherlands has a national election on Wednesday. Erdogan also slammed German Chancellor Angela Merkel for siding with the Netherlands in the dispute over Turkish ministers' campaign rallies in Europe. Merkel said Monday that the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity" after Turkey's president used Nazi comparisons to criticize Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers. Erdogan repeated those terms again in the interview, accusing the Netherlands of "Nazism" and "Neo-Nazism." ___ 5:20 p.m. Turkey's minister in charge of European Union affairs says his country should consider reviewing its migration deal with the EU and relax controls on people reaching Europe over land. Omer Celik's comments, reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency, came amid tensions with the Netherlands and other European countries over Turkish ministers traveling abroad to court Turkish citizens' votes in an upcoming referendum. Turkey agreed last year to work to keep migrants from crossing into the EU in return for funds to help it deal with some 3 million refugees. Anadolu quoted Celik as saying the EU had not kept its side of the bargain. He added: "In my opinion, the issue of the land passages should be reviewed." However, Celik said Turkey should maintain controls to prevent sea crossings that claimed hundreds of lives. ___ 4:40 p.m. The European Union has warned that it will specifically review the outcome of Turkey's April 16 referendum in the light of criticism from Europe's biggest human right organization. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini says that the referendum result will be "assessed in light of Turkey's obligations as an EU candidate country." Negotiations on EU membership have been in a freeze for years with little hope of making any progress in the near future. Last Friday, a committee from the Council of Europe human rights organizations raised serious concerns about the changes the referendum wants to push through, centering more powers in the hand of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. ___ 4:35 p.m. The surge in tensions from the diplomatic dispute between the Netherlands and Turkey appears to have spread online, with a handful of Dutch websites vandalized with pro-Turkish imagery and slogans. Few if any of the sites appeared to be high-profile. One, for example, belonged to an Argentine grill in Voorschoten, a suburb of the Dutch city of Leiden. A person who answered the phone at the restaurant hung up the phone when asked about the incident. The group which claimed responsibility didn't immediately return an email seeking comment. ___ 4:10 p.m. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has welcomed support from Germany's leader in his country's diplomatic row with Turkey that boiled over this weekend. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity" after Turkey's president used Nazi comparisons to criticize Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Dutch "Nazi remnants" after a Turkish minister was escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry. He already had accused Germany of "Nazi practices," drawing a rebuke last week from Merkel. She said that the Nazi comparisons are "completely unacceptable." Speaking to reporters on Monday in Rotterdam, Rutte said, "I was very happy with the comments Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, made today about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Netherlands on this and also renouncing what President Erdogan said about the Second World War." ___ 2:15 p.m. The European Union has called on Turkey to cease "excessive statements" after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made several Nazi comparisons with EU member states Germany and the Netherlands in recent days. EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: "The EU calls on Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further acerbate the situation." Schinas said that "matters of concern can only be resolved through open and direct communication channels." He added that it is "essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation." ___ 2:10 p.m. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged all members of the alliance "to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach" as tensions mount between Turkey and the Netherlands. He said Monday that "it is important that we now focus on everything that unites us" such as common threats and challenges like the so-called Islamic State group. ___ 2:00 p.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity" after Turkey's president used Nazi comparisons to criticize Dutch treatment of Turkish ministers. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Dutch "Nazi remnants" after a Turkish minister escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry. He already had accused Germany of "Nazi practices," drawing a rebuke last week from Merkel. Merkel said Monday her demand that Turkey stop using such parallels also applies to the Netherlands and other countries. She said that the Nazi comparisons are "completely unacceptable." Merkel added at a news conference in Munich: "The Netherlands has my full support and solidarity." ___ 1:40 p.m. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus says the Netherlands will be forced to apologize to Turkey for preventing two ministers from holding campaign rallies. Kurtulmus said Monday Turkey would give the "necessary response" after the Netherlands escorted the family affairs minister out of the country and denied the foreign minister permission to land. He did not elaborate on the measures Turkey planned. Kurtulmus told a business meeting in Istanbul that "you will see that in the end they will come to the point where they will apologize." The deputy prime minister described the ministers' treatment as "footsteps of the far-right, of the neo-fascism and neo-Nazism that has been on the rise in Europe in the past five or six years." ___ 1:05 p.m. The German government is calling on Turkey to stop using Nazi comparisons in criticizing the behavior of the Netherlands. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Dutch "Nazi remnants" after a Turkish minister escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry. Erdogan already had accused Germany of "Nazi practices," drawing a rebuke last week from Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday that the chancellor "means not only that they should stop talking that way about Germany, but of course also about other European countries." He added that "the Dutch suffered badly under the Nazi regime, and it is outrageous to want to accuse them of being close to such ideology." ___ 11:45 a.m. The Dutch government had no immediate reaction to news that Turkey had summoned its top diplomat to protest the treatment of the two ministers and of Dutch-Turkish protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam in the early hours of Sunday morning. On Sunday night, Dutch riot police were called in to end a protest by Turks in Amsterdam and arrested 13 people, said spokeswoman Marjolein Koek. Media showed police with dogs and a water cannon being used to disperse protesters in western Amsterdam. The Dutch government also has updated its travel advisory for Turkey, a popular vacation destination, warning travelers about the heightened diplomatic tensions. "Be alert and avoid gatherings and busy places throughout Turkey," the advisory warns. ___ 11:25 a.m. Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Netherlands' top diplomat to formally protest its treatment of a Turkish minister in that country over the weekend as well as what it said was "disproportionate" use of force against demonstrators in a protest that ensued. The Ministry said the Dutch Embassy's charge d'affaires, Daan Feddo Huisinga, was called to the ministry where a senior official handed him two formal protest notes. The first protested what it said practices that were contrary to international conventions, diplomatic courtesy, and diplomatic immunities and requested a written apology from the Dutch authorities, a ministry statement said. Turkey also reserved its right to seek compensation, the Dutch diplomat was told. The second note protested the treatment of Turkish citizens who had gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, saying "disproportionate force" had been used against "people using their right to peaceful gatherings. It added that Turkish nationals had been subjected to "inhumane and derogatory" treatment and called for those responsible to be identified and punished. It was the third time that the Dutch diplomat has been summoned since tensions broke out between the two countries after two ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan applauds following a rally in Istanbul, Sunday, March 12, 2017. The escalating dispute between Turkey and the Netherlands spilled over into Sunday, with a Turkish minister unable to enter her consulate after the authorities there had already blocked a visit by the foreign minister, prompting Erdogan to call the Dutch fascists. Erdogan said at the rally: "I had said that Nazism has risen from the grave. I said 'I thought Nazism was over but I was wrong.' In fact, Nazism is alive in the West." (AP Photo} MOSCOW (AP) - A trial for the blogger who is accused of inciting religious hatred for playing "Pokemon Go" in a church has begun in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Ruslan Sokolovsky has been in pre-trial detention since October when a court reversed his house arrest. Investigators have charged the 22-year-old video blogger with inciting religious hatred, the same offense that sent two women from the Pussy Riot punk collective to prison for two years in 2012, and insulting the feelings of religious believers. Sokolovsky posted a video on his blog last year showing him playing the smartphone game in a church built on the supposed spot where the family of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, was killed. He faces a possible sentence of 7 years in prison if convicted. BEIJING (AP) - Damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs could be a civil offense under a proposed draft of China's civil law, as the Communist Party further tightens the space for dissent and academic discourse on historical issues. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Monday that delegates to China's ceremonial parliament had introduced the provisions for ratification this week. In recent months, top Communist Party officials, including the education minister, have openly warned about the trend of historical revisionists "smearing" the party by offering unsanctioned views about past events, something that could now amount to an offense. In this Sunday, March 12, 2017 photo, delegates attending a plenary session of the National People's Congress stand for a group photo near the Monument to the People's Heroes on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs could be a civil offense under a proposed draft of China's civil law as the Communist Party further tightens the space for public discourse on historical issues. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) The proposed law comes at a time when liberal academics and intellectuals are already under rising political pressure to toe the party line. A professor was forced into retirement in January for criticizing Mao Zedong, while a writer was convicted of libel last year after he challenged the veracity of a famous tale of Communist Party soldiers who allegedly sacrificed themselves in a battle against invading Japanese forces. The Communist Party, which seized power in a 1949 revolution, has been wary of challenges to its own narratives about its pantheon of heroes and their struggles on behalf of the Chinese people - tales that form a linchpin in its claim to political legitimacy. Shortly after President Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, a top party office released Document No. 9, a secret internal communique warning that attempts to reassess history could effectively undermine "the legitimacy of the Communist Party's long-term political dominance." The campaign to snuff out revisionism was further highlighted last summer when the editors of a liberal historical magazine backed by aging party elites were ousted. In recent years Xi has emphasized ideological discipline as he shores up the Communist Party's grip on society. Authorities have warned against teaching liberal Western values in classrooms and rounded up lawyers and civil society activists. In its report, Xinhua said unidentified lawmakers in the National People's Congress believed that slandering heroes and martyrs harmed society. "According to some NPC deputies, certain people have maliciously defamed and insulted heroes and martyrs through twisting the truth and slander, harming the public interest and causing adverse social impact," Xinhua said. BERLIN (AP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington on Monday ahead of her first meeting with President Donald Trump. The encounter between the trained physicist and veteran politician, renowned for her measured comments and reserved style, and the billionaire real-estate outsider whose off-the-cuff tweets and undiplomatic approach have rocked American politics could produce an interesting dynamic. But despite the difference in styles, hopes are high that Europe's most powerful leader will be able to use her savvy and experience to dispel some of the angst that has grown internationally over the first weeks of Trump's administration. Though she's talked by phone with Trump, Tuesday's meeting in person with the new president will present her with a good opportunity to get a read of "who is calling the shots" and "who has the president's ear," said Sylke Tempel, an expert with the German Council on Foreign Relations. FILE - In this June 27, 2016 file photo taken through a window with the reflection of an European flag German Chancellor Angela Merkel waits for the Prime Minister of the Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman at the chancellery in Berlin. Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file) "You can only find that out when you're there, and this is a situation where she's particularly good because she observes things," Tempel said. In Merkel's 12 years as chancellor she worked well with both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and she's also demonstrated that she won't be pushed around by leaders who try to use what Tempel called "macho" tactics with her. "Putin tried that on her, Erdogan tried that and there are quite a few others," Tempel said. "She has an enormous amount of patience, an internal calm and self-confidence, and the kind of personality that would say 'I've seen macho characters come and go, and I've seen men making a lot of mistakes.'" In addition to establishing a relationship with Trump and getting a firsthand read of the new White House dynamics, there are a wide range of issues that Merkel is expected to address. With Trump's "America first" economic leanings, his questioning of multilateral trade deals and enthusiastic endorsement of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Merkel's main goal is expected to be to impress upon the president her view that a strong EU is also in Washington's strategic and economic interests. Alluding to this, she told Parliament on Thursday that she plans to emphasize that "even if in parts of the world we see protectionist and nationalist approaches on the rise, Europe may never isolate, seal itself off or withdraw." She's bringing with her a trade delegation that reportedly includes the heads of both BMW and Siemens, whose companies together employ around 120,000 people in the U.S. in their factories and related businesses. Trade between the U.S. and Europe is "advantageous for both sides," Merkel said after meeting German business leaders in Munich on Monday. "Talking directly is always much better than talking about each other," she said. "That will be my motto on this visit, which I am looking forward to." Trump has vocalized several other differences with Merkel, notably on the campaign trail last year when he called her decision in 2015 to allow 890,000 asylum seekers into Germany a "disaster" and said that "Hillary Clinton wants to be America's Angela Merkel." Trump has also openly suggested that NATO is obsolete and has urged European countries to live up to commitments to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, though U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reassured Europeans in Munich last month that America's commitment to the alliance was "unwavering." Trump has elicited European concerns on multiple other issues, too, including his more friendly approach to Russia and his position on climate change. In pointed remarks about Germany specifically, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro last month said that the country was using a "grossly undervalued" euro to "exploit" the U.S. and EU, and last week singled out the U.S. deficit with Germany as "one of the most difficult" trade issues Washington faces. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble scoffed at the idea Germany was somehow using currency manipulation to bolster exports, telling a group of foreign reporters in Berlin last week that the trade surplus was due to "the competitiveness of German industry" - in other words, Germany makes products Americans want to buy. Despite the differences, Merkel told Parliament she would emphasize how much the U.S. and Europe have in common. "I am deeply convinced that the trans-Atlantic partnership based on common values is in all of our interests, not only for us Europeans," she said. "I'll hold my talks with President Donald Trump in this spirit. Precisely because the nature of the trans-Atlantic relationship has changed, Europe has decided to take more responsibility in the future, both in our own neighborhood and beyond." FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2015 file photo a migrant holds up a poster of German Chancellor Angela Merkel before starting a march out of Budapest, Hungary, towards Austria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, file) FILE - In this April 27, 2010 file photo U.S. President Barack Obama meets with employees as he tours Siemens Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing Plant in Fort Madison, Iowa. German Chancellor Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 to discuss economy issues. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, file) FILE- In this June 8, 2016 file photo BMW i3 electric cars are parked atop the Los Angeles Police Department parking lot, in Los Angeles, USA. The Los Angeles Police Department has added 100 electric cars to its fleet as replacements for aging vehicles. German Chancellor Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file) FILE - In this June 2, 2014 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands behind a window with the reflection of a European flag as she waits for the arrival of Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili for talks at the chancellery in Berlin. Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file) FILE - In this July 13, 2006 file photo U.S. President George W. Bush, center, holds up a piece of meat he carved from a roasted wild boar at a barbecue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and residents of the village Trinwillershagen, Germany. Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, file) FILE - In this June 7, 2011 file photo President Barack Obama, right, presents German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, with the Medal of Freedom during the State Dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Merkel is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, file) MADRID (AP) - A trial got underway Monday for a Spanish man charged with killing an American woman while she was walking a world-renowned pilgrimage route in Spain. Denise Pikka Thiem, 41, of Arizona, went missing in April 2015 in a rural area of northwestern Spain's Leon province while following the French route of the Camino de Santiago, a popular pilgrimage also called the St. James Way. Five months later, police detained Miguel Angel Munoz, 41, who led investigators to the place near the Camino path where Thiem's body was partly buried. According to the coroner's report, she had died as a result of serious brain injuries caused by repeated beatings. Authorities think Thiem was diverted from the trail by a marker Munoz allegedly put up to confuse pilgrims. The public prosecutor has asked for Munoz to 25 years of imprisonment for Munoz, 20 years for homicide and 5 years for theft with violence. He originally confessed to having killed Thiem, but he has since retracted the confession and testified that he only found the body. Munoz is also accused of stealing more than $1,100 dollars Thiem was carrying and that he allegedly exchanged for euros at a local bank days after she disappeared, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press. The trial is expected to last until April 3. On Monday, the court appointed a jury of eight women and one man during a closed-door session, a court spokesman said. He spoke anonymously in line with internal court policy. Munoz is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Thiem's brother is expected to testify at a later date via videoconference from the United States, the spokesman said. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Authorities arrested a Florida a man suspected of kidnapping his estranged wife and rescued the woman, who had only minor injuries after she was spotted over the weekend screaming, with her hands bound behind her back, a sheriff said Monday. Trevor Steven Summers, 39, was taken into custody after authorities received a tip that the couple was at The Inn at Little Harbor Resort in Ruskin, which is just south of Tampa, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee told reporters. Summers was taken to a hospital for a self-inflicted wound, but it was not life-threatening. Summers' life appeared to unravel after he pleaded guilty to a wire fraud and conspiracy scheme in Philadelphia federal court last September, according to the Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/2nl997c ). He is set to be sentenced Wednesday. Since his guilty plea, his wife filed for divorce and each of them had taken restraining orders out on one another. The couple married in 2001. They have five children ranging from 3 to 14 years old. When police found the couple, Alisa Summers, 37, had cuts on her wrists that may require stitches, the sheriff said. He didn't know how she was injured. The kidnapping apparently took place late Friday or early Saturday when Trevor Summers convinced the couple's 14-year-old daughter to drive her siblings to his house. The sheriff said Trevor Summers also convinced the daughter to leave a window open at their mother's house, which is apparently how he got inside and abducted her. On Saturday night, witnesses told deputies they saw a screaming woman - whose hands were tied behind her back - being forced into her SUV in the parking lot of a Tampa pharmacy. The sheriff said witnesses provided them with a license plate number, which they traced to the Summers. The estranged couple was found in the SUV at the resort. Federal prosecutors had accused Trevor Summers and a co-defendant of falsely claiming to hold patents on straws that could be printed with safe ink. Prosecutors said the men concocted a scheme to defraud investors out of at least $345,000, according to the Times report. The co-defendant was found guilty by a jury. On Oct. 31, Summers' wife asked a Hillsborough County judge for a domestic violence injunction, but it was dismissed on Nov. 10. A month later she filed for divorce. Court records show Alisa Summers filed for another protective order on Feb. 21. In it, she claimed that during a meeting at Trevor Summer's home to discuss a divorce settlement, he pulled a knife on her, threatened to bind her with duct tape and rope, and held her against her will for several hours. She called 911 and waited on deputies at a gas station. Sheriff's officials said an arrest wasn't made because all deputies had to go on were the couple's conflicting statements. On Feb. 22, he filed for a protective order against his wife, claiming she fabricated the previous day's allegations. He accused her of angrily pushing their 12-year-old son into a corner. Hope Lefeber, Summers' attorney in the federal case, told the Times she was shocked to hear about the latest allegations. If proven true, she said they could impact his federal sentence. "I know he always wanted to work out his marriage," she said. ___ This story has been edited to correct the pronoun to "she" in the paragraph beginning, 'On Feb. 22 ..." TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The Associated Press has documented that since Gov. Rick Scott took office in 2011, agencies under his control as well as the Florida Legislature and Cabinet officials have spent more than $250 million on private attorneys. Here's a look at some of the spending on outside lawyering Florida taxpayers have had to pay for under Republican leadership: -More than $100 million in fees paid to lawyers by state agencies, including an expensive water rights struggle with Georgia. The water wars have been waged for nearly 20 years, but costs soared after Scott pushed to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. This total also includes money billed by lawyers defending the actions of the Legislature and governor. - Nearly $16 million paid to opposing lawyers after losing battles over voting rights, gay marriage, drug testing and other controversial policies. This includes $12 million to attorneys who represented pediatricians who contended Florida violated federal mandates by failing to deliver critical health services to 2 million children on Medicaid; more than $800,000 to lawyers working for the American Civil Liberties Union; and nearly $513,000 to lawyers who defeated a state law targeting businesses doing business in Cuba. - Nearly $20 million spent by the Legislature defending budgets that advocates say shortchange public schools and Republican-drawn legislative and congressional districts. The state won the education lawsuit at its first turn, but the courts sided against them on districts and approved changes that upended the state's political landscape. - About $111 million since 2011 through its risk management division on legal cases over auto accidents, employment disputes and worker's compensation claims against state government. ___ Sources: Budget documents, state correspondence and information from Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater's office. LONDON (AP) - The Latest developments on Britain's decision to leave the European Union: (all times local): 10:10 p.m. Britain's has moved closer to leaving the European Union, with Parliament giving Prime Minister Theresa May the power to file for divorce from the bloc. Demonstrators, one dressed in a Theresa May puppet head pose near parliament in London, Monday, March 13, 2017. The action represented their concern that the Prime Minister is whipping MPs to endorse a 'blank cheque Brexit', as MPs vote on the Lords amendment of Article 50. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) A bill authorizing May to start EU exit talks has passed its final vote in Parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords. The House of Commons had approved the bill weeks ago, but the Lords fought to amend the legislation, inserting a promise that EU citizens living in the U.K. will be allowed to remain. They also added demand that Parliament get a "meaningful" vote on Britain's final Brexit deal. Both amendments were rejected Monday by the Commons, and the unelected Lords then backed down and approved the bill. May is now free to invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, triggering two years of exit negotiations, by her self-imposed deadline of March 31. ___ 6:55 p.m. Britain's House of Commons has rejected an attempt to make the government promise - before European Union exit talks start - that it will guarantee the right to remain of EU citizens living in the U.K. By a vote of 335 to 287, lawmakers overturned an amendment to the government's Brexit bill inserted by the unelected House of Lords. They also rejected, by 331 to 286, a call to promise that Parliament will get a "meaningful" vote on the final deal between Britain and the other 27 nations of the bloc. The Lords now have to decide whether to accept the Commons vote or resist, delaying the bill's passage. If they back down, the bill could be approved by late Monday. That would leave Prime Minister Theresa May free to launch divorce proceedings with the EU by March 31 as planned. ___ 5:05 p.m. Britain's top official for leaving the European Union says lawmakers should pass an EU exit bill "without further delay" so the government can start formal divorce talks with the bloc. Brexit Secretary David Davis urged Parliament to pass a bill authorizing exit talks without amendments on Monday, "so the prime minister can get to work on the negotiations." Prime Minister Theresa May says she will invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, the trigger for two years of exit negotiations, by March 31. But she can't do it until Parliament approves. The House of Commons and House of Lords are battling over the bill's contents, with the Lords wanting it to include a promise that Parliament will get to vote on the final deal between Britain and the 27-nation bloc. ___ 12:50 p.m. The British government says it will take Scotland's interests into account as it negotiates a new relationship with the European Union. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will seek a referendum on independence from the U.K. because Scotland is being forced out of the bloc's single market against its will. She accuses Prime Minister Theresa May's British government of refusing to compromise. May's government says in response that it is seeking "a future partnership with the EU that works for the whole of the United Kingdom. The U.K. Government will negotiate that agreement, but we will do so taking into account the interests of all of the nations of the U.K." The British government has to give its approval for a legally binding referendum. It didn't say whether it would do so, but said an independence ballot "would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time." ___ 12:45 p.m. Demonstrators are gathering outside the British Parliament in advance of a vital debate on Britain's planned exit from the European Union. The group is opposed to Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to take Britain out of the EU by triggering Article 50 in the coming days. One protester wore an oversize May puppet head. The group wants Parliament to have a "meaningful" vote on Brexit terms The House of Commons is set to debate Brexit Monday afternoon and evening. It is expected Parliament will eventually give May legal authority to start Brexit proceedings. Britons voted in a June 23 referendum to leave the EU. ___ 11:45 a.m. Scotland's leader has said she will seek authority for a new independence referendum. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Monday she will move quickly to give Scottish voters a chance to make Scotland an independent country. Sturgeon said British Prime Minister Theresa May has so far refused to compromise with Scotland over Brexit. She said it is important for Scotland to take active steps to protect its interests as Britain prepared to trigger its departure from the European Union. Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, but Sturgeon said that the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU had brought about a "material change or circumstances." Members of Parliament return their result after voting to reject Lord's amendment on EU nationals rights in the House of Commons, London, Monday, March 13, 2017. Britain's House of Commons has rejected an attempt to make the government promise - before European Union exit talks start - that it will guarantee the right to remain of EU citizens living in the U.K. By a vote of 335 to 287, lawmakers overturned an amendment to the government's Brexit bill inserted by the unelected House of Lords. (PA via AP) Demonstrators, one dressed in a Theresa May puppet head pose near parliament in London, Monday, March 13, 2017. The action represented their concern that the Prime Minister is whipping MPs to endorse a 'blank cheque Brexit', as MPs vote on the Lords amendment of Article 50. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Demonstrators, one dressed in a Theresa May puppet head pose near parliament in London, Monday, March 13, 2017. The action represented their public concern that the Prime Minister is whipping MPs to endorse a 'blank cheque Brexit', as MPs vote on the Lords amendment of Article 50. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kim Kardashian West is opening up about being held at gunpoint during a jewelry heist in Paris last year. In a preview of next week's "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kardashian West recalls seeing the gun "as clear as day." Kardashian West emotionally describes the episode to her sisters in the clip. She says she thought there was "no way out" of the situation. Kardashian West wasn't physically harmed during the October incident. Ten suspects have been charged in connection with the case. FILE - In this May 16, 2016 file photo, Kim Kardashian West attends the 20th Annual Webby Awards in New York. In a clip of an upcoming episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" released by E! on March 12, 2017, Kardashian West emotionally recalls being held at gunpoint during a jewelry heist in Paris last year. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File) The 13th season of the Kardashians' E! reality show premiered Sunday night. BERLIN (AP) - Diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Western Europe erupted over the weekend after the Netherlands blocked Turkish officials from holding rallies in their country, prompting a flurry of angry rhetoric and threats of dire consequences from Ankara. Here are some questions and answers about the situation and how it escalated so suddenly: ___ The pictures of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hangs on a balustrade among Turkish flags as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, center left, speaks during a campaign gathering in Metz, eastern France, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in France Sunday to whip up support for controversial constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency. (AP Photo/Elyxandro Cegarra) WHY WERE TURKISH OFFICIALS HOLDING RALLIES IN THE NETHERLANDS? Turkey is a month away from holding a referendum on whether to change the country's constitution. The proposed changes would significantly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Opinion polls indicate the race is tight and Erdogan's ruling party is trying to drum up support for the "yes" camp by campaigning among diaspora Turks elsewhere in Europe. There are around 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the Netherlands, many of whom immigrated as so-called guest workers in the 1960s. This has made Dutch cities such as Rotterdam a key campaign stop for Turkish officials. ___ WHY DID THE DUTCH BLOCK THE RALLIES? The Dutch government said it withdrew landing permission Saturday for a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu because of "risks to public order and security." Hours later, Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was prevented from entering the country's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up a standoff with armed police. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb accused the Turkish consul general of a "scandalous deception," saying he had denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away. Kaya was later sent under escort back to Germany, from where she had entered the Netherlands. ___ HOW DID TURKEY REACT? At a rally in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan compared the Dutch to "Nazi remnants," adding: "they are fascists." It was the second time that Erdogan likened another country to the Nazis recently. The first was directed at Germany, after several local authorities in that country canceled campaign events by Turkish officials citing security reasons. German Chancellor Angela Merkel responded Monday by declaring that the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity." Denmark, meanwhile, asked Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a planned visit because of the tensions between Ankara and the Netherlands. Emmanuel Macron, a centrist candidate in the French presidential elections, called for a united response from European partners to what he described as "unacceptable comments" by the Turkish authorities. ___ SO IS IT TURKEY VS. EUROPE? No. Despite the fiery rhetoric between Berlin and Ankara, Germany insists that it has no plans to impose a blanket ban on Turkish officials campaigning in the country. The German government has also reacted coolly to suggestions that Turkey should be punished in other ways. That's partly because of the large number of Turks in Germany - more than 3 million, of whom about 1.4 million are eligible to vote in the referendum. Another reason for Germany's caution is the fact that Berlin needs Ankara's support to keep the flow of migrants into Europe under control. A deal between the European Union and Turkey is considered one of the main reasons why the flood of migrants crossing into Europe has slowed to a trickle in recent months. ___ HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE REFERENDUM? The spat has already stoked nationalist sentiment among some Turks in Europe, prompting angry protests in Germany and the Netherlands. Extensive coverage of the diplomatic dispute and its consequences could detract from the issue of the referendum itself. Erdogan and his allies have also claimed that Western European countries are supporting opponents of constitutional change, suggesting that by voting "no" in the referendum voters would be backing Turkey's enemies. The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands elects a new lower house of Parliament. The campaign was already dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains. The dispute with Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, adds fuel to that debate. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's response appears to have played well with voters. If it translates into a poll bump, it could be seen as a template for how mainstream politicians can regain ground lost to anti-immigration populists in upcoming elections in France and Germany. ___ A previous version of this story has been corrected to show that Erdogan's "Nazi remnants" comment was on Saturday, not Sunday. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, waves to supporters as he leaves after a campaign gathering in Metz, eastern France, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in France Sunday to whip up support for controversial constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency. (AP Photo/Elyxandro Cegarra) BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Hungary's immigration and asylum office says 94 of 102 asylum-seekers detained in a closed reception center have launched a hunger strike, demanding to be set free. The asylum office said Monday that most of those in detention in the southeastern city of Bekescsaba were being held because they broke European Union asylum rules. The office said in a statement to The Associated Press that the detainees receive regular updates on the status of their cases and that the situation at the center is calm. The detainees also complained about Hungarian authorities taking their fingerprints since they aren't seeking asylum in Hungary. A law passed last week by parliament will allow the government to put all asylum-seekers in Hungary in container camps on the Serbian border. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Dan Lilley, a brash defense lawyer who was involved in many of Maine's highest profile cases including a prostitution scandal at a Zumba studio and the case of a restaurateur who shot her husband 15 times, has died. He was 79. Lilley died Saturday night at Maine Medical Center, his law office said Monday. The cause of death was not immediately released. Lilley was known as a tough, old-school defense attorney and was sometimes called a maverick in the courtroom. FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2013, file photo, defense attorney Daniel Lilley, representing Mark Strong Sr., gives his opening statements in the Zumba prostitution case in York County Superior Court, in Alfred, Maine. Lilley, whose high-profile legal victories included winning an acquittal in 1990 for a woman who shot her husband 15 times, died Saturday, March 11, 2017. He was 79. (Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald, Pool, File) "He was a guy to be cherished if you had a good cause and had Dan at your side - and feared if you were on the wrong side," said F. Lee Bailey, another prominent attorney who was part of the defense team at O.J. Simpson's murder trial. Lilley used a "battered wife syndrome" defense to win acquittal for an Ogunquit (oh-GUHNG'-kwit) restaurateur who in 1990 shot her husband so many times she had to stop to reload. More recently, he represented insurance agent Mark Strong, who was accused of serving as the business partner of a Zumba instructor accused of running a brothel in Kennebunk. The scandal in Kennebunk, a village known more for its sea captains' homes and beaches than crime, attracted international attention. "In the middle of the circus that was Mark Strong's trial, Dan was undoubtedly the ringleader, bringing an air of drama and comedy - in equal measure - to the proceedings," said Tina Nadeau, who served alongside him during that trial. Lilley enjoyed many of the trappings of his legal success. For years, he enjoyed racing around Portland Harbor in a speedboat before giving it up in favor of a 50-foot power yacht, the Barrister. But he also had a "heart of gold" that shown through in helping other lawyers, forgiving indebtedness and making donations to causes, Bailey said. "I was pretty sure that Dan would outlive us all. I know there will never be another attorney like Dan in Maine or anywhere: They don't make attorneys like him anymore," Nadeau said. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Two United Nations officials, one American and one Swedish, have been kidnapped along with four Congolese in the country's Kasai Central province, Congo's government said Monday. Michael Sharp of the United States and Zahida Katalan of Sweden were abducted with three Congolese drivers and a translator while traveling by motorcycle through the region, government spokesman Lambert Mende said. . It was not clear when the kidnapping occurred on a bridge near the village of Ngombe, Mende said, adding that the kidnappers have not yet been identified. Judicial authorities in the province have opened an investigation and are working with the U.N. mission in Congo to free the people held. Congo is home to multiple militias competing for stakes this vast Central African nation's rich mineral resources. Charles Bambara, spokesman for the U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, confirmed that two experts from the mission have disappeared in the country. "The United Nations and MONUSCO are doing all that is possible at this moment to locate the two experts," he said. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa said in a statement that it was aware of the reports of a missing U.S. citizen. "Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment," it said, referring questions to the U.N. press office. The U.S. Department of State was monitoring the situation, according to a statement sent by the embassy. "The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the protection of U.S. citizens overseas. When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities and cooperate fully in their search efforts," the statement said. DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware's governor said Monday that he wants to hire 75 prison guards next year following an inmate uprising and hostage-taking in which a correctional officer was killed. Gov. John Carney issued a statement saying his fiscal 2018 budget proposal will include $2.3 million to hire 50 new guards at the maximum-security Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and 25 new guards at the Baylor women's prison in New Castle. Carney also is proposing $1.2 million in new spending next year for equipment, and additional funding for training and recruitment. In the meantime, officials are allocating about $341,000 for immediate equipment purchases and are planning to increase security sweeps at Vaughn. Last month, inmates took four correctional workers hostage at Vaughn, setting off a nearly 20-hour standoff during which correctional officer Steven Floyd was killed. The siege ended when tactical teams used a backhoe to breach the building and rescue a female counselor. Two other prison guards were released earlier by inmates, but Floyd was found dead. Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, has said that if there had been the proper amount of staffing at the Vaughn prison, inmates would not have been able to overpower correctional officers and take control of a building. Klopp had no comment Monday on Carney's proposal to hire more guards. Since the uprising, 18 correctional officers have resigned and 18 others have submitted retirement paperwork. The staff departures are in addition to 30 resignations reported by the prison's health care contractor. Meanwhile, authorities have yet to file any charges in connection with the uprising but have said all 120-odd inmates in the building at the time are considered suspects. The Delaware State Police and the state Attorney General's office are leading the criminal investigation. The Delaware Department of Correction is also conducting an internal investigation. Carney also has ordered an independent review led by retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Henry duPont Ridgely and retired Family Court Judge William Chapman, Jr. to look into the hostage incident and what can be done to prevent a similar situation in the future. Carney had said the independent review would begin following the completion of the criminal investigation, and that Ridgely and Chapman would present a preliminary report by June 1 and final report by August 15. Carney said Monday that, given the duration of the criminal investigation and his sense of urgency, the independent review would begin this week. The independent reviewers have contracted with the Police Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit to assist them, and will coordinate with the state police and the attorney general's office to ensure they do not compromise the criminal investigation, according to Carney's office. Administration officials also are relaunching an email address, AskDOC@state.de.us, to improve communication between family members of inmates and Department of Correction personnel. Relatives of inmates have publicly released dozens of letters from their loved ones claiming that they and other inmates have been subject to repeated abuse by guards in the aftermath of the uprising. A DOC spokeswoman said last week that prison officials have no information indicating that anyone has been beaten. MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Dozens of 17-year-olds voted illegally across Wisconsin during last spring's intense presidential primary, apparently wrongly believing they could cast ballots if they turned 18 ahead of the November general election, according to a new state report. Wisconsin Elections Commission staff examined voter fraud referrals municipal clerks said they made to prosecutors following the 2016 spring primary and general elections. The commission is set to approve the findings during a meeting Tuesday and forward a report to the Legislature. President Donald Trump has called for a "major investigation" into voter fraud and alleged that 3 million to 5 million people may have voted illegally in the November general election, a widely debunked claim. The report lists no instances of underage voters casting ballots in the general election. Republican Ted Cruz won the GOP primary in Wisconsin. Bernie Sanders won the Democratic contest. The state ultimately voted for Trump in the November general election, marking the first time a Republican presidential candidate had won Wisconsin since Ronald Reagan in 1984. The report found at least 60 cases of 17-year-olds voting in the April primary in 29 counties. Kewaunee County referred nine people to prosecutors for voting as 17-year-olds, Rock County referred seven and Racine County referred five. Brown County referred what the report called "multiple" 17-year-olds to prosecutors. The report did not track charging decisions or for whom the 17-year-olds voted. Commission spokesman Reid Magney said Monday that he'd never seen this issue crop up before. The teenagers were likely encouraged to go to the polls by messages flying around social media during the spring primary season saying 17-year-olds can vote in some states as long as they turn 18 before the November election, the report said. Some political campaigns were also spreading false information about eligibility, the report said. The Sanders campaign specifically was sending out national messages on social media about 17-year-olds being able to vote in presidential primaries, Magney said, although Wisconsin election officials didn't see any misinformation from that campaign about Wisconsin. No one under 18 can vote in any Wisconsin election, but 17-year-olds may have seen Sanders' messages and thought they could vote. Poll workers may not have understood the law or may not have been paying enough attention, he added. "It wasn't a case of anyone sneaking in," Magney said. "It was a misunderstanding of the law." Sanders campaign officials didn't immediately respond to an email Monday seeking comment. Kewaunee County District Attorney Andrew Naze said he chose not to charge any of the 17-year-olds whom clerks referred to him. He said they honestly thought they were eligible to vote and didn't intend to break the law. Brown County District Attorney David Lasee said nine 17-year-olds were referred to him but he decided not to file charges as well. Like Naze, Lasee said the teens genuinely believed they could vote and there was no intent to commit fraud. They told poll workers their ages and were still allowed to cast ballots, Lasee said. Prosecutors in Rock and Racine counties didn't immediately respond to messages Monday. The report noted that its findings aren't conclusive and it's possible other instances of suspected fraud may have been referred to prosecutors without the commission's knowledge or people may have filed complaints directly with district attorneys. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1 COLUMBUS Attending school in a small community didnt afford Amy Tomasevicz the opportunity to formally study art. It wasnt until she was 10, after her family moved from Guide Rock to Lincoln, when she took her first art class. It was instant love, Tomasevicz said. She always had a creative side, and those classes helped nurture her talent. Before she picked up a paintbrush, though, Tomasevicz was letting her imagination run wild on the farm. When I was 7, I used to go with my dad down to his shop and make milk stools, just do anything hands-on. It was also my job to take out the trash. It was an old silo where wed dump trash and Id always come back with more than I ever took out. I always had that urge to create, she said. Today, she spends hours making and selling works of art. She has pieces displayed in galleries in Columbus, Seward, Lincoln and Grand Island, and has been featured in shows across Nebraska. Some of her commissioned pieces were sold to buyers as far away as Puerto Rico, Finland and Germany. Im internationally famous, she said with a laugh. Sitting at a table near the studio inside her waterside home at Jarecki Lake, Tomasevicz shared early career plans that actually pointed her in a different direction. When I was in high school, I wanted to be an architectural engineer because I liked art and math. That was back in the 1960s and my counselor told me that was for boys. Women could be teachers, nurses, hairdressers or secretaries, she said. Instead of pursuing that dream, she decided to follow in her fathers footsteps. He stopped farming and became a math and science teacher. Tomasevicz earned her bachelors and masters degrees in art from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then went on to teach for 43 years before retiring in 2014. Her first three years of teaching were in Osceola. After marrying her husband Dennis, they moved to Shelby where she was an educator for 21 years. She also spent two years in Columbus and 17 at David City Aquinas. Tomasevicz enjoyed the career, especially teaching K-12 because she could build upon what students learned from year to year. Art is an important subject for students to learn, she said. Sadly, many schools are doing away with elementary art. That is how you evaluate civilization, by their art and their music and their culture. It is not by their math and science so much as their expression of themselves, Tomasevicz said. She never considered trying to make a living as an artist. Instead, she found time to work on pieces throughout her career as a teacher and mother to two sons, Curt and John. Most of her work is landscapes, farm animals and people brought to life with pastels and mixed media, though she has experience in many areas because of her teaching background. Being an art teacher, you have to be able to show (students) how to do all different mediums, she said. Recently, she started working with pottery. She and a few other artists have their own co-op called The Pottery Place at 2624 23rd St., where they bring their own clay and use a kiln to make vases, pots and other decorative pieces. Retiring from teaching freed up more time to concentrate on artwork. She said about 75 percent of what she creates is for her, and the other 25 percent is commissioned. The ones for me are often the ones others like, as well, which is good because then I can sell them, Tomasevicz said. The first piece she sold was a painting of a carousel for a student art show in high school. I was one of two people who sold anything that day. I think I got a whopping $7. I babysat for 50 cents an hour so $7 was cha-ching, Tomasevicz said. Over the years, she has completed a lot of commissioned work for individuals and businesses, including paintings of 10 scenes inside the Northside Cafe in David City and a 15-foot mural that hung in the farmers co-op in Shelby before being moved to the community's senior center. Most of what she paints reflects what she sees, including scenes from her time spent at The Louvre in France and trips to Turin, Italy, and Vancouver, British Columbia, for the Olympics to see Curt compete on an American bobsled team. Tomasevicz is also involved in several organizations and takes part in workshops to continue learning and stay up-to-date in the art world. Even though she has created, exhibited and sold numerous pieces of artwork, Tomasevicz still doesnt view herself as a professional artist. You look at those people who do it day in and day out every year and that is how they earn their money. They are professionals. Im still more of a hobbyist, she said. SEATTLE (AP) - The Latest on a lawsuit by Washington and other states seeking to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban (all times local): 4:25 p.m. A group of states are supporting Hawaii's lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban. Documents filed in federal court in Honolulu on Monday say the states want to collectively file an amicus, or friend of the court, brief offering arguments to support the lawsuit. The states are Illinois, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The documents say they support Hawaii's request for a temporary restraining order on the travel ban because they all benefit from immigration and international travel. A federal judge in Honolulu is scheduled to hear the motion Wednesday. Despite the support, no states have filed documents asking to be a part of Hawaii's lawsuit. Five states have joined a separate lawsuit by Washington state. ___ 1:55 p.m. A federal judge says a new hearing sought by Washington and five other states seeking to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban won't happen before Wednesday. U.S. District Judge James Robart said Monday that the federal government has until Tuesday afternoon to respond to Washington's court filings calling the revised ban unconstitutional. Robart put Trump's original order on hold across the nation, and Washington - joined by California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon - wants him to rule that his decision applies to the new version. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson had sought a Tuesday hearing, but the judge said any proceeding wouldn't happen before Wednesday. The revised ban is scheduled to take effect Thursday. ___ 11:30 a.m. The federal government is disputing claims made by the state of Hawaii in its lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban. Hawaii says the ban which goes into effect Thursday will harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students. Ismail Elshikh is a plaintiff in the state's challenge and says the ban will prevent his Syrian mother-in-law from visiting. The federal government on Monday asked the court to deny a temporary restraining order request to prevent the ban from going into effect. The U.S. government says Hawaii's allegations of negative impacts for tourism and universities are pure speculation. It also says neither Elshikh's nor his mother-in-law have suffered any harm because she has not been denied a waiver for a visa to visit the United States. A federal judge in Honolulu will hear arguments Wednesday. ___ 11:15 a.m. New York's attorney general says his lawsuit opposing the President Donald Trump's revised immigration ban includes declarations from 20 New York entities saying they will be adversely affected. Eric Schneiderman joined Washington, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Oregon in filing an amended complaint. The State University of New York and City University of New York are among those claiming harm from the ban. Others include tech companies Kickstarter, Etsy, and Meetup. Individuals who say they will be impacted include scientists from Iran and Yemeni-Americans separated from their families. The complaint said New York has more than 4.4 million foreign-born residents. Their numbers include more than 13,000 born in one of the six countries named Trump's second executive order. ___ 9:41 a.m. Washington and four other states trying to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim nations are seeking a Tuesday hearing before a federal judge in Seattle. In a new complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson says the new travel ban is unconstitutional and harms state residents, universities and businesses, especially tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon who rely on foreign workers. California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon joined Washington in the legal action. Ferguson filed new documents after a federal judge last week said he wouldn't immediately rule on whether his restraining order against the old ban applies to the new Trump executive order. Ferguson asked for a hearing to be held Tuesday. The revised travel ban is scheduled to go into effect Thursday. Trump's revised ban blocks new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries including Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. ___ 9:33 a.m. California is the latest state to join a legal challenge to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban. Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Monday that California would sign on as a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the ban's constitutionality. Becerra said in a statement that the order despite being changed still represents an attack on people based on their religion or national origin. Democratic attorneys general nationwide are trying to use the court system to thwart the executive branch's travel order. Trump's revised ban bars new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries: Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. It also temporarily shuts down the U.S. refugee program. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - When President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Thursday, the new commander-in-chief will be laying the groundwork for his administration's relations with a Middle Eastern powerhouse and the world's top oil exporter. It will be Trump's first meeting with a royal from a Western-allied Gulf nation since his inauguration. The prince's visit offers the U.S. president an opportunity to present his policy goals for the region to one of Saudi Arabia's most influential figures. As second-in-line to the throne, 31-year-old Prince Mohammed also serves as defense minister and is in charge of overhauling the kingdom's economy. And similar to Trump's relationship with his eldest children, Prince Mohammed shares a close bond with his father, King Salman, and has the monarch's ear on important matters. FILE - In this May 14, 2012 file photo, Prince Mohammed bin Salman waits for Gulf Arab leaders ahead of the opening of Gulf Cooperation Council summit, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's second-in-line to the throne, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November's presidential election. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) With a myriad of global and regional issues to discuss, here's a look at the openings and obstacles the U.S.-Saudi relationship faces under Trump: ___ WHAT ARE THE COMMON GOALS? Saudi Arabia has welcomed Trump's hard rhetoric on Iran, which stands in contrast to the Obama administration's efforts in securing a nuclear deal with Tehran - despite strident objections from Riyadh. The Trump administration also included Iran in its travel ban for people seeking new visas. Saudi Arabia views the Shiite-ruled nation's influence in Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as a danger to its security. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said last month that Trump's language on containing Iran's reach is "exactly" the Saudi position, adding that the kingdom is "very optimistic about the Trump administration." In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. Under Trump, Washington has continued to support a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen that has been criticized for its devastating humanitarian toll on the impoverished nation. Intelligence sharing on al-Qaida and other extremist threats is expected to continue under Trump, and the kingdom remains part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State targets in Syria. Fahad Nazer, a political consultant for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said he thinks that on the part of the Trump administration there is an appreciation for the history of the U.S.-Saudi relationship and for the role Saudi Arabia can have in stabilizing the Middle East. He emphasizes that his views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Saudi government. ___ WHERE ARE THERE HURDLES? Gerald Feierstein, a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen and director of the Center for Gulf Affairs at the Middle East Institute, says while the mood is still optimistic between Washington and Riyadh, there are "some flashing yellow lights, if not red lights." For one, he said there appears to be an expectation from the White House that the Saudis and other Gulf nations will pay more for U.S. protection and security. And while the appointment of former Exxon chief Rex Tillerson as secretary of state may sit well with the Saudis, the Trump administration's energy plan involves maximizing U.S. domestic production of shale oil and gas, which threatens Saudi Arabia's ability to profit off of higher oil prices. Other areas of potential divergence include any expectations from the White House that Saudi Arabia would formalize relations with Israel in the absence of a Palestinian peace deal. There is also the potential for anti-Muslim sentiment among some in Trump's inner circle to complicate the Saudi-U.S. relationship, said Feirestein. Also looming is U.S. legislation allowing the kingdom to be sued for the 9/11 attacks, which could also have negative repercussions on ties. ___ WHAT ABOUT SYRIA? Perhaps the thorniest element of the U.S.-Saudi relationship going forward stems from the Trump administration's apparently close ties with Russia. Trump has spoken glowingly of Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed hopes for closer cooperation with Moscow. But Russia is a strong backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the Russian military intervention into the Syrian civil war, starting in September 2015, helped turn the tide of the conflict in Assad's favor. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, openly supports armed rebel groups in Syria and has repeatedly called for regime change in Damascus. With the Syrian government now increasingly in control, Trump and his Saudi counterparts could struggle to find common ground on the issue. ___ Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ayaelb FILE- In this Nov. 11, 2015 file photo, Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a summit of Arab and Latin American leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's second-in-line to the throne, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November's presidential election. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, file) FILE- In this Jan. 27, 2015 file photo, President Barack Obama participates in a receiving line with the Saudi Arabian King, Salman bin Abdul Aziz, at Erga Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in the coming days, the new commander-in-chief will be laying the groundwork for his administration's relations with a Middle Eastern powerhouse and the world's top oil exporter. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on a strong winter storm expected in the Northeast (all times local): 5 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says above-ground services from New York City's main transit agency will stop running at 4 a.m. Tuesday because of the upcoming winter storm. Snowplows are mounted on sanitation trucks in anticipation of an impending storm Monday, March 13, 2017, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A powerful nor'easter could bring blizzard conditions and more than a foot of snow to some parts of the Northeast, proving that winter is not done yet. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) That means no service on the portion of the New York City subway system that runs above ground. Cuomo says service on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuter lines could also be "significantly impacted." Cuomo is urging people to stay home - and off the roads - unless absolutely necessary. He says there are currently no plans to cut underground Metropolitan Transportation Authority service, though he added "given the severity of the storm, anything can happen." A state of emergency in New York will begin Tuesday morning, immediately after midnight. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is has expanded its blizzard warning. It now runs from the Philadelphia suburbs through New York City and Boston to Maine. ___ 2:35 p.m. The U.S. House is telling lawmakers that votes are unlikely on Tuesday due to flight cancellations caused by an approaching winter storm. In a notice from the House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, lawmakers were told that the first votes for the week are expected Wednesday night. Most lawmakers head home to their districts on the weekend. The Senate was in session on Monday afternoon, with a vote planned for the evening. A nor'easter is poised to bring blizzard conditions and a blanket of heavy snow to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. New York City could get 20 inches, and the nation's capital about 6 inches. ___ 2:15 p.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has postponed her trip to Washington to visit with U.S. President Donald Trump due to a late-winter storm expected in the Northeast U.S. Merkel had been scheduled to arrive late Monday night for meetings with Trump on Tuesday but called off the trip at the last minute due to the weather, her office said. German media reported she was rescheduling the trip for Friday but her office would only say it would take place soon. Washington, D.C., is expected to get about 6 inches of snow in the storm. ___ 12:45 p.m. A big blast of winter weather is expected to blanket much of the Northeast in heavy snow just days before the official start of spring. A blizzard warning has been issued for New York City and parts of northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut from Monday overnight through much of Tuesday, with wind gusts of up to 55 mph possible and low visibility. New York City could get up to 18 inches of snow, with Boston seeing a similar amount and Philadelphia slated to get up to a foot. Up to 10 inches could fall in Washington, D.C. The airline-tracking site FlightAware says more than 3,000 Tuesday flights are already canceled. Some school systems, including New York City, also aren't planning to open Tuesday. Spring starts March 20. ___ 12:10 a.m. A powerful nor'easter could bring blizzard conditions and more than a foot of snow to some parts of the Northeast. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch from late Monday night through Tuesday evening for New York City and parts of northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. Winter storm warnings and watches have been issued for the remainder of the Northeast. Meteorologists say the storm could dump 12 to 18 inches of snow on New York City with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. Light snow is expected to begin late Monday night and intensify overnight. The heaviest snowfall is expected Tuesday morning through the afternoon. Boston also could get 12 to 18 inches, while Philadelphia could see 6 to 12 and Washington 6 to 10. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A former executive of an Israel-based defense contractor has pleaded guilty in Connecticut to crimes related to fraud schemes targeting a United States foreign aid program. Yuval Marshak pleaded guilty on Monday to several counts of fraud in federal court. He had been extradited from Bulgaria following his indictment early last year. The U.S. Department of Justice says Marshak carried out three schemes between 2009 and 2013 to defraud the Foreign Military Financing program. The program provides foreign governments with money to buy American-made military goods and services. Marshak was accused of arranging for undisclosed commission payments to be made to a Connecticut-based company owned by a relative to disguise their true nature. U.S. officials say the case was prosecuted with help from Israel's Ministry of Defense. WASHINGTON (AP) - Canadians with cystic fibrosis survive about 10 years longer than Americans with the same genetic disease, according to startling new research that raises questions about how to improve care. Monday's study suggests access to lung transplants and health insurance may play a role in the survival gap. And it comes as Congress debates health legislation that could roll back Medicaid, a safety net for about half of children and a third of adults with the lung-destroying disease. "We're about finding the best care wherever it is and trying to understand, if Canada's got better outcomes, how do they do that so we can copy it," said Dr. Bruce Marshall of the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which funded the study. FILE - In this May 12, 2016 file photo, an obstetrician technician collects a blood sample from newborn in the nursery at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis. Canadians with cystic fibrosis survive about 10 years longer than Americans with the same genetic disease, according to startling new research that raises questions about how to improve care. The Monday, March 13, 2017, study suggests access to lung transplants and health insurance may play a role in the survival gap. And it comes as Congress is debating health legislation that could roll back Medicaid, a safety net for about half of children and a third of adults with the lung-destroying disease. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) More than 30,000 Americans, and 70,000 people around the world, are living with cystic fibrosis, caused by inheriting a defective gene from each parent. Sticky mucus builds up in their lungs and other organs, leading to life-threatening respiratory infections and improper digestion and nutrient absorption. Only a few decades ago, children with the disease seldom survived elementary school. Now, thanks to earlier diagnosis and improvements in treatment, more and more live into adulthood and middle age. But the median age of survival in Canada is almost 51 - meaning half live at least that long - compared to nearly 41 for U.S. patients, researchers reported Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine. "These statistics are sobering," said Dr. Anne Stephenson of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, who led the study. Researchers analyzed data from national registries of cystic fibrosis patients in each country from 1990 to 2013. The findings mark "a hard reality we must accept," Drs. Patrick Flume of the Medical University of South Carolina and Donald VanDevanter of Case Western Reserve University wrote in an accompanying editorial. Neither was part of the research. "Now we are faced with the more difficult task of trying to identify and implement solutions to bridge this survival gap, which seems to be based on fundamental differences in the two nations' health care systems," they said. Among possible causes: -A higher proportion of Canadian CF patients receive a life-prolonging lung transplant, 10.3 percent compared to 6.5 percent of U.S. patients. It's not clear why. But the survival gap widened significantly in 2005, the year that the U.S. introduced a new scoring system to prioritize people on the waiting list for lung transplants. Marshall said the CF Foundation is raising concerns with transplant regulators about whether nuances in that system give other lung diseases more priority. -Canada has universal health coverage. U.S. patients with private health insurance had similar survival to their Canadian counterparts. But Canadians survived longer than U.S. Medicaid patients and those with no insurance, the study found. Because Medicaid gives participants important access to specialized CF care centers, Marshall said "our hunch" is that poverty is the real factor. Even with Medicaid it's still hard to take time off work, find child care and travel to a clinic. One other factor: Canada adopted better nutritional care for cystic fibrosis in the 1970s, a decade before the U.S., a difference likely to be affecting survival only among older age groups. Survival gap aside, there still is no cure and "in both countries, there are still people who are very, very young who are dying," Stephenson noted. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi House on Monday halted a push to require that universities fly the state's Confederate-themed flag. Republican Rep. William Shirley of Quitman persuaded the House last week to withhold a tax break from universities that don't fly the flag. But a committee chairman pledged to kill the bill by not bringing it up for a vote. So, Quitman tried again on Monday: He attached his proposal to not one, but two higher-education budget bills. "Whatever it is - pink, polka-dotted elephants, I don't care - but if they are getting tax money they should fly the flag of the state," Shirley said. The House narrowly rejected his efforts, once by shouting it down and the second time by a 58-56 vote. No other members rose to speak in support of Shirley's proposal. All eight of Mississippi's public universities have stopped flying the flag, which prominently features the Confederate battle emblem. That has angered supporters of the banner. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Activist investor Bill Ackman has sold his hedge fund's stake in beleaguered drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., saying the investment took up a "disproportionately large amount of time and resources." The move announced Monday comes after Valeant's latest disappointing financial results and forecast led a number of analysts to downgrade their recommendations and stock-price targets on the one-time Wall Street darling. After a yearslong spree of drug and company acquisitions, followed by triple-digit price hikes on critical heart drugs and other medicines it had acquired, Valeant's practices were put under a microscope by multiple congressional committees probing soaring prescription drug prices. No longer able to raise prices much, Valeant is struggling with roughly $30 billion in debt and is having to sell off assets to cover debt payments. It was briefly in default on its debt last spring. The stock has lost 83 percent of its value over the past 12 months. It peaked at $264 in August 2015, before its business practices came under scrutiny. In after-hours trading Monday, it dropped almost 10 percent further to $10.91. Pershing Square said that it will realize a "large tax loss" on its investment in Valeant. It had been Valeant's No. 2 shareholder, according to data provider Capital IQ. Neither Ackman nor Pershing Square's vice chairman, Steve Fraidin, will seek re-election to Valeant's board. Ackman became a director in March 2016 during an executive shake-up meant to turn things around, which hasn't happened. Valeant, which technically is based in Canada but operates from headquarters in Bridgewater, New Jersey, ousted Michael Pearson, the CEO responsible for the price-hiking strategy, early last year. It has also replaced numerous other top executives. Meanwhile, former executives of Valeant and a related mail-order pharmacy called Philidor were charged with a fraud-and-kickback scheme in November. The company sells numerous generic medicines, along with several brand-name drugs, including Addyi for low female sex drive. It also sells medicines in the fields of dermatology, gastrointestinal disorders, eye health and neurology. ___ AP Business Writer Tali Arbel in New York contributed to this story. ___ Follow Linda A. Johnson at https://twitter.com/LindaJ_onPharma. DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Operators of twin oil pipelines beneath the swirling waterway where Lakes Huron and Michigan converge insisted Monday they remain structurally sound even though an outer layer of protective covering has worn away in some places, while skeptics said the deterioration is further evidence the lines should be shut down. Officials with Enbridge Inc. said the exterior material is not essential to the pipes' integrity and there is no reason for concern about its absence in spots along the lines extending nearly 5 miles along the bottomlands of the Straits of Mackinac. "If there was ever a time when we weren't 100 percent confident in its fitness, we wouldn't be operating the pipeline," Brad Shamla, the Canadian company's vice president of U.S. operations for liquid pipelines, told reporters before a meeting of the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board. FILE- In this Sept. 23, 2015, file photo, the Mackinac Bridge is visible from a marker near Enbridge Line 5 on the northern shore of the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. Operators of twin oil pipelines beneath the swirling waterway where Lakes Huron and Michigan converge insisted Monday, March 13, 2017, that they remain structurally sound even though an outer layer of protective covering has worn away in some places, while skeptics said the deterioration is further evidence the lines should be shut down. (Neil Blake/The Grand Rapids Press via AP, File) But many of the roughly 250 spectators, some of whom arrived in buses from northern Michigan, were not convinced. The standing-room-only gathering in a state office building west of Lansing was often testy, with pipeline opponents jeering representatives of Enbridge and supportive businesses. Skeptics said questions about the pipeline covering, and a report submitted by an independent engineer warning of long-term wear from whipsaw currents, should heighten concerns about a potential rupture that could devastate the area's environment and tourism-dependent economy. "We just want Enbridge to move their oil at a different route and not under the Straits of Mackinac," said Vince Lumetta, of Cheboygan. About 23 million gallons of crude oil and liquid natural gas are pumped daily through Line 5, which runs from Superior, Wisconsin, across Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Sarnia, Ontario. It's divided into two 20-inch lines beneath the straits, a crucial link in the Great Lakes chain that comprises the world's largest surface freshwater source. Line 5 has been a rallying cry for pipeline foes since a 2010 oil spill from another Enbridge pipe fouled the Kalamazoo River in southwestern Michigan. Opponents last month disclosed that a work plan on Enbridge's website identifies 18 "holidays" on the underwater pipes, an industry term that generally means places where protective coating is not present. Kurt Baraniecki, the company's integrity programs director, told the board the "holiday" references were not to Line 5's enamel coating designed to prevent leaks, but to an outer wrapping made with a glass-fiber mesh. That material has worn away in 18 spots that together make up less than 1 percent of the pipelines' surface area, he said. The mesh helped seal the enamel when the pipes were installed in 1953 but its absence in a relatively few places poses no threat, he said. Enbridge has no plans to replace the wrapping where it has come loose, Shamla said. Instead, those locations will be the focus of a study of whether invasive quagga mussels attached to the pipelines are causing problems. An electrical current that runs through Line 5 would provide additional anti-corrosion protection if coating broke off and exposed bare metal, he said. A 2016 inspection with an interior tool found no evidence of enamel coating failure, he said. Michael Shriberg, a board member and regional leader of the National Wildlife Federation, said company officials "were slicing and dicing words. What you heard them say is there is some coating missing, they don't exactly where and they don't know how much." Edward Timm, a retired Dow Chemical engineer from Harbor Springs, presented his study expressing concern that stress from the currents is nearly double what was anticipated when the pipelines were built. "This thing's a triple winner - it's got fatigued metal, compromised coating and thick mussel growth," he said of Line 5. Shamla said Enbridge "didn't see a lot of new information" in Timm's report. "We're very comfortable with the integrity and reliability of the pipeline - how it was designed, how it was built and how we continue to operate it," Shamla said. ___ Flesher reported from Traverse City, Mich. Jose Mourinho has spoken of the position of privilege enjoyed by Antonio Conte during his first season at Chelsea as the Manchester United manager prepares to face his table-topping former club in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Last season went disastrously for the west Londoners, with the reigning champions abysmal Premier League title defence costing Mourinho, the most successful manager in the clubs history, his job at Stamford Bridge for the second time. Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo cited palpable discord with the players many of whom have found their mojo again under summer appointment Conte. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (left) and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte shake hands (John Walton/PA) 6,000 supporters head to Chelsea on Monday...@Fellaini: "The #MUFC fans are great & I hope they'll do everything to help us win the game." pic.twitter.com/0laRn6zjac Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 11, 2017 The Italians arrival has inspired the Blues to a fine campaign that sees them 10 points clear at the summit, although Mourinho has again highlighted how failing to qualify for Europe has aided their charge. United, by contrast, last week made a 3,750-mile round trip to face Russian side Rostov in the Europa League hardly the ideal preparation for Mondays FA Cup showdown. The most difficult thing to have is time to work, and they have time to work, Mourinho said when asked how hard it is to win the league in your first season. I know that he said a couple of days ago or a couple of weeks ago that its not his fault that they are not in the European competitions. Ahead of our #EmiratesFACup clash v Chelsea on Monday, a look back to a memorable #MUFC triumph in the 1994 final... pic.twitter.com/2Eaivf8KjV Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 11, 2017 Its my fault and the players fault, but the reality is that he got in his hands a situation where they have time to work, time to rest, time to relax, time to disconnect, time to travel, time to have holidays, time to go to America and enjoy America for a couple of days. They have time for all of these things, so they are in a position of privilege the same privilege that Liverpool had a couple of years ago and they almost won the Premier League but I dont want to say that they dont deserve credit for it. They choose a certain style of play that I think is very adapted to the qualities of these players. They defend a lot and well, and they counter attack and kill opponents on the counter attack similar to my Chelsea. Hoping for more of this when we face Chelsea in the #EmiratesFACup! pic.twitter.com/JKG6r2sHZv Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 12, 2017 But the difference is they play with five at the back and I played four at the back, but the same criteria: a very strong team to defend and a team that kills on the counter attack, and they are doing very, very well and that is why they are going to be champions easily. Chelsea underlined their title credentials by condemning United to a 4-0 defeat as Mourinho made a humiliating Stamford Bridge return in October. The Portuguese made his anger at Contes touchline histrionics known at the end of a match that saw some Blues fans goad their former manager with chants of youre not special anymore. Mourinho has the chance to exact revenge in Mondays mouth-watering FA Cup quarter-final, but insists beating his former club does not provide any added motivation. Becks thumps one in at Stamford Bridge in 1997! #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Rb7TyYjGjR Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 11, 2017 I am not asking for any credit, I am not asking for that, he said of his spells at Chelsea. I am focused on Man United and I know the work I did there, I know what I did but I am the kind of guy that I move and have no regrets and I am not looking for bad feelings at all. Am I sadder to lose against Chelsea than against another team? No. Am I happier to win against Chelsea than another team? No. A woman dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham has been jailed after racking up her 153rd offence. Margaret Johnson, 40, was caught stealing from a handbag at Lidl in Tile Cross just six days after being released from prison in January this year. Police said she took a mobile phone from another shopper in Asda in Chelmsley Wood less than an hour later. Other victims of Johnson include women aged 80 and 84 and a 76-year-old woman who was shopping in Lidl in Tile Cross with her grandson who has Downs syndrome, police said. Officers said she has stooped to new lows as she was handed a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence after pleading guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to thefts. Margaret Johnson (right) - dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham Birmingham Police Sergeant Julia Slater said: Its hard to find words to describe Margaret Johnson. She is someone who thinks absolutely nothing about preying on the most vulnerable people in society and stealing money from them that they can ill-afford to lose. She deliberately targets elderly, lone female shoppers people she considers easy targets and when an opportunity arises she slyly swipes their bags or slips purses or mobile phones from pockets. "Even by her own despicable standards she has stooped to new lows with these offences. Johnson was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order, banning her from large parts of Birmingham city centre and from stores including Poundland, Clarks, Iceland and Asda across the whole of the West Midlands. She was previously given a 43-week prison sentence in 2015 for thefts including one against a 90-year-old woman at Poundland in Sutton Coldfield four days after being released from an earlier jail sentence, police said. Sheriff March 10 11:13 a.m. - At 3900 block of East 20th Avenue, fraud. Loss of $2,850. March 11 12:03 a.m. - At route 81 and 325th Street, Jayden Sheldon of Columbus issued citation for no operators license and correction for headlight. 2 a.m. - At 175th Avenue and 385th Street, Alan Maguire of Leigh cited for speeding. 3:08 a.m. - North of 310th Street on 175th Avenue, Todd Cattau of Creston cited for speeding. 11:37 a.m. - At route 81 and 295th Street, Steven Slaga of Norfolk cited for speeding. 5:45 p.m. - In Humphrey, criminal mischief, $150 loss. 7:10 p.m. - On Platte River bridge, Brand Stilwagon of Dorchester issued citation for willful reckless driving. Scotland hooker Fraser Brown could face a suspension after being cited for his dangerous tackle on Elliot Daly in Saturdays RBS 6 Nations thumping by England. Glasgow front-rower Brown was sin-binned for his challenge on England wing Daly in Scotlands 61-21 loss, but now faces a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday to review the incident. Brown could now miss Scotlands closing Six Nations clash against Italy in Edinburgh on Saturday, if handed a ban. Fraser Brown is sin-binned against England 2' Fraser Brown has been shown a yellow card and England have an early penalty which they kick to touch #ENGVSCO (0-0) Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 11, 2017 French referee Mathieu Raynal opted to hand Brown a yellow card for his second-minute tackle on Daly after consultation with Television Match Official (TMO) Ben Skeen. An independent disciplinary committee could now however rule Brown ought to have been handed a red card. Fraser Brown, the Scotland hooker, has been cited by the independent citing commissioner at Saturdays RBS 6 Nations match between England and Scotland at Twickenham, read a Six Nations statement. The cited offence, dangerous tackling, took place in the second minute of the match in which the cited player was yellow carded. FOUR rounds down. ONE to go. Which position will your team be in by the end of the #RBS6Nations? Full standings https://t.co/fREtAbTASR pic.twitter.com/8LAPf3Bdfj Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 12, 2017 The disciplinary hearing, before an independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committee of three, is scheduled for London on Tuesday, March 14. England retained their Six Nations title with their seven-try shaming of Scotland in London on Saturday, also equalling New Zealands world-record run of 18 consecutive victories. Vern Cotter will be desperately seeking to salvage some pride in his final match as Scotland boss in Saturdays Italy encounter, but the hosts may now have to do without Browns services. Any future pathway to securing citizenship for the thousands of undocumented Irish living in the United States should also be offered to other illegal immigrants, Enda Kenny has urged. The Irish Taoiseach acknowledged the administration in Washington should not pick and choose in regard to which nationalities living in the US without permission could secure clarity around their status. His comments came after meeting Boston mayor Marty Walsh. The gaelic-speaking Irish American mayor said he was very proud of his heritage but rejected any suggestion that the Irish undocumented could be treated as a special case. At Boston City Hall ahead of press conference with mayor @marty_walsh and @EndaKennyTD pic.twitter.com/lH8xSm2z44 David Young (@DavidYoungPA) March 13, 2017 Mr Kenny will lobby on behalf of the 50,000 undocumented Irish when he meets President Trump in Washington on Thursday. The Taoiseach, who is on his annual St Patricks trip to the US, said he would like to see any potential accommodation extended to other immigrants. Clearly we have some concerns and anxieties about those who are undocumented here and we want to work with the administration in a way to deal with that, not just in the case of Ireland but also in the case of some of the others. Because its not a case of picking and choosing. While we might like to think we can sort out our own problem of 50,000 undocumented, there are 11 million people in the United states who have not the required paperwork and documentation. Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny holds a joint press conference with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (Niall Carson/PA) With such worldwide focus on Mr Trumps controversial immigration policies, Mr Kennys efforts to raise the undocumented Irish will draw intense scrutiny. As part of his crackdown, the president has taken steps against sanctuary cities in the US, where local authorities refuse to implement federal immigration policies. Boston is one such city. Mr Walsh has been highly critical of the new administrations stance on immigration. Hopefully the Taoiseach will be able to help a little bit here and be able to say and have a conversation with the president and the administration and the leadership of the Republican party about how do we come up with a solution, rather than accusing folks of being illegal or being criminal, he said. I cant stand here today and say I feel comfortable with where we are as a country. Hopefully at some point we will be able to move to that point, but not today. Russia has accused British intelligence agencies of trying to divert attention from the latest WikiLeaks revelations on surveillance by talking up Moscows subversive threat. Russias Embassy to the UK said the security services were engaged in a brutal propaganda campaign after GCHQ spies warned political parties of the threat Kremlin hackers pose to democracy. According to the Sunday Times, seminars will be held to educate politicians on the threat from Russia after its spies were accused of carrying out cyber-attacks to tamper with US and German elections. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (Jonathan Brady/PA) Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties to offer advice on how to withstand attacks, the newspaper said. Commenting on the revelations, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson admitted the UK has no evidence that Russia is actually involved in undermining democratic processes, adding: but what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that. The Russian Embassy seized on his comments and claimed they showed that agencies are trying to divert from WikiLeaks release of thousands of purported CIA files, apparently laying bare its covert hacking programme, including techniques targeting consumer software It was claimed that software was developed to turn smart TVs into listening devices in a project codenamed Weeping Angel and including input from Britains MI5. GCHQ sisterly response to CIA hacking tools disclosure: #Russiansdidit + paternalistic state hardly makes healthy electioneering pic.twitter.com/CcMcOm7n7k Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) March 13, 2017 In a statement posted online, the Russian Embassy said: Russia is accused of conducting subversive activity against Britain. We absolutely cannot accept that. In that regard, highly relevant are the words of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that Britain has no evidence of Russias interference in the UK domestic affairs. And this is true. At the same time, we would like to note that already for a long time, a brutal propaganda campaign has been under way to paint Russia as a country engaged in undermining Britain, including through hacking. Key to all this is that those allegations are not supported by any evidence or facts. And the Foreign Secretary had to admit that. Still, the campaign is going on, and the British people are being scared by the so-called Russian threat. However, it is well-known that according to the reports, it is the British special services who, together with the CIA, are active in development of technologies for total surveillance over the private life of citizens and society as a whole. RELEASE: Vault 7 Part 1 "Year Zero": Inside the CIA's global hacking force https://t.co/h5wzfrReyy pic.twitter.com/N2lxyHH9jp WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 7, 2017 Particularly broad possibilities for that are associated with the CIA library of fingerprints/stolen identities of various foreign hackers which could be used to put blame on others. That makes the murky business of hacking even murkier. The British special services, among other things, seem to be rendering CIA sisterly assistance in trying to divert attention from the intelligence debacle of the latest WikiLeaks disclosure, as all too often, at Russias expense. We call upon the British side to stop its anti-Russian campaign which undermines our bilateral relationship. In February, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, many of which threatened national security, had struck Britain in the previous three months. By David Lawder WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Friday that he hopes to launch formal talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico in a little over three months, setting in motion a campaign promise made by President Donald Trump. During his election campaign, Trump threatened to pull out of NAFTA, which he views as damaging to U.S. workers, unless it was renegotiated to his liking and reduced the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico. Ross told reporters that "sometime in the next couple of weeks" he hopes to send a letter notifying Congress that the Trump administration intends to launch NAFTA negotiations in 90 days. "That's what triggers the beginnings of the formal process itself," Ross said at a news conference with Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo. A notification about NAFTA in the next two weeks would put the likely start of talks late June or early July. Trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico has nearly quadrupled in goods since NAFTA took effect in 1994 to $1.1 trillion last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The deal has accelerated the integration of the three economies, with parts supply chains and commodities now crisscrossing their borders. The 90-day period is required under the so-called "fast track" negotiating authority granted to the president by Congress. Fast-track allows only an up-or-down vote on trade deals, in order to streamline their approval and strengthen the U.S. negotiating hand with partner countries. Congress granted fast-track to former President Barack Obama in 2015 when his administration was negotiating the now-defunct 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Unless rescinded by lawmakers, the fast-track authority is scheduled to remain in effect until July 2021. Ross added that he was consulting on the NAFTA talks with leaders of Congress' two trade panels, the Senate Finance Committee and the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. Trump's fellow Republicans hold the majority in both the Senate and House, but many in the party are pro-trade and will insist that any renegotiation not erect protectionist barriers. But a deal that aims to protect more U.S. jobs would likely win support from many Democrats. Guajardo said that Mexico would be ready to start NAFTA talks any time after the end of May, but would wait until the United States and Canada finish their own legislative processes to prepare for talks. Asked whether he anticipated that NAFTA negotiations would include a border tax adjustment plan that would levy a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports, as proposed by House Republicans, Ross said that he and the administration would need to see full details on the proposal to pass judgment on it. Ross and Guajardo also announced a new round of negotiations to try to resolve a long-simmering dispute over U.S. imports of Mexican sugar. Speaking at a news conference in Houston on Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was open to working with the Trump administration to revise NAFTA. The U.S. notification period on NAFTA will also give the Trump administration time to secure confirmation of Robert Lighthizer, the nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, who would take a lead role in NAFTA talks. Lighthizer, a long-time trade lawyer for the steel industry, is scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Frances Kerry) By Alexander Cornwell DUBAI, March 12 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates, one of the Middle East's largest economies, wants to expand trade ties with faster growing nations in Asia and Africa, a senior official said on Sunday. Rich Gulf Arab states are looking at ways to diversify their economies, including who they trade with, after more than two years of depressed oil prices forced a rethink of government spending. The pace of economic growth in Asian and sub-Saharan African economies has made them ideal partners, Abdullah al-Saleh, undersecretary for foreign trade and industry at the UAE ministry of the economy, told Reuters in an interview in Dubai. Asia's two largest economies China and India are expected to grow by 6.5 percent and 7.2 percent this year whilst sub-Saharan Africa is forecast to expand by 2.8 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). There are "huge opportunities" in China and India but also in Singapore and Indonesia, al-Saleh said. In 2015, the UAE's non-oil trade with Asia was worth 450 billion dirhams ($122.5 billion), according to al-Saleh. Two-thirds of its trade with Asia is with six markets; China, India, Japan, Iran, South Korea and Hong Kong. The UAE wants to see free trade agreements between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China, India, Australia and New Zealand to be a priority, al-Saleh said. However the political and economic bloc comprised of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman has made little material progress on free trade negotiations despite talks being open with around a dozen different countries and groups. "Hopefully ... in near future we see more agreements," al-Saleh said. Economic ties with China and India have deepened since Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan visited the two countries in 2015 and 2016, respectively, according to al-Saleh, with UAE companies now having "better access to the markets." Though already having close ties to North Africa in part through shared culture, language and religion, the UAE is looking for deeper ties with sub-Saharan Africa. "The latest reforms in some of African countries are very attractive for us," al-Saleh said. There is potential for greater trade and investments in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique, he said, and whilst Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is going through a period of instability it cannot be ignored either. "The growth is there in these markets and there is big demand for services and goods," al-Saleh said. "What we need to do is connect our business community with business communities in these countries." ($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham) (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Keith Weir) By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt ANKARA/ROTTERDAM, March 12 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad. Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities. The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. The Dutch government - set to lose about half its seats in elections this week, according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning. "I call on all international organisations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how. "Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul. "NAZISM WIDESPREAD IN WEST" A day earlier, Erdogan described the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and returned to the theme on Sunday by saying "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in what Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said were inflammatory remarks. "We ended up in a totally unprecedented situation in which a NATO ally...with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutter told reporters. Rather than the Netherlands apologising for refusing the Turkish ministers entry, Turkey's president should apologize for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, he said. The row risked spreading on Sunday as Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Yildirim this month due to the dispute. The French foreign ministry urged calm and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting in France between Cavusoglu and a local Turkish association. Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. DUTCH ELECTION The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to next week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV). Experts said it was too early to tell how events in Rotterdam might affect the election. "If there is any impact, however, it is likely that Geert Wilders and his PVV Party will profit most," said Leiden University professor of electoral research Joop van Holsteijn. After Turkey's family minister was escorted into Germany, Wilders tweeted: "go away and never come back". The Dutch government cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time". Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off both sites. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute. European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graff Lambsdorff demanded a ban on Turkish ministers campaigning in the EU. "The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he said. "The Dutch are showing how it is done, the German government pussyfoots around ... in that way Turkey can try to play one country off the other," he told Die Welt newspaper. (Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen in Istanbul, Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara, Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier in Paris,; Writing by Daren Butler and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Greg Mahlich) By Cynthia Kim and Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL, March 9 (Reuters) - South Korean firms have had a torrid time in China since Seoul dismissed Chinese objections and approved a new missile defence system, but for all the discriminatory tactics Korean firms say they are victims of, there is little Seoul can do to retaliate. South Korea sold $124 billion worth of goods and services to its western neighbour last year, about five times the amount exported to its eastern neighbour, Japan, and double that shipped to its second-biggest market, the United States. But the amount could drop this year after China's state media orchestrated a boycott on Korean produce in protest at a missile system designed to thwart any North Korean assault, but whose radar China says is capable of penetrating its territory. Korea's Lotte Group has suffered cyber attacks and said some of its stores in China have been fined or closed by authorities, while some shops have been hit by anti-Korean demonstrations. Korean airlines have been refused permission to increase China-Korea flights, cosmetics firms have reported increased scrutiny at customs, and Chinese travel agents have been ordered to stop tours to South Korea. China's foreign ministry said law-abiding foreign firms were welcome and would be protected. But South Korea's ruling party said the government will actively consider complaining about "unfair retaliation" to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO previously chastised China for restricting exports of rare earth minerals during a 2010 row with Japan over disputed islands, and then curbing global shipments. But the organisation would find it far more difficult to penalise more subtle forms of perceived retaliation, current and former South Korean government officials told Reuters. "We need some official proof," Chang Do-hwan, a director at South Korea's finance ministry, told Reuters. "Taking diplomatic action without confirming (that such tactics stemmed from central government) could just spread anger." WEAPONS Conditions for South Korean firms in China have deteriorated since Seoul agreed in July to deploy the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The situation became acute last week after a Lotte Group company decided to supply land for the system. Any means of fighting back could lie in South Korea's biggest shipments to China - semiconductors and displays, which make up over one-third of total exports to the mainland. But any legal means of Korea risking one of its most profitable sectors by restricting such exports is unrealistic, said analyst Piao Ren-Jin at NH Investment & Securities. "Seoul can continue to express its concern, and take this to the WTO, but that's about it at the state-level," Piao said. In a worst case scenario, the spat could reduce the size of South Korea's economy by as much as 0.25 percent, she said. Instead, the government has advised firms to devise countermeasures such as diversifying markets. One company considering such a move is Le Belle Cosmetics, whose sales are "grinding to a halt" at a duty free shop in central Seoul as Chinese tourist numbers fall, said the firm's chief executive, Cathy Lim. "We cannot just look at China," Lim said, highlighting emerging markets such as Vietnam as options for expansion. "But at the same time, no market can replace China." Lee Hang-Koo, a senior research fellow at state-funded Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, said the government suggesting companies diversify markets to minimise any impact from difficulties in China was "absurd and irresponsible". "China is just too big," he said, adding a WTO complaint was not feasible considering lack of evidence and could take years. "It's better to just talk through diplomatic channels." Any complaint can only worsen relations with South Korea's biggest customer, which bought around a quarter of total exports last year from around 10 percent at the turn of the century, showed data from the Korea International Trade Association. Over the same period, China's exports to South Korea have moved little from about 4.5 percent, according to think tank Hyundai Research Institute. DESIGNER RETALIATION At present, there is little evidence of WTO rule-breaking. Chinese authorities closed stores belonging to Lotte Group and others due to fire-safety concerns, and cosmetics firms have said Chinese market access has been tightened by stricter customs and sanitary approval procedures. "China, which has been lax about imposing rules, are just applying those rules," said former South Korean foreign ministry official Choi Won-Mog. However, Korean authorities have said Chinese tour operators have been given official "verbal" orders to halt Korean tours. "China has carefully designed retaliation against South Korea so that it does not violate international laws," having learnt its lesson from the rare earths restrictions during the Japan dispute, said Choi, a professor at Ewha Law School. One of the most notable victims of the Japan dispute was the automobile industry, with widespread vandalism of Japanese cars. South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co is monitoring the situation, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. "We have not seen any major impact so far, but we are worried about how the situation will unfold," the person said. "There is not much that individual companies can do." (Reporting by Cynthia Kim and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Christopher Cushing) WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - A new U.S. strategy to break a stalemate in Afghanistan will require additional American troops, the head of the U.S. Central Command said on Thursday. "I do believe it will involve additional forces to ensure that we can make the advise and assist mission more effective," Army General Joseph Votel said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Votel said a strategy was still being developed and did not give details on the number of troops that would be required or when a final decision would be made. Last month, Army General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said he needed several thousand more international troops in order to break the stalemate in the long war with Taliban insurgents, signaling that the matter may soon be put before President Donald Trump. So far, Trump has offered little clarity about whether he might approve more forces for Afghanistan, where some 8,400 U.S. troops remain more than 15 years after the Islamist Taliban government was toppled by U.S.-backed Afghan forces. The difficult situation in Afghanistan was highlighted on Wednesday when 49 people were killed following an attack on a military hospital in Kabul by gunmen. The gunmen went through the 400-bed hospital, shooting doctors, patients and visitors and battling security forces for several hours in a sophisticated operation. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis) LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - The chairman of Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has said he was joking after telling an audience of aspiring non-executive directors (NED) that white men were "an endangered species" in UK boardrooms. John Allan, who became Tesco chairman in 2015, told the Retail Week Live conference earlier this week that women and people from an ethnic background were in an "extremely propitious period" when it came to getting top jobs in business. "For a thousand years, men have got most of these jobs, the pendulum has swung very significantly the other way now and will do for the foreseeable future, I think," British newspapers quoted Allan as saying. "If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard." Allan later told the Guardian his comments, made the day after International Women's Day, were not meant to be taken at face value and that they had amused his mainly female audience. "It was intended to be humorous, a bit hyperbolic. Clearly, white men are not literally an endangered species, but I was actually wanting the make the reverse point, which is that it is a great time for women and people of ethnic minorities who want to get on in business." In a statement on Saturday, Allan said he was a strong advocate of greater diversity and regretted if his remarks had given the opposite impression. "The point I was seeking to make was that successful boards must be active in bringing together a diverse and representative set of people," he said. "There is still much more to be done but now is a good time for women to put themselves forward for NED roles." The proportion of female directors among FTSE 100 companies is 26 percent, according to the Guardian, while only 10 percent of executives at those same firms are women. Allan had told the conference that Tesco had appointed an almost entirely new board in the last 18 months and that three of the six new non-executive directors were women. However, Tesco's board still only has three women and all its members are white. According to the Cranfield School of Management's 2016 "Female FTSE Index" of the top 100 UK companies, Tesco ranked 33rd. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alexander Smith) By Swetha Gopinath and Arathy S Nair March 8 (Reuters) - Top shale oil producers are lifting their crude and gas reserve estimates for the first time in two years - even as many major oil companies are cutting the same projections and taking write downs on more expensive fields. Rising confidence in the growth prospects of the U.S. shale patch is in striking contrast to the retreat of the world's top oil firms from the high-cost oil sands of Canada. The increase in reported shale reserves is driven by new drilling efficiencies, leaner operations and improved well completion techniques, industry experts said. "Many wells that were not profitable a year ago have become profitable" because those advances have cut the cost of producing from shale, said Per Magnus Nysveen, a senior partner at consultancy Rystad Energy. The top 20 U.S. shale firms - a group that includes Pioneer Natural Resources Co and Chesapeake Energy Corp, - hiked their proved oil reserves by nearly 7 percent on average in 2016, according to a Reuters review of year-end financial filings. While shale producers reap the benefits of technological advances, oil majors that bet billions of dollars on giant long-term projects in Canada have taken a hit. On Thursday, Royal Dutch Shell plc became the latest energy giant to quit on oil sands. Shell said it would remove 2 billion barrels of oil from its reserves and take a $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion after-tax impairment in a retreat from most of its Canadian oil sands operations. Exxon Mobil Corp and ConocoPhillips last month reported total reductions of nearly 5 billion barrels of proved reserves from oil sands projects after deciding they could not be pumped at current prices. Overall, the 10 U.S. oil companies with the largest holdings in conventional oil fields reduced their reserves by 13.4 percent in 2016, according to a Reuters' analysis of year-end regulatory filings. SHALE TURNAROUND In 2015, the same shale firms, a group which do not operate in conventional oil fields, reported that proved reserves had fallen by 13 percent on average as low oil prices made many fields unprofitable. Firms operating in shale oil fields use hydraulic fracturing to tap oil in rock formations that cannot be accessed by conventional drilling methods. The reserves reflect oil and gas that can be profitably tapped in the next five years and are valued by investors as a measure of future revenue growth. Greater reserves also can give the companies more borrowing power. The 2016 shale reserve gains, while modest, came as conventional drillers were paring back their own estimates as oil prices remain below the levels needed to make output from higher cost fields profitable. The cost of pumping a barrel of oil from Canada's oil sands is much higher than the cost of producing oil from shale. The reported 2016 increases in shale reserves are based on U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and use an average West Texas Intermediate oil price of $42.75 per barrel in 2016. The oil price on Thursday fell below $50 per barrel amid worries about growing crude inventories, especially from shale producers. Shale producers' reported natural gas reserves were based on a $2.49 per million British Thermal Units (MMBtu) average price in 2016, down from $2.58 a year earlier. Recent production increases from U.S. shale fields have rattled OPEC producers aiming to pare global crude inventories. In remarks to industry executives at an energy conference in Houston this week, Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih warned that OPEC won't accept shale oil rivals getting "free rides" from its production cutbacks. The implied threat was that OPEC could reverse the output cuts, which took effect in January, and flood the world market with oil, kicking off another price war. The curbs have boosted oil prices and in turn revived the shale industry in the United States after a two-year downturn. BOOST FROM TECHNOLOGY The technological improvements in shale fields include the ability to drill further into the earth, both vertically and horizontally, creating more underground sites in each well for hydraulic fracturing. "Reserve growth really comes down to better well design," said Michael Dynan, vice president for portfolio and strategic development at Schramm, a manufacturer of drilling rigs. Such changes are helping oil firms tap more oil and gas while keeping spending low. Continental Resources Inc says it found twice the reserves per dollar spent in 2016 than in 2014. More recently, producers have also embraced big data analysis techniques that are providing "a lot of insight into how best to drill a well, where to locate a well and the fracking techniques to use," said Binu Mathew, who heads digital products at GE Oil & Gas, which is merging with Baker Hughes Inc . Such advances are only the beginning of the shale oil industry's efforts to wring more oil from wells for less money, said Stephen Ingram, southern region director of Halliburton Co's completion and production business. HIGHER CONFIDENCE Another factor in aiding reserves is the sharp decline last year in fees charged by oilfield service suppliers. Oilfield service firms are looking to take back some of the discounts they extended during the downturn, but shale producers say they expect to hold the line on expenses as they continue to expand production. Some of the reported gains in reserves are coming from un-drilled acreage, which makes them less certain. At least six of the companies Reuters analyzed reported a rise in proved reserves based on undeveloped properties in 2016. Investors have increasing faith in the profit potential of such undeveloped properties, however. "Confidence is very high that they are going to be turned into proved, producing assets," said Todd Heltman, a senior energy analyst at investment firm Neuberger Berman. Still, some investors worry that shale firms are becoming too aggressive about booking undeveloped reserves. "There is no geological risk here, but if your wells don't live up to your expectations, you have negative reserve revisions," said Bill Costello, a portfolio manager at Westwood Holdings Group, referring to downgrading proved reserves to uneconomic-to-tap categories. (Editing by Gary McWilliams, Simon Webb and Brian Thevenot) COLUMBUS Even in freezing weather, Bryon Sopers uninsulated garage is pretty toasty thanks to a homemade forge that heats steel to 1,600 degrees. Soper removed a glowing, orange strip of steel and started hammering it on an anvil. You have to take a lot of aggression out, he said. Its a good way to ease a bad day. Its therapy in a way. He beat the end to a point and added a curve where the blade will transition into the handle, all while trying to keep the piece straight. After about 20 minutes of heating and hammering the steel, it formed the rudimentary shape of a knife. Itll take another 20 hours of molding, grinding and baking before he's close to a finished product. Sopers been down a long road to get to this point. His interest in blacksmithing started seven or eight years ago as a byproduct of his love for cast-iron cooking. The local man wanted a set of fire irons to hang a Dutch oven over a campfire. So he learned how to make some from his father. Dad taught me the ropes, he said. I just took it from there." Soper created his forge with fireproof blanket and bricks, a stand from a farm, fan and piping to inject propane. He also made his own belt press and grinder. The key to a blacksmith is he has to make his tools before he can make anything else, he said. He did buy one premade tool a Little Giant power hammer made in Wisconsin, which the owner in Genoa initially didnt want to sell because theyre not made anymore. But when Soper stopped by to borrow it, the owner changed his mind. Soper spent years learning blacksmithing and holding demonstrations at tractor shows and other events. He said a lot of the older guys appreciate seeing the art and history of blacksmithing in action today. Some of the old guys at the tractor shows, theyll watch me blacksmith more than the tractors, he said. He started making knives two or three years ago, when he met Jon Moore of Aurora through a neighbor at his regular campsite in York. It took probably a couple weeks because Jon gave pretty good pointers on how to do the process, he said. The trick to the rippling patterns in Damascus knives is to take several layers of steel, melt them together, stretch them out, cut them up, then melt again to create more layers of ripples. The more layers that are combined, the finer the lines along the steel. Soper has experimented with different scrap steel for his knives. One knife he made by melting together chainsaw chain, which resulted in a spotted pattern along the knife. It just spiderwebs, based on what you can find, he said. Theres all kinds of patterns. He also expanded his line of products to include metal roses, which take about two hours to make, and Damascus steel rings lined with sterling silver, which take seven to eight hours. Soper has items for sale on his Facebook page under the name Red Hot Iron Works. He still goes to festivals and events such as last summers Swedish Steel Festival in Stromsburg to demonstrate blacksmithing and set out a couple of knives for sale. At this point, though, hes not earning much. I give a lot of knives for Christmas presents or birthdays, he said. What money I do make off of them goes toward propane. But thats not slowing him down. One of his goals is to learn how to do a feathered Damascus pattern. Jon told me that every knife you make should be better than the last one, he said. If its not, its time to quit. By David Lawder and Amanda Becker WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump promised in a meeting with community bankers on Thursday to strip away some Dodd-Frank financial regulations and ensure they can continue giving small businesses access to capital. Trump, joined by National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, said community banks play a "vital role" in the U.S. economy. "Nearly half of all private-sector workers are employed by small businesses. We must ensure access to capital to small businesses and for small businesses to grow. Community banks are the backbone of small business in America," Trump said at the beginning of the meeting. Representing the industry were chief executives of nine community banks with assets of around $1 billion or less and the heads of the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). Bankers who attended the 45-minute meeting said they discussed the role community banks play in rural areas and provided real-world examples about the difficulties smaller banking institutions face. The bankers emphasized the need for "tailoring regulations to fit the size and complexity of banks," said Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Szyperski, one of the bankers in the meeting. Chesapeake is a regional bank headquartered in Kilmarnock, Virginia, that has 14 branches and a separate wealth management division. "We were very focused our message on how do we create a tiered and proportionate regulatory environment for community banks," said Rebeca Romero Rainey, head of Centinel Bank of Taos, a community bank in New Mexico. The idea seemed to resonate with Trump, who asked questions and showed a pre-existing understanding of the community banking landscape, according to those in attendance. ICBA, one of the industry groups at the meeting, has advocated a tiered system of regulations that tailor regulations to a bank's size, business model, complexity and risk. "The type of regulation that you need for a $700 million bank and the risks they present are very different than those for a $200 billion bank or a $1 trillion bank," a White House official said before the meeting. Larger banks are able to spread their higher compliance costs over much bigger asset and employee bases, while smaller banks struggle with high costs and workloads. One of the institutions participating, Standard Financial Corp of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has just nine branches with $488 million in assets and earnings of $559,000 in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2016. It plans to merge with a rival in southwestern Pennsylvania in a deal that will roughly double its size. Trump officials cited a dearth of applications to form new community banks and around a 30 percent drop in the number of small U.S. banks since 2008 as the impetus for the meeting. A smaller bank has gone out of business every day for the past seven years, Szyperski said, citing the Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted after the 2007-2008 financial crisis as a reason new banks had not formed in their stead. Trump promised the bankers that his February executive order on reducing regulation was "very powerful" and would apply to the community banking sector. Mnuchin, the former CEO of OneWest bank, a regional lender in Southern California, said at his confirmation hearing in January that onerous regulations are "killing community banks." He pledged to ease those burdens while maintaining "proper" regulation, "so that we don't end up with a world where we only have four big banks in this country." Also discussed at the meeting were the compliance costs associated with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new regulator created under Dodd-Frank. The CFPB is a perennial target for Republicans, who want to shift its funding from the Federal Reserve to annual appropriations by Congress and shift its management, now concentrated in a powerful chairman, to a multi-person commission structure. Separately on Thursday, when asked during a briefing with reporters whether Trump still backs his campaign pledge to restore the Glass-Steagall Act, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that he did. The law, which separated commercial and investment banking activities, was repealed in 1999 and, if reinstated, would mainly apply to larger banks. The Trump administration has not made any moves thus far to break up big banks. Investors have bid up bank stocks since Trump's election on expectations they would get regulatory relief but not be forced to divest. There is little indication such legislation is an imminent priority that will be taken up by the administration or the U.S. Congress. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Emily Stephenson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis) By Marianna Parraga HOUSTON, March 9 (Reuters) - A pipeline network with spare capacity could allow Mexico to export oil and gas from its flagship offshore Trion project to the United States, the head of Mexico's oil regulator said on Thursday. The deep water Trion development, with prospective reserves of almost 500 million barrels of oil, was farmed out in December by state-run Pemex to Australia's BHP Billiton , which became the operator of the $11 billion project. The ailing Mexican oil company, which kept a 40-percent stake, jointly shares for the first time the risks and rewards of a potentially lucrative project with a private producer. Although a development plan has yet to be submitted, the consortium could use a cheaper and quicker option of getting production to the United States by using pipelines that serve the neighboring Great White field on the U.S. side of the Gulf of Mexico, Juan Carlos Zepeda, head of the national hydrocarbons commission (CNH), said on the sidelines of CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. The Great White field, operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc , BP Plc and Chevron Corp, is producing around 70,000 barrels per day (bpd), leaving 50 percent available capacity in a crude line and a gas line connected to the United States, Zepeda said. "There are only 39 kilometers (24 miles) from the Trion field to the Great White's facilities," Zepeda told Reuters, noting that building a pipeline to Mexico's shore would be more expensive and time consuming. The pipelines from Great White field on the U.S. side of the Perdido Fold Belt, the world's second-deepest oil and gas production hub, are operated by U.S.-based Williams Cos as part of its 1,370-mile (2,200-km) network of gas and crude lines in the Gulf of Mexico. Other options for Trion production include building pipelines to the nearest ports, most likely Mexico's Tampico or Brownsville in Texas, or setting up a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility. A prominent Latin American crude exporter, Mexico is also a gas importer, so Trion could help the country reduce imports. In the meantime, Mexico's gas imports are expected to reach 5 billion cubic feet (BCF) per day soon, from around 4 BCF per day in recent months, said the CEO of Mexico's Electricity Commission, Jaime Hernandez. Another block awarded by Mexico to China's state-controlled offshore oil producer CNOOC, which in December gained a foothold in Mexico's deepwater, is even closer to Great White. "The (Pemex and BHP) consortium must submit an appraisal in the coming 180 days, including test wells, to confirm the field's extension and then a development plan must also be submitted," Zepeda said. Early production of light crude from Trion is expected for 2023, Pemex's director Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya said earlier this week in Houston. "For Pemex this is historic deal. For 80 years, Pemex never had a partner with whom to share risks or equity," he said. The project had been put aside in early 2016 due to the company's budget cuts and resumed nine months later as part of Mexico's long-waited oil reform. MORE LICENSES COMING The CNH, which oversees contracts and runs oil auctions in Mexico, is offering 15 blocks for exploration and production in shallow water under profit sharing agreements and 26 onshore blocks under licenses, with results expected in June and July. A new deep water bidding round in the coming months is expected to offer blocks mostly in the same basins of Perdido and Salina. As in previous offshore auctions, licenses will be offered by the government to operate these blocks, Zepeda detailed. The last bidding round in the short term will be the first for so-called unconventional resources. Onshore blocks with shale oil and shale gas reserves close to the Eagle Ford basin in Texas will be offered, as well as areas in the Tampico Misantla formation, which is estimated to hold some 35 billion barrels of oil, mostly in shale rock. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Houston. Additional reporting by David Alire in Mexico City; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) By Gram Slattery SANTIAGO, March 9 (Reuters) - SunPower Corp has put a large solar plant in Chile up for sale, according to two sources with knowledge of process, as the second largest U.S. solar panel maker seeks to cut costs across the globe. SunPower, majority-owned by French energy company Total , has put the 100-megawatt El Pelicano solar plant near the city of La Serena on the block, according to the sources, who requested anonymity as the process has not yet been announced publicly. The sale process for the plant, which is under construction and due to be completed this year, is in its preliminary stages and the sources did not say if SunPower had a target price. The project was originally funded by $222 million of debt from three Asian banks, one European bank, and one Chilean bank. It was not clear how much equity SunPower had invested in the project, though solar projects in Chile typically require a 30-45 percent equity stake. That would mean the plant will likely fetch a price in the low hundreds of millions assuming SunPower, which declined to comment, does not take a haircut. The project is expected to attract a wide range of buyers, according to the sources. Candidates include Chile's conventional energy companies, such as Engie Energia Chile and Colbun, which have diversified into solar energy in recent years, they said. Renewable energy companies already operating in Chile, such as France's EDF Energies Nouvelles, are also seen as potential candidates, according to the sources. El Pelicano has a 15-year agreement to provide over half of the energy needs of capital Santiago's metro system, the second largest in Latin America after Mexico City's. That agreement, inked in 2016, represented the first time a major metropolitan transit system had agreed to obtain the majority of its energy from solar resources. The sale process comes amid speculation that Chile's renewables sector is on the verge of major consolidation. In recent years, a number of small renewables companies have flocked to Chile amid high power prices and excellent solar resources. But overcapacity issues and weakening demand are encouraging consolidation, with larger players such as British private equity firm Actis and Colbun beginning to buy up assets. SunPower said in December it would lay off about 25 percent of its workforce, or 2,500 employees, amid a cost-cutting plan designed to more than halve its capital budget. In February, 8point3 Energy Partners, a type of partnership between SunPower and U.S. solar company First Solar called a yieldco, waived exclusive first-offer rights on El Pelicano, opening the door to third party buyers. (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Sandra Maler) By David Lawder WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - Accords to update trade relations between Mexico and the United States could be possible toward the end of this year, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said on Thursday, hinting at a quicker timetable than U.S. officials have ventured so far. Mexico is facing tough negotiations with Washington because U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to dump the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the two nations and Canada if he cannot rework it in the United States' favor. Speaking to reporters in Washington after meeting Trump administration officials, Videgaray said he expected formal talks on commerce to begin around the middle of 2017 and that "possible deals over trade could be reached towards the end of the year." Videgaray noted that Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo was also meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who this week said substantive trade talks could begin in the second half of 2017 and might take a year to complete. Threats by Trump to slap tariffs on Mexican-made goods if the renegotiation of NAFTA does not suit him have sparked fears of a major chill in foreign investment in Mexico and a possible trade war. Trump has vowed to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States, saying during his presidential election campaign that Mexico is "killing" the United States on trade. Still, Videgaray said initial soundings have been positive on reworking NAFTA, which officials say could ultimately lead to tougher rules of origin for goods made in North America. "All of the preliminary conversations we've had about the potential renegotiation of NAFTA have actually been constructive. There is no talk about unilateral actions, there is talk about the potential for making NAFTA better for the three countries - Mexico, the U.S. and Canada," he said. Talks have been complicated by Trump's aggressive campaign rhetoric against Mexico and his pledge to make the United States' poorer southern neighbor pay for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to keep out illegal immigrants. A Twitter spat in January over who would pay for the wall led to the cancellation of a planned meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Videgaray said funding for the wall was not discussed on Thursday, and was it clear when the two leaders would meet next. "There is no plan for a meeting between the presidents in the immediate future," Videgaray said. (Additional reporting by Christine Murray in Mexico City; Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler) By Michael Erman and Caroline Humer NEW YORK, March 7 (Reuters) - The House Republican health insurance plan suggests coverage after Obamacare will be less affordable, insurers and industry experts said on Tuesday, raising questions about whether Americans will enroll and insurance companies will enter the market. The draft legislation rolls back some key tenets of former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, eliminating the requirement that most Americans obtain medical insurance and creating a system of new tax credits to coax them to purchase private insurance on the open market. It would also curtail the expansion of Medicaid, the provider of government-run health insurance for the poor. The bill has the support of President Donald Trump, who has vowed to repeal and replace The Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2010. But some Republican lawmakers whose support is needed for the final legislation - and Democrats - said they wanted details on how it would affect U.S. consumers. Under the draft legislation, Obamacares income-based and location-based tax credits are replaced by credits with fixed amounts up to a maximum income level. Because the bill aims mostly to repeal the existing law rather than introduce new policies, it is unclear exactly how future changes could make the plan affordable and draw insurers into the market. But some initial reaction, particularly from hospitals, was critical. The American Hospital Association said in a letter to Congress that it could not support the draft legislation in its current form. The BlueCross BlueShield Association, which represents BCBS insurers across the country that cover the vast majority of the about 10 million people enrolled in 2017 Obamacare plans, said insurers were glad to see the extension of many Obamacare aspects into 2019. But it emphasized the need for affordability. "It is important that the tax credit for 2020 creates a marketplace that enables people to get the coverage they need at a price they can afford," BCBSA Senior Vice President Alissa Fox said in statement. The Association for Community Affiliated Plans, which represents health plans serving Medicaid for the poor and other public health programs, said it was concerned the structure would raise costs for people currently in the marketplace. Because insurance costs, healthcare costs and incomes vary so dramatically around the country, the new tax credit would help some people more than others. "I think there's a reasonable concern that people in high-cost states who are lower income will have a hard time finding affordable care," said Paul Howard, director of health policy at the conservative Manhattan Institute. But the draft legislation also sets up a $100 billion fund over 10 years that states could use to structure subsidies, he noted. Insurers have also asked to be able to offer plans with fewer benefits that could be sold at lower prices, Howard said. Since the draft removes the mandate requiring people to have insurance, the impact on enrollment from that measure is not clear. But Standard & Poor's estimated that the draft plan would reduce individual enrollment, now at around 10 million, by 2 to 4 million people. Steve Brozak, managing partner at WBB Securities, said he believed that under the Republican package, "people will be forgoing insurance." He also said that with the current design, insurers will have difficulty attracting people who do not have an immediate need for healthcare, like younger, healthy people who are less expensive to insure. Still, Brozak expects that this draft is likely to change. It is expected to be voted on this month in the House before moving to the U.S. Senate. SHARES FALL The draft plan, along with Republicans' proposed restructuring of the Medicaid program for the poor and the loud opposition from some Republican lawmakers, created uncertainty that drove down shares of hospitals and insurers. Republicans will need the buy-in from BlueCross BlueShield insurers like Anthem Inc, particularly after UnitedHealth Group Inc, Aetna Inc and Humana Inc exited most of the states where they sold individual insurance plans under Obamacare. Shares of hospital operators sold off, with Community Health Systems down more than 8 percent and Tenet Healthcare off 7 percent. Reaction in health insurer stocks was more subdued. Molina Healthcare fell 1.3 percent and Cigna dropped 1 percent, while Humana gained more than 2 percent and Anthem was little changed. The American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association, which represents doctors, declined to comment on the draft legislation. Support for government-run health insurance has risen over the past five years, according to the Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. Between February and March, 47 percent of Americans said the government should have at least a "major role" in providing health insurance. That was up from 39 percent who answered the same way when the poll first asked the question in January 2012. The Reuters/Ipsos poll is conducted online in English in all 50 states. The latest poll ran from Feb. 25 to March 6 and included responses from more than 2,700 American adults. It has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 2 percentage points. (http://polling.reuters.com/#poll/PV4/dates/20170225-20170306/type/overall) (Reporting by Michael Erman, Lewis Krauskopf, Caroline Humer, Rodrigo Campos and Charles Mikolajczak in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler) TEGUCIGALPA, March 12 (Reuters) - Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Sunday claimed victory in his party's primary to be the candidate in November's presidential election. With just 9.6 percent of the votes counted, the country's electoral tribunal said Hernandez, 48, had won 92.9 percent of the votes so far, to be the conservative National Party candidate, with the rest going to his rival Roberto Castillo. Castillo conceded defeat on Sunday after the preliminary results were announced, saying he would support the re-election of Hernandez, a highly controversial issue in Honduras. Former university rector Luis Zelaya was ahead in the vote to be the opposition Liberal Party candidate with 56.54 percent of the vote with 12.3 percent of the total counted, followed by former Central Bank President Gabriela Nunez. The leftist Liberal Party, led by former president Manuel Zelaya, was on course to choose his wife Xiomara Castro as its candidate, who had 94.7 percent of the votes with 12.1 percent counted. President Hernandez, a close ally of the United States, had promised to maintain a tough policy against organized crime which has helped bring down the homicide rate, despite criticism from human rights activists. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Michael Perry) BRATISLAVA, March 13 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hour) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview ========================NEWS==================================== TRADE BALANCE: Slovakia's trade balance showed a lower-than-expected surplus of 152.0 million euros ($161.09 million) in January after a revised 157.9 million euro deficit in December, data from the country's statistics office showed on Friday. Story: Related stories: EU: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the so-called Benelux countries, invited Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia for talks in the Netherlands on the future of the European Union, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. Story: Related stories: POLAND: Poland's ambition to be central Europe's leader within the EU suffered a humiliating blow when Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic defied its call to block the re-election of Donald Tusk as European Council president. Story: Related stories: For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jason Hovet on +420 224 190 476 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) MOSCOW, March 13 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru The newspaper has a report saying many foreign Internet companies like Google ignore Russian court and government decisions. It cites unnamed sources as saying that Russia's presidential administration is mulling an idea that would slow down Internet users' access to such sites in retaliation. Russian companies stopped supplying diesel fuel to Ukraine at the start of February due to bureaucratic problems thrown up by Russia's Federal Service for Technology and Export Control, the newspaper says. DenizBank, a Turkish subsidiary of Russian state-controlled lender Sberbank, is preparing to issue Russian payment cards called "Mir" to Turkish clients, the daily reports. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru State-controlled gas giant Gazprom has postponed the launch of new liquefied natural gas projects in Sakhalin and the Baltic, the daily reports. It says that may mean that Novatek will become the LNG market leader. The paper says Aeroflot's budget airline Pobeda has agreed with Boeing to purchase a further 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA www.ng.ru The outflow of capital from Russia in the first two months of 2017 was 6 percent higher than last year, the daily reports. ($1 = 59.2174 Rub) (Reporting by Margarita Popova; Editing by Andrew Osborn) March 13 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1030 GMT on Monday: ** U.S. chip giant Intel has agreed to buy Israeli technology firm Mobileye for $14 billion-$15 billion, according to TheMarker, an Israeli financial newspaper. ** Oilfield services firm John Wood Group said it proposed to buy smaller peer Amec Foster Wheeler for a recommended all-share offer valued at about 2.2 billion pounds ($2.69 billion). ** German chemicals maker Evonik will buy Hamburg-based Dr. Straetmans GmbH, a maker of cosmetic ingredients, for just under 100 million euros ($107 million). ** Abu Dhabi-listed Etisalat is considering a sale of its stake in Etisalat Nigeria after the local unit defaulted on a $1.2 billion loan payment but wants the unit's debt restructured before it starts the sale process, two sources told Reuters. ** Canada's two biggest pension funds have agreed to partner with LOGOS, a real estate logistics operator, to invest in warehouses in Singapore and Indonesia. ** Kazkommertsbank (KKB), Kazakhstan's biggest lender, will sell half of its assets to a state-run "bad bank" before its proposed takeover by Halyk Bank, the country's central bank said. ** Bahrain-based Investcorp said on Sunday Abu Dhabi state investment fund Mubadala Development had completed a deal to acquire a 20 percent stake in the alternative investment firm's parent, Investcorp Bank. ** British homebuilder Bovis rejected a bid approach from rival Galliford Try but remains in talks about a possible deal, the company said on Sunday, adding it had also rejected a proposal from another suitor, Redrow. ** Toronto-based insurance group Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd said on Friday, it would increase the cash component of its offer to buy Allied World Assurance Co Holdings AG by $18 per share. (Compiled by Ahmed Farhatha in Bengaluru) BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - Syrian rebels have agreed to leave the Homs district of al-Waer with their families over the next few weeks, opposition media said on Monday, with state media quoting the governor of Homs province as saying the same. Opposition-affiliated Orient News reported that negotiators from al-Waer had signed an agreement for rebel factions and their families to go to the area around Jarablus in northern Syria, held by Turkey-backed insurgent groups. The Homs Media Centre, run by opposition activists in Homs, also told Reuters that an agreement had been reached, but said the ultimate destination of the fighters had not been decided. The deal follows other agreements that were never fully implemented between the government and rebel groups in al-Waer, their last bastion in Homs, which has been pounded by air strikes in recent weeks. Fighters and their families would leave in batches for northern Syria, Homs governor Talal Barazi was quoted as saying on state television and by news agencies, with the first group going on Friday. The Homs Media Centre said between 10,000-15,000 people would leave in groups over the coming weeks, with an initial batch including about 1,500 people. In September, Barazi said al-Waer was home to about 40,000 civilians and 800 fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group monitoring the war, said there were more than 2,500 fighters there. Syria's civil war pits President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi'ite militias against rebels that include some jihadists as well as groups supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf Arab kingdoms. Assad's government has increasingly tried to press besieged rebel areas to surrender and accept what it calls reconciliation agreements that involve insurgent fighters departing for northern Syria with small arms. It says reconciliation deals are a good way of bringing the country closer to peace but the opposition says they are used to forcibly displace people who oppose the government. (Reporting by Angus McDowall and Ellen Francis in Beirut and Kinda Makieh in Damascus; Editing by Louise Ireland) By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Osamu Tsukimori TOKYO, March 13 (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Monday to support a listing of oil giant Aramco's shares in Tokyo, as financial centres in Asia and elsewhere step up efforts to win the coveted $100 billion listing. Abe made the request for support on the Aramco listing to the Saudi monarch, who responded by saying the kingdom would look into the request because he wants Japanese investors to buy Aramco shares, Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami told reporters. The two leaders met on Monday, the second day of the king's visit to Japan, part of a month-long Asian tour. Separately, the governments of Japan and Saudi Arabia said in a joint statement that Aramco and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) are considering setting up a joint group to study a Japan listing for the Saudi oil giant. Saudi authorities plan to list up to 5 percent of the world's largest oil producer on the Saudi stock exchange in Riyadh, the Tadawul, and also one or more international markets. Besides Tokyo, markets in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto, are vying for what could be the world's largest IPO, potentially raising as much as $100 billion. While the Japanese government is keen to have Aramco shares trade in Tokyo, bankers and lawyers say the Tokyo market is unlikely to get the nod because of strong competition and due to Japanese investors being less receptive to energy companies than some other sectors such as technology. Yen volatility is another factor. The Saudi monarch arrived in Japan on Sunday after a visit to Malaysia and Indonesia that included a holiday stay in Bali. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and Aramco executives were scheduled to travel with him to Japan, sources told Reuters earlier. Saudi officials are keen to court Asian investors for the sale of the Aramco stake in 2018, and have solicited financial advice from banks with links to China. The IPO is the centrepiece of the Saudi government's ambitious plan, known as Vision 2030, to diversify the economy away from oil. Japanese and Asian banks and companies are expected to play major roles in the kingdom's plans to develop non-oil industries and expand its international investments. Saudi Arabia is Japan's biggest oil supplier and Japanese refineries and other oil importers bought about $2.2 billion worth of Saudi oil in January. The two countries on Monday also signed economic cooperation agreements in industry, energy and finance and on setting up a possible special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. They also agreed to start a feasibility study on vehicle production in the Middle Eastern country. The Nikkei on Saturday reported that Toyota Motor Corp is looking into building a plant in Saudi Arabia. (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Emi Emoto, Hiroko Yoneda and Ami Miyazaki; Writing by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) BERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - Talks between German officials and members of President Donald Trump's administration suggest that there will be close cooperation between the two countries on policy towards Russia, a senior German government official said on Monday. Speaking at a briefing on Monday before Chancellor Angela Merkel's first meeting with Trump in Washington this week, the official also said that Berlin was committed to boosting defence spending and would offer convincing arguments to the president on this issue. (Reporting by Noah Barkin; editing by Erik Kirschbaum) NAIROBI, March 13 (Reuters) - The Kenyan government has struck a deal with one of two unions representing striking university lecturers, the union said, bringing the government closer to ending an embarrassing standoff ahead of elections in August. A second union will continue the strike, which has shut down classes in many public universities since January. Doctors in public hospitals have also been on strike since December. The strikes come amid fierce criticism of the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking reelection in August when the East African nation holds presidential and parliamentary elections. Lawmakers are investigating allegations that tens of millions of dollars have gone missing from Kenya's Ministry of Health and the National Youth Service. Doctors and university lecturers say if the government cracked down on corruption, there would be more money to pay public servants. The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KASU) went on strike in January. . UASU, which has members in 33 universities, had demanded a 400 percent pay rise. It has now agreed to a 17.5 percent increase in basic pay and 3.9 percent increase in housing allowance, it said in a statement on Monday. "UASU assures our members that this settlement was the best possible deal under prevailing circumstances," it said. Lecturers' basic salaries are 69,000-200,000 shillings before allowances. A newly-qualified doctor typically earns about 156,000 Kenyan shillings ($1,520) a month. The government argues it cannot afford to pay more. But Kenyan members of parliament are among the most highly paid in the world, taking home around 1.2 million Kenyan shillings ($11,500) per month, including allowances, according to Justine Musila of the parliamentary watchdog website Mzalendo. The average annual income per head for Kenyans is $1,340, World Bank data shows. (Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; writing by George Obulutsa; editing by Katharine Houreld and Andrew Roche) By Justin George Varghese and Sanjeeban Sarkar March 13 (Reuters) - Oil services company Wood Group has agreed to buy rival Amec Foster Wheeler for 2.2 billion pounds ($2.7 billion), seeking rewards from the fast-growing U.S. shale energy sector. Wood Group, a 35-year old company based in the Scottish city of Aberdeen, grew out of helping companies in the now declining North Sea oil basin. It said the deal would enable it to expand in areas best placed to benefit from an upturn in commodity prices, notably the U.S. onshore shale oil and gas sector. "We think we have positions in those parts of the oil and gas markets that will see growth first," Wood Group Chief Executive Robin Watson told analysts. Oil companies have had to adjust to lower prices after crude prices tumbled from a peak of over $100 a barrel in 2014 but a recent uptick above $50 a barrel has spurred output especially in the U.S. where production costs are low. Amec, which counts major oil companies such as BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil among its clients, had been planning to announce a 500 million pound rights issue next week and to suspend dividend payments to cut costs and boost cashflow. The rights issue has been called off. Watson said the acquisition would dilute its oil and gas unit to 60 percent of the business, down from 85 percent now and 95 percent before the oil price collapse. The weighting will instead increase for new businesses, such as engineering design services to power plant projects or consultancy services to mining companies. "We're in a part of the cycle where having 60 percent oil and gas is a good place to be," Watson said. COST CUTS Amec Foster Wheeler, itself the product of an expensive merger in 2014 just before the oil market downturn, has been struggling with high debt. A year ago it removed its long-serving Chief Executive Samir Brikho who led Amec's $3 billion acquisition of engineer Foster Wheeler. The paper deal valued Amec Foster Wheeler shares at 5.64 pounds each and they traded just below that level at 1330 GMT. Wood Group shares also responded positively, gaining 3 percent to 7.75 pounds. Amec Foster Wheeler investors will receive 0.75 new Wood Group shares for each share held, the company said. They will own 44 percent of the merger group but Wood Group executives will take the top jobs. Chief Executive Watson and Chief Financial Officer David Kemp will continue with their current jobs in the new group. Wood Group Chairman Ian Marchant will also retain his role. Wood Group said it expected annual cost savings to reach at least 110 million pounds, while the one-off costs would be around 190 million pounds. Savings include "corporate and administrative efficiencies", the companies said, hinting at job cuts in places where there is overlap. The merged company will employ 64,000 people. "While materially above our AMFW valuation, we can see WG consolidating its market-leading UK North Sea business, expanding product lines in the US and possibly increasing the scope for asset sales," Jefferies analyst Mark Wilson said. The deal is the latest in a line of mergers in the oil services sector, driven by the potential upside many see from more stable oil prices. General Electric Co agreed to merge its oil and gas business with Baker Hughes Inc in October to create the world's second-largest oilfield services provider. Rival Halliburton Co had earlier tried to buy Baker Hughes to compete for customers with Schlumberger NV, the world's largest oilfield service provider. JPMorgan acted as lead adviser to Wood Group, securing a key role on another big UK deal this year after Standard Life's merger with Aberdeen and Tesco's purchase of Booker. Credit Suisse, which works with Wood Group as corporate broker, also helped the company on the deal while Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch advised Amec Foster Wheeler. ($1 = 0.8188 pounds) (Additional reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru, Karolin Schaps and Pamela Barbaglia in London; Editing by Keith Weir) By Nerijus Adomaitis and Alister Doyle OSLO, March 13 (Reuters) - Norway announced preliminary plans on Monday to nominate a record number of blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Barents Sea, drawing criticism from environmentalists. Oil majors are restarting their search for giant offshore fields in the region after a two-year lull as recent stability in oil prices revives appetite for exploration. The Oil and Energy Ministry said it had proposed 102 blocks for Norway's 24th oil and gas licensing round, of which 93 are in the Barents Sea, in the Arctic, and nine in the Norwegian Sea. "This is the biggest number of blocks proposed in the Barents Sea ever, but it can change when the final announcement is made," a ministry spokesman said. More than half of the blocks proposed in the Barents Sea are north of Wisting, the northernmost oil discovery made in Norway so far. The ministry plans to make a final announcement in the second quarter after public consultations during which environmentalists, regulators, local communities and others can express their views. Norwegian environmental group Bellona, which has been advocating against Arctic drilling, said the plan to nominate so many blocks in the Barents Sea was "total madness". "It's as if the environment isn't an issue for the government. This is on a collision course with the Paris Agreement (on climate change), the EU parliament and all Norwegian environmental management," Bellona head Frederic Hauge said. The decision comes six months ahead of a general election, and the current right-wing minority coalition has been in favour of expanding oil and gas exploration areas. Unlike many major producers, Norway does not sell licences but awards them to the best applicants and refunds 78 percent of drilling costs. It also allows firms to write off much of their development costs and recoups tax money once fields go into production. Bellona said the Arctic push could cost the government billions of crowns if oil firms find no hydrocarbons. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate estimates that the Barents Sea holds half of all undiscovered oil and gas resources on the Norwegian continental shelf. Norway announced the 24th licensing round for new exploration areas last August and by the end of November had received proposals from 22 oil companies. The ministry plans to make a final announcement on the blocks offered for exploration in the second quarter, and oil companies are expected to submit their choices in the fourth quarter. (Editing by Dale Hudson) By Patrick Markey ALGIERS, March 13 (Reuters) - Weeks after Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika abruptly called off a visit by Angela Merkel, renewed health rumours are fuelling speculation over the future of an octogenarian leader in power for nearly two decades. The rumours spiked when Algeria's envoy to Lebanon publicly denied a local report that Bouteflika had died and a private TV channel close to the presidency chimed in to say he was fine and ready to meet Spanish and Iranian delegations. Four years after he suffered a debilitating stroke, details of Bouteflika's health are closely guarded. But any transition may come at a sensitive time for the North African OPEC member, as it faces low oil prices, regional instability and pressure for reforms to its socialist-style economy. After Bouteflika cancelled Merkel's visit last month because he had acute bronchitis, the chief of the ruling Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) and other loyalists quickly sought to quash talk of a severe decline in the president's health. Few observers see Algeria's leadership risking anything but a smooth handover of power in a system where decisions often emerge after behind-the-scenes power struggles among the FLN old guard and army chiefs who see themselves as guardians of stability. But with no clear successor in sight, renewed talk of Bouteflika's illness raises questions of how well Algeria, a key gas supplier to Europe and partner in the Western war on Islamist militancy, will move ahead and who might replace him. "The president passes along his regards, he is doing very well," Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told reporters this week. FLN chief Djmel Ould Abbes, who suggested Bouteflika could even be the party's candidate for a 5th term in 2019 despite his fragility, said the president was performing his duties normally after the Merkel cancellation. "Let's not get into exaggeration," he told a press conference on Saturday. "He's not allowed to have some rest?" Still, Iran has cancelled a visit this month by President Hassan Rouhani, according to an Iranian news agency. Although Algeria's Ennahar TV channel had said Bouteflika would meet Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis, that did not happen. Algerian officials say the meeting was never on the agenda. SILENT SYMBOL Celebrating his 80th birthday this month, Bouteflika remains dominant even in absence. Many Algerians see him as a symbol of stability after he pulled the country out of an Islamist war in the 1990s into a period of growth driven by high oil prices. Memories of that war, in which 200,000 died, have left many Algerians wary of the Arab Spring upheavals that tore through the region in 2011. Even critics, who portray him as part of a generation of post-independence leaders who have clung to power and failed to modernise, admit Algeria has become a better place since Bouteflika won the presidency in 1999. But since his stroke he is rarely seen, except for brief appearances on television meeting foreign dignitaries. When he was re-elected in 2014, his prime minister campaigned for him. "People knew his condition when they voted for him. Of course, we miss him in terms of presence," Amara Beyounes, head of the pro-government MPA party, told Reuters. "But I've said before, he manages Algeria with his head not his feet." Last year, a photograph of Bouteflika looking tired during a visit by a French delegation, and a trip for checkups in France, fuelled more succession talk. But later, he appeared better, making a few public appearances. Still, he has not spoken directly to the Algerian people since before his stroke, issuing only written statements celebrating national days and other important dates. "Bouteflika celebrates three anniversaries at once," said an Algerian cartoon, showing Bouteflika with a thermometer in his mouth and the caption: "80 years of life, 18 years in power and 4 years of silence." OLDER GENERATION Bouteflika is foremost in the generation of aging Algerian leaders, generals and FLN party chiefs who derive legitimacy from the 1954-1962 war that ousted colonial France. Who may replace him is sensitive, as Algeria faces its biggest challenges in years. Falling oil prices have slashed the energy earnings that finance 60 percent of the budget. That has forced spending cuts and talk of reforming the subsidies that help maintain social peace. Since independence, Algeria's army has played a role in deciding candidates. It backed Bouteflika when he came to power. But since 2014, he has eased the DRS military intelligence service out of politics, last year firing its chief, a backroom king-maker. Most analysts say that left loyalists more scope to opt for a soft transition. "They have known for some time, they have had time to prepare and even if there is still some rivalry, they may believe it is better to preserve the system rather than start instability," said one Western diplomat. The shortlist of candidates often changes. But those often mentioned are pro-government RND party leader and former presidential advisor Ahmed Ouyahia, and Prime Minister Sellal. Lakhdar Brahimi, a former U.N. negotiator, appears less often now in discussions as a possible compromise candidate. Already some observers point to preparations for an exit for the old guard. Long-serving parliament speaker Mohamed Al-Arabi Ould Khalifa was left off the FLN lists for May's legislative election. Years of spending billions on subsidies created an entrenched welfare state that will be hard to reform. "Whoever is the next president will need to make reforms. We don't have room to manoeuvre," said a source close to the presidency. "Reforms touch everyone. Who will be the president to take those kind of decisions?" (Reporting by Patrick Markey; editing by Giles Elgood) By Fabian Cambero SANTIAGO, March 13 (Reuters) - BHP Billiton on Monday invited striking workers at its Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world's largest, to return to the negotiating table, after they rejected a similar approach on Saturday. Escondida's 2,500-member union has been on strike since Feb. 9 after new contract talks fell apart, and the mine has produced no copper since then. On Friday, the company invited the union to return the negotiating table. However, the union rejected the invitation, saying that it did not respect core non-negotiable conditions. In a letter sent to the union on Monday and released to media, BHP addressed the workers' claims and proposed a meeting for Tuesday afternoon. "The only form of resolving those points that distance the two sides will be sitting down for dialogue and having a face-to-face conversation," the company said. The union is currently analyzing the content of the letter to determine its response, a union source told Reuters. Escondida, which is majority-controlled by BHP, produced slightly more than one million tonnes of copper in 2016. Rio Tinto and Japanese companies including Mitsubishi hold minority interests in the mine. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Gram Slattery; Editing by Marguerita Choy) BERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - Berlin's airports will remain paralysed on Tuesday after ground staff extended a strike, stepping up pressure in a dispute over pay that has already caused the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights since Friday. Ground staff at Berlin's two airports started their latest walkout on Monday morning after a break over the weekend. The trade union Verdi said earlier the strike would be extended until Wednesday morning. The walkout at Tegel and Schoenefeld airports - which are served by airlines including Air Berlin, Ryanair , easyJet and Lufthansa - led to the cancellation of 660 flights on Monday, virtually all the flights due to use the airports. The operator of Berlin airport said late on Monday that a further 603 flights would be cancelled on Tuesday. On Friday, 670 flights were cancelled. Along with the cancellations, airlines are trying to divert passengers. EasyJet said it was operating to Dresden airport; Air Berlin will transfer some passengers to Hanover to catch flights. Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller was among those whose travel plans were disrupted on Monday, having to fly to Moscow via Dresden instead. Air Berlin said the strike was costing the industry millions of euros a day, but that it was too early to give an exact figure. The strike is due to end on Wednesday at 0500 CET (0400 GMT). While ground staff are ready to engage in talks to end the strike if Berlin airports make an improved offer, they could also decide to extend the walkout if no new offer is made. "It may well be that early tomorrow morning we say we will continue the strike on Wednesday. It's a 50:50 chance," Enrico Ruemker, who heads the strikes for Verdi, told Reuters. Ground staff, whose roles include check-in, loading and unloading planes and directing aircraft on the tarmac, are employed by companies including WISAG, Aeroground, Ground Solution, AHS and Swissport Berlin. A spokesman for the employers said the strike was irresponsible. "It won't help solve the row," he said. The union wants an increase in pay for ground staff to 12 euros ($12.80) an hour from about 11 euros as part of a one-year collective agreement. Management first offered about 10 cents more an hour over four years and then improved that offer to an 8 percent increase over three years. (Reporting by Victoria Bryan, Klaus Lauer and Peter Maushagen; Additional reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Larry King) WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month, according to media reports, as his administration seeks to smooth relations with the world's second-largest economy. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. CNN also reported the planned summit, citing an unnamed administration official. It said the plan was tentative and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was expected to finalize plans during a trip this week to Asia, which includes a stop in China. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday the White House was preparing for a meeting between the two leaders but was not ready to announce a date. "Planning is ongoing for a visit between President Trump and President Xi at a date to be determined," Spicer said, saying any meeting would cover North Korea and other issues. In previewing Tillerson's Asia visit, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton told reporters it would "to some extent be paving the way for future high-level meetings between our two presidents." In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said both countries were in "close communication" about exchanges between their leaders, and that information would be issued in a timely manner. A summit would follow a string of other recent U.S.-China meetings and conversations aimed at mending ties after strong criticism of China by Trump during his election campaign. Thornton said the United States was "pursuing a results-oriented relationship with China; one that benefits the American people and one that remains faithful to our allies and presses China to abide by international rules and norms." She said Tillerson had urged China in previous meetings to do all it can to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and "to create a level playing field for trade and investment." "We want to be able to pursue a constructive discussion with China that enables us to get at problem areas," she said. China's top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, visited Washington last month and met Trump and Tillerson. During his campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbor, North Korea. Trump incensed Beijing in December by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honor the long-standing policy and has also written to Xi since seeking "constructive ties." Tillerson, making his first trip to Asia as secretary of state, will visit China on Saturday and Sunday and meet Xi and other leaders. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns that the Trump administration is rolling back former President Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." Thorton said the United States was a Pacific power and would "certainly be remaining active and engaged in Asia," whether or not the terminology remained the same. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Roberta Rampton, Emily Stephenson, David Brunnstrom and Yeganeh Torbati in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) KIEV, March 13 (Reuters) - Russian lender Sberbank said on Monday it was deeply concerned by protests against its Ukrainian subsidiary, which included a nationalist group walling up the entrance to one of its branches in Kiev with masonry and cement. Periodic protests have been held against Kremlin-owned banks operating in Ukraine since bilateral ties broke down in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea and gave its support to the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Sberbank's announcement last Tuesday that it would heed a call from President Vladimir Putin to recognise passports issued by separatists in eastern Ukraine has fuelled greater discontent. On Monday, a few dozen members of a new activist group called National Corp blocked off the entrance to Sberbank's main branch in central Kiev. The branch temporarily suspended operations and appealed to the police. "Sberbank is highly concerned about the situation in Ukraine linked to the actions of representatives of nationalist groups," the bank said in a statement. "Our subsidiary has already appealed to law enforcement bodies and we hope that all necessary steps will be swiftly taken to ensure the safety of our workers and clients and protect property." It said over the past week it had recorded over 26 acts of vandalism against Sberbank Ukraine's branches and bank machines. Last week, the central bank said it could recommend the introduction of sanctions on Sberbank's subsidiary for its recognition of separatists' identity documents. Five Russian state-owned banks are present in Ukraine, including three in the top 20, and they hold a combined market share of 8.6 percent. The central bank has been seeking to cut that following the souring of relations between the one-time allies. It is not yet clear how the other Kremlin-owned banks operating in Ukraine are handling Putin's order to recognise separatist documents. (Reporting by Margaryta Cornokondratenko in Kiev and Alexander Winning in Moscow; Writing by Alessandra Prentice) 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. SANTIAGO, March 13 (Reuters) - Chileans began to return to their homes in the beach resort of Vina del Mar on Monday after wildfires over the weekend reached the city's suburbs, burning houses and knocking out power. On Sunday, a forest fire prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of residents from Vina del Mar on central Chile's Pacific coast, as firefighters and some residents who stayed behind worked frantically to control the flames. There were no deaths reported, though 280,000 households lost power, according to Chile's emergency service, and 16 houses were burnt down. Central Chile has been undergoing a severe drought in recent years and record high temperatures in the past few months have fanned a number of destructive fires. Tourist attraction Vina del Mar and the adjoining port town of Valparaiso, with gritty residential areas and informal housing built high up their steep hills, are often victims of wildfires. In January, at least 100 homes were burnt in the area. Unprecedented forest fires have occurred in other parts of central Chile during the southern hemisphere summer, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to forest plantations and rural infrastructure and completely destroying a small town. (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Bill Rigby) WARSAW, March 13 (Reuters) - Poland's biggest gas firm PGNiG said on Monday its capital spending would exceed 34 billion zlotys ($8.4 billion) over 2017 to 2022, with almost half to be spent on exploration and production. The state-run firm wants to increase its current documented hydrocarbon reserves by about 35 percent and boost hydrocarbon production by about 41 percent, it said in a statement. Poland consumes some 16 billion cubic metres of gas a year but most of it comes from Russia as PGNiG has a long-term gas supply contract with Gazprom - the so-called Yamal contract - that runs until 2022. PGNiG is now struggling to secure alternative supplies after that date. Poland's first liquefied gas (LNG) terminal, on its Baltic coast, received its first commercial shipments in July and the country is also planning a pipeline to Norway. It said the strategy has been prompted by rapidly growing competition in the Polish gas market as well as the need to diversify gas imports from 2022 onwards, among other factors. Average annual capital expenditure for 2017-2022 will come to about 5.7 billion zlotys and the programme should deliver cumulative earnings before income tax depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 33.7 billion zlotys over the period. PGNiG said it expected the investment to help boost EBITDA to an annual average of some 9.2 billion zlotys for 2023-2026. The company reiterated that it wanted to keep its net debt to EBITDA ratio below two. It also said it would stick to its policy of paying out up to 50 percent of profits in dividends but warned there could be a delay. "PGNiG will recognise net profits of its subsidiaries in the consolidated accounts net of any dividends paid by the subsidiaries, so achieving the planned level of dividend payments may be postponed by one year," it said. ($1 = 4.0609 zlotys) (Reporting by Lidia Kelly and Agnieszka Barteczko; writing by Lidia Kelly; editing by David Clarke) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, March 13 (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition will not attend peace talks due to start on Tuesday in the Kazakh capital Astana, blaming Russia's unwillingness to end air strikes against civilians in rebel-held areas and its failure to put pressure on the Syrian army to abide by a widely violated ceasefire. Osama Abu Zaid, a spokesman for the rebels said they had taken a final decision not to go to the talks as a result of Russia's failure to end what the opposition says are widespread violations of a Turkish-Russian brokered ceasefire last December. "Currently the decision is not to go as a result of Russia continuing its crimes in Syria against civilians and its support of the crimes of the Syrian regime," he said, adding that they had informed Turkey, a main backer of the rebels, of their decision. Colonel Ahmad Othman, who heads the Turkish-backed Sultan Murad rebel brigade, earlier said rebels were awaiting a Russian response to a letter that demands Moscow acts as a guarantor and ends violations of the ceasefire. "Nothing has been implemented so far," said Othman, complaining of Russian strikes on civilians and assaults by the Syrian army in rebel-held areas. Syrian rebel groups on Saturday called for the postponement of the Russian-backed peace talks in Kazakhstan and said further meetings would depend on whether the Syrian government and its allies adhered to a newly declared March 7-20 ceasefire. Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the conflict, and has launched a diplomatic peace initiative after its air force helped the Syrian government defeat rebels in Aleppo in December - Assad's biggest victory of the war. The rebels said the government and its Iranian-backed militia allies were continuing to bombard opposition-held areas near Damascus, Homs, Deraa and Idlib, and preparing to storm two districts on the outskirts of the Syrian capital. "Moscow has not lived up to its commitments. The main demand is stopping the bombardment and displacement of people," Othman added. Rebels said an evacuation deal reached on Monday that forces rebel fighters to leave the opposition-held besieged Homs district of al-Waer dealt a blow to Russia's attempts to portray itself as a credible guarantor of the ceasefire deal. The evacuation deal was seen as a surrender forced upon rebels after relentless bombing by Syrian jets of the teeming neighbourhood with Moscow's seal of approval. "It seems Russia invites us to Astana and then imposes forcible displacement of the people of al-Waer ... Moscow has not kept its promises," said Mohammad Alloush, the head of the armed factions' delegations participating in the past two Astana rounds. Alloush later confirmed they were not attending saying Moscow had not kept its promises to stop the bombing of civilian areas or ending displacement of people in rebel pockets near Damascus. "We want to show the world that the Russians want a political solution that is only in the media. They have to change their policies if they are seeking a solution," Alloush added. Separately, Salem al Muslet, a spokesman for the High Negotiations Committee, the mainstream opposition body, said Russia's unwillingness to put pressure on the Syrian government and its allies was behind the hesitation to come to Astana. He said the factions were so far resisting pressure to go. "There is intense pressure on the factions but they are holding on to their position which is not different from the situation inside where people are suffering and they cannot override their wishes," Muslet told Al Hadath TV channel. "If they go to Astana and the shelling is continuing this would be problem, so if the Russians wanted the success of Astana, the guarantor has to take steps, he added. "There are just hours left before the conference and something could happen," he added without elaborating. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Alison Williams and Mary Milliken) VIENNA, March 13 (Reuters) - Austria's chancellor said on Monday he would attempt to ban Turkish ministers from campaigning in Austria for a referendum in Turkey to expand Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's powers after the Netherlands hindered a Turkish minister from speaking there. Erdogan on Monday threatened to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and take it to the European Court of Human Rights, describing the Dutch government as "Nazi remnants". Violent street clashes followed in Dutch streets. When asked what Austria's government would do should a Turkish minister try to drum up support among Austria's Turks for the April 16 vote, Christian Kern told broadcaster ORF "we would try to prohibit this due to reasons of public security." (Reporting By Shadia Nasralla, editing by Larry King) By Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Lin Noueihed WASHINGTON/CAIRO, March 13 (Reuters) - Russia appears to have deployed special forces to an airbase in western Egypt near the border with Libya in recent days, U.S., Egyptian and diplomatic sources say, a move that would add to U.S. concerns about Moscow's deepening role in Libya. The U.S. and diplomatic officials said any such Russian deployment might be part of a bid to support Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, who suffered a setback with an attack on March 3 by the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB) on oil ports controlled by his forces. The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States has observed what appeared to be Russian special operations forces and drones at Sidi Barrani, about 60 miles (100 km) from the Egypt-Libya border. Egyptian security sources offered more detail, describing a 22-member Russian special forces unit, but declined to discuss its mission. They added that Russia also used another Egyptian base farther east in Marsa Matrouh in early February. The apparent Russian deployments have not been previously reported. The Russian defense ministry did not immediately provide comment on Monday and Egypt denied the presence of any Russian contingent on its soil. "There is no foreign soldier from any foreign country on Egyptian soil. This is a matter of sovereignty," Egyptian army spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said. The U.S. military declined comment. U.S. intelligence on Russian military activities is often complicated by its use of contractors or forces without uniforms, officials say. Russian military aircraft flew about six military units to Marsa Matrouh before the aircraft continued to Libya about 10 days later, the Egyptian sources said. Reuters could not independently verify any presence of Russian special forces and drones or military aircraft in Egypt. Mohamed Manfour, commander of Benina air base near Benghazi, denied that Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) had received military assistance from the Russian state or from Russian military contractors, and said there were no Russian forces or bases in eastern Libya. Several Western countries, including the U.S., have sent special operations forces and military advisors into Libya over the past two years. The U.S. military also carried out air strikes to support a successful Libyan campaign last year to oust Islamic State from its stronghold in the city of Sirte. Questions about Russia's role in north Africa coincide with growing concerns in Washington about Moscow's intentions in oil-rich Libya, which has become a patchwork of rival fiefdoms in the aftermath of a 2011 NATO-backed uprising against the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was a client of the former Soviet Union. The U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is in a deadlock with Haftar, and Russian officials have met with both sides in recent months. Moscow appears prepared to back up its public diplomatic support for Haftar even though Western governments were already irked at Russia's intervention in Syria to prop up President Bashar al-Assad. A force of several dozen armed private security contractors from Russia operated until February in a part of Libya that is under Haftar's control, the head of the firm that hired the contractors told Reuters. The top U.S. military commander overseeing troops in Africa, Marine General Thomas Waldhauser, told the U.S. Senate last week that Russia was trying to exert influence in Libya to strengthen its leverage over whoever ultimately holds power. "They're working to influence that," Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Asked whether it was in the U.S. interest to let that happen, Waldhauser said: "It is not." REGAINING TOE-HOLD One U.S. intelligence official said Russia's aim in Libya appeared to be an effort to "regain a toe-hold where the Soviet Union once had an ally in Gaddafi." "At the same time, as in Syria, they appear to be trying to limit their military involvement and apply enough to force some resolution but not enough to leave them owning the problem," the official added, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Russia's courting of Haftar, who tends to brand his armed rivals as Islamist extremists and who some Libyans see as the strongman their country needs after years of instability, has prompted others to draw parallels with Syria, another longtime Soviet client. Asked by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham whether Russia was trying to do in Libya what it did in Syria, Waldhauser said: "Yes, that's a good way to characterize it." A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russia was looking to back Haftar, although its initial focus would likely be on Libya's "oil crescent." "It is pretty clear the Egyptians are facilitating Russian engagement in Libya by allowing them to use these bases. There are supposedly training exercises taking place there at present," the diplomat said. Egypt has been trying to persuade the Russians to resume flights to Egypt, which have been suspended since a Russian plane carrying 224 people from the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh to St Petersburg was brought down by a bomb in October 2015. The attack was claimed by an Islamic State branch that operates out of northern Sinai. Russia says that its primary objective in the Middle East is to contain the spread of violent Islamist groups. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged this month to help unify Libya and foster dialogue when he met the leader of the U.N.-backed government, Fayez Seraj. Russia, meanwhile, is also deepening its relations with Egypt, which had ties to the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1972. The two countries held joint military exercises - something the U.S. and Egypt did regularly until 2011 - for the first time in October. Russia's Izvestia newspaper said in October that Moscow was in talks to open or lease an airbase in Egypt. Egypt's state-owned Al Ahram newspaper, however, quoted the presidential spokesman as saying Egypt would not allow foreign bases. The Egyptian sources said there was no official agreement on the Russian use of Egyptian bases. There were, however, intensive consultations over the situation in Libya. Egypt is worried about chaos spreading from its western neighbor and it has hosted a flurry of diplomatic meetings between leaders of the east and west in recent months. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington and Lin Noueihed in Cairo; additional reporting by John Walcott in Washington, Ahmed Mohammed Hassan in Cairo, Maria Tsvetkova and Christian Lowe in Moscow, Ayman al-Warfalli in Benghazi, Aidan Lewis in Tunis; editing by Grant McCool) Yasmin Louise Sooka, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa and the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) spoke to The Wire about Sri Lankas transitional justice process, the sequencing of judicial mechanisms for the same and the role other countries can play. Yasmin Sooka is regarded as a leading human rights lawyer, activist and an international expert in the fields of transitional justice, gender and international war crimes. She previously served on the UN Secretary-Generals Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka. Internationally the approach towards Sri Lanka has shifted 180 degrees This level of militarization is unacceptable eight years after the war Reform is urgently needed for Sinhalese and Muslims as well as Tamils Any transitional justice process, if it is to succeed must be locally owned by victims; not politicians This interview has been edited lightly. Could you tell us a little bit about ITJPs work? ITJP documents human rights violations and abuses as well as gathers evidence for the purposes of building a prima facie basis for criminal trials and truth recovery processes. In addition, the ITJP also carries out transitional justice work including the training of CSOs (Civil Society Organisations). The key elements of our documentation and evidence gathering include taking detailed witness statements from survivors of war crimes, torture, arbitrary detention, abductions and sexual violence. Our statements are supported by medico-legal reports. Typically, taking a statement may take between three and four days to complete, with statements running into many pages supported by exhibits like maps, sketches of cells and forensic reports. To date, we have taken 240 statements, which means we have one of the biggest databases of in-depth testimonies attesting to recent Sri Lankan human rights violations and abuses. The evidence gathered constitutes a basis for an independent investigation as in many instances we have identified several alleged perpetrators in the military and police. We hope one day a credible international independent investigative unit with an independent prosecutor will be set up so that the people of Sri Lanka can discover the truth. The evidence gathered also provides the basis for a submission to the Truth Commission in Sri Lanka if it is ever established and will expose the violations perpetrated by the security forces. Of course we have pointed out in our recent publication Putting the Wolf to Guard the Sheep all of these depend on witness protection for the witnesses. Its been more than two years since Maithripala Sirisena was elected President. How much has changed in Sri Lanka since January 2015? Internationally the approach towards Sri Lanka has shifted 180 degrees. Where once there would have been intolerance and frustration with the Rajapaksas, now there is patience and a willingness to give more time. In terms of the situation inside the country, clearly the atmosphere has eased and activists have more space in which to function, the Human Rights Commission has credible leadership but still lacks capacity and generally civil rights have improved in the south. However in the former conflict areas, Tamil civilians live under a militarised and securitised system in which surveillance and intimidation constitute everyday life. The violations and abuses are ongoing and include abductions, torture and sexual violence which the ITJP unfortunately continues to document once the victims flee the country. This level of militarisation is unacceptable eight years after the war. It also demonstrates that the security forces continue to operate with impunity. In terms of fulfilling its transitional justice commitments, how would you describe the governments performance? The Maithripala Sirisena government came to power amidst great hope and goodwill for transformation particularly from Tamil citizens who voted for this government. Shockingly we have witnessed two years of inaction. We have argued that the Sirisena government is complicit in the ongoing violations and abuses because it has done nothing to investigate the very grave allegations of system crimes set out in the (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) OHCHR Investigation report (OISL). The emphasis has been on procedures, rhetoric and box-ticking but what this government has failed to do is to set out a clear vision of why Sri Lanka needs a transition from the past. The government has also failed to impress upon society in the south that this is necessary if Sri Lanka is to take its place proudly in the international community. The transition is necessary to transform Sri Lanka from a state mired in serious violations and abuses which quite frankly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity in which its criminal justice institutions have been tarnished. While there is a great deal of glib talk about reconciliation; it is extremely shallow as reconciliation involves a reckoning and an acknowledgement of the truth about the past including past violations. In reality, what we have witnessed is denial from the politicians and many in civil society about the extent of mass atrocities perpetrated by the security forces. What we have is a structural and institutional problem in the country which unless addressed will result in ongoing violations and abuses as we know is happening. Reform is urgently needed for Sinhalese and Muslims as well as Tamils. "It is false to portray the demand for criminal accountability as an international demand this is done by those who want to avoid it because they have something to hide" In terms of the transitional justice process, we all heralded the national consultation process which took a long time and was perceived as doing the job. When it was farmed out to NGOs we stifled our criticism. It is precisely this farming out of a function, which the government ought to have led, which has allowed the president and prime minister to disown the recommendations, leading many to ask whether the government is serious about the transition. Sadly civil society and many political parties were also duped into believing that the government was sincere in its commitments and now to their cost they are discovering differently. Legislation establishing the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) was passed last year. However the chaos and confusion regarding the text in parliament has seen nothing happen. Six months later there is no body established. Best international practice around appointments indicate the need for a transparent vetting process for the selection of persons to run the OMP and any other transitional justice mechanism; rumours abound that the government intends to appoint mainly Sinhalese persons to head a body that will primarily deal with Tamil disappearances. Consideration should be given to appointing Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in order to inspire confidence and trust amongst the families of the disappeared. An open nomination and vetting process would ensure that affected communities have the opportunity to nominate people they consider credible particularly those amongst them who have spent a great number of years working on issues of the disappeared. A number of Tamil activists including priests spring to mind as they have risked their lives over years to collect lists of the disappeared. How involved should international actors be in Sri Lankas transitional justice process? Any transitional justice process, if it is to succeed, must be locally owned not by the elites and the politicians but by the victims. However decades of violations and abuses as well as disillusionment with the government and its institutions have left many, if not all Tamil victims and witnesses, deeply distrustful. Many have indicated that if they are to testify to a truth commission or court there needs to be meaningful international involvement in that body to win their trust. A credible domestic mechanism is a contradiction in terms. They have all failed; why would things be different now when whats at stake is the investigation of even greater crimes than in the past. This is compounded by the fact that no witness protection exists and whether a witness is in Sri Lanka or abroad there needs to be international involvement in any witness protection programme. Theres been some debate surrounding the sequencing of transitional justice mechanisms. What do you think would be the most effective approach? In many countries politicians and elite always try to argue that there should be sequencing not just of the mechanisms but also many argue a peace versus justice option. The issue of sequencing is largely dependent on the context in a particular country. In the Sri Lankan context, one already has the outcome of the OISL inquiry as well as the evidence gathered by groups, including the ITJP, which provides a basis for any criminal accountability mechanism to carry out its work. At the same time, this should not preclude other mechanisms like the truth commission and the OMP from doing their work. This has happened in many countries, including Sierra Leone and Colombia would soon see a plethora of transitional justice mechanisms operating side by side. Of course, what has to be worked on is the relationship between these mechanisms to optimise resources and access to information. However, given the different purposes, written into the mandate of the truth commission should be the obligation to name names and pass this onto the criminal justice mechanisms as well as to refer the cases of the missing and the disappeared to the OMP. A lesson that we all learnt from the Sierra Leonean experiences which saw a truth commission operating side by side with the special court is that there should be guidelines on the relationship between these bodies if they are to be successful and achieve their respective mandates. Some people have argued that accountability for wartime abuses should be de-prioritised in favour of a political solution to the long-standing ethnic conflict. Relatively, others have asserted that economic justice should be front and centre, and that the call for accountability is actually driven by international actors. Whats your take on all of this? In the Sri Lankan context, a political and economic solution to the conflict is absolutely essential. However, this does not preclude that accountability and addressing entrenched impunity for serious crimes is equally important. The scale and gravity of the crimes perpetrated in 2009 against civilians demands justice. Listening to the traumatised survivors as I did on the UN Panel of Experts as well as the many courageous individuals who stayed behind in the war zone, it is obvious that these are extraordinary crimes for which there must ultimately be accountability. "A tough, honest report by the High Commissioner assessing Sri Lankas lack of good faith in implementing Resolution 30/1 with the Council setting clear benchmarks and time frames for the full implementation of all commitments, including essentially the foreign and commonwealth judges, investigators and prosecutors for the court which must be hybrid not domestic" In my view it represents one of the great tragedies of our time that tens of thousands of civilians were killed in a matter of weeks in a tiny area of the country without the international community intervening this challenges the entire regime of international humanitarian law and the very notions of decency on which the responsibility of the international community is built. The world cannot let this slip. Nor could the Sri Lankans. In my work in South Africa and Sierra Leone as well as many other parts of the world, political change is important as is economic transformation but bitter experience has taught me that the guarantee of non-recurrence requires measures of accountability particularly prosecutions of those who were in command responsibility positions. Victims also require institutional reform in order to regain trust in the institutions of the state believing that they will work for them irrespective of their religious belief, ethnicity, race and group. In many countries the politicians argue that victims need development rather than reparations and we remind them that every citizen is entitled to development, but the recognition of the wrongdoing suffered by a victim demands acknowledgement and reparations. They need to eat but not at the expense of justice. Both the national consultations as well as the various consultations which were carried out outside of the country have indicated that justice is critical and for victims this means holding the perpetrators criminally accountable. It is false to portray the demand for criminal accountability as an international demand this is done by those who want to avoid it because they have something to hide. The 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council runs from February 27 to March 24 and Sri Lanka is on the agenda. What would you like to see happen? A tough, honest report by the High Commissioner assessing Sri Lankas lack of good faith in implementing Resolution 30/1 with the Council setting clear benchmarks and time frames for the full implementation of all commitments, including essentially the foreign and commonwealth judges, investigators and prosecutors for the court which must be hybrid not domestic. OHCHR has been very clear that a domestic process will not work we would like to see them impress this point on the international community more forcefully. Courtesy: The Wire Many of our recent problems stemmed from our inability to accept our geographic reality- that is our immutable placement a few dozen miles from India. That presence has not always been a blessing. But, if we appreciated out existential reality, and also the capabilities and sensitivities of our northern neighbour that harm could have been lessened and even some benefits might have been accrued. Obviously, had it not been for the Indian involvement, we would not have a terrorist problem, though we could still have an ethnic problem. Also, the JVPs second insurgency was enabled by the lax security in the South while the governments security apparatus was focused on fighting Indian- trained Tamil militancy in the North. (That was how the Bolsheviks managed to hijack the state power through the October revolution in 1917 while the armies of the Russian State were locked in bitter trench battles of World War I.) Perhaps though overlooked, the biggest contribution of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord was that it enabled the government to prevail over an egregious enemy in the South. Without that momentary hiatus in the North, we in the South could have been condemned to our own Nandikadal. However, much of our recent peril was a result of arrogance with which J.R. Jayawardene dealt with India and its equally arrogant then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (who by virtue of size and clout of her country had the luxury to be arrogant, whereas J.R did not have any of that leverage). He in private likened old Ms. Gandhi to a sacred old cow, courted Americans in an open contempt to Indias geopolitical sensitivities and Ms. Gandhi in return destabilized this country, funding and training Tamil militants. However, this was not how the Indo-Lanka relationship had been until J.Rs advent to power. New Delhi besieged with precarious land neighbours strived for good relations with Sri Lanka -- also there was good personal rapport between leaders in New Delhi and Colombo. Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Agreement of 1974 was a classic case of personal friendship translating to a bilateral agreement. Ms. Gandhi and her Sri Lankan counterpart Sirima Bandaranaike were such good friends that they did not want any discord over a desolate island and allow it to be a thorn in bilateral relationship. Mrs Gandhi overlooked concerns raised by Tamil Nadu political elite and went ahead with her decision to concede Kachchativu island to Sri Lanka. However, in order to assuage Tamil Nadu concerns, measures were included in the 1974 agreement that Indian fishermen and pilgrims will enjoy access to visit Kachchativu as hitherto, and will not be required by Sri Lanka to obtain travel documents or visas for these purposes. Kachchativu agreement was also viewed as a personal favour by Ms. Gandhi to Ms. Bandaranaike to make her political life easier at a time she was at the receiving end of her leftist allies of the United Front government and the public in general over the spiraling cost of living. Not surprisingly, Kachchativu is still portrayed as a diplomatic triumph of Ms. Bandaranaike. Interestingly, at the time, Ms. Gandhi was so invincible in Indian politics that then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi who in private raised objections to seceding Kachchativu to Sri Lanka did not dare challenge her decision in Court. That was in contrast to an earlier precedent when the chief minister of West Bengal, B.C. Roy sought judicial intervention against Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus decision to cede Beru Bari to Pakistan in 1960. (The Supreme Court in its advisory opinion held that Parliament of India is not competent to make a law for the implementation of the Agreement) "Kachchativu agreement was also viewed as a personal favour by Ms. Gandhi to Ms. Bandaranaike to make her political life easier at a time she was at the receiving end of her leftist allies of the United Front government and the public in general " Kachchativu remains an emotive topic in Tamil Nadu politics not just due to the concerns of its fishing folks but also because it is one of those topics that unify the vetti-wearing Tamil nationalists there in their inherent adversity to the Sri Lankan State. It is foolhardy on us to help reignite another wave of that invective, which is however sadly the case after the allegations that the Navy firing has killed a Tamil Nadu fisherman and injured another. The Navy has denied allegations and called for GSP coordinates of the locality where the incident had reportedly happened. The fishermen have reportedly produced a GSP device which has recent coordinates deleted. Various versions of the event are given. One was that the fishermen poaching inside the Sri Lankan waters have allegedly rammed their boat on the Navy vessel that went to intercept them. Tamil Nadu fishermen boycotted the annual feast of the Kachchativu Island held in the weekend in protest of the alleged shooting. That Tamil Nadu fishermen who have over fished their part of the sea are now poaching in Sri Lankan waters is as conclusive as Jayalalithas assets case. Tampering with evidence would not help. However, such intrusions should be dealt with restraint. Highhandedness could fuel far more consequential ethno-political posturing in Tamil Nadu. Indias centre cannot act in isolation from the political compulsions of its states. The standard practice has so far been to arrest the poaching fishermen and produce them before the court -- and deport enmasse once in every couple of months on the request of New Delhi. That approach may not have banished the poachers from Sri Lankan waters, but has contained poaching and appears to be the most cost effective strategy. On the contrary overacting to minor irritants such as this, especially at a time Sri Lanka is facing scrutiny at the UNHRC is not the most sensible strategy. Equally important is the Hindutva nationalists of Prime Minister Modis BJP may not react with the same restraint as more cosmopolitan Congress leadership did in the past. Interestingly before the rise of Tamil militancy (and later terrorism) in this country, the primary duty of the Sri Lankan Navy was to combat smuggling of contraband across the Palk Straits and rein in illegal migration from Tamil Nadu. Now that terrorism is defeated, the Navy has returned to its traditional duties of the 1960s. That is umpteenth time better than combating suicide terrorists and arms smuggling. Maintaining this status quo would be in our interest. Follow RangaJayasuriya @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter A group of doctors had reportedly assaulted the employees of a hotel in Tissamaharama and damaged property after a party held there. Police heard that the doctors, who serve in hospitals in Tissamaharama and Lunugamvehera, were annoyed with one of the hotel employees, who they suspected to be videoing the party. Charuka Madusanka, the hotel employee, complained to the police about the assault. He said, I received a video call. While I was answering it, these gentlemen had assumed that I was videoing them partying. I retreated to my room. But they followed me and beat me up. Several of my colleagues were also attacked. They smashed the window panes and damaged hotel property as well, he said. The incident had taken place on Saturday (10) night. The Tissamaharama police were conducting investigations into the incident.(Roshan Dilip Kumara) The Government had sought fresh dates at the end of this month for another round of discussions on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) to be signed with India, an official said yesterday. Already, three rounds of talks have been conducted at officials level between the two sides. The last was in January in Sri Lanka. Secretary to the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade Chandani Wijewardane told the Daily Mirror the next round could be conducted in New Delhi. We have sought dates for talks towards the end of this month. New Delhi is yet to confirm the dates. We will have it hopefully in April, she said. Alongside, she said there would be parallel negotiations for Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the countries such as Singapore and China. She added the Government intended to finalise trade negotiations on ETCA this year. "Nothing has been finalised yet. Only the initial texts of the agreement are being discussed," she said. A Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and India has been already in operation since 2000. However, the trade balance has grown heavily in favour of India. Sri Lankan exporters complain that bottlenecks in the Indian bureaucratic system and other non-tariff barriers have stifled trade with India even under the current agreement. The Indian side argues that most of its exports to Sri Lanka are channeled outside the FTA, and therefore the FTA could not be blamed for the widening trade gap. (Kelum Bandara) But, no signboard advertising on them Establishment Code needs reforms Democracy flourishes in full steam Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardane, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, says that the Government has undertaken over 300 major development projects. He says democracy flourishes today in the country. Excerpts: The National Unity Government will complete its second anniversary this year. How do you look at its performance? Most of the people are not used to this novel experience in politics. With the past experiences, they believe in reverting to the old system. Be that as it may, all are set in place for a new journey in the greater interests of the country. What is the way forward in the context of the two parties taking on each other while being in a Unity Government? This is a situation where people enjoy democratic freedom in great abundance. There are different voices being raised with no bar. It is visible. It is a phenomenon visible only when democracy flourishes. One should not get panicked over it. In democracy, freedom is meant for constructive criticism, making way for a better outcome for the country at the end. Today, we see a kind of stalemate in Governmental affairs. How do you see it? There is no stoppage of Governmental activities as such. As of now, we have started work on 300 new development projects. If you reserve one whole page in the newspaper, we can outline all of them. These are mega projects. At grassroots level, we completed projects worth Rs. 1 million each in all the Grama Niladhari Divisions. We, in fact, carried it out in 2015 and 2016. It means Rs. 2 million has been pumped into each division. There are 14,000 such divisions. However, there are no name boards erected at every junction bearing the images of the President and the Prime Minister. So, people think nothing is happening. With the passage of time, the truth will dawn on people. What are the main projects which you can highlight? One is the Dedduwa Economic Zone in my constituency. It is a project covering an area of 400-500 acres. The identified blocks of land are being acquired after payment of compensation. In Akurala of the Galle District, survey work has commenced for the acquisition of 500 acres of land. As for the Galle Port, it is to be developed with investment from Japan and Sri Lanka alike for the promotion of tourism. "There is no stoppage of Governmental activities as such. As of now, we have started work on 300 new development projects. If you reserve one whole page in the newspaper, we can outline all of them" In the Koggala Free Trade Zone, a land extent of 12 acres is still left unused. We made use of it to put up manufacturing plants. Here, 10,000 persons will get new employment. These are projects only in the Galle District. Next, we continue with the expressway and railway projects by the previous Government. The expressway and the railway line will be extended up to Hambantota. As for the Hambantota port project, it is embroiled in some problems. How do you plan to proceed with it? There is no need to get alarmed about it. In 2011, 2013 and 2014, the previous Government submitted proposals inviting Foreign Direct Investment. In 2016, we, the new Government, invited foreign investors. Accordingly, investors have agreed to come. For the project proposals submitted in 2011, 2013 and 2014, no one responded. There was a different situation in 2016. A huge investment is proposed. But, adequate human resources cannot be found from the locality. We have to improve the human resources. We are acting in that direction. There are amendments proposed to the original agreement to develop the Hambantota Port. How do you proceed? Again, there is no need to be alarmed. There are agreements worked out in 2011, 2013 and 2014 by the former Government. We have another agreement in 2016. We have worked it out to attract the highest possible number of investors. How feasible is it for us to attract FID competing with countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Malaysia which have comparative advantages over us? Of course, the main issue is the lack of human resources. In the construction industry, for example, we do not find adequate workers. In other sectors, we have a shortage of workers in the skill-oriented sectors. Therefore, the Prime Minister has decided to make school education mandatory even after Grade 10 up to Grade 13. That is to direct school children to relevant vocational study fields at their schools. We need a programme to train them with technological skills. Then, we can not only create one million job opportunities but also offer jobs to those outside the country. In the construction industry, we run short of labourers, fitters, plumbers, carpenters and all. We do not have enough mechanics and electricians. We take five years for the construction of a building which otherwise can be built in two years. We face this problem due to lack of skilled workers. How do you proceed with the Public Private Partnership Model proposed for revamping the State institutions? There is nothing to fear about it. We develop the country with cash infusion from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, JICA and other financial agencies in the world. Likewise, development is done with the help of individuals with adequate capital for investment. It is important to attract such persons with investment capacities to Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, we have only 20 million people. However, there are millions of Sri Lankans, either with dual citizenship or not, living in different parts of the world. Some of them are among the wealthiest in the countries they live in. The duty of the government is to attract them here. Earlier, you have planned for a new Bill called Gram Raj Bill to deal with local administration. How far have you progressed now? The Home Affairs Ministry, under its purview, has 25 District Secretariats, 332 Divisional Secretariats, 14022 Grama Niladhari Divisions, 17,800 Development Officers and the Registration Department. We have the administrative machinery that is needed to oversee the development work cutting across the country. The Gram Raj concept is a new addition. The Prime Minister has submitted two Cabinet Papers in this regard. Besides, another Cabinet Paper has been submitted by the Prime Minister for the establishment of a Public Services Management Authority in line with the standards and practices in the developed world. Anyone aggrieved by the public service can complain to it. How far have you progressed in relation to this institution? Of course, we have worked out basic plans. We have received all shades of opinions in this regard. The Prime Minister has submitted the Cabinet Paper. The draft legislation will be presented to Parliament soon. As for legislation on the Gram Raj you mentioned, will it clash with the powers of the local authorities? It will not clash with the powers of the local bodies. We can, in fact, carry out the intended work without introducing fresh legislation. This is aimed at ensuring the participation of rural people in development. That is to rejuvenate villages in keeping with the aspirations of the people. How similar is to the old Gam Sabha systems? We cannot go back to that system. From then and now, the situation has changed much in terms of geographic location, population sizes and all. Yet, there is a lot to be learnt from the basic concept of Gam Sabha. What are your views? We can extract some of its positive features. We cannot resurrect the past. We have to move forward. What is the Governments plan for the expansion of the public service? We are acting for the expansion of it. It is the Government service that works out the legal background and guidelines even for the private sector to progress. When the country develops, all sectors get developed. When the Free Trade Zone concept was introduced, the Government sector gave leadership to it. Along with the private sector development, the public service also gets expanded. What about new recruitment? We are recruiting without any problem to the Essential Services of the Government sector. We are planning to recruit 2000 Grama Niladharis. There is a perception that Government officials have been demotivated for work due to fear of being victimised by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID)? It is an outdated perception. I do not see that it is noteworthy now. The Constitution has stipulated how the Public Service should be governed. It happens accordingly. In the Establishment Code, it has been stipulated. When a particular situation cannot be dealt with by the Ministry Secretary concerned, it can be referred under other laws applicable. When there is criminal liability arising, action can be taken in terms of the laws concerned by the Government. Our government also sticks to the due procedure laid down in the Constitution. Are you planning to reform the current laws in this regard? Actually, a lot of reforms are needed. It is true that a lot of changes are needed in the Establishment Code. That is due to be done in the future. There are views expressed. How is the United National Party (UNP) getting ready for future elections? We are ready for elections at any moment. In 2002, we won the election at the local authorities including Attanagalle. We are now taking steps in this direction again. When the election is conducted at the appropriate time, the present administration will win all. What are the reforms proposed in the UNP? A party is always subjected to reforms. The UNP forges ahead with reforms all the time. We intend to work for the victory at next elections after doing timely reforms to the party. Can you tell anything definite about it? There is nothing definite in politics. It is always open-ended. Talking about the UNHRC process and its implications on Sri Lanka, former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris in an interview said the government had committed to implement the provisions of the resolution, and that it had placed the country in a serious situation. The interview: How do you compare and contrast the processes undertaken at the UNHRC during your time and the current rule? There is a huge disparity between the policy adopted under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government and the current policy line. The gist of the present governments policy is that they ask for time. It means they concede. The UNHRC resolution adopted on October 1, 2015 is based on the Darusman report. The report, based on evidence from anonymous sources, concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the armed forces were responsible for mass-scale killing of civilians, disappearances, rape, deliberate starvation of people in the North and so forth. The resolution on Sri Lanka was based on that. The current governments stance is that there is evidence of war crimes. While accepting it, the government says it will take stringent initiatives to ensure that such practices do not continue. We regard this as a sellout of the armed forces. Our position was entirely different. There was no asking for time. Our position was explicit and categorical that the armed forces were not guilty of any war crimes at all. The context is important. During the final stages of the war, there were 350,000 civilians trapped in a narrow strip of land. They were held hostage by the LTTE. In those circumstances, the armed forces have not only the right but also the duty to intervene militarily to protect the lives of civilians. Therefore, in keeping with the principles of international law and international humanitarian law, it can be clearly shown that the armed forces were not guilty of war crimes. At that time, a great deal of work was done with the technical assistance of world renowned experts like Desmond de Silva. Our position was that we could establish that there was no liability at all. We are prepared to buttress that position by unassailable legal content. Thus, it is a very far cry from the present government. Now, the government says there will be no participation of foreign judges in hearing accountability cases. What are your views? The next point is about foreign judges where the governments position is bizarre. In the resolution of October 1, 2015, the operative paragraph 6 states categorically that the government of Sri Lanka agrees to commonwealth and other foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators and even defence counsels. That is a categorical promise given by the international community, and is incorporated in the resolution. President Sirisena says he is not for foreign judges. Very recently, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was echoing that point. This raises an interesting question; who placed Sri Lanka in this perch? Whatever may be said locally, there is now a formal commitment at the international level from which we cannot extricate ourselves. That has paved the way to a lot of developments which are inimical to the armed forces, the police and the political leadership of the country. The report of Sri Lanka states that the progress is worryingly sluggish. The demand of the international community is that Sri Lanka must deliver on its own commitments. These are not promises extracted or conditions imposed by outsiders, but pledges voluntarily and deliberately given by the Sri Lankan Government. Our position that there should not be international intervention was heavily supported by a large segment of the international community. Asian countries that are members of the UNHRC, a majority of African countries, the Arab world, Russia and China are among them. Today, they are silent. Today, Sri Lanka is in a very serious situation. There are fundamental political changes in the United States. How will it impact Sri Lanka? The government is not in a position to benefit from the fundamental changes in the U.S. because of this policy. Recently, there was an important event that took place in Washington - the launch of their global Human Rights Report. For the first time in ten years, the U.S. Secretary of States, appointed by President Donald Trump, was absent. The other significant development was the cancellation of a high-profile media conference scheduled to take place with the event. It had been held during previous times. All these factors reflect the clearly-articulated position of President Trump that there will not be intervention in the affairs of other countries. The U.S. does not propose to play the role of policeman. It will handle its own problems. Had the Sri Lankan government not committed to these provisions of the resolution, we could have reaped the harvest of this situation. That is especially in a context where key figures of the Obama administration who were responsible for the policy against Sri Lanka have all lost their positions. Nisha Biswal, the then Assistant Secretary of State, visited our country almost every three months. Samantha Power, the then US Ambassador to the UN, was the principal architect of this policy. All these individuals have been removed by President Trump. It is a sea change. But, we are totally unable to benefit from it because of the present governments policy. What is your view on the Constitution-making process? On the Constitutional reforms, one thing is very clear; There is no genuine initiative with regard to Constitutional reforms. There is political posturing largely with a view to placating those elements that played a critical role in bringing about a regime change. It is a political exercise and not a serious Constitutional exercise. This is clear in his address to the UNHRC. The Foreign Minister stated that Sri Lanka was deeply committed to the Constitutional exercise, and in his words, the parliamentary process as well as referendum are critical for the government. On the same day in Colombo, Minister Chandima Weerakkody made a statement that there would not be any referendum. Both he and Minister Mahinda Amaraweera categorically articulated this position. President Sirisena, in his manifesto, has said he would undertake only those reforms which were legally possible without a referendum. They said President Sirisena was not committed to an entirely new Constitution replacing the existing one. "The report of Sri Lanka states that the progress is worryingly sluggish. The demand of the international community is that Sri Lanka must deliver on its own commitments. These are not promises extracted or conditions imposed by outsiders, but pledges voluntarily and deliberately given by the Sri Lankan Government" There is inconsistency with regard to the position of the president as well. When he was nominated the common candidate, he made three pledges. One was the abolition of the executive presidency which he reiterated when participating in the budget debate and at the funeral of the Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera. Then, the leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said it would be a new Constitution and there would be a referendum. There is total incompatibility of statements, one with the other. And it certainly amounts to a mass of confusion. The resulting position is that even with regard to the essential elements of a new Constitutional structure, there is no consensus within the government whatsoever. Their statements are teeming with internal contradictions. It is clear that this is not a serious exercise. The government says there is freedom for people to live without any fear. How do you respond? There are formidable positions arising with regard to security. During the previous regime, we banned about 18 organisations. We had evidence that they were linked to the LTTE. We banned a large number of individuals. Of these, the ban has been removed on one half of these organisations by the present government. The ban has been removed on two-thirds of the individuals. This has brought about a certain environment in the Northern Province in particular. Maveer festivities are openly happening in full sight of the armed forces. Posters of Prabhakaran appear in every corner in the North. There is a whole culture favourable to the dissemination of LTTE propaganda. It is taking place with impunity. Parallel to this, another dangerous development is taking place. There are other extremist groups emerging. These groups are attracting people because they say the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is not delivering. There is a growing current of public opinion. Today, it is reaching a crescendo. Indication is the conspiracy to assassinate an MP. Evidence in the possession of the TID is alarming. There has been material support from the Diaspora in four countries. On the basis of evidence available to the TID, five persons have been arrested and produced before the Kilinochchi court. But, the normal law the Criminal Procedure Act - has been used, not the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The PTA is not used against these suspects, but against intelligence officers of the Army. The police have taken these suspects to various locations in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Trincomalee districts. Claymore mines and ammunition have been discovered. The lawyers appearing for these suspects have tried to stifle these investigations. The police have been hampered by the fact that powers that would have been available under the PTA are not at their disposal because it is not used. We feel the setting up of a conducive environment for terrorists to raise their heads again. In our time, we realised that a movement like this cannot be destroyed because of a military defeat. We were vigilant to detect the slightest sign of resurgence and to deal with it. How do you support your argument that there was evidence of the LTTE raising its head? A good example was in the months of March and December in 2012. There was evidence of regrouping on the part of these people. At that time, the government acted swiftly. It collected evidences and sent to Tamil Nadu. The Q Branch in Tamil Nadu Politics swooped down one house in the suburbs of Chennai. People were arrested, charged and convicted. What we have today is a very different situation. Today, the government cannot deal with the situation because of the commitment made to those who helped in the regime change. "There is total incompatibility of statements, one with the other. And it certainly amounts to a mass of confusion. The resulting position is that even with regard to the essential elements of a new Constitutional structure, there is no consensus within the government whatsoever. Their statements are teeming with internal contradictions. It is clear that this is not a serious exercise." The other matter relates to Parliament which is becoming more and more turbulent. There is gross distortion there. There are 53 MPs who represent the genuine opposition. To call opposition Leader R. Sampanthan is a fundamental misnomer. The opposition leader, by definition, is the leader of the government in waiting. In India, there is the principle that one party must enjoy at least ten per cent of seats to be the main opposition. There was much fanfare and pageantry with regard to the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. In a recent interview with the Daily mirror, former Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon spoke about the planned Western influence during the final stages of the war. As the then External Affairs Minister, what is the reason for the West to become hostile to Sri Lanka? There was a strong feeling on the part of those countries that we were not listening to them. If we allowed them to have it their way, what would have been the situation today? What do you mean by their way? For example, that is to take Prabhakaran away from Sri Lanka. That was indicated to us. Then, it was to have ceasefire. David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner, the British and French Foreign Secretaries came here. We decisively rejected those overtures. If there were a ceasefire, the LTTE would have used that opportunity to regroup as they did on numerous occasions in the past. Then, the war would have still been going on. Had Prabhakaran been taken out of the country and given asylum, the LTTE would never have been vanquished. There was an element of duplicity in that attitude. For instance, there was an allegation that adequate quantities of food and medicine were not sent. At that time, the whole operation was supervised by a committee comprising representatives of these countries. The Ambassadors of the European Union, Japan and the US were there. They knew that more than enough food and medicine were sent. Then, the evidence of Neil Buhne, the UN resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka at that time, is on record that what was done was more than enough. One time, you were the Chief Negotiator of peace talks with the LTTE. What is your experience on the attitude of the LTTE? At that time, every effort was made to resolve this problem politically - to arrive at a negotiated settlement. But, the LTTE, at every point, played for time. They did not commit to any distinct position. The fact that genuine attempts were made at that time stood us in good stead during the time of hostilities. It is well-known that the LTTE was defeated military using technical information placed at our disposal by foreign powers. For example, the destruction of several ships carrying arms one was off the coast of Indonesia - is there. We used information made available to us. This would not have happened had the international community been dissatisfied with the genuine attempts made. What are the examples to prove the intransigence of the LTTE? They never submitted proper proposals to us, but proposals were submitted by us. They never said what their bottom line was. That was the recurring attitude of the LTTE during peace talks. Despite numerous assurances given that a new Bill would be passed to protect the domestic produce from cheaper imports by the beginning of this year, a powerful hand in the coalition regime appears to be blocking the passage of the law, Mirror Business learns. After a long struggle by the local industrialists, an anti-dumping bill was finally drafted and was expected to be presented to the parliament in January 2017, but has been delayed to this date. However, an enquiry into this long delay transpired that the bill had not even been placed in the order paper for the Cabinet to consider it. According to sources, a powerful minister in the coalition government in charge of trade had wanted the cabinet secretary to keep the bill from being presented to the Cabinet as he had wanted to study the bill with the support of some experts. This has pushed the entire process back to square one as the bill now has to go through the entire spectrum of steps before being presented to the parliament. Proper anti-dumping laws stand crucial at this juncture as Sri Lanka is currently negotiating multiple bilateral trade deals with Singapore, China, Malaysia, Bangladesh and an extension of the existing free trade agreement with India. Attempts to enforce anti-dumping laws faced numerous hurdles for over a decade as the promises made by the legislators of both main political parties proved to be mere lip service as none dared to protect the local industries for reasons best known to them. In an earlier instance in February 2006, a piece of legislation called Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Bill was presented to parliament by the Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Marketing Development Minister at the time, specially to give effect to the agreement on implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and the agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. But for mysterious reasons, it never saw the light of the day. Mirror Business in an earlier occasion divulged another powerful hand in the private sector was trying to delay the passage of the law using his political connection to the present rulers. Anti-dumping laws are long overdue in Sri Lanka where even the basic food items are being imported. The new US President Donald Trump has called for stronger need for fair trade as much as the free trade and this ethos are now reshaping how the nation states engage in international trade. REUTERS: IBM and Danish transport company Maersk said they were working together to digitize, manage and track shipping transactions using blockchain technology. The technology, which powers the digital currency bitcoin, enables data sharing across a network of individual computers. It has gained worldwide popularity due to its usefulness in recording and keeping track of assets or transactions across all industries. The blockchain solution being built by the two companies is expected to be made available to the ocean shipping industry later this year, according to a joint statement from International Business Machines Corp and the container unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk. It would help manage and track the paper trail of tens of millions of shipping containers globally by digitizing the supply chain process from end to end. This will enhance transparency and make the sharing of information among trading partners more secure. When adopted at scale, the solution based on the Linux Foundations open source Hyperledger platform has the potential to save the industry billions of dollars, the companies said. Working closely with Maersk for years, weve long understood the challenges facing the supply chain and logistics industry and quickly recognized the opportunity for blockchain to provide massive savings when used broadly across the ocean shipping industry ecosystem, said Bridget van Kralingen, Senior Vice President, industry platforms, at IBM. IBM and Maersk intend to work with a network of shippers, freight forwarders, ocean carriers, ports and customs authorities to build the new global trade digitization product, the companies said. The product is also designed to help reduce or eliminate fraud and errors and minimize the time products spend in the transit and shipping process. For instance, Maersk found that in 2014, just a simple shipment of refrigerated goods from East Africa to Europe can go through nearly 30 people and organisations, including more than 200 different communications among them. The new blockchain solution would enable the real-time exchange of original supply chain transactions and documents through a digital infrastructure that connects the participants within the network, according to IBM and Maersk. FILM REVIEW: Premaya nam (Dirty, yellow, darkness) Premaya Nam is a quiet, unobtrusive movie with a strong message for our audiences weaned on sugary recipes for romance love is more complicated and painful than silver screen melodramas would have us believe. This medicine might be too strong for many, as this debut film by brothers Kalpana and Vindana Ariyawansa has not turned out to be a crowd-puller despite it being marketed as a love story, with matching posters. It is a ground-breaking film but unobtrusive and without histrionics, and progresses with an almost documentary clarity despite its dubious title in English (Dirty, yellow, darkness). The villain is a pathological condition called OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder), not a man with a grudge. There are no song-dance sequences, not even as a fantasy. The abiding fantasy here is mental health, and its elusive. Vishwa, the young advertising executive whos an OCD victim, is desperate to get back his estranged wife. Even his in-laws, initially hostile, are now sympathetic. But he cannot find the inner resources necessary to overcome this disorder, more menacing than any villain with guns or knives. Vishwa is ably played by Shyam Fernando, a reputed stage actor known for his complex roles in the plays of Rajitha Dissanayake. His estranged wife is played by Samanalee Fonseka, who in a short time has emerged as a versatile character actress and the first dark-complexioned screen star to emerge after Sandhya Kumari. About half the story unfolds at the Mulleriyawa mental hospital, and the subsidiary roles, such as nurse Inoka, are handled excellently. The whole idea of mental ill-health is culturally still a no-go zone in Sri Lanka, the butt of jokes, horror and contempt. In the film, nurse Inoka tells Vishwa that, unless the transfer she has asked for comes through, she may not be able to marry, as her boyfriends parents dont want people to know that their future daughter-in-law works at Angoda (the name of the town associated with this hospital, hence synonymous with madness). Madness, mental disturbance, mental disorder all these are lumped together under the generic term pissu. OCD isnt madness. But, as far as the outside world is concerned, it amounts to the same thing. When Samadhi agrees to marry Vishwa, she knows about his condition. What she doesnt know yet is what its like to live with an OCD sufferer. This story unravels through flashbacks as Vishwas world falls apart. After losing his job, he voluntarily decides to spend time in hospital in a bid to find a cure and save his marriage. It is a moving love story, but unlike any other of that genre told in the film medium in Sri Lanka. Whether we take Golu Hadawatha, Parasathu Mal, Hanthane Kathawa or Duhulu Malak at one end, or films like Thushara or Sangeetha at the other, audiences are used to conventional narrative lines of unrequited love, love triangles, or melodramatic plots with villains. All thats fine, but todays audiences inhabit a more complex world; or rather, one where hitherto unacknowledged or hushed up conditions, including mental ill-health and madness, deserve sympathy and treatment rather than confinement, and mental patients too, need love and deserve to be loved. The film makers have carefully steered the story away from Angoda jokes. While some of the patients actions produce laughter at the start, they quickly focus on the harsher realities of mental illness and treatment. That there is a love story meshing with this documentary-like narration may have been lost on some, simply because the conventional ploys of a cinematic romance are not there. This is a film which needs a more sophisticated type of film viewer. Nor does it help when critics attack for the wrong reasons. One reviewer writing in a Sunday Sinhala newspaper carped about luxury love, visibly annoyed that this isnt a rich-girl poor-boy scenario. While my sympathies are with the down trodden, one should acknowledge that love is one only exalted human emotion that knows no class barriers. Even religious faith comes second to it because people of opposing faiths marry, facing risk of social ostracism and even death. We are always happy to know that rich girls dream of, and occasionally even get to marry, socially immobile or downwardly mobile lovers. But there is no need to carp when two upper middle class people who drive shiny new hybrid cars love each other. It takes all that to make the world go around. Neither the rich nor the poor have a monopoly when it comes to love. Rohana Weerasinghes musical score, minus soul-searching highs and lows, complements the gentle mood of the film while Jaan Shenbergers cinematography avoids romantic lighting and looks real world, making us aware its the hearts that need to be lit here more than the faces. Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is excited to announce a new partnership with DHL Express, a division of the German logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL. This trial builds on Oman Airs promise to scrap high baggage charges. The arrangement will allow guests flying Oman Air to use DHL Express to deliver their baggage to their final destination at extremely affordable rates in line with the new rates introduced by Oman Air in January of this year. The agreement signifies DHL and Oman Airs commitment to strengthen cooperation and deliver better service and value to Oman Airs customers within Sultanate of Oman. The partnership will enable guests with confirmed Oman Air tickets to send baggage to any address within Oman Airs network through drop off at any DHL service point in Oman, including Seeb, Al Khuwair, Sohar, Muscat, Qurum and Salalah. Guests will then be able to track their packages on the move via phone, SMS, email or online through DHL.com.om. Oman Air Senior Vice President Network Planning and Revenue Management Aboudy Nasser said, Our decision to partner with DHL is part of journey to becoming the best. As with our move to scrap high baggage charges, we want to deliver more value for our customers and make their life as easy as possible while travelling. Passengers flying with us can arrive in the hotel with their baggage waiting for them relieving them of the hassle of having to carry to and from the airport. DHL Express Oman Country Manager Ali Thabet said, We are pleased to be working closely with Oman Air. This new and strategic partnership with Oman Air reflects the common vision and brand promise of both companies in making sure that the customers are offered great service quality that exceed their expectations. It is also a reflection of the strong ties that we have with Oman Air. This new partnership with DHL definitely delivers an added benefit for anyone flying with Oman Air. Using our unparalleled global network that extends to more than 220 countries across the world, DHL Express is able to provide Oman Air passengers with a unique and value for money service of securely shipping their luggage to any country they are flying to and delivering it to its final destination on time, offering them peace of mind and a hassle-free flight. Our support will aid Oman Airs mission to exceed customer expectations with a safe, reliable and seamless flying experience. Oman Air guests will receive special DHL rates on production of a valid Oman Air ticket with specific rates for Inter GCC travel, Middle East, Africa and Indian Subcontinent and separate rates for travel to Europe and Asia Pacific. DHL standard terms and conditions will apply for each shipment and DHL will be responsible for all processing of Oman Air guests requirements. Colombo National Hospital Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe said today the token strike launched by the Public Services United Nurses Union (PSUNU) has not affected the healthcare services at the Colombo National Hospital. The trade union action was launched today morning to urge the government to resolve the concerns of the members including salary anomalies. Dr. Jasinghe said out of about 820 nursing staff assigned for the morning shift more than 620 reported for duty. Although there was a slight shortage of nurses in the operating theaters, the impact was minimal, he said. PSUNU Chairman the Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera claimed that the strike was successful with the participation of a large number of members. He rejected the statement made by the Dr. Jasinghe and said he had no knowledge about the staff. Dr. Jasinghe is making statements without a check on the wards. He is not aware of the shortage because he doesnt visit the wards, the Thera said. Expressing his views on the PSUNU strike, the Government Nursing Officers Association (GNOA) President Saman Rathnapriya said the strike was utterly unsuccessful. The PSUNU has about 8,000 members. Of them 80 to 85 per cent reported to work. Base Hospitals and Teaching Hospitals in Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kandy, Karapitiya, Batticaloa and several others were functioning more or less normally, GNOA said. The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) rejected Mr. Ratnapriyas statement that it had backed the TU action. Meanwhile, Health Ministry Deputy Director General (Admin II) Mr. Rahuman said the the TU action had not affected the daily operations, however, the ministry had forwarded the PSUNU demands to the Cabinet. The Cabinet has referred the matter to the National Salaries and Cadres Commission. We will do our best to resolve their concerns, he said. However, commenting on the strike Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that the token strike launched by the PSUNU was not successful and he received information that some principals of the nurses Teaching colleges have forced their students to join the protest and but failed. He said the unions' demand to start the public health service had already been initiated. Minister Senaratne also said by now Rs. 200 million funds had been allocated to complete the shortcomings and the rest could be resolved through discussions. Meanwhile, the minister said PSUNU leader Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera had become helpless and had launched the most unsuccessful trade union action. The token strike is expected to end tomorrow morning. (Thilanka Kanakarathna) The executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa, and the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) Yasmin Sooka who previously served on the UN Secretary-Generals Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka alleged that Sri Lanka's security forces are still continuing to operate with impunity, even after the change in the government. The violations and abuses are ongoing and include abductions, torture and sexual violence which the ITJP unfortunately continues to document once the victims flee the country. This level of militarisation is unacceptable eight years after the war. It also demonstrates that the security forces continue to operate with impunity, she told in an interview with -The Wire- an Indian online news publication. Commenting on the change in the political leadership in Sri Lanka in January 2015, Sooka said the international approach towards Sri Lanka has shifted 180 degrees. Where once there would have been intolerance and frustration with the Rajapaksas now there is patience and a willingness to give more time. In terms of the situation inside the country, clearly the atmosphere has eased and activists have more space in which to function, the Human Rights Commission has credible leadership but still lacks capacity and generally civil rights have improved in the south. The Full interview Would you tell us a little bit about ITJPs work? ITJP documents human rights violations and abuses as well as gathers evidence for the purposes of building a prima facie basis for criminal trials and truth recovery processes. In addition, the ITJP also carries out transitional justice work including the training of CSOs [civil society organisations]. The key elements of our documentation and evidence gathering include taking detailed witness statements from survivors of war crimes, torture, arbitrary detention, abductions and sexual violence. Our statements are supported by medico-legal reports. Typically, taking a statement may take between three and four days to complete, with statements running into many pages supported by exhibits like maps, sketches of cells and forensic reports. To date, we have taken 240 statements, which means we have one of the biggest databases of in-depth testimonies attesting to recent Sri Lankan human rights violations and abuses. The evidence gathered constitutes a basis for an independent investigation as in many instances we have identified several alleged perpetrators in the military and police. We hope one day a credible international independent investigative unit with an independent prosecutor will be set up so the people of Sri Lanka can discover the truth. The evidence gathered also provides the basis for a submission to the truth commission in Sri Lanka if it is ever established and will expose the violations perpetrated by the security forces. Of course we have pointed out in our recent publication Putting the Wolf to Guard the Sheep that all of this also depends on witness protection for the witnesses. Its been more than two years since Maithripala Sirisena was elected president. How much has changed in Sri Lanka since January 2015? Internationally the approach towards Sri Lanka has shifted 180 degrees. Where once there would have been intolerance and frustration with the Rajapaksas now there is patience and a willingness to give more time. In terms of the situation inside the country, clearly the atmosphere has eased and activists have more space in which to function, the Human Rights Commission has credible leadership but still lacks capacity and generally civil rights have improved in the south. However in the former conflict areas, Tamil civilians live under a militarised and securitised system in which surveillance and intimidation constitute everyday life. The violations and abuses are ongoing and include abductions, torture and sexual violence which the ITJP unfortunately continues to document once the victims flee the country. This level of militarisation is unacceptable eight years after the war. It also demonstrates that the security forces continue to operate with impunity. In terms of fulfilling its transitional justice commitments, how would you describe the governments performance? The Sirisena government came to power amidst great hope and good will for transformation particularly from Tamil citizens who voted for this government. Shockingly we have witnessed two years of inaction. We have argued that the Sirisena government is complicit in the ongoing violations and abuses because it has done nothing to investigate the very grave allegations of system crimes set out in the [UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights] OHCHR Investigation report (OISL). The emphasis has been on procedures, rhetoric and box-ticking but what this government has failed to do is set out a clear vision of why Sri Lanka needs a transition from the past. The government has also failed to impress upon society in the south that this is necessary if Sri Lanka is to take its place proudly in the international community. The transition is necessary to transform Sri Lanka from a state mired in serious violations and abuses which quite frankly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity in which its criminal justice institutions have been tarnished. While there is a great deal of glib talk about reconciliation; it is extremely shallow as reconciliation involves a reckoning and an acknowledgement of the truth about the past including past violations. In reality, what we have witnessed is denial from the politicians and many in civil society about the extent of mass atrocities perpetrated by the security forces. What we have is a structural and institutional problem in the country which unless addressed will result in ongoing violations and abuses as we know is happening. Reform is urgently needed for Sinhalese and Muslims as well as Tamils. In terms of the transitional justice process, we all heralded the national consultation process which took a long time and was perceived as doing the job. When it was farmed out to NGOs we stifled our criticism. It is precisely this farming out of a function, which the government ought to have led, which has allowed the president and prime minister to disown the recommendations, leading many to ask whether the government is serious about the transition. Sadly civil society and many political parties were also duped into believing that the government was sincere in its commitments and now to their cost they are discovering differently. Legislation establishing the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) was passed last year. However the chaos and confusion regarding the text in parliament has seen nothing happen. Six months later there is no body established. Best international practice around appointments indicate the need for a transparent vetting process for the selection of persons to run the OMP and any other transitional justice mechanism; rumours abound that the government intends to appoint mainly Sinhalese persons to head a body that will primarily deal with Tamil disappearances. Consideration should be given to appointing Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in order to inspire confidence and trust amongst the families of the disappeared. An open nomination and vetting process would ensure that affected communities have the opportunity to nominate people they consider credible particularly those amongst them who have spent a great number of years working on issues of the disappeared. A number of Tamil activists including priests spring to mind as they have risked their lives over years to collect lists of the disappeared. How involved should international actors be in Sri Lankas transitional justice process? Any transitional justice process, if it is to succeed, must be locally owned not by the elites and the politicians but by the victims. However decades of violations and abuses as well as disillusionment with the government and its institutions have left many, if not all Tamil victims and witnesses, deeply distrustful. Many have indicated that if they are to testify to a truth commission or court there needs to be meaningful international involvement in that body to win their trust. A credible domestic mechanism is a contradiction in terms. They have all failed; why would things be different now when whats at stake is the investigation of even greater crimes than in the past. This is compounded by the fact that no witness protection exists and whether a witness is in Sri Lanka or abroad there needs to be international involvement in any witness protection programme. Theres been some debate surrounding the sequencing of transitional justice mechanisms. What do you think would be the most effective approach? In many countries politicians and elite always try to argue that there should be sequencing not just of the mechanisms but also many argue a peace versus justice option. The issue of sequencing is largely dependent on the context in a particular country. In the Sri Lankan context one already has the outcome of the OISL inquiry as well as the evidence gathered by groups, including the ITJP, which provides a basis for any criminal accountability mechanism to carry out its work. At the same time, this should not preclude other mechanisms like the truth commission and the OMP from doing their work. This has happened in many countries including Sierra Leone, and Colombia will soon see a plethora of transitional justice mechanisms operating side by side. Of course, what has to be worked on is the relationship between these mechanism to optimise resources and access to information. However, given the different purposes, written into the mandate of the truth commission should be the obligation to name names and pass this onto the criminal justice mechanisms as well as to refer the cases of the missing and the disappeared to the OMP. A lesson that we all learnt from the Sierra Leonean experiences which saw a truth commission operating side by side with the special court is that there should be guidelines on the relationship between these bodies if they are to be successful and achieve their respective mandates. Some people have argued that accountability for wartime abuses should be de-prioritised in favour of a political solution to the longstanding ethnic conflict. Relatedly, others have asserted that economic justice should be front and center, and that the call for accountability is actually driven by international actors. Whats your take on all of this? In the Sri Lankan context a political and economic solution to the conflict is absolutely essential. However, this does not preclude that accountability and addressing entrenched impunity for serious crimes is equally important. The scale and gravity of the crimes perpetrated in 2009 against civilians demands justice. Listening to the traumatised survivors as I did on the UN Panel of Experts as well as the many courageous individuals who stayed behind in the war zone, it is obvious that these are extraordinary crimes for which there must ultimately be accountability. In my view it represents one of the great tragedies of our time that tens of thousands of civilians were killed in a matter of weeks in a tiny area of the country without the international community intervening this challenges the entire regime of international humanitarian law and the very notions of decency on which the responsibility of the international community is built. The world cannot let this slip. Nor can Sri Lankans. In my work in South Africa and Sierra Leone as well as many other parts of the world, political change is important as is economic transformation but bitter experience has taught me that the guarantee of non-recurrence requires measures of accountability particularly prosecutions of those who were in command responsibility positions. Victims also require institutional reform in order to regain trust in the institutions of the state believing that they will work for them irrespective of their religious belief, ethnicity, race and group. In many countries the politicians argue that victims need development rather than reparations and we remind them that every citizen is entitled to development, but the recognition of the wrongdoing suffered by a victim demands acknowledgement and reparations. They need to eat but not at the expense of justice. Both the national consultations as well as the various consultations which were carried out outside of the country have indicated that justice is critical and for victims this means holding the perpetrators criminally accountable. It is false to portray the demand for criminal accountability as an international demand this is done by those who want to avoid it because they have something to hide. The 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council runs from February 27 to March 24 and Sri Lanka is on the agenda. What would you like to see happen? A tough, honest report by the High Commissioner assessing Sri Lankas lack of good faith in implementing Resolution 30/1 with the council setting clear benchmarks and time frames for the full implementation of all commitments, including essentially the foreign and commonwealth judges, investigators and prosecutors for the court which must be hybrid not domestic. OHCHR has been very clear that a domestic process will not work wed like to see them impress this point on the international community more forcefully. https://thewire.in/115872/sri-lanka-conflict-areas-yasmin-sooka/ Sri Lankas trade deficit for November 2016 widened 47.2 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) to US$ 922.4 million due to higher imports expenditure amid a decline in exports, the data released by the countrys Central Bank showed. Total exports for November fell 3.4 percent YoY to US$ 809.7 million. Industrial exports, which account for around 77 percent of total exports, fell 2 percent YoY to US$ 624 million. Textiles and garments, which contribute towards around a half of Sri Lankas export earnings, declined 6.6 percent YoY to US$ 383 million, as both traditional markets, where clients are facing challenges, and the non-traditional markets to which producers are diversifying to in reply, took in lower exports. Earnings from rubber product exports grew 9.3 percent YoY to US$ 61.2 million, while earnings from petroleum sales increased 37.5 percent YoY to US$ 24.5 million due to higher demand for bunker and jet fuel which had pushed up sales volumes and prices. The government intends to capitalize on bunkering and jet fuel sales, pushing for investments in both areas. Meanwhile, gems, diamonds and jewellery product export receipts fell 47.1 percent YoY to US$ 18.1 million. Printing industry exports increased twenty fold to U$ 11.6 million due to export of currency notes. Exports from the agriculture sector fell 8.3 percent YoY to US$ 182.9 million, during a year in which weather anomalies led to substantial supply disruption. The only major agricultural products to record growth were seafood and coconut, with export income of the former increasing 18.2 percent YoY to US$ 15.8 million due to lifting of the European fishing ban, while earnings of the latter increased 24.1 percent YoY to US$ 28.9 million. Earnings from tea, the largest agricultural export crop, fell 6.6 percent YoY to US$ 101.3 million despite record prices at the Colombo Tea Auction, due to lower volumes. Spice export receipts fell 25.4 percent YoY to US$ 22.4 million. Meanwhile, import expenditure increased 18.2 percent YoY to US$ 1.73 billion. Consumer goods expenditure declined 0.8 percent YoY to US$ 387.9 million, with vehicle imports contributing to the decline with a 45.6 percent fall YoY to US$ 64 million due to tax increases and financing limitations imposed. Food and beverage spending increased 10.6 percent YoY to US$ 141.1 million ahead of the festive season. Import of intermediate goods increased 27.8 percent YoY to US$ 882.9 million. Textile and textile article imports increased 54.1 percent YoY to US$ 258.3 million. The fuel bill, traditionally the highest import share, increased 14.6 percent YoY to US$ 221.9 million mainly through coal imports which increased 166.3 percent YoY to US$ 44.9 million due to increased dependence on the countrys breakdown-prone coal power plant during the drought. Sri Lankas exposure t hydro power is currently curtailed due to the ongoing drought, which usually generates over a third of the countrys electricity. Imports of diamonds and precious stones and metals increased 480.2 percent YoY to US$ 28.2 million due to gold purchases, while base metal imports increased 74.9 percent YoY to US$ 69.4 million. Investment goods imports increased 20.4 percent YoY to US$ 460 million, with machinery and equipment imports increasing 25 percent YoY to US$ 243.9 million, mainly through increases in machinery and machine parts of engineering, electronic, medical and laboratory equipment. Building material imports increased 12.7 percent YoY to US$ 149.5 million, with most material except for cement recording increases, while transport equipment spending increased 22.5 percent YoY to US$ 66.2 million. For the 11 months up to November in 2016, the trade deficit widened 7.5 percent YoY to US$ 8.13 billion. Total exports fell 2.8 percent YoY to US$ 9.45 billion, with textile and garment exports increasing 1.4 percent YoY to US$ 4.49 billion. Rubber product exports increased 0.4 percent YoY to US$ 705.5 million, while tea exports fell 6.2 percent YoY to US$ 1.16 billion. Import expenditure for the same period increased 1.7 percent YoY to US$ 17.58 billion. Consumer goods spending fell 8.4 percent YoY to US$ 3.96 billion due to vehicle imports declining by 43.1 percent YoY to US$ 736.4 million, while food and beverage spending increased 0.4 percent YoY to US$ 1.48 billion. Intermediate goods imports increased one percent YoY to US$ 8.87 billion, with textile and textile article imports rising 20.5 percent YoY to US$ 2.48 billion. Oil bill for the 11 months fell 13.3 percent YoY to US$ 2.15 billion due to lower crude and petroleum imports. Gold purchases pushed the diamonds and precious stones and metals segment up 199 percent YoY to US$ 440.6 million. Investment goods imports for the 11 months increased 13.9 percent YoY to US$ 4.74 billion. Worker remittances, FDI slow down In other inflows to the country, the two major segments of worker remittances and foreign direct investments (FDIs) performed poorly in November, although the overall balance of payments for the year up to November 2016 improved substantially. Workers remittances, the countrys main foreign exchange earner, fell 1.2 percent YoY to US$ 567.4 million. Oil prices had fallen in late October 2016 ahead of the OPEC oil production cut in November, and remittances may have been affected, due to most of it coming from the Middle East. Earnings from tourism however, increased 20.1 percent YoY to US$ 286.9 million. Net inflows to the Colombo Stock Exchange were recorded at US$ 2 million, up from a US$ 0.4 million net deficit YoY. Government foreign borrowings fell to US$ 227.6 million from US$ 1.61 billion YoY, as a US$ 1.5 billion sovereign bond issuance had taken place in November 2015. Long term loans increased 466.8 percent YoY to US$ 219.5 million. There were no FDIs in November, similar to the situation a year ago, as policy inconsistency and infighting among the parties in the unity government discouraged investors. For the first 11 months of 2016, workers remittances increased 3.1 percent YoY to US$ 6.56 billion, while tourism earnings increased 18.7 percent YoY to US$ 3.13 billion. There was a net outflow of US$ 8.7 million from the Colombo bourse, down from a US$ 7.5 million net inflow YoY. Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse the protestors of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) in Colombo Fort today. The students of the IUSF are protesting against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM). Pix by Damith Wickramasinghe The platform of Kanyakumari railway station Situated in the Tamil Nadu state at the confluence of two bodies of water, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, Kanyakumari known as the Lands End of India is worth paying a visit to. With majestic hills, seashores, green paddy fields, friendly people and delicious food, Kanyakumari is one of the most mesmerising destinations in India. It is famous as a beach paradise thronged by local and foreign visitors. Face art of Kathakali, a popular folk art form of Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari was known as Cape Comorin during the British regime. After independence, the states of India were separated on a linguistic basis. As a result, Kanyakumari separated from the Kerala state, as the majority of people were Tamils. Apart from geographical and environmental significance, Kanyakumari also has historical and religious importance connected with the Hindu community, another reason for the increasing number of national and international visitors. The Lands End is unique because it gives tourists the ultimate travelling experience. The name Kanyakumari was derived from the Hindu Goddess Kumari Amman. The Temple of the Hindu Goddess Kumari Amman is an important place to visit in any travellers diary. According to Hindu beliefs and mythology, Kanya Devi aka Parvati, was to marry Lord Shiva but the marriage did not take place. Some say Lord Shiva did not show up at the wedding. As a result, Kanya Devi remained a virgin, called Kanya Kumari. She is now considered a virgin goddess in the Hindu religion. The Hindus believe that if you make a wish inside the Kumari Amman Temple, the probability for the wish being fulfilled is high due to the power of the goddess. With such wishes in mind, thousands of Hindu devotees, people from every part of India and abroad visit the temple everyday. There is no peak season at the temple. When we visited, we noticed a few foreigners who had applied Raktha Chandanam (red sandalwood powder) on their foreheads, waiting in the queue to enter the temple. The temple also has fascinating architecture from the ancient period. Kumari Amman Temple The twin rocks in the seas off the Kumari Amman Temple are believed to have been created in memory of the famous Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk, is a celebrated spiritual leader in India. Visitors are brought to see the rocks and surroundings via ferry services. The ferry journey from the sea to the land to the Vivekananda rocks is fully worth the fee. Adjoining the rocks is the Thiruvalluvar Statue, a 133 ft monument situated at a distance of 400m from the Kanyakumari coastline. The area surrounding the statue is also very attractive. Hindus say the statue was built in memory of the famous Indian Tamil poet and saint Thiruvalluvar. The ferry journey takes visitors to both the Vivekananda rocks and the Thiruvalluvar statue. The wonderful sight of the sunrise and sunset in Kanyakumari is beyond description, because both the sunset and the moon can be seen simultaneously on the horizon over the ocean on full moon days. Thousands of people gather every morning and evening to experience this sight. People watching the sunrise near the Swami Vivekananda rocks and Thiruvalluvar Statue Vattakottai Fort (Circular Fort) is another tourist spot in the Kanyakumari town. The Vattakottai Fort is said to have been built in the 18th Century by the Dutch Captain Eustachius De Lannoy of the Dutch East India Company in the Kingdom of Travancore, which is now Kerala. Captain De Lannoy was a former Dutch naval officer who lived during the rule of King Marthanda Varma of the Travancore Kingdom. The fort was constructed with large blocks of rectangular granite and 25-26 ft high walls as a military base to protect the Kumari Harbour. The Fort is currently maintained by the Indian Archaeological Department. Since the town is in a coastal area, there are plenty of stalls and outlets where you can buy ornaments, jewellery and household items made out of seashells. Saris, textiles and handloom garments are also worth a buy. Shopping in Kanyakumari is a pretty good shopping experience as the goods are reasonably priced. If you enjoy the beauty of nature, you will not be disappointed by a trip to Kanyakumari, where you can visit the Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kumari Amman Temple, Thiruvalluvar Statue and the Gandhi Memorial. 18th century Vattakottai Fort Scenic Kanyakumari beach Seashell marts The Thiruvalluvar Statue Conferencing Brings Efficiency to India Divorce Court Share Tweet By Steve Anderson Contributing Writer By Steve AndersonContributing Writer Divorce is seldom a pleasant business, and one court in India wants to make this generally unpleasant situation at least move faster, mandating the use of conferencing systems to help speed things along. Given that that court is the Supreme Court of India, it carries quite a bit more weight. Under normal circumstances, reports note, scheduling priority in such cases is given to the wife as a normal part of Indian court proceedings. Hearings for divorce and child-related matterscustody and maintenance in particularare commonly held in the jurisdiction where the wife resides. That can be a serious problem for the husband in the case, and sometimes can lead to a lot of cash spent on litigation. The case that changed the Supreme Court's mind on this came from a woman in Hyderabad, who was living there with her young daughter. As part of divorce proceedings, the Hyderabad woman had to travel to Jabalpurabout 486 miles awayin order to pursue the proceedings. The court allowed the woman to file a transfer plea, but reports note that it took about three years for the court to actually address the plea in question. Subsequently, the court noted that it had a lot of cases like this in its backlog. Given that Delhi alone has nearly 12,000 matrimonial cases pending, and over the last two years the court has processed over 24,000, it's clear that there's a lot of backlog. Some courts have as many as 52,000 cases in backlog, while others merely have a little over 5,000. Regardless of how deep the backlog goes, it became clear it would be better for all concerned if these cases started using technology that allowed long distances to be bridged more rapidly. Naturally, the court understood that conferencing wasn't a universally-available technology, and thus directed the use of such tools on a where-applicable basis, calling on those who could put such systems to work to do so. It's kind of a surprise that the court had to specifically direct such a move, and rather that this wasn't a response from courts all over India seeking permission to do just this, or at least seeking guidance on how to set this up. While court proceedings are often a matter of established law and precedent, and generally not amenable to quick-changing technology, the sheer sizes of the backlogs involved should have made it clear that a technological solution to the problem was not just a desirable extra but rather a clear necessity. Still, it doesn't really matter what should have been, as the fact is that conferencing is now a tool in the toolbox. Hopefully it will help speed some caseloads along and yield a better overall justice system. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Article comments powered by Disqus Edited by Alicia Young India is in desperate need of a strong opposition. The recent poll results in five states are proof of this argument. Except Punjab, the BJP has successfully routed every opposition in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Surviving with minor skirmishes in Goa, it has also made a mark in Manipur. Leaving behind an important question, how in the world it won with such ease? The poll results have made one thing clear - that the formidable political stature of PM Narendra Modi-led BJP is more acceptable on the ground. The Congress and other parties have not shown any impact. Vulnerable opposition It is not the first time in independent India that the opposition is so weak. The Congress had its day. The Gandhis were formidable. Their political astuteness helped them rule the country for over six decades. The opposition was not strong enough to put a strong opposition against them. So, what now? When the countrys oldest political party Congress is more vulnerable than ever and has been left alone to introspect, neither the public nor political fraternity is taking it seriously. So, how to make a comeback with a strong opposition? Former finance minister and Congress veteran P Chidambaram said it needs to start from scratch. The Congress needs to strengthen its ground base without relying on the mighty Gandhis. Its leaders need a new approach. They have to leave behind the old aristocratic attitude and approach of political hierarchy and reach people with folded hands, listen to them, stand with them and provide solutions to their basic problems. For a healthy democracy, a healthy opposition is as important as a strong government. Photo: Reuters It has to adopt a long term strategy to repeat the magic of 2004 when it took the entire nation with surprise and returned to power with tremendous ground support. However, for other opposition parties also it is important to modify their approach. Exerting their entire energy on caste calculations is not going to help them in the long run. The UP poll result should become an eye-opener for them. Why a strong opposition is important? For a healthy democracy, a healthy opposition is as important as a strong government. It helps keep the regime in power under control, and prevent it from developing arrogant and autocratic deviations from the path of progress and democracy by questioning such steps, assessing their policies and programmers objectively and also by giving important inputs. Right now, like Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Modi is enjoying a larger-than-life image. India needed a strong leader in 2014, not a messiah but because of weak opposition his image has attained daunting heights. This is why issues emerging from JNU and the death of Hyderabad research scholar Rohith Vemula have become insignificant to the people. At present, this country is suffering from a most non-synced and unprepared opposition. Only boycotting Parliament or hitting the streets in protest is not sufficient. They need to reach to the masses and awaken them about the unspoken truths. Finally, the hysterics have some nominal satisfaction. After two-and-a-half years of bombast and declarations of the "Khorasan Province", purportedly including India, and the orchestration of near-continuous panic in the media over every discovery of alleged or real "Islamic State (IS) links", presumably knowledgeable commentators have now announced triumphantly, IS is here. And all this on the basis of an appallingly botched operation in which an entire "module" has been discovered and neutralised, with no loss of life on the part of the targets - the passengers on the Bhopal-Ujjain Express - which is dubiously being attributed to IS. A particular constituency of "experts" would have us believe the IS has established its presence in 21 Indian states, and that as the outfit's diffuse and ostensibly infectious ideology proliferates across the globe, it puts all "Muslim minds" at risk. This is all contrafactual garbage. As regards the IS presence in 21 states, this is a complete and irresponsible invention with no supporting basis in reality, and is likely inspired by a purely partisan communal agenda. As regards the "IS ideology", there is not a single element here that has not been actively around for decades. The Lashkar-e-Tayyeba has pursued this ideology for over two decades, under the protective umbrella of the Pakistani State, as have other Islamist terrorist groupings acting on the directions of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The al-Qaeda has seen India as a target of legitimate jihad at least since 1996, and has secured no traction among Indian Muslims. There is, indeed, no distinction between al-Qaedas ideology and that of the IS. The differences between the two groups are tactical-strategic. The IS was originally the Jamaat-al-Tawhid-wal-Jihad in Iraq, and thereafter Tanzim-Qaiadat-al-Jihad-fi-Bilad-al-Rafidian (also known as al-Qaeda in Iraq) under the leadership of Abu Musab-al-Zarqawi, after it declared fealty to the al-Qaeda. It was Zarqawis decision to pursue a takfiri line and target "heretical" sects within Islam as a priority that led to a breach with the al-Qaeda, resulting in the creation of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS, subsequently IS) and the Jabhat-al-Nusra (now Jabhat-Fateh-al-Sham), with the latter remaining loyal to the al-Qaeda leadership. ISs intrinsic appeal is not in any unique elements of its ideology, but, as with the al-Qaeda at its zenith, in its operational successes, including its overrunning of large territories in Iraq and Syria, as well as dramatic slaughters it has orchestrated or catalysed in the west (often greater carnage in other regions, including North Africa and South Asia, fails to evoke comparable "inspiration"). Three accused are produced in a Bhopal court in connection with the train blast. Photo: PTI This appeal, certainly among a tiny fringe of deviants, has also been augmented by the gloating projection of acts of appalling (but far from unprecedented) cruelty through the internet, as well as a relatively sophisticated understanding of cyberspace both for propaganda and recruitment. The sheer incompetence of the Bhopal-Ujjain Express blast and its "low yield" in terms of casualties should suffice to demonstrate that the IS outreach into India has failed, despite over two-and-a-half years of sustained effort and provocation. The problem with the exaggerated assessments of IS threats is they rely on tenuous, often one-sided, connections, and fail to recognise the core of what an affiliation with IS would actually mean: the transfer or augmentation of operational capacities and capabilities, or of resources, or of clear lines of command and control, or combinations of these. In the absence of such a transfer, from a security perspective, there are no grounds for any change in threat perception. Accessing IS material on the internet, the possession of IS flags, scribbling IS slogans, or even sending photographs of an incident to someone in Syria, does not constitute "affiliation" with IS, though it certainly demonstrates such an aspiration. It is useful to remind ourselves of the actual magnitude of the IS manifestation in India, rather than succumbing to paranoia and communal prejudice. While documentation of all cases has not been possible, an estimated 60 Indians are believed to have travelled to Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan to join the IS, of whom at least eight have been killed in the fighting there. Further, according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal, 82 people have been arrested or detained in connection with IS activities within India since 2014 (till March 10, 2017). This is the sum total of documented IS "influence" in India, in an estimated Muslim population of over 180 million. Crucially, there have been disgraceful attempts, once again, to reduce the entire issue to partisan politics, linking a terrorist incident to an apologetics based on "Muslim grievances". Prominently, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh argues that ISs attraction is sourced in continuous persecution and injustice to Muslims, presumably under the present Bharatiya Janata Party regime. But if terrorist incidents and mobilisation are indices of persecution and injustice towards Muslims, then one must conclude that such persecution and injustice was far greater under the preceding regime, when Islamist terrorism and networks were far more rampant than they now are under the present regime - an assessment with which Singh is unlikely to concur. There have also been the usual homilies about intelligence failure and the need for greater alertness and responsiveness on the part of the intelligence and enforcement apparatus, but these display an evident ignorance of the realities of the ground. Indeed, the agencies have been extraordinarily - and one may suggest, uncharacteristically - vigilant with regard to the incipient IS threat. The arrests reported till date, with just this one low grade incident reaching slipshod fruition in more than 33 months of sustained panic over the imminent and overwhelming "arrival" of IS in India, are a clear demonstration of counter-terrorism successes, despite the widely known deficits and deficiencies in the national and state intelligence apparatus. There is also insufficient understanding of the degree of anxiety and concern that currently affects the Muslim leadership, including dominant conservative religious formations, not only with regard to IS and its representation of Islam, but the wider global jihadi movement. Despite the fact that prominent institutions and ulema have spoken out repeatedly and explicitly against the IS and broader movements of Islamist terrorism (including, for instance, the November 2015 fatwa against the IS signed by as many as 1,070 imams and ulema across India), the prejudice that a potential jihadi lurks in every Muslim continues to dominate the mindset of a wide section of society, including political formations that have a vested interested in demonising the community. In October 2014, I had asked Manohar Parrikar, then CM of Goa, if the rumours swirling through the corridors of South Block were true. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, it was being said, was only an interim defence minister till such time that Parrikar could be persuaded to move to Delhi. Parrikar was ambivalent. Ill cross that bridge when I come to it, he said at Mahalaxmi, the Goa CMs official residence in Panjims tony quarter, Altinho. On February 21 this year, in his office in South Block, he used the same bridge analogy to trash the rumours about him returning to Goa after the Assembly elections. When I pointed out it was exactly what he had said in 2014, he guffawed - At least you cant accuse me of inconsistency. On March 11, Parrikar arrived at that bridge and crossed over in a flash. He became CM-designate of Goa in less than 24 hours, for reasons not very far to see. The BJP might have swept Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur but was trounced in Punjab and bested by the Congress in Goa. In Punjab, the party could blame its tie up with the coalition partner Shiromani Akali Dal, but in Goa where it finished with 13 seats behind the Congresss 17, and eight seats short of a majority, the party has no one to blame but itself. CM Laxmikant Parsekar lost his seat and squandered the 24-seat majority that Parrikar had won for it in 2012. The poor show in 2017 may also be Parrikars cross to bear. In the two years and three months as defence minister he divided his time between South Block and Goa, attracting charges that he was remotely running the state government. Parrikar had staked his credibility on the Goa elections, camping in the state for over a month and dropping broad hints at his return. The conditional support extended by the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party with three MLAs - they would only support the BJP with Parrikar as CM - constricted the BJPs options. Where does that leave the ministry that Parrikar has helmed since November 2014? As defence minister, he controlled the worlds third largest military and the sixth largest military expenditure and oversaw a ministry that is a key stakeholder in a South Asian tri-junction India shares with nuclear-armed Pakistan and China. The unsettled borders with these two countries means the threat of a military clash always looms. The need to reform the defence ministry is beyond doubt. That an aspiring superpower imports over half of its defence requirements despite a mammoth military-industrial complex is one such glaring area of concern. This reform is a top down process and can only be initiated by the political leadership because the armed forces and the bureaucracy who run their own fiefdoms are loathe to change. The quality of the political leadership who helm this ministry has always been called into question. The sheer vastness of the defence ministry, the complexities of procurement and the insulation of the political class from matters military means it takes a politician months if not years to understand the difference between a gun and a howitzer and a guerilla from a gorilla, as Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw once said. The lack of talent in the defence ministry means its most critical problems - slow procurement, dysfunctional defence public sector and silo-ed armed forces - have largely remained unchanged over the years. Barring Arun Singh, Rajiv Gandhis brilliant MoS for defence in the late 1980s, George Fernandes and, very briefly, Jaswant Singh under the NDA, few Indian politicians in recent years have understood the nuances of this vast ministry. The lack of talent in the defence ministry means its most critical problems - slow procurement, dysfunctional defence public sector and silo-ed armed forces - have largely remained unchanged over the years. Photo: Reuters And that is precisely where Parrikar was making a difference. It took him, by his own admission, at least a year to understand the inner workings of his ministry. The leap in scale was extraordinary - a single defence procurement proposal in South Block could dwarf Goas annual budget. He commissioned at least a dozen committees to identify problems ranging from streamlining defence procurements to resolving ex-servicemens issues and rapidly endeared himself to the armed forces through his accessibility, grasp of technology and understanding of complex procurement issues. He resolved the One Rank One Pension logjam in 2015 that had bedevilled past governments even as he accepted brickbats for not being harsh on his MoD bureaucracy. He backed his track record of impeccable personal integrity by leading a spartan life that would horrify the bureaucrats and armed forces brass in his ministry. He paid his own bills when he lived in one room of a naval officers mess and stripped his 10, Akbar Road, residence of frills like multiple air conditioners when he moved in to stay with his personal staff. Sadly however, the biggest reforms he initiated - strategic tie-ups for the private sector with foreign defence players, the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a single-point military adviser to the government who would push tri-services integration - are still file-bound. It is doubtful whether they will be pushed with the zeal that Parrikar did. Goas gain could well be the defence ministrys loss. Imperial Oil Limited engages in exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for, and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. 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McCain also said he expects there will be more to come related to the meddling by Russia during in the U.S. election last year. Get Warning: Undefined variable $CompanyName in /home/acctdp/public_html/wp-content/themes/responsalambre/single.php on line 65 alerts: On CNN during an interview McCain said he did not have a reason to believe the allegation made by Trump, which has not been supported with any evidence and which one official in the White House said was prompted by an article on Breitbart, the conservative online news site. McCain told Jack Tapper on CNN that he did not have any reason to believe there was any truth in the charge leveled by the President. All Trump would have to do, added McCain was to pick the phone up and speak to the national intelligence director or the CIA and ask what had taken place. The comments by the senator marked the most recent call from a high-profile personality for Trump to explain the different tweets he released March 4 where he claimed that Obama had wire tapped the Trump Tower. Although, when Trump tweeted his accusations he did not give any evidence to back them up and since then has not supplied any. However, since the stunning accusations were leveled by the president, several former and current national security officials have denied Trumps accusations, including James Clapper the former National Intelligence director, as did former president Obama through one of his spokespersons. Sources have also said that James Comey the Director of the FBI pushed back the claim by Trump as well. Agencies in law enforcement, under the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, must obtain from a secret court a warrant to undertake this type of monitoring. However, communications of Americans might be swept up through the monitoring of foreigners, as in the case with Michael Flynn the former national security adviser, whose leaked communications with Sergey Kislyak a diplomat with Russia led to his resignation. Reports of associates of President Trump contacting Russians known to the U.S. intelligence community, during the presidential campaign have been dogging the president for a number of months, raising many questions about whether the contact had anything to do with the meddling by Russia in the November election. Members of the U.S. intelligence community concluded that Moscow has launched a hacking campaign to undermine Hillary Clinton the nominee of the Democrats and Trumps opponent in the election. The following companies are subsidiares of WPP: 24/7 Real Media UK Ltd., 41?29! 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KG, mPlatform LLC, plista GmbH, thjnk, and thjnk AG. Read More Albemarle County Supervisor Ann Mallek holds a town hall meeting to discuss the county budget at 10 a.m. Saturday at the White Hall Community Building at the intersection of Garth Road and Browns Gap Turnpike in White Hall. (434) 996-6159. Blue Ridge Chapter of the United Nations Association presents Girls Through the Western Lens, an intergenerational discussion on how the West perceives Third World countries, from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist at 717 Rugby Road. una-brc.avenue.org. (434) 409-0264. Center for Biomedical Ethics and Humanities at the University of Virginia School of Medicine holds The Medical Center Hour with Dr. David P. Morris presenting Eros and Illness: A Caregivers Tale at noon Wednesday in the Pinn Hall Conference Center Auditorium. med.virginia.edu/biomedical-ethics. (434) 924-5974. Central Virginia American Marketing Association hosts Marijean Oldham presenting Blogging: Why, When and How from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 21 at the Darden School of Business at 100 Darden Blvd. (4340 327-8285. Charlottesville Aviation Luncheon Club hosts David A. Sheffler discussing his use of three-dimensional printers to build unmanned aerial system drones during its regular meeting at noon Wednesday at Blue Ridge Cafe at 8315 Seminole Trail in Ruckersville. (434) 328-2323. Hospice of the Piedmont hosts a screening and discussion of the PBS documentary Being Mortal, an exploration of the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illnesses and their relationships with doctors, nurses and family members, at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theater on the Downtown Mall. Free. (434) 979-1333. League of Women Voters hosts Wyatt Andrews, former CBS correspondent and professor of media studies, presenting The Real Threat of Fake News at 2 p.m. Sunday at CitySpace at 100 Fifth ST. NE. (434) 970-1707. Nelson County Historical Society hosts Tom Burford presenting The Historical Development of Orchards and Vineyards on the East Face of the Blue Ridge in Amherst and Nelson Counties at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Nelson Center at 8445 Thomas Nelson Highway in Lovingston. (434) 263-8400. National Multiple Sclerosis Society hosts Stephanie Buxhoeveden speaking at the On the Move Luncheon at noon Friday at Glenmore Country Club. Details and reservations are available by calling (434) 987-6088. Northside Library hosts Lisa Woolfolk interviewing Tayari Jones, author of the NEA Big Read selection Silver Sparrow, at 6 p.m. Friday. 705 W. Rio Road. (434) 973-7893. Orange County Office on Youth offers a presentation on the dangers of social media by the Orange County Sheriffs Office at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Town of Orange Community Room at 235 Warren St. in Orange. (540) 672-5484. Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club hosts a screening of the film Facing the Surge, documenting the tangible costs of sea level rise, followed by a discussion, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Central Library at 201 E. Market St. (434) 979-7151. Transition Charlottesville offers the Zero Waste presentation by Rose Brown from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday at EcoVillage at 480 E. Rio Road. (434) 987-1026. New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. The Charlottesville area could be spared of the pain that large amounts of snowfall predicted for regions north of Central Virginia, but some snow and icy conditions likely will cause delays and cancellations this week. On Monday afternoon, Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency ahead of the winter storm, urging Virginia residents, particularly those in northern reaches of the state, to begin preparing. The National Weather Services forecast on Monday afternoon predicted that as much as 5 inches of snow could fall in the Charlottesville area; a winter weather advisory is in place until 2 p.m. Tuesday. According to the NWS, a winter weather advisory, as opposed to a warning, generally means that a winter weather event that can cause significant inconvenience and threatening situations has a very high probability of happening. A warning is reserved for cases in which conditions pose a threat to life or property. With this forecast in mind, all Virginians should take the necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period, McAuliffe said. Earlier this week, forecasters were predicting 5 to 8 inches of snow for the area. But by Monday, officials had downgraded the amount of expected accumulation, predicting that most of the precipitation will be an icy mix of snow, rain and sleet, with total accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. The NWS reports that there is a 20 percent chance for snow showers continuing into Tuesday evening, but freezing temperatures could create icy conditions that would complicate commutes Wednesday morning. Wednesday is expected to be sunny with a high of 36. Whipping winds of 10 to 13 mph also are expected, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Virginia State Police is urging motorists to use caution during the storm by driving slowly, using headlights, refraining from using cellphones and wearing seat belts. Drivers should check their vehicles and have a window scraper, blanket, flashlight, water and a cellphone charger on hand before driving during the storm. As of 4 p.m. Monday, more than a dozen flights arriving at and departing from the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport had been delayed or canceled. Jason Burch, communications director for the airport, said the airports snow team has been activated to handle any potential snow or icy conditions. We encourage anyone traveling through CHO to closely monitor their flight status and to stay in contact with their airlines, he said. Information about flights from the airport can be found at gocho.com. The Virginia Department of Transportation has delayed the start of a bridge repair project in Albemarle County because of the storm. Originally to begin Monday, work on the bridge over Halls Creek on Blackwells Hollow Road will now begin March 20. The road will be closed that day, and then reopened to traffic April 21. VDOT crews were scheduled to be on duty overnight and during the day Tuesday to plow snow and treat the roads with salt and sand to help prevent and counteract icy road conditions. Refreeze of snow, which can create black ice on roads, can be expected most nights this week. Ebenezer Baptist Church will celebrate its 125th anniversary during the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday, March 19. Founded by the Rev. Alexander Truatt in 1892, the Charlottesville churchs first worship service took place at the Daughters of Zion Hall at the intersection of Fourth and Commerce streets. On Thanksgiving Day of 1907, the church was destroyed by a fire. Eleven months later, the rebuilding of Ebenezer was completed at its present location at 113 Sixth St. SW. A successive line of pastors over the years grew the church, keeping it financially sound and ordaining numerous pastors who went on to serve across Central Virginia. The current pastor, the Rev. Lehman D. Bates II, assumed leadership of the church in 2006 and undertook a massive renovation and restoration effort, made possible by a sizeable bequeathment from the estate of longtime member Sister Dorothea Robinson Lewis Lee. Renovations included structural and security improvements and a fully equipped media center. The church was recognized in 2008 by the city of Charlottesville with the Herman Key Access to the Disabled Award for the installation of an elevator lift. Outreach ministries have donated more than $3 million in medical supplies and equipment to the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, earning recognition from the dual-island nations minister of health in 2007 and from its premier in 2009. The University of Virginia recognized the success of the ministry with the creation of an academic course on disaster preparedness in the West Indies, an annual overseas research study practicum for 30 undergraduates. The churchs local outreach includes the Emergency Needs Bank, a broadcast of its Sunday morning worship services and participation in several community activism and support groups. Sundays anniversary celebration will feature guest preacher the Rev. Harlie Wilson of Israel Baptist Church in Baltimore. Following the service, a catered banquet will be held at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Details are available by calling (434) 296-7158. Amidst a national focus on undocumented immigrants, Albemarle County recently released a brochure designed to inform residents to what extent different county departments can or cannot become involved in immigration enforcement. In the brochure, the Albemarle County Police Department stresses that local police play no part in enforcing federal immigration laws or participating in deportation efforts by federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to county Police Chief Ron Lantz. Realistically, the Albemarle County Police Departments sole purpose is to enforce state and local laws, and make the county a safe place for our community, Lantz said. We take great pride in including the entire community in our community policing efforts to solve crimes and make it a better place to live. We want people to feel comfortable, and our function is to keep doing what we do best being in the community and enforcing state and local laws, he said. Thats what were going to continue to do. The brochure also features information about immigration requirements in the countys social services, human resources and finance departments, as well as the school system. Copies of the brochure can be obtained at the police and social services departments at the County Office Building on Fifth Street Extended and the County Office Building on McIntire Road. An electronic version can be found at albemarle.org. Late last month, in his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump rocked back and forth on the prospect of providing legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants and reasserting his commitment to deportation, according to The New York Times. While the national focus remains on the presidents immigration enforcement intentions, local police will not have much of a role to play, regardless of federal decisions. Local police agencies do not typically interact with ICE on immigration cases, Lantz said, but they do often work together on human trafficking investigations. As part of their department policy, Albemarle officers do not ask people about their immigration status, even in the event of an arrest. The Charlottesville Police Department, along with their county counterparts and the University of Virginia Police Department, has similar policies, and officers do not ask about immigration status when interacting with the community, according to city police Lt. Steve Upman. Our role is the same as any other local law enforcement agency in that we are tasked with enforcing state and local law and do not have the authority to enforce federal laws, Upman said. Our main focus is keeping everyone safe, to include any immigrants, and continue to improve the quality of life in Charlottesville. Any immigrant, regardless of their status, should not hesitate to interact with our officers if they need assistance. If a person is arrested and they happen to be in the country illegally, that information is discovered by the local jail, according to Martin Kumer, superintendent of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. Virginia jails are required by state law to obtain an arrestees place of birth and whether they are a U.S. citizen and report the information to ICE. The person is then fingerprinted and their information is entered into the Local Inmate Data System to make sure they are not wanted by other jurisdictions or by ICE on criminal charges. If someone is in the country illegally or is wanted by ICE, the local jail will notify ICE, but it is no guarantee ICE will take them into custody, Kumer said. Last year, the local jail took in 312 people who were not U.S. citizens, but ICE only took custody of about 40 of them. Theyre not taking everybody, and some of those people may be here perfectly legally, Kumer said. Since the Trump administration took office in January, Kumer said, the jail has not seen any increase in the number of undocumented immigrants being arrested or deported. And there are no plans to do anything differently. Instead, the jail will continue to do what it always has been required to do no more and no less, he said. We dont go out of our way to identify these individuals or encourage their apprehension, Kumer said. We just do what were required to by law. People, holding a banner with a picture of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, shout slogans during a protest in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, early March 12, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] THE HAGUE -- The diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam. Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey. Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan. Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police. "The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," the Turkish Minister stated through twitter. The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags, near the consulate grew to hundreds of people during the evening. Around 10 p.m. local time, the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension. The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming. The town of Culpeper and commonwealth of Virginia are prepared for whatever winter weather may come this way. The town of Culpeper notified residents Monday morning that it would activate its Snow Emergency Route at midnight on Tuesday, prohibiting parking and abandoning vehicles on specifically named roads and streets in town, according to a news release. A few hours later, Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a State of Emergency for the entire state, urging citizens to prepare for as much as a foot or more of snow in northern regions of Virginia. Culpeper is slated to receive four to six inches of snow through 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. With this forecast in mind, all Virginians should take the necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period, said McAuliffe. Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne said VDOT is prepared with crews, equipment and materials to treat roads in advance of the storm and will work throughout the storm to plow roads. Driving conditions during the storm are expected to be hazardous and motorists are urged to stay off the roads until the storm passes, he said. As part of the state of emergency, the Virginia State Police has uniformed personnel and necessary specialty units ready to respond to traffic crashes, disabled vehicles, and other storm-related emergencies. The Virginia National Guard has been authorized to bring up to 200 personnel to be staged across Northern Virginia to support requests for assistance. Expected missions for the Guard include using Humvees and light/medium tactical trucks to provide transportation for first responders through deep snow or help evacuate citizens in need of shelter as well as providing debris reduction teams with chain saws to help clear roads if needed, according to a news release. Town of Culpeper public works is also ready to clear roads. By announcing activation of the snow emergency route plan early, it will give motorists sufficient time to respond before the storm arrives, said Culpeper Public Services Director Jim Hoy. The Towns Snow Emergency Route plan has proven to be successful in prohibiting parking on specified streets so that snow equipment can more efficiently clear the roads and streets, according to the news release. Main Street and Davis Street will be impacted the most when the plan is activated. The Snow Emergency Route ban on parking and abandoning vehicles will remain in effect until further notice. Based on current forecasts for snow accumulation and wind conditions, the storm has the potential to create extremely hazardous driving conditions with reduced visibility, according to the town. Public Works crews will be focusing resources on priority streets to include primary highways and urban collectors including those that provide access to emergency services such as the Culpeper Regional Hospital, Culpeper Fire Department and Town Police. The following town roads are included in the Snow Emergency Route ordinance: James Madison Highway (Bus. 29 north); Main Street; Madison Road (Bus. 29 south); Germanna Highway (Route 3), Sperryville Pike (U.S. 522); Orange Road (U.S. 15); Old Rixeyville Road; Laurel Street; Sunset Lane; East Piedmont Street from N. Main St to Old Brandy Road; Old Brandy Road; Ira Hoffman Lane and East and West Davis Streets. Perriello to hold Rock & Rally in Falls Church Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virginia Tom Perriello will hold a Rock & Rally concert and campaign event at 7 p.m. on March 24 at the State Theatre in Falls Church. The event, which is not free, will feature music from the Sierra Leones Refugee All Stars, a music group born in refugee camps during that countrys brutal civil war. Periello worked during this time as the Special Advisor to the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, seeking justice for victims of the conflict, according to a news release. Tom and the Refugee All-Stars are joining together to defend refugees and all Virginia immigrants in the face of the Trump administrations immoral and unconstitutional actions, the release said. Also performing at the campaign event will be Nag Champa DC, a futuristic funk art ensemble, and the Perriello Pickers, a Virginia bluegrass group formed to help elect the Democratic candidate. Tickets start at $10 for students and $25 for the general public with proceeds benefitting the campaign. Shenandoah National Park announces spring opening dates Facilities in Shenandoah National Park will begin opening this month and will continue to open through the spring, according to a news release. The Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center will begin operating seven days a week on March 23 and until then is only open weekends. The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center will open seven days a week beginning April 7. Big Meadows Campground will open March 24; Lewis Mountain Campground will open March 31; Loft Mountain and Dundo Group campgrounds will open May 3. The opening of Mathews Arm Campground will be delayed until September 1 for ongoing construction on its sewer system. Elkwallow, Pinnacles, South River, and Dundo Picnic Grounds are now open while Big Meadows will open March 24; Lewis Mountain will open March 31; and Dickey Ridge Picnic Grounds will open April 7. Lewis Mountain Cabins and Lewis Mountain Campstore will open March 17; Big Meadows Wayside and Big Meadows Shower/Laundry will open March 23; Skyland Resort will open March 30; Loft Mountain Wayside will open April 6; Elkwallow Wayside and Skyland Stables will open on April 7; Loft Mountain Campstore and Loft Mountain Shower/Laundry will open May 3; Big Meadows Lodge will open May 10. Former Fairfax mayor pleads guilty to distributing meth following sting FAIRFAXA former Virginia mayor has pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine after a drugs-for-sex sting. News outlets report that former Fairfax Mayor R. Scott Silverthorne entered the plea Monday in Fairfax County Circuit Court. Silverthorne had been free on bond, but the judge ordered him held in jail until his June sentencing. Attorney Brian Drummond says Silverthorne faces up to 40 years in prison, but will likely get a light sentence or probation. Silverthorne was arrested in August after a sting at a Tysons Corner hotel. Police say they set up the sting after receiving a tip that Silverthorne was using a dating website to set up sexual encounters with men in exchange for drugs. Police say Silverthorne gave an undercover detective 2 grams of methamphetamine before his arrest. Virginias seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4 percent as of Monday, according to a news release from Gov. Terry McAuliffe. For the past six months, the rate has held steady at 4.1 percent. This decrease in the unemployment rate, coupled with record household employment and the 10th consecutive labor force expansion, clearly demonstrates that the investments we are making in economic development, public education and workforce training are paying off, McAuliffe said. As we face unprecedented gridlock and dysfunction in Washington, it is more important than ever to continue our momentum building a new Virginia economy. Virginia is tied with Indiana for the second lowest rate among major U.S. states, behind Massachusetts, according to the governors office Virginias labor force expanded for the tenth consecutive month to 4,274,272, up over 6,000 people in January. Also last month, the private sector recorded an over-the-year employment gain of 53,600 jobs, and the public sector recorded an over-the-year gain of 2,700 jobs. Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, eight of the eleven major industry divisions experienced employment gains. The unemployment rate for Culpeper County was 3.5 percent in December with 818 residents collecting unemployment benefits, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. On March 8, 2017 Esther Rusty Miller left this earth to join her late husband Colonel Howard Miller (USAF). Colonel Miller has been awaiting her arrival since his passing in 1998. Rusty was born in Shefield, Iowa in 1934 and was schooled in a one room country school. After graduating from Sheffield High School and completing studies at the Iowa Business Institute, in Des Moines, Rusty took a position with the Department of Defense and as a young woman began traveling the world with her position as an administrative assistant. She lived in California, England, Germany, Belgium and Washington D.C. During these travels she met and married Colonel Miller and following his retirement in 1973, the couple moved to the Carlisle area. The Millers owned and operated Howard E. Miller Antiques from their Limestone home on the Holly Pike. Rusty continued working for the Untied States Army at the Carlisle Barracks and retired with over thirty years of service. Following Howards passing, Rusty did not slow down. She was involved with numerous charitable organizations, libraries and womens groups and continued traveling throughout the world. Rusty had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and showered her friends and family members with books and articles of topics she knew each person enjoyed. She loved and supported the theater, area libraries, all veterans organizations, her community and this great country. A plaque in her homes window read Heroes dont wear capes, they wear dog tags. Hong Kong: Banking giant HSBC announced the appointment of a new chairman Monday as part of a management overhaul which will also see it choose a new CEO, after a massive drop in profits in 2016. British businessman Mark Tucker will take over from current chairman Douglas Flint in October. Tucker is currently group chief executive and president of insurance group AIA. He will lead the hunt for a new CEO for HSBC to replace Stuart Gulliver who is set to retire in 2018, the bank said in a statement to the Hong Kong exchange. The changes come as HSBC profits were dealt a hammer blow last year, with the bank attributing the decline to protectionist fears under Donald Trump and uncertainties caused by Brexit when it announced its 2016 results last month. That sent new shivers through markets already spooked by concerns over political stability in Europe, Brexit and US trade policies. Shares in HSBC were up 2.3 percent in early afternoon trading.HSBC praised Tucker's "long track record of successful leadership of complex financial services businesses in both Asia and the UK" in its statement. Before he took the helm at AIA, Tucker was head of insurer Prudential. Gulliver and Flint have led HSBC since 2010 in what has been a difficult period for the bank. The duo were grilled by UK lawmakers in 2015 and apologised for "unacceptable" failings at HSBC's Swiss division following allegations the unit helped rich clients hide billions from the taxman. HSBC was one of six major US and European banks that were fined a total of $4.2 billion by global regulators in a November 2014 crackdown for attempted manipulation of the foreign exchange market. It was also fined $1.92 billion by US prosecutors in 2012 to settle allegations that it failed to enforce anti-money laundering rules exposing it to exploitation by drug cartels and terrorist organisations. Since 2011, Gulliver and Flint have announced more than 87,000 job cuts and exited more than 80 businesses.HSBC thanked Flint for his "dedicated service" in Monday's statement. "Douglas has skilfully led HSBC through the turbulent times of the financial crisis and its aftermath," it said. "As an industry leader, he has played a key role in contributing to the development of the post-crisis regulatory framework." HARRISBURG A fire damaged 10 row homes and displaced several families Sunday afternoon in the citys Allison Hill neighborhood. The fire in the 1400 block of Walnut Street went to three alarms shortly after 3 p.m. All residents escaped safely. The Red Cross is helping the displaced families with shelter and other needs A firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment of a knee injury. Firefighters remained on the scene hours later as they worked to put out hot spots. Walnut Street was closed to traffic in the area. The fire is a half-block from the intersection where Lt. Dennis DeVoe, a 21-year veteran of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire, was fatally injured in a crash Friday night. He died Saturday. Authorities said Devoe was on his way to the fire station on 16th Street to pick up his gear before heading to a fire in the 2500 block of Lexington Street that killed 3-year-old Ashanti Hughes and critically injured two other children. Officials said that fire was caused by a recharging hoverboard. Devoe had just returned from a funeral for a retired Harrisburg firefighter who died of cancer when his vehicle was struck by an 18-year-old woman who ran a stop sign. Police said Khanyae Kendall fled the crash, but she was later arrested for DUI and other charges. Mumbai: The leading Bollywood actress who is making headlines for her recent venture in Hollywood with the film XXX: The Return of Xander Cage is known for her flawless skin and lovely long strands. The actress attributes the key for healthy hair to coconut oil. Deepika, who will be celebrating Holi with her family this year, realizes that is important to take care of your hair from the harsh colours. When asked about her plans and beauty tip for this Holi, Deepika says, Last year during Holi, I was filming in Canada for The Return Of Xander Cage. This year I will be celebrating the festival at home with my family. During the festival all of us religiously apply coconut oil. It protects my hair and also repairs any damage caused by the colours". Sharing her favourite Holi memory, she says, Playing Holi with colour and water guns with my friends in the building. Deepika also shared her favourite Holi song and it is Balam Pichkari from her own film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. When it comes to food, the beautiful lady says that she always prefers home food. Mumbai: Kannada film producer Viresh V was arrested by police for allegedly molesting a girl. He was thrashed by the girl's family before arrest. Viresh allegedly tried to sexually assault a young woman when he called her to his home on the pretext of discussing a movie role. The girl escaped from his clutches, ran and locked him from outside. She then called her family who thrashed Viresh. The entire incident was caught on mobile phone. The accused is currently in judicial custody. Aishwaryaa R. Dhanushs invitation to perform at the UN headquarters in New York was heralded with much praise, but the dancers and culture fraternity are unhappy, to say the least. When the video of her performance in NY was released online, veterans and aspiring dancers alike, took to social media to express their shock at how inept Aishwaryaas performance was. There was further mumbling on how those with decades of experience could never hope for a chance like this, and Aishwaryaa wasted the opportunity. But at the same time, there was defence for her, with many claiming that it was not her fault, but her gurus for letting her accept the invitation and participate without being well-prepared or trained. Is the backlash justified or is the director-dancer, whos also a UN Goodwill Ambassador being targeted? Dancer Anita Ratnam took to Twitter and called Aishwaryaas performance the pathetic state of Bharatanatyam at the UN, she further added that there are many deserving dancers without political or star clout. Murugashankari Leo Prabhu, a popular Bharatanatyam exponent and research scholar, opines, Basically, in any field, people with influence and contact, get many opportunities. This comes with a few pros and cons if an artiste is good, even if influential, then it doesnt matter. Not only is it my personal opinion but speaking for the fraternity, I would say that Bharatanatyam, as an art form, is challenging and is off-beat and many have dedicated their life to it. They are the ones who need to be performing our art on such global platforms. Murugashankari adds, Even Kangana Ranaut came out and spoke against nepotism in the film industry. I think its not just here, but it is a global phenomenon. Aishwaryaa during her performance Sharing a similar point of view, Kathak dancer, Shrita Baskar, says, There are a lot of stalwarts and nationally well-known people who deserved to be on that stage. Generally speaking, irrespective of being influential, if theyre trained, they definitely deserve opportunities. Take actress-dancer Shobana for example, in spite of the fact that shes already a celebrity, no one can deny that shes an exceptional dancer. Ive been a classical dancer for 14 years and only very recently, I got to know that she (Aishwaryaa) is a dancer. And regarding her performance, I have to say it was not up to the mark. Last month, quite close to Valentines Day, Shruti Haasan was spotted with a mystery guy at the airport, and rumour mills are rife that hes Michael Corsale, the actress alleged boyfriend. The couple is reportedly dating for three months now and the two first met in London, where a common friend introduced them. Kamal Haasan However, it looks like Shrutis alleged affair isnt going down well with dad Kamal Haasan. Kamal is a bit worried about his daughter roaming with her alleged boyfriend in public, reveals a source. Hes concerned with the kind of stories coming out in the press these days, which made him think this is maligning their image. Kamal has also spoken to Shruti regarding this, recently. A while back a source had revealed that Michael had come down to Mumbai to spend some time with Shruti. Hes a London-based Italian and is a theatre actor. He flew down to Mumbai to visit Shruti, who was shooting for her film Behen Hogi Teri, opposite Rajkummar Rao. Shruti spent some quality time with him, moving around in the city, before he left for London. Shruti had earlier dated Rang De Basanti actor Siddharth, and had been linked with Dhanush and Ranbir Kapoor in the past. Now 'magical pens' might help students to pass exams. (Photo: Pixabay) A temple in Gujarats Panchmahal district is advertising a special pen set that it promises will make students succeed in their exams. Leaflets in Gujarati mention a Hanuman sevak called Dushyant Bapuji who claims that the pen has supernatural abilities as it was obtained after conducting a Hanuman Saraswati Yagya. Although the price of the pens is high Rs 1,900 the leaflet assures full pay back in case the student happens to fail the exam. Interestingly, prospective customers are required to furnish the following items as pre-requisites: a mobile number, exam receipt, a photocopy of hall ticket and copy of school/college ID. People on social media even went on to tweet about the unusual product: Devasya, 45, John, 32, and Babu, 29, all residents of T.C. Palya and hailing from Kerala, are the arrested. (representational image) Bengaluru: Three people, who allegedly assaulted a mother and son over a property dispute, were arrested by the Ramamurthy Nagar police on Sunday. The alleged incident took place in T. C. Palya on Saturday morning. Devasya, 45, John, 32, and Babu, 29, all residents of T.C. Palya and hailing from Kerala, are the arrested. Raju and his mother Lakshmidevi were those who were assaulted. Devasya was constructing a house next to Rajus and he has allegedly not left set back space as per the norms. Raju had reportedly objected and requested Devasya to leave space. When Devasya did not pay heed, Raju had reportedly complained to the BBMP regarding the alleged violation of building construction by-laws. An angry Devasya, along with his associates John and Babu, allegedly barged inside Rajus house and assaulted the duo on Saturday morning. The incident was video recorded by a person. It is alleged that thought Raju approached Ramamurthy Nagar police to file a complaint on Saturday, they did not receive complaint stating that Devasya had filed a complaint against him and they could not receive counter complaint. However, Raju filed the complaint after waiting for two hours, but he alleged that the police did not provide him an acknowledgement. After TV channels started airing the visuals of the incident, the police registered a suo motu complaint and arrested the accused trio. DCP (East) Ajay Hilori refuted Rajus allegation and said despite repeated request by the police, Raju was not willing to file a complaint. As he did not file any case, the police took up a suo motu case and arrested the accused. It was also alleged that the goons who assaulted Raju and his mother had contacts with an MLA. The police, however, ruled out any such links. New Delhi: Five men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 26-year-old woman in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar area. The accused allegedly locked the victim in a flat and raped her in turns till the wee hours today and she jumped off from the balcony to escape, said a senior police officer. Police said based on the woman's complaint, a case has been registered at Pandav Nagar police station. The five accused work in different private call centres. The five men, Lakshay Bhalla, Vikas Kumar, Naveen, Swarit and Prateek have been arrested. While four of the accused work in call centres in Noida, Swarit works as an engineer in Tech Mahindra. Police said the woman, a mother of two kids, was allegedly taken to Pandav Nagar flat by Vikas. Vikas allegedly left the flat after telling the woman that he has some work and he will pick her up in the morning after finishing the work, police said. The woman lives with her two children in south Delhi's Munirka area. In her statement, she told police that she knew Vikas for the past few months. Last night, Vikas met her in Munirka and asked her to accompany him to his friend's house for a party. "The woman left with him and on the way met two of his friends. The three brought her to the flat where their other friends were already present. The woman protested about the presence of others," he said. Vikas later returned to the flat. The woman told police that the five forced her to consume alcohol. When she got drunk, they allegedly locked her in the flat and took turns to rape her. They allegedly threatened her of dire consequences if she raised an alarm or attempted to escape from the flat. At around 5.30 am, the woman managed to reach the balcony and jumped. She alerted some passersby about the sexual assault she was subjected to. One of them informed the police. Reports added that the woman was met with shocking apathy as she walked down the road naked. No one came to her aide, a report in DNA said, adding that passer-bys did nothing but stare at her. An auto-rickshaw finally came to her help and offered to drop her. "The woman was admitted to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for medical treatment and examination. She has sustained minor injuries in her legs," said the officer. Meanwhile, police said further investigation is on since the woman has been changing her statement. P. Kirthi Suresh took out Kirthi out of their house and slapped her. He pressed her face against the wall. The girl started bleeding from her nose and lost consciousness, said the inspector. Hyderabad: A drunk watchman allegedly beat his three-year-old daughter Kirthi to death, hitting her and pressing her head against the wall. Police said P. Suresh killed the child after quarrelling with his wife. Suresh was angry with the child as she did not go to him when he called her. Kirthi was not very attached to him, which used to anger him. He used to quarrel with his wife claiming that the child was not his, said Jubilee Hills inspector S. Venkat Reddy. Suresh took out Kirthi out of their house and slapped her. He pressed her face against the wall. The girl started bleeding from her nose and lost consciousness, said the inspector. Kirthi was malnourished and weak. She succumbed in a few minutes, the inspector said. Suresh took the child to hospital where doctors declared her dead. Suresh tried to escape but was arrested. Suresh had fallen in love and married Jyothi three years ago, when he was working in Dilsukhnagar. The baby was conceived before their marriage. Kochi: The protest against alleged police laxity in probing into the mysterious death of CA student Mishel Shaji Varghese (18) a week back is intensifying with the Youth Congress activists threatening to hold a march to the Commissioner's office and an all-party meet scheduled at Piravom on Monday. What has compounded grief of relatives of the deceased is that the police has termed her death as "suicide" after preliminary probe even as many questions remain unanswered regarding her disappearance and subsequent recovery of her body from Kochi backwaters near Ernakulam wharf. Mishel, a native of Elanji, Periyapuram, Piravom, was pursuing a professional course and staying at Kacheripaddy to study the Chartered Accountancy course. She left the hostel on Sunday evening after telling the authorities that she was going to the Kaloor church. However, there was no information about her after that. Her body was found from premises of the Ernakulam wharf at 8.45 pm on Monday. "She called home at 3 pm on Sunday (March 5) to say she wanted to come to take her textbook. However, her mother told her that her father was coming to meet her the next morning and she seemed happy. On that day evening she went to Kaloor Novena Church. We got the CCTV images of her entering the church at 5.37 pm on the day and her coming out at 6.01 pm. At the same time, two youths in a bike were also caught in the CCTV before the Church and can be seen following in her direction when she walked out of the church," said Babychan, a relative. However, the CCTV images of a near-by bakery didn't have any images of her walking to the Kaloor bus stop. "This means something happened here and the police should unravel the mystery," he said. "The cops should probe whether any cheating incident is there behind the incident rather than dismissing the incident as suicide. Her friends had given statement to police that a youth used to harass her. The same should also be probed," said Mebin Baby, counsillor of the ward where the family is based. Anoop Jacob MLA said the Kochi Commissioner would meet the victim's family on Tuesday and that the issue would be raised in assembly too. While the Youth Congress-KSU activists will hold a march from the Ernakulam DCC office to the Commissioner's office on Monday morning, an all party meet is scheduled to be held at Piravom on the same day. Suresh was upset with his wife since the wedding as she was always engrossed with her mobile phone, and had complained about this to her. Chennai: A 31-year-old-man was arrested after he hacked his wife to death in Kundrathur on Monday, suspecting her fidelity when she refused to divulge the identity of a caller in the middle of the night. The arrested person has been identified as Muthuramalingam alias Suresh Babu (31) of Avadi, a painter. Police said he got married to Dhanalakshmi only 10 months ago. Suresh was upset with his wife since the wedding as she was always engrossed with her mobile phone, and had complained about this to her. The couple would quarrel over the long conversations Dhanalakshmi would have with callers even when Suresh was around. He grew suspicious over Dhanalakshmi's bond with her mobile phone and was curious to know whom she was talking to. He began pressing her to reveal the details of the caller, which she kept ignoring over a period of time. Unable to stand her phone conversations, Suresh picked up a quarrel on Thursday night, which culminated in Dhanalakshmi leaving for her mother's place in Sekizhar Nagar, Kundrathur. Suresh went to broker peace with his wife on Sunday and stayed over at her mother's place. Around midnight, Dhanalakshmi was speaking on a call when a quarrel recurred with her refusing to disclose the caller's identity. An enraged Suresh stabbed her. Dhanalakshmi was rushed to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) where she succumbed to injuries at around 4 am. Suresh who turned himself in also confessed to have committed the crime and was remanded to judicial custody. The most significant snowfall of the year could be hitting the Midstate with only a week left before the start of spring. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Cumberland County effective 8 p.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Tuesday, citing a potential for 12 inch to 18 inches of snow accumulation. Meteorologists at ABC27 said the snow will move through the area from south to north after 9 p.m. on Monday night, with overnight snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour possible. Heavy snow and wind are expected to continue through Tuesday morning and early Tuesday afternoon. The storm is expected to subside by 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to ABC27, but gusty winds will make blowing and drifting snow likely. Gov. Tom Wolf is urging Pennsylvania residents to prepare for the storm. Wolf said an emergency declaration hasn't been issued but could be if the situation warrants one, and travel restrictions may also be put in place Monday evening into Tuesday if that is needed to minimize dangerous travel. Officials are urging residents to make sure that they have emergency supplies. Drivers are urged to postpone travel during the storm, drive carefully and use caution around snow plows. The National Weather Service also warned that the heavy snow will make many roads impassable and may produce widespread power outages due to the weight of snow on tree limbs and power lines. Should power be affected, PPL customers can report the outage by calling 1-800-342-5775 or online at pplelectric.com/outage. Met-Ed customers can report outages by calling 888-544-4877 or by going online to firstenergycorp.com and clicking on Report an Outage. Kochi: The Ernakulam District and Principal sessions Court on Monday decided to conduct in-camera trail in the case relating to murder of a dalit woman in Perumbavoor. Initiating the trail proceedings, Judge N Anilkumar asked whether the trail proceedings should be carried out in - camera since a police investigation had confirmed a rape of the victim. While special prosecutor N.K. Unnikrishnan supported the move, B.A. Aloor, counsel of the accused, raised objections and demanded an open court trail. The court, however, eventually decided to conduct the proceedings in-camera with a view to protect the privacy of the victim as well as the witnesses. Meanwhile, the court examined P.K. Anas, an elected member of Rayamangalam Grampanchayath, the first among the 195 witnesses in the case. The court is slated to witness the victim's mother on Tuesday and scheduled to examine 19 other witnesses till April 5. As per the charge sheet, Ameerul Islam is the lone accused in the case and a police investigation found him guilty of various offences including house-trespass in order to commit offence punishable with death (IPC 449), wrongful confinement (IPC 342), rape and murder. Besides, he has been also booked for destroying evidences, section 3(1) a & 3(2)(V)of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities)Act 1989 as amended by the SC/ST (POA) Amendment act 201. The charge sheet, which runs over 1,300 pages, also comprised 125 documentary and 75 material evidences. It also entails secret statements of two witnesses, recorded under section 164 of CrPC. Terming Ameerul as a sexual pervert, it explains sexual gratification as the lone motive behind the brutal killing. CHENNAI: Deepa Jayakumar, neice of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, said she will not seek the support of any party in contesting the April 12 by-election to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency, and claimed that she will prove in the elections that she is the real legacy of the late CM. "I will not seek support of anyone including the DMK in the by-election. Through this poll, people will come to realise that I am the real legacy of Amma," she said on Thursday. She had been touring the constituency held by late Jayalalithaa and knew the pulse of the people. The people would support her for the good work done by Jayalalithaa. She claimed her poll prospects were bright and that the people would ensure her victory. Ms. Deepa who had launched her party - MGR Amma Deepa Peravai, coinciding with the 69thbirth anniversary of Jayalalithaa, said she would soon release her party symbol. Asked if she would support OPS team in the election, Ms. Deepa replied, "I will contest the poll even if O. Panneerselvam team fields their candidate." Jaya's demise continues to be a mystery: Claiming that the State government's clarification on Monday that the reports of the Apollo Hospitals, here, and AIIMS on the treatment given to late Jayalalithaa suggested she passed away on December 5 after a massive cardiac arrest, still left many issues unanswered, Deepa demanded a comprehensive explanation on the issue. "The government should explain in detail on the circumstances of her demise and which relatives it consulted during her hospitalisation," she said. New Delhi/Islamabad: Parliamentarians Shashi Tharoor, Meenakshi Lekhi and Swapan Dasgupta on Monday began their visit to Pakistan to attend the Asian Parliamentary Assembly. The event, scheduled to last till March 17, would be formally inaugurated by Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday, reports the Express Tribune. More than 70 delegates from 23 countries, including members of parliament and speakers, are expected to participate in this meeting being hosted by the Senate. Pakistan is likely to present a number of resolutions, including one related to the creation of the Asian Parliament. The Asian Parliamentary Assembly dates back to September 1999 when a group of Asian Parliamentarians decided to join hands for promoting peace and human rights in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by setting up the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP), which was later converted to APA in 2004. Chennai: Deepa Jayakumar, the niece of J Jayalalithaa, on Monday alleged that she is being harassed to prevent her from contesting bypoll in R K Nagar Assembly seat to be held on April 12. Apparently referring to AIADMK chief V K Sasikala's camp, she said, "Right from the day I announced that I will be contesting in R K Nagar Assembly constituency, I am being harassed in several ways indirectly." "I could not even stay at my house and goons are being sent against me. I do not know who (goons) they are...," Jayakumar told reporters. "Several conspiracies are being hatched to prevent me from contesting in the bypoll," she alleged. Jayakumar alleged that was prevented from visiting the hospital where Jayalalithaa was admitted last year and was also kept away from taking part in the last rites of the leader. In an unexpected move, she paid homage at Jayalalithaa's memorial at the Marina Beach here at around 10 PM and sat there in meditation for some time. Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had also sat in meditation on February 7 at the memorial before revolting against Sasikala. Announcing the founding of MGR Amma Deepa Peravai on February 24, Jayakumar had said she will contest from R K Nagar Assembly constituency that fell vacant following the death of Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year. Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya, with face smeared with colours, celebrates with supporters the counting trends showing the party's pyrrhic victory in the state assembly polls, at BJP office in Lucknow. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: An average of one in four newly elected MLAs in Uttar Pradesh is named in a serious criminal case like murder or rape, while eight out of 10 is a crorepati, a study showed today. As per the study released by the UP Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 143 (36 per cent) MLAs have declared criminal cases against them, though down from 189 (47 per cent) among those elected in 2012 assembly polls. Besides, 107 MLAs (26 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases and this has risen from 98 MLAs or 24 per cent in 2012. The serious criminal cases include offence for which maximum punishment is of five years or more, non-bailable offence, electoral offence, offence related to loss to exchequer, offences that are assault, murder, kidnap, rape related, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, as well as crimes against women. Eight MLAs have declared cases related to murder and 34 MLAs have declared cases related to attempt to murder. One MLA has declared case related to crime against women, such as assault or criminal force to woman. The study said that 83 from the BJP, 11 from the SP, four from the BSP, one from the Congress and three Independents have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. On financial details of the winning candidates, the study said 322 (80 per cent) are crorepatis, up from 271 or 67 per cent of those who won the 2012 assembly elections in UP. The average of assets per MLA who won in the Uttar Pradesh 2017 assembly elections is Rs 5.92 crore whereas the average asset for each candidate who contested in the 2017 assembly elections was Rs 1.90 crore. In 2012, the average assets per MLA analysed was Rs 3.36 crore. A total of 50 MLAs have declared liabilities of Rs 1 crore and above. Only 4 MLAs have not declared PAN details. Number of re-elected MLAs analysed in the assembly elections of 2017 is 92. The average assets of re-elected MLAs in 2012 was Rs 4.62 crore, which has now risen to Rs 8.62 crore. The study further showed that 101 (25 per cent) MLAs have declared their education qualification to be between Class VIII pass and Class XII pass, while 290 (72 per cent) MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. As total of 201 (50 per cent) MLAs have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years while another 201 MLAs have declared their age to be between 51 and 80 years. On gender details, it said only 10 per cent or 40 are women, though up from 32 or 8 per cent in 2012. Imphal: Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla has asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately, so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. Ibobi Singh, along with deputy chief minister Gaikhamgam and state Congress president T N Haokip, had met the Governor last night. The Governor had asked Singh to resign immediately so that she can start the process of government formation, a highly placed source in the Governors House said. As per rules, until and unless the present Chief Minister resigns, the process of formation of the next government cannot be started, the source said. It was during the meeting that Ibobi Singh had staked claim to form the next government by showing a list of 28 Congress MLAs. He also claimed to have the support of four National Peoples Party (NPP) MLAs. On seeing the names of the four NPP MLAs on an ordinary piece of paper, Heptullah asked Ibobi Singh to bring the NPP President and the MLAs, the Governor House source said. The Governor said that it was her duty to cross check the claims and that she would not accept an ordinary piece of paper as a letter of support unless she meets the NPP MLAs, the source said. The BJP leadership with their 21 MLAs, along with NPP president and four party MLAs, one Congress MLA, lone LJP and TMC MLAs had also met the Governor. BJP had claimed that it enjoyed the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. They also submitted a letter from the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) president regarding their support to BJP to form the government, the source said, adding that the Governor is yet to invite any party for government formation. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by BJP 21. NPP and NPF have won four seats each, while LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each. Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party meeting was underway at the Chief Ministers office where 27 MLAs were present, said Manipur state Congress general secretary Devrata Singh. Saifullah, who was killed in a stand off with the ATS, in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow. (Photo: ANI Twitter) Mumbai: Al-Hindi, a pro-ISIS channel that operates in encrypted messaging app Telegram, has praised Lucknow terror suspect Saifullah as an inspiration for lone-wolf attacks in India and prompted other Indian Muslims to follow his example. According to a report in dna, the channel also called Saifullahs father as a non believer for refusing to accept his sons body, and encouraged other youths to disobey their parents if they stood in the way of Allah. It also called jihad an obligation of every individual. "Don't obey them. And remember jihad is Fardhul Ayn in Hindu mushrik, secular and democratic country of India.'' The group Al Hindi, is one of the several channels operated by the ISIS and the al-Qaeeda for jihadist activities. "Muwahideen of India. Kill them, stab them, hit them with car, use guns, weapons anything you have. And make them weak, shed their (mushrik, murtdad) blood like waterand make your way easier to jannah,'' the post reportedly said. A 12-hour anti-terror operation in a busy Lucknow locality ended alst Wednesday when commandos shot dead a suspected terrorist allegedly involved in a train explosion in Madhya Pradesh a day before. The UP police said he was a self-radicalised sympathiser of terror outfit ISIS, while the states anti-terror squad (ATS), involved in the operation, called him an active member of an ISIS module. Television footage showed policemen carrying a body wrapped in a white sheet from a house in the citys thickly populated Thakurganj area where Saifullah, 23, was holed up. Several Indians, mostly from Kerala, have joined ISIS, but he is the first homegrown terror suspect being linked to the outfit that has overran large parts of Syria and Iraq in its quest to establish a caliphate under strict Islamic laws. Saifullahs father, a teacher in Kanpur, refused to accept his sons body, branding him a traitor. The operation got over at around 3 am, hours before people began voting in UPs last phase of Assembly elections. A large quantity of arms and ammunition, some mobile phones and maps, besides an ISIS flag were recovered from the rented house. Six people three each from UP and MP have been arrested in connection with the train blast in which 12 people were injured. Senior UP police official Daljit Singh Chaudhary said there was no evidence that the suspects had any direct connection with ISIS, but had become radicalised online. The module planned to blow up a famous Sufi shrine, Dewa Sharif, in UPs Barabanki on March 27, top sources said. Security at the shrine and in the town has been stepped up. However, top ATS official Aseem Arun said the slain suspect was an active member of ISIS module in Khurasan, a region that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and parts of northwestern and western India. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to urgently hear a Congress petition challenging former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's appointment as Goa CM. The petition will be heard by the apex court on Tuesday. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha had on Monday appointed Parrikar as the CM after the BJP claimed support of several regional parties to form the government. The Governor had asked Parrikar to prove his majority in the state Assembly within 15 days. Subsequently, Parrikar is set to be sworn in as the Goa CM on Tuesday. The Congress, which won 17 seats in Goa as against BJP's 13, has protested that as the largest party in the state, it should be invited to form the government first. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi went so far as to call BJP's claim to form governments in Goa and Manipur as 'murder of democracy. The BJP has claimed support of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Forward and 2 Independents to increase its tally to 21, a majority in the 40-member Assembly. Sant Kabir Nagar: A 38-year-old Dalit died after he was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon on Tuesday following which two persons have been arrested. Police officials said that the incident took place when the person, identified as Sant Ram, a Dalit and resident of village Budha Kala under Khalilabad police station area, was murdered. The body has been sent for postmortem and two persons from the same village have been arrested, they added. Old enmity may be a possible cause of the crime, police said. Following the murder, a large number of police personnel have been deployed in the village. The situation is under control, and investigations in the case are going on, the police said. Mumbai: On November 2, 2000, a young poet stood at a bus stop in Malom, Manipur, waiting for her bus. Suddenly, an army detachment reached the spot, and opened fire indiscriminately. 10 young men were killed. The poet was Irom Sharmila Chanu. Shattered by the incident, the now-famous activist began a fast the very next day, against the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which allowed the armed forces to carry out atrocities without fear of the law. Incredibly, Sharmilas fast continued for a record 16 years, something unheard of anywhere in the world, in any righteous struggle. The courts made attempts to force Sharmila to abandon her fast. They ordered she be moved to police custody for trying to commit suicide, and a feeding tube was inserted into her nose to feed her liquids. But Sharmila refused to end her fast, though victory was nowhere in sight. Last year, in a Delhi court last year, Irom said with tears in her eyes, I want to stay alive. I want to live. I want to marry, I want to love, but before I can do that, I want the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act removed from Manipur. However, Sharmila ended her fast on August 9 last year, and decided to contest the elections. Her decision was perhaps the result of the realisation that her fast would never achieve its goal. But incredibly, many of those who had supported Irom turned their backs on her as soon as she ended her fast, including some members of her family. In the end, contesting against Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh in his constituency of Thoubal, Sharmila managed to get just 90 votes. On Saturday, her eyes brimming with tears, she announced her departure from the ring. I will never set foot in here again, she declared. Sharmila had lost, just as s Manorama, the woman killed in custody in 2005 by the Assam Rifles lost, just as the women of Manipur who staged a naked protest to demand justice for Manorama lost, just as Madkam Hikme and Sukhmati in Bastar lost. Responding to this defeat, Irom Sharmila stoically wrote on her Facebook page on Sunday, Thanks for 90 votes. All Sharmila had said was that the army should not rape women. All she said was that soldiers should not open fire on pedestrians, or declare 12-year-old children terrorists and shoot them in an encounter. In the just concluded Assembly elections in 5 states, Mukhtar Abbas Ansari, the gangster-turned-politician, won from Mau by a huge margin of over 97000 votes. Incredibly, he earned his victory while sitting in a jail cell. Amarmani Tripathis son, Amanmani, won from jail too, after being convicted of murdering his wife. But Irom Sharmila, who waged a singular, life-defying struggle against AFSPA for 16 years, ended up with 90 votes. Responding to her defeat, Sharmila posted a short but heartbreaking statement on her Facebook account: Sharmila, in a statement to the media, also blamed the system, which allows the corrupt to win elections through money power. She announced that she was quitting politics. Ahead of the elections, Sharmila had also revealed that the BJP had offered her Rs 36 crore to contest the elections on the saffron party's ticket after she ended her fast, a claim denied by the party. In order to meet the partys monetary requirements, PRJA took to crowdfunding online to raise funds. However, with just 90 votes, it seems Sharmila was eventually abandoned even by many of those who funded her. "I am fed up with this political system. I have decided to quit active politics. I will move to south India as I need to calm my mind," Sharmila told PTI after the election. "But I will continue my fight against AFSPA until and unless it is repealed. But I will fight as a social activist," she said. Her party, the Peoples Resurgence and Justice Party (PRJA), has said that it will continue to fight elections without her. Sharmila has pledged moral support to the party. But Sharmila's struggle has probably reached a dead end. Where does she go from here? She fasted for 16 years, and then she lost an election badly. Both paths, of agitation and of electoral politics, seem to be closed to her now. Through what new methods can she continue her struggle? Only time will tell. Iconic portraits and New Mexico landscapes spanning 50 years and featuring a selection of one-of-a-kind vintage prints from each photographers' archives. Edition ONE Gallery is pleased to be expanding west from Canyon Road to join JFD GALLERY in presenting a rare vintage photography exhibition with two of New Mexicos premier long time residents and photographic chroniclers, Lisa Law and Ray Belcher. Both photographers offer a deep knowledge of the scenes and residents of New Mexico. Ray Belcher came to Santa Fe from California in the mid-1970s, having earned a National Endowment for the Arts grant which he used to travel and photograph. A man of true artistic discipline and tradition, Belcher is one of the few photographers who still utilizes the black and white silver gelatin printing process and pursues a life of work based primarily on the skies and landscapes of Galisteo and more recently, Santa Fe. Lisa Law has spent five decades photographing the shifting tides of American culture. Her reputation is built on photographs unique for their startling sense of intimacy and spontaneity as exhibited in her book of photographs, Flashing on the Sixties. Her documentary film, also entitled Flashing on the Sixties won 4 major awards at film festivals upon its release and has been enjoyed by millions of viewers on Cinemax, The Discovery Channel and PBS. Actor-director Dennis Hopper describedFlashing on the Sixties as the most compelling, moving documentary of the Sixties. Lisa's early New Mexico photographs feature intimate portraits of Dennis Hopper and Janis Joplin. She chronicles the hippie migration from the west and east coasts to New Mexico along with their cultural crossings with the traditional elders of Taos Pueblo, and the communities of Truchas, El Rito, Abiquiu and Santa Fe. A Middlesex Township man has been charged with criminal homicide after police say he stabbed and killed a man in his home Sunday. Mark Jante, 58, is charged with felony criminal homicide and felony aggravated assault. Around 8:10 p.m. Sunday, Jante called 911 to report that he had stabbed his buddy inside a home in the first block of Wolf Bridge Road and was in need of medical help, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the Cumberland County District Attorneys Office. When Middlesex Township Police arrived, they found Jante with blood on him and smelling of alcohol, police said. The victim was found in a bedroom of the home bleeding from his back, according to police. The victim was flown to Penn State Hershey Medical Center where he died as a result of his wounds, according to the affidavit. When questioned, Jante said he had been drinking all day with the victim and again admitted to stabbing the man, police said. Court records did not provide a reason why Jante stabbed him. He is being held in Cumberland County Prison without bail, according to court records. Pennsylvania law does not allow bail in capital cases or cases in which the maximum penalty is life without parole. Jante is the first person to be charged with criminal homicide in Cumberland County in 2017, according to court records. There were two cases with defendants charged with criminal homicide in the county last year. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. March 20 in front of Magisterial District Judge Paul Fegley. The two merchant ships, despite the courts direction ignored to file the reply to the tribunal. Chennai: Controversy continues to prevail in Chennai oil spill issue, as government departments differ over the volume of the leak. Fiftyfive days after crude oil spilled on to the Chennai Coast following the collision of two merchant ships, Dawn Kancheepuram and B W Maple, the major respondents, in their affidavits to the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Monday, quantified the leak in varying numbers. After analysing the reports, in possession of Deccan Chronicle, it is learnt that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had played a safe card by not specifying the capacity of the spill. While the Director General of Shipping accounted it to 196 metric tonnes, the fisheries department, in their reply submitted on February 22 said that 'they have recovered 208 tonnes of sludge as on February 18 from R.K. Nagar Kuppam' As the cleaning operations continued even after February 18, it is understood that the amount of sludge recovered would be much more than the numbers submitted. It may be noted that the sludge is a mixture of oil, moisture and sand, collected from the sea. As per the investigation, the quantum of unaccounted oil from the vessel, which possibly spilled into the sea is approximately 196 tonnes, said a reply from DG Shipping, submitted before the tribunal on Monday. Though DG Shipping hinted of a variation in their affidavit, the counsel for the petitioner argued on the necessity to know the quantity of the spill. It is unfortunate that the departments had not mentioned the capacity and the procedure adopted. Respondents had stated that a committee formed by both the ships would issue insurance. Procedurally, compensation to the fisherman should be provided through the court, counsel for the petitioner, K. Mageswaran told DC. The two merchant ships, despite the courts direction ignored to file the reply to the tribunal. Taking a strict stand, the bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member P.S. Rao ordered Dawn Kancheepuram and B W Maple to file the report within the next hearing, scheduled on April 22. The quantity of the spill should be mentioned by the two ships, said the bench. Hyderabad: Sujana Tulasi, 35, who hails from Attili mandal in West Godavari district, is stranded in Kuwait since six months after she was admitted at the Farwaniya Hospital with major injuries from a road accident on October 31, 2016. As she does not have residence permit since a year, she could not claim compensation after the accident. She had escaped from her employer's house as she was tortured by them. Sujana lost her father in childhood and her mother Santhoshamma two years back. Her 40-year-old husband had left her with two children, 12-year-old Jaswanthi and 11-year old Janvhi who stay in a government hostel at Attili. She has an elder brother and three sisters, but only one sister tried to contact her. But she could not help her much as she is not financially independent. To send her back to India, Kuwait Andhra an NGO from Kuwait, is trying to collect funds for her through social media and some societies. Sujana Tulasi who was staying in Kuwait since three years wants to return to India as soon as possible, and is seeking help from the Indian government. Sheikh Basha, a social worker of Kuwait Andhra said, After escaping from her employer's house where she was working as a maid, she started tailoring to earn a living but in October she met with a road accident and is bed ridden. We are trying to collect funds for her as she has two cases booked by her employer for fleeing their house and robbery. Due to this she had to pay a fine. She needs 800 AED to pay fines. Hospital authorities are ready to discharge her but if there is no house for her then they will have to send her to the police station as it may take years for deportation. He adds, It was a major accident. She underwent multiple surgeries and is partially disabled. She cannot work anymore and her husband did not bother to contact her. If she gets any help from the government she might be able to have a residence and can return to India where she can get treatment. Migrants Rights Council vice president M. Bheem Reddy said, The Indian Embassy should help her to come back. They can allot some money from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). The government of AP should also provide medical aid and help her from the CM's Relief Fund. Bengaluru: The 20-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh, who was allegedly assaulted by the landlord on March 6 alleged on Monday that it was a racist attack. Higio Gungtey, an under graduate student at Christ College, was allegedly assaulted by Hemanth Kumar B, an advocate and a resident of Doddamma Layout in Hulimavu. On the day of incident, Gungtey had approached the police and had registered an assault case but had not alleged that it was a racist attack. Following his complaint, the police had arrested the advocate, who was later released on bail. On Monday, the student along with his father Higio Tama met police and filed a fresh complaint against Hemanth Kumar that the latter attacked him as he hailed from a North-eastern state. Gungtey states in the complaint that the accused made racial comments against him, and said that he belonged to a lower caste. Based on his complaint the police re-registered the case against the accused advocate, under section 295A. DCP (South East) Dr. Boralingaiah told DC, The student has given a fresh complaint stating that it was a racial attack. We have received it and are investigating. Further action will be taken against the accused based on the findings of the investigation. However, police sources said that prima facie there was no evidence to establish that it was a racist attack and that it was about the complainant staying in the rented accommodation without the owners permission along with his friends who had rented it. The accused told us he would have not given his house for rent to outsiders if he hated people from other states. As per the agreement in March 2016, he had rented out the house to two other students, who are Gungteys friends. Six months ago, Gungtey joined them but initially, the accused ignored it. Trouble started when other tenants frequently complained of shortage of water blaming these three students of using excess water, an official said. Since five months, the accused was asking the two students to send Gungtey out, but they did not listen. On March 6, with other tenants complaining of shortage of water, the house owner took the matter up. He contacted the students over the phone and told them that their friend needs to leave his place. The students allegedly abused him over the phone. Enraged by this, the owner went to the house and questioned them for which they picked up an argument. In a fit of rage, the advocate assaulted Gungtey asking him to vacate immediately. The accused has also confessed to this. The information was corroborated with the neighbours who witnessed the incident and there is no evidence that the landlord made the student lick his boots, the official added. Kochi: A division bench of Kerala High Court on Monday asked state police chief Loknath Behra whether it was necessary to hand over the Puttingal Devi temple fireworks tragedy probe to any other agency. The court directed him to take a decision after a thorough study into the case file. It pointed out that the police probe should have taken note of the fact that one of the prime requirements was to address the issue of different persons trying to meddle with and guide the executive and police action on the incident. The crime branch probing the case had informed the court that it could not trace anything that proves intervention of extra-constitutional power centres to obtain clearance for the fireworks. The Bench issued the interim order on a batch of petitions. The crime branch had initially claimed that there was nothing to prove the influence of politicians but altered its stand and submitted that several witnesses deposed they heard an announcement thanking former MP Peethambara Kurup for his assistance in obtaining permission. The CBCID had sought more time to complete the investigation. The court had earlier pointed to the lack of clarity on the investigation on 'extra-constitutional power'. Lucknow: Having lost the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, outgoing Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will not even be able to become the leader of opposition in the state assembly even though his party is the largest party in Opposition with 47 seats. Mr Akhilesh Yadav has not contested the assembly elections and is a member of the UP legislative council and hence, he cannot become the leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha. Party sources claim that the choice for the post of leader of opposition will narrow down between Mohd Azam Khan and Mr Shivpal Yadav and if Akhilesh has his way, he will prefer Mr Azam Khan to his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav but after the defeat of the SP, the outgoing CM will be under tremendous pressure in the coming days from within the family to toe his father Mulayam Singh Yadavs line. According to sources, Mr Akhilesh Yadav is in no mood to get a seat vacated for himself and contest a by-election to enter the state assembly.Mr Akhilesh Yadav will prefer to remain in the public eye by charting a larger strategy with the Congress and continuing his crusade against the BJP. He has already made it clear on Saturday that his alliance with the Congress will continue. Chennai: About 440 BJP members including the partys national secretary H. Raja and Kancheepuram north district president Mohana Raja were arrested for staging a protest condemning the sudden mushrooming of churches on Perumalmalai peak in Azhagusamudram Panchayat in Chengalpattu in neighbouring Kancheepuram district on Sunday evening. All of them were later released. According to Mr. Mohana Raja the Perumalmalai has long since been the venue for conducting the Parivettai and there is also a temple for Lord Vishnu, in the vicinity. Recently, with the connivance of a revenue official, Christians have installed about a dozen idols of Mary on the hill and attempted to make a Girivalam. But the villagers and the BJP members prevented this. Only after our protest, the revenue authorities removed the statues, Mr. Mohana Raja said. On Sunday when the partys national secretary led the protest condemning the usurpation of the hillock named after Lord Vishnu, the police denied permission for holding the agitation. Chennai: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday denounced the seven-phase election schedule in Uttar Pradesh and alleged that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it to "polarise" voters. One of the reasons for the defeat of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh was the absence of a robust party organisational structure there, he said, a day after stating that Modi had emerged as the "most dominant political figure" after the Assembly polls, the results of which were declared yesterday. "The elections have clearly established that the most dominant political figure in India is Prime Minister Modi and he has a pan-India appeal," Chidambaram had told a gathering at the Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai yesterday. The Rajya Sabha MP today said Modi used the intervals between poll phases to alternate between communal "kabristan" (graveyard) talk and "downplaying" such comments in the minorities-dominated areas. "What has happened in Uttar Pradesh? In the first two phases, the presence of minorities were huge and Modi downplayed... after that the tenor of his speeches changed," he said at a public meeting here. Citing Modi's "kabristan, Diwali and Eid" comments, Chidambaram alleged that the Prime Minister made "false allegations" and polarised the people. "If Prime Minister Modi's speeches kept changing on the basis of constituencies, day in and day out, it was because of the seven-phase election. If the election had been held in a single phase, could Modi have spoken like this?" he asked. "What would have happened if he had talked about 'kabristan' on day one? I denounce the seven-phased election. Why can law-and-order not be maintained in a single phase... does Uttar Pradesh not have a police force?" Chidambaram asked. He said the seven-phase election was itself a "complication". Election in a state should be held on a single day and only then, the campaign speeches will be the same, Chidambaram said. Referring to his party's organisation in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "There may be many reasons for the Congress' big failure in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mischievous campaign was also a big factor. Another reason is there is no party structure," he said. "Although there are district units of the Congress, there are no units below them," Chidambaram claimed, underscoring the need for robust party units right from the booth-level. "There are no local, circle and ward committees. Friends in Uttar Pradesh tell me this," he said. He said to achieve their aspirations, Congress cadre should immediately start strengthening the party units. Referring to the hung verdicts in Goa and Manipur Assembly polls, Chidambaram said, "I do not know if they (BJP) will give opportunity to Congress to form governments or deny them that by giving a price (to others to muster support)." "Only the BJP has the shakti (power) to give a price, and deny opportunity to Congress. Our party does not have that power," he said. Chidambaram said based on the outcome of a single election, there is no need to conclude that only the BJP or Prime Minister Modi will sustain and the Congress or its leaders will not. Referring to the Punjab Assembly polls result, where his party has got a clear majority, he said, "You must understand that no one has decimated the Congress in this election... we have both failures and victories." "I am not denying that the BJP has got a huge victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, the saffron party is not agreeing that they have faced a big defeat in Goa and Punjab... and in Manipur their electoral efforts have not succeeded," Chidambaram said. He said the BJP has set a wrong precedent by not giving poll tickets to Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, where approximately 20 per cent of the population belong to minority communities. "You should realise how they are dividing Indians on the basis of religion," he said. "I am not denying that the BJP has won by its divide-and-rule line in Uttar Pradesh. But the party should not believe that it will help them win in all elections," Chidambaram said. "The Gujarat model of not giving tickets to Muslims was replicated in Uttar Pradesh. The Gujarat model led to huge riots in that state. I cannot even imagine the consequences of the Gujarat model of dividing people being implemented in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "I would tell the people of Uttar Pradesh to be vigilant to avoid bad consequences," Chidambaram said. New Delhi: The Congress today accused the BJP of "murdering" democracy in Goa and dubbed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as "villain" after the saffron party stole march on it. Winning 17 seats, the Congress had yesterday emerged as the single largest party in the Goa Assembly polls, which threw up a hung verdict. However, the BJP, which was relegated to the second position with 13 seats, has staked claim to form government in the state with support of other parties. "We were in a position to form government in Goa after people favoured us and were in the process of doing so. But what the BJP did there is unthinkable and murder of democracy. Parrikar is the villain behind what has transpired," Congress secretary Shantaram Naik said. Naik said the developments took place while the Congress MLAs were busy electing their legislature leader. "Even (Union Minister) Shripad Naik had yesterday said they (BJP) will not form government (in Goa) due to inadequate numbers. But what has happened is unthinkable in democracy, we condemn it," he said. Parrikar today staked claim to form the next government in the state with the support from three members, each of Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomkantak Party, two Independents and lone NCP MLA, taking the tally of the coalition to 22. With this, the BJP has cobbled up the requisite number needed to reach the magic figure in the 40-member House. Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Monday said he would resign by Tuesday to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung assembly following the just-concluded elections. "I will resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation," he told reporters in Imphal. Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah had earlier said that she could start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned. Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me," said Singh. BJP supporters celebrate the party's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa elections in Guwahati. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday cried foul as the BJP was set to form the government in Manipur with the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32. "As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting the law and democracy," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said here. "Federalism and the rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi Government," he alleged. He also alleged the BJP was misusing the CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct an Independent MLA travelling with an outgoing Congress minister from Imphal to Kolkata. "The BJP is now misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA (Jiribam seat) Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport," he said, adding that the legislator was travelling with outgoing minister Abdul Nasir. Congress general secretary C P Joshi, who is in charge of party affairs in Manipur, has been camping in the state. The BJP today bagged support from three NDA constituents -- the National People's Party (NPP), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Naga People's Front (NPF). Besides, one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP in evening. The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly. The NPP and the NPF has won four seats each, while the LJP has bagged one seat. If an interest in criminal justice can be inherited, Trinity senior Alexandra Arp certainly has the gene. Both of my parents (Carol and Robert) went to law school, so I have that justice/law bone in my body, Arp said. All it took to make the genetic impulse toward criminal justice active was a class on the psychology of crime that she took through an online high school program that allows students to take classes in subjects not offered at their home school. Arp has been working on the Real Life/Real Issues: Juvenile Justice task force as well. The group, which consists of one student from each local high school, meets once a month at the Cumberland County Bar Association in Carlisle. Arp said the group has been working on a modern video of the lifelong effects of having a juvenile criminal record in conjunction with WITF. Though there will be some acted scenes, Arp said the group has been trying to talk to people who have gone through the system for the video. Some problems they have when they are younger they might still face as adults, she said. They might always carry that burden with them. Arp said shes still in the process of choosing a college, but is considering combining her interest in criminal justice with training in American Sign Language so that she can serve as a lawyer and interpreter for deaf people. That makes sense for a student who also talks often about helping other people, whether that is people in one of the poorest areas of the country or her own school Arp said her senior year has been fun as she served as the student council president. Not only was she able to express her creativity in planning dances for the student body, but she also led the student council in giving students more of a role in bringing needs to the administration. Though the students may not receive what they request, at least [the administration] knows what its students are thinking, Arp said. Since seventh grade, she also served on the United Way Student Leadership Council, which she admits has had its ups and downs, but is in the process of rebuilding. The group organizes volunteer service projects and was responsible for starting the Glee competition. They hope to soon be able to organize a fundraiser of their own. Its a good way to meet people similar to myself who have an interest in helping, Arp said. But Arp saves the most enthusiasm for when she talks about the mission trips she has taken to the Appalachia region of Kentucky with Life Teen, the youth group from St. Patricks Parish in Carlisle. While there, small groups are assigned to a family whom they serve throughout the trip. We repair things for them, but we really go to build relationships with them. And not only do we change them and help them fix their house, but they really change us, she said. Panaji: Manohar Parrikar on Monday resigned as the Defence Minister and will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa on Tuesday heading the BJP-led ministry that has the support of regional outfits and Independents. "I have tendered my resignation as Defence Minister and sent it to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)" Parrikar told PTI on Monday. "I will be taking the oath tomorrow evening along with the cabinet ministers," he added. Asked how many ministers would be sworn in, Parrikar said, "The decision on the number of ministers and other issues are being currently worked out. Once the cabinet is finalised, we will inform the media." The BJP, which failed to cross the half-way mark in the assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup yesterday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house. Thirteen BJP MLA and other legislators who pledged support to the party met Governor Mridula Sinha last evening, who later invited Parrikar to form the government. The BJP stole a march on the Congress which failed to muster the numbers despite emerging as the single-largest party with 17 seats. The Congress was hoping to get the support of the GFP which has bagged three seats in its maiden bid at the hustings. But by deft moves, coordinated by party veteran and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP succeeded in keeping the Congress at bay, winning over smaller parties and Independents, who were keen that Parrikar should lead the ministry. Parrikar, 61, an engineer from IIT-Bombay, led the BJP in 2012 to victory and became the Chief Minister. He, however, was made the Defence Minister at the Centre in 2014 and was succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar as the Chief Minister. Parsekar was defeated in Mandrem constituency this time and also most of the ministers in his cabinet failed to win. Parrikar, who graduated to the BJP from the RSS ranks, had also served as Chief Minister of the state from 2000 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2005. Right from the start of the campaign this time, Parrikar was widely seen as the chief minister probable. He also extensively campaigned for the party in his home state. During the campaign and before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lavished praises on Parrikar over his competence and decision-making capacity as the Defence Minister, especially in the context of the surgical strike on terror launch pads across the border in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked about his two-year stint at the Centre, Parrikar said, "Initially I was finding the role as the Defence Minister as difficult but during last two-and-a-half years I have done my job well. I have done it with utter honesty." "The Defence Ministry is such a portfolio where allegations are always levelled against the minister but during last two-and-a-half years, despite so much of procurement, there is not a single allegation against the ministry or me," he said. "If I want to sum up my achievements as the Defence Minister, I can say, these are boosting of the morale of the force and better procurements," he said. Parrikar said that through various defence deals, the ministry has saved crores of rupees as many tenders had earlier been over-quoted. Thus, to conclude from the results of just two or three Assembly elections that the demonetisation decision was vindicated, after all, would amount to identifying the part with the whole. Chennai: The ecstatic victory of the BJP in the latest round of Assembly elections in five States, more so two key states in the Hindi belt - Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the saffron party likely to form the next governments in Goa and Manipur also have, naturally, post-facto, given rise to an impression that critics of the Central Govts demonetisation of two high value currencies last year, had got it all wrong. However, as this very modest piece of analysis attempts to unravel, there are at least three reasons why the latest Assembly elections, the first set of important ones held after the note-ban, notwithstanding the resounding win for the Congress in Punjab, could, logically speaking, in no way be construed as a referendum on demonetisation. Firstly, the basis of comparison itself is problematic. It would have been logically admissible to read the election outcome to be a referendum on the dramatic demonetisation decision, most sweeping and shocking in its reach and not the most popular of decisions of the BJP regime as yet, had the just concluded polls been a general election covering all the Indian States and Union territories. As the policy to demonetise the old Rs 500 and Rs 1, 000 notes was applicable for the entire country, it would be only logically fair to test its after-effect among the electorate in a country-wide election say to the Lok Sabha. Alternately, at least one-half of Indias States should have had a simultaneous election to their respective Legislative Assemblies for them to gauge popular sentiment about a recently implemented all-India policy. Thus, to conclude from the results of just two or three Assembly elections that the demonetisation decision was vindicated, after all, would amount to identifying the part with the whole. The whole, as they say in any comparative analysis, is more than the sum of its parts. And by the time of the next general election to the Lok Sabha in 2019, the economy would have been sufficiently re-monetised with new notes that demonetisation would technically at least, cease to be a poll issue before the people at large. Second, despite extraneous factors and leadership issues, all the five Assembly elections were fought on substantially state-specific and local issues with anti-incumbency playing a big role in unseating the present rulers in those respective state capitals. In U.P. for instance, the Prime Minister himself hardly spoke about demonetisation per se; rather Mr. Modis campaign speeches harped on his fight against Kaala Dhan (black money) that naturally has wider moral overtones, particularly in less economically developed States, besides development issues. The saffron surge in the North-East, Manipur now included, has been part of a different political dynamics altogether in recent years in the backdrop of larger issues like the Nagas demand for redrawing of territories and the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants. Again in a State like Punjab, as Capt. Amrinder Singh, indicated in an interview, the biggest social problem for a relatively affluent state, which was at the heart of Indias Green Revolution, has been the menace posed by drugs. Thus, a variety of region-specific issues, including redrawing of local caste equations, besides performance, have played a role in deciding poll outcomes in these five States and note-ban was hardly on the radar. Thirdly, the acute liquidity crunch, which the substantially huge informal sector workers and several large clusters of small and medium industries had to painfully face post-demonetisation, is not just a short-term issue. Its medium to long-term impact on the economy and society as a whole, including other sections of the population, is something that would pan out as a process over a much longer time frame. Some of the later justifications offered for the demonetisation, like triggering transition to a less-cash and digital economy, which Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen and several other experts termed as an after thought by the BJP government, also imply deeper issues about restricting social choices for the people and seeking to influence lifestyles. This approach also runs the risk of being suffused with overtones of the Moral Police. Some commentators, defending the note-ban, even pointed out that harsh and painful steps are necessary to discipline society and to make our society ethical, which has serious implications for democracy itself. It is a throwback to the famous Kenneth Arrow paradox in the 1920s, so named after the American Nobel Laureate in Economics, Kenneth Arrow. Very simply put, attempt in any society to order a single social order preference that is good for everyone from a set of diverse, individual preferences, is possible only in a dictatorship or totalitarian socio-political set-up. This has given rise to a continuing debate in development economics, on how best to complement individual freedoms with larger societal goals of equality, social justice and reasonable re-distribution of wealth generated in a society at any point of time. It is also a raging philosophical issue that still continues to engage some of the worlds finest minds from John Rawls to Amartya Sen. Demonetisation as a way of redistributing surplus wealth in a society to the hands of the poor, may have struck a chord with the poorer sections of society; but it is no simplistic one-size-fits-all, top-to-bottom development model which the present governments Aadhar-Jhan Dhan-Digi-Dhan model seems to suggest. For these three reasons, these poll results are in no way a referendum on note-ban. On the eve of counting, those of us who are diehard Congress followers and currently participants in the gatbandhan (alliance) in Uttar Pradesh convinced ourselves that the pollsters on TV had got it wrong, as they did on the eve of the Bihar results last year. To tell the truth I had expected a hung Assembly with the BJP possibly a little ahead but unable to form the government because Mayawati wouldnt extend her support. The BSP ticket distribution was a clear indication that she was beginning to worry about the need to fortify her votebank of dalit support with a steadfast allegiance of Muslims. Needless to say, the actual results have come as a shock! BJP spokespersons attribute the result in UP to the sustained popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though they sheepishly explain away Punjab as the helplessness of a junior partner. Although in financial real terms and an inevitable impact on our emerging economy, demonetisation is a disaster waiting to happen, it apparently had no adverse impact in rural UP or amongst the urban communities that were the worst affected. As in the past, and perhaps even more so this time, caste combinations dealt the trump card although the size of the winning vote (43 per cent) might camouflage it somewhat. It seems the BJP with its concentration on the non-Yadav OBC grouping had the arithmetic right. In the circumstances one would have expected the BJP to forfeit its traditional upper caste support base that has steadily grown at the cost of the Congress Party. But herein lies the rub. Who was in a position to pick up this vote? The Congress, on its own, was ideally suited to claw back what was once a part of its brahmin-Muslim-dalit combine but the instant cash and carry alliance with the Yadav/OBC-dominated SP brought its own confusion, with not enough time to iron out the creases. One has heard of the dangers of backseat driving imposing severe constraints on the person at the wheel responding to emergencies and unexpected events. Equally the BSP, in the past having consciously worked on mass-scale brahmin support, almost certainly confused the leading upper caste even further with its public chest-thumping on giving an unprecedented number of seats to Muslim candidates. This must have been music to the likes of Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj, with Mr Modi openly joining in the tandav with his unbecoming-of-PM kabristan versus shamshan remarks. This, as indeed the idiom and style of the final days Mr Modi spent in Varanasi, gave the BJP an extra edge. Curiously long before any polarisation happened, the whisper campaign of polarisation, with some help from the obliging electronic media, queered the pitch for the partnership of two young leaders. Appealing to the right-wing Hindu fundamentalists, sometimes in the teeth of the recent Supreme Court judgment and at the same time dexterously combining the non-Yadav OBCs and upper castes, the BJP sealed its victory. Even so, after Muzaffarnagar, one expected the BSP to do better, just as one expected Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal to forge ahead in Harit Pradesh (western UP). But even here the bottom seems to have collapsed under both parties. The much-proclaimed silent voter decided to take the silence to the voting machine. For a one-state party like the BSP, once described by the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao as the miracle of Indian democracy, and having lost the last election this round, it was crucial for the BSP to preserve its image and stature. But it seems that pushing the BSP down and dragging away some of its dalit votes was a necessity for the BJP, particularly once the BSP began decrying any suggestion that, in the end, they would either give or take support from the BJP. No wonder then that the BSP had to talk of EVM manipulation, half-heartedly echoed by other parties as well. A factor little talked about by commentators is the enormous damage done by the internal SP battle. Despite attempts to cover up the deep cracks that appeared even as the election schedule was announced by the Election Commission, the feel-good factor did not return, not to mention sporadic press reports and interviews by protagonists on both sides of the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, undoubtedly egged on by the proverbial outsiders! Close analysis will tell the whole story but clearly the young chief minister was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The fact that he chose to take the plunge into troubled waters should not be counted as a mistake. He is young and hopefully will continue to keep his party together; he will certainly live through the political storm to fight another day. But, of course, both for him, as indeed for the Congress vice-president, it might be important to preserve the investment in the not-so-successful alliance; indeed, refurbish and strengthen it to make up the loss in 2019. Any alternative might lead to writing off much courage, endeavour and locked potential. But of course the bruised warriors of the Congress and SP will need fortitude, forbearance, futuristic vision and, most important, need to shun myopia if they go beyond the shock of the battering in the 2017 polls. On the other hand, the BJP victory might well be the beginning of the partys problems for 2019. Their leaders talent at polarisation on grounds of religion and identity might have to face genuine ideological polarisation; their talk of development might well be swept aside by demands for implementing the many absurd promises they made. They may well have won the battle of 2017 and lost the war of 2019. The Goa Governor has served the state and nation with a fait accompli in appointing Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister and giving him a fortnights time to prove his majority. The provisions in the Constitution defining the crucial role of the Governor may have been given the go-by in the unseemly haste with which the decision was taken so soon after the results were announced in which the Congress finished as the single largest party with 17 seats in the House of 40 while BJP won only 13. The BJP may have acted quickly to cobble up superiority with the help of former allies, regional parties and Independents, but the ethos of democracy has been defiled once again. To arrive at a decision when not even considering the possible scenario of the single largest party being able to command the numbers to stake what could be the first legitimate claim in any hung assembly situation was palpably wrong. The ethicality of usurping power when the public mandate seemed to go against the ruling party whose Chief Minister Lakshmikanth Parsekar as well as five of his ministers lost the ballot battle is questionable. The ground reality may be that Parrikar, a former Goan chief minister who had won the trust of the people, is so popular that he may be able to command the loyalty of sufficient MLAs. The question is should the Governor have simply gone with his claim instead of considering all probabilities, including the important one of seeking the views of the single largest party. Governors may claim certain discretionary powers. But this haste gives the Governors game away. In the most recent example of a Governor having to weigh the options came in the extraordinary situation in Tamil Nadu. There the Governor used his discretion in waiting to assess the impact of developments and then did the right thing in calling the faction of the ruling party with the larger numbers to hold office. It is in not even taking the time to assess the possibilities that the Goa Governor has given short shrift to democratic values. The situation is similar in Manipur too where the split verdict has also placed Congress intriguingly close to the magic number, but could still be denied power as commercial realpolitik takes over and legislator loyalties are placed in the market even as defections and resignations are engineered. India has suffered far too many instances of democracy being hijacked as legislators bargain for power. However, it is in the irony of the timing of such marketplace-like events that becomes inescapable as the negotiations for power go on so soon after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that a new India was emerging and that the victor in the latest round of elections stood for all people and not only for those who voted BJP. Dismissed by former US president Barack Obama as a place explorers had already seen, the Moon has once again gained interest as a potential destination under Donald Trump's presidency. Private sector companies in particular are energized by the prospect of future space exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit, where the International Space Station circles the Earth. Even though Trump himself has said little about the subject, his close circle and some former NASA officials have made clear their interest in returning to the Moon by way of partnerships with the private sector. Billionaire Elon Musk, the president and chief executive of SpaceX, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also runs a rocket company called Blue Origin, have met with Trump's advisors several times since the Republican won the presidency. "There is certainly a renewed interest in the Moon in the Trump administration," said John Logsdon, former director of the Space Policy Institute at The George Washington University. Some of Trump's advisors worked on the Constellation program, conceived by former president George W. Bush with a goal to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the pioneering US Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s. Obama cancelled Constellation, deeming it too costly and repetitive in nature, opting instead to work toward new and unexplored destinations like an asteroid and, one day, Mars. "The people advising Trump on space in a sense are still angry at that and believe it was a mistake," said Logsdon. "If the Trump administration gets out of the current chaos and if their approach to the budget would allow it, I think within the next 12 months, we will see a major space initiative involving a public-private partnership -- hopefully international partnership -- focused on a return to the Moon." - Bold - Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, which represents the private sector of spaceflight, agreed. "I think the Trump administration wants to do something big and bold and the Moon is certainly that idea," he told AFP. NASA's current focus on developing what will be the world's most powerful rocket, known as the Space Launch System, which will propel a new capsule, Orion, to deep space, one day carrying people around the Moon, to an asteroid or even to Mars by the 2030s. Stallmer described this program as "very expensive." "I think you cannot proceed with a mission to the Moon and beyond at this point anymore without a partnership with the commercial industry," he added. Since the US-run space shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA has forged partnerships with private industry, including SpaceX and Orbital ATK, to resupply the International Space Station. SpaceX plans to start sending astronauts to the orbiting outpost as early as 2018. "I know that there is no backing down from the commercial sector, from the commercial launch companies on their desire and vision to go to the Moon and beyond. These are very exciting times," said Stallmer. SpaceX said last month it had signed its first contract to send two space tourists on a trip around the Moon at the end of 2018, but did not give many details, including the cost or their identities. SpaceX has also vowed to send an unmanned spacecraft on a journey to Mars in 2018, as a prelude to manned missions one day. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that its owner Bezos is working on an Amazon-like delivery service to the Moon. The proposal has not been made public, but was circulated to the Trump team and NASA in the form of a seven-page white paper, the report said. - Moon colonies - The goal of the project is to enable "future human settlement" on the Moon. "It is time for America to return to the Moon -- this time to stay," Bezos was quoted as saying in an email to the Post. "A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. I sense a lot of people are excited about this." Oklahoma Republican lawmaker Jim Bridenstine, who has told Trump he wants to be the next NASA administrator, has praised cooperation between the US space agency and private industry, and called for a return to Moon mission as a way to boost needed resources on Earth, such as water. Research has shown billions of tons of water ice can be found at each lunar pole. "Water ice on the Moon could be used to refuel satellites in orbit or perform on-orbit maintenance," he wrote in a blog post in December. "Government and commercial satellite operators could save hundreds of millions of dollars by servicing their satellites with resources from the Moon rather than disposing of, and replacing, their expensive investments." This could translate into lower bills for users of satellite internet, television and radio services, he said. The lunar soil is also believed to be rich in rare Earth minerals that are widely used in electronic devices. The Google Lunar XPrize Foundation is also in on the action, recently announcing its five finalists for a $20 million award to the first team to land a robot on the Moon. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. In the beginning was .com, followed by a host of other .somethings, but on Friday, 32 years after the world's first domain name was registered, the African Union has launched .africa for the continent. Africans who want to register a website will be able to apply for a .africa domain name in the coming months, which outgoing AU commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said would allow the continent's people and businesses to better reach the world. "With .africa, I would say Africa has finally got its digital identity," said Dlamini-Zuma, who will next week hand power to Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamatafter four years at the helm of the continental body. Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the lowest rates of internet penetration in the world, according to the World Bank, with only around 22per cent of people online compared to the global average of 44per cent. The AU has vowed to increase broadband internet penetration by 10per cent by next year as part of its 'Agenda 2063' development proposal. As the continent's largest economy, South Africa dominates African presence online, holding 1.1 million of the two million website registrations on the continent, said Lucky Masilela, CEO of ZA Central Registry, the South Africa-based company that will administer .africa. High fees are an obstacle to many people who want to register a website, Masilela said. In some African countries, it can cost as much as $250 (235 euro) but Masilela said .africa addresses will be available at a cut-price rate of just $18 to anyone on the continent. ".africa is going to be a market disruptor and will assist in lowering the cost of domain names," Masilela said. The AU is hoping proceeds from the domain registrations will help cover some of its administrative costs and fund the AU commission. The domain is due to be available to the public in July but it remains unclear how strong demand will be. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Telecom operator Idea Cellular today announced free incoming calls on domestic roaming and unveiled international roaming value packs that, it claimed, would prevent "bill shocks" to those travelling abroad. The offers come on the heels of the larger rival Bharti Airtel announcing the removal of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMSes and data usage within India, to take on competition from newcomer Reliance Jio. "Effective April 1, 2017, Idea's 200 million customers will enjoy free incoming calls while roaming on company's 2G, 3G and 4G network across 400,000 towns and villages in the country. Idea customers will be able to make outgoing calls, SMS freely at affordable rates while roaming anywhere in India," an Idea release said. It further said mobile data tariffs and data pack benefits of the home circle will be available while roaming within India at no extra charge. The facility of free incoming calls on domestic roaming will be extended to both prepaid and postpaid customers. For international travellers, the company is offering international roaming value packs with free bundled usage of up to 400 outgoing minutes, 100 SMSes per day, 3GB bundled data and unlimited incoming calls for Rs 2,499 for Asia, and Rs 5,999 for Europe for 30 days validity. "These international roaming packs also come bundled with free 1GB/2GB/3GB data and overage charges as low as Rs 3 per MB to avoid bill shock to travelling customers," Idea said. The company said it has done a study of customer's travel destinations, usage patterns and bill shock complaints to design a new range of value packs for select destinations across Europe, Asia, America, UK and the Middle East. "For value conscious customers, the packs start at Rs 1,199 for 10 days validity and go up to Rs 5,999 for 30 days validity, giving up to 85 per cent savings on international roaming charges," it said. ...Idea is now set to enable over 200 million customers to use their mobile phones freely, without having to worry about roaming charges, while they travel anywhere in the country," Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer of Idea Cellular said. On February 27, Bharti Airtel had removed domestic roaming charges on calls and data and said international call rates will be cut by up to 90 per cent to as low as Rs 3 per minute and data charges by up to 99 per cent to Rs 3 per MB across popular roaming destinations. In a press statement, 'Airtel Declares War on Roaming', the company had then said the move will lead to "death of National Roaming" from April 1. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Washington: A Russian government spokesman expressed impatience on Sunday that bilateral relations with the United States have not improved more quickly since US President Donald Trump took office. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said his country's government is eager for improved US-Russian relations, calling it "unpardonable not to be in dialogue," as Moscow presses the new US leader to make good on vows to improve ties. "We certainly would expect our contacts to be more frequent, more in-depth, in order to sit and then talk to each other... because we had quite a significant pause in our bilateral relations," Peskov said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN's "GPS" program. "For countries like Russia and the United States, it's unpardonable not to be in dialogue, especially against this amount of regional and global problems that we have." Earlier this year, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to develop relations "as equals" and establish "real coordination" to fight the Islamic State group in Syria, the Kremlin had said. Peskov echoed that sentiment in the CNN interview, but urged the US to do more to kickstart the dialogue. Trump is "not hiding the fact that he disagrees in lots of things with Russia, but he's quite pragmatic enough to say that we have to talk," Peskov said. "We have to compare our positions in order to find some common ground," he said. "At the same time, he says that we have to come together and start our dialogue. And, unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding on when this dialogue can begin." Peskov also voiced concern over the assessment by America's intelligence establishment that Russia interfered in the US election last year in support of Trump. Several congressional committees, as well as US intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, continue to investigate how and to what degree Moscow may have helped Trump score his completely unexpected victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Peskov, however, decried the "hysteria" of the US political debate, and said it is hampering efforts to establish warmer relations. "We consider it a real danger for the future of our bilateral relationship and we sincerely want to see this hysteria coming to its logic end," the Kremlin spokesman said. Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn was forced to step down when it was revealed that he misled colleagues about his meetings with the Russian ambassador. More recently, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from election-related investigations when it emerged that he too had met the Russian ambassador on two occasions, despite having told lawmakers at his Senate confirmation hearing otherwise. Speaking on a different CNN program Sunday, Republican Senator John McCain, a top Trump critic, called for greater "scrutiny" in dealing with Russia. "There's a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I don't think the American people have gotten all the answers," McCain said. "In fact, I think there's a lot of shoes to drop from this centipede." In the latest twist, Trump's long-time friend and advisor Roger Stone denied collaborating with "Guccifer 2.0," an online persona that leaked material hacked from Democratic Party officials and politicians during last year's campaign. The Smoking Gun website and The Washington Times first reported that Stone and Guccifer 2.0 had exchanged direct messages on Twitter. Stone corroborated the information and posted screenshots of the messages, in which he said he was "delighted" Guccifer was reinstated to the social media platform after being temporarily banned. But he said in a post on his website that the messages were exchanged after the Democratic materials were leaked, and that he had "no contacts or communications" with Russian officials or intermediaries. President Donald Trumps senior aide Kellyanne Conway has been mocked for suggesting that former President Barack Obama monitored President Donald Trump through a microwave. In an interview with USA Today, Ms Conway suggested the surveillance may have involved far more than wiretapping. What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other. You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of different ways. She claimed surveillance could be conducted with microwaves that turn into cameras, adding We know this is a fact of modern life. Social media users mocked Ms Conway's claim with many saying they would be sure to check their hair and make-up before warming up their food from now on, the Telegraph reported. Ms Conway reiterated the request by the White House that the allegations of wiretapping be wrapped into a Congressional investigation into whether Russian intelligence operatives tried to influence the outcome of last Novembers election, USA Today reported. During the interview, she claimed Democrats who called for a deeper investigation of the alleged Russian links were trying to undermine the Trump presidency. The investigation is about a bunch of people who cant believe that Hillary Clinton lost the election, she said. Denpasar: A British man was on Monday jailed for six years over the killing of a policeman who was beaten to death on a beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. David Taylor, 34, was found guilty at a court on the island of fatal group assault over the killing of officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose battered body was found in August 2016. The court was due to hand down its verdict for his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor, 46, later on Monday. Sudarsa's blood-soaked body was found covered with dozens of wounds on his neck, chest and head. Taylor admitting to getting into a fight with Sudarsa on the beach, after accusing the officer of stealing Connor's handbag and hitting him with items including binoculars and a beer bottle. However he claimed during his four-month trial that he had been in "fear of his life" and acted in self defence during the late-night brawl, and never intended to kill the officer. Handing down the verdict and sentence, chief judge Yanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told the court in the Balinese capital Denpasar that Taylor had been "legitimately and convincingly proven guilty" of group assault causing death. It was shorter than the eight-year term demanded by prosecutors at an earlier hearing. Taylor and mother-of-two Connor, who are based in Australia and had been on holiday on Bali, had been accused of murder as well as two lesser charges, including group assault causing death. But prosecutors said they should not be convicted of murder, recognising that the pair did not intend to kill the officer. A murder conviction would have carried a maximum jail term of 15 years. Connor, who has been tried separately from Taylor, has maintained her innocence, saying that she only tried to pull the men apart as they fought. Prosecutors have recommended an eight-year jail term for her. The pair fled the scene but Connor's driving license and ATM card were found next to the body, and police later caught them. Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches. Minor crime is common but murders are rare. Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he had agreed to allow Chinese surveillance ships into Filipino waters, contradicting his defence minister who described their presence as "very concerning". Duterte also told reporters he did not want to have a "fight" with China over Benham Rise -- waters recognised by the United Nation as indisputably Philippine territory -- partly because he wanted Chinese economic help. "They have no incursion because we have an agreement," Duterte told reporters when asked about the reported presence of Chinese surveillance ships at Benham Rise. "Some people are just blowing it up. We previously agreed. It was a research ship. We were advised of it way ahead." Duterte's comments came after his defence secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said last week that Chinese surveillance ships had been seen in Benham Rise, which is believed to sit atop lucrative oil and gas deposits. "The very concerning thing is they have several service ships plying this area, staying in one area sometimes for a month as if doing nothing. But we believe they are actually surveying the seabed," Lorenzana said. "I have ordered the Navy that if they see this service ship this year, to start to accost them and drive them away." Lorenzana said China may be "looking for a place to put submarines". Duterte emphasised Monday the Philippines was set to enjoy billions of dollars in Chinese investments and grants, following his decision not to argue with China over another territorial dispute in the South China Sea. "Let us not fight about ownership or sovereignty at this time because things are going great for my country," Duterte said in reference to China. Benham Rise is an underwater landmass 250 kilometres (155 miles) off the east coast of the main island of Luzon. In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the Philippines' undisputed territorial claim to Benham Rise. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said last week that although the UN had ruled in the Philippines' favour, this did not mean Benham Rise was part of its territory. China and the Philippines have had a long-running dispute over competing claims in the South China Sea. Parts of that strategically vital waterway are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino, had forcefully challenged China in diplomatic and legal circles over the South China Sea dispute, leading to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations. Duterte, who took office last year, has reversed that policy, preferring instead to placate China in return for hoped-for billions of dollars worth of investments and grants. A helicopter lands on the Izumo, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force's (JMSDF) helicopter carrier, at JMSDF Yokosuka base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo (Photo: Reuters) Tokyo: Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May, three sources said, in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two. China claims almost all the disputed waters and its growing military presence has fueled concern in Japan and the West, with the United States holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation. The Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and U.S. naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July. It will return to Japan in August, the sources said. "The aim is to test the capability of the Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission," said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. "It will train with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea," he added, asking not to be identified because he is not authorized to talk to the media. A spokesman for Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force declined to comment. Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei also claim parts of the sea which has rich fishing grounds, oil and gas deposits and through which around $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. Japan does not have any claim to the waters, but has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea. Japan wants to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has pushed ties with China in recent months as he has criticized the old alliance with the United States, to visit the Izumo when it visits Subic Bay, about 100 km (62 miles) west of Manila, another of the sources said. Asked during a news conference about his view on the warship visit, Duterte said, without elaborating, "I have invited all of them." He added: "It is international passage, the South China Sea is not our territory, but it is part of our entitlement." On whether he would visit the warship at Subic Bay, Duterte said: "If I have time." Japan's flag-flying operation comes as the United States under President Donald Trump appears to be taking a tougher line with China. Washington has criticized China's construction of man-made islands and a build-up of military facilities that it worries could be used to restrict free movement. Beijing in January said it had "irrefutable" sovereignty over the disputed islands after the White House vowed to defend "international territories". The 249 meter-long (816.93 ft) Izumo is as large as Japan's World War Two-era carriers and can operate up to nine helicopters. It resembles the amphibious assault carriers used by U.S. Marines, but lacks their well deck for launching landing craft and other vessels. CCTV footage from the Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 shows two women approaching the exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un and apparently rubbing his face with a cloth. (Photo: AP) Kuala Lumpur: Monday marks one month since Kim Jong-Nam was murdered with a lethal nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, sparking a fierce diplomatic standoff between Malaysia and North Korea. Here is what we know so far about the progress of the investigation and the unfolding diplomatic crisis: How did it all kick off? CCTV footage from the Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 shows two women approaching the exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un and apparently rubbing his face with a cloth. The 45-year-old died minutes later, according to Malaysian police, who found traces of the nerve agent VX on his face. Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, have since been charged with his murder and face the death penalty if found guilty. Who is behind the attack? Seoul has blamed Pyongyang, saying the regime engaged two outsiders to carry out the brazen Cold War-style assassination following a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill a man he may have seen as a potential rival. North Korea has never confirmed the identity of the victim, who was carrying a passport bearing the name of Kim Chol when he was attacked. What's the latest with the investigation? Malaysian investigators are seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on the day of the murder while the other three are apparently hiding in North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, according to the police chief. Malaysia on Friday finally confirmed the victim's identity, but refused to say whether authorities had obtained a DNA sample from next-of-kin to do so in line with their previous demands. Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said concerns "for the security of the witnesses" prevented him from revealing further details. Why hasn't Kim's family come forward? Given North Korea's history of brutal purges, it is not surprising that Kim's wife and children, who were living in exile in the Chinese territory of Macau, staged a vanishing act after the murder. There are fears his 21-year-old son, Kim Han-Sol, could be targeted next. In what may be the first comments by the family however, a young man identifying himself as Han-Sol appeared in a video that circulated last week. The claim was later verified by South Korea's intelligence agency. But he did not reveal his whereabouts or offer to claim his father's body. What else we don't know A month on, mystery swirls around the assassination. The two women have told diplomats that they were tricked into believing they were taking part in a TV prank show, with one of them reportedly saying she was paid less than $100 for her role. Malaysian police have rejected their claims. The use of VX nerve agent -- a toxin so deadly it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN -- has also raised questions, particularly since the women did not come to serious harm despite handling it. The method used to identify Kim's body also remains unknown, with police refusing to confirm whether they used DNA samples, dental records or fingerprints. The New Straits Times reported that investigators identified Kim by matching the pattern of 21 moles scattered across his face with photographs taken when he was alive. Why did diplomatic ties deteriorate so quickly? Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years but tensions flared rapidly when North Korea denounced the Malaysian investigation as a smear job, insisting that the victim most likely died of a heart attack. The allegations prompted Malaysia to expel outspoken North Korean ambassador Kang Chol. Pyongyang retaliated by formally expelling his Malaysian counterpart, who had already left for consultations, and later barred Malaysians in North Korea from leaving the country, triggering a tit-for-tat move by Kuala Lumpur. Nine Malaysians -- three embassy staff and six family members -- remain trapped in Pyongyang while hundreds of North Koreans are reportedly stranded in Malaysia. What happens next? Malaysia hopes to open negotiations with North Korea this week to secure the release of its citizens and resolve its impasse with Pyongyang over the fate of the body. Malaysia has so far refused to hand over the body to Pyongyang, saying it will only release it to a family member. As the stalemate drags on, the two women are due to appear in court on April 13, two months after the assassination. China is set to increase the number of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh as part of plans to deploy them overseas for the first time, including at the strategic Gwadar port in Pakistan and military logistics base in Djibouti in the Indian Ocean.(Representational Image/ AP) China is set to increase the number of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh as part of plans to deploy them overseas for the first time, including at the strategic Gwadar port in Pakistan and military logistics base in Djibouti in the Indian Ocean. Gwadar also connects the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through PoK with Chinas Xinjiang. Although the port is not home to any Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) installation, navy ships are expected to dock at the facility in the near future, the report said. Reports from Pakistan said the country itself is setting up Special Security Division comprising 15,000 troops, including 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel to protect CPEC and Chinese personnel. The expanded Chinese marine corps is part of a wider push to refocus the worlds largest army away from winning a land war based on sheer numbers and towards meeting a range of security scenarios using highly specialised units, the report said. Towards that end, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reducing the size of the PLA by three lakh, with nearly all of the cuts coming from the land forces, it said. For this, two brigades of special combat soldiers had already been moved to the marines, nearly doubling its size to 20,000, and more brigades would be added. The PLA marines will be increased to 1,00,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfil new missions of our country, it quoted a source as saying. The size of the navy would also grow 15 per cent from its current estimated size of 2.35 lakh. China this year plans to increase its defence spending by about seven per cent to $152 billion. Much of it was expected to go to the navy as China plans to spread its influence far from its shores. Pakistans former US envoy Hussain Haqqani admitted to assisting US agents make their way in the country for Abbotabad operation to kill Osama Bin Laden. The revelations were made in Mr Haqqanis article published in the Washington Post. He said he not only aided the US intelligence agencies but also persuaded the then government to allow the agents to operate in Pakistan. According to Mr Haqqani, US agents arrived in Pakistan and paved way for Abbotabad operation. Friends I made from the Obama campaign were able to ask, three years later, as National Security Council officials, for help in stationing US Special Operations and personnel in Pakistan. I brought the request directly to Pakistans civilian leaders, who approved. He said the government wanted change in foreign policy and better relations with Afghanistan and India. Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to hold talks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Kremlin in Moscow. (Photo: AP) Moscow: A Russian woman pardoned by President Vladimir Putin after she was sentenced to seven years in jail for treason over a text message about movements of military equipment was released Sunday, local media reported. Shopkeeper Oxana Sevastidi, 46, was convicted in March 2016 over an SMS sent eight years earlier about a train carrying military hardware towards neighbouring Georgia, months before Russia fought a brief war with the country. Footage broadcast on state television from outside Moscows Lefortovo prison, where Sevastidi was being held, showed her hugging her mother before grabbing her personal items and getting into a car with her lawyer. The Supreme Court is set to rule on her case on March 15. Sevastidis defence has hailed the pardon but insisted she would fight until her conviction was quashed. We are preparing for the Supreme Court hearing which on Wednesday will consider this absurd criminal case and, I hope, put an end to it, lawyer Ivan Pavlov wrote on his Facebook page Saturday. Putins pardon, issued on March 7, said it was motivated by principles of humanity. Sevastidi, who hails from the Black Sea city of Sochi, told Meduza news site in December that she photographed military equipment transported on a train in April 2008, months before the August conflict. Sevastidi said she exchanged messages with a Georgian acquaintance about what she had seen. Sevastidi was detained by the FSB security service in January 2015 and convicted after a trial held behind closed doors. In a similar case, a woman in a small town outside Moscow was arrested in 2015 after calling the Ukrainian embassy to say soldiers had left a nearby base and could be heading to eastern Ukraine where a conflict was raging, and where Russia denies intervening militarily. She was released from prison and the treason charges against her were dropped after a public outcry. Russia has prosecuted an increasing number of its nationals and foreigners for treason and espionage since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict in 2014 and the ensuing standoff with the West. Berlin: A 19-year-old German thrill killer, Marcel Hesse was arrested on Thursday night, for murdering two people, stabbing the first one 56 times and the second one 68 times. He proceeded to send a picture of himself with a bloodied knife to his friend. Hesse had been rejected by the German army for being mentally unstable. According to a report by the Daily Mail, Hesse called 9-year-old Jaden to a cellar in Herne, under the pretext of helping him set up some ladders and stabbing him to death. After the first murder, he alerted the police after four days, who found another murdered victim, 22-year-old Christopher W, in a burning house. After his arrest, he confessed to both the murders. He also, reportedly, took pictures and a video of Jadens murder and posted it on the dark web. Along with the pictures, he also shared messages that were on WhatsApp and in online chatrooms. In one message on an internet chat room, he wrote: I have cut myself in the hand as I fought the 120kg beast. Another note said, I just killed the neighbour's child, doesn't feel bad tbh, my hand bleeds lil' which is the only thing annoying me. I actually wanted to get a girl in here so I can rape her. (sic) His second victim was a college friend, at whose place they ate and played computer games before the murder. After killing him, Hesse stayed at Christopher Ws place and then called the police. He walked into a fast food joint Thessaloniki Grill, in Herne, introduced himself and told the owner, Look on your tablet. You will see a picture of me there. He asked the owner to call the police, who came 10 minutes later and arrested him. Police said in a tweet: 'The arrested man gave us information about the burning flat.' On Friday morning, Reinhard Peters, lawyer for the family of Jaden, said: 'The family is relieved that he has been captured alive to await the full punishment of the law for his crime.' Jadens stepfather found his body in a huge pool of blood. The police also believe that Hesse may have also killed a woman. He had apparently tortured her to get her bank details and pin card number. An internal inquiry by Scotland Yard found the men had no case to answer, but Hubbard described it as a whitewash. (Photo: AFP) London: An female officer is among three policewomen suing Scotland Yard over racism and sexism claims, a media report said on Sunday. Police constable Usha Evans, detective constable Nighat Hubbard-- the Metropolitan Polices first Muslim policewoman to be awarded an honour by the Queen -- and Hubbards colleague Catherine Bell allege they had faced discrimination from white male officers, The Sunday Times reported. A judge ruled last week that it would be just and equitable for Hubbard to bring the legal claim after the Met Police was trying to block her from making the employment tribunal claim. In a preliminary judgment, among the allegations made by the three officers included white colleagues being allowed to work on more complex investigations, while the women were held back. The allegations date between 2013 and 2014. Hubbard also alleged that male officers had made discriminatory comments on her and other women in the force. An internal inquiry by Scotland Yard found the men had no case to answer, but Hubbard described it as a whitewash. One senior officer she accused of discrimination, former detective inspector Mick Standing, was protected by the Met and, after her complaint about him, was allowed to retire and join the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), according to Hubbards claim. Standing, who left the organisation earlier this month, denies the claims and said he had been completely exonerated by a Met investigation. According to Hubbards witness statement, Bell reported that Standing had told another female Asian officer, You need to grow a beard, shout more and be more masculine. Hubbards claim makes allegations about another white, male officer who she claims mocked Evans religion. Hubbard is leading the allegations which include that when she, Evans and Bell complained about the alleged discrimination to Scotland Yard, the anti-corruption command Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) investigation that followed was a sham and a cover-up. Her claims against the DPS will now form part of the case to be heard by an employment tribunal this year. The Met Police said, We are unable to discuss further while proceedings are ongoing. The IPCC said it did not comment on staffing matters. Tensions between Turkey and Western Europe simmered on Monday, with Turkeys foreign ministry formally protesting the treatment of a Turkish minister who was escorted out of the Netherlands over the weekend and what Turkey called a disproportionate use of force against demonstrators at a protest afterward. German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in on the Netherlands side, Natos chief called for alliance members to respect each other, and the EU urged Turkey to calm down. The flap is over the Netherlands refusal to allow Turkish officials to campaign there to drum up support among Turks who are eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of the Turkish President. The surge in tensions spread online, with a handful of Dutch websites vandalised with pro-Turkish imagery and slogans. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. (Photo: Twitter) Jerusalem: A British activist who advocates boycotting Israel over its occupation of Palestinian territory has been denied entry to the country, authorities said Monday. Hugh Lanning, head of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was denied entry on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv over his "ongoing actions to promote boycotts against Israel," a statement from the immigration authority said. He flew back to London on Monday morning, authority spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said. "The organisation Mr. Lanning heads is one of the leading anti-Israel delegitimisation and BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) organisations in Britain, and one of the largest in Europe," a joint statement from the immigration authority and the strategic affairs ministry said. It also accused Lanning of maintaining ties to leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip. Lanning's organisation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Israel has carried out a campaign against calls to boycott it over its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory. It sees the boycott movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism, a claim that activists deny, saying they only want to see the occupation end. Last week, Israel's parliament adopted a law barring entry to foreigners who support boycotting the country, a move denounced by human rights groups and the opposition as "thought control" harmful to the country's international standing. Lanning was however not stopped due to the new law but instead on the discretion of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who can bar those they see as working to harm Israel, Hadad said. Israeli politicians have become more combative against BDS activists under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history. My mothers favorite supermarket is undergoing a mysterious repeal and replace operation with its senior discount program. Of course nerves are on edge. Senior discounts used to be a kindly gesture to help out struggling fixed income elders and reward loyalty; but in recent decades they have stirred up jealousy and made businessmen fear theyve created an immortal monster. Of course that lobbying juggernaut AARP is responsible for a lot of the discounts. Heck, gas stations that already offered free air were strong-armed into promising, Well have Cletus install a free windmill for you. Statistics are a favorite weapon of senior discount critics. Many of the articles Ive read argue that on average or as a whole, people eligible for senior discounts have higher income and more accumulated wealth than the younger folks paying full price. On the other hand, one of my gray-haired friends pointed out, On average, as a whole, my cousins are amazing drivers. But if you depend on dead cousin Ernie to drive you to your doctors appointments, youre up the creek. I cannot deny that younger consumers have legitimate complaints about their own bleak prospects. If some prosperous seniors want to be magnanimous and forego their discounts, more power to them. Other seniors are a little less sympathetic. (Sorry about your debt load, but Ive got a PROSTATE bigger than your student loan. Guess I wouldve studied up on touchy-feely stuff more if wed had free Wi-Fi when I was in the Vietnamese P.O.W. camp!!!) Granted, some seniors do a better job of defending their entitlements than others. One guy went full Charlie Browns little sister when the topic of tampering with senior discounts came up. (All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share. Ive paid my dues unless you count being a deadbeat dad and getting paid under the table and filing for bankruptcy to avoid my medical bills. I didnt say I was a FANATIC about paying dues.) Senior resentment even figures into the immigration debate. Lots of progressive thirty-year-olds have no qualms if immigrants bring different languages, different cultures, different laws or sketchy passports but if theyre hauling Hummel figurines or grandkid photos, all bets are off. A dwindling number of people from the Greatest Generation still turn out to socialize on Senior Discount Day, but what really puts a burden on the system is the number of Baby Boomers. Yes, the people who danced to the Beach Boys, attended Woodstock and made household names of Cheech & Chong now dominate the discounts. But the former pacifistic flower children have a new attitude. (Sure, Ill still wear flowers in my hair as long as you give me a 10% discount on the flowers. Otherwise, Im going Hells Angels on your butt.) The war between seniors and those who feel theyre SUBSIDIZING seniors often turns into The Family Vacation From Hell. (Mom, that old lady down the street is lookin at me through three cataracts and glaucoma, but lookin at me. Make her stop!!!) There are always fights over how private businesses choose to discriminate between customers, whether with military discounts, teacher discounts, frequent-flyer miles, bring in your church bulletin discounts or whatever. Perhaps if we all work together, someday we can achieve true fairness. Hey, that guys unicorn has more sprinkles than mine... *Sigh* The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey. (Photo: AFP/Representational Image) Beirut: Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, adding that one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities". The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP, and rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. Syrian state television on Monday reported that the government delegation, headed by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, had arrived in the Kazakh capital. Jaafari has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said the Russian and UN delegations had also arrived in Astana for the talks, with other teams expected later Monday. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, the constitution, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction, according to UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. De Mistura had earlier said he expected negotiators in Astana "to actually address the issue of counter-terrorism" and discuss a "concrete possibility of the exchange of detainees and abducted people". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday discussed the Astana meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, according Lavrov's office. The Russian foreign ministry did not release details of the call. Lavrov's deputy Gennady Gatilov said Monday that Moscow had "invited all the parties present at the previous meeting in Astana, and we hope that everyone who attended will also be present this time." More than 320,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused by critics of seeking one-man rule in the constitutional changes. (Photo: AP) Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands would pay for blocking his ministers from holding rallies to win support in a referendum on expanding his powers, as a crisis escalated with Turkey's key EU partners. Erdogan also repeated hugely controversial accusations that the Netherlands -- occupied by Nazi Germany in World War II -- was behaving like fascists in its treatment of Turkish ministers. Analysts are predicting a tight outcome to the April 16 referendum on a new constitution and Turkish ministers have planned major rallies in key EU cities to win votes from millions of Turks residing abroad. But Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled after being prevented from addressing a rally in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. Also this weekend, The Hague refused to allow Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane to land ahead of a planned rally. "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price," an angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, referring to the March 15 election in Turkey's NATO ally. "They will learn what diplomacy is," he growled, adding that what happened "cannot remain unanswered." "If you let horses, dogs on my citizens you have to be held to account," he said, referring to dogs, horses and water cannons used by Dutch police to disperse pro-Erdogan demonstrators after clashes in Rotterdam early Sunday. But Dutch Prime Prime Minister Mark Rutte ruled out apologising, saying: "There's absolutely no way excuses can be made, they should make excuses for what they've done yesterday." Erdogan repeated his accusations that the Dutch response to the Turkish visits was "Nazism, fascism". Speaking at a rally in the French city of Metz -- which was allowed to go ahead -- Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism". Faced with an upsurge in support for the far-right, European governments have come under pressure to take a hard line on Erdogan, who is accused by critics of seeking one-man rule in the constitutional changes. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to delay a planned March visit because of the "tensions". Police clashed with pro-Erdogan demonstrators in the Netherlands overnight while in Istanbul on Sunday a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replaced the Dutch flag with a Turkish flag. A Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman said that the Netherlands had "protested to the Turkish authorities" over the incident. The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday he was against Turkish ministers holding political rallies in Germany. "A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany," he told public broadcaster ARD. Separately, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he hoped Turkey "would return to its senses". Berlin has also emerged as a strident critic over Ankara's crackdown following an attempted coup, which has seen more than 100,000 people arrested or dismissed from their posts over alleged links to the plotters or to Kurdish militants. "The West has clearly shown its true face in the last couple of days," Erdogan said. "What we have seen is a clear manifestation of Islamophobia," he added. The president indicated that he himself plans to travel to Europe for rallies, a move that could potentially create an even greater row. In Metz, Cavusoglu was welcomed by some 800 flag-waving Turks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement there was "no reason to prohibit this gathering". "I thank France. France was not deceived by such games," Erdogan said. In a later speech outside Istanbul, Erdogan called on "all international organisations" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands, who he said was behaving "like a banana republic". The diplomatic row triggered clashes in Rotterdam, where after several hours of calm demonstrations, police moved in to disperse over 1,000 people gathered near the Turkish consulate, charging the crowd on horseback and using dogs to regain control. The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin while Germany has 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. In Wednesday's polls Rutte faces a strong challenge from the party of far-right anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders. Syrian children play under the heat of the midday sun in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, near the Syrian border. (Photo: AP) Beirut: At least 652 children were killed in Syria in 2016, making it the worst year yet for the country's rising generation, the United Nations' child relief agency said. There was no letup to attacks on schools, hospitals, playgrounds, parks and homes last year as the Syrian government, its opponents and the allies of both sides showed callous disregard for the laws of war. UNICEF said at least 255 children were killed in or near schools in 2016 and 1.7 million youngsters are out of school. One of every three schools in Syria is unusable, some because armed groups occupy them. An additional 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East. The figures come in a UNICEF report released two days before the sixth anniversary of the popular uprising that escalated into civil war. Children were among the first victims of the government's brutal crackdown. On March 15, 2011, residents in the southern city of Daraa marched to demand the release of teenage students arrested for writing anti-government slogans on their school's walls. They were tortured in detention. The report warns that coping mechanisms and medical care are eroding quickly in Syria, driving children into child labour, early marriage and combat. Dozens are dying from preventable diseases. A report released a week ago by the international charity Save the Children said Syrian youngsters are showing signs of "toxic stress" that can lead to lifelong health problems, struggles with addiction and mental disorders lasting into adulthood. The use of child soldiers is on the rise in Syria, UNICEF said. At least 851 children were recruited by armed factions last year, more than twice compared to the year before. Children across the country are at risk of severe injury while playing around landmines and cluster munitions. Demining operations in opposition-held areas have been severely hampered by inaccessibility to outside experts. Kabul: Afghanistan government summoned Pakistans Charge d'affaires to Kabul to lodge protest over persecution of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan. In an official statement, Afghanistans Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Pakistans Charge d'affaires to Kabul and lodged a strong protest. Afghanistan had lodged another protest against the frequent artillery shelling on Khans Kunar and Sarkano districts of Kunar Province on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Ministry has also expressed the deepest concerns of Afghanistan with regard to the indiscriminate shelling and the violation of Afghan airspace by the Pakistani military helicopters along the presumed Durand Line. The Director of the first Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mosa Arefi asked the Pakistani side to immediately cease such provocative actions. In return, Pakistan Charge daffaires to Kabul promised to convey the protest and concerns of the Afghan Government to the authorities and relevant officials of his country. Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. (Photo: AFP/Representational) Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. (Photo: AFP/Representational) Islamabad: Pakistan is preparing for its first census in 19 years. Here are some facts about the sixth most populous nation in the world. A third sex For the first time, transsexual people will be counted separately, according to representatives of this historically recognised but often persecuted community in Pakistan. The forms had been printed well in advance of court decisions to include them in the count. Now enumerators have been informed that those surveyed will have three numeric choices for their gender: 1 for men, 2 for women, 3 for those who declare themselves transsexuals. Only nine languages Language is considered an essential tool in evaluating the makeup of multi-ethnic Pakistan -- but only nine of the country's estimated 70 will be listed, to the dismay of many communities. No regional languages from sparsely populated Gilgit-Baltistan will be included nor will Gujrati -- spoken by some Muslim immigrants from India who believe the lack of recognition will drive their mother-tongue towards oblivion. Faith matters The census will provide an insight into the true number of religious minorities, especially Christians and Hindus. Estimates are approximate and disputed, ranging from 2 to 10 million for the former and 2.5 to 4.5 million for the latter. Citizens can declare themselves Muslim, Christian, Hindu or Ahmadi -- a branch of Islam considered heretic by the state. Otherwise, they can be "members of scheduled castes" -- members of marginalised Hindu families, or "other". There are no separate options for Sikhs, Parsis or Baha'i. Feeling flush One box asks households how many toilets they have -- a particularly salient question in Pakistan, where the United Nations estimates up to 40 percent of people defecate in the open air with dramatic health consequences, especially for children. Nationality The census gives two nationality options: Pakistani or foreign. But the army, which will conduct a parallel count, plans to be more precise mainly because of the country's Afghan refugees who are accused of everything from terrorism to trafficking. Many local officials fear Afghans could be counted as local and skew demography in favour of ethnic Pashtuns, whose political parties would benefit as a result. On the other hand, the estimated six million Pakistanis working abroad will not be counted. No information will be collected on internal migration -- necessary to assess the political weight of a province where many people have moved for economic reasons. This information will be the subject of a separate subsequent survey based on a large sample of the population, according to authorities. Islamabad: Islamabad is hosting female lawmakers from 12 countries at a conference on the role of women in strengthening democracy. Pakistanis Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter opened the three-day gathering on Monday. Maryam Nawaz saluted the Women's Parliamentary Caucus in Pakistan for taking the initiative for the venue. She says it's high time to work for women's empowerment for the betterment and development of societies. Along with those from Pakistan, women lawmakers from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Australia, Romania, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Maldives, Indonesia and Nepal are attending the event. Women make up over half of the population in Pakistan and though they have some rights, they are still hugely discriminated against. Much of this Islamic society still believes women should not work but stay confined to the home. Lahore: The Lahore High Courts new bench will take up on March 20 the petition filed by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and four others challenging their house arrest under the anti-terrorism act. The Lahore High Court on Monday fixed the date of the hearing in the case for March 20 following the change of the two-member bench by Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. The new two-member bench is headed by Justice Syed Kazim Raza Shamsi. The hearing scheduled for March 7 could not be held because of the change of the bench which washeaded by Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan. In the last hearing, the court had served a notice on the Punjab government seeking a reply on Saeeds petition by March 7. Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid have filed the petition in the Lahore High Court and challenged their detention through senior advocate A.K. Dogar. The government on January 30 had put Saeed and the four leaders of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest in Lahore under the countrys anti-terrorism act. In their petition, Saeed and the four others had said the government in light of interior ministrys order detained them for a period of 90 days, with effect from January 30, in exercise of powers under the Anti Terrorism Act. They requested the Court to declare the government order malafide, without jurisdiction and one that voids the fundamental right to their life and liberty. The names of Saeed and 37 other JuD and FIF leaders had earlier also been placed on the Exit Control List, barring them from leaving the country. Beijing has one aircraft carrier and is building one more with a third in the pipeline. China is constructing a naval base in Djibouti to provide what it calls logistical support in one of the world's busiest waterways in the Indian Ocean. China denies it is an overseas military base but a logistics centre which will be used mostly for resupply purposes for anti-piracy, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. Liu Xiaojiang, a former navy political commissar, said the maritime force would take on an increasingly central role in the military. "China is a maritime country and as we defend our maritime rights and develop our interests, the status of the navy will be more important," Liu told reporters on the sidelines of China's parliament session. Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said an expanded marine corps could help maintain security for China's 'One Belt One Road' initiative. The plan calls for new trade and investment links stretching from Southeast Asia to eastern Europe, and will likely see Chinese companies as well as their workers operating in high-risk areas such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. The marines were established in the 1950s in the aftermath of the civil war between China's Communists and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists who fled to Taiwan. For decades, Taiwan had the second-largest marine force in the world, after the United States, but its stature began to decline in the 1990s when Beijing began pursuing claims in the South China Sea. China is set to increase the number of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh as part of plans to deploy them overseas for the first time, including at the strategic Gwadar port in Pakistan and military logistics base in Djibouti in the Indian Ocean.The expansion is planned to protect China's maritime lifelines and its growing interests overseas, Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported today.Some members would be stationed at ports China operates in Djibouti and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, Chinese military insiders and experts were quoted as saying.Gwadar port is a deep-sea port next to the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil route in and out of the Persian Gulf, built with Chinese funding and operated by mainland firms.Although the port is not home to any PLA installation, navy ships are expected to dock at the facility in the near future, the report said.Gwadar also connects the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through PoK with China's Xinjiang.Reports from Pakistan said the country itself is setting up Special Security Division comprising 15,000 troops, including 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel to protect CPEC and Chinese personnel.The expanded Chinese marine corps is part of a wider push to refocus the world's largest army away from winning a land war based on sheer numbers and towards meeting a range of security scenarios using highly specialised units, the report said.Towards that end, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reducing the size of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by three lakh, with nearly all of the cuts coming from the land forces, it said.For this, two brigades of special combat soldiers had already been moved to the marines, nearly doubling its size to 20,000, and more brigades would be added, the report said."The PLA marines will be increased to 100,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfil new missions of our country," it quoted a source as saying.The size of the navy would also grow 15 per cent from its current estimated size of 2.35 lakh personnel.China this year plans to increase its defence spending by about seven per cent to USD 152 billion. Much of it was expected to go to the navy as China plans to spread its influence far from its shores.Traditionally, marines have mostly operated only in China's coastal areas, as their role was limited by their relatively small numbers and basic equipment, Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said. But a bigger corps could be deployed much farther afield as the navy takes on more challenges."Besides its original missions of a possible war with Taiwan, maritime defence in the East and South China seas, it's also foreseeable that the PLA Navy's mission will expand overseas, including protection of China's national security in the Korean peninsula, the country's maritime lifelines, as well as offshore supply deports like in Djibouti and Gwadar port in Pakistan," Li said. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today said that she will be seeking the Scottish Parliament's permission to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. Sturgeon wants this referendum to be held between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019 for Scotland to be able to have a say over its relationship with the European Union (EU) post-Brexit. If it gets parliamentary approval, this will be the second such Scottish independence referendum after 2014, when the region had voted to remain part of the UK. Scotland had rejected independence from the UK by 55 per cent in the September 2014 vote. "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. A choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe," Sturgeon said from her official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The First Minister said the second referendum had become necessary because of the UK government's failure to fully take Scotlands interests on board in the Brexit process. Scotland, in contrast to the rest of the UK, had voted to remain in the European Union (EU) in last Junes referendum. Sturgeon will seek Scottish Parliament's permission to request a Section 30 order from the Westminster government next week, which will allow a fresh legally-binding referendum to be held once consent is granted. Sturgeon's speech came ahead of a debate in the House of Commons where MPs will consider the Article 50 bill today. British Prime Minister Theresa May is getting closer to invoking Article 50 to trigger negotiations for Britains exit from the EU as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill comes up for its final vote. Sturgeon believes she can win a second independence referendum this time around because of the implications of Brexit for the country and to resist being forcibly taken out of the EU single market. "I have been genuine and sincere about trying to reach a compromise agreement with the UK government. We have not met with a Government and a Prime Minister who is willing to meet us half way on that... they have moved away from compromise with language that has appeared to become harder and harder," said Sturgeon. She claims the economic benefits of staying in the UK in a post-Brexit landscape are "significantly more challenging" than they were last time the vote was held in 2014. Over 2,500 DMK workers were arrested today from Coimbatore, Tirupur and Nilgiris districts when they tried to stage picketing in front of ration shops over alleged non-availability of PDS items in these districts. The workers, including party Singanallur MLA, N Karthik, former minister Pongalur N Palanisamy,district secretaries and local leaders raised slogans in front of different ration shops in and the city. Nearly, 1,050 party workers were arrested from the city, police said, adding DMK activists were also arrested at Pollachi, Mettupalayam, Sulur in the district. Tirupur, having 200 rations shops, also saw protests by DMK workers, among them a large number of women. DMK young wing secretary S Swaminathan led the picketing in Vellakoil in the district, About 1000 workers were arrested in that district, they said. In Nilgiris district, protests were held in front of 75 of a total of 200 shops and 600 party workers were arrested, police said. The economic theory, Tragedy of the Commons, is brilliantly shown in the music video Chennai Poromboke Paadal by Carnatic musician T M Krishna. Shot in the Ennore creek, the music video discusses the usurping of our commons in the name of progress. It even points out that the increased damages from floods and other natural disasters are a result of, what the definition of the theory describes as, individual users acting independently according to their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting that resource through their collective action. But we seem to be doomed to repeat the vicious cycle of unsustainable development. A recent example of the exploitation that the commons are facing is the hydrocarbons project in Neduvasal, Tamil Nadu. What was opposed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu assembly in 2015 as a Shale gas project seems to have been repackaged as a hydrocarbons project and reinstated by the Centre for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limiteds gas exploration and extraction. Why explore such fuel sources when methane has a devastating greenhouse effect? Poor management As though to reinforce the disasters we are skirting, on January 28, there was an oil spill resulting from the collision of two tankers off the Kamarajar Port, Chennai. The oil has washed ashore onto beaches more than 40 km in the south but that is insignificant compared to the devastation in the northern coastline, where the accident took place. While it was a lucky break when only a few tonnes had spilled, it would have been a death blow to the coast if all the 45,000 tonnes of petroleum products aboard the ship had spilled. This happened off the same Kamarajar Port that has designs on 1,000 acres of Ennore creek a vital brackish water wetlands complex of mangroves, salt pans, tidal mudflats and flowing water. The actual physical clean-up was done with buckets by a group of volunteers from North Chennai. The oil extracted was treated by bioremediation process and the treated waste was stored in landfills. Clean-up bio-mimicking robots such as the Row-bot designed by Jonathan Rossiter could have been used and ensured that there was minimal human exposure to toxic oils. We are staring at a drought in the face as waterbodies continue to be usurped. We were attacked by floods and a cyclone, yet continue with ecologically damaging, unsustainable practices. Wetlands, waterbodies, flood plains and mangroves have the ability to protect areas from flooding, cyclonic storm surges, and even tsunami. Yet, they are continuously endangered. Its not that eco-friendly options arent there or easily and cost-effectively available. Its just that the individual users who are acting independently have no interest in opting for the sustainable development pathway. According to environmentalist Vandana Shiva, many so-called waste lands or commons in Odisha and Karnataka have been leased out to private companies to generate income and have been exploited. Converting waste land commons to plantations for a paper mill is another common practice in waste land management boards in the southern states. However, it must be remembered that these lands were classified as waste lands by a colonial government because they didnt generate revenue. In such cases, decentralised solutions could be the answer. For instance, rooftop solar and wind energy generating systems are being improved upon. Marshes, wetlands, scrubs forests, grasslands and flood plains are vital to the health of the ecology and ecosystem of a region. Again, there are many instances of converting lagoons and coastal mangroves into commercial shrimp and fish farms. Many ecosystems along Karnatakas coast have been affected by this. Its another kind of monoculture that destroys the marine ecosystem already imperiled by unsustainable, non-traditional fishing practices, eutrophication, and industrial and shipping lane pollution. Exploitation of the commons Karnataka has 270 km of coastline, 4.04 lakh hectares of saline and alkaline lands and 67.18 lakh hectares of land eroded by water. But these areas have the potential to sustain vital ecosystems if maintained well, instead of being commercially exploited. But the most common and devastating exploitation of the commons in water-scarce and drought-prone states like Karnataka is the conversion of waterbodies into real estate. Lakes and marshes that have dried up have been sold to real estate companies for development. In spite of the flooding in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry in December 2015 being attributed in large part to the diminished absorption capacity of wetlands and connected waterbodies, the hunger of real estate remains undiminished. It is essential that the commons are cared for to ensure the prosperity of the community and environment. If not for reducing the environmental damage, we need to do it for at least ourselves. This is a vital commitment that can help ensure a safer planet for tomorrow. A few months ago, a representative from Cargill travelled to Colonia Berlin, a remote colony in Bolivias eastern lowlands in the southernmost reaches of the vast Amazon River basin with an enticing offer. The American agricultural giant wanted to buy soybeans from the Mennonite residents, descendants of European peasants who had been carving settlements out of the thick forest for more than 40 years. One of those farmers, Heinrich Janzen, was clearing woodland from a 37-acre plot he bought late last year, hustling to get soy in the ground in time for a May harvest. Cargill wants to buy from us, said Janzen, 38, as bluish smoke drifted from heaps of smoldering vegetation. His soy is in demand. Cargill is one of several agricultural traders vying to buy from soy farmers in the region, he said. Cargill confirmed the accounts of colony residents, and said the company was still assessing whether it would source from the community. A decade after the Save the Rainforest movement forced changes that dramatically slowed deforestation across the Amazon basin, activity is roaring back in some of the biggest expanses of forests in the world. That resurgence, driven by the worlds growing appetite for soy and other agricultural crops, is raising the spectre of a backward slide in efforts to preserve biodiversity and fight climate change. In the Brazilian Amazon, the worlds largest rain forest, deforestation rose in 2015 for the first time in nearly a decade, to nearly two million acres from August 2015 to July 2016. That is a jump from about 1.5 million acres a year earlier and just over 1.2 million acres the year before that, according to estimates by Brazils National Institute for Space Research. Here across the border in Bolivia, where there are fewer restrictions on land clearance, deforestation appears to be accelerating as well. About 8,65,000 acres of land have been deforested, on an average, annually for agriculture since 2011, according to estimates from the NGO Bolivia Documentation and Information Centre. That figure has risen from about 3,66,000 acres a year, on an average, in the 1990s and 6,67,000 acres a year in the 2000s. Now, a new study by an environmental advocacy group points to fresh indications of large-scale forest-clearing by Bolivian and Brazilian farmers who trade soybeans with Cargill. That organisation, USA-based Mighty Earth, used satellite imaging and supply-chain mapping information from the Stockholm Environment Institute, an environmental think tank, to identify deforestation in Brazil where two US-based food giants, Cargill and Bunge, are the only known agricultural traders. According to Mighty Earths analysis, the Brazilian savanna areas in which Cargill operates, a region called the Cerrado, saw more than 3,21,000 acres of deforestation between 2011 and 2015. Mighty Earth also linked Bunge, the other agricultural giant, to more than 1.4 million acres from 2011 to 2015. In Bolivia, where supply-chain mapping is not available, Mighty Earth sent employees to areas where Cargill operates. The organisation used drones to record the clearing of forests and savannas in areas where Cargill operates silos. The reports of fresh deforestation come despite a landmark deal signed three years ago by Cargill and other companies that included a target of eliminating deforestation from the production of agricultural commodities like palm oil, soy and beef products by 2020. Experts at the time said the deadline, laid out in the New York Declaration of Forests, would require companies to start straightaway to make their sourcing more sustainable. The study was funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and a NGO, Rainforest Foundation Norway. National priorities Forest loss is detrimental to the earths climate. The clearing of woodlands and the fires that accompany it generate one-tenth of all global warming emissions, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, making the loss of forests one of the biggest single contributors to climate change. Only about 15% of the worlds forest cover remains intact, according to the World Resources Institute. The rest has been cleared, degraded or is in fragments, wiping out ecosystems and displacing indigenous communities, scientists say. Behind the rise in deforestation is a strategy by multinational food companies to source their agricultural commodities from ever more remote areas around the world. These areas tend to be where legal protections of forests are weakest. The Brazilian Amazon, a poster child for the global forest-conservation movement, has enjoyed increasing protections, like a moratorium announced in 2006 on forest clearing for soy production. Between that time and 2015, Brazil reduced Amazon deforestation by almost two-thirds, according to estimates by Mongabay, a environmental news site, based on data from the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. The uptick in forest loss since then, however, has raised concerns that the progress is far from secure. Brazil was aware of the challenge of keeping deforestation at bay, Everton Lucero, the secretary of climate change and forests of Brazils Ministry of the Environment, said in an interview. Even before the New York Declaration, Cargill had made significant efforts to buy palm oil sourced only from land not linked to fresh deforestation, according to a supply-chain expert with extensive experience working on Cargills global sustainability efforts. Another problem was the resistance from commodities traders, whose incentive was to seek supplies from as many sources as possible in order to drive down costs. Buying only sustainably grown commodities would mean a more limited supply. Now, environmental groups accuse Cargill of backtracking on its 2020 deadline. In recent statements, Cargill has adopted a 2030 deadline for elimination of deforestation from its supply chain a separate deadline, mentioned elsewhere in the New York Declaration, that was meant to apply to ending all forms of deforestation, not just those related to agricultural commodities. Theyre willfully misinterpreting the Declaration, said Glenn Hurowitz, chief executive of Mighty Earth. Cargill is committed, David said, to eliminating by 2020 deforestation from its production of palm oil, a commodity widely used in food, detergents and cosmetics. But, he said, Cargill had always understood the declaration to give all signatories until 2030 to tackle deforestation. Holly Gibbs, an expert in tropical deforestation and agriculture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, called the 2030 deadline interpretation devastating. If we were to wait until 2030, Holly said, there would be no forest left. Members of Kudlu Gate, Haralur, Haralukunte, Somasundarapalya and Parangipalya (KHHSP) a federation of residents welfare associations, held a snap protest on Monday as BBMP backed out of a grievance meeting regarding a waste processing plant in their area. Members of the federation and local residents welfare associations affected by the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) plant were earlier assured by the BBMP of a grievance meeting. The residents were planning to raise problems like stink, excessive dumping of garbage, air pollution and other issues caused by the plant. With the Palike backing out at the last minute, residents formed a human chain and held a peaceful protest inside the KCDC plant at Somasundarapalya. A meeting was scheduled to be held last Friday but it was postponed as officials were not available. This is the third time the Palike has let us down. So far, no grievance meetings have taken place. There were one or two informal meetings with the then BBMP Special Commissioner for Solid Waste Management (SWM) Subodh Yadav in 2016, said Sankar Sharma, one of the affected residents. Locals said the BBMP skipped the meeting fearing backlash from angry citizens over the poorly maintained plant and unscientific dumping of waste. KHHSP member Kamesh Rastogi said he and other working professionals had taken leave from work just to attend the meeting. "It is highly unprofessional of the Palike to cancel the meeting at the last moment," he added. BBMP Joint Commissioner Veerabhadra Swamy for Bommanahalli zone cited the BBMP council meeting for being absent from the meeting. All the health officials were busy at the meeting on Monday and hence could not attend it, he said. The residents plan to organise Blood to Breathe campaign on Sunday near the KCDC plant, where a blood donation camp will be held. They said the campaign is being organised to symbolise the pain of the locals staying close to plant. To spread the word on water conservation and encourage citizens to use water judiciously in the wake of the water crisis this summer, citizen activists have chalked out a campaign under the banner Bengaluru Water Warriors. Led by a group of activists from Bangalore Civic Leadership Incubation Programme (B.Clip) team along with volunteers, the campaign will involve a walkathon, door-to-door campaigns, distribution of pamphlets, meetings at ward level among others to promote rain water harvesting (RWH) and water conservation measures. More than 500 volunteers, including water conservation and RWH experts, have shown interest in the campaign that will run throughout the year. We will kick-start the campaign on March 18 by organising a mega walkathon, said a core volunteer, Meenakshi Ravikrishna. The team said that it wants all the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and government properties in the first place to install RWH and other related measures. We will work towards that as part of the campaign and will meet government officials, added Ravikrishna. The walkathon, supported by Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.Pac) will start from Kanteerava stadium at 7.30 am and culminates at MG Road Metro station. Participants will be told to take an oath on not wasting water and using it efficiently. A memorandum will be handed over to BWSSB officials. Water conservationists, RWH-trained plumbers and interested citizens who want to be part of the water awareness campaign events can call 8762036823. The BMTC has dropped plans to install CCTV cameras in its buses after the corporation failed to get Central funds for the project. Sexual harassment on city buses came under the spotlight after the 2012 gang-rape in Delhi. The BMTC decided to install CCTV on buses to keep an eye on miscreants and perverts. CCTV cameras were installed in 500 buses at a cost of Rs 4 crore. As part of the efforts to ensure safety of women, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in April 2016 directed all state transport corporations to install CCTV cameras and GPS devices. The BMTC operates 6,192 buses in the city. It costs Rs 68,000 to install two CCTV cameras, digital video recorder and three-year-maintenance. The corporation will need at least Rs 40 crore to install CCTVs in all buses. However, the corporation has been running under a loss for the last four years. Stating that they cant afford to spend money on the project, officials had sought Rs 50 crore from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Welfare under the Nirbhaya scheme but did not get a positive response. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, along with Union Minister H N Ananth Kumar, had met Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi in December 2016 seeking funds. Maneka, however, told the delegation that CCTV cameras wont help curb sexual attacks and refused to fund the project. The minister, however, advised the panel to make a proposal for educating its personnel about gender sensitivity and training women personnel. However, activists pointed out that most of the cases of molestation and rape are coming to light due to CCTV cameras. Installing cameras in buses will definitely help women feel secure and acts as a deterrent to perverts. Dropping such a project is not right. The government should plug holes in the tax net to fund such projects, said RTI activist Srinivas. He said the cameras will not only prevent molestation but also ensure that men do not sit on seats reserved for women. They will help BMTC authorities monitor their drivers and conductors, he added. We have sought funds from the state government for buying 3,000 new buses. We are expecting the money in the budget allocation. We cant spend Rs 40 crore on CCTV cameras at this juncture, a BMTC official said. The Byappanahalli police on Monday arrested three people in connection with the death of three manual scavengers at Kaggadasapura near C V Raman Nagar on March 7. The arrested include two senior executives and the sub-contractor of Ramky Enterprises. K Babu Reddy, assistant general manager and in-charge of Bengaluru-based projects, N T Reddy, manager, and Vemula Anjenayulu, the sub-contractor, are the arrested. Babu Reddy was arrested in Hyderabad and other two were taken into custody from their houses in Bengaluru. More people including BWSSB officials will be arrested if the investigation reveals that deaths are due to their negligence, a police officer said. The police have registered a case against the three under IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide, not amounting to murder) and Section 8 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The police added that Anjenayulu used to obtain sub-contracts from Ramky and hire labourers to clean manholes. The roles of the arrested in connection with the incident are being investigated. Tatta Thavitayya, Dantha Yarrayya, both native of Srikakulam and Anjenya Reddy, a native of Prakasam district were choked to death while cleaning a manhole. A 23-year-old man was killed on the spot after he crashed his bike against an electricity pole on Ring Road in Nagarbhavi on Sunday evening. The deceased has been identified as Deen Dayal, a native of Haryana. He was residing in Machohalli, North Bengaluru and was an employee with a private factory. According to police, the accident occurred around 4.45 pm when Dayal was on his way to Machohalli. A speeding Dayal lost control over his bike when he approached Unity Lifeline Hospital and hit the electricity pole. He was wearing a poor-quality helmet. The intensity of the crash was so massive that his face was crushed beyond recognition. He would have probably survived with injuries had he been wearing a good quality helmet at the time of the accident, a Kamakshipalya traffic police sub-inspector told DH. Post-mortem was conducted at Victoria Hospital and the body was handed over to Dayals father, Hukum Singh. Singh buried the body at Sumanalli and left for Haryana, said the police. JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy is going all out to reach out to the masses and media ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections. As a first step, he has made his presence felt on five social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, GooglePlus and SoundCloud. These are his personal accounts. He formally launched them on Monday in Vidhana Soudha, branding himself as Namma Kumaranna. Addressing the media, Kumaraswamy said his aim is to keep in touch effectively and directly with people and media through social media, which is gaining popularity in both urban and rural areas. Though he did not admit that he is following the Narenda Modi model in using social media, he said in Uttar Pradesh, there were 11,000 WhatsApp members supporting Modi. I am not saying I am following Modi. But we need to use social media to reach out to people. I will interact with people on Facebook for three to four hours on a specific day in a month, he added. He said his speeches across the state would be stored on SoundCloud. On YouTube, his programmes and media interactions would be uploaded. He would tweet and post on Facebook his reactions to developments and issues. Though he used a couple of social media platforms to promote himself during the 2013 elections, he did not continue with it. But this time, he said he would keep himself active on the platforms as long as he is in public life. He said a team of 30 to 35 people will manage his online networks. There are many groups on Facebook supporting me. Members of these groups will hold an interaction with me on April 15 at Jnana Jyothi auditorium, Bengaluru, from 10 am to 9 pm, he added. - : , A 38-year-old construction labourer was stabbed to death by a gang of men near Jyothinagar in HAL on Sunday night. The deceased has been identified as Raja, a native of Tamil Nadu. Raja was on his way to his sisters house when a gang assaulted him and stabbed him on the neck. The assailants took to heels as people gathered at the spot. A profusely bleeding Raja managed to walk for about 500 metres towards his sisters house, but collapsed. On getting information, the HAL police rushed to the spot and shifted Raja to a nearby private hospital where he was declared brought dead. Police said that the attackers had attempted to rob Raja of cash and valuables. The identity of assailants had been established and the police have launched a search to arrest them.Raja had come to Bengaluru to attend a ceremony at his sisters house. The HAL police have registered a case. African community members in the city have termed death of Ifeanyi Madu alias Nwa Jesus as murder in cold blood. The city police said that Madu, a Nigerian national died after he fell from a bike when they were chasing him and his friend for peddling drugs, early on Monday near Byrathi Cross in East Bengaluru. We have a lot of suspicion in this case that convinces us that the Nigerian national was murdered and the police are making it appear as if it was a traffic accident, Nigerian Community president in Bengaluru, Igwe Elvis Ohachosim wrote in the letter to the Nigerian Embassy. According to our information, the deceased was seen in the evening of March 12, 2017 with policemen pulling him here and there. Thereafter they didn't know where they took him, (sic)" read the letter. Flanked by his community members, a 24-year-old Nigerian who was with Madu when the police picked up the latter, said that his friend was alive when he was caught by those men. The reluctant youth who was injured on his right knee and wearing torn jeans, still appeared to be in a state of shock and refused to be named. The incident happened when he and Madu were returning home on a red Honda Activa. They lived in a rented house on 4th Cross, Byrathi. Around 10 pm on Sunday a group of men in civil dress who were wielding canes followed them on bikes. Madu stopped the bike near Green Supermarket to allow them to go. I stopped the bike thinking that the men on bikes coming behind would pass by us. But they stopped their bikes and surrounded us. A few of them claimed that they were police and caught Madu. Somehow I managed to escape. I fell down while running, the youth said. He also said the bike belonged to him. Both had just come from Mysuru on Sunday morning. According to him, Madu lived in Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu from where he would bring clothes and footwear and sell them to his community members in the city. When community members went to identify the body they were shocked to see blood still oozing out from Madus head in the back. There were no other noticeable injuries on the body. It clearly does not look like an accident, said Elvis, pointed out that there were no scratches on his body other than the fresh wound behind his head. The police were not providing any satisfactory answers to their questions, he claimed. Two platoons of KSRP personnel have been deployed in Kothanur as precautionary measure. Fresh with enthusiasm following the huge success in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand, BJP chief Amit Shah is getting back to his drawing board to work out a strategy for the next round of Assembly polls due in five states in 2017-18 and three states in 2018-19. These polls are crucial for the BJP for its plans for the 2019 parliamentary elections. Among the states going to polls in 2017-18, Gujarat is due in November-December this year. Other states include Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland where elections will be held in early 2018. By the end of 2018, the BJP has to be ready for the polls in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where it will be completing 15 years in power. In Rajasthan, the BJP is looking for a second term. There is already a talk in the BJP circles that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah may decide on calling early elections in their home state of Gujarat to keep up the momentum provided by the results in UP and other states. An early election in Gujarat, feel some BJP leaders, will deny advantage for Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani who have vowed to knock down the BJP. Though the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is depressed by the outcome in Punjab and Goa, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to renew his partys drive in Gujarat later this month. Shah, however, has dismissed the buzz about his return to Gujarat, saying that his national responsibilities were too big at this stage to contemplate any role in the state. But some BJP leaders have not ruled out the possibility of Modi and Shah re-examining the question of a change of leadership in the state. After Anandiben Patel was removed as chief minister, non-Patel leader Vijay Rupani was made chief minister and Nitin Patel his deputy. There are chances that the BJP may again go for a Patel leader to be its face for the next Assembly polls. Speaking to mediapersons after winning UP and Uttarakhand elections, Shah had said that the people are pitching for politics of performance. But in states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where the BJP has been in power for a long time, Shahs strategy managers are wondering whether strong anti-incumbency factors facing the party governments can be redressed by just an aggressive campaign by Modi. Confident Raje Buoyed by her partys landslide win in UP, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has said the BJP will replicate the performance during the 2018 state Assembly poll. A week after an 18-year-old chartered accountant student was found dead in the backwaters near the Ernakulam Wharf, the state government has decided to hand over the case over to the Crime Branch. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made the announcement in the Assembly on Monday, in response to a notice for an adjournment motion by the Opposition. Based on a preliminary investigation, the police said Michelle Shaji Varghese, a native of Piravom in Ernakulam, had committed suicide but her family has countered the police version. She was living in a hostel in Kochi. Michelle was last seen at the St Antonys Shrine in Kaloor on March 5. Surveillance cameras have also confirmed her presence at the shrine in the evening. Her body was found the next day. In Piravom, people have come together to form an action council demanding a more effective investigation. Support for the demand is also being mobilised through a social media campaign. Michelles father, Shaji, alleged that policemen were non-committal when he approached them to file a missing-person complaint at the Ernakulam Central Station. The station officials allegedly refused to register the complaint and instead told the girls parents to return the next morning to meet the sub-inspector. The polices conclusion that she was upset over advances made by a stalker has been dismissed by the family. Reports said a man from Piravom, employed in Chhattisgarh, has been summoned to Kochi and is being interrogated in connection with the case. Anoop Jacob, MLA from Piravom, moved a notice for adjournment in the Assembly, criticised the polices handling of the case. Even the CCTV footage from the shrine was sourced by the family, not the police, Jacob said. While everyone was celebrating Holi with gulal and coloured water, foreigners in Pushkar celebrated Holi by tearing off each others shirts without resorting to vulgarity. Known as Kapda Phad (clothes tearing) Holi, is celebrated on Varah Ghat of Pushkar city of Rajasthan on March 12 and 13. Exclusively for tourists, Kapda Phad Holi has become the main attraction in Pushkar over the last half a decade. Sam Huwe (29), a tourist from France told DH, "I came to India three years ago and attended the festival of colours at Varah Ghat in Pushkar. I found it very interesting. This time, I am visiting Pushkar again to celebrate with my friends." Local priests and people make arrangements for the celebration. The special arrangements include separate blocks for men and women at Varah Chowk near a ghat of Pushkar Lake, where a DJ would play songs. Locals and priests who live with their families say that such festivals help foreigners understand the importance of Holi and Indian traditions. Ghanshyam Purohit, a priest and one of the organisers at Pushkar told DH. It's a peaceful kind of a show. We ensure that there is no vulgarity. Foreign tourists start playing with colours and later with water and dance to Indian music. Once the party kicks off, they start tearing each other's clothes." According to the local tourist officer, around 4,000 tourists have already reached Pushkar to celebrate Holi with a difference. This type of festival was started by Pushkars locals. Since foreigners from different countries and continents visit Pushkar, they are equally keen to celebrate the festival of colours with a difference, said tourist officer Ratan Lal Singh. Police are on alert to ensure there is no vulgarity and that the event is confined to foreigners. Pushkar SHO Dulichand says no liquor or drugs are allowed and added that Ajmer district administration deploys police in plainclothes to maintain law and order. Four months after demonetisation, the Reserve Bank of India on Monday lifted all restrictions on cash withdrawals from saving bank accounts. The RBI has already removed other restrictions such as on ATMs and current accounts last month. Effective March 13, 2017, there will be no limit on cash withdrawals from savings accounts, RBI said in its preliminary assessment report on demonetisation. The limit of withdrawal from savings accounts, which was initially set at Rs 20,000 per week, was revised to Rs 24,000 and further to Rs 50,000 per week effective from February 20. The RBI has already removed withdrawal limits from current accounts effective from January 30. The withdrawal curbs from ATMs were done away with from February 1. The curbs on withdrawal of currency notes from banks were imposed from November 10 to check currency flow from the banks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would cease to be legal tender. Officials said that lifting of withdrawal curbs would also imply that remonetisation process was almost complete and banks and ATMs were fully equipped to disburse cash. However, private sector ICICI, HDFC, HSBC and Axis banks have informed their customers about the resumption of transaction charges on cash withdrawals after a certain limit to put a restriction on excess withdrawal. For HDFC, there will be four free transactions. It said Rs 150 plus taxes and cess will be charged from the fifth transaction. Axis Bank said a charge of Rs 5 per thousand or Rs 150, whichever is higher, will be levied from the fifth cash transaction on savings accounts. The government subsequently asked the lenders to rethink on their move, but a final decision by banks is still pending. The RBI report said digital mode of payment has increased sharply after demonetisation. Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmirs Poonch district for the second consecutive day on Monday. The heavy motor firing from across the border prompted authorities to stop cross-LoC bus service and shutdown schools along the LoC as a precautionary measure, an official said. The exchange of fire and shelling started at 6:30 am on Monday, the official said, adding that the intermittent firing continued throughout the day. No reports of any casualty or damage on the Indian side. The official said several motor shells hit the Trade Felicitation Centre Chakan da Bagh in Poonch, prompting officials to evacuate officials on duty to safer locations. Firing between the two sides escalated last year, with 300 ceasefire violations reported after the Indian Army carried out the surgical strike on September 29. Twenty-nine people, including 12 civilians and 17 security personnel, were killed in these incidents, while nearly 100 people, mostly civilians, were injured. India and Pakistan share 198 kilometres of International Border and over 510 kilometre of Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir. Many in India may think Timbuktu is just a byword for a faraway place. Few may know that it does exist, somewhere in Africa. But the unique heritage of the proverbial end-of-the-world city is now set to come alive in India. The Government will host an exhibition of Timbuktu's ancient manuscripts. This will be the largest exhibition of manuscripts dated between late 13th and early 20th centuries of Timbuktu, anywhere outside the ancient spiritual capital of Sub-Saharan Africa. The exhibition, titled When Taj Mahal meets Timbuktu, will have on display the manuscripts, saved by a few braveheart bibliophiles from the onslaught of jihadist organisation Ansar Dine, an affiliate of al Qaeda, which had overtaken the ancient city in 2012. New Delhi also provided assistance of $0.5 million to the efforts to reconstruct the monuments vandalised by militants, officials of the Ministry of External Affairs said. Its legendary remoteness gave birth to the adage From here to Timbuktu, but the ancient city in West African nation Mali once thrived as a trading hub and a centre of learning. It also played an important role in spread of Islam in Africa. Timbuktu is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. What made its heritage priceless to the world is not only its ancient mausoleums and mosques, but also its hundreds of thousands of manuscripts, inherited by its residents from their ancestors and preserved in households and small libraries. The ancient manuscripts cover a range of subjects spiritualism, art, medicine, philosophy, science, governance and jurisprudence as well priceless old copies of the Quran. The Ansar Dine jihadists invaded and took over Timbuktu and other cities in Mali in 2012. They went on a rampage, demolishing centuries-old mausoleums and mosques and terrorising Timbuktu's residents, who have been practising a Sufi-influenced moderate form of Islam for centuries. But most of the manuscripts survived the onslaught, as they were smuggled out to safety by local bibliophiles, led by Abdel Kader Haidara, who owned the biggest private collection of ancient texts. After Malian and French military drove out the jihadists in early 2013, efforts began to scientifically preserve the manuscripts, with support from international organisations and foreign governments Indias aid for reconstruction of ancient sites in Mali was handed over by Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar, who visited Bamaco, the capital of the West African nation, early this month. A Nigerian in his early thirties died under mysterious circumstances near Byrathi Cross on Monday. Police claimed he had died in a road accident, but the African community suspects he was killed in custody. The victim, Ifeanyi Madu alias Nwa Jesus, is from Anambra in Nigeria. Late on Sunday, a team of sleuths from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) was in Kothanur collecting information about drug peddlers. The police said at 12.30 am, they saw two men coming towards them on a two-wheeler. As soon as they saw the police jeep, they accelerated, lost control and fell. According to them, when the CCB sleuths rushed to the spot, one of them escaped into the darkness. The police say they dont know if Madu was riding or on pillion. The man (Madu) had sustained head injuries, and we rushed him to Bowring Hospital where he was declared brought dead. As we could not ascertain the victims identity at that time, we informed the African community early in the morning. They came to the Bowring mortuary and identified the body, said Renuka, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), North Division. Kempegowda International Airport traffic police have registered a case of accidental death due to rash and negligent driving, and seized the two-wheeler, Renuka told DH. The police did not find any drugs on Madu, but when his mobile phone was checked, they found contacts suggesting he could be a drug peddler, an ACP rank policeman said. Let him be with drugs or anything, but all we ask them (police) is how did he die. There is no clear answer from them, said Bosco Kaweesi, Legal Adviser, All African Students Association, Bengaluru. Monday Bonne Terre Council The Bonne Terre City Council will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. at city hall located on 118 N. Allen St. The meeting is open to the public. Desloge Board of Aldermen The Desloge Board of Aldermen meets in regular session at 7 p.m. at city hall located at 300 N. Lincoln Drive, The meeting is open to the public. Iron Mountain Lake Council The Iron Mountain Lake City Council will meet in regular session at 7 p.m. at city hall located at 591 N. Lakeshore Drive. The meeting is open to the public. Tuesday Park Hills City Council The Park Hills City Council meets at 6 p.m. for a regular session in the municipal court chambers at city hall, located at 9 Bennett St. The meeting is open to the public. Leadington Board of Aldermen The Leadington Board of Aldermen meets in regular session at 6 p.m. at the municipal building located at 12 Weir St. The meeting is open to the public. Wednesday SFC 911 Meeting The 911 St. Francois County 911 Board meets in regular session at 10 a.m. at Desloge City Hall located at 300 N. Lincoln Drive. The meeting is open to the public. Thursday Bismarck Board of Education The Bismarck R-5 Board of Education meets in regular session at 6 p.m. in the elementary school library. The meeting is open to the public. North County Board of Education The North County Board of Education meets in regular session at 6 p.m. in the administration offices located at 300 Berry Rd. The meeting is open to the public. Farmington Regional Chamber The Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts the "Business and Community" luncheon beginning at noon at the Centene Center. Farmington Mayoral candidates Larry Forsythe and Dennis Smith will speak. The event is free to attend. Lunch from Twin Oaks Vineyard and Winery is available for $10. West County Board of Education The West County Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. for a regular session in the Board of Education room located at 1124 Main St. in Leadwood. The meeting is open to the public. Beating Cheating High schools all across the world are filled with cheating, from the lowest ranking schools to the most prestigious ones. San Diego is not exempt from cheating. Students copy homework, post answers to tests, and even share answers during the test. The teachers are not the problem, however. Many teachers are very serious on cheating and have a zero tolerance policy to it. Perhaps then, the solution is not in terrifying the students out of cheating, but to understand and fix the root cause of cheating, which is stress. Stress to do well, stress to succeed, and stress to be a good student drives students to cheat. Whether it is from the expectations of strict parents or whether it stems from meeting the requirements for a sport, students who feel as if they alone cannot receive a grade will resort to much less honorable practices. Especially in high competitive communities, cheating can run rampant. Students should be encouraged by parental figures to achieve what they are able to through their own skills instead of being criticized for not reaching their high expectations. By reducing stress in a students life, students may be less likely to cheat. There is less of a reason to cheat if students are not pressured to do so well that they cannot achieve the expectations. A relaxed environment will help reduce cheating rates. Joo-seung Kim, CCA junior Country Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of 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of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Elias Meseret 12 March 2017 (Associated Press) A landslide swept through a massive garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopias capital, killing at least 35 people and leaving several dozen missing, residents said, as officials vowed to relocate those who called the landfill home. Addis Ababa city spokeswoman Dagmawit Moges said most of the dead were women and children, and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours. It was not immediately clear what caused Saturday nights landslide at the Koshe Garbage Landfill, which buried several makeshift homes and concrete buildings. The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capitals garbage for more than 50 years. About 150 people were there when the landslide occurred, resident Assefa Teklemahimanot told The Associated Press. Addis Ababa Mayor Diriba Kuma said 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medical treatment. Dagmawit said two had serious injuries. Many people at the landfill had been scavenging items to make a living, but others live there because renting homes, largely built of mud and sticks, is relatively inexpensive. An AP reporter saw four bodies taken away by ambulances after being pulled from the debris. Elderly women cried, and others stood anxiously waiting for news of loved ones. Six excavators dug through the ruins. [more] By Jeremy Berke 10 March 2017 (Business Insider) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received an unusually warm reception of his keynote address at an energy industry conference in Texas on Thursday evening. No country would find 173 billion barrels of oil in the ground and just leave them there, Trudeau said in his address to oil and gas industry executives at Houstons CERAWeek conference, discussing Albertas vast oil sands reserves. Trudeaus speech was met with a standing ovation from the more than 1,200 attendees an unordinary reaction to a keynote speaker, conference-goers told the CBC. The prime minister was also given an award for his efforts to balance environmental protection and energy production. The resource will be developed. Our job is to ensure that this is done responsibly, safely, and sustainably, Trudeau said. Nothing is more essential to the US economy than access to a secure, reliable source of energy. Canada is that source. By Justin McCurry 8 March 2017 (The Guardian) Barely a fifth of the way into their mission, the engineers monitoring the Scorpions progress conceded defeat. With a remote-controlled snip of its cable, the latest robot sent into the bowels of one of Fukushima Daiichis damaged reactors was cut loose, its progress stalled by lumps of fuel that overheated when the nuclear plant suffered a triple meltdown six years ago this week. As the 60cm-long Toshiba robot, equipped with a pair of cameras and sensors to gauge radiation levels was left to its fate last month, the plants operator, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), attempted to play down the failure of yet another reconnaissance mission to determine the exact location and condition of the melted fuel. Even though its mission had been aborted, the utility said, valuable information was obtained which will help us determine the methods to eventually remove fuel debris. The Scorpion mishap, two hours into an exploration that was supposed to last 10 hours, underlined the scale and difficulty of decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi an unprecedented undertaking one expert has described as almost beyond comprehension. Cleaning up the plant, scene of the worlds worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl after it was struck by a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami on the afternoon of 11 March 2011, is expected to take 30 to 40 years, at a cost Japans trade and industry ministry recently estimated at 21.5tr yen ($189bn). The figure, which includes compensating tens of thousands of evacuees, is nearly double an estimate released three years ago. [] Developing robots capable of penetrating the most dangerous parts of Fukushima Daiichis reactors and spending enough time there to obtain crucial data is proving a near-impossible challenge for Tepco. The Scorpion so called because of its camera-mounted folding tail died after stalling along a rail beneath the reactor pressure vessel, its path blocked by lumps of fuel and other debris. The device, along with other robots, may also have been damaged by an unseen enemy: radiation. Before it was abandoned, its dosimeter indicated that radiation levels inside the No 2 containment vessel were at 250 sieverts an hour. In an earlier probe using a remote-controlled camera, radiation at about the same spot was as high as 650 sieverts an hour enough to kill a human within a minute. [more] 10 March 2017 (NCAR) The oceans may be storing 13 percent more heat than previously estimated, according to a new study co-authored by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The finding, published in the journal Science Advances, is based on a new analysis of how ocean temperatures have changed since 1960. The research team, led by Lijing Cheng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, compared their results to estimates published in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2013. In other words, the planet is warming quite a lot more than we thought, said NCAR scientist Kevin Trenberth, a study co-author. The vast majority of excess heat trapped on Earth by greenhouse gas emissions about 90 percent is stored in the oceans, but measuring how the heat content of the oceans has changed over time has been a challenge due to sparse observations. Historically, the temperature of ocean waters was measured by a variety of ships, but this limited observations to areas where ships traveled. In more recent decades, measurements of ocean heat have increased, thanks to new observational techniques. In 2000, scientists began deploying a network of thousands of floats called Argo to profile conditions in the top layer of the ocean extending down 2,000 meters (6,562 feet). Argo achieved near global coverage in 2005, though some remote regions are still not sampled. To fill the large gaps in the historical ocean temperature record, the research team used a combination of statistical techniques and model output to determine how useful a single observation can be for inferring information about the surrounding area, as well as how the temperatures in different parts of the worlds oceans relate to one another. They found that, in most regions, a single ocean observation could provide valuable information about conditions as far as 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) away. To check if they were correct, they used Argo observations. At first, they chose data from only a small number of floats in the network to mimic the scarcity of observations that would have been available in the mid-20th century. Then they used their new technique to create an entire ocean temperature map based on those few observations. When they checked their map against the full complement of Argo observations, they found that their reconstruction tracked closely with reality. The results were remarkable, Trenberth said. They give us much more confidence about what the ocean heat content was, stretching back to the late 1950s. The results allowed the team to estimate the total warming between 1960 and 2005 to be 337 zettajoules (a measure of energy). They also found that changes were small until 1980, when the amount of heat stored in the oceans began to steadily increase. Since 1990, significant amounts of heat have begun to seep deeper into the ocean layers. NCAR scientist and co-author John Fasullo said the study also highlights the impact of improved observations and models, which are giving scientists important insights into what the world once looked like. Science not only looks toward the future, but is also continually trying to make sense of the past, he said. This work is an example of how advances in technology have enabled an improved understanding of past changes in the ocean, where variability has always been a bit of an enigma due to its vastness and depth. The insights associated with this work change not only our understanding of past climate but also how future changes might unfold. The other co-authors are Tim Boyer, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; John Abraham, of the University of St. Thomas; and Jiang Zhu, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Contact Laura Snider, Senior Science Writer and Public Information Officer A university student with type 1 diabetes has described being personally invited to 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister as a surreal experience. Lydia Parkhurst, 19, met Theresa May who also has type 1 diabetes at JDRFs 30 years of progress event last year. It was there that both women discussed how they both managed their condition and Mrs May suggested Lydia and her family should visit the famous home where she now lives. Lydia, who is from Doncaster and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged 12, said: Arriving at Downing Street with my JDRF banner and standing outside the front door where Theresa May resides was such a surreal experience. When you get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes youre often told that the condition doesnt stop you doing anything (apart from being in the army or being an astronaut) but sometimes its hard to actually believe this, especially when the person is normally a healthcare professional who usually doesnt live with diabetes. However, standing there I felt a sense of pride. Whether you support the Conservative Party, the Labour Party or any other, Theresa May shows us that type 1 diabetes has not held her back. Lydia said she arrived on the doorstep proudly wearing the FreeStyle Libre on her arm and insulin pump on her back and admitted she felt that Ms May was a positive role model as she has proven that diabetes has not prevented her from ruling the country. The Parkhurst family was given a full tour of the property, which included sitting in a chair which once belonged to Winston Churchill and seeing the famous staircase that actor Hugh Grant danced down during a scene from Love Actually. Lydia said: Theresa May lives with type 1 diabetes and studied geography at university. Two similarities with me perhaps I could be the next Prime Minister! Mercantile Ports and Logistics and its wholly owned subsidiary M/s. Karanja Terminal and Logistics updated the market on their progress developing a modern port and logistics facility in Navi Mumbai, India, and announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with an unnamed publicly listed international construction company on Monday. The AIM-traded company confirmed that it had - following the customer having conducted an extensive due diligence process - entered into the MoU. Under the terms of the MoU, the customer would be expected to lease a significant proportion of the company's completed project in order to develop an operations hub for steel superstructure fabrication. The infrastructure for this hub, which will be constructed by the customer, would include supply, storage, fabrication, painting, assembly and waterway transport facilities at MPL's port, Mercantiles board said in a statement. The land on which this operations hub is to be built is expected to be leased to the customer for an initial period of three years, with an option to renew annually for a further three years. Mercantile said it was pleased with the level of interest it received from other potential customers, who were reportedly attracted by the ability to secure priority berthing at the company's facility, and it expected to enter into further MoUs in the coming months. Over the last quarter, the board said work progressed well andit was pleased with developments. The focus has continued to be on land reclamation, and piling for the jetty. So far this year, the company estimates that approximately 10 acres worth of reclamation material has arrived on site, some of which has been used for surcharging. Surcharge material - being material that is temporarily placed on top of reclaimed land in order to compact it - could itself be used as reclamation material once it has served its purpose as surcharge material, the board said. As at today's date, some 79 acres - or 40% - of the overall reclamation target has been achieved, although the company is pleased to report that an estimated 60% of the total reclamation material required to complete the facility is now on site. Piling for the construction of the berths capable of receiving vessels was also progressing, with work being carried out on a 24 hour basis. Mercantile said engineers did encounter previously undetected hard rock in the harbour basin during piling, and dredging that rock from the berth reduced the pace of piling whilst the matter was resolved. Notwithstanding this, as at today's date, piling for approximately 40% of the final quay length has now been completed. In addition, the increased volume of traffic to the site caused significant wear and tear to the site's access road and meant that there was a reduction in the number of vehicles able to access the site during January 2017 whilst this problem was addressed. The company said it could report that the issue had now been resolved, and traffic to the site returned to scheduled levels. The company's main contractor is operating at full capacity and the company's engineers remain engaged with the contractor to ensure that the configuration of the final facility is optimised to achieve maximum utilisation of the land mass created. Mercantile said it was confident of completing its facility by the end of the current year, although the matters referred, taken together, had contributed to adding approximately eight weeks to the previously reported timetable. AIM-listed Porta Communications is to represent clothing brand F&F Tesco in the UK and manage a network of agencies across Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, for an undisclosed sum. F&F will work with the fashion team at Publicasity, Postas public relations agency, and its partner agencies including Odd London and MediaCom, to promote the brand through media engagement, press events and support brand partnerships. Agencies in each of the European countries will also carry out public relation campaigns within their markets. Publicasity director Paul McCaffrey said: "We are looking forward to showcasing the incredible range, quality and of course value, to both media and consumers in the UK and the Central Europe markets, something we have much experience of as an agency." According to Tesco's last trading update, F&F clothing outperformed the market with 4% like-for-like sales growth over the Christmas period, including a 40% year-on-year increase in sales of seasonal products. These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2.61% (+3bp) UK: 1.25% (+2bp) Germany: 0.47% (-1bp) France: 1.09% (-2bp) Italy: 2.36% (0bp) Spain: 1.91% (+2bp) Portugal: 4.02% (-4bp) Greece: 7.21% (+2bp) Japan: 0.09% (0bp) Gilts slipped at the start of the week, a move which some market commentary attributed to news that Scotland would ask Westminster for permission to hold a second referendum as soon as the following week. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Gilt ended at 1.25% versus an intraday low of 1.188%. Two-year Gilts carved out a similar pattern, with their yields finishing at 0.10% and up from an intraday low of 0.06%. Nicola Sturgeon said Scots had the right to choose between a Hard Brexit and independence. Be that as it may, there were analysts who believed a Hard Brexit was unlikely. "The view that a hard Brexit now is inevitable places too much weight on the Governments cheap talk. Public angst about immigration has fallen sharply, and economic concerns will dominate soon. Electoral arithmetic encourages the Tories to pivot to the centre, rather than poach UKIP voters," Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a research note sent to clients. In parallel, ahead of Wednesday's US central bank policy meetings traders in government bonds pushed yields for similarly-dated US Treasuries back towards technical resistance at 2.61%. Italian bonds outperformed, weighed down by a 2.3% month-on-month drop in the country's industrial production for January (consensus: -2.8%) as factory output in the euro area's third largest economy shrank by 2.8% against December. 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!) UK parliamentarians are expected to reject the two House of Lords amendments to the so-called Brexit Bill later on Monday. The bill will bounce to-and-fro between the Upper and Lower chambers until both agree on its wording. Parliamentarians are anticipated to reject the proposed amendments, according to various reports. Lords will then have to decide whether or not they wish to stand once more against May's plans again. However, if the formally styled EU Withdrawal Bill completed its final stages and passed into legislation on Monday, May would potentially be able to trigger Article 50 as early as Tuesday. That would begin up to two years of exit negotiations with the EU. It may be that parliament sits through the night. Time has also been allocated on both Tuesday and Wednesday for the debate to take place. The bill would then require Royal Assent before being passed into legislation. Lords' two amendments included seeking a "meaningful vote" for parliament on UK's quitting the EU, and guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK. The government has previously said parliament would get a vote, and identified settling the status of EU nationals as a priority in its exit negotiations with the bloc. Meantime, Scotland should hold another independence referendum between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday, and she will begin the process to hold the poll next week. With May expected to kick-start the EU exit process later this week or in the following days, Sturgeon said the Scottish people needed to be given the choice before the end of the process. She said she would ask the Scottish parliament to vote in favour of holding another referendum next week, with the details of the referendum, including the timing, an issue for Scotland to decide rather than Westminster. She said the independence vote should take place between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019. Crude-oil futures are trading off their early session lows to be mildly mixed late in the afternoon, thanks to a Kuwait official confirming Opec members' increasing compliance with output pledges made last year to ease global oversupply. At about 15:22 GMT, Nymex-priced West Texas Intermediate crude was down 0.12% to $48.43 a barrel, and Intercontinental Exchange-traded Brent was up 0.14% to $51.44 a barrel. Both grades of the black liquid were moderately lower in early deals, following on from a rise in Baker Hughes' US rig count late last week amid a chronic global supply glut. "The recent bearish reports of US crude inventories surging to record highs have renewed the oversupply concerns," said FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga. That had ultimately exposed oil prices to downside risks this month, he added in a statement. Earlier on Monday, Kuwaits Oil Minister Issam Almarzooq noted the rise in US crude stores for the week before last, which sparked a price decline last week. This followed Opec output-cut pledges made late in 2016. Almarzooq on Monday confirmed compliance with those curbs among Opec nations had risen to 95% in February, from 91% in January. He added that Kuwait wanted the oil cartel to extend output cuts beyond June. With global oil inventories at 280m barrels, reducing them "within one or two months isn't easy," said Almarzooq. "But I am certain and fully confident that the commitment of all the countries with this agreement will bear fruit in the next few months," the minister told Kuwait's official news agency, Kuna. This was a point noted by Oanda senior market analyst Craig Erlam. "Of course, these changes take time to have an impact and non-OPEC compliance is still a little low but with an extension to the deal in doubt, prices are reverting back towards pre-deal levels, although I doubt well get close to the lows any time soon," he said. Meantime, on Comex, gold was up 0.18% to $1203.6 an ounce, with silver up 0.31% to $16.98 an ounce and copper up 1.41% to 263.15 cents a pound. Three-month industrial metals on London Metals Exchange were all ahead. Zinc led, followed by copper, aluminum and then tin. Among agriculturals, Chicago Board of Trade-priced corn was down 0.89% to 361 cents a bushel, with wheat down 1.93% to 432 cents a bushel. On ICE, cocoa was up 3.26% to $1997 a MT, with cotton No.2 down 0.26% to 77.09 cents a pound. Live cattle rose 0.7% to 108.25 cents a pound. Anti-fracking protesters will take the UK government to court this week to block attempts to push through plans to grant energy firm Cuadrilla permission to drill in test sites in Lancashire. The Manchester court will be presented with two cases on Wednesday on behalf of the group of protesters, who have voiced concerns about the environmental impact of fracking at the test site near Blackpool. Lancashire county council initially rejected plans from Cuadrilla to use the area at Preston New Road to extract shale gas, before the decision was overturned by UK communities secretary Sajid Javid. But protestors have argued that Javid's October decision to overrule the council was unlawful as it failed to properly take into account relevant planning laws and policy. Since protests began at the site in January following the start of Cuadrilla's work, at least 60 police officers have been stationed in the area in order to facilitate peaceful protest and allow work to continue. Last week Cuadrilla won an injunction to prevent protesters going on to a farmers field at its drill site, though protestors retained the right to make their thoughts known at the nearby roadside. An argument has erupted about who should foot the cost of the extra security forces, with the local council demanding that the government pick up the cheque. "It is not fair or just that these costs should be borne by the people of Lancashire," said local police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw on Sunday. "This was a decision taken by Javid's department, not Lancashire county council, and so I really believe that the government should fund the policing." Fracking is a controversial method of generating energy through the release of shale gas reserves by using a mixture of water, sand and chemicals pumped under the ground at high pressure to release gas and oil trapped in rock, with critics saying that it causes unnecessary pollution, causes geological instability and allows energy firms to avoid the use of renewable sources. Last year, as he overturned the council's decision, communities secretary Javid said shale gas had the potential to power economic growth, support 64,000 jobs, and provide a new domestic energy source, making us less reliant on imports. Also on Monday, fellow shale companies IGas and Dart Energy are expected to hear the recommendations of planning officers on its application for a shale gas well in Nottinghamshire, ahead of a committee meeting to discuss a planning application to undertake exploratory drilling for shale gas on 21 March. The application was submitted by Dart Energy in May last year to drill one exploratory vertical well 3,300 metres deep and three sets of groundwater monitoring boreholes on land off the A634 between Barnby Moor and Blyth. The world's largest asset manager BlackRock has vowed to wield its influence in putting pressure on companies to contribute to combating climate change, in a series of documents to be released to its website on Monday. BlackRock manages over $5trn in accounts and has stakes in most major corporations in the US, playing an influential role at board level on many issues. The documents, which have been obtained by Reuters, show a willingness to engage on issues such as environmental policy, as well as diversity. The firm's stance on climate change could put further pressure on corporations in the US to cut carbon emissions and other environmentally harmful gases. Michelle Edkins, the head of the outreach effort for BlackRock, told Reuters that not dealing with climate issues would be detrimental to business in the long run. "There are firms where we think they're probably not moving fast enough given the risks to the business," Edkins said on Monday. Specifically, the firm said it would focus on attempting to persuade companies of the benefits of climate-risk disclosure practices, as well as ensuring those in high risk sectors "have demonstrable fluency in how climate risk affects the business". Oil corporations and real estate companies are likely to face particular scrutiny from BlackRock in order to provide more transparency into their affairs. In addition, attempting to increase the boardroom presence for women and minorities was cited as an objective for the New York-based asset manager. "Diverse boards, including but not limited to diversity of expertise, experience, age, race and gender, make better decisions," BlackRock said. It was all about politics at the start of the week as investors bided their time ahead of Wednesday's Dutch elections and the possbility that Brexit might be triggered that same day. Against that backdrop, as of 0931 GMT the benchmark Stoxx 600 was higher by 0.07% ot 0.25 points to 373.48, Germany's Dax was almost unchanged, gaining 3.94 points or 0.03% to 11,967.12 while France's Cac-40 was off by 0.07% at 4,989.96. "In focus today, and indeed this week, will be the build-up to the UK Prime Ministers potential triggering of Article 50 (tomorrow?), a tight Dutch election (another populist backlash? Nexit?) and what most expect to be another Fed rate hike on Wednesday evening. This means close watching of the trio of GBP, EUR and USD until Thursday," said Mike Van Dulken, Head of Research at Accendo Markets. Speaking to the BBC, David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, confirmed the Prime Minister would trigger Article 50 by the end of March. However, he refused be drawn on the exact timing. On the economic side of things, Belgian central bank governor Frank Smets told the Wall Street Journal that on 9 March the European Central Bank had not flagged any upcoming changes to its policy mix. Italian industrial production shrank by 2.3% month-on-month in January, a far worse outcome than the 0.8% drop economists had penciled in. Officials in Rome were working on plans to transfer up to 60.0bn-worth of assets, including stakes in Eni, Enel and Finmeccanica into a vehicle which it would then list on the Milan Bourse, according to Milano Finanza. That would allow the Italian government to raise funding to cut its debts. Airbus sold eight A320s to South Korea's KAIR airlines. BNP Paribas and 15 other institutions may face a tribunal in July due to allegations that they colluded to rig the exchange rate for the South African rand. IT service provider Computacenter said 2017 should be a "year of progress" after earnings rose in 2016 with good performances in Germany and France, although revenue fell in the UK. The FTSE 250 company generated record adjusted diluted earnings per share of 54p, an increase of 1.1% and reported annual services revenue of over 1bn for the first time in 2016. In the UK, the company said that strong revenue growth in the second half of the year could not prevent a 1.1% full year adjusted revenue decline to 1.39bn and supply chain margin challenges and services revenue decline contributed to a 21% reduction in adjusted operating profit to 46.8m. On the upside, Germany delivered revenue growth of 1.2% to 1.14bn across supply chain and services, alongside a 15.4% increase in adjusted operating profit, while France performed ahead of expectation, with a 4.5m increase in adjusted operating profit to 2.9m due to supply chain margins. Revenue for the whole company grew 6.3% to 3.24bn and adjusted pre tax profit fell 0.65 to 86.4m. The company declared a dividend of 22.2p per share, up 3.7%. Chief executive Mike Norris said: The group should have a year of progress in 2017, with a rebalancing of profits between the first and second halves of the year towards the historical pattern. We expect the UK to see modest improvements due to professional services and supply chain helping the overall performance. While Germany will be coming off a strong year, and therefore a difficult comparison, the business has strong momentum and potential to improve services margins. For the French business we would be happy to repeat the same bottom line, with some deterioration in our supply chain compensated by improvement in services revenue. He added that new technologies and the drive to digitalisation within its core customer base is driving customers to invest capital in new projects which is unlikely to abate, however, this is coupled with a resolute desire by teh company to reduce run rate operating costs. Vodafone has appointed Joakim Reiter as group external affairs director with effect from 1 August. He will join the group executive committee from that date and will report to chief executive Vittorio Colao. Reiter will join the company in April for a transitional period as director designate and will succeed Matthew Kirk, who has notified Vodafone of his intention to retire. Until recently, Reiter was an assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. His previous roles include deputy director-general of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden's ambassador to the World Trade Organization, head of the Trade Section within the Swedish Representative Office to the European Union and an EU negotiator with DG TRADE at the European Commission. Colao said: "Joakim has extensive experience of multilateral trade negotiation and diplomatic and political engagement at the highest levels. We are delighted to welcome him to Vodafone." Earlier, Vodafone said it will create 2,100 jobs across the UK as it expands its existing customer service centres. At 1214 GMT, the shares were flat at 203.78p. Nicola Sturgeon will threaten to derail Brexit by setting out plans for a second independence referendum unless Theresa May offers Scotland a special deal. The Scottish First Minister could name the date she intends to hold a new referendum as early as this week if Mrs May does not bow to her will. - Telegraph If Britain leaves the European Union without a replacement trade deal its commercial links with the bloc will overnight become less favourable than any other major industrialised nation, a cross-party campaign has warned as Theresa May prepares to trigger article 50. Research commissioned by the Labour MP Pat McFadden a supporter of Open Britain, which campaigns for continued ties with Europe in the aftermath of Brexit found that no members of the G20 group of richer nations currently interact with the EU without some sort of trade arrangement. - Guardian The tax burden on British households and businesses is on course to climb to a 40 year high by the end of the next parliament as slower growth and an ageing population forces policymakers to choose between more austerity or higher taxes. The Government's fiscal watchdog expects tax to continue rising as a share of national income over the next decade, climbing to 37.5pc of GDP by 2025-26, which would represent its highest share since 1986. - Telegraph The government will go to court this week to defend test drilling at a fracking site in Lancashire as it comes under pressure to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to cover the cost of policing anti-fracking protests. The high court in Manchester will hear two cases on Wednesday that pit Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, against protesters who oppose the permission granted to fracking companies for test sites near Blackpool. - Guardian Troubled builder Bovis Homes is in talks with rival construction firm Galliford Try over a merger that would create one of Britains biggest housebuilders. Bovis, which has recently come under fire for the quality of its new-build homes, was forced to confirm over the weekend that it had received takeover approaches from both Galliford and another housebuilder, Redrow. - Guardian It is a high-risk, six-year project that is already behind schedule and if it fails to arrive on time ports will grind to a halt and gaps will appear on supermarket shelves, leaving traders and hauliers worried. A new computerised customs system to replace a creaking 25-year-old platform was supposed to be switched on for testing last month, before a full switchover in October. - The Times Rents in Britain have recorded their first annual drop for six years, according to the UKs biggest estate and lettings agency. In February, the average rent in Britain was 921 a month, 5 lower than a year earlier, and the first annual decrease since 2011. - Guardian The food and drink industry has called on the government to protect tariff-free trade with the Republic of Ireland. In an attempt to ensure a healthy future for Britains largest manufacturing sector, it wants to highlight the risks faced if Brexit results in a hard border between Ireland and the UK. - The Times Households have spent 180m over the past three years on spare power capacity that was never used, according to a report that comes as MPs prepare to debate what can be done about rising energy bills. Power stations have been put on standby over the winter since 2014 as part of the National Grids supplemental balancing reserve but the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found that the scheme, which closed in February, was never used. - Guardian Seven gamblers lost more than 10,000 in a day while using controversial fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) during a 10-month period, it has emerged. The losses, revealed in a submission to the governments gambling review by the GambleAware charity, has sparked renewed criticism of FOBTs. - Guardian Britain is failing to turn world-class research into commercial success because there is too little focus on encouraging businesses to invest, MPs have warned. The Commons science and technology committee said that while the nations shortcomings in transforming promising academic work into wealth-creating companies were well known, responses had focused too much on the supply-side issue at universities. - The Times Britain boasts more foreign chief executives than any other country. The number of non-UK nationals leading companies on the FTSE 100 rose from 21 in 2001 to 40 at the end of last year, research from Odgers Berndtson, the recruitment firm, found. They include Ivan Arriagada, the Chilean boss of Antofagasta, the copper miner, Pascal Soriot, the French boss of Astrazeneca, and Antonio Horta Osorio, the Portuguese chief of Lloyds Banking Group. - The Times Premier Oil is asking the Falkland Islands for a tax break to help to develop its Sea Lion field and deliver the areas first oil. The company is struggling to make the project commercially viable because of low crude prices. - The Times Europes biggest coffee roastery will be opened today (March 13) by high-street chain Costa Coffee enabling it to produce more than 2bn cups of the hot drink a year. The 38m site in Basildon, Essex, will more than quadruple the Whitbread company's roasting capacity from 11,000 tonnes per year to 45,000 tonnes and the site was chosen for its proximity to Tilbury Docks where its raw coffee beans are imported to. - Telegraph Vodafone is attempting to repair the battered customer service record of its UK arm by bringing thousands of call centre jobs back from overseas. The company will create 2,100 roles at sites around the country, including 800 in Manchester, 600 in Newcastle and nearly 300 in Scotland. - Telegraph A private jet company that has been dubbed the Uber of the skies has reported a 28 per cent increase in passenger numbers last year, with its growth driven by ultra-rich corporate clients who have given up owning their own jets. Cabin crew aboard the Vistajet fleet are trained by the British Butler Institute, the airlines catering is by Nobu and passengers can browse a library of books curated by Heywood Hill, an independent London bookseller. - The Times Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh - Jeannie Barber, Fanad - Billy McGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles - Gordon Dugan, Glebe House, Glebe Culdaff - Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh -Sarah McGroddy, Mulroy, Carrigart Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh The death has taken place of Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh. Reposing at her late residence. Funeral Mass on Monday at 1pm in St. Finians Church, Falcarragh, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Jeannie Barber, Fanad The death has taken place of Jeannie Barber (nee Carr) of Fanad. Funeral from her daughter Elizabeths home on Monday, March 13th, for service in Ballyarnett Presbyterian Church at 2pm, followed by burial in Altnagelvin Cemetery. Family flowers only, please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to The Longfield Residents Comfort Fund, Longfield Care Home, 2 Longfield Road, Eglinton. Billy McGroarty, Mountcharles The death has taken place of Billy MCGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles. Remains will be reposing at his late residence. Removal from there on Tuesday morning to the Church of the Sacred Heart Mountcharles for 11am funeral mass with burial afterwards in the adjoining churchyard. Gordon Dugan, Culdaff The death has taken place of Gordon Dugan, late of the Glebe House, Glebe, Culdaff, Donegal. Reposing at his residence until removal on Monday, March 13th, at 10.30am for 11am service in St Buadans Church of Ireland, Culdaff, followed by burial in the adjoining burial ground. Family time please from 11pm until 11am. Family flowers only or donations in lieu, if desired, to The Patients Comfort Fund, Carndonagh Community Hospital. Kitty McGonigle, Kincasslagh The death has taken place at her late residence of Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh. Remains reposing at her late residence. Funeral Mass in St Marys Church, Kincasslagh on Monday March 13th at 11am. Burial afterwards in Belcruit Cemetery. House private please from 11pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral. Sarah McGroddy, Mulroy, Carrigart The death has taken place of Sarah McGroddy, Mulroy, Carrigart. Her remains are reposing at her late residence. Funeral from there on Tuesday going to the Church of St. John the Baptist, Carrigart for requiem mass at 11am , followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. Family time from 11pm to 11am. * If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification. The Donegal Garda division was the sixth most dangerous division for gardai in the last six years, figures show. New figures released by An Garda Siochana show there were 56 assaults against gardai in the Donegal division between 2012 and 2014. Eight of the gardai assaulted were female members of the force. Only the Garda districts in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Kerry and Tipperary recorded more assaults in that time. The Donegal division recorded more assaults in the last four years than divisions covering large urban areas such as Limerick, Wexford and Louth and it recorded the same number as Galway. A further 26 gardai in the division suffered injuries in road traffic accidents in the same period. The majority of the assaults on gardai in the last four years occurred in 2012 when there were 25 gardai assaulted. The number of assaults have been in decline in the division since, with 15 attacks on gardai in Donegal in 2013, followed by nine attacks in 2014, three in 2015, and four in 2016. The trend of declining number of assaults in Donegal is against the national trend which has seen attacks on gardai increase in the same period. Based on last years figures Donegal has the fourth lowest rate of assaults on gardai, recording just four last year. Dublin was the highest last year with 63, followed by Cork (33) and the three lowest divisions last year for Garda assaults were Wicklow (2), Clare (3), and Cavan/Monaghan (3). Across the country there have been 1,267 instances of garda assault since the start of 2012. Bites, grazes, bruises Bites, grazes and bruising were the most common injuries, followed by sprains, strains, closed fractures and open wounds. There were also a small number of internal head injuries, internal injuries elsewhere in the body, dislocations, infections, and open fractures. Donegal Garda Representative Association (GRA) spokesman Brendan O'Connor said the trend nationally has seen an increase in assaults for many years. Isolated locations Many members in Donegal work in isolated locations, very far from backup and the depleted numbers of gardai have left our members more exposed to danger without sufficient backup, he said. The GRA has constantly called for tougher legislation and stiffer penalties for specific offences related to assaults on gardai and other front line emergency workers. The penalties do not provide sufficient deterrent or protection for our members. Members feel more isolated and vulnerable simply because there are fewer colleagues working than before the ban on recruitment. The national trend we feel indicates that people are less hesitant to assault a garda because they know gardai are more vulnerable. The Save Our Services Group has welcomed progress that has been made on the campaign to upgrade three community hospitals in Donegal. The group met with Minister for State Joe McHugh on Friday and said it is confident the community hospitals in Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton will receive the funding they need from the HSE. Interim chairman of SOS Tom Murray said while there are hurdles to overcome, progress is being made. The information we received is that this is progressing well. HIQA have completed their review of the three hospitals in the last ten days and the initial findings suggest that all is going very well, he said. As Ramelton and Stranorlar continue to perform strongly and indeed Lifford has been commended on the level of care they are providing, we believe that we are in a strong position at present. We are today in a new space and a step closer to securing the necessary funds. There is still a lot of work to be completed and many meetings will be held, but the local people in east and north Donegal can rest assured that we are continuing the work behind the scenes which is paying dividends for the future care of our communities. The United States and Canada share more than the world's longest undefended border. They also share attacks by cyber criminals on their online tax systems. A sign at the point where the railroad crosses the U.S.-Canada border at Peace Arch Park. This is the westernmost point on the continuous main section of the border. (Photo by Vmenkov via Wikimedia Canada Revenue Agencys website was down from the afternoon of Friday, March 10, until 5 p.m. Sunday, March 12, after tax officials discovered the site had a security vulnerability. South of the 49th parallel on Thursday, March 9, the Internal Revenue Service suspended access to its online tool used by federal student aid applicants to obtain financial information from their tax records. In both cases on either side of the border, tax officials stress that the online actions were merely precautionary. No U.S. or Canadian taxpayer accounts were compromised. IRS FAFSA problems: The IRS and Department of Education announced in a March 9 joint statement that the IRS' online tool to allow student aid applicants to retrieve tax data, normally available on both FAFSA.gov and StudentLoans.gov, was unavailable. In 2012, the IRS started offering those who use FAFSA, aka the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, online access to their income and other tax return information so that they could more easily complete the form. With the online IRS FAFSA tool, applicants automatically transfer the required tax data onto the federal financial aid form. Not only is the electronic transfer of data easier and quicker, it also was seen as a way to reduce the chance that a financial aid request would be selected for verification. This added review process requires applicants to submit more paperwork to support their tax information, which slows the process. But the online Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) was turned off last week, according to the announcement, as "part of a wider, ongoing effort at the IRS to protect the security of data." Tax and education officials say they became concerned "that information from the tool could potentially be misused by identity thieves." If you go to FAFSA.gov to apply for student aid, you'll see notification (in red in the lower right corner of the screenshot above) that "The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is unavailable at this time. We regret any inconvenience. To fill out a FAFSA, you can manually input your tax information. Remember, if you're filling out the 201718 FAFSA form, your 2015 tax information is required (not 2016)." The tool was taken offline, as the saying goes, in an abundance of caution. The scope of potential identity theft is being explored, with the IRS and federal student aid (FSA) personnel jointly investigating the issue. "At this point, we believe the issue is relatively isolated, and no additional action is needed by taxpayers or people using these applications," said the IRS and FSA. In addition, the two federal agencies "are actively working on a way to further strengthen the security of information provided by the DRT." Temporary means : So how long will the FAFSA tool be down? That's unclear. The immediate time frame expectation is that the DRT will be offline for several weeks. "We will provide additional information when we have a specific time frame for returning the DRT or other details to share," according to the announcement. UPDATE: On June 2, the Department of Education announced that the IRS FAFSA online income verification tool was working for certain students who apply to repay their eligible loans with income-driven repayment plans. Details in this post. In the meantime, the IRS and FSA note that applicants still can manually provide requested financial information from copies of their tax returns. Students and their parents making college and college financial plans hope that the resumption of the online DRT will be quick. But the IRS takes possible ID theft threats to its online systems seriously, meaning that thorough vetting of the danger and ways to protect the system often mean major down time. When criminals hacked the agency's Get Transcript online tool, that option was inoperable for more than a year. Northward, ho! Canada's online tax site was down most of the weekend, but now is back up and allowing that nation's taxpayers to get back to their electronic tax business. Sunday, March 12, evening, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that all of its digital services had returned to normal operation. "Individuals, businesses and representatives are now able to file returns, make payments, and access other digital services available through the CRA's website, including all our secure portals," according to statement posted on the CRA website. The CRA statement noted that once the agency became aware of an internet vulnerability that affected some computer servers used by websites worldwide, it decided to temporarily take down online services, including electronic filing. While the system was inaccessible, the CRA said it installed "necessary maintenance security patches to ensure that all information and systems remained safe. We took this action as a precaution, not as the result of a successful hack or breach." The CRA said that during its online system's down period, Canadian tax returns that were previously filed were processed as normal and refunds from those filings should not be delayed. While online tax interruptions are annoying, kudos to both IRS and CRA officials for taking quick steps to stem potential security problems. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I prefer to be inconvenienced for a bit rather than have to deal with a stolen tax refund or a stolen identity. You also might find these items of interest: OZARK - An Ozark man who is charged with capital murder in the death of his two-month-old son tested positive for marijuana after his arrest, according to testimony given by Ozark Police Cpl. Cody Evans. A preliminary hearing for Jaylin Toles was held Monday morning in Judge W. Stanley Garners courtroom. During the hearing, Evans testified that he was the investigator during the call and conducted interviews with hospital staff and with Toles. Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams began the hearing by asking Evans a series of questions regarding the night the infant was killed. According to Evans, Toles did make the 911 call on Feb. 25 regarding the infant being unresponsive. During the phone call, he did not identify himself. He later told investigators he did place the call. The infants mother was not home at the time the call was placed, however she did arrive before the 911 call ended. The child was transported to Dale Medical Center and later was pronounced dead. Based on statements given by the physician at the hospital and the statements given by Toles, Evans said the information did not match up. Evans said that the following was revealed during his interviews with Toles: During all three interviews with Toles, information on how the infant was harmed and where the mother was during that time changed several times. During the third interview is when he confessed to causing the baby harm in order to get the infant to stop crying. Toles had been playing video games on his cell phone until he picked up the child. He demonstrated shaking the infant and then hitting the infants head hard, four times, on the stairs inside the apartment. He demonstrated hitting the infants head on the stairs by hitting a water bottle on the table. Toles then stated during the interview that he placed the infant in a rocker and placed a pacifier in the infants mouth and returned to playing video games on his phone for approximately 30 minutes. He then went to check on the infant and found him unresponsive. Toles stated that he texted the babys mother to inform her the infant was not responsive. The Ozark Police Department did verify texts were sent. The phone has been sent off for testing. Evans stated blood was taken from the infant and Toles. Toles blood results from the hospital did show he had marijuana in his system. A complete investigation was done in the home where the crime was committed. A small amount of marijuana was found in the toilet and the babys mother did admit it belonged to her. Both samples have also been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. The police department also submitted a sheet and blanket to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to determine if the blood on the items is the blood of the infant. No results have been released to the Ozark Police Department at this time. Attorneys Joseph Gallo and Matthew Lamere were appointed to represent Toles last week. Lamere handled the preliminary hearing questions for Evans. Following the review of the information given by Evans, Lamere asked had a blood sample from the mother been submitted to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. He was informed one had not been submitted. Lamere asked Evans to have one submitted. Evans said he would see that was done. Lamere also asked if photographs of the crime scene were taken. Evans confirmed photographs were taken, and they would be released to the state. Lamere also asked Evans if he was aware of Toles voluntarily committing himself to New Day Behavioral at Dale Medical Center prior to the death of his infant son. Evans stated he was aware of his commitment. Evans also stated he asked Toles did any hallucinations take place prior to the death of his son. Toles informed Evans that he was given medication, but he was not taking any medication. Lamere also asked Evans if Toles was allowed to sleep, eat, or drink anything during the several hours of interviews. Evans stated he believed Toles did doze off in a chair before the interviews began, and Toles did receive several bottles of water during the interviews. Garner closed the hearing by informing the attorneys and Toles the case would go before a grand jury. According to Adams, the statute under which Toles is charged allows a penalty of life in prison without parole, or the death penalty. Houston County appears ready to relax subdivision regulations on developers who plan on building developments with large lots. The Houston County Commission announced Monday it will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes to the countys subdivision regulations, one of which would remove the regulation requiring developers to construct curbs and gutters on roads within a subdivision if all lots in the subdivision are three acres or larger. The public hearing will be held prior to the next county commission meeting on March 27 at 10 a.m. in the third floor commission chambers at the Houston County Administrative Building. Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said the removal of the restriction would give developers greater flexibility and reduce costs for homebuyers interested in purchasing homes on sizeable lots. The proposed change would not affect smaller lot sizes. Proposed changes/amendments to the subdivision regulations are: Section 4-11 The developer shall not be required to construct curbs and gutters on roads within a subdivision if the following minimum requirements apply to that subdivision (Rural Subdivision). All lots in the subdivision are greater than or equal to three acres All lots in the subdivision have a minimum road frontage of 300 feet No lot in the subdivision is deemed to be a flag lot (deep or hidden lot) at the sole discretion of the County Engineer No property in the rural subdivision is within the corporate limits of any municipality Any additional conditions as required by the County Engineer Other proposed changes to the subdivision regulations include: Section 4-2-6 is amended as follows: Dead-End Streets. Dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with cul-de-sac turnaround having a property line radius of at least 62 feet with an outside pavement radius of at least 52 feet. Grassed, curbed islands shall not be included in cul-de-sacs. Subsection 4-3-2(A)(3)(a) is amended as follows: Subgrade Course compaction shall conform to current Alabama Department of Transportation standards, 100 percent of Proctor Density and +/- 2 percent Optimum Moisture. Section 4-3-6 is amended as follows: Curbs and Gutters: Concrete curbs shall meet the requirements for concrete curbs, Type M-2 as set forth in the current Alabama Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Highway Construction. All curbs and gutters shall be placed using an automatic curb and gutter machine. Subsection 4-4-1 is amended as follows: Requirements: (4) Minimum front setback lines shall be 20 feet, unless otherwise approved by the County Commission. Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Showers this morning then scattered thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High 78F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 63F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Home Two wheelers Ducati Introduces Radical New Hammerhead Aero Fairing oi-Sreejith Ducati has debuted its radical new MotoGP fairing during the second day of the pre-season testing at Qatar. The new front fairing, which is designed to compensate for the banned aerodynamic winglets, was tested by Andrea Dovizioso on Saturday. {photo-feature} Most Viewed Bike Photo Gallery Home Two wheelers Spy Pics: TVS Apache RTR 200 4V With FI & ABS Spotted At Dealership oi-Sukesh Indian two-wheeler manufacturer TVS launched the Apache RTR 200 4V motorcycle in January 2016, offered in both FI and carburettor setup. But in the Indian market, only the carb variant is on sale since its launch. {photo-feature} Most Viewed Bike Photo Gallery Check out the extensive photos of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V by clicking the gallery below. Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America is doing nothing if not gaining more media attention than any other President in history. America has taken front stage in the crazy politics game and the world is on the edge of its seat watching every move intently. For the most part, initial reaction has been shock, awe and laughter. But steady on. A leader is not a true leader if they cant learn from the wins and mistakes of others. So what have you, dear business leader, learnt from the 45th President? These are solid lessons to pick up that will stand you in good stead in 2017. Dont redefine your end user Unless youre a start-up with minimal data to back up your business model, you will have a defined end user that will deliver revenue right now. Whether you think you are pivoting or adding services to attract a different end user, ignore your current one at your peril. It equals quick loss of revenue, simple. During the campaign, the Trump team had one end user in mind, middle American, Anglo-Saxon, male. It had done the research that targeting that demographic would win them an election if they turned up to vote. The messaging might have alienated many others, and Trump could have softened his tone and played defence, but he didnt and that demographic did end up voting. Establish your message and stick to it Knowing your end user is one thing, making your brand appeal to them is a different game. Understand what messages they want to hear and what they will respond to, then execute. Remember that it is a multi-staged process. You may find a good message, like building a great big wall. But deliver that message flawlessly. Dont change the price, dont change the build method, and dont get angry and defensive if your customers call BS. If you have done the research and proper product building, the chances of a customer or client finding a hole is minimal. Dont be impulsive with real-time marketing Social medias real-time connection to an audience has created a style of marketing that brands were arguably not ready for when it came to the fore. Now there is no excuse, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and more are all marketing gold. But step away from the post button or at least assess properly who has access to it. Take the time to understand what your end user wants and develop a proper relationship with them. Your brand could be baited, abused and threatened with fake news but with a solid message and a good strategy you wont be swayed. Repeat, repeat and repeat again Once you have found a good message, repeat and relax, repeat and relax. Your end user will continue to revisit your offering if it is a good one and new customers/clients will enter the fray. It also ensures that if the right people didnt hear your message the first time, they will eventually hear it on the second, third or fourth call. Just make sure that message doesnt contain any fake news Empower your employees Whether they are in-store, telesales consultants, account managers or directorsemployees must be on the same page you are. There is no excuse for not having your employees contradict the company messaging and then having to scramble to explain what the hell just went on. Its worse when you have to do it in front of a media scrum you have already put off side from previous comments and claims. Spend the time educating your employees properly and sticking to your business messaging yourself. As a business leader, you have no excuse for going off-piste either. The world is learning from President Trump. No matter what you think of him as a person or a leader, his methodology of leadership is a fascinating case study that can be applied across industries and should be used an example for both good and bad for decades, if not centuries to come. About the author On recent business trips to Silicon Valley, weve met with a number of investors, lawyers and other advisers who are active in the start-up community. These meetings have yielded some very interesting lessons for Australian start-ups, particularly those seeking to expand into the US market or take on US investors. Here are the key highlights: 1. Know your market Silicon Valley investors and advisers see a lot of pitches including many from companies similar to yours. You may have been working hard on your unique offering for many months or years, only to find that someone else is doing it too. Attending industry conferences and meetings with investors will help you to test if your offering really is unique. 2. Be ready to pivot While you need to be resilient in the face of setbacks, you also need to be flexible. Pivoting a start-up company is common and many leading US companies began life using a different business model. For example, Slack (a team messaging app which is changing the way millions of people communicate in the workplace) was spun out of infrastructure built from a failed gaming app, and last year became the fastest start-up in history to reach a $US2 billion valuation. 3. Understand what US investors are looking for The US market is awash with capital, but you need to have a good story to get a piece of it. Silicon Valley investors will quickly get to the heart of any potential risks associated with your business model, so be ready for some pointed questions! On a pitch night youre likely to go home empty-handed if you dont: know your customer needs intimately; recognise who your global competitors are; and understand the regulatory environment in each of your potential markets. Silicon Valley investors will almost certainly want to know about your growth plans in the US and if you dont have any they are likely to pass. If they do invest and want a board advisory seat, they will want to be close to you (and you should interpret this as you moving to the US, not them moving to Australia!). 4. Get your IP sorted from the start Investors and Venture Capitalists are savvy. They recognise that the intellectual property of a company they want to invest in is often its most valuable asset. This is why you must ensure that you own all the IP rights in your ideas and products and get ownership organised correctly from the start. One of the most commonly held misconceptions about IP law is the idea that if you pay for something to be developed, you automatically own it. You may not! Dont fall into this trap. Also, be careful how you license third parties to use your IP, especially when giving someone an exclusive licence. 5. check your company name, domain and trade mark early on If youre keen on using your Australian company name in the US (or any other country), youll need to check that the name and domain name is available in that country. We also recommend doing some trade mark searches so you can limit the threat of infringing someone elses rights through the use of a particular name. You should be doing all of this in the early stages of an overseas trip so that you dont have to change your name after producing all your collateral. 6. Know what you should (and shouldnt!) say about your idea Theres a fine line between saying too little to others about your business or idea, and saying too much. Potential investors in Silicon Valley dont often sign up to confidentiality agreements and they will expect you to be transparent and open, but you still need to ensure you protect your secret sauce. Talking in too much detail about your business or idea may compromise your rights to get a patent for example. There are some basic steps you can take here (such as marking your documents as confidential) but its an area that you should get advice about beforehand. In these situations, sometimes less is more. 7. Use your legal adviser wisely Good legal advisers in Silicon Valley see lots of start-ups and will only take you on if they think your business model has legs. They will have template documents, which mean small-scale capital raisings can be done relatively cost-effectively, and they will also have a good network of investors and other contacts who may be able to help you. They also have deep experience in issues relevant to start-ups for example, understanding the requirements of start-up investors and rules about employing interns. Your start-up may be facing a particular issue for the first time, but remember that a good lawyer has probably seen it many times before. How can you get involved in start-up communities? If youre looking to get more involved in the Australian start-up community, try education courses such as the Wade Institute, accelerators such as the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) or specially designed programs such as Springboard. If you want to start tapping into the global start-up community, the internet offers a wealth of information, including online courses run by leading universities such as Stanford and organisations such as Y Combinator. As you progress along the path of starting up, you will no doubt make some mistakes along the way. But by seeking good advice early and learning from others, you will help to set your business on the right path to success. About the authors Jonathan Farrer and Philip Catania are both Partners at Corrs Chambers Westgarth lawyers. In 2016, Corrs launched CorrsEdge a specialist legal offering for start-ups that provides them with access to experienced lawyers and an online platform to help them anticipate and manage their legal needs. To be an entrepreneur is to be an expert in your product or service. It also means being good at all aspects of running your business. As more customers turn to the internet for purchases, one of the skills you need to master to increase awareness of your brand and boost sales is email marketing. With several email marketing software available in the market, any business can create a successful email campaign. To help with your search for the right tool, lets put MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, and Infusionsoft into the ring to see how each stands up to the needs of your business. List building Effective campaigns start with a highly organised and targeted email list. This means the most relevant content are sent to the people who most need or want it. All three email marketing software provides you with the option to create segments that group your subscribers based on categories that you set. While MailChimps segmentation feature is fairly simple, it does not allow you to add tags for better accuracy. ActiveCampaign tagging feature allows you to add what content they have received or product link theyve clicked as part of the contacts information. Infusionsoft takes it a step further by allowing you to group tags into categories. Round 1 goes to: Infusionsoft Creating and editing emails Once youve got your contact list settled, the next step is to create beautiful and engaging emails to send to your subscribers. An intuitive drag-and-drop, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor is a lifesaver if you have little to no background in design. Active Campaigns design tool can be a little bare, while Infusionsoft requires a steeper learning curve. MailChimp takes the cake for having a clean and user-friendly interface that allows you to upload and edit images through a file manager that can be accessed from the email designer, templates dashboard, and code editor. It also allows you to optimise and test your emails for mobile. Round 2 goes to: MailChimp Automation The beauty of using an email marketing software is that you can consistently and automatically send emails to your subscribers based on an interaction with your initial email or a specific time. You can trigger a welcome email when someone subscribes, send a related e-book when they click a product link, or a follow-up email after a purchase. All three are toe-to-toe when it comes to their automation feature. But keep in mind that for MailChimp, this feature is only available for paid accounts. Infusionsoft earns points for having a drag and drop interface for plotting your automations. ActiveCampaign edges out the competition by having an easy to navigate and intuitive interface that combines simplicity and flexibility through additional and/or conditions. Round 3 goes to: ActiveCampaign Integration with other apps As fairly popular email software providers, ActiveCampaign and MailChimp easily integrate with other applications, compared to Infusionsoft. However, the latter makes up for its few integrations by creating a strong built-in CRM and an e-commerce platform which is useful for businesses who want everything under a single system. Round 4: Three-way tie Pricing and plans To work with a small business budget, its best to look at their bottom-tier plans side by side. ActiveCampaign offers a free 14-day trial, with their plans starting at $9 per month for 500 contacts and unlimited emails. Infusionsoft provides a free demo, but can be pricey with packages starting at $199 per month and a mandatory $1,999 training fee. Of the three, MailChimp offers the most flexibility with a basic forever free plan they call Freemium which supports 2,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails a month. They also offer a monthly and pay as you go option that works well for small businesses that dont need all pro features but require some. Round 5 goes to: Whatever works with your budget The winner In general, speed and ease are of higher value for small businesses. If youre looking for a free way to send basic yet beautiful emails, MailChimp will be easy to adapt and implement. For sophisticated automation on a budget, ActiveCampaign is the way to go. If you have more money and time to spare learning a more advanced tool, Infusionsoft is recommended. Email marketing is all about trial and erroryoure going to have to take some punches before you find your footing. Dont be afraid to practice, test, and call for support when necessary. By keeping a steady eye on your goals for email marketing, your business will win customers over with your knockout campaigns. About the author Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Propose discussion topics on Twitter and Facebook via #EBRDopen Heres your chance to shape EBRDs Civil Society Programme at the Banks 2017 Annual Meeting on 9-11 May in Nicosia, Cyprus. The Civil Society Programme is the flagship event of the EBRDs engagement with civil society and has taken place in parallel with the EBRD Annual Meeting and Business Forum since 2000. Last year, the Civil Society Programme attracted around 100 civil society representatives from 22 countries to the EBRD HQ in London. The occasion provided an opportunity for CSOs to discuss the Banks investment projects and policy documents with EBRD staff, senior management, the President and Board Directors. This years programme will feature multi-stakeholder roundtable sessions where CSOs, businesses, international organisations and EBRD will discuss the role that civil society can play in promoting transition resilience and the green economy transition, in line with the updated EBRD transition concept. Shape this years Civil Society Programme We are inviting members of civil society to suggest topics for discussion about EBRD investment projects, policies, and initiatives regarding politics, socio-economics and the environment relevant to the EBRD regions and our operations. You can propose your own discussion topics via Twitter @EBRD or @EBRDBiljana using the hashtag #EBRDopen by 21 March. Alternatively, use the EBRDs Facebook page. Remember, the topics should be linked to our activity within our regions of operations. Submit your proposal for the organisation of a thematic CSO-led panel As a CSO, you are also invited to submit a proposal for the organisation of a thematic panel to take place on 9 May at the symbolic Home for Cooperation (H4C), a unique site for civil society dialogue and peacebuilding in Nicosia. The panel will be dedicated to exploring the role of civil society in promoting economic development for long-term sustainable reconciliation. CSOs will be the primary organisers and facilitators of the panel. The deadline for submitting proposals for thematic panels at cso@ebrd.com is 22 March. Find out more about the call for proposal on the CSO-led panel. Walled off? Banking regulation after the crisis Speech by Sabine Lautenschlager, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, at the Institute of International and European Affairs, Dublin, 13 March 2017 Walls have their place in human history. Just think of the Great Wall of China or Hadrians Wall or the Berlin Wall. And then there are the more abstract walls: paywalls or Chinese walls, for instance. In my speech today, I would like to discuss banking regulation which some see as a massive wall of rules. If you asked bankers, some would certainly claim that they have been imprisoned by that wall and would even like to tear it down some politicians might feel the same way. However, to paraphrase the American poet Robert Frost: Dont ever take a wall down until you know why it was put up. You will understand that I, as a German, cannot fully support this statement but with regard to regulation this advice is appropriate. Following that advice, let us have a look at why the regulatory wall was put up. Why banks need rules Why do we need rules at all? Rules confine us; they limit our freedom. Take the rules of the road as an example. You cant drive as fast as you want; you have to wear a seat belt and you have to stop at red lights. These rules exist to make our lives safer. They help to prevent accidents; they protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians. And that also applies to banking rules. Banks take on risks that is part of their job. These risks, however, can lead to huge losses not only for the banks and their investors, but for the entire economy and all of us. In the euro area, it is mostly banks that finance the economy. They also take in deposits and provide other essential services, in payments, for instance. It is therefore crucial that banks work well not only in the short run but in the long run. So it makes sense not to give them absolute freedom, but to wall them off from the biggest risks. After all, bankers are people. Like the rest of us, they sometimes tend to overestimate potential profits and underestimate risks. Markets can get carried away, as Alan Greenspan said, by irrational exuberance. Expecting eternal growth, banks might make huge investments. But at some point reality hits, and it might hit hard. If it does, those who took on too much risk might fail. And the crisis taught us that the failure of a single bank can damage the entire financial system and the economy. In a nutshell, thats why banks need rules. Thats why the regulatory wall was put up in the first place. And following the financial crisis, we have repaired and modified it. Not all banks, of course, are happy with the new wall. While they seem to agree with regulation in principle, they usually think it is too strict. They say that the sheer number and complexity of the new rules increase the costs of doing business. They also say that this limits their ability to finance the economy. In short, the banks claim that regulation hurts them, the economy and, thus, all of us. Unsurprisingly, I disagree. It is true, of course, that there are many rules; and it is true that the rulebook is very complex. But then again, banking has become very complex. Over the past decades, banks have come up with ever more sophisticated innovations all of them have added to the complexity of banking but not always to its value. The rules just mirror this complexity. Let me give you an example. Banks favour what is known as internal models. Using these models, they calculate how risky their assets are. The risk-weighted assets then form the basis for calculating capital requirements. So banks are clearly in favour of risk sensitivity when it comes to determining the adequate level of capital. And I too see merits in that approach. But internal models are complex, and to keep them in check, we need complex rules. These rules, for instance, require banks to comply with certain conditions before they are allowed to use their models. Without these rules we would quickly experience a race to the bottom in capital and an uneven playing field. It is true that rules impose a burden on those who have to comply. And the pressure on banks has increased quite a lot since the crisis; I wont deny that. Still, there are two points I would like to make. First, we seek to ensure that the burden is reasonable. Take reporting, which banks often describe as a major burden. However, to do our job, we need data from banks not just on internal models but on all sorts of things. And this data needs to be comparable across the euro area; we must be able to compare banks with their peers, be they Irish, French, German, whatever. We therefore need a European approach to reporting. In this regard, it would lighten the load on banks if national regulators and supervisors were to adjust their own reporting requirements and processes to the new European reality. My second point is that rules may not only put a burden on banks but also offer them benefits. Strong rules foster trust. Would you get into a taxi if you knew the driver was not bound by traffic rules? Would you do business with a bank that was not regulated? Banks with a low level of capital and inadequate internal controls are viewed with suspicion: investors ask for higher risk premia and the banks thus face higher funding costs. Banks need peoples trust to do business, but as a result of the crisis they have lost a lot of trust. They should bear this in mind when complaining about regulation. Now, do bank rules harm the economy? This question mainly, but not only, focuses on capital requirements. Usually, the argument goes like this: capital is expensive for banks and might prompt them to increase lending rates. And even worse, it might cause them to stop lending altogether for fear of not meeting their capital requirements. That in turn would choke credit growth and damage the economy. But consider the benefits. Banks which are well capitalised are well prepared to withstand shocks. It is these banks that keep credit flowing to the economy even when the going gets tough. These banks can finance the economy throughout the entire business cycle. Banks with low levels of capital, on the other hand, are more likely to face a crisis, and banking crises are costly. They inflict damage on the economy by hurting growth, destroying jobs and putting a burden on taxpayers. As a matter of fact, recessions that accompany a banking crisis are much more severe than normal recessions.[1] So, strong rules put a burden on banks. But at the same time, they do help the economy. Only well-capitalised, well-managed banks do a good job of lending to the real economy over the short, medium and long term. The net benefit should be positive. Empirical studies indicate that the benefits of higher capital are indeed greater than the costs.[2] To me, higher capital and strong rules in general seem to be a small price to pay for a more stable and prosperous economy. And the banks themselves also benefit from more stability, of course. Against that backdrop, I favour a strong regulatory wall. But, work on that wall seems to follow a pattern. After a crisis, the wall is usually reinforced. Then, after some time, as the crisis fades into the background and tends to be forgotten, someone starts chipping away at it. The risks start penetrating the cracks in the wall, eventually leading to a crisis, and the cycle begins again. Im afraid that a change of direction lies just ahead. There are more and more voices calling for an easing of the rules not just banks, of course, but also some politicians. My advice to them is: dont weaken regulation just for a short-lived increase in growth prospects. Instead, we should finalise the reforms as quickly as possible. We have been repairing and modifying the regulatory wall for eight years now. Its been a long time, and I understand that the reforms have created uncertainty for the banks. Its time to finish the job. Its time to finish the job and to focus on implementing the rules. Writing the rules However, the job can only be finished at the global level. We must not build walls that separate nations; we must build a global regulatory wall. The financial system knows no national borders, and regulation must be equally global. It is the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision that is in charge here. Founded more than 40 years ago, it has become the main forum for discussing and drafting global rules for banks. The Basel Committee comprises central bankers and supervisors from 28 countries. Since the crisis, it has devised an improved set of global rules, known as Basel III. While much of Basel III has already been agreed upon, some final issues remain open. These are still being debated by the Basel Committee. In my view, it is time to conclude that debate and bring the reforms to an end. With regard to the reforms, I sometimes hear people complain that the Basel Committee lacks democratic legitimacy. They say its an opaque body that imposes its rules on banks all over the world. The answer, of course, is that the Basel Committee does not impose anything on anyone; it does not set binding laws. It defines global standards. These standards are mere proposals submitted to lawmakers. It is they who decide whether the proposals are to be transposed into actual laws. In the EU, it is the European Commission that proposes such laws. The European Parliament and the Council of the EU then decide on whether to pass the laws. The key decisions are thus taken by elected national and EU representatives. It is they who decide on European banking law. European law comes in two forms. First, there are regulations. These are directly applicable in all EU countries and provide a truly level playing field for banks. Second, there are directives. These still need to be transposed into national law. And this often leads to differences the outcome in Ireland might be different from the outcome in Germany or Spain. This is not a problem in itself as long as the differences are rooted in country-specific risks. But there are still some unjustified differences; there are some uneven patches on the playing field. Such patches run counter to the idea of a European banking union. They prevent the European banking sector from growing together, and they make European banking supervision less efficient. They require us to apply 19 different national rules instead of a single European one. That is bureaucratic, and it is expensive, first and foremost for banks. If policymakers are serious about European financial integration, they must further harmonise the relevant rules. And there is another source of fragmentation. EU banking law contains some provisions that are known as options and discretions. Some of them give supervisors leeway in applying the rules. It was therefore one of our first major projects to tackle the issue of options and discretions. Together with the national supervisors, we have agreed to exercise them in a uniform way across the euro area. We have made the playing field a bit more even. But there are also options and discretion which fall within the competence of the Member States. And here harmonisation based on the same business, same risks, same rules principle is paramount, too. Rules carved in stone? To sum up: I am very much in favour of a strong regulatory wall, and I am convinced that it has to be global. I am also in favour of harmonised rules in Europe. Still, rules must not be carved in stone, of course. Driven by innovation, the banking sector constantly evolves new instruments are devised, new risks emerge. The rules must reflect such change. After all, the financial crisis was partly caused by financial innovations that took place outside the regulatory wall. To be sure: eight years of regulatory reform have led to a comprehensive renovation of the regulatory wall. Now it may be time to check whether all the pieces, all the bricks, fit together. And it may be time to make sure the new rules have no unintended consequences. But I dont expect any major revisions, just some minor adjustments. In any case, I welcome the fact that the European rules are now being reviewed. In November, the European Commission made proposals on how to adapt and amend the relevant laws. And there are a lot of good things in these proposals. First, they support the idea of the global regulatory wall. They seek to transpose a series of global standards into European law the leverage ratio is one example. Second, they support the goal of creating a truly European banking sector. They allow for capital and liquidity waivers to be granted for intragroup exposures not just within a single country as before, but on an EU cross-border basis. This would make life easier for banking groups that span the entire EU. And third, they support the principle of proportionality. They seek to ease the regulatory burden on smaller banks. And thats good: smaller banks generally represent a smaller risk and therefore do not need to be as strongly regulated as large banks. But there are also items in the proposals that should be further discussed. First, supervisors need to be able to act quickly and flexibly, based on their judgement and expertise. A few proposals, however, seek to put a tighter frame around supervisory actions. That would limit our ability to adapt our actions to the ever-changing financial industry an industry that is always looking for the best deal, that is always testing the boundaries of regulation and that seizes any opportunity to arbitrage the rules. Second, in some cases, the proposals deviate from global standards for instance, with regard to liquidity rules. Sometimes, these deviations just reflect EU specificities and do not run counter to the goals of regulation. In other cases, we would need to ensure that the deviations do not increase risks. And third, I still hope for more harmonised rules I have already touched upon that issue. There are, for instance, still some unwarranted options and discretions that lie within the competence of Member States. These uneven patches in the playing field should be repaired. Conclusion I have argued that banks need rules, and that these rules need to be global. I have therefore warned against leaving the global regulatory wall unfinished or even tearing it down. It protects us all: taxpayers who had to bail out failing banks during the crisis; savers and investors who lost money; business owners who could not get loans; and, yes, it also protects the banks themselves. Still, the history of finance seems to follow an eternal cycle. A crisis happens and the rules are tightened. After a while, people forget the crisis, and the rules are loosened. This leads to the next crisis, which takes everyone by surprise. The rules are tightened. Listening to some politicians, I am worried that we are about to enter the next stage of the cycle: a new wave of deregulation. As George Bernard Shaw said: If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience!. Isnt it time to prove that we are capable of learning from experience? Thank you for your attention. Sorry for the inconvenience but were performing some maintenance at the moment. If you need to you can always contact us via email, otherwise well be back online shortly! by Team | How did a Republican program introduced on the eve of the George H.W. Bush administration wind up in the crosshairs of the Republican Congress under House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) twenty-five years later? Here, at the beginning of the attempt to repeal Obamacare, lets take a quick trip down memory lane. It was in 1989 that economist Stuart Butler proposed an individual mandate in a Heritage Foundation monograph, A National Health System for America, practically on the eve of Bushs inauguration: The requirement to obtain basic insurance would have to be enforced. The easiest way to monitor compliance might be for households to furnish proof of insurance when they file their tax returns. If a family were to cancel its insurance, the insurer would be required to notify the government. If the family did not enroll in another plan before the first insurance coverage lapsed and did not provide evidence of financial problems, a fine might be imposed. That autumn, in Assuring Affordable Health Care for All Americans, a conference talk, Butler explained why the provision of health care is unlike almost all other markets: If a man is struck down by a heart attack in the street, Americans will care for him whether or not he has insurance. If we find that he has spent his money on other things rather than insurance, we may be angry but we will not deny him services even if that means more prudent citizens may wind up paying the tab. In 1991 Mark Pauly, of the University of Pennsylvania, elaborated on the concept, in a widely-read article in the journal Health Affairs. The individual mandate became the basis for a Congressional Republican proposal introduced in 1993 as an alternative to Hillary Clintons anticipated proposal of a single-payer national health service. The scheme was subsequently endorsed (subscription required) by Newt Gingrich. And in 2006, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who was preparing to run for president, explained his health insurance plan for Massachusetts this way in a Wall Street Journal op-ed article (subscription required): Some of my libertarian friends balk at what looks like an individual mandate. But remember, someone has to pay for the health care that must, by law, be provided: Either the individual pays or the taxpayers pay. A free ride on the government is not libertarian. When the individual mandate became the basis of Obamacare, in 2010, Butler sought to wiggle out of credit for the idea: The confusion arises from the fact that 20 years ago, I held the view that as a technical matter, some form of requirement to purchase insurance was needed in a near-universal insurance market to avoid massive instability through adverse selection (insurers avoiding bad risks and healthy people declining coverage). At that time, President Clinton was proposing a universal health care plan, and Heritage and I devised a viable alternative. Why do todays Republicans hate the individual mandate so much? The roots are to be found in the 2010 mid-term Congressional election that produced the Tea Party. As libertarian law professor and Tea Party theorist Randy Barnett told James Taranto, of the WSJ editorial page, in an interview (subscription required) in 2011: What is the individual mandate? Ill tell you what the individual mandate, in reality, is. It is a commandeering of the people. . . . Now, is there a rule of law preventing that? No. Why isnt there a rule of law preventing that? Because its never been done before. Whats bothering people about the mandate? This fact. Its intuitive to them. People dont even know how to explain it, but theres something different about this, because its a commandeering of the people as a whole. . . . We commandeer people to serve in the military, to serve on juries, and to file a return and pay their taxes. Thats all we commandeer the people to do. This is a new kind of commandeering, and its offensive to a lot of people. This is, of course, profoundly misleading. Nearly a century ago, states began to compel motor vehicle owners to purchase liability insurance in case their vehicles are involved in accidents causing harm to others. (Then, too, Massachusetts and Connecticut led the way.) Law professor Barnett has proposed a constitutional amendment that would outlaw the practice. A succinct statement defending the individual mandate is a 2013 letter signed by thirty prominent economists, led by the late Kenneth Arrow, the founder of modern health care economics: [I]nsurance reform without subsidies and mandates has consistently failed. In the five states that have tried comprehensive insurance market reform without an individual mandate, healthy people chose to stay out of insurance, sick people took it up, and premiums increased. Only broad participation markets can end the cycle of insecure coverage and high costs. As for Obamacare, is it broken, as the president and the Republican Congressional leadership asset, or not? MIT professor Jonathan Gruber, an architect of both the Romney plan and Obamacare, told CNN last autumn that it was merely under siege: I think probably the most important thing experts would agree on is that we need a larger mandate penalty. We have individuals who are essentially free-riding on the system. Theyre essentially waiting until they get sick and then getting health insurance. Health care restructuring in the United States is a little like the issue of retarding climate change in the larger world. If you believe the science, the question is not if, but rather how and when. In each case, different paths are available: carbon taxation vs. cap and trade for atmospheric emissions; individual mandates vs. a single-payer system like Medicare for the provision of health care. Sooner or later, we must choose one or the other or decide to let the uninsured heart attack victim die in the street. . xxx MIT Sloan School economist Steven Ross died earlier this month, at 73, of a heart attack. Many economists will not have known his work well. He did not win a Nobel Prize for his arbitrage pricing theory, though he came very close in 2013. He spent a good deal of time consulting and managing money. As an apostle of what he called neoclassical finance, Ross is sometimes absent-mindedly excluded from economics altogether. Indeed, two weeks ago I left him (and his fellow Cal Tech alumnus Robert Barro) off a short list of prominent students who studied with the late Kenneth Arrow during Arrows Harvard years. Yet it was Ross who, in 1972, wrote down the first broad underpinning of the basics of agency theory, the then-new and surprising exploration of what happens when one person hires another to make decisions. There is always a lot of this sort of baleful news going around. But Ross was truly exceptional, according to Robert Merton, also of MIT Sloan; a giant in the ranks of economists in the last third of the twentieth century, in the words of Bengt Holmstrom, also of MIT. Plans for services and a celebration at MIT Sloan School of his life are forthcoming. Ninety percent of the minke whales hunted and killed each year in Norwegian waters are female and almost all of them are pregnant, according to a documentary aired earlier this month on NRK, a government-owned public broadcasting company. [facebook https://www.facebook.com/havforskningsinstituttet/videos/vb.107340812637299/1770870212951009/?type=2&theater expand=1] The documentary, Slaget om kvalen (Battle of Agony), shows grisly footage of Norways whaling industry, including one bloody scene where a fisherman cuts open a whale and removes its fetus. The release of the documentary has sparked intense outcry from conservation groups in light of Norways long-standing objection to the International Whaling Commissions (IWC) 1986 ban on commercial whaling. Whale hunting is now even more unacceptable, the head of Greenpeace Norway, Truls Gulowsen, told AFP. On the one hand because its in violation of an international ban but also because its indefensible from the point of view of the animals well-being to hunt them during an advanced stage of gestation. The estimated present population of minke whales is more than one million. Norway is the worlds top whaling nation, and has a quota to kill 999 minke whales during the 2017 hunting season, up from its quota of 880 whales in 2016. A 2016 joint report from the Animal Welfare Institute, OceanCare and Pro Wildlife found that in 2014 and 2015, Norway killed more whales than Japan and Iceland combined. https://twitter.com/OceanCare/status/742257995137028096 We have a professional approach and therefore we dont think about it, said Dag Myklebust, the captain and harpoonist on the Norwegian fishing vessel Kato. He added that the fact that they are pregnant is a sign of good health, Myklebust added. An expert told NRK that the killing of pregnant animals is common. Lots of slaughtered animals are sent to the slaughterhouse when they are pregnant, said Egil Ole Oen, a veterinarian who specializes in whale hunting. Norway and Iceland are the only countries that continue to hunt whales despite the IWCs moratorium. Japan also conducts whaling for research reasons. Last year, Japan faced similar scrutiny after its whaling fleet came back with 333 dead minke whales, including 230 that were female and 90 percent of the mature females pregnant. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/713168597783285761 Animal rights groups remarked that the killing of pregnant whales is especially egregious because it affects the next generation. It is horrific to learn that such a high rate of the whales killed in Norway are female and pregnant, OceanCare said in a statement to AFP. The whalers are not only killing the current but also part of the next generation of whales, it added. Astrid Fuchs, the program lead at Whale and Dolphin Conservation said that the revelations of the film are absolutely shocking. Given the fact that a vast majority of the whales is pregnant, the ministers proposed doubling of the quota would mean close to 4,000 whales could be slaughtered each year in European waters, Fuchs noted about Norways fisheries minister, Per Sandberg, who proposed to double the number of minke whales killed to nearly 2,000 and sell the meat to the European Union. So how can you help stop this gruesome practice? In an email to EcoWatch, Gulowsen of Greenpeace Norway suggested contacting the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) about your opposition to the slaughtering of pregnant minke whales. The state-owned NSC is the worlds largest generic marketing company for seafood and works to safeguard the Norwegian fisheries positive imagemeaning they probably do not want the negative PR about its whaling industry. Although whale products are not exported, the seafood business is part of one large state/private operations, where they are all mutually responsible for each others practices, Gulowsen pointed out. The Animal Welfare Institute is also urging its supporters to write to Kare R. Aas, Norways ambassador to the U.S., to let him know that you are opposed to his countrys continued killing of minke whales and to encourage him to support responsible whale watching instead. A top official at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has resigned in protest of a Trump administration proposal to scale back severely the size and work of the agency. Mustafa Ali helped launch the EPAs Office of Environmental Justice in 1992 and served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Up until last week he headed the environmental justice department. He joins us in one of his first interviews since leaving the EPA. Watch the interview below and read his resignation letter here: Heres a transcript of the interview: Amy Goodman: The Environmental Protection Agency has been overwhelmed by angry calls in recent days after the agencys new head, Scott Pruitt, said carbon dioxide emissions are not a major contributor to global warming. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma, made the comment during an interview with CNBC host Joe Kernen. Joe Kernen: Do you believe that its been proven that CO2 is the primary control knob for climate? Do you believe that? Scott Pruitt: No, INo, I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and theres tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact. So, no, I would not agree that its a primary contributor to the global warming that we see. Joe Kernen: Ok. All right Scott Pruitt: But we dont know that yet, as far aswe need to continue debate and continue the review and the analysis. Amy Goodman: That was Scott Pruitt, the head of the EPA, speaking with CNBC host Joe Kernen. Well, Pruitts comment defies scientific consensus about the laws of physics. The EPAs own website, even in the time of Trump, features a fact sheet declaring, Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around Earth, trapping energy in the atmosphere and causing it to warm, unquote. Well, on Friday, one day after Pruitt made the comment, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, revealed that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had risen at a record pace for a second year in row. Meanwhile, President Trump is proposing to cut 25 percent from the EPAs budget and eliminate 3,000 jobs. Trumps plan calls for the complete elimination of EPA programs on climate change, toxic waste cleanup, environmental justice and funding for Native Alaskan villages. It would slash funding to states for clean air and water programs by 30 percent. Well, we now turn to a longtime EPA staffer who resigned last week to protest the agencys new direction. Mustafa Ali is the former head of the EPAs environmental justice program, which worked with low-income and marginalized communities dealing with industrial pollution and climate change. Ali helped found the office 24 years ago under President George H.W. Bush. Hes now working with the Hip Hop Caucus. Mustafa Ali, welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about why you resigned? Mustafa Ali: Oh, yes and thank you for having me. There were a number of reasons for resigning. One of them was that I felt that the values and priorities of our new administration did not line up with mine in relationship to our vulnerable communities and the work that needed to happen in that space. Secondly, I also had some great concerns about the rolling back of the budgets and the eliminating of offices that have played a significant role in helping to move those vulnerable communities forward. And then, thirdly, when I took a look at some of the proposals for rolling back regulations that have played a significant role in helping to protect the environment and public health of our most vulnerable communities, I just couldnt be a part of that. Those regulations, many of those communities have been working for decades trying to make sure, one, that theyre in place, two, that they are more inclusive of protections for their communities and getting traction, being able to move forward. Amy Goodman: The Trump administration has proposed zeroing out the budget of your office, the environmental justice program. Now, this hasnt been approved, but this is the proposal. What exactly, concretely, would that mean? Talk about some of the areas in the country that youve been working on and just what the words and the movement environmental justice is. Mustafa Ali: Yes, well, you have to kind of go back in history just a bit to understand environmental justice. The Office of Environmental Justice, which became, first, the Office of Environmental Equity, actually got created because of a set of recommendations that came from stakeholders. Those stakeholders were from grassroots organization. They were from academics. They were from faith-based institutions. And it actually started under William Reilly back in 1992. And the issues are numerous around the country. You could look at some of the things that are happening in Port Arthur, Texas, where there are a number of refineries and the community is literally surrounded. Or you can look in Mossville, Louisiana, where communities have been impacted by toxic chemicals that have created some great public health challenges in those communities. Amy Goodman: And these communities youre talking about are African-American communities? Mustafa Ali: These are communities of color, African-American communities, Latino communities, Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, Native American communities and low-income white communities. Amy Goodman: Let me turn to Scott Pruitts recent speech to staff at the EPA when he first came in. Scott Pruitt: I believe that we, as an agency and we, as a nation, can be both pro-energy and jobs and pro-environment, that we dont have to choose between the two. I think our nation has done better than any nation in the world at making sure that we do the job of protecting our natural resources and protecting our environment, while also respecting the economic growth and jobs our nation seeks to have. Amy Goodman: Mustafa Ali, your response to, well, the man who was your boss, but you have since resigned, Scott Pruitt? Mustafa Ali: Yes, I believe that we have to be as equally focused on the impacts that are happening inside of those communities. I personally think that when we are taking a look at regulations, we could ask a basic question: If were thinking about creating a new regulation, will it be beneficial to our most vulnerable communities? If were thinking about rolling back a regulation, will that be helpful to those most vulnerable communities, or will it move them in a negative direction? And if that is the case, then I think that we are making a mistake, that there needs to be a better analysis, that there needs to be conversations that are happening with those most vulnerable communities and getting their input as we move forward. Im often wondering: What are the criteria that youre using to make some of the decisions, of some of the proposals that I have seen being moved forward over the last few weeks? Amy Goodman: Can you talk about some examples? You were recently in Flint, well known for thewhat happened to the water supply of Flint, the poisoning of an American city, when it was taken off its traditional water supply by an emergency manager, who the Republican governor of Michigan had put in to rule that city. An unelected official took it off its traditional water supply of over half a century, the Detroit water system and made the water supply the Flint River, which all knew was a corrosive, polluted body of water. Talk about the significance of the cutting of the EPA for communities like Flint and then talk about South Carolina. Mustafa Ali: Oh, sure. So, as it relates to Flint, you know, that is a situation that has just devastated the community, but there is still hope also in the community. So, recently there with the mayor and some of her staff and others, focusing on some environmental justice opportunities and how we can help to revitalize that community, you know and speaking with many of the folks who are there. You know, they are still struggling to make sure that they have fresh water, clean water, something that many of us just take for granted every day. But there are alsoI want to address the disinvestments that have happened over the years inside of the community, to be able to move forward, to create a healthier and safer place. So were very, very focused on being supportive there. And, you know, the flip side of that is an example like Spartanburg, South Carolina and why also I think its so important for the new administration to value the grant programs that exist in the agency that help communities to be able to move from surviving to thriving, as I often will frame it. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, they had a number of the issues that many of our communities have across the country. They had bad transportation routes. They had old housing. Some folks call it shotgun housing. They had lack of access to public health, to healthcare facilities. They had the environmental impacts of Superfund and brownfield sites and a number of other issues. They took that $25,000 small grant, began a visioning process with the community and asked, What are some of the things that you would like to see fixed in our community, but also what are some of the opportunities, some of the benefits, that youd like to see happen? Took that $20,000 grant and leveraged it into over $300 million in changes. So now in that community you now have new healthcare centers that are there, where, before, seniors had to travel great distances to be able to get to healthcare. You have new transportation routes that are in the community, that are much more healthier and less impactful on the community. You have a number of new housing units, over 500 new homes that are there, green homes that are energy-efficient. Now, before, in the summertime, folks were spending $300 to $400 on their energy costs. Because of this new housing, theyve been able to lower it to $67 a month, which gives a lot more disposable income, especially to those who are on fixed incomes. And as this revitalization was happening, which was community-driven, they made sure that there were worker training programs in place, so that the community members, one, were able to create their own jobs to be able to beplay a significant role and to bring hope back to this community. And there are a number of other things that are very, very positive that are happening. But these are the examples of what can happen when we value communities, when we listen to the voice of communities and we begin to move forward in a collaborative way. They have now been able to bring the state and the local government into this process. A number of the community members, of course, are a part of the process. Business and industry is a part of the process. And as they cleaned up the brownfields and Superfund sites were being cleaned up, they now are moving forward, having a solar farm put into those cleaned-up areas, which will now zero out those electricity bills, and the excess, that can be sold to the grid, will then come back to the communities. So thats what I talk about when Im talking about environmental justice, addressing those past and present impacts and creating opportunities. Amy Goodman: So, in our last minute, Mustafa Ali, you have worked for Republican and Democratic administrations. I mean, your office was founded under President George H.W. Bush. Why leave now? Mustafa Ali: I felt that it was time for me to take my skills and talents to a place where I knew that they would be valued. But I also felt that it was necessary for me to stand up and share respectfully, in the letter of my resignation, with the administrator the challenges that still exist for vulnerable communities, but also the opportunities that exist and implore him to do a serious analysis of that and to give consideration into making sure that these communities are protected and engaged in the process. Amy Goodman: Did Scott Pruitt respond your resignation letter? Mustafa Ali: I have not heard from him to date, but I do wish him well. Amy Goodman: Mustafa Ali resigned as head of the environmental justice program at the Environmental Protection Agency last week. He is now senior vice president of the Hip Hop Caucus. Reposted with permission from our media associate Democracy Now!. By Roz Pidcock The buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is warming the upper ocean four times faster than during the period 1960-1990, according to new research. [facebook https://facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1482563161756616/ expand=1] The paper, published March 10 in the journal Science Advances, is the latest effort to piece together current and historical measurements from ships, self-propelled floats, satellites and even seals to get a global picture of how the oceans are faring under rising temperatures. Since the 1990s, more heat is finding its way to the deep ocean and there has been no change of pace in ocean warming since 1998, compared with the previous decade, the paper notes. The study marks a step forward, but the authors said they are concerned about the future of ocean science, given the political climate in the U.S. Dr. John Abraham, professor of thermal sciences at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and co-author on the paper, told Carbon Brief: We are seeing dramatic cuts planned for climate science. There is every reason to expect these cuts will include ocean-sensing systems. Big Role to Play Approximately 93 percent of the heat captured by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere ends up in the ocean. The remaining 7 percent heats the atmosphere and the land and causes ice to melt. This means it is only by measuring the oceans that scientists can tell how fast the planet is heating and how much it will heat in the future, Abraham told Carbon Brief: If you want to know about global warming, you really have to understand ocean warming. Rosamund Pearce / Carbon Brief Completing the Picture But accurately working out how quickly the oceans are warming is a difficult task, partly because of gaps in the historical data. Abraham told Carbon Brief: Measuring the oceans is challenging because you need enough sensors, in enough locations, for a long enough time to get a picture of the climate. Early observations were typically done by commercial and scientific research ships, which means they were limited to developed countries and along shipping routes, the paper explains. In the 1990s, the World Ocean Circulation Experiment greatly expanded the coverage of ocean temperature records. Since 1992, satellites have helped to infer ocean warming from changes in the height of the sea surface, since seawater expands as it warms. The quality of ocean measurements stepped up a gear after 2005, with the introduction of ARGO floats, a network of nearly 4,000 free-floating buoys measuring temperature in the top 2,000m of the worlds oceans. Map showing the global coverage of the ARGO network and positions of floats that have delivered data within the last 30 days. ARGO To get a global picture of whats happening across the huge expanse of global ocean, scientists combine measurements from the ARGO network, ship-based observation systems, buoys tethered to the seafloor and even temperature sensors attached to the heads of seals. While there is a wealth of data post-2005, there are gaps before then that need filling in. Scientists typically do this by making a best guess based on measurements taken at other locations nearby. The new study updates this approach, said Dr. Lijing Cheng, associate professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and lead author on the paper. He told Carbon Brief: Our study offers a new method to solve these problems. Instead of including stations within 800km of the missing data point, as other studies have, the authors extends this to 2,500km to account for the often greater distance between historical stations. This left fewer gaps unfilled and more ocean accounted for, the paper explains. The authors were also able to correct for past studies that may have underestimated warming by comparing good data from the ARGO era with sparse observations for the same region taken in the 1960s or 1970s. Prof. Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research and co-author on the paper, told Carbon Brief: It has been amazing how much we have been able to recover in terms of information about ocean heat content from sparse past data. The new method left the scientists with better-than-90 percent coverage of the oceans from the late 1950s to 2015 and from the sea surface all the way down to a depth of 2,000m. Warming Signal The study shows the oceans warmed relatively slowly before 1980 and faster since then. The black line in the graph below from the paper shows how the pace picks up after 1980. The authors say in the paper that their new estimate is somewhat greater than previous reports, including the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr. Matt Palmer, expert in sea level and ocean heat content at the UK Met Office, who wasnt involved in the study, told Carbon Brief: The paper represents an important refinement to our estimates of ocean heat content change While the study does not alter our basic understanding, it does suggest that IPCC AR5 reported rates of ocean warming were underestimated by about 10-15%. Increasingly sophisticated ways to keep tabs on the oceans allow scientists to pinpoint, not only how much heat enters the oceans, but also where it goes when it gets there. The study shows the speed of warming in the upper ocean, between the surface and 700m, has quadrupled between 1960-1991 and 1992-2015 (slope of blue line, below). More strikingly, perhaps, the deep ocean (700-2000m) is warming nine times faster than in the 60s, 70s and 80s (red line). Global ocean heat content from 1955 to 2015 for the upper ocean (blue), deep ocean (red) and both together (black). All figures are relative to the 1997-2005 average. Cheng et al., (2017) No Slowdown Despite what the study calls a surge in research into whether global temperature at the Earths surface slowed down temporarily in the late 90s and 2000s, the paper is clear that no such change of pace has happened in the oceans. It says: Our studies show that there has been no slowdown in global ocean heat content change since 1998 compared with the previous decade. Looking at solely surface temperature over a decade or so is not a reliable way of to track the rate of global climate change, said Palmer: Since ocean heat content continued to increase at a time when the rate of global surface temperature rise slowed down, we can infer that a large part of the slowdown must have originated from ocean heat re-arrangement. All ocean basins experienced significant warming since 1998, with the greatest warming in the southern oceans, the tropical/subtropical Pacific Ocean and the tropical/subtropical Atlantic Ocean. As the paper puts it: The Atlantic Ocean and the southern oceans are the major new heat reservoirs (59%) even though their total area is just 48% that of the global ocean. Overall, about 32 percent of the extra heat absorbed by the ocean between 1960 and 2005 found its way to the deep ocean. Over the past decade, however, this proportion jumped to 49 percent, indicating that the deep ocean is playing an increasingly important role in ocean warming. Mystery Explained Finally, the authors combined their estimate of heat taken up by the oceans between 0-2,000m with a previous estimate of warming below 2,000m. They found a good match with how much heat they would expect to find in the oceans as a whole, based on the amount of solar radiation entering and leaving the atmosphere since 1985. (Compare the yellow line in the graph below with all of the different shades of blue combined). This means the mystery of the missing heat posed by Trenberth a while back is now effectively solved, suggested Palmer. Proportion of the top of atmosphere (TOA) radiative imbalance expected to enter the ocean (yellow) with estimates of the ocean heat content at different depth levels (blue shading). Cheng et al., (2017) A Travesty Despite the fact that ARGO floats are largely to thank for having such detailed information about the oceans, the scientists behind the study fear for the future of the network. Abraham told Carbon Brief: I am not confident that we will have continued coverage. The current system uses state-of-the-art sensors that are spread out across the oceans It is not clear that there will be continued funding for this absolutely crucial system in the current political climate in the U.S. The Oceanic and Atmospheric Research program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is in line for a 26 percent cut and ocean observation and ARGO come out of that budget, Trenbeth told Carbon Brief. Whats more, many other countries provide their contributions as a percentage of the NOAA contribution, he added: If NOAA cuts back so do othersand it all goes downhill Argo is still a research enterprise, not an operational one. It is vulnerable. Such a cutback would be a travesty. Reposted with permission from our media associate Carbon Brief. [facebook https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1448899025123030/ expand=1] (Photo: Mikael Stjernberg / WCC)At a joint service in the Swedish city of Lund followed by a public event at the nearby Malmo Arena on Oct. 31, 2016, almost 500 years after the Reformation, Catholics and Lutherans apologized for their past divisions and conflicts, and pledged to deepen their common fellowship and service in the world. In a world of "my tribe", "my nation" and "my religion" first, the joint Catholic Protestant commemoration of the Reformation in Germany is a sign of unity the world can take note of say global church leaders. And when it comes to healing memories, the "power of forgiveness" can free up the way for the common witness that the world we live in desperately needs, the World Council of Churches general secretary has said. WCC general secretary, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, spoke at the ecumenical penance and reconciliation service in Hildesheim, Germany on March 11, which he praised as an "encouraging sign of unity in the world." The service was jointly held by the chairman of the (Roman Catholic) German Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, and the chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm. The organizers said that this year, for the first time in history, the Protestant and Catholic Churches in Germany which split at the time of the Reformation 500 year ago are coming together for an ecumenical celebration of the anniversary. They said that this will for reconciliation would have been unimaginable in the past. LUTHER'S 95 THESES On Oct 31, 1517, Martin Luther published his 95 theses protesting against abuses in the Church of his day, they said and this triggered the Reformation which was carried forward by Reformers such as Jean Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and John Knox. Luther's criticism triggered the worldwide Reformation, which not only brought about the division in the Church, but also some extremely bloody wars. Protestants and Catholics used the subsequent anniversaries of the Reformation to condemn one another. "This is moment of truth and is a decisive step towards the unity of the church," said Tveit in his message. "In the prayer of Jesus in John 17, we read that the unity of the disciples with one another is needed that the world may believe. "The world needs to recognize that we have seen and heard in Christ the presence of the true God," said the general secretary. His words of greetings was part of the historical coming together in 2107 of the Protestant and Catholic Churches that had split at the time of the Reformation 500 years ago. Catholic and Protestants have decided to share ecumenical celebrations of the Reformation anniversary during 2017 in different parts of Europe and the world, as well as in Germany. The service was held in St. Michael's Church on a symbolic site as it is Germany's second-oldest cross-denominational church, shared by Protestants and Catholics since 1542. German President Joachim Gauck and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel also attended the service that was broadcast live by national broadcaster ARD. Tveit noted that the truth frees people to walk together towards the future "and, with one another, to witness with still greater determination to the triune God of life". "Christians and churches in Germany witnessed to this truth of the love of God when, with their confession of guilt, they sought out the fellowship of churches in the World Council of Churches after the Second World War. (Photo: EKD) "Christians and churches in Germany witnessed to the truth of the one humanity created by God, when they made possible the reconciliation of Europe and the fall of the Wall [separating the east and west of Germany at the end of the Cold War]." More recently, said Tveit, churches in Germany witnessed to the truth of love in supporting the "historic and necessary opening up of Germany to refugees". Tveit quoted Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu saying, "When you talk to the Germans, please tell them that the day Angela Merkel opened the boarders for the poor refugees, I was proud of being a human being." At the Hildesheim service Christians witnessed the "truth of God's grace and love" in seeking reconciliation with one another and cooperation in their common service for the world. "This is an encouraging sign of unity and fellowship for all churches in the world," said the WCC general secretary. Healing of Memories" is a pastoral-therapeutic procedure in victim-offender mediation. In recent years the term has also been applied to reconciliation between religious communities, cultures and ethnic groups, such as in Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Hungary, South Africa Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. 19 Sydney schools have been identified as being at risk from radicalised recruiters seeking to exploit vulnerable students. On Friday, it was revealed that the 19 schools are currently undergoing the NSW Governments Schools Working Together Program to stamp out anti-social behaviour and encourage a greater atmosphere of inclusiveness. It is understood that all 19 schools are located in western and southwestern Sydney. One of them, Punchbowl Boys High School, was recently in the media spotlight over threats made against its new principal. The incident, which took place at the school on Monday morning, took place after two men, aged between 19-20, told Patruno: Were going to get youwere going to f*** you up, you dog f*** you. In an interview with 2GB Radios Ray Hadley on Thursday morning, NSW Education Department Secretary, Mark Scott, said that the Department was aware of this threat, and encouraged Patruno to report the incident to the police. Clearly, there has been some upheaval at that school. The principal and the deputy have moved on, which came as a surprise to the community, and people were upset, Scott said. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, some parents of Punchbowl Boys High School have complained that their children have felt pressured into daily prayer meetings, Koranic lectures and even cutting their hair by other Muslim students. Two weeks ago, it was alleged that Patrunos predecessor, principal, Chris Griffiths and his deputy, Joumana Dennaoiu, had barred female teachers from taking part in official events at the Muslim-majority school, located in Sydney. It was also alleged that Griffiths refused to implement an anti-radicalisation program at the school. A spokesperson from the NSW Department of Education told The Educator that in order to maintain effective operations and protect the privacy of students, it could not identify the schools participating in the programs. The Federal Government has released the results from last years test that assessed the skills of new teachers and it is good news. The results showed that out of 13,000 teaching students who sat the Federal Governments new Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students, 95% demonstrated up to scratch literacy and numeracy skills. The figures revealed an average 92.6% pass rate for the literacy component of the test and 91% pass rate for the numeracy component, compared to 92% and 90% in the trials of the Test in 2015. However, those numbers jump to a 95% pass rate for literacy and 94.2% pass rate for the numeracy component when the data is adjusted for those students who sat the test more than once. Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, said this was good news for Australian students and their families and a credit to our new teachers. A pass rate of approximately 95% for overall students shows this test is driving excellence. Those students, who have initially failed, have worked with their university to bring their skills up to scratch, Birmingham said in a statement. While there have been improvements in the numbers of people passing the test, the results also show why the test is necessary to stop under-skilled graduates being able to be registered to teach this and future generations of children. Birmingham added that while many different skills and competencies make up a great teacher, a solid grounding in literacy and numeracy is essential for all prospective teachers to be able to foster the development of these critical skills in students. We know that skilled teachers are essential to lifting student outcomes and this Test helps ensure we have educators in our classrooms with strong levels of literacy and numeracy skills, he said. The test was one of the Federal Governments teacher education reforms designed to boost the quality of graduates. Our teacher education changes are designed to improve the quality of teaching courses and align them to the expectations of principals and school leaders, as well as to lift the standards of those courses with the students they accept and graduate, Birmingham said. At a classroom level, were also working to implement more than a dozen reforms in schools that focus on outcomes in literacy, numeracy and STEM subjects, ensure the best teaching practices are being used and better preparing our children for life after school. Related stories: Are our trainee teachers up to the task? How peer observation is improving teacher quality Dont skimp on teacher quality top private school principal Many education advocates are crying out for high school graduates to have the knowledge and skills to succeed in postsecondary jobs or in the college programs necessary for their chosen careers. These advocates justify their focus on college and career readiness with what they see as the growing complexity of the world and the increasing demands of the 21st-century workforce. But when I consider what lies ahead for todays students, I wonder what careers will continue to be reliable, as mechanization takes over and many of todays work opportunities disappear. I also look at the present state of our nation and worry whether our citizenry will be equipped to deal with the demands of living in a democracy. I am distressed by the narrowness of an educational vision fixated on readiness for college and careers, especially in the wake of a national election in which more than 40 percent of eligible voters did not go to the polls . This disheartening voter turnout points, at least in part, to the failure of schools to educate our population about what it means to be a citizen in a democracy. Students must understand that they have the right and, yes, the responsibility to participate in selecting the officials who will be dealing with questions of war and peace, economic development, and civil rights. Suggestions abound for how to prepare students for employment or university study. Some recommend dividing students into groups of those headed directly for the workforce and those intending to go on to college. Others call for content relating to the demands of the workplace to be integrated into the curriculum. In every case, the emphasis remains on the need for students to master the skills and knowledge as measured on standardized tests in mathematics and reading. Todays educational institutions rely heavily on standardized-test data to assess student achievement, but give little attention to the role of education in developing an involved citizenry. Upon close examination, however, there are examples of how elements of democratic living can become part of school life. At the Louis Armstrong Middle School in New York City, where I served as the Queens College coordinator of a school-college collaboration over the course of several decades, I got to see democratic practices up close in a weekly student-advisory session I chaired. At one session, the students raised the lack of teacher coordination regarding the assignment of homework, with pupils reporting unmanageable evening workloads. The problem was discussed and referred to the school leadership team of teachers, administrators, parents, and students who could implement solutions. A problem had been identified, heard, and addressed. I am distressed by the narrowness of an educational vision fixated on readiness for college and careers." At the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in Manhattan, which my granddaughter now attends, all high school students go to monthly town hall meetings. Most recently, discussion focused on LGBT issues and featured a panel that included two gay teachers and two gay alumni to encourage a better understanding of the effects of discrimination. Such conversations about human rights and the treatment of this segment of the community in town hall meetings represent an example of democracy in action. In schools fortunate enough to have an integrated student population, cultural heterogeneity provides an opportunity for citizenship education. For example, it has been practice for some teachers at the Louis Armstrong Middle School, a school legally mandated to reflect the racial composition of the borough of Queens, to begin the school year with the You curriculum. Children in these classes construct family trees, interview parents, bring artifacts from home, teach each other dances and songs, and create timelines of family history. These efforts reduce ignorance of other cultures and counter the development of racism. Daily events can provide grist for promoting understanding of the principles and institutions that govern our country. For example, the recent election dramatized the role of the Electoral College and the part its creation played in the writing of our Constitution. Students exposed to the selection of a U.S. Supreme Court justice not only can learn about the separation of powers, but are also more likely to become informed and involved citizens. More schools have come to accept that they must help students acquire the sense of individual and community responsibility needed to become good citizens. Consider the annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Students and schools everywhere are mobilized for a day of community service, such as providing food for the needy. But one day a year is not enough. Worthwhile as these activities may be, the development of empathy is what truly characterizes a citizen who cares about his environment, his city, his country, and his fellow citizensand also votes. This ability to care about others is more likely to develop when a school has built the concept of service into its ongoing school day. In such a school, students become involved in day-care programs, senior-citizen centers, and schools for children with autism. In such a school, students take part in community-improvement activities, such as cleaning up the neighborhood park. In such a school, senior adults are invited to participate in school events. As I consider the role of schools in preparing students for adulthood and citizenship, I look again at the low turnout in the recent election and reflect on the importance of education in bringing democracy to the lives of children and their schools. I am reminded of the scope of the task ahead when I read the words of John Dewey. We have taken democracy for granted, he once wrote. We have forgotten that it has to be enacted anew in every generation, in every year and day, in the living relations of person to person in all social forms and institutions. Date: 13/03/2017 Chip antennas for the new Narrow Band IoT The new chip antenna from Antenova measuring 20 x 11 x 1.6mm is designed for new Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT) standard which was ratified last summer. Narrow Band IoT uses the 3GPP licenced network spectrum for secure and interference free communication with advantages of low power, long range and can pass through concrete walls and metal barriers. The new Antenna can be easily placed on a space starved PCB. Antenova is displaying this at Embedded World event to be held in Nuremberg on 14th March. Narrow Band IoT will be good for connecting devices in locations where the signal distance is in kilometers and for locations in basements and underground. explains Antenovas CEO, Colin Newman. It could be the enabler for some of the IoT applications that are emerging that are not suited to the established telecoms networks, where the data throughput is quite low and infrequent. We see these antennas being used for smart metering, agricultural technologies, building automation and smart city applications with lighting, waste bins and parking spaces. Tweet Follow @eeherald Eastern Airways Saves Belfast & Newcastle Routes Eastern will fly the Jetstream 41 (Picture: Gilles Brion/Planespotters.net) Eastern Airways has stepped in to restore important airlinks to Belfast and Newcastle. It comes following the shock announcement late on Friday that City Wing had ceased trading leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Eastern issued a statement today saying they will offer a daily service starting (tomorrow/today Monday 13th March). The new service comes at a premium though with fares starting at 99 one way - however Eastern offer complimentry checked baggage and an onboard bar and refreshment service. Flights will depart for Belfast at 11.05am and Newcastle at 1.25pm. City Wing also flew to Blackpool, Gloucester and Glasgow, although there is no word yet as to a replacment service. Manx Education System "Second to None" Education Minister - Graham Cregeen MHK The Isle of Man's education system has been described as 'second to none' by visiting school leaders. A 40-strong group from Escuelas Catolicas Madrid (ECM), which serves 300 Roman Catholic schools in and around Madrid, visited the Island last week. They met Graham Cregeen MHK, Minister for Education and Children, and were briefed on the Island's education system by senior officers. The group visited primary and secondary schools to see education in action, spending time in classrooms, joining pupils for lunch and talking to them about their learning. They also visited University College Isle of Man (UCM), where they enjoyed tea prepared by hospitality and catering students. Watchdog says CityWing loss is "real blow" for air passengers A travel watchdog says the loss of CityWing is a "real blow" for the Island's air passengers. Travelwatch Isle of Man describes the operator as reliable and punctual before its recent difficulties. The virtual airline was forced to go into liquidation last week after the airline that operated its routes was grounded. Travelwatch has expressed concern over the loss of the CityWing routes, particularly the services to Scotland, claiming passengers who used the route often did so on a regular basis. Eastern Airways have already taken over the Belfast City and Newcastle routes, but there has been no announcement over the future of the Gloucester, Glasgow and Blackpool services. Albuquerque old-timers may remember Little Beaver Town , a Wild West amusement parkbased on the Red Ryder comic stripthat operated near Route 66 and Tramway from 1961 to 1963. Albuquerque Historical Society member and retired civil engineer Roland Penttila will explain the history of this homegrown roadside attraction in pictures and words at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History starting at 2pm this Sunday, March 19 . Admission is free . (Devin D. O'Leary) Roland Penttila explains how the film set of Beaver Town came to be, what it looked like and why it failed. Albuquerques Little Beaver Town (1961-1963) On July 15th, 1961 an old-west themed amusement park opened along Route 66 east of Albuquerque at the mouth of Tijeras canyon. It only survived for 3 years. The free presentation is on Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 2:00 pm at the Albuquerque Museum in Old Town. Parking and admission to the Museum is also free. Roland Penttila is a retired civil engineer who has worked on design and construction projects in California, Arizona, Washington, South Dakota and New Mexico. He moved here for the NM44 (US550) project in 2001 and met his wife. Theyve been married for 14 years, live in the Ridgecrest area and have two rescue dogs and one rescue cat. Roland is an avid amateur photographer and enjoys all aspects of history; local, national and international. 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. Even as "Teen Mom 2" was being taped after the Monday show, there was one unpleasant moment, recalled Kailyn Lowry. Her ex-husband barged into the marital home of Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin through the basement and then refused to budge. It made her stay on in the house until the police were called. "Teen Mom 2" Kailyn Lowry had a lot to say about it. She said it was uncomfortable and unexpected. She did not want to go through the whole thing again, as it was "crazy." She was just hoping that the couple as Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin could move on. She also said that she felt bad he never decided to move on as fast as she could, and tended to believe all the rumors about Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin. "How many times can I say sorry for what I've done? I can't apologize for something I didn't do," she said, according to Mail Online. Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin had tied the knot in a courthouse in 2012 and got their son Lincoln, a year later. They then went in for another wedding ceremony that was attended by many family members, friends, as well as a number of co-stars. However, the marriage steadily deteriorated. During one episode of the show two seasons ago, Marroquin discovered some private messages exchanged between his wife and another man. They then mended their marriage, but one year later, Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin again seemed to be at odds when Marroquin left for Qatar with the Air Force. "Teen Mom 2" Kailyn Lowry then put an end to their marriage. However, she is now pregnant with her third child. But she says that they need to set their differences aside so that they are viewed as different individuals, not as the couple 'Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin.' They can also keep their son in mind. However, Marroquin tweeted that it was impossible, and he did not need Kaitlyn's 'friendship,' according to Hollywood Gossip. "Don't play mother Teresa now," he said. He added: "Friendship and co-parenting are two different things." In response, after she had featured on the after show, Kailyn Lowry tweeted, "Did me dirty & I still wish the best for you." The feud just goes on. You can learn more from the second half of the seventh season of "Teen Mom 2". It is telecast every Monday night at 9 p.m. on MTV. YouTube/Star Magazine "Captain Marvel" is Marvel Studios' most anticipated projects even if it is scheduled to show in theaters a long time from now in 2019. It is Marvel's late response to DC Comic's female superhero film "Wonder Woman" which will hit the theaters this year. The superhero film "Captain Marvel" was originally up for release in 2018, but "Spiderman" and other project additions moved the film's showing a year later, specifically in March, 2018. Incidentally, it will be shown ahead of the May, 2018 and May, 2019 schedules of the "Avengers: Infinity War" movies. The "Avengers: Infinity Warm" movie is expected to feature all the superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to Cinema Blend. Captain Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson is introduced in the "Captain Marvel" movie, ahead of the "Avengers" movie. It is expected that she would be featured in the "Avengers" movie. Fans expected Marvel to release "Captain Marvel" as a PG-13 movie, even if the Motion Picture Association of America gives out the ratings when they are ready for official release in theaters. Disney earlier confirmed they do not have plans to release an R-rated movie from any of its roster of superheroes. Marvel Studios will definitely stick to producing superhero flicks with PG-13 ratings. After all, it is aware that young moviegoers will be lining up in theaters every time a Marvel movie opens in theaters worldwide. The same young audience will be lining up for "Captain Marvel" two years from now. "Captain Marvel," also known as Ms. Marvel, a United States Air Force member who was present when an alien device exploded. The alien race Kree from the "Guardians of the Galaxy created the device. The incident led to the fusion of the human genes of Captain Carol Danvers and the genes of a Kree and this gave her super powers. "Captain Marvel" is a female superhero who can fly, project and absorb energy. She is a member of many organizations including the S.H.I.E.L.D., "The Avengers" and even the "Guardians of the Galaxy." Most superhero movie has a male superhero, but this time, fans can look forward to a female superhero when the movie "Captain Marvel" is shown, according to Movie News Guide. Reports show that Marvel is taking some time to choose the right director for the movie, preferably a woman. The studio has not yet revealed other details of "Captain Marvel" but they seem to already have a date for the start of production. Marvel Studio's calendar has a full lineup of other equally big projects in the next few months, so fans have to wait a while longer. A recent family trip to Costa Rica just revealed more than what fans are expecting from Scott Disick, following several unfavorable scenes in "Keeping Up With The Kardashians." Some of the reality series' highlights, which will air this weekend, involve Kourtney's husband confession about being a sex addict. Apparently, Scott Disick just made the entire family agitated when he brought another girl on their trip. Therefore, despite the 33-year-old lover of Kourtney Kardashian telling her, she's "the love of my life," Kim's older sister sees no future with him at all. After all, how can she be convinced when hours later, her man was caught with another woman, as Mirror cited. "It's never going to work out," Kourtney Kardashian admits as she talks about husband Scott Disick. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian, in rage, told Scott that he's a "f**king whore" after bringing a model with him during a break. In a rather teary defense, the accused held his hands and screamed that he's a "sex addict." It appears that Kourtney's lover was seen hitting up with two models in Miami and a mysterious girl in Costa Rica named Bella Banos. Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian had been in a relationship since 2006, as Metro reported, and their dating's ups and downs were visible on the family's reality show, "Keeping Up With The Kardashians." The couple bore three children namely the seven-year-old Mason, four-year-old Penelope, and the two-year-old Reign. After dating for almost ten years, Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian called it quits after the were both linked with several people. In 2015, Scott was linked to Lindsay Vrckovnik while Kourtney was rumored dating Justin Bieber and Younes Bendjima, a former boxer. However, amidst all the other rumors, Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian reunited in January after she was pregnant with their fourth child. The two decided to work on their relationship as they have considered mostly their children. "Dance Moms" is not just on headlines due to Abby Lee Miller's fraud case and awaited sentencing. The show is being mentioned lately due to Jojo Siwa, one of the reality shows original cast members who competed in dance competitions. The 13-year-old is also a popular YouTube star who upload videos of how to make accessories and ways to use them. One her latest creation, the "Jojo Bow" has captured the fascination of kids and tweens in the U.S. and U.K. and its popularity spread like wildfire. In fact, the craze for the JoJo Bows spawned many imitations and companies began producing similar hair accessories. In any case, "Dance Moms" Jojo Siwa's bows are now being banned in many schools. What are the JoJo Bows? "Dance Moms" Siwa's JoJo Bows are huge colored bows that may also come with embellishments. It is usually clipped to a hair styled in a high ponytail. The young dancer and now an actress started the fad after wearing the bows on her Youtube videos and on TV. She also posts photos on her Instagram where she has about five million followers. With that said, it is easy to see how the JoJo Bows craze spread so quickly. Why Were They banned? According to reports, the Jojo Bows are being restricted in schools because it is distracting and it does not go well with the school uniform. Simply, it affects the uniformity and allegedly causing diversion among students. After the "Dance Moms" Jojo Siwa's bows were restricted in schools, particularly in Manchester, U.K. parents expressed anger over the directive. According to Manchester Evening News, parents find the restriction absurd since it is only a fashion fad yet the schools are making a big deal out of it. "I really can't see any problem with the JoJo bows, they make out like it's a gun or something really bad, but come on, they're only hair clips," one mom told the publication. Finally, BBC reported that based on the Department of Education guidelines, schools have a right to forbid the "Dance Moms" Jojo Bows if they breach uniform policy. It was added that teachers can also send their students home if they will not follow the rules. Angelina Jolie finally opened up about her current divorce case with Brad Pitt. This is the first time she talks about the separation since filing for divorce in September 2016. During the trip to Cambodia to promote her latest film entitled "First They Killed My Father," she was exclusively interviewed by BBC. When was asked by the reporter if she would like to comment on her divorce issue, Angelina Jolie did speak in detail but stressed that it is a difficult time for her and everyone. While visibly trying to hold back tears, the "Tomb Raider" star said in the interview, "I don't want to say very much about that, except to say it was a very difficult time and we are a family, and we will always be a family." She added, "As we said, we are and forever will be a family. That is how I'm coping. I'm coping with finding a way through that somehow this makes us stronger and closer." Now, after seeing the emotional and tearful' Angelina Jolie conversation with the news network, sources revealed that Brad Pitt was infuriated. Reportedly, "World War Z" star believes that the whole thing is just her ex-wife's ploy for damage control as she seeks to repair her image. Hollywood Life also reported that the 53-year-old actor was beyond aghast with the interview and he honestly thinks that Angelina has no right to play the victim in their separation brouhaha. Moreover, an insider told HL that Brad Pitt was really disappointed and sees the interview as his ex's attempt to deflect the thoughts that she is to be blamed for the divorce. Furthermore, sources disclosed that Brad does not think that the mother of his children was not being genuine during the interview. The actor was said to have told friends that it was nothing near sincere and deduced it was all acting. In conclusion, Brad Pitt just wants his divorce with Angelina Jolie to be finalized and that they will come up with agreeable terms with regards to the custody of their children. His only wish is to get fair guardianship and rights to be with his kids. Chrissy Metz, one of the lead stars of the NBC family drama This Is Us, has recently made her debut in the fashion world. The Hollywood actress poses as a pin-up girl on a recent photo shoot for a popular magazine publication. The shoot, which was for Harper's Bazaar, showed Metz wearing two different retro-inspired clothes. The first one was a red classy dress, evoking the old fashioned glamorous Hollywood lifestyle. The other one is a blue polka dot dress by Unique Vintage matched with retro shades that go perfectly well with the outfit. Metz, according to E! Online, is becoming a groundbreaking figure in Hollywood today. And the 36-year-old actress is using this platform to help inspire other people who are having difficulties in life with self-confidence. "If you can't love who you are now, you can't get to the place you want to be," Metz said on the interview, further noting that this is a daily lesson for each and everyone, especially those who are struggling with confidence issues. "I'm paving the way for other women and men who know they're destined for greatness but they don't believe it yet," she added. The This Is Us actress was surprised when she found out that the publication wants her to be sexy at the shoot, Daily Mail reported. But this doesn't stop Metz from doing the photo shoot. In fact, the actress even expressed how comfortable she was during the interview. Saying that she wears the outfit because she "loves it, not because it follows the rules." Metz is currently playing as Kate Pearson, Jack and Rebecca's daughter, in the NBC family drama This Is Us. The show is now on its Season 1 finale with Episode 18 titled as "Moonshadow" set to air on Tuesday, March 14, at 9 p.m. on the network. Is a second OPEC cut on the cards? By Tsvetana Paraskova OPEC's coordinated effort to curtail global supply has so far managed to put a floor under oil prices, which have been sitting modestly above US$50 since the deal was announced at the end of November last year. But resurging U.S. shale has been capping the upside, and Brent has not breached US$58 per barrel. Analysts and experts are now mostly predicting that oil prices will remain below US$60 this year. The supply-cut deal has so far resulted in a surprisingly high OPEC compliance of more than 90 percent, thanks to the cartel's leader and biggest producer, Saudi Arabia, which has been cutting deeper than pledged. But the market has already priced in this high compliance, and although oil prices jump for a few hours on every report of extraordinary efforts' and reassurance that members will strive for full conformity', they are stuck in a narrow band, kept in check by U.S. shale and record high inventories in America. A key upside driver for prices would be an extension of the OPEC deal beyond its original expiry date at the end of June. Just over a month had passed since the beginning of the production cut deal when talk of extending the agreement started to intensify. OPEC is said to be prepared to extend the deal, and may also increase the cuts, if inventories fail to drop to a specified level, sources from the group told Reuters. The cartel has always claimed that the primary goal of the cut was to draw down excessive supply and bring the market back into balance. According to its latest Monthly Oil Market Report published in February, total OECD commercial oil stocks fell in December 2016 (before the cuts took effect) to stand at 2.999 billion barrels. At this level, OECD commercial oil stocks were 299 million barrels above the five-year average, OPEC said. The February Oil Market report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that OECD total oil stocks had already dropped nearly 800,000 bpd in the fourth quarter of 2016, the largest fall in three years. Inventories at end-December were below 3 billion barrels for the first time since December 2015. Global oil supplies plunged nearly 1.5 million bpd in January 2017, with both OPEC and non-OPEC countries producing less, the IEA noted. The agency also pointed out that the Brent contango narrowed in the first month of this year. The contango has been steadily shrinking, and the futures curve suggests that the market is tightening, which could help to draw down excessive storage that has been kept for sale at a later date. Although OPEC's secondary goal may be to change the market structure to backwardation, the IEA said in its February report that stocks were still 286 million barrels above their five-year average and by the end of 1H17 will remain significantly above average levels. So the end of the first half of 2017 may not be time enough to cause the oversupply to dwindle, and OPEC may decide at its meeting in May to further tighten the market by extending the period of the supply cut. The cartel and non-OPEC Russia have said that a possible extension is still too early to assessa fact that will not keep them from talking up oil prices with hints and comments in the coming weeks and months. On the flipside, a possible extension of the deal assuming compliance is high and cheating is low would give more confidence to the U.S. drillers to increase output at higher oil prices. At the end of the day, OPEC may have to choose between giving rival higher-cost producers a reason to pump more, or cutting back its supply (and some market share) for the sake of higher prices and market balance. And of course, giving its own member states all the more reasons to cheat. Tsvetana Paraskova is a writer for Oilprice.com where this originally appeared. Home trump should be held liable for every lie he has vomited up since day one of his campaign and sued for every cent he "claims" to have. Ever wondered what an ESRF scientists or engineers life looks like? Are they all day working on their next Eureka moment or do they spend long hours in front of the computer? Do they have a sense of fulfilment? And does being a woman make any difference? The International Womens Day is celebrated this week, so we have decided to follow five women on their day-to-day routine to give a flavour of their lives. Text and photos by Montserrat Capellas Espuny Montserrat Soler Lopez was always fascinated by the start of life. This led her to study developmental biology and, after that, she applied for a PhD on the, for most of us, whimsical morphology of octopus sperm. Alas, her future mentor, in charge of this PhD, had other plans for her and she dived into the world of X-ray crystallography instead, which eventually led her to the ESRF today. Morning Tram stop, Ile Verte, Grenoble. After the first coffee of the day (she normally racks up to four a day), Montserrat takes the tram to go to the ESRF. She hasnt had a proper break in the weekend, since shes been local contact for users from the Institute of Science and Technology of Vienna until late on Sunday. It is quite intense, but I like to work with users. Most of them are very grateful for the support we provide, and I really enjoy the relationship we forge as we have deep discussions about common scientific challenges. When she came to the ESRF, in 2014, Montserrat brought with her the know-how of a technique called yeast two-hybrid, which was not used at the ESRF at the time. This technique allows scientists to investigate protein-protein interactions in vivo. Since her arrival, many other ESRF scientists have started using this method, as well as scientists in the neighbouring Institut de Biologie Structural (IBS). This morning, she has a meeting with Ana M. Mariscal, a PhD student from Barcelona who is at the ESRF for 3 months learning to use this technique. Ana M. Mariscal (left) shows Montserrat Soler her samples. Lunchtime Montserrat goes for lunch with fellow biologists who use the lab she manages, both from the ESRF and the EMBL, the neighbouring institute. And grabs another coffee before heading back. Afternoon Time for the weekly group meeting. Montserrats core team consists of a post-doctoral researcher (Gabriele Giachin), a PhD student (Romain Bouverot) and a technician (Samira Accajjoui). They all work together in a project on Alzheimers disease. Montserrat initiated this project because Alzheimers is a very complex disease and so far there is no medicine that can heal it or slow it down. It is incredible that more than a century since its discovery we still know so little about it. The team focuses on the study of a protein complex involved in mitochondrial bioenergetics and that also seems to affect the production of amyloids, a typical signature of Alzheimers brain. In the group meeting, everyones voice is heard and there is a discussion among the team. Montserrat tries to constantly improve her management skills. Before coming to the ESRF, I spent 7 years in Barcelona, surrounded by men, who mostly told me that I should be more aggressive to staff to get things done. This is not my style, and I certainly think that the staff should be doing their work convinced about what they do, and not just because they are told so. I come from a very strict family and I would never want to inflict fear in the people in my charge. Montserrat catches up with her email and some projects, like different seminars and a symposium she is organising in the coming months at the ESRF. She enjoys her job, she says, despite being away from her home, Barcelona. She misses home and her partner, so once a month she flies or drives to the Mediterranean city. Her love for science drove her to quit her job in Barcelona 3 years ago, where she suffered from the infamous glass ceiling. You feel that to work among men, you need to behave like them. This is the problem, we need to change mens mentality, but also womens. Education is the base of our society. It is not only about the laws, it is also about educating kids so that they realise that men and women are equal. Unfortunately there is still a lot of work to do. "It is not only men; women also need to change their mentality to educate kids in equality" I lived in Barcelona, close to my family but I wasnt happy at work. If Im unhappy at work, I find it hard to be content at home. Now, I thrive in my job here, I have a great boss, Gordon Leonard, who gives me a lot of freedom in the way I manage the CIBB laboratory and lets me lead my own research. I need what I do every day to be fulfilling, otherwise theres no point in doing it. So moving to Grenoble was definitely worth it. Evening Time to go home to the small, airy apartment that overlooks the Isere river in the lush green side of town. She normally has dinner, watches the French news, then the Catalan news and reads before going to bed. She loves reading philosophy and psychology books: I do it purely for my personal enrichment. I am a big fan of Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt, both of them write about psychology, management and the best way to take decisions within groups. They help me to put myself in other peoples shoes. By reading them, Ive also realised that I thought I was very open, but in fact I have a lot of preconceptions and I need to be more critical in general. Only like that will I be able to lead my life the way I want to. Text and photos by Montserrat Capellas Ever wondered what an ESRF scientists or engineers life looks like? Are they all day working on their next Eureka moment or do they spend long hours in front of the computer? Do they have a sense of fulfilment? And does being a woman make any difference? The International Womens Day is celebrated this week, so we have followed four women on their day-to-day routine to give a flavour of their lives. Morning Her desk is still looking bare. After all, she only started her post-doctoral contract two months ago. She is hired by the Institut national de la sante et de la recherche medicale (INSERM), but based at the ESRF. A couple of group pictures of former colleagues from her PhD hang on the wall. This morning, she is glued to her computer, ordering nanoparticles from a US provider. They manufacture them much quicker than we would do because they are specialised in it, so we also consider to buy dedicated forms of nanoparticles, she says. Nanoparticles are at the core of Caroline Bissardons research. Her brand new post-doctoral position will give her the opportunity to explore the role of selenium nanoparticles to dampen the metastatic potential of aggressive cancers. Several research studies have exposed that selenium, especially in its nanoparticle form, can be very interesting for cancer therapy. However, very little is known about the mechanism by which selenium nanoparticles exert their anti-metastatic activity. Among others, synchrotron X-ray spectroscopic methods such as X-ray fluorescence nanoimaging and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, will help us to obtain detailed quantitative information on the intracellular distribution of Se-NPs and on their chemical form to unveil targeted intracellular compartmentalization and biotransformation of selenium nanoparticles in cancer cells. We'll try to do this in depth studies during the next two years, explains Caroline. Caroline Bissardon (right) with Sylvain Bohic, her supervisor. Next on the cards for today is sending off the experiment proposal for the next round. Writing proposals is not a trivial task and it has taken a couple of days to finalise it with her boss, Sylvain Bohic, also based at the ESRF, and Inserm scientist at laboratory EA 7442 Recherche Medicale et Rayonnement Synchrotron from the University Grenoble Alpes. Fingers crossed that well get beamtime, she says. Midmorning She heads to the lab on ID17, where a colleague, PhD student Solveig Reymond, is showing her the cell culture procedures. Caroline doesnt mind having to learn new things, on the contrary, she graciously embraces any opportunity to do so. She says she is lucky to have been able to change direction several times (she studied astrophysics, then went on to do a masters in theoretical medical physics and then a PhD on medical geochemistry). She stresses, however, that you need to seize the opportunities that allow you to find your way, where you want to be. I adapt very easily, I am really motivated to learn and I work hard, she says. In the lab, with Solveig Reymond (left). Hard work is what led her to be one of the recipients of the LOreal UNESCO Women in Science awards, which recognise the work of 17 PhD students and 13 Post-docs in France as Generation of young researchers, out of 1032 of applicants. Carolines PhD, on the role of selenium in cartilage, was a brave one: hardly any papers, a marriage of two disciplines (geochemistry and medicine) very rarely combined and the risk of not finding enough results for a PhD. Despite the challenges, she pulled it off, and the award is the proof in the pudding. My thesis will always be THE PROJECT, in capitals, that will keep me enthusiastic for many more years because there are still questions that remain unanswered, she says. The LOreal UNESCO Women in Science award has given Caroline and her work more visibility. She thinks that this kind of acknowledgment to women scientists is a necessity. There is still the idea that women and science is a weird combination, and there is still a supremacy of men in science and we need to change that. Part of the work she will do with LOreal UNESCO is to visit different secondary schools and demistify science careers. The message is that students can do whatever they want, and that science is as valid an option as any other. I was not really enthusiastic over maths in secondary school: I was stressed and my teacher wasnt very inspiring. Yet I was great at quantum mechanics later in uni, because I felt more liberated and chilled than in school. Also, during my masters one of my professors told me I wouldnt succeed but I decide to pursue. You dont need to excel in a subject in school to be outstanding later, you dont need others telling you what you can or cannot do, just choose what you like and go for it. She quotes Albert Schweitzer: Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. Lunch She eats with her colleagues from the INSERM in a coffee room near her office. She thinks it is important to have a break for lunch, to chill out and strengthen relations within the team. She claims the fact she likes to exchange with colleagues also made her move from a more desk-bound job like a job in theoretical physics, to becoming an experimental researcher. Afternoon She has a Skype teleconference with Laurent Charlet, her former thesis director, who works at the Institut de la Terre (ISTerre) in the Universite Grenoble Alpes. Carolines PhD has also been the starting point for the creation of the French Chapter of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA, http://www.medicalgeology.org/), which is keeping Caroline and Laurent Charlet very busy. We realised there is only an international association but not at a national level. We think it is important to try to create a French community to exchange views, expertise and techniques on subjects that are susceptible to be important in medicine and geology, she says. Caroline Bissardon and Sylvain Bohic start a skype session with Laurent Charlet. Evening When Caroline leaves the ESRF, she religiously goes to the gym every other day, then heads home: an appartment shared with two other flatmates. She likes to spend time in the kitchen concocting her own recipes before reading. On her bedside table, a combination of books: from the classics like Balzac, to the new journalism of Capote or science-related works. Eclectic, just like her. Text and photos by Montserrat Capellas Espuny Unique dinosaur eggs and a juvenile of the same species have travelled from their native Argentina to the ESRF to be studied with the powerful synchrotron x-rays. The goal: to understand more about the relatively unknown development and growth of the species and find out how dinosaurs evolved into giant creatures. 30 dinosaur eggs, one baby and a juvenile of prosauropod Mussaurus patagonicus, a primitive herbivorous dinosaur that lived about 200 million years ago, during the Late Triassic, an ancestor of the giant dinosaurs. For the first time, all these unique and rare fossils have travelled from their native Argentina to the ESRF, the European synchrotron, Grenoble, France, to be studied with the powerful X-rays of the synchrotron. The goal: to understand more about the relatively unknown development and growth of Mussaurus and find out how dinosaurs evolved into giant creatures. It is the first time that such a collection of dinosaur specimens (from embryonic stage through to juvenile) are being studied in a synchrotron. Diego Pol, vertebrate palaeontologist, researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), at the Museum of Paleontology Feruglio, in Trelew (Argentina), well known for many important fossil discoveries made during his field expeditions across Patagonia and on other continents, thinks that the ESRF can provide many answers about the growth of the Mussaurus, but also of dinosaurs in general and in particular the transition from basal sauropodomorphs to sauropods. There has never been before such a range of fossils of the same species at different stages, so it is a really unique opportunity, he says. Diego Pol (left) and Vincent Fernandez (right) placing the sample in the experimental hutch on ID19. Credits: ESRF/C. Argoud. The origin of sauropod dinosaurs is one of the major landmarks of dinosaur evolution but is still poorly understood. How did dinosaurs evolve into the largest creatures on Earth, like Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus or Brontosaurus? Palaeontologists have known for decades about the beginnings and endings of a group of dinosaurs known as the Sauropodomorpha. Scientists also knew about a related group called prosauropods, dinosaurs that were intermediate in size and posture, like Mussaurus patagonicus. What they didn't know was exactly what steps filled in the transition between prosauropods and sauropods. This drastic transformation involved major skeletal modifications and Mussaurus is very close to this transition and the origin of sauropods. Thats why retrieving valuable data concerning the growth of this dinosaur species, the development of its skeleton and skull, can provide critical information to understand the evolutionary origins of sauropods. Picture of the skull of a juvenile Mussaurus patagonicus, of roughly 2 years of age. Size of the skull: 10cm long. Credit: @ESRF/C.Argoud In the 1970s, palaeontologists in a desertic spot in central Patagonia called El Tranquilo Formation discovered the whole skeleton of a baby dinosaur, which was later called Mussaurus (for its size similar to a mouse) patagonicus. It wouldnt be until 30 years later that researchers, led by Pol, went back to the original spot to find new fossils. The first fossil Pol found was a nest with several eggs. The feeling of finding something so unique is absolutely fantastic, he explains. But he and his team were in for a surprise: the site lodged 80 eggs, as well as a skulls and skeletons of juvenile Mussaurus, of roughly 2 years of age. The site seemed to have hosted a reproductive colony, where dinosaurs kept the younger ones during their most vulnerable stage. Picture of one of the eggs. The larger eggs are spheroid, with a long axis ranging from 55 to 63 mm. Credit: @ESRF/C.Argoud. Some of the eggs were found covered by a cemented-like sediment around them. Pol doesnt expect to find embryos in all of the samples he has brought, as it could be that with time some of the embryos decomposed and there is nothing to be seen inside. Among the fossils there is one egg which cracked, and palaeontologists saw bones of the embryo inside straight away. They tried to do a tomograph in their home lab, but, despite seeing the embryo, they couldnt distinguish the different parts. Pol had followed for a while the synchrotron use for investigation of palaeontology specimens. When the studies using synchrotron radiation started, around a decade ago, it was eye-opening to see all the possibilities that we had from then on to find out what is inside fossils without destroying them, Pol says. Before that, the chances of discovering what was inside the eggs were very slim, as we couldnt cut the specimens. The field site where the eggs were discovered, El Tranquilo Formation, Central patagonia. Credit: @Conicet-Documental. Through a common contact, he got in touch with Vincent Fernandez, a scientist at the ESRF who was, at the time, a post-doctoral researcher in the University of Witwatersrand, in South Africa. They thought there were many potential answers to the evolution of dinosaurs in those eggs, so they tried to get them to the ESRF. Over the last two decades, the ESRF has developed unique worldwide expertise in palaeontology, designing non-invasive techniques specifically for palaeontological studies. If fossil teeth, bones and skulls are examined on a daily basis by the ESRFs team of palaeontologists, the scanning of such a range of dinosaur eggs of the same species, so well preserved, remains exceptional. For this experiment, explains Vincent Fernandez, the ESRF allows to do long distance propagation phase contrast micro-tomography on a large sample at high energy with a dedicated sample stage. It allows to produce 3D data for anatomical studies of these embryos and to image regions of particular interest at higher resolution, such as the cranium, to quantify the ossification pattern throughout the development of these embryos. During four days and nights, they scanned the 30 eggs, the skeleton of the baby and the skull of the juvenile at ID19 ESRF beamline. Its exciting and very promising. Its like a second discovery says Pol, examining the first scans and what is probably the femur of an embryo. But it wont be until they can treat all the data collected, that they will, hopefully, unveil the secrets of Mussaurus and try to answer the mystery of the evolutionary origins of giant dinosaurs. References -Pol D, et al. 2007. Skull anatomy of Mussaurus patagonicus (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the Late Triassic of Patagonia. Hist. Biol., 19(1): 125-44. -Otero, A., & Pol, D. 2013. Postcranial anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Mussaurus patagonicus (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33: 1138-1168. -Cerda, I., Pol, D., & Chinsamy-Turan, A. 2014. Osteohistological insight into the early stages of growth in Mussaurus patagonicus (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha). Historial Biology 26: 110-121. Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny Tuesday: Takena Kiwanis Club breakfast meeting, 7 a.m., Elmers Restaurant, 2802 Santiam Highway SE, Albany. Susie Orsborn, principal, and Jorge Salang, resource officer, of West Albany High School, and Kyle Kinion, juvenile department, will present "The Challenge of Drugs in the Schools." Tuesday: Downtown Corvallis Association Design Committee, 8:30 a.m., boardroom, DCA, 460 SW Madison Ave, No. 9. Wednesday: 24th anniversary celebration, all day, Coffee Culture, all locations, Corvallis. Discounts, giveaways. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to a local charity. Wednesday: Downtown Corvallis Association membership meeting, 8 a.m., Cloud & Kelly's Public House, 126 SW First St. Wednesday: SAIF Board of Directors, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee, 9 a.m., conference room, first floor, 440 Church St. SE, Salem. Information: 503-373-8615. Thursday: "Community Offerings for Small Businesses," 5:30 p.m., Odd Fellows Hall, 223 SW Second St., Corvallis. The Oregon Intrastate Offering will explain how its program lets the average Oregonian invest in small Oregon businesses. Food and drink provided. Information: www.meetup.com/investoror-Corvallis. Friday: Mid-Valley Workforce Board, 7:30 a.m., Cascade View Room 203/205, Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany. Friday: Reception for winners of the 2017 Albany Visitors Association Photo Contest, 4:30 to 6 p.m., AVA, 110 Third St. SE. Ribbons will be awarded in eight categories. Saturday: Kids' Club with Shopkins, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Heritage Mall, 18951 14th Ave. SE, Albany. Saturday: Prom Preview, 2 p.m., Heritage Mall, 18951 14th Ave. SE, Albany. Fashion show of dresses available at one-day-only My Best Friend's Closet Prom Dress Event, where dresses will be sold to Benton and Linn county high school students for $10. March 21: Takena Kiwanis Club breakfast meeting, 7 a.m., Elmers Restaurant, 2802 Santiam Highway SE, Albany. Josephine Fleetwood and Brent Belveal will present "Pipeline." Libya was swept by a fierce battle between Khalifa Haftars forces and militias from west of the country over the weekend (11-12 March). The battle focused on Libyas biggest oil port Sidra and nearby Ras Lanuf, which is a key refinery. Together they are the gateway to the vast Oil Crescent, a number of oil fields stretching hundreds of miles through the Sahara desert containing Africas largest reserves. Mr. Haftars forces started air strikes against militias around the oil ports. As the battle was raging, Washington claimed that Russia was trying to do a Syria in Libya, rooting for Khalifa Haftar, a marshal and the principal commander of one of the sides in the ongoing Second Libyan Civil War. American officials claim that Russians are helping Mr. Haftar get control of the main source of wealth. Seizing control of the glittering Oil Crescent has become the main focus of the civil war that is now in its third year. Americans fear that the Russian involvement in the conflict will make Mr. Haftar a very likely beneficiary. The chief of the Pentagons Africa command, General Thomas D. Waldhauser, said in his testimony to the Senates foreign relations committee that Russia is trying to exert influence on the ultimate decision of who and what entity becomes in charge of the government inside Libya. Given the recent developments and the lack of unity, Europe fears that Libya is heading for a break-up, which will only accelerate chaos and perpetuate the migrant crisis. Libya already is a funnel for migrant smugglers and the arrivals in Italy from the country are already projected in 2017 to surpass 2016s 180,000 people, which was already a record number. Oil prices have fallen six days in a row Speculators had built record long positions on the hopes that the OPEC production cut will balance the market. However, reports of the US rig count, the US crude oil inventory and the US crude oil production, all point to a resurgent US shale oil industry. At the current rate, the US crude oil production can even reach 10 million barrels per day in the next 12 months, said John Kilduff, partner, Again Capital LLC, an investment-management firm that specializes in commodities, reports CNBC. Unless there are positive signs from non-OPEC producers on production cuts or there is a significant supply outage, the relentless pursuit of the U.S. shale production will cut into OPECs plans, said Stuart Ive, a client manager at OM Financial, reports Market Watch. The breakdown of the $50 a barrel level is not a good sign for Saudi Arabia and the OPEC. A sustained fall in crude will test the resolve of Saudi Arabia to continue cutting production, well above its allotted limits because, after all its efforts, it is only losing market share and providing a boost to the US shale oil industry. "It will be interesting to see how OPEC rhetoric will evolve with this price correction. Is price the only consideration when it comes to the decision of extending cuts?" BNP Paribas global head of commodity strategy Harry Tchilinguirian told the Reuters Global Oil Forum, reported Reuters. How to trade crude oil in this bearish environment? Crude oil has formed a large ascending triangle pattern, which is a bullish sign. However, the breakdown from the tight range is a negative sign as crude oil can drop to $47 a barrel, where it should find support from the trendline. Traders should use the current fall in crude to accumulate long position in oil if prices rebound from the trendline. The SL for the trade should be kept just below the trendline because, if it breaks down, the next stop would be $42 a barrel mark. San Francisco, London and Hong Kong are the most expensive places in the world to rent an apartment with Prague and Cape Town the most cost effective in a ranking of 20 cities popular with expats.Also expensive are Tokyo and New York City, according to the research from Barratt London which ranks the cities based on percentage of salary needed for a one bedroom apartment. In San Francisco average rental prices account for 47% of average salaries in the city, while in London it is 45% and in Hong Kong 44% with average rental prices at 2,768, 1,250 and 715 per calendar month respectively.The report points out that despite reports of a more favourable rental market in London, a one bedroom apartment in the city is costing renters almost half of their monthly salary. But rents are still cheaper in London than in New York where they average 2,532 but in New York that amounts to 40% of wages.Rents are also more expensive in Sydney, Australia, than in London at 1,558 but this amounts to just 28% of the average salary.Prague and Cape Town are the cities most relative in respect to income and rental prices, with wage to rent ratios of 21% and 23% respectively. Dublin, where rents average at under 950, requires just 25% of its tenants salaries.Rental prices in London continue to demand too much of the occupier, to the extent of almost half of their monthly pay cheque. Renting must remain a viable option for those looking to move home, but residents might want to consider a buying market that offers plenty of incentives for first timers, said a spokesperson for Barratt London.The London Help to Buy scheme, for example, is helping first time buyers get on the property ladder more affordably, with just a 5% deposit and an equity loan that is interest free for the first five years, he added.Despite high rental prices, Londons home ownership rate of 38% falls well below other cities around the world. In Singapore, where rent demands 40% of average salaries, more than 90% of people own their own home. In Rome, where the wage to rent ratio is the same, home ownership is at 73%. Hi mate, Hope i am able to answer some of your queries... 1. Which mobile sim card should I take there - my requirement would be local calls in Aus cheap and may be a top up type of recharge to help me talk to my family in India? Lyca is one of the cheapest providers of Mobile services. Iv heard that they have a decent n/w. I personally use a Vodafone here but its nothing to boast about as services varies in different areas.They have an ongoing plan for $30 which gives u unlinmited calls to 10 countries and local calls and sms and 3 GB of data. Check their website. Only thing is you will have to order it online and it takes a few days to get the sim. so if you have any friend in melb you can get it delivered there. 2. Is there some kind of transport card available in Aus - taking which I can use any means of transport like train, metro, bus etc to travel in Aus? I had seen such type of travel card in European countries, taking which we can use any means of transport in that country. Any such travel card available in Aus for travelling in Aus? Yeah melbourne has Myki. Check the transport victoria website for more details. it usually costs around $5 for a new card is avaiable on all 7/11 shops. 3. For finding accommodation, which website is better - airbnb, gumtree or flatmate? My requirement is that since I will be going to Melbourne for searching job, so I am not sure of how long I would be staying in Melbourne and then moving to the city where I would get a job. So which website should I check for finding my initial accommodation? Airbnb is the best. book an initial accomodation via this and when you are here you can search via gum tree or flatmates and rent a place as most of the places you will need to inspect first. 4. Which area should I try to find accommodation in Melbourne - any specific area in Melbourne, which I should try to find accommodation in Melbourne? Would leave it to others as this is highly debatable. I preferred staying in Clayton because of close proximity to City and indian Stuff available readily. Samaritan pharmacist gets preceptor honor Stacey Olstad of Samaritan Health Services recently was honored as Preceptor of the Year by Oregon State Universitys Pharmacy program. Olstad served as preceptor to nearly 200 doctor of pharmacy students over the last two years. She was honored at a banquet last June. As medication reconciliation coordinator for Samaritan Pharmacy Services, Olstad supervises a staff of pharmacists, technicians and interns who ensure that hospital inpatient medications are reconciled at admission and throughout their patient care experience. Corvallis law firm hires attorney The Reynolds Law Firm in Corvallis recently hired Rance Shaw. As a member of the firm, Shaw practices business law, construction law, probate and trust administration, and estate planning. Shaw graduated last year from the University of Oregon School of Law with a certificate in environmental and natural resources law. He was selected three times as an Environmental and Natural Resources Law Fellow, including once as a Bowerman Fellow. While in law school, Shaw worked as a legal intern at a Eugene-based conservation nonprofit organization, where he focused on issues related to wildlife protection and management. In addition to his studies, he was treasurer for the law student group responsible for the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. Prior to attending the U of O, Shaw earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Boise State University, where he worked as a member of a team using computational chemistry to aid in protein drug development. School adds counselor Old Mill Center for Children and Families in Corvallis recently added clinical supervisor Christie Reed to Child, Teen & Family Counseling. Reed attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a master of science degree in applied psychology. She has come to Corvallis from Kansas. Reed has experience in infant mental health, adolescent residential treatment, inpatient treatment and wilderness therapy, and is certified in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. She brings experience in the fields of early childhood mental health and family therapy, and working at the program level in organizations and with local and state agencies. Old Mill Center is a full-service provider of preschool, mental health, early intervention and parent support for children from birth to age 18 and their families. Services address the educational, social, emotional and family needs of a diverse population of children. The school has served Benton County since the 1970s. HCAO selects fundraising manager Health Care for All Oregon recently announced the hiring of Larry Symonds as the first fundraising manager for the nonprofit organization. Symonds returned to his home state of Oregon to bring his knowledge, skills and experience to help steward the success of community organizations. Most recently, he helped to lead a capital campaign for the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, exceeding its goal four months ahead of the April target date, in December. Symonds is a graduate of the University of Washington and the University of Washington School of Law. After more than 25 years building and managing businesses, he embarked on a career in nonprofit fundraising. Capitalizing on years of estate, financial and wealth management experience, coupled with decades of nonprofit experience, he created a consulting business focused on the fundraising needs of small and mid-size community nonprofit organizations. HCAO is a coalition of more than 100 organizations supporting the mission to create a comprehensive, equitable, affordable, publicly funded, high-quality, universal health care system serving everyone in Oregon and the United States. Broker to manage realty firm in city RE/MAX Integrity recently announced that Candice Decker, licensed principal broker, will be managing the firms Corvallis office at 2175 NW Professional Drive. Decker is a leading regional Realtor with 23 years of real estate sales experience, selling as a team for many years with her husband, Orange Decker. From 1999 to 2008, the Deckers owned John L. Scott Kings View Real Estate in Corvallis. Decker also has been a Buffini real estate mentor for the past five years. RE/MAX Integrity is the leading RE/MAX franchise in the Pacific Northwest, with six offices and 275 Realtors providing real estate listing and sales services in Salem, Corvallis, Albany, Eugene, Grants Pass, Medford and surrounding regions. All RE/MAX Integrity offices are led by non-competing Principal Brokers. Hi everyone! I have a horrible incident in my life. I was going to open a sportive club for children in Padua with my Italian companion. He asked me for money for documents. And then he disappeared. Now I'm in U.S and I need to send him an official notice. The police of Padua refused to help without the U.S lawsuit. I was told in my PD they can send him an official notice but they need his address. I don't understand why nobody wants to help Maybe somebody here knows how can I find out the address of a person in Padua? It's not a spam it's a real life unfortunately. Thank you for you attention! You cannot apply for PR based on Spouse application if you have ZSP. You need to go to Zim and apply for Relatives permit and then only apply for PR Spouse application. You cannot change your ZSP to CSV or renew your ZSP in SA at all until the minister has announced otherwise. You need to go to Zim to apply which is what everyone else is doing. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LEMING A proposed sand mine has set off howls of protest in the rural area of Atascosa County site of the bloodiest fight in Texas history, the 1813 Battle of Medina. The area is known for gentle rolling hills and loamy sand, good for growing peanuts and running cattle. Now a company is targeting those thick sand deposits for another purpose: mining it for the oil and gas industry. The laws in the state of Texas are not on our side, said Russell Wilson, who lives across from the proposed facility and heads the local opposition group. They benefit a company in Pennsylvania. Its basically a rubber-stamp permit. Pennsylvania-based Preferred Sands wants to create a mine and plant that could process 300-400 tons of sand per hour through a Texas company it set up in the fall, Sand Mining of Texas LLC, according to its permit application. It comes at a time when oil and gas companies want more sand as the industry recovers from one of its worst downturns and energy companies use more of it than ever before to extract oil from the ground. Now that the price for a barrel of oil has recovered, fracking is staging a comeback, too. Research and industry publishing firm Hart Energy in late 2014 said wells already were using on average more than 8 million pounds of sand per well, and because companies figured out that adding more sand makes for better wells, demand has soared. This mine would be just north of the 400-mile-long Eagle Ford Shale field. But the location targeted for the mine could have historical significance. Archival records indicate that about 1,300 rebel bodies from the Battle of Medina litter the countryside, although no one has proved the precise location of the fight. Generations of professional and amateur historians have searched for the battle that marked Mexicos war for independence from Spain, following documents and tantalizing clues such as stories about how someone found an artifact while digging fence posts. The area is now dotted by heritage oaks too large to wrap arms around. Coastal hay for sale signs have been joined by protest banners. A historical marker at Bruce Road and Old Applewhite Road, about 20 miles south of downtown San Antonio, commemorates the battle. Its a 200-year-old mystery: The historical marker may or may not mark the spot. Atascosa County Judge Robert Hurley said elected officials are opposed to the sand mine, Battle of Medina or not. Ive already told the sand mine people we dont want them, Hurley said. His opinion doesnt make much of a difference, though. They have run up against the reality of development control in Texas. Theres just not a tremendous amount that a rural county can do in controlling what comes into its unincorporated areas as long as it complies with federal and state laws, Hurley said. The county wont offer tax breaks to the mine, and its in the process of making it harder for the company to send trucks down the narrow, gravel road, too bumpy in some sections to drive faster than about 15 mph. The company may have to find another route on and off the 300-acre property, though Hurley said he was told the mining firm was exercising its option to buy an additional 1,000 acres. Hurley said he is concerned that people who live near the mine, including in a neighborhood not far away, will no longer be able to enjoy their properties. Many families have been there for generations. I think its about the golden rule and its about how you treat people, Hurley said. Their lives are going to change. Preferred Sands also has mines in Nebraska, Arizona and Wisconsin. The company, which declined an interview request, said in a statement that it would follow the guidelines and regulations of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Detailed mining plans that take into consideration all potential impact areas and specify areas of concern, such as archeological, will be prepared well in advance of the start of operations, it said. Furthermore, we continue to work closely with the local community to proactively address any concerns and to establish and maintain a positive, meaningful and collaborative partnership on which to build upon as we move forward. The company also agreed to meet with community members March 23 at the VFW in Poteet, and neighbors say it has indicated verbally though theyve not been able to get anything in writing that it would do things such as line ponds to protect aquifers and use downlighting to help keep the sky dark in the rural area. Neighbors said they have a range of worries, from their likely soon-to-be diminished property values to the noise and dust from 24-hour truck traffic. People tap the Queens City or Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers here, some with water wells as shallow as 60 feet. Sand is basically silica. Breathing it is considered a workplace danger and the federal government limits how much workers can inhale. Jessica Hardy, who lives next to the site and grew up in the area, found out about the mine the day after Christmas when a neighbor called with the news. To me, Im collateral damage, Hardy said. She said the company had offered to fly her, Wilson and another resident to tour its Wisconsin plant this week, though those plans and the offer were up in the air as of Friday. The mine site was once a peanut farm. Its now a hayfield with a thick oak mott in the distance, and a tractor-trailer loaded bales of hay there this week. Theyre moving out, Hardy said. She has told other landowners that if they can sell, to get out while they can. Hardy said kids raised in the area are taught to respect that they may tread burial sites archival records indicate that some bodies were buried and others were left where they fell. This is what is known: On Aug. 18, 1813, 1,400 Tejanos, Anglos and American Indians with the Republican Army of the North, defending the first republic of Texas, were crushed by more than 1,800 Spanish Royal Army forces. About 1,300 rebels died in battle or were executed. Only 55 Spanish troops were killed. The Spanish forces included a young lieutenant, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who would become the Mexican president best known in Texas history for ordering a pre-dawn assault on the Alamo on March 6, 1836. A lot of people have been looking a long time for the Battle of Medina, said Kay Hindes, archaeologist for the city of San Antonio. She is one of them. Finding a battle where 1,300 people died is harder than it sounds. Artifacts migrate down in sand and may be more deeply buried than anticipated, and any potential artifacts would have been salvaged in the 1800s. Metal and iron were very scarce, Hindes said. They gathered up what was left behind. They didnt want to leave it on the field because it was too hard to come by. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. It wasnt a pitched battle either it was a running one across about 8 miles. The rebel army fled and the Spanish pursued. Archival records are scattered, too, throughout Texas and Mexicos borderlands, or in family diaries in New Orleans or other places where survivors fled. Hindes said its possible that something like a mine could reveal a battle site or more information about it. Local residents formed a group and have nearly 400 likes or follows on their Facebook page, called Not Just Dust - Bruce Rd. Theyve been holding meetings, petitioning local officials, spending time with lawmakers at the state Capitol, talking with the Texas Historical Commission, passing around photos of endangered animals (in hopes that might stop the mine, if somebody can find one) and appealing to the Alamo Area Council of Governments, which tracks air quality in the San Antonio area. Sand is already mined in Atascosa County for construction. Martin Mariettas Poteet Sand Plant has been around for decades, but residents are familiar with such facilities and say the new one would be more intense. This would be the first frac sand mine in the region and would be close to the Eagle Ford Shale, a 400-mile-long field producing around 1 million barrels of oil per day. Frac sand is more commonly mined in Brady, in the states geographic center, though most of the frac sand used in Texas wells comes by train from farther flung locations such as Minnesota or Wisconsin. In the past decade, a boom in shale drilling has set off a boom in sand, too. Shale holds tight to its oil and gas molecules. To get the rock to release the trapped hydrocarbons, companies drill long horizontal reaches and use hydraulic fracturing to break the shale. Fracking uses millions of gallons of water and chemicals pumped at high pressure to crack the rock. Then sand is pumped into the mixture to prop open those fissures, allowing oil and gas to flow up the well. Elected officials and residents have sent more than 200 letters to the TCEQ, the states environmental agency, in protest or to ask for a hearing about the proposed mine. Theres no guarantee they will get one. The mine falls under the states permit-by-rule process, a speedier application for facilities that produce a trivial amount of air emissions. Under its application, the mine said it would emit as much as 26 tons per year of particulate matter, 54.6 tons of nitrogen oxides and 30.5 tons of carbon monoxide. A standardized letter from the agency back to residents who write letters reads, The authorization process for the individual (permit-by-rule) requested in this application does not require public notice or provide for the opportunity for public comment, a public meeting, or a contested case hearing. It also notes that the agency has no authority to consider some of the many things that concern people who live next to prospective industrial sites noise, traffic and road safety when it evaluates a permit. Their letters, it said, had been forwarded to staff members who review the permit and were added to the file. jhiller@express-news.net Twitter: @Jennifer_Hiller This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jayne Lawrence is the first to admit that her art studio is housed in a horrible building. Located off Judson Road, right next to the railroad tracks, it is a rectangular fabrication of vertical beige siding a 60-foot-by-40-foot metal structure that is 18 feet tall with two big red garage doors on one side. But the building has an interesting history: Built originally as a fire station to serve the adjacent Ray Ellison Homes development in the 70s, it has been home to the Heidi Search Center, following the 1990 abduction of 11-year-old Heidi Lynn Seeman, and more recently, a Drug Enforcement Administration station. They used to fly the pirate flag out front when they were out on drug raids, said Lawrence, who bought the building for the proverbial song, she said, in 2006. The neighborhood was very happy when they heard an artist was moving in. Lawrence known for her meticulous, slightly chilling drawings that illustrate natures life and death cycle (she is very fond of insects), as well as her over-the-top family of soft sculptural figures that look as if they escaped from a wigged-out production of Fraggle Rock is very happy here, too. As a studio, its actually a little piece of heaven, Lawrence said. Thats not the standard first impression, however. The sterility of the outside of the building, which I call the bunker, is not indicative of the incredible levels of creativity taking place on the inside, said artist Leigh Anne Lester, co-founder with Lawrence of the defunct Cactus Bra Space in the Blue Star Arts Complex, an alternative gallery for emerging local artists from 1993 to 2013. All of the different compartments of the building show how Jayne is accomplished in so many techniques, that the options for seeing through an idea are endless. Those ideas are so wonderfully, idiosyncratically whimsical that whenever I go in for a visit, I am excited to see what she is working on currently. The percolation of ideas is found in every nook and cranny. And there are lots of nooks and crannies in the warren-like building even an old DEA interrogation room upstairs, now storage. Theres a sort of cluttered, jumbled feel to the place, with Lawrences work everywhere you look, thats comforting. Storage is what the upstairs is for; downstairs holds separate studios for drawing and sculpture, one intimate, one sprawling; a woodworking shop; and a sort of heavy industrial room with table saws and an arc welder. There is also a studio apartment, with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, which Lawrence has rented out to other artists, and where she stays when shes burned too much midnight oil. Her actual home, where she and her husband Whitney raised three children over 30 years, is just 10 minutes away. Lawrence, an Illinois native who earned her masters of fine arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2000 and has taught art at the school for 18 years, is, she said, an abstract thinker. The artist does most of her drawing in a small room off an entry hallway to the studio, where she keeps a flea market chest of drawers full of insect and plant specimens, pinned to Styrofoam blocks, which she uses for models in her detailed sketches. Im very interested in tying together nature and mechanics, she said. Her sculpture is another story; it is wildly uninhibited, extroverted. Several characters in her studio, both finished and in progress, resemble characters from a Shakespearean play. Theres a queen, a lover, a huntress, and Lawrence envisions exhibiting them around a gigantic Louis XIV table. I see it as a bacchanal, said Lawrence, who questions traditional male/female roles in her work. I believe theres a narrative in all the work. Its non-linear, but people can make up their own stories. sbennett@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After a passenger plane crashed into a house eight years ago near Buffalo, New York, and killed 50 people, the response from Congress was swift. Lawmakers convened hearings, scrutinized pilot fatigue and training, and demanded regulatory changes at the Federal Aviation Administration. Years later, the response in Washington is dramatically different in the case of the July 30 hot air balloon crash near Lockhart that killed 16 people when their balloon struck high-voltage power lines. Most lawmakers havent publicly raised questions about the FAAs oversight of the hot air balloon industry. In 2014, the FAA had rejected calls to tighten regulations of commercial balloons some of which are big enough to carry a dozen or more people. An investigation by the San Antonio Express-News has found that hot air balloons suffer higher crash rates than other types of aircraft. But the FAA doesnt require balloon pilots to take drug tests or medical exams like other pilots, and there are few safeguards for customers to check the track record of balloon operators. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board found that balloon pilot Alfred Skip Nichols was on a witches brew of prescription medications on July 30, the day of the crash near Lockhart, that included Valium, Prozac, oxycodone and a muscle relaxant. Nichols, a recovering alcoholic, was also legally prohibited from driving a car because of a string of DWI convictions. But the FAA allowed him to keep his pilots certificate. It was the deadliest balloon crash in U.S. history and the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since Colgan Air Flight 3407 stalled during icy weather and crashed near Buffalo on Feb. 12, 2009. If our lawmakers are not going to hold somebodys feet to the fire on this, I think its ridiculous, said John Morgan, whose daughter and granddaughter from San Antonio, Lorilee and Paige Brabson, died in the balloon crash. Theyre just sweeping it under the rug like, OK, no big deal. Its a big deal to us. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz sits on the aviation subcommittee that held public hearings in 2009 about the Colgan Air crash. Cruzs office declined an interview request Monday. Frederick Hill, communications director for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which oversees the aviation subcommittee, said members have been monitoring the Lockhart case as the NTSB investigation continues. The committee will look to NTSB for its final report before considering possibilities for moving forward, Hill said. In the case of the Colgan Air crash, committee members, who included then-Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, held public hearings while the NTSB inquiry was ongoing. I think that we are a safe aviation country, Hutchison said during the committees first hearing of the passenger-plane crash on June 10, 2009. But we should now be saying, Lets take another look. Lets see where we need to be more stringent and have more oversight, just to ensure that were doing everything possible, The balloon crashed in the congressional district of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who has been a vocal critic of the FAAs oversight of the balloon industry. Doggett said he has held off from requesting a formal hearing into the crash because he kept hoping the FAA would take action on its own. Hes been disappointed. I think the FAA has not done its job, said Doggett. I think every moment that the FAA fails to act puts additional people at risk. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, agrees that the FAA needs to do more. The pilot responsible for last years deadly balloon crash should not have had a license to fly, Castro said Monday in a statement. The FAA needs to adopt more stringent balloon safety guidelines, piloting standards, and enforcement capabilities so that other preventable accidents dont happen in the future. My prayers are with all the families who lost loved ones in these avoidable tragedies. The FAA said in a past statement that its waiting for the NTSBs latest recommendations. The agency told the Express-News its unclear whether requirements for medical exams or drug tests would have prevented Nichols from flying his balloon. While Congress has refrained from holding public hearings into the balloon crash, the NTSB convened a hearing Dec. 9 that revealed new details about the crash and Nichols track record. State Rep. John Cyrier, R-Lockhart, had requested the hearing, which helped provide information to the relatives of victims who were desperate for answers. It was very helpful to us because we were unaware of the pilots situation, said Morgans wife, Patricia. We were unaware what was going on with the FAA. We didnt know any of that. Cyrier, who touts the merits of less government regulation, said hes also a licensed pilot who was shocked by the lack of oversight of balloon pilots such as Nichols. The FAA said, Well, you know, we haven't touched the rules since the 1930s, Cyrier said, referring to federal regulations that exempt balloon pilots from taking medical exams. Shame on them. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate While the year 1718 is recognized as the founding of San Antonio, it wasnt until 1731 that 16 families from the Canary Islands arrived and established the citys civil government the first in Texas. As part of a Spanish effort to stave off French colonization in the Texas area, the Canary Islanders left behind their old lives in 1730, voluntarily traveling thousands of miles risking illness and the perils of travel to settle in unknown lands. These folks came and did the hard work of building a community, so that people wanted to stay here, said Mari Tamez, president of the Canary Islands Descendants Association. It says something that by the time the Alamo came around, people were ready to die for it. Today, the descendants of those original islanders continue to celebrate their ancestors contributions to Texas. Every year, members of the 40-year-old genealogical organization dress in traditional Spanish garb and form a procession into San Fernando Cathedral before the afternoon mass. On Sunday, the proud descendants held red banners that said in large, gold block letters the islands their family came from and the name of the ancestors family. In addition to establishing the first civil government in the city and in Texas, the islanders also built San Fernando Cathedral, LeAnn Holt, a spokesperson for the organization, said. Its important for those who were instrumental in starting the city to be recognized. Theres not enough knowledge out there that these were the people who did so much, for us, Holt said. To preserve that history, the organization is trying to raise funds for a $1.5 to $2 million bronze monument depicting the five founding communities of San Antonio: the Spanish friars, the presidio soldiers, indigenous peoples and Canary Islanders. The mere fact that those four communities learned to live together, that they could push, together, to make a viable community, to me is amazing, said Tamez. Youre talking about folks in the 1730s that figured out a way to live together, and here we are 300 years later reaping the benefits of that cooperation. Tamez said theyre hoping to have three statues of the seven-piece bronze monument by next year, for San Antonios tricentennial. The monument helps preserve the rich history of San Antonios founding, Tamez said, and right now, she said that history isnt common knowledge. She said ideally, you wouldnt have to be a direct descendant like herwho grew up hearing stories of her ancestorsto know that history. I impress upon my children to share their story and history, to carry with them in their heart and wherever theyre at, that they have the blood of folks who really gave up a lot to come to this new adventure, this new world, to be challenged and to persevere, said Tamez. No challenge can be any bigger than going across the Atlantic, stopping in Cuba, stopping in Veracruz, and then walking here. No challenge can be bigger than that. sfosterfrau@express-news.net Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF Corvallis Police Department officers say a shooting Friday in the Orleans Natural Area appears to have been a murder-suicide. The apparent shooter in the incident, Derek Brown, was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center Friday after a motorist reported seeing him shoot himself along Highway 34. Brown died of his injuries Sunday. In a press release Monday, police said 38-year-old Karla Melson was killed in her tent nearby in the Orleans Natural Area. Corvallis Police Department Lt. Dan Duncan said investigators believe Brown, 31, of Corvallis, shot Melson and then walked to the highway, where he shot himself. Police received reports of the shooting just after 2:30 p.m. Friday. Duncan said both Melson and Brown were shot with the same small-caliber handgun, which police said had been stolen. The rest of the evidence at the scene leads us to (the murder-suicide) conclusion, Duncan said. Duncan said investigators are still working to understand the motives involved and the nature of Melson and Browns relationship. However, Duncan said, the two were at least acquainted. He said there were alcohol containers in Melsons tent and investigators are still waiting on toxicology reports to determine if drugs were involved. Duncan said Melson was a transient and was killed in the tent where she was living. Brown had a Corvallis address, but police are unsure whether he actually lived there before the incident, Duncan said. Weve still got work to do, he said. It would be nice to know why this happened. The highway near the shooting was closed for nearly 12 hours following the incident. Duncan said the closure was necessary to give investigators space to work. Its one of those things that has to happen to make sure we do it right, he said. AUSTIN -- House Speaker Joe Straus, seeking to light a fire under the Texas Senate on the state budget, expressed concern Monday over the pace and direction of its work on the must-pass state spending plan. They have other priorities, and I just want to make it clear that our priority in the House is the budget. And this year with a serious budget shortfall, Im afraid its not getting the attention that it deserves (in the Senate), Straus said in an interview with the Express-News. Some of these other issues seem to be irresistible, but nothing is more important than responsibly funding the core responsibilities of government and the needs of the citizens of the state of Texas in a responsible way and thats what the House is trying to do, he said. Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson, however, said senators are right on time with their budget when looking at the timetable in past legislative sessions. We are right where we always are, she said. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, praised Nelson and Finance Committee members for working tirelessly and said the Seante will bring our budget to the Senate floor on schedule. Straus, R-San Antonio, has looked askance at the Senates focus on issues including a proposal to require transgender people to use restrooms that align with their biological sex in schools, universities and government buildings. Thats one of Patricks priorities, but Straus is among those who has expressed concern over the potential effect of the bathroom bill on Texas economy. Officials have said the bills introduction already has prompted a couple of groups to eliminate San Antonio as a host city for their conventions, since its viewed as discriminatory. The Senate Finance Committee has been working on that chambers budget, but Straus said quick action is needed for the two sides to have a good chance to work out their large differences if we can. Were here til the end of May, and I hope no further, Straus said. Asked if its the first time he has thought the House and Senate might not be able to agree by the end of the regular session, Straus said, Its the first time Ive felt that it was important for me to speak out on the timing of getting our budgets passed. An aide to Nelson said the Finance Committee should finish markup on the bill this week and vote as early as next week on the measure. That would pave the way for consideration by the full Senate, perhaps the following week. Lawmakers are facing a tight budget because of uncertainty in the oil and gas industry and past decisions to cut taxes and dedicate funding to transportation. The Senates introductory budget would spend far less than the House, and Patrick has signaled he wont embrace House leaders preference for using part of the state rainy day fund to avoid some reductions in key areas. I stand with the senators in our commitment to live within our means and our determination not to tap the Rainy Day Fund for ongoing expenses, Patrick said. The initial budget proposal filed by Nelson would spend $103.6 billion in state general revenue over the next two years, a cut from the $106.8 billion budgeted for the current fiscal period. In state and federal funds combined, the total is $213.4 billion. The initial House proposal would spend $108.9 billion in general revenue, which is $4 billion more than state Comptroller Glenn Hegar has said will be available over the next two years. The House leadership plans total spending would be $221.3 billion in state and federal funds combined. What weve seen from the Senate so far is a cuts-only approach which would decimate higher education, Straus said. Each side is looking to make adjustments in the initial spending plans. House budget writers are looking at ways to cut spending to fit the revenue available, along with other options for covering priority spending items. Senators, meanwhile, have been working on ways to allocate more funds to key areas including higher education, although its unclear from where the money would come. Im going to be as creative as possible, Nelson said. By tradition, its senators turn this legislative session to move first on a budget measure. But Straus said the House will act if the Senate doesnt move quickly. We fully intend to have a budget bill on the floor of the House by the end of March. By House rules, we do have a deadline, and in order to meet that deadline safely, it is our intention to have a bill on the floor by the end of March, which by custom should be a Senate bill, Straus said. Asked whether his chamber would vote on a House bill if the Senate bill werent over in time, Straus said yes. When the House moved first on the budget in 2015, it took its vote on April 1 of that year, sending it to the Senate. The Senate in 2013 gave its approval to a budget on March 20 of that year, sending it to the House. In the budget process, each chamber passes its own version of a spending plan, then they work on negotiating differences. Its probably that time where everybody gets nervous, Nelson said of Strauss concerns. Weve got half the session left to go, so were doing well. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter: @pfikac Richard Montez wants the city to foster a tighter, more collaborative relationship with school districts, and hes running to unseat District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales to make it happen. First and foremost, I think (council members and school districts) need to start talking to one another, Montez said. Thats not happening now, he said. I dont really hear it in any plans or policies, Montez said, and I certainly dont see it in any action. Raised in the district, Montez was the first in his family to make it through high school. A senior recruiter at FlexTech, Montez said hes most proud of his work as a volunteer at Inner City Development, a West Side nonprofit that provides food and clothing to impoverished families and educational activities for their children. Montez has served as chair of the nonprofit for three years. Patti Radle, co-director of the program, called him a great chair of the board. Radle is staying neutral in the race. But the president of the San Antonio Independent School District Board agreed that the city council could work more closely with school districts. I think it is important to have a closer communication, a higher level of conversation between the council person in a district and the school district itself, Radle said. Theres a lot of room for finding commonality. Areas of collaboration might include anything that can relate to the dignity of our neighborhoods, she said, such as making libraries accessible in the evenings and constructing sidewalks on school routes. Kids are walking through puddles and mud, Radle said. On Monday, Gonzales acknowledged that Montez, in a race packed with five challengers, is a serious threat: I know at least one of them is putting on a campaign, she said, referring to the 30-year-old candidate. But the councilwoman refuted any notion that shes unfocused on students in her district. I have a very positive relationship with (SAISD Superintendent) Pedro Martinez and Patti Radle, Gonzales said, adding, We support all the nonprofits that do all the after-school care and the after-school work (because) really, the city does not do a good job with the after-school programming for kids. Gonzales said she routed $1.5 million in the upcoming bond to Family Service Association, a nonprofit that provides social services to low-income families on the West Side, as well as additional funds to libraries in the district: $3.3 million for Memorial Library and $1.7 million for Las Palmas Library. The councilwoman also initiated a safe routes program for students, increasing police patrols on routes before and after school in response to the abduction of a child near Lanier High School in January. And shes dedicated to making the district a place that students dont want to escape after graduating. I really believe the one thing I can provide for our youth in particular, she said, is they have a good quality of life. bchasnoff@express-news.net AUSTIN Two decades separate the start of Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr.s legislative career and that of his son, Rep. Eddie Lucio III, and their divide on some emotional issues is just as expansive. Just how deeply theyre divided in some areas and how careful they are to treat each other with respect despite their differences was put on national display when the elder Lucio became the first Democrat to support a bill that would require transgender people to use restrooms that align with their biological sex in schools, universities and government buildings. His son, who like other Democrats opposes Senate Bill 6, soon began hearing from upset callers who mistook him for his father. The younger Lucio decided to clarify the matter with a Facebook post. On this issue, I respectfully disagree with my father and I oppose SB 6. I believe this bill to be nothing more than a political ploy to appease certain narrow minded constituencies at the expense of some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society, Rep. Lucio wrote. My father preached love and service in my house growing up, and although I sincerely believe that his position is not rooted in hate, it is still wrong and will create adversity for many, he wrote, adding that the two had discussed it and hugged as they agreed to disagree. The Lucios divide drew the attention of the Washington Post, which wrote about it under the headline, Hes the only Texas Democrat to support the states bathroom bill. One vocal critic: His son. When I caught up with the Lucios, each held to his guns while showing respect for the others position. Each represents Brownsville from a different district and vantage point. Sen. Lucio, 71, became a House member in 1986 and joined the Senate in 1991. Rep. Lucio, 38, has been a House member since 2007. Sen. Lucio indicated that in the future, he might give his son a heads up when he takes a public position on a major piece of legislation, which he didnt do before appearing at a news conference with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other Republicans to endorse the emotional, divisive bathroom bill. He and I kind of agree that we should discuss these issues a little bit more, Sen. Lucio said of his conversation with his son. I trust his judgment. He trusts mine. We dont worry about getting together that often on issues but of course, this is a major one. Its not the only major issue on which the two have disagreed, with abortion perhaps the most prominent. Sen. Lucio backed tight abortion restrictions approved in 2013. Rep. Lucio supports a womans right to choose abortion. Social issues, really, the younger Lucio said when asked about their differences. My father is a devout Catholic, and I love him for that. I think through all his prayers, he may be paving my path to heaven. But I grew up with a different set of guiding principles, especially when it comes to politics. Sen. Lucio often cites his Catholic faith when deciding on tough issues, including those that may set him apart from other Democrats. The bathroom bill is no different; he told me Friday that he had said two Rosaries that morning in his pursuit of guidance on the measure, for which he is preparing amendments. I want to step it up and ask God to lead me in the right direction to make sure that the choice I make on this particular bill is one that will be the right one in terms of helping all people involved. Thats my goal, he said. Rep. Lucio, who also is Catholic, describes his faith in personal terms. Of all the things I remember growing up, and all the people that had an impact on my faith, my number-one takeaway was everybody has a personal relationship with God I feel that the decisions I made fall in line with my personal relationship with God, he said. I think of it as God is all knowing, all loving, all caring and all forgiving. And who are we to judge one another? Only God can judge. Rep. Lucio said his communications with his father have evolved. You know, I was a very passionate, impatient, quick-tempered person. Now that I have my own kids, I kind of say hey, I want to set an example, he said. This same conversation six years ago would have been very combative, and now its very respectful. I hope I really do and I mentioned something in my post that I hope that people who have this debate can have the same love and civility that my dad and I had. Because no matter what the issue is, were all people and we all want to treat each other well. Sen. Lucio said hes proud of his son. Although my son and I disagree on this issue, Im so very proud of him for stating his position, because like me, he is representing this issue from a place of fairness to human dignity. Its immensely gratifying to see him represent his position and his generation in a way that is both thoughtful and respectful I love my son. He can do no wrong to his father, and his colleagues for that matter. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter: @pfikac At long last, Bexar Countys trash problem is on the cusp of a real cleanup. Will the latest legislative effort move the mounds of garbage that have (unfairly) defined some Bexar County neighborhoods for years? We should all hope so. State Sen. Jose Menendezs Clean up Bexar County legislation hasnt received the attention it deserves trash sure isnt sexy but its arguably one of the most important local bills this legislative session. Why? Because San Antonio shouldnt have neighborhoods where children walk through piles of garbage to get to school. Such basic decency is worth cheering for, right? Senate Bill 1229, and its companion, House Bill 2763, would empower Bexar Countys Commissioners Court to require trash service in unincorporated areas. Think of neighborhoods on the Northeast Side such as Camelot II and the Glen where numerous landlords have refused to require trash service at their properties, creating a festering public health crisis. Those two neighborhoods have received considerable public attention, but sadly, the issue is county-wide. Maybe its not quite as extreme in other parts of the county, but there are plenty of trash hotspots out there. Trash woes are particularly prevalent in unincorporated areas that also fall in the city of San Antonios extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), a 5-mile buffer that extends beyond city limits where its unclear if the county can mandate trash service. This would change if Menendezs bill becomes law. Bexar County could mandate trash service in the ETJ. So, if a given neighborhood spins out of sanitary control, the county can intervene. Also, landlords that own two or more rental properties in the ETJ would be required to have trash service. They also would have to register their properties with the county. But the bill is also nimble in its approach. It affects just Bexar County, so residents in other counties are not affected. Property owners and neighborhoods can keep their existing trash service, so no one is going to be forced to change service. And as for competition, Bexar County can contract with either public or private service providers, which means those private companies are not at risk of losing business. If anything, they stand to gain customers. I think people from Bexar County who have seen how bad this is definitely agree and see (the need for legislative action), Menendez said. There are a lot of people who just see this as a basic issue. I ran the bill by Mark Hurley, president of Water Meadow Inc., which owns numerous rental houses in the Camelot II area, and the lone concern he raised surprised me. It simply does not go far enough, he said. It should be all the landlords and the owners in that area. Hurley thought focusing on landlords with at least two properties created an unnecessary loophole since there are plenty of out-of-town landlords who only own one property. From his perspective, one trashy house fuels another. But the general point of the legislation is to crack down on slumlords while not micromanaging individual property owners. Menendez has to thread a certain needle here respecting rural property rights, ensuring trash service companies dont lose customers, honoring existing service so the bill becomes law. For years, former State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon has championed legislation such as this, and for years that effort has come up short. If Menendez can break this cycle, it will be a great benefit to the community. It will also be a fabulous way to honor McClendons service, and a feather in the cap of rookie state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, who is championing this bill in the House. Anyone who has followed the trash saga in Camelot II knows the pilot program between the city of San Antonio and Bexar County has been a smashing success. Streets and alleys are significantly cleaner, and bills are being paid. Its worked so well, the city will likely extend the pilot program to the Glen neighborhood. But its just a pilot program. Temporary and limited. This legislation, combined with Converses likely annexation of 12 miles in Northeast Bexar County, would end the regions trash problems. No more emergency cleanups that change nothing. No more garbage oozing and seeping down the street. The legislation deserves bipartisan support from the Bexar delegation. May we never again have another neighborhood blanketed in trash. jbrodesky@express-news.net Home sales and prices in the San Antonio area continued to rise in February, but not at the quick pace thats marked the industry over the past year. Last month, 1,954 homes were sold in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area, an increase of 3.4 percent over February the year before, according to data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors released on Monday. Thats a relatively modest increase for the local market in recent months in January, for example, sales rose nearly 10 percent. Still, the local housing market is performing well compared with last year, which set a record for home sales. About 3,640 homes have been sold so far this year, a 6.2 percent increase from the same time in 2016. I think the fact that (sales) increased at 3 percent over the year is still a nice increase, said Michele Bunting Ross, SABORs chairman of the board for 2017. Thats a good range for us to be in. Home prices also kept rising last month in the local metro area, part of a nationwide trend. The median sales price in the San Antonio area was $201,500 in February, an 5.6 percent increase from the same month in 2016, according to SABORs data. Across Texas, the median home price rose 10.3 percent to $215,000. The local areas supply of available homes has loosened a little this year but remains tight, indicating a sellers market. The inventory of available homes measured by the average time it takes for a home to be sold if no new homes are listed was at 3.3 months in February, up from a record low of 3.1 months in December. Basically, what were seeing is a continued relatively strong market in San Antonio, said Jim Gaines, chief economist at the Texas A&M Real Estate Center. Experts have said they expect mortgage rates to rise this year, but not by enough to harm the housing market. The national average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.21 percent last week, about the same as the start of the year but above the 3.42 percent reached in October. The far West Side remains the hottest housing market in San Antonio, according to SABORs data. The three ZIP codes with the most home sales in January and February are all mostly beyond Loop 1604 on the West Side. The 78254 ZIP code, next to Government Canyon State Natural Area, led with 216 sales, followed by 78245 with 188 and 78253 with 149. rwebner@express-news.net @rwebner The city of Corvallis enters a new budget cycle with a little bit of a cushion. Because of slightly higher property tax revenues, mostly a function of the 1,000-resident Retreat student housing project west of the Oregon State University campus, the city will have an extra $250,000 to play with. Also, the budget work got a boost when City Manager Mark Shepard completed his two-year plan to reduce the budget by $1 million, without a commensurate loss of service levels. The cuts, which total $1,034,610, reduced the city workforce by 8.75 full-time equivalents (FTEs), although the process also resulted in some job additions and departmental increases. Im not a supporter of across-the-board cuts, Shepard said. I look to target efficiencies. What are things we can stop doing? The biggest cut, $305,000, eliminated three positions in the Development Services Division of the Community Development Department. The job losses were in the inspections and plan review staffs. The section can be a challenge, Shepard said, because work load comes in peaks and valleys. Instead of staffing for the peaks, we are staffing for the anticipated average work load. Shepard said the city will use contracted services when the work load spikes. Shepard also consolidated the administrative aspects of five of his departments into one overseer, central administrative services manager Paul Jacobson, who began work last May. Three positions were lost in the consolidation. We have to do business in a different way, Shepard said. But these were difficult decisions. Any time you are talking about cuts, these are challenging discussions. When you eliminate positions, you are dealing with people and their livelihood. Shepard said he adopted the goal because I thought we needed to demonstrate to the community that we are good stewards of the funds that the community has entrusted us with. Shepard said he had no plans for similar cuts in the future, but I want to continue to look for places in which we can find efficiencies. Shepard also noted that rising PERS costs will play a significant factor in future budget cycles. Shepard said he would leave it to the Budget Commission to handle how to spend the additional $250,000 in property tax revenue. The commission, which consists of the nine councilors and nine citizen representatives, begins its work Tuesday with a discussion of capital improvement projects. Shepard and Finance Director Nancy Brewer will deliver the budget message May 2, with departmental presentations to follow. Final approval by the City Council is scheduled for June 5. The commission will have a bit of extra work this budget cycle. A task force working on unmet city needs and possible revenue increases completed its work at the end of the year, with the Budget Commission taking over the project. A survey of residents is being analyzed and is supposed to be ready by April 30. The commission then will look at possible revenue increases, with a goal of raising somewhere between $4 million and $13 million. The favored fee and tax increases of the task force were a local sales tax, a local income tax or a renewal of the local option property tax levy, which currently raises more than $3 million per year. Any increases going to the voters would be on the November 2017 ballot. The future of Fauquier Times now depends on community support. Your donation will help us continue to improve our journalism through in-depth local news coverage and expanded reader engagement. Support Manassas, VA (20110) Today Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 76F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A mostly clear sky. Low 43F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Jim Asleson, the executive director of the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA, never doubted that his efforts to build a new YMCA facility in Albany eventually would pay off. But, Asleson said Saturday night after winning the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce's Distinguished Service Award, "I just wasn't sure when God" finally would allow the project to come to completion. That moment, when the new YMCA opened, came about a year ago. On Saturday, Asleson was honored for his unwavering commitment to the project and for his other community service. The award goes to someone who has performed a lifetime of service to the community. "It's a humbling experience to be recognized by the community," he said immediately after the event. During his remarks to the more than 300 people who attended the event at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany, Asleson praised the community and its people, who he said never turn their backs on problems: "They turn around and they get after the work of making this a better place." Other awards given at the banquet include: Carrie Harrington, the donor relations director at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany, was named the Jim Linhart First Citizen. Harrington is active in a number of community efforts, including volunteering at the Albany Chamber Youth Job Fair, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, helping with fundraising for the Greater Albany Rotary Club and serving as an Albany Chamber ambassador. "I can't imagine a better community to call home and better people to work with," she said as she accepted the award. The Linhart First Citizen award goes to community members between 40 and 55 years of age. Liz Tilson-Ramirez, club support specialist at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany, was named the Junior First Citizen, an award given to people aged 40 or younger. Tilson-Ramirez volunteers for Mighty Oaks, CASA of Linn County and serves as the current president of Altrusa, in addition to tackling volunteer duties with a variety of other organizations. She praised Albany as "a community filled with organizations and individuals that are giving at such a high level." Sophia Betts of Santiam Christian High School was named the distinguished student of the year. Betts, the daughter of Curt and Laci Betts, is involved with drama and is the captain of the Linn-Benton Lions rugby team. She has volunteered at soup kitchens in Corvallis and at the Options Pregnancy Center and has gone on a mission trip to Sierra Leone. Dutch Bros of Albany was named the large business of the year for its contributions to many community causes, including a donation of coffee equipment worth more than $15,000 for a project at South Albany High School. AmeriTitle of Albany was named the small business of the year. The company's employees participate in and volunteer with a variety of community organizations, including the Greater Albany Rotary Club, Jefferson Rural Fire Protection, the Salvation Army and FISH of Albany. A special award was given to longtime Albany benefactor Doris Scharpf. For many years, Scharpf has made donations to a variety of Albany community nonprofit organizations. She also has supported a program that has taught water safety to thousands of Albany students. Albany accountant Fred Koontz, who presented the award, called Scharpf "the angel of Albany." The Federal Reserve Board Friday said it will seek fines and permanent bans against two former managing directors at J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited who allegedly led an illegal hiring program. The Fed said Fang Fang and Timothy Fletcher ran the banks sons and daughters program. They allegedly won at least $35 million in business for the bank by offering prestigious internships and other jobs to individuals referred by foreign officials, clients, and prospective clients. The hiring practices violated both firm policies and the FCPA, the Fed said in a statement. In addition to lifetime bans from the banking industry, the regulator is seeking a fine against Fang of $1 million and $500,000 against Fletcher. In November, JPMorgan Chase and the Hong Kong unit where Fang and Fletcher worked J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited agreed to pay $264.4 million to the DOJ, SEC, and Federal Reserve to resolve FCPA offenses for the illegal hiring practices. The Fed said the bank didnt have adequate enterprise-wide controls to ensure that referred candidates were appropriately vetted and hired in accordance with applicable anti-bribery laws and firm policies. Hiring a family member or friend of a government official isnt always a violation of the FCPA. But a hiring decision intended to reward or induce an official to award work can be an offense. In August 2015, BNY Mellon paid $14.8 million to settle SEC charges that it violated the FCPA by giving student internships to family members of officials affiliated with a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund. In March this year, Qualcomm paid the SEC $7.5 million to settle FCPA offenses for hiring relatives of Chinese government officials to win sales. The Fed said Friday in its formal notice (pdf) that Fang managed the referral hiring program from at least 2008 through 2013. In June 2009, Fang allegedly told colleagues, [y]ou all know I have always been a big believer of the sons and daughters program it almost has a linear relationship with mandates, at least in China. We lost a deal to [a competitor] today because they got chairmans daughter work for them this summer. I am supportive to have our own program. By 2010, Fang was seen within the investment bank as the gatekeeper for the referral hiring program and had final sign-off for proposed candidates, the Fed said. JP Morgan Chase had an anti-corruption policy from at least September 2007. The policy prohibited offers of anything of value to public officials to secure improper business advantages. Offering internships and training to the relatives of public officials was cited in the policy as a potential bribery risk under U.S. federal law and other anti-corruption statutes. Fang attended training courses for the anti-corruption policy and received reminders. He resigned from the bank in June 2014. Fletcher helped run the hiring program from 2008. Among other things, he required bankers to present a business case for potential hires, the Fed said in its notice (pdf) against him. Fletchers title at the Asia unit was Managing Director and head of the Junior Resources Management Group. In that role he considered prospective business, the importance of the referring client, and the importance of the referring executive when making hiring decisions, the Fed said. Fletcher allegedly prioritized referrals from individuals who were in a better position to award the firm business. Joan Meyer, a Baker McKenzie lawyer representing Fang, told the Wall Street Journal: Fang Fang was a respected senior banker at JP Morgan and had an outstanding reputation. He should not have been singled out for administrative action by the Federal Reserve in contrast to so many bankers in the same position and he intends to vigorously dispute these allegations. ____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. The Justice Departments new guidance about how it will evaluate corporate compliance programs takes the form of questions its prosecutors would typically ask about a corporate compliance program during an investigation. These questions are a welcome addition to the resources compliance officers can use when building programs themselves. The questions are specific and detailed, and span the issues chief compliance officers need to tackle. One issue, however, stands above the rest: Policies and Procedures. Covered in Section 4 of the guidance, the topic into two sub-sections: one about the design and accessibility of the companys policies. Another about how the policies are integrated into the companys daily operations. The Justice Department is clearly sending compliance officers a message with this section not so much what prosecutors want compliance programs to do, but rather the behaviors prosecutors want to see. Lets take a look. First, think about how your policies are created (Section 4a). The guidance asks several questions about how policies are created, and specifically whether people in the operating units were consulted prior to drafting a new policy. It asks about whether policies and procedures actually work to discourage the misconduct in question, and whether gatekeepers (for example, the supervisors who review and approve payments) have received clear guidance on how to put policies into practice. These questions arent trying to determine whether an organization has a policy regarding a specific behavior, e.g. prohibiting bribes to foreign government officials. They are instead trying to determine whether the company has geared its operations to discourage improper payments to foreign government officials. The distinction is important. If the compliance program drafts a policy that essentially says, This type of conduct is now forbidden as directed by law thats nothing more than compliance bolted on to the end of your business processes. Its a checkpoint at the end of the road employees travel to close a piece of business. And checkpoints at the end of a journey often become something to be evaded, ignored, tolerated or overruled, when they appear. Thats not how effective compliance officers want their programs to be seen. An effective policy doesnt just forbid misconduct; it guides employees to good conduct. That means it must reflect and acknowledge the companys natural business processes, insert controls only where appropriate, and give employees the tools they need to comply. In short, an effective compliance policy matches regulatory requirements to the work flow of the activity owner (read: human being) and embeds the desired goal throughout the whole process. Second, think about how employees are empowered to carry out transactions (Section 4b). This part of the guidance asks questions about policy management and probes at details like: How was the misconduct in question funded? Did employees in a position to approve payments know how to identify questionable payments? How were policies rolled out, so employees would know whats expected of them? These questions seek to determine how a company operationalizes its policies and procedures: how the company embeds the goals of its policies into the sequence of steps necessary to do some task within the business. The guidance focuses on improper payments, but the principles in the guidance hold just as true for any compliance goal. By unraveling a process into its component steps, these questions are trying to determine whether the company understood where its risks were and then, how the policies and procedures try to intercede and mitigate those risks. The ability to show a logical sequence is what regulators want to see. The questions in the new guidance are intended to help the Justice Department assess that logical sequence. * * * Implicit throughout the new guidance is this question: Why were certain processes developed and used? A well-constructed policy and procedures framework can go a long way towards illustrating the logic behind a compliance program. In a perfect world, the policies and procedures themselves would be strong enough to prevent transgressions in the first place. Here in the real world, they can at least demonstrate that misconduct was due to a truly rogue employee, rather than careless business processes. ____ Randy Stephens, pictured above, is a Vice President with NAVEX Globals Advisory Services team. A lawyer and compliance specialist, Randy has worked in roles with legal and compliance responsibility for over 30 years, including operations in Mexico, China and Canada. I am congenitally clumsy. I break things. A lot. There is a very good reason why I am married to a mechanic, a man who knows his way around a tool box, knows how to handle a Phillips head screwdriver, and more importantly a tube of super glue. It is sadly a very familiar sight for me to approach him with something in each hand, which before I got hold of it was intact. Were a good team. I break stuff and he fixes it. Dani Atkins I have double jointed thumbs. When I was a toddler my mother rushed me to the GP, thinking I had accidentally broken them. Given the clumsy confession above, this was perhaps not a ridiculous assumption. As I child I would delight in demonstrating this minor abnormality to anyone who was prepared to watch. It was my party trick, which was all the more rewarding because people found the sight of my thumbs doing things which theirs could not so disturbing. I can still do it . . . but have learnt it is inadvisable to do so in public. I have embarrassing magpie tendencies. I dont mean that I steal stuff, I just mean I am inexplicably drawn to anything that glitters or sparkles. Diamante and bling, bright enough to need sunglasses, bring it on. I love it all. I am a big fan of country music. This is a fairly new passion. It began when my daughter introduced me to an early Taylor Swift song. This was back in the day, before Taylor moved from country to pop. I play country music at home, in the car, through my computer, pretty much constantly. Im way more than just a little bit country. Unfortunately my husband is a little bit Abba. We are musically incompatible. The name of every single character in my first book, Fractured, was borrowed from someone I knew personally. The vast majority of them were my daughters friends. As a result she refused to read the book for several years, claiming it was all too weird. I am a huge fan of Disneyworld. I have been more times in the last fifteen years than I am prepared to admit, because I know I will be judged. On the first few visits we told ourselves we were going for the kids. But those kids are now almost out of their twenties and yet still we keep on going. I know my way around all the parks without the need of a guide map. I know where to stand for the best view of the parade, how to avoid the queues, and where to buy the best corn dogs. I am a five-year-old child trapped inside the body of a middle-aged woman! I am terrified of getting lost anywhere, which is unfortunate as I have no sense of direction whatsoever. Lemmings have a better idea of where they are going than me. When I was a child my grandmother took me for a walk in a forest near my home and we got lost. Apparently I screamed for about an hour as we struggled to find our way out. Last year we visited a maze when on holiday, and I have to confess I was very, very, jittery. I think that forest experience scarred me for life. When he was just fifteen years old, my father ran away from his London home, lied about his age, and went to fight in the Spanish Civil War. As a child I knew this part of my fathers past, but never once asked him about it. I dont know why he did it, how he accomplished it, or anything about his experiences. I never bothered to even ask. Shame on me. By the time I became an adult and was curious enough to want to know, he was no longer around to give me the answers. Still, it remains a fascinating and intriguing fact. Before I worked as a full-time author I was the Work Experience co-ordinator at a secondary school. It was my job to find a week of work experience for 160 fifteen-year-old girls. It was challenging, rewarding and sometimes incredibly frustrating. My most memorable placement was getting a girl a weeks work in a kennel, which fell apart spectacularly on the first day as she had forgotten to tell me that she was terrified of dogs. I am not a good driver. In fact, I may possibly be a bad one. People rarely admit to this, I notice. Indeed they are far more likely to tell you how good a driver they are. But they cant all be. Just look at the accident statistics. I get extremely nervous in traffic, or driving somewhere unfamiliar. I never drive on motorways and sometimes travel so far to find a space I can reverse park into, I might just as well have left the car at home. My husband is fond of telling me that Im not as bad as I think I am but it cant be denied that whenever we go anywhere he always takes the wheel. From the moment my teenagers learnt to drive, I moved over to the passenger seat, and there is where I am happy to remain. So, should we ever meet, and I offer you a lift somewhere . . . well, dont say I never warned you. This Love by Dani Atkins is published on 23rd March by Simon & Schuster, priced 7.99 Naomi Campbell felt "humbled" by her recent visit to a Syrian refugee camp. Naomi Campbell The 46-year-old supermodel met children at the Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan and subsequently admitted to feeling inspired by the children she had encountered, including 13-year-old Nida, who has lived in the temporary city in the Jordanian desert for the past three years. She said: "Nida has such resilience. I found her to be such an inspiration." Naomi, who has travelled to Za'atari with Save the Children to meet children who have escaped the Syrian war, admitted the trip had made a real impression on her. She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I've met some amazing people who had to flee their country because of war. "They are very proud and dignified, they are not looking for sympathy. "They are happy to be here living in peace after living through such terror. I've seen not one person complain. "I've met children so traumatised they can't speak any more. They have had to learn to speak again. I've seen a lot of people give each other strength and hope. I've met a lot of smart people. "I didn't have any expectations about coming here, but I'm so humbled and honoured to be welcomed into people's homes which are spotless, full of pride." Naomi also admitted to learning much more from the refugees than she does in her day-to-day life. She said: "I don't come here to hang out with posh people. I learn so much more from people I meet in refugee camps." The British star revealed, too, that she loves the calming nature of the desert in Jordan, where the refugees are temporarily housed. She explained: "I love the desert here. I find it a very spiritual, calming place." Emilia Clarke is the new face of Dolce and Gabbana's fragrance line. Emilia Clarke's Dolce and Gabbana The One fragrance campaign The 30-year-old actress has been announced as the brand ambassador of the luxury Italian fashion house, which will see the star front the campaign for the luxury label's The One for Women scent in September this year. And the brand's co-founders Domenico Dolce, 58, and Stefano Gabbana, 54, have praised the brunette beauty as being the perfect embodiment of the "Dolce and Gabbana woman" because she is "radiant and lively". Speaking about the 'Me Before You' star and her latest venture, the creative masterminds said: "Emilia Clarke embodies perfectly the Dolce & Gabbana woman: she is radiant and lively. Her personality and natural beauty will capture the essence of this new campaign: joyful, spontaneous and full of life. She is The One!" The fashion house has taken to social media to further broadcast the news. Alongside a picture of Emilia from the commercial, which was shared on their Instagram account, they wrote: "Emmy nominated actress @emilia_clarke will be the face of Dolce&Gabbana The One fragrance starting September 2017, launching the new Eau de Toilette. #DGBeauty #DGTheOne (sic)." Meanwhile, Emilia's 'Game of Thrones' co-star Kit Harington will represent the brand's male version of the fragrance, also titled The One, later this year. Speaking previously about the 30-year-old actor's partnership, Domenico and Stefano said: "The British actor #KitHarington will be the new face of Dolce&Gabbana's fragrance line #DGTheOne for Men starting September 2017 #DGBeauty (sic)." And the fashion designers 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". They explained: "Kit Harington is exactly how we see the Dolce & Gabbana man: young, naturally charming, charismatic, with a personality rich in traits. "There could be no other face for The One for Men." Queen Elizabeth has marked Commonwealth Day by promoting "respect and understanding" between the Commonwealth countries. Queen Elizabeth The 90-year-old royal has penned a moving message centred around the theme of peace for this year's Commonwealth Day, which takes place on Monday (13.02.17). The message - which will form part of the service at Westminster Abbey - reaches out to the 52 member states of the Commonwealth, including Australia, Canada, and Pakistan, and urges each country to "build peace" between one another. The Queen noted in her speech, which is printed in the order of service: "The cornerstones on which peace is founded are, quite simply, respect and understanding for one another. Working together we build peace by defending the dignity of every individual and community. "By upholding justice and the rule of law and by striving for societies that are fair and offer opportunities for all, we overcome division and find reconciliation, so that the benefits of progress and prosperity may be multiplied and shared. "As members of the Commonwealth family, we can find much to be thankful for in the inheritances we have received from those who came before us. Through consensus and co-operation, great things have been achieved." The monarch will be joined by Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward at the ceremony, due to take place later on Monday. During the service, Olympian Dame Jessca Ennis-Hill will carry the Queen's baton for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, escorted by fellow athletes from the UK and Australia. The baton will then set off on its global relay from Buckingham Palace. 'The Good Karma Hospital' will return for a second series next year. Amanda Redman The medical drama series may have only just wrapped up on Sunday (12.03.17) night but, following the huge success of the first, bosses have already decided to commission it for another installment, with filming expected to kick off in August. Executive Producer of Tiger Aspect Drama, Will Gould said: "We are beyond delighted that 'The Good Karma Hospital' has struck such a chord with the audience who have taken these vibrant characters and life affirming stories to their hearts. It's been an incredibly international production, but it all started with creator Dan Sefton's scripts, and ITV's belief in them, so I'd like to thank them both for that. I can't wait to see series two come to life." The six-part drama is set in Southern India and sees junior doctor Ruby Walker (Amrita Acharia) flee the UK following the messy breakdown of her relationship and travel abroad after seeing an advertisement for a position at The Good Karma Hospital under the watchful eye of Dr Lydia Fonseca (Amanda Redman). Victoria Fea explained: "We're very excited about developing a second series of 'The Good Karma Hospital'. It's brought the warmth, colour and vibrancy of India to our wintry Sunday nights. This is a credit to the wonderful cast, Dan Sefton's well-crafted scripts and Tiger Aspect Drama." The show also stars Neil Morrissey, James Floyd, Darshan Jariwalla, Sagar Radia and Nimmi Harasagam, who are all set to return next year, while new cast members for the second series are expected to be announced in due course. Although details on the storyline for the next batch of episodes are being kept tightly under wraps for the time being, Amanda has teased that the new installment may explore her alter-ego Lydia's "backstory" a bit more. Writing in a Q&A on Twitter, she said: "Just more interesting storylines, like we've had so far. Maybe we could explore her back story a little bit. (sic)" Forty years ago this month, President Jimmy Carter challenged state governors to recruit their residents for a new international diplomacy mission: Friendship Force. The Rev. Wayne Smith, then a Presbyterian minister in Atlanta, Georgia, founded the group with Carter's participation and became its first president. Oregon answered Carter's call to join, although it took more than a decade for a mid-valley chapter to form. Members of the Friendship Force of Oregon's Mid-Willamette Valley Chapter, which turns 25 this August, are inviting the public to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Friendship Force International with a party and program Sunday, March 19. The program will be at 2 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library, 2450 14th St. S.E. It's free and refreshments will be served. Friendship Force is a community exchange program that works with chapters in some 60 other countries to organize trips, stay with local families and learn about another culture. In the mid-valley, Don Rea and his wife, Elizabeth, helped form a local chapter after Elizabeth read about Friendship Force International at work one day in 1989. "She came home all excited about it and said, 'We ought to do that,'" Don Rea recalled. The couple wanted to travel but didn't have a lot of money to invest in hotels and tours, Rea said. But Friendship Force offered a chance to stay with a family overseas. "That's exactly what we wanted," he said. "We didn't want to be just tourists. We wanted to get to know the people." Oregon had two Friendship Force chapters at that time, one in the Portland area and one in Tillamook, Rea said. The couple connected with the Tillamook group and traveled to Germany the same year, 1989, that Elizabeth learned about the program. Not long afterward, the Reas met a few local people who had traveled on a Friendship Force trip to Russia. A mid-valley group was born. Besides the Reas, other charter members from those early days included Gloria Olson, Loy and Nancy Marshall, Edla Johnson, Nita Eggers and Nancy Berg. Loy Marshall set up the bylaws and did the paperwork for the charter. Today, the Friendship Force of Oregon's Mid-Willamette Valley Chapter has 65 members. The club usually takes one outbound international trip per year and welcomes at least one inbound international trip, and sometimes travels to visit other clubs within the United States. This year, for instance, an inbound trip is coming from Costa Rica and the outbound trip is to Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Members also plan to visit Big Canoe, Montana, in October the club of Friendship Force founder Wayne Smith before his death in 2004 and to welcome 20 club members from Canada and throughout the United States to Oregon for the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Membership dues are $30 per year. If a member travels, he or she must also pay for airfare and contribute a fee both to the international club for organizing the trip and to the host club for taking on the cost of the visitors. Belonging to Friendship Force is likely not the cheapest way to travel, said Marilyn Peterson, a mid-valley club member who will soon be retiring from her position as the field representative for the Pacific Northwest-Northern Rockies Region. However, she said, "It's probably one of the richest in terms of what you get for what you pay." Friendship Force is for "citizen diplomats," she said. "We build bridges, make friends, keep friends." A motto of Friendship Force members is "Faces, not places," she said. Members travel to learn, create relationships and built cultural understanding particularly critical at a time, she said, when other countries might be receiving a somewhat distorted picture of who Americans are and what they value. For instance, Peterson traveled to Morocco last year for the world conference, and to pick up the mid-valley chapter's 2016 Philanthropy Award for raising the most money toward making improvements to the Friendship Force International website. (The chapter also won International Club of the Year in 2002.) Peterson had heard plenty about the dangers of traveling in a Muslim country, especially as a woman. But such tales rarely tell the whole story, she said. "I had a wonderful time. I was treated with great respect," she said. "No issues." Rea gets misty-eyed when he remembers a day trip he took with a Japanese man who had served in Japan's Navy about the same time that Rea had served in the U.S. Navy. "We decided," he said softly, "we just wouldn't go to war against each other again." Sales at marketer of luxury goods and premium fashion Hugo Boss Group, declined 4 per cent to 2,693 million in 2016 as against 2,809 million in 2015, while adjusted for currency effects, sales dropped 2 per cent. Sales in local currencies rose 1 per cent in Europe and grew in high single digit range in UK, partially offset by declines in Germany and France.In 2016, the gross profit margin remained unchanged from the previous year at 66.0 per cent, while EBITDA before special items dropped 17 per cent during the reporting period to 493 million compared to 594 million in 2015 Sales at marketer of luxury goods and premium fashion Hugo Boss Group, declined 4 per cent to 2,693 million in 2016 as against 2,809 million in 2015, while adjusted for currency effects, sales dropped 2 per cent. Sales in local currencies rose 1 per cent in Europe and grew in high single digit range in UK partially offset by declines in Germany and France.# Adjusted EBITDA margin in 2016 stood at 18.3 per cent, down 290 basis points on the prior year.The group's net income fell higher at 39 per cent to 194 million vis-a-vis 319 million in the prior year.The German headquartered company plans to propose a dividend of 2.60 per share for 2016 at the annual shareholders meeting, down from 3.62 in the earlier year. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Bayer has opened up a new cotton breeding and research station near Lubbock in Texas to focus on drought-resistant varieties and traits for limited-input situations. Set up with an investment of $16.7 million, the facility will benefit cotton growers across the Southwest by producing genetically-modified varieties and developing native traits. Opening of the Lubbock Breeding and Trait Development Station, which began operating in October 2016, is being celebrated with researchers preparing to plant the facility's first research crop. The facility builds on the Bayer history of developing premium quality profitable varieties such as FiberMax and Stoneville to complement the knowledge and skill of Southwest cotton growers. It will provide solutions to meet agronomic challenges. Southwest cotton growers are the focus for work at this new facility. The Breeding and Trait Development Station will employ approximately 25 people who will work with a larger global team on genetics, chemistry, and traits to provide holistic agricultural solutions to customers around the world. Many area residents will also be hired each year to assist with planting and harvesting activities. Bayer has opened up a new cotton breeding and research station near Lubbock in Texas to focus on drought-resistant varieties and traits for limited-input situations. Set up with an investment of $16.7 million, the facility will benefit cotton growers across the Southwest by producing genetically-modified varieties and developing native traits.# "Bayer has led the way in cotton advancements for the Southwest since three employees opened our first facility in 1998. Since that modest start, Bayer has added two separate breeding stations, a seed processing plant, a quality assurance lab, a seed warehousing facility, and a state-of-the art research and development lab," says Monty Christian, Bayer vice president for US cotton operations. "More than half of the US cotton acreage is grown in this Southwest area, where Lubbock is the focal point. Work released from this facility will ripple across three million acres," notes Jason Wistehuff, product manager for FiberMax and Stoneville cotton. Economic sustainability is essential to growers who count on FiberMax to provide seed featuring advanced genetics for premium fiber quality and higher yield potential, according to the company. Varieties that deliver higher profit potential with lower inputs and increased disease resistance complement the knowledge and skill growers bring to cotton production year in and year out. "For growers and for Bayer, it is important to continue expanding our seeds business through research and development, and this facility will bring together significant scientific and technology resources to support the advancement of the agricultural industry, specifically for cotton seed trait and plant research," says Mike Gilbert, vice president and Head of Global Breeding & Trait Development for Bayer. The Lubbock Breeding and Trait Development Station is part of Bayer's commitment to invest nearly $ one billion in the US between 2013-2016 in new facilities and capital expansion to complement the approximately $ one billion invested globally in research and development annually. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Pakistan Senate Standing Committee on Textile Industry stressed on the need to protect the domestic textile industry, by expanding exports from the sector. The committee also gave its recommendations on properly implementing the Rs 161 billion Trade Enhancement Package. The package announced by PM Nawaz Sharif will run for eighteen months."The committee also recommended that the period of the trade enhancement package be extended to 60 months instead of 18 months to benefit the domestic textile sector," Pakistan media reported. The Pakistan Senate Standing Committee on Textile Industry stressed on the need to protect the domestic textile industry, by expanding exports from the sector. The committee also gave its recommendations on properly implementing the Rs 161 billion Trade Enhancement Package. The package announced by PM Nawaz Sharif will run for eighteen months.# Textile ministry officials informed the government had decided to give drawback on duties on processed fabrics by 5 per cent, made-ups by 6 per cent and on garments by 7 per cent for the next 18 months as part of the package. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Bachchan's Holi Celebrations Talking about the same, a source informed India.com, "The family has been following a tradition every year to celebrate the festival together.'' Diwali & Holi Are Very Important For The Bachchans ''They make arrangements way in advance, check their work schedules, to be able to come together on festivals. Diwali and Holi are very important.'' Bachchan's Holi Party Are One Of The Most Talked About ''In fact, Holi party at the Bachchan's is one of the most talked about in B-town while it is an intimate family affair. They have visitors from close friends to the industry people as well.'' But... ''But this time, the entire household in under a pall of gloom since bahu Ash's father is unwell. Both Ash and Abhi have been busy at the hospital attending to him.'' The Family Is Under Immense Stress "The family is under immense stress and that's why they have decided to not to celebrate Holi. They will only indulge in the customary Holika Pooja but not play with colours the next day.'' The Entire Khandaan Is Upset ''The entire khandaan is upset and in great tension over his health," the source close to the Bachchan family revealed. Aishwarya Rai's Father Is In The ICU Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's father had been hospitalised and is in the ICU for the last two weeks. Aishwarya has been there constantly and managing Aaradhya and her father in the hospital. Aishwarya's Father Has Cancer As per reports, Krishna Raj Rai's condition is critical and he is on the ventilator. Ash's father, who had undergone treatment for cancer in the past, is said to be suffering from a relapse. We wish him a speedy recovery. Manju Warrier, the star actress is extremely busy these days, with some promising projects in her kitty. Now, Manju is all set to join hands with team Charlie, for their upcoming untitled project. Reportedly, the actress has been roped in to essay the lead role in the untitled movie, which is produced by Martin Prakkat, and actor Joju George, the director and co-producer of Charlie. Lead actress Manju recently confirmed the news through her official Facebook page and announced the casting call for the movie. The team is in search of a few 13-15-year-old boys and girls, to play the key role in the movie. However, the team has not revealed the director of the project, title, and rest of the star cast, yet. If the reports are to be believed, the team is planning to reveal the further details of the movie and official first look poster, soon. Charlie, which featured Dulquer Salmaan in the title role, was one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of 2015. Lead actor Dulquer won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, for his performance in the movie. Manju Warrier is currently all set to release her upcoming project C/O Saira Banu on March 17th, Friday. The movie, which also features popular actress Amala Akkineni in a key role, is directed by newcomer Antony Sony. In reel or real life, the festival of colours - HOLI plays an important role. Every actor love to play with colours. While a few television actors celebrated Holi on their sets, a few other stars were at an event. Some actors did not celebrate the festival. Television actors took to social media to wish their fans. Read on to know how your favourite television actors celebrated Holi. Namik Paul: A very happy, colourful and safe Holi to you and your family guys! Nothing like being woken up at 9 am with blaring disco music Nikita Dutta: "Successfully managed to keep up my record of not playing holi since 2011 #NotCool." "Go get messy now! Have a safe one. #HappyHoli." Shabbir Ahluwalia-Kanchi Singh Shabbir shared a picture with Kanchi. With the picture, it looked like both had a blast playing Holi. Sharing the picture, Shabbir wrote, "#happyholi ." Leena Jumani Leena shared a couple of pictures. She wrote, "HAPPY HOLI " It is not clear whether it was from the sets of Kumkum Bhagya. Nia Sharma Nia was spotted celebrating Holi with friends. She shared a picture and wrote, "Holiiii holiiii holiiiiiiiiii..... how I have waited for this dayyy @amrin15 @shagun08 @gautam.sharma13 @pranitaa_pandit." Vikram Singh Chauhan Jana Na Dil Se Door actor Vikram Singh Chauhan aka Atharv (Raghav) shared a few beautiful pictures from the sets of the show. Sharing the pictures Vikram wrote, "Happy Holi!." Ruslaan Jana Na Dil Se Door actor Ruslaan shared a 'Bommerang picture' and wrote, "Happy holi @Regrann from @firozakhan14 - No caption required... #jndsd #holi #gettogether #friendsforever #Regrann 70 #starplus." Sharad Malhotra Sharad Malhotra shared a couple of pictures and a video in which the Kasam actors were seen playing Holi. The actor wrote, "Happyyyyyyy holi !!! #festival #color #vibrant #happiness #holi." Arjun Bijlani Arjun Bijlani played Holi with his family. He shared a couple of video clippings and wrote, "We wish u a happy holi," and "Wish u all loads of love and happiness." Krishna Mukherjee Krishna Mukherjee, who plays the role of Alia on the show Yeh Hai Mohabbatein gave us a sneak peek of Holi celebration on the show. She shared a video clipping and a picture which captioned, "Haappyyyyyy holiiiiiiii sneak peak from the yhm set."and "Happpy holi god bless u all." Abhishek Verma Abhishek Verma, who plays the role of Adi, shared a few beautiful pictures from YHM sets. Sharing the pictures, Abhishek wrote, "Celebration begins ." Aditi-Dipika Yeh Hai Mohabbatein's Aditi Bhatia aka Ruhi and Sasural Simar Ka actress Dipika Kakar were at Raipur for a Holi event. Aditi shared a picture and wrote, "Holi at Raipur ." Rohan-Kanchi Kanchi shared a picture snapped with Rohan and wrote, "Happyyyyyy holi everyone #zoomholiparty2017." Jasmin-Manu Dil Se Dil Tak actress Jasmin Bhasin was at a Holi event, in Kapur. Sharing a video clipping, Jasmine wrote, "Holi in Kanpur with @manupunjabim3 #festivefun #colours." Deepika Singh: This holi tried my hands on cooking mawa malpua served with rabdi for my fly Mother-in-law is quite impressed So it's indeed a #HappyHoli. Dipika Kakar: Wishing you all a #Holi, coloured with joy, sprinkled with laughter & filled with warmth #happyholi #readytoplay. Jennifer Winget: Happy Happy Holi!!! Here's to living life in colour today and always. Play safe. P.S. keep the colour off our furry friends please! Karishma Tanna: Wishing u and ur family happy holi Arjit Taneja: A very very Happy Holi to everyone!Be safe , Be colourful! And please be kind to the animals! . Sadly Won't be playing this year but here are some of my Fav off and onscreen #HoliMemories from the last 3 years! #FavFestival #BuraNaMaanoHoliHai Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actors Rohan Mehra and Kanchi Singh were at Zoom Holi event. Rohan shared a picture and wrote, "Celebrating Holi with @ZoomTV at #ZoomHoliParty... Wishing you all a very Happy and Colourful Holi...#RohanMehra #HappyHoli #Holi #Holi2017." Suyyash Rai: Shaadi ke baad 1st holi ... n u wernt there !!! Missed you @KishwerM CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Monday release January figures for machine orders, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Machine orders were up 6.7 percent both on month and on year in December. Japan also will see January results for the tertiary industry index and February numbers for producer prices. The tertiary industry index in December was down 0.4 percent on month. Producer prices are expected to add 0.2 percent on month and 1.0 percent on year after rising 0.6 percent on month and 0.5 percent on year in January. Australia will see January figures for credit card purchases and balances; in December, they were at A$27.7 billion and A$52.8 billion, respectively. Hong Kong will provide Q4 data for industrial production and producer prices; in the third quarter, industrial production fell 1.3 percent on quarter and 0.1 percent on year, while producer prices jumped an annual 3.9 percent. The Philippines will release Q4 numbers for current account; in the third quarter, the current account surplus was $979 million. 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. 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 MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/12/17 -- Aurvista Gold Corporation ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AVA)(OTCQB: ARVSF)(FRANKFURT: AV2) has been asked by the Autorite des Marches Financiers (the "AMF"), the Province of Quebec's financial markets regulator, to issue a clarifying news release to the Company's news release issued on February 28, 2017, to disclose an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate contained within a conceptual pit (the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate) at the Douay Gold Project ("Douay"). The Company's estimate completed by Riverbend in 2012 and described below (the "2012 Riverbend Estimate"), was not constrained by a conceptual pit, and Aurvista's February 28, 2017, announcement of global inferred ounces was intended to compare and contrast total mineralization outlined at the Douay Gold Project ("Douay") with the previous 2012 Riverbend Estimate. The AMF has requested that the Company apply economic extraction parameters in estimating the Mineral Resources for Douay in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards adopted by the CIM Council in 2014. The Company is therefore providing a current "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, which replaces the mineral resource estimate disclosed in the February 28, 2017, news release. Investors are advised to rely only on the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate. Micon International Limited ("Micon") has produced an "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate for Douay at various cut-off grades that are summarized in the following table: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "IN-PIT" CUT-OFF GRADE TONNES GOLD GRADE GOLD INFERRED MINERAL (G/T AU) (G/T) METAL RESOURCE (OUNCES) ESTIMATE(i) -------------------------------------------------------- 5.0 588,000 7.38 139,000 -------------------------------------------------------- 3.0 2,143,000 4.73 326,000 -------------------------------------------------------- 1.0 27,519,000 1.79 1,585,000 -------------------------------------------------------- 0.7 49,700,000 1.36 2,177,000 -------------------------------------------------------- 0.5 83,327,000 1.05 2,813,000 -------------------------------------------------------- 0.3 143,566,000 0.77 3,567,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i)A Mineral Resource is a concentration or occurrence of metals in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge. Reasonable prospects for economic extraction implies a judgment by a Qualified Person in respect of the technical and economic factors likely to influence the prospect of economic extraction. An Inferred Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is an inventory of mineralization under an open pit scenario that under realistically assumed and justifiable technical and economic conditions might become economically extractable. They have been prepared without reference to surface rights or the presence of overlying public infrastructure. At a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade, within the conceptual pit shell, there are 83 million tonnes at a grade of 1.05 g/t gold for 2.8 million ounces of gold. Investors are advised that the additional ounces contemplated in the February 28, 2017, news release, or the information disclosed therein, are not to be relied upon until such time that further exploration and drilling can demonstrate reasonable prospects for future economic extraction for the deeper portion of the mineralization outlined at Douay. Aurvista's President and CEO, Jean Lafleur, stated: "The In-Pit Mineral Resource Estimate is an early stage glimpse at the potential for a conceptual open-pit with the known information to date. The Douay Project is host to significant known gold occurrences and these are early days in terms of outlining the Douay Project's ultimate resource and mining potential. We look forward to completing up to 30,000 meters of additional drilling this year, growing the resource and advancing the Douay Project." Additional Details for Conceptual "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate The "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate's mineralized envelopes were modeled using Leapfrog Geo at a 0.3 g/t cut-off with the inclusion of lower grade material for modeling purposes, and are contained in eight separate zones: 10, 20, 531, Central, Douay West, North-West, Porphyry and Main, and may consist of a number of sub-parallel or parallel lenses. Bulk densities used: 2.88 - Douay West, 2.81 - Porphyry, 2.94 - 10, 2.67 - 20, 2.78 - North-West, 2.77 - Main, and the Central Zone and Waste used the global average of 2.82 as no test work was conducted for these areas. The overburden was assigned a bulk density of 1.5. Only the mineral resources for the Douay West, Porphyry and 531 zones were estimated using Ordinary Kriging with the remaining zones estimated using Inverse Distance Cubed, due to the number of data points for each zone. A block size of 10 m x 2 m x 5m was used. The search ellipses ranged from 50 m to 300 m and used three passes to fill the blocks within the model. The figures have been rounded to reflect that they are estimates. The multiple open pits used to constrain the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate are comprised of the ultimate breakeven pit-shell cones, which do not consider pit design or minimum mining widths. The open pit parameters used to construct the optimization are: gold price of US $1,400 per ounce, an exchange rate (CAN$/US$) of 1.32:1, overburden stripping cost of CAN$2.50/t, open pit mining cost of CAN$2.78/t, processing cost of CAN$8.14/t, and G&A cost of CAN$2.47/t. Gold recoveries per zone are: Douay West - 85%, North-West - 52.5%, Porphyry - 94%, 20 - 92%, 10 - 88%, Central - 94%, 531- 93% and Main - 83%. Pit slope angles are: 55 degrees for the foot wall; 52 degrees for the hanging wall and 25 degrees for the overburden. The effective date of the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is February 15, 2017. Micon is currently completing the National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report supporting the Mineral Resources Estimates and Near-Surface Mineral Resource Estimates which will be filed within 45 days of the original news release dated February 28, 2017 on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Comparison between the Previous 2012 Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate and the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate In 2012, Aurvista filed a Technical Report on the updated Mineral Resource estimates for Douay titled "Douay Deposit, National Instrument 43-101 Compliant Technical Report" dated August 10, 2012, which was prepared by Cliff Duke, P. Eng., of Riverbend Geological Services Inc. ("Riverbend"), under Aurvista Gold Corp., at www.sedar.com, now considered the "2012 Riverbend Estimate". The "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate and overall geologic model for Douay benefitted from the new interpretation based on the re-logging, re-description and assaying of previously un-assayed mineralized intervals of drill core from Douay. This work showed a greater lateral and vertical continuity of rock units, structural trends and gold mineralization, which were non-existent in 2012 Riverbend Estimate. It is important to note that the 2012 Riverbend Estimate was not constrained by a conceptual pit, making direct comparisons more challenging. Please refer to SEDAR at www.sedar.com for more information. About Micon International Limited Micon International Limited (Micon), mineral industry consultants, is an independent firm of senior geological, mining, metallurgical and environmental consultants. The firm operates from integrated offices in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada and Norwich and Cornwall, United Kingdom. The professionals of Micon have extensive experience in the mining industry with both mining companies and leading consultancy firms. Douay Gold Project and Company Profile Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company advancing the Douay Gold Project 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. Qualified Persons The technical contents in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corporation, and Mr. William Lewis, B.Sc., P. Geo., of Micon, who is independent of Aurvista and who is responsible for the "In-Pit" Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate. Both individuals are Qualified Persons under National Instrument 43-101. 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, including the mineral resource estimate and the assumptions used to prepare such estimate, that are 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: Aurvista Gold Corporation Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo. President and CEO, Director Cell: +1 514 927 3633 Aurvista Gold Corporation Mr. Keith C Minty, P. Eng., MBA Chief Operating Officer +1 416 682 2671 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2017) - Vanadium One Energy Corp. (TSXV: VONE) (FSE: 9VR1) (the "Company"), pleased to inform shareholders that Pierre-Jean Lafleur, ingenieur geologue, has accepted an appointment to its Board of Directors. Mr. Lafleur brings access to some of the top geologists and technology in the Quebec exploration resource sector. As an Engineer in geology, Mr. Lafleur works in mine production and exploration in the following areas: sampling, drilling, mapping, interpretation, ore reserves, mine planning, and more. He is also a representative of world-renowned consultants and leading mining software companies (SGS Geostat and 3DS GEOVIA, formerly Gemcom) for their work on implementation of computer technologies. Mr. Lafleur acts primarily as a subject matter expert and influences projects, financial analysis and business strategies with a particular focus on enterprise optimization (Whittle Consulting) from exploration to marketing through mine planning and processing. Granting of Options The Company is pleased to announce that the Company has granted 750,000 incentive stock options to various Officers, Directors and Consultants. The options are exercisable at $0.135 per option for a period of 3 years from the date of grant and have no vesting conditions. The options are being issued under the terms of the Company's Stock Option Plans which were approved by shareholders at the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting on September 6, 2016. About Vanadium One Energy: Vanadium One Energy is a mineral exploration company located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Our mandate is to acquire near-term production exploration mining projects and existing producers which focus specifically on "Energy Minerals" used in the rapidly growing Electro-Voltaic and Battery Storage Technology sector. Vanadium One Energy Corp. is managed by an experienced team of mining professionals with extensive operating and financial experience. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VANADIUM ONE ENERGY CORP. W. John Priestner President and Chief Executive Officer info@vanadiumone.com Cautionary Note Regarding 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. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/12/17 -- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announced today that it has entered into two agreements to invest alongside Ivanhoe Cambridge with real estate logistics specialist LOGOS in the LOGOS Singapore Logistics Venture (LSLV) and LOGOS Indonesia Logistics Venture (LILV), which will focus on developing and acquiring modern logistics facilities in Singapore and Indonesia, respectively. In Singapore, a key global logistics hub, CPPIB will initially commit S$200 million for an approximate 48% stake in the LSLV, which will be seeded by two fully leased existing multi-storey logistics warehouse facilities as well as one development opportunity. All the seed assets are very well located in established industrial submarkets of Singapore. Additionally, CPPIB will initially commit US$100 million in equity for an approximate 48% stake in LILV, which has an identified strong pipeline of development opportunities in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia. LILV will develop assets to meet the increasing demand for modern logistics facilities on the back of Indonesia's compelling macroeconomic fundamentals, rapid e-commerce growth and a growing logistics sector. "The logistics sector in Southeast Asia continues to grow as a result of the burgeoning middle class and the rise of e-commerce, and presents an excellent opportunity for a long-term investor like CPPIB," said Jimmy Phua, Managing Director, Head of Real Estate Investments - Asia, CPPIB. "We are looking forward to making our first direct real estate investments in Singapore and Indonesia through well-established, like-minded partners like LOGOS and Ivanhoe Cambridge." CPPIB and Ivanhoe Cambridge will be equal partners in both joint ventures, with LOGOS, as the operating partner, holding the remaining stake in the ventures. "Both Ivanhoe Cambridge and CPPIB are recognised as leading real estate investors around the world, and we are excited to expand our relationship with Ivanhoe Cambridge as well as attracting CPPIB into both our Singapore and Indonesia ventures," said Stephen Hawkins, Managing Director of LOGOS South East Asia. "Ivanhoe Cambridge welcomes CPPIB as our co-investment partner with LOGOS in Singapore and Indonesia," said Rita-Rose Gagne, President, Growth Markets, at Ivanhoe Cambridge. "Increasing our allocation reaffirms our view of the growth potential in Southeast Asia and our confidence in LOGOS as a best-in-class logistics real estate specialist in Asia-Pacific." About Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 19 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2016, the CPP Fund totalled C$298.1 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. About LOGOS LOGOS is an integrated investment and development logistics real estate specialist with operations in Australia, China, Indonesia and Singapore. LOGOS currently has approximately AUD$3.0 billion in assets under management including end values for projects under development. For further information: www.logosproperty.com About Ivanhoe Cambridge Ivanhoe Cambridge, a global real estate industry leader, invests in high-quality properties and companies in select cities around the world. Founded in Quebec in 1953, Ivanhoe Cambridge has built a vertically integrated business across Canada. Internationally, Ivanhoe Cambridge invests alongside key partners that are leaders in their respective markets. Through subsidiaries and partnerships, Ivanhoe Cambridge holds interests in close to 500 properties, consisting primarily in office, retail, residential and logistics real estate. Ivanhoe Cambridge held close to C$56 billion in assets as at December 31, 2016. Ivanhoe Cambridge is a real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (cdpq.com), one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers. For further information: ivanhoecambridge.com. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2016, it held C$270.7 billion in net assets. Contacts: CPPIB: Dan Madge Senior Manager, Media Relations +1 416 868 8629 dmadge@cppib.com CPPIB: Mei Mavin Director, Corporate Communications +1 646 564 4920 mmavin@cppib.com LOGOS Stephen Hawkins +65 6818 6021 stephenhawkins@logosproperty.com Ivanhoe Cambridge Public Affairs Media Relations +1 866 456 3342 media@IvanhoeCambridge.com SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 03/12/17 -- ALE, operating under the Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise brand, today announced the expansion of its senior leadership team in Asia Pacific, a key region for the company, with the appointment of Pierre Samson as Vice President of Sales. Pierre will assume his role effective immediately, and will be based from Singapore. He will report to Matthieu Destot, Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, ALE. Pierre has over 12 years of experience in the industry and has held senior leadership positions as Head of the Unified Communication & Collaboration Business Unit for Large Accounts at Orange Business Services, and most recently as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Sales Officer at Lexsi, a cyber security specialist which was acquired by Orange in 2016. Following this acquisition, Pierre was appointed Deputy Managing Director of Orange Cyberdefense where he demonstrated strong leadership in transforming several business areas. "APAC is an important market for ALE and Pierre has the experience to help us strengthen and expand our business and presence in the region. With Pierre leading the charge in APAC, ALE will continue to provide customers with innovative solutions that empower them to tap into new opportunities presented by this dynamically growing region," said Matthieu Destot. About Us We are ALE. Our mission is to make everything connect to create the customized technology experience customers need. We deliver networking and communications that work for your people, processes and customers from your office, the cloud or in combination. A heritage of innovation and dedication to customer success has made ALE, marketed under the Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise brand, an essential provider of enterprise networking, communications and services to over 830,000 customers worldwide. ALE has a global reach and local focus with more than 2200 employees and 2900+ partners who serve over 50 countries. More information on the Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Hospitality Solutions and Healthcare Solutions. For ongoing news visit our Newsroom, Blog, Facebook and Twitter. Press contacts: Amit Raj Bathla Vice President, APAC Marketing ALE Email Contact Kimberley Lim Ogilvy Public Relations, on behalf of ALE Email Contact +65 6213 6974 TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/13/17 -- Enghouse Systems Limited (TSX: ENGH) today announced that its Presence Technology unit has been honored by TMC, a global, integrated media services provider that named Presence Widgets as a 2017 CUSTOMER Product of the Year Award winner. Presence Widgets is the Presence Suite functional module that allows users to generate customizable views of Contact Center performance and productivity metrics, both in real time as well as historical, through a simple and effective configuration. Radical simplicity of using the HTML5-compatible frame Web standard allows Contact Centers to be viewed from anywhere on virtually any device, fixed or mobile. This is achieved without operating system dependencies, browser specifications, applications or plug-ins, said Alfredo Gonzalez, Product Director of Presence Suite. The 2017 CUSTOMER Product of the Year Award recognizes vendors that advance the call center, CRM and teleservices industries. The award highlights products that enable clients to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers. "On behalf of both TMC and CUSTOMER magazine, it is my pleasure to honor Presence Technology, an Enghouse Interactive company with a 2017 Product of the Year Award," said Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC. "Its Presence Widgets solution has earned this recognition and I look forward to continued innovation from Presence - Enghouse Interactive going forward." The 19th Annual Products of the Year Award winners will be published in the 2017 first quarter issue of CUSTOMER magazine. About Presence Technology - Enghouse On October 28, 2016, Presence Technology was acquired by Enghouse Systems Limited, a software and services company founded in 1984, which trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ENGH. With annual revenue of over $308 million in 2016, Enghouse's global group of companies represent approximately 1,500 employees, hundreds of partners and thousands of customers worldwide. Presence Suite has been developed for over 15 years by a team of professionals with extensive experience on Contact Center operations. The customer-oriented focus of Presence has led to development of an all-in-one solution that adapts to the specific needs of each user to solve challenges experienced on any environment. This distinctive capability makes Presence the most flexible and easy-to-integrate Contact Center solution in the market. This technology also brings more flexibility to the Contact Center, matching the dynamism demanded by different operational areas. All these benefits deliver improvements on productivity rates and an unmatchable ROI. Presence Technology - Enghouse solutions have been implemented in more than 22 countries by a highly specialized partner network that shares a common goal of offering the best product and service that will guarantee our customers success and satisfaction. For more information visit www.presenceco.com. TMC's CUSTOMER Magazine TMC's CUSTOMER magazine premiered in September 2012 and is the industry's definitive source for news, product information and strategies for communications. Each issue of CUSTOMER includes news and insights on the latest developments in agent training, analytics, ERP, IVR, social CRM solutions, mobile apps, workforce management and more. For more information on the magazine, visit http://customer.tmcnet.com. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com. Contacts: Enghouse Systems Limited Sam Anidjar Vice President, Corporate Development 905-946-3200 investor@enghouse.com PFAFFIKON, Switzerland, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global market penetration profitable for all member companies EMD, with its external turnover of now 216 billion euros, is quickly expanding its top position as a major group alliance. European Marketing Distribution AG (EMD), in Pfaffikon/Switzerland, accelerates its continuous growth and will hence operate intercontinentally: a new member in the EMD alliance is the Australian retailer Woolworths, Sydney. This new partnership means Woolworths will maximise the EMD network to procure volume for its private label product ranges. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477726/Philippe_Gruyters.jpg ) Thanks to cooperation with the Australian supermarket chain Woolworths, EMD strengthens its position as a major purchasing and marketing group alliance all over the world. Woolworths currently operates nearly 1000 supermarkets in Australia - and more than 180 in New Zealand. Already before this new membership, EMD combined a revenue of 178 billion euros - its new member, the Woolworths Group, achieved a revenue of more than 58 billion Australian dollars (about 38 billion euros) in the 2016 financial year across its operations in Australia and New Zealand. Woolworths is focused on providing access to great quality food and non-food products to customers across Australia and have been known as the Fresh Food People for more than 30 years. The newly signed agreements are profitable for each and every member of EMD: additional and interesting opportunities for procurement of goods overseas are created for the European trading companies already belonging to the group alliance. Woolworths will optimise its European purchasing procedures through the already established office in Switzerland and working in close cooperation with EMD. The agreement between EMD and Woolworths relates initially to the private label business only. Steve Greentree, Director, Woolworths Food Company, comments on the benefits of partnering with EMD: "We are delighted to partner with EMD. This collaboration will increase our access to great quality private label products that we are unable to source locally. Combined with our commitment to source Australian products first and foremost, this ensures our customers will have even more choice and convenience when shopping for own brand products at Woolworths. "Furthermore, the agreement will provide a direct network for Woolworths' Australian and New Zealand suppliers to maximise investment and growth opportunities with European retailers." EMD Managing Director Philippe Gruyters speaking about new member Woolworths and the pursued strategy said: "The integration of procurement volumes in high demand and customer-oriented marketing activities brings considerable benefits for both the trading and the manufacturing sector. Our commitment in the Oceanian countries of Australia and New Zealand reinforces the importance of EMD and sets a new standard regarding the dynamic commercialisation of all products in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) ranges." The leading role assumed by EMD was highlighted last year when at the beginning of 2016, one of the most prominent trade companies in the United Kingdom, the Wal-Mart subsidiary Asda joined the EMD Group. A short time later EMD announced together with the Kaufland Group that all the Kaufland stores in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria would manage their international agreements with the branded product industry also through EMD. Added to this, German hypermarket specialist Globus decided to join the EMD alliance's international agreements for Russia and the Czech Republic, together with various contracts relating to German Globus hypermarket sites. The bottom line is that EMD, having added the turnover of the newly joined Woolworths to the group, represents a worldwide total turnover of more than 216 billion euros. EMD is now operating in 20 European countries and now including Australia and New Zealand. The alliance represents the interests of about 400 trading companies and over 155,000 point of sales in every type of distribution, mainly in grocery retail. Since 1989 EMD has been recognised by the industry as a trustful, efficient sourcing and business development partner. About EMD Present in 20 European countries as well as in the national markets of Australia and New Zealand, EMD is the leading buying group for the food retail sector and, in relation to FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) activities, is considered a crucial partner for customer-oriented market and marketing coverage. At the EMD headquarters located in Pfaffikon, Switzerland, Managing Director Philippe Gruyters is responsible for pooling the interests of renowned retail companies and coordinating them to common benefit. With a total external turnover of over 216 billion euro, the associated group operates by buying goods all over the world and negotiating contracts with the producers of branded products at a transnational level. EMD is also active in intercontinental procurement and the development of successful private label products. The following member companies of European Marketing Distribution (EMD) highlight in the best possible way the benefits of a close cooperation in 22 countries: United Kingdom: ASDA Finland: Tuko Logistics Netherlands: Superunie Sweden: Axfood Germany: MARKANT AG Denmark: Dagrofa France: Groupe Casino Czech Republic: MARKANT/Kaufland Cesko, Globus Switzerland: MARKANT Syntrade Slovakia: MARKANT/Kaufland Slovensko Spain: Euromadi Iberica Poland: Kaufland Portugal: EuromadiPort Croatia: Kaufland Austria: MARKANT Osterreich Romania: Kaufland Italy: ESD Italia Bulgaria: Kaufland Norway: Unil/Norges Gruppen Russia: Globus Australia: Woolworths Ltd. New Zealand: Progressive Enterprises Ltd For further information, please contact: Rosmanith & Rosmanith The Art of Communication Uwe Rosmanith Unter den Eichen 7 D-65195 Wiesbaden Phone: +49/611/716-547-920 uwe@rosmanith.de Aarhus, Denmark, 2017-03-13 13:27 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 8 February 2017, Vestas initiated a share buy-back programme, ref. Company announcement No. 04/2017. The programme is implemented in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) (the "Safe Harbour" rules). The purpose of the programme is to adjust Vestas' capital structure and to meet the obligations arising from share based incentive programmes to employees of Vestas. Under the programme Vestas will buy back shares for an amount up to DKK 705 million (approximately EUR 95 million) in the period from 8 February 2017 to 4 May 2017. The following transactions have been made under the programme during the period 6-10 March 2017: Number Weighted average purchase Transaction of price, DKK value, shares DKK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 06 March 2017 22,593 523.40 11,825,108 07 March 2017 21,240 522.96 11,107,732 08 March 2017 8,920 525.92 4,691,190 09 March 2017 22,555 521.51 11,762,604 10 March 2017 7,000 522.54 3,657,780 Accumulated under the 520,796 516.80 269,148,048 programme -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Details of all the transactions relating to the share buy-back programme during the period are presented in the attached appendix. Contact details Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Denmark Hans Martin Smith, Senior Vice President, Group Treasury and Investor Relations Tel: +45 9730 8209 Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=619851 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/13/17 -- News Release - TransCanada Corporation (TSX: TRP)(NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) today announced the successful conclusion of a long-term, fixed-price Open Season to transport natural gas on the Canadian Mainline from the Empress receipt point in Alberta to the Dawn hub in Southern Ontario. The company confirmed that its recent Open Season resulted in binding, long-term contracts from Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) gas producers to transport 1.5 PJ/d of natural gas at a simplified toll of $0.77/GJ. "Today, WCSB producers are facing a much more challenging landscape than they have in the past. This new offering helps our customers compete more effectively by utilizing existing capacity on the Canadian Mainline, and demonstrates the importance and value of this system to deliver their products to markets in Eastern Canada and the Northeast U.S.," said Russ Girling, president and chief executive officer, TransCanada. "This long-term agreement provides significant benefits for our customers, shareholders, communities and governments that depend on the economic benefits that are generated by natural gas exploration, production and transportation," added Girling. "In addition to utilizing existing capacity and pipelines already in operation, the incremental revenue generated from this offering will make the Canadian Mainline more competitive." Key highlights of the Revised Long-Term Fixed Pricing Open Season: -- Collectively, customers have signed long-term binding contracts to transport 1.5 PJ/d of natural gas from the Empress receipt point in Alberta to the Dawn hub in southern Ontario, at a single toll of $0.77/GJ. -- The term of the contract is 10 years and has early termination rights that can be exercised following the initial five years of service (upon payment of an increased toll for the final two years of the contract). -- The service can be provided entirely with existing facilities. -- The targeted in-service date is November 1, 2017. The company intends to file an application for regulatory approval with the National Energy Board in April 2017. Today, TransCanada transports more than 25 per cent of the natural gas consumed across North America, and millions of people rely on the energy we deliver every day to heat and cool their homes, fuel industries and generate reliable sources of power, and the Canadian Mainline is a critical piece of energy infrastructure that allows this to happen. The Canadian Mainline is a regulated cost of service system that currently transports about 20 per cent of the natural gas produced in the WCSB to serve Canadian markets and interconnects with the U.S. With more than 65 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and liquids pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 91,500 kilometres (56,900 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is the continent's leading provider of gas storage and related services with 653 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A large independent power producer, TransCanada currently owns or has interests in over 10,700 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is also the developer and operator of one of North America's leading liquids pipeline systems that extends over 4,300 kilometres (2,700 miles), connecting growing continental oil supplies to key markets and refineries. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. Visit TransCanada.com and our blog to learn more, or connect with us on social media and 3BL Media. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This publication contains certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "intend" or other similar words). Forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide TransCanada security holders and potential investors with information regarding TransCanada and its subsidiaries, including management's assessment of TransCanada's and its subsidiaries' future plans and financial outlook. All forward-looking statements reflect TransCanada's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made and as such are not guarantees of future performance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this news release, and not to use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. TransCanada undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information except as required by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to the Quarterly Report to Shareholders dated February 16, 2017 and 2016 Annual Report filed under TransCanada's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Contacts: Media Enquiries: Shawn Howard / Mark Cooper 403.920.7859 or 800.608.7859 TransCanada Investor & Analyst Enquiries: David Moneta / Stuart Kampel 403.920.7911 or 800.361.6522 Release no. 4, 2017 Columbus A/S will publish its Annual Report 2016 on Thursday, 16 March 2017, around 9.30 CET. The following event will take place later that day: A live webcast and conference call for shareholders, analysts, investors and representatives of the media: Topic: Columbus Financial Results for 2016 Date: Thursday 16 March 2017 Time: 13.00 CET The webcast is hosted by CEO Thomas Honore and CFO Hans Henrik Thrane. Please login to the webcast via Columbus' Investor Site http://ir.columbusglobal.com/events.cfm. Questions can be sent in advance by email to Communication Manager Tine Rasmussen at tra@columbusglobal.com. or can be raised at the question session during the webcast. A recorded version of the presentation will be available on the website after the webcast has concluded. Conference call dial-in details: Denmark: +45 32 71 16 59 UK/International: +44 20 3427 1915 US: +1 646 254 3361 Conference ID: 7172411 Please dial in a few minutes before to allow time for registration of name and company. For further information, please contact: Communication Manager, Tine Rasmussen, tra@columbusglobal.com, +45 29690677 Translation: In the event of any inconsistency between this document and the Danish language version, the Danish language version shall be the governing version. Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=619860 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The suffering of children in war-torn Syria 'hit rock bottom' in 2016 with the highest number of grave violations against them since verification began in 2014, underscored the United Nations children's agency urging all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, and anyone who cared about children to find an immediate political solution to end the conflict. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), at least 652 children were killed last year - a 20 per cent increase compared to 2015 - 255 among them were killed in or near a school. Maiming and recruitment of children also rose sharply as violence across the country saw a drastic escalation. 'The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down,' said the UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Geert Cappelaere, in a news release announcing the study Hitting Rock Bottom - How 2016 became the worst year for Syria's children. 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. PARIS, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/13/17 -- Emblem Corp. (TSX VENTURE: EMC) ("Emblem" or the "Company") announced that the board of directors of the Company has approved the granting of 1,165,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to independent directors, non-executive employees and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at a price of $2.58 per share for a period of five years and are subject to vesting as to one-third of the number of Options granted on each of March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. About Emblem Emblem is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (the "ACMPR") to cultivate and sell medical marihuana. Emblem carries out its principal activities producing marihuana from its facilities in Paris, Ontario pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations. 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: Ali Mahdavi Emblem Corp. (416) 962-3300 alimahdavi@emblemcorp.com NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/13/17 -- The Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE) will celebrate 18 years of successful Outreach at the Museum for Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place, NYC) on Thursday, March 23, 2017. Founded by Rabbi Mark Wildes in 1998, MJE is a highly successful outreach program that has reconnected thousands of young men and women with Judaism and the Jewish community and provided a venue through which 279 couples have met or married. Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald will receive the prestigious Rabbinic Leadership Award at the MJE Annual Dinner. As one of the leaders in the movement of Jewish return in America today, Rabbi Buchwald has pioneered and developed many of the most dramatic and effective Jewish engagement programs, through his National Jewish Outreach Programs (NJOP). Rabbi Buchwald was also instrumental in the development of MJE by assisting in the close relationship between NJOP and MJE. Over the last 18 years, Rabbi Buchwald has provided guidance and support to Rabbi Wildes. MJE's co-founder Jill Wildes, is a graduate of Rabbi Buchwald's Beginner Service at Lincoln Square Synagogue. NJOP programs have been offered in nearly 5,000 locations across North America, and in 44 countries worldwide, attracting more than one-and-a-half million participants in North America alone. Other notable MJE members will be honored that night as well, including two couples serving as the guests of honor. They are Dana Hiltzik, a speech pathologist and her husband, Matthew, the CEO and President of Hiltzik Strategies; and Leigh and Daniel Waxman, both lawyers who host MJE participants in their home and Emily & Andrew Weiss, who met at an MJE event and have been married since 2005, will be honored as couple of the year. Heather Conn, an English teacher at Information Technology High School and Troy Valberg, a software salesman at Bluecore, one of NYC's fastest growing tech start-ups, will be honored for student recognition. MJE's Founder Rabbi Mark Wildes had this to say: "MJE's Dinner this year celebrates 18 years of engaging our Jewish brothers and sisters in Jewish life. During this time, MJE has reconnected young Jewish professionals to the beauty of Shabbat, Jewish Learning and Israel. We celebrate this milestone by paying tribute to a pioneer of Jewish Outreach, Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, leader of the Jewish Return Movement." "The Manhattan Jewish Experience may be one of the most effective Jewish outreach/engagement programs in the world," said Rabbi Buchwald. "The number of participants is astounding and the quality of its programs is unmatched. I am humbled and honored to receive this award. They have literally transformed Manhattan and the lives of many thousands of Jews." With three sites in different neighborhoods in New York City, MJE's effectiveness in engaging young Jewish women and men emerges from its warm and open environment, and from its array of stimulating and innovative Jewish social and educational programming including Shabbat Dinners, engaging Torah study classes, Retreats and trips to Israel, and much more. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.jewishexperience.org. About Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE) Founded by Rabbi Mark N. Wildes in 1998, Manhattan Jewish Experience is a warm and open community serving over 10,000 NYC young professionals. Through social, cultural, spiritual and educational events, young men and women can explore Jewish life and meet new people. To learn more visit www.jewishexperience.org. About Rabbi Mark Wildes Rabbi Mark Wildes is the Founder and Director of Manhattan Jewish Experience -- a social, educational and spiritual events organization for Millennials. He was ordained by Yeshiva University. Before becoming a rabbi, he received a JD from the Cardozo School of Law and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. Since founding MJE, Rabbi Wildes has become one of America's most inspirational and dynamic Jewish educators, actively blogging for The Times of Israel and Huffington Post, and running a YouTube channel. Rabbi Wildes, his wife Jill and children live on the Upper West Side where they maintain a warm and welcoming home for all. Media contact: Amanda Bush Email: Email Contact CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/24/17 -- ROOSTER ENERGY LTD. (or the "Company") (www.roosterenergyltd.com) (TSX VENTURE: COQ) is pleased to announce that it has complied with terms of the Third Amendment (entered into March 10, 2017) to the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement dated as of November 17, 2014, as amended and restated as of June 25, 2015 (the "NPA") with the holders of the senior secured notes (the "Notes") issued pursuant to the NPA. Specifically, a non-binding term sheet has been entered into with the holders this date setting forth the general terms of a potentially acceptable restructuring of the NPA. Additionally, as required by the terms of the Third Amendment, the Company has on this date paid the applicable interest due on the Notes that was due and payable on January 31, 2017 and February 28, 2017. Pursuant to the Third Amendment, the holders agreed to extend until March 24, 2017 the payment dates pending satisfaction of all other terms of the Third Amendment. The Company is and continues to conduct business as usual and will continue in negotiations with the holders to restructure the terms and conditions of the NPA and its obligations thereunder in accordance with the term sheet. However, the holders of the Notes may exercise their remedies against the Company at any time since there is no forbearance agreement in place. In that event, or if the Company is ultimately unable to finalize documentation to satisfactorily restructure the NPA, then the Company would in all likelihood seek relief under applicable bankruptcy or reorganization laws to preserve the going concern value of the Company. ABOUT ROOSTER ENERGY LTD. Rooster Energy Ltd. is a Houston, Texas, based vertically integrated oil and gas production company combined with a well service intervention/plugging and abandonment subsidiary focused in the shallow waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Our primary business is a service company whose assets consist of rigless well plugging and abandonment/intervention units and our oil and gas assets consist of producing oil and gas wells located on US federal oil and gas leases. Investors are welcome to visit our website at www.roosterenergyltd.com or contact the following for all corporate updates and investor inquiries: Gary L. Nuschler, Jr. Chief Financial Officer 16285 Park Ten Place, Suite 120 Houston, Texas, USA 77084 Telephone: (832) 772-6313 ext. 555 Forward Looking Information and Statements Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute "forward-looking information" or statements as such terms are used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statement that expresses, involves or includes expectations of the anticipated benefits of the refinancing, restructuring or modification of existing debt or failure to obtain same or future operations (including drill rig commitments and use of proceeds), commerciality of any hydrocarbon discovered, production rates, operating costs, commodity prices, administrative costs, commodity price risk and other components of cash flow and earnings, management activity, acquisitions and dispositions, capital spending, access to credit facilities taxes, regulatory changes, projections, objective, assumptions or future events that are not statements of historical fact should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry, commodity prices, and interest and exchange rate changes. Industry related risks could include, but are not limited to, operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans, risks associated with the uncertainty of reserve estimates, or reservoir performance, health and safety risks and the uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and expenses. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement in this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Financial outlook information contained in this press release about the Company's prospective cash flows and/or financial position is based on assumptions about future events, including economic conditions and proposed courses of action, based on management's assessment of the relevant information currently available. Readers are cautioned that any such financial outlook information contained herein should not be used for purposes other than for which it is disclosed herein. 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 PRESS RELEASE. Contacts: Gary L. Nuschler, Jr. Chief Financial Officer 16285 Park Ten Place, Suite 120 Houston, Texas, USA 77084 Telephone: (832) 772-6313 ext. 555 Thiruvananthapuram: Around four million Keralites work abroad and they remit around Rs 1 lakh crores annually. State statistics say that their remittances account for 35 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) too. Unfortunately, non-resident Keralites (NRKs) do not have a return guaranteed option to invest in Kerala. They have only had the option of putting their money in banks. But now NRKs will have a better investment option. Eyeing the money from NRKs to fund states development activities, Keralas Finance Minister Thomas Issac is chalking out new plans. In his latest budget for 2017, he has announced plans for the construction of two highways at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore with the help of NRKs. In his Budget speech on 4 March, the minister said that a 1,267 km long hill highway expected to cost Rs 3,500 crore and a 630 km long coastal highway expected to cost Rs 6,500 crore will be financed through an NRI chit fund scheme. The coastal highway will link villages in nine districts and the hill highway will cover another nine districts. Both roads will touch Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, Thrissur, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. These two highways will be constructed with the support of NRKs. None of them have to contribute a single penny for this purpose, instead, they have to join an NRI chit fund of the state-run Kerala State Financial Enterprise (KSFE), the minister said in his Budget speech. The target is to see that 1 lakh NRKs join the chit fund in the first year. NRKs can make their monthly remittances through any of the payment gateways. The entire money collected would be invested in the NRI bonds of state-owned KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) in the name of KSFE. There will be a call option available for the KSFE for withdrawing it and this is a novel way to raise funds, the minister said in his speech. Even though the minister is quite confident in raising the money from NRKs to support the states infrastructure development, Indian financial experts in the Gulf countries said that the mechanism of the NRK chit fund is still unclear. Through this chit fund, the finance minister wants to mobilise Rs 12,000 crore this year for various projects and ensure Rs 50,000 crore over the next five years for several infrastructural projects. The finance minister is very confident to get the subscription from 100,000 NRKs. But I am a bit unclear of the mechanism, KV Shamsudheen, founder director of Barjeel Geojit Securities LLC, said. Shamsudheen, who is also the founder and chairman of Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, an NGO working for the financial education and welfare of non-resident Indians, said issuing infrastructure bonds for the development of Kerala will be an easier route to get huge funds. Many Keralites are keeping money idle in banks. If the government introduces an infrastructure bond, NRKs will transfer such idle fund into this bond, Shamsudheen, who is currently based in UAE, said. Currently, KSFE runs funds worth Rs 18,000 crore annually with a growth rate of 25 percent and has a customer base of 3.3 lakh. Jose Chacko, a finance expert in Oman, said that there are doubts about the plans feasibility. The idea to collect Rs 12,000 crore through NRI chit funds seems less realistic due to the current economy crisis here in Gulf, Jose said. Hundreds of Keralites are returning home from Gulf countries due to the economy crisis there. Around 80 percent of NRKs work in Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, the six Gulf countries. If 100,000 NRIs join this fund, according to the current plan, the entire money also cannot be used by the state. It has to be returned to subscribers and returns from infrastructure investment which may not happen, he said. Analysis shows that with the new announcement, the KSFE will have to raise funds amounting to 67 percent more than its corpus, Jose said adding that he is surprised on how the infrastructure development projects will repay the chit money as they will not be generating any income. I am afraid that this move will create a lot of unpredictable economic imbalances, he said. In September 2016, the finance minister had said in the Assembly that the state government would not levy tolls on roads and bridges constructed utilising funds from the KIIFB. Aladdin is a film that's held dear by many a Disney fan namely thanks to Robin Williams' stellar performance as the Genie. Now the animated classic is getting the remake live action treatment, following in the footsteps of The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. Hollywood Reporter had told us that Guy Ritchie is set to direct the remake. He was made famous for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. He last directed The Man From U.N.C.L.E and King Arthur. The man behind Sherlock Holmes has been trusted with the job to bring the classic to the big screen again, this time in live action form. For casting the lead actors and to avoid controversies that Ghost in the Shell, The Great Wall and Doctor Strange attracted because of casting white actors instead of the ethnicity indicated in their scripts/comic books the casting call asks for Middle-Eastern actors aged 18-25 to apply and hopefully bag the coveted roles of Aladdin and Jasmine. The requirements on the casting call are simple, you just have to be able to sing and dance skills are 'a plus'. Alright kids, if you know someone who fits this, you better share this with them. Submit asap. Good luck my babies pic.twitter.com/PLP37ritcV Dani Fernandez (@msdanifernandez) March 9, 2017 According to Collider, the studio is doing something similar with their live action Mulan remake and noted that producer Dan Lin, and Guy Ritchie are focused on diversity and avoiding past films mistakes: "When I came in to make the movie, I wanted to make a diverse version of the movie. Luckily for me, Guy Ritchie has the same vision and Disney has the same vision, so were not here to make Prince of Persia. We want to make a movie thats authentic to that world." Scott Weinger and Linda Larkin voiced Aladdin and Jasmine in the 1992 animated feature, which follows a street-wise youth who tries to woo a princess and defeat an evil sorcerer after he stumbles upon a magic lamp and is granted three wishes by a genie trapped trapped inside. Big Fish writer John August penned the screenplay for the feature, which is being produced by Dan Lin via his Lin Pictures banner, with Jonathan Eirich executive producing. There's no set date at the moment but we do know that Aladdin is due in 2018. Also there is the question of whether snippets of Robin William's iconic role as the genie can be used in the new film. Fans are going to be really disappointed: Williams will clearly states that his work cannot be exploited for financial gain after his death, so it is likely that Disney will find a replacement Genie. Debutant director Tom Emmattys Oru Mexican Aparatha (translated in the subtitles as: A Mexican Enormity) is inspired by the bloody rivalry between Keralas student political outfits. Depending on which side of the divide you inhabit, it is possible you may either be irritated or emotionally drawn to this film that makes no bones about its Communist inclinations. It may be a good idea to set your party leanings aside though and watch with an open mind, because despite its openly propagandist portions and weaknesses, this is an interesting ride. The film begins with a sepia-tinted flashback to 1970s Kerala where the Communist student leader Kochaniyan (Tovino Thomas) is martyred at Maharajas College. Kochaniyan is a key member of the fictional SFY no prizes for guessing what that acronym alludes to. Fast forward to this century, and Thomas now plays the happy-go-lucky, alcohol-swilling, girl-chasing, mischievous student Paul who belongs to SFY but has no particular career ambitions in politics. His friend Subhash (Neeraj Madhav) is far more earnest about his involvement with the party. Soon, Subhash is appointed by the parent organisation to revive SFY at their college. This is a massive mountain to climb, since SFY is now virtually dead at Maharajas and the rival KSQ another barely disguised acronym prevails with intimidation and physical assaults. The films opening half eases viewers into the impending intensity with equal parts humour and grimness. We learn that, when left to themselves, Paul and most of his friends would prefer to down booze, indulge in loose talk about girls, acquire girlfriends and fool around rather than study or devise political strategies. They are rudely awakened from their immature indulgences by KSQs high-handedness, led by the violence-prone Roopesh (Roopesh Peethambaran). The story then quickly descends into Machiavellian schemes and ultimately bloodshed, as both groups work towards winning the coming college elections. The pre-interval portion of the film, more light-footed than the second half, is often entertaining but also sadly often unwittingly betrays the filmmakers prejudices. For instance, a believable view of college life in Kerala would perforce feature gender segregation and stalking. Oru Mexican Aparatha does that without suggesting that this is acceptable behaviour, by at first highlighting the silliness of the male students concerned. However, it soon goes down a path now predictable in Mollywood mirroring notions widely prevalent in society by assuming that a woman who is friendly but not attracted to the hero must of course be a cheat and a user. In a film that clearly fancies itself to be progressive, such casual misogyny is disappointing. Insightful though Oru Mexican Aparatha is on other fronts, its patriarchal worldview is unmistakable. When the population of female characters in your story is so small that their numbers do not exceed the fingers of one hand, you might introspect about why you do not automatically see women as full-fledged beings instead of mere adjuncts to the male existence, either potential lovers or traitors or mute supporters (yes literally, without dialogues). Sure this is Pauls story and therefore every characters identity is defined in relation to him, but even considering that circumstance, the tertiariness of women in Oru Mexican Aparatha is off-putting. Still, at a time when individuals across the country are chickening out of declaring their adherence to any party other than the one currently ruling at the Centre, it is unusual to see Emmattys unapologetic openness about his affection for the Communists in his film, and the lack of pretence regarding his references to real life. The plot also offers several unexpected twists, keeping even a cynical viewer like yours truly engaged. Although Oru Mexican Aparatha takes a sanitised view of the Communist party leadership in the state, it does well to remind viewers that even when we are faced with a dangerous enemy, most often the greater enemy lies within. The college and the students at Maharajas feel authentic, a factor of good acting combined with true-to-life production design (note those dingy hostel rooms) and Emmattys laidback narrative style in the first half of the film. Tovino Thomas has an impactful screen presence. His build and talent make him an obvious candidate for stardom. That said, though he is impressive and natural as Paul, he is too self-conscious in his brief appearances as Kochaniyan. Neeraj Madhav and Roopesh Peethambaran are excellent. The supporting cast is effective although they are constrained by the limited writing of their characters. Therein lies the primary problem with Oru Mexican Aparatha. We are drawn into Paul, Subhash and Roopeshs lives, passion and plans, but none of the other characters is as well-etched-out as the three leads. Therefore we never understand how all these games end up influencing their college mates. Who are those kids who passively watch the extreme violence unleashed in their presence? How do they pick one party over the other? What are their motivations? The writing makes no effort to breathe life into these satellite players in the story. The cursory treatment of the chameleonesque Ardra perfectly illustrates this point. Oru Mexican Aparathas music is rousing, but used too much and too loud in the narrative. The college campus is credible, but cinematographer Prakash Velayudhan delivers too many cliched shots of groups of men turning corners and walking towards the camera in slow motion. Oddly enough, despite its many follies, Oru Mexican Aparatha remains an immersive experience. Its take on campus politics is slightly simplistic. However, the directors apparent commitment to his convictions combined with thematic relevance and the smooth transition from a languid first half to absorbing post-interval briskness makes this a watchable film. By Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi | LONDON/ANKARA LONDON/ANKARA Iran's top cargo shipping company has held meetings in London to discuss a possible listing on the London Stock Exchange, but has so far been thwarted by U.S. sanctions that still scare banks off Iranian business, four Iranian and two Western sources said.Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) was removed from international sanctions blacklists last year and after years of isolation aims to raise funds to modernise its fleet. It has already placed an order for new ships estimated to be worth $626 million.A floatation on the LSE would make it the first Iranian company to list on Britain's main exchange since the Islamic revolution in 1979.But the difficulty in achieving such a landmark shows how far Tehran still remains from its goal of integrating fully with the global economic mainstream, since its 2015 deal with world powers to lift international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.President Hassan Rouhani, who faces a campaign for re-election in May, has struggled so far to demonstrate to voters real economic benefits from the deal. He won office in a landslide in 2013 on a promise to reduce Iran's isolation, and the nuclear deal is his crowning achievement.Most international sanctions on Iran were lifted last year as a result of the nuclear deal. But the United States still has separate sanctions in place over Iran's missile programme and the administration of new President Donald Trump has signalled it would take a tough line.The four Iranian officials and two Western financial sources told Reuters the Iranian company had expressed interest in an LSE listing. Two of the Iranian sources, both senior officials in Tehran, said meetings had already been held with the LSE in London about a possible float for IRISL.IRISL officials could not be reached for comment. The LSE declined to comment. All six Western and Iranian sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an initiative that has not officially been made public. U.S. SANCTIONS Experts on sanctions say any Iranian IPO in London would run up against the impact of the remaining U.S. measures, which have deterred British-based banks from clearing payments or facilitating transactions for Iranian companies. Even the UK subsidiaries of Iranian banks with British licenses have yet to offer payment clearing services in sterling. "In the current climate, I believe it is wholly unrealistic for IRISL to expect to pull off a listing in London," said Nigel Kushner, a leading London-based sanctions lawyer."In circumstances where no UK clearing bank is willing to become involved and when Iranian banks that may legitimately trade in London are still not able to clear their transactions in London, how on earth is a listing going to happen?"The sources did not say how much capital IRISL was seeking to raise in a potential initial public offering.During the height of sanctions, the United States and European Union blacklisted the shipping firm, accusing it of involvement in nuclear proliferation efforts, which it denied. A European Union court ruled in 2015 that the EU had not given valid reasons for the allegations against IRISL. IRISL's ambitions to become a big global cargo carrier are constrained by the age of its fleet. It operates 26 ships, worth just $166 million, according to ship valuation company VesselsValue. IRISL placed an order in December for 10 ships with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd. Those ships would be worth $626 million, according to VesselsValue.If it is still too difficult to hold an IPO in London, Iranian companies, including from the telecommunications sector, could turn instead to Italy's stock exchange for a potential listing, Iranian sources said.The Italian stock exchange, Milan's Borsa Italiana, is part of LSE Group. Borsa Italiana declined to comment.For Iran, pressures to show more progress are mounting ahead of the country's presidential election in May. Hardline opponents say Rouhani has failed to win an economic windfall from his nuclear deal, and some voters are losing patience."Despite Rouhani's and his government's efforts, almost all banking transactions are blocked," said one senior Iranian banking official."This will impact the upcoming election and as you see hardliners have been using it against Rouhani in the past few weeks. Without foreign investment and the financial backing of major international banks, Iran's economy cannot recover." (Editing by Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Nidhi Verma | NEW DELHI NEW DELHI India's oil imports from Iran rose nearly 17 percent in February from a month earlier as refiners received less crude from key OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and Iraq after an OPEC deal to cut output, shipping data showed on Monday.The jump meant Iran replaced regional rival Iraq as India's second-biggest oil supplier - a role Tehran used to occupy before Western sanctions were imposed against it over the country's disputed nuclear programme.While Saudi Arabia remained the biggest oil supplier to India, ship tracking data and a report compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts showed imports from Iran rose to 647,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February. That was 16.7 percent more than January, and almost trebled from February 2016. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pledged to curb production by about 1.2 million bpd from Jan. 1, the first cut in eight years, in a move designed to boost prices and drain a supply glut. Iran, Libya and Nigeria were, however, granted exemptions from the deal. In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, between April and February, India imported about 542,400 bpd from Iran, compared to about 225,522 bpd for the same period a year ago. Average oil volumes supplied by Iran over this period were the highest on record.In the first two months of 2017, India's oil imports from Iran averaged 598,400 bpd compared to about 192,500 bpd a year ago, the data showed. Indian refiners including Reliance Industries Ltd, operator of the world's biggest refinery complex at Jamnagar, have returned as buyers of Iranian oil after having stopped imports from Iran during the sanctions period. Meanwhile, India's February oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq were nearly a third lower than the same month a year ago. Nigerian oil supplies in February stood at 527,400 bpd, the data showed, a jump of 94 percent from the previous month. That meant the African nation emerged as the fourth-biggest oil supplier to India, displacing Venezuela. The latter, witnessing a decline in production, is cutting supplies to India as it is fulfilling obligations under oil for loan deals with China and Russia. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By David Shepardson | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is set to formally announce a review of vehicle fuel efficiency rules locked in at the end of the Obama administration when he meets with automaker chiefs this week, according to two sources briefed on the matter.Trump will visit an autonomous vehicle testing facility in a Detroit suburb on Wednesday and meet with chief executive officers of several U.S. automakers who want the rules revised.The administration has decided to review the feasibility of the 2022 through 2025 vehicle emissions rules, sources told Reuters last week, after the Obama administration moved in its final days to keep them. Reuters reported on the planned announcement on March 3.White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday the trip is focused on "job creation and automobile manufacturing... highlighting the need to eliminate burdensome regulations that needlessly hinder meaningful job growth."The chief executives of General Motors Co (GM.N), Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCHA.MI) (FCAU.N) will meet with the president in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, along with senior officials from Japanese and German automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE).A White House official confirmed Trump plans to visit Michigan, but did not immediately give details. Automakers have been pushing the administration for months to reverse Obama's decision. The Environmental Protection Agency had until April 2018 to decide whether the standards were feasible under a "midterm review," but moved up its decision to a week before President Barack Obama left office in January.Automakers argue the Obama-era vehicle emissions rules, which would raise the fleet average fuel efficiency to more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025 from 27.5 mpg in 2010, will impose significant costs and are out of step with consumer preferences. They argue they need more flexibility to meet the rules amid low gas prices.Environmentalists, who favor the standards, say the rules will reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gases and have vowed to sue if the Trump administration weakens them. Trade groups representing automakers, including GM, Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) and Toyota, have asked the EPA to withdraw the determination finalizing the rules, which stem from a 2011 deal the industry reached with the U.S. government.Changing the 2022-2025 fuel rules will require a lengthy regulatory process and environmentalists and Democratic state attorneys general are likely to sue if the Trump administration significantly weakens the requirements.The Obama administration said in 2011 the changes would boost fuel efficiency to a fleetwide average of 54.5 mpg, save motorists $1.7 trillion in total fuel costs over the life of the vehicles and cost the auto industry about $200 billion over 13 years. The fuel standards were a central part of Obama's legacy on addressing climate change. In July, the EPA estimated the fleet would average only 50.8 mpg to 52.6 mpg in 2025 under the rules because Americans were buying more sport utility vehicles and trucks and fewer cars.Automakers briefed on the meeting do not expect the EPA to take action this week to attempt to prevent California from setting its own vehicle emissions rules, but administration officials did not confirm it.Reuters reported last week the EPA is considering taking steps to reverse California's waiver under the Clean Air Act that allows it to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards.Trump has repeatedly met with automaker CEOs since taking office and made boosting employment, especially in the auto sector, a top priority. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bernadette Baum) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Tulay Karadeniz and Ercan Gurses | ANKARA ANKARA The Turkish cabinet was on Monday expected to consider imposing sanctions on the Netherlands in a deepening row with its NATO ally over a ban on its ministers speaking at political events in Rotterdam, and one minister said punitive measures were likely.President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking support from Turks in a referendum on boosting his powers, has accused the Dutch government of acting like "Nazi remnants" and said it should face sanctions for barring his ministers from addressing expatriate Turks to drum up votes.The row marks another low point in relations between Turkey and Europe, further dimming Ankara's prospects of joining the bloc. It also comes as Turkey is caught up by security concerns over militant attacks and the war in neighbouring Syria.A source close to the government told Reuters that sanctions were expected to be discussed when ministers meet at 7 pm (1600 GMT). Ankara's minister for EU Affairs, Omer Celik, said sanctions were likely."We will surely have sanctions against the latest actions by the Netherlands. We will answer them with these," Celik said.Apart from any economic measures, a source in Ankara said sanctions could affect cultural activities, and military and technological cooperation. State media later quoted Celik as saying Turkey should reconsider part of its deal to keep migrants out of the EU, comments likely to further anger Brussels.Turkey summoned the Dutch charge d'affaires on Monday to complain about the ban - imposed due to fears of unrest and distaste at what the Netherlands sees as an increasingly authoritarian tone from Erdogan - and the actions of Rotterdam police against Turkish protesters over the weekend, foreign ministry sources said.DOGS, WATER CANNON On Sunday, Dutch police used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some protesters threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd."The Turkish community and our citizens were subject to bad treatment, with inhumane and humiliating methods used in disproportionate intervention against people exercising their right to peaceful assembly," a statement attributed to ministry sources said. The Dutch government barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her back to Germany.Protests then erupted in Turkey and the Netherlands. Several European countries, including Holland, have stopped Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities.Some 400,000 Turkish citizens live in the Netherlands and an estimated 1.5 million Turkish voters live in Germany. The Dutch government said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning. According to polls, it is set to lose about half its seats in elections this week as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains.Monday was the third time the Dutch envoy had been called in since Saturday over the row. The Dutch ambassador is on leave and the Turkish foreign ministry says it does not want him back "for some time".The European Union's executive arm said on Monday that the bloc would assess Turkey's planned constitutional changes in light of the country's status as a candidate EU membership, and called on Ankara to refrain from statements and actions that could further fuel the diplomatic row. SANCTIONS Dutch direct investment in Turkey amounts to $22 billion, making the Netherlands the biggest source of foreign investment with a share of 16 percent.Ozgur Altug, chief economist at BGC Partners in Istanbul, said at this stage he did not foresee the row having serious short-term economic consequences."However, if the tension escalates and if countries start imposing sanctions against each other, it might have serious implications for the Turkish economy," he said.Turkish exports to the Netherlands totalled $3.6 billion in 2016, making it the tenth largest market for Turkish goods, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Turkey imported $3 billion worth of Dutch goods in 2016. Dutch visitors are important to Turkey's tourism industry, which was hit hard in 2016 by security fears due to attacks by Islamic State and Kurdish militants. Some 900,000 Dutch people visited Turkey last year, down from 1.2 million a year earlier.A source close to the government told Reuters that sanctions, if imposed, may go beyond the economy."When the sanctions are imposed, what we need to be careful about is being realistic. We are not completely closing the windows," the source said. "However, we want to show that what has been done to Turkey will have a response."He said certain cultural activities may be cancelled and the re-evaluation of military and technological cooperation was also on the table.Ankara is seeking an official written apology for the treatment of its family minister and diplomats in Rotterdam, the Turkish foreign ministry sources also said.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said it is Erdogan who should apologise for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, adding that Turkey was acting "in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner".NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Turkey and the Netherlands to defuse the row.At the weekend, Erdogan dubbed the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and said "Nazism is still widespread in the West", comments echoed in Turkish media on Monday."Nazi Dogs," said a front-page headline incorporating a swastika in the pro-government Aksam newspaper, above a photo of a police dog biting the thigh of a man during Saturday night's protest in Rotterdam. (Additional reporting by Ebru Tuncay in Istanbul, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan and Giles Elgood) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Tulay Karadeniz | ANKARA ANKARA Turkey said on Monday it would suspend high-level diplomatic relations with the Netherlands after Dutch authorities prevented its ministers from speaking at rallies of expatriate Turks, deepening the row between the two NATO allies.The sanctions - which include a ban on the Dutch ambassador and diplomatic flights from the Netherlands but do not appear to include economic measures or travel restrictions for ordinary citizens - mark another low point in relations between Turkey and the European Union, which it still officially aims to join.President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking Turkish voters' support in an April 16 referendum on boosting his powers as head of state, has previously accused the Dutch government of acting like "Nazi remnants" for barring his ministers from addressing expatriate Turks to drum up votes.The row is likely to further dim Ankara's prospects of EU membership. It also comes as Turkey wrestles with security concerns over militant attacks and the war in neighbouring Syria."We are doing exactly what they did to us. We are not allowing planes carrying Dutch diplomats or envoys from landing in Turkey or using our airspace," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told a news conference after a cabinet meeting. "Those creating this crisis are responsible for fixing it."Kurtulmus, the government's chief spokesman, also threatened to scrap Turkey's deal to stop the flow of migrants into Europe, saying the agreement may need to be re-evaluated. He said high-level government meetings would be suspended between the two countries until the Netherlands had atoned for its actions.Earlier Erdogan threatened to take the Dutch to the European Court of Human Rights. Turkey also summoned the Dutch charge d'affaires on Monday to complain about the ban - imposed due to fears of unrest and also to Dutch distaste at what Europe sees as an increasingly authoritarian tone from Erdogan - and the actions of police against Turkish protesters in Rotterdam over the weekend, foreign ministry sources said.DOGS, WATER CANNON On Sunday, Dutch police used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some protesters threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. "The Turkish community and our citizens were subject to bad treatment, with inhumane and humiliating methods used in disproportionate intervention against people exercising their right to peaceful assembly," a statement attributed to ministry sources said.The Dutch government barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her back to Germany.Protests then erupted in Turkey and the Netherlands.Several European countries have stopped Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities.Some 400,000 Turkish citizens live in the Netherlands and an estimated 1.5 million Turkish voters live in Germany.On Monday evening Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said he would try to prohibit Turkish ministers from campaigning in his country too for "reasons of public security". The Dutch government said the visits were untimely ahead of a national election on Wednesday, in which polls suggest it may lose about half its seats due to expected big gains by the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders.Monday was the third time the Dutch envoy had been called in since Saturday over the row. The Dutch ambassador is on leave and the Turkish foreign ministry says it does not want him back "for some time".The European Union's executive arm said on Monday that the bloc would assess Turkey's planned constitutional changes in light of the country's status as a candidate EU membership, and called on Ankara to refrain from statements and actions that could further fuel the diplomatic row.SANCTIONS Dutch direct investment in Turkey amounts to $22 billion, making the Netherlands the biggest source of foreign investment with a share of 16 percent. Ozgur Altug, chief economist at BGC Partners in Istanbul, said at this stage he did not foresee the row having serious short-term economic consequences."However, if the tension escalates and if countries start imposing sanctions against each other, it might have serious implications for the Turkish economy," he said.Turkish exports to the Netherlands totalled $3.6 billion in 2016, making it the tenth largest market for Turkish goods, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Turkey imported $3 billion worth of Dutch goods in 2016.Dutch visitors are important to Turkey's tourism industry, which was hit hard in 2016 by security fears due to attacks by Islamic State and Kurdish militants. Some 900,000 Dutch people visited Turkey last year, down from 1.2 million a year earlier.Ankara is seeking an official written apology for the treatment of its family minister and diplomats in Rotterdam, the Turkish foreign ministry sources also said.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said it is Erdogan who should apologise for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, adding that Turkey was acting "in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner".NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Turkey and the Netherlands to defuse the row.At the weekend, Erdogan dubbed the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and said "Nazism is still widespread in the West", comments echoed in Turkish media on Monday."Nazi Dogs," said a front-page headline incorporating a swastika in the pro-government Aksam newspaper, above a photo of a police dog biting the thigh of a man during Saturday night's protest in Rotterdam. (Additional reporting by Ebru Tuncay in Istanbul, Ercan Gurses in Ankara and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Daren Butler and David Dolan; Editing by Giles Elgood and Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Jammu: Following ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said the people should trust the Modi government that it will give a "befitting" response to such acts. "The concerned agencies will take into cognisance the chain of events that has taken place and you should trust the Modi government to give a befitting response", Singh told reporters here replying to questions about ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces. In a second instance of ceasefire violation in less than 24 hours, Pakistani troops on Sunday had resorted to mortar shelling and firing by automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, which prompted the army to retaliate. "Indian government and security agencies are capable of meeting any kind of challenge and you will see the results in days to come", Singh, a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said. The minister chose not answer questions about handing over of two boys from PoK to Pakistani authorities after the NIA dropped charges of conspiracy in the Uri terror strike. "I am not able to reply to such sensitive issues which have security ramifications and concerned agencies have to deal with this," Singh said. Under detention for nearly six months, the two boys were handed over to Pakistani authorities after the probe agency NIA came to a conclusion that the two had strayed into the Indian side after tiff with their parents due to the pressure of studies. The Maternity Benefit Amendment Bill, 2016 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 9 March, with impeccable timing a day after the International Womens Day. With the Bill in place, expectant mothers, employed in the organised sector, can now avail 26 weeks of paid maternity leave. Previously, under the 1961 Act, paid maternity leave was for 12 weeks. The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August last year, and currently, it awaits assent of the President for it to be completely implemented for working women in both public and private establishments. The Bill will benefit about 1.8 million working women in the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Bill as a 'landmark moment', while Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi called the piece of legislation 'historic', stating that this will help thousands of women and produce much healthier children. The Bill is a positive step forward in many ways, it extends the ambit of the law to include a progressive definition of motherhood. One of the principal amendments is the introduction of the concept of commissioning mothers - who opt for surrogacy - and the allied maternity benefit for such mothers. In addition, the Bill also allows for 12 weeks paid leave for those mothers who adopt children under the age of three months. The leave will commence from the date the child is handed over to the adoptive parent or the commissioning mother. Lastly, the Bill mandates the legal provisions for setting up of creche facilities in certain types of establishments with more than 50 employees. Once converted to law, the Bill will make India the third country - after Canada (50 weeks) and Norway (44 weeks) - in the world to provide for such duration for maternity leave. The Amendment Bill, while a laudable move forward, has its flaws, and does not, in my opinion, keep the interest of working mothers at the forefront, as it claims to do. Firstly, the Bill is exclusionary to women in the unorganised sector; therefore, the benefits do not apply to women, such as daily wage labourers, farmers, contractual workers who already work in non-compliant, exploitative working environments, and are not even recognised for rights under the labour laws. This makes the Bill rather elitist in its implementation; and downright discriminatory to working mothers in the unorganised sector. In 2000, in the In 2000, in the Municipal Corporation Of Delhi vs Female Workers case, the Supreme Court identified that female construction workers, whose work was not regularised, were eligible to receive maternity benefits by virtue of gendered constitutional principles and human rights. The amended Bill completely ignores this judgment. The Law Commission of India, in 2015, recommended that the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 must cover even those working in the unorganised sector which includes domestic workers, agricultural labourers, seasonal and construction workers. Secondly, the Bill leaves out surrogate mothers as statutory beneficiaries of the Bill. With the Surrogacy Bill also awaiting legislative process, it is a folly to leave out surrogate mothers, when the objective of the Bill is to provide for comfort and convenience to working mothers. The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 provided for benefits for the working mother, irrespective of how many children she chose to bear. In the amended Bill, however, the benefits decrease after the second child - 26 weeks of paid maternity leave only for the first two pregnancies; for the third child, 12 weeks paid leave is to be availed, and leaves reduce to six weeks from the fourth child. The Bill in many ways is also trying to include an inherent incentive for informed family planning and population control, the onus of which lies completely on the mother. Because while the Bill is firm on increased benefits to the mother, it steers clear of paternity leaves. In fact, Maneka Gandhi has controversially suggested that paternity leaves would just be holidays for the men. By removing the onus of childcare from men, the government does the unspeakable - it turns back the clock on legal developments so far, and stereotypes women into honing traditional gender roles. The Bill in many ways is also trying to include an inherent incentive for informed family planning and population control, the onus of which lies completely on the mother. Because while the Bill is firm on increased benefits to the mother, it steers clear of paternity leaves. In fact, Maneka Gandhi has controversially suggested that paternity leaves would just be holidays for the men. By removing the onus of childcare from men, the government does the unspeakable - it turns back the clock on legal developments so far, and stereotypes women into honing traditional gender roles. Lastly, the Bill does not, in any way, cater to the progressive, working women of today. The Bill has its centre only on sexual and reproductive health rights of the pregnant mother - and it leaves glaring gaps even in that framework - but what it entirely misses are obligations of the workplace or establishment to ensure that the pregnant woman feels comfortable in coming back to work after the maternity leave is completed. The law does not have any provisions to establish mechanisms to professionally nurture the pregnant woman who is on maternity leave. The corporate sector and allied human resources mechanisms still harbour gender bias that is not completely removed by incorporating a long maternity leave with benefits. As the law is implemented, the perception of employers may add to this prejudice, and reduce the number of women in the workforce. The intent of the law is to protect the health and well-being of new mothers and babies only, thereby, marking motherhood as the centre of the womans life, but the concerns of the ambitious, professional woman remain unaddressed, unfortunately. The author expresses sincere thanks to Shaonli Chakraborty for her ideas and support. New Delhi: In the third accident in a week involving a luxury car, a BMW allegedly driven by an inebriated man rammed into an Uber cab and an auto, injuring four persons in south Delhi's RK Puram area on Sunday morning. Police said that the incident was reported on Major Somnath Sharma Marg in sector 9 at 8:30 am, when a BMW car travelling on the wrong side of the road allegedly rammed in a Swift Dzire car and then an auto. The vehicle only stopped after breaking the boundary wall of a residential area. "The driver of the car has been arrested and it is suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol. A liquor bottle has been recovered from his car," said a senior police officer. The driver of the silver-coloured BMW, Rajat Prabhakar, is a resident of Karol Bagh and was allegedly inebriated at the time of the accident, he said. The Swift Dzire car was a cab driven by Pradeep (35). He was dropping a married couple, Munni Dutta (28) and her husband Bitoo Pal (32), to the airport. They are both critically injured and doctors had not declared them stable till evening. Police said that the couple belongs to Assam and is currently undergoing treatment at Aiims trauma centre, along with others who were injured in the accident. The autorickshaw was parked on the side and the driver Ram Chander (60) was inside. "The driver of the BMW was coming from the wrong side and had a head on collision with the cab and auto," said the officer. Police said they have informed family members of the couple, both of whom work at private companies in Noida. Chander's wife Ramvati said that her husband had been driving auto since the last 40 years but had never had an accident until Sunday. The auto driver was reading a newspaper in the auto when the BMW hit his vehicle. The accused helps his father in their business. Last week, a Mercedes had killed a teen biker in outer Delhi's Paschim Vihar area, following which two men were arrested. In another incident, a 50-year-old labourer was injured in south Delhi's Moti Bagh area when he was hit by a Mercedes car. Jammu: In second ceasefire violation in less than 24 hours, Pakistani troops on Monday resorted to mortar shelling and firing by automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the army to retaliate. "There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Poonch sector from 0640 hours on Monday, using 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons," a defence spokesman said. Indian Army personnel took positions and responded befittingly to the Pakistani firing, the spokesman said, adding that intermittent firing was going on. There is no casualty on the Indian side, he said. This is the second ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Poonch district since Saturday. On Saturday, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and mortar shelling in Krishnagati sector along the LoC in Pooch district. On 9 March, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch. Condemning Pakistan for the ceasefire violation, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said, "It is an old habit of Pakistan that it always resorts to unprovoked firing along the LoC whenever there is a festival." The Union minister of state for information and broadcasting said that the soldiers were guarding the border with the same determination as "we vow to end evil things on Holi". Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said, "I think the Indian government, Indian agencies are capable of meeting any kind of challenge. You must trust the Modi government to give a befitting response (to ceasefire violations by Pakistan)." The media in today's India is not interested in complex stories, or in questions of democracy and dissent. The media may be doing its job as the fourth pillar of democracy, but it's is a job it's ill-suited for, because education is not training them for it. Headlines in all the reports of my sacking from St. Joseph's harp on my homosexuality. All that I said about democracy and dissent is forgotten. The question I am asked is whether the sacking was because of my sexuality or any other reason. As if this binary is so self-evident and it can be only one or the other. Well, the answer is that it is both my sexuality and other reasons. They are tied together. My sexual orientation was not in my job application, as the college claims. But there is no need to mention one's sexual orientation in a job application. The principal did not even interview me it was two English professors and one Jesuit representing the establishment the principal was not around. My sexual orientation was the reason I was denied the job at St. Josephs College of Commerce a little while before the interview at St. Josephs College of Arts and Science. It was the reason I was suddenly uncalled for an interview by Mount Carmel College's English department before that, on the day of the scheduled interview. So, had the priests and nuns communicated with each other better and had the principal known, it is highly likely I would not have gotten the job at St. Josephs in the first place. Religious institutions of all kinds are homophobic. Any LGBT faculty in any of these places are in the closet and with good reason. I am an activist and so ever since I came back to the country after my PhD, I have been out and proud, as a gay academic. I do research on sexuality. Minority sexual orientations are a no-no in most institutions across the country but especially, and ironically, in minority institutions. For all their talk of being for the marginalised and the suffering, let's make a list of all the LGBT faculty Bangalore's Christian institutions have. The page might well be blank. Most importantly, however, my sexuality is tied up with various other issues that I have been talking about in classes, which have upset the Jesuits enough to throw me out. These topics, in any open-minded, democratic educational institution, are par for the course: Abortion, sex work, religion versus science, monolithic understandings versus pluralism, surrogacy, tribal rights, Dalit rights, women's rights, the rights of sexual minorities, environmental rights, First World exploitation of Third World natural resources, Maoism, standing for the National Anthem in cinema halls, patriotism, nationalism, child sexual abuse, the rights of students in the face of draconian, anti-democratic rights in colleges and universities. Some of these, allegedly, "very much disturbed" (sic) students and their parents. So the question of my sexual orientation is tied up with larger questions of democracy and dissent and the dangerous new direction that educational institutions in India are taking. Is it taboo to talk about, discuss and build arguments about these issues in an educational institution or in a democratic society? Are critical and political disagreement, debate and discussion of these issues central to the structure of argumentation in speech, reading and writing, which is what we teach in general English classes across the board to be discouraged, censured and expelled from the classroom? If a handful (or even a large group) of conservative students are upset by some of these arguments, does that mean they have the right to ask for a teacher to be removed? Do parents have a right to doctor what is taught in educational institutions? Are academic establishments allowed to hide behind students and parents to sack faculty they do not like? Are only straight (hegemonic, conservative) faculty who toe the line to be hired? Is a gay perspective too disturbing for the majority? Is a dissenting view from the norm something students need to be protected from? What are the implications of these questions? They tie up beautifully with the government's new education plan where any political organising among students is not to be allowed. Apparently, there are courts and other institutions to deal with inequality and exploitation. Students don't need to do anything about it. What kinds of students will fill the courts and institutions once they graduate if this is what we do to them and their teachers in college? What is the kind of society we are moving toward? Ashley Tellis was a professor at Bangalore's St. Joseph's College of Arts and Science, and was sacked by the institution on 9 March. A crushing defeat in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly election has put former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in a precarious position. The Samajwadi Party supremo, who only months ago had displaced his father and party founder, Mulayam Singh Yadav, from the post of national party president, would have been left reeling after the recent setback. SP's performance in this election winning 47 seats, down from 224 in 2012 is its worst showing ever and has raised questions on Akhilesh's leadership ability. As expected, the banner of rebellion has started rising against him. In conversation with Firstpost, SP leader and founding member CP Rai, the party's general secretary since its inception and known Mulayam aide, questioned Akhilesh's decision to form an alliance with Congress and his 'offer' to tie up with Mayawati's BSP following the exit poll results. Rai said that BJP's deft handling of the election on multiple fronts worked in its favour and thus believes that Akhilesh should let Mulayam come back as party president to regroup the party. He said that all SP members need to united again and that Akhilesh should take his own time to evolve. Excerpts from the interview: What do you think propelled BJP to victory? And why did SP suffer such a crushing defeat? We need to introspect on a few things. I told Mulayam to concede that in BJP, anyone could become anything at any point, irrespective of their surname. We dont know Narendra Modi or Amit Shahs caste. The BJP was successful in conveying that for SP, backward community meant Yadavs and for Mayawati, Dalit meant only Jatavs, and that both parties are trying to outbid support from Muslim community. Mulayams humiliation at the hands of Akhilesh also drove some Yadavs towards the BJP. Mulayam had thrown Congress out of power in 1989 and had kept them on the margins since. Then how did Congress suddenly became an asset for SP? It is part of the Congress culture to thrust the same old tired persons, who have been around for fifty years and done nothing, onto people like they had done with Sheila Dikshitji in Delhi. The most unfortunate part is that they are now trying to make Rahul Gandhi a leader. As I have said earlier, Rahul is a true follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji had said in 1947 that the fight for Independence was over, so the Congress should be disbanded. Now Rahulji, being a true follower, is fulfilling Gandhijis words. Till the time Congress make an effort to pitch Rahul against Modi, BJP will consciously give importance to Rahul. Because they know that until he is around, no one can stop BJPs onward march. Then what do you make of Akhilesh's explanation, that theirs was an alliance between two youth, two mighty powers coming together? Thats because Akhilesh is as political as Rahul. If SP had not fought in amongst ourselves, we would have done well. Even if we had lost elections, we would have got around 140 seats. Are you suggesting that Akhilesh is not political? See, when you suddenly come into power, the bureaucrats intoxicate you a lot. You can check the records, there would not have been a single day when Akhileshji wouldn't have attended at least three programs at Indira Prathisthan, Taj Hotel and elsewhere that had no connection with politics. This was done by the bureaucrats to keep him occupied with them. Those suit-tie wearing, English speaking guys were brought in to talk laudatory things about Akhilesh. As a result, he wouldnt had no time to talk to his own people, his own party members. Was he not giving enough time to his party leaders... not taking feedback from them? Even someone like me, the party's general secretary, hasn't spoken to him for a year. Many ministers wouldnt get time to meet him. No party runs this way. And the young guys around him, just as the bureaucrats, would talk only nice things about him.. telling him 'bhaiya you are winning, you are going to be the chief minister.' What happens consequently is that in all this noise, the voice of reality gets drowned. When you focus on the 1,000-1,500 people standing outside your door, you tend to forget about the other 22 crore in your state. Would you then agree that the slogan "kaam bolta hai" was misconceived... Something that could only be counterproductive? How can the people of Balia-Ghazipur identify with a five km long metro line in Lucknow? How do people outside of the areas surrounding the Lucknow-Agra expressway appreciate it? Areas within Agra, and other areas connecting to Agra, have many problems, like broken dusty roads. Do you think people of those areas would feel satisfied that an expressway has been built at a distance? Can you go to Balia, Ghazipur or Azamgarh through this expressway? What does expressway mean to them, when they dont have any basic facilities. The expressway has been built with our money, not with money of some capitalist. The bureaucrats have built this road at a cost of Rs 48 crore per km, when such roads are otherwise built at Rs 15 crore per km. You spend so much money to beautify Gomti by putting up lights, but there people still living in filth that don't have drinking water. By doing such superficial things, you cant claim to have done development. Does this mean that BJP had easy pickings in this election? Did SP have no counter to Modi 's persona or Amit Shah's organisational skills? BJP addressed issues on a multiple front. On one hand, they appeased different sections of society, by reaching out to people of all castes non-Yadav OBCs, non-Jatav Dalits. On the other hand, they addressed concerns of other (Hindu) communities as well. And by placing Modi as a 'messiah of the poor', they took away SP's plank. Another interesting aspect is how the BJP won in places where voters are predominantly Muslim. What went wrong for Akhilesh? Were his problems compounded by the fact that Mulayam forced his candidates on Akhilesh? Almost all of the 47 seats won by SP, except for four-five, had candidates placed by Netaji. All kinds of forces were used to defeat Shivpal Yadav but, with Netaji campaigning there, he won by a margin of 52,000 votes. Parasnath Yadav was lagging behind in Jaunpur, but after Netaji went there, he won. Aparna Yadav lost from Lucknow Cantt, despite Netaji going there for her campaign. That's because the Cantt was never our seat... that is an elite class seat. So if Netaji goes to three places, out of which we win at two, what does it mean? It means that he has a standing among the people. Do you admit that the alliance was a huge mistake? Why did he do it? And do you think it was mature on his part to reach out to Mayawati post the exit polls? Ye sab adhkachrepan aur gair jimedari ki, gair rajnitik hone ki nishani hai... uske lakshan hai, praman hai (this is a sign of Akhilesh's being half baked, irresponsible strategy...it shows that he is a non-political person). So was the alliance with Congress a huge mistake Look at the results of the Lok Sabha polls. The outcome clearly indicates that people believed that Congress was a corrupt party... a party which indulged in scam worth crores. The Vinod Rai (CAG) report made it known to everyone. Whoever was seen as friends with Congress, in any part of the country, lost badly. The fact that Uttar Pradesh is in the grips of a Modi wave didn't help the SP either. But, their alliance with Congress was detrimental as those who have sided with them have lost badly, and those who were not with Congress, like BJD in Orissa, AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, have won with two-thirds majority. But we didnt learn any lessons from that and aligned with Congress in the Assembly elections. I want to salute Congress they may destroy themselves but will not let go of Rahul as their leader. What should be Akhilesh's next move? Akhileshji had promised before the elections that he will leave the party president post to me, till the elections, and that after winning, would gift the victory to Netaji and hand the post back to him. So, I appeal to Akhileshji, with folded hands, to fulfil his promise. We have worked as a team, built the party and formed the government on several occasions. We will again build the party and Akhileshs future will be our concern. After all, he is going to be the future of the party. Ram Gopal Yadavs negative role and negative character should also be highlighted. Do you think the party will spilt... as Shivpal had said before the elections? We want the party to stay united. We are all committed to Netaji. No other leader, except Faroq Abdullah, has handed over his legacy (chief minister) and became a minister at the Centre. No other leader did that, but Netaji did that and you think that Netaji is your enemy. I know that the line I have taken today will bring harm to me. But I am a committed Samajwadi and someone had to begin this. I want the party to stay united. All the political tiddlers in the fray in these five states know on which side their bread is buttered. So, what is so upsetting about them offering the BJP support in Manipur and Goa and hanging onto the BJP coattails? There's no problem if you go purely by the rulebook and not the spirit in which it is done. PC Chidambarams shrill howl of protest that the BJP is stealing the polls is rubbish. It is these guys who invented the walkover and the buy up and the other euphemisms for selling ones soul. Why would anyone, whether they belonging to the also-rans or the independents, not take full benefit of being pivotal in the formation of the government. It makes total sense. The Congress's future is unsure, even bleak, even though it is the single largest seat winner in Manipur and Goa. On the one side you have Caesar striding into Rome: Modi the master and emperor of all that he surveys ready to take India to a new frontier. On the other you have no one of any stature or competitive competence. Not only are you deemed powerful for making up the much-needed numbers, but you have the runner up in the palm of your hands and can blackmail it into so many delicious decisions. The multitude of favours that could be granted to those that prop up one party perhaps makes them more of a force than the main bloc of the cobbled coalition. This buddy-buddy stuff will encompass the giving of contracts, the positioning of friends and relatives in jobs, pork barrel agreements and beyond the ken arrangements of convenience to keep a BJP chief minister in his chair in Goa and Manipur. So long as there is no rule that prevents the cute and fey and very clever political precedent of offering support (unconditional or otherwise) no foul, no harm. Well, one hopes no harm. Of course it is technically unfair to lose the race and then turn it into a show of strength by horse-trading but it is not illegal. Unless Parliament or the Supreme Court can pass a bill banning coalitions per se and making such indecisive elections the equivalent of a hung jury in a trial and render the election null and void, this option is valid. Perhaps one day when our democracy is far more mature there will be no alliances before or after the fact. There is good call for such a development because the democratic tenet of representing the wishes of the people is lost. Not just lost, it is an insult. These are not the people or parties that won the public vote. For example, we have Mohan Parrikar rushing off in unceremonious haste to wear the CMs crown in Goa and dumping his duties as defence minister as if it was of no consequencethis is the man who had promised to refurbish and reinvent and reinforce the services and upgrade the military procurements across the board. That grand saga went soggy pretty damn fast. And he has scarpered off to Goa to lead a team that did not win. It might be devilishly clever to have shepherded the minnows into your net but it is a pyrrhic victory and not worth abdicating your responsibilities as the defence minister. The day these cardboard props want to drop you they can--so the BJP will always be a minority--frankly, they did not need to do this. Let the Congress mess about with these mixes. Then, when they crash-land after going for broke, the Modi magic will still be there. This way, it is just not edifying for the BJP to stand so tall in UP and bend over and stoop to conquer in Goa and Manipur. With the dramatic developments overnight and 24 hours after the election results for the five states were announced, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in three out of the five states that went to polls. Its parliamentary board authorised party chief Amit Shah to decide chief minister probables in these states. The decision will be taken in consultation with the observers appointed for each state. After the decisive results of the elections in five states with BJP enjoying full majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand the party, in the last 24 hours, snapped up enough numbers to stake claim to form the government in Manipur and Goa as well. Despite being a runner-up in Goa, with Congress in the lead, the BJP on Sunday pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in coalition with local outfits and independents under Manohar Parrikar, a day after the fractured verdict. The BJP, with 13 MLAs in the 40-member state assembly, finished second after the Congress, which has the highest number of legislators; 17. Union minister and the BJP's election-in-charge for Goa, Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said, "Parrikar will resign as the Defence Minister before taking oath as Chief Minister of Goa." In Manipur, Amid the BJP claiming support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, outgoing Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam on Sunday said the Congress, being the single largest party, must be allowed first to form the government. "The Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, so as per the Constitution the single largest party should be called first to form the government and prove its strength on the floor of the House," he told reporters here. Flanked by NPP and LJP leaders and their winning candidates, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav told a press conference in Imphal, "We have been able to come to an understanding with the NPP and the Lok Janshakti Party in our bid to form the government in Manipur." The NPP and the LJP, both NDA constituents at the Centre, have won four seats and one seat respectively. Despite the backing of these five MLAs, BJP, which has won 21 seats in the 60-member assembly, will require the backing of five more to reach the magic figure of 31. Madhav said that as per an "understanding" with another NDA partner Naga People's Front, which has won four seats, the number will go up to 30 and the support of one more MLA be "secured". In Manipur, Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats. The party raised an alarm as the BJP appeared on course to forming the government in Manipur. "As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting the law and democracy," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. Addressing a press conference after the BJP parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi on Sunday, Union Minister JP Nadda said BJP leaders M Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav will go to Uttar Pradesh as observers. Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party leader Saroj Pandey have been named observers for Uttarakhand. Power Minister Piyush Goyal and national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been sent as observers to Manipur. "We will hold the meetings soon after Holi," Nadda said. "Party president Amit Shah has been tasked to decide the Chief Ministers from the party in all the states after seeing the reports that the observers send," Nadda said. Speculations are escalating over who might bag the top job in Uttar Pradesh. While the contenders include the state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and hardliner MP of Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath and telecom minister Manoj Sinha is touted as a strong candidate for the coveted job. A section of party leaders is also talking about eight-time MLA Suresh Khanna besides Home Minister Rajnath Singh, whose profile makes him a natural claimant for the job. Sources, however, have told The Times of India that Rajnath is not too keen. With inputs from agencies Trying to figure out trends among voters during an election campaign is tough. Trying to predict the results on the basis of an "election tour" is a slippery slope to shame for pundits. Experienced politicians with an ear to the ground are generally quite quick at assessing the public mood. While traveling on an election campaign, I have overheard such political masters as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and VP Singh remark as soon as they finish making a speech hum yahan haar rahein hain (we are losing here). That sort of feel for the public pulse is rare among ordinary mortals. But it is possible to get a sense of the pulse with sheer hard work and diligence. One of the first things I figured out when I began covering elections was that urban trends were far more difficult to predict than rural ones. For, while urban voters tend to vote as individuals, group patterns tend to hold firm among rural voters. It helped that I got my early immersion in election coverage in Uttar Pradesh, during campaigning for the 1991 Lok Sabha election campaign. Those elections took place less than a year after the Mandal report had been implemented and the Ram Rath Yatra had tried to mobilise Hindutva consolidation. It was as fierce a campaign as one can imagine. And if that was not enough, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in the middle of campaigning. Part of the state had already voted; the rest was yet to vote. And the elections went on interminably during an extremely hot summer. While traveling through rural areas, one had to learn to keep in mind the sociological profile of each person one interviewed. I learnt pretty early that interviewing several individuals separately was far more useful than chatting with a large bunch. Tedious, but far more fruitful. One had to figure out not only a person's age and relative socioeconomic status but also his/her caste. In the heartland of 'Bharat', during the Mandal riots, I learnt that caste was an extraordinarily important part of person's sociological profile. Another thing one learnt quickly was never to directly ask a voter which way they would vote. Rather, one asked what the trends in that area were. Invariably, the interviewee would describe the trends among their own kind of people ie, among their caste, gender, age and socioeconomic type. One also learnt not to ask which one party was likely to win. It worked much better if one asked what the main fight was which were the main contenders. More often than not, the interviewee mentioned the party he/she preferred, as also the leader of the pack in that area. In those elections of 1991, and the next few elections in UP, it became quite that people were by and large voting according to caste affiliations. By traveling over longer distances and interviewing different kinds of people at some intervals, one could figure out general patterns even call the election. It's very difficult to predict an outcome without that kind of extensive tour, without a keen eye on sociological patterns. Even massive waves such as the ones in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the last few years can be tough to see without this sort of rigour. Some of the most high-profile journalists missed such obvious waves like the one in Andhra Pradesh in 1994 and in Kashmir in 2002. Since the latter was an anti-incumbency wave, it was not clear whether the Congress or the PDP would win. But it was clear that the National Conference was set to lose. Not every round of elections is so easy to read, even with rigorous hard work. The Bihar election of 1995, for instance, was tough to call, as was the Goa election that just ended. Given energy, interest and requisite rigour, though, it can be exhilarating to cover an election campaign. Last week, the Brihanmumbai Municipal corporations (BMCs) historic central hall saw high-decibel drama with the Shiv Sena getting its mayoral candidate elected. Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray accompanied by his wife and power centre of the party Rashmi Thackeray and son Aaditya raised their fists and congratulated new mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar as he took the high chair. But deep inside all, three of them know that they have to brace for what is going to be their toughest term in 25 years of ruling the BMC. What followed was 82 BJP corporators chanting "Modi, Modi!", as if to boo Uddhav. This was countered by 84 Sena corporators shouting slogans praising late Sena chief Bal Thackeray. The 31 Congress corporators, with the party's lowest-ever tally, looked helpless as though they have been forced to play the role of a scathing Opposition, and their bargaining power is going south. This is more of a worry for the Shiv Sena with the Congress no longer in a position to give it the tacit support it did over the past two decades in the BMC. During the past four terms, Congress was the party with the second-largest strength in the 227-member House, which meant it had significant representation in civic committees mainly the standing committee and improvements committe that control a major portion of the body's Rs 37,000-crore budget. The tacit support was so brazen that in 2006, late Congress chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had famously punned saying how the standing committee of the BMC was in fact an 'understanding committee' aiming jibes at the Shiv Sena and his own party members. In turn, the Thackerays returned the favour by offering their support to Congress presidential candidates like Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee. They also helped Congress leader Sunil Dutt when he fell on bad times. And with the BJP declaring that it would stay out of committee chairmanships, it has played a masterstroke that the Sena and Congress will need to counter cleverly. Also, the move of the BJP-run state government to introduce a deputy lokayukta a watchdog to monitor the BMCs functioning has put them in a further fix. The standing committee is the most powerful statutory committee in the BMC as it is responsible for clearing all civic contracts above Rs 10 lakh. The representation in the 26-member standing and improvements committees depends on a partys strength in the corporation. With the new numbers, Shiv Sena will have 11 members of which one is the chairman and cant vote. The BJP will have 10, the Congress three, and the MNS, NCP and Samajwadi Party will have one each. To get any contract cleared, the Sena-led committee will need to have a majority, which is 14 votes. With 10 members of its own, and if the BJP doesnt support a proposal, it is left with no option but to rely on the Congress for the magic figure. But the Congress in the current situation, wants to be careful and does not wish to be seen as a partner of the Sena. The situation is no different with the improvements committee which decides on all improvements of municipal properties. This involves multi-crore land deals including acquisitions, redevelopment, transfers, and reservation of plots. The composition here is the same as that of the standing committee. A Mumbai BJP MLA who was on the standing committee a decade ago, reminisces how his party would never be in the reckoning back then with only two or three members, and contracts would get cleared without their nod. "I had then asked the Sena chairman why they dont even consider our opinion while passing a proposal when we have helped them win seats in the election. He had said after winning, it is the committee strength that matters. Today, thats changed with our numbers becoming almost equal to Sena's," the MLA said on condition of anonymity. In a rally before the BMC elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had alleged how the BJP was sidelined while clearing major contracts in the standing committee, while putting out a case for transparency. A classic example of this is former Shiv Sena standing committee chairman Yashodhar Phanse who approved 71 expenditure proposals amounting to around Rs 1,000 crore within 40 minutes on 21 December, 2016, the last day before the code of conduct came into force. All this without a word of opposition from the Congress. The Mumbai Congress president said his party has clearly put out a message that it is against the Shiv Sena. "The very fact that we had a Congress candidate contesting elections has made it clear that we are not supporting the Sena in any way, direct or indirect," said Bhai Jagtap. Surendra Jondhale, political analyst and professor, Political Science from Mumbai University, said that although the BJP helped the Sena get the mayor of its choice, this is only on paper and the real game will be played on the floor of the standing committee, which is BMCs money-making machine. "The Congress, with its current performance and the BJPs hawkish nature, has been forced to play the Opposition role. The term ought to be a difficult one for the Sena since everyone will be turning against the party," Jondhale said. The author is a research fellow with Observer Research Foundation, Mumbai. Views expressed are personal Panaji: A group of Congress legislators in Goa were "upset" and blamed the party's top leadership for the failure to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly polls. "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right as the single largest party to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time," Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency, told PTI on Monday. He said that "gross mismanagement" by party leaders and the "delay" in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole the march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power. Congress' lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, "Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government." "People had given us the mandate but party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault," she said. Similarly, senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. "Why should we blame someone for forming the government, when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number," Lourenco said. "People wanted us to form the government and hence, they had rejected the BJP. But we failed to give people their government," he added. All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said he would speak to the Congress legislators who have expressed resentment. "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out," Singh said on Monday. On Saturday, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and independents under Manohar Parrikar. As the saffron party outmaneuvered the Congress in its bid to power, Singh had accused Parrikar of indulging in "horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress". Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is all set to start his third innings as the chief minister for Goa. According to India Today, Parrikar will be sworn-in as the chief minister by governor Mridula Sinha at 5 pm in Panaji on Tuesday. His cabinet will include MGP's Sudin Dhavalikar, who is tipped to be the deputy chief minister, and Goa Forward party's Vijai Sardesai, along with 10 other members. The climax to the political deadlock in the state peaked on Sunday night when the BJP pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in coalition with local outfits and independents under Manohar Parrikar, a day after the fractured verdict. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday night had appointed Parrikar, the BJP Legislature, Party leader, as the chief minister and asked him to prove majority on floor of House within 15 days of taking oath. In evening, the BJP members led by the incumbent Defence Minister called on the Governor and formally staked the government formation claim. The BJP has enlisted the support of two independents, three members each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). Goa Governor appoints Manohar Parrikar as the CM, asks to prove majority within 15 days of administration of oath of office and secrecy pic.twitter.com/dZMCbkWwFD ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017 Though the lone NCP member Churchill Alemao has also backed the coalition, he is yet to submit the formal letter of support. "Governor Mridula Sinha has appointed Manohar Parrikar, the Leader of the Goa BJP legislature party, as the chief minister of Goa," Rupesh Kumar Thakur, Secretary to Governor has stated in the press note issued in Panaji on Sunday night. Parrikar has submitted evidence before Governor, the support of 13 MLAs of BJP, three MLAs of MGP, three of Goa Forward party and two independent MLAs thus having a total strength of 21 MLAs in the 40-member assembly, it stated. The BJP, which has bagged 13 seats, four less than the Congress which has emerged as the single largest party, stole the march on its rival which has failed to muster the numbers to capture power. In the 40-member House, the Congress has 17 MLAs, followed by the BJP with 13, MGP (three), GFP (three), NCP (one) and Independents (three). "Though the BJP fell short of the numbers required to form government, with the help of alliance partners, the magical figure of 21 seats is achieved. Definitely it was difficult as it was a new department (Def Min) but I am happy no corruption allegation levelled on our Govt: M Parrikar pic.twitter.com/jMp5qqiRMQ ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017 "I promise that we will give stable government which will work towards the development of the state," Parrikar told reporters in a joint press conference with Union minister and BJP's Goa election incharge Nitin Gadkari. Addressing reporters after the BJP staked the claim, Gadkari said Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before taking oath as Chief Minister of Goa. "When none of the parties could get absolute majority in Goa, it was obvious that we would form the government with the like-minded parties. I held meetings with MGP and Goa Forward Party who put forth the condition that they would support the party only if government is led by Manohar Parrikar," he said. Gadkari said the decision to send Parrikar, who was doing a "tremendous good job as defence minister, back to Goa has been endorsed by BJP Parliamentary Board. As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid for power, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh has accused Parrikar of indulging in "horse trading and "hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress." Deploring the BJP's move, Digvijay said, "It is absolutely wrong on the part of the BJP to grab power when the mandate was given to the Congress by the voters (by virtue of being the single largest party)." Singh said being the single largest party, the Congress had the "first right as well as the popular mandate" to form government, which has been "hijacked by Parrikar." "Parrikar has brought down the morality of politics in the country. His act of indulging in horse-trading has affected the morale of Goan politicians," he said. The Congress was apparently counting on the support of the GFP which has won three seats in its debut election. However, the BJP succeeded in keeping the Congress at bay. The GFP initially had an adjustment with the Congress, but the latter fielded its nominees against Vijai Sairdesai in Fatorda and Vinod Palyekar in Siolim. Another debutant MLA of the party is Jayesh Salgaonkar from Saligaon. Digvijay had said the Congress has the numbers to form government, but the BJP was indulged in "horse-trading" to reach the majority mark. "BJP has been involved in horse-trading, promising sums, ministries, corporations and SUVs to non-BJP MLAs to get their support. "I have never seen in any other state where a political party which has been outrightly rejected, where the CM has lost, six ministers have lost, yet they are staking claim to form the government," he told reporters. "The BJP should accept the defeat. The people of Goa have defeated the BJP," said Singh who is in Goa to oversee the party's affairs after counting of votes. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram too slammed the BJP for allegedly subverting democracy and making a backdoor entry to power in Manipur and Goa. He charged the saffron party of stealing the elections in these states which threw a hung Assembly. A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 13, 2017 In afternoon, the newly-elected BJP MLAs passed a resolution urging party chief Amit Shah to nominate Parrikar as the leader of the legislature party. The GFP leader Vijai Sardesai told media persons they are extending support to the BJP to provide stable government in the coastal state. "We are supporting BJP to have stability in the government. We don't want development of the state to hinder due to instability," he said. The MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar said his party has supported the BJP on the condition that only Parrikar heads the state government. We will support BJP on the condition that Manohar Parrikar is declared the CM candidate of Goa: Deepak Dhavlikar President, MGP pic.twitter.com/DyTjeFl2R0 ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017 "We have given the letter of support to the BJP only because of Parrikar. Without him, we would not have supported the BJP to form the next government," he said. Among the local outfits who have extended support to BJP, the MGP was the erstwhile ally in outgoing BJP government, before it pulled out ahead of polls last month in protest against the leadership of former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Parsekar lost his Mandrem seat to a Congress candidate. MGP candidates Sudin Dhavlikar, Deepak Pawaskar and Manohar Ajgaonkar have won from Madkai, Sanvordem, and Pernem seats, respectively. The Independent candidates who have extended support are Rohan Khaunte (Porvorim) and Govind Gawde (Priol). (WIth inputs from agencies) Auto refresh feeds The exit polls projected BJP winning an average of 15 to 20 seats. Though the BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party, there is a possibility that the party may not reach the majority mark of 21 seats. A day before the counting day, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that the BJP is confident of winning a majority and will not require any post-poll alliance. Being Indias tiniest state, the average votes cast on 4 February comes to 24,627 votes cast in each of Goas 40 constituencies. If the past is any indicator, victory margins in many constituencies could yet again be very narrow in which roughly 440 postal ballots on an average in each constituency may make or mar the chances of political parties and chief minister aspirants. Smaller states like Goa witness different brand of political permutations and combinations. After 81 percent out of the states eligible and registered 11.09 lakh voters opted to exercise their right to franchise on 4 February, Goa continues to witness a slugfest over postal ballots. Three exit polls Axis My India, C-Voter and MRC have given the BJP an edge over its competitors. The party is likely to win 15 to 22 seats, followed by Congress. MRC predicts 15 seats for BJP, 10 for Congress and AAP seven. Meanwhile, C-voter predicts that BJP may retain Goa with 18 seats and Congress may gain six seats. AAP which is making its debut in Goa might just end up only two seats. C-Voter exit poll predicts that BJP would be the single largest party in Goa. The exit polls released on Thursday projected a win for BJP in the 40-seat Goa Assembly. The exit polls put Congress in the second lead and predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might not repeat its Delhi success in Goa. Circumstances will dictate if Parrikar would be back where Goans want him to. He may be asked to form the next government if BJP falls short of the majority since his magnetic personality will attract Independents and some smaller parties to support BJP. However, if BJP gets majority on its own, Parrikar may stay put as the defence minister and asked to nominate the new chief minister, as he was asked to in 2014 when he handpicked Laxmikant Parsekar as his successor. Union defence minister is unarguably the most popular BJP leader in Goa and the majority of Goans would want to see Parrikar back as the next chief minister. So would Parrikar, who had moved to the Centre, rather reluctantly in November 2014. It is D-Day for candidates belonging to the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the debutant AAP. While BJP will look to retain the state, Congress would look to make a comeback. The Aam Aadmi Party will look to recreate its Delhi magic. Uncertainty hovers over incumbent Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekars future even in the event of BJP forming the new Goa government.Parrikar had nominated Parsekar as his successor since he allegedly did not want a strong leader to emerge from the BJP ranks as his replacement. DSouza entered Goa Assembly in 1999 and remains undefeated since then. He was appointed deputy chief minister when Parrikar formed the government in 2012. He was seen as a strong contender to replace Parrikar as chief minister in 2014 and made his displeasure public when his claim was overlooked, while asking him to continue as deputy chief minister. Victory margins in many constituencies could yet again be very narrow in which roughly 440 postal ballots on an average in each constituency may make or mar the chances of political parties and chief minister aspirants. In an earlier interview to Firstpost , Gomes said that Kejriwal has been the guiding force, whether it is policy formulation or implementation. Our door-to-door campaign has helped AAP a lot. We paid heed to the peoples voices and it finds representation in our manifesto, he said. Postal counting starts at 8 AM. EVMs to be opened at 8.30 AM. Results for all the 40 seats are expected by 12 PM. Talking to Firstpost, BJP may end up being the single largest party. AAP may not create much of a flutter in the state. However, it will probably not join hands with the Congress. The fact that Parrikar and Laxmikant Parsekar did not face any taint of corruption worked in their favour. Counting of postal ballots have started in Goa. In all 17,590 postal ballots were issued to government servants who were deployed on election duty when Goa voted on 4 February. Two counting centres are buzzing with activities -- counting for 19 seats of North Goa is taking place in the state capital Panaji while counting for the remaining 21 seats of South Goa is being done in Madgaon, considered as Goa's commercial capital. The Congress, the prime opponent of the BJP, has fielded four former chief ministers - Digambar Kamat, Pratapsinh Rane, Ravi Naik and Luizinho Faleiro in their respective constituencies, while the NCP has given a ticket to Churchill Alemao. In all 1,649 EVMs were used for Goa polls. They would be opened at 8.30 am after counting of postal ballots get over. Goa has over a dozen chief ministerial aspirants, including some independents who are ready with their dreams and sustained dreams if Goa throws up yet another hung Assembly. According to Times Now, Goa has its first two leads, with Congress leading in two seats while one seat has an 'Others" candidate leading. Full country started counting at 8 am, but in Goa where 1,649 EVMs were used, counting started at 8.30. Feni likes to be fashionably late. Builds up suspense and all, no? According to initial trends, the Congress is leading in 3 seats in Goa while the Others is leading in one seat. Parsekar was locked in a 7 cornered contest in his home constituency. It was widely speculated that BJP's decision not to announce him as its chief ministerial candidate had weakened his hold over the North Goa constituency.Opposition parties had targeted Mandrem and Panaji, which happened to be constituency of Manohar Parrikar, to defeat BJP and take wind out of its sails in Goa. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lags behind his Congress rival Dayanand Sopte after the first round of counting in the Mandrem Assembly constituency in North Goa. Kunal, Goa CEO said that the biggest challenge it faced during the election in Goa: "Money power plays an important role in Goa and we had our flying squads in place monitoring the situation, accompanied by the IT officials and local police. We seized cash in abundance from various places during the election and it was let off only after verification of the sources of the funds." In the GPCC office. The vice president Sheikh along with other party members are closely monitoring the numbers. They're ecstatic that the CM is trailing in his constituency. Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza leading in Mapusa constituency. He has remained undefeated here since he won this North Goa seat first in 1999. D'Souza's victory may strengthen his claim to become first Christian chief minister from BJP's ranks. His claim was overlooked in favour of Laxmikant Parsekar when Manohar Parrikar stepped down as Goa chief minister in 2014. Now say 'hung Assembly', b*gger. Now say it. Since when Feni was asking, "What hung Assembly?", but no one listens only. Former Goa chief minister Pratapsingh Rane is leading in Poriem constituency. Rane has served as Goa chief minister for six terms and is among the strong contenders to become chief minister for the seventh time if his Congress party finds itself in a position to form the new government. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is headed for a disastrous debut in Goa. The party that claimed it will sweep Goa polls, is trailing in all seats it contested, including its chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes in Cuncolim seat. Laxmikand Parsekar was defeated by Congress party's Dayanand Sopte, once a close confidant of Parsekar. Sopte had defected from the BJP and was rewarded with nomination by the Congress. Sopte has now won by a margin of 3,500 votes. The Congress was leading in eight seats in Goa and the ruling BJP in five of the 40 constituencies in the state after the first three hours of counting of votes. While Goa Forward Party has gained lead in two seats, NCP leads in one. The MGP is ahead in Bicholim seat as well, with its candidate Naresh Sawal mantaining lead over BJP's Rajesh Patnekar. Congress's Francis Silveira bagged the St Andre constituency. He got the better of BJP's Ramrao Wagh by a margin of 5,070 votes. BJP candidates Pravin Zantye and Michael Lobo emerged victorious in Mayem and Calangute seats respectively. While Zantye defeated Congress rival Santosh Sawant by 4,974 votes, Lobo won by 4,460 votes against Congress candidate Joseph Sequeira. National general secretary Digvijaya Singh is likely to hold a party meeting at 6 pm today. Congress in Goa is likely to form the new government and get into an alliance with the NCP, MGP and Goa Forward. The ruling BJP suffered a major blow when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was defeated by Dayanand Sopte of the Congress at Mandrem by nearly 5,000 votes. MGP leader and former minister Sudin Dhavlikar has won from the Marcaim seat by a margin of over 13,000 votes, defeating BJP's Pradeep Sheth. Ironically, the thrust of Modis 28 January Goa rally was stability. He urged Goa voters to give BJP big majority to avoid fractured mandate and plunge Goa into political uncertainties of the past. Goa voters had none of it as they appear to have given a fractured majority. The best scenario for BJP was to send back Parrikar to Goa and officially name him as the chief ministerial candidate. The party refused to read the writing on the wall, just hoping that by using Parrikars name and Modis image, the party to emerge victorious. The 63-year-old leader was at helm of affairs in Goa from 2007-12. He was booked by Goa Crime Branch in the multi-crore Louis bribery case in 2015 along with his former cabinet colleague Churchill Alemao. Kamat further added, "The BJP-led government tried to harass me. They filed fake cases against me. They tried to jail me. Only God protected me." "I attribute my victory to all my party workers who stood by me and reposed their faith in me," Kamat told reporters outside the counting centre here in South Goa. MGP won in three constituencies, but lost two sitting seats Ponda represented by Lavoo Mamlatdar and Priol from where party President Dipak Dhavalikar was elected last time. The party retained Madkai, where its leader Sudin Dhavalikar won with a margin of more than 10,000 votes. It also won Pernem where its candidate Manohar Asgaonkar defeated BJP Minister Rajendra Arlekar and Sanvordem where its nominee Dipak Pawaskar trounced BJP's sitting MLA Ganesh Gaonkar. Laxmikant Parsekar, who addressed a press conference, along with Manohar Parrikar said that though the number of seats are a little less than Congress, the voting percentage of BJP is 33% and Congress is 28%. "We have provided a stable government in Goa. The coming term would again witness instability, the track record of development will receive a severe and serious setback and Goa will be pushed back at least by 10 years. But it is people's mandate and we have accepted it," he said. While the Congress has won 17 seats and is just four short of a majority in the Goa Assembly, the BJP too has is set to stake claim to retain the state. BJP which has won 13 seats is reportedly wooing parties like Goa Forward, MGP and two independents to form the next government. Media reports suggest that defence minster Manohar Parrikar may be elected as Goa chief minister in order to woo the smaller parties to join the alliance. With BJP stuck at 13 seats, it needs 8 more MLAs to form the government. It is to be noted that Parrikar had formed the government in 2000 with just 10 MLAs. The biggest gainers from that general sense of ennui with the established parties were Independents and small parties particularly candidates who have performed well. The lesson from the Goa Assembly election results is that sound and fury are not enough to counter deep political roots. People would rather trust power to those with a record of governance, even when such parties have disappointed in the recent past. The Aam Aadmi Party was the most visible during the campaign, but the relatively new party fared quite miserably. The traditional parties of governance in Goa the Congress and the BJP, fared relatively well even though people in general had been disappointed with their performances. "The people want Parrikar to come back to Goa. Now it will depend on the Goa Forward Party and MGP. If they support us, we will form the government in the state," said BJP legislator Michael Lobo, who got elected from Calangute constituency. He said if the GFP and MGP pledge support, the BJP can submit a letter to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha staking claim to form the state government. Three of the BJP's newly elected MLAs today rooted for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to take the lead to form government in Goa, if the smaller parties back it. Sudin Dhavalikar and his brother Deepak were ministers in the BJP-led coalition government for a good part of the last five years but were sacked by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar two months before the 4 February polls were announced after both brothers criticised his leadership. "We will have to strategise. How can we jump into anything? Coalition talks will happen in their own time," Dhavalikar said, even as political sources told IANS that the MGP leadership, including Dhavalikar, was in touch with both Congress and BJP leaders. With Goa throwing up a fractured mandate, leaders of smaller parties, who have turned kingmakers, have turned cautious even as both the Congress and the BJP desperately woo them. BJPs strategy to field eight Catholic candidates in Goa seems to have worked well for it. Although it won only 13 seats in the new 40-member Assembly, most of its Catholic candidates won their seats and one, Arthur DSilva, came second in the Curtolim constituency. The party has earned a lot of flak for fielding no Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and in several other states in the recent past. However, it adopted a different strategy in Goa with regard to minorities. According to CNN-News 18, Manohar Parrikar resigned as defence minister and he is on his way to meet the governor of Goa and form the next government. "MGP unanimously passed a resolution that it will extend support to BJP if they recall Parrikar from the Centre to the state and appoint him chief minister," MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar told PTI. "The resolution is very clear. MGP will support BJP only if Parrikar is made chief minister. Our support is not to BJP but to Parrikar," he added. Nitin Gadkari, during a press conference said that the BJP Parliamentary Board, party president Amit Shah are ready to make Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa. He clarified that he has not resigned as the defence minister yet. Depending on the governor's decision, Parrikar will resign as the defence minister before taking oath as CM. Capping the day of fast-paced developments, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday night appointed defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the BJP Legislature, Party leader, as the chief minister and asked him to prove majority on floor of House within 15 days of taking oath. Parrikar may contest the bypoll from Mapusa seat, which has to be vacated by former deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza. Parrikar is not yet a member of the legislative assembly and has to contest a poll in the next six months. According to India Today, D'Souza may be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha. MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar is all set to be the new deputy chief minister succeeding Francis D'souza. MGP, which bagged three seats, had extended its support on the condition that Parrikar be the chief minister. While five members of the cainet will be be from the BJP, two each will be from MGP and Goa Forward party. Two Independents will also take oath along with them, reports India Today. India Today reports that Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane along with many other MLAs are all set to quit the Congress over its inability to form the government despite emerging as the single largest party in the state. The son of former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane, Vishwajit has blamed the Delhi-based leaders for teh unexpected debacle. The Congress, which won 17 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly, on Monday night moved the Supreme Court challenging Governor Sinha's decision to invite the 13-MLA BJP, led by Parrikar, to form government, claiming that it violated the "established constitutional practice" of inviting the single-largest party in a hung Assembly. Chief Justice J S Khehar agreed to set up a special bench on Tuesday for an urgent hearing as the court is closed for a week for Holi, The Times of India reported. A day after the Congress alleged that the BJP 'stole' the elections in Goa and Manipur, Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear the party's plea challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's invitation to Manohar Parrikar to form the government in Goa. The petition, filed by advocate Devdutt Kamath, is likely to be argued by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and has made the Centre and Goa as the parties. A special bench would be constituted as the apex court is on Holi break for a week. The petition filed by Goa CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar has sought stay on the swearing-in of Parrikar as the chief minister. The petition has also sought quashing of the decision of the governor to appoint Parrikar as the chief minister. The Congress moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state. The hurriedly filed petition late on Monday evening was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing today. In a counter-move, Congress, late on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state. The hurriedly filed petition on Monday evening was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing today. On Monday, Parrikar quit as the defence minister and reports said that the swearing-in ceremony will be held at 5.30 pm in Panaji. Congress leaders lambasted the BJP leadership for a move which was "unconstitutional". Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram accused the BJP of "stealing" the elections in Goa and Manipur. Enlisting the support of two independents, three members each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and that of the lone NCP member, the BJP members led by the defence minister called upon Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday evening and formally staked the government formation claim. BJP pulled off a midnight coup in Goa and staked claim to form the next government under Manohar Parrikar despite emerging as the second largest party behind Congress in a fractured mandate. "Despite losing the mandate of the people, our political opponents (BJP) have tried to misrepresent to your good-self that they enjoy the majority support of legislators. This is not only opportunism at its lowest but is also not constitutionally permissible," Goa CLP Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar stated in the memorandum. The Congress urged Governor Mridula Sinha to invite the party to form the next government by virtue of being the single largest party, a day ahead of swearing-in of BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister. In a memorandum submitted to the Governor tonight, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) claimed to have the requisite support and that they can prove the same on the floor of the House. "We have adequate numbers. We are the single largest party and we should be invited to form the government," CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI. The Congress Legislative Party will meet Governor Mridula Sinha on Tuesday to stake claim to form the next government in Goa, stating that they have adequate numbers on their side. "We are holding a Congress Legislative Party meeting in the morning and then will be meeting the Governor at 10.00 AM to stake claim to form the next government. Depending upon which way the apex court views the Goa development, there is a strong possibility that Goa may be headed for a brief spell of Presidents Rule since the new Assembly must be constituted before 18 March. The Congress party is seeking cancellation of the gubernatorial invite to Parrikar. Parrikar along with an assorted Cabinet is scheduled to be sworn-in Tuesday evening. Eyes are fixed on how the apex court views this development and whether inviting Manohar Parrikar to form the new government can be held legitimate by it when it takes up for hearing a petition filed by the newly elected Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar. Chief Justice JS Khehar agreed to set up a special bench which will hear the petition at 10.30 am. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who has been vocal about Congress' poor performance in the elections, on Tuesday said that Goa Governor Mridula Sinha must work according to the Constitution. The petition, filed by advocate Devdutt Kamath, is likely to be argued by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and has made the Centre and Goa as the parties. The hurriedly filed petition late on Monday was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing. A special bench would be constituted as the apex court is on Holi break for a week. The petition filed by Goa CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar has sought stay on the swearing-in of Parrikar as the chief minister. The petition has also sought quashing of the decision of the governor to appoint Parrikar as the chief minister. Hearing on Congress' petition challenging appointment of Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister begins in the Supreme Court. The Congress earlier moved the apex court challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, at a press conference, said that Governor Mridula Sinha will meet "us at 1.30pm, though we wished that she should've met us earlier." TV channels report that Supreme Court had more than a few tough words for Congress who moved the apex court challenging Manohar Parrikar's appointment as the chief minister for Goa. Asking the Congress why did it not first approach the governor with the adequate numbers, the Supreme Court asked the party about the numbers required to form the government. -"The entire object of this hasty late night political maneuvering by the powers that be is to defeat the mandate of the people and to somehow grab power by misusing the office of the Governor." - Governor's move, a complete "departure from the Sarkaria Commission as well as MM Punchhi commission recommendations, requiring her to invite the single largest party (in this case the Indian National Congress) to form the government, has acted with utmost haste." - The Governor has blatantly violated the Constitution by inviting the BJP to form the Government and has scheduled to administer the oath of office to the unelected Chief Minister Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar's petition challenging Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint Manohar Parrikar as Goa Chief Minister, has plunged the state in a new political crisis. The Supreme Court hearing is underway, but here are the major points raised in the petition. The Supreme Court bench also observed that numbers should determine the single largest party in Goa and the bench asked the Congress why they didn't approach the governor to stake claim to form the government. The SC also asked the Congress to show the numbers. The tussle for government formation in Goa reached the Supreme Court, with the state Congress legislative party leader challenging the invitation extended by Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday to BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form government. During the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, ordered an immediate floor test in Goa. The apex court on Tuesday ordered a floor test in Goa Assembly on 16 March at 11 am. The Supreme Court allowed the swearing-in ceremony for Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister on Tuesday at 5 pm. Smarting under the Supreme Court snub, the Congress party tried to put up a brave face by terming the court advancing the floor test as its victory and that Parrikar will be Goa chief minister for just two days. The big question, however, remain whether and where the Congress party will get the requisite numbers to topple the Parrikar government. "We wanted to stake claim since 12 March. We had even given her a letter by the night of 12 March. She still did not give us time, and went against 'established conventions' and invited the BJP to form government," Singh told a press conference in Panaji. - IANS Congress' Digvijay Singh, who is under fire from the party's central leadership said that the Goa Governor Mridula Sinha unilaterally invited the BJP to form the next government in the state, despite a letter by the Congress party to her seeking an invitation to form the government. "How we lost in Goa was stupid," Chowdhury said, adding that he should be removed as the party's general secretary. She also sought to defend Rahul Gandhi, stating that the Congress VP trusted state leaders and gave them a free hand, according to CNN-News18. "We have the numbers to form the government. We have more than 21 MLAs with us with the support of alliance partners," Goa BJP unit General Secretary Sadanand Tanawade told reporters in Panaji. - PTI The BJP welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to not stay the swearing-in of Manohar Parrikar as Goa Chief Minister, and claimed it will be able to prove majority on the floor of the House. "I will comment after the swearing-in," Parrikar told reporters in Panaji, when asked to comment on the apex court's decision to organize a floor test of his government on Thursday. Even as the Congress termed the Supreme Court verdict ordering a floor test in Goa a victory for the party, Manohar Parrikar has chosen to keep mum. Members of Congress, NCP and RJD raised the issue during Question Hour. Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that democracy is being murdered. Congress and its UPA allies on Tuesday staged a walkout of the Lok Sabha to protest the alleged efforts to install BJP government in Goa and Manipur despite it having the numbers. Slamming the Congress party for being a sour loser, Arun Jaitley of te BJP said that the grand old party has got too many complaints. On the ruckus in Lok Sabha today, Jaitley said that since Mallikarjun Kharge has used "strong words" in the House, they should either be expunged or the government be allowed to respond. The Speaker said nothing beyond the questions and answers will be allowed to go on record. "They are saying that it is okay for them to misuse the office of the Governor...In the two states where we won, democracy has been undermined by them (BJP) using financial power, money. That is what is happening. The mandate of the people of Goa and Manipur has been stolen by the BJP," he told reporters outside Parliament. In his Facebook post, finance minister Arun Jaitley slammed Congress for crying foul over government formation in Goa. Jaitley said, "Goa produced an inconclusive verdict. There was a hung assembly,obviously post-poll alliances will be formed". The newly-elected Goa Assembly is likely to have its first meeting on Thursday. Floor test will be done after new legislators are administered oath by a pro-tem Speaker. Speaking to CNN News18, former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that the Congress will fail to prove its majority on the floor of the House on Thursday. He also added that his party used no money power to lure smaller parties. Parsekar, who lost his Mandrem seat, also showed confidence that Independents will back the Parrikar government on Thursday's floor test. It can't be helped if the Congress vice-president chooses to remain in 'La La Land' but the party's charge against BJP and petition in Supreme Court that Governor Mridula Sinha 'acted in haste' should be explored from all angles. Did Sinha err in inviting BJP's chief ministerial candidate to form a government? And how accurate is the claim that a party which finishes second "has no right to form a government"? What are the political, legal and moral aspects of this charge? Reports suggest that Manohar Parrikar has also arrived at the Raj Bhavan. Eight other MLAs will also be sworn-in along with him. MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar follows Manohar Parrikar in the order of precedence. He is expected to be the PWD minister. He is followed by Sudin Dhavalikar of the MGP and Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward party. Former Congressman, who joined the BJP in December 2016, Madkaikar is now a minister in the Parrikar cabinet. The Congress has been crying foul as despite being the single-largest party in the Assembly it failed to cobble up the support of non-BJP MLAs, following which Governor Mridula Sinha gave the BJP the first go at government formation. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has to prove majority in the Goa Assembly today. He stepped down as the Defence Minister to return as the chief minister on Tuesday. Parrikar enjoys the support of 22 MLAs, two more than the halfway mark of 20 in the 40-member Assembly. Manohar Parrikar, whose party has 13 MLAs, had staked claim to form the government on Sunday mustering the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) besides two Independents, which together took the tally of the combine to 21. After being sworn-in as the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar exuded confidence that his government would be stable and run the full five year term. "Let everyone be very clear that this government will last for its full tenure. I agree the mandate is fractured. But if every fraction of the fractured mandate comes together, we will become 22. This is bringing together post-election coalition and the lead has been taken by regional parties, not me," he said. Meanwhile, speaking to the media Congress MLA Vishwajeet Rane said, "It seems those leaders sent from Delhi never wanted Congress to form government in Goa. Congress should know the kind of mismanagement done by the in-charge of the party who came here from Delhi, which will finish the party." Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has summoned the first session of the new Assembly to meet at 11:30am. The MLAs will take oath first, following which the floor test would be conducted. Ahead of the floor test, the Congress refused to comment on their strategy asking people to "wait and watch." "You wait and watch. I will not comment anything right now," Congress Legislature Party Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI. Led by Kavlekar, all the 17 party MLAs had called upon the Governor on Tuesday seeking an invitation to the Congress to form the government, but failed to get any assurance from her. The anguish of the Congress party MLAs' seems to be directed at AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh who has been handling the party affairs in Goa ahead and after elections. Acting swiftly, the BJP which ended up as the second largest party staked the claim to form government. The Congress leaders are still smarting from the failure of the party managers to cobble up any post-poll alliance to attain power, despite emerging as the single largest party in Assembly elections. The BJP had won 13 seats, four less than the Congress which bagged 17 seats in the 40-member House. The BJP will have to prove majority in the Legislative Assembly, as per the directions of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. "In Goa and Manipur Congress could not stake the claim, the Honourable Governor found BJP have numbers to lead the state we were called to form the government. They went to court, even court asked them to prove the numbers, now they are writing blogs. If you have numbers prove it on floors. They are making absurd allegations of horse trading," says Venkaiah Naidu. Trashing Parrikar's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra told ANI that the event was a big scam. "This swearing-in ceremony of Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa is a big scam and BJP has resorted to unfair means. Throughout Goa people are protesting as to why the saffron party did such a low act to come to power, and why is the media not showing all this." Under fire from his own party members for mismanagement, Singh told NDTV, "If you are seeing me smiling, that shows confidence. We will defeat the motion." In an interview with NDTV, Congress leader and in-charge for Goa elections, Digvijaya Singh said that he was confident Parrikar would lose the trust vote. "There is no crisis as far as Goa and Manipur are concerned. The High Command had fully authorised the General Secretaries in charge to take decision and there was no interference." "Ideally, the CLP leader should have been elected immediately (after the poll results). Party's Goa Incharge has done this mismanagement. I will meet Rahul Gandhi before taking any further step. I am hopeful that Rahul ji will give us justice. If he does not respond, then we will feel that we are not in right party and we will take decision after consulting our workers. We will have to quit the Congress if such kind of behaviour continues." So while, there may be many legal disputes as to how best a governor should act, sometimes effective and quick rulings are better for a democracy than cold hard letters of the law. The law states that the chief minister is a member of the house, who is appointed by the governor and holds the confidence of the House. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE So this does not become a point of who is legally authorised to hold office or not, when adjudicating these matters there are many factors at play, the cold hard letter of the law, the changing tides of democracy and the practicality of having to form of a government. So when courts get involved, the results that come out often times don't always stick to precedent like clockwork. The governor of a state has a unique constitutional role in our system of Westminster style democracy. The role is similar to the president at the Centre. The role of the governor at the end of the day is to ensure that there is a stable government that can pass a budget and ensure supply as without passing a budget the government will stop and only the legislature can raise money. All eyes are on Panjim right now where the Goa Legislative Assembly is scheduled to have a floor test on Thursday to see if Manohar Parrikar, recently appointed as the state's chief minister, can survive a vote of confidence in the House. Making absurd allegations against BJP and stalling Rajya Sabha for performing its duties, this is what Congress does. People rejected Congress in 2014. Congress should have understood its role as constructive opposition. Now after landslide victory in Assembly elections, Congress should understand its role, Venkaiah Naidu tells CNN-News18. "Two days were taken to choose a Congress Legislature Party leader. Those in charge indulged in mismanagement. The Supreme Court also said so. They are experienced people, but they did not know what to do, what step to take to form the government. Parrikar came from Delhi and swiftly spoke to everyone concerned, got the numbers and formed the government," the Congress legislator from Valpoi was quoted as saying by IANS. After failing to act quickly to form a government in Goa, the Congress now stares at a revolt as a senior legislator said he and other "like-minded lawmakers will be forced to re-think our remaining with the Congress in future". Senior Congress leader and legislator Vishwajit Rane sought party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's intervention and action against those he claimed "mishandled" the government-formation fiasco. The Congress claimed that Rs 1,000 crore had been spent on horse-trading and luring non-Congress legislators by the BJP to form a coalition government in Goa earlier this week. "Nothing less than Rs 1,000 crore have been spent by the BJP to lure and buy MLAs over to their side," All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told CNN-News18. Leader of the Goa Forward Party, Vijay Sardesai, who is backing the Parrikar government in Goa told News18, "The BJP was quicker. They deemed Goa important enough to send their minister (Parrikar) back from Delhi to Goa. Now there will be more development here too. This is why we supported the BJP. The Congress has many grand old men all vying for power. They could not have decided a leader and provided stability, so there was no point in going with them. They have backstabbed me twice, tried to scuttle my political plans. Digvijaya Singh is not really responsible for this mess in Congress." After Kejriwal and Mulayam allege elections were won by tampering EVMs, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP had "stolen" the election and the allies by buying them out. "BJP ne Manipur aur Goa mein paise ka prayog kiya, sarkaar chori ki hai (BJP has used money to steal the governments of Manipur and Goa). "We have the people with us," he said. Earlier, Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro had expressed his confidence saying, "Congress is united and strong and we will prove our majority in Assembly." The actual floor test would start after all the newly-elected members of the 40-member assembly are sworn in as legislators. The much awaited floor test of the newly installed Manohar Parrikar-led Goa government is underway. While the BJP which heads the coalition government is confident of surviving the crucial test, considering it continues to enjoy support of its new-found allies, the rival Congress party entered the House still claiming it has the majority by its side. The Congress has 17 seats in the Goa Assembly, four short of majority mark. The party has been unable to enlist the support of non-BJP MLAs. Here's how Manohar Parrikar may get to touch the magical figure of 22 in the 40-seat Goa Assembly: The first MLA to be sworn-in in the Goa Assembly today was Dayanand Sopte, the Congress leader who registered a record win against former CM Laxmikant Parsekar in Mandrem constituency The Congress needs only four more MLAs to reach the crucial mark. Sinha on Sunday had granted Parrikar 15 days to prove his majority in the assembly, but the Supreme Court, which was hearing a petition filed by Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar, directed on Tuesday that the floor test should be held without delay on Thursday. Sources in the Congress party told IANS on condition of anonymity, that the Congress leadership, which is being accused of acting sluggishly and thereby losing the opportunity to form the government, is now in contact with leaders from the MGP and GF, requesting them to switch over. BJP claims, it enjoys support of 22 legislators, including its own 13 MLA. It had submitted letters supporting its claim of 21 legislators to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday. Since then another Independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar, MLA from Sanguem constituency, has joined the ruling coalition. There are indications that former chief minister and the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Churchill Alemao, who won South Goas Benaulim seat, may also vote in favour of Parrikar government, helping it sail through the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday easily. It is highly unlikely that BJPs new-found partners will vote themselves out of power. All three legislators of the Goa Front are already ministers, two-each among three Maharashtra Gomantak Party (MGP) and thee Independents gave been accommodated in the Manohar Parrikar government as cabinet ministers. Kuncalienkar is expected to vacate the Panaji seat for Parrikar, enabling him contest the by-election and become member of the legislative assembly within six months of his appointment. Indian constitution allows a non-member to run the government for maximum six months. Kuncalienkar, who worked as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Parrikar while he was Goa chief minister from 2012 to 2014 before he moved to the centre as Indian defence minister, was elected to the assembly from Parrikars Panaji seat in 2015 in by-election. He retained the seat defeating thus far unconquered Atanasio Monserrate of the UGP by little over 1000 votes. Kuncalienkar was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday. He will continue in the post until the assembly elects its new Speaker, likely to take place couple of days before the Manohar Parrikar government presents its budget sometime next week. While BJP has numbers by its side to sail through todays floor test without any hiccups, the rival Congress party is raising questions over selection of pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienkar, BJP legislator from Panaji seat. BJP got the support of 22 MLAs, 16 were opposed and one was absent during the Goa floor test. Parrikar has the challenge of assigning the portfolios. In a major embarrassment, newly-elected Congress party legislator Vishwajit Rane did not vote, giving signals that all is not well with the Congress party. He walked out of the House after taking oath as legislator. Parrikar government got support of 22 legislators, excluding the pro-tem speaker who was not required to cast his vote, while the Congress could manage only 17 votes. "We have won the floor test, debunking Digvijaya's claim that they have the numbers. This is what happens when you come to Goa to have fun." BJP claims, it enjoys support of 22 legislators, including its own 13 MLA. It had submitted letters supporting its claim of 21 legislators to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday. Since then another Independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar, MLA from Sanguem constituency, has joined the ruling coalition. There are indications that former chief minister and the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Churchill Alemao, who won South Goas Benaulim seat, may also vote in favour of Parrikar government, helping it sail through the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday easily. It is highly unlikely that BJPs new-found partners will vote themselves out of power. All three legislators of the Goa Front are already ministers, two-each among three Maharashtra Gomantak Party (MGP) and thee Independents gave been accommodated in the Manohar Parrikar government as cabinet ministers. #WATCH : BJP has used money to win power in Manipur and Goa, they stole Governments, says Congress VP Rahul Gandhi in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/XIffdr0lEH Kuncalienkar is expected to vacate the Panaji seat for Parrikar, enabling him contest the by-election and become member of the legislative assembly within six months of his appointment. Indian constitution allows a non-member to run the government for maximum six months. Kuncalienkar, who worked as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Parrikar while he was Goa chief minister from 2012 to 2014 before he moved to the centre as Indian defence minister, was elected to the assembly from Parrikars Panaji seat in 2015 in by-election. He retained the seat defeating thus far unconquered Atanasio Monserrate of the UGP by little over 1000 votes. Kuncalienkar was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday. He will continue in the post until the assembly elects its new Speaker, likely to take place couple of days before the Manohar Parrikar government presents its budget sometime next week. While BJP has numbers by its side to sail through todays floor test without any hiccups, the rival Congress party is raising questions over selection of pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienkar, BJP legislator from Panaji seat. BJP got the support of 22 MLAs, 16 were opposed and one was absent during the Goa floor test. Parrikar has the challenge of assigning the portfolios. In a major embarrassment, newly-elected Congress party legislator Vishwajit Rane did not vote, giving signals that all is not well with the Congress party. He walked out of the House after taking oath as legislator. Parrikar government got support of 22 legislators, excluding the pro-tem speaker who was not required to cast his vote, while the Congress could manage only 17 votes. "We have won the floor test, debunking Digvijaya's claim that they have the numbers. This is what happens when you come to Goa to have fun." We have proved before the people of India, we had support of 23 and we proved it on the floor of house: Manohar Parrikar,Goa CM pic.twitter.com/Qkr1JiaADd It is a government of coalition & decision in this regard will be taken by the coalition: Goa CM Parrikar on question of need of deputy CM pic.twitter.com/HZ8v3bgHzX Everyone voluntarily came and voted, none of them were kept in a hotel room or secluded common place as was the case of opposition: Parrikar Votes for the general Assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be counted on Saturday. The exit polls released on Thursday projected a win for BJP in the 40-seat Goa Assembly. The exit polls put Congress in the second lead and predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might not repeat its Delhi success in Goa. Three exit polls Axis My India, C-Voter and MRC have given the BJP an edge over its competitors. The party is likely to win 15 to 22 seats, followed by Congress. MRC predicts 15 seats for BJP, 10 for Congress and AAP seven. Meanwhile, C-voter predicts that BJP may retain Goa with 18 seats and Congress may gain six seats. AAP which is making its debut in Goa might just end up only two seats. C-Voter exit poll predicts that BJP would be the single largest party in Goa. Based on the exit polls, BJP may form the new government but may not hit the majority mark of 21 seats. "Goa could be headed for a hung Assembly in which smaller parties could come into the picture. Congress winning the maximum 18 seats may open intense efforts and bargaining. As of now it is clear that AAPs attempts to extend its 2014 Delhi experiment may have failed in Goa," political commentator Ajay Jha says. The smaller parties and the Independents are likely to be the kingmakers. In last-minute instructions on preparations for the counting day on Saturday, the Election Commission on Thursday instructed the electoral officers to set up additional close-circuit TV cameras to monitor carrying of EVMs from strongrooms to the counting hall. "On the day of counting, additional CCTV camera may be installed at such locations from where the carrying of EVMs from strong rooms to the counting hall can be recorded for effective monitoring," the EC said in the letter. The EC further said: "For counting day, CCTV cameras must be strategically placed so that all movements of personnel carrying control units is covered and displayed on TV, placed at the Returning Officer's table and at some place where candidates, counting agents can also view the movement of CUs from strong room to the counting hall." It further said that in case the counting hall is located at a distance or in a separate building away from the strong room, barricading from the strong room door up to the counting hall door should be done in such a way that "EVMs of each constituency should not be criss-crossing each other". According to Goa Chief Electoral Officer Kunal, the overall polling percentage on 4 February was 81. Out of the 11.10 lakh registered voters, 8,98,507 exercised their franchise. The constituencies in the mining and tourism belts saw more than the average polling, as per the EC estimates. Though as many as 250 candidates, including many Independents, are in the fray for the 40 seats, the fight is mainly between ruling BJP, Congress, AAP and MGP-led alliance. With inputs from agencies Time changes, but how? Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar, Defence Minister of India until Monday morning, had refused to stake his claim to form a government in Goa a decade ago. After BJP won 14 seats against Congress' 16 in the 40-member Goa legislative Assembly in 2007, he opted to sit in the Opposition. It was considered Parrikar' masterstroke, as the minority Congress government of Digambar Kamat had to compromise at every stage to finish its five-year tenure in office. Today, however, Parrikar is a different person. Goa yet again delivered a fractured mandate. BJP, which had won 21 seats in 2012, saw its tally reduce to 13, four fewer than Congress' 17. But it didn't stop the holier-than-thou Parrikar to state his claim to form the next government, and even flaunt an official invitation signed formally by Governor Mridula Sinha, just two days after an embarrassing defeat. And so on Tuesday evening, Parrikar will take oath as the new chief minister of Goa, with a compromised Cabinet that may keep pulling him in different directions, and keep him busy with a balancing act that may last as long as his government does. BJP's swift action, and Congress' trademark indecision helped. Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who is in-charge of Goa for the BJP, flew down to the state as soon as news of the party getting mauled spread on Saturday. It was a 16-hour overnight operation that ensured BJP put together a post-poll alliance, to continue ruling Goa. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) had already indicated that it was ready to embrace BJP, just a couple of months after breaking ties with the saffron party. MGP won three seats, and this support increased BJP's tally to 16. Gadkari and MGP leader Ramkrishna 'Sudin' Dhavalikar are supposed to enjoy close proximity. It's often said that whatever the outcome and whoever forms the government, MGP is a permanent fixture in Goa government. Next to be roped in was Vijai Sardesai, mentor of the upstart Goa Front party. He met Gadkari in the wee hours of Sunday and went home smiling, after he and his two other newly elected colleagues were promised Cabinet berths in the Parrikar government and implementation of their agenda. The three independents, including BJP-supported Govind Gaude who trounced MGP president Pandurang 'Deepak' Dhavalikar in Priol, had no qualms extending support to BJP. Former Goa chief minister Churchill Alemao, who won South Goa's Benaulim seat for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) did not want to be the odd man out. Within 16 hours, Gadkari and Parrikar had lined up all 10 legislators who were listed as "others" by BJP's side, enabling Parrikar stake the claim. It also helps politically if the state governor happens to be an ex-party member. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha had no qualms accepting Parrikar's claim and inviting him to form the new government. Gadkari landed in Goa on Saturday night. On the other hand, Congress general secretary and in-charge for Goa, Digvijaya Singh, was already camping in Goa. He was here to ensure the party makes up for the gap of four seats and forms a government after emerging as the largest party in a hung assembly. The familiar problem of having too many leaders and inability of the factions to bury the hatchet in the larger interest of the party, meant the Congress was unable to name its legislative party leader and approach the two regional parties and three independent MLAs till Parrikar had received invitation to become the Goa chief minister one more time. MGP had on Saturday announced that it would tie-up with a "like-minded" party, which had to be BJP. Goa Front party was anyway not expected to lend its support to Congress, not at least to the Congress' state unit president Luizinho Faleiro, who was seen as a frontrunner to grab the chief ministerial chair. After a grand snub, Faleiro had put his foot down and forced the party to not enter into a pre-poll alliance with GF. Faleiro even ensured that a local Congress leader filed his nomination and produced the requisite form, duly signed by Faleiro, to get the party symbol though the Congress had decided to leave Fatorda seat for Sardesai as a goodwill gesture after the failure of the prolonged alliance talks. Parrikar, 61, will be sworn in as the new chief minister on Tuesday, albeit with a fractured mandate and a cracked Cabinet. He will become CM for the fourth time in the last 17 years. If he is allowed to function properly, he may do enough to ensure BJP doesn't require clutches in the 2022 polls that is provided the government lasts five years. Whatever it is, it will be interesting to watch. As BJP staked claim to forming a new government in Manipur, the Congress on Sunday accused it of "playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy" and abducting an Independent MLA from Manipur by misusing the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Imphal airport. "(The) BJP is now misusing (the) CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct independent MLA Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport and take him to Calcutta (Kolkata)," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted. "(The) Modi government is playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy and abducting MLAs by misusing (the) CISF at Imphal airport despite electoral loss," he added. Surjewala said, "Independent MLA Asab Uddin is travelling with Minister Sh Nasir (A Nasir). Federalism and rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by (the) Modi government." Surjewala said that according to the Constitution and norms, the single-largest party is always invited to form the government. "The BJP government is subverting law and democracy through their Governors, who are acting as stooges," he said. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram too slammed the BJP for allegedly subverting democracy and making a backdoor entry to power in Manipur and Goa. He charged the saffron party of stealing the elections in these states which threw a hung Assembly. A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 13, 2017 The ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have secured 28 and 21 seats, respectively, in Manipur after the assembly elections held earlier this month. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to forming the new government in the state with the support of the National People's Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). "We will approach Governor Najma Heptulla seeking her to invite the BJP, supported by the NPP and the LJP, to form the government in Manipur," said Madhav. The BJP, which won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month, achieved the vaunted 31-seat mark earlier in the day with the support of its ally Naga People's Front (NPF) (four seats), and the NPP (four seats), LJP (one seat) and one Independent. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party post-poll with 28 seats in the 60-member house but failed to garner support to form a new government. (With inputs from IANS) To understand the import of Narendra Modi's speech at BJP headquarters on Sunday evening, where he laid out the roadmap for a "new India" by 2022, we need to first step back to the previous day. On Saturday, when a shell-shocked Mayawati held an impromptu news conference. Reports had just come in that BSP's tally in Uttar Pradesh had nosedived to 19 seats, the party's worst performance since 1991. Disbelief getting the better of her usual poker face, Mayawati was a leader in denial even as the embers of her political career were still alight. This can't be, she seemed to be saying, trying to blot out the nightmare through the intensity of denial. How can, demanded Mayawati of the journalists present in the room, the BJP win, even in Muslim-dominated areas? How indeed. The BJP, which won 312 out of 403 seats, increased its vote share this year to 39.7 percent from 14.7 percent in 2012 a leap of 25 percentage points. Even as poll pundits predicted 'no wave' and a tight contest, BJP managed to almost repeat its 2014 Lok Sabha tally, when it had bagged 73 out of 80 seats with a 42.7 percent vote share. Mere numbers won't catch the larger picture. The BJP won handsomely even in areas dominated by Muslims. The party won six Muslim-dominated constituencies Muzaffarnagar, Deoband, Saharanpur, Bareilly, Bijnor and Moradabad defeating the so-called secular outfits like SP, Congress and BSP. Shaking her head, Mayawati told reporters, "Muslim votes have gone to the saffron party which is unacceptable." Her entire campaign was built around an attempt to consolidate her Dalit votebank and add Muslims to it. She was admitting defeat, but remained stoutly self-delusional even in admission. "Muslims constitute 20 percent votes in the state and BJP did not give a single ticket to Muslimsbut in Muslim-dominated seats too, the results went in the BJPs favour. This is unpalatable," she said, accusing BJP of manipulating EVMs. Truth is unpalatable. But this is not just a leader suffering from delusion. Make no mistake, this is one of the most profound moments in India's electoral history and its rise as a young nation. It is the moment when, responding to the prime minister's call, the electorate is rejecting axiomatic notions about caste and community, and is trying to join a larger narrative of hope. We saw this in 2014 but this 2017 iteration is infinitely more important because it confirms the indomitable urge for a change within and without. In his column for The Indian Express, Pratap Bhanu Mehta captures it thus. "It (BJP) has negated ossified logics of caste arithmetic to win over substantial numbers of OBCs and Dalits in addition to upper castes. The unacknowledged social story in the BJP's rise is its transformation of the rules of caste politics and aligning them to a larger narrative. Almost no other party is able to tap into this transformative urge." It is this urge for transformative change that Modi understood and tapped in, but his rivals failed to identify. Now let us look carefully at Modi's words from Sunday evening. The Prime Minister said he does not believe in electoral timelines and set 2022 as the date by which he wants to build a new India. "I don't live by election calculations. My target is 2022, not 2019. 2022 will mark 75 years of India's independence. We have five years to contribute to change India," Modi said during his speech before party workers and BJP parliamentary board members. It sounds audacious when a politician says he doesn't live by elections. It would be easy, too tempting, to dismiss this statement as rhetoric. But the Opposition and his critics have been making the same mistake so far. The simple truth that eludes those still in denial about BJP and Modi's ascendancy is this: Agendas and narratives can bring electoral dividends only up to a point in such a huge, heterogeneous, multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy such as ours. Decisive mandates of the kind Modi-led BJP is regularly notching up would have been impossible if the electorate at large not believed him as a "change agent". Modi is perceived not just as the leader of a political party, but a catalyst for change who is willing to take hard, seemingly unpopular decisions. He is the first leader to take banks to the unbanked, make modern fuel accessible for impoverished rural women, build toilets in their homes, bring them within the insurance perimeter, and give loans to rural youths. In a column for The Times of India, MJ Akbar writes, "In 2015-16, UP alone took 33,45,382 loans worth Rs 12,275 crores. In the next year, 28,60,243 collateral-free loans worth Rs 10,755 crores were sanctioned for the state. This money, moreover, did not go into unstable or punctured pockets; it went into bank accounts, and began to prove to the poor the efficacy of a parallel programme, Jan Dhan." As Modi goes about building the blocks of a nation and takes "garibi hatao" in its most literal sense, Hindus and Muslims alike are believing in him. For far too long, the language of India's electoral politics has been dominated by faux secularism. The scale and sweep of BJP's victory in UP shows that Muslims too now realise that Modi is at least doing something. They are willing to give him a chance. Muslim youth are especially not willing to be trapped into their identities, or be subjected to the fear of majoritarianism that characterises our secular politics. To quote Akbar again, "Muslims can see for themselves that Mudra loans or insurance or LPG are as available to them as anyone else, on the basis of poverty, and not faith. They can see now that the myths circulated about the PM in 2014 were lies designed for election." Therefore, when Modi says, "The poor of the nation has left the mentality of liking somebody only because he has been given something. The poor wants to progress by the dint of their hard labour. He says you create an opportunity for me, I will work hard and grow," critics and Opposition should listen to his words carefully. His speech on Sunday was also marked by an inclusive approach and a call for humility. Fears have already been raised about how BJP's UP mandate may be "dangerous" for Muslims. Modi reminded karyakartas and leaders present on the occasion that "governments are formed by majority, but run with consensus" and that it is "also for those who voted for it and also those who did not. For those who walked along with us, and those who faced us." Using the banyan tree as a metaphor, the prime minister said when a tree is endowed with fruits of victory, it must bend more with humility. Modi is speaking in a new political language for a new India. Unfortunately, the Opposition is still stuck in the trappings of past. Beena* (name changed) was about six years of age, when her parents decided to send her off to work as house help for a well-off family in the nearby village. As time passed, she grew up to be a quirky 16-year old. In 2010, as is the case with many other children, who come from impoverished or economically marginalised households in Bangladesh, Beenas father came looking for her to marry her off in exchange for a hefty dowry. Beena resisted and in the end, because of the law in place, her parents would have to go to great lengthsforge certificates to increase her age, fight communities working on the field against child marriages she was let off. She has since moved on to work in one of the ready-made garments factories in the city and sends money back to her village home regularly. She is one of the lucky few, however, all the progress made in preventing child marriages is very well likely to take a step back. The Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 which was adopted by the Bangladesh Parliament on 27 February and signed by the president on 11 March introduces a loophole where a court can allow child marriage in special cases. In the fight against child marriage, Bangladesh, a south Asian country deeply riddled by poverty yet one that is taking quick strides in development and women empowerment, fares as one of the worst. According to a Unicef report, 52 percent girls are married off by the age of 18 and 18 percent are married off by the age of 15. To understand this better, let us take a look at what the term child marriage means: According to the Unicef, child marriage is defined as a formal marriage or informal union before age 18, and is a reality for both boys and girls, although girls are disproportionately the most affected. Child marriage is widespread and can lead to a lifetime of disadvantage and deprivation. A child means every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier, according to Convention on the Rights of the Children. The Bangladesh parliament on 27 February passed the bill on the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2017 which sets the minimum age for women to marry at 18 and for men at 21, but allows for younger brides and grooms under special circumstances, thus replacing a law dating back to the British colonial period. Much has been written about this new bill, in international media such as AFP, The Independent and leading English daily in Bangladesh The Daily Star, to throw light on one of the key loopholes in the bill. Now what these special circumstances will be, have not been laid out anywhere yet, nor is there a specified minimum age. As the Independent UK says, this effectively brings down the marriageable age to zero. Arpita Das, senior programme manager of Combatting Violence against Women and Girls at Manusher Jonno Foundation, says they have worked hard at the field level and this provision of a special circumstance just puts them at a cross roads. Secretary of the Advocacy Forum Nasima Akter Jolly in a report published in The Daily Star said that the government wants to avoid unwarranted situations like child pregnancy. However, one would think that early child marriage is conducive to child pregnancy, and therefore the new bill would only result in a rise of the problems they were trying to prevent. What happens when you marry off a child for their best interest? There are fears that such a provision will legitimise statutory rape and encourage child marriage, argues Unicef. Under the provision of special circumstance there is a very high chance that if a girl child gets pregnant, she will be forced to marry her rapist, simply to protect the honour of the unborn child. The mental, physical and economic well being of the girl child being married off under these special circumstances is completely overlooked. Being married off, takes away from the child a chance to be a child. "Marrying as a child has a lifelong impact on a person's well-being. It limits opportunities and the chance to be a child," UNICEF's representative in Bangladesh Edouard Beigbeder was quoted as saying in an email in an article published on The Daily Star. Therefore under these special circumstances, a girl child will lose out on a chance at education and risk her health by carrying the child to full term. Effects on empowerment and development The world celebrated International Womens Day on 8 March, where United States saw women striking from their regular work to highlight just how much they contribute to the economy and to the social system. In Bangladesh, a large number of women are involved in the ready-made garment industry which accounts for around more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's total export earnings which is about USD 34 billion, according to the Exports Promotion Bureau Bangladesh. According to Simeen Mahmud in her essay titled Our Bodies, Our Selves: The Bangladesh Perspective, empowerment is a process of change that increases choice (resources) and increases the capacity to make favourable choices (agency). This freedom of choice dictates complete agency over ones life, including the decision of marriage. In Bangladesh, like many other nations in the world, moral good is synonymous to chastity and bodily control is often in the hands of others. Imposed through restricted mobility, a girl is kept chaste by being given less visibility, which in turn generates a stigma, that a girl is impure or unworthy once assaulted. Feminist movements and human rights bodies have been actively working to remove this image and change social perspective of women as commodities. Thus the provisional clause reinforces the social ideal, impeding any progress through empowerment and development, perpetuating a state-enforced gender hierarchy. By dictating that marriages are permissible under circumstances regarding early pregnancies, it removes rights to self agency, and contradicts any act passed in the protective interests of women. It also creates a leeway around punitive laws and policies against rape, trafficking, and all other examples under the Cruelty to Women Act 1983 (amended in 1988), Acid Attack Crime Repression Act (2002), if the girl is married off to the very man who was responsible for her situation. The belief that getting your child married to her rapist will save her is completely groundless. People are only looking at addressing the short term repercussion of shame and a tarnished reputation for the girl and her family. However, in the long run, by compelling her to marry her abuser and enabling this through law, she is being forced into a life time of abuse and suppression. This man faces no repercussion for rape and instead finds himself with a wife to whom he may feel he has done a favor by marrying her. My question here is, why are we more worried about our honour and reputation rather than the well-being of our daughters? We are ashamed of the wrong things, says Afrina Chowdhury, Gender Specialist, The WorldFish Centre. Social norms in Bangladesh have been in a state of flux in recent decades as a larger number of women are infiltrating male dominated spaces in the workforce, and other public arenas, weakening the patriarchal institutions and practices that restrict the mobility of women. Education and financial security allow girls to contribute to the household, granting them more say in decisions. Class position also grants one a louder voice against social evils. Therefore it is pertinent to examine the group that is most vulnerable to the recent amendments to Child Marriage Restraint Act girls of the poorer class. Generally, the poorer the family the more likely the girl is to drop out of school and the younger she will get married, writes Simeen Mahmud. Many studies show, young married girls are more likely to drop out of school and so will not have the opportunity to work and earn, says AashaMehreen Amin, Deputy Editor of The Daily Star. They run the risk of birth complications, (which could result in them dying) and then give birth to underweight babies who will grow up stunted and underdeveloped. They will also be more vulnerable to cruel husbands and in-laws. These girls will either die of the violence inflicted on them or will be physically and mentally ill for most of their lives making them less productive, unhappy women in, no doubt, unhappy households, says Amin. Early marriage causes girls to drop out of education and limits their opportunities for social interaction. Only 45 percent of adolescent girls are enrolled in secondary school and even fewer attend regularly. New brides are expected to work in their husbands households and are subject to the same hazards as child domestic workers, cites a Unicef report. This special provision is in no way up to date with the times and stands to be a great risk especially for girl children, says Fawzia Khondker, a freelance gender consultant. Now what? Womens role in the national development process materialized from the Second Five Year Plan (1980-1985) and the Fourth Five Year Plan (1990-2010). What these plans did were acknowledge the participation of women in development activities and also recognised women as key factors in the national economy. The plan sought to incorporate womens contributions in national production, and thereby reduce gender disparity by making them part of the mainstream development process. This was done through raising female literacy; increasing jobs for women and improving working environment; improving credit facilities, and health through improved nutrition and availability of healthcare. This change in approach would not have been brought about without the concerted efforts of womens rights activists, NGO initiatives, the governments own awareness on the position of women in state, and local consultative sub-groups on women in development. The special provision on the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 therefore creates a bigger dichotomy between the sexes, and is a major roadblock in gender equity. As Taj Hashmi, who teaches security studies at Austin Peay State University and is the author of several books, including his latest, Global Jihad and America: The Hundred-Year War Beyond Iraq and Afghanistan (Sage, 2014), argues in his seminal piece in The Daily Star This Act, in short, grossly violates the Constitution, which guarantees equal rights and opportunities for all Bangladeshis irrespective of their ethnicity, socio-economic position, gender, and belief systems. He further added, So far only a handful of people, mostly women representing women, human rights, and development organisations, have held public rallies in Dhaka protesting enactment of the Child Marriage Restraint Act-2017. As if it's only a women's issue, having nothing to do with human rights, equal opportunity, and human dignity in Bangladesh! Unless cross sections of the people, politicians, intellectuals, professionals and others organise mass protests and mobilise public opinion against the Act paradoxically named as Child Marriage Restraint Act it would further erode the vestiges of human rights and civility in the country. London: Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday said that she will be seeking the Scottish Parliament's permission to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. Sturgeon wants this referendum to be held between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019 for Scotland to be able to have a say over its relationship with the European Union (EU) post-Brexit. If it gets parliamentary approval, this will be the second such Scottish independence referendum after 2014, when the region had voted to remain part of the UK. Scotland had rejected Independence from the UK by 55 percent in the September 2014 vote. "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. A choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe," Sturgeon said from her official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The First Minister said the second referendum had become necessary because of the UK government's failure to fully take Scotlands interests on board in the Brexit process. Scotland, in contrast to the rest of the UK, had voted to remain in the European Union (EU) in last Junes referendum. Sturgeon will seek Scottish Parliament's permission to request a Section 30 order from the Westminster government next week, which will allow a fresh legally-binding referendum to be held once consent is granted. Sturgeon's speech came ahead of a debate in the House of Commons where MPs will consider the Article 50 bill on Monday. British Prime Minister Theresa May is getting closer to invoking Article 50 to trigger negotiations for Britains exit from the EU as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill comes up for its final vote. Sturgeon believes she can win a second independence referendum this time around because of the implications of Brexit for the country and to resist being forcibly taken out of the EU single market. "I have been genuine and sincere about trying to reach a compromise agreement with the UK government. We have not met with a Government and a Prime Minister who is willing to meet us half way on that... they have moved away from compromise with language that has appeared to become harder and harder," said Sturgeon. She claims the economic benefits of staying in the UK in a post-Brexit landscape are "significantly more challenging" than they were last time the vote was held in 2014. Beijing: China's ruling Communist Party is hardening its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country and the need to protect traditional Chinese identity. Shaerheti Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn political leaders gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress about China becoming destabilised by the "international anti-terror situation". Over the past year, President Xi Jinping has directed the party to "Sinicise" the country's ethnic and religious minorities, while regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid an uptick in violence blamed on Islamic separatists. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks have indeed penetrated the country, top Chinese officials, including those overseeing areas outside Xinjiang, are increasingly echoing certain strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence, warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianguo drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. "What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the US or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture." Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. "The roots of the Hui are in China," Wu said. "To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people." Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong and an expert on Islam in China, said the comments by Ningxia party officials reflected the increasingly anti-Islamic rhetoric that has been rolled out over the past year by the top leadership in Beijing. By Toby Sterling | AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM The Dutch will vote on Wednesday in an election that was seen as a test of anti-immigrant sentiment even before a rift with Turkey at the weekend put immigration and nationalism at the top of the political agenda.Graphic - party approval ratings: hereGeert Wilders, who wants to "de-Islamicise" the Netherlands, hopes clashes between Turkish-Dutch protesters and the police, along with Ankara's accusations of Dutch "fascism", will help bolster his chances of finishing first.Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) has virtually no chance of forming a government, given the splintered political landscape. Other parties have ruled out a coalition with a party they view as racist, but a PVV win would nevertheless send shock waves across Europe.The French presidential election begins next month, with the far-right Marine Le Pen ahead in one poll on Monday, and in September, Alternative for Germany, a right-wing, eurosceptic party, is likely to win seats for the first time in the German federal parliament.After Britain's unexpected vote to quit the European Union and the election of EU-sceptic Donald Trump in the United States, Europe will soon know whether a wave of anti-establishment sentiment threatens the survival of the EU.The more immediate question in the Netherlands is whether the Turkey row will favour Wilders or Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose cabinet banned Turkish ministers from holding a rally in the Netherlands.A snap poll Monday evening showed a boost of three seats for Rutte's VVD and two for Wilders's PVV in the 150-seat parliament at the expense of smaller parties to the left, said pollster Maurice de Hond.The Turkish government wants to lobby Dutch Turks to support plans to hand sweeping new powers to President Tayyip Erdogan in a referendum in Turkey on April 16. "In times when the nation is hit by something like this, there's the inclination for people to get behind the government," said Hans Gosling, a political commentator at the Dutch newspaper Trouw.HARD LINE Rutte's hard line on Turkey is seen by many voters as part of an effort by mainstream parties to appeal to concern about immigration and dissuade them from voting for Wilders. The head of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDA) on Sunday urged Turkish immigrants to give up dual nationality and integrate.Rutte and Wilders went head-to-head in a debate Monday evening, clashing mainly over how to stem immigration. Rutte dismissed Wilders' plan to close borders and mosques and ban the Koran as "fake solutions". "While we are focusing on the causes of the refugee crisis, you're wasting all your attention on your Koran police," Rutte said.Wilders accused Rutte of providing better healthcare for newcomers than the Dutch themselves. "We need to chose for our own people, for our own parents, and not for the asylum seekers. You are not the prime minister of the Netherlands, but of the foreigners."Niels van Baalen, a PVV voter who owns his own plumbing company near The Hague, said the events in Rotterdam illustrated the failure of Muslim immigrants to adopt Dutch norms."The problem is: do you want to be a Turkish immigrant, or do you want to be a naturalized Dutch person?" he said. The latest Reuters poll of poll puts Rutte's conservative VVD Party top at 16.2 percent, ahead of Wilders' PVV on 13.4 percent. The CDA is close behind at 12.5 percent on a rising trend. Earlier, Rutte called on voters to reject Wilders."We've seen it with Brexit, we've seen it with Trump, when we thought it wouldn't happen the night before. The chance is still large as life that we wake up on March 16 and Wilders' (party) is the biggest," he said.With just four percentage points separating the top four parties, any of them could win, and then would have to persuade at least three other parties to form a coalition."You already know how the new government is going to look, roughly," said University of Amsterdam professor Rens Vliegenthart.He predicted a centre-right coalition would emerge after lengthy talks, led by the VVD and CDA together with the centrist Democrats 66 (D66), and probably the Green Left party for the first time. But the events of the weekend, which escalated on Monday with Erdogan threatening legal action against the Dutch, meant opinion polls would be unreliable as perceptions of the conflict change, experts said. Wilders could yet be the main beneficiary, said Professor Joop van Holsteijn of Leiden University."Immigration and integration, and the relationship of the Netherlands with Turkey, will be rather salient suddenly, and Wilders can be considered the issue owner here," he said. (Additional reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Thomas Escritt | AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM Dutch conservative and nationalist parties could gain an extra five seats between them following the diplomatic row and weekend rioting over a Turkishminister's attempt to hold a political rally in Rotterdam, a snap poll published on Monday showed.With two days to go until the Dutch vote in a pivotal parliamentary election, pollster Maurice De Hond found that the spat between the Netherlands and Turkey, and Saturday's night of rioting by ethnic Turks in Rotterdam, had benefited the two parties that have been most sceptical on immigration.The poll showed Prime Minister Mark Rutte's pro-business VVD party on track to win 27 seats in the 150-seat parliament with 18 percent of the vote, three more than in the pollster's last survey, published on Sunday but taken before the weekend. Geert Wilders's anti-Muslim Freedom Party was in second place with 16 percent, or up two seats to 24.In the latest Peilingwijzer poll of polls, the two parties are on 16.2 percent and 13.4 percent respectively. President Recip Tayyip Erdogan's dispatch of Turkish ministers to Western Europe to campaign for a referendum that will give him more power have the potential to upturn a Dutch campaign that was already dominated by questions of identity."It is quite clear that preferences have changed since Saturday," De Hond wrote. Voters who had considered the VVD as just one option were now more likely to vote for the party, while likely PVV voters were stronger in their convictions.Rutte and Wilders go head to head on Monday evening in a television debate that could prove decisive in shaping voters' preferences before they go to the polls on Wednesday. Erdogan, accused of authoritarianism, wants to win the support of the estimated 5 million Turkish citizens in Europe in the vote on granting him sweeping new powers that he says he needs to fight security threats his country faces.The Dutch government barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam to speak at a rally on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul SayanKaya from entering the Turkish consulate there. She was later escorted out of the country to Germany. De Hond's polling suggests voters approved of Rutte's handling of the situation. Wilders, an opponent of Muslim immigration, said it was only the threat from his party that made Rutte take such a hard line.Wilders has little chance of forming a government, since other parties have ruled out a coalition with a party they view as racist. A PVV win would nevertheless send shock waves across Europe.The French presidential election begins next month, with far-right, anti-euro leader Marine Le Pen seen winning the first round but losing heavily in the run-off. In September, right-wing, eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany is likely to win seats for the first time in the German federal parliament.Netherlands general election poll of pollshere#section/polls ((Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Catherine Evans)) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Hidden away in the rubble of Trumps executive orders pockmarking the immigrant experience in America is a bright spot for H1B workers - they now have a 60 day grace period after a job loss unlike in the earlier rule where they fell 'out of status' immediately and officially had about 2 weeks to clear out of the country. Not just that, there are other tweaks too that offer relief to the H1B community - two grace periods of up to 10 days prior to the visa validity period for workers to enter the US and prepare to begin employment. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation specific to highly skilled workers went into effect just days before Trump took office and has remained largely unreported in mainstream media because of Trumps more headline grabbing moves soon after he took charge. Here are the relevant portions of the copious document by the DHS: 60-day nonimmigrant grace periods. To further enhance job portability, the final rule establishes a grace period of up to 60 consecutive days during each authorized validity period for individuals in the E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 or TN classifications. This grace period allows high-skilled workers in these classifications, including those whose employment ceases prior to the end of the petition validity period, to more readily pursue new employment should they be eligible for other employer-sponsored nonimmigrant classifications or employment in the same classification with a new employer. The grace period also allows U.S. employers to more easily facilitate changes in employment for existing or newly recruited nonimmigrant workers. 10-day nonimmigrant grace periods. To promote stability and flexibility for certain high-skilled nonimmigrant workers, the final rule provides two grace periods of up to 10 days, consistent with those already available to individuals in some nonimmigrant classifications, to individuals in the E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, and TN classifications. The rule allows an initial grace period of up to 10 days prior to the start of an authorized validity period, which provides nonimmigrants in the above classifications a reasonable amount of time to enter the United States and prepare to begin employment in the country. The rule also allows a second grace period of up to 10 days after the end of an authorized validity period, which provides a reasonable amount of time for such nonimmigrants to depart the United States or take other actions to extend, change, or otherwise maintain lawful status. The qualification crieria are straightforward: The H1B worker in question must have a valid petition and I-94 card and can potentially apply for a change of employer or change of status during the 60 day grace period. Curbs exist within the document to ensure that people dont abuse the elbow room - the 60-day grace period will only be available once per authorized validity period of an approved petition. In this very non-Trumpian document, the DHS has a summary of costs and benefits of the proposed changes and how it achieves the twin objectives of increasing efficiency within the homeland security system and simplifying process for the beneficiaries. Take for example the 10 day grace period - some may claim its not enough but the DHS is looking at logical time to market for newbies to find a house, sign the lease and unpack their bags before they report on the job. This rule draws heavily from the American Competitiveness in the Twenty First Century Act of 2000 and explains the continued need for highly skilled workers. For those of you whore in the mood for a long read, this is an illuminating document that sounds unlike all the other H1B stories that are swirling in a Trump-led world. It also reminds us that if we choose to dive into even a recent 20-year history, Republican governments in the US have generally been good for India and Indian workers. The Indo-US nuclear deal and the genesis of the H1B visa, to take just two high-optics examples, are the legacy of a Republican President. Twitter | @byniknat BERLIN Germany's interior minister said on Sunday there were "clear limits" if Turkish ministers want to campaign among immigrants in Germany, striking a tougher tone than the previous line from Berlin as a row between Ankara and EU states escalates.Thomas de Maiziere told broadcaster ARD he did not support ministers campaigning in Germany."You have to carefully consider whether one imposes a ban on entry. But there are limits - clear limits - for example the criminal code: we have provisions in our criminal code," de Maiziere told broadcaster ARD. "Anyone who insults Germany or its constitutional order and derides it in a malicious way is liable to prosecution. That, at least, would be a limit." On Saturday Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants, fascists" after the Dutch government withdrew permission for his foreign minister to land there.Berlin has said Turkey must not use Nazi comparisons but has stopped short of advocating a ban on ministers campaigning for a referendum next month on whether to grant the president greater powers. Individual local authorities last week cancelled several planned appearances due to security concerns but the foreign minister made a speech in Hamburg.Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate after its ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Stephen Powell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Mosul: Iraqi forces recaptured a third of west Mosul and trapped Islamic State group fighters inside as they made further gains in their battle to retake the city, officials said on Sunday. Fierce fighting has shaken Mosul in recent days as thousands of US-backed Iraqi soldiers and police battle to reclaim the country's second city. A renewed push against the jihadists launched on 5 March has seen IS forced from several neighbourhoods and key sites, including the main local government headquarters and the famed Mosul museum. By Sunday, Iraqi forces were tightening the noose. IS "is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division... cut off the last road out of Mosul," said Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the anti-IS coalition. "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there," he said. "We are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape." Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service said that "more than a third" of west Mosul was now under the control of security forces. Saadi said CTS forces were battling IS inside Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat on Sunday, and Iraq's Joint Operations Command said they recaptured the latter area later in the day. The JOC also said forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were also attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosul's Old City. "The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," said JOC spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool. IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way", he added. IS seized Mosul in mid-2014 and swept across areas north and west of Baghdad, taking control of swathes of territory and declaring a "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria. Backed by US-led air strikes and other support, Iraqi forces have since retaken 60 percent of the territory they lost, said McGurk. The operation to recapture Mosul then the last Iraqi city under IS control was launched in October. After recapturing the east of the city, Iraqi forces last month set their sites on the west, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped. The US-led coalition launched air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and is providing a range of support to allied forces in both countries. McGurk said IS fighters were thought to be dying faster than the group can replace them, and also said the coalition had trained nearly 90,000 Iraqi security personnel. In Syria, the coalition is backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces that is pushing towards the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa. "Raqa remains their (IS's) administrative capital, it's where we think a lot of their leaders are located, it's where we think they are planning a lot of attacks around the world," said McGurk. On Sunday the SDF fought fierce battles with IS jihadists east of Raqa around Khas Ajil village, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. SDF forces took control of five villages as they continued a slow advance, said the Observatory. Eight civilians were among 19 people killed in suspected US-led air strikes four kilometres (2.5 miles) south of Raqa, said the monitor. Turkish-backed rebels are also advancing against IS in northern Syria, as are government troops supported by Russia. The Observatory also reported fighting in eastern Aleppo province where the jihadists forced regime troops to fall back from the outskirts of the Jarrah military airport. Russian and Syrian strikes hit IS-held areas in the province, Observatory said, with eight civilians, mostly from the same family, killed in a strike on the village of Maskanah. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front said meanwhile it was behind twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed 74 people. "On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," a statement said. The Observatory said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up. The attack also killed 11 Syrian civilians and 20 members of pro-government security forces, it said. Shiite shrines have been a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of IS and Al-Qaeda during Syria's devastating six-year war. Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May, sources have said, calling it its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two. China claims almost all the disputed waters and its growing military presence has fuelled concerns in Japan and the West, with the US holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation. The Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and US naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July. It will return to Japan in August, the sources said. "The aim is to test the capability of the Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission," said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. "It will train with the US Navy in the South China Sea," he added, asking not to be identified because he is not authorised to talk to the media. A spokesman for Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force declined to comment. Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei also claim parts of the sea which has rich fishing grounds, oil and gas deposits and through which around $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. Japan does not have any claim to the waters, but has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea. Japan wants to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has pushed ties with China in recent months as he has criticised the old alliance with the US, to visit the Izumo when it visits Subic Bay, about 100 km (62 miles) west of Manila, another of the sources said. Asked during a news conference about his view on the warship visit, Duterte said, without elaborating, "I have invited all of them. It is international passage, the South China Sea is not our territory, but it is part of our entitlement." On whether he would visit the warship at Subic Bay, Duterte said, "If I have time." Japan's flag-flying operation comes as the US under President Donald Trump appears to be taking a tougher line with China. Washington has criticised China's construction of man-made islands and a build-up of military facilities that it worries could be used to restrict free movement. Beijing in January said it had "irrefutable" sovereignty over the disputed islands after the White House vowed to defend "international territories". The 249 metre-long (816.93 ft) Izumo is as large as Japan's World War Two-era carriers and can operate up to nine helicopters. It resembles the amphibious assault carriers used by US Marines, but lacks their well deck for launching landing craft and other vessels. Japan in recent years, particularly under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has been stretching the limits of its post-war, pacifist constitution. It has designated the Izumo as a destroyer because the Constitution forbids the acquisition of offensive weapons. The vessel, nonetheless, allows Japan to project military power well beyond its territory. Based in Yokosuka, near Tokyo, which is also home to the US Seventh Fleet's carrier, the Ronald Reagan, the Izumo's primary mission is anti-submarine warfare. Rotterdam: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations on Sunday, claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would "pay the price" for their unusual action. While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased. He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam. That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally. Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month. The Dutch prime minister said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out. "Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail," said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders. To bolster support for a 16 April referendum that would expand the powers of Turkey's president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates. However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summer's aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands. The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday. Rutte's actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being "Nazi remnants." On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch. "If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price," Erdogan warned. "Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price," he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming. Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch. "What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they won't bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic." Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. He told hundreds of supporters there that the Dutch would be forced to "account" regardless of an apology and called the Netherlands the "capital of fascism." Alain Carton, the secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly. France's foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey. He also urged Turkish authorities to "avoid excesses and provocations." About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted Cavusoglu as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz. "I am disappointed by Holland because they speak of democracy and freedom but it is not the case. To not allow a speech, it's sad. We are all disappointed," said Beatrice Bozkus, a Metz resident who attended the rally. The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenship, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland. "The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to," Rutte said. "These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey." Still, added the prime minister, his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate." On Saturday, Turkey's family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey. After a tense standoff outside the consulate, she was escorted back to the German border. Speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbul's main airport, Kaya condemned Dutch authorities' "anti-democratic" actions which "trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly." "We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment," she said. Earlier, a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands' flag with the Turkish one. Television footage showed a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for "God is great." A small group of men holding Turkish flags were seen outside the consulate shouting "Damn Holland" and "Racist Holland." The private Dogan news agency reported that the consulate later took down Turkey's flag and put the Dutch flag back up. In Rotterdam, police arrested 12 people early Sunday at a demonstration outside the consulate after police were hit by bottles and rocks. Islamabad: Pakistan will this week embark on the enormous task of conducting its first census in almost two decades, after years of bickering between politicians concerned about power bases and federal funding. Fast-growing Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, with an estimated 200 million people, but has not held a census since 1998, despite a constitutional requirement for one every decade. The process starts Wednesday and will deploy a team of more than 300,000 people and involve 55 million forms -- a challenge in a country known for corruption and dysfunction. It will be the basis for revising political boundaries, parliamentary seat allocations and federal funding, while also giving a clearer picture about religious minority numbers in the Muslim-majority country as well as counting the transsexual population for the first time. The census is a highly charged issue, coming one year before national parliamentary elections. "Pakistan is not a country with a homogenous population," said Muddassir Rizvi, head of programmes at the Free and Fair Elections Network, "we are multiple ethnicities, more than 80 different languages are spoken. The count actually determines the political power of various ethnicities." The mighty Punjab province, for example, could see its political grip weaken as a result of its population not rising at a similar rate to other provinces. "It is not a well received exercise by political actors. It's only on the orders and insistence of the Supreme Court that this exercise is being undertaken," said Rizvi. Army escorts The lack of political will has resulted in hasty preparations. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has been primed and ready on the starting blocks for ten years, but the government only gave its green light less than three months ago -- a short time to train staff and reassure parties and communities. "There was very limited time to get everybody on board (and) ensure everyone feels the importance of being counted " said Dr Hassan Mohtashami, of the United Nations Population Fund. Many within the country are unhappy about how the presence of approximately two million Afghan refugees, whose nationality is difficult to determine because of falsified documents, could skew the numbers if they get counted as Pakistanis belonging to the Pashtun ethnic group. In Balochistan, the country's largest province by area but the least populated, a nationalist party has rejected the census, calling it tantamount to "suicide" because an influx of Pashtuns -- both from other parts of Pakistan as well as from Afghanistan -- would make the ethnic Baloch a minority in their own region. The PBS will deploy some 119,000 people, including 84,000 enumerators: teachers and local officials who will go door-to-door to count homes and then individuals. Pakistan's powerful army meanwhile announced it would dispatch up to 200,000 troops for the exercise, including 44,000 participating directly in the census-taking and making a parallel count. Asif Bajwa, the PBS's chief statistician, said the army would act as 'observers' to ensure enumerators did not inflate local counting. "Being a local person, the enumerator is susceptible to pressures, because everybody knows that a larger population translates into more jobs, more seats, and more money for the province," he said, adding each census-taker will be accompanied by a military counterpart. But that has created some disquiet for the UN who are concerned about the army's role as parallel data collectors. "The administration of any kind of other questionnaire during the census is (infringing) on the principle of confidentiality," said Mohtashami. The first census phase will take place from March 15 to April 15, the second from April 25 to May 25, and final results are expected by the end of July. WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump plans to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month, according to media reports, as his administration seeks to smooth relations with the world's second-largest economy. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans.CNN also reported the planned summit, citing an unnamed administration official. It said the plan was tentative and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was expected to finalise plans during a trip this week to Asia, which includes a stop in China.Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday the White House was preparing for a meeting between the two leaders but was not ready to announce a date."Planning is ongoing for a visit between President Trump and President Xi at a date to be determined," Spicer said, saying any meeting would cover North Korea and other issues.In previewing Tillerson's Asia visit, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton told reporters it would "to some extent be paving the way for future high-level meetings between our two presidents." China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.A summit would follow a string of other recent U.S.-China meetings and conversations aimed at mending ties after strong criticism of China by Trump during his election campaign.Thornton said the United States was "pursuing a results-oriented relationship with China; one that benefits the American people and one that remains faithful to our allies and presses China to abide by international rules and norms." She said Tillerson had urged China in previous meetings to do all it can to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and "to create a level playing field for trade and investment.""We want to be able to pursue a constructive discussion with China that enables us to get at problem areas," she said.China's top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, visited Washington last month and met Trump and Tillerson. During his campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbour, North Korea.Trump incensed Beijing in December by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honour the long-standing policy and has also written to Xi since seeking "constructive ties." Tillerson, making his first trip to Asia as secretary of state, will visit China on Saturday and Sunday and meet Xi and other leaders. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns that the Trump administration is rolling back former President Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia."Thorton said the United States was a Pacific power and would "certainly be remaining active and engaged in Asia," whether or not the terminology remained the same. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Roberta Rampton, Emily Stephenson, David Brunnstrom and Yeganeh Torbati in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Michael Holden | LONDON LONDON A British judge investigating the sudden death of a Russian mafia whistleblower heard on Monday that he might have been murdered by eating poisoned soup.Alexander Perepilichny, 44, was found dead near his luxury home on the exclusive gated St George's Hill estate in Weybridge, Surrey, southwest of London, after he had been out jogging in November 2012. The sudden nature of the death of Perepilichny, who had sought refuge in Britain in 2009, and his role in helping a Swiss investigation into a Russian money-laundering scheme has sparked speculation that he might have been murdered.Surrey Police have said there was no evidence for this but an earlier pre-inquest hearing was told traces of a rare and deadly poison from the gelsemium plant had been found in his stomach.The case has drawn parallels with the murder of ex-KGB agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko who died after his tea was poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in London in 2006. A public inquiry into his death last year concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had probably given the go-ahead to a Russian intelligence operation to murder Litvinenko, a claim that Moscow rejected.Perepilichny had been providing evidence against those linked to the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky while in custody in Moscow in 2009. Magnitsky had accused Russian government officials of stealing $230 million. "Either he died of natural causes or he was murdered," said Bob Moxon Browne, the lawyer for Legal & General, with whom Perepilichny had taken out a large life insurance policy. "If he was murdered, it does seem very likely he was poisoned," he told Monday's pre-inquest hearing at London's Old Bailey court.He told the court there were telephone records of threats from an organised crime group and that police had flushed away the contents of Perepilichny's stomach. He also queried why his widow had never given a witness statement about what Perepilichny had had for lunch on the day he died.WAS HIS SOUP POISONED? Moxon Browne said there was hearsay evidence that Perepilichny had enjoyed a large bowl of soup containing sorrel, a popular Russian dish, and suggested the vegetable could have been swapped."A minute quantity of material that was subsequently recovered from the stomach cavity ... has revealed a compound which has an atomic weight to four decimal places which corresponds to a poison," he said. Fiona Barton, the lawyer for Surrey Police, said numerous samples had been taken from Perepilichny's body and subjected to comprehensive analysis "No identifiable toxin was found and that remains the case," she said.Last November, the government successfully applied to London's High Court for "public interest immunity" (PII) over secret material it held regarding the Perepilichny case, meaning it could not be made public at an inquest on national security grounds.Following that decision, the original coroner was replaced with senior judge, Nicholas Hilliard, and his preliminary view was that the PII documents were not significant. "Nothing in the material ... materially assists the question of how Alexander Perepilichny died," said Peter Skelton, the lawyer to the inquest. Henrietta Hill, lawyer for Hermitage Capital Management which employed Magnitsky, said Hilliard needed to answer the "Litvinenko" question of whether the inquest, due to start on June 5, would have to be abandoned because it could not examine secret documents, and be replaced by a public inquiry instead."The material to which PII attaches is the government answer to specific questions about threats to Mr Perepilichny's life, third party involvement in the death and his contact with certain individuals," Hill said. (Editing by Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Written by the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspaper By Ladipo Ademolekun corruption in this country is wealthy, powerful, influential, and it is in practically all institutions including religious institutions. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, The Nation, February 10, 2017. Recession, insecurity, and varying levels of poverty across the country are incontrovertibly inter-linked and they are also linked, in varying degrees, separately as well as in combination, to the problem of corruption. I am confident that the patterns of these linkages as well as appropriate remedial measures will be made explicit during this two-day dialogue. As a prelude to my brief exposition of the Missing Link that I have identified the need for a coalition approach to the fight against corruption I will make an observation on the mind-boggling looting of our commonwealth exposed since June 2015. In 1996-1997, I participated in crafting the World Bank Strategy for fighting corruption Helping Countries Combat corruption. The Role of the World Bank (1997). Then, a year later, I accepted an external assignment to an African country where combating corruption featured prominently in the countrys development strategy that the bank had agreed to support. I was the lead bank staffer through whom the banks support to the anti-corruption agency was channelled. The countrys anti-corruption czar was very committed to the task and welcomed banks support enthusiastically. Within 12 months, he was exposing and prosecuting, with some success, persons accused of both small and grand corruption. Then, some well-connected political officials became frightened and a couple or so among them whispered to the president that the anti-corruption czar was aiming to get him. The president invited the anti-corruption to a discreet location to confront him. Although he re-assured the president that the allegation was false, that encounter marked the beginning of the end of the presidents support for the fight against corruption in the country. President Muhammadu Buharis unquestioned integrity is the explanatory factor for the progress made to date in exposing the frightening dimensions of recent corrupt practices in the country; there is no danger that he can be distracted because of a get him whisper. Pillar One: President as anti-corruption champion I would argue that in a real sense PMB as the countrys anti-corruption champion constitutes an important pillar of the anti-corruption coalition that the country needs to energise the fight against corruption. As the examples of countries that have succeeded in significantly reducing corruption in developing countries across the continents demonstrate (for example, Botswana in Africa and Singapore in Asia), having a president with unquestioned integrity as the anti-corruption champion is a necessary condition. Yes, it is not a sufficient condition, but it constitutes an important pillar for the coalition approach that is required for scaling up the on-going anti-corruption war. The two other pillars for the anti-corruption coalition that I regard as the missing link in the on-going fight against corruption are: (i) the provisions in the 1999 Constitution that mandate fighting corruption and (ii) a National Anti-Corruption Strategy that needs to be adopted through a participatory process involving all three tiers of government, the private sector, civil society organisations and concerned citizens. Pillar Two: Constitutional provisions that mandate fighting corruption Regarding the constitutional provisions summarised below, all arms of government (executive, judiciary and legislature) should be united in enforcing Section 15 (5). Indeed, all citizens should be committed to their enforcement. Pillar Two:Constitutional provisions related to combating corruption Section 15 (5) The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Section 140 (1): A person elected to the office of President shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities Section 149: A minister of the Government of the Federation shall not enter upon the duties of his office, unless he has declared his assets and liabilities Section 152: A person appointed as a Special Adviser shall not begin to perform the functions of his office unless he has declared his assets and liabilities Section 185 (1): A person elected to the office of the Governor of a State shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities Section 194: A Commissioner of the Government of a State shall not enter upon the duties of his office, unless he has declared his assets and liabilities Section 196 (4): A person appointed as a Special Adviser shall not begin to perform the functions of the office unless he has declared his assets and liabilities Concretely, then, PMBs commitment to fighting corruption is no more than a constitutional duty. There is also an important anti-corruption provision in the Constitution that PMB is yet to enforce: the Prohibition of foreign accounts (Fifth Schedule, Code of Conduct for Public Officers): The president, vice-president, governor, deputy governor, ministers of the government of the federation and commissioners of the governments of states, members of the National Assembly and of the Houses of Assembly of the states, and such other public officers or persons as the National Assembly may by law prescribe shall not maintain or operate a bank account in any country outside Nigeria. To ensure effective enforcement, any of the officers who has an existing account should be required to freeze it for the period of his/her service with public declaration of the amount in the account at the time of assumption of office. Pillar Three: National anti-corruption strategy Although PMB promised to present an anti-corruption strategy to the public during his first three months in office, this did not happen. By the time he made the commitment, Nigeria already had a draft National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) midwifed by the Federal Ministry of Justice in 2013. However, NACS was produced in order to comply with an obligation under UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a signatory and it was almost certainly only intended to serve that formal purpose. Although there was some degree of public participation in the preparation of NACS, the new NACS that would constitute a strong pillar for the anti-corruption coalition that I advocate needs to emerge through a broader and deeper public participation. I am aware that PMB administration has a new draft strategy that draws on the old draft but has been enriched by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC). The following are what I consider as desirable next steps towards the emergence of a NACS that would help make it a strong pillar in the anti-corruption coalition that I advocate: Broad and deep participatory approach The existing draft strategy should be subjected to extensive public debate before a final draft is formally adopted in a National Anti-Corruption Forum. The adopted strategy should then be sent to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and approval. The proposed pre-National Anti-corruption Forum debate could be organised through volunteer written contributions (memoranda) and debates on radio and television and via social media to be collated by PACAC. The volunteer contributors should be requested to, among others, address the following question: What has worked and what has not worked in the fight against corruption in the country from 1999 to date? Participants at the Forum should include representatives of existing anti-corruption institutions (notably ICPC and EFCC), some of the volunteer contributors, selected anti-corruption civil society groups and the notable champion of anti-corruption in the private sector, the Convention for Business Integrity (CBI). Contents of the strategy The contents of the strategy should take into account the lessons learned from the limited impact of the anti-corruption efforts in the country since the early 2000s especially in respect of both anti-corruption education and the punishment of corrupt officials. Regarding extant laws, the use of plea bargaining in the country (first introduced in 2005) would need to be revisited. Because it has been largely abused to date, I would recommend that it should be abolished. Instead, I would recommend an amendment to the criminal code that would presume public officials to be guilty of committing a crime if they fail to give a clear account of the sources of their wealth. Such unknown sources of wealth would be presumed to be the proceeds of corruption. The UN, Singapore, the UK, Hong Kong and Malaysia have adopted similar regulations. Another issue that should be addressed in the Strategy (if it is not already covered)is a critical review of political campaign finance law/regulation and associated corruption with the objective of enhancing both transparency and enforceability, drawing on international good practices on the subject. (See, Punch, Editorial, Toxic influence of money on Nigerian elections, February 20, 2017). The critical interface between the countrys anti-corruption strategy and existing strategies focused on public service reform and judicial sector reform will need to be explicated in the strategy with a view to ensuring synergy and complementarity. For example, there is a National Strategy for Public Service Reform that the in-coming administration will inherit and modify as appropriate. The strategys component on public financial management reform includes actions focused on reducing corruption. And the strategys component on civil service administration reform includes some measures for enhancing ethical standards in public service. Similarly, on-going reform efforts in the judicial sector include actions focused on reducing corruption at the levels of lawyers and judges. Finally, the anti-corruption strategy must have an implementation plan. I would suggest that the plan should comprise decentralised implementation responsibilities at the level of the key anti-corruption agencies (notably ICPC and EFCC) and a small coordinating secretariat in the presidency. The secretariat should be responsible for producing quarterly or bi-annual and annual reports on the results achieved in the fight against corruption, using benchmarks articulated in the strategy. And for obvious reasons, the financial resources and human capacities for assuring effective implementation should be addressed in the implementation plan. The anti-corruption coalition that I advocate, supported by the three pillars highlighted above (adirometakii ye), is intended to ensure the engagement of as many stakeholders as possible in the fight against corruption. Regarding Pillar Two on the anti-corruption provisions in the Constitution, there is need for continuous public enlightenment on the constitutional mandate for all public officials across the tiers of government: The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. This might help to progressively eradicate the disturbingly widespread habit of citizens who excuse/condone blatant corrupt practices on the grounds of community, ethnic and/or religious solidarities. Pillar Three on a National Anti-corruption Strategy, produced through a participatory process, is the most effective instrument for broadening the coalition and assuring its sustainability through future periodic reviews and updating of the strategy. Prof. Adamolekun, NNOM, Independent Scholar, Iju, Akure North, Ondo State. DWT. But all Myanmar coverage always managed to get in a plus for Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest when I was in Yangon but is now the de factor head of government (technically State Counsellor, Foreign Affairs Minister and President's Office Minister. Her victories over the military junta have been celebrated around the world. But... lately the issue of Myanmar's oppressed Muslim minority has A decade ago I visited Myanmar for a couple of weeks and wrote about the trip on my travel blog , although the day I got back to L.A. I drafted a short post for this blog bitching about how the military junta there had censored. But all Myanmar coverage always managed to get in a plus for Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest when I was in Yangon but is now the de factor head of government (technically State Counsellor, Foreign Affairs Minister and President's Office Minister. Her victories over the military junta have been celebrated around the world. But... lately the issue of Myanmar's oppressed Muslim minority has taken a toll on her international support More than a dozen fellow Nobel laureates have criticised Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto leader, for a bloody military crackdown on minority Rohingya people, warning of a tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The open letter to the UN security council from a group of 23 activists, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Malala Yousafzai, warned that the army offensive had killed of hundreds of people, including children, and left women raped, houses burned and many civilians arbitrarily arrested. It was delivered as Bangladesh announced around 50,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled the violence across its border. That was last December. Life for the Rohingya-- a minority of about a million people who, despite living in the country for generations, are treated as illegal immigrants and denied citizenship-- has gotten worse since then. An Amnesty International report this month, based on extensive interviews with Rohingya as well as analysis of satellite imagery, claimed that actions by Myanmars military may constitute crimes against humanity. Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent much of the past two decades under house arrest and was awarded the 1991 Nobel peace prize, won elections last November, ending decades of junta rule. But the Myanmar armed forces, or Tatmadaw, retain significant power in Myanmar. Under the army-drafted constitution, the military controls the three most powerful government ministries: home, defence and border affairs. Aung San Suu Kyi is foreign minister and state counsellor, as the law bars her from the presidency, which is held by her close aide Htin Kyaw. However, she is widely considered the countrys de facto leader. The open letter said that despite repeated appeals to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi we are frustrated that she has not taken any initiative to ensure full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingyas. Daw Suu Kyi is the leader and is the one with the primary responsibility to lead, and lead with courage, humanity and compassion. Last week the UN's special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, blew the whistle on what she called " crimes against humanity ." She said the problem of abuse was "systemic" within the Burmese security forces, but said that Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government should bear some of the responsibility. "At the end of the day it is the government, the civilian government, that has to answer and respond to these massive cases of horrific torture and very inhumane crimes they have committed against their own people." ...In camps in Bangladesh, the BBC heard allegations from recently arrived Rohingya refugees that the Burmese security forces had shot civilians, and abducted and raped young girls. Many of the refugee accounts are supported by both satellite and video evidence. ...The spokesman for Ms Suu Kyi's political party, the National League of Democracy, Win Htein, told the BBC that under the current constitution, Ms Suu Kyi did not have the power to get the army to stop. Tomorrow, Ms Lee will present her latest findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and will formally call for a Commission of Inquiry to be established, similar to the ones looking at abuses in places like North Korean and Syria. Last week winners of the 64th annual iF DESIGN AWARD were announced under different categories including Product Design, Communication Design, Packaging Design, Service Design, Architecture, Interior Architecture and Professional Concept. Samsung won 49 iF Design Awards, including one Gold award. These awards were for superior product design, four for professional concept design, seven for communication design, and three for packaging design for Galaxy S7 Series, Gear S3, Galaxy C9 Pro, SUHD TV KS9500, RB38K7998S4 and Activewash series. LG won 30 iF Design Awards for excellence for products such as LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W, LG Gram, LG V20 and LG Tone Bluetooth headsets, including iF Gold Award for the companys CordZero canister vacuum cleaner. Belkin won three 2017 iF DESIGN AWARDs for its Valet Charger Power Pack for Apple Watch + iPhone, PowerHouse Charge Dock for Apple Watch + iPhone, and its ScreenCare+ Application System. Lenovo won six 2017 iF DESIGN AWARDs for its ThinkPad X1 Yoga convertible laptop, IdeaCentre 610S PC, IdeaCentre Y710 Cube, Lenovo Legion Y720 Laptop, IdeaCentre AIO Y910, and Lenovo Smart Storage. In January, a 58-member, independent, international jury of experts from 19 countries awarded the design label, the iF DESIGN AWARD 2017, in Hamburg. Additionally, the 75 best works were honored with the iF gold award 2017. Check of few of the winners of iF gold award 2017: Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro (Computer) Sony Future Lab Program (TV / Cameras) Apple AirPods (Audio) Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Telecommunication) Tytocare TytoHome (Medicine / Health / Care) #BeFearless by Samsung (Apps / Software) Oslo by design-people (Audio) BMW 5 Series Sedan (Automobiles / Vehicles) Sony PS-HX500 (Audio) Samsung ArtPC PULSE (Computer) Mi LED Desk Lamp by Xiaomis Qingdao Yeelink Information (Lighting) Smart socket by Shenzhen ORVIBO Electronics (Building Technology) LG CordZero A7 (Household / Tableware) Dell Canvas 27 (Computer) The Dash by Bragi ( Sports / Outdoor / Bicycles) Ferrari GTC4Lusso (Automobiles / Vehicles) Sony PlayStation VR (Computer) Source Last week, Barbara Lee introduced a new bill, H.R. 1473, "to prohibit the deployment of members of the Armed Forces to Syria for purposes of engaging in ground combat operations." Her first co-sponsor was North Carolina Republican Walter Jones. Here's the full list of co-sponsors: Walter Jones (R-NC) Mike Capuano (D-MA) Jared Huffman (D-CA) Mark Pocan (D-WI) Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Jim McGovern (D-MA) John Lewis (D-GA) Marcia Fudge (D-OH) G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) Karen Bass (D-CA) Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Gwen Moore (D-WI) Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Rick Nolan (D-MN) Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) These are people who don't want to see Trump drag the country into a deadly ground war in Syria. None of them have polled the question or hired focus groups to test it. They are excercising leadership qualities, which is what we elect them to do. Is your congresscritter on the list? If not, I'd suggest phoning or e-mailing him or her and asking he to co-sponsor the bill today. Right now the bill is sitting in the House Armed Services Committee, where Texas Republican Mac Thornberry is sitting on it and very unlikely to allow it to get to the House floor for an up or down vote. The only member of the committee who has signed on so far is the Republican-- Walter Jones. Conservative Democrats on the committee-- like Blue Dogs Jim Cooper (TN), Stephanie Miller (FL) and Tom O'Halleran (AZ) and New Dems Scott Peters (CA), Pete Aguilar (CA) and Joaquin Castro (TX)-- are sitting on their hands. Where are vets like Seth Moulton (MA), Tulsi Gabbard (HI), Ruben Gallego (AZ) on this? Ro Khanna, the progressive freshman from the Silicon Valley whose district is just south of Barbara Lee's and who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, is still studying the bill but he told me yesterday that he is "opposed to the deployment of any additional ground troops to Syria. At the very least, the President must get authorization from Congress before doing so. We have been in perpetual war for nearly 15 years, which has taken an enormous human toll and financial toll. Most Americans are weary of more war without a clear strategy or end game. They want us to focus on building infrastructure here at home and making the investments in education that will make us competitive and safe in the 21st century." This was Barbara Lee's statement to the press when she introduced her legislation last week: For more than fifteen years, the U.S. has been engaged in an ever-expanding war in the Middle East. President Trumps deployment of combat troops in Syria is the latest front in this endless war. In 2001, I was the lone member of Congress to vote against handing President Bush a blank check for war. Fifteen years later, this Authorization for the Use of Military Force is still being used to justify military actions around the globe, including this new deployment into Syria. I strongly object to the White Houses decision to unilaterally place U.S. boots on the ground in Syria. President Trumps action today shows the consequences of allowing military escalation to persist without Congressional oversight. We simply cannot allow this blank check to remain on the books. The Constitution is clear: Congress must debate, vote and authorize the use of military force in matters of war and peace. The bill I am introducing today prohibits the Department of Defense from funding any attempt by the Administration to expand our presence in Syria by putting U.S. combat boots on the ground. It is our constitutional duty as Members of Congress to place a check on the Executive Branch in matters of war and peace. We owe it to our brave service members to live up to our constitutional duty. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in preventing this president from sending our troops into yet another unchecked, ill-advised war without a full and robust debate from Congress. Ted Lieu, the congressman from the west side of Los Angeles is a full colonel in the Air Force National Guard. He isn't on the House Armed Services Committee but he put out this statement after Trump announced he's sending more troops-- willy-nilly-- into the Syrian civil war: Federal officials are again warning consumers on Monday to use caution when buying or using self-propelled hoverboards after one of the devices is blamed for causing a deadly weekend house fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that killed a toddler. More than one year after the government issued a massive recall for the popular devices amid fire-safety concerns, local authorities say a charging hoverboard sparked a fire Friday night, engulfing the Harrisburg home in flames. If the gadget is confirmed as the cause, it would mark the first-ever fatality due to a hoverboard fire, Scott Wolfson, communications director for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, told FOX Business. The CPSC recalled more than 500,000 hoverboards made by 10 retailers in early 2016, warning that the products did not meet federal fire safety standards. Wolfson said the CPSC has investigated more than 60 hoverboard fires since the fall of 2015. Not everyone responded to the recall, Wolfson told FOX Business. Even though it was an early 2016 announcement, we would still recommend that consumers check their hoverboards. If they havent taken advantage of it yet, its not too late. In their initial recall announcement, the CPSC said that the affected hoverboards used lithium-ion battery packs that can overheat, posing a risk of the products smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. Authorities told FOX Business they havent been able to determine the brand of hoverboard allegedly responsible for the Harrisburg blaze. We have not identified the brand at this point, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline told FOX Business. Hoverboards were among the most popular offerings for online retailers in late 2015, before the federal warnings led prominent companies like Amazon and Toys R Us to temporarily pull them from shelves. As manufacturers many of which are based overseas, with the gadgets typically made in China rushed to capitalize on the market, the CPSC struggled to enforce industrywide safety standards. Online retailer Overstock.com was specifically named in the CPSC recall. Representatives for the three retailers did not immediately respond to FOX Business request for comment. When checking hoverboards to see if they comply with federal standards, Wolfson urged consumers to look for a sign that the products are certified by UL, a safety consulting firm formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories. ULs safety standard for hoverboards helps reduce potential fire and shock hazards, dramatically diminishing the probability of an incident, John Drengenberg, ULs Consumer Safety Director, told FOX Business. Our hoverboards standard has many tests that focus on lithium ion battery safety. Hundreds of models have undergone and passed the stringent safety requirements. Swagway, which had more than 250,000 units recalled in 2016, offered at the time to replace faulty hoverboards with UL-certified battery packs. Amazon.com currently offers the Swagway, the Segway miniPRO, and other UL-certified models. That is the best safety standard in the country that aims to prevent fires with hoverboards, Wolfson said. If youre in the market for a new hoverboard, look for a marker on the product, on the packaging, that says it meets UL 2272. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort, according to media reports. The two-day meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. CNN also reported the planned summit, citing an unnamed administration official. It added the plan was tentative and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was expected to finalize plans during a trip this week to Asia, which includes a stop in China. A U.S. administration official, who asked not to be named because no official announcement has been made about the meeting, said the summit was possible but was not confirmed. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The reported summit would follow a string of other recent U.S-China meetings and conversations seeking to smooth ties after aggressive criticism of China by Trump during his election campaign. Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, who outranks his country's foreign minister, visited Washington last month to discuss the two countries' economic ties and security interests, including meetings with Trump and Tillerson. During his campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea claimed by several countries, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbor, North Korea. After his election, Trump incensed Beijing in December by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Under that policy, Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a part. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi last month to honor the policy. He has also written to Xi since taking office on Jan. 20, seeking "constructive ties." (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Roberta Eampton, David Brunnstrom and Yeganeh Torbati in Washington, and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Frances Kerry) The Donner Pass has claimed another victim. The California Highway Patrol has discovered a Jeep Cherokee buried under 20 feet of snow on the side of a road outside of Truckee. The area sees some of the highest snowfall in the United States and has been hit particularly hard this year, with walls of snow bordering many of its major roads. I-80 no chain controls at this time. Drive safe and enjoy the beautiful day.. pic.twitter.com/kQBAWUV6WN Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) February 25, 2017 The police told Jalopnik that the Jeep was likely abandoned on the side of the road, plowed under, and further entombed by the giant snowblowers that keep the road clear. Apparently one of them seriously damaged the truck as it was carving a canyon into the snow, which led to its discovery. A broken rear window reveals that the interior is empty, so its owner wasnt trapped in it. The CHP doesnt know who that is, and covered the license plate in the photo posted on its Facebook page, but if you left it there, you hopefully remember. OPPOSITE EXTREME? JEEP BURIED IN SAND DUNE FOR 40 YEARS FINALLY UNEARTHED Just dont head back to retrieve it anytime soon. Since its not blocking the road, and sits under layers of stratified snow and ice, the police are leaving it up to Mother Nature to thaw it out. ---------- Best muscle car for winter? Vietnam is considered Aeons priority destination in Southeast Asia with the largest number of shopping centers to date. Japanese retailer Aeon is planning to pour $200 million into its second shopping mall in Hanoi this year, a company official said, which would see its investment in Vietnam's capital nearly doubling. The new facility covers an area of 9.5 hectares (23.5 acres) in Ha Dong District, Hanois largest suburb by population. It is scheduled to come into operation at the end of 2019. That will be the fifth shopping mall Aeon has opened in Vietnam, after its first unit was launched outside Ho Chi Minh City's downtown in January 2014. Vietnam's retail market, drawing attention by retail giants such as Japan's 7-Eleven, Swedish fashion firm H&M and Thailand's Central Group, is listed in the top five in Southeast Asia and ranked 11th globally in terms of growth rate, based on the A.T. Kearny 2016 Global Retail Development Index. Vietnamese people are gradually shifting away from traditional retail channels to modern retail stores and centers. Spending at supermarkets, convenience stores, and shopping malls, as opposed to traditional local shops, is expected to rise to 40 percent of consumer spending by 2020, from 25 percent currently, government data show. The government has projected the retail market's value to hit $179 billion by 2020, up 52 percent from last year. Aeon is the largest retailer in Asia with a network of around 300 consolidated subsidiaries and 26 equity-affiliated companies, ranging from convenience store chains and supermarkets to shopping malls and specialty stores. In Southeast Asia outside Vietnam, the Japan-based company is also running one shopping mall in Cambodia and two others in Indonesia. It plans to open the second facility in Cambodia in the summer of 2018 and two more in Indonesia within that year. Related news: > 7-Eleven starts hiring ahead of Vietnam debut > Foreign players, like 7-Eleven, raise competition in Vietnam's retail market Kim Kardashian West is opening up about being held at gunpoint during a jewelry heist in Paris last year. In a preview of next week's "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kardashian West recalls seeing the gun "as clear as day." Kardashian West emotionally describes the episode to her sisters in the clip. She says she thought there was "no way out" of the situation. Kardashian West wasn't physically harmed during the October incident. Ten suspects have been charged in connection with the case. The 13th season of the Kardashians' E! reality show premiered Sunday night. His-and-hers platinum tresses aside, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and former pinup Pamela Anderson may be the most unlikely couple on the planet. But since last fall, the 49-year-old blond bombshell whose resume includes 15 Playboy covers, Baywatch and a sex tape with Tommy Lee has been happily content to be photographed (almost) fully clothed, as she delivers lunch, or dinner, or heaven knows what else to her latest bad-boy infatuation. Anderson has been a fixture coming and going from Assanges stronghold in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, silently carting trays of plastic-wrapped homemade vegan delicacies. She has also been seen loaded down with Pret A Manger and Whole Foods bags filled with takeout meals for her numerous tetes-a-tetes with Assange, 45. She has long pleaded for his freedom. In January, she sent a letter to then-President Barack Obama asking him to pardon Assange, while posting a picture of a ruffled Assange with a tiny kitten on his shoulder. Anderson has been calculatingly coy about the nature of her visits with one of the most wanted men in the world, as if to stir the pot of media speculation. Then, just last Thursday the day she was photographed visiting him again with a camel coat draped around her shoulders and a short black sweater clinging to her curves came another tidbit for the press. Anderson took to social media, penning an open letter titled My Julian that made her intentions more clear. She breathlessly declared Assange to be brave and upstanding. Oh, and sexy. My Julian is the most intelligent, interesting, and informed man in existence, she wrote in a social-media post. Yes, I think hes quite sexy. She gushed that he intellectually stimulates her more than all her ex-husbands and lovers combined. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX ENTERTAINMENT NEWS. The budding romance between Assange and Anderson could be one of the wackiest romantic couplings of all time. It could also be a mutually beneficial publicity ploy for two fading celebrities with spotlights to chase and axes to grind. Anderson needs to raise cash for herself, and awareness for the many other charitable causes shes taken on. And continued media attention is Assanges only hope for a clemency and freedom from his embassy confines, since stepping outside now would lead to almost certain prosecution for sexual assault in Sweden. Pamela doesnt do anything unless she is getting paid, said a former associate, who did not want to be identified. And a few years ago, she was pretty broke. Go to PageSix.com for the full story. Chipotle is making headlines yet again but this time it's not about the burritos and tacos taking the fall-- the companys Southeast-Asian-inspired brand is closing down for good. The Denver-based company has decided to close all 15 locations of its ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen chain by March 17, according to Nations Restaurant News. Chipotle opened the first ShopHouse in 2011, eventually growing the Asian brand to 15 locations with stores in California, Illinois, Marlyand, and Washington, D.C. The chain offers food inspired by the cultures of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore-- like noodles, rice, a variety of meats with curries and other sauces-- in a Chipotle counter service format. Were serving our last meals EVER on 3/17, open to close. Get em while theyre hot. pic.twitter.com/uKPD1yjWCB ShopHouse (@shophouse) March 9, 2017 In its most recent annual earnings report, Chipotle said ShopHouse was unable to generate enough sales for future investment. Company spokesman Chris Arnold said Chipotle has already made a deal to sell the leases of the ShopHouse locations. We now have a deal in place to sell the ShopHouse leases and believe that is the right decision at this time, Arnold told Nations Restaurant News. Current ShopHouse employees won't be left out in the cold, howevever, as the chain says it will offer workers jobs at Chipotle Mexican Grill-- plus, they will be paid for an additional week after the restaurants' closing during the transition period. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The companys decision to close ShopHouse is one of the latest efforts Chipotle is making to recover from sales setbacks, mostly due to the food-borne illness outbreak that occurred throughout several locations in 2015. The decision to scale back the Asian branded concept has been in the works for months but a formal decision was not made until last week. As a result, we have decided not to invest further in developing or growing the ShopHouse brand and will pursue strategic alternatives, Chipotle's founder and Co-CEO Steve Ells said back in October. In April, the company will release its first television advertisement since 2012. Chipotle also operates two other restaurant brands: Pizzeria Locale with seven locations and Tasty Made, a burger joint with one store in Ohio. Sorry, Texans. You might have to be sober for that next root canal. On Thursday, Texas lawmakers proposed legislation that would prohibit doctors from serving alcoholic beverages to patients before appointments. The bill, which was brought before the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), takes specific aim at dentists who serve alcohol as a means of relaxing and calming their clients before a procedure. WEGMANS SUPERMARKET SELLS OUT OF TRUMP WINE AFTER PROPOSED BOYCOTT Kolkhorst cited both Texas and New York as examples of places where the trend is growing in popularity, reports The Dallas Morning News. "There's nothing in the code that prevents you from doing this, but I think it's a line that we can't cross," said Kolkhorst at Thursdays public hearing. Under Kolkhorsts proposed legislation, health care practitioners of all kinds would be prohibited from serving alcohol to patients, their guardians or their guests, and would face an administrative penalty if they do not comply. However, the bill stipulates that the legislation does not apply to alcohol when used as, or contained in, a drug for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of illness, injury, or disease. The Texas Dental Association is behind Kolkhorsts efforts, telling The Dallas Morning News that eschewing alcohol would lead to a safer medical practice overall. Patient safety must always be first and foremost," they said. But while the TDA is in support of bucking the boozy trend, doctors and patients in certain parts of the country namely Houston and New York City have a different opinion. In a 2011 report from KRTV Houston, Dr. Clint Herzog, DDS, said his patients have responded positively to the practice, and that it lends a more relaxed atmosphere to his office. "We try to love on the patient from the time they walk in the door to the time they leave," he told KRTV. Some patients in New York City seem to agree. In 2014, DNAinfo New York spoke with a patient of Marina and Manci, DMD, who said, "It's an extra something that helps you dread the dentist a little less. I don't know why more places don't do it, quite frankly The wine helps take the edge off." In a Yelp review, a patient of Dr. David Janash of Park South Dentistry (also in New York), spoke very highly of the dentists decision to offer free mini bottles of wine!!, which Janash has credited with contributing to a boutique, spa-like environment that make patients more comfortable," per his statements in DNAinfo New York. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS It should be noted, however, that a spokesperson for New Yorks State Liquor Authority told DNAinfo in 2014 that dentists office are not legally allowed to sell or provide complimentary wine although no such law is on the books in Texas. The move to ban alcohol from medical offices comes amid growing concern from bar owners that salons like DreamDry and Drybar offer free alcohol to customers-- without liquor licenses. Kolkhorsts bill, S.B. 404, is currently pending. She plans to update the legislation over concerns from the Texas Senate over too much regulation, writes The Dallas Morning News. Sen. Kolkhorst was not immediately available for comment. A Canadian mother said she is planning to sue after a nurse who was caring for her premature son allegedly fell asleep while feeding him and woke to him crying on the floor. The alleged incident left Kelsey Bonds infant son, Keiran Keller, with a skull fracture, The National Post reported. I received a phone call at 8 oclock in the morning saying that the nurse had fallen asleep feeding him and woke up to him crying on the floor, Bond, 19, told The National Post. She said she was sorry and that a pediatrician had looked at him and said he was fine. Bond gave birth to Keiran and his twin brother, Kayden, at 29 weeks gestation at Kingston General Hospital on Dec. 23. They were transferred to Belleville General in February, where they were tended to in a special-care nursery, The National Post reported. Kayden was released Feb. 10, but Keiran had a lung condition and other health issues that required additional care. Bond told the news outlet that on the evening of the Feb. 20 phone call regarding Keirans fall, she arrived at Belleville General, and noticed his head looked red and swollen. A second pediatrician reportedly told her Kiernan was fine. I had a gut feeling that everything wasnt OK, said Bond, according to The National Post. She also reportedly discovered through a hospital document that the fall occurred five hours prior to when she received the phone call. The nurse involved in the alleged incident was not punished. The nurse is not suspended; she is not fired; there is no punishment for her, Bond told the news outlet. She requested Keirnan be transferred to Kingston where an ultrasound and CT scan revealed a depressed fracture in his skull and an acute subdural hematoma, The National Post reported. He was released Feb. 27 after another ultrasound, but was having trouble feeding and was admitted to Peterborough Regional Health Centre before being transferred to Kingston. He was released March 2, according to the report. Bond told The National Post it may take from six months to a year for his injury to heal, and that an appointment at a special development clinic is booked for May. While hospital officials said they are investigating the incident and Quinte Health issued an apology, Bond said her concerns are not being addressed. A Quinte Health Care spokesperson told the news outlet that an investigation is ongoing and that the nurse reported the incident immediately. Our staff are also human and so when things like this happen we are really sorry, the spokesperson told The National Post. Bond said she has contacted a lawyer and plans to sue for neglect. If she was tired, she shouldnt have gone to work, she said of the unidentified nurse. Shes risking childrens lives, and these arent just normal, full-term babies. They need special care. Just a small fraction of adolescents with opioid addiction will receive medications that can help them quit, new research shows. These medications, usually methadone or suboxone, are prescribed to reduce craving for opiates and ease withdrawal symptoms, and studies show they help opiate users to abstain. In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised doctors to consider medication-assisted treatment, specifically suboxone, for adolescents with "severe opioid use disorders." To get a "baseline" sense of medication-assisted treatment in adolescents with opiate or heroin addiction, Kenneth Feder of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore and his colleagues looked at data on 139,092 patients receiving treatment at publicly funded programs in the United States in 2013. While 26 percent of adult heroin addicts received medication-assisted treatment, that was true for just 2 percent of adolescents. Among patients addicted to opiates, 12 percent of adults received medication, compared to less than 1 percent of adolescents, the researchers reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health. "There's more that needs to be done across the board to facilitate access to these treatments when they're medically necessary," Feder told Reuters Health by phone. "The best validated treatment for somebody struggling with an opiate addiction is treatment that includes some sort of medication assistance." Patients seeking medication-assisted treatment face a number of obstacles. Methadone is only offered at specific substance abuse treatment centers, and these centers need a waiver to treat anyone under 18. Also, Medicaid rules state that adolescents with opiate addiction must have failed treatment twice in order to be prescribed methadone. Doctors can prescribe suboxone, the other main drug for this purpose, to patients 16 and older, but only if they have a waiver. "These treatments may not be covered by a state's Medicaid program," Feder added. "And if they are medically necessary, we think they should be covered by a state's Medicaid program." The difference in medication-assisted treatment rates between adolescents and adults is "really striking and very concerning," Dr. Lisa Marsch of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Lebanon, New Hampshire, told Reuters Health by phone. Marsch has studied medication-assisted treatment but did not participate in the new study. Medication-assisted treatment is clearly more effective for adults and adolescents, Marsch said, and by not extending the treatment to more patients, "we are doing a real disservice based on the science and the data." About a half-million US adolescents use prescription opiates every year, and just under 10 percent will become addicted, Marsch added. "We want a chance to stop this problem early." Support programs for new mothers help them to breast-feed their babies for longer periods and to keep breast milk as the baby's only source of nutrition, according to a new review of existing evidence. The researchers concluded that breast-feeding support - whether educational or just encouraging - by trained professionals or lay people generally benefited women and their babies. "Breast-feeding is really important," said lead author Alison McFadden, who directs the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the University of Dundee in the UK. "Good support will help mothers to breastfeed longer and breastfeed exclusively, which of course is good for mothers and babies." McFadden and her colleagues are part of the international Cochrane network of researchers who analyze evidence on health topics. Their new review was published in the Cochrane Library. The World Health Organization recommends that babies be breast-fed exclusively for the first six months of life and then given breast milk along with other food until they're two years old. Babies who are breast-fed are less likely to develop infections, become overweight and develop diabetes, the researchers write. "For women, it reduces the incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and diabetes," McFadden told Reuters Health. For the review, the researchers analyzed 73 studies that compared women who received breast-feeding support to women who received no support or a different kind of intervention. Overall, 75,000 women and their babies were included in the analysis. Most were from high- to middle-income countries. Support can come in many forms, the authors say - including reassurance, praise, information and the opportunities to discuss problems and ask questions. Women who received support were about 8 percent less likely to stop breast-feeding before six months, compared to women who didn't get the added help. For every 1,000 women who received the added help, 304 stopped breast-feeding by four to six weeks and 510 stopped breastfeeding by six months, whereas for every 1,000 women who didn't receive support, 353 stopped within four to six weeks and 573 stopped by six months. Also, 732 of every 1,000 women who received supported were no longer exclusively breast-feeding at six months, while the same was true for 823 of every 1,000 "unsupported" women. Certain factors may make the support more valuable for mothers and babies, the researchers found. For example, it didn't matter whether a health care professional or a trained lay person delivered the support. But, McFadden said, "it needs to be offered, proactive and scheduled so mothers know when to expect support." Additionally, face-to-face contact and support appeared to be better than help delivered over the phone. "The people we're hoping will take note of this are those providing the breast-feeding support - the health professional and the people making health policy," said McFadden. The next step for this type of research would be to make these support services available to a large number of women. For new parents and parents-to-be, McFadden said, it's important to ask their health care providers about breastfeeding support programs. "If that support is not available, seek it out," she said. Next time youre browsing the produce aisle, you may want to steer clear of a conventional fruit beloved in pies and whole-fruit form alike. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has yet again released its annual Dirty Dozen list and this year, pears have made the list for the first time, taking the No. 6 slot on the list, up from No. 22 in 2016. The new pesticides detected on pears include fungicides, applied to control fungus and mold, as well as insecticides, according to the EWG, an organization that researches and advocates in agriculture and toxic chemicals, among other areas. This is troubling because there is very little research on the health effects of ingesting multiple pesticides. 3 SALT-FREE WAYS TO FLAVOR YOUR FOOD The Dirty Dozen ranks the most pesticide-laden produce to help guide customers in their organic and non-organic purchases. In this years list, pears follow strawberries, which contain the most pesticides, according to the EWG, and then spinach, nectarines, apples and peaches. The EWGs Clean Fifteen list, which ranks the safest non-organic foods to eat by its standards, contains sweet corn, which took the top spot, followed by avocados, pineapples, cabbage, onions and frozen sweet peas. THE 7 BEST FOODS TO HELP YOU SHED POUNDS To draw its findings, the EWG analyzed tests by the Department of Agriculture to identify pesticide content in produce samples. It found about 70 percent of those samples representing 48 kinds of conventionally grown produce were contaminated with pesticide residues. Overall, the group observed 178 different pesticides and pesticide byproducts among those samples, and contamination existed even after washing or peeling the fruits and veggies. Although theres no consensus on whether always eating organic is healthier, urine samples show people who eat non-organic food ingest their pesticides, potentially leaving themselves at risk as scientists continue to study their possible health effects. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Still, anyone whos compared prices can see buying organic is a financial commitment. Cynthia Curl, an environmental health scientist at Boise State University in Idaho, who authored a 2015 study in Environmental Health Perspectives that suggested pesticide residue in urine samples, advised following the Dirty Dozen list to minimize potential exposure. Maybe you started to shower with your toddler because its easier to tote them in with you versus suds them up solo later. Or they suddenly decided they hate baths. Perhaps, culturally, its the norm in your family. Or its just your specific parenting style. Showering with your kiddo isnt wrong or right its a decision to make based on whats best for your family. That said, if youre struggling to make this decision, there are a few factors to consider first. 9 SURPRISING FIRST FOODS YOU SHOULD FEED YOUR BABY One: safety. Wet babies are slippery and theres the risk of your toddler falling, Dr. Marilyn Bull, a professor of pediatrics at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, told Fox News. Keep that in mind and take basic safety measures, like not picking them up in the shower. Around age 2, kids begin to realize theres a physical difference in development between a man and a woman, Dr. Sarah Bauer, a developmental pediatrician at Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago, told Fox News. IS SMOKING POT DURING PREGNANCY SAFE? If youre worried about their reaction to seeing mommy or daddy naked, think about what and how you want to teach your child about modesty and privacy. Ask: will showering together help or hinder those intentions? Meg Akabas, parenting educator and author of "52 Weeks of Parenting Wisdom," told Fox News. By school age 3 to 5 years old youngsters start to understand the concept of public versus private, Bull said. (Like: mommy going to the bathroom: private. My penis: private.) Thats usually the age when its appropriate to stop the showers together, she said. You can also use comfort as a gauge, Akabas advised. When you or your kid starts to get uncomfortable, have them bathe or shower on their own, with parental supervision. (At this time, your kid may say they dont want to do it anymore.) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS And consider how youre preparing your child to be independent in the world, and how showering together plays into that, Bauer said. Toileting, bathing, and dressing are all early developmental skills of independence, she said. So when the time comes to split off, take it as an opportunity to foster their individuality and self-sufficiency. Finally, think about you in this situation. Does it take away cherished alone time? For many parents, there is a loss of that rare and precious time to relax by themselves, Akabas said. A claim by Vladimir Putins spokesman that people associated with Hillary Clinton also met with the Russian ambassador is the latest detail to cause problems for Democrats who blasted Attorney General Jeff Sessions for meeting with the same official last year. It was immediately denied by a former Clinton campaign spokesman. Dmitry Peskov said on CNN Saturday that Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks job is to meet with officials on both sides of the political aisle, and to foster bilateral relations. He said people associated with Clinton during the presidential campaign met with him too. Well, if you look at some people connected with Hillary Clinton during her campaign, you would probably see that he had lots of meetings of that kind, Peskov said. There are lots of specialists in politology, people working in think tanks advising Hillary or advising people working for Hillary. However, former Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill told Fox News Monday night "it's not true, which is why they're using the word "probably" is my guess." Sessions faces sustained criticism from Democrats after two 2016 meetings with Kislyak were revealed in the press. The biggest issue for Sessions was that he claimed in his Senate confirmation hearing he did not have communications with Russian officials. Some Democrats accused him of perjury. While Sessions defended his statements, he agreed to recuse himself from any campaign- and Russia-related investigations. Some Democrats, though, went further and suggested the meetings themselves were out of the ordinary. It didn't take long for Kislyak's many past meetings with members of both parties to come to light. After House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., denied having met with the ambassador, Politico unearthed a 2010 photo showing a meeting of congressional lawmakers and then-Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev. Pelosi and Kislyak were present. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., also 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. This turned out not to be true after online sleuths found a 2013 tweet in which she said: Off to meeting w/Russian Ambassador. McCaskills 2013 meeting involved 10 senators, of both parties. They were appealing to Kislyak for Moscow to reverse its blockade of U.S. adoptions of Russian children. Democrats have noted that none of the Democratic meetings revealed to date were one-on-one, and that the main issue with Sessions is he denied Russia contacts at the confirmation hearing. Sessions has said he was answering in the context of campaign-related discussions. He has since sought to clarify the record. Former Obama administration staffers have launched an organization to closely monitor President Donald Trump and his administration. Known as American Oversight, the group will search for anything that seems amiss, whether it touches on ethics or fraud, among other potential problems, the groups executive director, Austin Evers, told Fox News. We are conducting oversight because Congress wont, said Evers, who was a State Department lawyer in the Obama administration. We are using tools available to American citizens to investigate instances of fraud, corruption, violation of ethics rules, you name it. If theres something that Congress should be investigating, we will be. Evers founded the group with Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who worked for Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Joe Biden when he was a senator. The group's website notes that Ms. Magazine once called Sloan the most feared woman in Washington." Sloan and Evers also brought in three more attorneys. John Biess work for the Obama administration included serving as counselor to former Attorney General Eric Holder. Cerissa Cafassos work for the administration included being counsel in the Department of Labor. Sara Kaiser Creighton worked for private law firms, and clerked for federal judges. It happens that right now, the people in power are of one party. The principles we'll be applying apply to anybody. Austin Evers, executive director, American Oversight The group stresses that it is nonpartisan, despite the Obama affiliation of some of its top officers. Evers said that American Oversight will hold government officials and career staffers accountable, regardless of party affiliation. The idea for the creation American Oversight came about on the heels of nominations by the administration and what the lawyers see as a lack of qualifications of some Trump nominees and appointees, the group says. Weve seen more ethics violations and conflicts of interest across the administration, the website says, since Inauguration Day than in all eight years of the Obama administration. And this misconduct doesnt end with President Trump it starts there. Evers said that the objective of the group is to invigorate the oversight process across the board, and invigorate [members of] Congress, who have a tremendous number of tools at their disposal. The group declined to disclose its donors. We are a 501(c)3 organization and will comply with all pertinent disclosure and filing requirements," it said in an email to Fox News. "Like many other non-profits, we don't disclose our funders." To those who are skeptical about the group's self-description as non-partisan, Evers said: Watch what we do. It happens that right now, the people in power are of one party, he said. The principles well be applying apply to anybody. Evers and Sloan, a senior adviser for the organization, plan to extend scrutiny to employees at the middle and lower levels. They already are sending requests to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the National Archives and Records Administration to investigate whether administration officials and government staffers are trying to circumvent laws that prohibit them from handling official business in an under-the-radar fashion. Organizations that keep close watch on government officials are not new, of course. USA Today noted that the conservative Judicial Watch made public State Department emails that kept a cloud over Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. Sloan told USA Today that the organization plans to make its records requests available online without regard to what they disclose. The group tells potential tipsters on its website not to submit classified information. Media outrage over the Trump administrations decision to sack 46 federal prosecutors landed with a thud when they were quickly reminded that former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had done the same thing, but some in the press have pivoted with a new spin. Its outrageous, NBCs Chuck Todd said, because Attorney General Jeff Sessions (who was summarily fired by President Clinton as a U.S. Attorney in 1993) fired Preet Bharara. After all, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York was on the cover of Time magazine in 2012 and has been touted as a fearless anti-corruption crusader. I think it's only getting more attention because of Preet Bharara, to be honest, Todd said when his Sunday Today colleague, Willie Geist, asked him why the Trump administrations move was any different from Clintons attorney general, Janet Reno, firing 93 U.S. Attorneys. ABCs David Wright noted that such prosecutor purges have happened before but, according to the Media Research Center, treated that fact as just a convenient excuse for the White House. One big difference is that the Trump Justice Department is already embroiled in controversy, Wright said. Investigating Russian meddling in the election. Including allegations, Trump campaign officials may have colluded. The attorney general himself is under scrutiny. CNN, in a Friday story headlined "Anger mounts over handling of US attorney firings," said the problem with Trump's move is that he didn't give the prosecutors adequate warning. "This could not have been handled any worse," an anonymous source told CNN. The article explained that "it is common for administrations to ask holdovers to step down, but what is less common is the abruptness of Friday's announcement." Outrage over an administration canning U.S. Attorneys is not entirely new, at least not when it involves Republican administrations. President Bush's Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, came under fire when he fired several federal prosecutors, citing their performance records. The incident, which came in 2006 amid midterm elections, led to Gonzales' resignation. "They serve at the pleasure of the president," Gonzales told "Fox & Friends" Monday. "They know that. "The president has a great deal of discretion in this arena," Gonzales added. "I'm not sure where the story is here." Senate Democrats who have long-fought Republican attempts to shut down the government over budget disputes are now threatening to do exactly that. Democrats said they will block any attempts to include President Trumps proposed border wall or other far-right agenda items in the $1 trillion spending package expected to be announced this week. And, they said, they are not opposed to shutting down the government if Republicans insist on including it. The warning letter, written by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other top Senate Democrats, was addressed to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. It warned against funding the U.S.-Mexico border wall and other poison pills that could be hidden in the budget plansuch as defunding Planned Parenthood, rolling back environmental regulations and allocating additional funding to the Pentagon. We believe it would be inappropriate to insist on the inclusion of such funding in a must-pass appropriations bill that is needed for the Republican majority in control of the Congress to avert a government shutdown so early in President Trumps Administration, the letter read, addressing the bipartisan budget agreement reached in 2015 that set spending levels for defense and non-defense programs. The letter said including any poison pill riders in the bill will have severe consequences. We hope our Republican colleagues will work with us in a bipartisan way so that the appropriations process meets the needs of the American people, Schumer said. If Republicans insist on inserting poison pill riders such as defunding Planned Parenthood, building a border wall, or starting a deportation force, they will be shutting down the government and delivering a severe blow to our economy. McConnells office did not immediately issue a statement in response to Schumers letter. But the threat to shut down the government is not one that Republicans are unfamiliar with. Under the Obama administration, Congressional Republicans had major confrontations over budget disputes that ended in a government shutdown or partial shutdown. A funding gap on October 1, 2013, the first day of the 2014 fiscal year, occurred after disagreements over the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, causing the first government shutdown in over 17 years. The shutdown, which lasted 16 days, resulted in the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal employees. The Democrats letter outlined concerns with funding what they called the $25 million per mile border wall, which, they say, has not been resolved by Congress or the Department of Homeland Security. There is real concern that the Administration, put simply, has no plan to build the border wall, the letter read, noting the lack of details the White House has provided in terms of design, eminent domain, location and construction. The letter said that the Democrats were committed to working with the Republicans as they wait for the administration to roll out its first budget plan. Rather than pursuing this partisan path, Schumer said on Monday, we hope both sides can work together to ensure the government remains funded going forward. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Chinese President Xi Jinping tentatively is set to meet with President Trump in early April, a senior White House official confirmed Monday to Fox News. Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate is a possible site for the summit, which will be closely watched considering Trumps tough talk on China dating back to the campaign. Trump also hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the luxurious Florida property last month. The meeting with Xi tentatively is set for April 6-7. The Palm Beach meeting would mark the first in-person meeting between the two presidents. In a recent letter to the Chinese president in January, Trump expressed interest in fostering constructive ties with China. Axios first reported on the Xi Jinping visit. The pair would have a wide range of issues to discuss, including the North Korean threat, trade and disputed territory in the South China Sea. Economic and security issues between the two countries originally were brought up when Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited with Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last month. Trump is particularly seeking Chinese cooperation on security matters regarding North Korea. Fox News John Roberts contributed to this report. President Trump stepped up his administrations push Monday for an ObamaCare repeal bill, meeting at the White House with victims of the original law and vowing that Republicans proposal will drive insurance costs down, down, down. More competition and less regulation will finally bring down the cost of care, Trump said. The president spoke at the top of a session with nearly a dozen Americans from across the country whom the White House says have been affected negatively by the Affordable Care Act. A Tennessee resident, Joel Brown, described his rate increases as astronomical and said his county has only one insurance option which comes, he said, with a $7,000 deductible. Kim Sertich, of Arizona, said she no longer has traditional health care, having gone into a faith-based cost-sharing program after having problems with her coverage. Trump pledged at the end, It will get better. Trump, along with top administration officials and congressional allies, is trying to sell the GOP repeal bill to the public and rank-and-file lawmakers amid mounting bipartisan criticism of their approach. The administration also is wary about a forthcoming estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that is expected to find fewer Americans would be covered under the Republican plan. One senior House Republican source told Fox News they expect the score to be "terrible." But in anticipation, top Republicans preemptively have downplayed the reliability of the CBOs estimates, noting some of its coverage estimates for the original law were off. Further, Trump on Monday suggested the media are unfairly trying to make ObamaCare look better than it is even comparing their coverage to that of former President Barack Obama himself. The press is making it look so wonderful, Trump said. Its a little bit like President Obama. When he left, people liked him. When he was here, people didnt like him so much. He predicted the current law will collapse, saying, Whether we do it or not, itll be imploded off the map. Trump was careful to manage expectations about the repeal legislation. He said their plan would bring more competition and less regulation, in turn lowering prices. But, he cautioned, getting to that point will take a little while a year or two, he said. The CBO score could come as early as Monday. House Speaker Paul Ryan said he fully expects the CBO analysis to find less coverage since the GOP plan eliminates the government requirement to be insured. But Ryan and Trump administration officials vowed to move forward on their proposed "repeal and replace" plan, insisting they can work past GOP disagreements and casting the issue as one of "choice" in which consumers are freed of a government mandate to buy insurance. "What we're trying to achieve here is bringing down the cost of care, bringing down the cost of insurance not through government mandates and monopolies but by having more choice and competition," Ryan, R-Wis., said on Sunday CBS Face the Nation. "We're not going to make an American do what they don't want to do." The CBO's long-awaited cost analysis of the House GOP leadership plan, including estimates on the number of people expected to be covered, will likely affect Republicans' chances of passing the proposal. GOP opponents from the right and center are already hardening their positions against the Trump-backed legislation. House conservatives vowed to block the bill as "Obamacare Lite" unless there are more restrictions, even as a Republican, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., warned the plan would never pass as is due to opposition from moderates. "Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote," Cotton said on ABC's "This Week." "If they vote for this bill, they're going to put the House majority at risk next year." Trump was bullish about Republican chances of passing a health care bill, tweeting Monday, "Republicans will come together and save the day." "ObamaCare is imploding. It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far!" he tweeted. The GOP legislation would eliminate the current mandate that nearly all people in the United States carry insurance or face fines. It would use tax credits to help consumers buy health coverage, expand health savings accounts, phase out an expansion of Medicaid and cap that program for the future, end some requirements for health plans under Obama's law, and scrap a number of taxes. Fox News Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A northern California man who jumped the White House fence was released by a federal judge Monday pending further court proceedings. Jonathan Tuan Tran, 26, will be required to stay within 100 miles of his hometown of Milpitas, Calif., except while traveling to court in Washington. He must wear a GPS monitor, stay away from the White House and undergo a mental health evaluation. Tran was approached by a Secret Service officer on the south grounds of the White House late Friday and asked if he had a pass to be in the restricted area. According to a police report, Tran answered, "No, I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment" and added that he had "jumped the fence." Tran is charged with entering restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors say Tran was carrying two cans of Mace when arrested. In court Monday, Tran answered a series of "yes" or "no" questions in a soft voice and was told twice by the clerk to speak up. He was also assigned a public defender. Tran's next court appearance is scheduled for April 13. Fox News' Matthew Dean and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Celebrity chef Paula Deen is buttering up potential buyers of her Georgia home with a $1.25 million price cut. Deen is now selling her Savannah, Georgia, waterfront mansion, dubbed Riverbend, for $8.75 million, the second price cut since the home first hit the market for $12.5 million in 2015. She tried to sweeten the deal last year, too, by reducing the price to $10 million, according to listing records. A titan of southern cooking, Deen bought the 5.5-acre compound with her husband, Michael Groover, in 2006 for $3.75 million, according to property records. She now has sole ownership of the home, records show. The custom-built French Caribbean-style estate has a 14,500-square-foot main house. Not surprisingly, the kitchen is its centerpiece, with commercial-grade appliances, an English pantry and an aviary built into the kitchen and family area, according to the listing with Elaine Seabolt of Seabolt Brokers. Seabolt was not immediately available for comment. Deens outdoor amenities make backyard parties a piece of cake. Theres a patio kitchen with three grills, four refrigerators, a smoker, a croquet court and a pool with a dive-in theater, according the listing. Inside, the main house also has a media room with a projector screen, an exercise room, a pool room and a soda fountain, according to the listing. The estate has ample room for hosting guests in separate quarters. There are two guest cottages plus a 10,000-square-foot barn with an eight-car garage and a three-bedroom apartment. The home comes with its own dock house equipped with a bathroom in the Wilmington River, according to property records. A publicist for Deen did not immediately return a request for comment from Mansion Global. This article was written by Beckie Strum and originally appeared on Mansion Global. Researchers looking to identify the last known victim of Jack the Ripper have hit a low-tech roadblock that will likely prevent them from unleashing their DNA testing technology on any potential remains. Experts from the U.Ks University of Leicester that identified the remains of King Richard III have embarked on the project to identify Jack the Rippers last known victim Mary Jane Kelly, who was also known as Marie Jeanette Kelly. The infamous murderer is thought to have killed at least five young women in the Whitechapel area of London between August and November 1888. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH LOST? UNIQUE METALLIC HYDROGEN SAMPLE DISAPPEARS The scientists were commissioned by crime author Patricia Cornwell to examine the feasibility of finding Kellys exact burial location and her remains as a precursor to possible DNA analysis. In a statement, the University explained that the effort to establish Kellys true identity follows contact with Wynne Weston-Davies who believes that Mary Jane Kelly was actually his great aunt, Elizabeth Weston Davies. In his 2015 book The Real Mary Kelly, Weston-Davies claims that the woman known as Mary Jane Kelly was living under a pseudonym and was actually his great-aunt. As part of The Mary Jane Kelly Project researchers have already assessed Kellys burial location, visiting St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone, London last year. The team studied the cemeterys burial records and surveyed marked graves near Kellys modern grave marker. PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES INCREDIBLE IMAGES OF ISOLATED AMAZON TRIBE But finding Kellys actual remains poses a massive challenge, with the grave marker likely having little relevance to her actual grave. Dr. Turi King, reader in genetics and archaeology at the University of Leicester explained that the precise location of Kellys grave is unknown; making it highly likely that other remains would have to be disturbed in any exhumation. King noted that the communal gravesite where Kelly was buried was reused in the 1940s, making the researchers job extremely difficult, if not impossible. For the DNA testing to go ahead, it's crucial that we know the remains we have are those of Mary Jane Kelly and given what we know, the likelihood of even finding her remains, let alone identifying them accurately, appears highly unlikely, she told Fox News, via email. To complete an exhumation application to the U.K.s Ministry of Justice, researchers would have to make a compelling case for the exhumation as well as provide detailed information on the graves location, as well as determining whether other remains might be disturbed, according to King. FOR THE LATEST TECH FEATURES FOLLOW FOX NEWS TECH ON FACEBOOK The University of Leicester team estimates that, in order to locate Kellys remains, they would have to excavate an area potentially encompassing hundreds of graves. "As information presently stands, a successful search for Kelly's remains would require a herculean effort that would likely take years of research, would be prohibitively costly and would cause unwarranted disturbance to an unknown number of individuals buried in a cemetery that is still in daily use, with no guarantee of success, said King, in the Universitys statement. "Most human remains found during excavations remain stubbornly, and forever, anonymous and this must also be the fate of Mary Jane Kelly." Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers Two spring-breakers in Port Canaveral, Fla., were almost rammed by a Carnival Cruise ship after falling off their jet ski and landing in the path of the oncoming ocean liner. Skylar Penpasuglia, 19, and Allison Garrett, 20, had been maneuvering their jet ski near the mouth of the Port Canaveral harbor on Saturday afternoon when they flipped over and fell into the water. At the same time, the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic cruise ship was making its way out of the port, and there wasnt enough time to steer around the women, reports Florida Today. "I was limited in how far I could I could maneuver out of the way," said Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown, who was at the helm of the Carnival Magic. MEET AMERICA'S FIRST 'BEERMEISTER' AT SEA Brown says a breeze was pushing both women into the path of the liner, and that they were "in extremely close proximity to the bow of the ship now bearing down on their position." Luckily, Brown had witnessed both skiers falling into the water and quickly alerted Brevard County Sheriff's Deputy Taner Primmer, who was stationed in a patrol boat nearby. As Brown tried his best to change the ships course, Primmer zoomed over to the women and began yanking them out of the water. The Carnival Magic came just feet from Primmers boat by the time he was able to get both women on-board and leave the area. Carnival Magic Cruise ship nearly runs over jet skiershttps://t.co/PVEkijbzEM pic.twitter.com/gK1Oex27xB Draw Sketch (@HE99632) March 13, 2017 A Carnival Cruise passenger captured the daring rescue on video, too. As the footage shows, Penpasuglia and Garrett came within seconds of being hit by or dragged under the Magic. Several of the passengers in the footage can be heard saying that they believed that the boat did indeed strike their overturned jet ski. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Sheriff Wayne Ivey of the Brevard County Sheriffs Department has already commended Brown and Primmers teamwork. I couldnt be prouder of the actions of Deputy Taner Primmer, a member of our SeaPort Security Marine Unit who placed his life in peril without hesitation to rescue the young girls, and the Harbor Master Pilot, who not only maintained communication with the deputy, but was able to safely veer the ship, providing Deputy Primmer the extras seconds needed, Ivey told Florida Today. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have come together once again to convince airlines to establish some decent space for fliers. Dubbed the Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act, the bill was introduced in Congress Thursday and is modeled after previous amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Bill introduced in 2016. Rather than bow to the airline industrys inventive ways cram more and more passenger seats into the cabin, the new bill would essentially force airlines to manufacture seats with a minimum size and create a minimum set distance between them to allow for sufficient legroom. THIS NEW AIRPLANE DESIGN COULD END MIDDLE SEAT MISERY The FAA would be able to establish the final industry standard seat size, but Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said in a statement that airline passengers are tired of being squeezed. Shrinking seat sizes in airplanes isnt just a matter of comfort but the safety and health of passengers as well. Planes need to be capable of rapid evacuation in case of emergency. In addition, doctors have warned that deep vein thrombosis can afflict passengers who do not move their legs enough during longer flights, said the congressman. Calls to regulate airplane seat sizes have been mounting for years. Airlines are aggressively reducing seat and passenger space to squeeze more revenue out passengers, despite health and safety being threatened, Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, an advocacy group for air travelers told Elliott. The average pitch the industry term for the amount of space between airline seats has decreased four inches, going from 35 inches before airline deregulation in the 1970s to about 31 inches today. The average width of an airline seat has also shrunk about two inches-- from 18 to about 16.5 inches today. Last year, Airbus submitted a patent for a Re-configurable Passenger Bench Seat with adjustable chairs and seatbelts which will allow airlines to accommodate people of different shapes and sizes. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, since the 1980s Americans have gained, on average, 15 pounds. In October, two American Samoan businessmen filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation alleging they may have been the target of discrimination after being weighed while boarding a flight from Honolulu. In the complaints, the men also said they were assigned new seats (to properly redistribute the weight on the plane) they did not originally select. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The number one complaint I hear from travelers is shrinking legroom and cramped seats, Senator Charles Schumer said in a statement. According to a new study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, passengers seated in economy class were 3.8 times more likely to have an incident of air rage if they were on a plane that had a first-class section. And those same travelers were 2.18 times more likely to have an outburst if they had to walk through first class to board the plane, as opposed to boarding in the middle of the plane in their assigned section. If this bill passes, budget carriers like Spirit and Frontier might be forced to reconfigure current plane cabins likely resulting in higher fares to make up for the lost seats. Struggling with an Addiction? Whether you're struggling with an addiction, becoming sober, or further along your recovery journey, learning the facts about addiction can be an valuable step in the process. Get started here. The number of Americans booking flights and accommodations to Havana and other Cuban cities is already surpassing projections for 2017, according to tour operator insightCuba and others. [The market] is starting to find its new normal," insightCubas president Tom Popper told Fox News. While a small percentage of travelers are curious about what the Trump administration might do regarding travel, they want to go before things change, he said. Its one of the safest countries in the hemisphere as it relates to crime, unrest and terrorism. Today, getting to the communist island after a 50-year hiatus is surprisingly easy. There are still a few challenges to overcome when planning your trip, but if you follow these tips, expect relatively smooth sailing. GIVE IT SOME TIME Hotels in Havana and Varadero, but especially in smaller cities around the island, are relatively scarce and can be expensive. A four-star hotel will cost you about $200 to $300 a night and chances are you may be disappointed as accommodations will not be similar to what you would expect in a similarly priced hotel in the U.S. An excellent alternative is renting out a room in a private home, which will give you the added benefit of meeting locals learning about Cuban culture. Through Airbnb.com, for example, you can find rooms for about $30. Remember to read the reviews carefully and reach out to several places for options. NORWEGIAN, ROYAL CARIBBEAN APPROVED TO SAIL TO CUBA BOOKING A FLIGHT When it comes to booking air travel, note that some U.S. search engines still cant show you results for Cuba for legal reasons. At the time of purchase, youll be asked your purpose of travel. You cant go as a tourist, but that doesnt mean that you cant fit one of the 12 categories authorized by the U.S government. Most people opt for educational activities/people-to people travel after all, you are going to educate yourself about Cuba, the Cold War and Fidel Castro's regime. How about a visa? Yes, you do need one, but now that there are commercial flights from the U.S., the airlines take care of that for you. Or rather, they make the consular services come to you at the gate. At the airport, give yourself plenty of time to check-in (online options wont be available) and lines may be long. Time saving tip? Have someone save your spot while you go ahead and pay $50 (plus a $25 processing fee) for your visa. Youll also need a Cuban health insurance plan for the duration of your trip but most U.S. airlines will include that in the price of your ticket. Double check with your carrier before proceeding. Also, keep your boarding pass with you during the duration of the stay because that is your only proof of insurance. CUBAN MONEY The cash you take with you is the money youll have available through your entire journey so bring plenty to avoid running out. Havana is still pretty expensive for a developing country. If you have Euros or any Latin American currency left from another trip, take it: You may get a better rate. And remember, U.S. credit and debit cards do not yet work in the country. WI-FI CONNECTION Be prepared to literally disconnect from the world Internet and phone access in Cuba are that limited. Before traveling, check to see if your cell phone carrier has service on the island since many already do-- but it could be spotty. If thats the case, remember to activate your roaming and disable your data service in order to avoid huge expenses. If you need Internet access while in Cuba, it may soon be possible. ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT Cubans call Havana's Jose Marti International Airport airport a bus terminal and it certainly feel like one because its often overcrowded and chaotic. Security lines may be long-- and getting through immigration will take some time for U.S. travelers-- but as long as you have your visa and follow customs guidelines, you should be fine, no questions asked. The next step is to exchange your dollars for CUC, the local currency (just pronounce the letters CUC in English and they will understand). You can do this at a booth next to the departures area. Get ready for another line and high fees-- but that will likely be the case at any Casa de Cambio (currency exchange kiosk) or hotel. Keep in mind that theres a separate currency for Cuban citizens, and it'called the CUP. The CUC is pegged to the dollar and it's worth 25 times as much as the CUP. Most Cubans are paid in CUP, but nearly all consumer goods are priced in CUC within the country. Carefully inspect your money before departing any exchange house so you don't get scammed by receiving the wrong type of cash. Also, become familiar with the differences between bills CUC bills are much more colorful. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS One last thing before stepping out of the airport: buy (or at least try to obtain) a Wi-Fi card at the ETECSA store. ETECSA is the state-owned telecommunications company. OFF YOU GO Just outside the airport, you'll find plenty of yellow taxis that typically charge 25 CUC to get you to a central location in town. But during your stay, watch out for the taxi drivers mafia. Get a sense from a friendly local or an experience tourist on how much you should really be paying for a ride from A to B to avoid getting scammed. Not all cabs have meters so it can be tricky to calculate. And dont negotiate with the middlemen-- handle the transaction with the driver directly. Once you've settled into your hotel or home accommodations, go out and explore, meet the locals, take in the historic architecture and sunbathe on the beautiful beaches. Marta Dhanis is a freelance reporter based in New York City. She can be reached @MartaDhanis. Some retired Marines in California want the Navy to name a warship for the photographer behind the iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising photo. Joe Rosenthals Pulitzer Prize-winning photo shows Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi on the Japanese island on Feb. 23, 1945. The picture became the model for the Iwo Jima Memorial near Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, known officially as the Marine Corps War Memorial. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the campaign to honor Rosenthal includes an online petition that has gathered more than 1,300 signatures. Joe Rosenthal took one of the greatest photographs in history, and yet he has been bypassed by history, campaign organizer Tom Graves told the paper. Graves belongs to the Marine Corps Correspondents Association in San Francisco and wants to collect thousands of more names before submitting them to the Navy. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors is supporting the naming effort, the paper reports. Naming a ship for Joe Rosenthal would also represent Iwo Jima, the Marines and the Pacific war, Graves told the paper. The photo quickly became the subject of posters, war-bond drives and a U.S. postage stamp. Rosenthal left the AP later in 1945 to join the Chronicle, where he worked as a photographer for 35 years before retiring. He was 94 when he died in 2006. Last year the Marines announced that one of the six men long identified in the photo was actually not in the image. The announcement came after an investigation prompted by the claims of two amateur historians. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Navajo Nation police officer in New Mexico was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call, authorities said Sunday. Officer Houston James Largo, 27, was pronounced dead at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where he had been airlifted after the shooting in the small town of Prewitt. Authorities said a suspect was in custody, but no other information was immediately available. The FBI is investigating the shooting, along with the tribe. In a statement, the FBI described Largo as a decorated officer with five years of service. "We pray for the officer, his family and the police force," Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said in a statement before Largo died. "Our officers put themselves in highly volatile situations every day in addressing domestic violence situations," Begaye said. "Although they are highly trained, they can still be severely wounded, which unfortunately is what happened today." Begaye said the tribe recently upgraded equipment and protective devices for its police department. "This sad news reinforces the dangers our police officers face every day -- so we and our families don't have to," New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement. "I'm confident the monster who took this brave officer from us will face the full measure of justice." The New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff's Office also were assisting with the investigation. The Navajo Nation covers 27,425 square miles in portions of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from KRQE.com. U.S. Army leaders today wrestled with the challenges of equipping and supplying soldiers in what the service sees as a multi-threat battlefield of the future. To Gen. Gustave F. Perna, the Army has grown too dependent on contractor support to sustain its combat units, a practice that has led to bad habits over the last 15 years of war. "I personally believe we are not ready to execute a decisive action fight against a near-peer competitor," said Perna, the commanding general of Army Materiel Command, before an audience at the Association of the United States Army's Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama. "It's not because we don't have the great leaders and soldiers who have been trained in the last 15 years it's because the skills we need for sustainment have atrophied." Army leaders are keenly focused on the service's vision of Multi-Domain Battle, a picture of warfare in the not-too distant future that will challenge brigade combat teams and higher command structures across land, sea, air, space, cyber and electromagnetic domains. "Will we be able to overcome the capability that eliminates a whole brigade while it's enroute from a [United States] installation to the next fight?" Perna asked. "Can we project ourselves, can we receive ourselves and can we execute onward movement to the battlefield while there will be an enemy that will do everything in their power to stop us before we get there?" Paul Rogers, director United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, or TARDEC, said he believes that all future conflicts end up in a complex urban environment. The enemy "will always melt back into that environment that tends to equalize our advantage, and when they do that we need to be prepared to fight and win in that environment," he said. Four years ago, Rogers' office began using Soldier Innovation Workshops as a way to gain insight on what soldiers need in the next generation of combat vehicles. The workshops are made up of soldiers E5 to E7 from units such as the 82nd Airborne and 1st Cavalry Division as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. "We give them a challenge ... how would you develop or design the future fighting vehicle? What are that attributes you would like to see?" Rogers said. "And we pair them up with creative designers from an industrial design college that we have in Detroit. "So the soldiers are describing the attributes of the future systems they would like to see and those college students, who are really more artists than they are technical, but they can real-time draw exactly what you are describing and by the time you get done talking, they turn the picture around and say is this what you are describing?'" The workshops last 2.5 days and yield about 300 advanced concepts, Rogers said. "It's really a great way for us to grab innovation from the soldier and bring it into the technology developments," he said. "Those ideas -- we are not only leveraging them in our more near-term advancements and changes to current vehicles, but we are also looking for the future vehicle systems and they are coming out of it." One of Rogers' biggest concerns about Multi-Domain Battle is "our ability to logistically support and sustain over vast distances and over long periods of time when our logistical support can be [disrupted] by kinetic ops or cyber." "If we want to have decentralized independent action of our combat forces, we have to figure out how to protect and assure that logistical resupply in a near-peer fight," said Rogers. This is also a concern Perna shares. A ship sinking or a train blowing up could result in a "whole BCTs worth of equipment could be lost," Perna said. At Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley's direction, AMC is focused right now on making sure that "Army preposition stocks are prepared and ready to go," Perna said. "They will not be worth our time if we do not have the right equipment on our APS set. Not only the right equipment but equipment that will work when we pull it off of the ships; equipment that works and has the right radios the right weapons, the right command structure, the right weapons so that we are ready to fight at a moment's notice." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com A veteran who has a traumatic brain injury has not been seen or heard from since Saturday night, the Broomfield Police Department said. Cory Hixson, 33, was last seen near West Midway Boulevard and Via Varra Drive about 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Police said Hixson, who is a Purple Heart recipient, suffers from memory loss, has trouble navigating and does not drive. But Hixson is very physically fit, and can walk or run long distances. Hixson is 5-foot-9 and weighs about 150 pounds. His head is shaved, and he has one hazel eye and one prosthetic eye, which he was not wearing. He had a 5 o'clock shadow, and was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt and a dark Broncos cap. Read more from FOX 31 Denver. A mother of five who had been missing since Saturday when witnesses claimed her estranged husband apparently forced her into an SUV bound and screaming was found alive on Monday, police confirmed. TWO KIDS DEAD, ONE CRITICAL IN NEW ORLEANS SHOOTING THAT ALSO KILLED THEIR MOM NEW: More recent picture of Alisa Summers. Deputies say there have not been any sightings of her or her estranged husband. @FOX13News pic.twitter.com/89v3yjiyQk Evan Lambert FOX 13 (@EvanLambertTV) March 13, 2017 Alisa Summers, 37, had a "cut wound" to her wrist that may require stitches when authorities found her and 39-year-old Trevor Steven Summers at The Inn at Little Harbor, investigators said. Trevor had a knife wound to his neck that was apparently self-inflicted, but officials said they didn't believe the injury was life-threatening. Trevor was charged with kidnapping, grand theft auto and violation of a domestic violence injunction, although police said more charges could be added based on interviews with Alisa. OHIO POLICE OFFICER, SUSPECT SHOT DURING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT Officials said Trevor apparently manipulated the estranged couple's 14-year-old daughter into leaving the window open at her mother's house and then into driving her four siblings -- one just 3 years old -- to another location, allowing Trevor access to Alisa. Alisa was "petrified" of Trevor, her mother told Fox 13. In the past seven months, the husband has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and had two domestic violence-related complaints lodged against him, The Tampa Bay Times added. Alisa accused Trevor of unspecified violence in October, two months before she filed for divorce, and again on Feb. 21, when she alleged that Trevor held her prisoner at knifepoint. In the February case, Alisa told investigators Trevor eventually led her go, at which point she ran to a gas station and called police. However, Trevor was never arrested and, a day later, he filed a protective order against Alicia, accusing her of making up the story. On Saturday night, witnesses claimed to have seen a man forcing a screaming, bound woman into an SUV outside a Walgreens pharmacy, and the alert citizens copied down the vehicle's license plate number. That allowed police to identify the SUV as belonging to Alisa and launch an intensive hunt for her. A nearby resident at The Inn at Little Harbor on Monday recognized the vehicle's license plate from reports and called police to the scene, where they blocked off the only exit and were able to recover Alisa and take Trevor into custody. Click for more from Fox 13. We are legal Cinderellas. Thats how U.S. immigration Judge Dana Leigh Marks describes her job these days. She said in the debate over what to do with people in the country illegally, the immigration courts are the forgotten ones. The system is about to buckle and it has left many wondering just how much more it can handle as additional federal dollars pour into enforcement, generating additional cases, further straining the courts. "A long time between a case entering the system and being resolved does not benefit anyone," Marks said. There are 38,428 cases in the San Francisco district, where Marks serves. Immigration courts across the country are seeing similar or larger backlogs. Marks has been living and working in the crowded trenches for the past 40 years. The first 10 were spent as a young and eager immigration lawyer, before she was given the honor of wearing a black robe. Over the past three decades she has presided over countless cases. According to data provided by a research center at Syracuse University called TRAC (the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse), there are currently 542,411 pending cases in the immigration court system. That translates into an average wait time of 673 days, or nearly two years. Its even longer in some states with high immigrant populations, like in Texas, where the average wait time for a case is 1,076 days, or almost three years. We have been a neglected part of the immigration enforcement world for so long, said Marks, who is also president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, a voluntary organization that represents more than 300 judges. There are legitimate concerns about how long cases pend in the immigration court. LONG LINES, SUSPENDED LIVES: STATISTICS REVEAL IMMIGRATION COURTS ARE DROWNING Prior to sitting down with Fox News, Marks made clear that her opinions and statements dont necessarily reflect those of her employer, the federal government. Her top role at the NAIJ allows her to speak more freely about immigration issues than other judges. Marks concerns seem to be growing as quickly as the number of backlogged cases. If a new case pops up but involves a repeat offender or a defendant who has committed a violent act it could be fast-tracked and placed ahead of a person with a lower priority on the docket. That means the legal limbo is always fluctuating. Some cases get pushed back repeatedly, only exacerbating the problem and feeding what seems to be a never-ending cycle. The system is broken, said Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas. The congressman told Fox News that he was shocked after seeing a report from the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank, which studies the movement of people. This specific report examined the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys budget and how those dollars were allocated over a period of time between 2005 and 2012. Veasey said after looking at the numbers more closely he realized the funds were not being distributed in a proportionate manner. When you have a system that increases border security funding by about 300 percent and it only increases funding for immigration courts by 70 percent, you have a disaster, Veasey said. Veasey says the law enforcement agencies like U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration Customs Enforcement enjoyed large bumps in funding year over year. But the court system somehow didnt get the same treatment and seems to have fallen through the cracks. He has introduced legislation in Washington known as the End the Backlog Act, which would temporarily freeze funds for federal law enforcement agencies and re-direct cash to the struggling judicial side. No more money for border security until we do something about adding more money for additional judges and additional immigration courts, he said. DOJ REPORTEDLY PLANS TO SEND FLEET OF JUDGES TO IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTERS Help is starting to arrive and more is on the way, according to the Executive Office for Immigration Review. The EOIR, which oversees the countrys immigration court system, is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. That agency says 12 brand new judges were sworn-in at the beginning of February and more than 50 others are currently going through the hiring process. EOIR is continuing to advertise and fill positions nationwide for immigration judges and supporting staff, said Kathryn Mattingly, a department spokeswoman. Mattingly says there are currently 301 active judges on the bench and the agency recognizes it must keep hiring to address the mounting caseload. Congress has authorized 374 judgeships across the country leaving more than 70 vacancies to be filled. As for addressing the budget and leveling the playing field when it comes to the way dollars are divvied? EOIR is working through the Department of Justice to provide necessary information to the Office of Management and Budget, in support of the effort to finalize funding requests, as necessary to continue to advance EOIRs mission. In the meantime, Marks tries to remain positive and optimistic as she grinds through the expanding workload. Shes hopeful a combination of new hires and potential infusion of cash will ease the caseload. Many of us still onboard are eligible to retire, but thats a difficult choice, Marks said. Especially as the caseload gets higher and the pressures get greater. SEVERE STORM TO HIT NORTHEAST The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for Monday through Tuesday evening in New York City and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Winter storm warnings were also issued for the remainder of the Northeast. New York Citys Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to help keep the roads clear for sanitation crews and first responders. Meteorologists said New York City could receive 12 to 18 inches of snow. SPICER AMBUSHED BY WOMAN IN APPLE STORE White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was ambushed by a woman over the weekend at an Apple Store. The woman asked him what is was like working for a fascist. In the viral video posted on social media, the woman asked how Spicer felt about destroying our country. Spicer said that the United States is such a great country that allows you to be here, in response to the woman. That is racism and it is an implied threat, Shree Chauhan said in a post on social media in response to his comment. UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES BIDEN INSTITUTE Former Vice President Joe Biden is joining officials at the University of Delaware, his alma mater, for the launch Monday of the Biden Institute. Biden Institute is a new research and policy center focused on domestic issues including economic reform, environmental sustainability, criminal justice and civil rights. Biden will be the founding chair of the Institute. HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED IN BERLIN Hundreds of flights have been forced to cancel after ground staff at Berlins two airports have gone on strike for the second time in four days. Airport officials have said 465 departures from Tegel and 195 from Schoenefeld were canceled most of the flights planned for the day. FOX NEWS OPINION: Hans A. von Spakovsky: Preet Bharara 'fired': A phony scandal created by an Obama appointee It should come as no surprise that an Obama political appointee (with the cooperation of the media) would try to create a phony scandal out of a routine event. With every new administration, the incoming president asks all U.S. attorneys appointed by the prior administration to resign. After all, they are political appointees, just like cabinet officials and the attorney general, other cabinet members and literally thousands of other jobs within the executive branch. In 2009, President Barack Obama asked for the resignation of George W. Bush-appointed U.S. Attorneys. When he replaced virtually all of them, it was treated as nothing out of the ordinary. Thats because it wasnt. COMING UP ON FNC 1:00pm ET: Press briefing with Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Watch live on FoxNews.com COMING UP ON FOX BUSINESS REPEAL AND REPLACE REACTION Focusing on the Republicans move as they try repealing and replacing Obamacare. FDA PICK Breaking down the Trumps FDA pick. At a time when the United States has plummeted in the global rankings of education standards, one of the countrys largest states is poised to scrap a test designed to measure the reading and writing skills of people trying to become teachers. Citing the fact that an outsized percentage of black and Hispanic candidates were failing the test, members of the New York state Board of Regents plans to adopt a task force's recommendation to eliminate the literacy exam, known as the Academic Literacy Skills Test, given to prospective teachers. The move to do away with the test has been met with mixed reviews. Supporters of the exam say that eliminating it could put weak teachers in the classroom, while critics argue the test is confusing, redundant and a poor predictor of who will succeed as a teacher. "We want high standards, without a doubt. Not every given test is going to get us there," said Leslie Soodak, a professor of education at Pace University who served on the task force that examined the state's teacher certification tests. The literacy test was among four assessments introduced in the 2013-2014 school year as part of an effort to raise the level of elementary and secondary school teaching in the state. It came after years of complaints from education reformers about the caliber of students entering education schools and the quality of the instruction they received there. A December 2016 study by the National Council on Teacher Quality found that 44 percent of the teacher-preparation programs it surveyed across the country accepted students from the bottom half of their high school classes. Education reformers believe that tests like New York's Academic Literacy Skills Test can weed out potentially lousy teachers. The tests, however, came under intense scrutiny for their alleged racial bias, after just 46 percent of Hispanic test-takers and 41 percent of black test-takers passed it on the first try, compared with 64 percent of white candidates. Plus, critics said, the test's $131 price tag is too steep. Despite a ruling by a federal judge in 2015 that the test was not discriminatory, faculty members at education schools say a test that screens out so many minorities is problematic. "Having a white workforce really doesn't match our student body anymore," Soodak said. Kate Walsh, the president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, said that the reason that blacks and Latinos don't score as well as whites on the literacy test is because of various factors like poverty and the legacy of racism. Walsh said that is the symptom on other standardized tests as well. "There's not a test in the country that doesn't have disproportionate performance on the part of blacks and Latinos," Walsh said. In implementing the exams, Walsh added, New York had become "light years ahead of other states" in its teacher certification regimen. "New York put together a suite of testing products that really got at the lack of rigor in teacher prep," Walsh said. The Academic Literacy Skills Test consists of multiple-choice questions about a series of reading selections plus a written section. A practice test available for $20 on the New York State Education Department website features John F. Kennedy's inaugural address as one of the reading passages and asks questions like this one: "In which excerpt from the passage do Kennedy's word choices most clearly establish a tone of resolve?" Ian Rosenblum, the executive director of the New York office of the Education Trust, a nonprofit that advocates for high achievement for all students, called the literacy test "a 12th grade-level assessment" -- something a high school senior should be able to pass. Several education professors told The Associated Press the test doesn't measure anything that isn't covered in other exams students must take, including subject matter certification tests, the SAT, the GRE and tests that are part of their coursework. Charles Sahm, the director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, is a strong supporter of raising the bar for teachers. But, he said, hes not a fan of this particular literacy test. Sahm took the $20 practice exam and thought it was a poorly designed test with multiple-choice questions that seemed to have more than one correct answer. "I do agree that it's not a great test," Sahm said. "I found the reading comprehension section to be kind of infuriating. I only got 21 out of 40 right." The U.S. has for years been slipping in the world ranking for education. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) which provides education rankings based on international tests taken by 15-year-olds in math, reading and science -- ranked the U.S. 24thout of 70 countries in reading. The countrys scores for science and math were even worse, coming at 25th and 40th, respectively. Singapore has the highest achieving students in the world, with its teenagers coming in on top in tests in math, reading and science. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A pregnant mother of five who is facing deportation to Guatemala had her immigration hearing postponed until the first week of April. Thirty-three-year-old Lilian Cardona-Perez arrived in the U.S. at age 15 and received a valid work permit, which she renewed every year. According to her attorney, Yesenia L. Polanco-Galdamez, she has always worked legally. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TAKES REFUGE IN DENVER CHURCH TO AVOID DEPORTATION She was detained in 2010 for a criminal charge that was later dismissed. She was detained in Raleigh and under the 287g program was immediately screened by ICE and placed in removal proceedings, Polanco-Galdamez said. According to The Fayetteville Observer Homeland Security first began looking at her after she was accused of a property crime. She was released by ICE on her own recognizance. She failed to appear at her first immigration court date and the immigration judge ordered her removed in [absentia]. Pooyan Ordoubadi, an associate attorney at Polanco Law, told Fox News Cardona-Perez was given an Order of Supervision which requires you to check-in every few months or possibly every year, depending on what the ICE Officer wants. Polanco-Galdamez claims Cardona-Perezs never received the letter immigration officials sent and that she found out at her last check-in with ICE on February 16, 2017 she was being deported when she went to renew her paperwork. You have to notify them of a change of address and you cannot travel outside of the ICE Office's jurisdiction for more than 48 hours without receiving permission to do so, Ordoubadi says. The lawyer, immigration advocates and civil groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) say the detention was unwarranted. IN FACE OF RISING DEPORTATION, IMMIGRANTS INCREASINGLY FORCED TO FIGHT ALONE Cardona-Perezs lawyer argues that President Trumps immigration executive order targets immigrants who commit crimes or live in the United States illegally, but neither of those are her clients case. Cardona-Perez's work permit is valid through October 2017, her lawyer said. IMMIGRANT VET AWAITS JUDGE'S DEPORTATION RULING AFTER DRUG CONVICTION She said she is exploring her Cardona-Perezs eligibility for a U visa, which is given to people who have suffered physical or mental abuse. In addition, the lawyer told Fox News, she is looking into a crime committed against her client in Guatemala to see if she qualifies for a potential Withholding of Removal and also Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Surveillance footage showing Michael Brown in a Ferguson, Missouri market on the day he was fatally shot was heavily edited by a documentary crew and is 100 percent false, an attorney for the convenience store told reporters Monday. A documentary shown at film festival South by Southwest in Austin, Texas suggests that Brown traded a bag of marijuana for the cigarillos he was alleged to have stolen. It claims he left them behind on the counter and came back to pick them up the day he allegedly robbed the store. Filmmaker Jason Pollock states, "Mike did not rob the store." Attorney Jay Kanzler said the interaction shown in the film was edited down from 4 minutes to 30 seconds and disputes the claims made by filmmaker Jason Pollock. The unedited surveillance footage appears to show store clerks rejecting Browns offer of marijuana in exchange for sodas and cigarillos. The footage, which was shown from four different angles, shows Brown leaving the store with the marijuana and leaving sodas and cigarillos behind on the counter. Clerks were seen putting the items back before closing. The entire story is preposterous and laughable, said Kanzler. (The filmmaker) owes an apology to the store owner, the community of Ferguson, and the police officers who put their lives on the line because of his recklessness. St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch said the police had the same video and that the footage is not new, not a surprise and not relevant. McCulloch told reporters the reason they did not release the footage was because it was not relevant to the case. About 100 protesters gathered outside the store Sunday night in response to the documentary. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that seven or eight shots were heard, but no injuries reported. Police arrested some protesters and cleared the scene when the market closed. Prosecutors on Monday charged a St. Louis man with trying to set a Ferguson police car on fire during the protests. Police say Henry Stokes, 44, put a napkin in the gas tank opening of the police car and tried to use a lighter to set it aflame, but fled when police saw him. CLICK FOR MORE FROM FOX 2 ST. LOUIS. Fox News' Jason M. Kopp andThe Associated Press contributed to this report. There are many questions lingering after a teen girl was found dead at an apartment complex in Las Vegas. Her body was badly burned and police estimate her age to be between 14 and 18 years old. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF BEHEADING HIS MOM GIVES CHILLING 911 CALL Detectives on the scene determined that she was killed and then set on fire post mortem, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. Police were called to the apartment complex over the weekend. Her body was tucked between two walls in a hidden corner of the complex, according to Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Dan McGrath. FORMER ILLINOIS PROSECUTOR NOT GUILTY IN FIRST WIFE'S DEATH Weve got a lot of work to do on this case, McGrath told the newspaper in an unterview. Hopefully, well find who did this and bring them to justice. He characterized the scene saying there were signs of an accelerant poured on her to enable the fire, along with burn marks on the walls. Authorities are still working to identify the girl and investigating who could have been responsible. Police did not have descriptions of any possible suspects. Investigators said they are looking at surveillance video to get any clues as to what was happening at the apartment complex at the time. Police could not determine where she was killed or if she had lived in the apartment complex. His apology has been read and all is forgiven. STOLEN WIND CHIMES LEAD BOY TO SEND APOLOGY NOTE A Washington state woman who was searching for a boy who left a note on her door stuffed with a $5 bill has managed to track down the child and expects to meet him in person soon. Christina Reitz, of Lakewood, told KING-TV the note she found on March 3 said the boys sister had stolen one of her wind chimes because the butterfly design on it reminded them of their mother who had recently died. FLORIDA GIRL WRITES LETTER TO BURGLAR WHO TARGETED HER HOUSE Im sorry," the boy, named Jake, wrote in the note. "This is the only money I have. Please do not be mad. Reitz managed to track down Jake via Facebook and says she has been in contact with his family, who wished to currently remain anonymous. "He did try to make things right, and I do forgive him, Reitz told KING-TV. "I'm not going to hold a grudge for a wind chime that was less than $5." Reitz said last week that she lost her mother at 5 years old and knows how difficult it is to lose a parent, especially for a child, Q13 Fox reported. "They are grieving, and everything is overwhelming for them," she said. Australian Sara Connor has been jailed for four years for her role in the killing of a Bali police officer on a Kuta beach and her British DJ boyfriend, David James Taylor, sentenced to six years. FLORIDA MOTHER OF FIVE BELIEVED ABDUCTED BY ESTRANGED HUSBAND With time already served and remissions of several months each year for good behavior Connor could be free in less than three years. However, if prosecutors appeal, which they are expected to do because the sentence is less than two-thirds of the eight years they had demanded, she faces the prospect of a different conviction and longer sentence. FERGUSON DOCUMENTARY SPARKS NEW CONTROVERSY OVER MICHAEL BROWN SHOOTING Her boyfriend accepted his sentence and says he will not appeal. Prosecutors said they will advise on appeals after consulting their bosses. Three judges in the Denpasar District Court found the Byron Bay mom and businesswoman legally and convincingly guilty of group violence causing the death of Bali police officer Wayan Sudarsa in the early hours of August 17. Taylor was convicted of the same offense but given a heavier sentence given his larger role in the killing. The sentences were less than the prosecutors had demanded and much less than the 15-year maximum for murder. The judges found murder not proven. But in jailing Connor, the judges rejected a key plank of her defence - that her only role was in separating her boyfriend and the officer from fighting on the beach. They found that she had sat on the victim, not to separate them but to pin the officer down while Taylor assaulted him. Click for more from news.com.au Almost 73 years after a mysterious Nazi unit commander ordered the killing of 44 Poles during World War II, prosecutors believe they finally have their man. Poland announced Monday it would seek the arrest and extradition of a 98-year-old Minnesota man after prosecutors said they confirmed 100 percent he was the fiendish Nazi killer who burned villages filled with women and children and murdered civilians in Poland. The evidence -- gathered in years of investigation into U.S. citizen Michael Karkoc -- showed he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion, which is accused of burning villages and killing civilians in Poland, prosecutor Robert Janicki told The Associated Press. Karkoc's family denied he was involved in any war crimes. "The Associated Press is peddling fake news," Karkoc's son, Andriy, told the Minneapolis StarTribune. When Karkoc came to the U.S. in 1949, along with his two sons, he said he had performed no military service. He eventually remarried and had four other children. Prosecutors of the state National Remembrance Institute have asked a regional court in Lublin, Poland, to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. He said the man's age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. "He is our suspect as of today," Janicki said. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in the villages of Chlaniow and Wladyslawin in July 1944, Karkoc could face a prison term for life. Prosecutors in Germany previously launched their own investigation of Karkoc after stories in 2013 by The Associated Press revealing that he had been a former commander in the SS-led unit that had committed war crimes in Poland. They never expressed doubts about Karkoc's identity, but shelved their investigation after saying they had received "comprehensive medical documentation" from doctors at the geriatric hospital in the U.S. where he was being treated that led them to conclude he was not fit for trial. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he has told the military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the country's northeastern coast where Chinese survey ships were spotted last year, in a discovery that alarmed Philippine defense officials. Duterte said he ordered the military to assert ownership of Benham Rise in a friendly way, repeating that his country has no option but to be diplomatic because "I cannot match the might of China." "My order to my military, you go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship," Duterte said in a news conference when asked about the issue in the waters facing the Pacific Ocean. Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Duterte took office in June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid. The Philippine military spotted the Chinese survey ships crisscrossing the Benham Rise waters suspiciously from July to December last year, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said last week. He said the government is considering an increase in patrols and the building of territorial markers in the offshore region. The Chinese ships' presence in the area was to be discussed late Monday at a meeting of National Security Council executive members and Duterte. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it asked China through its embassy Friday to clarify what the survey ships were doing in Benham Rise. In 2012, the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf declared Benham Rise to be part of the Philippine continental shelf, where the country has exclusive rights to fish and exploit resources, including undersea deposits of oil and gas, Philippine officials said. The Chinese foreign ministry has said its ships have a right to pass through the area under international law. In the South China Sea, Duterte has scuttled plans made under his predecessor for joint Philippine patrols with the U.S. Navy in disputed waters to avoid offending China. A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, has been sailing on a mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the sea, claimed virtually in its entirety by China. "America wants to pick a fight there," said Duterte, who has openly criticized U.S. security policies. "Why would I get into a trouble in that area?" next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Scotland's leader has said she will seek authority for a new independence referendum. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Monday she will move quickly to give Scottish voters a chance to make Scotland an independent country. Sturgeon said British Prime Minister Theresa May has so far refused to compromise with Scotland over Brexit. She said it is important for Scotland to take active steps to protect its interests as Britain prepared to trigger its departure from the European Union. Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, but Sturgeon said that the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU had brought about a "material change or circumstances." Germany warned Monday that Turkey's use of the word "Nazi" to describe its enemies has got to stop. TENSIONS ESCALATE BETWEEN TURKEY, NETHERLANDS OVER AIRCRAFT LANDING DISPUTE Berlin's reaction came after the feud between Turkey and the Netherlands escalated over the weekend. The Turkish government summoned the Netherlands' top diplomat to lodge protests after the Dutch blocked two Turkish ministers from campaigning for a sweeping referendum that would ramp up President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers. Also over the weekend, the Netherlands escorted Turkey's family affairs minister out of the country and refused to let its foreign minister land there. Erdogan called the Dutch "Nazi remnants" in response. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus called the Netherlands' actions "footsteps of the far-right, of the neo-fascism and neo-Nazism that has been on the rise in Europe in the past five or six years." PUTIN HAILS RUSSIA-TURKEY TIES AS HE HOSTS SYRIA TALKS German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in on the tough comments Monday, calling them "completely unacceptable." She added, "The Netherlands has my full support and solidarity." Erdogan had already lobbed similar criticism at Germany. He compared its government's policies to "Nazi practices" for nixing campaign events by Turkish officials one week earlier. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte tried putting a stop to the skirmish. "It was very difficult to agree with the Turkish foreign minister on the logistics of a visit he wanted to pay last Saturday to speak with a limited -- in our view it should be a limited group of Turkish people in one of the official Turkish residences -- it was very difficult to come to a logistical arrangement." The feud comes at a critical moment for the future of both Turkey and the Netherlands, and has threatened to draw in the rest of Europe. Turkey has tried drumming up support for its April 16 referendum through Turkish nationals outside the country. If the proposed constitutional reforms pass, Erdogan -- who has engaged in a crackdown against his opponents, including the media -- could keep power through 2029, The Guardian reported. Meanwhile, the Netherlands holds its own general election this Wednesday. The outspoken right-wing candidate Geert Wilders' party is sliding in polls but still almost neck-and-neck with Rutte's party. Wilders has helped spread the populism wave strengthened by the U.K.'s Brexit vote. Some of Erdogan's supporters launched their own protest in Amsterdam on Sunday, but the situation quickly turned violent. Dutch riot police arrested 13 people, spokeswoman Marjolein Koek said, as media showed police using dogs and a water cannon to break up the crowd. Turkey also accused police of using "disproportionate" force and "inhumane and derogatory" treatment against Turkish nationals who'd gathered in Rotterdam on Sunday. However, police said the demonstrators had pelted police with bottles and rocks, and one officer suffered a broken hand. Turkey issued two notes of protest after summoning the Dutch Embassy's charge d'affaires, Daan Feddo Huisinga, according to the foreign ministry in Ankara. The notes centered around the treatment of Turkish diplomats and the Rotterdam incident. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A new report last weekend has revealed that a force of several dozen armed private security contractors from Russia had operated in a part of Libya controlled by regional strongman Khalifa Haftar. Coming just days after the Pentagons top Africa official warned the Senate that Moscow was trying to do a Syria in the North African nation, the report of Russian mercenaries in the war-torn country once again raises questions about the government of Vladimir Putins intentions in Libya and its United Nations-backed government, which Western countries see as the best chance of restoring stability to war-torn Libya. Russia is trying to exert influence on the ultimate decision of who and what entity becomes in charge of the government inside Libya, General Thomas D. Waldhauser, the chief of the Pentagons Africa command, said in a testimony to the Senates foreign relations committee last week. Russia has already irked numerous Western governments with its support of the brutal regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and, despite assurances from Oleg Krinitsyn - owner of private Russian firm RSB-group that the mercenaries were sent to Libya as a commercial arrangement, it is unlikely that the Kremlin did not grant Krinitsyn its approval, according to Reuters. Krinitsyn told Reuters that his firm did not work with the Russian defense ministry, but was "consulting" with the Russian foreign ministry. RSB-group sent the contractors to eastern Libya last year and they were pulled out in February having completed their mission. The task of the security contractors was to remove mines from an industrial facility near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, in an area that Haftar's forces had liberated from Islamist rebels. Krinitsyn did not say who hired his firm, where they were operating or what the industrial facility was. He did not say if the operation had been approved by the U.N.-backed government, which most states view as the sovereign ruler of Libya. Earlier this month Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Moscow with Fayez Seraj, the head of the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, where he reaffirmed the Russian Federations support of working toward a united government in the oil-rich nation. "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. Despite the Lavrovs promises, actions by the Kremlin indicate that it is strongly in favor of Haftar taking control of the country and not just the eastern section currently under his control. In February Reuters reported that around 70 soldiers fighting for Haftar have been sent to Russia for treatment and Haftar has publically met with Russian officials at least three times twice in Moscow and once aboard a Russian aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean where he spoke with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Over the weekend, Haftars forces launched a series of airstrikes against the western Libyan city of Sidra, the countrys biggest oil port which has recently been the scene of intense between Haftars troops and militias in the west. In another worrying step, the eastern parliament last Tuesday voted to withdraw support from the United Nations peace deal that created the Tripoli government in January 2016 in hopes of ending years of chaos in the North African country. The withdrawal of support further undermines the government, which has had difficulty asserting authority even in Tripoli. Hafter, an army general, former CIA asset and U.S. citizen who lived nearly 20 years in American exile, is the most powerful figure in the east, touting himself as the champion against Islamic militants in Libya though his enemies accuse him of aiming to become a new dictator like Moammar Gadhafi, who was overthrown and killed in the country's 2011 Arab Spring revolt. He has talked of marching to take Tripoli to unite the country, hinting that he aims to rule. He opposed the government set up by the U.N. peace deal because it would have pushed him out as head of the military. The general is backed by Egypt and Russia, but Washington under the Obama administration kept him at arm's length. One key question in Haftars future will be whether the U.S. warms up to him under President Donald Trump. Hafter's forces seized the oil facilities last year. The Obama administration had joined the U.N. in calling on him to hand them over to the Tripoli government. But now that they have been wrested from him by force, he may resort instead to an all-out fight against Tripoli. His army says it is massing forces east of the terminals, awaiting orders. Their strength is unclear but they can call on reserves of thousands of eastern Libyan fighters and tribesman and are backed by Libyan and foreign air support. Hafter travels regularly to Cairo and insiders have said he flew there shortly after losing control of the terminals. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Juice It Up! Opens Newest Southern California Location Leading Raw Juice And Smoothie Chain Expands Riverside County Footprint March 13, 2017 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, California - Juice It Up!, one of the nations leading raw juice bar and hand-crafted smoothie chains, is excited to announce the opening of its second location in Temecula, California. Juice It Up!s newest Southern California location offers the brands functional fresh-squeezed raw juices, blended-to-order real fruit smoothies, handcrafted, nutrient-rich acai and pitaya bowls, and the recently introduced Cold Pressed Bottled Juices. Both Temecula locations are operated under the ownership of former United States Marine, Willie Smith, of EON Brands, Inc. We are thrilled to open our newest Temecula location and to have another opportunity to bring the Juice It Up! experience to even more fans in the area, said EON Brands Inc. franchisee, Willie Smith. Since opening our first Juice It Up! location in Temecula, we have taken great pride in providing our customers with delicious smoothies, raw juices and bowls that they can really feel good about enjoying. We have already received such great feedback from this new area of the community and we cant wait to serve our guests for years to come. All Juice It Up! products are designed to be both delicious and functional, meeting the nutritional wants and needs of guests at every level of health. Menu items include fresh-squeezed functional raw juices, blended-to-order real fruit and veggie smoothies, nutrient-rich bowls loaded with superfruits Acai and Pitaya and Cold Pressed Bottled Juices. With the recently-introduced Smoothie Bowls, as well as an expanded focus on the Bowl category, guests can transform their favorite Classic and Veggie Smoothie into a nourishing meal replacement, custom-topped with a variety of over a dozen premium ingredients, like fresh seasonal fruit, chia seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, organic granola and a drizzle of honey. The options to create-your-own-bowl are nearly endless. Guest can also supercharge any bowl or smoothie with the Make it Green option, which blends in raw kale and spinach to add an extra dose of fiber, vitamins and minerals, further capitalizing on the customization trend that has been spreading throughout the restaurant industry. At Juice It Up! we are passionate about giving back to those who have served to protect our country, and with our newest veteran-owned location now open in Temecula by an already active and passionate franchisee, we wanted to remind interested franchise candidates that some of our most successful franchises are owned by military veterans, said Carol DeNembo, vice president of business development for Juice It Up! Weve seen our veteran franchise partners do incredibly well, and its clear that its due to the brands recipe for success and proven business model, combined with the skills they learned in the military, serving as the perfect framework. As we expand our Southern California footprint, we are seeking partners with the same passion and integrity as Willie, to bring the juicing lifestyle to their communities. With an operations-focused culture, Juice It Up! is growing with new franchise partners, while existing franchisees continue to invest in the brand. Juice It Up! also offers franchise incentives for veterans of the U.S. military. With 89 locations open in four states, Juice It Up! is continuing its pursuit of steady expansion across the nation and is on track to add at least 11 additional units by year-end. For more details about the companys financial picture and franchisee support, visit the companys newly updated franchise website, http://www.juiceitupfranchise.com. About Juice It Up! Juice It Up!, a leading raw juice bar and hand-crafted smoothie franchise, specializes in delicious and functional fresh-squeezed juices, blended-to-order real fruit smoothies and nutrient-rich options such as Acai and Pitaya Bowls. Founded in 1995, the Irvine, California-based lifestyle brand is focused on providing its guests with a variety of great-tasting, better-for-you food and drink choices designed with personal wellness in mind. With over 100 locations open or under development across California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Texas, the privately-owned company is showcasing a new restaurant design, a heavier focus on the growing demand for raw juice options and a menu refresh that reflects the brands active personality and motto to Live Life Juiced! An established lifestyle brand with unparalleled experience in the raw juice bar industry, Juice It Up! has been included in Franchise Times Next 300 Franchise Chains list three years in a row, named a 2017 Best for Vets Franchise by Military Times and ranked #270 on Entrepreneur Magazines 2017 Annual Franchise 500 List. For more information about becoming a Juice It Up! franchise partner, visit www.juiceitupfranchise.com. Juice It Up! Social Media Pages Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juiceitup/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/juiceitup/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/juiceituphq/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/juiceitup/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/juiceitupcorp/ Media Contact: Chelsea McKinney Powerhouse Public Relations (949) 261-2216 Chelsea@powerhouse-pr.com SOURCE Juice It Up! ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Minuteman Press Franchise Celebrates Grand Opening in Upper Marlboro, MD When her job in web development and graphic design was downsized, Juanita Glenn decided she wanted to be her own boss. After doing her due diligence, Juanita opened a new Minuteman Press franchise in Upper Marlboro, MD, which offers essential printing, marketing, and branding solutions that meet the needs of today's business professionals. March 13, 2017 // Franchising.com // UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Juanita Glenn is the proud owner of her brand new Minuteman Press design, print, and marketing franchise located at 892 Largo Center Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. "We offer a myriad of services to people who are interested in business cards, banners, signs, postcards, notary, web development, mobile apps, and more," says Juanita. She adds, "With two graphic and web designers at our location, we can put together any type of design that a person can dream or imagine." Prior to joining the Minuteman Press franchise family, Juanita Glenn worked as an administrative assistant at a local university in the Washington, DC area. Her passion for web development and graphic design then led her to pursue a degree in computer studies. "Afterwards, I landed a job as a Technical Specialist and Web Developer which took my career to another level. With that, I focused a lot more on graphic and web design. I became more passionate about this profession and I continued to enhance my skills." While working full-time, Juanita decided to start her own web development, graphic design, and computer training company. Her experiences as an entrepreneur led her to Minuteman Press, as Juanita explains, "As I was outsourcing work to be printed for my clients, I was oftentimes dissatisfied with the online printing service I was receiving. I started wondering what it would be like to have my own printing shop. I prayed that God would allow this to happen for me one day." Juanita continues, "As faith would have it, in 2015, I happened to be working on a logo design for a client in Brooklyn, New York and she mentioned Minuteman Press as the company she uses for printing. To my surprise, I had never heard about Minuteman Press. After I got off the phone with my client, I went in research mode. I found out so many wonderful things about Minuteman Press that I had to contact the office for more information. Although I was not ready to start becoming a franchise owner just yet, I wanted to do my homework so that when I was ready I had all of the information needed to make my decision." Franchise Research Pays Off When Juanita's job was downsized in 2015, she knew she had an important decision to make: "I felt that after 27 years of service at my previous job, it was time for me to change careers. After praying and seeking advice, I took a leap of faith and left my job. Once I completed graduate school in 2016 with a degree in management, I felt ready to hone in on what I had learned from school and the skills I had obtained over the years. I wanted to be my own boss and I knew Minuteman Press was the right franchise for what I wanted to do. I was comforted in knowing that Minuteman Press had been around for over 40 years and the company was well-established with a great business model and structure." Along with the business model, Juanita also appreciated the training and ongoing support Minuteman Press offered her on both the corporate and local levels. She says, "There are several things that impress me about Minuteman Press, but the one thing that I am most intrigued about is the support from their corporate headquarters in New York. During my training in New York, Mike Jutt, Minuteman Press International Executive VP and Director of Training, was very helpful in making sure that I received the equipment needed for my new shop. I hit an expected bump in the road and Mike Jutt stepped in to help the process move forward." As for the local support she has received back home in Upper Marlboro, Juanita Glenn could not be happier. She explains, "Bob Heimbuch, Regional VP for Minuteman Press International and Eric Shank, Field Representative, have been so helpful in making sure my Minuteman Press store was up and running as well as keeping me on track with the setup and marketing. Bob made sure he found the location I was looking for to start my Minuteman Press franchise. He was instrumental in keeping me abreast of the things necessary to help with the operation of the store. Afterwards, Eric Shank was able set up the store, organize it, establish accounts with the vendors and assist me constantly with marketing the business. I am totally grateful for their help because I would not have known what to do if I was out there alone." Satisfaction from Running the Business When asked about the most rewarding thing about being her own boss and running the business, two words stick out to Juanita Glenn: Satisfaction and teamwork. She comments, "What I get the most satisfaction from is being able to interact with all types of people. I am very people-oriented and it gives me great pleasure to meet people from all types of background." Juanita elaborates, "Furthermore, I've always wanted to have a family-friendly environment where employees would love to come to work. My employees are very loyal to the business and I consider them as my team. I don't throw my weight around because I'm the boss and I let them know that we are a team, but every team has a leader. We make sure that we all help each other out as much as possible in order to keep work flowing in an expeditious manner. One of the things that I am proudest of from my team is that we exude professionalism and it is evident when people tell us that from the way we answer the phone to how we treat them when they come into the store. I have always felt that a business should be run by treating people with respect and professionalism and that is what makes me most proud of the team that I have working with me." The support she received from her parents and church family also makes this experience especially rewarding for Juanita: "I am grateful for my parents and church family who have given me lots of love and support as I was getting the business started. My father who has his own company, Jones Construction Company, was the person that helped me during the renovation of the store. I am grateful that he was a part of the process and I get many compliments on how beautiful the store looks. I feel so proud and thankful that my father was a part of this great process." Getting Involved in the Community and Giving Back Being a business owner gives Juanita Glenn a chance to really make a difference in the community, and she has already received positive feedback from clients that have welcomed her with open arms. She says, "It is so important to give back and I believe that we are on earth to help one another. It feels good to help someone who needs my type of service. I oftentimes hear from clients that I was needed in the community. Hearing that gives me a great feeling!" She expands, "I am very passionate about church and youth activities. This helps to keep me grounded and humble. Also, I recently became a part of a networking group called the Business Leadership Council of Prince George's County Maryland. This opportunity came from a client who felt that I would be a good fit for the organization. I am very excited to become a part of this because it will give me more exposure and bring about additional opportunities for the business." Typical Day For Juanita Glenn, a typical day as a Minuteman Press franchise owner consists of managing and marketing the business: "The typical day for me at Minuteman Press in Upper Marlboro is making sure that all of my clients get their work completed in a timely manner. I make sure my team is not stressed out and that things are flowing orderly in the store. It can be hectic at times when we get bombarded with lots of projects, but we all work very well under pressure. When I am not out marketing, I am in the office helping the team as well as following up with those I have previously marketed to." When she is not working on the business, Juanita enjoys her time at church and with her family. She says, "I love to attend bible study and church service because it gives me so much peace and fulfilment. I also like reading things that are very meaningful, spending time with my husband and our dog Eli. While I have been extremely busy since starting Minuteman Press, I enjoy every bit of quality time I can spend with my husband. He has been my greatest supporter during this entire process and I am thankful for his love, support and encouragement." Business Goals and Advice for Others Like any business owner who is just starting out, Juanita Glenn is working hard to grow her business. As for her immediate goals for the business, she states, "My goal for 2017 is to elevate the business to another level by networking with other groups and organizations. I plan to get government and local contracts by registering with those agencies that need this type of service." When asked about what advice she would have for other aspiring business owners, Juanita answers, "My advice to anyone who is looking to own a franchise is that Minuteman Press is an A-1 company. It's no wonder they are rated the #1 Marketing and Printing Franchise within the industry by Entrepreneur several times over." Juanita thoughtfully concludes, "Being your own boss is so rewarding in so many ways because you have the freedom to do what you love and be creative. The cost to start up the company is nothing compared to the support that you get from headquarters and locally. I am so thankful and blessed to be a franchise owner with Minuteman Press." Juanita Glenn's Minuteman Press franchise is located at 892 Largo Center Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774. For more information, call Juanita and her team at (301) 456-2587 or visit their website: http://uppermarlboro-md.minutemanpress.com. About Minuteman Press International Minuteman Press International is a number one rated business marketing and printing franchise that offers world class training and unparalleled ongoing local support. Started in 1973 by Roy Titus and his son Bob, Minuteman Press began franchising in 1975 and has grown to over 950 business service franchise locations worldwide including the U.S., Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Minuteman Press is ranked #1 in category by Entrepreneur for 14 years in a row and 25 times overall, including 2017. We are the modern version of the printing industry, providing high quality products and services for businesses that go way beyond just ink on paper. Today our stores produce promotional products, custom apparel, direct mail advertising, large format printing (banners and posters), signs, and much more. Prior experience is not necessary to own and operate a successful Minuteman Press franchise. Learn more about Minuteman Press design, printing, and marketing franchise opportunities by calling 1-800-645-3006 and access Minuteman Press franchise reviews at www.minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contacts: Minuteman Press Franchise Opportunities 1-800-645-3006 www.minutemanpressfranchise.com Chris Biscuiti Media Relations 631-249-1370, ext. 249 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com SOURCE Minuteman Press ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Mohegan Holding Company Opens Jersey Mike's Subs In East Greenwich, RI March 13, 2017 // Franchising.com // East Greenwich, RI - Jersey Mikes Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, opened in East Greenwich on March 8th. Franchise owners Mohegan Holding Company, LLC of the Mohegan Tribe celebrated with a fundraiser with East Greenwich Academy Foundation. The new location at 507-563 Main Street distributed 5,000 coupons throughout the community offering a free regular sub with a minimum $2.00 donation to East Greenwich Academy Foundation. We are thrilled to expand the Mohegan Tribes Jersey Mikes footprint to Rhode Island, said Kevin Brown Red Eagle, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe. Jersey Mikes is already well-known in the area for its great subs and dedication to the local community, and we look forward to bringing the success of that business model into East Greenwich. This location is the first of the Mohegan Tribes Jersey Mikes restaurants in Rhode Island. Other locations include Meriden, Norwich and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and Marlborough in Massachusetts, with plans to open seven additional locations in Connecticut, Rhode Island and the southern section of Worcester County in Massachusetts. The Tribe established the Mohegan Holding Company for business diversification in non-gaming areas, and now includes interests in franchise restaurants, sustainable energy resources and manufacturing, and office digital solutions. About Jersey Mikes Started in 1956, Jersey Mikes now has 1,500 restaurants open and under development nationwide. In 2016, for the third year in a row, the company was named the #1 fastest growing chain in the Nations Restaurant News Top 100. Since 2010, Jersey Mikes locations throughout the country have raised more than $20 million for worthy local charities and have distributed more than 1.5 million free subs to help numerous causes. In 2016, the companys 6th Annual Jersey Mikes Month of Giving raised more than $4 million for 180 local charities nationwide. The 2017 annual fundraising campaign kicks off in March. The growth is fueled by passionate Jersey Mikes fans who crave their subs made Mikes Way with the freshest vegetables onions, lettuce and tomatoes topped off with an exquisite zing of the juice red wine vinegar and olive oil blended to perfection. Jersey Mikes premium meats and cheeses are sliced on the spot, piled high on in-store baked bread and served up with a helping of neighborly banter from a dedicated and high-energy team. Visit Jersey Mikes in East Greenwich from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week and contact them at (401) 398-2752. SOURCE Jersey Mikes ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Please take a moment to write. Its a plea that is simple, humble and like so few things in business: free. The line is from a flier that recently went up at Riverby Books in downtown Fredericksburg, urging customers to stop for a moment and write a letter to their elected representatives, which the store will then send for no charge. In times of strife, people find solace in vendors of the written word and in the words themselves, as evident by spiking sales of books like George Orwells 1984 and John Steinbecks The Winter of Our Discontent, and J.D. Vances Hillbilly Elegy. Ive always believed bookstores to be safe havens for freedom of speech and expression; free postage is just a little nudge towards actually exercising that, said Riverby owner Paul Cymrot. I wrote the message after considering what role the store might play in the current state of the nationadvocate for civil discourse is always useful and is always the high ground. Over the past 20 years, Riverby has held voter registration drives, given discounts to customers who wear their I Voted stickers on Election Day, taken in-store surveys and used its window white board to promote community events. Bookstores around the nation are taking a political stance since the emotionally charged November presidential election and consternation over presidential cabinet picks and executive orders. Riverbys Washington D.C., store displayed historic campaign memorabilia around the election. The store said on its website, As the closest bookstore to the Capitol Building we simply couldnt resist converting the front part of our shop into Election Central. News outlets have reported that all over the country, independent bookstores are joining the rising tide of political malcontents and urging customers to speak up. Also in Washington D.C., independent bookstore Politics & Prose created a Dont Give Up. Stand Up. Read Up book display to promote political engagement. The New York Times reported that Broadway Books in Portland handed out free copies of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies We Should All Be Feminists on Inauguration Day. The same story said Women & Children First in Chicago hosted a craft circle to knit pink hats before the Womens March. And, Denver-based City Stacks has offered elected officials contact information to, like Riverby, prompt customers to write. As far as political engagement goes, it was never my intention for the store to be saccharine or neutral, Cymrot said. Holding ones own belief is not the same as disparaging someone elses. My customers understand that. I have my own opinions, and I respect the rights of my customers to have theirs. In fact, I would require it if I could; people who have no opinions at all or who have never paused to think something through make me nervous. Ive spent many happy hours debating differences with customers, but only a few mediocre minutes echoing the entirely like-minded. Riverby and its community of independent bookstores are the exception to the rule when it comes to political engagement in small businesses, though. The National Small Business Associations 2016 Politics of Small Business Survey was conducted online among 890 small-business owners in April 2016. While small businesses are remarkably involved and engaged in the political process, their political positions and ideologies are as diverse as the economy they fuel, a summary of the survey said. What we found underscores the real-world implications of the growing partisan rancor in Washington, D.C. and beyond: a less involved small-business community increasingly frustrated with their elected officials. Ninety-seven percent of small-business owners say they vote regularly in national contests, but despite this high level of voting, there was a drop among small-business owners who reported contacting their elected officials. Opinions about whether to engage customers in political speech are varied among disparate types of businesses in Riverbys neighborhood. Just down Caroline Street is PONSHOP Studio, the art gallery owned by married couple Scarlett and Gabriel Pons. The store has hosted action meetings, which have been organized across the county after the Womens March to keep the momentum of political activism going. Among those meeting topics was knowing who to write to in Congress. The couple advertises the meetings over Facebook, but not through the business. A lot of people we didnt know came out, Gabriel Pons said. That was refreshing. He said it is hard as a business owner to figure out how outspoken to be. During the election he regularly retweeted ideas he agreed with through the business Twitter account. He has pulled back a little since then, saying, I dont want to exclude anyone from enjoying the artwork because they feel differently. But being an artist, its hard to shield his true political feelings. Both he and Scarlett have immigrant parents so thats a cause very close to us, he said, and his next piece is a riff on the Statue of Liberty. Theres a high level of anxiety and depression among the artist community following the election that will soon take center stage, he said. But for Pons, the most important thing is not overshadowing the business mission to promote creativity, community and learning around art. Other businesses downtown shy away from taking a strong stance. At the Virginia Deli on Caroline Street, owner Linda Freeman said her eatery is patriotic but not political. Many of the menu items are named after famous historical figures like George Washington and Stonewall Jackson. Others invoke local landmarks like Kenmore or Ferry Farm. I just feel that politics dont belong in a restaurant, she said. One person might disagree and I dont want any hard feelings coming out of here. We staff members dont voice our political opinions here. She said the most contentious conversations in the shop come from the George Ate Here sign outside. George Washington, no, she said. But we have customers named George. Like, George Hope who used to own the Blarney Stone would stop by here. Likewise, Corkys owner Graham Coble said he rarely brings up politics in the shop. Unless I know someone personally, I wont talk about it, he said. Otherwise I try to steer clear. I dont want to alienate customers. We need every one of them. But at nearby Riverby, Cymrot hopes customers will stop by to chat with him about politics. Im happy to chat about current events, about Mark Twains views on slavery, on the authorship of Shakespeares plays, and about whether the Captain Underpants books are better or worse than the Dork Diaries, he said. Running a bookstore in a town like Fredericksburg that is willing to support it is a lucky thing indeed. Kienta Tibbs is living proof that being a funeral director isnt just a mans job any more. The southern Maryland native opened her own business, Tibbs Funeral Home & Cremation, last week at 503 N. Main St. in Culpeper, where W.C. Thompson Funeral Home operated for several decades. As the funeral director, Tibbs, 41, will meet with families, help plan burial services, embalm and prepare bodies, plan and organize visitations and memorial services, place obituaries in the newspapers and help finalize death certificates. I want my families to know that I am here in Culpeper to earn their trust and honor their loved ones. They should be able to grieve and not worry about the business side of the process, she said. As a female in the industry, I offer compassion, empathy and a feminine touch during delicate times. I am that funeral director that cries with them, but also understand its my job to get them through this grieving process. Tibbs is one of a growing number of women working in the forefront of the funeral service industry. According to Robert C. Smith III, executive director of the American Board of Funeral Service Education, women represented 62 percent of graduates from accredited mortuary programs in the United States in 2015, up from 53 percent in 2004 and 40 percent in 1996. So having a female funeral director in Culpeper or any other community is not really a surprise from a statistical perspective, Smith said, noting that female ownership of small businesses in general is also rising. The year 2000 was when the female graduation rate reached the 5050 point. Janet M. Stephens, program director of funeral services at John Tyler Community College in Chester, said of the 40 students in the program this year, 19 are women. You typically see men in this profession. When I came through the program in 1992, there were about nine of us in the program. That has changed over the years, she said. I think women bring more compassion to this industry. We are more apt to listen to the familys needs and desires. Even though more women are entering the mortuary profession, they still face gender stereotypes. When I attend conventions, the male funeral directors are quick to think that my husband is the funeral director and not me, said Tibbs. As for the job itself, Tibbs said: There really arent any challenges because weve figured it out. We know how to do the removals by ourselves, and we handle the families well. Tibbs, a first-generation funeral director, said she became interested in the mortuary business as a third-grader, after a cousin died in a car crash. While attending the viewing, she noticed grass in his hair and blood oozing from his ear. I just knew that wasnt right and that just drew my interest, she said. When career day came along, a local funeral director spoke and thats when I knew thats what I wanted to do. And Ive always had the interest ever since. Tibbs received her associates degree in mortuary science from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta and completed her apprenticeship at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home in Conyers, Ga. She obtained her initial funeral service license in December 2001 and is now licensed in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Tibbs got her first full-time job in the industry at Vaughn Greene Funeral Home in Baltimore, then spent about 15 years with Metropolitan Funeral Service in Alexandria. She worked as a funeral director at Harman Funeral Home in Hagerstown, Md., for almost a year before deciding to open her own business in Culpeper. Tibbs said she handled every aspect of the business for her former employer, from meeting with families to preparing the bodies. So I thought, I can do this and step out on my own, she said. That just encouraged me and gave me the drive to open my own business. Jeff Tibbs, 42, describes his wife as a natural nurturer, a skill that serves her well on the job, and as the mother of their four children. Shes compassionate and understanding, he said. Its just a different perspective. My wife is very good at what she does. I dont think Ive ever met a funeral director that has the skills and technique that Ive seen her have in the prep room. She has done work for a lot of different funeral homes. She does her work behind the scenes on a lot of dignitaries and political figures. People dont [ask you to] do those things if youre not good at it. Kienta Tibbs said her husband has played an important role in her career. Hes been so supportive. When we first heard of a need to have an additional funeral establishment in Culpeper, Jeff did months of research to assure me and our kids that this would be a great area to grow a business and raise our children, she said. Sometimes, Stuart Lanes fields are like Forrest Gumps box of chocolates. The Caroline County farmer never knows what hes gonna get when he experiments with cover crops. Those are grasses, clovers or even vegetables that he plants in fields after harvesting the crops that pay the billscorn and soybeans, barley, rye or wheat. Cover crops arent grown for what they might produce, because Lane doesnt harvest them. He plants them for the benefits they provide, from making the soil healthier to keeping it from washing away in a heavy rain. Some crops actually pull nitrogen from the air and put it back in the groundsaving money on fertilizerand others benefit the bees, earthworms and wildlife they attract. Plus, they look really good on meandering fields, especially this time of year when the farm landscape looks barren after soybeans have been cut and corn chopped. One field on State Route 207 was so vibrant, with robust stalks of crimson clover, that people actually stopped to photograph it. You would have thought you were in The Wizard of Oz, he said about the teeming colors. Birds were chirping and flowers were blooming. JUST THE RIGHT SOIL Lane and his wife, Kathy, farm about 1,800 acres from Ruther Glen to Thornburg. They own about 300 acres and rent the rest. Theyre part of the reason Caroline County is the second-leading producer of corn and soybeans in Virginia. Accomack County on the Eastern Shore ranks first. In 2016, Caroline farmers yielded 2.18 million bushels of corn from 16,000 acres. They also harvested 921,000 bushels of soybeans, planted on 21,600 acres. Those numbers are from a survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. We have just the right soil for raising cash grain crops like corn, wheat and soybeans, said Mike Broaddus, the Virginia Tech Extension agent in Caroline. Plus, the countys location, between Richmond and Northern Virginia, makes markets accessible for whatever crops are produced in the rural locality. Development from both urban areas has made its way to Caroline, but not to the degree as in more populous counties such as Spotsylvania and Stafford. Caroline has escaped that so far, Broaddus said. Were right in the middle, just out of range of being heavily populated to where the grain farmers can continue to make a really good living. A CLASS BY HIMSELF Broaddus brags that Caroline County has a lot of good farmers, but Stuart Lane is in a class by himself. Lane is always looking for ways to raise production and lower costs, and the cover crops seem to be the answer to both. Lane, 62, lives off Dry Bridge Road on land that has been in his family for generations. He jokes that hes farmed since he was 6, when his grandmother gave him and his brothers 50 tomato plants each and a challenge to see who could grow the most. He started seriously farming in 1977, and for most of this century, saw the benefit of covering the ground with another crop after the main one was harvested. In the beginning, he planted a single speciesbarley, rye or wheaton fields after corn and soybeans were cut. About five years ago, a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service introduced him to multi-species cover crops. The HanoverCaroline Soil and Water Conservation District administered the program, which provided Lane enough free seeds to plant different species of cover crops on 5 acres for three years. Lane started planting three, four or even five species in one field. A typical mix included white icicle radishes with canola plants that yield yellow flowers, Austrian winter peas, barley and that beautifully colored crimson clover. He and his wife regularly scouted the fields, making notes of bare patches or spots where gullies might formand adjusting the program to compensate for deficiencies. They often dug up a shovel full of dirt, thrilled to see the way the dirt crumbled in their hands instead of being compactedmeaning water, fiber and underground life forms could flow through easily. They also were eager to find earthworms, one of the surest signs of healthy soil. Any time of year, were out there looking for them, he said, adding how much fun the exercise is. Well, he thinks its fun, his wife said. THE GREEN REVOLUTION Over time, Lane found that the cover crops enriched his land to the point that it produces higher yields on the crops he harvests for cash. This is not something that happened overnight, he said, but weve increased about 10 percent a year. His highest yield has been 70 bushels per acre of soybeans and 190 bushels per acre of corn. As a comparison, Culpeper County had the states highest averages for both crops, according to the national survey. Culpeper farmers averaged 173.8 bushels per acre of corn and 52 bushels per acre of soybeans. Lane said he probably wouldnt have tried the cover crops if not for the funding provided by the national grant and the help from local conservation officials. But now that hes tried them, hell keep using various mixtures to see how much they improve the environment, as well as the land from which he and his wife get their sole source of income. The more lush the fields look in the process, the better. We call it the green revolution, he said. Despite the warm temperatures and early appearance of cherry blossoms, spring hasnt yet come to the Fredericksburg region. It turns out that when Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day, his prediction of six more weeks of cold weather was spot on. A winter storm will bring several inches of snow to the Piedmont region on Monday night. Precipitation will start early Monday evening, and will likely begin with rain and sleet. With temperatures in the 40s, the National Weather Service forecasts that accumulation will likely be inconsequential at the onset of the storm. However, that could change overnight. As temperatures begin to plummet after nightfall, the storm will pick up and the region will likely experience heavy snow. According to NWS, how much snow the area will get depends on where the rain/snow line sets up. If it gets cold enough, Fredericksburg and surrounding areas could experience as much as 5-10 inches of snow. If warmer air moves in, 1-3 inches is more likely. Either way, there will be significant precipitation. Areas to the north and west of Fredericksburg could get higher levels of accumulation, the NWS said. Veteran weather observers noted that the storm seems to be setting up much as the Blizzard of March 1962 did, except that the coastal low today is expected to form off the Carolina coast, while low pressure system 55 years ago formed off the north Georgia coast. That storm, which began on March 6 and lasted for two days, dropped as much as 32 inches of wet snow, sleet and freezing rain on the Virginia Piedmont and four feet in the Shenandoah National Park. The 1962 storm, regarded by many as the most crippling of the 20th century in this area, closed schools for more than a week and left residents in Culpeper, Madison and Rappahannock counties without power for up to two weeks. Several buildings collapsed from the weight of the heavy snow. While projections for this week's storm fall far short of that, Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kelly Hannon said the agency is gearing up by staging equipment and preparing materials for snow removal. We are ready, Hannon said. Our crews will work 24 hours a day and we will continue working through storm as long as needed to make sure all lanes are open for travel. Hannon explained that snow accumulation totals may vary across the region, and crews will begin plowing when accumulation reaches about two inches. That is when we will lower plows to ground, but we will spread sand and salt beforehand, Hannon said. When plowing and treating roads, VDOTs first priority is the interstate and primary roads. As they make progress, they move to lower volume, secondary roads and then subdivision roads. Residents should fit in any last-minute errands during daylight hours Monday, Hannon said. VDOT is advising drivers to stay off the roads as soon as the snow begins, if possible. Hannon said the storm will likely begin as rain and transition to snow during the peak of the evening commute, so drivers should consider adjusting their usual travel plans accordingly. For the latest road conditions, visit 511virginia.org, download the mobile app or call 5-1-1. To report road hazards or ask questions, call 800-FOR-ROAD (800/367-7623). Staff writer Donnie Johnston contributed to this report. Curing the commonwealths sluggish economy requires investment in transportation infrastructure, according to state Sen. Frank Wagner, one of four candidates vying for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The Virginia Beach Republican wants to raise new money for large infrastructure projects by changing and raising the gasoline tax and plans to wear it on his sleeve during the GOP primary. You cannot talk about growing and diversifying the economy in Virginia without talking about a bigger investment in transportation. It cant be done, Wagner said. I want to treat the underlying disease. Its going to take a capital investment to do it. On June 13, Virginias Republicans will choose between four candidates in Wagner; Ed Gillespie, a longtime national Republican strategist; Prince William County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart; and Nelson County distiller Denver Riggleman. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former 5th Congressional District Rep. Tom Perriello are running for the Democratic nomination. Because Virginia does not register voters by party, anyone can vote in either but only one primary. Before 2013, Virginia levied a flat tax of 17.5 cents per gallon for gas, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Wagner was part of negotiating the final bill that switched the tax to being allocated by gasolines wholesale price. The current tax rate for gasoline is 5.1 percent of the wholesale price, but the legislation included a floor, based on the price Feb. 20, 2013, according to the DMV. The rate has not risen above the 16.2 cents per gallon floor since the tax change was implemented, according to DMV spokeswoman Brandy Brubaker. Wagners plan would change the rate back to a flat tax and raise it from 16.2 cents per gallon. He did not offer a specific figure. While oil remains relatively stable, were down here in these low prices; lets go ahead jack up the per gallon price. Lets get some roads built, Wagner said in an interview with The News & Advance this week on his way home from the Smith Mountain Lake gubernatorial debate. The gas tax reform and increase only will happen if a Republican champions the cause, he said. If its a Democrat, the House will kill it. You know it, and I know it. Have a Republican carry it, wear it on his sleeve, he said. Wagner is fresh off the 2017 General Assembly, where one of the legislatures main responsibilities was reworking the biennial budget to fill a $1.2 billion budget gap. Theyll tell you, well just streamline government to get it. Well, we just streamlined government to the tune of $1.2 billion, said Wagner, a Senate Finance Committee member and one of the conferees who negotiated the final spending plan. Its pretty streamlined, you know. Citing money the legislature designated to aid schools where enrollments are in decline as people leave their communities, Wagner said the legislature is spending money and only treating symptoms. Much of the state transportation project money is allocated through the Smart Scale program designed to spread money throughout the commonwealth using pools for projects of state and regional significance. While $1 billion was available for the last round of Smart Scale projects, the state received $9 billion in applications, Wagner said. The state should invest in the proposed I-73 project that would connect North Carolina and I-81 and also into U.S. 58 to make it an interstate to bring manufacturing to Southside Virginia. Route congestion relief on I-81 also is needed, he said. Further economic development should come from strategic investments into infrastructure not limited to roads, he said. Rural areas need better broadband service, he said. Wagner called the proposed gas pipelines through Virginia opposed by many of the people whose yards theyll be buried in a game changer for Virginia economically. The Republican primary tends to draw more conservative party regulars, generally wary of any tax increase. Members of the Lynchburg Tea Party were immediately skeptical about Wagners proposal when asked about it before their meeting Thursday. Karen Angulo, Lynchburg Tea Party president, said it would be a hard sell. Angulo hasnt seen improvements from previous tax increases, she said. I applaud him for his honesty and openness with his positions. I dont think that issues going to gain a lot of traction in much of Virginia unless he can make a very solid case. Money tends to just go into a black hole, Lynchburg Tea Party President Karen Angulo. Wagner, the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee chairman and former shipbuilding and repair company owner, said the commonwealth also needs to invest in training and equipment for workforce and career and technical education in schools. Dual enrollment and credentialing programs need to be developed, Wagner said. Members of both parties, including current Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and some gubernatorial candidates, say Virginia should improve workforce training, including doing more to connect public education and businesses. Perriello called for free community college for people to learn job skills and connect workers with good-paying jobs during a roundtable meeting last month with the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance. Northam proposed a program last month providing state money for new collar job training through community colleges in exchange for a public service commitment. Gillespie also mentioned reforms to education for meeting workforce needs. Existing education money could be re-programmed toward workforce training, Wagner said. He did not say where in the education budget he would cut. The state and localities could partner with the private sector when making capital purchases as well as for training, he said. The best way to raise money is to stimulate the economic activity. I know its a patented easy answer, but its a true answer. Were in the situation were in now because the economy is stagnant, Wagner said. I have every reason to believe the numbers are picking up, so its a question of when they pick up what are our priorities? Staff writer Margaret Carmel contributed. PAULI MURRAY was a lawyer, civil and womens rights pioneer, and the first AfricanAmerican woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. She and Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady of the United States and a human rights internationalist, were friends for 28 years. My dual biography, The Firebrand and the First Lady, seeks to find out what drew together the disparate pair: one the granddaughter of a mixed-race slave reared in North Carolina, the other a native New Yorker whose ancestry entitled her to membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. It examines the nature of their unlikely friendship, and how it changed over time, focusing on individual needs the relationship satisfied, how were they changed by it, and the significance of it for the cause of social justice. As it turned out, the two had much in common, despite the difference in family origin and the fact that Pauli Murray was 26 years younger than Eleanor Roosevelt. They shared the given name Anna, which neither preferred or used. Both lost their parents as children and were raised by elderly kin. They were sensitive, compassionate and devout Episcopalians. They had inquiring minds. They were voracious readers. They loved poetry and they loved to write. They had phenomenal energy, yet they were not immune to low spirits or anxiety. They were innately shy, but learned to be outspoken. Their well-being required meaningful work, physical activity and the company of cherished friends, which included their dogs. Their friendship began in 1938 as a confrontation in words, fueled by Murrays desire for dramatic social change and the first ladys obligation to the measured approach Franklin D. Roosevelts administration took on the question of civil rights. They addressed their earliest letters to Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss Murray. Eleanor Roosevelt eventually adopted the use of Pauli, but Murray, who came to regard the first lady as a maternal figure, could never bring herself to use Eleanor, as invited. The first lady would always be Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. R or occasionally Mrs. Rovel, a nickname Murray created by shortening the name Roosevelt. Of the hundreds of letters and notes they exchanged, Eleanor Roosevelts were concise and usually typed, for which Murray must have been grateful, given the first ladys hard-to-read handwriting. Murray, who was at her best hashing out thoughts and feelings on paper, invariably wrote longer missives. Their initial face-to-face discussions focused on labor and civil rights and took place at the first ladys New York City apartment and the White House. After FDRs death, the issues and settings for their conversations expanded. They drew closer over time, grounded by the needs they satisfied in each other. Pauli Murray had a need to speak out and feel heard. Eleanor Roosevelt had a need to respond and make a difference. They helped each other see possibilities beyond their immediate vision, and this broadened view impacted the causes they served. Murray, who never voted for FDR or trusted the two-party system, became a registered, voting Democrat. Eleanor Roosevelt, who once cautioned Murray against flouting segregation laws, progressed from sharing Murrays sentiments with readers of her My Day column, FDR, and other opinion-makers to defying threats against her own life when she publicly aligned herself with civil rights activists. The friendship between Pauli Murray and Eleanor Roosevelt came to be characterized by honesty, trust, empathy, mutual respect, acceptance, a commitment to hearing the others point of view, pleasure in each others company, and the ability to pick up where they left off, irrespective of the miles that had separated them or the time lapsed. The Firebrand and the First Lady is a tribute to them and to the path they lit for future generations. Patricia BellScott is an author and professor emerita of womens studies and human development and family science at the University of Georgia. GOP resolution attacks workers fundamental rights Special thanks to Congressman Joe Wilson, RS.C., and Congressman Steve King, RIowa, for introducing HR 785, and reminding all of us of our right to work. I thought we earned that right in the beginning: Cursed be the earth in thy work; in thy labor thou shalt eat of it all the days of thy life (Genesis 3:17). The proposed National Right to Work Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act by striking provisions allowing for the formulation of Union Security Clauseswhich are intended to promote harmony and fraternity in the workplace. Reputable American businesses have, and should always have, the right to contract with labor organizations and unionswhich sponsor excellent apprenticeship, health, retirement and welfare programs, free of taxpayer subsidiesin order to obtain, recruit and retain skilled tradespeople. The act evinces a design to reduce businesses and their employees into a perpetual state of discord. I suggest the people of this country think long and hard about what is truly at stake here. True constitutional conservatives see this for what it isan attack on the right to assemble and the right to contract. James L. Lou Spencer Stafford Area Muslim group decries hate crimes Hate crimes in the United States have increased in the months following the 2016 election. A hate crime is defined as abuse against a group or an individual based on religious views or racial ethnic background. This increase includes heinous acts against people belonging to Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as people with Middle Eastern backgrounds. On Feb. 26, a Jewish cemetery in Frankford, Pa., reportedly had more than 100 headstones damaged. Just hearing this news sends a chill down my spine. How could someone have the audacity to topple headstones and vandalize a cemetery? As always, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the religion of Islam condemn all such attacks that target and disturb the peace of society. I urge everyone to try and maintain the peace in our atmosphere so we all can live together in a hospitable environment. Arsalan Ahmad Khan Woodbridge Every year, the advocates gather in a small workroom bright with fluorescent lights, laptops, ideas and hope. The men and women, each a representative of an underserved community (think Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, etc.), spend two days learning about the public health research process and huddling with scientific mentors from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington. The mentors talk to them about the health needs of their respective communities asking about everything from vegetable intake to vaccination adherence then help them craft study proposals that will be reviewed and, with luck, funded with a small research grant. At the heart of the program is a desire to bond with at-risk communities to better understand and eliminate the issues that prevent them from leading longer, healthier lives. But putting out a welcome mat for people of color, low-income folks, and other marginalized groups and chipping away at sciences remote ivory tower image is another key goal. From our point of view, its a way for the Hutch to reach out to build partnerships with communities that have experienced health disparities, said Kathy Briant, a community health educator with Fred Hutchs Health Disparities Research Center, or HDRC, which for the last four years has sponsored the innovative training program. We see it as one way to make a bridge, she said. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. Story Highlights Two-thirds of white men without college degrees approve of Trump Blacks' approval lowest among racial, ethnic groups Whites' approval twice as high as other major racial, ethnic groups WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Among major U.S. demographic groups, white men without a college degree are most likely to approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. Blacks and nonwhite women are among the groups least likely to approve of Trump. The results are based on Gallup Daily tracking from Jan. 20 through March 8. Over this period, 42% of Americans, on average, approved of the job Trump is doing. The large samples obtained in the daily tracking allow Gallup to analyze patterns of Trump job approval among major demographic characteristics such as race, age and gender, but also combinations of those characteristics. Analysis of the demographic groups with the highest and lowest job approval ratings for Trump suggests that race, education and gender are key differentiators in people's opinions of how the president is doing his job. The demographic groups giving Trump his highest approval ratings generally share one or more of these common characteristics: non-Hispanic white, male, and not having a college degree. Roughly two-thirds of Americans who possess all three of those characteristics approve of Trump. Trump also tends to fare better among older than among younger subgroups. At the other extreme, the demographic subgroups with the lowest approval ratings are all nonwhite. Also, education appears to make little or no difference in nonwhites' opinions of Trump. Full results by demographic category can be found at the end of this article. To a large degree, these demographic differences in Trump job approval reflect the underlying partisan leanings of the demographic groups. For example, white men without a college education are most likely to identify as Republicans, and blacks largely identify as Democrats. However, the various demographic characteristics (including race, gender and education) do appear to have a modest additional effect on Republicans' and Democrats' views of Trump, and they play a more significant role in shaping Trump approval among political independents. Overall, 88% of Republicans, 38% of independents and 10% of Democrats approve of the job Trump is doing. Race and Ethnicity Among non-Hispanic whites, 54% approve of the job Trump is doing, making whites one of relatively few subgroups giving the president majority approval ratings. Whites' job approval is at least twice as high as that of any other major racial or ethnic group -- 27% of Asians, 22% of Hispanics and 13% of blacks approve of the job Trump is doing. Gender In addition to the racial differences, there is a significant gender gap of 13 percentage points in Trump's job approval, with 49% of men and 36% of women approving. White men (60%) and white women (48%) are far more likely than nonwhite men (26%) and nonwhite women (14%) to approve of Trump. Despite these differences, the gender gaps for whites and nonwhites are the same, 12 points each. The gender gap is also apparent within age and educational groups. President Trump Job Approval, by Gender Approve Disapprove N % % Gender Men 49 45 12,915 Women 36 58 11,396 Gender by race White men 60 36 9,128 White women 48 48 8,290 Nonwhite men 26 64 3,293 Nonwhite women 14 79 2,791 Gender by age Men, 18 to 29 years old 38 55 2,162 Women, 18 to 29 years old 24 71 1,418 Men, 30 to 49 years old 46 47 3,753 Women, 30 to 49 years old 33 61 2,713 Men, 50+ years old 56 38 6,830 Women, 50+ years old 44 51 7,049 Gender by education Men, college graduate 44 53 5,801 Women, college graduate 30 67 4,883 Men, college nongraduate 51 42 7,058 Women, college nongraduate 39 54 6,451 Gallup U.S. Daily, Jan. 20-March 8, 2017 Education Educational differences in Trump job approval are muted when one looks at the broader population of all U.S. adults, partly because of differences in educational attainment by race. Most generally, 37% of all college graduates and 45% of all college nongraduates approve of Trump. But there are larger distinctions within those broad groups. For example, those with postgraduate education are the most divergent in their views of the president -- just 31% of this group approves of Trump, compared with 41% of those with a bachelor's degree, 47% of those with some college education and 44% of those with a high school education or less. Education is a factor in ratings of Trump only among whites -- nonwhites' approval ratings are identical regardless of educational attainment. But there is nearly a 20-point difference in approval between white college graduates (41%) and white college nongraduates (60%). President Trump Job Approval, by Education Approve Disapprove N % % College graduate Yes 37 60 10,684 No 45 48 13,509 Educational attainment in detail Postgraduate education 31 65 4,808 Four-year degree only 41 56 5,876 Some college education 47 48 6,916 High school or less 44 48 6,593 College graduate by race White, college graduate 41 56 8,313 White, college nongraduate 60 34 9,041 Nonwhite, college graduate 20 75 2,093 Nonwhite, college nongraduate 20 71 3,966 Gallup U.S. Daily, Jan. 20-March 8, 2017 Age Roughly half of Americans aged 50 and older approve of Trump. Trump's approval rating falls to 39% among those between the ages of 30 and 49, and drops further to 31% among those younger than 30. As shown in the gender table, Trump's approval rating ranges from a low of 24% among women younger than 30 to a high of 56% among men aged 50 or older. Educational differences also persist by age group -- college nongraduates' approval of Trump is roughly 10 points higher than college graduates' approval in each age bracket. Like education, age appears to matter little in nonwhites' ratings, as Trump approval is near 20% for nonwhites regardless of age. However, Trump approval increases significantly in each successive age group among whites. President Trump Job Approval, by Age Approve Disapprove N % % Age 18 to 29 years old 31 63 3,580 30 to 49 years old 39 54 6,466 50 years and older 49 46 13,879 Age by college graduate 18 to 29 years, college graduate 25 71 1,123 18 to 29 years, college nongraduate 33 61 2,446 30 to 49 years, college graduate 33 63 3,288 30 to 49 years, college nongraduate 43 49 3,157 50+ years, college graduate 43 55 6,072 50+ years, college nongraduate 53 41 7,746 Age by race 18 to 29 years, white 44 51 1,951 18 to 29 years, nonwhite 17 76 1,530 30 to 49 years, white 52 44 4,076 30 to 49 years, nonwhite 21 70 2,186 50+ years, white 58 38 11,135 50+ years, nonwhite 20 70 2,294 Gallup U.S. Daily, Jan. 20-March 8, 2017 Bottom Line Trump's electoral coalition was different from that of his immediate predecessor. Barack Obama won election in large part because of his solid support among blacks and other nonwhites, as well as Americans with the most formal education. Those groups were among Obama's strongest backers throughout his presidency, but Trump's support is lacking among the same subgroups. Rather, Trump's strongest backers tend to be older, white, male and those who do not hold college degrees. While racial and gender gaps have long been apparent in presidential ratings, the education and age gaps for Trump differ from those of the last Republican president. During George W. Bush's presidency, older Americans and younger Americans had identical average 46% job approval ratings, while Bush's approval was higher among middle-aged groups. Also, Bush's approval ratings tended to be lower among postgraduates (44%) and those with a high school education or less (48%), but higher among those with a bachelor's degree (53%) or some college education (52%). While partisanship is the overriding factor in Americans' assessments of presidents, the patterns of support among demographic groups can change, depending on a president's relative appeal to certain groups as well as potential changes in the way those groups align themselves between the major parties. These data are available in Gallup Analytics. Explore President Trump's approval ratings in depth and compare them with those of past presidents in the Gallup Presidential Job Approval Center. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Jan. 20-March 8, 2017, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 24,311 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 1 percentage point at the 95% confidence level. Margins of error for subgroups vary, but in most cases are 3 percentage points or lower at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Daily works. What happens when laws designed to protect privacy collide with an urgent need to gather information say, to help deal with an outbreak of an infectious disease? It's not an academic question, as you know if you've been following the news reports about the outbreak of meningococcal disease on the Oregon State University campus. Over the last few months, workers at the Benton County Health Department and the OSU Student Health Services have been tracking the disease; three students have required treatment at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Although the disease isn't highly contagious, it can be spread through prolonged exposure to an infected person. And it's a serious matter: A 2015 outbreak at the University of Oregon killed one student and sickened seven. As it turns out, universities have a number of venues in which students can get prolonged exposure to infected people dormitories, libraries, study areas, fraternities and sororities so health workers in Corvallis had to track down more than 200 people who may have been exposed to the infected students so that they could be treated with antibiotics. But federal laws such as FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, protect the privacy of students. And other federal laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (better known as HIPAA) can make it difficult to gather information about patients. I asked Charlie Fautin, the deputy director of the Benton County Health Department and a man who's had meningococcal disease on his brain over the last few months, how those laws affected efforts to stem the outbreak at OSU. For starters, he said, HIPAA (which has been in many ways a poster child for unintended consequences) wasn't a factor in this case: The law includes an exemption for public health investigations. But since there's so much misinformation about HIPAA, he said, sometime health departments need to educate providers about that exemption. However, Fautin added, FERPA and other privacy laws have bedeviled other health departments. For example, he noted, FERPA contains a clause saying that schools may release information in the face of a health emergency, but it doesn't define what is meant by "may release" or even what constitutes a health emergency. So, he said, he's heard of cases in which a health department approaches a school about a potential outbreak and gets this response from school officials: "Has anybody died?" "And we say, 'no, not yet.' And they say, 'This is not an emergency.'" In cases like that, one would hope, the law would allow the health officials to show recalcitrant locals the Steven Soderbergh movie "Contagion," which is generally considered a relatively accurate account of a widespread outbreak (although it works on an accelerated timeline and does feature Jude Law in a biohazard suit). No such dramatic gesture was required in the OSU case, Fautin reported. "In all cases, OSU has made every effort to provide us what we need," he said. "They take their role in loco parentis very, very seriously." In other words, while OSU tries to protect student privacy, it also feels a responsibility to protect its students. "They are good partners," Fautin said, "and not all of my colleagues around the state feel the same way about the institutions in their jurisdictions." In fact, he said, the Health Department and OSU recently have worked out a written framework that spells out when sensitive personal information can be shared with health officials. Legal counsel at the university and the county worked to hammer out the framework. The idea, Fautin said, was to build something that would endure even after current officials at OSU and the Health Department have moved on. Later this year, Fautin said, OSU and Health Department officials will share their work at a statewide epidemiology conference, with the idea being that it can serve as a template for other pacts elsewhere. After all, the meningococcal outbreak at OSU won't be the last public health emergency in Oregon. I learned that much from "Contagion." Democrats sharply criticized President Donald Trump's calls on lawmakers Sunday to investigate his baseless claim that former President Barack Obama tapped his phone. Republicans, meanwhile, urged Trump to let the House and Senate intelligence committees do their jobs. Both parties made clear that Trump's allegation -- which the White House has not offered any evidence to support, and which Obama administration officials emphatically deny -- won't be dropped anytime soon, as even GOP lawmakers who have backed Trump said they'd investigate. Rep. Devin Nunes of California, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said his committee would look into whether the federal government was conducting wiretapping of campaign officials as part of the panel's investigation into Russian meddling in the US election. "One of the focus points of the House Intelligence Committee's investigation is the U.S. government's response to actions taken by Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign," Nunes said in a statement Sunday. "As such, the Committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it." Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee announced Sunday night they planned to ask White House Counsel Donald McGahn to provide the committee with a list of communications between the White House and the Department of Justice regarding probes into Russian interference in the election. Other Democrats, meanwhile, accused Trump of advancing yet another unfounded conspiracy in an effort to distract from the issues dogging his administration in its early weeks. "You make up something and then you have the press write about it, and then you say, 'everybody's writing about this charge,'" House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said on CNN's "State of the Union." "It's a tool of an authoritarian, to just have you always be talking about what you want to be talking about." Their comments come after Trump's aides asked Congress to look into whether the Obama administration abused its investigative powers during the 2016 election. "Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in the statement, which he also posted on Twitter. "President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. "Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted," Spicer added. He did not provide any further details on the President's request to Congress. While Spicer said "reports" prompted the call for a congressional investigation, the White House still has not provided any evidence to back up the President's accusations. There are no publicly known credible reports to back up Trump's claim that Obama ordered Trump's phones be monitored. Frustrated that the Russia stories have overshadowed a widely praised performance in his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump angrily raised the wiretapping issue unprompted in conversations with friends and acquaintances at Mar-a-Lago, two people who have spoken with him at his Palm Beach resort over the last 24 hours said on Sunday. The President didn't specify what information he was basing his accusations upon, but told them he expected an investigation to prove him right. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy posted a column Sunday saying he spoke with the President twice on Saturday about the wiretap story. "When I mentioned Obama 'denials' about the wiretaps, he shot back: 'This will be investigated, it will all come out. I will be proven right," Ruddy wrote. Multiple former senior US officials have dismissed Trump's allegations, however, calling them "nonsense" and "false." Obama, through a spokesman, also rejected the claim that he ordered Trump's phones tapped. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, a career intelligence official who had oversight of the US intelligence community in that role, said Sunday that Trump was not wiretapped by intelligence agencies nor did the FBI obtain a court order through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor Trump's phones. "For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no wiretap activity mounted against the President-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign," Clapper said Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet the Press." Members of the intelligence committees House Intelligence Committee ranking member Adam Schiff called Trump's claims as "destructive as it was baseless," but tied the President's call to the California Democrat's criticism of FBI Director James Comey for not being forthcoming about any investigation of ties between Russia and the Trump administration. "If the administration truly believes that President Obama illegally eavesdropped on the Trump campaign and wants our committee to investigate the matter, they should join my call on Director Comey to answer any question put to him that is pertinent to the Russia investigation," Schiff said in a statement. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina, said his panel would follow the evidence trail in its investigation of Russian intelligence activities. "As I've said since the beginning and have repeated since, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings," Burr said. Rep. Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted at Spicer that he looks forward "to seeing your evidence," calling the allegations a "mess." Himes also mocked Trump's claim in a tweet Sunday. "BREAKING: HIMES ADMITS TO TAPPING. 'I know this will end up being sticky, but yes, I did the tapping' #maplenotwire" he tweeted with a picture of him tapping a tree for syrup. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that he's "not sure what it is (Trump) is talking about," but added it's possible that "perhaps the President has information that is not yet available to us or to the public." Rubio pointed out that the Senate Intelligence Committee is already in the process of reviewing Russia's meddling in the US elections last year and will eventually issue a public report. "But what I think we should do is, everybody needs to take a deep breath and calm down here," the Florida Republican told CNN's Jake Tapper. "And let's go through this as what we are doing. In the Senate Intelligence Committee, we are working in a bipartisan way to collect facts that involve reviewing classified and sometimes unclassified and open-source information." Sen. Susan Collins, also a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday morning that she has "seen no evidence" to back up Trump's wiretapping allegation and called on the White House to turn over any evidence to the committee. "What we need to deal with is evidence, not statements," the Maine Republican said on CBS' "Face the Nation." Democratic leaders Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he believes Trump is "in trouble" whether there was a court order authorizing surveillance of his phones or "if he falsely spread this kind of misinformation." "If he falsely spread this kind of misinformation, that is so wrong. It's beneath the dignity of the presidency. It is something that really hurts people's view of government," the New York Democrat said Sunday on "Meet the Press." "On the other hand, if it's true, it's even worse for the President. Because that means that a federal judge, independently elected, has found probable cause that the president, or people on his staff, have probable cause to have broken the law or to have interacted with a foreign agent. Now that's serious stuff." Schumer said he had no problem with the congressional intelligence committees including Trump's request in their investigation into Russian activity in the 2016 election, but he also used the call as an opportunity to reiterate Democrats' calls for a special prosecutor to investigate connections between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. CNN's Manu Raju, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report. This year's Sunshine Week the annual celebration of the idea that government functions best when it operates in the sunlight couldn't come at a timelier moment. President Obama famously promised that his administration would be the most transparent in history, and then fell far short of that promise. At least President Trump has made no such promise, and no one expects his administration to even pretend it's interested in transparency although the number of leaks coming from his administration in its first two months has been remarkable. (It will be interesting to see how Trump deals with leaks, which appear to be part of the landscape for any administration.) In Oregon, efforts have been launched to reclaim some of the state's reputation as a leader in open government. It was just a couple of generations ago that Oregon was known nationally for the simple sweep of its laws regarding open meetings and public documents, and it all started from a relatively simple belief: The people of the state deserved to have access to their government. That meant members of the public needed to be able to attend meetings of the their governmental bodies, with relatively narrow exceptions. That meant citizens needed to be able to access documents that showed what their governments were up to, with a minimum of fuss and without officials deciding to charge outrageous fees. But that was a couple of generations ago. Since then, especially on the public documents front, legislators have approved literally hundreds of new exceptions to the state's open government laws. Every new exception dims the sunshine that serves as the best disinfectant for government. The spread of email and other electronic forms of communication have created new challenges for those interested in making sure that government actions take place in the open. Fortunately, there have been some promising recent developments in Salem. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has convened a task force to examine the state of open records in Oregon. The work of that task force has resulted in a promising proposal before the Legislature to create a public records advocate in state government to help cut through records disputes between citizens and government officials. The legislative proposal seeks also to clarify other issues surrounding open records. The task force also found that some areas of its work were particularly challenging, in particular work to re-examine all those exemptions to the public record laws. Some of those exceptions are doubtless legitimate, but our hunch is that the majority are not. Nevertheless, it will take more time than was first expected to sort through those. And, of course, every time the Legislature meets, some group is interested in adding to that list of exceptions. Our advice to legislators on this issue continues to be the same: Requests to remove yet another set of documents from public view need to clear a very high bar indeed. Inconvenience to the parties involved is not sufficient. Meantime, other legislative actions may make it more difficult for the public to access governmental information of importance: For example, Senate Bill 210 would allow state and local governments to stop publishing public notices in local newspapers and to post them instead on websites operated by the Association of Oregon Counties, the League of Oregon Cities and the Special Districts Association of Oregon. Obviously, newspapers have a financial interest in opposing this proposal. But there also is a public interest at play: Relegating these important notices to little-viewed websites that are under the control of these local governments would be a step toward dimming the sunshine that allows citizens to keep tabs on their government. (mm) Strikes at Berlin airport : 36 flights cancelled on Monday at Cologne/Bonn airport Koln/Bonn Strikes continue at Berlin airport. On Monday, 36 flights at Cologne/Bonn Airport have been cancelled (18 departures, 18 arrivals) to and from Berlin. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken After 36 flight cancellations on Friday at Cologne/Bonn airport, passengers nerves were tested again on Monday: the airport advised that a further 36 flights between Cologne/Bonn and Berlin have been cancelled. The trade union Verdi called around 2000 ground staff to another strike on Monday. The walkout began at 4am on Monday with the early shift and will finish with the end of the night shift at 5am on Tuesday. Cologne/Bonn airport advises passengers travelling to and from Berlin to check the status of their flight with the airline (www.eurowings.com; www.airberlin.com; www.ryanair.com). The airport also advises of delays during the strike period. On Monday, 36 of the 50 flights on the Berlin route (25 departures, 25 arrivals) have been cancelled. On the normal flight plan at Cologne/Bonn airport there are a total of 232 flights on Monday (117 departures, 115 arrivals). Pro-EU campaign Pulse of Europe : 400 people in Bonn show their support for Europe Bonn On Sunday afternoon around 400 people gathered on the market square in Bonn in a show of support for Europe. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Many cafe-goers on the market square in Bonn were surprised by a Pulse of Europe demonstration: for the first time ever, the Bonn branch of this European-wide civil movement gathered in front of the town hall. Police estimated that 350 to 400 men and women took part in the demonstration. We are gathered here on the market square it is the best place for our campaign because many Europeans have already stood on the town hall staircase in support of Europe, back when it wasnt obvious, explained Peter Ruhenstroth-Bauer, one of the organisers. The SPD politician emphasised the non-party affiliation of the demonstration: The Jusos (Young Socialists) have just rolled out their flags, thats great, because its about something more important, its about Europe. On the improvised stage he said, "there are voices in Europe who are setting up borders and building fences again, Pulse of Europe wants to show that not everyone thinks like this. "Its all very improvised here", admitted one of the organisers Stefan Hahn. "We decided on it on the spur of the moment last Sunday." The demonstration ended with a human chain which fenced across the square. The participants also sung the European national anthem although the words had been adapted and called on the Dutch to vote in favour of Europe in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Christian Klatt, 27, came across the demonstration by chance and said I think it is important to show ones support. Its not a great effort to take part in such a demonstration but the message which is shows is great." Deacon Klaus Behne also took part in the demonstration. I worry about our children and our grandchildren, said the 77 year old. "Europe must become more vibrant and more democratic." The problem, he believes, is that the EU gives the impression that the Bureaucrats of Brussels are ignoring peoples concerns. People have already been demonstrating in support of Europe in 35 German cities every Sunday between 2pm and 3pm. At first there were two separate Pulse of Europe groups active in Bonn. Rhein-Ruhr-Express : On route to Westphalia Cologne After a long period of planning, construction of the Rhein-Ruhr-Express has begun with a section in Cologne. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A closer transport connection between Rhineland and east Westphalia supporters of strong regional patriotism question whether this is really necessary. But for many commuters and travelers in North Rhine Westphalia, the Rhein-Ruhr-Express will be a breakthrough. It is now over ten years since plans for the route first began. And now representatives of the German Railway, local government and several cities have come together for the obligatory group photo echoed by many words of praise at a symbolic ceremony for the first cutting of the spade. Many new train lines and changes to routes have been announced in past years and decades. The special thing about the Rhein-Ruhr-Express, now known to many as RXX, is that it will have its own line built especially for the route, at least in sections. An 84km long track for regional railway is planned on the central axis between Cologne and Dortmund where modern trains will link the Rhine-Ruhr and Westphalia regions in 15 minute intervals. A total of six RRX routes are planned, but a parallel line between Munster and Dusseldorf is not included. The stations at the far end of the lines will be Koblenz in the south, Aachen and Emmerich in the west, Munster in the north and Minden in the east. The NRW Ministry for Transport estimates that the RRX will move over 24,000 passenger journeys from the road to the train tracks. In total, two million commuters will benefit from the better range of journeys available. The new network should be completed in the years 2030 to 2035. The works will start with the section between Cologne-Mulheim and Cologne-Stammheim. According to the German Railway, the distances between the S-Bahn tracks will be extended so that goods trains can also use these and will no longer slow down the faster passenger trains. This should be completed in June. Other works will be ongoing for many years. As announced by the German Railway at the cutting of the spade ceremony, planning permission has been granted for construction of two of the 14 sections. All 14 sections must be individually approved. Nevertheless, the first trains should be travelling across the region from December 2018, which is when the RRX first operation begins. According to the NRW Ministry of Transport, the entire project - including procurement of 82 new RRX trains - will cost around 3.45 billion euros. As is often the case with large projects, the excitement about RRX is not felt everywhere. In the Dusseldorf district of Angermund for example, an action group has been set up against the planned sound barriers and in favour instead of constructing a kind of enclosure where the tracks are built lower down with a roof over the top. In any case, it will be some years before the complete expansion of the infrastructure is finished. Enak Ferlemann, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport, reminded of this at the cutting of the spade ceremony, when he asked the public for their patience: Please dont curse the construction workers, they are doing this on our behalf. 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. WTH! President Of South Africa, Jacob Zuma Bans Citizens Of 9 African Countries From Entering SA bayonel3 at 13-03-2017 10:43 AM (5 years ago) (m) Jacob Zuma South Africa-led government may have pulled a massive shocker to African nations after announcing an immediate ban to all citizens from Southern Africa, Live Monitor report says. The news medium reports that with immediate effect, citizens from these countries will no longer be allowed in South Africa in what Zuma called a temporary freeze: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The news was greeted with resistance from various stakeholders and diplomats from the affected countries are said to have called an emergency meeting. Speaking from the parliament, Jacob Zuma said the countries in Southern Africa are responsible for the rampant job loss among local South Africans. I want South Africans to have jobs before others but its the other way round. Why should my child suffer while my neighbors child eats in my field?, Zuma reportedly said. Another reason that Zuma highlighted was the alarming crime rates. He said foreigners from neighboring countries commit crimes and run away from their countries, mostly illegals. All foreigners currently in South Africa from the affected countries will be vetted and if found to have contravened, they will be sent home immediately, he announced. There was no word on how the affected countries would respond to Zumas shock announcement. Jacob Zuma South Africa-led government may have pulled a massive shocker to African nations after announcing an immediate ban to all citizens from Southern Africa, Live Monitor report says. The news medium reports that with immediate effect, citizens from these countries will no longer be allowed in South Africa in what Zuma called a temporary freeze: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The news was greeted with resistance from various stakeholders and diplomats from the affected countries are said to have called an emergency meeting. Speaking from the parliament, Jacob Zuma said the countries in Southern Africa are responsible for the rampant job loss among local South Africans.Zuma reportedly said. Another reason that Zuma highlighted was the alarming crime rates. He said foreigners from neighboring countries commit crimes and run away from their countries, mostly illegals. he announced. There was no word on how the affected countries would respond to Zumas shock announcement. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. +2348055557203 Posted: at 13-03-2017 10:43 AM (5 years ago) | Hero Wazubia at 13-03-2017 10:56 AM (5 years ago) (m) Trump style on work! Why should someone emulate that. Posted: at 13-03-2017 10:56 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Trump style on work! Why should someone emulate that. Reply Mykie010 at 13-03-2017 11:48 AM (5 years ago) (m) African leaders should stop protesting against this type of laws,they should simply improve the standard of living and develop their countries Posted: at 13-03-2017 11:48 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac African leaders should stop protesting against this type of laws,they should simply improve the standard of living and develop their countries Reply akinmanchy at 13-03-2017 11:49 AM (5 years ago) (m) Wetin dem even dey find for the stupid country full of imbeciles sef? Mtcheeew Life na jeje so just try to take am softly Posted: at 13-03-2017 11:49 AM (5 years ago) | Hero Wetin dem even dey find for the stupid country full of imbeciles sef? Mtcheeew Reply kaposky at 13-03-2017 11:57 AM (5 years ago) (m) STUPID AND WICKED SOUTH AFRICA, Posted: at 13-03-2017 11:57 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac STUPID AND WICKED SOUTH AFRICA, Reply gogoman at 13-03-2017 11:59 AM (5 years ago) (m) ha ha ha ha ha African leaders are imbecilic Posted: at 13-03-2017 11:59 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero ha ha ha ha ha African leaders are imbecilic Reply angesco at 13-03-2017 12:33 PM (5 years ago) (f) What did you expect? The REAL SOUTH AFRICANS are still DISCRIMINATED against by the WHITE SETTLERS. The WHITE SETTLERS are the MANGING DIRECTORS, SUPERVISORS in all SKILLED LABOUR including HOSPITALS and SCHOOLS. Therefore the REAL SOUTH AFRICANS need the JOBS considered UNSKILLED for themselves but which are being taken by neighbouring AFRICAN countries. Zuma is a weak leader who CANNOT stand up to the WHITE SETTLERS!!!!! Posted: at 13-03-2017 12:33 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac What did you expect?The REAL SOUTH AFRICANS are still DISCRIMINATED against by the WHITE SETTLERS.The WHITE SETTLERS are the MANGING DIRECTORS, SUPERVISORS in all SKILLED LABOUR including HOSPITALS and SCHOOLS.Therefore the REAL SOUTH AFRICANS need the JOBS considered UNSKILLED for themselves but which are being taken by neighbouring AFRICAN countries.Zuma is a weak leader who CANNOT stand up to the WHITE SETTLERS!!!!! Reply ficull at 13-03-2017 01:54 PM (5 years ago) (m) Lesotho and Swaziland are countries inside South Africa. Posted: at 13-03-2017 01:54 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Lesotho and Swaziland are countries inside South Africa. Reply Troublemenot at 13-03-2017 03:00 PM (5 years ago) (m) SEE FEAR Oloshi why him no ban Nigeria too Nobi Nigeria dem say be their number problem Posted: at 13-03-2017 03:00 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac SEE FEAROloshi why him no ban Nigeria tooNobi Nigeria dem say be their number problem Reply nametalkam at 13-03-2017 04:22 PM (5 years ago) (m) This geezer cannot be serious, imagine the effontry!!!! And these countries are even part of the African union, what a joke of a president and country I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 13-03-2017 04:22 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero This geezer cannot be serious, imagine the effontry!!!! And these countries are even part of the African union, what a joke of a president and country Reply Dramaking at 13-03-2017 04:51 PM (5 years ago) (m) Smh... I tot Nigerian was their main reason of all those attacks, why is he afraid 2 add us 2 the list. Lol. Posted: at 13-03-2017 04:51 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Smh... I tot Nigerian was their main reason of all those attacks, why is he afraid 2 add us 2 the list. Lol. Reply Mobbysmartins at 13-03-2017 07:57 PM (5 years ago) (m) I always suspected this man was a weasel.If this is true then I have my confirmation that he is a weasel.All the countries he is banning from his country are members of the South African Regional Bloc,how can he think he can do that?? When we in West Africa are chasing away the likes of Blaise Compaore and Yaya Jammeh. I weep for South Africa and their gullible citizens,because if this philanderer of a president continues with what he is doing,then the ANC will lose the next election and a small party will go into coalition with the white people in South Africa to win the election,and we all know what that means,back to status quo "APATHIED".(Whether the spelling is correct or not,I do not mind,everyone here know what I mean) My South African brothers,nobody can take your job in your country if you are skilled,save yourselves,go to school,get a skill,be an accountant,become a financier,be a lawyer,be an investment banker,be a nurse,be a teacher.....ETC.And then nobody CAN take your job from you in your country,your country already have laws that favors it's citizens in terms of employment opportunities,just get the skills and you will get your job. But you see laborer work (unskilled work),carry block,build house,paint house,na for everybody Meanwhile I think say una no dey fear?,why una no include Naija for the countries wey una band??.Person we no no who pass am na im dey die shameful death,next time you start try to know your BIG BROSS. Posted: at 13-03-2017 07:57 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac I always suspected this man was a weasel.If this is true then I have my confirmation that he is a weasel.All the countries he is banning from his country are members of the South African Regional Bloc,how can he think he can do that??When we in West Africa are chasing away the likes of Blaise Compaore and Yaya Jammeh.I weep for South Africa and their gullible citizens,because if this philanderer of a president continues with what he is doing,then the ANC will lose the next election and a small party will go into coalition with the white people in South Africa to win the election,and we all know what that means,back to status quo "APATHIED".(Whether the spelling is correct or not,I do not mind,everyone here know what I mean)My South African brothers,nobody can take your job in your country if you are skilled,save yourselves,go to school,get a skill,be an accountant,become a financier,be a lawyer,be an investment banker,be a nurse,be a teacher.....ETC.And then nobody CAN take your job from you in your country,your country already have laws that favors it's citizens in terms of employment opportunities,just get the skills and you will get your job.But you see laborer work (unskilled work),carry block,build house,paint house,na for everybodyMeanwhile I think say una no dey fear?,why una no include Naija for the countries wey una band??.Person we no no who pass am na im dey die shameful death,next time you start try to know your BIG BROSS. Reply Mobbysmartins at 13-03-2017 08:05 PM (5 years ago) (m) Oga Zuma,go and chase Mugabe away from Zimbabwe before you come here to talk.My Presidents in ECOWAS successfully chased away two DICTATORS in 2 years. 1. Blaise Compaore-----Burkina Faso (Chased away in 2015) 2.Yaya Jammeh----------The Gambia (Chased away 2017) Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:05 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Oga Zuma,go and chase Mugabe away from Zimbabwe before you come here to talk.My Presidents in ECOWAS successfully chased away two DICTATORS in 2 years.1. Blaise Compaore-----Burkina Faso (Chased away in 2015)2.Yaya Jammeh----------The Gambia (Chased away 2017) Reply Mobbysmartins at 13-03-2017 08:14 PM (5 years ago) (m) MY WORST in WEST AFRICA is better than the BEST OF BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS.Stupid Xenophobic people picking on their own brothers for nothing.Get your LANDS and MINES back from the people that STOLE them from you before you talk to me. Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:14 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac MY WORST in WEST AFRICA is better than the BEST OF BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS.Stupid Xenophobic people picking on their own brothers for nothing.Get your LANDS and MINES back from the people that STOLE them from you before you talk to me. Reply fesocan at 13-03-2017 08:24 PM (5 years ago) (m) Why him no include Nigeria? Because I no Nigerians are smarter than all the listed country here. He only vest his power on the little one he can fight. Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:24 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Why him no include Nigeria? Because I no Nigerians are smarter than all the listed country here. He only vest his power on the little one he can fight. Reply 24magic at 13-03-2017 08:33 PM (5 years ago) (m) Well let's see if it worked or not Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:33 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Well let's see if it worked or not Reply Omagrl at 13-03-2017 08:46 PM (5 years ago) (f) SA are devils that's why they don't have jobs. Rather, foreigners are the ones progressing. Ewu Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:46 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming SA are devils that's why they don't have jobs. Rather, foreigners are the ones progressing. Ewu Reply AmazingMarie at 13-03-2017 08:57 PM (5 years ago) (f) this is terrible Posted: at 13-03-2017 08:57 PM (5 years ago) | Hero this is terrible Reply tyomon at 13-03-2017 10:58 PM (5 years ago) (m) Should i relate the comments people make here to poor educational background or laziness to read more about other countries. If you believe this nasty story, you just might as well go back to primary one F and repeat that class and stop projecting Nigeria as an ignorant Nation. Posted: at 13-03-2017 10:58 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Should i relate the comments people make here to poor educational background or laziness to read more about other countries. If you believe this nasty story, you just might as well go back to primary one F and repeat that class and stop projecting Nigeria as an ignorant Nation. Reply Productive Windows 10 Mobile OS The concept designed by Bartlomiej Tarnowski, a Polish designer, gives a sneak peak at the Surface Phone's possible look. The concept has been created reimagining the productive Windows 10 Mobile OS and looks like there are no bezels too. Also Read: Microsoft Surface launch date pushed to 2019 Metal casing with Type Cover The concept renders of what could be the Microsoft Surface Phone show off a metal casing along with support for Type Cover, which was seen in the tablet lineup. Also, there seems to be support for a nifty stylus called Surface Pen but there is no slot to house this pen as in the Galaxy Note series. It seems to be accompanied by a sleek and flat keyboard too. Massive edge-to-edge display With the edge-to-edge displays becoming a common thing on high-end and premium phones, it looks like the Microsoft Surface Phone will be fitted with such a display. It is likely visualized to adorn a 6-inch massive display with sensors replacing the physical buttons. Upcoming Nokia flagship smartphones might use Carl Zeiss optics News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia flagships may use Carl Zeiss lenses. Last week, there were reports that a Nokia flagship with Snapdragon 835 SoC will be launched in June. And, it was claimed that the company may not use the Carl Zeiss optics for the camera modules in the upcoming smartphones. It looks like things will be a bit different than what we had expected. As per a recent report, HMD Global has confirmed that Nokia's tweet regarding the camera optics was referring only to the devices available right now including Nokia 3, 5 and 6. If you don't remember, this tweet was the basis of speculating that Nokia will not use the Zeiss optics anymore on its upcoming smartphones. This means that HMD could make use of the Zeiss lenses in the upcoming Nokia phones. As the phones with the Carl Zeiss optics will be positioned in the premium category, we can believe that it could be used in the flagship phones. Two Nokia flagship phones to launch this year Notably, the Zeiss optics is one of the best camera lenses in the smartphone industry. For some reason, the company decided to halt the usage of its lenses on the smartphones. While there is a possibility for HMD Global to still use the lenses from the German company in the upcoming Nokia phones, we still have our doubts regarding the same. Besides this information, HMD states that the current Nokia Android phones - Nokia 3, 5, and 6 have VoLTE support, but this feature will work only on some networks, so the carriers need to test the same and confirm it. It also states that the Snake game developed by Gameloft that was pre-loaded on Nokia 3310 (2017) will not be available on other Nokia phones. However, Snake Xenzia developed by a different company is available on Nokia 150. Source Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Oppo R9S to come in a new exciting color variant News oi -Samden Sherpa A new green-colored variant OF Oppo R9S has been spotted in China. Oppo's R9S smartphone was one of the popular smartphones that received a good number of sales in 2016. Well, to further capitalize on this popularity, looks like the company is planning to launch a new color variant of the smartphone. According to various reports, the R9S model will soon be released with a new greenish hue which will go on sale in the Chinese market soon. If it does come with the new mentioned color, then the R9S model will have five different colors. Currently, the smartphone is available in color options like Black, Gold, Rose Gold, and the recently launched Reddish hue. SEE ALSO: Oppo Mobiles to be the new sponsor of the Indian Cricket TeamS Further, the marketing poster displayed at some Chinese building reveals both R9S and its Plus variant will be getting the new color. However, there is no official statement from the company on when exactly the green model would be made available for purchase or what will be its pricing. Various rumors suggest that the launch could happen by end of this month and that the pricing could remain the same. In any case, it is evident the China will see the device first than anywhere else. Source Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 to be launched before Mi 6, specs and price are out News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 launch could be nearing. While the Mi fans anticipate the launch of the company's flagship Mi 6 in the next month, Xiaomi seems to have different plans ahead of the April 16 launch event. From the recent indications, it looks like Xiaomi is all set to make a big announcement by the end of this month. The rumors point at the launch of a new Redmi series smartphone, allegedly the Redmi Pro 2, by the end of this month. There is no confirmation from the Chinese manufacturer regarding the same but the speculations claim that the Redmi Pro successor is the phone that could be unveiled this month. Notably, the Redmi Pro was the first smartphone from Xiaomi's stable to arrive with a dual-lens camera setup. Being its sequel, we can expect the Redmi Pro 2 to also feature a similar camera arrangement. Previously leaked specs of the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 show the alleged single 12MP Sony IMX362 sensor at the rear of the phone. Xiaomi Mi 6 sketches show the dual camera setup at its rear Besides this camera setup, the rumor also tipped at the presence of a Snapdragon 600 processor while the presence of a MediaTek Helio P25 SoC with support for dual cameras and 12x ISP is not ruled out. The other aspects that we can expect from the upcoming Redmi Pro 2 include an all-metal body, a capacious 4,500mAh battery, and 2.5D curved glass design. The Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 might be launched in two variants. One will arrive with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage capacity priced at 1,599 yuan (approx. Rs. 15,300) and the other with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage capacity possibly priced at 1,799 yuan (approx. Rs. 17,200) respectively. Source Best Mobiles in India Dunford: Americans Should Be Proud of Role U.S. Troops Play in Iraq, Syria By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, March 12, 2017 Indigenous Iraqi and Syrian forces have made tremendous progress taking the fight to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and Americans should be very proud of the role played in the effort by a small number of U.S. troops, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview. When Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford took over as chairman in October 2015, ISIS had taken vast portions of Iraq and Syria and sought to establish a caliphate. The counter-ISIS strategy he inherited sought to train local forces to combat the terror organization. This meant small numbers of American and coalition troops would work with Iraqi and vetted Syrian forces. Coalition air assets, special operators and artillery units would support the campaign. "The Iraqis have to be very proud of their forces," Dunford said. "But I think we have to be very proud of the coalition, and what U.S. forces have accomplished." Iraqi forces pushed back ISIS in Ramadi and Beiji and are now pushing into western Mosul -- the largest city taken by ISIS. The strategy is working, the chairman said, and it's because young American service members are doing the hard work every day to make it happen. "If you think of the relatively small number of Americans that had deployed to Iraq over the past 18 to 24 months," he said, " if you think about how hard they had to work in conjunction with Iraqi security forces to make sure we learned the lessons from Ramadi and Anbar province and applied those lessons with the right capabilities in Mosul; I'll just tell you I am proud of the force that has done that." The Task Ahead There still remains much to do in Iraq, the general said, and he is taking nothing for granted. In Syria, indigenous forces are isolating Raqqa and pushing back well dug-in ISIS forces on all fronts. There, the progress has been dependent on an even smaller number of Americans who worked to recruit, train and strengthen counter-ISIS forces. "We sent those guys into an incredibly complex environment," Dunford said. "We told them to go in collect intelligence, develop relationships, vet people and identify people willing to take the fight to the enemy, train those people, equip those people, support those people, and win." And those special operations forces and U.S. Air Force personnel did it -- day after day, little by little, and under extreme circumstances, the chairman said. "The fact that we are now talking about divergent political challenges, the fact that we are now addressing questions of what happens after Mosul or Raqqa, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that it is a reflection of the members of the joint force that have actually enabled the indigenous force to take the fight to the enemy," Dunford said. "Now we have the political opportunities that we didn't have two years ago to establish the framework for long-term peace and stability, and we owe it to them." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump signed off Yemen raid despite warnings of 'inherent risks' Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:32AM Senior US military officials warned President Donald Trump, who has ducked responsibility for a botched January raid in Yemen, that there were "inherent risks" with the operation before he authorized the plan, according to a report. The military has completed its review of the January 29 raid in al-Bayda province, which led to the death of several civilians and a Navy SEAL as well as the loss of a military aircraft worth $75 million. Trump tried to distance himself from the raid by emphasizing that the operation had been in the works long before he took office. "This was a mission that was started before I got here," he said in an interview with Fox News last month. The president also blamed his "respected" generals for losing SEAL Ryan Owens. However, several officials with knowledge of the after-action review told CNN that Trump had discussed the plan with his top military advisers a number of times. The president, according to a White House official, first learned of the plan on January 25, days after his inauguration. The new secretary of defense, James Mattis, had already approved the military operation by the time Trump came to know of it, the official added. Trump's then-national security adviser, Michael Flynn, delivered the plan to the president in a written memo and the two reviewed the plan during the day, the official said. The president then asked Flynn to arrange a meeting with Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford so he could seek their advice. Flynn, Dunford and Mattis walked Trump through the plan and explained to the president, who has no military experience, that the mission carried risks. Trump then signed off the operation. While some aides to former president Barack Obama dispute that the Pentagon ever approved the raid, the consensus is that Obama himself never authorized the operation, CNN said. The Pentagon has said the raid was an intelligence gathering mission aimed at improving the US government's understating of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has taken advantage of the chaos and breakdown of security to tighten its grip on the southern and southeastern parts of Yemen. "Our intention here was to improve our knowledge against this threat, a threat that poses a direct threat to us here in the homeland," US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Votel also acknowledged that "somewhere between four and 12 casualties" resulted from the raid. The White House has hailed the Yemen operation as a success. Democrats and other critics, however, say the raid yielded little, if any, workable intelligence. The operation was followed by an unprecedented series of airstrikes in Yemen, involving a mix of manned and unmanned aircraft. Officials say the Trump administration has broadened the authority for more such operations in Yemen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Merkel To Discuss NATO, Ukraine, Putin During Washington Meeting RFE/RL March 12, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet in Washington on March 14, with the future of NATO and the conflict in Ukraine among the key topics. White House officials said Trump will also seek Merkel's views on Russian President Vladimir Putin during their first face-to-face meeting at the White House. Merkel had a strong relationship with Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, who called the German chancellor his "closest international partner." Trump, on the other hand, once accused Merkel of "ruining Germany" by allowing in a large number of refugees, assailed Germany on trade issues, and called Democratic rival Hillary Clinton "America's Angela Merkel." White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not address those issues, saying only there was "a lot of excitement on both sides of the ocean for this trip." White House officials said Trump would press Germany on the need for NATO members to increase their defense spending -- something Germany has generally resisted. They are also expected to discuss a common strategy on Ukraine. The United States and other Western powers have imposed economic sanctions on Russia after its illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and for its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine. Trump has expressed desires for better relations with Putin, something that has caused U.S. allies to question his commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, along with his support for NATO. White House officials said the U.S. leader wanted to hear Merkel's views on her interactions with Putin. For her part, Merkel said on March 11 that she was coming to Washington not only as the German chancellor but as a representative of the European Union. "I will, of course, point out that for us, our country and our membership in the European Union are two sides of the same coin," Merkel said in Brussels before her departure. A Merkel spokeswoman said the meeting would be an opportunity for "an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important." Juergen Hardt, the German government's coordinator for transatlantic relations, told the dpa news agency that the building of trust would be Merkel's main goal for the visit. "Most important is that she succeeds in making clear that differences of opinion can be spoken on the basis of partnership, but not out of confrontation," he said. With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/trump-merkel-meeting- washington-nato-ukraine-putin/28364598.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moldovan President Looks To Bolster Russia Relations With Moscow Visit RFE/RL March 12, 2017 Moldovan President Igor Dodon says he will look to strengthen relations with Moscow when he travels to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin on March 16-18. Dodon on March 11 told Russian state news agency TASS he would look to counter the pro-European policies of Moldova's coalition government, which he said have hurt relations between the two countries. "I am convinced that the current state of affairs of Russian-Moldovan relations runs counter to the two countries' interests," he said in the interview. He blamed the deterioration of relations on the ruling coalition's attempts to "pursue a rapprochement" with the European Union. "As a result, we have actually lost our traditional Russian markets and failed to obtain new ones." The Moldovan presidency is a largely symbolic position. But Dodon's position has been strengthened by the fact he was elected in a direct popular vote -- the first president of the country to win office through such an election since 1997. His visit to Moscow comes at a delicate time in Moldovan domestic politics. The Moldovan coalition government is made up of officials from pro-Western parties, while Dodon is the head of the pro-Russian Socialist Party. The government has expressed desires to join the EU and NATO. Dodon has opposed membership and is looking to move closer to Moscow. On March 9, Prime Minister Pavel Filip's government warned its officials not to travel to Russia, citing what it calls abuse and harassment by officials from Moscow's security apparatus. It said the "humiliating" actions are in retaliation for Chisinau's investigation into an alleged $22 billion scheme to launder Russian money through Moldova's banking system. Dodon immediately denounced the travel warning as "abnormal." This will be Dodon's second official visit to Moscow. He traveled to Russia after his November 13 election on a stated mission of reestablishing a strategic partnership with Moscow, encompassing economic, social, and political cooperation. Since that meeting, he told TASS, "Moldovan manufacturers have received green light to go into the Russian market and the amnesty process has been launched for Moldovan labor migrants, most of whom work in Russia." There are an estimated 500,000 Moldovans working in Russia. Dodon also said he would look for ways to resolve the Transdniester crisis in his meetings. Transdniester, a Russian-speaking region in Moldova's east, declared independence from Chisinau in 1990. A war broke out between Moldova and Transdniester in 1992, resulting in hundreds of deaths. With reporting by TASS and RFE/RL's Moldovan Service Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/moldova- president-dodon-russia- putin-moscow/28364399.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US House Intelligence Committee Asks Trump for 'Wiretapping' Evidence Sputnik News 20:58 12.03.2017(updated 21:56 12.03.2017) The list of those asking US President Donald Trump to please present some evidence of the wiretapping he alleged his processor subjected him to is growing and now includes the US House Intelligence Committee. The committee has requested some evidence by Monday, a senior aide said March 11, AP reported. The request was made in a joint letter from Committee Chairman Representative Devin Nunes and the committee's ranking Democrat, Representative Adam Schiff. Schiff said in an interview March 12 that he doesn't expect any proof to be produced. "I don't expect we're going to see any evidence of this either," Schiff told ABC's This Week. "There are one of two possibilities here. Either the president quite deliberately for some reason made up this charge or, perhaps more disturbing, the president really believes this," Schiff said. The president's accusations are damaging his own credibility, and the country's, he said. "If six months from now the president should say that Iran is cheating on the nuclear agreement, if he's making that up, it's a real problem. If he's not making it up and it's true, it's an even bigger problem because the question is, would people believe him." The Trump administration has a history of making claims and failing to provide evidence. Trump and his surrogates have complained of "massive" voter fraud during the presidential election, have alluded to a wave of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, and seem to have made up or wildly overstated terrorist incidents around the world. Schiff said the committee will ask FBI Director James Comey to address some of Trump's wiretapping allegations when he comes to an open hearing March 20. "We're going to be able to ask the director of the FBI among others is there any truth of this? Have they seen any evidence of this? They would be in a position to have to know. And I think on March 20th, if not before, we'll be able to put this to rest," he said. Schiff pointed out that he doesn't believe the allegations, which many in the previous administration have flatly denied. "I don't think anyone really has any question about this, George. The only question is why the president would make up such a thing." Comey himself has reportedly asked the Justice Department to publicly deny Trump's allegations. The president made the allegations over Twitter last week, saying "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued in the same vein for a few more tweets. He has not withdrawn his allegations, and his administration has defended them. Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham have both asked Trump to produce some kind of evidence for the explosive accusations, as have hosts of Democrats. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Azerbaijan Violates Karabakh Ceasefire 40 Times Over 24 Hours - Defense Ministry Sputnik News 11:28 12.03.2017 Azerbaijani forces have violated the ceasefire in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh 40 times on Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday, the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's (NKR) Defense Ministry said. YEREVAN (Sputnik) The Azerbaijani side earlier accused NKR forces of 118 violations. "Early on March 12 and on March 11, the Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire agreement 40 times, firing over 500 shots from weapons of varying caliber at Armenian positions. On the eastern and the northeastern stretches of the line of contact, the Azerbaijani side used 60-milimeter mortars," the ministry said in a statement. The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh flared up on April 2 last year. Baku and Yerevan accused each other of provoking hostilities that led to multiple deaths on each side. The sides agreed to a ceasefire on April 5, but clashes have continued. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988, when the autonomous region sought to secede from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, before proclaiming independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities in 1994. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armenia Violates Karabakh Ceasefire 118 Times Over Last 24 Hours Sputnik News 10:51 12.03.2017 The Armenian military has violated the ceasefire along the contact line in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh 118 times over the past 24 hours, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Sunday. BAKU (Sputnik) Azerbaijan does not recognize the ethnically Armenian self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and considers the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army to be a part of the Armed Forces of Armenia. "The Defense Ministry says that Armenian armed forces, using heavy machine guns, violated the ceasefire 118 times along various stretches of the frontline in last 24 hours," the ministry's press service said. The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on April 2 last year. Baku and Yerevan accused each other of provoking hostilities that led to multiple deaths on each side. A ceasefire was agreed on several days later on April 5, yet hostilities continued. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988, when the autonomous region sought to secede from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, before proclaiming independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities in 1994. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US House of Representatives Wants Trump's Evidence in Wiretap Claim By Ken Bredemeier March 12, 2017 The U.S. House Intelligence Committee is calling on President Donald Trump to produce evidence by Monday on his so-far unfounded claim that his phones at Trump Tower in New York were wiretapped during last year's presidential campaign. Last week, the president wrote on Twitter that former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, had the phones at Trump headquarters tapped, but the Republican Trump has offered no evidence. The president tweeted, "Terrible. Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism." Committee chairman Devin Nunes, a Republican, and Adam Schiff, the committee's ranking Democrat, sent a letter to Trump requesting the evidence to support his wiretap claim. An Obama spokesman has said Trump's charges are "simply false." Trump has not commented on the wiretaps since the tweets. McCain on wiretap claim On Sunday, Senator John McCain of Arizona told CNN, "The president has one of two choices: Either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve. Because if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we've got a serious issue here, to say the least." McCain said he has "no reason to believe the charges are true." Under U.S. law, a president cannot order someone's phone to be wiretapped. He would need approval by a federal judge and would also have to show reasonable grounds to suspect why a citizen's telephone calls should be monitored, such as if he were suspected of criminal wrongdoing. The White House said last week that Trump is not under criminal investigation. The wiretap charges are part of congressional investigations into the details behind the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the presidential election to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials before and after the November vote. U.S. intelligence concluded Russia hacked into the computer of Clinton campaign chief John Podesta, with the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks then releasing thousands of his emails in the weeks before the election that showed embarrassing behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic operatives to help Clinton win the party's presidential nomination. McCain, the losing 2008 Republican presidential nominee, said "there's a lot of shoes to drop" about information between Trump associates and Russia. McCain said he was troubled why his own party removed a provision from its political platform last year calling for a U.S. dispatch of defensive weapons to Ukraine to help in Kyiv's fight against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. "Clearly, it was not the will of most Republicans," McCain said. "There's a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I don't think the American people have gotten all the answers." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Asia Trip Poses Numerous Challenges for Tillerson By Nike Ching March 12, 2017 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, making his first trip to Japan, South Korea and China as the top United States diplomat this week, is expected to expand the effort to find new options for dealing with North Korea and the nuclear and military threat it poses to the region and to the world. Pyongyang's provocative gestures, such as firing multiple missiles into the Sea of Japan this month, have been so strident that Washington said it is "moving farther away" from considering the option of a direct engagement with the North Koreans and their mercurial young leader, Kim Jong-Un. Other factors complicating the secretary of state's discussions in Seoul and Beijing are the complex political situation in South Korea, which has just impeached its president, and China's resentment about the deployment in South Korea of a controversial U.S. defensive missile system. Following President Park Guen-hye's departure from the Blue House in Seoul, Tillerson will meet for the first time with South Korea's acting president, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is obliged to call new elections within 60 days. Close partners in South Korea A senior State Department official told reporters in an advance briefing the United States will continue to work with Hwang for the remainder of his tenure, and added that Tillerson would not be meeting with opposition factions in Seoul. "What we're seeing play out now is a manifestation of the democratic process in South Korea. This is the kind of institution that makes us such close partners, and friends with people in South Korea," the senior official said. "The United States continues to be a steadfast ally, friend, and partner to the ROK (South Korea). The U.S.-ROK alliance will continue to be a linchpin of regional stability and security," she added. 'Reach out to all sides' "Tillerson should make every effort to reach out to all sides in South Korea that have a vested interested in a strong ROK-U.S. alliance," Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest told VOA. "This is the only way to ensure that if Seoul in the near future does seek a detente with Pyongyang, which is very possible under a more leftist government, America and South Korea can work together to coordinate policy and take some sort of joint approach," he added. The United States has also become embroiled in a dispute with China over the deployment of a controversial American missile-defense system in South Korea. The first elements of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system, known as THAAD, arrived in South Korea last week, one day after North Korea launched at least four ballistic missiles in rapid succession, sending the rockets over the Sea of Japan, within 350 kilometers of Japanese territory. US: THAAD is no threat to China Washington said the proximity of those events demonstrated the U.S. action was defensive in nature, and intended exclusively to counter the threat from Pyongyang. "We've been very clear in our conversations with China that this is not meant to be a threat. Not a threat to them or any other power in the region. It is a defensive system," Mark Toner, the State Department's acting spokesperson, has told reporters. Nevertheless, Beijing has strongly opposed deployment of the advanced U.S. weapons system near its borders, declaring THAAD is an unnecessary and provocative military escalation. The basis of China's opposition is its military leaders' belief the powerful radar the U.S. system uses to track missiles launched by North can also look deep into China. "I believe that they will sustain this pressures during the next few months, in the hope the new leader of South Korea can be convinced to reverse the decision," said Dennis Wilder, an adviser to former President George W. Bush and currently a senior fellow at Georgetown University's U.S.-China Initiative. Groundwork for Xi's trip to US In China, where Tillerson will meet with President Xi Jinping, one of his primary tasks is preparing for a visit to the United States by the Chinese leader expected later this year. Washington is intent on pursuing a constructive relationship with China, while remaining determined to ensuring that China abides by international rules, and that trade between the two countries is conducted on a so-called level playing field - under conditions that favor neither side unfairly. Wilder of Georgetown's U.S.-China Initiative told VOA that Chinese officials "will be looking for indications of how seriously President Trump will pursue economic issues such as redressing the trade balance and seeking more opportunities for U.S. firms to export goods and services to China." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Merkel Coming to Washington to Talk Trade, Russia Strategy By Peter Heinlein March 12, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump plans to quiz German Chancellor Angela Merkel about her experience dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin when the chancellor visits the White House Tuesday. A senior administration official said Friday Trump would be "very interested to get German Chancellor Merkel's insights" as he prepares to engage the Kremlin leader. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic have been suspicious of what they see as Trump's naivete when it comes to Putin, particularly with regard to the Kremlin's attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. But four officials briefing reporters in advance of the March 14 meeting suggested the president wants to look past his highly publicized differences with the German leader and form strong common positions on issues ranging from trade to Kremlin cyberwarfare to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine sanctions During his campaign for the presidency, Trump accused Merkel of "ruining Germany" with policies that welcomed large numbers of refugees. The chancellor, who was known to have had a strong bond with former President Barack Obama, has faulted Trump's temporary travel ban, saying "there is no justification for placing people from a certain origin or belief under general suspicion." Stephen Szabo, executive director of the Transatlantic Academy and a fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, says Merkel is coming to the White House concerned that Trump "might get too soft with Russia and will undermine the sanctions regime she put together after the invasion of Ukraine." In a VOA interview, he said "the worst thing for Western solidarity would be for the major player in the West, the United States, to loosen sanctions without any progress in Ukraine." White House spokesman Sean Spicer attempted Friday to ease those concerns, telling reporters "any attempt to undermine sanctions that exist because of the annexation of Crimea" would not be allowed until the issue is resolved. But when asked what the president's strategy might be, he hedged. "The president has made clear," Spicer said, "his philosophy is not one that says 'I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do.' He holds his cards close to his vest to maximize his negotiating strategy." Szabo said if Trump wants to get a clear understanding of Vladimir Putin, he could hardly find a better source than Merkel. "She certainly knows Putin better than anybody," he said. "They have met or spoken by phone more than 100 times." Trade with Europe The senior administration officials who briefed reporters Friday said the White House has "not formulated a final position" on whether to pursue the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal with the European Union. Merkel has been a strong advocate of the trade treaty known as T-TIP, and had issued a joint appeal with Obama to save it shortly before he left office. Candidate Trump, however, had pledged to pursue only bilateral trade pacts, leading to speculation the transatlantic deal was dead. But in a hint at a possible compromise, one senior administration official Friday said T-TIP could be considered a one-on-one trade deal, given how the EU structure interconnects European economies. Merkel signaled her top priority for the trip to the U.S. by announcing she would be accompanied by the heads of two of Germany's biggest businesses, Siemens and BMW. "The Germans are worried," Szabo said. "Trump's trade negotiator (Peter) Navarro has been singling out Germany as the biggest U.S. trade problem, bigger even than China." Navarro heads the newly formed White House National Trade Council. Szabo says Merkel is going to make the point that "German firms are big investors in the U.S., creating more than 600,000 American jobs in American-German companies. So she's going to make the case that if you go after us, you're going to be hurting jobs in the U.S." White House spokesman Spicer indicated the Merkel visit is likely to be one of the biggest events of the Trump presidency so far. "There's a lot of excitement on both sides of the ocean for this trip. We are looking forward to meeting the chancellor and her team," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tajikistan's Deadly Export Frud Bezhan March 12, 2017 State suppression of unofficial Islam, the humiliation of having to work as migrant laborers abroad, and a former special-forces commander flipping to the Islamic State group: these are the main factors behind why Tajikistan finds itself the world's leading exporter of suicide bombers to Islamic State (IS) battlefields. Experts singled out these factors when assessing how the impoverished Central Asian state came out on top in a recent report listing the origins of suicide bombers sent to Iraq and Syria, on whose territory IS's diminishing so-called caliphate stands. The report by The Hague-based International Center for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) claimed that 27 Tajiks had carried out suicide operations in Iraq and Syria from December 2015 to November 2016, the highest among all foreign individuals whose country of origin had been identified. The report -- War by Suicide: A Statistical Analysis of the Islamic State's Martyrdom Industry -- has put the spotlight on Tajikistan's struggle against extremism and why Tajiks would be so significantly represented among IS suicide bombers. As if to underscore the findings, the IS's Aamaq news agency has claimed that two Tajiks were among those responsible for the suicide bombing and gun attack on a military hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on March 8 that killed at least 49 people. The claim from the extremist group, which has made inroads in Afghanistan since 2015, has not been verified by either Tajik or Afghan authorities. 'Disproportionality' Of Tajiks Tajik's Interior Ministry said in January that around 1,100 of its citizens were fighting in Syria and Iraq. At least 300 of them have reportedly been killed there, according to Dushanbe, while more than 60 have returned home voluntarily and been pardoned by the authorities under a blanket amnesty. Charlie Winter, the author of the ICCT report, says Tajiks are "disproportionally represented" on the list of suicide bombers because the number of Tajiks joining IS pales in comparison to that of citizens of some other countries. For example, 6,500 Tunisians and 2,500 Saudis are estimated to have joined IS. Winter says that the statistics suggest that "Tajiks were being singled out for use in suicide attacks at least in part because of their nationality." Flipping To Islamic State Analysts say the case of a high-ranking, U.S.-trained, Tajik special-forces commander who vacated his post and defected to IS in Syria could help answer the question as to why so many Tajiks are being used as suicide bombers. Colonel Gulmurod Halimov, the former commander of the Tajik Interior Ministry's special forces known as the OMON, reportedly joined the IS extremist group in 2015. Counterterrorism experts believe Halimov has risen through the ranks to become the top IS military commander. "Why Tajiks have been used so frequently could be because Halimov is reported to be the IS supreme military commander," says Edward Lemon, a fellow at Colombia University who researches Tajikistan. "It is possible that Halimov is behind the move to use Tajiks more frequently by persuading them to volunteer." Halimov, dressed in black IS garb, appeared in an online propaganda video in May 2015 saying he had joined the extremist group to protest the Tajik government's ban on Islamic dress in schools and offices, and limitations on public prayer. Under Pressure Analysts also suggest pressure exerted by Tajikistan's government on Islamic political and religious groups and unsanctioned Islam has played into the hands of IS recruiters. As part of the peace deal ending the country's 1992-97 civil war, the united Tajik opposition was guaranteed a place in government. That gave the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), the dominant opposition force and the lone Islamic component, a prominent role in Tajikistan. The inclusion of the IRPT, the first officially recognized Islamic party in Central Asia, was seen as a sign of openness on the part of Dushanbe and as giving moderates the upper hand within the party itself. But over the years the Tajik authorities increasingly increased their control on all things relating to Islam, supporting only state-approved mosques and Islamic leaders, and shutting down hundreds of unregistered mosques across the country. In 2015 it banned the IRPT altogether and arrested its leadership. The effort to deter citizens from Islam not in keeping with the official line, analysts note, may have pushed some believers to more dangerous streams of the religion. "When the IRPT was part of the [government] one of their main tasks was to educate people not to go to IS," says Sophie Roche, a researcher at the University of Heidelberg, in Germany. "Once [the party] was forbidden we had an enormous increase [of Tajiks joining IS] -- students and, in one case, 40 people from one village." Migrant Humiliation Analyst Lemon says IS recruiters often target individuals who are socially isolated or have experienced some form of trauma or personal crisis. He adds that the vast majority of recruitment takes place in Russia, where millions of Tajik citizens work as migrant laborers. Researcher Roche says the sense of "humiliation" they feel over their situation plays an important role in recruitment in Russia, where migrant workers often perform menial jobs and are often targeted for abuse and harassment. "Most of the migrants do work which is very post-colonial and they have a loss of status in that country," says Roche, who has researched Tajik migrants in Russia. "If you fail in Russia because you don't have a job or you don't earn enough to really build a status you turn toward religion to gain respect," says Roche, although she adds that few who turn to Islam join the ranks of IS militants. Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan- deadly-export-islamic-state-suicide- bombers/28365044.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belarus detains opposition leaders over tax protests Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 3:1PM Belarus has detained several opposition leaders after people took to the streets to protest a new government measure for imposing tax on "freeloaders." Vyasna, a local human rights group, said Sunday that Pavel Severinets, a prominent opposition leader, along with three journalists, had been arrested earlier in the day after a protest in the city of Orsha in eastern Belarus. Vyasna said police had also detained three other opposition leaders a day earlier after some 1,000 people staged a protest in the city of Maladzyechna, northwest of the capital Minsk. It said those detained on Saturday were thrown in detention for 15 days. The protests reached the boiling point last month after the government announced that those who work less than six months a year have to pay about $200 (185 euros) in tax. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has suspended the enforcement of the measure for this year, a move interpreted as a concession to protesters. However, he has insisted that the government would not backtrack from taxing the so-called freeloaders, those living on unearned income and not seeking employment. Vyasna said that at least 10 people had been put under administrative detention over protests that also expanded to the city of Babruysk and the town of Rahachow, both in eastern Belarus. It said authorities had imposed fines on many participants in the rallies. Political dissent is scarcely tolerated in Belarus, an ex-Soviet country which still adheres to some principles of the Communist ideology about labor and other social issues. Lukashenko, ruling the country since 1994, has on several occasions used economically-inspired protests to suppress the opposition. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belarusian Police Detain More Opposition Leaders, Journalists Amid Latest Tax Protests RFE/RL's Belarus Service March 12, 2017 VORSHA, Belarus -- Police have detained a group of opposition leaders and at least three journalists during the latest in a series of charged protests over a controversial government-backed unemployment tax. The March 12 arrests occurred in the eastern city of Vorsha, during a rally that featured several hundred people chanting antigovernment and anti-tax slogans. Paval Sevyarynets, a well-known opposition figure, was among those detained, as was a reporter with RFE/RL's Belarusian Service. The target of the protests, which also occurred in two other eastern cities, is a 2015 tax that authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said was needed to fight what he called "social parasitism." The roughly $200 tax is aimed at those who work less than six months a year and fail to register in the country's labor bureaus. Implementation of the tax had been delayed since the law passed. Once it took effect, however, it sparked weeks of protests across the nation of 10 million, in what has turned into one of the biggest challenges to Lukashenka in his more than two decades in power. Lukashenka recently announced that he would be suspending the tax for a year in order to "correct" it, but that has failed to quell the outrage. Lukashenka has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994, quashing political dissent, independent media, and civil society groups. Often dubbed "Europe's last dictator," he has tried to seek greater engagement with the West, while also trying to avoid upsetting his country's closest ally, Russia. Lukashenka has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994, quashing political dissent, independent media, and civil society groups. Often dubbed "Europe's last dictator," he has tried to seek greater engagement with the West while also trying to avoid upsetting his country's closest ally, Russia. The country has seen opposition protests in the past, mainly after elections that the West deemed neither fair nor free. But those protests were limited to the capital Minsk and larger cities. Political observers have pointed to the fact that the antitax protests are occurring in more provincial towns and cities as being indicative of larger social unrest and unhappiness with Lukashenka's government. Belarus' economy is centralized and state-controlled, but the government earns badly needed revenue from things such as exported refined-petroleum products, using cheaper crude imports from Russia. World oil prices have helped depress those revenues. Moreover, Belarus's economy, which is also reliant on trade with Russia, has also been pinched by the Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014. Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-protests- unemployment-tax-arrests/28364889.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran unveils most advanced Karrar Tank IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, March 12, IRNA -- Defense Minister Brigadier-General Hossein Dehqan said here on Sunday that updating armor equipment is the main strategy of the country's defense ministry. Dehqan made the remark during the unveiling ceremony of Domestically-manufactured battle Karrar (Striker) tank in Tehran. The commander underlined that Karrar tank is an indication of high intelligence, exemplary creativity and wonderful capabilities of Iranian experts in defense ministry. He stressed that the highly-advanced tank has been designed and built by Iranian experts in Bani-Hashem Armor Complex in Dorud city in western province of Lorestan during the past three years. Dehghan said Karrar Tank is equipped with electro-optical fire control system, laser rangefinder, ballistic computer and ability to fire at fixed and mobile targets during daytime and at night. Equipped with a navigation system that can be displayed for the tank driver, the commander underlined that Karrar is capable of moving through pits, rivers and under water. Iran industry has been developing fast in the past few years. On March 7, the Saba-248 national helicopter was unveiled. The helicopter has totally been designed and built by the experts of Iran Helicopter Logistics and Renovation Company affiliated to the ministry's Aviation Industries Organization. 9060**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, Russia consider naval cooperation development IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Moscow, March 12, IRNA -- During visit of Iran friendship flotilla to Makhachkala Port in Dagestan Republic of Russian Federation on Caspian Sea, Commander of the flotilla Commodore Mohsen Sheidaei called for naval cooperation development. Sheidaei in meeting with Russian Caspian Sea flotilla Commander said that the aim of this visit is to strengthen good and constructive cooperation between the two countries in the sea. Commander of Russian Caspian Sea flotilla Rear-Admiral Sergey Pinchuk, for his part, underlined the necessity for promotion of friendship and peace among Caspian Sea littoral states. The fourth Iran's friendship and peace flotilla docked in Makhachkala port four days ago. Damavand Destroyer and Darafsh missile-launching warship have docked in Makhachkala Port in northwestern side of the Caspian Sea. 1391**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC navy cmdr.: New president in US will have no impact on Iran's global might IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Ahvaz, March 12, IRNA -- Commander of naval force of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Rear-Admiral Ali Fadavi said on Sunday that the new president taking office in the US and any other changes will have no effect on Iran's might in the world, particularly across the region. Speaking exclusively with IRNA, the commander said that the new changes in the US cannot create problems for Iran. The US is the main source of evil and oppression and only follows its own interests, but Iran continues to maintain its global power and will gain new achievements day after another, Fadavi said. The US has been long seeking to deal a blow to Iran but the Iranian might has stopped the country from reaching its goals, he added. 9341**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One-third of western Mosul retaken from Daesh: Iraqi Cmdr. Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:18AM A senior commander says Iraqi forces have so far managed to liberate over a third of western Mosul from the grip of Daesh terrorists in their operation to purge the city of Takfiri elements. "Around more than a third of the right bank (west Mosul) is under the control of our units," Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi, of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), said on Sunday. Saadi also noted that CTS forces were currently fighting in the western Mosul areas of al-Jadida and al-Aghawat, stressing that the battle was expected to be completed shortly. The commander, however, admitted that advancing against terrorists was difficult. "We are not able to leave pockets (of militants) behind us; therefore, the advance includes taking control of areas and searching and clearing them and security checks on the citizens," he said. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) announced that forces from the Rapid Response Division and the federal police were attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosul's Old City. JOC spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool said the terrorists were "still relying on explosives-rigged vehicles and bombers and snipers" in a bid to slow the Iraqi advance. He also ensured that the Mosul liberation operation was being conducted with precision to preserve the lives of Iraqi citizens, adding Daesh resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way." Abdul-Amir Rashid Yar-Allah, the commander of the military operations in the Nineveh Province, said the Iraqi forces had recaptured a village in the east of Badush viallge, northwest of Mosul, and hoisted the national flag over buildings in the area. On Saturday, Iraqi fighters from pro-government Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha'abi, found a mass grave at Badush prison, which contained the remains of at least 600 people killed by Daesh. Mosul fell to Daesh in 2014, when the terror outfit began its campaign of death and destruction in the Arab country. Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters launched the offensive to retake Mosul, Daesh's last major city stronghold in the country, last October. Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January and launched the battle in the west last month. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Envoy Says IS 'Trapped' in Mosul By VOA News March 12, 2017 U.S. and Iraqi authorities say Islamic State fighters are surrounded and contained in western Mosul, after Iraqi troops on Sunday seized control of the last road leading out of the city. U.S. Envoy Brett McGurk, speaking Sunday in Baghdad, said "ISIS is trapped. ... Any of the fighters left in Mosul, they're going to die there." He also praised the U.S.-led air war at Mosul, calling it "the most precise air campaign in history. And it has been relentless." he said. The envoy spoke as Iraqi General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah reported that elite troops of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service spearheaded a push toward the edges of Mosul's densely-populated, IS-controlled Old City. State television on Friday said about half of western Mosul had been recaptured since Iraqi forces launched an offensive February 19 to liberate areas west of the Tigris River. That report placed most of the remaining jihadists either in the center of Mosul's Old City or in districts to the north. Iraqi forces dislodged IS fighters from eastern Mosul in January. The fighting has created a humanitarian crisis that United Nations and Iraqi refugee officials say could eventually force nearly half of the roughly 700,000 civilians remaining in western Mosul to flee. Iraqi Migration and Displacement Minister Jassem al-Jaff said Sunday that nearly 100,000 civilians have already been displaced, including an estimated 12,000 people who fled to areas south and east of the city during a single 24-hour period on Saturday. The U.N. Refugee Agency on Saturday estimated that 5,000 civilians have fled conflict areas each day since government forces began their push into western areas of the city three weeks ago. An agency statement Saturday said the unrelenting influx of internal refugees has overwhelmed the government's capacity to screen refugees as they enter safe areas. It said some families are forced to wait days before resettlement screening is completed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Set to Conduct First Census in 19 Years By Ayaz Gul March 12, 2017 Officials in Pakistan say that arrangements are in place to conduct a national census for the first time in 19 years starting Wednesday, and more than 200,000 troops will assist civilian enumerators in collecting the data. Information minister Maryam Aurangzeb told a news conferences in Islamabad Sunday the 70-day door-to-door campaign will be concluded in two phases at a financial cost of around $185-million. The minister explained that nearly 120,000 specially trained government workers have been deployed to undertake the much-needed census. She called on citizens to cooperate with the counters and warned against "willfully" giving false information, saying those found guilty would face a six-month jail term and a financial penalty of around $500. "Pakistan is ready for the sixth housing and population survey ... As we all know it has been after 19 years that we are going into this census process. We all know how distribution of resources, evidence-based legislation and policy-making are important for policy of the country for social service provisions," she said. Army spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor told reporters that his institutions has been tasked to provide security and ensure the census is conducted in a "smooth" and "transparent" manner. "A solider will accompany every civil enumerator and will also collect his own data during the door-to-door campaign. We have put in place a system to immediately verify the information," Ghafoor said. He added that more than 200,000 soldiers involved in the activity have undergone special training sessions. Pakistan's population has exploded since its first consensus in 1951, when it had around 34 million inhabitants. The World Bank estimated in 2015 the country's population at 190 million, but Pakistani officials still use the figure of 134.7 million from the census conducted in 1998 for planning development programs. An estimated 60 percent of Pakistanis are under the age of 30. Activists blame the lack of census, among major factors, for depleting health and education services, increasing malnutrition and stunting and pressure on scarce water resources. Pakistan has been battling an Islamic militancy for more than 13 years that officials cite as a major reason for the long delay in holding the census. The population census is also used to assign electoral seats in Pakistan's parliament. Critics say mainstream and regional political parties have influenced previous census exercises in the country, leading to over-representations of some regions in the parliament. Officials say that around three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees in Pakistan will also be counted in the census. The decision has outraged leaders, particularly in southwestern Baluchistan province where the ethnic Baluch population fears it would turn them into a minority in their native region. Parities in southern Sindh province, particularly in its capital, Karachi, have also opposed the inclusion of Afghans and have demanded the census be postponed until all the refugees return to their country. But government officials have dismissed those concerns as unfounded and politically-motivated. Pakistan's transgender community would also be included in the census for the first time in the country's history. Officials say the U.N. Population Fund has agreed to assign international observers to oversee the administration of the census. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ousted South Korean president leaves Blue House, apologizes to nation Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:59PM South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-Hye has issued an apology for not completing her full term as she left the presidential complex, two days after the Constitutional Court voted to remove her from office. Park left the presidential complex, the so-called Blue House, shortly after 19:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Sunday. The ousted president arrived at her private residence in southern Seoul, where she was greeted by hundreds of her supporters. Local TV footage followed her motorcade as it drove from the Blue House to Park's private home in Samseong district. Hundreds of Park's flag-waving supporters had gathered outside her home. Some 2,000 police officers were deployed to prevent any unwanted incident of violence. She also apologized to her supporters for "failing to fulfill my duty as president." "I would like to express an apology for failing to fulfill my term," Park said, adding, "Although it may take time, I believe the truth will eventually be revealed." On March 10, the country's Constitutional Court formally removed Park from office over a massive corruption scandal. The court unanimously upheld President Park's impeachment over a graft scandal involving big businesses. She has been accused of using her power to secure donations for foundations set up by her close friend, Choi Soon-sil. Park has now lost her immunity and could face criminal proceedings. Park is the first democratically-elected leader to be forced from office in South Korea. The country must elect a new president by early May. Following months of weekend gatherings, thousands of people opposed to Park's rule took to the streets in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate her departure and demand the apprehension of the ousted president. Confrontations occurred during rival rallies, and at least three people were reported killed in the skirmishes. South Korean liberal politician Moon Jae-in, who is likely to succeed Park, has promised justice and common sense if he wins office. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Impeached South Korean President Park Leaves Presidential Palace Sputnik News 13:32 12.03.2017(updated 15:06 12.03.2017) South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-hye officially left the presidential residence on Sunday. TOKYO (Sputnik) The presidential motorcade has left the territory of the Blue House at 7:17 p.m. local time (10:17 GMT) as it was broadcast by the YTN channel. Park is headed to her private apartment in Seoul. On Friday, the Constitutional Court of South Korea upheld the parliament's decision to impeach Park, suspended over a corruption scandal. Hundreds of Park's supporters reportedly gathered near her private house, demanding the impeachment withdrawal. Security measures in the neighborhood where Park lives have been increased, On Friday, the Constitutional Court of South Korea upheld the parliament's decision to impeach Park, suspended over a corruption scandal. The scandal around the South Korean president broke out in late October 2016, when media reported that Park had allowed her close associate Choi Soon-sil, who did not hold any official post, to get involved in state affairs. Park was allegedly involved in extorting money from various corporations, including Samsung, with the assistance of Choi, who is currently under arrest. Now, after the impeachment was upheld by the court, Park has been deprived of immunity and she is likely to face criminal proceedings. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Spokesman: Russia Impatient With Trump Administration March 12, 2017 The Kremlin's main spokesman has said Moscow is frustrated with President Donald Trump's administration and a lack of progress in improving relations. Dmitry Peskov said in an interview broadcast on CNN on March 12 that Trump had indicated during last year's election campaign that he wanted better ties and more cooperation with Moscow. "Unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin," Peskov was quoted as saying. Trump's administration has been dogged by intelligence reports of Russia's alleged meddling in the election campaign, and FBI investigations of Trump's aides. Trump's national security adviser resigned after he acknowledged misleading White House officials about his communications with Russia's ambassador. Five different congressional committees are also conducting Russia-related inquires. Peskov criticized what he said was "hysteria" in the United States over Russia now. "We consider it a real danger for the future of our bilateral relationship and we sincerely want to see this hysteria coming to its logic[al] end," he said. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-trump -peskov-impatient/28365085.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Nuclear Submarines Hold Underwater Torpedo 'Duel' in Arctic Sputnik News 18:01 12.03.2017 Two nuclear submarines of the Russian Northern Fleet held an underwater torpedo duel in the Barents Sea, the deputy head of the Northern Fleet's press service, Captain II rank Andrei Luzik, said. The Russian strategic missile-carrying Yuri Dolgoruky submarine and the multipurpose Obninsk submarine held the exercise during combat training in the Arctic, the press service of the Northern Fleet said on Friday. "Submarines' crews completed planned tasks of the combat training course at deep-water testing ranges in the Barents Sea. Torpedo firing on underwater targets was the most difficult and responsible stage of the joint exercises of the two ships. The submarines carried out [the drill] in a duel option." Each submarine launched a torpedo without a combat unit. After the drill was completed, ammunition was picked up by a torpedo recovery vessel. Moreover, the Russian submarines practiced searching for and secretly tracking 'foreign' submarines and conducted evasion training using jamming countermeasures and cover targets, as well as combat maneuvering emphasizing offensive positioning. The Yuri Dolgoruky strategic submarine cruiser is armed with intercontinental Bulava ballistic missiles. It also has six 533 mm caliber torpedo tubes. The K-535 Yuri Dolgoruky is a fourth-generation submarine and the first in the Borei-class series. According to official data, there are currently two Borei-class submarines the Yuri Dolgoruky and the Vladimir Monomakh in service with the Northern Fleet. By 2020, the Russian Navy plans to operate a total of eight submarines of this type. It has three Borei submarines in operation, including the Alexander Nevsky in service with the Pacific Fleet, and four more under construction, namely Emperor Alexander III, Knyaz Vladimir, Knyaz Oleg and Generalissimus Suvorov. Borei-class nuclear-powered subs are to become the mainstay of the naval component of the country's strategic nuclear deterrent. Earlier, a defense industry source told Sputnik that the tests by Russia's advanced deep-water homing torpedo Futlyar (Fizik-2) will wrap up this year and the Russian Navy is to introduce it into service in 2018. According to publicly available sources, Futlyar would be capable of reaching speeds of more than 60 knots and a depth of more than 540 yards and would be able to hit targets at a range of over 35 miles. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russians First in the World to Reach Island in Arctic on Military Equipment Sputnik News 13:13 12.03.2017(updated 13:50 12.03.2017) A Russian military expedition to the Kotelny Island in Russia's Arctic latitudes has crossed the Laptev Sea and has reached its remote destination, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The expedition, which will also take the vehicles back to the continent, aims to test new military equipment and weapons in Arctic conditions. The total distance covered came to 1,140 kilometers (708 miles), taking the expedition along the Siberian coast up to Cape Svyatoy Nos and then across the Dmitry Laptev and the Sannikov straits. "The Defense Ministry's arctic expedition Has reached the Kotelny Island in the New Siberian Islands archipelago. Members of the Defense Ministry expedition were the first in the world to cross from the mainland to Kotelny on board vehicles," Bulgakov said. The expedition has already carried out some 100 technology tests and done maintenance and repair works, according to Bulgakov. Military snowmobiles, two-section crawler-transporters, low pressure tire all-terrain vehicles as well as DT-10PM and DT-30PM two-section tracked carrier vehicles were among those tested during the journey. The expedition also tried out various devices to measure the depth of ice layers, new water-purifying technologies and medical aid equipment. In December 2014, Moscow unveiled a revised military doctrine that prioritizes the protection of national interests in the Arctic. Russia has plans to build and equip military facilities mainly on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the Franz Josef Archipelago, the New Siberian archipelago and the Wrangel Island. It is also expanding trade and exploration activities in the Arctic by building transport and energy production infrastructure, as well as installing military facilities and developing the Northern Sea Route linking Europe and Asia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Western disinformation against Damascus lacks credibility: Syrian president Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:7PM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the era of spreading disinformation by most of the Western media against the Syrian government has passed and their credibility is questioned even by the people in the West. The Syrian leader made the remarks in a meeting with a European parliamentary delegation headed by Deputy Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs Javier Couso on Sunday, adding that frequent visits to Damascus by European parliamentarians in the past months are a clear sign that they have come to witness the reality and relay to their respective people a true image of what is happening in Syria. Elsewhere in his remarks, President Assad reiterated that the wrong policies adopted and pursued by several European countries toward the region in general and Damascus in particular had led to the spread of terrorism and the flow of large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers to those European countries. The flawed policies include supporting extremism and terrorism and imposing economic sanctions on the Syrian people, he added. The members of the delegation, which represented several European nations and parties, for their part, asserted that their visit was aimed at rectifying the erroneous views both on the political and popular levels toward what is actually going on in Syria. They also confirmed that they would keep on working toward restoring diplomatic ties between the European Union member states and Syria, and toward ending the sanctions imposed on the Arab country. The two sides also discussed the latest developments in Syria, the EU policies on the foreign-backed terrorists targeting the Syrian people, and the prospects of finding effective and conclusive solutions for ending the six-year-long war in the Arab country. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem also received the delegation, affirming to them that Damascus supports all possible ways to find a political resolution to the crisis by encouraging intra-Syrian negotiations without any foreign interference. Since 2011, Syria has been hit by militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that more than 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian crisis. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Qaida-Linked Group Claims Deadly Damascus Blasts By VOA News March 12, 2017 The death toll from twin bombings on a religious shrine in the capital Damascus has risen to 74, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Most of the dead were Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims. Images from the scene showed several wrecked tourist buses, with eyeglasses, shoes, cellphones and a mangled wheelchair scattered in the blood-stained wreckage. An al-Qaida-linked alliance claimed responsibility for the blasts. Syrian authorities and monitors cited conflicting reports about the cause of the blasts. State television said bombs had been planted in the Syrian capital's Bab al-Saghir cemetery, which includes a shrine where Shi'ites venerate some of the early figures of their faith. The Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, however, said suicide bombers carried explosives to the shrine, which marks one of the seven gates to the Old City of Damascus. All accounts agreed that the two explosions were detonated 10 to 15 minutes apart, which meant many casualties occurred when the crowds rushed to the blast scene to offer help, and the second bomb exploded. In a separate development Saturday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed that his army will continue an offensive against Islamic State all the way to the extremists' de-facto capital, Raqqa, even as a rival, U.S.-coordinated Kurdish force prepares an all-out assault on the same extremist stronghold. Assad spoke in an interview aired Saturday by Hong Kong-based satellite Phoenix television. Asked about the deployment of 500 U.S. troops last week at Manbij, Assad said "any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation ... are invaders." Three rival anti-jihadist armies are now converging on the area northwest of Raqqa: a Turkish force and allied Sunni fighters; Assad's largely Shi'ite army, backed by Russia and Shi'ite militias that Iran supplies; and the U.S.-backed Kurdish force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The close proximity of those forces has prompted warnings that longstanding antipathy between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in the SDF could boil over into conflict ahead of any combined assault on Raqqa. The Pentagon described the U.S. deployment this week as a precautionary move aimed at keeping the rival forces in and near Manbij from attacking each other. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Refutes Media Allegations on Plans to Set Military Base in Syria Sputnik News 04:01 13.03.2017 IRGC Deputy Commander for political affairs Brig. Gen. Rasul Sanayee Rad claims that Tehran is not planning to establish a military base in the Syrian province of Latakia. TEHRAN (Sputnik) Tehran is not planning to establish a military base in the Syrian province of Latakia despite media allegations, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander for political affairs Brig. Gen. Rasul Sanayee Rad said Monday. On Sunday, Breitbart News online outlet reported that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Syrian President Bashar Assad on establishing its naval base in Syrian Latakia as a payment for Iranian support during the six years of the civil war. "Our presence in Syria consists in the presence of military advisers at the request of the Syrian government. We do not plan to create a military base in the Syrian province of Latakia. Such an atmosphere is being formed to destabilize the situation in the region and create disagreements between countries," Rad told reporters. Iran, Russia and Turkey are guarantor states of the Syrian truce, which was established on December 30. The countries brokered intra-Syrian Astana talks on January 23-24, which gathered Syrian armed opposition and government for the first time and resulted in an agreement on the establishment of a trilateral mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Syria. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey's president says Netherlands will pay price for 'shameless behavior' Iran Press TV Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:16PM Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that the Netherlands will "pay the price" for its "shameless" treatment of Turkey's ministers after the European country barred the flight of the Turkish top diplomat and deported the country's family minister. "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price," said the Turkish leader in a strongly-worded speech at an event in Kocaeli Province, near Istanbul, on Sunday, referring to the Netherlands' mid-March election. His remarks came a day after the Netherlands prevented the landing of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane in the city of Rotterdam, citing public order and security concerns. The move infuriated Ankara and prompted the Turkish government to summon the Dutch charge d'affaires to Foreign Ministry in protest. The Turkish minister was to take part in a rally aimed at gathering support for a constitutional referendum in Turkey due on April 16. The vote is aimed at abolishing the office of the prime minister and giving more executive powers to the currently largely ceremonial position of the president. Later on Saturday, Dutch authorities also blocked a convoy carrying Turkey's family and social policy minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Her travel was aimed at filling in for Cavusoglu. Dutch police detained her, branded her an "undesirable alien," and declared her "persona non grata" amid a police intervention against Turks, who gathered in front of the consulate building in Rotterdam. On Sunday, Turkey, in a seemingly retaliatory move, sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul over "security" reasons, and asked off-duty Dutch ambassador in Ankara, who was on leave, not to return "for a while." Meanwhile, people in Istanbul protested outside the Dutch consulate for the second consecutive day to vent their anger, and some of the protesters briefly took down the Dutch flag at the consulate in Istanbul and replaced it with a Turkish one. Erdogan further said Dutch leaders would learn "what diplomacy is," adding that what happened to his ministers "cannot remain unanswered." He reiterated his previous assertion that what Dutch authorities had done against his ministers was rooted in "Nazism" and "fascism." "I said Nazism is dead. I thought Nazism was over, but I was wrong. It turns out that Nazism is up on its feet in the West," he further said, adding that "they will pay the price of treating my citizens, my foreign minister... in an impudent way." The Turkish leader also called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands. 'Ankara will take steps until Amsterdam apologizes' Meanwhile, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara would continue to take steps against Amsterdam until it apologizes over the current diplomatic row, warning that Turkey would take further measures against the European country. "There will be consequences. We will not leave this unanswered. Apology will not be enough. We have already started to retaliate. We told the Dutch ambassador, who left our country two days ago, not to come back. He cannot come back," he told reporters, ahead a public appearance at the Congress Hall in the French northeastern city of Metz. "We will be taking other steps as well. We've already started to plan them. We will definitely take steps against the Netherlands and they will apologize. We will continue to take these steps until Netherlands apologizes because this incident cannot be justified," he added. The Turkish foreign minister also called the incident "racist, xenophobic and anti-Islamic." Dutch PM says he won't apologize to Ankara Meanwhile, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ruled out apologizing to Ankara for banning Turkish ministers from joining pro-Ankara rallies in his country, noting, however, that he hoped a diplomatic row could be defused. Rutte said he would do his best to "de-escalate" the growing diplomatic confrontation with Ankara, describing it as the worst his country had experienced in years. "I've never experienced this before, but we want to be the more prudent party," he said, adding "If they escalate we will have to respond, but we will do everything in our power to de-escalate." The Dutch premier, however, noted that Ankara should apologize for comparing the Dutch to Nazis, warning that if Turkey keeps on going on its current path, then Amsterdam would be forced to consider its response. Denmark postpones Turkish prime minister's visit In a related development on Sunday, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called on his Turkish counterpart, Binali Yilirim, to delay a planned visit to Denmark, which had been scheduled for March, because of "tensions" between Ankara and the Netherlands. "Such a visit could not take place in light of the current attacks by Turkey against the Netherlands. Therefore I proposed to my Turkish colleague to postpone our meeting," Rasmussen said in a statement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tensions Escalate Between Turkey, Netherlands After Turkish Ministers Barred From Rallies RFE/RL March 12, 2017 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that the Netherlands would "pay the price" after expelling a Turkish minister and preventing Ankara's top diplomat from landing ahead of planned political rallies. During a live televised address on March 12, Erdogan reiterated his earlier comments, accusing the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism," saying only those types of governments would bar foreign ministers from travelling within their countries. "I thought Nazism was dead, but I was wrong. Nazism is still widespread in the West," he said. "The West has shown its true face," Erdogan said at an awards ceremony in Istanbul. Erdogan thanked France, which allowed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to address Turkish citizens at a rally in the city of Metz on March 12. On March 11, the Dutch government barred the aircraft carrying Cavusoglu from landing, saying it had withdrawn permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by Cavusoglu's proposed visit to the Dutch city of Rotterdam. Later on the day, Turkish Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled from the Netherlands after being barred from entering the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. The two ministers had planned to address rallies in support of a Turkish referendum planned next month that would give Erdogan increased presidential powers. European Diaspora The Netherlands, along with several major European cities, has banned rallies by senior Turkish politicians to promote the referendum among members of Turkey's European diaspora. The incidents sparked protests in both countries and angry reactions by Turkish officials.Early on March 12, police used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones at riot police and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons. Officers carried out charges on horseback. In Turkey, a protester entered the Dutch Consulate's premises in Istanbul on March 12 and replaced the country's flag with the Turkish flag, the DHA news agency reported. The Dutch flag has since been returned to its original place, the report said. Erdogan reacted angrily to the blocking of the foreign minister's plane, threatening to respond in kind against Dutch diplomats and describing the Dutch as "Nazi remnants" and "fascists." It was the second time in a week that Erdogan has used the word "Nazi" in criticism about one of Turkey's NATO allies, having accused Germany on March 5 of "Nazi practices" for withdrawing authorizations for Turkish campaign rallies. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded, telling reporters that Erdogan had made "a crazy remark," which was "way out of line." However, Rutte said on March 12 said he would do everything to "de-escalate" the tensions, which he described as the worst the Netherlands had experienced in years. But Rutte said the idea of apologizing to Turkey was "bizarre." Rutte was referring to a comment by the Turkish foreign minister, who said the Netherlands should apologize over the incidents. "This is a man who yesterday made us out for fascists and a country of Nazis. I'm going to de-escalate, but not by offering apologies. Are you nuts?" Rutte told a morning talk show on March 12. Other Rallies Canceled Austria and Switzerland have also canceled Turkish rallies. On March 12, the owner of a venue in Sweden where a senior official from Turkey's ruling party had been due to hold a rally cancelled the rental contract, Turkish media reported. Through the rallies, Turkish politicians seek to attract the votes of the Turkish community in Europe ahead of the April 16 vote on whether to boost Erdogan's powers. The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, while Germany is home to 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Relations between Turkey and the European Union have deteriorated in recent months, with Erdogan angry at criticism from EU members for waging a mass crackdown on opponents since he saw off a coup attempt last July. With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/turkey- netherlands-tensions-escalate-erdogan- rutte-rallies/28364912.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French Foreign Ministry Calls on Turkey to Avoid Provocations Amid Rally Ban Sputnik News 18:40 12.03.2017 France calls on the Turkish authorities to ease tensions and avoid provocations following recent bans on Turkish ministers by the Netherlands and Germany, the French Foreign Ministry said Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Saturday, the Dutch authorities barred the Turkish foreign minister from landing, ahead of his planned Turkish expat rally at the embassy prior to the referendum on the constitutional changes. On the same day, the Turkish family and social affairs minister was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam and then deported to Germany. "Bearing in mind current tensions between Turkey and several member states of the European Union, France calls for the appeasement. It also calls on the Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations," the ministry's statement read. It added that it was essential "to demonstrate responsibility and avoid unnecessary polemics." Ankara has been seeking support from Turkish expats for a constitutional change that would increase the president's powers. Despite the cancellation of campaign rallies in the Netherlands and Germany, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is expected to meet with Turkish expat community in the French city of Metz. The French Foreign ministry said in the same statement that "in the absence of a proven threat to public order, there was no reason to prohibit the meeting." Following the incident with the Turkish ministers, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim threatened "harsh" retaliation measures, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had promised to retaliate for the incident with Cavusoglu. The Turkish referendum on the constitutional amendments is scheduled for April 16. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Vows to Retaliate for Netherlands' 'Unacceptable Behavior' By VOA News March 12, 2017 Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Sunday that Turkey will retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior" after the Netherlands refused to allow a Turkish minister into the country and expelled another one. In addition, Turkish officials have sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and have said the Dutch ambassador is not welcome in the country. Earlier Sunday, Dutch riot police on horseback clashed with hundreds of Turkish government supporters in Rotterdam who were protesting the moves against the Turkish ministers. Before clashes broke out, about 2,000 protesters had gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, the country's second largest city, to show their support for the Ankara government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is trying to push through a referendum next month to expand his powers. Shortly after midnight, police began forcing demonstrators away from the area near the consulate. Riot police, on foot and on horseback, used force to push back the crowd, the French news agency reported. Erdogan's angry reaction Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands Saturday because of growing opposition to Turkey's referendum campaigning throughout the European Union. Erdogan condemned the action and denounced the Netherlands, which is Turkey's partner in the NATO alliance, as a "Nazi remnant." After his rebuff by the Dutch, Cavusoglu said Turkey would "take all necessary measures" against the Netherlands. Earlier, he had threatened harsh economic and political sanctions. After Cavusoglu was turned away and Erdogan's angry reaction, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said that another member of the government, Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had entered the Netherlands from Germany, even though the events at which she intended to speak had been canceled. Turkish minister unable to enter consulate The dispute escalated late Saturday when police barred Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam in the midst of hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags and demanding to see her. "We have been stopped 30 meters from our Rotterdam consulate and we are not allowed to enter," Kaya wrote on Twitter. Dutch officials escorted the minister back to the German border. The French news agency quotes Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb saying Kaya "has been expelled back to the country she came from." After being denied entry to the Netherlands, Turkey's Foreign Minister Cavusoglu headed to France, where he is scheduled to speak Sunday to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz. French officials said Saturday they had no plans to prevent his appearance. Many European Union member states object to visits by Turkish ministers calling for Turkish nationals to vote for the upcoming referendum to change Turkey's constitution, because of domestic tensions the campaigning has caused. Ankara wants to drum up support among millions of Turks who live and work in Europe to give Erdogan more power, which could see him remain in office until 2029. The owner of a venue in Sweden's capital where a senior official from Turkey's ruling party was to hold a rally Sunday canceled the rental contract, Turkey's private Dogan news agency reported. The news agency said the owner had not given a reason for the decision. Dutch right-winger speaks out Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders waded into the debate this week ahead of a planned rally in The Hague, the Dutch capital. "We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator," Wilders said. On Saturday, Wilders said in a tweet: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!" Ankara contends there is growing fascism in Europe, and that Europe leaders are trying to influence the outcome of its April 16 referendum. Analyst Kamran Matin of the University of Sussex in England says Turkey has sought to exploit the rift. "It was really stemming from the German authorities' concern for the German-Kurdish relation within Germany, because a large number of Turkish citizens living there are of Kurdish origin," Matin said. "But I think the Turkish government and Recep Tayyip Erdogan especially, they very quickly seized on this and rechanneled it toward their campaign for changing the structure of the state." Analyst: 'Europe needs Turkey' Europe has made clear its concerns over the path of the Turkish government, which has detained more than 40,000 people since a failed coup attempt last July against Erdogan. A German journalist based in Turkey was among those arrested last month. As for the Turkish referendum, the EU fears giving Erdogan even more sweeping powers would further undermine democracy. Matin, however, says Europe and especially Germany needs to keep Turkey on their side. "The refugee deal [the Turks] have with the EU, and especially with respect to Germany, is crucial leverage," he said. If the refugee agreement with Turkey is upset and a vast tide of immigrants once again begins heading into Western Europe, he adds, such developments "would have an immediate impact in German domestic politics." The British-based analyst said, "Turkey is such a geopolitically important state and actor, for not only European countries, but the entire Western bloc, especially facing the resurgence of Russia." Berlin has voiced hope that diplomatic relations with Turkey will improve after the referendum. Henry Ridgwell in London contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan: Dutch Will 'Pay a Price' for Blocking Turkish Ministers from Rally By Ken Bredemeier March 12, 2017 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Netherlands Sunday it would "pay a price" for refusing to allow Ankara's foreign minister into the country and expelling another minister Saturday to keep them from holding rallies with Turkish immigrants. Erdogan accused the Dutch government, a NATO ally, of "nazism and fascism," saying only a repressive regime would block Ankara's officials from traveling to the Netherlands. Both of the Ankara officials were trying to rally Turkish immigrants with Turkish voting rights to support Erdogan's bid to win a referendum next month to give him sweeping new powers. The Dutch government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, facing a tough re-election contest on Wednesday against the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders, barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam. It then blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish embassy in the port city before escorting her out of the country to Germany. An angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price." Retaliation threats Earlier Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a statement that Turkey would retaliate against Amsterdam in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior." Ankara barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, with Cavusoglu saying, "We have other steps in mind. We've already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more." Turkish officials sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara. Dutch leader Rutte called Erdogan's Nazi claim "a crazy remark." "Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation," Rutte said. "We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail." But Rutte said his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate." Protesters arrested Police in Rotterdam arrested 12 protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam after Dutch-Turkish demonstrators early Sunday pelted police on horseback with rocks and bottles. Police responded with batons and a water cannon. The clash erupted after protesters learned that Dutch police were escorting Kaya to Germany. Before clashes broke out, about 2,000 protesters had gathered outside the consulate in Rotterdam, the country's second largest city, to show their support for Erdogan's government. Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands because of growing opposition to Turkey's referendum campaigning throughout the European Union. After Cavusoglu was turned away, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said Kaya had entered the Netherlands from Germany, even though events at which she intended to speak already had been canceled. Hours later, after arriving back in Istanbul, where she was welcomed by a flag-waving crowd Sunday, Kaya told reporters, "We were subjected to rude and tough treatment ... Treating a female minister this way is very ugly." Protesters have taken down the Dutch flag at the Istanbul consulate and replaced it with a Turkish flag. After being denied entry to the Netherlands, Cavusoglu spoke to more than a hundred Turkish emigres in the northern French city of Metz. French officials had said Saturday they had no plans to prevent his appearance. Many European Union member states object to visits by Turkish ministers calling for Turkish nationals to vote for the upcoming referendum to change Turkey's constitution, because of domestic tensions the campaigning has caused. Ankara wants to drum up support among millions of Turks who live and work in Europe to give Erdogan more powers, which could see him remain in office until 2029. Dutch far-right leader Wilders waded into the debate this week ahead of a planned rally in The Hague, where the Dutch parliament is located. "We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator," Wilders said. On Saturday, Wilders said in a tweet: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 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. Since my daughter finally moved out of California, I dont have to worry about dying in an earthquake anymore, but I still have two sons in Northwest Arkansas, NWA its called, so I now have to worry about tornadoes. In fact, I as write this here in NWA there is a tornado watch scrolling across the TV. I spent several of my formative childhood years on the plains of Kansas so I grew up with a healthy fear of being swept away by a funnel cloud in the middle of the night. And this was light years before The Weather Channel. I distinctively remember being awakened by my mother in the middle of a dark and stormy night joining the rest of the neighborhood in the basement of the only house with a basement. There was only one toy available a wooden mailbox type of toy you put blocks into. I remember feeling insulted the family hadnt done more to provide hospitality for us. Cookies and more toys at the very least. And maybe that sugary red Kool-aid I grew up (and out) on. Things have sure changed. Now my son has a 10-person tornado shelter built into his garage floor, which are pretty common in these here parts. Another kind you can see at home improvement stores are two person stand-up shelters that look like heavy, steel shower stalls. In my wildest nightmares I cant imagine locking myself into one of those. I have not as yet had the opportunity to jump into my sons shelter. The other grandmother spent a couple of hours in it the night the first of the twins came home from the hospital almost four years ago. Little ole claustrophobic me calls that a dubious honor. I hear there is a routine. First you see the weather report of a tornado alert, then warning on TV. Then the weather alarm goes off and you really start to pay attention. Then the TV loses its signal if you have satellite TV, which so far is the only drawback I see to satellite TV. Then the weather gets really bad and you may or may not hear the citys sirens. Then my daughter-in-law and the kids go down into the shelter while my son waits until the last minute to head down and close the sliding door overhead. I will add several steps personalized for me. I will grab my anti-anxiety meds I use while flying because thats all about claustrophobia anyway. Then I will loiter in the garage until I actually see a funnel cloud or my son yanks me by the collar and drags me kicking and screaming down into that dark pit of safety. Im not really sure how long I can last down there. I get nervous going more than five floors in an elevator. This shelter has ventilation holes in the top. I suppose thats a good thing, but all I picture is my face pressed against those holes gasping for breath. At least thats what I pictured until my other son asked what I would do if rain started pouring down through the holes. Im not sure, but I think my children mock me sometimes. There is the other possibility of the house collapsing onto the shelter, but I dont seem to have any words in my current vocabulary to write about that possibility. So well just think positively. Im going to be babysitting with the twins and their very large Golden Doodle puppy who thinks he is just a lively Chihuahua the end of April for four days. I give me about 20 minutes in the tornado shelter before I take my chances in the outside world. But I have a new understanding of my childhood. Right now my sons family is the only home on this new cul-de-sac. If, however, there are neighbors in the future who join the twins, the dog and me in the 10-person shelter in the middle of night, I will not be serving cookies, Kool-aid or rolling out the bins of toys. And, of course, I havent mentioned the earthquake that woke my Arkansas family up last year because of that Oklahoma fracking going on I really need to start charging for my babysitting. A Monday fire blamed on a discarded cigarette closed the pedestrian bridge over of the Dan River, part of the Danville Riverwalk Trail. When firefighters arrived at about noon, flames were shooting up from the boards near the middle of the bridge. The former train trestle is located behind the Crossing at the Dan complex. The Danville Fire Department worked to extinguish the fire by cutting a section of it out with chainsaws. The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes, according to a news release from the Danville Fire Department. The fire had extended under the decking boards onto the old railroad ties below it, said Danville Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian K Alderson. A large area of wood had to be pulled up and/or cut out from the bridge to extinguish hot spots and confirm the fire was out. This included a section of handrail. Firefighters used hand extinguishers to control the fire until hose lines could be deployed, according to Alderson. Traffic on River Street to North Main Street was diverted while crews used a hydrant. We contacted the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in reference to using Class A foam on the fire, Alderson said. They confirmed there was no issue with that type of foam and the small amount used polluting the river. Officials from the Danville Parks and Recreation responded and closed the bridge Monday afternoon. The plan is to begin repairs on Thursday and the bridge should be reopened by the weekend, Russell Carter, communications specialist with parks and recreation, said Tuesday morning. The Riverwalk is a popular walking and biking trail in Danville. Its one of our key trail heads in the Riverwalk Trial and sees lots of activities from races to proposals, Carter said. Carter was unsure how this would impact the Shamrock 5K on Saturday. The fire was caused by a discarded cigarette, according to Danvilles Assistant Fire Marshal Richie Guill. If you smoke, please make sure to dispose of your cigarette butts properly, Carter said. Those little pieces that are often thrown on the ground or in the water can do major damage and are considered litter. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable and can wreak havoc on the wildlife and their environment. Toronto, March 13, 2017 - DNI Metals Inc. (CSE: DNI) (FSE: DG7N) (OTC Pink: DMNKF) ("DNI" or the "Company"). DNI will deliver 2,320 metric tonnes of graphite to a customer's facility in the United States. Monthly Shipments will commence in July and completed by December 2017. About DNI Metals Certain, advisors and directors of DNI have built and worked at historical hard rock graphite mines in Canada (Ontario and Quebec) and Australia. Between them, they have built three processing plants and designed two others, all which were shut down in the 1990's due to increased Chinese competition. It was our team's understanding of the high production and capital expenditure costs associated with "hard rock" graphite mining that inspired DNI to search for saprolite-hosted graphite deposits. Certain parts Madagascar and Brazil, produce graphite from weathered material called saprolite. According to Dictionary.com, saprolite is described as: "Soft, thoroughly decomposed and porous rock, often rich in clay, formed by the in place chemical weathering of igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. Saprolite is especially common in humid and tropical climates. It is usually reddish brown or grayish white and contains those structures (such as cross-stratification) that were present in the original rock from which it formed." DNI owns a permitted, saprolite-hosted graphite deposit in Madagascar; located 50kms from the country's main seaport. The deposit is 1.6kms off an arterial paved highway. As per the press release dated December 16, 2016, DNI has signed an agreement with Cougar Metals with the intention of developing the project should the economic viability and technical feasibility be established. A drilling program will commence this month. DNI has a graphite wholesale business, in which it buys and sells high quality graphite. Steven Goertz, who is a qualified person, approved the technical disclosure in this news release. DNI Canadian Securities Exchange DG7N Frankfurt DMNKF - OTC Issued: 40,558,775 For further information, contact: DNI Metals Inc. Dan Weir, CEO 416-595-1195 DanWeir@dnimetals.com Also visit www.dnimetals.com We seek Safe Harbour. This announcement may include forward looking statements. While these statements represent DNI's best current judgment, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary, including risk factors listed in DNI's Annual Information Form and its MD&A's, all of which are available from SEDAR and on its website. Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Gungnir Resources Inc. (GUG: TSX-V, ASWRF: OTCBB) (Gungnir or the Company) reports that Aurion Resources (AU: TSX-V Aurion) has submitted permit applications to acquire a sizeable land package adjacent to Gungnirs (5,784 ha) Knaften gold property in northern Sweden. Jari Paakki, CEO of Gungnir comments, Obviously we have assembled a premier property package that has sparked substantial interest by a fellow Nordic explorer hoping to find similar mineralization. Aurion has had recent success reporting the discovery of bonanza grade gold mineralization on its Risti project in northern Finland. This news was followed by a tremendous spike in their share price and shortly thereafter they raised over $8MM. Aurions permit applications (> 20,000 ha) were submitted on March 7, 2017, just four days following Gungnirs news release on March 3, 2017. Gungnirs news release provided results of initial confirmation sampling of historic drill core at its recently acquired Knaften property extension. Assays returned 2.92 g/t Au over 13 metres as well, highly anomalous gold mineralization was confirmed in highly altered rocks two kilometres away from the area of focused historic drilling. Knaften also includes the Companys 2014 prospecting discovery (grab samples up to 8.52 g/t Au) and other exploration targets, which along with previous drilling covers a 13-kilometre long target. As of close on March 10, 2017, Gungnir Resources market cap was $3,795,000 (63,248,785 Shares Issued; Year High-Low: $0.115 - $0.01) and Aurion Resources market cap was $122,834,000 (61,111,388 Shares Issued; Year High-Low: $2.07 - $0.105). Permit application information is from the Mining Inspectorate of Sweden, Mineral Permits website and permits are subject to final approval by the Inspector of Mining. 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 (GUG: TSX-V, ASWRF: OTCBB) 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 Companys 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. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/gungnir03132017.pdfSource: Gungnir Resources Inc. (TSX Venture:GUG) To follow Gungnir Resources Inc. on your favorite social media platform or financial websites, please click on the icons below. Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 Filing Services Canada Inc. With all the attention paid to President Trumps lightning-rod secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, and her advocacy for private school vouchers, little public notice has been paid to the action on education in Congress where lawmakers have broader power than Ms. DeVos to make changes to the nations school system.Now, Congress has done exactly that, voting to repeal crucial regulations associated with the Every Student Succeeds Act, one of President Barack Obamas final legislative achievements.When Mr. Obama signed the act in December 2015, many Democrats and Republicans alike celebrated the supposed end of what they saw as an era of federal overreach into local schools. The measure, known as ESSA, took a more collaborative approach than its predecessor, No Child Left Behind.Many critics viewed No Child, passed under President George W. Bush, as well as Mr. Obamas first-term education policies, as punitive. The policies pushed for test scores to be used to remove underperforming teachers and to shut down struggling schools. They were also unpopular because they led to an explosion in the number of tests students took each year. Appeal a certainty 200-page ruling 'It ripples' A new federal court ruling that some Texas congressional boundaries in 2011 were purposely drawn to dilute minority voter strength could someday help turn Texas a little more blue.It also could be a setback for Republicans who have long sought to free the Lone Star state of federal oversight in elections.But for now, Friday's 2-1 ruling by a panel of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas remains just a marker -- however significant -- in a drawn-out redistricting battle that could eventually be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.The ruling covers only 2011 maps and not the ones adopted in 2013 that took their place. For Democrats and minority leaders behind the current legal challenge, it still provides momentum for their continuing claims of discrimination, and for the need for Washington to step in."This is a great victory for LULAC, the people of Texas and the Latino community," wrote Luis Roberto Vera, Jr., League of United Latin American Citizens' national general counsel.The ruling came as U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi weighs whether the Republican-led Legislature intended to discriminate against minorities in a 2011 voter ID law as well. Both decisions, if upheld, carry the potential of sinking Texas back under a pre-clearance review process to determine whether future maps and other state election procedures violate the U.S. Voting Rights Act."This long-awaited decision demonstrates yet again that serious voting rights violations continue to occur, and that the vote-suppression deniers in Congress are delusional," said Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.Still, the Lone Star State's congressional boundaries are unlikely to change before next year's mid-term elections. Unless the court intervenes with another ruling in the case, they will be held under the same 2013 boundaries that were set after this legal challenge.Democrats argue that many of the defects from 2011 carried over into the 2013 map. If they prevail, one possible remedy would be a new federally mandated redistricting process -- and possibly more federal court reviews.To Republicans, however, it is far from certain the court will implicate the 2013 map as well. Even if it did, an appeal directly to the Supreme Court would be likely -- pushing back any resolution perhaps into a future election cycle.Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton had no immediate comment Saturday. Other officials said an appeal was almost a certainty."I can't imagine the state wouldn't appeal," said state Sen. Kel Seliger, an Amarillo Republican who chaired the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting that drew the original maps. "Redistricting cases go on forever, until we start the next redistricting, and they are very complicated."A change of administration also looms over both Texas voting rights cases. President Donald Trump's Justice Department dropped the Obama administration's support for a claim of intentional discrimination in the Voter ID case. Some analysts expect a similar change of course in the ongoing redistricting battle.As it stands, the latest ruling could magnify the national spotlight on the vast 23rd Congressional District currently held by San Antonio Republican Will Hurd.Hurd has won the state's only swing congressional district twice by narrow margins. Redrawing the border district to include more Hispanic voters could significantly boost Democrats' chances of winning it back some day.Since Hurd won the district in 2014 by a 2,422-vote margin, Democrats have held only 11 of the Lone Star State's 36 congressional districts.Examining the sprawling district along the Mexican border between San Antonio and El Paso, the panel found that the Legislature divided Latino communities with "the intent and effect of diluting Latino voter opportunity."The court's ruling found federal voting rights violations in two other Republican-drawn congressional districts in 2011: District 35, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio, and District 27, which runs along the Gulf Coast south of Houston.But District 35 is already comfortably held by a Democrat, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, and District 27, held by Corpus Christi Republican Blake Farenthold, shows no signs of being anything but a GOP stronghold.The panel also found that minority voters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were improperly divided in the 2011 redistricting map that carved up Texas after the last census. But no district lines in the Metroplex were invalidated.The nearly 200-page ruling found that race, not merely political advantage, drove some of the congressional lines drawn by the Texas Legislature.But that finding did not apply across the entire 2011 map of Texas. The judges decided that the plaintiffs in the six-year-old case -- an alliance of minority and civil rights groups -- did not prove intentional racial discrimination in Houston area districts represented by African-Americans.Still, Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee applauded the ruling. The congresswoman said the population gains that African Americans and Hispanics made in the 2010 Census were never reflected."They were playing with the numbers," she said. "The courts have finally acknowledged that there are voting rights violations that have occurred -- that the districts are not districts that are one person, one vote. They are skewed to party and not to generate participation. I am grateful that the issue of the violation of voting rights has been now reinforced by the courts. The tragedy is that the courts did not direct how to fix it and it will be the responsibility of the state legislature to redesign. No matter who you are, I would think you'd want to make sure voters vote and that they are represented."The ruling stems from a lengthy trial in August 2014. Writing for the majority were U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, a Democrat appointed to the bench by President Bill Clinton, and U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, a Republican appointed by President George W. Bush. Rodriguez also served on the Texas Supreme Court, where former Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to replace Abbott.The dissent, which was critical of the Obama administration's involvement in the case, was written by Justice Jerry Smith, a Republican appointed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Ronald Reagan.Even if the panel's ruling were eventually extended to the 2013 map, it is hard to know how the lines would be redrawn. Backers of the lawsuit predict that whatever happens could have spillover effects into districts adjoining those that were invalidated by the court ruling."It ripples," said Matt Angle, who heads the Lone Star Project, a group that seeks to turn Texas blue. Shifts in Hispanic or African American voters in the affected districts around Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Travis County could create newly competitive congressional districts in the future.Redrawing the lines would initially be a job for the Legislature. In light of the new finding of intentional discrimination, the suit's backers are pressing for immediate action. "All Texans deserve the right to elect their candidate of choice," said Rafael Anchia, chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. "We demand swift action by the Texas Legislature to allow all communities to cast a ballot that counts."But if another round of redistricting doesn't ultimately fix the violations that the plaintiffs see in the current congressional map of Texas, the matter could eventually be thrown back into the federal courts. Lucia Cuesta, 25. Sound engineer. Out of work for over a year. She has never worked in her profession. SAMUEL SANCHEZ (EL PAIS) In the summer of 2005, a 27-year-old called Carolina Alguacil wrote a letter to EL PAIS. Called I am a mileurista, it painted a portrait of a generation, and was a searing condemnation of all that was wrong in Spains labor market and its exploitative use of short-term contracts and low wages. Alguacil wrote: The mileurista is somebody aged between 25 and 34, with a university degree and who speaks foreign languages, with a post-graduate qualification and training. They normally start out in the hostelry sector, and have spent long periods working unpaid as what are euphemistically called interns. After several years, you finally get a fulltime contract, but you wont be earning more than 1,000 euros a month. But youd better not complain. You wont be saving any money; you cant afford a car; and forget about children. You live from day to day. Rereading that letter almost seven years on, what is most depressing is that the situation for Carolina and the generation coming up behind her has worsened. Now most of us can only dream of earning 1,000 euros, says Alguacil. Now working as a freelance graphic designer, she says her circumstances have improved, but in her mid-thirties she still believes her career path has been truncated and that she is not earning as much as she should. In 2005, Spains economy grew by 3.6 percent; the government was talking about joining the G8 group of leading economies. But even then, unemployment among the under thirties was more than 20 percent: now it stands at nearly 50 percent. In the wake of controversial legislation introduced by the previous Socialist Party government making it easier to hire and fire, and with the Popular Party administration determined to press ahead with further reform that it admits will lead to more job losses in the short term, EL PAIS has been talking to Carolina Alguacils contemporaries around Spain, as well as those about to enter the labor market. The picture that emerges is of a generation that can only dream of a time when 1,000 euros a month could be considered exploitative. Over the course of his short working life, Madrid-based 28-year-old Pedro has offered his services for free, or been paid a trainees grant. Eventually, he made his first salary: 700 euros a month, working at an advertising agency. After a year it went up to 800. In 2009 they started laying people off and eventually I was let go, Pedro says. After six months on unemployment benefit, he took a job writing content for a website, at one euro a piece, earning 20 euros a month. Most jobs receive 500 applicants. Its a miracle if you get an interview He then found a job as a community manager for a website, earning 940 euros a month, but has just been laid off again. He now depends on the 90 euros a day he can earn from time to time for shifts at an advertising agency. They pay me in cash. My approach is simple: to take any work I can. Pedro still lives at home, and says that his parents just dont understand how hard it is to find work. Most jobs receive around 500 applicants. Its a miracle if you get an interview. There are so many people out there with experience. I didnt think that the crisis would last this long. I can finally see now that things are not going to get better for a very long time. There are 10.5 million people in Spain aged between 18 and 34. And like Pedro, they are having to deal with a shrinking labor market at the same time as coping with longer-term problems such as low wages, high unemployment, an over-qualified workforce with few career prospects, high rents, and many others. The average income of this group, including the unemployed, is around 824 euros a month. Those that are working earn an average of 1,318 a month. A survey by the Polytechnic of Valencia shows that even recently qualified engineers and architects are not managing to earn 1,000 a month. A typical case is Amanda, a 29-year-old from Valencia who earns 1,000 euros a month for a five-day week that begins at 10am and finishes at 9.30pm with half an hour for lunch. She is so scared of losing her job that she refuses to even say what it is, but describes her day thus: I leave home before the supermarket opens, and when I come home, it is closed. Its surreal. There is no time to do anything. I am working a directors hours and getting paid a menial workers wages. But Amanda says the worst part of it is that at the same time as she feels exploited, she also feels strangely privileged. I am terrified that I might lose my job any day. The figures speak for themselves: some 45 percent of unemployed under-34-year-olds have been looking for a job for more than a year. Spaniards have never been the quickest to fly the family nest, but the current situation means that growing numbers of young people that had left home are now returning to live with their parents. Others, like Beatriz Arrabal, age 32, never managed to get away. She has been without any income for the last 550 days. Despite being a qualified social worker, she has worked as a shop assistant and at a Vodafone call center, where she was paid 1,100 euros, plus around 500 euros in commission; a salary level she now sees as impossible to ever attain again. I am working a directors hours to be paid a menial workers pay Life is hard for those who aspire to the professions, but its a whole lot harder for young people who hoped that a trade would provide them with work. It did, during the construction boom, but for five young men from the same small town two electricians, a glazier, a joiner and a metal worker the crisis has left them with few prospects. For the under-thirties without a university degree, the unemployment rate is 55 percent. Manuel, the glazier, is the only one of the five who has held on to his previous job; but his wages have been halved to 700 euros, and he is paid off the books. I am not even paying my social security contribution. Im living from hand to mouth; no future, says the 32-year-old, who is now thinking of moving to the Basque Country, or maybe further, like Switzerland. Rafa is aged 33, and until the construction bubble burst, he made a reasonable living putting metal fencing up on new apartment blocks. He is struggling to pay his 650-euro mortgage on his 850-euro wage. Domingo, age 35, fits doors. He is married and has a four-year-old son. He can no longer claim state unemployment benefit, and relies on his parents help. He is hoping to find work in Switzerland, where he says he can earn up to 3,500 euros a month: But its tough to get in. Jesus and Raul, aged 30 and 31 respectively, are electricians. Jesus was working on the Costa del Sol, and Raul for the local council. Jesus unemployment benefit is about to run out. He has taken a course in looking after the disabled, and is worried about his future. Raul says he will probably retrain as well, but doesnt know what he will do: Im supposed to be getting married this year, but I cant see it happening somehow, he says. At the other extreme are the overqualified. Natalia and Jesus are a couple aged 25 and 23, respectively, and are based in Granada. They represent the 37 percent of the under-thirties with university degrees or high-level skills. Natalia is a speech therapist and a lab technician. Jesus is an industrial engineer. The pair scratch a living selling insurance door to door. Some months I earn 900 euros, and others as little as 90 euros, says Natalia. She is optimistic about the chance to work at a privately run therapy center where she would have to bring her own clients, and pay the center a third of the 30 euros per hour she would charge. Jesus has failed to find work, and has now begun studying fine arts restoration. I like art, and the work is quite well paid, he says. The governments reforms to the labor market are aimed at making it easier for companies to hire younger people by paying them less. The reforms are trying to do what other reforms have tried to do: to make it cheaper to employ younger people, which is simply a recognition of the failings of the Spanish labor market, says Santo Ruesga, a professor of applied economics at Madrids Autonoma University. The reforms are based on a model of generating jobs based on low costs; that is our strategy for competing in the global marketplace, and which will simply mean bad working conditions for young people. As a development strategy it is insane, he concludes. All my friends are leaving. Nobody seems to be taking this seriously Realizing that there is little hope of any improvement to the Spanish economy in the coming years, growing numbers of young people are looking for work abroad. Employment and Social Security Minister Fatima Banez admits that the brain drain is unprecedented. The European Commission says that 68 percent of young Spaniards are prepared to leave to work abroad, and 32 percent say they wouldnt necessarily come back. There will be long-term repercussions to the brain drain, warns Almudena Moreno, an expert on youth employment. We have few enough young people as it is after two decades of declining birth rates: this is a serious loss of human capital. More and more young people are leaving. Who will have the children we need? This is a demographic time bomb with major social and economic repercussions, she says. Nona M., 27. Unemployed actress: My parents spent 80,000 euros on my education and my first salary was 78 euros. THANKS MOM AND DAD! SAMUEL SANCHEZ (EL PAIS) But Francisco Perez, of the Valencia Economic Research Institute, is more optimistic: From an individualist perspective, it is good news. It means that these young people are continuing their training. We have doctors and nurses from other countries who come here to learn. There are times when people come, and times when they go. Juan Jose Dolado, a lecturer in economics at the Carlos III University in Madrid, agrees: Emigration is good for a country in the short term. I have a niece who was earning 850 euros as a trainee architect in Spain, and is now earning 2,500 pounds in London, and she sends money home to the family. Remittances have a positive impact on the economy. Rafael Anibal is a 28-year-old Madrid-based journalist who, since losing his job in November, has been thinking about moving abroad. He says that he has to run to stand still in Spain. I have never been paid a bonus; I cant afford to live on my own; and I cant see things changing any time soon. In December he set up a blog called Pepasypepes.blogspot.com, inviting young people in the same situation as him to tell their stories. All my friends are leaving. Nobody seems to be taking this problem seriously. If the sons and daughters of the middle classes are leaving with return tickets, then that can only mean that the working classes are leaving for good, he says. And while some are exercising their choice to leave, others who arrived from other countries during the boom years can no longer even afford to go anywhere except home. Elias is a 28-year-old Bolivian who came to Spain four years ago. He started out installing boilers for 700 euros a month, but has been jobless for several months now, and cannot even claim unemployment benefit. His residency permit allows him to work in Spain, but not in the rest of Europe. He now faces the tough choice of either finding a way back to Bolivia, or going to another EU country without paperwork. I am not going to go through the nightmare of living somewhere in the shadows, he says. But if I had a permit, Id be gone like a shot. He says he would like to study IT and become a systems analyst, but there isnt even any work in that sector. Before leaving, he pulls out one of the flyers he is putting in mailboxes in apartment blocks throughout Madrid, asking: If youre thinking of undertaking any work at home: floors, plastering or wiring. Tell us what you need. Well do the rest. Maryland's attorney general says he plans to use newfound power to sue the federal government by joining a Washington state lawsuit trying to upend President Donald Trump's new travel ban.The General Assembly granted Brian E. Frosh, a Democrat, sweeping authority last month to file lawsuits against the Trump administration without first securing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan's approval. When Frosh joins Washington's lawsuit on Monday, he will use that power for the first time.Maryland will join New York, Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota in the suit, which contends that both of Trump's temporary travel bans for people from certain predominantly Muslim countries are unconstitutional.The president unveiled a more narrow executive order to replace the more expansive one, which was temporarily blocked by a court after Washington state's initial lawsuit."The more voices, the better," Frosh said in an interview. "It's a Muslim ban. It's illegal; it's unconstitutional; it's un-American."The Trump administration has said the travel restrictions are designed to bolster national security. The executive orders have been criticized as a potentially unconstitutional religious test.The new, narrower order _ it bans travel from six countries instead of seven and scales back other provisions _ was designed to withstand legal challenges.White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the administration felt "very confident with how that was crafted and the input that was given."Washington's Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Thursday that he planned to challenge the constitutionality of the more narrow ban. Hawaii's attorney general, Democrat Doug Chin, was the first to announce a legal challenge to it.Frosh said Maryland's involvement would be handled by an assistant attorney general and the legal work would be spread out among the states involved.Frosh unilaterally joining the suit is a departure from how Maryland has handled litigation in more than 150 years.Until General Assembly Democrats pushed through a measure last month to let him bypass the governor, all such lawsuits required approval of the governor. Maryland was one of nine states that did not grant autonomy to the attorney general through common law. Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, was arrested in Butler County on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and improper handling of firearms.* Before his arrest Sunday morning, Wes Retherford attended the Butler County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner* The third-term state lawmaker was booked into the Butler County Jail at 7:43 a.m. Sunday, March 12* Retherford faces two potential charges -- OVI and improper handling of a firearm* Retherford reportedly passed out in the McDonald's drive-through in Liberty Twp., Butler CountyButler County Democratic Executive Committee Chair Jocelyn Bucaro issued a statement regarding State Rep. Wes Retherford's arrest on suspicion of OVI and improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle."Alcohol and guns are a reckless mix, and we're glad nobody was physically hurt as a result of Rep. Retherford's actions," Bucaro's statement reads. "For too long, Retherford has betrayed his constituents' trust. Instead of fighting to bring jobs to his district, invest in better public schools, or combat the opioid epidemic in our community, he has built a reputation as the laziest and one of the most disengaged members of the state legislature. We are extremely disappointed in Rep. Retherford's actions and pray he takes this opportunity to get the help he so obviously needs."Ohio House Republican caucus spokesman Brad Miller said any decisions or actions regarding the arrest of Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, "will be made once more information is brought forward."Miller said House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, extends his thoughts and prayers to Retherford and his family and all involved and is confident the situation will be handled in a fair and timely manner.The Butler County Sheriff's Office has released further details on the arrest of Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton.The Butler County dispatch center received a call that a male appeared to be passed out behind the wheel while in the drive-through at McDonald's, 5500 Liberty Square Drive, in Liberty Twp., Butler County, according to the release.Deputies found a loaded gun in the car and arrested the driver, identified as Retherford, on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, according to the release.Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, was arrested this morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and improper handling of firearms.Butler County Republican Party Executive Chairman Todd Hall released a statement and said all details from the investigation "will be examined and considered accordingly.""While it is wise to be patient and allow the legal process to work itself through, our party is obviously disappointed at the first reports concerning State Representative Wes Retherford's actions early this morning," Hall's statement reads. "The Butler County Republican Party rightfully holds our officeholders to high standards. We are proud to have a tremendous and highly respected group of elected Republican leaders. Strong ethical and moral conduct is imperative to our Party as it is to the public. As all of the details regarding last night's incident come to light, they will be examined and considered accordingly."Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, is behind bars in the Butler County Jail booked on a charge of drunken driving and a weapons charge, according to jail records.Retherford was booked into the jail at 7:43 a.m. for OVI and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, which is a felony. The location of arrest is listed as 5500 Liberty Square Drive, which is McDonald's.The 32-year-old state lawmaker is in his third term as representative of the 51st Ohio House District, which includes the cities of Hamilton and Fairfield, Ross Twp. and parts of Fairfield, Hanover and St. Clair townships.Retherford defeated former state lawmaker Courtney Combs in the 2016 primary. In November, he beat his Democratic opponent, Fairfield resident Johnny Hamilton, according to Butler County Board of Elections results. Description GIS - 13 March, 2017: Beyond our bilateral relationships, Mauritius looks forward to working with Ghana in regional and international fora to take the African agenda forward on all issues of common interest, including climate change, environmental preservation, Sustainable Development Goals, and security. This statement was made on Saturday 11 March by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, during the State Banquet hosted in honour of the Chief Guest of the Government on the occasion of the National Day Celebrations 2017, the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. Prime Minister Jugnauth highlighted that the two countries share many convictions, and it is only natural that Ghana and Mauritius are forging closer and stronger ties. He added that Mauritius looks forward in the years to come to grow these relations through a vibrant economic partnership. He emphasised that the developments between the two countries augur well for the relationship as they reflect the strength and depth of our determination to work in close partnership to uplift the lives of both populations. The Prime Minister pointed out that Ghana is very appreciative of the progress Mauritius has made in the banking and financial services sector and has requested the assistance of Mauritius to develop this area of activity in Ghana. He added that Mauritius has accepted to provide all the necessary support and sharing of experience and knowledge in that direction. He underscored that Mauritius is firmly committed to greater cooperation at the international level and to deepening integration at the regional level. Mr Pravind Jugnauth recalled that Mauritius is a member of the Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Indian Ocean Commission and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. However, Mauritius is also reaching out to Western Africa, in particular, Ghana, Senegal, Cote DIvoire to further consolidate our relations, he added. The Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, pointed out that in Ghana they have observed with great admiration, how over the decades, Mauritius has steadily streamlined and harnessed its tourism potential and sugar production as a valuable economic resource, and a source of foreign exchange. He lauded Mauritius for having successfully diversified its economy into a strong modern one revolving around agriculture, manufacturing, construction, financial sector, ICT, hotels and real estate. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia highlighted that Ghana and Mauritius share a common vision in the pursuit of poverty eradication and the attainment of sustainable economic development, which will ultimately improve standards of living of the population of both countries. This vision has occasioned the forging of stronger bonds in the area of economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two nations, he added. Description GIS - 13 March, 2017: Mauritius and Ghana opened a new chapter of cooperation with the signing of a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and the agreed minutes of proceedings following the inaugural meeting of the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission on bilateral cooperation held on 10 March 2017 at the Shandrani Resort and Spa, Blue Bay. The agreements were signed on 11 March 2017 at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis during a joint press conference by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development , Mr Pravind Jugnauth and the Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in the context of the latters official visit to Mauritius as Chief Guest on the occasion of the celebrations marking the 49th anniversary of Independence and 25th anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius. The DTAA will help eliminate double taxation which is a barrier to economic activities as well as remove major impediments to bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. It will also create a conducive business environment for investors willing to engage in larger cross-border activities. As for the agreed minutes of proceedings of the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission, it represents another milestone into strengthening the relations between Mauritius and Ghana under which several instruments to sustain the economic cooperation between the two countries will be devised. At the press conference after a tete-a-tete and working session with the Ghanaian Vice- President, Prime Minister Jugnauth, underpinned the importance of the visit of the Ghanaian delegation to Mauritius which according to him reflects the vision of the new economic and diplomatic stands of the Government towards the materialisation of various projects for employment creation and deepening economic relations. He stressed that it is in this perspective that the first meeting of the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission was co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries who gave their endorsement to accelerating project implementation between the two countries. Prime Minister Jugnauth also expressed his gratitude to the President and the People of Ghana for their unflinching support to Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelagos issue and lauded the signing of the DTAA which he said is another landmark into cementing the ties between Mauritius and Ghana. He further elaborated on the various topics raised during the working session namely: review of the status of the framework agreement signed in 2015 for the setting up of a Technology Park in Dawa, Ghana; accelerating the setting up of the Special Economic Zone(SEZ) project in Ghana as well as a roadmap for project implementation following the incorporation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), the Ghana Smart City Ltd, in December 2016, with 60% shareholding from Mauritius and 40% from Ghana; proposal by Mauritius to set up a Cyber Tower in Accra which will also accommodate a Centre of Excellence to boost trade and services and the setting up of a solar energy power generation and a tourism and hospitality project for the construction of coastal resort to boost South-South cooperation; and Elaboration of instruments under the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission such as an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement or an SPV to channel investment between the two countries. On the cooperation front, both parties agreed to collaborate on issues of common interest at regional, continental and international levels in various spheres namely: arts and culture; gold and jewellery with the setting up of the Mauritius International Derivatives and Commodities Index; and collaboration between the Utility Regulatory Authorities of both countries, the Prime Minister stated. Other areas of cooperation discussed pertained to the setting up of a Joint Trade and Investment Committee; conclusion of an MoU between the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry and that of Ghana for the setting up a Business Council; ICT Sector; Handicraft Sector and Health sector with the possible recruitment of Mauritian health practitioners in Ghana; and the assistance of Ghana for setting up of a Slavery Museum in Mauritius. For his part, the Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, expressed appreciation regarding the fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister particularly with regards the agreed instruments under the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission in the various economic sectors and the DTAA. He further emphasised the need to foster more South-South cooperation and referred to the Mauritian and Ghanaian collaboration as example and expressed his gratitude to Mauritius for supporting the position of Ghana as an International Financial Services Centre in West Africa in addition to the scholarships opportunities offered to Ghanaian students to study in Mauritius. He reiterated his full support to accelerate project implementation between the two countries as well as in supporting Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelagos issue. Dr Mahamadu Bawumia concluded by expressing his optimism that the several projects discussed are translated into concrete actions for the mutual benefit of both countries so as to develop a new era of cooperation and deepen the ties between Ghana and Mauritius. small-nc-facebook-icon.png AUSTIN, TEXAS How do you engage citizens when most of them don't have time or interest in attending local government meetings?"When we make decisions in those kind of meetings based on who shows up ... we end up getting the wrong outcomes; we pick the wrong thing; we chose often the most inequitable things; we sometimes pick based on our most animal instincts," said West Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Christopher Cabaldon.That's why his city, along with Santa Monica, is testing a Tinder-like app that "meets citizens where they are." Like the dating app Tinder, it lets users swipe left or right to express their approval -- or dislike -- of something. But instead of potential dates, users would be rating possible city projects.Watch Cabaldon discuss the app, and what he calls "the analog divide," in this Facebook Live video. As I left the RSA Conference in San Francisco this year, I was intrigued, yet perplexed, by the presentations, conversations and demonstrations regarding the Internet of Things (IoT). No doubt, the messages were clear and well delivered by global cyberexperts. IoT stole the show. The breadth and depth of the conversations was staggering but mostly dark.What bothered me? The conflicting world views on IoT between security pros versus the majority of global businesses and governments portends years of future conflict in a classic "us versus them" battle to the death scenario.What are these differences? How can I best explain the problems? Below are two draft speeches, offering different takes on the topic of IoT. Question to ponder: Which one would you choose to deliver? At the end, Ill offer a possible third way and some final thoughts.My fellow Americans, the future of our nation is bright because of the incredible technology innovation that we are creating together. The United States leads the world in developing new connected solutions that are touching families and transforming careers in every area of life.Experts are calling our new inter-connected world the "Internet of Things," or IoT, which enables virtually any device to become smarter, more powerful and more efficient.Technology holds the promise to cure cancer, end congestion on our roads, travel to distant planets, better educate our youth, stop harmful climate change, improve the quality of life, revolutionize communication and end world hunger as we know it.Through advances in artificial intelligence driverless cars and much more, we can solve virtually all of the earths problems. Society will be transformed for the better as our cities , smart homes and smart grids outperform traditional methods to utilize our precious natural resources. I encourage everyone to learn more about the many smart city resources and how you can benefit from them.A see a brighter future with, and because of, the Internet of Things. This future with IoT offers hope, prosperity and opportunity for all. While there may be a few obstacles that we must overcome along the way, such as the need to better secure devices and ensure personal privacy, I am confident that everyone will benefit from more instantaneous access to helpful data. Smarter devices offer a better way to live and achieve our goals.Be smart! Come join me in the IoT revolution.Lets create a better, connected, smarter future!My fellow Americans, it is with a heavy heart that I come before you today. Storm clouds are growing, and indeed, our enemies prosper in our midst, using our own technology. We must be alert and aware of numerous growing cyberthreats that are all around us. From using your home Wi-Fi network to trusting your baby monitor, we are all in danger of becoming victims of identity theft and potentially much, much worse.Our way of life is in danger. Experts use the term "Internet of Things" (or IoT for short) to denote the connectivity of virtually all new devices. Kitchen appliances, TVs, new utility (electric and gas) meters and even your automobiles are all connecting to the Net. While there are sometimes a few benefits attributed to this connectivity, virtually every device connected to the Internet has already been, or soon will be, compromised. This means that "bad guy" hackers will have control over many areas of your life.Like the famous story of the Trojan Horse that allowed enemies to enter Troy through a supposed gift, malware and backdoors to your sensitive and private data come into your life via new personal technology. This growing cybermenace must be stopped. Recently a university was even attacked via "smart lightbulbs" and other IoT devices that were taken over.Sadly, the bad guys far outnumber the good guys online. There is little that we can do today beyond warning you to not purchase or install "smart devices." These IoT devices are actually neither smart to implement nor safe to use.Many of you have likely heard about Edward Snowden and his revelations. Just this week, we learned how the government was doing something far worse with our connected devices. Through the release of documents from WikiLeaks , we learned that the CIA has the ability to monitor and control virtually every connected device on the planet. There is almost nothing that you can do to protect your privacy if you use IoT devices.I have seen the latest examples from the RSA security conference in San Francisco, and the demonstrations speak for themselves. Watch and learn how your data is at risk from hackers. Put simply, IoT is neither smart nor safe for our cities or our homes. If you want to stop a government- and private-sector surveillance, do not use these connected devices.In the future, we will hopefully see heavy government regulation and more end-user control returning for these IoT devices. But for now, I warn you to do your homework and understand that you must protect your family and community from the Internet of Things.There is hope for tomorrow, but only if you are truly cybersmart and stop IoT in its tracks.Given these two extremes represented in the two very different speeches, there are no easy answers or compromises.With my cybersecurity colleagues around the world, I do worry (a lot) about IoT and the cyberimplications. Many smart devices, like home smart meters, are installed without an option for consumers to opt out. The new benefits are touted, but rarely do we hear about cybersecurity protections put in place unless theres a data breach. Recently I addressed the question: How secure is our smart grid? Is there a potential third way? I think so. Here are three things to consider.First, security pros cant "just say no" to all IoT projects or "smart device" implementations.This discussion brings me back to 2004-2006 all over again. The topic back then was Wi-Fi, and as Michigans CISO, I initially opposed the enterprise Wi-Fi implementation project and almost got fired.That career episode taught me (the hard way) that opposing new technology innovation is a major mistake. I now believe that security history is repeating itself with IoT . You can learn more about what I mean by history repeating itself, by reading this article Sure, the stakes are higher this time with IoT. The situation has vastly changed since 2006, but the same us versus them patterns have emerged with cloud computing, BYOD and now IoT security. Nevertheless, the IoT boat has left the dock. There is no going back.Sadly, in general, security pros are again becoming "Dr. No" for most IoT product announcements. No doubt, the depth and breadth of the connectivity stretches well beyond anything that was happening more than a decade ago. The stakes are higher, but be careful before you veto projects.Second, watch out for simple "all or nothing" answers. Realize that the "Internet of Things" is the new buzzword for almost everything that can connect with anything else. This means there will be good, and bad and ugly stories under the IoT banner. The pendulum will swing both ways.We know that the answers will be slow and hard to come by. We can only secure one device at a time or not. The acceptance of IoT will happen in smaller chunks, and this will become thousands of unique situations just as the cloud really includes thousands of different products, solutions, networks and vendors.There is plenty of hype and aggressive marketing that oversells IoT benefits and also articles that encourage security pros to "just say no" to all IoT. Be ready for much more of both - but take the opportunity to become the trusted voice with workable solutions.Third (and last for this blog), stay engaged. Workable IoT answers that are secure will come from somewhere between the extremes. They will need to adapt to new cyberthreats and other emerging risks. What works today may not work tomorrow. Security and technology pros need to be bringing alternatives along with the pros/cons.As President Theodore Roosevelt said in 1910 AUSTIN, TEXAS On the third day of Civic I/O, the government and policy sessions at South by Southwest (SXSW), mayors assumed the role of Shark Tank investors.The mayors of Denver; Orlando, Fla.; and West Sacramento, Calif., joined a panel of tech entrepreneurs to judge startups' proposals for business ideas that help solve a civic problem.The first-place prize of $10,000 went to RideAlong, a digital tool meant to facilitate safer interactions between police and people with mental illness. While about 3 percent of U.S. adults suffer from a severe mental illness, they make up a quarter to one-half of all fatal law enforcement encounters, according to the nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center. The founders of RideAlong hope to prevent such tragic incidents by equipping police with information that will ultimately divert people experiencing a mental health crisis away from the criminal justice system and instead into treatment and other support services.The RideAlong system is already being piloted in Seattle, where police can look up a name or address and view an easy-to-read profile of an individual. The tool automatically collects and organizes helpful information from family members, social service providers and other government agencies. Officers in Seattle already receive a PDF with similar information in their email while theyre driving, but they sometimes struggle to find and read it before they arrive on scene.Meredith Hitchcock, a co-founder of RideAlong, began building the tool as a one-year Code for America fellow in Seattle. Before developing it, she and two other fellows spent a month studying police interactions with citizens who have a mental illness. They rode along with police, spoke to social service case managers and interviewed individuals with mental illness.We were seeing this was a problem across the nation, she says.And their research in the field paid off.RideAlong had such a clarity of understanding of how the day-to-day process works that theyre trying to solve, says West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, one of the judges for the competition. It was impressive in its fidelity to what the needs are. It was clear that it wasnt a technology play first.All seven of the presenting startups received at least $1,000. RoadBotics, a smartphone app that turns cars, trucks and bikes into mobile sensors that detect road features, such as potholes, received $5,000. Smarter Sorting, a company that helps cities sort through household chemical waste and allows for the reuse of some chemicals currently being incinerated, won $2,500.All of the presenters identified pressing problems in cities, from slow and inefficient paper-based government processes to the difficulty that low-income residents face communicating with their government. The judges probed them on the scalability of their products, how they planned to make money and whether their proposals would duplicate existing services in the public or private sector.Amazon Web Services sponsored the competition and put up the prize money. In addition to the mayors, the panel of judges included Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, and Nicole Neditch, the senior director for community engagement at Code for America.Hitchcock says pitching to mayors was slightly different than her earlier efforts to win over first responders and the tech startup community.First responders are interested in the operation, whats going to be involved to get this set up, whos going to manage content, whats the benefit on the day-to-day basis, she says. The mayors were looking much more at, whats the bigger-term vision, how do we use this to make smarter cities, how do we offer more strategic and smarter first responders? (TNS) - Long before a fractured spillway plunged Oroville Dam into the gravest crisis in its 48-year history, officials at a handful of downstream government agencies devised a plan they believed would make the dam safer: Store less water there.Sutter County, Yuba City and a regional levee-maintenance agency brought their recommendation to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2006, when FERC was considering the states application to relicense Oroville Dam.Their plan, unveiled nearly a decade after heavy rains breached downstream levees and caused severe flooding along the Feather River, called for reducing water storage at Lake Oroville by 150,000 acre-feet during winter. That would have reduced maximum water levels in the reservoir, as set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, by about 11 feet.The proposal went nowhere. State dam operators and a powerful consortium of water agencies serving Silicon Valley, Southern California and portions of the San Joaquin Valley opposed the idea, which would have sent water cascading down the Feather and reduced the amount stored in the reservoir for their use. The water agencies and the state instead argued that the reservoirs flood-control operations, governed by a 1970 Army Corps manual, were sufficient.Yet those operating rules depend in part on a controversial assumption: that empty space above the dams main spillway could provide a buffer against powerful rainstorms, yielding additional flood control capacity.That concept proved faulty last month, after a massive crater formed in the dams main spillway during a big storm. The spillway was shut down temporarily to check the damage, and then restarted in a concerted effort to keep water from rising above the spillway. Water rose too quickly, however, and eventually poured over the adjacent emergency spillway for the first time in dam history. When officials realized the emergency structure was in danger of crumbling, they evacuated 188,000 downstream residents for two days.Stuart Somach, a veteran Sacramento water lawyer who represented the Sutter County coalition that tried to change Orovilles rules in 2006, said the crisis illuminates persistent shortcomings in the reservoirs governing plan. The buffer space above the main spillway proved undependable because the emergency spillway itself was unsound.You cant rely upon that, he said. Youve really added nothing in the way of effective flood control. The true solution is keeping the lake lower, he said.Dam operators and other experts say its far from certain that keeping the lake lower would have helped Oroville avoid its crisis last month. Joe Forbis, chief of water management at the Army Corps regional office in Sacramento, said lower water levels probably would have delayed the emergency, but wouldnt necessarily have prevented it.If there was more space in the reservoir, then it would have taken longer to fill, Forbis said. But whether or not that would have made a difference last month, I dont know the answer to that.Bill Croyle, acting director of the state Department of Water Resources, which runs Oroville Dam, said a crucial factor was the heavy rain and snow that have fallen on the Feather River watershed all winter, punctuated by a huge storm that poured into the region just as the main spillway cracked Feb. 7.The issue is not how much flood space was in the reservoir before the main spillway fractured, Croyle said.Sacramento flood safety expert Joe Countryman agreed the rainstorm became the overriding issue. Besides, having the lake at a reduced level wouldnt have helped because the main spillway can only make significant releases when water levels are relatively high, said Countryman, a retired Corps engineer and member of the states Central Valley Flood Protection Board.Even if the lake had been lower, the space would have been filled up, Countryman said.Somach said he wouldnt dispute Countrymans analysis, adding, It might not have mattered. But he said keeping the lake lower would have given dam operators more time and flexibility to deal with the problem after the main spillway cracked.You would have had a head start, he said.Somach is among a growing chorus of state officials and water policy experts calling for a fresh look at reservoir operations following last months near-catastrophe. Theyre urging the Army Corps to rewrite the manuals that establish how much water can be stored during the rainy season at Lake Oroville and 53 other California reservoirs governed by Corps regulations. In the alternative, they want reservoir operators to use their discretion to store less water than the maximum permitted by the Corps.Every time we get a big snowpack up there, and theres a potential warm storm, I can say for everybody down here, the anxiety builds, said Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City. We need to change operations when we have this large snowpack and the potential warm storms and we need to ensure the lake levels are lower.The dispute in many ways underscores the core tension underlying the governance of Californias big reservoirs. The facilities serve two purposes that often collide: flood control and water storage. Water released from Oroville in a wet winter, when rivers are running high, likely will wind up in the Pacific Ocean. That leaves less water available later in the year for cities and farms that depend on Oroville for storage.Oroville, Californias second-largest reservoir, is the linchpin of the State Water Project, which is run by DWR and supplies Silicon Valley, portions of the San Joaquin Valley and most of Southern California. Somach said water users opposition torpedoed Sutter Countys decade-old proposal to reduce lake levels in winter.It was really the politics of the state water contractors and DWR not wanting to give up water supply, Somach said.DWR officials say they would never compromise safety at Oroville to boost supplies for State Water Project contractors.During flood control season, flood control is the top priority of the Department of Water Resources in operating Lake Oroville, said spokeswoman Nancy Vogel of the Natural Resources Agency, which oversees DWR.Rainy season operations at Oroville and other big reservoirs in California are subject to flood control rules laid out in a series of Army Corps manuals. The amount of mandatory empty space fluctuates with the calendar, and varies from reservoir to reservoir, depending on a hydrological analysis.But much of those analyses are reliant on data that critics say is decades out of date, and fails to account for the heavier, warmer storms expected with climate change. Most dam manuals havent been updated since the 1980s or earlier.The Oroville manual was published in 1970, two years after the reservoir opened. It says Lake Oroville should be kept at least one-fifth empty during the peak rainy season, from early January to late March. That translates into a lake level of 848.5 feet and a maximum of 2.79 million acre-feet of water, leaving about 750,000 acre-feet of empty space. Lake Oroville was at about 853 feet high, slightly above the maximum, and was releasing water out of the main spillway when the concrete chute fractured last month.Theres a wrinkle in the Army Corps rules: It assumes the existence of a companion dam in Marysville that would provide additional flood protection downstream. That second dam, proposed in the 1960s, never happened. Without it, operators at Oroville are instructed to keep an additional 150,000 acre-feet of flood space in reserve, for a total of 900,000 acre-feet.But instead of actually having to keep the lake lower, dam operators can count the area above the main spillway gates as surcharge space, providing total flood-control capacity of 900,000 acre-feet.Somach and the Sutter County coalition argue the surcharge space is illusory.You ought to be holding the reservoir 150,000 acre-feet lower, said Somach. That would bring lake levels down about 11 feet.Dam operators have shown a reluctance to use the surcharge space. In the heavy winter storms of 1997, when water threatened to overtop the emergency spillway, dam managers responded by blasting water from the main spillway at an extraordinary 160,000 cubic feet per second, or 10,000 cfs more than Feather River levees downstream were rated to absorb. Local officials blamed the surge of water for a downstream levee breach that flooded hundreds of home and left three people dead. State officials deny the releases were at fault.Last month, DWR officials worked furiously but ultimately without success to keep water from reaching the untested emergency spillway, concerned about how erosion of the hillside below would impact the Feather River downstream. As it turned out, the erosion was so severe it threatened the emergency structure itself. Crews have spent the past month shoring up the hillside, and DWR officials have said they dont want to use the emergency structure again but believe it would stand up if necessary.The Corps is studying what happened at Oroville last month and could alter its rules governing the reservoirs operations, said Forbis with the Army Corps regional office. But he said its too early to say, and that rule changes require costly and time-consuming engineering and environmental studies.This is hardly the first time tensions have arisen over the Army Corps flood control rules. Last winter, with much of the state still gripped by drought, water agencies in greater Sacramento seethed when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released gobs of water from Folsom Lake when the forecast was clear and the reservoir was already 40 percent empty.The Corps is releasing a new set of rules for Folsom Lake this year, but only because of major capital improvements designed to improve dam operators flexibility. The bureau is putting the finishing touches on a $900 million auxiliary spillway that will enable the reservoir to release water more quickly if a big storm is coming.State officials want the rules to change as well for Oroville and other reservoirs. California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird, testifying before a U.S. Senate committee March 1, said Army Corps rules need to be overhauled to reflect current scientific knowledge about precipitation patterns.Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, has introduced legislation in years past that would require the Corps to modernize its approach to reservoir flood safety, but the legislation has stalled.Hopefully, Orovilles a wake-up call, he said.Dale Kasler: 916-321-1066, @dakasler What an extraordinary scenario: After five years of the most extreme drought in California's recorded history, statewide rain and snow have been at their highest levels in at least a decade. Yet state and local officials last month were forced to issue flood evacuation orders to nearly 190,000 Northern California residents due to structural damage at the massive Oroville Dam.Beyond the imminent peril (which passed), the longer-term threat still remains that flood damage to a spillway at the dam might impact its water storage capacity. Reduced capacity in Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir, could limit delivery of summer water to farmers and cities in Central and Southern California for yet another year.From drought to flooding and back to possible water shortages all in the span of a few months, it's no wonder under these types of conditions that officials are looking for new approaches to making regions and communities more resilient. For California, that would mean a future with less reliance on large statewide infrastructure solutions such as dams, aqueducts and pumping plants to move water long distances.In their place, experts are pointing to the benefits of more localized systems with multiple redundancies. "If a major disruption happens, you lose the entire solution," Amy Armstrong, a vice president of the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities project , explained in an interview. "We're trying to get people to think about more adaptable, flexible solutions that'll build resilience for the long term."Judith Rodin, the foundation's president, launched the global project in 2013, offering to partner with a select group of international cities to help develop the field of urban resilience. Selection from among nearly 1,100 applicants was completed last May, and two dozen cities in the United States were among the 100 chosen for the project . They are being provided with four types of assistance: financial support to hire a chief resilience officer (CRO), expertise for developing a robust resilience strategy, access to partners providing technologies for building resilience, and membership in the 100 Resilient Cities Network.Members of the network are already reporting progress. Armstrong said CROs are talking with their mayors about vulnerabilities, breaking down bureaucratic silos, shifting lines of authority and developing new resiliency plans. And members are citing the benefits of being connected and learning from each other. The work the CROs are doing isn't easy, Armstrong said, so it's really valuable to have a community of practitioners.Beyond simply getting people to talk about infrastructure risks and weaknesses, a significant challenge for advocates of resiliency is the longstanding governing paradigm that prioritizes efficiency over all things. A resilient approach isn't always more efficient. But by creating redundancies and adding flexibility, better outcomes can be obtained. Building a big pipe to bring water to a city is certainly an efficient solution but, as California cities are learning, it may not be the best solution for system-wide resilience.To foster resilience, for example, CROs could bring transportation and public works planners together with parks departments to create mixed-use solutions to capture and reuse local water resources while helping to control flooding. As Catherine Nagel, executive director of the City Parks Alliance, wrote in a recent Governing commentary , "Urban parks are the very definition of mixed use."Of course, building community resilience is about much more than preparing for and managing catastrophic events. Technology can play a major role. Advances in data visualization technology already are helping city planners understand more deeply how the various systems of a city interact -- to pinpoint, for instance, exactly where the flooding of a stormwater system will affect the adjacent transportation network and buildings.Perhaps the greatest benefit of efforts like the 100 Resilient Cities project and these new tools is the opportunity to visualize not only vulnerabilities but also opportunities to build the resilience communities need. A picture is, after all, worth a thousand words. Gov. Doug Burgum announced the appointment of a Minnesota man as the states incoming CIO March 10. According to a news release from Burgums office, Shawn Riley will assume the state lead technology role on April 17.Over the past 13 years, Riley has served in a number of leadership roles with the Mayo Clinic. In 2004, he was appointed as the nonprofits chief technology officer before accepting the position of information management officer in 2011. Most recently, Riley was appointed as the organizations CIO in 2014.Shawn Riley brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to an increasingly important role in state government, Burgum said in the release. His experience overseeing the IT efforts for a world-class health-care organization like Mayo Clinic will prove invaluable as technology continues to transform the way government services are delivered in North Dakota.The incoming CIO said in the release that he is excited to join the Information Technology Department (ITD) and to work toward a more efficient and secure state.Information technology is constantly evolving and becoming more complex, and Im excited to join ITD at a time when state agencies are being encouraged to embrace change and become more efficient a goal that ITD can help them achieve, he said. I also look forward to furthering the states efforts to improve cybersecurity and protect our networks at a time of increased risk of cyberattacks.Riley is replacing former CIO Mike Ressler , who was displaced when the incoming Burgum announced his plans to shake up the C-suite. Ressler had been in the position since 2013 under Gov. Jack Dalrymple.After the departure of Ressler, deputy CIO Dan Sipes stepped up in an interim capacity. According to the governors announcement, he will return to the deputy CIO role. The United Kingdoms exit from the European Union will leave winners and losers in Brussels. The cost of Brexit, as the process is known, will be greater in some countries than in others, depending on how the negotiations progress. A beach in Spain's Valencia region. EFE But in the heart of the member states there will also be differences. An internal report from the Spanish government looking at the consequences of Brexit has found that the regions in Spain that will be most affected by the process include Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Murcia, due to their exposure to British tourism and other key sectors. Along with tourism, the report concludes that the other most-affected sectors will be the automotive, and pharmaceutical industries as well as agribusiness. The effects of Brexit on Spain will be diverse. Murcia and Melilla, for example, could end up receiving lower funding from the EU, given that the UKs exit will reduce the blocs per capita income. Even so, the Spanish administration is not predicting much of an impact on this front. Spains tourism, automotive and pharmaceutical sectors and agribusiness will be most affected by Brexit In terms of tourism, the document that has been signed by several ministries and the Spanish embassies in the EU and London suggest that the places that receive the greatest number of British tourists are the Canary Islands (a third of the total), Valencia region (15.8%), the Balearics (13%) and Catalonia (10.7%). Whats more, the Canary Islands could be affected by changes caused by Brexit in terms of the financing of so-called ultra-peripheral regions. The document calls on the government to try to maintain the current parameters relating to support policies for regions such as the Canary Islands, which are located off the northwestern coast of Africa. Brexit may also have a notable effect on agriculture and fishing in Spain. Traditionally, the United Kingdom has been highly critical of the EUs Common Agricultural Policy and the funds destined to it. The exit of the United Kingdom should favor the defense of [Spanish] interests, the text reads. Even so, the effect could be a fall in exports: the United Kingdom is a major importer in sectors such as fruit and vegetables, olive oil, meat products, wine and other beverages. Spain is expecting a rise in non-tariff barriers, with the establishment of new health controls, which could end up affecting the Spanish regions where this activity is concentrated. The same situation is forecast for the fishing industry. The withdrawal of the United Kingdom will affect the activity of the Spanish fleet. The problem will lie with 80 Spanish boats that currently fish in British waters. To solve the problem, Spain will look to negotiate a bilateral fishing agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom. But Brexit will also affect the part of the British fleet owned by Spanish capital. There are around 40 boats that belong to Galician entrepreneurs, the document explains, who could lose their status as part of the community fleet. English version by Simon Hunter. 1. Have a diversity of expertise 2. Empower the edge 3. Develop ecosystem approaches AUSTIN, Texas Sunday was Smart Cities Day at South by Southwest (SXSW), where a host of sessions set out to unpack the different components of a smart city.The conversation brought together a diverse set of perspectives across multiple levels of government including the federal government. Federal Communications Commission CIO David Bray shared his insights on how city leaders can grapple with the exponential change by becoming change agents which he also talks frequently about on Twitter using #changeagent David offered up three ways you could become a change agent in your city:Rather than relying on a single expert or group of experts with a shared view of issues, its important to have diverse opinions in your planning and operations.The best insights do not come from the top, but rather the people closest to the action the edge. Its more important than ever to empower those on the edge of your city to share their insights and become change agents for how government services are delivered.Cities are diverse ecosystems with many disparate parts, such as academia and business connecting these parts can better prepare cities for adapting to change.Follow David Bray on Twitter at @fcc_cio (TNS) CONCORD The Senate passed a bill to allow towns and cities to participate in an electronic poll book trial program, but rejected a proposal for New Hampshire to join 38 other states with online voter registration.The votes Thursday followed continued debate on election law changes, with legislators taking measured steps to modernize state statutes.A number of communities, including Manchester, have expressed interest in use of an electronic poll book and devices for voter registration rolls and check-in.The trial program must be compliant with existing law, from voter checklists to delivery of data to the Secretary of State in a way that is compatible with the statewide centralized voter registration database.Towns and cities participating in the trial program must ensure adequate back-up systems and bear all costs associated with electronic poll books. The programs must meet certification standards established by the state.State lawmakers are considering a host of other proposed changes in election law this spring, including modifying the definition of domicile with the intent that qualified voters have an intent to stay in the state when they cast a ballot here.Preserving the integrity of voting in the first-in-the-nation state is a priority for Republicans and Democrats alike, but the parties disagree on proposed reforms.The idea of online voter registration emerged an a next-generation measure for Democrats. Sen. Bette Lasky, D-Nashua, the prime sponsor of the bill, said the goal is to move the states process into the 21st century.Lasky said that online registration would spur voter participation, reduce lines on election day and help local election officials.Senators opposing online registration noted that the states using similar systems are motor voter states, at odds with New Hampshires same-day registration law established two decades ago.It is also a significant information technology project, said Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead. They just dont have the bandwidth to do it, she said.Sen. Lou DAllesandro, D-Manchester, countered that the state can tap its Help America Vote Act account to fund the modernization. We do everything these days online, he said.The bill proposed requiring voters registering online to have an identification issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles.Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia offer online voter registration, and four others have passed legislation to create a system but have yet to implement it, the National Conference of State Legislatures reports.While no fraud or security breaches are known to date, security for online voter registration is an essential element of system design, according to the NCSL review.Massachusetts enacted online voter registration in 2014, where a voter can register online if they have a signature on file at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.Arizona was one of the earliest states to pursue online voter registration back in 2002. Vermonts Secretary of State launched online voter registration in 2015.In other business Thursday, the Senate took votes to: Appropriate $5 million for an affordable housing fund to provide low-interest loans and grants to build, rehabilitate and buy affordable housing. This is a jobs bill, said Sen. Dan Feltes, D-Concord, the sponsor of the legislation. The fund was first established in 1988. Pass a bill to expand the veterans plates program to allow Purple Heart recipients to get a Purple Heart plate for free. Guadalajara is closer to San Francisco than New York is, says Eliazar Parra, a 32-year-old freelance computer programmer who works for clients such as AT&T and Facebook, explaining the US technology industrys growing interest in the city of 1.5 million in the western state of Jalisco. Kueski, a startup in Guadalajara (Jalisco). Karlo Reyes More information El Silicon Valley mexicano esta en Jalisco After being deported from Silicon Valley in 2008 when his visa ran out, Parra says he has no intention of returning to the United States: Life here is very good, he says. Like Parra, hundreds of young Mexican engineers, developers, mathematicians and computer programmers have found a thriving ecosystem in Guadalajara. Over the last three decades, Jalisco has emerged as a center for research and development in highly specialized technologies, some of it carried out by large corporations, others by garage-based startups, and is now the countrys leading technology node, attracting growing numbers of people unable or unwilling to try their luck in an increasingly anti-migration United States. Mexicos technology sector does not depend on cheap labor Mexico has a policy of attracting talent, inviting people from other countries that can add value to the industry, something that is very difficult in the United States right now, says Raul Martin, head of technology headhunters Campus Party Mexico, which moved to Guadalajara four years ago, finding there a rich source of engineers and computer scientists. Martin says that the city has found its vocation and that the current situation is providing opportunities for global players. It is possible to divide a company: research and development can be located here, with the financial and sales division in Silicon Valley. We have to create hybrid models to allow companies to take advantage of Jalisco, he argues. Over the last decade, Mexicos Silicon Valley has attracted 15 large corporations, mainly from the United States. There are also some 600 small and medium-sized companies, many of them start-ups that export 70% of their materials and content. Firms such as Oracle, HP, Motorola and IBM have found a second home in Jalisco. The state government says that companies are attracted by local talent and world-class infrastructure in Guadalajara and its environs. Mexico has a policy of inviting talent from other countries that can add value to the industry Raul Martin, Campus Party Mexico The state government has worked with US companies to provide Guadalajara with the infrastructure it needs to attract companies like Tesla and Salesforce, both of which are currently thinking about locating part of their operations in the city. Similarly, universities are producing greater numbers of graduates with the skills needed to meet the demands of the marketplace. A Mexican computer engineer can easily earn $6,000 a month, allowing for a very good standard of living. If growth rates continue, the state government wants to develop a technology corridor along the 160 km from Guadalajara down to the coast at Puerto Vallarta. Programmer Eliazar Parra works for Silicon Valley from Guadalajara. Karlo Reyes Adalberto Flores returned to Guadalajara from Silicon Valley a couple of years ago after the company he worked for set up operations here. But the 33-year-old engineer decided to set up his own project, Kueski, a startup offering microloans via the internet. The companys open plan office, with kitchen and ping pong table, is staffed by financial experts, programmers and designers in their mid-twenties, most of them brought by Flores from California. The company has seen sevenfold growth in two years. Kueski has overcome the doubts of US investors, who are now keen to invest in a business that is one of the first of its kind in Latin America. Silicon Valley investors are reluctant to put money into projects that are not based there, whether they are in New York, Texas, China, or Guadalajara, because startups require a lot of attention in their early phases, explains Flores. Talent is the new oil. An employee is not just an employee Cindy Blanco, startup consultant Talent is the new oil. An employee is not just an employee. One of the big differences with other industries is that there is a return on investment for the employee, not just the company, says Cindy Blanco, head of Startup Guadalajara, which helps technology entrepreneurs in the area. Unlike other industries here, Mexicos technology sector does not depend on cheap labor, and the state government of Jalisco is now actively recruiting talent throughout California, attracting entrepreneurs and professionals south of the border to a state once best known for its mariachis and as the home of tequila. English version by Nick Lyne. There is a television set in the room where Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is allowed to exercise for one hour a day, but it is never turned on: his guards, who arent allowed to talk to him, cant decide what he should be allowed to watch. He spends the remaining 23 hours of each day in a small cell with a bed, a table, a chair, a lavatory and a sink. The light is turned on most of the time. The only time he sees daylight is through a small window in the passage between his cell and his exercise room. Joaquin Guzman, 'El Chapo', after he was arrested in January 2016. Anadolu Agency (Getty Images) More information La jaula americana de El Chapo For the last six weeks, this has been the daily routine for Guzman, who began growing marijuana as a teenager 40 years ago in the mountains of his native Sinaloa, and embarked on a career that would make him the worlds leading drug trafficker, running an empire based on terror, murder, torture, and kidnapping. After escaping twice from prisons in Mexico, and being caught a third time, the government there agreed to extradite him to the United States to face 17 criminal charges that could leave him in jail for the rest of his days. Attempts to improve the conditions Guzman is being held under have failed Since January 19, he has been held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, a towering high-security facility that opened in the 1970s in Lower Manhattan, near the Brooklyn Bridge. Some of the prisons high-profile guests over the years include the fraudster Bernie Madoff, the mafia boss John Gotti, and Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the mastermind behind the 1993 attack against the World Trade Center. Some 800 men and women are held here, the most dangerous of whom are kept in the Security Housing Unit, on the 10th floor. Amnesty International criticized conditions there in 2014, while a former inmate has described it to The New York Times as worse than Guantanamo. While El Chapo awaits trial, he is being kept in complete isolation, and can only talk to his lawyers from behind a glass screen. He has no contact with his wife, Emma Coronel, and she in turn is receiving no news about him. He is unaware of the increasingly bloody power struggle taking place within the Sinaloa cartel in the wake of his extradition, or that Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, with whom he wanted to make a movie about his own life, has a new television series. But El Chapo will have seen the documents relating to his own case: that a police officer in the Mexico border city of Juarez is to give testimony about the bribes paid to release members of the Sinaloa cartel; that another witness will talk about a house used for killings, the walls of which were covered in plastic and where a special drain had to be installed for the blood to be washed down; that his stash of AK-47s was found, and that several leading Colombian cartel leaders will also be testifying. Guzman is likely to spend the rest of his days in jail Despite the fact that Guzman is enormously wealthy, he is being defended by court-appointed federal lawyers Michelle Gelernt and Michael Schneider. He is not allowed to talk to his family to arrange for a private defense, while his legal team is not permitted to contact lawyers linked to Guzmans family. There are lawyers in the United States who specialize in drug trafficking cases, but getting El Chapo acquitted will be difficult, as will getting him to pay his legal fees, given the foreseeable clampdown on his fortune. His lawyers take turns to visit him every day, including weekends. There has been little progress in the case worth discussing, by all accounts, but it gets him out of his cell and allows them to check on his health, both mental and physical. Attempts to improve the conditions under which he is being held have failed. In early February he left the facility to appear before a judge. His next outing is due on May 5. Guzman was last arrested in January 2016 after a six-month manhunt during which he may have slipped up by agreeing to meet Kate del Castillo and US actor Sean Penn to discuss the biopic project. Now, aside from Ridley Scott, a number of Hollywood producers are interested in buying the rights to a book about Guzman due out in October, entitled Hunting El Chapo: The Thrilling Inside Story of the American Lawman Who Captured the World's Most-Wanted Drug Lord. English version by Nick Lyne. Children's suffering in Syria at its worst - UNICEF DAMASCUS/AMMAN, 13 March 2017 Grave violations against children in Syria were the highest on record in 2016, said UNICEF in a grim assessment of the conflicts impact on children, as the war reaches six years. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. At least 652 children were killed a 20 per cent increase from 2015 making 2016 the worst year for Syrias children since the formal verification of child casualties began in 2014. 255 children were killed in or near a school. More than 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict, more than double the number recruited in 2015. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the frontlines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers or prison guards. There were at least 338 attacks against hospitals and medical personnel . An immediate political solution to end the conflict in Syria; An end to all grave violations against children including killing, maiming and recruitment, and attacks on schools and hospitals; The lifting of all sieges and unconditional and sustained access to all children in need, wherever they are in Syria; Providing refugee host governments and communities with sustainable support for vulnerable children, regardless of their status, and Continued financial support for UNICEFs lifesaving assistance to Syrian children. The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down, said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa speaking from Homs, Syria. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. Challenges in access in several parts of Syria stand in the way of assessing the full scale of childrens suffering and of urgently getting humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable girls and boys. Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult. The most vulnerable among Syrias children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. After six years of war, nearly 6 million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. Over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. Inside Syria and across its borders, coping mechanisms are eroding, and families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. In more than two thirds of households, children are working to support their families, some in extremely harsh conditions unfit even for adults. Yet despite the horrors and suffering, there are many remarkable stories of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations. Darsy (12), now a refugee in Turkey said: I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars. We continue to witness the courage of Syrias children. Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syrias children, said Cappelaere. On behalf of the children of Syria, UNICEF is appealing to all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, the international community and anyone who cares about children for: Oops! There was a problem! Sorry, but we can't find what you were looking for right now. The content may have been removed, or is temporarily unavailable. GreatAndhra.com powered by India Brains Infotech, LLC, its owners, associates and employees are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations on any of our pages or on any links on any of our pages. We do not endorse in anyway any advertisers on our web pages, links to personal pages, official pages, or commercial pages. We have no control of the content of external information. Please verify the veracity of all information on your own before undertaking any reliance. 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According to Revanth Reddys argument, the first day of the budget session every year is officiated by the Governor and only he can take any decision on the unruly behaviour of the MLAs, if there is any. The Speaker cannot take action against any MLA for disrupting the House during the Governors address. If at all the Speaker wants to do so, he should first take the issue to the notice of the Governor. Moroever, there is no provision for suspending a member for the entire session. We are examining the relevant rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the State Legislative Assembly in this regard, Revanth Reddy said. In fact, BJP Legislative Party leader G Kishan Reddy too wanted to know whether the Speaker can suspend members for disrupting Governors address. The contention of the BJP legislator is that the Speaker does not convene the House on the day on which Governor addresses the Joint Session. According to him, when Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was the Speaker of the then Assembly in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, the then opposition leader P Janardhan Reddy led Congress members had torn and thrown speech copy on the then Governor. When some members asked the then Speaker as to why action was not taken, Yanamala said he was not officiating the business on that day and hence, he cant take any action, Reddy recalled. 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 Google Ad 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 Google Ad 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 The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) released proposed regulations to establish a path for testing and future deployment of fully autonomous vehicles without drivers. The proposed regulations address public safety concerns while recognizing the potential of autonomous technology to improve safety, enhance mobility and encourage innovation. The proposed regulations: Recognize that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is vested with the authority to develop Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and enforce compliance with safety and performance standards for motor vehicles. DMV is requiring certification to meeting these federal safety standards. Establish a framework for testing without a driver. Identify requirements that a manufacturer must meet in order to sell, lease, or otherwise make their vehicle available outside of a testing program. Address other key topics related to autonomous vehicle deployment, including driver licensing and responsibility, vehicle registration, and advertising of autonomous vehicles. To gather public input on the regulations, the department will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, 25 April 2017, in Sacramento. These rules expand our existing autonomous vehicle testing program to include testing vehicles where no driver is present. This is the next step in eventually allowing driverless autonomous vehicles on California roadways. DMV Director Jean Shiomoto The DMV received substantial feedback from manufacturers, consumer advocates, local government, insurance companies, and other stakeholders after it released revised draft regulations for testing without a driver and the deployment of autonomous vehicles in September 2016. The combination is expected to accelerate innovation for the automotive industry and position Intel as a leading technology provider in the fast-growing market for highly and fully autonomous vehicles. Intel Corporation announced a definitive agreement under which Intel would acquire Mobileye, a global leader in the development of computer vision and machine learning, data analysis, localization and mapping for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving. A subsidiary of Intel will commence a tender offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Mobileye for $63.54 per share in cash, representing an equity value of approximately $15.3 billion and an enterprise value of $14.7 billion. Intel estimates the vehicle systems, data and services market opportunity to be up to $70 billion by 2030. This transaction extends Intels strategy to invest in data-intensive market opportunities that build on the companys strengths in computing and connectivity from the cloud, through the network, to the device. This acquisition will combine the technologies from both companies, spanning connectivity, computer vision, data center, sensor fusion, high-performance computing, localization and mapping, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Together with partners and customers, Intel and Mobileye expect to deliver driving solutions that will transform the automotive industry. The combined global autonomous driving organization, which will consist of Mobileye and Intels Automated Driving Group, will be headquartered in Israel and led by Prof. Amnon Shashua, Mobileyes Co- Founder, Chairman and CTO. The organization will support both companies existing production programs and build upon relationships with automotive OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers and semiconductor partners to develop advanced driving assist, highly autonomous and fully autonomous driving programs. Intel Senior Vice President Doug Davis will oversee the combined organizations engagement across Intels business groups and will report to Prof. Amnon Shashua after the transactions closing. This acquisition is a great step forward for our shareholders, the automotive industry and consumers. Intel provides critical foundational technologies for autonomous driving including plotting the cars path and making real-time driving decisions. Mobileye brings the industrys best automotive-grade computer vision and strong momentum with automakers and suppliers. Together, we can accelerate the future of autonomous driving with improved performance in a cloud-to-car solution at a lower cost for automakers. Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO We expect the growth towards autonomous driving to be transformative. It will provide consumers with safer, more flexible, and less costly transportation options, and provide incremental business model opportunities for our automaker customers. By pooling together our infrastructure and resources, we can enhance and accelerate our combined know-how in the areas of mapping, virtual driving, simulators, development tool chains, hardware, data centers and high-performance computing platforms. Together, we will provide an attractive value proposition for the automotive industry. Ziv Aviram, Mobileye Co-Founder, President and CEO As cars progress from assisted driving to fully autonomous, they are increasingly becoming data centers on wheels. Intel expects that by 2020, autonomous vehicles will generate 4,000 GB of data per day, which plays to Intels strengths in high-performance computing and network connectivity. The complexity and computing power of highly and fully autonomous cars creates large-scale opportunities for high-end Intel Xeon processors and high-performance EyeQ4 and EyeQ5 SoCs, high-performance FPGAs, memory, high-bandwidth connectivity, and computer vision technology. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Intels non-GAAP EPS and free cash flow immediately. Intel intends to fund the acquisition with cash from the balance sheet. The transaction is expected to close within the next nine months. It has been approved by the Intel and Mobileye Boards of Directors and is subject to the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. The offer is not subject to any financing conditions. Renault has opened a third Renault Open Innovation Lab called Le Square in Paris. Le Square aims to define new ways of working and to explore the future of mobility by opening up the companys boundaries and encouraging cooperation around new kinds of business organisation with actors from the French ecosystem. Renault Innovation Lab Le Square has been designed as an experimental laboratory, open to its business environment and close to the Renault and Renault-Nissan Alliance teams to make the proliferation of ideas easier. Managed jointly by Renaults internal teams and external partners working towards a common goal, it will help to reinforce the innovation strategy of Renault and the Alliance. After Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv, Renault chose France as the location for the third Renault Innovation Lab because the country already has 228 business incubators and 49 accelerators. The Ile de France region alone has more than 3,000 startups. Moreover, Paris is ranked fourth among the most attractive world capitals for investors, who consider Paris a city conducive to advanced technology. The establishment of Open Innovation Labs forms part of the culture and innovation strategy of the Renault-Nissan Alliance: they enable opportunities for innovation to be cultivated on the basis of an open ecosystem (startups, universities, investors) and the local economy (local authorities, community organisations, customers, the market). These labs bring together under one roof the three pillars of open innovation: pooling knowledge (events, conferences, think tanks, meetups); creativity and innovative design methods (design thinking, Fablab); plus of course the levers of the new economy (start-up accelerators, cooperative and open methods, and platforms). The Tel Aviv Open Innovation Lab in Israel, opened in June 2016, sets out to promote the electric vehicle and to encourage creativity focusing on the mobility of the future. It is located on the premises of the Porter School of Environmental Studies and is working in particular on the themes of the electric vehicle, aftersales, and internet security. This innovation laboratory is the result of cooperation between Renault, as part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance and the Tel Aviv Institute of Innovation in Transportation. The Silicon Valley Open Innovation Lab in the United States, opened in 2011, was the first innovation initiative. It looked towards the ecosystem of worldwide startups and the Californian universities of Stanford and Berkeley. This lab is contributing to the research efforts of the Alliance into autonomous driving, and especially the development of Artificial Intelligence. It is developing innovative connected services in cooperation with Silicon Valley startups, and examining new approaches to mobility. HHK representatives refuse debates (video) Arayik Harutyunyan from Yelk (Way out) alliance, who is nominated in number 3 electoral precinct, today at the meeting with journalists said that problems present during the campaign are mainly covered at news programs, where the balance is kept, yet for debates air is closed. Republican lawmakers refuse debates, as what they can say is very weak. 25 years failures, which can be seen, dont derive from interests of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). During the meetings we have also noticed another tendency, district authorities, which are nominated with the rating list of the HHK, try not to stress that they are nominated with the HHK list and assure the voters that they will elect exceptionally them. He noted even in case of the best Constitution the HHK will hold elections with violations. Aragats Akhoyan, who is nominated in number 7 electoral precinct with the HHK rating list, opposed that it isnt right that the HHK doesnt have anything to say, The leading force is always vulnerable, he highlighted. As for the process of the campaign, promises and programs by the opposition, A. Akhoyan said, A good humorous book can be written about the campaign, so many promises, they offer their personal viewpoint as a reality. According to the words of the HHK representative, these elections will be exceptionally hard, In spite of the efforts to be presented as a team, in reality, there is rivalry inside the parties. The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program was the much-praised and much-respected teacher education and recruitment effort that the legislature birthed in 1986 and killed off in 2011. Six years later, the program might be making a comeback. A couple of weeks ago, Gov. Roy Cooper introduced the Best and Brightest Scholarship as part of his state budget proposal. Cooper hasnt fleshed out the proposal, but at first blush it looks like the actual second coming of the Teaching Fellows program but with a bigger annual payout. Last Thursday, a pair of Republican lawmakers rolled out their own version of the Teaching Fellows program. (Here's another version of the story.) Sen. Chad Barefoot (Wake County) and Rep. Craig Horn (Union County) used the old name their plan is also called the N.C. Teaching Fellows Program but its a stripped-down version of its namesake. Both versions of Teaching Fellows 2.0 are modeled after the original one, which was established when a Republican (Jim Martin) lived in the governors mansion, championed by a Democrat (Jim Hunt) and ended when the GOP took control of the legislature. (Whether it was a victim of budget cuts or political partisanship, Ill let you decide. Chris Fitzsimon of the liberal N.C. Policy Watch emphatically thinks its the latter.) By all accounts, the program was a winner. It attracted bright students to the teaching profession. The programs graduates were effective in the classroom, and they stayed on the job longer than teachers who entered the profession from other directions. Heres one report on the program from UNC-Chapel Hill; heres another from the Public School Forum, which administered the program. Spoiler alert: The Teaching Fellows Program was something that North Carolina did right. Once the legislature turned off the Teaching Fellows spigot, the pool of potential teachers started to dry up. From 2011 to 2015, undergraduate enrollment in the schools of education at the UNC campus dropped by 3,800 students, or 25 percent. (The numbers are on the last page of this report, and they're ugly.) Clearly a lot of undergrads saw no future in taking out a lot of college loans to land a job that pays $35,000 to start and $51,000 if you stick with it with 25 years. The demise of the Teaching Fellows program wasn't the only reason for the decline in enrollment, but it was a big one. Now the Teaching Fellows Program is back, maybe. Who knows how the legislature will slice and dice these competing plans? Anyway, heres how the plans look side by side and versus the original: The money Original N.C. Teaching Fellows Program: Students got forgivable loans of up to to $6,500 annually. Gov Roy Cooper's plan: Students will get forgivable loans of up to $10,000 annually. Barefoot/Horn plan (aka the GOP plan): Students will get forgivable loans of up to $8,250 annually. Where Teaching Fellows can work Original: Any North Carolina public school; could teach any subject. Cooper: Doesnt say. GOP: Must teach science, math or special education in an N.C. public school or teach at a low-performing N.C. public school. (Shortage areas, in other words.) Payback Original: Four years of teaching canceled out the loan. Cooper: Doesnt say. GOP: To cancel out a year of debt, fellows must work one year in a low-performing school or two years teaching math, science or special ed. Number of scholarships Original: 500 annually. Cooper: Doesnt say. GOP: 160 annually. Where students can use Teaching Fellows scholarships Original: 17 North Carolina public and private colleges and universities, including N.C. A&T and UNCG. Cooper: Doesnt say. GOP: Five N.C. schools tba. That latter point five N.C. schools tba will be the real sticking point. In the news release on the GOP plan, the new N.C. Teaching Fellows Commission, appointed by the legislature and the UNC Board of Governors, will choose the five most effective teacher preparation programs in North Carolina to participate in the Teaching Fellows Program. That sounds great. But what if the commission determines the five best to be UNCG, N.C. A&T, High Point University, Greensboro College and, oh, I dunno, East Carolina? Stinks to be you if you live in Charlotte or west of Winston-Salem. Because geography is a major political consideration in a state that stretches almost to the Central Time Zone just ask the three schools in the N.C. Promise Tuition Plan how location works I figure that there will be one eligible school in each of five areas: western N.C., eastern N.C., Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle. And because the states private colleges are involved, at least one and maybe two of those five will have to be private. Lots of schools are going to be left out, and I can't imagine folks whose oxen got gored will be happy about that fact. If the cap of five schools survives the politicking, that would be a big change from the days when Teaching Fellows pretty much had their pick of North Carolina education programs. The GOP bill hasn't been filed yet. A spokesman in Barefoot's office told me that will happen sometime this week. Update, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday: The Teaching Fellows bill is SB 252 if you want to follow along at home. (It's HB 339 in the other chamber.) Both are GOP bills, but both have Democratic sponsors. Sen. Jeff Jackson of Mecklenberg County signed on to the Senate plan. Three Dems put their names on the House bill. Want to make sure you see these blog posts? Like me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter. Have something to say? Email me at john.newsom@greensboro.com. As Gov. Roy Coopers newly installed appointees raced to get a grip on state government this January, the acting head of North Carolinas Division of Motor Vehicles told his boss that the agency was a wreck. Around the same time, a lawyer involved in litigation over who should have authority to hire and fire employees at the Department of Public Instruction gave the new attorney general a heads-up that the school superintendent was going to intervene in the case. And North Carolinas longtime state auditor urgently sought a meeting with the new governor to explain a damning assessment of state and county social service agencies. Ten years ago, such conversations would have taken place by phone or email. But during two weeks in January, those quick messages, along with notes of congratulations and requests for meetings, flowed via text messages to and from the mobile phones of North Carolinas top elected and appointed officials. Those messages, along with the occasional attached image or document, are public records and help provide a picture of what it takes to run a state home to 10 million people. But following inquiries from a coalition of news organizations, its clear that getting access to those public records depends largely on the goodwill of those department heads, and requests took many officials by surprise. Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan, for example, initially responded to a public records request for two weeks of his text messages by saying he didnt have any for the time period involved. He revised that assessment only after officials in Coopers communications office asked others to search their phones. Several were identified, including photos of the secretary posing with former Gov. Jim Hunt and others after taking the oath of office. Without ready help from phone carriers or a program designed to make the process efficient, state officials say that providing text messages in response to public records requests is cumbersome and time-consuming. The time it took to generate the texts for you was substantially more than it would be for an email or giving you a copy of a written memo, Attorney General Josh Stein said in a recent interview. The state, he said, needs to figure out how to adapt in a world where work habits of the modern office have evolved more quickly than the states public records policy. The work we do is the work of the public, and the work we do is owned by the public, Stein said. The public has a right of access to it because thats transparency, thats how you hold a government accountable. But we have to figure out how that works in a modern world. Follow the rules Its impossible to know how many text messages are pinging from phone to phone regarding the publics business every day. Thats in part because theres no firm count of how many state-owned mobile phones are deployed across North Carolina government, according to the state Department of Information Technology. And there isnt a firm reckoning of how many state employees might be using private devices, private messaging on social media accounts and other services to keep in touch with constituents, vendors and fellow bureaucrats. North Carolinas public records law, which was drafted in the 1930s, certainly covers those short messages even if lawmakers of the Great Depression era or those who undertook more recent revisions didnt anticipate how much the office workers of 2017 would rely on text messaging. But even though texting has become somewhat ubiquitous, it is relatively rare to see those messages turn up in requests for written material about how public business is conducted. Thats why a group of newspaper and television stations organized at the behest of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition decided to explore how state and local officials would respond to a public records request for text messages sent to and from senior leaders for the period spanning Jan. 9 through Jan. 20. The result: Of 19 state departments queried, all were able to provide some sort of answer, even if it was just that their top officials didnt use text messaging. Some provided transcripts or detailed copies complete with keys to who was involved in each conversation, while others simply provided images of the back and forth with little context. None disputed the records should be available to the public. Need appt today with Kristi Jones in gov office to deliver HHS report, State Auditor Beth Wood texted two deputies on Jan. 9, making clear she wanted to personally brief Coopers chief of staff on the results of an audit showing lax oversight of county social service agencies due for release three days later. Even though that message and the exchange that followed were relatively short and not likely to arouse controversy, the request to provide them did pose a problem for the auditors staff. In a department all about following rules and procedures, there is no policy or procedure for what to do if someone asks for the auditors texts. I thought it would have been buried in our IT policies or our email retention policies, said Tim Hoegemeyer, Woods general counsel. When he looked for guidance, the policy cupboard was bare. Well have to add that, he said. That was a common refrain from employees across state agencies, many of whom said the coalitions request was the first time anyone had explicitly asked for texts from their senior leaders. Still, it should not come as a surprise that members of the public, particularly journalists, came calling. Text messages to and from Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick provided the underpinnings for a Pulitzer Prize-winning series in 2008 by the Detroit Free Press that showed Kilpatrick lied under oath and used public resources to cover up an affair with his chief of staff. Closer to home, text messages among various high-ranking administration officials in 2014 allowed The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer of Raleigh to report that former Gov. Pat McCrory had personally intervened to help a key campaign donor hold onto a prison maintenance contract and illustrated that at least some of the governors advisers had objected. But getting those messages relies on government officials to accurately account for how they use their phones. You basically have to rely on the people who are in office to follow the rules, said Danny Lineberry, Coopers acting secretary for Information Technology. No good solution Lineberry, himself a former reporter, said that his department began searching for a technological solution that would help ensure state agencies met their obligations with a minimum of hassle in January, after the flurry of requests from reporters on this project were filed. As of yet, he hasnt found one. Both iPhone maker Apple and the authors of the Android operating system for phones provide instructions for siphoning the messages off of an individual phone, but its unclear if those methods would work in all circumstances or be efficient for use across an organization as big as state government. When the coalitions request for his predecessors text messages came to his department, Lineberrys first thought was to ask the cellphone carrier to provide a readout from the companys servers rather than searching the phone itself. Not without a subpoena came the reply from the phone company. Both Verizon and AT&T, the two major mobile phone providers with which the state does business, have services they will sell governments and large businesses that log messages as they come and go. But the state would need to request that service up front and, of course, pay an extra fee. In addition to the Department of Information Technologys efforts to find a technological solution, Stein said his office was in the early stages of revising a guide on public records in consultation with the coalition and the North Carolina Press Association. That guidance will likely not only include text messages but private messages sent via social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and applications built expressly as text messaging alternatives, such as GroupMe or WhatsApp. Sweet ride The way were communicating is evolving, said Sarah Koonts, North Carolinas state archivist, pointing to recent news reports that members of President Donald Trumps administration had used an application called Confide to communicate. Using that application to send text-message-like notes may be an end-run around federal records retention policy because theres no easy way to archive those exchanges for future reference. Guidance issued by the State Archives, she said, seeks to balance the publics right to know and the organizational need to let go of material that may have little historical value. Text messages tend to be transitory in nature. Koonts and Lineberry said that the bulk of text messaging they are aware of is used to confirm meeting times, ask for email addresses or do any number of quick and passing administrative tasks. The bulk of Secretary of State Elaine Marshalls text messages, for example, included a readout of her daily schedule from a secretary and regular exchanges with a lobbyist tracking the new hires in other state agencies. Elsewhere, on Jan. 11, a subordinate at the Department of Public Safety texted the newly sworn in secretary, Erik Hooks, to confirm that he had been issued a new official vehicle, a Dodge Charger. That is one sweet ride, wrote Charles Vic Ward, a deputy commander of the state Highway Patrol. While history could likely live without those exchanges, others reveal the challenges Coopers administration perceived when they came into office. In early January, interim Transportation Secretary Mike Holder was working through a snowstorm and a transition that meant several executive-level people were leaving. He appointed DOT chief information officer Eric Boyette to take over temporarily as commissioner at DMV, a state agency that has long caused headaches for administrators. On Jan. 17, Boyette checked in with Holder: DMV is a wreck, he wrote in a text. Holder: Thanks! As we figured! In a joint interview, Holder and Boyette said the exchange reflected frustration of trying to sort through issues that included learning about an internal audit and an incident where a DMV employee was bitten by an angry customer. I had been up all weekend working storm duty, Holder said. Then, come Tuesday morning, it was one DMV thing after another. Boyette said that the agency is constantly working to improve. Former Gov. Pat McCrory had touted consumer-friendly improvements at the agency, and Boyette agreed that customer service had gotten better during the past few years. I continue to ask the units to review their processes, Boyette said. What can we do to improve? Were making progress. Deleting messages Theres no question that text exchange is public record, but there was no guarantee that Holder would have kept it long enough for reporters to find. While state government emails are subject to a line of executive orders dating to Gov. Mike Easleys administration that requires they be archived for at least five years, text messages are not. Instead, they are governed by guidance by the State Archives and each agencys individual records retention policy. A text message that has served its administrative purpose, such as arranging a quick meeting, could be deleted legally in the days or weeks following its transmission. Koonts said its largely up to each individual government official to ensure he or she is keeping material that might have some longer-term value. If youre just asking, Are you in the office? thats no big deal, Koonts said. On the other end of the spectrum would be messages ordering a dramatic government action like shutting down a plant or ordering the firing of an agency head. The senders of those messages would likely have to go out of their way to log such communications, perhaps by emailing the texts to themselves. But what about texts in the middle ground between those two extremes? Newly elected State Treasurer Dale Folwell, a Republican, found himself fielding offers and entreaties from fellow members of the GOP in early January. Among those were Thomas Stith, McCrorys chief of staff, who sought a meeting with Folwell for himself and for an associate who runs a firm that manages money for big investors like the states pension funds. They are and remain the 2nd largest money manager for the state at 3 billion, Folwell texted in response. Yes he mentioned that, Stith texted back. I think on reflection he wanted to add some thoughts to support your goals ... no rush. Whether that message is worthy of archiving might depend on whether that money manager continues to work for the state or if that role is expanded. Its really going to be fact-specific based on the content of the text message, said Jonathan Jones, a lawyer and open government advocate who heads the North Carolina Open Government Coalition. Hes not a texter Among the fastest state agencies to provide a response to the coalitions requests was the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Thats because of the habits of Commissioner Steve Troxler, a tobacco farmer turned politician from Guilford County. Hes not a texter, said Brian Long, the departments spokesman. That said, if Troxler ever does start using text messages, Long said they would be fair game. We have had at least one previous request that specifically mentioned text messages among the records requested, Long said. Weve had numerous other public records requests that asked for communication or correspondence, and we have interpreted those as including text messages. How other departments responded varied. The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources provided one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly responses to the coalitions request for text messages from Kevin Cherry, who served as acting secretary for much of January. Of his nearly 30 text messages, most dealt with meetings, projects the agency was working on or questions about the weather. The departments responses included versions of the messages that allowed the reader to search for keywords. A separate document included with the request displayed the phone numbers and names of every person who texted with the acting secretary. Mark Johnsons staff transcribed the education superintendents text messages into a single electronic document. But most of those who provided text messages to members of the coalition did so by taking screen images directly off the officials phone, essentially creating a series of pictures that were more or less useful depending on how they were produced. The state Administration Department had trouble tracking down texts from Secretary Machelle Sanders or Acting Secretary Britt Cobb, who temporarily preceded her in the job. The Governors Office had to step in to help. No messages from Cobbs phone were provided. Images appearing to be from Sanders phone were produced more than a month after the coalitions initial request. The three images appeared to involve communications between Sanders and one other person. The produced messages offer no name, number or any description on who that other person is. Clearly, this is something government is wrestling with, and were working to help agencies comply with the law, said Noelle Talley, Coopers deputy communications director. Even Stein, who is adamant that text messages are public records, stopped short when asked about the identity of a lawyer with whom he had exchanged texts about a public schools case involving the state superintendent. While the law requires public officials to provide the records as they exist, he noted, it doesnt require the steps Natural and Cultural Resources took to fill in the blanks that might be left by those messages. No matter the details, Stein said theres no question that state agencies have to fulfill those requests, even if the technology to do it efficiently doesnt quite exist yet. When this first law was first written, it was in the 30s or the 20s of the last century. It was about a paper file, because thats how the world existed. We no longer live in a paper world. We need to figure out how we continue to live up to the aspirations of the law in a digital world. GREENSBORO In a statement today , U.S. Rep. Mark Walker (R-6th) condemned a KKK rally that is being planned to be held in Randolph County in May. I despise bringing any awareness to such despicable behavior; however, such hate needs to be rebuked," Walker said. "The KKK rally planned for May in Randolph County is a reminder of the hateful ideologies that exists within a minuscule group." The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which is based in Pelham, scheduled the event. The group's website said the event will feature speeches, dinner and a "crosslighting" at dark. The group has not announced an exact location for the rally, but its flier touts free parking, as well as no drinking, drugs or weapons. The rally will take place at 1 p.m. and is for "whites only," the website states. The Scriptures state 'anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. This darkness is saturated in ignorance, denying that God has created every man, woman, boy and girl uniquely with exceptional skills and talent. The rally may be constitutional, but this group's message and legacy are an affront to our core value that all people are created equal. I would hope the people of North Carolina reject this behavior not with violence, but with actions that represent genuine love for all in our community," stated Walker in the release. The city of Asheboro denounced "the message of hate and division advocated by the Ku Klux Klan and its affiliates" in a news release Sunday. The people of Asheboro have worked too hard to unify our community to let an outside group come in and spread racist views without raising our voices loudly in protest, stated Mayor David H. Smith in the release. They may have a right to peacefully assemble, but we also have a right to object at the top of our collective voice. Asheboro City Manager John N. Ogburn reports that no applications have been received by the city related to the event. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Recent columns by conservative pundits run down our public schools with a new talking point: Our schools are supposedly awarding fraudulent diplomas because students graduate without acing the standardized tests. Readers might be surprised to know that private school achievement test scores are quite similar to public schools. Furthermore, respected studies have repeatedly confirmed that any private school advantage in test scores (which is slight) disappears when adjusted for the demographics of the student populations. Poverty, of course, has the biggest impact. Google U.S. private school vs public school achievement test scores. If we are to take this notion at face value, then private schools are awarding just as many fraudulent diplomas as public schools. If these schools are to be given taxpayer dollars, they should publish their standardized test results and student demographics so we can evaluate them fairly. Of course, there is no such requirement in North Carolina, and voucher advocates are adamantly opposed to applying any accountability measures to private schools. One of my children is in private school, the other in public school. Both systems have great merit. Lets compare them honestly and transparently, using real data, not dishonest talking points. Craig Taylor Greensboro 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 Google Ad 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 GREENWICH A car driven by a Waterbury man, who stands accused of hitting a police cruiser and a police officer before he was shot, was stolen from Greenwich. Authorities said Monday that a number of cars stolen from Greenwich in recent days have been located in Waterbury, including a red 2010 Lexus SUV that Waterbury police were attempting to stop Thursday afternoon. The driver, Rashamel Rogers, 18, drove away from pursuers, then struck a Waterbury police vehicle, a telephone pole and a Waterbury officer who had exited his vehicle, according to police. Rogers was shot twice by an officer in the abdomen and shoulder, and he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. He was charged with numerous criminal counts over the weekend. The police in the west-central Connecticut city have been working on a rash of car-theft cases. We recovered several vehicles stolen from the Greenwich area, said Waterbury police Lt. Mike Slavin. Besides the Lexus SUV involved in shooting, Waterbury police recovered two other vehicles stolen from Greenwich late last week. They were unoccupied, Slavin said. Two other cars stolen from Fairfield County also turned up in the Brass City late last week. Greenwich police Lt. Kraig Gray said local authorities are working with departments around the region to target car thieves. Our detectives are coordinating with other jurisdictions, suffering similar larcenies, he said. Besides the stolen Lexus, a 2015 Audi S4 and a 2015 Audi A8 stolen from Greenwich were recovered in Waterbury, Gray said. A 2006 BMW stolen in Greenwich was recovered on Oval Avenue in Riverside. The police spokesman said the BMW appeared to be a drop car, a stolen vehicle used by car thieves to go in search of other cars to steal. While the investigation on a car-theft ring in Waterbury is ongoing, Greenwich police say there are other thieves who are active in the region, as well. We have other leads on other stolen vehicles, going in the opposite direction, toward New York and New Jersey, the Greenwich police lieutenant said. The stolen cars have been easy to take their owners have left keys or ignition-starters inside the unlocked vehicles. Make sure you dont leave the keys to your car inside your vehicle, Gray said. Connecticut State Police are handling the investigation of the Waterbury police shooting. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com GREENWICH Tuesdays blizzard is expected to wreak havoc with town school and government schedules and it has also claimed an event scheduled for Wednesday. The Retired Mens Association of Greenwich announced on Monday that its regular Wednesday meeting and speaker would be cancelled due to the expected heavy snowfall. The RMA was set to feature Catherine Onyemelukwe, author of the memoir Nigeria Revisited, My Life and Loves Abroad, speaking about the 24 years she spent in the African nation starting as a Peace Corps volunteer and then for the United Nations. Spiced chicken with white sweet potato. Photo: Liz Clayman Hey, you guys are at my table, one of the grand publishing executives quipped a couple of weeks back as my guests and I sat down to dinner at Danny Meyers much-anticipated reboot of Union Square Cafe, which opened not long ago in unnervingly spacious new digs on lower Park Avenue. The old restaurant on 16th Street used to be famous as a kind of club for members of the downtown literati, and it wasnt quite clear whether the publisher, who was at the next table, was joking or actually wanted his old table back. Either way, you had to admire the Meyer genius for creating the brand and customer loyalty that began with that quirky Off Broadway production more than 30 years ago. Yes, the famous menu had been slightly tweaked for this more-mainstream debut, and the barn-size space, on 19th Street, was clearly designed for a much larger audience. But like fans at the latest revival of Cats, the die-hard regulars didnt seem to care. They were still jockeying for the best seats in the house night after night. Unlike on Broadway, revivals tend to be a tricky business in the restaurant world, where the casts in the kitchens come and go, and its almost impossible to re-create that organic sense of intimacy and place that makes a restaurant special to begin with. But Meyer and his team do a diligent job of sprinkling some of the old magic fairy dust around the set of this more populist production. The floors of the double-height room are covered in finished cherrywood, just like in the old joint, and the original 80s-era artworks (a Frank Stella print, those zany watercolors of bowls of fruit) adorn the walls. Like the old space, the new one has two levels, although the mezzanine includes rows of tables, private dining rooms, and a second, more intimate bar, which is built for dining, like the one downstairs, and has been fashioned with wood salvaged from the iconic bar on 16th Street. Union Square Cafe. Photo: Jemma Hinkly/New York Magazine Dining at that famous 16-seat bar was one of the central pleasures of the original, of course, and it amplified the pleasures of the restaurant, which fused big-city sophistication with a clubby, insider spirit that made you want to return for that tuna burger (or Bibb-and-oakleaf salad, or fried calamari with anchovy mayonnaise) again and again. That feeling is gone forever in this new neighborhood, in this much larger cruise ship of a space, although Im happy to report that the tuna burger I sampled one afternoon at the bar upstairs actually seemed to taste better than the original (instead of roughly chopped tuna, the patty is shaped from tender slices of yellowfin). So did the calamari (its tossed now with scallops and snapper and shingles of roasted red pepper) and the ritual pre-meal chunk of bread (a sweet, chewy filone on my visits), which benefits from the presence of the restaurants first-ever in-house baker. Like tuna burgers, in-house bakers arent much of a novelty these days, but Carmen Quagliata, who ran the kitchen at the last restaurant, does a good job of preserving the familiar sensibility of the original Mediterranean-themed menu while reworking it in a variety of subtle, newfangled ways. You can now enjoy a crostone decked with ribbons of pleasingly smoked duck breast with your Bibb-lettuce salad, along with one of the better Italianate iterations of steak tartare (grandly titled Sushi del Chianti al Modo di Panzano) in this tartare-mad town. Thanks to a larger staff in the much larger kitchen, many of the artful, carefully worked pastas seem to have an extra ingredient or two, although the most successful ones tend to be simple classics, like wonton-thin tortelloni I sampled one evening, which were brought to the table floating in a bowl of golden Heritage-chicken broth threaded with bits of Swiss chard. Lobster ravioli with Meyer-lemon butter. Photo: Liz Clayman Red snapper with puntarelle and chickpeas. Photo: Liz Clayman This kind of old-fashioned comfort, artfully done, is one of the foundations of the Meyer vision, of course, and it shows up in the larger entree dishes, many of which are sturdy enough to send even the most experienced fresser off for a long digestive nap. Thats a nice-looking shank, one of these fressers said as we eyed a substantial, well-braised joint of lamb, garnished with a platoon of roast potatoes and a generous wad of bright, freshly made salsa verde. The de rigueur Union Square pork rack (with shell beans, apples, and kale) was also impressive in its quality and size, although if youre a little weary of de rigueur pork chops cooked in the Tuscan style, like I am, try the chicken instead (its spiced with cumin and chile peppers over slices of sweet potato), or the delicate red snapper, which is served with puntarelle and crushed chickpeas and enlivened with a few drops of orange-flavored chile oil. Will this stolid Danny Meyer production keep the regulars in their seats while spreading the updated joys of the original show to a new audience? A few of the die-hards at my table werent so sure, although judging by the throngs who milled about the big hall on my visits, the venture (which will soon be joined by a traveling company in Washington, D.C.) is off to a good start. Like much of the new menu, the dessert list is built with comfort, sophistication, and repeatability in mind. If youre feeling wistful for the old days, Id recommend the panna cotta, preferably at lunchtime, at the little bar upstairs. Newer options include pumpkin-bread pudding and a nice banana tart, although the one to get is the chocolate-pecan tart, which is flavored with bourbon, layered with chewy deposits of caramel, and served with a crowd-pleasing scoop of coconut ice cream on the side. Buttermilk panna cotta with oat crumble and clementine sorbet. Photo: Liz Clayman Chocolate-pecan tart with maple-bourbon jam and coconut ice cream. Photo: Liz Clayman Rating: 2 stars Union Square Cafe 101 E. 19th St., at Park Ave. S.; 212-243-4020; unionsquarecafe.com Ideal Meal: Mackerel crudo or Panzano beef tartare, tortelloni or lobster ravioli, spiced chicken or red snapper, chocolate-pecan tart. Note: The quality of hospitality and service is as high as ever in this latest Danny Meyer no-tipping establishment. Open: Dinner daily; lunch Monday to Friday; weekend brunch. Prices: Appetizers, $13 to $21; pastas and entrees, $18 to $46. Scratchpad: No, you cant go home again, but you get points for trying. One star for the familiar, well-executed lunch menu and another for dinner. *This article appears in the March 20, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. Beware of chefs gun. Photo: Google A chef is facing criminal charges after he shot and killed a burglar who broke into his restaurant outside the city of Milan, and now the locals have responded by booking every table in the place. According to Italian media, Mario Cattaneo stands accused of voluntary manslaughter, a charge that carries a minimum prison sentence of 21 years, though the 67-year-old claims he did it purely out of self-defense. Cattaneo argues he was asleep in his apartment above Osteria dei Amis early Friday morning, heard noises below, and grabbed his hunting rifle. Downstairs he found three intruders he says some sort of skirmish occurred, and his gun accidentally discharged in the process. It went off when I fell to the ground, he told reporters. One of them was trying to grab the gun off me and he dragged me along for several meters. It was dark and I didnt see what happened. He claims he didnt know anyone even got hit by the bullet until he was at the hospital being treated for his own injuries. His small restaurants sudden popularity isnt from rubberneckers so much as people apparently protesting what they believe is an out-of-line formal investigation. Activists who think Italys gone soft on crime are using Cattaneos charges as a reason to change Italys laws they argue he should be able to invoke self-defense and walk and theres reportedly even an ally of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi footing his legal bills. Media say Cattaneo showed back up to cook again yesterday, and an estimated 70 people poured in for a packed lunch. Unfortunately, the police report could complicate things in court slightly: It says the burglar was shot in the back, and that his body was found 100 yards away from Cattaneos restaurant. Groups are calling on women to shop at locally owned, female-run businesses. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Tesco, Englands largest supermarket chain, is facing a boycott, after its chairman John Allan told a group of conference-goers that white men are becoming an endangered species in corporate boardrooms. Also, his timing was outstandingly bad he did it last Thursday, the day after International Womens Day. Allan, whos been in charge of Tesco for two years now, says the context was that he was at the Retail Week Live conference, talking to a bunch of aspiring non-executive directors, many of whom were women, and he felt they could use some encouragement. So he addressed the female minorities in the room, and pointed out how swell life is for them in the year 2017. For a thousand years, men have got most of these jobs, the pendulum has swung very significantly the other way now and will do for the foreseeable future, he reportedly began, then added: If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard. According to the Guardian, he later said those comments were made tongue in cheek. He was in fact attempting to highlight the progress made by the industry in promoting people who werent white males, though maybe hed done this in a pretty dumb way. Whatever he meant to say, its fair to say the reaction was swift and severe: Tesco chairman complains white men are endangered species at board level. Poor loveshttps://t.co/P4Izqe05Ta Here's the Tesco board pic.twitter.com/xbBMoglF1c Simon Hattenstone (@shattenstone) March 11, 2017 Says the man who chairs a board of eleven, eight of whom are white men.....!!! No words. https://t.co/ZHUtl1aCsM Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) March 10, 2017 More evidence of white men being an endangered species in Tesco's boardrooms pic.twitter.com/FI9ZovPzSo Ann Parker Mahon (@ParkerMahon) March 11, 2017 Tesco board directors all white 8/11 men. Women make majority of grocery purchases. Time to shop elsewhere @tesco https://t.co/a4g3zCUVX9 Women's March London (@womensmarchlon) March 11, 2017 A spokesperson for Womens March London says their group found Allans gaffe extraordinary, in part because women make the majority of grocery purchases in the U.K., and therefore represent a powerful force that someone like Allan, in particular, should probably sweat alienating. The Guardian gave him another chance to address the controversy over the weekend, but he stopped short of apologizing. He said hes pretty sure the conference-goers had enjoyed his colorful turn of speech, and understood that he was being humorous and a bit hyperbolic. Long before Huawei partnered with a legendary German camera brand, Nokia put Carl Zeiss-branded lenses on its phones. A recent Tweet led people to believe that partnership will not carry over to the HMD-made phones, but now theres a glimmer of hope. It turns out that was a mistake - the tweet only meant that the current Nokias (6, 5 and 3) do not have Zeiss optics, not that new phones definitely will not have them. Of course, thats not the same as confirming that they will, even though the tweet ends with a tantalizing stay tuned. @baris_gunel Hi, our current range does not have Carl Zeiss, which is what this tweet is referring to. Stay tuned for more announcements Nokia Mobile (@nokiamobile) March 9, 2017 If Zeiss does partner up with Nokia/HMD, the first child of that union will likely be the upcoming powerhouse of a phone scheduled for June. Source | Via These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Samsung has started rolling out a new update to its Galaxy S5 Neo smartphone. Arriving as firmware version G903FXXU1BQC1, it's a security update that brings along Android fixes for the month of March. There's currently no information what other changes (if any) the update brings along. It's currently only hitting unlocked units in Europe (the Netherlands to be specific) - carrier branded variants should get it soon as well. Via Vertu is a brand famous for its handmade phones with extraordinary design and tremendously high prices. Now the company changed its ownership for the third time since Nokia built it in the 90s specifically to cover a niche for devices with ostrich leather casing and titanium frames. The new owner is Hakan Uzan, a Turkish millionaire currently in exile and seeking an asylum in France. Hakan Uzan is the latest owner of Vertu after he paid 50 million or about $61 million to Godin Holdings, previous owners of the phone company. He is controversial for his court cases against Nokia, Motorola and his brother is currently in exile for being a political opponent to the Turkish President Recep Erdogan. The brothers also faced another court attack from US President Donald Trump after they backed out of a property deal in Trump Tower. Via a spokesperson, the new owner said to The Daily Telegraph: I look forward to working with the team and providing the investment to enable Vertu to realize its full potential. Former owner Godin Holdings sold Vertu just 18 months after the acquisition from a private equity firm EQT which paid Nokia around 175 million. Vertu is still struggling to answer the already flooded smartphone market. The company made a loss of 53 million on sales of 110 million, its auditor revealed in April 2016. Source | Via Haiti - Security : Jovenel Moses dismayed President Jovenel Moise, dismayed by the terrible accident that occurred on Sunday, March 12, in Mapou, at the northern entrance to the city of Gonaives (Artibonite), where a truck from Cap-Haitien successively struck 3 rara bands expresses his deep sadness. The provisional assessment prepared by the Directorate of Civil Protection is 34 dead and 17 wounded including several seriously https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20343-haiti-flash-terrible-road-drama-in-gonaives-at-least-34-dead.html "The Head of State conveys, on behalf of the Government, his sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims of this too much drama on our ational roads. President Moise , while urging road users to be vigilant, calls on the competent authorities to investigate as soon as possible to shed light on the tragedy." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20343-haiti-flash-terrible-road-drama-in-gonaives-at-least-34-dead.html HL/ HaitiLibre Kat Jamieson is an author and tastemaker who has been sharing her passion for lifestyle topics such as fashion, decor, travel, and cooking since 2011 on her blog: With Love From Kat. Her first book, Blended, was recently released in October. In this book, Kat shares a seasonally inspired and holistic approach to cooking, as well as her take on entertaining and living well. She shares more than 125 recipes that have helped her to feel energized, vibrant, and balanced. Aside from these nourishing recipes, Kat also discusses how she has obtained a truly balanced and... Published on 2017/03/12 | Source Actor Lee Dong-wook held '2017 Asia Tour in Seoul' on the 12th. Advertisement The event was held at the Seoul Blue Square Samsung Card Hall with 1,500 fans. The fan meeting was 3 hours long. The opening was greeted by Shin Dong-yup, Bae Jong-ok, Joon Park (g.o.d), Seol-ah, Soo-ah and Dae-bak. Lee Dong-wook appeared on stage singing Zico's "You me, me you". Fan went crazy at his appearance. Lee Dong-wook then revealed that he was going to be the MC for his own fan meeting. He then progressed on with various events he prepared for the fan meeting. He acted out certain scenes with his fans and made their wishes come true as well. He walked up and down the first and second stories of the audience and got close and personal. So-yoo, Gong Yoo and Jo Se-ho made appearances. So-yoo sang the "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" OST "I Miss You" and Gong Yoo appeared on stage, reviving a scene from "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God". Jo Se-so, a good friend of Lee Dong-wook's was a pleasant character on stage and Lee Dong-wook even revealed his abs for his fans. Lee Dong-wook participated in most of the steps for the fan meeting. He joined in several meetings to make up the program and made sure everything was perfect. Not only that, for those who couldn't make it, Lee Dong-wook revealed the show through Naver V App. He also presented fans with snacks and make-up. Meanwhile, from April onwards, Lee Dong-wook will be going around Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2017/03/12 | Source Park Bo-gum met with 4,000 fans in Seoul for the 2016-2017 Asian Fan Meeting. Advertisement The fan meeting was held on the 11th and Park Bo-gum appeared saying, "I missed you". He revealed pictures he took from various cities and discussed his experiences with fans from other countries. In the second part of the show, Park Bo-gum dressed up as Harry Potter and made fans go crazy. Then he became a baker and made cake for his fans. Then he handed out more presents to fans during game time. In the third part of the show, he was a DJ and communicated with his fans. Guest appearances were made by Kwak Dong-yeon who brought flowers and matching shirts. Cha Tae-hyun and Lim Ju-hwan came later and said they were worried about Park Bo-gum because he was too nice. After the fan meeting, Park Bo-gum made a speech and said, "I thought I prepared many things for you, but I'm sad this is the end. I won't let you down and I hope we always respect each other". Park Bo-gum started his tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December of 2016 and went around 8 cities in different countries for the last 3 months. IRLI Files Brief in Hawaii Lawsuit to Defend the President's Executive Order Preserving America's Security and National Sovereignty Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States News Release from Immigration Reform Law Institute WASHINGTON, March 10, 2017 -- Today, the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a federal lawsuit brought by the State of Hawaii to challenge as unlawful President Trump's new Executive Order (EO) temporarily freezing the issuance of visas to certain previously designated terror-risk nations. The President signed the EO on Monday, which is scheduled to take effect March 16. In the case of State of Hawaii v. Trump, the State is seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the EO's implementation. A hearing on the State's request is scheduled for March 15. Hawaii alleges that the new EO violates, among other things, the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause by disfavoring Islam, the Equal Protection Clause by discriminating on the basis of religion and/or national origin, nationality, or alienage, and the Due Process Clause by restricting travel and depriving liberty interests without a hearing. Also joining Hawaii in the lawsuit is Ismail Elshikh, Imam of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, who alleges that the EO inflicts injury on Muslims in Hawaii, including his family and members of his mosque. In its brief filed today, IRLI urged the court to deny the plaintiffs' request for a TRO. IRLI showed the court that the plaintiffs not only grossly misunderstand immigration law, but their complaint is based in deep historical illiteracy and a serious disrespect for the sovereignty of the American nation. IRLI called the court's attention to at least seven distinct provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that authorize the President to implement the EO. Unsurprisingly, Hawaii's new complaint fails to deal with these provisions, mentioning one such provision only once and in a cursory fashion. Dale L. Wilcox, IRLI's Executive Director, commented, "More than a hundred years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court stated, 'The right to exclude or to expel aliens, or any class of aliens, absolutely or upon certain conditions, in war or in peace, is an inherent and inalienable right of every sovereign nation.'" Wilcox continued, "In our constitutional system, Congress has been delegated plenary power over immigration. It has enacted many statutes over decades that restrict alien-entry based on nationality, religion, and ideology; none of which Hawaii's lawyers bother to deal with here. Through those statutes, Congress has given the President broad authority to control the entry of aliens into the United States who he deems detrimental to our interests." Wilcox commented further, "Judicial review over presidential action taken pursuant to that power would not only create giant obstacles to the elected branch's power over our nation's borders, but would also severely burden the federal courts. The TRO should not issue and the case should be dismissed as lacking merit." The brief can be found here: LINK UPDATE March 13, 2017: Trump Admin Motion Against TRO ---30--- RELATED: Australia Post staff are claiming they continued working around the dead body of one of their colleagues for hours at a Sunshine Coast warehouse. Staff are alleging that the deceased employee basically had a blanket thrown over him after he suffered what was believed to be a heart attack on an overnight shift. Police and ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after 3am and police confirmed a 49-year-old man was "deceased at the site". One Australia Post employee, Chris Nitschke, took to Facebook to express his disgust. Employees kept on working around his dead body until 6am when the undertakers came, he wrote. If it was our superior who had a heart attack and died, the whole place would be shut down, but cause he is just a bloody hard working, struggling-to-make-ends-meet truck driver, no one cares. Come on, whats this world we live in shame on them. Another employee said witches hats were "placed around the body and people were told to carry on working". "They didn't see it as important enough to stop work," she said. "It is really horrific. It is the most degrading, horrible thing for this man and his family. "Then to distress the other people in the warehouse. They all know each other, they all knew this man." HC contacted Australia Post for comment and a spokesperson said "our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the contractor's family and friends". "We recognise this is a difficult time for our staff at the facility and have encouraged employees to access our free, confidential Employee Assistance Program for support. "We can confirm none of our employees were forced to work on Thursday morning as this very sad situation unfolded. All proper processes were followed and Police were involved immediately." Australia Post workers who were on the shift have since been offered support by Communications Union. (HedgeCo.NET) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged two former executives with masterminding a fraudulent scheme to steal millions of dollars through phony expense reimbursements, inflated invoices, and other improper accounting tactics. The SECs complaint alleges that iPayments then-senior vice president of sales and marketing Nasir N. Shakouri and then-executive vice president and chief operating officer Robert S. Torino routinely reimbursed themselves for payments that were never actually made to third-party vendors using their personal credit cards. They also allegedly conspired with vendors to inflate invoices and receive kickbacks from the overpayments, and claimed improper commissions and bonuses related to other corporate funds they improperly diverted in various ways. The SECs complaint also charges three other iPayment executives Bronson L. Quon, John S. Hong, and Jonathan K. Skarie with participating in the scheme and helping Shakouri and Torino falsify books and records to hide the thefts of corporate funds. Quon, Hong, and Skarie were allegedly rewarded for their assistance with misappropriated iPayment funds. As alleged in our complaint, these executives manipulated iPayments internal accounting systems, lied to the external auditor, and caused approximately $11.6 million in losses to the company, said Sanjay Wadhwa, Senior Associate Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California today announced criminal charges against Shakouri and Torino. The SEC is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties as well as officer-and-director bars. Finland, he believes, must continue to exercise wage moderation and take action to reduce unit labour costs if it is to catch up with its key rivals, such as Germany and Sweden. Veli-Matti Mattila, the chairman of the board at the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), has touched off a flurry of irate responses from trade unions by estimating that the wages of employees remain 1015 per cent too high in Finland. The competitiveness pact was a step in the right direction, but it alone will not suffice to navigate the country back on the right course, Mattila stated in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday. The competitiveness pact is a tripartite labour market agreement that lays out measures to reduce unit labour costs such as waiving wage hikes, increasing annual working time and re-distributing social security contributions between employers and employees and covers more than 90 per cent of employees in Finland. Mattila himself earned roughly 1.66 million euros in 2015, 70 times more than the average income recipient in the country, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Jarkko Eloranta, the chairperson of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), warned that calls for continuing wage moderation will only complicate the upcoming round of sector-specific collective bargaining talks. The labour market climate is becoming tenser, and moderation has been thrown to the winds, he tweeted on Sunday. Katarina Murto, the head of lobbying at the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK), similarly estimated that such demands will undermine the attempts to promote local bargaining. Jorma Malinen, the chairperson of Trade Union Pro, suggested that trade unions may have made a mistake by consenting to wage moderation, as it seems to have resulted in employer organisations becoming ever greedier. Mattilas statements also provoked a response from several members of the opposition on Sunday. Maarit Feldt-Ranta, a deputy chairperson of the Social Democratic Party, reminded that the welfare state was originally founded on a spirit of consensus and co-operation. Everyone understands how bad-off wage earners would be, if everyone had to negotiate their terms and conditions of employment independently. The 100-year-old Finland must not regress to a state where daily work is auctioned at the gates of ports and factories to those who consent to the worst terms, she stressed. Anna-Maja Henriksson, the chairperson of the Swedish Peoples Party, drew attention to the importance of promoting local bargaining, removing labour market testing for foreign employees and unnecessary red tape, overhauling the family leave system and investing in occupational well-being in reforming the labour market. Demands for lower wages seem a simplified approach that does not promote the spirit of co-operation that is required to improve the countrys employment situation, said Henriksson. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Im firmly in favour. This is exactly the direction in which education should be developed, he writes in his blog . Jan Vapaavuori, the mayoral candidate of the National Coalition Party in Helsinki, has voiced his support for a proposal to introduce foreign language instruction to the curriculum as early as in the first year of basic education. Helsinkis Education Committee has similarly voiced its support for the proposal tabled by Mari Holopainen (Greens), a councillor for the City of Helsinki. The Education Committee reminds that early-age language teaching has been shown to promote the ability and motivation of pupils to learn foreign languages. Yet, it adds, no more than 13 of the 76 Finnish-language primary schools in the city are currently offering foreign-language teaching to pupils before the third grade. Studies have shown that the best results in foreign language learning are achieved when the learning has begun before the age of nine years, it says in its statement to the Helsinki City Board. The Education Committee also acknowledges that the proposal would create additional costs by increasing the hours of instruction for first and second-grade pupils from a minimum of 19 to 21 weekly lessons per year. The annual cost would be approximately 2.5 million euros for Finnish and Swedish-language schools, it estimates. Vapaavuori points out that foreign language skills are important especially to the residents of small language areas, such as Finns. If we are intent on providing our children with the best possible capabilities for their lifes journey, we cannot overstate the importance of language skills, he says. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Mikko Stig Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi A GIRL with a space obsession is in the running for a national award after making her own film about astronaut training. Aurelia Wesbroom, five, from Binfield Heath, created the three-minute film using her mother Katharines mobile phone after being inspired by real astronaut Tim Peakes adventures. The youngster, who wants to follow in her idols footsteps when shes older, will walk the red carpet with her family when she attends a star-studded gala at the Odeon in Leicester Square for the Into Film Awards. The budding film-maker was nominated for her film Aurelias Astronaut School in the into space and home 12 and under category , for which young film-makers were encouraged to make short films inspired by Peakes mission. In the introduction to astronaut training, Aurelia gives a number of lessons, including how to fit into small spaces, practising maths, being able to float in space and getting used to the dark. She will attend the ceremony, which will be hosted by TV and radio presenter Edith Bowman, with her mother, father Adam, sister Rosanna and brother Rafe on Tuesday. She said: Im really , really happy. It was loads of fun being an astronaut for my film. I liked bouncing on the trampoline best and learning how to make my rocket pictures move. I wish I could be a real astronaut and make films in space about everything I see there. Aurelia, a pupil at Checkendon Primary School, has been enthralled by all things space since 2015 when she saw the space shuttle Endeavour while on a family holiday to California. Since then she has followed the voyage of Peake to the International Space Station. Mrs Wesbroom said: It was funny just seeing her mind blown really. It obviously sparked something that the shuttle had been out to space and we were in there quite a long time looking at it. That tied in nicely with Tim Peakes little mission. The family watched clips from Peakes trip on YouTube and on social media and when Aurelia started school she began studying space as a topic. A space-themed fifth birthday party followed in October. Mrs Wesbroom said: Tim Peake was promoting the Into Film competition. He said if you love space and youre aged between five and 19, why not make a film and enter this competition? We started to try and piece together bits and pieces of film. Aurelia was really enjoying telling her friends about space at school and decided she would quite like to be a space teacher. It started with doing one or two little bits and what can we tell people about astronaut training. Shes convinced that going to school is astronaut training. She has even come home complaining there wasnt enough maths! Aurelia made the props and narrated the film and was helped with the editing by her mother. Mrs Wesbroom said: It was the first time shed been let loose on my smart phone. Most of it was filmed in the house and theres a clip at school. There was a lot of footage. I didnt really want to edit it too much because at the end of the day its supposed to be her film. The reason its so wobbly is my son was on my lap and we dont have a tripod! Aurelia sent her film in before the closing date and soon discovered her film had been nominated. Her mother said: It was disbelief really. I got this email through and was thrilled. Aurelia leapt all over the kitchen when we told her. Shes just starting out and having a go and I think that enthusiasm is coming across. I think its a really good learning exercise for her to see what these other children have achieved. It has sparked a bit of an interest for her in films. Im a huge believer in the value of exposing children to lots of different experiences and topics and Into Film, through this competition, have done precisely that and sparked an entirely new interest for Aurelia. Aurelia, whose film was shown at a school assembly on Tuesday, says she is excited about her trip to London. She said: I want to be an astronaut and make films about stuff I find in space like Tim Peake did and to go to the new solar system. Into Film is supported by the BFI through National Lottery funding and its ambassadors include Eddie Redmayne and Naomie Harris. The awards, now in their third year, honour youngsters who have shown exceptional achievements in film-making or film reviewing and educators who have demonstrated inspirational use of film in the classroom. Into space and home is a new category for this year and supported by the UK Space Agency. The awards will be judged by a panel of industry leaders including actors, directors, producers, screenwriters and visual effects experts. You can see the video here: CAMERAS with automatic number plate recognition software are set to be introduced at the car park at Townlands Memorial Hospital in Henley. The move is designed to stop drivers abusing the parking spaces at the new 10 million hospital. It follows complaints that staff and patients with appointments at the hospital are sometimes unable to find a parking space because shoppers are using the car park. The scheme will also cover the neighbouring Chilterns Court Care Centre and the car park for the Bell and Hart GP surgeries but will work slightly differently for the latter. For the surgeries anyone with an appointment can enter their vehicles registration details at reception and will be given 90 minutes of free parking. There will also be a 15-minute grace period for drivers dropping off or picking up other people. Fines of up to 100 can be issued to those who overstay their time allowance or fail to provide their details. The scheme, which could be in place by the end of this month, will be administered by Smart Parking, which also runs the car park at Mill Meadows, which is owned by Henley Town Council. Despite the new scheme, the surgeries have warned that the parking spaces should be reserved for those most in need. A leaflet says: The surgery car park does not have enough spaces for all our patients to park and therefore it is reserved for those who are disabled, frail or acutely unwell. Able-bodied patients should park elsewhere. The rules for the hospital and care home will apply to their car parks only and patients will not be able to use the surgeries spaces. Details of the scheme are still being finalised by NHS Property Services, which is responsible for the site, but it will not involve charging. A company spokesman said: We continue to work with Amber Infrastructure, NHS partners, the adjacent GP practices, local residents and a parking contractor to finalise arrangements for a new parking management system at Townlands Memorial Hospital. The aim of the system is to ensure patients can find a space at the hospital and park for free. Full details will be provided as soon as arrangements are confirmed. Meanwhile, the hospitals new rapid access care unit is now seeing patients. The unit was originally due to open in March last year but this was delayed by the need to convert the first floor, which was built according to the original plans for an 18-bed ward. It offers services such as antibiotic treatment and transfusions and is operating alongside a minor injuries unit, podiatry, outpatient services, physiotherapy and out-of-hours GP services. Patients can be referred to the unit by their GPs. There are also up to 11 beds for use by the unit at the care centre. Health chiefs revealed that nobody was referred to the unit on its first day in January. Christine Hewitt, head of urgent care at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said this was not unexpected and it would need some time to build up momentum. The unit has treated several patients since but Oxford Health was unable to provide specific figures. One of the first to be treated was Olive Cummins, who lives near Henley. She said: The service is absolutely top class. When you have any queries you only have to ask and they are answered. I would recommend this service to anyone. Kirsty Blee, who is clinical lead for the unit, said We hold ourselves to the high standards which patients and families expect and weve already had some really positive feedback. Were just a few weeks in and I can genuinely say it has been really rewarding working in the unit. It makes the teams day when people tell us how weve been able to help and that theyd recommend our service. A PATISSERIE and cafe in Henley has closed but could be taken over by a rival. Maison Blanc shut on Wednesday last week and the blinds were drawn at the premises at the junction of Duke Street and Hart Street. It follows months of uncertainty over its future. In November the Henley Standard reported that the cafe was one of 13 Maison Blanc branches involved in a strategic review being carried out by the owners together with the companys production facility in London. Maison Blanc is part of Kout Food Restaurants, which is owned by the Kuwait-based Kout Food Group. Property agent Davis Coffer Lyons carried out the six-week review, which also involved six outlets in London as well as those in Oxford, Farnham, Burford, Winchester, Guildford and Chichester. It is understood that staff were told about the review but it was not clear at the time whether any outlets that were felt to be surplus to requirements would be sold or closed. However, earlier this year it was reported that the owner of Patisserie Valerie was in talks to buy the chain and was nearing a deal. It is believed Patisserie Holdings is interested in the 13 Maison Blanc sites and discussions are at an advanced stage. The company currently has 180 outlets in the UK, operating under five different brands: Patisserie Valerie, Druckers Vienna Patisserie, Philpotts, Baker & Spice and Flour Power City. There is a Patisserie Valerie outlet in Henley market place. Maison Blanc was created in 1981 by Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc but he is no longer part of the business. The Henley outlet opened in 2009 at the former site of the Toni & Guy hairdressing salon. A PR company representing Maison Blanc refused to comment on the closure or the future of the Henley branch. FRIENDS of the murdered MP Jo Cox want to stage a community event in her memory in Benson. Adrian Lovett, who knew Mrs Cox for about 15 years, and his wife Steph plan to hold a community picnic or barbecue on June 18. The couple, who live in Brook Street with their daughter Ellis, 15, and son Harry, 14, have received the support of Benson Parish Council. Mrs Cox, a Labour MP and mother-of-two, was shot and stabbed to death in Birstall, West Yorkshire, where she had been due to hold a constituency surgery, on June 16 last year. Five months later, Thomas Mair was jailed for life after being found guilty of her murder. Mrs Cox had been head of policy at Oxfam when she met Mr Lovett and she chaired the all-party parliamentary group Friends of Syria. Mr Lovett, 47, said: For some of us who knew Jo this is a nice way to remember her and I think she would be proud of it. But for all of us its living the way she lived, which is to be open to everybody and to enjoy the fact that were different but also we have a lot in common. What [her husband] Brendan has asked everyone to do this year is to bring people together, not just to remember Jo, but to live in the way she tried to live. The core idea is we all have more in common with each other than that which divides us. Theres a lot of positive energy surrounding Jos memory that her friends and family want to channel. The whole point is actually about our neighbourhoods and our neighbours so I thought lets do something in Benson. Thats where weve lived for the last seven years and its a great place. Theres a lot of great people here but we probably dont see enough of them. This is a great chance to get together, get to know each other more, have some fun and enjoy some food together and perhaps well be a little closer as a result. Maybe if theres enthusiasm for it we can get some music and dance groups in Benson involved. Mr Lovett, who is the interim chief executive of One, an international campaigning and advocacy organisation, became friends with Mrs Cox when they worked together at Oxfam in the early 2000s. He said: She was head of the policy team when I was head of the campaign team. She was incredibly warm from the first time I knew her. She was small but wore very high heels. My wife said shes about five inches taller than her actual height because of those fabulous heels! When she got married me and my wife and kids went along to the wedding. She and Brendan were family friends. I last saw her about February or March last year. I popped into the House of Commons and we had a cup of tea and a slice of cake in the canteen. Obviously you never know the significance of these occasions until something terrible happens. We had that lovely hour or so and then in June we got that awful news. Jo was facing quite a lot of tough stuff in terms of people not liking what she was doing with Syrian refugees and so on but she was incredibly positive. I remember her going off to Darfur for Oxfam in about 2006 and taking David Cameron before he was Prime Minister and Andrew Mitchell to show them what was going on. It was when things were really desperate in that part of the world. It was clear she was determined to make sure they saw the reality on the ground that she had seen in many other places but was particularly tough at that time in Darfur. She came back with a real sense of pride that she had been able to do something which very few could do show people who have political power the difference they can make by their decisions. I saw David Cameron a few weeks ago and he was reflecting on that same trip and remembered it and Jo well. Mr Lovett has not found a venue for the community day. He said: What we need to do in the next few weeks is have a little meeting and get everyone together who might be interested in helping and see what ideas people have. Although Steph and I knew Jo, this is really not just about her. It is about all of us and how we can celebrate and make new friendships and build the community. To get involved with the event, email moreincommon benson@gmail.com A homeless man waved his fists at gardai when they came to remove him from a hostel for being aggressive towards staff, a court heard. John Garfield (52) was arr- ested over two disturbances he caused at the same inner-city hostel, in which he also hurled abuse at other residents and passers-by. Judge Alan Mitchell gave him a two-month suspended sentence and told him he must continue taking prescribed medication. Garfield pleaded guilty to public intoxication and using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour to cause a breach of the peace. Dublin District Court heard the first incident happened at the Back Lane hostel in Dublin 8 last June 12. The accused was staying there and, at 12pm, he became aggressive and threatening towards staff. Gardai were called and told him to leave. Outside, he became abusive again to staff, members of the public and other residents. He was very intoxicated and was arrested. Convictions In the second incident, last November 26, gardai were again called to the hostel, this time at 11.50pm. They met staff, who said the accused had been extremely aggressive. He began shouting abuse at the gardai and waving his fists in front of them, the court was told. He was given an opportunity to stop and failed to do so, a garda said. The accused had 12 previous convictions, the most recent of which was in 2005. Garfield had been in Back Lane for a year-and-a-half without incident, his solicitor Ciara Hallinan said. He had stopped taking his medication around the time of the incidents. Judge Mitchell said a probation report on the accused was positive. He suspended the sentence for a year on one of the breach of the peace charges and took the rest into consideration. Under the suspension, Garfield must keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The judge said he must also take all prescribed medication. "Because if he doesn't, it's more than likely that he will commit more offences," he added. A judge told off a young woman for "smirking" in his courtroom after being told she was caught with almost 1,400 of cannabis in her bedroom. Shaunie Bergin (23), of Adare Drive, Coolock, Dublin 5, appeared before Swords District Court. Judge Dermot Dempsey asked if she was smirking at her friends when her solicitor was telling the court her client wasn't working. The solicitor told the court her client was nervous about being there. The court heard Bergin was caught weighing nearly 1,400 of cannabis on a scales in her bedroom. Raided The defendant claimed she was influenced by her partner at the time to become involved in drugs, the court heard. Bergin, who has no previous convictions, made admissions to gardai when they raided her home during a drugs search. She pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis for sale or supply on September 11, 2015, at her home. She further pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the drug on the same date. Gda Janice Gray gave evidence that she searched the house at 10.45pm and found the defendant in the "top bedroom weighing cannabis on a scales". She said the cannabis was worth 1,380. Gda Gray agreed with defence solicitor Fiona D'Arcy that the defendant was monitored for a time after the incident and had not come to garda attention. "She was being influenced by her then partner," said Ms D'Arcy. When the solicitor told Judge Dempsey that the defendant does not have a drugs problem and is not working but is hoping to get a job as a receptionist, the defendant turned around and smirked at her friends, who had accompanied her to court. When Judge Dempsey asked her what was she smirking at, she claimed she was not smirking, to which the judge remarked: "I'll put a smirk on your face." He warned her she had better change her attitude. Ms D'Arcy explained that the defendant was nervous about being in court. Ordering a probation report, the judge adjourned the case until May for the Probation Services to assess Bergin's suitability to complete 240 hours of community service work in lieu of three months in prison. Father Brian D'Arcy says the Tuam and Grace scandals should "fill us with disgust and lead us to hang our heads in shame". The outspoken priest asked how Ireland "can establish a pro-life culture if this is how we treated the most vulnerable mothers and babies". Writing in his column in yesterday's Sunday World, the cleric told readers he visited the Tuam site in recent days to see it for himself. "It left me shocked, numbed and very angry. The problem was - and still is - I didn't know where to direct my anger. Blame "Saying 'blame the nuns' is an easy option. The people who ran the Mother and Baby homes, including the nuns, did much great work. "But what happened to their sense of decency and common sense when they disposed of dead babies in a septic tank? "There is no justification for that. Why was it that none of those brave carers and nuns shouted stop? "It went on for years. It's hard to imagine none of the nuns thought how cruel, how demeaning, how wrong it was to show such disrespect to dead babies and their distraught mothers. "It makes a mockery of all the other, good work they undoubtedly did. "This was a time when religion ruled (all religions) and when governments acted as moral guardians. It is often referred to as the 'good old days'. "If this is what religion meant in the good old days it's no wonder there is so little of it around now. "Those responsible must take their share of the blame. But what about the local parishes and communities? What about the local politicians? What about the families who treated their daughters so cruelly? Decided "There were many who knew and decided to say nothing. "How can we establish a pro-life culture if this is how we treated the most vulnerable mothers and babies? "It was plain that society decided that babies within marriage were more important than babies born outside of wedlock." Fr D'Arcy said Irish society today has much to answer in relation to the Grace scandal. "How do we protect the vulnerable today? How do we care for the vulnerable today? "I hope all the facts about both tragedies will be known soon and I hope both Church and State will face those facts with humility, compassion and some real repentence." Fr D'Arcy first spoke about the Tuam tragedy in 2014, when historian Catherine Corless made available her research into the home. In September last year, the priest told Hot Press magazine that Irish women travelling to England for abortions should be helped with the costs of repatriation in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities. He told the magazine he has had "countless conversations" with mothers faced with the heartbreaking decision of having to travel to England for a termination. "I have sat with mothers, night after night after night. I have always said to mothers, 'Whatever you choose is the right choice'," he said. "I always say that to mothers. My own view is that we should try to save all lives." He insisted his views are still "pro-life". Freedom of speech is a privilege. We need to treat it that way. Powerball numbers for Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 Here are the winning Powerball numbers and results for the lottery jackpot drawing on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. HICKORY The Hickory City Council will hold a joint meeting with the Bond Implementation Commission on Monday to discuss some issues related to the city's bond projects. The meeting comes after several city council members expressed concerns for a sculpture design planned for the gateway at the interchange of U.S. Highway 321 and U.S. Highway 70 at the council's regular meeting Tuesday. The gateway projects are intended to mark important points of entry into Hickory. Interim City Manager Andrea Surratt presented the design that the bond commission had decided on for the U.S. Highway 321 and U.S. Highway 70 gateway: A sculpture of two separate leaves meant to be an "abstract representation of Hickory leaves. Other designs considered included artistic versions of the letter "H." The leaf sculptures would be 30 feet tall at the highest point and would be made of glass and steel. LEDs would also be incorporated into the design to provide light at night. The gateway work would cost $250,000, including landscaping and inspections, Surratt said. Some council members expressed concerns that the leaf sculptures did not represent Hickory well. Well, Im just a little disappointed with the leaves, Councilman David Zagaroli said. I dont know what they mean to Hickory, other than that we have trees and leaves. Mayor Rudy Wright said he felt people would not connect the sculptures with Hickory in a way that is memorable. It doesnt evoke Hickory, Wright said. That person from Utah, when they get back to Utah, theyre never going to remember that. Surratt said design firm Amec Foster Wheeler could come up with some other ideas for consideration. Another issue was whether or not the various gateways should have a unifying visual theme. I think our gateways need to sort of stand on their own, and I think they serve different purposes, too, Councilman Brad Lail said. The joint meeting will be 4 p.m. Monday at city hall. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ The race for government formation in Manipur doesnt seem over yet. After BJP met Governor Najma Heptullah on Sunday night to stake claim, Congresss incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh too went to the Raj Bhawan late at night. Singh, who had been elected Congress legislature party leader earlier in the day, told reporters that he requested the Governor to allow his party, the single largest with 28 MLAs, to form the government and prove majority on the floor of the House. I am hoping the Governor will do justice, he told journalists at a press conference held close to midnight. Earlier, Congress MLA from Andro, T Shyamkumar had gone to the Raj Bhawan with BJP leaders and assured support to a government led by the saffron party. Ibobi, however, claimed there has been no defection yet. There are intense speculations in Imphal that more than a dozen Congress MLAs might switch over to the BJP as they are unhappy with Ibobi getting elected as the CLP leader again. Congress, which had 42 seats in 2012, saw its tally slip to 28, three short of the majority mark, 31, required to form government in the 60-member assembly. The BJP, which had not opened account five years ago, got 21 seats. The numbers game still favours BJP as the party has got support of four MLAs each from Naga Peoples Front and National Peoples Party besides the lone Lok Janshakti Party legislator Karam Shyam. With Congress rebel T Shyam Kumar and the only All India Trinamool Congress MLA, T Robindro also joining the BJP camp, its number reaches 32. The Congress is yet to get any support from others. The saffron party will hold a meeting of its legislators on Monday to elect a legislature party leader and also decide on the swearing in ceremony. On the other hand, Congress is trying to hold its MLAs together and holding talks to reach the required numbers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With both BJP and Congress staking claim to form the next government in Manipur, all eyes are now on the Raj Bhavan here as to who would be invited first. The saffron party had met Governor Dr Najma Heptulla on Sunday night and presented a list of 32 MLAs. Few hours later, incumbent Congress chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh also went to Raj Bhavan and staked claim. This is the toughest task the 76-year-old Governor faces since assuming office in August last year. A former Congress leader who was the longest serving Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha, Dr Heptulla had joined BJP and was minister for minority affairs in the Modi government before resigning last year. The Manipur numbers game Congress 28 BJP 21 NPP 4 NPF 4 LJP 1 AITC 1 Independent 1 Though Congress is the largest party, it doesnt have the numbers. On the other hand, the BJP has the support of smaller parties and has 32 MLAs. In this scenario, the Governor could invite BJP first, said Prof Bimala Khetri, a political commentator and former Dean of School of Social Sciences. Since Congress is the single largest party with 28 MLAs, Ibobi says they should be invited first to form the government and majority should be decided by a floor test in the House. I am hoping that the Governor will do justice, the 69-year-old, who has been at the helm in Manipur since 2002, told journalists. The BJP, which came second with 21 seats, has the written support of four MLAs each from Naga Peoples Front and National Peoples Party and also the lone Lok Janshakti Party legislator. Congress MLA from Andro, T Shyamkumar, and the only All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) legislator T Robindro Singh have also extended support to the BJP, taking their tally to 32, one more than the required 31 to form the government in the 60-member assembly. Both legislators had gone to the Raj Bhavan with BJP leaders and allies on Sunday night. There are speculations that the lone Independent MLA Ahsab Uddin may also join the BJP camp. The Congress is yet to cobble up support and despite denials of any defections, there are intense speculations that over a dozen party MLAs may rebel and switch sides. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Winning and losing are part of any democracy but nobody could have foreseen that voters in the 2017 assembly elections would declare their verdict in such a resounding manner. The BJP has scored such an incredible victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that even its leaders could not have imagined this. The way the Aam Aadmi Party was routed in Punjab was also something beyond what most people had anticipated. Let me begin this column by talking about the BJP. In 2013, when Amit Shah initiated the process of expanding the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh, who would have thought that the party will win 72 seats in the Lok Sabha, leaving all other parties gasping for breath. Now consider the results of March 2017. The miracle of 2014 is repeating itself. Shah looked at politics with a new perspective. He knew the minorities wont vote for his party. Therefore, not even a single Muslim was given a ticket. Similarly, he knew that the Jatavs among Dalits and the Yadavs among the backwards had already made up their minds. So, he diverted all his attention to non-Yadav backwards and non- Jatav Dalits. For the first time in the history of Indian politics, an election that was fought keeping in mind 70 per cent people has proved so rewarding. The credit for this landslide victory also goes to Narendra Modi. Almost three years into his tenure, he hasnt let even a stain of corruption taint the governments record. It is Modis magic that the voters confidence in him hasnt been shaken despite the hardships faced by them owing to demonetisation. He drew huge crowds wherever he went and people clung on to what he was saying. Shortly after he made the remark about shamshan and kabristan, I was visiting the villages around the site of the public meeting. Even as the analysts were squirming, the voters were swearing by him. When he spent three days in Varanasi, the traditional political experts began questioning him. The people have given a thumping response to all these questions. Now let us discuss the Samajwadi Party. The election results have proved that Akhilesh Yadavs hard work has proved futile. Even along with the Congress, the party could not win 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The family feud, the division of the Muslim vote, the Congresss bad performance, the delay in ticket distribution and the absence of booth management can all be blamed for their performance. The struggles for Akhilesh Yadav do not end here. His uncle Shivpal Yadav opened a new front against him even before the results were out. He is analysing the verdict as a defeat for the SPs arrogance. His supporters are saying a few big decisions will be taken shortly. If Akhilesh manages to weather the challenges from within and without, with determination and resoluteness, he will prove to be the most promising leader in Uttar Pradesh. A discussion on Mayawati is needed here. Her graph has been falling since 2012. Now she is shifting the blame of her loss on to electronic voting machines. But she is losing a grip on her core voters and her political magnetism is on the wane. Clearly Mayawatis views and politics need an overhaul. Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party will have to do a rethink on its strategy. They fought the elections in Punjab with a lot of sound and fury. On Saturday morning, when the election results were about to be announced, Arvind Kejriwals residence in Delhi resembled the setting of a grand Diwali celebration. AAPs associate Kapil Mishra was loudly proclaiming on television that a new peoples hero is about to emerge. One hopes that in the future, the seniors of the party will focus on big deeds rather than making tall claims. Finally, let us talk about the Congress party. It is true that Punjab has prevented a loss of face for the oldest party in the country, but it lost Uttarakhand. The Congress met the same fate in Uttarakhand as the BSP in Uttar Pradesh. Although, it had become the single largest party in Goa and Manipur, victory or defeat in these two states has a limited impact on national politics. Obviously, for Rahul Gandhi, the road to reviving the Congresss lost glory is long and hard. The verdict of March 11, 2017 has given rise to the slogan Modi Naam Kevalam (Just chant Modis name) and given a resounding defeat to the entire Opposition. The challenge before the prime minister now is to deliver on his promises. At the same time, the Opposition which is on all fours has to gather the confidence to return to the wrestling ring. With the elections in Gujarat and Himachal round the corner, both sides will have very little time to put their plans into action. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan They were considered a critical chunk of votes in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, a bloc that would sway the outcome of the elections one way or the other. But as results poured in from the two largest states that went to the polls, it became clear that Dalits were neither a monolithic group nor voted en-masse for one party. The scheduled caste community in Punjab backed the Congress that swept to power with a near-two thirds majority after a string of atrocities and lack of jobs eroded Dalit support for the Akali Dal. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP stormed an overwhelming number of reserved constituencies on its way to the largest mandate in almost four decades, belying predictions that the Dalit community would stay away from the saffron party. Data from reserved constituencies in both states indicated that Dalits had voted on state-specific issues and based on the appeal of leaders such as Congress Amarinder Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of any pan-India narrative. The results from Uttar Pradesh also exposed various fractures within the scheduled castes. But one common theme across the two states was the collapse of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which was decimated in Punjab and only held on to its core vote in Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, the Congress won 20 of the 34 reserved constituencies while the Akali Dal-BJP secured just four seats. In the Dalit stronghold of Doaba where the community has more than 40% population in each of the 23 seats, the Amarinder Singh-led party won 14. Despite appointing a Dalit party chief in Vijay Sampla, the BJP failed to make any dent. The Aam Aadmi Party picked up 10 reserved seats in the Malwa region, where it had deployed all its resources. The Dalits voted out Akalis for the high-handedness of their goons, be it the fight for lands in villages or attacks on them, said Dalit intellectual Des Raj Kalli. The results in Uttar Pradesh were just the opposite. The BJP and its allies won 75 out of the 85 reserved seats and the BSP ended up with just two. The saffron partys impressive showing was attributed to both Modis personal popularity and BJP chief Amit Shahs careful consolidation of scheduled castes other than the Jatavs, who are known to be loyal to BSP chief Mayawati. The BJP conducted more than 200 meetings with the most-backward castes and in the process, hinduised them, writer and entrepreneur Chandrabhan Prasad told Hindustan Times. BJP leaders credited Modi for the inroads into the Dalit votes, a remarkable turnaround considering the saffron party won just three reserved seats in the state the last time. But experts also blamed the BSP. Kalli said in Punjab, voters were disillusioned and didnt consider the BSP a viable alternative anymore. In UP, Prasad underlined Mayawatis inability to add to her core Dalit vote the Jatavs who form around 11% of the state. The BSP has to start appealing to the most-backward castes and expand its base, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Manohar Parrikar is set to take oath as the chief minister of Goa on Tuesday after the Bharatiya Janata Party cobbled a coalition to form a government in the state even as the Congress cried foul. Parrikar resigned as defence minister on Monday. I have tendered my resignation as defence minister and have sent it to the PMO. I will be taking the oath (as Goa chief minister) tomorrow evening, along with the cabinet ministers, Parrikar told PTI. The size of the cabinet is yet to be decided. The decision on the number of ministers and other issues are being currently worked out. Once the cabinet is finalised, we will inform the media, Parrikar said. Goa governor Mridula Sinha invited Parrikar to form the next government after he submitted a letter of support from 21 legislators on Sunday. The BJP, which came second by winning 13 seats in the 40-member assembly managed to garner support from other parties and Independents to attain majority and derail the Congress, which had emerged as the largest party with 17 seats. Three MLAs from the Goa Forward Party, three from the MGP and two Independents have pledged their support to Parrikar. The lone NCP MLA was also claimed to have extended support. As the BJP check-mated the Congress, the grand old party was left fuming. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram accused the BJP of stealing elections in Goa and Manipur, saying a party which came second had no right to form the government. A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 13, 2017 Another Congress leader, Digvijay Singh, who is in charge of Goa, lashed out at the BJP, suggesting that the party misused money to subvert democracy. Money Power has won over Peoples Power. I apologise to the People of Goa as we couldnt muster the support to form the Government (sic), he tweeted. Money Power has won over People's Power. I apologise to the People of Goa as we couldn't muster the support to form the Govt. digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 13, 2017 But the Congress leadership came under fire from the Goa legislators, a development that indicated all was not well in the party. A group of Congress legislators said they were upset and blamed the top leaders for the failure to form the government. I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time, said Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency. He said gross mismanagement by party leaders and the delay in choosing the Congress legislature party (CLP) leader hurt them. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. The Congress had also started informal talks with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday. Congress lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte, who represents the Taleigao constituency, said, Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government. Senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco too said the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. Why should we blame someone for forming the government when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number, Lourenco said. Muslims will get representation in the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, though the party did not field any candidate from the community in the state assembly elections. The party got an unprecedented mandate on Saturday in Indias most populous and politically crucial state, winning 312 seats in the 403-member assembly. The plan to induct a Muslim minister is aimed at reaching out to the community that is not known to be a BJP vote base. The BJPs outreach is driven by its assessment that a section of Muslims, especially women and youth, has embraced Prime Minister Narendra Modis development agenda and happy with the partys stand against triple talaq. If (a Muslim) MLA is not there, an MLC (member of legislative council) will be there there will be Muslim representatives in the government. Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu said in an interview to HT on Sunday. Read: Full HT interview with Venkaiah Naidu The former BJP president plays a key role in the partys decision-making process. The partys poll campaign hinged on a blend of development issues and Hindutva rhetoric, aimed particularly at its traditional support base. Induction of a Muslim minister would help expand its social base and shed the perception of being a Hindu right-wing party. In 1991, then BJP chief minister Kalyan Singh had brought Muslim leader Aizaz Rizvi into the legislative council and appointed him a minister. His daughter, Seema Rizvi, was appointed a minister in another BJP government led by Ram Prakash Gupta in 1999. Naidu, who also holds the information and broadcasting portfolio, defended the absence of a Muslim on the BJPs list of 383 candidates in UP, a state of 220 million people in which about 18% of the population are from the religious minority group. It was a weakness, not a mistake. We could not find suitable candidates confident of winning; whom the party thought could win. He said a section of Muslims supported the BJP in the polls. Because of the triple talaq issue, Muslim women, especially younger women, voted for us. The BJPs victory in Deoband, home to one of the biggest Islamic seminaries in the world, appears to endorse his opinion. Election Commission data show the BJP won 31 of the 42 seats where Muslims comprised a third of the electorate. Fatima Sana Shaikh, who was seen in Aamir Khans superhit Dangal, has dismissed reports of teaming up with the superstar again for his next film Thugs of Hindostan. There were reports doing the rounds that Aamir had recommended Fatima for Thugs of Hindostan which also stars him and Amitabh Bachchan and that the actress also signed on for the film.When asked about it, Fatima said, What should I say? All I know is that a film named Thugs of Hindostan is being made. Fatima said although she is not doing the film but hopes she gets offer from the makers. I am not playing any role (in Thugs of Hindostan). If I get it then good. Someone please give me a role in that film I want to do Thugs of Hindostan. She was talking on the sidelines of Zee Cine awards 2017, where she was accompanied by her Dangal co-star Sanya Malhotra. I have not signed anything yet. Hopefully I will do something soon.. I miss acting, Sanya said. Follow @htshowbiz for more Several Bollywood celebrities such as Abhishek Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan and Shraddha Kapoor, wished a colourful Holi to their fans and urged them to play the festival of colours in a safe and eco-friendly manner. Apart from extending vibrant greetings, stars also shared their favourite childhood Holi memories and emphasised on the innate significance of the celebration. Abhishek Bachchan wished his fans a happy Holi. The Bachchans are not celebrating Holi this year as Aishwarya Rai Bachchans father is hospitalised. Amitabh Bachchan also wished his fans. May the Holika burn away all your sorrows and evils. #happyholi A post shared by Abhishek Bachchan (@bachchan) on Mar 12, 2017 at 10:46am PDT T 2461 -" The quieter you become the more you can hear. "~ , .. HAPPY HOLI pic.twitter.com/ExPOtZmZJO Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 12, 2017 Saif called for a subtle yet bright Holi and said the festival holds a special place in his heart. Holi used to be the most fun, colourful and festive celebration of the year in my childhood. Now, we have mellowed (it) slightly... Environmental awareness and the shortage of water leads to a slightly more responsible attitude... And I look forward to a bar-b-que by the pool, a bit of colour and a nice family day!! Happy Holi India!! Have a blast!! (with non-permanent colour please!!), said Saif. Sharing one of her dearest Holi memories, Vidya said, Having bhaang without knowing it was bhaang and then laughing all day. This was I think when I was 16. Balan said her favourite Holi song would be definitely Rang Barse. When you think of Holi, you think of that song. Shraddha said, Holi has always been a special time for me and my family. Everyone is together, a day filled with food, fun and family. As harmony and brotherhood go hand-in-hand with the theme of Holi, actor Irrfan Khan emphasised that people should forget all their differences and immerse themselves in the riot of colours. Make mockery of all your social programmings, get rid of all chhaap, tilak, play with colours till you lose your identity. Holi hai #HappyHoli, Irrfan wrote on Twitter. Commando 2 actor Adah Sharma also took to the micro-blogging site, where she asked people to abstain from troubling street dogs by putting colours on them. On behalf of all the stray dogs (yes, Im their official spokesperson)... This Holi, colour your hair red... Not your dogs! Enjoy #happyholi, wrote Adah alongside a video clip. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur posted, #Holi is also a festival of love. Celebrates the Divine love of Krishna for Radha. Let colours of love splash all over the world. #happyholi While Juhi Chawla gave advance greetings, by tweeting a colourful poster which read Happy Holi. Amit Sadh, who is currently in Gulmarg, told PTI his only message on Holi is to do something different, be with your loved ones, surprise yourself and do something adventurous. Vivek Oberoi wrote, Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Holi! May God bless you with colours of love and happiness! Have fun, play safe and keep it dry #Holi. Gurmeet Choudhary said, I would like to wish my fans and well-wishers a happy and colourful Holi. But, at the same time I would urge them to play safe and enjoy the festival. Indian Idol host Karan Wahi said although he does not play Holi, he hopes those who celebrate the festival dont go berserk wasting water. TV actress Asha Negi said this time she is in no mood to party on Holi as she wants to make the festival a family affair by celebrating it with close ones and lots of food. Actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar are in Delhi this year for the shoot of their film Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. And the Dum Laga Ke Haisha jodi will be celebrating Holi in the Capital. Ayushmanns wife, Tahira, and kids daughter Varushka and son Virajveer, are going to be with the actor too. We will be getting some time together. They will be staying in the same hotel as me and we will have our own little thing, says Ayushmann. Bhumi says though she is away from home this year, Holi has always been a big deal in her family. Holi for me was a lot of water balloons and pichkari. It did not include a lot of colour as our parents did not want us to be drenched in colour. But as we grew up, that changed. We would start playing Holi two weeks before the actual date. We would aim and hit people with water balloons. That was the highlight of our day. There would be children playing downstairs and we would throw buckets of water at them. Holi has really colourful memories, says Bhumi, adding, I have heard so much about how Holi in Delhi is epic, and I am so looking forward to it. Ayushmann says Holi has become more civilised for him ever since he joined Bollywood. In my college days we used to go crazy and would play Holi in my college hostel with my friends. We used to use eggs, mud, grease, paint everything! And the colour would not go off for three weeks. Now, its become better. That is not the way you should celebrate Holi, says Ayushmann. Besides colours, Holi also means binging on gujiyas and while Ayushmann wont mind trying some, Bhumi swears to stay away from them this year. Having a gujiya isnt a great idea since I am in between a film shoot. I couldve had it at home, she says. Follow @htshowbiz for more The limits on withdrawing cash from banks and ATMs end on Monday, four months after they were imposed following the demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, which created a currency shortage across the country. Ever since the governments surprise move to ban the high-value notes on November 8, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been gradually relaxing the limits. Last month, the central bank had issued a notification saying that the withdrawal limit of cash from savings bank accounts will be relaxed to Rs 50,000 from February 20 and there would be no restrictions from March 13. However, Indias leading private banksHDFC, ICICI, Axishave decided to charge Rs 150 for cash deposits and withdrawals after four free transactions in a month. These charges were stopped briefly after the government scrapped the high-value notes in November. HDFC, ICICI and Axis banks will calculate the fee aimed at reducing cash dealings at the rate of Rs 5 for every Rs 1,000 transacted or Rs 150, whichever is lower. HDFC and ICICI sources said the fees will be applicable to transactions outside of home branches. Both banks define home branch differently; HDFC defines it as the branch where an account was opened while ICICI defines it as any branch within the city of the account. On the fake new currency notes, Gandhi had said the recent ones that have come to notice are photocopies of currency which can be easily identified by the common man. The new notes have enhanced security and design features, and are not easy to copy, he said. A 27-year-old student of JNU allegedly committed suicide due to depression in south Delhis Munirka area on Monday evening. Krish was a student of MPhil in JNU. No suicide note has been found till now, police said. Till now it hasnt been found that the extreme step was taken by the student owing to any issues at the university, said a senior police officer. He is said to have been depressed for some time over some personal issues, he added. A PCR call was received at 5.05pm that a person had locked himself in a room at a house in , said a senior police officer. On reaching the spot, police forced open the door and a young man was found hanging from the ceiling fan. The crime team was called to the spot and the scene was inspected and photographed. He had come to his friends house this afternoon to have food. He said he wanted to sleep and went to a room and locked himself inside. Later his friends called him out and on getting no response, they called the police, he said. Actor Samuel L. Jackson, who stars as army Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard in the adventure film Kong: Skull Island, wasnt too pleased with the amount of bugs he encountered whilst filming around Hawaii, Australia and Vietnam. He said: We were in different locations; we shot in Hawaii, Australia and Vietnam so we explored all kinds of jungle. We got introduced to lots of different kinds of bugs that we didnt appreciate. They pretty much kept us as uncomfortable as they could. We stayed hot, we stayed muggy and we stayed buggy but the locations were beautiful, especially Vietnam. Vietnam was almost otherworldly. Jackson praised his fellow cast members - which includes Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson - and the CGI team who worked on creating Kong for creating some pretty out of your seat moments. Samuel L. Jackson who as army Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard in the adventure film. (Reuters) He added: Weve got a great cast of people ... The human element was great. So for us, we always knew we could pull off our jobs; it was about them being able to create these believable and fantastic things that are attacking us whilst were out there. Theres some pretty out of your seat moments in it. He previously opened up about seeing a rainbow every day whilst filming in Hawaii. He said: Some scenes youd look at it and go, ah that was a beautiful place and then some scenes youd go, oh it was so miserable that day. ... But every day in Hawaii we had rainbow which was fine. Whilst his co-star Larson added: Over the course of six months we dealt with every type of weather - so theres like one scene every time I look at , Im like, That was 120 degrees I remember we were all dying and other scenes I remember it hailing and being freezing cold but it all looks the same scene. Follow @htshowbiz for more President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted the resignation of Manohar Parrikar, who stepped down from the defence ministers post on Monday ahead of taking oath as chief minister of Goa on Tuesday. The Rashtrapati Bhavan released an official statement saying, The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Manohar Parrikar, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. Shri Arun Jaitley shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) March 13, 2017 The president, acting on Prime Minister Narendra Modis advice, assigned the charge of the defence ministry to Arun Jaitley, who is also the finance minister. This will be the 64-year-old Jaitleys second stint as defence minister. He was also appointed defence minister in 2014 when the Modi government came into power. Jaitley headed the ministry for a few months before Parrikar who was then the Goa chief minister, was appointed as defence minister. Goa governor Mridula Sinha invited Parrikar to form the next government after he submitted a letter of support from 21 legislators on Sunday. I have tendered my resignation as defence minister and have sent it to the PMO. I will be taking the oath (as Goa chief minister) tomorrow evening, along with the cabinet ministers, Parrikar told PTI. The BJP, which came second by winning 13 seats in the 40-member assembly, managed to garner support from other parties and Independents to attain majority and derail the Congress, which had emerged as the largest party with 17 seats. Scores of DMK workers including, party MP Kanimozhi, were detained on Monday for holding protests outside ration shops across the state demanding adequate supply of commodities. Party Working President and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly MK Stalin had announced the protest saying commodities were not properly available in ration shops in the state. Kanimozhi, Rajya Sabha MP, was detained at Royapettah, police said. Scores of DMK workers, including MLAs, former Ministers and senior leaders were detained in different parts of the state including at Chennai, Villupuram, Dindigul and Thiruvannamalai. Meanwhile, Stalin charged the state government with non-performance and warned of more protests. From ration shops to the state Secretariat, this is a government unable to perform. Therefore, DMK will hold more protests to remove it, he told reporters in Chennai. The BJP on Monday hinted that it might pick a relative greenhorn, rather than a party stalwart, for the chief ministers post in Uttarakhand where it recorded a landslide victory winning 56 of the 70 assembly seats. Battling the problem of plenty with as many as four former chief ministers in the partys ranks besides a crop of young and promising leaders, making a choice for the top job in Uttarakhand is indeed a daunting task for the BJP. BJP leaders here indicated that the choice will be made by the partys Parliamentary Board absolutely on the basis of the persons ability to deliver on the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of the state in the run-up to assembly elections. As a strong Modi wave is believed to have swept the party to an absolute majority in the state, whoever is finally chosen as the chief minister will have to deliver on the promise of clean and efficient governance made by the Prime Minister to the people of the state, a senior party leader said, requesting anonymity. The party cannot afford to take chances with a massive mandate like this. It has to meet the enormous expectations of people. And the sole parameter for choice of a chief minister will be his ability to deliver, tried or untried, old or new will not be much of a factor, he said. The inference gains credence primarily from Modis speech at the party headquarters in Delhi on Sunday where he said that even a lesser known elected representative who may not ever have made headlines could emerge as chief minister. Modi had also promised to people at an election rally in Uttarakhand in the last phase of campaigning that he will give them a good team which will perform under his direct supervision. However, while it is a million dollar question in Uttarakhand at the moment as to who would get the top job, names of quite a few probables are doing the rounds including those of former CMs Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna, besides Chaubattakhand MLA Satpal Maharaj, Doiwala MLA Trivendra Singh Rawat and Pithoragarh MLA Prakash Pant. Given Modis preference for relatively young faces, the contention of Khanduri, Koshiyari and Maharaj for the top office looks comparatively weak. However, Khanduris clean image and Koshiyaris deep RSS roots could work in their favour. Another factor that weakens Maharajs contention is that though his stature is big as he has also been a spiritual leader with followers in all sections, he is a new entrant to the BJP. Maharaj quit the Congress in 2014 to join the BJP. Though relatively younger, Nishanks contention is Though relatively younger, Nishanks contention is weakened by his not-so-uncontroversial image. But the Haridwar MP cannot be ruled out of the race as he is being credited for playing a significant role in ensuring outgoing Chief Minister Harish Rawats defeat from Haridwar (rural) seat. State BJP president Ajay Bhatt who piloted the party to a historic win in the state could have been a strong contender for the post being young too, but his defeat from Ranikhet appear to have dimmed his chances. In the given scenario, Doiwala MLA Trivendra Singh Rawat and Pithoragarh MLA Prakash Pant emerge as the two most favourites. Trivendra who was in-charge of the partys affairs in Jharkhand and is believed to have guided it to an impressive victory there and is known for his unflinching loyalty to the party and proximity to the party top brass. Prakash Pant, a former minister is also a relatively younger contender and considered a serious leader with a wealth of legislative experience. Yashpal Arya and Harak Singh Rawat are also tall leaders but they are new entrants to the BJP. Picking up from such a plethora of claimants for the top job may not be easy for the BJP, but one thing which is certain is that only someone who enjoys the confidence of Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will occupy the chief ministers office in Uttarakhand Two women labourers were killed and two other people were injured when they got trapped under a huge heap of mud at an under-construction site in Hyderabads Madhapur area on Monday, police said. The incident occurred around 10.15am, burying two women workers alive while two other workers -- both men --managed to escape with minor injuries. They have been shifted to a nearby hospital, they said. Four labourers were working on erection of pillars 40 feet below ground level for a commercial complex when a huge heap of mud (of the retaining wall) caved in and they got trapped beneath it, said deputy commissioner of police (Madhapur Zone) Vishwa Prasad. The deceased were identified as A Bharatamma (25), belonging to Nizamabad district, and P Kistamma (45), a native of Medak district, the DCP said. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination, and police were in the process of registering a case against the builder. Hyderabad mayor B Rammohan, who visited the spot, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 8 lakh each to the families of the deceased workers, out of which Rs 2 lakh will be given from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Rs 6 lakh from the labour department. The Pakistani troops on Monday fired along the Line of Control in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian side was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of unprovoked ceasefire violation in the last three days. Troops from Pakistan opened fire at four villages. There has been no casualty reported yet. On Sunday, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire in Krishna Ghati Sector in the same district. The Indian forces are retaliating strongly and the firing is still on. RSS bigwigs will take part in a crucial three-day meet from March 19 to chalk out the future plans of the Sangh and its allied outfits, in the wake of the BJPs impressive show in the recent assembly polls. Sangh Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat, who arrived in Coimbatore on Monday night, immediately left for the Amrita University, the venue of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha meet, RSS sources said on Sunday. The Sangh chief will be joined by RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyya ji Joshi and joint general secretaries Dattatreya Hosabale, Krishna Gopal, Suresh Soni and Bhaigaih on Monday night, they said. The annual meeting of ABPS, the highest decision-making body of the RSS, will start from March 19 and activities of all the organisations, including the ABVP, the Sevabharati, the Samskrita Bharati, the Vidya Bharati and the BMS would be submitted to it, an RSS press release had said recently. The outcome of the discussions, in which elected representatives of the RSS and state leaders will take part, will be put in the form of resolutions for ratification at the Sabha, to be attended by 1,500 members, the sources said. The leaders will hold discussions with senior RSS office-bearers from North, East, West and South zones (Kshetram) on March 18. The proceeding of the three-day Sabha, being held for the first time in Tamil Nadu in its 92-year-old history, will be jointly chaired by Bhagawat and Joshi. Various issues being faced by the country will be dicussed during the meet. BJP national president Amit Shah and Union minister Nitin Gadkari are among the top party leaders expected to attend the meeting on the last day - March 21, the sources added. In an attempt to stop Manohar Parrikar from taking oath as Goa chief minister on Tuesday, the Congress rushed to the Supreme Court on Monday against governor Mridula Sinhas decision to invite the BJP to form the government. The Congress is the largest party with 17 seats in the 40-member assembly but the BJP with 13 seats has managed to garner support from independents and other parties to attain majority. The governor has invited Parrikar, who resigned as defence minister on Monday, to form the next government after he submitted a letter of support from 21 legislators on Sunday. The petition filed by the Goa Congress Legislature Party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar has contended that the governor is duty bound to invite the largest party to form the government. Advocate Devdutt Kamat mentioned the petition before Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehars residence for an urgent hearing, which the CJI agreed to hold. A bench will assemble on Tuesday morning to hear the petition despite the court being shut for Holi vacations. Kavlekar said he was constrained to move the top court as the governor in a blatant unconstitutional act has invited the BJP, a minority political party in the state, to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony pursuant to the impugned decision of the governor is slated for Tuesday, he said, underlining the need to hold an urgent hearing of his petition. Constitutional convention enjoins the governor to call upon the single largest party in the first instance and prove its majority, the petition reads. The governors decision was in the teeth of well-settled constitutional convention and propriety as also the constitution bench judgements of the top court. The governor also breached the Sarkaria Commission recommendations, affirmed by the top court. The report outlined the constitutional convention to be followed in case of a fractured mandate. In a situation where no single party obtains absolute majority, the Sarkaria Commission provides for the order of preference the governor should follow in selecting a chief minister. As per the order the first preference should be given to an alliance of parties that was formed prior to elections. The largest single party should be given the second, while parties that enter the post-election coalition should get the third priority. From Modis vision for a new inclusive India to fireworks flying a day after counting day, heres a quick update of whats in the news: 1) Modis vision 2022: A new, inclusive India for poor, middle class, and women Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought in his moment of triumph on Sunday to redefine India and Indians, and assured that his government will work for everyone regardless of who they voted for in the five-state assembly polls. The Prime Minister explained his idea of a New India and Indians, saying it should be a country that offers opportunities to the poor. The election results are a foundation for a New India, he said and exhorted people to take a pledge to build it by 2022 three years beyond the NDA governments current tenure. Read the full story here. 2) Manohar Parrikar appointed Goa CM by governor, asked to prove majority after being sworn in Goa governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday appointed defence minister Manohar Parrikar as the states new chief minister. Parrikar has been asked to prove majority on the floor of the Goa legislative assembly 15 days after being sworn in, a letter issued by secretary to the governor, Rupesh Kumar Thakur, said. The letter, which said that Parrikar had submitted evidence of support of 21 MLAs before the governor, comes hours after Parrikar said he was willing to resign his from Union ministry post to take up the CM mantle. Read the full story here. 3) Captain Amarinder Singh to take oath as Punjab chief minister on March 16 The grand celebrations at the New Moti Bagh Palace on Saturday after Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh won the seat and the state on his 75th birthday were for the people of Patiala. The Congress is preparing for a grand Holi at Chandigarh today before Amarinder is formally sworn in as chief minister for the second time on March 16. Read the full story here. 4) Assembly elections: BJP gets the numbers, stakes claim to form govt in Manipur After day-long parleys and closed-door negotiations, the BJP cobbled up the numbers it required and staked claim to form the next government in Manipur on Sunday night. Newly elected BJP MLAs, accompanied by leaders of the National Peoples Party (NPP), met governor Najma Heptullah at the Raj Bhawan and handed over a list of legislators. Once it takes over, the BJP will lead the third government in the northeast region following Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Read the full story here. 5) Critics raise questions after Trump fires India-born attorney Preet Bharara Defiant to the end, Preet Bharara, the high profile Indian-born US attorney often called the Sheriff of Wall Street, refused to hand over his resignation, among the 46 sought by the Trump administration and announced he had been fired. While there were no indications his firing, or the others, had anything to do with any investigation linked to President Donald Trump, his campaign or aides, critics have sought details. Read the full story here. 6) Woman gangraped by BPO employees in Delhi jumps from first floor to escape Five BPO employees were arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a 30-year-old woman from Nepal. The woman told police that the men locked her in a flat in east Delhis Pandav Nagar and took turns to rape her in the early hours of Sunday. The woman reportedly jumped from the first floor balcony in an attempt to escape and suffered injuries. Read the full story here. 7) DU hostels bar girls from stepping out on Holi Delhi Universitys two hostels for girls have barred boarders from stepping out on Holi, drawing sharp reactions from students who termed the move as arbitrary. DUs International Student House for Women (ISHW) has said the decision was taken in the best interest of residents. An ISHW notice said Residents and female guests will not be allowed to leave or enter the premises from 9pm on March 12 till 6pm on March 13. Meghdoot Hostel issued a similar notice. Read the full story here. 8) I am convinced you have lost your mind, Jethmalani tells HC judge Karnan Noted senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani has written a scathing letter to justice CS Karnan of Calcutta high court, embroiled in a confrontation with the Supreme Court, calling him a lunatic and asking him to pray for pardon for every stupid action he has so far indulged in. Read the full story here. 9) Election results: Why BJPs sweep in UP could be ominous for Mamata Banerjee At the pinnacle of her political career, Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress boss Mamata Banerjee is a worried person after the election results in the five states. The comfort with which she can rule her state in the near and medium term future is related to how the states, particularly UP, voted. Read the full story here. 10) Assembly elections 2017: Only one name matters and that is Narendra Modi The credit for this landslide victory goes to Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. Almost three years into his tenure, Modi hasnt let even a stain of corruption taint the governments record. It is Modis magic that the voters confidence in him hasnt been shaken despite the hardships faced by them owing to demonetisation. The verdict of March 11, 2017 has given rise to the slogan Modi Naam Kevalam (Just chant Modis name) and given a resounding defeat to the entire Opposition. Read the full article here. In order to curb road accidents, the state government is ready to implement the Supreme Court order for a crack down on all establishments serving liquor within 500m of national and state highways. The government has identified more than 15,500 establishments liquor shops, bars and restaurants that will not be allowed to operate under the prohibited area from April 1. This would include a significant number of bars in Mumbai as the city has two highways Western Express Highway and Eastern Express Highway. The government is in a fix after Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi opined that the SCs order is applicable only for liquor shops and not for bars and restaurants. The government is hoping to get clarity on the issue from the SC on March 20 while hearing petitions from hotel associations. The SC on December 15 last year had ordered closure of all liquor shops along national and state highways across the country. The SC has also directed the state governments to cease and desist from issuing excise licences from March 31, 2017. The directives were issued while expressing concern over nearly 1.5 lakh deaths every year in road mishaps. It was believed the court orders were applicable not only to liquor shops, but also bars and restaurants that serve liquor. It is likely to hit hotels running in big numbers in along the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and the Western Express Highway (WEH), maintained by the MMRDA), a state-run body. The 23.55 km EEH connects the city with the eastern suburbs starting from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Chembur and stretched up to Thane, while the WEH helps in connecting eastern and western suburbs starting from Bandra to Dahisar. The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), which is also one of the petitioners in the Apex Court, has expressed apprehensions of big losses to the hotel industry because most bars will have to down shutters if they cant sell liquor. AHAR president Adarsh Shetty said more than three lakh people are likely to lose their job, while the financial losses to the industry would be around Rs 30,000 crore annually. However Rohatgi said the Supreme Courts order does not apply to bars and restaurants that serve alcohol along highways. The judgment categorically applied to liquor vends and not to other establishments serving liquor, he has said. The opinion was sought by the Kerala government after it was facing problem in implementing the courts order. This has put the state government in a fix over implementing the court orders. We are ready to implement the courts order. The government has identified around 15,500 establishments that will not be allowed to serve liquor from April 1 by taking a drive across the state. This includes liquor shops, bars and restaurants, said Pradeep Pawar, deputy commissioner (inspection) of the state excise department. He, however, said the Attorney Generals fresh opinion has created a kind of confusion. The state is now hoping to get some clarity from the Supreme Court on March 20 when it is likely to hear petitions from the several hotel associations on the matter. Of the 15,500 establishments identified by the state, more than 12,000 will be bars and restaurants that will be badly hit as they will not be allowed to serve liquor. In case of the bars, they will have to shut their business as their license will not be renewed, Shetty told HT. We are now hoping relief from the Supreme Court as majority of the establishments that will be affected with the decision are bars and restaurants only, Shetty said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even as lakhs of medical aspirants and their parents are rejoicing at the central governments decision to make common counselling compulsory for medical admissions, managements of deemed institutes in the state are pinning their hopes on the Bombay high court. A petition was filed by a group of Maharashtra-based deemed medical institutes in 2016, seeking the right to conduct their own rounds of counselling and admissions. The high court will hear the petition on Tuesday. A notification dated March 10 makes it mandatory to have common counselling, with no exemption to any institute government-run, private or deemed. It states that the amendments have been introduced to the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 and Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997. Counselling will continue to be conducted by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for all-India quota seats, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Since the inception of our dental institute, not once has a single seat gone vacant. However last year, after the state took control of admitting students to all deemed institutes, almost 80% seats were left vacant. We refuse to give the state power to admit students again this year, said a spokesperson for a Maharashtra-based dental institute on condition of anonymity. He added that while the latest circular by the Centre and the Medical Council of India (MCI) is worrying, they are hoping to retain their deemed status with the judiciarys help. We will go to any extent. If need be, to fight for our rights, he added. After a series of petitions filed by parents and medical institutes across the country, the Supreme Court in September 2016 regularised all admissions already done by the deemed institutes and allowed the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) in Maharashtra to fill up the remaining 350-odd seats through a common admission process. The Bombay high court refused to consider any petition by deemed institutes for 2016 and instead chose to bring better clarity for the next academic year. State government officials are positive that their case against the deemed institutes stands stronger with the latest notification. Last year, the Supreme Court had overruled Bombay high courts decision to allow deemed institutes to conduct their own rounds of admissions. And this year, with the latest notification also in our favour, I dont think the high court will go against the central governments decision, said Dr Pravin Shingare, director of DMER. Read: HC permits deemed universities to conduct their own admissions for MBBS, BDS courses SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The city woke up to both colours and thick black smoke emanating from the Holika Dahan or bonfires lit on Sunday evening. Air pollution saw a significant increase between Friday to Monday as the pollutant measuring indicator air quality index (AQI) moved from 75, falling under the good category, which also happened to be the cleanest air day in 2017 so far, to 315 on Monday, falling under the very poor category. AQI levels fell to 313, still under the very poor levels by Monday evening. AQI levels between 0-100, falls under the good category, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor and 301-above is very poor. When wood and other organic material is burnt, more than one gas is released. Other than carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), chemicals are produced, including one of the most potent greenhouse gases, nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Eight of 10 locations in Mumbai recorded very poor AQI levels with Mazgaon, Bhandup, Chembur and Malad recording the citys worst air quality. The two locations that recorded marginally cleaner air, but still fell under poor levels were Navi Mumbai and Borivli. The System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) research records AQI levels across 10 locations in Mumbai. Mumbai also recorded a sharp drop in night temperatures between Sunday night and Monday morning. The weather station at Santacruz recorded the night temperature at 15.2 degrees Celsius, almost 6 degrees Celsius below normal while Colaba recorded 21 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degree Celsius below normal. Officials from SAFAR attributed the rise in pollution to open burning cases as an additional factor to already existing meteorological conditions. Along with weather factors such as low wind speed and low temperatures, the additional factor of open burning led to the sudden rise in air pollution. This is a temporary condition and pollution levels will fall to the moderate category by Wednesday, said Gufran Beig, director, SAFAR. 750 Holika fires this year in Mumbai Holika Dahan are lit on the eve of Holi, symbolising truth prevailing over evil. Environmentalists said there were fewer Holika fires this year. We observed around 750 Holika Dahan bonfires across the eastern and western suburbs, but hardly any were seen in south Mumbai this time, said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation. Environmentalists suggested that bonfires should not be lit in every building and there should be community celebrations. In the city it makes no sense to have large fires as it will further deplete the already poor air quality. The smaller the fires the better through the idea of one symbolic community bonfire to reduce pollution, said Stalin D, director, NGO Vanashakti. South Mumbai residents said that the spike could have also been due to trash burning with the Holika. We saw one large community bonfire in Malabar Hill but the SAFAR data indicates that additional refuse might have been burnt that further deteriorated the citys air quality, said Indrani Malkani, managing trustee, V Citizens Action Network. Meanwhile, different departments from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai police were unware about the number of bonfires as permissions are not given by either authority during the festival. We will conduct a check in terms of tree hacking across the city, which we do after Holi every year. We will take strict action against anybody found cutting trees, said a senior official from BMC. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A tour operator faces arrest for allegedly cheating about 20 Kandivli-based women of Rs23.95 lakh on the pretext of arranging a tour of Dubai for them. The sessions court held that his conduct indicated criminal intention and thus rejected his anticipatory bail plea. A complaint registered with Kandivli police station states that the accused, Yogesh Boricha, organises group tours. He had allegedly organised tours of Kerala and Hyderabad for the complainants in the past. The women said Boricha asked each of them to pay him Rs55,000 to organise a tour of Dubai. The prosecution said Boricha was paid Rs23.95 lakh. He told the women that the tour would take place between January 24 and 28. On January 19, Boricha called the group to a hotel on the pretext of giving them details about the tour. However, he neither turned up nor answered the groups calls. The women approached the Kandivli police station, where a complaint was registered. Anticipating his arrest, Boricha filed a plea before the sessions court in Dindoshi, seeking protection. His lawyer said there were no documents to prove that Boricha was paid Rs23.95 lakh and that the allegations against him were false. The applicant has no criminal antecedents. Considering that he has been suffering from a kidney ailment, he should be granted anticipatory bail, said his lawyer. However, the prosecution said the women paid Boricha through cheques. The case diary shows that there were certain documents given by the informant to the investigating officer which indicate that the applicant runs a proprietory concern called Best Tours. The firms letterhead shows that some promise was made regarding Dubai. The letter acknowledges the receipt of Rs6 lakh. Thus, the advocates contention that the applicant received no more than Rs.2.60 lakh prima facie does not appear to be correct, said the judge. The applicant avoided answering the groups phone calls. This points to his intention to commit fraud and cheating. Read FD fraud: Mumbai EOW arrests father, son for duping more than 18,000 investors of 172 crore Two arrested for trying to dupe man by switching 2,000 note with 100 one in Mumbai Three men get five years RI for cheating gold trader of Rs2.35 crore in Mumbai SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Dharavi police arrested the caretaker of a nursing home for filming a 23-year-old woman while she was changing her clothes. The police said the woman came to the nursing home with her mother to take an X-ray of her injured hip. The accused, identified only as Amit, told her she would have to change her clothes for the X-ray to be clear. The woman was wearing a shirt and jeans. Amit told her that her buttons would create a disturbance inside the machine. He sked her to change into a hospital gown, said an officer from the Dharavi police station, who did not wish to be identified. The victim was suspicious the first time he asked her to change, but followed his instructions, added an officer. Amit switched on the video camera of his mobile phone and propped it up vertically inside the changing room. He then made the woman change her clothes four times, claiming the X-ray wasnt clear. This made her suspicious and she started searching the room. The woman found Amits mobile phone in the corner and saw that he had been recording her. She verbally abused and assaulted him. As he refused to tell her the password, she kept trying to unlock the phone herself. It subsequently got locked, said an officer. The police said the locked mobile phone has been sent to the forensic department. The police said they are awaiting reports to ascertain whether the accused had recorded other women too. The accused was booked under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced in a Kurla court and later granted bail. Read In Mumbai: 18-yr-old held for raping, uploading minors nude photos on social media SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An unidentified man was found shot dead in a narrow lane in Dharavi on Monday afternoon. The police were informed of the shooting around 12.50 pm. They found the man shot in the forehead and lying in a pool of blood. Investigations revealed that two shots were fired from a country-made firearm. According to the police, the victim is around 30 to 35 years old. The police said they did not find any documents in the mans pockets that could help them verify his identity. They suspect he may have been shot around noon in the lane near Milan Hotel. The police suspect that the assailants took the victims phone and other possessions after killing him. A woman returning from work saw the corpse and informed the police, said Suryakant Bangar, senior police inspector, Dharavi police station. The police were surprised by the lack of witnesses as the area is densely populated owing to a cluster of slums. There are no CCTV cameras in the vicinity. We are, however, checking the footage at nearby roads for clues, said a police officer. Police suspect that the victim may have ducked or resisted after he was shot at, which led the assailants to fire another round. We questioned local residents. However, nobody could provide us with information about the victim, said a crime branch officer. The police said they hope the victims relatives will approach them looking for him. A description of the victim has been circulated to all police stations in the city. The police registered a case of murder against unidentified people. The crime branch has started a parallel investigation into the matter. Read | Most unidentified bodies found in Maharashtra: NCRB While Mumbaiites were busy splashing and smearing colours on one another, the citys major civic and government run hospitals on Monday reported an increase in the number of people who visited with Holi-related injuries, compared to the figures last year. None of the injuries, however, were serious. Doctors at KEM Hospital in Parel treated 40 patients in the casualty department for injuries ranging from fractures, sprains and cuts on the skin. Last year, 22 patients had approached the hospital, out of which four had required admission. This year only two patients were admitted. They had met with a road accident while drunk driving. Ten patients had come complaining of eye problems caused by the colours they played Holi with, said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, KEM Hospital. An assistant medical officer at the hospital added that at least four cases of dog bites were reported. Some people tried to apply colour on dogs and were bitten, she said. Meanwhile, Sion Hospital treated 18 injured people however none of them required admission. Last year, 13 patients had sought treatment from the hospital for injuries sustained during Holi celebrations. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported this year, said Dr Suleman Merchant, dean, Sion Hospital. BYL Nair hospital, Mumbai Central, saw 10 patients with injuries. A child was brought in who had consumed a liquid cleaner mistaking it for bhaang. But no other serious cases were reported, said a doctor from the hospital. At the state-run Sir JJ Hospital, Byculla, 30 cases of injuries related to Holi were recorded, out of which two patients needed admission. We also admitted a 60-year-old man with a hip fracture and a 30-year old man with a head injury were admitted, said Dr TP Lahane, dean, Sir JJ Hospital. The figures are higher than last years, claimed a hospital official. Mumbaiites save water, play dry Holi A car bomb exploded near a hotel on a busy street in Somalias capital Mogadishu on Monday, killing at least eight people, police and medical services said, hours after another blast killed the driver of a minibus who tried to breach a checkpoint. Police said the blast took place outside the Wehliye Hotel on Maka al Mukaram street. We have carried eight dead people and seven others who are injured. Rescue services continue and the death toll may rise, Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Amin Ambulance services, told Reuters. Firefighters try to extinguish a burning car at the scene of an explosion in Mogadishu. (REUTERS) Police had earlier put the toll at two dead and two wounded. One witness at the scene counted 10 dead, while another had earlier seen five dead. The hotel was left intact, but the explosion damaged a nearby house. Hours before, a minibus exploded after police shot at it after it refused to stop as it approached a checkpoint in the capital, police officer Nur Osman told Reuters, adding that two people were wounded. Rescuers carry an injured man from the scene of an explosion in Mogadishu. (REUTERS) A policeman at a check point shot at the speeding mini-bus. It exploded and killed the al Shabaab fighter that drove it, he said. In the past, al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for gun, grenade and bomb attacks in Somalia, and tends to focus on Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government. China has warned of a trade war with the US if the Trump administration decides to ignore WTO rulings and unilaterally imposes tariffs on its goods. If any member ignores WTO rules for its own interests and rejects WTO rulings on trade disputes, multilateral trade mechanisms would become meaningless and the trade wars of the 1930s could even be repeated, Sun Jiwei, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said, reacting to moves by Washington to ignore the world trade body. Sun was reacting to annual trade policy agenda sent to Congress by the new US government implying that America is not bound by World Trade Organisation (WTO) decisions. The new US policy will also strictly enforce its trade laws, which include a safeguard provision that allows the Washington to unilaterally impose relief if increasing imports are substantial cause of serious injury to a domestic industry, state-run Global Times reported. US President Donald Trump, who made some tough statements against China before and after his election, branded Beijing as a currency manipulator to gain unfair advantage from exports and even threatened to impose 45% tariffs on Chinese goods. Chinas Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, told media last week that China and the US are interdependent, and bilateral trade relations affect not just the two countries but the world. Many Americans and their Western friends think that China has to rely on the US. I think they are partially right. But the US has to rely on China as well, Zhong said. The report said the new US document asserts that Americans are not directly subject to WTO decisions, and that the US will defend its national sovereignty over trade policy and use all possible sources of leverage to encourage other countries to open their markets to US exports of goods and services. Zhong said China receives 26 per cent of Boeing airplane orders, 56% of US bean exports, 16% of automobile exports and 15% of integrated circuit exports. China-US trade reached $519.6 billion in 2016, representing 207 times that of the 1979 amount, when diplomatic relations started, he said. However, the balance of trade is heavily tilted in favour of China as US exports amount to about USD 100 billion. A trade war is not in the best interests of the two countries and peoples because a trade war only does much more harm than good, Zhong had said. Turkey on Monday summoned the Dutch charge daffaires for the third day in a row, foreign ministry sources said, as a diplomatic feud between the NATO allies deepened. Turkey and The Netherlands have been locked in a bitter dispute after The Hague stopped Turkish government ministers from addressing rallies to win support for a new constitution that would expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogans powers in an April 16 referendum. The sources said charge daffaires Daan Feddo Huisinga was presented with two notes addressed to the Dutch government in which Ankara said it expected a written apology and accused The Hague of breaching the Vienna Convention on diplomacy. In this combo image, a Turkish flag (top picture) flies over the Dutch consulate in Istanbul shortly after a man climbed onto the roof and replaced the Netherlands' flag with the Turkish one, while (bottom picture) the Netherlands one is restored after the man was apprehended. (AP) This morning (Monday) two notes were given... to charge daffaires Huisinga after he was called again to the ministry for the third time this morning, the sources said. Huisinga was first summoned on Saturday afternoon, shortly after the Dutch government refused to let Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu land in The Netherlands after he threatened sanctions if he were not allowed to come. The envoy was again summoned on Sunday after Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled from The Netherlands and escorted back to Germany by Dutch police. In the note, Turkey hit back at the treatment of Kaya and her delegation, saying it was a violation of the Vienna Convention. The ministry said it was awaiting an official written apology from Dutch authorities regarding these actions which did not comply with diplomatic decency and international customs. It also said it reserved the right to compensation while calling for an investigation into the violations and for the prosecution of those responsible for such infringements. The second note criticised the disproportionate treatment by security forces against people using their right to peacefully gather together, referring to the protest outside the Rotterdam consulate on Saturday. After hours of calm protests, police officers moved in against over 1,000 people gathered near the Turkish consulate, charging on horseback and using dogs to disperse the crowd. Two days before US Attorney Preet Bharara was fired, President Donald Trump tried to call the high-profile New York prosecutor in what a White House official said was an effort to thank him for his service and to wish him good luck. But a US law enforcement official said Bharara declined to take the call, placed on Thursday, saying he did not want to talk to the president without the approval of his superiors. Bharara said on Saturday he had been fired after he defied a request to resign. The move was a surprise because Bharara had told reporters in November that Trump had asked him to remain in the job. As the chief federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, Bharara oversaw several notable corruption and white-collar criminal cases, as well as prosecutions of terrorism suspects. He was one of 46 Obama administration holdovers who were asked to resign by the Justice Department on Friday. Although US attorneys are political appointees, and the request from Trumps Justice Department is part of a routine process, the move came as a surprise. Not every new administration replaces all US attorneys at once. The White House declined to comment further on the resignations. The office in the southern district of New York handles some of the most critical business and criminal cases that pass through the federal judicial system. Bharara had been overseeing a probe into New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios fundraising. Bharara said his deputy, Joon Kim, would serve as his temporary replacement. The law enforcement source declined comment on whether the office had any active investigations related to Trump. On Wednesday, three watchdog groups asked Bharara to take steps to prevent the Trump Organization from receiving benefits from foreign governments that might enrich Trump, who has not given up ownership of the business. Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics lawyer who leads one of the groups, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, questioned the timing of the firings. I do believe that something odd happened, he said. You dont decide to keep 46 folks on, then suddenly demand their immediate exit, without some precipitating cause or causes. Democrat Elijah Cummings, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, said on Sunday it was the presidents prerogative to fire US attorneys. But he questioned why Trump had suddenly changed his mind on keeping Bharara. Im just curious as to why that is, Cummings said on ABCs This Week programme. Certainly, theres a lot of questions coming up as to whether ... President Trump is concerned about the jurisdiction of this US attorney and whether that might affect his future. Republican Senator John McCain said he did not know what promises Trump might have made to Bharara in terms of keeping him on, but he said the president was within his rights to seek the resignation of political appointees from a prior administration. I do know that other administrations have done the same thing, perhaps not in as abrupt a fashion, McCain said on CNNs State of the Union. Elections have consequences, so for people to complain about it they are ignoring the history of new presidencies and I think the president had every right to ask for their resignations, McCain said. South Sudanese rebels have kidnapped eight locals working for US charity Samaritans Purse and are demanding aid deliveries as ransom, a military spokesman said on Monday, as food in the famine-hit nation looks increasingly likely to become a weapon of war. The aid workers were taken from a village near Mayendit, about 680 km northeast of capital Juba, Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang told Reuters. The rebels attacked and abducted eight local staff from Samaritans Purse and they are being held to ransom. They have demanded that the organisation takes aid to them, he said. No one at the charity was available for comment. Clashes between the army and rebels killed at least 23 people and injured 56 in the same area on Sunday, Koang said, with the insurgents attacking government positions, looting and setting fire to houses in the oil-rich Bieh state. They attacked our position on Sunday. Our forces fought back in self defence and managed to repulse the attackers, he said. A rebel spokesman was not immediately available for comment. South Sudan, the worlds youngest nation, has been mired in civil war since President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, sacked his deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer, in 2013. The fighting has split much of the country along ethnic lines and paralysed agriculture, prompting the UN to declare last month that parts of the country are suffering from famine. Two days before US Attorney Preet Bharara was fired, President Donald Trump tried to call the high-profile New York prosecutor in what an official said was an effort to thank him for his service and to wish him good luck. But a US law enforcement official said Bharara declined to take the call, placed on Thursday, saying he did not want to talk to the president without the approval of his superiors. Bharara said on Saturday he had been fired after he defied a request to resign. The move was a surprise because Bharara had told reporters in November that Trump had asked him to remain in the job. As the chief federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, Bharara oversaw several notable corruption and white-collar criminal cases, as well as prosecutions of terrorism suspects. The Trump administrations firing of Bharara has sent shockwaves through New York, but veterans of the high-profile office expect a longstanding mission of cracking down on political corruption and Wall Street wrongdoing to remain intact. Staffed with more than one hundred career prosecutors, the Manhattan US Attorneys Office has a long history of being apolitical and pursuing a wide range of investigations into terrorism, public corruption, securities fraud and cyber crime, former prosecutors said. Lorin Reisner, former head of the offices criminal division from 2012 to 2014, who is now in private practice at law firm Paul Weiss, said the priorities of the office are unlikely to change, regardless of who replaces Bharara. Generations of SDNY prosecutors have been told that their job is to do the right thing, for the right reasons, every day, in every case, he said, using the acronym for the office, the Southern District of New York. Hanging in the balance are ongoing investigations of potential fraud at Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc and its ties to a mail-order pharmacy and of two massive data breaches at Yahoo Inc, including one affecting more than one billion user accounts. The office is also investigating a major cyber heist from the Bank of Bangladesh involving funds which moved through the New York Federal Reserve bank. Bharara, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, lived up to the offices reputation, investigating Republicans and Democrats alike. He has been overseeing a probe into Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios fundraising. It would be tremendously difficult for any US attorney to come in and politicise that office, said Carrie Cohen, a former prosecutor who worked under Bharara and is now in private practice at Morrison & Foerster. President Trump has yet to announce a replacement for Bharara or the other remaining 45 US attorneys from the Obama era who were asked to step down on Friday. A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls has been freed after serving 20 years in prison, with many Jordanians celebrating his release and calling him a national hero, witnesses and family sources said on Sunday. Ahmad Daqamseh, 45, was taken to his family home in the village of Ibdir near the city of Irbid in northern Jordan where dozens of relatives and wellwishers gave him a rousing welcome. Jordanian security services set up checkpoints around the village to restrict access as people flocked to see him. In July 1997, a five-member Jordanian military tribunal found Daqamseh guilty of opening fire on a group of Israeli schoolchildren and killing seven of them before soldiers seized him and rushed to help the victims. Daqamseh became a hero to many Jordanians and was embraced as a figurehead by a strong opposition movement led by Islamists and nationalists vehemently opposed to the countrys peace treaty with Israel. During the trial, Daqamseh said the girls had mocked him while he was performing Muslim prayers in a border area returned to Jordanian sovereignty under the 1994 peace treaty. He would have faced the death penalty but the tribunal ruled he was mentally unstable and sentenced him to life imprisonment, which is equivalent to 20 years under Jordanian law. A few days after the incident, the late King Hussein personally apologised for the incident, travelling to Israel to visit and pay his respects to the girls families. Many lawmakers welcomed his release. Neither the Jordanian nor the Israeli government made any comment. The release of this hero has cheered us. Israel has committed crimes against many Jordanians that were never accounted for, Saleh Armouti, a leading parliamentarian, said. One Israeli survivor, Keren Mizrahi, said Daqamsehs release revived painful memories and he had served a light sentence. My feeling is that its like Im being wounded again, mentally and physically, as if a knife is turned inside my heart, she was quoted as saying on Israeli Channel 10 TV. A defiant Daqamseh told Al Jazeera he did not recognise Israel, saying Arabs could not have normal ties with what he termed the Zionist entity. Jordans biggest political opposition group, the Islamic Action Front, which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, hailed his release. We congratulate Jordan and the family of the hero Ahmad al Daqmaseh his release from prison, it said in a statement. Many lawmakers and politicians had lobbied to set him free in a kingdom where hostility towards Israel runs deep. Many Jordanians see Israel as an occupier state which has driven them from their land. Palestinians originally from Jordan make up a large proportion of the countrys population. Malaysias health minister said Monday that the government will give relatives of North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns estranged half brother two to three weeks to claim his body before deciding what to do with it. Malaysian authorities say Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpurs airport on February 13, but North Korea which is widely suspected to be behind the attack rejects the findings. North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysias autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal. On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim. Now with the positive identification of the body, we are told that he had a wife or wives and children, health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam told reporters on Monday. So we hope that those people will respond and come forward to claim the body. In the absence of that, then we will address it as a government ... in trying to find how we are going to take the next step. I think after identification, well give ourselves about two to three weeks to solve the problem, he said. The body is being kept at a morgue at a Kuala Lumpur hospital. Since Kims death, relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated, with each expelling the others ambassador. Last Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a fair settlement of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil. Malaysian deputy prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Monday that negotiations with North Korea were taking place, but he did not give details. There are nine Malaysians in North Korea three embassy staff members and their family members. Some 315 North Koreans are in Malaysia, according to Malaysian officials. Both countries have also scrapped visa-free travel for each others citizens. Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons. Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women one Indonesian, one Vietnamese have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank. Israeli border police shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed them at a police station in the old city of Jerusalem on Monday, police said. The attacker, armed with a knife, followed two officers in the early morning to a police station near Lions Gate along the old city walls and stabbed both of them, inflicting slight wounds, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. After a fight, one of the officers shot and killed the attacker, who was from east Jerusalem, he said. A wave of Palestinian street attacks, including vehicle rammings, shootings and stabbings, began in October 2015 and has slowed but not stopped. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies that and says assailants have acted out of frustration over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians in peace talks that have been stalled since 2014. Vandals scrawled graffiti claiming the Holocaust was fake history on an exterior wall of a Seattle synagogue, leading the rabbi to urge President Donald Trump to more forcefully denounce a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in recent months. Seattle police said they were investigating the vandalism at Temple De Hirsch Sinai as a hate crime after an off-duty officer spotted it on Friday. Holocaust is fake history! read the spray-painted message, with each letter S written as dollar signs. The graffiti, along with bomb threats against five US Jewish community centres and one in Canada, were the latest incidents targeting Jewish organizations in recent months. In Seattle, Rabbi Daniel Weiner linked the incidents to what he characterized as permissiveness toward white supremacy from parts of the electorate during the 2016 presidential election campaign. A message needs to come from our president, not only decrying anti-Semitism but specifically indicting white supremacists and in particular those who support his candidacy, Weiner said, also referring to the bomb threats, vandalism against Jewish cemeteries and aggression against Muslims, Sikhs and immigrants. Weiner did not blame Trump or his administration directly but regretted the tone that has been set throughout the campaign, when white nationalists embraced the Trump campaign. THREATS CALLED DESPICABLE Trump has denounced the anti-Semitic incidents, notably at the start of his address to Congress on Feb. 28. Weiner welcomed the response, even though he said he was disheartened that it took cajoling and there was such a delay. After a wave of bomb threats on Tuesday, the Trump administration denounced them in the strongest terms, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said, promising to search for ways to stop them. More threats came later in the week and into the weekend. Bomb threats were received on Sunday by Jewish community centres in Indiana, Texas, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Vancouver, British Columbia, the Jewish Community Center Association of North America said. Sundays threats brought the total this year to 128 incidents at 87 community centres, the association said. So far, all have been hoaxes. On Sunday, police evacuated a Jewish Community Center in suburban Milwaukee after a bomb threat - the centres fourth within two months, Whitefish Bay police spokeswoman Jenny Heyden said in a telephone interview. In New York state, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester was closed because of a bomb threat, authorities and the JCC association said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the threat despicable and said in a statement on Sunday he had directed New York State Police to work with federal and local authorities to investigate the threat. I am profoundly disturbed and disgusted by the continued threats against the Jewish community in New York, Cuomo said. In more than a dozen countries, it is against the law to publicly deny that Jews were the victims of genocide in Europe during the Nazi era, but such speech is permitted in the United States under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Investigators said there was evidence some of the US bomb threats may be linked to similar incidents in Britain. The American incidents prompted all 100 US senators last week to ask the federal government to help Jewish groups enhance security. More than 140 Jewish community centre leaders also wrote to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions expressing frustration with the investigation. US President Donald Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort, a US online media report said on Monday. The two-day meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7, the media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. Reuters has not verified the Axios story and does not vouch for its accuracy. Representatives of the White House and for Xi could not be immediately reached for comment. The planned summit would follow a string of other recent US-China meetings and conversations seeking to reaffirm ties following months of strong rhetoric from Trump. Last month, Chinese state councilor Yang Jiechi visited Washington to discuss the two countries economic ties and security interests. Yang, who outranks Chinas foreign minister, met separately with Trump, as well as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. During his presidential campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticised its island-building in the strategic South China Sea claimed by several countries, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbour, North Korea. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has written a letter to Xi, seeking constructive ties and later speaking with him by phone. In December, Trump incensed Beijing by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called one China policy. Under that policy, Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a part. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honour the policy. At least one woman was killed and 19 others wounded when a roadside bomb struck a bus in downtown Kabul during rush hour on Monday, officials said, just days after a deadly insurgent assault on Afghanistans biggest military hospital. The powerful blast left the bus badly mangled and the area littered with smoldering debris and twisted metal. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it comes as the Taliban step up attacks even before the official start of the annual spring offensive. There has been an explosion against a minibus in Kabul, Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid told AFP, adding that more casualties were feared. Survivors walk after the blast in Kabul on Monday. (REUTERS) Security officials cordoned off the area as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene. It was not immediately clear who was on board the bus. The explosion was caused by a roadside bomb, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter. Three people have been detained in connection with the explosion. The bombing comes after gunmen disguised as doctors stormed Afghanistans largest military hospital last Wednesday, with insiders including two interns among the attackers, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP. Smoke rises from the site of the blast in Kabul on Monday. (REUTERS) The defence ministry insists only around 30 people were killed by five attackers. But security sources and the survivors, some of whom counted dead bodies, said the death toll exceeded 100. The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan. The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from point-blank range. The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq -- hours after the Taliban denied responsibility. But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted Allahu Akbar (God is great) and Long live Taliban in Pashto. The Taliban, Afghanistans largest militant group, is known to distance itself from attacks on medical facilities or those that result in high civilian casualties. The violence underscores rising insecurity in Afghanistan. The country is bracing for an intense fighting season in the spring as the governments repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed. Afghan forces, already beset by record casualties, desertions and non-existent ghost soldiers on the payroll, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. Kabul last month endorsed US General John Nicholsons call for thousands of additional coalition troops to hold off the militants before the spring offensive. Extra troops were needed to end the stalemate in the war, Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, told the US Congress in what could be President Donald Trumps first major test of military strategy. Carlos the Jackal, once the worlds most wanted fugitive in the 1970s and early 1980s, went on trial in France on Monday for the deadly bombing of a Paris shop more than 40 years ago. The 67-year-old convict cut a grizzled, thinner figure as he was led smiling into a courthouse in Paris, where he is serving a life sentence for other attacks. Ever the sharp dresser with a taste for theatrics, he wore a jacket and a red pocket kerchief and kissed the hand of his lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who is also his partner, before blowing kisses at the media. With attention in France now focused on the jihadist threat after a string of bloody attacks, the trial reaches back to a time when Europe was repeatedly targeted by groups sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Carlos, a Venezuelan whose real name is Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, was dubbed Carlos the Jackal by the press when he was giving international security services the slip while on the run. The nickname came from a fictional terrorist in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, The Day of the Jackal, which was turned into a popular film. Francis Vuillemin, lawyer of Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal, is surrounded by journalists in the courtroom before the opening of Carlos' trial in Paris, France on March 13. (Reuters Photo) Arrested in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in 1994 by French police, the man who describes himself as a professional revolutionary is already serving a life sentence for the murders of two policemen in the French capital in 1975 as well as that of a Lebanese revolutionary. He was also found guilty of four bombings in Paris and Marseille in 1982 and 1983, some targeting trains, which killed a total of 11 people and injured nearly 150. Over the next three weeks he will be tried over yet another deadly attack, this time on Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop once located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the heart of Pariss Left Bank. In the late afternoon of September 15, 1974, a grenade was lobbed into the entrance of the store, killing two men and leaving 34 people injured. Carlos, who is charged with murders of a terrorist nature, denies any involvement. Wounds never healed Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing the two widows of the men killed and 16 other people affected by the attacks, said before the trial that his clients relished the chance of seeing Carlos face justice. The victims have been waiting so long for Carlos to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed, he said. Coutant-Peyre said the trial, which is set to run for three weeks, was a waste of time and money. What exactly is the point of having a trial so long after the events? she asked. Files are displayed before the opening of the trial of Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal, at Paris courthouse, France, on March 13. (Reuters Photo) Al-Watan Al-Arabi magazine published an interview in 1979 in which Carlos is said to have admitted that he had carried out the attack. He has since denied giving the interview. The prosecution says the attack was linked to a hostage-taking at the French embassy in The Hague that had begun two days earlier, on September 13, 1974. The case against Carlos is also based on witness testimony from his former brothers-in-arms. Investigators have tracked the provenance of the grenade and say it came from the same batch as those used by The Hague hostage-takers and had been stolen from a US army base in 1972. One was also found at the Paris home of Carloss mistress. The British Generals muted entry through the Jaffa Gate as the tidewater moment in his well-conceived and hard-fought campaign for Palestine. In June 1917, amid another round of distressing news from the Western Front, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George summoned General Edmund Allenby to London. Allenby had boasted a meteoric rise from command of the original British Expeditionary Forces lone cavalry corps in 1914 to command of the Third Army by 1916. But his units had taken heavy casualties in recent campaigns, and he incurred criticism for the handling of his army during the Battle of Arras. Allenby knew he had lost the confidence of his commanding officer, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, and he went to the meeting at 10 Downing Street full of dread, expecting bad news from the mercurial and often hostile Lloyd George. Instead of harsh criticism, however, Lloyd George offered Allenby a new command, that of Lt. Gen. Sir Archibald Murrays Egyptian Expeditionary Force. The prime minister promised Allenby all resources necessary to put British troops in Jerusalem by Christmas. Weary of the bloody stalemate on the Western Front, Lloyd George had sought to identify other strategic areas where British military forces could make inroads. Palestine not only contained the lure of the Holy Land but also guarded the eastern approaches to the Suez Canal and the western approaches to India. It was just the place to launch a renewed effort. Allenby at first thought his new assignment a joke. He knew the Middle Eastern theater had been short of resources for most of the war, and he was certain the war would be decided on the Western Front, not in Palestine. Rumor had it even Murray thought his command was an unnecessary distraction from the real war being fought in France. Allenby knew the British army commanders would strongly resist any attempt to move precious men and equipment from France to such an obvious sideshow. Furthermore, Murrays command had a reputation for inefficiency, and Murray himself rarely left his posh Cairo headquarters. Morale in the unit was low, and the Egyptians proved unreliable allies. No commander in his right mind would willingly leave the heart of the action in France for an obvious backwater like the Middle East. Under Lloyd George, British attitudes toward Palestineand the Middle East at large had undergone a dramatic change. At the outset of the war the British didnt pursue the dissolution of the Ottoman empire. They feared that a broken and fragmented Otto- man empire offered too many opportunities for their French and Russian allies (not to mention the Germans) to boost their influence in a region uncomfortably close to Britains core strategic interests. Far better, they thought, to hold the Turks together but keep them too weak to challenge British power. But, as with many other strategic preconceptions, the war prompted a sea change in British thinking about the Middle East. Attitudes toward the Turks hardened in the wake of Britains two massive defeats at Ottoman handson the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915 and at the Mesopotamian town of Kut-al-Amara, where 8,000 British and Indian troops surrendered ignominiously to the Turks in 1916. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces to date and a deep humiliation to a proud people. Dismemberment of the Ottoman empire seemed both increasingly attractive and, in the eyes of many British strategists, more and more inevitable. By the time Lloyd George and Allenby met, Russia was in the throes of revolution, and France was reeling from the mutinies that followed the disastrous April assault on the German-held Chemin des Dames. Neither country would threaten British interests in the region after the war. The British, moreover, had help on the ground. Thanks in part to the efforts of the eccentric but efficient intelligence officer T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and the dynamic Hejaz prince Faisal bin Hussein, the British were backing an indigenous Arab revolt thatthough it lacked universal Arab supporthad won them a powerful military ally. Through its diplomatic promises in the Balfour Declaration to make Palestine a national homeland for the Jewish people, Britain also believed it had the support of the regions Jewish population. Lloyd George thus made a strong case. Allenby took the job despite the warnings of Chief of the Imperial General Staff General William Wully Robertson that he for one would not support Lloyd Georges promises to send more men and equipment to Egypt and Palestine. Regardless, just over two weeks after his meeting with the prime minister, Allenby was in Cairo. A month later the general learned that his only son, Michael, had been killed in action on the Western Front. Displaying little public emotion, Allenby threw himself into his new assignment, ready to make some changes. The first of these changes involved getting his headquarters out of comfortable Cairo and closer to the actual front line, in the city of Rafah, on the present-day border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Cairo, a hotbed of political intrigue, swarming with Ottoman spies, struck Allenby as a poor place in which to plan military operations. The move to Rafah also sent a strong signal to his men that their new commander intended to lead from the front. Allenby reorganized his units into three corpsthe XX, XXI and the Desert Mounted Corps an organizational scheme allowing him greater flexibility and striking power. Finally, he gave Lawrence more money to ensure the loyalty of the Arab irregulars fighting alongside British forces. Allenby intended to begin his effort in Palestine by breaking the Ottoman line of defense from the Gaza coastline to the desert town of Beersheba, about 40 miles inland along a series of primitive roads. British forces had tried twice before to break through, attacking the line close to the coast to take advantage of support from the Royal Navys offshore gunfire. The coast also offered better logistics, notably its ample water supply and rail lines. Despite these advantages the first two Battles of Gaza had ended in failure, owing in large part to the Turks strong defensive positions on favorable terrain. By 1917 the Ottomans also had the benefit of experienced commanders, two of them German. General Friedrich Kress von Kressenstein had overseen the first two defenses of Gaza and been promoted to command the Ottoman Eighth Army. Commanding the Yildirim (Thunderbolt) Army Group in the region was General Erich von Falkenhayn, German architect of the murderous Verdun campaign of 1916 and the man who had destroyed the Romanian army in a brutal campaign later that year. Many of the Ottoman unit commanders had gained valuable experience at Gallipoli or fighting the Russians in the imposing Caucasus Mountains under the two Germans. In all, the Ottoman units in Palestine could field 21,000 infantrymen and 3,000 cavalrymen. Allenby had no interest in launching another frontal assault against such a well-led force protected by solid resistance. He may well have also overestimated the number of Ottoman troops in front of him. Still, he knew he likely had just one chance to justify Lloyd Georges confidence and overcome the skepticism of his fellow British generals. Whatever he designed, it had to succeed, and Allenby had little faith in the methods Murray had used before him. A plan already existed in the mind of Lt. Gen. Philip Chetwode, who briefed Allenby shortly after his arrival in Egypt. Chetwode argued the real British advantage in the Palestine theater centered on superior numbers of well-trained cavalry, including the elite Australian Light Horse brigades. If the British could find a way to compensate for the logistical problems of the desertparticularly the dearth of waterthey could strike at Beersheba, where Ottoman defenses were significantly weaker, then encircle and outflank Turkish lines of communication while British infantry pressed on the main enemy positions in Gaza. Sooner or later one of the positions would crack, creating opportunities for exploitation and breakthrough for which cavalry units were ideally suited. British preparations for the battle therefore depended on two factors. First, they had to pay enough attention to the coast to convince the Ottomans it remained the main axis of the British advance. Second, while Allenby had the Turks thus distracted, British engineers must lay rail tracks through the desert toward Beersheba in order to move tens of thousands of gallons of potable water, without which neither the men nor the horses could operate. In other words, the British had to make as much noise as possible on the coast while working quietly but diligently on the support structure for a major offensive in the desert. The British undertook an elaborate ruse, including false orders, misleading radio traffic and a series of daring escapades to convince the Turks the British would again attack Gaza on the coast. In one such episode a brave British intelligence officer rode close enough to the Turkish lines to entice the Ottomans to pursue him. He escaped by a hairs breadth, leaving behind a blood-soaked bag containing a set of plans for the attack on Gaza and an army position paper arguing against an attack on Beersheba due to the lack of water for horses. The plans, of course, were false, and the blood had come from a horse, but the scheme worked: The Turks were convinced they had shot and wounded a British officer reconnoitering their lines and had fortuitously captured their enemys primary battle plans. The Southern Palestine Offensive began on Oct. 31, 1917, just as Allenby had designed it, as XX Corps and the Desert Mounted Corps, led by Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) mounted troops, hit Beersheba. Success depended on surprise; despite the best efforts of British engineers, there was just not enough water to sustain operations for very long in the hot and arid clime of the Negev Desert. British forces would need to get into Beersheba and capture its water supplies before Ottoman forces could destroy the wells or poison the water. British infantry from XX Corps four divisions attacked the city from the south and southwest, while the cavalry approached at a gallop from the east. At a few places, notably the Ottoman hilltop redoubt at Tel el Saba, British and ANZAC forces met resistance, but they achieved the surprise they needed. Water proved every bit the problem Allenby and Chetwode feared, but the Turks had no answer to the speed and maneuverability of the British cavalry. Ottoman forces, surprised and confused, fought for a time but ultimately surrendered. The British took nearly 2,000 prisoners in just a few hours of fighting. The British seized Beersheba in less than a day. The momentum and surprise of the attack meant the British managed to take 15 of Beershebas 17 crucial water wells and its two largest reservoirs intact. The British also caught a break from nature when runoff from a passing rainstorm filled shell holes, providing additional water for the horses. The victory at Beersheba exposed the left flank of Ottoman positions on the coast, making them untenable. For days prior to the strike at Beersheba land-based artillery, supported by the big naval guns of British and French warships, had pounded Gaza, reducing to rubble the carefully designed and built Ottoman defenses. With Beersheba in British hands, XXI Corps infantrymen opened the Third Battle of Gaza on November 1 with probing nighttime assaults along the line. Over the next several days the British alternated between targeted assaults and renewed bombardment of the Turkish positions. Recognizing the real threat of encirclement, the Ottomans then began a skillful nighttime evacuation of the GazaBeersheba line. Rear guards slowed the British pursuit and bought the retreating Turkish units badly needed time and space. The two Ottoman armies split, one retreating up the coast and the other falling back to Junction Station, north of Beersheba, to guard the rail and road lines leading to Jaffa and Jerusalem. Allenby wanted to conduct an immediate pursuit while Ottoman forces were disorganized and in retreat, but the lack of water forced him to move much more cautiously. Yet time was of the essence. He had to launch his next attack before the Turks sent reinforcements, and before they had a chance to set up a new defensive line in front of Jerusalem. Thus on November 13 he pressed ahead and attacked Junction Station. Despite heavier than expected casualties, the British captured the key transportation hub the next morning, endangering the entire Ottoman position in southern Palestine. Allenby finally had the opportunity he had so long craved. Jerusalem lay within his grasp. Still, he faced a dilemma. The short, sharp battles for Gaza and Beersheba had left those towns in ruins. Jerusalem boasted much stouter defenses and meant enough to the Ottomans that a protracted fight was likely. Allenby wanted to liberate Jerusalem, not preside over a battle that might reduce it to rubble. British forces caught another break on December 9 when the Ottoman mayor of Jerusalem ventured out in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by policemen carrying white flags. A crowd of curious villagers followed close behind. The strange procession happened upon two British cooks out scrounging for food. The officials informed the soldiers that the Ottoman army had retreated toward Nablus and Jericho, and that the Holy City stood undefended, waiting for the British entrance. The flustered cooks rushed back to inform their officers. Two British scouts also encountered the mayor and posed for a photo (at right) before also notifying their commanders. Allenby and his superiors in London thought carefully about the symbolism of the coming moment. They did not want British forces to enter Jerusalem as Germanys Kaiser Wilhelm II had done during a state visit in 1898his grandiose entry through ceremonial arches on an enormous white horse struck contemporaries as arrogant and posturing. Allenbys own entry was decidedly more modest and measured. On December 11 he strolled through the Jaffa Gate with as little fanfare as possible given the circumstances. The British flew no flags for the occasion, and they dispatched Muslim soldiers from the Punjab to guard the alAqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Allenby read a proclamation of goodwill written for him in London and had it published in seven languages throughout the city. It pledged the British would not interfere with Jerusalems commerce or governance and promised respect for and protection of the citys many holy sites. Allenby became an instant hero for, as he later put it, ending 673 years of Mohammedan rule over the Holy Land. Church bells worldwide chimed in celebration of his capture of the great city. The general, however, had more work to do. Militarily, his next problem involved pressing the retreating Ottomans and capturing Damascus, a city both the Arabs and French coveted. That problem grew more difficult in the spring of 1918 when Germanys offensives on the Western Front forced Allenby to return some of his forces to France. Politically, he faced the process of reconciling all of the British empires many wartime promises to the Arabs, the Jews and the French. Allenby played a role in that process as field marshal, viscount of Megiddo and high commissioner for Egypt and the Sudan. The man who captured Jerusalem from the Ottomans retired from official life in 1925 after a League of Nations mandate for Palestine, which hed helped make possible, put Britain in control. Thanks to Allenbys success at Beersheba, Britains tangled history in Palestine began with great fanfare, but by the time he died in 1936, Palestine had become a source of unending trouble for the British empire. Michael Neiberg has authored a dozen books, including Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (2011) and The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris (2012). For further reading he recommends Hell in the Holy Land: World War I in the Middle East, by David R. Woodward; Allenby in Palestine, by Matthew Hughes; and Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, by Edward J. Erickson. Originally published in the November 2014 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here. In the predawn darkness of March 9, 1916, several hundred armed Mexican horsemen crossed the border into the United States to attack the unsuspecting garrison town of Columbus, N.M. What ensued, just 3 miles north of the boundary, was a minor fight with considerable historical significance. The origins of the Columbus Raid are complex. In 1913 Brig. Gen. Victoriano Huerta seized control of Mexicos government in a coup. Opposing Huerta from the outset of his presidency was Venustiano Carranzagovernor of the northern Mexican state of Coahuilaand his Ejercito Constitucionalista (Constitutionalist Army), which sought restoration of the 1857 Constitution. Among the Constitutionalists was the charismatic Pancho Villa, whose Division del Norte controlled much of northern Mexico. The United States intervened in the struggle when President Woodrow Wilson sent troops to key border townsincluding Columbusto provide security and a show of support for the Constitutionalists. Though the Constitutionalists ousted Huerta in 1914, rivalry between Carranza and Villa mounted, as Carranza increasingly excluded Villa from his plans. Expecting continued U.S. support, Villa felt betrayed when Washington instead backed Carranza as president, prompting an embittered Villa to strike back at the United States. In January 1916 an armed group of Villistas attacked a train in northern Mexico, murdering 16 American passengers who carried safe-conduct passes from the Constitutionalists. But the March 9 Columbus Raid was the boldest of Villas attacks. By the time dawn broke over the border town of 300 residents, Columbus was engulfed in flames, as the Villistas looted and torched shops, saloons and homes. At the Commercial Hotel they killed the proprietor and several guests and burned the structure to the ground. Residents either grabbed their guns and fought back, fled into the desert or took refuge in the towns sturdier buildings, such as the Hoover Hotel at Broadway and Missouri streets. U.S. troops stationed at nearby Camp Furlong responded quickly to the attack. First Lieutenant John Lucas, commander of the 13th Cavalry Regiments machine gun troop unable to find his boots in the darkness and confusion raced barefoot into battle. He positioned four machine guns along the railroad tracks on the southern edge of town and opened up on the Villistas. Responding to the heavy fire, 1st Lt. James Castleman and some three dozen riflemen came running. Flames from the burning structures silhouetted the mounted raiders, making them excellent targets. The young lieutenants caught Villas men in a murderous crossfire, forcing a Villista retreat back into Mexico. By the time the battle ended, eight U.S. soldiers and 10 civilians lay dead, and much of Columbus had been reduced to smoking, bullet-riddled ruins. The Mexican raiders got away with cash, valuables and horses but lost more than 100 of their nearly 400 men. Villas motives were never clear; some believed he simply sought revenge, while others argued he needed money and supplies to sustain his army. Wilson ordered a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture Villa and selected Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing as commander. Within days of the raid nearly 5,000 troops had gathered at Camp Furlong, and the U.S. Armys 1st Aero Squadron had carved a crude airstrip out of the desert from which to fly Curtiss JN-3 Jenny biplanes on reconnaissance missions. On March 15, with President Carranzas permission, the first U.S. soldiers crossed the border. While in Mexico the Americans fought several skirmishes with Villistas but failed to capture Villa himself. Wary of the incursion, the Carranza government had denied Pershing the use of railroads, forcing him to use motorized vehicles on Mexicos rugged desert roads. In their last engagement U.S. troops even clashed with Mexican regulars, threatening a full-scale war. Neither side wanted thatespecially the Americans, who faced increasing German aggression on the high seasand Wilson ordered a withdrawal. The last U.S. troops re-crossed the border into Columbus in February 1917. Stroll the dusty streets of Columbus today and you can readily imagine the scene a century ago. Many of the buildings that stood during the raid survive, including the Hoover Hotel, now a private residence. An interpretive panel amid a patch of weeds and broken concrete marks the site of the razed Commercial Hotel. Other panels dot the town, explaining the fight and remembering the dead. On the site of Camp Furlong is Pancho Villa State Park [www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/panchovillastatepark.html], featuring a museum about the raid and expedition and such interesting exhibits as a period Jeffery Quad armored car and a replica Jenny biplane. The park also preserves a few of the camps original buildings. The airstrip has since returned to desert, but the First Aero Squadron Foundation [www.firstaerosquadron.com] has purchased the site with plans to reconstruct the 1916 aerodrome, build a museum and raise a monument to the early airmen. Although a minor sideshow to the immense drama of World War I, the Columbus Raid and Mexican Expedition proved Americas dress rehearsal for the greater conflict, marking the U.S. Armys first use of motor vehicles and aircraft in hostilities and tapping Pershing as the top candidate to command American forces in Europe. The raid also highlights the complexities of life along the U.S.-Mexico border, which a century later remains fraught with tension and controversy. Originally published in the November 2014 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here. What seemed a simple intervention to the Russian Army in 1994 quickly turned into a bloodbath with lessons for another war. Forty years after emerging victorious from World War II, the massive, well-equipped Soviet army dominated much of Asia and Eastern Europe. Some military analysts deemed it virtually invincible. Even after the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the army of the Russian Federation proudly took up the mantle of the former Red Army. Agile and modern it certainly was not. But to outsiders the Russian army still seemed to embody relentless endurance and overwhelming force. As the 20th century drew to a close, however, the illusion of Russian superiority dissolved in a firestorm of combat that swept through a city named Grozny, capital of the tiny Caucasian republic of Chechnya. In Russian, Grozny means fearsome or menacing. From December 1994 to August 1996 the city more than lived up to its name. Wedged between the Black and Caspian seas, south of Russia and north of Turkey and Iran, the Caucasus region has a troubled history. In ancient times imperial Roman and Persian forces vied for its control. Later the Caucasus became a borderland in the ongoing struggle between Islam and Christianity. Persians, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks and Russians all fought over its villages and mountain passes, and in the 20th century the region was an important World War I battlefront. One consequence of this perpetual tug-of-war has been the convergence of diverse peoples for whom violence has become an ingrained cultural trait. Bolshevik forces entered the region in the wake of the 1917 Russian Revolution. Among the peoples they encountered were the Chechensa restless, warlike and mostly Sunni Muslim ethnic group inhabiting an area of some 6,680 square miles. The territories of North Ossetia, Dagestan and Ingushetia bordered Chechnya on three sides, with Georgia to the south. The Chechen terrain varies between the mostly open, lowland north and the mountainous south, bisected by the Terek River. Founded in 1818 as an imperial Russian army outpost, Grozny lies roughly at the center of the republic, south of the Terek and just north of the forested mountains, which top out above 14,000 feet. The Soviets fought several campaigns to subdue Chechnya in the 1920s and 1930s but never entirely succeeded. German forces penetrated almost to Grozny in the summer of 1942. Many Chechens assisted the Germans, spurring Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin to exact revenge in 1944 by forcibly resettling the entire Chechen population (then numbering more than 400,000) in Kazakhstan. More than a third were killed or died en route. The Chechens returned after Stalins death, but their bitter memories lingered. In the fall of 1991 successful independence movements in the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia inspired other subject republics and autonomous regions of the Soviet Union to seek freedom. The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria declared its independence in November under President Dzhokhar Dudayev, and the Soviet Union ceased to exist the following month. Russian President Boris Yeltsin, distracted by other matters, could do little to hold onto the Caucasus. Despite its de facto independence the fledgling Chechen republic failed to establish a functional government or economy. Instead, warlords ruled locally from the proceeds of corruption, kidnapping, drug trafficking and arms sales. Little but a common hatred of Russia united these factions. Though respecting Islam as a symbol of national resistance, many Chechens were essentially secular. Yeltsin first sought to destabilize Dudayevs administration and restore control through pro-Russian Chechen loyalists. His attempts failed, and in 1994 the Russian government decided to intervene through direct military assault. Some 40,000 Russian troops entered Chechnya that autumn, nominally in collaboration with local loyalists. Though it appeared powerful, the Russian army of 1994 was a mere shadow of its Soviet glory days predecessor. As a whole the army received only a third of the funding required to operate at capacity in manpower, supplies and equipment. Pay for soldiers and officers lagged; there was a dearth of junior and noncommissioned officers; equipment was of mixed quality and always in short supply; training was inadequate; and morale among conscripts and volunteers alike was correspondingly dismal. Complicating matters, Russian forces reported not to a single command structure but to multiple ministries; thus the forces invading Chechnya included Ministry of Defense (MoD), Interior Ministry (MVD), security special forces (Spetsnaz) and other troops. Typically, they had neither the training nor the disposition to work either together or in coordination with armor or air units. Their communications equipment was often incompatible or nonfunctional, making combined-arms operations largely impossible. Units often simply signaled in the clear to seek support. This provided opportunities for eavesdropping and deception the Chechens eagerly exploited. Perhaps the Russian armys greatest weakness at the time of the invasion was its complete unpreparedness for urban warfare. During World War II the Red Army had experienced intense and extensive urban combat in places like Stalingrad, Budapest and Berlin. In the postwar period, however, tacticians gradually forgot lessons learned from those experiences, and by the 1980s Soviet military training no longer included instruction in urban warfare. Instead, Soviet and, later, Russian Federation planners instructed officers to bypass well-defended towns and cities. Those deemed weakly held were to be overawed; tanks would enter in columns to intimidate civilians, followed by mechanized and foot infantry units to establish and maintain control. Many Chechen fighters were Red Army veterans. Unlike the Russians, however, they rose above the limitations of Cold Warera Soviet training and prepared specifically for urban combat. Exploiting their detailed knowledge of places like Grozny, they spent months studying possible routes of enemy approach and drilling carefully to defend them. Loosely organized units of 50 to 60 men were assigned specific sectors of responsibility, within which they laid booby traps and established zones of fire. They also laid out routes of movement and communication, both above and below ground. As events would prove, their tactics were effective. Nor did the Chechens lack equipment. Indeed, the Caucasus was awash in arms. In 1995, for example, American correspondent Thomas Goltz encountered one young merchant, swinging hand grenades by the pins on his fingers like a pair of six-shooters, [who] offered me the bombs at around $3 each. Kalashnikovs were selling for around $200 apiece, extra clips optional. If I wanted to pick up an eight-wheel Soviet armored personnel carrier, that would run $5,000. Though primarily using light weapons, including RPGs and grenades, the Chechens also boasted some T-62 and T-72 tanks, anti-tank guns, surface-to-air missiles and even BM-21 Grad rocket launchersgear mostly abandoned by the Russian army when it left the region in the early 1990s. The Chechens also improvised, placing antitank weapons in modified automobiles and mounting antiaircraft weapons on truck beds. The Chechen air force, such as it was, was destroyed on the ground at the beginning of the invasion and played no role in the subsequent fighting. Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev envisioned the occupation of Grozny in three stages. From Nov. 29 to Dec. 6, 1994, Russian forces would push into Chech- nya from the west, north and east, driving concentrically on the capital. Then from December 7 to 9 they would envelop the city and seal it off from the countryside. The actual assault would begin on December 10 and last but a few days. Grachevrelying on duplicitous Chechen loyalists and air reconnaissance, albeit with no means of seeing into the huge Soviet-built apartment blocks dominating the cityassumed Grozny was weakly defended. Tanks in column, he thought, should suffice to intimidate the Chechens. To establish control of the capital, troops would simply occupy key government buildings and communications centers and establish perimeters of defense. The Russians held doggedly to this vision despite warning signs their operation had serious flaws. The timetable quickly fell by the wayside. Russian forces moved out 12 days late and met unexpectedly heavy resistance north of the Terek. Raids by Chechen fighters slowed down mobile columns and hindered communications and logistics. By mid-December four Russian battle groupssome 200 armored vehicles and 6,000 infantrymenwere converging on the capital. But the envelopment was glacial and unwieldy, and the Russians failed to seal off Grozny, thus allowing free movement of Chechen fighters and supplies in and out of the city. Pressing forward in three main columns from west, north and east, the Russians made slow progress on Groznys outskirts. Finally, on New Years Eve, Grachev launched an allout assault on the city center, preceded by air strikes. From the north the 81st Guards Motor Rifle Regiment spearheaded the drive on the central railway station and presidential palace. Led by tanks and APCs, the columns initially moved quickly, facing slight opposition. But at 1 p.m. their parade abruptly ended. Opening fire from basements and the upper stories of tall buildingsfiring positions largely unreachable by the Russian tanks main gunsChechen fighters disabled the columns front and rear vehicles and destroyed the remainder with RPGs and even Molotov cocktails. Then they turned on the infantry. Russian troops panicked, returning fire haphazardly or hunkering down in their APCs only to be blown to bits. Friendly fire claimed a large number of Russians. Events took a similar turn in other parts of the city as the Chechen defenders halted or destroyed Grachevs converging columns. Russian attacks continued over the following weeks, but generally with similar results. The Chechens had prepared zones of defense in concentric circles around the city center. Buildings became strongpoints, death traps for Russian infantry and armor inundated by interlocking fields of fire. Squads of Chechens backed by snipers hugged Russian troop concentrations, making it difficult for Grachevs troops to retaliate with artillery or rockets. Chechen veterans of the Red Army, familiar with the vulnerabilities of Russian T-72 and T-80 tanks and BMP-1 and BTR-70 APCs, dispatched the enemy vehicles with relative ease. Russian infantrymen called in air strikes when weather allowed and managed to establish air-ground communications, but the identical-looking Soviet apartment blocks confounded the pilots, who took out their comrades as often as they killed Chechens. Meanwhile, the defenders exploited their mobility advantage on the ground to hit the Russians from multiple directions and then slip away along prepared escape routes. Terror played a role in Chechen tactics. The defenders widely employed such classic methods as booby-trapping dead Russian soldiers and sniping to wound rather than kill, thus luring additional targets into the killing zones. Chechen fighters easily melded into the civilian population, and Russian attempts to separate combatants from civilians in so-called filtration camps were public-relations disasters and wholly ineffective. Chechens also stationed defensive strongpoints in civilian-occupied buildings to draw Russian fire and exploit civilian casualties for propaganda purposes. Unlike most Russian officers, Chechen fighters courted Western media attention and cooperated eagerly with war correspondents to build sympathy for their cause. Tested by relentless combat, the Russians eventually relearned key urban warfare lessons. Superiors relieved incompetent field officers and replaced MVD forma- tions with more efficient MoD troops. Better-trained reinforcements from naval infantry, airborne and Spetsnaz units boosted troop levels in Grozny to 30,000 by early 1995. The Russians reclaimed the night through the effective use of communications and night-vision equipment, while blinding the enemy with searchlights and white phosphorus. Russian snipers made an impact, and small units demonstrated more flexible tactics; instead of trying to control the whole city, they advanced room by room, building by building. A preferred weapon against Chechen strongpoints was the Shmel (Bumblebee) rocket-propelled incendiary projectile. Not all Russian improvisations bore fruit, however. Attempts at fielding World War IIstyle urban assault squads werent particularly successful due to the lack of time for specialized training. Tanks still struggled with Chechen strongpoints and mobile tactics. Helicopters assaulted upper-story building emplacements with good results but were vulnerable to ground fire. As often happens in modern warfare, ground fighters made compelling propaganda from the filmed destruction of enemy fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Russian forces drove the Chechen command from the presidential palace by mid-January and made slow but steady progress toward the city center. But these successes bred overconfidence. By March, believing Grozny to be in their hands, the Russian command pulled out the MoD troops and sent them to fight in the southern mountains, replacing them with the inferior MVD troops. At the same time the Chechens took the war to a new level. In mid-June, Chechen separatist Shamil Basayev, declaring, We wont sit here in Chechnya and be exterminated, attacked the Russian town of Budennovsk and took 1,500 hostages in a hospital. An attempted rescue operation by Russian Spetsnaz troops failed miserably, leaving 150 civilians dead. Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin gained release of the hostages in exchange for the safe withdrawal of Basayevs force and the suspension of all Russian offensive operations in Chechnya. Chernomyrdin termed the deal the first time in Russian history that saving lives has been put above the interests of the state, hardly concealing the humiliation for Yeltsins government or the encouragement Budennovsk provided to Chechen terrorists. In January 1996 another force of 200 Chechen separatists crossed the border into Dagestan, attacking a Russian helicopter base at Kizlyar, then seizing the towns hospital and taking 2,000 hostages. Yeltsin ordered immediate negotiations, promising the separatists safe passage back to Chechnya but he had no intention of keeping his word. Shortly after the Chechens left Kizlyar in a column of buses with 150 hostages, Russian forces intercepted the convoy and demanded the Chechens surrender. Instead, the separatists took their hostages to the nearby village of Pervomayskoye and set up defensive positions. Five days later Russian forces launched a no-holds-barred assault on the village with tanks, helicopters and rockets, paying little heed to the safety of hostages or civilians. The Russians wonkilling many Chechens and forcing the rest to fleebut flattened the village in the process. In Chechnya, meanwhile, peace negotiations failed, and the war resumed. With the help of Chechen loyalists the Russians sought to build a stable local government, with mixed success. Chechen fighters maintained control of the southern mountains, raided Grozny and ramped up terrorist attacks. Russian atrocities against Chechen civilians also kept tensions high. In March 1996 Basayev flagrantly rode into Grozny with hundreds of fighters on a captured train, throwing MVD troops into panic. He withdrew only after inflicting hundreds of casualties and capturing weapons and ammunition caches. Occasional Russian victories, such as the April 21 assassination of Dudayev (reportedly with the help of U.S. intelligence) had little impact on the overall fighting. Morale among Russian forces rapidly declined in the midst of defeat, squalor, corruption, and epidemic drug and alcohol abuse. In his personal war memoir conscript Arkady Babchenko claimed to have endured more misery at the hands of comrades than he did from the Chechens. I got beaten by everyone, from privates to the deputy regiment commander, he wrote. The only person I didnt get beaten by was a general, maybe because we didnt have any in our regiment. By the summer of 1996 fourteen members of his company had gone AWOL: Young conscripts flee in droves, heading straight from their beds into the steppe, barefoot and wearing only their long johns, unable to withstand the nightly torment any longer. Even his lieutenant deserted. Russian mothers protested openly for the war to end, and Yeltsins support plummeted to zero. Sensing the moment had come to strike, Basayev and other Chechen commanders led an assault on Grozny in August 1996. Small units infiltrated the city and then split up to block avenues of approach, seizing such key targets as the railroad station. The estimated 7,000 MVD troops in Grozny withdrew into bunkers or fled. MoD reinforcements reverted to 1994 form, repeating old mistakes in their attempt to recapture the city. By August 11 they had pushed to the city center but at the cost of 2,000 casualties. Russia could take no more. An August 22 cease-fire effectively ended the conflict, with the Russians promising to withdraw from the republic by years end and eventually recognize its independence. The 199496 First Chechen War was first and foremost a humanitarian tragedy, claiming the lives of some 50,000 to 80,000 Chechensperhaps moreand making refugees of hundreds of thousands. Russian officials admitted to 24,000 military casualties but may have suffered twice that number. Grozny lay in ruins. Chechnya, technically free, was utterly impoverished. It soon descended into banditry and became a haven for Islamic extremists. Humiliated at its loss to the tiny republic, many Russians yearned for revenge. Yeltsins fall and the rise of Vladimir Putins authoritarian regime owed much to the festering sore in Chechnya. And while military leaders could not reinvent the rusty, lumbering Russian war machine overnight, they could and did learn from their mistakes. When war broke out again in 1999, the Chechens again inflicted fearsome casualties, but the Russians had returned to stay. For further reading Ed Lengel recommends Russias Chechen Wars, 19942000: Lessons From Urban Combat, by Olga Oliker; The War in Chechnya, by Stasys Knezys and Romanas Sedlickas; and The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad, by Robert W. Schaefer. Originally published in the November 2014 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here. N ineties A-list hotspot The Hempel Hotel regularly counted The Beckhams and Michael Jackson among guests. Now, the elegant former hotel in Bayswater has been turned into a collection of 18 luxurious stucco-fronted apartments. Buyers of the three show flats will pick up a turnkey home, with all furnishings and some artwork included in sale prices. The duplex three-bedroom show home has a soaring double-height ceiling and mezzanine balcony which has been dressed as an art gallery, with plenty of glass and rich tones against 'blank canvas' white walls. Meanwhile, the four-bedroom penthouse uses steel-blue, whites and greys throughout. In the living area, 497 porcelain leaves, some dipped in gold, have been individually hung from the ceiling. Bespoke design: intricate porcelain leaves hang from the soaring penthouse ceiling, while the table has been modified from a design used in the Fenwick revamp The show homes have been dressed by interiors duo Emily Williams and Shayne Brady, of Corbin & King restaurants and Fenwick of Bond Street fame. The apartments are the design studio's first foray into residential development, and the pair have opted for timeless pared-back luxury. "We have designed the apartments to be synonymous with luxury hotels, but with plenty of space for owners to put their own stamp on them," says Emily Williams. A gallery space: there is plenty of room to hang a carefully double-height space in this duplex apartment gives it an airy feel, with plenty of room to hang your art collection "All of the apartments offer ample wall hanging space for art collections and the double height spaces help to fill the rooms with plenty of natural light. A short walk from both Hyde Park and Portobello Road Market, the homes are a joint venture between British Land and Amazon Property, in an area "seeing significant investment", according to British Land's Development Executive, Arianna Riccotti. Get away from it all: the penthouse apartment, priced 6.95m, has a stunning roof terrace area with antique framed mirrors and a chic day bed Bayswater is currently in the midst of major regeneration that will see Whiteleys' department store converted into high-end homes, shops, a hotel and cinema. Plus, the hotly-anticipated Elizabeth line at nearby Paddington station from next year will reduce journey times to Liverpool Street (10 minutes), Canary Wharf (17 minutes) and Heathrow Airport (23 minutes). Prices start from 875,000 for a two-bedroom apartment and 6.95 million for a four-bedroom penthouse. Through Strutt and Parker. The Hope College Chapel Choir, Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Arts Collective will each be touring during the colleges spring break later this month. The Chapel Choir will be touring Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, on Friday-Wednesday, March 17-22. The group will perform at Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri, on Friday, March 17, at 7 p.m.; at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, on Sunday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m.; at First United Methodist Church at The Chicago Temple, on Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m.; at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Illinois, on Tuesday, March 21, at 7 p.m.; and at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Carmel, Indiana, on Wednesday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. In advance of the tour, the choir also performed at Mason First United Methodist Church in Mason on Sunday, March 5, and will perform at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Midland on Sunday, March 12, at 6 p.m. In addition, the choir will present its annual post-tour Home Concert on Friday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Arts Collective will be touring Illinois, Nebraska and Colorado together on Thursday-Wednesday, March 16-22. The two ensembles will perform at First Reformed Church in South Holland, Illinois, on Thursday, March 16; at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Friday, March 17; at Saint Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community of Faith in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, March 19, at 4 p.m.; and at Arvada West High School in Arvada, Colorado, on Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m. The Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Arts Collective will present a pre-tour concert on Wednesday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. In addition, the Jazz Arts Collective will perform with Hope jazz combos on Wednesday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the John and Dede Howard Recital Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts, and the colleges Orchestra and combined choirs will perform on Tuesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The Chapel Choir, directed by Dr. Brad Richmond, is Hopes premier choral ensemble. Comprised of auditioned choristers, the choir has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada, has traveled to Europe on six occasions, and toured South Africa in 2009. Over the years the choir has received numerous invitations to sing at choral conferences and prestigious churches around the country. The choir is also featured in Hope Colleges long-standing Christmas Vespers, which is broadcast throughout the United States on PBS. The Hope College Chamber Orchestra is directed by Dr. Christopher Fashun. The Chamber Orchestra is the touring chamber orchestra at Hope College and is selected each year from members of the Hope College Orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra has made numerous radio and television appearances and its performances for Hope Colleges Vespers are featured semi-annually on PBS affiliates in Michigan and beyond. It presents a diverse array of family and youth concerts in addition to its series of formal concerts. The Jazz Arts Collective, directed by Dr. Brian Coyle, is the colleges premier large jazz ensemble. The collective places a creative focus on ensemble communication and improvisation. Comprised of a rhythm section and flexible wind/string instrumentation, the select group performs compositions and arrangements from across the full spectrum of music. The collectives repertoire ranges from the great historical jazz composers such as Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, to works by modern jazz masters like Vince Mendoza, Jim McNeely and John Hollenbeck. The Jazz Arts Collective frequently performs commissions, works by emerging young composers and originals by Hope College faculty and students. The ensemble also collectively reinterprets and re-imagines the music from the 20th- and 21st-century classical and popular music repertoire. It's the little things that make a world of difference. This is doubly true in hospitality where all those small, subtle, innocuous touches may add up to something far greater and ultimately help your brand stand out from the pack. I strive to bring these into the limelight because they are often easier and cheaper to execute than the grander, large-scale renovations so often sought after to revitalize a brand. These little differentiators should not only be fun and interactive, but should evoke a strong sense of place unique to your hotel's specific region. Today, we look to Hawaii as that region, and to the Halekulani as the hotel. A second stay at this marvelous property revealed many elements that were not immediately apparent from my stay there two years ago. This property is known as one of the finest in in the state, so I was interested in how the 'best' is staying on top of its game. For those who have not experienced the Halekulani, it is an indulgence to say the least. From a size perspective, the 453-room count is at the smaller end on Honolulu's Waikiki Beach. In speaking with Ulrich Krauer, General Manager, he reaffirmed by belief that it is the little things that help differentiate the property, endearing the guest and reinforcing loyalty without the need for a loyalty program. I've noted some of these touches here, as many of them can be replicated to a degree in your hotel without the need for significant CAPEX or staff additions. Complementary welcome drinks. You've arrived, and unless you were coming via business class, the flight was probably not a positive experience. With many guests trying to squeeze every minute out of their stay, quite often, the rooms are not ready either. As such, reception immediately offers free drinks by the pool. A welcome card simplifies the operational issues. I single this out as an easy one for any property to execute, and helping kick off the guest experience on a positive note. Easy and fast WiFi service. Simply log on and click accept. There is no need to ask for your name, room number or password. There are no time-out limits nor bandwidth issues. Internet services are Netflix-ready in terms of the speed provided. While slow or paid WiFi is rapidly becoming an issue of the near past, with the increasing usage of streaming services, it is one that merits another look. A room safe that makes sense. At the Halekulani, they add a leather holder inside the safe that is designed to easily hold and transfer jewellery. This is a nice extra as the expectations for safe interiors are quite low typically just a sheet of cheap gray carpet. As such, this container really stands out. Extensive bathroom amenity kit. If you can think it, chances are the Halekulani has the product. Sizes are generous and are all refilled daily. They even provided scent sachets to include in your luggage. Key to note here is that because many of these items are tactile, you are enhancing the level of interactivity with your guestrooms. Free water bottles everywhere. I often cringe every time I see a water bottle with an exorbitant price tag on it. Any hotelier who condones this (and any hotel chain that mandates it) are in the middle ages insofar as building a positive guest relationship. You aren't kidding guests when you are charge $5 a bottle. In fact, this degree of price gouging can set a guest off, making them more conscious of any other egregious markups. Oversized towels. I know that the green movement would like us to reduce the use of towels through reuse, recycling, size reductions and water-efficient machinery. These towels are the largest I have experienced in a hotel, so large that they are more accurately defined as 'bath sheets'. Not only was the contrast to regular towels noteworthy, but they were far more versatile for the variety of cloth-centric activities at a beach hotel. Turndown amenities. Every night, a different trinket was placed on my bed along with a poem on a small card. All turndown amenities are branded and unique to the property, easily beating any small chocolate or treat at other properties. Little boxes everywhere. There are notepads and pens beside the bed, in the living room and at desk side. Each pad and pen set is neatly tucked into a presentation box, which is also used to store remote controls and other utility items. Decorative in their design, these boxes also help hide the more 'standardized' hotel objects that would otherwise be front and center when first entering the room to bolster the first impression. Live plants in the guestroom. This not only puts you in a tropical state of mind but makes you feel more at home. The Halekulani utilizes traditional house plants as well as orchids, which are resilient and are universally appreciated. Additionally, live cut flowers were provided in the bathroom a nice touch to contrast against the glass and marble. Additional little touches. Look around the room and you'll find a glass ringholder beside each sink, switchable nightlights at the base of each bedside table, multiple hanger types in the closet and easy adapters for any computer at the desk. Lastly, after the room was serviced by housekeeping, I noticed that the power cords for my computer were wrapped with branded plastic clips to reduce clutter. Your property might not have the rate base to afford all of these touchpoints. Some of these require CAPEX and are harder to substantiate insofar as ROI. But think about what you can do to create unique points of difference for your property and ask your team what ideas they have as well. As Mr. Ulrich says, "We are not like the prize fighter looking for a knockout blow. Rather, we express our service commitment through numerous, little extras that, when combined, provide a message of our continual care." (Article published by Larry Mogelonsky in eHotelie r on November 29, 2016). Larry Mogelonsky Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited View source Hospitality Net today Sign up to our free daily newsletter, The 2nd edition of the Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka, hosted by HVS, concluded on 8 February 2017. 170 delegates, representing hotel companies and operations, banks and financial institutions, consulting firms, ownership and development, as well as architecture and design, gathered in Colombo to provide insights into the dynamic Sri Lankan hospitality and tourism industry. In addition to deliberating the prevalent trends and current performance of the hotel sector, stakeholders emphasised the vast potential of the island as well as the key challenges that lay ahead. The following elaborates upon the points of note raised during THINC Sri Lanka 2017. HVS Key Takeaways: Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka 2017 | By Hemangi Bhandari Photo by HVS A common theme through the conference was the immense potential of the island nation's tourism industry. Comparisons with other South Asian countries such as Thailand, the Maldives and Indonesia, which are predominately known for singular experiences, brought to the fore the diversity of tourism related products Sri Lanka offers. Distinctively gifted with dense rain forests, pristine beaches, nature parks and wildlife sanctuaries, as well as cities ingrained with local culture, cuisine and history, the country presents ample scope for development and investments to provide a variety of customised experiences for even the most discerning traveller. HVS Key Takeaways: Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka 2017 | By Hemangi Bhandari Photo by HVS To wholly leverage the innate and assorted tourism related products in Sri Lanka, delegates at the conference encouraged the creation of integrated tourism circuits within the country. In addition to the conventionally attractive locations such as Colombo and the South West coast, attendees at the conference discussed the investment opportunities presented by the other areas of the country; Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Mullaitivu, Batticoloa and Arugam Bay on the east coast, to name a few. With coordinated efforts by both the public and private sectors, it is feasible to form sustainable tourism circuits linking the various destinations in the country and ensure long-term benefits. However, this is contingent on continued infrastructure development and concentration on improvement of the air, road and rail connectivity as well as the power and telecom industries. HVS Key Takeaways: Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka 2017 | By Hemangi Bhandari Photo by HVS Beyond the broad tourism headlines, the delegates also highlighted the active interest in developing the hospitality sector, with domestic players expanding their footprint as well as the major international hotel brands entering the field. The increasing competition, coupled with focused infrastructure improvement and growth in tourist arrivals points towards exciting times ahead. However, the subsequent widening supply-demand gap of skilled manpower remains a concern. Shortage of skilled labour was repeatedly highlighted during the conference, stressing the need for considerable efforts from both the private and public sectors in order to foster a sufficiently proficient and substantial workforce. HVS Key Takeaways: Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka 2017 | By Hemangi Bhandari Photo by HVS The overriding factor discussed during the conference was the role played by the government as flag bearers. Consistency and transparency will be key to furthering the current government's agenda of positioning Sri Lanka as a financial, tourism and trading hub in the region. By way of marketing efforts, progressive policy reforms, improved foreign relations, as well as incentives for attracting foreign investments, the government should continue to work with the private sector for facilitating the comprehensive development of the tourism and hospitality industry. HVS Key Takeaways: Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Sri Lanka 2017 | By Hemangi Bhandari Photo by HVS The Emerald Island is progressively evolving as a key South Asian hospitality market, with the tourism sector presenting tremendous opportunity for regional and global investors, owners, operators, lenders, developers, and other industry players. The Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference Sri Lanka 2017 provided a meaningful platform for voicing these opportunities as well as the challenges faced by local and international hotel developers, owners and operators. View source Bangkok -- Best Western Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to bring its new upscale hotel concept, BW Premier Collection, to Asia for the first time. The world famous hotel group has signed an agreement with Thai real estate company, Habitat Group, for BluPhere Pattaya - a new-build eight-storey project in Na Jomtien, a peaceful beach front setting on Thailand's popular Eastern Seaboard. Located just 100 meters from the beach, a few minutes from the attractions of downtown Pattaya, and just over an hour's drive from Bangkok, BluPhere Pattaya is a brand new property providing 195 apartment-style units ideal for upscale family getaways. The property will retain its existing branding and will be managed by Best Western as part of the BW Premier Collection, its upscale "soft brand". The property will benefit from Best Western's global support network, including employees training, sales and marketing, global distribution, quality control and access to Best Western Rewards, the company's popular loyalty program. BW Premier Collection is a carefully curated portfolio of upscale and luxury boutique hotels, selected for their superior facilities and unique personalities. Like all Best Western hotels worldwide, BW Premier Collection provides their guests with exemplary service and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout their stay. "Thailand's tourism industry is in an extremely healthy position. Simply looking at the numbers, Thailand welcomed a record 32.6 million international visitors and generated THB2.52 trillion (US $71.8 billion) in revenues in 2016, which exceeded the initial government targets set at the start of the year," said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western's Managing Director of International Operations - Asia. "But looking beyond the figures, Thailand is creating a strong and sustainable base on which to build its tourism industry in future. The country's stated ambition of focusing on quality tourists will raise visitor spending, extend average length-of-stay, and build a more prosperous tourism economy for all stakeholders, allowing the Kingdom to continue reaping the benefits of tourism in future. "In line with this strategy, BW Premier Collection is a great fit for Thailand. Designed for guests who crave individuality, character and local charm, this upscale concept is expanding into some of the world's most sought-after destinations. We are delighted to bring BW Premier Collection to Asia with BluPhere Pattaya, and to continue our close relationship with the Habitat Group," Olivier added. This signing marks the second collaboration between Best Western and Habitat Group, following the Best Western Premier BayPhere Pattaya - another upscale development on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard, which is becoming one of Asia's most desirable destinations. According to the 2016 MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index, Pattaya was the tenth most-visited Asian city last year, attracting 7.3 million international visitors, 25.2 million room nights and US$3.3 billion in visitor expenditure. This makes it Thailand's third most popular destination, after Bangkok and Phuket. Officially launched in 2014, BW Premier Collection is a selection of independent upscale hotels in key destinations around the world, including San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Vancouver, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Edinburgh and Liverpool. About BWH Hotel Group BWH Hotel Group is a leading, global hospitality network comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels Collection, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group. The global network boasts approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 18 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market. WorldHotels WorldHotels Collection is a privately held hotel soft brand within the BWH Hotel Group global network. Founded by independent hoteliers dedicated to the art of hospitality, and celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2021, WorldHotels offers one of the finest portfolios of independent hotels and resorts around the globe, expertly curated to inspire unique, life enriching experiences that connect people and places. WorldHotels is comprised of four unique collections, each with its own personality and style to appeal to the needs of today's traveler. The collections include: WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted. For more information visit WorldHotels.com. *Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline. Siriporn Trachoo Marketing & Communications Best Western International Asia +66 2 656 1260 BWH Hotel Group It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Country-pops newest rising star Catherine McGrath has released her new single Starting From Now via Warner Bros. Records. Showcasing a more upbeat side to her music, following her acclaimed acoustic-only debut EP One at the end of 2016, the new single features Catherine with a full production including electro-acoustic guitars, stomping beats, ukuleles and a huge pop chorus, demonstrates the huge crossover potential she has alongside her much-loved country flair. On its release last Friday, Starting From Now was added straight onto Spotifys UK New Music Friday playlist as well as seeing Catherine picked as Apple Musics New Artist Of The Week this week who tipped her as A new heiress to the Taylor throne. Catherine has come a long way since moving to London from her hometown in Northern Ireland. Last week she was dubbed as one of the brightest emerging talents in country music by Music Week. She has also delved into the live music scene playing numerous shows in the capital, including support for Una Healy from The Saturdays for two special shows in London and Dublin. Catherine will be joining Una again on May 14th for a show at Londons Bush Hall. Now writing with top class songsmiths in the UK and Nashville, Catherines beautiful sound is capturing the hearts of young country and pop fans across the country. Listen to 'Starting From Now' here and see full tour listings below. Advertisement LIVE SHOWS March Tue 14th Bush Hall, London (supporting CAM) Wed 15th O2 Institute 2, Birmingham (supporting Canaan Smith) Thu 16th Deaf Institute, Manchester (supporting Canaan Smith) Sat 18th Thekla, Bristol (supporting Canaan Smith) Sun 19th Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (supporting Canaan Smith) Mon 20th Concorde 2, Brighton (supporting Canaan Smith) Tue 21st Bush Hall, London (supporting Canaan Smith) Wed 22nd The Cavern, Liverpool (Under The Apple Tree Presents: New Country) Mon 27th The Social, London April Wed 19th The Bedford, London May Mon 14th Bush Hall, London (supporting Una Healy) Thu 18th The Great Escape Festival, Brighton & MORE TBA Lost Book Deal Almost inevitably, Yiannopoulos chosen targets include feminists (he has called feminism a cancer), immigrants (he encouraged students at his university talks to turn in any of their undocumented peers), and, of course, trans people. He took particular delight in outing a trans student at a talk at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. The right embraced Yiannopoulos and used the fact he is gay as a cloak to hide their bigotry. It was a variation on the classic I have a black friend defence. Often times my fellow journalists draw the wrong conclusions from their investigations, and a report on pay-to-stay jails by the Los Angeles Times is the latest example. The story leads with how a person convicted of sexual assault was able to pay for an upgrade to their jail cell. And while the judge in that case was wrong to allow such a criminal to use the pay-to-stay system, it is actually an excellent example of criminal justice reform and the potential future for private prisons. That is, if you think the goal of incarceration should be to deter future bad behavior, not encourage it. In California, if you are sentenced to county jail time, and the judge agrees, you have the option to shop around for where you will serve your sentence. For somewhere between $50 and $250 a night, you can choose a jail that may allow you to bring in your own linens, your private computer and guarantee that you don't have to hang out with hardened criminals. RELATED: Misused prisons waste capital, labor and real estate Some criminals are even allowed to serve their time in these nice jails only on the weekends and spend weekdays working. One music producer took two years to serve 135 days. Wait a minute, you might say, that's not fair. Rich people should have to serve time just like poor people. But that's the wrong conclusion. It goes back to the old criminal justice cliche about the difference between people we're mad at and people we are afraid of. We need to keep the two separated and treat them differently. Most county jails are overcrowded, and as a result, criminals are released early. Even dangerous criminals, as long as they behave behind bars. These cells should be reserved for people who are violent and should segregated from society. There are other criminals, though, who commit non-violent crimes, like embezzlement or fraud. And there's young people caught with small amounts of drugs. They need to pay a price for their crime, but locking them up with hardened criminals for weeks or months means they can't work and support their families. They are also spending their days with professional criminals, who often abuse them and turn them into hardened criminals. Allowing someone to pay for better conditions, or to continue working during as long as they spend the night in jail, keeps these non-violent offenders in the workforce and out of danger. They still feel the weight of their crime every time they check into a jail cell, but they also remain productive members of society. RELATED: Mass incarceration hurts U.S. economy I'd never ask taxpayers to pay for nicer jails, but why not let people pay for better conditions if they can? And if the private prison industry wants to profit from getting a per diem for housing county prisoners and then make a little more by offering better conditions for a price, why not? After all, this is a country that denies quality health care to the working poor because they can't afford it. Why is it not OK then to allow someone to pay for better treatment in jail or prison? Too many Americans think every criminal needs to be personally broken for breaking the law. All that does is ruin lives and waste resources. While violent criminals should be excluded, pay-to-stay jails could solve a lot of what's wrong with our criminal justice system, and offer a way for private jails to make money by offering quality services rather than cut-rate facilities. Remember, the criminal justice system is supposed to discourage crime, rehabilitate offenders and protect the public. It's not about retribution. Professional cutting horses have never actually worked on a ranch running cattle, but they've trained all their lives to act like it. Roy Carter teaches that instinct - how to separate a cow from the herd. "When it starts following the cow with his ears," says Carter, a cutting horse trainer with deep crags in his face and a turkey feather in his flat-brimmed hat, "then you know you're getting somewhere." Carter, 65, has been coming to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since he was a kid - his father worked on a farm on Westheimer Road, back when it wasn't full of strip malls. By age 13, he'd gotten into bull riding, and had his face bashed in during one competition, requiring reconstructive surgery. A few years later, he broke his neck and his back. "I went out and sat in my car for two hours and cried, thinking of what I was going to do for a living," he recalls, after a visit to the doctor. "And then I went out and rode bulls for another 13 years." He hadn't gone to college, so bull riding was among his only options. He loved it more than anything, and it paid the bills. "I didn't save any money," he says, "but I always had money in my pocket." Carter finally quit bull riding in 1985. It wasn't the injuries, he says, just time, and a weariness with constant travel. The next best thing was training cutting horses, so he trained under the best in the business, Keith Barnett - everybody seems to know each other in this industry, since you've either taught or been taught by or trained horses for most everybody else. "He's a legend," say at least three people who pass by Carter as he leans on a stall door in the recesses of NRG Arena where horses wait their turn to show. The money's a little steadier in the training business than it is riding bulls, but it's by no means assured. Cutting horses are a luxury good: Most are owned by folks with expendable income who just like to compete on the weekends, and a good one can go for upward of $100,000. One of Carter's clients flies in from Idaho a few times a year to ride the horse he trains for her. Around Houston, the business sank a little during the oil bust, as energy executives cut back on those little extravagances. It's coming back, says Johnny Causey, chair of the rodeo's cutting horse committee. But then there's always the risk of having a few bad shows, not bringing in the prize money you're counting on - if that goes on long enough, you start losing your reputation, and your horses won't sell for as much. That hasn't happened for Carter, who now trains 22 horses at his ranch in Perrin, a tiny town in North Texas. Still, he stays diversified by breeding bucking bulls as well, about 30 of them, which he leases out to rodeos around the state. They're friendly when they're not trying to kill you, he says. On Tuesday, Carter was showing one of his clients' horses, a dark brown 5-year-old mare with a small star on her forehead named Freckles Powder River. She's small and skittish - Carter had to treat her gently for a long time, before she learned to trust. "She didn't like herself when I got her," he says. After walking her in circles to keep her calm while other horses took their turn, Joenell, Carter's wife, handed the mare off to him. Hunched in the saddle, Carter rode her forward into the milling herd, and went straight for a brown cow with a big white stripe on its face. Cutting horse judging is a subjective process. There are a few rules: You've got to single out a cow and keep it away from the rest of the herd until it comes to a standstill. After that, it's mostly style - how the horse moves, low to the ground, pivoting on its massive haunches, springing forward with explosive speed to counter every desperate end run. By those metrics, Freckles Powder River did well. But she didn't get a chance to show off as much as Carter would've liked, and by the end, he knew he wouldn't be winning any money in this division. "These cattle are faking everybody out," he said, after handing the mare back to Joenell. If he goes home without ending up in the winnings this year, Carter won't panic. "Unless it happens consistently!" he says, with a big laugh. But after this long, he doesn't have as much to prove. "I'll be honest. I've done very, very well. And I'm about at the end," Carter says. "Youth always takes over." Last week, the GOP released legislation called the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to repeal and replace Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA). House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted about the three clear goals of the AHCA: Drive down costs, encourage competition and expand access to care. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is currently reviewing the bill, so we don't have all the estimates to determine how much the AHCA will cost or how many people it would cover. But according to the last CBO report, the prior version of the Republican replacement proposal would have doubled premiums for Americans and led to 32 million Americans being uninsured by 2026. At least one thing becoming apparent is that the ACA repeal would create a major tax cut for the wealthy. Late last week, the Joint Committee on Taxation released their estimates that the repeal in taxes alone will cost about $600 billion through 2026. Also hidden in the repeal is a massive tax break for insurance company executives. Under ACA, there is a limit of $500,000 of deductions for each executive. In 2015, the top five insurance companies paid their CEOs $73 million; only $2.5 million of that was deductible under ACA. Now, the repeal would make all $73 million deductible. Understandably, the roughly 20 million Americans who were able to receive coverage under the ACA are anxious to see how the AHCA will affect them. Here is quick guide to what Republicans are proposing to stay, what they want repealed without replacement, and what they want repealed and replaced. What will stay? Preexisting conditions: Insurance companies will still be required to provide coverage for these consumers; they cannot charge more because a consumer has a preexisting condition. Essential health benefits: Under the ACA, insurance companies are required to provide 10 essential services to all consumers. These are outpatient or clinic care, emergency room services, inpatient hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and addiction treatment, prescription drugs, rehabilitative services (e.g., speech therapy, physical therapy, etc.), labs, preventative services and pediatric services. No annual and lifetime limits: Under the ACA, insurers can't set annual or lifetime dollar limits on essential health benefits. Dependent coverage until age 26: Individuals under the ACA are allowed to keep their children on their plan until age 26. What will be repealed and not replaced? Individual mandate: Under the ACA, anyone who could afford it was required to obtain insurance. If you didn't, there was a penalty ($695 per adult or 2.5 percent of household income, whichever was greater). This mandate was put into effect in the hope that younger and healthier individuals would come into the market, therefore decreasing the risk pool to keep health insurance affordable for all. The GOP repealed this mandate. Overall, getting rid of this mandate could lead to lower enrollments and fewer healthy people purchasing plans, therefore worsening the risk pool and further driving up premiums. Though the individual mandate was repealed, Republicans are proposing that people who don't maintain coverage continuously face 30-percent-higher premium surcharges when they reenter. As conservative blogger Erick Erickson put it, Republicans promised to repeal Obamacare with the individual mandate, but now they are letting insurance companies collect it. Some critics also argue that the penalty is too low to incentivize consumers to keep their insurance. Employer mandate: Under the ACA, all businesses with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees were required to provide health insurance for employees who work more than 30 hours a week. If these businesses did not comply, they were required to pay a monthly penalty. Employers were also required to pay for preventative screenings such as colonoscopies, pap smears and mammograms and for employee contraception. The GOP repealed this mandate. Overall, this repeal will lower costs for some businesses. It will also decrease the number of people in the market. Large companies will most likely keep their health insurance coverage for their employees. However, if you are one of the fortunate ones who will retain their employer-provided insurance, you might find the quality of the coverage to decline. With this mandate now nullified, employers will no longer be required to provide insurance for their employees' kids up to age 26. Or they might stop paying for screenings and contraception. Employers are no longer required to provide coverage for employees working 30 hours per week and could move it up to provide coverage only for those who work 40 or more hours. Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) Subsidies: Under the ACA, the federal government provided tax credits to help some consumers based on their income level to help pay for out-of-pocket deductibles and copayments. In 2016, 6 million people were covered by CSR subsidies. The GOP repealed this mandate, but this won't take effect until 2020. Overall, this will likely place a substantial financial burden on low-income, sicker and older individuals. According to the Commonwealth Fund Foundation, the repeal of the CSR could throw the market into chaos. First, it will drastically affect affordability for millions on ACA insurance who rely on CSR subsidies. Second, insurance companies are concerned that they will have to absorb the costs -- which is unlikely to happen. Or they will have to raise their premiums, exit the marketplace or no longer offer any individual plans at all. This could make health insurance markets less competitive as well. Associated Press What will be repealed and replaced? Premium subsidies: Under the ACA, the federal government provided tax credits based on income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), along with considerations of age and geography. In essence, the higher tax breaks were for those with lower incomes, who were older or who lived in higher premium areas. Under the ACA, insurance companies could only charge older individuals a maximum three times as much as younger individuals. The AHCA no longer varies tax credits based on income level or geography. The tax credit will solely be determined by age. For example, if you are 25 years old, you will get a $2,000 tax credit. If you are 60 years old, this increases to $4,000. Older individuals can be charged five times as much as young individuals. Due to the concerns of some lawmakers, a last-minute reduction on tax credits was introduced into the proposal for high-income earners. The tax credits for individuals with annual incomes higher than $75,000 and married couples with incomes higer than $150,000 will be proposed to be reduced. For every $1,000 in income over $75,000, the tax credit would be reduced by $100. Overall, the AHCA would reduce the amount of tax credits. Based on a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, the replacement of premium subsidies with the new GOP plan will have the biggest negative effects on older Americans, poor Americans and Americans living in high-premium areas. Though a 60-year-old could get twice as much tax credit as a twentysomething, this can be offset by insurers who can could charge older Americans five times as much. A large number of younger individuals will also get lower tax credits, now that lower incomes are no longer a factor in premium subsidies. The median income of 25- to 34-year-olds is $30,000, and the median income of 35- to 49-year-olds is $40,000. This will decrease the number of young healthy individuals in the risk pool and threaten to raise premiums. However, one upshot to the AHCA would be that individuals under 60 earning between $40,000 and $75,000 will have larger subsidies. Medicaid Expansion: Due to the ACA, federal funding allowed 31 states and Washington, D.C., to expand Medicaid coverage by raising the eligibility cutoff to 138 percent of the FPL, which was set at an income of $16,400 for an individual or $33,900 for a family of four. Millions of poor Americans were able to get coverage under the expansion. The GOP proposes that the states that expanded Medicaid will still get federal funding, but only through the end of 2019. After that, the responsibility would fall to each state. The levels of funding would decrease for anyone who newly enrolls in 2020 or comes back to Medicaid. All states (even those who did not expand Medicaid) would then only get a set amount of funding, based on the size of their Medicaid population. A new federal funding of state grants is also being proposed under Medicaid. States would get $2 billion in a 10-year window, and they could choose how to spend it on healthcare. Overall, once Medicaid expansion and funding caps are placed in 2020, then millions of poor Americans face a significant risk of lacking coverage and losing Medicaid. It appears there is an upshot with the $2 billion grant, though. Analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that there would be $370 billion in costs shifted to states. Many states, which are already facing thin budgets, would be forced to cut benefits and coverage for many of their poorest people. Health Savings Account: Under the ACA, individuals can put $3,400 or a family can put $6,750 into a tax-sheltered health savings account. The AHCA would allow significantly more tax-free money to be put into the account. Individuals can put at least $6,550 or $13,100 for families. Expanding these accounts can become a big financial help for those who will use them for health and insurance costs, including deductibles.Nevertheless, it also means that most Americans will be expected to pay for a larger share of their expenses than under the ACA. This sounds like a reasonable thing to do to help offset some of the costs of health care for American families if you are a high-income earner. But the reality is that the vast majority of Americans do not save money. Sixty-six million Americans and one in six households with an annual income between $50,000 and $75,000 have $0 saved. Second, with health care costs soaring, shifting burdens from insurance companies to the consumer to pay more of their medical bills, medical debts cause substantial proportion of U.S. bankruptcies. Asking individuals with insurance to pay more of their expenses could further financially cripple those who are already living paycheck to paycheck. Clearly, the AHCA kept some of the ACA's popular provisions. However, the goals that Paul Ryan tweeted about are not what many policy analysts and experts see from this new plan. There are many provisions that disproportionately target more poor and elderly Americans and give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. Repealing the cost-sharing subsidies and income considerations and abolishing the federal Medicaid expansion are likely to send millions of consumers out of the health care market. If the CBO's upcoming reports are similar to other reports from think tanks and health care experts, then we are looking at a future in health care with higher premiums for coverage and millions of Americans left uninsured. Sadly, it seems that the Affordable Care Act is being replaced by a plan that will be a far inferior one for many who desperately need affordable health care. Dr. Behrouz Zand (@Behrouz_Zand) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Bookmark Gray Matters. Under the ACA, anyone who could afford it was required to. Weeks away from graduation, Chamberlain College of Nursing students learned of a new requirement from their for-profit school - they'd have to pass a cumulative test on the first try to receive their degrees and then take a stab at the national license exam. The northwest Houston campus enrolls about 380 students. The change followed the Texas Board of Nursing's decision to forbid Chamberlain from enrolling new students in January, citing years of recent graduates not passing the national examination at high enough rates. The state board told the college it must lift that national examination pass rate before it can take on new students. Previously, Chamberlain did not require students to pass the internal test before graduation. Chamberlain told students of the policy shift after it learned of the new restrictions from the state board. Students interviewed by the Chronicle believe their school is trying to keep certain students from taking the national exam to lift its pass rate so that it can enroll new students again and keep revenues high. "It's not ethical, what they're trying to do," said one student, who has complained to Chamberlain's parent company, DeVry Education Group Inc. The company's ombudsman is investigating the complaint, and the student requested anonymity, fearing retribution. 'Conditional' status Chamberlain denies that the curricular change, which students learned of in February, aims to gin up the pass rate for the national exam. It is instead an effort to improve student accountability, President Susan Groenwald said. Students didn't take studying seriously when passing wasn't required to graduate, she said. Chamberlain has the right, she said, to change requirements at any time. "It is amazing to all of us the extent we have to impose rules to get students to do what we know is in their best interest," Groenwald said. Houston is one of five Chamberlain campuses that imposed this rule, she said. The Texas Board of Nursing demoted Chamberlain's approval status to "conditional" - just one step above withdrawing state board approval - from "warning" in January. If less than 80 percent of students pass the national exam this year, the Texas board could withdraw approval. Students must graduate from a state-approved college to take the national exam and practice. At Chamberlain, if students fail the internal test, they'll have to retake the course before they can try again. Students' accusations - that the change is an effort to artificially lift the college's pass rate - echo those made against Houston Community College over the summer, when the Texas Board of Nursing placed HCC on "conditional" status. There, nursing students said HCC withheld graduation forms from certain students in an effort to improve its pass rate. HCC distributed the forms after an attorney filed suit on behalf of affected students, and HCC regained full approval status when its pass rate edged above 80 percent. Chamberlain's Houston campus enrolled its first students in February 2011 as several new nursing programs popped up in and around the city, citing national and local demand. The demand for registered nurses is expected to grow 16 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Chamberlain opened a Pearland campus in 2014, and in 2012, the University of St. Thomas re-established its long-defunct nursing program, graduating its first 27 students in 2014. The College of Health Care Professionsbegan enrolling students in 2011. Slipping below 80 percent for several consecutive years is not unusual for new nursing programs, Texas Board of Nursing consultant Janice Hooper said. "We have seen, in the last three or four years, a number of (schools) go through this experience," she said. "I have to say most of them come back exceptionally well." She said increasing a program's rigor - like through an additional test before graduation - is not an uncommon response to a low pass rate. About 87 percent of Chamberlain students passed the exam in 2013, but that figure fell to about 67 percent in 2015. Last year, 78.4 percent of students passed the test - missing the 80 percent benchmark by two students. Small percent here Chamberlain's parent company, DeVry Education Group Inc., alerted investors to the Texas Board of Nursing's approval status change in its most recent quarterly filings. It said it was confident it could "increase and maintain" national examination scores so that the Texas board would bring Chamberlain back to full approval. Houston enrolls less than 5 percent of Chamberlain students across its 20 campuses, DeVry said. Chamberlain College of Nursing's year-over-year revenue grew by 7.8 percent in the most recent quarter, primarily due to enrollment gains. The state board next will measure pass rates in October. About 90 Chamberlain students are scheduled to graduate before then. Late last year, DeVry settled with the U.S. Education Department and the Federal Trade Commission over complaints that it falsely promoted graduates' success and earnings. DeVry, which earned about $456.4 million in revenue in its most recent quarter, was one of several for-profit colleges and universities under intense scrutiny by former President Barack Obama's administration. Over the last few years, several for-profit college operators, including Corinthian Colleges Inc. and ITT Educational Services, ceased operations or shuttered campuses amid fraud allegations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DEVINE - Down a dirt road from cattle lolling on a feedlot, trucks pull into the Southern Wild Game plant carrying feral pigs trapped across the Lone Star State. They are unloaded into pens and hosed down before being sent into the plant to be processed into steaks and chops, all under the watch of U.S. Department of Agriculture and European Union-licensed inspectors. The meat leaves the plant boxed and ready for distribution to discerning diners overseas. While wild hogs - the most prolific large mammal on earth - may be a nuisance to Texas' farms, ranches and, increasingly, cities, the meat is considered a healthy delicacy across the Atlantic. With venison prices high, boar meat - or sanglier as its known in France - is a pretty hot commodity. That may change as Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller signed an emergency rule Feb. 21 allowing a rat poison to be used to cull the feral hog population, which causes an estimated $55 million in damages in Texas alone. The key ingredient in Kaput Feral Hog Bait - and in Miller's self-declared "hog apocalypse" - is warfarin. In low doses, it's used as an anticoagulant to help prevent strokes and heart attacks in humans. But in high doses, warfarin is used for rat control. Game processors, hunters and trappers across Texas are watching to see how a lawsuit challenging the rule plays out. Turns fat deposits blue A spokeswoman at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, which runs a statewide program on feral hog control, said the service was researching the product. "We are exploring the benefits and risks associated with warfarin-based products such as Kaput and expect to eventually add this control method to the assortment of management options we educate landowners about," AgriLife spokeswoman Lara Burhenn said. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which regulates hunting and trapping, posted a message on its website saying the department "has not yet evaluated the risks and impacts this toxicant may have on non-target species when used as a means to control feral hog populations." Scimetrics, the Colorado-based company that developed Kaput, says pigs are so sensitive to warfarin that the hog bait uses a concentration that's only a fifth of what's found in rodent bait. Warfarin residues in hog liver are below 5 milligrams per kilogram, the company said, compared with the daily dose of warfarin as a blood thinner of between two and 10 milligrams. What's more, the bait turns fat deposits of the hog blue, making it easy to detect if the animal has eaten it, Scimetrics said. "The scare with the hunters they jumped the gun because they didn't read the facts about warfarin," Scimetrics President Richard Poche said. "It's been around for human use since 1954. It revolutionized rodent control." Texas the roll-out state While Louisiana also has registered with the EPA to use Kaput, Texas was to be the roll-out state, Poche said. He said the product was set to be released in late April or early May, but that those plans were now on hold until the "dust settles in Texas." "We're strongly supporting Texas' take on it that it be handled by people that are trained and really know how to use a product such as this," he said. The EPA approved Kaput in January, and Miller made his announcement Feb. 21. Under his emergency rule, the TDA approved Kaput as a state limited-use pesticide, which means it can only be bought and administered under the direction of licensed applicators. Will Herring, owner of the Wild Boar Meats processing plant in Hubbard, buys live and dead hogs to process for pet food and was preparing to build a bigger plant when news about Kaput went viral. On March 1 he filed a lawsuit against Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture. "Texas currently has a vibrant, growing economic segment focused on hunting feral hogs and the consumption and use of feral-hog meat and byproducts," according to the complaint filed with in a state district court in Austin. "A warfarin-poisoning program will substantially reduce or destroy those businesses, including Wild Boar Meats." State District Judge Jan Soifer in Austin on March 2 issued a temporary restraining order suspending Miller's rule until a court hearing scheduled for March 30. The Texas Almanac tells us that the largest earthquake in Texas history occurred way back in 1931 near the tiny town of Valentine in far West Texas. The total felt area exceeded more than 400,000 square miles. The only known death from a Texas earthquake occurred in 1923, when a temblor with an epicenter near El Paso caused an adobe house to collapse across the Rio Grande in Juarez. Those tidbits of Texas history suggest that quakes have been rare in the Lone Star State - until recently, when a drastic increase in Texas and other energy-producing states happened to coincide with oil and gas fracking operations that pump billions of barrels of water deep into faults underground. Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton - an adherent of the Scott Pruitt school of science denial - calls connections between fracking operation and earthquakes "a bunch of suppositions, barely even hypotheses." As the founder of a Pasadena-based energy consultancy, the commissioner ought to know better, and probably does, but what he knows best is that incontrovertible scientific proof tying oil and gas operations to the increased number of earthquakes - as most studies to date have found - would force him and his oil and gas-friendly fellow commissioners to curtail certain activities in the industry. As Chronicle business reporters David Hunn and Lydia De Pillis noted recently, companies would have to adapt, at a cost of untold millions of dollars, given the fact that humble adobe houses aren't the only structures unable to withstand earthquakes. Airports, highways, hospital and schools also are vulnerable. Could that unpleasant possibility be the reason neither the Railroad Commission nor the Texas Legislature seems all that enthusiastic about an earthquake-monitoring program sponsored by the University of Texas? The project, under the auspices of the university's Bureau of Economic Geology, includes placing 55 additional seismometers around the state, triple the number we have now. The Legislature appropriated $4.5 million for the effort last session, with the oil and gas industry contributing another $1.2 million, but lawmakers provided funding only for this year. UT has asked the Legislature for $3.4 million for the next two years to continue research, but the money has not been included in the Senate's budget. Strangely enough, with fracking operations down during the past year due to decreased oil and gas prices, we've also experienced fewer earthquakes. A commissioner with his head in the sand is probably sensitive to that fact, but Sitton is still not persuaded there's a connection. Who knows, the UT study might prove that he's right. Whether it's pure coincidence or man-made meddling with Mother Nature, he and his colleagues shouldn't be afraid of the findings. It's no surprise that Mayor Sylvester Turner has identified maintaining defined benefit pensions as a priority for his administration. Despite all the fear-mongering from anti-pension advocates, pensions remain the best way to provide a secure retirement for workers. Pensions are also cost-effective for taxpayers and provide an enormous economic benefit to our cities and states. As many hard-working people across the country know, individual 401(k) accounts were decimated during the recession and many lost their hard-earned retirement savings after the crash - pushing them to work longer than originally planned and hurting their stability in retirement. In the first two quarters of 2008 alone, 401(k)s and IRAs lost about $2.4 trillion. Decades ago, more Americans had access to pensions: professionally managed, group plans designed to weather dramatic downturns in the stock market. During the last financial crisis, pensions took a hit, to the tune of $849 billion collectively. Now, almost 10 years later, many have recovered and are nearing healthy or full funding status. Funding levels averaged 74 percent in 2015, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Pensions are the most cost-effective way to provide retirement security to firefighters, police officers, nurses, teachers and other public employees. A study from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) found pension plans provide the same level of retirement benefit at a 48 percent lower cost than 401(k)-style plans. West Virginia learned this after closing its teacher pension system and replacing it with 401(k)s in 1997. In 2003, the state studied the issue and found offering a pension plan cost the state half as much as the 401(k)s, so two years later the state moved its teachers back to a pension system. We need not re-learn this lesson here in Texas. For workers, pensions have multiple advantages over 401(k)s. First, pensions are pooled accounts that share market risk among employers and employees. As we saw with the Great Recession, pension funds on average have recovered, where 401(k)s have been slower to do so. Second, pension funds are professionally managed while 401(k)s rely on individuals to wade through hundreds of complex financial instruments to determine how to meet their needs in retirement. Professionally managed pension funds are better equipped to recover losses over time. Lastly, 401(k)s have costly administrative fees that go into the pockets of Wall Street executives instead of the pockets of the hard-working people making the investment. And experience teaches us that workers simply cannot save what they need to retire with dignity through a 401(k) retirement plan. In Texas, the average 401(k) account balance is only $32,072 - a mere fraction of what is needed for a secure retirement. Retirees are not the only ones who benefit from the security of a pension: We all do. NIRS estimates that pension beneficiaries pump $22 billion of economic activity into Texas, supporting upwards of 142,000 jobs. The financial health of our communities depends on people of all ages being able to support themselves and fully participate in our economy. Pensions allow our firefighters, police officers, teachers, and public employees to do just that. Pensions allow us to share risk among employers and employees, the funds are professionally managed, and no individual is left alone to face an uncertain financial future in the aftermath of another Great Recession. Pensions allow Houstonians and other Texans to retire with dignity while supporting our economy. This is a retirement model we should preserve and protect. Malfaro is chairman of Texans for Secure Retirement and president of Texas American Federation of Teachers. Missouri turkey hunters can expect a good spring season overall, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Although four consecutive years of poor hatches caused Missouris turkey population to decline during the late 2000s, improvements in productivity have since resulted in a rebound in turkey numbers throughout much of the state. Since 2011, weve seen an increasing trend in the spring turkey harvest, said MDC turkey biologist Jason Isabelle. A great deal of what makes for a good spring turkey season depends on the hatch two years prior. Although the 2015 hatch was not as high as in 2014, it, along with carry-over from previous years, should result in a strong 2017 harvest. The spring turkey hunting season starts with a youth-only weekend April 8-9. The regular spring season runs April 17 through May 7. Isabelle does note that last years poor hatch will result in fewer jakes on the landscape. I think hunters will notice a reduction in the number of jakes theyre used to seeing, he said. However, because most hunters prefer to harvest adult gobblers, the effects of last years hatch wont be fully realized until the 2018 spring season. For most of the state, Isabelle expects this years spring turkey harvest to be at or slightly below last years mark. Although this years harvest total isnt expected to be as high as last years, there are still plenty of gobblers on the landscape to provide some good hunting this year. MDC offers turkey hunting opportunities on more than 500 conservation areas and the states diverse landscape means turkey numbers often vary by region. Although the statewide trend has been an increase in turkey numbers in recent years, we often see varying trends at the regional-level, so hunters should be mindful of whats going on in their part of the state, said Isabelle. REGIONAL FORECAST Turkey outlook map Due to a poor hatch in 2015, this years turkey harvest in northeast and western portions of Missouri is expected to be down from one year ago. Both regions had very low poult-to-hen ratios during the summer brood survey a couple years ago, so Id expect fewer 2-year-old gobblers this year in these regions, Isabelle said. Isabelle said he expects spring harvests in the Ozarks, Lindley Breaks, Union Breaks, Mississippi Lowlands, and Northwest regions (see map) to be similar to last years. Production was generally better in these regions in 2015, so I wouldnt expect them to deviate too much from last years mark, he said. WEATHER FACTORS Isabelle noted that weather can have a significant impact on the harvest. With a relatively short spring hunting season, the weather we experience can have a strong influence on our harvest numbers, he said. Rain and wind can suppress gobbling activity, so most hunters hope for calm, sunny mornings, especially during weekends when most venture into the woods to hunt. Despite what is shaping up to be an early spring, Isabelle does not believe it will have much of an effect on this years spring turkey season. He notes that although an early or late spring can have some influence on the timing of nesting, the turkey breeding season is influenced primarily by the amount of daylight, which keeps the timing of nesting about the same each year. HUNTER SAFETY Isabelle stressed that hunters can easily avoid the main cause of turkey-hunting incidentsmistaking or being mistaken by another hunter for game. Each year, most turkey hunting incidents typically involve hunters who fail to positively identify their targets, said Isabelle. Unless you are absolutely certain that what youre looking at is a wild turkey, remember that any movement you see or any sounds you hear could be another hunter. He also advised hunters to wear some hunter-orange clothing when moving through the woods or fields, particularly when hunting public land, and to always know the locations of all members of a hunting party. Many turkey hunting incidents actually involve members of the same hunting party, said Isabelle. If youre hunting with someone else and you split up, be certain you know where your hunting partner will be at all times. BRAG A BIT MDC hunting certificates are great ways to memorialize a hunters first deer and turkey harvests. Visit http://on.mo.gov/1TpY6Gz to create free commemorative certificates. Hunters can share photos of their harvests through MDCs Hunting Bragging Board by using #mdcbragboard when posting pictures to their social media accounts. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/huntingbragboard. Find detailed information on all things related to spring turkey hunting at http://on.mo.gov/2mn9d8K. The following are excerpts from reports generated by the Texas County Sheriffs Department: A deputy responded at about 11:15 p.m. March 13 after a woman reported an odor like rotten eggs outside her Highway B residence at Houston. The officer walked around two adjacent homes and traveled the surrounding area all the way to a trailer park on Morton Road, but was unable to detect odor. A deputy was dispatched March 8 to Austin Lake near Mountain Grove to recover a black safe that had been found in the woods by a man walking around the lake. The officer observed that the safe had several bullet holes in it and had been pried open. It was placed into evidence and investigation of the case continues. A 58-year-old Cabool woman reported hearing gunfire behind her Highway PP residence at about 10:15 p.m. March 8. The woman told an investigating deputy she owns 58 acres but the gun shots came from directly behind her house. The officer went to a neighbors home behind the womans property and nobody there had heard and gunfire. At about 5 p.m. March 10, a woman reported seeing a suspicious man with a gun on Highway N near Licking. Two deputies responded but were unable to locate him. A 52-year-old Summersville man reported on March 11 that two window air conditioning units with a total value of $185 had been swiped from his Scenic Road residence. There are no suspects. Texas County Jail admissions March 6 Esther M. Kribble 48-hour commitment Daniel L. Hale 48-hour shock March 7 Ralph H. Reber possession of controlled substance Mark D. Griffith MDOC hold Anthony P. Dickman Willow Springs PD hold March 8 Devonn L. Johnson endangering corrections officer Esther M. Kribble Howell County hold Jennifer K. Bradfield warrant March 9 Michael L. Bunts driving while revoked Kelsey N. Day 10-day commitment Coltin J. Andrews armed criminal action, unlawful use of weapon, property damage James P. Mitchell MDOC hold Casey R. Myrick 48-hour commitment Amanda J. Wake possession of controlled substance March 11 Jackson C. Morgan possession of controlled substance Nathan R. Campbell stealing, property damage Montana L. Stewart DWI Ronald L. McCallister receiving stolen property, identity theft Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. B.C. premier Christy Clark promises to support a private member's bill to end "sexist high heel dress codes in the workplace." B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver introduced the bill last week to prevent employers from setting "varying footwear and other requirements" based on gender, such as mandatory high heels for servers in restaurants. Advertisement Weaver said such footwear can be extremely uncomfortable and unsafe, and is part of "sexist high heel dress codes in the workplace." He cited a series of reports by The Tyee about sexism in B.C.'s restaurant industry in his proposal to amend the Workers Compensation Act. 100% agree @AJWVictoriaBC & @iantostenson. Women shouldnt have to wear high heels at work. Well move to end this https://t.co/IwjGSoYyvH Christy Clark (@christyclarkbc) March 12, 2017 On Sunday, the premier said she backed his motion "100%." "In some workplaces in B.C., women are still required to wear high heels on the job. This isn't just old-fashioned; in 2017, it's unacceptable," Clark wrote on Facebook, adding that the practice needs to stop. "Government will take action to do exactly that." Advertisement The premier's office told The Huffington Post Canada Monday that the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, which is responsible for labour, is looking into what needs to be done, and that government will work with industry on the issue. The B.C. NDP will also support the bill, reported Global News. High-profile stories, including an investigation by CBC's "Marketplace," have led to some Canadian restaurant chains adjusting their dress codes. Last spring, Earls Restaurants, which is headquartered in Vancouver, changed its dress code guidelines to give staffers the choice of wearing pants instead of skirts. A former server for a Joey Restaurant in Edmonton said she was forced to wear high heels to work, despite experiencing extreme pain and discomfort. Her claim included a photo of her bloodied feet. (That Facebook post has since been deleted.) Advertisement Justin Tang/CP OTTAWA Four NDP candidates faced off Sunday in the partys first leadership debate in Ottawa. There was much agreement on stage but a few points of a disagreement did emerge as MPs Peter Julian, Charlie Angus, Guy Caron and Niki Ashton vied for support from members. 1. What role should the NDP play? Ashton wants the NDP to be more than a party that seeks power. Julian agrees with her but Angus and Caron are not satisfied with the NDP only being the conscience of Parliament. Advertisement 2. Everyone wants to reduce income inequality and mitigate climate change, but they dont agree on how to get there. Julian is opposed to any new raw bitumen pipelines but Angus says change has to be gradual. Angus and Caron also praised the Alberta NDP governments action on climate change while Julian and Ashton did not. Advertisement 3. Caron wants to re-open the niqab debate Caron said the party lacked empathy in the 2015 election when it opposed a ban on niqabs during citizenship ceremonies and should have communicated its message better. He wants the leadership candidates to discuss identity questions that might be seen differently in Quebec than in the rest of Canada. 4. New Democrats believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not a progressive. There was unanimous agreement on this. 5. Lots of candidate factoids The party asked the candidates to share everything from their favourite winter sport, favourite food as a child, favourite Quebec movie, favourite feminist. They were also asked to identify if they prefer ale or lager, and the book they last read. And later they were asked, in French, who their favourite opposition politician is. Caron and Angus said former Conservative MP James Rajotte, the former chair of the finance committee. Angus also listed Mike Pearson, the former Liberal prime minister, Lester B. Pearson. Ashton said she finds Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose very dynamic. Julian listed former Quebec socialist separatist leader Francoise David as his favourite politician in another party. Advertisement In another notable exchange, in French, Caron said he liked pasta with Cheez Whiz as a child. Julian liked shepherds pie but when he makes it, it tastes more like cement pie. Ashton enjoyed her grandmas spanakopita (Greek filo pastry stuffed with spinach and cheese) and Angus said he liked cabbage rolls, perogies and Finnish bread. Also on HuffPost Paul Sun-Hyung Lee of Kims Convenience was applauded for winning Best Actor in a comedy series at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards Sunday night, but he deserves a standing ovation for his moving speech about family. The 45-year-old actor, who plays Appa in the CBC sitcom about a Korean-Canadian family, not only spoke about being an immigrant, but about representing an immigrant family onscreen. Advertisement Im living in a dream. Thank you so much, he began. I have to say that I am an immigrant and I am a Canadian. In this weird sort of political time, the portrayal of an immigrant family on a national broadcaster doing what all families do which is try to make a life for themselves through the laughter, through the tears, through the fights, through the love is so much more important now than ever before. It normalizes us, and it shows people that we might have some cultural differences, but when it comes to family, we are all the same, he continued. Our strength has been and always will be diversity in this country. And Ive never been more proud to be Canadian than I am right now. Advertisement Paul Sun-Hyung Lee poses in the press room at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards. To end his speech, Lee thanked his wife and sons, and said: See? Anything can happen, anything is possible. So aim high and keep dreaming. Its rare to see a series that not only stars an immigrant family, but also highlights their struggles, which is why Kims Convenience is such an important addition in Canadian television. Not only that, but the show also features four Asians as its lead stars another rare sight. The cast of "Kim's Convenience." Since the show first aired in October, viewers have applauded it for finally representing the Asian immigrant experience on screen. #KimsConvenience was a profound mix of laughter and tears...the Kim's represent every immigrant family adapting to life here... Samuel J. Yoon (@samueljyoon33) October 12, 2016 Advertisement Another nice thing about #KimsConvenience is the diversity of the guests/side chars. Weren't written like token chars or shoehorned in. Daze @ FilmBeats (@FilmBeatsDaze) December 28, 2016 #KimsConvenience was hilarious! My kids love @bitterasiandude! Finally a show that reflects the diversity in our awesome city #okseeyou Zeenath (@LankanLioness) November 23, 2016 I started watching #KimsConvenience shortly after abruptly having to move to Toronto's Koreatown. It made me feel at home. Thanks. Sedona Parnham (@Anodesu) January 10, 2017 Now that the show's actors are gaining recognition for their work, fans couldn't be happier. It was BEAUTIFUL to see the #KimsConvenience cast feeling emotional for Paul's win!! Strong group! Strong tv family! #CdnScreenAwards KimsConvenience Fans (@kimbits416) March 13, 2017 Advertisement Congradulation Mr. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee to win #cdnscreenawards so proud to be a Canadian and what a show #kimsconvenience amir (@amir_he) March 13, 2017 Also on HuffPost Food banks and supermarkets in Quebec are leading the charge for better food security in Canada. In what Quebecs food banks say is a Canadian first, supermarkets in the province have started diverting unsold but edible food to food banks for distribution to the hungry. Food Banks of Quebec had been running a pilot project of the Supermarket Recovery Program in the Montreal and Quebec City areas since 2013, testing out whether such a system could be manageable. Advertisement Since the pilot project went province-wide in early 2016, food banks have collected nearly $20 million-worth of groceries from 177 supermarkets, and prevented more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent gases, the Montreal Gazette reports. Makes distribution possible while food is still fresh Food rotting in landfills creates methane, which is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times as damaging to the environment as carbon dioxide. Under the program, food bank staff come around to supermarkets to collect food on a scheduled basis, then deliver it to a central distribution centre where it is meted out to food banks. They've received a $395,200 grant from Recyc-Quebec to help with their costs. The idea is that we will be able to do it quickly while the food is still fresh, Sam Watts, head of Montreals Welcome Hall Mission, told Global News. Advertisement Where frozen food is required, it will maintain the cold chain of being frozen. There is enough food in the province of Quebec to feed everybody who needs food. Sam Watts, Welcome Hall Mission All major supermarket chains in Quebec are participating, Food Banks of Quebec says. When its fully running, the program will see 611 supermarkets divert an estimated 8 million kg of food per year, eliminating 7,000 tons of greenhouse gases every year. That is the equivalent of taking 1,499 cars off the road, FBQ says. Watts told CTV Montreal the pilot project proved management and distribution was possible. There is enough food in the province of Quebec to feed everybody who needs food," he said. Quebec food banks receive 1.8 million requests for donations every month, according to the FBQ. The program appears to be inspired by similar initiatives in Europe. France last year passed a law requiring supermarkets to save unsold, edible food for charities. Any grocery store larger than 400 square metres is required to sign an agreement with a charity for its unsold food. Also on HuffPost A T-shirt reading, Save a dog, eat a Chinese is receiving backlash for a very obvious reason: its racist. The graphic tee is being sold on Spreadshirt, a German retailer that allows its customers to create their own designs and sell them on the website. As a result, Save a dog, eat a Chinese, created by user Quentin1984, is not the only racist T-shirt featured on the site. The retailer is also selling a shirt with the slogan, Save a shark, eat a Chinese, created by user Monigote. Advertisement On social media, many were appalled by the racist slogans featured on these tees and criticized the retailer for selling them. "Save a shark, eat a Chinese"?! Since when we need resort to #racism for animal protection? @spreadshirtpic.twitter.com/o6jyq7fxOj Clint Cheng (@cheng_clint) March 3, 2017 Advertisement @Spreadshirt Really disgusted with the racism your company allows. That "Save a shark, Eat a Chinese" shirt is still up on your website FYI. Meghan (@xxeerryyaa) March 4, 2017 Despite the backlash, Spreadshirt announced on Friday that it will continue selling the T-shirts online. After close examination and careful consideration, we have decided, based on our open platform principle, to keep the 2 designs in question, the site wrote on Facebook. Advertisement Spreadshirts decision did not sit well with the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. According to the Toronto Sun, the embassy which believes the T-shirts are insulting to China has complained to the German government and is seeking an apology. They are also trying to get the offensive T-shirts pulled. While Spreadshirt will not remove the designs, CEO Philip Rooke said in a statement: I apologize to anyone who takes any offence from the two designs in question. He also offered further explanation as to why the T-shirts will not be removed. We do not judge or censor designs based on their phrasing, social or political leanings, he said in a written statement, adding he had no intention of causing anyone offence. Global Times reports that the racist tees were removed from Spreadshirts English sites as of March 9, however, they are still available on the German-language site. Sadly, other racist tees are also still available on the English sites, including one that reads Engrish Teacher and Vely funny. On Facebook, user Sam Liu made a public post to Spreadshirt highlighting why the racist T-shirts are so problematic. To me, it is not funny, I feel being stereotyped and offended, he wrote. This design is typical racist and discrimination I would never agree, nor other Chinese people. Such message serves nothing but promoting hatred rather than saving shark. Advertisement Liu is right. The T-shirts are spreading hate rather than promoting animal advocacy. They are also perpetuating negative stereotypes. While shark fin soup is considered a delicacy in China, a 2014 report by WildAid states that the sale of shark fins has dramatically decreased by up to 70 per cent. A wholesaler quoted in the report also deemed shark fin as a dying business. Additionally, the practice of eating dog meat is not national in China. In fact, according to a 2016 Humane Society International poll, nearly 70 per cent of people in China have never eaten dog meat and 62 per cent believe the practice damages the countrys reputation. Interestingly, this isnt the first time Spreadshirt has been under fire for its offensive T-shirts. In 2015, a user created a shirt on the site that read Pussys & Beer Thank God I Aint Queer! Luckily, the company quickly removed the design, calling it ethically questionable. Advertisement At the time, Spreadshirt released a statement to The Huffington Post stating that they dont want to support [content that] unacceptably offends or disrespect against persons because of gender, religious affiliation, political opinion or similar characteristics. Too bad the company isnt upholding this belief across all their sites regarding racism. Also on HuffPost Desperate homebuyers, take a two-year breather. Housing speculators, take warning. Torontos house-price juggernaut is two years away from the sort of peak it reached it 1989, when a housing bubble burst in the city, BMO Economics says. At the rate were now going with 20-per-cent year-on-year price increases, assuming stable mortgage rates and continued income growth, well be at 1989 valuation levels in about 24 months, senior economist Robert Kavcic wrote in a note last week. Advertisement Kavcic's note comes shortly after BMOs chief economist, Douglas Porter, declared its time to stop the pretense and admit Toronto is suffering from a housing bubble. Toronto's average house price jumped 27.7 per cent in February from a year earlier, to $859,186. Single-family homes soared to $1.57 million on average, a jump of nearly 30 per cent in a year. Kavcic provided a chart showing how affordability broke off from its long-run average in early 2016, and is headed into bubble territory. Advertisement The 1989 housing market peak led to a seven-year period of house price declines in Toronto, with prices falling 39 per cent from their 1989 peak by 1996. No housing shortage in Toronto? The most common explanation given by real estate industry insiders for Torontos rising house prices is that there is a shortage of housing supply in the quickly-growing city. That's the argument used by the Ontario Real Estate Association to call for looser density requirements and looser restrictions on urban sprawl. But a new report from Ryerson Universitys City Building Institute, released Monday, says the rate of home construction in the Toronto area is well above historical norms. Advertisement The rate of construction of single-family homes, however, is slightly below its long-term average, said the report from Simon Fraser University assistant professor Josh Gordon. Loosening building restrictions would do little to improve affordability in the short term, the study argued. House prices are being driven upwards not by a real shortage but by powerful expectational dynamics the belief that prices will continue rising, causing people to rush buying homes. The number of listings coming on the market is at similar levels as always, but since people are buying more quickly, there are fewer active listings at any given time. For instance, in Greater Toronto there were some 6,300 active MLS listings as of Monday morning, compared to 14,300 in the Montreal area, according to Realtor.ca. That creates the illusion of a shortage. Cooling the market should be about "shifting" people's expectations, the paper argued. As housing bubbles are allowed to expand, many are hurt or drawn into unsustainable financial situations. This is particularly the case for young Torontonians, Gordon wrote. Advertisement When housing bubbles unwind, there is major collateral damage and people are hurt through little or no fault of their own. And the historical record is that they do unwind, essentially without fail. Also on HuffPost bowie15 via Getty Images Web designer at work So youre thinking about creating a website but have no idea where to start. Have no fear: building a website doesnt have to be a stressful or time-consuming experience. Here are five ways you can create a standout website, presented in partnership with .CA. Choose a memorable domain name There are two parts to a domain namea top-level domain (also known as a domain name extension such as .CA, .com, or .org) and a second-level domain, which typically refers to the company brand name or keyword. Choosing the best combination of the two and registering a name that stands out helps strengthen your brands credibility. Its also important to register that address as soon as possible to ensure it isnt taken. Advertisement Work with a reputable registrar and web host Once a domain name has been selected, people must be able to find it. Its important to work with a reputable registrar and web host both can provide customer support and easy-to-follow guides to set up your website. Working with a partner you trust helps get your web site operational and visible to your online audience in no time. When you search for a .CA domain name, youre presented with a list a trusted, certified registrars to choose from. This is a great place to start. Focus on usability and simplicity A great website must be easy to navigate. The design must be clean, the layout intuitive and have design elements that are cohesive. This enables your customers to find your content easily -- whether theyre using a desktop computer or a mobile device. Because, at the end of the day, what good is a website if no one sticks around to use it! Create engaging content A great website is nothing without original content. The secret to keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more comes down to creating content thats informative, helpful, useful and fun. Advertisement Be mindful of search engine rankings Ensuring that your website ranks high in search engines should be seen as an ongoing mission: High rankings can help boost traffic, visibility and even sales and this means that incorporating search engine optimization (SEO) tactics is vital to website success. This includes adding keywords and meta tags that reflect your business, along with developing content and links created and optimized with SEO in mind. Furthermore, a .CA domain name can help you perform better in Canadian search engines. Not only does it show that your website is Canadian (likely making the content more relevant to a local audience), research has shown that Canadians prefer to visit and shop on Canadian websites. Cole Burston/CP Canada's justice system is in the midst of a major crisis. Many hundreds of important cases across Canada have been dropped due to a lack of court resources. These include some very serious crimes. In Ontario, 6,500 cases in provincial court could soon be dropped due to delays, including 38 for homicide or attempted murder. In one terrible case last year, a man named Kenneth Williamson was convicted of raping a minor over 100 times, but because of lengthy delays in taking his case to trial, his conviction was overturned. Advertisement Late last year, two men had charges of first degree murder dropped because of long delays in getting to trial. In unrelated cases, alleged killers Lance Regan and Adam Picard both walked free from murder charges. Regan was accused of murdering a fellow inmate, while Picard was accused of shooting a man to death during a robbery. Cannabis cases clogging courts Considering this justice system crisis, cannabis should obviously be the lowest priority for police and the courts, but it's not. Not only are police launching more raids against dispensaries than ever before, but ridiculous charges for small-scale "cannabis crimes" are continuing from coast to coast. Every single one of these cannabis raids is an assault on our justice system. The recent raids on Cannabis Culture dispensaries in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton are the result of a lengthy investigation, and have taken months of police work to pursue. Hundreds of hours of precious court time will now be spent on processing and hearing these charges over the coming months and years, along with charges from many dozens of other pointless dispensary cases in other cities. Advertisement Every single one of these cannabis raids is an assault on our justice system. Every dollar spent charging, processing and trying people for cannabis is a dollar taken away from the enforcement of serious laws against violent criminals. Mandatory minimums and more police Back in 2013, the National Post was reporting on the clogged-courts problem, noting that "the recent introduction of mandatory minimum sentences" was also a big part of the problem, as they delay trials and "give greater incentive for charges to be more vigorously and aggressively fought." Yet Trudeau hasn't done anything to get rid of Harper's vicious mandatory minimums, even though his party voted against them when Harper was passing the legislation. What's he waiting for? Meanwhile Bill Blair, Trudeau's spokesperson on cannabis, is telling us that the biggest impact of legalization will be that "we're going to have to ask more of the police." How can this be? Under what rational form of legalization will we need even more police to arrest more people? If cannabis legalization doesn't mean a massive reduction in police time spent on cannabis, then it's not really legal at all. Alleged killers are walking away without trial while dispensary raids are accelerating and minor cannabis cases are getting high priority. Now Trudeau's spokesperson is saying we'll need more cops after legalization than ever before! This is not what Canadians voted for, and after having had a year in office to fix these problems, Justin Trudeau should be ashamed of himself. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Jose Chavarria / EyeEm via Getty Images What is it about hair that ruffles so many feathers? Last week, despite having been told not to do so, an Ottawa teacher chopped the hair off a child, ostensibly because the child was chewing on it. That this child is a boy who is trying to work out his gender identity, and also has autism, are not unimportant facts in this story. The teacher appears to have believed that somehow, he was acting in the child's best interests. Had he decided the child's identity for him? Had he decided that a child with a disability cannot make his own choices as to his appearance? Advertisement Even if these were not his conscious thoughts, the child's family might wonder what this teacher could have been thinking when he picked up the scissors, particularly since the mother had already explained to him that the she did not want the child's hair cut. In Thunder Bay in 2009, a teaching assistant cut the hair of a child because she said it fell into his eyes. The child was growing his hair in order to take part in First Nation's dancing. Were the child's identity and culture less important than the annoyance of seeing him with his hair in his eyes? Had she never heard of using an elastic band or ribbon to tie back hair? According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Article 8, children have the right to an identity. Article 12 gives the child a right to form and express his or her own views and Article 13 provides for freedom of expression. Article 19 requires children to be protected from physical attacks. This Convention came into effect in 1990. Advertisement When I was in school, a few decades before the UNCRC was signed by Canada and the other signatory states, it was routine for boys to be sent home from school when their hair fell below their collars. They were ordered to have their hair cut before they could return to class. Why? Their hair did not interfere with learning, nor did it cause harm to anyone. The reason for the enforced haircut was "decency." It was considered indecent, or not masculine, for a boy to wear his hair long. Because of this, long hair became a political statement. Young men grew their hair as a symbol of resistance to the military, to authority, and to institutionalization. And then later, long hair became a fashion statement - "the new look." Since Samson and Delilah, we have known that hair is not just hair. Yes, it can grow back. Yes, we can change hairstyles and colours. But each of us, no matter how young or old, knows that a part of our identity comes from the tops of our heads. A five-year-old in Kentucky asked his mother for a very close haircut so that he and his best friend could become identical. He wanted to fool their teacher. He did not think that the teacher would know which one was which if they had the same haircut. The boy who wanted the haircut is white, his friend is Black. The only difference they could see was their hair. Whether we choose to shave it all off or grow it to our knees, what we do with our hair is an important way in which we identify and express ourselves. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of expression, and the UNCRC protects this right particularly for children. In democracies, we understand that protecting rights is about human dignity. Even the youngest amongst us deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. An unwanted haircut is a cut to a person's very dignity. Advertisement By Gavin Charles On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by an earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people, generating one of the most devastating, dramatic, comprehensive, and costly emergency response operations ever conducted in the Americas. A month and a half later, on February 27, Chile was struck by an earthquake that registered nearly 500 times stronger than the Haitian quake. Once the dust settled and the emergency response was completed, the death toll in Chile was 525. The starkly different consequences in lives and livelihoods of these two earthquakes show that the level of development and a country's capacity to absorb the impacts of a disaster are directly related. Chile is a middle-income country; Haiti is the poorest in the hemisphere. Factors of development -- such as good governance, economic growth, secure infrastructure, and accessible public services -- all help save lives and sustain livelihoods in the face of disasters. Advertisement However, there are ways to reduce disaster risk in all countries. And all countries can learn from the good practices of others. National governments, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives from across the Americas came together in Montreal last week for the Fifth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas. Throughout these intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder conversations, two key elements emerged that deserve additional focus: community involvement and multi-sectoral approaches. Both of these issues featured prominently in a regional civil society statement on disaster risk reduction, coordinated by the Global Network of CSOs for Disaster Reduction and the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, endorsed by more than 150 organizations from across the Americas, and released during the Regional Platform. Efforts to reduce disaster risk are most effective when they include most-at-risk communities and people living in vulnerable situations. To achieve this level of inclusion, governments and other partners need strong understandings of diverse and intersecting vulnerabilities -- of the specific and different impacts that disasters have, for instance, on women, men, children, older people, people living with disabilities, and other demographics. Improvements in disaggregated data would help in this regard. Multi-stakeholder institutions at national, regional, and global levels can also help ensure broad participation, including from grassroots organizations and citizens, in understanding and reducing disaster risk. Advertisement Multi-sectoral approaches entail engaging all of society while breaking down thematic boundaries and silos. Disaster risk reduction thereby plays a crucial role as an insurance policy for development efforts. As reaffirmed last week in Montreal, community-based and multi-sectoral efforts to reduce the risk from disasters form an essential part of a comprehensive approach to sustainable development. The Canadian government has an opportunity to be a global leader in this area -- building on its commitments to inclusion, multi-stakeholder approaches, and supporting resilience and preparedness in the International Development and Humanitarian Assistance Civil Society Partnership Policy. As the government finalizes its new international assistance policy, it should ensure that disaster risk reduction is fully integrated into Canada's development and humanitarian programming. Advertisement Gavin Charles is Policy Officer at the Canadian Council for International Co-operation. He wrote this post while attending the Fifth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CCIC or its members. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Last week police arrested Marc Emery for the 30th time. It is believed this is the first time he's been arrested since police in Montreal picked him up in December, but it's tough to keep track. Police also raided Cannabis Culture dispensaries owned by him and his partner Jodie in Toronto, Vancouver and Hamilton. Emery faces 15 charges relating to distributing marijuana, and Jodie Emery has been charged with five such offences. Some say what the dispensaries are doing is blatantly illegal, others say the issue exists inside of a legal grey area. By the time the courts make sense of it, however, the laws probably wont exist anymore anyway. Advertisement The federal government plans on introducing legislation later this year which will legalize the sale and distribution of non-medicinal marijuana. Despite this the police just can't stop themselves from arresting Marc Emery. To many this will seem as though the police were just arresting business owners who were operating outside the law, and this will not prevent true medical marijuana patients from accessing their medication. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. If it wasn't for the work of Marc Emery and other dispensary owners operating in a legal grey area, the quality of life for many medical marijuana patients would be greatly reduced. Medical marijuana patients in Canada have three options: 1. Receive a license to grow their own marijuana Growing enough marijuana for regular consumption without having access to high-end equipment is considerably more difficult than those guys from your high school made it seem. Many people just do not have the space, know how or time to make this a realistic option. Advertisement 2. Purchase legal-grey-area marijuana from a dispensary The option most people choose is purchasing marijuana from a legal-grey-area dispensary, such as Cannabis Culture. The non-government approved variety of marijuana supplied by these dispensaries comes with more variety for patients. We shouldn't be arresting these people. Thanks to people like Marc and Jodie Emery, a medical marijuana patient can go into a dispensary and purchase a strain of marijuana specifically geared towards their affliction. A chronic pain sufferer can access a strain of marijuana that has been reported as beneficial for pain. A person with generalized anxiety can get a strain that won't cause them paranoia. Someone who has to work all day can get a smooth sativa strain that won't leave them mentally foggy afterwards. Such niceties are not afforded by the government's medical marijuana program. 3. Purchase government grown and approved medical marijuana The government program is light years behind where the dispensaries are in terms of being able to provide a variety of strains that are geared towards specific afflictions. For many years all that was available for medical marijuana patients was one strand of marijuana, take it or leave it. Though some government-approved providers now have as many as 10 strains available at a time (dispensaries often have dozens of different strains), they still do not have the variety often required for a medical marijuana patient to find the strain which works best for their affliction. By having access to a greater diversity of strains geared towards their affliction, many Canadians are able to lead better quality lives. The work of Marc and Jodie Emery helps people, improves their lives and increases the amount of joy in the world. We shouldn't be arresting these people. Advertisement "But they sell for non-medicinal use!" The main focus of many anti-dispensary crusaders is that dispensaries are selling to people for recreational use. How terrible, right? In all likelihood such use is going to be legal soon, and our economy is going to be far better off for it. Last year the state of Colorado brought in $135 million off taxes from legal marijuana sales. The state of Oregon brought in over $60 million. With recreational marijuana use legalized in Canada, the whole country will feel the positive financial impacts. It will be an industry we need to make sure is run well, and who is in the best position to do that? The government and their one-strain of terrible medical marijuana? Or the guy who can re-stock seven dispensaries within hours of being arrested? Arrest, wasted resources The reason so many dispensaries have cropped up since the last federal election is because lawyers know by the time any charges make their way through the court system, the laws they are charged with won't exist. Advertisement In the end, all of the charges against Marc and Jodie Emery will be dismissed. So why bother arresting them? Every second of time and every cent spent to arrest the pot power couple will lead to absolutely nothing productive, and nothing which benefits Canadians. The raids will, however, increase the cost of medication for marijuana patients, decrease access to medication and further signify to medical marijuana patients that police still see them as criminals. Thank you, Marc and Jodie Emery, for risking your freedom to ensure Canadians have access to medicine that can help improve the quality of their life. Thank you for fighting against outdated laws that harm good people. Today the government of Canada is trying to hurt Marc and Jodie Emery, but future governments will be thanking them. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this blog indicated that government programs offer only one strain of marijuana. In fact, government programs offer several strains, but not nearly as many as some dispensaries. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: On March 6, 2017, Canada announced that it has extended Operation UNIFIER until the end of March 2019. When Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced the extension of the deployment, the first reaction was to point fingers at Russia's aggression in Ukraine. "The Government of Canada is committed to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as they work to build a more secure, stable and prosperous country, and Canada continues to be at the forefront of the international community's response to Russian aggression in Ukraine," said Sajjan. Advertisement Operation UNIFIER's mission is to provide military training and capacity building to Ukraine forces' personnel to support Ukraine in its efforts to maintain sovereignty, security and stability. Basically, Canada has sent troops to Ukraine to engage itself in a proxy war against Russia by training Ukrainian troops. In response to the extension of Canada's deployment in western Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova raised Moscow's concern of seeing Canadian ammunition end up in the conflict zone in Donbass. "We took seriously the decision of Canada to extend by two years the military mission in Ukraine... Instead of exerting pressure on Kiev to compel it to fully implement its obligations under the Minsk agreements, Ottawa frankly plays into the hands of supporters of a military solution of the situation in Donbass, and also condones the continuation of the bloodshed," Zakharova said. By providing training to the Ukrainians, Canada is putting itself in a delicate situation. Let's not forget that Canada hosts the world's third-largest Ukrainian population, behind Ukraine itself and Russia, and the first wave of sanctions after Crimea voted to rejoin Russia was a political move aimed at winning the Ukrainian-Canadian vote in the 2015 elections. Advertisement Adding to that, Canada was always a strong supporter of NATO -- and an original member of the alliance --and whilst the U.S. was already drafting a plan to influence NATO -- after Crimea reunified with Russia -- in an eastward march by stationing troops in the Baltic States, Canada quickly joined the coalition by providing CF-18s for the Baltic air-policing mission and ground troops in Poland to deter Russia's aggression in Eastern Europe. The problem is that Russia's aggression in Eastern Europe is non-existent -- let alone against any NATO members. Many will argue that Russia was behind Crimea's reunification and it was all orchestrated by the Kremlin. Others will claim eastern Ukraine is all Russia's fault. Although they are clear evidence of Russian support to both the DNR and LNR, both regions are living in similar conditions that Crimea was prior to the reunification. When the Crimean reunification happened, it was pretty obvious that other regions in Ukraine would try and break off from a country who were actively trying to steer its population from their Russian roots and culture. However, Crimeans have been suffering under Ukraine as the region was always pushed aside due to language issues. While Ukraine was introducing bills to make all official paperwork written in Ukrainian -- even in regions where the spoken language is Russian -- it is totally normal that the population of Crimea felt oppressed. The Ukrainian government was also trying to pass a bill to cancel Russian as the second language of the country. For many Crimeans, Russian is the language they have been talking all their lives, and the Ukrainian initiative was clearly taken to slowly erase the second-most spoken language in its country. Advertisement So, shortly after Crimea rejoined Russia, Canada was the first to introduce a series of sanctions against certain individuals in Russia. By doing so, Canada thought it would make those individuals suffer and try to convince Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine. However, the people who were clearly affected by those sanctions are the Russian population itself due to a sharp decrease in the value of the Ruble and a failing economy. The political message it sends is clear: Canada wants to destabilize the regions that share a border with Russia to cut its influence. That said, the real issue here is the Canadian military response. By providing training to the Ukrainians, Canada is putting itself in a delicate situation. Ottawa decided to join the United States and the United Kingdom in western Ukraine with 200 soldiers who are actively training Ukrainian soldiers in NATO-oriented tactics. Indirectly, Canada and its allies are influencing Ukraine's doctrines and aligning them more towards the western standard. By doing so, I believe the coalition has the intention of slowly integrating Ukraine into NATO -- a move that will completely destabilize the region and fuel a possible global conflict. For many Canadians, 200 soldiers are not a real menace and they are right. However, the political message it sends is clear: Canada wants to destabilize the regions that share a border with Russia to cut its influence. When Canada reaffirmed its support to Ukraine recently, it basically affirmed that future dialogue with Moscow was not in the plans of the Liberal government. Even worse, by appointing Chrystia Freeland as the foreign affairs minister, Canada shut the door closed to possible reopening in dialogue. Advertisement Pleased to announce extension of Op UNIFIER, deploying 200 Cdn Armed Forces to #Ukraine to develop Ukrainian Armed Forces' capacity #cdnpolipic.twitter.com/HeCzq5lUJZ Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) March 6, 2017 At the height of the Cold War, Canada was still holding periodic diplomatic talks with the former Soviet Union and although both countries strongly disagreed with each other, they kept talking. Nowadays, Ottawa has decided to dispose of the diplomatic option and send a message of strong opposition and unwillingness to make the situation less delicate. In 2019, Canada will most likely renew its engagement with Ukraine with the idea of getting the Ukrainian-Canadian vote for the election held during the same year. The decision was not a wise one, but one aimed at gaining votes and interfering in geopolitics between two countries who were once friends. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: During a Conservative leadership debate on Feb. 19, 2017 in Vancouver, the candidates were asked the following question about Canada-Iran relations: "It is very possible that Justin Trudeau will restore relations with Iran. As leader, would you rescind this?" Unfortunately, responses from most of the concerned candidates endorsed the same failed policies of the previous federal government. These are policies which have created significant problems for the Iranian Canadian community (a population estimated at over 300,000 nationwide), harmed Canada's business interests, and eroded Canada's international standing as an honest promoter of peace and dialogue. Views expressed by most of the candidates were based on faulty and even verifiably false information. Advertisement At the event in Vancouver, five candidates answered this question -- with Andrew Saxton, Lisa Raitt, and Andrew Scheer stating that they would rescind re-engagement completely, while Chris Alexander and Brad Trost expressed that they would not rescind re-engagement. Andrew Saxton and Lisa Raitt stated that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and asserted that the international agreement on Iran's nuclear program is not working, in opposition to the facts as presented by numerous respected international organizations. Therefore, it is a patent misrepresentation of the facts to say that Iran is not complying with its international obligations; as a signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Canada should support these steps towards peace and nuclear non-proliferation instead of ignoring them and endorsing divisive actions such as sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Furthermore, Canada is internationally obligated to comply with the terms of the JCPOA, ushered into international law by United Nation Security Council resolution 2231, by refraining from any actions that may undermine the multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran, including imposing sanctions. At least some in the party realize that the same old tired line on Iran is not working. Another issue that was raised by the candidates consisted of concerns about Iran's regional policies and its behaviour in the Middle East. Canada needs to engage with Iran to resolve its differences with that country, rather than walking away from the table and precluding any influence we could have with one of the most powerful countries in the region. Advertisement Comments made by some of the candidates also betray a deeply problematic double standard which singles out Iran for activities and behaviour that is similar to some of the countries Canada has close and friendly relations with, notably Saudi Arabia. This double standard was even pointed out to by some of the individuals in the audience, who took it upon themselves to yell their opinion at the candidates. Canada's foreign policy has to be based on Canadian values of promoting peace, dialogue and cooperation rather than those of isolation and divisiveness. There is hope for the Conservative party, however. Statements made by Brad Trost, and to a lesser extent those made by former Minister Chris Alexander, during the exchange in Vancouver show that at least some in the party realize that the same old tired line on Iran is not working. Canada needs to re-engage with Iran not only in order to follow its allies in the international community in having diplomatic relations with Iran (as said by Mr. Alexander), but also in order to adequately represent its citizens of Iranian heritage who continue to have social, economic and familial ties with the country, a point made eloquently by Mr. Trost. The breaking of diplomatic ties and the sanctions imposed on Iran by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper disproportionately harmed the Iranian-Canadian community. Not only were Iranian-Canadians denied access to crucially important consular services and representation by Canada in Iran, but Iranian-Canadian entrepreneurs dependent on trade between the two countries suddenly found their legitimate business activities rendered illegal. This is in addition to the harm for the Canadian economy generally in export revenue due to sanctions on Iran, a number estimated at between $1.18 and $4.69 billion in the years between 2010 and 2014. Canada's breaking of economic and diplomatic ties with Iran has harmed Iranian-Canadians, the Canadian economy and Canada's international standing. The Conservative leadership candidates should recognize this fact, and not repeat the same old policies which not only harmed Canada, but also led to their electoral defeat in ridings with large numbers of Iranian-Canadians in the last federal election. Advertisement At this time of global turmoil and uncertainty, it is important for all of Canada's political parties to squarely place themselves on the side of international peace and dialogue, rather than espousing isolationist and isolating rhetoric which will only harm Canada's interests. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: Each semester, I ask my public relations graduate students to follow a company or institution in the news. Their choices are perhaps predictable, given that the point of the exercise is to better understand how a company handles media adversity. Volkswagen; Bombardier; Air Canada; Wells Fargo; CBC -- all of these are routinely selected. TD Bank has never made the cut. Now, it looks like that is about to change. TD, for those who may have missed it, has been the subject of a series of CBC stories in which "hundreds" of employees and former employees allege they were being pressured to "squeeze" customers to improve the bank's revenues and profitability. Advertisement The story has been picked up by other media outlets and the bank has suffered real consequences, losing more than $7-billion in shareholder value as its stock dropped 5.6 per cent in a single day. Let me be clear: I have no idea if the allegations are true. But I do know that they go to the very heart of TD's brand promise, carefully nurtured over several decades. As one who worked in the banking sector (I ran communications and government relations at CIBC), I was all too aware of TD's powerful reputation in the marketplace for convenience and customer service. Advertisement Although a competitor, I openly admired TD CEO Ed Clark for his ability to transfer many of the positive cultural attributes of Canada Trust to TD when the two institutions merged in 2001. In truth, when it came to retail banking, we in the industry all knew we were chasing after TD to one degree or another. They not only had Big Comfy Green Chairs -- they had the customer satisfaction metrics to prove it. (Or at least they did until 2016, when a J.D. Power Survey showed them slipping back to second, behind RBC). TD today is in the difficult position of deciding whether or not to take on a subset of its own employees, who have (anonymously) made some serious allegations. A few have apparently even suggested they felt pressure to break regulatory rules. The media is quick to bring up Wells Fargo as an analogous case, perhaps forgetting that Wells Fargo first broke into the news for having reached $185-million regulatory settlement around allegations of fraud and deception, including the creation of false accounts and unwanted credit cards. That announcement was coupled with the news that the bank was firing 5,300 employees. Only later did further media investigation reveal the rot was actually at the top. Advertisement From a PR perspective, TD seems to be making the initial right moves, proactively employing social and conventional media to explain their side of the story. They say that "the environment described in the media report is very much at odds with how we run our business, and we don't recognize it..." All of this comes at a somewhat awkward time for TD. The real issue, however, may be that they don't "recognize it" because they haven't been listening carefully enough to their employee base. Most companies have multiple employee feedback mechanisms, from surveys, to "speak up" programs, to "skip-level" interviews. If TD was truly surprised when hundreds of employees complained to the media, that may say something about the bank's culture circa 2017. All of this comes at a somewhat awkward time for TD. The bank's veteran communications head, Neil Parmenter, has just accepted a position as CEO of the Canadian Bankers Association. It also occurs on the watch of CEO Bhart Masrani, who not only had the unenviable task of replacing legendary CEO Ed Clark in November, 2014, but previously ran TD's American operations. Fairly or unfairly, some will wonder if that fact alone hasn't created something of a culture clash. My observation, gleaned from having had American financial institutions as clients, is that they indeed do more aggressively market their products and services -- they "up-sell." But it is a long walk from up-selling -- asking clients if they would be interested in additional products -- to outright deception and fraud. Advertisement When the next semester rolls around, I'm pretty sure TD will be an early draft pick as the object of a graduate student's case study. The next few weeks could well be crucial in terms of how it all turns out. Stay tuned. Robert Waite teaches graduate courses in Public Relations at Seneca College. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook An endangered endemic creature is now the mascot for a fashion line. In the heart of the Sibillini Mountains, Central Italy, lies Pontius Pilate's lake. This isolated lake, located at 1940 metres, was created when the glaciers retreated leaving behind glacial cirques. In these strangely limpid waters, the miniscule Chirocefalo Marchesoni (Chirocephalus marchesonii) lives. It is a small crustacean the colour of coral. This creature is found nowhere else in the entire world. It is utterly endemic and has been protected by the mountains forming a circular wall around the diminishing 'lake'. The Chirocefalo - pronounced Kirofalo - is one of a kind and has become a symbol of uniqueness and biodiversity in mountains. Advertisement It is also the inspiration for KIRO, a unisex shirt, designed to turn into a backpack and marketed as being, as unique as the creature in the lake of Pontius Pilate. Similar to the Chirocefalo, the KIRO company, based in the foothills of the mountains, feel small compared to the global market. True to the spirit of mountain people, KIRO is also particularly resourceful and flexible. Once removed the garment can be turned into a backpack in 20 seconds. It is waterproof, windproof and designed to be stylish enough to make a statement in urban fashion, while also being ideal in mountains. The pull-out rain hood is particularly appealing, made out of a attractive new fibre/fabric that is as light and transparent as a spider's web. Dramatic changes of weather and temperature are the signatures of climate change the world over, and this product allows one to adapt rapidly. When it gets too hot you can take it off and instead of carrying it - you can carry things inside it. The backpack holds 30 litres. Advertisement (Kiro shirt in red, 2017) Likewise the rare Chirocefalo is facing an adaption period. High temperatures mean the 'lake' is more of a pond today, and it almost dries up during the summer. The creature is also stressed by increased visitation. Some visitors drop rubbish in the water or ignore signs and get into the water. Chemicals from humans like sunblock, or heated plastic, create pollution in the small body of water. The Monti Sibillini National Park is doing all it can to protect this beautiful environment. http://www.sibillini.net Will the endangered Chirocefalo be able to face the future with as much versatility as those wearing the jacket named after it? The KIRO project is in prototype phase yet customers can already buy the garment as it is almost on the market. Once the business is off the ground, KIRO intend to assist in the conservation work at Lago di Pilato, so that nature and humans can benefit side by side. Advertisement (Kiro shirt in yellow, 2017) The five things you need to know on Monday, March 13 1) WITHDRAWAL METHOD By 7pm tonight - or 10.30pm at the latest - Parliament should have finally approved the EU Withdrawal Bill that allows Theresa May to trigger the formal Brexit process. The timing all comes down to just how carefully worded David Daviss response is in the Commons to Lords amendments. Advertisement If DD continues his habit of pragmatism and respect for (rather than resentment of) the House of Lords scrutiny role, Labour will almost certainly back down and not send any more amendments back. But if DD plays hardball and dismisses the Lords concerns out of hand, there could be a fresh delay with retabled or reworded amendments. Just what DD says about a final vote if theres no deal agreed with Brussels, thats the area to watch. Lib Dem peers had threatened to get their campbeds out, talking on the bill even if there were no more votes (unlike the Commons, theres no guillotine on debate). But even Tim Farrons team acknowledge they are now unlikely go that far. As for Tory rebels stance on the meaningful vote amendment to give Parliament a final say on the Brexit deal, one tells the FT: Were aware that politics is a numbers game and we dont have the numbers. Even George Osborne will back it, the Sun reports. Expect a few Tory MPs and possibly ministers eyeballing the Lords in the Upper House again, before the bill is cleared. The EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill could achieve Royal Assent tomorrow morning before being announced by the Speakers of both houses some time after prayers at 11.30am. Its possible the PM could then trigger Article 50 tomorrow in her Commons Statement at 12.30pm. That really would be sprinting out of the blocks on the B of the Bang of Brexit. 2) BUDGET FUDGE-IT As much as many in No.10 and No.11 would want to forget the last few days of Budget backlash, theres no escaping it. The Commons debate on Big Phils Big Red Book continues later, and OBR chief Robert Chote gives evidence on it to the Treasury Select Committee from 3pm. The PMs attempt to fudge the self-employed National Insurance hike, with a review this summer, may not work. Advertisement The sheer venom in this weekends briefing and counter-briefing by allies of Theresa May and Philip Hammond in the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph was quite something. One ally of the Chancellor described Theresa Mays aides as economically illiterate and alleged they had wanted to demand a bigger NI increase for high earners and to raise capital gains tax. No.10 had also tried to No 10 had tried to prevent Hammond from ruling out a death tax to pay for social care, it was claimed. Hammonds critics point out he failed to mention the NI rise manifesto problem in his hour-long briefing to Cabinet. One of Mays most senior aides allegedly told City contacts the day after the Budget that the PM had been opposed to the NI hike. The aide told a senior Conservative: Theresa May did not support the NI rise. It was smuggled into the budget. A minister close to May said: Philip is very imperious. He thinks little people dont matter. The worst thing is hes sacrificed our reputation for trustworthiness. Theres also now a new Tory row brewing over probate fees, described by people like Jacob-Rees Mogg as another stealth tax rise. Meanwhile, Labour isnt having things its own way. John McDonnell went in hard to oppose the NI rise last week, but on Marr yesterday Shadow Business Secretary said Labour might have supported the tax hike on millions of self-employed workers if it came alongside increased benefits such as maternity and paternity pay. Long-Bailey also struggled to explain how Labour would pay for its 63bn in spending pledges. Corbyn on Today said he didnt recognise the figure. He also kept alive his 'maximum pay policy idea. And on all those polls showing Labour was way behind the Tories, he said: We will be doing better - don't you worry about that. The more people heard his message, the more theyd back Labour, he suggested. 3) ME TARTAN, YOU LAME Nicola Sturgeon looks ready to try to derail Brexit by setting out plans for a second Scottish independence referendum. The Telegraph claims she could name the date as early as this week, at the SNP spring conference. She has a press conference this morning where she'll have a strong Tartan message on Article 50. Advertisement But its Jeremy Corbyns answer on Saturday on this issue that is causing trouble within his own ranks. He said it would be absolutely fine if Sturgeon called for #indyref2, adding: I dont think its the job of Westminster or the Labour Party to prevent people holding referenda. One teeny drawback, as Hilary Benn pointed out yesterday, is that it is not Labour policy to agree to a second referendum. And Scots Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has opposed one. Labours only Scottish MP Ian Murray said it proved Corbyn was destroying the party, Wes Streeting said it took a special type of idiocy to deflect from Tory woes over the Budget. Sturgeon simply tweeted: Always a pleasure to have Jeremy Corbyn campaigning in Scotland. Now of course you can back a referendum but still vigorously oppose independence, but Corbyn has opened a can of worms as the Shadow Cabinet have not approved his line. Moreover, unlike the previous cross-party support for the first referendum, a second one may lack both Tory and Labour MP backing. The PLP wont vote for it, one Labour MP tells me. Jezza went on the Today prog to try to clear up the confusion. We are not in favour of a referendum...There is no ambiguityJust to be absolutely clear, I do not think there should be a referendumthere was a bit of mischievous reporting there. Yet he did not retract any of his remarks from Saturday. Some MPs want Corbyn to explain his Scots remarks at the PLP tonight (Angela Rayner is due to address the troops). Some backbenchers are also smarting too from Kate Osamors HuffPost interview in which she said they should all doorknock for at least an hour a week: many say theyve done it for longer than that for years. Her remarks about Thanet, a former Labour seat, also caused some consternation. Advertisement BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR Watch Liam Fox deny hes ever sent out a tweet about the UK not burying its 20th century history. 4) OH, LORDY The third and final instalment of the BBCs Lords documentary is aired tonight and it has a couple of interesting news lines. The Daily Mail has splashed its front page on one of them: former Lords Speaker Baroness DSouza admitting she abandoned an attempt to root out peers who were claiming 300 attendance allowance without actually doing any work. The reason? The research would have involved a degree of naming and shaming which I certainly didn't want to do. But also that would in turn have provoked some kind of sort of a press storm. More unhappily for DSouza, Labours Baroness Smith told me last month her story doesnt stack up about a peer holding a taxi to clam expenses. But theres also a timely jibe at Lord Heseltine from former Shadow Chief Whip Lord Blencathra. He says Hezza is one of a few grandees who are never here now then, what is the point in staying on?..Lord Heseltine, 3% attendance in the whole of the last parliament3% you know? And maybe he came in and made some devastatingly important speech then. This was recorded long before Hezzas anti-Brexit speech last week, but may please his critics. 5) MIGRANT CHARGE The British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing have written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to make the NHS exempt from a new charge which will be payable on overseas doctors and nurses. Not many people will have realised the new charge comes into effect in April, and the two unions say it threatens NHS budgets. Under the scheme, the NHS must - like other employers - pay 1,000 per year for any worker coming to the UK from outside the European Union. Ministers have said the charge is needed because they want to encourage home-grown skills instead. Advertisement Todays letter, seen by the BBC, points out that the government has suggested funds raised from the charge would be reinvested back into the UK health system. But the unions say they have been given "no guarantees". SUNDAY SHOWS ROUND-UP Had a lie-in? Got a life? Read our regular Sunday political shows round-up HERE complete with video clips. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. There are some statistics that are so big they can be hard to comprehend. In the 20th century, the global population doubled... and then doubled again. A significant demographic shift is set to take place again, as the number of people over 65 is anticipated to double, reaching more than 1.1 billion in less than 25 years. That's a huge leap. While to some, 65 might seem the age when you retire and start enjoying life without work, for many, the reality of longer life expectancy means frankly, this just isn't possible. The aging workforce Since the turn of the century the percentage of over 65s in the American workforce has risen from 13% to 20%, while almost half of Germans in their early 60s are in employment - twice as many as a decade ago. Recognising that we're all working longer than ever before, the UK Government's business champion for older workers, Andy Briggs, publicly called for British companies to hire another million older workers by 2022. The simple fact is that too many firms are focusing their attention on accommodating younger generations coming in to the labour market, often at the expense of older workers. But for the first time, five distinct generations are present in workplace, each with their own world view, life experience, career vision and expectations. Employers now face a challenge to provide engaging and fulfilling experiences for every employee. Advertisement The blind leading the blind Employers lack the data and tools to understand such a complex demographic mix of employees, let alone how best to retain their skills within the business. Our recent research found that 42% of HR departments only have a partial view of their workforce, meaning they don't know what skill sets they have or where the best talent is. A "one size fits all" approach isn't going to cut it as, let's face it, you cannot expect a 65-year-old employee to have the same aspirations, needs and desires as a 21-year-old graduate. More progressive businesses are taking a hard look at their data and even other scientific disciplines such as psychology, to overcome these challenges. Our research revealed that 29% of organisations have already started hiring people scientists to understand how their employees work and what they value most - we've just hired a people scientist ourselves! Some companies are even taking this to the next level to spot issues in advance. For example, Aveva is already using this to great effect, reducing their attrition rate by 5% a year. Knowledge is power as they say - so this intel can form the foundation to change working practices. Last time I wrote on this blog I was imbued with a feeling of optimism, albeit of a cautious sort. Theresa May had just delivered her first speech on domestic policy after months of Brexit dealings where she outlined her determination to right some of the 'burning injustices' that plagued society, and astonishingly, I thought, she chose mental illness to illustrate her zeal. So it would be reasonable to say that the Government had its first real opportunity to translate that determination into action with this spring Budget. Instead it has chosen to pass through series of changes and cuts to benefits that will make the lives of people with mental illness far harder. Advertisement One of these is the counter productive cuts to Employment Support Allowance (ESA), the benefit you receive when you're too unwell to work. If you are assessed for ESA and put in the Work Related Activity Group, meaning you're still too unwell to work but could be ready in the near future, you will now receive 30 a week, intended for food and bills, less than before as the Government believes that this will encourage you get back to work. Rethink Mental Illness, along with many other charities, have been saying that this is a poorly thought out policy that will cause unnecessary hardship for people with disabilities and long term illness. If you're too ill to work, you're too ill to work, and cutting the money used for essentials won't change that. But the Government has not listened. In December last year, a tribunal ruled that those living with a mental illness that makes it difficult to leave the house are entitled to the same support as people who have a physical condition that causes the same issues. Instead of listening to the tribunal, the Government is amending Personal Independence Payment regulations to deny people with mental illness this extra money. This is to say that person A, whose anxiety means they struggle to leave the house and navigate to a destination, can receive the same extra money to pay for taxis or helpers as person B, who might struggle to get around because their sight is impaired. Advertisement This seems to me, a fairly straightforward example of that phrase we who work in mental illness often use- 'parity of esteem'. It's a bit jargon but it essentially means, treating mental and physical health equally. It's really basic fairness; person A and person B are having similar difficulties just with different causes. Unfortunately Ministers didn't agree with this assessment. They have since gone back to change the criteria for PIP specifically to deny it to people with mental health problems. In some cases this was as crude as simply removing the word 'psychological' from descriptions, so you can no longer indicate that travelling causes 'psychological distress'. This change demonstrates reluctance to actually deliver equal treatment of physical and mental health. It's becomes difficult to countenance this version of the Government, hastily rewriting policy to exclude people with mental illness, with the version presented by Theresa May less than a month ago. Bora030 via Getty Images With mounting pressure on the NHS from chronic cuts to funding and ever increasing demand on all sides, our safety net is starting to come apart at the seams. There has been much debate around both the implications of this and measures to be put in place to ease the pressure. One such measure is to modify the way we use other resources like pharmacies to redirect some of the flow. In a report published by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) it was stated that "less than one in five of pharmacy team respondents (18.50%) felt that pharmacy is being fully utilised". This is not to say that initiatives to do just this are not already in action, the building blocks are there but they must be developed. For example, one such initiative is the introduction of The Sore Throat Test and Treat Service, first piloted in London and Leicestershire, by Boots three years ago. Advertisement Pharmacists were trained to recognise bacterial infection in adults and offered patients a test if they were showing symptoms of a sore throat. Those who tested positive for a typical bacteria associated with throat infections, Streptococcus group A, were offered antibiotics. The test cost the patient 7.50 and a further 10 if antibiotics were given. A review of the pilot conducted by University College of London Hospitals was published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in July 2016. It indicated that two-thirds of patients would have seen their GP for their sore throat when they did not need to. The scheme has since been adopted onto an NHS England programme. A further example of where pharmacies are already stepping in to lighten the load on some chronic but non-GP essential issues that come at enormous financial and resource based cost to the NHS is in smoking cessation measures. Smoking is by far the most significant cause of preventable illness in England, with half a million hospital admissions of adults aged over 35 due to smoking. Smoking related diseases are estimated to cost the NHS around 1.5 billion a year. Smoking cessation services are among the most commonly commissioned, local enhanced services from community pharmacies and are among the most cost effective. These are just a few examples of the ways in which pharmacies are channelling pressure away from NHS GPs and hospitals. We can take this one step further by providing the option of seeing a GP within pharmacy, allowing medical conditions that can't be dealt with by a pharmacist to be dealt with still within the pharmacy. DocTap GP is working to achieve this. A pharmacy can offer a private GP appointment on-site to deal with a range of treatment from mild, over the counter medication to treatment for acute medical conditions. This option won't be right for everyone but patients who are happy to pay a small fee (24-29) for the convenience of an instant GP appointment within a pharmacy, will be filtered away from adding to the endless waiting lists of NHS GPs and hospitals. Advertisement This is beneficial on two fronts. Firstly it channels pressure away from A&E, at which there were 22.9 million attendances in England alone last year (2015/16). With an average NHS GP wait time of two weeks, perhaps queueing outside a surgery first thing in the morning for an emergency appointment or trying to get through on a single phoneline in the hour allotted for same day appointments, it is no wonder that many of us who may be suffering with a painful/uncomfortable but not life-threatening medical condition opt for visiting A&E. Estimates vary but a survey of 3,000 people in 12 A&E units conducted for the Royal College of Emergency Medicine last year found that 15% could have been treated in the community - that's equivalent to saving a whole day in a week for an A&E department! Grassetto via Getty Images A random experience on the morning commute made me think of the most inspired piece of radio I've ever heard. Stepping off a busy tube at St Paul's, I was caught in a long bottleneck stretching from the foot of the escalators to the platform. I looked up, and saw someone who clearly wasn't prepared to wait: a middle-aged man, running up the down escalator. It was a crazy sprint, something I'd never seen anyone do before. Advertisement In a flash, I remembered the title of Glyn Worsnip's autobiography: Up the Down Escalator. A household name from UK TV and radio in the '70s and '80s, Worsnip was diagnosed with the rare condition cerebellar ataxia, a progressive disease of the nervous system which was to rob him of his mobility, speech and ultimately his life. In March 1988, he bravely shared his story in what was to be the most engaging programme in Radio 4's history - the BBC ended up taking on extra staff to manage the flood of listeners' letters. Glyn Worsnip's broadcasting career had been an eventful escalator ride. As a journalist and actor, he first came to fame in the mid-70s, presenting BBC1's weekday magazine programme Nationwide and starring alongside Esther Rantzen in That's Life. For the uninitiated, that show was a strange menagerie of consumer affairs, con men, bureaucrats, talented pets and curiously shaped root vegetables. One of those pets prompted Worsnip's most unlikely assignment - to film a retired colonel who lived with a pet alligator in a basement flat in Surbiton. The 'perfectly harmless' alligator disrupted filming by biting a hole in the colonel's arm. In the BBC Sound Archives I first got to enjoy Worsnip's work in the mid-80s when he presented Radio 4's Sound Archives programme. In those days before 24-hour news and when parliament seemed more engaging, people with an interest in current affairs would tune into a summary of Yesterday in Parliament, sandwiched - Tuesdays to Fridays - between the Today programme and the 9am news. On Monday mornings, the same audience got some help kicking off the working week with the Sound Archives filling this slot. Advertisement Loosely inspired by events of the day, the presenter would dip into the BBC's sound archives for a hotchpotch of remarks and exchanges to play around with. Worsnip was to host the show once a month from the autumn of 1980 till 1987. Perennial clips he was fond of included a hapless Douglas Brown trying to interview Malawi independence leader Hastings Banda in 1962. Every question was met with a truculent 'I won't answer that!' Retrieved from the deeper recesses of the archive was a female voice, sounding like it came straight out of a 1940s Noel Coward film, quipping 'What you're saying delights me!' The programme earned fan-mail from Labour Leader Neil Kinnock, who wondered how Worsnip could get away with it. Worsnip's Sound Archives was so strangely riveting that it frequently made me late for school. Not many Oxford-educated journalists could have that effect on a lad attending a comprehensive on the edge of the Yorkshire coalfield. From The Press Gang to Stop Press But Worsnip was more than just rude vegetables and anarchic sound clips. Apart from TV voiceovers and documentaries, he was a stalwart of Radio 4. Throughout the '80s he presented features on topics ranging from debutants to Oscars and Honours, from working men's clubs to gentlemen's clubs. His voice was ubiquitous, cropping up in school's radio, discussion programmes and panel games. His Friday night Radio 2 panel game The Press Gang, more fun and light-hearted than Radio 4's News Quiz, foreshadowed TV's Have I Got News for You. On the serious side, Stop Press showcased Worsnip's critical digest of that week's news. If this sounds dry today, bear in mind that Stop Press was broadcast at a time of radical change in the UK press landscape. It was the era of Murdoch and Maxwell, when newspaper titles were being moved out of Fleet Street. It was during his presenting of The Press Gang and Stop Press that regular listeners began to notice something odd about Worsnip's voice. In late 1987, two calls to the BBC Duty Office - the conduit for listeners' comments and complaints before the age of the internet - were to cost him his Stop Press job: Advertisement 'Is Glyn Worsnip unwell or something? He doesn't sound his normal self.' 'What is wrong with Glyn Worsnip this evening? His enunciation was definitely slurred at times.' But those calls also made him face the true impact of his illness, and take a step that was then by no means commonplace - going public. Soundtrack: A Lone Voice If the challenge that Soundtrack's makers set themselves was a nightmare, the Lone Voice episode was a dream. Soundtrack was a series of 'films for radio', each a piece of realism on tape. In the first Soundtrack, Worsnip talked candidly about his condition and his life as it had become. Seasoned radio journalist become patient, he had taken a voice recorder to all his hospital appointments to record the experience. Today, we're used to celebrities wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Back in 1988, a well-known radio personality sharing his highly personal experience with his audience - his deterioration, loss of career and impending death - was very fresh. Unique, inspiring, but somehow in keeping with the sombre mood of the time. As someone listening to speech radio since my early teens, I'd got to know the voice so well it felt like a family friend - even though I had no idea what Worsnip looked like until he appeared on TV talking about his illness. Advertisement It's funny how true the old adage is, that things are like buses, you wait for ages for one and then they come in threes. A psychologist would no doubt point out that once you have thought about something, you have a heightened awareness of that thing and are more likely to notice it as a result. How that works with buses I don't know, but it certainly worked recently for me. I had been mulling over Bus No. 1 a lot in 2016. An extraordinary year which put politics centre stage for almost the first time in many people's lives. It was a year when inequality also raised its head - not just the differences between the comparative ease of western living vs developing countries, but the differences on our doorstep. Between rich and poor, highly-educated and less so, those who fortune has favoured (for whatever reason, mostly to do with education and where they were born) and those who it has not. Between those who globalisation has presented huge opportunities for and those who it has left behind. Business wise, 2016 was a stupendous year for my company. From something I started 15 years ago in my basement with my two fantastic business partners, Ben and Chris, it's grown to become its own micro global with offices in the UK, the US and the United Arab Emirates, delivering projects for clients all over the world. We won a Queen's Award for Enterprise, for our success in International Trade and were named as B2B Agency of the Year by one of the most reputable journals in our sector. Advertisement The comparison is the problem in microcosm perhaps. Our success, and that of our clients, means that our staff and the families they support, do well. But outside that, many people in the UK are 'just managing'. Whilst we thrive, we have to accept that many do not. What was interesting about the Brexit vote was that many of the people who voted to leave were those who lived in areas where they are highly reliant on immigrant labour or who work for companies who compete for global contracts and need to win them in order to survive. If we weren't part of the global stage, the economy would crash. But people voted against that in favour of 'taking back control'. One wonders what they think they will do with that control? And how to respond to this inequality? The way we all respond is by doing good deeds. Giving work experience to Year 11 students, supporting charities, speaking at careers evenings. But it's just putting a plaster on the problem. Make yourself feel better by giving some money away and pretend that you're making a difference when in fact you're not. There has to be another way. Of course there are some well-established organisations and many businesses who work in the community - but I feel that CSR is more about salving the corporate conscience. By letting people do good works in their local community, we all feel better. But we don't make a real difference. I'm not sure the UK Government's apprentice scheme is necessarily the entire solution, but I hope it will encourage more companies like ours to take on those with lower levels of education and give them an entree into the workforce. So, it was perfect timing for Bus No. 2 to arrive, with a story about how one of the really big global consultancies is working with schools in disadvantaged areas to identify the bright kids who are being held back by their environment and could flourish in their particular, and supportive, workplace. Taking young people from less privileged backgrounds and giving them an education - as well as a job - are more like it in my view. It will provide an ongoing benefit to those kids and their families, not a one-off. Advertisement Clodagh Kilcoyne / Reuters The die is cast. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland, has announced that she is to seek approval from the Scottish Parliament to proceed with a second referendum on Scottish Independence betwee the autumn of 2018 and spring of 2019. That Nicola Sturgeon had no choice but to take this course has been self evident for some time. With 62% of people in Scotland voting to remain in the EU last year, which translates to every one of Scotland's 32 local councils, and with Theresa May refusing to countenance any special arrangement by which Scotland could retain its membership of the EU single market while remaining part of Brexit Britain, it is impossible to escape the conclusion that in the rarefied environs of Toryshire Scotland is viewed as just another region within the UK rather than a partner nation of the UK. Advertisement The indisputable future impact of Brexit on the Scottish economy - on investment, jobs, and on Scottish society - cannot simply be wished away in obeisance to an EU referendum result that has only succeeded in kicking over a constitutional hornet's nest. I write these words as someone who was opposed to Scottish independence in 2014, penning numerous articles and appearing at debates putting the arguments against breaking up a union that has been extant since 1707. Those arguments were based on the progressive character of class as the determinant of political opposition to a status quo of inequality and social and economic injustice in Britain, as opposed to the regressive character of nationalism. But between the referendum on Scottish independence n 2014 and today we have experienced south of the border Brexit, driven by xenophobia and anti migrant hostility, both of which have been elevated to the political mainstream for the first time since the 1930s - and in similar economic and social conditions brought about by a global recession/depression. In the wake of the vote to exit the EU hate crimes in parts of the UK have spiked, three million EU citizens currently living and working in the UK have been reduced to bargaining chips in a game of political horse-trading, while the ugly politics of British nationalism with its atavistic attachment to the verities of 19th Century nativism have predominated. Meanwhile, the depiction and treatment of refugees, people whose only crime has been to flee the chaos and carnage created in large part by Britain's own foreign policy over the past decade and more, stands as a withering indictment of a country that increasingly resembles a poor Xerox of a civilised society. Advertisement The enemy of working class people, the impediment to their ability to prosper and see their children prosper, is not and never has been migrants. It is and will always be those for whom poverty is not a consequence of economic factors inherent within deregulated capitalism, but instead is a product of individual character deficiency and thus should be punished accordingly. Tory austerity not migrants is the root cause of the growing pressure on public services, the NHS, jobs, and housing. It has less to do with economics - unless, that is, we are talking voodoo economics - and more to do with ideology. More simply put, austerity is the unleashing of an assault on working class communities across the country, punishing them for the reckless actions of a deregulated banking and financial sector, in the process turning what was a crisis of private greed into a crisis of public spending. It is a dynamic that has proved manna from heaven for those for whom the scapegoating of 'the other' is coterminous with patriotism and love of country. As for Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader's capitulation to Brexit reached its nadir with the decision to impose of a three line whip on Labour MPs in support of Theresa May and her triggering of Article 50 without any amendements - a so-called hard Brexit. It is a decision that will forever mark his legacy as a leader who rather than resist this rising tide of ugly British nationalism opted to roll with it in the hope of winning back the support of working class voters in the North, Midlands, and South Wales. This has been his mistake, one that will not only mark his legacy but has ensured that Labour in Scotland is fated to continue down the path of political extinction. Advertisement Of course there are no guarantees when it comes to the outcome of a second referendum on Scottish independence. But what is certain is that the stakes involved are higher than they were in 2014. They involve the question of whether we should be offering the hand of friendship to migrants and refugees or the fist of fury; defending multiculturalism and diversity or abandoning them; and ultimately the choice between outward-looking Scottish internationalism or backward-looking British nationalism. enotmaks via Getty Images Productivity was a frequently used word in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's presentation of his final Spring Budget. Raising productivity is a major focus and commitment - it has been placed "at the very heart of [the government's] economic plan." UK productivity is underpinned by the capabilities of our existing and future workforce. There is a split responsibility between the government and the private sector to enable and improve these capabilities, of which the most important are the three 'productivity pillars': skills, technology and finance. Advertisement Many of the mechanisms are already in place, but our still-disappointing productivity figures indicate that there is market failure, or at least a lack of optimal results, somewhere along the line. So how can the Government oil the wheels of the productivity machine? Skills: education, apprenticeships and career flexibility The root of the productivity puzzle lies in education. The Chancellor is correct in addressing the need for more vocational routes that will skill UK citizens for a constantly evolving workforce. The government's renewed focus on apprenticeships is welcome, especially as employer-led initiatives allow workplaces to determine and train for skills they need. As we approach the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, it is encouraging to see that the Budget also included a significant financial commitment to expanding technical education routes. By opening up non-university pathways we can encourage greater social mobility, particularly with more routes into high-paying careers such as accountancy. However, to stop apprenticeships and technical education from being seen as the 'poor relative' of their traditional academic counterparts, it is vital that these courses prepare students for versatile and fulfilling careers by embedding the same transferable skills- such as communication, leadership and analytical abilities. This will allow a new generation of students the equal opportunity for flexible careers, without confining them to the remit of their study. Advertisement The government is making a good start in addressing the skills pipeline that will need to come through to drive out our productivity problems, but we must change perceptions of parents and students to see the quality of vocational education on a par with graduate study. Technology and the future of work While we can't yet predict exactly what it will look like, it is clear that technology will be pivotal to our future workforce and productivity. I welcome the Chancellor's commitment to technology and innovation through the announcement of 500m from the National Productivity Investment Fund to support these areas. ACCA recently conducted research into to the views of young finance professionals, or 'Generation Next', and found that over 80% believe that changes in technology in the finance sector will enable them to focus on higher value added activity, demonstrating a perception of technology as an opportunity to advance future work. Boosting innovation through increased financing for research and development will also help to address low productivity and support wage growth in the long-term. A missed opportunity: supporting UK SMEs The UK's exporting businesses will play a crucial role supporting the UK economy in the post-Brexit era and the government has missed an opportunity to use the tax system to the advantage of these businesses. Finance is the third of the 'productivity pillars', and perhaps the one where government intervention is required the most. Advertisement The Chancellor was strangely quiet on the issue of supporting and advising UK exporters. Although trade in the post-Brexit era is a daunting task, it is important that we prepare all sectors for the export of goods and services before we leave the EU. The government's Industrial Strategy rightly identified a need to encourage UK businesses to scale-up, and to grow and diversify UK export markets substantially in the coming years. Yet for many businesses, scaling up and starting to export is just not an option--only 5% of UK SMEs currently export--and often it is financing that stands in the way. ACCA made a submission to Government before the Budget, calling for financing measures to support SMEs in their pursuit of export opportunities. There are many levers, yet some relief measures that could be considered include a non-payment insurance product (to remove some of the risk of expansion), better education for banks about SME risk and lending covenants, and further research into non-traditional financing options such as non-bank lenders. I hope that future budgetary measures will be taken to help exporters, particularly in relation to availability of finance and in building export capacity. Public and private sectors must work together To maximise productivity, the government needs the buy-in of the private sector. It is UK employers that will take apprentices and bridge their technical skills gaps, invest in and utilise cutting-edge technology, and ultimately create the robust workforce that will enable SMEs to scale-up operations. The resultant effects will benefit everyone. Advertisement Scaled-up businesses mean greater profit and thus, greater tax receipts. While the onus of implementation may fall on business, the government could step up and do more to connect these three private sector elements - skills, technology and finance - without incurring further cost. BartekSzewczyk via Getty Images From employers' negative attitudes and views, to limited support in finding jobs, there are many reasons why people with learning disabilities struggle to secure and keep paid work. Sadly there are low expectations of what people with learning disabilities can achieve and the value they bring to the workplace. But with the right support, they are good workers with huge potential -- like the rest of the working population. They need their confidence and self-esteem boosting and skills building. Advertisement The Advocacy Project's staff with learning disabilities and service users tell us they're not getting the support they need from employers. This can also be seen quite clearly from the statistics. A gap in the workforce The Health and Social Care Information Centre says that 5.8% of adults with a learning disability in England were in paid employment in 2015-16 -- down from 7.1% in 2011-12. In comparison, in January 2016, around 47% of working age disabled people in the UK were in employment, says the Papworth Trust's Disability in the United Kingdom 2016 Facts and Figures report. Meanwhile, the report says 84% of non-disabled people were working in January 2016. How do we create access to work? Advertisement Government, corporate businesses and charities all need to do more to deliver on this. I realise it's a difficult situation, and that some progress has already been made, but we've got a long way to go before people with learning disabilities achieve their full potential. We need to address the challenges and barriers such as the impact of work on benefits and permitted earning limits, the quality of support in finding jobs and concerns about travel. The benefits system, for example, is a complex beast which anyone would struggle navigating. But for people with learning disabilities, it can be especially difficult. The Department for Work and Pensions and Job Centres need to have a greater awareness of learning disabilities to help individuals access the right advice and support. We also need to promote positive attitudes towards learning disabilities in the workplace, and support employers to recruit more people with learning disabilities. But it doesn't stop there. Once people with learning disabilities are in work, they need continuous support. Improving accessibility in the workplace People with learning disabilities may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people. Companies need to think about accessibility, across all aspects of their business, when employing individuals with learning disabilities. Advertisement At The Advocacy Project, we provide both paid work and volunteer opportunities for people with learning disabilities. Around 38% of our staff members have learning disabilities. It's important we create an environment where people feel valued and can carry out their roles effectively. Michael, who has a learning disability, has been working with The Advocacy Project for five years. He also became a trustee of the charity at the end of 2016. To support him in his trustee role, our staff help Michael to prepare for each board meeting in advance. For instance, he is provided with easy read summaries of board papers, with key points colour coded to highlight items for further discussion and decision making. He then feels confident and able to share his views during board meetings. Social inclusion is vital Access to work is a fundamental right for people with learning disabilities and can help them to feel included and valued. People with learning disabilities often feel shut off from the rest of society. By increasing access to paid work, individuals will feel part of their communities. Work has a known therapeutic value. Advertisement Yes the extra money offers greater independence and more choices. But most importantly, having a job gives us something to get up for each day. It increases our self worth, which in turn promotes positive mental health and wellbeing. Married couple Jill and Sandy, who both have learning disabilities, say that working with The Advocacy Project has given them a purpose. Perplexed about who's right and wrong in American politics? The story of Purim can offer some guidance. Haman and Mordechai have never been more relevant to our time. The social divide in America is violently escalating. The whirlwind of accusations between the political left and right continues to spiral downwards, hitting new lows. At every step, new "evidence" surfaces in the attempts of each side to condemn and incriminate the other. Making sense of this political landscape is becoming ever more difficult as each side produces and portrays its own perception of reality. This clash is so great, that it not only inhibits America from functioning properly, it is infecting the entire world with chaos and hostility. And with the general atmosphere of social polarization comes the alarming wave of anti-Semitic acts, raising even more accusations and suspicions across the board. Advertisement Good and bad in American society have become so confused and mired in fake news, media bias and politics, that the famous verse from The Book of Esther, "the city of Shushan is perplexed," sounds just right for today's America. The silver lining, however, is that perplexity always presents an opportunity to reassess our values and priorities. The blind division between left and right keeps us confined to our primal instincts and knee-jerk reactions. Confusion, on the other hand, could be a step towards raising ourselves a bit higher to look for a more constructive approach. Here's how the story of Purim can help us do that. Insights from the Story of Purim The story of the Jewish holiday, Purim, takes place in ancient Persia, at a time when Jews found themselves under existential threat, perpetrated by then counselor to the throne, "Haman." Haman knew that the Jews were in a state of division, and that this weakness would enable him to get rid of them, as is written "there is a nation dispersed between other nations, and Haman said that in his opinion, they will succeed in getting rid of the Jews for they are in a state of separation from one another" (Megilat Esther). But the hero of the story, Mordechai the Jew, worked to correct this division, as is written, "The Jews unified and by that they were saved" (Megilat Esther). Advertisement This ancient story holds great meaning for Jews today as once again we see that anti-Semitism is on the rise. But it is also relevant to the whole of American society which finds itself perilously divided. Yet, who is modern day Haman? Who is the true perpetrator of division? Some will easily label President Trump as a current day Haman due to his "America first" rhetoric. However, those who are open to it can hear that he has actually been calling for unity on many occasions. Democrats, on the other hand, could be considered Haman due to their defiant and even violent action to bring Trump down and retake their ruling position, instead of aiming for cooperation. So even if we cannot agree on which side is causing more of the divide, we better see that unity is our only hope if we are to heal our society. Beyond accusations and personifications, we could say that today's Haman is the very mindset of division, the desire to take power at any cost, which enslaves us, harms us, and blinds us from seeing it. Changing Track It's time for Mordechai to come out from his passive stance, watching events unroll. This gentler, more subtle approach that calls for unity and open hearts, just as it called for the unity of Jews in the Purim story, is easily pushed aside. But we should ask ourselves what we really want. Is it for left to conquer right, or vice versa? Or is it to achieve sustainable societies that work? Today we must find that voice inside us that calls for shared purpose and connection, it is the very thing that will bring America and the world to any state of peace. Advertisement It has been the salvation of Jews all along history. Every time they were in existential threat, it was the commitment to unity that allowed them to prevail and survive. Today Jews must remember their ancient wisdom and set a positive example for everyone. Haman and Mordechai are archetypes that show us that egoism, division and the will to dominate are strong and threatening to our society more than ever, but the meek and gentle force of unity and connection above differences, is always available to us, waiting for us to nurture it. Jews have a prime responsibility to be a model for choosing connection over division, but you don't have to be Jewish to enact these natural forces. It is up to all of us to see that this is our only way forward. The Cretan wine business is booming, a fact that was recognised last year by Wine Enthusiast magazine. It nominated Crete on its shortlist for Wine Region of the Year, along with Champagne, Provence, Sonoma County and the eventual winner, Oregon's Willamette Valley. Illustrious company indeed. The Lyrarakis Vineyards On a tour of one of the island's biggest wineries, Lyrarakis, we learn one of the reasons why from our guide, Eva Gouvianaki. 'There are lots of parents who started wineries,' she says, 'and now their children are the second generation. They are educated as oenologists, whereas the parents learned simply by doing it. Right now we have specialists, and the wine is better. The parents started and the children took it further. But here we believe in meraki - it means if you're going to do something you want to do it with passion.' Advertisement Lyrarakis was founded by brothers Manolis and Sotiris Lyrarakis in 1966 and they made an unusual decision which turned out to be farsighted, and another reason for the current success of Cretan wines. They concentrated on growing two local grape varieties, plyto and dafni, which no-one else was using to make wine and which might well now be extinct if not for the Lyrarakis brothers. Today there are over 50 wineries on Crete, many of them growing familiar imported grape varieties like syrah and merlot, but Lyrarakis and others prefer their native varieties like plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali. They make distinctive wines that are part of the terroir of Crete, the largest and most southerly of the Greek islands. Advertisement Before we tour the winery and taste the wines, Eva drives us out to see another of the Lyrarakis brothers' legacies, the Karoula wine press. Crete is home to many ancient wine presses, including the oldest known press in the world, some 3500 years old. The Karoula press dates from the 14th century and is carved out of the area's natural rock. The Ancient Karoula Wine Press 'It was a communal press,' Eva explains, 'where everyone would bring their grapes to tread them, and the juice would flow down the slope. There was a second pressing nearby. Everyone knew that the press was here, but one of the founding brothers thought it was important to protect it so he reported it to the authorities to help preserve it for future generations. Those are our vines behind the press, the plyto grapes. At one time this whole valley would have been filled with vines.' Cretan wines have a distinguished history. Homer reported that they were loved throughout the known world. The Minoans exported wine to Egypt, which is about 400 miles away across the Libyan Sea. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Cretan wines were exported to Venice, where they were rated very highly indeed. Today Lyrarakis, the biggest and oldest winery in the Iraklion region, produces a million litres of wine a year, half of which is exported to the USA, Japan, China and several other countries. In the UK the importers are Berry Brothers and Rudd, who have supplied wine to the royal family since the reign of King George III. Advertisement Lyrarakis is now run by the second generation, the five children of Manolis and Sotiris Lyrarakis. As we enter the tasting room and impressive restaurant, a young girl enters and skips through the room. 'And here comes the third generation,' Eva laughs, as we sit down to taste the wines, and pair them with cheese and other Cretan delicacies. We try the dafni, which has hints of rosemary and lavender - and which you can buy in M&S. Their Legacy rose is unusually dark for a rose, almost a plum colour, while the intensely delicious Malvasia of Crete dessert wine uses a blend of plyto, dafni, vidiano and vilana grapes which are dried in the sun for nine days to concentrate the sugars. Advertisement We also try their Symbolo wine, a complex and fruity wine, heavy on the tannin. It's a flagship wine, only made when the grapes are excellent, and last produced in 2012. The good news is... 2016 was an excellent vintage on Crete, making 2017 the perfect year for wine-lovers to visit. Visiting Lyrarakis The author visited the Lyrarakis Winery as part of a Cretan food and wine tour organised by Go Crete. See also the Lyrarakis Winery website and Wines of Crete. Staying Nearby The Kalimera Archanes renovated stone houses are in the village of Archanes, about 7 miles from the Lyrarakis Winery, and a similar distance from Iraklion Airport. Photos All photos Mike Gerrard. The Author Mike Gerrard is the author of the National Geographic Traveler Guide to Greece, and publishes the Greece Travel Secrets website. He is also an editor at 101 Holidays. Advertisement Recent political events have turned the world upside down. The UK voting for Brexit and the US electing Donald Trump as president were unthinkable 18 months ago. In fact, they're so extraordinary that some have questioned whether they might not be an indication that we're actually living in some kind of computer simulation or alien experiment. These unexpected events could be experiments to see how our political systems cope under stress. Or they could be cruel jokes made at our expense by our alien zookeepers. Or maybe they're just glitches in the system that were never meant to happen. Perhaps the recent mix-up at the Oscars or the unlikely victories of Leicester City in the English Premier League or the New England Patriots in the Superbowl are similar glitches. The problem with using these difficult political events as evidence that our world is a simulation is how unethical such a scenario would be. If there really were a robot or alien power that was intelligent enough to control all our lives in this way, there's a good chance they'd have developed the moral sense not to do so. Advertisement Philosophers have been discussing the prospect that the world is just an illusion for hundreds of years. It most recently returned to public attention when SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk suggested we are probably living in a computer simulation, a real-life version of The Matrix. Echoing philosopher Nick Bostrom, Musk reasoned that computing power is growing so quickly that our descendants would find it easy to run as many universe simulations as they like. This would lead to an unlimited number of simulated universes, but there would still only be one real universe. The odds of ours being the real one would be infinitesimal. Bostrom concludes one of three things must be true. Either humanity goes extinct before developing the technology to make universe simulations possible. Or advanced civilisations freely choose not to run such simulations. Or we are probably living in a simulation. Bostrom and Musk put their money on this last option. The question we're faced with is whether unexpected events such as Trump and Brexit make it more or less likely that we are living in a simulation. Are they the kind of thing we should expect to see in a simulated universe? Advertisement Political scientists usually can't run experiments in the real world to test their theories like other scientists can. But what if they could run a giant computer simulation to get the data? Brexit and Trump might be deliberate experiments designed to see what happens when key features of our world are put under strain. Is the American constitution self-supporting, even when officials are malevolent or incompetent? Can Britain thrive outside the EU? Can democracy survive without protection from NATO? But experiments in global politics in the real world wouldn't just be prohibitively difficult and expensive. They would also be unethical. It's wrong to make research subjects suffer without their informed consent. Knowledge may be valuable, but it is not valuable enough to justify cruelty in its pursuit. Increasingly, we're coming to realise that these ethical limitations apply not only to our fellow humans, but to all beings capable of suffering - including both animals and sentient artificial intelligence. Bostrom has argued that as long as a consciousness is capable of subjective experience, pain and fear are experienced the same way, regardless of whether they are manifested in neurons or circuits. We might not have sentient AI yet, but the EU is already drafting proposals for the protection of "electronic persons." And, just as it would be wrong for us to conduct cruel experiments on sentient AI, so too would it be wrong for our digital overlords to conduct them on us. This is good reason to think that advanced civilisations would choose not to simulate our world, even if they had the technical capacity to do so, because doing so would be morally wrong. Advertisement Moral monstrosity Bostrom argues that it's not clear that creating a universe like ours would be wrong, despite the suffering that exists. He also points out that our possible digital overlords, like the gods of traditional religions, could reward us with a blissful (simulated) afterlife. This is a traditional theological response to what is known as the problem of evil. But it still leaves the question of whether it is ethical to make us suffer first and only provide compensation later. This argument also won't save the suggestion that recent events make a simulation more likely - quite the opposite. The worse the world gets, the less likely it is that it's morally acceptable to have created it. Of course, even if simulating our world is wrong, our digital masters might do it anyway. Not all technically advanced civilisations are moral. The Nazis were famously adept technologically. It's not crazy to think that a German victory in World War II, while a moral monstrosity, would not have been a disaster for science. But there's a reason why the world depicted in Philip K Dick's The Man in the High Castle, which portrays just such a situation, is threatened by imminent nuclear destruction. Without ethics to limit its use, science and technology are grave dangers to human survival. Which makes it much more likely that a universe simulation would never be created. Either our descendants will be ethical enough not to destroy one another and so ethical enough not to simulate suffering like ours, or humanity will go extinct before it is able to. Advertisement As W H Auden said, "we must love one another or die". And we would never put creatures we love into a simulated world filled with malaria, famine, civil war ... and Donald Trump. Michael Frazer, Lecturer in Political and Social Theory, University of East Anglia Screenshot/youtube I'm embarrassed to say until three months ago I had never heard of Stormzy until Clara Amfo played "Shut up" on Radio One. Since then I've been seduced into the world of Grime music by his honesty and passion for his craft. He has brought the Grime scene to the forefront of the industry helping to unveil huge hidden or not seen before talent. Advertisement Music is a huge part of my daily life and always has been. Its brought me through some tough times as a teenager. I suffered severe anorexia and danced to Madonna until my feet bled, swam like a maniac burning thousands of calories to the beat of songs in my head to maintain momentum and rhythm. When my head was going a million miles an hour with numbers, fears and suicidal thoughts I would often put on U2, Madonna, Kate Bush, Madness or whatever I had to hand to help me stay calm. It was quite remarkable how much I relied on their words during those days when I felt my life was not worth living. Music can transport you out of a moment and into another. Everyone has a favourite song they can recall off the cuff. Music is universally adored. Advertisement During the illness I was sectioned into an adult acute psychiatric unit and bed bound as I was not allowed to move as I was so ill. The staff caring for me tried to conserve all my energy as every calorie counted. Therefore I was not allowed to walk at all unless to the shower with the nurse and often just a few feet from the bed. I hated it so much but as a weight restoration plan I was allowed a radio or Walkman for an hour a day if I put on a couple of pounds. This motivated me as I hated being without sounds. Against all odds I started to get well. As my weight went up I was finally allowed music. It kept me sane in some very dark times. My weight rose as did the anxiety, depression and years of medication and therapy. Now as a very healthy and happy mother, wife, mental health campaigner and author I still love all music. I have written about my experiences in my book 'Seconds To Snap' and this has allowed me the privilege of talking in schools across the UK raising awareness. Each day you hear people talk about a certain song that takes them back to a particular moment or how it made them feel at the time. Its timeless but full of emotion. Advertisement Stormzy literally stormed into my life and opened my ears to another style of music - much to my delight. As if he could not go up in my estimations any more I saw an interview he did discussing his battle with depression. It was very honest and inspiring for so many others especially young men who tend to hold back about their emotions. I've since shared it and had a few messages from young men saying how much they resonated with it and how its allowed them to seek help with less fear. This alone is incredible and shows that raising awareness can indeed save and change lives. As an American living abroad, I find it perplexing when my friends and family back home make comments along the lines of "I don't understand why people are complaining -- the US has some of the best healthcare for women in the world". After living abroad in about half a dozen different countries, from Georgia (yes, the place in the Caucasus, not the US state) to Germany, I have personally found this not to be the case. According to expat network InterNations, the world's largest network for people who live and work abroad, the US actually ranks 40th out of 57 countries worldwide for healthcare among expat women, just above Saudi Arabia. To compile this ranking, the most recent Expat Insider survey takes the quality and affordability of healthcare, as well as the quality of the local environment, into account. Taiwan Taiwan blows everyone else out of the water when it comes to the quality and affordability of medical care for women. An overwhelming 97% of female expats in Taiwan rate both of these factors positively. What's even more impressive, up to three-quarters of the female respondents in Taiwan (72% and 75%, respectively) say that the quality and affordability are very good. Advertisement Austria The hills are alive with the sound of women breathing fresh air. Okay, I'll admit, that's a bit of a stretch, but Austria does excel when it comes to the quality of the local environment: 96% of expat women rate this aspect of life abroad positively, which is significantly higher than the 67% global average. In fact, 60% even say that the environment in Austria is excellent. High time to take a walk over alpine meadows and round crystal-clear mountain lakes! Israel Expat women in Israel are particularly satisfied with their healthcare costs. When it comes to the affordability of medical care, 87% are overall satisfied with this aspect and 58% couldn't be any happier. Additionally, 82% give positive marks for the quality of medical care available in Israel. Advertisement Japan In Japan, expat women also appreciate the high quality of the environment, with 85% rating this factor positively. Female expats also find healthcare in Japan to be pleasantly affordable: 80% feel positive about their healthcare costs, a percentage notably higher than the 54% global average. Costa Rica Half of the women currently living in Costa Rica -- a country known for its amazing rainforests -- rate the quality of the environment very favorably, whereas only 29% of female expats around the world say the same about their respective location. When it comes to the affordability of healthcare in this tropical paradise, 40% of women think it couldn't be any better, nearly doubling the global average of 21%. Advertisement Denmark Denmark is one of the best countries in the world for expat women's health, thanks to their appreciating the quality of the local environment so much: 90% of women rate this factor positively, with 54% even saying it is very good. The quality and affordability of medical care in this Scandinavian country also receive favorable ratings from 71% and 76% of female expats respectively. Finland Finland -- another Nordic country -- does really well among female expatriates when it comes to the quality of healthcare with 70% rating it positively. The affordability of medical care doesn't perform quite as well, though, with only 63% of women saying they are overall satisfied with it. However, Finland really shines when it comes to the quality of its environment: an astounding 100 percent of women in Finland love the unspoiled nature in the Land of a Thousand Lakes. Germany The quality of medical care in Germany receives an 81% positive rating from female expats, which is 20 percentage points higher than the global average. One in three women even considers the healthcare to be excellent. Not only is the quality more than satisfactory, but 70% also rate their healthcare costs positively Advertisement France Neighbouring France, too, makes a great impression when it comes to the quality of medical care for expat women: 45% consider it very good, nearly doubling the global average of 23% who feel the same about medical care in their current country of residence. Female expats in France are also satisfied with the affordability of healthcare, with four out of five giving this factor a positive rating. Spain Affordability of healthcare is also a big plus for expat women in Spain. Overall, 73% of women rate their medical costs there positively, with 42% even expressing their complete satisfaction. When it comes to the quality of healthcare, the results are just as positive: 74% of female expats in Spain are overall satisfied with that factor, compared to a global average of 61%.Though the quality of the environment in sunny Spain can't hold a candle to cold Finland (77% vs. 100% positive ratings), the wonderful weather more than makes up for that: 69% of expat women fully enjoy the Mediterranean climate, as opposed to a mere 6% in Finland. Last week, it was revealed that security services have thwarted 13 potential terror attacks since June 2013 - preventing countless deaths and injuries. I think you would hard-pressed to find many people who would disagree with any efforts to prevent such attacks. However, when it comes to the efforts of reducing people's susceptibility to terrorist ideologies in the first place, it can often be met with derision, conspiracy theories and plain 'fake news'. Far from being a massive conspiracy, Prevent is coordinated and implemented from within communities and through grassroots organisations, not in a secret underground bunker or in cyber space. Prevent is about safeguarding vulnerable individuals from radicalisation, preventing them from harm and from harming others. Much effort goes into raising awareness with front line workers on how to recognise these signs of harm; hairdressers are taught to spot signs of domestic abuse, taxi drivers learn the warning signs of child sexual exploitation, youth workers are trained to identify risk factors for those on the cusp of offending and teachers receive guidance on a range of risks to children including physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental ill health, bullying, female genital mutilation, self-harm and eating disorders. Advertisement Identifying risk factors and vulnerability have been fundamental to safeguarding for decades, yet when Prevent adopts this same approach to reduce the risk of radicalisation, its critics label it "Orwellian". Most people will agree that helping prevent young people falling into the criminal justice system is common sense and that preventing sexual exploitation or recruitment by violent gangs is basic safeguarding; yet when that harm is radicalisation then accusations of 'thought police' are bandied about as are ridiculous comparisons to the Tom Cruise blockbuster Minority Report. It seems that when we safeguard vulnerable people from grooming, exploitation and recruitment by terrorists, (and their advocates) we face a barrage of conspiracy theories and criticisms steeped in the language of science-fiction. Fundamentally there seems to be a failure by some, perhaps willfully, to recognise that radicalisation can lead to real physically harm. Take the teenager I worked with who harbored fantasies of travelling to Syria, if he went what would have happened to him? Harm to him was likely; after all we know that over 100 Britons who have travelled to Syria have died there. Harm to others was also a possibility. This was a young man with no father to guide him and a mother who suffered from significant mental ill health. I helped him find charity work so he could be part of the humanitarian cause without putting himself in harm's way and I challenged conspiracy theories he was receiving online, narratives that were designed to turn him against the UK and all of us living here, including his fellow Muslims. But mostly I listened to his concerns and offered help where I could and guided him to others for support where appropriate. Advertisement If all this sounds uncannily like the work of traditional harm reduction and social care, that's because it is. I make no apology that Prevent mirrors the same approach used so successfully by other types of safeguarding, and contrary to the sensationalised image its critics try to cultivate, Prevent is not terribly exciting. We look at factors such as isolation, alienation and the psychological fractures that create vulnerability. In some instances, we offer one-to-one mentoring to help make sense of a confusing world, such as we did for 10-year old Haroun in London who had been immersed in violent terrorist propaganda online. Or the young 16-year old who felt an outsider in school, his paranoia fed by neo-Nazi websites; we offered him a complex combination of social support, mentoring and life skills to build his resilience. It suits our critics that Prevent is misunderstood, that it is often portrayed as existing in the shadows. Those that oppose Prevent routinely draw attention to a phrase the police use called the 'pre-criminal space', whereby the police divide the world into two distinct categories: those in the criminal space (those who have committed crimes) and those in the pre-criminal space (the rest of us, who haven't). For me it is an awkward and clunky definition, but it warrants no more attention than a paragraph. When critics suggest this is a form of clairvoyance, their arguments are profoundly frail and perhaps their true motives warrant scrutiny. Image: Zuzana Brianza I was warned this was coming. Your treatment is over and you find yourself left in the wilderness. You try to stay sane while waiting for the results of your scan but scanxiety starts kicking in. Inevitably, with anxiety comes irritation. My list of people I want to cage fight is growing and the list of things I don't find annoying is getting shorter. Advertisement I must have a solid plan to keep my spirits up and this plan must include some kind of physical activity. Running is not my thing, school runs is the only running I do. Gyms do not appeal to me either. I dusted the old water rower but found I can't get any enjoyment rowing in my living room surrounded by piles of laundry and lego blocks. After some research it becomes clear to me that yoga is the way to go. It boosts both your physical and mental wellbeing. Bingo! I am not new to yoga, I did a fair amount of downward facing dogs in my life, but I do feel a bit lost in the yoga world. There are so many styles and places you can do yoga these days. Even my three year old does yoga at preschool.The sensible thing is probably to go back to basics and start slowly. Less work and more relaxation is really what I'm after. Aren't we all? Advertisement So today I joined the club of mums who show up at school in their yoga pants. I often think if they really go to the gym or just want to show off how quickly they bounced back to their prenatal figure. There are of course mums who, like me, find in the mad rush of the morning that yoga pants are the only clean garment left in the closet. Proud and full of determination I dropped off my kids in a pair of stretchy pants and grabbed a takeaway coffee while waiting for Uber to take me to the other side of Thames. I quickly realised that showing up to a class with a large takeaway coffee is not going to make me many yogi friends. My flexibility is as poor as my balance and my stretchy pants look very uncool in this part of London. Luckily this is a meditative yoga where you get to lie down while concentrating on breathing. Concentrating seems to be an issue but with some effort I'm entering a feeling of zen. I can see why yoga is the perfect exercise for me and it's not only because I get to lie down in the middle of the day. It gives you strength, flexibility and focus and thats exactly what I need. Unfortunately the feeling of focus and peace lasted only until I got back on the tube home. I'm not giving up though. I decided to do yoga in the comfort of my home where nobody can judge my pants nor choice of beverage. In fact I already hired a yoga instructor who will design a personalised sequence to regain my strength and keep me sane. Advertisement The ultimate sanity test might be coming sooner that I thought. Somehow I ended up as a supervising parent on the upcoming school trip. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to the Hull Live newsletter for daily updates and breaking news The sister of a man shot dead by police in Hull is still trying find out what her brother did to warrant such 'drastic action'. Lewis Skelton, 31, died as a result of two gunshot wounds after being shot by a police officer in Francis Street in the city centre at 9.30am on November 29, last year. Police were initially called to Holderness Road after reports of a man carrying an axe in the area. He was tasered before being shot and later died of his injuries in Hull Royal Infirmary. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating Mr Skelton's death but friends have launched a Facebook appeal for more information. But the family now say they want any information to be provided through official channels. Police at the scene of the shooting Mr Skelton's sister Laura said: "We know there have been efforts from friends of Lewis to call for people to come forward on social media, which have been appreciated as it is very nice to know there are others out there, like us, who want to get to the bottom of exactly what happened that morning. "However, for the investigation to be conducted properly and thoroughly we need information to be provided either to our legal team to investigate on the family's behalf, or to the IPCC who are gathering evidence into what happened that day, and considering the police's response to the situation. "We know it would have been completely out of character for Lewis to do anything to make people feel at threat or to warrant such drastic action from the police that morning, so it is vitally important that anyone with any new information comes forward. We feel we must find the answers for Lewis." Lawyers acting for the family have also urged potential witnesses to contact either their own legal specialists or the IPCC as investigations continue. Andrew Petherbridge, a lawyer at the legal firm, said: "We are still at the initial stages of the ongoing investigation as to the full events of the morning in which Lewis was fatally shot. "It is imperative that any new information, no matter how small, be provided directly to the people investigating the circumstances of that day, either by contacting ourselves at Hudgell Solicitors, or by contacting the IPCC." Mr Skelton's family have informed investigators that he suffered from a mental health condition, and the IPCC recovered the weapons used on the morning, as well as searching Mr Skelton's flat in Durham Street. It has previously revealed that a post-mortem examination showed Mr Skelton died from gunshot wounds. Close friend Eddy Barby told the Mail about the Facebook page he was setting up to allow further witness to come forward. He said: "The IPCC have got witnesses to come forward but there are still more people we need to hear from. "I'm not against the police at all, but we think what they did that day was wrong, and we want to find out the full story. We want justice for Lewis." The dramatic events in November unfolded close to Mr Skelton's home in Durham Street when police were called to Holderness Road, near the Post Office, at 9.20am. He was later tracked down by police near Freetown Way, where he was seen with an axe. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is continuing its investigation into Mr Skelton's death A spokesman told the Mail: "Our independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Lewis Skelton is progressing well. "We have gathered accounts from officers involved. We have spoken to a significant number of members of the public who came forward after witnessing events that morning, and are grateful for their assistance." Anyone with information they believe could be relevant to the IPCC investigation can contact the IPCC by emailing witness@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk or calling 0800 096 9071. Alternatively, email ap@hudgellsolicitors.co.uk to contact Andrew Petherbridge of Hudgell Solicitors. Read more: 'Waster' hid outrageous amount of drugs in his underpants Volunteer in Reno County The Volunteer Center of Reno County, a United Way Agency, is a central clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities in Reno County. MCLA Appoints Two to Board of Trustees NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has announced that Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker approved the appointment of Kathleen Therrien, Class of 97, as the alumni trustee and has appointed Dr. Robert Reilly as a trustee. Therrien has served in this capacity since August 2016 when she was first elected to serve the remainder of the term of that vacant seat. Therrien is the director of trust and estate administration at Williams College. Reilly is president emeritus of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Education Society and a school committee member of the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical High School (McCann Tech). MCLA President James F. Birge said he is delighted to welcome Therrien and Reilly to the MCLA Board of Trustees. "Along with her experience as the director of trust and administration at Williams, Kathleen Therrien brings to the Board valuable experience from working with the college's Foundation, and as chair of our Capital Campaign Planned Giving Committee," Birge said. "Robert Reilly has vast experience in higher education, including as a visiting scientist at MIT, and teaching at MCLA and UMASS-Amherst. In addition to speaking to numerous professional organizations throughout the world, Dr. Reilly was the director of EdNet@UMASS and a founding director of K12Net. "I look forward to working with both of these Trustees as we continue to advance the work of MCLA," Birge said. An alumna of the College who attended as a nontraditional student, Therrien earned a bachelor of science degree in 1997. In addition, while she was a student on campus, Therrien was a member of the Delta Mu Delta business honor society and the Alpha Chi honor society. Emily Bini, Freedom of Education, 2017. Mixed media. Grade 9, Guilderland High School. Berkshires Beat: Norman Rockwell Museum Presents 'Reimagining The Four Freedoms' Freedom reigns: For the second year, Norman Rockwell Museum is teaming up with New York's Capital Area Art Supervisors to present a unique exhibition of student artwork exploring what freedom means in the 21st century. "Reimagining The Four Freedoms is on view at Norman Rockwell Museum from March 18 through April 9." "Reimagining The Four Freedoms" will display around 125 original artworks, created in a variety of mediums, by high school students from the Capital District of New York State. Works from students enrolled in Studio in Art classes in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady County will be on view. Each work will relate to a freedom most important to the individual student. Participating school districts include: Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Bethlehem, East Greenbush, Guilderland, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, North Colonie, Scotia-Glenville, and Shenendehowa. A special closing reception for the artists and public will be held on Sunday, April 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. Nominations sought: The Scarborough Salomon Flynt Community Service Award Committee is accepting nominations for its second annual award. The Scarborough Salomon Flynt Award is a result of the merger of the Faith R. Scarborough Award and the Williamstown Community Chest Volunteer of the Year Award. The award recognizes a person's, persons' or civic group's demonstrated dedication, excellence and integrity to community service in order to make Williamstown a better place. Nominators should provide a narrative of accomplishments in support of their nominee. With many wonderful people nominated in a given year, much of the committee's decision making is based on the substance of the reasons given for the nomination and provides the content of the award recipients certificate. The committee will select a citizen who has demonstrated integrity, excellence, and dedication in community service. The award will be presented at town meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16, at 7 p.m., at Williamstown Elementary School. The deadline for nominations is April 21. Nominations should be submitted via the nomination form on the Williamstown Community Chests website. Nomination forms will also be available on the table in the Town Hall lobby and can be emailed to the town moderator or submitted in a sealed envelope to the town manager's office. Yummy fundraiser: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Berkshire County hosted its third annual Cupcake Wars fundraiser on Feb. 2 at the ITAM Lodge in Pittsfield. The event began with a delicious Italian dinner prepared by UNICO of Pittsfield, which really hit the spot for the 230 attendees. Following dinner, three judges were picked at random from the audience to sample the unique confections prepared by the following six bakers and bakeries vying for the best cupcake in various categories: Gimme Some Sugar, Cakewalk Bakery and Cafe, Linda's Pastries, Harvest Barn Bakery, Simply Sweet, Berkshire Pathways and Sarah's Cheesecake & Cafe. The winners were: Best Tasting, Simply Sweet; Most Creative, Sarah's Cheesecake & Cafe; and Best Presentation, Cakewalk Bakery and Cafe. Gimme Some Sugar won in the Peoples Choice category, which was voted on by event attendees. Capping off the evening was an auction of a dozen cupcakes from each baker. A variety of raffles were also held throughout the evening. Funding deadline: The Fund for Williamstown, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, has a March 15 deadline to submit a letter of intent for 2017 applications. The fund invites applications for innovative projects and services that benefit residents of Williamstown and help create a vibrant community responsive to diverse needs and voices. Individuals, nonprofit organizations, community organizations and public agencies may send a one-page letter briefly outlining their project to grants@berkshiretaconic.org . Applicants will learn the status of their proposals by March 20, and those who are successful will be invited to submit a full application by April 1. An advisory committee of local residents will review each letter and full application, and will award grants based on the merit and innovation of the proposed project or service, its impact on the organization or community and the ability of the applicant to carry out the project. In 2016, the fund awarded a total of $16,300 to 10 nonprofit organizations, including grants to support Community Access to the Arts for CATA at the Clark, Girl Scout Troop 12940 for a Buddy Bench at the Williamstown Elementary School, Higher Ground for technology equipment for Highland Woods, Hoosac Harvest for subsidized CSA shares for Williamstown residents and the Williamstown Historical Museum for technology upgrades at their new headquarters. The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: CPI has cordoned off the area to protect the nesting sites and prevent natural predators from preying and eating the eggs. Multiple Olive-Ridley sea turtles have begun to nest as a result of Caltex brand marketer Chevron Philippines, Inc. (CPI)s San Pascual coastal clean-up during the annual Week of Caring (WOC) held every September. With two sea turtle nest sightings along the San Pascual coastline to date, CPI has been ramping up efforts to ensure that nesting grounds stay protected at all costs. Guards on duty have gently combed the surface sand over the nesting sites while taking extra care not to disturb the eggs, fenced the areas, and kept the sites safe from tidal waves. CPI likewise continues to closely monitor two possible nesting sites near the causeway. It already enclosed the sites to prevent natural predators including monitor lizards or bayawak, stray cats and dogs, and even rodents from preying and eating the eggs. Guards also vigilantly keep close watch on the possible nesting sites to maintain enclosure integrity. CPI expects the turtle eggs to ripen and the hatchlings to mature and rise to the ground surface within two months. Guards handling the nesting areas have all undergone Marine Sea Turtle 101 training by the Philippine Global Programme of Action with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB). The San Pascual nesting activity is the latest since the nesting activity along the Lagnas River shoreline in 2013. A talisay tree marks the area where Olive-Ridley sea turtles have laid their eggs. We are extremely elated with the success of our recent coastal clean-up, thanks to the continued support of the local community and CPI employees who have exhibited true volunteerism. We are committed towards preserving the Batangas coastal area as a declared marine sanctuary for Olive-Ridley sea turtles, and we will constantly safeguard these eggs, through our strengthened protection efforts, Peter Morris, CPI Country Chairman, said. About 200 CPI employees and over 100 town residents and students from San Pascual, Batangas joined the annual coastal clean-up, which removed a total of 514 garbage bags or 2.5 tons of worth of rubbish from the area. The coastal clean-up is the final activity of this years five-day WOC program, which included school facilities improvement, road safety education, and art therapy session. This is the ninth edition of the WOC, which advocates volunteerism among CPI employees and business partners. ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solution products, announces the company was selected as this years PCMag Readers Choice Award winner for monitors. In its 28th year, PCMag.com readers were asked to rate products and services they use in overall product satisfaction, picture quality, ease-of-use, likelihood to recommend, and reliability within the past 12 months. ViewSonic swept all categories and easily won the overall award. Sometimes it pays to specialize, stated Ben Gottesman, executive editor at PCMag.com. While most computer monitors are made by companies that build a variety of electronics productscomputers, phones, cameras, printers, refrigerators, and moreour 2016 PCMag Readers Choice Award winner for computer monitors is a company that specializes in displays only: ViewSonic. This is the second time in the last three years that ViewSonic has won the award. According to the annual survey, ViewSonic received the highest rating in all categories in which it received a rating. ViewSonic collected a rating of 9.1 for both Overall Satisfaction as well as for Likelihood to Recommend, then a 9.2 for Ease-of-Use and Satisfaction with Picture Quality, and finally a 9.3 for Satisfaction with Reliability. Were honored the readers of PCMag voted ViewSonic as their top computer monitor choice, said Jeff Volpe, president of ViewSonic Americas. Our product portfolio supports a wide range of display needs, from professional graphics and video production to engineering and finance, plus our newest line of XG Gaming monitors are the choice of e-sport professionals around the world. With the average monitors lasting for several years, its no surprise that PCMag.com readers value quality and performance in their monitor choice. This is truly an honor for each employee here as we celebrate 30 years of making great monitors. This year, ViewSonic celebrates our 30th Anniversary and this award makes it even more meaningful. As a leading global supplier of display technologies that combine innovation, reliability and quality in its products our heritage is rooted in delivering excellent performance, functional designs and advanced technologies to our customers. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has a working session with Dien Bien officials on March 13th (Photo: VNA) Recognising local socio-economic achievements, the top legislator, who is on a working trip to some northwestern provinces, told Dien Bien to conserve and bring into play the values of the special national relic site of Dien Bien Phu victory, in which France was defeated in 1954. The province should expand the planting of ban (Bauhinia variegate) trees, whose flowers considered a symbol of the northwest of Vietnam, so as to improve local landscapes and create a tourism attraction. The 19 ethnic groups offer a diversity of cultures for tourists to explore, she said. Chairwoman Ngan also asked Dien Bien to coordinate with other localities and businesses in efforts to attract tourists while calling for investment in infrastructure development to boost the non-smoke industry. Although the province does not accommodate any hydropower plants, it still needs to protect and make use of watershed forests. Diverse soil and climate conditions are also favorable for it to expand forestry and organic agriculture, including the cultivation of specialty rice varieties, she added. Reporting on the local situation, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Van Son said Dien Bien has recorded good progress in agricultural and forestry production. The cultivation of perennial industrial trees like coffee, rubber, and tea has been expanded in tandem with processing and purchasing activities. There are about 5,170ha of rubber, 4,050ha of coffee and 60ha of tea in the province at present. Provincial authorities have also worked to promote agricultural restructuring and succeeded in attracting some investments in specialty rice farming, processing and distribution, industrial livestock farming, and fruit tree cultivation, he noted./. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Leonardo da Vincis famous portrait of Lisa Gherardini, titled Mona Lisa, is one of the most-discussed works of art ever, partly thanks to the subjects ambiguous look. According to a recent study by the University of Freiburg, though, the answer to whether she is sad or happy is simple: her expression is unequivocally happy. Twelve participants were shown nine black and white photos of the Mona Lisa, eight of which had been digitally manipulated at the mouth; four made the model look happier, the other four sadder. After shuffling the photos and showing them to each participant 30 times, the team found that the original photo was thought to be happy 97 per cent of the time. The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed Show all 5 1 /5 The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed 263406.bin Courtesy of MOSI The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed 263404.bin Courtesy of MOSI The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed 263403.bin Courtesy of MOSI The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed _87084411_cotte_brinkworth_films.jpg The secret of Mona Lisa's smile revealed _87084414_17b8b144-0b86-4b5b-bab3-204a08903ae6.jpg We really were astonished, neuroscientist Juergen Kornmeier a that German University told AFP. Given the descriptions from art and art history, we thought that the original would be the most ambiguous, he said. A second experiment was also conducted, involving eight sadder versions of the portrait shown to participants with more nuanced changes. While the original was still seen as happy, they found the manipulated photos were proclaimed ever sadder than before. We dont have an absolute fixed scale of happiness and sadness in our brain, Kornmeier added. Our brain manages to very, very quickly scan the field. We notice the total range, and then we adapt our estimates. The neuroscientist concluded: There may be some ambiguity in another aspect but not ambiguity in the sense of happy versus sad. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A world-renowned author is calling for museums in London and India to demonstrate Britain's role in reducing the country to one of the "poorest, illiterate and diseased places on earth". Shashi Tharoor wants and enduring reminder to educate school children about how the British Empire killed millions, created famine and orchestrated a divide and rule campaign. In an article for Al Jazeera, he said that India was one of the worlds richest countries before British rule, producing 27 per cent of the world's gross domestic product in 1700. Recommended Dr Shashi Tharoor tells the Oxford Union why Britain owes reparations Britain reduced it over two centuries of looting and exploitation, one of the poorest, most diseased and most illiterate countries on Earth, added the 61-year-old MP, who chairs the Indian parliaments foreign affairs committee. An enduring reminder is needed, both for Indian schoolchildren to educate themselves and for British tourists to visit for their own enlightenment, he said. As I say to young Indians: if you don't know where you have come from, how will you appreciate where you are going? The London-born author notes that there is no museum devoted to Britains imperial conquest in India. So the former United Nations secretary asked for the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata to be converted into a museum remembering the British Raj atrocities. Five of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire Among the incidents that need documenting are the Amritsar massacre, which saw colonial soldiers kill between 379 and 1,000 people who were peacefully protesting against British rule. Another 1,100 were injured in just 10 minutes, under the orders of Brigadier Reginald Dyer, who was later lauded a hero by the British public, which raised 26,000 for him as a thank you. Mr Tharoor added that there was also no memorial for "the deaths of 35 million Indians in totally unnecessary famines caused by British policy, or the 'divide and rule' policy that culminated in the horrors of Partition in 1947 when the British made their shambolic and tragic Brexit from the subcontinent." He said the "lack of such a museum is striking. Between 12 and 29 million Indians died of starvation during British rule. Mr Tharoor also claimed that the Indian railway was a colonial scam designed to reap further British benefits. And at the end of it all, they went home to enjoy their retirements in damp little cottages with Indian names, he added. He also wrote how homosexuality is outlawed in India only because Britain suppressed the countrys ancient Hindu texts, which he believes were more liberal. India, the worlds largest democracy, still allows Gay Pride marches in major cities however. A YouGov poll last year found 44 per cent were proud of the British Empire and 43 per cent believed it a good thing. The empire governed a fifth of the worlds population at its height in 1922. The Independent has contacted the Department for Culture Media and Sport for comment but none was available at the time of publication. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ian McEwan - author of the Man Booker Prize-winning Amsterdam and best known for Atonement - has been an outspoken critic of Britain leaving the European Union, once calling the Brexit vote a plebiscite of dubious purpose and unacknowledged status. While in Barcelona promoting his latest project, Nutshell, the acclaimed author once again made his thoughts on Brexit clear, calling it a real disaster and comparing the state of affairs to Nazi Germany. UPDATE: McEwan has since clarified his comments, saying in a statement to The Guardian: I do not think for a moment that those who voted to leave the EU, or their representatives, resemble Nazis. Nor does our government even faintly resemble the Third Reich. Nor do I believe that the voting process itself was anything but an accurate representation of current thinking. However, I did say to the assembled journalists that the phrase enemies of the people was one associated with Robespierre and therefore carried an unpleasant association; I did say that the press harrying of some judges of the supreme court was nasty (not Nazi). ORIGINAL COMMENTS: Sixteen million Britons wanted to stay in the EU and 17 million wanted to leave, he said according to Spanish news outlet El Pais, as picked up by The Guardian. But there exists a small and very energetic political group made up of opaque and impatient people who are driving the process and who speak as though half the country were the entire country. Its also serious because Great Britain works on the basis of a parliamentary democracy and not through plebiscites, which remind me of the Third Reich. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants 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 Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty Talking about politicians who speak on behalf of the people, he criticised how they react when others disagree. Their militant wing, the tabloid press, has started to look into the lives of the judges who rule that Brexit could result in the loss of human rights to see whether theyre homosexual or something, he said. Its reminiscent of Robespierre and the terror of the French revolution. The air in my country is very foul. McEwan was referring to an incident last November when three High Court judges ruled members of Parliament should vote on triggering Article 50. Numerous publication lambasted the judges, The Daily Mail calling them enemies of the people while The Telegraph called the upset The judges versus the people. Last year McEwan backtracked on remarks about transgender identity in an open letter, after criticism from an LGBT charity. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A local artist was shot during an armed robbery after he performed at SXSW festival, it has been reported. Michael Sanders, a guitarist for the band Lowin, was confronted by three masked assailants who had been hiding in bushes near his home, the Austin Chronicle reports. During the attack, Sanders was shot in the shoulder and his wallet and phone were stolen. He is expected to make a full recovery, but is now unable to perform with the band during their three scheduled gigs at the annual festival in Austin, Texas this week. Lowin posted a photo of Sanders at home recovering on their official Facebook page. "Hi folks, our brother Michael got shot Friday night walking home from a show," they wrote. "He is totally on the mend and was blessed with 'best case scenario' conditions as far as being shot goes. However we'd like to advise all of you that are SXSW-ing to be careful, alert and walk in groups at the end of the night. Love you all. Be safe." SXSW festival was the subject of controversy this year after a clause in its artist contract went viral and was linked to the recent travel ban on seven, largely Muslim-populated countries by US President Donald Trump. It was believed that the festival was threatening to deport artists who put on non-sanctioned performances. One invited performer cancelled their performance after misunderstanding the policy. Managing director Roland Swenson issued a statement attempting to clarify the festival's position. "SXSW has been vocal in its opposition to 'President] Trump's Travel Ban and is working hard to build a coalition of attorneys to assist artists with issues at US ports of entry during the event," he said. "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 understand that given the current political climate surrounding immigration, the language that was published [in the contract] seems strong. Violating US immigration law has always carried potentially severe consequences, and we would be remiss not to warn our participating acts of the likely repercussions." Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Natural processes may be responsible for up to half the dramatic decline in sea ice in the Arctic over the last four decades, according to a new study. While air currents had been affected by human-induced climate change, most of the changes were the result of an internal variability within the system over several decades, the researchers found. And they estimated these natural fluctuations were responsible for between 30 and 50 per cent of the sea ice loss since 1979. Other climate scientists said the study helped explained why their computer models had underestimated the reduction in sea ice compared to what has actually happened in the region. Sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic has been hitting record lows in recent months. The loss of sea ice is believed to be accelerating global warming, because white ice reflects the sun's heat back out to space, while dark water absorbs it. The rapid warming in the Arctic also has knock-on effects on the weather across much of the northern hemisphere. Writing in the journal Nature Climate Change, the team of researchers, led by Dr Qinghua Ding of University of California, Santa Barbara, said they had found that 70 per cent of the changes to the atmospheric circulation were due to natural causes. The potentially large contribution of internal variability to sea-ice loss over the next 40 years reinforces the importance of natural contributions to sea-ice trends over the past several decades," they said. Dr Nathanial Johnson, another member of the team, told The Independent that he hoped climate science deniers would not seize on their research in an attempt to suggest what is happening in the Arctic is purely natural. It would be unfortunate if this gets spun into a way that really sort of downplays the importance of anthropogenic forcing in this sea ice decline, he said. There is internal, natural climate variability that can lead to these fluctuations about the long-term trend, but theres nothing that really discounts the science behind the anthropogenic sea ice decline, nothing that really invalidates the models that are projecting this long-term decline. Dr Johnson, of Princeton University in the US, added there was some debate about how natural the changes in atmospheric circulation were, saying this should be the subject of more research. We do know that global warming, anthropogenic forcing, will have some effect on the circulation, he said. He said the discovery of the extent of the role played by nature in reducing sea ice suggested there was potential for a recovery relative to the long-term, downward trend. But I think the overall impact of anthropogenic forcing, the overall downward trend I think will likely dominate and prevent a true recovery of the sea ice, a full recovery, he added. Gigantic crack in Antarctic ice shelf expected to spawn iceberg Scientists should not revisit predictions that the Arctic should be completely clear of sea ice, apart from some trapped within small inlets, by the middle of this century, Dr Johnson added. In an accompanying article in Nature Climate Change, Neil Swart, of the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis, wrote that the findings would need independent observational corroboration. The results do not call into question whether human-induced warming has led to Arctic sea-ice decline a wide range of evidence shows that it has, he said. Rather, the implication is that Arctic sea-ice is less sensitive to human-induced forcing than if one assumes that all loss observed to date is anthropogenically driven. 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 Commenting on the research, Professor Chris Rapley, a climatologist at University College London, said it offered a reason why climate models had not predicted the speed of the decline in Arctic sea ice. Over the last three decades satellite instruments have measured about a 13 per cent per decade loss of summer minimum sea ice extent in the Arctic. Models have consistently underestimated the loss, he said. The new paper offers an explanation of the discrepancy. The authors provide evidence of a process by which natural variability of the Arctic atmospheric circulation may have contributed as much as 30 to 50 per cent of the decline. Even so, the systematic component of loss due to human-induced climate change remains robust and significant. Dr Twila Moon, of Bristol University, said the well-designed study provided the best detail yet to determine how much Arctic sea ice decline is caused by humans and how much is natural environmental change. Realising that humans have caused 50 to 70 per cent of the decline is not good news, she said. Continuing to put carbon dioxide and other emissions into the atmosphere is having a direct negative influence on the Arctic, including sea ice. This study is yet more evidence that serious and detrimental changes are happening now and are caused by our emissions habits. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Funding to protect critically endangered wildlife, including whales, penguins and seabirds, could be at risk as a result of Brexit, campaigners fear. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of EU grants are now threatened as a result of the vote to leave the bloc. The money is used to support wildlife conservation projects in UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) stretching from the Caribbean to the South Atlantic. Macaroni penguins, sei whales and turtles benefit from the grants, but environmentalists warn there is no guarantee of funding for future projects once Britain cuts ties with Brussels. Five projects in the South Atlantic are currently funded by the Best 2.0 scheme, which runs until December 2019. But the Government has failed to give any assurances about the funding for wildlife schemes after Brexit. Theresa May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, starting two years of negotiations. It is understood that UKOTs will then be ineligible for funding as Britain will be outside the block and unable to apply for new grants. Sei whales are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Natures red list (Pierre Jaquet/Flickr) Experts believe the Macaroni penguin could be hardest hit as the UK is responsible for more of that globally-endangered species than any other nation. Among the other conservation efforts supported by Best 2.0 is a project to protect sei whales in the seas surrounding the Falkland Islands. The species is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Natures red list. Almost 100,000 euros (87,000) was awarded to help protect their population, which has been depleted by as much as 80 per cent in recent years, largely as a result of the commercial whaling industry. A similar sum was spent on restoring forests on Nightingale Island in the UKOT of Tristan da Cunha home to just 80 pairs of Wilkins bunting birds that are now threatened by invasive rodents and other alien species from nearby islands and shipwrecks. EU cash is also being used to fund an assessment of shallow water seamounts underwater mountains on Ascension Island, roughly half-way between West Africa and Brazil. The work is allowing experts to determine the best locations for marine reserves that restrict fishing in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Two projects to protect gumwood and cloud forest on the British-administered island of St Helenas also benefit from Best 2.0 grants. A total of around 300,000 of EU money helps protect wildlife on UK territories in the South Atlantic alone from a total budget for UKOTs that is estimated to reach 1.3m. Tara Pelembe, deputy director of the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, said a loss of EU funding risked making the future for already endangered species in some of the worlds most remote environments even more precarious. The Best funding scheme is a very welcome additional source of funding for biodiversity and conservation projects in the region, she told The Independent. Some of the projects focus on the management of on endemic and endangered species, and as such will likely have an impact on their survival rates. Additional resources also help fund projects in the Caribbean, including the protection of turtles off the coast of Anguilla. What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder, who founded the cross-party MEPs for Wildlife group, said the Government was "putting vital protections for threatened species at risk through its reckless hard Brexit plans. Britains membership of the EU has played a crucial role protecting some of our most iconic species. Ministers must give assurance that legal protections and funding streams that protect our wildlife will be fully replaced after Brexit." Wildlife charity RSPB said the Government had questions to answer about the protection of species after Brexit. A spokesperson said: The UKs Overseas Territories are home to some fantastic species and precious habitats. Unfortunately some of these species are under threat. Funding schemes such as BEST have been and continue to be important in bringing together the people and resources needed to tackle problems that extend beyond international borders. So, as the UK Government plans our future outside of the European Union there are important questions that need to be answered about how we continue to support the vital work to protect nature in our Overseas Territories. A spokesperson for the Government declined to comment directly on whether there were plans to protect funding for conservation projects on UKOTs after Brexit, but said: Our ambition is to be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we found it while securing the best deal for the country as we leave the EU. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The various pieces of technology that are in our lives could hand over our most personal information to hackers, the UK's most elite cyber security chiefs have warned. Smart phones, watches, televisions, and fitness trackers all collect information on their users that could be used to extort money from people or pose as them. An increasing amount of internet-connected deivces around the home allow hackers far more power to use "aggressive" and "confrontational" tactics, according to a new report from the Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA). It highlights the huge amount of personal information that those gadgets contain. Each of them has data including people's photos, personal messages and fitness information which could be turned on their owners, according to the experts. And it comes just days after WikiLeaks warned that phones and smart TVs could be used by the CIA and other agencies to spy on their owners. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty The study forecasts that this year it is likely that "ransomware" will target connected devices containing data such as photos, emails and even fitness progress information. "This data may not be inherently valuable, and might not be sold on criminal forums but the device and data will be sufficiently valuable to the victim that they will be willing to pay for it," the assessment says. "Ransomware on connected watches, fitness trackers and TVs will present a challenge to manufacturers, and it is not yet known whether customer support will extend to assisting with unlocking devices and providing advice on whether to pay a ransom." Recommended CIA refuses to acknowledge huge WikiLeaks files release A surge in the number and variety of internet-ready products has sparked a string of security warnings. There have even been suggestions that baby monitors and pacemakers could be vulnerable to hacking. Analysts have forecast that by 2020 there will be as many as 21 billion connected devices used by businesses and consumers around the world. The NCSC and NCA's 2016/17 report on the cyber threat to UK business says: "The rise of internet connected devices gives attackers more opportunity." The paper notes that smart devices are still "inherently more difficult" to attack than traditional computers, saying that incidents may initially be limited to users who download apps from third-party app stores. Ministers launched the NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, amid mounting concern over the potential danger to Britain's industry and infrastructure from online attacks. The new report says the cyber threat to UK business is "significant and growing". In three months after the centre was created, there were 188 "high-level" attacks as well as "countless" lower-level incidents. The danger is "varied and adaptable", ranging from high-volume, opportunistic attacks to "highly sophisticated" and persistent threats. The last year "has been punctuated by cyber attacks on a scale and boldness not seen before", the report says, pointing to a string of incidents including the targeting of the US Democratic Party and Bangladesh Bank. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the NCSC, said: "Cyber attacks will continue to evolve, which is why the public and private sectors must continue to work at pace to deliver real-world outcomes and ground-breaking innovation to reduce the threat to critical services and to deter would-be attackers." The report will be published on Tuesday as the NCSC hosts a major conference on cyber security in Liverpool. It also says that there is no clear understanding of the true scale and cost of cyber attacks to the UK as it is under-reported. Donald Toon, director for economic and cyber crime at the NCA, said: "Businesses reporting cyber crime is essential if we are to fully understand the threat, and take the most effective action against it." It comes days after it was revealed that GCHQ has warned political parties of the the threat posed to democracy by Russian hackers. Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh (Photo: VNA) Vietnam has sufficient legal foundation and historical evidence testifying to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, Binh said on March 13th when asked about Vietnams reaction to reports that China organised an illegal tourism route to Hoang Sa archipelago and a Chinese coast guard vessel pursued a fishing ship coded QNg 95215 TS of Vietnam in the area of Bach Quy (Passu Keah) island in Hoang Sa. Those actions by China seriously infringed Vietnams sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago, violated international law, ran counter to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed in 2002 between ASEAN and China as well as the Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China signed in October 2011, the spokesperson stressed. He went on to say that Vietnam adamantly objects (to those actions) and requests China to respect Vietnams sovereignty and international law. China must immediately stop and not repeat those activities, in order to make constructive contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, Binh said./. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A fitness blogger has been praised for sharing a photo that challenges the taboos of motherhood and body image. Anna Strode, a mother-of-two from Melbourne, made headlines last year after she shared photos of her the lose skin she was left with after giving birth to twins, and has tens of thousands of followers on Instagram. Now pregnant with her third child, the self-confessed fit twin mama has shared an honest behind-the-scenes snap on Instagram to highlight the reality of motherhood. Strode posted a split photo of herself; on the right she smiles as she poses in active-wear, while on the left she eats an ice cream on the sofa with her bump on show. The blogger has been praised for highlighting how women have to deal with pressure to achieve unattainable beauty goals, even during pregnancy. Instagram Pregnant Life VS Real Pregnant Life. I'm all about BALANCE! She wrote to her 74,800 followers on Instagram. Sure, you might look at my page and see images like the left and think this mama works out all the time and she must eat healthy all the time. Well I'm here to tell you NO that's not how things go and I don't believe anyone should live without a little bit of life's indulgences! I'm a REAL mama, with REAL pregnancy cravings and REAL battles of accepting how my body changes throughout life's journeys. Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 1) Angela Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor Axel Schmidt/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 2) Beverley Actress and singer Beverly Knight Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 3) Carol Former 'Countdown' presenter Carol Vorderman Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 4) Debra Former 'Will & Grace' actress Debra Messing Jason Merritt/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 5) Diane Fashion designer and inventor of the wrap dress Diane Von Furstenberg Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Diane Von Furstenberg Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 1) Bertrand The late philosopher Bertrand Russell Hulton Archive/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 2) Cecil The late artist Cecil Beaton Hulton Archive/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 3) Clarence American actor Henry Fonda pictured in 1975 rehearsing at the Piccadilly Theatre in London for his one man play about the famous trial lawyer Clarence Darrow Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 4) Clive Actor Clive Owen Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images Baby names 'at risk of dying out' - In pictures 5) Cyril Cyril Rioli, an Australian rules footballer Matt King/Getty Images Since posting the image, floods of women have commented on Strodes honest and inspiring portrayal of pregnancy. Really needed to see this today!! one person said. Im pregnant with number 2 and although I am working out and eating healthy, Im really struggling to keep my nutrition on track with these pregnancy cravings. Instead of beating myself up over it I am now going to just enjoy it while I can. Another added: So much courage to put this out! We all need to see that everyone is human and that it's not all instaperfect. Currently 24 weeks pregnant with baby number three, Strode continues to share her fitness regimes on social media, and includes her sons in her workouts. When I get Samuel and Lachie involved and lift them up while doing squats, they crack up laughing, she previously told Daily Mail Australia. Fitness has made me such a happy, healthy and energised mum. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} How often do you see your parents? Our busy schedules mean many of us feel were not seeing them as much as we should, or would like to. But making time for our parents could extend their lives, a new study shows. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that loneliness could lead to functional decline and, in some cases, premature death in older people. The study, Loneliness in Older Persons, studied 1,600 adults with an average age of 71. It revealed that that nearly 23 per cent of lonely participants died within six years of the study, compared to only 14 per cent of those that reported experiencing adequate levels of companionship. Researchers also found that 43 per cent of people over the age of 60 feel isolated. Accordingly, the research concluded that loneliness is a significant factor in the decline of quality of life in older adults and could lead to depression, cognitive impairment and other health problems like coronary artery disease. The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 Show all 20 1 /20 The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 1. Hertfordshire (best) Creative Commons The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 2. Cambridgeshire (best) Getty The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 3. entral Bedfordshire (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 4. Warrington (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 5. York (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 6. Tyneside (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 7. Norfolk (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 8. Northumberland (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 9. West Cumbria (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 10 . Calderdale and Kirklees (best) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 1. East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 2. Leicester (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 3. Glasgow City (worst) AFP/Getty The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 4. Isle of Wight (worst) Getty The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 5. Clackmannanshire and Fife (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 6. Nottingham (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 7. Sandwell (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 8. Falkirk (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 9. Kingston Upon Hull (worst) The UKs 10 best and worst places to raise a family in 2016 10. North Lanarkshire (worst) The need we've had our entire lives - people who know us, value us, who bring us joy - that never goes away, Barbara Moscowitz, senior geriatric social worker at Massachusetts General Hospital, told the New York Times. The theory that loneliness may impair health outcomes in older persons isnt a new concept though. Recommended Meet the Syrian family who fled civil war and make cheese in Yorkshire Another study by Brigham Young University in Utah from 2010 found that social ties are increasingly important to extending life, proving that people with lots of close friends and family around are likely to live longer than those that are alone. Similarly, a report by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) at University College, London (UCL), claimed that over-50s who experience feelings of satisfaction about their life are more likely to live to an older age. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mark Zuckerberg, one of the most famous college dropouts in the world, is finally getting his degree from Harvard. No, the 32-year-old billionaire Facebook CEO isnt going back to class. Instead, he will be delivering the commencement address to the class of 2017, and that means he'll also be receiving an honorary degree. Harvard President Drew Faust explained in a statement to the Harvard Gazette that the decision to bring in Zuckerberg to speak at the 366th commencement was a no-brainer. Few inventions in modern times can rival Facebook in its far-reaching impact on how people around the globe interact with one another, she explained. And few individuals can rival Mark Zuckerberg in his drive to change our world through the innovative use of technology, as well as his commitment to advance science, enhance education, and expand opportunity through the pursuit of philanthropy. The announcement comes 10 years after Harvard had its first tech billionaire dropout, Bill Gates, speak at commencement. The university released a short video featuring the pair in which Zuckerberg asks Gates for advice on what to say in his address. Zuckerberg famously left Harvard as a sophomore in 2004 to move to Palo Alto, CA and pursue his then-fledgling social network. Over the past 13 years, it has grown into one of the most valuable, powerful, and influential companies in the world. Zuckerberg will speak to Harvard graduates on May 25. A sommelier explains why you should buy the cheapest bottle on the wine list This is what the 3.5 billion 'UK Disneyland' theme park will look like when it opens in 5 years The 10 best cities to live in if you want to retire early Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The price of oil neared a fresh three-month low on Monday, raising questions around Scotlands ability to finance itself alone as it looks to be moving towards another independence referendum. In afternoon trading, Brent crude was changing hands at just over $51 per barrel having earlier in the day hit $50.85 according to Reutersits lowest level since the end of November. The recent slump will deal a blow to many oil producing countries - like Nigeria and Saudi Arabia - and comes at particularly critical time for Scotland, which depends heavily on oil revenue to prop up its economy. Recommended EU says independent Scotland would have to reapply for membership First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday said that the Government was moving to hold a second referendum on independence from the UK, giving Scottish people a choice between Theresa May's Brexit deal and remaining in the EU as an independent country. Ms Sturgeon said the UK Government had "not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement" with the Scottish Government over Brexit, and that even a good deal would be "significantly inferior" to the status quo. But the dwindling price of oil could be a key sticking point. Scottish taxes collected from oil production fell from 1.8bn in 2015 to just 60m in 2016. In 2008-9, as oil peaked at almost $150 per barrel, the Scottish government brought in a record 11.6bn from North Sea fields. While Brexit has, of course, added a new dimension, the economic concerns that led the majority in Scotland to vote to remain a part of the UK have not disappeared, said Dean Turner, an economist at UBS Wealth Management. Scottish GDP lags behind the UK and declining oil revenues have raised questions over the fiscal sustainability for an independent Scotland especially if it intends to retain the pound, he added. The recent slump in oil prices is being driven by swelling inventories in the US overshadowing OPECs efforts to curb output, and many analysts are saying that a sustainable recovery looks unlikely in the short term. Although OPEC members may be commended on their attempt to stabilise the oil markets by cutting production, the fact that oil prices are almost where they were when the initial production cut deal was announced is a major cause for concern, said Lukman Otunuga, a research analyst at FXTM. 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. Sentiment towards oil is firmly bearish and the threat of OPEC not renewing its production cut deal for the second half of the year could spell further depreciations for oil in the medium to longer term, he said. The members of OPEC and other major oil producers including Russia struck a deal last year to reduce oil production by almost 1.8 million barrels per day in the first half of 2017, but some strategists are now concerned about OPEC's willingness to extends the agreement for six additional months. The cartel is do to meet in May to discuss its next steps. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Victims of serious crime should not be allowed to use the Human Rights Act to sue the police, lawyers for the Home Office will argue in a Supreme Court test case. Two women attacked by the black cab rapist John Worboys won a civil case in 2014 against the London Metropolitan Police after the court found their human rights had been violated by the forces failures in the investigation. The pair, identified only as DSD and NBV, were two of at least 12 women who were raped by Worboys in the back of his taxi after he drugged them with champagne. He was eventually jailed for life in 2009 and police suspect he may have carried over 100 attacks with the first reports emerging in 2002. Police were found to have arrested Worboys several times after many of his victims came forward but repeatedly dropped the charges. In 2007 a 19-year-old student told officers at a police station in south-east London that she had been sexually assaulted by Worboys on her way home from a night out. She said he had given her a case of champagne, saying he was celebrating a gambling win, which she had accidentally dropped. When she refused another glass he became aggressive and she said she remembers him forcing a pill into her mouth. Her next memory was waking up in her bed at 2pm the next day. Worboys was arrested but officers believed his story that he was an innocent cabbie and she had been drunk and incoherent despite traces of an antihistamine and sedatives being found in the girls blood. Five months later a 26-year-old woman said she remember snapshots of Worboys on top of her and her shouting for him to stop. Semen was found on the waistband of her trousers but although Worboys DNA was on the database, no match was made. Another woman said he shouted to her You cant go and say that youve been raped because I always use Durex as he let her flee, the Guardian reported. Eventually when they searched Worboys home and car they found a kit he used to attack women which including miniature bottles of champagne, plastic gloves, sleeping tablets and condoms. The High Court found Scotland Yard had a duty under the Human Rights Act to investigate serious violence against women and could be held accountable by the courts if they failed to do so. The court found the police were in breach of Article 3, which protects against inhuman or degrading treatment. But the force, with the backing of the Home Office, has appealed the decision and could potentially be liable for millions of pounds in compensation to rape victims if it loses. It will argue that if the ruling is upheld it will risk diverting "scare police resources" towards defending itself against legal action surrounding historical cases and "damage operational effectiveness" by forcing officers into "defensive policing", The Daily Telegraph reported. DSD, one of Worboys' first victims in 2003, told the Guardian: The experience of being disbelieved and failed by the police was as bad, if not worse, than being a victim of Worboys. I brought this case not just for myself but because the police should be held to account when they have failed so badly. Martha Spurrier, the director of Liberty which is helping the women, said the case rested on a principle that victims of sexual violence had a right to be listened and have their cases investigated. She said: The Met should have learned lessons and committed to take rape seriously. Scotland Yard were found to have violated the women's right to freedom from inhumane or degrading treatment (PA) Instead they are using taxpayers money to drag these women through yet another court hearing all in an effort to argue that they shouldnt be legally required to effectively investigate rape. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) upheld complaints against five of the officers involved in the investigation and identified individual and systemic issues within the force and said they had made no effort to corroborate the victims accounts. It said officers had adopted a mindset of that a black cab driver "would not commit such an offence" and had failed to challenge inconsistencies in Worboys' accounts, believing him ahead of his victims. They also made several procedural mistakes such as failing to acquire physical and forensic evidence promptly and in one incident an officer lost a case file. Another wrongly told a victim her case had been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service. The case, along with that of another serial rapist, Kirk Reid, led to changes in the way rape cases are handled by the London Metropolitan Police but no officer was fired over their mistakes. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police in Belfast have carried out a number of raids for abortion pills, a Northern Irish politician has said. It is understood the raids took place at activists' homes and workplaces on International Womens Day, while feminist activists were attending a pro-choice rally in the city. Unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is a criminal offence in Northern Ireland, where women face up to life in prison. It is estimated that more than a thousand women each year travel to Great Britain for terminations. However, Northern Irish women are not entitled to free abortions on the NHS, despite being UK taxpayers and they instead must pay for private procedures. Activists say this means low-income women are increasingly unable to travel and are instead buying abortion pills online and taking them at home in Northern Ireland. Clare Bailey MLA, Deputy leader of the Northern Irish Green Party and the politician representing the South Belfast constituency in which the raids occurred, told The Independent: I am disturbed that the PSNI are targeting pro-choice activists and criminalising women. Women who buy this medication are invariably in a very difficult situation. Indeed its often poorer women who turn to the internet because they cannot afford to travel outside of this jurisdiction to access reproductive healthcare. The lack of reproductive rights here in Northern Ireland means that women are criminalised and vilified. A number of prosecutions have recently been taken against women in Northern Ireland. Last April, a 21-year-old woman was found guilty of committing an abortion after she experienced an unplanned pregnancy when she was 19. She told the court she tried to raise money in time to travel to England for an abortion but could not afford to do so and instead ordered pills online and performed an abortion on herself at home. Her flatmates discovered bloody clothing and foetal remains in the shared kitchen ben and reported her to the police, whereupon she was arrested. Another Northern Irish woman is currently awaiting trial, charged with helping her 15-year-old daughter to access abortion pills. In November 2016, Belfast High Court found that Northern Irelands abortion laws are a breach of international human rights legislation. However, the Northern Irish parliament, which is dominated by Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant politicians, voted to keep the ban regardless. The House of Commons is the state actor responsible for ensuring Northern Ireland complies to human rights legislation. Although Northern Ireland has a devolved parliament, human rights do not fall within the devolved remit. However, the British government has thus far declined to comment on whether it will introduce legislative changes from London. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} High-risk sex offenders in Scotland could be chemically castrated to stop them from reoffending. Under a voluntary scheme, convicts in Glasgow will be given medication to reduce their libido. The pilot scheme, currently being considered by the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, would be a first for Scotland. Participants will receive their treatment and then will be monitored by officials. 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 Margaret-Ann Cummings, whose son Mark was killed by a paedophile when he was eight-years-old, told the Scottish Daily Mail she cautiously welcomed the plan. "If sex offenders are volunteering to go through with this and willing to change to stop other people being hurt then they should be offered every support possible," she said. However, it is vital that authorities are not using the public as guinea pigs in an experiment here. Everything must be tightly controlled. The project could serve as a blueprint for similar schemes across the UK. A spokesman for the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership told The Scotsman: This initiative is at an early stage... but it is anticipated that anti-libidinal drugs would be used on a case-by-case basis where appropriate. In 2008, more than 100 convicted sex offenders at Whatton Prison in Nottinghamshire received medication to reduce their sex drive and the results were described as "encouraging". Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An animal welfare campaigner who photographed dogs at the Crufts dog show claims her pictures highlight dogs with faces and muzzles so flat and distorted by selective breeding that they have serious health problems. Jemima Harrison, whose 2008 documentary Pedigree Dogs led to the BBC dropping its coverage of the show after 42 years, said some of the animals on display had such distorted faces they were struggling to breathe. As the desire for small dogs has increased over the past 30 years, breeders have repeatedly crossed closely related animals to emphasise certain desirable features like short muzzles and flat faces which has caused catastrophic genetic problems as they become increasingly inbred. Over the last few years, breeds such as French bulldogs, Pekingese, pugs and King Charles spaniels have been especially popular partially due to celebrity owners such as Lady Gaga and social media. French bulldogs in particular, which are set to replace Labradors as the UKs favourite breed some time next year, are suffering from surging levels of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome which makes it hard or them to breathe, The Sunday Times reported. On Friday, Crufts turned the heating off in the Birmingham NEC where it is being held, staff at the venue told The Times. In addition to breathing problems, some dogs competing on what is known as bad noses day also often carry extra weight in order to achieve the desired traits of folded neck skin and chubby faces which means they are at risk of overheating. 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 Ms Harrison said she wants the public to stop buying freakish dogs, saying: I am not seeking a ban, but the Kennel Club must rewrite its breed standards so that dogs with these unnatural flat faces just disappear. The Kennel Club, which acts a regulator for the industry around dog breeding, shows and working trials, currently runs the Crufts show. Bill Lambert, the clubs health and breeder services manager, said it was not possible to diagnose problems from the pictures which Ms Harrison distributed among breeders. He said: Any dog that goes forward to best of breed has to go before a vet. Our standards are clear that dogs must be fit for function, walk, breathe and see normally. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs have voted to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales. MPs have backed a bill by 172 votes in favour, versus 142 against. The bill, which was introduced as a Ten-Minute rule bill, will now go to a second reading on 24th March, before it can be passed into law. The UK's own abortion ban, explained in 3 minutes In 1967, the Abortion Act was passed which made terminations legal subject to doctors' approval and if a pregnant person can prove they meet predetermined criteria. However, critics say the law does not go far enough as people who do not meet these conditions who have an abortion are committing a criminal offence. It is thought the growing availability of online abortion pills is increasing the number of terminations women have in the UK, outside of official, licensed clinics. In addition, women are committing an offence if they have a termination after the 24-week limit. Labour MP Diana Johnson introduced the debate to the House of Commons, which calls for full decriminalisation. She told MPs: "There is no other medical procedure in this country is governed by legislation this old, this out of step with medical developments and public attitudes. "Doctors are poorly served by a criminal framework which does not apply to other areas of medicine." The bill is backed by the Royal College of Midwives and the British Pregnancy Advisory service. However, anti-abortion groups say the move could result in more abortions taking place. They say it could result in abortions taking place at later dates, or gender selective abortions occurring. Conservative MP Maria Caulfield opposed the bill, telling MPs they must protect "the rights of the unborn child". She told the chamber that decriminalisation could result in abortions being carried out at much later dates, or abusive partners coercing women into having non-consensual abortions, in the absence of criminal threat. The bill only applies to England and Wales. In Northern Ireland, abortion remains illegal under almost all circumstances, including rape and incest. A number of women have recently been prosecuted for having terminations or helping others to do so. A woman is currently awaiting trial accused of helping her 15-year-old daughter 'commit' an abortion by enabling her to access abortion pills. Last week, Northern Irish police carried out raids on women's homes looking for abortion pills. In Scotland, abortion is a devolved issue falling within Holyrood's remit. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Alex Salmond has denied he pushed Nicola Sturgeon into calling for a second Scottish independence referendum, deriding the the suggestion as complete and utter piffle. Sources close to Scotland's First Minister and her predecessor, reportedly told Sky News that Mr Salmond was the driving force behind Ms Sturgeons speech, in which she confirmed she will seek approval from Holyrood for a second referendum in 2018 or 2019. A second independence vote is something Ms Sturgeon "doesn't want and does not believe she can win", they were said to have told the broadcaster. Mr Salmond, who was leader of the party when it lost the independence referendum in 2014, took to Twitter to say: Complete. Utter. Piffle. UK Gov caught flat footed. Obvious Downing Street briefing, Sky news silly enough to repeat it. Ms Sturgeon, has indicated she could call for a second independence vote ever since the UK's shock decision to leave the European Union. She said this represented a material change in circumstances which justified going to the polls again. Ms Sturgeon was formerly Mr Salmonds deputy, taking over when he quit in the aftermath of the 2014 independence referendum, which the nationalists lost with just under 45 per cent of the vote compared to just over 55 per cent who voted to remain with the UK. He wont be a back seat driver," Ms Sturgeon said when she succeeded him. "Ill be in charge and I dont think hes in any doubt of that. Mr Salmond, who is currently serving in Westminster as MP for his Aberdeen constituency, said last year that he was expecting Ms Sturgeon to call a second referendum within two years of the Brexit vote. He told Russia Today last September that the option of a second referendum was on the table. I would expect Nicola Sturgeon to fulfil her mandate to keep Scotland within the single market place," he said. I would expect her to give Theresa May the opportunity to embed Scotland within the negotiations that are about to happen. I fully expect, my reading of the situation is, the UK will not be flexible or wise enough to do that, and therefore therell be a Scottish referendum in roughly two years time. Before to the first referendum, Mr Salmond called it a once in a generation opportunity, but like Ms Sturgeon, he said the shock decision by the UK to leave the EU was a game-changer. Recommended Salmond lays out prompt timescale for second independence vote Ms Sturgeon said that a second independence referendum would allow Scottish voters to choose between remaining in the EU as an independent country or to remain as part of the UK outside of it. Although a clear majority of Scots (62 per cent) voted to remain in the EU, polls do not indicate a great appetite for a second independence referendum, with some suggesting the country is suffering from referendum fatigue. A recent survey carried out by BNG Research found that 51 per cent are opposed to holding another independence vote ahead before the terms of the UKs Brexit negotiations are agreed. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) said they were uncertain, while only 25 per cent were in favour. 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 Prime Minister Theresa May has not ruled out allowing another independence referendum for Scotland, but criticised Ms Sturgeons demand. Instead of playing politics with the future of our country the Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland," she said. "Politics is not a game. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there is no appetite for another referendum on Scottish independence, but that Labour MPs would not block a democratic decision by the Scottish Parliament to call one. Ms Sturgeon said: I believe that it would be wrong for Scotland to be taken down a path that it has no control over regardless of the consequences for our economy, for our society, for our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. That would be wrong, and therefore my judgement is that we should have that choice." I believe that in a referendum the Scottish people will opt for independence, but that will be the choice of the Scottish people and Ive been very clear that that will be an informed choice." Japanese former Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio in an occasion to present wheelchairs to disabled children (Photo: LDO) Accordingly, the wheelchairs were provided to veterans and disabled children in such provinces as Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Thai Binh, with an aim to support their mobility, thus bettering their integration into communities. According to the Japanese former Prime Minister, this was the third time he has presented wheelchairs since his direct participation in assisting Vietnamese disabled people. Realizing that a number of regions in Vietnam reported AO victims, he said he hoped he would successfully call on greater assistance for bringing Japanese wheelchairs to Vietnamese disabled people. He added that the Japan Friendship Association would help Vietnam clean dioxin-infected land and assist Vietnamese businesses in manufacturing higher quality wheelchairs. Deputy Minister of Health Pham Le Tuan thanked the humanitarian hearts of Japanese people towards Vietnamese disabled people, adding that in 2013, Japanese former Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio visited disabled children in Vietnam and called on support from organizations and individuals for 50 wheelchairs to be transported to Vietnamese disabled children in September, 2014. In October, 2015, he continued his efforts, sending an additional 50 wheelchairs to disabled children and AO victims. Receiving the wheelchair, Nguyen Thi Mai, a veteran from Ha Nam province, said with emotion that wheelchairs are very important supportive devices for disabled people to move and thus to live more independently. We hope to receive more assistance from individuals and society to stand with our hands, she said./. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has been given the green light to start the formal Brexit process as MPs and Lords passed the Article 50 bill but her victory was overshadowed by Nicola Sturgeon's shock demand for a second referendum on Scottish independence. The Prime Minister finally won her long Parliamentary battle to trigger the Article 50 exit notice on her terms, when a threatened Conservative revolt in the Commons melted away. Two Lords amendments guaranteeing the rights of 3 million EU nationals in Britain, and giving MPs a meaningful vote on the outcome of the negotiations were thrown out with large majorities. It paved the way for the Article 50 Bill to be given Royal Assent early on Tuesday, after peers in the upper chamber also caved in, rather than deciding to ping it back to the Commons in a series of late-night votes. However, earlier in the day Ms May was rocked by the SNP First Ministers referendum demands, signalling a fresh constitutional battle over Scotlands future. Accusing the Prime Minister of blocking Scotlands desire for a special deal with the EU, Ms Sturgeon said the referendum should be held between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 without last-minute concessions. Within hours, No.10 announced Ms May would not, as widely expected, trigger Article 50 as early as Tuesday, instead suggesting it would take place in the final week of March. Downing Street denied any wobble, or that the Prime Minister did not want to appear to be immediately confronting the SNP, with the union so obviously at stake. Her spokesman insisted the stated policy had always been to start Brexit at the end of March, but many senior figures in Europe had also anticipated Article 50 to be invoked this week. There were also suggestions that Cabinet ministers were still yet to agree on the exact form of the letter to be sent to the European Commission. The day of drama began when Ms Sturgeon called a press conference to warn that the Prime Ministers Brexit strategy made a second referendum all but inevitable. Recommended Everything you need to know once the Brexit process is triggered She accused Ms May of refusing to discuss full Scottish access to the single market, saying: The UK government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement. Buoyed by opinion polls putting the Yes vote almost neck and neck with No supporters, Ms Sturgeon added. Our efforts at compromise have instead been met with a brick wall of intransigence. Theresa May immediately accused the SNP First Minister of playing a game, but significantly did not rule out allowing the referendum to go ahead. Under Section 30 of the Scotland Act, the UK Parliament must grant Scotland the power. Many observers believe Ms May cannot simply say no but could try to prevent the referendum until after Brexit is completed. Meanwhile, in the Commons, just two Conservatives Alex Chalk and Tania Mathias rebelled in the vote on unilaterally guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals ahead of the Brexit talks. It allowed the Government to win that vote easily, by 335-287 votes, a majority of 48 larger than when MPs first voted on the controversy. Just hours later the Lords then backed down on the Liberal Democrat amendment as peers voted by 274 to 135 to disregard the motion. One Labour peer Lord Lea described the Brexit Bill during the evening as the shortest suicide note in history. Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted the UK would reach a swift agreement over the one million UK nationals living in EU member states and the 3.2 million EU citizens living in Britain. Later, the Commons threw out the second amendment passed by Lords, designed to ensure Parliament has the final say over the nature of Britains withdrawal from the EU. No Tories voted with the Opposition parties, despite Mr Davis failing to offer any concessions on the vote on any final deal or, crucially, if Ms May fails to strike a deal. Dominic Grieve, the former Attorney General, was among a handful of Conservatives who abstained, with a warning that Brexit is heading back to the courts unless the Prime Minister changes course. He insisted the law would not allow MPs to be bypassed, after the Supreme Court ruling that ministers cannot remove rights from British citizens without the authority of Parliament. I can promise them, if they dont follow proper constitutional process, there will be litigation and that litigation will hold matters up, Mr Grieve warned ministers. Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Show all 13 1 /13 Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Supreme Court Brexit Challenge People wait to enter the public gallery outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Gina Miller, co-founder of investment fund SCM Private arrives at the Supreme court in London on the first day of a four-day hearing Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waves the EU flag in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with two of his paintings in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin. The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Businesswoman Gina Miller arrives at the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Attorney General Jeremy Wright arrives at the Supreme Court in London EPA Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Protesters outside the Supreme Court in London, where the Government is appealing against a ruling that the Prime Minister must seek MPs' approval to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union PA wire Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protesters wearing a judge's wigs and robes stands outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protester holds up a placard outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waiting to enter the public gallery waves a European Union flag outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Vowing not to support the Government, he added: I am afraid Im not prepared to follow processes which appear to me to be, frankly, deranged. Peers in the upper chamber then backed down for a second time on the "meaningful vote" amendment by 274 to 118. It came after Labour said it would not, given the scale of the victories in the Commons, prolong the fight in the Lords, paving the way for the Bill to be sent to Buckingham Palace for signature on Tuesday. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Article 50 will not be activated this week, Downing Street has revealed. Whitehall civil servants had been told to prepare for the triggering of the formal mechanism to withdraw the UK from the European Union as early as Tuesday. But a spokesman for Theresa May said the Article 50 process would now not be initiated until next week at the earliest. No time to give MPs a meaningful vote on Brexit deal, David Davis says Asked if the Prime Minister intended to trigger Article 50 tomorrow, her spokesman said: "We have been clear. The Prime Minister will trigger Article 50 by the end of March." It had been rumoured that the Article 50 bill would be passed by the Commons on Monday night and receive royal ascent on Tuesday morning, in time for the Prime Minister to formally give notification to Brussels the same day, but Downing Street has dismissed such speculation. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto Her spokesman said: "I've said end many times but it would seem I didn't put it in capital letters quite strongly enough." It is now thought that the most likely date for the historic move will be in the last week of March, following the special summit of the remaining 27 member states in Rome on March 25 to mark the 60th anniversary of the European Union. It comes after SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to call for a second referendum on Scotland's independence. The Scottish First Minister said on Monday morning that a second poll would give Scotland a choice between Ms May's Brexit deal and remaining in the EU as an independent country. Responding to that statement, the Prime Minister said: "The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable. It sets Scotland on a course for more uncertainty and division, creating huge uncertainty," the PM said. "This is at a time when the Scottish people, the majority of the Scottish people, do not want a second independence referendum. "Instead of playing politics with the future of our country the Scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. Politics is not a game." Meanwhile, pro-EU Conservatives condemned Ms May's Brexit strategy, urging her to stand up to party zealots to avoid huge damage to Britain. The 30-strong Conservative Group for Europe (CGE) accused the PM of appearing to be asking for the wrong things, in the wrong way and on the wrong timescale. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} When the European Union member states drafted and then approved the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, they did not think anyone would ever want to leave it was a few years before the Eurozone crisis, and the bloc was still glowing from its watershed expansion eastwards. So when, for the first time in its history, the EU included an article the now-infamous Article 50 for a potential exit, they left it deliberately vague. The Treaty of Lisbon was drafted with the idea that [Article 50] would not be used, and to make it pretty hard to exit in a smooth way, says Chris Bickerton, a lecturer at Cambridge University and author of The European Union: A Citizens Guide. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants 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 Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty What this means in practice now is days, weeks and even months of political uncertainly as all sides try to work out how to interpret the treaty. Here is what is spelled out explicitly in Article 50: A government must trigger the article by officially notifying the EU of its intention to leave. Then there is a two-year period in which the terms of the leavers exit are negotiated. During this time Britain would no longer be able to take part in any EU decision-making, and any exit agreements must be approved by all 27 remaining EU nations and the European Parliament. Then after Britains formal exit, fresh negotiations can begin on any new trade deals. But crucially, there is no timescale or mention of when to trigger Article 50 after a referendum, leaving many politicians worried about a long period of uncertainty. Even after the issue of the triggering of Article 50 is resolved, the British government must then decide its negotiating position, and decide what sort of relationship they want with the EU in the future. Would they still want access to the single market? What status would they want for the EU citizens currently employed in Britain, and Britons working elsewhere in Europe? What sort of trade deals would they wish to pursue? These proposals would then be put to the other 27 EU member states. It is a process which European Council President Donald Tusk has warned could take up to seven years, and it is likely to be a bitter fight. There has to be some sort of deterrent that the other 27 member states now need to build into this so that there is a clear message that this is not an attractive model, says Mr Techau. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} EU citizens must be allowed to stay in the UK after Brexit, the heads of 35 Oxford University colleges have said in a plea to the Government to prevent an exodus of valuable academic staff. World-leading institutions like Oxford will suffer enormous damage if European lecturers, researchers and support staff lose the right to work in Britain, they warned. Some academics already planning to leave due to uncertainty over their employment status after Britain leaves the European Union, said vice-chancellor Professor Louise Richardson and the leaders of all but three Oxford colleges in a letter to The Times. The top scholars urged MPs to back a House of Lords amendment to the Brexit bill which guarantees the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. Oxford University relies on EU citizens as lecturers, researchers and support staff. If they lost their right to work here, our university would suffer enormous damage which, given our role in research, would have reverberations across the UK, they wrote. Our EU colleagues are not reassured by a government which tells them that deportation is not going to happen but declines to convert that assurance into law; some are worried, some are already making plans to leave. Many of our staff do not know whether absences abroad on research contracts will count against them. Others do not know, however longstanding their work and residence, whether their children will be able to remain in the UK. David Davis: Government has Brexit contingency plan MPs are expected to reject the changes made to the Brexit bill by peers to guarantee the rights of EU citizens in the UK and ensure Parliament has a vote on any deal when it returns to the House of Commons on Monday. The bill will then go back to the Lords and, providing peers allow it to pass, the Prime Minister could trigger Article 50 and Britain's divorce from the EU as early as Tuesday. Around a fifth of UK academics are from the EU, with more than 22,800 EU citizens working in Russell Group institutions alone. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants 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 Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty According to a recent survey by the University and College Union, three quarters of EU academics working in Britain said they were more likely to consider leaving the country after the Brexit vote. The Oxford college leaders said they were raising real and immediate concerns. There is no public or parliamentary intent to harm our EU colleagues: that can be translated into reassurance by accepting the Lords amendment. We ask MPs to vote accordingly and join us in pressing for reciprocal arrangements for UK nationals in the EU, they wrote. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pro-EU Conservatives have condemned Theresa May's Brexit strategy, urging her to stand up to party zealots to avoid huge damage to Britain. The 30-strong Conservative Group for Europe (CGE) accuses the Prime Minister of appearing to be asking for the wrong things, in the wrong way and on the wrong timescale. Its devastating analysis published just hours before two crucial Commons votes on the Article 50 Bill protests that Ms May has: * Adopted an intimidatory stance towards critics who oppose her extreme Brexit - which will prolong the nations divisions and alienate business groups. * Provided no clues about a future partnership with the EU accusing her putting hostility towards the EU ahead of the national interest. * Wrongly said it is impossible for Britain to retain single market membership whilst limiting freedom of movement when a grand bargain with the EU might still be possible. * Allowed an ideological hostility to the European Court of Justice to drive her negotiating strategy. * Refused to recognise that any post-Brexit free trade agreement with the EU will fall far short of replicating the benefits of the single market, especially in services making a significant transitional period essential. * Risked fuelling momentum for Scottish independence while undermining the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. * Weakened ties with the EU despite the volatile nature of the new US Administration and the aggressive behaviour of Russia. The paper warns: The risks are high that the outcome of the exit negotiations will cause significant damage to the political and economic interests of both Britain and the EU, blighting relations for a generation. The groups president is Brexit rebel Ken Clarke and the group boasts other MPs including Nicholas Soames, Caroline Spelman, Neil Carmichael, Robert Buckland and Robert Walter. Other supporters include Sir John Major, the former Prime Minister, and former Conservative Cabinet ministers Lord Heseltine, Lord Hurd, Lord Carrington and Lord Patten. The reports author, CGE vice-chairman Edward Bickham, mocked Ms May's insistence that no deal with the EU would be better than a bad deal. Theoretically she is right, but only if the 'bad deal' is in compulsory slaughter of the first-born territory, Mr Bickham said. We are fooling ourselves - and the Government would be fooling the British people - if we fail to understand that a default to trading with out biggest (and currently most closely integrated) trading partners on the basis of WTO rules would be profoundly damaging. Mr Bickham urged the Prime Minister to change direction to deliver a better Brexit, adding: That will involve disappointing the Brexit zealots. The comments were endorsed by Mr Carmichael, who said: This publication is a powerful contribution to the necessary debate following the referendum decision as the period of negotiation under Article 50 begins. However, despite the strong language, Commons Tory revolts on both securing a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal and guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens appeared to be melting away. The Government is confident it will easily overturn both Lords amendments later today leaving the Prime Minister clear to trigger the Article 50 exit notice as early as tomorrow. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Chancellors tax rise for self-employed people could cost thousands of families up to 16 per cent of their income when taken alongside other previously announced changes, research suggests. The House of Commons Library found that a self-employed single parent with two children on 10,000 a year would face a 16 per cent of their income once all the changes come into effect. The Library, which was commissioned to look at the effect of the National Insurance rise by Labour MP Owen Smith, found that other self-employed parents with incomes of 20,000 would see a similar income cut of around 12 per cent. The research takes into account the cumulative effect of the Governments 3 billion a year cut to the Universal Credit work allowance. Around a million self-employed people are expected to move onto the Governments new benefit system. The research suggests a family earning 10,000 a year would see their income rise to 16,457 if the work allowance cuts and NIC rise was cancelled. Theresa May could be facing a backbench revolt on the issue, over a dozen Tory MPs speaking out against the policy and threatening the Governments slim majority in the House of Commons. The Government justifies the NICs cut on the basis that it removes distortions from the tax system. It is backed by the prestigious Institute for Fiscal Studies. I think we have got a situation where weve closed the gap in terms of benefits entitlements, effectively eliminated it, that we have got a growing situation with the costs and the sense that if we dont take action we are placing an unfair burden on the 85 per cent of employees, chief secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said on Budget day. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticised the Government for going ahead with the tax rise while it cut corporation tax sharply. He called for the two policies to be reversed and for a maximum wage cap based on the radios of wages between the highest and lowest paid workers. 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 Owen Smith said: This was clearly the greatest mistake in Philip Hammonds budget and Labour should be focusing all our fire on reversing this measure in the coming weeks, while every Tory MP needs to ask themselves how they can claim to be the party of entrepreneurship and low taxes while supporting Hammonds job tax on the self-employed." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government will try to use an upcoming meeting of Commonwealth leaders to build closer links with Britains former imperial territories ahead of Brexit, the Government has announced. The Commonwealth summit is held every two years in a different Commonwealth nation, with the UK the planned host for the 2018 summit. The meeting is set to take place just months before Britain officially leaves the EU in March 2019. Though the venue of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was decided and publicised well before the EU referendum, ministers now believe they can use the summit to reenergise and revitalise the grouping and potentially use it to build trade relations outside Europe. Theresa May plans to use her position as the official chair-in-office of the Commonwealth to broker influence for the UK. The rotating chairmanship which resembles the EU Council presidency is a flexible position that allows its incumbent to set the agenda within the international organisation. As the host of the 2018 summit, Ms May would be chair during the crucial period during and after Brexit. Britain decided to host the 2018 summit at the last minute after Vanuatu dropped out of hosting a planned meeting in 2017 due to damage done by Cyclone Pam to the islands infrastructure. Speaking on Commonwealth Day, which is 13 March, the Prime Minister said: As we prepare to host the Commonwealth Summit in London next April, we are reminded today of the unique and proud global relationships that we have forged with the diverse and vibrant alliance of Commonwealth nations. The UK has a longstanding and firm commitment to the Commonwealth and to the values it upholds, of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. 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 And in hosting the Commonwealth Summit next year, the UK is committed to working with all members not only to reaffirm these shared values, but also to reenergise and revitalise the Commonwealth to cement its relevance to this and future generations. As we look to create a truly Global Britain, the deep partnerships that we share through a 21st Century Commonwealth can help us strengthen the prosperity and security of our own citizens, and those of our many friends and allies across the world. The Prime Minister is expected to meet the current chair of the Commonwealth, Prime Minister Muscat of Malta. Malta is also a member of the EU and will have to approve the final Brexit deal. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Governments fit-to-work tests for access to disability benefits are causing permanent damage to some claimants mental health, from which they are not recovering, a new study has warned. The research, conducted by academics at Edinburghs Heriot-Watt and Napier universities, found that the Work Capability Assessment experience for many, caused a deterioration in peoples mental health which individuals did not recover from. It also established, through dozens of in-depth interviews of people who had been through the tests, that in the worst cases, the WCA experience led to thoughts of suicide. Mental health charities said the interviews contents reflect what we hear from people every day. The study interviewed 30 people with existing mental health conditions who had taken the tests throughout 2016. Most suffered from depression or anxiety, while a smaller number had more complex issues like bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. In addition, researchers also interviewed a number of advocacy workers who had had close contact with the test. The studys participants reported a lack of expertise in mental health among WCA assessors and advice from the WCA that was not consistent with what they had been told by their own GPs. In one case recorded in the study, a participant recounted a doctor actually physically gasping during an appeal because of the poor quality of evidence initially recorded by a WCA assessor. Some study participants reported being in tears or having panic attacks during the tests, with others telling the interviewers that the assessments were making me feel worse. The researchers said that the extreme stress having to deal with multiple stigmas of being unemployed and having a mental health condition became self-reinforcing and self-perpetuating, leading to the deterioration of claimants condition. Our research has reinforced the fact that people with mental health problems face more stigma and discrimination than those with physical health conditions and that this discrimination is built into the WCA, the studys final report concluded. Professor Abigail Marks, the lead author of the study who is based at Heriot-Watt University, told The Independent that people who worked closely with such cases reported that deterioration in mental health conditions was an almost universal response to the tests. Key causes of extreme stress were said to be a claimants fear of losing their income, the prolonged nature of tests, a lack of specialist mental health training amongst assessors, and the fact the test was clearly geared towards people with physical disabilities. A lot of the people we spoke to were in a position where they are preparing to go back to work before their assessment they were doing training courses, community initiatives, or volunteering, she said. They said that after the assessment, because the assessment had caused them so much stress, they were unable to go back and take part in those activities because their mental health had had such a deterioration. Talking to the advocacy workers, as well, they said it was almost universal that after people had gone through an assessment there was a significant decrease in their mental health. Report on mental health care In October last year the Government announced that it would stop repeat Work Capability Assessments for people with chronic conditions, characterising the repeat assessments it was scrapping as unnecessary stress and bureaucracy. Mental health charity Mind said the WCA was clearly not fit for purpose and that its lengthy and costly appeals processes could make matters worse. The findings of this report are concerning but sadly not surprising, as they reflect what we hear from people every day, Ayaz Manji, the charitys policy and campaigns officer, said. People with mental health problems tell us that the current fit-for-work test causes a great deal of additional anxiety. We know the assessors rarely have sufficient knowledge or expertise in mental health, meaning many people dont get the right outcome and then have to go through a lengthy and costly appeals process. The current approach is not fit for purpose and needs to be replaced by an open and honest conversation based on each persons individual needs. Debbie Abrahams, the Labour work and pensions spokeswoman, said the study was more proof that the WCA is not only unfit for purpose, but is causing harm to some disabled people. She added: Thats why I have committed Labour to scrapping these assessments completely and replacing them with a holistic, person-centred approach. Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 30 per cent of people deal with anxiety by talking to a friend or relative, or by going for a walk. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Almost one in five people feel anxious all or a lot of the time. PA Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 22 per cent of women feel anxious a lot or all of the time, compared to 15 per cent of men. Roman Levin/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 45 per cent of people who feel anxious in everyday life cite financial issues as their biggest cause of worry. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report And 26 per cent of people who feel anxious say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with worry. And 26 per cent of people say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with anxiety. Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 27 per cent of people who suffer from anxiety say work issues, such as long hours, are the source of the problem. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report But 16 per cent use alcohol to cope, while 10 per cent turn to cigarettes in the face of anxiety. Unemployed people are more likely to resort to these harmful strategies: 27 per cent use alcohol and 23 per cent use cigarettes. AFP/Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Only seven per cent of people who say they suffer from anxiety seek help from their GP. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report People are thought to be more anxious than they were five years ago. Alessandra/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report The stresses of modern life are thought to have created "The Age of Anxiety". Getty The Work Capability Assessment was introduced in 2008. It is contracted out to private company Maximus, having previously been run by Atos. The systems failure rate is controversial; figures reported by The Independent last year found that more than half of appealed WCA decisions were found to be wrong when taken to tribunal. Responding to the study, a Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson appeared to dismiss the interviewees experiences as not statistically significant. Only thirty people were interviewed for this report, which fails to acknowledge any of the significant improvements we have made to our assessments particularly for people with mental health conditions, he said. Last year alone at least 35,000 work capability assessments took place in Scotland to help ensure people get the right level of support that they need. In fact, 37 interviews were conducted for the study. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump's senior aide Kellyanne Conway has suggested Barack Obama could have monitored the President through a microwave. When she was asked about Mr Trump's claims in an interview with USA Today, Ms Conway suggested the surveillance may have involved far more than wiretapping. She said: What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other. You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of different ways. She claimed surveillance could be conducted with "microwaves that turn into cameras," and added: We know this is a fact of modern life. 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 unsubstantiated claim comes after Mr Trump's evidence-free accusation he was wiretapped by Mr Obama during the presidential election, a charge the former president denied. FBI director James Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Mr Trump's claim, but has not come forward to do so himself. A senior congressional aide said the House intelligence committee asked the Trump administration to provide evidence the phones were tapped, a request reinforced by an influential Republican, Senator John McCain. "I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," the Arizona senator said. Mr Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said nothing matching Mr Trump's claims had taken place. Regardless, Mr Trump has asked Congress to investigate. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} International Trade Secretary Liam Fox denied sending out a controversial tweet about Europe, while sitting in front of a giant picture of it. During an appearance on Sky News', Sophy Ridge on Sunday, an image appeared behind the Conservative minister of of the social media message. Bearing the name Dr Liam Fox MP and his picture, it read: The United Kingdom, is one of the few countries in the European Union that does not need to bury its 20th century history #scc16. But although it was published on his official Twitter account, Mr Fox denied he had sent it. Just as a point of clarification, I didnt send out a tweet, he said. Number two, it was taken from a speech I gave about a year and a half ago and it was tweeted out, I think, by The Guardian, and it was an incomplete reference in any case. What I said was Britain hasbecauseBritain has always felt less emotionally attached to the European Union because in our history we had never felt the need to bury the 20th Century in a pan-European project. A confused Ms Ridge motioned to the big screen, which displayed the tweet, but Dr Fox did not turn around and the conversation moved swiftly on. The tweet, published on 4 March, 2016, still appears on his feed. The text was taken from a speech he gave to the Scottish Conservative conference last year although the post did not include the words "in a pan-European project". Im a Eurosceptic, because I believe that this nation state should be able to govern itself and control its own borders without interference from authorities outside our borders," he told delegates at the time. The United Kingdom, is one of the few countries in the European Union that does not need to bury its 20th century history in a pan-European project. Dr Fox was widely mocked on social media for the gaffe. Parliamentary sketch writer Tom Peck wrote: Well this was better than I even dared to dream. Dr Fox's parliamentary office refused to comment to The Independent, but it is understood that he was denying having personally tweeted the quote. But a spokesman for his department said: The tweet from March 2016 is an incomplete quote from over a year ago." It is thought that someone other than the MP was live tweeting his speech at the 2016 conference and mistakenly missed out the last four words of the sentence. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs have rejected an amendment by the Lords to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals before the Brexit negotiations begin. It came as MPs were asked to overturn two amendments made by peers in the upper chamber to the Governments EU Notification of Withdrawal Bill, which provides Theresa May with the power to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The Lords amendment, which aimed to force the Government to publish proposals for guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals before the mechanism is invoked, was defeated by 335-287 votes a majority of 48. Recommended Everything you need to know once the Brexit process is triggered Just two Conservatives Alex Chalk and Tania Mathias defied the Governments whip and voted in favour of the Lords amendment. Six Labour MPs - Frank Field, Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins, Rob Marris, Graham Stringer and Gisela Stuart voted with the Government. Speaking in the Commons before the vote Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, said protecting the rights of EU nationals was a matter of principle, adding: Are we prepared to use one set of people - those that are here - as a bargaining chip, to get the rights for people in the EU? That is exactly what it is. Once the whole argument about reciprocal rights is about bargaining, it is saying we will not do what we should do by this group of people until we get something in return for it. That is bargaining. But the Brexit Secretary David Davis predicted the UK would reach a swift agreement with the EU countries over the one million UK national living in member states and the 3.2 million EU citizens living in Britain. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister, speaking before the amendment was defeated, accused the Government on shameful inaction over the failure to guarantee the rights of EU citizens. He said: "There is no earthly way that this Government can separate the three million EU citizens which are already here from the millions who may, after a certain cut-off date, want to come and live and study and work here in the future without creating a mountainous volume of red tape." He added the Government risked creating "a tsunami wave of red tape" trying to distinguish between the two groups, as he reminded Brexit Secretary David Davis of their work together in opposing ID cards 12 years ago. "I predict he and his Government will have to introduce something not identical, but strikingly similar, to the paper trail behind ID cards," said Mr Clegg. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Welsh Government will today introduce legislation to abolish the Right To Buy in the country. The policy, which allows social housing tenants to buy their homes at a huge discount of up to 100,000, has already been scrapped by the Scottish Government but remains in place in England. Right To Buy has been in part blamed for the UKs housing shortage because forcing councils to offer any homes they build for sale at big discounts means it is uneconomical for them to build them. house building has collapsed since the 1980s around the time the policy was introduced and private development has failed to close the house building gap. The UK government has taken a different approach to the other consituent countries of the UK, instead announcing plans last month to extend the policy to even more homes which are currently expect. Labour says it would scrap the policy in the UK if elected at Westminster. The Welsh Governments Communities Secretary Carl Sargeant said scrapping the policy, would help the executive meet its affordable housing targets. Our social housing is a valuable resource, but it is under considerable pressure. The size of the stock has declined significantly since 1980 when the Right to Buy was introduced, he said. The number of sales is equivalent to 45 per cent of the social housing stock in 1981. This has resulted in people in housing need, many of whom are vulnerable, waiting longer to access a home they can afford. The bill supports the Welsh Governments wider aims of a more prosperous and fairer Wales, helping to tackle poverty by protecting our stock of social housing from further reduction. I recognise the proposal affects existing tenants and we will ensure tenants are made aware of the effect of the bill in good time before abolition takes place. The bill will require the Welsh Government to publish information, which social landlords in turn must provide to every affected tenant, within two months of the bill receiving Royal Assent. The bill would scrap Right to Buy, the Preserved Right to Buy and the Right to Acquire after a waiting period of at least one year from the law's introduction. Welsh councils welcomed the policy change. Councillor Dyfed Edwards, the Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson for Housing, described the move as essential. At a time of acute shortages of social rented homes, and with many thousands of people currently on housing waiting lists, the proposal from the Welsh Government to abolish right to buy is a welcome step in tackling a growing problem in Wales, he said. 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 It is essential that peoples access is improved to good quality social rented housing in order to enhance peoples lives, and also to revitalise local communities. The Independent reported in February that housing charities and councils were worried that the policys extension in England would make it harder than ever to build homes. Previous research cited by the London Assembly has found that as 40 per cent of homes sold under the Right to Buy scheme have ended up in the hands of private landlords, rather than boosting numbers of owner-occupiers in Britain. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} There is a story told about Robert the Bruce, possibly apocryphal, that while on the run from the English in 1307 and hiding in a cave he saw, on a small flat screen TV on the far wall, a woman in a cerise two piece, who had called a press conference to announce a referendum on Scottish independence. She would not give up, this woman. Even though the people of Scotland had already had a referendum on the matter, not two years before, they would now have another one. Even if they didnt want one, they would have one. And if the people of Scotland got it wrong for a second time, well there would be another cerise two piece, another press conference, another referendum. If at first, you dont succeed, he muttered to himself, vote, vote and vote again, before riding off to Bannockburn to bludgeon some English poshoes with an axe. Yes, a mere two and a bit years after the question of Scottish Independence was settled for a generation Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the matter was now officially unsettled. The second independence referendum, the likelihood of which has gradually inched its way beyond Ms Sturgeons various milestones of probable, likely, highly probable has now lolloped over the line into what she hopes is all but certain. The future of the UK looks very different than it did two years ago, she said, and she is right. The collapse of the Labour Party means we face a long period of uninterrupted and unchecked Conservative government, she said, as if the forty seats Labour lost to the SNP in Scotland in 2015 were some sort of accident of which the SNP were the victim. What is at stake is the kind of country we become, she said. Scotland stands at a crossroads. To follow the UK to a hard Brexit or to become an independent country. Scotland stands at a crossroads. Thats a nice slogan. Itd look nice down the side of a bus. Its tactics, after all. Nothing more. Nicola Sturgeon is no more or no less committed to Scottish independence now than she has been at any point in the 31 years since she has been fighting for independence. For the independence cause, Brexit is their 350m for the NHS. With the House of Commons about to push through the Article 50 Bill, there has been much debate over Ms Sturgeons timing, even if an independence referendum before the end of the Brexit negotiations would leave Scottish voters utterly clueless about what independence would mean, but clearly thats how we like our referenda these days. Probably, its merely a coincidence that it was Commonwealth Day. But if Scotland and Nicola Sturgeon are ready to join the long line of peoples movements, popular plebiscites and charismatic dictators boldly to throw off the yolk of empire, there is no shortage of twentieth century evidence for what happens next in countries in which independence campaigners are suddenly charged with the job of actual governance. It doesnt always go well. Nevertheless, if Theresa May was watching, we can but hope she paid particular attention to the First Ministers easy manner as she took a full twenty minutes of questions at the end, around nineteen and half minutes more than the Prime Minister has ever managed. Still, the First Minister has one advantage. Both leaders are chucking their people on a bonfire of tin-brained nationalism, but at least Nicola Sturgeon has never actively campaigned for the opposite side. Equally dreadful, but a little less awkward. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The EU has said an independent Scotland would have to join a queue of nations seeking membership of the bloc, after Nicola Sturgeon announced plans for a second independence referendum. Wading into the debate on the Scottish Governments plans for a second vote, a spokesman for the European Commission (EC) said Scotland would not be granted automatic access to the EU if it split from the rest of the UK. At a briefing in Brussels, Margaritis Schinas said: "The Barroso doctrine, would that apply? Yes that would apply, obviously." He was referencing former commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, who set out the legal view that if one part of an EU country became an independent state it would have to apply for EU membership. Mr Schinas added: "The commission does not comment on issues that pertain to the internal legal and constitutional order of our member states." It comes as Nato's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said an independent Scotland's membership of the military alliance was also "not automatic". In a letter sent in 2012, Mr Barroso spelled out EC doctrine that the separation of one part of a Member State or the creation of a new state would not be neutral as regards the EU Treaties. He continued: A new independent state would, by the fact of its independence, become a third country with respect to the EU and the Treaties would no longer apply on its territory. Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon announces second referendum plans In separate remarks made in 2014, Mr Barroso said it would be "extremely difficult, if not impossible" for an independent Scotland to get the necessary approval from the member states for it to join the EU. He said: "We have seen Spain has been opposing even the recognition of Kosovo, for instance. So it [Scotland] is to some extent a similar case because it's a new country and so I believe it's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, a new member state coming out of one of our countries getting the agreement of the others." Were Scotland to hold a second independence vote and then back splitting from the UK, the Government in Holyrood would have to apply for EU membership under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. Several countries have expressed an interest in joining the EU, with Montenegro, Serbia and Albania among the official candidate countries. Jacqueline Minor, who until earlier this month was the European Commissions official representative in the UK, previously warned that an independent Scotland would join a list of countries seeking membership. However, she added that Scotlands path may prove easier than other countries going through the application process as Scottish laws already comply with those required by the EU. It would presumably not be too difficult for Scotland compared to, say, Montenegro, she said. Earlier on Monday, Ms Sturgeon confirmed she is to seek the approval of MSPs at Holyrood next week to start negotiations with the UK Government on a deal that would allow a legally binding ballot to be held. That could see a second independence vote take place as early as autumn 2018 - just four years on from when Scots voted by 55 per cent to 45 per cent to stay part of the United Kingdom. It comes after nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of Scots opted to stay in the European Union in June 2016, but the UK as a whole voted for Brexit. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has accused Nicola Sturgeon of playing a "game" by calling for a second Scottish independence referendum. The Scottish First Minister on Monday morning said that a second poll would give Scotland a choice between Ms May's Brexit deal and remaining in the EU as an independent country. The Prime Minister did not rule out granting a second referendum to Scotland but derided the idea. Recommended Nicola Sturgeon announces second Scottish referendum "The tunnel vision that the SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable. It sets Scotland on a course for more uncertainty and division, creating huge uncertainty," the PM said. "This is at a time when the Scottish people, the majority of the Scottish people, do not want a second independence referendum. "Instead of playing politics with the future of our country the Scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. Politics is not a game." The UK Government has refused to give MPs or voters another meaningful say on Brexit once the deal is finalised. Under Section 30 of the Scotland Act UK Parliament would also have to vote to grant Scotland the powers to hold a second independence referendum. Ms Sturgeon has said the UK Parliament should respect the will of the Scottish Parliament. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that there was "no appetite for another referendum" but that Labour's MPs at Westminster would not block a "democratic decision" to hold one by the Scottish Parliament. 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 Ms Sturgeon said this morning: "The option of no change is no longer available. But we will give the Scottish people a choice about the kind of change we want." I believe that it would be wrong for Scotland to be taken down a path that it has no control over regardless of the consequences for our economy, for our society, for our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. That would be wrong, and therefore my judgement is that we should have that choice," she said. "I believe that in a referendum the Scottish people will opt for independence, but that will be the choice of the Scottish people and Ive been very clear that that will be an informed choice. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nato's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has said an independent Scotland would "not automatically" become a member of the military alliance. Speaking in Brussels after Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to hold a second independence referendum, he said Scotland voting to leave the UK would mean it also had to leave the defence bloc. Mr Stoltenberg said an independent Scotland would have to gain the approval of all 28 allies before it could re-join as a new country. Recommended EU says independent Scotland would have to reapply for membership "If it happens, then the UK will continue as a member of Nato but a new independent state has to apply for membership and then it is up to 28 allies to decide whether we have a new member," he told Sky News. "All decisions in Nato are taken by consensus, so we need the consensus of all allies. "By leaving the UK it will also be leaving Nato, but of course it is possible to apply for membership and then the allies would then decide whether the independent state would become a member of Nato." However, Scotland would face the prospect of having its entry to the bloc challenged by Spain, which is wary of encouraging break-away states as it faces similar calls for independence in Catalonia. Nato considers nuclear weapons a "core component" of its defence capability and the SNP's opposition to them may prove problematic for a future, independent Scotland's bid for membership. What is Trident? Britain's current nuclear deterrent, Trident, is based on the Clyde near Glasgow and would likely be moved south of the border in the event of a 'Yes' vote for independence. During the last Scottish independent debate, former UK ambassador to Nato Dame Mariot Leslie who voted Yes in the referendum - claimed the other 28 Nato allies would see it in their interests to welcome an independent Scotland into Nato. But George Robertson, the British defence secretary between 1997 and 1999, suggested at the time that the SNPs opposition to nuclear weapons would disrupt Scotlands efforts to reapply for Nato membership. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Downing Street has insisted that Scottish people do not want to second independence referendum but has shied away from saying it would block a new plebiscite. Nicola Sturgeon on Monday morning called for a second poll, arguing that it would give Scotland a choice between Theresa May's Brexit deal and remaining in the EU as an independent country. A No. 10 spokesperson said the Scottish Government "should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people in Scotland". Recommended Nicola Sturgeon announces second Scottish referendum Ms Sturgeon said the UK Government should accept the will of the Scottish Parliament on holding a referendum. The UK Government however has to authorise a second poll under the terms of Section 30. A UK Government spokesperson derided the idea of a second referendum but did not expressly say it would block one. As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK Government seeks a future partnership with the EU that works for the whole of the United Kingdom. The UK Government will negotiate that agreement, but we will do so taking into account the interests of all of the nations of the UK," the spokesperson said. "We have been working closely with all the devolved administrations - listening to their proposals, and recognising the many areas of common ground, including workers rights, the status of EU citizens living in the UK and our security from crime and terrorism. Only a little over two years ago people in Scotland voted decisively to remain part of our United Kingdom in a referendum which the Scottish Government defined as a once in a generation vote. The evidence clearly shows that a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. The Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people in Scotland. Theresa May has yet to personally comment on Ms Sturgeon's call for a second vote. She is busy today meeting the Prime Minister of Malta. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that there was "no appetite for another referendum" but that Labour's MPs at Westminster would not block a "democratic decision" to hold one by the Scottish Parliament. Ms Sturgeon said this morning: "The option of no change is no longer available. But we will give the Scottish people a choice about the kind of change we want." Scotland goes to the polls Show all 20 1 /20 Scotland goes to the polls Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Piper Ryan Randall leads a pro-Scottish independence rally in the suburbs of Edinburgh Getty Images Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides A "No" campaigner bursts into song as the BBC's Nick Robinson walks past Getty Images Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Chris McAleese holds a Saltire flag as he speaks with Gerrard Corrigan, left, and Robbie Devine outside Bannockburn Polling Station in Scotland AP Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides George Mackay and his daughter Anne Mackay run a polling station from their caravan at Coulags near Lochcarron PA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Voters arrive at the polling station in the village hall in the remote Highland area of Lochcarron, Scotland PA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides A No campaign supporter and Yes campaign supporter debate with each outside the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh, Scotland AP Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Martin Greenhouse arrived at Partick polling station wearing a Scottish football jersey with the number 14 - for 2014 - on the back. Martin said that he'd lived in Scotland for years and would be remaining north of border regardless of the outcome tonight. "Westminster does London very well. But not the rest of Britain. Devolution works, independence will work better and the regions of England will take note. That's why my wife and I are voting YES." James Cusick/The Independent Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides A supporter of the 'Yes' campaign stands outside a polling station Reuters Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides A yes supporter talks with a man and a woman with a Union flag in George Square, just a few hours before polling stations will close in the Scottish independence referendum Getty Images Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Chris McAleese at Bannockburn Polling Station, as voters go to the polls in the Scottish Referendum PA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Ryan Randall plays the bagpipes outside a polling station in Edinburgh, Scotland Reuters Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Fashion makes a point on voting day in the Scottish Independence referendum in Stirling EPA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Voters come to Notre Dame Primary School polling station as the people of Scotland take to the polls to decide their country's fate Getty Images Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Voters come to Notre Dame Primary School polling station as the people of Scotland take to the poles to decide their country's fate in a historic vote Getty Images Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond chats to school children at Strichen Primary School in Strichen PA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown with No campaigners outside the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre as polls open PA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond gives the thumbs up after voting in the Scottish referendum in Aberdeenshire, Scotland EPA Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Residents take part in a "short walk to freedom" march in Edinburgh Reuters Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides Young voters leave a polling station in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh Reuters Scotland goes to the polls Scotland decides David Aguilar, left, and Aleix Sarri from Catalonia, who are visiting Scotland to support the Scottish independence referendum, gesture and hold up a placard supporting a Yes vote at passing motorists in Edinburgh, Scotland AP I believe that it would be wrong for Scotland to be taken down a path that it has no control over regardless of the consequences for our economy, for our society, for our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. That would be wrong, and therefore my judgement is that we should have that choice," she said. "I believe that in a referendum the Scottish people will opt for independence, but that will be the choice of the Scottish people and Ive been very clear that that will be an informed choice. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May's hopes of keeping Britain within the EUs single market after Brexit under the terms of her Chequers agreement were flatly rejected by European negotiators this month. With talks still mired in stalemate, the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told assembled MEPs in Strasbourg: We respect the British decision to leave our union, even though we continue to regret it deeply. But we also ask the British government to understand that someone who leaves the union cannot be in the same privileged position as a member state. If you leave the union, you are of course no longer part of our single market, and certainly not only in the parts of it you choose. If Britain were to leave the single market after Brexit, what would that mean for the UK? And what are the options for the countrys relationship with Europe if it exists outside that market? What exactly is the single market? The European single market is the most ambitious part of the whole European project. It aims to break down all barriers to trading across the 500 million-person area by ensuring the four freedoms, sacrosanct to Brussels policymakers: free movement of goods, services, capital and most controversially - labour. As an EU member, the UK has signed up to each of those freedoms which, as Brussels has repeatedly made clear, are non-negotiable. Being part of the single market gives UK businesses unfettered access to 500 million customers in all states within it and in turn allows UK consumers and companies to purchase goods and services from across the continent. It eliminates tariffs and reduces costs and administrative burdens by applying one set of rules across all member states. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. The single market is different from the customs union, which ensures all countries charge the same import duties to non-members, but says nothing about free movement of labour. The prime minister has repeatedly said the UK will not maintain full access to the customs union but has so far been unable to secure an agreement on what form the new relationship might take. Could the UK stay in the single market without having to follow all of that troublesome red tape? No. The single market is governed by reams of legislation that aims to harmonise rules on everything from maximum working hours to what tackling climate change. Contrary to popular myth, no EU rule has ever banned excessively curved bananas (though standards for fruit quality are laid out in Commission Regulation 2257/94). Without following unified standards, the single market ceases to be a single market as any one country can implement their own rules. It is possible to stay in the single market but be outside of the customs union, as the European Economic Area countries (Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) do. This allows them to negotiate their own trade deals and to opt out of some legislation, notably fishing quotas. However, they still have to implement all EU laws relating to the operation of the single market, including free movement of people. How big could the impact of leaving the single market be? A huge 44 per cent of Britains exports go to the EU 220bn out of 510bn according to the Office of National Statistics. If the UK did not negotiate a favourable trade deal with the EU, those exports would be subject to import tariffs as well as extra administrative costs. In the period before any new deal was implemented, the UK would probably have to trade on standard tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules. An analysis by The Independent found that the cost to Britains exporters in extra tariffs alone - would be at least 4.5bn per year. This conservative estimate does not include the difficult-to-measure costs of non-tariff barriers, such as the enforcement of different market standards and regulations. What about a free trade agreement? It is possible for the UK to have access to the single market without being a member of it, or being part of the customs union. The UK could negotiate a deal with the EU that allows access to trade freely with the bloc. The EU has 56 free trade agreements with countries around the world, and is in the process of negotiating several more. On the face of it, this sounds like the option most amenable to many Leave voters, but it is not the simple solution it may first appear. First, when negotiating the terms of that deal, the power balance is tipped heavily in the favour of the EU the biggest customs union in the world by economic output. Therefore it is likely that the UK would have to agree to adhere to most of the rules that apply as a member state if it wants to trade with it. As a non-EU member it would lose the ability to influence that legislation. Ms Mays has previously warned that it would be a calamitous act of self-harm for the EU to scupper a free trade pact with the UK by pushing for punitive terms. As the smaller partner, it is likely the UK would be more damaged. In addition, such deals can take years to negotiate as all EU member states have to agree to any deal. The recent EU-Canada trade deal took seven years to agree. Once implemented, the UKs imports to the single market would still have to adhere to a lot of that much-maligned and misunderstood red tape. What are the positives about leaving the single market and customs union? The main change would be that the UK would not have to sign up to the free movement of labour. Immigration has been the most divisive Brexit issue of all and clearly a large number of people voted to leave in order to see it reduced. Others have pointed out that large parts of the economy and the NHS are hugely reliant on inward migration. Outside the EU, the country would have the power to limit the number of migrants entering the country. The government has given little detail as to how it would deal with immigration to ensure that businesses can still recruit people with the skills they need. A points-based system has repeatedly been mooted, though there are scant examples from other countries of this working effectively in practice. The UK will also not have to follow some EU laws, but it will have to sign up to many standards if it wants access to the single market via a trade agreement. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May treated Michael Heseltine like a two-bit backbencher and is sowing the seeds of her own downfall in the way she deals with her party, ex-Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has warned. The former Liberal Democrat leader said Tory peer Lord Heseltines sudden sacking as a government adviser, without so much as a phone call from Ms May, had exposed a callous streak that would come back to haunt the Prime Minister. In an exclusive interview with The Independent, he said resentment is building among Tories over Ms Mays broader disrespectful and authoritarian approach, as she tries to force through her Brexit bill with only the slimmest of Commons majorities. David Davis: Government has Brexit contingency plan His words come as the Government faces a second backbench rebellion in a matter of days, this time over Ms Mays refusal to allow Parliament a full say in deciding the countrys future once she has concluded Brexit negotiations. It also follows a friendly breakfast Mr Clegg shared with Tory ex-leader David Cameron. Former Cabinet minister Lord Heseltine was Mr Camerons devolution tsar under the former leaders Conservative administration and before that under the coalition, where he also worked alongside Mr Clegg. But when the Tory peer dared to back an amendment to Ms Mays Brexit bill that would see Parliament, and not Downing Street, given the final say on the countrys future relations with the EU, he was immediately sacked. The peer did not complain, but it did emerge that he had simply received a call summoning him to the whip's office halfway through a dinner with his wife and was told he no longer had his job. He later revealed the Prime Minister had not spoken to him since she took the keys to No 10. Speaking to The Independent, Mr Clegg said: You do not treat a genuinely venerable character like Michael Heseltine like some two-bit backbencher. She didnt even talk to him. I happened to have worked closely with Michael Heseltine and I believe, that among the many plethora of things he did, he did a great, a great job, for the coalition. Hes one of those big beasts that you treat with respect. If you start kicking at people in such a disrespectful way, it always catches up with you. Its always the same in life. Be careful what you do on the way up, because youll need some friends as you go down. I think Theresa May has forgotten that golden rule. The Prime Minister launched her tenure in office with a ruthlessly decisive round of ministerial sackings, which both cleared out allies of Mr Cameron and George Osborne and created a group of potential enemies on her back bench. She has a reputation for consulting only a small inner circle of aides, and has brought a host of former Home Office allies to Downing Street with her. Her attempt to trigger Brexit using the Queens royal powers, without giving MPs of any party a say, saw the Government taken to the Supreme Court where they were told by judges that Parliament has a right to vote on invoking Article 50. Lib Dem MP Mr Cleg went on: Theresa May is underestimating how much subterranean resentment she is building up against the way she is running things from within the Conservative Party. Ive been in politics long enough now, Ive done it myself, to know that first you go up, everyone thinks youve got gravity defying powers, but I tell you, for every rise there is always a fall, as there will be with Theresa May. Regimes end, special advisers come and go. She is treating her own side with a disrespectful and authoritarian demeanour that over time they will come to resent. Mr Clegg was seen having breakfast with his former coalition partner Mr Cameron at the Ivy Brasserie, in west London, shortly before last week's Budget and his interview with The Independent. After the statement the Tory ex-PM was seen apparently attacking the "stupidity" of a key measure announced. The Lib Dem's intervention comes ahead of a critical vote in the House of Commons tonight on Ms Mays Article 50 bill, which could see Conservative MPs defy the Prime Minister in the same way Tory Lords have already done in the upper chamber. If ministers do not make clearer their intention to give Parliament a proper vote on what happens after Article 50 negotiations end, Tory MPs have threatened to rebel and force the Prime Minister to accept an amendment that guarantees in statute their right to approve any deal, or any move to withdraw from the EU with no deal. The threat of having the right to vote written in law, could force Brexit Secretary David Davis to make a statement in the Commons on Monday outlining that MPs and peers will get to have a final say. One Tory MP told The Independent: A loss for the Government on the amendment is a possibility. There are enough people who are very cross. There are people who voted with the Government last time who this time will say, if youre going to be this intransigent then we cant vote with you now. They shouldnt simply rely on the fact that things will stay the same from the last vote. The same verbal assurance as last time is not enough. Another MP said: The ball is in their court. We need an assurance that Parliament will have a say in the event of the no deal scenario. The standoff follows another row over the Governments plan announced in Philip Hammonds Budget to increase National Insurance contributions paid by 1.6 million self-employed people, despite the Tories 2015 election manifesto clearly and repeatedly stating NICs would be frozen. Conservative MPs shocked that the Chancellor had chosen to hit our people entrepreneurs and small business owners with a significant tax hike, took to the airwaves to raise their concerns. Their anger was exacerbated by the Governments attempts to deny the manifesto pledge had been breached, by saying detail of the policy had been published after the election. With a damaging row threatening unity ahead of critical votes on Brexit, Ms May attempted to calm the storm on Thursday, telling reporters at an EU Council Meeting that the NICs change would not be legislated for until the autumn and that two papers might explore potential measures to mitigate the impact. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is investigating after sensitive documents setting out Theresa May's travel plans were left on a train. The details of the Prime Minister's schedule were found by a passenger in a blunder branded a "serious security breach". As well as setting out transport arrangements for a visit to the North West, the two-page briefing note included the address of a hotel Ms May was booked in to work from during the afternoon. They also outlined plans for a call to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as arrangements for a "treasurers' dinner" in Altrincham. Theresa May puts down Jeremy Corbyn on International Women's Day The documents, discovered in the first class train carriage of a train heading for Edinburgh on the day of the visit, were handed to The Daily Mirror. Former royal bodyguard Inspector Ken Wharfe told the newspaper leaving travel documents on a train was "inexcusable" and a "serious security breach". He said: "In today's environment, it becomes a serious security matter when documents like this detailing the hourly movements of a protected person are misplaced. That's just not acceptable. "Theresa May is given this protection because she is a target and so, of course, this is a serious security risk. "These papers give a detailed assessment of her movements. Had such information reached potential terrorists it could serve to confirm their plans. "But also, importantly, it would highlight the lapse and suggest to those with such terrorist intentions the weakness surrounding their potential target." 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 Ms May had flown from RAF Northolt, West London, to Manchester before heading to a science park in Warrington for the visit in January. After meetings and questions from the media, the plan was to travel by car to The Mere Hotel in Knutsford and later fly back to London after dinner. A Government spokesman said: "We have been made aware of claims around a Government document and will investigate accordingly." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Independence movements in Wales and Northern Ireland are seeking to capitalise on Nicola Sturgeons call for a second referendum in Scotland by urging the British Government to consider their own demands for separating from the UK. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood claimed a vote on Scottish independence would lead to the end of the UK as a state and said "in that situation Wales would need to decide its own future". Her remarks come as Sinn Fein demanded an Irish border poll that could lead to the reunification of Ireland. Earlier, Ms Sturgeon announced plans to hold a second independence referendum within two years. Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon announces second referendum plans The First Minister said she hoped a vote would take place as early as autumn 2018 - just four years after Scots voted by 55 per cent to 45 per cent to remain in the United Kingdom. Commenting on that speech, Ms Wood called for a national debate to explore all of the options, including that of independent Wales. She cited Brexit as a reason that decisions about Wales are best made in Wales. The Plaid Cymru leader continued: If the UK Governments Brexit negotiation also leads to the Welsh national interest being overlooked, support will grow for greater control of our own affairs in Wales. "We expect this situation to continue to evolve over the coming years, and Plaid Cymru will continue to articulate the Welsh national interest at all times. Now is a good time for people in Wales to think about what is in our own national interests and how we can best unlock our countrys potential in this new constitutional scenario. 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 In Belfast, Sinn Feins leader Michelle ONeill said a vote should be offered on whether Northern Ireland should remain a part of the UK. She argued that a border poll should be held as soon as possible, adding that Brexit had "increased the urgency" for a united Ireland. Ms ONeill said: "They are continuing to refuse to listen to the majority views. Brexit would be a disaster for the economy and the people of Ireland. "To us in Sinn Fein that increases the urgency for the need of a referendum on Irish unity and that needs to happen as soon as possible." But Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said calls for an Irish border poll were "premature" and an issue for the longer term. Renewed calls for Northern Ireland and Wales to separate from the UK come after Ms Sturgeon's plea for another go at securing independence from London. Until recently, polls showed that support for breaking up the union had barely moved from the 45 per cent who backed it in the 2014 referendum. But polls in the last month have shown support for independence rising. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} With reports of hate crimes on the rise across the country, the Anti-Defamation League is planning to launch a facility in the heart of Silicon Valley to track and monitor harassment and hate speech online. The organisations CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, announced at SXSW on Sunday that the ADL received a six figure donation from the Omidyar Network investment firm to build the command center just south of San Francisco. In a statement, the company said it will work to curb hate speech against the Jewish community and other minority groups in the country. Now more than ever as anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, and other hatreds have exploded online, its critical that we are bringing best-in-class technology and resources to this fight. Thats why we will build this center in Silicon Valley, and why we are so grateful to Omidyar Network for providing seed funding for this effort, he said in a statement. This is a natural extension of the cyber hate work ADL has been doing for decades and builds on the new presence we established last year in the Valley to collaborate even closer on the threat with the tech industry. Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Show all 15 1 /15 Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Children play on playground equipment that was defaced with swastikas during an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz speaks at a anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: A piece of playground equipment that was defaced with swastikas stands during an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn A woamn takes a photo of messages and flowers left at a playground before a protest against racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn New York State Senator Daniel Squadron speaks as activists protest racism and hate after swastikas found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Flowers left by activists at the entrance to Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016 after swastikas were found in the park. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Messages and flowers left by activists at a playground protesting racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest Racism and Hate after swastikas found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images In recent months, Jewish Community Centers across the country have received approximately 48 bomb threats. Meanwhile, a single center in Canada has received more than 60 bomb threats in January alone. While speaking to CNN, he stressed the importance of tech companies like Twitter and Facebook in the fight against hate speech. "We've got to work hand-in-hand with these companies," he said, before placing some of the responsibility on the President Trump to set an example. "When faced with a spike of anti-Semitism like we've never seen before, we haven't seen a firm, fierce and repeated response," he told the network. "It is a very unusual moment in time, and unusual moments in time demand leadership." "Swastika graffiti was happening long before Donald Trump, what is different is the pace and the pattern, he continued. What is different is the tempo and the velocity that we've seen in the last several months." Brittan Heller, a former Justice Department official who leads the organisations anti-cyberhate campaigns, will lead the new center as its founding director when it opens shop in three to six months. So proud to be a part of this effort and leading this Center, she wrote on Twitter on Sunday. Thanks for investing to end cyberhate. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} US Attorney Preet Bharara was fired by Donald Trump to stop him from investigating his financial affairs, senior Democrats have suggested. His sacking came days after ethics campaigners asked him to investigate "payments and financial benefits from foreign governments" benefiting the new President, which could have potentially breached his constitutional duties. Mr Bharara, who oversaw the powerful and affluent southern district of New York, was one of 46 chief federal law enforcement officers fired or asked to resign by Mr Trump last week. Taking to Twitter, he made it clear that he "did not resign" and had been fired from the role. Senior Democrats have now suggested that the President was worried about a potential investigation by Mr Bharara who made national headlines after investigating Sheldon Silver, the long time speaker of the New York State Assembly for taking millions of dollars in payoffs. Mr Silver was subsequently convicted on all counts. A separate investigation secured the conviction of a number of politicians and officials over a complex scheme involving bribery to secure a place on the Republican ballot in the 2013 New York City mayoral election. Representative Elijah Cumming suggested that this had prompted Mr Trump to order Mr Bharara's firing. "There's a lot of questions coming up as to whether President Trump is concerned about the jurisdiction of this US attorney and whether that might affect his future," he told ABC News. Last week Mr Bharara was asked to look into foreign payments received by Mr Trump in an open letter signed by campaign groups such as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. They said they feared that the US may be "exposed to foreign governments directly and indirectly providing payments and financial benefits to President Trump when those foreign governments may be seeking to influence Executive Branch policies and positions." Mr Cummings' concerns were echoed by Senator Elizabeth Warren, who tweeted: "You can't fire the rule of law, @realDonaldTrump. You can't shut down ongoing investigations by career prosecutors... The Senate confirms US Attorneys. And you're not replacing real prosecutors with cronies w/out a massive fight." Mr Bharara has been described as one of "the nation's most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors of public corruption," feted on the cover of Time magazine under the legend "This man is busting Wall St.", and praised for securing the longest-ever sentence for insider trading while shutting down multi-billion dollar hedge funds. It was reported in November that Mr Bharara had met with Mr Trump for a discussion brokered by Senator Charles Schumer. After the Trump Tower sit-down, he told reporters: "I agreed to stay on." Before his sudden dismissal this weekend, the Indian-born lawyer refused to step down and ignored an unorthodox personal phone call from Mr Trump's office. It is not unusual for presidents to appoint loyalists to many of the 93 US Attorney positions across the nation. But Mr Bharara is particularly high-profile, and given this prior agreement the terms of his removal from office have inspired close scrutiny. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Saudi Arabia's royal court has said the kingdom's second-in-line to the throne will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November's presidential election. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defence minister and King Salman's son, is scheduled to start his Washington visit on Thursday. He departs for the United States on Monday. The royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of US officials to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest. The prince is spearheading the kingdom's economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in US technology firms. No details were given on when he would meet Trump. He will be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include discussion on global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years. Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and biggest buyer of American-made arms, is also part of the US-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Charles Platiau/Reuters) Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticised by Trump. Obama had also openly criticised Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. 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 In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Iran's reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners. AP Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Florida man has been arrested after trying to set a convenience store on fire to "run the Arabs out of our country". Richard Lloyd reportedly told police he tried to buy a bottle of orange juice at the shop in Port St Lucie but it was not in stock, and was also upset because he assumed the owners were Muslim. The 64-year-old said he had pushed a bin to the front of the Met Mart building before setting its contents alight, according to a police statement. He told officers he was angry because of what Muslims were "doing in the Middle East". The store was closed at the time. The shop's owners were in fact of Indian descent, not Arabic, police said. Recommended Trump has spent almost a quarter of his time as President in Florida St Lucie County sheriff Ken Mascara said: "When the deputies arrived, they noticed the dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors and the contents were lit. "Upon seeing our deputies, the man put his hands behind his back and said, Take me away.' "The man, identified as Richard Lloyd, was read his Miranda rights and then told deputies that he pushed the dumpster to the front of the building, tore down signs posted to the outside of the store and lit the contents of the dumpster on fire to run the Arabs out of our country. "We will not tolerate violence based on age, race, colour, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability." Mr Lloyd was due to undergo a mental health evaluation, Mr Mascara said, and state prosecutors would decide whether to charge him with an intentional hate crime. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The mayor of Dahlonega was still home when his phone started ringing. The reverend was still down with the flu when he began getting one message after another. Valerie Fambrough had just dropped off her daughters at day care when she heard. Have you seen the sign in the square? a parent asked her on a cold morning three weeks ago. Theres a Ku Klux Klan sign in the town square. And, in fact, there was. Just past the old brick courthouse and across the street from candy stores and antique shops, a large rectangular banner was screwed tight into the cracked wood siding of a long-vacant building on East Main Street. Historic Ku Klux Klan Meeting Hall, it said. It had a cartoonish drawing of a white-sheeted person raising a hand. In addition, there was a Confederate battle flag at one corner of the building and a red flag with a white cross and the letters KKK at the other. They were fluttering in the wind blowing across Dahlonega, and what happened next would become one more pocket of America dealing with a disturbing incident at a time when hate crimes have been on the rise and new brands of white nationalism have been making a comeback across the country. In Upstate New York, the home of a Jewish man was spray-painted with swastikas. In Virginia, fliers were distributed in several neighbourhoods with the words, Make America WHITE again-and greatness will follow. In Colorado, two typewritten notes that read WERE GONNA BLOW UP ALL OF YOU REFUGEES, were left at a community centre serving mainly Muslim immigrants. Now whatever was happening in other parts of the country seemed to have arrived in Dahlonega. The mayor got dressed and headed for the square. The reverend called the sheriff. Fambrough recalled how she hurried over to see for herself, saying No, no, not here, the whole way, and Hell, no, until she was there, alone, staring at the banner. She was a white 37-year-old mother of two, a programme specialist in the biology department at the University of North Georgia who called Dahlonega a sweet, loving town and had never protested anything in her life. Now she felt her anger rising. She remembered the flip-chart paper in her trunk left over from a presentation a month before and made two signs - Not in my town, she wrote, and Love Lives Here - then got out and stood in her sandals holding them. She was freezing. The square was still quiet, with all the shops closed. She scanned the windows across the street to see if someone was watching. She planned which way she would run if something happened. Cars passed, and she scrutinised each face. A woman shook her head and kept going. A man gave her a thumbs-up. A woman called out of her window, Did you put that sign up? and Fambrough said No, no! and then Bridget Kahn parked, got out, and now there were the two of them. A woman in a red minivan stopped and yelled Yall are angry! Youre angry, angry people! and drove off. A black pickup truck parked across the street, and a muscular man got out, and a reporter from the local paper whod just arrived told the women it was Chester Doles, a former leader in the Klan and a white-separatist group called the National Alliance who had gone to prison on federal weapons charges. He lived just outside town and was currently a personal trainer who also worked promoting hate rock concerts around the country. He pulled out a cellphone and began taking photographs. He said something to the women, but they couldnt hear. Whats that, sir? Kahn called out, and the women heard him say something about how glorious it was to see such a sign in the light of day, and then he drove off, even as more people were arriving - white-haired locals, college students and others who said they were appalled; a Native American man who brought a ladder and tried to rip the banner down; a white man who argued the KKK banner and flag should come down but not the Confederate battle flag; a young black man who stood there crying. Here came the mayor and the sheriff trying to figure out what was going on. Here came two pickup trucks circling the square, revving their engines. The woman in the red minivan returned, honking her horn and seeming to veer too close to the protesters. A school bus passed, and now Fambrough was crying as the town dispatched a cherry picker to the scene, and workers began ratcheting out the first of 21 screws holding the banner in place. Another truck arrived, this one belonging to a local roofing company and plastered with Confederate logos, and several workers climbed on the roof and began removing the flags. And that was how the banner came down, and the flags came down, and all the rest began. All over town that first day, people kept saying this was not the Dahlonega they knew. Our little pocket of loveliness is how one resident described the former gold mining town an hour north of Atlanta, known for its redbrick square lined with antique shops and wine tasting rooms. It was the seat of Lumpkin County, which did not have the reputation for racial violence that many other north Georgia counties did, though no one disputed that there were probably Klan members scattered around. It was overwhelmingly white and Republican, though Dahlonega itself was home to a small, deeply rooted, black population, and had in recent years attracted a more liberal crowd who considered themselves part of the progressive South. Now, though, all anyone could talk about was what happened in the town square. Even before the last screw came out of the banner, photos of it were appearing all over social media with captions like WTF, Dahlonega? and people began speculating about who did it. Maybe it was a college prank. Maybe it was an outsider. Maybe it really was the Klan, a relic coming back to life. In an area that voted heavily for Donald Trump, speculation began that the whole thing was the work of anti-Trump activists, and when she got home, Fambrough went online and saw that people were accusing her of putting up the banner, saying she was part of the alt-left. By evening, though, people had found out who was really responsible: It was one of their own, an 84-year-old white woman named Roberta Green-Garrett, the owner of the building in question who lives in a brick mansion with four white columns on a hill overlooking the town. Offering no explanation and declining to speak with reporters, she had told town officials that she had allowed the banner to go up and might try to put it up again. She had been seeking permission to build a hotel on the square, and people speculated that it was all an audacious ploy to embarrass the town into approving her plans. An isolated case of Mrs. Green, is how the mayor, Gary McCullough, described it, saying that there was no evidence the building was ever used by the Klan and that he hoped people would move on. For many people, though, it was too late for that. The point wasnt who did it. The point was that it had happened, and whatever it had unleashed was taking on a life of its own. As day two began, a local Unitarian church was organising a unity march for later that afternoon. Fambrough heard and began calling her friends. Its about showing people that they have nothing to be afraid of in our town! she told them. More calls were made, including one to the minister, John Webb, a former town council member who is black, who had heard by then who had done it, which didnt make it less worrying to him. He said he had noticed more pickup trucks roaring around during the presidential campaign, Confederate battle flags flying - Guys I know, he said, saying the South will rise again and all that stuff - and that regardless of why the banner went up, Its very possible it could boomerang into something bigger than it is. He was 72, a veteran of the civil rights struggle still sick from the flu, but he was going, and he called others to go, too, and as word spread about the coming demonstration, so did a parallel set of rumours. The KKK was coming. The neo-Nazis were coming. Black Lives Matter was coming. Fambrough heard that a so-called antifascist group from Atlanta was coming and began feeling sick imagining windows being smashed and businesses being torched. The sheriff called for backup and readied a plan in case a riot or something worse was about to happen in Dahlonega. In the late afternoon, people began rallying around the square, waving signs. Not OKKK America, one said. Dahlonega Loves Yall, read another, and Really, Roberta? Protesters rally February 17 in Dahlonega after a KKK sign was displayed on a vacant building downtown (Matt Aiken/The Dahlonega Nugget) People honked horns in support. A local fiddler came. A member of the folk-rock duo Indigo Girls came and everybody sang 'This Land Is Your Land'. Soon, several pickup trucks arrived, revving their engines and circling the square, with Confederate battle flags and Make America Great Again flags flying. When a protester started yelling at one of them, Fambrough yelled at the protester, Dont make assumptions! By the third day, events began taking another turn. More s- stirrers! someone posted online about the protesters. You all are the ones that are going to ruin that town and jobs will be lost!!! Good job, morons!! All crybabies jump on board! wrote someone else. Let it go, a woman posted. But people were not letting it go. Its like a certain political climate has opened up, said Paul Dunlap, a professor at the university, sitting at the end of the fifth day around a fire with friends at Shenanigans pub on the square. An openly gay man, he said he had never experienced any kind of bigotry in his two decades in Dahlonega. I think its a good idea not to be naive, said Deb Rowe, the pubs owner, and now they started talking about Chester Doles, who sometimes came in for a beer at the bar. Someone had noticed that on the building where the banner had been, inside a locked glass case near the door, there was a flier for Doless personal training services, showing him oiled up and smiling in full bodybuilder pose. Is this indicative of something bigger? said Dunlap. Like, do they think they have a voice? I think Robertas using the national polarisation against us all, said Jeremy Sharp, a white student at the university who was organising a boycott of her businesses, which included two buildings she rented out to antique dealers, several hundred units of student housing, and a Holiday Inn Express. A peaceable revolution, Sharp said at a news conference on the sixth day as residents crowded into a small room at the university to hear. A few days ago, we had an obtuse sign put up, he began. When I walked out and saw that, it scared me. It scared me as a Catholic. It scared me as a person who has friends who look different than me. We are here because we are afraid. People clapped and cheered as Sharp began explaining a plan to withhold rent from Green-Garrett and barrage Holiday Inns corporate offices with phone calls, which would lead the hotel chains parent company, IHG, to issue a statement saying that they had expressed our concerns to Green-Garrett and that This is not the type of activity that we want any of our brands associated with. As Sharp kept talking, two Dahlonega council members arrived, explaining that they were only there to get the public sentiment. So, no comment? a young woman yelled at them. The only comment Ill make is that the KKK does not represent the values of this town, one of the men said. Then whyd you vote for it? Whyd you vote for it? the woman yelled, getting more upset, and even though there was never such a vote, some people began cheering her on. Lets keep this civil! They did not vote for that sign! said another young woman trying to quiet the room, but emotions were high. A man said that the KKK had recently applied unsuccessfully to take part in the Adopt-A-Highway programme in a neighbouring county. A woman said she was worried about all the undertones of hate being brought out of the woodwork. Im very concerned, said Daniel Blackman, a former state Senate candidate who was the first black person ever to run for office from nearby Forsyth County, which has a long history of violence against blacks and was until the late 1980s known as a whites only county. Whether its a stunt or whether Ms. Garrett really feels that way, the fact is there are children here that might be threatened or afraid and weve got to get ahead of it. The last thing you want to see is someone crazy enough to do something stupid. Soon, the meeting ended, and as everyone was heading out into the cold Dahlonega night, an older white man, trying to be sensitive, said to Blackman, Be careful. The next morning, all of this was the topic of North Georgia talk radio, and the host was taking callers. A woman named Sharon was on the line. Its not just fake news, its a fake agenda, she began, and explained that the banner might have been part of an elaborate plot not only to create chaos in Dahlonega, but also to undermine the presidency of Donald Trump and ultimately, the nation. She knew all of this, she said, because she had gone online and discovered a website for a group with locations across the country - including in Dahlonega - that was made up of former congressional staffers working for the previous administration. They are supporting the impeachment. They support open borders. They are supporting Obamacare. They are promoting disruption at town halls - I call it bullying - and they have a potential for violence. I hope everyone is aware that this type of activity - I call it subversion, with a fake narrative - is taking root in the area, she continued, and meanwhile, in Dahlonega, another new development was unfolding. Over at town hall, an assistant to Green-Garrett was filing paperwork for a new sign permit. Size of sign: 4x6. Material of sign: wood (painted). Color of sign: Gold with Black Lettering. How sign will be attached to wall: Screwed. It was an application to make the sign permanent. It would say, Historic Ku Klux Klan Meeting Hall, and that was how the seventh day ended. And then, two days after that, the application was withdrawn. Green-Garrett issued her first statement since unleashing all of this eight days before, saying that she had been trying to get a hotel built only to meet opposition at every turn. I have no other motivation other than to bring businesses and tax revenue to the city, her statement said. I want to move forward and do something positive for the city of Dahlonega. She said nothing about the KKK banner, and when she was reached by phone at her winter home in Florida, she said no comment and hung up. At her real estate office in a worn-out strip mall on the edge of town, her assistant, Barbara Bridges, said the banner was there, rolled up and stored in a closet. The town issued an official statement saying that Dahlonega is a welcoming community for people of diverse backgrounds and that recent episodes are not indicative of a change in our character or philosophy. The students called off the boycott and declared victory. And now it was a sunny afternoon on the town square. People were stopping by the candy shop, or wandering down the aisles of antique shops where Kenny G was playing through the speakers, or eating a sandwich across from the building where a KKK banner had been. Yeah, its the site of one of the last major gold rushes, a man standing on the square said to a woman, explaining what he knew about Dahlonega. Do you have this in a large? a woman asked at a T-shirt shop. Reverend Webb, home this afternoon, said he was heartened to see how so many people had taken a stand. Dahlonega is a sacred place for everybody, he said. At the same time, he said, the episode was not simply about the banner. To him, it was about a banner that had appeared after an election in which the new president had said certain things that had appealed to white nationalists and other hatemongers, whether he intended to or not, opening the door to events that could spiral out of control. The atmosphere hes created in America today has caused people to think they have some kind of power again, he said. I thought that before, and I still do. Doles, who was out driving in his truck, said he agreed with this assessment. He had been on the way home from the gym when he first saw the banner and the flags, he said, and thought to himself, Its been a long time coming. He said he had recently raised his own flag for the first time in years - the American one, because he finally feels pleased with the direction of the country. Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Show all 15 1 /15 Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Hawk Newsome, a Black Lives Matter activist, leads a protest outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Hawk Newsome (C) leads a chant during a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, US. January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Carol Garza, a Black Lives Matter supporter, protests outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower A Black Lives Matter supporter protests in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter supporters protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter Kandy Freeman marches in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty In the last 50 years, I didnt think we had the votes to elect a governor, much less a president, Doles said. And yet here we are today. All of this was what worried Valerie Fambrough, sitting outside at a coffee shop on the pleasant afternoon. She felt good about all the people, including Trump supporters, who had come out to proclaim a message of love. She felt unsettled that some people thought she was part of an alt-left agenda. It all felt like the beginning of something, not the end. Im just scared these days, she said, even though the banner was no longer anywhere in sight. The Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} US security used software to scan the social media profiles of visitor to the country but it worked so badly a report concludes it is more reliable to check accounts manually. A study by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector this week revealed that in December 2015, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ran a pilot scheme monitoring the social media accounts of visitors both manually and automatically. The computer programmes used were not named in the heavily redacted report, but the tests were repeated in April and August 2016 using different software. In reviewing the pilot, USCIS concluded that the tool was not a viable option for automated social media screening and that manual review was more effective at identifying accounts, the report states. The report based its conclusion on low match confidence because the resulting accounts identified by the software did not always match up with the applicants profiles. The conclusion that the old-fashioned methods may be the best could prove difficult for the department, however, as a huge army of workers would be required to monitor the accounts of the millions of foreign nationals who visit the country each year, with statistics showing 77.5 million visitors in 2015. The DHS has said it will cost around 300 million to collect the social media data they want, but if software is not reliable, the true costs could be significantly higher. The DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis acknowledged the report's conclusions and said it would add metrics to determining if they are successful or not. It said that at the moment, neither the government nor the private sector possessed the capabilities for large-scale social media screening. Under President Barack Obama, the government began asking some people to voluntarily submit social media profiles, but President Donald Trump wants to press ahead with extreme vetting methods in order to try and prevent possible terrorists from entering, meaning account monitoring is likely to become mandatory and more invasive. The new boss of the US Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly, has said that such checks should be mandatory and visitors should expect to have to provide passwords and banking records. A consortium of civil liberties groups, including the ACLU and Reporters without Borders, sent Mr Kelly an open letter condemning the plans to demand such personal data. They point out that if the US introduces such a policy, other countries will most likely follow suit, putting American data at risk. We urge you to reject any proposal to require anyone to provide log-in information to their online accounts as a condition of entry into the United States, it reads. Demanding log-in information is a direct assault on fundamental rights and would weaken, rather than promote, national security. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} More than 50 tonnes of Ivanka Trump-branded clothing was imported into the US as her father told the country we will... buy American and hire American, it has emerged. At least 82 shipments also reportedly passed through US customs from China between the election on 8 November and 26 February. The investigation by news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) also revealed more than two tonnes in ladies polyester woven blouses, 1,600 cowhide leather wallets and 23 tonnes in footwear entered the country during this period. Analysis last July found not one of 25 different Trump-branded clothing items at New York Citys flagship Macys store were made in the US but mostly in China and Vietnam. During Mr Trumps inauguration speech at Capitol Hill on 20 January he said: We will follow two simple rules; buy American and hire American. As well as talking of American carnage, he castigated domestic and foreign manufacturers for using overseas labour. But AFP claims to have seen US customs bills that prove his eldest daughters company is still buying thousands of items from China, including 53.5 tonnes that were steaming towards American ports during the speech. Donald Trump's inauguration speech was very similar to Bane's in The Dark Knight Rises The goods were made in China by three US companies which hold Ivanka Trump licences, including G-Ill, Mondani Handbags and Marc Fisher Footwear. Marc Fisher told AFP it had no comment and others did not respond to requests. Apparently more than 1,200 shipments of Trump-branded products have flowed into the US from China and Hong Kong over the past decade. G-Ill reportedly sold $29.4m of the goods in 2015 and sales in the first nine months of 2016 were up $13.3m, according to the firms public filings. The 70-year-old property mogul, who frustrated China by talking to Taiwans president and saying the US will protect interests in the South China Sea, has previously accused the Asian country of stealing US jobs and being behind the 'hoax' of climate change. The latest news also follows a spike in the sales of Ivanka Trump clothing after White House advisor Kellyanne Conway plugged her lines on Fox & Friends. This is despite Nordstrom dropping all her products, following the Grab Your Wallet campaign, which press secretary Sean Spicer called a direct attack on the presidents policies. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kellyanne Conway said she was "not Inspector Gadget" or "in the job of having evidence" when quizzed on television about wiretapping claims. In a bid to make light of her suggestion that Barack Obama could have spied on Donald Trump using a microwave, she referenced the 1980s cartoon character who had thousands of high-tech gadgets installed in his body. "Im not Inspector Gadget," she told CNN. "I dont believe people are using their microwave to spy on the Trump Campaign. However, I am not in the job of having evidence. Thats what investigations are for." She added that she "was making a comment about the articles from this past week where it is revealed that one can be surveilled through any number of techniques, through microwaves, through the cameras, through televisions." And she insisted that she "wasnt talking about anything specifically." Mr Trump has claimed that Barack Obama had ordered wiretaps be placed in Trump Tower during the presidential election. He has not provided any evidence to back up his suggestion. Mr Obama's spokesman has strenuously denied the claims and FBI director James Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Mr Trump's claim, although has not come forward to do so himself. In a separate interview with NBC News's Today programme, Ms Conway said that there was a lot of fakery going on when asked about a Mr Trump U-turn on employment statistics. Kellyanne Conway: Theres a lot of fakery going on" The US President had celebrated data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which revealed 235,000 new jobs were created in his first full month in the White House. But during Barack Obamas eight-year tenure, the billionaire businessman called them "phoney". Pressed to explain why the statistics were now worth taking seriously, Ms Conway said: There is a lot of fakery going on for people who were promised something that never came to be." She added that healthcare was "the best example of that", which is why it was Mr Trump's "first major legislative priority". Her comments followed those from White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who last week said the employment statistics have been phoney but the new ones are very real. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Trumps former campaign manager has been accused of having a hand in mass killings in Ukraine - by his own daughter. Paul Manafort resigned from Mr Trumps presidential campaign in August 2016 after it was discovered he may have illegally received $12 million from Ukraines President Viktor Yanukovych. Mr Manafort had allegedly been working for Mr Yanukovych since 2004. The political operative is now under investigation by the FBI, CIA, and National Security Agency amid reports that Russian intelligence may have interfered with the US presidential election. Last month, Mr Manaforts daughters Andrea, 31, and Jessica, 34, were hacked and several text messages were stolen from them, spanning between October 2012 through September 2016. The texts have been posted to a darknet hacker website, according to Politico. In one text, Andrea Manafort said to her sister, dont fool yourself, that money we have is blood money. Ms Manafort may have been referring to her fathers alleged role in the February 2014 Kiev police shootings which resulted in the death of approximately 100 people deemed as pro-West protesters. The incident preceded Mr Yanukovychs escape to Russia by mere days. He has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The New York Daily News reports that Andrea said in another text to her sister, do you know whose strategy that was to cause that, to send those people out and get them slaughtered[?] Eugenia Zakrevksa, a lawyer with Brussles-based NGO the International Partnership for Human Rights, represents the victims. She told CNN she hopes Mr Manfort will clarify the allegations. A special investigations prosecutor in Ukraine also told CNN the text messages would be examined to verify their veracity. A text message uncovered in the hack, sent from Mr Manafort to his daughter Andrea, said that he was aware of her sisters email being hacked in late August 2016. One text, with an attached email, was sent to one of his daughters from a third party. It appeared to ask for Mr Manafort to respond to a mail.ru email account used by Ukrainian MP Serhiy Leshchenko because the latter had damning evidence of Russian ties against Mr Trump and Mr Manafort. Mr Leschenko has alleged that Mr Manafort had received millions in payments from the Party of Regions, a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. Mr Manafort told Politico that he is preserving all my options on the hacks and blackmail and will be following my lawyers recommendations. Another text between the sisters said that Mr Trump and Mr Manafort had the most dangerous friendship in America. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Young people in the US are less likely to view Iraqi and Syrian refugees as a danger to the country, a survey has revealed. Six out of 10 Americans aged over 65 view large numbers of refugees from Iraq and Syria coming into the US as a major threat, compared with less than a third (31 per cent) of people younger than 35. The survey, conducted by Pew Research in January, meanwhile reveals that nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of under 35s believe these refugees are not a threat, while 11 per cent of those aged between 50 and 64 and just eight per cent of people over 65 considered this to be the case. Overall, 46 per cent of the public said a large number of refugees leaving countries such as Iraq and Syria was a major threat to the well-being of the US, while about a third (35 per cent) considered this a minor threat and 16 per cent said it was not a threat at all. This marks a decrease in the presumed threat over the past 10 months, with the share of adults who said refugees from Iraq and Syria posed a major threat falling by nine percentage points between April 2016 and last month, especially among younger adults. The survey also showed high school students were considerably more likely than college graduates or post grads to consider refugees as a danger to the US, with exactly half of them considering it a major threat compared to 35 per cent of the older age group. In terms of political leaning, about twice as many Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (63 per cent) as Democrats and Democratic leaners (30 per cent) said they considered refugees to be a major threat to the country. Ideological differences were even more pronounced, with 70 per cent of conservative Republicans and Republican leaners saying refugees represented a major threat, compared with just 19 per cent of liberal Democrats and Democratic leaners. Fewer than half of Republicans younger than 35 (45 per cent) said these refugees were a major threat, compared with 78 per cent of Republicans aged 65 and older, while among Democrats, just 21 per cent of those younger than 35 saw refugees as a major threat, compared with 41 per cent of those 65 and older. Divisions over attitudes towards refugees appear to have widened in the US since Donald Trump took office. Vast crowds have attended marches and protests across the country in support of those fleeing conflict. Meanwhile the Trump administration has maintained a relentless anti-refugee sentiment. Mr Trump signed an executive order in late January that banned entry to the US for 90 days by citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen and indefinitely halting refugees from Syria. The so-called travel ban sparked numerous lawsuits, including US District Judge James Robart in Washington state who blocked the ban on 3 February. The President issued a new order on Monday that removed Iraq from the list of countries and will temporarily shut down the refugee programme. Unlike the first order, it will not affect current visa holders and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities. The new travel ban has already suffered its first legal setback after a federal judge blocked its enforcement against a Syrian family trying to flee the war in their own country. Hawaii filed a lawsuit challenging the new ban on Wednesday, while other states with Democratic attorneys general are reportedly planning to sue next week. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has claimed that the Republican plan to replace Obamacare will save the day despite independent analysis suggesting that millions of his supporters are set to lose out. At a White House meeting with people affected by the Obama healthcare law, Mr Trump predicted that rates for health insurance will go down, down, down if Congress passes the new plan. Republicans introduced legislation to replace Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act last week. They claim the new plan will provide Americans with better coverage, even though several organisations have predicted that many people, especially supporters of Mr Trump, are likely to suffer. Mr Trump said that prices for coverage would come down and promised that Americans will be able to pick the coverage plan and the doctor they want. We are not going to have one-size-fits-all, Mr Trump said Analysis by The Los Angeles Times, however, suggested that lower-income, older voters in conservative, rural parts of the country the sort of people who overwhelmingly turned out for the New York tycoon stand to lose the most. The newspaper said among those hit the hardest under the proposed replacement would be 60-year-olds with annual incomes of $30,000, particularly in rural areas where healthcare costs are higher and Obamacare subsidies are greater. In nearly 1,500 counties across the country, such individuals stand to lose more than $6,000 a year in federal insurance subsidies; 90 per cent of such counties backed Mr Trump, the newspapers investigation showed. Health Secretary points to smaller stack of paper to prove new healthcare bill is better than Obamacare And 68 of the 70 counties where these consumers would suffer the largest losses supported Mr Trump in November. It said that the states most affected by the Republican health plan would be parts of Alaska, Arizona, Nebraska, Tennessee and Oklahoma, where Obamacare insurance subsidies have been crucial in making high-priced insurance affordable. All five states went for Mr Trump. Also hit hard would be parts of key swing states that backed the Republican candidate. Separately, the independent Kaiser Family Foundation said the bill will offer less help to Americans living in rural areas, the elderly and the poor. The Brookings Institute has projected the Congressional Budget Office will report that up to 15 million fewer Americans will be covered under the Republican plan. Despite such predictions, Mr Trumps health secretary has claimed nobody will be worse off financially under the Republicans plan. Tom Price, a doctor who has long expressed a desire to scrap Obamacare told NBC: I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially in the process that were going through, understanding that theyll have choices that they can select the kind of coverage that they want for themselves and for their family, not that the government forces them to buy. He added: So theres cost that needs to come down, and we believe were going to be able to do that through this system. Theres coverage thats going to go up. As for Mr Trump, he has dismissed concerns over the plan, comparing Mr Obama's healthcare law to the former presidents popularity. Mr Trump said of Mr Obama, when he left, people liked him. When he was here, people didnt like him so much. He says thats human nature. Mr Trump added that the media is making the current law look wonderful. The opinion was backed by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who said on Monday that reporting on Obamacare makes it seem like its all rainbows and puppies. Mr Spicer added that President Trump is fully committed to the replacement healthcare plan. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of Donald Trump's senior advisers has admitted that he had contact with the figure claiming to be behind the hacking of Democratic emails during the US presidential election. Roger Stone told The Washington Times that the private exchange with Guccifer 2.0 was "perfunctory, brief and banal". The Republican Party strategist added that they had made contact after the hacking had taken place. Their interaction followed an article on right wing news site Brietbart, which accused Guccifer 2.0 of being behind the intrusion and not the Russian state, he said. US intelligence and homeland security officials said in January that they had "high confidence" Russian military intelligence used the Guccifer 2.0 persona to release the stolen information. In a separate interview, Mr Stone told the New York Times the interaction was "innocuous" and involved nothing more than the exchange of a few direct messages. He insisted he had not colluded with Russia or the hackers. "You would need a time machine in order to collude," he said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has not yet perfected a time machine". Mr Stone, who officially ended his involvement in the Trump campaign in 2015, but he reportedly remains a "confidant" of the President. Nicknamed "the dirty trickster", he has a reputation in Washington for underhand campaign tactics and the promulgation of conspiracy theories about his political rivals. He was banned from major American news networks during the 2016 electoral campaign after he used a racial epithet to describe an African American journalist. 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 Last week the veteran Republican campaigner repeated Mr Trump's unsubstantiated allegation that Barack Obama had ordered wiretapping in New York's Trump Tower ahead of the presidential election. "I believe that [Mr Trump] was under surveillance by the federal government, by the intelligence agencies, while he was the Republican nominee for President," he told Russia Today, the international television network funded by the Russian government. "This is a scandal bigger than Watergate." Mr Obama's team has strongly denied he had ordered a wiretap. Mr Stone also said he had a "perfectly legal back channel" means of communicating with WikiLeaks' Julian Assange, whose organisation released the trove of hacked Democratic emails. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Texas politician has filed legislation that would see men fined $100 (82) for masturbating unless they are doing it in a sanctioned session at a hospital or clinic. Jessica Farrar, a Democrat, created the "Man's Right To Know Act" to highlight how women have been affected by targeted healthcare legislation in her state, particularly relating to abortion. She said its rules including a mandatory waiting period before a vasectomy procedure or receiving a prescription for Viagra, as well as a "medically-unnecessary digital rectal exam" mirror "real TX laws and health care restrictions faced by TX women every #txlege session". Trump's new gag rule puts women's lives at risk The headline stipulation would categorise ejaculation outside either a vagina or medical facility as an "act against an unborn child, and failing to preserve the sanctity of life". Ms Farrar told mysanantonio.com: "A lot of people find the bill funny. What's not funny are the obstacles that Texas women face every day, that were placed there by legislatures making it very difficult for them to access healthcare." In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters Texas' House of Representatives is currently controlled by a Republican majority, and the state has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country due to its conservative Christian culture. From 2011, women were made to undergo an invasive ultrasound scan at least 24 hours before they had an abortion, requiring at least two trips to a clinic. This is one of the measures Ms Farrar's bill parodies. Recommended The woman from that sexist email experiment has spoken out She told the site: "When a woman has to have a trans-vaginal ultrasound, it has nothing to do with her healthcare. One of the state's objectives is to guilt her into changing her mind." The proposed law would also force the state to create pamphlets mimicking those given to women seeking an abortion filled with information about vasectomies, Viagra and colonosopies. And it would allow doctors to "invoke their personal, moralistic, or religious beliefs in refusing to perform an elective vasectomy or prescribe Viagra". It adds: "Masturbatory emissions created in health or medical facilities will be stored for the purposes of conception for a current or future wife." Earlier this year one GOP state representative called for abortion to become a crime in Texas, arguing it would force women to be "more personally responsible" about sex. Tony Tinderhold introduced the "Abolition Of Abortion In Texas Act" in an attempt to make it a criminal offence to have an abortion in the state at any point, regardless of whether a woman has conceived following rape or incest. It is currently in the committee stage and, if successful, would mean women who have an abortion could be charged with murder. The UK's own abortion ban, explained in 3 minutes After one state law that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and abortion clinics to have facilities similar to ambulatory surgical centres, was struck down by the Supreme Court, a study found its restrictions had already forced women to travel further for the procedure. In Texas counties where the distance to the nearest clinic increased by 100 miles or more, there was a 50 per cent drop in the number of abortions taking place, the University of Texas' policy evaluation project found. The number of clinics offering abortions in the state more than halved between 2013 and June 2016, when the law was struck down, from 41 to 17. A spate of proposed laws targeting abortion across the US led Margaret Atwood, author of the classic dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale, to speak out last month. She said concerns about women's rights under President Donald Trump had contributed to a resurgence in popularity for the book, which describes a repressive and highly stratified American society in which women are forced into domestic servitude and made to bear the children of the ruling class. It followed a series of moves by conservative politicians to restrict access to abortions, as well as Vice President Mike Pence's attendance at the anti-abortion March For Life, for which Mr Trump also tweeted his "full support". Mr Pence told marchers in January: "This administration will work with Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers. Life is winning again in America." Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon is reportedly under "an active criminal" investigation for voter registration fraud. Mr Bannon is being investigated after he registered to vote in Florida while he owned a house in Southern California and regularly stayed in New York and Washington, DC, The Washington Post reports. He is registered to vote in at a vacant house in Miami, which is due to be demolished. Mike Pence struggles to defend Trump's comments about voter fraud Mr Bannon previously rented the house for the use of his ex-wife, Diane Clohesy, but told the landlord he was living there but travelling. The Washington Post reports several details of bizarre incidents at the property, including strange visitors and loud noises during the night and property damage worth tens of thousands from doors being padlocked or removed entirely or a hot tub seemingly destroyed by "acid". Submitting false information on a voter registration form is a third-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to five years in prison. However, Mr Bannon did not vote in Florida which is likely to lower the odds of the investigation against him coming to prosecution. He was later removed from Florida's voter rolls because he was registered in two places. 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 Shortly after his inauguration, Mr Trump incorrectly classified registering to vote in two states "voter fraud". He said millions of people voted illegally, but provided no evidence for his claim, which has been debunked by state election commissions. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Republican congressman Steve King has defended a comment that many believed was racist, saying he wanted see to "America that's just so homogenous that we look a lot the same". The Iowa congressman sparked a storm of controversy over the weekend when he retweeted a remark celebrating right-wing, anti-Muslim Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We cant restore our civilisation with somebody elses babies, said Mr King. The comments triggered outcry with everyone from Chelsea Clinton to Bill Kristol, denouncing the remark. The chairman of Iowas Republican Party also condemned the comment. First of all, I do not agree with Congressman Kings statement. We are a nation of immigrants, and diversity is the strength of any nation and any community, said Jeff Kaufmann. But Mr King has defended his remark. Appearing on CNN on Monday morning, he said: Well, of course I meant exactly what I said. Mr King, 67, had praised Mr Wilders and retweeted a cartoon depicting him filling a home in a wall that read Western civilisation. The congressman, whose constituents in north west Iowa are more than 95 per cent white, added: Its a clear message. We need to get our birth rates up or Europe will be entirely transformed within a half century or a little more. And Geert Wilders knows that and thats part of his campaign and part of his agenda. Mr King went on to criticise illegal immigration to the United States and immigrants who dont assimilate into the American culture. Living in enclaves, refusing to assimilate into the American culture and civilisation. Some embrace it, yes. But many are two and three generations living in enclaves that are pushing back now and resisting against the assimilation, he said. He also defended his view that western civilisation is a a superior civilisation. I'd like to see an America that's just so homogenous that we look a lot the same, from that perspective, he said. This is not the first time Mr King has found himself at the centre of controversy. Last year he hosted Mr Wilders in Washington at an event to discuss Islam. During the 2016 campaign, he said he felt that Donald Trump should electrify his wall along the US-Mexico border. He also made inflammatory remarks about African Americans. While Mr Kings remarks received widespread condemnation, few senior Republicans spoke out against him. One who did was Carlos Curbelo, a first term congresssman from southern Florida. He wrote: @SteveKingIA What exactly do you mean? Do I qualify as somebody else's baby? #concernedGOPcolleague. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Republican congressman has been censured by his own party and labelled "an authentic Cro-Magnon" after he claimed the US cannot "restore our civilisation with somebody else's babies". Iowa representative Steve King retweeted a message endorsing the anti-Islamic views of Geert Wilders and added: "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny." It was an apparent reference to children born to Muslim immigrants. Dutch election candidate Mr Wilders, who met last year with Mr King and who travelled to Washington in 2015 at Mr King's invitation to discuss Islam, is among a number of politicians in Europe who have sparked controversy with their views on race and culture. Recommended This guy offered to pay for every racist thing Trump said Mr King came under fire from his own party for the message, with Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann saying: "I do not agree with Congressman King's statement. We are a nation of immigrants, and diversity is the strength of any nation and any community." A Republican state representative in Minnesota also called him "a fake conservative, a fake Republican, but an authentic Cro-Magnon". Venture capitalist Peter Brack told him: "You, Congressman, are simply a bigot. Good thing is, I know a lot of smart Dems eyeing your seat." And Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, said: "Clearly the Congressman does not view all our children as, well, our children." A child born in the US is granted automatic citizenship under the 14th amendment to the country's constitution. But Mr King's comment did gain approval from former Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard David Duke, who tweeted: "GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!" Mr King defended his views in an interview on CNN on Monday. He said: "I'd like to see an America that's just so homogenous that we look a lot the same from that perspective. I think there's been far too much focus on race, especially in the last eight years and I want to see that put behind us. "I did defend Western civilisation. If we have an element of Americans here, and it's a big element, that reject Western civilisation, then what have we? This is an effort on the left, I think, to break down the American civilisation, the American culture, and turn it into something entirely different." The post Mr King had retweeted on Sunday showed an image of Mr Wilders plugging a hole in a wall labelled "Western Civilization" as protesters with beards behind him hold signs that say, "Infidels, Know Your Limits" and "Freedom of Speech Go To Hell". Among his previous controversial statements, he claimed the US Supreme Court's 2015 decision to allow same-sex couples to marry would mean "you can marry my lawnmower". Earlier this year he introduced a bill to the House that would impose a federal ban on carrying out abortions after six weeks of gestation. Mr King told reporters his so-called "heartbeat bill"because it blocks terminations once the fetal heartbeat can be detectedwould amount to a near-total end to abortions because many women do not even realise they are pregnant by the six-week mark. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The White House has said Donald Trump does not believe Barack Obama wiretapped him personally even as it called on Congress to press ahead with a probe into the Presidents allegation. Mr Trump last weekend accused Mr Obama of electronically eavesdropping on him shortly before the November election. He did so without providing any evidence, and the White House called on Congress to investigate the claim. White House press secretary Sean Spicer insisted Mr Trump still believed the allegation he had made. Yet he said the President had used the word wiretap to more broadly refer to surveillance or other activities. He does not think Obama went out there and wiretapped him personally, he said. There are are a whole host of techniques to or surveil someone. Made in a series of early morning tweets on 4 March, Mr Trumps accusation was not only startling, but very specific. Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism, he wrote. He added: How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy. Kellyanne Conway suggests Trump could be being spied on through his microwave Mr Obama denied through a spokesman that he had ever ordered such actions. The White House, scrambling to provide evidence to back up the Presidents claims, said Mr Trump had based his accusation on media reports, including the right-wing Breitbart News. The House and Senate Intelligence Committees agreed to take up Mr Trumps accusation as part of a probe already underway into Russias alleged interference into the 2016 election. The White House has said it expects the Department of Justice to comply with a request to provide politicians on Capitol Hill with any supporting evidence by Monday. It said it will not comment further until Congress has investigated and reported back. But Mr Trump has been under pressure to explain why he made the claim, and whether he had any evidence to substantiate. Over the weekend, senior Republican senator John McCain, said the president should either prove the claim or retract it. I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but I also believe that the President of the United States could clear this up in a minute, Mr McCain told NBC. All he has to do is pick up the phone, call the director of the CIA, director of national intelligence and say, OK, what happened. He added: The president has one of two choices, either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve. On Monday morning, Mr Trumps communications advisor, Kellyanne Conway, brushed off Mr McCains demands. We will comment further after those findings are made clear, she said. In an interview with USA Today, she suggested Mr Trump may have been spied on by use of a microwave. What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other. You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets any number of different ways, she said. Surveillance could be conducted with microwaves that turn into cameras. We know this is a fact of modern life. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain was responsible for the deaths of 35 million Indians, according to Shashi Tharoor. The Congress MP made the claim in an article for Al Jazeera and also called on the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata to be turned into a museum about British rule. Mr Tharoor is also an author, and penned the book An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India and had previously called on Britain to pay reparations to its former colonies. It is time that it be converted to serve as a reminder of what was done to India by the British, who conquered one of the richest countries in the world (27 per cent of global gross domestic product in 1700) and reduced it to, after over two centuries of looting and exploitation, one of the poorest, most diseased and most illiterate countries on Earth by the time they left in 1947, he wrote in an Al Jazeera column. Nor is there any memorial to the massacres of the Raj, from Delhi in 1857 to Amritsar in 1919, the deaths of 35 million Indians in totally unnecessary famines caused by British policy, he added. Britain ruled India from 1858 until 1947 and several of Mr Tharoors articles and speeches discussing the era have gone viral and triggered mass support in India. 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 In the past he has referred to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as a thoroughly unpleasant scoundrel. Mr Churchill is not remembered fondly in India and during the Bengal famine in 1943, where up to three million people died, the war-time Prime Minister refused to send aid and said it was the fault of the Indians for breeding like rabbits. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May, three sources said, in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two. China claims almost all the disputed waters and its growing military presence has fuelled concern in Japan and the West, with the United States holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation. The Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and US naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July. It will return to Japan in August, the sources said. The aim is to test the capability of the Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission, said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. It will train with the US Navy in the South China Sea, he added, asking not to be identified because he is not authorized to talk to the media. A spokesman for Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force declined to comment. Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei also claim parts of the sea which has rich fishing grounds, oil and gas deposits and through which around $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. Japan does not have any claim to the waters, but has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea. Japan wants to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has pushed ties with China in recent months as he has criticised the old alliance with the United States, to visit the Izumo when it visits Subic Bay, about 100 km (62 miles) west of Manila, another of the sources said. Asked during a news conference about his view on the warship visit, Duterte said, without elaborating, I have invited all of them. Recommended China to step up naval patrols in response to Trump stance He added: It is international passage, the South China Sea is not our territory, but it is part of our entitlement. On whether he would visit the warship at Subic Bay, Duterte said: If I have time. Japan's flag-flying operation comes as the United States under President Donald Trump appears to be taking a tougher line with China. Washington has criticised China's construction of man-made islands and a build-up of military facilities that it worries could be used to restrict free movement. Beijing in January said it had irrefutable sovereignty over the disputed islands after the White House vowed to defend international territories. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The 249 metre-long (816.93 foot) Izumo is as large as Japan's World War Two-era carriers and can operate up to nine helicopters. It resembles the amphibious assault carriers used by US Marines, but lacks their well deck for launching landing craft and other vessels. Japan in recent years, particularly under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has been stretching the limits of its post-war, pacifist constitution. It has designated the Izumo as a destroyer because the constitution forbids the acquisition of offensive weapons. The vessel, nonetheless, allows Japan to project military power well beyond its territory. Based in Yokosuka, near to Tokyo, which is also home to the US Seventh Fleet's carrier, the Ronald Reagan, the Izumo's primary mission is anti-submarine warfare. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Rodrigo Duterte said he has told his country's military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the country's northeastern coast where Chinese survey ships were spotted last year. "You go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship," he told a news conference, when asked about the issue in the waters facing the Pacific Ocean. His country has no option but to be diplomatic about ownership of Benham Rise, because "I cannot match the might of China," he said. Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Mr Duterte took office last June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid. The Philippine military spotted the Chinese survey ships crisscrossing the Benham Rise waters suspiciously from July to December last year, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said last week. He said the government is considering an increase in patrols and the building of territorial markers in the offshore region. The Chinese ships' presence in the area was to be discussed at a meeting of National Security Council executive members and Mr Duterte. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it asked China through its embassy to clarify what the survey ships were doing in Benham Rise last week. 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 In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf declared Benham Rise to be part of the Philippine continental shelf, where the country has exclusive rights to fish and exploit resources, including undersea deposits of oil and gas, Philippine officials said. The Chinese foreign ministry has said its ships have a right to pass through the area under international law. In the South China Sea, Mr Duterte has scuttled plans made under his predecessor for joint Philippine patrols with the US Navy in disputed waters to avoid offending China. A US Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, has been sailing on a mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the sea, claimed virtually in its entirety by China. "America wants to pick a fight there," said Mr Duterte, who has openly criticised US security policies. "Why would I get into a trouble in that area? Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Saudi Arabias King Salman bin Abdul-aziz al Saud and his thousand strong entourage have arrived for a four day trade visit in Japan, along with two golden escalators and a demand for a fleet of dozens of limousines. The royal, who took over following his brothers death in January 2015, is touring several Asian countries to boost trade links as part of his plan to diversify Saudi Arabias economy away from oil. It followed a nine-day trip to Indonesia which saw the king arrive with 459 tonnes of luggage and two Mercedes limousines. There, a special toilet was built for him in a mosque. A custom seat was also constructed for him in the countrys House of Representatives. The trip is part of a month long Asian tour which will also see him visit China and the Maldives. Some 1,200 rooms in Tokyos most luxurious hotels were booked by the delegation for three nights following their arrival over the weekend. A fleet of limousines have also reportedly been ordered to ferry him around the city as well as two golden escalators to help him on and off his private jet, The Daily Mail reported. Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of oil to Japan, which lacks many fossil fuel resources other than coal. But King Salman is hoping to diversify into non-energy sectors such as manufacturing after the drop in the oil price has led to a financial crisis back home. His visit is the first time a Saudi king has visited Japan, although he did travel to the country in 2014 when he was crown prince. 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 Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Tokyo was willing to provide support for Riyadh. "We will discuss growth strategy, including our 'Saudi Vision' project," he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030 - a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives. King Salman also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who said the pair had agreed to set up a feasibility study to explore whether they should set up a special economic zone within Saudi Arabia, The Japan Times reported. The zone would mean Riyadh would offer tax incentives and simplified customs rules to encourage Japanese firms to build plants and research and development centres in a certain part of the country. In a related move, local media has suggested car company Toyota are starting to looking at the possibility of building an auto assembly plant in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion (20.4 billion) private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen (14.9 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen (3.9 billion). Additional reporting by AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A father plied his daughters school-aged friends with drugs and alcohol before encouraging them to strip off and having sex with them, an Australian court has heard. The 42-year-old has already been convicted of rape after his 14-year-old victim claimed she was forced and made a complaint to police. The other girl, aged 17, claimed the sex was consensual, Brisbane Supreme Court heard. The man's legal team originally claimed that the sex never took place, but in a change of tack, at the second trial the man admitted it happened but that is was entirely consensual. Defence barrister Simone Bain told a panel of three Court of Appeal judges last week, that there were some very contrary aspects to the girls accounts. She said that her client admitted the "despicable situation of having plied the girls with alcohol and drugs before having sex with them, according to Byron Shire News. But she said the man's actions could be described as "accompanying the girls to the bedroom rather than "forcing them. 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 Her client was appealing that the rape conviction should be set aside and replaced with unlawful carnal knowledge. Crown prosecutor Vicki Lowry said the 14-year-olds behaviour had been somewhat unusual but that it could be explained by her young age. She also reportedly said it was outdated to analyse how a rape victim should or shouldnt respond. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Far-right politician Geert Wilders has accused Prime Minister Mark Rutte of prioritising the needs of asylum seekers and immigrants over the Dutch themselves in a bitter televised debate held two days before polls open in the Netherlands. The populist, anti-Islam candidate also repeated his calls for the Turkish ambassador to be deported amid an ongoing diplomatic row with Ankara that threatens to overshadow Wednesday's elections. Speaking during a head-to-head debate broadcast live on Dutch TV, Mr Wilders branded his opponent the prime minister of foreigners. "We need to chose for our own people, for our own parents, and not for the asylum seekers, he said. You are not the prime minister of the Netherlands, but of the foreigners." He accused Mr Rutte of scaremongering over Brexit, saying the UK was doing better than the rest, and claimed that Dutch prisoners enjoyed more rights than the elderly population. Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte debate in the first head-to-head meeting of the two political party leaders since the start of the election campaign (Reuters) The Dutch PM responded that Mr Wilders was using voodoo numbers on immigration and again ruled out forming a coalition with the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), which is considered by other parties as too toxic to go into government with. Mr Rutte dismissed his rivals plan to close borders and mosques and ban the Koran as "fake solutions". "While we are focusing on the causes of the refugee crisis, you're wasting all your attention on your Koran police," he said. Dutch anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders reacts to hate speech trial Both men lead parties that proclaim varying degrees of anti-immigrant sentiment, and both are tipped to emerge with extra seats after the row with Turkey and rioting by ethnic Turks in Rotterdam at the weekend. A snap survey found Mr Rutte's pro-business VVD party on track to win 27 seats in the 150-seat parliament, with 18 per cent of the vote up three since pollster Maurice De Honds most recent survey. Mr Wilders' Freedom Party was in second place with 16 per cent, or 24 seats an increase of two seats. Each appears to have received a boost from Dutch voters anxious about immigration amid simmering Dutch-Turkish tensions. PVV has little chance of forming a government since other parties have ruled out a coalition, but a victory by Mr Wilders win would send shock waves across Europe. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called on voters to stop the domino effect of the wrong sort of populism in this weeks election. Remember the Brexit. We all thought that would never happen. Remember the US elections, Mr Rutte told said in Rotterdam. So lets not make that mistake again. These elections are crucial. He added: Let us stop the domino effect right this week, this Wednesday. The domino effect of the wrong sort of populism winning in this world. Geert Wilders: 'I will never be silent' The prime minister said there was a real possibility his opponent, the nationalist anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, could win the parliamentary election. There is a real risk that on March 16 we can wake up in this country and Geert Wilders is leading the biggest party and that will send a signal to the rest of the world, he warned. The Dutch election is being watched as a key indicator for the future of populism in Europe after Britains vote to leave the EU and Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. It also seen as a test of anti-immigration sentiment, especially since a diplomatic row with Turkey put immigration and nationalism at the very top of the political agenda. Mr Wilders, whose Party for Freedom (PVV) has been sliding in polls recently but is still close to running neck and neck with Mr Ruttes party, hopes the clashes between Turkish-Dutch protesters and the police will help bolster his chances of victory. 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 While his party has virtually no chance of forming a government, as other parties have ruled out a coalition with his party, a PVV win would nevertheless send shock waves across Europe. The French presidential election begins next month, with the far-right Marine Le Pen ahead in one poll, and in September Alternative for Germany, a right-wing, Eurosceptic party, is likely to win seats for the first time in the German federal parliament. It remains to be seen whether the row with Turkey will favour Mr Wilders or Mr Rutte, whose cabinet banned Turkish ministers from holding a rally. Turkey wants to lobby support among Dutch Turks for plans to hand greatly increased powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A snap poll by Maurice de Hond over the weekend showed 86 per cent of Dutch voters approved of Mr Rutte's handling of the Turkish issue. In times when the nation is hit by something like this, there's the inclination for people to get behind the government, said Hans Gosling, political commentator at Dutch newspaper Trouw. Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters clash with police in Rotterdam Mr Rutte was speaking ahead of a head-to-head debate with Mr Wildres. He has warned an election victory for Mr Wilders could plunge the Netherlands into chaos. Mr Wilders' election platform includes closing Dutch borders to all immigrants from Muslim nations, closing all mosques and banning the Quran. He also wants to take the Netherlands out of the European Union. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Greece has called for the return of the so-called Elgin Marbles from the British Museum as a symbolic act in the fight against anti-democratic forces seeking the dissolution of Europe. The Athens government, which decided against taking legal action against the UK last year, will instead renew diplomatic efforts with an offer to regularly loan some of the wonders of Ancient Greece to British institutions in exchange. While it is unknown what might be offered, Greek museums hold astonishing art works created in antiquity. The arrival of art such as the golden mask of Agamemnon or the statue of Zeus/Poseidon could be expected to cause the same kind of interest as the first arrival in the UK of the Terracotta Army from China in the 1980s. The Marbles, taken by Lord Elgin more than 200 years ago when Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire, represent about half the sculptures that once adorned the Parthenon temple. It was built in Athens about 2,500 years ago after the world's first democracy fought off attempts by the Persian Empire to conquer the city. The sculptures are widely recognised as among the finest ever created. Lydia Koniordou, the Greek Minister of Culture and Sport, said allowing the restoration of this founding monument of Western values would send a message about Europes commitment to democracy at a time when many believe this is under threat from rising nationalism. The reunification of the Parthenon Marbles will be a symbolic act that will highlight the fight against the forces that undermine the values and foundations of the European case against those seeking the dissolution of Europe, Ms Koniordou said. The Parthenon monument represents a symbol of Western civilization. It is the emblem of democracy, dialogue and freedom of thought. Greece is carrying out restoration work on the Parthenon and has built a museum specifically designed to display the sculptures, but currently only has slightly less than half of them. Other fragments are held by several museums in Europe. Elgins staff removed the sculptures somewhat crudely for example, the heads of a centaur and a human in a dramatic fight scene are in Athens, while their bodies are in London. Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece Show all 9 1 /9 Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece This golden death mask was discovered in the ruins of ancient Mycenae in 1876 by Heinrich Schliemann after he went looking for the palace of Agamemnon, a central figure in the Trojan War. It has since dated the mask to an even earlier period Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece This extraordinary bronze sculpture, known as the Artemision Jockey, dates from around 140BC Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece This incredibly life-like bronze statue of the Roman Emperor Augustus has been dated at between 12BC and 10BC, partly because he wears a ring showing he had become Pontifex Maximus, a title he assumed in 12BC Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece A scene from a battle in the Trojan War in black-figure technique. The scene, from Homers the Iliad, probably shows fighting around the body of Patroklos, whose death moved Achilles to rejoin the fighting in decisive fashion Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece A gravestone from about 425BC showing a woman called Ampharete with her grandchild. I hold here the beloved child of my daughter, which I held on my knees when we were alive and saw the light of the sun, and now, dead, I hold it dead, a carving on the stone says Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece The Parthenon Temple in Athens was built in the fifth century BC to replace an early structure destroyed by the Persian army in 480BC. It was decorated with sculptures showing Olympian gods, giants, Amazons, a fight between Centaurs and human Lapiths, what is believed to have been a religious procession in honour of the goddess Athena, and other scenes Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece Figures known as caryatids on the porch of the Erechtheion, another temple on the Acropolis in Athens. Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece A Centaur and a human in a fight scene taken from the Parthenon temple by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and now on display in the British Museum. The figures heads are in Athens Ian Johnston Archaeological treasures of ancient Greece A wall painting from a house in Akrotiri, Santorini, which was covered with ash from a volcanic eruption in about 1,500BC. It shows swallows swooping among clusters of red lillies Ian Johnston Professor Louis Godart, the newly elected chairman of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures (IARPS), said: Its unthinkable that a monument which has been torn apart 200 years ago, which represents the struggle of the world's first democracy for its own survival, is divided into two. We must consider that the Parthenon is a monument that represents our democratic Europe so it is vital that this monument be returned to its former glory. In a statement, IARPS said the Greek government had resolved to renew and intensify its efforts for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures. The centrepiece of Greeces renewed push for the return of the sculptures will be a proposal made in a true spirit of compromise to offer recurring, long-term loans of rare archaeological treasures from Greek museums in exchange for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum, IARPS said. Greece and its supporters will not rest until all the known surviving sculptural elements from the Parthenon are reunited in the Acropolis Museum in full view of the monument which they once adorned. Recommended Seven reasons to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece Greece is still suffering the effects of the 2008 recession in what is now essentially a humanitarian crisis, with pensions cut in half, youth unemployment at nearly 50 per cent a level it has been at for years and medical services crumbling. The European Union and other international creditors have demanded policies of austerity in exchange for keeping the economy afloat with huge loans. At the same time, Greece has been struggling to cope with the influx of refugees fleeing the brutal civil war in Syria. While nationalism has been rising across Europe, the violent, neofascist Golden Dawn party is now Greeces third largest party with support from about 10 per cent of voters. In January, one of Golden Dawns leaders told The Independent that Donald Trumps election had given us a new wind of support. Its validating and reinforcing our nationalistic and patriotic policies policies that we have been advocating for years, Elias Panagiotaros said. We should follow Trumps beat. We shouldnt leave Greece like an open field for migrants to come and go as they want. We should reclaim our country and our interests and put them first, just like Trump. Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Show all 9 1 /9 Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Nikolaos Michaloliakos, leader of the Golden Dawn party, addresses supporters in front of the party's offices in Athens during the commemoration of the death of three officers in 1996 during the Imia crisis that brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party lift torches and wave national and party flags during an annual rally to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Imia dispute, in Athens, Greece Reuters Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Golden Dawn supporters wave flags and chant slogans in front of the party's offices in Athens to commemorate the death of three officers in 1996 during the Imia crisis that brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war Getty Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greek ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn hold Greek national flags and torches during a gathering of Greek nationalists in central Athens, to commemorate the death of three Greek military officers Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of the Greek ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn hold Greek national flags and torches during a gathering of Greek nationalists in central Athens, to commemorate the death of three Greek military officers Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Protesters hold banners in a march to the US Embassy and to the offices of far-right wing party Golden Dawn, during an anti-fascist rally organized by leftist movements in Athens, Greece EPA Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Protesters hold banners in a march to the US Embassy and to the offices of far-right wing party Golden Dawn, during an anti-fascist rally organized by leftist movements in Athens, Greece EPA Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's extreme right Golden Dawn party raise torches during a rally commemorating a 1996 military incident which cost the lives of three Greek navy officers and brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war, in Athens AP Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's extreme right party Golden Dawn attend a rally in Athens AP The sculptures show scenes including what is believed to be a procession in honour of the goddess Athena, a fight scene between centaurs and humans, and several Ancient Greek gods. Andrew George, chairman of the British Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, said returning the sculptures to Athens would help the UK's reputation in Europe following the Brexit referendum vote. Britain has nothing to lose and so much to gain from engaging with the Greek Government in this way, he said. A gracious act by the British would lift our reputation at the very moment our otherwise threadbare negotiating position with the EU appears so grubby and self-seeking. Such a high level and deeply symbolic gesture of this kind would also help counteract the tide of growing right-wing intolerance that is taking hold across Europe. Britain has nothing to lose but a deeply damaged reputation having clung on for over 200 years to such important artefacts which were stolen from the Greeks when they could do nothing to stop it and has much to gain at the very time Britain's reputation needs enhancing amongst those countries it wants to do a deal with. And the offer of ancient treasures from Greece would more than compensate for the apparent loss of the Marbles, he said. The British Government has routinely dismissed calls for the return of the sculptures to Greece. A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "The Parthenon sculptures were acquired legally in accordance with the law of the time. They are the responsibility of the trustees of the British Museum who are legally responsible for their care." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Turkeys president has accused Germany of mercilessly supporting terrorism - the latest in a string of insults traded between Ankara and its Nato allies in northern Europe. Recep Tayyip Erdogans comments, broadcast live on television, threaten to inflame an already volatile diplomatic crisis that erupted at the weekend when the Netherlands blocked Turkish ministers from speaking at a political rally in Rotterdam. On Saturday, Mr Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants, fascists" after the Dutch government withdrew permission for his Foreign Minister to land there. Recommended Angela Merkel tells Turkey to stop calling Germans Nazis Chancellor Angela Merkel responded that Germany completely rejects rhetorical and any other comparisons with the National Socialists made by the Turkish president. These comparisons are completely misguided, she said. They trivialise the suffering. Particularly in the Netherlands that endured so much agony through the National Socialists, it's just completely unacceptable. That's why the Netherlands can count on my complete support and solidarity on this." Angela Merkel tells Turkey to stop comparing Germany to the Nazis Mr Erdogans latest attack on Germany appears to come in response to Ms Merkels rebuttal, and at a time when the increasingly authoritarian leader is seeking support from Turks in a referendum on boosting his powers. It also comes as Turkey is caught up by its own terrorism problem, with militant attacks and the war in neighbouring Syria. Mr Erdogan has previously accused European countries, including Germany, of harbouring terrorists, something European countries deny. The Turkish president also said he planned to take the spat with the Netherlands to the European Court of Human Rights. The dispute threatens to harm Turkey's already fragile bid to join the EU. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Turkey has threatened sanctions against the Netherlands after accusing Dutch police of "disproportionate force" against protesters. As the diplomatic row over Ankara's political campaigning continued to increase, Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik said the country will "surely have sanctions" against the Netherlands. His comments came after Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned a Dutch diplomat to formally protest the expulsion of a Turkish minister and what it said was a "disproportionate" use of force against demonstrators. Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters clash with police in Rotterdam The ministry said it handed Dutch diplomat Daan Feddo Huisinga two formal protest notes, the first condemning the treatment of Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya after she was escorted out of the Netherlands and the second protesting the "inhumane and derogatory" treatment of Turkish protesters and calling for those responsible to be punished. Dutch police used dogs and water cannons to disperse hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. In addition to Ms Kaya being escorted out of the country, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied permission to land to campaign for the referendum. Turkish supporters of President Erdogan protest outside the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul (Reuters) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking support from Turks in a referendum to greatly increase his powers, has said the Netherlands is acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring his ministers from speaking in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. He also accused Germany of "reverting to fascism" and called the Dutch "Nazi remnants". 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 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Netherlands has her "full support and solidarity" and denounced Turkey's Nazi comparisons as "completely unacceptable". The Dutch government did not immediately react to the news Turkey had summoned its top diplomat, but updated its travel advisory for Turkey, warning travellers about the heightened diplomatic tensions. Dutch populist Geert Wilders described Turks in the Netherlands as a "fifth column" and said: "If your loyalty lies elsewhere then get out. No dual citizenship anymore. And shut the borders." Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Turkey and the Netherlands to "show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach". "Robust debate is at the heart of our democracies but so is mutual respect," Mr Stoltenberg said. "To contribute to deescalate the tensions, defuse tensions and deescalate the situation, it's important that we now focus on everything that unites us." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Turkey has halted high-level talks with Dutch government officials and has closed its airspace to the countrys diplomats as it makes good on a promise to impose sanctions against the Netherlands. In the latest escalation of a diplomatic spat that erupted at the weekend between Ankara and Amsterdam, Turkish officials said all meetings with their Dutch counterparts would be cancelled. The action comes after the Dutch government withdrew permission for Turkeys Foreign Minister to land in the Netherlands for a rally aimed at boosting support for an upcoming referendum that could hand more powers to the president. Turkeys family affairs minister was also removed from the country when she drove to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. On Sunday night, Dutch riot police were called in to end a protest by Turks in Amsterdam and arrested 13 people, using dogs and a water cannon to disperse the protesters. Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that his government would carry out whatever diplomatic sanctions they had to punish the Dutch. He said two cabinet ministers would apply to the European human rights court over their treatment in the Netherlands. 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 And he advised Turks living elsewhere in Europe not to vote for anti-Turkish parties, ahead of a national election in the Netherlands on Wednesday. Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned a Dutch diplomat to formally protest the expulsion of a Turkish minister and what it said was a "disproportionate" use of force against demonstrators. It follows a rally in Turkey on Saturday when Mr Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants, fascists" and vowed to retaliate against them. In response, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Mr Erdogan should apologise for acting "in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner". Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also called on Turkey and the Netherlands to defuse the row. In a separate sign of worsening relations between Ankara and the EU, Turkey's minister in charge of European Union affairs said his country should consider reviewing its migration deal with the EU and relax controls on people reaching Europe over land. Omer Celik's comments, reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency, cast into doubt a deal Turkey agreed last year to keep migrants from crossing into the EU in return for funds to help it deal with some three million refugees. Modern life has become inundated with claims that Geminis are evil, Virgos are judgy and Scorpios are dangerous, leading some to avoid starting friendships and relationships with specific star signs. Have we all gone mad, asks Ellie Muir, or are people just getting smarter about their compatibility? For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A member of Iraqs parliament has put forward a proposal to legalise polygamy in the country to protect the dignity of widows, divorced women, and older women who choose not to marry. The government could provide financial incentives such as tax allowances to encourage men to marry more than one woman, Jamila al-Ebeidi told media at Baghdads parliaments building on Sunday, citing increased rates of divorce as a social problem which puts women in financially dangerous positions. While we express thanks to men who voluntarily celebrate International Womens Day We should remind [women] MPs [not embracing polygamy] despite increasing spinsterhood and divorced women, who now exceed four million, is selfishness, Ms Ebeidi said, urging her fellow MPs to adopt her stance. Iraqi refugee and Macedonian border guard marry after falling in love at muddy border crossing We must renounce the one-woman mentality at the expense of our sisters, she added. Polygamy for Muslim men in Iraq is legal under a 1959 law, as long as a judges permission is given, a husband is found to be financially capable, and there are legitimate reasons for taking another spouse, such as a first wife who is unable to bear children. The law has long been criticised by Iraqi womens rights groups as backwards and outdated, but the high number of widows in Iraq caused by two recent wars has led to a surge in the practice in recent years. Ms Ebeidi plans to collect signatures in support of the planned bill, which has been met with criticism by the Iraqi parliamentary women and childhood affairs committee. Rezan Delir, a Kurdish representative, said the proposal was an insult to womens dignity and a distraction from the war against [Isis]. The controversial proposal follows another recent issue that divided Iraqi politicians - a surprise recent vote in October 2016 in parliament which banned the sale, import and production of alcohol. Opponents of the law said it violates constitution guarantees regarding the traditions of religious minorities such as Christians, and vowed to appeal the decision. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Iraqi forces are facing the final battle to defeat Isis in the country for good as elite troops engage in a gruelling building-by-building fight in the last few extremist-controlled neighbourhoods of Mosul. Iraqi coalition forces, supported by a US-led international coalition, have succeeded in retaking the side of the city east of the River Tigris that cuts through it, and 30 per cent of west Mosul, after more than 100 days of bitter fighting. The remaining Isis fighters - thought to have at the most numbered between 6,000 - 10,000 men - are now heavily outnumbered by 100,000 Iraqi soldiers and militia units. Iraqi forces launch push to retake western Mosul from IS Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there, US envoy to the anti-Isis coalition Brett McGurk told reporters on Sunday. Access to the last main road out of the city has also been cut. Removing the jihadis from Iraqs second largest city - which it has controlled since the summer of 2014 - will effectively spell the end of Isis, as a land-holding force in the country, driving the remnants of the group back to their de facto capital of Raqqa in neighbouring Syria. But the last areas of the city are being fiercely defended by Isis snipers, as well as roadside and suicide bombs and artillery fire. Isis use of an extensive tunnel network and the densely populated old city and city centre have also made the going tough for coalition troops, which are seeking to minimize civilian casualties. In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty The fighting is at much closer quarters. It was street-by-street and now it's house-by-house, Iraqi commando Alaa Shaker, a member of the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), told Reuters. We are often literally in the same house, on the roof, and [Isis] is downstairs. Sometimes we drop grenades. If there are civilians, families in the homes, we shout to them to take cover inside a room. The fighting since October 2016 has come at a heavy price for both Mosuls civilians and Iraqi troops. Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died in the fighting since October, and a total of more than 200,000 in total displaced from their homes. At least 6,878 civilians were killed in violence mainly inflicted by Isis around the country last year, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) has said. Many Mosul residents report their loved ones have died as a result of friendly fire rather than Isiss warfare tactics. AirWars, a UK-based non-profit monitoring the effect of anti-Isis air strikes on civilians, said last week that they believed 370 civilians died in US-led coalition bombing in just the first week of March alone. The Iraqi army has refused to release further troop casualty figures since a December report from the UN which found that almost 2,000 had been killed in just the first six weeks of fighting. While losing control of Mosul will be a decisive blow to Isis, the jihadi organisation is expected to pose a renewed threat in the form of an insurgency war against Iraqi forces. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} They wear the latest and most advanced body armour and helmets, camouflage gear and anti-ballistic sunglasses: the fashion statement favoured by frontline private security companies across the worlds combat zones. But Malhama Tactical is not from the West like most of the others. Its fighters are in Syria training Islamists: a Blackwater of jihad who have found a new way of cashing in on the self-styled caliphate. Blackwater became the most high-profile of Western security contractors in Iraq, gaining notoriety as the most violent and aggressive of the corporate military firms that spotted a highly lucrative trade following the liberation of the country in 2003. Such firms were largely immune from scrutiny or prosecution: that changed after a particularly bloody day in Baghdad. One late morning in September in 2007, I watched as Blackwaters guards opened fire from their armoured cars into families out on a Sunday in a popular location, Nisoor Square: 17 civilians were killed and more than were 40 injured. Four of the guards were later convicted in connection with the deaths. Blackwater changed its name, first to Xe Services and then Academi and continues to receive US government contracts. Malhama, named for the Islamic equivalent to Armageddon, is unlikely to be called to legal account for atrocities in the anarchic maelstrom of Syrias civil war, although it is now firmly in the gunsight of powerful enemies. The small group, of about a dozen drawn mainly from Central Asia, has been an enthusiastic user of social media. At the end of last year it placed advertisements in Facebook looking for instructors who were prepared to constantly engage, develop and learn. The companys YouTube pages provide free guides ranging from weapons maintenance and laying ambushes to battlefield first aid. The leader and founder of Malhala a firm which is fun and friendly according to its online brochures is an Uzbek using the nom de guerre Abu Rofiq who claims to have served in the VDV, a Russian military airborne unit. Although it was a commercial concern, Rofiq has stressed the religious aspect of its work meant helping oppressed Sunni Muslims militarily, beyond Syria. Preparing for Armageddon has taken the company into China, Burma, back to the former Soviet Asian republics and Russia itself. In China this means training Uighur separatists of the Turkistan Islamist Party. They are present in the Islamist ranks in Syria and Iraq in large numbers and it was at Uzbek Isis recruit with Uighur connections who carried out the New Years Eve massacre in an Istanbul nightclub in January. Chechen and other Caucasian groups have also been active in other fronts, carrying out attacks in Russia and states allied to the Kremlin in the region. Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Show all 12 1 /12 Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man crosses a street in Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A vendor sits inside an antique shop in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man walks past shops in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk along an alley in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors tour Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A general view shows the Old City of Aleppo as seen from Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk near Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower, Syria October 6, 2010 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man stands inside Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters It is such threats that are believed to have brought Abu Rofiq and his men to the attention of those around Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Rofiq was targeted in an air strike in Idlib last month in which his wife and young son were killed. His own fate remains unclear. There were reports that he too had died but Islamist fighters who worked with him deny this was the case and insist he survived. Training and arming of the rebels had begun as a slow and often chaotic process in Syria. In the summer of 2012, with the protests against the regime of Bashar al-Assad still in its early stages, I accompanied a group of opposition fighters, led by Abdul Haq, a 34-year-old mechanic calling himself a resistance commander, into Idlib. The 50 men did not have a single semi-automatic rifle between them. Instead they passed around 20 elderly hunting rifles, shotguns and handguns. At one point a Remington pump-action shotgun one of his men was firing simply fell apart in his hands, possibly due to metal fatigue. Other weapons in the armoury included a Soviet Star pistol, with the stamp of its place of manufacture CCCP, made in the USSR and a piece of British help for the revolution, a Webley revolver, circa 1930s. Tales of trauma from Syria's refugee children As the uprising descended into a vicious bloodbath, the flow of arms into Syria from the international backers on both sides went up massively in quantity and quality. The regime received its supplies from Russia and Iran while its enemies were backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states. Some moderate opposition fighters trained and armed by the Americans in Jordan and Turkey surrendered with their weapons to extremist groups on crossing the border. Abu Rofiq is said to have seen the training opportunities for rebels after first going to Syria in 2013. He began to bring in experienced fighters from the Caucasus before starting Malhama with a dozen others in the beginning of 2016. The company has been working with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the new name taken by Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, as well as Ahrar al-Sham, a rebel group which had been backed by Turkey and Saudi Arabia. There has been a strong presence of Islamists from the Caucasus in Syria for a while. They have built up a reputation as the fiercest and most dedicated of the foreign fighters. One of the most effective military chiefs of Isis, who played a key role in its early successes, was Abu Omar al-Shishani of Chechen and Georgian background. He was killed in July last year in a US airstrike in the town of Al-Shirkat in Iraq a significant loss, the Islamists acknowledged, to their leadership. Salah Abdulhamid Awad, from the city of Binesh, was trained by Malhama in Aleppo last year while fighting with al-Nusra. He had joined the group, he claimed, because they were the best opponents of the Assad regime. But no group really had good lessons, from good teachers, except when we had the Uzbeks [from Malhama] for a short time he said. They were all quite young, but they said they had been in the military with the Russians: they were good professionals and they had good weapons. These also took part in some fighting, they were like advisers. We saw them in the battles in which Al-Assad and Minyan in Aleppo were captured. They were worried about being captured; they said that if the Russians caught them then they would surely be executed. We heard that their commander was killed in Idlib, but then we heard that he may be alive, I do not personally. But, whatever happened, I think Malhama will carry on, in Syria and other places. Awads own fighting days, he maintained, were over for the time being. He, too, had been in Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in northern Syria, one dominated by al-Nusra. He had fled there from Aleppo just before the opposition-held part of the city fell to regime troops and their Russian and Iranian backers. But he had left after 10 days. It was not the bombing, we had worse in Aleppo, I could cope. But people need to have a break, to clear heads and decide how best the struggle against Bashar should continue, Awad reflected. The foreigners, people like Malhama, can come and go, but we Syrians have to stay, we have to stay, and face the consequences of all that has happened. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Russian President Vladimir Putin is frustrated by a lack of progress in US-Russian diplomacy since Donald Trump entered the White House, his spokesman said. Although speculation about Mr Trumps apparent susceptibility to Russian influence has been a constant feature of media reports since his election victory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there has been little meaningful communication between Washington and Moscow. Mr Trump's campaign statements led to speculation that sanctions against Russia imposed for its interference with Ukraine might be dropped, but Mr Peskov told CNN: Unfortunately, we dont have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin. Russia will never initiate putting this issue on the agenda. Recommended Japanese PM says Trump encouraged him to improve relations with Russia The two leaders are yet to meet face to face, although they had a telephone conversation shortly after Mr Trump was inaugurated, prompting speculation that three years of tensions between the two countries might be coming to an end. But the phone call was said to have entailed only Mr Putin offering his congratulations to Mr Trump followed by a brief discussion on the current state of relations between the former Cold War enemies. Asked about allegations Russian state-sponsored hacking could have influenced the outcome of the US election after intelligence agencies concluded with high confidence such interference took place, he said: We dont know whats the reason for these words. Weve never seen any evidence, and weve never heard something trustful. What we have seen an open, a public part of a report by one of the agencies, special agencies of the United States. And I would humbly say that its not a paper of high quality, in terms of being really trustful. End of the Cold War Show all 2 1 /2 End of the Cold War End of the Cold War 208141.bin GETTY IMAGES End of the Cold War 208142.bin AFP/GETTY IMAGES Mr Putin has called Mr Trump a very outstanding man who is uniquiely talented. In response to the compliments paid during the US presidential race, Mr Trump said: It is always a great honour to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond. During a debate with Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump said Mr Putin had been a better leader than President Obama. "The man has very strong control over his country. Now, it's a very different system, and I don't happen to like the system, but certainly in that system he's been a leader, far more than our President has been a leader. Recommended Declassified intelligence report on Russian hacking to be made public When asked about allegations President Putin orchestrated the deaths of his political opponents and journalists, Mr Trump defended the former KGB man in an interview with Fox News, saying: I havent seen any evidence that he killed anybody. He added that America was not so innocent when it came to killing people. Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against Isis, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, that's a good thing. Will I get along with him? I have no idea. If the two presidents are able to establish a rapport, it could pave the way for deals on Ukraine and Syria, the two major sources of friction between their countries during the administration of Barack Obama after Putin backed Assad in Syria, annexed Crimea and invaded Ukraine. Both leaders have spoken about ending the enmity that has dragged US-Russia relations to their lowest ebb since the Cold War. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Wendy and Will Read from Leicestershire had paid BA 319 for a three-day break to the Czech capital, departing on 26 February. Their passports expire on 13 March and 13 April respectively. When the UK leaves the EU, the remaining members may impose a minimum-validity restriction on British travel documents. But currently UK passports are valid for anywhere in the European Union, including the Czech Republic, up to and including the date of expiry. But when the couple tried to check in at Heathrow, says Mr Read, We were told we would not be able to fly to Prague as our passports did not meet the expiry criteria set by the Czech authorities. BA staff insisted their passports needed to be valid for a minimum of 90 days from the date of return travel. Mr Read, a retired teacher, says he and his wife were devastated at the prospect of losing their holiday. After the couple had been removed from the flight manifest, they asked to speak to a British Airways manager at the airport. They pointed out an official website which indicated their passports were valid for entry into the Czech Republic. The manager agreed there was a discrepancy, but he showed us a book that the airline uses to check entry requirements, and he was adamant that we would not be allowed entry, said Mr Read. The Czech Embassy in London has confirmed that the couples documents were valid for the proposed trip. The only stipulation is: The travel passport has to be valid for the entire duration of stay in the Czech Republic. When the disappointed couple returned home they set about challenging the airline over the decision. They found a case reported by The Independent in 2013 in which British Airways wrongly denied boarding to a student from Brighton on the same Heathrow-Prague route. On that occasion, BA swiftly paid the victim the stipulated 250 in denied-boarding compensation, reimbursed his travel expenses for the wasted journey to Heathrow and gave him a 250 voucher for a future flight. But a week after Mr Read complained about being bounced from the Czech flight, the airline continued to blame him despite all the evidence to the contrary. A BA customer-service agent told him: Its your responsibility to ensure youre carrying the correct documents. As you didnt have the appropriate passport and you were denied boarding your flight, Im afraid this means we cant offer you a refund of your ticket. I know this isnt the answer you were expecting but I hope weve managed to explain our position. Recommended British Airways to offer less legroom than Ryanair After Mr Read contacted The Independent, British Airways investigated the case again and accepted it had wrongly barred the couple from the flight. A spokesperson for BA said: Unfortunately on this occasion our systems recommended an incorrect course of action. Mr Read said: It seems that they have done nothing to address the problem of their systems and staff continuing to refuse to allow UK customers flying to the EU with less than 90 days remaining on their passports, despite giving assurances that they would take action to remedy this. The airline is required to pay Mr and Mrs Read 250 each under European passenger-rights rules on denied boarding. It has also offered 137 to cover the cost of their wasted journey to Heathrow. After previous similar cases, BA has given vouchers to passengers it has wrongfully offloaded, but has not done so in this case Mr Read said British Airways was "missing a trick" in not offering a voucher: "This would have given them the opportunity to make up for the distress they caused in denying us a holiday, and encourage us to consider BA for future holidays." Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Today MPs voted to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales. The move is largely symbolic as the 1967 Abortion Act effectively decriminalised terminations in England and Wales 50 years ago, on the condition of doctors approval and subject to time limits. However, the move has been heralded as important nonetheless. As Diana Johnson, the Labour MP who introduced the bill told the chamber that in passing full decriminalisation: "For the first time women will be recognised as the authors of our own lives". Few could disagree with the sentiment. Free, safe and legal abortion is a human right and the mark of a compassionate and fair society which recognises women as full citizens and autonomous beings. The UK's own abortion ban, explained in 3 minutes Yet, well it was designed to illustrate how compassionate and progressive the House of Commons is on the issue of abortion, it did the exact opposite. As a Northern Irish woman watching the debate unfold, it is no exaggeration to say this afternoon felt like little more than a slap in the face. As they filed into their garish green benches in the House of Commons and English pro-choice charities sat above them in the parliamentary viewing galleries with baited breath, a commotion of an altogether different kind was happening elsewhere. In Belfast, the Northern Irish police have raided the homes of several women as part of a crackdown on abortion pills. Frightened women are hiding pills, bracing themselves for court and desperately finding other ways to perform abortions on themselves, in ways the police cant find out. Abortion remains a criminal offence here, where women face up to life in prison as abortion constitutes murder. The law is far from abstract or symbolic, but women here live under constant and credible threat of police raids and arrests. 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 Last April, a woman was convicted of committing an abortion in Northern Ireland. A Belfast court was told that, aged 19, she experienced an unplanned pregnancy and tried to get enough money to travel to England for an abortion. Unable to access the funds needed, she desperately bought abortion pills online and had them illegally smuggled into Northern Ireland. Her housemates found blood stained clothing and foetal remains in their communal kitchen bin. They called the police and she was arrested. The incident is not an isolated one. Another woman is currently awaiting trial in Belfast charged with helping her 15-year-old daughter to access abortion pills. She is due to stand trial shortly. The British government has consistently turned a blind eye to this, either through a desire to avoid difficult conversations or through genuine ignorance on what life is like for women in the farthest flung region of the UK. To be clear, it is the central British government which is responsible for ensuring Northern Irelands abortion ban is overturned. Healthcare is devolved to Northern Ireland at Stormont, but a November 2015 high court ruling found that the Northern Irish abortion ban is a breach of international human rights legislation. Healthcare is a devolved issue, but human rights are not it is the central British governments responsibility to ensure no human rights breaches occur in the UK. Since November 2015 therefore, it has been the House of Commons which is breaching international human rights legislation by denying Northern Irish women abortions. To see MPs today argue for full decriminalisation of abortion for English and Welsh women, therefore felt little short of insulting. Of course, I welcome the move for English and Welsh women and hope it brings improvements to access on their side of the Irish Sea. However, to see MPs sit in the same chamber where they are committing human rights abuses of Northern Irish women on the very same issue made a mockery of the whole debate. If MPs truly care about womens access to safe, legal healthcare as they pledged today, it should be for all the women that they are responsible for not just the women who might vote for them. Reproductive rights took a step in the right direction today for English and Welsh women, but in so doing so an ever widening chasm of hypocrisy on Northern Ireland womens rights has been stretched further by MPs. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The last important domestic hurdle to Brexit has been cleared. The House of Lords has just voted to pass the European Union (Notice of Withdrawal) Bill, after the House of Commons voted to take out the amendments and to send it back to the upper house. It is likely to receive the royal assent, and become an Act of Parliament, tomorrow morning. That means Theresa May will be ready to invoke Article 50, and to start two years of negotiation over Britains departure from the EU. Today, her spokesman indicated that this would probably be in the last week of this month. It is hard to see how Brexit can be stopped now. Despite passionate arguments from Nick Clegg, accusing the Government of sleight of hand, and from Anna Soubry, who said Im sorry I thought we lived in a democracy that Parliament should have a say if there is no Brexit deal, the Government got its way in the Commons. In the Lords, the debate was more subdued, with David Pannick, the crossbench peer, claiming to have won the argument about a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal, but accepting that it was pointless to prolong the disagreement with the Commons. David Davis: Government has Brexit contingency plan The Labour leader in the House of Lords, Angela Smith, had made it clear that the official opposition would not delay the Bill further, so we are at the end of the parliamentary process the process insisted upon by the Supreme Court. That process has given everyone the chance to have their say in Lord Heseltines case at the price of losing his five government advisory posts but it has made no difference to the outcome, which is that the Prime Minister will trigger Article 50 by the end of this month anyway. Recommended Theresa May delays triggering Article 50 After that, the legal arguments about whether an Article 50 notice is revocable or not fall away. Politically, it is hard to see how the UK, as a nation, could change its mind. It would require, in the words of the Scottish National Party about a Scottish referendum, clear and sustained evidence that the wishes of the British people had changed. That is not likely to happen even if May and the other EU leaders are unable to reach agreement after two years a nightmare prospect that exercised many MPs today. If British public opinion is to change, it would not be until some time after the UK actually leaves the EU, when the economic cost would become clearer. Nor does it seem likely that the two parts of the Kingdom that voted to remain in the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland, could prevent the UK as a whole leaving. Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, tried to throw her spanner in the Brexit works today, but May, the chief mechanic, caught it and is looking at it. The Prime Minister said that a second independence referendum would cause division and uncertainty, but she didnt rule it out. She will continue to say that for two years, by which time the UK, including Scotland, will have left the EU. Recommended Everything you need to know once the Brexit process is triggered The Scottish National Partys only way round this obstacle would be to organise an informal referendum, which would have no legal standing. It might be embarrassing for May to try to ignore it, but she would rather be embarrassed than break up the Union. If Scotland cannot stop Brexit, for itself let alone for the rest of the UK, Northern Ireland wont do so either. In the end, the only way that Brexit can be stopped now is if there are dramatic changes in the EU itself. If, for example, Marine Le Pen were to win the French presidency in May, the future of the EU would be in doubt and even if the EU survived, the principle of free movement of workers would be at an end. It is dangerous to predict votes, but Le Pen is a long way behind any of her rivals in the second-ballot opinion polls. Geert Wilders is unlikely to be in government in the Netherlands after its election on Wednesday, and Emmanuel Macron is likely to be the next French president. Macron is, if anything, more pro-EU than Francois Hollande. And in the German election in the autumn, which is likely to pit Angela Merkel against Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats, both candidates are committed to the EU and see its four freedoms, including free movement, as indivisible. Dramatic and unpredicted things have happened in politics here and across the Atlantic, but it would take a third earthquake, on the continent, to stop Brexit now. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I can still feel his hands around my throat, choking the air out of me. It wasnt the first time. There were the times he threw me into the wall, or twisted my arm around to the point I thought it might break. And there was that night he went into gruesome detail about how, if given the chance, he would torture and kill me. According to a 2010 study by Parity, a mens issues campaigning group, more than 40 per cent of victims of domestic violence are male. Yet startlingly, as BBC London reported last week, there are no refuges in London (and only 18 nationally) that serve men. That is despite a nearly 80 per cent increase in reports from male victims between 2012 and 2016. This is clearly an unacknowledged crisis, and its time to start a national dialogue around it a real mens rights issue. The startlingly steep uptick in reports is likely only the tip of the iceberg, considering the societal stigmas often associated with male victims. When my ex-boyfriend assaulted me, I found my friends particularly my male friends minimising the abuse or excusing it as a scuffle between boys. When I sought support, they got uncomfortable and told me to man up. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA Men who find themselves as victims of domestic violence are often viewed by and made to feel emasculated and weak. We are told to fight back and ridiculed for accepting or allowing the abuse. Many people dont know how to approach the conversation for fear of adding insult to literal injury, or because they simply dont believe a man can be a victim of domestic violence. The way we construct masculinity excludes weakness and assumes men will be physically dominant over one another and over women. Its what sociologist Paul Kivel calls the act-like-a-man box, in which men are expected to be violent and in control, particularly in control of women, while supressing their emotions and sucking it up whenever life doesnt go their way. When a man steps outside of this box, he is often ridiculed as weak or as not being a real man. This toxic view of masculinity often leads men to become perpetrators of domestic violence, but when theyre victims, it can prevent them from coming forward. The stigma, and the fear of not being believed, can be so strong that men simply dont report the abuse. Budget 2017: Domestic violence charities to receive 20 million boost Yet as the BBC notes, despite this, many men are coming forward. The problem is they have nowhere to go. Womens shelters are inappropriate, as the women most of whom are victims of male-perpetrated domestic violence shouldnt be subjected to a male presence at their most vulnerable and the men many of whom will have been assaulted by female partners could similarly feel triggered. But men do need space and resources, because it is clear there is a growing epidemic of domestic violence against men. The Mens Helpline opened in 2007 with funding from the Home Office, but austerity has meant the government has closed shelters and cut funding to resources for female victims. Its hard to fathom theyll soon prioritise any victims, let alone male victims. Theresa May did guarantee 20m in additional funding for womens refuges, but theres no sign any money will be funnelled into mens refuges. (Besides, as the campaigning group Sisters Uncut points out, 20m is like sticking plaster on a haemorrhage.) Local councils, stretched to the max already, are similarly incapable of addressing the growing need of resources tailored specifically to male victims. Its harrowing when you think about it. I was lucky enough to have friends who could help me through and get me out of a dangerous relationship. Not all men are. Men who speak out are already facing patriarchal and societal backlash. When they do, they have few places in which to escape the violence they face at home. Unless society can address the stigma surrounding male victims and the Government can provide refuges dedicated to protecting and serving them, this epidemic will continue to grow, with violent and deadly consequences. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A ceremony unveiling a monument dedicated to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was unveiled by the Queen a few days ago. She paid tribute to the military who supposedly helped to bring "peace and stability" to the two war-torn countries. On one side of the memorial, several British soldiers are lined up, their faces determined and brave, while on the other side, we see an etching of generic brown women, children and menan obvious afterthought receiving boxes with the Union Jack from soldiers with joy. As a woman of Afghan descent born in Britain, I feel little joy about the UKs campaigns in the Middle East, in particular Afghanistan and Isis-occupied Iraq. Afghanistan is the invisible war: a plague that was born out of western-funded mujahedeen fighting against Soviet Russia, smothered with a reluctance to accept any blame. Where exactly is the joy and the liberation in that? David Cameron appears to mouth sentence including 'manifesto' and 'stupid' at Iraq memorial service In attendance at the unveiling of the monument were former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron, and, crucially, Tony Blair, whose misguided decisions led to thousands of deaths for rewards yet to manifest. Throughout my life, I have been followed by the idea that my people are terrorists as Islamophobia was unleashed in the West during these wars. Im truly saddened that as a nation, Afghanistan has seen turmoil at the hands of the West for the last 30 to 40 years. Now this memorial only serves to celebrate the individuals who, to my mind, destroyed a beautiful country with a rich, illustrious history. What's perhaps the most offensive about these images are that they nakedly represent propaganda. In reality, Afghan and Iraqi people have been the sole perpetrators of keeping up Afghan spirits. It's thanks to Afghan revolutionaries like Roya Mahboob, who founded Digital Citizens Fund, a series of tech colleges for women and girls to help boost entrepreneurship. Or Laila Haidari, whose drug rehabilitation centres, Mother Camp, aim to curb the horrors of opioid addiction. 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 In Iraq, Women's Defence Units are fighting Isis and Zekra Alwach was voted into office as Baghdads first female mayor. Afghans and Iraqis have no ulterior motive when helping their own, whereas westerners all too often do so for power, wealth, and control over resources. As a piece of British history, the memorial plays into the idea of white soldiers "saving" Afghan and Iraqi civilians, when all they've done is cause countless casualties and deaths, ruining the respective countries to add to the British governments hefty list of invasions. Where is this "freedom" we and the people of the respective countries were promised? Is it Isis occupying Iraq? The increase of Islamophobic attacks worldwide? Or is it the likelihood that anyone who "looks" Muslim will be heavily searched an airport? It feels like this memorial serves as a justification for the actions taken by Blair and his peers. War prevails because Britain prevails as a result. It was Thatchers victory in the Falkland Islands that gave her popularity a much needed boost, after all. But unlike the Falklands, these wars have been the longest in British history, which only goes to show that these pursuits have simply been a failure. Neither Iraq nor Afghanistan has anything to show for it. Weapons of mass destruction turned out to be little more than a myth and Osama bin Laden wasnt even found in Afghanistan. So, what is it we're celebrating with the memorial besides poor judgment from white people and the genocide of brown people? British imperialism and the pursuit of power. Snowfalls of up to 22 inches are forecast for Tuesday (AP) The Taoiseach has been forced to cancel a number of engagements in the United States due to a severe weather forecast. Enda Kenny was in Boston on Monday where municipal authorities were preparing for a huge blizzard. With snowfalls of up to 22 inches forecast for Tuesday, Mr Kenny has cut short the remainder of his itinerary in New England. A number of engagements in Boston on Monday evening were cancelled. A planned trip to Rhode Island on Tuesday also fell victim to the weather. The focal point of Mr Kenny's week-long visit is his schedule of engagements in Washington DC on Wednesday and Thursday. Many flights in and out of Boston were cancelled on Monday and many trains were fully booked. Mr Kenny will not escape the wintry weather in Washington, as heavy snowfalls are also forecast in DC, but getting there was the main concern. A Government spokesman said: "The priority at this stage is getting to Washington." The former Bishop of Galway gained worldwide notoriety in 1992 after it was revealed that he had secretly fathered a son The son of an Irish bishop whose love affair with an American woman rocked the Catholic Church has described him as a source of love and support, after the cleric's death at the age of 89. Eamonn Casey died in a nursing home in the west of Ireland on Monday following a long illness. The former Bishop of Galway gained worldwide notoriety in 1992 after it was revealed that he had secretly fathered a son named Peter with US divorcee Annie Murphy. He had paid thousands to her for his son's upkeep in the US. In a statement hours after Mr Casey's death, son Peter joined other relatives, including the bishop's brother Father Micheal and sister Ita Furlong, in a glowing tribute. "We wish to acknowledge the priestly work of Bishop Eamonn, especially in the pursuit of social justice for the marginalised, as evidenced by his work with Shelter in London in the 1950s and 1960s, and later with his involvement in the setting up and development of Trocaire," they said. "Notwithstanding the demands on his time, Bishop Eamonn was a great source of love and support, making himself available to celebrate and to empathise with us in all our important family occasions. "We wish to thank all of those who supported him in the past, in particular, the clergy and the people of the dioceses of Galway and Kerry, the Irish community in London, his many friends in Limerick and throughout the country and abroad." Ordained a priest in 1951, Mr Casey was appointed Bishop of Kerry in 1969 before taking on the larger and more high-profile diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh in 1976. A few years before, Ms Murphy and the cleric had an affair when she came to stay with him in Ireland after her marriage in the US broke down. The couple had a mutual friend. The relationship and the birth of son Peter in 1974 remained a secret for 18 years and emerged along with the scandal that the bishop had been making undisclosed payments to the US for years. President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said Bishop Casey will also be remembered for his work on homelessness and housing for Irish emigrants in Britain as the first chairman of Trocaire and his work with the aid agency. He said Bishop Casey asked him to go to El Salvador in the 1980s to hear about human rights abuses and killings in the country. "Other aspects of his life were the source of pain to others, for which Bishop Casey has apologised and expressed his deep regret, and he himself had the experience of pain visited on him in later life," Mr Higgins said. Bishop Casey, a charismatic and respected cleric who was regarded in some circles as being progressive, is said to have wanted his son Peter put up for adoption. He fled Ireland for the US as news of the scandal was about to break, and went to Rome to resign as the head of the Galway Diocese, although he retained the title. Later he spent time in Mexico before taking a role as a missionary in Ecuador. The Catholic Church said the highlight of Bishop Casey's time in Galway was organising Pope John Paul II's visit to the city in 1979 and the youth mass for more than 300,000 people. He was also said to be forthright, opposing US president Ronald Reagan's visit to Ireland in 1984 because of American foreign policy particularly in Central America. Bishop Casey was at the funeral of his murdered friend Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador in 1980 when the service was interrupted by bombs and shooting and 50 mourners died. In the late 1990s, he left South America and began working in the parish of St Paul's in Staplefield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex. He retired to Ireland in 2006 and on his return made his first public statement on the affair in 14 years and apologised. He died peacefully at Carrigoran Nursing Home, Co Clare, on Monday afternoon. His family issued a special thanks to th e religious order of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Carrigoran Nursing Home in Newmarket-On-Fergus, where he had lived for the last six years. He said they gave him the highest possible standard of care and ensured that his comfort, dignity and pastoral needs were provided for at all times. Funeral arrangements have not been finalised. Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland, paid tribute to Bishop Casey's work with Trocaire, Irish emigrants in Britain and Pope John Paul II's visit. "Bishop Casey's inspirational leadership of Trocaire pioneered a very significant pastoral outreach from this country towards the most vulnerable people in the developing world, while at the same time he energetically raised awareness of overseas development issues at home in Ireland," he said. Prime Minister Theresa May has won Parliament's approval to begin talks on a divorce deal for the UK leaving the EU. After weeks of bitter wrangling in both Houses, the Government comfortably fought off two Liberal Democrat bids to again amend the Brexit Bill in the Lords. In a day of drama, the Commons voted to reject two changes made by peers to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which gives the Prime Minister the power to trigger the two-year Brexit talks. MPs voted against a proposal to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in the UK within three months, by 335 votes to 287, majority 48. They then voted against an amendment designed to give Parliament a "meaningful" vote on the final deal, by 331 votes to 286, majority 45. Later in the Lords, with Brexit Secretary David Davis watching from the bar of the House, a Liberal Democrat move to reinsert the amendment on the rights of EU nationals living in the UK was rejected by 274 votes to 135, Government majority 139. Peers then voted 274 to 118, Government majority 156, against a move to insist on a "meaningful" vote on the final deal. More to follow... Activity in the construction sector is expanding at a "sharp and accelerated" rate according to the latest Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). Both housing and commercial construction posted stronger rises in activity during the last month, with activity on residential projects increasing sharply for the second month in a row. Survey respondents cited improving economic conditions and strong client demand. "Irish construction activity continues to grow at a robust pace," said Simon Barry, chief economist at Ulster Bank. "The pace of activity growth picked up last month as the headline PMI rose to 57.9 in February from 55.7 in January, consistent with further rapid expansion and interrupting a three-month sequence in which growth had eased modestly. There was a very encouraging acceleration in residential activity which took the Housing PMI back to levels last seen in November, in the process keeping housing as the strongest performing activity category last month. The pace of growth in commercial activity also accelerated in February and remains sharp". Ulster Bank says the PMI results so far this year suggest the sector is sustaining strong growth momentum through the early months of 2017. The prospect of Brexit choking off the supply of EU workers is reshaping Britain's home-building industry, with big companies increasingly looking to factory-manufacture houses in sections that can be slotted together on-site with minimal labour. Many of Britain's leading housebuilders, including Berkeley, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Your Housing, told Reuters they were either planning or considering new developments of prefabricated homes. This represents something of a turnaround in a country where "prefabs" have borne a strong and lingering stigma dating back to the 1940s when Winston Churchill ordered tens of thousands of cheap, flimsy, ugly units built to address a shortage housing after WWII. The change is being fuelled by fears over a labour shortage in the UK, which relies heavily on European carpenters, joiners and bricklayers. About 12pc of its 2.1 million construction employees come from abroad, mainly the EU, according to official figures. The trend is amplified in London where a quarter of the 350,000 construction employees come from other EU countries, particularly eastern Europe. Brexit threatens the flow of skilled labour at a time when the country faces another housing shortage and is looking to build a million homes by 2020. It is driving a resurgence in so-called offsite construction which allows anything from bathroom pods and chimneys to entire houses to be manufactured in factories, transported by trucks to the site and bolted together. While this involves a bigger initial investment, it requires a fraction of the labour of traditional construction. "Fundamentally, the construction industry has been doing some things the same way for hundreds of years. Historically, we had the labour ... But the challenge is different now," said Berkeley chairman Tony Pidgley. Berkeley is producing its first ever factory-built homes this year. It is starting small, with 16 prefabs in southeast London, but has another 50 in the pipeline for the capital and plans to gradually expand the programme. The company said it had a target of building 10pc to 15pc of all its houses using modular construction in the "short to medium term". Factory work could be carried out by fewer, and relatively unskilled, workers as most processes were automated. Your Housing, which has a greater focus on social housing, is taking a different approach, partnering with Chinese companies on far bigger projects. It said it was finalising an agreement with China National Building Material and WeLink for a 2.5bn (2.8bn) joint venture to build six prefab factories in Britain, one a year to 2022, with the aim of producing thousands of homes. Your Housing executive director Stephen Haigh said Britain's EU withdrawal would challenge traditional building, allowing factory-based construction to flourish. Mark Farmer, author of a government-commissioned review into the construction sector labour market late last year, said the Brexit vote was forcing companies to look at offsite building techniques. "I'm not talking about a few thousand units, I'm talking about investors and developers that control the development of tens of thousands of units," Farmer said. Factory-based construction accounted for 15pc of the total in Germany and Japan, according to data from engineering consultancy Arcadis. The quality of prefab homes today is equal to those built using traditional techniques. But the big upfront investment to set up factories means they currently cost significantly more, with builders taking the hit as they must still offer homebuyers competitive prices. As the method gains popularity, production costs are expected to fall sharply. Half year results from troubled food company Aryzta show a revenue decrease of 2.8pc while EBITA (earnings before income, taxes and amortization expenses) is down 31.3pc to 158.5m. It also announced that it is undergoing a strategic review of its joint venture investment strategy. The company's share price fell from 30.60 to 27.90 this morning in light of today's results. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, today announced the opening of applications for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Greening Scheme. The Minister confirmed that the closing date for the BPS in 2017 would be Monday 15 May but urged all farmers and advisors to avail of the opening of the application process now rather than waiting until nearer the closing date. 2016 saw the introduction for the first time of preliminary checks for online applications. These preliminary checks allow online applicants to be advised of certain errors at an early stage and to correct any such issues without penalty. The Minister commented I am delighted to announce that the online application system for applications under the 2017 BPS is now open. In addition, application packs are currently being posted to all applicants. "In 2017 I am again looking to build on the recent growth in online applications for the BPS given the range of benefits that online applications provide both for farmers and my Department in terms of the more efficient processing of applications and payments. The Minister added preliminary checks proved very successful in 2016, and they represent one of the many advantages for farmers in making their BPS applications online. Officials from my Department will be providing a range of supports to farmers over the coming weeks to support them in making applications online as we move towards 100% online application in 2018. Assistance is available to all farmers using the online application system via www.agfood.ie and the dedicated Helpdesk at 076 1064424. The Minister concluded by stating I would urge as many farmers as possible to avail of the opportunity to apply for the BPS at this early stage, particularly via the online system. It is open for farmers to do this either as individuals or through an agent. Higher levels of online applications will allow my Department to continue to improve on the delivery to farmers of essential payments under schemes such as BPS and the ANC. Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes has warned that Brexit should not be seen as "a contest" to attract new business to Ireland. The remarks come as several major international firms including insurer Lloyds and Bank of America are set to make announcements on where they will relocate all or part of their London operations. "There are much bigger issues at stake," said Mr Hayes. "Businesses will move to Dublin, there's no doubt about that. "There is a huge amount of investment firms looking at Dublin as an opportunity and the IDA and Department of Finance have worked extremely hard in demonstrating the potential that we have to offer." Ukrainian banks with foreign capital have said that they strictly observe the ban imposed by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on servicing of persons with IDs issued in occupied areas in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (ORDLO). "Alfa-Bank (Ukraine) is operating fully in line with Ukrainian legislation and requirements of the regulator," the press service of the bank told Interfax-Ukraine. The press service said that the as a bank incorporated into ABHH international holding headquartered in Luxembourg Alfa-Bank (Ukraine) cannot comment on operations of banks of the group in other countries. UkrSibbank (Kyiv) gave similar comments. "UkrSibbank as part of BNP Paribas international financial group is scrupulous about all requirements of Ukrainian and international standards of financial security and observation of global sanction practices," the bank's press service said. The bank does not comment political assumptions on the issue. Earlier subsidiary bank of Sberbank of Russia in Ukraine public joint-stock company Sberbank also denied the fact that the bank allegedly servicing individuals and companies using IDs issued in the Ukrainian territories not controlled by the central government. "As a Ukrainian commercial bank carrying out its activity on the basis of a NBU license, PJSC Sberbank strictly complies with Ukrainian laws. The bank neither did, nor does, or intends to service individuals and legal entities on the basis of documents issued in territories not controlled by the Ukrainian government, and does not conduct financial operations in those territories. The bank only services its clients on the basis of documents identifying them in accordance with requirements of the Ukrainian laws," the bank said. As reported, on February 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree 'on recognition in the Russian Federation the documents and car registration plates issued to Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the territories of the separate areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. A total of 25 banks incorporated in foreign bank groups operate in Ukraine now, including 18 banks incorporated in the group that also provide retail banking services in Russia. The NBU on March 7, 2017 said that the central bank will initiate imposing sanctions on Sberbank, if information that the parent bank is ready to service persons with ID documents issued by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) is confirmed. The 89-year-old died peacefully at around 2pm, in a nursing home in Co Clare. The controversial bishop left Ireland in 1992 after it was discovered that he had fathered a son. He spent 14 years in exile in South America but returned to Ireland, and has spent the last number of years in a nursing home. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Bishop of Galway Eamon Casey with Pope John Paul II in Galway in 1979. Pic: Kevin Coleman BISHOP EAMON CASEY OF GALWAY 1/4/1980 PRESS CONFERENCE ON EL SALVADOR BISHOP EAMON CASEY / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bishop of Galway Eamon Casey with Pope John Paul II in Galway in 1979. Pic: Kevin Coleman He had been suffering from dementia and was unwell in recent years. Funeral details have yet to be announced. In a statement tonight the family of Bishop Casey have described him as a "great source of love". On behalf of his son, Peter, his brother, Father Micheal, his sister, Ita Furlong, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, great-grand nieces and great-grand nephews, we wish to acknowledge the priestly work of Bishop Eamonn, especially in the pursuit of social justice for the marginalised, as evidenced by his work with Shelter in London in the 1950s and 1960s and later with his involvement in the setting up and development of Trocaire," the statement said. "Notwithstanding the demands on his time, Bishop Eamonn was a great source of love and support, making himself available to celebrate and to empathise with us in all our important family occasions." We wish to thank all of those who supported him in the past, in particular, the clergy and the people of the dioceses of Galway and Kerry, the Irish community in London, his many friends in Limerick and throughout the country and abroad. Deputy Pat Casey, who is a nephew of the late former Bishop also paid tribute. "Our family loved Eamonn, 'uncle Eamonn' as he was known to many, was as jovial and as caring a man to his family, as he was to the many people he served in his public ministry as a priest and bishop," he said in a statement to Independent.ie Expand Close Bishop Eamon Casey outside his family home in Firies, near Killarney, in 1969 Photo: Donal MacMonagle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bishop Eamon Casey outside his family home in Firies, near Killarney, in 1969 Photo: Donal MacMonagle "Eamonn Casey was a man whose heart belonged to the West of Ireland. Born in Kerry, raised in Limerick, Uncle Eamon was devoted to his Catholic ministry and to the people of his parishes and subsequently his dioceses. "Uncle Eamonn worked hard in trying to achieve social justice for many causes close to his Christian belief such as the plight of Irish emigrants, the courage of the Dunnes workers protest against apartheid South Africa and the people of San Salvador who suffered brutal oppression from their Government. "As a family we are also acutely aware of the controversies in Uncle Eamonns life. He has passed from this life during the Christian season of Lent which considers such themes as sacrifice, atonement and reconciliation," he added. He also thanked the staff at Carrigoran nursing home in Clare where he passed away. Expand Close Bishop Eamon Casey and Fr Michael Cleary during a special youth mass in Galway during the Pontiff's visit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bishop Eamon Casey and Fr Michael Cleary during a special youth mass in Galway during the Pontiff's visit Trocaire have also paid tribute to the late Bishop and their former chiarman. He was appointed chairman shortly following the organisation's inception in 1973 and "shone a spotlight on situations of injustice overseas" the charity said. Archbishop Eamon Martin has also joined those paying their respects to Bishop Casey, praising his work overseas. Canon Muchael McLoughlin, of the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora has remembered Bishop Casey as someone with "boundless energy" who had the ability to uplift people. "Bishop Eamonn brought blessings to many people. But to be human is to be both blessed and to be flawed. Some of his actions caused great hurt and the circumstances giving rise to his resignation in 1992 have been the subject of ongoing analysis. Bishop Eamonn asked for forgiveness from all those that he hurt and he went on to minister in both Ecuador and England before returning to Ireland to retire in January 2006," he said. The Bishop, who was both high-profile and a popular media personality in the 70s and 80s, was at the centre of one of the first major scandals to hit the Catholic Church in Ireland. Expand Close American divorcee Annie Murphy had a child with Bishop Eamon Casey in the mid-1970s when he was Bishop of Kerry. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp American divorcee Annie Murphy had a child with Bishop Eamon Casey in the mid-1970s when he was Bishop of Kerry. Photo: Tom Burke In 1992 it emerged that he had engaged in a love affair with Annie Murphy, and had fathered a child with her. The news scandalised Catholic Ireland, forcing him to leave in a storm of controversy. It also emerged that the Bishop, who was already a household name and had introduced Pope John Paul II at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway in 1979, had been making payments to Ms Murphy for 18 years. To do so he sometimes used money from diocesan funds. Ms Murphy negotiated a $150,000 settlement from the Bishop in 1990 and went on to secure a book deal: 'Forbidden Fruit: The True Story of My Secret Love for the Bishop of Galway'. Annie was a second cousin once removed from Bishop Casey and the pair had met once when Annie was young but began their affair in 1973, meeting up all over Dublin, after she moved here. Read More "When Eamonn picked me up from the airport that day in 1973, a light went on, there was a spark, that was it. It was as if you believe in reincarnation and we had just picked up from a previous life, as if I had known him all my life," she said in 2012. "I had never known anything like that or known anyone like Eamonn. He was electric, he drove like a lunatic but I didn't feel unsafe, although I gave him a very hard time over it." Bishop Casey urged her to give the child up for adoption when they learned of her pregnancy. Reflecting on that as a woman in her 60s, Ms Murphy said Bishop Casey had no regrets about joining the priesthood. "The Church was his cornerstone. He loved people and helping people and he had no regrets about being in the priesthood, but, all the same, he wanted it," she said. "I never met anyone so stubborn in all my life. Eamonn did a lot of good, but he was incredibly stubborn -- he wouldn't meet you half way. He was able to separate parts of his life, his indoctrination as a priest was strong." After the new broke Bishop Casey was forced to live in exile in Central America before eventually returning to Ireland in 2006. In a televised statement that year, his first public statement in 14 years, he apologised for the hurt he caused in the past. Speaking from his Co Galway home, he had appealed for prvacy in his retirement. "I regret that in the past I let a number of people down. It caused great hurt to some and for that I am deeply regretful and sad," he said at the time. His son Peter Murphy, who is based in Boston, developed a relationship with Bishop Casey over the years and visited him in Ireland in 2013. He has said in the past that he planned not to attend his dad's funeral but would find his own way to grieve and pay his respects. Peter has said he was "proud" of his dad and criticised the Catholic Church's treatment of him stating "treated paedophiles better than they treated my dad". American divorcee Annie Murphy had a child with Bishop Eamon Casey in the mid-1970s when he was Bishop of Kerry. Photo: Tom Burke Bishop Eamon Casey and Fr Michael Cleary during a special youth mass in Galway during the Pontiff's visit It would be the understatement of the century to say that the nation was shocked in 1992 when it was revealed that Bishop Eamonn Casey had fathered a secret son. But that revelation was only the first in a series of seismic shocks about Irelands most loved priest. This story had absolutely everything - sex, secrecy, forbidden love, heartbreak and high-octane drama. Not only had Casey fathered a son but the boys mother was an attractive American divorcee called Annie Murphy who proved to be no pushover even for the likes of Gay Byrne. And not only had he shattered his vows of celibacy but he had for years been maintaining his child with some money taken from the diocesan fund while he was Bishop of Galway. And not only had he done all this but he was also a dyed-in-the-wool, 100pc hypocrite for effectively denying his son for years while maintaining the outward image of being a devout pillar of the Irish Catholic Church. It has to be remembered that in 1992 we were all so innocent about the private lives of the Catholic clergy compared to what we know now. And to be fair to Casey, his actions were innocence personified compared to the depravity that some of his priests were getting up to. But the nation was shocked to its core to say the least when Annie Murphy exposed her former lover as the two-faced father of her son Peter. Lets not forget that this is the cleric who nearly outshone Pope Paul the Second when he visited Galway in 1979. And here he was having a torrid affair and fathering a love child during all those years when he was preaching chastity, condemning sex outside of marriage and extolling the virtues of holy matrimony. Casey resigned almost immediately after the scandal broke and fled to South America. His punishment was to lived a spartan life as a missionary priest compared to the luxury hed enjoyed in Ireland as a bon viveur who liked a drink, loved to talk, was the heart and soul of any party and the undisputed darling of the media circus. He was larger than life, would burst into song at the slightest hint of an invitation and was universally loved by his congregations for simply being a breath of fresh air compared to the grey austerity of the church. So when the truth hit the fan in 1992, there was hell to pay in Catholic Ireland. But besides the disbelief from many quarters and portrayal of Annie Murphy as some kind of gold-digging temptress, there was also the more sinister suggestion that Casey had taken advantage of a young woman reeling from a recent divorce, whod come to Ireland to recover. Needless to say, there was also humour in the publics reaction with T-shirts appearing saying Wear a condom - just in Casey. But for many the highlight of the entire scandal was Annie Murphys appearance on the Late Late Show, compered by that other national treasure Gay Byrne. This was to be the defining moment, this was to be the nations final verdict on Annie Murphy. Uncle Gaybo would get to the bottom of it. But try as he might, Murphy could not be cast in any light other than as a woman wronged. And the highlight of the interview which most people will remember is when Gay declared - If Peter is half the man his father is, he'll be doing well. And cool, calm and collected Annie Murphy replied - Well, Mr Byrne, I'm not half bad myself. And then she left the studio having delivered the last resounding word. It all seems so long ago now and we now know so much more about the sleazy underbelly of the Irish Catholic Church. But back then, Eamonn Casey, Annie Murphy and their forbidden love affair were box-office beyond belief. Jonathan Gill (35) of Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin, arrives at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning a post office worker, his partner and their daughter in Drogheda between August 1 and 2, 2011. Pic Collins Courts. The jury in the trial of an alleged kidnapping and robbery has heard a distressed 999 call from the victim, whose 10-week-old baby girl hadn't been fed for 17 hours. Jean Marie Nawn could be heard sobbing down the phone as she tried to comfort her crying baby and explain to gardai how the kidnappers had threatened to shoot her and her partner. Jonathan Gill (35) is accused of kidnapping a postal worker, his partner and their young baby before robbing over 600,000 from the man's workplace. It is the state's case that Mr Gill was one of a group of five who together were involved in holding the family hostage in their own home before moving them to a shed about a 90 minute drive away. Mr Gill of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to falsely imprisoning Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby girl in Drogheda between August 1 and August 2, 2011. The trial has heard the Nawns were taken from their home and brought to a shed where they were held overnight. Mr Nawn was then sent to An Post in the morning to retrieve the money. Ms Nawn told the jury she was repeatedly threatened at gunpoint during the 15-hour ordeal and said that at one stage she was beaten over the head with a gun. Afterwards the raiders left her tied to a bedpost in an abandoned house with her baby. She told the court she managed to free herself and run up the road to the nearby IBM factory in Swords. G4S security company worker Gerard Whelan told the court today that he was working at the IBM factory and driving out to lunch around 1pm that day when he noticed a woman standing at the edge of the grounds. He said it was unusual to see anyone there as the area around the factory was mostly rural. He said he stopped the van to see if the woman was alright before noticing she was holding a baby and had cable ties on her hands. She was distressed and incoherent, Mr Whelan told the court. ...She kept saying, 'They have Warren, they have Warren'. Mr Whelan said the woman did not want him to ring 999 but he felt he had to. She kept saying they were going to kill him if she told anyone. I told her I was sure he would be OK. My company has had previous experience of this activity. In the 999 conversation played to the jury, Mr Whelan spoke to gardai before putting Ms Nawn on the phone. She wept as gardai told her that her partner was safe and that an ambulance was on the way for her and her daughter. Her baby could be heard crying in the background. Detective Garda Donal Tully told the court he arrived at the scene shortly at around 1pm and was told by Ms Nawn that the baby hadn't been fed since 8pm the previous night. She was very, very distressed, he said. Det Gda Tully said he noticed Ms Nawn had severe bruising and marks on her upper arms and on her temple. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. A former Kildare GAA star insisted he only went to swingers parties because his then-girlfriend wanted to satisfy her bisexual needs. Brian Spike Nolan (49), with an address in Goatstown in South Dublin, is claiming he was defamed by articles published in the Sunday World in July 2012 and March 2013. The articles claimed he was involved in organising swingers or wife-swapping parties, which he denies. Breach of privacy has also been alleged. The Sunday World has denied all claims in the case. The newspaper has claimed privilege and that the matters involved were of public importance. Mr Justice Tony OConnor was told by counsel that the hearing is expected to take three days in the High Court. Mr Nolan told the court he was left devastated following publication of the articles about his personal life. Yes, I tried to kill myself, he told the court. During the first day of the hearing at the High Court in Cork, Mr Nolan acknowledged he attended four swingers parties staged in Dublin, Meath and Cavan with a 30 expenses fee for each. I dont have an inner circle of wife-swappers. She [his girlfriend] was into it. I wasnt into it. I did love the girl. [Eventually] I turned around to herself and I said I dont want this anymore. I want you and that is it, he said. His then-girlfriend invited him to his first party, which was attended by around 30 people aged from their 40s to 60s. [She] told me she was bisexual and she said she attended the parties specially for her bi side, he said. Mr Nolan said he couldnt remember the name of the person who assured him any photos taken would be strictly private. It was consensual. If people wanted to make love to other people... if it occurred, it occurred. It was up to the individuals involved. Mr Nolan was later approached by a Sunday World journalist outside his Dublin home on July 7, 2012. The newspaper had been contacted about the parties by Mr Nolans estranged girlfriend. The plaintiff said he was shocked when asked about swingers parties. In cross-examination with Rossa Fanning SC, Mr Nolan admitted telling the reporter he would supply the names of all who attended the parties if the newspapers agreed not to publish the article about him. He also acknowledged that, during a row with his girlfriend, he had threatened to mess her up by going to the newspapers himself about the parties. He explained his relationship had ended badly with the woman who was jealous and violent towards him. The Sunday World published the story under the headline: Ex-GAA star is the biggest swinger in town. A photo depicted Mr Nolan giving a thumbs-up signal while three women showed their lingerie-clad bottoms behind him. The case continues. Ukraine from March 9, 2017 finished pumping natural gas from underground storage facilities and started pumping gas into them. According to current data from public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz, on March9 through March 11 net pumping into inventories exceeded net pumping from inventories by 11.32 million cubic meters (mcm). In particular, on March 9, March 10 and March 11 pumping into inventories was 3.73 mcm, 4.97 mcm and 4.63 mcm, while pumping from inventories was 960,000 cubic meters, 510,000 cubic meters and 540,000 cubic meters. Thus, since the start of the heating season started on October 13, 2016 and as of March 8, 2017 (inclusively) Ukraine cut natural gas stocks in underground storage facilities by 44.5% or 6.552 bcm, to 8.18 bcm. As of March 11, 2017, 8.192 bcm of natural gas was in underground storage facilities of Ukraine with the lowest limit of around 5 bcm. "I cannot but remember how it was said in autumn that we were to buy and pump 2.5 bcm of gas more. If we agreed to this then, now there were 10.5 bcm of gas in storage facilities or 5.5 bcm more than the comfort level. I understand that the stock would not burn the pocket, but an additional 2.5 bcm of gas is around $500 million," Naftogaz Ukrainy Commercial Director Yuriy Vitrenko wrote on his Facebook page. As of March 11, 2017, daily imports of gas were 43.735 mcm, of which 39.239 mcm from Slovakia, 1.399 mcm from Hungary and 3.097 mcm from Poland. Ukraine has not imported gas from Russia since November 26, 2015. It imported a total of 429.472 mcm on March 1 through March 11. Gas production in Ukraine on March 11 was 57.677 mcm, of which Ukrgazvydobuvannia produced 41.633 mcm, Ukrnafta - 3.433 mcm and other companies - 12.611 mcm. Overall production on March 1 through March 11 was 633.5 mcm. Transit via Ukraine's gas transport system was 2.33 bcm in the period March 1-11, corresponding to a daily rate of about 211.8 mcm. Naftogaz Ukrainy officials said the gas stocks are sufficient to make it through the heating season and, if the winter is more severe than expected, Ukraine has the capacity to increase imports. Naftogaz calculates that stocks will end the heating season in the range 7-8 bcm, compared with the minimum allowable level of 5 bcm. Withdrawals in 2016 exceeded injections by 2 bcm: 8.391 bcm was withdrawn and 6.389 bcm was injected. Ukrtransgaz, a wholly owned subsidiary of Naftogaz Ukrainy, operates the country's gas pipelines and 12 underground gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 31 bcm. Dublin Zoo lost two of its rare Rothschild giraffes in 2015 More than 100 animals died at Dublin Zoo during a two-year period between 2014 and 2016, it can be revealed. The dead animals include a significant number of critically endangered species that are extinct or nearly extinct in the wild. Among the 109 animals to die at the Zoo during the 24-month period were a southern white rhinoceros, two Rothschild giraffes, three grey wolves, and a red panda. The 68 animals that died in 2015 included seven that were temporarily on loan from other zoos. Details of the animal deaths at one of the State's most popular visitor attractions are contained in inventory records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The revelation follows reports that a zoo in Cumbria, England, was refused a new licence last week after 486 of its animals died during a four-year period, representing an annual death rate of around 12pc. Documents submitted by Dublin Zoo to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) as part of its licence application show that 68 died in 2015 from the population of 508 - representing 13.4pc. In 2014, 41 died from the 470 population - representing an 8.72pc death rate. The animals that died at the zoo during 2015 include a pair of Rothschild giraffes, which are one of the rarest species of giraffe. In 2014, two African hunting dogs were in Dublin on loan from another zoo. Three scimitar-horned oryxes, a species of antelope that has been extinct in the wild for almost 20 years, died at the zoo during the 24-month period. Three Humboldt penguins - considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - died in 2015. There are fewer than 12,000 of the penguins left in the wild. Three red-tipped mangabeys - a red-list endangered species of monkey - died at the zoo during the same year; while an African spurred tortoise also perished. A spokesperson for Dublin Zoo said the facility underwent rigorous inspections each year, and that the latest inspection by the NPWS resulted in a number of positive comments in relation to habitat design, staff, and other areas. "Animal care and wellness is at the core of Dublin Zoo. The physical and psychological wellbeing of animals in our care is the number one priority, ensuring every animal lives out its life to the full is paramount to Dublin Zoo. "However, as in the wild, animals die in Dublin Zoo. In every situation the best of veterinary care and attention is given. We mourn the loss of every animal," the spokesperson said. "Every zoo varies in size and species, as such there is no standard zoo mortality rate. "Variables that preclude the calculation of a standard zoo mortality rate include whether a large proportion of the animals have long natural lifespans . . . or shorter lifespans. "The age of the animals also differs greatly." The inventory figures analysed include mammals and reptiles but exclude insects, of which there may be large, approximate numbers and shorter lifespans. Separately, a number of zoos across Europe have stepped up security measures following the brazen killing of a rhinoceros at a wildlife park near Paris. A zookeeper found the rhino dead with gunshot wounds to the head, his horn had been removed by a chainsaw. The horn is valued at nearly triple the price of gold. Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) Officers from the SFO unit storm a house in the Woodburn area following a shooting in the area on March 13th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in in Co Antrim. Police said the victim, aged in his 40s, is in hospital with life threatening injuries. He was shot in the neck. The attack has been linked to a paramilitary feud in the area. It happened in Pinewood Avenue in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, on Monday afternoon at around 2.15pm. Police have said they are following "significant lines of enquiry" and voiced their concern at guns being fired during daylight hours with children in the vicinity. Superintendent Darrin Jones said: "While the investigation is still at an early stage police are following significant lines of enquiry and I would appeal to anyone who has information about todays attack to contact us. Firearms being discharged in a residential area, particularly during daylight hours when children are in the vicinity, is concerning. We need the community to give us the information needed so we can remove the dangerous individuals who carried out this attack from our streets and put them before a court of law. There will be a continued police presence in the area as we search for those who carried out this brutal attack. Witnesses have described hearing five shots ring out in the afternoon sky. The ambulance service said it attended to a report of a man with a gunshot wound before he was rushed to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. There is a large police presence in the town following the incident and reports of large crowds gathered. Independent Councillor for Carrickfergus, Jim Brown said people were frustrated and don't want the situation to escalate. He said: "It's the last thing we need in Carrickfergus "Unfortunately, this has been a long time coming, as many who serve the community here will know. "We're frustrated by the lack of police activity and response in Carrickfergus. They aren't on the street as much. "The police station is only open from 1.30pm to 5pm, that's inadequate cover. It's been going on for years. "The police and their intelligence know who's behind it. The community is frustrated by this." One neighbour watching events from outside his house said it was an "absolute shock for everybody". He said he agreed with councillor Brown that police did not have a strong enough presence in Carrickfergus. "We definitely need more police in Carrickfergus, it's very seldom we would see a police car here. " Another woman who lived next door called the incident a "disgrace." "Especially with children out on the street. I'm not so concerned for myself but my son who is five years of age and running around the street when this happens. "I agree 100pc about the police presence. Back in the day there was a lot of police patrols, now they don't do anything." Gardai investigating the death of a man after a fatal stabbing have released a man in his 60s and a file will now be prepared for the DPP. The body of the man - named locally as Christopher McGrath - was discovered at a house in Cardinal Cushing Road, Mervue, Co Galway, shortly after 4am on Sunday. Gardai believe he was fatally wounded in the neck after becoming involved in an argument. In a statement gardai confirmed that the man who was arrested as part of the investigation has been released without charge and urged anyone with information to contact them at Galway Garda Station. They are particularly appealing to anyone who may have witnessed any altercation involving males on the Old Dublin Road/Cardinal Crushing Road in the Mervue area between 12 midnight and 4am on Sunday. Anyone with information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station (Mill Street) on 091-538000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Ukraine and Iran have approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between ports to be signed by port authorities of Ukraine and Iran in the near future. The press service of Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said that the agreement was reached during the sixth meeting of the intergovernmental Ukrainian-Iranian joint commission for economic and trade cooperation held on March 9 and March 10. The sides pointed out mutual interest in developing multimodal transportation between Europe and Asia across Ukraine and Iran. They also discussed the prospects and technical details of further joint work on the organization and development of transportation on the Persian Gulf-Black Sea-Baltic Sea route. Iran handed a draft agreement on development of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea route and invited Ukraine to participate in this transport corridor. Deputy Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Viktor Dovhan proposed to continue the discussion of the issue with the involvement of representatives of the EU and TRACECA (TRAnsport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) countries. Iran also invited Ukrainian enterprises to the implementation of transport infrastructure development and modernization projects in Iran (building of railway infrastructure and supply of passenger rolling stock). The DRHE also acknowledged that some families are being asked to vacate their emergency accommodation (stock photo) Homeless families living in hotels are being told to leave in the run-up to St Patrick's Day, it has been claimed. Distressed families have been contacting their local TDs recently, saying they are being thrown out of their emergency accommodation in the build-up to the national holiday. St Patrick's Day will see a massive influx of tourists into the capital city. Sinn Fein TD Sean Crowe told the Irish Independent the demand for hotel rooms is having a knock-on effect on homeless families who rely on hotels and other B&B accommodation. "I think it's happening right across the city," he said. "It's not the first time that I've heard of this happening. "Whenever there is a big concert on you often hear stories about families being told to vacate their accommodation. "A weekend that should be a positive celebration of Irishness will now unfortunately have a negative impact on the homelessness situation. Homeless families are facing into St Patrick's weekend with nowhere to stay or go for that weekend. Shocked "There is no emergency plan, no emergency measures, and no solutions coming from the Government as they head off to other parts of the globe. "I have no doubt that many infrequent visitors to Ireland, and Dublin in particular, will be shocked by the amount of homeless people living on the streets." Dublin Mid-West TD Eoin O Broin said two families contacted him recently, expressing the same concern. A spokesperson from the Department of Housing and Planning accepted that some families are asked to leave their emergency accommodation during public holidays and events, but said they are always relocated. "There's a contingency plan put in place by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) for public holidays and it makes alternative arrangements for anyone impacted by this. "The DRHE is liaising with the owners of these hotels at all times. "When particular difficulties arise [families] will be told well in advance that [their hotel] may need some of the rooms. "They will then make alternative arrangements for them. "Nobody is being told they just have to get out. "They're provided with alternative suitable accommodation," said the spokesperson. The DRHE also acknowledged that some families are being asked to vacate their emergency accommodation. "We continue to maintain normal arrangements with hotels over St Patrick's weekend. "If there are cases where families have to leave their accommodation we provide a suitable alternative," a spokesperson said. However, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) said it was not aware "of any cases" in which families have been asked to leave their accommodation for St Patrick's weekend. "Arrangements for temporary accommodation for families in emergency circumstances are handled directly between the local authorities and the individual hotels concerned," a spokesperson said. A man found dead in a house in east Mayo at the weekend is believed to have been the victim of a small house fire. The body of the victim, David Molloy (52), who lived at St. Gerard's Crescent, Ballyhaunis, was found by neighbours who became worried because they had not seen him for a number of days. There was evidence of smoke damage to the accommodation where Mr Molloy, a single man, was living. A post mortem has been conducted at Mayo University Hospital. Mr Molloy will be laid to rest tomorrow in his native Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, following Mass in St. Nathy's Cathedral We call them 'the undocumented' because, in Ireland, we're too polite to call them what they really are: illegal. But that's how Donald Trump's administration sees the 50,000 Irish people that have entered his country without a visa or overstayed their welcome. Plain and simple, in the eyes of the law they have no rights to be in the US and yet year after year the Taoiseach of the day travels to the White House to plead their case. And rightly so. Whether it's at EU or UN level, we're great at arguing Ireland is a 'special case' - but when it comes to America, the claim does actually hold some water. Enda Kenny's main mission this week is to try to convince Mr Trump to make amendments to a 1960s act that discriminates against Irish immigrants. He said he wanted "to renew the strong case on behalf of the hard-working, tax-paying Irish people in the US who for too long now have been living in the shadows, and want nothing more than to continue making their contribution to this great country". The decision to use his trip to announce a referendum on giving the diaspora voting rights in presidential elections is a strategic move. Such a move has been long talked about and comes with high risks for parties like Fine Gael and Fianna Fail who don't have the same international network as Sinn Fein. However, the Taoiseach is trying to ramp up the value of the Irish living in America ahead of his meeting with President Trump. In theory, Mr Kenny is fighting a lost cause because Mr Trump built his election campaign around anti-immigrant rhetoric, making arguments like: "Anyone who tells you the core issue is the needs of those living here illegally has simply spent too much time in Washington." Clinton, Bush and Obama always gave a sympathetic ear to taoisigh on St Patrick's Day but none introduced any fundamental change for the 'undocumented'. But Mr Kenny has an opportunity to play Mr Trump at his own game with a combination of rhetoric and bullish politics. It's true that the 50,000 Irish who are illegally living, working and paying tax in America have no right to be there, but our relationship with the US is different. For generations the land of the free offered sanctuary to our ancestors who, it is said, built modern America through sweat and determination. The most recent census figures show that 39.6 million Americans claim Irish heritage. If the proposed referendum on extending the franchise in presidential elections to Irish citizens living abroad is passed, then there may actually come a point where people in America ultimately decide who should be in Aras an Uachtarain. In Boston, where the Taoiseach will meet the Irish-American mayor Marty Walsh today, one in four people say they have Irish blood. Mr Kenny can expect to get some backing for his cause from Mr Walsh and other high-level politicians this week but it will all come down to his meeting with Mr Trump. Yesterday, the Taoiseach told the 'Friendly Sons of St Patrick' society in Philadelphia that everybody knows "immigration reform is a politically sensitive issue". "However, I truly believe that a US immigration system that addresses the needs of the undocumented Irish, and provides for future legal flows, will be of huge benefit to America," he said. It appears Mr Kenny's message is that the Irish can help make America great again. The Taoiseach is on his swansong with nothing to lose. He must drive home the message that Mr Trump's attitude to immigrants is not in line with that of Ireland, while also realising that we are asking the president to recognise one group of people as illegal and another as undocumented. There is some reason to be hopeful of movement by Mr Trump. For one, he is so unpredictable and volatile that if he is impressed by Mr Kenny's argument he might actually initiate change on whim. But more significant is a line from a keynote election speech on immigration that Mr Trump made last September: "It's our right as a sovereign nation to choose immigrants that we think are the likeliest to thrive and flourish and love us." Surely Mr Kenny can convince the White House the Irish fit that criteria. Fianna Fail's most influential TDs have rowed in behind Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe's plans to slash tax as part of Ireland's response to Brexit. Mr Donohoe's call for a reduced tax burden for workers has kicked off the negotiations ahead of Budget 2018. As British Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to trigger the Brexit negotiations as early as this week, Mr Donohoe insisted our marginal tax rate of 49.5pc is putting Irish jobs in jeopardy. Fianna Fail last night expressed its support for tax cuts in a move that will come as a boost to Fine Gael. However, a potentially significant sticking point has emerged over the delivery of tax cuts in the budget. To date, Fine Gael ministers have said their focus is on scrapping the Universal Social Charge (USC) by 2021. But Fianna Fail's finance spokesperson Michael McGrath told the Irish Independent that changes to income tax thresholds, rather than Fine Gael's preferred option of cutting the USC should be pursued. At present, people begin paying the higher rate of tax on incomes above 33,800. "That entry point needs to be increased significantly. It will be of much greater benefit to many thousands of families," Mr McGrath said. And his colleague Dara Calleary, the party's public expenditure spokesperson, warned against any strategy that trumps the need to improve services such as healthcare. "We acknowledge the need for a reduction in personal taxation but we will always ensure there is focus on better services," Mr Calleary said, adding that Mr Donohoe was a member of a government that "drove inequality". Mr Donohoe's decision to shift the focus back on to taxation will heap pressure on some of the Fine Gael leadership contenders. In an article in the 'Sunday Independent', Mr Donohoe said it is "not sustainable to keep jobs we have or to attract new talent if you keep less than half what you earn above a relatively low income level." As the battle lines for October's Budget are drawn, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the negotiations over Britain's exit from the EU could extend beyond the planned two year period if necessary. He said a time extension could be granted if the European Council votes unanimously. Speaking in Philadelphia, Mr Kenny said it was not a concern that most of the Irish Cabinet is abroad for St Patrick's Day. And he confirmed that Mrs May refused to commit to a date for triggering Article 50 when he spoke to her in Brussels last Thursday. "The European Union will respond to that (Article 50) and will issue guidelines within 48 hours if it is triggered next week. The meeting of the European Council to approve the negotiating stance of the European Union and the guidelines to be adopted will be on April 6," Mr Kenny said. Fianna Fail is to publish a white paper in the coming months proposing a strengthening of ties between the Republic and the North which could pave the way for Irish unification. Party leader Micheal Martin told John Murray on Today with Sean O'Rourke this morning that they are preparing a 12-point-plan. While discussing the proposed plan, Mr Martin said: "The catalyst for this in many ways is to move away from an emotion charged push towards Irish unity and to look at it in more practical terms" He continued: "We are putting together a white paper that seeks to define what would a united Ireland look like if there was a referendum in line with the Good Friday Agreement." He explained that the proposals would involved maintaining a Stormont Assembly and would continue to follow the "three-strand approach" as outlined in the agreement. "In short there is an obligation on anybody who aspires to Irish unity to lay out a blueprint as to what it would look like and crucially it would have to involve the same relationships that are in the Good Friday Agreement." The Opposition leader discussed the practical approach of the proposed white paper and the potential issues involved, saying: "The detail is far more difficult than the principal. It can't be the romantic pursuit of the fourth green field anymore" "If we learn anything from Brexit, be wary of politicians promoting referendums or border poles because they become divisive and they become ugly. When asked about Fianna Fail refusal to enter government with Sinn Fein after the next election, the opposition leader said "We are very mindful of the fact the the PSNI and Intelligence services have made it very clear that Sinn Fein is not a democratically run party and that shadowy forces and the army council of the IRA still control and dictate a lot of what goes on there." Religious congregations need to "measure up" and take responsibility for the restitution owed to victims of abuse, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said. Speaking in Philadelphia, Mr Kenny said the Catholic Church had not lived up to expectations in terms of compensation. He said the Church must "measure up in so far as accepting responsibility or agreements as far as restitution is concerned and get on with it". Asked whether the Pope should intervene in order to put pressure on religious orders to pay more in compensation, Mr Kenny replied: "I would expect that the congregations and the Church would reflect on the seriousness of this and measure up to their requirements. "I referred a number of matters to the Pope when I met with him last year and I would expect that the Vatican would respond to those." Mr Kenny said that, given the sensitivities involved, the State wanted "to get this as right as we can" for the victims and the Church needed to "reflect on the years ahead". Mr Kenny made his remarks just hours after Health Minister Simon Harris launched a stinging attack on the Church. As the fallout from the Tuam baby scandal continues, Mr Harris warned that the Government would consider legal action against the Church to ensure it paid more of the 1.5bn compensation bill. To date, orders have paid just 13pc of the bill. Mr Harris said it was "indefensible" that Church leaders had failed to put pressure on religious orders to pay their share. He also called on the Vatican to intervene, adding that there was an agreement that the State and the Church would share the bill equally. "I have heard a lot of religious leaders make comments in recent days about Tuam and some of them welcome. It is indefensible and extraordinarily disappointing that not one of those religious leaders in this country or abroad has called on the institutions to pay their contribution," Mr Harris told RTE's 'The Week in Politics'. "The Church has not stepped up to the plate. Religious leaders in this country, I would like the next time they make a homily and contribute to public debate, they would call on all of the religious institutions to pay up and pay now and that call should go all the way to the Vatican as well. "The Pope and religious leaders in this country need to actually intervene and say to [religious] institutions 'pay over and pay up'. It is not acceptable the current situation." Meanwhile, in a homily in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral to mark the second Sunday of Lent, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said the revelations surrounding the treatment of women and their children in Mother and Baby Homes could be "wallpapered" over. Read More "The sad facts which are once again emerging into light around the way children and mothers were treated in Church-run institutions lead us once again to challenge the Church in Ireland to a deep self-examination and repentance. It is not something that can be wallpapered over or interpreted by clever spin doctors," Archbishop Martin said. "Everything must be done to enable the truth to emerge. As believers, we must again turn to Jesus and profess that we have failed his teaching. We must confess the role of the Church in the building up of a culture which failed to recognise the presence of Jesus in the smallest and the weakest." The senior cleric also dismissed the suggestion that such treatment "happened when times were different". He told the Mass: "Yes, times were different; but the message of Jesus Christ is different in every time and it is different because it challenges us to rise above what things were like." Milkiland, a dairy group with assets in Ukraine, Russia and Poland has observed the conditions of restructuring of a debt to Credit Agricole Bank (Kyiv). Milkiland said in a press release that the company finalized a deal to sell public joint-stock company Iskra and Uspikh-Mena LLC, which were under control of Milkiland-Agro LLC. The agreement to restructure $14.456 million of the debt was signed in July 2016 by Credit Agricole Bank and subsidiary Milkiland-Ukraine, Nadiya LLC, Uspikh-Mena LLC and PJSC Iskra. The term for returning the loan was extended to June 30, 2019. The credit rates were cut. A requirement to sell the above-mentioned companies no later than March 30, 2017 was included in the agreement. At least $4.5 million was to be paid to Credit Agricole Bank thanks to the sale of the companies. "As the result of selling deals of PJSC Iskra and Uspikh-Mena LLC to third parties buyers, the sum of $4.854 million (EUR 4.384 million) was repaid to the creditor. Additional $511,000 (EUR 462,000) in 2016 were saved due to lowered interest expenses and also repaid to the bank. Outstanding amount of the principal sum of indebtedness to the creditor as of March 1, 2017 stood at $9.1 million (EUR 8.22 million)," Milkiland said. "We now focus at the development of our key operational subsidiary Nadiya managing our modern milk-farm Krasnosilska," Milkiland-Agro CEO Natalia Melenevska said. "We were happy to fulfill the conditions of the restructuring agreement with Credit Agricole Bank, one of the largest creditors of Milkiland with its share of c.9% in the total debt portfolio of the group as of March 1, 2017," Milkiland CFO Oleksandr Androschuk said. Milkilands management consider this agreement as an important element of the financial stabilization of the groups business after several hits it absorbed in 2014-2016 due to macroeconomic instability and loss of the access to the traditional export markets. Taoiseach Enda Kenny walks in the annual St Patricks Day parade in Philadelphia yesterday, as part of his US visit. Photo: Niall Carson A majority of voters in presidential elections could be living outside of Ireland under plans to extend the franchise to the diaspora. The Government sees next year as a "realistic" target for holding a referendum on voting rights, with any changes taking effect in time for the 2025 election. Among the options being considered is allowing Irish citizens overseas to cast their ballot online. Sources told the Irish Independent that "conservative figures" compiled by the Department of Foreign Affairs suggest there are 1.73 million citizens resident outside the State, excluding Northern Ireland where there potentially are 1.8 million eligible for Irish citizenship. Announcing the plans while in Philadelphia, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the decision to hold a referendum would send emigrants "a big signal" and act as "an appreciation of how important they are to our Irish family". Extending the franchise to the diaspora will give rise to a range of legal, policy and practical issues. Work is to quickly commence on modernising the voter registration process in preparation for a potential Yes vote in a referendum. An 'Options Paper' will be published in the coming weeks setting out key areas for debate. The move is likely to be particularly welcomed by Sinn Fein, which got almost 250,000 first preference votes in the recent Northern Ireland elections. Gerry Adams's party also has a stronger network in the United States than other political parties in the Dail. However, Mr Kenny last night sought to play down suggestions that the move could benefit one party substantially more than others. "I don't think it will favour any individual party, Northern Ireland patterns, that vote obviously speaks for itself," he said. Asked whether the referendum would take place in 2018, the Taoiseach replied: "That's realistic, I would think." Meanwhile, Mr Kenny moves to Boston today, where he will discuss the plight of the 50,000 undocumented Irish in the United States with Mayor Marty Walsh. The Taoiseach has said that finding a way of legalising their status would make America a better country. Education Minister Richard Bruton has described his party colleague Leo Varadkar as a politician who "speaks truth to power" in a move that has fuelled speculation surrounding the upcoming leadership contest. At a private meeting of Fine Gael members in Dublin Bay North, Mr Bruton heaped praise on Mr Varadkar, who he said has performed effectively in successive ministries. The term 'speaking truth to power' was coined in the 1950s and refers to someone who challenges injustice. While sources present said the remarks should not be seen as an endorsement for Mr Varadkar's leadership bid, they have boosted the confidence of supporters of the Social Protection Minister. Mr Varadkar's close backers have in recent days expressed concern about the perception within political circles that his main rival, Simon Coveney, is more likely to secure the backing of the majority of Cabinet members. "Bruton's description of Leo as being someone who speaks truth to power certainly caught people's attention," one source told the Irish Independent. Mr Varadkar was one of many senior Fine Gael figures who broke rank in 2010 to back Mr Bruton during his unsuccessful heave against Enda Kenny. During an infamous interview with broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan on 'Prime Time', Mr Varadkar said he asked himself the "3am question" as to which leader he would want to see answer the phone during a crisis. Despite backing Mr Bruton, Mr Varadkar was soon appointed to Cabinet by Mr Kenny. However, Mr Varadkar and Mr Bruton have kept a close relationship since the unsuccessful heave. Mr Varadkar was invited to chair the AGM of the Dublin Bay North branch on Tuesday, during which the remarks were made. During his own contribution, Mr Varadkar said Mr Bruton deserved credit for helping to create an environment in which "200,000 extra jobs were added in five years". He told the meeting of Fine Gael members that Ireland's recovery was "unusual" because it was "jobs-rich" and "jobs-led". "Usually, job growth lags a recovery," Mr Varadkar is understood to have said. But sources among Mr Bruton supporters last night stressed that the Education Minister had yet to declare whether he himself was interested in contesting the FG leadership again. The same sources said they expected Mr Bruton to outline his intentions after Mr Kenny returned from the US. The same approach is expected to be taken by Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, who has in recent days been gauging the support within the parliamentary party for her own bid. As revealed by the Irish Independent last week, a growing number of ministers believe Mr Kenny must clarify his plans to step aside on March 29, which is likely to be the first parliamentary party meeting he addresses following his return. Fine Gael figures who would be seen publicly as supporters of Mr Kenny have expressed concern that he may try to prolong his tenure as Taoiseach. Some supporters of the Mayo politician, such as European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy, have argued that he should remain in place for the start of the Brexit negotiations, which will commence as soon as British Prime Minister Theresa May triggers Article 50. But a large number of TDs within the party have dismissed this prospect outright, saying Mr Kenny is a "lame duck" as he has already signalled his plans to step aside. Restaurant and cafe owners are concerned that a new 'sunshine tax' could undermine the booming outdoor business in Irish cities. New centralised charges for streetside catering represent a massive hike on fees formerly charged to operators. Whereas pubs, cafes and restaurants once paid 50 for outdoor tables and chairs as well as 10 for streetside advertising, some outlets now face a potential tenfold increase in their charges. Under new rules, an annual fee of 125 for every table and four chairs is charged - outlets also have to pay a 635 fee for street signage. A further 100 fee is charged for licensing. Hospitality bodies warned the spiralling charges could damage Ireland's booming 'cafe culture' which has helped make the country one of the most popular European destinations. However, councils are now set to adopt a common sense approach to the new charges. Cork City Council and County Council, for instance, are examining imposing the charges on a seasonal basis - allowing pubs, restaurants and cafes to only pay for outdoor tables and chairs for months when they are in actual streetside use. In most cases, catering industry officials will pay a five-twelfths charge given streetside tables and chairs are normally only used May to September. Local authorities in Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford and Limerick are examining a similar approach to the issue. Tourism Development Directorate official Sharon Corcoran acknowledged that promoting and supporting Ireland's 'cafe culture' is vital to the sector. "Street furniture is critical," she said. "It is critical for small restaurants and it is critical for coffee shops. It is also critical for the tourism industry and we want to encourage people to stay longer (in towns and cities) and shop a little longer." Ireland's 'cafe culture' has been singled out by international tourism guides as one of the main reasons why cities like Dublin, Cork and Galway are among the most recommended for holidays and city breaks. Streetside catering has also been hailed as one of the reasons for the booming number of US tourists now opting to spend time in Irish cities and towns. Tourism Ireland boss Niall Gibbons confirmed the North American market will be very important this year. "The best prospects for growth next year are across North America. We will see a growth of at least 10pc in seat numbers so that offers great prospects," he said. Ireland enjoyed growth in overall visitor numbers of 10pc in 2016 - but that is expected to fall to 1pc this year due to Brexit and other economic factors. Two Trinity College Dubllin students have won the Jailbreak 2017 challenge. Liam Cronin and Mark Perham reached the final destination of The Cesta tower, San Marino at 5.53pm Italian time on Sunday having set off from Dublin, at 9am on Saturday morning. In teams of two, the students had 36 hours to travel to a mystery location somewhere in the world without spending any of their own money. The students were given a series of clues which led them to a mystery location. Liam and Mark, second year students at Trinity College Dublin, were Jailbreak 2017s top fundraisers, raising 2,720 between them. They also embraced the bilingual spirit of this years event, which saw Trinitys An Cumann Gaelach take an organisational role. Jailbreak is Irelands largest student-run charity challenge. Over the past five years, Jailbreak has raised 165,000 which are equally split between the two partner charities: Amnesty International and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Id like to offer my congratulations to both Liam and Mark on winning this years Jailbreak adventure race. Its a wonderful achievement for them and their university, and a credit to the students who have worked so hard to make this race possible, said Colm OGorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland. Grainne Lee, SVP National Youth Committee Chair, also congratulated the boys. Congratulations to Liam and Mark on winning this years Jailbreak. As well as managing to reach San Marino, they have raised vital funds to help SVP in our work and crucial awareness as to the social justice issues faced by many of our most vulnerable members of society." Pet dogs will deliberately deceive humans in order to get something they want. Cats might have a reputation for being a bit sneaky or scheming - but, according to science, we really ought to be keeping an eye on dogs if we're worried about our pets running rings around us. A new study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, has found pet dogs will deliberately deceive humans in order to get something they want. Researchers at the University of Zurich studied 27 dogs, pairing each one with two human partners: a "co-operative" one who would allow the dogs to eat treats, and a "competitive" one who withheld the treats. "During the test," the researchers explained, "the dog had the options to lead one of these partners to one of the three potential food locations: one contained a favoured food item, the other a non-preferred food item and the third remained empty. Expand Close Our pets run rings around us. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Our pets run rings around us. "After having led one of the partners, the dog always had the possibility of leading its cooperative owner to one of the food locations. Therefore, a dog would have a direct benefit from misleading the competitive partner since it would then get another chance to receive the preferred food from the owner. "On the first test day, the dogs led the cooperative partner to the preferred food box more often than expected by chance and more often than the competitive partner. "On the second day, they even led the competitive partner less often to the preferred food than expected by chance and more often to the empty box than the cooperative partner. "These results show that dogs distinguished between the cooperative and the competitive partner, and indicate the flexibility of dogs to adjust their behaviour and that they are able to use tactical deception." Researcher lead Marianne Heberlein told New Scientist the animals "showed an impressive flexibility in behaviour. Theyre not just sticking to a strict rule, but thinking about what different options they have. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Barely 15 years since RTE made the documentary Fine Gael: A Family At War, the party is squabbling over the car keys again. My granny's sister was married to a barrister who was once spoken of as a potential leader of Fine Gael. He was elected TD for Wexford, and the party's new coalition partners in 1948 thought he'd make a good compromise choice for Taoiseach, as he didn't have any baggage from the civil war. History, assisted by a few backroom blueshirts, spared him from the ordeal. It was his parliamentary colleague, John A Costello, who became the 'reluctant' Taoiseach. Reluctant is not a word that really belongs in politics. Though, like Leo before him, young Simon, our health minister, could be reluctant to block that bed at Hawkins House for too long. Mr Harris is clever and quick to learn. It has taken him just 10 months to realise that health is not really Angola. It's worse. Angola has long, sunny days, vast oil reserves and the promise of being one of the fastest-growing African economies. True, there are occasional landmines, but the real similarity is that access to prompt healthcare is dependent on whether you have money. No politician in Ireland or Angola has the dream to sort that one out. It's easy to spot fault lines on the seismic map of Irish healthcare. Implementing remedies is the hard bit. To my mind, there are too many parallel universes. There's an ever-changing health department without bedside experience, jousting with a remote HSE that operates well away from patients on industrial estates and in closed hospitals. There's a hospital-group system nobody knows anything about, and a dysfunctional interface between hospitals and the GP world outside. Then we have the trade-union world, whose sole interest is the amount of money in the health pie that can be diverted to salaries, pensions and perks. There is the political world that craves publicity as it picks nits from the corpse of the public-health service, but hasn't an iota of what it might do differently. There is a cherry-picking private sector that is not perfect, but at least rates patient experience, access and comfort in its thinking. It also pays attention to keeping family doctors in the loop and appraised of service developments, something unheard of in most public hospitals. There is a public mental-health service that keeps patients out of hospital, and a private mental-health service that prefers to keep them in. The last man into Health with a plan was Dr James Reilly. His instrumental delivery of a universal insurance scheme failed and was abandoned. We need to attempt delivery again. Using full anaesthesia and a scalpel if necessary. * There is an excellent society of medical writers based in the UK. They publish a regular journal where doctors and nurses who like to scribble can have their work published with ease. For a growing number of health-service personnel, humour is a reliable safety valve. Dr Chekhov would always say that while medicine was his lawful wife, literature was his mistress. The recent issue of the society's organ had one gem about how hospital managers deal with complaints. Lady: "I wish to make a complaint. My husband was recently admitted to your hospital for surgery, but the operation has caused him severe loss of libido. Since his discharge, my husband has lost all desire for sexual relations." The hospital manager replied, "Dear Madam. Thank you for your letter. We sympathise with your predicament. However we must point out that your husband was only admitted for cataract surgery. All our surgeon did was correct his eyesight." * The actor John Hurt tip-toed quietly off stage in January. There were so many high-profile deaths last year that perhaps 2017 rings in a more measured reaction to the great inevitable. I liked John Hurt. His portrayal of the Elephant Man was probably his best-known film role, but his most memorable performance was as Dr Stephen Ward. The London osteopath was convicted in 1963 for living off immoral earnings, and later took his own life. The film was Scandal, and it covered the events of the Profumo spy affair that rocked an early swinging London. John Hurt came to mind recently as I read about new legislation to lower the drink-driving limits to zero. He once said that if you order just a single glass of wine with your meal in America, they consider you an alcoholic. Sounds like intolerance and prohibition are on their way here, too. * I was pleased that the Irish Cancer Society got a knuckle rap for their 'I want to get cancer' campaign. It doesn't matter how much money they raised, or attention they gained. What matters is that a respected organisation founded to help patients shouldn't risk upsetting those same patients by deliberately using insensitive slogans to grab attention. There are as many public-relations specialists working in health now as there are public-health nurses. When too many birds sing at the dawn of day, none of the songs are heard. Raising the volume, squawking or tweeting all day and all night is not the answer. * Recent UK statistics hint that we are falling out of love with cosmetic surgery. Operations fell by a whopping 40pc in 2016 according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Just 31,000 women and 2,500 men went under the knife last year. I was taught at a young age that the best way for a face like mine to improve its prospects was to bury it in books. Dr Maurice Gueret is editor of the Irish Medical Directory www.imd.ie PJSC Ukrtatnafta (Kremenchuk oil refinery, Poltava region) plans to increase crude oil refining by 35-50%, from 2.2 million tonnes in 2016 to 3-3.3 million tonnes in 2017, deputy chairman for production and capital construction Serhiy Kosheliuk has told journalists. According to him, this year it is planned to process about 1.3 million tonnes of Azeri Light oil and up to 2 million tonnes of Ukrainian oil. "Plus we also buy additional vacuum gas oil, which improves processing economy and increases the cost of the basket of petroleum products," the expert said. Kosheliuk noted that with the designed capacity for processing being 18.6 million tonnes of raw materials per year, today its nominal capacity is about 7.3 million tonnes per year. In connection with the establishment of pipeline oil supplies and improvement of the quality of fuel, the plant intends to gradually increase production volumes and its market share. "In fact, our annual processing volume should be about 4-5 million tonnes per year. Given the decline in the market capacity, this is the best figure we see for our plant," he said. In many ways I'd a better sense of myself in my teens than I did in my twenties or thirties. When I was in school and life was reasonably simple, I knew who I was. Well in an adolescent kind of way at least. I found my twenties and thirties more challenging somehow. I moved out of home into Dublin. I lived with various friends. I began a serious relationship. I bought a house. I became a mother. Looking back I did quite a lot of it on autopilot - trying to get things right. Don't get me wrong, a huge amount of it was wonderful. In particular, my four beautiful children. But in some ways I was sleep-walking through lots of it. Doing what was expected of me. Doing what I expected of myself. I wanted to fit in. As a teen I hadn't minded standing out from the crowd - with my black eyeliner and penchant for indie music. But my twenties and thirties were a period of assimilation. I think maybe in my teens I hadn't thought I could fit in - so instead I ploughed my own furrow. My slightly older self realised I wasn't as alternative or odd as my younger self had previously thought and decided I'd go the whole hog and just blend into the wallpaper. I think at that point I tried to make myself more compliant than I naturally was. I tried to please. I ignored and suppressed a lot of my feelings. Perhaps it was moving to Dublin. The melting pot of college, where it was clear the private school kids of SoCoDu had a confidence that the rest of us poorer, gauche-er eejits lacked. But hadn't really known we lacked until we met them. But whatever the reason I didn't really come back into my own until my late thirties. Now I feel like there's a direct line from that stroppy, gobby teenage girl to the woman I am today. And I like it. So I'd like to give some unsolicited advice to my younger self and to any younger selves out there who might struggle a little bit to find themselves in a world where it often seems everyone else knows more than you do. And where sometimes you accept other people's view ahead of your own. You are not always wrong. You may not always be right - but you're definitely not always wrong - no one is. Nor are you less knowing, cool or interesting than anyone else. Other people's lives are not necessarily better than yours. The world is full of people acting like they are more comfortable and happy than they actually are. Everyone has a right to an opinion - even you. There are very few absolute rights and wrongs in this life, most things are shades of grey - so when you disagree with someone even if you can't articulate your position as well as they can that doesn't mean their opinion trumps yours. Be kinder to yourself. Most people's cruellest and harshest critic is themselves. You don't deserve the abuse. Be kind to other people. It costs nothing. It makes the world a better place. And it makes you feel good too. I don't know if you really do need to love yourself but certainly it's a help if you like yourself. Ultimately you are the person you will spend most time with. It's a great help if you are at least fond of that person. There are people who will be rude to you and you'll think it's something you've done. You will blame yourself for them not liking you. Ultimately it will be about them. The best way to respond to someone who's rude to you once is with surprise. The best way to respond to someone who's rude twice is with avoidance. But learning to say "No" and also "Fuck off", when you have to, is liberating. Anyone who treats you badly, makes you feel lesser or tries to limit your life - is not a friend. Even if they call themselves one. Fear and guilt are mostly pointless. Try to think occasionally about what you actually want in life. What you want to do. Where you want to go. How you want to live. So many of us have our eyes on the ground just looking at the next step on our path that we never look up and see if we're on the right road. And lastly remember your time is precious - so don't waste it or hang around too long waiting for the life you want to start - you don't know how long you've got. @ciarakellydoc You might hate Monday, but you'll love our selection of the week's best travel offers... 25pc off with Aer Lingus Aer Lingus is offering 25pc off flights to Europe this May and June (before taxes and charges). Book online before midnight tonight (March 13). aerlingus.com. 399pp: Laze in Lanzarote Falcon Holidays has a seven-night package from Cork to Lanzarote departing May 18 from 399pp. It includes accommodation at the 2-star Lanzarote Paradise Club in Costa Teguise. 1850 45 35 45; falconholidays.ie. 399pp: Ski in Austria The ski season isn't over yet. Crystal Ski has seven-night packages from 399pp departing Dublin for Soll on March 18 and 25. Half-board prices start from 529pp, based on 2-star accommodation. 01 433-1010; crystalski.ie. 789pp: Take off to Thailand Sunway has flights plus seven nights at the 3-star Kata Sea Breeze in Phuket from just 789pp. The price is based on two adults sharing on a B&B basis for May departures (ref. 105411). 01 231-1800; sunway.ie. 1,199pp: Cruise with your own personal butler! Cassidy Travel has an all-inclusive, four-night fly/cruise on Silverseas' luxurious Silver Spirit for 1,199pp including a personal butler. The package includes flights from Dublin to Rome on November 11, with Monte Carlo, Marseilles and Livorno among the ports of call. 01 291-0000; cassidytravel.ie. NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change. Airbnb and the Guinness Storehouse have teamed up to offer two lucky guests a VIP night at St. James's Gate. After years teaching visitors how to pull the perfect pint, the Guinness Storehouse looks set to pull off the perfect overnight stay in Dublin. For one night only, the iconic Gravity Bar will be transformed into 'Ireland's most exclusive bedroom' - loft-style, Toucan-themed accommodation for two, complete with your very own tasting bar and butler. A perfect pint-shaped bed, pool table, life-sized Jenga and giant telescope complete the furnishings for a unique night under the stars. So how can you spend 24 hours in the Black Stuff's boudoir? Visit the airbnb.ie listing here, and enter the competition by answering the question: What makes you the worlds biggest Guinness fan? Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Guinness Storehouse, fitted for its 'Night At' competition with Airbnb. The Gravity Bar at Guinness Storehouse, fitted for its 'Night At' competition with Airbnb. Guinness Storehouse living room space, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. Guinness Storehouse living space, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. Guinness Storehouse pool table, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. Guinness Storehouse Brewing experience Guinness Gates, Dublin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guinness Storehouse, fitted for its 'Night At' competition with Airbnb. The competition closes on March 22, and the prize can be redeemed on Monday, April 24 only (full terms and conditions are online). Airbnb's 'Night At' competitions have been hugely popular as publicity stunts, offering winners everything from a night at Dracula's Castle in Transylvania to an evening sleeping with the sharks at Aquarium de Paris. The Guinness getaway is Ireland's first ever 'Night At' wheeze - and it kicks off with a Beer Specialist handing over the keys to the Storehouse. From there, the winner and their guest will experience life beyond the gates with rare, behind-the-scenes access to the legendary brewery. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Guinness Storehouse living room space, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. The Gravity Bar at Guinness Storehouse, fitted for its 'Night At' competition with Airbnb. Guinness Storehouse, fitted for its 'Night At' competition with Airbnb. Guinness Storehouse living space, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. Guinness Storehouse pool table, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. Guinness Storehouse Brewing experience Guinness Gates, Dublin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guinness Storehouse living room space, installed as part of Airbnb's 'Night At' competition. The winners will enjoy a full Guinness Storehouse experience with a private tour of the facility (including those hidden tunnels), topped off with a six-course dining experience prepared by Executive Chef Justin OConnor. What's on the menu? Think Irish ingredients and creative pairings like Guinness grain-fed beef rib, shitake & Korean red chilli broth, and a d essert table with Guinness chocolate mousse, white chocolate popcorn and other goodies. The following morning, winners will be treated to an Irish breakfast before meeting with Guinness Brewer, Peter Simpson, who will teach them how to create their very own Guinness brew. The lucky winner will be stepping into our founders shoes and given the keys to a legacy experience thats filled with hundreds of years of history, said Paul Carty, Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse. "Guinness is one of the most iconic beers in the world, and we are excited to open up the opportunity to live in its home for the very first time, said Aisling Hassell, Global Head of Customer Experience, Airbnb. In 2016, the Guinness Storehouse welcomed 1.65 million visitors. Read more: Premium Mary Kenny Opinion If men want to yammer on about sport, then let them it helps them connect emotionally I was travelling on a train from Dublin to Cork, and near me sat two Dublin men. Throughout the entire journey they managed to keep up a fluent dialogue about English football teams. From Aston Villa to Sheffield Wednesday, from Crystal Palace to Manchester City the conversation flowed eloquently. I was in awe at the minutiae of their knowledge and expertise. And if the topic of their discourse lacked a certain variety, it was nonetheless better than sitting in sullen silence, or glued to their phones. Dancer Loraine Barry has said coming to terms with the fact that she would not have a family was a "desperately sad" period of her life. The Dancing with the Stars judge suffered three miscarriages in her thirties and said it was very difficult to accept that being a mother was not "her destiny". The 52-year-old star opened up about her heartache in an interview with The Sunday World, in which she spoke about her relationship with dancer Luca Baricchi, who she met after her marriage to dancer Andrew Sinkinson ended in 1993. Speaking to the publication Loraine said: "From 2004 to 2010 we were always trying for a family and I sadly had three miscarriages. "Sometimes you just hear unfortunate stories, especially dancers, that they have difficulty. But I was 35-plus then and obviously it becomes a bit more difficult," she said. The star and her former partner made the decision to stop trying for a family after Loraine's third miscarriage and the dancer said she had to come to terms with the fact that motherhood wasn't going to happen for her. "At the time you do feel desperately sad about it. "But sometimes it's not on the cards, it's not my destiny to have that so therefore I moved on," she said. Expand Close Loraine said she had to come to terms with the fact that being a mother was not her "destiny". / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Loraine said she had to come to terms with the fact that being a mother was not her "destiny". While Loraine has been a shining addition to RTE's debut season of Dancing with the Stars, but the star is now based in London with her partner Peter. Speaking of her partner, Loraine said their relationship is much different than any she's ever been in before, as Peter works in finance, not dance. Video of the Day "He's got nothing to do with dancing, which is wonderful really because I've never had that before in my life. "I've always been involved with my dance partners, so to have another life outside of dancing creates great balance and that's what I feel now, that I have that great balance in my life." INM is putting together a dedicated section on Independent.ie where women and men of all ages can share their stories of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death. The section will serve as a testament to the women and men who share their stories, a memorial for the babies lost and as a resource for other people who have gone through or are going through the experience. Your stories can be anonymous or on the record and nothing will be published in any format without prior consultation with you. If you would like to be part of this and tell your story, email Yvonne Hogan at yhogan@independent.ie Ukrainian FM condemns acts of vandalism against Polish monuments near Lviv, claiming 'trail of third party' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has denounced the damage done by unidentified vandals to two memorials to the Poles who perished in the 1940s in the Lviv region. "I condemn another acts of vandalism against Polish monuments in the Lviv region," Klimkin posted on his Twitter account on Sunday. Furthermore, he said that both acts of vandalism have "a well-known hand of the third party, to which we are jointly giving a resolute rebuff." Unidentified attackers have vandalized two memorials to perished Poles in the Lviv region over the past few days, the Ukrainian National Police main directorate's communications department in the Lviv region told Interfax earlier on Sunday. Unidentified assailants have poured red paint on the monument to the Lviv Polytechnic National University professors, who have been executed by the Nazi troops in the summer of 1941, and have written an insulting inscription on the monument on March 10, the police said. The similar incident has occurred in the populated locality of Pidkamin, Brody district, a day later, when red paint was poured on the tomb monuments to the Poles, who perished in March 1944. "The investigators have classified offenders' actions as hooliganism [...] The law enforcement agencies are undertaking measures to establish wrongdoers implicated in the perpetration of misdemeanors. Investigative actions are underway," the Lviv regional police communications department said in a statement. The main regional police department recalled that the penalty under part 1 Article 296 (hooliganism) of the Ukrainian Penal Code is a fine from 500 to 1,000 non-taxed minimum incomes of citizens or an arrest for the term of up to six months, or limitation of freedom of up to five years. "Both monuments have already been cleared; no damage has been discovered on them," it also said. Children review manuals distributed by Unicef-supported volunteers on the risks of unexploded remnants of war, in east Aleppo, Syria (Khudr Al-Issa/Unicef via AP) Last year was the worst yet for Syria's rising generation, with at least 652 children killed in 2016, the United Nations' child relief agency has said. There was no let-up in attacks on schools, hospitals, playgrounds, parks and homes as the Syrian government, its opponents and the allies of both sides showed callous disregard for the laws of war. At least 255 children were killed in or near schools last year and 1.7 million youngsters are out of school, Unicef said. One of every three schools in Syria is unusable, some because armed groups occupy them, while a n additional 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East. The figures came in a Unicef report released ahead of the sixth anniversary later this week of the 2011 popular uprising against President Bashar Assad's rule. The uprising, which was part of the Arab Spring movements across the Middle East, quickly escalated into full-blown civil war. Children were among the first victims of the government's brutal crackdown. On March 15 2011, a small demonstration broke out in the capital Damascus and three days later, residents in the southern Syrian city of Daraa marched to demand the release of teenage students arrested for writing anti-government slogans on their school's walls. They were tortured in detention. The Unicef report warns that for Syria's young generation, coping mechanisms and medical care are eroding quickly, driving children into child labour, early marriage and combat. Dozens of children are also dying from preventable diseases. A report released a week ago by the international charity Save the Children said Syrian youngsters are showing signs of "toxic stress" that can lead to lifelong health problems, struggles with addiction and mental disorders lasting into adulthood. The use of child soldiers is on the rise in Syria, Unicef also said. At least 851 children were recruited by armed factions last year - more than twice compared with the year before. Children across the country are at risk of severe injury while playing around land mines and cluster munitions. De-mining operations in opposition-held areas have been severely hampered by inaccessibility to outside experts. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council said that as the sixth year of Syria's conflict nears its end, 13.5 million people remain in need of aid in dire and deteriorating conditions. Half as many are displaced in their own country, with almost five million refugees in neighbouring countries where conditions keep getting increasingly desperate. "Over the last year in Syria, all parties involved have blocked vital aid supplies and millions have become poorer, hungrier and more isolated from assistance and from the world," said the NRC's Middle East director, Carsten Hansen. "We join the rest of the international humanitarian community on this milestone of shame to voice outrage at the plight of millions of civilians living in a downward spiral of despair," the organisation added. It said parties to the conflict continue using siege and starvation as a weapon of war. Around five million people remain trapped in areas of active fighting, including almost one million in besieged areas who have no access to sustained humanitarian assistance. AP At least 46 people have been killed after a mountain of rubbish gave way at a massive dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital. Addis Ababa city spokeswoman Dagmawit Moges said most of the 46 dead were women and children, and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours. It was not immediately clear what caused Saturday night's collapse at the Koshe Garbage Landfill, which buried several makeshift homes and concrete buildings. The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capital's rubbish for more than 50 years. About 150 people were there when the landslide occurred, resident Assefa Teklemahimanot said. Addis Ababa mayor Diriba Kuma said 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medical treatment. Many people at the landfill had been scavenging items to make a living but others live there because renting homes, largely built of mud and sticks, is inexpensive. "My house was right inside there," said a shaken Tebeju Asres, pointing to where one of the excavators was digging in deep, black mud. "My mother and three of my sisters were there when the landslide happened. I don't know the fate of all of them." The resumption of garbage dumping at the site in recent months probably caused the landslide, Ms Teklemahimanot said. The dumping had stopped in recent years but it resumed after farmers blocked dumping at a new landfill in their area. He has blamed the row over remarks as mischievous misreporting. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has clarified his position on Scottish independence after claiming a row over remarks he made on the issue was sparked by mischievous misreporting. He faced criticism for saying, during an interview with the Press Association on Saturday, that if a second referendum is held then it is absolutely fine. Heres the interview in question: Speaking at the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Monday, Corbyn then accused the media of misreporting. Heres how it went down: Presenter Nick Robinson: Many people say the policy has been unclear, and they say its particularly unclear on Scotland, with the First Minister of Scotland due to make a speech in a couple of hours time with some speculation she may even call there and then for a new referendum on independence, Im not clear, is Labour policy in favour of this referendum or against it? Corbyn: No, were not in favour of a referendum. Robinson: So why did you say it was absolutely fine in Glasgow, it should be held? Corbyn: There was a bit of mischievous misreporting going on there. I did an interview during an economic development conference in Scotland hosted by the Labour Party and we were looking at economic development in Scotland. One thing is very, very clear, an economic strategy for Scotland based on oil prices doesnt work. Meanwhile, the internet has been expressing its views on the matter: Later a spokesman for Corbyn said: Jeremy was not referring to the Press Association, which provides a good service, in his Today interview. He was talking about other outlets, which presented what he said out of context. Labour and Jeremys position is clear; we oppose a second referendum, and will do so in the proper place, the Scottish Parliament. The absolutely fine comment referred to a referendum agreed by the Scottish Parliament. Jeremy and Labour do not want a second referendum but believe it would be wrong for Westminster to block it. The First Minister believes Scotland being taken out of the EU is grounds for a new poll. Plans to trigger another referendum on independence have been announced by Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Hang on. Didnt Scots just have a referendum on independence in 2014? Scots voted by 55% to 45% to stay part of the UK in September 2014. Despite that vote, the issue is far from resolved. Following the referendum, the SNP saw a massive surge in membership, with the nationalists now the third biggest political party in the UK. More evidence of the partys popularity came in the 2015 general election when they won all but three of the 59 seats up for grabs north of the border. In 2016 the party won a third term in power at Holyrood, although Nicola Sturgeon lost the overall majority her predecessor Alex Salmond had won in 2011. However, the SNP manifesto for the May 2016 Scottish elections stated: We believe that the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold another referendum if there is clear and sustained evidence that independence has become the preferred option of a majority of the Scottish people or if there is a significant and material change in the circumstances that prevailed in 2014, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will. Just weeks after the Scottish Parliament elections, the European Union referendum saw 62% of Scots vote to remain while the UK as a whole voted to leave the very situation outlined in the SNP manifesto. Within hours of the result being known, Sturgeon warned that a second independence referendum was highly likely. So when would a second referendum be held? It is not clear when another ballot would take place and the timing would most likely have to be the subject of agreement between the Scottish and UK Governments, in a similar way to the Edinburgh Agreement, which outlined how the 2014 referendum would be held. Sturgeon has already indicated that the autumn of 2018 could be a common sense time for a referendum, but there has been speculation that Downing Street may attempt to delay another vote until after Britain has exited the EU. Would the legislation for a second independence referendum be passed by Holyrood? And what about Westminster? While the SNP lost its majority in 2016, winning 63 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, the pro-independence Scottish Green Party increased its tally of MSPs from two to six, meaning there is a majority of MSPs in Holyrood who support independence. The Scottish Government has already carried out a consultation on a draft Referendum Bill, which sets out how a second vote on independence could be held. Prime Minister Theresa May has not yet said if the Conservatives would seek to prevent a referendum from being held, by voting against a Section 30 order to transfer the necessary legal power for the ballot. Instead, the Tories say simply that a second referendum should not be held. However, a number of senior politicians at Westminster, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have said Westminster should not seek to block a fresh vote on independence. If Scots vote to stay part of the UK again, would Nicola Sturgeon have to resign? Within hours of the result of the 2014 referendum result being known, Sturgeons predecessor, Alex Salmond, had announced he would be stepping down as both SNP leader and Scotlands first minister. While it seems certain that a second vote against independence would mean there could not be another such ballot for a considerable period of time, it is not certain that Sturgeon would have to step down. Politics expert Professor James Mitchell, of Edinburgh University, told the Press Association: Its not as certain as some imagine that she (Sturgeon) would go, that would depend on how she handles defeat. I think she could get away with staying on in a way he (Salmond) could not have. He argued that Salmond had been SNP leader for 20 years over two spells each lasting a decade whereas Sturgeon has, in comparison, been head of the party for less than three years, taking over the role in November 2014. In addition, Prof Mitchell said there was no obvious successor to Sturgeon waiting in the wings in the party. He said: Theres no rule she would have to go; for all sorts of reasons I dont think it would be certain. Steve King showed his support for the far-right Dutch parliamentary candidate. As people in the Netherlands prepare to head to the polls, an American politician has shown his support for far-right candidate Geert Wilders and his tweet has created some controversy. Republican representative to Iowa Steve King linked to this tweet from the Voice of Europe Twitter account, showing a cartoon of Wilders. Wilders is a controversial character on the world stage, with some of his proposed policies including banning migration from Muslim countries and closing all Dutch mosques. Last month Wilders blamed Moroccan scum for street crime in the Netherlands, saying he wants to make the country ours again. Many people were quick to condemn Kings tweet. Matters werent helped by the fact that the former leader of the KKK, David Duke, tweeted his support of King. Indicative of a bitterly divided America, not everyone was outraged by Kings remarks. This is not the first time King has shown his support for the rise of far-right politicians in Europe. He has previously met with French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. It is also by no means the first time that King has been accused of xenophobia. Last year, King came under fire for suggesting that white people had made the most contributions to civilisation: Id ask you to go back through history and figure out where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people that you are talking about? Where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilisation? He later said he meant to say Western civilisation rather than white people. Kings record shows him to be staunchly anti-immigration. In 2013 he again courted controversy by saying to conservative site Newsmax: For everyone whos a valedictorian, theres another hundred out there who weigh 130 pounds and theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyre hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. The Hindu festival welcomes spring with a bang. As festivals go, Holi is definitely the most Instagram-worthy, thanks to the tradition of participants throwing brightly coloured paint on each other. But Holi is so much more than just being aesthetically pleasing. A traditional Hindu festival with its roots in India, it celebrates the beginning of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Holi officially takes place today, but celebrations have already been kicking off all over the world. Traditionally, four colours are used in the Holi festival. Red symbolises love, blue is for the Hindu god Krishna (whose skin was dark blue), yellow is the colour of turmeric and green means new beginnings. If you thought the festival couldnt get any messier, its also tradition for water guns to be sprayed everywhere. This is probably why London holds its Holi festival during the summer month of July. But thats more than enough background for now, heres what we all really want to see: the amazing photos of revellers enjoying the festival. The festival is also becoming more inclusive: Hindu widows were once forbidden to participate, expected to live their days in quiet worship dressed only in white. However, now widows like these ones are well and truly getting involved. And sure it looks pretty but can you even imagine the clean-up youd have to do afterwards?! But we dont know about you, we cant think of a better way to welcome spring. Seriously he never did this at Old Trafford. Youd be hard pressed to describe Memphis Depays spell at Manchester United as a success. So some United fans may be surprised to discover their former forward scored an absolute worldy for Lyon yesterday. The goal was the fourth in Lyons 4-0 trouncing of Toulouse in Ligue 1, and never has the description the icing on the cake been more appropriate. The goal has, obviously, been compared with David Beckhams famous halfway-line effort against Wimbledon, but it grabbed the attention of another United legend, and former team-mate of Depays at Old Trafford. With Morgan Schneiderlin also on the scoresheet for Everton this weekend, it was not lost on United fans that the goal came with United themselves in the midst of a striker crisis. They dont have a single recognised forward available for tonights FA Cup game against Chelsea. Some United fans noted that Depay, who was a big-money signing for the club back in 2015 but was sold to Lyon this January, never seemed to play like that when he was at Old Trafford. This gag got plenty of outings. Mostly though, people were pretty chuffed for him. Seriously though. What a goal. In connection with the increased threat of terrorist attacks on infrastructure facilities in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) area in recent days, security measures have been strengthened, the press center of the ATO headquarters has said. "Over the past few days, the threat of terrorist attacks on the territory of the infrastructure facilities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions has significantly increased, including attempts of the enemy's sabotage-reconnaissance group to penetrate into the territory controlled by Ukraine." Taking this into account, the ATO headquarters and forces of all antiterrorist operations of the SBU, National Guard, National Police, State Border Guard Service, State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine conduct counter-diversion measures as a result of which additional restrictions were introduced and filtration measures were strengthened," the official ATO website said on Facebook. In particular, the units of the National Police have been transferred to an enhanced mode of service, additional checks of citizens are conducted at the check points and in places of significant congestion. "We emphasize that such measures are of a temporary nature and are aimed exclusively at ensuring the safety of civilians." The headquarters of the ATO asks citizens to understand the temporary restrictions," a message says. Taoiseach Enda Kenny (centre) takes part in the annual St Patrick's Day parade in Philadelphia, as part of his US visit (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Kenny said a detailed government options paper would be published later this month. The Irish government is to press ahead with a referendum on extending presidential voting rights to citizens living outside the State, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has confirmed. At the start of his annual St Patricks trip to the United States, Mr Kenny outlined plans for a public vote on what was a key recommendation made by members of a constitutional convention four years ago. If the change to the Constitution is approved, voting rights would be extended to Irish citizens worldwide, perhaps most notably those living in Northern Ireland. The referendum is unlikely to be held in time to affect next years presidential election. Any changes would therefore come into operation for the 2025 vote. In a speech at an Irish Famine memorial in Philadelphia, Mr Kenny said a detailed government options paper would be published later this month. Todays announcement is a profound recognition of the importance that Ireland attaches to all of our citizens, wherever they may be, he said. It is an opportunity for us to make our country stronger by allowing all of our citizens resident outside the State, including our emigrants, to vote in future presidential elections. I am especially pleased to be making this announcement as we prepare for our worldwide celebration of St Patricks Day and of all that is Irish. Earlier, Mr Kenny took part in a colourful St Patricks parade in Philadelphia. The Taoiseach is on his final major foreign tour before he is due to announce his retirement plans. The Convention On The Constitution brings together Irish citizens and parliamentarians to debate potential changes to the States legal framework and make recommendations to government. The forum previously recommended the introduction of gay marriage a move that was endorsed in a historic referendum. Mr Kenny said extending the franchise in presidential elections gave rise to a range of legal, policy and practical issues. He said in order to have an informed public debate, the forthcoming government paper would set out the range of options available to give effect to the conventions recommendation. On Saturday night, in his first engagement stateside, Mr Kenny vowed to press President Donald Trump to help the countrys thousands of undocumented Irish. Highlighting the case of the estimated 50,000 Irish who reside in the United States illegally, the Taoiseach said those living in the shadows harboured a strong desire to remain and continue to contribute to society. Addressing an Irish American dinner in Philadelphia, the Fine Gael leader said the plight of the undocumented would be an absolute priority in his planned engagements with the administration in Washington. During his speech at the 246th annual Friendly Sons Of St Patrick event, the Taoiseach also expressed hope that Irelands economic links with the US would be strengthened, not weakened, under the new president. With such worldwide focus on Mr Trumps controversial immigration policies, Mr Kennys efforts to lobby the president on behalf of the undocumented Irish will draw intense scrutiny in the coming week. Mr Kenny said holding a referendum on the issue in 2018 was a realistic possibility. He said he envisaged overseas citizens being able to vote online. Turkey has announced a series of political sanctions against the Netherlands over its refusal to allow two Turkish ministers to campaign there. The sanctions include halting high-level political discussions between the two countries and closing Turkish air space to Dutch diplomats. Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said the sanctions would apply until the Netherlands takes steps "to redress" the actions Ankara sees as a grave insult. "There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didn't create this crisis or bring it to this stage," he said. "Those who did have to take steps to redress the situation." Other sanctions bar the Dutch ambassador entry back into Turkey and advise parliament to withdraw from a Dutch-Turkish friendship group The announcement came hours after Turkey's foreign ministry formally protested over the treatment of a minister who was prevented from entering a consulate in the Netherlands and escorted out of the country after trying to attend a political rally. The ministry also objected to what it called a "disproportionate" use of force against demonstrators at a protest afterwards. Separately, Turkey's foreign minister was denied permission to land to address the same rally in Rotterdam. The dispute is over the Netherlands' refusal to allow Turkish officials to campaign there to drum up support among Turks who are eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum that would greatly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. About 400,000 people with ties to Turkey live in the Netherlands, although it is not clear how many are eligible to vote. Mr Erdogan said the two cabinet ministers - foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and family affairs minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, would ask the European human rights court to weigh in on their treatment. He vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming "Nazism is alive in the West". Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the Netherlands in the diplomatic fight, as Nato's chief called for alliance members to respect each other and the European Union urged Turkey to calm down. Turkey had a similar dispute with Germany last week, but the fight with the Netherlands comes as the Dutch prepare for an election on Wednesday pitting prime minister Mark Rutte's right-wing PVV Party against far-right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders' party. Mrs Merkel pledged her "full support and solidarity" to the Dutch, saying the Nazi gibes were "completely unacceptable". Mr Erdogan responded angrily. "Shame on you!" he exclaimed during an interview with A Haber television. He renewed accusations that Germany supported "terrorists" battling Turkey and that it backed the "no" campaign in the Turkish referendum, arguing that Berlin did not want to see a strong Turkey. "Some of the European Union countries - let's not put all of them in the same sack - unfortunately cannot stomach Turkey's rise," he said. "Sadly, Germany tops the list. Germany supports terror in a cruel way." He advised Turks living in Europe not to vote for parties that he described as "enemies of Turkey". Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg urged all members of the alliance "to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach". The European Union called on Turkey to "refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation". Spokesman Margaritis Schinas added that it was essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm the situation. In a television interview, Mr Erdogan repeated slurs against the Netherlands, saying: "Their Vienna Convention is their fascism. Their Nazism. We can say neo-Nazism." He was referring to a 1961 international treaty on diplomatic relations. Turkey is a candidate to join the European Union, although the membership negotiations have made little progress over the past decade. The country has become a vital partner in a deal with the EU to curb the passage of migrants and refugees from Turkey into Europe. The Dutch have issued a travel advisory to their citizens to "be alert and avoid gatherings and busy places throughout Turkey". AP Amar Atwal, 12, who was killed in an accident while not wearing a seat belt Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Wire A mother whose 12-year-old son was killed in an accident while not wearing a seat belt is to join traffic police at a roadside checkpoint as part of a week-long awareness campaign. Sukhi Atwal will speak to drivers and passengers to help West Midlands Police hammer home the potentially tragic consequences of failing to use a seat belt. Expand Close CCTV still issued by West Midlands Police of the accident Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp CCTV still issued by West Midlands Police of the accident Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Wire Mrs Atwal's son Amar was a rear seat passenger in a relative's Mitsubishi Outlander when he was killed in May 2015. The driver of a taxi which overshot a junction in West Bromwich, ploughing into the side of the Mitsubishi, was jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving. Mrs Atwal - whose son suffered head injuries after being thrown from the Mitsubishi - is also visiting schools during an international seat belt campaign running until Friday. She is being joined by West Midlands Police special constable Clive Broadhurst, who campaigns on seat belt safety by visiting schools across the region. Expand Close Amar Atwal, 12, with his mother Sukhi Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amar Atwal, 12, with his mother Sukhi Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Wire Mrs Atwal, from Great Barr, said: "We will never get over the loss of Amar. "He was such a bright, intelligent, fun-loving boy. He was an innocent victim of the crash and there is now a huge hole which can never be filled in our lives. "Wearing a seat belt could have saved his life ... at the very least it would have given him a better chance of survival. "We can never get Amar back, but I just hope by encouraging both young and old to try and be as safe as possible, they won't have to go through the heartbreak we have." Mr Broadhurst, who has produced an educational video featuring images of Amar for use in schools, praised the courage of Mrs Atwal in trying to prevent further deaths. The officer said: "It has been the law for more than 30 years to wear a seat belt and only takes a few seconds to buckle up - but it is still surprising the amount of people who don't. "It is very brave of Sukhi to share her experience and hopefully it will hit home how wearing a seat belt can make a difference." In two similar week-long campaigns across the UK last year more than 7,600 offences were reported. Research has shown wearing a seat belt reduces the chances of being killed in a car crash by 50pc. Undated handout CCTV still issued by West Midlands Police of Margaret Johnson (right) - dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham - stealing from a handbag at an Aldi store in Castle Bromwich.Photo: West Midlands Police/PA Wire A woman dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham has been jailed after racking up her 153rd offence. Margaret Johnson (40) was caught stealing from a handbag at Lidl in Tile Cross just six days after being released from prison in January this year. Police said she took a mobile phone from another shopper in Asda in Chelmsley Wood less than an hour later. Other victims of Johnson include women aged 80 and 84 and a 76-year-old woman who was shopping in Lidl in Tile Cross with her grandson who has Down's syndrome, police said. Expand Close Margaret Johnson- dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham. Photo: West Midlands Police/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Margaret Johnson- dubbed the Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham. Photo: West Midlands Police/PA Wire Officers said she has "stooped to new lows" as she was handed a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence after pleading guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to thefts. Birmingham Police Sergeant Julia Slater said: "It's hard to find words to describe Margaret Johnson. She is someone who thinks absolutely nothing about preying on the most vulnerable people in society and stealing money from them that they can ill-afford to lose. "She deliberately targets elderly, lone female shoppers - people she considers easy targets - and when an opportunity arises she slyly swipes their bags or slips purses or mobile phones from pockets. "Even by her own despicable standards she has stooped to new lows with these offences." Johnson was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order, banning her from large parts of Birmingham city centre and from stores including Poundland, Clarks, Iceland and Asda across the whole of the West Midlands. She was previously given a 43-week prison sentence in 2015 for thefts including one against a 90-year-old woman at Poundland in Sutton Coldfield four days after being released from an earlier jail sentence, police said. Francois Fillon, whose bid for the French presidency was derailed by a fake jobs scandal, is facing further embarrassment after claims that a mystery benefactor paid for nearly 50,000 worth of suits for him in a chic Left Bank shop. Over the past five years the conservative candidate has received clothes worth 48,500 from Arnys, a made-to-measure clothing outlet for the rich and famous, the 'Journal du Dimanche' claimed. Of that amount, 35,500 was paid in cash, with a young woman usually bringing the money to the store on Rue de Sevres, the weekly newspaper alleged. But two suits bought in February - shortly after the scandal broke over the allegedly fake but very well-paid jobs Mr Fillon arranged for his British wife - were paid for by cheque. "I paid at the request of Francois Fillon," the person who signed the cheque told the newspaper. "By the way, without receiving the slightest thanks since then," added the benefactor, who was not identified. A source in Mr Fillon's election campaign team said the candidate had indeed accepted 12,000 worth of suits this year, but insisted that there was "nothing reprehensible" about it. "We wonder how far these malicious intrusions into his private life will go," the source said, dismissing as "absurd" the 'Journal du Dimanche' claim that a series of cash payments was made to pay Arnys for the 63-year-old ex-prime minister's clothes. "No serious store would accept cash payments in such amounts," he said. Mr Fillon, who for weeks was the frontrunner in the presidential election race but has now fallen back to third place after the fake jobs scandal, has not responded to the newspaper's allegations. But his spokesman Luc Chatel denounced what he called a "gutter campaign" against the candidate, who polls say is trailing behind independent centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. "Are they going to check whether his grandmother had a Russian loan, and if he declared it in his assets statement?" Mr Chatel said in an interview with Europe 1 radio station. Mr Fillon is expected to be formally charged over the alleged embezzlement relating to his wife's job as a parliamentary assistant. Meanwhile, Mr Fillon's party has apologised for tweeting a caricature of Mr Macron that Mr Fillon himself admitted was anti-Semitic. Mr Fillon's Republicains tweeted an image of Mr Macron with a hooked nose, wearing a top hat and carrying a red sickle with which he was cutting a cigar. It resembled anti-Semitic propaganda from WWII. Mr Macron is not Jewish but the cartoon appeared to refer to his past as a Rothschild investment banker. ( Daily Telegraph London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] The case of Roman Nasirov, suspended from the duties of the head of the State Fiscal Service, will not be quick. The investigation will be prolonged for at least four months, one of Nasirov's lawyers, Ihor Cherezov, said on the Inter TV channel on Sunday evening. "It's hard to say when the case will be made final, I think that its investigation will be continued for at least up to four months, at least, with regard to Nasirov himself. We [the lawyers] were given a sufficiently large package of documents to be looked into and submit our counterarguments. The defense had only three days before and during the trial, therefore, we will be preparing for the defense," he said. Cherezov noted that the issue of a bailing is not being considered now. In addition, he noted that the requirements of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office on the bail of $ two billion are not justified neither legally nor economically." As reported, on March 10, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine (SAPO) appealed the decision of the Kyiv Solomyansky Court on choosing a preventive measure for Roman Nasirov, head of the State Fiscal Service (SFS), temporarily suspended for the period of investigation, in the form of custody with a bail of UAH 100 million. As reported, on March 7, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv chose a pretrial restriction for the suspended chief of the State Fiscal Service, Roman Nasirov, in the form of arrest for 60 days and levied a bail of UAH 100 million. At the same time, SAPO asked the court to appoint a bail in the amount of UAH 2 billion to Nasirov. 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). Riot police clash with demonstrators in the streets near the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam in the early hours of yesterday. Photo: Reuters/Dylan Martinez In a growing rift with Europe, the Turkish president yesterday declared "Nazism is alive in the West" after a row over a banned rally in the Netherlands escalated into a diplomatic crisis. Recep Tayyip Erdogan swore to make the "fascist" Dutch government "pay the price" after it denied Turkey's foreign minister permission to fly in to attend a meeting aimed at drumming up "yes" votes for an upcoming referendum. When Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, the country's family and social policies minister, came over from Germany to go instead, she was barred from the Turkish consulate and escorted back to the German border. "I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. "Nazism is alive in the West," Mr Erdogan said. A protest of several hundred people waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam turned violent and was dispersed by police using dogs, water cannon and horses. In Istanbul, a protester climbed the roof of the Dutch consulate and replaced the Netherlands flag with the Turkish one. Rallies in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden for the Turkish referendum in April, which could grant Mr Erdogan sweeping powers, have also hit stumbling blocks in recent weeks. Denmark yesterday asked the Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a planned visit because of the tensions. Far-right politicians across Europe, including Marine Le Pen in France and Geert Wilders, who hopes to become the Dutch prime minister in elections on Wednesday, have seized on the row. Mr Wilders has called for several weeks for the Rotterdam rally to be cancelled, and gleefully took credit for the decision. "We have a fifth column in the Netherlands and it should disappear. If your loyalty lies elsewhere, then bugger off," he said yesterday. After a similar rally went ahead in the French city of Metz yesterday, Ms Le Pen, leader of Front National, said: "Why should we tolerate on our soil comments that other democracies refuse? No Turkish electoral campaign in France." Francois Fillon, the Conservative candidate, accused President Francois Hollande of breaking "in a flagrant manner with European solidarity" by letting the meeting take place. Mr Erdogan, bolstered by nationalist rhetoric in his referendum campaign at home, first took up the Nazi comparisons earlier this month after German authorities cancelled a political rally after months of bickering with European governments. Yesterday, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the row made it difficult to continue working with Turkey, a key Nato ally and partner in tackling the European migrant crisis. Boris Johnson, the UK foreign secretary, called the dispute "regrettable". But Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told supporters at the rally in Metz an apology was not enough. The Dutch ambassador to Turkey, who is out of the country, has already been told he should not come back "for some time", but Mr Cavusoglu said Ankara had "other steps in mind". Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, dismissed the idea of him apologising as "bizarre". The Dutch head to the polls after months of divisive campaigning - led by Mr Wilders - that has focused on issues of immigration, integration and identity in a nation with a reputation as a bastion of tolerance. Mr Wilders and his PVV party are predicted to either beat or tie with Mr Rutte's incumbent VVD party. Kees Elenbaas, of think tank Clingendael, said political pressure on Mr Rutte from Mr Wilders had a big part to play in the weekend's events. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Mr Kenny will lobby on behalf of the 50,000 undocumented Irish when he meets President Trump in Washington on Thursday. Any future pathway to securing citizenship for the thousands of undocumented Irish living in the United States should also be offered to other illegal immigrants, Enda Kenny has urged. The Irish Taoiseach acknowledged the administration in Washington should not pick and choose in regard to which nationalities living in the US without permission could secure clarity around their status. His comments came after meeting Boston mayor Marty Walsh. The gaelic-speaking Irish American mayor said he was very proud of his heritage but rejected any suggestion that the Irish undocumented could be treated as a special case. Mr Kenny will lobby on behalf of the 50,000 undocumented Irish when he meets President Trump in Washington on Thursday. The Taoiseach, who is on his annual St Patricks trip to the US, said he would like to see any potential accommodation extended to other immigrants. Clearly we have some concerns and anxieties about those who are undocumented here and we want to work with the administration in a way to deal with that, not just in the case of Ireland but also in the case of some of the others. Because its not a case of picking and choosing. While we might like to think we can sort out our own problem of 50,000 undocumented, there are 11 million people in the United states who have not the required paperwork and documentation. With such worldwide focus on Mr Trumps controversial immigration policies, Mr Kennys efforts to raise the undocumented Irish will draw intense scrutiny. As part of his crackdown, the president has taken steps against sanctuary cities in the US, where local authorities refuse to implement federal immigration policies. Boston is one such city. Mr Walsh has been highly critical of the new administrations stance on immigration. Hopefully the Taoiseach will be able to help a little bit here and be able to say and have a conversation with the president and the administration and the leadership of the Republican party about how do we come up with a solution, rather than accusing folks of being illegal or being criminal, he said. I cant stand here today and say I feel comfortable with where we are as a country. Hopefully at some point we will be able to move to that point, but not today. Protesters demonstrate in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City (AP) The death toll in a fire at a Guatemalan children's shelter has risen to 40 with the announcement that another girl had died of burns. The death was announced by Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala's capital. Nineteen of the adolescents perished at the scene of Wednesday's inferno and 21 others have died in local hospitals. The fire began when mattresses were set ablaze during a protest by residents at the overcrowded youth shelter. Another victim, 14-year-old Ana Roselia Perez Junay, was buried on Sunday as authorities were still searching for answers in the disaster that has put a spotlight on failings in Guatemala's child protective services. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Protesters gather in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City (Moises Castillo/AP) People carry the coffin containing the remains of 14-year-old Madelyn Patricia Hernandez Hernandez, a girl who died in a fire at the Virgin of the Assumption Safe Home, at the Guatemala City's cemetery (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters gather in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City (Moises Castillo/AP) Prosecutors' spokeswoman Julia Barrera has said that the head of the country's protective services agency was ordered not to leave Guatemala while investigations continue. Four of the burn victims were flown to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston, Texas, on Saturday. The office of President Jimmy Morales said the Shriners Hospitals had arranged for their transfer. Malaysia has said it will give relatives of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half brother two to three weeks to claim his body before deciding its fate. The country's government says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport last month. North Korea rejects the findings and has demanded the body be returned. Pyongyang has also refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Mr Kim was carrying when he was attacked. On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam referred to the same person. Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said Malaysia now hopes Mr Kim's family members will claim the body. He said: "Now with the positive identification of the body, we are told that he had a wife or wives and children. "So we hope that those people will respond and come forward to claim the body. In the absence of that, then we will address it as a government... in trying to find how we are going to take the next step." "I think after identification, we'll give ourselves about two to three weeks to solve the problem," he said. The body is being kept at a morgue at a Kuala Lumpur hospital. Since Kim's death, relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated, with each expelling the other's ambassador. Last Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a "fair settlement" of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil. Both countries have also scrapped visa-free travel for each other's citizens. Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Mr Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons. Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Mr Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Mr Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank. AP An Iraqi displaced woman who fled her home carries her child in the village of Badush, northwest of Mosul. Photo: Reuters The remains of hundreds of mainly Shi'ite inmates killed by Isil militants when they overran a prison in northern Iraq more than two years ago have been unearthed by forces retaking the area from the group, a spokesman said. An Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary group made the discovery after driving the militants from the Badush area where the prison is located, as part of a wider US-backed campaign to dislodge Isil from the city of Mosul. As an array of forces dismantle Isil's self-proclaimed caliphate across Iraq and Syria, more evidence is emerging of the war crimes committed by the Sunni militants, who targeted Shi'ite Muslims and religious minorities. "Initial checks of part of the mass grave revealed remains with prison uniforms and lined up in a way that indicates they were shot dead in groups," said Karim Nouri, spokesman for the Hashid Shaabi, a state-run umbrella for Shi'ite paramilitary groups. One of those groups - the Abbas Division - is fighting alongside the regular Iraqi army, which in recent days jointly completed the encirclement of Mosul, about 10km southeast of Badush. The militants used the prison to hold their own captives including thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority, but blew it up some time before Iraqi forces drew near. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that as many as 600 people were killed in the Badush prison massacre, which took place on the same day that Isil militants captured Mosul in June 2014. The militants corralled the inmates, who had been serving sentences for a range of crimes - from murder and assaults to non-violent offences - onto trucks and drove them to an isolated stretch of desert about 2km from the prison, HRW said. There, they separated a few Sunni and Christian inmates from the rest, who were overwhelmingly Shi'ite, before forcing them to form one long line along the edge of a ravine and machine-gunning them down. The report was based on the testimony of more than a dozen men who survived by playing dead or because they were shielded by the bodies of other prisoners who fell on top of them. "We are waiting for forensic teams and human rights officials to begin unearthing the grave to uncover the whole story of how the ruthless criminal Daesh [Isil] killed them in cold blood only because they were from a certain sect," Mr Nouri said. A police officer from the largest US Indian reservation has died after being shot while responding to a domestic violence call in western New Mexico, federal officials said. Navajo Nation Officer Houston James Largo, 27, died after being critically wounded near the small town of Prewitt, said Frank A Fisher, an FBI spokesman in Albuquerque. The agency, which is investigating along with the tribe, said a suspect was in custody, but no other details were immediately released. The officer, who has five years of service, had been airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital. "We pray for the officer, his family and the police force," Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said in a statement before Mr Largo died. "Our officers put themselves in highly volatile situations every day in addressing domestic violence situations," Mr Begaye said. "Although they are highly trained, they can still be severely wounded, which unfortunately is what happened today." Mr Begaye said the tribe recently upgraded equipment and protective devices for its police department. He said New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez had called him and offered her assistance. "I appreciate her call and willingness to help," Mr Begaye said. The New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff's Office were also assisting with the investigation. The Navajo Nation covers 27,425 square miles in portions of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The next extension of the EU's restrictive measures in connection with the situation in Ukraine is expected in the very near future, a diplomatic source in the EU institutions told Interfax in Brussels on Monday. "This decision is made on a written procedure and can be held in the very near future," the source said. On the remark that there is no such item on the announced agenda of the meetings of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU countries on March 15 (Coreper), the source replied, "We presume that the decision is expected even before the meeting on March 15. There is a possibility that it will be adopted today." The last time individual EU sanctions were extended on September 14, 2016. It was about the extension of restrictive measures against 149 physical and 37 legal entities whose assets are frozen in the European Union and who are prohibited from entering the EU countries. The 88-year-old has spent virtually all of the past six years in hospital since his detention in 2011. A Cairo prosecutor has ordered the release of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, ending nearly six years of legal proceedings against the long-ruling autocrat. Egypts official news agency said Ibrahim Saleh ordered the release on Monday after he accepted a petition by Mr Mubaraks lawyer for his freedom on the basis of time already served. Mr Mubarak, 88, was acquitted by the countrys top appeals court on March 2 of charges that he ordered the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 29-year rule. The petition argued that Mr Mubaraks three-year sentence for embezzling state funds has been served while in detention in connection with the protesters case. He has spent virtually all of the past six years in hospital since his detention in 2011. Carlos the Jackal whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez Ilich Ramirez Sanchez is accused of throwing a hand grenade into a shopping area in the French capitals Latin Quarter. The political extremist known as Carlos the Jackal has told a French court he had only one regret about his life as a professional revolutionary that he did not kill people he should have. Venezuelan-born Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, once dubbed the worlds most wanted man, appeared in court over a deadly 1974 attack at a Paris shopping arcade. He is accused of throwing a hand grenade from a mezzanine restaurant onto a shopping area in the French capitals Latin Quarter. Two people were killed and 34 injured at the Drugstore Publicis. Known worldwide as Carlos, the 67-year-old is already serving a life sentence in France for a series of murders and attacks he has been convicted of perpetrating or organising in the country on behalf of the Palestinian cause or communist revolution in the 1970s and 80s. As the trial opened on Monday, Carlos denounced it as a gross manipulation of justice 42 years after the attack. He has denied involvement and pleaded innocent. Asked to state his profession, Carlos called himself a professional revolutionary, and said Im doing fine in prison after more than 20 years behind bars. At one point, the presiding judge asked him whether he had any regrets. Yes, I have regrets, because Im kindhearted, that I did not kill people I should have killed, Carlos answered. I like people. I know what violence is. I dont like violence. I saw massacres. Recalling how he reacted when confronted with tense situations, Carlos told the court: I look at the scene and I shoot before everyone else. I have no merit, I was born like that. If convicted at the end of the new trial before a special terrorism court, he could get a third life sentence. Carlos, who was convicted of terrorism in 2011, is charged this time with multiple first-degree murders in relation with a terrorist enterprise. At the time of the 1974 attack, he was 24 years old and already had joined the organisation Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, but had not yet achieved worldwide notoriety. When police arrived at the scene of the attack, they found a devastated shopping centre with all the windows shattered, multiple bloodstains and a hole in the marble slab of the ground floor where the grenade fell. The two men who died were hit by metal chips that perforated vital organs and caused internal bleeding, according to court documents. His long-time lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, claims that none of the witnesses had described a man resembling her client, and that the whole case was trumped-up. The case took so long to go to trial because it was first dismissed for lack of evidence before being reopened when Carlos was arrested and imprisoned in France. His lawyers repeatedly argued against holding a trial, claiming the attack was too long ago and that it will not make a difference for Carlos, already in prison for life. Prosecutor Remi Crosson du Cormier argued that the trial remains relevant today. Democracy has two principal enemies totalitarianism, and terrorism, he said, suggesting that Carlos is among those who threaten democracy by their actions. Saudi Arabia's King Salman and hundreds of business leaders have arrived in Japan for talks mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, although Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. One step is the privatisation of the state-run oil company Saudi Aramco. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a 25 billion dollar (20.5 billion) private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen (15 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen (3.9 billion). The delegation arrived late on Sunday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Salman's stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialisation and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged 1 billion dollars (821 million) in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. AP A group of Turks protest outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul The sanctions include halting high-level political discussions between the two countries and closing Turkish air space to Dutch diplomats. Turkey has announced a series of political sanctions against the Netherlands over its refusal to allow two Turkish ministers to campaign there. The sanctions include halting high-level political discussions between the two countries and closing Turkish air space to Dutch diplomats. Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said the sanctions would apply until the Netherlands takes steps to redress the actions Ankara sees as a grave insult. There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didnt create this crisis or bring it to this stage, he said. Those who did have to take steps to redress the situation. Other sanctions bar the Dutch ambassador entry back into Turkey and advise parliament to withdraw from a Dutch-Turkish friendship group The announcement came hours after Turkeys foreign ministry formally protested over the treatment of a minister who was prevented from entering a consulate in the Netherlands and escorted out of the country after trying to attend a political rally. The ministry also objected to what it called a disproportionate use of force against demonstrators at a protest afterwards. Separately, Turkeys foreign minister was denied permission to land to address the same rally in Rotterdam. The dispute is over the Netherlands refusal to allow Turkish officials to campaign there to drum up support among Turks who are eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum that would greatly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. About 400,000 people with ties to Turkey live in the Netherlands, although it is not clear how many are eligible to vote. Mr Erdogan said the two cabinet ministers foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and family affairs minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, would ask the European human rights court to weigh in on their treatment. He vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming Nazism is alive in the West. Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the Netherlands in the diplomatic fight, as Natos chief called for alliance members to respect each other and the European Union urged Turkey to calm down. Turkey had a similar dispute with Germany last week, but the fight with the Netherlands comes as the Dutch prepare for an election on Wednesday pitting prime minister Mark Ruttes right-wing PVV Party against far-right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders party. Mrs Merkel pledged her full support and solidarity to the Dutch, saying the Nazi gibes were completely unacceptable. Mr Erdogan responded angrily. Shame on you! he exclaimed during an interview with A Haber television. He renewed accusations that Germany supported terrorists battling Turkey and that it backed the no campaign in the Turkish referendum, arguing that Berlin did not want to see a strong Turkey. Some of the European Union countries lets not put all of them in the same sack unfortunately cannot stomach Turkeys rise, he said. Sadly, Germany tops the list. Germany supports terror in a cruel way. He advised Turks living in Europe not to vote for parties that he described as enemies of Turkey. Jiyeon Lee, a South Korean expat, doesn't serve Korean barbecue at her Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta. She and her husband, the Texas-born Cody Taylor, serve American barbecue with Korean touches. Example: pungent gochujang-marinated pork, smoked over oak and hickory wood and served as a sandwich crowned with kimchi coleslaw. In Austin, Miguel Vidal has mated the ingredients of his Mexican ancestry with those of his Texas upbringing at his celebrated Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ. Think house-made corn tortillas with smoked brisket, guacamole and tomato serrano salsa. Ready or not, change has come to Barbecue Country. Often viewed in black and white, the world of slow-smoked Southern barbecue is being transformed by the immigrants of contemporary America. "A lot of the cultures coming here have something they call barbecue," says Thomas W. Hanchett, retired staff historian of the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte. "They are now becoming part of the South and using this language of barbecue. What had been foreign, international traditions are becoming American traditions." Of course, from its earliest days, Southern barbecue has been a polyglot cuisine. Its origin combined Caribbean and Native American techniques of indirect smoking with European meats (pork and beef, mainly) and African-American flavorings. More than a century ago, Mexicans in California and Texas contributed a style known as barbacoa in which cow heads are roasted in a pit in the ground. Germans are generally believed to have created the mustard sauce of South Carolina. The German influence, along with Polish and Czech, is also big in Texas, where in the 1880s and 1890s those immigrants' meat markets were the ones selling barbecue, says Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn. Apparently, such culinary influences were not always appreciated. Vaughn emailed me a link to an archived copy of an 1875 front page of the Dallas Daily Herald that showed a strain of anti-immigration that persists through American life to this day. "A German sausage factory has been established in Austin," one item in a column entitled "The Herald's Compress" reads. "It may not be amiss to remind our city authorities that this is a splendid opportunity to dispose of our surplus dog crop." Objections aside, those immigrant groups affected barbecue culture all over the state. But in central Texas it became a signature barbecue style, characterized by slow-smoked beef and coarse-ground, spicy sausage. Greeks have influenced American barbecue as well, with the most famous example being Charlie Vergos, a son of immigrants. He founded the famous Memphis barbecue restaurant Charlie Vergos Rendezvous where, in the late 1950s, he concocted a spice rub for pork ribs that combined Greek herbs, such as oregano, with traditional barbecue spices. Dabbed with vinegar while cooking, the creation became known as the Memphis "dry" ribs style, so called because they're not sauced (or "wet"). In its multicultural history, stretching back before the formation of the country, barbecue might be the one true indigenous American cuisine. Curiously, barbecue is viewed as unchanging. But, from the foods we smoke to the way we smoke them, barbecue is constantly evolving. "What we think of as barbecue today would have been unrecognizable to eaters a century ago," Robert Moss, author of "Barbecue: The History of an American Institution," told First We Feast. "We don't need to redefine barbecue in America; it's already busy redefining itself, and the new flavors of immigrant communities are an important part of that evolution." Cultures around the world enjoy some kind of fire-cooking tradition. But for the most part, they're different from what we've come to expect when we walk into a Southern barbecue restaurant. Korean barbecue is thin-sliced meats grilled quickly over a direct (typically, gas) fire, while the Indian tandoor uses a clay oven, and Sichuan duck is smoked over tea leaves, then frequently fried. Southern barbecue is big meats such as beef brisket, pork shoulder and ribs slow-smoked using an indirect fire of hardwoods. Heirloom BBQ Market, opened in 2010, represents a melting-pot approach to barbecue. The brisket, for example, is injected with a Korean version of miso before bathing low and slow in smoke inside an all-wood cooker imported from Texas. Drawing on the Korean little-plates tradition of fermented and pickled vegetables, Lee, who was a pop star in South Korea, saw an opportunity. "It's a really good pairing with the heavy meat dishes, with all the pickles and vegetables," she says. "At first, it was, 'Is this a barbecue restaurant?' But people in Atlanta, it's a melting pot and very diverse, and people are open-minded about trying something new." Taylor said Heirloom experienced some initial resistance from barbecue purists but overcame it with glowing press attention. He says the idea behind what appears exotic is actually simple. "We decided to just go with what we brought from our house, ingredient-wise and feeling-wise," Taylor says. "Just be yourself. That's what barbecue is all about." While the fusion trend inhabits a small corner of the barbecue firmament, similar cultural mash-ups are occurring nationwide. At Kimchi Smoke in northern New Jersey, owner Robert Cho, a Korean-American, smokes the kimchi that tops the smoked pork, which he piles onto a flour tortilla. He calls the creation a Korean Redneck Taco. In Charlotte, the husband-and-wife team of Tim Chun and Lisa Kamura at the Seoul Food Meat Co. turn out meats marinated in Korean flavorings and served with pickled radish and sides of Sriracha cracklins, ramen mac-and-cheese and soy-pickled deviled eggs. At the food truck Honky Tonk Kid BBQ in Waco, Texas, David Gorham serves a rotating menu of "global fusion," which combines traditionally smoked Texas meats with an international flair. Its recently concluded Italian menu featured a smoked meatball sub with a fire-roasted marinara sauce, plus side dishes such as citrus and fennel coleslaw. "I just want to introduce people to different flavors and different cultures," Gorham says. "I just want people to know there are other flavors out there, and we can all get together, and that's what barbecue should be." In New York, Hometown Barbecue offers a lamb belly banh mi alongside traditional pulled pork sandwiches, Izzy's Smokehouse and Main House BBQ serve kosher barbecue (beef, chicken; no pork), and pastrami is on barbecue menus all over town. "We have so many great barbecue restaurants that they have to distinguish themselves," says Eater critic Robert Sietsema. "We have a universal constituency that loves sweet and sour flavors. The flavor palette is being preserved with a smokiness that people long for." In Texas, smoked meats such as brisket and pork are finding their way into tacos instead of the more traditional white bread. "Whether serving [barbecue] as tacos rather than sandwiches or with beans and rice and stuff like pico de gallo as a garnish instead of pickles and onions, we're seeing the Mexican influence a lot more," Vaughn says. In Southern California, pastrami tacos have long been a thing. But recently, restaurants have emerged that specialize in a form of lamb barbacoa popular around Mexico City. In Mexico, a wood fire burns hot and long in a hole in the ground, and the retained heat cooks marinated lamb. At his two Aqui Es Texcoco restaurants - one outside San Diego, the other in Los Angeles - Francisco "Paco" Perez simulates the process using a gas oven and, to provide a semblance of smoke and a hint of bitterness, maguey leaves, which smolder. He seasons the meat traditionally, with chile de arbol, guajillo, onions and garlic. "People want to know traditional dishes," says Perez, who is originally from Guadalajara and began cooking the dish at a restaurant in Tijuana owned by his mother. "I think my food represents my culture, and so I want to introduce Americans to that." Barbecue has functioned the other way as well - as a cuisine that immigrants and their descendants use as an entry point to claim America. Chinese-American Robin Wong and his brother Terry, who grew up in a diverse Houston suburb called Alief, operate barbecue pop-ups in Houston with a Vietnamese childhood friend named Quy Hoang. Although they sometimes experiment with Asian flavors, to Wong, barbecue is a unifying food in a diverse world. "Our normal menu is straight Texas barbecue," he says. Tyson Ho, a Chinese-American, smokes classic Carolina whole hog in his Brooklyn restaurant, Arrogant Swine. "This is my tiny part of preserving American history and creating my spot in the American story," Ho says. "When you grow up neither white nor black in the U.S., it is hard to find a piece of America that is yours. It is hard to find something that you're heir to. So, cooking barbecue is my way of grabbing hold and saying, 'This is mine.' " KANNAPOLIS- Each year a group of Kannapolis Police officers join other officers from across North Carolina and ride to Washington D.C. This year on May 9, officers with the Kannapolis Police Officers will ride 500 miles to Washington D.C. to honor officers who have given their lives in the line of duty during the Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to D.C. The Kannapolis officers will ride in honor of Officer Roger Dale Karter who was killed on the job on December 31, 1993. The ride will take place over the course of four days. The cost per rider is $500 and Vickie Carpenter, the mother of a Kannapolis officer, has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the cause. Due to recent events surrounding law enforcement deaths and aggression shown toward law enforcement in general, we believe the 2017 Bike2DC ride will be an even more epic ride than ever before, Carpenter wrote on the GoFundMe page. Our much urgent need right now is financial support for lodging and food during the ride. The ride ends in Washington D.C. during Police Week, a time set aside for the community to honor the service and sacrifice of American law enforcement. Any funds raised in excess of ride expenses will be donated to the Charlottes Finest Leacy Foundation, which provides scholarships for young people wishing to start a career in law enforcement. The ride is so special to the ones that go. Officers do so much more than we even can begin to realize to protect and serve our community, Carpenter also wrote. It is such a small appreciation to give back and support by helping make it easier for them to be able to afford to make that ride that truly means so much to each one that goes. To donate to the member of the department that are participating visit https://www.gofundme.com/kannapolis-police-officers-bike2dc or search Kannapolis Police Officers Bike2DC on GoFundMe. For more information about the ride visit http://bike2dc.com. Moscow's failure to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hague (the Netherlands) on provisional measures on Ukraine's suit against Russia will give Kyiv the grounds to request the court to tighten measures, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, the head of the Ukrainian delegation at the court, Olena Zerkal, has said. "The decisions of the UN International Court of Arbitration [International Arbitration Court of the United Nations in The Hague] are of a special nature. They are not subjected to the executive service." The decision withdraws the question whether Russia should do something or not. It should. We will each time demand a report on how Russia is complying with the decision of the International Court of Justice binding for everyone. This changes the very manner of communicating with Russia. In addition, no one prevents us from additionally contacting the UN Office to make it more stringent," Zerkal said in an interview with Zerkalo of the Week. Ukraina (ZN.UA), which was published on Saturday, answering the question 'what Ukraine will do in the situation if Russia refuses to comply with the decision of the UN international court on interim measures.' According to her, on the one hand, international law is not as developed as criminal law, and the issue of control over the fulfillment of implementation of decisions is very relevant for international law in general. And on the other hand, the decision of the court transfers the issue from the political field to the legal field. "And this fact is changing all diplomatic work. Russia is aware of this. Being accountable for the implementation of the agreement is a serious test for Russia," the deputy foreign minister of Ukraine said. According to her, the Ukrainian side does not deliberately put the issues before the court of the occupation of the territory of Ukraine, the territorial belonging of Crimea, the presence or absence of Russian troops in Donbas. "We are talking about the dispute as a purely legal matter, in which we are seeking legal protection for Ukrainian citizens," Zerkal said. As reported, Ukraine filed a lawsuit with the United Nations International Court of Justice on January 16, 2017, to bring the Russian Federation to justice for acts of terrorism and discrimination during its illegal aggression against Ukraine. The suit was filed under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism of December 9, 1999, and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of December 21, 1965. The Ukrainian side counts on the adoption by the United Nations International Court in The Hague of a decision on the introduction of temporary measures to the Russian Federation before the end of April. Kyiv requests the following temporary measures: Ukraine asks the court to oblige the Russian Federation to refrain from any actions that may narrow or widen the subject matter of the dispute; to exercise proper control over the Russian-Ukrainian border with a view to stopping the supply of arms; stop and prevent the supply of money or weapons to groups engaged in terrorist attacks; to take all possible measures to influence the groups that it supports in order to prevent the commission of terrorist attacks against civilians; refrain from carrying out any measures of racial or ethnic discrimination in Crimea; to resolve the activities of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people; stop violent abductions of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people; to stop restrictions on education in the Ukrainian language. SALISBURY- Siblings have been charged with assaulting a woman after she ran out of gas on Interstate 85. According to reports, Brooke Elizabeth Poteat told sheriffs deputies she ran out of gas near Mile Marker 63 on Tuesday, March 7 and then posted on a social media site that she needed help. Poteat and her friend, Anna Burns, were sitting in the vehicle on the highway when a vehicle almost hit them and then pulled in front of their vehicle. Poteat said the occupants got out of the vehicle and ran toward her car. The occupants have been identified as Jacob Tucker, 19, and his sister Roxie Shook, 31. Poteat told police she knew Tucker. The women locked their car doors, but Poteat did not have time to roll up her back window before Shook reached inside and unlocked the drivers side door. Poteat told police Shook and Tucker hit her several times with a board and that Shook broke the partially rolled-down window with that board. Reports said Tucker punched Poteat in the face. Burns then suggested they call 911 but as Poteat tried to make the call, Shook grabbed her phone and threw it into the grass, reports said. Following this interaction, the siblings jumped into their car and left. Troopers with the N.C. Highway Patrol located Shook and charged her with felony assault with a deadly weapon, interfering with emergency communications and injury to personal property. Shook told authorities that the incident occurred, but denied using a board. Tucker later turned herself in and was charged with assault on a female, according to reports. If youve turned on your TV, checked social media, or listened to the radio over the past few weeks, Im sure youve heard a lot of talk about Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. And like so many important debates throughout our history, emotions have reached a fever-pitch and the country has been inundated by information and misinformation from across the political spectrum. With all the sound bites, tweets and emails flying around, its easy to lose sight of whats at the heart of this debate saving folks from a health care system thats collapsing. This past week, the Energy and Commerce Committee I serve on debated major portions of the American Health Care Act, the Republican repeal and replacement bill for Obamacare. During nearly 28 straight hours of debate, I grew increasingly frustrated when Democrats on the committee tried turning this serious debate into an act of political theater. After twelve hours of debate, the only change offered by members from across the aisle was whether or not we should change the name of the bill to a hashtag. You read that right: a hashtag. At that point, I could no longer contain my frustration. Because for me, the debate over putting a health care system in place that works for all Americans is personal. Right here in North Carolinas 8th District, Ive heard from countless people our friends and neighbors who are being crushed under the rising premiums, out of reach deductibles, and diminished choices of Obamacare. Theres Sandra in Stanly County, whose deductible has increased from $200 a month before Obamacare to over $3,000 a month. She told me that some months she actually has to decide between going to the doctor and buying groceries. Theres also Kevin from Cabarrus County whose insurance premiums rose from $110 a month to $730 a month a 700% increase with a deductible of $7,600. That means he has to pay $16,000 out of pocket before he can even use his health care. Constituent stories like these are what Ive kept in mind during this debate. You can visit my website at Hudson.House.gov/YourStory to share your ideas and experiences. While the bill we passed out of the committee isnt perfect, it represents the biggest entitlement reform in a generation. This is good, conservative health care reform and one phase of the process to repeal and replace Obamacare. In addition to several key conservative reforms, this bill: Keeps the promise to repeal Obamacare and put in place a better system at the same time. Dismantles Obamacare, most notably ending the individual mandate that forces people to purchase insurance. Advances the biggest entitlement reform in a generation and returns power to the states by phasing out the Medicaid expansion and putting Medicaid on a budget, thus ending its open-ended funding and taking steps to make it solvent for future generations. As we continue to work to rebuild our health care system, there will be a stable transition period so that no one slips through the cracks. Were also going to maintain protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, allow young adults to stay on their parents policies until age 26 and prohibit lifetime coverage limits. This will be a thoughtful, transparent and multi-step process with three overarching phases: the American Health Care Act, which takes full advantage of the budget reconciliation process to avoid a Democratic filibuster; Administration actions, notably by HHS Secretary Tom Price; and additional legislative policies, like allowing individuals to purchase coverage across state lines. We still have a lot of work to do, and I remain committed to getting it right. Theres just too much at stake to let this opportunity slip by because of political games. Our state legislators in Raleigh are taking a giant stride toward ensuring fair elections in North Carolina through their consideration of House Bill 200, which calls for a Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission. The anti-gerrymandering bill mandates that "No district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring a political party, incumbent legislator, or member of Congress, or other person or group, or for the purpose of augmenting or diluting the voting strength of a language or racial minority group." I wish to respond to a letter written by David Puckett, which appeared in the March 5th edition of the Independent Tribune. Given that the letter is short, and for the benefit of those readers who may not have seen it, I will repeat it here, verbatim: "Pittman should worry about real concerns Editor, So with all the issues and challenges facing hard- working North Carolinians today, Larry Pittman spends his time and energy on an asinine repeal of the ban against secession? Really? Did the voters of N.C. send him to Raleigh to be a party to TREASON?? Get out of the Alt- Right websites and get your butt to work on jobs, taxes, education, Larry!!" Sir, I applaud you! But, David Puckett, if I may, I would like to expand on your letter. In terms of Public Education, Cabarrus County receives the least amount of funding from Raleigh. In fact, out of the 100 counties in North Carolina, we are dead last-- number 100, out of 100. Pittman doesn't support the concept of Public Education. In addition, Pittman's voting record indicates that he does not support the following, either: Equal Pay for Women Grow the Economy & Create jobs Right to Vote for All Health care for All Women's Rights Tax Corporations Fairly Raise the Minimum Wage Finally, not only does Larry Pittman seek to amend the North Carolina State Constitution by sponsoring a bill which will allow our State to secede from the Union, but he also is attempting to change the North Carolina State Constitution by sponsoring bills which will create a State Religion, as well as one which will allow ANYONE to carry ANY gun, ANYWHERE, (Schools, Churches, Bars), without first obtaining a license, or a permit, or a background check. Of course a majority of gun owners, and NRA members disagree with this lunacy. Larry, you must get to work for the people of Cabarrus County, or simply get out! Earle Schecter Concord The Democrats have no problem taking your guns. Obama was behind the strict Chicago gun laws. Mrs. Clinton would have continued on the same Obama path and you would of heard nothing. Trump is and will continue to be on the news everyday for a long time. I think it's noble what Trump is doing because he saw and recognized we were on the path to lose our country. So, thank you Mr. Trump! He is a billionaire that could have lived comfortably while we common Americans struggled. He doesn't want that so creating jobs will be one of his core promises. Kolkata, Mar 13 (IBNS): The United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF) recently hosted the South & Central Asia Fulbright Conference in Kolkata. It was attended by 125 US Fulbright scholars from India, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Fulbright Commission staff from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were also present. According to the participants, the conference was an excellent opportunity for networking with fellow Fulbrighters from various countries. They also discussed educational exchange issues and suggested changes for the development and enhancement of the Fulbright program. Adam Grotsky, Executive Director, USIEF, said, "We are thrilled to be hosting the annual South and Central Asia conference in Kolkata." He also highlighted that the annual conference is an opportunity to reflect on USIEF institutional mission, the promotion of mutual understanding and the role of Fulbrighters in reaching this goal. Jeffrey Sexton, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, New Delhi, stressed on the role which the Fulbright exchange programs play for preserving and improving the bilateral relationships between the US and the rest of the world and explained his point via an anecdote from his teaching days. Nabanita Chakrabarti, Under Secretary (Americas), Ministry of External Affairs was present at the inaugural session. A wide range of subjects was covered in the three-day long conference, including Agriculture & Forestry, Public Health, History, Area Studies, Music & Ethnomusicology, Business, Finance & Development and Science & Technology. (Reporting by Sagar Ghosh) Image: USIEF Twitter Kuala Lumpur, Mar 13 (IBNS): Malaysia Police announced on Monday the arrest of seven people alleging they had links with the Islamist State (IS) militant groups, according to media reports. The suspects were arrested in a series of counter-terrorism operations between Wednesday and Sunday in Sabah and Selangor, the media quoted Khalid Abu Bakar, Inspector-General of the police as saying. Of the seven arrested, five are Filipinos, according to Malaysian police. Groysman to go to Turkey on official visit on March 14-15 Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman will pay an official visit to Turkey on March 14-15, 2017, the press service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has said. In particular, Groysman will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, and Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Ismail Kahraman in Ankara on March 14. Bilateral documents are to be signed after the meeting of the Ukrainian and Turkish prime ministers. On March 15, Groysman will be in Istanbul, where he will visit a local technology park, take part in the Ukrainian-Turkish business forum, and also meet with members of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities in Turkey. As reported, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers on March 10 approved the signing of an agreement with the government of Turkey on mutual trips of Ukrainian and Turkish citizens on the basis of internal passports in the form of ID cards. Delhi primary schools to reopen on Nov 9 as air quality improves | Demonetisation 'epic failure' of Modi govt: Congress chief Kharge | Modi govt's reservation for poor constitutionally valid: Supreme Court | Modi govt's reservation for poor constitutionally valid: Supreme Court | Counting of votes in seven assembly seats across six states underway, BJP leads in four Kabul, Mar 13 (IBNS): The Taliban's attempt to capture Laghman province in Afghanistan turned out to be fatal as 70 insurgents were gunned down by forces, local Khaama Press reported. The Incident also left 50 other insurgents wounded. The news was confirmed by the provincial government. Many senior Taliban leaders, including Khalis, Khalid, Janat Gul, Mohammad and Atal Omarzai were also killed in the encounter, the agency quoted officials as saying. PDS board approves interim dividend of Rs2.50 per share PDS Limited has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company on Monday has approved an Interim Dividend of Rd2.50 per share. The Company adopted a dividend distribution policy... November 07, 2022 | 3:10 pm Rajesh Exports incorporates 100% subsidiary ACC Energy Storage; Stock climbs 2% Rajesh Exports Ltd. has announced that it is foraying into Advanced Technology Solutions with a focus on Energy Storage Solutions. REL has been selected by the Government Of India as one ... November 07, 2022 | 2:42 pm Markets under selling pressure with Nifty around 18,100-levels Domestic benchmark indices trading mixed after a gap-up opening on Monday. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks are marginally lower in the afternoon market session. On the sectoral front... November 07, 2022 | 2:00 pm Rupee rises 23 paise to 82.12/ $ Early on Monday, the rupee strengthened versus the US dollar by 23 paise to 82.12 amid rising local stocks and falling oil prices. The native currency rose 23 paise from its previous close to t... November 07, 2022 | 1:20 pm Cineline India opens 5-Screen multiplex, MovieMAX in Mumbai; Stock jumps 3% Cineline India Limited stocks in the fast lane after announcement of opening of 5-Screen multiplex at Sarvodaya Mall Kalyan, Mumbai. In a regulatory filing, the company informed the ... November 07, 2022 | 12:47 pm It is quite hard to believe this but us e of hormonal contraceptives and hair dyes can give way to breast cancer. Researcher Sanna Heikkinen from the University of Helsinki in Finland and Finnish Cancer Registry assessed the contribution of the use of hormonal contraceptives and hair dyes on breast cancer risk factors. www.ahlanlive.com The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is high age and known lifestyle-related risk factors include late age at first birth, the small number of children, high alcohol consumption and sedentary lifestyle, said Heikkinen. They analysed self-reported survey data from 8,000 breast cancer patients and 20,000 controls from Finland. The results suggested that use of other hormonal contraceptives was, by contrast, associated with 32 percent higher breast cancer risk among younger women under 50 when compared to women who did not use hormonal contraceptives. Almost more than 60 percent of responders reported having had a mammography before the screening age of 50. Women should be more extensively informed of the harms of opportunistic mammographies, such as accumulating radiation burden and the potential consequences of false positive or negative findings, Heikkinen noted. Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from the breast tissues. Both men and women can be afflicted by it though its rarer in men. Along with cervical cancer, its one of the most common types of cancer that afflicts women. One of the major issues with breast cancer is that it is often not detected soon enough. This is due to low awareness about the disease. Detecting it early can significantly reduce the death risk. www.medicalnewstoday.com Here are some of the common symptoms of breast cancer: A hard lump or a knot in the breast. Usually, these lumps are painless. Occasionally, a clear cut lump cannot be felt, but a lumpish feel is there. And this feel is different as compared to the same area of the opposite breast. Bloody or a blood stained nipple discharge A recent in drawing or inward pull on the nipple or even a change in direction. Changes in the skin over the breast, which feels thick, hard and like an orange peel Occasionally, small knots or nodes may be felt in the armpit. Dinner date nights are for BFFs or lovey-dovey couples only? Think again, as you stare at this picture of long-standing Silicon Valley rivals of Googles Sundar Pichai and Apples Tim Cook captured last week. Twitter / MacGeneration Shocked? Surprised? Youre not the only one. Just what prompted Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook, CEOs of Google and Apple respectively, to dine together at a posh restaurant in Palo Alto, California -- in the heart of Silicon Valley -- is making many a people wonder, indeed. Steve Sims / Instagram According to a CNBC report, the above picture was snapped by Steve Sims, who was hosting a corporate client at Tamarine restaurant on Tuesday when he took the photo of Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook sitting at a table together around 9 pm. Although nothing is known about the nature of Cook and Pichais dinner date or what exactly transpired between the two, it could be that the two titans of the tech industry wanted to talk about common issues faced by both the companies. The issues wouldve been big -- probably the H1-B visa restrictions by the US under the Trump administration? -- as Apple and Google parent Alphabet are the top two US tech companies, with over US $1.5 trillion of combined market capitalization. De quoi pouvaient bien parler Tim Cook et Sundar Pichai a table ? Bagnoles, telephones, politique ?https://t.co/rKp5UAAJ3O pic.twitter.com/wa6nha4ycF MacGeneration (@MacGeneration) March 8, 2017 Rest assured, it must be business. For both Apple and Google have had strained relations in the past. Both companies are hotly competing against each other in the smartphone space -- Android is inching towards the most widely used operating system in the world but Apple still takes home a monster share of 80% of global smartphone profits. Both companies have sued each other in the past, Tim Cook even called Googles Android a toxic hellstew once not too long ago. But all that seems to be water under the bridge. The two companies have come closer over the past -- Eric Schmidt, ex-CEO of Google even sat on Apples board; Google backed Apple over the encryption issue after the San Bernardino terrorist shooting case. Both Apple and Google are also collaborating on the development of artificial intelligence. Some reports have suggested that since both Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook were spotted having wine, it could hint towards something special being discussed by them. Could Apple and Google be working together on something?! Gasp! In the third serious crash involving a luxury car within a week, a drunk youth at the wheel of a BMW went on the rampage in south Delhi's R K Puram, ramming a cab and an auto-rickshaw before breaking through the boundary wall of a residential area. TOI Four persons, including a couple on their way to the airport and a senior citizen, were grievously injured and at least three vehicles mangled in the Sunday morning incident. Police said the driver, Rajat Prabhaker, 28, is the son of a businessman and was found to be driving the BMW registered in the name of a company, Daily Food India Koundli, in Sonipat. He was found to be drunk way beyond the permissible limit. TOI Earlier last week, two Mercedes cars were involved in separate crashes in the city that left a 16-year-old boy dead and a man seriously injured. Both drivers were later arrested. Police said Prabhaker was speeding down the wrong side on Major Somnath Marg near R K Puram sector 9 around 8.30 am. BMW stopped after crashing through a wall After hitting two vehicles, the silver-coloured BMW came to a stop by crashing into a boundary wall and damaging another vehicle parked on the other side. ani "We have arrested him and charged him under sections of causing hurt due to negligence and dangerous driving, and challaned him under sections of the MV Act for drunk driving. Liquor bottles have also been recovered from the car," said additional DCP (south) Chinmoy Biswal. Eyewitnesses said Prabhaker was visibly drunk and couldn't stand straight after the accident. Police said Prabhaker is a resident of Karol Bagh and was returning from an allnight party in Vasant Vihar. He had gone to R K Puram to drop a friend. Police said Prabhaker is an alumnus of Shimla's Bishop Cotton School and completed his BCom from Delhi University in 2007 before joining his father's business. Eyewitnesses told TOI that they came out of their houses after hearing a loud crash. "When I stepped out, I saw a neighbour's car was broken from one side as heavy stones had landed on it after a BMW car broke through the wall," said Neelam Gupta. ani The BMW first hit a Swift Dzire cab being driven by Pradeep, 35. He was taking a couple, Munni Dutta, 28, and her husband Bitoo Pal, 32, to the airport. The couple, from Assam, are critically injured and doctors at the AIIMS trauma centre had not declared them stable till Sunday evening. The car then hit an autorickshaw parked on the side of the road with its driver Ram Chander, 60, inside. "I saw him a few minutes before the crash. He was peacefully reading a newspaper. After I heard aloud sound, I went out only to see him lying outside his auto, with his head bleeding profusely," said Tanuj Prabhaker, another eyewitness. "The driver of the BMW was coming from the wrong side and had a head-on collision with the cab and auto," said a senior police official. ani "I was leaning against the wall, next to my car, barely a couple of minutes before the crash and was preparing to go to our village in Haryana to celebrate Holi. I had forgotten the car keys inside the house and went back to get them. That was when the BMW broke through the wall and damaged my car," said Subhash Chander Yadav. "It was a close shave for me. Even though my heart cries out for the people who have been injured, I thank God that I wasn't one of the victims," he said. Police said they have informed the family members of the couple, both of whom work at private companies in Noida. Auto driver Chander's wife Ramvati said her husband had been driving an auto for the last 40 years without a mishap before Sunday's incident. "He had never as much as got a scratch on his body during all these years of driving. Today he is suffering for no fault of his. I hope he recovers soon," said Ramvati. Sridhar Murthy, a 40-year-old Bengaluru resident has committed suicide after killing his teenaged son. The duo was found dead in their rented house in Bengaluru on Sunday. Police said Sridhar who was a life convict had been granted parole just two days ago. The former financier was convicted for killing his brother-in-law over a family row eight years ago. Sridhar ended his life after killing his son while his wife and daughter were away from home. Police is yet to ascertain the reason for the suicide. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave Indians a Holi gift and removed all the limits on saving bank cash withdrawals from banks as well as ATMs put after the demonetisation. On February 20, the RBI had said that the limit of withdrawal per week from saving bank accounts would be increased to Rs 50,000 from the current Rs 24000. Read more 1. Among 403 MLAS - 322 Crorepatis, 143 Criminal Cases, Just 40 Women. Meet Uttar Pradesh's New Assembly A whopping 322 of the 403 new lawmakers elected to the Uttar Pradesh assembly are 'crorepatis' while as many as 143 have criminal cases, including of murder, pending against them. According to a report by the National Election Watch, the list of multi-millionaires elected members is headed by the Bharatiya Janata Partys Ajay Pratap Singh elected from Colonelganj constituency in Gonda. Read more 2. With 652 Lives Lost, UNICEF Claims That 2016 Was The Worst Year Yet For Syria's Children At least 652 children were killed in Syria in 2016, making it the worst year yet for the country's rising generation, the United Nations' child relief agency said. There was no letup to attacks on schools, hospitals, playgrounds, parks and homes last year as the Syrian government, its opponents and the allies of both sides showed callous disregard for the laws of war. Read more 3. Landlord Who Assaulted A Northeast Student Gets Anticipatory Bail, Demand For Racial Attack Case Against Him Gets Louder The brutal attack on a student from Arunachal Pradesh, allegedly by his landlord, has kicked up a storm in the city's northeast (N-E) community. The landlord, Hemanth Kumar, allegedly attacked Higio Gungtey, a student of Christ University, and even made him lick his shoe. The incident followed a dispute over water. Even though several charges were filed against the landlord, sources said he managed to get anticipatory bail. Read more 4. Faced With An Acute Shortage In Supply, Water Supply Could Be Rationed In Bengaluru This Summer A fortnight after the Karnataka government promised uninterrupted water supply despite record low water levels in reservoirs, Bengaluru and neighbouring towns relying on Cauvery water have started bearing the brunt of water shortage. BWSSB chairman Tushar Girinath said the complaints of reduced water supply and low pressure were mostly because of an increase in demand for Cauvery water owing to rising temperatures and failed borewells. Read more 5. Woman Locked Up, Gang Raped By Five Men In Delhi. Accused Say They Brought Her For Paid Sex Delhi police have arrested five men for allegedly gang-raping a 28-year-old woman in East Delhi's Pandav Nagar on Sunday. The victim, a divorced mother of two from Nepal in her complaint said she was confined, drugged and raped by the five men, including one of them who was known to her. Read more India is really ahead of many countries in the world when it comes to addressing secularism. The only country in the world with 'super minorities', India has done so much to facilitate a platform where everyone can grow (excluding exceptional cases). Reuters (Also read: Lok Sabha Is Seeking To Make Bhagavad Gita Mandatory As Moral Education Subject In Schools) If not anything, secularity has grown in leaps and bounds. However, in a bid to roll back the advances, Rajasthan University's commerce department is now replacing the works of foreign authors from the list of dissertation topics, after already replacing them from the syllabus. The suggested topics for dissertation include Vedas and management, Lord Krishna, Lord Mahavir, Mahatma Gandhi, the relevance of Gita, management of stress through Yoga, etc. Reuters All the aforementioned subjects were called on board after conveniently axing critical subjects like banking and finance out of the system, for dissertations by semester for M Com students. "The move is intended to make students aware of the great contribution made by the Indian scriptures, religious figures and Indian Philosophy in shaping the management world over.'' ''These epics have all elements which form the basis of modern day management system," said Professor Naveen Mathur, former principal of Commerce College and former head of syllabus revision committee, as reported by The Times Of India. Reuters Erudites like Robert Owen, James Burnham, Mary and Parker Follett, who've pioneered their respective fields were replaced to give space to philosophies of Swami Vivekanand and Mahatma Gandhi along with religious texts in Ramayana, Mahabharata and Gita. "Most of the management theories and hypothesis accepted globally were taken from India epics dates back to 5000 years old. We have just done the correction" he further added. (sic) Reuters The department explains that this is their attempt to 'Indianise' the system and bring Indian work on board. They further claimed that while closely studying these authors and their work, students will understand the nitty-gritty of Indian value system along with management lessons. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave Indians a Holi gift and removed all the limits on saving bank cash withdrawals from banks as well as ATMs put after the demonetisation. On February 20, the RBI had said that the limit of withdrawal per week from saving bank accounts would be increased to Rs 50,000 from the current Rs 24000. PTI The limits on cash withdrawal from savings bank accounts continue to be in place. In line with the pace of remonetization, it has now been decided to remove these limits in two stages, said RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi on Monday. From March 13 onwards, there are no limits on the saving account withdrawals. AFP The limits were in place post the November 8 announcement of demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes by PM Modi. Initially, the upper limit of withdrawals from ATM was just Rs 2500 which was later raised to Rs 4500. In January, the RBI had hiked the limits to Rs 10,000 along with doubling the current account withdrawal limit to Rs one lakh. BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for deepening military-civilian integration, while highlighting sci-tech innovation as the key to military upgrading. Speaking to national lawmakers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the ongoing annual parliamentary session, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said efforts should be made to provide greater science and technology support for the PLA. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, historic breakthrough in national defense and military reform has been made, significant progress in combat readiness has been achieved, and crushing momentum in fighting corruption has been realized, he said. Pointing to the profound changes brought by sci-tech advancement to people's lifestyles and the world's military development, Xi said, "We must have a greater sense of urgency to push for sci-tech innovation and advancement with greater determination and efforts." He called for enhanced top-level design and strategic planning in promoting military-civilian integration in national defense technology and military equipment, and strengthening military and civilian cooperation in training high-quality military personnel. He urged the PLA to speed up the transition featuring better quality and performance with the intensive application of advanced technologies in army building. Civil technologies should better serve military purposes, and defense technologies should be adapted and applied well for civil use, the president said. Efforts to improve the training system of military personnel should also be strengthened to foster a large number of high-quality military talent, Xi said, adding that enhancing scientific and technological attainment of officers and men should be a basic requirement for the PLA. He noted that the CPC Central Committee's decision to establish a central commission for integrated military and civilian development aims to reinforce centralized and unified leadership. Efforts should be made to remove institutional barriers and work out perfect policies for military and civilian integration. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Assad : US Forces in Syria are 'Invaders' Video and Transcript "Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one," Assad said. "And we don't think this is going to help. What are they going to do? To fight ISIS? The Americans lost nearly every war. They lost in Iraq, they had to withdraw at the end. Even in Somalia, let alone Vietnam in the past and Afghanistan, your neighboring country. They didn't succeed anywhere they sent troops, they only create a mess; they are very good in creating problems and destroying, but they are very bad in finding solutions." March 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Damascus, SANA-President Bashar al-Assad said that the solution to the crisis in Syria should be through two parallel ways: the first one is to fight the terrorists, and this is our duty as government, to defend the Syrians and use any means in order to destroy the terrorists whove been killing and destroying in Syria, and the second one is to make dialogue. The president added in an interview given to Chinese PHOENIX TV that any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one. Flowing is the full text of the interview: Question 1: Thank you Mr. President for having us here in Dimashq, the capital of Syria. I think this is the first interview you have with Chinese media after the national ceasefire and after so many fresh rounds of talks, both in Astana and in Geneva, and of course after US President Donald Trumps inauguration, and these days, as we have seen, your troops are making steady progress in battlefields, but peace talks do not seem just as productive. So, as far as the Geneva talks is concerned, your chief negotiator, Mr. Jaafari, was trying hard to find out who should be sitting on the other side of the negotiation table. So, according to your idea, who should be sitting there? President Assad : This is a very crucial question. If you want those negotiations to be fruitful, we have to ask who is going to be sitting there? I mean, there could be a lot of good people with good intentions, but the question is: who do they represent? Thats the question. In this situation, you have different groups, you have people who are, lets say, patriotic, but they dont represent anyone, they represent themselves. You have others who represent the terrorists, and you have terrorists on the table, and you have others who represent the agenda of foreign countries like Saudi Arabia, like Turkey, like France, UK and maybe the United States. So, its not a homogeneous meeting. If you want it to be fruitful, going back to the first point that I mentioned, it should be a real Syrian-Syrian negotiations. In spite of that, we went to that meeting because we think any kind of dialogue could be a good step toward the solution, because even those people who are terrorists or belonging to the terrorists or to other countries, they may change their mind and go back to their normality by going back to being real Syrians, detach themselves from being terrorists or agents to other groups. Thats why I say we didnt expect Geneva to produce anything, but its a step, and its going to be a long way, and you may have other rounds, whether in Geneva or in Astana. Question 2: But anyway, it is an intra-Syrian talks, right? But the matter of fact is, it is proxy dialogue. I mean, main parties do not meet and have dialogue directly. President Assad: Exactly. Journalist: Are you personally satisfied with the current negotiation format or mechanism? President Assad: we didnt forge this mechanism; it was forged by de Mistura and the UN with the influence of the countries that wanted to use those negotiations in order to make pressure on Syria, not to reach any resolution. As you just said, each one represents a different agenda, even the opposition delegations, it wasnt one delegation; different delegations of the opposition. So, if Im going to as a government if Im going to negotiate with someone, whos it going to be? Which one? Who represents who? Thats our question. So, you are right, this time there was no negotiations in Geneva, but this is one of the reasons, thats why it didnt reach anything. The only thing we discussed in Geneva was the agenda, the headlines, what are we going to discuss later, thats it. Question 3: But as we see, lot of time, money, energy have been put into this effort, and the clashes are still going on, people are still dying, and the refugees are still increasing. President Assad: Exactly. Journalist: What is the possible way of having a negotiation? President Assad: Again, you are correct. The more delay you have, the more harm and destruction and killing and blood youll have within Syria, thats why we are very eager to achieve a solution, but how and in which way? You need to have two parallel ways: the first one is to fight the terrorists, and this is our duty as government, to defend the Syrians and use any means in order to destroy the terrorists whove been killing and destroying in Syria. The second one is to make dialogue. This dialogue has many different aspects; you have the political one, which is related to the future of Syria; what political system do you need, what kind? It doesnt matter which one, it depends on the Syrians, and theyre going to have referendum about what they want. The second part is to try to bring many of those people who were affiliated to the terrorists or who committed any terrorist acts to go back to their normality and lay down their armaments and to live normal life in return for amnesty that has been offered by the government, and weve been going in that direction for three years, and it worked very well. It worked very well. So, actually, if you want to talk about the real political solution since the beginning of the crisis, of the war on Syria, till this moment, the only solution was those reconciliations between the government and the different militants in Syria, many of them joined the government now, and they are fighting with the government. Some of them laid down their. Question 4: But talking about the Syria war, you can never exclude the foreign factors. The Saudi-backed high negotiating committee, HNC, are saying that they are counting on the Trump administration to play a positive role instead of the mistaken policies under his predecessor Barack Obama. So, from your side, what do you expect from Trumps Middle East policy, particularly policy on Syria? President Assad: The first part that you mentioned about their hopes, when you pin your hopes on a foreign country, doesnt matter which foreign country, it means youre not patriotic, and this is proved, because they should depend on the support of the Syrian people, not any other government or administration. Now, regarding the Trump administration, during his campaign and after the campaign, the main rhetoric of the Trump administration and the president himself was about the priority of defeating ISIS. I said since the beginning that this is a promising approach to whats happening in Syria and in Iraq, because we live in the same area and we face the same enemy. We havent seen anything concrete yet regarding this rhetoric, because weve been seeing now certain is a local kind of raids. You cannot deal with terrorism on local basis; it should be comprehensive, it cannot be partial or temporary. It cannot be from the air, it should be in cooperation with the troops on the ground, thats why the Russians succeeded, since they supported the Syrian Army in pushing ISIS to shrink, not to expand as it used to be before that. So, we have hopes that this taking into consideration that talking about ISIS doesnt mean talking about the whole terrorism; ISIS is one of the products, al-Nusra is another product, you have so many groups in Syria, they are not ISIS, but they are Al Qaeda, they have the same background of the Wahabi extremist ideology. Question 5: So, Mr. President, you and Mr. Donald Trump actually share the same priority which is counter-terrorism, and both of you hate fake news. Do you see any room for cooperation? President Assad: Yeah, in theory, yes, but practically, not yet, because theres no link between Syria and the United States on the formal level. Even their raids against ISIS that I just mentioned, which are only a few raids, happened without the cooperation or the consultation with the Syrian Army or the Syrian government which is illegal as we always say. So, theoretically we share those goals, but particularly, not yet. Question 6: Do you have personal contact with the President of the United States? President Assad: Not at all. Journalist: Direct or indirect. President Assad: Indirect, you have so many channels, but you cannot bet on private channels. It should be formal, this is where you can talk about a real relation with another government. Question 7: As we speak, top generals from Turkey, Russia, and the United States are meeting somewhere in Turkey to discuss tensions in northern Syria, where mutually- suspicious forces are allied with these countries. So, do you have a plan for a final attack on Daesh when the main players actually do need an effective coordination in order to clear Syria of all terror groups? President Assad: Yeah, if you want to link that meeting with ISIS in particular, it wont be objective, because at least one party, which is Turkey, has been supporting ISIS till this moment, because Erdogan, the Turkish President, is Muslim Brotherhood. Hes ideologically linked and sympathetic with ISIS and with al-Nusra, and everybody knows about this in our region, and he helped them either through armaments, logistically, through exporting oil. For the other party, which is the United States, at least during Obamas administration, they dealt with ISIS by overlooking their smuggling the Syrian oil to Turkey, and this is how they can get money in order to recruit terrorists from around the world, and they didnt try to do anything more than cosmetic against ISIS. The only serious party in that regard is Russia, which is effectively attacking ISIS in cooperation with us. So, the question is: how can they cooperate, and I think the Russians have hope that the two parties join the Russians and the Syrians in their fight against terrorism. So, we have more hopes now regarding the American party because of the new administration, while in Turkey nothing has changed in that regard. ISIS in the north have only one route of supply, its through Turkey, and theyre still alive and theyre still active and theyre still resisting different kinds of waves of attacks, because of the Turkish support. Question 8: Now, US troops are in Manbej. Is the greenlight from your side? Did you open the door for these American troops? President Assad: No, no, we didnt. Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one. And we dont think this is going to help. What are they going to do? To fight ISIS? The Americans lost nearly every war. They lost in Iraq, they had to withdraw at the end. Even in Somalia, let alone Vietnam in the past and Afghanistan, your neighboring country. They didnt succeed anywhere they sent troops, they only create a mess; they are very good in creating problems and destroying, but they are very bad in finding solutions. Question 9: Talking about Russia and China, they just vetoed a new UN sanction on Syria last week. What do these Chinese vetoes mean exactly for your country? President Assad: Lets be very clear about their position, which is not to support the Syrian government or the Syrian president, because in the West they try to portray it as a personal problem, and as Russia and China and other countries and Iran support that person as president. Its not the case. China is a member of the Security Council, and its committed to the Charter of the United Nations. In that veto, China has defended first of all the Charter, because the United Nations was created in order to restore stability around the world. Actually, the Western countries, especially the permanent members of the Council as a tool or means in order to change regimes or governments and to implement their agenda, not to restore stability, and actually to create more instability around the world. So the second part is that China restored stability in the world by creating some kind of political balance within the United Nations, of course in cooperation with Russia, which is very important for the whole world. Of course, Syria was the headline, the main headline, this is good for Syria, but again its good for the rest of the world. Third, the same countries that wanted to use the UN Charter for their own vested interested are the same countries who interfered or tried to intervene in your country in the late 90s, and they used different headlines, human rights, and so on, and you know that, and if they had the chance, they would change every government in the world, whether big country or small country, just when this government tries to be a little bit independent. So, China protected the Chinese interests, Syrian interests, and the world interests, especially the small countries or the weak countries. Question 10: If Im not mistaken, you said China is going to play a role in the reconstruction of Syria. So, in which areas you think China can contribute to bring Syrian people back to their normal life after so many years of hardships? President Assad : Actually, if you talk about what the terrorists have been doing the last six years, its destroying everything regarding the infrastructure. In spite of that, the Syrian government is still effective, at least by providing the minimum needs for the Syrian people. But theyve been destroying everything in every sector with no exception. Adding to that, the Western embargo in Syria has prevented Syria from having even the basic needs for the livelihood of any citizen in Syria. So, in which sector? In every sector. I mean, China can be in every sector with no exception, because we have damage in every sector. But if we talk about now, before this comprehensive reconstruction starts, China now is being involved directly in building many projects, mainly industrial projects, in Syria, and we have many Chinese experts now working in Syria in different projects in order to set up those projects. But of course, when you have more stability, the most important thing is building the destroyed suburbs. This is the most important part of the reconstruction. The second one is the infrastructure; the sanitation system, the electricity, the oil fields, everything, with no exception. The third one: the industrial projects, which could belong to the private sector or the public sector in Syria. Question 11: Alright. And it seems no secret that there are some Chinese extremists are here, fighting alongside Daesh. I think it is a threat to both Syria and China. What concrete or effective measures do you have to control border and prevent these extremists from free movement in the region? President Assad: When you talk about extremists or terrorists, it doesnt matter what their nationality is, because they dont recognize borders, and they dont belong to a country. The only difference between nationality and nationality, is that those for example who came from your country, they know your country more than the others, so they can do more harm in your country that others, and the same for Syrians, the same for Russian terrorist, and so on. So now, the measures, every terrorist should be defeated and demolished, unless he changed his position to the normal life. Second, because youre talking about different nationalities -more than 80 nationalities you should have cooperation with the other governments, especially in the intelligence field, and thats whats happening for example with the Chinese intelligence regarding the Uyghur terrorists who are coming from China through Turkey. Unfortunately, the only means that we dont have now and we dont control is our borders with Turkey, because the Uyghur in Particular, they came from Turkey, the others coming maybe from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, form the sea, maybe, and the majority from Turkey, but the Uyghur terrorists coming mainly from Turkey. Why? I dont know why, but they have the support of the Turkish government, and they were gathered and collected in one group, and they were sent to the northern part of Syria. So, the mission now is to attack them, wherever they existed. Of course, sometimes you cannot tell which one who is who, they mix with each other, but sometimes they work as separate groups from different nationalities. And this is very crucial kind of cooperation between the Syrian and the Chinese intelligence, and we did many good steps in that regard. Question 12: Mr. President, as you may be fully aware that the White Helmets took an Oscar this year for the best documentary short, but folks are saying that the truth about this White Helmets is not like what Netflix has presented, so what is your take on this? President Assad: First of all, we have to congratulate al-Nusra for having the first Oscar! This is an unprecedented event for the West to give Al Qaeda an Oscar; this is unbelievable, and this is another proof that the Oscars, Nobel, all these things are politicized certificates, thats how I can look at it. The White Helmets story is very simple; it is a facelift of al-Nusra Front in Syria, just to change their ugly face into a more humanitarian face, thats it. And you have many videos on the net and of course images broadcasted by the White Helmets that condemn the White Helmets as a terrorists group, where you can see the same person wearing the white helmet and celebrating over the dead bodies of Syrian soldiers. So, thats what the Oscar went to, to those terrorists. So, its a story just to try to prevent the Syrian Army during the liberation of Aleppo from making more pressure on the attacking and liberating the districts within the city that have been occupied by those terrorists, to say that the Syrian Army and the Russians are attacking the civilians and the innocents and the humanitarian people. Question 13: Right. Now Palmyra. I took a one-day trip to Palmyra this time. Now, the city is under your control, so as its strategic position is concerned, because Homs is the heart of Syria, its right in the middle, now, when you have Palmyra, what is your next target? Are you going to expand a military operation into Raqqa and Dier Ezzor? President Assad: We are very close to Raqqa now. Yesterday, our troops reached the Euphrates River which is very close to Raqqa city, and Raqqa is the stronghold of ISIS today, so its going to be a priority for us, but that doesnt mean the other cities are not priority, in time that could be in parallel, because Palmyra is on the way to Dier Ezzor city in the eastern part of Syria which is close to the Iraqi borders, and those areas that have been used by ISIS as route for logistic support between ISIS in Iraq and ISIS in Syria. So, whether you attack the stronghold or you attack the route that ISIS uses, it has the same result. Question 14: How many days do you think this war is going to last? President Assad: if we presume that you dont have foreign intervention, it will take a few months. Its not very complicated internally. The complexity of this war is the foreign intervention. This is the problem. So, in the face of that intervention, the good thing that we gained during the war is the unity of the society. At the very beginning, the vision for many Syrians wasnt very clear about whats happening. Many believed the propaganda of the West about the reality, about the real story, that this is against the oppression. If its against the oppression, why the people in Saudi Arabia didnt revolt, for example? So, now what we gained is this, this is our strongest foundation to end that war. We always have hope that this year is going to be the last year. But at the end, this is war and you cant expect what is going to happen precisely. Question 15: Mr. President, you are President of the Syrian Republic, at the same time, you are a loving husband and a father of three. How can you balance the role of being a President, a father, and a husband? President Assad: If you cannot succeed in your small duty which is your family, you cannot succeed in your bigger duty or more comprehensive duty at the level of a country. So, there is no excuse that if you have a lot of work to abandon your duties; its a duty. You have to be very clear about that, you have to fulfill those duties in a very good way. Of course, sometimes those circumstances do not allow you to do whatever you have to do, your duties, fully, lets say. Journalist: During a day, how much time you spend on work, and how much time you spend with your family members? President Assad: Actually, its not about the time, because even if you are at your home, you have to work. Journalist: Okay. President Assad: Lets say, in the morning and the evening, you have the chance, but in between and after those times, you have the whole day to work. Question 16: Have you ever thought of leaving this country for the sake of your family? President Assad: Never, after six years, I mean the most difficult times passed; it was in 2012 and 2013, those times we never thought about it, how can I think about it now? So, no, no, this is not an option. Whenever you have any kind of reluctance, you will lose. You will lose not with your enemies; you lose with your supporters. Those supporters, I mean the people you work with, the fighters, the army, they will feel if youre not determined to defend your country. We never had any feeling neither me nor any member of my family. Question 17: And how is Kareems Chinese getting along? President Assad: He learned the basics of Chinese language, I think two years ago. Unfortunately, the lady and the man who taught him had to leave, because they were members of the Chinese Embassy. They went back to China. Now, he stopped improve his Chinese language. Question 18: Do you think it is a good choice to learn Chinese for him? President Assad: Of course, of course, because China is a rising power. Journalist: You didnt force him to learn Chinese? Its his own option, right? President Assad: No, no, we never thought about it, actually. I didnt think that he has to learn Chinese, and I didnt expect him, if I thought about it, that he would say yes, because for many in the world the Chinese language is a difficult language to learn. He took the initiative and he said I want to learn Chinese, and actually till this moment, I didnt ask him why. I want him to feel free, but when hes getting older, Im going to ask him how? How did it come through your mind to learn this language, this difficult language, but of course important language. Journalist: You didnt ask him before? President Assad: No, not yet. Journalist: So, you think its a good choice? President Assad: Of course, of course. As I said, its a rising power, its important. I mean, most of the world has different kinds of relation with China whether in science, in politics, in economy, in business, I mean, in every filed you need it now. And our relation for the future is going to be on the rise. It was good, but its going to be on the rise because when a country like China proves that its a real friend, a friend that you can rely on, its very natural to have better relation on the popular level, not only on the formal level. Journalist: Thank you Mr. President, thank you for your time. President Assad : Thank you for coming to Syria, youre most welcome. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. A Flawed UN Investigation on Syria U.N. investigators increasingly make their conclusions fall in line with Western propaganda, especially on the war in Syria, as occurred in a distorted report about last years attack on an aid convoy, explains Gareth Porter. By Gareth Porter March 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The March 1 report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry asserted that the bloody attack on a humanitarian aid convoy west of Aleppo City on Sept. 19, 2016, was an airstrike by Syrian government planes. But an analysis of the U.N. panels report shows that it was based on an account of the attack from the pro-rebel Syrian White Helmets civil defense organization that was full of internal contradictions. The UN account also was not supported by either the photographic evidence that the White Helmets provided or by satellite imagery that was available to the commission, according to independent experts. Further undermining the UN reports credibility, the White Helmets now acknowledge that rockets they photographed were not fired from Russian or Syrian planes but from the ground. Like last Decembers summary of the UNs Headquarters Board of Inquiry report on the same incident, the Commissions report described the attack as having begun with barrel bombs dropped by Syrian helicopters, followed by further bombing by fixed-wing planes and, finally, strafing by machine guns from the air. The March 1 report did not identify any specific source for its narrative, citing only [c]ommunications from governments and non-government organizations. But in fact the UN investigators accepted the version of events provided by the White Helmets chief in Aleppo province as well as specific evidence that the White Helmets had made public. The White Helmets, which are heavily funded by Western governments and operate only in rebel-controlled areas, are famous for using social media to upload videos purporting to show injured children and other civilian victims of the war. Last year, a well-organized campaign pushed the groups nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize and a Netflix film about the group won an Oscar last month. The United Nations and the mainstream Western news media have frequently relied on White Helmets accounts from war zones that are not accessible to outsiders. But the White Helmets officials have pursued an obvious political agenda in support of opposition forces in Al Qaeda-dominated zones in Aleppo and Idlib where they have operated. On Sept. 19, immediately after the attack on the aid convoy, the chief of the White Helmets organization in the Aleppo governorate, Ammar al-Selmo, presented a dramatic narrative of a Russian-Syrian air attack, but it was marked by obvious internal contradictions. At first, Selmo claimed in an interview that he had been more than a kilometer away from the warehouses where the attack occurred and had seen Syrian helicopters dropping barrel bombs on the site. But his eyewitness account would have been impossible because it was already dark by the time he said the attack began at about 7:15 p.m. He changed his story in a later interview, claiming that he had been right across the street at the moment of the attack and had heard the barrel bombs being dropped rather than seeing them. Selmo insisted in a video filmed that night that the attack began with Syrian helicopters dropping eight barrel bombs, which are described as large, crudely constructed bombs weighing from 250 kg to 500 kg or even more. Citing a box-shaped indentation in the rubble, Selmo said the video is showing the box of the barrel bomb, but the indentation is far too small to be a crater from such a bomb. Selmo continued the account, Then the regime also target this place with cluster bombs two times, and also the aircraft of the Russians target this place with C-5 and with bullets, apparently referring to Soviet-era S-5 rockets. The White Helmets photographed two such rockets and sent it to media outlets, including the Washington Post, which published the picture in the Post story with credit to the White Helmets. Story Contradictions But Hussein Badawi, apparently the White Helmet official in charge of the Urum al Kubrah area, contradicted Selmos story . In a separate interview, Badawi said the attack had begun not with barrel bombs but with four consecutive rockets that he said had been launched by government forces from their defense plant in Aleppo province meaning that it was a ground-launched attack rather than an air attack. In an email response to a query from me, Selmo retracted his own original claim about the S-5 rockets. [B]efore aircrafts attack on the area, he wrote, many land to land missiles attacked the place coming from the defense factories which [are] located in eastern Aleppo [east of] the city, regime controlled area. [T]hen aircraft came and attacked the place. But such a rocket attack from that regime controlled area would not have been technically possible. The Syrian government defense plant is located in Safira, 25 kilometers southeast of Aleppo City and even farther from Urum al-Kubrah, whereas the S-5 rockets that the White Helmets photographed have a range of only three or four kilometers. Moreover, the Russians and Syrian government forces were not the only warring parties to have S-5s in their arsenal. According to a study of the S-5 rocket by Armament Research Services consultancy, Syrian armed opposition forces had been using S-5 rockets as well. They had gotten them from the CIAs covert program of moving weapons from Libyan government stockpiles to be distributed to Syrian rebels beginning in late 2011 or early 2012. Syrian rebels had used improvised launch systems to fire them, as the ARS study documented with a picture. Significantly, too, the explicit claim by Selmo that Russian planes were involved in the attack, which was immediately echoed by the Pentagon, was summarily dismissed by the UN panel report, which stated flatly, without further explanation, that no Russian strike aircraft were nearby during the attack. Break Free From The Matrix Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Misplaced Evidence Yet, despite the multiple discrepancies in the White Helmets story, the UN investigators said they corroborated the account of the air attack by a site assessment, including analysis of remnants of aerial bombs and rockets documented at the site, as well as satellite imagery showing impact consistent with the use of air-delivered munitions. The UN Commissions report cited a photograph of the crumpled tailfin of a Russian OFAB-250 bomb found under some boxes in a warehouse as evidence that it had been used in the attack. The White Helmets took the photograph and circulated it to the news media, including to the Washington Post and to the Bellingcat website , which specializes in countering Russias claims about its operations in Syria. But that bomb could not have exploded in that spot because it would have made a crater many times larger than the small indentation in the floor in the White Helmet photo as shown in this video of a man standing in the crater of a similar bomb in Palmyra. Something other than an OFAB-250 bomb such as an S-5 rocket had caused the fine shrapnel tears in the boxes shown in the photo, as a detail from the larger scene reveals. So the OFAB bomb tailfin must have been placed at the scene after the attack. Both UN imagery analysts and independent experts who examined the satellite images found that the impact craters could not have come from the aerial bombs cited by the Commission. The analysis of the satellite images by United Nations specialists at UNITAR-UNOSAT made public by the UN Office of Humanitarian Coordination on March 1 further contradicts the White Helmet account, reflecting the absence of any evidence of either barrel bombs or OFAB-250 bombs dropped on the site. The UN analysts identified four spots in the images on pages five and six of their report as possible impact craters. But a UN source familiar with their analysis of the images told me that it had ruled out the possibility that those impact points could have been caused by either barrel bombs or Russian OFAB-250 bombs. The reason, the UN source said, was that such bombs would have left much larger craters than those found in the images. Those possible impact points could have been either from much smaller air-launched munitions or from ground-based artillery or mortar fire, but not from either of those weapons, according to the UN source. Expert Challenges A former U.S. intelligence official with long experience in analysis of aerial photos and Pierre Sprey, a former Pentagon analyst, both of whom reviewed the satellite images, agreed that the spots identified by UNOSAT could not have been from either barrel bombs or OFAB-250 bombs. The former intelligence official, who demanded anonymity because he still deals with government officials, said the small impact points identified by the UN team reminded him of impacts from a multiple rocket launcher or possibly a mortar. Sprey agreed that all of those impact points could have been from artillery or mortar fire but also noted that photographs of the trucks and other damaged vehicles show no evidence that they were hit by an airstrike. The photos show only extensive fire damage and, in the case of one car, holes of irregular size and shape, he said, suggesting flying debris rather than bomb shrapnel. Sprey further pointed to photographic evidence indicating that an explosion that the UN Commission blamed on a Syrian airstrike came from within the building itself, not from an external blast. The building across the street from some of the trucks destroyed by an explosion (in Figure 9 of a series of photos on the Bellngcat website ) clearly shows that the front wall of the building was blown outward toward the road, whereas the rear wall and the roof were still intact. The photograph (in Figure 10) taken from inside the remains of that same building shows the debris from the blast was blown all the way across the street to the damaged truck. Sprey said those pictures strongly suggest that an IED (improvised explosive device) had been set in the house to explode toward the trucks. In embracing the Syrian-air-strike narrative although it falls apart on closer examination the UNCommission of Inquiry thus fell into line with the dominant Western political bias in favor of the armed opposition to the Syrian government, a prejudice that has been applied to the Syrian conflict by UN organs since the beginning of the war in 2011. But never has the evidence so clearly contradicted that line as it has in this case even though you will not learn that by reading or watching the Wests commercial news media. Gareth Porter is an independent investigative journalist and winner of the 2012 Gellhorn Prize for journalism. He is the author of the newly published Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. The Democrats' Dangerous Diversion The Democrats wont admit that they lost to Donald Trump because they ran a deeply flawed, corporate-oriented candidate, so they blame Russia instead, a very dangerous diversion, says Nicolas J S Davies. By Nicolas J S Davies March 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - The current debate over fake news has reminded me of a conversation I had several years ago with a former citizen of East Germany, now living in the United States. He explained that, in East Germany, everybody knew that what the media told them about their own country was a bunch of lies and propaganda. So they assumed that what the media told them about the West was just propaganda, too. Now living in the U.S., he had come to realize that a lot of what the East German media said about life in the U.S. was actually true. There really are people living on the street, people with no access to healthcare, widespread poverty, a lack of social welfare and public services, and many other problems, as the East German media accurately reported, and as the Chinese government also noted in its latest report on human rights in the U.S. My friend wished he and his countrymen had understood the difference between what their media told them about their country and what they reported about the West. Then they could have made more intelligent choices about which aspects of life in the West to adopt, instead of allowing Western experts to come in and impose the entire neoliberal model on their country. In the West, of course, the state media of East Germany and other Communist countries were held up to ridicule. I remember hearing that people in the U.S.S.R. would open their newspapers in the morning and have a good laugh at the latest fake news in Pravda. But, as my German friend eventually understood, there was some truth amongst the propaganda, and the hidden danger of such a corrupted media system is that people end up not knowing what to believe, making informed democratic choices almost impossible. In the end, people all over Eastern Europe were cornered into a false choice between two ideological systems that both came as top-down package deals, instead of being able to take charge of their own societies and democratically decide their own future. In the U.S., we live under a two-party political system, not a one-party system as in East Germany, and our media reflect that. As each of our two main political parties and our media have fallen more totally under the sway of unbridled plutocratic interests , our mass media has devolved into a bifurcated version of what my friend observed in East Germany, triply corrupted by commercial interests, partisan bias and ideological and nationalist propaganda. Down the Rabbit Hole Since the 2016 election campaign, our political system seems to have devolved into something like the nonsense world of Lewis Carrolls Alice In Wonderland, with Donald Trump as the Queen of Hearts, Hillary Clinton as Humpty Dumpty, the Republicans and Democrats as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the election as the Caucus Race (which Lewis Carroll based on U.S. political caucuses) and the whipsawed American public as the permanently baffled Alice. In Lewis Carrolls Caucus Race, an assortment of creatures ran randomly around a racetrack with no start or finish line, until the Dodo called the race over, declared them all winners and told Alice (the public?) she had to give them all prizes. In similar fashion, the 2016 election between two of the most unpopular presidential candidates in U.S. history seems to have no finish line, but to live on in round-the-clock campaigns to corral the public into one of its two camps. The artificial, top-down nature of both these campaigns should be a warning that, like the election campaigns they grew out of, they are designed to corral, control and direct masses of people, not to offer real solutions to any of the serious problems facing our country and the world. On one hand, we have President Trump, Republican Congressional leaders, Breitbart, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, spouting nonsense worthy of Lewis Carroll, even in major presidential speeches, while dismissing criticism as fake news. The Trump camp will never acknowledge that only a quarter of voting-age Americans voted for him, nor that even less of us share his views or the interests he represents. In this corrupt two-party system, no effort or expense is spared to persuade the public that we must vote for one of the two major party presidential candidates, whether we agree with either of them or not. But that cuts both ways, leaving most of the public unrepresented no matter who wins, and depriving any new government of a genuine popular mandate. But Republican leaders play a more straightforward winner-take-all game than the Democrats. So they will try to ride Trumps victory and their Congressional majorities as far as they will take them on all fronts: more tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations; more draconian cuts in social spending; more privatization of healthcare, education and other public services; more detention and deportation of immigrants; a more aggressive police response to social problems and public protest; more destruction of the natural world and the climate; and more increases in a military budget that already broke post-WWII records under Bush and Obama, to fuel a more openly aggressive and dangerous war policy in other words, more of all the things that most Americans would agree we have already had too much of. On the other side, Democratic Party leaders and the CIA, supported by the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC, have conjured up unproven charges that Russia stole the election for Trump as the heart of their campaign against him. In Trump, history has handed them a political opponent with a pinata of vulnerabilities, from unprecedented conflicts of interest to policies that benefit only his own wealthy class to willful ignorance of how almost everything he is responsible for as president really works. And yet the cabal formerly known as the Clinton campaign shows little interest in pointing out that our new Emperor has no clothes on, let alone in seriously resisting his repressive, plutocratic policies, and is instead obsessed with convincing the public that a birthmark on his naked bum looks like a hammer and sickle. A Saving Grace? Paradoxically, if Trump really reduced tensions between the U.S. and Russia, as his hawkish Democratic opponents fear, that could be the saving grace of his entire presidency. George W. Bushs and Barack Obamas regime change wars, NATO expansion and the U.S.-backed coup in Ukraine have ignited a new Cold War that many respected scientists believe has raised the risk of human mass extinction to its highest level since the 1950s. In the pursuit of false security based on post-Cold War triumphalism and a fleeting mirage of military supremacy , our corrupt leaders have jeopardized not just our security but our very existence, leaving us at two and a half minutes to midnight on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) Doomsday Clock . As Jonathan Marshall at Consortiumnews.com reported on March 10, experts from the Federation of American Scientists, the Natural Resources Defense Council and MIT wrote i n a recent BAS article that new super-fuzes installed on U.S. nuclear warheads since 2009 have significantly increased the danger of nuclear war by giving the U.S. the ability to destroy all Russias fixed land-based nuclear missiles with only a fraction of U.S. own weapons. Coupled with President Obamas deployment of a formerly illegal ABM (anti-ballistic missile) system on Aegis missile destroyers and at bases in Eastern Europe, the authors wrote that this upgrade to U.S. nuclear warheads is exactly what one would expect to see if a nuclear-armed state were planning to have the capacity to fight and win a nuclear war by disarming enemies with a surprise first strike. They concluded that Russian planners will almost surely see the advance in fuzing capability as empowering an increasingly feasible U.S. preemptive nuclear strike capability. In the case of a suspected Russian nuclear missile launch, the U.S. satellite-based early warning system can give President Trump 30 minutes to judge whether we are really facing a nuclear attack or not. But Russias land-based early warning system is not so generous. In the case of a suspected U.S. nuclear launch targeting Russia, President Putin would have as little as 7 to 13 minutes to decide whether Russia was really under nuclear attack and whether to retaliate. In the midst of escalating tensions over Syria, Ukraine, Iran or some other new crisis, a realistic fear of a U.S. first strike could force a hasty decision by Russian officials and seal the fate of humanity. The BAS authors believe that this predicament leaves Russia little choice but to pre-delegate its nuclear launch authority to lower levels of command, increasing the risk of an accidental or mistaken launch of nuclear weapons. In an epitome of understatement, they point out that, Forcing this situation upon the Russian government seems likely to be detrimental to the security interests of the United States and its Western allies. While U.S. officials are largely silent about the dangers of these developments in U.S. nuclear weapons policy, President Putin has spoken frankly about them and expressed dismay that the U.S. has rejected every Russian offer of cooperation to reduce these risks. Talking to a group of journalists at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2016, he concluded, I dont know how this is all going to end. What I do know is that we will need to defend ourselves. But despite the existential dangers of deteriorating relations with Russia, Democratic Party leaders have grasped the CIAs unproven assessments that Russia may have tried to influence the outcome of the U.S. election as a lifeline by which to salvage their positions of power after their partys electoral implosion. Since the leadership of the Democratic Party was taken over by the corporate-backed Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) a generation ago, it has followed an unwritten rule that it must never accept responsibility for losing an election, nor respond to signs of public disaffection with any weakening of its commitment to pro-corporate, neoliberal policies. In its desperation to prevent the democratic reform of the Democratic Party, it is aggressively tarring nuclear-armed Russia with the same brush it used to tar and feather Ralph Nader after the 2000 election. The mortal aversion of Democratic Party leaders to progressive reform suggests that they prize their own control of the party even above winning elections, the rational purpose of any political party. Their ugly smear campaign against Keith Ellison , the progressive candidate for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair, mirrored the DNCs corrupt campaign to undermine Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries and the DLC cabals bare-knuckles response to progressive challengers for the past 30 years. For the DLC Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of the long-term victory that the countrys shifting demographics seem to guarantee their party requires a truly historic level of corruption . Their unshakable commitment to fight tooth and nail for the interests of their wealthy campaign contributors over those of poorer, younger and darker-skinned voters in every election, every national, state and local party committee and on every issue, even as they pretend they are doing the exact opposite, could only be a viable political strategy in Lewis Carrolls Wonderland. In the real world, their demonstrated disdain for the people from whose votes they derive their power is a strategy for political suicide. Different Kind of Politics These corrupt party leaders and their corporate media cheerleaders dare not remind us that Bernie Sanderss candidacy for president inspired more enthusiasm and drew bigger crowds than Trumps or Clintons, despite one eightieth of the early media promotion lavished on Trump by some corporate media and the fact that almost the entire Democratic Party establishment lined up against him . For decades, DLC Democrats have run on vague messages about values to avoid being cornered into explicit progressive policy positions that might alienate their wealthy patrons. Sanders was greeted with open arms by younger voters ready for a renaissance of real politics based on actual policies that solve real problems, like universal healthcare, free college tuition, progressive taxation to pay for it all and a more cautious approach to U.S.-backed regime change in other countries. By contrast, an analysis of campaign messaging by the Wesleyan Media Project found that Clintons message was devoid of policy discussions when compared to other recent presidential campaigns, including even Trumps, and that this was a critical factor in her failure. According to opinion polls, Bernie Sanders may now be the most popular politician in America . Polls consistently showed that Sanders was likely to beat Trump in the general election if the Democratic Party allowed him to get that far, but the DNC fundraising machine pulled out every trick in the book to make sure that didnt happen. If truth be told, Sanderss success was probably a more accurate reflection of the evolving political views of a majority of Americans in 2016 than the billion-dollar auction of the presidency between the Game Show King and the Queen of Chaos . These two camps represent factions of the powerful interests that have controlled American politics for decades, from the military-industrial complex and the CIA to the dirty energy and for-profit healthcare industries, to say nothing of the commercial media industry itself, which covered this election all the way to the bank and for whom the show must go on and on and on and on. Lies of Both Sides. Like the people of East Germany in the 1980s, we now face the challenge of a society in crisis, compounded by a treacherous media environment, with not just one, but two competing camps presenting us with false, self-serving interpretations of the multi-faceted crisis their corruption has spawned. While they compete for our trust, they share a common interest in insisting that one of the two mythological worldviews they have staked out must be right. But as Cornel West recently told the students at my local high school in Miami in a Black History Month speech, You dont have to choose between the lies on one side and the lies on the other side. So the question becomes where to turn for something other than lies, and how to recognize the truth when we stumble across it. Break Free From The Matrix Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The paradox of our Internet age is that we nearly all have access to a wider range of media than ever before, yet we are still exposed and susceptible to corporate, partisan and ideological propaganda. In theory, we no longer have to be victims of for-profit media whose business models prioritize their profits over their duty to inform the public. But in reality, we do not form our views of the world as independently as we think we do. This is easier to grasp in the case of commercial advertising than in the arena of political or ideological indoctrination. There is a well-known dictum in the business world that goes, I know that half the money we spend on advertising is wasted. I just dont know which half. The flip-side of this is that the other half is not wasted. So the advertising industry in the United States spends $220 billion per year, $700 for each man, woman and child in the country, to sell us products and services. And yet we still like to think that we make independent, rational choices about our spending, based on enlightened self-interest and cultivated tastes, not on the work of copywriters churning out pitches, images and jingles in ad agency cubicles. One of the by-products of the mass monetization of American politics since the 1980s is that politics has become a profitable new arena for advertising, marketing and public relations firms. Its practitioners apply the techniques and experience theyve developed in other areas to the world of politics, helping politicians and parties to convert the money they raise from wealthy campaign contributors into votes, and ultimately into power over all our lives. So we should be just as wary of political marketing and advertising as of the commercial variety. We should also be more humble in recognizing our own vulnerability to these profitable forms of persuasion and deception. My copy of Alice in Wonderland has a quotation from James Joyce in the front of the book: Wipe your glasses with what you know. What we know is often our best protection against being misled by advertisers, politicians and pundits, if we will only remember what we know and trust it over the misinformation that surrounds us. Wiping our glasses with what we know can provide a reality check on the current Russophobia campaign. We know very well that the U.S. and Russia possess the bulk of the worlds nuclear weapons, and that war between our two countries would likely mean death for ourselves and our families and the end of life as we know it for people everywhere. We also know that it is our country and its allies , not Russia, that have launched invasions, military occupations, bombing campaigns, coups and drone wars against at least ten countries in the past 20 years, while Russia only recently become engaged in two of these conflict zones when its interests were directly impacted by our actions. So we can see that the greatest danger in this relationship is not the threat of some unprovoked and unprecedented act of Russian aggression. The more real and serious danger is that a confrontation with Russia over one of the hot spots we have ignited will lead to an escalation of tensions in which a mistake, a misunderstanding, a miscalculation, a bluff called, a red line crossed or some other kind of failed brinksmanship will trigger a war that will escalate to the use of nuclear weapons, and from there to Armageddon. Even with the lines of communication set up after the Cuban missile crisis and the stabilization of the Cold War balance of terror by the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), we now know that we came very close to Armageddon many times , including simply by accident. Instead of being corralled by either side in the Russia did it campaign, we should be urging our leaders to sit down and talk seriously with Russias leaders, to stop taking dangerous actions that exacerbate tensions, uncertainties and mutual isolation, and to return to serious negotiations to leave our children and grandchildren a peaceful world, free of nuclear weapons, where these dangers will no longer threaten them. Amid lies and distortions on all sides, the corruption of politics and media by commercial interests and the billion dollars per year our government spends directly on public relations and propaganda, James Joyces advice can still serve us well. Make sure to wipe your glasses with what you know as you read or watch news from any source or listen to politicians of any party, and we may just find a way out of this rabbit hole before the roof crashes in on us. Nicolas J S Davies is the author of Blood On Our Hands: the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq. He also wrote the chapters on Obama at War in Grading the 44th President: a Report Card on Barack Obamas First Term as a Progressive Leader . For Allies & Foes Alike, All Roads Lead to Moscow as Mideasts Main Player By Finian Cunningham March 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " RT " - In the same week that the United States sent thousands of additional troops to Kuwait for deployment in Iraq and Syria, Russia was busy pursuing a heavy-duty diplomatic deployment. The contrast speaks of a paradigm-shift in geopolitics. Russia has become the main player in the future of the vital Middle East region, where the US and its European allies formerly claimed to be the lynchpin powers. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow. The next day, it was Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogans turn to be greeted in the Kremlin. The meeting in Moscow confirms the restored relations since the fatal Turkish shoot-down of a Russian fighter jet over Syria in November 2015. Full Re-engagement: Syrian crisis and megaprojects to dominate Erdogan, Putin meeting https://t.co/nghs1mfCdq RT (@RT_com) March 10, 2017 Russia can rightly claim to have gained the respect of virtually all the countries in the Middle East, ranging from allies and foes alike. Syria and Iran, longtime allies, have expressed gratitude for Moscows military intervention in Syria to salvage that country from a nearly six-year war, while, at the same time, states normally thought of as US clients, such as Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia , have also paid their respects to Russia over its principled use of military force to stabilize the restive region. The latter countries are particularly significant, given that they have backed proxy forces in Syria that have been fighting against Russias ally, the Syrian government of President Assad. Israel and Saudi Arabia are also implacably opposed to Iran, another key Russian ally. But here is a measure of Russias kudos in the region. When Israels Netanyahu came to Moscow this week his third visit in 16 months he was reportedly put in his place by Putin over a remark he had made comparing Iran to ancient Persia, claiming it was trying to destroy Jews. Putin wagged his finger and told the Israeli leader to stop dwelling in the past and instead deal with a changed world. The bumptious Netanyahu was suitably quietened by the admonishment. Its hard to imagine any other international leader commanding that kind of deference. Putin to Netanyahu: Dont judge Iran by 5th century BC, we live in a different world https://t.co/jYF5rSKF3j pic.twitter.com/NDRF5XTMqq RT (@RT_com) March 10, 2017 Other countries in the Middle East that have recently sought renewed contact with Russia include Egypt, Libya, Qatar, and Bahrain. The remarkable thing is how Russia has been able to garner the respect of such a diverse range of states with such divergent political and religious outlooks, some vehemently opposed to each other. Yet, in Russia, they all find a reliable gravitational center. American political commentator Randy Martin says that the leadership displayed by Russia stems from a fundamental difference in how the US operates. He says that Moscow genuinely wants to build peace and development in the region, whereas Washington has always been motivated by selfish reasons of hegemonic dominance. Says Martin: Russia under Putin is trying to build relationships, regional development, multilateralism and peace-making. Russia understands that the only viable future for itself and others is to create a stable, multi-polar international order. And Russia is showing true leadership by demonstrating a principled tolerance of others. The commentator added: It is instructive to contrast Russian military intervention and subsequent diplomacy with that of the US. Everywhere the US has been involved in has imploded in relentless violence and failure. Thats because Washington is only interested in exploiting the oil-rich region ultimately for its own strategic ends. By contrast, Russia has a real stake in the regions future as a neighbor and partner. Break Free From The Matrix Get Our Free Daily Newsletter After witnessing a series of destructive US-led wars across the region, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya, it seems the Russian government has made a strategic resolution that the apocalyptic dynamic had to stop, not just for its own sake, but for the world at large. Syria was the line in the sand. 'What are they [foreign troops] going to do? To fight ISIS? The Americans lost nearly every war' - Assad https://t.co/Ull0Qzck6Q pic.twitter.com/arClIighfl RT (@RT_com) March 11, 2017 Through the principled use of military power, Russias intervention in Syria has put out the flames of a conflict that was threatening to engulf the entire region. While Washington and its clients who backed regime-change have cause to be displeased with Russias intervention, nevertheless, there can at least be a tacit acknowledgement that it was Russias leader, Vladimir Putin, who brought the madness to an end. That newfound respect for Russian power has materialized in the sponsorship of peace talks on Syria by Russia and Turkey. Both countries brokered a ceasefire in December, which has largely held, to facilitate two rounds of negotiations between the Assad government and the Syrian opposition. Those talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, have now paved the way for rebooted peace negotiations in Geneva next week under the auspices of the United Nations. In his meeting with Erdogan in Moscow this week, Putin noted that the talks in Astana were the first time ever that the conflicting parties in Syria came to the negotiating table. He added that this tangible result was grounds for cautious optimism for a full-fledged political settlement. Of greater significance, Putin referred to Russias bigger strategic picture. He said that the political talks marked the start of the process of rebuilding Syria and others countries in the region. The bedrock principle laid down by the Russian leader is respect for sovereignty. That applies to Russias allies as well as their foes. Moscow is saying that if the conflict-torn region is to have any future then, at a minimum, each and every player must have a modicum of respect for sovereignty. The dark days of zero-sum, regime-change intrigues against others must end. Through its commendable stand in the Mideast, Russia has shown that it is a power that can be trusted, whereas the US and its European allies have been fatally compromised through their own unscrupulous, treacherous scheming. Not even supposed allies have confidence that Western powers can be trusted in the long-run. The case of Turkey and Israel both ardent allies of Washington coming to Moscow this week to pay homage to Putin shows that they realize that Russia, despite their political differences, has become the indispensable player in the region. Washington, London, and Paris are like yesterdays men. Randy Martin, the political commentator, says that the consummate difference between Russia and the US is due to the formers profound understanding of war and peace. Russia knows the cost of war, and so appreciates the price of peace, says Martin. Given the vast destruction and pain that Russia endured through war over the past century, perhaps no other country on the planet has a better understanding of the importance of making peace. By contrast, the US has never experienced the suffering of war the way Russia has. The US only knows how to incite war and inflict suffering. This fundamental distinction appears to be why Russia has emerged as a reliable leader in the war-torn Middle East and beyond. It is a power that others can respect. Its those that dont respect Russia Washington and its surrogates in Europe who accuse Putin of being an aggressor, who are showing their true colors. Their accusations are projections of their own aggressor-status. Russia is putting an end to their warmongering through genuine world leadership and that is why they jealously slander Putin as an aggressor. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. More Mideast Madness as Trump Prepares to March By Eric Margolis March 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - We are now moving rapidly into stage II of Levantine Madness as the US boosts its intervention in the war-torn Mideast. Five thousand US troops are back in Iraq to bolster the shattered nations puppet regime that is propped up by American bayonets. New Iraqi military formations have been formed, totally equipped with modern US M1 Abrams tanks, Humvees, and fleets of trucks. More US forces are on the way. These US-financed Iraqi units are euphemistically called anti-terrorism forces and are supervised by US officers. In fact, what we see is the old British Imperial Raj formula of white officers commanding native mercenary troops. These Iraqi units are now assaulting ISIS-held Mosul, Iraqs second city, and smaller towns. Most of Americas Iraqi sepoys (as native troops in the British Indian Raj were known) are Shia bitterly opposed to the nations minority Sunnis. After its 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US encouraged animosity between Shia and Sunni as a way of breaking resistance to foreign occupation divide et impera as the Romans used to say. Interestingly, the backbone of ISIS leadership is made up of senior officers of Saddam Husseins old Iraqi army. The Mother of All Battles continues, as President Saddam predicted shortly before he was lynched. Meanwhile, thousands of US troops and Special Forces are now also engaged in Syria though just whom they are battling remains confused. Syria has become a mad house of warring factions backed by outside powers a sort of modern version of Germanys dreadful 30 Years War of the 1600s. The overall US commander for the Mideast, Gen. Joseph Votel, just asked the Trump administration for a large number of new American troops, saying he lacks the military resources to subdue and pacify the Levant. Votel, who is pretty sharp and a star of the US Armys Special Operations mafia, also just warned that India and Pakistan risked triggering a nuclear war, a grave danger this writer has been worrying about for years. Meanwhile, the crazy-quilt war in Syria that was started by the Obama administration and the Saudis has become unmanageable. Syrian government forces are being strongly backed by Russia and slowly driving back anti-regime forces backed by the US, Saudi Arabia, France and, ever so quietly, Israel. ISIS and whats left of al-Qaida are battling the Damascus government, sometimes discreetly aided by the western powers. Americas main ally in Iraq and Syria are Kurdish militias of the PYD party, an affiliate of the older PKK which has sought an independent Kurdish state for decades. I covered the long, bloody war between the Turkish armed forces and the PKK in Eastern Anatolia during the mid-1990s. Turkey is desperately concerned that formation of even a mini-Kurdish state in northern Syria or Iraq will eventually lead to creation of a large Kurdish state in Turkey. Eighteen percent of Turks are ethnic Kurds. The mighty Turkish Army will never allow this to happen. The Turks just watched the US break up Sudan, creating the new state of South Sudan, which has turned into a bloody disaster. Could Turkey be next? Many Turks suspect the US was behind the recent coup attempted against Turkeys leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Washington would like a more obedient leader in Ankara or see the army generals back in power. Turkey calls the Kurdish PYD terrorists. The US calls them comrades in arms and finances them. Clashes between the Turks and PYD appear very likely. PYDs blood brothers, the PKK, continue to wage bombing attacks across Turkey along with Islamic State. US forces in the region could easily be drawn into this murky fracas. Meanwhile, ISIS appears increasingly vulnerable. It has lost almost half of Mosul, the one big city it holds. The ISIS capital, Raqqa, will soon be overrun by US-led Iraqi forces and Kurds. Raqqa is a two-by nothing, one-camel town of no military value whatsoever. There is no way that 3,000 or so ISIS hooligans with only small arms could hold off a serious attack by regular troops and massed airpower, including B-52 and B-1 heavy bombers. Why Raqqa was not taken a year ago or more remains one of the wars major mysteries. As Ive previously written, I suspect that the US and Saudi Arabia originally helped create and arm ISIS to be used against Syrias government and Afghanistans Taliban movement. The US has long pretended to fight ISIS but has barely done so in reality. Break Free From The Matrix Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Maybe this time it will be for real. ISIS has largely slipped out of the control of its western handlers, a bunch of 20-something wildmen whose main goal is revenge for attacks on Muslim targets. Without modern logistics, heavy weapons and trained officers the idea that ISIS could stand up to any western forces is a joke. Its only when ISIS confronts ramshackle Arab forces that it has any clout. And thats because mostly Iraqi Arab forces have no loyalty to their governments. They are merely poorly paid mercenaries. As if this witchs brew was not sufficiently toxic, US and Russian aircraft and Special Forces are brushing up against one another in Syria. At the same time, the US Navy in the nearby Persian Gulf is provoking the Iranians to please President Donald Trump who seems determined to have war with Iran. The US Navy is now threatening to impose a naval blockade on war-torn Yemen, another joint US-Saudi warfare enterprise that has gone terribly wrong. History shows its also easy to lie, flag-wave and bluster into war but awfully hard to get out. Trump, whose main information sources appears to be Fox fake TV news, does yet seem to understand this verity. He should have a good look at Afghanistan, Americas longest war, now in its 16th year of stalemate. The Pentagon, heedless that Afghanistan is known as the Graveyard of Empires, wants more troops. Ten Interesting facts you didnt Know about the Oyo Kingdom 1. Oyo empire is believed to have been established by Oranmiyan, a prince of Ife, Oranmiyan who was sent to Bini empire upon request by the people of the empire, that the Oni of Ife send one of his sons to assist them in the rulership of their empire. 2. Bini empire which was on a crisis being at that time seemed it have for Oraamiyan to rule, this made him to fled Bini empire and instead if going back to Ile-Ife, went straight to establish the Oyo empire at a land, 150 miles north of Ile-Ife. 3. The Oba was the Alafin of Oyo, the occupant of the throne and owner of the palace. The Alaafin was only seen three times in a year, during the Ifa, Ori and Bere festivals. He holds office for life. He was seen as the representative of the God. 4. The Alaafin was assisted in the administration of the empire by a group of seven chiefs, known as the Oyomesi. The Oyomesi was the supreme council and acted as watchdogs to the Alaafin. They were kingmakers and thus ensured that the Alaafin did not wield arbitrary powers. 5. The Beshorun was the head of the Oyomesi. If the Alaafin became tyrannical or unpopular. The Beshorun will present a calabash to the Alaafin, which meant that he had been rejected by his people, consequent upon which he will commit suicide. 6. The Eso and the Ilari also assisted the Alaafin. The Eso were the military elites stationed at the outskirt of the city. 7. The Aare Ona Kakanfo was their head and was a must for the Aare Ona Kakanfo was their head and the supreme commander of the army. In war times, victory was a must for the Aare Ona Kakanfo, while a defeat led to his committing suicide. 8. The Ilari acted as representatives of the king. They also collected tributes for the Alaafin. 9. The Ogboni Cult and talented men, who served as a check on the excessive powers of Alaafin and the Oyomesi thereby making the empire democratic as they provided proper checks and balances in the various arms of government in the empire. 10.The ultimate collapse of Oyo empire could be attributed to the invasion of the Fulani Jihadists. The fact was that Afonja, an ambitious Aare Ona Kakanfo, had invited the Jihadist to help him conquer the Ilorin area of the empire for himself. However, his invitees later turned against him and killed him. They made Ilorin part of the Sokoto caliphate, from where they made advances southwards and in 1937, captured the entire Oyo empire (Ibid). this development marked the collapse of the Oyo empire. Special credit goes to the book History of Nigeria by Falola T, M etal as a point of reference. After the news broke on Sunday about the killing of an Air Force woman, Solape Oladipupo who was killed by her boy friend who is also a member of the Air Force. The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed the arrest of the suspect ,Kalu B.A, for allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend,in Markudi, Benue State. The incident happened on Saturday at the NAF Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, Benue State. According to reports, it was gathered that the two air force officers had had an affair for some months, after they met at a military parade. It was learnt that Oladipupo, who an indigene of Badagry, Lagos State,allegedly shot dead by Kalu after the latter accused her of dating other men. After the killing, it was speculated that Kalu also shot himself because of his post on his Facebook page, which read, My last night as an airman. Ask about me later and hear my story, you will be surprised. It was, however, learnt that Kalu had been arrested and in military detention. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said investigations were ongoing into the matter to ascertain the motives of the suspect. He said, An airman and an airwoman were involved. They had a love relationship which resulted in the shooting. We do not yet know what transpired between them. She was initially rushed to NAF hospital, but when it was beyond their control, she was transferred to the state hospital where she died. The body has been recovered to our base now. The boy (Kalu) has been arrested. He did not die. The post on the social media is mere speculation. He is alive and in custody. Investigations are ongoing into the incident. We will unravel the circumstances that led to the incident. Meanwhile, friends of the late Oladipupo took to her Facebook page to mourn her, saying that Kalu must be prosecuted for the killing. One of the friends, identified only as Esther, wrote, This is why military girls do not like dating soldiers. This is madness. If she was in love with a civilian, he would not even dare to slap her. This is too much. Another wrote, Rest in Peace, Shomzy. Your death is something I cannot easily forget because of your great military plans. Well, I cant continue crying my dear, because all I have to do is to let go of what I cannot change. ( Punch Nigeria) The Chairman of Chocolate City Boss, Audu Maikori has been released on bail by a Magistrates Court in Kaduna Maikori was first arrested in Lagos on February 17 and later released by the police over his tweets in January in which he alleged that five students of the College of Education, Gidan-Waya, were killed by Fulani herdsmen. Though the music producer later retracted his claims, saying he was misled by his driver, it was learnt that Governor Nasir el-Rufai was not pacified by his apology as he complained about the tweets to the police authorities, leading to his arrest. He was subsequently rearrested on Friday and taken to Kaduna where he was arraigned on Monday afternoon. ( Punch Nigeria ) President of Chocolate City Record Label, Audu Maikori Audu who was arrested for the second time on Friday over alleged incitement to violence, is said to have been diagnosed with respiratory infection while in detention. According to The Signal reports, he has transported to a police medical facility on the same Friday night. Recall that Audu fainted during the 2017 Annual Conference of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) last Tuesday at Shell Hall, Muson centre, Lagos. He was rushed to St. Nicholas Hospital where he was discharged two days later. Speaking to Premium Times on Sunday, Kaduna Police spokesperson Aliyu Usman said: Were not aware of his arrest. While the police has denied involvement in his arrest, a source told Premium Times that Other government agencies, like the SSS, might have arrested him and placed him in a police cell. Audus lawyer Mark Jacobs had said that the Kaduna State government is preparing to arraign him today (Monday). Audu was initially arrested over a story he published late January on the killing of five students of College of Education, Gidan-Waya, Kaduna. It turned out the story was false and he later published a retraction and issued an apology. He was subsequently arrested on February 17 and was released on bail 24 hours later. Governor Nasir El-Rufai had, during the just concluded Social Media Week, said that Audu will be prosecuted for spreading false stories capable of inciting retaliatory attacks in the ongoing crisis in Southern Kaduna. Photo credit: Naijapals, @thesignalng The President of Chocolate City , Audu Maikori is in a bad state as he was rushed to a hospital in Kaduna State after he found it difficult to breath last night.He was then rushed to the hospital so as to salvage the situation. Audu is currently in the Police Medical Center in Kaduna State. According ot reports, he has earlier been diagnosed with a respiratory infection but hes getting better now as he awaits his arraignment in court today. Two days before his re-arrest, Audu fainted at an event in Lagos and was rushed to St Nicholas hospital where he was treated and observed for 24-hours. BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States have the greatest potential to lead advances in disruptive technology, according to a recent report by international accounting firm KPMG. The annual report, "The Changing Landscape of Disruptive Technologies," is based on a survey of over 800 global technology leaders including start-up entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 executives. This year's poll reflected a slight uptick for China, with 25 percent of respondents saying they believe China could be a leader in disruptive technology, compared with 23 percent last year. Those endorsing the United States declined slightly from 29 percent a year ago to 26 percent. China continues to make rapid gains as the country moves from a reliance on manufacturing to an innovation powerhouse, the report read. "China's economic transformation is spurring the creation of new drivers of growth, new industries, new institutions, and new opportunities in the technology and innovation space," Egidio Zarrella, clients and innovation partner at KPMG China, was quoted as saying. Through the use of disruptive technology, such as cloud computing and the Internet of Things, Chinese companies are jumping on the resultant new business opportunities. Visionary entrepreneurial leaders such as Jack Ma of Alibaba are now known and respected globally, said the report. Shanghai was identified as the top leading technology innovation hub in addition to Silicon Valley over the next four years, followed by New York, Tokyo and Beijing. The city's ranking was based on its strong regional position in financial markets and numerous hi-tech parks in Pudong New Area, the report said. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday joined the literary world in congratulating renowned academic, poet, columnist and dramatist, Prof. Niyi Osundare, as he turns 70. This is contained in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina. President Buhari felicitated with all the friends, colleagues and family members of the literary icon, who through courage and the power of the pen has contributed immensely to the political history of Nigeria. The statement said he believes the septuagenarians sacrifices over the years can only be rewarded with strong democratic institutions that guarantee free and fair elections, and an effective governance that provides security, good health facilities and sound education to its citizenry. President Buhari commends the disciplined, forthright and diligent spirit of the erudite scholar, whose written works already span the globe, attracting numerous awards, and whose voice of wisdom will continue to resonate through generations. The President prayed that the almighty God will grant Prof. Osundare longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve humanity. Source: Daily Post Sulaiman Hassan, has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court in Lagos on Monday after he was accused of stabbing his brother-in-law to death with a kitchen knife. The 18-year-old Hassan, who is a cobbler is facing a charge of murder. The court did not take the plea of the accused as he was ordered to be kept behind the bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The Magistrate, Mrs Helen Omisore, ruled: As the court does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute such matters, the accused is to be remanded in prison for the next 30 days pending advice from the office of the State Director of Public Prosecutions. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Cousin Adams, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Feb. 27 at about noon at Rimax Estate, Meiran, a suburb of Lagos on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. He alleged that the accused stabbed his brother-in-law, Haruna Arebani, 23, to death with a kitchen knife. The accused had accosted the deceased and demanded why his newly wedded wife (the deceaseds sister) was taken away from him. Arebani had angrily responded that Hassan should make more money to reclaim his wife. The statement angered the accused who took a kitchen knife and stabbed the brother-in-law in the stomach and absconded to Ekpoma, where he was apprehended, Adams said. The offence contravened Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 which stipulates a death sentence for offenders. The case was adjourned to April 19. (NAN) A Lagos State Chief Magistrate Court sitting Ebute-metta has remanded an alleged notorious cult leader in Shomolu area of the state, Ibrahim Oriyomi Balogun, popularly called Small Jpron in prison custody over alleged Murder. The Magistrate, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Adelaja ordered that Balogun be kept in prison after he was arraigned before the court by men of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Lagos Command, on a five-count charge of conspiracy, murder, possession of firearms and belonging to Eiye Confrantanity, an outlawed secret society. Though the the plea of the 35 years old suspected cultist was not taken, the accused is to reman in prison until the legal advice from the Lagos State Direction of Public Prosecution (DPP) is obtained by the police. The matter has been adjourned till April 7, 2017. The accused person, who was earlier arrested and charged before the court sometime in August 2016, was said to have escaped from detention late last year. He was, however, rearrested by the police last month. In the charge marked D/22/17 and signed by the Head of Legal, SCIID, Effiong Asuquo, the pol alleged that the suspect in connivance with members of his group, who are now at large, sometime in January 2016, at Shomolu, conspired among themselves to commit murder. He was also accused by the police of killing one Whipper, by hitting him with a plank on his head. He was also said to have killed one Lekan, by shooting him with a gun on his chest. He was also alleged to belong to an unlawful society called Eiye Confrantanity and having in his possession and control a gun without license from appropriate authority, with an intent to use it to commit offence. The Offences according to the prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, are contrary and punishable under Sections 223, 42(1)(a) and 298(3) of the Criminal Laws Cap. Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015 Source: Leadership Lagos State Government yesterday said it has arrested 87 miscreants, popularly called area boys and 35 notorious cult members arrested during an over-night raid carried out by the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force around Idi-Oro and Akala in Mushin area of the state . The Taskforce Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police said the raid was carried out because of complaints by members of the public about criminal activities in the area. Egbeyemi stated that the notorious cult members known as Omije Boys and their leader, Sanju Agbabiaka also known as 120 were arrested at mid-night while they were inducting new members into the group. Egbeyemi who confirmed their arrests said 10 females and 15 teenagers were among those arrested, saying one para-military officer attached to the agency was seriously injured with broken bottles during the operations. He commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for increasing the number of Vocational Training Centres across the State in order to discouraged youths from engaging in criminal activities and be useful to the society. The Chairman urged youths to shun activities which could land them in jail and get enrolled into these well equipped Vocational Training Centres where they would be trained in different vocational skills One of the arrested cult member Godwin Okpeye 17yrs confessed that his friend lured him to become a member of the Omije Boys last year September, 2016 after he dropped out of school. He said they had been involved in different criminal activities in the Lagos metropolis, adding that he was recently released from Lagos State Remand Home after he and his friend were caught during a robbery operation in Ikorodu. The 15 teenagers arrested have been taken to Lagos Remand Home, Oregun. Source: Leadership Mr Timothy Olaobaju, an official of Fidelity Bank Plc has narrated how former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke deposited a sum of $115,010,000 in the bank with subsequent instruction to change it into naira and distribute it among individuals in the 36 states of the federation. Among the beneficiaries, Olaobaju said, were a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Dele Belgore; and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, who both received N450m. Olaobaju said this on Monday when he appeared as a prosecution witness before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos where Belgore and Sulaiman are being tried for alleged money laundering involving N450m. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Belgore and Sulaiman with five counts. Charged along with the SAN and the ex-minister is Diezani, who is said to still be at large. The EFCC had earlier arraigned Belgore and Sulaiman on February 8, 2017, but they were re-arraigned on Monday on an amended charge which included the name of Diezani. Upon their re-arraignment on Monday, Belgore and Sulaiman pleaded not guilty to the five charges just as they had earlier done. Trial commenced immediately after the defendants plea with the EFCC calling Olaobaju as its first witness. Led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness narrated, Sometime in April 2014, our MD, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, gave a directive that certain companies and individuals would pay into an account with our bank some amounts of money. The purpose of the payment was not disclosed. Over the period, thereafter, some amounts were paid into the account. The funds were deposited in dollar. The total sum was $115,010,000. On the 27th of March, 2015, there was an instruction from the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through our MD, that the fund in the account should be converted to naira and paid to certain individuals of which the list of beneficiaries was sent to our MD and the amount to be paid to them in naira. The funds were paid according to Alison-Maduekes instructions. On the list sent to our branch, the names of the defendants (Belgore and Sulaiman) were on that list because the money was paid in about 36 states of the federation. The defendants are not customers of our bank. The instruction was that the sum of N450m should be paid to Mr Dele Belgore (SAN) and Prof. Abubakar Suleiman. They both received the money and they filled the Receipt of Payment as evidence of receipt of the money and acknowledgement of same. The witness said Belgore and Sulaiman signed separate Receipts of Payment for the same N450m on March 26, 2015. The court admitted both Receipts of Payment in evidence and marked them as Exhibits 1 and 1A. Asked by the prosecutor whether any cheque was issued in favour of Belgore and Sulaiman in respect of the fund, the witness answered in the negative. Asked whether the N450m was credited into any account, the witness said, To my knowledge, the N450m was not credited into any account. For the cross-examination of the witness, Belgores lawyer, Chief Ebun Shofunde (SAN), asked for an adjournment, as he said most of what the witness said on Monday were not in the proof of evidence front-loaded and served on the defence counsel. Sulaimans lawyer, Mr Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), aligned himself with Shofunde. The prosecutor said he would grudgingly concede to an adjournment till Tuesday in view of his respect for the defence counsel. Justice Aikawa, consequently, adjourned the matter till Tuesday for further proceedings. In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja, and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015. The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through any financial institution. The EFCC claimed that the defendants paid N50m to one Sheriff Shagaya. The EFCC said the cash sum was above the lawful threshold permitted by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act. The EFCC claimed that the defendants ought to have reasonably known that the N450m formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act. Belogore and Sulaiman were accused of violating sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012. The prosecution said they are liable to be punished under sections 15(3)(4), and 16(2)(b) of the same Act. Justice Aikawa had earlier granted them bail on self-recognisance. ( Punch Nigeria ) The National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno, has banned the planned helicopter shuttle service from Kaduna to Abuja by some helicopter companies. In a memo banning the move, Munguno said, In view of the closure of the airport, air travelers will be required to travel by road/train to Abuja from Kaduna International Airport. This will undoubtedly cause constraints on the movement of some passengers who will aim to travel using other means, notably the use of commercial ferry helicopters. Please be reminded that the airspace over the Federal Capital Territory Abuja is controlled and only security flights or those with the requisite security clearance from the Presidency are granted overhead clearance for obvious security reasons. Consequently, you are to note and ensure that no charter or commercial helicopter ferry flights are allowed to fly within Abuja airspace. Source: Punch Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a suspect, who specialised in stealing laptops at conferences and seminars, while leading a house fellowship at his home. The suspect, Ikemefuna Aje, 47, was arrested when he gate-crashed a seminar organised for internet brand managers at a popular hotel in Government Reserved Area, GRA, Ikeja, and stole six laptops. He allegedly made away with five MacBooks, one HP computer and assorted personal effects of the workshop participants. According to investigation, he took the items to the Computer Village, Ikeja, and sold them to one Saliu Ibraheem for N1,110,000.According to the Commander of RRS, Assistant Superintendent Olatunji Disu, Ikemufuna, as captured in the closed-circuit television, CCTV, drove into the venue and headed straight into the seminar hall, dressed in a corporate suit, precisely when the participants were having lunch in another room. Arrested RRS operatives, in tracking the suspect, traced him to 5, Tony Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, where he was hosting about 34 other church members in a house fellowship. The police recovered the SUV, with number plates KRD 701 DC, driven into the venue by the suspect, a master key, a Zinox laptop, several computer bags, computer and tablet accessories as well as seminar materials and N700,000 from his house. According to one of the seminar participants, who preferred anonymity, we were shocked to see participants bringing up issues of missing laptops and computer accessories after returning from lunch. The seminar was neither advertised online nor in any newspaper. How did this suspect get to know of the event and managed to come at the exact time the about 100 participants were having lunch? Ikemefuna was suspected to have several scouts, who provide him with information on conferences and seminars. The suspect confessed, saying the seminar was one of the many he had gate-crashed and made away with several laptops, mobile phones and computer accessories of participants. He initially denied committing the crime, but confessed when shown CCTV footages. He then led the operatives to Computer Village, where the buyer was arrested. Buyers confession According to the buyer of the stolen items at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Saliu Ibraheem, I have known Ikemefuna for more than seven years. He brought five MacBooks and one HP to my shop, saying he bought them in South Africa. I bought them for N1,110,000 and I resold them immediately for N1,250,000. The money was transferred into my account immediately. But the operatives have recovered all the laptops. Source: Vanguard Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade who recently commenced his thank-you tour to some eminent Nigerians for their various roles culminating in the success of his 70th Birthday Grandstand Sunny On Sunday Concert is finally set to end the glorious journey. Although it has been several weeks since the event held at Balmoral Marquee, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, the Sunny On Sunday Concert left a huge mark as one of the most talked about events to be witnessed in the country. During the historic event, King Sundays Vintage Fender guitar, designed by the artist Victor Ehikhamenor, sold for a record N52.1 million. During his two-day, thank-you tour, the Juju maestro criss-crossed Lagos and Abuja in the company of the Temple Management team, led by CEO/ Founder, Idris Olorunnimbe. King Sunny Ade At each of his stops, the juju maestro donated KSA branded materials to his VIP guests which included the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, the current and previous MD/CEOs of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as well as the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tunde Fowler. Other host on the whistle-stop tour included His Royal Majesty Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi and Victor Ehikhamenor who painted his famous guitar. The final visit was made to Babatunde Folawiyo, Chairman, Temple Management Company, who revealed that the Sunny on Sunday was the product of an 11-year old covenant between him and KSA. I have always been a Sunny Ade fan, Mr. Folawiyo said, adding We have the bad habit, as a nation, of celebrating only the dead. It was one of the proudest moments of my life for Temple Management to have the honour to serenade a living icon such as KSA. Speaking further, the Founder/CEO, Mr. Olorunnimbe said, despite time constraints, the Temple Management Company were able to deliver a technically flawless production. Another major highpoint of King Sunny visit was at the Ministry of Information and Culture where the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced that King Sunny Ade would be made one of the ambassadors of the Change begins With Me campaign. Announcing the appointment, he said: We are looking for people like you (King Sunny Ade) that the younger ones can look up to. Its not just that you have been around for fifty years but you have been around for fifty years without any single stain on your part and that is very hard. Alhaji Mohammed eulogized King Sunny Ade for elevating the juju music genre into an international commodity that is now accepted all over the world. Most people like you would have had one issue or the other that today their integrity would be at take. Your integrity is as strong if not stronger than when you started. So it would be a pleasure if you can accept to be our Ambassador of the Change Begins With Me. I want the younger ones to look at you and see that you can actually get to the top without cutting corners. That is exactly what you have done. You have never cut corners and you have gotten to the top. While accepting the offer to serve as an Ambassador of the Change Begins With Me Campaign, King Sunny Ade pledged to partner with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to move the nation forward. The Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) has apprehended a suspected cult leader, Sanju Agbabiaka, who is nick named 120. He was arrested along side his members who are 34 in number. The cult members were arrested during an initiation of new members in Akala Mushin area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the task force team also nabbed 87 alleged miscreants said to be perpetrating crimes in the community during a raid on Friday. One of the cult suspects, 17- year-old Godwin Okpeye, spoke to news men saying he was lured into the group in September 2016and they have been involved in different criminal activities, adding that he was released from the Lagos State Remand Home, Oregun, on February 18, 2017, after he and his friends were arrested during a robbery operation. He said, My friend and I were sent to the Lagos State Remand Home, Oregun, by a magistrate after we broke into a shop and stole a 32-inch Plasma television and seven laptops in Ikorodu. Tobi Atewogbola,who is another suspect aged 20 was arrested at Idi-Oro around 2am, said he belonged to a three-man gang that specialised in snatching valuables from people in Oshodi. Taofiq Adebayo,the spokeperson of the task force said, said the suspects had been charged to court on the order of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni. Adebayo said, The Chairman of the task force, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, said the operation was sequel to reports from residents, complaining that they could no longer sleep with their two eyes closed due to criminal activities in the areas. About 35 cult members were arrested along with their gang leader, Sanju Agbabiaka, aka 120, at midnight while they were recruiting new members into their group called Omije Boys. The 15 arrested teenagers were ordered to be taken to Lagos Remand Home, while other suspects were charged before Magistrate Ojuromi Tosin and Magistrate Patrick Uwaka of the Lagos State Special Offences Court at Oshodi, Adebayo added. ( Punch Nigeria ) A fresh graduate of Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State has been killed by Gunmen suspected to be cult members, the sad incident happened on Sunday. The deceased, Kelechi Ibezunma, was a 2016 graduate of Physiology of the University who reportedly came to visit his friend, an undergraduate of Imo State University, Owerri, whose identity had yet to be identified as of the time of filing this report. Eyewitnesses told The Punch on Monday morning that the incident occurred around 8:50 pm between Steve Jane Hostel and Obama hostel, at Aladimma Street, popularly known as IMSU back gate. The sources said that the gunmen believed to be undergraduates of the University had invaded some hostels around the back gate area with guns and robbed the students of their phones, laptops and other electronic devices. On their way out, the eyewitnesses disclosed that the gunmen reportedly accosted Ibezunma, who had allegedly gone to a nearby shop to buy bread and milk for his dinner. They said that on accosting Ibezunma, the gunmen requested him to surrender his phone to them, but he reportedly refused, prompting them to shoot him immediately, took the phone and fled the area. He was reportedly rushed to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he died after the doctors on duty reportedly refused to attend to him. One of the sources said a student of Madonna University, Okija, Kelechi Ibezunma, was shot dead by 8:50 pm last night after he refused to surrender his phone to some group of armed boys in between Steve Jane Hostel and Obama Hostel The President of Obama hostel, Paul Onwuzuruike, told our correspondent on the phone that they had to discover the deceaseds identity through an identity card they found in his possession. Onwuzuruike said that none of the students in the hostel knew the fresh graduate or where he hailed from. He said that his details had been given to the policemen at Orji Police Division for identification by any of his relatives. Accordiung to the Spokeman of the State, Andrew Enwerem,they are yet to be filled with this information. ( Punch Nigeria ) BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers have called for more effective response systems to better protect personal information. China's Ministry of Public Security said on Friday that police in 2016 arrested 4,261 suspects in 1,886 cases related to infringement of personal information. Among the suspects, 391 were insiders in industries including banking, education, telecommunications, delivery services, the stock market and e-commerce, said the ministry. The Internet Society of China estimated junk messages, leaked personal information and fraud led to losses of about 91.5 billion yuan (about 13.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016. Ma Huateng, national lawmaker and chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent, a leading Internet company, said there are about 1.5 million people doing illegal business online, citing government figures. "The government shall create an industry standard for web data safety. It should coordinate telecommunications, finance and Internet companies to better handle information leaks. A system needs to be built for people to make reports of information leaks so that relevant organizations can perform damage control as early as possible," Ma said. Shao Zhiqing, lawmaker and deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said the potential for huge profits is driving the increase in information leaks. "The most urgent thing to do is to cut off the profit chain," he said. "We must establish a rule governing the trade and communication of big data. Controllability and safety are the most important thing in data flow," he said, while emphasizing the need to limit the black market. Companies have rarely been punished for leaking the information of their users, experts said. "The law should identify parties responsible for protecting personal information, and punitive measures shall be made more harsh," said Chen Jingying, deputy head of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance. "We need to set high fines for those who infringe upon personal information. Repeat violations shall be considered serious criminal offenses," Chen said. Police in Bengbu City of Anhui Province announced on Friday that 96 suspects had been caught for hacking into the servers of Internet companies and stealing more than 5 billion items of personal information in the transportation, logistics, medical, social and banking fields. The stolen information was traded online or used to hack into bank accounts. Police in more than 14 provinces and municipalities joined together to catch the suspects. John Ekundayo, a 45-year old man has been dragged before Iyaganku Magistrate Court sitting in Ibadan for abandoning a human corpse in his house. In the charge sheet number MI/323c/2017, Ekundayo has been charged with a one count of improper or indecent interference with the dignity of the deceased by abandoning her in a room instead of burying the corpse. The prosecutor, inspector Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that the accused committed the crime on February 28, 2017, at NW2/403, Okebiyi compound Idikan area of Ibadan. Ogunremi said the offence contravened sections 242(1)(b) Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000. He explained that The accused did improperly or indecently interfered with or offer indignity to the dead human body of one Mrs Bukola Alabede by abandoning her in his room without lawful justification or excuse of deceased relatives and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section sections 242(1)(b) Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000. However, Ekundayo pleaded not guilty to the charge while the Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. F. Richard, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be the accused blood relative in possession of a National Identification Card. Richard also adjourned the case till April 19, 2017, for further hearing. (Punch Nigeria) Controversial Nigerian film maker, Olajide Kazeem, alias Seun Egbegbe who was accused with charges of fraud has been on Friday, re-arraigned in a Federal High Court in Lagos, Egbegbe, who was charged alongside one Oyekan Ayomide, were arraigned on Feb. 10, before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo. The duo were accused of swindling more than 30 Bureau De Change (BDC) operators of various sums both in local and foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017 in Lagos. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty and Justice Oguntoyinbo had on Feb. 24 granted each of them bail in the sum of N5million. When the case was called on Friday, the prosecutor, Mr Innocent Anyigor informed the court that the charges had been amended and the counts raised from 36 to 40. He, therefore, urged the court to allow the charges to be read to the accused for their pleas to be taken afresh. The accused were thus re-arraigned and they both pleaded not guilty to the charges. After their re-arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that he had 30 witnesses in court who are BDC operators, adding that he was ready to commence trial. But the judge said that she would prefer to begin with the testimony of the Investigating Police Officer so as to avoid cases where such police officers are transferred out of jurisdiction. She consequently fixed March 24 for trial. In the charge, marked FHC/L/40c/2017, the accused were said to have defrauded the BDC operators by falsely representing to the victims that they had foreign currencies to sell. The police alleged that on Feb. 2, for instance, the accused fraudulently obtained the sum of N2.5million and 3,000 pounds from one Alhaji Isa Adamu in Lagos under the guise that they wanted to see the naira and buy the pounds. Other victims of the alleged fraud include: Mohammed Sani, defrauded of N2.5million; Jubrila Ado, defrauded of N1.3million; Hassan Amodu, defrauded of N600,000; Sani Hassan, defrauded of N1.43million and 2,750 pounds, among others. The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006. Source: Pulse.ng The Governor of Oyo State,Abiola Ajimobi has given stern warning to herdsmen in the state, to stop going about with guns and weapons because from hence forth anyone seen with these weapons will be treated as a crimainal. This directive was issued in a communique at the end of the State Inter-Religious/Ethnic Committee meeting in Ibadan on Sunday. The committee comprised religious, ethnic and community leaders as well as security agents and it is to proffer solutions to ethnic and religious conflicts in the state. It said, Oyo state government will not tolerate herdsmen carrying guns and other dangerous weapons, anyone who violates this will be prosecuted. Similarly, the committee said that extreme religious preachers would be prosecuted and called on preachers of different religions to stop preaching hate and inciting sermons. It said, Religious leaders should support governments in implementing its good policies by preaching regularly in the holy places on issues. They should encourage their congregation to embark on cleaning of the environment, respect for elders and people in authority. OYSIREC explained that a sub-committee on security had been constituted to address issues such as herdsmen and farmers clashes as well as the activities and utterances of extreme religious preachers. OYSIREC was inaugurated by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state on March 9, in Ibadan. (NAN) 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission have been placed on trail after they were accused of receiving N360m bribe from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in connection with the December 10, 2016 rerun elections in the state, will commence this week. 14 policemen will witness against the INEC officials. According to reports,the defendants would be arraigned before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday. The court served the hearing notice on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation sometime last week. The notice indicated that the arraignment would take place on Tuesday, March 14, a source familiar with the case said. Responding to a question on whether the defendants had been served with the charges, the source said, Immediately the charges were filed last week, more than enough copies that would go round the 23 defendants were sent to the police. Recall that the police earlier released the defendants. But the investigative team of the police re-invited the defendants after receiving copies of the charges from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. So, I am sure if the defendants honoured the police invitation, they would have been served with the charges. According to the source, the charges were accompanied by a list of 14 potential witnesses. The source stated that the list was subject to a further review in the course of the trial. All the 14 witnesses listed are all said to be policemen. The source added, In fact, all the witnesses listed so far are policemen. So, the prosecution may later amend its proof of evidence by filing additional list of witnesses to bring in others including INEC officials as prosecution witnesses. It is always within the rights of the prosecution to reduce or add to its number of its proposed witnesses. The PUNCH had exclusively reported that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation had, on March 7, filed seven counts comprising money laundering and economic crimes-related offences against the accused persons. The prosecution, in the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CR/42/2017, alleged that the sum of N360m, the defendants allegedly received from Wike, represented proceeds of the governors criminal conduct as well as economic and financial crimes. The 23 INEC officials, allegedly between December 7 and 10, 2016, converted, concealed, were in possession and used the sum of N360m bribe in violations of various provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment, etc) Act, 2004. The 23 INEC officials are said to include three state coordinators of the electoral body. The accused persons named in the charges are Shittu Lamido (Shettima), Henry Owokure, Peter Ewatade, Mrs. Mary Tunkoyo Pennap, Gwatana Jibril, Ivase Stephen and Abdullahi Ogabo. Also named as part of the defendants are Gayus Hassan, Hussaina Yahaya, James Ogwuche, Karimu Aminu and Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde. The defendants also include Balogun Funmilayo and Adams Kadiri, Akinwande Adesoji, Lukeman Olabimpe and Tiamiyu R. Arowolo. The rest are Akinwoye Amodu, Nwoha Yusuf, Patrick Anuke, Iro Abali, Nwosu Oluchi and Arukwe Chinelo. In count 1, the defendants all electoral officers and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission between December 7 to 10, 2016 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, did conspire to convert the sum of N360,000,000 directly from bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State re-run election which took place on December 10, 2016. In count 2, prosecution alleged that the accused persons, did convert the sum of N360,000,000, being money derived directly from bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the money. In count 3, it was alleged that the accused persons did collaborate to conceal the sum of N360,000,000, being money derived directly from bribery and corruption, in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016. In count 4, it was alleged that the defendants all electoral officers and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission between December 7 and 10, 2016, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, did commit an offence to wit: possession of the sum of N360,000,000, being money you received from Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, knowing that the said money represented proceeds of bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016. ( Punch Nigeria ) The Lagos State Command in Ibeju Lekki has arrested an employee that goes by the name, Stephen Ochui for allegedly robbing his employer by the name Paulina Paul. The suspect,Stephen Ochui, reportedly connived with his friend Ibrahim Mohammed and others at large to attack the woman in her residence on Olomide Igiala Street, Oribanwiwa Phase II, Ibeju Lekki. It was gathered that restaurant was owned by Ms. Paullina Reports gathered has it that all that was stolen estimated at about N2m which included Pauls phone, jewellery and clothes, among other valuables. Paul started working in the restaurant sometime in January 2017, and after a week, he was sacked. After the close of work on the last day, he allegedly requested his wages for the period, which amounted to N3,500, but the woman told him to come for the money later. Around 10pm on January 21, he was said to have gone to the restaurant and threatened the boss to pay the money immediately, or he would reduce her to bankruptcy. On January 22, at about 2.30am, the robbers reportedly stormed Pauls house with a gun and cutlass and made away with her property, including a Toyota Matrix. The incident was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of Ochui and Mohammed. But the salesman denied knowledge of the robbery, adding that his statement was a mere threat. He said, I was working with Madam Paulina (Paul) as a sales representative of her restaurant. She was to pay me N15,000 per month and N200 for transportation on a daily basis. I only worked there for a week. I left because the second sales representative, Justina, told me Madam did not treat her well. I advised her to be saving money on a daily basis if she wanted to go back to Akwa Ibom where she came from. But she went to tell Madam that I advised her to steal her (Pauls) money. Madam was angry that I wanted to corrupt her and she terminated my appointment. She promised to pay the N3,500 I worked for after she must have discussed with my agent. On January 21, I went there to collect the money, but Madam told me she didnt have money. After much persuasion, she gave me N1,100. I angrily told her that if she refused to pay my money, her shop would close down. I was surprised that she brought policemen to arrest me on Monday, January 23, alleging that I was the one that came to rob her based on my earlier threat. I only threatened her so that she would pay the N3,500. The second suspect, Mohammed, also denied his involvement in the crime, saying he only knew Ochui as a neighbour in the community. I was advised to run to avoid police arrest, but I declined. I wanted to take a breakfast when policemen came to arrest me. I did not belong to any robbery gang and I have not involved in any criminal activity in my life. I am a mechanic, he added. The two suspects were brought before an Ikeja Magistrates Court on Thursday on two counts of robbery by a police prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan. Aigbokhan told the court that the offence was punishable under sections 297 and 295 (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The charge read in part, That you, Stephen Ochui, Ibrahim Mohammed and others at large, on January 22, 2017, at about 2.30am, at 1, Olomide Igiala Street, Oribanwiwa Phase II, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, while armed with a gun and a cutlass, did steal one Tecno W4, valued at N65,000, clothes valued at N18,000, jewelery valued at N65,000, one Toyota Matrix worth N1.850m, cash sum of N17,700 and a First Bank Automated Teller Machine card; all valued at N2,015,700, property of one Paulina Paul. The defendants pleaded not guilty and elected summary trial. The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Akokhia, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case till April 28, 2017. The Kano Sharia Police on Sunday arrested 120 suspected commercial sex workers at a popular recreational centre. The operation was done by the Sharia police, alongside the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Also arrested were 37 boys believed to be drug abusers. Briefing newsmen in his office Monday, the Director General, Hisbah board, Alhaji Abba Saidu Sufi said that the night raid was based on information by residents of the area. Sufi said that out of the 120 girls arrested, 20 out of the figures were underage whose ages fell within 13, 14, and 17. Sufi revealed that most of the suspects in its custody were not first time offenders. The Director General explained that the body was ready to charge to court the suspects in line with the provision of prostitution and other Immoral acts prohibition law 1000 of 2001. Also speaking, head of the Sharia police said that initial screening conducted by the agency exposed that few of those detained were at the resort for wedding reception, pointing out that such class of suspects had since been released and handed over to their parents. Most of the boys sporting offensive hair style have been trimmed and barbed in line with our tradition and culture. He further stated that we have 37 boys and 79 girls who are mostly underage and as a matter of urgency we have invited their parents for pep talk. Source: Vanguard Obudu Mountain Resort is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nigeria and with its spectacular views, temperate climate and outdoor activities, its not hard to see why. Here are 5 great things to do at that beautiful holiday spot. 1.Enjoy the journey Okay, this isnt actually something you do at Obudu but something that happens on the way there. Still, the journey to Obudu is such a great experience, I had to include it. Obudu is a 6-hour drive from Calabar, the capital of Cross River. Although the drive is long, its an interesting one. Driving through different local government areas from Calabar to Obanliku (where the Resort is located), you can enjoy the sight of the vegetation as well as the slight differences between the different local governments and villages you pass through. From Ikom which is about halfway between Calabar and Obanliku, you begin to get the smell of fermentation coming from the cocoa pods being dried by villagers in preparation for them to be sold. Cocoa of course is the main component of chocolate so when next you bite into a bar of chocolate, think of Cross River. 2.Get high on the cable car Sorry, this has nothing to do with recreational drugs. Obudu Mountain Resort is 1576 metres above sea level. To get there, you can either drive the famously winding 11km road from the bottom of the hill or take the cable car. The drive takes about 25 minutes while the cable car ride takes about 6 minutes. With the Resorts swimming pools at the bottom of the hill, you might find yourself taking the cable car pretty often and you would be making an excellent choice because the ride is an exciting one. The Obudu cable car ride is the longest in African with arguably the best views so it is definitely a must-do. 3.Walk on air with the Canopy Walkway Obudu may be a magical place but you definitely cant walk on air there. Still, you come close to that when you go on the Canopy Walkway which is 70m above the forest floor. The Canopy Walkway is a 100m swinging bridge suspended above the forest. Once across the bridge (and once your heart stops racing from excitement), you can climb a little look-out post from which you get awesome views of some of Nigerias beautiful yet rapidly declining forests. You know that feeling when youre on a rollercoaster and youre screaming with excitement and fear yet when you get off, you want to get right back on? Thats what you get with the Canopy Walkway. 4.Visit tourist attractions nearby At Obudu, you can kill several birds with one stone literally if you wanted to as the Resorts forests are home to a large number of birds. I was joking about killing birds though. The forest and all of its creatures are jealously protected by the Cross River State Government. But speaking of killing several birds with one stone, there are a few great sights fairly close to Obudu; for example, the Afi Forest Reserve and Agbokim Waterfalls are both within 3 hours drive of the Resort and are worthy of a visit. The Agbokim Waterfalls are only a 3-hour drive from Obudu and are worth visiting. 5.Enjoy the good times Quite a few outdoor activities like hiking, horse-riding and swimming are available at Obudu but ultimately, the Resort is a place for relaxation. Its the place to get away from the noise of the city and just relax. From sitting around the bonfire held almost every night to relaxing in front of the fireplace at one of the Resorts main lounges, there are many spots at the Resort where you can still your mind and be at rest. Idia Aisien is the joy of every photographer because she never fails in bringing her utmost fierceness into every shoot, whether its a magazine cover or other modelling projects. Few weeks ago the media personality was unveiled as the cover star of Zen Magazines latest issue. We have more pictures from the editorial shoot, photos were taken by Emmanuel Oyeleke and make up Anita Brows. In the interview, glam model and TV host talked about her inspirations in the industry and her fashion likes, dislikes, favourite designers and so much more. See photos: Photo Credit: Zenmagazineafrica.com Google first announced its plan to become a top cloud provider for the enterprise in June 2012. But turning an inward-focused, engineering-driven company inside out to cater to enterprise customers has been a struggle. By most estimates, Google Cloud remains a distant No. 3 behind AWS and Microsoft Azure. Last weeks Google Cloud Next conference may mark a turning point. At 10,000 attendees, the three-day event was more than four times the size of last years conference. A change in tone emerged: Google spent more time actively reaching out to enterprises than it did flogging its technical superiority. [ Docker, Amazon, TensorFlow, Windows 10, and more: See InfoWorld's 2017 Technology of the Year Award winners. | Cut to the key news in technology trends and IT breakthroughs with the InfoWorld Daily newsletter, our summary of the top tech happenings. ] Instead of Snapchat or Evernote, real enterprise customers waltzed across the stage, including Colgate, Disney, HSBC, Schlumberger, and Verizon. Plus, Google announced a partnership with the fusty enterprise software vendor SAP, which will run its in-memory HANA analytics database on Google Cloud. A slew of announcements fed into Google Clouds strengths: machine learning, security, G Suite, and that gargantuan Google infrastructure. The real surprise, though, was the level of effort to engage with enterprises looking to migrate workloads and build new applications. Teeing up for a smarter future If you were to boil down Google Cloud to one differentiation, youd have to single out its AI and machine learning capabilities. In Martin Hellers comparative review of machine learning clouds, Googles TensorFlow library came out on top, a reflection of the companys ongoing efforts to package deep learning offerings originating from its core search business. At Google Cloud Next, the recently hired Dr. Fei-Fei Li previously director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and now Googles Chief Scientist for AI announced her intent to democratize AI, which she characterized as lowering the barriers to entry and making it available to the largest possible community of developers, users, and enterprises. Lis big announcement was the acquisition of Kaggle, the influential crowdsourcing platform for analytics and machine learning solutions. Kaggle adds to the outreach represented by the Machine Learning Advanced Solutions Lab that Google launched last fall. Other announcements included a new Cloud Video Intelligence API to enable search for specific content along with the general availability of Cloud Machine Learning Engine. The most impressive new offering, however, was Google Cloud Dataprep, which both helps customers prepare data for analytics and machine learning purposes and uses machine learning to make the prep process easier. Of all the Cloud Next announcements, Dataprep may be the most significant, because it reflects a real-world understanding that customers spend far more time prepping data than actually crunching it. Securing the cloud As Google Cloud Senior Vice President Diane Greene told me last year, Googles exceptional security is a key part of its value proposition to enterprises. In reference to potential enterprise customers, she said, We have 600 security engineers. They cant keep up with that no matter how big a company they are. But by now, most companies understand that the major public clouds can withstand attack better than their datacenters. The key is in managing cloud security. As InfoWorld's Fahmida Rashid noted in her analysis of Googles security announcements, Googles new Key Management System simply plays catch-up with AWS, but two new security services in beta the Data Leak Prevention API and the Identity-Aware Proxy break new ground. The Data Leak Prevention API enables developers to add the ability to redact sensitive information in any application they build in the Google Cloud, opening up the previously announced DLP features for Gmail and Google Drive. The Identity-Aware Proxy offers granular control over access to cloud applications without a VPN, which Fahmida cites as an effort to differentiate Googles cloud security at the application, not only infrastructure, layer. Reaching out to the enterprise There were other big announcements, such as the ability to stream files from Google Drive and new details on the forthcoming CloudSpanner, a massively scalable SQL database announced a month ago that will complement Cloud SQL. Yet the new levels of customer support stood out. Take the new Engineering Support program, which Google describes as a role-based subscription model that allows us to match engineer to engineer, so we can meet you where your business is, no matter what stage of development youre in. Compute Engines new Committed Use Discounts are also impressive, enabling customers to save 57 percent if they commit to memory and virtual CPU usage for a period of one to three years. Last years Google Cloud Next signaled Googles intent to reach out to enterprises. This year, they backed it up with new programs and capabilities that could make a real difference in the pace of Google Cloud adoption. Who doesnt like free stuff? The public cloud vendors know we all do. The major cloud services offer their wares to everyone from the indie developer with a credit card to enterprises that cut seven-figure SLAs. The big threeAmazon AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azurealso offer free trial versions of various individual services unde their banners. The free offerings are not always enough for full production work, but enough to get a good taste of how the services work without running up a bill. Note that the list of always-free services varies widely between clouds. What one cloud offers free in some form, others may charge for all the time. In this article, well explain how the free tiers work on AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure and well discuss their similarities, differences, and restrictions. Finally, well point out some notable always-free offerings available from each cloud, along with their service limitations. Free on AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure The free offerings on AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure fall into two basic buckets: The limited-time for free tier provides you with certain services free for 12 months, but only in limited quantities and only on the first sign-up or registration with the service. After the 12 months are up, youre billed for those services according to their usual rate. The always free tier provides services that are always available for free, provided your usage of them doesnt exceed a certain amount per month. This can typically be managed by monitoring your usage. AWS, for instance, has budgets and alerts to help with this. Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure both also offer service credit at sign-up. Google Cloud offers $300 in credit to use on any Google Cloud Platform services. However, your 12-month free trial will end early if you spend all $300 in credit during that time. Microsoft Azure offers $200 in credit at sign-up, but only to spend during the first 30 days. On the plus side, spending all that credit doesnt terminate your 12-month free trial period. Free tier restrictions on AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure The main restrictions are time and usage limits for the servicesonly so much per month, and only 12 months for the introductory free trial offer. But other limitations also typically apply. Software and operating systems. Commercial software and operating system licenses typically arent available under the free tiers. For instance, with AWS, some variants of Windows, such as Microsoft Windows Server 2019 with SQL Server 2017 Standard, are not available in either the 12-month tier or the always-free tier. However, Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Base is eligible for the free tier as long as you stay within the instance-type limits of the free tier. Commercial software and operating system licenses typically arent available under the free tiers. For instance, with AWS, some variants of Windows, such as Microsoft Windows Server 2019 with SQL Server 2017 Standard, are not available in either the 12-month tier or the always-free tier. However, Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Base is eligible for the free tier as long as you stay within the instance-type limits of the free tier. Operational limits. Services available in free tiers often have baked-in limitations that can be removed only by switching to the paid version of the product. With Google Cloud, for instance, there is a cap on the number of virtual CPUs you can use at once. Nor can you add GPUs or use Windows Server instances. Services available in free tiers often have baked-in limitations that can be removed only by switching to the paid version of the product. With Google Cloud, for instance, there is a cap on the number of virtual CPUs you can use at once. Nor can you add GPUs or use Windows Server instances. No rollovers. If you dont use all thats available for free in a given month, dont expect to be allowed to roll over the balance into future months. Free services are by and large a use-it-or-lose-it deal. AWS free tier highlights Amazon Chime: Amazons business communication service chat, audio, and video calling is entirely free for new customers from March 4, 2020, through June 30, 2020. Basic features, including text chat and voice calling, are always free. Amazons business communication service chat, audio, and video calling is entirely free for new customers from March 4, 2020, through June 30, 2020. Basic features, including text chat and voice calling, are always free. AWS CodeBuild: 100 build minutes per month on the build.general1.small instance type for free. 100 build minutes per month on the build.general1.small instance type for free. AWS CodeCommit: Up to five users with 50 GB per month of storage and 10,000 Git requests. Up to five users with 50 GB per month of storage and 10,000 Git requests. AWS CodePipeline : One active pipeline per month for free. : One active pipeline per month for free. Amazon DynamoDB: Amazons NoSQL database offers 25 GB of storage and 25 units of read and write capacity free each month. Amazon claims this is enough to handle up to 200M requests per month. Amazons NoSQL database offers 25 GB of storage and 25 units of read and write capacity free each month. Amazon claims this is enough to handle up to 200M requests per month. Amazon Glacier: Up to 10 GB of data can be retrieved for free from Amazons long-term data storage service. Up to 10 GB of data can be retrieved for free from Amazons long-term data storage service. AWS Lambda: Amazons function-as-a-service offering can deliver for free up to one million requests and 3.2 million seconds of compute time a month. Amazons function-as-a-service offering can deliver for free up to one million requests and 3.2 million seconds of compute time a month. Amazon RDS: Amazons managed-database service MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle Database (you must supply your own license), or SQL Server Express can be run nonstop monthly as long as you use a Single-AZ db.t2.micro instance, along with 20 GB of SSD-backed database storage and 20 GB of backups. Amazons managed-database service MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle Database (you must supply your own license), or SQL Server Express can be run nonstop monthly as long as you use a Single-AZ db.t2.micro instance, along with 20 GB of SSD-backed database storage and 20 GB of backups. AWS Step Functions: 4,000 state transitions are free each month. Google Cloud free tier highlights Google App Engine: Free instances of Google App Engine can use up to 5 GB of Google Cloud Storage and run up to 28 front-end and nine back-end instance-hours per day, and deliver 1 GB of outbound data, use 1000 search operations (with up to 10 MB of search indexing), and deliver 100 emails. Note that the only environment supported for Google App Engine free instances is the standard environment. Free instances of Google App Engine can use up to 5 GB of Google Cloud Storage and run up to 28 front-end and nine back-end instance-hours per day, and deliver 1 GB of outbound data, use 1000 search operations (with up to 10 MB of search indexing), and deliver 100 emails. Note that the only environment supported for Google App Engine free instances is the standard environment. Google BigQuery: Up to 1 TB of querying and 10 GB of storage per month is included free. Up to 1 TB of querying and 10 GB of storage per month is included free. Google Cloud Build: 120 build minutes are available for free daily. 120 build minutes are available for free daily. Google Cloud Functions: Two million invocations, both background and HTTP, are free each month. Also included is 5 GB of outbound network data, 400,000 GB-seconds, and 200,000 GHz-seconds of compute time. Two million invocations, both background and HTTP, are free each month. Also included is 5 GB of outbound network data, 400,000 GB-seconds, and 200,000 GHz-seconds of compute time. Google Cloud Source Repositories: Up to five users, with 50 GB storage and 50 GB of outbound data available for free. Up to five users, with 50 GB storage and 50 GB of outbound data available for free. Google Cloud Storage: Each month Google Cloud Storage gives you for free 5 GBs of regional storage in the US, 5,000 Class A and 50,000 Class B operations, and 1 GB of outbound data (restricted as per Compute Engine). Each month Google Cloud Storage gives you for free 5 GBs of regional storage in the US, 5,000 Class A and 50,000 Class B operations, and 1 GB of outbound data (restricted as per Compute Engine). Google Compute Engine: One f1-micro VM is available for free in U.S. regions. GPU or TPU usage is an additional charge. Microsoft Azure free tier highlights Azure Active Directory: Up to 50,000 authentications per month are available free. Up to 50,000 authentications per month are available free. Azure App Service: Up to 10 web, mobile, or API apps can be created at no charge. Up to 10 web, mobile, or API apps can be created at no charge. Azure Cosmos DB: Up to 500 GB of storage and 400 request units per second are available for free each month. Up to 500 GB of storage and 400 request units per second are available for free each month. Azure DevOps: Up to 5 users, each with unlimited private Git repos, are available free. Up to 5 users, each with unlimited private Git repos, are available free. Azure Functions: Up to 1 million requests per month can be made for free. Azure also provides 5 GB of outbound data free monthly. Read more about cloud computing: BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday. The defendants included 35 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and 240 at the prefectural level, said the report delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). Courts at all levels convicted 2,862 criminals of bribery, and concluded 15,000 cases involving corruption in poverty alleviation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, China has launched a sweeping fight against corruption, which the top leadership announced late last year "has gained crushing momentum." In 2016, procurators investigated 47,650 people for their suspected involvement in duty-related crimes, according to a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), delivered by Procurator-General Cao Jianming at the plenary meeting. Prosecution proceedings were launched against 48 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, including Ling Jihua and Su Rong, both former vice chairmen of the country's top political advisory body, and Bai Enpei, a former senior lawmaker, the report said. Bai was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking a huge amount of bribes and holding excessive assets with unidentified sources. In accordance with a provision in the ninth amendment to the Criminal Law adopted in 2015, the court also ruled that no further commutation or parole shall be permitted if Bai's death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment after the two-year reprieve. This marked the first time the provision was applied in judicial practice. The provision is a "deterrent" to corrupt officials, Zhang Yongjian, a chief judge with the SPC, said Sunday in an interview with Xinhua, which was live streamed on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. "The provision just tells them: don't do anything wrong. Once you are sentenced, you will stay behind bars till the end of your life, without any chance to get free," Zhang said. The provision was later applied to Wei Pengyuan and Yu Tieyi, two other officials convicted of corruption. This is a demonstration of the "crushing momentum," and the resolve of the Party and government to fight corruption, Zhang noted. According to the SPP report, procurators also investigated 17,410 lower level officials suspected of corruption in land expropriation and demolition, social security, management of agriculture-related funds and other issues concerning people's well-being. In addition, the SPP report highlighted progress in capturing fugitives abroad and recovering their ill-gotten assets. Since China launched a campaign to hunt down fugitives implicated in duty-related crimes in October 2014, 164 suspects, including 27 listed in an Interpol red notice, have been repatriated or persuaded to return to China from 37 countries and regions, according to the report. Both the SPC and SPP have vowed to continue cracking down on corruption-related crimes in 2017. Anti-graft efforts will by no means weaken, and the zero-tolerance stance on corruption will not be changed, the SPP report said. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joins a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) from Henan Province at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders on Sunday joined national lawmakers from the provinces of Henan and Jiangxi in discussing socialist core values, industrial upgrading and ecological civilization. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended a panel discussion with lawmakers from Henan at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). Liu called for consistently promoting the development of socialist core values, saying that the draft general provisions of the civil law deliberated on at the ongoing session embodies the requirements of socialist core values. Efforts should be made to resolve prominent moral problems by legal means, Liu said. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli joins a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) from Jiangxi Province at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Joining NPC deputies from Jiangxi, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli called for efforts to deepen the supply-side structural reform, speed up industrial upgrading and develop advanced manufacturing sector. Zhang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged Jiangxi to advance agricultural modernization and build a good national ecological experimental zone. This content is from: Video Inflation remains the primary concern for the worlds central banks, which have engaged in the broadest and fastest tightening regime in history, according to Alejandra Grindal, chief economist at Ned Davis Research. When news broke last week that AIG CEO Peter Hancock was to quit the firm , it hardly came as a surprise despite the company lavishing praise on its soon-to-depart leader. So having seemingly lost the backing of investors and board members, as well as the faith of many staff, what exactly went wrong for one of the biggest names in the industry?Hancock, who will stay on in his role until a new CEO is named, had a vision for AIG he wanted to establish it as a tech powerhouse, which many saw as a target that could not be reached.In addition he was struck by costs that reached levels much higher than expected across a host of different segments ranging from commercial vehicles with guaranteed payments to accident victims; to environmental liabilities and workers compensation. Even though many of the policies were written before he arrived, when the company posted a $3.04 billion loss in February it became hard for him to avoid the blame.Yet despite this, Hancock maintained a positive outlook noting that he couldnt be prouder of his teams work in delivering the latest results.There became a feeling that he was losing trust in the role backed by analysts at firms such as Evercore Partners and Barclays who both said that the company itself was losing credibility, and this on the back of a downgrade by S&P.Over a period of just three years, Hancock also replaced his head of investing, chief financial officer and life insurance leader. It was just this week too that one of his first hires, chief information officer Phil Fasano, also announced that he would be leaving the firm Hancock wanted rightly or wrongly to change AIGs approach. Back in January last year he proposed a plan to pass on $25 billion to shareholders over a two-year period; sold a broker-dealer network; and exited some overseas operations in Turkey and Japan. He also exited a Lloyds of London unit, as well as a mortgage guarantor.The hope was to take AIG forward from the platform famously built by Maurice Hank Greenberg but that was an era in which AIG was considered the largest insurance company in the world following a spate of acquisitions, and one in which it boasted a huge balance sheet and top credit rating.Following the bailout, however, that position of power was lost. AIG was a weakened giant that saw rivals including Berkshire Hathaway and Travelers impressing in its place.Though Hancock may have fallen, there are many who believe he has made the job of the incoming CEO much easier. He took a huge reserve charge during the previous period, which should set AIG for better results next time around.So much of what has happened today is very short run, former AIG general counsel Tom Russo told Bloomberg. I thought it was the wrong way to go because I would have let Peters strategy play itself out with Hancock still at the helm.Indeed late on Thursday, AIG even committed to sticking to Hancocks turnaround plan : however, whether the new CEO agrees remains to be seen.Perhaps what we can reflect on the most was his declaration back in November 2015. Hancock had been in his job as CEO for around a year and informed employees that they could not rely on lifetime jobs. At that point many chose to leave and just a year and a half later, Hancocks own tenure at the firm came to an end. An NSW upper house parliamentary review has found the system of handling disputes between insurers and injured workers to be dysfunctional and difficult to navigate.A review by the Standing Committee on Law and Justice has found the system of handling injured workers complaints to be riddled with delays and inconsistent decision-making, and has made recommendations for its improvement, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.To make the system easier to navigate, the committee suggested the NSW government set up a one-stop shop that would handle all workers compensation disputes.The report has also revealed a sharp decline in the number of injured workers making claims for compensation - from 110,000 in 2011-12 to just over 60,000 in 2015-16, the report said.The review said the notices issued to claimants were confusing and overwhelming, and proposed that they be simplified and made easier to understand.Meanwhile, in response to claims that aggressive insurance company surveillance techniques worsen the existing mental health injury of workers, the review recommended that covert surveillance by insurance companies be better regulated with a set guidelines on acceptable conduct.David Shoebridge, NSW Greens MP and review committee member, said the parliamentary report revealed that the Workers Compensation scheme has a surplus of $1.87 billion, SMH reported.He said the recommendations aimed to stop aggressive covert surveillance, provide a one-stop shop for handling all workers compensation disputes, and to prevent insurers from doctor-shopping to get medical opinions that would back their denial of claims.The NSW workers compensation scheme is broken, Shoebridge said. Injured workers with ongoing injuries and pressing medical needs have been thrown on the scrapheap and are missing out on essential medical care and financial support.The recommendations will make an appreciable, but modest, difference to the unfairness that is now embedded [in the workers compensation scheme].Shoebridge said hundreds of millions of dollars were available to provide injured workers with improved medical benefits. Insurance giant Travelers is to buy the UKs biggest online business insurance broker for approximately $490 million, it was announced today.The move will see Travelers acquire Simply Business from private equity firm Aquiline Capital Partners which bought the brokerage in April last year.Simply Business, which has over 400,000 customers, offers products online on behalf of a broad panel of carriers including Hiscox , Axa, and Zurich In the past three years, insurance premiums placed by the broker grew approximately 17.5% to 93 million (approx. $113 million) in 2016, Travelers said in a release.Simply Business is a profitable and growing technology company with impressive strategic digital capabilities, leading digital commerce talent and proven small business insurance expertise, Alan Schnitzer, chief executive officer of Travelers, said.Advancing Travelers digital agenda is a key strategic priority for the firm, as technology and innovation drive customer preferences and expectations, Schnitzer continued.As an important part of that agenda, we also look forward to working with our agent and broker partners as we seek to deploy Simply Business capabilities with them to make the small commercial insurance transaction easier, faster and more efficient, he said.Greg Toczydlowski, executive vice president and president of business insurance at Travelers, said the firm expects that over time, the move will provide it with efficient access to serve the two substantial microbusiness markets in the United States and potentially other geographies.Simply Business will operate as a stand-alone business, continuing to partner with its panel of carriers under its well-known brand name, Toczydlowski added.Jason Stockwood, CEO of Simply Business, called the deal a tremendous opportunity for both the company and its employees, as well as a strong validation of our business model.He added: I am excited about Simply Business benefiting from Travelers extensive knowledge of the US market as we develop our approach there, as well as the resources it has to support potential expansion into additional markets. Our shared values and commitment to innovation make this transaction a perfect fit.Travelers, which offers home, personal, and car insurance, had revenues of $28 billion last year.The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, and includes the repayment of debt and other obligations at closing. Insurers have barely caught their breath from the emergence of usage based insurance (UBI) as a result of the use of telematics in the car industry, but new business models are already emerging.Harald Felgner, AXA Switzerland IoT architect, told Insurance Business in an email exchange that, from the companys experience, new insurance models have come about from the increasing use of networked devices.One of these is prevention based insurance, in which changes offer an opportunity to increase prevention as a business model.Felgner explained that the company is currently undertaking two experiments in Switzerland in which it gathered data through connected devices from cars and homes.Specifically for car insurance, the use of the internet of things (IoT) devices, which monitor, gather and transmit data, helped the company provide, through its experimental program, as much as 20% in premium reductions.Our working assumption is that prevention of losses will increase, claims go down as a result, and insurance prices go down for those policyholders with reduced risks, he explained.Another emerging business model, he said, is connected insurance, which has applications in health insurance, which makes use of IoT devices to monitor a persons health status, and provides products based on data gleaned from such devices.Those policyholders willing to subscribe (to) a connected offermight additionally shift risk selection, at least during a period where connected insurance offers exist in parallel to non-connected classical offers, he added. For international organizations, insuring employees while they work overseas can involve considering a complex nexus of risks, ranging from political violence to natural disasters and epidemics. Multinational organizations that operate in unstable environments need to have systems in place to safely evacuate employees in the event of an emergency. But triggering this coverage can be tricky, according to Clements Worldwide, a provider of international insurance for businesses, organizations and expatriates. Typically, evacuation insurance has only been for security-related events, like when Gaddafi got overthrown in Libya in 2011, or in 2016 when fighting in Juba, South Sudan, caused mass evacuations of foreigners, Pete James, VP of global organizations at Clements, told Insurance Business. Triggering evacuation coverage usually requires an official warning by the US State Department or foreign government equivalent, James explained. If an official warning hasnt been issued, an employee or traveller might not have immediate access to evacuation services, and may be ineligible to be reimbursed for a claim if they use them. So certain businesses such as international schools, construction firms, or oil and gas businesses, who might want to evacuate based on less severe security threats, could not, James said. And its not just matters of security that might lead a client to want to evacuate employees. Want the latest insurance industry news first? Sign up for our completely free newsletter service now. Security risk is not the greatest threat in all regions. In certain parts of Asia and South America, they are more concerned about natural disasters whether it be earthquakes or typhoons, James explained. Clements new offering provides emergency evacuation coverage, including salary continuation, which can be triggered by crisis consultants tied to the policy, rather than just official government warnings. As well as security-related events, it also covers natural disasters and epidemics which the firm says is a broader coverage than was previously available. Alongside a tricky political landscape, natural disasters are a risk that the firm predicts will increase with climate change. With the Zika virus and Ebola as recent examples, medical risks also have the potential to grow to epidemic proportions in 2017, James said. According to an upcoming Clements Worldwide Risk Index, there has been a reported 52% increase of political violence events for respondents over the past year, adding to the tumultuous political landscape globally. James said: Not only is violence increasing, but new governments and their policies could result in home countries triggering a response in a host country that could result in evacuation. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs administration sued International Business Machines Corp. on Thursday, saying the company failed to deliver on a 2006 contract to replace an outdated system of processing unemployment claims. The lawsuit said the technology and consulting giant was paid $170 million, but had delivered a failed project by the time the state let the contract expire in 2013. At that point, the project was nearly four years behind schedule and $60 million over budget, the lawsuit said. IBM had an obligation to ensure that all elements of the project were coordinated well and completed competently and on time, the lawsuit said. IBM repeatedly failed to live up to these commitments and made decisions that thwarted successful completion of the project, it said. For instance, turnover and reassignment of key IBM personnel hampered the project, while IBM pushed to get defect-riddled components of the contract declared complete. At one point, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, which manages the unemployment compensation system, could not accurately bill employers for their contributions to the system for over a year, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit seeks undisclosed damages, and accuses IBM of breach of contract and intentionally misrepresenting or withholding important information. The complaint was filed in Dauphin County by a private law firm representing Pennsylvania. In a one-sentence statement, Armonk, New York-based IBM said the states claims have no merit and that it would fight the lawsuit. A spokesman declined to answer questions Thursday. The contract and the ensuing legal fight have now spanned three governors. The lawsuit comes as Wolf, a Democrat, and Republican senators are fighting over funding the unemployment compensation system, prompting the layoff of hundreds of state employees in December and a spike in wait times for callers. With the old system still in use, the state mails forms to an employer to check whether someone filing for benefits had been employed and laid off, instead of messaging the employers online account. Also, the system is built on a 50-plus year-old legacy system that uses software that is no longer taught, a department spokeswoman said. When IBM submitted its bid in 2005, it marketed itself as having worked successfully on similar projects in Utah, Louisiana and New York, the lawsuit said. Before the contract ended, the state commissioned Carnegie Mellon Universitys Software Engineering Institute to review the project. Its report in 2013 identified numerous problems with the design and implementation of the system, and recommended that the state should not go forward with it. At the time, an IBM spokesman suggested that blame lay with the state. In complex information technology implementations, there is accountability on both sides for system performance and service delivery, an IBM spokesman said at the time. The Carnegie Mellon report did point to failures at the state, saying that no one at the Department of Labor and Industry was accountable or responsible for the administration of the program until 2011. At one point, the state had said it was seeking to recoup payments to IBM, but that apparently failed. Meanwhile, the state has plowed more than $100 million into the system since 2013 to improve its operations. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Claims Pennsylvania Britains 6 billion pounds ($7.3 billion) terrorism reinsurance fund hopes to extend its cover to include cyber attacks on property, chief executive Julian Enoizi said. Pool Re, set up in 1993, acts as a backstop to insurers paying out claims on property damage and business interruption. It is financed by the insurance industry with government backing, and pay outs depend on the British government deeming an attack to be terror-related, Enoizi said. In 2002, Pool Re extended its cover to include chemical and biological attacks after the 9/11 attacks in the United States. There have been several cyber attacks on property in recent years. In 2014, a German steel mill suffered damage to the plants network from a cyber attack. Enoizi told Reuters that this and other incidents had been ruled out as terror attacks, but Pool Re needed to be prepared. Insurance is there for the unimaginable were here to insure the unforeseen, he said. The fund has held discussions with the government and industry, and it hopes to add cyber to its coverage in the next few months, he added. Enoizi said any increase in the premium costs to businesses for adding this cover would be accompanied by discounts for implementing government-approved cyber security policies. The U.S. cyber insurance market is likely to have totaled about $3.25 billion in premiums in 2016, according to market survey The Betterley Report. The European market is seen as one-tenth of that, but demand has been increasing, insurers say. Demand is expected to spike after EU legislation on data privacy is implemented by mid-2018. This will require companies to notify authorities of data breaches likely to harm individuals, similar to U.S. arrangements. But most cyber policies relate to data loss, rather than attacks on property. We see this as a gap in the cover, Enoizi said. Cyber attacks on property worry businesses and insurers. These include an attack at some apartment buildings in Finland last year which knocked out the heating system when it was below freezing outside. This attack was not deemed an act of terror. Insurers have said the source of a cyber attack is hard to prove, and most policies pay out regardless of the cause. Pool Res cover would be limited to terror-related cyber attacks, once the British government assessed it to be an act of terrorism, Enoizi said. ($1 = 0.8220 pounds) (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; editing by Edmund Blair) Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Cyber Reinsurance Property The Travelers Cos. Inc. announced it has agreed to acquire Simply Business from Aquiline Capital Partners LLC for approximately $490 million, which includes the repayment of debt and other obligations at closing. Operating since 2005, Simply Business is a leading U.K. distributor of small business insurance policies, offering products online on behalf of a broad panel of carriers, said Travelers in a statement. Simply Business is a profitable and growing technology company with impressive strategic digital capabilities, leading digital commerce talent and proven small business insurance expertise, said Alan Schnitzer, chief executive officer of Travelers. With technology and innovation driving customer preferences and expectations, advancing our digital agenda to best serve our customers and the marketplace is a key strategic priority, added Schnitzer. As an important part of that agenda, we also look forward to working with our agent and broker partners as we seek to deploy Simply Business capabilities with them to make the small commercial insurance transaction easier, faster and more efficient, he said. Simply Business has more than 425,000 microbusiness customers, covering more than 1,000 classes of business. Over the past three years, insurance premiums placed by Simply Business grew at a compound annual rate of approximately 17.5 percent to 93 million (approximately $113 million) in 2016. Through its managing general agency, Simply Business participates as a panel member and underwrites a meaningful amount of the total premium it places through its platform each year. This demonstrates the value of its product and underwriting capabilities, as well as its customer analytics. Simply Business has been one of The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 companies and was included on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) list. The company was also named Best Company to Work For by The Sunday Times in 2015 and 2016. We are very pleased to be partnering with Simply Business, a dynamic and innovative company that has recently established early stage operations in the United States, said Greg Toczydlowski, executive vice president and president of Business Insurance at Travelers. Over time, we expect it will provide us with efficient access to serve the substantial microbusiness market in the United States and potentially other geographies, he said. We are committed to preserving the approach and values that have made Simply Business successful, Toczydlowski added. Consequently, the company will operate as a stand-alone business, continuing to partner with its panel of carriers under its well-known brand name. This is a tremendous opportunity for our company and employees, as well as a strong validation of our business model, said Jason Stockwood, chief executive officer of Simply Business. I am excited about Simply Business benefiting from Travelers extensive knowledge of the U.S. market as we develop our approach there, as well as the resources it has to support potential expansion into additional markets. Our shared values and commitment to innovation make this transaction a perfect fit. Travelers will fund the transaction, subject to market conditions, through a combination of debt financing and internal resources. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to have an insignificant impact on Travelers 2017 and 2018 earnings per share. Source: The Travelers Companies Topics Mergers & Acquisitions USA TAIPEI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Civilian groups and residents gathered in downtown Taipei on Sunday to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, calling for opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting China's peaceful unification. Sunday marked the 92nd anniversary of the death of Sun, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China. Hundreds of residents and members from local civilian groups, including the Zhong Shan International, named after Sun, visited the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, bowing to Sun's statue and singing patriotic songs. They held banners and shouted slogans such as "oppose Taiwan Independence" and "peaceful unification." Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou also paid respect to Sun's statue. More than 560 civilian groups in Taiwan announced that they have established an "alliance of anti-independence," based on adherence to the 1992 consensus, which stresses the one-China principle. They called on people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to make common efforts for unification and national rejuvenation. "The alliance is aimed at carrying on Dr. Sun's ideas and promoting the peaceful unification of the nation," said Sun Wu-yan, head of Zhong Shan International. He said Dr. Sun is very important in the minds of Taiwan people, but some are trying to eliminate Sun's legacy with an ulterior motive, which is not tolerable. On Sunday, ceremonies were also held on the Chinese mainland to commemorate Dr. Sun. Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony at Zhongshan Park in Beijing, observing a moment of silence and bowing three times in front of a statue of Sun. Local officials and residents of east China's Jiangsu Province also marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the provincial capital. Sun was born in 1866 and is known as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China. Editor A longtime employee at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., who blamed her firing on age discrimination has won an appeal of a $300,000 verdict. Wayne State tried to have the verdict overturned, but it was affirmed by the Michigan appeals court in a 2-1 decision on March 9. Karen Hrapkiewicz worked in veterinary technology at Wayne State until 2011 when she was dismissed at age 62. Her bosses said she was fired for telling students to show up for an exam on a snow day, among other issues. Hrapkiewicz says she was told she was old school and set in her ways. Her job paid $111,000 a year. She says a younger employee took over. The appeals court says Hrapkiewicz presented sufficient evidence to show age was a factor. Wayne State is also on the hook for $265,000 in legal fees. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A man suspected of burning down a Texas mosque believed its worshippers were terrorists and may have been looking for other mosques to target, authorities alleged during a hearing pertaining to an unrelated case against the man. Marq Vincent Perez, 25, hasnt been charged in the Jan. 28 fire that destroyed the Islamic center in his hometown of Victoria, a community about 125 miles southwest of Houston. Perez was arrested last week on a charge alleging he tried to set fire to a former friends car earlier in January, and during a hearing on March 9, prosecutors presented evidence that Perez was suspected in the fire and an earlier burglary of the mosque in arguing that he be denied bond. Although prosecutors have repeatedly declined to describe the burning of the mosque as a hate crime, U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington cited testimony about Perezs involvement in a hate crime presently being investigated as a reason for denying him bond. Perezs attorney, Mark Di Carlo, told The Associated Press that he felt he and Perez were kind of ambushed by the mosque fire allegations being raised at a detention hearing for an unrelated case. My client hasnt been charged with that crime, he said. At this point, we dont know of any strong evidence against him in the mosque fire, Di Carlo said. He described the evidence that was presented as hearsay and speculation, and pointed out that much of it came from two confidential informants who didnt appear at the hearing. Rick Miller, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, testified during the hearing that one of the informants, a male juvenile, admitted to taking part with Perez in the Jan. 15 incident involving the car and the Jan. 22 and 28 burglaries of the mosque, implicating Perez as the one who set fire to it. According to Miller, the informant said Perez stole the mosques electrical meters and a laptop during each break-in, and the stolen laptops were found during a raid of Perezs home last week, the Victoria Advocate and Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported. The informant said Perez hated Muslims and suspected that members of the mosque were involved in terrorist groups, Miller testified. The informant said Perez explained that they were breaking into the mosque to see if its members were hiding weapons there. Angela Dodge, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said by email that no one has been charged in the mosque case and she declined to say when or if anyone would be charged. The other informant said Perez told him hed done something in the mosque and soon everyone would know about it, Miller testified. The two discussed the mosque in Facebook messages, with Perez indicating that he was watching the mosque and noting how many people were guarding it, the agent said. Miller said one of the informants said Perez believed Muslims were allowed to marry children. He also testified that Perez messaged a friend that the hardest part was getting the town to believe the evidence and that only us soldiers, both retired and forgotten, are armed and ready. A prosecutor suggested Perez may have been looking to target other mosques, pointing to a comment he posted saying, Can you pinpoint any mosques that a team can get clear to? Perezs father, Mario, testified that he never heard his son make statements about Muslims as they worked 50 to 60 hours a week as electricians. Members of the mosque, meanwhile, have pointed to the huge effect the fire has had on their community. A mosque spokesman, Abe Ajrami, said that since the fire, many parents have stopped sending their kids to the mosque, which has had to hire armed security to protect the congregation. This incident really shook us to the core, Ajrami said at a news conference at the site of the burned mosque. I hope people understand that this is not something we watched on TV or read in the newspaper. This is something we lived daily. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Six counties in the Texas Panhandle have been declared disaster areas by Gov. Greg Abbott following the deadly wildfires that swept through the area on March 6 7 burning more than 440,000 acres. Abbotts March 11 declaration helps clear the way for federal government assistance in Gray, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts and Wheeler counties. The Dallas Morning News reported that four people died in the wildfires, including three ranch hands Cody Crockett, Sloan Everett and Sydney Wallace who were trying to save cattle from the approaching flames. Hundreds of miles of fences were burned; the number of dead or injured animals is unknown at this time, according to the Texas A&M Agriculture Extension Service. Its been estimated that around 10,000 cattle and horses were displaced in the fires that charred 750 square miles. The Texas A&M University publication, Texas A&M Agrilife Today, reported that the costs related to wildfire losses include the cost of cattle lost at about $1,300 per cow-calf pair and millions of dollars in fence repairs, estimated at $10,000 a mile for a four- to six-wire fence with steel posts. Additional expenses include the cost of feed for displaced livestock and the costs associated with disposing of animals that perished in the fire. Texas officials have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a disaster designation to activate the agencys emergency loan program. The funds would be used to help eligible farmers and ranchers rebuild and recover from losses sustained by the wildfires, according to the Associated Press. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Wildfire Agribusiness Hylant, one of the nations largest privately owned insurance brokerage firms, has named Brian Boone president of its Orlando, Fla., location, effective April 10. From 2009 to 2013, Boone held the role of employee benefits client executive at Hylant. He was most recently the president of Fireside Health Care Center in Santa Monica, Calif., where he led a staff of 140 employees. As the Orlando office leader at Hylant, Boone will oversee associate development and assume the responsibility of business growth in the Employee Benefits and Property & Casualty sectors. He replaces Andria Herr, who was promoted to senior vice president of employee benefits client strategy and resource development at Hylants corporate level. Hylant was founded in 1935 and is a full-service insurance brokerage with 14 offices in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida. As a member of the Worldwide Broker Network, Hylant offers complete risk management services, employee benefits brokerage and consultation, loss control, healthcare management and insurance solutions for businesses and individuals. Source: Hylant Eight northern West Virginia residents have been indicted on charges that they staged vehicle accidents in order to file false insurance claims. Prosecutors say the eight were indicted Tuesday on mail fraud charges in federal court in Clarksburg. According to the indictment, the group conspired to file insurance claims totaling about $250,000 for staged accidents in Harrison, Marion and Taylor counties from 2012 to 2014. Four of the defendants are Fairmont residents and three are from Clarksburg. One lives in Morgantown. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Numbers Virginia West Virginias attorney general has reached a court settlement with a Cabell County used car dealer requiring he stand behind warranties, post unaltered buyers guides and ensure each vehicle sold will pass state safety inspection. It requires owner Shawn Dunfee to pay a $5,000 civil penalty, $2,500 previous penalty and $1,350 restitution to a customer by April 30. The lawsuit against Dunfee and his business, Dunfees Used Cars alleged the dealership sold vehicles with mechanical defects, altered warranties illegally and failed to display car buyers guides. According to the attorney generals office, Dunfee was first investigated following complaints in 2010 about defective vehicles and modified warranties that kept them from getting needed repairs. He agreed to change practices, followed by a 2015 investigation for similar violations and a second agreement. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Virginia Uber Technologies Inc. failed to persuade a judge to approve a settlement offering 1.6 million California drivers an average of $1.08 each to dispense with alleged labor-code violations that their lawyer earlier claimed might have been worth billions of dollars. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maren Nelson issued a tentative ruling rejecting a deal aimed at resolving one of the dozen-plus U.S. lawsuits challenging the companys contractor-based business model. The judge said theres merit to objections that the $7.75 million accord most of which would go to state coffers, administrative costs and lawyer fees shortchanges drivers who sued seeking the protections and benefits of employees. Nelson also said the settlement provides too broad a release of liability for Uber from labor-code claims. I need some analysis why it is fair and adequate, she said during a hearing Friday. While the judge left open the possibility shell approve the settlement once more information is submitted, her ruling marks another setback for Uber in its effort to dispose of a potent legal threat to its business model. Uber still faces a class-action case by California drivers in San Francisco after a federal judge in August rejected a $100 million settlement as inadequate. A critical appeals court hearing over the size and scope of that case is scheduled for June. Its already been a tough year for the San Francisco-based startup, valued at $69 billion. Uber is facing calls from customers to #DeleteUber, reports of a toxic corporate culture, sexual harassment allegations, criticism from investors over the companys response and the abrupt departure of a new senior executive over an undisclosed harassment claim from his previous job at Google. The company is also contending with Alphabet Inc.s high-profile lawsuit accusing it of copying technology for self-driving cars. Ubers chief executive officer said this month hes seeking leadership help in the form of a chief operating officer after his verbal altercation with a driver was caught on video. Uber said its confident the Los Angeles settlement will be approved. The Los Angeles case was brought under a California law that gives employees the right to step into the shoes of the state labor secretary to bring enforcement actions. Under the 2004 Private Attorneys General Act, or PAGA, the state keeps 75 percent of any penalties won. The remaining 25 percent is a reward for the workers who bring the case. Thousands of so-called bounty hunter lawsuits have been filed in the past 12 years. The drivers lawyers who negotiated the settlement, Christopher Morosoff and Douglas Caiafa, touted it as the largest known PAGA settlement in history. Uber said it was a fair compromise in light of the high likelihood the company would win a trial over the claims if they arent settled. But lawyers suing Uber in other cases objected in court filings, saying its a travesty for the drivers. In a troubling political climate when the role of all branches of government are being undermined, lawyers who bring claims in the shoes of state officials have a duty to push back against businesses looking to exploit consumers, attorney Mark Geragos said in a filing. He called the settlement shameful and embarrassing. In last years rejection of the San Francisco settlement, a judge concluded that the $1 million allotted to resolve PAGA allegations was insufficient because it amounted to just 0.1 percent of claims that state officials valued at $1 billion. Nelson cited that finding in her ruling, adding that the settlement amount in the Los Angeles case is a only slightly higher recovery: 0.77 percent. The judge said she needs an explanation of how the settlements provision for dismissal of class-action claims in the lawsuit, which are separate from the the PAGA claims, affects potential claims by Uber drivers. I dont know if youve been flooded with calls from drivers asking What about me?' Nelson told Morosoff. She gave the lawyers two weeks to file more written arguments and scheduled another hearing for May 2. The Los Angeles case is Price v. Uber Technologies Inc., BC554512, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County (Los Angeles). The San Francisco case is OConnor v. Uber Technologies Inc., 13-cv-03826, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits California Legislation Claims Personal Auto Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has acquired Coeur dAlene, Idaho-based Burkhardt Consulting LLC. Burkhardt joins Alliants employee benefits group, with the firm continuing to service clients from its Coeur dAlene office. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Burkhardt Consulting provides a range of employee benefit consulting services. Newport Beach, Calif. Alliant provides property/casualty, workers compensation, employee benefits, surety and financial products and services. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Alliant Top News - Investor Idea A Boat-full of Potential - Renewed Interest in the Cruise Industry Bolsters Luxury Markets (OTC: MASN) (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK) (NYSE: RCL) (NYSE: NCLH) Vancouver, Kelowna, Delta, BC - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering luxury goods and cruise ship stocks releases a special report featuring Maison Luxe, Inc. (OTC: MASN), a company that offers luxury retail consumer items. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents. Top Health and Wellness News - Investor Idea Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures $3.8M Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA from Italy CAVE CREEK, Az. - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-based, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured a new $3.8 million USD order for its newly acquired, non-nicotine based vape product, HYLA from customers in Italy. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire A domestically developed engine will soon power the nation's latest stealth fighter jet, according to a senior scientist working for Aero Engine Corp of China. "It will not take a long time for our fifth-generation combat plane to have China-made engines," said Chen Xiangbao, vice-president of the AECC Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials. Chen, also a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was referring to the J-20 stealth fighter. "The engine's development is proceeding well. We also have begun to design a next-generation aviation engine with a thrust-to-weight ratio that is much higher than that of current types," he said. Thrust-to-weight ratio is considered the top indicator of an aviation engine's capability. Chen, who is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, spoke to China Daily on the sidelines of the political advisory body's annual session. The People's Liberation Army Air Force recently confirmed, without elaborating, that the J-20 has been put into active service. Aviation industry observers said the plane is still equipped with Russian-made engines due to the lack of a suitable domestically developed engine. Chen said Chinese scientists and engineers are striving to catch up to the world's top players in terms of research and development into cutting-edge aviation engines, but the country still has a long way to go before it can develop and produce world-class engines, Chen said. "For instance, we are able to develop the two most important components in an advanced engine the single crystal superalloy turbine blades and powder metallurgy superalloy turbine disks but in mass production, the products' quality is not very satisfactory," he said. It is a matter of time and persistence to make reliable engines, he said. "The road to success is filled with setbacks and failures. Each of the world's engine powers has walked this road," Chen added. Yin Zeyong, head of AECC's science and technology commission, previously said that a good engine is the result of not only good design but also time-consuming experiments and tests. Despite China's tremendous achievements in science, technology and manufacturing industries over the past several decades, aircraft engine-making remains one of the few fields in which the country still lags behind top players like the United States and Russia. Because of the sophistication of advanced aircraft engines, such as the afterburning turbofan engine, which drives the US Lockheed Martin F-22 and Russia's Sukhoi Su-35, only the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have the technical wherewithal to develop and produce them. Tang Changhong, chief designer of China's Y-20 strategic transport plane and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, told West China City Daily that the Y-20 will be equipped with indigenously developed engines around 2018 or 2019. Leading internet of things events seeks speakers to discuss Business Intelligence and Analytics, Smart Cities, IoT Enterprise Operations, IoT Business Issues and Innovations, Connected Home, IoT Security, IoT Developer Issues, Industrial IoT and more Trumbull, CT March 13, 2017 TMC and Crossfire Media announced today, the 18th iteration of IoT Evolution Conference & Expo is accepting speaking proposals through April 17, 2017. The event will be held July 17 20, 2017 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. IoT Evolution Expo has evolved to become the leading education and networking forum for the enterprise looking to understand how to develop and implement IoT Solutions that drive measurable results and business transformation. As the IoT industry continues to evolve and mature, IoT Evolution has strengthened its role in educating, informing and bringing together the entire IoT ecosystem, said Carl Ford, CEO, Crossfire Media, executive director of content, IoT Evolution. The conference agenda will focus on how to deliver business value and overcome obstacles in implementing IoT solutions. We look forward to receiving and reviewing all candidates submissions to speak. For full details and to submit a proposal, please visit the call for paper section of the website. For questions, please contact Carl Ford. Please submit you speaking request on the following topics or provide a topic of your own choosing. The 2017 IoT Evolution Conference program focuses on the enterprise and how IoT solutions will impact operations, business intelligence, new product development and revenue generation. The conference also delves into the critical issues that must be understood before endeavoring upon an IoT implementation. These topics include IoT connectivity solutions, device management, network architectures, big data and analytics, standards and security. IoT IT: Business Intelligence and Analytics Artificial Intelligence the Senses of IoT. Business Analytics, predictive and prescriptive Analytics Machine Learning and the Cloud Fog Computing and Edge Processing Real Time Big Data: Managing the IoT Streams Integrating the IoT into Enterprise IT architecture Smart Cities Smart City Planning New Insurance Business Models Enabling a Smart Workforce Transportation and Fleet Services Enhanced Supply Chain Management Autonomous Autos and new transportation models IoT Enterprise Operations Remote Monitoring and Management Asset Management Oil and Gas, Pipelines and Drills Get IoT IoT Gateway solutions IoT Agriculture Tanks Cisterns and Liquid Management Business Issues and Innovations IoT and new product/service development Identity management IoT Consumer Creep, when does It hit Enterprises MVNOs and The Enterprise the Global View Building IoT platforms for third party use Low power wide area networks; LoRa, RPMA, Sigfox Connected Home Smart Energy, Thermostats and other Utilities Voice Controlled in-home networks The Smart Home Smart Phone strategy: Building apps and solutions Home Security Cameras, Locks and Alarms Smart Product Ecosystems and Platforms Privacy and Device Security: How to Avoid Hacks IoT Developers Rapid Prototyping with Open Devices Using Open Source for IoT Java Embedded Getting IoT Data to Smart Phones and Tablets Mobile Devices: Transmitting with and without Interruption Web Services and IoT Integration Open Hardware and Open Source Development: Gigabones, Raspberry Pi Augmented and virtual reality Industrial IoT Conference @ IoT Evolution Expo Harnessing sensor data for manufacturing insight Interoperability - devices, standards and architectures IIoT's impact on manufacturing workforce and required skillsets - Got Skills Gap? IT's role in the IIoT - selecting an IoT platform Role of new distributed computing architectures to support IIoT Security and privacy concerns Industrial Controls of legacy systems. Gateway functions on factory Floor Business Model transformation" Just In Time IOT Solutions. IoT Security Summit Identity Management: What's in A Name? Trusted End Points Penetration Testing on Dumb Devices Blockchain and IoT Encryption at the Edge, Network and Everywhere? Device Security: How to Avoid Hacks IoT APIs Layer 3.0 Interoperabilty Is Uber IoT? Extracting Information from Sensors Containers for API Twillio in IoT Giving Voice to IoT IoT Evolution Expo is supported by Diamond sponsor, Cradlepoint, Platinum sponsor Clearblade and Corporate sponsor, Gemalto. Registration for IoT Evolution Expo is now open. For more information, contact Scott Kargman. For media registration, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages should contact Matthew Gleeson at 203.852.6800 ext. 145. For the latest IoT Evolution Expo news, updates and information, follow the event on Twitter at @IoTEvolution. About TMC Global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers. TMCs Marketplaces: Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking. Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases. In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations. Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com. About Crossfire Media Crossfire Media is an integrated marketing company with a core focus on future trends in technology. We service communities of interest with conferences, tradeshows, webinars and newsletters. Crossfire Media has a partnership with Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) to produce events and websites related to disruptive technologies. Crossfire Media is a division of Crossfire Consulting, a full service Information Technology company based in New York. Media and Analyst Contact: Jessica Seabrook Marketing Director 203.852.6800 ext.170 [email protected] Edited by Ken Briodagh Taoiseach Enda Kenny is on his annual St Patricks trip to the United States, where he is outlining plans for a referendum on voting rights for Irish people abroad in presidential elections . And after speaking at an Irish Famine memorial in Philadelphia, he decided to give a local TV reporter a lesson on how to say Taoiseach. Kenny appears to praise the reporters effort, saying: You say it very well. He added: Its an old Gaelic word for leader or chieftain. So if you want to pronounce it in phonetics, it will be t-h-double E, thee, shoc, s-h-o-c. So theeshoc. Kenny gives the reporter a 10 out of 10 for his effort. Now for the matter of pronouncing Saoirse Ronans name A Cork man accused of repeatedly raping his stepdaughter over a seven-year period has been found guilty of all 92 counts against him, writes Isabel Hayes. The 40-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went on trial in the Central Criminal Court accused of sexually abusing the girl between May 2008 and November 2015, when she was aged between nine and 16 years old. He had pleaded not guilty to 26 counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted rape and 64 counts of raping the girl. Almost all of the offences took place in the family home in Cork. The jury of seven men and five women took just under four hours to return the guilty verdicts. The man was taken into custody and will be sentenced on May 15. The three-week trial heard that the girl's mother met the man when the girl was around six years old, and the abuse started when she was aged around eight or nine. The victim, who turned 18 during the trial, gave extensive evidence over a number of days via video link. The court heard she felt the man was like a dad to her. She described how the abuse started with her stepfather tickling her and then putting his hands down her pants. It progressed to the man regularly forcing his stepdaughter to masturbate him, often when they were in his bedroom watching television. The girl told the court that this usually happened when she needed money for the cinema or to go swimming. Her mother was out with her younger siblings or at bingo when the abuse occurred, the court heard. During a family holiday, the court heard the man forced the girl onto a hotel bed and tried to rape her. About a month later, she said he raped her when they were in his bedroom watching television. She said he raped her up to three times a week from then on, mostly in the bedroom he shared with her mother. He ejaculated on her stomach and would reward her afterwards with money or by releasing her from being grounded. At one point the victim confided in her mother about the abuse after they watched a scene from Eastenders together in which a stepfather was abusing his stepdaughter. But she backtracked shortly afterwards and said she was only joking. The abuse ended in November 2015 when the girl packed a bag and went to her aunt's house. She then confided in her mother and they went to gardai the next day. Semen swabs taken from the girl's stomach tested positive for her stepfather's DNA. There was a less than one in 1000 million chance of the DNA profile being unrelated to the accused, prosecuting counsel, Marjorie Farrelly SC, told the jury. Defence barrister, Sean Guerin SC, told the jury the girl's credibility was a great source of concern. He submitted that the semen found on the girls tummy could have come from when she was lying in her parents bed the morning after they had sex. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy thanked the jury for their service. The Taoiseach is expected to raise the issue of the undocumented Irish with the Mayor of Boston today. The appointment with Marty Walsh is one of the major events of the day as Enda Kenny continues his US tour. A blogger accused of inciting religious hatred after playing Pokemon Go in a church has gone on trial in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Ruslan Sokolovsky has been in pre-trial detention since October when a court reversed his house arrest. It would be an understatement to say that on both fronts we are not prepared. Customs authorities will have to handle an estimated 80% increase in the documentation on imports and exports on goods. This will arise from exporters transiting the UK to get to mainland Europe, as well as exports to and imports from the UK, as a non-EU country. Its further complicated by the vast range of goods from international markets entering the UK as the first point of entry into the EU, before they are shipping to Ireland. Inside the EU, the UK has done the necessary paperwork for Ireland before shipping the goods, but this will not be the case after Brexit. The big worry is there is no evidence of any recruitment programme or additional computer spend by the Irish Customs. Brexit could wreak havoc on businesses across the country who move billions of goods through our sea and airports. The inadequate freight infrastructure is equally of concern. Ireland has been falling behind most of our European neighbours in terms of infrastructure investment. The World Banks Global Logistics performance report for 2016 showed Ireland was ranked 18th, way behind Germany in first place and the UK in 8th position. On efficiency of the export-import clearance process by border control agencies, which includes customs, Ireland is ranked in 25th place. On its quality of trade and transport infrastructure such as ports, railroads, roads and information technology, Ireland is ranked 22nd. Irelands overall infrastructure quality rating as benchmarked by the World Economic Forum has also fallen over the five years to 2015. Irelands rating is now below the OECD average. The CSO throws further light of the looming infrastructure challenges in figures which show the huge increase in truck, sea and airport freight volumes over the past five years. The nub of the problem according to the National Competitiveness Council in their latest review is under-investment in infrastructure because the current planned capital expenditure by Government in the period to 2022 will not be sufficient to maintain the existing land transport network. In common with most other OECD countries, general Government capital expenditure in Ireland declined significantly as a result of the crisis. It remains relatively weak. Following a peak investment of 5.2% of GDP in 2008, public investment fell to a low of 1.8% of GDP in 2013. The 2015 Capital Plan Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021, which committed the exchequer to a spend of 27bn on capital projects has yet to make any real progress. We are faced with real and persistent under-investment in infrastructure in Ireland which is already affecting our supply chain efficiency and reliability. This is even before Brexit kicks in. An urgent increase in capital expenditure by the Government is now required to improve our roadways particularly the access routes to seaports and airports, including the N20 Limerick-Cork upgrade, N21 Limerick-Tralee upgrade, and sections of the N25 Cork-Waterford road and completing the Galway City outer bypass. The time delays in implementing infrastructure projects will likely see Brexit in full flow well before their execution. The efficiency and effectiveness of Irelands infrastructure and customs networks have a strong bearing on the competitiveness of indigenous firms. More than ever, with Brexit getting ever closer, immediate and comprehensive Government actions are needed to support businesses getting goods on and off the island. BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The fifth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body, began the closing meeting Monday morning. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the closing meeting held at the Great Hall of the People. A major new study indicates that it contributes over 7% of all tax receipts from motor fuel consumption in the Republic but has a negative impact on the Republics greenhouse gas emissions. It also found stations close to the border have considerably higher-than-expected levels of sales, particularly of diesel. Motorists from the North contribute around 202m in excise duty, carbon tax and Vat on sales of diesel and a further 28m in petrol sales. The joint study by the Economic and Social Research Institute, Revenue and Trinity College Dublin, said the elevated levels of fuel tourism for diesel might partly be attributable to heavy goods vehicles and vans which avail of cheaper prices near the border before they start long-distance journeys onto Britain and mainland Europe. Overall, sales of diesel in the Republic since 2010 have increased by 21% while petrol consumption has fallen 27%. The research estimated that stations close to the border sold 54.4% more diesel and 14.6% more petrol than an otherwise identical station located in another part of the Republic. The report said cross-border demand for fuel represented an important source of tax revenue for the Exchequer. However, it found such trade also contributed significantly to the Republics national greenhouse gas emissions, even though most of the fuel was probably consumed outside the jurisdiction. It estimated that cross-border traffic for the purpose of fuel tourism resulted in an additional 1.17 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum equivalent to 2% of the Republics total national greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers examined retail sales at 543 petrol stations in border areas over a two-year period between April 2013 and March 2015. They noted that the excise rate in the Republic was 13% lower than in the North for petrol and almost 30% lower for diesel. While the UK Vat rate of 20% is lower than the Republics 23% rate, the study found such differences still resulted in a significant premium on UK fuel prices. Irish National Flood Forum (INFF) spokesman Jer Buckley said Save Cork City campaigners have shown passion for their cause but very little compassion for flood victims. If half of their efforts were channelled into positive engagement and using their expertise to enhance the scheme, rather than trying to stop it, Cork would really benefit, he said. The campaigners have described the schemes over-reliance on embankments and raised quay walls as a brutal assault on the citys heritage, and said it lacks imagination and vision. We are strongly in favour of flood relief, but the OPWs crude, outdated, and destructive plan is not appropriate in Cork, said a campaign member. The walls will not help homes and businesses to get insurance. Mr Buckley said the INFF has helped draft a bill with Fianna Fail TD Michael McGrath which, if passed, will make it mandatory for insurance companies to reinsure flooded communities at marketable rates once OPW flood schemes are completed. This is another reason why it is critical that this scheme goes ahead quickly, he said. Independent councillor Mick Finn said: We have to accept a compromise between defence and aesthetics. No proper alternatives have been offered by critics. Save Cork City said the level of intervention proposed by the OPW is unwarranted. We call on the city of Cork to join us in opposition to this scheme that we believe represents a disaster for the local economy, said the spokesman. Speaking in Philadelphia on Saturday night at his first official event of a five-city St Patricks Day trade mission, Mr Kenny said while immigration reform is a sensitive issue, it cannot come at the expense of hard-working, tax-paying Irish people. In an address to the Friendly Sons of St Patrick organisation, a long-standing Irish-American group which refused to allow women members until just last year the Taoiseach said Irish people must be protected. It will be no surprise to anyone here that one of my absolute priorities in meeting Vice-President Pence, President Trump, and other senior political figures this coming week is to renew the strong case on behalf of the hard-working, tax-paying Irish people in the US. For too long now, they have been living in the shadows, and want nothing more than to continue making their contribution to this great country. We all understand that immigration reform is a politically sensitive issue. However, I truly believe that a US immigration system that addresses the needs of the undocumented Irish, and provides for future legal flows, will be of huge benefit to America. It is unclear how the comment will be viewed by Mr Trump, who Mr Kenny will meet at the White House on Thursday. However, it comes at a time when the US presidents travel ban is due to come into effect, and as Mr Kenny travels to Boston, Washington DC, and New York all of which are sanctuary cities that effectively allow law-abiding illegal immigrants to remain. Mr Kenny also used the Saturday speech to argue that the Irish recovery is continuing and the country is in a strong position to entice more companies and inward investment. Despite acknowledging the potential troubled waters facing Ireland due to Britains now imminent departure from the EU, Mr Kenny said Irelands economy is in a strong position. However, he made no mention of homelessness, housing, health service, and other crises also risking the recovery, or whether the recovery is spreading throughout the country. During the same speech, Mr Kenny praised the Friendly Sons of St Patrick for what he said was a courageous step last year to allow women to join the more than 200-year-old organisation. Considerable anger has been expressed within the Government over the likely triggering of Article 50 this week, possibly as early as tomorrow, at a time when Irish ministers are scattered all over the globe. The refusal of British prime minister Theresa May to tell Enda Kenny in a face to face meeting last week her intentions as to when the formal EU exit will begin has also sparked fury. The Irish Examiner has learned that ministers who are travelling abroad have been told to be ready to abandon their agendas should Mr Kenny deem it necessary for them to return. Speaking in Philadelphia, Mr Kenny again signalled his annoyance at the lack of a signal from Ms May. When I spoke to the British prime minister last Thursday she didnt actually commit to a date, he said. The European Union will respond to that [Article 50] and will issue guidelines within 48 hours if it is triggered this week. The meeting of the European Council to approve the negotiating stance of the European Union and the guidelines to be adopted will be on April 6. He said triggering Article 50 involves the writing of a letter from the British government to the president of the European Council. Thats always within the remit of the country that intends to leave, in this case Britain, he said. Mr Kenny sought to play down concerns about the lack of contingency planning should the negotiations between Britain and the EU fail to reach agreement. Article 50 is very clear and the law is very clear, he said. When you trigger Article 50, if you have not concluded your divorce proceedings within two years, you are automatically gone unless an extension of time is given by unanimous approval of the European Council which I assume would be forthcoming. Fianna Fail Brexit spokesman Stephen Donnelly said Mr Kenny and his officials should be in Dublin to deal with the biggest challenge in the history of the State. Ideally, if she triggers Article 50 on Tuesday we should be having a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, he said. It is material for the Cabinet to not being around but we shouldnt also be hanging around for Theresa May to make up her mind. Mr Donnelly said the greatest impediment to Ireland being ready for Brexit was the internal Fine Gael race to succeed Mr Kenny. Internal Fine Gael politics is the big distraction, he said. Our Cabinet is not going to be focused on Brexit for the next eight to 12 weeks. One of the whistleblowers connected with the Grace case has called on the HSE to explain evidence and testimony it gave to the committee last year which, she says, does not equate with what it has said in other forums. The HSE is accused of a systematic cover-up in regard to how Grace came to be left in the foster home in the South-East for 20 years, despite serious concerns being raised about the home. In the Dail last week, Waterford TD John Deasy described the actions of the HSE as Kafkaesque. Was it a conspiracy and cover-up? Yes, it was, he said. As I have stated previously, it was a concerted and organised attempt to hide information and conceal the truth by a clique of HSE managers. It was an orchestrated attempt to protect officials and an organisation who failed people in state care in a catastrophic manner on a number of levels. Asked yesterday if she agreed with Mr Deasys comments, the whistleblower said she could not dispute a single word he said. Responding to the charges, Health Minister Simon Harris said those directly involved in the decision to leave Grace in the home in 1996 are no longer at their posts. The top-level management were not in place when these things happened in the South-East. People who made direct decisions are no longer there, is what I am told, he said. John McGuinness, the Fianna Fail TD for Kilkenny, said that the culture which led to the cover-up still exists to this day. We have shown no respect to those people who have come forward. We stand back as a state and do nothing, he said. Members of the PAC criticised HSE director general Tony OBrien for giving the committee misleading, inaccurate and incomplete information about the Grace case. Mr OBrien is to respond to the committee in writing this week ahead of a follow-up meeting with the PAC next week. At a meeting of the committee last Thursday, Mr OBrien said he was not in a position to answer questions about the scandal and sought a weeks grace. Diaspora Minister Joe McHugh confirmed the possible situation after Taoiseach Enda Kenny revealed plans for a referendum by next year. At a Famine memorial event in Philadelphia, USA, Mr Kenny confirmed the Government has signed off on plans to radically reform the presidential voting system to allow millions of people living abroad have their voices heard. Mr Kenny later told reporters that option papers will be set out next month on what the changes will entail, with a final proposal to be revealed in May and a realistic 2018 date for the referendum. In some of the strongest terms used against the Church by an Irish government, Taoiseach Enda Kenny warned Church authorities they must get on with it in terms of meeting their share of the cost of compensating victims of abuse. Mr Kenny said the Church must measure up to the responsibilities that they accepted. Speaking in Philadelphia, Mr Kenny said religious orders must reflect on the seriousness of this before they are forced to do so. Taoiseach Enda Kenny stands with Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development TD Joe McHugh at the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia. He was speaking after Health Minister Simon Harris said there is significant merit in looking at seizing hospital and school lands owned by the Church as a means of meeting the 1.6bn cost of sexual abuse redress payments. Mr Harris said the failure of the Church to meet its commitments is completely unacceptable and called on Pope Francis to instruct religious orders here to pay over and pay up. He said the congregations current contribution was pathetic and paltry, adding that Irish religious leaders should tell them to pay up now. What we have to do is look at what we can do and there is significant merit at looking at hospital land and looking at school property, said Mr Harris. What I have been thinking about in recent days is what levers are at the disposal of the State. He said the State continues to fund hospitals where they are owned by the Church, as well as schools. The Government will consider each and every legal tool at our disposal, said Mr Harris. He called the 2002 deal between the Fianna Fail-led government and the Church economically and socially illiterate, as it indemnified the Church from the growing cost of redress for abuses. There is an outstanding amount under the existing agreement and the current contribution sought from the Church is pathetic and paltry and the fact they havent even paid that is going to be pursued immediately, he continued. Mr Harris then took direct aim at religious leaders, requesting that the next time they make a homily and contribute to this public debate, they would call on all religious institutions to pay up and that call should go all the way to the Vatican. Mr Kenny said the time has come for the Church to get on with it and he would expect that the Vatican would respond to issues he previously raised in relation to clerical abuse. I would expect that the congregations and the Church would reflect on the seriousness of this and measure up to their requirements, he said. I referred a number of matters to the Pope when I met with him last year and I would expect that the Vatican would respond to those. To date, religious orders have contributed just 13% to the compensation fund. This contribution is underpinned by an agreement with 18 religious orders negotiated by former Fianna Fail minister Michael Woods in 2002. Fianna Fail TD John McGuinness said he does not believe that agreement was the best one for the State and that it may not be legally watertight. Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin said everything must be done to enable the truth to emerge. He said the sad facts coming to light around the treatment of children and mothers in Church-run institutions lead us again to challenge the Church in Ireland to a deep self-examination and repentance. It is not something that can be wallpapered over or interpreted by clever spin-doctors, he said. Everything must be done to enable the truth to emerge. We must confess the role of the Church in the building-up of a culture which failed to recognise the presence of Jesus in the smallest and the weakest. IF WE dont build these flood defences soon, we wont have a city to save. Thats the stark view of the Cork Business Association (CBA), which represents the vast majority of city traders, who employ some 30,000 people. Its fine for the Save Our City campaigners to say save our city, but if we dont do something to prevent flooding, we wont have a city to save, said CBA president Pat OConnell. Cities need to have function and form, and if you cant function in a city centre, if every other day, during three or four months of the year, you have flood alerts, people not coming in to the city centre because they are afraid theyre going to get caught in floods, you cannot maintain a functioning city, he said. He was among several CBA members who attended Fridays public forum on the flood defence scheme. When youre standing in 3ft of water and bailing out your premises, you get fantastic public sympathy for three or four days, but three weeks later when youre still trying to get your business open, trying to think of your 25 or so staff, and how youre going to pay them and pay for repairs, without insurance, and people are suggesting we shouldnt have flood defences now? The mind boggles. You will never get a perfect solution for anything on this scale. There is compromise everywhere. The cheapest option would have been to build concrete walls the whole way down from Lee Fields to the Port of Cork. But the OPW arent doing that they are being very sympathetic to whats going on in the city. Im not sure what else the OPW can do. He said the fear among the citys business community is that mounting objections to the OPWs 140m flood defence plan could delay the delivery of the project. CBA chief executive Lawrence Owens has criticised the late involvement of the Save Cork City campaign and the rhetoric used in some of the literature. I dont think anybody has a monopoly on passion for Cork, he said. We have been working consistently for Cork, for the betterment of the city, for the last 60-odd years. Businesses are now concerned that something we have been chasing with a passion for 20 years, through lobbying central government, lobbying various ministers, the OPW, and local government to approve funding and finally after all those years we finally got the funding approved for the biggest infrastructural project of its kind in the history of the State that these objections could see the project delayed. We went through the whole process of looking at the design, making our comments, getting experts in to help us, looking at the technical and visual side. And on foot of our submissions, and those of others, the OPW, in fairness to them, have made a lot of changes. We are, by and large, happy with them. And we are still in the process of looking at further changes. But in general are the businesses happy that we have a design that will protect the city and still look aesthetically pleasing? Yes, we are. Mr Owens said large-scale OPW flood defence projects in places like Clonmel, Fermoy, and Waterford have proved effective, and said because of Cork Citys topography, similar flood defences are needed to protect the city from flood risk. Maybe if members of this group came on board 10 or 20 years ago with some of the sustainable ideas they have, we might have been able to work towards achieving some of those, he said. But to try and bring sustainable solutions in now, and have elements of flood protection in place by 2018, it just wont happen. Mr Owens said the vast majority of CBA members, who contribute up to 65m in rates to Cork City Council every year, have a vested interest in protecting the city. We dont see anything in the design of this flood defence scheme that will destroy Cork. What it will do is protect the city, he said. Where was everybody for the last 20 years they seem to have arrived with this conviction with two months to go, putting these untested, non practical solutions forward. If they have something practical that could work, of course it should be considered. But at the last minute, as the clock ticks towards midnight, to come with these suggestions now, I think its rather strange. It has the potential to delay, to throw a spanner in the works. We have the funding, we have a design which we think is very workable in a lot of areas, its very innovative everything is in place and we are ready to rock. And now people are saying, Well, we just arrived here and we dont like the look of that, they have put forward no practical resolutions and we think thats unfair and its unbalanced. Claire Nashs Nash 19 restaurant on Princes St, which celebrated 25 years in business last month, has been flooded several times. Recovering from the 2014 flood alone cost her 378,000. Like countless others in the city, she has no flood insurance. We engaged in 2009 with the OPW and we have been talking to them since, working with them since, working for the city on a solution to this ongoing problem, said Ms Nash. When youre up to your knees in flood water in your building, when youre trying to sweep faeces out the door at the back of your building, when youre trying to protect the front of your building which is slightly raised, and open for business the next day, and hold face, and be a centre of community for others that are flooded around, and be a voice and a face of a trading city, telling lies sometimes that you can trade, its really, really soul destroying having done so much work on this scheme to suddenly see this Save Cork campaign sure were all trying to save Cork. Cork has been very good to me, and I give back a lot to this city and it is in my own best interests that the jobs of my 23 staff would be protected, and that my 40 suppliers can deliver every day. Were entrepreneurial, and we dont go on about the problems but behind the scenes, those of us who give a damn have been watching these flood defence plans, pushing them forward, demanding dates for preferred solutions. Then these people from Save Cork City emerge its ludicrous to dismiss our views that we dont want to maintain the beauty of our city. The reality is its not a safe city to trade in. When they press the panic button on a flood alert, you may as well turn off the trade tap because people dont come in to the city. Ms Nash, who was CBA president during the 2014 flood, accompanied President Michael D Higgins on a visit to dozens of flood-ravaged traders along Oliver Plunkett St. He was stunned that we were once again facing another major flood disaster, just a few years after the 2009 flood, she said. There are some tweaks wed like to make to the OPW plans, and Im sure the OPW will tweak them with us, but my fear is that we will lose the funding for this scheme if these objections get hold. Ms Nash said possible solutions put forward by the schemes opponents are just not credible. There is a lot of rhetoric about saving the city and protecting views. But the fact is we wont have a city centre is this scheme doesnt go ahead, she said. On the first stop of his packed five-city schedule, Mr Kenny warmed up for Thursdays meeting with US President Donald Trump by being key note speaker at a series of events in Philadelphia. He focused attention on issues which carry the risk of dividing the nation. A referendum on allowing Irish citizens living abroad voting rights is now on the cards, and could take place as soon as next year. Up to 50,000 Irish immigrants although, notably, not millions of their counterparts from Mexico and other countries facing Mr Trumps ire living illegally in the US must be protected from a severe tightening of already strict US immigration laws, he said. The Catholic church should get on with coughing up the hundreds of millions of euro it still owes clerical abuse victims and measure up to the responsibilities they accepted. And this was day one. Unlike in previous St Patricks Day visits, Mr Kenny appeared to be setting the tone for what is to come over the next five days in a bid to, if not repair his deeply damaged legacy, then at least try to get a few matters close to his heart over the line before he goes. The traditional pageantry of US St Patricks Day trips is still there, as witnessed by hundreds of revelers who attended the 247th parade in Philadelphia yesterday, and the annual solemn references to the past equally acknowledged by the famine memorial speech yesterday. However, given the long shadow still hanging over the US due to the fallout from last Novembers shock election of Mr Trump, there is a clearly different tone framing the expected images of the week. Having narrowly survived a bungled coup last month, Mr Kenny knows he is on borrowed time and while it is far from unlikely that he will try to extend it for as long as possible it shows. With little to lose as he takes what is expected to be his final lap of honour in a week that due to Brexit, Mr Trumps travel ban, the illegal Irish situation, and the ongoing clerical abuse scandal, the Taoiseach cannot this time simply hide behind the pageantry and shamrocks. For once, the annual St Patricks Day visit may result in political remarks of real weight. Controversial, and in tune with the new atmosphere of political division in the US, but given the time we are in, perhaps necessary too. LEGALLY, in Ireland, children are required to begin their formal education by the age of six. Most children, however, start school aged four or five. Knowing if your child is ready to start school in September can be particularly difficult for parents whose childrens birthdays fall after Christmas. Worrying about whether your child is too young to start, or whether theyll be bored if you wait an additional year, are common concerns. Ive been on both sides of the fence. My first child started school less than three months after her fourth birthday. She was tall, mature, confident, and capable and she settled into school very well. She had no difficulties throughout and her teachers often commented that it was hard to believe she was the youngest in her class. Do I regret my decision? Absolutely. She has had to grow up faster than Id have liked and while at the time I could not visualise my little four-year-old as a teenager, sure enough the day came and all the peer pressure and challenges associated with secondary school came to her way sooner than I felt they should have. I became the mum who seemed to say no to everything because she was too young younger than her peers. Jen Hogan with her children Chloe, 15, Adam, 12, Jamie, 10, Luke, 7, Zach, 5, Tobey, 3, and Noah, 1. Jen does not regret delaying the start of school days. Picture: Nick Bradshaw My third child was already five when he started school. He has a different personality to his sister but the driving force in my case was his peer age group. There seems to have been a move towards a later starting age at my childrens school and I factored that in. Do I regret waiting an extra year? Not a bit. But is it as simple as mere age when it comes to deciding if your child is ready for school? Joanna Fortune, clinical psychotherapist at Solamh, thinks there are several factors to consider. If your child is close to the age of five and showing signs that they are appropriately independent and capable of doing basic tasks for themselves, they are showing signs of being ready, Joanna explains. She warns, however, against parents belief that their Montessori-going child necessarily requires the stimulation of school, adding that stimulation can be drawn from more unstructured play-based activities and opportunity to explore their environment creatively. If your child is younger, more sensitive and timid, and has difficulty separating from you, they may benefit from an additional year to help them prepare for school. Joanna says it is important not to force a child to be ready if they are simply not, but for those who are, there are a few practical things you can do ahead of time. Drive by the school regularly, pointing it out excitedly. Be super positive about it. Involve your child in the preparatory process by making a list of things they need and bring them with you to choose some of these items, so it is happening with them and not to them. Availing of introduction days when a child can meet the teacher/principal and walk around helps to visually orientate them to a new environment. Sending a child to school before theyre ready will become evident very quickly, Joanna believes. It may manifest itself as fretfulness at the point of separation, or display as a behavioural or developmental regression. Some children will do OK in the early years but by the age of seven you will see clear developmental differences emerge between your child and their peers who are more mature and emotionally developing faster. Joanna sees no disadvantage in sending a child to school later, except that it may result in the child finding the curriculum under-stimulating, but this added maturity can stand to them as they progress through school levels and are better equipped to deal with challenges and peer pressures later on. Helen Kelly, principal at Holly Park Boys School in Blackrock, Co Dublin, says indications of a childs readiness for school include a level of independence and an ability to do things for himself to dress himself, for example, and to do simple jobs. The child should not get upset easily and separate well from his mum. How the child is in pre-school with his peers can tell a lot, says Helen, as can ability to follow instruction without having to repeat. Whether they are ready for school at four or five depends on the child, Helen explains. Often the childs position in the family is a factor. Parents of children who turn four in May or June may need to consider carefully if their child is better off starting at four or waiting until he turns five. Problems encountered by those who start school before they are ready include difficulties paying attention and following instructions from the teacher. They can appear babyish and be perceived as such by their peers. They can find it hard to play in the schoolyard with their peers, and cry easily, she adds. Its time lost for them. Check for signs of a childs independence When starting school, children should be able to: When a cruise ship recently docked at South Koreas southern resort island of Jeju, it was astonished to find all 3,400 Chinese passengers on board refused to disembark, leaving about 80 tour buses as well as some tour guides all at sea. According to local media reports, the cruise ship's captain as well as the South Korean personnel at the customs and quarantine department were unaware of the situation until the ship docked at the port on Saturday afternoon. It was reported that the Chinese passengers were staff from a Chinese enterprise on a trip organized for them as a reward. It was the first time that such a large group of passengers refused to disembark at Jeju in over two decades. The Costa Serena cruise ship's home port was Japans Fukuoka, and it stayed at Jeju for about four hours before setting off for its next stop at east Chinas Tianjin port. South Korean media said two ships run by Costa Serena, an Italian company, have canceled a total of 26 sailings to Jeju island from mid-March to the end of June. That might mean an estimated 120,000 fewer Chinese tourists visiting Jeju island. The resort island has been popular with tourists from China in recent years, but the unusual event on Saturday comes amid a standoff between China and South Korea over Seoul's determination to deploy the US THAAD missile defense system, despite Beijings repeated opposition. Media cited a survey by the Korea International Trade Association, saying that more than half of some 600 businesses in the tourism, retail and cultural sectors have been hurt since relations deteriorated. Beijing said the attitude of the Chinese people towards the South Korean decision to deploy THAAD clearly shows strong opposition to the move, and warned South Korea should be aware of the Chinese peoples voice. The statement was made in response to a land deal reached by Lotte Group, South Korea's fifth-largest chaebol conglomerate, and the South Korean military at the end of February, which further smoothed the path to place THAAD on the Korean Peninsula. THAAD has a very limited capability when it comes to countering missile threats from the north, as it is designed to intercept incoming missiles at an altitude of 40-160 kilometers. Pyongyangs indigenous missiles can technically fly at an altitude far less than 40 km, which would not be in THAAD's range. However, THAAD's X-band radar is capable of looking deep into the territories of China and Russia, causing strong backlashes from the two countries. Two ground-based X-band radars for THAAD were placed in Japan about ten years ago. One of the most talked-about Ted Talks in recent years was the one delivered by John Underkoffler in February 2010. Underkoffler, best known as the science advisor and computer interface designer for the 2002 movie Minority Report, showed an astonished audience that the futuristic spatial operating environment in which Tom Cruises character manipulated data across displays with hand gestures isnt just the stuff of sci-fi movies. Its real. As he walked around the stage, Underkoffler, co-founder and CEO of Oblong Industries in Los Angeles, the company thats commercializing this technology in the form of its core product, Mezzanine, demonstrated that computers can now understand real-world space, so that the room youre in becomes the operating environment, and you become the pointing device. In an interview last week, I spoke at length with Underkoffler about this technology and its application. I began by asking him to explain what he meant by something he said during that Ted Talk that appears to be one of the underlying premises of his work: The OS is the interface; the interface is the OS. Underkoffler, who also demonstrated that amiability and humility can coexist in perfect harmony with brilliance, said there are two important meanings or interpretations of it: One is the very literal one part of what I was saying is that the UI, the way that you interact with the machine, essentially defines the technology all the way down. Theyre really synonymous. You have to build new kinds of basic technology in order to provide a new kind of user experience. Simply that, and nothing more. And I think I called out in the talk that this is exactly what the Macintosh team had found in the early 80s when they were building the worlds first commercial GUI. They were taking the world from the command line text in, text out, one-dimensional, progressing from right to left and then carriage return, for those of us old enough to remember what a carriage return is to a two-dimensional pictorial interface, where its pictures, not words. Its the visual part of the human brain, not the logical and linguistic part. They were all huge, important steps forward, but that technical team at Apple in the early 80s couldnt build on what was there they had to start essentially from scratch. Because the UI asks so much of the technology that unless youve designed the core operating system with a particular UI in mind, youre not going to be able to get there. So thats the first meaning of that phrase. The other meaning, Underkoffler said, in terms of our experience as human beings, is that the UI really is everything: You can have as much RAM and cloud and Hadoop and whatever else you want behind the scenes silicon wires, whatever it is, it doesnt matter. Because the only thing you can actually see and feel and touch and experience is the UI kind of by definition. On the one hand, that seems obvious, or tautological. But I think its really, really important. We go through phases, as technologically fascinated human beings, of being obsessed with stuff that we cant touch obsessed with the cloud, obsessed with this and that thats literally and figuratively distant from us. But my mantra has always been, Lets pay a little more attention to the stuff that people are actually using. At the end of that Ted Talk, when Underkoffler was asked when all of this was going to happen, he responded, I think in five years time, when you buy a computer, youll get this. I asked Underkoffler if he wouldnt agree that now, seven years later, what we actually get when we buy a computer really hasnt changed all that much after all. He said he absolutely agreed: Of course, optimism, and maybe a little bit of over-optimism, are part and parcel of being an entrepreneur, so I plead guilty to the calendar misfire there. I still essentially believe what I said, but youre right, weve gone sailing right past the five-year horizon that I predicted in the talk. On the one hand, I think that youre right, the interface we have on the most capable machines that we use, which is to say laptop machines and desktop machines, has not changed. It really hasnt changed, and I was feeling indignant about that when I got started that it was still the same, and here it is all these years later, and weve still seen no change. That understood, Underkoffler said whats important to note is that the horizon has opened up, and people no longer assume that that mode of using a computer is the only one: That really is the big change. People conduct big chunks of their daily digital lives not typing into a laptop machine and using that UI, but rather using a smartphone or a tablet I guess less and less a tablet these days, but a smartphone, for sure. There are a couple of billion of those out there, right? So I think thats the critical event, and its as important as it might have been if wed all moved over to a gestural interface on our computers. Because that really paves the way for the possibility of something really excitingly new. Now, the UI that you get on your smartphone is not the equal of the UI you get on your laptop. As a journalist Im guessing you probably dont do 120 words per minute on any smartphone the UI isnt for that, and its not that good. But whats valuable about it is that its portable you take a little bit of computation with you. And so, weve gone from a view of the world that was really pre-Copernican, which said that the entire universe revolves around this one GUI, the GUI that we know from our laptop and desktop machines, to saying, actually theres a constellation out there, and we now know at least two major UIs: Theres the GUI on your laptop, and theres the touch-based interface on your phone. And if theres two and this is whats important to us at Oblong there can be more. I asked Underkoffler what Oblong Industries will be delivering five years from now that its not delivering today. His response: Thats an easy one. The answer is ubiquity the collaborative computing experience, the I see what you see, we all see the same thing mantra, which is at the core of Mezzanine, is going to be universal. That Mezzanine experience will be accessible on every device in your life: your laptops, your desktop machines, your tablets, your smartphones, big Mezzanine rooms that are constructed for that purpose, but also in the home. The flat-screen TV in your living room should operate that same way why wouldnt it? The idea is that you can transfer visual content and applications and data and documents between any of these devices just as smoothly as you would pick up a piece of paper from a table and tape it to a wall. All thats just going to be part of our understanding of how the digital world works. Of course, I had to ask the obvious question: He got the five years wrong in the Ted talk, so whats to say hes going to get the five years right this time? Underkoffler said it was a totally fair question: The difference is, we know a huge amount more now at Oblong than we did back then. We were just starting in 2010 to build Mezzanine, so we had a good run building raw technology and building domain-specific applications with really interesting customers, like Boeing and GE and Saudi Aramco, up through 2010, 2011. But by 2010, by the time that Im standing there on stage in Long Beach, weve got this idea and were starting to build Mezzanine. Now that weve had it out in the world for three-and-a-half or four years as a commercial offering, and as an instantiation of these ideas, we know whats important. We know whats not important. We know which direction we have to go in. For example, the gestural stuff thats very much on display in Minority Report and in the Ted Talk Ive never said this before to anyone, and certainly not to a journalist, but this is an interesting moment that stuff is important, but its hardly the most important thing. The collaborative element is way more important. The idea that pixels become a universal interchange format, that your application can hop across to my screen, and some data from my device can hop across to your screen, all of that is radically more important. When you know where the value lies, you can drive toward it very quickly. And thats why Im confident that when you and I talk again in 365 times 5 days, this time you wont be saying, Well, you got it wrong again, John! Underkoffler wrapped up this part of our conversation by highlighting his fascination with the phrase, see more, do more: Id be really interested to ask your readers if they feel like the digital systems that they use today get done what they need. Can they see enough of the problem theyre working on, and does the UI let them reach in and really get done what they need to get done? I think the answer is no, and I think were going to fix that pretty rapidly. But its one of those iceberg things, where theres very little above the surface, what people are talking about, and a huge amount under the surface. And its either a danger if you dont do anything about it, or its a huge opportunity if you recognize it and really drive right toward it. Is the world seeing more and doing more in the digital realm? Lets find out. I also spoke at some length with Underkoffler about his work on Minority Report and the second movie he was involved with, Iron Man, and about how that technology is being used in the real world. Ill cover those topics in a forthcoming post. 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. A few years back, scientists have long been perplexed whether there exist certain structures that can also have the ability to regularly repeat in time which they have dubbed as time crystals. Now, research papers recently presented by two different groups from the University of Maryland and Harvard University detailing the creation of time crystals, states that the teams have managed to create what looked an awful lot like time crystals which were announced in January of this year. Now, for the first time ever, it seemingly looks like that both experiments have successfully passed the peer-review which puts the 'impossible' phenomenon squarely in the realm of reality. The World's First 'Time Crystals' According to reports revealed by IFL Science, researchers from the University of Maryland and Harvard University studies both approached the creation in a different way, although it was found that both teams based on the theoretical background have allegedly been developed at Princeton University by Professor Shivaji Sondhi and Dr Vedika Khemani. Professor Sondhi says that their work has paved the way for the discovery of the essential physics as to how time crystals function. That said, the said discovery is believed to have built on a set of developments at Princeton that gets at the issue of how we understand complex systems in and out of equilibrium, which, in turn, is being regarded as centrally important to how physicists explain the nature of the everyday world. Meanwhile, in one of his statements reported by Cosmos, Mikhail Lukin, a physicist at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, who also happens to be one of the lead authors of one of the papers, have explained that what's unique about these crystals is that they have properties that repeat over time in a manner analogous to the way the atoms in crystal lattices repeat over space; and although a repeating phenomenon is not much of a big deal anymore since we have the four seasons that takes place every year, Lukin notes that most repeating phenomena are easily altered. Additionally, to understand time crystals deeper, Lukin says that we need to start by considering liquids and gases where molecules are uniformly distributed in a way that makes one point in the liquid or gas basically the same as all other points. It was found that the time crystal created by Lukin's team was a synthetic black diamond, which means that it was a diamond with a million or so "nitrogen vacancy" impurities that are so many that they made it appear black. The Study's Proposition Furthermore, both of the research team notes that the crystals in question have nothing to do with time travel but could be considered as a new phase of matter. Chetan Nayak, the principal researcher at Microsoft's Station Q and a professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara claims that one possibility that it might be put to use is on futuristic quantum computers that will be potentially useful for quantum information processing. The proposed new rules on fully self-driving cars still require companies to get approval from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The cars must also be "programmed" to follow the state's traffic laws. Finally, these proposed rules must still undergo public approval before being put into effect. Long cautious with fully self-driving cars, the California government has changed its mind on Friday, making tech and car giants happy. The state has proposed rules that will allow cars with an empty driver's seat to operate on state roads by year's end. The new rules for the testing and deployment of autodrive are a dramatic reversal from last year's regulations. The suggested new rules would allow companies to test self-driving cars without a human present to take over. This dramatic change of rules have removed the requirement on autonomous vehicles to have a steering wheel in place and a human passenger at all times. California's DMV had long frustrated the self-driving car industry, especially when it released rules in December 2015, which excluded fully self-driving vehicles due to safety concerns. The California DMV has debated for years about the safety of fully self-driving cars operating on public streets. Tech and transportation companies, such as Google and Uber, resorted to shifting tests outside their home state because of the restrictive vehicle rules. While experts agree that autonomous cars will eventually be far safer than human drivers, driverless vehicles will not immediately be flawless, and might even place human lives at risk, the KSAT 12 reports. Although still wary of the dangers, California's new proposal would allow such cars to begin testing on its roads. Once the bill is passed, car makers will no longer be required to install steering wheels and pedal controls if the vehicles design doesn't call for them. This would finally allow Googles tiny pod-shaped cars to be tested in full capacity, the Slash Gear reports. The Brown family of the hit reality show, "Sister Wives," has lost their battle against Utah's bigamy law. Kody Brown has been appealing to decriminalize polygamy in the state for years now, but the state senate finally ended the battle favoring the Utah government. Meanwhile, "Sister Wives" season 9 remains to be up in the air as TLC has not yet renewed the reality show. While the world continues to speculate the relationships of Kody Brown with his sister wives, the family is facing a more difficult situation as they have recently lost a lawsuit against Utah's bigamy law. The bill HB99, which asks to expand the state's bigamy law, has passed the state senate in a 15-14 votation at 11:55 p.m. last Thursday, March 9. Utah state representative and republican, Mike Noel, has proposed to change the wording of the state's anti-bigamy law to prevent potential suitcases similar to what the Browns have been filing. The bill now adds penalties for abusive plural marriages as well as fraud and human trafficking. It also states that a person will be held guilty of bigamy if he or she is found out to be living with a legal spouse and purported partners. The bill HB99 announces the crime to be a second-degree felony instead of the initial third-degree category. Polygamists of the state believe that the act is a "huge step backward" for them. Meri Brown expressed her concern about families who are affected by the renewed bill. "My concern is all this is going to do is drive the good polygamous people who don't have those abuses more into hiding, and it's going to make the people who do have those abuses just be able to do them even more," Meri told the Salt Lake Tribune as cited by Inquisitr. Kody Brown and his Sister Wives first challenged Utah in 2011, claiming that the bigamy law of the state was unconstitutional. They won in 2013 until the decision was overturned by an appeals court in 2016. The Browns have again filed another case earlier this year, but their plea has been declined. The state of Utah though promises to deal with the families who are guilty of abuses. Meanwhile, Kody Brown and his four wives continue to face countless issues about their relationships. Meri has recently been rumored to have already left the family, but they have not confirmed rumors are true. TLC remains undecided about the future of "Sister Wives", as it has not yet renewed the show, neither has it announced its cancellation. Fans then will have to extend their patience until the network releases its official announcement about "Sister Wives" season 9. A trove of new Wikileaks documents reveal that the CIA is capable of committing "undetectable assassinations" by hacking into the computer systems of autonomous cars. While the CIA has neither confirmed nor debunked the allegations, a number of security experts said they know enough about the CIA to know that the agency could actually murder people by hacking into peoples' cars. This has raised a number of concerns about the future of autonomous cars and how well they could protect their owners from hackers and malicious programs. What are Wikileaks allegations against the CIA? Wikileaks has always been known as a whistle-blower, and many of its revelations have sent chills up the spines of government organizations. Wikileaks revealed in October 2014 that the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence has the capability to exploit security loopholes in autonomous cars to wreak havoc on targeted owners. To this extent, the federal agency is also alleged to be exploiting vulnerabilities in smart TVs, smartphones and vehicle computer systems to gain control of their owners, Computerworld reveals. To drive home this assertion, Wikileaks disclosed over 8,700 documents earlier this week to nail the CIA over its capabilities to hack into the mobile devices and auto vehicles of people. Considering that about 250 million vehicles equipped with cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity will have left production lines by 2020, it is considered that many people will be under the mercy of the CIA and illegal hackers. Unethical hackers may hack into the security equipment of people for financial gain and ransoms, but the CIA can only do so for eliminating people, security experts say. Security experts say there is reason to be worried with this development Kit Walsh, an attorney with Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), says people should be worried about their security considering that vehicles are getting more computerized than ever before. She added that the duty of the government is to identify security vulnerabilities in products and alert manufacturers on how to plug these loopholes, not to exploit the loopholes as the CIA and other hackers are capable of doing. Walsh noted the government should only use security loopholes in devices and vehicles to bolster national defense, not to harm people or put them at risks of harm. Bruce Schneier, a computer security specialist and cryptographer, states that the CIA had always been ahead at exploiting technologies to spy on people and eliminate perceived enemies of the state. And that hacking the computer systems of autonomous cars to harm people wouldn't be beyond what the CIA could do with leisure. He added that if Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek could demonstrate hacking into the braking system of the Jeep Cherokee, then the CIA could do the same to achieve their security purposes for good or for bad. Social media content and mobile app feature that disappears in after 24 hours are a hype right now. And Facebook, with almost two billion of active users, cannot ignore this popularity. The new feature of the giant social media is called the "Messenger Day" which provides easy and one-swipe access to the camera of your smartphone in order to take a picture or record a video. According to Mumbrella, Facebook Messenger's new feature had replicated the stories from Snapchat and Instagram which also allow users to post pictures or videos which will expire after 24 hours. Added to the disappearing feature, Facebook's Messenger Day will also include stickers, art, effects, filters and the ability to attach text to images. All photos and videos can be posted directly to your account's story and can also be sent to your contacts on Facebook or to any specific friends or group of friends. Stan Chudnovksy, head of product for Facebook Messenger announced in a blog post that Facebook would be launching the service around the world. At the end of last year, we launched Messengers new fast, powerful built-in camera to help make your conversations better than ever." Here's How The 'Messenger Day' Works This new feature of Facebook Messenger was under testing in Poland and some other foreign markets since the last fall. In fact, Chudnovksy mentioned in his blog post that they already began testing a way in order to share your everyday's "photos and videos as they happen, by adding to your Messenger Day." The Messenger Day is also very easy to master especially to those loyal users and who haven't branched out to use the other social or messaging apps. According to Click Lancashire, users can easily snap or film whatever they are doing at a particular moment in time. First, from the camera on messenger, capture a desired photo or video for a post. Then, select the smiley face icon located on the top-right corner of the screen. This icon is the way to add stickers, doodles, effects and stickers to the captured memory. Note that the stickers work just like in Snapchat stickers wherein users are able to give unique illustrations to describe the post. Lastly, once done decorating the photo or video, post it by clicking the arrow pointing on the right. To remove a certain post, click on the image, followed by the three dots at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and select the option Delete. Tag Heuer just released a new teaser via Twitter. As per the simple tweet, the watchmaker seems to be preparing its audience for yet another fashion smartwatch that will be entering the market soon. This may not be the first smartwatch the market will ever see. Nonetheless, this is a strong proof that even fashion brands are now adjusting to the trend and have started producing high-tech smart watches of their own. Aside from Tag Heuer, there are a few more luxury smartwatches in the market. This includes collections from Fossil, Casio, and even Tommy Hilfiger. Tag Heuer Smartwatch 2017 The Tag Heuer 2017 smartwatch is expected to be unveiled March 14, as the tweet said. However, this new reveal isn't exactly a surprise considering the leak from last month confirming the arrival of a new Tag Heuer smartwatch. As per the source, the new wearable will be called TAG Connected Modular. It will then come with interchangeable straps and clasps. As per Phone Arena, the 2017 Tag Heuer smartwatch is likely to feature a hybrid system. Meaning, users can switch between digital mode and automatic clock mode. The new smartwatch is also expected to carry Google's latest smartwatch OS called Android Wear 2.0 that has just been released in February. Tag Heuer Smartwatch Business The smartwatch industry may not be as crowded and as popular as the smartphone industry, but it's safe to say that this gadget category is also making its way to the top. It was said that Tag Heuer's smartwatch division has been unexpectedly successful. The company has recently announced that last year, it has sold a little more than double its sales expectations. On a related note, the 2017 smartwatch market has already seen quite a number of wearables as early as now. Huawei launched its Watch 2 unit last month and Casio unveiled its own Android Wear last January. Movado, on the other hand, is expected to release the Movado Connect collection in a few weeks' time. MediaTek and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC are reportedly working together once more to develop the next-generation mobile chips. The two are primed to introduce a new SoC which will incorporate 12 CPU cores with the help of the revolutionary 7nm process. Phone Arena noted that MediaTek and TSMC previously worked together in 2015 to develop the Helio X20 and X25 chipsets which incorporated 10 CPU cores. The two then collaborated for the Helio X30 which rolled out last February. According to DigiTimes, reports indicate that the 10nm process of TSMC has yielded low and problematic rates. Those in the know believe that such news may affect shipments of the Helio X30. MediaTek, however, denied that the schedule of shipment for the 10nm chips has been changed and that fans should expect the flagship chips to be released within the second quarter of this year. The 10nm Helio X30 is reportedly currently in mass production. Early this month, news came out that MediaTek will no longer try to compete with Qualcomm in producing ARM chips for Windows 10 PCs. The decision came about after Microsoft and Qualcomm struck a deal to have Windows 10 support ARM chips with X86 emulation. Despite giving up the ARM race for Windows 10, MediaTek is still bent on challenging Qualcomm and its latest mobile processing unit, the Snapdragon 835. With the help of TSMC, MediaTek is hoping that the 7nm manufacturing process will be the key to creating a 12 core processor that is way better than existing processors today. They will have some competition, though, as Samsung is supposedly already scheduled to mass produce its 7nm processors early next year. If Samsung's plans fall through, its 12 core CPU will be released in 2018 just in time for the Galaxy S9 to be the first to come out with a 7nm chipset. (Global Times) 13:07, March 13, 2017 China's top judicial organs listed safeguarding State security and cracking down on corruption as their top priorities, as they vowed to continue pushing for judicial reform in 2017. Zhou Qiang, head of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), and Cao Jianming, Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), delivered their annual work reports to the National People's Congress on Sunday in Beijing. Both Zhou and Cao pledged a firm offensive against crime that threatens State security, terrorism and cults, and spoke of zero tolerance for corruption. According to Zhou, Chinese courts in 2016 conducted 1.12 million criminal trials and prosecuted 1.22 million criminals. "The SPC has severely punished those who threatened State security, prosecuted the subversion case of Zhou Shifeng and others according to law, and increased punishment against terrorism and cults," read the SPC report. Lawyer Zhou Shifeng from the Fengrui Law Firm was sentenced to seven years in jail for subversion in August 2016. The court document said that since 2011, Zhou has attacked the socialist system and the "one country, two systems" policy and incited confrontations. The SPC and SPP have also vowed to severely crack down on corruption. In 2016, 45,000 graft trials were held across China, a 32.35 percent increase from 2015, and 63,000 people were prosecuted, among whom 35 were of ministerial level and above. The report listed the high-profile trials of Guo Boxiong, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Ling Jihua, former director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China, as two examples of the judicial organ's resolve to fight corruption. "The anti-corruption drive is a highlight of this year's SPC and SPP reports. Since a new amendment of the Criminal Law took effect in 2015, judicial organs have stepped up punishment not only on those who took the bribes, but also those who offered the bribes," Deng Lianfan, director of the Hunan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-corruption, told the Global Times on Sunday. Deng said that a new feature is that the amendment stipulates that corrupt officials could face life in jail, which sends out an alarm and serves as a deterrence for corrupt officials. Safeguarding heroes The SPC head also called for the upholding of socialist core values. Zhou named the trials over the "Five Heroes of Langya Mountain" and of Qiu Shaoyun as two examples, adding that "the SPC would resolutely safeguard the image of heroes." In June, a Beijing court ordered Hong Zhenkuai, a historian, to apologize for his challenges to the tales of "the Five Heroes of Langya Mountain." The five soldiers have been described for decades in textbooks as heroes who chose to leap to their deaths from a mountain in Hebei Province rather than surrender to Japanese troops. In a separate case, a blogger was ordered to apologize publicly after he challenged the legacy of Qiu Shaoyun, a soldier who was said to have chosen to burn to death during the Korean War (1950-53) rather than betray the positions of his fellow soldiers. Zhou said the SPC has pushed for reform of maritime trials to make sure legal jurisdiction would cover all maritime territories. According to Zhou, 16,000 maritime trials were conducted in 2016 and the country has strengthened judicial research on maritime law. The arbitration case on the South China Sea, which was ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016, has exposed China's lack of maritime law research and relevant experts, analysts previously told the Global Times. Both the SPC and SPP have emphasized the building of military courts and prosecutors' offices, and cooperation between civilian judicial organs and military ones. According to the SPC, China has prosecuted 1,678 military-related cases in 2016, including cases involving leaking military secrets and sabotage of military equipment. 'Decisive battle' Both Zhou and Cao said they will continue carrying out the judicial reform in 2017. Zhou said 2017 features a "decisive battle" on deepening judicial reform, and the SPC will continue to push for a standard on evidence and a reform to the criminal litigation system based on trials. Deng said the reform of the criminal litigation system is to push the courts to make better use of evidence and make better litigation arguments, in an effort to prevent wrong convictions. Zhi Zhenfeng, a legal expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that this year's SPC and SPP reports stressed judicial transparency where trial videos are regularly made public. He noted that the courts and prosecutors' offices began to use multimedia to build connections with the public. A foreign journalist asks questions to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about China's foreign policy and foreign relations at a press conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2017. (Photo by Shi Jiamin from Peoples Daily) The annual "two sessions" are not only high-profile political events in China, but also big event of the news world. During the two-week long political season, foreign reporters sent by their media outlets delivered China stories and plans to the world with their reports. The two sessions offer a rich mine to dig up news Johnny Erling, a Beijing-based correspondent with German daily newspaper Die Welt, said that the two sessions offer a rich mine to dig up news and are best windows into China's development, because lots of policies will be announced at this season. "The two sessions are more open. The organizer has offered more convenience for reporters, such as arranging on-site simultaneous interpretation service, opening the WeChat accounts of National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), keeping us informed of the meeting agenda and preparing the speech material for us," Jeremy Koh, Channel News Asia's Correspondent in Beijing told the People's Daily. Rita Fatiguso, China correspondent for the Italian leading business daily newspaper II Sole 24 Ore, said it is her 4th two sessions, and the organization work is going better and better. I really appreciated that the ministries strolling at North Gate can answer foreign reporter's ques-tions, she said. Foreign reporters sit on the floor to let out the news release as quickly as possible after the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) opened on March 5, 2017 in Beijing. (Photo by Shi Jiamin from Peoples Daily) China's economic development plays a crucial role in world The two sessions have provided a wide range of topics for reporters to choose from. "I'm very interested in China's economy, which is crucial to the world," Jeremy Koh said. The reporter stressed that news about the two sessions have been broadcast for 24 hours non-stop and made the daily headlines of Channel News Asia these days. Koh added he was interested in the press conference of the Minister of Environmental Protection, because the whole world is now following on how China will control smog in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas. Rita said the topics she was interested in include China's target for GDP growth in 2017, military expenditure, cutting overcapacity and the "Belt and Road" initiative. She has raised questions to the Minister of Finance Xiao Jie about how China is managing the local debt risk. Camera crews at the opening meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on March 5, 2017 in Beijing. (Photo by Shi Jiamin from Peoples Daily) The government work report is very persuasive It is the third time for Sadyk Akizhanov, a Beijing-based correspondent with Kazakhstan Kazin-form International News Agency, to report the two sessions. He said readers in Kazakhstan are very concerned about the two sessions. The Kazakh reporter believes the Chinese deputies have raised many targeted proposals and suggestions, offering basis for the government to make the right and scientific policies. "I can see China's political system wins support from its people. he added. Han Yonghong, China News Editor at Singapore Chinese language daily newspaper Lianhe Zaobao, said her newspaper has sent 6 reporters to the two sessions, including 3 from the head-quarters. Han said each time she could learn something from reporting the two sessions, China's most cen-tralized and widely participated platform to discuss national affairs and announce new policies. LOOKING BACK EACH week we look back at Isle of Wight history and heritage, using the Isle of Wight County Press Archive.For more, please see the Isle of Wight County Press newspaper, every Friday.Search for your own stories by accessing our archive here. Ten years ago: Mystery circles in the sand and grass at Compton intrigued visitors and would have no doubt sparked the fascination of the Islands former UFO society. The truth, though, was much more mundane than alien life. It was, in fact, the work of Eric Geddes, of Freshwater, who used 37 planks of flotsam wood to create it. However, the origin of a second nearby spiral was a mystery, consisting of more than 1,000 stones. 100 Years Ago March 10, 1917 ONE of the greatest tragedies to befall the Island was the sinking of the SS Mendi, resulting in the loss of 625 lives. The merchant navy ship was transporting labourers from South Africa to serve in France, was hit by the cargo ship Darro. The incident occurred because of poor visibility and thick fog just a few miles off St Catherines Point. 75 Years Ago March 14, 1942 Following the announcement gas for the poisoning of rabbits would be sold at a greatly reduced price for the next six months, the County Press was flooded with letters. N. Kennedy wrote: "What a waste of valuable food, costing almost nothing to catch." C. H. Gibson added: "Food provided in our midst should not be subjected to a peacetime activity." 50 Years Ago March 4, 1967 For the first time since it was started in 1959, there was difficulty filling all available space at the annual Hotels Catering and Traders exhibition at Ryde Town Hall. The struggles of the exhibition were attributed to government tourism policy by Alderman Woodnutt. Others decried the Ventnor line rail closure, which had resulted in up to a 25 per cent reduction in trade the previous season for certain areas of the Island. 25 Years Ago March 13, 1992 The ongoing battle to unify the Islands disparate councils came one step closer. The Tory-controlled Medina Borough Council fell into line with the other two local authorities, calling for a single unitary authority in an effort to find 5 million in savings (nearly 10 million in todays money). 10 Years Ago March 9, 2007 A little ship with a big history was brought to the Island for restoration. The vessel was originally one of the Dunkirk little ships, used to evacuate British troops stranded on the beach in 1940. Search for stories using our Online Archive BUSINESSES on the Isle of Wight have been encouraged to 'go global.' At the Routes to Market Roadshow, held in East Cowes as part of the Department for International Trade's (DIT) Exporting is GREAT campaign, Island firms were urged to step up their export game. The campaign aims to inspire 100,000 more businesses to trade overseas by 2020. As part of a nationwide tour, the Export Hub a 32 tonne truck and team of international trade advisers providing advice and expertise visited East Cowes earlier this month. Staff from Island Ales attended, together with Isle of Wight Council representatives and MP Andrew Turner. The DIT's regional director of export and investments, Tom Fourcade, said: "The roadshow demonstrated just how much potential companies from the Isle of Wight have on the international stage. "Id urge ambitious Isle of Wight businesses to adopt a global outlook to exporting by visiting "Id urge ambitious Isle of Wight businesses to adopt a global outlook to exporting by visiting www.great.gov.uk where they can search and apply to the many global export opportunities currently available, as well as access expert advice, trade services, training and events. Thanks to the favorable policy support from central government and measures taken by local administrations, the old industrial clusters in Northeast China have stepped out of shadow towards revitalization. Chinese President Xi Jinping, while joining a panel discussion with deputies from northeast Liaoning province at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), stressed the importance of supply-side structural reform and reforms of state-owned companies, pointing a way for revitalization of the whole region. The northeast, which consists of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, was among the first regions in China to become industrialized after the country was founded in 1949. Back to those glorious days in 1950s, it was one of the major undertakers of the countrys 156 key projects. Its traditional industries included steel, automobile, shipbuilding and petroleum refining. But when coming to the new century, the industrial development in the region failed to catch up the countrys pace to restructure economy, and its competitive edges were declined as a result. The clusters were even called a rust belt by some media. In order to revive the industrial base, the central government and local administrations, in recent years, introduced a series of policies to increase investment, expand demand, and encourage innovation. They also strove to build clean political ecology, improve business environment, release its endogenous energy, and introduce more capital and talents. In addition, in a bid to boost local real economy, the state-owned enterprises were selected as pioneers to implement the supply-side structural reform. After rounds of endeavor, the regional economy has exhibited a new outlook since 2016. In the past year, Jilin province registered a GDP growth of 6.9 percent, while the increase of Heilongjiang province was estimated at around 6.1 percent. Industrial electricity consumed by Liaoning province increased by 5.5 percent in the first two months of this year, and its general public budget revenue posted a double-digit growth as well. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. Though China currently performs the second-largest number of organ transplants after the US, rising costs and lack of doctors remain challeges for those in need of the proceedures, a top Chinese medical expert said recently. In 2016, Chinese citizens donated 4,080 cases and doctors performed 13,000 transplants, Huang Jiefu, chairman of China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, told the press on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions in Beijing. The chances of surgery success were much higher than before as well, said Huang, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, adding that the survival rate of liver transplants exceeded 95 percent in 2016. Since the year 2015, donation from voluntary donors has become the only legitimate source of organ transplants in China, said Huang, who also attended a summit at the Vatican on combating organ trafficking in February. After the Alibaba-owned mobile payment app Alipay allowed for users to register to be organ donors at the end of 2016, more than 100,000 people have since registered, the expert added. But the former vice heath minister admitted that an incomplete management system, a shortage of professional doctors and higher costs are still roadblocks to Chinas organ transplant sector. While about 300,000 people in China need transplants each year, only 31,000 patients are officially registere to receive them, he said. The biggest obstacle is a lack of doctors and qualified hospitals, said Huang, adding that despite the number of organ donors increasing several times last year, only over 380 heart and 204 lung transplant surgeries were performed. Huang said the number of organ transplant hospitals in China will increase to 500 in the next five years. An N.C. Senate bill would require state health regulators to enter into capitation contracts with at least two prepaid dental plans to cover Medicaid and N.C. Health Choice recipients. Senate Bill 231 has Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, as one of two primary sponsors. The plans would be required to provide dental services such as licensed dental and specialist providers in every county. A capitation system is where a flat fee is paid to cover all care services for most recipients. The plans would be responsible for most cost overruns. Each Medicaid participant can choose a prepaid health plan or have one assigned. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services would be responsible for overseeing and enforcing contract performance. State Medicaid covers 1.9 million individuals and is a $14 billion-a-year program. Senate Bill 231 will enable our citizens to get the dental care that is needed, Krawiec said. As we are moving toward a capitation model in the Medicaid system for health services, we need to make provisions for dental care as well. The bill and the dental services are not directly linked to a hybrid reform compromise reached by the Republican-controlled legislature in September 2015. The compromise culminated their pursuit of coordinating physical, behavioral, dental, pharmacy and long-term-health services. There have been projections by state health officials of $400 million in savings in the first five years of implementation. Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, and main author of the waiver request, said dental services were excluded from the reform plan. This is an option to take care of dental services in a fixed capitated environment, he said. Altering the state Medicaid program requires a waiver from certain federal requirements. A waiver request was submitted June 1 to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by the McCrory administration. The request started a three- to five-year process with an end goal of Medicaid oversight being placed in the hands of three statewide managed-care organizations, likely pre-paid health plans from commercial insurers and up to 12 provider-led entities, likely to involve not-for-profit health-care systems. The Cooper administration has attempted to amend the waiver request to allow for the expansion of Medicaid services to between 500,000 and 640,000 North Carolinians. That effort has been stayed by a federal judge until at least mid-April at the request of the states top Republican legislative leaders, who oppose Medicaid expansion. Lambeth said he is not aware of Trump administration health officials acting upon the request. We think it will be this summer, Lambeth said. More than 40,300 residents in the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage if the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress eliminate the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The research was released recently by the Democratic staff of the congressional committees for energy and commerce, and oversight and government reform. About 38,200 individuals in GOP Rep. Virginia Foxxs district could find their health insurance unaffordable if tax credits used to offset monthly premium payments go away. The report determined 28,700 individuals may not be able to afford their marketplace plan if federal cost-sharing subsidies end. The subsidies are used to lower co-pay and out-of-pocket medical expenses. There is overlap in the totals because some individuals risk status fit in two or more categories. Since the ACA was rolled out in 2013, the uninsured rate in the district has dropped from 20.3 percent to 13.4 percent in 2016. Nationwide, there are projections that as many as 20 million Americans could lose health-insurance coverage in a full repeal of the ACA. For North Carolina, the numbers approach 545,200 who could lose their coverage, and 859,200 who may not be able to afford coverage without the tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies. The analysis reveals that repeal of the ACA would endanger coverage for newly insured Americans, millions of whom live in Republican congressional districts, according to the report. Despite the fact that significant numbers of their own constituents are currently enjoying the laws many benefits, House Republicans continue to pursue their extreme, ideological agenda of repealing the ACA at any cost. Overall, Republican proposals to repeal the ACA will leave Americans sicker, poorer and less financially secure. There are Republican congressional leaders who recognize the popularity of some parts of the ACA, including allowing children to remain on their parents insurance until age 26 and preventing insurers from excluding people because they have pre-existing health conditions. A policy paper proposed by House Speaker Paul Ryan lists those items as ones Republicans would preserve in its counter to the ACA. Ryan is a proponent of the paper, known as A Better Way. However, many GOP leaders have refused to promise that their plans to replace the ACA wont result in more uninsured Americans, only that they wont lose access. Whether through higher costs, less choice and fewer jobs, the health care law has inflicted significant pain on families and small businesses, Foxx said in a statement. Obamacare was based on broken promises, and the same Democrats who created this mess have offered no real solutions. The people of North Carolina deserve better, and thats why we are working through a step-by-step process to provide relief and transition to a patient-centered system that will ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care coverage. For U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, R-13th, there are 43,900 individuals enrolled in marketplace insurance plans in his district, along with 40,900 who benefit from tax credits and 29,100 who receive cost-sharing benefits. Budds district ranks 13th among GOP-controlled districts nationwide for individuals requiring subsidies to afford a plan. Budd could not be reached for comment. The uninsured rate in the 13th district has fallen from 19 percent to 13.2 percent. For Rep. Alma Adams, D-12th, there are 56,400 individuals enrolled in marketplace insurance plans in her district, along with 50,900 who benefit from tax credits and 36,700 who receive cost-sharing benefits. The uninsured rate in the 12th district has fallen from 16.5 percent to 13.8 percent. Adams said in a statement that repealing the ACA now would be devastating for the (more than) 500,000 people in our state who rely on it to keep their health-care costs low and provide peace of mind. My Republican colleagues have chosen to politicize health care but the truth is, the Affordable Care Act is working and the American people expect their representatives to protect our care. Nationally by comparison, the Brookings Institution predicts 15 million people could lose coverage over a decades time, and Standard & Poor predicts 6 to 10 million could lose coverage by 2024. North Carolina is the largest state to have just one exchange insurer, in this instance Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.C., according to the Brookings Institution and the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The N.C. element of a five-state study was researched by Mark Hall, a law professor at Wake Forest University who is a national expert on health care. The other states were California, Florida, Michigan and Texas. North Carolina had the nations highest premium average, with Blue Cross raising its monthly premium 24 percent for 2017. However, N.C. exchange participants are among the biggest beneficiaries of federal subsidies. About 82 percent of 2017 participants were estimated to pay less than $75 a month, and at least 90 percent were expected to qualify for a subsidy. Hall previously issued a report in which he determined it made sense economically for North Carolina to expand its Medicaid program to more than 500,000 residents. State GOP leaders have cited concerns about the dependability of the federal government to pay up to 95 percent of the administrative costs associated with expansion. Darryl Hunt, exonerated of murder in 2004, spent his years of freedom advocating for reforms in the criminal justice system and helping ex-offenders find their footing in the world. Now, a year after he died, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation is hoping a $100,000 endowed scholarship fund will go toward continuing Hunts work. The Darryl Hunt Memorial Scholarship will be housed at the Winston-Salem Foundation. Starting in 2018, the fund will award a $1,000 scholarship to a Forsyth County resident who has been convicted of a crime and has served jail or prison time. The money will defray tuition and other fees for recipients attending an accredited vocational or technical school, community college or a college or university. Those who receive the scholarship can use the money to pursue a certificate, diploma or degree. They can even attend law school. The scholarship was announced Monday at Emmanuel Baptist Church, where one of Hunts fiercest advocates and friends, the Rev. John Mendez, is the pastor. Mendez met Hunt back in the 1980s and it didnt take long for Mendez to believe Hunt was wrongfully convicted. His spirit spoke innocence, he said. Hunt was 19 in 1984 when he was accused of raping and killing Deborah Sykes, a copy editor at the now-closed afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. He was convicted of murder. For nearly two decades, he, along with Mendez, Larry Little, his longtime attorney, Mark Rabil and others, fought to overturn his conviction. The Winston-Salem Journal ran a series of stories detailing problems with the police investigation and the prosecution. In 2004, Hunt finally won his freedom after new DNA evidence led to another man, Williard Brown, who confessed to raping and killing Sykes. The city of Winston-Salem awarded Hunt $1.6 million and the state gave him $300,000. A year after his exoneration, he established the Darryl Hunt Project for Justice and Freedom as a way to help ex-offenders struggling to re-enter society. He also fought against wrongful convictions and the death penalty and advocated for reforms in the criminal justice system. Hunt, 51, was found dead on March 13, 2016 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the torso. James Gore, a program officer at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, said Hunt was an influential champion against wrongful conviction both in North Carolina and across the country, leading to the creation of the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission. This scholarship fund goes a long way toward continuing Hunts work, Gore said. He said the foundations board of trustees approved establishing the scholarship fund in May 2016. Officials with the foundation spent several months reaching out to Hunts colleagues and friends. Ex-offenders are barred from getting some student financial aid because of their criminal records, and for poor people, $1,000 to $1,500 can be the difference between going to college and being locked out of higher education, he said. This could be a game-changer, Gore said. Some colleges and universities do have policies that prevent them from admitting certain ex-offenders, Gore said. Policies vary, he said.In some cases, admissions officers have some discretion on admitting convicted criminals. Other times, it depends on the type of crime, he said. Private schools tend to have more flexibility, Gore said. Gore said the scholarship would be renewable for three additional consecutive years. As the scholarship fund grows, more money can be awarded to more students in the future, Gore said. Maurice Mo Green, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, said in a statement that Hunt was crucial to making significant reforms in North Carolinas criminal justice system and beyond. Establishing this scholarship fund is one way in which the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation is hoping to honor Mr. Hunts life and his work and to ensure that his memory lives on in this community, he said. These scholarships are intended to give all students, regardless of their background, an opportunity to attain higher education, which is critical to future success. Little, a professor at Winston-Salem State University who helped lead the fight to free Hunt, said the scholarship is a wonderful way to honor Hunt. Im sure our brother is smiling down from heaven, he said. ANGIER North Carolina's NAACP chapter is protesting the pending deportation of a pregnant woman back to the violent Central American country she left as a teenager. Multiple media organizations reported that the civil-rights organization is taking up the cause of 33-year-old Lillian Cardona-Perez, a wife and mother of four. North Carolina NAACP president William Barber and other ministers urged elected officials to intervene in the case during a vigil late Saturday in Harnett County. Cardona-Perez says she has a work permit that is valid through October. She has a hearing Thursday before U.S. immigration officials in Charlotte and can be sent back to Guatemala if her hearing is denied. WRAL reports the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not responded to questions about the woman's deportation case. The 410 members of the 15th Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon were conferred the United Nations (UN) Peace Medal of Honor on March 8 local time. The medal-awarding ceremony in honor of the Chinese contingent was held at the Chinese troops' camp in Hinniyah village in southern Lebanon. The UN Peace Medal of Honor, which is set to commend those prominent contributors to human peace, is an honor for UN peacekeepers of contributing nations. On behalf of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Pierre Liot de Nortbecourt, chief staff of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), hailed the contribution made by Chinese peacekeeping force, as well as Chinas long-standing commitment to world peace. With a total of 410 personnel, the Chinese contingent comprises of a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment. They were tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping in Lebanon-Israel border area, battlefield explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), project construction, medical rescue and treatment, and humanitarian assistance, and fulfilled them with outstanding performance. Contributing more to global peacekeeping missions in recent years, it is not a fresh thing for China to shoulder diversified military tasks. China has been already the top contributor of peacekeeping forces among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. As part of its efforts to assume international responsibility and obligation with its maximum capability, China has, by this March, sent 25th convoy fleet for the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden. Chinese blue helmets, in their mission to dispose landmines and unexploded bombs in Lebanon, created a record in terms of both quantity and speed. At the same time, the peacekeepers sent by China to Liberia, Mali and South Sudan are guarding peace in war fire via their efforts to build bridges, roads for local public. The number of Chinese peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, South Sudan, Mali and other seven areas has so far totaled at about 2,600. Over the past 26 years, China has sent out a total number of over 33,000 military peacekeepers for UN peacekeeping operations. Chinese President Xi Jinping, while addressing the Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping at UN headquarters in September 2015, declared that China will join the new UN peacekeeping capability readiness system. The country, he said, will take the lead to set up a permanent peacekeeping police squad and will build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops. China will provide a total of 100 million dollars of free military aid to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis in five years, he announced. China is also to deploy its first helicopter detachment in UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, said the president. The countrys participation in UN peacekeeping missions has won it applause around the world. Chinese peacekeeping force sets a good example for all the peacekeepers stationed in Liberia, Farid Zarif, special representative for UN Secretary General, said when the 19th Chinese peacekeepers deployed to Liberia finished their mission. As the last line of safeguarding social fairness and justice, judiciary is an important aspect of human rights protection. In recent years, China has made significant progress in improving human rights protection in the judicial area. China Judgments Online, an official website for court documents established by the Supreme Peoples court of China, is an important measure for ensuring the transparency of the countrys judicial work. It is the largest platform for verdict documents in the world as well. On March 9 alone, 23,856 pieces of documents were uploaded, totaling the document number to over 26.98 million, the pageview exceeded 6.3 billion. On December 2, 2016, China exonerated Nie Shubin, who was wrongfully executed for murder and rape in 1995. The Supreme Peoples Court ordered Shandong Provincial Higher People's court to re-examine the case on December 12, 2014. Nies case is a landmark for Chinas judicial system whether in terms of its complexity, duration or public attention. Both positive and negative lessons can be drawn from the case. The good part is that the Supremes Peoples Court has adopted cross-region examination, direct arraignment and other approaches to clear Nies name, tackling a tough issue in Chinas judicial system. What is regrettable is that the damage brought by Nies death to his family can never be fully recovered. The correction of each wrongful conviction adds a new footnote for social justice. The white paper, Judicial Reform of Chinese Courts (2013-2016) released by the Supreme Peoples Court not long ago, stated that from 2013 to 2016, Chinese courts at various levels have acquitted 3,718 defendants in accordance with the law and handled 16,889 state compensations cases, which involved 6.99 trillion yuan ($1.01 trillion). Chinese courts, in 2016, corrected the wrongful conviction of 17 people in 11 cases, setting a record high after it had cleared the name of 37 people in 23 major wrongful cases in the previous four years, said Li Shaoping, vice president of the Supreme Peoples Court. From 2013 to 2016, courts at various levels have rectified 34 major wrongful cases, including Nie Shubing case, Huugjilt case and the case of Zhang Hui and Zhang Gaoping (nephew and uncle). Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Chinas judicial and administrative work has implemented the strategic decision of abolishing the system of re-education through labor. Previous personnel and facilities of the system have been relocated and used for other causes. With a focus on legal aid for migrant workers, disabled persons and minors, China has conducted legal assistance and stepped up the construction of legal service windows at aid halls and street level. The construction of 94.9 percent and 73.9 percent of the street level windows in central and western China respectively has been completed. Since 2013, over 5 million legal aid cases have been processed and more than 28 million people have received legal consultation across the country. Ninety-five percent of the local governments have included legal aid service into their budget and over 20 provinces have set up special fund for legal assistance. Female sailors pose for photo during a break. (Photo by Li Youtao from Peoples Daily) When women around the world celebrated the International Women's Day on Wednesday, 16 female soldiers of a Chinese navy fleet on an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden spent a special yet regular day by guarding the safety of Chinese and foreign merchant ships. They are members of the 25th convoy fleet sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy for the missions since 2008. These young women, working as special combat soldiers, sailors or officers, stick to their posts on deck day and night. Bai Shuo, helmswoman of the fleet, joined the navy after graduating from university in June, 2015. Easy may her task seems, helming indeed calls for abundant knowledge such as gust calculation, tide calculation, and operation of multiple devices including compass, autopilot and azimuth instrument. Female soldier Song Xi is on a training course. (Photo by Li Youtao from Peoples Daily) She remains stationed at her post in the wheel house throughout the day during the escort mission. Though it was tiring, she believes it is worthwhile as it guarantees security for the passing vessels. Song Xi, one of female sailors, is a soldier from the PLA Marine Corps, and a senior student at Peking University. She is also the only female special force soldier on the fleet. Whenever the combat alert rings in the waters of Gulf of Aden, Song would respond quickly and stop the suspicious vessels by barrage together with other male soldiers. "Though I'm currently far away from the campus, I have found my value in the barrack," Song said. Many of the female sailors suffered from seasickness at the beginning of the mission, so did Song. However, she has overcome it and is now able to "resonate" to the sea. On the Gulf of Aden, the 16 female sailors are showing China's confidence to the world through their service for the country. Two soldiers have a chat during a break. (Photo by Li Youtao from Peoples Daily) 03/12/2017 The SGA, the moon and Neptune got it right! On March 30, chart-topping American indie pop band Echosmith will perform for all the Cool Kids at JSU at 7 p.m. in Pete Mathews Coliseum. Admission is free for JSU students and $20 for the general public. Get tickets now online. Formed in 2009, Echosmith is a Los Angeles based band of siblings known for its emo and 80s dance-rock sound. After signing with Warner Bros in 2012, the band opened for Owl City in 2013 before having their big breakout year in 2014 - when they were named an MTV Artist to Watch and VH1 You Oughta Know Artist. Echosmith has earned three US hits to date: Cool Kids, which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014; Bright, which reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015; and Lets Love, which charted at No. 25 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 in 2015. The band has been featured in Rolling Stone, USA Today, Billboard, TeenVogue and other publications. ELLE dubbed Cool Kids as an ageless anthem. The band has performed on Ellen, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Live! With Kelly and Michael, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Today Show and many other national TV broadcasts. JSU is honored to host Echosmith as their star continues to rise and shine Bright. The concert is presented by the Student Government Association. JURIST Guest Columnist Benjamin G. Davis of University of Toledo College of Law discusses the International Criminal Courts looking into investigating Americans for criminal prosecution for torture of prisoners in Afghanistan As has been recently reported in the news, the International Criminal Court is looking into investigating Americans for criminal prosecution for torture in Afghanistan. A commentary at lawfareblog almost solely focused on how the United States can avoid such prosecutions, as opposed to how we could assist the ICC in successfully prosecuting the high level torturers, prompts this comment. The most serious American offenders capable of putting in place a 54 country torture regime with Afghanistan being merely one spoke in a wheel and spoke torture structure would be the logical focus of such an ICC effort. The CIA and DOD personnel onsite in Afghanistan in the Salt Pit and other places of course are in the line of fire, but as revealed in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence declassified summary of their torture report, actions were directed in the most minute detail by others in the US and around the world. Those actions in the US and around the world might be addressed in this setting under the territoriality principle of actions overseas having and intending to have effects in a country make those actions abroad within the jurisdiction of that country. In this case the effects test leads to Afghanistan at least and from there to ICC jurisdiction. US failure to meaningfully investigate let alone prosecute one senior level official for such torture is patent. The capacity of the US to in fact prosecute has been demonstrated for low level soldiers such as those court-martialed at Abu Ghraib. The consequence of this different treatment between the lower level persons and the higher ups which has now persisted over both Republican and Democratic administrations is strong evidence of American inability and/or unwillingness to hold these high level people to account. In the harsh light of international law, the domestic US foreign relations law machinations to protect our high-level torture mafia from their day of reckoning appears hopelessly transparent and painfully hypocritical. The Status of Forces Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States provides one method of allocating jurisdiction for such prosecutions, but under a hierarchy of norms view of the SOFA it would be the height of perverse bad faith performance for the SOFA to operate as a get out of prosecution card. In the event the investigation proceeds to actual indictment, some who might speak of head of state immunity rationae materiae or personae preventing third States or Afghanistan handing over Americans as a matter of international law should keep in mind that those protections are not impediments to the United States itself handing over its own high level present and/or former officials to the ICC. And to the extent there is US domestic law that seemingly would prevent such a handover, surely that unitary Executive Power so bandied about by the proponents of torture would reach the ability and allow the President to bring American torturers to justice albeit in The Hague. I would fully expect a US citizen to seek judicial review under habeas or otherwise to protest their handover by the United States to the ICC, but surely the guarantees of the ICC process would not disturb an American court. And, that American would have their day in court, an American court, before they were sent by our state to The Hague. In the end, if internal law rules are invoked to prevent such a rendition by the United States, surely the kinds of surreptitious renditions used in the torture regime might be reinvigored by the Deep State Intelligence aspects of our government to make such transfers to The Hague. Moreover, under the old and banal international legal rule that no state can extract itself from its international obligations through its internal law, US treaty obligations under the Convention Against Torture or customary international law serve to temper and possibly trump those internal law rules. Those who find this commentary nonsensical or outrageous as it imagines the United States handing over Americans to an international criminal tribunal to be prosecuted for crimes directed and ordered by the President of the United States should not feel that way. The problem these persons are facing is their own inability to comprehend such high level lawlessness as a crime that should be preferably sanctionable in United States domestic courts. Our inability to do that prosecution opens the way to think how alternatives might be put in place. This commentary is suggesting that rather than time being spent and words being written in order to caress American torturers in a direction that keeps them on the streets, we might think about getting this scum off the streets and in front of a decent court. Benjamin G. Davis, professor of law, is a former member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Law and National Security. He is a Founder of Advocates for US Torture Prosecutions. Davis led the adoption of the 2006 American Society of International Law Centennial Resolution on Laws of War and Detainee Treatment. Davis is an international expert on topics such as cyber dispute resolution, drones, detainee treatment, military commissions, torture and international law. He is a graduate of Harvard College (BA), and Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School (JD/MBA). Suggested citation: Benjamin G. Davis, American Standing Against ICC Torture Inquiry, JURIST Academic Commentary, Mar. 12, 2017, http://jurist.org/forum/2017/02/Benjamin-Davis-american-standing-against-icc-torture-inquiry.php California Attorney General Xavier Becerra [official profile] announced [press release] Monday that his state would be joining Washington and Minnesota in their lawsuit [complaint, PDF] against President Donald Trumps revised executive order [JURIST report] banning citizens from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. In an announcement [press release] Monday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said California is the latest state to join in opposition to the order, with Maryland, Massachusetts and New York also seeking permission to join the lawsuit. According to the press release, those requests are still pending. Echoing Fergusons statement that [c]utting some illegal aspects of President Trumps original travel ban does not cure his affront to our Constitution, Becerra said California is joining the lawsuit because he feels the intent and effect of the order are still unconstitutional, despite the changed text. Becerra said: Last month, our courts put a lid on the unconstitutional and un-American Trump Muslim travel ban because Americans stood up and demanded it. The victory for lawful permanent residents and current visa holders was welcome news for everyone, especially the victims families. But the fight for fair and lawful treatment of all who would seek permission to enter our country is not over. Washington filed the first lawsuit against the immigration order on January 30. Last week a judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin [official website] granted a temporary restraining order [JURIST report] against Trumps revised immigration ban to a Syrian asylum seeker and his family. The order is limited to the one man and his family and will remain in effect only until the asylum request for his wife and child can be resolved. JURIST Guest Columnist Ali Khan of Washburn University School of Law discussed the effects of the original travel ban on the increased harassment [JURIST op-ed] at US airports by US Customs and Border Protection officials. In February JURIST Guest Columnist Victor Williams discussed how the travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration have tested the separation of powers [JURIST op-ed] between the executive and judicial branches of government. [JURIST] An Egyptian public prosecutor announced on Monday that former president Hosni Mubarak [BBC profile] will be released from detention in a military hospital. During a retrial this month, Mubarak, who was overthrown in 2011, was cleared [JURIST report] of conspiracy to murder protesters during the 2011 uprising, for which he had been sentenced to life in prison. Mubarak had also been convicted [Reuters report] of embezzlement, but the public prosecutor found that he had already served his sentence. According to his lawyer, Mubarak will be returning to his home in Heliopolis. Mubarak and other members of his administration have been consistently involved in judicial proceedings since the Egyptian Revolution [JURIST backgrounder]. In October 2015 another Egyptian 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 a court acquitted [JURIST report] former prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq and Alaa and Gamal Mubarak of charges of embezzling public funds. [JURIST] The EU said [report, PDF] Monday that Moldova needs to do more to encourage an independent judiciary and investigate bank fraud in a released Monday. The report follows the EU-Moldova Association Agreement [text, PDF], which fully entered force in July and aims to strengthen the political and economic integration of Moldova and the EU. According to the joint report, Moldova has adopted a number of reforms to encourage an independent judiciary. However, further reforms are needed due to continued political interference in the judiciary by legislators. In speaking to reforms necessary in the judiciary, the report commented that: Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms requires greater attention, in part due to weaknesses in the justice system. Perceived political interference in the judiciary and law enforcement is a systemic impediment to social and economic development. There have also been instances of judges being prosecuted for their decisions. The same goes for lawyers engaged in high-profile cases. The EU and other international partners have questioned the wide-spread use of pre-trial detention, especially in cases linked to participation in demonstrations. Further reform efforts are also needed in the business sector, which is affected by endemic corruption and inconsistent policymaking. In a press release [text] that accompanied the report, High Representative Federica Mogherini [official profile] said that further work is needed, and on this path Moldova can count on the European Union. Since the EU-Moldova Association Agreement was signed, the EU has cemented its position as Moldovas main trading partner, with 63 percent of Moldovan exports going to the EU and about 50 percent of imports coming from the EU. Moldovas human rights record has also come into question recently. In July Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website, in Romanian] condemned [JURIST report] Moldovas chemical castration law. In June the European Court of Human Rights [official website] ruled [JURIST report] Moldovas gay protest ban violated the right to protest. The rights of the Romani people have also been controversial. In April a UN rights expert urged [JURIST report] EU member states to do more to ensure that Roma peoples receive the support necessary to fully enjoy all their basic human rights. Then in May the UN Working Group on discrimination against women in law and in practice urged [JURIST report] the Moldovan government to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law. [JURIST] A three-judge panel of the US District Court for the Western District of Texas [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] Friday that the boundaries of three voting districts violated the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution [texts]. The court held that the districts were intentionally drawn to either splitting Latino communities into different districts or concentrating minority communities into single areas to minimize the impact of their votes. The court concluded that in the southwestern 23rd Congressional district [Govtrack backgrounder] alone, boundary lines were drawn to move more than 600,000 voters between districts, thereby fracturing a heavily Latino county to deliberately lessen minority voter turnout rates. The dissent, on the other hand, concluded that the boundaries were properly drawn on political, not racial, considerations. Voting rights and gerrymandering have become increasingly important issues over the past year. Earlier in March the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that Virginias redistricting scheme must be examined for racial bias. In January a three-judge panel for the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ordered the state legislature [JURIST report] to redraw legislative district lines by November 1. In January the US Supreme Court blocked [JURIST report] a ruling ordering the redrawing of the congressional district map and special elections to be held in North Carolina. This came after the Supreme Court heard arguments [JURIST report] in racial gerrymandering cases from Virginia and North Carolina in December. In September several organizations filed a federal lawsuit challenging Georgias voter registration system [JURIST report]. Last April the Supreme Court unanimously upheld [JURIST report] an Arizona commissions decisions regarding the redistricting of voting districts in the state. The Chinese embassy in Germany has once again urged a German retailer to apologize after the latter refused to stop selling T-shirts featuring offensive slogans. The embassy released a statement on March 11 claiming that the response from the company so far is unacceptable, as it "uses openness and diversity to justify ... the wrongdoing of insulting others." The statement came after Spreadshirt, a platform for customized clothing and accessories, issued its own statement on March 10. The company's CEO, Philip Rooke, apologized to "anyone who takes any offense from the two designs in question," but nevertheless decided to keep the controversial T-shirts on the platform. "We do not judge or censor designs based on their phrasing, social or political leanings. This open platform principle means that, in a few cases, some people may find a design controversial, while others do not." The statement was criticized by the Chinese embassy, which complained that the company was defending its discrimination rather than apologizing. The two shirts in question--which apparently reference the consumption of shark fins and dog meat in some regions of China--respectively read "Save a Dog - Eat a Chinese" and "Save a Shark - Eat a Chinese." The embassy called for better supervision by relevant German authorities on March 9. Meanwhile, a boycott has already been organized on Chinese social media. Under the hashtag "GermanCompanyInsultsChina," which had garnered over half a million page views as of press time, netizens have condemned the company's decision, saying that such "narrow-minded and arrogant bias against the Chinese is unacceptable." "Not everyone in China eats dogs and shark fins. Such a ridiculous generalization has hurt Chinese people's feelings. Do we print T-shirts calling for Chinese to eat Germans, because they eat hogs and make them into sausages?" one netizen wrote. Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies under the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that ordinary Germans have a very vague understanding of China. Many believe China is a backwards country that should accept Western culture and values; this bias is manifested in some citizens' conservatism and stubbornness, Cui said. "The company's decision is baleful and should not be tolerated. Germany's criminal law clearly stipulates that discrimination and insulting foreigners are crimes. Chinese organizations should press charges against the company," a Germany-based lawyer told the Global Times. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere confirmed on Sunday that a Tunisian man responsible for a deadly museum attack in Tunisia in 2015 will be deported. Maiziere said, I can confirm that the talks between us and the Tunisian side have been successfuland I expect that he will soon be deported. In addition to the 2015 museum attack, the man is also suspected of having connections with the Islamic State (IS) in Germany. The Italian interior ministry also announced [DW reports] on Sunday that a man allegedly linked to the Berlin market attacker Anis Amri was expelled. The Tunisian authorities arrested three people [JURIST report] for the December 2016 attack on a Berlin Christmas Market for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility. More than eleven people were killed in the attack, and dozens more were injured. The attack is reminiscent of an attack in Nice, France that occurred earlier this year in July. In July, at least 84 citizens were killed during the Bastille Day celebrations, for which five men suspected of having ties to Tunisian Lahouaiej-Bouhlel were arrested [JURIST report]. [JURIST] Gustavo Gallon [official profile], the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, called Monday for increased aid to victims of Hurricane Matthew. In his initial report [press release], Gallon recounted visiting High School Nord Alexis, a school where 525 affected families have sought refuge. Gallon said [UN News Centre report] that these families and others similarly situated required additional shelter and humanitarian aid. Gallon also commented on numerous other human rights issues in the country, including high rates of illiteracy among the general population, poor prison conditions, and an increase in verbal and physical attacks against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Gallon is expected to present his report to the UN Human Rights Council [official website] this month. Haiti is still recovering [BBC report] from Hurricane Matthew, which killed approximately 1,000 people in October. Along with decimating infrastructure and leaving thousands internally displaced, Hurricane Matthew threatened to interfere with the general election scheduled for November of that year. The election was scheduled after the 2015 election was met with widespread allegations of fraud. Despite the hurricane, the elections went forward, and Jovenel Moise [Al Jazeera report] was elected the nations new president. Critics are challenging his election after only 21 percentof eligible voters where able to reach the polls on election day. Many believe this is due to the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew. Lotus Bakeries, the Belgium-based snacks maker, has named a new CFO after moving Isabelle Maes to a new role as CEO of the companys recently-formed natural foods division. Mike Cuvelier, the CFO of Belgian flooring business Unilin Group, will succeed Maes as Lotus Bakeries CFO. Cuvelier has spent three years as Unilins finance chief, joining the business in 2013 after more than a decade at steel wire applications group Bekaert. Maes new role will see her lead a unit housing brands recently acquired by Lotus Bakeries, including Nakd and Bear. She will also sit on Lotus Bakeries executive committee. Lotus Bakeries set up the natural foods division last year to house the brands it had acquired through the acquisitions of UK businesses Natural Balance Foods and Urban Fresh Foods brands that also included Trek and Urban Fruit and sought to expand their international presence. Last month, Lotus Bakeries set out more markets for the Nakd and Bear brands it snapped up in 2015. The company bought a 67% stake in the owner of Nakd, UK firm Natural Balance Foods, in August 2015, following that deal four months later with the acquisition of Bear snacks firm Urban Fresh Foods, another UK business. Food and clothing shortages must be solved to alleviate poverty, a Chinese official pledged recently, in Chinas latest vow to get tough in war on poverty. To make sure its poverty alleviation policies are effective, China has promised the strictest assessments as well as a strict cap on the number of impoverished people. Besides food and clothing, basic education, medical care and housing security must be guaranteed, Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office on Poverty Alleviation and Development, said at a media briefing on the sidelines of the NPC session in Beijing. Chinas 2017 government work report requires local authorities to effectively implement an accountability system and apply the strictest assessment for poverty alleviation. In the report, the Chinese government also promises stern punishments against deception, falsification, and manipulation of statistics, so as to ensure the policies can really benefit the public and withstand the test of history. Liu cited an example to introduce the stricter assessments and higher threshold. An average annual income of 5,000 yuan ($723) is not enough for a family who has college students, given that the yearly cost of university education rises to 20,000 to 30,000 yuan," Liu explained. He added that a family with patients who have to pay an unaffordable amount of money for medical treatment cannot be assessed as a non-impoverished household, though their incomes may have reached the required thresh-old. Poverty eradication is not an easy task for China. According to the standard set by the central government, a re-gion can only beat poverty after the local impoverished population drop to less than 2 percent of its total rural population, while those failing to meet the requirements have to keep the title. Jinggangshan, southeast Jiangxi Province, according to Liu, finally bear poverty after a series of stern assessments. After the city applied to delist itself from the impoverished regions at the end of February, a third-party assessment was organized by the State Council poverty relief office. The working team, after surveying 80 per-cent of local residents lifted out of poverty in 2016 and two-thirds in previous years, concluded that the local poverty incidence was at 1.6 percent. In addition, over 90 percent of surveyed local residents recognized local governments efforts to wipe out poverty, Liu said, adding that such cases can be verified. However, some citizens are reluctant to be lifted out of poverty, worrying that favorable policies would be canceled. Liu reassured them that those policies will remain after the poverty-stricken areas are delisted, adding that such a decision aims to consolidate the results and prevent re-impoverishment. China lifted 12.4 million citizens out of poverty in 2016, surpassing its annual target. According to this year's government work report, at least another 10 million people will be relieved from poverty in 2017. Fan Xiaojian, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the advisory committee of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said that there are still 43 million poor people in China. In order to meet the target of poverty reduction for the rural population before 2020, at least 10 million people must be lifted out of poverty each year, Fan noted. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Style Daily Update The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Style Weekly Update A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Style Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter. Dallas, TX, USA, 03/13/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/ The sexual abuse of any child is horrible and can cause deep emotional scars that can last for a lifetime. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that there are also false allegations of child sexual abuse. False allegations of child sexual abuse are also horrible. They create a risk that the accused will go to prison for a crime they did not commit, and the mere allegation of child sexual abuse can create a stigma that destroys a persons reputation. This blog discusses how to give the falsely accused the best chance of a not guilty verdict at trial, says John Helms Dallas criminal lawyer. First, jury selection in a child sexual abuse case is critical. Many potential jurors will have an almost insurmountable bias against the accused based on their own experience of abuse or their knowledge of abuse experienced by someone they know. These people may say, and even believe, that they can be fair and listen objectively to all of the evidence, but that is highly unlikely. It is critical to avoid letting people with this kind of bias on the jury. Second, it is very important to develop the childs motive to make a false accusation. Many jurors will naturally feel sympathetic and protective toward a child and will believe a child unless there is some reason the child would make up the story. Often, a defense in this kind of case must go beyond simply arguing that it is a he-said-she-said case, and that is not enough to find someone guilty. Third, it is critical to emphasize, early and often, that the jury cannot convict the accused unless the state proves the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This is because jurors often simply pick a side they believeeither the alleged victim or the accusedrather than thinking about whether, even though they believe the alleged victim, the evidence is really so overwhelming that it proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Beyond a reasonable doubt is a concept that is difficult for many jurors, and even lawyers, to understand. A skilled and experienced criminal defense trial lawyer knows that you have to TEACH potential jurors about the concept so that they remember and apply it correctly. They need to think, for example, about WHY the law requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal cases: because the law says it is better for ten guilty people to go free than for one innocent person to be found guilty. Comparing other levels of proof, like the lower standard of clear and convincing evidence, can also help potential jurors understand how high a burden beyond a reasonable doubt really is. Fourth, it is important to analyze and fully understand any prior statements made by the alleged victim about what happened. Often in these cases, a child is interviewed by a forensic interviewer, and the interview is recorded on video. A lawyer needs to be able to identify any inconsistencies between the childs trial testimony and what the child has said in prior statements. That means mastering exactly what the child said BEFORE the child testifies so that the criminal defense lawyer will immediately recognize inconsistencies during the testimony without having to go back and review the prior statement. This allows the lawyer to be able to use the prior statement right away to point out the inconsistency. Not all inconsistencies show that a child is lying. Some details are minor and can be chalked up to normal memory lapses. Some inconsistencies, though, undermine the childs entire story. A good criminal defense lawyer has to know the difference and should emphasize only the ones that really matter. Picking at trivial details will cause jurors to turn on the defense lawyer because they correctly think the lawyer is being unfair and desperate. The best criminal defense lawyers therefore have a plan going into the trial, and they must be able to execute it from jury selection through closing argument. But they must also be able to adjust, or even change, the plan quickly if there is unexpected evidence. In child sexual abuse cases, that happens a lot. Defending someone falsely accused of child sexual abuse at trial is not for the faint of heart. There is so much on the line, and the allegations are so charged with emotion and so horrible if true, that defense lawyers cannot let the pressure get to them. That requires confidence based on experience with these types of cases as well as top-notch trial skills. If you, a family member or someone you know has been charged with child sexual abuse or other crime in the Dallas area, contact Dallas criminal lawyer John Helms at (214) 666-8010 or fill out the online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and freedom. source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-criminal-lawyer-discusses-false-accusations-child-sexual-abuse/ Social Media Tags:Criminal Defense Lawyer Near Dallas, Attorney John Helms Criminal Defense Lawyer for Collin County, criminal defense lawyer Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution SubmitMyPressRelease.com Like Us on Facebook It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print Maybe youre just starting your day in the West, or maybe youre wrapping your day up in the East, like were doing right now in China. Either way, here are some headlines we dont want you to miss! TOP STORIES Tax & fee cuts Chinese government will further reduce taxation and fees to relive the businesses from heavy burden. [read in full] ECONOMY & FINANCE New FTZs slated to open A group of seven new free trade zones (FTZs) are slated for inauguration in China, as the country looks to accelerate reforms in more test beds.[read in full] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Stealth fighter soon powered by local engines A domestically developed engine will soon power the nation's latest stealth fighter jet.[read in full] Police dogs armed with VR glasses Police dogs wearing video recorders have been put into service in Beijing to help maintainpublic security. [read in full] NATION-WORLD 3,400 Chinese cruise passengers snub Jeju island asTHAAD anger continues Offensive T-shirt "Save a Dog - Eat a Chinese" and"Save a Shark - Eat a Chinese." The Chinese embassy in Germany has once again urged a German retailer to apologizeafter the latter refused to stop selling T-shirts featuring offensive slogans.[read in full] OPINION Voice of China: build bridge, not walls with the global community Amidst growing doubts about the future of the globalized international order, China hasemerged as a voice of reason and continues to signal its willingness to promote opening up.[read in full] More than 2,000 restaurants around Shanghai have installed see-through kitchens in a bid to improve food safety. In these restaurants, a piece of glass separates the kitchen from the dining area so that both diners and regulators have a clear idea of what's going on behind the scenes. Currently, the number of see-through kitchens in the Pudong district of Shanghai, where the idea was first implemented last September, has grown from 200 to 730. More than 70 percent of those kitchens are also under real-time monitoring through a closed-circuit TV system, which is played on screens mounted for anyone to see. The profile pictures, names and telephone numbers of the restaurants' managers and food safety administrators are posted on the screens. Wu Haiqin, an employee of the Pudong District Market Supervision Administration (PDMSA), explained that see-through kitchens are only suitable for restaurants that don't require complicated processing. In order to better guarantee food safety, the closed-circuit TV systems have been gradually installed as an alternative, Wu added. Food safety has become a hot topic once again during the ongoing 5th meeting of the 12th National People's Congress. As a result, more stringent food security regulations will be implemented in Shanghai starting from March 20. In the next several years, all restaurants exceeding a certain size in Shanghai will made to install see-through kitchens. In addition, closed-circuit TV systems will be gradually adopted by the cafeterias of schools and other institutions around the city. Algerian Housing and Urban Development Minister Tebboune (left front), Algiers Governor Zoukh (middle front) and Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Yang Guangyu (right front) at a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the main structure of the Algiers' Great Mosque on March 11. The mosque is being built by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation. Once completed, the mosque will stand 250 meters high, making it the tallest building in Africa. How did a politician like Geert Wilders gain so much influence in a liberal country like the Netherlands and how much power will he really have after the 15 March election? On the afternoon of 6 May 2002, nine days before national elections, Dutch society was uprooted by the first political assassination in decades, if not centuries. The nation held its breath. The victim was Pim Fortuyn, a leader in the polls and an outspoken critic of the multi-cultural policies of the social-liberal government that had been in power since 1994. With declarations No more Muslim immigrants! Fortuyn became the centre of a heated campaign and received many threats. In view of Fortuyns statements on Islam, just eight months after 9/11, many were surprised to learn the man who killed Fortuyn was not a Muslim, but a radical Dutch environmental activist, who opposed Fortuyns plans to legalise fur farming, a minor footnote in Fortuyns electoral programme. The rise and demise of Pim Fortuyn, and his subsequent legacy, would mark a watershed in the history of Dutch politics. Another radical realist In the foreign press, Geert Wilders, even more than Fortuyn before him, has often been labelled as a populist and an extreme right-wing politician. Wilders prefers to call himself a radical realist or new realist. But what does his New Realism stand for? Until the elections of 2002, Dutch politics, as well as Dutch society, had been neatly divided up into different pillars: Liberal, Socialist, and Christian Democratic. Such labels, along with the traditional ideological markers of left and right, have since lost much of their meaning as carriers of political affiliations. Better than realists, Fortuyn and Wilders can be described as eclectic, i.e. combining different and seemingly contradictory elements from traditionally irreconcilable ideologies. Fortuyn, a former communist sympathiser and open homosexual, who had declared that Islamic culture was inferior to Western secular culture, publicly admitted having sexual feelings for young Moroccan boys. While criticising the social-liberal policy of deregulation, he simultaneously favoured free market mechanisms in the private sector; he defended the welfare state and in the same breath attacked its bureaucratisation. Campaigning for elections, he was hailed as the hero of the common man, while being driven around by a chauffeur in his Jaguar, dressed in tailor-made Italian suits, invariably accompanied by his lapdog. Fortuyns legacy On 11 February 2002, two days after his controversial statements on immigration and the Islam, and three months before the general elections, Fortuyn was forced to step down as the leader of a confederation of local parties and founded his own party, List Pim Fortuyn (LPF). Wilders was one of the many to contest Fortuyns legacy. On 3 September 2004, Wilders, previously an MP for the liberal VVD party, founded his own party, first known as Groep Wilders, then renamed the Party for Freedom (PVV) in 2006. The split came after he clashed with the VVDs official line on Turkeys EU accession negotiations. Wilders also criticised his party for being too soft on socio-economic reforms: he advocated pruning the welfare state back to a bare minimum. Competing with other pretenders to Fortuyns legacy the beheaded LPF still won 17% of the votes , Wilders one-member party nevertheless began with a single goal: opposing immigration. In a bid to stop Muslim immigrants and refugees settling in the Netherlands, he advocated a one-nationality policy. Citizens and their descendants of countries that do not allow the renunciation of citizenship, such as Morocco and Turkey, would thus be ineligible for Dutch nationality. What is more, Wilders wanted convicted Muslim criminals to be sent back to the country of their origin, even if they had been born in the Netherlands. Electoral success gradually followed. At the 2006 general election, Wilders gained nine seats in the 150-seat parliament. In 2010, he took almost 10% of the popular vote, obtaining 24 seats. Blaming the other: first Muslims, then the EU By that time, Wilders PVV had added other populist strings to its bow. In contrast to Fortuyn, who was pro-EU, Wilders aptly delved into the Euroscepticism that had been growing since the Great Recession of 2007-8. With his socio-economic programme, on the other hand, Wilders retreated from his neo-liberal agenda of 2004, positioning himself instead as the saviour of the unique Dutch welfare state. Accordingly, he now wants to reduce the age for retirement from 67 to 65 and revert the student loans back to free scholarships. Wilders programme for the 2017 general elections shows further radicalisation. He no longer wants to fight the excesses of radical Islam, he wants to completely de-Islimase Dutch society. Wilders portrays himself as the last stronghold against, what he calls, the Muslim tsunami. Wilders wants to ban the Quran, which he compares to Hitlers Mein Kampf, and close all mosques. To begin with, he wants to ban the Quran, which he compares to Hitlers Mein Kampf, and close all mosques. This would require constitutional reform: Article 1 of the constitution, forbidding discrimination on the basis of colour, race or religion, must be substituted for one underlining the Jewish-Christian and humanist values of Dutch and European society. Not the law but cultural assimilation would be the criterion for good citizenship. Muslims who refuse to integrate fully into Dutch society must leave. Conversely, Wilder cherishes the achievements of the secular Enlightenment the emancipation of women, abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia , which he heralds as the achievements of Western civilisation. This distinguishes him from many of the other extreme right politicians with which he and the PVV are often associated. Political parties like the French Front National, the Austrian FPO, the Italian Lega Nord and even the Flemish Vlaams Belang are much more conservative on social issues. The PVV formed a political group with these parties in the European Parliament in June 2015, called Europe of Nations and Freedom and united mostly around their anti-EU stances. Since 2008, Wilders has become a prominent critic of the euro, advocating a return to the Dutch Florin and a much smaller and more democratic European Union, consisting mainly of Germany, the Benelux countries and some Scandinavian countries. In that case, he would allow for a neuro (a northern European euro). Ideally, however, he seeks a position for the Netherlands comparable Norway or Switzerland: an independent sovereign nation outside of Schengen, which takes back control of its borders, while benefiting from a unified and free European economic market a somewhat odd goal, as both countries allow free movement in return for economic access to the common market. A Nexit after Brexit? Even ten years ago, the mere suggestion of the Netherlands leaving the EU would have been preposterous. That is no longer the case. For all kinds of reasons, Euroscepticism is gaining strength in a country that was one of the blocs founders and that historically has gained tremendously from its membership. Wilders is certainly in favour of a referendum on whether the Netherlands should leave the EU. He is, in general, an advocate of more direct democracy by introducing corrective referenda. But what are the odds that Wilders could pull this off? Can he win the elections? The Netherlands electoral system allows for great volatility. One must bear in mind that the Netherlands proportional electoral system allows for great volatility. Large fluctuations were for a long time held in check by voters fidelity to a certain ideology or confessional pillar. This all changed with the growing secularisation and individualisation of society. Furthermore, unlike Germany, for instance, the Netherlands has no electoral threshold to stop small, extreme parties entering parliament (in Germany it is 5% of the total votes). This makes the system more democratic, but also extremely unstable in times when people change their political orientation or preference, or when votes are scattered over many small parties. And this is what is likely to happen with the upcoming election on 15 March. The question is, then, not so much whether Wilders will win the March election, but if he can make into government. At first sight, several factors play to his disadvantage. At the height of his power, after the elections of 2010, the liberal party (VVD) and the Christian democrats, after an agonising party conference, decided to lift the ban on collaborating with Wilders and asked him to support their two-party coalition in parliament. A n unreliable partner But this cooperation didnt last long. The government Wilders was condoning was intent on making considerable budget cuts, forcing him to make some painful decisions. No wonder, then, that the cabinet fell to pieces after 18 months in power. Wilders showed himself an unreliable partner. After this experience, neither Wilders himself nor the other parties will be very keen for a repeat performance. Secondly, for its political campaign Wilders party depends heavily on free publicity, which it gets largely through social media. In December 2016, he was convicted for inciting supporters of his party to shout Fewer Moroccans at a party meeting. In reaction to this, other parties have reinstated the ban on collaborating with the PVV. The last party to do so was Prime Minister Mark Ruttes Liberal party, possibly for strategic reasons. During the current campaign, they claim to be the only viable right wing alternative to Wilders party. This strategy might also boomerang back, however, if people who had doubts about voting for either the VVD (Rutte) or the PVV (Wilders) will decide theyll have to vote Wilders to make a real change. In the last week, Wilders has lost a few percentage points in the polls, but this seemed to be due to a false photo Wilders tweeted of one his fiercest rivals, the liberal democratic leader Alexander Pechtold, participating in a pro-sharia demonstration. Clearly the image had been doctored. For his own safety, among other reasons, Wilders is also hesitant to appear in public debates and it seems that the Dutch do not appreciate that either. Difficult predictions Even though the election is just two weeks away, any prediction of the outcome is still a long shot. Not only are the polls sometimes simply incomplete, ignoring important sections of todays fragmented society, but people might also be hesitant to own up to politically incorrect opinions in public. Whatever the reason, more than 50% (some say even 70%) of the Dutch population is still uncertain about their choice. In pre-Fortuyn times this would have been unthinkable. Lets look at what is most likely to happen. After the elections, it will be difficult, all but impossible, to form a coalition government of less than four five parties. The Netherlands has a long tradition of coalition governments, but with all mainstream parties in government, Wilders would be left as the de facto leader of the opposition. Will the other parties be willing to take that chance? On the other hand, Rutte has shown himself to be an utter opportunist on earlier occasions. Neither should it be forgotten that Wilders originally belonged to his party and therefore still has many points in common. After the elections, confronted with a fragmented political spectrum, Rutte can defend the need to collaborate with the PVV and ignore the ban appealing to force majeure. Rutte is famous, not to say notorious, for his ability to strike deals. Yet, after the setbacks in his own country of the referenda on Maastricht (2005) and Ukraine (2016), and after the Brexit precedent, he will not be keen to negotiate a referendum on the EU with Wilders. However, a 2014 law only requires the support of 300,000 eligible Dutch citizens to organise a legal referendum. And Wilders Euroscepticism will certainly resonate with some of the smaller parties in the new elected parliament. A year of folly? There will still be an EU after the Dutch election, at least until the first round of the French presidential election is held on 23 April. Europe itself will surely survive, but will the EU make it to the elections in 2019? Will the bloc turn the tide of history and go back to how it all started: a Coal and Steel Community? According to Chinese astrology, 2017 is the year of the red rooster: the symbol for folly. Be that as it may, even though all eyes will rightly be turned on the Netherlands on 15 March, it is my strong conviction that, in the end, the near future of the Europe will depend more on the prowess of the Gallic coq and the strength or lack thereof of the German bear, than on the volatility of the Dutch sparrow. (Xinhua) 19:17, March 13, 2017 China will send Yin Hengmin, its special representative on Latin American affairs, to attend the upcoming Chile meeting on Asia-Pacific economic integration, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday. "The meeting is a high-profile one on the subject of Asia-Pacific regional economic integration by Latin America's four-member Pacific Alliance and Asia-Pacific countries," spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a routine press briefing. China hopes the meeting will contribute to boosting the Asia-Pacific FTA and regional economic integration and creating an open economy, she said. Hua said the Chile meeting will focus on the exchange of opinions on the future of Asia-Pacific cooperation rather than the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The Chile meeting, to be held March 14-15, will show the willingness to move in the direction of economic integration and openness, Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz said on Sunday. President Donald Trump has revised his travel ban on immigrants and refugees and tacitly admitted that three federal courts were correct. The part of his initial order that blocked immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries was unconstitutional, violating principles that protect due process and prohibit religious discrimination. Thats a small victory for sanity and the authority of the federal judiciary. But another part of Trumps order has gone largely unnoticed and unrevised: a 120-day ban on all refugees, and a drastic reduction in the total number of refugees admitted to the U.S. annually, from 110,000 to 50,000. Unfortunately, these rules are not subject to legal challenge. But just because Trumps order is legal doesnt make it right. A president who says he wants to make America great again is doing exactly the opposite, diminishing our stature and demeaning our values. His policy is misguided for many reasons, starting with morality. Virtually every faith-based organization in the country has denounced the refugee order. A coalition of 37 Protestant and Orthodox Christian groups issued a statement calling it unjust and immoral and saying it undermines the values we as people of faith hold dear: to welcome the stranger and assist those most in need. The obligation to welcome the stranger is reinforced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which reports that around the globe, we are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. The U.N. agency counts 21.3 million refugees in the world today, over half of whom are children under 18. Even if the U.S. accepted 110,000 a year, the impact would be small; 50,000 marks a disastrous retreat from our international obligations. Trump justifies his policy by arguing that its vital to protecting national security, but just about every expert who studies the issues disagrees. The White House adds that the policy is necessary to permit extreme vetting of refugees. But that already happens. Every applicant for refugee status undergoes a battery of exhaustive tests, and the process can take up to two years. The administration also claims that 300 refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations, but it refuses to give any details or supporting evidence. The Washington Post examined the argument in detail and concluded it was irresponsible and highly misleading. A study last year of the European refugee experience concluded, Welcoming refugees is not only a humanitarian and legal obligation: It is an investment that can yield significant economic dividends. Ruma Bose of the Tent Foundation, which conducted the study, added: Policymakers should acknowledge the remarkable talents, energy and dedication of so many fleeing violence and conflict, and appreciate them as the workers, taxpayers, entrepreneurs, and innovators they will one day become. The Wall Street Journal recently visited Erie, Pa., population 100,000, where refugees make up 18 percent of the people, and heard similar arguments. Sterling Technologies, a plastics-molding company, says about a quarter of its workforce are refugees. Cary Quigley, who voted for Trump, told the Journal, We have been blessed with immigrants who have come, worked and added value to the company. Refugees dont just add value to a company or a community; they add value to the country. According to a CCC press release, an open house and a Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will be from 5-7 p.m. at the Holdrege CCC Center at 1308 Second St. Hors doeuvres will be served, and door prizes will be awarded. CCCs Holdrege Center opened in the 1980s and later closed. In 1995, the college worked with the Holdrege Economic Resource Organization to re-open the center in a downtown storefront. It moved to its current location in 1998 and expanded from 1,770 to more than 4,000 square feet in 2010. The Holdrege Center serves Franklin, Furnas, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties. LINCOLN The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a Furnas County District Court ruling that dismissed claims by surface water users in the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District of damages by state actions in 2013 and 2014 for Republican River Compact compliance that limited the irrigators water supplies. The state Supreme Court opinion issued late Friday afternoon concludes that District Court Judge James E. Doyle IV did not err in dismissing the FCID irrigators claims and affirmed the lower court ruling. According to the Supreme Court opinions introduction, state law requires the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to conduct an annual forecast to determine whether Nebraskas projected Republican Basin water supply and water consumption will comply with the Republican River Compact, which also involves Colorado and Kansas. The forecasts on Jan. 1, 2013, and Jan. 1, 2014, indicated consumption would exceed the allocation under the compact, so DNR issued compact call orders both years and also issued closing notices on all natural flow and storage permits. Greg Hill, Brent Coffey, James Uerling and Warren Schaffert, representing themselves and a class of farmers who irrigate with water delivered by the FCID, filed lawsuits alleging two regulatory takings claims against the state and DNR. The plaintiffs, through their attorney David Domina, argued that they did not receive their full water allocation supply due to acts, omissions and takings of the state and DNR, and argued they suffered damages because of diminished or eliminated crop production yields of growing crops. Claims for the two years were consolidated by the district court and dismissed. That ruling then was appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Among the arguments in the first claim was that compact compliance is an inferior use of water use rights given to the FCID appropriators, so depriving them of water deprived them of a beneficial economic use with no compensation. The second claim was that water was taken from the surface water irrigators as a result of DNRs failure to curtail excessive groundwater pumping that has depleted the basins streams. The state Supreme Court opinion says the plaintiffs arguments on appeal were based on the assumption that the appropriators have compensable property rights. But because we conclude that the appropriators do not have such rights, their takings argument must fail, the judges wrote. Referring to a similar case in Spear T Ranch v. Knaub, the state Supreme Court said in a that previous case it had ruled that a right to appropriate surface water ... is not an ownership of property. Instead, the water is viewed as a public want and the appropriation is a right to use the water. The state Supreme Court also rejected the argument that the compact is an inferior use of the FCID irrigators water rights, writing that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a compact receiving the blessing of Congress counts as federal law. As federal law, the allocations set forth under the compact are the supreme law in Nebraska, and DNR must ensure Nebraska remains within its allocation under the compact, the state Supreme Court judges wrote in their opinion. In rejecting the second claim that DNR should regulate groundwater use, the court cited Spear T and other cases in which it has consistently held that DNR has no authority to regulate groundwater. That jurisdiction remains with natural resources districts. A new piece of public art, yet to be decided, will be placed at the entrance to the new police services building at the corner of Clement Avenue and Richter Street in Kelowna. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Bosnia and Herzegovina considers Azerbaijan as a friendly country and has excellent political relations with it, Mladen Ivanic, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said in an exclusive interview with Trend on eve of his visit to Baku to participate in the Fifth Global Baku Forum. Azerbaijan has always helped Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said, and expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for financing the construction of a park in Sarajevo and a nursing house in Banja Luka. Currently there is a new construction project for the Health Center in Kotor Varos, he said. This is one of the few projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina exclusively for the benefit of our citizens. He noted that Azerbaijan made two important investments to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first investment was made to the city of Srebrenica with about hundred people employed, and the second investment was made in the construction of a fruit and vegetable processing factory in Doboj, thus creating conditions for additional employment of several hundred people, Ivanic said. Moreover, negotiations are being held with Azerbaijans representatives regarding the construction of a highway on the European Corridor Vc through Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added. On importance of Southern Gas Corridor in ensuring Europes energy security Energy supply is one of the key objectives for all the European countries and in that context the Southern Gas Corridor is of a great importance, Ivanic said. My opinion is that all the western Balkan countries should take a stand about it, he added. He said the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina had clearly stated that the country is interested in the alternative system of gas supply. On Bosnia and Herzegovinas participation in Great Silk Road transportation project When this project is concerned, Bosnia and Herzegovina is interested in the modernization of Sarajevo-Belgrade railway, Ivanic said. In that way, it will be connected with Belgrade-Budapest railway which has already started the process of modernization, he noted. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a significant role in the Port of Ploce which could be a good place for the export of goods from the Far East towards Europe, he said. We are interested that Bosnia and Herzegovina has good transport links with the rest of Europe and any project initiative of that kind is acceptable. On prospects of development of economic cooperation with Azerbaijan There is a potential for trade cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with Azerbaijan especially in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical industry, energy, construction and pharmaceutical industries, Ivanic said. Excellent bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan opened the space for better economic and business cooperation, Ivanic said. Trade between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan is limited and sporadic because of the distance between the two countries, their geostrategic position and the absence of the agreement on trade and economic cooperation, he noted. Azerbaijan showed interest for investment projects in the field of tourism, infrastructure, energy (hydropower), food, wood and pharmaceutical industries, he said. Azerbaijan is also interested in investing in refineries, oil terminals and pipelines in South East Europe. He noted that a memorandum of understanding between the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) has already been signed and a successful direct cooperation has been achieved on their basis in organizing business forums. Direct contacts between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijani officials have been held regarding the activities for the forthcoming period which would lead to an increase in economic cooperation between the two countries, he added. The ambassador of Azerbaijan needs to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to examine the possibility of organizing the business forum between the two countries in 2017, Ivanic said. There is also an announcement for finding possibilities to establish air traffic and possibility of cooperation and continuation of operations on the construction of Corridor Vc [the main north-south road through Bosnia and Herzegovina], therefore we do expect response from Azerbaijan as the country to be in the focus of this years Sarajevo Business Forum, he noted. On position of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina has generally supported the standpoints of Azerbaijan on the issue of sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ivanic said. He noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the existing activities at multilateral level aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group. Ivanic added that House of Representatives and House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the resolution on respect and support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan in January and February 2013, respectively. He noted that this had great approval and positive reaction in Azerbaijan. About Global Baku Forum The Global Baku Forum is one of the most important global forums of this kind, Ivanic said. The forum brings together prominent politicians, both actual ones and the former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and esteemed intellectuals from around the world, he noted. Topics dominating at the forum are really global and relevant for the entire modern world. Suggestions and solutions rising from debate will give answers to the challenges the modern world will be facing in the future, he added. Whenever I am available, I really tried to take part in the work of the Global Baku Forum, Ivanic said. A person makes their way to a streetcar as snow flies through the air during a squall in downtown Toronto, on Thursday, December 15, 2016. A major storm is expected to hit beginning Monday night. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy Details added (first version posted on 11:37) Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with Deputy CEO of SUEZ Environment and vice-president of MEDEF Marie-Ange Debon in Paris, France. They highlighted cooperation between Azerbaijan and SUEZ Group in several areas, noting that work is underway on a number of projects. The sides also discussed the issues relating to joint projects, particularly for rain water drainage in Baku, and emphasized the appropriateness of continuing these works. Details added (first version posted on 12:04) Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DCNS Herve Guillou in Paris, France. The sides hailed cooperation between Azerbaijan and DCNS, which started in 2004. The implementation of a number of projects to build vessels of various designs and purposes was emphasized at the meeting. Good prospects for cooperation with Baku shipyard were highlighted. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Anakhanum Hidayatova Trend: Latvia highly values open and constructive dialogue between the Latvian and Azerbaijani presidents, parliamentarians and government ministers, said Latvias President Raimonds Vejonis in an exclusive interview with Trend. I plan to visit Azerbaijan to participate in this months Baku forum [5th Global Baku Forum]. The Minister of Foreign Affairs [Edgars Rinkevics] recently visited Azerbaijan, the Speaker of Parliament [Inara Murniece] visited Azerbaijan last October, noted Vejonis adding that other visits are in the process of preparation. Latvia and Azerbaijan have well established cooperation, he said, adding that there is huge potential for further expansion of our relations, especially in economic and trade areas. Recent bilateral trade volume does not reflect the real economic potential between our countries and we consider that there is still unused potential to foster bilateral economic relations, noted the Latvian president. As perspective areas for closer economic cooperation we consider pharmacy and food processing as well as metal industry, green technologies, agriculture, construction and tourism. He added that Latvia is interested to cooperate with Azerbaijan in land transport connections. ZUBR container train connecting transport hubs in the Baltic, Black and Caspian Sea regions could be used to attract cargo deliveries from Azerbaijan, said Vejonis. He further said that Azerbaijan is an important partner of the European Union in energy and transit sectors. We highly value the role of Azerbaijan in implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, that will allow to diversify energy supply sources and routes, as well as improve energy security, which are all important goals of EU Energy Union, noted the Latvian president. Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Vejonis said that Latvia believes that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved only by using peaceful means, based on principles of international law. Latvia supports dialogue between highest officials of Azerbaijan and Armenia on conflict settlement, he added. 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. As the future of NAFTA is still being discussed by lawmakers in Washington, DC, Webb County officials have spoken out about their support toward it. Webb County Commissioners Court voted on a resolution in favor of NAFTA. County Judge Tano Tijerina says he knows it's not perfect, but NAFTA is an engine for Webb County's trading industry and its economy. "When you have little over 2.74 billion worth of commerce between two countries and NAFTA being the engine behind it, how can we say no to it?," Tano said. Tano adds the county will follow any federal lawmakers' decision, but knew it was important to speak out in favor of NAFTA. KGNS News Reporter Yocelin Gallardo was outside of the Webb County Commissioners Court earlier today, and has more information in the video above. Details added (first version posted on 12:42) Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Credit Agricole SA Xavier Musca in Paris, France. They hailed the development of Azerbaijan-France relations. They pointed out the successful financing of different projects between Azerbaijan and Credit Agricole SA, adding that many projects have already been complete. C redit Agricole SAs contribution to funding the Southern Gas Corridor Project was noted at the meeting. Credit Agricole SAs cooperation with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic was praised as good. They said Azerbaijan- Credit Agricole SA collaboration will continue. The sides discussed prospects for cooperation in the non-oil sector, particularly the implementation of different projects in the field of agriculture and diversification of economy. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Near record high temperatures. High 83F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few clouds. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low near 60F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Professor Dr. Robert Klanner is granted the 2016 Julius Wess Award. (Photo: DESY) Robert Klanner is granted the 2016 Julius Wess Award by the KIT Center for Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics (KCETA) of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The Austrian experimental physicist is professor emeritus of the University of Hamburg. Klanner receives the award for the development of the fundamentals underlying silicon trackers. In the past 33 years, their use has led to the discovery of new particles and measurement of their properties. Media representatives are invited to attend the award ceremony on March 03, 2017, 3 pm. Robert Klanner is granted the 2016 Julius Wess Award for his fundamental contributions to the development of silicon microstrip detectors. These instruments designed with microelectronics methods can very precisely measure the tracks of decay particles of heavy elementary particles. The measurement principle is based on the fact that some heavy elementary particles, such as the top quark or Higgs boson, decay into heavy quarks that fly a short distance through the detector before they also are subject to decay. From the precise measurement of daughter particles, conclusions can be drawn with respect to the origin of the parent particles. The first application for which silicon track detectors were designed in the early 80s was the investigation of mesons with charm quarks. Their lifetime measurement provided information on the so-called weak force. The detectors constructed in Munich and at CERN had about the size of a chip used for digital cameras. Work of Klanner was the basis for the rapid development of microstructured silicon detectors in high-energy physics. Now, silicon track detectors are applied in every modern particle physics experiment. Discovery of the heaviest elementary particle, the top quark, announced by the Fermilab in Chicago in 1995 required a silicon detector with a sensitive area of several square meters. The worlds largest silicon detector with a sensitive area of 220 m is found in the CMS detector of the LHC accelerator ring at CERN. For 20 years now, several institutes of KIT have made important contributions to these experiments, also in cooperation with the institute headed by Robert Klanner. Silicon detectors will continue to play an important role in the future, for instance in the search for exotic particles beyond the standard model and for studies of the Higgs boson. Robert Klanner, born in 1945, studied in Munich and was conferred his doctorate in the early 70s in Protwino in the then USSR. After that, he worked for a short period at the University of Illinois, Urbana in the USA before he moved to the Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich, in 1975. In 1984, he went to work with DESY, Hamburg, and to contribute to the construction of the ZEUS experiment in the HERA accelerator ring. Klanner assumed a number of executive functions for the ZEUS experiment, among others that of a spokesperson of the collaboration. In 1996, he was appointed professor by Hamburg University. From 1999 to 2005, he was Research Director of DESY. Robert Klanner also was long-standing member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG, German Physical Society) and co-editor of the scientific journal Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A. Program of the Award Ceremony (The ceremony will be in English) 15.00 hrs Welcome Speeches Prof. Oliver Kraft, KIT Vice President for Research Prof. Marc Weber, Spokesperson of the KIT Center KCETA Lecture Higgs-Boson and the Physics beyond the Standard Model Prof. Rohini Godbole, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 16:35 hrs Laudation by Prof. Thomas Muller, KIT 17:20 hrs Lecture Silicon Detectors: From the Early Days to the LHC and XFEL Prof. Robert Klanner, DESY, Hamburg Julius Wess Award The Julius Wess Award is named after Professor Julius Wess who worked tirelessly in the area of theoretical and experimental elementary particle physics during his 20 years of employment with Karlsruhe University, todays KIT. During this time, he published work of outstanding international importance. Field theory terms, such as the Wess-Zumino effect or the formulation of the first super-symmetrical quantum field theory, the Wess-Zumino model, will forever be associated with his name. The Julius Wess Award of the KIT Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics Center (KCETA) is endowed with EUR 10,000. The research award is granted to elementary particle and astroparticle physicists for exceptional experimental and theoretical scientific achievements which expand and deepen our understanding of the fundamental laws of physics. The prize money is funded by the KIT Foundation. The KIT Foundation would like to thank the Schleicher Foundation and the Commerzbank for their commitment. Since its establishment five years ago, the KIT Foundation has been promoting research, education, innovation, and academic life at KIT. As a non-profit foundation under public law, the KIT Foundation finances its tasks nearly exclusively through donations by friends and sponsors. More information about the KIT Foundation can be obtained at its office or at www.stiftung.kit.edu. At the KIT Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics Center (KCETA), 360 employees are working to develop a strategy for future developments in this discipline. The Center covers nine scientific topics of experimental and theoretical nature, which ultimately focus on the origin, development, and state of the universe and the processes taking place in it. 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. Ten years ERC: So far, the European Research Council has funded twelve scientists of KIT and their cutting-edge projects. (Graphics: ERC) Grantees of the European Research Council (ERC) have won six Nobel prizes, three Fields medals, and five Wolf prizes so far. This year, the ERC celebrates its 10th anniversary. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), twelve researchers have received one of the renowned ERC grants. The celebration event ERC = science | European Cutting-edge Research at KIT is KITs contribution to the anniversary program. It will take place on March 16, 2017, 18 hrs, on Campus South of KIT (Engelbert-Arnold-Strae 2, building 11.30). The interested public and representatives of the media are cordially invited. Outstanding scientific achievements are of crucial importance to the development of society in Germany and Europe and the prerequisite for managing big challenges, such as the energy transition, compliance with the climate goals, advancing digitization, and future mobility, says KIT Vice President for Research, Professor Oliver Kraft. For ten years now, the European Research Council has been supporting outstanding ideas and best talents, also at KIT. We congratulate the ERC on this anniversary and on its success! At the same time, we are very proud of the scientists of KIT, who were successful with their excellent ideas in the hard competition for ERC funds. So far, twelve scientists of KIT have acquired ERC grants, including seven Starting Grants, by means of which the ERC funds pioneer projects of young scientists. KIT researchers also received two Consolidator Grants for top researchers with seven to twelve years experience after their doctorate as well as two Advanced Grants for established researchers pursuing ground-breaking projects to advance the state of the art in their discipline. This corresponds to funding in the total amount of approx. EUR 22 million. The competition for these funds is very hard. In the 2016 call for Starting Grants, 2935 proposals were submitted. Only 325 were funded (11%). During the celebration event at KIT, three KIT researchers who received an ERC Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant, and Advanced Grant, respectively, will present their research work. After this, they will discuss with the public about their experience with ERC funding and about the relevance of social aspects to discourse for their discipline. Starting a dialog with the citizens and, in the best case, making use of it for research is in line with the public science concept. I think that this is extremely important, says Professor Caroline Y. Robertson-von Trotha, Director of ZAK | Center for Cultural and General Studies, who will present the panel discussion. The host of the celebration event is KIT Vice President for Research, Professor Oliver Kraft. The event will be organized by KITs Research Office and ZAK. Program: erc = science | European Cutting-edge Research at KIT Thursday, March 16, 2017, 18.00 hrs, entrance hall of building 11.30, Engelbert-Arnold-Strae 2, Campus South of KIT Welcome Professor Oliver Kraft, KIT Vice President for Research Moderation Professor Caroline Y. Robertson-von Trotha, Director of ZAK | Center for Applied and General Studies of KIT Presentations 10 Years ERC Funding Options for Excellent Scientistsn Dr. David Krasa, ERC Executive Agency, Brussels ERC Starting Grant | Terabit Communication for More Rapid and More Energy-efficient Data Transmission Professor Christian Koos, Institute of Photonics and Quantum Electronics (IPQ), KIT ERC Consolidator Grant | Quantum Technology with Natural and Artificial Spins Dr. Martin Weides, Physikalisches Institut (PHI) ERC Advanced Grant | Molecular Scissors for Plant Cultivation Professor Holger Puchta, Botanical Institute (BOTANIK) Panel Experience Gained with the ERC and Social Aspects Relevant to Research in Public Discourse. The panel discussion will be followed by a reception. Admission will be free. No registration is required. The presentations will be recorded and then published at www.zak.kit.edu/ERC. More information: www.zak.kit.edu/ERC Ten Years ERC In 2007, the European Commission established the European Research Council, ERC, with the mission to encourage excellent frontier research in Europe through competitive funding and support top researchers across all fields and of any nationality. Today, the ERC is the most important and renowned institution for funding fundamental research in the European Union. ERC grants are to enable researchers to implement their ground-breaking projects with highest flexibility, without political prioritization and without hierarchical restrictions. The funds ranging from EUR 1.5 to 2.5 million depending on the funding line are specifically granted for new, promising research fields. Funding is recommended exclusively on the basis of the project proposals scientific excellence. In 2017, the ERC celebrates its 10th anniversary. Research institutions from all over Europe contribute to the anniversary program with special events. More information on ERC funding and support by KITs Research Office: http://www.for.kit.edu (in German only) More information on the anniversary of the ERC: https://erc.europa.eu/ERC10yrs/home 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. * KOSPI up more than 1 pct before midday * Q1 earnings for local companies expected to be strong -analyst * Won rises on weaker dollar SEOUL, March 13 (Reuters) - South Korean shares rose to a more than 20-month intraday high early on Monday as market sentiment improved after the ouster of President Park Geun-hye last week while stronger global stocks also lent support. Two days after a court dismissed her over a corruption scandal, the disgraced former leader left the presidential Blue House on Sunday to face life as a private citizen and the possibility of jail. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up 1.1 percent at 2,121.26 points as of 0225 GMT, its strongest level since May 29, 2015. Bae Sung-young, a stock analyst at Hyundai Securities said that the hopes of upbeat first-quarter earnings for the overall local companies could further push the index up. Market heavyweight Samsung Electronics rose 1.8 percent, while S-Oil rose nearly 6 percent on a high-dividend. Bae said market players were focusing on a U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting this week but were more keen to find out whether there would be more than three rate increases this year, not the March rate increase itself. The coming meeting is set for March 14-15. Offshore investors were set to be buyers for a sixth straight session, purchasing a net 164.3 billion won ($142.98 million) worth of KOSPI shares near mid-session. Advancers far outnumbered decliners 491 to 290. The won rose after dollar weakened on slower-than-expected rise in U.S. wages. The won was quoted at 1,149.4 to the greenback, up 0.7 percent compared to the previous close of 1,157.4. March futures on three-year treasury bonds gained 0.04 point to 109.29. 0225 GMT Prev close Dollar/won 1,149.4 1,157.4 Yen/won 10.0041/98 9.9976 *KTB futures 109.29 109.25 KOSPI 2,121.26 2,097.35 * Front-month futures on three-year treasury bonds (Reporting by Dahee Kim; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Details added (first version posted on 14:43) Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with Senior Executive Vice President of Thales International Raphael Eskinazi in Paris, France. They hailed long-term very successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Thales International, which spans more than 20 years, adding that very good results have been achieved on different projects. The sides highlighted the implementation of a range of projects in collaboration with Azerbaijan Airlines and Azerbaijan Railways companies, and noted that certain work will be done with respect to the North-South transport corridor. The sides stressed good potential for continuing cooperation. * Lawyer, Orban ally set for another five years in office * Ader has largely supported Orban's political agenda * Orban has strong poll lead ahead of April 2018 election By Gergely Szakacs BUDAPEST, March 13 (Reuters) - Hungarian lawmakers comfortably re-elected ruling Fidesz party veteran Janos Ader as President for another five years on Monday, a sign of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's firm grip on power just over a year before a parliamentary election. The 57-year-old Ader, a lawyer and long-time member of Orban's Fidesz party, has been a strong ally of Orban since being elected for the largely ceremonial role in 2012. Lawmakers voted 131 in favour of extending Ader's term in a second round run-off after he failed to garner the required two-thirds majority in the first round. Leftist opposition candidate Laszlo Majtenyi, an Orban critic, received 39 votes. "In little over a year you will all face a test. The noise of political debates will amplify over the coming months," Ader told parliament before the vote, telling lawmakers to put Hungary's interests first instead of political bickering. Ader, a reserved career politician with a trademark moustache and a penchant for angling, had provided Orban with a solid backing for his political programme apart from occasional road bumps at the most controversial reforms. He had vetoed bills on mandatory voter registration and a proposal to hide nearly a billion euros of central bank funds from public scrutiny, dealing a blow to Orban ally Gyorgy Matolcsy, the Governor of the National Bank. "The president's powers are rather limited and Ader is not expected to challenge the overall policy course of Fidesz," said Andrius Tursa at think tank Teneo Intelligence. "As such, re-election of the incumbent will signal continued Fidesz dominance." Orban's Fidesz enjoys a comfortable lead in opinion polls, with the Socialist party and nationalist Jobbik vying for the post of Orban's main challenger at a parliamentary election due in April 2018. But many people are undecided, and, in a sign of lurking discontent with Orban' go-it-alone style, an upstart political movement has torpedoed his effort for Budapest to host the 2024 Olympic Games. A core element of Orban's agenda to maintain support has been a tough stance on migration, and he is expected to stick to his policies. Last week Hungary passed a law to detain migrants in camps on its border, a step which the United Nations said violates European Union law. "In order to distract public attention from pressing domestic problems, such as widespread corruption and the lack of structural reforms, Fidesz will continue to focus its rhetoric on external threats," Tursa said. (Reporting by Gergely Szakacs, editing by Pritha Sarkar) Curia did polling in January for ALRANZ to ascertain views of New Zealanders on whether abortion should be legal in different circumstances. I thought the results were very interesting with the net level of support (those saying legal less those saying illegal) for each situation being: Pregnant woman likely to die +72% Foetus has no chance of survival +70% Pregnant woman likely to be permanently harmed +70% Pregnancy is a result of rape +65% Pregnancy is a result of birth control failure +31% Pregnant mother cant afford to have another child +27% Pregnant woman doesnt want to be a mother +22% Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: An initiative was put forward to hold a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs in the French Senate, said Andre Reichardt, head of the Senates France-Caucasus Friendship Group. The Senate president has already given prior consent to the meeting, Reichardt said at a briefing in Baku March 13. We believe positive steps can be taken in this direction. The meeting time is not known yet as it is only an initiative. However, during a meeting with the Senate president, we got his prior consent, he said. Reichardt noted that organization of a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs was put on the agenda during the office term of the previous Senate president. However, the meeting did not happen. Our main expectation is to achieve positive progress in the settlement of the [Nagorno-Karabakh] conflict. The conflict is the reason why tension persists in the region. We expect that certain steps will be taken during the meeting to remove the tension. 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. Artist Hornsby selected for solo exhibit at Customs House Museum In his studio, Hornsby works on his Fracture series for his first solo show exhibiting at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tenn., Mar. 7 until May 4, 2017. Chris Hornsby, a Tennessee artist and president of Hornsby Brand Design, a Knoxville-based branding design firm, was selected for his first solo exhibit at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tenn. This show runs from now through May 4, 2017 and features 10 pieces of artwork from his Fracture series, which consists of 98 canvases. Hornsby has shown his work in a variety of states and venues, including the nations art capital New York City, but this is his first solo exhibit. Hornsby said, Art is a personal passion of mine of which Im grateful to express both in my branding design business as well as in my fine art pieces. To be able to show and share my artwork is always quite an honor, but to have a one- man show in one of the states leading fine art museums is something that Im very excited about. Inaugurated in 1898, the Customs House Museum is located in the heart of historic downtown Clarksville and is Tennessees second largest general museum with more than 35,000 square feet of exhibit space, 20,000 permanent pieces, and hundreds of thousands of visitors. Hornsbys Fracture series was born out of the artists exploration of dark and light fractured imagery used to express his vision of struggle, pain, defeat, and victory. Based on the complex interaction between control, contradiction, and humanitys violent struggle to succeed, Hornsby experiments with shapes, mediums, ideas, and positions, birthing images that are unexpected, revealing, and exciting. He describes the rearrangement and juxtapositions of his design forms as expressions of raw emotional openings and an evolution of experimentation and discovery. Hornsby has been applying his artistic skills in a variety of capacities after earning a BFA in graphic design from the University of Georgia. He has garnered more than 100 creative awards, been inducted into the Knoxvilles American Advertising Federations Hall of Fame, as well as being published in numerous prestigious design annuals such as Print and How. In addition to his dedication to a successful career, Hornsby proactively gives back to the community both monetarily and through donations of his time and talent to various regional, state, and international non-profits. In his off time, he exercises his creative talent by continually exhibiting his sculptures and paintings, including a recent exclusive show in the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalitions Black and White Show. This show, of which his artwork was selected from 1,358 nationwide entries, garnered him a cash prize and an honorable mention awarded by NYC's art elite, Christiane Paul, the Curator of Media Arts at the prestigious Whitney Museum of American Art. Hornsby is also being featured in the April 2017 issue of Nashville Arts Magazine. Published March 13, 2017 Library & Archives hosts free workshop on Andrew Jackson NASHVILLE Born 250 years ago this month, Andrew Jackson remains one of Tennessee's most iconic and controversial political figures. The former United States president is celebrated for his popularity with common folk and his military skills, but reviled for his headstrong temperament and his troubling relations with Native Americans. To commemorate his birthday, the Tennessee State Library & Archives will soon be launching a new online exhibit highlighting documents from Jackson's life and career. On April 1, the two Library & Archives staff members who curated the exhibit will host a free workshop. The workshop, titled "Andrew Jackson and his Legacy," will run from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. on that day in the auditorium of the Library & Archives building, which is located at 403 7th Ave. North in downtown Nashville. "Andrew Jackson is one of Tennessee's most important historical figures so it is very helpful for researchers to have more information about him available online," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "This presentation will be a useful primer on the materials that will be included in the Tennessee Virtual Archive exhibit." Assistant State Archivist Wayne Moore and Archival Assistant Zachary Keith will talk about the collections of Jackson's papers available at the Library & Archives, which include a version of the only known photograph of Jackson, personal letters, original maps from the War of 1812, political cartoons, campaign broadsides, engravings and lithographs. The Library & Archives also has papers from some of Jackson's chief associates, including John Overton, John Coffee, James Winchester, William Carroll and William B. Lewis. During their presentation, Moore and Keith will discuss topics ranging from Jackson's family life with his wife Rachel and their adopted children, to Jackson's duels with rivals, to his management of his plantation and his military and political exploits. Although the event is free and open to the public, reservations are required because of seating limitations in the Library & Archives auditorium. To register for the event, please visit andrewjackson250.eventbrite.com. The Library & Archives building is located directly west of the Tennessee State Capitol building. Free parking is available around the building on Saturdays. Published March 13, 2017 Bristol attorney indicted on estate theft charges MARCH 13, 2017 at 12:51 p.m. JOHNSON CITY Ongoing case work by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in additional indictments for a Bristol attorney accused of stealing thousands of dollars from estates in which he served as executor. TBI Special Agents began investigating Don W. Cooper in November 2015. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that between August 2011 and November 2013, Cooper (DOB 9/1/45) stole funds in excess of $60,000 from an estate he was hired to manage. Last week, the Sullivan County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Cooper with six counts of Theft over $10,000 and one count of Theft over $60,000. Today, Cooper turned himself in and was booked into the Sullivan County Jail. He was released after posting a $15,000 bond. Prior to the most recent charges, Cooper was indicted by a Sullivan County Grand Jury in April 2016 on one count of Theft over $250,000 and again in July 2016 on one count of Theft over $10,000. Those charges also involve the theft of funds from estates in which he served as executor. Published March 13, 2017 Former Gatlinburg Police Department officer, girlfriend indicted on drug charges MARCH 13, 2017 at 9:23 a.m. David Goins (left) and Savannah Ford (right) arrested on drug charges. Image courtesy of TBI. KNOXVILLE A former Gatlinburg police department officer, David Goins, has been indicted on drug charges along with his girlfriend. Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force led to the indictment of the two Gatlinburg residents. In April 2016, TBI Special Agents with the Drug Investigation Division began working alongside DTF Agents, the Gatlinburg Police Department and Sevier County Sheriffs Office to investigate allegations of illegal drug activity involving Goins (DOB 6/19/80). At the time, Goins was employed as an officer with the Gatlinburg Police Department. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that while on duty, Goins was distributing methamphetamine. The investigation further revealed that he was also alerting other drug traffickers to law enforcement activity in the Gatlinburg area. Goins resigned from the department in July. Additionally, in October, TBI and DTF Agents conducted an undercover operation in which they purchased methamphetamine from Goins and his girlfriend, Savannah Ford (DOB 1/12/89). The purchase was made in a public park. Last week, the Sevier County Grand Jury returned indictments charging David Goins with one count of Official Misconduct and one count of Sale and Delivery of Schedule II Drugs in a Drug-Free Zone. The Grand Jury also returned an indictment charging Savannah Ford with Sale and Delivery of Schedule II Drugs in a Drug-Free Zone. Yesterday, Goins was arrested and booked into the Sevier County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Ford was served in the Sevier County Jail, where she was already being held on unrelated charges. Her bond was set at $25,000. Published March 11, 2017 Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The Azerbaijani parliament (Milli Majlis) hosted a meeting on Mar. 13 between the delegation led by Chairman of France-Caucasus Friendship Group in the Senate of the French Republic Andre Reichardt and members of the working group on the Azerbaijan-France interparliamentary ties. Addressing the event, Javanshir Feyziyev, one of the working groups members, said that the relations between Azerbaijan and France are at a high level and continue to develop. Andre Reichardt, for his part, noted that their visits aim is to obtain extensive information about the Azerbaijani-French relations and the process of settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The senator also noted that the parliamentary diplomacy can positively affect the settlement of the conflict and spoke about the importance of expanding contacts. Reichardt said that as part of the visit, they visited the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops and asked about the living conditions of people in the adjacent territories. The French senator noted that getting acquainted with the situation in the contact line, they once again became convinced that the conflict must be resolved as soon as possible. Noting that he condemns the illegal visits of some French senators to Nagorno-Karabakh, Reichardt said that everyone should respect the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The French senator also noted that this visit will contribute to the development of the two countries relations in various spheres. 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. Content creator and media critic comedian Lee Young-joo / Courtesy of Lee Young-joo By Jhoo Dong-chan Lee Young-joo may have been a lesser-known figure in the star-studded lineup when he was first cast for a discussion panel of top cable channel JTBC's new show, "Chayinanun Class." But the content creator and media critic comedian was named the most frequently searched figure at the nation's top internet portal Naver shortly after the show was first aired on March 5. The 33-year-old, who hosted the JTBC Digital Newsroom's foreign affair show, "Brave New World," and operates his own independent media Youtube channel, UpsetLab, attracted a great deal of audience attention for his cutting remarks and incisive questions during the show. Lee said "democracy is like underwear" when former welfare minister and show host Rhyu Si-min asked what democracy is during the show. "The first thing we wear is underwear after taking a shower. We then wear shirts and pants," Lee said. "Likewise, I believe democracy is the prerequisite virtue society should wear. It then wears other stuff like justice, national security and public welfare. If we change the order wearing pants instead of underwear first, it would be like Superman. We have seen a number of tragic cases throughout history that those powerful political figures oppress democracy and basic human rights." Graduating from the University of Southern California, Lee started paying attention to Korean politics when he came to the country in 2009. "I have since had various jobs like as a card company salesman before I joined JTBC in 2014. I found Korean politics as well as public opinion as somewhat too serious and hostile to opposition," he said. "I wanted people to discuss such agendas in a pleasant and joyful way. I would like to become Korea's Jon Stewart." Jon Stewart is an American comedian and media critic who hosted "The Daily Show," a satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 1999 until 2015. Gaining critical acclaim and popularity for his acerbic and satirical criticism of the public agenda, "The Daily Show" won 22 Primetime Emmy Awards. "Unlike the U.S., it is still very difficult for comedians to use their satire and wit in describing the nation's public agenda. Even if we satirize those powerful people based on facts, they often just sue us for defamation," Lee said. "I believe these laws should be revised. I believe society would be better off when more people talk freely about what they believe. I would like to become a social asset contributing to introduce such a society here as soon as possible." Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee / Yonhap Award-winning Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo publicly admitted to being in a relationship with actress Kim Min-hee for the first time since media speculations on their relationship emerged last June. "We're in love. We truly love each other," Hong said when questioned about his relationship with her after the press screening in Seoul of his latest film "On the Beach At Night Alone." This marked their first public appearance together in Korea since news of their affair broke after Hong filmed his 2015 movie "Right Now, Wrong Then" with the actress. They previously attended the 67th Berlin International Film Festival together last month for "On the Beach." Kim took home the Silver Bear for Best Actress for her lead role in the film. During the festival, they didn't officially confirm rumors on their relationship but have been publicly spotted displaying mutual affection. Hong filed for a divorce from his wife in November. In the award-winning film, Kim played the role of Young-hee, an actress pondering her relationship with a married movie director while drinking with friends in a seaside town shortly after returning from a trip to Germany. The movie has drawn much media attention for its story possibly being based on the director's own experience in real life as the main characters' conversations strongly advocate for the extramarital relationship. The film is set to premiere in South Korea on March 23. (Yonhap) Global rating agency Moody's Investors Service said Monday that the ouster of South Korean President Geun-hye is a credit positive for the country's sovereign rating as it expects a new president to focus on formulating policies that address Seoul's structural economic challenges. "The election of a new president could provide fresh impetus for reform, although success in implementing policies will depend partly on the size of the parliamentary majority," associate analyst Shirin Mohammadi and Vice President Steffen Dyck said in a report. The assessment came three days after South Korea's Constitutional Court unanimously upheld Park's impeachment over a corruption scandal. Last month, Moody's kept its rating on South Korea at a record high of Aa2, with a stable rating outlook. Aa2 is the third-highest rating on the credit table, with only six other countries out of the Group of 20 advanced and developing nations currently holding that rating. Moody's Investors Service said there is a number of domestic and external challenges to growth in South Korea, though it said it continues to forecast South Korea's growth of 2.5 percent in 2017. "Ongoing corporate restructuring and elevated household debt will continue to constrain domestic demand," Moody's report said. "And growing tensions with China over the anticipated deployment of a missile defense system, along with possible shifts in U.S. trade policies, threaten to present further headwinds to growth." China has taken a series of thinly veiled retaliations against some South Korean companies over the planned deployment of the advanced U.S. missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula. China has repeatedly expressed opposition against the U.S. missile defense system out of concerns that the deployment could hurt its security interests. Seoul and Washington have dismissed such concerns, saying the U.S. missile shield is defensive in nature and focuses on North Korea's missile activities. (Yonhap) By Kim Jae-kyoung SINGAPORE South Korea needs to strengthen its diplomatic foothold in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to cope with challenges created by Donald Trump's "America first" policy. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the largest free trade agreement in history, a growing number of countries are seeking to enhance bilateral partnerships with ASEAN member states. Experts said that it is urgent for Korea to seek a diplomatic balance between four great powers the U.S., Japan, China and Russia and other countries as Beijing is expected to increase its clout in Asia in the midst of a growing rivalry with Washington. "When there are major issues with countries that Korea is highly dependent on for security and economic issues, ASEAN becomes ever more important," Kim Young-sun, secretary general of the ASEAN-Korea Center, told The Korea Times. "ASEAN is an alternative partner and market for Korea, particularly amid the recent developments related to China and the U.S.," he added. "Cooperation with ASEAN is particularly meaningful in terms of diversifying Korea's partnerships." Calls for Korea to retool its diplomatic strategy are growing as many countries have sought to strengthen their presence in the 10-member economic bloc. ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. On Feb. 27, Singapore and China inked four pacts in Beijing to deepen cooperation in bilateral projects, including in intellectual property rights protection, furthering collaboration in the biomedical industry and the development of a transport and logistics hub. The gathering stood out not because of the size and number of deals the two nations agreed to, but because of those who participated in the key meeting. The two governments brought a new generation of ministers and politicians to meet their counterparts and continue the bilateral relationship into the future. "We brought younger ministers along so they can continue the relationship that was built by our senior leaders, Deng Xiaoping and Lee Kuan Yew, through the generations," Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean told reporters after the meeting. The move to build the forward-looking relationship must be a wake-up call for Korea whose political presence in the region still remains weak. "Korea has seen solid growth in its economic and cultural presence with ASEAN nations but the country is lacking in political links in the region," Suh Chung-ha, chairman of the Jeju Peace Institute said. He is the former Korean ambassador to Singapore. "The government should pursue more bilateral summits and enhance the exchange of high-ranking officials with ASEAN member states," he added. In early March, Saudi Arabia's King Salman Abdulazia Al Saud visited Indonesia to signed 11 agreements, including pacts on security and infrastructure development, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Indonesia was the second stop of his month-long tour of Asian countries, including Malaysia, Brunei, Japan and China. It was the first visit by a Saudi King to Indonesia in 47 years. Given the latest developments between ASEAN and other nations, Korea's diplomatic strategies are problematic in two aspects. First, Korea's diplomacy has placed too much emphasis on the four great powers. Second, its strategy aims mainly to resolve pending issues with no strategic and long-term approach. In other words, it lacks in policies intended to build forward-looking relationships. Kim of the ASEAN-Korea Center, who was a former Korean ambassador to Indonesia, said that Korea has been too much occupied with its relations with the four major powers, and thereby is relatively less proactive in developing friendly relations with other countries. "With the recent regional and global developments, our relations with the four major powers are important but we need to pay more attention to other countries including the ASEAN member states," he said. He pointed out that ASEAN and Korea do not have any hidden agenda against each other, and there are no major sources of dispute or tension. "The two sides can cooperate not only on bilateral issues, but may also enhance each other's profile on the international stage through collaborating on transnational and regional issues," he said. By Park Hyong-ki Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), once one of Korea's biggest shipbuilders, faces a potential crisis, despite claims to the contrary. The financial authority here has assured the market that the company faces no such scenario where it could default on its debt. But the question remains as to whether Daewoo can refinance and repay 440 billion won owed to investors next month. With the company running out of money without any new projects that can improve cash flow, the market remains concerned over the lack of liquidity. The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Export-Import Bank of Korea injected more than 4 trillion won into DSME in 2015. KDB is DSME's main creditor bank and largest shareholder with a 79 percent stake. But the company has used most of that capital, and barely has enough money to repay its April debt. Even after it pays debt due in April, it still needs to refinance debt worth 500 billion won due in the second half of this year. In total, the company needs about 1 trillion won to repay its debt this year. The company raised about 1.8 trillion won via new shares from KDB last December, according to a regulatory filing. The purpose of the fundraising was to improve its finances, DSME said. "Daewoo Shipbuilding will exert efforts to resolve its liquidity problem this year by securing funds from new project orders and implementing self-rehabilitation," a KDB official said. "KDB and other creditor banks will closely monitor the company, and manage both its long and short-term liquidity." KDB CEO Lee Dong-geol said last month at a National Assembly meeting, "KDB is looking into ways to secure liquidity for DSME. It will come out with a plan in late March." DSME's only hope at this point is to receive payment for two drill ships the company built for Sonangol, Angola's state-run oil company. DSME secured the $1.2 billion order in 2013. But delivery of those ships has been delayed because Angola is in a financial crisis because of low oil prices. By Rachel Lee Peru, home of the alpaca, has hosted an exhibition dedicated to its textile industry and fashion goods to boost business ties with Korea. At the Peru MODA Asia, organized by the Peru Tourism Board (PROMPERU) and the Commercial Office of Peru in Seoul (OCEX Seoul), fashion and textile industry experts introduced their products at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas on March 7. It is expected to be a stepping stone to stimulating the fashion business between Korea and Peru, PROMPERU said. "Peruvian alpaca is an environmentally friendly textile that has sold to the Japanese, European and American markets and received attention from numerous continents regardless of their diverse climates," Joan Barrena, the commercial and economic counselor of OCEX Seoul, said. "It is pleasure to present the various aspects of Peru in Korea once again by taking this opportunity." PROMPERU also organized other events along with the show. At the Gastronomy Festival at the hotel from March 3-12, Peruvian cuisine _ including ceviche and lomo saltado _ was introduced. And the Pisco Night was hosted at the White Bar in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, where Peruvian brandy Pisco featured. White Bar visitors can enjoy its Pisco cocktail promotional menu until the end of March. According to PROMPERU, Peru MODA had its first fashion show here in 2015. "Peruvian alpaca has proven its virtue by working with noted brands such as Max Mara, Prada, Chanel, Ralph Lauren; the material is well known for its easy processing, dyeing and unique softness," an embassy spokesperson said. "Now, 80 percent of all alpaca fiber is produced in Peru." By Rachel Lee Slovak Ambassador to Korea Milan Lajciak is bringing a collection of works by contemporary artist Daniel Bidelnica to Seoul, the first destination in Asia, on March 23-26. "Lights and Shadows" is co-organized with M Art and Bidelnica is often dubbed the "genius and pioneer of contemporary art." There will be 45 artworks on display at the Backroom Gallery, providing a special opportunity to encounter "genuine European modern art" through the artist's "unique geometric configuration of lines, faces and combination of primary colors in artistic style," the embassy said. "Bidelnica is an extraordinary painter from Nitra, the ancient city in Slovakia," an embassy spokesperson said. "He is evaluated as one of the best contemporary modern painters in Slovakia. Realistic images of Bidelnica's art pieces represent the emotional inspiration of the themes and styles reflected in Pan-Slav sensibility and formativeness." Bidelnica was awarded the Grand Prize at the Design Contest of Soul in 2009, organized by KIA Motors. The embassy said Bidelnica will attend the opening ceremony on March 24 and share his artistic ideas and color perception and his future projects. Korea Times CEO Lee Chang-sup, center in the front row, with MBA students and faculty from Westminster College at The Korea Times headquarters in Seoul on Friday. / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-soo By Lee Han-soo, Park Si-soo A delegation of 34 MBA students and professors from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, visited The Korea Times headquarters in Seoul on Friday as part of their academic field trip. Korea Times CEO Lee Chang-sup welcomed them with a brief presentation about the nation's oldest English daily and shared his views on Korea's journalism, economy, politics and other issues that will help deepen their understanding of South Korea. "During my years in the private sector, it became obvious to me that there is no substitute for actual experience in international business," said Michael A. Keene, the delegation leader, explaining the visit. "This is why I am so delighted that our MBA program, unlike those of most other American universities, requires this sort of coursework and international immersion." They will stay in Seoul until March 13, during which they plan to visit local companies and meet ranking government officers. After visiting Seoul, the students will continue their travels with a visit to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, where they will study logistics and manufacturing, before returning to the United States. ROK Air Force's fighter jets, including F-15Ks, fly in formation over the West Sea during the Soaring Eagle exercise, Monday. The large-scale combat exercise, aimed at striking North Korea's key nuclear and missile facilities, began last Friday for a one-week run. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye The Air Force is currently conducting a large-scale combat exercise aimed at striking North Korea's key nuclear and missile facilities. Soaring Eagle, a week-long drill that began last Friday, involves 50 aircraft including F-15Ks, KF-16s and FA-50s fighter jets as well as 500 troops. This is taking place in conjunction with the joint annual Foal Eagle and Key Resolve exercises by South Korea and the United States, which are aimed at improving the combined forces' operation and combat capabilities to deter threats from the North. "The Soaring Eagle exercise is designed to practice the Air Force's readiness against possible provocations from North Korea and counterattack operations," the Air Force said in a statement, Monday. "By carrying out the exercise in tandem with Key Resolve, we expect the ROK Air Force to enhance its combat capability in the event of war." During a drill scheduled for Thursday, the Air Force will apply the concept of the Kill Chain preemptive strike system that the military is planning to establish in the early 2020s. "Thursday's drill will focus on strengthening our ability to strike the enemy's core facilities and its time-sensitive targets (TSTs) including missiles," the Air Force said. The drills are taking place amid heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea fired four ballistic missiles, March 6, 22 days after it fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. There has also been speculation that Pyongyang will conduct another major provocation such as a sixth nuclear test or launching an intercontinental ballistic missile aimed at the U.S. mainland. The Air Force noted that Soaring Eagle has been taking place twice a year since 2008, adding that the exercise, together with ongoing joint military drills with the U.S., is expected to further improve anti-North Korea combat readiness. Key Resolve starts The allies also began the Key Resolve exercise, Monday, which will run until March 24, according to the South Korea and the U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC). Like last year, the allies will apply their joint wartime Operation Plan (OPLAN) 5015, which reportedly includes a contingency for preemptive strikes against the North's leadership, sources said. They added that the allies would also carry out drills to train troops on intercepting North Korean missiles using the concept of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense system scheduled to be deployed to U.S. Forces Korea within the year. In a show of force against Pyongyang's potential provocations, the U.S. is sending the Nimitz-class super carrier USS Carl Vinson and its strike group, and F-35B stealth fighter jets. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is due to arrive in Busan, Wednesday. On March 1, South Korean and U.S. troops began Foal Eagle, a two-month exercise involving the two allies' ground, air and naval forces. The Ministry of National Defense said South Korea and the U.S. were keenly monitoring the movements of North Korean soldiers in preparation for possible provocations. The repressive state has long been claiming that the exercises are "dress rehearsals" for a northward invasion with nuclear weapons, and has threatened harsh retaliation against "hostile" forces. But the allies have stressed the exercises that have been held regularly are defensive in nature, aimed solely at bolstering readiness against a possible invasion from North Korea. By Kim Rahn All senior Cheong Wa Dae officials tendered their resignations en masse Monday after former President Park Geun-hye was ousted over the corruption scandal and left the presidential office. This is the first time in the nation's history that all senior presidential secretaries have offered to quit. Chief of staff Han Gwang-ok and nine senior secretaries submitted their resignations to acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, leaving their fate in Hwang's hands. "A president was unseated for the first time in the nation's history. It is not legally obligatory for the secretaries to quit along with Park, but with the resignations, the top aides are showing their will to take political and moral responsibility for the administration's failure," a source at Cheong Wa Dae said. But it is unclear whether Hwang will accept their resignations. Although the presidential post is vacant, the secretaries and other Cheong Wa Dae staff do not sit idle and enjoy free time; they belong to Cheong Wa Dae, not Park, and since the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion in December, they have reported state affairs to Hwang, the acting head of state. And if Hwang does not accept their resignations, they will continue to work. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total Patrick Pouyanne in Paris. Patrick Pouyanne said ongoing development processes in Azerbaijan are being followed with great interest, adding that Baku has become one of the beautiful cities. They exchanged views on the development of relations between SOCAR and Total, as well as the development of Absheron field, cooperation on Umid, Babak gas condensate fields and other issues. Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam leaves the Supreme Prosecutor's Office in southern Seoul, Monday. The prosecution will question former President Park Geun-hye as early as this week. / Yonhap By Jung Min-ho The prosecution plans to summon former President Park Geun-hye, who has lost her presidential immunity, for questioning as early as this week concerning 13 criminal charges leveled against her. A special team of 31 prosecutors will resume the work to reveal the truth behind the major corruption scandal involving her friend Choi Soon-sil, after reviewing the results of the investigation by independent counsel Park Young-soo. Given that the prosecution has already collected "plenty of evidence" about her alleged crimes, it is only a matter of time before it summons her for questioning. An official from the prosecution said it is considering all possible options, including imposing a travel ban on Park and searching Cheong Wa Dae to collect additional evidence. During the first investigation in November, prosecutors accused her of eight charges; while later the independent counsel leveled five more, including bribery that could put her behind bars for life. However, neither the prosecution nor the counsel could question Park as she hid behind her presidential privileges. By Jung Min-ho The Seoul city will offer more language services as part of an effort to attract more tourists from Southeast Asia. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), Monday, it plans to add at least three more languages Thai, Vietnamese and Malay to information boards at popular attractions. The move comes as China pressures Chinese travel agencies to cancel trips to Korea in retaliation to the planned deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here. Starting with setting up new information boards in Itaewon, the city will spend a total of 250 million won ($220,000) on the project. The boards are expected to be placed also in Dongdaemun Market, Hongik University area and Bukchon Hanok Village. The city government also plans to test run guide machines that can better help tourists with more detailed information on the surroundings. According to the city's tourism marketing department, the ratio of tourists from Southeast Asia increased 40.4 percent last year to 2.83 million. With better and more tailored services, officials expect the number will continue to soar. "The new boards are not just for providing more information. We want them to feel more welcomed here," an SMG official said. While the number of Chinese tourists has decreased recently over the anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, a travel website shows Korea is becoming more popular among Southeast Asian tourists. According to Skyscanner, Seoul was the second-most searched destination among independent travelers in Singapore last year and fourth-most in Malaysia. Also, an increasing number of Filipino travelers look for information on Seoul and Jeju Island. The central and local governments are trying to find ways to offset the decrease of Chinese tourists, the biggest contributor to Korea's tourism industry. The National Intelligence Service, located in Naegok-dong, southern Seoul, faces mounting calls to revamp itself. The spy agency has been at the center of political turmoil during the last two conservative governments due to its alleged ties to those in power. / Korea Times file By Choi Ha-young South Korea's spy agency conducted illegal surveillance on the Constitutional Court's judges, according to a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent reported by broadcaster SBS. The news hit the NIS March 4, amid growing confusion ahead of the Constitutional Court's ruling to unseat President Park Geun-hye, Friday. Opposition parties and presidential hopefuls blasted the agency. According to law, the NIS cannot gather intelligence on domestic affairs, except those involving terrorism, espionage or crime rings. "The necessity to totally reform the NIS became clearer," said Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), odds-on favorite to become the next president. "There's no alternative other than the turnover of political power." In January, Moon pledged to change the NIS's role in collecting domestic information, echoing civic groups' longtime calls. "I will revamp it as a capable intelligence agency focusing on North Korea, security, terrorism and international crime," he said. The National Assembly, concerned about potential pressures on the court's ruling, called an Intelligence Committee meeting on Mar. 7. During the meeting, NIS chief Lee Byung-ho admitted there was a department in charge of judicial circles, but denied tailing and wiretapping justices. Opposition lawmakers said the NIS has conducted surveillance in the form of intelligence reports. The special counsel team further affirmed the NIS was behind the government's blacklisting of artists. Citing Lee's testimony, the team reportedly said the agency even created a "whitelist" to fund organizations favorable to the conservative government. Deja vu Kwon Young-hae Won Sei-hoon Unfortunately, this is not the first time the NIS has made headlines amid decisive national moments. Last April 8, five days before the general election, the Ministry of Unification suddenly revealed 13 North Korean defectors had arrived in Seoul. Later, civic groups and human rights lawyers raised doubts that the NIS engineered the defections. The defections took only two days, while most defections through China take at least one month. The DPK has worries about the NIS's engagement in domestic politics. During the 2012 presidential election, an agent was caught by Democratic United Party officials manipulating public opinion on social media in favor of Park Geun-hye, at that time the ruling party's presidential candidate. However, prosecutors failed to review the case thoroughly. Rather, prosecutor Yun Seok-yeol, who led investigation team, was demoted after exposing high-level intervention. "I couldn't obey the order not to investigate the serious electoral crime," said Yun, who returned as a member of the special counsel team probing President Park. The NIS was busy on domestic affairs under former President Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. Yet, it remained in the dark when former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died in 2011. Its chief at the time, Lee's associate Won Sei-hoon, learned of it from Pyongyang's announcement. The NIS's actions against liberal politicians date to 1997. Before the presidential election, some campaigners from the conservative Grand National Party, the Liberty Korea Party's predecessor, allegedly asked North Korean soldiers to fire at the South to create a bad environment for liberal candidate Kim Dae-jung. Kwon Young-hae, then head of the intelligence agency, was sentenced to five years in prison following the act to benefit the enemy. Recently, Kwon, 80, is continuing a hunger strike to protect Park's presidency as her staunch loyalist. Tension lingers between liberal figures and the NIS. Human rights lawyer-turned-presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of the DPK has filed a lawsuit against an NIS agent who allegedly investigated his academic background. In 2013, Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the DPK unveiled a document that shows the NIS's manipulation of public opinion against Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a DPK member who dropped out of the presidential race. "The anger against the NIS made me enter politics," Park said in an interview. Reset the NIS Rep. Jin organized a discussion in the National Assembly on Mar. 8 about the troubled spy agency. Panels commonly insisted on removing the NIS's authority to investigate. "NIS staff members are entitled to investigate as judicial police officers," said lawyer Kim Yong-min, a member of Lawyers for a Democratic Society. "When asked about the report of the inspection to check its lawfulness, they can easily make an excuse that it was information collection, to evade legal binding." Overseas, spy agencies such as the CIA of the United States, MI6 of the United Kingdom, the Federal Intelligence Service of Germany and Mossad of Israel do not have the authority to investigate their own citizens. However, in a divided nation under the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea, national security easily overwhelms human rights. Amid such public opinion, the panels emphasized that reform doesn't mean "abolition" of the investigative function, rather a "relocation" of the function. As a leading presidential contender, Moon vowed to transfer the authority to the police. But Rep. Park Ju-min of the DPK called for a comprehensive approach involving reform of the police and the prosecution. "I'm not sure if the nation's police and prosecutors have enough democracy," Park said. "This means the reform of the NIS should go along with reforms of other investigative agencies." The Assembly's supervision of the NIS's activity and budget is crucial. The agency spends up to 500 billion won ($432.15 million) a year, plus has 400 billion won in a reserve fund. "The Assembly's Intelligence Committee is not allowed to review the budget in detail," Shin Kyoung-min of the DPK, a committee member, told The Korea Times. "Unlike other committees, accountants or aides with expertise cannot attend the budget review." For tighter checks and balances, Professor Lee Jea-seung of Konkuk University Law School proposed progressive lawmakers' mandatory participation in the committee. Currently, only those in the negotiation bodies are qualified to serve. Liberal government's failure During the National Assembly discussions, investigative journalist Choi Seong-ho from Newstapa expressed frustration at liberal politicians he felt were advocating for the victims of the NIS. Obviously, the NIS was better behaved under the two liberal Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. During Kim's term, the NIS was called a "peacemaker," playing an active part in the background to solve conflicts with Pyongyang. It is well known that the two leaders did not abuse the organization under their direct supervision. Kim Dang, a retired journalist who specialized in the agency, cited a conservative lawmaker's remark in 2000 under the Kim administration: "We even hired a private detective to catch the NIS's engagement in the election, but found nothing." However, the two administrations failed to institutionalize reform, which led to the agency's recurring illegalities. "This is not a matter of individual spies," said lawyer Lee Sock-bum, who once worked for the NIS as a legislative officer. "The Roh administration did a successful job to reflect on the NIS's crimes, but the change was not institutionalized." By Yi Whan-woo Organizers of candlelit rallies that led to the removal of Park Geun-hye from presidency are being touted as potential nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize. Some lawmakers say a group comprised of over 1,500 civic organizations deserves the prize for holding the political rallies, which proceeded peacefully at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on 20 occasions between Oct. 29 and March 11. The eligible candidates for the prestigious prize include individuals or organizations nominated by qualified individuals, such as parliamentary members and governments. Some diplomatic sources said that it is too late to submit the nomination bid for this year, citing that Jan. 31 was the deadline. The Norwegian Nobel Committee will finalize a short list of the qualified nominees by the end of March, according to the Nobel Prize's official website. The nominations postmarked and received after Jan. 31 will be included in the following year's discussion. This year's winner will be chosen in October. Several members of a group aimed at promoting the Gwanghwamun rallies as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee said they will go for the 2018 prize. By Kim Bo-eun Lee Jung-mi Outgoing Constitutional Court Justice Lee Jung-mi, who led the landmark ruling upholding President Park Geun-hye's impeachment, called for the nation to unite and overcome divisions over the ousting of the head of state. Lee, 55, served as the acting president of the court after former President Park Han-chul retired at the end of January. Her six-year term ended Monday. Calling the impeachment ruling "a really painful and difficult decision," she said, "I believe the leadership crisis and social conflict facing us is a process we should go through to solidify Constitutional values, democracy and human rights." In her retirement speech at the court in central Seoul, Lee stressed the need for the people to unite, despite differing stances on Park's removal from office. The former President's supporters are refusing to accept the ruling, and even Park virtually ignored it when she moved into her private residence in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, Sunday. In protests by pro-Park activists following the court ruling, Friday, three people died. Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn walks to his office at the Government Complex in Seoul, Monday. Opposition parties are asking Hwang to reveal whether he will run for the presidency as his silence about his possible bid could hurt fairness in the election. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young The Liberty Korea Party (LKP), which lost its ruling party status following the Constitutional Court's decision to remove Park Geun-hye from the presidency, is in a dilemma over whether to dismiss pro-Park lawmakers or embrace the faction. Park loyalists, such as Reps. Suh Chung-won, Choi Kyung-hwan, Yoon Sang-hyun, Cho Won-jin, Kim Jin-tae and Min Kyung-wook warmly welcomed the former President returning home, Sunday. They vowed to do all they could to serve the "lonely ex-President" in a statement. Suh and Choi will lead the group and former news anchor Min will serve as her de facto spokesman. He delivered a message from Park Sunday. Yoon expressed opposition to the court's ruling. "I shared deep sorrow with patriotic citizens in front of Park's home. I agree with the former President's remark that the truth will be revealed in the end," Yoon said on Facebook, Sunday. By Eom Da-sol Key numbers related to the impeachment complete a sequence from one to 12. / Courtesy of Facebook Key dates and numbers relating to former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment coincidentally complete a sequence from one to 12. A netizen observed that "a higher power might have intervened in Korea's fate," while another quipped that the order was from the universe to grant many Koreans' desperate wish for Park to be impeached. "The impeachment was obviously from the universe. They (the numbers) all fall into place," another said. Here is the sequence: One lawmaker abstained from voting for the parliamentary motion of Park's impeachment bill that passed the National Assembly on Dec. 9, 2016. While 234 lawmakers endorsed the bill, 56 were against and seven votes were invalid. The proportion of lawmakers endorsing the bill was 78 percent. All the mentioned numbers are in sequence. The coincidence does not stop here. The Constitutional Court of Korea announced that it would announce its ruling on whether to accept the impeachment bill on Mar. 8. The National Assembly passed the bill on Dec. 9. The court upheld the impeachment on Mar. 10, at 11 a.m. Park left Cheong Wa Dae on Mar. 12, completing the sequence from one to 12. Park said during her speech for Korean-Brazil Business Forum on Apr. 25, 2015, "If you wish for anything desperately, the whole universe assists you." By Kim Hyo-jin, Kim Se-jeong National Assembly leaders called for the followers of the ousted former President Park Geun-hye to stop their violent protests and respect the Constitutional Court's ruling, Monday. Their call came as pro-Park groups are deepening social unrest following the ruling that removed Park from office, Friday. Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and the floor leaders of four political parties met to discuss how to unite the country, saying the legislature totally respects the ruling. They also decided to hold a weekly Monday meeting between the floor leaders in a bid to address social confusion. If needed, they will invite ministers and senior government officials to future gatherings. "It's time for the National Assembly to make joint efforts to create a new country," Chung said in opening remarks, referring to the normalization of state affairs and the upcoming presidential election as urgent challenges for the legislature. "Now is a critical moment when politicians should carry out cooperative governance, not only between parties but also with the government, through dialogue and compromise." During the meeting the participants agreed on the need to urge the public to accept the court's decision and focus on building up national unity. Park, now the former president, said Sunday, "the truth will be revealed without fail," though it took time for her to leave Cheong Wa Dae, leaving the general public in dismay with the remark interpreted as noncompliance with the court's decision. Many worried it could further fuel resistance by pro-Park protesters. It also brought strong criticism from the opposition. Moon Jae-in, the leading presidential hopeful of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), called her move "an insult to the people and the Constitution"; while Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, another DPK contender, dismissed it as a derogatory remark designed to aggravate social conflict and confrontation. Ahn Cheol-soo, former leader of the minor opposition People's Party and the party's presidential hopeful, said Park's response was "regrettable" and urged her to respect the court's ruling and cooperate with the prosecution's investigation lying ahead. By Kim Se-jeong Namhansanseong Fortress in southern Seoul and three mountains will undergo comprehensive inspections this year funded by the Ministry of Environment. According to the ministry, the three mountains to be inspected are Mt. Chilgap in South Chungcheong Province, Mt. Gaji in South Gyeongsang Province and Mt. Unmun in North Gyeongsang Province. The four destinations are subject to routine ecosystem and safety inspections by local governments, and the ministry-funded inspection is intended to help local governments with maintenance and identifying tourism potential. The budget for this project is not known. The inspectors are expected to focus on the extent of damage to the ecology and heritage of Namhansanseong Fortress which is already a well-known tourist destination. For the less visited three mountains, the focus will be to understand ecological and geological features. The project comes when the ministry's national park service celebrates its 50th anniversary. The ministry is responsible for 22 national parks around the country. The inspection is expected to be completed by the end of the year. By Doug Bandow One of the most stunning geopolitical transformations in recent years has been the warming relationship between South Korea and the People's Republic of China. Yet Beijing is putting those ties at risk in a fit of pique over Seoul's decision to participate in the THAAD anti-missile system. American policymakers are enjoying the spectacle of the PRC pushing Seoul back toward the U.S. Beijing's relationship with the Republic of Korea began inauspiciously, with China backing North Korea's Kim Il-sung after his campaign to conquer the South in June 1950 faltered. Although combat was halted by an armistice in July 1953, formal peace never came. Throughout the Cold War the PRC backed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Only in 1992 did the PRC and Republic of Korea finally initiate diplomatic relations. Even then, economic links long predominated. The DPRK retained the PRC's primary political affection. Indeed, the North Korea-China relationship was managed by the Communist Party's International Department and the People's Liberation Army retained particular interest in bilateral ties. Today China trades more with the South than do the U.S. and Japan combined. Moreover, the political relationship has shifted as well, as Pyongyang ignored China's advice and admonitions against proceeding with nuclear and missile programs. The result has been precisely the sort of instability and controversy that the PRC does not want on its border. Beijing long has been unhappy with the antics of its nominal friend and in recent years warmed its relationship with Seoul. However, Chinese officials fear that taking tougher measures, such as cutting off energy and food assistance, would promote a North Korean collapse, which could spread refugees, conflict, and nukes, to the PRC's obvious detriment. Moreover, reunification might yield a united Korea allied with America and hosting U.S. troops, precisely what Mao Zedong's China sought to forestall more than 66 years ago. Fear of North Korean missile and nuclear capabilities caused the ROK to agree last year to participate in America's anti-missile system known as THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense). Beijing denounced the decision, fearing that the program also would be directed against China. So Beijing now is targeting commercial and cultural ties between the two countries. China has prohibited package tours to the South. Beijing also has blocked streaming of ROK television shows and K-pop music videos in China. Concerts by South Korean pop groups and fan meets by television stars have been cancelled. Chinese consumers are organizing online to boycott cosmetics from the South. Chinese hackers have attacked websites for the Lotte Group, which sold land to the South Korean government for deployment of THAAD. Such activities, however, won't change Seoul's policy. Certainly PRC officials would not surrender to a similar campaign against Beijing. Indeed, China's aggressive response is particularly myopic given politics in the South. If President Park Geun-hye is ousted in ongoing impeachment proceedings, early presidential elections may bring the left-wing opposition to power. Then South Korea might take a more accommodating position the PRC. Moreover, by interfering with ROK cultural exports Beijing is targeting the part of the South Korean population most likely to want a closer relationship with the PRC. Younger ROK generations came of age as China expanded its role in the South. At the popular level the PRC is gaining on America. However, by lashing out at South Koreans of all sortswhat do K-pop stars have to do with missile defense?Beijing reminds its potential friends that it remains an authoritarian state which subjugates individual choice to political ends. Cutting off group tours imposes an economic price on the ROK, but on average South Koreans, not government officials. In contrast, flooding the South with Chinese tourists would be more likely to win hearts and minds for the PRC. Ironically, in launching its economic campaign Beijing is effectively doing Washington's bidding. U.S. policymakers long have worried about the PRC's economic draw on the South. Now China is voluntarily curbing those ties. Ultimately the problem is North Korea. Beijing, Seoul, and Washington should develop a concerted approach to promote denuclearization in the Northproviding the latter a greater sense of security while simultaneously applying greater pressure. It's the only strategy likely to yield positive results. In the meantime, the PRC should rethink its self-defeating strategy of trashing its new friend. China and South Korea should cooperate to promote regional stability and peace. The sooner they start working together, the better. Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World" and co-author of "The Korean Conundrum: America's Troubled Relationship with North and South Korea." Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: Kazakhstans Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty JSC delivered a regular batch of locomotives to Azerbaijan, the Kazakh TV channel reported Mar. 13. Ten new Kazakh locomotives are already running along Azerbaijan railways, said the report. Modern diesel locomotives of the fifth generation of the Evolution series differ from their predecessors in their technological characteristics. In addition, these locomotives are more efficient by 30-35 percent. The locomotives operating system is controlled by the on-board computer. The engine capacity of 4,600 horsepower makes locomotives more endurable, reported the TV channel citing Akim Aslanov, chief of Locomotive Service of Railways of Azerbaijan CJSC. Currently, Kazakhstans diesel locomotives are already successfully operated on the railways of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Turkmenistan. According to experts of Azerbaijani railways, depending on the increase in cargo traffic along the North-South route, the country can purchase additional diesel locomotives from Kazakhstan. There is also an agreement within which Azerbaijan is going to purchase electric locomotives from Kazakhstan. By Hong Choong-bum Hardly a day goes by in which the general readers do not get disappointed by news of the paralyzed Korean economy and its bad export situation, which are enough to make sane men drink Soju if taken seriously. If Korea continues to play the international marketing game and survive the competition, something must be done. I've had some experience of procuring very sophisticated machines from various suppliers. Machinists spend a lot of hours in pouring over blueprints, inspecting their cutting tools, carefully calibrating inspection equipment and cautiously loading parts onto and off of their machines. It is quite common to hold tolerances to as little as +/- 0.001. Proficient machinists continue to earn a living doing such, getting the good credits; bad ones end up being an incompetent machinist in the market. In the world of manufacturing business, Japanese quality is still rarely questioned. I worked with many Japanese engineers. No one can help but notice that precision and pride of craftsmanship, which are the very essence of quality, are things which most Japanese do not make any concession on in nearly every aspect of their lives. Not only do machinists take care of every single piece of equipment in their factories, but even the high school students working at the franchise stores will take utmost care to handle your order perfectly. In Japan, it is actually possible to navigate Shinjuku and Shibuya stations, which are among the most crowed in the world, and not ever bump into a single person. Anyone staying in Korea for more than a couple of days soon would experience a different environment. Walking down main streets and strolling subways of Korea give a clue. One quickly notices people impatiently rushing and pushing their way around, bus and truck drivers slamming and hooting cars in sight. Everyone is so busy and rushing. But for a country that still wants to be seriously considered as an advanced and sophisticated manufacturer of world-class products in the global market, the results, sometimes, can be catastrophic. The same people that bump and push their way around their environment in a reckless way are the same people that are bumping and pushing themselves around factory floors, crashing machines, breaking cutting tools and dropping sensitive inspection equipment. The same people that are obsessed with the thought that the things should be getting done in a rapid way to meet the targeted timeline are the same people that made the faulty Galaxy Note 7 smart phone. As you know, already smarter consumers over the world are not easily fooled, nor are they forgiving If Korea still continues to take their share in the cutthroat global export market business, the Korean population need to get back to the basic thing- sense of putting quality ahead of anything and improve their personal quality standard in every aspect of their daily work. I believe that this will go a long way to reigniting the nation's export business engine. Hong Choong-bum is a resident of Seoul. Write to calista21@naver.com. The Constitutional Court's ruling to remove President Park Geun-hye from office has cleared political uncertainly, but the ailing Korean economy looks set to struggle with major threats. All players need to do their best to contain the possible economic upheaval amid the two-month leadership vacuum in the run-up to the next presidential election. As the U.S. Federal Reserve is likely to raise its key rate this week, the nation's household debt, which surpassed 1,300 trillion won late last year, might serve to trigger an economic debacle. The economy could also suffer greatly as Korea and other emerging economies might grapple with a massive exodus of foreign capital. The central Bank of Korea expects an increase of 1 percentage point in lending rates to put an additional interest burden of 8 trillion won a year on households. Concerns are also lingering over possible trade friction with the Trump administration. The United States, in particular, might designate Korea, which has been enjoying trade surpluses every year, as a currency manipulator in April. This will certainly deal a fatal blow to Korea Inc., which relies heavily on trade. China is ramping up its retaliatory measures in response to Seoul's decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system. A survey of content, tourism and retail businesses last week found that nearly 90 percent are already suffering or would suffer from the fallout of China's retaliation. Corporate investment and hiring remain weak as companies await the new government's policy direction. Fortunately, exports are recovering, but there is no indication yet that consumer sentiment is. The financial market remained calm after the impeachment ruling, but jitters might erupt at any time amid a plethora of populist pledges by presidential contenders. The role of acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is more important than ever. He has to devote himself to improving people's livelihoods and revitalizing the economy in cooperation with political parties until the next administration is launched in May. Deputy Prime Minister and Strategy and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho should faithfully fulfill his duty as the economic control tower so that the public can lead a normal life. He must give top priority to containing external risks and bolstering domestic demand. By Andrew Salmon So, Park Geun-hye's impeachment has been upheld. What is the fallen president thinking? Perhaps, "Dammit! Why didn't I employ a chaebol legal team?" Let's backtrack. Friday's decision by the Constitutional Court has been greeted with explosions of joy and thunderstorms of back slaps. The court ruling was the culmination of people-power protests that were notable both for their extreme civility and their extraordinary size. The result looks like a boost for democracy, a system that pushes power down to the people. So forgive me for sounding like a curmudgeon if I point to some downsides. The mass mobilization of anti-Park protesters sparked the (belated) mobilization of fiercely partisan pro-Park protesters. Now, Korea is divided along broad political/demographic lines, highly energized and highly mobilized. Heading into an election campaign, this combination could prove combustible. And if we step back and peruse the big picture, the impeachment of Park is not as dramatic a development for Korean democracy it may appear to be. In fact, it looks more like the natural progression of a long-term trend. How so? Every single late-term president of Korea is disempowered in the "lame duck" period of his/her administration, when the public turns against him/her. Subsequently, every single post-term Korean president - and/or his/her family - faces legal entanglements. Seen through this prism, the fact that Park was disempowered and legally embattled in the last ten months of her term in office is merely an intensification of this long-term paradigm; the five-month drama of "Choigate" simply accelerated her departure and punishment. This is troubling. As I pointed out in this column in 2012, the presidency is the worst job in Korea. The record of presidents' unhappy endings suggests that the position is either attracting the wrong people or corrupting the right people. Alternatively, it suggests that Koreans' expectations of their presidents are unrealistic, or that public patience for a five-year term is lacking. Still, I think it is an overall plus that Korean presidents are held to account. Conversely, the most entrenched elites in Korean society are not. Presidents are not the most powerful people in the republic, I would argue; they are restrained by checks and balances, and restricted to a single term. The most powerful people are those who wield the largest sums ("money is power"). The leadership of this shadowy elite is legally unassailable, inherited within the family and unlimited in term. I speak of course, of chaebol "royal families." Even when convicted in scandals worth far more than the sums involved in "Choigate," they face light or suspended sentences and receive pardons and/or early releases from jail. Unlike presidents, who depart for good, they customarily return to head their corporations. The leading chaebol prince is currently behind bars - but on past form, it seems unlikely he will stay long, or that he will be prevented from returning to head the nation's largest company. That corporate, though founded by his grandfather, is publically listed, with a considerable portion of shares owned by the National Pension Service - i.e. the Korean people. For "Hell Joseon" to be a fair society, justice must apply to all. Likewise, all leaders must be accountable - be they from politics or business. Will the public be satiated with the downfall of Park and crony Choi Soon-sil? Or will their fury extend to related parties? The Constitutional Court's key ruling was that Park enabled Choi to interfere in state affairs and empowered her relations with big business. The latter finding implicates chaebol in the impeachment scandal, for although the court did not mention it (which may be telling) - corruption is a two-way street. And chaebols' records on it are long. The leading politician in the land has been harshly sanctioned - but punishment for presidents is commonplace. Punishment for chaebol royalty is not. Will this change? If so, then Choigate could be a truly transformative landmark for Korea, rather than merely an acceleration of a long-term trend of presidential disgraces. If not, the changes that many have been exuberantly extolling since the impeachment may prove overstated. Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk. By Lee Min-hyung Samsung Electronics' mobile unit hopes to bounce back this year, with expectations running high over its upcoming flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone, featured with a bezel-less and larger display. The new premium handset will make its debut Mar. 29 to fill the void left by the global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 over a series of battery fires late last year. Before launching the device, the Seoul-based company is gaining the spotlight here and abroad thanks to growing attention on the specifications of the new smartphone. The company has yet to confirm any specific features of the new Galaxy device, but a series of specifications have been leaked in recent months. In particular, the company is known to have focused on improving and enlarging the display size, in an apparent bid to meet growing demand for large-size smartphones combined with a minimized handset size. Earlier this month, Samsung was confirmed to have filed a trademark for an "infinity display" to be featured in the new Galaxy device, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The infinity display refers to an edge-to-edge display with an almost bezel-less design. According to multiple reports, the company is expected to launch two flagship devices tentatively named the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus equipped with 5.8- and 6.2-inch displays. "The larger and wider screen is not aimed at maximizing revenue, as this is the first time for Samsung to manufacture the unprecedented organic light-emitting-diode (OLED) display size," a company official said. "If revenue maximization had been the core strategy for Samsung, the firm would have opted for the existing smaller display size, which does not require a big investment." Another feature will be its much-hyped artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistant, Bixby, which came in partnership with its recently acquired AI software firm Viv Labs. Late last month, Samsung Electronics Vice President Rhee In-jong explained the move came as part of efforts to build what it calls an open AI platform where the internet of things (IoT) can be interconnected through voice control. The G8 is also expected to come with iris-scanning security software, which was unveiled for the first time in Samsung's ill-fated Note 7. In mid-August, Samsung wowed customers by equipping the scrapped device with the world's first iris scanner, which the firm said comes with higher security levels, compared to the existing fingerprint handset unlocking system. The company, however, will not adopt dual camera modules for the S8, and instead, focus more on generating a high-end, sleek design with the immersive display feature. At this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC), LG Electronics and emerging Chinese counterparts picked the improved dual camera functions as a key marking point for their new smartphones. "Dual cameras have been one of the basic features for LG and other Chinese handset makers at the MWC 2017, but Samsung is unlikely to follow the same path," said Park Gang-ho, an analyst at Daishin Securities. "The firm will instead focus on form factor changes with the bezel-less design and edge-to-edge flexible OLED displays." By Lee Hyo-sik Kumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo has been at odds with the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and other creditors of Kumho Tire over the terms of his right to buy back Korea's second-largest tire maker. Park has been calling on the creditors to allow him to form a consortium with other corporate entities to take back control of Kumho Tire, saying that he cannot raise nearly 1 trillion won as an individual to purchase a 42.1 percent stake in the tire maker. The Kumho chief said he would give up his buyback right unless creditors change their mind, claiming that Kumho Tire would suffer if Double Star Tires, a mid-tier Chinese tire maker, controls the firm. However, the KDB, headed by Chairman Lee Dong-geol, has refused to permit Park to transfer the right to a third party, saying that he has to acquire the 42.1 percent stake as an individual. On Monday, the KDB and seven other banks signed a stock purchase agreement (SPA) with Double Star, which made an offer to buy the Kumho Tire stake for 955 billion won ($840 million). They plan to inform the Kumho chairman of the sales price and other conditions. Park will then have to let creditors know within 30 days whether he will pay a higher price or give up his right to buy the company back. "At this point, we cannot change the rules," a KDB official said. "We have always said Kumho chairman can set up a private company and borrow money from financial investors to buy the Kumho Tire stake. But he cannot buy the stake through a third party or mobilize Asiana Airlines and other group units." However, Kumho Asiana has been pressing the KDB and other creditors to allow Park to establish a consortium so that he can more easily raise the 955 billion won. "It would be quite a huge financial burden if the chairman borrows money from financial investors," said Yoon Byong-chul, Kumho Asiana Group's chief financial officer (CFO). "So, Park needs to form a consortium with strategic partners. If he cannot do so, he will give up his buyback right." The Kumho chief reportedly has to pay a higher interest and accept other unfavorable conditions if he borrows money from banks, brokerages and other financial institutions. This is why he has been trying to draw funds from business partners and other corporate entities that are willing to lend him money on more favorable terms. Kumho Asiana has not received any official response from the KDB, concerning its request, according to Yoon, who said the bank should treat everyone equally. "While allowing Double Star to form a consortium with five other companies for the acquisition of Kumho Tire, the creditors refuse to allow Park to do the same. This is not fair," the CFO said. "If the chairman is allowed to establish a consortium, he can easily raise the necessary funds. In addition, Kumho Tire will be better off if it continues to remain part of the Kumho Asiana Group." The KDB and other banks acquired their stake in a debt-for-equity swap in 2010 when Kumho Asiana suffered a severe liquidity shortage. They then signed an agreement to negotiate first with Park when unloading their stake. Besides four plants in China, Kumho Tire operates three plants in Korea and one each in Vietnam and the United States. In 2016, the company had 2.95 trillion won in sales and posted a 120 billion won operating profit. Hyundai Engineering CEO Sung Sang-rok, right, and AHDAF CEO Asghar Arefi hold contracts after signing an agreement in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, for the construction of a second phase petrol refining complex at the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf. / Courtesy of Hyundai Engineering By Park Jae-hyuk Hyundai Engineering Co. (HEC) has clinched a 3.8 trillion won ($3.2 billion) project in Iran, which is the largest deal ever for a Korean construction company operating in the Middle East country. According to the company, Monday, its CEO Sung Sang-rok signed an agreement in Tehran, Sunday, with CEO Asghar Arefi of AHDAF, a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), for constructing the second phase of the Kangan Petro Refining Complex project at the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf. It was HEC's first deal in Iran after the company jointly constructed the fourth and fifth phases of gas treatment facilities there in 2005 with Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) which participates in the latest project as well. HEC has also become Korea's first big constructor to sign a deal with Iran, after the lifting of economic sanctions on the country last year. Since then, the government has backed the company, while policy finance institutions in Korea have guaranteed financial support. HEC itself has also bolstered its friendship with organizations and affiliates in Iran since August 2015. The company sent its employees to Iran to visit those affiliates every day even before the lifting of sanctions. Therefore, HEC could gain an advantage over its rivals in the country with great economic potential. Iran has the world's largest amount of natural gas and the fourth largest amount of crude oil. The South Pars field, where HEC will expand the size of a refining complex, is known as the biggest gas field in the world. For about 48 months, HEC will build facilities there for producing 400,000 tons of heavy polyethylene and 350,000 tons of light polyethylene a year. "We tried our best to win the deal," a HEC official said. "Using our technology and human resources, we will work hard to enhance our competitiveness and to get additional orders." By Park Jae-hyuk SK Chairman Chey Tae-won Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin After the ruling on former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment last Friday, all eyes are on SK and Lotte groups which the Constitutional Court identified as victims that suffered the infringement of their property and management rights. In particular, whether or not the prosecution will let the two group's chairmen go abroad is on people's minds. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin have been banned from overseas travel since last December over their alleged connections with the scandal involving Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil. The independent counsel at that time suspected the two chairmen had donated billions of won to the scandal-ridden Mir and K-Sports foundations to receive business favors, such as licenses to run duty free shops. The two chaebol do not overtly complain but they seem to facing problems in their overseas businesses because the independent counsel turned its attention to their chiefs. Industry officials said SK Group especially suffers setbacks in China. Chey, who had visited the country every month before the travel ban, is uncertain about attending the Boao Forum next week, which is often referred to as the Asian World Economic Forum. Chey has proactively sought business and networking opportunities at such events in China. Along the same lines, pessimistic views have also been aroused over SK Innovation's efforts to acquire 50 percent stakes in Chinese chemical company Shanghai Secco as Chey is stranded in Korea. "Our company's global business has yet to face specific damages," an SK Group spokesman said. "But it is clear we will face troubles in the long run, if the travel ban imposed on our chairman continues." Things might be worse for Lotte Group Chairman Shin. The conglomerate experiences a crisis in its Chinese venture after it provided land for the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here. Because of China's retaliation centered on the nation's fifth-largest conglomerate, Lotte is expected to suffer more than 50 billion won ($43.5 million) in sales losses, as more than half of Lotte Mart outlets operating in China have been temporarily closed. Its chocolate factory, which was jointly established by the U.S. confectionary giant Hershey, has also been ordered by Chinese authorities to suspend operations. Lotte hoped its chairman acquainted with the Chinese authorities would help address the problem through face-to-face meetings, but he cannot do so due to the travel ban. "We currently have no idea about lifting of our chairman's travel ban," a Lotte Group spokesman said. "Shin has been unable to take care of the management of the overseas affiliates." According to the immigration control law, the government can ban suspected criminals from traveling overseas for a month and can extend the period if necessary. The independent counsel delegated the authority to the prosecutors. The public is split into two opposing camps on the issue. Some observers said the prosecutors should lift the bans imposed on the tycoons who are unlikely to flee from justice. However, opponents counter that the conglomerates are suspected of offering bribes to the former President. Members of the People's Liberation Marine Corps take part in training. The role of the marines has traditionally been limited to coastal defence, but an expanded size could see them deployed in greater numbers farther afield. PLA will increase fighting force to 100,000 personnel, allowing for deployment in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, military insiders say By Minnie Chan China plans to increase the size of its marine corps from about 20,000 to 100,000 personnel to protect the nation's maritime lifelines and its growing interests overseas, military insiders and experts have said. Some members would be stationed at ports China operates in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, they said. The expanded corps is part of a wider push to refocus the world's largest army away from winning a land war based on sheer numbers and towards meeting a range of security scenarios using highly specialised units. Towards that end, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reducing the size of the People's Liberation Army by 300,000, with nearly all of the cuts coming from the land forces. Military insiders told the South China Morning Post that two brigades of special combat soldiers had already been moved to the marines, nearly doubling its size to 20,000, and more brigades would be added. "The PLA marines will be increased to 100,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfil new missions of our country," one source said, adding the size of the navy would also grow 15 per cent. Its current size is estimated at 235,000 personnel. Liu Xiaojiang, a former navy political commissar, said the maritime force would take on an increasingly central role in the military. "China is a maritime country and as we defend our maritime rights and develop our interests, the status of the navy will be more important," Liu told reporters on the sidelines of the annual Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on March 5. Traditionally, marines have mostly operated only in China's costal areas, as their role was limited by their relatively small numbers and basic equipment, said Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie. But a bigger corps could be deployed much farther afield as the navy takes on more challenges. "Besides its original missions of a possible war with Taiwan, maritime defence in the East and South China seas, it's also forseeable that the PLA Navy's mission will expand overseas, including protection of China's national security in the Korean peninsula, the country's maritime lifelines, as well as offshore supply deports like in Djibouti and Gwadar port in Pakistan," Li said. "However, the current size of the marines and its equipment are very limited and not enough to cope with the upcoming new challenges." China is constructing a naval base in Djibouti to provide what it calls logistical support in one of the world's busiest waterways. The defence ministry said in a statement last year that the facility was mostly for resupply purposes for anti-piracy, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. Former colonial power France and the United States also maintain sizeable bases in Djibouti, with the latter's Camp Lemonnier home to more than 4,000 personnel. China has not said how many people its base can accommodate, although some media reports have put the figure as high as 10,000. Gwadar port is a deep sea port next to the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil route in and out of the Persian gulf, built with Chinese funding and operated by mainland firms. Although the port is not home to any PLA installation, navy ships are expected to dock at the facility in the near future. Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said an expanded marine corps could help maintain security for China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative. The plan calls for new trade and investment links stretching from Southeast Asia to eastern Europe, and will likely see Chinese companies as well as their workers operating in high-risk areas such as Pakistan and Afghanistan The marines were established in the 1950s in the aftermath of the civil war between China's Communists and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists who fled to Taiwan. For decades, Taiwan had the second-largest marine force in the world, after the United States, but its stature began to decline in the 1990s when Beijing began pursuing claims in the South China Sea. A woman walks past the logo of Google in front of its headquarters in Beijing in 2011. Google has been keen to return to China since it pulled out in 2010. If negotiations go through, Google Scholar may be search giant's first service to re-enter world's biggest internet market, Chinese lawmaker reveals By Nectar Gan Google is still in talks with Beijing over its plans to return to the mainland Chinese market, according to a senior Chinese lawmaker and former top official with knowledge of the negotiations. "China has been in touch with Google through various channels. Last year, leaders of our country's important department had further communication with Google," said Liu Binjie, a standing committee member of the National People's Congress and former head of the General Administration of Press and Publication. Google Scholar, a search engine for scholarly literature, was among the services on Beijing's priority list for re-entry, according to Liu, who was speaking to the Sunday Morning Post on the sidelines of the China's annual plenary sessions in Beijing on Friday. There was hope that a part of Google's business would return to China first, gradually followed by others, the lawmaker said. "The academic sector will be the first to get through," Liu said. "China's focus is on [making] academic progress, such as academic exchanges as well as [exchanges in] science and culture, instead of news, information or politics." Other Google functions under negotiation included "service functions that do not involve [politically] sensitive information," according to the lawmaker. But no timetable had yet been set for Google's return, he said. Since Google pulled its search engine out of mainland China in 2010 after a bitter spat with Beijing over its strict censorship rules, the internet giant has from time to time expressed its desire to venture back into the world's biggest internet market. China has 721 million users and the number is still growing. In 2015, Alphabet executive chairman Eric Schmidt told a tech conference in Beijing that Google was in constant dialogue with Beijing as it sought to "serve the whole of China". Alphabet is Google's parent company. "China's principle is that you have to operate according to Chinese law if you want to enter the Chinese market," Liu said. "But if [Google] goes by Chinese rules, it would harm its global operation rules and [its image as] a fair, open platform. Some agreements have yet to be reached in this aspect." The lawmaker added that commerce regulators were involved in the talks, which had been ongoing since 2014. A Ministry of Commerce spokesman said he did not know about the matter and that the ministry was "not the department in charge". Google did not respond to requests for comment. Last month, US-based technology news outlet The Information reported that Google was in talks NetEase, China's second-biggest online games operator, to form a venture to launch its Google Play application store in the country. The report cited people familiar with the discussions. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 Trend: The Netherlands attaches importance to construction of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), said the Dutch Ambassador to Azerbaijan Onno Kervers. The ambassador made the remarks during his meeting with a delegation led by President of the Caspian Energy International Media Group Natalya Aliyeva. The Netherlands attaches importance to construction of the SGC [Southern Gas Corridor], although it is not a direct beneficiary of it. But it bears importance in a political and strategic sense because it means that Europe and the Netherlands as part of it diversify their energy sources, Kervers noted. Issues concerning the participation of Dutch companies in the Caspian Energy Forum 2017, to be held in Baku on April 12, were discussed during the meeting. The ambassador stressed the importance of economic reforms implemented in the country and the significance of participation of European investors in diversification of economy and regional projects of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and the Netherlands have established a broad economic, trade and investment cooperation. Considering different international initiatives and the location of Azerbaijan, the Baku International Sea Trade Port is an interesting venture, said Kervers. We have the North-South Transport Corridor planned from Saint-Petersburg to Mumbai and if we look at the map the route will also cross this region. Thus, development and improvement of the infrastructure, as well as a free trade zone on the Caspian Sea can certainly help in this respect. And of course, in addition to the North-South route, there is also an East-West route, a new Silk Way, or as our Chinese friends call it One Belt One Route. It provides broad opportunities. Kervers said adoption of the Road Map in December 2016 and the plans to diversify the economy of Azerbaijan very well combine with what the Netherlands aspires to achieve in its cooperation with Azerbaijan, because the first priority is agriculture where the two countries have set contacts for deeper cooperation. This also involves the use of Dutch technology and know-how cooperation with Dutch companies, he said. All efforts are being focused on achievement of these goals, added Kervers. Lee Min Ho is a hot topic not only for his acting but also for his love life with Bae Suzy. Yet, he has a generous side of him and he is really kind donating some money to people in need. Recently, he was spotted to donate large sum of money to UNICEF. Having many people living in poverty, there are many artists donate their money to help them. It is not only Lee Min Ho, other artists like Xiumin, Roy Kim, Bae Suzy, and many more also donate some money as part of charity. According to AllKpop, Lee Min Ho donated $21,600 to UNICEF to deliver 69 water purifiers and 138 emergency kits for children around the world. It was for celebrating the upcoming World Water Day on March 22. It was also the second time of him donating to UNICEF on Water Day. Previously, he donated #43,000 to supply clean water for 52 children. Donating for UNICEF is not only done on World Water Day. He has been doing it since 2009 and thus his name has been added to "UNICEF Honors Club." Lee Min Ho is generous not only for UNICEF. He also donated sum money to the victims of domestic violence. Reported by KoreaPortal, he donated $44,000 through "PROMIZ."Lee Min Ho also stated that he encouraged his fans to donate too because donation wasn't only for rich people and could be done even with the smallest amount. Meanwhile, Lee Min Ho will soon enlist for military service this year. After revealing dating Suzy, fans predicted he would soon propose her, but it didn't happen since both were busy with their schedule. Even Suzy stated that they were only dating once a month. Having good career in acting, pretty girlfriend, and generous heart, Lee Min Ho is expected to have great life ahead by fans. He is sure a nice person inside and outside. Read Next: BTS Got Another Record Having The Most Sold-Out Albums In Only A Month Lee Dong Gun was making a shock after revealing breaking up with T-ARA's Jiyeon and just short after that revealing to date his co-lead in "The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop" Jo Yoon Hee. Some fans were taking side to Jiyeon but many others congratulated him for dating Yoon Hee. Fans were happy seeing them both as a couple. Recently, he was spotted together with his new girlfriend for the first time after the dating news. It was reported by AllKpop that Lee Dong Gun was spotted to sit next to Jo Yoon Hee on the group photo from a team dinner which was shared by comedian Kim Young Hee on March 10. The two confirmed that they were dating last February and they confessed that it happened after finishing the drama. Both smiled nicely on the picture. Many people have predicted that both would date as the chemistry in their drama was really good. Also, once Jiyeon said that Lee Dong Gun was a boring person. Having the speculation, fans finally knew that both started to date. Lee Dong Gun once became the guest on the radio show hosted by Jo Yoon Hee. Having Lee Dong Gun sitting next to Yoon Hee for the team dinner of radio show, it showed his support for her. Previously, reported by Kpopmap, both Lee Dong Gun and Jo Yoon Hee didn't really show their feeling and more likely to hide it although they have announced their relationship. They were being careful because of the fresh split of Lee Dong Gun and Jiyeon. Also, they kept it a secret during the drama airing to not ruin the ratings. Coming up to public together, their relationship seems to get stronger. When they were asked about marriage, the representatives said that it was too early. Thus, fans just wish the best for their relationship. Read Next: New Stills For 'Strong Woman Do Bong Soon.' Park Bo Young Was Smiling At Ji Soo Constantly Baku, Azerbaijan, March 13 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is not an alternative to any project, but rather a complementary one, said TANAP CEO Saltuk Duzyol in an interview with Al Jazeera. He pointed out that 65 percent of the project has already been completed. Regarding the impact of Turkish Stream and TANAP projects to each other, Duzyol recalled that all agreements on TANAP have already been signed. Turkish Streams creating competition for us is out of question, said the CEO. TANAP project has never been considered as an alternative or a rival to any other project, he said, adding that it is not a rival to Russian or other gas sources. The Southern Gas Corridor project, including TANAP, is supported by the West and this fact significantly increases the chances for successful implementation of this project, said Duzyol, adding that the ongoing political turbulence in the world doesnt pose a big risk to such megaprojects. TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The length of TANAP is 1,800 kilometers with the initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters. Around six billion cubic meters of the gas will be delivered to Turkey and the remaining volume will be supplied to Europe. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020. TANAP shareholders are Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR (58 percent), BOTAS (30 percent) and BP (12 percent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, March 13 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Russia could lift the oil export duty in 2022-2025, RIA Novosti quoted the countrys Finance Minister Anton Siluanov as saying March 13. He pointed out that currently, the government is discussing the possibility of setting the oil export duty to zero with gradual transfer of the burden to internal taxation. The Finance Ministry is holding relevant consultations with the Ministry of Energy, Siluanov added. Russia was the world's largest producer of crude oil including lease condensate and the third-largest producer of petroleum and other liquids (after Saudi Arabia and the US) in 2015, with average liquids production of 11 million barrels per day (b/d), according to the data of the US Energy Information Administration. Russia's proved oil reserves were 80 billion barrels as of January 2016, according to the Oil and Gas Journal. Most of Russia's reserves are located in West Siberia, between the Ural Mountains and the Central Siberian Plateau, and in the Urals-Volga region, extending into the Caspian Sea. In 2015, Russia produced an estimated 11.03 million b/d of petroleum and other liquids (of which 10.25 million b/d was crude oil including lease condensate), and it consumed about 3.5 million b/d. Russia exported more than 7 million b/d in 2015, including roughly 5 million b/d of crude oil and the remainder in products and other liquids. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: An automatic gas distribution station with a capacity of 120,000 m3 per hour was built in the city of Zharkent in Almaty Region, Kazakhstan. Moreover, a new gas pipeline leg connected the automatic gas distribution station to the Kazakhstan-China main pipeline. The projects were realized by Kazakh national gas operator KazTransGas in cooperation with private investor APL Construction, KazTransGas said in a message March 13. The gas distribution station and new gas pipeline will allow supplying gas to over 40,000 residents of the city and 160 industrial and municipal facilities. Moreover, natural gas will be supplied to the special economic zone Khorgos-East Gate. In the future, this infrastructure will be used for gas supplies to other settlements of the Almaty Region as well. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Mar. 13 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Turkmenistan plans to apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include Akhal-Teke horses in the World Heritage List, the Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary state news service reported Mar. 13. The report says that Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has given instructions to prepare a catalog of the Akhal-Teke horses with the prospect of their international registration. Turkmenistan created an International Association of Akhal-Teke Breeding (MAAK) with its headquarters in Ashgabat. There are equestrian complexes throughout the country and Turkmenistan annually celebrates the holiday of a Turkmen horse, to which the international beauty contest of Akhal-Teke horses is timed. PRESS RELEASE Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Plan To Blockade Russian Coal Beginning April 2 March 11, 2017 (EIRNS)The Ukrainian neo-Nazis have set a date of April 2 for blocking railway lines between Ukraine and Russia, reports TASS. "We give the government time till April 2 to revise its policy concerning trade with the aggressor country. Our lookout points that have been set up at all railway cross points with Russia will begin an active phase of blockade from April 2," Anatoly Vinogrodsky, a member of the so-called Donbass battalion which coordinates actions of the radicals, said. "First of all, we will stop all coal coming from Russia," he said. Theres already not enough coal in Ukraine, because of the blockade of the two breakaway republics, so the neo-Nazis are, therefore, proposing to worsen the coal shortages in Ukraine for their neo-Nazi purposes of fully taking over the government. PRESS RELEASE British Royal Think Tank Advocates Extending War Front against Russia To Include the Northern Atlantic March 12, 2017 (EIRNS)The London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has published a new report, authored by two American former NATO commanders, asserting that NATO must take steps in the North Atlantic that are comparable to and in support of NATOs actions in eastern Europe. Authored by former NATO commanders U.S. Adm. James Stavridis (ret.) and U.S. Gen. Philip Breedlove (ret.), the report claims that there is a growing Russian threat in the northern Atlantic, which has become the testing area for Russias increasingly sophisticated submarines and aircraft, and therefore plays an important part in Russian military strategic calculations which could deny NATO members freedom of maneuver at sea. Breedlove noted that NATO has overlooked the North Atlantic maritime area, and has instead focused on other areas, including Afghanistan, tensions in Ukraine and an alliance effort during the past two and half years to build up land forces along its eastern borders with Russia. In response to the provocative report, Nikolai Topornin, an associate professor of European Law at the Russian Foreign Ministrys Moscow State Institute of International Relations, told Radio Sputnik, referring to Breedlove: "All work is paid for, and this report is no exception. How objective it is and the competency of the person who prepared it is another issue. Its one thing if he has tried to give an objective picture, but if he wanted to spread some fear and think up some stories, thats quite another and it seems to me that in this case, its most likely the second one." "The man has simply set himself the task of telling everyone that Russia was violating some kind of strategic standards, is strengthening its military presence, including naval and may constitute some kind of threat," Topornin told Radio Sputnik. Jane Austens own life may have ended more tragically than the characters in her comedies of manners. Sandra Tuppen, lead curator of Modern Archives and Manuscripts 1601-1850 at the British Library, proposes in a blog post that the Victorian novelist who penned Emma and Pride and Prejudice may have died of arsenic poisoning. After a test determined that a trio of spectacles found in Austens writing desk varied in strength, London-based optometrist professor Simon Barnard suggested that arsenic poisoning, which causes cataracts, may have been to blame. Then again, maybe not. There is no trace of arsenic itself among Austens belongings. The evidence is shaky, and at the very least a bit of a stretch. Advertisement Barnard is careful to note other possible reasons for Austens various prescriptions, including using each pair for different activities such as writing and embroidery. Furthermore, as Dr. Cheryl Kinney, a national board member of the Jane Austen Society of North America told CNN, arsenic as a cause of cataracts seems far fetched. Most peoples eyesight degrades in their late 30s and early 40s due simply to age. In her own post, Tuppen allows another possibility. The glasses may have been bought off the shelf rather than prescribed, and there is no way to know whether Austen wore them at all. Still, aggrieved Austen fans taken in by the arsenic theory (doesnt it make for a better plot?) should note that Tuppen isnt suggesting anything nefarious. Arsenic was found in some 19th century English medicines and water supplies. If Austen was indeed poisoned, it was likely accidental. The spectacles are currently on display in the British Library, but just in case, dont get too close. agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy Fords luxury division Lincoln Motor Company will begin building upscale SUVs in China, after seeing sales in that country triple between 2015 and 2016. The company, which claims to be Chinas fastest-growing luxury automobile brand, will build the vehicles in partnership with local manufacturer Changan Automobile Group at a facility in the city of Chongqing. Ford reportedly sold more than 1 million vehicles in China last year. Advertisement The as-yet unnamed vehicle will be an all-new SUV, built in China exclusively for that market, a Lincoln representative said, and it will go on sale in late 2019. The company will also continue to export luxury vehicles to China, including its new Lincoln Continental luxury sedan. One of Chinas so-called big four automakers, Changan already partners with Ford on passenger cars for the Chinese market. The announcement comes on the heels of a very good year in China for Lincoln. The company reported sales of 32,558 vehicles in China in 2016, three times more than it sold in 2015. The momentum is both gratifying and encouraging, Kumar Galhotra, president of the Lincoln Motor Co., said in January. China has become a major market for U.S. and European automakers, particularly in the luxury segment. Other companies have also seen significant recent growth. GMs Cadillac division sold just over 100,000 vehicles in China last year, a 45% increase over 2015, the company said. Porsche, which sold 65,246 vehicles in China, reported 12% growth last year compared with the year before. charles.fleming@latimes.com @misterfleming The ugly incident at Vermonts Middlebury College on March 2, in which a discussion featuring social scientist Charles Murray was ended by hecklers and a professor was injured in the ensuing melee, predictably has triggered a torrent of think pieces about the surge of political intolerance on our college campuses and the desire of our students for emotional coddling. Paul Campos of the University of Colorado law school, who views such hand-wringing with appropriate skepticism, points us to a database of supposed attacks on free speech on campuses. He questions its sponsors assertion that the number of attempts by students, faculty, and others to prevent those with whom they disagreed from speaking on campus, which it terms disinvitations, set a record in 2016. The statistics were compiled by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, which describes its mission as battling infringements of 1st Amendment rights in academia. Campos is right. If anything, he doesnt go far enough in exposing the shallowness of the database and the exaggerations in its analysis. A close examination reveals that what it chronicles actually is, if anything, the vibrancy of free speech on campus, not its suppression. Lets take a look. Advertisement The increasing unwillingness to allow anyone on campus to hear ideas with which one disagrees poses a grave risk to students intellectual development. Ari Cohn, FIRE We can start with FIREs basic assertion that the 43 disinvitations it logged in 2016 set a record, besting the previous record of 34 set in 2013. (FIREs analysis cites 42, but evidently one more was added after it was posted Dec. 20.) The increasing unwillingness to allow anyone on campus to hear ideas with which one disagrees, intones Ari Cohn, director of FIREs Individual Rights Defense Program, poses a grave risk to students intellectual development. That would be a concern if Cohns premise were true. But his database doesnt make the case. The 43 incidents it logged last year represents a tiny fraction of all the speeches, panel discussions and debates on American campuses. As Campos notes, there are more than 4,000 universities in the U.S., each of which stages at least one commencement per year, and some more than one; speeches and debates featuring outsiders must occur tens of thousands of times a year at least. FIRE is honest about the main reason for the spike in 2016: protests against the right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, which account for 11 of the 43 incidents. Campos aptly describes Yiannopoulos as someone whose total lifetime contribution to actual intellectual debate...can be calculated as approximately zero. The 11 Yiannopoulos cases, however, resulted in his being actually disinvited from campus only four times. In one instance, it was Yiannopoulos himself who canceled the appearance, though FIRE says students canceled the event, featuring a speaker perceived as being bigoted. That points to the chief problem with the FIRE database: It treats every protest against a speaker as a blow against free speech, whether it resulted in a genuine disinvitation or not, whether the event was a commencement address or campus talk or panel discussion, and whether the protest came from on campus or off. Two of the 2016 disinvitations involved concert appearances by rapper Action Bronson, who was dropped from spring concerts at George Washington and Trinity College because some students find his lyrics about women offensive. Do concert gigs deserve the same treatment as, say, talks by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright? Its a stretch, at least. Then theres the question about what qualifies as a disinvitation. The details of protests or expressions of disapprovals of speakers show that many of these are not genuine attempts to prevent those with whom they disagreed from speaking on campus, as FIRE describes them. Consider a dual appearance of Vice President Joe Biden and former House Speaker John Boehner at Notre Dames commencement last year. FIRE lists these as the targets of disinvitations, but its only evidence is a letter from 89 students saying they were disappointed and discouraged by the invitations chiefly because of Bidens tolerance for abortion. But the students didnt call for the invitations to be rescinded or for Biden and Boehner to be prevented from speaking. When commencement arrived, they spoke, peaceably. Then theres the disinvitation of the physician Emily Wong as commencement speaker at Hampshire College in Massachusetts. FIRE asserts that this happened because Wong could not directly address student concerns such as transphobia, racial issues, and sexual violence, which makes the episode sound like the height of loony leftism. But thats a gross misrepresentation of what happened. The truth is that the college president, Jonathan Lash, had selected Wong on his own because the students choices, including writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bernie Sanders, werent available. After students and faculty protested Lashs high-handedness, he relented. The students, faculty and administration then settled on Reina Gossett, an activist writer and filmmaker whose life and work, according to Hampshires press release, engage the issues that have been raised by students around anti-blackness, transphobia, and sexual violence. FIRE took a phrase that applied to Gossett and turned it, inaccurately, into a critique of Wong. Moreover, not every protest results in a speakers invitation being withdrawn. Only 24 disinvitations in 2016 resulted in a true withdrawn invitation; in FIREs full database of 331 incidents going back to 2000, only 145 were true disinvitations. Is a protest that fails to result in a withdrawn invitation a blow against free speech? Hardly. In many if not most cases, its an expression of free speech. Or is an invitation to give a talk on campus supposed to be immune from comment once its tendered? The biggest flaw of the FIRE database is its conflation of commencements with campus talks and debates. As anyone knows who has spent even a semester on campus, one of these things is not like the others. Commencements account for about 40% of the incidents in FIREs database of 331 disinvitations dating back to 2000, and seven of the 43 cases last year. But the dirty little secret about commencement gigs is that theyre seldom about fostering the free exchange of ideas on campus. Often theyre just the oppositea chance for some luminary to utter the dreariest of forgettable platitudes to a somnolent audience baking under a hot sun on the Quad, in return for an honorary degree and a handsome stipend. We reported on this boondoggle in 2014, when a spate of protests against speakers such as Condoleezza Rice and International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde generated a flash flood of articles suggesting that academic freedom was in full retreat on the American campus. Commencement appearances are more than neutral invitations to discussion and debate. Implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, theyre endorsements of the speakers work and viewpoint by the university, which holds them up as exemplars of its academic principles. That makes commencement addresses entirely appropriate targets of discussion and, yes, protestespecially so when students tuition fees are deployed to pay the speakers to function as decorations. Rice, whose fee for the Rutgers commencement at which she was to speak was $35,000, recognized the distinction when she voluntarily withdrew, even if FIRE doesnt: Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families, she said. Rutgers invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time. What gets lost in FIREs simple-minded counting of disinvitations is the question of when a speakers views should be judged as disqualifications for him or her to appear on campus. Campos regards Holocaust deniers and Sandy Hook truthers as beyond the pale; some might add climate change deniers and promoters of the debunked vaccine-autism link in that hall of shame. Making the decision whether a speaker should be heard in the first place is not censorship, Campos writes, unless censorship means making distinctions between speech that is likely to advance the mission of the university and that which will not. And if making that distinction is illegitimate, then the intellectual life itself becomes totally impossible. Whether Charles Murray, co-author of the openly racist book The Bell Curve, has anything useful to add to the debate about race in America, human intelligence, or genetics is certainly debatable. Its fair to say that the hecklers veto, in which a speaker is shouted down, is inappropriate on campus, as is violence. But raising the question of whether a particular speaker should have been invited on campus in the first place is exactly the sort of debate that should happen even more often. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. President Trump wants to reform the immigration system to favor foreigners who have special skills that would contribute to the U.S. economy, breaking from a decades-long practice of giving preference to family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. But switching to a merit-based system like Canadas and Australias, which Trump endorsed in his speech to Congress recently, is fraught with political landmines and administrative hurdles. And there are serious questions about whether it will deliver the kinds of large-scale economic benefits that the president and his supporters envision. Advertisement While in many ways a patchwork, the U.S. immigration system is already attracting many of the best and brightest from around the globe. Trumps characterization of U.S. immigration as a flood of low-skilled migrants draining public finances is more a picture of the past. Amid shifting migration patterns and rising incomes globally, new arrivals to the U.S. are increasingly better educated and well off. In 2000, about one-fourth of all immigrants in the U.S. age 25 and over had at least a bachelors degree. By 2015 that rose to 31.4% nearly the same rate as people born in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau. The percentage of immigrants with graduate degrees now exceeds those of native-born Americans. After waves of immigration from Europe and then Mexico and Central America, the new arrivals to the U.S. are increasingly from Asia, largely India and China, the two most populous and fastest-growing major economies in the world. In fiscal 2016, about half of all family-based green cards went to those from Asia, and four out of five who were admitted with employment certifications originated from there. Now many are waiting to bring in their parents and siblings. The larger inflows from Asias growing affluent class partly explains the increase in immigrants education and skill levels and that trend is likely to continue even without converting to a merit-based system, which Giovanni Peri, a specialist in international migration economics at UC Davis, sees more as a maneuver aimed at drastically cutting immigration. The truth is that the U.S. has had the highly skilled coming in, and in very large numbers, throughout its history and the last 15 years in particular, Peri said. Its true that theres a much larger share of low-skilled immigrants without a high school diploma as compared to the overall population. And research has shown their presence can have a harmful, short-term effect on U.S.-born low-skilled workers. But in the long run, experts widely agree that greater immigration provides a net economic benefit to the U.S., lowering the cost of goods and services as well as enlarging the labor and consumer base. Over the past decade, immigrants have accounted for nearly 60% of the increase in the U.S. workforce, offsetting the shrinking growth from an aging American population, low birthrates and declining labor participation from prime-age men. An expanding labor force is a key part of economic growth. In a report last week, the Pew Research Center estimated that, assuming current levels and demographics of immigration, the number of people 25 to 64 years old in the U.S. would grow by 10 million between 2015 and 2035. Without them and their children, the working-age population would fall by almost 8 million in 20 years. Theres no economic rationale for lowering it, said Pia Orrenius, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, referring to the immigration level. Angus Deaton, the Princeton University professor and 2015 Nobel laureate in economics, said low-skilled immigration sometimes yields unexpected benefits. When I think about children of immigrants, parents were not particularly skilled but they had a really deep belief in education, Deaton, himself an immigrant from Scotland, said in an interview. And theyve come to the U.S. and have done amazing things, not just for themselves but for everyone else. Trump has said nothing precise about his desired immigration numbers, although in a major speech as a candidate last summer he called for keeping immigration levels, measured by population share, within historic norms language that groups have used when pointing to the 1960s and 70s, when the immigrant share of the nations population was about one out of every 20 people, rather than one in eight as it is today. Health secretary: Obamacare replacement will leave no one worse off financially Michael Short, Trumps head of legislative affairs, wouldnt comment about moving to a merit-based approach beyond stating that the president has expressed support for the idea. But Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has talked with Trump about immigration and seems to be in line with his thinking, joined Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) in introducing legislation that would not only reorient policy to favor the highly skilled, but also slash total immigration by 40% to 50%, largely by limiting family-sponsored visas and cutting refugee entrants in half. The U.S. admits roughly 1 million legal immigrants a year. About two-thirds are immediate family of citizens, or family members sponsored by permanent residents already in the U.S. Another 144,000, according to 2015 figures, gain permanent entry, or green cards, through employment certifications.The remainder come in as refugees or through asylum and a lottery program to promote diversity. Its basically the reverse in Canada, where a majority are admitted as economic migrants, based on a point system that includes education, fluency in English and work experience. Even so, getting in hasnt meant they were landing jobs in Canada. Many were taking a long time to find work, and others ended up toiling in occupations far below their skills. So prevalent was the problem last decade that it became something of a national crisis, said Jeffrey Reitz, an immigration expert at the University of Toronto. The result has been frequent tinkering of the point system it now gives heavy weight to immigrant applicants with job offers and constant monitoring of labor markets and the skills in demand. Even then, policy analysts wonder whether the merit system shouldnt be expanded to capture other subjective criteria, such as a persons ability to work in teams and entrepreneurial leanings. It just illustrates, in general, merit may be in the eye of the beholder, said Reitz. And whose eyes would make such determinations? For a point-based system to work in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration services, would need to have the authority to make adjustments as Canadian authorities do, said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration attorney and law professor at Cornell University. But, he noted, Congress traditionally has not been willing to give a lot of power and flexibility to the immigration agency. Other analysts worry that giving employers too much influence in selecting applicants on a merit-based system runs the risk of abuse in cherry-picking labor. The political challenges to overhauling immigration preferences and quotas are even more daunting. No one thinks immigration reform can happen without first resolving the conundrum involving the 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, although that number has been flat in recent years. Even if Congress can get past that, though, various groups are certain to fight vehemently against a lowering of quotas for family reunification. Demetrios Papademetriou, president emeritus of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, predicted the biggest uproar will come from Asian Americans. There will be pushback, said Papademetriou. The Asian American community has always argued that, You guys, you Europeans and Latinos, have been able to milk that system for decades, and now youre going to deny that to us. don.lee@latimes.com Follow me at @dleelatimes ALSO Fearful parents sign papers for friends to care for kids in case theyre deported The question is: Who are you rooting for? Two economists, two views on immigration Trump sees himself as a dealmaker and immigration reform as the ultimate deal to deliver SpaceXs planned launch of a commercial communications satellite was delayed by high winds at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Monday night. The launch had been scheduled for 10:34 p.m. Pacific Time from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, where a Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift the EchoStar 23 satellite into space. SpaceX tweeted at 10:36 p.m. Monday that it was standing down on the launch attempt due to high winds and working toward the next available launch opportunity. Advertisement That window opens Wednesday night at 10:35 p.m. Pacific Time. SpaceX tweeted Tuesday morning that Wednesday nights weather is 90% favorable. In this launch, Hawthorne-based SpaceX will not attempt to land its first-stage rocket booster back on the ground or at sea. A combination of the satellites heavy weight and the high orbit it needs to reach wont leave enough fuel in the boosters tanks to bring it back. Instead, the first stage will burn up in the atmosphere after separating from the second stage. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Twitter two months ago that future flights of such payloads would launch either on the Falcon Heavy rocket, which is set to fly for the first time this summer, or on an upgraded version of the Falcon 9 rocket. Musk has said the upgraded Falcon 9, which is expected to fly at the end of the year, would have better performance than the current version and could be reused more easily. This will be the third launch of the year for SpaceX, whose full name is Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Its last mission was about three weeks ago, when it launched supplies for NASA to the International Space Station. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga Times staff writer Nina Agrawal contributed to this report. ALSO Intel is buying Mobileye for $15 billion. Its a bet on driverless cars Dont expect a space race between SpaceX and NASA. They need each other Telegram was the app where Iranians talked politics. Then the government caught on UPDATES: 9:15 a.m.: This article was updated with expected weather conditions for the next launch attempt and details about the first-stage rocket booster. March 14, 7:55 a.m.: This article was updated with the postponement of the launch. This article was originally published March 13 at 10 a.m. FirmGreen Inc., a Newport Beach renewable energy company, is preparing to start construction on a solar project in the Philippines. The job could have yielded about $180 million in contracts to U.S. manufacturers to supply most of the equipment but the work most likely will be done in China instead. When FirmGreen was unable to get the necessary loan guarantees from the U.S. Export-Import Bank, it had to seek them from Chinas version of the federal export-credit agency, Chief Executive Steve Wilburn said. And that financial assistance is available only if FirmGreen promises to manufacture the projects equipment in China. Im a patriot. Im a former Marine, a 100% disabled Vietnam vet, and for me to have to go to China and other overseas sources for manufacturing goes against my grain, Wilburn said. But I have to survive as a businessman. Advertisement Now exporters such as Wilburn, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, are urging President Trump to help fix the Ex-Im Bank a move they said would boost the White Houses efforts to increase U.S. manufacturing jobs and reduce the nations trade deficit. Two administration Cabinet secretaries have indicated they support the bank. But its unclear whether Trump will take action, adding to the uncertainty that has plagued the controversial agency in recent years. Many conservatives would like to kill it altogether. The bank, opened during the Great Depression, helps U.S. companies sell their products overseas by providing loan guarantees to foreign buyers and other assistance for sales of goods manufactured domestically. It has strong support from Democrats and business-friendly Republicans. About 85 other countries have similar export-credit agencies. Such aid is crucial for projects in developing nations, which often require government-backed financing and scare private banks because of fears of default. But the Export-Import Bank has been hobbled for more than a year by board vacancies that prevent it from approving financial assistance of more than $10 million. That means FirmGreen hasnt been able to get financing for its Philippines project and Wilburn said he cant wait any longer. In the 2016 fiscal year, the bank authorized just $5 billion in financing a quarter of what it did in its last fully operational year in 2014 and the smallest amount in four decades. The Trump administration has sent mixed messages on the bank, which many conservatives strongly dislike even though it costs the government no money and has generated a total profit of $3.8 billion for taxpayers since 2009. Those opponents, including groups such as Heritage Action for America and the Club for Growth, say the banks assistance is corporate welfare that largely helps mega-companies such as Boeing. Co. and General Electric Co. that dont need the aid. The banks default rate is well below 1%. But conservatives worry because taxpayers are on the hook for any losses the bank cant cover on about $87.2 billion in outstanding assistance. House Republican leaders blocked the banks reauthorization in 2015, leading to its closure for five months. After supporters pushed through legislation authorizing the bank to operate until Sept. 30, 2019, a key Senate Republican committee chairman blocked confirmation of President Obamas nominees to fill vacancies on the board. The five-person board has only two members, one short of the quorum needed to approve assistance for larger projects. As a result, the bank said, 40 such projects with a total value of $30 billion are waiting for approval. During the presidential campaign, Trump said he didnt think the bank was needed. Its sort of a featherbedding for politicians and others, and a few companies, he told the conservative National Review in 2015. And when you think about free enterprise, its really not free enterprise. Id be against it. Trump says businesses cant borrow because of Dodd-Frank. The numbers tell another story >> And the bank reportedly is on a hit list of programs that the White House budget office wants to eliminate in the upcoming federal budget. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney voted against the banks 2015 authorization when he served as a Republican House member from South Carolina. The bank is funded by interest and fees on its aid, and it sent $284 million in profit to the Treasury last year. Although the bank receives no appropriations, lawmakers each year set the amount it can spend to pay salaries and other overhead. But recently, Trump has appeared to do an about-face, signaling support for the bank. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), a bank proponent, said Trump promised her after a Feb. 9 White House meeting that he would nominate a third board member. I specifically talked with the president about the need to get the Export-Import Bank up and running, she said in a Senate speech a week later. The great news is that President Trump agrees, and he informed me that we can in fact say he supports the Ex-Im Bank and that he would be nominating someone soon to serve on the Export-Import Bank. White House spokeswoman Natalie Strom said last week that she could provide no update on Trumps plans for the bank. The only action Trump has taken came last month, when he withdrew Obamas January nomination of Democrat Claudia Slacik to fill one of the boards vacancies. That could have indicated he doesnt plan to fill the vacancies or simply that he wants to make his own nominations. Two key Cabinet members, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, have publicly indicated support for the bank recently, although with changes to focus its aid on small businesses. Finance is clearly one of the mechanisms for international competition, so maybe there are some things at Ex-Im that could be fixed, Ross told CNBC on March 3. Maybe a different mechanism is needed, but we need something and want to help small businesses. Boeing argues that the assistance it receives is crucial as it competes to sell planes with Airbus Group, which gets export assistance from three European countries. Boeing receives more assistance from the Export-Import Bank than any other company 44%, or $5.5 billion, of the banks 2015 authorizations largely because its aircraft cost so much. The banks limitations have already resulted in the loss or significant delay of three satellite sales and is undermining our competitiveness in the commercial aircraft market, Boeing spokeswoman Shannon David said. Conservatives have derided the agency as Boeings Bank. But company executives say the export assistance flows down to 13,600 U.S. companies that supply parts for Boeing aircraft. In California alone, the company funneled about $6.8 billion to more than 2,800 suppliers and vendors in 2015. Were doing exactly what the government says they want to do, which is increase exports. But were doing it with one hand tied behind our backs. Richard Rogovin, chairman of U.S. Bridge Boeing hosted Trump last month at its North Charleston, S.C., factory for the unveiling of the latest version of its 787 Dreamliner. Our goal as a nation must be to rely less on imports and more on products made right here in the U.S.A., Trump told a crowd as he stood in front of the plane, which he called an amazing piece of work. Boeing would not say whether Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg lobbied Trump about the bank during the visit. But Muilenburg sounded optimistic during a question-and-answer session at an aviation summit hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington on March 2. A couple of nominees and well be back up and running, so Im encouraged, Muilenburg said. I think the incoming administrations very supportive and I think support on [Capitol Hill] is very clear. The House easily approved the banks reauthorization, 313 to 118, in 2015 after Republican leaders allowed the vote. The Senate earlier that year voted 64-29 to reauthorize the bank. Obama nominations to the banks board were blocked from consideration by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), a bank opponent who chaired the Senate Banking Committee. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) now chairs the committee, which must approve any bank nominations. Crapo voted against the banks 2015 authorization and has given no indication of how he might handle Trump nominees. But bank supporters are hopeful he would not block consideration. Obama saw low-wage workers as struggling moms. Trump may see them as suburban teens >> Lauren Wilk, director of trade facilitation for the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said that she is optimistic the bank will be funded in Trumps budget and that he will nominate new board members soon. I think it really aligns well with the priorities hes outlined, she said of Trump. Richard Rogovin, chairman and general counsel for U.S. Bridge, of Cambridge, Ohio, voted for Trump in November and said the banks mission is tailor-made for the presidents push for more manufacturing jobs. His company, which engineers and manufactures steel bridges, has a pending $20-million contract for 25 bridges in a West African country he declined to name. Because of Ex-Im Banks limitations, he said he can get export assistance for only half of the project. The deal could be in jeopardy if the bank isnt fully functional soon, Rogovin said. We put a lot of time and money into this, and were doing exactly what the government says they want to do, which is increase exports, Rogovin said. But were doing it with one hand tied behind our backs. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter ALSO As Trumps business advisory council meets, CEOs in tricky situation Trump has vowed to slash regulations. Where he might start and the hurdles he faces Trumps push for merit-based immigration may not deliver the benefits he expects Film academy will continue using accounting firm that mixed up Oscar best picture envelopes (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially spoken. In a letter sent to members on Wednesday, President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced that the organization will continue to work with PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm responsible for the now-infamous envelope mishap at this years Oscars, which resulted in La La Land being incorrectly named as best picture, an honor that went to Moonlight. After a thorough review, including an extensive presentation of revised protocols and ambitious controls, the Board has decided to continue working with PwC, the letter reads. The Board of Governors, the body that oversees the academy, met Tuesday night for the first time since the Feb. 26 ceremony. In addition to discussing the debacle for which PwC has already accepted full responsibility, the letter outlined a number of protocols being established to ensure that the mix-up doesnt happen again. Also mentioned in Boone Isaacs letter was the status of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, set to open in 2019. Read the full letter below: Dear Members, Last night the Board of Governors met for the first time following what was, in so many ways, the most extraordinary and memorable Oscars ceremony in decades. As you may know, the Board meets approximately six times a year to discuss the business of the Academy. One of the items on our agenda was to discuss PwCs Oscar night mistake and review options moving forward that are in the best interest of our organization. Heading into our 84th year working with PwC, a partnership that is important to the Academy, weve been unsparing in our assessment that the mistake made by representatives of the firm was unacceptable. Throughout the last month, the Academy team has worked hand-in-hand with PwC to review our wide-ranging relationship everything from Oscars voting, auditing, and taxes during which we asked them to lay out for us a path and a process towards ensuring that everything will continue to the high standards the Academy expects and you deserve. From the night of the ceremony through today, PwC has taken full responsibility for the mistake. After a thorough review, including an extensive presentation of revised protocols and ambitious controls, the Board has decided to continue working with PwC. New protocols include: A greater oversight role for PwC US Chairman and Senior Partner, Tim Ryan. PwC partner Rick Rosas will return to the Academy account as co-balloting leader, a function Rick performed flawlessly for more than 12 years. We will add additional key balloting partners in the coming months. The PwC on-site team at the Oscars will now include a third balloting leader with knowledge of award winners who will sit in the control room with the shows director throughout the ceremony. Weve developed Oscar night protocols including implementation of partner rehearsals for possible onstage issues, removal of electronic devices from backstage and improvements to onstage envelope category verification. Ongoing evaluation of backstage protocols and procedures. On another note, I also have terrific news to report about progress on a project that excites all of us: the development of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which will open its doors in 2019. The first phase of construction is now complete, which included renovating the historic Wilshire May Company building, and excavating and creating new underground spaces that will house exhibits that will bring our industry to life. During this next and final phase of the project, we will continue the work on the May Company building, and begin building the breathtaking Renzo Piano-designed sphere that will include our 1000-seat David Geffen Theater and the Dolby Terrace. Stay tuned for updates and thank you for your support of this endeavor. Last night Tom Hanks, who co-chairs the museums capital campaign, brought the future Academy Museum to life by presenting a spoken tour of the space. We look forward to sharing these plans as they continue to evolve. Last of all, just a reminder about one of the very best ways you can keep contributing to the Academy each day of the year: in April, youll receive information about running for a seat on the Academys Board of Governors and your Branch Executive Committee. Please think about seizing this opportunity to write the Academys next great chapter. The more you get involved, the stronger we can be together. Membership has its privileges, but it also has its responsibilities. We need you. Syrian journalist and activist Kholoud Helmi was struggling with her emotions. Its too much sometimes, she said. I feel like a chocolate that has a shell outside but inside its hollow. People dont want to hear the pain. And if I cry days and nights it wont change anything. Helmi, from the Damascus suburbs, could be forgiven her tears. Her brother long ago went missing and is feared dead in the nearly six-year-old conflict; an uncle, cousins and many friends have been killed. Advertisement Sometimes you lose control. And then you go to bed, hug your pillow, weep and get up and dont show any of it when you get up the next day, Helmi said in flawless, accent-free English in an interview. The 33-year-old, a short dynamo in a head scarf who manages to pull off spry and gravitas at the same time, is a key subject in Cries From Syria, Oscar nominee Evgeny Afineevskys harrowing new documentary about the conflicts victims. She was in a side room at the Council on Foreign Relations last week after a screening of the film. When it premieres on HBO on Monday night (it will re-air several times in the coming days), Cries From Syria will show a side of the war few Americans know or are willing to expose themselves to. The movie is graphic, even by the gruesome standards of the unfortunate subgenre of Syrian war documentaries. A father tries to save his children on a rickety boat as one by one they drown. A school is razed by a missile. A town filled with children is decimated by a chemical attack. Before the screening, Sheila Nevins, HBOs documentary chief, took the stage. Im glad youre laughing now because you wont be laughing later, she said to a smattering of nervous laughter. The audience then watched silently and sometimes weepily as Afineevsky and a battalion of citizen journalists showed the victims, particularly children, caught in the vise of Bashar Assads military in its conflict with the Free Syrian Army, the Syrian Democratic Forces and various jihadi groups. With the death toll approaching half a million and the displaced topping 6 million, the conflict has long descended into humanitarian catastrophe, and the audience watched children talk about the loss of dreams and a reason, even slightly, for hope. (Filmmakers have sought to explore various angles of the issue: Sundance saw the debut of several movies, including Cries, Matthew Heinemans ISIS-oriented citizen-journalist tale City of Ghosts and Firas Fayyads Last Men in Aleppo, which won a grand jury prize. Last month at the Oscars, The White Helmets, about the rescue workers in particularly violent areas of Syria, took home the prize for documentary short.) After the Cries screening, a panel of experts joined Helmi and Afineevsky at the front of the room. I challenge anyone to see this movie and not understand why people are fleeing, said Ciaran Donnelly, a senior vice president at the International Rescue Committee, addressing the Western backlash to refugees and the presidential travel ban that it engendered. Afineevsky, the Russian American filmmaker who earlier in the day had recorded Charlie Rose, explained why he shifted from the Ukraine setting of his Winter on Fire. This is a refugee crisis the world has not experienced since the Second World War, he said. I needed to go back in history, like a time machine, and find out, in-depth, why so many people were leaving their homes. He added, We, through the press, have fear of this people. In order not to have fear I made this movie. Someone in the audience asked whether the Trump administration would take a more aggressive approach in Syria to halt the atrocities. Trump is not a reversal of Obama hes a doubling down of Obama, demurred Philip Gordon, a senior fellow at the Council. The room grew especially quiet when Helmi spoke. She laid out the endgames being played by various leaders. The moderator asked her whether she felt the U.S. government was supporting opposition groups. She paused and her voice grew quiet and laden with meaning. No, she said. Helmi lives in Turkey now, where she is instrumental in refugee causes including schools and newspapers part of a band of women in the refugee underground, many of whom have lost children, trying to rebuild Syria in absentia. She said her work is aimed at future generations; she believes anyone of a certain age now has lost its opportunity amid the violence and displacement. I lost the whole universe when I left, she said. But I believe Ill be back to Damascus one day. I really do. At that point I wont feel so much like I lost my hometown or lost so many people. She managed to keep some moments of humor through the pain. The last time I came to the U.S. [at Sundance] the president signed a travel ban two days later. And now, she said, alluding to Trumps reissued executive order, Ive come again, and hes signed another one. Maybe, she added drolly, I should stop coming to the U.S. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour steve.zeitchik@latimes.com Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT Tehran, Iran, March 13 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Hyundai Engineering Co. (HEC) has signed a deal worth 3 billion euros with Irans Ahdaf Investment Co. (a subsidiary of Iranian Oil Pension Fund) over the development of phase 2 of the Kangan petrochemical factory, in Bushehr Province, southern Iran. The phase will include four plants for production of olefin, MEG (Ethylene glycol), LLD, the Iranian companys CEO Asqar Arefi said, Shana news agency reported March 13. The financing of the project will be finalized within nine months and 95 percent of it will come from the Korean company, he said, adding the phase will start making profit in 48 months. According to Arefi, 100 percent of the shares of Kangan Petrochemical Company belongs to the Iranian Oil Ministry workers that are covered by the pension fund. Uniqlo is launching a Beauty and the Beast Collection Monday, inspired by upcoming release of the Disney movie. The $17.3 billion Japan-based fashion retailer with 1,800 stores around the world, said its Beauty and the Beast Collection will offer styles and patterns worn in the film by the heroine, Belle. The line includes a blouse, a long shirt, a tunic and T-shirts reflecting what Belle and other characters in the story wear in the movie. Uniqlo also said the collection is part of the Magic for All project, a collaboration between Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar with Uniqlos LifeWear fashion statement to make everyday life fuller and more comfortable and emphasize Japanese values of simplicity, comfort, quality and longevity. Uniqlo has Magic for All concept stores inside its Shanghai global flagship and Disney Springs store at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Advertisement There are 17 womens and eight girls items in the collection, which will be sold at three Uniqlo stores in Manhattan Fifth Avenue, 34th Street and in SoHo, as well as at the Michigan Avenue store in Chicago. Prices range from $9.90 for a girls T-shirt, to $29.90 for a ladies blouse. Uniqlo described the collection as expressing a modern, relaxed bohemian style and casual items with a light, feminine silhouette, including a T-shirt with trendy puff sleeves and a mix of silky cut-and-sew material and semitransparent fabric, as well as a long shirt that can be draped like a gown. The main colors are a summery vivid royal blue and red, presented with feminine floral patterns. The Beauty and the Beast movie being released March 17 is a live-action version of the original animated movie. IPA is the undisputed king of the craft beer world. The aromatic, often intensely bitter style stands in sharp relief to the bland brews that defined American beer for decades. And the ever-increasing demand for IPA drives the growing craft brewing industry. Its a style thats evolved along with beer drinkers tastes, and the latest evolution shows off the softer, less bitter side of IPA. An East Coast import, and alternately dubbed the North Eastern IPA or New England IPA (NEIPA in either case) this new breed of IPA is all about showing off fruity hop flavors without the bitter hop bite. As brewers have developed new techniques for squeezing more hops into a beer, theyve also discovered that many common brewing processes strip out some hop character. While not all craft beers are filtered, most are clarified to some degree to remove particles and increase the brews clarity. Not NEIPAs they range from opaque to downright sludgy as a complex soup of proteins, suspended yeast and hop compounds form the haze that defines the style. Which, alongside the vibrant fruit flavors from modern hop varieties and a higher perceived sweetness led to another nickname: the juicy IPA. The names of some of the best loved NEIPAs are telling: Julius, Pulp, Juice Box. The trend has landed in Los Angeles and more local brewers are experimenting with this new style. Advertisement Bob Kunz, brewmaster at Highland Park Brewery, was initially skeptical of the style. But he came to appreciate the challenges inherent in brewing an IPA so different from the West Coast IPAs that have won him acclaim. Learning to brew NEIPAs has been one of the most rewarding experiences of brewing, he said, and the fans are drinking them up. He says a batch of hazy IPA sells twice as fast as his West Coast IPAs. Monkish Brewing in Torrance brews its own take on the style, and customer response has been overwhelming, with hundreds lining up at the brewery when releases are announced on social media. Highland Park Brewing and Mumford Brewing have seen similar responses to their releases of hazy IPAs. But popularity begets controversy, and the hazy IPA trend is not without criticism from some brewers and drinkers. The main point of contention is that defining haze. While an NEIPA can have an appealing opalescence reminiscent of a Belgian witbier, others are drab and unappetizing. Apart from aesthetics, the haze can cause other issues that lead to flavor instability and a short shelf life. Haze-causing yeast and proteins can drop out of suspension. The style doesnt travel well; these are living beers that change week to week when packaged and should be enjoyed as fresh as possible. While the hazy IPA is surging in popularity in the Southland, it is still relatively thin on the ground. Youre going to have to seek it out, and your best bet apart from lining up at a can release or turning to Internet beer traders is a visit to the taproom of one of the local breweries experimenting with the style. Apart from Mumford, Highland Park and Monkish Brewing, try Homage Brewing in Pomona, Noble Ale Works in Orange County, or Indie Brewing Co. in Boyle Heights. food@latimes.com @latimesfood ALSO: Four reasons to drink beer with your breakfast Along a Los Angeles freeway, the 101 Cider House rules Wines of the Week: Californias Alexander Valley Cabernets A fire that killed a toddler and critically injured two others, and which also led to critical injuries to a responding fire official, appears to have been sparked by a recharging hoverboard, authorities said. Fire officials in Pennsylvania said one victim jumped from a second-floor porch roof to escape the blaze, which was reported shortly before 8 p.m. Friday. Two other females were rescued by ladder from the ground, as was a man. The Lehigh County coroners office said 3-year-old Ashanti Hughes was pronounced dead just after 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Two girls remain hospitalized in critical condition. The man and another occupant of the home, a teenage male, were treated and released. Advertisement Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe, a 21-year veteran, was on his way to the station to pick up his gear before heading to the scene when his vehicle was hit in an intersection, Fire Chief Brian Enterline said. DeVoe was reported in critical condition at Hershey Medical Center. The driver of the other vehicle, which was reported stolen, was arrested on aggravated assault and other counts, officials said. The fire was ruled accidental and attributed to a hoverboard plugged in to recharge on the first floor, where family members were also present, Enterline said. They heard some sizzling and crackling in the hoverboard, and shortly thereafter, it exploded in flames, he said. Enterline called the devices notorious for starting fires and urged people not to use what he called knockoff brands that were not deemed safe. Weve seen too many fires and too many fire fatalities as a result of these hoverboards, he said. A Consumer Products Safety Commission spokesperson said the death was the first fatality in the United States linked to a hoverboard-related fire, according to NBC News. Many of the firefighters battling the blaze had just come from the funeral of a retired firefighter who died of cancer, he said. ALSO This anarchist and anti-fascist activist is using facts to go after the far-right fringe Trump voters would be among the biggest losers in Republicans Obamacare replacement plan This troubled, covert agency is responsible for trucking nuclear bombs across America each day Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar joined the California Supreme Court at a time when the electorate favored harsh punishment for offenders, domestic partnerships for gays were novel and conservatives dominated the states highest court. Twenty-three years later, as Werdegar prepares to retire, all of that has changed. California voters have scaled back tough crime laws, gays may now marry, and for the first time in decades, the states highest court will have a majority of Democratic appointees. A married gay man may be one of them. Advertisement Werdegar, a moderate appointed by former Gov. Pete Wilson, played a role in each of the changes. The senior justice announced Wednesday she would step down on Aug. 31, giving Gov. Jerry Brown an opportunity to appoint a fourth justice on the seven-member court. It has not been an easy decision, Werdegar, 80, said of her retirement. She wants to expand my life a little bit, reconnect with friends, do a lot more hiking, more piano, more time with family and just smell the roses. Potential candidates for her seat include Court of Appeal Justice James M. Humes, a Brown appointee who had been his trusted deputy when Brown was attorney general and his top assistant in the governors office. Humes, if selected, would become the first openly gay man to serve on the California Supreme Court. Werdegar scheduled her retirement to complete the courts yearly calendar, which ends in August. She is viewed as the most moderate of the Republican appointees, a cerebral judge who in recent years was as likely to vote with the liberals as with the conservatives. When she first joined the court, colleagues described her as a conservative, a label that turned out to be not quite right. Although legally conservativeshe tries not to expand the law beyond what is necessary to decide a disputeshe has been a force for civil rights on the court. She joined a ruling that struck down a law requiring parental consent for minors to obtain abortions and agreed with three other justices to overturn Californias ban on same-sex marriage, a decision that voters later abrogated by passing Proposition 8. Werdegar also authored decisions that made it illegal for religious landlords to discriminate against unmarried couples, allowed a lesbian to adopt her partners child and gave judges the right to spare some defendants a life sentence under the three strikes law. Her pro-civil rights rulings may have been rooted in part in personal experience. Even though she was a top law school graduate, the San Francisco native could not find a job at a law firm after graduation. She said she realized only later that she had suffered from sex discrimination. She worked as a lawyer in the civil rights division of the Department of Justice in the early 1960s, taught at the University of San Francisco law school and served as a staff attorney for 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco and at the California Supreme Court. Wilson appointed her a justice on the San Francisco-based appeals court and then elevated her to the state Supreme Court. Some critics early on viewed her elevation to the highest court as cronyism. She and Wilson had dated casually in law school at UC Berkeley and remained friends. But her willingness to take on conservatives and join decisions Wilson criticized showed she was beholden to no one. She wrote a lengthy dissent in 2001 from a decision that said a manufacturer of assault weapons could not be sued for their use in a 1993 mass shooting at a San Francisco law firm. The gunman killed eight people and wounded six others before taking his own life. In the sole dissent, Werdegar said that selling military-style weapons to the public could be viewed as negligence. Some of her rulings, even though unanimous, pained her. In one case, a foster son who cared for his foster father until his death wanted to inherit the estate. The foster father had left no will. During a hearing on the case, Werdegar pummeled a lawyer for two blood relatives who argued the inheritance belonged to them even though they had not seen their deceased uncle for 15 years and did not attend his funeral. Werdegar pointed out that the foster son was lovingly related to his foster father whereas the blood relatives had no relationship with their uncle. Lower courts had ruled the blood relatives should inherit. Where is the equity there? Werdegar demanded in the hearing. Despite her obvious sympathy for the foster son, Werdegar later wrote a unanimous ruling that gave the inheritance to the blood relatives. Werdegar said the law, not her heart, dictated the result. That was a case where the entire court felt that the law and justice did not coincide, Werdegar said. Gov. Brown has not indicated whom he will choose to take Werdegars seat. In his later terms as governor, Brown appointed three Supreme Court justices who had no prior judicial experience but whose intellect impressed him. Humes, who ran the attorney generals office under Brown, withdrew an application to become a judge to continue to serve Brown in the governors office. Brown rewarded him with a 2012 appointment to the appeals court. Legal analysts have for years anticipated that Brown would eventually put Humes, 57, on the Supreme Court. But Brown is difficult to predict when it comes to court appointments. He is unlikely to appear on another ballot after leaving the governors office and faces little pressure to appoint someone of a certain ethnic background. His three appointees to the California Supreme Court during his last two terms were Goodwin Liu, a Taiwanese American former UC Berkeley law professor; Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, a Mexican immigrant and Stanford University scholar; and Leondra R. Kruger, an African American former federal government lawyer who regularly argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. All were under age 50. Legal analysts had expected Werdegar to form a new, more liberal majority with the Brown appointees on the California Supreme Court. Instead, she will be spending much of her time on the trails. Her retirement plans, she said, are to hike three times a week instead of once a week and spend more time playing classical music on the piano. I will see what the world offers, she said. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy L Parents of California, get ready for a change. On Wednesday, the state will unveil the California School Dashboard, a new color-coded way to look at how your childs school is doing and compare it with other schools. The idea behind the website is simple: Parents need more information than theyve been getting. Whether the dashboard provides the right information and whether it presents it clearly enough already are subjects of debate. Advertisement The last version of state school ratings was the Academic Performance Index. Each school was given a number based on test scores. Those numbers were so clear, they drove real estate decisions where to buy to be in a school district as well as real estate prices. But API drew fierce criticism from teachers and advocates, who felt that the complex mix of factors that go into whether a school is considered good or bad could not be boiled down that way. The state suspended API in 2014 when it began using new standardized tests aligned with the Common Core. Still, the old API Web page remains one of the California Department of Educations most-visited, a consultant told the State Board of Education this month. The board and its contractor, WestEd, have been trying to figure out APIs replacement and soliciting comments about the possibilities for several years. Some advocates and community groups wanted to include information about such things as school climate, a measure of how safe students feel in school; discipline rates, to hold schools accountable for suspending some students at higher rates than others; and attendance information, because chronic absenteeism is a telltale sign of a potential future dropout. Next week, when the pilot version of the dashboard goes live, visitors will be able to search for a school and find something called an equity report on its page. The report includes how a school performed on standardized tests in English and math; the progress English-language learners are making toward proficiency; suspension rates; and graduation rates. Links let people find out more about each area, including how particular groups of students are doing. Down the road, more information will be added, including measures of school climate and how prepared students are for college, and potentially scores on science tests. A school will receive a color for each of these areas. Blue is the best, red is the worst. The color will appear in a ball next to each category, with the degree of shading meant to convey the level of achievement. Schools will not receive overall colors. Where API was clear but crude, some critics call the Dashboard complex and confounding. The group Parent Revolution has proposed an alternative it developed with the progressive Center for American Progress that would add two overall measurements for each school. One would sum up academics, the other everything else. Parent Revolution is best known for organizing parents to use the parent trigger law to force change at schools with low test scores. The group bused parents from Southern California to Sacramento for last weeks state board meeting. Chief Executive Seth Litt said Parent Revolution showed parents the dashboard as it looks now. They kept asking us what the API scores were, even though they werent current scores, he said. He added that the layout makes it hard to compare specific factors in one school to those in another. Alexandra Menjivar, who has children at Wadsworth Elementary in South L.A., traveled on Parent Revolutions overnight bus. She told the board that the new ratings system doesnt give me a starting point for how my school is doing overall. Parents cannot be partners in their kids education if the state keeps parents in the dark. The California Parent Teacher Assn. said it got a different reaction in focus groups it held for parents. Most of the feedback was I thought it was much more complicated than this. Now I understand it, said Celia Jaffe, the groups vice president for education. But the PTA signed onto a letter from many advocacy groups about what they see as a major issue with the new tools display. Once the dashboard begins including a measure of college readiness, a schools front page wont show test scores for high school students at all. (The board didnt want to double-count 11th-grade test scores, which are used to determine college readiness.) The advocates contend that not prominently displaying the scores makes it harder for parents of high school students to see information they need. For 11th grade, only the highest-performing kids will count [in the dashboards college readiness measure] because only they will get credit for being college ready, said Samantha Tran, senior managing director of education policy for another letter signer, Children Now, a group that lobbies and organizes activists on childrens issues. Students deemed to be college ready are the top performers. Tran also worries that the bar for getting a positive color on academics is far too low and rewards slow rates of improvement. The state has not yet decided how to use the dashboard to keep a watchful eye on schools, as required by federal law. Thats another reason beyond providing information for parents that it needs such a school rating system in place. To read the article in Spanish, click here Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com @Joy_Resmovits MORE IN EDUCATION Former Smith College president will be UC Berkeleys first female chancellor Swastika, N-word are carved into Orange Coast College security vehicles; ex-student held Pitzer College president condemns hate speech from outsiders after White Girl ... message painted on campus The voice of former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca filled a downtown L.A. courtroom last week. On a short recording of Baca, pulled from a past interview, jurors heard him assure federal authorities he had been unaware of a plan by a group of subordinates to confront and threaten an FBI agent who was investigating abusive sheriffs deputies. Listening as well from the witness stand was one of those subordinates. The recording ended and a prosecutor asked retired Capt. William Tom Carey if Baca had been telling the truth. Advertisement Was he aware? Absolutely he was aware, Carey said firmly. The exchange was a notable moment in the retrial of Baca, who for a second time faces allegations that he was part of a scheme to obstruct the FBI. The use of Bacas own words and the appearance of Carey underscored the changes the government had made in its second attempt to convict Baca after nearly losing the first go-around. Neither Carey nor the recording was part of the first trial. After almost two weeks of testimony, jurors are expected to begin deliberations Monday. The first trial in December ended in a mistrial when the jury was unable to reach a verdict. All but one of the 12 jurors in that case voted to acquit Baca. The addition of new witnesses, elimination of others, and playing excerpts of Bacas interview were an attempt by prosecutors to address what jurors from the first trial said was a fundamental problem with the governments case: A lack of hard evidence tying Baca directly to a ploy by subordinates to interfere with an FBI investigation into widespread abuses by deputies in county jails. In the face of the governments adjustments, Bacas attorney, Nathan Hochman, stuck largely to the script that almost won Baca his freedom in the first trial. He argued that Bacas second in command, former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, took advantage of the sheriffs trust, keeping Baca in the dark while he carried out the obstruction scheme. And as before, Hochman tried to poke holes in the governments case by emphasizing the lack of any smoking gun that proves Bacas guilt. Hochman was hamstrung by several rulings U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson made before the retrial. A psychiatrist, for example, was barred from testifying about Baca being diagnosed last year with Alzheimers disease and his belief that the illness can explain why Baca might have made inaccurate statements to prosecutors during the recorded interview. And for the retrial, the judge ordered Baca to remove the Sheriffs Department pin that he wore on his suit lapel. Baca did not testify in either trial. A prominent figure in national law enforcement circles during his nearly 15 years as sheriff, Baca stands as the final and most high-stakes target for federal prosecutors in a years-long campaign to convict the group of sheriffs officials accused in the jail scandal. Already, nine rank-and-file deputies and higher officials, including Carey and Tanaka, have been convicted or have pleaded guilty. A conviction would bear out the decision by the U.S. attorneys office to pursue criminal charges against Baca and then to retry the case after the jurys lopsided 11-1 vote. An acquittal, or another deadlocked jury, would be a significant loss a sign prosecutors overreached in trying to prove a major corruption scandal had reached to the top of the Sheriffs Department. The case revolves around six weeks in August and September 2011 after the discovery by sheriffs officials that FBI agents had bribed a deputy to smuggle a cellphone to a county jail inmate. The inmate was working as an informant for the agents in an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption by deputies working in the jails, including claims that inmates were routinely beaten without justification. In response, prosecutors have alleged, Baca and Tanaka directed a group of deputies and mid-level commanders in a ploy to derail the FBI inquiry. The plan allegedly included hiding the informant from his FBI handlers, pressuring deputies and the informant not to cooperate with the FBI and the attempt to intimidate the lead agent in the case by threatening her with arrest. A cache of emails, along with phone records and testimony, led to convictions against Tanaka and the others in the group. But without nearly as much evidence pointing to his knowledge and involvement in the obstruction plan, building a case against Baca proved to be difficult. Seeing the weakness in their case, prosecutors tried to avoid a trial and struck a deal with Baca last year that called for the 74-year-old to plead guilty to a single count of making false statements to federal investigators and spend no more than six months in prison. The agreement fell apart when Anderson, who has handed down stiff sentences in the previous obstruction cases, announced it was too lenient and indicated he would put Baca behind bars for longer than six months. Baca opted to withdraw his plea and go to trial. In the retrial, Assistant U.S. Atty. Brandon Fox jettisoned several witnesses who previously testified about the obstruction plan but didnt have any knowledge about Bacas alleged involvement. He replaced them with, among others, Carey and former Lt. Greg Thompson. Both men testified to meetings they attended with Baca where they said various aspects of the obstruction plan were discussed. Thompson, who received a 37-month sentence, told jurors that he was prepared to send the inmate informant, Anthony Brown, to state prison, but that Baca ordered him to keep Brown in the county jails run by the Sheriffs Department. And Thompson added a previously unknown detail to a conversation he had with the sheriff. After FBI agents were allowed into the jail to speak with Brown despite orders that he be kept from visitors, Thompson went to the sheriffs office to apologize. Baca, he said, was calm and told Thompson the slip-up was part of a chess game a statement prosecutors say points to Bacas attempt to outmaneuver federal officials. Carey, who has pleaded guilty to giving false testimony as part of a deal with prosecutors, testified that Baca was aware his subordinates were carrying out a plan to hide the informant from FBI agents by registering him under fake names in the jail computer system and moving him to a holding cell in a distant station. He added that Baca was also present for a meeting with Tanaka, Carey and another sheriffs official in Tanakas office, where it was decided that two of Careys investigators would confront the lead FBI agent in the case at her home. While the purported purpose was to question the agent as part of an investigation into the smuggled phone, confronting her at her home was meant to send a message of defiance to the FBI and intimidate the agent by threatening her with arrest, Carey said. He was OK with it, Carey testified of Baca. He didnt tell us not to do it. His advice to us was just not to put handcuffs on her. Hochman pounced on Carey as an admitted liar, calling into question his credibility and Careys expectation that, in exchange for his cooperation, prosecutors will ask Anderson to show some leniency when he sentences Carey. In the retrial, Baca faces charges he made several false statements to investigators during the interview he gave Fox and others in 2013, in which he denied knowing about the plan to obstruct the FBI. The judge chose to set that charge aside in the first trial and had planned to hold a separate proceeding for it. Adding the false statement charge back in for the retrial opened the door for Fox to play excerpts of the interview something he could not do in the first trial. Instead of simply playing the clips for the jury, he and other prosecutors used them while questioning witnesses, a tactic meant to amplify their effect on the jury. To bolster his contention that Baca was aware of what Tanaka was up to, Fox also played for jurors a recording from a 2015 deposition the former sheriff gave in an unrelated lawsuit. In it, Baca talked of his close relationship with Tanaka, who had a unique talent of doing exactly what I wanted. Stymied by Andersons rulings, which limited the types of defenses he could mount, Hochman called only a single witness on behalf of Baca. Michael Gennaco testified about his role as a watchdog over the department for more than a decade. His testimony, however, was repeatedly cut short by the judge, who ruled that Gennacos observations about his experiences were irrelevant to the case. Times staff writer Victoria Kim contributed to this report. joel.rubin@latimes.com For more federal courts news from Los Angeles, follow @joelrubin on Twitter ALSO Baca was aware of plan to obstruct FBI, former sheriffs official tells jury Lee Baca in court, Round 2: What will sound familiar in the retrial, and what will be new The story behind the mistrial in the Lee Baca corruption case Three bodies were found in a Vista home on Monday morning, and detectives are investigating the deaths as a potential double murder and suicide. A friend of someone who lived at the residence on Phil-Mar Lane near Phillips Street called 911 about 5:45 a.m. after finding three people dead inside, a San Diego County sheriffs official said. Deputies arrived and found two men and a women, all who appear to be in their 50s, apparently shot to death, homicide Lt. Greg Rylaarsdam said. They were all in different rooms in the house. Advertisement Investigators are working to determine the circumstances that led to the deaths. They do not believe a suspect is on the loose, Rylaarsdam said. Winkley is a staff writer for the San Diego Union Tribune. Baja Californias governor is preparing to declare a state of emergency in the coming days, hoping to draw financial aid for Tijuanas strained and underfunded sewage system following a massive spill that sent millions of gallons of untreated wastewater from Tijuana across the border and into San Diego last month. The incident was triggered by the collapse of a major sewage trunk line in Tijuana, state officials say, and repairs led to the release of a large amount of untreated sewage into the Tijuana River channel, which empties into the ocean at Imperial Beach. The spill generated outrage north of the border, especially because of Mexicos failure to notify U.S. officials, who found out only after residents reported foul odors over a two-week period. Communication is getting worse, said Serge Dedina, the mayor of Imperial Beach and executive director of the environmental group Wildcoast. All the normal things that should be happening to manage the system arent happening. And we can see this consistent series of breakdowns and lack of notifications. Advertisement The spill has put a spotlight on the need for improvements, even after years of collaboration between the United States and Mexico to minimize the cross-border flow of untreated sewage from Tijuana. Investments in Tijuanas collection and treatment facilities have gone a long way toward reducing cross-border impacts. Today, contamination is largely contained during dry weather, though rainy weather flows continue to carry sediment and contamination to the rivers mouth just north of the border. But even as authorities plan some major new wastewater projects, critics say there is still much work to be done and not just in infrastructure. Dedina and others are calling for better communication when such incidents occur. Following last months incident, one U.S. official initially estimated the spill at 143 million gallons over a 17-day period, while a subsequent estimate suggested it could have been far higher 230 million gallons. But an official with the state-run water utility in Tijuana said in an interview last week that the spill was far smaller and shorter: under 30 million gallons over a four-day period. Divided by the international border, San Diego shares a watershed with Tijuana. As a result, any sewage flows from Tijuanas tightly packed colonias that are not captured and sent for treatment risk ending up downstream on the beaches of southern San Diego County. We have an international issue with this spill of sewage into the ocean, which is truly sad, and even shameful, Baja Californias governor, Francisco Vega de Lamadrid, said Wednesday. Vega is expected to declare the state of emergency as early as this week, an action that would make the state utility eligible for different sources of federal and local funding in Mexico to conduct immediate repairs. Rainy weather always places pressure on Tijuanas subterranean network of sewage pipes, many of them weakened by age and in need of replacement. Officials say that one of the reasons is that many houses in Tijuana are built so that rainwater drains directly into the sewage system. After several years of little precipitation, the system came under much strain in December and January. Tijuana is part of a developing country and has very stretched resources to provide basic infrastructure, said Paul Ganster, a San Diego State University professor who chairs the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, a federal advisory group. Its not unexpected to encounter these problems after rains. Miguel Lemus, director of the State Public Service Commission in Tijuana, known as CESPT, said his agency urgently needs 72 million pesos about $3.6 million to conduct the repairs on four other sewage trunk lines that also suffered damage. But Tijuana needs far more than that, he said more than $40 million over the next year to perform necessary upgrades to the system. A new state plan drafted with the collaboration of bilateral organizations is expected to trigger funding for critical sewage infrastructure projects in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. Foremost is the replacement of Tijuanas overburdened and failing sewage treatment plant at Punta Bandera, which discharges into the Pacific Ocean raw and treated sewage that can reach as far north as Coronado, according to a letter this year sent by the mayors of Imperial Beach, Coronado, Chula Vista and National City, and San Diego councilman David Alvarez. Also a priority in the plan is the construction of a pipeline to collect sewage from coastal communities in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. ALSO Orange police fatally shoot man after using fire hose to force him from vehicle Trumps plans to rapidly increase Border Patrol officers comes with big risks The desert is in super bloom at Anza-Borrego state park Im Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I dont want you to miss today. TOP STORIES Dear Trump Voters, Your Healthcare Is Now on the Line Advertisement The Republican plan to overhaul healthcare will get its first official test of the numbers this week when the Congressional Budget Office unveils its assessment. GOP leadership has already intimated the offices report cant be trusted, and President Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services says, Nobody will be worse off financially. An L.A. Times analysis shows otherwise: The proposal would most hurt lower-income, older voters in conservative, rural parts of the country that is, a good portion of Trumps backers. Imagine Being Latino and Muslim Trumps changes to immigration policy are sending shock waves near and far. For some undocumented immigrant parents, such as those at a Mormon church in Utah, the fear of deportation has led them to sign power of attorney papers to ensure their U.S.-born children prosper. For those at Houstons Centro Islamico, the nations only Spanish-speaking mosque, new fears and new kindnesses are coming to the fore. In California, talk of making it a sanctuary state has divided law enforcement. And outside the U.S., travelers are starting to think twice about visiting for business or pleasure. More Politics -- Congressional pressure, including from some Republicans, is mounting over Trumps unsubstantiated claim that he was wiretapped on President Obamas orders. -- Outspoken Manhattan federal prosecutor Preet Bharara said he was fired after refusing Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions request to resign along with other U.S. attorneys. -- Arnold Schwarzenegger wont be back. Hes not interested in running for the U.S. Senate. -- Tensions are high as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson takes his first trip in office to Asia, a six-day sweep through Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing. Nukes on the Highway The unmarked 18-wheelers on the nations interstates and two-lane highways have defenses that could kill an intruder. Their cargo is even more deadly: nuclear bombs. An L.A. Times investigation has found that the agency that oversees the transportation of warheads from missile silos, bomber bases and submarine docks to nuclear weapons labs across the country is struggling with problems of forced overtime, high driver turnover, old trucks and poor worker morale. Experts say the danger is not a traffic accident, but a terrorist hijacking. Hollywood Conservatives in the Closet You wouldnt know it from watching award shows, but Hollywood does have its conservatives. Some, like Clint Eastwood and Jon Voight, are upfront about it. Others say they cant afford to come out of the political closet, even if theyre traditional Republicans who arent exactly enamored with Trump. Theres even a club, Friends of Abe, that keeps the identities of its members secret. The Desert in Super-Bloom Its a scene right out of tourism board ad, or maybe an antihistamine commercial: a once-in-a-decade wildflower super bloom in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, made possible by the heavy winter rains weve had. Thousands are making the trek. As to how long it lasts, thats up to the weather and some very hungry caterpillars. Mike Lightner of Boulder, Colo., photographs flowers at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) At 94, Shes Standing Her Ground Marjorie Romer was born in 1923 and grew up in Los Feliz. She can tell you about roller skating to the Carthay Circle Theater to see Dorothy Lamour on screen in 1937. And she can tell you about all the memories shes had in her historic Westlake house over the last 50 years. Some of her most recent stories, though, arent so pleasant: She told columnist Steve Lopez about being burglarized three times in five days. The fourth time, she shooed the burglar away. OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND -- The life-and-death stakes of an Affordable Care Act repeal in one of L.A. Countys poorest, sickest regions. -- The streets have ears: A California bill could expand the use of gunshot detection sensors in communities. -- Bone by bone, Iraqis unearth a mass grave: We will be out there digging until no one is left. -- Membership in the Democratic Socialists of America has tripled over the last year to more than 19,000. -- Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf tells his story of addiction to painkillers, a suicide attempt, imprisonment and a dramatic change that probably saved his life. -- From blockbusters to art-house muse, is Kristen Stewart the best actress of her generation? -- Decoding truth in documentaries, in the age of alternative facts. -- That Asian mom in the viral video of a professor speaking with the BBC is not the nanny. Why do so many people assume she is? CALIFORNIA -- The coming retirement of moderate state Supreme Court Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar will produce a majority of Democratic appointees on the court for the first time in decades. -- Jurors are expected to begin deliberations today in the retrial of former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca. -- Congressmen Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter were confronted by rowdy protesters over the weekend at separate back-to-back town hall meetings. -- The California School Dashboard is a new color-coded way from the state to look at how your childs school is doing and to compare it with others. HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS -- What happens when you put Beauty and the Beast stars at a piano with composer Alan Menken? Disney magic. Watch them sing in this video. -- Were at South by Southwest, where reclusive filmmaker Terrence Malick showed up to premiere his latest and Ridley Scott unveiled Alien: Covenant footage. -- With the series Nashville and Sun Records, CMT hopes to reshape its image for an evolving country audience. -- The verdict from TV critic Robert Lloyd is in: NBCs Trial & Error is solid, funny and fanciful. CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD Joni Sledge was the second eldest of four sisters who formed the group Sister Sledge, which reached the height of its popularity during the disco era with hits such as We Are Family and Hes the Greatest Dancer. She died at age 60 on Friday. NATION-WORLD -- The Northeast U.S. is bracing for a blizzard that could dump up to 18 inches of snow on Central Park. -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands. -- A mountain of trash gave way in a massive garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopias capital, killing dozens of people. -- Utah is on the verge of the toughest drunk-driving standard in the U.S. by lowering the legal blood-alcohol concentration for driving from 0.08% to 0.05%. -- Photos: Celebrating Holi, the Hindu spring festival of colors, in India. BUSINESS -- Once the queen of the skies, the 747 will soon be just a flying truck. -- The highly publicized $1-billion deal to sell Dick Clark Productions to Chinas Dalian Wanda Group has collapsed, apparently over the price tag. SPORTS -- March Madness ensues: UCLA hopes to recapture its swagger, while USC has its work cut out after just sneaking into the tournament. -- Columnist Dylan Hernandez visits with Yasiel Puig, whom the Dodgers once saw as a savior. Now hes an afterthought. OPINION -- Heres an idea: Make Neil Gorsuch actually answer questions in his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. -- Marry at 16, get drafted at 18, drink at 21. Who counts as an adult? WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING -- Is the U.S. Navy putting too much emphasis on aircraft carriers? (Reuters) -- The pain of loneliness could be a gift too. (Aeon) -- Something you may have never considered before: the artworks in The Brady Bunch house. (We Are the Mutants) ONLY IN L.A. Frank Romero is as L.A. an artist as you can find: He grew up in Boyle Heights, worked in graphic design for Charles and Ray Eames and did a stint at A&M Records. He and three other artists formed the collective Los Four back when the whole idea of being Chicano was very radical. But you probably know him from his mural Going to the Olympics on the 101 Freeway. At 75, he just keeps painting because I dont know how to do anything else. Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj. If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends. Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei pardoned and commuted jail terms of a large number of eligible inmates, IRNA reported. The move was made on Monday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA) and on the eve of Norouz holidays. The decree was issued at the request of the Judiciary Chief to pardon and commute prison terms of prisoners. In a letter to the Supreme Leader, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani had proposed the pardoning and commuting prison terms of the inmates in accordance with his legal authorities and observing a series of conditions for the move. Article 110 of the Constitution grants the Supreme Leader the right to pardon or reduce the sentences of convicts upon a recommendation from the head of the Judiciary. The Article does not apply to all types of convicts, specially those who have been sentenced for their role in armed struggle against the Islamic Republic, armed or organized drug trafficking, rape, armed robbery, arms smuggling, abduction, bribery and embezzlement. The legislature in my home state of Connecticut is considering a bill that would raise the age of legal marriage to 18. Right now, like 26 other states, Connecticut sets no minimum age: 16- and 17-year-olds can marry with parental consent, and younger children 15, 14, heck, 8 or 9 can marry with parental consent and a judges approval. Between 2000 and 2014, there were 14 marriages in Connecticut involving 14-year-old girls. As it happens, Connecticut is part of a trend. Eight states are considering similar bills, an explosion of interest due to the work of activist Fraidy Reiss, who entered into an arranged marriage with a fellow ultra-Orthodox Jew when she was 19, later divorced, and now runs a nonprofit called Unchained at Last. Setting aside the merits of her movement and I think there are many the bill raises a larger question: Who counts as an adult? Our federal and state laws are an inconsistent patchwork of mixed messages. You can drive at 16 in most places, although not in New Jersey, where you have to be 17, or South Dakota, where you can get a license with some restrictions at 14 1/2. You can vote for president at 18, the same age at which you have to register for the draft. But if you are drafted at 18, you cant have a beer after a rough day of basic training you have to wait until youre 21. Also at 18, you can buy a rifle or a shotgun from a licensed dealer but not a handgun. For that, you have to wait until youre 21. Advertisement Want to change these laws? You can run for the House of Representatives at 25, the Senate at 30, the presidency at 35. You can be mayor of most cities at a far younger age, usually 18, which means you could theoretically run a town without being able to drink in its bars. These inconsistencies arent our countries most pressing problem. But our cultures inability to agree on when adulthood begins contributes to some awfully infantile behavior, or at least our tolerance of it. You can be mayor of most cities at...age 18, which means you could theoretically run a town without being able to drink in its bars. When the writer Charles Murray visited Middlebury College recently, students who disagreed with his views on race shouted him down, yelled obscenities, banged on windows, set off fire alarms and, after his talk, grabbed the hair of the professor who had debated against him. Some liberals said, in the students defense, They are children! Thats an odd way to think about adults old enough to vote and enlist in the Army, but perhaps a rational take on man-boys too young to drink. We need to figure out who counts as an adult. It makes no sense to expect people to die for their country but not drink for their pleasure. By the same token, its absurd to say that people who arent old enough to vote are old enough to get married if you cant vote for town government, you shouldnt be able to form your own household. There should be one age of majority when all of these rights are bestowed at once. Of course, its not easy to determine the right age. Research suggests that our brains dont reach cognitive maturity until we are well into our 20s a strong argument for not letting 18-year-olds buy liquor or, for that matter, letting 18-year-olds drive cars or buy guns. Conversely, because 16-year-olds (and younger) can have babies, theres a good argument for letting them marry the babies fathers, with the hope of creating stable families. But the fact that any age of maturity we choose will necessarily seem arbitrary shouldnt blind us to the common-sense wisdom of having a uniform one. Eighteen when most people are done with high school seems as good an age as any. If we raise the marriage age to 18, and lower the drinking age to 18 where it used to be in most states then wed have one meaningful age of majority for marriage, voting, drinking and military service. Not to mention signing contracts. We dont allow children to enter into significant binding contracts before 18, said Derek Slap, a Democratic legislator from West Hartford who said hell probably vote for the Connecticut marriage bill. But what, I asked, about a couple of 17-year-olds who are truly in love? Maybe once in a while Romeo and Juliet would have to cool their jets for a year, Slap said. But I am OK with that. Mark Oppenheimer, a contributing writer to Opinion, is the host of the podcast Unorthodox. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook The Senate will begin its confirmation hearings for President Trumps nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, on March 20. If past is prologue, the hearings will tell us little to nothing about what Gorsuch actually thinks about todays pressing legal issues. Two decades ago, one of Americas leading jurists wrote a scathing indictment of the confirmation process in one of our countrys most elite law reviews. She called the hearings a vapid and hollow charade with little educative function, except perhaps to reinforce lessons of cynicism that citizens often glean from government. Her major complaint was that the confirmation process offered little substance on the nominees views, with senators unwilling to both ask tough questions and demand complete and honest answers. The author of that critique was Elena Kagan, now a Supreme Court justice herself. Despite her critique, when Kagan appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, she was no more forthcoming than other Supreme Court nominees. She refused, as they all do, to talk about her views on past cases if there was even the remotest chance that a similar case could come before the court. For example, there was this exchange with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) about District of Columbia vs. Heller, the 2008 Supreme Court decision that interpreted the 2nd Amendment as protecting a private citizens right to own guns: Advertisement Cornyn: Let me just ask you, do you believe that the 2nd Amendment guarantees a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms for law-abiding Americans? Kagan: Sen. Cornyn, I think that Heller is settled law, and Heller has decided that the 2nd Amendment confers such an individual right to keep and bear arms. Some senators might actually prefer evasive answers, so that they dont have to answer to their constituents for truthful responses. Saying that the Heller decision is settled law is, of course, not the same thing as saying whether one agrees with the decision. Although no nominee to our highest court should pledge to decide any issue in a specific way, a nominee ought to be pressed to fully explain her views on cases that have already been decided and other current legal issues. If Cornyn really wanted to know where Kagan stood on the 2nd Amendment, he should have insisted that she say whether she agreed with the Heller decision, disagreed with it, or wasnt sure, either because she hadnt thought about it or was genuinely uncertain. The purpose of Supreme Court confirmation hearings is for the Senate to give its advice and consent on the suitability of a nominated judge. But the hearings cant serve that purpose unless there is a real exchange with the members of the Judiciary Committee. As Kagan observed, when the Senate ceases to engage nominees in meaningful discussion of legal issues, the confirmation process takes on an air of vacuity and farce, and the Senate becomes incapable of either properly evaluating nominees or appropriately educating the public. A nominees forthright responses could come with a disclaimer that the facts or legal context of a case could change her views on the law. After all, many nominees, including Gorsuch, have expressed their views on legal questions in articles and books long before stepping into the Senate Judiciary chamber room. As Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) once said: Why this room should be some kind of a cone of silence is beyond me. The door outside this room does not say, Check your views at the door. Ever since the Senate refused to put Judge Robert Bork on the court in 1987, there has been an assumption that honest responses would torpedo a nominees confirmation. But this is not the correct lesson to take from that failed nomination. As law professors Lori Ringhand and Paul Collins established in their seminal book on the confirmation process, the Senate rejected Bork because his views on privacy, speech and gender discrimination were not shared by the vast majority of Americans. It is unlikely Gorsuchs views are similarly out-of-touch, but we will never know unless the senators act like grown-ups and demand that he reveal them. As Ringhand, Collins and even Kagan have argued, the hearings can serve the vital function of educating the public about controversial legal issues and demonstrating which constitutional doctrines are beyond dispute. No nominee who said that Brown vs. Board of Education was wrongly decided would be confirmed today, nor, sadly, to some of us, would a nominee who said this of Heller. But senators should not be content with boilerplate responses that this case or that doctrine is the law of the land the answer usually given when nominees are asked about prior cases and real issues when they are responsible for deciding whether someone deserves a lifetime appointment to our highest court. Although some senators might actually prefer evasive answers, so that they dont have to answer to their constituents for truthful responses, we should demand a more rigorous process. Judge Gorsuch has had a long and distinguished legal career inside and outside of Washington. There is no doubt that he has given serious consideration to issues such as abortion, affirmative action and executive power. He should not promise how he would decide future cases, but he should be required to disclose his real views on these and other controversial constitutional questions. The American people have a right to know. Eric J. Segall, a law professor at Georgia State University, is the author of Supreme Myths: Why the Supreme Court Is Not a Court and Its Justices Are Not Judges. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook. To the editor: There is a tendency in the media to describe actions of the Trump administration with a certain level of hyperbole. For instance, the media have reported that at news conferences, Trump raged at the press, when his actual manner is quite calm. (To black Americans, Trump behaves like a classic Southerner and we feel erased, Opinion, March 9) Erin Aubry Kaplan asserts that the Trump presidency may reverse race relations back to slavery. Unfortunately, no evidence is offered for this extreme statement (remind you of anyone?). She also cites Trumps ignorance of black history as an indicator of his hostility toward black Americans. This does not follow logically, given that he has not displayed a depth of knowledge on any issue. Advertisement Exaggerated criticisms of the Trump administration bolster the claims of his supporters that the mainstream media are out to get him. Critics need to keep their logic, and their rhetoric, clean. Ed Salisbury, Santa Monica .. To the editor: I am impressed by Kaplans piece arguing that Trump is functionally a southerner and, indeed, a cracker. Trumps bigoted and rabble-rousing campaign rhetoric echoed that of such infamous southern politicians more than 100 years ago as the South Carolina governor and U.S. senator, Pitchfork Ben Tillman. True, Tillman boasted of killing African Americans, and Trump never went that far. But Trumps rallies were carnivals of hatred in which his auditors were given permission to vent their anger against the other, whether Mexican, Muslim or member of another marginalized group. The impoverished whites who supported Tillman had the satisfaction of listening to violent rhetoric and seeing the enactment of racist policies. What they didnt have was public policy that adequately supported public education or many public goods whatsoever. Time will tell whether Trump voters will undergo a similar experience; the newly released Republican healthcare plan suggests they will. Glenna Matthews, Laguna Beach The writer is a historian and author who has taught at several universities. .. To the editor: Kaplan writes, That Trump is not just another white politician but one who is spectacularly unqualified to be president makes the setback that much more racially charged and ominous. How incredible it was that we had the most qualified candidate, Hillary Clinton, versus Trump. Having said that, allow me to remind everyone that our Constitution says that the only qualifications for the presidency of the United States are to be born a citizen in the U.S., to be at least 35 years old and to have lived continuously in the U.S. for 14 years. There are no other requirements or qualifications. This allows natural-born U.S. citizens from all kinds of backgrounds, rich or poor, to run for the presidency. Benny Wasserman, La Palma Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook TV ads target lawmakers on the fence over Gov. Jerry Browns plan to raise gas taxes to repair roads By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown talks to Steve Glazer in 2011, when Glazer was still an advisor to the governor and before he was elected to the Senate. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) With supporters of a road repair bill still counting votes, a coalition of business and labor leaders on Friday began running television and radio ads that target eight legislators who have not yet committed to vote for the measure. The Fix Our Roads Coalition is spending $1 million on a statewide, week-long ad blitz that urges legislators to vote next week for Senate Bill 1. The bill would raise gas taxes and vehicle fees to generate $52 billion the first 10 years to repair crumbling roads, highways and bridges, and expand mass transit. We are closer than ever to finally passing a transportation funding package to fix our long-neglected and crumbling roads, said Michael Quigley, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, which is co-funding the commercials. These new ads are part of an all-out grassroots, earned media, advertising and social media campaign to support passage of this bill by next week. In addition to ads that call on legislators to support the bill, eight advertisements call on legislators by name to support the plan. Those targeted include Sens. Steve Glazer (D-Concord) and Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), and moderate Democratic Assembly members Adam Gray of Merced, Rudy Salas of Bakersfield, Sabrina Cervantes of Corona, Sharon Quirk-Silva of Buena Park and Al Muratsuchi of Torrance, as well as Republican Catharine Baker of San Ramon. The bill needs a two-thirds vote in both houses, which would require all of the Democrats to support the measure. Cannella and Baker are being wooed by Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders to step in if one of the Democrats gets cold feet. Representatives of Cannella and Glazer said earlier this week that they were still weighing the issue. Brown and legislative leaders have called for the Legislature to act by Thursday, after which time the lawmakers head out on spring break. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Assembly Speaker John A. Perezs views on the L.A. congressional race he dropped out of By Christine Mai-Duc (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Before he suddenly dropped out of the running citing health reasons, former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez was widely considered the favorite to replace Xavier Becerra in the 34th Congressional District. With Perez out, the race is wide open and isnt likely to be decided Tuesday, when 24 candidates compete in the primary. Instead, the top two vote-getters regardless of party are expected to advance to a June 6 election. (If any one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote Tuesday, its all over). Perez offered his thoughts on the race in an interview published Friday by Politico. Some of his major points: Perez said he thinks state Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez is significantly ahead of the pack and will make the runoff. A cluster of candidates, including Alejandra Campoverdi, Wendy Carrillo, Arturo Carmona, Maria Cabildo and Robert Lee Ahn, are in a close enough race that any one of them could advance. If Carrillo were to move forward, Perez says, the narrative in the runoff would be about which candidate is more progressive and whos an insider versus an outsider. Perez says if he were the front runner, Campoverdi is the one Id be most concerned about running against due to her connections in Washington and her national profile, which could create a new level of viability. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement To fight against human trafficking, this state senator wants to train motel employees to spot signs of abuse By Jazmine Ulloa Former Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) wants to increase services for human trafficking survivors and make it easier in court to put away their abusers. Flanked by prosecutors and hotel industry officials at a news conference Friday in San Diego, the former Assembly speaker announced new housing and mental health assistance for victims and introduced legislation that would require hotels and motels to train their employees to spot signs of human trafficking. Another of her proposals would expand the character evidence that prosecutors can bring forth at trial against defendants charged with selling victims for sex or labor. The bills are meant to attack a multibillion-dollar trade that has a wide sweep in California, home to three cities on the FBIs list of 13 top human trafficking destinations: San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. National human trafficking hotline calls across California generated 1,323 cases in 2016 nearly twice as many as any other state. Atkins is among lawmakers pushing the issue at the Capitol, where legislation has focused on targeting traffickers, protecting victims and addressing what advocates say is a law enforcement culture in which child survivors sometimes are treated like criminals. But funding for victims services and programs has been an obstacle. A bill by Atkins to develop pilot projects in three counties to address the commercial sexual exploitation of youth sailed through the Legislature without opposition last year only to be vetoed by the governor. Her second bill for a statewide task force died in the Senate appropriations committee. Atkins latest proposal to provide training for motel employees follows a similar bill by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). It failed in the last legislative session amid opposition over costs to businesses. That hasnt stopped Atkins from trying again. Hotels are ground zero for sex trafficking in this state, she said in a statement. Sex traffickers are exploiting some of the most vulnerable people in our society, including children. These victims are often hiding in plain sight, and traffickers take advantage of the fact that many hotel employees dont recognize the signs. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State Controller Betty Yee says Californias tax collection agency has been mismanaged and needs a complete overhaul By Patrick McGreevy Citing a review that found widespread mismanagement at the state Board of Equalization, State Controller Betty T. Yee on Friday called for stripping the panel of responsibilities for tax administration and audit and compliance functions so it can focus on handling taxpayer appeals. Yees proposal came in response to an evaluation by the state Department of Finance that found board officials were improperly redirecting resources and employees to pet projects in their districts. In order to rebuild taxpayer trust, meaningful reform is essential, said Yee, who serves as an ex-officio member of the board. I urge the Legislature and the governor to strip the board members of all statutory functions and permanently move these duties and assigned staff to a separate new department under the governor. The Department of Finance review found the board had difficulty providing complete and accurate documentation in response to inquiries, and various levels of management were not aware of and could not speak to certain actions, including the informal establishment of a call center, creating an unofficial office location and inconsistent use of community liaisons. The evaluation said personnel records showed workers assigned to administrative jobs that they were not doing, having been transferred to help board members in their districts. Even though each elected board member has a $1.5-million budget to cover office costs, some members borrowed workers from the head office, taking them from jobs that involved bringing in tax money and having them instead reach out to board members constituents, the review found. The redirection of workers violated state budget rules. In addition, the reviewers said the board provided 11 different versions of its proposed sales and use tax allocation adjustment and the Department of Finance found errors and omissions throughout. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Kamala Harris has opened a gubernatorial fundraising account but she has no plans to run for governor, aide says By Seema Mehta (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) Sen. Kamala Harris opened a campaign fundraising account to run for governor in 2026, but that does not mean Californias newest U.S. senator has any plans to seek the office. Harris plans to use the account to store the $1 million in leftover funds from her successful 2014 reelection campaign for attorney general, said Sean Clegg, Harris political spokesman. Harris left her post as state attorney general mid-term when she was elected in November to the Senate seat opening created by the retirement of Barbara Boxer. She faced a March 31 deadline to shutter the attorney general account, and under election law cannot mingle money raised for state campaigns with funds raised to run for federal office. Its purely political bookkeeping, Clegg said. The 2026 date could raise eyebrows because after the 2018 gubernatorial election, that will likely be the next time the governors office is open because its occupant is termed out. But Clegg said Harris did not open an account for a lower office like lieutenant governor as politicians in similar situations typically do because, he said, we werent interested in being cute about it. So we designated the only potential future office one could conceivably contemplate, although were not contemplating it, he said. Were focused on the job were doing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement This California lawmaker wants to crack down on toys and electronics that pick up conversations and personal information By Jazmine Ulloa State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), left (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press ) A California state senator wants to prevent companies from selling products that can listen in on conversations and collect personal information from unknowing consumers. Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has filed legislation that would require manufacturers to equip their Internet-connected devices, including toys, clocks, kitchenware and electronics, with certain security and privacy features. Dubbed the Teddy Bear and Toaster Act, Senate Bill 327 takes aim at the so-called Internet of Things, the inter-networking of everyday devices that some tech and privacy experts say amounts to a growing industry with little oversight. The more we know and the more we learn about the Internet connection of all sorts of devices, many are realizing that we dont know the extent to which these devices are invading our lives, Jackson said. Under her proposal, companies would have to design their products so that they alert consumers through visual, auditory or other cues when they are gathering data. They would have to obtain user consent when they intend to transfer the information. And they would have to disclose at point of sale whether the devices are capable of sweeping up sensitive data, so that customers can take that into account while shopping. Most states, including California, have privacy breach laws to protect personal information. The proposal, which would extend those provisions to consumer devices, could be the first of its kind nationwide. But it is expected to garner wide opposition from retailers and manufacturers. A My Friend Cayla doll (AFP/Getty Images) Still, supporters point to growing privacy concerns. Some toys, like the My Friend Cayla doll banned in Germany, prompt children to give personal information, such as their parents names and their addresses, and their manufacturers reserve the right to target young buyers in direct marketing campaigns. Other smart devices lack the most basic security features that make them vulnerable to a hack or coordinated cyberattack. In a statement, James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Kids Action, which is sponsoring the bill, said such toys and electronics can put consumers at risk. These products get rushed out to the market without the privacy issues being addressed in advance, and then consumers end up paying the price, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Jerry Brown? Dont rule it out, governor quips By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders appealed Thursday for support for a proposed gas tax and vehicle fee increase to fix the states roads and bridges. (Patrick McGreevy / Los Angeles Times) In arguing for approval of a new transportation package on Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown appeared to enjoy himself in refusing to shoot down a supporters suggestion that he run for president even as he noted his 79th birthday is next week. Standing next to other elected officials and construction workers at the rally in in Concord, Brown argued that gas tax and vehicle fee increases are needed to address a backlog of much-needed repairs to Californias crumbling system of roads, highways and bridges. Im telling you the truth because why would I lie to you? Brown said. I dont think Im running for office. All Ive got left is lieutenant governor, treasurer and controller. Or president, someone in the crowd shouted. Brown responded that he would be 82 when the next presidential election comes around. But you know, dont rule it out, he quipped, drawing laughter and applause. Lest the comment turn into a national story, an aide later clarified the governors intentions: He was joking. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown is making appeals to legislators for votes on his new transportation plan one district at a time By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown stumps for the new transportation funding plan on Thursday in the Bay Area city of Concord. (Patrick McGreevy / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders on Thursday took their campaign for higher transportation taxes and fees to the Bay Area district of state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Concord), one of the holdouts in the state Senate who has not yet committed to vote for the package. Surrounded by dozens of construction workers, Brown warned that if the transportation bill unveiled on Wednesday isnt approved this year, it may not happen in the foreseeable future. There is nothing more fundamental in the business of government than making sure the roads and bridges dont fall apart, and they are falling apart, Brown said. Glazer recently withheld his vote from a bill proposing a similar plan for repairing state bridges, roads and highways, and on Wednesday, a spokesman said he had still not committed to any plan but wanted to review the detailed proposal before taking a position. Construction workers at the rally held signs that pictured crumbling roads and said, Senator Glazer Fix This Now. Vote for SB 1. Brown said Glazer, his former senior advisor, does not disagree with the intent of the bill. He loves this plan, but he has another idea on his mind and he wants to marry the two and see if he can get some outcomes that I dont want to get into at this particular place, Brown told reporters. Sen. Jim Beall, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said Glazer wants the transportation funding bill to include a clause barring employees of Bay Area Rapid Transit from going on strike. Beall said that is a labor-relations issue that cannot be included in the bill raising taxes. You cant do that, Beall said. A spokesman for Glazer said the senator is still undecided on the bill. The senator is continuing to have conversations with the principals, said Steve Harmon, a spokesman for Glazer. He declined to comment on Bealls statement. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said there may be similar rallies in Los Angeles and Riverside in the coming days. Two other Democrats who have not yet committed to the plan are Riverside Sen. Richard Roth and Woodland Hills Sen. Henry Stern. Brown acknowledged that there is work to do to secure the two-thirds vote needed in both houses of the Legislature to raise the base excise tax on gasoline by 12 cents per gallon, to a total of 30 cents per gallon, and to create a new annual vehicle fee that would average $51 based on the value of the car or truck. Rendon said approval of the transportation bill would cost the average California motorist an extra $10 per month, which he said is a deal compared to the current cost of $720 in annual vehicle repair costs required because of running over potholes and other rough road conditions. Hoping to force a Senate vote on the package early next week, Brown was accompanied to the Concord news conference by Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). They urged lawmakers to support the bill, which would generate $5.2 billion annually for the first 10 years for road and bridge repairs, mass transit improvements and other projects to reduce congestion. Glazer, known as a maverick in the Legislature, was Browns campaign manager during the 2010 gubernatorial election and remained a senior advisor to the governor before running for the state Senate in a special election in 2015. ---- 1:23 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from a representative for state Sen. Steve Glazer. This article was originally published at 12:42 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Who will be Californias next governor? New poll shows Newsom leads with 1 in 3 voters undecided By Seema Mehta (Nick Ut / Associated Press) In the race to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown, the largest number of voters in a new statewide poll does not favor a candidate in the race. About 1 in 3 voters said they were undecided, according to the survey by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Among candidates who have entered the race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a strong lead with 28% of the vote, followed by Republican businessman John Cox with 18%, according to the poll, which was released Wednesday. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa clocks in at 11%, state Treasurer John Chiang at 8% and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin at 3%. Because the race is far away and public campaigning has not yet started in earnest, the poll could primarily be an indicator of name recognition. The field of candidates is also likely to grow. Newsom has several natural advantages: He was the first person to enter the race in 2015 and has a large fundraising edge. He has perhaps been the candidate most in the spotlight among the Democrats running, notably for his support of the marijuana legalization measure on the November ballot. Cox may have benefited from being the lone Republican in that version of the poll. Pollsters conducted a second version of the poll with five additional potential candidates, none of whom have announced a run for governor in 2018 San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon and former state Controller Steve Westly. Newsom still led the pack to come in at 24%. The two Republicans, Faulconer and Cox, tied at 11% each. Faulconer has said he does not plan to run for governor. Garcetti, Villaraigosa, Chiang, Steyer, De Leon, Westly and Eastin all placed in the single digits. Steyer and Westly have the personal wealth to self-fund a campaign, giving them time to decide whether to enter the race. Westly unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2006, losing in the Democratic primary to state Treasurer Phil Angelides. In the 2018 contest, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the June primary will move onto the November general election. The poll of 1,000 registered voters in California was conducted online in English and Spanish between March 13 and 20, and has a margin of error in either direction of 3.6%. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California legislators team up to expand John Muir National Historic Site By Sarah D. Wire Californias senators and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) filed legislation Thursday to add 44 acres to the John Muir National Historic Site. The John Muir Heritage Land Trust has offered to donate the additional land to the National Park Service, which operates the site, and the bill would authorize the agency to accept the parcel. The time John Muir spent with his daughters at their scenic home and its neighboring property played a major role in launching the national parks movement. Expanding the existing park to preserve more of this history and beauty is a fitting tribute to Muirs legacy of protecting land for all to enjoy, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. Located about 30 miles east of San Francisco, the John Muir National Historic Site consists of Muirs Alhambra Valley home and 325 acres outside of Martinez. DeSaulnier said in a statement that expanding the property is a fitting celebration of his legacy, and will offer nature-goers greater access to enjoy the beauty of the East Bay. DeSaulnier sponsored the same bill last year, which passed the House unanimously but was not considered by the Senate. Feinstein and former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) carried the Senate version, which died after a committee hearing. Such bills often take a few attempts to pass, even without major opposition. Muirs writings helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service, starting with his lobbying of Congress to protect the Yosemite Valley from dams. He also was a founding member of the Sierra Club. Californians owe him a debt of gratitude, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias attorney general could investigate local police shootings under new legislation By Liam Dillon Attorney John Burris, center, comforts Robert and Deborah Mann, family members of Joseph Mann, who was killed by Sacramento Police in July, after a news conference on Oct. 3, 2016. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP) Californias attorney general could investigate local police shootings under a new bill authored by a Sacramento lawmaker. Democratic Assemblyman Kevin McCartys Assembly Bill 284 would allow local police departments or district attorneys to ask Atty. Gen. Xavier Becceras office to independently investigate police shootings of civilians. The legislation was prompted by high-profile police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Eric Garner in New York City and last summers police shooting of Joseph Mann, a mentally ill homeless man, in Sacramento, according to McCartys office. In all three cases, local prosecutors declined to charge the officers. There is a growing skepticism and a perceived conflict of interest, of the current process of local district attorneys investigating local police, said a fact sheet on the bill provided by McCartys office. Given that they work so closely, it is a valid question of whether this is the most transparent process for the public. There is a growing appetite, both at the national and local level, to create a better and more transparent system for [police shootings] that is fair to police, families, and the community in order to restore public trust. McCartys bill would make state investigations voluntary in these cases and would be implemented only if lawmakers also give Becceras office money to pay for the effort. In 2015, McCarty tried to pass legislation that would have made state investigations of local police shootings mandatory, but that bill failed to make it out of legislative committees. This year, lawmakers have generally scaled back prior efforts to change the states rules governing police discipline and transparency. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former offenders will help award millions in Proposition 47 grants to rehabilitate inmates By Jazmine Ulloa We have listened to law enforcement talk about how horrible Prop. 47 is, said Vonya Quarles, an advocate for the formerly incarcerated. Now we have a chance to help the people who are hurting. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)) California officials will begin the process this spring of awarding $103 million in grants to programs for inmates centered on rehabilitation, substance abuse and reentry into society. The efforts will be funded with dollars saved from prison spending under Proposition 47, the sweeping 2014 ballot measure that downgraded six drug and theft crimes to misdemeanors and allowed defendants to renegotiate their punishments. For the large coalition of criminal justice advocates that poured millions into getting the proposition passed and that has closely tracked its implementation, this is a long-awaited step. Other states have passed similar laws, but California is the only state to invest those savings into services meant to help people stay out of prison. On the executive committee helping award the grants are formerly incarcerated people who know the system from the inside. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement What would single-payer healthcare look like in California? Lawmakers release new details By Melanie Mason Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A proposal in California for a single-payer healthcare system would dramatically expand the state governments presence in medical care and slash the role of insurance companies. New amendments released Thursday fill in some key details on the universal healthcare measure proposed by state Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), although the biggest political question how it would be paid for remains unanswered. Under the proposal, which was announced in February, the state would cover all medical expenses for every resident regardless of their income or immigration status, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency services, dental, vision, mental health and nursing home care. Insurers would be prohibited from offering benefits that cover the same services as the state. The program would eliminate co-pays and deductibles, and patients would not need to get referrals to see eligible providers. The system would be administered by an unpaid nine-person board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. A universal healthcare system run by the government has long been a dream of liberals, with many rallying behind insurgent Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders proposal for Medicare for all in the 2016 race. After a GOP effort to replace Obamacare stalled last week, Sanders said he intends to introduce a nationwide single-payer bill in the U.S. Senate. Proponents in California, who are no longer playing defense to preserve the Affordable Care Act, also touted a broader healthcare plan. With Republicans failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Californians really get what is at stake with their healthcare, Lara said in a statement. We have the chance to make universal healthcare a reality now. Its time to talk about how we get to healthcare for all that covers more and costs less. The cost sure to be the biggest hurdle for the measure so far remains unknown. The authors say they intend to pay for the program through broad-based revenue, but details of a funding proposal have not been hashed out. Gov. Jerry Brown sounded wary of a sprawling single-payer plan while speaking to reporters last week on his trip to Washington D.C. Where do you get the extra money? This is the whole question, Brown said. The bill is sponsored by the California Nurses Assn., which already has been rallying its members in support of the bill, SB 562. There has been a seismic shift in our political system through grassroots activism; we have an inspired, motivated base that will make its voice heard, RoseAnn DeMoro, the labor groups president, said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California backs San Francisco court challenge of Trump administration threat to withhold funds from sanctuary cities By Patrick McGreevy Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Wednesday he has filed an amicus brief supporting San Franciscos court challenge to President Trumps order targeting so-called sanctuary cities and counties that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws. The move marks a half-dozen times the state has filed briefs supporting legal challenges to various Trump orders. Last week, Becerra filed papers supporting a lawsuit by Santa Clara County. That case and San Franciscos challenge the legality of the Trump administrations threats to withhold federal funds from states and local jurisdictions that the administration deems to be sanctuary jurisdictions. Becerras brief cites Californias interest in protecting state laws and policies that ensure public safety and protect the constitutional rights of its residents. Threatening to take away resources from sheriffs and police officers in order to promote misguided views on federal immigration policy is reckless and puts public safety at risk, Becerra said in a statement. It is the right and responsibility of California and each state under the Constitution to determine how it will provide for the safety and general welfare of its residents and to safeguard their constitutional rights. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti asks the federal government to define a sanctuary city By Sarah D. Wire View Instagram post Amid a new call from the Trump administration to cut off federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck had a question for the head of Homeland Security on Wednesday: What exactly is a sanctuary city? Garcetti and Beck joined a bipartisan handful of mayors and law enforcement leaders from across the country in Washington to air their concerns about President Trumps recent executive orders on immigration to Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. Los Angeles is among the jurisdictions often called sanctuary cities that dont assist with federal immigration enforcement. State and local leaders in California have said they will continue to protect people in the country illegally despite the Trump administrations threats. After the closed-door meeting, mayors and police chiefs said their main request for Kelly was for a firm definition of what the federal government considers a sanctuary city. We think that as long as were complying with federal law then we shouldnt be labeled with whatever label intimates that were not, Beck said. Were looking for clarification; we are looking to be involved in the conversation so that decisions arent made that affect us without our input. Homeland Security spokesman Dave Lapan said the department is working on a definition but does not have a timeline for when it would be finalized. Although there is no legal definition of the term, the administration has seemed to define sanctuary jurisdictions as ones that dont comply when Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks them to detain prisoners after they have served their sentences so they can be picked up for deportation. Multiple federal courts have said the detainer orders differ from an official warrant and are not legal justification for holding someone who has served his or her sentence or is no longer under arrest. Los Angeles is one of several cities in California that does not hold people for immigration officials without a warrant, and Garcetti said that is going to continue. We see it as abiding by the Constitution, because there is case law that says we cant hold people for longer than permitted, Garcetti said after the meeting. Lapan said the Department of Homeland Security is working on ways to address concerns about the legality of holding someone for immigration officials, as well as the concerns of mayors of cities that have laws instructing law enforcement officers not to comply with immigration officials. Part of having this discussion is to find out, How can we get around this? Lapan said. If we are dealing with a criminal alien, somebody who is both in the country unlawfully and has committed crimes, the best place for us to take them into custody is in a jail or prison. Thats the safest for everyone, both our officers and the communities. Garcetti also disputes the administrations assertion that it can withhold federal funds from cities that dont comply with ICE orders. Garcetti pointed to a 2012 Supreme Court decision that said the government couldnt withhold Medicaid funds if states chose not to expand access to the program under the Affordable Care Act. I think we all feel on very strong constitutional and legal footing that it was decided in the Obama administration you cant put a legal gun to the head, a financial gun to the head of jurisdictions, whether its states or localities, and take their money if you dont agree with what they are doing in a different area, he said. Garcetti invited Kelly to visit Los Angeles. We need to make sure that we also are showing the perspectives of everyday people in cities like Los Angeles, he said. Garcetti also attended California congressional Democrats weekly lunch and met privately with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) before appearing on an immigration panel hosted by House Democrats. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Anti-discrimination measure or blow to religious freedom? California bill sparks debate on employer codes of conduct By Melanie Mason Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A measure that would bar employers from firing workers for having an abortion or giving birth to a child out of wedlock is getting pushback from religious groups who say such a bill would prevent them from requiring employees to act in accordance with their faith. Under the bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), employers would not be able to discipline or fire workers for any reproductive health decision, such as pregnancy, in-vitro fertilization or abortion. What this bill does is make sure that people can make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and for their families without the fear that theyll risk their livelihoods in doing so, Rebecca Griffin of NARAL Pro-Choice California, a sponsor of the measure, said at a Wednesday afternoon hearing at the Capitol. A teacher at a Christian college in San Diego was fired in 2012 for becoming pregnant while unmarried. The school said her pregnancy violated its employee code of conduct, which prohibited premarital sex. In 2015, San Francisco Archibishop Salvatore Cordileone sparked a backlash when he proposed a new morality clause in the faculty handbook and contract for local Catholic schools that opposed same-sex marriage and certain reproductive medical procedures. With employees being fired for code of conduct violations in other states, proponents said California should set an example for the country, Right now, while were facing a federal government that is attacking reproductive freedom at every turn and condoning the type of discrimination that this bill prohibits, we feel like this is the time for California to take a stand for our values and make sure that our workers have the best protections possible, Griffin said. But the proposal faces opposition from religious groups, who argue such codes of conduct are integral to the relationship with their workers. The bill would specifically deny religious employers our 1st Amendment protections to infuse our codes of conduct with the tenets of our faith, said Sandra Palacios of the California Catholic Conference. The reaction from religious groups was not uniformly negative. The Rev. Rick Schlosser, executive director of the California Council of Churches, which represents mainline Protestant and Orthodox denominations, pointed to the diverse positions on reproductive issues among his groups members to explain his support for the bill. Any legislation that limits peoples ability to make their own moral decisions is harmful to religious freedom, said Schlosser. But other religious groups said the measure threatened to undermine the very purpose of requiring their employees to abide by a code of conduct. An organization specifically chartered to support or oppose a specific set of beliefs or actions cannot fulfill its mission without requiring adherence to a code of conduct, wrote Jonathan Keller, president of the conservative California Family Council, in an opposition letter. Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) asked why such codes of conduct should govern a personal decision an employee makes out of the workplace. Our community covenant does say that our employees are required to uphold our biblical values, and that certainly is a round-the-clock priority for us, responded Phillip Escamilla, the public policy chair of William Jessup University, a Sacramento-area evangelical Christian college Gonzalez Fletcher, herself a practicing Catholic, said she was not trying to unfairly target religious institutions. But, she said, she was trying to combat an inherent sexism that comes with enforcing such codes of conduct. A female employees reproductive decisions such as entering an abortion clinic or being pregnant out of wedlock can be seen by her employer, Gonzalez Fletcher said. A males decisions to whether or not theyre going to abide by a conduct never rise to that level, she said. So that inherent difference in how women and men are treated with these types of decisions just show how little privacy women are able to maintain. The bill, AB 569, cleared the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, its first legislative threshold, on a 4-2 vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown, legislative leaders propose raising $5.2 billion annually to repair Californias roads and bridges By Patrick McGreevy (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Acknowledging that the states transportation system has been neglected, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders on Wednesday announced a proposal to raise gas taxes and vehicle fees to generate more than $5 billion annually for repairing Californias crumbling system of streets, highways and bridges, as well as to increase mass transit. It remains uncertain whether Brown will be able to muster the two-thirds vote in both houses of the Legislature needed to approve the new revenue sources, which include a 12-cent-per-gallon increase in the existing 18-cent base excise tax on gasoline. The package also includes a new, annual vehicle fee that would average about $48 based on the value of the car. The package was announced at a news conference on the Capitol steps attended by Brown, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). California has not approved an increase in the base excise tax on gas for 23 years, according to Brian Kelly, secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. As a result, the state faces a $130-billion backlog of repairs to state highways and bridges and local streets. There is sizable money here to make things better, Kelly said. People are going to get improved neighborhood streets. They are going to get improved highways and bridges, more faith that they are traveling on safe structures. And we are going to invest to improve the congestion into our trade corridors and congestion on their commute. Assembly and Senate Republicans released a joint statement opposing the plan. Californians already pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation, the statement said. The transportation proposal announced by the Capitol Democrats is a costly and burdensome plan that forces ordinary Californians to bail out Sacramento for years of neglecting our roads. Brown has set a deadline of April 6, the day before the Legislature leaves on its spring break, to have the new package voted on by lawmakers. Because Republicans have generally opposed the tax increases, the package may need the vote of every Democrat to get the two-thirds majority for passage. Three Democratic senators had been holding off their support before the new plan was released. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Election officials say mistake on Korean language ballots substantially smaller than previously thought By Christine Mai-Duc (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County election officials say a mistake made on Korean-language sample ballots in the upcoming 34th Congressional District race likely affected fewer than 780 voters. The error, which listed the races 23 candidates in the wrong order on some Korean-language sample ballots, was discovered last week after Korean American voters pointed out their mail-in ballot materials looked different than English-language sample ballots sent to the same home or apartment building. Initially, election officials said they didnt know how widespread the problem was. As a precaution, they sent bilingual notices and corrected sample ballots to all 8,251 voters in the district who received Korean-language sample ballots. None of the sample ballots enclosed with actual mail-in ballots were affected, officials say. In a letter to election officials and L.A. County supervisors Tuesday, the Korean American Coalition called it a violation of federally protected voting rights. The letter asked officials to host a 24-hour hotline for Korean-speaking voters until election day, provide more information on the scope of the error and extend the mail-in voting deadline for those who had received the misprinted ballots. In a response sent Wednesday morning, County Registrar Dean Logan said the error was limited to a small number of sample ballots in a single print run of 777 sample ballots. Based on the agencys review, Logan wrote, it appears that substantially fewer than the 777 voters were affected. The registrars office says it is extending the hours of operation for its voter hotline and staffing it with Korean-speaking operators. Voters concerned that they may have been affected can call 1-800-815-2666 and select option 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend. Voters will also see additional signage at polls addressing the issue and Korean-speaking poll workers will be instructed to remind voters to check their ballots. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Talks at Capitol focus on boosting California transportation funding by some $5.2 billion annually By Patrick McGreevy On Highway 1 in Big Sur, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge has buckled, cutting off a community of hundreds from schools and isolating renowned businesses from customer traffic. (Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times) With a deadline looming, Gov. Jerry Brown is winding up negotiations with legislators in hopes of reaching an agreement on a plan that would provide at least $5.2 billion annually for a transportation backlog that includes repairing Californias aging and crumbling system of streets, highways and bridges, officials said Tuesday. Those close to the talks said an agreement on the package could be announced as early as Wednesday afternoon. The question remains whether Brown and leaders can muster the two-thirds vote needed to approve a phased-in gas tax increase of up to 12 cents by the April 6 deadline set by the governor. Key senators remained uncommitted to any plan as of Tuesday. And a new voter-approved rule requires a bill to be in print for 72 hours before it can be passed. The bill needs approval in both houses. Assembly Democrats were briefed on the evolving plan behind closed doors on Tuesday and some officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment, said talks are progressing on a plan that would provide the bulk of money to a fix-it first program of road repairs divided evenly between state projects and those of cities and counties. Money would also be dedicated to mass transit, bicycle, pedestrian and trucking routs for ports. The proposal also would include reforms proposed by lawmakers, including Republicans, that would hold officials accountable for proper use of the money, including a requirement for regular audits, creation of an inspector general position and a ballot measure requiring new money to be spent on transportation projects. Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) authored a bill that would put a measure on the ballot, saying Tuesday such guarantees are required given the urgency of the deferred maintenance backlog, and the additional burden we are asking Californias taxpayers to carry. John Myers contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Advertisement Watch: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director attends community meeting in Sacramento Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown calls for countermovement against Trumps colossal mistake on climate change By Evan Halper 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 countermovement, 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 change, 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California and its allies hint at new legal battles over Clean Power Plan By Chris Megerian California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) President Trumps effort to roll back the Clean Power Plan could quickly run into legal challenges from California and its allies across the country. State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and his counterparts from states including New York, Massachusetts and Oregon said they wont hesitate to protect those we serve including by aggressively opposing [Trumps actions] in court. The joint statement was also issued by Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and other cities. Californias stance isnt surprising because the state joined Obama administration efforts to defend the Clean Power Plan in 2015. Further legal action could underscore the determination of local and state governments to push forward with fighting climate change even as Trump withdraws federal regulations. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Meeting climate change goals will require billions for transportation and housing improvements, reports say By Liam Dillon A major push to get Californians out of their cars and onto their feet, bikes and public transit is essential if the state wants to meet its aggressive goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, according to new reports from the state and UC Berkeley researchers. Californians will have to drive an average of 1.6 miles less a day and regional government agencies believe it will cost billions of dollars to make the mass transit and housing improvements needed for that to happen. UC Berkeley researchers argue in a new study that a boom in dense housing across the state will bring major greenhouse gas reductions and economic growth. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California expects to be unscathed as Trump targets Clean Power Plan By Chris Megerian A solar farm in Kern County (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Although Californias leaders may protest President Trumps announcement Tuesday that hes scrapping the Clean Power Plan, his decision is expected to have little effect on a state already marching toward renewable energy. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in the Golden State are already below what the federal government would have required by 2030, and theyre expected to drop even further. Rollback of the Clean Power Plan is pretty much irrelevant to California, said Frank Wolak, a Stanford University economist who has advised state leaders on climate regulations. The federal rules, enacted by former President Obama as part of his campaign against climate change, were intended to push states away from coal and toward cleaner energy sources. But that was already underway in California. Los Angeles, one of the last places in the state to rely on coal, was already planning to stop importing electricity from out-of-state coal plants by 2025. In addition, state law requires California to generate half of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2030, and state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) has suggested pushing even further. When it comes to fighting pollution and climate change, there are some areas where California relies on the federal government. For example, they share authority on regulating vehicle emissions, and Trumps preparation to roll back federal rules has caused alarm here. However, theres less of a concern when it comes to generating electricity. Trumps moves have caused some anxiety among California companies that are developing clean energy technologies and looking for new markets to sell them. Bob Keefe, executive director of Environmental Entrepreneurs, said the Clean Power Plan would have been a huge economic catalyst. President Trump is basically telling Californias more than 40,000 clean-energy businesses and the 500,000 workers they employ that they dont matter to him, he said. Rail cars filled with coal in Wyoming (Ryan Dorgan / Associated Press) Its an open question how Trump could affect various efforts for California to integrate its electricity grid with neighboring states, an idea that has failed to gain traction so far. Advocates of the concept say regional cooperation could expand the market for renewable energy, but the lack of federal pressure to cut emissions could dampen enthusiasm in places such as Utah and Wyoming, which rely on coal. They dont have the Clean Power Plan bearing down on them, said Don Furman, who directs the Fix the Grid campaign thats seeking closer relationships among West Coast states. Ralph Cavanagh, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said he doesnt expect changes to the Clean Power Plan to harm efforts to create a regional electricity grid, because of the falling cost of renewable energy. The rationale is stronger today than it was yesterday, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California GOP lawmakers introduce bills to boost healthcare and jobs for veterans By Liam Dillon Sen. Janet Nguyen (R-Garden Grove) speaks at a press conference introducing a package of bills aimed at helping California veterans. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Republican state lawmakers unveiled a package of six bills Tuesday aimed at improving job training and healthcare services for California veterans. Our veterans have served this country bravely and it is only right for us to recognize their contribution and see that when they do come home they receive the care and assistance they deserve, said state Sen. Janet Nguyen of Garden Grove, who authored three of the measures. The six bills are: Senate Bill 410 from Nguyen and Assembly Bill 353 from Assemblyman Randy Voepel of Santee, which would expand hiring preferences. for veterans. SB 409 from Nguyen and SB 485 from state Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber, which would increase mental health services and oversight at state veterans homes. SB 411 from Nguyen, which would pay some military reservists $100 a month once they turn 50 if theyve served for 10 years or more. SB 197 from Sen. Pat Bates of Laguna Niguel, which would waive state and local sales taxes for nonprofits that donate facilities to the U.S. Department of Defense a measure aimed at helping construction of a mental health care facility at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print These Los Angeles girls went to Capitol Hill to ask the Senate to fight new immigration enforcement efforts By Sarah D. Wire Fatima, left, and Yuleni Avelica, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) during a news conference on Capitol Hill. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) Fatima Avelica, 13, was training for the Los Angeles Marathon with her father before he was arrested by immigration agents last month after dropping Fatimas sister off at her Lincoln Heights school. Fatima had to pause repeatedly, pressing her fingers to her eyes, as she told the story to reporters at a news conference in the Capitol on Tuesday. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) handed handkerchiefs to Fatima and her sister Yuleni Avelica, 12. The girls had medals from completing the marathon dangling around their necks. Democratic senators held the news conference to urge their Senate colleagues to reject President Trumps request for $3 billion to hire thousands of new immigration agents, expand detention facilities and build a wall among the southern border as part of his pledge to deport millions of people in the country illegally. The White House has characterized the moves as necessary for public safety. Californias Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris said Trumps immigration enforcement orders are too broad, sweeping up nonviolent offenders or people accused of the civil offense of being in the country illegally. She called the executive orders, which vastly broadened who can be targeted for deportation and leaves a lot of discretion to local immigration officials misguided and misinformed. Its irresponsible to paint a whole population of people as racists and murderers and bad hombres, she said, referencing one of Trumps own lines about immigrants. Its actually ignorant and we cant afford to run our country that way. The girls father, Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, a Mexican citizen, has lived in the U.S. for 25 years. ICE officials cited two misdemeanor convictions as the reason for his arrest. His four daughters were all born in the U.S. Fatima said the family is waiting for word every day on whether he will be deported. Fatima said she now wants to become an immigration lawyer. Its like a new marathon for me, and I know I can finish it, Fatima said, tears welling up again. But, I need my coach there. I need my dad. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Jerry Brown, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blast President Trump on climate change By Chris Megerian California Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown joined with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday to criticize President Trumps pending announcement to roll back climate regulations and insist that their states will push forward anyway. Dismantling the Clean Power Plan and other critical climate programs is profoundly misguided and shockingly ignores basic science, they said in a joint statement. With this move, the Administration will endanger public health, our environment and our economic prosperity. Brown and Cuomo represent the two largest states with the most ambitious goals for fighting global warming, and theyve already set equivalent targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Theyre also pushing to generate half of all their electricity from renewable sources by 2030. With or without Washington, we will work with our partners throughout the world to aggressively fight climate change and protect our future, Brown and Cuomo said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print To stem rising prices, a California lawmaker is taking on how hospital chains craft their contracts By Melanie Mason Amid concern that sprawling hospital chains are leading to higher prices, a California state senator is trying to clamp down on how hospital networks craft their contracts to win market dominance. Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) is offering a measure that would prohibit hospitals from certain contracting practices he sees as anti-competitive, such as requiring health plans to contract with all affiliates of the hospital or mandating that health plans agree to binding arbitration for antitrust claims. Weve lost a level of transparency thats affected affordability and access and fairness, Monning said in an interview. Multi-hospital chains are becoming prominent throughout the country, with proponents saying such mergers make care more efficient and better coordinated. But a recent USC study found that while hospital prices in California have grown overall, the costs are higher in the states largest chains. Once you control a market, you can artificially increase costs, said Monning, adding those higher prices can spill over to neighboring hospitals, too. Competitors think if they can charge this much for a hip replacement, were going to as well, Monning said. Another study by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute found premiums in Northern California were 30% higher than those in Southern California, in part because of the dominance of a few healthcare systems in the north. Micah Weinberg, the institutes president, said hospital consolidation was a logical issue to look at, particularly because healthcare coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act is now under less threat from Congress following the failure of the House Republicans replacement bill. We have to double down on the real work, which is getting people access to quality healthcare and affordable costs, said Weinberg. One of the biggest barriers to that is the lack of competition among healthcare providers. Weinberg said much of the question is a matter of federal antitrust enforcement. Its really difficult to do things at the state level that are effective here, he said. Still, consolidation has increasingly come under scrutiny in California. The state attorney generals office under Kamala Harris, now serving as U.S. senator, investigated consolidation of hospital and physician groups, and the effect on consumer prices. Last year, the healthcare trust for the United Food and Commercial Workers union, sued Sutter Health, alleging antitrust violations. The Pacific Business Group on Health, an organization that represents major companies such as Wells Fargo and Chevron, also raised alarms on Sutters requirement that firms use arbitration to resolve disputes--or face higher rates for Sutters healthcare services. The business group is a supporter of Monnings bill, as well as the California Labor Federation. The California Hospital Assn. has not taken a position on the bill. ------------ FOR THE RECORD March 29, 2017, 1:52 p.m.: A previous version of this article reported that the Pacific Group on Health sued Sutter Health. The United Food and Commercial Workers healthcare trust filed the suit. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles assemblyman returns to work in Sacramento after more than two-week absence By Melanie Mason Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) After more than two weeks away from the state Capitol, Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) was back at work Monday, with his staff blaming the absence on unspecified medical reasons. Im not going to comment on what the illness was, said his chief of staff, Darryl Lucien, who added that the legislator was feeling better Monday. Ridley-Thomas, 29, was not available for an interview to discuss his absence. He originally went on leave March 7. At the time, he did not specify an illness and so Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendons office considered him to be on personal leave. Under legislative rules, those absences did not allow him to receive per diem payments a subsidy intended to offset the costs of traveling and living in Sacramento. On March 21, he informed Rendons office that he was on medical leave, thus becoming eligible for the $183 per diem. Lucien said the original personal leave request was an error and that all of Ridley-Thomas time away from work was for health reasons. Its medical leave, Lucien said. He has a doctors note that was submitted, excusing him for the time he was out. Ridley-Thomas was not entirely absent from legislative work during that time. While on leave, he yanked one high-profile piece of legislation a measure that would exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from sales tax from a hearing in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation committee, which he chairs. The bills author, Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), said she spoke directly to Ridley-Thomas about a request to amend her bill days before that committee hearing. Lucien said Ridley-Thomas was working on a very limited basis, fielding calls from members to the extent he was able to speak with them. A fellow Democrat, Assemblyman Bill Quirk of Hayward, stepped in to chair the Revenue and Taxation panel during a March 13 hearing. A subsequent hearing on March 20 was canceled. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Adam Schiff calls on Devin Nunes to remove himself from Russia investigation By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) on Monday urged fellow Californian Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) to remove himself from their investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Before late last week, Schiff had gone out of his way not to be critical of Nunes throughout the fledgling investigation. They have held the top positions on the House Intelligence Committee for two years, and have served in Congress together for more than a decade. This is not a recommendation I make lightly, as the Chairman and I have worked together well for several years; and I take this step with the knowledge of the solemn responsibility we have on the Intelligence Committee to provide oversight on all intelligence matters, not just to conduct the investigation, Schiff said in a statement. After much consideration I believe Chairman should recuse himself from involvement in investigation/oversight of Trump campaign & transition pic.twitter.com/jpfA1x80Si Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 27, 2017 Nunes last week surprised many when he told reporters that conversations between Trump and his transition team may have been accidentally picked up during legal intelligence gathering. Nunes briefed the media and President Trump before informing his committee. A spokesman for Nunes, who was a member of Trumps transition team, said Monday he obtained the information from a source on White House grounds, which raised even more questions. Nearly a week after Nunes announcement, committee members still havent seen the evidence, Schiff said. There was no legitimate justification for bringing that information to the White House instead of the committee. That it was also obtained at the White House makes this departure all the more concerning, Schiff said. Nunes spokesman would not comment on calls for the chairman to recuse himself. House Democrats have called for an entirely independent investigation, but short of that were coalescing around the call for Nunes to step aside. Among others, Schiffs Intelligence Committee colleagues Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) and Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) have also called for Nunes to step aside from the investigation. The House and Senate intelligence committees are both investigating allegations that Russia tried to interfere with the presidential election and what, if anything, the Trump campaign knew about it. So far, too many people in the White House and administration, and now the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, have betrayed their duty to conduct an independent, bipartisan inquiry into the Trump teams ties with Russia, Swalwell said in a statement. Chairman Nunes should no longer be anywhere near this investigation, let alone leading it. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said in a statement that Nunes had tarnished the chairmanship. She also said it was long overdue for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) to ask him to recuse himself from the investigation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Blasting federal action on immigration, Californias chief justice warns the rule of law is under threat By Patrick McGreevy California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye warned Monday that the rule of law in state is under threat. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye did not mention President Trump by name in her annual State of the Judiciary speech Monday, but she blasted federal actions on immigration and warned that the rule of law in the state is under threat. In addressing the Legislature, she also called on members to end years of underfunding of the state court system. The chief justice said the rule of law has failed repeatedly in the state, including when her husbands parents were among 120,000 Japanese Americans put in internment camps during World War II. Simply put, the rule of law means that we as a people are governed by laws and rules, not by a monarch, she said. People take the rule of law for granted until it is under threat, she added. I submit to you today that the rule of law is being challenged, she said. We are living in a time of civil rights unrest, eroding trust in our institutions, economic anxiety and unprecedented polarization. Cantil-Sakauye cited a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center that California was home to 79 ethnic hate groups more than any other state. Our values and our rules and laws are being called into question, and all three branches of government and the free press are in the crosshairs, she said. Without naming Trump, the chief justice criticized recent federal enforcement of immigration laws in which agents have gone into courthouses to take immigrants into custody. She said it was concern over the rule of law that caused her to write to the U.S. attorney general and the Homeland Security secretary recently, asking them to refrain from conducting immigration raids at or near courthouses. When we hear of immigration arrests and the fear of immigration arrests in our state courthouses, I am concerned that that kind of information trickles down into the community, the schools, the churches. The families and people will no longer come to court to protect themselves or cooperate or bear witness, she said. I am afraid that will be the end of justice and communities will be less safe and victimization will continue. The chief justice also repeated her concerns about the lack of sufficient funding for the judiciary even as legislators are adding laws by the thousands. Since 2011 when I became chief justice, 6,408 bills have become law in California, while the judicial branch budget has been shrinking, Cantil-Sakauye said. I have said before that we are on the wrong side of justice when it comes to funding our courts. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Its not just Berniecrats: Korean voters could also swing L.A.'s congressional race in a big way By Christine Mai-Duc Robert Lee Ahn, center, is the only Korean American candidate running in a field dominated by Latinos in the 34th Congressional District race. (Christine Mai-Duc / Los Angeles Times) The crowded race to replace Xavier Becerra in the 34th Congressional District, which includes most of Los Angeles Koreatown, appears to be bringing Korean American voters out in large numbers. Thats in part because in a field dominated by Latinos, Robert Lee Ahn has a shot at becoming the only Korean American in Congress and the first Korean American Democrat to be elected to the body. Ahn, a businessman and former L.A. city planning commissioner, has raised a formidable amount of money in a short period of time, much of it from donors in the Korean American community. His campaign spent weeks helping register voters at Koreatown malls and restaurants, and says they registered more than 600 new voters so far. Part of our campaign is to build awareness and get the community more civically engaged, Ahn said on a recent Friday morning as his campaign embarked on a 34-hour voter registration drive outside the BCD Tofu House restaurant. As a Korean American, obviously thats a natural base of mine. Inside, Ahn shook hands with supporters and navigated the lunchtime rush to ask for voters support table side. Some of it may be paying off. More than a quarter of the 10,841 mail-in ballots turned in for the race so far were cast by Korean American voters, according to an analysis of surnames, birthplace and translated ballot materials by Political Data. Koreans make up just 6% of registered voters in the district. Nearly half of Korean American voters who have already cast a ballot in the race did not vote in the March 7 city elections. Ahn, who has said hell bring a business sensibility and common sense to the office, says he has been running a campaign that reaches out to all kinds of voters. But the fact that there hasnt been a Korean American in Congress for more than 20 years means his candidacy has gotten plenty of attention from the Korean American press. I think people recognize the importance and historic nature of this election, Ahn said. I think theres a hunger for a voice ... and theres a palpable frustration of not being heard, not being properly represented, and I think thats what were seeing in the early returns. But the result of those early votes so far is unclear, particularly after elections officials disclosed that a number of Korean-language sample ballots had been misprinted with the candidates listed in the wrong order. Those who used the faulty sample ballots to cast their vote could have inadvertently voted for a candidate they didnt intend to support, and officials still dont know how widespread the problem is. Ahn isnt the only Korean American candidate to energize the community in recent years. David Ryu, the first Korean American elected to the L.A. City Council, rode to victory in 2015 with the help of a wave of support from Koreatown leaders. I believe a political awakening is occurring in the Korean American community all over the nation, but especially here in L.A., said Joon Bang, executive director of the Korean American Coalition. Our community is evolving and its beginning with understanding the power of their vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Nothing short of blackmail: California Senate leader denounces plan to cut funding from sanctuary cities By Jazmine Ulloa California Senate Leader Kevin de Leon. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Senate leader Kevin de Leon on Monday called U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions move to cut federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities nothing short of blackmail. In a statement, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said Sessions and the Trump administration stuck to alternative facts when describing immigrants and sanctuary counties and cities, where local policies limit the cooperation of law enforcement agencies with federal authorities on immigration laws. Instead of making us safer, the Trump administration is spreading fear and promoting race-based scapegoating, he said. Their gun-to-the-head method to force resistant cities and counties to participate in Trumps inhumane and counterproductive mass-deportation is unconstitutional and will fail. De Leon was responding to an earlier announcement made by Sessions at a White House press briefing. Sessions urged all states and local jurisdictions to comply with federal immigration laws and said it would be a condition for receiving federal grants. Jeff Sessions: "countless Americans would be alive today. And countless loved ones would not be grieving" if sanctuary cities were ended. pic.twitter.com/sEgH3bvPwi BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) March 27, 2017 State leaders are still calculating the fiscal impact of the move in California, where the Senate leader has filed a bill that would prevent state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws. Data shows sanctuary counties have lower crime rates than comparable nonsanctuary counties #SB54 https://t.co/rKZDsB8x8E Kevin de Len (@kdeleon) March 27, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California National Guard official tells legislators forced bonus repayments will be resolved by mid-summer By Melanie Mason A top official for the California National Guard told state legislators Monday that he hopes lingering issues from the soldiers being forced to repay enlistment bonuses will be resolved by mid-summer. A Times investigation last year found that the Pentagon demanded thousands of soldiers repay enlistment bonuses up to a decade after going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. The claw-back came after audits revealed vast overpayments of bonuses, due in part to mismanagement and pressure to hit enlistment targets. The Times story prompted outcry that soldiers, who were not at fault for accepting the bonuses, were now facing financial hardship. Matthew Beevers, the deputy adjutant for the California National Guard, told a joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly Veterans Affairs committees that just over 1,000 soldiers currently hold debt due to the bonus recoupment. Soldiers who are affected by the repayment demand must go through a federal waiver adjudication process, which Beevers described as unnecessarily long, complex and resource-intensive. He said the state-run Soldier Incentives Assistance Center was working with those who need to navigate the complex process to get those debts waived. "[If] you got a bonus and you completed your obligation and for some reason, you werent entitled to it, weve done everything we can do ensure that those soldiers get to keep those bonuses and we continue to do that today, Beevers said. Beevers said the state is trying to locate all soldiers who may be carrying debts due to the enlistment bonus. For those who complete the federal adjudication process, around 50% get their debts waived, he said. At the end of the day, there might be 600 or so soldiers out of 16,000 who might have to pay money, which is a very very small number, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former California legislator Henry Perea will lobby for the oil industry in Sacramento By Chris Megerian (Tomas Ovalle / For The Times) As lawmakers debate the future of Californias climate policies, the oil industry is boosting its lobbying firepower with a former Democratic assemblyman from Fresno who has bedeviled environmentalists in the past. Henry Perea resigned his Assembly seat to work for a pharmaceutical group. Now hes jumping to the Western States Petroleum Assn. as a senior vice president, a role hes scheduled to start on May 1. Henry brings us unique expertise, said a statement from Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the associations president. He understands our state, our industry and how smart public policy can ensure Californias continued leadership in environmental protections while maintaining a diverse, vibrant economy. While serving in the Assembly, Perea led the so-called moderate caucus of business-friendly Democrats. He played a key role in stalling 2015 legislation that would have created tough new targets for reducing oil consumption. Environmentalists have made progress since then, successfully pushing through legislation to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Now these issues are being debated again as lawmakers consider whether to extend the states cap-and-trade program, which is intended to provide a financial incentive to reduce emissions. The oil industry supports extending the program, but its working to ensure favorable terms and to loosen the states other regulatory plans. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrats out with ads targeting Rep. Mimi Walters for supporting GOP healthcare bill By Sarah D. Wire Republicans didnt vote on their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act on Friday, but Democrats already have ads out criticizing vulnerable GOP House members like Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine for backing the bill. The Internet ads, paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will target 14 Republicans who voted for the bill in the House Budget, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce committees. The ads will run for at least a week on social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram. Walters knowingly voted for a bill to raise premiums and deductibles, slap an age tax on older folks, and rip insurance away from 24 million hardworking Americans. Its critical that voters in Californias 45th District know where Walters stood on this harmful legislation, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan said in a statement. Walters, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, was one of the earliest supporters of the bill among the California Republican delegation. Rep. Walters is committed to improving and expanding healthcare choices, lowering costs and protecting taxpayers. Her votes in the House reflect those principles and she will not be deterred by campaign ads created in Washington, D.C., by Nancy Pelosis political committees, said her campaign consultant, Dave Gilliard. The DCCC has already announced plans to target Republican representatives of the seven California congressional districts that backed Hillary Clinton for president. Clinton won Walters Orange County district by 5 percentage points. Walters was elected for a second term with 58.6% of the vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Jerry Brown says California wont be running to the courthouse every day to fight President Trump By John Myers With many of his fellow Democrats demanding multiple challenges to President Trumps proposals, Gov. Jerry Brown said this week he will continue to support a more measured approach. Were going to fight very hard. But were not going to bring stupid lawsuits or be running to the courthouse every day, Brown said during an appearance Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Were going to be careful. Well be strategic. The governors interview, taped on Thursday in Washington, came at the end of a four-day visit where he sought common ground on issues ranging from transportation to disaster relief. Brown also took aim in a visit to Capitol Hill at the now-failed Republican healthcare proposal. In the interview, Brown acknowledged that he is seeking a different path forward than Californias legislative leaders and other Democrats who are aggressively pushing back on a variety of Trump proposals. Well, if everythings a lawsuit, yeah, were in trouble here. I do curb the exuberance on either side, he said. People like to escalate. Republicans do that, and Democrats also do that. So Im there somewhat as the senior statesman now, and Im going to keep everything on an even keel. The governor used the national television interview to repeat recent suggestions that California has a number of projects that are ready to go should Trump make good on his promises to fund a major infrastructure effort. But Brown staunchly defended Californias acceptance of immigrants, including those who are in the U.S. illegally. He argued that immigration has been a major boon to the states economy and invoked the teachings of Christianity to criticize Trump and his fellow Republicans. Trumps supposed to be Mr. Religious Fellow, and I thought weve got to treat the least of these as we would treat the Lord, said Brown, who trained to become a Jesuit priest in his youth. So I hope he would reconnect with some of these conservative evangelicals, and theyll tell him that these are human beings, theyre children of God. They should be treated that way. The programs host, Chuck Todd, asked Brown whether he could offer national leadership for Democrats in the Trump era. The governor, who ran unsuccessfully for president three times, said he was willing to speak out in any way he could be helpful. Following last weeks historic defeat of a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, Brown also offered Trump advice on how to help the economically struggling states whose voters put him in the White House. Its going to take some income support from the federal government, the governor said. Its going to take healthcare. Its going to take the kind of programs that the Republican Party traditionally doesnt like. So heres the dilemma. Yes, Obama was not able to help those people in the way they felt they had a right to. But Mr. Trump, now the burden is on you. And you better figure it out, or youre not going to be there again. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Small donations play big role in the 34th Congressional District By Christine Mai-Duc Congressional candidate Kenneth Mejia raised 90% of his money from small donors in the most recent campaign finance filing. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) More than 17% of individual contributions to all candidates in the 34th Congressional District came in small donations of less than $200, according to the latest campaign finance reports. The reports, which cover fundraising and spending between Jan. 1 and March 15, show that more than $250,000 of the $1.4 million raised by the candidates in the race came from un-itemized small donors, or those who gave less than $200 and are not named in campaign finance reports. Three candidates who raised a significant chunk of money from small donations were Arturo Carmona, Wendy Carrillo and Kenneth Mejia, all of whom are vying for votes from supporters of former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has preached the need to rid politics of special interest money. Many of the candidates have sent email pitches to supporters asking for donations of $10, $20 or $27, the amount made famous by Sanders, who often cited the number as the average donation given to his presidential campaign. Carmona, a former Sanders campaign advisor, raised the most in small donations, with $57,125, or 52% of his total. Small donors gave Carrillo $25,948, about 32% of her fundraising total and Mejia, an accountant and Green Party candidate, received nearly 90% of his total funds, or $31,957, in amounts of $200 or less. Federal law does not require candidates to itemize, or report the names of, donors who give below that amount. Alejandra Campoverdi raised $44,210 from small donors, who made up 28% of her haul, while Raymond Meza raised 48%, or $14,764 of his money from small-dollar contributions. UPDATE: 7:45 p.m. This post was updated to clarify that the numbers reported are based on un-itemized donations of $200 or less to candidates. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Robert Lee Ahn raised the most money by far in latest campaign finance reports for L.A.'s congressional race By Christine Mai-Duc Robert Lee Ahn, left, and Vanessa Aramayo, second from left, join the other candidates for the 34th Congressional District. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles TImes) Congressional candidate Robert Lee Ahn far outstripped some of the top fundraisers in the 34th Congressional District, taking a surprise lead in campaign finance reports filed Thursday. The reports cover fundraising and spending between Jan. 1 and March 15 and will be the last numbers well have before the April 4 primary election, in which 24 candidates are running. Ahn, a former L.A. city planning commissioner, raised a whopping $338,702 in contributions and loaned himself an additional $295,000, bringing his total to more than $630,000 raised since January. Ahn, an attorney and the only Korean American candidate in the race for a district that includes Koreatown, got more than $100,000 in contributions from donors with Korean surnames. The closest behind Ahn was Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, who raised $244,766 over the same period, the majority of it from political action committees, including many donations from fellow legislators in Sacramento. Sara Hernandez, a former teacher and L.A. City Hall aide, was close behind Gomez with $224,783 raised. Alejandra Campoverdi, a former White House staffer and former Los Angeles Times employee, raised $156,432. Ahn has also spent the most money so far this year, at $352,538, and has $271,271 in the bank, more than any other candidate. Gomez ended the period with $274,830 cash on hand, while Hernandez and Campoverdi have $149,990 and $122,961 left to spend, respectively. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Dispute in California Senate leads to ethics complaint against leader Kevin de Leon By Patrick McGreevy Then-state Sen. Isadore Hall III, left, talks with Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon in Sacramento last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican state Sen. Andy Vidak on Friday filed an ethics complaint asking for an investigation into whether Democratic Senate leader Kevin de Leon engaged in an improper cover-up of threats allegedly made by former state Sen. Isadore Hall III against a group of farmers. Anthony Reyes, a spokesman for De Leon, defended the decision not to investigate allegations against Hall. With due respect, the state Senate doesnt waste taxpayer resources investigating dubious hearsay accounts of private conversations held in hotel lobbies and thats what Senator De Leon clearly and politely communicated to Senator Vidak, Reyes said. Any suggestion otherwise is patently ridiculous. Hall, a Democrat from Compton, was appointed in January to the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. Jerry Brown. The appointment was opposed by farm industry groups, including the Western Growers Assn., which complained he received contributions from the United Farm Workers for his unsuccessful campaign for Congress last year. Vidak said that he had heard from multiple people that on Feb. 28, the evening before Halls confirmation hearing in the Rules Committee, Hall allegedly made threats in an obscenity-laced tirade in the lobby of the Sacramento Hyatt Hotel that he would get the farmers opposing his appointment, the senator wrote in a letter to the Senate Legislative Ethics Committee. The board is a quasi-judicial agency that rules on disputes between farm worker organizations and growers. The alleged threats were made to four farmers who are members of the California Fresh Fruit Assn., Vidak said. Vidak said he had formally asked De Leon, as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, to have the panel investigate the allegations and report the findings to the Senate. On Thursday, Vidak said, De Leon allegedly informed him that there would be no investigation. Senator De Leon told me yesterday that he and the leadership of the CFFA have worked things out so Hall wont be investigated,'" Vidak said in a statement Friday. Is this really how the Senate handles reports of threats and intimidation by someone pending a Senate confirmation vote? The association called the allegation that it worked out an agreement with De Leon baseless and false. The group said in a statement that Vidak did not talk to its members before he filed the complaint. If he did, he wouldve learned there is no agreement and that CFFA remains opposed to the confirmation of Senator Hall, the group said. Hall declined to comment on Vidaks complaint, said J. Antonio Barbosa, the boards executive secretary, responding on his behalf. Further, his testimony at his Senate Rules Committee confirmation hearing makes clear that he will be fair and impartial, make sound decisions, and speak to growers and farmworkers, Barbosa said. Reyes disputed Vidaks allegations. Chasing goofy conspiracy theories might fly on President Trumps Twitter feed, but it has no place in the California Legislature, Reyes said. In his letter to the ethics panel, Vidak says his complaint is that the Senates confirmation process of gubernatorial appointees may have been compromised in this situation. He asked for an investigation into whether credible information about potential criminal activity by an unconfirmed gubernatorial appointee has been intentionally ignored/withheld, and whether a member of the Senate Rules Committee is making arrangements with representatives of private organizations to bury investigations of gubernatorial appointees. Updated at 4:40 p.m. to include a comment from the California Fresh Fruit Assn. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A.'s GOP congressman: It is hard to find a consensus on something that impacts more than 1/6th of our economy By Sarah D. Wire A handful of California Republicans had declined to take a position on the House GOPs healthcare bill, and now they wont have to. Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), the only Republican who represents L.A. County, said he was conflicted up until the vote on the bill was canceled Friday afternoon. In the past two weeks my colleagues worked to build a consensus on how best to repair our flawed healthcare system and build a patient-centered system that works for the American people, Knight said in a statement after the vote. We learned that it is hard to find a consensus on something that impacts more than 1/6th of our economy and the lives of almost every American. Saying they didnt have enough votes to pass it, House Republican leaders canceled a vote on their healthcare bill minutes before vulnerable Republican members like Knight would have had to vote on the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Knights district is among seven Republican districts being targeted by Democrats in 2018, and several of the members who represent those districts never took a stance on the bill, saying they were worried about the effects on their districts and were still hearing from constituents. Experts estimated millions of Californians would have lost insurance under the bill. Just two of the targeted members, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) and Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine), said they would vote for the bill. Walters had no comment after the bill was pulled, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee came out swinging, with committee spokesperson Evan Lukaske saying, Walters now owns this until election day. Other targeted members seemed to brush off President Trumps plan to let Obamacare go its way for a little while. Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), who didnt take a stance on the bill, said afterward Congress needs to keep working on healthcare. Congress must come together to enact legislation to stabilize our healthcare market, reduce federal spending, and ensure we are able to maintain access to healthcare for Americas most vulnerable populations. Any potential solution must be thoughtfully considered, he said in a statement. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) flirted with voting against the bill, saying he was not yet prepared to support it, but never committed either way. The [GOP bill] was an imperfect approach and I believe that we can do better, he said in a statement. We will go back to the drawing board and get this right for each and every American concerned with high costs in their healthcare and ever-dwindling choices and access to care. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Despite threat of legal battle with Trump, California stays the course on vehicle emission rules By Chris Megerian Electric cars charge at a San Diego utility. (Rob Nikolewski / San Diego Union-Tribune) California will keep pushing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, state regulators decided Friday, even though President Trump is preparing to roll back rules in Washington. The restrictions represent a key part of Californias battle against climate change, and theyre intended to force automakers to build cleaner cars and sell more electric vehicles. Environmentalists cheered Fridays decision from the Air Resources Board. Were very disappointed by what were seeing at the federal level, so today feels warm and welcoming, said the Sierra Clubs Kathryn Phillips. California has the unique ability to set tougher standards than the federal government, but Fridays decision could put the state on a collision course with Trump. Under the presidents direction, federal officials are examining whether to loosen vehicle rules that were finalized in the waning days of the Obama administration. The California Air Resources Board meeting in Riverside this week. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) At risk is the existence of a national standard on vehicle emissions, something the auto industry has prioritized to reduce the complexity of its manufacturing operations. We should all be getting back to work on this, said John Bozzella, who advocates for international car companies as head of the Assn. of Global Automakers. Mary Nichols, chair of the Air Resources Board, questioned the industrys commitment to higher standards given their request for Trump to review the rules. What were you thinking when you threw yourself upon the mercy of the Trump administration? she said. A dozen other states have adopted Californias standards as their own, and environmentalists hope Fridays decision will foster a broader market for electric cars. This agency has seen federal administrations come Who would be hardest hit by Republicans health care proposal? People who voted for President Trump. Noam Levey broke down county-level voting and tax credit data and found that lower-income, older voters in conservative, rural parts of the country stand to lose the most in federal healthcare aid under the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. His analysis found that 68 of the 70 counties where people would suffer the largest losses supported Trump in November. Advertisement Im Sarah Wire, and I cover the California delegation in Congress. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics. This week expect attention to stay focused on the Republican health plan, as Congress and the rest of us are expected to get a first glimpse at the Congressional Budget Offices estimate of what the plan will cost and how many Americans the bill might affect. On Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said he expects nobody will be worse off financially under the plan. Conservatives in the Senate say the Republican plan does not go far enough to distinguish itself from the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which Republicans have spent the last eight years pledging to repeal. Get the latest about the Trump administration on Essential Washington and follow @latimespolitics and keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for California political news. WIRETAPPING CLAIMS UPDATE Congressional pressure some from the Republican side of the aisle is mounting over Trumps unsubstantiated claim that he was wiretapped on President Obamas orders during last years presidential campaign. On Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it was incumbent on Trump to clear this up, and Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) said Trumps claim will need to be investigated openly. Other Republicans pointed to former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clappers assertion last week that no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign was found under his watch. SOCIAL MEDIA VETTING FOR IMMIGRANTS Pilot programs designed to search the social media accounts of visa applicants to look for signs of radicalization failed to measure the effectiveness of such efforts, according to a watchdog report released Friday. The Trump administration plans to vastly expand such social media searches of visa applicants, but Brian Bennett reports that though the Department of Homeland Security tested the idea during the Obama administration, it did not track whether officers successfully linked accounts to applicants or determined whether posts should be grounds for blocking admission to the U.S., the agencys inspector general found. A PATH TO DEBT-FREE COLLEGE? California Assembly Democrats are wading into the college affordability debate with a new proposal that aims to tackle costs beyond tuition that are forcing students to take out loans. The plan would build upon Californias existing higher education assistance for students in the CSU and UC systems. It would also make community colleges tuition-free for full-time students first year. Melanie Mason and Teresa Watanabe have an advance look at the measure. SANCTUARY STATE SPLIT Law enforcement leaders across the state are torn on proposed legislation in the state Senate that would ban law enforcement agencies from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws. Jazmine Ulloa has the story on the reaction to the legislation, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) in response to Trumps executive orders on immigration, one of which pledged to cut federal dollars from so-called sanctuary cities that limit the cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The bill is set for its next legislative hearing today. ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR? David Hadley, a Republican and former assemblyman from Manhattan Beach, opened an exploratory committee for a possible run for governor Friday. Hadley told Christine Mai-Duc hell run as a Republican if he decides to proceed, but emphasized his bipartisan appeal as a Republican legislator who was elected in a Democratic-leaning swing district. Hadley, who lost to Democrat Al Muratsuchi last year after serving one term, is so far the only potential GOP candidate for governor who has prior experience as an elected official. NEW RETIREMENT PLAN FOR BOXER Former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer discussed the 2016 election, Trumps presidency, her tenure and her future at the inaugural speech of the Barbara Boxer Lecture Series, her first major speaking event since retiring. Seema Mehta reports that Boxer had planned to spend the next few years advising the first female president, but instead shell focus on countering the new president and preparing to go to battle for Democrats in 2018. POLITICS PODCAST Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers and his guests on this weeks California Politics Podcast discuss the policy and political choices facing state lawmakers as efforts to repeal of the Affordable Care Act come into focus in Washington. Also on the agenda: Who Gov. Jerry Brown may consider filling a vacancy on the state Supreme Court. Myers also takes a look at what role absentee ballots will play in Californias future elections in his weekly column. TODAYS ESSENTIALS Two lawmakers want to exempt diapers and tampons from state sales taxes and are proposing an increase in liquor taxes to pay for it. Raucous anti-Trump crowds showed up at town halls held this weekend by Republican Reps. Darrell Issa (Vista) and Duncan Hunter (Alpine). New appointments will bring changes to Californias campaign finance and ethics watchdog agency. Mark Barabak takes a look at one California politicians plan to make the state more influential in presidential campaigns. Rumors bubbled up last week claiming that former California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger might challenge Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein in 2018, but Schwarzenegger put that to rest Sunday, saying he has no plans to run for the seat. Californians need to embrace new homebuilding at all income levels if the state is going to solve its affordability crisis, a new report from the nonpartisan legislative analyst says. L.A. congressional hopeful and former L.A. Times employee Alejandra Campoverdi gets personal about the healthcare debate in her first TV ad, opening up about her familys history with breast cancer. Former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan backed Yolie Flores, a former L.A. Unified School District board member who is running against Campoverdi for the seat in the 34th Congressional District. Only a handful of the 23 candidates running to replace Xavier Becerra in the 34th Congressional District filed early campaign finance reports. But the reports provide a glimpse into who the powerhouse fundraisers could be and where some local power brokers are placing their bets. LOGISTICS Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. Outdated refrigerators arrive at a Compton warehouse in a funeral procession of defunct appliances. Workers vacuum out the coolants and ship the chemicals halfway across the country, where theyre destroyed instead of allowed to escape into the atmosphere, worsening global warming. The operation is among dozens of projects that qualify as carbon offsets, which are funded by major polluters such as oil refineries and power plants to comply with Californias requirements for slashing greenhouse gases. By paying for offsets, companies can generate environmental benefits anywhere in the country they are not required to invest in green projects in California as an alternative to cleaning up their own operations. Now that lawmakers are debating how to continue the states fight against climate change, the system is being targeted by some environmentalists who would rather force industry to directly reduce its emissions. Advertisement Offsets are loopholes for our largest corporate polluters, said Amy Vanderwarker, co-director of the California Environmental Justice Alliance. The criticism reflects an old divide over whether the states climate policies should focus on the global problem of greenhouse gases, where reductions anywhere in the world can improve the atmosphere, or on local concerns about public health. That debate has renewed importance this year, providing a test of political strength in Sacramento for environmental justice groups that are increasingly turning their attention from neighborhood battles to statewide policy negotiations. That community has come of age as an advocacy body, said state Sen. Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles), who worked on environmental legislation before his election in November. I think its going to rearrange the politics of California for decades to come. Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood) has proposed encouraging the development of more offsets within California, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Other lawmakers working on climate proposals have incorporated environmental justice ideas to help low-income people of color harmed by pollution. The fact that were even talking about it is a sign of growth and power, said Parin Shah, a senior strategist at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network. Follow live coverage from the Capitol on Essential Politics Offsets have been around for years as a tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor, he bought them to compensate for his near-daily private jet flights from Los Angeles to Sacramento. They later became part of cap and trade, devised by regulators at the California Air Resources Board to provide a financial incentive for companies to emit less. The program requires polluters to buy permits to release emissions into the atmosphere. A portion of those permits can come in the form of relatively cheaper offset credits, which are a financial tool for supporting green projects. Some offset projects, such as protecting trees to capture carbon in the northwestern corner of California, take place in the state. Others have a partial footprint here, including the coolant-destroying process that starts at the Compton facility. More are outside California, which has helped provide a national footprint for the cap-and-trade program. The states climate polluters have funded the preservation of forests in Michigan and South Carolina, and the burning of cow manure to generate electricity in Wisconsin. California should be proud to be stimulating innovation, said Derek Six, senior vice president at ClimeCo Corp., a Pennsylvania company that develops offset projects. Theres a lot of great economic activity going on connected to the program. With support from offsets, the Yurok tribe in Northern California is measuring trees to calculate not how much timber they can yield, but how much carbon dioxide they can sequester. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) But although cap and trade is often considered a milestone for Californias green leadership, its remembered as a defeat by environmental justice advocates who opposed the program. They believe regulators chose a corporate-friendly approach, and offsets have been a particularly troublesome part of the system. Subsequent attempts to further limit their use failed. We had not done as much organizing from the environmental justice community, said Mari Rose Taruc, an activist and member of a committee that advises the Air Resources Board. We learned from that. Since then, environmental justice advocates have ramped up their presence in the state Capitol. A turning point came last year, when their ideas became crucial to passing two important pieces of climate legislation. One measure sets a new, tougher target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The other requires regulators at the California Air Resources Board to emphasize pollution reduction at refineries and other large facilities. The influence of environmental justice advocates within the Legislature has also translated into a greater voice on the Air Resources Board. Two new members were added to the board to represent their concerns, and two sympathetic lawmakers were brought on this year in non-voting roles. All of that is a very concerted effort to get their voice heard, said Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Assn., which lobbies for oil companies and sometimes clashed with environmental justice advocates. And theyre doing a good job of it. A refinery complex sits adjacent to a neighborhood in Wilmington. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) There are concerns from some analysts that environmental justice advocates are mistakenly bending the states battle against global climate change to address public health issues, rather than pursuing the goals separately. Its asking the cap-and-trade program to do something it was never designed to do, said Severin Borenstein, an energy expert at UC Berkeley who has advised the state on its climate policies. It was never expected to limit local pollution. But the advocates see an opportunity to address both issues at the same time, and believe that eliminating offsets could be one step in that direction. Their effort is opposed by businesses who say offsets will help reduce the cost of complying with state emissions goals that are only becoming more ambitious. Id love to see [the use of offsets] grown, Reheis-Boyd said. With the attack on it, I just hope we can maintain it. The Environmental Defense Fund, a national organization that supports cap and trade, also wants to keep offsets, and companies that develop green projects are mobilizing in their defense inside the Capitol. It would have a dramatic impact if you limited or eliminated one aspect of the [cap-and-trade] program, said Jon Costantino, who previously worked at the Air Resources Board and now consults with offset developers. Burke, the assemblywoman pushing one of the climate measures, said officials should explore more ways to keep offsets in California, an idea state regulators have viewed with skepticism. Sometimes we have to work a little harder to find them out, she said. But we can find them. As lawmakers debate cap and trade, offsets could become an area where environmental justice advocates refuse to budge. Holding the line on the issue of offsets has been core to our broader movement, Vanderwarker said. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian ALSO: How will California battle climate change? A new proposal revs up debate over cap-and-trade program The future of Californias cap-and-trade program remains uncertain as it gets its day in court Updates on California politics Updates from the campaign trail Seizing on growing concerns over college affordability, California lawmakers proposed what would be the most generous college aid plan in the nation Monday, covering not just tuition but also living expenses that have led to spiraling student debt. The plan would supplement Californias existing aid programs with the aim of eradicating the need for student loans for nearly 400,000 students in the Cal State and University of California systems. It also would boost grants to community college students and give those attending them full time a tuition-free first year. Lower-income students are able to many times, through our great programs in California, get help to pay for tuition. But theyre still graduating with a tremendous amount of debt, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who is spearheading the plan. The cost of living, the books, the transportation thats [what] we really need to tackle. Advertisement At a Capitol news conference Monday morning, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said that with the introduction of the proposal, California is taking the boldest step in the nation for making college debt-free. The plans high price tag means success is hardly guaranteed. But it comes at a time when college costs are facing increased scrutiny. Nearly 60% of Californians in a recent survey said affordability was a big problem for the states higher education system. Bernie Sanders presidential bid last year catapulted his call for tuition-free college into the national spotlight. Under the new plan, students still would have access to existing financial aid, including federal Pell Grants, state programs such as Cal Grants, university grants and Middle Class Scholarships (if they are not eliminated as Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed). Parents making more than $60,000 would be expected to make a contribution, and students also would be expected to chip in by holding part-time jobs year-round. Debate on college affordability spurs California lawmakers to offer proposals to help students The new scholarship would cover the rest of the average annual cost of college, which is around $21,000 at Cal State and $33,000 at UC. Its by far the most comprehensive and wide-reaching proposal in the country, said Lupita Cortez Alcala, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission. Already, she says, the $2.1 billion in annual state financial aid that her commission administers is the most generous in the nation. The Assembly proposal would make it more so by expanding coverage of living expenses which accounts for 60% of the total cost of attendance at UC. Other free college programs in Oregon and Tennessee and a proposal in New York cover only tuition and fees. This additional plan would really help close some of the gaps in the current financial aid, Cortez Alcala said. Fully implemented, the new aid program would cost around $1.6 billion per year, although proponents expect that price tag would come down as the state minimum wage increased and students earned more in their jobs. Assembly Democrats are proposing phasing in the new scholarships over five years, with an initial cost of $320 million and an additional $100 million for the community college provisions. The bulk of the money would come out of the states general fund. McCarty said they expect tax revenues to come in higher than the governors projections, giving legislators more money to spend. The total cost is far less than the $3.3-billion price tag the Legislative Analysts Office estimated for fully debt-free college. That report, released in February, included covering the living expenses for community college students, which this latest proposal would not do. The lawmakers proposal faces steep odds in making it into the states final budget plan, which is due in June. Brown, who has been reluctant to approve new spending even in cash-flush years, forecast a slight budget deficit next year. His initial spending plan would phase out the Middle Class Scholarships, a program championed by former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles). And lawmakers already have other vexing policy issues on their plates. We have transportation to do. We have housing to do, said Assemblyman Jose Medina (D-Riverside), who chairs the Assembly higher education committee. But maybe, finally, college and higher education is rising to the top. The proposal is backed by Rendon, the top Democrat in the Assembly, whose support may help its prospects in budget negotiations with Brown and Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), who has proposed his own bill to boost aid at community colleges. But Rendon stopped short of calling the package the top Assembly priority in the budget this year and took pains to temper expectations of its place in the final plan. Its going to follow the normal budget process, he said. Am I going to guarantee were going to get this across the finish line? No, Im not. But its a hugely important issue to a lot of our caucus members. H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the state Department of Finance, noted Browns administration has worked to clamp down on college costs by keeping tuition and fees flat for the last five years while continuing to work with both systems to make improvements such as time to graduation that have a direct effect on cost to students as well as their parents. The Assembly proposal is certainly a noble goal, but one that clearly has to be paid for, Palmer said. The states three public systems of higher education, which educate the largest number of low-income students in the nation, welcomed the proposal. As an institution committed to expanding educational access for low-income and first-generation students we look forward to studying the proposal and working with the Legislature on this important issue, the University of California said in a statement. UC already covers tuition and some living expenses for students whose families earn less than $80,000 a year. But the 10-campus system requires that students, regardless of income, contribute about $9,700 annually. That self-help requirement which the debt-free proposal would retain at some level may be one reason that even low-income students covered by financial aid still graduate with an average $20,000 in debt, according to Ralph Washington Jr., UC Student Assn. president. Thats lower than the national average of $28,950, a UC spokesman said. Washington said some students take out loans to cover their self-help portion rather than work long hours, which can affect their grades. Some also need to send some of their job earnings to help their struggling families. Rent also is very high in some areas where UC campuses are located, such as Westwood, Berkeley, San Diego and Santa Cruz. At Cal State, which is considering a 5% tuition increase to fill a looming gap in state funding, Chancellor Timothy P. White said administrators welcomed the chance to work with legislators to make college more affordable. Paul Feist, spokesman for the California Community Colleges Chancellors office, said the Assembly plan could help more of the systems 2.1 million students who struggle with high levels of unmet financial need. The systems fee of $47 per unit is the lowest among colleges in the nation, and 45% of students received fee waivers in 2015-16. But students also have less financial aid available to them than those at UC and CSU. About 38,000 students took out loans, averaging $5,500, in 2015-16, California Community Colleges data show. Debbie Cochrane, vice president of the Institute for College Access and Success, said the Assembly proposal would not adequately help those students who most need it. In many regions across the state, community college students face higher college costs than UC or CSU students, Cochrane said. Cortez Alcala said it was financially unrealistic to cover the full cost of college for all students. We have to pick and choose, she said. To read the article in Spanish, click here. Times staff writer Rosanna Xia contributed to this report. melanie.mason@latimes.com teresa.watanabe@latimes.com Follow @melmason and @teresawatanabe on Twitter for the latest on California politics. Heres what would it take to give California students a debt-free college education If Brown phases out college scholarships for middle-class students, stressed parents wonder: How are we going to make this work? Updates from Sacramento UPDATES: 1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with a quote from the state Department of Finance. 11:58 a.m.: This article was updated with details about Mondays press conference. This article was originally published at 1 a.m. Monday. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones says he does not want his deputies to enforce immigration laws. But he is worried about a bill that seeks to turn California into a so-called sanctuary state. At a news conference last week at the state Capitol, led by Republican lawmakers, he slammed the state Senate legislation, which would ban law enforcement agencies like his from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws. If [Senate Bill] 54 passes, it will allow dangerous, violent career criminals to slip through the cracks and be released back into our communities, Jones said, standing next to a photo of a young man killed by a drunk driver who was in the U.S. illegally. Advertisement Sheriffs across the state have echoed Jones opinions on the proposal. Some stand to lose millions of dollars in federal contracts to house immigrant detainees. But for other law enforcement agencies and associations, taking an official position has been far more complicated. They have found themselves torn on whether its provisions would help or harm public safety. University and city police chiefs say they dont want to become embroiled in a political debate over immigration, or damage hard-earned trust in vulnerable communities where they need immigrants to come forward as crime victims and witnesses. And yet, some law enforcement officials say, the legislation as written could make their jobs harder by restricting the sharing of information and officers in joint investigations. The proposal, introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies, including school police and security, from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest people for immigration enforcement. Within three months of its enactment, the state Department of Justice would publish policies on the limits in assistance to federal officials. The legislation also aims to protect immigrants personal data, requiring state agencies to ensure that they are only collecting necessary information. De Leon introduced the bill in response to President Trumps executive orders on immigration, one of which pledged to cut federal dollars from so-called sanctuary cities where policies limit the cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The Senate leader has said his effort builds on the California Trust Act, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2013, which prevents law enforcement agencies from detaining immigrants longer than necessary for minor crimes, thereby helping federal immigration authorities take them into custody. The bill, set for another legislative hearing Monday, has drawn a long list of supporters. Among them are city officials from sanctuary cities like Santa Ana and Berkeley, immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who point to low crime rates in immigrant communities. They are urging opponents of the bill to move away from Trumps rhetoric, which they say stereotypes immigrants as criminals. At least one law enforcement association the California College and University Police Chiefs Assn., whose members protect 3 million students and school employees across the state has supported the bill from the beginning. It is just axiomatic that if you intertwine immigration enforcement with front-line law enforcement, front-line law enforcement will suffer, lobbyist John Lovell, who represents the organization, said at the bills first hearing in January. Less people will come forward, and that is particularly aggravating for us in a campus situation. But some law enforcement officials are concerned the limits on collaboration with federal immigration officials would negatively affect county jail budgets, hurt investigations involving policing departments at different levels of government and limit deputies from alerting federal authorities about the release dates of inmates who could be a danger to the public. To address some of their concerns, De Leon has added new amendments that would allow local and state officers to participate in task forces, which can include investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, so as long as their main purpose is not immigration enforcement. Additions to the bill also would require the state parole board or state corrections department to give the FBI a 60-day advance notice of the release date of certain inmates who are in the U.S. illegally. Sheriffs would be able to provide the agency with the scheduled release date of anyone confined in county jail for a misdemeanor offense who also has a violent felony conviction. After the changes, Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), a 30-year law enforcement veteran and former captain of the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department, has since agreed to sign on as a principal co-author of the legislation. Jennie Pasquarella, the immigrants rights director with the American Civil Liberties Union of California, said the amendments should be enough to assuage law enforcement concerns, as release information on all state and federal offenders is already publicly available. The job of law enforcement in California is to enforce our criminal laws, and this bill is all about making that crystal clear, she said. We are not trying to get in the way of the federal government. LAPD will not help deport immigrants under Trump, chief says But sheriffs say the changes dont address their concerns about requests for release notifications from federal immigration officials, or the potential loss of federal funding in counties that lease space to federal immigration agencies for detainees. When it comes to use of our jails and prior expectations of communication, this bill precludes that, and that is a public safety problem, said Cory Salzillo, legislative director for the California State Sheriffs Assn. City police chiefs are in a tighter spot. Many law enforcement agencies, including those in Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties, adopted policies similar to the Trust Act before it went into the effect. Many now operate in self-proclaimed sanctuary cities and have worked to distance themselves from federal immigration policies. But the legislation raises questions about their involvement in task forces, where local and state officers can serve as translators for federal immigration officials, help carry out immigration arrests and leverage information on immigration status during interrogations. Tensions flared in Santa Cruz last month between police and ICEs Homeland Security Investigations division over a series of joint raids on MS-13 gang members that instead resulted in immigration arrests of people in the country illegally. Law enforcement officials wonder whether their departments would be liable in such a scenario under the proposed sanctuary state bill. For now, the California Police Chiefs Assn. does not have a position on the legislation. Clearly, there is a balance that needs to be struck one that takes the focus away from those not posing a threat, but allows law enforcement to expend resources protecting our communities, Ventura Police Chief Ken Corney, its president, said. jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com Twitter: @jazmineulloa ALSO California sheriffs say sanctuary state bill would prevent immigration officials from going after violent offenders First of several immigrant protection bills clears state Senate Public Safety Committee California lawmakers want to provide attorneys to immigrants facing deportation. But who gets the help? California lawmakers advance proposals to strengthen states protections for immigrants facing deportation Updates on California politics 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Employers could impose hefty penalties on employees who decline to participate in genetic testing as part of workplace wellness programs if a bill approved by a House committee becomes law. Employers, in general, dont have that power under existing federal laws that protect genetic privacy and nondiscrimination. But a bill passed last week by a House committee would allow employers to get around that if the information is collected as part of workplace wellness programs. Workplace wellness programs which offer workers a variety of carrots and sticks to monitor and improve their health, such as lowering cholesterol have become increasingly popular among companies. Some offer discounts on health insurance to employees who complete health-risk assessments. Others might charge people more for smoking. Advertisement Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are allowed to discount health insurance premiums by up to 30% and in some cases 50% for employees who voluntarily participate in a wellness program. The bill is under review by other House committees and has yet to be considered by the Senate. But it has already received strong criticism from a broad array of groups as well as House Democrats. In a letter sent to the committee last week, nearly 70 organizations, representing consumer, health and medical advocacy groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, AARP, March of Dimes, and the National Womens Law Center said the legislation, if enacted, would undermine basic privacy provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA. Congress passed GINA to prohibit discrimination by health insurers and employers based on the information that people carry in their genes. There is an exception that allows for employees to provide that information as part of voluntary wellness programs. But the law states that employee participation must be entirely voluntary, with no incentives to provide it nor penalties for not providing it. The latest legislation, though, would allow employers to impose penalties of up to 30% of the total cost of the employees health insurance on those who choose to keep such information private. Its a terrible Hobsons choice between affordable health insurance and protecting ones genetic privacy, said Derek Scholes, director of science policy at the American Society of Human Genetics, which represents human genetics specialists. The organization sent a letter to the committee opposing the bill. The average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health coverage in 2016 was $18,142, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Under the plan proposed in the bill, a wellness program could charge employees an extra $5,443 in annual premiums if they choose not to share their genetic and health information. The bill, Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act, HR 1313, was introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. A committee statement said the bill would provide employers the legal certainty they need to offer employee wellness plans, helping to promote a healthy workforce and lower health care costs. The bills supporters in the business community have argued that competing regulations in existing federal laws make it too difficult for companies to offer these wellness programs. In congressional testimony this month, the American Benefits Council, which represents major employers, said the burdensome rules jeopardize wellness programs that improve employee health, can increase productivity and reduce healthcare spending. A House committee spokeswoman said those opposed to the bill are spreading false information in a desperate attempt to deny employees the choice to participate in a voluntary program that can reduce health insurance costs and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Sun writes for the Washington Post. ALSO USC professor named first African American president of a Fed regional bank Trumps push for merit-based immigration may not deliver the benefits he expects Businesses say they need the Export-Import Bank to sell goods abroad. Will Trump fix it? Tehran, Iran, Mar. 13 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: An Iranian court has ruled to put the son of Mehdi Karroubi, opposition voice of the 2009 presidential election, behind bars for having published an open letter written by his father. Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, who had published the letter a month ago, is now going to be jailed for six months, ILNA news agency reported March 13. In the letter, Karroubi had asked President Hassan Rouhani to ask Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to agree to a court hearing. Karroubi, along with the other opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, has been kept under house arrest since February 2010 without any charges. Following the letter, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp filed a suit against Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, claiming he attempted to undermine national security. When Bruce Brown was shooting his iconic surfing film The Endless Summer in 1963, he hopped around the globe. He never made it to Morocco on the northwest corner of Africa, though he did get to Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa. Brown skipped Morocco a second time when he made The Endless Summer II, released in 1994. Big mistakes. What Brown missed was a 1,000-mile coastline that hugs the Moroccan desert, with waves that form beside rocky points or off the beach and are only now being discovered by Yanks. Advertisement I first visited Morocco in the 1970s when I went to visit my older brother who was teaching English in the Peace Corps. I returned in the winter 15 years later to climb a nearly 14,000-foot peak called Toubkal outside Marrakech with photographer Mark Lorenzen and then ski down it. But I knew nothing of the kingdoms burgeoning (at least among Moroccans, Europeans, Aussies and Brazilians) surf scene until I read about Jerome Sahyoun, a Moroccan who is one of the worlds top big-wave surfers. It made this former San Diegan ponder returning to North Africa to check out a coast that looks a lot like stretches of Baja California and ride the waves that roll across the Atlantic to break on its shores. The deal was sealed after I spoke with Nigel Cross, an Australian who operates Moroccan Surf Adventures on Taghazout Bay, Morocco, one of the top surfing spots in Africa. Cross, who is in his 40s, came to Morocco as a toddler in the 1970s with his surfer parents who were, he says, following the sun. On a misty October morning I found myself carrying a longboard down to the water at Devils Rock Beach, north of the coastal city of Agadir, for a refresher lesson with a dozen would-be surfers from Britain, France, Ireland and Brazil. There was one other American in our pod, a young businesswoman from San Francisco. She was the only other Yank I met during my five days at Cross surfing school. It wasnt crowded, but there were other surfers out in the lineup and on the beach, including a group of Moroccan boys in wetsuits who were doing jumping jacks and turning cartwheels on the sand. Brightly painted blue fishing boats, including one with a pair of cats lounging in it, were lined up above the high-tide line. Still higher was what can only be described as surf shacks. Tamraght, the village where I was staying, was about half a mile inland from Devils Rock Beach and had a pair of mosques with minarets poking into the blue sky. Behind them, arid hills rolled off to the east. Less than a mile north of Tamraght is the town of Taghazout, Morrocos version of Santa Cruz. Not far from the shore, a handful of surfers was lining up to hop on waves rolling in off the right-hand side of the jagged point that is Devils Rock. Brahim LeFrere, one of the three instructors for our group, had us doing pop-ups on the beach before we hit the water for what would be four-plus days of instruction. We roamed up and down the coast, seeking the best conditions. At several spots, camels moved casually along the sand, reminding us that we were indeed in North Africa. When the days classes and time for free surfing were over, we returned to the Moroccan Surf Adventures hostel, where the chef served us a delicious Berber tagine, a stew prepared in an earthenware pot that was brimming with onions, carrots, squash, spices and chicken and served on a bed of couscous. Advanced surfers who were staying at the lodge hired guides and headed for more serious breaks that have gnarly reputations in Morocco and Europe, such as Draculas, Hash Point, Killer Point and Anchor Point, where waves sometimes break for more than a quarter mile. One of the highlights of my trip was meeting Meryem el Gardoum and watching her ride the waves. This 19-year-old Muslim woman is a native of Tamraght and the countrys top female surfer. She learned from her older brothers, and her parents encouraged her to compete. Now shes a part-time instructor when shes not in school. Anchor Point is her favorite break, she told me, because of its consistent tubes and long rides. I feel so free when I am out there, she said during a chat at Devils Rock. I think its the same [for surfers] all over the world. Im just lucky that I grew up here and had the support of my family. Not all girls my age are so fortunate. If you go THE BEST WAY TO RABAT, MOROCCO From LAX, Air France, British, United and Air New Zealand offer connecting servIce (change of planes) to Rabat. Restricted round-trip airfares from $1,355, including taxes and fees. ices from LAX to Agadir via Europe starting in September begin at around $1,100 from a number of airlines. Moroccan Surf Adventures in Tamraght, Morocco. Weeklong lodging, food and instruction packages start at $708 and include transfers from the Agadir airport, morning yoga classes and a Moroccan cooking class. Rates for surfers who dont need instruction, but would like to hire a guide are less. Other surf schools are based in Taghazout. What you should know The best time to surf off Morocco is from October through April. Morocco is a relatively liberal Muslim country. I saw skimpy bathing suits on the beaches, though most surfers were wearing wetsuits because the water was a little chilly. Nigel Cross of Moroccan Surf Adventures said both men and women are welcome to wear shorts and T-shirts but he also said its advisable to cover up arms and legs when visiting public places other than the beach. travel@latimes.com Question: Ive been confused by various articles about a policy whereby the authorities are demanding travelers provide them with their passwords so they can check the contents of their smart phones and/or laptops. What is happening and is this legal? Albert J. Milo Anaheim Hills Answer: Concerns about requests for electronic devices heightened after Sidd Bikkannavar, a NASA engineer, was recently detained in Houston, where Customs and Border Protection asked for the PIN number for his employer-issued phone. Bikkannavar, born in the United States, was returning from South America when he was detained, according to news reports. He was reluctant to give Customs the PIN because the phone contained employer-related information. He ended up doing so. Advertisement If you are faced with the same situation, should you allow your electronic devices to be searched? The answer depends on your tolerance for inconvenience, your sensitivities about your privacy, and whether you agree with the reason for the searches. Before wandering down those paths, your first question may be about legality, given the 4th Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. In 2014 the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that law enforcement may not search a phone without a warrant. In an article about the decision, David Savage of the Los Angeles Times wrote, The decision is the courts most sweeping and surprising criminal-law opinion in years, and it is likely to put a significant check on the governments ability to routinely search other types of electronic devices, including laptops and tablets. Maybe. But Title 19 of the U.S. Code, Section 507 says, Every customs officer shall have the authority to demand the assistance of any person in making any arrest, search, or seizure authorized by any law enforced or administered by Customs officers, if such assistance may be necessary. If a person, without reasonable excuse, neglects or refuses to assist a Customs officer upon proper demand such person is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $1,000. Just what in the ho-hum do you do if youre asked to give up your phone? As with most things travel-related, the key may be planning for the worst, hoping for the best. Its important for everyone to think through the scenario in advance and decide what makes the most sense for them, Emma Llanso, director, Free Expression Project of the Center for Democracy & Technology, said in an email. As you consider that, note too that there is a legal answer and there is a practical answer, and they may not be the same, said Nathan Wessler, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberty Unions Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. Here are some of the issues to consider: Is privacy important to you? Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in that 2014 Supreme Court decision, Modern cellphones are not just another technological device. With all they contain and all they may reveal, they hold for many Americans the privacies of life. Wessler expanded on that thought: Our cellphones and laptops and small electronic devices carry an unprecedented variety of personal and sensitive information years worth of emails perhaps intimate photos and more. That is why there are very strong rules that apply to domestic law enforcement requiring a search warrant. Those same privacy concerns apply at the border. Point to ponder: You may have nothing to hide. Maybe your friends and family have nothing to hide either, in which case you may feel comfortable turning over your phone. But letting someone roam through your digital life may give you the same disquieting feeling you have about a home burglary: You still have all your underwear, but you can tell that your stuff has been touched by someone who is not you. How much time do you have? If youre a U.S. citizen, border officials cannot force you to unlock your phone, but they may detain you for a limited time if you refuse, Llanso said. They cant detain you indefinitely or deport you if youre a citizen. How inconvenienced could you be? Depends on the situation, but, Wessler said, Were talking hours, not days. Point to ponder: Are you in a hurry to get home or to catch your connecting flight? Can you be without your device? A forensic examination of your phone, laptop or tablet means you could lose access to the device for weeks or even months, Wessler said. Point to ponder: Are your files backed up in the cloud or saved on, perhaps, a hard drive at home? Or maybe you have an old-fashioned Rolodex that holds all the phone numbers you no longer must remember because your phone does that for you. There are other ways to mitigate damage or inconvenience. Travelers who are concerned about being detained or having their private communications scrutinized by border officials should consider minimizing the amount of personal information on their digital devices, Llanso said. It might be safest to leave those devices at home. Whaaat? Unfortunately, were starting to hear from business travelers who are now making some of the same decisions about traveling to the U.S. [as they do] before traveling to China or Russia, Wessler said. They may have a dedicated travel laptop or phone for those trips because they have sensitive or proprietary information they cannot afford to lose or disclose, he said. Assuming you have everything backed up in the cloud, you could delete everything from your phone, enter only the info youll need when you travel, then restore your phone when you get home, said Sebastian Harrison, founder of Cellular Abroad, which helps travelers with their cellular/data needs in foreign lands. Or you could take an unlocked (that is, you dont owe money on it and are no longer tethered to any provider) phone, buy a SIM card for the country youre visiting, use it, then get rid of the SIM, Harrison said. How much trouble you want to endure depends on how concerned you are about these issues. As my friends and family know, I often carry an extra phone abroad, not because I worry about privacy but because I worry about loss, given that my digital hygiene (Im sloppy about backing things up) is imperfect. And now of course I have a digital fingerprint on my phone of a call to the ACLU. What you do depends on your concerns and your needs. Your solution may be different from your neighbors or your siblings. The point is, as Llanso said, the time to think about this is now, not when youre in the hot seat. Calm and cool, whether its finding out youre going to miss your airline connection or your digital connection, will always win the day. Thats the beauty of a game plan you may never need. Have a travel dilemma? Write to travel@latimes.com. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The rugged, snow-laced beauty of the Himalayan countryside masks a creeping sense of worry about political developments taking place far below these mountains. In neighboring India, Narendra Modi, a conservative Hindu nationalist with a history of bellicose rhetoric on Pakistan, is poised to become prime minister, raising concern about renewed strife between the nuclear-armed rivals. Many Pakistanis will be closely watching Fridays election results in India, but perhaps nowhere more than in Gilgit-Baltistan, in the Pakistan-controlled section of the disputed region of Kashmir. Home to the worlds second-highest peak, K2, it is a land of mighty glaciers and serene valleys wedged among India, China and Afghanistan. Advertisement Both India and Pakistan lay claim to Gilgit-Baltistan. The last major battle between the two, in 1999, was centered on the Indian town of Kargil, along the Line of Control that divides the territory from the India-held part of Kashmir. Each country maintains several thousand troops in a standoff on the Siachen Glacier, at 22,000 feet above sea level on the eastern edge of Gilgit-Baltistan. We fear that the cease-fire on Siachen could be hurt with Modi coming to power, said Taqi Akhunzada, an activist in the town of Skardu with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs party. Akhunzada said that no one had forgotten the fighting in Kargil, in which each side lost hundreds of soldiers, saying, We pray a similar conflict would not erupt. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 and splitting along religious lines, predominantly Hindu India and mostly Muslim Pakistan have fought three wars and conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998 that briefly raised the specter of nuclear war. The countries have taken steps to increase bilateral trade, which totals $2.6 billion a year, but progress has slowed because of long-standing disputes over Kashmir and terrorism, with Pakistani militant groups frequently accused of carrying out attacks on Indian soil. Modi, who climbed the ranks of a right-wing Hindu organization and has earned a reputation as a no-nonsense administrator while serving as chief executive of the western state of Gujarat, has said he would deal firmly with cross-border terrorism. But he has also been dogged by accusations that he is a religious fundamentalist who failed to stop a 2002 pogrom in his state that killed more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. A year ago, asked how he would have responded to the 2008 attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in the Indian city of Mumbai, Modi told a television interviewer with bravado: I would have done the same thing I did in Gujarat.... Pakistan should be answered in the language they understand. Modi the candidate has softened his rhetoric. Last month he said, I believe mutual respect for one another and cooperation should be the basis for relationships with foreign nations. India has long worried about militant groups operating in the Pakistan-held portion of Kashmir. Activists in Gilgit-Baltistan said that a more aggressive Indian foreign policy could further upset the tenuous status quo here and delay long-sought reconciliation measures, such as opening the border crossing at Kargil, a move that would allow visits between relatives separated by the Line of Control. Raja Shah Sultan Maqpoon, editor of K2, the largest newspaper in the region, said that if Modi came to power, dialogue between India and Pakistan would have to start from square one. The territory remains in limbo: It is theoretically self-governed, but its elected officials report to the Pakistani prime minister in Islamabad, giving residents little control over local issues. Periodic multi-day demonstrations against Islamabads policies, such as those in April, have drawn thousands of protesters. It is also the site of growing geopolitical tension between India and China, which has invested heavily in trade and development projects, including the Karakoram Highway linking it with Pakistan. India opposes such development on what it calls disputed land, and some residents believe that Modi would try to block construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam, a 4,500-megawatt hydropower project that would help shore up Pakistans failing energy sector. He has a history against Muslims in India, said Shahabuddin Ghauri, a 30-year-old resident of the Diamer district. We should not expect good for Pakistani Muslims from him. Some senior Pakistani officials, however, were quietly hopeful that a strong electoral showing by Modis Bharatiya Janata Party will give him a mandate to improve relations. The last time the party led India, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee reached out to Pakistan and the two sides signed the 1999 Lahore Declaration, a landmark nuclear control treaty. His counterpart was Sharif, who returned to power in Pakistan last year. Modi has talked about the influence of Vajpayee on his thinking, said Sameer Patil, a security analyst with Gateway House, an Indian think tank. They dont want to disown that legacy. The momentum from the Lahore pact was lost, however, when the Kargil conflict erupted that year. Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks there has been scant improvement in relations, and few expect an immediate breakthrough. We have no view on a potential Modi prime ministership, the Pakistani envoy to New Delhi, Abdul Basit, said in an interview. We will be willingly and readily engaging with the new government. Special correspondent Sahi reported from Gilgit and Times staff writer Bengali reported from Mumbai, India. Special correspondent Parth M.N. in Mumbai contributed to this report. JOHANNESBURG, South Africa In scattered villages on steep green hillsides, many who killed their neighbors in Rwandas genocide 20 years ago now live side by side with relatives of the dead. Speech that creates ethnic divisions has been outlawed. Local tribunals called gacaca courts have allowed many offenders to be released from prison in return for confessions and expressions of remorse. And a generation of young people who grew up after the mass killings embody the hope of a new breed of Rwandans who identify not by ethnicity but by nationality. Rwanda has made stunning progress since what was one of the 20th centurys greatest tragedies, when more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu extremists. Life expectancy has doubled since 1994 to more than 60 years. Economic growth consistently reaches 8% annually. And the number of deaths of children under age 5 has plummeted in the last two decades from 230 per 1,000 to 55. Advertisement In the years since the hundred days of bloodletting, in which as many as a million people were killed, the small Central African country has wowed donors and investors, though lately human rights advocates have criticized President Paul Kagame for displaying an increasingly authoritarian approach. Kagame says that improved education and an end to poverty are the most effective ways to prevent a return of violence. The government spends a quarter of its budget on health and 17% on education, according to the World Bank. The positive news out of Rwanda stands in sharp contrast to the results of the Wests vows that never again would the world stand by as the massacres that occurred in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia in the mid-1990s unfolded. In 2002, the Rome statute was established, setting up the International Criminal Court to prosecute individuals on charges including genocide and crimes against humanity. And in 2005, a summit of world leaders adopted the doctrine of the responsibility to protect, which obliged the international community to step in when civilians are under attack and their governments fail to protect them. But unfolding tragedies underscore United Nations failures to protect vulnerable populations when wars break out. In the Central African Republic, sectarian killings of Muslims have been taking place for months and a proposed U.N. force substantial enough to halt the slaughter has yet to be deployed, even as most of the Muslim population is driven out of the country and its mosques burned. Elsewhere in Africa, international intervention has shown mixed success. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, to which the perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide fled, U.N. peacekeepers have been criticized for failing to prevent attacks on civilians by armed groups, although last November with a new mandate to use force they helped Congolese army forces defeat the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23. In South Sudan, U.N. peacekeepers failed to prevent an estimated 10,000 ethnic killings last December, although the death toll may have been worse without the U.N. presence. The Rwandan genocide was set off April 7, 1994, when a plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira, both Hutus, was shot down near the Kigali airport. The source of the attack is disputed, with Kagames government saying that Hutu extremists in Habyarimanas military assassinated him as an excuse to exterminate Tutsis. Kagames Rwandan Patriotic Front had invaded northern Rwanda in 1990 from Uganda in a bid to oust the Habyarimana government, but after nearly three years of civil war, a peace deal known as the Arusha accords was signed, calling for a power-sharing arrangement that was to lead to elections. The downing of the plane undermined the peace deal and triggered the mass killing of Tutsis and some Hutus by Hutu extremists. Some of the perpetrators were radio hosts, who used their programs to call Tutsis cockroaches that should be exterminated. Neighbors killed neighbors. Entire families were wiped out. Some were killed in Roman Catholic churches where they had sought refuge and several Catholic nuns and priests have been convicted as perpetrators. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda, deployed to implement the Arusha peace deal, did nothing to halt the bloody rampage, blaming a restrictive mandate. Western powers failed to intervene. Then-President Clinton has since apologized, acknowledging last year that as many as 300,000 lives could have been saved had the U.S. acted. After three months of fighting, Kagames forces reached the capital, Kigali, and drove the Rwandan army and government-backed militias from power. The rebel movement Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which includes some of the perpetrators of the genocide, continues to operate in eastern Congo, launching cross-border raids. But Rwanda has faced international criticism for its backing of M23 rebels, accused of using child soldiers and carrying out atrocities. Rwanda has denied the accusations, but the U.S. froze military aid to the country in 2012 over its support for the group. Kagame speaks scathingly about the U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, the largest in the world. You have a [U.N. peacekeeping] mission in Congo spending $1.5 billion every year for the past 12 years, he said in an interview last year. Nobody ever asks, What do we get out of this? For Kagame, lectures about human rights abuses are the Wests way of trying to exert control in Africa. For the past century, including the last 50 years of independence, Africa lost immense opportunities largely due to unbalanced relationships within the global community that were often predatory and even abusive in nature, he said in a 2012 speech marking Rwandas 50th anniversary of independence. Today, new ways of perpetuating the old order have emerged in a subtle manner, often disguised as the defense of human rights, free speech and international justice. Kagame frequently exhorts his fellow citizens to work hard, remember the genocide, but to move forward. He extols the virtue of Rwandan democracy and self-reliance. Rwanda is ranked by the World Bank as one of the easiest places to do business in Africa. Though the most densely populated country in Africa, the nation of 11 million is self-sufficient in staple crops, according to the World Food Program, and acute malnutrition among children ages 6 months to 5 years is 3.6%. Monthly work details, in which all citizens are required to participate in Saturday cleanups, have something of a Soviet feel to them but the country is as neat as a pin. We must work hard because if we wait for others to develop our country, we will not make progress, Kagame said last month. Any external help must only come as an addition to our own efforts to better ourselves. robyn.dixon@latimes.com The feud between Turkey and the Netherlands keeps escalating, and with crucial votes on the horizon in both countries, some leaders are reaping immediate political benefits from the dispute despite the long-term perils of a deeper rift between Turkey and the West. Political campaigns in each country carry overtones of national pride, sovereign identity and the weight of history all of which also play into an ongoing dispute. Dutch parliamentary elections are being held Wednesday, a contest which, in the age of President Trump and Britains planned exit from the 28-nation European Union, is being far more closely watched than usual. The vote-getting ability of the divisive populist candidate Geert Wilders is seen as a potential bellwether for elections elsewhere in Europe this year, most notably in France and Germany. Advertisement Turks, for their part, will decide next month whether to endorse constitutional changes that would strengthen the hand of an authoritarian-minded leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The referendum comes as Erdogan has taken an increasingly hard line toward the West, despite Turkeys status as a NATO member. The two political contests, each emotionally freighted, come at a time when it would be difficult for either side to back down in a high-profile test of wills, even one between ostensible allies. The clash has centered on the Erdogan government sending surrogates to woo voters among expatriate Turks in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe. Many of the millions of Turks living and working on the continent are eligible to cast ballots in Turkeys April 16 referendum. About 400,000 Turks live in the Netherlands. Over the weekend, Dutch authorities denied landing rights to the Turkish foreign minister and prevented another Turkish government minister from addressing a referendum rally in the port city of Rotterdam, prompting a furious outcry in Turkey. Channeling public outrage, Erdogan said the Netherlands action smacked of Nazism, an accusation he had previously leveled at Germany over the same issue. Monday brought little in the way of de-escalation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had previously urged Erdogan to refrain from bandying around so devastatingly laden a term as Nazi, expressed solidarity with the Netherlands. Dutch officials warned their citizens in Turkey to exercise caution. Turkey said it was weighing possible sanctions against the Netherlands, and Erdogan announced Monday on national television that he would seek redress for the exclusion of Turkish ministers in the European Court of Human Rights something of an ironic reversal, with Europes long history of human-rights criticisms of his government. As the dispute has deepened, more parties have been drawn in. France allowed a weekend rally on the Turkish referendum on free-speech grounds, but Denmark, Austria and Switzerland joined the Netherlands and Germany in citing security concerns over campaign appearances on their soil by Turkish officials. The European Unions foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, issued a statement that did not mention Erdogan by name but was seen as aimed at him, urging a halt to excessive statements and actions. In Turkey, the Netherlands ambassador was out of the country when the dispute erupted, and Erdogans government said it was best for the envoy to stay away. The Turkish foreign ministry on Monday summoned the ranking Dutch envoy, the charge daffaires in Ankara, for a formal protest after Dutch police over the weekend employed water cannons and police dogs to disperse demonstrators. Aggrieved and nationalistic appeals have long been a page in Erdogans political playbook, and his latest rhetoric appeared to bear out that pattern. Nazism is alive in the West, the Turkish leader declared, adding that the Netherlands and its allies had shown their true face. Turkish opposition leaders chimed in as well with anti-Dutch and anti-European statements. As the Dutch vote approaches, center-right Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been pushed further right as he seeks to fend off a challenge from Wilders, who has called for extreme measures such as banning the Koran. With Wilders party seen as likely to emerge as the second-largest in parliament, polls suggested that standing up to Turkey was a chance for the Dutch leader and his party to make inroads among voters who are anxious over immigration but not ready to embrace Wilders openly anti-Muslim views. In the course of the campaign, Rutte has at times adopted language that seems an echo of his opponents more inflammatory discourse. Earlier this year, for example, he declared that immigrants should act normal or leave. He has demanded an apology from Erdogan over the Nazi references, and in a interview broadcast Sunday, rejected any attempt to blackmail his government. On each side, analysts noted, the European-Turkish clash has come to crystallize a certain subset of voter sentiment. Turks have long bridled at what the Erdogan government routinely paints as European arrogance and meddling. The Turkish leader has been fuming for months over Western criticism of his wide-ranging purge of political opponents after a failed coup attempt in July. Turkeys onetime ambitions to join the EU are already seen as moribund, but European commentators deemed the current flap a likely nail in the coffin. Europe, meanwhile, is grappling with a public backlash against Muslim immigrants and a marked rise in nationalist sentiment as it heads into election season. The latest big wave of immigrants and asylum-seekers in Europe is mainly made up of people from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan, not Turkey. But as this dispute has unfolded, expatriate Turks have found themselves an unwilling symbol in the eyes of some voters, at least of fears about security, the compatibility of Islam and democracy, and some Muslims ability to assimilate. If the confrontation continues, or becomes even more acrimonious, the ramifications could be serious. Sanctions and counter-sanctions could cost Europe and the Turks billions in trade, investment and tourism. And Turkeys minister in charge of European Union affairs urged a review of a migration deal with the bloc that over the last year has stemmed the huge influx of mainly Muslim asylum-seekers making their way to Europe via Turkey. Some analysts predicted the entire affair would eventually blow over, though at a cost. The situation will calm down, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. But at the same time the toxic rhetoric will leave some permanent damage in the relationship. Staff writer King reported from Washington and special correspondent Farooq from Istanbul. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT As the war in Syria grinds into its seventh year this week, a vital building block of the countrys future has fallen victim to the carnage: the education of its children. About 1.75 million children and youth in Syria are out of school and most are up to six years behind in their reading and math skills, according to a report published Monday by the International Rescue Committee. This is quite alarming, said Paul Frisoli, the organizations senior technical adviser for education. In a country that really promoted the value of education we are now seeing severely low levels of literacy and numeracy, which can have a severe impact on childrens learning going forward. Advertisement The aid group did not have access to baseline findings about learning levels in Syria before the war, but the Arab nation was known to have a 95%-plus literacy rate, Frisoli said. Access to education and learning are not only problems for children inside Syria, according to advocacy groups. Human Rights Watch reported in September that more than half of the 1.5 million school-age children from Syria taking refuge in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon were not enrolled in formal education the previous school year. Without an education, the children are likely to be exploited, get caught in poverty, fall victim to extremist ideologies, and will become a lost generation, the Karam Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit that invests in Syrian schools and supports refugee families, said in a report last year. Before the war, there were more than 22,000 schools operating across the country, according to the U.N.s 2017 Humanitarian Needs Overview. Today, at least 7,400 schools are closed and those that remain operational generally have, poor water, sanitation and hygiene conditions, IRC officials said. Mondays report, conducted in November and based on a survey of about 3,000 children at five schools in northern Syria, shows that almost half of the 13-year-olds surveyed could not complete a math task designed for 7-year-olds, according to the report. And roughly one-third of eighth graders could not properly read a 60-word story intended for second-graders. The decline in learning is due to several factors, including interrupted schooling due to bomb threats, violence, insecure access to schools, and disruption of the home environment and family structure, child advocacy officials said. We know from neuroscience that children who do experience prolonged toxic stress in their lives, that does hamper their brain development, Frisoli said. We think there has been learning reversal in some cases. Kids are so stressed because of the environment they are living in. More than a quarter of the 3,500 schoolchildren receiving assistance from the International Rescue Committee have had to flee their homes, and many were traumatized after witnessing the impact of the fighting on family members and the harm and destruction caused by airstrikes, according to the report. Other significant findings include the fact that there are 5.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 who need education assistance, meaning they have trouble getting to school because of danger along the way, are not learning due to poor quality education or a lack of teachers, and are at extreme risk of dropping out, among other factors. Fifty-nine percent of sixth graders could not read a simple 7- to 10-sentence story--the equivalent of second-grade reading skills--while 63% of seventh graders could not solve a second-grade subtraction problem. Some 150,000 teachers have left the education system. The Rescue Committees recommendations for improving learning include studying educational programs that work and determining how best to spend money on schools. The report also calls for putting an emphasis on remedial programs that help reinforce childrens basic skills and close the gap between what they know and what they should know at certain grade levels, and helping children build social and emotional skills. ann.simmons@latimes.com For more on global development news, see our Global Development Watch page, and follow me @AMSimmons1 on Twitter ALSO Syrias lost generation: Children are main breadwinners in many families UAEs minister of happiness insists her job is no laughing matter Bone by bone, Iraqis unearth a mass grave: We will be out there digging until no one is left The leader of Scotland announced plans Monday to seek a second independence referendum, throwing the future unity of Britain into fresh doubt as the country stands on the cusp of its lengthy withdrawal process from the European Union. Citing the need to protect her constituents interests, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched into a blistering attack on British Prime Minister Theresa May for failing to make any attempt to find common ground but instead doggedly pursuing a so-called hard Brexit. The U.K. government has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement, she said, adding that she had only been met with a brick wall of intransigence. Advertisement Britain voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% in Junes referendum, a vote that is colloquially known as Brexit. Scottish voters, however, voted overwhelmingly to remain part of the 28-member bloc by 62% to 38%. Sturgeon said she had previously been encouraged by May to try to find a way forward that would keep Britain united as it navigates the difficult course ahead. But she felt she had been left with no alternative after the prime minister said in a January speech that there could be no half in, half out deal. It was the clearest indication to date of what a post-Brexit Britain might look like, with May saying Britain would withdraw from the European single market which guarantees the free movement of goods, capital, services and people in order to regain control of immigration policy and laws. The prime minister also cast doubt on Britains future membership in the EUs customs union, which guarantees tariff-free trade within Europe but limits the ability of its members to negotiate individual trade deals with non-European countries. Sturgeons attempt to find middle ground had included the suggestion that Scotland get its own Brexit deal, separate from the rest of Britain, but those pleas fell on deaf ears. The language of partnership has gone completely, Sturgeon said. If Scotland can be ignored on an issue as important as our membership of the European Union and the single market, then it is clear that our voice and our interests can be ignored at any time on any issue. May responded fiercely to Mondays speech, saying it was deeply regrettable and accusing Sturgeon of tunnel vision and turning politics into a game. It sets Scotland on a course for more uncertainty and division, she said. Sturgeon said the timing of Scotlands second referendum was crucial. She wants the vote to be held between the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019, which should be roughly when the United Kingdoms Brexit negotiations will conclude. If Scotland is to have a real choice, when the terms of Brexit are known ... that choice must be offered, she said. Sturgeon announced that she would put the matter to the Scottish Parliament next week, but ultimately it is Mays government in London that has to approve the legally binding referendum. The previous 2014 independence referendum was allowed to take place only after lengthy negotiations between the two sides, and ultimately ended with Scotland voting against becoming an independent country by a margin of 55% to 45%. Polls show there is currently little appetite in Scotland for another referendum, but the Scottish National Party was voted in at the last election with a manifesto that included a pledge to hold a second referendum if there was significant and material change in circumstances, including if Scotland was unwillingly taken out of the EU. These conditions have of course now been met, Sturgeon said. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn said that his party believed it would be wrong to hold another referendum so soon after the previous one, which had been billed as a once in a generation event. If, however, the Scottish Parliament votes for one, Labor will not block that democratic decision at Westminster, he added. On Monday night, Parliament was also meeting to debate the terms of the EU Withdrawal Bill. If passed as widely expected, the legislation will pave the way for the prime minister to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which officially starts the formal two-year EU exit process. May has said she wants to put that process in motion before the end of March. Boyle is a special correspondent. ALSO U.K. lawmakers back bill to trigger Brexit talks After the Brexit vote, Britains independence party struggles with existential crisis British Prime Minister May lays out plans for a stronger, fairer, more united country after Brexit UPDATES: 3:20 p.m.: Updates throughout with staff reporting. 6:45 a.m.: This article was updated with reactions from the United Kingdom government, as well as details about Scotlands proposed efforts to leave the U.K. This article was originally published at 5:05 a.m. The euphoria that followed the historic peace deal signed by the Colombian government and FARC rebels is giving way to the sobering realities surrounding its implementation. Some analysts fear the financial, political and security challenges may be too much for the Colombian government to handle. More than 7,000 rebels are in the process of giving up their arms under U.N. supervision in 26 transitory normalization zones in rural areas scattered around the country. The rebels began relocating to the temporary encampments after congress approved the accord in December, ending 52 years of conflict. But complaints emerged last week, with both sides accusing the other of noncompliance. Former FARC leader Ivan Marquez said the government has not followed through on promises of food, clothing, money or housing. In many cases, the government failed to build the tent cities in time for the rebels arrival from their jungle and mountain hideouts, he said. Advertisement For its part, the government blamed the FARC for being too slow to turn over arms and explosives, for making demands not included in the deal signed in Havana after four years of negotiations and for restricting access of construction workers to the encampments. The peace deal calls for the FARC to abandon the transitional zones and blend into society after the disarming is finished in June. But in an extraordinary letter sent recently to President Juan Manuel Santos, more than two dozen former armed services commanders, all retired generals and admirals, said they were concerned that FARC will convert the transitional camps into permanent independent republics. Although defense minister Luis Carlos Villegas dismissed the former commanders concerns as based on disinformation, the letter was a remarkable display of the opposition many in Colombian society feel toward the peace deal and the distrust they have for the rebels. The complaints come at a time when the Santos government remains highly unpopular and as many of his ministers are leaving the government to begin their campaigns for next years presidential and legislative elections. Political disarray is one of the enormous difficulties ahead, said Alejandro Reyes, expert in agricultural policy who was part of the government negotiating team in Havana. A big reason for my pessimism is the timing. Santos government is very discredited with less than 30% approval rating, and the political coalition he built to pass the peace deal is weakening in advance of the 2018 presidential election, Reyes said. Other concerns revolve around financing the peace. In exchange for the rebels agreeing to lay down their weapons, the government promised billions of dollars in aid and education, land reform, rural infrastructure and guaranteed political representation over the next decade. Santos also committed to protecting the rebels from reprisals by right-wing paramilitary groups. A member from Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rests in a transitory camp in Tumaco town, Narino, Colombia. (MAURICIO DUENAS CASTANEDA / EPA) The cost of providing that aid to the rebels and rural farmers has been conservatively estimated at $4 billion per year over the next decade, or roughly 5% of the annual budget, said Adam Isacson, a Colombia policy expert at the Washington Office on Latin America think tank. Thats a big bill for a country running fiscal deficits and suffering from price declines in principal exports crude oil and coal, he said. Colombia is in a hole and doesnt have a way of getting out of that hole, Isacson said. Colombias rural conflict zones need a Marshall Plan right now, but at least for the next couple of years, theyll be lucky to avoid an austerity plan. Colombia was counting on financial help from the United States, which has given the country more than $10 billion in mainly military and anti-drug aid since 2000 under the so-called Plan Colombia. The aid is largely credited with saving Colombia from an armed FARC takeover. After the peace deal was signed last year, President Obama promised Santos $450 million in aid for next fiscal year, up from $320 million this year. But that amount is now in doubt. President Trump has said he may cut foreign aid across the board and so far has not said publicly whether Colombian peace will be a priority. Santos political strength, which he will need to persuade congress to fund his rural development plans, is also in doubt. In an October plebiscite, a majority of voters rejected the peace deal as too favorable for the rebels. Santos, who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the peace agreement, later turned to congress to approve the peace deal so as not to risk another setback at the polls, a move that rankled many Colombians. Former President Alvaro Uribe, now a senator and major political player, leads politicians opposed to the peace deal. If the candidate from his Democratic Center Party wins next years presidential vote, he or she may try to scrap the peace deal altogether. (The constitution bars Uribe from running for another term.) Among the many peace accord features Uribe opposes is the government plan to pay rebels a monthly stipend of about $600 through 2018, as well as grants of up to $7,000 each to start a small business. Financial assistance is crucial because Colombias economy is growing slowly, and the private sector has been reluctant to hire former fighters. The absorption of ex-rebels into society has been described in rosy rhetoric but Colombian entrepreneurs have told me they shy away from former combatants and look for other people to hire, said Bruce Bagley, international relations professor at the University of Miami. They dont trust the FARC. Many consider them monsters who have committed atrocities. Another question mark is whether the government will be able to protect demobilized FARC rebels once they reenter society and begin participating in the political process. For the first six months of the peace process, the guerrillas are supposed to be protected by the military. But its not clear the military is capable of doing it, Bagley said. Over the past year, at least 74 community leaders have been murdered and many suspect right-wing death squads are responsible. The deaths are a reminder of the more than 1,000 leftist politicians, usually sympathetic to the FARC, who were systematically killed after a peace deal was signed with rebels in the 1980s. A cornerstone of the peace deal is agrarian reform, including the governments promise to return land to property owners who were forced by land grabbers various armed groups, including the FARC and drug traffickers -- to sell it or flee for their lives during two decades of conflict. Santos has also promised to build roads and other infrastructure in rural areas. Researcher Reyes said carrying out those ambitious plans is a tall order for the government because as much as one third of the 15 million acres in question is now controlled by violent drug traffickers and other criminal groups. Many narcos and mafiosos have tried to seem legitimate by becoming huge landowners, mainly for cattle ranches, said Reyes. You can be sure they will react against any efforts to implement agrarian reform. Isacson, of WOLA, said he is concerned for the fate of the peace accord because the Colombian government so far has shown a lack of managerial or technical capacity to keep all these promises. A key example is that its taken months to build tents on patches of dirt to house the rebels. The government couldnt prepare these zones and get food there and some of these transitional camps arent that remote , Isacson said. So Im worried about the process. Kraul is a special correspondent. ALSO Amid U.S.-Mexico acrimony, energy might present common ground and opportunity, analysts say Brazil goes a little less wild for this years Carnival Bone by bone, Iraqis unearth a mass grave: We will be out there digging until no one is left Tehran, Iran, Mar. 13 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Iranian and Russian navy officials in a meeting in Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, discussed ways to improve bilateral naval cooperation. During the meeting, commander of the Iranian naval fleet, Captain Mohsen Sheidayee underlined that the trip is aimed at strengthening the good and constructive cooperation between the two countries in naval affairs, Fars news agency reported March 13. The Iranian flotilla of warships set sail to Makhachkala March 8. The fleet included the home-made Damavand destroyer and Darafsh missile-launching warship. Commander of the Russian naval fleet in the Caspian Sea, Sergey Pinchuk, for his part, underscored the need for promoting friendship and peace among the Caspian Sea littoral states. All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. E.P.A Head Comments On Global Warming: Human Activity A Major Cause Of Climate Change Global warming is always considered to be an outcome of uncontrolled carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, commented recently in a statement that carbon dioxide is not the primary contributor of carbon dioxide but is a result of human activity. The New York Times has reported Scott Pruitt's statement on the odds with the established scientific consensus on climate change. "I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so, no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see," says Scott Pruitt, the EPA head. Scott Pruitt, the EPA head has also stated that there is no enough analysis or reviews to prove that global warming is due to the result of human activity. Scott's statement is contradictory to analysis and studies that happened so far and it even creates conflicts with the laws and regulations of EPA. A hidden strategy against President Barack Obama's climate change policies is visible in the statement. Donald Trump's administration also plans to take away all the benefits connected with the policies. The CNN has reported that there is a drastic increase of 35 percent of greenhouse emissions by the year 2010 due to human activity. A 42 percent of the increase in carbon dioxide has happened over this period. Brian Schatz, co-chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force has criticized Scott Pruitt, the EPA head for blandly saying such a statement. Brian Schatz also stated that anyone who dismisses such a century old science and basic facts is no longer qualified to be in EPA. Michael Brune sarcastically tweeted and stated that Scott Pruitt, the EPA head should be fired for denying science. Even Scott doesn't consider having a climate change research as a priority as he denied the questions related to that. To know more about science information realities click here. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! Criss Angel recently landed in the hospital after one of his live performances. The daring magician is reportedly fine and well after being released and returned onstage to complete the straitjacket magic trick successfully. The illusionist was reportedly attempting his straitjacket escape trick during a live episode of his "MINDFREAK LIVE!" show. People reports that the show stopped broadcasting 20 minutes into Angel's performance because he lost consciousness. Angel was assisted by the show's crew and was hurriedly ushered to a nearby hospital to have him checked. The stunt daredevil's health was evaluated and he was eventually released by the hospital. The most surprising of it all is Angel went back on stage the day after to continue to straitjacket trick. In fact, he managed to successfully perform the stunt without any issues. When the news broke out about Angel's Friday show mishap, an outpouring of concern and love flooded on social media from his fans all over the world. The Friday show was cancelled midway his performance and elicited mixed reactions from the audience. Attendees of the Las Vegas event were given full refunds for their tickets. A representative for Angel told the media of what happened during the show. Angel reportedly wanted to continue on with his scheduled performance on Saturday.The rep also thanked the fans for their support on behalf of the illusionist. When Angel returned on Saturday night to attempt the straitjacket stunt successfully, fans expressed their awe on social media. E !News reports that Angel's comeback show was shown on the Sunday episode of "Good Morning America." The outlet adds that Angel made a $100,000 donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation after being unable to attend the event on Saturday morning with his son. A representative from a non-profit that Angel co-founded reportedly made the donation on his behalf. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got matching tattoos during the filming of "First They Killed My Father" movie February last year. The news came weeks after the two officially announced their divorce. Mirror reports that Jolie and Pitt reportedly got their tattoos from a Thai tattoo artist named Ajarn Noo Kanpai. The "Salt" actress got three Sak Yant tattoos on her back while the actor got a Buddhist symbol inked on his stomach. The tattoo session was said to be painful as the Thai artists who had to be flown from Thailand to Cambodia used a traditional inking method. He used steel rods with a surgical needle and inked away at Jolie and Pitt. The tattoos of Jolie and Pitt symbolized longevity for their marriage. However, the binding tattoo didn't save the two from their split months later in September 2016. Mail Online reports that some of Jolie's new tattoos also has commemorative references to those who died under the reign of the Khmer Rouge which is fitting during that time. Ajarn is reportedly a self-professed master of the Sak Yant spiritual tattoo. Jolie is a regular client of the ex-monk as she had her first ink with him in 2003 and then got another tattoo in 2004. His works reportedly cost thousands of dollars and have worked with other celebrities like Cara Delevigne apart from Jolie and Pitt. Jolie is reportedly preoccupied with showing the film "First They Killed My Father" in Cambodia despite the ongoing divorce with Pitt. The movie will be shown for free in different parts of the country before it will be released on Netflix. Jolie and Pitt have their lawyers deliberating over the care of their children since the actor was accused of being physically abusive of one of his children. The Oscar-winning actress wants sole physical custody while giving Pitt scheduled visits while the actor wants physical and legal custody. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Orkhan Quluzade Trend: The Turkish company Harp Arge sold to Azerbaijan its Drone Killer system, designed to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), reads a message from the company. This is the companys first deal to export military systems to Azerbaijan. The weapon system was successfully tested in Azerbaijan, the message said. Drone Killer can break connection between a drone and a control center, and disorient a GPS system. This system is used by Turkeys Armed Forces, National Intelligence Organization, and other security agencies. Mar 13, 2017, 11:19am ET Ford to build new Lincoln SUV in China The all-new SUV will take advantage of better-than-expected demand for Lincoln vehicles in the country. Ford has confirmed plans to build a new Lincoln SUV in China, partnering with local manufacturer Changan Automobile Group for the production joint-venture. The all-new SUV will take advantage of better-than-expected demand for Lincoln vehicles in the world's largest automobile market. "The Lincoln product and ownership in China is resonating with Chinese customers even beyond our expectations," Lincoln president Kumar Galhotra said in a statement to The Detroit News. "We are now taking Lincoln to the next level by building a new SUV in China to join a dynamic lineup of imported cars and SUVs." Rumors of a Changan joint venture for Lincoln production surfaced last year, following the brand's first full year of sales in China. The Changan partnership will extend an existing production agreement for Ford-badged vehicles. China requires foreign automakers to tie-up with a local automaker to produce vehicles in the country. Ford has not yet released any additional details of the mystery SUV, though it will be an all-new vehicle. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13 By Orkhan Quluzade Trend: Turkey has sent two notes of protest to the Netherlands due to blocking of Turkish ministers visits to the country and ill-treatment of Turkish citizens by the Dutch police, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a message. Earlier, the Dutch authorities did not allow Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya to enter the Netherlands to participate in a meeting with the local Turkish community. Turkeys protest states that the blocking of Turkish ministers visits is a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention. Ankara is awaiting official apology for the incident, said Turkeys Foreign Ministry. Another protest has to do with the Rotterdam police using force to disperse the demonstrators near the Turkish Consulate, who were protesting against the measures of the Dutch authorities against the Turkish governments members. Turkeys protest note says the brutal police response to the Turkish citizens, who gathered in front of the Consulate in Rotterdam, is unacceptable. Mar 13, 2017, 12:08pm ET Trump administration to review fuel economy regulations President Trump will be in Michigan this week to make the announcement. President Donald Trump will travel to Michigan on Wednesday to announce the review of federal fuel economy regulations put into place by the Obama administration, a new report claims. Automakers have been openly vocal about their desire to revoke strict fuel economy regulations enacted by President Obama, and it looks as though those requests have not fallen on deaf ears. Reuters reported on Monday that Trump will travel to the Detroit suburb of Ypsilanti on Wednesday to announce that his administration will review those mandates. That Wednesday event is expected to be attended by the CEOs of Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, as well as by prominent figures from other Japanese and German automakers. Current rules call for a fleet-wide average fuel economy of more than 50mpg by 2025, up from 27.5mpg in 2010. Those rules were locked in by President Obama before he left office despite the EPA having until April 2018 to make a final ruling on the matter. Automakers argue that the regulations will be too costly to implement and could cost the industry tens of thousands of jobs. Environmentalist, on the other had, see the rules as a key way to curb greenhouse gases. A recent study found that while the rules will cost jobs in the short run, the nation will ultimately benefit from a fleet of more efficient vehicles. Germany's interior minister said police had stopped a possible attack at a shopping center in the western city of Essen on Saturday and there were indications of a link to Islamic State militants, Reuters reported. Germany is on high alert following deadly militant attacks in France and Belgium and after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December, killing 12 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. Police closed one of Germany's biggest shopping malls on Saturday after security agencies warned of a possible attack and questioned two men in connection with the threat. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there could have been an attack at the shopping center. "That was stopped," he told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding there was a connection to someone pulling the strings in Islamic State. "There were indications or orders from someone who had traveled to the region (Syria) from Germany. That shows how close the connection is. So it is good that the federal and regional security authorities were vigilant," said de Maiziere. Security sources told Reuters that the threat appeared to follow a call for violence by a German militant loyal to Islamic State who is currently based in a region of Syria controlled by the militant group. He reiterated that the danger of a terrorist attack in Germany remained high. Officials are worried that Islamist radicals will return from Syria or Iraq to stage attacks on German soil. Just over six months before an election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's political foes say her open-door migrant policy may have raised the risks. Separately, German police said on Sunday they were questioning a man in his early 20s who was detained after an overnight operation in the southwestern town of Offenburg, near the French border, following a security threat. Police said they believed one target of a potential attack was a night club. They added that no weapons were found during the operation and a second man who was arrested was later released. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates Twycross Zoo have responded to criticism over a decision that will see their herd of elephants move elsewhere. On March 1 the Leicestershire zoo announced their all-female herd would be leaving stating that the decision was in the best interests of the elephants. Visitors weren't impressed though asking why a male elephant couldn't be moved in instead of moving the entire herd to a different zoo. Today Twycross have published the answers to 14 questions to respond to visitors. A zoo spokesman said: "We will be sad to see the elephants leave, but we believe that what we are planning is in the best interests of the elephants and ultimately that must guide our decision-making." When are they going? At the earliest it will be the last quarter of 2017. This will depend on agreeing the practical arrangements with the receiving zoo and also the training process and how long it takes the elephants to become comfortable in their transport crates. Where are they going? We do not know yet as we are still working with the European Breeding Programme Coordinator to find a new home somewhere in Europe. Do you get to choose where they go? Yes, we will work very closely with the breeding programme coordinator to choose their new home. Twycross Animal Managers will also go to the zoo before the transfer to work with the new team that will care for our elephants. Why has this decision been made only now? We regularly assess the animals in our care and their potential for breeding through our Strategic Animal Collection Planning, in conjunction with European Endangered Species Breeding Programmes. We were aware of the reproductive potential of our two females and considered all available options which would allow them to breed before taking this decision with the support of our Trustees. Why not bring a male elephant in? Twycross Zoo does not have the facilities or expertise to manage adult bull elephants; which are larger, more powerful and sometimes more aggressive than females. Why can't you artificially inseminate them? Whilst artificial insemination is a suitable method for some individuals in certain situations, breeding within a strong social structure, with males present, is the preferred option. Why can't Twycross Zoo bring in a herd of elderly elephants instead of going out of elephants completely? Elderly elephants are an important part of a natural mixed herd structure, so zoos are moving away from keeping elderly elephants separately, and towards keeping them within herds for the duration of their life. Will the herd stay together? Yes, we are working with the European Breeding Programme Coordinator to find a new home somewhere in Europe and only looking at zoos which have the necessary space to accommodate all our four females to ensure their social ties remain intact. How will you ensure the transfer will not be too stressful for the elephants? Our management and experienced staff are working very hard to train and prepare the animals for a smooth transfer. The elephants are trained using positive reinforcement, which makes the training process a fun and engaging situation for the herd. Why are you closing down the enclosure? We're not. The space will be developed as part of our development plan and in the short-term will become home to new species. We are working on plans at the moment to use it wisely for other endangered species. Why wasn't this decision reached prior to revamping the enclosure? The enclosure was modified in 2010 at which point in time there were no plans to find new home for our elephants and our priority was to provide the best possible facility for the herd. The decision was only reached in the past 12 months during which we carried out a comprehensive assessment of the situation. As part of this process we are considering the best use of this enclosure, once the elephants have moved to another zoo. What's going to replace them? The space taken up by the elephant enclosure is a large and important location, so we are working up plans at the moment to use it wisely for other endangered species. We will update everyone when things are confirmed later in the year. What other animals can visitors see at the zoo? We have over 150 different species, with 30% of those being different types of endangered monkeys and apes including orangutans, the UK's only bonobos and lemurs; and the other 70% being a range of carnivores, including snow leopards and meerkats; large mammals, such as giraffes and zebra; birds, including penguins and lorikeets; reptiles, including our giant tortoises; and invertebrates, such as the wide range housed in Butterfly Forest. What will be the financial impact of this decision? The decision-making process included reviewing the financial implications as part of our ongoing business planning. The Executive Team and the Trustees are confident that this will not have a detrimental impact on the long-term financial stability of the zoo. Jack Dempsey - Portlaoise The death took place on Sunday, Match 12 of Jack Dempsey of Tallaght and formerly Rathcoole, and Main St. Portlaoise. Peacefully at St Vincents Private Hospital. John (Jack) beloved son of the late Sean and Sarah Dempsey. Deeply regretted by his loving partner Una O'Higgins, brother Ger, sisters Ann and Mary, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Reposing at Keegan's Funeral Home, Portlaoise, from 6pm on Tuesday evening with rosary at 8pm. Removal on Wednesday morning to arrive at SS Peter and Pauls Church for 12 noon requiem Mass. Interment afterwards in SS Peter and Pauls Cemetery, Portlaoise. Michael Lalor - Portlaoise The death took place on Friday, March 10 of Michael Lalor of Ballycarnan, Portlaoise. Beloved husband of Peig and much loved father of Matthew, Rena, Esther, Geraldine, Rosemary and PJ. Deeply regretted by his family, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family relatives and friends. Reposing at his home on Saturday from 6pm with rosary recital at 9pm. Removal on Sunday at 5.45pm to arrive at SS Peter & Paul's church Portlaoise for 6.30pm. Requiem Mass on Monday at 12 noon. Interment afterwards in SS Peter & Paul's cemetery Peter Daly - Rathdowney The death took place on Friday, March 10 of Peter Daly of High Street, Rathdowney. Peacefully, at the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Predeceased by his wife Bridie. Deeply regretted by his son Peter-Paul and his daughter Ann-Marie, his beloved grandchildren Tara, Shane, Shannon, Ciara and Jessica, daughter-in-law Geraldine, son-in-law Liam, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Reposing at O' Sullivan's Funeral Home, Rathdowney on Saturday evening from 7pm with rosary at 8.30pm. Funeral Mass on Sunday at 11am in the Church Of The Holy Trinity, Rathdowney followed by burial in Rathdowney Local Cemetery. Margaret Donoghue - Portlaoise The death took place on Thursday, March 9 of Margaret Donoghue (nee Phelan) of Market Square, Portlaoise. In the care of Oakdale Nursing Home, Portarlington, Passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family. Beloved wife of the late Daniel, and dearly loved mother to Sheila (Stack), Mary, Sean, Seamus and Catherine (Browne). Deeply regretted by her family, brother Jack, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends Reposing at her residence from 4pm on Saturday with rosary at 8pm. Removal at 2pm on Sunday to arrive at SS Peter and Pauls Church for 2.30pm Requiem Mass. Interment will follow afterwards in SS Peter and Pauls Cemetery, Portlaoise. James Horan - Ballyfin The death took place on Tuesday, March 7 of James (Jim) Horan of Deerpark, Ballyfin. Peacefully in the care of the staff of St. Vincent's Hospital, Mountmellick. Deeply regretted by his brother and sisters Mary, Betty and Sean, nieces, nephews, neighbours, relatives and friends. Reposing in Moloney's Funeral Home, Mountmellick from 6pm on Wednesday, Funeral Prayers at 7pm. Removal at 7.45pm to St. Fintan's Church, Ballyfin arriving at 8.15pm. Requiem Mass on Thursday at 11am. Burial after in St. Fintan's Cemetery. Philomena Keyes - Mountrath The death took place on Tuesday, March 7 of Philomena (Phyl) Keyes (nee Phillips) of 18 St. Fintan's Terrace, Mountrath. Formally Lalor-Fitzpatrick. Peacefully, surrounded by her family, and in the care of staff of St. Vincent's Hospital Mountmellick. Predeceased by her son Alan. Deeply regretted by her husband Patrick (Paddy) sons, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brother, sisters, extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends. Reposing at Burke's Funeral Home Mountrath on Wednesday evening from 7pm, with Rosary at 9pm. Removal on Thursday morning to St. Fintan's Church Mountrath, for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in St. Fintan's Cemetery, Mountrath. Noel McCartney - Coolrain The death took place on Monday, March 6 of Noel McCartney of Coolrain. Peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, following an illness bravely borne. Deeply regretted by his wife Carmel, sons Alan and Barry, daughter Karen, daughter-in-law Annmarie, grandchildren Kathlyn, Kyle and Ella, brothers, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law Phil, extended family, relatives, neighbours and many, many friends. Reposing at his home on Tuesday evening. Reposing at this home all day on Wednesday, with rosary at 9pm. Removal on Thursday afternoon to St. Fergal's Church, Camross, for Requiem Mass at 1pm, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Dangerous road conditions were preventing elderly people from getting up to Oakvale Cemetery in Stradbally to visit their loved ones, Chairman Cllr Paschal McEvoy told the recent Portarlington/Graiguecullen Municipal District meeting. Cllr Tom Mulhall had called for an update on plans to redesign the entrance to Oakvale Road, off the N80 near the cemetery. Its a hugely dangerous part of the road, said Cllr Mulhall. Executive Engineer Farhan Nasiem, in a written response, recalled that residents had rejected an initial proposal for a complete realignment of the side road. Other options were being explored. He noted: It is not a simple problem to address and will cost a significant amount of money. Improved pedestrian access to the cemetery also needs to be provided as part of the scheme. Mr Nasiem said design issues were the subject of ongoing consideration and further discussions would be held with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Cllr Mulhall said there was a sharp bend within 30ms of the junction and heavy machinery was going in and out of the side road. Chairman McEvoy: It must be the only graveyard in the country where people cannot walk the road to. Cllr Mulhall: I am adamant that we will make it (redesign) happen. I urge the Council to liaise with TII. Mountmellick Community School students will be dancing their grey socks off in the square all day this Thursday March 16, to raise money for the Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust, a charity nominated by the students themselves. From 9am until the close of the school day at 3.20pm, the staff and students of the secondary school will take turns at ceili dancing in O'Connell Square, helped and guided by teachers, mentors and friends of MCS. The music will be provided by the talented music students from the school, who last year brought down the house with their Riverdance performances at the annual show. "This school has never failed to impress over the years when it comes to raising funds- events have always exceeded expectations in terms of fun, atmosphere and most importantly collecting money for charity. We do not expect this to be any different," said principal Larry Curtin. There will be a street collection on the day and face painting will be offered for a small donation. It was interesting to see someone question one of the key actions which are said to be vital to solve the housing crisis. The mantra has been that if you want to make property more affordable, you must build more houses. You must increase the supply to where it will meet the demand. Now someone has looked at past figures and come out to tell us that it is not quite as simple as that. The key point of a recent paper in the Engineers Journal by Dublin architect, Mel Reynolds, is that increasing supply is not the full answer either. He said that not once in 40 years has an increase in the supply of new homes led to a fall in property prices here, even during the 2006 boom, when the country saw a high of 92,000 homes were built, Far from reducing prices, they increased by 14 per cent, he said. At that stage, credit was more easily available too easily available, say some. An explanation is that while supply was fine, easily available credit increased the demand side, thus raising prices. Mr Reynolds is arguing a key point about modern property markets that supply is not a driver of price. He argues that the opposite is true. Supply tends to be led by price hikes, but only after a time or a lag, as economists say. He argues that rising prices and rising rents make development more commercially viable. Mr Reynolds said the Governments plan to make housing more affordable (Rebuilding Ireland) is destined to fail. A key point he made is not that it wont boost supply, it just wont produce affordable homes or those within the reach of average incomes. What I fear is that those who cannot borrow to buy their own homes, will end up renting, with the property owner essentially getting two or three times what the buyer would pay over their lifetime. In the past, many would have paid off their mortgage after 25 years. But if they rent forever, they will be paying the market rate for rent the current standard rent in county Kildare for a house is 973, according to the Rental Tenancies Board when their neighbour who bought their house will be paying zero. Property behaves like a luxury good. The more expensive it becomes the more desirable it becomes and the bigger the potential capital gains, says Reynolds. Ultimately the best way to square the affordability circle once and for all, he says, is for the State to step in and build affordable housing on large scale, as it did in the early 1970s. He argues the private speculative build model will not produce houses in Dublin for less than 300,000, given current land prices, construction costs and VAT. The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland last year put the cost of developing a typical three-bed semi-detached house in Dublin at 330,493, which allows for a reasonable developers profit margin. I agreed with him when he said it is naive to expect the private sector to deliver housing at or below cost. Many in Kildare will find 330,493 or even near it a step to far. It remains unlikely the private market will deliver housing for those who can afford to buy at an affordable wages/house price ratio. A public meeting on issues relating to the agriculture and equine industry will be held on March 22 next in Kilgowan at 7pm and is open to members of the public. It has been organised by Kildare South TD Fiona OLoughlin and will be addressed by Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Agriculture and Food Charlie McConalogue. The Chairman of the Kildare branch of the IFA Brian Rushe will also address the meeting. According to Deputy OLoughlin farmers across Kildare face an uncertain future as a result of volatility in the agriculture sector due to Brexit. Poor weather conditions in recent years have also impacted on farmers, particularly those involved in the tillage sector. 2016 was a difficult year for tillage farmers who suffered an income reduction of up to 80m. Individual growers experienced crop losses running from 25% - 50%. Tillage farmers have been battling low grain prices, increased input costs and poor margins. It is vital that we support tillage farmers and the communities that rely on this sector. The challenge for the Government is to come forward with new policy measures to help tackle volatility in the agriculture sector. The Aid Scheme for Potato and Vegetable Crops was introduced in 2010 and was successful in providing vital assistance to farmers struggling to deal with price volatility. The Government should look to replicate this scheme to meet the current challenges. The 86m underspend in the Department of Agricultures 2016 budget shows that there is leeway to achieve this. We are also looking to hear from people involved in the Equine Industry given its importance to the local economy in Kildare. Ireland needs to secure its place as a global leader in the equine industry. The industry employs thousands directly and indirectly, drawing tourists from across the globe and contributing up to 6bn to the Irish economy. We must maximise the economic impact and job potential of this enormous resource and consolidate its position as a first in class leader in the global industry. The public meeting we are hosting is an opportunity for farmers to come forward and highlight the challenges they are currently facing. There will be an in-depth questions and answers session and farmers will have an opportunity to have an input into Fianna Fails agriculture policy, concluded Deputy OLoughlin. Local Link has launched the new six-day-per-week service linking Kinlough to Ballyshannon via Bundoran with seven return journeys per day. A demand-led rural service will also be incorporated to the new route in the Glenade, Ballintrillick, Tawley and Buckode areas. The new route will also connect to the Bus Eireann Sligo/Galway and Enniskillen/Dublin expressway services, providing greater options for bus users in the region. The route will be serviced by a brand new 171-registered Mercedes bus with low floor wheelchair access, the first of its type to enter into service in the Republic of Ireland. 'Fureys of Sligo' was awarded the tender after a successful process with the government agency Transport for Ireland which is funding the route. Welcoming the roll out of the new service, Fine Gael Deputy Tony McLoughlin said, This new service will help to further connect our local communities in the area. A regular and reliable transport network provides a vital lifeline for those living in rural areas, especially for elderly residents who often have no other alternative. This service will have an immediate positive impact on the lives of people in every community on the route, giving residents in rural villages increased access to utilities like doctors, banks, shops and Bus Eireann services, as well as other social outlets. It will also help enhance the lives of our older people who dont have access to a car, as well as connecting younger residents with transport links to college and work." It is shameful the Dutch government has succumbed to anti-Islam racists and fascists, Turkish presidents spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Sunday, Anadolu reported. In a series of posts made on his official Twitter account, Kalin said the Netherlands decision to ban Turkish ministers from addressing Turks in Rotterdam marks a dark day for democracy in Europe. "Shame on the Dutch government for succumbing to anti-Islam racists and fascists, and damaging long-standing Turkey-NL relations." Referring to the upcoming elections in the Netherlands and far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is the chairman of the Party for Freedom (PVV), Kalin said: "Last night we found out that Geert Wilders was already in power." Wilders, who is known for his Islamophobic and racist rants, tweeted a harsh comment against Turkey's Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya late Saturday: "Go away and never come back @drbetulsayan and take all your Turkish fans from The Netherlands with you please. #byebye" Kaya was blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam late Saturday night and was escorted to Germany by Dutch police. In remarks made after returning to Istanbul on Sunday, Kaya said she suffered "harsh and rude treatment" at the hands of Dutch authorities. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag also condemned the incident and called on Europe to be "fair, objective, clear, and equal to all." "What the Dutch government did was the violation of the freedoms of assembly and expression, and burying the human rights. It was the violation of diplomatic courtesy; it was racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. It was a support to radicalism and reviving fascism and Nazism; it was the failure of EU values and EU civilization," Bozdag tweeted. Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said what happened in the Netherlands was an outpouring of "Europe's terrible and brutal face". Speaking to reporters in northeastern Trabzon province Sunday, Canikli said: "It is the beginning of the end in Europe." "The period of collapse and dissolution of the Europe has started. No power can stop it." He said the values of Europe "have all disappeared", adding: "Today, it came to light in the Netherlands, but none of the other European countries have condemned it." Also, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek tweeted in English: Actions of #Dutch Govt clearly defy logic & every principal on which #EU was founded; it is a sad day for #Netherlands, the EU & #Democracy. On Saturday afternoon Spring Conference debates motion F11 Towards a World Free of Nuclear Weapons which actually endorses the governments plans to replace Trident with Successor at a cost of 200 billion, twice the original estimate. The motion also talks about developing multilateral negotiations and ending Continuous-at-sea Deterrence (CASD) but in essence it supports a like-for-like deterrent, which we opposed through the coalition years. I was on the working group which drafted the report which this motion approves, but I dont agree. Im tabling an amendment which agrees with most of the motions analysis and call for beefing up negotiations but also calls for Trident to be phased out and NOT replaced. Many party members have long supported ending the UKs nuclear weapons but others have placed their faith in nuclear deterrence on balance. People may feel the global security situation inclines them more than ever to support replacing Trident with the Successor programme. The argument can be summarised as Oh my God, Putin !, Oh my God, Trump ! We better have our own nukes. I originally felt that the partys latest working group on the subject was a waste of time. Nothing had changed. But I was wrong. New technological developments cast doubt upon the effectiveness and reliability of the deterrent. The MoD sees no role for our nukes in meeting the first tier of security threats to the country, but people respond, Ah yes, but the future is uncertain. Now it is becoming clear that the deterrent itself is uncertain. When the new Dreadnought submarines come into use in the 2030s, Will they remain undetectable and safe ? asks Des Browne, former Secretary of State for Defence. Cyber warfare poses the threat that an enemy could prevent missiles from firing or change their intended targets. Underwater drones, already being developed by China and the USA, increase the chances of finding a submarine. Both these developments undermine the basic concept of the new Dreadnought fleet. How far will they have advanced by 2030 ? It seems foolish to commit a huge proportion of our defence budget on a system which may be out of date before it even comes into service. The other growing issue is the opportunity cost of the Successor Programme for our conventional forces. Centre Forum says it will be 10% of the annual defence budget, but 35% of the procurement budget. Today we have the smallest army since Napoleon, poorly equipped (Chilcot reported on poor footwear and inadequate vehicles in the Iraq War) and with fewer main battle tanks than Switzerland, a tiny navy which cannot operate continuously in warm waters and could not mount the Falklands campaign and a long-range strike force of only six bombers. Military and naval bases are badly maintained and out-of-date. Yes, the world is dangerous but we need conventional forces which can defend us. Isnt it time we lived up to our oft-proclaimed commitment to evidence-based policy ? We cant afford effective conventional forces AND the nukes. We must choose ! If you agree and would like to support the amendment, email me at [email protected] with your name, membership number and local party or fill in the form where you can also find the full text of the amendment. Any party member can sign whether or not they are going to conference BUT DO IT BEFORE 11 am TOMORROW, Tuesday, 14th * David Grace is a Lib Dem living in Cambridge and a long standing campaigner for nuclear disarmament. So we come to the crunch. We have voted against triggering Article 50 in both the Commons and the Lords. We are being attacked, as Tim Farron was on Radio 4s Any Questions last Friday night, for being anti-democratic. I have read this accusation many times here on Liberal Democrat Voice. I have occasionally heard it on Copeland doorsteps too, during the recent by-election. No amount of pointing out, as Tim did again that night, that the people who voted Leave in the Referendum had not voted to leave the EU Single Market has cut much ice with those voters who simply demand, We voted to leave get on with it! Theresa Mays government will shortly obey them. Were we wrong in what we insisted on? And if so, are our electoral chances being harmed by that public perception? Maybe the latest Tory wins in local elections, maybe the commanding Tory lead in the opinion polls, maybe the too-few votes for us in the recent by-elections perhaps they all had some small connection with public disagreement over our known stance. Could that be the case? What seems clear to me is that the idea of staying in the single market does not have compelling emotional appeal. It cant compete with the emotional pull of the Brexit slogans which are so familiar now. And that is important at a time of tremendous emotional turmoil in this country, stirred perhaps by everyones frequent contact with people of non-British background as well as by the media. Emotions trump reasoned argument at present. Its equally true that for us to state as we did that as a party we would vote against Article 50 unless the government agreed to a final vote of the people on the negotiated deal was not going to convince the masses. We know that our intention was democratic. To aim to give the people a final say is democratic. But it is a complicated argument. So the Tory peer on Any Questions was applauded when he characterised us as liberal but not democratic. Were we wrong there? Should we perhaps have stuck to demanding a meaningful parliamentary vote at the end of the negotiations? That proposed amendment was defeated in the Commons and will not be accepted by the government. Theresa May demands a yes vote, or a reversion to World Trade Organisation rules if Parliament finally says no. Asked what would happen in that case, the Tory peer said that there would then have to be a General Election. Another member of the panel, the economist Stephanie Flanders, pointed out the likely resulting chaos. So this is the best that the combined wisdom of the governing Tories and opposition Labour Party can come up with, as they prepare to vote through the Bill activating Article 50. Well, why not have chaos? Our people have voted in the manner of a seafaring nation for perilous seas, in the manner of descendants of Empire for voyages to far-off lands of promise! But our party cant join in with this romantic fantasy of a Britain apparently unleashed from chains, once more proudly in charge of her own destiny. We await the grim realities of the negotiations to bring people back to earth, to show that there is no treasure to be found at the foot of their rainbow and that the rainbow will vanish in the rain clouds to come. No, we were and are not wrong. We advocated democracy, and we put a rational case to protect the countrys interests which will gradually be seen to be right. But we too have our powerful vision, seeking peace and prosperity for ourselves and the world. We are fighting to remain a free, liberal, outward-looking country in the most advanced grouping of nations the world has ever known, and to share the power and beauty of this lasting vision. * Katharine Pindar is a long-standing member of the Lib Dems and an activist in the West Cumbrian constituency of Copeland and Workington. THE LIMERICK Rose for 2016 has returned from an emotional volunteering trip to Belarus with Chernobyl Children International. Marie Hennessy travelled with a delegate of Roses including last years winner, Chicago Rose Maggie McEldowney. The 18 Roses joined Adi Roche in Belarus, where they stayed in the Vesnova Children's Mental Asylum for the duration of the visit. It is here that 170 of the young victims of the Chernobyl nuclear tragedy, which happened 30 years ago, have been institutionalised. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It was heartbreaking in terms of the scenes and the stories of the children and how they end up in the orphanage, said Ms Hennessy who hails from Rooskagh, Carrigkerry. Its impossible to believe it unless you actually see it in reality, no amount of documentaries can show you the extent of it. Ive found since coming back to the school, going into the classroom, going in to teach the kids, Im still emotional. We dont even realise the things we take for granted, added the Desmond College teacher. Many of the children are still being born with deformities and other illnesses, directly and indirectly linked to the radiation from the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. The Roses spent their time working with the worst-affected children, giving them a level of one-to-one care and attention that they would not normally receive at the institution. The orphanage was first brought to Irish attention in the 1990s by a convoy organised by the Adi Roche Chernobyl International charity. We will never cease to be inspired by the generosity and kindness of Rose Ambassadors who reach out and touch the hearts of the forgotten children in the Chernobyl regions, said Ms Roche. Most of the children sadly have lost their parents. Turkey's EU minister on Monday suggested reconsidering the EU-Turkey refugee deal, especially the parts concerning with refugees trying to enter Europe by land, Anadolu reported. "Turkey has no obligation at this stage to continue the agreement since the EU has failed to comply with it," Celik told a news conference in capital Ankara. "Nonetheless, we have acted [all this time] out of humane responsibility," he said, adding Turkey had prevented a lot of deaths in the Aegean Sea after the deal. "But Turkey should reconsider this issue [the refugee deal] especially in terms of land crossings," Celik said. Turkey and the EU signed a refugee deal in March 2016, which aimed to discourage irregular migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of nearly 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. The deal included a 6 billion euro ($6.8 billion) aid package to help Turkey care for millions of refugees hosted in the country. However, Turkey has so far received only 677 million euros ($716 million). The agreement also allowed for the acceleration of Turkeys EU membership bid and visa-free travel for Turkish nationals within the Schengen area that comprises most EU states. In a joint statement from November 2015, the EU and Turkey confirmed their commitments to re-energize the accession process. A year later, however, the European Parliament approved a non-binding motion to freeze EU-membership talks with Turkey, in response to post-coup investigations and recent developments in the country including measures taken within the framework of the fight against the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) terrorist groups. Celik said also criticized EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for making "an entirely incorrect statement" after the Netherlands barred Turkish government ministers from meeting Turks in Rotterdam. "Mogherini made a statement which has no effect and is entirely incorrect," Celik said, adding it was an "apolitical" statement which only aims to "brush over" the issue. Earlier Monday, Mogherini and Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said it is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation. In a statement, they said: Decisions with regard to the holding of meetings and rallies in Member States are a matter for the Member State concerned, in accordance with the applicable provisions of international and national law. The European Union calls on Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation. Matters of concern can only be resolved through open and direct communication channels. Over the weekend, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was refused permission to land in the Netherlands and Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was deported from the country. When Turkish citizens in Rotterdam peacefully protested these developments, they were met by police using batons, dogs and water cannons, in what some analysts called a disproportionate use of force. The events have drawn strong criticism from the Turkish government, which, earlier on Monday, sent diplomatic notes to the Netherlands in protest. THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has confirmed that two new prosecutors for Limerick will be appointed shortly. Solicitor Padraig Mawe is set to succeed Michael Murray as State Solicitor for Limerick City following his retirement from the role after more than 35 years of service at the end of this month. It is understood Mr Mawe, who is originally from County Kerry has strong connections in East Limerick. While he previously worked in General practice in Listowel, he has been working for the Chief Prosecution Solicitors Office (CPSO) in Dublin since 2008 where he was the Legal Training Officer within the office for three years. Mr Mawe, who is expected to take up the ten year contract in the coming weeks, came to national prominence a number of years ago through is involvement in the so called Anglo Trials. Separately, Cephas Power BL has been selected as the new prosecutor for County Limerick. Mr Power, who currently practices in Dublin and on the South Eastern Circuit is set to take over the role from Michael Collins BL who recently announced he is to pursue a new career path. In his new role, Mr Power will work closely with State Solicitor for County Limerick Aidan Judge and will be responsible for prosecuting the majority of county cases before Limerick Circuit Court. His appointment will have no impact on the position of John OSullivan BL who is the State prosecutor for Limerick city. While there has been no official announcement relating to the new appointments, a spokesperson for the Office of the DPP confirmed to the Limerick Leader that both Mr Mawe and Mr Power had recently been selected for appointment following competitive processes. It is understood a number of Limerick-based lawyers applied for both roles but were unsuccessful. WHETHER at home or abroad, I will never forget the very kind manner I was received in Limerick. On November 21, 1845, these were the concluding words delivered by one of the worlds most notable civil rights activists, Frederick Douglass, a black abolitionist who broke from the shackles of American slavery in the 1830s, on his visit to Limerick. Following the publication of his groundbreaking memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the African-American icon garnered worldwide support from anti-slavery societies, prompting a transatlantic tour of his renowned lectures. And from the pulpit at the Independent Chapel on Bedford Row now The Buttery cafe during his visit, Douglass, arguably, delivered one of the worlds most stirring anti-slavery talks. The tortuous culture of slavery and servitude in America started during the Anglo-Caribbean colonisation. And while black people were shipped to the Americas to be slaves for life, up to 50,000 Irish and British criminals worked as indentured and convicted servants. From the 1600s until the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slavery was to be a divisive issue in everyday America. And though Charles Lenox Remond also a black abolitionist was the first lecturer to enlighten the Irish people of American slavery in 1841, Douglass proved to be the most graphic. Samuel Ringgold Ward was to be the third influential abolitionist to deliver a speech at the Independent Chapel, in 1855. This is cited in detailed research by historian Liam Hogan, of Limerick City Library, who has been, in his spare time, researching Limericks relationship with the transatlantic slave trade and abolitionism for the past six years. His work on Frederick Douglass visit was first published in the Old Limerick Journal in 2015. While some local landowners had been involved in the notorious slave trade in the West Indies in the early 1800s, Limerick's relationship with anti-slavery also follows closely the roots of Americas abolition movement. Forty-nine years before Remond delivered the first anti-slavery oration in Limerick, the Waterford Herald, on March 8, 1792, reported that up to 12,000 people in Limerick had refused to purchase sugar a direct protest against the slave trade. But the deep Limerick connection starts with the Fisher family of Ballinacurra, the seminal publisher William Lloyd Garrison, and the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Garrison, through his progressive abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, attracted Remond and Douglass to his cause, and both subsequently joined the society, after which making their way to Ireland over the space of four years. Garrisons life-long friend Richard Webb, founder of the Hibernian Antislavery Association, escorted the two abolitionist legends around Ireland and to Limerick. Both Remond and Douglass were followers of Irish leader Daniel O'Connell. And upon arrival, both Remond and Douglass were kindly received by popular Quaker and linen merchant Benjamin Clarke Fisher. His family resided at Lifford House, Ballinacurra, and were close relatives and friends of Webb. And to further cement the Limerick ties, Frederick Douglass, after living with the family for two weeks, developed a close friendship with the daughter Susanna who later visited the civil rights champion in 1888. Also playing a pivotal role in Limericks anti-slavery movement, two Congregationalist ministers, Rev John De Kewer Williams and Rev Charles Gostling Towney, gave the three abolitionist orators their platform at the Independent Chapel. Mr Hogan, 36, says that the Congregationalists have been Limericks forgotten religious group in recent centuries. According to a journalist at the Limerick Reporter newspaper, Remonds fourth and final lecture, on September 7, 1841, attracted a full house and was described as one of the most powerful, eloquent, and effective [lectures] delivered in this city. Benjamin Fisher, at the end of this lecture, proposed a resolution that the people of Limerick would pledge ourselves to aid in forwarding the extinction of this degrading and unchristian system by every means in our power, which was unhesitatingly passed. But it was Douglass visit that appeared to capture the imagination of the public in 1845. As an anti-slavery figure and as an American, he was a really significant person, even literary- and politically-wise, everything. We have everything, including the text, of his lecture, and that should be remembered and commemorated, Liam says, reflecting on his years of research. And when it came to speaking freely, Douglass did not hold back; firstly tackling the historical belief that the Irish were slaves. If slavery existed in Ireland, it ought to put down, and the generous in the land ought to rise and scatter its fragments to the winds, he asserted, which was followed by loud cheers, the Reporter wrote. But there was nothing like American slavery on the soil on which I now stand. Negro slavery consisted not in taking away a mans property, but in making property of him. Nearly 200 years later, the Irish slave myth continues to be used in debate, storytelling, and in ahistorical journals, Liam tells the Leader. Tackling the myth as an independent scholar, he says that it has overshadowed the reality that Limerick and Irish traders were providing for slavocracies and the slave trade, and imported and sold slave-produced goods, such as sugar and tobacco. In 1718, there were reports of the slave trading vessel Prosperity, commanded by a Captain Hourigan, leaving Limerick for the Gold Coast, Ghana. The Custom House, now the Hunt Museum, was built during the British slave trade boom, and was wholly funded by Imperial revenue. Additionally, Limerick had a blackface actor during the 1840s, by the name of Bateman. Expressing disappointment, Douglass said that he was sorry to find one of these apes of the negro had been recently encouraged in Limerick. After condemning backward slave laws that governed America, and the apologists of slavery, Douglass concluded his lecture with a graphic demonstration of slavery. In an extravagant showcase, Douglass displayed implements of torture; a cowskin whip with indelible bloodstains, manacles, shackles and chains. In his Narrative memoir, there are numerous, explicitly-detailed extracts of slave-whipping a horror which he endured many times. The historian reckons that this display may have been an experiment, and a successful one, too. The Reporter newspaper wrote that the crowd left the Bedford Row lecture incensed against the infernal traffic in human blood and flesh. On November 21, Douglass was feted by Mayor of Limerick Francis P Russell at a lavish soiree at the Philosophical Rooms [also known as Havergal Hall] on Upper Glentworth Street. 400 people attended, the Reporter noted. Adding to the uniqueness of the visit, Douglass declared: Oh what a transition it was to be changed from the state of a slave to that of a free man! From the analysis of various newspaper reports, Liam infers that this is the first time he had said this during his Irish tour. Douglass later became the first ever African-American to be invited to the White House, at the request of Abraham Lincoln. And though Limerick shares strong ties with the American slave trade and its abolition, very little of it has been documented. This is a significant marker that reminds people of the whole story, of Limericks transatlantic history. We were trading directly with Barbados when it was a slave colony. People made money from it, the products of slavery were coming here sugar, rum and so forth and was then sold by grocers all over the city. Our history is interconnected with it, and we should not avoid that, Liam adds. The Civic Trust, the Rubberbandits, The Buttery Cafe, and TD Maurice Quinlivan have told the Leader that they support a move to mark the visits of Remond, Douglass, and Ward at Bedford Row. Hopefully, it will be properly memorialised. A NEW GRAPHIC novel has been inspired by crime in Limerick at the turn of the millennium. Savage Town, a graphic novel from co-creators Philip Barrett and Declan Shalvey, is loosely based on real events in Limerick nearly a decade ago, and follows its protagonist Jimmy Hardy Savage up the criminal ladder. Mr Shalvey, who lived in Limerick while he studied at the Limerick School of Art & Design, said: Limerick, to me, is the underdog city of Ireland. Its not Dublin, the capital. Its not Cork, the one that thinks its the capital, and its not the tourist mecca that is Galway. As a result, Limerick is often overlooked. I think it has a bit of a chip on its shoulder, he said referring to the citys crime-ridden past, and its portrayal in Angelas Ashes. But Limerick is a wonderful place with some wonderful people. I miss it, added the Clare native. The novel was also inspired by the film adaptation of Roddy Doyles The Snapper, and other well-known Irish films, including The General and The Guard. With Savage Town, I really wanted to capture the culture I know so well; the irreverence, the humour, the harshness and the charm and show it in a comic. "I feel the Irish are well represented in film, theatre, literature, but not much in this medium. Theres a specific tone to the book that we achieve with the dialogue, the slang, the faces of the characters and the subtle gestures that makes Savage Town a beast of its own, he said. The novel is being released by the comic book publishing giant behind the worldwide hit The Walking Dead, US publishers Image. Shalvey has worked for major publishers, among them Marvel characters including Punisher, Deadpool, and Nick Fury; as well as contributing to a new Batman series for DC Comics last year. AN Bord Pleanala is expected to receive dozens of appeals to a council decision to allow Irish Cement extend its facilities at its Limerick plant. Clare Keating of Limerick Against Pollution set up in opposition to the firms 10m plans to burn waste and tyres at Mungret confirmed her group would 110% be appealing Limerick City and County Councils decision to allow Irish Cement extend its facilities just outside the city. She added they will also be writing to the 76 people who initially objected to the firms hugely controversial proposals to call on them to object. Under planning law, only people who objected to the councils decision can object to the appeals body. This isnt over. Theyve only cleared the first hurdle in this process, and the process isnt the only thing that counts. We have to have a say in this, and our voices have to be heard, she said. Close to 1,000 people attended a protest march in the city on Saturday lunchtime in opposition to Irish Cements proposals, which locals fear could release toxic dioxins into the local environment, causing health problems. There has been criticism of the councils decision, made under 48 hours before this protest march, with Limerick Against Pollution saying it was alarmed approval has been so readily granted to CRH to import and incinerate industrial waste from abroad for commercial profit. Councillors representing the areas set to be most affected by the proposals if they go ahead have also expressed disappointment but stressed the fact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is deliberating on awarding Irish Cement an operating licence, still has to make its decision. Cllr Daniel Butler said: I think people need to hang tough, and not get too discouraged by this. This is only one part of the process. I think it will focus peoples minds, and motivate the community in a broader context to fight this. Cllr James Collins added: The council cannot take environmental concerns into consideration, thats the role of the EPA. But we dont want tyres, plastics and other waste being incinerated in an ageing kiln in the most citys densely populated area. And councillor Malachy McCreesh said: Its a sad reflection of the democratic process a planning decision that has such far reaching health impacts within the neighbourhood can be taken with no public consultation. For its part, Irish Cement welcomed the permission. In a statement, the firm said: This 10m investment will help secure the future of the plant, and reduce our carbon emissions by up to 40,000 tonnes per year. It acknowledged public concern on the scheme, adding it is committed to continuing engagement. JOHN Gilhoolys trophy cabinet must be full to the brim as he has received another prestigious honour. The chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society and director of Wigmore Hall has been as decorated as Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, by the president of Italy. The Lisnagry man was invested with the insignia of Cavaliere dellOrdine della Stella dItalia by His Excellency Ambassador Pasquale Terracino at the Italian Ambassadors residence in Belgravia, London. The Order of the Star of Italy is awarded for promoting Italian excellence, culture and good relations internationally. It is the latest accolade for Mr Gilhooly, who is still only aged in his early forties. He became director of Londons Wigmore Hall in early 2005 when he was just 32, making him the youngest leader of any of the worlds great concert halls. He is credited with transforming the Wigmores fortunes. In 2013, he was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music. In recent years Mr Gilhooly has also been decorated in Finland, Austria, Germany with various Presidential Orders of Merit. He made the Sunday Times Most Influential People in Britain list in 2016. The only other person from the Republic of Ireland to make the top 500 was Graham Norton. The University College Dublin graduate has spent most of his working life in England, and is obviously well travelled, but County Limerick most certainly remains home. He is a regular visitor to Lisnagry to see his family. Brother and tenor, Owen Gilhoolys Mid-West Vocal Academy and Music School continues to go from strength to strength. Last Autumn, John was especially proud to introduce one of the concerts in the classical series in All Saints Church, Castleconnell. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus announced late Monday that Turkey has decided to halt all high-level political discussions with the Netherlands following a diplomatic row over bans on Turkish ministers' rallies in the country, Daily Sabah reported. Kurtulmus also said that Turkey will close its air space to Dutch diplomats until Turkey's requests are met. "We have decided not to allow Turkey-bound Dutch diplomatic flights." "The Council of Ministers has decided to bar the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey," he added. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship (Photo : Getty Images) Tensions between China and South Korean on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment issue has intensified, pushing global cruise giants Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd to cancel their China-based cruises to South Korean ports, Channel News Asia reported. Advertisement According to a post by the Royal Caribbean on its Chinese website, trips to South Korea sites will be removed due to "recent developments regarding the situation in South Korea." On the other hand, Carnival said in a statement that it is negotiating with tour operator partners to make adjustments on their Costa Cruises offer to Chinese clients. "Costa Cruises will remove calls to South Korean ports for our upcoming cruises home ported out of China, replacing them with cruising at sea or calls to destinations in Japan," Carnival said in a statement. It was the first time that major travel firms have canceled or restricted South Korean port visits after China issued a guideline to tour operators last week, asking them to refrain from selling trips to South Korea. Reuters said that travel firms were given a "7-point" verbal instruction about a ban trip to South Korea. One of these prohibits China-based cruise ships from docking in South Korea's ports. On Thursday, March 9, Royal Caribbean posted a notice on the changes to itineraries of ships leaving Chinese ports. The visits to South Korean destination such as Seoul, Busan and Jeju were replaced with visits to Japan sites. Korean firms have been affected by China's anger over the setting up of the THAAD missile system in South Korea. The U.S. and South Korea said that the missile defense system is part of the joint security plan against North Korean nuclear missiles but Beijing said it is aimed at China. South Korea's retail and tourism sectors are worried at the restriction as their businesses depend mainly on China trade and Chinese shoppers are big consumers of South Korean products. Data from the South Korean government showed that the number of Chinese tourists to the country has reached more than 8 million in the past five years, which account for nearly half of foreign visitors in the country. South Korea said they are contemplating on filing a complaint against China to the World Trade Organization for what it claimed as an act of trade retaliation over the THAAD issue. Famed writer Jane Austen is known for her wit and plot twists, but the cause of her death might be more like a tale from a penny dreadful. It's possible that the British writer author of novels such as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility" developed cataracts and died at the early age of 41 because of arsenic poisoning, researchers at The British Library said. However, the conjecture is far from verified, and it's only the latest in a series of hypotheses about how Austen died. "It's a 100 percent pure speculation," said Dr. Mark Blecher, a surgeon and the co-director of cataract and primary eye care at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, who was not involved in the research. [10 Mysterious Deaths and Disappearances That Still Puzzle Historians] The arsenic idea took root after researchers analyzed three pairs of reading glasses that allegedly belonged to Austen. When the author died in 1817, her sister Cassandra inherited her portable writing desk. The family kept the desk until 1999, when they placed it in the care of The British Library, according to a blog post published March 9 by Sandra Tuppen, The British Library's lead curator of modern archives and manuscripts. Once the library acquired the desk, it had access to the desk's contents, including three pairs of eyeglasses that reportedly belonged to Jane Austen. To learn more about the spectacles, the library had the glasses examined by the company Birmingham Optical, which gauged their strength with an instrument called a lensmeter. All of the glasses had convex, or "plus" lenses, indicating that Austen was farsighted and needed spectacles for up-close activities, such as reading, the library said. Interestingly, the three pairs of glasses one wire-rimmed and two tortoiseshell-framed had different prescriptions. The glasses themselves aren't a surprise: Austen complained of her "weak" eyes in several letters. But the different prescriptions gave Simon Barnard, the London-based optometrist who examined the glasses, an idea: Perhaps Austen's eyesight went downhill because she had arsenic poisoning, he said, according to the library. People have known about the poisonous effects of arsenic, a crystalline metalloid found in the Earth's crust, since Roman times. It's linked an array of health problems, including cancers of the skin, lung, bladder, kidney and liver, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Exposure to arsenic is also linked to the development of cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye, Barnard said. Nonetheless, arsenic still found its way into Britain's 19th-century "medicines" and the water supply, the library said. It was also used as a poison. Arsenic-induced cataracts? Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and less flexible. More than 90 percent of Americans have a cataract by age 65, according to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. But it's not known whether Austen actually had cataracts. Perhaps she used the three sets of spectacles for different activities one for distance viewing; another, slightly stronger pair for reading; and the third for very up-close work, such as fine embroidery, Barnard said. "If Austen did develop cataracts, a more likely cause, according to Professor Barnard, is accidental poisoning from a heavy metal such as arsenic," Tuppen wrote in the blog. The three pairs of glasses one wire-rimmed and two tortoiseshell thought to belong to the legendary author Jane Austen. The glasses were found inside Austen's portable writing desk, pictured here. (Image credit: Copyright British Library Board) However, Blecher doubts the arsenic explanation is true. There are a number of other conditions that can cause cataracts in younger people genetic predispositions, trauma to the eye, diabetes and certain genetic conditions with enzyme deficiencies and chronic arsenic poisoning is much farther down the list, he told Live Science. [Pick Your Poison: Some Venom Can Be Healing] "In some areas of the world, where there is arsenic in the drinking water, there is higher incidence of cataracts," Blecher said. "Arsenic is found in the lens of the eye more than in any other part of the eye, so it does seem to concentrate there. The presumption and it is a presumption is that it is causative for higher incidence of cataract." Moreover, the majority of cataracts don't cause prescription changes. When they do, they usually increase the need for "minus" prescription glasses (to see far away), Blecher said, but it's unclear whether Austen went from a low prescription to a high prescription, or vice versa, he said. Thus, the mystery behind Austen's death is still anyone's guess. Other experts have attributed her demise to Addison's disease (an endocrine disorder), cancer and tuberculosis, The British Library said. Interestingly, the crime writer Lindsay Ashford floated the idea of arsenic poisoning in 2011 after learning that Austen had an unusual facial pigmentation that could be attributed to arsenic poisoning, the library said. The new eyeglass theory provides additional support for arsenic poisoning, but the library noted an important caveat: It's possible that Austen didn't get custom-made prescriptions but rather picked them "off the shelf," even if they didn't fit her vision perfectly, the library said. As such, the varying prescriptions might not signify much, the library implied. The glasses are on display in The British Library's free Treasures Gallery. Original article on Live Science. The tomb's entranceway is located on the south wall of the tomb. It was blocked off with bricks 1,000 years ago. Images of two servants can be seen flanking the entrance. A 1,000-year-old circular tomb, whose walls are decorated with colorful murals, has been discovered in Datong City, in northern China. Because the tomb's entranceway is sealed off with bricks, archaeologists had to enter through a hole in the deteriorating arch-shaped roof. The team, from the Datong Municipal Institute of Archaeology, found cremated human remains in an urn in the middle of the tomb. No texts were found in the tomb, but the archaeologists believe that the tomb likely belonged to a husband and wife. [See Photos of the Circular Tomb and Colorful Murals] The murals on the walls show servants, cranes and numerous articles of clothing that hang on several stands, their colors still vibrant despite the passage of a millennia. Colorful clothing Colorful clothing abounds on the tomb's murals. One clothes stand, painted on a mural on the west wall, has "sky blue, beige, bluish-gray, yellowish-brown and pink clothes," wrote the archaeological team in a paper published recently in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. "The garment to the far right has a green-diamond grid pattern, each diamond of which has a small red decorative flower in it," wrote the archaeologists, noting that another article of clothing has what appears to be a jade ring that "hangs at the waist." The murals on the west wall of the 1,000-year-old tomb depict articles of clothing as well as two servants. (Image credit: Courtesy of Chinese Cultural Relics) Additionally, the mural shows that "in front of the clothes stand there is a long rectangular table, on which are placed four round plates, black on the outside and red inside, holding, respectively, a headdress, bracelets, hairpins and combs," the archaeologists wrote. On the east wall of the tomb the mural shows another clothes stand. "On the stand hang beige, light green, bluish-gray, pink and brown clothes," the archaeologists wrote. "On one of the garments hangs a ring-shaped pei pendant accompanied by a string of black beads." Pei is a word that can mean "matching" or "accompanying" in English. Liao Dynasty The team believes that the tomb likely dates to the Liao Dynasty (A.D. 9071125). Historical records indicate that this dynasty, controlled by the Khitan, flourished in northern China, Mongolia and parts of Russia. At that time, people in northern China were sometimes buried in tombs decorated with murals. In 2014, Live Science reportedon the discovery of another tomb containing murals, which was found decorated with images of stars as well as numerous animals, including a crane, deer, yellow turtle and even a cat playingwith a silk ball. That tomb was also excavated by a team from the Datong Municipal Institute of Archaeology. Archaeologists believe that both mural-decorated tombs will help shed light on those who lived during the Liao Dynasty. The tomb with the murals showing colorful clothing was excavated by the Datong Municipal Institute of Archaeology team in 2007. The team published a report on the tomb in 2015, in Chinese, in the journal Wenwu. That report was translated into English for publication in Chinese Cultural Relics. Original article on Live Science. Apple is slated to release a new iPhone this year, and one premium model will reportedly feature a curved screen, news reports said. These curved displays seem to be all the rage, with companies designing the screens for everything from smartphones to televisions. But what, if anything, do you gain from the curve? Plenty of others phone makers have released curved screens, but Samsung was the first with the release of the concave Samsung Galaxy Round in 2013. Since then firms have experimented with various different kinds of curves, but when Samsung introduced the convex dual-curved sides to its flagship Galaxy S6 in 2015 it set the zeitgeist and most phone makers have since toed the line. Rumors about Apple's curved iPhone were reported by The Wall Street Journal. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the Journal reported that Apple would be releasing a high-end version of its 10th-anniversary iPhone, alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus; this version will have a curved screen and be priced at around $1,000. [10 Technologies That Will Transform Your Life] And Apple is hardly the only company investing in this display technology. Samsung was the first to release a smartphone with a curved display, the concave Samsung Galaxy Round, in 2013. Since then, other companies have experimented with different kinds of curves, but in 2015, when Samsung introduced the convex, dual-curved sides to its flagship Galaxy S6, the company seemed to ignite a new trend. Tellingly, The Korea Herald also reported that Samsung could end up supplying Apple with the curved screens. This is because Apple currently uses liquid crystal display (LCD) technology in its iPhones, and creating curved screens is practical only with organic LED (OLED) displays. These displays, which are also used in TVs, rely on a thin film of organic compound that is, a compound that contains carbon which emits light in response to an electric current. LCDs, on the other hand, require backlighting to shine light through the liquid crystals. Early work Samsung pioneered OLED technology in the early 2000s, and has built up a market-leading position in the development of the small OLED displays used in smartphones, said Karl Leo, director of the Integrated Center for Applied Physics and Photonic Materials at the Technical University Dresden in Germany. "Samsung took a high risk to develop the production processes," Leo told Live Science. "Initially, for a couple of years, Samsung had the market to itself, and since obviously Apple and Samsung are competitors, Apple clearly had a problem with the need to establish independent manufacturing facilities that have enough capacity for the very large number of displays it needs." While mass-producing OLEDs is complicated, the benefits are considerable, and several other companies are now producing the screen on a large scale, Leo said. OLED displays can have higher contrasts blacker blacks and brighter whites than LCD displays, he said. And unlike with LCDs, looking at an OLED screen from narrow angles does not distort the color or contrast, he added. Most importantly, OLEDs emit light themselves and so don't need backlighting, and this allows for much thinner displays, Leo said. In addition, the films of organic compounds are soft, making it possible to create a curved screen, he said. But why would you want a curved screen? The curved edges of the Samsung Galaxy S6, which introduced the de facto standard for curved smartphone screens, featured various new functions. These included shortcuts and information that can be seen at a quick glance on the long, curved edges of the device. But Samsung said the main goal was to tackle "FoMo," or fear of missing out, reported The Daily Telegraph. The phone allows users to assign a color for up to five contacts, and the screen lights up in that color if they call. When the screen is face down, users can still see the curved edges, so it's possible to tell if a friend is calling even if users are in a situation where it would be rude to check their phone. Design vs. function However, design choices are the main reason behind the new trend for curved screens, not functionality, said Leo, who owns a Galaxy S7 Edge himself. "It's a desire [of] manufactures to distinguish themselves, but in my opinion this has its limits," he said. [11 Odd and Intriguing Smart Home Technologies] I must frankly say a curved screen is a minor step," He said that the ultimate promise of OLED technology is flexible screens that can be bent and twisted without damaging them and even screens so supple they can be rolled up like a towel. There are considerable challenges to overcome before reaching that promise though, he said. Creating highly flexible displays will require a flexible substrate (the layer on which the OLEDs are applied) rather than the glass substrate that is typically used today, he said. OLEDs also need to be protected from humidity and oxygen; otherwise, the pixels get damaged and stop working, Leo said. With a glass substrate, this is not too difficult, but if phone manufacturers switch to a flexible plastic substrate, it is much more challenging to keep oxygen and humidity levels low enough, he added. It's not just the OLEDs that need to be flexible, though. The transistor backplane the layer of components responsible for electronically switching each pixel on and off will need to be flexible as well, Leo said. He said that flexible organic transistors could solve this problem, but these materials are still a ways away from being commercially available, which means truly flexible displays aren't likely to appear anytime soon, according to Leo. But unlike curved phone screens, when flexible displays do arrive, they will be cause for real excitement Leo said. For example, he says one could imagine a phone display that could be rolled up tight enough that it could fit inside a pen. When you want to use the phone display you simply unfurl it from the pen and then it rolls back up once you're done. "Wouldn't that be lovely?" he said. Or at home, imagine if your television is actually rolled up like a window shade, and if you want to use it, you pull it down, watch TV, and then simply zip it up again. "So, for flexible displays, there are many beautiful applications," Leo said. "You can put them anywhere. You can put them in garments, so flexibility would be really a breakthrough for many applications." Original article on Live Science. Scientists recently described two new species of clown tree frogs brightly patterned amphibians from the Amazon region and this classification re-evaluated how the frogs were previously identified. The clown frog group, named for its vibrant colors, was formerly thought to contain only two species: Dendropsophus leucophyllatus and Dendropsophus triangulum. But researchers looked more closely at the frogs, which are distributed widely across Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. The scientists used genetic analysis to identify the two new species, and determined that there could be as many as nine distinct species of Amazonian clown frogs in total, according to a new study. [40 Freaky Frog Photos] "Two of those species kept their names, one species got an old name, two species were described as new and at least two populations are candidate species meaning that we have to collect and analyze more data to see if they are new as well," study co-author Martin Jansen, a research associate in the herpetology department at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt, Germany, told Live Science in an email. Not a "universal" species after all: Dendropsophus triangulum. (Image credit: Santiago R. Ron) One of the newly classified species, Dendropsophus arndti, measures about 1.2 inches (30 millimeters) in length and was found in Bolivia. The other new species, Dendropsophus vraemi, averages about 1 inch (26.5 mm) long and is known from only one location in the Peruvian Amazon basin. This new perspective on the distinctly colorful croakers hints at the range of amphibian biodiversity in the area, much of which is in peril of going extinct before it can be discovered and protected, Marcel Caminer, the study's lead author and a researcher at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, said in a statement. "Our new study shows once again that we are not even close to knowing the actual species diversity of South American frogs and that even supposedly widespread species may be endangered," Caminer said. "It is important to achieve a complete species inventory in order to undertake the subsequent steps toward the protection of this biodiversity," he added. The findings were published online March 1 in the journal PLOS ONE. Original article on Live Science. The chase is on in this aerial image taken during a great-white-shark-survey off Cape Cod. A shark pursues its prey north of Nauset Inlet. According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the seal was lucky enough to get away. New shark-survey numbers could indicate a healthy population of great white sharks on the Atlantic Seaboard. Summer surveys led by the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game and funded by the nonprofit Atlantic White Shark Conservancy identified 147 great white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod between June 2016 and October 2016, including 89 new sharks that researchers hadn't seen in previous years. The survey project began in 2014, when researchers identified 68 individual great white sharks in the same June-to-October period in the area. In 2015, the team identified 142 great whites, 101 of which hadn't been seen in 2014. [See Stunning Images of Great White Sharks] The leap from 68 observed sharks to around 140 may mean that the population is growing or it may not, said study leader Gregory Skomal, a senior marine fisheries biologist and the project leader of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. A great white shark nicknamed "Ping" is spotted off Nauset Beach, Massachusetts, on June 28, 2014. Researchers surveyed sharks by using an airplane to spot their silhouettes and then sending a boat to take video of individual animals. (Image credit: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy/Wayne Davis) "Some of the media has been very tempted to try to make that leap, and it's hard to do that right now," Skomal told Live Science. The researchers are now working to translate their survey results into estimates of the likely shark population, he said. Summer visitors Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They were overfished along the Atlantic coast of the United States for many years, Skomal said, but there is some evidence from various studies that their population may be bouncing back. (Harvesting great whites has been illegal in U.S. waters since 1991.) "Those are positive signs that conservation is working," he said. Great whites roam up and down the Atlantic coast and are drawn to Cape Cod for the seals that frolic there in the summer months, Skomal said. They very rarely bother humans: The last fatal great-white-shark attack in Massachusetts occurred in 1936, when a teenage boy was killed, according to Boston.com. There were no other confirmed great-white encounters in the state until 2012, when a great white attacked a 50-year-old man who was bodysurfing off Truro Beach. (He survived.) In 2014, two kayakers were knocked into the ocean by a great white shark that bit one of their boats; neither was attacked. Nevertheless, Skomal said, the more information state officials have on great-white population dynamics and movements, the better equipped they will be to manage the beaches where both great whites and humans use the water. The National Park Service at Cape Cod National Seashore recommends that swimmers steer clear of seals, swim in groups, and avoid swimming at dawn and dusk, when sharks are the most active. [How to Avoid a Shark Attack] What we know Skomal and his colleagues have already found seasonal patterns to great-white movements near Cape Cod. Many, he said, leave the area at the end of summer or the middle of fall, and many return to Cape Cod year after year, though some appear to be newcomers. "The second year, 70 percent of the sharks [identified] were new, and the third year, 60 percent of the sharks were new," Skomal said. It's possible that some of the new sharks are repeat visitors that were missed in previous surveys, which are done from airplane and boat. Others probably truly are first-time visitors, Skomal said. The researchers have also noticed a broader size range of sharks since they first started tagging studies in 2009, Skomal said. More juvenile great whites could indicate a growing Atlantic shark population, he said. A doctoral student from the University of Massachusetts will be spearheading population-modeling efforts, Skomal said, which should clarify the true size of the great-white-shark population that visits Cape Cod. The researchers also plan to do two more years of summer surveys to keep an eye on Cape Cod's toothiest tourists. Original article on Live Science. Paladin Energy Ltd. logo is displayed at the company's reception in Perth, Australia. (Photo : Getty Images) Paladin Energy, a one-time uranium high-flyer, looks set in engaging in a bitter fight to the death with the China National Nuclear Company, a Chinese state-owned giant. Paladin Energy is a uranium production company with a strategy to become a major uranium mining house through its projects in Australia and Africa. It currently has two operating mines in Africa, the Kayelekera mine in Malawi and the Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia. Advertisement Paladin confirmed that it has received notice from the CNNC, the company that it responsible for China's military and civilian nuclear programs, that the group has started a process in exercising an option over Paladin's remaining 7 percent stake in the Langer Heinrich uranium mine. The move of the Chinese state-owned giant CNNC to acquire Paladin's stake owed to bondholders and others worth $650 million could be a death knell for the uranium production company. As Paladin already received strong encouragement from many bondholders, it is intending to fight the validity of the option through an arbitration process in Singapore. The CNNC option is a major tool in Paladin's debt restructuring, which gained increased traction among stakeholders and bondholders in the recent weeks. CNNC is also believing that it has attracted strong interest from some significant funds for a minimum of $75 million. The option is a legacy of a 25 percent stake of Langer Heinrich that was sold earlier to the group under Paladin's former management. Paladin is likely to dispute whether the option had ever been triggered validly. Both Paladin and CNNC went through a torturous and ultimately fruitless sale process last year over the sale of an additional 24 percent stake. CNNC's latest effort in exercising its option on the stake will only add to the feeling that the Chinese giant was only ever stringing Paladin along. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 37-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries Sunday morning from a brutal beating in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, officials said. The assault happened about 9:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Kearny Street, near Pacific Street and Columbus Avenue, police said. Witnesses said the suspect, a 49-year-old man whose name was not released, ran toward the victim and began hitting him. The victim, whose name was also not released, attempted to defend himself and tried to escape the assailant, but fell to the ground. The attacker fled on foot but police quickly tracked him down and took him into custody. The victim was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani India, EU and China to Join Hands with United Nations Environment Program; Will Soon Sign Paris Pact UN Under-Secretary-General Eric Solheim at press briefing on climate change. (Photo : Getty Images) The United Nations Environment Programme Chief announced that India, EU and China will soon join hands with the program and sign the Paris Pact, which is aimed to provide recommendations for actions that should be undertaken without delay at the most relevant scale for water management adaptation to climate change. Advertisement India, EU and China were taken as a second choice in the Paris Pact initially. But after President Donald Trump said some threatening statements, UNEP has decided to join hands with the three countries. Erik Solheim, executive director of UNEP, said: "I am optimistic of whatever happens in the White House. India, China and the European Union and other major players have decided they will move (go ahead). They are long past from the point of return. The idea is now to provide global leadership." "The industry also will move whatever happens in the White House. Companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft will participate. Also, companies like WalMart will do it for customers and their benefit," he added. In the recent interview with the media house, Solheim revealed that Indian Railways has joined hands with Paris and UNEP to reduce the excess water consumption in the world by 20 percent by 2030. They are also planning on setting up waste management points at different railway stations, as well as a plan for promoting the use of green technology in India. Indian Railways, despite it being the largest consumer of water and electricity in the country, has contributed a lot to the green environment. The partnership offers greater opportunities for environment conservation in collaboration with UNEP, said Suresh Prabhu, the current Railway Minister of India. The railways recently signed a letter of intent with UNEP. This is a joint cooperation for environmental conversation, which will help Railways achieve its green target as the national transporter. According to Solheim, this agreement is focused on three main environment problems, which are waste management, water consumption reduction, and sustainable public procurement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Carol Christ, UC Berkeleys top academic officer widely regarded on campus as an effective and collaborative administrator was tapped Monday to become the 11th chancellor and first female leader of the prestigious 149-year-old campus. If approved by the UC Board of Regents on Thursday, Christ (rhymes with wrist) would take over July 1, when Chancellor Nicholas Dirks will step down. University of California President Janet Napolitano announced her choice of Christ, 72, who has served as UC Berkeleys interim executive vice chancellor and provost since May, a position she had held for six years until 2000. A scholar of Victorian literature, Christ left the campus and was president of Smith College from 2002 to 2013. She returned to UC Berkeley in 2015 as head of its Center for Studies in Higher Education. I feel honored and privileged to lead the campus at this challenging time, Christ said, apparently referring to the budget crisis facing the campus and to incidents of sexual harassment among professors and executives in recent years. The previous executive vice chancellor and provost, Claude Steele, resigned last spring amid criticism that he and Dirks were tolerant of sexual harassment on campus and gave only light punishment to high-profile professors and executives who broke the rules until their cases became public. Months later, in August, Dirks announced his intention to step down. Students and faculty alike greeted the news of the new appointment with near glee in one case, even reciting happy Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics noting that Christ knows the campus culture and that her love of UC Berkeley is apparent. They also praised her ability to effectively address the campus budget crisis. Its fantastic news for the campus. Carol already commands a great deal of respect from the faculty, said Robert Powell, a political science professor who chairs the Faculty Senate on campus. In her current role, Christ is second in command, essentially running the campus while the chancellor has been its public face. Powell credited her with reducing the budget gap from a high of $150 million last year to $110 million while working with faculty to ease the blow of deep cuts to programs and departments. Powell said Christ has also set up a process for balancing the budget of $2.8 billion by the 2019-20 academic year. Its partly Carols management style, which is to be very engaging and very open, Powell said, noting that she has ensured that there is a joint understanding of whats being cut and why. Even leaders of the Berkeley Faculty Association, a smaller, more progressive counterpart to the Faculty Senate, appreciate Christ. Carol Christ's integrity, commitment to transparency and genuine love for UC Berkeley make her a worthy choice, said the groups co-chair, Celeste Langan, an associate professor of English, though we don't expect always to agree with (her) on every issue. For example, Langan said, her group believes the solution to the campus deficit is to restore full public funding of tuition, not to turn the university into a revenue-generating business enterprise. But she said Christ, who has not advocated eliminating tuition, has demonstrated her willingness to engage in respectful, collegial dialogue. Michael OHare, a professor at the campus Goldman School of Public Policy, was so enthused by her selection that he emailed lyrics from Gilbert & Sullivans Mikado, which include the sentiment: With joyous shout and ringing cheer, inaugurate our new career! OHare said he thinks Christ might be the first chancellor willing to slash money-losing intercollegiate athletics. I think shell have the courage to put them on a short financial leash, even if that means we have to leave Division 1, which I think would be great, he said. Christ did not reply to an email asking what her priorities for the campus would be. Andre Luu, 21, who is running for student body president next year, has worked with Christ in his current role as a vice president and called her an ally for students. Setting up a meeting with her wasnt difficult at all, Luu said. She clearly cared about what I thought and took into account my suggestions on how to further engage students. Its exciting to finally have a chancellor whos really available to students. Most leaders enjoy a honeymoon phase before realities set in, and when Christ takes over this summer, labor negotiations with campus custodians, food workers and others in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees may be in full swing. Kathryn Lybarger, a UC Berkeley gardener and president of the statewide labor union, congratulated Christ in a statement while inviting her to join our efforts to address skyrocketing executive compensation (and) prevent outsourcing of career jobs to poverty wage contractors. Christ, who took her masters and doctors degrees at Yale, called her experience at UC Berkeley transformational. In addition to holding several administrative positions at the campus during the late 1980s and 1990s, Christ served as chairwoman of the English department in the mid-1980s, and as faculty assistant to the chancellor for the Status of Women and as Title IX compliance coordinator before that. Its really important that Cal is finally willing to have a woman at the helm. We have a lot of work to do around issues of inclusion and diversity, said Iman Sylvain, a doctoral student in microbiology who served on the selection committee that narrowed a field of 500 nominees to five , presented to Napolitano to make the final determination. Among the five, two were white men. Christ was the only woman. The search committee of 13 professors, regents, students, alumni and others, including Napolitano, were trained in how to identify unconscious bias. Christ is renown, and loved and respected, said Sylvain. People like her because shes, like, no frills. No BS. She can transform a conversation into an action. If approved, Christ will oversee a campus of about 27,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students. Taking the top job at UC Berkeley is a small way to give back for everything the university has given me, she said in a statement. Its unclear how much Christ will be paid. Dirks, the current chancellor, earns $532,000 a year. Steele, Christs predecessor as second-in-command, earned $450,000. Christ had agreed to a base salary of $225,000 for her current, interim position, but as a rehired retiree was limited to 43 percent of that amount: $96,750. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov Property Development in Hefei (Photo : Getty Images) While Chinese authorities have introduced restrictions on property investments in Anhui Province last year, property speculators continue to invest in China's property market, especially in Hefei, hoping that the government will ease the curbs on the sector to support growth, Reuters reported. Advertisement As one of the hottest property markets in the country, Hefei became the target of government curb aimed at preventing the speculative selling of property at high prices. But some investors defy the restrictions and kept their holdings. "Prices have only gone up in the past... The government will not let the market correct as long as property is still the pillar of economic growth," Zhou, a businessman who owns multiple homes in Hefei, said. According to analysts, speculators have misjudged the government intention and warned that curbs would be stricter in the future. Hurun Research Institute and real estate agency Global House Buyer said that new prices of homes in Hefei increased by 48.4 percent last year, the fastest in the world. But due to restrictions imposed by the government since October, sales and price increase have slowed in Hefei, which affected speculators who comprised more than 80 percent of the market. The report, however, said that investors appeared unaffected as a recent survey by a local property commentator showed that only 21 percent of the 5,036 people polled believed that home prices in Hefei will drop this year. This happened because of the government's "seesaw" approach, in which it carried out three major cycles of property curbs, limiting the price growth when the growth becomes uncontrollable and then easing the restrictions to prevent collapse. Centaline, a property consultancy, said that in hot cities such as Hefei, the market is in upward swing, as sales in January and February showed. "If it persists, the government will be pressured to tighten credit," Centaline said. Last week, President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of stability in the property market as one of the key policy areas that will be given attention this year. China imposed tightening and easing measures to avoid prolonged correction, which was similar to measures undertaken by Japan in the 1990s, the report said. Last year, due to the rapid price increase and speculator's resilience to curbs, China pushed for the implementation of alternative measures. This year, Xi's priority is to establish a long-term mechanism to stimulate a strong development of the property market. This includes the imposition of a property tax to prevent real estate speculation and providing support to local government which relies on property sales for revenue. Recreation on the Comal River in New Braunfels remained closed Monday, marking the fifth day of its shut down. On Thursday, the river was shut down in the area due to river flow from recent rains. Although the flow receded Monday, debris was being fished out of the water, which is murky with low visibility, said David Ferguson, New Braunfels police spokesman. The debris and low visibility were the main reasons the river remained closed Monday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former Austin-area teacher was sentenced to 10 years probation Friday after she was arrested in February for participating in an inappropriate relationship with two students. Haeli Wey, 29, plead guilty to two counts of an improper relationship between an educator and a student last month and was sentenced to 10 years probation March 10 and will now have to serve 200 hours of community service, a spokeswoman for the Travis County District Attorneys Office said Monday. She will not have to register as a sex offender. RELATED: DA: Ex-Austin teacher pleads guilty to sex with teens, won't have to register as sex offender A student told police he and Wey had sex about 10 times after the pair met in a ministry program in Africa, news archives show. When they returned from the trip, the student would sneak out of his house to go to Weys home, where they would have sex, he said. The two would also have sex in her car. He said Wey sent him nude and suggestive photos of herself in her underwear, according to previous reports. RELATED: Police: High school teacher had sex with 2 students she met on missionary trip, Austin summer camp This relationship ended after the student learned Wey went on a hike with another student she had met at summer camp. She allegedly had sexual contact with the second student during that hike, news archives show. The second student did not know Wey was a teacher until he saw her at Westlake High School. Rumors of the two began swirling around Westlake High School that they had been having sex, the report said. RELATED: Gov. Abbott, new bill target growing teacher-student sex trend in Texas She also allegedly told the student to delete messages on his phone and to not let anyone take his phone, according to the arrest affidavit. A spokesperson for Eanes Independent School District in Austin confirmed that Wey surrendered her teaching certification following her arrest. The Austin American-Statesman reported Wey's attorney Larry Sauer said the former educator had circumstances in her life that led her to make poor choices." She feels in a much better place in her life now and will never be in a situation like this again, Sauer said in an interview with the Austin newspaper. Additionally, the Statesmen reported Wey struggled to cope with the unexpected death of Sarah Pool, 15, who was killed in a June 2015 boating accident. Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite Texas U.S. Rep. John Culberson, the target of protests last month outside a private country club gathering with members of a Republican women's group, has scheduled a town hall on March 25 at Houston's Spring Branch Middle School. But there will be ground rules. With Republican lawmakers around the nation facing off in recent weeks with people vocally opposed to President Donald Trump and the dismantling of Obamacare, Culberson's town hall will be open only to constituents of his Seventh Congressional District. Government-issued IDs will be required for check-in. TALKING HEALTH: Texas doctor meets with Trump to discuss 'Obamacare' repeal The congressman's web site announced that participants will "have the opportunity" to submit written questions, which will be "randomly drawn for response" out of a hat. Not allowed in the room: Signs, banners, noisemakers, bullhorns and other items that might "inhibit the participation or view of fellow constituents." Emily Taylor, a spokeswoman for Culberson said the restriction on written questions "ensures that the process is fair." While some critics contend it will hamper free-flowing debate, Taylor said the process "allows us to respond to constituents that didn't have their question addressed at the event should we run out of time." >>>Scroll through the above gallery to see where congressmen have traveled the most This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump's push for an Obamacare replacement bill included a White House listening session Monday with "victims" of the current health care law, including Dr. Robin Armstrong, a Texas physician and member of the Republican National Committee. Armstrong, a doctor, missionary and former vice chairman of the Texas GOP from Texas City, told the president that a lot of patients are not adequately covered by Obamacare and are hit with high premiums and deductibles, according to a White House pool report. Armstrong had good things to say about the repeal bill drafted by House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. SEX LIFE: Texas bill takes aim at men's sexual self-help habits "I actually read the bill that's been produced, that's coming out of the House now and I really like a lot of the changes in it," Armstrong said. "I think this is going to correct a lot of issues that Obamacare has had." Armstrong was part of a listening session involving nearly a dozen people from around the country, all sharing stories about how they have been negatively affected by the health care system signed into law by former President Barack Obama. Some hard right Republicans, including Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, have criticized the GOP bill for not going far enough to repeal Obama's Affordable Care Act. Democrats say the rewrite will knock millions of patients off the insurance rolls. NO CONFLICT: Texas lawmakers steering clear of 'Obamacare' repeal special session Trump thanked the participants for sharing their stories about "the very, very failed and failing Obamacare law." He also complained about media coverage of the debate. "The press is making Obamacare look so good suddenly," he said. "I'm watching the news. It looks so good." But the fact is, Trump concluded, "Obamacare is a disaster." >>>Scroll through the above gallery to see which states would fare best, worst under a repeal of the Affordable Care Act Newly appointed Ghanaian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Afeku made known her agencys intent during a courtesy call by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong. (Photo : Facebook) Ghana aims to attract the attention of Chinese tourists looking to explore Africa through a China-Ghana Tourism Program proposed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, which plans to make the country a choice destination for its numerous heritage sites. Newly-appointed Ghanaian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Afeku made known her agency's intent during a courtesy call by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong. The two also discussed various ideas on how best to improve China-Ghana cooperation through their respective functions. Advertisement The number of Chinese tourists continues to grow as the Chinese middle class continues to expand on the backbone of China's rapid economic growth; Ghana seeks to take advantage of that through its vibrant cultural heritage, which Baohong herself has acknowledged. Afeku, for her part, asked Baohong for any measures that would assist Ghana in rehabilitating one of its cultural landmarks, the National Theatre in time for the country's 60th independence anniversary. Baohong responded with pledges to support the country in a wide variety of fields, Ghana Web reported. Programs involving cultural exchange and student exchange are some of the promises presented by Baohong to Afeku, and Ghana can also expect improvement in logistical needs related to tourism, arts and culture, as the country endeavors to attract the attention of more Chinese tourists. Africa has become an attractive destination for Chinese tourists as of late, with many of them citing the continent's exciting biodiversity and exotic cultural facets. Such is expected to improve in the coming years, as many of them increase their inclination towards cultural attractions. Previously, Chinese tourists are reputed for their lavish shopping habits, which has since helped the likes of Japan and Thailand in growing their already-expansive retail sectors. Other regions such as Southeast Asia have started attracting mainlanders for rich cultural experiences. A travel warning for those headed south of the border remained in place Monday, according to the U.S. Department of State website. The warning, which was originally issued Dec. 8, 2016, cautioned against traveling to certain areas of Mexico after a bout of criminal activity, including homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery. 1 Ex-ruler released: Egypts ousted president Hosni Mubarak was ordered to be freed from detention Monday, according to the prosecutor who signed his release order ending nearly six years of legal proceedings against the long-ruling autocrat. The prosecutor, Ibrahim Saleh, said he ordered Mubaraks release after he accepted a petition by the former presidents lawyer for his freedom on the basis of time already served. Mubarak, 88, was acquitted by the countrys top appeals court on March 2 of charges that he ordered the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 29-year rule. The ruling, according to Saleh, cleared the way for the release since Mubarak already has served a three-year sentence for embezzling state funds while in detention in connection to the protesters case. 2 Russia sanctions: The European Union has extended for six months sanctions against 150 Russia-linked people over territorial disputes in eastern Ukraine. The EU said in a statement Monday that the asset freezes and travel bans were extended because the situation on the ground had not changed. Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine has soured relations between the EU and Russia. The payment confirmation page is displayed on the Didi Chuxing application in this arranged photograph taken in Shanghai, China. (Photo : Getty Images) Didi Chuxing, the Uber rival of China, officially opens its U.S.-based research lab in an attempt to suck up talent beyond its current catchment in China. This lab will particularly focus on talents for areas on Artificial Intelligence and self-driving vehicles. Advertisement Didi Chuxing hired two distinguished security experts last Sept. 2016, Dr. Fengmin Gong and Zheng Bu, to lead the planned U.S.-based research center as part of a major push to increase its data security efforts. Dr. Fengmin Gong, whose 30-year work history includes starting Palo Alto networks, will lead the facility in Mountain View. He is now Didis vice president of information security strategy and vice president of Didi's new U.S.-based Didi Research Institute. Gong stated before: The Didi platform and service it provides and a number of people and partners in touches present probably the most sophisticated customer use case. Bu and I have been working in security for the traditional enterprise, that represents a good blend of enterprise and the new-age Internet-based sharing economy. Plus we were very impressed by Didis ambition and ability to execute." He will be working with a team of leading data scientists and researchers, which include Charlie Miller, a former Uber researcher. Miller went popular after he hacked a journalist's vehicle from a laptop 10 miles away in a pre-arranged stunt in early 2015. Together with Chris Valasek, they made the radio, air conditioning, and windshield wipers go haywire to demonstrate the vulnerabilities within the automotive industry. Miller stated in a tweet: "My job is to make sure the assisted driving and autonomous systems developed and used by Didi are resistant to external attacks and threats." Through a partnership with Udacity around self-driving car tech, Didi is looking to make an early impact in Silicon Valley. Didi and Udacity announced a joint contest, inviting teams to develop Automated Safety and Awareness Processing Stack, which will increase driving safety for both manual and self-driving vehicles. Five finalists chosen in the contest will get a shot at winning $100,000, and the opportunity to work more closely with both companies on automotive projects. China's Sex Education Textbook Series Goes Out of Stock Despite Controversy over Explicit Content China's Sex Education Book Series (Photo : Weibo) The sales of China's sex education textbooks are growing despite the controversy over their explicit content. A textbook series titled "Zhen Ai Sheng Ming," which translates to "The Cherish Life" in English, has been recently embroiled in controversy over its content's explicit nature. It is a series of sex education textbooks for primary school students compiled and published by Beijing Normal University in 2015. Advertisement The book series introduces the whole structure and function of the human body, including genitalia, and teaches kids how to protect themselves from sexual predators. It also discusses ideas about sexual orientation, gender equality and freedom to make individual lifestyle choices. Some parents see this differently and claim that its content is inappropriate for children. It recently received public uproar when a mother of a primary school student in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, posted pictures of some of the textbook pages on Sina Weibo. As it caused controversy online, sexual education classes have been temporarily suspended in the primary school in Hangzhou. Not all see it as "unsuitable" though, as some parents have been buying the books for either their kids or their young relatives. The book series is selling like pancakes. Almost all online stores that carried the books are out of stock, including JD.com, amazon.cn, and taobao.com, three of the largest e-commerce platforms in China. The next batch of stocks is reported to be not available for a week. A lot of people have already pre-ordered so that they can secure their copy of the book series. "'The Cherish Life' series are excellent textbooks. The textbooks meet the actual needs of the students, both physically and mentally, and adhere to the national standard," said Peng Xiaohui, the vice secretary-general of the World Association of Chinese Sexologists. Peng also commented on the Hangzhou controversy and said: "I think it is a breach of duty for the schools to take back the books. Some parents are 'sex-illiterate' themselves, and they should not make the next generation repeat their ignorance. There should be no excuse for preventing the younger generation from receiving a scientific and reasonable education." Cars / Cars and Bikes With the ability to tackle multiple terrains, Brabuss new vehicle is a monster on wheels as seen at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 Mar 13, 2017 | By AFP Relaxnews Brabus bills its latest customised Mercedes, the Brabus 550 Adventure 44 as the most off-road capable supercar in its history. Well, its certainly the biggest. At the recent Geneva Motor Show, Brabus unleashed the Brabus 550 Adventure 44. This monster is 2.25 meters tall, over two meters wide and thanks to portal axles that allow the wheels to sit below rather than in line with the engines drive shafts, offers a ground clearance of almost half a meter, too. When the companys head of communications, Sven Gramm, said Youll see a big SUV, when asked what the company was planning for Geneva, he wasnt exaggerating. While on first glance, it does look like a big boys toy. The latest souped-up Mercedes to get the Brabus treatment is a very serious off-roader. Even though, in true Brabus fashion it is a much faster car than the original version the company has boosted the engine from 422hp and 610Nm of torque to 550hp and 800Nm, it has electronically limited the cars top speed to a comparatively sedate 210km/h (130mph). However, thats to preserve the integrity of the vehicles off-road tires. Even with very knobbly rubber wrapping each of the wheels, the car can still accelerate from 0-100m/h in 6.7 seconds. And so that this turn of speed doesnt feel like crossing the sea during a storm, Brabus has fitted its own electronically adjustable suspension built from aluminum to reduce unsprung weight and which can be adjusted remotely via a control panel in the cabin. Other modifications include a custom roof rack with off-roading lights, an integrated trunk winch, a reworked front bumper and underride guard, mesh protectors over the lights, a functioning hood scoop, foldaway side steps (its a long way up into that cabin) and a new rear bumper with fog lights and a deflector for protecting the car from rocks and other obstacles. Inside its a similar story with a custom leather trim and a host of extra creature comforts not available on the standard car, the most notable being a center console for rear seat passengers that offers fingertip control of the infotainment and climate control settings. Other neat touches include search lights on the roof that can be remotely pivoted from the drivers seat and a stealth button that immediately kills all lights and switches the exhaust to its quietest mode. Song Joong-ki Instagram Post (Photo : Instagram/Song Joong-ki) Speculations about Descendants of the Sun 2 cropped up again after actor Song Joong-ki posted a photo on Instagram showing him holding a toy gun, the type used in paint war games. The scenes appears to have been taken from a scene in Descendants of the Sun. Toy Gun Advertisement It appears to have been taken from one of the early episodes of Descendants of the Sun where a young waif stole something and Army Captain Yoo Si Jin and the character played by Jin Goo stopped the kid who was riding a bike by using guns from a toy store. The role catapulted the 31-year-old actor to fame in South Korea and China that he in 2017, he and bromance partner Park Bo Gum emerged on top of Forbes Korea Top 40 Power Celebrities List. Teejtat captured the wishes of many Hallyu fans who have been waiting for the shows second season but until now there is no official confirmation from the production company that made Descendants of the Sun or KBS 2TV. Teejtat wrote on the comments section of Instagram, You post this photo maybe means that season 2. Amrita171296 added, I m waiting for season 2. Conflicting Reports A few months after the 16-episode blockbuster ended in mid-April, the rumors were that while there is a plan for a season 2 and a movie version, the two main stars would no longer be in the cast because of their busy schedules. Then speculations resurfaced that Song Joong-ki and Song Hye Kyo would be part of the series and would play married couple with kids. However, with the recent bromance theme Dominos Pizza commercials and the two actors expressing their affection for one another, it is Park Bo Gum who is now being blamed as the cause of Descendants of the Sun Season 2 delay. Park Bo Gum allegedly being in a real-life bromance with Song Joong-ki is being blamed by Korean Portal for the delay in the series second season. But even Song Hye Kyo has debunked the rumor that Park Bo Gum caused a rift between the Descendants of the Sun couple. She told W magazine that Song Joong-ki and Yoo Ah In, her partner in the magazines photo shoot, are like brothers to her. The ball is in the court of the shows producer to update fans what is the status of the series season 2. China has donated teaching facilities including laptops and tablets to the Caribbean island of Barbados. (Photo : Getty Images) To boost the educational facilities of Barbados, the eastern Caribbean island has received $5 million worth of donation from China, news portal TeleSur reported. Advertisement The donation was received by Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, from Chinese envoy Wang Ke last Wednesday during a ceremony held in Barbados. Caribbean News Now has cited Jones expressing his deep gratitude to China and acknowledging that the country has had "long, cordial and very vibrant relationships with China, its governments over time and its people." The teaching equipment include a total of 2,500 pairs of desks and chairs, which will be distributed to different schools and educational institutions across the island. Meanwhile, the 14,000 electronic devices (3,000 desktops with large monitors, 2,000 laptops and 9,000 tablets) will be doled out to the public and private schools covered by the Education Act. These schools must also be registered as a bone fide institution in Barbados. Other academic centers are eyed to receive part of the donation from China. These include the Barbados Accreditation Council, the Technical Vocational and Educational Training Council, the Barbados Community College, the Media Resource Department, as well as the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic. Jones noted that the Barbados government will be ensuring that every institution that is linked to education, science or technology will be a recipient of the Chinese donation. Apart from giving educational boost, China has also been helping Barbados in terms of its military capacities. In December 2016, Wang and Senator Maxine McClean, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, inked an agreement between the People's Liberation Army of China and the Barbados Defence Force. The protocol stated that Barbados will be granted with military aid worth $3 million. Locally, even the wealthy populace of China has been adamant in donating to boost the education sector. In 2015, data shows that half of donations made in the said year, which amounted to 12.8 billion yuan, was given to higher education institutions. In China, a trademark application can be directly filed with the China Trademark Office (CTMO) or be extended to China via the Madrid system. Which one is better? Both have their pros and cons but in the end, it seems that the national application might have a little more advantages. Necessary work to be done before filing Whether you wish to extend your trademark to China or file it directly with the CTMO, you need to perform a few verifications. You need to verify that the trademark is intrinsically registrable in China (there are, sometimes, obstacles due to local culture that you might not know about) and, of course, that it is available. So, even if you prefer the simplicity of the Madrid system, do not hesitate to seek local Chinese advice for this verification. It might save you some expenses in the future. Which one is simpler? Extending a national registration or application to several countries, and for several classes at the same time, definitely seems the simplest way. You work "from home", with your national trademark agent, and all he/she has to do is to notify WIPO. However, this simplicity may only be apparent. You only know if the trademark is registered in China at the expiration of the period of 12 or 18 months, if the CTMO has not notified any objection to WIPO. During that examination period you have no contact with the examiner of the CTMO. So, if for any reason, the examiner finds a problem with the trademark, you only find out after it has been refused and then, you have to file an application for review with the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB). Which one is more flexible? The CTMO does not accept domestic applications that are too general and too vague in regard to a certain type of products. It is necessary to list exactly what products are designated. Besides, the CTMO divides each international class into several sub-classes, and the similarities of the goods and services are basically judged on the basis of the sub-classes. The same trademark covering goods that fall into different sub-classes could co-exist, e.g., balls for games, body-training apparatus, machines for physical exercises, gloves for games are not similar as they respectively fall into sub-classes 2804, 2805, 2807 and 2809. As a result, it is advisable to have full discussion with a Chinese counsel on what goods and services to be covered to make sure the trademark could be well protected by covering all the related sub-classes. Also, the Class heading will be classified into the specific sub-classes, and can't cover the goods and services in the whole class. So, even when filing an international extension, it is necessary to carefully select the list of products and services, otherwise you might believe that your trademark is protected for certain products because you believe they are similar, and you will find out later that it is not. Actually, in certain circumstances, the international application may still have an advantage over the domestic application. The examiners of international applications are not the same as those of domestic applications. They are less strict and less prone to refuse an application for certain products, due to a lack of precision or other reason. The CTMO seldom objects the descriptions of goods and services for an international trademark unless the goods/services are not accepted in China such as gambling. Thus, if some goods/services are not accepted in a domestic application, the applicant might still be able to have such goods/services covered by the Madrid system trademark. Which one is faster? For domestic applications, CTMO must conclude the examination within 9 months. Compared with the international trademark application (12 or 18 months according to the Madrid Agreement and Madrid Protocol) the advantage to domestic application is obvious. This difference of time can have disagreeable consequences: it is not unusual that the CTMO does not input right away into its system the data received from WIPO about international trademark extensions. So, if an international trademark is filed only one or two months before a domestic application, the examiner would not be aware of the existence of this international trademark when he performs the examination of the domestic application. Therefore, the domestic application will be accepted and published, even though there was a prior application, which eventually will mature to registration. And in the end, the owner of the international trademark has to file an opposition against the domestic trademark application. Which one is easier to enforce? In theory, there is no difference in the validity and enforceability of both domestic and international trademarks. In practice, there is a difference, because the enforcement authorities of China (administrative or judicial) require the submission of a national trademark certificate, to be issued by the CTMO. The certificate issued by WIPO is not accepted, and the right holder has to specifically request the issuance of registration certification by the CTMO to prove its trademark rights, which can take an additional two to four months. Moreover, where there is any modification, assignment, renewal of the international trademark, the owner has to request a new registration certification to prove its right. According to the current practice, it may take months for the CTMO to update the renewal and/or assignment record of an international trademark in its system, and during this period, the right holder can not enforce its rights because no registration certification can be produced to prove the existence of the right. Discretion of the Madrid system trademark In a potentially conflictual background, it happens that you want to file a trademark even though know that it might be opposed by others. In that case, it may be advisable to go through the Madrid system. Indeed, it is more difficult to monitor the International Trademark Gazette for opposition purposes. Therefore, the risk of opposition is lower. Original Equipment Manufacturing or OEM is the business model that is used when a trademark owner is "sourcing", i.e., looking for a factory to manufacture its products, using its trademark. China is one of the most favoured countries by business operators sourcing OEM products. If you are one of them and want to ensure the safe exportation of the OEM products, is there anything you need to do? And if, assuming you do not own a registration of the trademark in China, you want to prevent others from registering such trademark, can you rely on your prior OEM export business? Due to the lack of specific regulation in China, the nature of the trademark use in OEM export business is still an unstable issue. And the opinions of the authorities (CTO/TRAB) and courts vary according to the type of procedure. So it is better to understand this issue as the way suggested by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., that is, "The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience" (The Common Law, 1881). Below we analyze a few issues based on recent precedents: Can OEM use protect against a cancellation action for non-use? If you have already registered your trademark in China, but you only use it for OEM export, anybody could claim that you are not using your trademark in China, since you are not selling anything in the country. Is the use of the trademark in OEM export business sufficient to defend against a cancellation action for non-use Before 2010, such cancellations actually happened, for the above reason: no sales in China was considered as no use This opinion changed after 2010. The Beijing High Court in the "SCALEXTRIC" case, and, more recently the TRAB in the "MIRRO" case (2015) accepted that OEM use, if it reflects the true intention of using the trademark by the registrant, is sufficient to resist a cancellation action for non use. For the purpose of showing such true intention, single or occasional exportations may still be weak. Comprehensive evidence of long-time and consistent OEM exportations is necessary. Opposition based on article 32: can OEM use generate a "certain influence" ? Article 32 of the Trademark Law allows the prior user of a (not registered) trademark, which has acquired a certain influence, to oppose the registration, or request the cancellation of a subsequent identical or similar trademark, if such trademark has been filed by improper means (commonly called "pre-emptive application"). The article is very often used, but what if our prior use is only through OEM business? Does such use count for the application of article 32? Well it does not. In the famous MUJI case (2012), the Supreme People's Court held that the use in OEM business is not able to generate "a certain influence" because the OEM products have not entered the local market at all,. From then on, although there are few cases affirming that OEM business can also bring "a certain influence" in special circumstances, most of the cases followed the principle laid down by the SPC. Can OEM use be affirmed as trademark infringement ? If another person has obtained the registration of "your" trademark, and you are using this trademark in OEM practice for export, can you be sued? The answer to this question is the most controversial and least stable of all. The courts have changed their minds several times; they found that OEM export is an act of infringement and found the exact opposite. In November 2015, the SPC handed down a "retrial" judgment in the famous Focker v. Yahuan case, also called the PRETUL case, with a reasoning according to which since the goods were exported from China the trademark Pretul that was affixed on such goods was not "used" in the sense of the Trademark law, and therefore, no infringement was committed. The Court noted, further, that the defendant owned the trademark in the country of destination. It is very unlikely that the Supreme People's Court intended to deliver a message to allow the free exportation of infringing goods from China. Letting the batch of goods be exported to Mexico seemed a "fair" decision in the circumstances. It remains that, if it was systematically followed, this case would deprive all legitimate trademark owners of the right to seek the assistance of the Customs when infringing goods are exported. Several weeks later, the Court of Jiangsu rendered a judgment in another OEM case Shanghai Diesel v Jiangsu Changjia, which did not follow the SPC's reasoning. The court found that the defendant should have conducted some due diligence and should have known that there was a conflict between the Chinese plaintiff trademark owner, and the Indonesian purchaser of the goods. The OEM factory was, therefore, declared infringing and the good were not exported. Still, the Jiangsu court declared that "Generally speaking, it would be advisable to find the Chinese OEM manufacturer's act not constituting trademark infringement if the OEM products are all for exportation and are not intended for distribution in China." Given the above, it can be preliminary concluded, for the time being, that if you have the trademark registration in the destination country and perform OEM business in good faith, there will be little risk of being found infringing. This being said, the above case law is controversial, for a number of reasons. Affirming that a trademark is not used because the goods are exported can be easily challenged. Likewise, making the finding of infringement or non-infringement contingent on the good or bad faith of the exporter, or on whether the purchaser owns the trademark in the destination country, is also very arguable. Therefore the best advice is of course to use the trademark in China, and be the first to do so before others try to register it. But if your trademark has been pre-emptively registered by another person and if there is nothing you can do about it, it seems that, for the time being, OEM business is safe. In China, the cease and desist letter is commonly used to warn infringers. Experience showed that you may have 50% of chance to get a reply to your cease and desist letter. The cease and desist letter usually works well with straightforward counterfeit case and against small infringers. When it comes to complicated case and big infringer, it is critical that you carefully evaluate the risk of being sued before sending out the cease and desist letter. The recognition of non-infringement lawsuit: The recognition of non-infringement lawsuit was first accepted in a patent case in 2002. Then Article 18 of the SPC's Judicial Interpretation on Several Issues Concerning the Hearing of Patent Infringement Cases (2010) set up the procedural requirements: 1) the right owner sends the cease and desist letter; 2) the recipient urges the right owner to file the civil lawsuit; 3) the right owner does not withdraw the cease and desist letter or does not file the civil lawsuit within a reasonable period; 4) the recipient can then file a recognition of non-infringement lawsuit. Now, the recognition of non-infringement lawsuit extends to all IP cases, and the courts are lowering the procedural requirements: the recipient is sometimes allowed to file a lawsuit as soon as it receives the cease and desist letter. The biggest inconvenience of being sued for non-infringement is that, you lose the control of the lawsuit: 1) you have no more choice of the jurisdiction which is very important in a lawsuit strategy; 2) you have limited time to prepare the evidences, and sometime even worse, the evidences will disappear if you did not secure them before sending the cease and desist letter. In the Honda case (selected in the 2015 top ten IP cases by the SPC), Honda sent cease and desist letter to Shuanghuan, a Chinese car maker based in Shijiazhuang city, and its distributors, asking for immediate cease of design patent infringement. Shuanghuan filed non infringement lawsuit in Shijiazhuang in October 2003. Hongda then filed infringement lawsuit in Beijing in November 2003, claiming huge damages (RMB 3.4 billion). According to the SPC's first-file principle, Beijing High Court transferred the infringement case to Shijiazhuang Intermediate Court in 2004 for a combined trial. In the meanwhile, Shuanghuan filed invalidation action in December 2003, and successfully cancelled Honda's patents in September 2007. In April 2008 and then in April 2013, Shuanghuan lodged additional claims requiring Hongda to pay RMB 3.6 billion for the damages caused by the cease and desist letters. Finally, in December 2015, the SPC decided that Hongda shall pay RMB 16 million for the damages caused to Shuanghuan. How to use the cease and desist letter: It is recommended to make a website notarization and/or notarized purchase before sending a cease and desist letter. If the infringer ignores the cease and desist letter, you can arrange another round of notarization to prove the infringer's bad faith, and then file the lawsuit. For complicated and important case, it is advisable to do the forum shopping and directly file the civil action without sending the cease and desist letter. If the Republicans get a majority in the US House of Representatives, as is expected, theyll focus on lawsuit investment transparency and Chinas IP practices "Doctor Crush" star Baek Sung Hyun did not attend the Philippine premiere of "Walking Street" but his co-star Lee Song Lee did. Set in Pattaya, Thailand, the South Korean drama film was directed by "Tropical Manila" director Lee Sang Woo. On March 12, Sunday, Song Lee and Sang Woo were in Taguig, Metro Manila, to attend Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2017. They were among the presenters during the awards night of the film festival held at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier. Advertisement Right after the awards night, "Walking Street" was screened as the closing film. Sang Woo and Song Lee gave short speeches before the screening but they both left with Mendoza before the end of the film. Before Sinag Maynila 2017, "Walking Street" had its world premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival 2016, which was attended by "Westworld" star James Marsden and Michelle Yeoh, who is set to star in "Crazy Rich Asians," Hollywood Reporter reported. The story of "Walking Street" revolves around the romance between a prostitute named Yoo Jenna (Song Lee) and a mute man named Park Tae Sung (Baek). Playing Tae Sung's younger brother named Park Tae Gi was former member K-Pop boy band KINO member Lee Si Gang. Also in the "Walking Street" cast were Yoo Ji Soo and Kahled Elijah Tapia, who co-starred with "Criminal Minds" star Daniel Henney in the 2013 action comedy film "The Spy: Undercover Operation." In an interview with Hallyu SG, Baek, Song Lee and Si Gang were asked about their experiences filming overseas. Baek said he enjoyed Thai food as it suited his tastes. Si Kang said he found it difficult to overcome the language barrier while Song Lee said she found it difficult to deal with the fatigue. The two have never acted in a film before "Walking Street." On the other hand, Baek has been acting since he was five years old. His first film role was Baek Joon in the 1994 film "I Wish for What is Forbidden to Me" while his first TV series was the 1995 KBS1 show "Blowing of the Wind." In 2016, Baek played a neurosurgery's third year resident doctor named Pi Young-gook, who is friends with Jin Seo Woo (Lee Sung Kyoung) in "Doctor Crush." The SBS drama series starred Park Shin Hye, Kim Rae Won and Yoon Kyun Sang. 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Gold on the blockchain. In the last few weeks there have been significant developments in the world of gold, digital gold, blockchain and bitcoin. Those who have expressed an interest in gold investment, may have received articles from friends and family about how bitcoin prices reached parity with the yellow metal. We have long argued that bitcoin and gold should be seen as complementary assets. But not everyone agrees and it doesnt make a good story. Given bitcoin was first touted, and still is by some, as digital gold or as good as gold, but better then it has been inevitable that each time there is a significant movement in the bitcoin price then the media starts once again to pitch them against one another in a simplistic cash of the currency titans narrative. Below, we ask if there should be all this hype when a digital currency reaches parity with gold, and what this means for blockchain products such as the Royal Mints RMG or OzcoinGold which is purporting to be the first gold-backed cryptocurrency fyi there have been many attempts. Ultimately it comes down to investing in and legally own a piece of gold that will serve your portfolio in the same way it has served millions of people in years gone by as an asset that is a form of financial insurance, that cannot be devalued by central banks and will not be confiscated whether through bail-ins or more forceful means. If using gold, blockchain and bitcoin together means that investors portfolios can meet the above criteria then we are on the dawn of something very exciting, but as you will see from the below, we dont believe that we are quite there yet. One bitcoin or an ounce of gold? Lets first address why bitcoin exceeding the gold price is or isnt a big deal. Lots of things cost more than an ounce of gold, the handbag I am pining for, a night at the seven-star Burj Al Arab or a gold MacBook Pro. So what? You might ask. Exactly, if lots of things cost more than a lump of gold, then why all the fuss about a bitcoin? Especially when most of the people making a fuss couldnt really tell you what a bitcoin is, and no one really knows how to trade using this information. Whilst we can argue that the bitcoin price superseding the gold price is arbitrary, we cant deny that this it is significant psychologically. As noted above, bitcoin is often hailed as a form of digital gold, one that is perhaps more convenient and up-to-date with this technological world. Whether you agree or not, many people do hold this opinion and it is one that is widely reported on, hence the psychological importance of this price move. There are many naysayers in the world of bitcoin and gold. Some would class them as two separate asset class, to them gold is a commodity and bitcoin is a technology. It still takes a lot of persuasion to the mainstream that both are currencies and that both manage to be so without the control of central banks, monetary policy and borders to restrict them. This is why it is exciting when they reach parity or bitcoin exceeds gold. It means that more of the world is waking up to the issues with fiat money. It does not mean that bitcoin is better than gold nor does it mean that the world has flipped on its head and more people would rather own a bitcoin than hold a piece of gold. The gold market is still worth more than 300 times that of the 16.2 million bitcoins in circulation. And if you consider the size of the $20 billion bitcoin market next to the Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google (FANGs) of the world then youre not looking at something that is about to turn the world upside down. Bitcoin is also incredibly volatile, despite calming down in recent years, and can still react like a hormonal teenager to an government announcement or ruling. Just this weekend, bitcoin collapsed 18% after the U.S. regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), rejected a proposal by the Winklevoss twins for a publicly traded fund based on the digital currency. As Bloomberg put it, this dashed hopes that a government-approved investment vehicle would lead to wider interest in virtual money. This volatility is likely to be the biggest barrier to it gaining the widespread adoption that gold already has especially in the Asian world. However, as I often tell people, bitcoin is incredibly young. Bitcoin fans (myself included) are getting excited about this as, given the short history of the cryptocurrency compared to the likes of gold and the masters of the online universe, its future price movements seem heavily weighted to the upside. Just like gold, it cannot be printed at will, devalued, confiscated (whether legitimately or by bail-in). We cannot know the future of bitcoin when consortiums such as R3 are backing away from blockchain, or companies such as Microsoft, Intel and JPMorgan are embracing Ethereum. The high bitcoin price tells us more about what we dont know that what we do we know it is likely to go higher but we have no idea how high, we know that it is being taken seriously but we do not know what this means for its role as an investment or monetary option. The main lesson to learn from this price hike is that bitcoin is here to stay and that more people are looking for alternatives outside of the fiat monetary system. This is good for the gold market and those who already own a diversified portfolio including gold. The downside to the hike in the bitcoin price is that whilst a price climb suggests more trust in the currency, the mainstream still like to play on the falsehood that it is anonymous and unbacked by a central bank or authority, and so digital gold providers can take advantage of this. And this is where the likes of the government-owned mints or cryptocurrency builders are stepping in. Royal Mint expects a gold rush The government would like you to give them some money. Its a great deal, honestly. You give them some money and they wont charge you for keeping it. CME group are helping them to take your money and blockchain is also involved somehow. What do you think? Fancy handing over some of your life savings? No? Funny that. The above is exactly what is going on. Except there are a couple of steps I didnt mention. The government would like your money but would prefer that you bought gold from them first and they kept a hold of it. It seems to make the process of handing over funds a lot more gentlemanly, or British if you like. Under the guise of investing in gold, the Royal Mint claims that they are bringing to market a new way to invest in and digitally trade physical gold bullion. When the government-owned Royal Mint announced a new digital gold investment service entitled RMG, in December, they did so with much fanfare and excitement. Despite a lack of mention of it in their recent literature, RMG uses blockchain technology. As we explained in December As one would expect from a trading solution using blockchain, it will log each transaction. The two parties [Royal Mint and CME Group] will collaborate on a digital gold asset called Royal Mint Gold (RMG) and will transform the way traders and investors trade, execute and settle gold. We also quoted the economist Ashe Whitener, back in December, who echoed our thoughts: In my opinion, this is only news because the Royal Mint is basically a government-owned entity experimenting with blockchain. Just because something tangible like gold has a serial number on a blockchain, doesnt mean that it is any more secure, safe or less risky. Since the underlying asset is still physical, we still must place our trust with the Mint in terms of vaulting the gold. So nothing here really changes. More information has been released in recent weeks, but it hasnt added much meat to the bone of this latest digital gold product. The fact remains that the Royal Mint have released a digital gold platform, following in the footsteps of BullionVault.com and GoldMoney.com that allows you to buy and sell one gram at a time. Once again, we have to draw and attention to (and ask why) the fact that the government-run Royal Mint is getting the press and naive gold investors excited about RMG, when really very little has changed. We recently wrote about unallocated gold. We mentioned that whilst new gold investors might think that owning gold without having to pay storage fees seems highly attractive, it also comes with risks and, arguably hidden costs. Unallocated gold is free to store because the bank or institution that you have chosen to buy it through, is using it for its own purposes. The Royal Mints RMG is not unallocated, however it does come without storage fees. We have long pointed out the risks in owning unallocated gold and one has to be extremely confident of the solvency of the provider. Were all familiar with the expression if it sounds too good to be true then thats because it usually is. The Royal Mint is owned by HM Treasury, it pays an annual dividend their way every year. It goes without saying that the United Kingdom is pretty broke at the moment and with the fallout of Brexit still playing out, against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty who knows how much worse it will become. And when it does, how is the government planning on paying to keep the country going? Who knows, but its all happening at the same time that the government is trying to encourage you to hold gold in their vaults. One other odd thing that they are offering is to buy back any RMG should the price of RMG fall below the spot price of gold, The Royal Mint will buy back any RMG if the trading price of RMG falls below the spot price of gold for longer than 24 hours it will be bought back. This surely goes against the idea of owning gold? The beauty of holding gold is that there is a global market for it and it is one of the most liquid markets in the world which protects against price risk. If the gold you own comes with a sticker on it that says it can only be sold as RMG then what was the point in buying it in the first place? Of course, the Royal Mint are also hoping that the reverse might happen: that RMG will begin to trade at a premium to the gold price. But when this happens, why would people look to buy this when the gold market is one of the most global and liquid ones in existence. The beauty of gold is that it is gold. We discourage buying gold jewellery as an investment as it receives a huge mark-up quite simply because it is jewellery. We also discourage buying collector coins as they too receive a huge mark-up which does not reflect the gold or silver content. The Royal Mint is hoping RMG will trade higher than the market-price of a gold-gram because of its association with the 1,000 year old Mint. But, surely then, on the flip side an association with a government-owned institution is not always going to be a positive thing. Is the Loonie about to get touch of gold? Lets look to the Royal Canadian Mint to get more of an idea about where this might go. Last year digital gold provider GoldMoney and the RCM announced that they would be joining forces. Customers of GoldMoney are able to buy Canadian Mint gold via the companys permissioned blockchain. We could go into the tech of all of this and ask why a permissioned blockchain is even necessary (in brief you can just use a secure ledger system, theres no need for a private blockchain to overcomplicate things. It just sounds good) but instead we note the same issue we do with RMG. The Royal Canadian Mint is owned by the Canadian Government. While we are big fans of tech and technology solutions in the gold market, it must be acknowledged that there are risks in investing in gold through the intermediary of digital gold platforms. Royal Canadian Mint and GoldMoney blockchain product asks you to trust in government and the technology, servers, IT, websites etc of the digital gold platforms and their portals. As we warned recently Buying gold through an electronic platform can be very convenient and very fast. You can buy significant sums and pay low spreads and low fees, your storage costs for such investments can be extremely cheap too. These electronic platforms spend a lot of money advertising, and some even claim to give you allocated gold. We do not consider a part ownership of a large 400 oz bar of gold as being allocated. You are in fact a pooled gold investor and one who has no idea of what particular part of a gold bar you own. You can not, unlike GoldCore Secure Storage, drive to a vault in Zurich, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai or London and take delivery of your gold, without entering into a sale transaction. In addition many such platforms force you to only buy and sell through their market board and their online platform and website. Digital gold platforms are closed loop systems where liquidity and pricing are dependent on a single platform, website and company. A buyer can only buy and sell through that one online platform. An investor is in effect captive. Besides the dual technological and liquidity risk, there is also the sovereign risk, An investigation by CBC News found that, just two years ago the Mint lost money and continues to struggle, Revenue is down sharply, jobs have been chopped, morale is in the tank, and formerly successful lines of business are being shut down even as the mint spends millions of dollars on new executive offices. In the third-quarter of 2016 revenues were down by 27% and profits by 61%. All of this is despite efforts to raise funds such as minting collectible coins. Similar to the RMG, storage is free (for purchases up to 1kg). We dont need to repeat the above, save asking if this is a trend that will start to appear in other sovereign mints within countries that are part of the huge, growing debt-bubble that will inevitably pop. To buy and store gold with a government institution is to go against the reasons to buy gold. Investors should not be fooled that the implementation of a blockchain, or the offering of free storage, suddenly means one can disregard centuries of logical gold investment as a store of value and a form of insurance against these very entities. OzcoinGold Were perhaps being unfair to the Royal Mint and Royal Canadian Mint. They arent the only ones using the distrust in the monetary system, distrust of bitcoin, its increased profile and blockchain to their advantage. One of the similarities drawn between gold and bitcoin is that they are finite. Gold is finite because it is natural, it has to be mined from the earth (lets ignore the mad notion of space mining for now!) and alchemy still eludes us. One gold mining company has taken advantage of this and decided that the best way to raise money (usually a very expensive process full of regulatory and legal costs) is by issuing its own cryptocurrency which is 2/3 backed by gold from its mine. The other third is backed by gold in the Perth Mint. The company proudly state that the coin is backed by 24k gold. 24k is an odd way for gold bullion dealers to describe the product, we usually refer to golds millesimal fineness i.e. in three or more digits, rather than karats, most selling 999.99 or 999.999 (if youre Chinese). 24k is just 999 and therefore not quite as pure, however this is the highest gold content for jewellery. Unsurprisingly, as the majority of it is still in ground, there are no storage fees to pay on the gold and lucky investors can come back in March 2022 and redeem their currency for physical 24k coins. When investors choose to invest in physical gold, they often do with the intention of holding it for the long-term but they are also doing it as a form of insurance. The joy of buying gold is that when done properly (as allocated and segregated gold coins and bars) is that you can take delivery of it at any time. In the above scheme, this is not possible. There is no possible way that the gold can be allocated or segregated from others holdings. The ability to do this, is the attraction of investing in gold. Gold investment is also done to reduce counterparty risk. This way to invest in gold relies hugely on counter parties, the main one being the ability of the mining company to actually efficiently run their gold mine so as to extract the gold. Where are the guarantees that this will happen? What happens if the company goes bust? There will be no gold for those investors who thought they were buying a safe haven and form of financial insurance. We support the gold mining company, this is an innovative way to raise funds. However, it must not be presented under the guise of innovative gold investment and as a quite high risk speculation. What does it all really mean? Whatever you think of bitcoin, gold and the various digital offerings, one cant ignore what their existence and growing interest in them means: there are several serious risks both today and on the horizon that will see investors favour those assets that cannot be manipulated, devalued or confiscated. And this all boils down to why we invest in and more importantly legally own physical gold, or even bitcoin because we want to diversify and own a store of value. So why would you choose to buy gold that is being protected by the very government that is at least in part responsible for driving you to own physical bullion precious metals in the first place? Or why would you choose to buy gold that you are unable to retrieve in your preferred coin or bar format at short notice? We shouldnt, however, dismiss government-backed institutions offering gold products and gold-backed blockchain products, with the same brush. The way people have chosen to invest in physical gold has evolved over hundreds of years, thanks to technology. Our clients from over fifty countries around the world would not be able to be invest in allocated, segregated gold through us, if it were not for technology. Blockchain really can contribute in this space, but we do not believe that those examples mentioned above are the right ones. Digital gold is digital gold and physical gold is physical gold. There is a huge opportunity for digital gold and blockchain to come together, but it is probably best if the combination does not involve government institutions seeking to profit from investors and store of value gold buyers seeking the hedging qualities and safe haven qualities of actual gold bullion. Gold Prices (LBMA AM) 13 Mar: USD 1,207.80, GBP 989.79 & EUR 1,132.07 per ounce 10 Mar: USD 1,196.55, GBP 983.56 & EUR 1,127.15 per ounce 09 Mar: USD 1,204.60, GBP 991.39 & EUR 1,140.64 per ounce 08 Mar: USD 1,213.30, GBP 997.70 & EUR 1,149.00 per ounce 07 Mar: USD 1,223.70, GBP 1,003.56 & EUR 1,157.62 per ounce 06 Mar: USD 1,231.15, GBP 1,004.74 & EUR 1,162.82 per ounce 03 Mar: USD 1,228.75, GBP 1,005.12 & EUR 1,168.05 per ounce Silver Prices (LBMA) 13 Mar: USD 17.02, GBP 13.92 & EUR 15.95 per ounce 10 Mar: USD 16.89, GBP 13.91 & EUR 15.92 per ounce 09 Mar: USD 17.14, GBP 14.10 & EUR 16.23 per ounce 08 Mar: USD 17.40, GBP 14.32 & EUR 16.48 per ounce 07 Mar: USD 17.70, GBP 14.52 & EUR 16.74 per ounce 06 Mar: USD 17.81, GBP 14.53 & EUR 16.83 per ounce 03 Mar: USD 17.66, GBP 14.44 & EUR 16.76 per ounce Mark O'Byrne Executive Director This update can be found on the GoldCore blog here. IRL 63 FITZWILLIAM SQUARE DUBLIN 2 E info@goldcore.com UK NO. 1 CORNHILL LONDON 2 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' 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Caesar, Turkey and the Netherlands Ides of March I dont think Holland realized they planned their election on the Ides of March, dont remember the date or event ever being mentioned when I lived there as a child. That Washington knew what it was doing when back in 2013 it set the end of the latest debt ceiling compromise to March 15 is not likely either. Nor is Janet Yellen deliberately setting the Feds next rate hike on the date. They may all, in hindsight, wish they had possessed a little more historical knowledge. When Shakespeare (and Plutarch before him) wrote Beware the Ides of March, he was talking about the murder of Julius Ceasar in 44 BC, by a group of senators, which included Brutus. But the incident can also be more broadly seen as the separation line between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. And now were getting somewhere interesting when looking at present day events. Democracy under threat of absolutism. Leafing through the Dutch press, opinions differ on which politicians will profit most from the sudden row with Turkey that flared up over the weekend. Is it far right Wilders, who can now claim that he always foresaw things like this? Or is it just a little less right PM Rutte, who gets to look like a statesman and a decision maker? None of the other parties, there are 31 in total, look positioned to reap any gains from the bewildering developments. The Netherlands is the capital of fascism, said Turkish foreign minister Cavusoglu on Sunday in France, where he ended up after being refused landing rights on Saturday. I know Im biased, but no matter how you twist and turn it, thats quite a statement about the country of Anne Frank, which lost most of its extensive Jewish population, and it was only a follow-up to Turkish president Erdogan earlier calling the Dutch nazis and remnants of fascists. Erdogan later managed banana republic. And declared that no-one can treat his citizens the way a photograph taken Saturday night seemed to depict, in which a Turkish protester was attacked by a police dog. Apart from the question whether dogs should ever be used in quelling protests, this raises another issue crucial to the whole story. That is, Turkey insists that people whove lived in other countries for decades are nevertheless its citizens (and not of their adopted countries). As an aside, that story and photo of the dog a German shepherd- reminds me of When We Were Kings, the movie about the Rumble in the Jungle fight in Kinshasa between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, in which the latter emerges, upon arrival, from his plane with a huge German shepherd and thereby loses the sympthy of the local people, and some say the whole fight, people had very bad memories about such dogs. So what happened in Holland? About 10 days ago, someone announced there would be a meeting (a rally) on Saturday March 11 in a party hall in Rotterdam, that would be attended by Turkish foreign minister Cavusoglu. This set off an alert inside the Dutch government, because in Germany similar meetings had been cancelled in the preceding days. The reason for the cancellations is that these are political rallies to gain support from Turks living abroad for an April 16 referendum designed to give Erdogan very far-reaching powers. Turkey claims the right to freedom of speech and political gathering. And they would perhaps have been granted this, if not for the July 15 2016 coup in the country, and especially its aftermath. Both Germany and Holland have been aware of Erdogan and his people putting pressure on their citizens living abroad to for instance report hidden Gulen supporters to embassies and consulates and mosques. In other words, to create divisions between one group of (Dutch or German) Turks and another. Needless to say, neither Berlin not The Hague wants anything to do with that. But they want to reach some sort of compromise. No matter how they may feel about the country post-coup, Turkey is a NATO partner and the EU has an all-important deal with Ankara to keep refugees away from Europe. Even though it was obvious from the start that this was the dumbest deal with the devil anyone since Faust has ever signed, elections trump common sense and principles. Over the next days, the Dutch tell Ankara they consider foreign minister Cavusoglus planned rally undesirable. Rotterdam mayor Aboutaleb, a Dutch-Morrocan muslim, bans the planned meeting. But the Turks respond that Cavusoglu will come no matter what, and for Holland to arrange an alternative venue. The Dutch dont like this at all, but try to compromise with a meeting with a small group of invitees. On Friday, Turkey suggests the Rotterdam residence of the Turkish consul. Aboutaleb is not amused: the location of the home invites the gathering of a large number of people outside. Saturday morning comes with a lot of discussion. The consulate is suggested as a venue. Then, Turkey sends a message to a large group of Dutch Turks to come to the consulate. And while talks are ongoing, Cavusoglu tells CNNTurk TV that if Holland revokes his planes landing rights, something that has been mentioned in negotiations only as a last resort, there will be economic and political sanctions. Rutte and his crew see no other choice than to do just that: revoke the landing rights. To which the response is to drive the -female- Turkish Minister of Family Affairs, Kaya, whos in Germany, to Rotterdam. There were allegedly even multiple convoys, with decoys and all, so Holland wouldnt know what car she was in. Meanwhile, the allegations of nazism and fascism had started to be unloaded on The Hague. As someone remarked: all Erdogan wanted was a photo-op, a picture with 10,000 Turks waving their flags in the streets of Holland. Things turned out different. Minister Kaya made it to Rotterdam, but was refused entry into the consulate, declared an undesirable alien and told she must return to Germany. It took many hours, but finally she was put into a different car than the one she came in and driven back across the border. From where she took a private plane to Istanbul. Turkey apparently was not clear on the difference between someone having a diplomatic passport and having diplomatic immunity. These things are regulated in the Vienna Convention, and Turkey wants Holland to be found in violation of it. But it doesnt look like they are. And there are a few other things as well: What I dont get: where in the world does it say that you are free to hold political campaign events in any country you choose? Can you see Guatemalan rallies in the streets of LA? With the risk of clashes between rival groups? And what would Turkey say if an anti-Erdogan protest were held in Berlin tomorrow? You think political rallies by foreigners are allowed in Turkey? And then the rioting started late Saturday night in Rotterdam. What struck me in the pictures of the riots, and in other footage, is how many times they contain men making hand-signs of either the Muslim Brotherhood or the Grey Wolves, an ultra right wing Turkish group. I dont get how that fits in the streets of countries like Germany and Holland, and I dont get how it fits in with the man whos seen as a demi-god in Turkey, founder in 1923 of the secular country of Turhey, Kemal Ataturk. It looks like Erdogan is trying to idolize Ataturk, as any Turkish leader would have to do to get votes, and at the same time make the country an islamic state, something Ataturk definitely did not want, but which could Erdogan hand a majority for the referendum next month. Why else does he accuse western Europe of being Islamophobic? Oh, and how does Michael Flynn fit into this picture? Trumps former security adviser worked for Erdogan -indirectly- while sitting in on security meetings, and pushed the US to extradite Erdogans no. 1 enemy, Fethullah Gulen. If Washington had had proof that Gulen was behind the coup last year, one would think hed already have been extradited. Flynns role gets curiouser by the day. Is this why he was cast out of the Trump team? For being a foreign agent? Also curious is the fact that Erdogan on Friday, the day before the Holland situation played out, was visiting Russia to meet with Putin. He arrived back home to say something about an anti-missile defense system they could build together, and suggested that Putin agreed with him on the danger of the Kurdish fighters in Syria and beyond. Only, Putin never acknowledged such a thing, and Putin has never forgiven Erdogan for downing a Russian jet in November 2015. He just waits for the right payback time. But Turkey is a NATO country. The EU should never have kept the Union membership carrot dangling in front of Erdogans face, knowing full well Turkey would never be accepted as a member, zero chance. It should not have signed the refugee deal either; that could only ever have blown up into its face. The first and major victim of that will once again be Greece. Another country that Erdogan has been trying to bully. Turkish jets violating Greek airspace are so common people tend to ignore them. Recently, army ships have been sailing into Greek waters too. The idea seems to be some sort of preparation for contesting the 1923 Lausanne Treaty , which settled ownership disputes post-Ottoman Empire. There are so many islands and islets and rocks, anyone who wants to can always find something to fight over. And then of course theres still Cyprus; negotiations are ongoing, but so are efforts to frustrate them. And its not that the Turkish economy is doing so well, the lira lost 30% in 2016 and another 10% so far this year. But unlike Greece, Turkey still has its own currency, and therefore the ability to devaluate it and absorb financial shocks. Still, 40% in 15 months is a lot. Imports are getting very expensive. Maybe thats what Erdogan is trying to drown out with his fighting words. This afternoon, Turkeys Parliament Speaker compared Dutch PM Rutte to Hitler, Franco AND Mussolini. Pol Pot must have slipped his mind for a moment. Denmark, France, Angela Merkel and Brussels have all told Turkey to tone down. But at the same time, German TV network ZDF reports there are 30 more Erdogan rallies and meetings planned in the country in the next month. Erdogan is trying to let his people see him as a strongman, not afraid of anyone. He only has to paint this picture for another month, through his state owned TV channels, and hell get his near absolute powers. Meanwhile, the US and all of the EU are too busy trying to manage their own election issues. But that may not be such a wise choice. On April 17, they may be faced with a near dictator as member of NATO, and with a pro-Islam and anti-EU agenda. Erdogan is done winning in Europe, and it was even only ever for his home audience to begin with. His biggest gains in votes -and he looks to be 48%-52% behind right now- will have to come from the war theater, where he pretends to fight ISIS only to send his army to kill the Kurds. It would be a good thing if besides Putin there were a few other powers to tell him thats a no-go. Donald?! Turkey will never beat the Kurds, its just an endless bloody battle. Time to make Kurdistan a nation, one way or the other. It all sort of fits in with the whole political picture these days, doesnt it? And with Ceasar and the Ides of March. 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. Top Chinese Prosecutor: Government Will Strike Down the Tigers or Swat the Flies Procurator General Cao Jianming presents the annual report by the People's Supreme Court. (Photo : Getty Images) There was an increase of anti-corruption cases by one-third last year, according to the report presented by the Supreme People's Procuratorate. Procurator-General Cao Jianming said that his group will hunt down corrupt officials as a huntsman would kill tigers and foxes. He also said that the government will search officials who have flown overseas to escape prosecution. Advertisement He said, "We will not reduce the intensity, scale or tempo with which we strike down the tigers, swat the flies or hunt down the foxes." "The zero-tolerance stance on corruption will certainly not be changed," he added. Chief Justice Zhou Qiang also gave a report stating that there were 45,000 cases heard last year. These cases indicated 63,000 officials. The increase in number is due to the intensified anti-graft campaign that was spearheaded by President Xi Jinping upon the start of his term in 2012. The bigwigs who were prosecuted are Guo Boxiong, former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission; Ling Jihua, Hu Jintao's political adviser; and former aide to president Hu Jintao. Supreme Court judges were given more autonomy by President Xi and mechanisms were established so reporting of criminal activities would be easier. The president said that the reforms were to "improve the credibility of the judiciary, enhance people's sense of security and satisfaction and build a just and standardized legal environment." Fu Hualing, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, believes that the anti-corruption campaign can't be done in full swing. He said, "I don't see any clear political will to seriously punish corrupt officials at the grassroots level." "Maybe they understand that is probably very destructive if China does that in every county, every district. The whole country would probably be in chaos," he added. Aside from the anti-graft campaign, both leaders of the high court said that they will fight the terrorists in Xinjiang Province. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Commerce Minister Zhong Shan (Photo : Getty Images) Chinas newly appointed Commerce Minister Zhong Shan looks forward to meeting Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Zhong referred to Ross as his excellent U.S. counterpart. Zhong, 61, has been appointed as head of the Commerce Ministry on Feb. 24. He previously worked as a ministerial-level international trade representative and vice commerce minister. Advertisement He had also served at Zhejiang Province exporting powerhouse as deputy governor. He worked under Chinese President Xi Jinping who was the party chief for the region at the time. Ross, 79, is a billionaire businessman. He called China the most protectionist of the worlds major economies. Zhong and Ross share the mission of increasing cooperation and managing differences between China and the U.S. Ross used to be an excellent entrepreneur, a good negotiator and, I can say, hes very excellent, Zhong said in his first press conference as commerce minister, held on the sidelines of the annual legislative session of the National Peoples Congress. Im willing to deal with excellent people because excellent people are good at thinking strategically for the long term, he added. It would be a challenge for Zhong and Ross to manage differences between the worlds largest economies as U.S. President Donald Trump made accusations of unjust trade practices to China. Trump has also warned of instituting penal measures. A plan of action will be announced as soon as we have a proper case, said Ross. According to Zhong, a trade war between China and the U.S. would damage both countries economies. It would not be beneficial to either country as well because of their intertwined economic relations. Zhong believes that China and the U.S. will make the correct assessment on bilateral economic ties now that everybody is watching and waiting. Many American and western friends think that China cant live without the U.S., and theyre half right, said the Chinese Commerce Minister. Similarly, the U.S. also cant live without China, he added, mentioning Boeing Co airplanes, soybeans and automobiles as U.S. exports to China. In the past 10 years, American exports to China have grown by an average of 11 percent. China, on the other hand, has 6.6 percent growth in exports to the U.S. in the same period. The world will be watching for the changes Commerce Minister Zhong Shan and Wilbur Rosss meeting would bring to the worlds largest economies. SPRINGFIELD -- Recently hired engineers at CRRC MA Corp. in Springfield are learning about the subway cars they'll soon start building through reams of specifications and diagram after diagram. Starting next month, they'll have their hands on the real thing in the Chinese factory where they were developed. On April 7, CRRC will send four engineers, a number of production supervisors and 22 newly hired union production workers to Changchun, China, for three months of training. It's the beginning of what CRRC calls the technology transfer of its rail car design to Springfield. "It's really exciting to learn about the technology," said Andrew Steele Turgeon of Worcester. Hired in Jan. 30, he is a manufacturing engineer and a recent graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute with degrees in mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering. Other new hires include recruiters and human resources specialists and a procurement specialist in charge of supplying the plant with what it needs once it is running. CRRC has hired 37 people so far in Springfield and hopes to push that total to 50 employees in two months. Five of the new hires are coming right from manufacturing technology programs at Springfield Technical Community College, according to CRRC MA General Manager Mark J. Smith. It's the most recent step toward getting the 204,000-square-foot, $95 million CRRC factory up and running. CRRC plans to have the factory completed in a few months. That will be followed by a few months of equipping and training, with production to begin in earnest in 2018. Eventually CRRC plans to have 150 employees at its East Springfield facility. CRRC said production jobs will pay $55,000 to $60,000 a year. An arm of the Chinese state railways, CRRC is building its factory here to fulfill a $566 million contract it received in 2014 from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to manufacture 284 cars for the Red and Orange lines on Greater Boston's subway system. Subsequently, the MBTA awarded CRRC a $277 million contract to build an additional 120 Red Line cars starting in 2022. This most recent deal includes an option to purchase 14 more cars. CRRC also plans to build cars here in Springfield for the subway system in Los Angeles. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, got to say he told us so Monday following a largely damning review of the Republican health care bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. On Monday, the CBO released a report estimating that 14 million people would lose coverage next year under the House bill that could replace former President Barack Obama's health care law. The CBO further estimates there would be 24 million more people uninsured by 2026 than under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Repealing and replacing Obamacare is a centerpiece of Republican plans for the legislative session. Locally, health care providers at Baystate and Mercy fear the loss of Medicaid funding, which already falls short of what it costs to actually provide care. Some aspects of Obamacare, including requirements that people obtain health care insurance, were already in place in Massachusetts under a state law enacted under Republican Gov. Mitt Romney. Neal issued a statement along with Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., D-New Jersey. Both are senior democrats on committees in a position to challenge Republican plans. The statement reads: "Today's CBO report now confirms what we already knew: despite promises that 'everyone would be covered' and 'no one would be worse off,' this Republican bill would rip away health insurance from 24 million Americans over the next decade and ask millions to pay more for less coverage. Despite warnings from independent experts like CBO and others, Republicans continue to recklessly jam this bill through Congress without so much as a single hearing on what effects their plan will have on middle-class families. This report also reaffirms that the Republican plan does absolutely nothing to control costs or protect consumers. Instead, it guts Medicaid, raises costs on older Americans, and pulls billions of dollars from Medicare, all in order to pay for tax cuts for the rich. "This is a major step backwards for millions of Americans who now enjoy the benefits and protections of quality health insurance gained under the Affordable Care Act. We strongly urge Republicans to back off their politically-motivated march to sabotage our health care system and instead work with Democrats to strengthen it." WALTHAM -- Isaiah Thomas has hit the grocery store. Jaylen Brown is ready to wear a heavier jacket. Jae Crowder shook his head while noting college students are celebrating spring break while the Boston Celtics prepare for maybe a foot of snow. "I can't believe it's still coming down," Crowder said after practice Monday afternoon. The Celtics initially planned to have a day off Monday, but moved their practice one day forward to adjust for the storm. They will now have a day off Tuesday, but Crowder said the players still hope to brave the snow and hit the practice facility for extra work. With one of the easier remaining schedules -- both by opponent strength and (lack of) travel -- the Celtics know they are primed for a late surge if they take advantage of the opportunities. They are also wary after some disturbing recent losses and realize every game counts in the race for the No. 2 seed -- or better. Though catching the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference still feels unlikely (Boston would need to overcame a three-game deficit in the loss column), FiveThirtyEight.com's projections as of Monday afternoon actually give the Celtics the best chance to win the regular-season conference title. After Boston (43 percent), FiveThirtyEight lists Cleveland (42 percent) and Washington (15 percent), respectively, as the second and third most likely teams to claim the No. 1 seed. Whatever happens, you can bet Isaiah Thomas will be paying attention to the standings: "I think it's very important (to land the No. 2 seed)," Thomas said. "Whether 1 or 2, I think it's important to be in that position. We were in that position. We still are. But we just have to take control of the things we can control and that's going out there and being us. But I think it's very important to get that 2-seed. I think that would be good for us." The No. 2 seed would give Boston homecourt advantage in a possible second-round series against the Wizards or whoever else. After falling out of homecourt last year because a four-way tie did not go their way, the Celtics understand the perils of any slip-ups. "We let some games slip away from us too these last few weeks that hopefully don't come back to hurt us," Thomas said. "But we understand what's at stake. We understand we have to play every game like our last. And the race is close. So we have to be ready for everything teams throw at us." "Being consistent. That's what we have to be," added Thomas. "If we're consistent and play like we know how to play, we can take care of business these last 15 games. If we're not, we'll be up and down like we've been the past couple games. But I think everybody's realizing what's at stake and guys are locking in. We had a good practice today and we're looking forward to this stretch." Dublin pubs The taps at The Porterhouse in Dublin. (George Lenker photo) (George Lenker) If you heading to Ireland this year, I'll be green with envy, but my beer won't be. Look, if you think adding green food coloring to beer is some time-honored tradition, be my guest. But I'd rather keep my brews between on the golden/amber/brown/black color scale. Since St. Patrick's Day is just about here, and since Norwegian Air has started offering super cheap flights to Ireland (although the return trip isn't as cheap), I thought I'd advise any potential travelers about a few great watering holes in the Emerald Isle. The list isn't exhaustive, of course. Although I've been over there a dozen times or so, there are regions of the country I haven't visited yet. So I welcome people to tell me of their favorite pubs in Eire. So here are places to check out in various parts of Ireland. Craft beer lovers will definitely appreciate the Salt House in Galway City. Cozy and rustic, this little gem is owned and operated by Galway Bay Brewing and offers a full lineup of the company's brews as well as some great guest beers. There is usually some tasty cask offerings, too. The company's other venue, Oslo, is also excellent. For a more old-school experience in Galway, The Quays offers a perfect pint of Guinness and has two sides: one more traditional and other a tad more modern. Down Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, Doolin is a destination with several renowned pubs. But for my money, Gus O'Connor's is the best (if only by a hair). But since Doolin a tiny one-road village, you might also want to pop into McDermott's and McGann's. Further down in the West, in Co. Clare, Ennis offers a few great places, but I always like to stop at the Diamond Bar. It's a great mix of new and old, and the locals are always friendly. Its bright red exterior makes it easy to spot on O'Connell St. In Cork City, The Franciscan Well is a brewpub that should not be missed. Situated in a former medieval Franciscan monastery, the venue features an array of its own craft beers along with guest brews. In Dublin, there is a great mix of craft beer experiences and older traditional pubs. I recommend blending these two experiences. For the old-school experience, make sure you hit McDaid's and The Long Hall. But if craft beer is your game, you can't miss with Against the Grain (also owned by Galway Bay Brewing), L. Mulligan, Grocer (a superb craft beer bar) and The Porterhouse, one of the oldest and best craft brewpubs in the country. Slainte! Yaad Food Jamaican Restaurant serves up authentic Jamaican cuisine in the Indian Orchard area. The Jamaican restaurant, which serves up traditional plates like curry goat, oxtail and a variety of chicken dishes, opened in June of 2015. "Business was and still is great," said owner and cook Orlando Roberts. "Three months after opening, we had to move in order to have a big enough space to serve everyone." The restaurant is now located at 87 Main St. in Indian Orchard. Roberts immigrated to America from Jamaica when he was in middle school, taking a love for cooking influenced by his grandmother with him. After working in the food industry since the age of 16, Roberts wanted something of his own. "I just wanted to bring something good and authentic to the area and this is what I came up with," said Roberts. All entrees are served with a side of white rice or rice and peas with cabbage and fried plantain. The menu also features daily specials including curry shrimp, stew pork, pepper steak, sweet and sour chicken and jerk pork. Yaad Food is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit the restaurant's page on Facebook. Massachusetts State House The Massachusetts State House in Boston. (Gintautas Dumcius/MassLive.com) Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Irish Ambassador Anne Anderson will visit state leaders in Boston on Monday. Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh will meet with Ireland's leader just five days before St. Patrick's Day. Prime Minister Kenny will first meet with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh at Boston City Hall around 9:30 a.m. The Irish leader will stop by the Massachusetts State House around 10:30 a.m. to meet with Governor Baker. PM Kenny and Ambassador Anderson will visit the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Dorchester later in the day. The visit follows a contentious moment of planning in the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade, an annual event inviting Boston's Irish community to celebrate the holy holiday. Last week, the Allied War Veterans Council voted to ban OUTVETS, a gay veterans group, from marching in the parade. The Council reportedly cited OUVETS' rainbow logo and flag as a symbol of sexuality that they could not allow in the parade (though symbols of Irish rainbows with leprechauns were permitted). The Council overturned the ban in a second vote on Friday, extending the invite to OUTVETS, who accepted and will march in the parade. Massachusetts leaders and business sponsors pressured the Council, threatening to withdraw from the event if OUTVETS could not participate. Gov. Baker and Mayor Walsh both said they would not walk unless OUVETS was allowed to march too. Dorcena Forry, who represents Dorchester and South Boston in the Massachusetts State Senate, said last week she will not participate in the parade even if the ban was overturned. Forry hosts the St. Patrick's Day breakfast Sunday morning before the parade. She said the council's decision was "outrageous," and she will not participate despite OUTVETS' acceptance to join the parade. Worcester commuter rail.jpg A Worcester Commuter Rail train at Union Station. (Megan Bard I MassLive.com) The MBTA is considering cutting weekend commuter rail service as the public transit agency seeks to close what state transportation officials say is a $42 million budget deficit. The MBTA has a $2 billion budget. The commuter rail is operated by the French firm Keolis. The commuter rail system has 11 lines and more than 100 train stations within a variety of "zones." For example, Worcester is in "Zone 8," and a monthly pass to get to South Station and back to Union Station costs $363. "This is really about re-setting the MBTA's budget in a way that is financially sustainable not just for fiscal 2018, but over time," Gov. Charlie Baker's transportation chief, Stephanie Pollack, told reporters, according to the State House News Service. "We need to ask questions, hard questions, about what we want to run," she said. The MBTA is also weighing whether to suspend for one year "premium" trips on The Ride, the T's door-to-door service for people with disabilities. Massachusetts lawmakers agreed in 2015 to place the MBTA under a fiscal management and control board at the request of Gov. Baker. The system suffered a collapse after a battery of winter storms that year. The Massachusetts Democratic Party, searching for challengers to Baker in 2018, criticized the proposals and said the administration should be investing in the state's transportation infrastructure. "Governor Baker's campaign of cuts at the T hit a new low today with his administration's plan to eliminate all weekend commuter rail service, and to cut service for disabled passengers to the bare minimum," Democratic Party chairman Gus Bickford said in a statement. "Thousands of riders depend on weekend commuter rail and the Ride to get to work, visit friends and family, or see their doctor." Material from State House News Service was used in this report. HOLYOKE -- So you got a drone -- what now? Here are some answers to common questions about federal rules for everyone from hobbyists to professional photographers. Q: Do I need to register my drone with the Federal Aviation Administration? A: Yes. Any drone that weighs more than .55 pounds must be registered with the FAA, which means pretty much all drones. Q: Can I register my drone online? A: Yes, visit: https://registermyuas.faa.gov/ Q: If my drone weighs more than 55 pounds, can I still register with the FAA online? A: No. Registering such heavyweights requires a filing by paper. Information about how to do that is available at this FAA link: https://registermyuas.faa.gov/ Q: What happens if I don't register my drone with the federal government? A: "You will be subject to civil and criminal penalties if you meet the criteria to register an unmanned aircraft and do not register," according to the FAA's website. Q: Which means what, exactly? A: Failure to register a drone can lead to civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties can mean fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to three years, according to the FAA. Q: How do I contact the FAA with registration questions or problems? A: By email at UASregistration@faa.gov or by phone at 877-396-4636. Q: What's this about needing a pilot's license to fly a drone? Is that true? A: Kind of true. Hobbyists don't need a license to operate a drone -- but, of course, they must operate within the law, such as avoiding airports. But the rules are different for those who use drones professionally, such as photographers capturing images of Realtors' listings, or farmers using drones to check on crops. Under FAA regulations that took effect Aug. 29, 2016 under the drone rule -- known as Part 107 -- such drone operators must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate. To receive a Remote Pilot Certificate, you must pass an Aeronautical Knowledge Test administered at an FAA-approved testing center, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said. Q: Are there any FAA-approved testing centers to take the Aeronautical Knowledge Test in Western Massachusetts? A: There are. According to a list of such locations around the country provided by the FAA communications office, there are locations in Westfield and Northampton: Westfield Flight Academy, 111 Airport Road, 413-568-5800; Northampton Aeronautics Inc., 160 Old Ferry Road, 413-584-7980. Q: How much does it cost to get a remote pilot certificate? A: Testing centers charge about $150, according to the FAA. Q: Having to visit an FAA-approved testing center to get a Remote Pilot Certificate seems like a hassle -- but is it true the process used to be even more complicated? A: Yes. Before the new FAA drone rules took effect Aug. 29 professional drone users had to obtain a pilot's license. The update has made it faster and simpler for such drone operators to get flying, Peters said. Q: So I take the Aeronautical Knowledge Test. Do I get the Remote Pilot Certificate the same day? A: That's unclear. According to the FAA: "It may take up to 48 hours for the website to record you passed the test. We expect to validate applications within 10 days. You will then receive instructions for printing a temporary airman certificate, which is good for 120 days. We will mail you a permanent Remote Pilot Certificate within 120 days." Q: What if I fail the Aeronautical Knowledge Test? Can I retake the test? A: You can retake the test after 14 days. Q: How do I know where it is OK to fly a drone, and where it is not OK to fly? A: The FAA has developed a free smartphone app called B4UFLY to help drone operators know whether there are any restrictions or requirements where they want to fly. For additional guidance, visit the FAA's "Where to Fly" page Q: Can media outlets use drones equipped with cameras to gather news? A: Freedom of the press is a foundation of the republic, as solidified in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But while the media can use drones in carrying out coverage, conditions apply. Unless granted a previous exemption, news outlets under the new drone rules can request a waiver to permit the flying of drones over people -- but they must show steps are being taken to ensure public safety, the FAA said. Q: Where's my stuff? That is: Does the FAA permit package delivery by drone? A: Technically, yes -- but practically, not really, yet (sorry, Amazon and UPS). The new drone rules that took effect Aug. 29 supposedly permit the use of drones to deliver packages, but only if certain requirements are met. The operator must maintain visual line of sight with the drone, and such transport is limited to "wholly within the bounds of a state." That pretty much thwarts the speed and distance capabilities of drones. And perhaps with good cause, since public safety issues related to the prospect of numerous package-toting drones buzzing around the skies at differing elevations have yet to be worked out. Looking for more tips, or information on types of drones? The consumer electronics site GeekWrapped has a guide >> Actor Patrick J. Adams attends the Patrick J. Adams Exhibition Opening of 'SUITS' Gallery at 402 West 13th Street on January 22, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) (Photo : Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) The "Suits" Season 6 finale played out a lot of different things that lead to questions about the characters' fates in "Suits" Season 7. Most importantly, Mike Ross is now out of prison and has secured a license to practice law. He is no longer a fraud and can legitimately work as a lawyer, thus, completing this crucial chapter on the show. While this may seem like a reasonable way to wrap up "Suits" Season 6, showrunner Aaron Korsh teases that there's still more to come in the next season. Advertisement Mike and Rachel are now the newly-minted lawyers at Pearson Specter Litt, which is now headed by Harvey. It can be recalled that Mike and Rachel were supposed to get married in "Suits" Season 5, but Mike later decided to cancel the wedding because he did not want to tie Rachel up in a leash while he stayed in prison. This time, Mike is free and is no longer on the run. He is not hiding anything anymore, which means there is probably nothing that could get in the way of his tying the knot with Rachel. There are speculations that the couple is going to get married in "Suits" Season 7. Although he has not read the script, actor Patrick J. Adams says he anticipates happier times for Mike and Rachel in "Suits" Season 7. "They've both been chasing their dreams and had to overcome a huge amount of hardships and endure what most couples would not be able to survive," Adams tells Yahoo. "Come Season 7, again I have no idea, but it would be fun to explore those feelings now that we're out from under the weight of the secrets." Meanwhile, the show is definitely moving forward with a whole new perspective on the story. Harvey is now head of the firm and there are questions as to how he and Mike will work together now that the latter is a full-pledged lawyer at Pearson Specter Litt. Moreover, "Suits" Season 6 won't be the last time we are seeing Jessica. Gina Torres and USA Network recently agreed to do a "Suits" spinoff centering on Jessica Pearson's life. On the other hand, Korsh tells TVLine that he is hopeful Torres will still pop up on "Suits" every now and then in a guest-star capacity. Researchers spotted nearly double the number of great white sharks off Cape Cod in 2016 as in 2014, appearing to confirm an upward trend in the frightening predator's presence in Massachusetts waters. Aerial spotters located 147 of the sharks in summer 2016 -- a slight uptick from the number seen in 2015 and far more than the 80 seen in 2014, reports the Associated Press. Greg Skomal, a senior scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and the state's top shark expert, told The AP that although the sharks are pursuing seals, a primary food source, it nonetheless constitutes a "a public safety issue" for Cape municipalities. "How long does it stay and where does it go are the questions we're trying to answer," Skomal said. Funded by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the study of great white movements has resulted in the tagging of more than 100 of the animals. Skomal said increasing numbers of small, juvenile sharks indicate the "population is rebuilding." 2016 marked a record year in shark bites recorded worldwide, with 107 reported. Eight people were killed, versus nine in 2015. Analysts attributed the higher number of bites not to more sharks but rather more people in the water. Higher temperatures and cheaper fuel costs drew more swimmers to more beaches. Florida led all states in shark bites, with 34. A 2012 shark attack in Truro resulted in the victim requiring 47 stitches and surgery, and a shark attacked but did not bite two women off Plymouth in 2014. There hasn't been a fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936. Orleans natural resources manager told the AP the town plans to exercise more caution regarding potentially dangerous marine life due to the study. "The fact that they have an eye on the situation from the air is crucial," he said. "If they spot a shark in the swimming area, we'll close the beach." HOLYOKE -- Freedom of the press specialists say that while the city's drone ordinance may be intended to protect privacy, it ignores the First Amendment right of news gathering and generally fails to safeguard the public interest. "Journalists, and everyone else for that matter, have a right to gather information in public," said Derigan Silver, an associate professor at the University of Denver in Colorado who specializes in internet and media law. Under the Holyoke ordinance, passed in September 2016, drone use is permitted in the city -- but only if the user obtains written consent from the owner of the land where they intend to fly. That condition, which applies to both private property and public spaces like city streets and parks, is one that some consider onerous. Silver said that unless someone can obviously claim that they have a legitimate expectation of privacy -- such as if they are in their home -- use of a drone that happens to include them in a photograph n a public space does not constitute legal harm, meaning an injury, loss or damage, under the First Amendment. And Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition of Westborough, added that people have a right to document the world around them. "The first question I have is, where does news-gathering fit into this ordinance? It's not clear. ... I believe a citizen should be allowed to use drones in a safe manner to document what is going on in the community," Silverman said. The Holyoke ordinance focused on privacy such as for homeowners, but the popularity of drones -- flying robots often equipped with cameras -- is exploding just beyond the backyard fence: "Combined total hobbyist and commercial UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) sales are expected to rise from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million in 2020," according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Over 9 million drones were sold worldwide in 2016, according to The New York Times. Drones are available at Walgreens, Barnes & Noble, Brookstone at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and other stores, and sales soared during the 2016 Christmas season. "Suddenly, there are drones everywhere," The Economist reported a year ago. And with such widespread availability comes concerns communities are struggling to address. But it would be wrong to say that among those concerns is that the Holyoke drone ordinance imperils First Amendment rights, said Holyoke City Council president Kevin A. Jourdain, who proposed the ordinance. "No one is a stronger defender of the First Amendment than me," said Jourdain, a lawyer. "Flying drones or otherwise entering upon the private property of other people without their permission does not implicate the First Amendment," Jourdain said. "Moreover, similar regulations to the ones that have been adopted in Holyoke are being adopted in other communities and by the Federal Aviation Administration." Since federal rules regulate commercial drones, the city ordinance is intended to provide guidance for use of hobby drones, Jourdain said. It is limited to drones that weigh less than 55 pounds and fly below 400 feet. Operators are required to maintain line of sight with the drone at all times, are limited to flying during daylight hours and are prohibited from photographing or recording video footage of residents on their properties or on public property without consent. Police enforce the drone ordinance, with the first offense bringing a written warning, the second a fine of $100, the third a fine of $200 and subsequent offenses fines of $300. The council established the drone ordinance with a 13-0 vote on Sept. 6. Mayor Alex B. Morse neither signed it nor vetoed it, leaving the ordinance to take effect after 10 days. Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin said the city essentially was declaring that the only place in Holyoke where it's legal to use a drone -- short of acquiring written permission -- is above the user's own property. Also, McGiverin said, a practical question about enforcing the elevation part of an ordinance for an object in the open sky: "Who's measuring when you're out there?" Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said that while councilors did not seek his input before passing the regulations, his officers will do their best to enforce them. "I believe the City Council is doing its best to anticipate future challenges and privacy concerns that our community may face as technologies advance which may lead to greater usages of unmanned aerial vehicles," Neiswanger said. As of Feb. 20, police had received no drone-related calls or complaints since the city adopted the ordinance, Officer Caron L. Porter said in an email. Chicopee, meanwhile, also is considering adopting an ordinance of its own. "I think we are close to coming up with something that is as realistic as possible," Chicopee Councilor James Tillotson said. Drones and the news The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution were ratified by the states in 1791, known collectively as the Bill of Rights and enshrined as the bedrock of the republic. The First Amendment guarantees free speech and freedom of the press. So imagine this, Silver said: A city councilor gets stopped for drunken driving on a public street. "Can you not take that person's picture from a drone? That would seem to seriously inhibit news gathering and might leave the ordinance open to a First Amendment challenge," he said, adding that the ordinance is an example of an "overbroad" law. He continued: "It prohibits too much for what it is trying to accomplish. A better law would only bar the photographing of individuals who have a 'legitimate expectation of privacy' and would carve out a space for the gathering of information related to topics that are legitimately newsworthy." The "legitimate expectation of privacy" standard generally has held that if someone is visible from public property -- such as being in view in a driveway to someone standing on a public street -- they can be photographed for news purposes. But that is among the questions being raised by the proliferation of drones. If a drone can conceivably offer a view into a person's fenced-in yard, which is otherwise hidden from the vantage point of a public street, does the "legitimate expectation of privacy" still apply? That brings up another constitutional question -- this one regarding the Fourth Amendment, which guarantees the right against "unreasonable searches and seizures." Indeed, said Kathy Roberts Forde, associate professor of journalism at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, the legal environment surrounding drone use is unsettled. "On the one hand, news organizations have the First Amendment right to gather news -- and drones, used properly, can be used to gather news," she said. "On the other hand, we all have Fourth Amendment privacy and property rights that drones, used improperly, can violate." There are other complex legal considerations, too. She continued: "FAA drone rules are concerned with safety. State and local drone laws typically have more to do with privacy. About half of all states have drone laws, but only a few of these have exceptions for news gathering. That's a problem, from a free speech and press perspective." North Carolina has carved out an exemption in its drone regulations permitting journalists to gather legitimate newsworthy information, said Silver, who noted that doesn't appear to be the case with the Holyoke ordinance. "Does the use of one of these devices invade someone's legitimate expectation of privacy? It is unclear. However, (the Holyoke) ordinance seems to go even further than that and outlaw the gathering of information even when an individual is in public. That is very problematic," Silver said. The North Carolina regulations, in his view, strike an appropriate balance. While the state prohibits using drones to photograph someone without his or her consent -- and prohibits the distribution of such images -- the law allows the use of drones in the course of news reporting, and to gather images and video at "newsworthy events, or events or places to which the general public is invited," Silver explained. "That would do what I think (the Holyoke) ordinance does not do," Silver said. Drafters of drone regulations in general, perhaps, should build a public interest acknowledgement into the rules because drones clearly can be used to gather information that benefits the community, said Silverman, of the New England First Amendment Coalition. "It's a really interesting topic and I think it's going to come up more and more," Silverman said. Striking a balance Reader Jason Broyles of Bristol, Connecticut contacted The Republican by email to say he felt the Holyoke City Council exceeded its authority with the drone ordinance. The council also put police in a tough spot by requiring officers to determine whether to issue a citation, he said. "An analysis of 'reasonable expectation of privacy' must be required in each circumstance in order to prevent government interference with constitutionally protected activity," Broyles wrote. Jourdain said the Holyoke drone ordinance is the city's reasonable response to a proliferating technology, abiding by both First Amendment and privacy rights. "The law protects Holyoke residents and property owners from individuals who would fly drones over their property without their consent. It also protects our citizens in our public spaces and public buildings such as flying them over schools or sporting events, etc. The First Amendment is in no way infringed by this ordinance," Jourdain said. "This ordinance strikes a very good balance between people who enjoy these devices and those who could become the potential victims of their abuse by a limited few," he said. The Republican asked Jourdain: What is the difference between a resident who photographs a public park or street from a third-floor window -- with the resulting photograph showing people who have not given their consent -- and someone who uses a drone, flying at the exact same height, to photograph exactly the same scene, showing exactly the same people? "Big difference," Jourdain said. "You are not on our property in the building scenario. Property includes 400 feet of air space above the property. People are welcome to take photos from their property all they wish but we do not want people flying these over sporting events, public schools, police and fire stations, etc. without our prior consent. This is a safety and privacy matter." But the proliferation of state- and municipal-level rules regarding air space threatens to give rise to the very patchwork effect the FAA was created to avoid. That concern is outlined in an FAA drone fact sheet, which says state and local regulations raise "substantial air safety issues." "If one or two municipalities enacted ordinances regulating UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) in the navigable airspace and a significant number of municipalities followed suit, fractionalized control of the navigable airspace could result," the document states. It continues: "A navigable airspace free from inconsistent state and local restrictions is essential to the maintenance of a safe and sound air transportation system." Silver said such a patchwork of local laws about how drones can and cannot be used also creates obstacles for journalists trying to navigate the regulations to avoid liability. And drone laws like the Holyoke ordinance are getting established despite the protections of existing privacy laws, he said -- describing such laws as "a solution in search of a problem" and questioning whether they are necessary. "Any individual whose privacy is truly invaded in a highly offensive manner by either a drone hobbyist or a drone journalist already has a remedy under the law," Silver said. Reporter Jeanette Deforge contributed to this story. HOLYOKE -- Overnight, Erin Brunelle and Jeffrey Byrnes said, the city made it more difficult for them to do their jobs -- all because of concerns about flying robots. Brunelle is a Realtor who hires Byrnes, a photographer, to use his camera-equipped drone to fly over properties and obtain superior views of homes and other properties to help in presenting them for sale. But the City Council on Sept. 6 established an ordinance requiring drone operators to get written consent from the owner of any property they intend to fly over -- whether public or private -- or risk fines up to $300. "This ordinance is bureaucratic nonsense," Brunelle said. "We are being hired by a client to shoot their property. There is no harm to neighbors. "To need written permission is simply not necessary. Drone users already have to register their equipment. They are producing drones as toys now. Are you going to tell every parent who gets their kids a small drone for Christmas they have to get permission from their neighbors to fly it?" she said. While a real estate client may have already given permission for a drone flight over their property, an operator might need to hover over a neighboring property -- such as a yard or a public street or sidewalk -- to obtain the desired angles. Under the ordinance, that would require getting permission from every property owner that could be in the operator's flight path during the job. "Absolutely, the city's ordinance has affected me," Byrnes said. "It affects all drone operators. ... We are now subject to being stopped while working and could face some sort of police presence to diffuse any questions of legality and or issues of privacy that may come up." No longer confined to science fiction, drones capable of shooting still images and recording video are increasingly being used commercially, as well as by hobbyists. The spread of drones explains the need for the ordinance to regulate them, according to Holyoke City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain. "The law protects Holyoke residents and property owners from individuals who would fly drones over their property without their consent," Jourdain wrote in an email. "It also protects our citizens in our public spaces and public buildings such as flying them over schools or sporting events, etc." The ordinance was well conceived, he argues. The City Council held public hearings as the drone ordinance was drafted, and the city Law Department reviewed the ordinance. State aviation officials were consulted and the ordinance is consistent with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, he said. "City government is expected to protect its residents and must keep up with new and emerging technologies. Drones are everywhere now and can be purchased at every toy store. This ordinance strikes a very good balance between people who enjoy these devices and those who could become the potential victims of their abuse by a limited few," said Jourdain, a lawyer. Drones -- also known as UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles -- are a staple in commercial uses because of their speed, distance capabilities and maneuverability. Farmers use drones to monitor far-flung crops. Contractors use them to scan exteriors of tall buildings. Airlines use them to inspect aircraft and rail firms use them to scope out transportation networks. Oil giant Shell uses drones in large energy plants to get images of hard-to-reach spots like tall towers or underneath oil rigs, because it is safer -- and more efficient -- than sending people, according to techworld.com. News outlets including The Republican and MassLive.com have used drone footage, such as images from Byrnes' drone when the former Essex House hotel collapsed here on High Street in 2014. And of course Amazon, along with UPS and other delivery companies, vow to make shipment by drones routine. In real estate, Brunelle said drone use is growing, making Holyoke's ordinance an obstacle. "Especially for rural properties, if you don't feature aerial photography now you are not doing your duty to properly market the property," she said. Brunelle has been using drone footage of properties to help clients for about three years and uses such footage for a majority of her listings, she said. "By using a drone and having aerial footage, you are able to feature the property in a whole new way. You are able to capture the grounds in a way you couldn't showcase before, especially with the video footage we use. We even use the drone on the interior when possible," she said. Drones have become a routine part of real estate trade shows and are on the minds of Massachusetts Realtors, said Eric D. Berman, spokesman for the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS. In a survey in October of 800 members, the association found that nearly 48 percent of Massachusetts Realtors said they had never used drone footage for listings, but were considering it. Nineteen percent said they use drones regularly. The remaining 32 percent said they don't plan on using drone footage at all, he said. "It gives them an opportunity to show a house in a way they can't otherwise show. This is something that Realtors have talked about and we've been getting questions about. Realtors are always looking for new and creative ways" to market properties, Berman said. Byrnes said he uses drones for about 35 percent of his work and incorporated the flying cameras into his repertoire nearly three years ago. The technology allows him to "capture the impossible," he said. "It's not just about angles and altitude -- it's about thinking in motion and imagining a photograph that otherwise wouldn't be possible. I rely on the technology that helps power and create images to think outside of the box and problem-solve from a remote position," Byrnes said. "The only police 'enforcement' that I have encountered is when an officer stops and either expresses an interest or makes a whimsical comment about drones," he said. "Cops love them, city councilors do not." massmedicalsociety.jpg (SUBMITTED) The Massachusetts Medical Society does not support House Republicans' efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act, saying in a message similar to that of other comparable groups, it "strongly opposes the American Health Care Act." Dr. James S. Gessner, president of the Waltham-based society, said the proposed legislation to replace the federal government's health care law will mean "patients here in the commonwealth and across the country will fall through the cracks." "Under the American Health Care Act, patients here in the commonwealth and across the country will fall through the cracks - and the patients who will be most impacted are also the most vulnerable," said Gessner in a statement released March 10. His statement criticized the proposed legislation's intent to end Medicaid expansion, something 21 states, as well as the District of Columbia, did with increases in federal monies under the ACA, as well as individual subsidies for the purchase of insurance and to allocate federal Medicaid funding on a per person, rather than percentage of costs, basis. "Although we do not know exactly how many thousands of people would be impacted, it is clear that by placing a cap on federal Medicaid funding, the bill would force many low-income people in the commonwealth to lose their health coverage," said Gessner, "Even more beneficiaries would lose Medicaid permanently under the punitive provision that prevents patients from re-enrolling after a break in eligibility. People with inconsistent incomes, for example seasonal workers, would lose the coverage they need in financially challenging times." In his statement Gessner also "thanked" Massachusetts House Democratic Representatives Richard Neal and Joseph Kennedy for "their ongoing support" for the ACA that has reduced the number of uninsured in the country to nine percent, an historic low. Neal is the the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, and he has questioned whether the proposed legislation is a tax cut bill or a health care bill in its substitution of age- and income-related tax credits for ACA's federal subsidies. Gessner said such subsidies have helped low- and moderate-income consumers purchase policies on the state exchanges and without them "many residents who have been able to afford reliable health care coverage would no longer be able to do so." "Not only does this force many working Americans to live without the regular access to care - such as regular checkups and early diagnoses - that can prevent higher long-term costs, it also takes away their peace of mind," Gessner's statement said. He called of "signficant concern" the proposed legislation's "abolishment" of a fund that he said has provided money for a number of health issues, including opioid prescription monitoring in Massachusetts. "Of significant concern is the abolishment of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides the Commonwealth with an estimated $18 million earmarked for strategies to protect and promote the well-being of our residents," Gessner said in the release. "This fund allows important work in response to public health crises, such as the recent Zika virus outbreak, and efforts to combat preventable chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. It funds life-saving vaccines for both children and adults in need. And, of particular importance in Massachusetts, funds from this program are dedicated to addressing the ongoing opioid crisis by supporting providers in their efforts to monitor and control opioid prescribing." The statement added, "As physicians, members of the MMS know what happens when our patients do not benefit from comprehensive coverage and preventive efforts: people become sicker, our communities suffer, and overall health care costs rise as early diagnosis and treatment are replaced by acute care response." "The ACA has helped to create a system that promotes well-being and peace of mind for our neighbors in need. That's why the Massachusetts Medical Society continues to support the Affordable Care Act, and why we are opposed to the American Health Care Act," Gessner said in the release. The American Medical Association, which represents the country's doctors, as well as the American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association and the Catholic Health Association have also come out in opposition to the proposed legislation. Katarina.jpg Katarina Bitterman went missing for several days before being discovered in Salem. (Parma Police Department) An Ohio girl who had been missing since March 4 was discovered last week unharmed living with a man in Salem. According to a press release from the City of Parma, Ohio, 17-year-old Katarina Bitterman was staying with a 19-year-old man, who authorities later arrested. ABC News 5, in Cleveland, reported that Bitterman was last seen Saturday afternoon, around 2:30 p.m walking around town. Police and family members attempted to call her but were unable to reach her. Parma police detectives collaborated with FBI agents from Cleveland and Boston to locate Bitterman. After authorities in Ohio tracked Bitterman to the home in Salem, FBI agents in Boston conducted the arrest last Friday. The 19-year-old male will most likely be extradited to face charges in Ohio, police said. The family thanked the public for their support. Sheila Levesque was found suffering from fatal stab wounds by her 9-year-old daughter who awoke after hearing her mother's cries for help. The 9-year-old was one of five children at home asleep the night Levesque was attacked. A sixth child was not home. Now 29 years later, Malden police and the Middlesex County district attorney's office are still searching for answers in Levesque's killing. Sheila Levesque was fatally stabbed on March 12, 1988. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden police are still searching for answers in the killing. "It has been 29 years since Sheila Levesque was murdered. At the time of her tragic death she left behind six young children," Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis said in a statement. "The Malden Police Department never forgets its duty and obligation to those whose lives have been taken away and to the loved ones of those victims. We remain hopeful that some member of the public will provide us with information that will result in solving this murder." Police responded to the Levesque residence on Sammett Street just before 1 a.m. on March 12, 1988. Officers found Levesque suffering from several stab wounds. She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and pronounced dead around 3:30 p.m. "We know from our investigation that there were multiple people in the vicinity of the victim's home when the stabbing occurred," Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said. "If any member of the public may have seen or heard something, no matter how small or insignificant it may have appeared at the time, we urge them to come forward. The most seemingly insignificant details can often be what makes a difference in solving a crime." No one has been charged in the killing. But officials hope that the public can come forward with information. State Police and Malden Police Department continue to follow up leads in the case, which remains an open and active investigation, Ryan's office said in a statement. Anyone with information about Levesque's killing can call State Police at 781-897-6600 or Malden Police at 781-397-7171. 313 holyoke ax.jpg Holyoke police on the scene of a pedestrian accident on Lower Westfield Road. A Holyoke man is in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center. The road has since reopened, police said. (Patrick Johnson / The Republican) HOLYOKE - The pedestrian seriously injured in a 5 a.m. accident on Lower Westfield Road near the Interstate 91 northbound entrance is listed in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, according to Holyoke police. The accident closed a section of Lower Westfield Road under I-91 for several hours while police investigated the accident scene. It has since been reopened, said Holyoke Police Lt. Larry Cournoyer. The injured man is a Holyoke resident. His name was not being disclosed to the press. Preliminary information indicates that the male pedestrian was walking along the south side of Lower Westfield Road and was crossing the traffic lane from the I-91 exit from the northbound lane when he was struck. He was taken by ambulance to Baystate with serious injuries. The driver of the car that hit him stayed at the scene. 11th Shanghai International Film Festival 2008 - Opening Ceremony (Photo : Getty Images) Two months after she gave birth to a baby in January, 41-year-old Taiwanese actress Ruby Lin is set to return to the klieg lights with a new drama My Boy where she would be the female lead and producer. Under Pressure The seventh most popular celebrity in Weibo wth 74.49 million followers, Ruby Lin is known for her role in My Fair Princess and was last seen in the drama The Way We Were where she also doubled as producer and actress. Because her last project was a commercial hit, Ruby Lin admits she is under pressure to make another drama that is well received, although she said it is an internal pressure and not from the public, Toggle reported. Advertisement Her co-star in the upcoming project is Taiwanese actor Derek Chang with whom she met twice. Since Derek Chang is only 24, the drama would be a May-December affair. Ruby Lin said that Derek Chang fits the role because he is both boyish and manly. When he learned that he landed the role which he considered a dream one since the watched Ruby Lin in Apply in Your Eye Derek Chang yelled out of joy even if he was in his dentists clinic. He considers it a getting the role a dream-come-true, but admits feeling nervous working with Ruby Lin when filming begins in May. Canned Movie Meanwhile, a canned movie featuring Ruby Lin, The Devotion of Suspect X got a March 31 release date in North America, Australia and New Zealand. Distributed by China Lion Film Distribution and directed by The Left Ear director Alec Su, the Chinese-language movie is based on an award-winning novel by Keigo Higashino which is about a professor who helps in a murder probe, but found out that a friend and longtime rival from his university days could be involved. There is a Japanese and Korean version of the novel with the same title, winner of the Naoki Prize for Best Novel. It was also nominated for the Edgar Award and Barry Award. Wang Kai essays the role of the professor and Zhang Luyi is his longtime rival, Deadline Hollywood reported. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is faced with the decision of choosing between China and the U.S. (Photo : Getty Images) The Foreign Studies University in Beijing held a conference recently on "China, the U.S., and Australia Relations in the Trump Era." China-Australia relations were examined by foreign relations experts and members of the Chinese and Australian academe. The conference also formalized the "blue book", or an annual report showing the progress of Chinese and Australian trade. Advertisement However, Australia is trying to keep a delicate balance with relating to China and at the same time, keeping good ties with the U.S. China holds the majority of investments in Australia. According to the Lowy Institute for Foreign Policy, "Australia-China relations are characterized by strong trade bonds." The experts added, "China is Australia's largest trading partner, while Australia is a leading source of resources for China. More recent trends show that Australian exports are now expanding well beyond the resource sector." However, Australian opposition to Chinese investments in the country is causing tension. According to a poll made by the Lowy Institute, a majority of Australians think that there are too many Chinese investments in the country. The Lowy Institute for Foreign Policy posted on their website, "There are questions around how Australia balances its alliance commitments against its economic dependence on China." Chinese experts believe that Australia must choose to side with China because there is more to be gained from this than siding with the U.S. Han Feng, a professor of international strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that because of Trump's anti-China position, many countries now are forced to make adjustments in their respective foreign policies. He said, "because the Turnbull government is weak, it needs to build good relations with great powers to help it domestically." "The U.S. remains the base for Australia's global influence, and will maintain its military dominance for 20 years, although Trump requires such allies to share the security burden," he added. Bud Moore spent much more time in the mountains than he did in school. The man who reached eighth grade at the one-room Woodside Elementary School in six years went on to retire as the chief of fire and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service with an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Montana. He learned from running traplines in the Bitterroot Mountains, leading U.S. Marines through World War II battles, fighting forest fires throughout the Rocky Mountains and embracing contradictions all the way. ROB CHANEY [email protected] Full Story: http://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/a-creature-of-wilderness-documentary-recounts-remarkable-life-of-bud/article_e10bd913-76e2-5167-a3a7-122d81742eee.html The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce is the longest-standing and leading advocate for the Flathead Valley community and business climate. Pakistani fishermen are now selling fish to China, thanks to the new Silk Road. (Photo : Getty Images) China's regional governments are rushing to get projects under the One Belt, One Road initiative or the new Silk Road project. Many of these regional officials are pitching ideas like building super connectors, construction of homes and museums. Advertisement These officials do not belong in the 18 listed provinces included in the project and said that they can contribute to the strategy of developing the silk road. Tang Limin, secretary-general of central Sichuan Province, said, "Our party secretary, mayor, vice-mayor have all visited One Belt One Road countries like Poland and the Czech Republic, even parts of the Russian Federation like Tatarstan." "We have a lot of cooperation projects that come under One Belt One Road," he added. Even the delegate from Hong Kong, Chan Yung, said that the region plans to contribute to the initiative. He said, "We have people who can be 'super-connectors and superpartners'. Hong Kong's youth are very open as long as they're willing to fork out 1-3 years to travel the One Belt One Road routes and stay in a country for 1-2 years, they can become experts." The delegate from the Shaanxi Province said that they planning to develop the area as a cultural heritage site to promote the country's historic Terracotta Army. Private companies are also submitting proposals for infrastructure development. Yan Lijuan, a delegate from the province and top executive at XCMG Construction Machinery, said that the interest on OBOR reaches the private sector as well. He said, "In the coastal province of Jiangsu, the fervor is not restricted to the provincial authority but reaches down to lower tiers of government and corporate China." An American company, Fitch Ratings, however, believes that the initiative will be unsuccessful. Based on a report that they recently released, China is merely using the initiative to gain influence but not build solid infrastructure in the project areas. A statement from the company said, "The lack of commercial imperatives behind OBOR projects means that it is highly uncertain whether future project returns will be sufficient to fully cover repayments to Chinese creditors." Scarlett Johansson attends the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo : Theo Wargo/Getty Images) In a surprising turn of events, "Avengers" star Scarlett Johansson has filed for divorce from her art curator husband Romain Dauriac. The couple had been married for three years. The divorce filing does not have any precedence, and Dauriac himself is just as shocked as everybody else. Advertisement Johansson filed for divorce from Dauriac in a New York City court on March 7, citing that the marriage was "irretrievably broken." According to The Washington Post, although the couple maintained a squeaky clean image during the months prior to the divorce, it turns out that Johansson and Dauriac had been living separately since summer of 2016. The filing came as a huge surprise to Dauriac, especially since they had no intention of making their separation a public spectacle. Prior to Johansson's filing, Dauriac and the actress were in the middle of private discussions about the divorce, The Daily Mail reported. The Frenchman reportedly wants to keep the divorce out of the court and do out-of-court negotiations instead. Aside from the divorce proceedings, the now estranged couple is embroiled in a heated custody battle over their daughter, Rose. Johansson is seeking joint custody of the child but wants Rose to live with her. Dauriac's lawyer says his client also wants custody of Rose, especially since he has been her "primary parent" while Johansson worked on her movies. Dauriac wants Rose to live with him in France, but Johansson will still have "access to her daughter" anytime she wants to come to Paris. According to Dauriac's lawyer, Dauriac is "tired of having to run his life and his child's life based on Ms. Johansson's shooting schedule." On the other hand, the "Ghost in the Shell" actress wants to keep things private and comments that she will never ever be commenting on the divorce in the media. "Out of respect for my desires as a parent and out of respect for all working moms, it is with kindness that I ask other parties involved and the media to do the same," the actress addressed the public. Johansson and Dauriac first started dating in November 2012 and got engaged in September 2013. They tied the knot on Oct. 1, 2014. A McDowell County sex offender previously convicted in 2004 is facing new charges, authorities said Monday. Detective Jason Grindstaff of the McDowell County Sheriffs Office charged Christopher Scott McEntire, 44, of 84 Camp Creek Road in Old Fort, with six counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. It is alleged that McEntire had inappropriate sexual contact with a 12-year-old male acquaintance on multiple occasions earlier this year. The Sheriffs Office received the case on a referral from the McDowell County Department of Social Services. McEntire is already a registered sex offender, having been convicted of five counts of second-degree sex offense in McDowell County in January 2004 after reportedly molesting two children in his care between March 2001 and June 2002. He was sentenced to 7 to 10 years in prison and was released and registered as a sex offender in May 2010. McEntire received a $90,000 bond. China will build a 5,600-mile national park to conserve the Amur tiger and leopard. (Photo : Getty Images) China's green revolution is pushing forward as the government approved plans to build a national park to conserve the Amur leopard and the Siberian tiger. Both animals are close to extinction. The park will be found at the Jilin and Heilongjiang Provinces and will be 60 percent bigger that the Yellowstone National Park, the biggest conservation park to date. Advertisement The park is slated to open in 2020 and will be a sanctuary for big cats. The Amur leopard and Siberian tiger are found at the boundary of Russia and China. Dale Miquelle, a conservationist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, said that the new park will be one of the biggest in the world and shows promise for the big cats' dying breed. He said, "China's commitment represents an extremely important step in recovering both subspecies in northeast Asia." There are only close to 30 species of Amur tigers and leopards left. Losses were caused by encroaching roads, deforestation and climate change. The cats were also found in South Korea but were declared non-existent in the mid-1900s. They are now mostly found in the northeastern part of Russia. Around the same period, there were only less than five Amur tigers found in China. The Hunchun Tiger Leopard Nature Reserve was built in 2002 and logging was banned in the area. The numbers of the Amur leopards then increased to 12 in China and 60 in Russia. There are now more than 400 Amur tigers in Russia alone. The proposed national park should also remove the fear and losses of cattle and livelihood for the residents of Hunchun. There were reports from residents' cattle being eaten by tigers. People have stopped gathering mushroom in the mountains because of fear for their safety. The Jilin's Forestry Department spokesperson said that the government will "relocate some existing communities and factories from inside the national park area, so as to avoid conflicts between wildlife and human activities." Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued on Monday an official pardon for 203 prisoners who had received final prison sentences in protest-related cases. The pardons come upon the recommendation of the committee formed by the president in October 2016 to evaluate the cases of youths imprisoned in politically-related crimes. This is the second list of pardon recommendations the committee has submitted for presidential review in the past four months. In November 2016, El-Sisi approved the committee's recommendations to pardon 82 prisoners. "The prisoners [on the second list] have all received final verdicts in their cases, and are by and large students or individuals with critical health conditions," committee member Karim El-Sakka told Ahram Online. Those pardoned today include one woman; 114 prisoners aged between 17 and 35; 83 aged between 35 and 55; and six over 55. Khaled El-Balshy, a member of the Journalists Syndicate board and the head of its freedoms committee, told Ahram Online that "there are no journalists on this list of pardoned. The syndicate has submitted to the committee a list of about 30 journalists currently in prison." MP and member of the pardon committee Tarek El-Kholy told Ahram Arabic website that the committee is preparing a third list which will include preventative detention pending investigation, as well as outstanding cases in the first two lists. El-Kholy added that most of the prisoners to be released are convicted in protest, publishing, and expression related cases, and that "the committee excludes any Muslim Brotherhood members, whether or not they are involved in violence, as they pose a danger to society." In late October 2016, El-Sisi formed the committee to review the cases of those imprisoned in politically related crimes and others who meet certain other conditions, such as families who have more than one member in jail. Article 155 of the Egyptian constitution stipulates that the president has the power to issue a pardon or mitigate a final sentence after consulting with the cabinet. Many of those considered for pardon have been jailed under the controversial 2013 protest law, which has been widely criticised by local and international rights groups. The protest law requires those who want to organise peaceful demonstartions obtain a prior permit from the ministry of interior, and mandates fines and jail sentences of one to three years for violators. Thousands have been detained for violating the protest law since it was issued in November 2013. Egypt's 2014 constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful protest. In December 2016, Egypts Supreme Constitutional Court issued a ruling deeming unconstitutional Article 10 of the protest law, which permits the countrys interior minister to bar protests without court approval. The ruling also stated that those looking to organise street protests should only be obliged to notify authorities, not obtain prior approval. In January, the parliaments Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee approved a bill to amend the protest law in accordance with the Supreme Constitutional Court verdict. Search Keywords: Short link: Error 404 Not Found You may have mis-typed the URL. Or the page has been removed. Actually, there is nothing to see here... Click on the links below to do something, Thanks! Take Me our of here The State Council and Judges Club have also opposed the bill, which would see top judges selected by the president rather than by seniority, but parliament will have final say Egypt's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has rejected unanimously a draft bill that would grant the president the right to appoint the heads of the country's judiciary committees. The opinion of the seven-member council, which oversees the administrative affairs and appointments of the regular judiciary, is not binding on parliament, an MP involved in the bill told Ahram Online. After a meeting with parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee, which drafted the bill, the first deputy of Egypt's Court of Cassation and member of the SJC, Adel El-Shorbagy, said the council rejected the bill and was committed to the current selection of judicial committee heads based on seniority. The draft law, which was submitted for review in December, states that the president will select new heads from three candidates nominated by each council. According to El-Shorbagy the SJC will send a note to parliament with an official statement of their rejection of the draft law. The existing judicial authority law stipulates that the heads of judicial bodies are selected by existing councils based on "seniority" only. In December, the deputy head of the parliament's constitutional and legislative committee Ahmed Helmy El-Sherief submitted the bill to the State Council, the State Lawsuits Authority, and Administrative Prosecution, all of which would be affected by the changes in selection of heads. In February the State Council also rejected the law. El-Sherief on Sunday told Ahram Online that the committee is yet to receive the SJC's official notification of rejection. "We have already received the State Council's refusal, and we are waiting for a response from the Administrative Prosecution and the State Lawsuits Authority," El-Sherief said. He added that after the committee receives the three bodies' responses, they will hold a meeting to discuss next steps. "The committee has the right after receiving the official responses to pass the bill, reject it, or amend it," he said, adding that the committee has the final say on the issue. The Judges Club, a non-state association that includes many of the country's judges, said in December that it considers the draft law a major violation of Egypt's judicial system, saying it completely ignores seniority among judges, on the basis of which the heads of judicial council are appointed. Article 185 of Egypt's constitution stipulates that each judicial body or organisation shall be consulted in regards to the drafting of bills regulating its affairs. Search Keywords: Short link: by Sean Hargrave , Staff Writer, March 13, 2017 Are newspapers about to see their fortunes change? Their circulation and ad revenue figures have fallen off a cliff in recent times, particularly in local news. Yet WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has joined a chorus of voices within the UK's trade body, ISBA, for advertisers to address this. Writing in The Telegraph over the weekend, Sorrell pointed out that the sector is going through some very tough times, but even so, The New York Times and Washington Post have managed to increase their subscriber numbers. The fact that Jeff Bezos has bought the latter is a sure sign that print's days are far from numbered, Sorrell suggests. He also points to research from Newsworks, the UK's newspaper trade body, which claims the success of a campaign can be trebled if print is used. Reading a newspaper, he affirms, is far more engaging than flicking through a social media feed. Interestingly, he points to Group M, WPP's media agency, as being platform agnostic and always determined to highlight the importance of print in any campaign. The love for print is underscored by Sorrell referring to Google and Facebook "gobbling up" ad revenue, despite Facebook not counting video views accurately and Google doing little to provide a safe environment for brands to advertise in. A lack of action on ad fraud is also laid firmly at the doors of the American tech giants. It does leave you wondering -- if the most powerful man in advertising is so in love with print, why is it having such a hard time? If his media-buying arm is so dedicated to extolling the virtue of newspapers, why are their numbers not looking wonderful? Has the message not got through? Is that why Sorrell is choosing now to pen an opinion article in The Telegraph to redress the channel's slide in revenue and circulation figures? There is a lot of truth in what Sorrell says. Of course there is -- it would be hard to imagine a room where he isn't the smartest representative of adland. The accusations are accurately fired off at Facebook and Google, yet still they dominate the ad landscape. I attended The Festival Of Marketing last Autumn in London where Sorrell spoke candidly about the rise of Google and Facebook. There was time in his conversation to fire off his well-repeated line that he didn't trust Facebook being both player and referee on video metrics. The underlying feeling I came away with was that he was talking about witnessing the rise of these tech giants that are so dominating the digital media landscape as two massive machines hoovering up all revenue before them. For anyone who wants competition and choice in where they buy their media from, that cannot be a good thing. Without explicitly saying it, this appeared to be what was on Sorrell's mind. So it would be very easy to see what the highest-paid man in advertising -- and any boardroom in Britain -- has written over the weekend as an opportune pop at Google and Facebook. There certainly is a big part of what he is saying that could be explained away at Sorrell -- always a fan of a headline -- getting in the limelight to point out some home truths about the two dominant digital forces. However, there is also, I think a seismic shift here for a return to advertisers being able to spend money, safe in the knowledge that it would actually appear in front of human beings and not next to an extremist video. Sorrell take time in his opinion piece to reference Keith Weed from Unilever recently reiterating the need for transparency and safety in digital advertising. What better place for this than well-established newspapers with whom you can strike direct deals at scale, who offer reliable metrics and won't be carrying hate videos for your brand name to be seen as supporting? Love or leverage? I reckon it's both. If you read his weekend column in isolation, leverage would be the first thing that comes to mind. Here he is telling Google and Facebook there is another game in town. Combine it with knowing what he has been saying repeatedly over the past couple of years -- only this time much more vociferously -- and you can see Sorrell is tapping into a change in mentality at clients who realise too much budget has gone the way of Google and Facebook without advertisers being convinced on fraud and brand safety. Let's look at the figures in a year or so to see whether his words have been backed up by action and newspapers are enjoying a financial revival. That will be the test of whether the WPP boss truly means more advertisers should be putting more budget in to newspapers, in print and digital, or whether this weekend was nothing more than a dig at the big guys in digital to remind them a holding company has other options. by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, March 13, 2017 In a partial victory for civil rights advocates, Facebook said today that it will prohibit developers from using information about users for "surveillance." The move comes several months after the ACLU reported that Geofeedia was providing law enforcement with information about protesters obtained from their social media accounts, including their Instagram posts, tweets and comments posted to Facebook. Geofeedia was able to accomplish this by using automated tools available to developers, including Instagram's API, which gives developers location data for posts, and Facebook's "Topic Feed API," which offered public posts that mention specific topics, according to the ACLU. advertisement advertisement In one well-publicized example, Geofeedia helped police monitor protesters in Ferguson, Missouri after Michael Brown was fatally shot by police. Geofeedia reportedly was able to give police information about users' locations by using automated tools to access their social media posts. Geofeedia's access to Facebook was revoked last year, but the social networking service didn't explicitly prohibit developers from using its data to create monitoring mechanisms until today. The ACLU and other advocates had urged Facebook to go further and not only prohibit developers from facilitating surveillance, but also outlining a plan to enforce the ban. It's not clear from Facebook's move today whether the company has any plan to proactively keep tabs on developers' use of data, or whether it will wait to take action until outside groups like the ACLU uncover a violation. It's also worth noting that Facebook's latest move won't do anything to prevent police from demanding data related to protest. Just last week, it emerged that law enforcement authorities in Whatcom County, Washington demanded that Facebook provide a host of data about the Bellingham #NoDAPL Coalition page -- which is dedicated to protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline. The authorities are seeking information messages exchanged by group members, as well as data about anyone who interacted with the page between Feb. 4 and Feb. 15 -- a time frame that includes a Feb. 11 protest that stopped traffic. The ACLU is challenging that warrant in court. Fertility therapy failure may raise the risk of poor heart health for women, according to the results of a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Share on Pinterest Women who do not become pregnant after fertility treatment may be at greater risk of cardiovascular events, a new study finds. Researchers found that women who did not become pregnant after undergoing gonadotropin-based fertility therapy treatment often used in preparation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technologies were at greater risk of heart failure and stroke than those whose fertility therapy was successful. The research team led by Dr. Jacob Udell of the Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, and Womens College Hospital in Canada notes that previous studies have suggested a link between fertility therapy and a short-term risk of cardiovascular events. However, the researchers say that few studies have assessed the long-term impact of fertility therapy on heart health, especially among women whose fertility treatments have been unsuccessful. Failure of fertility therapy may be an early indicator of future cardiovascular risk by acting as a unique cardiometabolic stress test, says the authors. In addition, fertility therapy may lead to adverse cardiovascular events by inducing background thrombosis, activating the renin-angiotensin system or inducing vascular injury from ovarian hyperstimulation. To investigate how fertility treatment failure affects womens long-term heart health, the researchers reviewed the data of 28,442 women of an average age of 35. All women had undergone gonadotropin-based fertility therapy in Ontario, Canada, between April 1993 and March 2011, and they were followed until March 2015. The women had an average of three fertility treatments. In order to maintain health, the human immune system must distinguish between friend, or the tissues of the human body, and foe, or the invasive pathogens that cause disease. This challenge is particularly apparent in the human gut, where it is not just cells of the host, but also the trillions of bacteria that co-exist and work with them that must be treated as friendly. Now, a new study reveals one mechanism through which this delicate balance between promoting and inhibiting immune response is maintained. Share on Pinterest Researchers discovered the mechanism in surveillance cells of the immune system that promote immune tolerance toward friendly gut bacteria and show how inflammation of the gut (shown in image) results when the mechanism is disrupted. Image credit: Brocker group/LMU The study a collaboration between researchers in Germany and Italy is published in the journal Nature Communications. In their study paper, senior author Thomas Brocker, a professor and director of the Institute for Immunology at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich in Germany, and colleagues describe how they found one way in which immune surveillance cells are trained to spot the difference between friend and foe. Our guts are home to a complex community of more than 100 trillion microbial cells that play an important role in health and disease. These gut-resident microbes, or gut microbiota which with their genetic material are known as the gut microbiome influence metabolism, nutrition, and immune function. Scientists are discovering that disruption in the gut microbiota is linked to obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and other gastrointestinal disorders. It has also been suggested that obesitys effect on the gut microbiome may explain its strong link with type 2 diabetes. Others have likened the uniqueness of a persons gut microbiota to that of a DNA fingerprint, raising potential privacy concerns for participants of human microbiome research projects. The intestine has a high rate of cellular regeneration due to the wear and tear originated by its function degrading and absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste. The entire cell wall is renewed once a week approximately. This explains why the intestine holds a large number of stem cells in constant division, thereby producing new cell populations of the various types present in this organ. Researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) headed by ICREA investigator Eduard Batlle, head of the Colorectal Cancer Laboratory, have discovered a new group of intestinal stem cells with very different characteristics to those of the abundant and active stem cells already known in this organ. Performed in collaboration with the Centro Nacional de Analisis Genomico (CNAG-CRG), the study has been published in Cell Stem Cell. These new group of stem cells are quiescent, that is to say, they do not proliferate and are apparently dormant. The researchers describe them as a reservoir of stem cells - it is estimated that there is one quiescent cell for every 10 active intestinal stem cells. In healthy conditions, these cells have no apparent relevant function. However, they are important in situations of stress, , for example, after chemotherapy, in inflammatory processes, and in tissue infections - all conditions in which the population of "normal/active" stem cells is depleted. These quiescent cells would serve to regenerate the organ by giving rise to the various types of cells present in the intestine, renewing the population of "normal/active" stem cells, and restoring balance to the tissue. Eduard Batlle explains that the discovery of quiescent stem cells in the intestine reveals that stem cell biology is more complex that previously appreciated and that it does not follow ahierarchical model of cell organisation. "In intestinal cell hierarchy, there are no cells above others, so the two populations are in a continual balance to ensure the proper function of the organ". Most drugs against cancer have a secondary effect on the cells that are dividing in our tissues. "Because quiescent stem cells divide infrequently, they are resistant to many types of chemotherapy and they regenerate the tissue that this treatment has damaged," explains Eduard Batlle, head of one of the labs of international prestige in research into intestinal stem cells and their involvement in colorectal cancer. Quiescent cells are present in many kinds of tissue. However, in spite of their relevance in tissue regeneration, increasing evidence points to their involvement in tumour development. "It is difficult to study these cells, mainly because they are scarce and there are technical limitations with respect to monitoring, straining and distinguishing them from the others," explains Francisco Barriga, first author of the study and current postdoctoral fellow at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Using advanced techniques, such as genetic tracing of cell lineages and transcriptomic analysis of individual cells, performed by CNAG-CRG and the Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit at IRB Barcelona, the group has identified the distinct genetic programme used by quiescent stem cells with respect to normal intestinal ones. This work has been done over six years. The researchers have labelled this cell population with a specific marker, the Mex3a protein, which has allowed them to track it over time. "We intend to continue studying quiescent stem cells in health and disease and to discover the function of the genes that distinguish them in the colon and in other organs," says Batlle. Article: Mex3a Marks a Slowly Dividing Subpopulation of Lgr5+ Intestinal Stem Cells, Francisco M. Barriga, Elisa Montagni, Miyeko Mana, Maria Mendez-Lago, Xavier Hernando-Momblona , Marta Sevillano, Amy Guillaumet-Adkins,Gustavo Rodriguez-Esteban, Simon J. A. Buczacki, Marta Gut, Holger Heyn, Douglas J. Winton, Omer H. Yilmaz, Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini, Ivo Gut, and Eduard Batlle, Cell Stem Cell, doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2017.02.007, published online 9 March 2017. Concern about sexual activity is declining as a reason parents do not get their daughters the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, according to a research study presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology's 2017 Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer. Instead, according to a study presented by lead researcher Anna Beavis, MD, MPH, an SGO member and gynecologic oncologist fellow at Johns Hopkins University, parents continue to not see the vaccine as a necessity and are concerned about side effects and safety. The HPV vaccine, introduced in 2006, is used to prevent adolescents from contracting the HPV virus, which causes almost all cases of cervical cancer in women, as well as several other cancers. "With the new nine-valent vaccine, almost 90 percent of all cervical cancer could be prevented if all adolescents were vaccinated," Beavis said. "Yet unfortunately, vaccination rates in the U.S have lagged considerably behind those of other Westernized nations." The data presented compared the National Immunization Survey, or NIS-Teen, data, from 2010-2014, which reported on U.S. parents' responses to a question about why they did not vaccinate their daughters against HPV and did not intend to in the next 12 months. From 2010-2014, the top two reasons were the concerns regarding safety and side effects and the belief the vaccine is not necessary. Yet, the third most common reason, adolescents' lack of sexual activity, dropped as a reason for parents not vaccinating. According to the data, in 2010, 18 percent of parents reported adolescents lack of sexual activity a reason, but in 2014 it dropped to 9 percent. Prior literature has shown that physicians often delay or do not discuss HPV vaccination with parents because they feel they would also have to address sexual activity, Beavis said. Yet, the data shows that parents need to understand the necessity and safety as well as the benefits of cancer prevention. Additionally, the vaccine produces a stronger immune response in younger children, and thus only two shots instead of three are recommended if the vaccine is given to children under the age of 15. "Physicians should not be afraid to discuss the HPV vaccine with parents," Beavis said. "Our focus should be on cancer prevention." LONDON March 13, 2017 $4 million $8 million Malcolm Weir /PRNewswire/ --Heptares Therapeutics ("Heptares"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation ("Sosei"; TSE Mothers Index: 4565) announces that it has entered into a drug discovery and licensing agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited ("Daiichi Sankyo") focused on a single G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) nominated by Daiichi Sankyo that plays a crucial role in relieving pain.Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will receive exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize novel, small molecules discovered by Heptares focused on the nominated GPCR. In return, Heptares will receive an upfront payment of, research funding of approximately, and is eligible to receive additional research, development and commercialization milestone payments. In addition, Heptares will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the alliance."This is a very exciting new collaboration as relieving pain presents a significant challenge," said, Heptares CEO and Chief R&D Officer of Sosei. "We are confident that the unique structural insights of the receptor that our technologies can deliver combined with expertise on its role in pain from the Neurosciences team at Daiichi Sankyo will yield new, differentiated molecules that can be advanced into development." Notes to Editors About Heptares Therapeutics Heptares is a clinical-stage company creating transformative medicines targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of 375 receptors linked to a wide range of human diseases. Heptares' proprietary StaR technology and structure-based drug design (SBDD) capabilities enable us to engineer and develop drugs for highly validated, yet historically undruggable or challenging GPCRs. Using this approach, we are building an exciting pipeline of new medicines (small molecules and biologics) with the potential to transform the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, cancer immune-oncology, migraine, addiction, metabolic disease and other indications. We have partnerships for our novel candidates and technologies with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Allergan, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Kymab, MedImmune, MorphoSys, Pfizer and Teva. Heptares is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation. For more information, please visit www.heptares.com and www.sosei.com. HEPTARES is a registered trademark in the EU, Switzerland, US and Japan; StaR is a registered trademark in the EU and Japan. About Sosei Sosei is a biopharmaceutical company originating from Japan but with global presence. Sosei's primary business model is based on identifying novel and/or differentiated product assets or technology platforms and, through supporting these in preclinical and clinical development and establishing commercial partnerships, advancing new medicines to patients worldwide. For more information about Sosei, please visit www.sosei.com. About Daiichi Sankyo Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with a Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com. SOURCE Heptares Therapeutics Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Egypts foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told Chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council Fayaz Al-Sarraj that Egypt will continue to push for dialogue among the Libyan rival parties, to support the implementation of the 2015 UN sponsored Skhirat Agreement. In an official statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry, spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry called Al-Sarraj on March 12; the two spoke about political and security developments in Libya. The Egyptian foreign minister said that all parties should express an amount of flexibility in order to make this dialogue [Libyan-Libyan] a success. He emphasised Egypt's priorities in Libya, including stability and a swift consensuses to heal the rift between countrymen and break the country's political stalemate.. Shoukry's phone call with the Libyan official comes amid media reports that forces loyal to the countrys eastern-based military commander and strongman Khalifa Haftar, who Cairo and Moscow support, are amassing near the countrys biggest oil shipping terminals, threatening a new assault to take back control of the facilities. Last Friday, the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB) militant group wrested control of the oil facilities -- Ras Lanuf refinery and nearby Sidr depot -- from Haftar and the eastern factions. Al-Sarraj and the presidential council in Tripoli are backing the BDB in this effort. The struggle now threatens to spiral into an all-out renewed war between the eastern and western factions.. The conflict has already witnessed the bloodiest fighting yet between the two camps: Around 40 troops from the east were killed over four days as the BDB stormed the area. The attackers suffered a handful of casualties themselves. Egypt condemned the BDB's forceful takeover, saying the assaults undermine ongoing efforts to end the war stricken country's political stalemate. Cairo has hosted several meetings in the past months with rival Libyan factions to push for discussions that could end the countrys ongoing crisis. The latest meeting in February was attended by Al-Sarraj, who is recognised by the UN as the country's president; Haftar and Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh, who represent the House of Representatives in eastern Libya's Tobruk. In December, Egyptian officials and representatives from multiple Libyan factions issued a declaration of principles and five proposed amendments to the Skhirat Agreement -- brokered by the UN in 2015 to establish a unity government -- during a meeting in Cairo. The December conference concluded by underscoring four main principles to be respected in Libya's transition: the preservation of a united Libyan territory, support for national institutions, non-interference by foreign bodies, and the maintenance of a civil state. Search Keywords: Short link: Advertisement Simona Saluzzo et al. First-Breath-Induced Type 2 Pathways Shape the Lung Immune Environment. Cell Reports; (2017) doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.071 Along with each breath, numerous viruses, bacteria and pollutants also enter the lungs, which needs to be prevented from entering the body.To protect the body from infection and damage, the lungs uses its own collection highly specialized immune cells that are equipped to maintain the balance between host defense and tissue quiescence.But the formation of this balanced immune homeostasis in lungs emerged after birth, and this was largely unexplored.Now, for the first time, the group of Sylvia Knapp, Director of Medical Affairs at CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Professor of Infection Biology at the Medical University of Vienna showed with the help of mouse models that the very first breath of a newborn releases crucial signals that shape the lifelong immunological milieu of lungs.The mechanical forces of spontaneous ventilation at birth lead to the release of interleukin (IL)-33, a cytokine with a wide-range of effects.Interleukin (IL)-33 causes activation of ST2-expressing "type 2 innate lymphoid cells" (ILC2s) and its migration into the lung tissue.Here the ILC2 causes the release of IL-13, another cytokine. The ILC2 derived IL-13 causes the differentiation of the newborn's alveolar macrophages into anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. These M2 cells are specialized cells that maintain the health and immune environment of the lungs."ILC2-cells are crucial in defending the lungs against parasites or influenza viruses, but little was known about their role in lung homeostasis", first author Simona Saluzzo, PhD Student at CeMM and the Medical University of Vienna, explains. "Now we understand that right after birth, ILC2 are responsible for the differentiation of alveolar macrophages into specialized cells that keep the immune system in check and ensure that the lungs stay calm and healthy to ensure proper gas exchange."The type 2 innate lymphoid cells or ILC2-induced effects protect the lungs from excessive inflammation and the environmental triggers that are encountered daily.Senior author Sylvia Knapp emphasizes "We could show in our study that the described mechanisms are crucial in achieving lung quiescence after the first contact with the outside world. However, these processes at the same time increase the susceptibility to bacterial infections, such as caused by pneumococci. In other words: The mechanism that maintains the lung function of gas exchange at the same time explains why bacterial pneumonia is the primary cause of death by an infectious disease in Western countries."The study is published inSource: Medindia Advertisement The study results are published in the journalHeart palpitations, trembling and shortness of breath: those who suffer from social phobia avoid larger groups. Verbal tests or everyday arrangements are filled with fear - after all, other people could make a negative judgement. Those affected often avoid such situations for this reason. Contact is often easier over social media or anonymously over the Internet. Social phobias are among the psychiatric disorders that are triggered simultaneously by genetic and environmental factors. "There is still a great deal to be done in terms of researching the genetic causes of this illness," says Dr. Andreas Forstner from the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Bonn. "Until now, only a few candidate genes have been known that could be linked to this."Together with the Clinic and Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital Bonn, Dr. Forstner is conducting a study into the genetic causes of social phobia. The research team investigated the DNA of a total of 321 patients and compared it with 804 control individuals. The focus of the scientists lay on what are known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). "There are variable positions in the DNA that can exist to various degrees in different people," explains Dr. Forstner.The cause of genetic illnesses often lies in the SNPs. It is estimated that more than thirteen million such changes exist in the human DNA. The scientists investigated a total of 24 SNPs that are suspected in the widest sense of being the cause of social phobias and other mental disorders. "This is the largest association study so far into social phobia," says associate professor (Privatdozent) Johannes Schumacher from the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Bonn.Over the course of the study, scientists at the Clinic and Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital Bonn will ask the patients about their symptoms and the severity of their social phobia. Their DNA is also examined using a blood sample. Whether there is a link between the signs of the illness and the genes is being investigated by the scientists using statistical methods. The evaluation of the previously collected data indicated that an SNP in the serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4 is involved in the development of social phobia.This gene encodes a mechanism in the brain that is involved in transporting the important messenger serotonin. This substance suppresses, among other things, feelings of fear and depressive moods. "The result substantiates indications from previous studies that serotonin plays an important role in social phobia," says associate professor (Privatdozent) Dr. Rupert Conrad from the Clinic and Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy. Medications that block serotonin reuptake and increase the concentration of the messenger in the tissue fluid in the brain have already long been used to treat anxiety disorders and depression.The scientists now want to investigate more closely what the links are between the DNA and social phobia. "In order to achieve this goal, we need many more study participants who suffer from social anxiety," says the psychologist and study coordinator Stefanie Rambau from the Clinic and Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at University Hospital Bonn. Information about the study is available at http://www.SocialPhobiaResearch.de. "Those who take part will help to research social phobia. This is the basis of better diagnosis and treatment procedures in the future," says Stefanie Rambau.Source: Eurekalert Egypt offered on Sunday its condolences to Ethiopia over the death of around 46 people in a landslide on Sundayin the capital city of Addis Ababa. In an official statement, Egypts foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid underscored Egypts support for the Ethiopian government and people in this ordeal. On Sunday, more than 40 people searching for food and other goods at a huge garbage dump on the outskirts of Addis Ababa were killed in a landslide. Hundreds of people rely on the 50-year-old Reppi dump, the city's only landfill site, to survive. They sift through the garbage for food, as well as items they can sell like recyclable metals. Search Keywords: Short link: Fakharany said he was fired after only six months on the job in a 'surprising and shameful way' Car-hailing service Careem Egypts Wael Fakharany has said he was sacked from his job as head of operations in a humiliating way one day after the UAE-based service announced Fakharanys departure and the appointment of a new chief operating officer. I did not resign from Careem; I was fired from the company in a surprising and shameful way. God knows how much effort I put into [the job]. I am devastated, Fakharany wrote Monday on his Twitter account, refuting news that he had resigned from the post voluntarily. The company's managing director in Egypt and senior vice president for government relations, Fakharany is also the former manager for Google in Egypt and the MENA region. Fakharany assumed the position at Careem only six months ago. The statements were Fakharany's first in the strife, with Careem issuing a statement yesterday announcing his departure. There are times when a great mind in a great role at a great business does not necessarily make a great fit, and as such, effective 1 March, Rami Kato has assumed the position of Managing Director of Careem Egypt. With our new management at the helm, we are excited about our future in Egypt, Careems CEO and Founder Mudassir Sheikha said in press statements. Kato was previously serving as the company's vice president of customer service. The new head will be responsible for managing all Careem operations in Egypt including its expansion plans in the local market, government relations and day-to-day business operations. Dubai-based Careem has been booming in Egypt, with thousands of cars providing service in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria. The company has promised to expand and grow, in competition with rivals San Francisco based Uber. Drivers of Egypt's traditional taxis held several protests in 2016 to demand that the government ban services like Uber, saying that private ride-hailing services negatively affected their livelihood and do not comply with Egyptian public transportation laws. Under the current transportation laws, drivers carrying passengers for pay should be licensed as taxi drivers, which many Uber and Careem drivers are not. Egypt has said it aims to fully legalise the car hailing apps in the near future. Search Keywords: Short link: Around 200 prisoners are expected to be pardoned by a presidential decree in the coming hours, a member of the committee formed under the directive of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to pardon youth prisoners confirmed to Ahram Online. "The prisoners to be pardoned had all received final verdicts in their cases, and are by and large students, or individuals with critical health conditions", the committee's Karim El-Sakka said. This is the second list of pardon cases the committee has prepared for presidential review. El-Sakka, a member of the committee founded in October 2016, told Ahram Online earlier that he could not reveal the number or names on the list, but confirmed that "the list includes students, women, people accused of contempt of religion, journalists, and members of a number of syndicates." The expected pardon could include a number of journalists. Khaled El-Balshy, a member of the Journalist's Syndicate board and the head of its freedoms committee told Ahram Online that the syndicate submitted a list of about 30 journalists currently in prison it hopes will be released. "We provided the committee with all the information needed concerning these journalists and recieved more inquires about a number of them. However we were not informed so far of how many, if any, journalists will be pardoned." On 17 November 2016, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi pardoned 82 prisoners included on the first list recommended by the committee. The list mostly recommended students, but also included former TV host and Islamic studies researcher Islam El-Behery and doctor Ahmed Saeid, who were both released. In late October 2016, El-Sisi formed a committee to review the cases of youth imprisoned in politically related cases as well as humanitarian cases, such as families who have more than one member in jail. Article 155 of the Egyptian constitution stipulates that the president has the power to issue a pardon or mitigate a sentence after consulting with the cabinet. The controversial 2013 protest law, which was widely criticised by local and international rights groups, led to the detention of thousands of protesters. In December, Egypts Supreme Constitutional Court issued a ruling deeming Article 10 of the protest law, which permits the countrys interior minister to bar scheduled protests, unconstitutional. The ruling stated that those looking to organise street protests should only be obliged to notify authorities, not required to obtain prior approval. In January, the parliaments Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee approved a bill to amend the protest law in accordance with a Supreme Constitutional Court verdict. Search Keywords: Short link: Europe is currently disappointing its peoples because the austerity policies it is implementing favour the few, are exhausting the workers and the middle class, and are dismantling the welfare state. For Europe to be saved, economic governance has to become more democratic, and wealth redistribution and welfare state mechanisms have to be restored, Alternate Foreign Minister G. Katrougalos stressed, speaking at today's conference hosted by the Foreign Ministry, under the auspices of the President of the Republic on the Future of Europe. It would be hypocritical, Mr. Katrougalos said, for one to attribute the lack of confidence in the European plan only to the negative repercussions of globalisation. Globalisation, in any case, is not a natural phenomenon. Globalisation is a combination of economic, political and social processes that can be faced through a different policy mix. Neoliberalism is not the only path. We need to admit, Mr. Katrougalos stated, that the European response to the crisis was not what it should have been. It weakened the welfare state, leaving the most vulnerable citizens unprotected. And this was done without the improvement of overall economic performance. The opposite was the case. The austerity policies in Europe generated much worse results than the expansionary policies of President Obama, not just in terms of economic growth, but also with regard to job creation and social cohesion. If the European dream is to survive, we have to abandon the business-as-usual mindset. Europe will either recover its social face or cease to exist. On the other hand, the policy of concentric circles and closed clubs of the powerful would dissolve the European Union that much sooner, Mr. Katrougalos concluded. To this end, the Greek government is in favour of the Europe of many choices, so that the social and democratic dimension of European integration can be strengthened within the provisions of the Treaties and based on the criterion of political agreement on deepening, beyond any exclusion-based mindset. In this context, the Alternate Foreign Minister presented a number of substantiated and innovative proposals, among which is support of a new European Pillar of Social Rights that will include the setting of a European minimum wage, a European programme of social insurance against unemployment, the reshaping of the European Support Mechanism into a European Monetary Fund, and more direct involvement of the European Parliament and national parliaments in the European Semester. Water ministers from Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda are meeting in Khartoum on Monday to discuss the issues raised by Egypt over the new Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) between Nile Basin countries, the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation said in a statement. The meeting represents a special committee formed by the Nile Council of Ministers during its 24th annual gathering last July in Entebbe, Uganda, which was attended by Egypt, a source close to the matter told Ahram Online. The CFA, which has been signed by six Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) members so far, outlines principles, rights and obligations for cooperative management and development of the Nile Basin water resources through a permanent institutional mechanism. As a first step they [the four ministers] will meet to discuss the Entebbe recommendations, after which all ministers will meet on a date they will agree upon, the source said. The NBI is preparing a delegation to visit Cairo to discuss Egypts possible return to the regional grouping after seven years of inactivity, the initiatives executive director Innocent Ntabana told Ahram Online in January. The CFA stipulates an equitable and reasonable utilisation of the waters of the River Nile. Egypt and Sudan have declined to sign the agreement, citing disagreements over Article 14(b), which requires members not to significantly affect the water security of any other Nile Basin States. Cairo argues that Egypt has historical rights to the Nile that have not been taken into consideration by the CFA, and demands a clear stipulation requiring prior notification from other members about planned measures regarding the Nile. It was this disagreement over the CFA that led Egypt to suspend its full participation in the Nile Basin Initiative in 2010. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's prosecutor-general ordered on Monday the release of ousted President Hosni Mubarak following his acquittal earlier this month on charges of killing protesters during the 25 January Revolution. In January 2016, the Court of Cassation upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons for using public funds slated for the maintenance of presidential palaces to upgrade their private properties. According to judicial sources, Mubarak will be released as his sentence in the presidential palaces case is considered already served due to the time he spent in pre-trial detention. Following the verdict in that case, Mubarak's sons were released for time served, as they had already been behind bars for more than three years pending trial. Mubarak is still banned from travel pending investigations by the Illicit Gains Authority into an increase in his personal wealth since the 2011 revolution, according to his lawyer Farid El-Deeb. El-Deeb added that the ousted president's assets are still frozen. The 88-year-old Mubarak has been confined to Maadi Military Hospital for treatment since 2012. The former autocrat ruled Egypt from 1981 until a popular uprising ousted him on 11 February 2011. Search Keywords: Short link: The association will do its best to reinforce cooperation between Egypt and Germany, especially in the area of fighting terrorism and illegal migration, according to Egypt's parliament speaker A 12-member Egyptian-German Parliamentary Friendship Association was officially formed in Cairo on Monday with the aim of reinforcing relations between Egypt's parliament and Germany's Bundestag in combating terrorism, fighting illegal migration and promoting tourism, according to Egyptian parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal The association, led by Egyptian MP and former minister of foreign affairs Mohamed El-Orabi, met with Abdel-Aal, who said he has high hopes that the association will do its best to boost bilateral relations between Egypt and Germany. Abdel-Aal told reporters that "there has been a lot of positive progress in relations between Egypt and Germany in 2017 and we hope that the new friendship association among MPs in the two countries will reflect this progress." Karen Mag, a female MP who heads the Egypt Friends Group in the German Bundestag, said the Egypt-German Friendship Association was formed after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Egypt two weeks ago. "The visit demonstrated that Egypt and Germany can be very successful partners and so we decided that a parliamentary friendship association be formed to open dialogue between MPs in the two countries on a permanent basis," said Mag. MP Mohamed El-Orabi said the Egypt-German Parliamentary Friendship Association will help discuss mutual issues in an objective way. "The association will help German MPs and politicians in particular understand political and economic developments in Egypt in a much better way," said El-Orabi, adding that "the association will open discussion on vital issues such as the role of German NGOs in Egypt and the importance of exchanging information on terrorism and illegal immigration." El-Orabi, a former Egyptian ambassador to Germany, said that while Egypt is highly aware of Germany's influence in Europe and the European Union (EU), German politicians and MPs recognise that Egypt has a lot of influence in the Arab world and North Africa. The German MPs met with the Egyptian parliament's committees on foreign relations, education, legislative and constitutional affairs, and social solidarity. Search Keywords: Short link: Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up for our Exeter newsletter and you'll never miss a big story again Exeter has been named one of the 20 best places in the country to live by the Sunday Times, labeling the capital of Devon 'a glorious gateway to the west'. A new category of 'old favourites' has been created for this year's annual survey, featuring towns and cities which have made the list a number of times before. The newspaper's annual rankings are based on statistics including how the city's schools and crime levels compare to the national average. The Times said: "Could there be a more perfectly positioned city? It has two national parks and plenty of plum coastline on the doorstep, and you're not cut off from the rest of the country. "The M5 can be a nightmare in the summer holidays, but there's always the train, which will get you to London in a little over two hours (though it slows down considerably as it heads west)." The report says Exeter is the fastest growing city in the UK because of a growing number of part-time commuters, who work from home thanks to the city's excellent ultrafast broadband. It reads: "Nowhere is this more evident than in the leafy, stuccoed district of St Leonard's. It's the place to live, and even the shabbiest period semi will set you back 600,000. "Here you'll find Waitrose, the best schools and a host of independent shops: butcher, deli, fishmonger and baker, and coffee and interiors stores." The report also notes how Exeter is addressing its reputation for a bland High Street, thanks to some new 'superior brands'. It says: "The centre tends towards blandness (40% of the city's shops are chains), though superior brands such as Turtle Bay, Absurd Bird and GBK in the new Queen Street Food Court are a welcome addition. "For more individual fare, the Rendezvous, in the nicely old-fashioned Southernhay business district (Georgian offices for accountants and solicitors), serves carefully prepared business lunches and classy romantic dinners." READ THE FULL REPORT IN THE TIMES The full 'old favourites' top 20 1. Amersham, Buckinghamshire 2. Bath 3. Cambridge 4. Cheltenham 5. Chester 6. Chichester 7. Cobham, Surrey 8. Dulwich, London 9. Edinburgh 10. Exeter 11. Falmouth 12. Harrogate 13. Highgate, London 14. Llandaff, Cardiff 15. Mayfair, London 16. Oxford 17. Skipton 18. Stamford 19. Winchester 20. York Here are five noteworthy news stories and events to start your week, from the editors at Military.com. 1. Marine Commandant to Testify About Photo Scandal Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller is scheduled to testify on Tuesday morning before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the scandal rocking the service in which Marines were found to have shared nude photos of female service members without their consent. Neller in a briefing to reporters at the Pentagon on Friday -- in his third time doing so in less than a week -- publicly denounced the alleged activity on the private Facebook group called Marines United. To date, he said, the Corps is aware of fewer than 10 women who have come forward publicly to identify themselves as victims of the page, though the actual number may be closer to 30. 2. Hearing for Drill Instructor Linked to Muslim Recruit's Suicide As first reported by Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com, a commanding general has introduced charges for two Marine drill instructors accused of hazing recruits at Parris Island, including a senior enlisted member who allegedly threw a Muslim recruit in a dryer and turned it on and who later was alleged to have likely provided the impetus for another Muslim recruit's suicide. The senior drill instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix, will face an Article 32 investigative hearing Thursday on charges of failure to obey a lawful general order, cruelty and maltreatment, false official statement, drunk and disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice, officials said. 3. Coast Guard Commandant to Defend Service from Proposed Cuts Also Thursday Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft will present his annual State of the Coast Guard address at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Watch for Zukunft to defend the Coast Guard from budget cuts. While President Donald Trump has proposed a massive spending hike -- some $54 billion -- for the Defense Department in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, as well as a more modest increase for the Homeland Security Department of which the Coast Guard is a part -- the federal budget proposal would squeeze a number of areas, including the smallest uniformed service. Under the plan, the Coast Guard's $10.3 billion budget would lose $1.3 billion. 4. Army Leaders to Speak at Land Warfare Conference The U.S. Army's top brass meets this week in Alabama for a three-day conference focusing on the future of land warfare. The event, "Global Force Symposium and Exposition," is organized by the Association of the United States Army's Institute of Land Warfare and runs from Monday through Wednesday at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley doesn't appear to be making an appearance at the event (he's not listed on the agenda), but Acting Army Secretary Robert Speer, as well as Gen. David Perkins, head of Training and Doctrine Command and Gen. Gustave Perna, head of Army Materiel Command, are set to speak. 5. Marine to Face Trial in Deadly Truck Rollover The driver of a 7-ton truck that overturned at Camp Pendleton, California, in 2015 is expected to face court-martial later this year on a charge of negligent homicide. Cpl. Bin Guo, 27, of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, is accused of failing to slow down when the truck took a turn, resulting in a crash that killed one Marine, 21-year-old Cpl. Bryan Lauw, and injured 18 more, some critically. His military attorney says there's no evidence he did anything wrong. A preliminary hearing officer found there was no probable cause to charge Guo. But the convening authority for the case decided to overrule the officer's recommendation and send Guo to general court-martial. -- Hope Hodge Seck and Richard Sisk contributed to this report. -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. On his first reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan outside the wire, Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cole was on the way back to his forward operating base when he began taking rapid enemy gunfire. Cole and a few others from his unit, Echo company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, were hit. During his first treatment in theater, the machine gunner learned what no one wants to hear: the bullets had blown away parts of his bicep and tricep in his left arm, completely severing his ulnar nerve. "I had a lot of trauma to the arm," Cole recently told Military.com, reflecting back on his experience. He had deployed to Marjah, Afghanistan, during a major 10-month offensive on the Taliban stronghold in 2010, and served in the Marine Corps only a little over a year when he was wounded. Cole received the Silver Star for his actions that day in holding back the enemy by returning fire with a fellow Marine's M240B medium machine gun -- all while using his mangled arm -- as five wounded squad mates were moved to safety. The Corps released a photo in 2012 showing a valiant Cole during the firefight. What Cole didn't guess was that eight days after the ambush, he would be one of the first patients in the world to receive one of the longest available nerve grafts -- 70 millimeters, or nearly three inches, grown from cadaver tissue -- to repair his arm. Still, doctors knew it's what Cole would need if he were to regain any kind of movement. Back in the U.S., physicians told him, "'Well, you either try this, or we might have to amputate your arm,'" Cole said. "So of course I said 'yes.'" Cole received the surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Now, he's talking about his experience in hopes that others might consider nerve graft repair if presented with the chance. "I can't change the past all you can do is take the best of every day," he said. "And I'm happy with the results of this." Cole was the first upper extremity surgery of this kind, said Dr. Ian Valerio, who performed the surgery at the time. Doctors had performed several similar surgeries in the past but only using 30 mm or 50 mm grafts. Valerio used an Avance graft, or processed human tissue -- a nerve allograft to act as a conduit for the injured nerve -- that can repair severed nerves as it revascularizes and eventually becomes a part of the patient's own tissue, according to its maker, AxoGen. "It is essentially a 3-D scaffold used to bridge a nerve gap due to injury," according to the company's description of the product provided to Military.com. "By month 14, I had actually seen a real difference," Cole said during a phone interview. Valerio said nerves regrow on average 1 mm a day. Valerio also used a natural surgical implant, dubbed AxoGuard, on both ends of the graft used to protect injured nerves and help reinforce the nerve as it healed. "That helps take tension off the repair," Valerio, a former Navy surgeon, told Military.com. "Because nerve regeneration happens much better if there's tension off the nerve." In order to get feeling back in Cole's arm, once implanted, the nerve graft needed to regenerate and sprout through his muscles from his bicep down through his hand. After the surgery, Cole endured physical and occupational therapy for two years -- six to eight hours a day -- with some done at Walter Reed and some near his duty station at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Now 26, he medically retired from the Marine Corps as a corporal in 2013. Aside from some loss of dexterity strength, "I can do almost anything a regular person would be able to do," he said. He went from "no feeling, no movement" from his shoulder down -- "it just hung there. But now it's a complete 180 from where I started," he said. Cole is grateful to have full use and feeling in his arm. "I wish I could have stayed longer, and done a lot more during my time in the Marines," he said. Even so, he views what happened to him in a positive light. He now lives in the Washington, D.C., area and works as a park ranger, giving tours on the nation's monuments. There have been several hundred of this kind of surgery since Cole's procedure, Valerio said. Looking to the future, doctors are now looking to advance these allograft tissues to regenerate more quickly. "As we understand nerve repair more and more," Valerio said, it's very promising." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. The heads of local branches of Egypt's Lawyers Syndicate will decide this week on a call for a general strike on 23 March to protest a prison sentence against eight lawyers in Minya governorate for insulting the judiciary. On Sunday, a Minya Criminal Court sentenced the lawyers to five year in prison over charges of blocking access to a public facility, preventing a judge from carrying out his duty, as well as insulting the judiciary in a case that dates back to the defendants' protest outside a local court in March 2013. The syndicate decided on Sunday to boycott court sessions in all of Minya's criminal courts. The defendants were tried and sentenced by the criminal court despite the fact that the judge who filed the initial complaint against them had withdrawn his motion. Abdel-Gawad Ahmed, a member of the Lawyers Syndicate board and head of the union's freedoms committee, told Ahram Online that the Minya action "was not a protest, it was a regular disagreement that should have ended with conciliation; however, the court issued a harsh verdict, despite the withdrawal of the complaint." "There is rigidity in dealing with lawyers in different cases around Egypt's governorates, especially when lawyers are defendants in a case. Lawyers are practicing their job in a difficult environment. This is affecting the future of this profession," Ahmed said. "So far, the only decision regarding the case is to boycott sessions in Minya, and there are shows of solidarity from lawyers in other governorates against the harsh verdict. However, the issue of a general strike will be decided based on our assessment of the threats against our profession and developments on the ground," Ahmed said. Search Keywords: Short link: 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... Depending on your PT test, the order of swimming may best be determined by where it is in the order of events of that test. Neuerscheinung: SPPS 162: Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media von Natalia Ryabinska This book represents a very timely, well-informed, and intelligible analysis of the troublesome development of the media system in post-Soviet Ukraine.Dr. Vaclav Stetka, Lecturer in Communication and Media Studies, Loughborough University, UK It is a commonly held opinion that the problems with media reform and press freedom in former Soviet states merely stem from the cultural heritage of their communist (and pre-communist) past. Focusing on Ukraine, Natalya Ryabinska argues that, in the period after the fall of communism, peculiar new obstacles to media independence have arisen: news reporting being concentrated in the hands of politically engaged business tycoons, the fuzzy and contradictory legislation of the media realm, and the informal institutions of political interference in mass media. The book analyzes interrelationships between politics, the economy, and media in Ukraine, especially their shadowy sides guided by private interests and informal institutions. Being embedded in comparative politics and post-communist media studies, Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media helps to understand the nature and workings of the Ukrainian media system situated in-between democracy and authoritarianism. Weitere Informationen unter www.ibidem-verlag.de Natalya Ryabinska Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media Between Capture and Commercialization 186 Seiten, Paperback. 2017. 29,90 ISBN 978-3-8382-1011-7 Erschienen in: Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society Erhaltlich in jeder Buchhandlung oder direkt bei ibidem. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - When James Torrey graduated from Western Michigan University, his parents gave him a table saw. That gift became the foundation of Rivertown Woodcraft, which creates one-of-a-kind custom furniture. Having added a joiner, planer and other tools, Torrey has created a full woodworking shop in his two-stall garage on the city's Northeast Side. "I can pretty much build anything now," says Torrey, who has gained a growing following on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Torrey recently gained acclaim when Clint Harp, the furniture builder for HGTV's "Fixer Upper," selected a Torrey-built coffee table as the first place winner on his Instagram page, #CheckItOutClint. "He's got 400,000 people who follow him on Instagram," says Torrey, who last year built the shelving and liquor racks for Sovengard, a hip new restaurant on Grand Rapids' West Side. That has created a following for his how-to videos on YouTube, where he demonstrates his woodworking skills in time-lapse videos accompanied to music. Working with reclaimed lumber and hardwoods, the Traverse City native has created skateboards, coffee tables, bars and whatever else his friends and customers may suggest. While he has a day job as product designer at Meijer Inc., the 33-year-old divorced dad keeps busy in the workshop on evenings and weekends when he isn't parenting his two children. He's even gone home for lunch to work on his projects. Eventually, Torrey says he may have enough orders to quit his day job and make his hobby a full-time venture. The Wyoming Historical Commission is presenting a program on the history of land surveying in the state. The program will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at the Wyoming branch of the Kent District Library, 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The program will feature Jack Bueche, a certified professional surveyor. Bueche's presentation will include the work of surveyors such as William Burt, Louis Campau and Lucius Lyon in the 1830s. He also will provide information on the equipment and techniques used by surveyors in the past that have created the maps still in use today. Algebra Nation.jpg The image shows the homepage of Algebra Nation, a new math program the state of Michigan purchased for teachers and students to use. Many educators were not aware of the program when it became available in January. (Courtesy image | Algebra Nation) ANN ARBOR, MI - With fewer than 40 percent of Michigan high school students demonstrating their math skills are up to par for college, state Rep. Tim Kelly was looking for a way to boost achievement. Kelly, R-Saginaw Township and chairman of the House Education Reform Committee, received a pitch for Algebra Nation, a program that includes online resources and lesson plans on algebra concepts. Kelly traveled to Florida, where Algebra Nation was developed by Study Edge and the University of Florida, to learn more about the program, and soon a line item appeared in the 2016-17 state budget that would bring Algebra Nation to Michigan. "You see math scores dipping horribly and we need to do whatever we can to address it," Kelly said. "Here was a program that looked to me like it would deliver results." Kelly said he did not consult with educators before recommending Algebra Nation, and there was no bid process to compare costs and offerings of other math support programs. The state education budget passed with a $1.5 million allocation for Algebra Nation. The program became available free of charge to all students and educators in Michigan in January, making Michigan the second state after Florida to offer Algebra Nation statewide. Mississippi and Alabama are running pilot programs. But some Michigan superintendents say they were unaware Algebra Nation exists or have not adopted the program for use by teachers and students. Many school districts already have purchased and implemented their own intervention systems and extra supports to help struggling students improve algebra skills. "To be honest, it has not been marketed by the Department of Education to the superintendents," said Chelsea School District Superintendent Julie Helber, echoing six other traditional public school superintendents in Washtenaw County who also were unaware of Algebra Nation. "I would have to see the program itself," Helber continued. "I would have to really look at it and vet it, and our curriculum department would want to take a look at it and see if it's something that we would recommend or need." Ann Arbor Public Schools staff are aware of Algebra Nation, but the district has elected not to use it, said Andrew Cluley, district communications specialist. Math teachers at Whitmore Lake Public Schools have received their Algebra Nation workbooks, said Superintendent Tom DeKeyser, but they're still more comfortable referring students to Khan Academy, which offers free online instructional videos on a variety of subjects. "Right out of the gate, we haven't used it much," DeKeyser said of Algebra Nation. "We like some other resources that we've been relying on, but we haven't ruled it out completely." Kelly said it's the Michigan Department of Education's job to notify educators of the new resource the state purchased. "The MDE has done a horrible job of advertising this to schools around the state," Kelly said. "When you talk about your superintendents hadn't even heard of it, that's what I'm hearing all over the state." William DiSessa, spokesperson for the MDE, told The Ann Arbor News the department has notified staff at every school district of the availability of Algebra Nation. On Jan. 12, he said, the department sent out a "weekly communication" memo that included a couple paragraphs describing Algebra Nation with a link to a document telling educators who want to order supplies how to contact an Algebra Nation employee. In addition to the memo, the MDE also provided Algebra Nation with a list of contacts at local school districts, DiSessa said. Algebra Nation sent out a press release to media on Jan. 17. "The Michigan Department of Education agrees with Rep. Kelly that Algebra Nation is a good tool for local school districts to consider using at no cost," DiSessa wrote in an email. "In the end, the decision is up to each local district whether or not to use the program." While $1.5 million represents a small fraction of the state's $16.14 billion education budget, Dexter Community Schools Superintendent Chris Timmis said he'd like for educators to have more say in how the money is spent. "Not that $1.5 million is a lot of money. ... I like the targeted idea of the resources, but I'd almost rather they give us the choice of the resource we want for our kids," he said. Manchester Community Schools Superintendent Cherie Vannatter is unsure how her district will use Algebra Nation. "I don't know because I haven't seen it," Vannatter said. "It may be helpful for some students, I just don't know." ANN ARBOR, MI - Public officials are taking to social media to share their reactions to the news of a fire at a local mosque, emphasizing that Muslims are welcome in the community. A joint investigation is being conducted by the Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation into the fire that occurred over the weekend at the Islamic Center of Ypsilanti, located at 5909 W. Michigan Ave. in Pittsfield Township, just south of Ann Arbor. Thousands of yard signs and banners showing support for refugees and Muslims have been distributed throughout Washtenaw County since last year as part of the One Human Family campaign. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said he awaits the results of the investigation, but in the meantime he had a few things to say in a Facebook post on Sunday, March 12. "Muslim men, women, and children, whether citizen, immigrant or refugee, are welcomed and valued members of the Ann Arbor community, with every right to live and work and participate in the hometown that we all share," he said. "I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that Muslims in Ann Arbor know that they are a part of us, that Muslims belong here." U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, who represents the area, also weighed in on Facebook on Sunday. "I, like many, was deeply concerned to learn about the fire at the Islamic Center in Pittsfield Township yesterday evening," she said. "At a time when we are seeing an increase in threats against members of our communities based on race and religion - whether at a Mosque or a Jewish Community Center - there is obvious reason for concern, and there are many questions as to what happened and why." Dingell said she has spoken with law enforcement officials and is pleased that federal authorities are working with state and local law enforcement to investigate the incident and determine the facts. "If it is found to be arson, the perpetrators must be held accountable," she said. "As a community, we must stand united against hate and division in our society." Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal offered comment on the fire in a news release issued by the township on Sunday. "It is because of the welcoming and diverse nature of our community that folks like the Islamic Center of Ypsilanti choose to locate in Pittsfield," she said. "As such, our leadership and police will continue working toward providing for the safety and security of all." The news release from the township states that the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees stands in support of the Islamic community. "I am available 24/7 for anyone who wants to reach out to us for support and assistance," said Pittsfield Township Trustee Yameen Jaffer, who also serves as a board member of the Islamic Center of Ann Arbor. The Pittsfield Township Fire Department responded to the fire at about 5 p.m. Saturday, March 11, after multiple 911 calls. Upon arrival, firefighters found the unoccupied structure with heavy fire coming from both the first and second floors. According to the township, the fire was under control within 20 minutes and no one was injured. Grewal said the township is waiting to find out the facts of the case before making any assumptions, but she feels strongly that the township has a culture of respect and inclusivity embedded into the fabric of the community, which she said is why people from diverse backgrounds choose to make it their home. "For example, the Islamic Center of Ypsilanti and the Arab American Cultural Center chose to locate here just last year," she said. Ann Arbor City Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, director of the local Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, shared a blog post about ways to show solidarity. "At this time, very little is known about the fire, but in the climate of increased attacks against religious minorities, including a recent bomb threat against the Hebrew Day School in Ann Arbor, many in our community are feeling scared and vulnerable," the post on the ICPJ website reads. It points to a crowdfunding campaign that already has raised more than $15,000 to help rebuild the Islamic Center, includes information about a March 19 open house at a mosque on Plymouth Road, and other ways to learn more about Islam and take part in "bystander intervention training." Warpehoski said thousands of yard signs and banners showing support for refugees and Muslims have been distributed throughout Washtenaw County since last year as part of the One Human Family campaign started by his organization and the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County. The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering a reward for information should the mosque fire be ruled arson. PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - A new report is reviving an old debate over plans to extend the runway at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, a move some of the airport's neighbors and others have long opposed. The new document, called the 2016 Revised Draft Environmental Assessment, is dated from October, but was not released for public viewing by the Michigan Department of Transportation's Office of Aeronautics until mid-January. It's an update to a 2010 version and seeks to address comments from the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as other concerned parties, over issues of safety, practicality, necessity and the potential environmental impact of the expansion project. The Ann Arbor City Council voted 8-3 in 2010 to remove the airport expansion item from the city's 2011-2016 capital improvements plan. Matt Kulhanek, airport manager, said the initial proposed expansion and shift of the runway has not been altered. The plan set forth still involves expanding the runway from its current length of 3,500 feet to 4,300 feet. "The revised (environmental assessment) did not change what was proposed at all in regards to the project or construction or length or anything like that," Kulhanek said. "The net increase is 800 feet and they would be shifting an additional 150 feet away from State Road." Kulhanek said the shift of 150 feet from the northeastern end of the runway is necessary for a couple of reasons. "Right now, there is a blind spot that the tower has, the FAA air traffic control tower," he said. "They lose aircraft that are stacking, basically ready to take off out of their vision. And so by shifting the 150 feet to the southwest, that problem (would be fixed), allowing (the tower) to see those vehicles there, those aircraft there." The other reason has to do with the runway's proximity to State Street/Road, which Kulhanek said MDOT has been looking at widening for a number of years. "The Road Commission wants to widen State Road there, and right now they would not be able to do that on the existing center line of the road," Kulhanek said. "They would have to shift the whole road over to the east." Mandy Grewal, Pittsfield Township supervisor, said, however, that the planned expansion of State Street does not require acquisition of additional right-of-way from the airport. "The adopted State Street corridor improvement plan shifts the center line in the Ellsworth/State Street vicinity such that no encroachment is required onto the Ann Arbor airport property," Grewal said. "As such, the current runway will not impede any plans to expand or otherwise improve the State Street corridor, as envisioned and delineated in the State Street Development & Tax Increment Financing Plan, adopted by the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees in 2014." Though the new report states the existing airport is considered safe, according to current FAA and MDOT standards, it also asserts the proposed extension and shift of the primary runway would provide a configuration that would enhance safety, while allowing the effective accommodation of critical aircraft -- namely small B-II category aircraft -- that presently use the facility. That category of aircraft includes medium-sized business jets like the Cessna Citation XLS and medium-sized twin-turboprop aircraft such as the Beechcraft King Air 200. A 2005 Cessna Citation Bravo, which is comparable in size to the Cessna Citation XLS. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) Opponents of the project, such as the Committee for Preserving Community Quality, a grassroots group of residents living in Ann Arbor and Pittsfield and Lodi townships, have concerns over the airport's desire to expand. They maintain expanding the runway by 800 feet would not only be expensive -- the 2010 cost estimate was $1.5 million, most of which would have been federally funded -- but would also lead to a less-safe airport. In a document submitted to MDOT on Feb. 10, the citizens group and Pittsfield Township pointed out that of the Ann Arbor airport's base population of 183 aircraft, only 14 are B-II category aircraft. The document also asserts that between 2009 and 2016 there were four years (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) in which B-II aircraft did not use the airport for more than 500 operations, the FAA threshold for determining whether there is "substantial use." Those opposed to the expansion surmise that a more appropriate solution would be for these aircraft to be based at another larger airport, such as Willow Run in Van Buren Township. The revised environmental assessment weighs Willow Run as an alternative to expanding the runway, but ultimately dismisses the option because "a large number of operators of business aircraft value the close proximity of (the Ann Arbor airport) to their corporate offices and business contacts over the larger facility at Willow Run." The two airports are 12 miles apart, equating with a drive time of 15-20 minutes. According to the Committee for Preserving Community Quality, the expanded runway would place citizens in the surrounding community at risk with aircraft taking off and landing 950 feet closer to residential areas. The group also surmises larger and heavier aircraft will be attracted to the airport if it were to expand its primary runway, which could lead to increased noise pollution in the area. Myriad concerns over other environmental factors -- potential adverse effects on an aquifer on airport property, and whether an expanded runway would increase the risk of a Canada geese-related aviation accident, for example -- remain a part of the discussion. Kulhanek said airport officials will be reviewing comments like those from the CPCQ and Pittsfield Township, as well as feedback they receive from the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Natural Resources and other agencies, on the draft report over the next few months. A 30-day public comment period on the report ended Feb. 10. MDOT held a meeting on Jan. 26 at Ann Arbor city hall to receive public input. Once comments are reviewed and updates to the report, if any, are made, the document will need to be approved by both the FAA and the state before it can be presented to the Ann Arbor City Council as a tool in the decision-making process concerning whether to move the runway expansion project forward. Mayor Christopher Taylor, for his part, said he is open to listening to all sides of the debate. "Right now the (airport) control tower has an obstructed view of the runway. This is obviously not optimal," Taylor said. "I also understand the objections of proximate residents, and others, to runway extension." Kulhanek said he knows the project is one that will create plenty of passion and emotion from community members, as it has in the past. "What we want to do is just make sure that we've answered all the questions, so that when this does go to council they have an opportunity to make an informed decision," he said. MBARC1.jpg Student members of the Michigan Bicentennial Archive (M-BARC) work on building a small time capsule satellite that will launch 1,000 stories from University of Michigan students, faculty and alumni into space, in conjunction with UM's bicentennial. Photo provided l University of Michigan (Photo provided l University of Michigan) ANN ARBOR, MI - The student members of the Michigan Bicentennial Archive weren't content with the more traditional idea of a time capsule to commemorate the University of Michigan's first 200 years. Instead of burying a time capsule somewhere on campus, the team is setting its sights a little higher -- more than 2,000 kilometers -- on a small satellite called a CubeSat. When the satellite, containing 10 one-inch silicon data chips, is launched, it is expected to contain interviews from 1,000 members of the UM community, including students, faculty and alumni, in what is an experiment to test synthetic DNA as a medium for storing data in space. Student project lead and aerospace engineering major Hashmita Koka said there have been a number of challenges the team has faced since they began brainstorming how to launch a space time capsule in the fall of 2015. "When I found out about this project I thought it would be interesting to be able to apply what I'm learning," Koka said. "With the university celebrating its bicentennial, I thought it would be great to be a part of something with this celebration." Koka leads the team of students that has included around 40 students across at least 20 majors as part of Michigan Engineering's Multidisciplinary Design Program. Students have since taken on designing the satellite and orbit pattern themselves, in addition to the DNA experiment and the capture and encoding of 1,000 interviews that contain the thoughts of students, faculty and alumni about their own experiences at UM. So far they've collected interviews from around 300 students. "One of the fascinating things about this project is it is entirely student-driven," said faculty lead Aaron Ridley, a professor in the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering. "We're here to support the students and give them advice when they ask for it, but we're not telling them 'you need to do this and this.' All of these students have put their heart and soul into this." The original concept for the team was to send the time capsule to the moon, an idea proposed by Thomas Zurbuchen, a former UM planetary science professor who is now head of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Since then, there has been plenty of brainstorming to determine how the small satellite can overcome exposure to radiation, which can have an adverse impact on digital data. Two aspects of the upcoming mission are particularly challenging, Ridley said. The first is figuring out how the team is going to track the CubeSat for 100 years. To do so, the craft must have a propulsion system. Without one, its orbit would start to decay from the moment it launched and the satellite wouldn't last in space for even 20 years. The M-TRAC team is working with the UM Lurie Nanofabrication Facility to nanoprint 8-to-30 GB of data on a 1-inch silicon chip. At least 10 chips will be placed at different orientations in the satellite to provide backups. The second is figuring out how to launch the craft 2,000 kilometers so it can remain in orbit for 100 years. This is a challenge, Ridley said, because propulsion is especially difficult with a craft of this size. The team currently is comparing electric and chemical thruster systems for use in their CubeSat. "If you get the CubeSat above 700 kilometers, it will be up there easily for 100 years, but NASA doesn't like to bring that many (crafts) up to that distance," Ridley said. "We need to get it up above 2,000 kilometers, which means we need to have some sort of gas to change our speed to get it to that altitude. Propulsion is hard with this kind of satellite." The team expects to launch two satellites into orbit as part of this mission. The first, expected in late 2017, is a test satellite, about one-third of the size of the eventual CubeSat. The students recently were selected by United Launch Alliance as one of four university teams to hitch a ride on an upcoming launch for free. While the U-M students work on the satellite design, they are leaving the fabrication in the hands of Ypsilanti High School students at STEM Middle College. Ultimately, in the next century, UM hopes to retrieve the time-capsule by using a laser to find the satellite's built-in reflectors. Brian Swiger, a space engineering graduate student at UM, said being a part of the M-BARC team has allowed him to be a part of history while also creating something people around the world can use. "Being a lifelong Michigan resident, I was attracted to this project to be able to contribute to something UM will leave behind," Swiger said. "We can not only share it with people from the university, but this time capsule is something useful for people all around the world." ANN ARBOR, MI - Abdul El-Sayed, a University of Michigan graduate running for governor in 2018, is returning to his alma mater on the campaign trail. El-Sayed, a Democrat, plans to address the College Democrats at UM at 8:30 p.m. Monday, March 13. Abdul El-Sayed The meeting is open to the public and is taking place at the Ford School of Public Policy, 735 S. State St., in Ann Arbor. "We're really excited about the event and Abdul is always glad to be back in Ann Arbor, a place that was really important to him in his history," said Adam Joseph, a spokesman for the El-Sayed campaign. El-Sayed, 32, graduated from UM in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in biology and political science before earning a doctorate degree from Oxford University and a medical degree from Columbia University. He played varsity lacrosse for UM and spoke at the spring 2007 commencement at Michigan Stadium along with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who remarked he was inspired by what El-Sayed had to say that day. Clinton encouraged El-Sayed to go into politics, and at the time he wasn't planning on it, Joseph said, recalling a story El-Sayed has told. A decade later, El-Sayed is entering a gubernatorial race that still includes a lot of speculation about who might actually run. On the Democratic side, Gretchen Whitmer, a former state senator, is among the candidates to announce so far, and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee of Flint Township is another potential candidate. On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and Attorney General Bill Schuette are among the top potential candidates. El-Sayed resigned as Detroit's Health Department director to run for governor, saying he wants to go on offense to advocate values in which many Michiganders believe, rather than play defense to protect public health in Detroit. He lives in Detroit with his wife, Sarah, a mental health doctor. As part of his campaign, El-Sayed is highlighting his efforts to help rebuild Detroit's Health Department after it was privatized during the city's bankruptcy, and his efforts in light of the Flint water crisis to ensure children attending Detroit schools and daycares were drinking lead-free water. His work in Detroit had him working directly with people affected by Gov. Rick Snyder's policies, Joseph said. El-Sayed was born and raised in Michigan, but his campaign website notes he comes from a diverse family background. He's the son of Egyptian immigrants, and he was raised by his Egyptian father and his stepmother, Jackie, whose white, working-class family has lived in Gratiot County for generations. In that way, El-Sayed brings the perspective of both an Arab American who is Muslim and someone who is able to understand Michiganders who fit the demographic of a presumptive Donald Trump voter, Joseph said, describing El-Sayed as a candidate who can reach out to a very disaffected voter base across the state and inspire young people as well. Turkey summoned the Dutch envoy in Ankara on Monday to complain about the actions of Rotterdam police against Turkish protesters over the weekend, foreign ministry sources said, as the row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad widened. President Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking support from Turks in a referendum on boosting his powers, has said the Netherlands is acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring his ministers from speaking in Rotterdam. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some protesters threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. "The Turkish community and our citizens were subject to bad treatment, with inhumane and humiliating methods used in disproportionate intervention against people exercising their right to peaceful assembly," a statement attributed to ministry sources said. Turkey's foreign ministry also said it sought an official written apology for the treatment of its family minister and diplomats there, the sources said. It was the third time the Dutch charge d'affaires was summoned since Saturday over the row. The Dutch ambassador is on leave and the Turkish foreign ministry has said it does not want him to return "for some time". Search Keywords: Short link: U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a two-day summit next month at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the plans. The two-day meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 6-7, the U.S. media outlet reported. Reuters has not verified the Axios story and does not vouch for its accuracy. Representatives of the White House and for Xi could not be immediately reached for comment. The planned summit would follow a string of other recent U.S-China meetings and conversations seeking to reaffirm ties following months of strong rhetoric from Trump. Last month, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited Washington to discuss the two countries' economic ties and security interests. Yang, who outranks China's foreign minister, met separately with Trump, as well as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. During his presidential campaign, Trump accused China of unfair trade policies, criticized its island-building in the strategic South China Sea claimed by several countries, and accused it of doing too little to constrain its neighbor, North Korea. Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has written a letter to Xi, seeking "constructive ties" and later speaking with him by phone. In December, Trump incensed Beijing by taking a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later saying the United States did not have to stick to the so-called "one China" policy. Under that policy, Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a part. Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honor the policy. Search Keywords: Short link: Related Nigeria says president returns after weeks on medical leave Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari returned to work on Monday after nearly two months' medical leave in Britain, the presidency said. "President Muhammadu Buhari today resumed duties after his vacation," presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said in a statement. Buhari, 74, who returned to Nigeria last Friday, hopes to end weeks of uncertainty about his health and fitness to lead. In line with the constitution, he returned to work by sending a letter to the country's parliament. During his absence, his office had repeatedly denied claims the leader was ill and insisted he was "hale and hearty". But when he returned to Nigeria's capital of Abuja on Friday, a gaunt-looking Buhari said he "couldn't recall being so sick since I was a young man" and described receiving "blood transfusions". He also said that despite feeling better, he still required rest and further treatment for his undisclosed sickness in the coming weeks. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said he had an hour-long meeting with Buhari on Monday to "bring the president up to speed" on the state of the nation. "He has given a few directives on what we should be doing on so many areas, the northeast, budget, the economy, a wide range of issues," Osinbajo told reporters after the meeting. "His readiness for work is not in doubt at all. In fact he is over-ready." Another presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said Buhari would take some time to ease back into his job after so long away, warning that there wouldn't be a "dramatic" return. "He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually," Shehu told Nigerian-owned Arise News television in an interview broadcast on Sunday. Shehu said the date of Buhari's return to London for follow-up treatment was unclear and would only be determined by the president and his doctors. Buhari had "no knowledge" of his illness before he left for London on January 19, he added. The health of Nigeria's president has become a sensitive issue following the 2010 death of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from a long-standing, but secret, kidney complaint. The presidency had been keen to avoid the impression of a political vacuum and Osinbajo has been a visible presence in the months Buhari has been away. He was formally handed powers as acting president during Buhari's absence. Buhari faces a tough task of rehabilitating Nigeria's sputtering economy, which contracted in 2016 for the first time in two decades, before the next general election due in February 2019. But observers see his health as a key factor in the coming months, with the potential for it to create a bitter power struggle within his All Progressives Congress party. Search Keywords: Short link: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday urged The Netherlands to stop the march of populism in Europe, just hours before he was set to clash with his rival anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders in a key election debate. His comments came amid a spiralling diplomatic crisis with Turkey, which has forced simmering concerns about immigration and integration back to the top of the political agenda. If Wilders wins Wednesday's general elections that "would send a signal to the rest of the world", Rutte told reporters. "I want The Netherlands to be the first country which stops this trend of the wrong sort of populism," Rutte said, just hours before he was due to go head-to-head with his arch rival. The elections are being closely watched as a signal of the rise of far-right and populist parties in Europe, with key elections also planned later this year in France and Germany. "You could say these are the quarter-finals in trying to prevent the wrong sort of populism to win. The half-finals are in France in April and May and then in September in Germany you have the finals," Rutte said, speaking in English. Monday's debate, plus Tuesday's final night round-table with eight political party leaders, could yet sway the vote, one analyst told AFP, estimating that some 60 percent of Dutch voters remain undecided. The leader of the Liberal VVD party, Rutte is bidding for a third term, but faces a strong challenge from Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV). While Wilders has delighted in the chaos which erupted over the weekend when Dutch riot police moved in to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags in Rotterdam, Rutte has appealed for calm. But he has angrily rejected Turkeys' calls to apologise for expelling one of its ministers who tried to attend a pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam. Instead, he urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to say sorry for likening the Dutch to Nazis -- a jibe that has cut deep in a country which was bombed and occupied in World War II. While Rutte says he also wants to defuse the crisis with a fellow NATO member, Wilders urged the Dutch government to up the ante. "Erdogan repeats we are Nazis + Fascists. He insults Dutch police. No de-escalation. Expel Turkish Ambassador to NL and entire staff!" Wilders said in a tweet Monday. The stakes are high, with Rutte's Liberals (VVD) predicted to return as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament with between 23 to 27 seats, according to the latest aggregated polls. That is well down from 40 VVD MPs in the outgoing lower chamber however, and would leave him scrambling to cobble together a viable coalition which may have to include four to five parties to reach the 76-seat majority. After weeks of flirting at the top of the polls, Wilders has seen his ratings slip and may now come second with between 19 and 23 seats, polls suggest. If Wilders emerges as one of the largest parties in parliament, he may be a difficult voice to ignore even though other parties have vowed to snub him. Rutte again repeated Monday that he would not work with Wilders again, saying that in 2012 the peroxide-haired MP "ran away from his responsibilities .. because he put party interests above the national interests" withdrawing his support and causing Rutte's coalition to collapse. Wilders has vowed to close mosques, ban sales of the Koran and bar Muslim immigrants. But his one-page manifesto is glaringly short on detail. Since Wilders has skipped most of the debates, the Dutch are "interested to hear how he's going to implement that since he's going against the constitution, against many laws that we have in the Netherlands," Monika Sie Dhian Ho, director of the Clingendael Institute, told AFP. The latest polls also suggest support for traditional Dutch establishment parties such as the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the Democracy Party D66 is rising as the vote looms. Wilders' "ideology might be negative, it's anti-Muslims, it's anti-EU, it's anti-immigration, it's anti-refugees. But it is a clear ideology that addresses concerns of a substantial group of the Dutch. So it is there to stay," said Sie. Search Keywords: Short link: Carlos the Jackal, the world's most wanted fugitive in the 1970s and early 1980s, declared his abhorrence of violence on Monday as he went on trial for a deadly bombing in Paris 40 years ago. The 67-year-old convict cut a grizzled, thinner figure as he was led smiling into a courthouse in the French capital, where he is serving a life sentence for other attacks. Ever the sharp dresser with a taste for theatrics, he wore a jacket and a red pocket kerchief and kissed the hand of his lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who is also his partner, before blowing kisses at the media. While attention in France is now focused on the jihadist threat after a string of bloody attacks, the trial reaches back to a time when Europe was repeatedly targeted by groups sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Carlos, a Venezuelan whose real name is Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, was dubbed "Carlos the Jackal" by the press when he was giving international security services the slip while on the run. The nickname came from a fictional terrorist in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, "The Day of the Jackal", which was turned into a popular film. Arrested in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in 1994 by French police, the man who describes himself as a "professional revolutionary" is already serving a life sentence for the murders of two policemen in the French capital in 1975 as well as that of a former comrade who betrayed him. He was also found guilty of four bombings in Paris and Marseille in 1982 and 1983, some targeting trains, which killed a total of 11 people and injured nearly 150. "No one in the Palestinian resistance has executed more people than I have," Carlos said Monday. "But I am the only one who survived. In all fights there are collateral victims, unfortunately." Carlos, who has claimed personal responsibility for 80 deaths and 1,500 for his organisation, added: "I love people. I am a good person, I don't like violence." Over the next three weeks he will be tried over yet another deadly attack, this time on Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop once located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the heart of Paris's Left Bank. In the late afternoon of September 15, 1974, a grenade was lobbed into the entrance of the store, killing two men and leaving 34 people injured. The trial is aimed primarily at shedding further light on the attack in the interests of the victims. Carlos, who is charged with murders of a terrorist nature, denies any involvement. - 'Wounds never healed' - Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing the two widows of the men killed and 16 other people affected by the attacks, said before the trial that his clients relished the chance of seeing Carlos face justice. "The victims have been waiting so long for Carlos to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed," he said. AFP / Jonathan JACOBSEN 'Carlos' and his attacks in France Coutant-Peyre said the trial was a waste of time and money. "What exactly is the point of having a trial so long after the events?" she asked. Al-Watan Al-Arabi magazine published an interview in 1979 in which Carlos is said to have admitted that he carried out the attack. He has since denied giving the interview. The defence has argued that the statute of limitations has expired, while also noting that judges have twice thrown out the case for lack of evidence, in 1989 and 1999. But these arguments were overruled. The prosecution says the attack was linked to a hostage-taking at the French embassy in The Hague that had begun two days earlier. The case against Carlos is also based on witness testimony from his former brothers-in-arms. Investigators have tracked the provenance of the grenade and say it came from the same batch as those used by the hostage-takers in The Hague and had been stolen from a US army base in 1972. One was also found at the Paris home of Carlos's mistress. Search Keywords: Short link: The European Union on Monday warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to avoid inflammatory rhetoric as a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the Netherlands deepened over the blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies to win support for plans to expand his powers. Erdogan has repeatedly accused accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. In an escalating standoff that risks damaging Turkey's already fraught relations with the European Union ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional change, Brussels sternly warned Ankara to avoid intensifying the crisis. In apparent reference to Erdogan's comments, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to "refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation. "It is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation," their statement added. But Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik responded by warning that Ankara "should re-evaluate" a key part of a 2016 deal to stem the flow of migrants to the EU. He said Turkey should look at its policy on preventing migrant flows across land borders, although it would keep halting the illegal and dangerous sea crossings as a matter of human responsibility, state media said. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also urged Turkey and its NATO allies to "show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to contribute to de-escalate the tensions." - 'Completely wrong comparison' - The Dutch authorities had at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam. AFP / OZAN KOSE Turkey and the Netherlands are at loggerheads after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Dutch of acting like the Nazis The ministers had been seeking to harness the support of an estimated 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the country ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes giving Erdogan greater powers. Meanwhile Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is under pressure to take a hard line against Erdogan as he faces the far-right populist Geert Wilders in general elections Wednesday. The Turkish foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Dutch envoy to Ankara for the third day in a row, handing two separate protest notes over The Hague's behaviour. The Netherlands on Monday also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey, urging them to stay "alert across the whole of Turkey". Turkey has already responded furiously to fellow NATO ally Germany's refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Erdogan comparing such action to "Nazi practices". After Erdogan used the same language to scold the Netherlands, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that the comparison was "completely wrong" and "banalises suffering". "This is particularly unacceptable directed at the Netherlands which suffered so much" under the Nazis, she added, offering Rutte her full support. - 'Lifeline for Erdogan' - The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought to join for more than half a century in a so far fruitless membership bid. AFP/File / OZAN KOSE Some analysts say the current row could boost Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's referendum bid by showing supporters his strong leadership is needed to counter European power Erdogan, who has indicated he may personally travel to EU states to address rallies -- in a move that could inflame the situation further -- said Sunday that the West was showing its "true face" in the standoff. He has repeatedly accused the Netherlands of acting like "fascists" and "Nazis", saying on Sunday: "I had thought that the era of Nazism was over but I was wrong." Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli described Europe as a "very sick man", a nod to the moniker used in the mid-19th century of the declining Ottoman Empire as the "sick man of Europe". In a new onslaught against Rutte, Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television that the Dutch leaders "haven't understood democracy." "In my country, the people are the boss. No prime minister can be the boss," he said. Cavusoglu meanwhile told CNN in an interview that "there is no difference between the rhetoric and policies of the current (Dutch) coalition government... and Wilders." Bringing out the millions-strong expatriate vote could be key in a referendum that is expected to be close and potentially a turning point in Turkey's modern history. "Erdogan is looking for 'imagined' foreign enemies to boost his nationalist base in the run up to the April 16 referendum," Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Programme at The Washington Institute, told AFP. "By blocking (the rallies), they may have given Erdogan a lifeline to eke out a victory in the referendum," he added. Search Keywords: Short link: At a time when players in the BFSI space are battling attrition, global payments technology company Mastercard has managed to keep attrition under 5 percent with a mix of steps to encourage innovation and inclusive career development. Sukanyya Misra, Senior Vice President & Group Head - South Asia, Advisors CoE, Mastercard Advisors said the aim is to not only have more loyal employees, but the key was to keep them engaged. They have a patent programme wherein any employee can file a patent. Mastercard has seen 100 patents being filed from India itself and assistance is provided to those filing them. We have lawyers to assist them in the patent filing process and also provide monetary incentives and certificates once the patents are approved, added Misra. The key, she said, is to challenge and empower. This includes not only offering career enhancement opportunities like filing patents but also to motivate them to keep ideating. Smart Move, a project that ranges from three to six months opens up a door for all employees to upgrade their skills. Lack of skilled talent has been an issue that companies in India have been grappling with. Misra said that through their classroom training and live projects for new joinees, they are able to get them to be productive within a year. The company also has its Mastercard University which is a digital initiative to offer technical and soft skills education to all its employees. This, said Misra, can be done at a time convenient to the particular employee and at a pace that they are comfortable with. Diversity and inclusion is another area of focus for the technology player. For us, diversity is not a soft target, it is a business imperative. In summer placements, we hire only women candidates. India contributes 23 percent of total women at Mastercard globally, said Misra. Even at campuses, the aim is to hire 50 percent of women talent skilled in technical areas. Technical tests are held to ascertain how fit they for the organisation. Their aim is to develop and groom people into top leadership positions. Keeping employees engaged is another initiative that the firm is involved in. Hackathons are held where staff compete on different coding ideas. Similarly, there is an Ideabox where employees can give out ideas and they will be helped to turn the idea into an actual product. Being a global company, getting employees to be sensitive of other cultures, race and religion is an area of focus. Misra said that they have an unconscious bias training to enable employees to think as rationally as possible. They are taught to be sensitive to people of all gender, race, religion and caste. With about 1 million students graduating out of different institutes in a year, all companies have begun brand building of the organisation at an early stage. MasterCard's Signature STEM Program under its Girls4Tech programme has girls coming in to their offices from schools to attend a workshop on STEM application in day-to-day life. Further, they also have high school students (especially girls) come into Mastercard offices to work on projects for a couple of weeks. Mentors are attached to these students and they are taught basic skills like working on Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint. We have girls coming in from smaller towns and cities as well. We would want them to experience our corporate culture, understand the significance of STEM and also help them realise that it is a safe environment to work, said Misra. A SpiceJet passenger aircraft taxis on the runway at the airport next to a slum area in Mumbai December 19, 2014. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade/File Photo - RTSEFTH By Anshul Dhamija Forbes India Over the last two months, banks and other creditors of the now- defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) got a breather when the Debts Recovery Tribunal in Bengaluru and the Karnataka High Court allowed them to start recovering their dues. The airlines founder Vijay Mallya, who resides in London, has not indicated whether he will challenge in a higher court the judgments, one of which calls for the winding up of United Breweries Holdings Ltd, Mallyas listed investment company that has a USD 2 billion exposure to KFA. In contrast, in January, low-cost carrier SpiceJet, which many predicted will go the Kingfisher way in 2014, placed an order for 100 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in a deal estimated at USD 11 billion (around Rs 73,600 crore). SpiceJet also secured the purchase rights of 50 additional Boeing aircraft, which includes the option to purchase Boeings wide-body planes such as the B777s or B787s that are priced at over USD 250 million each. The massive order is an affirmation of the turnaround at SpiceJet, which was on the verge of closure in December 2014 when founder Ajay Singh returned to take over the reins from the Chennai-based Sun Group. SpiceJet has now posted profits for eight quarters on the trot, beginning from the last quarter of FY15. For the quarter ended December 31, 2016, the airline posted a net profit of Rs 181.1 crore, a 24 percent year-on-year drop. (SpiceJet attributed the fall in profits to higher fuel prices and muted consumer spending on account of demonetisation.) (Read more stories from Forbes India) They tightened their belt, reduced costs, did a great job in on-time performance, filled up their planes, and brought discipline back to the airline, says Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific and India sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Over the last 22 months, SpiceJet has been reporting load factorsindustry speak for passenger capacity utilisationin excess of 90 percent, while its on-time performance has improved from 49.6 percent in January 2015 to 71.6 percent in January this year. It [the SpiceJet order] ensures that our market share and legacy continues in India, says Keskar, adding that in December 2014, we assisted them to ensure that some of their aircraft stayed in their fleet and we helped them a little financially as well. That said, much of the credit for SpiceJets turnaround goes to its chairman and managing director Singh. Since December 2014, he has doubled the airlines route network, increased its ancillary revenue from 6 percent to 16 percent and brought down costs such as aircraft lease rentals by 15 percent. But Singh remains humble. The whole system (the government, trade partners, passengers, and even the media) worked in a way which brought about the turnaround. And of course, the people at SpiceJet were passionate about it. One person cannot do this alone, says Singh. So, why did the system not rally around Mallya and KFA? At SpiceJet, Singh believes there was a genuine effort made to revive the airline. What was happening at KFA to my recollection was that they were just asking for more money from banks. You have to show a concrete plan. And obviously the people leading that effort have to be credible, quips Singh. (This article was first published in Forbes India The counting process was underway today for the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab which witnessed a triangular contest with the ruling SAD-BJP combine, the Congress and the AAP putting up a spirited fight. 54 counting centers have been established at 27 locations for the 117 Assembly constituencies in the state, an official spokesman said here. He said that more than 14000 officials have been deputed in the counting centers across the state. Punjab could be in for a neck-and-neck fight between the Congress and the AAP while the ruling SAD-BJP may face a drubbing, according to pollsters. However, the SAD-BJP alliance is confident of defying the pollsters "like in 2012", when it proved the surveys wrong. 89-year-old Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal claimed the combine would win 72 seats. As for Congress, Amarinder Singh claimed it would win 65 seats and the AAP exuded confidence of bagging close to 100. The state went to polls in a single phase on February 4 and recorded 78.60 per cent polling against 78.57 per cent in the 2012 polls. 1,145 candidates are in the fray, 81 of whom are women and one transgender. SAD contested 94 seats and its ally the BJP is 23. The Congress has contested all the seats. The AAP and its ally Lok Insaf Party, led by the Bains brothers of Ludhiana, are fighting 112 and 5 seats respectively. The SAD-BJP alliance had won 68 of the 117 seats it contested in 2012 to retain power for the second successive term.SAD had won 56 of the 94 seats contested and its ally BJP had won 12 of the 23 seats it contested. The Congress under the leadership of Amarinder Singh managed to win 46 of 117 seats it contested in its bid to wrest power from the SAD-BJP alliance. Three seats had gone to Independents. As far the vote share was concerned SAD got 34.75 per cent while the BJP got 7.13 per cent and Congress had got 40.11 per cent votes. The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. NORRISTOWN With just days until the 2022 general election a board room on the eighth floor of One Montgomery Plaza was filled with an air of contention. Public comment surrounding election practices including the dozen drop boxes posted across... Ex-choir director in Bucks County pleads no contest to molesting two students, secretly filming another March 13, 2017 Open Thread 2017-11 News & views ... Posted by b on March 13, 2017 at 19:49 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge in Morganton is calling all women to be a part of a free event geared toward promoting proactive health. The event, entitled Lady Fair, is scheduled for Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Foothills Higher Education Center, located at 2128 S. Sterling St . in Morganton. There is no cost to attend the event and all health screenings are free. It started with providing free health care screenings for the community, said Danette Brackett, CHSBR executive director of Business Development. The event was created more than 10 years ago and was held in the old National Guard Armory and attracted about 1,000 women, said a previous News Herald article. At the event, screenings for diabetes risk assessment, blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings nutrition education, bone density screenings, lung health screenings, skin cancer screenings and ankle brachial index circulation will be available, according to information from the hospital. This years theme for the event will be centered around Hollywood and will focus on women being the stars, Brackett said. Right when they walk through the doors they will feel the energy, she said. I want people to come in excited about taking charge of their health and excited about their health. She hopes that women come with enthusiastic hopes of learning different ways to stay well and having the opportunity to shop at different local vendors. It is really hard to get women to come out to only be screened because there are so many other things that they could be doing, she said That is why we (are) including the vendors with it where the women would have time to come through and shop a little, get free items and receive some health care tips. Vendors that will be present at the event include LuLaroe, Skinny Coffee, Avon, Mary Kay, Ruby Ribbon, Perfectly Posh, Arbonne, Heritage Herbs, Forget Me Not Farms, Homestead Farms, Sonshine and More, Dessert First, doTERRA oils, Cold-press soap, Evelyns Antiques and Collectibles, along with jewelry, crafts, candles and weaving demonstrations. The fair is the regions single largest annual event dedicated solely to women and , last year , approximately 700 women attended, Brackett said. We usually have women waiting to get in as early as 6 a.m., she said. This year, the doors open at 7:15 a.m. For me , I am a busy mom and working mom and it is hard for me to take time for myself , to be honest , and I think that is for any lady out there, she said. We take care of so many other people other than ourselves and I hope that wom e n come and will at least be aware of their health. " We wanted to have a day just for women so they can get potentially life-saving screenings and also get health information and the chance to shop for items you cant find in a store. She says even if they dont come to get screened , there is a lot of educational material available. If anything , it keep s womens health top of mind and provides education that they may not know and sign s of symptoms to look for, Brackett said. Not only do we have our vendors available , we have our service lines and our practices will be represented there and they can come through and ask questions (if they need) any health care advice , we will have the information there available for them. The hospital is focusing on wellness, preventative care and being more aware of their health, she said. Durings last years event , they conducted 231 cholestorel screenings, 121 skin screenings, 159 respiratory screenings and 183 A1C diabetes screenings. Hospital staff will follow up with those who receive screenings and interpreters will be available for Hmong, Spanish and for the deaf and hard of hearing, she said. Light breakfast foods will be available to those in attendance. For more information, call the hospital at 828-580-5000 or visit Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge on Facebook. Staff Writer Jonelle Bobak can be reached at jbobak@morganton.com or 828-432-8907. Telecom Egypt (TE), which has a monopoly on the country's landlines, announced a decline of 11 percent in net profit in 2016 compared to the previous year, the state-owned company stated on its website on Monday. The state-owned TE achieved EGP 2.67 billion in net profits in 2016 against EGP 2.99 billion the year before, the company said. Total revenues for Telecom, which holds a 45 percent stake in Vodafone Group Plc's local branch, increased by 16 percent in 2016 to EGP 14.1 billion from EGP 12.2 billion in 2015. In August, TE was the first to sign a deal to buy a fourth-generation (4G) mobile license in the country. Search Keywords: Short link: This week as part of our Guide to ISA Investing we reveal the top rated and top performing stock and fund ideas as well as sharing where the experts stash their cash, the latest news from the 2017 Budget Report and how to reduce your tax bill. Making money from residential property is getting harder. After a 3% stamp duty charge on buy-to-let properties and second homes introduced from April last year, next month there will be a change on buy-to-let mortgage interest tax relief. Landlords can claim a full tax relief on their mortgage interest payments at the moment however from next month the tax relief will be cut back 25% a year, hitting 0% in 2020. The number of new landlords instructing agents in February is at its lowest reading for two years at -10%, according to the latest RICS Residential Market Survey. This negative trend is likely to persist in coming months as investors are seeing their profits squeeze with more regulations changes kicking in next month, the survey said. While buy-to-let is under threat from regulatory changes, number of homes in the rental market is showing downward signs, and this is likely to support rental price growth, said Johnny Morris, research director at Countrywide, the property service group. Stephen Wasserman, managing director of West One Loans agreed, saying with many hungry renters, landlords should not walk away completely. Data from the Office of National Statistics revealed private rental prices paid by tenants in the UK rose by 2.2% in the year to January 2017. The rise of rental prices is likely to be caused by demand in the market outpacing supply, the ONS said. However, more recent data from Countrywide showed the cost of renting a property in Britain declined for the first time in over six years last month. Earn 7% from Buy-to-Let Investors looking for a buy-to-let investment should be aware that rental yields can vary widely across the UK. Properties out of London tend to offer higher yields, said Jonathan Harris, director of mortgage broker Anderson Harris. The latest research available by HSBC suggests that regionally, Manchester offers investors the best return on their investment. With an average house price of 108,870, average rent of 719 a month, gross rental yield totals 7.98%. Kingston upon Hull has an average house price of 69,135, average rent at 450 a month, resulting in a gross rental yield of 7.8%. Blackpools average house price is 79,654, average rent is 488 a month resulting in a gross rental yield of 7.35%. Profitable Options for Homeowners While buy-to-let mortgage interest tax relief is being reduced, homeowners have other options available to them. By signing up to the Rent a Room scheme, landlords can enjoy up to 7,500 a year exemption from tax. The Rent a Room scheme is an optional scheme that is open to owner occupiers or tenants who let out furnished accommodation to a lodger in their main home. It allows you to earn up to 7,500 a year tax-free, or 3,750 if you are letting jointly. Harris reminded investors however they make money from residential property it is important to have a contingency budget to cover void periods and ensure the mortgage is paid each month. This can also cover emergency outgoings, such as replacing the boiler, as the monthly rental income may not be enough for this. Some landlords look to cut costs by taking on the management of the property themselves as opposed to paying a management fee to an agent but while this could save you along the lines of 15% off the rent each month, work out whether you have the time, inclination and skill set to do this before committing, said Harris. The eight metre quartzite statue was found near the temple of Ramses II in the temple precinct of ancient Heliopolis in Greater Cairo The German Egyptian Archaeological mission in collaboration with the Egyptian antiquities ministry have taken measures to secure the lift on Monday of the second part of a large statue discovered in the ground of the Souq El-Khamis area in El-Matariya last week. The first part of the eight metre quartzite statue, which the archaeologists believe could be of Ramses II, was removed from the ground on Thursday. Mahmoud Afifi, head of the ministry's Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Department told Ahram Online that the team laid bedded ropes under the part of the statue set to be lifted Monday, often used with heavy antiquities. ## Head of First Aid Conservation at the Grand Egyptian Museum Eissa Zidan said the team extracted a water sample where the statue was found and determined that the water was neutral to alkaline. This knowledge will allow the team to take the appropriate steps to preserve the statue. The part of the statue pulled out on Thursday has been packed in treated materials, and will undergo a process of wetting with neutral water and perforation to ensure that it adapts gradually to an above ground environment. Search Keywords: Short link: The industry has been going to bat for brokers and potential home buyers following last years mortgage rule changes; that continued last week with dozens of meetings, organized by Mortgage Professionals Canada, with government officials.For an initial event, it was incredibly well organized, incredibly well run. There were roughly 21 one of us, we broke up into several separate pods and met with two or three MPs over the two days. It was incredibly efficient, Dustan Woodhouse , a BC-based DLC broker, told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. All the MPs, for the most part, were polite and receptive. Very few of them had a grasp of the nuances. Thats an understatement.Woodhouse estimates industry players which included brokers and lenders interacted with over 100 MPs over the course of two days.Are we going to see a sudden reversal of changes? Not likely. Did we communicate clearly the potential pain that a number of Canadians are going to go through, especially in small towns or especially your single-income family buyers? I think we communicated that clearly, he said. Youve got these bidding wars going on yet weve cut our own citizens back by 20%. We have the highest qualified borrowers probably in the world and weve tightened it even more. But not if (they) go to that other institution, (the banks).Mortgage Professionals Canada released its own brief on the meetings."I am extremely pleased that there is a real sense that Members of Parliament are listening to the concerns from our industry." said Paul Taylor, President of Mortgage Professionals Canada. "This weeks advocacy efforts have gone a long way in educating Members of Parliament on the positive role that mortgage brokers play in the Canadian housing market and the negative impacts that recent changes are having on first-time homebuyers.During the March 7 meeting, the association also requested the government refrains from introducing further mortgage-related policy until the full effects of last Octobers changes are known.This is hurting Canadian consumers and slowing the Canadian economy, MPC said in a statement following the meetings. This is why we are calling for some common-sense adjustments to the new rules that will help soften the impact of these changes on middle class Canadians. We are also asking the government to refrain from any further changes to the housing market for at least 18 months. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Sunny. Near record high temperatures. High near 80F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. The rising cost of rents and the narrowing of the gap between the cost of renting and homeownership makes now a good time to buy. Thats the finding of an index from Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University faculty, which shows that in most US cities, homebuying makes more financial sense than renting. "This is great news for home ownership and the financial returns to ownership," said real estate economist Ken Johnson Ph.D., who is one of the index's authors. "We are not where we were in 2012, when nearly any purchase was a sound financial decision. However, overall, we are now in a situation where aggressive marketing from sellers combined with due diligence and sound negotiation from buyers is creating a housing market that's more in line with what we've seen historically." Fifteen of the 23 cities in the index are solidly in buy territory, while another five are only marginally in rent territory. Dallas, Denver and Houston present scores that are worrisome in terms of local housing market conditions and report co-author Eli Beracha PhD., said the conditions are reminiscent of the past. Noble Energy, as part of its pending purchase of Clayton Williams Energy, is preparing to close Clayton Williams Energys Midland office and lay off almost 200 Clayton Williams employees. Noble, a Houston oil production company, is closing Clayton Williams office at 6 Desta Drive by the end of the year, it said in a notice sent to the state. Layoffs will start in May. Some of the 197, especially field workers, may keep their jobs. Noble Energy, in a statement provided to the Reporter-Telegram, said the company had filed a WARN Act notice March 6 with the Texas Workforce Commission, city of Midland and Midland County of its plans to close the office. The company said that, to support the integration of the two companies, the Midland office will remain open for a period following the close of the acquisition, expected in the second quarter of the year. There are 123 employees in the office and 74 in the field, according to Noble, Company officials said in the statement that Clayton Williams Energy employees will have the opportunity to pursue openings elsewhere with Noble, and most of Clayton Williams field employees are expected to remain employed at their current locations. The Clayton Williams Energy Midland office is being consolidated into Noble Energys Houston headquarters to fully leverage the technical and functional expertise of our workforce, Noble officials told the Reporter-Telegram by email. Its sad to hear one of our local, longtime companies is closing, said Midland Mayor Jerry Morales. He told the Reporter-Telegram he is looking forward to welcoming Noble to Midland but is sad to lose a company that meant so much to the community. Noting that he operates a restaurant Gerardos Bistro in ClayDesta Center, weve gotten attached to a lot of those employees. But it happens; its the nature of the business, Morales said. Noble announced in January that it was buying the Midland-based Clayton Williams in a $2.7 billion cash-and-stock deal. It was the energy industrys first major corporate acquisition of the year and the most any company had spent to buy into the Permian Basins western half, the Delaware, since a flurry of land deals began there last year. Nobles purchase adds about 71,000 acres to the companys portfolio, more than doubling its acreage in the Delaware. --- David Hunn with the Houston Chronicle contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The last anyone saw of Monica Cassandra Carrasco, she had gone to bed wearing a beige nightgown and had her Bible by the beside. That was Oct. 1, 2003. The next morning, the then-16-year-old had vanished from her bedroom, with her Bible. Since then, the family, law enforcement officials and the FBI have been trying to find out where she went and what happened to the girl from Balmorhea, a town of 470 people in far West Texas. MISSING WOMAN: She left work 25 years ago, then disappeared Carrasco's mother, Katherine, posted a recollection on a website about her last day with her daughter. "I told her I loved her," Katherine wrote on www.missingmonica.com, "and she said she loved me. Then we prayed." The next day, the girl was gone. Since then, nothing. No contact. No phone calls. No sightings. Just more searching by the Reeves County Sheriff and FBI. ISLAND MYSTERY: Woman's disappearance from South Padre has investigators puzzled Carrasco is listed as 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 116 pounds at the time of her disappearance. Family members and the FBI say she has chicken pox scars on forehead and suffers from depression, schizophrenia and has an eating disorder. Anyone with information may call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 or The Reeves County Sheriff's Office in Texas 1-432-445-4901. >>>Scroll through the gallery to see other missing persons cases around Texas Antiquities workers cover a massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, after it was pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) Antiquities workers cover a massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, after it was pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is surrounded by antiquities workers after it was pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is surrounded by antiquities workers after it was pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) Antiquities officials watch a massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, as it is pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) Antiquities officials watch a massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, as it is pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is pulled out of grondwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is pulled out of grondwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is pulled out of grondwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country's most famous ancient rulers, is pulled out of grondwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. (AFP) Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 - 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city. The House of Representatives, under our constitution, has two primary tasks: legislating and government oversight. Thats not new it follows all previous constitutions. But to bolster the independence and sovereignty of the parliament, the new 2014 constitution required its approval of the Cabinet appointments and endorsement of the governments program. But now more than a year since its election, the parliament has not measured up to its responsibilities and seems to be preoccupied with internal conflicts. Most recently, the House last week expelled an elected member on the basis of vague, unsubstantiated allegations. At the same time, it refuses to recognize the membership of another legally elected representative who won a ruling from the Court of Cassation affirming his legitimate election to the House. On the whole, the media and public tend to follow the irregularities and breaches taking place in the House. But more important than what the parliament is doing, however, is what it isnt doing. On the legislative front, immediately upon being seated, the House approved 340 laws issued via presidential decrees in just 15 days, with most of that time spent on procedural issues. And when the government presented its program, as required by the constitution, the few sessions allotted it involved no genuine debate on the proposed policies. Even when the House approved a law regulating civic associations and sent it to the presidency, it was ignored like it didnt exist. (And yes, its an extremely bad piece of legislation, but it still must be discussed, not disregarded.) Finally, when the Supreme Constitutional Court overturned several articles in the protest law, the parliament did not take timely action to remedy the law, even with young protesters languishing in prison because of it. On the economic front, the House inexplicably never reviewed one of the biggest loans ever received by Egypt in its history, the $12-billion loan from the IMF, although the agreement has entered into force and the first tranche of the loan was received. Nor has the House shown any interest in discussing state megaprojects, first and foremost the new administrative capital, although the project requires commitments from the state treasury and the contribution of state assets. The House has thus far not asked for an account of the Suez Canal expansion project, which added LE64 billion to domestic debt, and it has not addressed the ongoing expansion of the states economic role, which is a source of confusion and anxiety both in and out of Egypt. And politically, the parliament has shown little interest in exercising any oversight. It has been unconcerned about the Renaissance Dam project in Ethiopia and its repercussions and has stayed silent on the gross mismanagement of the Tiran and Sanafir Islands imbroglio and the resulting predicament. Nor has it devoted any attention to national and international reports on detainees and violations of citizens rights, as if they concern citizens of another country. The fact is, our representative body has occupied itself, and the public, with issues and debates largely unrelated to its legislative and regulatory role. This is a serious matter: the failure of the parliament to assume its constitutional role means, in essence, that we are a country without parliament, without government oversight, and without popular representation in lawmaking. It means the executive monopolises the tools of governance, legislation, and oversight, which threatens the balance of powers on which the constitution is based. I will conclude by stating my deep respect to those MPs, whether partisan or independents, who continue to work in silence, exercise the rights and duties of their office, and refuse to go along with the prevailing recklessness, silence, and weakness. Theyre true heroes who deserve our support. But those who are satisfied with silence, passivity, and obedience should know that time will hold them accountable. One day, the people will demand an accounting from them for squandering their own rights and the rights of those they ostensibly represent. *The writer holds a PhD in financial law from the London School of Economics. He is former deputy prime minister, former chairman of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority and former chairman of the General Authority for Investment. A version of this article was published in Arabic in El-Shorouq newspaper on Monday, 6 March. Search Keywords: Short link: San Andreas, CA - The clamoring continues to rise as Calaveras activists on both sides of the countys proposed Measure B commercial cannabis ban argue for and against a local industry of reputed economic promise fraught with enforcement and neighbor issues. With only seven weeks before the May 2 special ballot, during which resident-voters will officially weigh in, a Superior Court issued a writ of mandate in response to a petitioners complaint. The writ requires Measure B authors Bill McManus and David Tunno to amend or delete eight arguments they submitted to the county elections office for use in the voter guide as part of their ban support statements. As reported here, the case was recently filed by local resident and cannabis advocate Bob Bowerman. In it, he specifically outlined eight statements as being false and misleading to voters. After the hearing one of his attorneys Adrian Lambie stated he thought it significant that the presiding judge observed that, the way the ban initiative was written would likely to lead to more litigation or an invalidation. That acknowledgement echoes others publicly made by more than a few county officials, who additionally anticipate enforcement funding issues if Measure B passes, as fees collected from hundreds of commercial grow applications that are still in process will have to be refunded. Official Processes In Play In the interest of getting a better rein on the situation, three of the five county supervisors who ran and won their campaigns last fall on promising to ban grows in their districts formed a bloc. They are former and current District 1 Supervisor Gary Tofanelli, who defeated incumbent and Board Chair Cliff Edsen to reclaim the seat; District 4 Supervisor Dennis Mills, who ran against a slate of other new candidates after Debbie Ponte declined to re-seek election; and District 5 Supervisor Clyde Clapp, who led a recall of incumbent Steve Kearney and was among several running to replace him. As reported here, the trios solidarity helped carry a motion directing county staff towards drafting supervisors ban on commercial grows and related industry activities, to keep in the wings. It is currently being crafted to simply comply with all related state regulations, including those that allow for locally compliant medical marijuana dispensaries, unlike Measure B. It would also be in basic compliance with Prop 64. In another potential supervisors move, one of the agenda items at Tuesdays regular meeting is for the board to discuss setting up a tentatively two-member ad hoc committee on cannabis. As currently proposed, the committee would be made up of two supervisors to review recommendations and ideas submitted by community members to the county planning director on various measures that could be implemented to improve the commercial cultivation industry, should it continue. Both District 2 Supervisor Jack Garamendi, whose constituents include a majority of the grower industry, and Supervisor Mills have expressed interest in serving on it. Grassroots Political Maneuverings In recent weeks a local political group, riffing off the national, Texas-based Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition (RAMP), issued a media release of its official formation as a local entity. Since then members are beginning to emerge at public meetings. Called Calaveras Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition (CRAMP), its goals, consistent with RAMPs, seek to reform cannabis laws by working within the GOP to educate and connect with lawmakers, party leadership, and grassroots activists. One of its organizers, Dottie Bates, a registered Republican for a number of years who also has a commercial grow on file with the county, says CRAMPs 120-plus active, registered Republican members and interested parties represent a wide range of ages and backgrounds. She adds that the groups goal is to work with the Calaveras Central Republican Committee (CCRC) to present a broader outreach perspective. She notes that CRAMPs recent outreach attempts to collaborate with the central committee went unanswered. Bates maintains that her group is not just cultivators and others with livelihoods tied to the cannabis industry. As she describes, We have a few retired law enforcement officials and we have a broad spectrum of interested citizens here in Calaveras County who are just interested in having a conversation about this hot topic issue, without all the emotion and accusations being flung about. Testing Comfort Zones Last week at Greenhorn Creek some hackles raised as a few dozen CRAMP members showed up at a regular meeting of the CCRC, where a discussion was on the agenda to discuss the possibility of issuing an official opinion ahead of the special ballot ban initiative vote. Core members of the group, local head Vicki Reinke and her husband Lance, who was set to make a presentation, previously supported a ban measure that did not make the ballot. As Vicki describes the turnout, The elected members of the CCRP voted to adjourn the meeting due to the violation of the fire code. An estimated 66 to 70 persons were in attendance. The room that the CCRP meeting is held is authorized for a maximum of 49 persons. Angels Camp Police Chief Todd Fordahl recounts that evening somewhat differently, explaining that a call from a CCRC representative came in, requesting the removal of numerous people from the meeting who were unknown to the organization. Upon arriving at the event, the chief says officers determined that, since the meeting was officially intended as a public gathering, they did not have grounds to disperse the assembly. However, he says, the local fire marshal was summoned to explain that, as the crowd exceeded fire code number limits, in order to continue the event people would need to be rotated in and out in a way that would allow the space to remain within its legal public occupancy limit. In the remaining weeks ahead before the May 2 ballot, numerous more events focusing on educational will no doubt be slated. Bates, for her part, states, We are looking engage the farming community who identify as Republicans, and with those older conservatives who do not necessarily live a farming or agricultural lifestyle. A lot of us who are cultivators within the group heavily identify with the Republican values and have for a life-long time. Still Time To Make A Case For Regulation? She argues that CRAMPs core values are in step with those of fellow Republicans: celebrating an individuals right to freedom, property rights and the pursuit of happiness as well as the rights of free markets and enterprise, as well as to succeed with and without government interventions. Bates is also quick to emphasize the desire of registered growers to be accepted in the community and be compliant. Should regulations continue to provide opportunities for the industry to proceed, she adds they hope for an opportunity to recoup any investments that they created with the possibility of some properties being rezoned. While Bates optimistically stresses that beyond regulations, neighbor agreements can be made to help keep everybody happy, she understands that for the future of commercial cultivation to stand a chance in Calaveras, the biggest challenge remains for all sides concerned to really understand the short and long-term challenges and opportunities at stake. To this end, she says she hopes that town hall and other meeting events events in the days ahead are able to thoughtfully provide effective, public outreach forums that facilitate broad participation and information sharing so voters can make informed decisions. Sacramento, CA He did it again. A local student has won the California Arts Councils Poetry Out Loud competition for the second time in three years. The state finals were held in Sacramento over the past two days, and Levi Lowe was the top finisher. Lowe also won the competition in 2015 as a sophomore at Sonora High School. Lowe now moves on to the national competition April 24-26 in Washington, DC. When Lowe competed back in 2015 he was one of nine students that transferred to the final round of the national contest. Lowe will receive $200 for winning the California competition and his expenses will be covered for the trip to Washington, DC. In addition, his school will receive $500 to purchase literary materials. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. BERLIN Berlin High Schools Interact Club is helping prom dreams come true by providing dresses for those unable to afford them. Any donation is greatly appreciated, said Nicole Cyr, club president and head of the dress collection. Interact will give the dresses to a West Hartford-based organization, Princess and the Prom. Dresses can be dropped off at the high school or at Good Cause Gifts on Main Street. Anyone who drops off a dress at Good Cause Gifts will receive 10 percent off a store purchase. Monetary donations are also being accepted. Last year the club was able to donate more than 120 dresses to Princess and the Prom. The dress collection runs until Friday. For more information, contact Nicole Cyr at berlininteract@gmail.com. akus@record-journal.com 203-317-2448 Twitter: @KusReporter HARTFORD A bipartisan efforts seeks to ban the use of conversion therapy on those under 18. Conversion therapy is a series of psychological treatments and counseling techniques aimed at changing homosexual individuals sexual orientation. Techniques can include the use of intense shaming and electroshock therapy. Proponents of the ban said it also increases the risk that recipients endure mental health problems. As a gay youth, and as a gay adult for that matter, never was I broken nor needed to be fixed, Rep. Jeff Currey, D-East Hartford, one of two openly gay state lawmakers and a proponent of the bill, said during a March 6 press conference. The bill has more than 70 co-sponsors from both political parties and support from more than 50 state medical and human rights organizations. Proponents said five licensed facilities in Connecticut currently engage in conversion therapy. The bill would prohibit the practice. Penalties could include license termination. Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, said hes not aware of any state facility offering conversation therapy and questioned the need for the bill. He would not take a stance on conversion therapy, but did criticize lawmakers for giving in to particularly strong gay lobby in Connecticut flexing its muscle when they should focus on other issues. I think its a waste of time to have a public hearing, have a press conference, have all this energy to outlaw something that doesnt actually exist in the state of Connecticut, he said. Rep. Liz Linehan, D-Cheshire, said a friend went to a church-supported counseling program as a teen, where he was told that if he just had his faith in god, he would not be gay. She said the program set him on a dangerous path that led him to using drugs by the time he was 16. Senate Minority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said the bill is also needed because of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric nationally, particularly from Republicans. State House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, is among the bills co-sponsors, as are several other Republicans, and she said in a statement that conversion therapy should not be embraced by the national GOPs platform. The matter does not belong in any political setting, she said in the statement. When are we simply going to accept people for who they are? msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino Connecticuts population has declined by almost 20,000 over the past three years, and many of those leaving have been just the kind of high-earners whose income this state sorely needs on its tax rolls. Others who are leaving are recent college graduates who might otherwise have become pillars of the states future tax base. Studies show younger adults flocking to urban centers, and General Electric said the decision to relocate its headquarters from Fairfield to Boston was motivated in part by a desire to be near a larger supply of young, professional applicants. Other recent graduates may be leaving primarily because of Connecticuts high cost of living. Nick Girard, a student at Yale University, said he and his classmates particularly those with heavy college debt are moving away for more affordable locations. We cant sit back as the next generation of innovators and change makers leave this incredible state, Girard said. This brain drain is no good for the future of Connecticut. In view of these trends, Democrats at the Capitol are pushing for an income-tax credit for recent college graduates as a way to keep young professionals in the state. Many of our students are choosing other places to go, but the last reason we want them to go for is overall affordability, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said before a recent public hearing on the proposal. The amount of the credit has yet to be determined, but proponents support a break that would follow graduates for up to five years, so long as they remain in the state. Can something like this work? And would it be worth the estimated $6 million it would cost the state annually? We cant answer those questions, but the idea at least recognizes the need to keep young grads from leaving for greener pastures. State Sen. Len Suzio, R-Meriden, questioned the logic of the bill, however, saying the state needs to focus more on creating the jobs needed to keep college graduates in the state. But state Rep. Hilda Santiago, D-Meriden, said the tax credit would provide young grads with an incentive to stay in the state of Connecticut, and stay here and be part of building the tax base and raising their families. Either way, its an interesting idea, and shows that our lawmakers in Hartford realize theres a problem and are looking for ways to encourage people especially young people, especially college-educated young people to stay in Connecticut after graduation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Over the past few months, the Trump administration has rattled the Bay Area with just a few strokes of a pen from a hastily issued immigration ban to the blocking of a multimillion-dollar grant intended to help create Californias high-speed rail system. As part of Silicon Valleys continued effort to create inroads with a Republican administration whose priorities run counter to many of its own, a delegation of local leaders are heading to Washington this week to lobby for a number of policies that the Bay Areas thriving tech economy relies on. On the groups short list is a push for comprehensive tax reform, a bid to unblock federal grant money for the train system, and an appeal to not curb visas for high-skilled immigrants. The trip, organized by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, happens every year. But with the new administration in place, a few things have changed: The group will be about four times its usual size, organizers say, and members feel a heightened sense of urgency to be heard by an administration that was largely opposed by Silicon Valley last November. We have never had a more robust response to participate from CEOs than this year, said Carl Guardino, who heads the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. This moment of time is critical. The delegation will meet with Democratic and Republican members of Congress and administration officials. Joining the group will be nearly 90 Bay Area leaders, ranging from startup CEOs to the mayors of San Jose, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale. Among those attending is Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank. While the groups list of priorities has not changed much from previous years, Becker said, leaders are mindful of which points are likely to get support from the administration. That means corporate tax reform which President Trump championed during his campaign will be at the top of the list, Becker said. The tech sector has long called for reform of the tax code, which it says is complex, chaotic and has hurt American competitiveness. Lower on the list will be immigration reform. Silicon Valley companies have long complained about the limited number of H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers, whom tech firms rely on to fill many engineering positions. Despite Trumps calls for a merit-based immigration system, his immigrant and refugee travel ban has left executives jittery about the the future of the H-1B visa program. However, with any significant expansion of work visas unlikely under Trump, the groups focus will be on making sure the administration doesnt make anything worse, Becker said. Also looming large on the trip is the issue of federal funding for improving Caltrain, the heavily used commuter rail system between the South Bay and San Francisco. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group has long lobbied for local, state and federal funding for this project, which would replace the systems diesel equipment with electric trains. But last month, 14 California Republicans sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao asking her to block funding meant for the system a move that Caltrain says puts the project in serious jeopardy. Becker said he hopes that the grant money will be restored, given the presidents pledge to improve the countrys infrastructure. Matt Mahan, CEO of Brigade, a Bay Area tech startup, said now that Republicans control both houses of Congress, he expects much more legislative movement than there was during the Obama administration. As part of the business community that particularly represents Silicon Valley, I think we have some credibility and we have an opportunity to push policy in a particular direction, said Mahan, who will be on the lobbying trip. When it comes to politics, Silicon Valley is still a relative newcomer. In the past, individual heads of companies have pushed pet issues: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has donated millions of dollars to wire public schools for Internet access, while LinkedIns Reid Hoffman has pushed for immigration reform. But more and more, the region is acting as a group. For example, after Trumps first travel ban, Facebook, Google and Apple and a multitude of other big names in tech signed a legal brief opposing the order. The tech hub had become used to a mostly comfortable relationship with the Obama administration, but many now worry about developing a similar connection with Trump. If Silicon Valley wants to be effective in Washington, it needs to think of its tech innovations in the broader context of the rest of the country, said Jamie Corley, a former top aide to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn. Corley now lives in San Francisco, where she co-founded TheBridge, a startup that works to promote better understanding between Silicon Valley and Washington just one of many efforts to do so. Tech companies and startups want to be hyper-individual, but when it comes to lobbying Washington, that mentality is hugely detrimental, Corley said, adding that Silicon Valley needs to communicate that whats happening along a few square miles in Northern California also impacts the lives of people in Dallas, Texas, and St. Louis, Mo. Chronicle staff writer Thomas Lee contributed to this report. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani As in every election, the issue of taxes played a significant role in the 2016 presidential campaigns. President Donald Trump's tax plan has gone under the microscope since the polls closed, due to allegations that his strategy won't aid the middle class as much as was promised during his campaign. How that plan evolves as we move further into Trump's presidency remains to be seen. With this in mind, the data experts at CareerTrends an employment and career research site powered by Graphiq used the most recent data from the Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator to find which states pay the least in taxes. Fotolia Has your spouse fallen behind on that "honey do" list? Sometimes Spouse, which just opened a location in Sugar Land, advertises that it will "rent" you a significant other to help out around the house. Its services range from home repairs and carpentry to cleaning and pet sitting. The company in its news release says it "is not an escort service." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new judge presiding over a 2012 case challenging the legality of the Montrose Management District said he would like to see the matter resolved and expects to issue a final ruling by the end of May. The ruling is likely to either uphold a previous judge's findings that the district made unlawful assessments and should reimburse property owners or approve the district's request for a "take-nothing judgment." At a hearing Monday morning, state District Judge Daryl L. Moore in Harris County's 333rd Civil Court said he will continue to study the details of the case before making his ruling. He also asked the plaintiff's attorney to file a motion for judgment within the next few weeks. Moore inherited the case from Judge Joseph "Tad" Halbach Jr., who left his post at the end of last year without issuing a final ruling. "I'm not familiar with all the facts," Moore said. "I'm going to get more current than I am." A separate lawsuit making similar claims against the district is being heard in federal court. RELATED: Montrose Management District case now in federal court The class action involves a group of commercial property owners subject to the district's assessments who are seeking to be reimbursed millions of dollars they paid to the agency during the past several years. The plaintiffs also have made a dissolution claim. That case is set to be heard by U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett. A pretrial and scheduling conference is scheduled for May 26. The district has defended its legality and cited earlier court rulings in its favor. The Montrose Management District is one of dozens in the Houston area created by the legislature to promote economic development and make improvements to public areas in individual neighborhoods. Commercial property owners help pay for the improvements through assessments. In Montrose, they are assessed at a rate of 12.5 cents per each $100 of property value. Late last year, Halbach wrote in a findings of fact and conclusions of law that "the assessments paid by owners of real property within the district were not made voluntarily, but were paid under duress." The judgment said the district has assessed and collected nearly $6.6 million. It also said the assessments were void because the district board didn't have enough valid property owners who signed a petition required to begin charging assessments. The district has said the property owners are not entitled to a refund because claims that the funds were paid under duress were never proved. It also said the previous judge's ruling ordering the district to reimburse the total amount of the funds it collected is erroneous because retroactive monetary relief was not requested. A 26-year-old man was shot and killed outside of a church in East Oakland Saturday night the second homicide in the city in a 90-minute span, officials said. Everything you need to know to stay safe amid this heat wave Officers responded to gunshots around 7:20 p.m. in the 2200 block of Dashwood Avenue at Arthur Street, just outside the Second Mt. Nebo Missionary Church, police said. The victim, who was shot multiple times, was identified by the Alameda County coroner as Rene Cabrera of East Palo Alto. Police officers and paramedics rendered medical aid to Cabrera, but he died at the scene, officials said. The slaying occurred about 90 minutes before police were called to a hospital in North Oakland after a man showed up with a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, officers were told by medical staff that the victim had died at the hospital. Police do not believe the two homicides are related. Officers found evidence that the victim was shot on 60th Street between Adeline Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way about nine miles from where the earlier killing occurred, officials said. The victim was identified as Emeryville resident Fnu Bey, 18, by the coroners office. No arrests were made in either killing. Sarah Ravani and Michael Bodley are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com and mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @SarRavani and @michael_bodley This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN Maybe one day, San Antonio native Noel Wells will give her hometown the same loving treatment as her delightful directorial debut, Mr. Roosevelt, which premiered Sunday at South By Southwest Film Festival. Utilizing Austin actors and locales, some iconic, the comedy exuded the vibe of a love letter to Austin. Wells, who wrote and stars in the film, plays the role of Emily Martin, a struggling Los Angeles comic who only returns to her college stomping grounds because her old pet cat is deathly sick. But that means having to see its caregivers, her ex-boyfriend and his new live-in girlfriend. Shes like me when I was 25, said Wells after the screening, composite, dark pieces of me. RELATED: SXSW will be 'intense' for first-time acts from San Antonio That probably isnt far from the truth based on the squeals of delight that greeted film festival director Janet Piersons opening remarks to a packed house at the Paramount Theatre on Congress Avenue. Some of you probably know the director from her UT days, Pierson quipped. Also attending the premiere were co-stars Nick Thune, Britt Lower and Andre Hyland, who delivered outstanding on-screen performances. Mr. Roosevelt was shot on 35mm Kodak film and the result is beautiful (It) instantly elevates the movie, Wells said but that doesnt mean there arent sometimes challenges dealing with the format. The Paramounts film projector suffered major technical glitches with its bulb twice going out, causing a blacked-out screen. Another time, there was a loss of audio. To her credit, Wells (who jokingly described making the movie as an existential stress exercise) kept her cool as she watched and proved to be a good sport, lightheartedly crying out in the darkness, Why is this happening to me? and This is avant-garde. Fans cheered her on during the short, if annoying, delays. We love you, Noel, one woman yelled out. RELATED: Hilarious sign mocking Austin's confusing roads welcomes SXSW visitors, goes viral Texas Public Radios Nathan Cone, who curates KSTXs popular Cinema Tuesdays summer film series, said its important to support homegrown filmmakers at SXSW Film. The best stuff ends up here, Cone said. Its where the future is going. Paul Hamilton was among the dozens of badge holders who lined up early for the film. A lot of the movies I like are indie and may not make it into the mainstream, said Hamilton, a paratransit manager at Capital Metro. A lot of times Ive walked into movies accidentally, and theyre really great. One such moment in the film (and there were plenty) came while Wells character was relishing a taco and lamenting L.A.s penchant for burritos: Burritos are just sleeping bags for rice. The line scored big. I was just happy when people were laughing, Wells said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Emmy-winning HBO pundit John Oliver took aim Sunday at all the bizarre ways men all over the world paid tribute to International Women's Day last week. He capped his roundup with the most "spectacular celebration" of them all -- on San Antonio TV. Oliver went on to say that it happened on KABB lifestyle show "Daytime at Nine." He then ran footage of Esteban Solis, co-host of the morning program, and his ad libs on the live show Wednesday. RELATED: S.A. transgender supporters blast WOAI town hall In the clip, Solis briefly acknowledged the special day, then transitioned to workout tips for women. "Today is International Women's Day, so hey, ladies, don't worry, it's your day today you can do whatever you want," Solis said. "And speaking of doing whatever you want, it's Workout Wednesdays time to get that bikini body just in time for summer." The reaction by the acerbic British host of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"? "That's right, ladies you can do whatever you want: crunches, curls, maybe some light cardio," Oliver quipped. Then, mimicking Solis' delivery, he added: "The point is, keep it tight! It's your day, but keep it tight." Adding that Solis was just getting started, Oliver ran another clip. In it, the "Daytime" host explained he was alone on the show that day because his KABB partner, Kimberly Crawford, was "in traffic." RELATED: Three San Antonio TV stations adding more local news "But it's OK, it's International Women's Day so she can do that today," Solis said, adding: This year International Women's Day will come together with a day without women, many of whom were on strike. "That's a good thing," Solis said, "because, when it comes down to it, that's where we all come from." Looking bewildered, Oliver said: "What?! That is a pretty limited understanding of human reproduction. I bet if you asked him to label a chart of the female anatomy, he'd probably just write 'Noice!' across the top of it and call it a day." The pundit did manage to end the S.A. bit with a compliment, however. Well, sort of. Flashing a photo of host Crawford, Oliver noted that "the stuck-in-traffic Kimberly probably does most of the heavy lifting on that show. RELATED: S.A. TV changes may have influenced ratings "In that sense, I'm not sure that anyone this week managed to show better what A Day Without Women is all about, because Kimberly, I don't know who you are or what you do, but I sure as (expletive) know what happens when you're not there." Oliver concluded with a piece of advice for Crawford. "First thing tomorrow, you need to go into the office and ask for a (expletive) raise." Attempts to reach both Solis and Crawford Monday morning went unanswered. On the face of it, the bit was hard on Solis. On the other hand, being featured on a national show, particularly one as esteemed as John Oliver's, could be seen as a kind of plus. In the past, Randy Beamer made it on Letterman and KABB meteorologist Shaun Stevens was the topic of a fun roast by Jimmy Kimmel. What's that famous saying from Oscar Wilde? "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." jjakle@express-news.net Violent crime rates were a major talking point for President Trump during the 2016 election and continue to be a focus of the new administration. In a speech before a gathering of major city police chiefs, the president noted that violent crimes were rising in many cities, further stating that it is "a national tragedy and it requires national action." It's true that the violent crime rate in the U.S. increased in 2015. According to the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report, the 2015 violent crime rate was 372.6 per 100,000 inhabitants -- a 3.1 percent increase over the 2014 rate. However, looking at two years' worth of data overlooks the larger trends. In the last 20 years, the rate of violent crime has fallen steadily from 636.6 per 100,000 in 1996 and is near an all-time low. Nevertheless, some places have seen particularly large upticks in violent crime recently. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, violent crime rates in 2016 were projected to have increased by 17.7 percent and 13.4 percent in Chicago and Charlotte, respectively. With that in mind, FindTheHome, a real estate intelligence site by Graphiq, ranked the most dangerous place in every state. The data experts looked at the 2015 FBI Uniform Crime Report (the most recent year available) and identified the city in each state with the highest violent crime rate per 100,000 people in 2015. The violent crime rate is the total number of crimes reported to law enforcement agencies within a city per 100,000 people. Violent crime is defined as offenses that involve force or threat of force. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two former lawmakers have joined the call for a new education funding formula. Republican John McKinney, a former Fairfield state senator, and Democrat Bill Dyson, a former New Haven representative are co-chairs of an effort called Fix the Formula. The group doesnt want a new study. It wants the legislature to make changes this session. Its important that we fix the formula and do it in a bipartisan way, McKinney said. We understand the enormous challenges the state is facing and the legislature is facing in terms of a budget but the goal is to get a better formula. How state education dollars are distributed is one of the chief beefs of a coalition that successfully brought suit against the state. The court decision has been appealed to the state Supreme Court. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, acknowledging flaws in the system, proposed a new funding formula in a budget plan that also shifted a huge chunk of the responsibility of paying for states Teacher Retirement Fund to municipalities. That would wipe out gains made by impoverished districts like Bridgeport. The governors plan would be based on enrollment and levels of poverty but also would eliminate state education funding for some communities. There doesnt seem to be much if any support for it on either side of the aisle, McKinney said. We need to come up with something else. Fix the Formula CT proposes a formula that includes four basic principals: a base amount for all students; additional funding for students living in poverty, learning English or with special needs; a consideration of a communitys ability to pay; and a commitment to fully funding the formula. The legislature may not be capable this session but they should try, said McKinney who spent 15 years in the legislature and in 2014 sought his partys nomination for governor. In Connecticut, the amount of funding a city or town receives per child varies widely not only from one zip code to the next. In recent years the distribution has not been based on a formula. Many schools, particularly in Bridgeport, lack the resources they need to provide their students with quality educational opportunities. Annual budget decisions become an exercise in what to cut and what to save. Jim Finley, who leads the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, the group that brought suit against the state, said he welcomes new voices calling for much needed education funding reform. CCJEF urges Fix the Formula CT and other groups to support our effort to enact legislation this session calling for an Education Adequacy Cost Study as a necessary first step to redesigning our education funding system Finley said. Meanwhile, Meg Green, a spokeswoman for Gov. Malloy, said his office agrees the time for action is now. For decades, we have not properly supported pockets of poverty in our cities and small towns. The Governors proposal seeks to rectify that situation by creating a formula that is more predictable, transparent, and fair. Albany A memo from Albany County Comptroller Mike Connors challenging the effectiveness of expanding a ban on foam containers has those in support of the measure crying foul. The memo sent to legislators late last week said if the ban on polystyrene products commonly known as Styrofoam was extended to all food service establishments in the county there could be increased costs for businesses, no definitive health impacts and possible further stress on already overburdened landfills. They're expect to vote on the measure at 7 p.m. Monday, March 13. Typically, the Comptroller's Office wouldn't weigh in on matters like this, but Connors said a couple legislators asked if he could. He wouldn't name those who made the request. Environmental advocates and county residents say the memo is merely an opinion piece based on "selective sources" that argues the industry's side. Tina Lieberman, an Albany resident and part of the Foam Free Albany Coalition, said sources cited in the memo include a study by MB Public Affairs, which was commissioned by the American Chemistry Council. The council represents large manufacturers and chemical companies. "We have to understand where this is coming from," Lieberman said of Connors information in the memo. "There's a lot of exaggerations and inaccuracies to pump up the numbers." The law allows businesses to opt out if switching from foam containers is a financial burden, which isn't mentioned in the memo. The proposal's supporters say they want to reduce the amount of foam waste that ends up in waterways and takes hundreds of years if ever to decompose. Industry lobbyists have argued more effort should be made to recycle the product. Connors' memo doesn't consider environmental and health costs association with styrene production, the chemical used to make foam products, nor does it mention foam products take significantly longer to breakdown, advocates say. Styrene is a "reasonably anticipated" carcinogen, and can leach into food heated in foam products. "The amount of styrene that has been proven to move into people's food is very small," Lieberman said. "What we're concerned about is there's an accumulation of toxins in people's bodies. This is just another stresser." The memo also asserts businesses could double up on alternatives, putting more waste into landfills. While last month the county Board of Health noted there's "insufficient data" to determine adverse public health effects from the products, it said expanding the ban would help the environment and could reduce the burden on landfills. Republican Legislator Paul Burgdorf argued alternatives weigh more and take up more space in a landfill, plus foam food containers don't account for the majority of polystyrene waste. Household appliance packaging is a larger contributor, he said. "If it doesn't serve a health purpose, why are we doing this?" he said. "It's a feel-good proposal for people who don't understand the solid waste industry or public health impacts." Lieberman said they're assuming businesses will go with expensive, non-recyclable products. "But that's not true, a lot of (restaurants) are going to recyclable plastic, aluminum tins, those are absolutely recyclable," she said. afries@timesunion.com 518-454-5353 @mandy_fries This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The second Trump Executive Order on travel harms citizens, colleges, businesses, health providers and churches, according to an amended complaint filed Monday by Washington and joined by five other states. The states are requesting a hearing on Tuesday, at which time they will ask U.S. District Judge (or "so-called judge" as President Trump has called him) to enforce his Feb. 3 injunction, issued against the First Executive Order, against the revised order issued last week. "Cutting some illegal aspects of President Trump's original travel order does not cure his affront to our Constitution," said Attorney General Bob Ferguson as he filed an amended complaint in the state's lawsuit challenging Trump's travel ban as illegal and unconstitutional. New York, Maryland, Massachusetts and California have asked the federal court for permission to join the lawsuit, with Oregon and Minnesota already on board. Ferguson has requested that the Seattle-based federal court hold a hearing Tuesday on the amended complaint. The Second Executive Order is set to take effect on Thursday. The amended complaint gives example after example, from multiple states' to bolster a basic argument of harm. In joining the suit, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Monday: "The Trump administration may have changed the text of the now-discredited Muslim travel ban. But they didn't change its constitutional intent and effect. It is still an attack on people -- women and children, professors and business colleagues, seniors and civic leaders based on their religion and national origin." A new wrinkle : The states argue the ban on travel from six Muslim countries impedes efforts to recruit foreign doctors willing to practice in physician-short rural America, the heartland of Trump's 2016 vote. The arguments: --Residents: "When President Trump issued the First Executive Order, it immediately tore families apart, causing significant stress and financial hardship," said the states' brief. "Many families will suffer a similar fate under the Second Executive Order." An example: "One Washington resident, a U.S. citizen, is separated from his new wife and elderly parents who live in Iran and are awaiting green cards. "His plans to start a life together with his wife in Seattle were suddenly halted, and both he and his wife were suffering greatly as they do not know when they will be together." Family members are often "in vulnerable situations," the brief added, citing a New York man whose wife and four children are stranded in Yemen in the midst of a civil war." --Colleges: The states "have hundreds of students and faculty members from the six countries affected by the Second Executive Order . . . For students and faculty without multiple-entry visas, foreign travel for personal or academic reasons risks and inability to return,," the brief argued. . The Trump order also prevents the states' colleges and universities from considering "attractive student candidates or faculty" from the affected countries. The countries are Syria, Iran, Yemen, Suday, Libya and Somalia. --Economy and business: The six states argue that they will lose tax revenue as well as talent from Trump's Second Executive Order, impacting many companies dependent on foreign workers "to operate and grow their businesses." The brief cites a Washington mortgage consultant who has lose clients, a brokerage company -- Redfin -- that had five potential customers decide not to purchase homes -- and travel companies forced to cancel tours. "The Second Executive Order affects their ability to retain employees from the six affected countries as well as from other Muslim-majority nations, which affects their ability to compete in the global marketplace," the states' argue. --Health care: The Second Executive Order will "harm recruitment efforts" for physicians, which in turn "will harm patients in underserved areas," the states argue. "Hundreds of physicians from the banned countries work in the States," the brief added. "Recruitment of foreign-born physicians is critical to the States' efforts to address Health Professional Shortage areas and their need for primary care, dental health and mental health physicians." As well, the states argue that the Second Executive Order will harm faith communities and religious organizations. The reason, already cited in another suit by the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, is that churches perform refugee resettlement or ministry as part of their religious and calling. As a result of Trump's order, Lutheran Community Services Northwest will be unable to provide assistance to between 100 and 200 refugees. Jewish Family Services in Seattle will be blocked from resettling 65 additional refugees. In words of the brief, "By preventing these individuals and organizations from providing services to refugees, the Second Executive Order prevents them from exercising their belies and fulfilling their missions." California's AG Becerra summed up the suit by saying: "There are some things that transcend a presidency." 1 Flight cancellations: American Airlines canceled all flights to New York Citys two airports Tuesday as carriers grounded more than 6,000 trips ahead of a winter storm that threatens to batter the East Coast. The New York area was under a blizzard warning with snowfall of as much as 24 inches and wind gusts of up to 55 mph expected Tuesday. The storm was affecting service at 40 airports, also including Washington-Reagan and Chicago. 2 Security breach: A Milpitas man charged with jumping the White House fence late Friday will be allowed to remain free while awaiting trial, but he will have to wear a GPS monitor. At a hearing in federal court in Washington on Monday, Jonathan Tuan Tran, 26, was ordered to stay within 100 miles of his hometown except while traveling to court in Washington. He must stay away from the White House and undergo a mental health evaluation. Tran is charged with entering restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Court records allege Tran was carrying two cans of Mace when arrested. Hes scheduled to return to court April 13. 3 Volcano erupts: An Alaska volcano that has erupted more than 35 times since mid-December sent up another ash cloud Monday. The Alaska Volcano Observatory said Bogoslof Volcano erupted just after 3:30 a.m. The eruption at the Aleutian Islands volcano lasted 12 minutes and satellite data indicated an ash cloud formed. An eruption of the volcano last week prompted authorities to issue an aviation warning about ash at elevations that could affect flights. 4 Kidnapping case: Authorities arrested a Florida a man suspected of kidnapping his estranged wife and rescued the woman, who had only minor injuries after she was spotted over the weekend screaming, with her hands bound behind her back, a sheriff said Monday. Trevor Steven Summers, 39, was taken into custody after authorities received a tip that the couple was at a resort near Tampa, Sheriff David Gee said. Summers was taken to a hospital for a self-inflicted wound, but it was not life-threatening. 5 Murder plot: A Houston veterinarian and her boyfriend are accused of trying to hire an undercover police officer posing as a hit man to kill their former partners. A judge on Monday set bail at $50,000 for Valerie Busick McDaniel, 48, who doesnt have a criminal history. He denied bail for Leon Philip Jacob, 39, who was already on bail, charged with stalking and assaulting his ex-girlfriend, when he and McDaniel were arrested Friday. Both face up to life in prison if convicted of solicitation of capital murder. Prosecutors say McDaniel wanted her ex-husband killed, while Jacob sought to have his ex-girlfriend kidnapped and later killed to prevent her from testifying against him in the assault case. 6 Obama books: The publishing of the upcoming books by Barack and Michelle Obama will be a global event. Penguin Random House in New York City announced Monday that it has lined up publishers from Ireland to South Africa for the two books, to be released by the Crown imprint in the U.S. and Canada. Titles and release dates have not been announced. The advance from Penguin Random House for the former president and first lady, whose popularity extends well beyond the U.S., is widely believed to be tens of millions of dollars. 7 Cookie monster: Police arrested a 28-year-old man who is accused of snatching the cash box of a Girl Scout cookie stand outside a grocery store in San Diego. No one was hurt when the man grabbed the box with as much as $500 in it just after 3 p.m. Sunday and ran, dropping his cell phone. Police tracked the man to a motel a few miles away and arrested him. Officer Billy Hernandez said the money has not been recovered. Chronicle News Services On the surface, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's new marijuana diversion program, which allows for possession of four ounces or less without criminal charges, may seem like a green light to travel with small amounts of the drug throughout Harris County. But if you're caught in the Memorial Villages, dreams of lighting up without fear of consequences could go up in smoke. That's because the decision of whether or not to refer a suspect to Harris County or seek prosecution in the municipal court where the incident took place rests on the discretion of the police officer and his or her judgement of the case. "Municipalities have their own ordinances and it could be a violation of an ordinance," said Philip Hilder, a criminal defense attorney with Hilder & Associates in Houston. "Cities can charge separately to the exclusion of Harris County." Memorial Villages Police Chief J.D. Sanders said Tuesday that his department will support D.A. Ogg's new policy for misdemeanor offensives involving marijuana and divert those who qualify to the pre-charge program. "There are some instances that we could if we wanted to (prosecute through municipal court), but we never have, we want to be supportive," said Sanders. "Personally I think it's a slippery slope we're getting on, but that's just me. We're not taking any steps but to follow the D. A.'s guidelines." Hilder says that if municipal charges are brought instead of processing through the county it could have interesting consequences under the right circumstances. "They (municipal defendants) could end up with a charge that might be greater than someone with a larger amount of marijuana under Harris County with the policy that allows for the matter to be worked out without a record," he said. The results of an incident that occurred in Piney Point Village Wednesday could illustrate those consequences. A woman was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia when police found trace amounts of marijuana in a "small bag" after she was stopped for driving on a flat tire, said Sanders. The officer determined she was under the influence of a substance and searched her vehicle based on probable cause. She was not offered the county diversion option for the small amount, said Sanders, because Harris County "won't take a trace amount case." Jay Jenkins, Harris County Project attorney with Texas Criminal Justice Coalition said that the county does have a history of prosecuting trace amount cases. "Harris County has had the most exonerations of people convicted of drug crime than in any other county in the U.S. in the last few years and prosecuting trace cases is maybe the primary cause," said Jenkins. Assistant MVPD Chief Ray Schultz said the bag found on the woman could constitute as paraphernalia, and the fine in Piney Point is $183. Trace amounts are defined by the amount needed to test a substance in a crime lab, according to a fact-sheet from the, TCJC. That number is around .02 grams, one gram is about the size of a sugar packet. The TCJC says that any amount under .02 grams cannot be accurately tested twice by a crime lab, and has introduced House Bill 575 to establish .02 grams as the minimum amount necessary for a state felony charge. Since Memorial Villages have adopted all state ordinances relating to drug possession, if a bill like HB 575 ever passes, MVPD may not be able to pursue certain cases. Schultz said Friday that the trace amount found on the woman has not yet been weighed. But Hilder questions the Piney Point arrest by MVPD officers. "Trace amount is trace amount, it's not paraphernalia. It could be a bit of creative policing. It might be one of those cases that should be fought," he said. The county program that could have offered the female suspect drug classes was announced by Ogg's office in February and went into effect March 1. It's an extension of previous Harris County D.A. Devon Anderson's initial diversion program implemented in 2015. Anderson's threshold was two ounces, Ogg increased the amount to four. The "pre-charge diversion" program requires drug classes and a $150 fee instead of prosecuting. The district attorney's office issued a document on the enhanced program in March. "During the past decade, this Office prosecuted more than 100,000 cases of misdemeanor possession of marijuana at a cost in excess of $200 million dollars. The endeavor has produced no tangible public safety benefit, yet has deprived neighborhoods of officers' time that could be spent patrolling neighborhoods, jail beds that could be used for violent criminals, crime lab resources needed for DNA testing, and judicial court time that should be spent bringing serious criminals to justice." In the Bible, Goliath was a giant with an attitude. His occupation was a soldier, and a champion of the Philistine Army. Goliath created a fear that immobilized the entire army of the Israelites. Goliath's mere size of being over 9' tall wearing a bronze helmet and a coat of armor that weighed in at 125 lbs was fearsome. In the natural he looked like he could not be defeated. Do you have a Goliath-like problem looming before you? What do you do when you are facing a Goliath that seems insurmountable and undefeatable? First, we have to change our perspective of our situation. Most of the Israelites saw only a giant but from David's vantage point, he saw a mortal man, a pagan- defying the almighty living God! David saw a target that was too big to miss but he also knew more than anything that he was not alone and when he went up against Goliath, God would help him. David looked at the Goliath standing against the Israelites from the perspective that this was not only possible but it would be utterly impossible to fail with God fighting the battle for him. When we are facing the Goliaths in our lives, we have only to look up to the heavens, to our Father's throne, to our High Priest, standing at the right Hand of our Father God Almighty! The Spirit of the Living God reigns within each of us. David said to Goliath the Philistine in 1st Samuel 17:45 "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of Heaven's Armies-the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. Today, I will conquer you and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues His people, but not with sword and spear. THIS IS THE LORD'S BATTLE AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO US!!" David's ability to kill the giant Goliath in his life was not his but his courage and his faith in the ability of our living God. Think about this.the other Israelites had the same God on their side that David had on his! What was the difference? David trusted in what he knew about God! David knew that the weapons of his warfare were not fleshly but mighty through God. Kay Arthur, Christian author and teacher says, "You will never be the Christian you can be without "Goliath's." You will never know God intimately apart from them. It is the trials, the conflicts, the adversities, the "no way out" situations, the impossibilities that drive us to God where we discover who He is. To not run to God when facing your Goliath means to miss knowing Him and experiencing His power, His glory, His majesty and His sufficiency." In 2 Kings 6:15-17, Elisha told his servant not to fear when the city was being surrounded by a great army. Elisha prayed and said, "Oh Lord, I pray open his eyes (the eyes of his servant) that he may see." And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." The Lord of Hosts was there all the time! Just like David and Elisha, when we come to those times of confrontation with a Goliath, we must trust in God's strength, not our own. No matter what Goliath we are facingGod can and will deliver you and me. References: the Holy Bible Material taken from "What Is Your Goliath?" Precepts for Life by Kay Arthur. Email:videodebi@att.net Entergy Texas and the Texas Workforce Commission are investing almost $600,000 with local school districts and colleges to help improve education and job readiness for the at-risk students who either dropped out of secondary school, are not ready to proceed to two- or four-year college or who don't qualify for the modern workforce. The Jobs for America's Graduates program, JAG for short, for the past 35 years has helped rescue at-risk students. This will be its first program in Texas. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Rotterdam, Netherlands Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would "pay the price" for their unusual action. While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased. He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam. That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally. Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month. The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out. "Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail," said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders. To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkey's president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates. However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summer's aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands. The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday. Rutte's actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being "Nazi remnants." On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch. "If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price," Erdogan warned. "Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price," he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming. Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch. "What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they won't bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic." Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. AUSTIN -- House Speaker Joe Straus in an interview with the San Antonio Express-News on Monday expressed concern over the Senate's pace and direction on the state budget. Straus, R-San Antonio, said quick action is needed for the two chambers to have a good chance to work out their differences if we can. The Senate's introductory budget would spend far less than the House. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, hasn't signaled a propensity to embrace House leaders preference for using part of the state rainy day fund to avoid some reductions. Lawmakers are facing a tight budget thanks to the effects of the oil and gas industry and past decisions to cut taxes and dedicate funding to transportation. By tradition, its senators turn this legislative session to move first on a budget measure. But Straus said the House will act if the Senate doesnt move quickly. When the House moved first on the budget in 2015, it took its vote on April 1 of that year, sending it to the Senate. The Senate in 2013 gave its approval to a budget on March 20 of that year, sending it to the House. An aide to Senate Finance Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said the committee should finish markup on the bill this week and vote as early as next week on the measure, paving the way for consideration by the full Senate. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter: @pfikac SAN ANTONIO A man was hospitalized Monday after he was stabbed in the chest at a home on the far Northeast Side. Officers responded to the stabbing around 9:30 a.m. at a home in the 5900 block of Spring Cluster, where the victim was found with a non-life-threatening knife wound to the sternum. RELATED: Woman struck, killed by three vehicles on North Side was 25 Sgt. Walter Smith said the victim was transported to San Antonio Military Medical Center for treatment. "We're trying to determine whether or not this was justified," Smith said. At the scene, officers detained a woman in her early 20s for questioning. Smith said she would be taken to a police station for further interviews. The woman and the victim had some form of relationship, but Smith could not detail the nature of it. He said the victim was not cooperating with police. RELATED: Truck carrying several passengers crashes into George Gervin Youth Center on East Side This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When the city of Sweetwater, Texas, hosted its inaugural rattlesnake round-up in 1958, law enforcement answered four to five calls per day about the slithery creatures, Rob McCann said. The purpose of the event was to eradicate a portion of the rattlesnake population and lessen its threat to the town and surrounding communities. Fast-forward 59 years, and the annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up which took place over the weekend about 180 miles west of Fort Worth pumps an estimated $8.4 million into the local economy and includes a pageant, cook-off and more, McCann said. The killing of thousands of rattlesnakes has practically become an art. RELATED: Texas woman battles 2 snakes with bare hands, poses for victorious photo Between Thursday and Sunday, 8,500 pounds of rattlesnakes were killed at the event, said McCann, public relations director of the Sweetwater Jayceess, the group that organizes the round-up. Last year's event brought in a record-breaking 24,626 pounds of snakes, according to the San Angelo Standard Times. First each snake is weighed and measured and its sex recorded and compiled into data given to Texas Parks and Wildlife, McCann said. Then, snakes are skinned, beheaded and milked of their venom. The skin, heads, tails and rattles are preserved, while the venom is made into anti-venom and sold to pharmaceutical companies, McCann said. RELATED: 3 snakes use 'synchronized slithering' to mate in state park footage The meat is deep-fried and served at the festival, McCann said. The allure of seeing thousands of rattlesnakes in one place is what makes this the town's largest annual event. This year's festival brought in about 40,000 visitors, McCann said. "People keep coming back because it's the world's largest," McCann said. "It's a bucket list item." Despite the fanfare, the Rattlesnake Round-Up still aims to control local rattlesnake population and educate the public about how to safely react to a rattlesnake encounter. "If one person can be saved from getting bitten by a rattlesnake, then the event served its purpose," said McCann. See photos from the 2017 World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up and past round-ups in the gallery above. erobinson@mysa.com Twitter: @eeelizzzabeth North Korea allowed two Malaysian employees of the United Nations' World Food Program to leave the country Thursday, amid an ongoing diplomatic dispute triggered by the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed on Twitter that the pair had arrived safely in Beijing. The UN says the two Malaysians were "international civil servants, and not representatives of their national government." The two were among 11 Malaysians confined to their country's embassy in Pyongyang after North Korea imposed a ban preventing Malaysian citizens from leaving the country. Kuala Lumpur responded with its own travel ban on North Koreans in Malaysia. The dispute was triggered by the Feb. 13 assassination of Kim Jong-nam at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by assassins using a toxic nerve agent. Authorities in Malaysia have charged 25-year-old Indonesian Siti Aisyah and 28-year-old Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam, with murder for allegedly swiping Kim's face with VX nerve agent while he waited to board a flight home to Macau. He died 20 minutes later. Kim Jong-nam was estranged from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-nam 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. Border patrol agents detained two men with criminal histories in South Texas Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said in a news release. In Falfurrias, north of Edinburg, agents apprehended a man from Honduras who was previously arrested in New York for sexual contact with a child. He was convicted of the crime in 2003 and sentenced to one year confinement. SAN ANTONIO While there are slight chances for rain later this week in the Alamo City, popular travel destinations like Big Bend and Port Aransas are looking dry for spring break, according to the National Weather Service. NWS meteorologist Brett Williams said temperatures are expected to be in the 70s through Thursday with sunny skies on Tuesday and Wednesday. After clouds come through the area Thursday, it will get reach up into the 80s on Friday and into the weekend. In one of his first official acts as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt withdrew a previous request to 15,000 oil and gas companies for information on releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from their onshore operations. The withdrawal came one day after Pruitt received a letter from 11 Republican officeholders nine state attorneys general and two governors assembled by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and asking that the EPA take that action. Why were Paxton and his colleagues so troubled by a mundane request for information? And why was Pruitt, a former attorney general of Oklahoma, in such a hurry to accede to their demands? The short answer is that they dont want to know how much methane the oil and gas industry emits into the air because they dont want the EPA to do anything to reduce those emissions. Methane is a major contributor to the global warming that contributed to the hottest February ever in many Texas cities. Pound for pound, methane emissions are 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles and power plants. With the dramatic expansion of domestic oil and gas operations as a result of modern hydraulic fracturing technologies, nearly one-third of the nations methane emissions come from oil and gas production, processing and transmission facilities. The EPA requested the information on methane in connection with its announced intention to write standards for 1.7 million existing oil and gas wells, more than 300,000 miles of pipelines and associated compressor stations, nearly 500 natural gas processing facilities and almost 400 underground gas storage facilities. These standards would have a profound impact on the oil and gas sector. But if the agency cannot gather information on methane emissions from these facilities, it will be unable to write defensible standards for reducing those emissions. And that is precisely why the state officials demanded that the EPA withdraw the request. They were carrying the oil and gas industrys water to give the impression that it was not the industry but the people of Texas and the other states who didnt want the agency to write methane standards for the oil and gas industry. This might be bad enough for citizens who worry about the impact of global warming on Texas coasts and water supplies, but the EPAs see-no-evil policy has consequences beyond the oil and gas industry. The information that the agency had been seeking would also have been useful in comparing greenhouse gas emissions from the natural gas industry to those of the coal industry. Natural gas-fired power plants emit only about half as much carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour as coal-fired plants. Consequently, the rapid move away from coal to natural gas in power plants during the past several years has been viewed as a boon for the environment. But if we take into account the far more potent methane emitted by the entire natural gas industry, the comparative environmental advantage of natural gas over coal is small or nonexistent. The EPAs recent standards for existing power plants will allow companies to take credit for switching to natural gas, but how much credit will depend on the carbon footprint of natural gas. If they cannot claim as much credit for burning natural gas, power plant owners will have incentive to turn to other sources. That might include coal, but more likely, they will put resources into renewable wind and solar power. Texas wind farms already produce more electricity than any other state, and its burgeoning solar industry is producing electricity at competitive prices. This raises the question: Why is Paxton so determined to protect the natural gas industry at the expense of Texas booming wind and solar industries? Attorneys general are supposed to be in the business of protecting citizens from threats like global warming, not protecting favored industries from competition. Thomas McGarity is a professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin and a board member of the Center for Progressive Reform. Maybe this time legislation to address Bexar Countys trash woes will become law. Session after session, Bexar lawmakers have put forward legislation that would allow the county to mandate trash service and hold slumlords responsible for their properties, and each time lawmakers have come up short of the goal. Maybe this session, it will be a different story. State Sen. Jose Menendez and state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins have filed legislation to clean up Bexar County. Its simple and elegant legislation that could go a long way toward ensuring we never again have neighborhoods covered in trash, such as the townhomes in Camelot II on the Northeast Side. Menendezs legislation would require trash service in those parts of Bexar County that are also in the city of San Antonios 5-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ. One reason trash problems have persisted in the ETJ is that its unclear if Bexar County can mandate trash service there. This legislation would bring much-needed clarity. It would also hold landlords with multiple properties in the ETJ accountable for their actions. Many such landlords have not required trash service at their properties, fueling the unsanitary conditions. This legislation is simply for Bexar County, so lawmakers and residents of other counties would not be affected. While it requires trash service in the ETJ, it does not take away or change existing service. And it is flexible on contracting for new service. That means if a neighborhood is so unsanitary that Bexar County has to intervene for public health reasons, the county can contract with a municipality such as the city of San Antonio or a private entity such as Waste Management. This is good legislation, and it should be a priority for our entire delegation. Lets not, yet again, fall short of the goal. San Antonio-area home sales continued to rise in February, but not at the rip-roaring pace thats become common over the last year. Last month, 1,954 homes were sold in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area, an increase of 3.4 percent over February the year before, according to data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors released Monday. Thats a relatively modest increase for the local market in recent months in January, for example, sales rose nearly 10 percent. But four officials briefing reporters in advance of the March 14 meeting suggested the president wants to look past his highly publicized differences with the German leader and form strong common positions on issues ranging from trade to Kremlin cyberwarfare to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic have been suspicious of what they see as Trump's naivete when it comes to Putin, particularly with regard to the Kremlin's attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to quiz German Chancellor Angela Merkel about her experience dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin when the chancellor visits the White House Tuesday. A senior administration official said Friday Trump would be "very interested to get German Chancellor Merkel's insights" as he prepares to engage the Kremlin leader. Ukraine Sanctions During his campaign for the presidency, Trump accused Merkel of "ruining Germany" with policies that welcomed large numbers of refugees. The chancellor, who was known to have had a strong bond with former President Barack Obama, has faulted Trump's temporary travel ban, saying "there is no justification for placing people from a certain origin or belief under general suspicion." Stephen Szabo, executive director of the Transatlantic Academy and a fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, says Merkel is coming to the White House concerned that Trump "might get too soft with Russia and will undermine the sanctions regime she put together after the invasion of Ukraine." In a VOA interview, he said "the worst thing for Western solidarity would be for the major player in the West, the United States, to loosen sanctions without any progress in Ukraine." White House spokesman Sean Spicer attempted Friday to ease those concerns, telling reporters "any attempt to undermine sanctions that exist because of the annexation of Crimea" would not be allowed until the issue is resolved. But when asked what the president's strategy might be, he hedged. "The president has made clear," Spicer said, "his philosophy is not one that says 'I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do.' He holds his cards close to his vest to maximize his negotiating strategy." Szabo said if Trump wants to get a clear understanding of Vladimir Putin, he could hardly find a better source than Merkel. "She certainly knows Putin better than anybody," he said. "They have met or spoken by phone more than 100 times." Trade with Europe The senior administration officials who briefed reporters Friday said the White House has "not formulated a final position" on whether to pursue the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal with the European Union. Merkel has been a strong advocate of the trade treaty known as T-TIP, and had issued a joint appeal with Obama to save it shortly before he left office. Candidate Trump, however, had pledged to pursue only bilateral trade pacts, leading to speculation the transatlantic deal was dead. But in a hint at a possible compromise, one senior administration official Friday said T-TIP could be considered a one-on-one trade deal, given how the EU structure interconnects European economies. Merkel signaled her top priority for the trip to the U.S. by announcing she would be accompanied by the heads of two of Germanys biggest businesses, Siemens and BMW. "The Germans are worried," Szabo said. "Trump's trade negotiator (Peter) Navarro has been singling out Germany as the biggest U.S. trade problem, bigger even than China." Navarro heads the newly formed White House National Trade Council. Szabo says Merkel is going to make the point that "German firms are big investors in the U.S., creating more than 600,000 American jobs in American-German companies. So she's going to make the case that if you go after us, youre going to be hurting jobs in the U.S." White House spokesman Spicer indicated the Merkel visit is likely to be one of the biggest events of the Trump presidency so far. "There's a lot of excitement on both sides of the ocean for this trip. We are looking forward to meeting the chancellor and her team," he said. ONE of the senior traditional leaders in Matabeleland South Province, Chief Nhlamba, born Denis Ndlovu of Garanyemba area in Gwanda District has died. He was 75. The chief died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) in the early hours of yesterday (Saturday) after being transferred from Gwanda Provincial Hospital on Friday evening. In a statement, Acting District Co-ordinator Mr Thulani Moyo said Chief Nhlamba who had been unwell for some time was referred to UBH for further management of his health but passed on in the early hours of yesterday. Chief Nhlamba of Garanyemba Communal lands has passed on. He had been admitted to Gwanda Provincial Hospital but when his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to UBH where he could not make it, said Mr Moyo. Chief Nhlamba was appointed chief on 16 July 2010 by the Government and had served in that capacity for 12 years. Mr Moyo said burial arrangements will be announced in due course. Chief Mabhikwa His death comes hard on the heels of Chief Mabhikwa of Lupane District in Matabeleland North Province who died in a horrific traffic accident last Monday and was laid to rest yesterday at his homestead in Jotsholo. Sunday News Breaking News via Email A Crowborough woman was grisly murdered by her boyfriend in unclear circumstances before the suspect took his life. Crowborough phase 3 residents were on Monday left shell-shocked when Stanley Maunde, 25, murdered his girlfriend Sibongile Mapondera, 21, after a nasty breakup. The two lived at houses opposite each other and on the day in question had a war of words before the fatal act. According to sources privy to the development Stanley started acting strangely after the breakup. Everything happened so fast we heard screams from outside our house and quickly rushed out only for our eyes to meet a strange thing as Stanley was stabbing Sibongile with a knife. People tried stopping him but he continued acting like a possessed person. He even chased away people with a knife in his hand, said the eye-witness. The source said Stanley demanded to see Sibongiles mobile phone of which she declined leading to the gruesome murder in the eyes of onlookers. After the barbaric act Stanley left his girlfriends body soaked in blood and locked himself in his room where he stabbed himself before the police intervened and handcuffed him. Both Stanley and Sibongile later died on their way to nearby hospitals. After the twos deaths both their familes have been involved in talks with the Maponderas demanding US$5000 and 12 beasts as compensation for the death of their child. After the demands were made known, Stanleys relatives shifted the funeral to an unknown location. When H-Metro visited the site yesterday, the Maponderas were already making their own arrangements to bury their relative but said they will not rest until they get their compensation. Breaking News via Email Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoho who has been in exile since the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) took over government is reported to have been handed over by the Botswana authorities to the ZDF who are holding him despite assurance by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in their conversation that he will be safe when he returns. Mr Mphoko, a member of the G40 cabal targeted by the ZDFs Operation Restore Legacy, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the army stepped in. The then Vice President, who is also referred to as Mboko by his critics, did not return to Zimbabwe but instead, flew to Botswana where he has been a guest of the Government there. Highly placed sources said the Botswana government had given him up to 1 December to leave their country and return to Zimbabwe but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes. Mr Mphoko had been living in a State residence in Gaborone but had to return home after reaching out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and getting the necessary assurances that he was free to come back to Zimbabwe. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Mr George Charamba, said Mr Mphoko had spoken to President Mnangagwa by telephone and asked to return home. Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation. Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon, he said. His detention by soldiers has been revealed by former Higher, tertiary, science and technology minister Jonathan Moyo through a tweet. Impeccable sources in Plumtree say that the Botswana Immigration authorities have today handed over former VP Phelekezela Mphoko to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces who are said to be holding him. Why this is happening after assurances that he was free to return is mind boggling! Moyo twitted. Mr Mphoko was among members of the G40 group who were expelled from the ruling zanu-pf party for engaging in activities meant to destabilise the Government. The party also recalled him from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary over allegations of being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the office and decorum of the Vice President. He was recalled on the day the party also recalled former President Mugabe from the position of party First Secretary and President and replaced him with President Mnangagwa, whom the ruling party also reinstated as a Central Committee member. Breaking News via Email TEN people were yesterday burnt to death, some of them beyond recognition when they were trapped in a mountainous area by a raging FIRE at a farm in Esigodini, Matabeleland South province. The tragedy occurred at lot 43 farm belonging to Mr Abel Moyo. The veld fire which swept through the farm, later spread to areas bordering the farm. In some cases charred remains of the victims and pieces of clothing as well as gumboots were later retrieved from the mountain. Thick cloud of smoke and distinct odour of burnt human flesh lingered in the air. When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the farm at around 4PM, police officers with the help of other members of the security services and farm workers were retrieving the bodies. The veld fire according to eye witnesses started in the morning and the 10 were part of a group of 15 people who had been called to put it out. The ten were trapped by the raging fire which was worsened by strong winds resulting in some of them being burnt beyond recognition. Four of the fire fighters escaped with burns of varying degrees. One person however escaped unscathed. The burnt bodies were ferried to Esigodini Hospital mortuary. One of the survivors, Mr Mhlaliswa Ngwenya who had burns on his hand and head said he owes it to God for his survival. We were battling to put out the fire as a group and unfortunately were surrounded byflames of the raging fire which covered a large area. There was a gust of wind that blew the fire towards our direction. We ran to the mountain but we were surrounded by flames of the raging fire making it difficult to escape, said Mr Ngwenya. He said he had not option but to run through the flames to escape hence he was burnt. I was burnt on the arms and head. I could hear the screams of the men being consumed by the fire. I collapsed when I got to the dust road and that is where a man helped me up and started seeking help. Mr Ngwenya went to Esigodini District Hospital yesterday in the morning and was discharged in the evening. He said when they returned to the mountain that is when they found the charred bodies of his colleagues at different locations. He suspects illegal gold miners started the fire. What we saw was horrific. I have never seen or experienced something like that. I want to thank God, because I really survived. I didnt think I would survive but Im here narrating my ordeal. Im from the hospital and my blood pressure is very high, said Mr Ngwenya. The owner of the farm Mr Moyo said he was left dumbfounded following the death of 10 people who were killed trying to rescue the farm and its property from the raging fire. When I heard about the fire and that it had killed people, I was devastated. I came and we were told that there were nine people but when we started looking around the area, we found one more body. People just trespass and nothing is done. They move around and even stay in your land without permission. And when such things happen no one is held accountable. We are afraid to protest, confront or say anything, said Mr Moyo. One of the men who retrieved the bodies, Mr Trynos Ndlovu, said it has become the norm to help each other when veld fires break out. When such veld fires break out, we help each other as a community and as the norm we grouped each other to fight it. These veld fires destroy our grazing land. However, this time when these people tried to help out, the fire tragedy struck. These are men who we saw in the morning battling to put out the fire and their death is therefore a very sad incident.It will take time for us to recover from this tragedy and loss of human lives to a veld fire, said Mr Ndlovu. Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said she had not yet received the information. Matabeleland South EMA provincial manager Mr Descent Ndlovu described the incident as a tragedy. Ten people were burnt, five of them according to the information Im getting, beyond recognition, but the others can be identified. They are yet to be identified because their next of kin have not been informed. It is not good for the province as this tragedy has left a huge dent, especially losing lives of people in the process of putting out a fire. They were doing the right thing but something went wrong, he said. Last month, EMA announced that Zimbabwe is on a medium to high risk of fires amid revelations that the fire season has also been extended owing to climate change. Communities have since been encouraged to be cautious and enforce sound fire management systems to mitigate against the impact of veld fires. Chronicle Breaking News via Email A WOMAN has been living in South Africa without communicating with her husband for the past two years, a court head. Now, she has been divorced, upon her return home, after claiming she was down with a serious illness. Takela Tendo made the claims during a court hearing where she claimed she was being barred from accessing her matrimonial home by her husband, Samuel Kafunde. Tendo was seeking a peace order against Kafunde, whom she accuses of insulting her. He insulted me in public and barred me from accessing our house and now I dont have anywhere to go. What pains me most is that he failed to understand that I was genuinely receiving medical attention for the past two years. Its not fair that he wants to end our relationship and enjoy the benefits of the home we built together, said Tendo Samuel argued that his wife was not being truthful and had a case to answer. This is not easy for me, she has been away for the past two years, without a single effort to communicate, and she expects me to welcome her with open arms. I cant live with her in the same house again because I have moved on and I remarried during her unexplained absence. For the sake of peace, I wont oppose her application and even this issue, of how she claimed she was sick, is a complicated one. I was not even aware of her sickness, said Samuel. Presiding over the hearing, magistrate Sharon Mashavire, granted the peace order in Tendos favour. HMetro Breaking News via Email A cross section of people has described the composition of new cabinet as a mixed bag of professionals who have the experience and expertise to turn around the countrys economy if given the right support. The fusion of the old guard, war veterans, the military personnel, technocrats and the young blood in the new cabinet have been described by many as the best formula the new President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa has identified as his trusted lieutenant who should be a chance to showcase their ability to deliver. By bringing back the old guard, the President should be given thumps up as this will promote continuity like in the case of national projects like the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway where he retained Dr Joram Gumbo in the transport portfolio to finish what he started. A long-time ally of the new President, Cde Solomon Marembo called for the nation to be patient and give President Mnangagwa a chance to deliver. However, a cross section of Masvingo people which include, experts in different sectors have expressed mixed feelings on the new cabinet list. Professor Munashe Shoko, who specialises in agriculture and is based at the Great Zimbabwe University , believes that globally, certain ministries are key in driving the economy of any country, those being mining, agriculture, tourism and industry. In this regard, Professor Shoko said the coming on board of technocrats like Mr Winston Chitando to head such crucial ministries is essential in turning around the economy. A philosopher from the GZU, Mr Joel Mukusha also believes that the coming on board of technocrats is critical. Mr Mukusha said it is also important for the nation to realise that the ministers do not work in isolation but work hand in hand with key departments under their supervision. The general view among the people of Masvingo was the ministers have a short space of time to impress, hence they should hit the ground running. People in Matabeleland North Province have commended President Mnangagwa`s selection of a new cabinet which was announced Thursday (yesterday) night. The majority of the people in the province who spoke to ZBC News felt it was necessary to appoint experienced and seasoned officers who will not need to spend time adapting to government systems, since the country is preparing for elections. The appointment of the new cabinet follows the dissolution of the one which had been put in place by former president Robert Mugabe who resigned earlier this month. However, a cross section of Bindura residents have expressed mixed feelings towards the newly announced cabinet saying the inclusion of technocrats is a positive development. The newly announced 22 cabinet ministers and six deputy ministers has triggered mixed feelings across Bindura. Some said the inclusion of technocrats brings positives in relation to the economic reform agenda being pushed by President Mnangagwa. Others said they were expecting new blood to take Zimbabwes economy forward. In Chipinge, the residents have welcomed the announcement of the new cabinet as a positive development and expressed hope that will stabilise and set a solid foundation for the growth the economy. The new cabinet has raised the expectations of the people who are saying the appointment of new faces to work together with those who were ministers before brings hope for a better future while the merging of other ministries and downsizing of cabinet has been viewed as an important step in reducing unnecessary expenditure. Chipinge residents however challenged the new ministers to take a cue from President Mnangagwa and hit the ground running. Expectations are high that the new government will address bread and better issues among other challenges facing the economy. Local authorities in Mashonaland East have hailed the new cabinet which they say brings confidence in the government system. UMP Rural District Council (RDC) chairman Zvikomborero Manguwo said the leaner cabinet will reduce expenditure with more funds now being channelled towards service delivery. His sentiments were echoed by his Mrewa RDC counterpart Shepherd Femai who said the new cabinet brings confidence in the economy. Marondera RDC chairman Patrick Chidhakwa feels the new cabinet is what is needed to steer the economy forward. The new cabinet announced by President Mnangagwa has 21 ministries and 6 deputies. Meanwhile, in Gwanda, most academics welcomed the new cabinet saying it gives hope for the countrys economic turnaround agenda as it blends experience and fresh blood. Give the new cabinet a chance, was the general sentiment among academics who believe that the newly appointed ministers will perform their roles with distinction given the high expectations that Zimbabweans have from the new establishment. The academics also commended President Mnangagwa for coming up with a leaner cabinet which they say will cut the expenditure. Breaking News via Email DUXBURY & DANVERS, Mass. VERC Enterprises announced its partnership with Hopeful Journeys Educational Center Inc., which will offer two students the opportunity to intern at the retailers Danvers, Massachusetts, location. Hopeful Journey Education Center is a private school, approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education, that provides a comprehensive education to students ages 3 to 22 diagnosed with autism and requiring an individualized curriculum. We are extremely excited about our new partnership with VERC Enterprises, said Korey Ouellette, vocational coordinator with Hopeful Journeys. At Hopeful Journeys, we provide our students the most comprehensive educational experience, including vocational job opportunities. Our goal is to provide our students the opportunity to gain skills that will aide them in becoming more independent across a variety of environments as they prepare for adulthood. Ouellette continued that community-based vocational experiences, like its partnership with VERC Enterprises, are an essential and invaluable component to the learning process for our students. We admire VERCs willingness to provide these experiences to our students and hope that their example is followed by other businesses in the future. Barry Ahern, director of operations and human resources at VERC Enterprises, added that the company is looking forward to providing students at Hopeful Journeys with an opportunity to apply the skills they have learned in our active Danvers location. Two decades ago, VERC started a program to employ individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Today, more than 20% of the companys 250 employees have joined the VERC team thanks to this program. NACS sat down with VERC CEO Leo Vercollone to talk about his companys dedication to the community in a Convenience Matters podcast in December 2016 (episode #46). Tillerson will meet for the first time with South Korea's acting president, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is obliged to call new elections within 60 days. Other factors complicating the secretary of state's discussions in Seoul and Beijing are the complex political situation in South Korea, which has just impeached its president, and China's resentment about the deployment in South Korea of a controversial U.S. defensive missile system. Pyongyang's provocative gestures, such as firing multiple missiles into the Sea of Japan this month, have been so strident that Washington said it is "moving farther away" from considering the option of a direct engagement with the North Koreans and their mercurial young leader, Kim Jong-un. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, making his first trip to Japan, South Korea and China as the top United States diplomat this week, is expected to expand the effort to find new options for dealing with North Korea and the nuclear and military threat it poses to the region and to the world. Close Partners in South Korea A senior State Department official told reporters in an advance briefing the United States will continue to work with Hwang for the remainder of his tenure, and added that Tillerson would not be meeting with opposition factions in Seoul. "What we're seeing play out now is a manifestation of the democratic process in South Korea. This is the kind of institution that makes us such close partners, and friends with people in South Korea," the senior official said. "The United States continues to be a steadfast ally, friend, and partner to [South Korea]. The U.S.-[South Korea] alliance will continue to be a linchpin of regional stability and security," she added. 'Reach out to all sides' "Tillerson should make every effort to reach out to all sides in South Korea that have a vested interested in a strong [South Korea]-U.S. alliance," Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest told VOA. "This is the only way to ensure that if Seoul in the near future does seek a detente with Pyongyang, which is very possible under a more leftist government, America and South Korea can work together to coordinate policy and take some sort of joint approach," he added. The United States has also become embroiled in a dispute with China over the deployment of a controversial American missile-defense system in South Korea. The first elements of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system, known as THAAD, arrived in South Korea last week, one day after North Korea launched at least four ballistic missiles in rapid succession, sending the rockets over the Sea of Japan, within 350 kilometers of Japanese territory. U.S.: THAAD Is No Threat to China Washington said the proximity of those events demonstrated the U.S. action was defensive in nature, and intended exclusively to counter the threat from Pyongyang. "We've been very clear in our conversations with China that this is not meant to be a threat. Not a threat to them or any other power in the region. It is a defensive system," Mark Toner, the State Department's acting spokesperson, has told reporters. Nevertheless, Beijing has strongly opposed deployment of the advanced U.S. weapons system near its borders, declaring THAAD is an unnecessary and provocative military escalation. The basis of China's opposition is its military leaders' belief the powerful radar the U.S. system uses to track missiles launched by North can also look deep into China. "I believe that they will sustain this pressures during the next few months, in the hope the new leader of South Korea can be convinced to reverse the decision," said Dennis Wilder, an adviser to former President George W. Bush and currently a senior fellow at Georgetown University's U.S.-China Initiative. Groundwork for Xi's Trip to U.S. In China, where Tillerson will meet with President Xi Jinping, one of his primary tasks is preparing for a visit to the United States by the Chinese leader expected later this year. Washington is intent on pursuing a constructive relationship with China, while remaining determined to ensuring that China abides by international rules, and that trade between the two countries is conducted on a so-called level playing field -- under conditions that favor neither side unfairly. Wilder of Georgetown's U.S.-China Initiative told VOA that Chinese officials "will be looking for indications of how seriously President Trump will pursue economic issues such as redressing the trade balance and seeking more opportunities for U.S. firms to export goods and services to China." By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends most of her time in Asia researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked 46 US Attorneys (USAs) to resign on Friday including Preet Bharara, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, whom Trump had asked in a previous November 2016 meeting to stay on in his post. Bharara failed to comply with the resignation request, and Sessions fired him on Saturday, as the New York Times reported in U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Resigns After Refusing to Quit. To those readers coming late to this party, this aint no Saturday Night Massacre, folks. USAs are political appointees, appointed to serve four year terms, yet as is the case with other political appointees, they serve at the pleasure of the President. This means they can be dismissed at any time, without cause. In days gone by, it was customary for USAs to serve out their four year terms when a new President took office (although in the first two years of the Reagan administration, a majority of the USAs were replaced). Thats no longer the case. In fact, in March 1993, Attorney General Janet Reno took a similar action, asking 93 holdover USAs to resign. This was the largest such request to date yet the New York Times account Attorney General Seeks Resignations from Prosecutors only noted laconically: All 93 United States Attorneys knew they would be asked to step down, since all are Republican holdovers, and 16 have resigned so far. But the process generally takes much longer and had usually been carried out without the involvement of the Attorney General. Please note the lack of hysteria. (In his earlier incarnation as a USA, Sessions was one of these 93.) In fact, that 1993 NYT account on Renos action continues in a downright sympathetic vein: Ms. Reno is under pressure to assert her control over appointments at the Justice Department. She was Mr. Clintons third choice for Attorney General and arrived after most of the departments senior positions were already filled by the White House. Please bear with me as I recap some further recent history. Vox reports in President Trump asked 46 US Attorneys to resign. Thats normal. that early in his first term, President George W. Bush approved a similar move, also removing holdover USAs yet allowing them until June 2001 to clear out. And in May 2009, Politico reported in Obama to replace U.S. Attorneys on the new administrations plans to take a similar action, and quoted then-Attorney General Eric Holder as saying, [E]lections matterit is our intention to have the U.S. Attorneys that are selected by President Obama in place as quickly as they can. Anger and Hysteria Ensues Against this backdrop, I find reports such as these at best baffling, if not downright disingenuous. Take CNN, for instance: Anger mounts over handling of US attorney firings, which reports: The Justice Department announced the firings Friday afternoon, and many prosecutors had not been formally notified or even told before they were fired, according to a law enforcement source. Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente was in the beginning stages of calling each US attorney individually to tell them they had to resign when the DOJ issued a statement. A law enforcement source charged that this could not have been handled any worse because there was little warning. Many prosecutors found out through media reports that they had to resign today. Really, cry me a river. I cant believe any of these prosecutors is exactly surprised to be asked to resign. Ive read through several media reports, and it seems that while none has been able to make the inconvenient facts of how Trumps predecessors treated the issue disappear, they can hammer on the abruptness of the announcment. From CNN again: It is common for administrations to ask holdovers to step down, but what is less common is the abruptness of Fridays announcement. Two sources familiar with the Justice Department tell CNN they were unsure for some time whether such an action would happen and had been looking for some type of announcement but received radio silence. There was not any particular clarity from the Justice Department as to what the future held for the US attorneys until now, one source said. Over to the Grey Lady, who in an earlier account, used surprisingly identical language, Trump Abruptly Orders 46 Obama-Era Prosecutors to Resign (I say, order those folks at CNN a thesaurus, please). From Fridays NYT: The abrupt nature of the dismissals distinguished Mr. Trumps mass firing from Mr. Clintons, because the prosecutors in 1993 were not summarily told to clear out their offices. Oh, I see. That makes the Trump action an abomination, and the Clinton dismissals which up to that date, had not been undertaken on such a scale, nor so rapidly perfectly understandable. What does Senator Dianne Feinstein think about the dismissals? According to a press release: Im surprised to hear that President Trump and Attorney General Sessions have abruptly fired all 46 remaining U.S. attorneys. I could go on in a similar vein, but I think readers get my point. The Sheriff of Wall Street Much pearl-clutching has ensued over the decision to include US Attorney for the Southern district of New York Preet Bharara in the dismissals. Trump had met with Bharara in November, and asked him to stay on, and hed agreed. But something changed between now and then. When Bharara refused to resign after being instructed to do so, he was fired, as the New York Times reported in U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Says He Was Fired After Refusing to Quit. Ive seen considerable speculation about why Trump changed his mind ranging from speculation about the deterioration of Trumps relationship with Senator Chuck Schumer (Bharara is a Schemer protege), to some musings that Bharara might have been pursuing an inquiry into Trumps alleged business conflicts of interest (the link includes Harvard Law School constitutional law professor Laurence Tribes tweet about this latter claim; hes a major player in the targeting of Trumps business conflicts. Ive discussed why I regard these efforts as a non-starter in these two posts: Law Profs Sue Trump, Alleging Violation of the Emoluments Clause and US Constitutions Emoluments Clause: a Nothingburger for Trump.) I have no special insights to offer here so Im not going to attempt any. What Id like to address here is Bhararas over-inflated reputation as the Sheriff of Wall Street evidently bestowed by those who dont really have much understanding of Wall Street or finance. (Bharara has also targeted public corruption, but due to space considerations and in the interests of keeping this post focussed, Ill not discuss those here.) Bhararas reputation for taking on The Street is based on his unbeaten reputation in bringing successful insider trading prosecutions. That record was at one point threatened by a US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decision, United States v. Newman, which overturned one of these convictions, and appeared to place others of these prosecutions in jeopardy. Yet a December 2016 United States Supreme Court decision, United States v. Salman, overturned the appellate decision, safeguarded the convictions, leaving his record on insider trading convictions secure. (I posted about that decision in Insider Trading: Supreme Court Decision Enables Securities Law Theater.) Time magazine has been a major promoter of his reputation, as has been The New Yorker, as part of its downward spiral into hagiography and hysteria. On Saturday, the magazine published, THE PREET BHARARA FIRING: A READING LIST. Allow me to quote from one of these New Yorker pieces, The Showman, here: Before Bharara became known as the scourge of insider tradinga 2012 Time cover story called him the top cop of Wall Streethe gained attention for the cases he did not bring against the financial industry. He took office in 2009, at the height of the mortgage crisis, and the Southern District, along with the Justice Department, in Washington, conducted investigations of the major firms and individuals involved in the financial collapse. No leading executive was prosecuted. Bernie Sanders, the Presidential candidate, says in his stump speech, It is an outrage that not one major Wall Street executive has gone to jail for causing the near-collapse of the economy. The failure to prosecute the crooks on Wall Street for their illegal and reckless behavior is a clear indictment of our broken criminal-justice system. In a conversation in his office, Bharara rejected the critique. Without going into specifics, he said that his team had looked at Wall Street executives and found no evidence of criminal behavior. It shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone that the things that we had either been assigned before I got here or had the initiative to look at were looked at really, really carefully and really, really hard by the best people in the office, he said. Theres a natural frustration, given how bad the consequences were for the country, that more people didnt go to prison for it, because its clearly true that when you see a bad thing happen, like you see a building go up in flames, you have to wonder if theres arson. You have to wonder if theres anybody prosecuting. Now, sometimes its not arson, its an accident. Sometimes it is arson, and you cant prove it. Amazingly, The New Yorkers Jeffrey Toobin, lets it go at that that. He doesnt himself come back at Bharara with any rebuttal, nor does he turn to other lawyers, critics, political figures, or academics who at the time of the financial crisis and subsequently, have spelled out various pathways to prosecution. (As just one example, Yves has written on several occasions, about how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was designed to make it impossible for senior corporate executives to disclaim knowledge of problematic activity to avoid liability. The legislation required companies to put effective internal control procedures in place, and for the CEO and CFO to certify personally the accuracy of financial statements and the adequacy of internal controls. Yet Bharara and the rest of the Department of Justice (DoJ) failed to use this statutory authority.) Instead, Toobin turns to the widely feared Eric Holder for further exculpation of Bhararas failure to bring any major Wall Street prosecutions in any area other than insider trading: Eric Holder, who, as Attorney General, was Bhararas boss for six years, made a similar point. Do you honestly think that Preet Bharara and all those hotshots in the U.S. Attorneys office would not have made those cases if they could? he said. Those are career-making cases. Those cases are your ticket. The fight would have been over who got to try them. We just didnt have the evidence. Oh, I see. Is it any wonder no wonder that seasoned attorneys turned to deriding the DoJ as the Department of Jokes, for its record in pursuing white collar and financial sector crime, as I wrote in The Obamamometers Toxic Legacy: The Rule of Lawlessness? Bottom Line As Ive written before and will no doubt write again: the Trump administration in many ways terrifies me. This isnt one of them. These USA dismissals are pretty much now SOP for incoming administrations. Now, to be sure, its unlikely Trumps going to appoint someone to replace Bharara wholl be more of a junkyard dog on Wall Street prosecutions. If you believe that a sheriff of Wall Street should focus on insider trading convictions, to the exclusion of more systemic abuses, Bhararas certainly your man. Yet if youd hoped for something better, Bhararas been a major disappointment, and Im certainly not going to mourn his firing. On 13 March 2017, Jens Stoltenberg released his third annual report as NATO Secretary General. The annual report provides an overview of how NATO protected its citizens and projected stability in 2016. It includes details on how NATO is enhancing deterrence and defence, engaging in dialogue, investing in security, improving capabilities, supporting the fight against terrorism, building relationships, sharing expertise, advancing the role of women in peace and security, and adapting as an institution. Below you will find short descriptions of as well as direct links to the elements of the annual report. You can also download the full annual report. At no time since the end of the Cold War has the NATO Alliance faced greater challenges to our security than it does today. But NATO is the most successful alliance in history because it has been able to change as the world has changed. For the first 40 years of its life, the Alliance's focus was collective defence. When the Berlin Wall came down, our focus shifted to crisis management beyond our borders intervening to stop large-scale bloodshed and keep the peace in the Western Balkans, fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, and tackling piracy off the Horn of Africa. Read the Foreword in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP For All Who Serve NATO's commitment to safeguarding the freedom and security of all its members is made possible by the service of men and women from across its member and partner countries. In 2016, tens of thousands of Allied service members were deployed on land, in the air, and at sea to provide for NATO's defence and to project stability beyond NATO's borders. Whether engaged in security operations, military exercises, or training missions, the security and stability of the Alliance would not be possible without their contributions. NATO recognises the dedication of all who serve. The Alliance owes a debt of gratitude to every man and woman in service for the risks they take and the sacrifices they and their families make while serving NATO's common purposes and values. TOP Preventing conflict means being able to deter and defend against any potential security threat. In recent years, NATO has responded to a series of new challenges with the largest reinforcement of its collective defence in a generation. At the same time, as part of an overall approach to its collective security, the Alliance seeks to improve transparency and reduce the risk of escalation by engaging in meaningful dialogue with Russia. Read the chapter "Deterrence, Deterrence & Dialogue" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP NATO is committed to defending its nearly one billion citizens in Europe and North America. Fulfilling this commitment requires that Allies understand the changing security environment, agree on policies for how to address the challenges and threats, develop and invest in the capabilities required to implement those policies, and resolve to use their capabilities when required. Each of these elements is essential for NATO to fulfil its purpose of safeguarding the freedom and security of all its members. Read the chapter "Investing in Security" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP NATO's modern defence posture is based on an effective combination of cutting-edge weapons systems and platforms and forces trained to work together seamlessly. As important as it is that Allies invest in defence, it is also critical that those funds are invested in the right capabilities. NATO plays an important role in assessing what capabilities the Alliance needs, setting targets for national or collective development of capabilities, and facilitating national, multinational and collective capability development and innovation. Read the chapter "Improving Capabilities" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP Providing for the security of the Alliance requires not only a strong deterrence and defence posture but also the ability to project stability and strengthen security beyond NATO's borders. For NATO, this involves a range of activities including providing training and support to countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, conducting or contributing to missions on land, at sea and in the air, and cultivating relationships with partners around the world. Read the chapter "Projecting Stability" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP NATO maintains a broad and diverse network of partnerships with countries in the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond. In 2016, partners continued to be involved in many of the core activities that take place at NATO. Partners have been integrated across NATO's activities and agenda, often contributing sideby- side with Allies. Through its partnerships, NATO helps countries to strengthen their ability to safeguard their own security, both at home and as part of international missions. Read the chapter "Projecting Stability: Cultivating Partnerships" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO leaders reiterated their belief that the empowerment of women at NATO and in the military make the Alliance stronger. If peace is to be sustainable, it must be inclusive. To that end, NATO and its partners are working together to promote the role of women in peace and security as part of their commitment to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and related Resolutions. Read the chapter "Promoting the Role of Women" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP NATO is a political-military alliance of 28 countries. The Organization itself includes a number of structures that support the everyday work of the Alliance. Throughout 2016, NATO continued to implement innovative ways of working in order to improve its overall flexibility, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability despite a challenging resource environment. NATO also continues to adapt its processes and structures to ensure that it is adaptable by design and inherently flexible, resilient, and responsive to any threat. To this end, NATO continued to rigorously pursue improvements to better integrate resources and work strands, including by adopting modern and innovative approaches and ways of working. These efforts will help improve prioritisation and better align resources so that the workforce, both civilian and military, is well placed to support the achievement of NATO's top priorities. Read the chapter "Organisation" in the Annual Report (PDF) TOP NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg published his annual report today (Monday 13 March), showing how in 2016 the Alliance, took further steps to keep our almost one billion citizens safe. The report highlights how NATO is adapting to the new security environment by strengthening its collective defence and projecting stability beyond its borders. Four multinational battlegroups are being deployed to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. At least seventeen Allied countries will contribute troops. While enchancing its deterrence measures in the eastern part of the Alliance, NATO has had political dialogue with Russia and held three meetings of the NATO-Russia Council last year. The Secretary General underlined how the Alliance is doing more to project stability, such as by training local forces in Afghanistan and Iraq to fight terrorism. NATO has also sent training teams to countries including Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. NATO AWACS planes are supporting the Global Coalition to Counter-ISIL and a new Intelligence Division has been created by NATO to deepen its understanding of the threats it faces. Mr Stoltenberg explained how the Alliance has turned a corner on defence spending. In 2016 twenty-three Allies increased their defence expenditure in real terms by 3.8 %, which added up to ten billion US dollars. The Secretary General confirmed only five Allies spent 2% or more of GDP on defence in 2016. He said, It is realistic that all Allies should reach this goal. All Allies have agreed to it at the highest level and it can be done. Mr Stoltenberg pointed out European Allies together spent 2% of GDP on defence as recently as the year 2000. He was encouraged that Romania plans to reach 2% this year and both Latvia and Lithuania expect to do the same in 2018. The Secretary General encouraged Allies to redouble their efforts on defence spending and said it would be a key focus at the upcoming meeting of NATO leaders. (Natural News) The effects of sugar subsidies on the American economy are anything but sweet sugar tariffs and quotas cost the United States more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs while consumers pay higher prices at the supermarket checkout counter. In fact, sugar subsidy programs force American consumers to pay an extra $2.4 billion per year to finance what many see as a lavish welfare program that favors a small privileged sector and lines politicians pockets while driving the price of sugar in the U.S. to levels far above the global average. Sugar subsidies were introduced to prop up the U.S. sugar industry, which will never be able to compete with foreign growers due to the simple fact that the climate in the U.S. is unsuited to sugarcane and sugar beet cultivation. From Real Clear Markets: Because of this program, candy companies in the United States pay about double the global average price for sugar. While global prices began trending downwards in 2013, U.S. sugar has surged upwards due to continued reauthorization of the sugar subsidy program and regulations on Mexican sugar imports. This trend has a negative impact on candy makers, especially the small and mid-sized, family-owned companies that dont have flexibility in their supply chains. The sugar subsidy issue has been in the news lately due to a dispute with Mexico over sugar imports. Mexico is by far the largest exporter of sugar to the United States we import more sugar from our southern neighbor than from all other nations combined, and the trade is hugely lucrative for Mexican sugar growers since sugar prices in the United States are two to three times that of the global average. From PanAm Post: As part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexico was granted special access to the U.S. market. However, Mexican and U.S. government officials strongly disagree over the details of how many benefits were promised to Mexican sugar growers. The years-long controversy recently spurred the Mexican government to cancel all sugar export permits. The case illustrates the problem with NAFTAs bureaucratic maze and the fact that the agreement was never intended to actually promote free trade. As the PanAm Post article points out, the NAFTA agreement is more akin to the imperial preference that Great Britain once provided for members of the British Empire. The economic impact of sugar subsidies is a serious concern, but there are also other negative effects associated with whats been called Americas least efficient welfare plan. For example, the environmental damage caused by attempts to make U.S. sugar crops productive is significant particularly in Florida, where more than 500,000 acres of the Everglades have been poisoned by phosphorus fertilizers. In other words, sugar subsidies led to the destruction of an entire regions ecosystem simply because its climate was unsuited to sugar cultivation in the first place. And thats not to mention the health issues caused by our American sugar addiction. Partly in response to high sugar prices, in 1984 Coca-Cola and Pepsi began using high fructose corn syrup in their products as a less expensive substitute for sugar. Since then, many other food producers have adopted the use of high fructose corn syrup in their products. The average American now consumes 55 pounds of high fructose corn syrup per year, an amount higher than anywhere else in the world. In countries where high fructose corn syrup consumption is common, the prevalence of diabetes is 20 percent higher. Sugar subsidies should simply be abolished along with trade barriers that actually stifle free trade rather than encourage it. Americas sugar industry has been on welfare for too long. Stay informed about sugar and other sweeteners at Sweeteners.news. Sources: PanAmPost.com RealClearMarkets.com WashingtonExaminer.com (Natural News) Many people enjoy spicy foods for a variety of reasons: the flavor, the heat, the rush. But if youve got a penchant for hot peppers and all things spicy, it seems that you could be reeling in quite the health benefits along with that punch of heat. Earlier this year, research on the benefits of hot pepper consumption found that spicy peppers could boost longevity and reduce mortality risks. It may not feel like it when your mouth is on fire, but it seems that spicy foods can actually help you live longer. While peppers and spices have been considered to be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of diseases for thousands of years, not much research has been done. Only one other study pioneered by Chinese researchers and published in 2015 has specifically examined the relationship between chili pepper consumption and mortality. This most recent study out of Vermont supports the previous findings. Research demonstrates hot pepper benefits for longevity A team of scientists from the Larner School of Medicine at the University of Vermont found that regular consumption of hot red chili peppers reduced mortality risks by up to 13 percent. Most of this benefit was attributed to a reduction of heart disease- and stroke-related deaths. Their research was published in the journal PLoS ONE. (RELATED: Read more news about longevity at Longevity.news) The researchers used the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) III to collect data from over 16,000 Americans who were followed for up to 23 years. Medical student Mustafa Chopan and Professor of Medicine Benjamin Littenberg, M.D. worked together to examine the baseline traits of the participants according to their level of hot red chili pepper consumption. In general, they found that the most frequent consumers of hot peppers tended to be younger, male, white, Mexican-American, married, and to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and consume more vegetables and meats . . . had lower HDL-cholesterol, lower income, and less education, when compared to those who didnt eat hot red chili peppers. Data from a median follow-up of 18.9 years was also analyzed, and the researchers were able to observe the number of deaths as well as the specific causes of death. Overall, they found that consuming hot red chilies reduced mortality risks by up to 13 percent mostly by way of heart disease or stroke. The team stated, Although the mechanism by which peppers could delay mortality is far from certain, Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels, which are primary receptors for pungent agents such as capsaicin (the principal component in chili peppers), may in part be responsible for the observed relationship. Capsaicin is thought to be the primary culprit behind the health benefits of hot peppers, and is believed to play a role in cellular and molecular mechanisms that help prevent obesity and regulate blood flow, among other things like altering the bacteria populations of the gut. Health benefits of capsaicin Research continues to demonstrate that capsaicin which is a compound found in peppers that makes them spicy has a wide variety of health benefits. Capsaicin is even used topically to help relieve pain. Creams made from the compound are often used to help treat arthritis, sore muscles and even nerve pain. The structure of capsaicin allows it to excite pain-sensitive nerve endings. As Dr. Daniel Zagst explains, as you are feeling a burning sensation, the excited neurons release a neurotransmitter called Substance P that transmits the feeling of pain to the brain. Capsaicin works as a natural pain reliever by depleting Substance P, and consequently decreasing the number of pain signals that are being sent to the brain. Studies have also shown that consuming capsaicin raises your body temperature temporarily. This increase in temperature may also correlate with a bodily shift from carbohydrate oxidation to fat oxidation, which may explain why consuming cayenne pepper appears to help regulate blood sugar levels. Consuming capsaicin also helps promote feelings of fullness and satiety, which can help reduce total calorie consumption and fat intake. Beyond that, capsaicin is thought to be able to help fight off or even prevent cancer, heart disease and likely, much more. Sources: ScienceDaily.com NaturalNews.com ABCNews.go.com (Natural News) Fewer than half of Americans are getting the flu vaccine, and that has the CDC and doctors worried. A new study, however, may result in doctors aggressively scheduling flu shots for patients to combat this trend. A Rutgers study has found that doctors who schedule flu shots for their patients see a dramatic increase in vaccination rates. Patients are actually three times more likely to get vaccinated when their physician makes the appointment than when they are invited to make the appointment themselves. Despite the CDC already admitting that flu shots dont prevent influenza a majority of the time, these dangerous vaccines made with the mercury preservative Thimerosal are still being pushed on society, especially to those most susceptible to adverse effects: children and the elderly. Studies have even shown that people have a greater chance of getting sick with a fever, headache, body aches, and terrible cough by getting the shot in the first place. There is also proof that the vaccination is not very effective in preventing the virus being transmitted. During a study conducted between 2012-2013 in Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington, and Pennsylvania, U.S. public health officials reported that the flu vaccines effectiveness was quite dismal, only 39% and 66% depending on the influenza strain. (And this study was conducted by a pro-vaccine group that no doubt massaged its data to produce the best results possible.) (RELATED: Get all the news about vaccines at Vaccines.news) In 2016 U.S. Government officials were finally forced to publicly admit that flu vaccines are only 50% to 60% effective at preventing lab-confirmed influenza requiring medical care. The disturbing part is that public health doctors have been aware of the ineffectiveness of flu vaccines since the first ones were licensed in 1945. But that did not stop them from recommending that every child and adult should get an annual flu shot starting at six months old and through the last year of life. So why do doctors continue to put up this charade? Well for one thing, medical schools are still teaching future doctors that vaccines are not only safe but necessary. There is also the financial incentive when some doctors receive bonuses based on the quota of vaccines they administer. Not to mention there are pharmaceutical companies that give physicians trips to luxury resorts, money, and promotional items, in the hopes of increasing prescription rates for their drugs. While there are some doctors that acknowledge these practices are wrong, many stay silent out of fear and pressure of being publicly humiliated or scorned. Many people are sadly still indoctrinated to believing that all doctors motives are altruistic and in the best nature for the patient, but that is not always the case, and many people dont realize it until it is too late. Sources: Sciencedaily.com CDC.gov NVIC.org Vactruth.com Monday, March 13, 2017 by: Vicki Batts Tags: government , mandatory vaccination , Pennsylvania , vaccine bills This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author (Natural News) The concept of a state imposing mandatory anything upon its people should seem atrocious to most freedom-loving Americans but the proliferation of mandatory vaccination bills across the United States is particularly chilling. Vaccines are often purported as harmless inoculations that protect us from disease, but the reality is that many vaccines do cause harm to their recipients. For example, recent research has shown that children who are vaccinated are up to 700 percent more likely to develop a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as an autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or learning disabilities. And yet, were supposed to believe the government when they say that vaccines are completely safe? (RELATED: Learn more about the harmful effects of immunizations at Vaccines.news) The questioning of conventional wisdom on vaccines has led to fewer people getting themselves and their children vaccinated. This, in turn, appears to have prompted state legislators across the country to spring into action by trying to deny citizens the right to object to participating in these injections. Recently, the state of Pennsylvania introduced SB217, a bill that would eliminate parental and child rights to refuse vaccination. Natural Blaze reports: SB 217 amends P.L.30, No.14 known as the Public School Code of 1949 as follows: Section 1303. Immunization Required; Penalty.* (e) Notwithstanding any rule or regulation to the contrary, a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief may not qualify as an exemption from the immunization requirements of this section. Should the bill pass, it will take effect within just 60 days. Four senators, Democrat Daylin Leach, Democrat Lawrence D Farnese, Democrat Sharif Street and Republican Bob Mensch, joined forces to introduce the bill, which would strip Pennsylvanians of their right to say no to a vaccine that they believe will harm their child. The bill echoes the sentiments of Californias SB277 and unfortunately, Pennsylvania is not the only state to follow in The Golden States draconian footsteps. Recently, the National Vaccine Information Centers (NVIC) advocacy team reported that they were tracking 134 bills related to vaccination that had been introduced in 35 states. While several of these bills plan to actually increase health freedom, the overwhelming majority of them are aiming to restrict freedom and crack down on vaccine exemptions. As Jeffrey Jaxen of Green Med Info explains, there are many issues beyond health freedom at stake. With the rise of legislation to mandate and enforce compliance with current vaccine guidelines, there is also likely to be an increase in persecution of those who do not comply. Some states have introduced bills that will expand vaccine tracking, or eliminate consent for vaccine tracking. Others have created school shaming bills which will require public disclosure of school vaccination and exemption rates. Nevada has even taken this one step further by introducing a bill that would allow parents to find out if any students that are not vaccinated are attending their school. How long will it be before unvaccinated children are required to wear name tags? The rapid appearance of these pro-vaccination bills is nothing more than the governments latest phase to ensure adherence to their vaccine guidelines. First, they told us to vaccinate to prevent disease and when that wasnt working so well anymore, they switched over to telling the masses it was their civic duty to get vaccinated, regardless of the cost. This greater good message hasnt created the paradigm shift that was hoped for, and now they are turning to legislation to get their desired outcomes. Sources: NaturalBlaze.com GreenMedInfo.com NaturalNews.com Park Geun-hye left Cheong Wa Dae for the last time on Sunday evening, where she had been holed up until the Constitutional Court unanimously relieved her of the presidency two days earlier. Park was taken by motorcade to her old home in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul. A car with former President Park Geun-hye (left) leaves Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday. /Newsis On arrival at home 20 minutes later, she shook hands with hundreds of supporters who had been camped out there chanting slogans and a dozen lawmakers and aides who greeted her, but went into the house without comment. A spokesman later quoted her as saying she was "sorry" for failing to complete her term as president. But she apparently continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying only, "The truth will be revealed, although it will take time." Former President Park Gun-hye enters her private home in Samseong-dong in Seoul on Sunday. /Yonhap Before leaving Cheong Wa Dae, she had tea with aides and bid farewell to some 500 staff. There were signs that she refused to believe she would be impeached until the last minute, since her home was still being refurbished when the ruling was announced and it took her two days and mounting calls from opposition parties to vacate the presidential compound. The home, which was built in 1983, had been left empty for four years and required major repairs, including a broken boiler, but repair work only started Friday. Her spokesman's remarks drew furious criticism. Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in was quoted by a spokesman as saying, "I believe it is the duty of former President Park Geun-hye to say she accepts the Constitutional Court's decision." And a spokesman for People's Party founder Ahn Cheol-soo said, "The truth will indeed be revealed, namely in the investigation by prosecutors." Former President Park Gun-hye shakes hands with supporters as she enters her private home in Samseong-dong in Seoul on Sunday. /Newsis The splinter Bareun Party, which had defected en masse from Park's ruling party when her ship went under, said it was "regrettable" that Park only voiced a response through her spokesman and failed to deliver a message of unity and acceptance. A seafood shop in Sydney, Australia called Nicholas Seafoods has been convicted after inappropriately killing a lobster. The Nicholas Seafoods was charged with animal cruelty after Australia's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) reportedly observed employees dismembering and butchering lobsters with a bandsaw, an act, which was found to be in breach of the New South Wales Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Under the laws of the New South Wales, crustaceans were granted protection in 1997, after the authorities argued that they are capable of feeling pain. As reported by Fox News, there is a provision which mentions how crustaceans should be killed for consumption. The report said they should be "immersed in a salt water/ice slurry for a minimum of 20 minutes" before they're butchered, or they can be sliced from top to bottom to destroy their nerve centers and make them unable to feel the pain. According to RSPCA, Nicholas Seafoods did not follow these guidelines as they saw them separating lobsters' tails from their bodies while they were still alive. "When you look at the guidelines it's pretty black and white and none of it was followed in this instance. It's quite uncommon for us to get calls about lobsters, I would say most restaurants are aware of these guidelines and hopefully adhere to them," RSPCA inspectorTyson Hohlein told Sydney's Downing Centre court on Tuesday, as quoted by The Guardian. The company, located at the Sydney Fish Market, pleaded guilty and they've agreed to pay a $1,500 fine. Meanwhile, in the United States, fish, crustaceans and chickens are not given these legal protections. Washington Post notes that protection of animal species seems primarily based on our cultural associations and practices. The website cites dog as one of the most protected animal species because they are mostly adored by us and we treat them as families, while fish and crustaceans are basically considered "none" to us than food. In case you did not know yet, Guam has a snake problem, and it is getting worse each day. While the bird-eating snake, also known as the brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularishas), already eliminated many bird species in the area, a new study revealed that it is also destroying the Pacific island's forests. According to the research, which was recently published in the journal, Nature Communications, the growth of new trees on the island may have fallen by up to 92 percent because of the absence of birds in the island. To find out the extent of damage that these snakes are causing, Haldre Rogers from the University of Colorado and his team placed "seeding baskets" on the area. More than half of the trees in Guam are fruit-bearing. Birds who feed on these trees usually distribute the seeds in their droppings. Results showed that less than 10 percent of the seeds made it beyond the immediate vicinity of their parent tree. "Aside from fruit bats, which are also nearly extinct on Guam, nothing else can disperse seeds," Rogers told BBC. "If you get rid of the birds and bats, there's nothing to replace them." The absence of bird has reduced the abundance of trees in the island. Science Alert noted that these snakes have damaged electrical systems worth $4.5 million over the past seven years. They are so dense in the area that there are approximately 5,000 individuals per square kilometer (or 13,000 per square mile). Guam has an area of 544 square kilometers (210 square miles), and it is estimated that the island is now home to around two million of these snakes. Because they prey on birds and their eggs, by the mid-1980s, 10 of the 12 bird species native to Guam had vanished. In recent years, the US Department of Agriculture has engaged in some measures to eliminate the invasive brown snakes in Guam; one of which is parachuting thousands of dead mice laced with paracetamol, which is known toxic to them. Meanwhile, there was no confirmation from experts yet whether the "rodent commando program" was effective. A team of scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory claims that they have found a long lost lunar orbiter of the Indian Space Research Organization. The lunar orbiter, named Chandrayaan-1, studied the moon from October 2008 to 2009. According to Space, India has lost contact with the tiny moon probe last August 2009. Now, scientists at NASA-JPL have successfully located the spacecraft using a new technological application of interplanetary radar. The use of interplanetary radar in the field of astronomy is not new. However, it was only used to observe small asteroids several millions away from Earth and was not yet tested to detect much smaller objects, such as the Chandrayaan-1. To search for the missing lunar probe, the scientists first calculated the present distance of Chandrayaan-1 from the moon's surface. Knowing that the spacecraft is in polar orbit around the moon, the scientists pointed NASA's 230-foot antenna at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California at a location about 100 miles above the moon's North Pole and blasted a powerful beam of microwave. Read Also: China Announces Plans to Develop Lunar Spacecraft for Manned Mission to the Moon The NASA scientists then waited for the radar echoes bounced back from lunar orbit to be received by the 330-foot Green Back Telescope in West Virginia. Their calculations predict that Chandrayaan-1 takes about two hours and eight minutes to complete an orbit. The researchers observed that a radar signature of a tiny spacecraft did cross the beam during four hours of observation. Furthermore, the timing of the detection matched the time it would take for the small lunar orbiter to go around the moon and return to the same position above the moon's pole. Using the data from the return signal, NASA estimated the current velocity and distance of the Chandrayaan-1. "It turns out that we needed to shift the location of Chandrayaan-1 by about 180 degrees, or half a cycle from the old orbital estimates from 2009," said Ryan Park, the manager of JPL's Solar System Dynamics group, in a press release. "But otherwise, Chandrayaan-1's orbit still had the shape and alignment that we expected." Follow-up observations using the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, which has the most powerful astronomical radar system on Earth confirmed that the radar echoes coming from the moon came from a small spacecraft that is in perfect sync with the new orbital predictions for the Chandrayaan-1. Read Also: Intruder Alert! Asteroid Passes Inside Earth's Satellite Ring, 20 Times Nearer Than the Moon The San Francisco Department of Public Health confirmed that two people fell critically ill and are still hospitalized after drinking an herbal toxic tea bought in San Francisco's Chinatown. According to the report from USA Today, the two patients, a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s, became weak and in need of medical assistance an hour after drinking an herbal toxic tea purchased at Sun Wing Wo Trading Company. The two incidences occurred separately in February and March. Further investigations revealed that the cause of the tea poisoning is a plant-based toxin known as aconite. While commonly used as an Asian remedy for pains, bruises and other conditions, aconite -- also called monkshood, helmet flower, wolfsbane, chuanwu, caowu and fuzi -- can be highly toxic. However, despite the high toxicity of its raw flower, the plant can be consumed when properly processed. "Anyone who has purchased tea from this location should not consume it and should throw it away immediately," said Dr. Tomas Aragon, health officer for the city, in a report from SF Gate. "Aconite poisoning attacks the heart and can be lethal." So far, there is no known antidote for aconite poisoning. Both patients experienced weakness, followed-by life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms that required resuscitation. Other symptoms of aconite poisoning include numbness or tingling in the face, mouth or lips, low blood pressure, palpitations, chest pains, paralysis, diarrhea and nausea. After making the link between the herbal tea and poisoning of two individuals, inspectors from the city health department quickly removed the herbal tea in question. The connection was made after the case was referred to the California Poison Control System and San Francsico General Hospital. The health department is also working closely with the shop owners to identify the source of the tea contamination and prevent further spread. Health officials warned everyone who may have bought the product to stop drinking it, despite having no reaction after drinking the tea. Additionally, anyone who experienced symptoms of aconite poisoning should immediately call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. A surprising find was unearthed in one of Cairo's slums. Archaeologist discovered a massive statue believed to be of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. Experts believe that the statue could be of pharaoh Ramses II. Ramses is one of the most popular ancient rulers of Egypt. "We found the bust of the statue and the lower part of the head and now we removed the head and we found the crown and the right ear and a fragment of the right eye," Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani said in an interview with Reuters. The head alone is about eight meters. It took the German and Egyptian team a great effort to pull out the head by using a bulldozer to free the remnants from mixed mud and groundwater. The recent discovery is considered one of the greatest discoveries today and is regarded as "impressive" by experts. "It was the main cultural place of ancient Egypt, even the bible mentions it," he said. "The sad news is that the whole area needs to be cleaned up, the sewers and market should be moved," Egyptologist Khaled Nabil Osman said in a statement. Historically, Ramses ruled the country and Egypt holds a number of his effigies that archaeologists already unearthed around the country. Pharaoh Ramses the Great is known as the most powerful ruler of ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1279 to 1213 BCE. Some notable statues are found in Luxor and Abu Simbel. Archeologists concurred that the statue head is that of Ramses due to the style that it posses. The depiction of the head is similar to how he was represented in previously known statues. Aside from the massive gigantic head, parts of another statue were also discovered on the site. This means there are more to be discovered. Some even say that Egypt is still teaming with archaeological treasures that might remain hidden due to the political instability in the country. Police arrested a man suspected of robbing a Girl Scouts' cash box in front of a Clairemont Square Vons Sunday, San Diego police (SDPD) said. All of the stolen money has since been replaced with donations from the community, according to Girl Scouts San Diego. A mother and daughter were selling Girl Scout cookies when a man grabbed their cash box and ran. Erik Mullen, age 28, was arrested and booked into San Diego Central Jail at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday, said SDPD officers. He was held on a bail amount of $20,000 and accused of several charges. That includes misdemeanors such as petty theft, receiving stolen property and drug possession, as well as a felony charge of possessing a false check with the intent to defraud, according to the SDPD. Deema Hayward and her daughter Leyla had around $400 in their cash box when a man came up, grabbed the box and ran off. Leyla was just 100 boxes away from her 1,000 box goal. She has sold cookies for the last four years. Every year she's surpassed her goal. I think its horrible just to steal from anybody, but to steal from a child who has been working so hard day after day to meet their goal, its just horrible, Deema Hayward told NBC 7. She goes out every day door to door, booth sale after booth sale trying to reach her goal." A Girl Scout in #Clairemont #SD was robbed while she sold #cookies! We'll have the story at 11. Plus, how you can help. pic.twitter.com/3jUxGfocFO Alex Presha (@Alex_Presha) March 13, 2017 The incident happened at approximately 3:11 p.m. Sunday on Clairemont Drive near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, police said. People at a nearby Jamba Juice saw what was happening and ran after the suspect. One person tackled the man, but he escaped. The man dropped his cell phone in the process. "Its more just disappointing that someone would ever do that," Leyla said. "You know that it is possible and stuff, but you just dont think its going to happen. I try and I really work hard so I just wish people didnt do that." This is the second time this week a Girl Scout has been robbed selling cookies. Last Tuesday, someone used counterfeit bills to pay for cookies in La Mesa. Girl Scouts San Diego said no other theft of cookie funds was reported to them. "We are grateful for the community's compassionate response to the theft of cookie money from a 12-year-old member of Girl Scout Troop 4565," said the company, in a statement. "The girl involved and her mother said they have been touched by the reactions of people who were on the scene, as well as concerned individuals who learned about the incident." Any donations exceeding the amount lost will go to Operation Thin Mint in Troop 4565's name. That's a program that sends Girl Scout Cookies and notes of support to deployed U.S. military troops. If you would like to help, you can call to (619)610-0731 to make a donation. San Diego police say the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can call the police at 619-531-2000, or the Crime Stoppers tip line at 888-580-8477. A hundred or more people showed up at an emergency town hall meeting Sunday afternoon in Berkeley to stand against an effort in Washington to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a federal lawmaker said. The meeting took place at the Ed Roberts Campus at 3075 Adeline St. About 3.7 million people in California gained health insurance when the law, also known as Obamacare, went into effect and state officials were able to expand Medi-Cal, California's version of Medicaid, according to Rep. Barbara Lee's office. Another 1.5 million enrolled separately in Obamacare. Lee is opposed to President Donald Trump's plan to repeal and replace his predecessor's work. "It would be devastating," Lee, D-Oakland, said by phone before the meeting. State Sen. Nancy Skinner and Assemblyman Rob Bonta were also scheduled to attend. Lee said low-income people would be hurt by the repeal of Obamacare as Medi-Cal would be cut back. Medi-Cal serves low-income Californians and people with disabilities, among others with fewer resources. Lee said Democrats have the support of some Republicans in Washington. She said right now Republicans probably don't have enough votes to pass a bill to replace Obamacare. She planned to speak Sunday to organize resistance to the president's efforts. "We're going to fight hard," she said. University of California President Janet Napolitano announced Monday that she has selected Carol Christ to be the new chancellor for UC Berkeley. Christ, 72, who formerly served as president of Smith College and currently is UC Berkeley's interim executive vice chancellor and provost, will be the university's first woman chancellor. The current chancellor, Nicholas Dirks, announced in August that he would step down to return to teaching and research once a successor is in place. The UC Board of Regents will vote on Christ's nomination on Thursday during a special session held concurrently with the regular board meeting at UC San Francisco's Mission Bay campus. If she's approved by the regents, Christ will become UC Berkeley's 11th chancellor, effective July 1. Napolitano said in a statement, "I am delighted that Carol Christ has agreed to lead Berkeley at this pivotal time in the campus's storied history." Napolitano said, "From among the many highly qualified candidates for the position, Carol's exceptional leadership and strategic planning skills, her deep commitment to the university's core values, her many academic and professional accomplishments, as well as her deep knowledge of, and affection for, UC Berkeley stood out." Christ said, "I feel honored and privileged to lead the campus at this challenging time. It is a small way to give back for everything the university has given me." She said, "My experience at Berkeley has been transformational; it formed my ideas of higher education, and it formed my ideals of higher education." Hundreds of people showed up at a San Jose school on Sunday to donate furniture and other household items to flood victims, and dozens more were on hand to pick up those items. Organizers of a drive at Selma Olinder Elementary School in San Jose said more than 200 flood victims, many of whom lost everything in the flood caused by overflowing Coyote Creek last month, were touched by the incredible outpouring of support they saw Sunday. Whether it was a mattress or a couch or a table, flood evacuees picked up essential items to replace at least some of what they lost in the flood. One woman said the donations will help her take care of her family. "It will help me feed my family for the first few months," flood victim Elvie Cledoro said. "I got my dining table, I got my sofa. I can't believe it because we were worrying about that, where am I going to get the money to buy that stuff." Cledoro said her family is still living at the evacuation shelter at Seven Trees Community Center, and she has no place to put the donated items. But U-Haul offered the use of one of its trucks as free storage for a month. The event was organized my resident Kelly Woodward, who lives near the flood zone. Woodward reached out to the victims, asked them what they needed and posted the event on Facebook, and the response was overwhelming. Many items were left over from the donation drive when it ended Sunday evening, and those things will be picked up by the Salvation Army, organizers said. After being sidelined by injuries for two seasons, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers took a giant step on the comeback trail Saturday. In his first appearance since a game against the San Diego Padres on July 8, 2016, Ryu pitched two scoreless innings in an exhibition game against the LA Angels. Ryu threw 26 pitches, striking out two hitters with a fastball and a slider. He allowed one hit with one out in the second inning. His performance was well received, both for the speed of his fastball and the control and angles of his breaking balls, particularly his slider, curve, and changeup. Ryu was pleased with his performance, saying, "My arm is in very good condition. I was well prepared and I felt good throwing pitches." Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "This was a step in the right direction, and we've got to continue to build up his arm strength and he's got to stay healthy." Ryu now needs to demonstrate durability, meaning there should be no pain after he pitches at full strength. Former President Barack Obama was in San Jose on Sunday night for a meeting with tech leaders, sources told NBC Bay Area. The details of the meeting at the Fairmont hotel in downtown San Jose were not known. It's Obama's first visit to the Bay Area since he left office in January. Several Secret Service agents could be seen around the hotel, and some guests said they saw the former president's motorcade and bomb-sniffing dogs. Other guests said the interior hallways of the hotel were swarming with security. Obama flew from Washington, D.C., early Sunday and made a stopover in Omaha, Nebraska, for a quick lunch with billionaire business magnate Warren Buffett at a private country club, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Obama ate a taco salad at the Happy Hollow Country Club, and Buffett picked up the tab, the newspaper said. Details of that meeting also were not provided. While he was in office, Obama made numerous visits to the Bay Area, mostly for private fundraising events or meetings with business leaders. It was not known how long the former president's latest visit would last, and no public appearances were listed on his schedule. An on-duty San Francisco police officer on Saturday shot a dog that charged at him, according to police. The shooting happened around 11:50 a.m. at the intersection of Kearney and Post Streets, police said. The officer was directing traffic when the dog ran at him. The dog was hit in the leg and suffered a non-life threatening injury, according to police. It was transported to a veterinarian. The dog's handler, who was holding onto the dog's leash when it ran off, was detained, according to police. No one was injured in the shooting, police said. An at-risk woman who is nine months pregnant and went missing for hours Sunday in San Francisco, was said to be safe after a frantic search by family and police, according to family members. According to police, Lauren Soriano, 32, was last seen leaving her residence in the Cole Valley neighborhood around 11 a.m. She apparently was with a longtime friend and got into a dark-colored sedan. Police said her reported actions were out of character, but they did not suspect foul play. A family member late Sunday evening said Soriano called and told them she was safe. The family member did not know her whereabouts. Despite the reports from the family, police said they are still investigating. Soriano's disappearance prompted police to issue a plea for help from the public as they searched for the 5-foot, 3-inch, 115-pound woman who is about to give birth. No further details were available. During the campaign, President Donald Trump promised he would take "no salary" if elected a pledge he reiterated after he won. However, the White House is declining to say if the president has donated any of his earnings yet, NBC News reported. The Constitution requires that the president receive a salary, and that it not be reduced during his term. Federal law mandates the president receive a $400,000 annual salary, paid out once a month. Trump aides have previously said Trump would donate his salary to the Treasury Department or a charity. MSNBC requested details and documentation about any salary donations from the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management, which all declined to say whether Trump has donated any of his salary to date. Former Vice President Joe Biden is joining officials at the University of Delaware, his alma mater, for the launch Monday of the Biden Institute. The Institute is a new research and policy center focused on domestic issues including economic reform, environmental sustainability, criminal justice and civil rights. Biden will be the founding chair of the Institute, which will be part of the university's School of Public Policy and Administration. Biden will be splitting his time between the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania, where he will head a foreign policy institute called the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. The foreign policy institute will be located in Washington, D.C., but Biden also will have an office on the Penn campus in Philadelphia. Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez was briefly handcuffed after refusing to leave a meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Chicago, saying he planned to risk arrest by staying at the agencys office in The Loop until demands are met. The Democratic congressman led a sit-in following a meeting that began around 10 a.m. Monday with a delegation of activists that included about 22 advocates, attorneys, community leaders and other local elected officials, according to Gutierrez's spokesman Douglas Rivlin. They were asking about specific cases and about the general conduct of ICE and deportations, Rivlin said at a news conference Monday afternoon. The congressman has decided that he did not get the answers he was looking for from the ICE regional director and hes going to be staying inside until he gets answers, even if that means risking arrest. [[416052173, C]] Seven others from the meeting refused to leave alongside Gutierrez, who tweeted that he was arrested, cuffed then cuffs were cut off around 1:30 p.m. Waiting for further word on if/when we will be arrested. [[416053013, C]] Specific immigration cases discussed in the meeting included the pending deportations of Army veteran Miguel Perez Jr., according to Rivlin, as well as Francisca Lino, whose husband and four of her six children are U.S. citizens. "The congressman first met with the same ICE regional director in 2008 about this case, about getting a deferral from deportation," Rivlin said. "Ms. Lino came in regularly for meetings with ICE every year as a condition for her deferred deportation, and a couple of weeks ago she was told that she would need to get her bags together and has a specific date for when she is going to be deported in July. The congressman is asking that that deportation be canceled." [[413993853, C]] "The congressman said this is reprehensible that immigrants are being treated this way, that the rules are changed without any information or notice, that low priorities for deportation are being removed from the country and the congressman wants to get answers from the staff here, and he has not been getting any answers," Rivlin continued. "They need to call Washington, they need to call the White House." "This is the same situation that we had when there were people arriving at the airports and they couldnt get information out of CIS and ICE officials about how they were being treated," Rivlin said, referring to the rollout of President Trump's Jan. 27 executive order halting refugee resettlement and suspending entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations for 90 days. That order, which was put on hold by a federal judge, caused immediate chaos and protests at airports in Chicago and around the country as travelers were detained. [[416060423, C]] "We even had one ICE officer say, 'Well, you should just call the White House to get information,'" Rivlin said of immigration authorities' response to Gutierrez's questions on Trump's controversial order. "Well, maybe they need to call the White House." Trump signed a new version of the travel ban on March 6 that leaves Iraq off the list of impacted countries and does not apply to those with valid visas or green card holders. That order is scheduled to take effect on March 16, though it already faces legal challenges from states including Hawaii, Washington, New York and more. "They need to get some answers for the congressman and the congressman is prepared to get arrested if thats what it takes," Rivlin continued. [[413942783, C]] Gutierrez was among a group of Hispanic congressmen barred from a meeting with a top federal immigration enforcement official in February. According to Gutierrez, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus were scheduled to speak with the acting director of ICE on Feb. 14 in a meeting the congressman said was abruptly canceled and rescheduled for two days later. At that point, Gutierrez said it was transformed into an invitation-only affair, and he was asked to leave by an aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan. "In 20-plus years, I have never heard of the Republicans controlling what meetings Democrats can have with officials of the Executive Branch and never had a staffer ask me to leave a meeting to which I am entitled to attend," Gutierrez said in a statement following the incident. [[411778106, C]] A spokeswoman for Ryan told Politico that the speakers office organized the event at the request of the Department of Homeland Security, limiting attendance to "members with jurisdictional interests in immigration enforcement." "There has been no dialogue, no transparency, no consultation, and no accountability just like every other aspect of how this White House does business," Gutierrez said in a statement about Monday's incident. "It is heavy-handed government in secret all to make the new strongman President look tough and to satisfy the cravings of his coliseum audience for some immigrants to sacrifice." "Chicago officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Enforcement and Removal Operations agreed to an informational meeting on March 13 with Congressman Luis Gutierrez and various community groups. During this meeting, ERO Chicago officials responded to the Congressmans requests for information. However, when the Congressman sought actions and assurances that ICE officials couldnt provide, he and other meeting attendees staged a sit-in and refused to leave the ERO office at the conclusion of the meeting," ICE Public Affairs Officer Gail Montenegro said in a statement. "Federal Protective Service officers were called by ERO to the scene because the individuals would not leave the ERO office. FPS provided three separate verbal warnings and after each warning FPS provided the individuals several minutes to comply. When the group refused to leave, they were briefly placed in flexible plastic restraints before ICE officials relayed that they no longer wanted the individuals removed from the building. The Congressman and other individuals were placed in the restraints for approximately two minutes before the flex cuffs were removed by FPS. FPS did not cite these individuals." A victim is in critical condition following a shooting in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sunday afternoon. According to police, officers responded to a basement apartment located at 13 Preston Street around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday for a report of shots fire. Once on scene, officers found a 21-year-old male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was unconscious and bleeding and transported to a local hospital by Worcester EMS. The victim was taken into emergency surgery and listed in critical condition. Officers took statements from witnesses and surveyed the scene learning that a white vehicle dropped off two suspects, one white male and one black male, who entered the rear of the building. Gunshots were heard a few minutes later followed by the two males running from the scene and entering the white vehicle. The vehicle sped off in an unknown direction. There is no additional information about the suspects or a motive for the shooting. There were no other injuries. Acceding to the demands of the Trump administration, Zachary Fardon stepped down Monday as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead the U.S. Attorneys Office in Chicago, Fardon said in a statement. I want to thank all of the talented men and women of the Office for their hard work and dedicated public service during my term. Fardons four-year term as U.S. Attorney was to have continued until October. On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a demand for all 46 U.S. Attorneys appointed by former President Barack Obama to submit their resignations. Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, says he was fired Saturday, after refusing to quit voluntarily. To be running their offices full steam ahead on Friday, and then be locked out of their offices on Monday, it makes no sense, said former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins, who questioned the timing of the move. What youve done overnight is create leaderless offices in some of the most important government work that there is. Collins insisted that in his 12 years in the U.S. Attorneys Office in Chicago, he never saw any decisions based on politics. I never once detected a sense that we have to push harder or softer because of who this person is, he said. Not one word, not one wink or not suggesting that we should push or pull because of who that person is, or if they have an R by their name or a D. Protocol says the task of filling the jobs of all three ousted Illinois U.S. Attorneys falls to downstate congressman John Shimkus, the senior Republican member of the states congressional delegation. Shimkus spokesman Jordan Haverly said right now the office is in the process of collecting information and the names of any interested parties. Were still waiting on direction from the Department of Justice," he said, promising that Shimkus would seek input from Gov. Bruce Rauner, and even the states two Democratic U.S. Senators. We expect a very collaborative process, Haverly said. Stepping in for Fardon to head the Chicago office on an interim basis will be veteran prosecutor Joel Levin, who had been serving as First Assistant U.S. Attorney. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Levin joined the Chicago U.S. Attorneys office in 1997, after stints in Milwaukee and San Francisco, where he served as chief of the criminal division. After coming to Chicago in 1997, he held various positions, including chief of the Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions section in 2007 and 2008. In 2006, Levin was part of a prosecution team including Fardon and Collins, which spearheaded the Operation Safe Road investigation which led to the conviction of former Governor George Ryan. Hes got impeccable judgment, Collins said. He was a perfect number two, and I think he will be a great number one, for however long that will happen. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall Samborn echoed Collins assessment that politics plays no role in the office. People have this misconception that U.S. Attorneys walk in the door and say, Im going to go after this person and this person and this person, he said. You dont go around targeting people to investigate. The office is staffed by some 130 career attorneys. And Samborn said none would tolerate a political agenda from a new boss. If public corruption cases were killed for political reasons, you would have career prosecutors and agents running to the media in droves, he said. Whoever is chosen, both Collins and Samborn stressed the importance of federal experience. Theres more than ten people I could identify who would be great, Collins said. I do worry that its someone who doesnt understand the traditions of the office, doesnt understand the completely apolitical nature. In the interim, Levin brings some 28 years of federal prosecution experience. He left the office in 2008 for private practice, but returned to serve as Fardons First Assistant in the fall of 2014. Levin has also served as an adjunct law professor at the Northwestern Law School since 2008. Carolyn Rush, wife of Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., died of congestive heart failure Monday morning at the University of Chicago Hospital. Today I have lost my best friend, the love of my life, my confidant and my best half, said Rep. Rush, who was at her bedside, along with her children, when she died. This one of the most difficult days of my life. If there is any comfort at all, it is in knowing that Carolyn is no longer suffering and that she has returned to our Father in Heaven. I will always cherish her. She was everything to me. I am devastated. Today I have lost my best friend, the love of my life, my confidant and my best half, said Rush in a statement. This is one of the most difficult days of my life. If there is any comfort at all, it is in knowing that Carolyn is no longer suffering and that she has returned to our Father in Heaven. I will always cherish her. She was everything to me. I am devastated. Rush was at his wife's bedside when she died. Carolyn Rush, 68, had suffered bouts of illness in the past. Bobby Rush spent significant time away from the nations capital in 2013 and 2014 to be by his wifes side. At the time he told Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief Lynn Sweet: My wifes illness and her condition has dictated it, that I be more or less in the hospital room with her. She is dependent upon me as she should be for support in a lot of different ways. Carolyn Rush had been in and out of the University of Chicago hospital because of declining health following open heart surgery, other surgeries and multiple serious health issues, Rush told Sweet in 2014. Rush further explained that his first duty was compassion and concern and caring for her in a way only a husband can provide for his wife. Rush also said at the time that he did not want to risk not being in Chicago if his wife needed him. In 1999, his son Huey Rich died, a victim of gun violence. After Huey was shot, doctors told Rush his sons condition had stabilized, so Rush left him in the hospital and flew to Washington, where he was part of a conference committee negotiating legislation. Rush got a call later in the day his son took a turn for the worse. The last plane to Chicago had already left. Rush took the first flight out in the morning. Didnt make it in time, Rush told Sweet. Bobby and Carolyn Rush have been married 36 years. She has been Rushs long-time political adviser as well. Rush represents the South Side 1st Congressional District, elected to Congress for the first time in 1992; before that he was the alderman from the 2nd Ward, first elected to City Hall in 1983. In 2008, Rush took a leave for several months because of his own health scare, salivary cancer, which required surgery near his jaw. One person was killed and six others were injured in a two-vehicle crash Sunday night on the Eisenhower Expressway. At 9:27 p.m., officers spotted a white Mercedes that may have been involved in an attempted armed robbery and an aggravated assault in the Harrison and Austin districts, Chicago Police said. The vehicle drove away, and was last seen speeding onto the inbound lanes of I-290 from the Homan Avenue ramp. The Mercedes rear-ended another car less than 10 minutes later on I-290 near Damen Avenue, according to Illinois State Police. The Mercedes then went up the embankment and rolled over. Mario C. Shields, 18, was thrown from the Mercedes and pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiners office said. He lived in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side. One person was taken from the crash in serious-to-critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital; two people were taken in serious-to-critical critical condition to Stroger Hospital; and three people were taken to Rush University Medical Center, one in fair-to-serious condition and two others in good condition, the Chicago Fire Department said. All inbound lanes of the expressway were closed to traffic in the area until about 2 a.m. Prosecutors were busy over the weekend preparing to investigate former President Park Geun-hye after she was ousted and stripped of her presidential immunity on Friday. Prosecutors worked throughout the weekend reviewing some 60,000 pages of records handed over by independent counsel Park Young-soo as well as another 50,000 pages from the initial probe by prosecutors into the massive influence-peddling and corruption scandal that brought Park down. A senior prosecutor said, "Urgency is the main principle in the investigation, just like all other cases." That raises the prospect that Park will be summoned for questioning as early as this week. As long as she remained nominally in office, Park refused to be questioned, and at one point Cheong Wa Dae staff physically scuffled with prosecutors to stop them searching the compound. Five men were killed and at least 14 other people were wounded in shootings across the city between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. The weekends latest fatal shooting happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, when two men were killed and another was wounded in an Edgewater neighborhood attack on the North Side. Quentin Payton, 28, and a 32-year-old man were standing on the sidewalk in the 6300 block of North Broadway when someone in a dark-colored SUV opened fire, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiners office. Payton, who lived in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, was shot in the head and taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead at 1:33 a.m. The 32-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and was also taken to Saint Francis, where his condition was stabilized. More than 30 minutes later, 22-year-old Chaz Johnson showed up at Community First Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound to the left side of his torso, authorities said. He had been sitting in the back seat of a vehicle when he was shot and investigators eventually determined he was a third victim from the Edgewater incident. Johnson, of north suburban Evanston, was later transferred to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died at 8:43 a.m. At 10:33 p.m. Saturday, officers heard gunfire in the area of the 9500 block of South State in the Longwood Manor neighborhood on the South Side, and found 36-year-old Rolan T. Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest, neck and head, authorities said. He had been the driver of a black Yukon that was stopped at a light, facing north on State. Johnson, who lived in the Chatham neighborhood, was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:51 p.m. Earlier Saturday, 34-year-old Jarrod Johnson was shot in the head and a 34-year-old woman was shot in the abdomen in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side, police and the medical examiners office said. The 5:25 a.m. shooting was preceded by an argument that turned physical, and someone pulled out a gun and opened fire in the 500 block of East 75th Street. A friend drove Johnson to St. Bernard Hospital, where he died at 6:03 a.m. He lived in the Roseland neighborhood. The womans condition was stabilized at Stroger Hospital. A man who was shot in the head about 7:35 p.m. Friday in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood on the South Side died the following morning. Miguel Cabrales, 24, was in the 2200 block of West 21st Street when people walked up and opened fire, before running away, authorities said. Cabrales was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died at 8:52 a.m. Saturday. He lived about three blocks from the location of the shooting. The weekends latest nonfatal shooting happened shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday in the Galewood neighborhood on the Northwest Side. A 25-year-old man was in the 6800 block of West North Avenue when a vehicle approached and someone inside fired several shots, police said. He suffered a graze wound to the chest and was taken in good condition to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. At least 11 other people were wounded in city shootings between 4 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. Twenty-three people were shot in Chicago last weekend. At least 600 people have been shot in Chicago so far in 2017. WikiLeaks surprised friends and foes of the U.S. government this week by releasing classified information that allegedly describes tools used by the Central Intelligence Agency to hack devices outside of the American border. The sites news release called the leaks -- codenamed Vault 7 -- the largest ever publication of confidential documents on the agency. They were highly classified, and I think that their release did cause damage to U.S. national security, said Nate Jones, director of the Freedom of Information Act Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University. The whistleblower who shared Vault 7 wishes to initiate a public debate about the security, creation, use, proliferation and democratic control of cyberweapons, according to WikiLeaks. Classified documents tend to relate to military action or intelligence. There are three types: confidential, secret, and top secret, each of which would cause damage to the national security of the United States on an escalating scale if released, according to Executive Order 13526, which details government classifications and was signed by Barack Obama in December 2009. When information is especially delicate, it may be assigned to a Special Access Program that limits its distribution even further. Jones noted that pretty much anything can be classified -- officials joke that they could classify a ham sandwich if they wanted. Something as benign as a diplomats private opinion on the days news could be confidential, he said. Even secret or top secret documents arent always hard-hitting. A wiretap could be very, very, very highly classified, but it could just be a guy talking about his cat, Jones said, because the method of collecting information is sensitive even if the intel is not. Though some of the WikiLeaks cache is classified, Joel R. Reidenberg, law professor at Fordham University and visiting professor at Princeton University, said its content shouldnt come as a shock to anyone who follows the news. When the FBI gained access to the San Bernardino shooters iPhone last year, it was clear the American intelligence community had developed the ability to circumvent cellphone security measures. But he believes that Vault 7 will still prove detrimental to American national security. It reveals the scope of tools that the U.S. government has, Reidenberg said. In doing that, its providing information to adversaries about what we can and cant do. The WikiLeaks documents were misrepresented by the media at first, experts say. Some articles originally implied that the CIA had found ways to get into encrypted messaging apps, like WhatsApp and Signal. Instead, the documents show the CIA has been hacking into individual devices, from iPhones to smart TVs, according to the New York Times. Such a slow and tedious process assumes the United States still lacks the technology to get into protected messaging systems, which enemies of the state now know. The leak also gives tech companies like Apple and Android the ability to fix their devices security loopholes so the CIA can no longer use the tools its developed. Jones said that he wanted to know what companies like Apple and Android are doing to close the backdoors that had allowed the CIA to hack into their products. The agency has not authenticated the documents, and a spokesperson was unwilling to comment on the record. In a press release, a CIA representative wrote, The American public should be deeply troubled by any Wikileaks disclosure designed to damage the Intelligence Communitys ability to protect America against terrorists and other adversaries. Such disclosures not only jeopardize U.S. personnel and operations, but also equip our adversaries with tools and information to do us harm. The statement noted that the CIA is legally prohibited from conducting electronic surveillance targeting individuals here at home, including our fellow Americans, and CIA does not do so. Reidenberg said that unlike the Edward Snowden leaks about the National Security Agency, from what he had seen and heard about Vault 7, there is no indication the CIA spied on U.S. citizens. Also unlike Snowden, WikiLeaks' Julian Assange is not an American, but an Australian who has actively sought to disseminate classified information about a government that is not his. It is certainly an aggressive, hostile act against the United States because its designed to compromise the CIAs ability to do its job, Reidenberg said. Jones took a more moderate tone. I think that every disclosure has some harm and has some benefits, and you cant just say that everything is wholly good or wholly bad, he said. Several people are displaced ahead of Tuesday's nor'easter after a fire at a condominium complex in Vernon Monday morning. Fire crews responded to 85 Old Town Road, the Townhouse Three Condos, around 1:45 a.m. No injuries were reported but eight to 10 people are displaced, according to fire officials. Buses were brought in as warming centers to keep residents warm while crews worked. The fire was declared under control around 4 a.m. Fire departments from Vernon, Tolland, Bolton, South Windsor, Manchester, Crystal Lake, Ellington and Broad Brook all responded to the scene. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents. Fire officials said weather conditions proved challenging sand trucks were called out for icy conditions on Old Town Road caused by the water used to fight the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The state's attorney general gave his opinion on the proposed third casino in Connecticut to the governor. Attorney General George Jepsen wrote to Governor Dannel Malloy that while risks may be "minimal", they can not be "mitigated with confidence." "We are not in a position to opine on the nature or extent of the economic or other benefits that may result from approving such an entity or whether any such benefits justify the risks described in this letter, however minimal they may be," Jepsen wrote to the governor. Jepsen said the risks of authorizing a casino gaming facility operated by the Mashantucket and Mohegan tribe partnership is "impossible to quantify with precision" but should still be recognized. Last week, dozens of people signed up to speak at a public hearing regarding the plans to build Connecticut's third casino at the site of an abandoned Showcase Cinema and Wal-Mart off Interstate 91 in East Windsor. Connecticut's two other casinos are on tribal land, while the property in East Windsor belongs to the state. Tribal leaders said the new casino would bring more than 1,700 jobs, $8.5 million annually to the town of East Windsor and the state would receive 25 percent of the revenues from slots and table games. The casino would be in direct competition with the MGM casino in Springfield, Massachusetts. Connecticut's U.S. attorney Deirdre M. Daly announced that she will continue serving until October, despite saying she would step down from her position last week. Daly announced she would serve in her current position following Attorney General Jeff Sessions seeking the resignation of 46 other state prosecutors across the country on Friday. However, on Monday, Daly said she would complete her twenty years of service to the Department of Justice in October. "I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the residents of Connecticut in my remaining time, and I will focuse on an orderly transition as I complete what has been a rewarding tenure at the Office." Daly was appointed to lead the U.S. Attorneys Office in Connecticut in May 2014, and was the first woman to be appointed, and later confirmed to run the office in Connecticut history. Her tenure was focused on cracking down on the illegal drug trade, and corruption. It was during her time as U.S. attorney that the government prevailed in convicting former Connecticut governor John Rowland on corruption charges, sending him to federal prison for a second time. In a statement, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, himself a former US Attorney from 1977 to 1981, said he was saddened and surprised to hear of Dalys ouster. Many of the federal prosecutors who were nominated by former President Barack Obama have already left their positions, but the nearly four dozen who stayed on in the first weeks of the Trump administration have been asked to leave "in order to ensure a uniform transition," Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said. It is customary for the country's 93 U.S. attorneys to leave their positions once a new president is in office, but the departures are not automatic. One high ranking GOP source told NBC Connecticut the options for Connecticut are wide-ranging for Dalys replacement. If the administration were to consider political insiders, former State Representative, and recent candidate for Congress John Shabans name has been mentioned, same with GOP Delegate Sue Hatfield. Further, Justin Clark, a well-connected GOP insider who ran Tom Foleys campaign for governor in 2014 could be an influential force for Trump and Sessions. Clark is a recent resident of West Hartford and a veteran of Republican state politics. He was tapped to help with the presidential transition, served as Trumps Deputy National Political Director during the campaign, and now serves as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. With an asset like Clark, the Trump administration would not have to look far for names that could help move along law enforcement and other policy goals within the office of the U.S. attorney. Cardboard boxes certainly aren't new technology. But when they're linked to a practice that started in Finland decades ago to help babies sleep safely, they're taking on a new purpose as so-called baby boxes make their way to the U.S. Parents are beginning to take baby boxes home from hospitals along with their newborns. A Los Angeles-based company has partnered with health officials to give the boxes away for free and an online initiative offers advice aimed at reducing sudden unexpected infant deaths. New Jersey and Ohio were the first to participate statewide in the program. "To new moms: (SUID) was one of my biggest fears and then it happened,'' said 35-year-old Chauntia Williams, of Maple Heights, Ohio. Williams is an advocate for safe sleeping and the boxes after she unexpectedly lost her 33-day-old daughter Aaliyah nine years ago. Williams said her daughter went to sleep in a crib with cushiony bumpers, stuffed animals and an added blanket beneath the fitted sheet and never woke up. She said the coroner determined the bedding caused the death. She now uses a box with her son, Bryce, though he's getting a little too big for it. Her message to new parents: Educate yourselves on safe sleep habits. "Open your mouth and say I'm concerned about this so you can get the assistance,'' Williams said. Sudden unexpected infant death is a broad category that includes sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation and strangulation that could come from overcrowded bassinets or cribs. The boxes aren't the only option for safe sleeping, of course, but health officials say they're a useful part of a broader safe-sleep education program. Ohio on Wednesday joined New Jersey in offering the cardboard boxes, which double as bassinets, for free. Each box comes filled with a mattress, fitted sheet, onesie and diapers. The Baby Box Co. is also handing out the boxes in Minneapolis, Phoenix and San Francisco, with the goal of expanding to all 50 states. The for-profit company also operates in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Baby Box University, a nonprofit, maintains a website that coordinates the educational component of the program. The idea for baby boxes started in Finland in the 1930s, and is tied to a sharp drop in sudden infant deaths, according to Dr. Kathryn McCans, a pediatrician who chairs New Jersey's Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board. The boxes provide a clutter-free sleep space that has been shown to reduce accidental and unexpected deaths, she said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. rate of sudden unexpected infant deaths has been declining since the 1990s when public health officials began recommending parents put infants to sleep on their backs. About 3,700 sudden unexpected infant deaths were reported in the country in 2015. The boxes are a new idea for many Americans. "The thought of putting the baby in a box, I was like 'wow that's weird,''' said Dolores Peterson, of Camden, New Jersey, who became a first-time mom recently and was among the first to bring home a box. Peterson's daughter, Ariabella, just turned 3 months old. She said the program was eye-opening for how much information she learned about how to prevent sudden unexpected infant death. McCans says the complimentary items like diapers and onesies are nice, but the more important objective behind the boxes is bringing down infant deaths and grounding parents on safe sleep practices: Place babies on their backs to sleep; don't use bumpers in cribs; keep stuffed animals and blankets out of infants' sleep spaces; avoid sleeping in the same bed as infants. "No one brings their baby into bed with them because they want their baby to die,'' she said. "They do it because they want to be nurturing and they are, but it's not safe.'' To get the boxes, prospective moms can register through babyboxuniversity.com, watch a handful of videos on sleep safety and pass a quiz. Parents can then take their digital or printed-out certificates to a participating hospital for their boxes. The boxes can also be sent in the mail, if a nearby hospital is not designated as a distribution center. A sergeant with the Dallas Police Department has been placed on restricted duty pending the outcome of an assault investigation in which he's named as a suspect. The Mansfield ISD Police Department is investigating an alleged assault involving Sergeant George Aranda, according to a Dallas police news release. The alleged incident occurred on March 9, the news release said. Further details about the alleged assault were not immediately available. Aranda is currently assigned to the Gang Unit and has been with the department for 25 years. Texas executed on Tuesday a man convicted of the 1987 killings of a father and his infant son and who three years later at his capital murder trial grabbed a loaded gun from a drawer in the courtroom and tried to attack the judge. James Bigby, 61, became the fourth inmate in Texas and the sixth nationally to be executed by injection this year. Strapped to the death chamber gurney, Bigby looked directly at six relatives of his victims watching through a window a few feet from him and repeatedly said he was sorry. "I hope this will bring you peace and I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering," he told them, his voice cracking at times. "I hope that you could forgive me, but if you don't, I understand. I don't think I could forgive anyone who would have killed my children." As the lethal dose of pentobarbital began, he prayed and said several times: "I promise, I'm sorry." He was singing "Jesus Loves Me" as the drug took effect, took a few breaths, started snoring and then stopped all movement. Fourteen minutes later, at 6:31 p.m., he was pronounced dead. Bigby was condemned for the fatal shooting of Michael Trekell, 26, and suffocation of Trekell's 4-month-old son, Jayson, at their home in Arlington on Christmas Eve 1987. Evidence showed Bigby also was accused but not tried for killing two other men, believing they along with Trekell were conspiring against him in a workers' compensation case he filed against a former employer. Trekell's sister and the child's aunt, Deborah Trekell-Jameson, released a statement following the execution saying she witnessed Bigby's death not to judge him, but to "support the completion of what James Bigby began with my family almost 30 years ago ... when he committed such a heinous crime. "This day will be yet another remembrance in the history that was forever changed by James Bigby for our families," she said. Bigby was arrested after a police standoff days after the killings, telling a SWAT officer in Fort Worth, "I know I am guilty, and so do you." The U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 refused to review Bigby's case after a lower federal appeals court had rejected appeals. He asked that no last-day appeals be filed for him. At his 1991 capital murder trial in Fort Worth, Bigby grabbed a loaded gun from behind District Judge Don Leonard's bench during a court recess and barged into Leonard's chambers. The judge and a prosecutor wrestled Bigby to the floor and pulled the gun away and the judge continued presiding over the case. Jurors were told about the attack, rejected Bigby's insanity defense and decided he should die. Then in 2005, a federal appeals court threw out his death sentence, saying the trial jury wasn't properly instructed during punishment. Three years later, another Tarrant County jury returned him to death row. "I don't think anyone in the courtroom claimed he wasn't mentally ill, but there were too many dead people and a dead baby," Wes Ball, one of Bigby's defense lawyers at the new punishment trial, recalled Monday. "And going up and getting the judge's gun out of his drawer in court and going at him ... is kind of the icing-on-the-cake moment." Bigby was never tried for the killings of Calvin Crane Jr., 38, in nearby Fort Worth, and Frank Johnson, 33, in Arlington. Both were shot at their homes. Court documents show Bigby, who had worked as an auto mechanic and had two previous prison stints for burglary, believed they and Trekell were conspiring against him in his workers' compensation lawsuit against a former employer, Frito Lay Inc., where he worked in a body shop. In his statement to police he described how he shot Trekell with a shotgun while the man was at a kitchen table preparing steaks, then went to the infant's room and wrapped the child's head with cellophane he took from a refrigerator, suffocating him. Bigby then filled a bathroom sink with water and put the baby face-down into the water. "I regret killing the baby but not the other," Bigby told police. On the first Saturday of every month, something special happens at the Linda Woodman State Jail in Gatesville, Texas. But it begins in a church parking lot in Dallas. A group of girls board a bus at 8 a.m. armed with blankets and cell phones for a two hour pilgrimage to Woodman. The inmates waiting for them there are their mothers. For the prisoners, this one Saturday a month is like Heaven on Earth; four uninterrupted hours of routine-breaking bliss. The girls come prepared to see, touch and smell their mothers something other kids get to do every day. When they meet again, it can be awkward: it's hard to know your mother when she's been in prison for months, years or even most of your life but that's where this program helps, says the woman behind it all. "I couldn't imagine being nine or 10 and my mom being in prison, said Brittany Barnett-Byrd, who calls her program Girls Embracing Mothers, or GEM. It gives the moms and daughters something to look forward to, she said. It adds a layer of accountability to the moms. To be able to participate in the program, you have to be on good behavior. Also, for the girls, it just gives them that one-on-one time with their moms." Children with incarcerated parents are more likely than others to enter the criminal justice system as well. So, our motto is, Breaking the cycle, building the bond. We want to prevent a future generation of girls from entering prison and we want to prevent their moms from coming back." The day is spent on crafts, building self-esteem, conversation and catching up. "I get to see my mom more often, said one girl, named Jenaiya. We get to bond and see what's going on in each other's lives. Even lunch together is something special. During a regular visitation, theyd only get snacks. And these meals are often home-cooked. "They love their moms no matter what. At the end of the day they're still Mama. They're not bad women they just made bad choices." Nadia Kerr and her sister, Kristen are from Fort Worth. Both are in prison, but housed at different locations. They are bused to Woodman to spend time with their children together. Nadia has two girls; Kristen has one. I look forward to these days, said Kristen Kerr. And a lot of times looking forward to these days are the only things that keep me going. Staying out of trouble, selfcontrol. Its come to these visits. Before this program I can say I was not the model inmate, said Nadia Kerr. I was having a hard time. A "bad actor" they called it. And then this came in. "It helps me to see that I can still be with them, even though I'm not with them, Nadia said. Nadia is just 32-years-old, and in May 2017 will have spent 7 years in prison. Her daughters were ages one and 4 when she was locked up. "I still have til 2020 before I see parole, she said, in tears. Without GEM, she'd hardly know them. Also on this trip: first timers Patricia Lopez and daughter, Breanna. Patricia is three years in, with three years left before seeing parole. I want for her to feel that I care and I love her so much and I don't want for us to be separated for so long, Lopez said. And Deidre Mason, who wants to stay involved with the program once she is paroled which is happening soon. "Im excited to come back and participate and just let other moms know we can do it together, Mason said. North Korea in a bizarre twist to the assassination of Kim Jong-nam has offered to swap nine Malaysian hostages in Pyongyang for two North Korean suspects who are stuck in Kuala Lumpur. According to the Oriental Daily News in Malaysia on Saturday, the North made the offer in unofficial negotiations with a Malaysian diplomat in Pyongyang over the Feb. 13 killing of the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Malaysian police have fingered Hyon Kwang-song, a North Korean diplomat, and Kim Uk-il, a staffer of the North's flag carrier Air Koryo, in the very public hit on Kim Jon-nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The two are believed to be holed up in the North Korean Embassy. North Korea has effectively taken all 11 Malaysian citizens in Pyongyang hostage by banning them from leaving. They are embassy staff and their families and UN workers. Malaysia retaliated by banning the more than 1,000 North Koreans in the country from leaving and starting a crackdown on illegal North Korean workers who earn valuta for their regime. But the Malaysian government is reluctant to let Hyon and Kim leave after it already had to release and deport Ri Jong-chol, the only North Korean suspect in the hit who had been arrested, due to a lack of evidence. Four other North Korean suspects fled to Pyongyang immediately after the hit, and Kuala Lumpur now fears a dead end in its investigation. Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told reporters that Kuala Lumpur will soon hold bilateral talks with Pyongyang over the killing. Meanwhile, an Indonesian government official told NHK that one of the four North Korean suspects who fled, O Jong-gil, seems to have been the second secretary in the North Korean Embassy in Jakarta. That makes two North Korean diplomats on the list of suspects, bolstering evidence that the North Korean regime was behind the hit on Kim Jong-nam. Malaysian police on Friday said they have finally confirmed that the man assassinated last month was indeed Kim Jong-nam. Khalid Abu Bakar, the chief of Malaysian police, told reporters that police confirmed Kim's identity "through all necessary procedures," but declined to say whether they managed to get hold of the DNA of family members. The motive for the hit remains unclear, but there are rumors that Kim Jong-un feared the Chinese could install his half-brother as a figurehead in a possible overthrow of his shaky rule. Two North Texas women went to two different websites hoping to find a furry friend, found exactly what they were looking for but ended up with nothing in the end. Melissa Bailey is one busy lady. She's a wife, adoptive mother and a pet lover who has rescued pets in the past. While her husband was in the hospital, she thought of the perfect gift to cheer him up. "I was looking online, looking in the shelters first because I knew he wanted a Yorkie," she said. Bailey came across braveyorkies.com through a Google search and instantly fell in love with two Yorkies. For $800, she was told the two puppies in Utah would be shipped to North Texas. "He said, 'Well here's what you can do. You can go to a Wal-Mart and you can send the money that way,'" she said. Despite some hesitation, Bailey used Walmart2Walmart money transfer to send the $800. The company confirmed it went through. "They sent me an email stating that the vet claimed the dogs were too little to travel without shipping insurance," she said. "They asked for an additional $2,000 to ship the dogs. I started to and Western Union told me that there was a scam going on in that area." A scam that has left other pet lovers in North Texas empty handed. Mary Reynoso thought she was going to own a Shih Tzu she came across through a Google search on Arona Pet Express' website. Like Bailey, Reynoso was warned by Western Union that it could be a scam but she decided to go ahead and pay $1,355.50 for the dog. And, just like Bailey, no puppy, no refund and no response from the company. "It really is heart-wrenching to find out that you're not gonna get the puppies that you paid for," Bailey said. Both websites have since been taken down. We tried emailing the folks behind this and we haven't gotten a response. As a consumer, you should never put cash in the hands of people you don't know and can easily disappear. So here's what you should remember: Do not wire money or send a check to a stranger or random company that you find online. If you're looking for a pet and don't want to spend a lot of money, visit a local animal shelter. The adoption fees usually aren't that expensive. If the shelters don't have the breed you're looking for, try to find a reputable pet rescue. State Senators will hear testimony Monday on a bill that would increase funds for rape kit testing. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an American is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds, but only 6 out of every 1,000 attackers will go to prison. Convictions are heavily weighed by DNA evidence. Rape kits hold that evidence, but there are thousands of rape kits sitting on shelves, waiting to be tested. Texas where there are nearly 19,000 untested rape kits has led the effort to clear the extensive backlog. Detectives with the Dallas Police Department recently closed an 8-year-old case thanks to the Cold Case Rape Kit Testing Division. Our department had the foresight to save and maintain all of the rape kits, even after the statute of limitations was up, Deputy Chief Thomas Castro said. Under the Justice for All Authorization Act, Dallas police received a grant that allowed for the testing of backlogged rape kits. We had 4,333 untested rape kits dating back to 1996. So far 1,985 have been tested, said Castro. There have been hundreds of matches that have led to 13 arrests and recently the conviction of a serial rapist. According to detectives, DNA evidence from rape kits back in 2009, linked 42-year-old Joseph Beaty to at least six sexual assaults throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Offices and lawmakers believer more serial offenders could be caught, if the state received additional funding. Dallas Police Department is just one law enforcement agency out more than 180 agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Rep. Victoria Neave is leading the trail from Dallas to Austin, pushing HB 1729 which would allow Texans to donate toward a rape kit testing fund through the Texas Legislature. Upon renewing or applying for a Texas Drivers License, if the bill is passed, a voluntary donation box would give Texans the opportunity to donate $1 or more to fund the testing of rape kits. It costs between $400 to $1,200 to test each rape kit. These women and children and individuals of sexual assault deserve to have these rape kits tested, Neave said. The fact that we have thousands of rape kits across our state just sitting there untested is a travesty. Testimony for the bill will be heard before the committee Monday. Dallas police have arrested a driver who appeared to be intoxicated after a crash that killed an 18-year-old man and injured two others. Police said a 43-year-old man, whose identity hasn't been released, was driving with his 10-year-old son when he crossed the intersection of West Camp Wisdom Road and South Hampton Road at a high rate of speed and crashed into another car that was carrying two people. After the crash, the 43-year-old driver appeared to be intoxicated and starting fighting with Dallas Fire-Rescue crews who responded to the scene, according to witnesses. Police eventually placed him in handcuffs before he was transported to Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The man's 10-year-old son was transported to Children's Medical Center of Dallas with a broken arm and possible internal injuries. The 18-year-old passenger in the other car, identified as Patrick Henry, died at the scene. The driver of the other car was also transported to the hospital. Texas lawmakers are discussing a bill that would decriminalize marijuana. On Monday, the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee is holding a hearing on House Bill 81, which would eliminate the arrest, jail time and criminal record associated with the possession of a small amount of pot. [[290815791, R]] Under HB-81, anyone caught with less than an ounce of marijuana would face a civil penalty "not to exceed $250" instead of being arrested or thrown in jail. If passed, possession of small amounts of marijuana would no longer be a criminal offense. The leader of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws believes Texas is closer to making the law reality. "I believe Texas is at a tipping point where we're seeing the rest of the country having a sensible marijuana policy, Shaun McAlister said in January. "I believe after this session we will stop putting people in cages for possessing small amounts of this. But critics, like retired Texas Department of Public Safety narcotics agent Corky Schalchlin of Frisco, dont see any changes coming. "I just don't think it has the legs in Texas to stand, Schalchlin said in January. We go through this every couple years with the legislature." Two years ago, Democratic Texas State Representative Joe Moody of El Paso's bill passed the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, but never got a floor vote. Eight states have now legalized marijuana possession. Some 28 allow it to be used for medicinal purposes. Some experts say socially conservative Texas isn't quite ready to jump on the national trend just yet. "I wouldn't hold your breath on it passing this year, Bob Garrett, an Austin-based reporter for The Dallas Morning News said in January. But momentum has slowly been building, I think, toward a legalization push." Earlier this year in Harris County, the new district attorney announced she would no longer jail people who are caught with small amounts of pot. Instead, first-time offenders will be put in a diversion program that includes fines, community service and drug education classes. MORE: House Bill 81 Police said two drivers were killed in a wrong-way crash in Dallas late Sunday night. [[416025313,C]] Dallas police said a 2002 Ford Explorer heading south in the 3800 block of northbound Cedar Crest Boulevard collided with a 1997 Toyota Camry at about 11:45 p.m. Both drivers were unrestrained and were pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Sr. Cpl. Tramese D. Jones. Police said no passengers were in either vehicle at the time of the crash. No further details have been released. Sandwiched between days that felt like spring last week and the official start of spring next week, a "life-threatening" nor'easter is poised to bring a reminder that winter isn't over yet, with blizzard conditions and a blanket of heavy snow expected in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Meteorologists were calling for snowfall totals as high as 20 inches in New York City from the storm's start late Monday through Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service warned that blizzard conditions of wind gusts over 35 mph and low visibility would extend from the Philadelphia area to Maine. The weather service's office near Philadelphia called the storm "life-threatening" and warned people to "shelter in place." Coastal flooding was also predicted. Travel was sure to be dismal: More than 5,000 Tuesday flights were canceled as of late Monday, according to the flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The storm could create a ripple effect through the rest of the country, potentially disrupting departures out of other airports in the middle and western half of the country. Delta, American and United are all waving rebooking fees for O'Hare, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast airports during the storm days Amtrak canceled and modified service up and down the Northeast Corridor and motorists were urged to stay off the roads. In New York City, the above-ground portions of the subway system were being shut down at 4 a.m. Tuesday. Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy imposed a statewide travel ban beginning at 5 a.m. The forecast prompted early decisions to close schools on Tuesday in New York City, Philadelphia, D.C., Boston and many places in between. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and help keep the roads clear. "We're preparing for a significant storm on Tuesday, and New Yorkers should also prepare for snow and dangerous road conditions," de Blasio said. The storm comes a week after the region saw temperatures climb into the 60s. Spring officially starts on March 20. Bank teller Jana White said her plans for riding out the storm include "lots of hot chocolate and a couple of sappy movies." The 23-year-old Trenton, New Jersey, resident said she expects to get Tuesday off work. "It's a reminder that winter is always ready to take shot at you, so you have to stay prepared," she said. "We've got food and snacks and drinks, so as long as the power stays on we should be in good shape." The heaviest snowfall was expected Tuesday morning through the afternoon, with snowfall rates as high as 2 to 4 inches per hour. Coastal flood warnings were in effect in Massachusetts, Long Island, New Jersey and Delaware. Boston could get 12 to 18 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 2 feet across northeastern Massachusetts. In Philadelphia, where up to a foot of snow could fall, crews began treating some area roadways on Sunday. Farther south in the nation's capital, where the National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled to start Wednesday, snow accumulations of 6 to 8 inches were expected. That led German Chancellor Angela Merkel to postpone her trip to Washington for her first face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump. Merkel had been scheduled to arrive late Monday night for meetings with Trump on Tuesday. The White House said the meeting was rescheduled for Friday. Baltimore is expected to get 8 to 12 inches. Maryland's only ski resort welcomes the late season snow and announced Saturday it will take advantage of the snow and reopen, NBC Washington reported. The Wisp resort closed its slopes two weeks ago because of the unusually warm weather. The storm also changed plans for some teams competing in the NCAA tournament: Villanova, the top overall seed in the men's tournament, left Philadelphia early to get ahead of the storm. As the East Coast prepared, the Midwest was hit with snow, forcing a number of flight cancellations. In Chicago, the forecast called for 3 to 6 inches of snow, the city's first significant snowfall since mid-December. Southern portions of Minnesota got more than 9 inches of snow in some areas. In Michigan, utility crews worked in the snow to restore power to those still without electricity following high winds that hit the state on Wednesday. ___ Associated Press writer Bruce Shipkowski contributed to this report from Trenton, New Jersey. A utility truck crash downed a power line in Santa Fe Springs Monday, igniting a blaze that sent thick, black smoke into the sky as the fire consumed buildings and cars. Three cars parked near to the origin of the blaze caught fire shortly after the flames began spreading from building to building. Surveillance video captured the moments a truck slammed right into a power pole, which broke in half and started the flames. The two-alarm fire, which injured two firefighters, began burning in the industrial area at 12235 Los Nietos Road around 2:30 p.m. The Multi-Link Corporation building where the fire originated was used as a plastics recycling firm. A utility truck was spotted by NewsChopper4 next to a sheared hydrant and damaged pole. Whittier police said the crash started the fire after the truck slammed into a power pole, sending live wires to the ground. At least three buildings had caught fire by 3:15 p.m. Andrew Rios' surveillance camera across the street captured the crash. The driver tried to exit the truck, but Rios yelled at him to stay inside of it, fearing he might get electrocuted. The video later shows the driver, unharmed, getting escorted out of his truck by a firefighter. Police said it's too soon to tell whether he'll be cited or face any charges and is treating the incident as a traffic accident. Viewers told NBC4 the smoke could be seen as far as Fullerton and Monterey Park. Two firefighters were injured -- one with a sprained ankle and the other suffered heat exhaustion, according to the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department. Crews remained at the scene as of 11 p.m. Monday extinguishing hot spots. The South Coast Air Quality Management District determined air quality levels will reach an unhealthy state in the industrial area surrounding the fire. Firefighters put out hot spots overnight from a blaze that started Sunday and burned a one-story strip mall in downtown Los Angeles. The party supply warehouse was described as a large concrete commercial building with multiple units engulfed in flames, fire officials said. Fire could be seen through the roof of the one story building located at 815 South Central Ave. in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Aerial footage from NewsChopper 4 showed firefighters tossing large paper products including pinatas out of the way as they battled the massive blaze. "Large, bulky stored goods created a large fire load," LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said. Stewart added that a large quantity of red chili peppers were also in the building, creating an additional irritant within the smoke. Firefighters transitioned into defensive mode and descended from the roof around 6:45 p.m. As of 8 p.m., more than 190 firefighters were making good progress on the bulk of the fire. By 9 p.m. the incident clock was turned off and some fire units were released from the scene, Stewart said. However, about 65 firefighters planned to remain on site throughout the night to address any hot spots that might flare up, she said. Drivers were advised to avoid South Central Avenue from East 8th Street to East Olympic Boulevard. No injuries were reported. City News Service contributed to this report. Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca did nothing to thwart a federal investigation into wrongdoing by deputies in the jail system, but actually wanted to work alongside the FBI on the probe, his attorney told a jury Monday in closing arguments of the ex-lawman's corruption retrial. But a prosecutor insisted Baca was not only guilty, but he is especially culpable given his years of experience in law enforcement. "That experience is damning not a positive when you talk about committing these crimes," Assistant U.S. Attorney Liz Rhodes told the eight-man, four-woman jury in downtown Los Angeles as she summed up her case. Rhodes walked the jury through a timeline of the prosecution's case, saying he orchestrated a conspiracy to derail the FBI probe into mistreatment of inmates at the jails managed by the sheriff's department, then lied to federal investigators about his involvement. Baca, who ran the nation's largest sheriff's department for more than 15 years, faces charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements. The retired lawman was tried in December on the first two counts, and prosecutors had planned a second trial on the lying count. But a mistrial was declared after jurors deadlocked 11-1 in favor of acquitting him, and U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson combined all three counts in the retrial, which began Feb. 22. The charges partly stem from a 2011 incident in which two sheriff's investigators confronted an FBI agent in the driveway leading into her apartment and falsely told her they were in the process of obtaining a warrant for her arrest. Baca denies having advance knowledge of the illegal attempt to intimidate the agent. In his roughly three-hour closing argument, defense attorney Nathan Hochman repeatedly foisted blame for the obstruction on Baca's then-second-in-command, Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who has already been convicted and is serving five years in federal prison. Hochman insisted Baca, 74, did nothing to subvert the probe, but he actually "wanted to join the federal investigation." "These were guys in a sandbox the sheriff's department and the FBI" trying to investigate what was happening in the jails, Hochman said. Baca "could not have been more transparent or open," he said, adding that his client "had nothing to hide." "His goal was simple get to the bottom of the investigation," Hochman said. The defense attorney said Baca "did not abuse his power. He responsibly used his power" to investigation the jails. Rhodes disputed the defense's contentions, painting Baca as the brains behind the conspiracy and urging the jury to "hold him to the same standard that all criminal defendants are held to." She said there is "only one verdict, and that verdict based on the evidence is guilty." Hochman countered, however, that there is a "lack of evidence" needed to convict Baca. The arguments ended about two weeks of testimony from more than a dozen witnesses. Although the prosecution's string of witnesses often mirrored those in the first trial, Hochman was barred from again presenting evidence of "prior good works" related to Baca's years as leader of the department. Anderson ruled that such evidence does not directly pertain to the charges for which he is being tried. Hochman also wanted the jury to hear medical testimony that Baca has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for years. The judge shot that down, calling such proposed testimony a "waste of time." Baca's attorneys contend the ex-sheriff is in the early stages of the disease and suffered some cognitive impairment as long as six years ago a period which covers the time in April 2013 when he allegedly made false statements under oath about events two years prior. Baca did not take the stand. The defense rested after calling a single witness Michael Gennaco, a former civil rights prosecutor and longtime police use-of-force consultant who told jurors that Baca was instrumental in the creation of the Office of Independent Review, a civilian watchdog group that provided oversight of misconduct in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He said Baca was highly supportive of the group's endeavors. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox pointed out during cross-examination that the committee was not an enforcement agency and had little power to draw back the curtains on what was occurring at the department. Before resting his case, Fox called Andre Birotte Jr., formerly the top federal prosecutor in the region he has since become a federal judge to tell of a heated meeting he attended with Baca and Steven Martinez, who was in charge of the FBI office in Los Angeles at the time. Birotte said Baca, whom he had known for years, was the most upset he had ever seen him in phone calls and meetings after the sheriff learned that FBI agents had smuggled a cellphone to the informant by bribing a corrupt sheriff's deputy as part of an undercover sting. "I'm the g-d-damn sheriff. These are my g-damn jails," he quoted Baca as saying. The jury, made up of eight men and four women with four others serving as alternates, is expected to begin deliberations in downtown Los Angeles immediately after closing arguments. Nine other people, including Tanaka, have been convicted of related charges. Chinese package tourists on an international cruise liner refused to go ashore on Jeju Island on Saturday as bad blood between the two countries intensifies. The move comes after China intensified a crackdown on so-called zero-dollar shopping tours to Korea amid a spat over the stationing of a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here. The 11,000-ton Costa Serena, coming from Fukuoka, docked at the port around 1 p.m. Saturday, the provincial government said Sunday. But about 3,400 passengers on a reward trip organized by a Chinese company stayed on board. The ship sailed for Tianjin around four hours later. A Jeju government official said, "The local travel agency told us only after the ship dropped anchor that the passengers wouldn't be disembarking." Some 80 charter buses and tour guides that had been on standby to herd the group around Jeju waited in vain for business. About 700 cruise ships are to dock on the island this year, most from China. Local tourism businesses worry that many more passengers will not leave their ships. Meanwhile, some 86 flights between Jeju and 14 Chinese cities will be suspended or canceled starting Wednesday, more than half of the 159 that link the island to mainland China. Every year about 1,500 children age out of the Los Angeles County foster system. Within six months, half of them will be homeless. It's an alarming statistic an LA nonprofit is working to change. Alexandria Maldonado is all smiles in her childhood photos, but she says she spent her high school years living in constant fear. "The fear of someone hurting me and I felt no one would care," Maldonado said. That's because Maldonado lived in ten different foster homes during her four years of high school. Once she turned 18, she had a new fear: how to survive on her own. "I got nervous because I knew I didn't have a family that was going to support me. I didn't have financial support," she said. Unfortunately, her story is not unique. When foster kids age out of the system, most have nowhere to go and few skills to help them succeed. Jennifer Valko, the founder of a nonprofit called Fostering a Change, is hoping to change that by providing affordable housing, financial literacy and other life skills to former foster care girls between the ages of 18 and 24. "We have these children that are becoming adults that don't have anywhere to go in LA that are winding up on skid row, that are winding up in rehab, that are winding up in jail." Seventy percent of the inmates in the California prison system spent part of their lives in foster care and somewhere between 50 to 70 percent of sex trafficking victims in LA come from foster youth, Valko said. Those alarming statistics are why Valko says she founded Fostering a Change. "They're required to go to college and we keep their rent very low so they only have to work part time and they can go to college and focus on their school," she said. For Valko, who spent most of her career in mortgage banking, the reward is measured not in money, but in changing young lives. "You ever give a key to a foster kid that's never had a key to a house before? And see the expression on their face when they realize they have a home?" Valko asked. Maldonado says it is that stability and security Fostering a Change provided that allowed her to pursue higher education. She will graduate from UC Irvine next year with a triple major. She plans on becoming a psychiatrist who also knows the law so she can both advocate for and help children in the foster care system. The top attorney for the city of Hollywood found himself behind bars Sunday after allegedly driving under the influence and causing an accident. Jeffrey Sheffel was arrested and charged with several counts, including DUI and damage to property of another person. Police stopped him after 6 p.m. following a single car crash on the Hollywood Boulevard Bridge near the Intracoastal Waterway. Officers noticed Sheffel trying to remove his car from the scene before they were able to stop him, later saying they detected alcohol on his breath and had difficulty understanding instructions. Sheffel reportedly told police that he "had too many beers," an arrest report said. He was released on $1,500 bond, telling NBC 6 that he was sleep deprived at the time of his arrest and not drunk. The 57-year-old Sheffel has been the city attorney for the city close to nine years. Before that, the Broward County native and University of Miami Law School graduate spent two years as the deputy city attorney for the city of Boca Raton. The parents of a 15-month-old Miami girl who was bitten in the face by a dog are speaking out after the toddler's release from the hospital. Jaila Lamonte was sedated but sleeping in her own bed Monday afternoon, after being attacked by the neighbor's dog Saturday. She has cuts and scrapes across the left side of her face and above her lip, and received almost 20 stitches. Paramedics had rushed her to the hospital after the attack. Her mother said she was feeding her daughter a plate of food when the dog ran up from around the corner and attacked the girl. Claudia Lamonte said she had to kick the dog repeatedly to get him away from the toddler. "I just grabbed my daughter and just put her over here, and when I put her here she was just soaking in blood all over me, and I panicked, I panicked, I panicked and I call 911, and I told the neighbor please call 911," she said. The dog was taken away by Animal Services. Miami Police say they're searching for more victims of a former officer accused of robbing motorists during traffic stops. Officer Jose R. Acosta was arrested Friday on charges of burglary and grand theft following an operation by City of Miami Police, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Acosta, who had been with the department since May 2016, was fired after his arrest, officials said. Attorney information wasn't available. At a news conference Monday, Deputy Chief Luis Cabrera said the investigation began after the department had received complaints in February of an officer taking money during traffic stops. On Friday, Acosta had stopped a car in the area of Northwest 3rd Avenue and Northwest 22nd Street and took $940 from the driver, Cabrera said. The driver was part of the undercover operation, officials said. Acosta released the driver without issuing a citation or notifying dispatch that he had made a stop, Cabrera said. NBC 6 obtained exclusive surveillance video of Acosta's arrest, which shows officers swarm a Little Havana apartment building Friday night. Minutes later, the video shows Acosta in handcuffs and being escorted by two officers who place him in a car headed for jail. "It appears that Officer Acosta sold his integrity and sold out on his community, instead of seeking to rid his community of crime he became a criminal himself," Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at Monday's news conference. "Such offenses impact the honor of every single good, hardworking honest law enforcement officer in this city and in this county." Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said Acosta's alleged on-duty criminal behavior shouldn't reflect on all of the other officers in the department. "The mission of the police department of the City of Miami is to protect and serve. And that mission will continue," Regalado said. Cabrera said police are looking for more possible victims and urged members of the community to come forward. Two people were rushed to the hospital earlier Monday after an assault took place in Little Havana, close to Marlins Park. The scene extended from the corner of a Valero gas station on NW 7th Street down the road along 17th Avenue. City of Miami Police along with crime scene vans were investigating this assault. Police had the gas station closed off as well as the sidewalk along NW 17th Avenue, where there was a long trail of blood near the homes. Officials say there was a confrontation and the two people involved were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where one is in the trauma center At this time, its unknown if police are looking for anymore suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers. If I need an ugly cry about 9/11, Bruce Springsteens The Rising usually does the trick. Mostly, though, I avoid all artistic responses to the terror attacks, as a matter of self-defense. Its far gentler to watch Man On Wire, the fanciful film about Philippe Petits 1974 high-wire walk between the towers, than to approach the topic head on. Come From Away, a dignified, often funny new musical opening tonight, evokes for me many of the same feelings as the Petit documentary: If Man On Wire lets us safely remember the towers with the buffer of decades, then Come From Away does the same, with the buffer of geography. Come From Away is set 1,500 miles from Ground Zero, in Gander, Newfoundland, where the plane people, in this storys parlance, were forced to cut short their journeys after the FAA shut down U.S. air space in the hours after the attacks. Some 38 international flights with 6,500 people on board (also: cats, dogs and a pregnant chimp) spent hours on the overwhelmed tarmac of the local airport, while townspeople worked through a startling logistics crisis involving issues such as, though not limited to: meals, diapers, beds, pet food, translators and transportation. The sudden arrivals doubled the towns population. The planes, and the people, would remain grounded for 5 days. While distinctly an ensemble piece, with each actor in multiple roles, the focus is never far from Jenn Colellas Beverly, a pilot based on Beverley Bass, who was, as the Dallas Morning News observed in a 2011 profile, the first woman to make captain at American Airlines. Bass was grounded in Gander that day, like so many others. Colellas melodic solo, Me and the Sky, is a high point in a show where the songs are consistently interesting. Welcome to the Rock, the strong opening number, is kicked off with the fast rhythm of an Irish bodhran and does a swell job establishing a specific location: The farthest place youll get from Disneyland. Some of the characters are real; others are recognized to be composite sketches of the people whom writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein met during a 10th anniversary reunion in Newfoundland. Inevitably, many of the portrayals feel like stock charactersthe blustery mayor, etc.but the acting is excellent all around. Among the Come From Aways, Q. Smith is memorable as the mother of a New York City firefighter, leaving messages for her son from borrowed cell phones until his voicemail is filled up. Astrid Van Wieren has warmth as Beulah, a community organizer who comforts her. Other travelers include a gay couple, Kevin and Kevin (Chad Kimball, of Memphis, and Caesar Samayoa); and Nick (Lee Macdougall), an English oil engineer who falls for Diane (Sharon Wheatley), a Texas divorcee. Rodney Hicks is particularly good as a jaded New Yorker (and African-American) who is directed by the (white) mayor of a nearby community to go into peoples backyards and take their grills, so the stranded travelers can have a cookout. The well-executed scene sets up serious warm-fuzzies for Canada, as does, in truth, the entire 90-minute, intermissionless production. At the same time, we observe the genesis of an issue stirring us to this day, when a Muslim passenger (Samayoa, again) is singled out for a strip search before his flight is allowed to leave Gander. There was discipline used here. Theres no footage of burning towers, crashing planes or falling bodies. Come From Away manages to find a spiritual angle to a horrific story, depicting the goodness in humanity while still allowing us room for the feelings of loneliness and fear that will always be connected to that time. Come From Away, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St. Tickets, on sale through Dec. 30, $47-$157. Call 212-239-6200 Follow Robert Kahn on Twitter@RobertKahn What to Know Paterson Mayor Joey Torres and three city workers were hit with corruption charges last week Torres has been the subject of months of I-Team reporting on city workers allegedly doing private jobs for him Torres released a statement last week saying, "I fully intend to vigorously defend myself against these allegations" Paterson Mayor Joey Torres surrendered to authorities Monday to face charges in connection with a state corruption investigation. Torres, indicted last week on charges of theft, misconduct, tampering with public records and other offenses, had been permitted to surrender at an agreed time. He did so just before noon. Three public works supervisors also indicted in the case surrendered to authorities last week; they've also been suspended without pay, according to city councilman Andre Sayegh. The mayor of New Jersey's third-largest city was the subject of months of I-Team reporting on municipal workers being paid to do private jobs for him and his relatives. Torres and the three indicted workers all deny wrongdoing. Last week, Torres issued a statement saying, "I fully intend to vigorously defend myself against these allegations, and I look forward to the opportunity to present all of the facts in a court of law. I am confident when the full story is told, I will be vindicated." First elected to Paterson's city council in 1990, Torres became mayor in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. The Democrat lost a bid for a third term in 2010 but re-gained his seat in 2014. Through much of 2016, Torres refused to answer questions about a series of I-Team stories that appeared to show city employees doing private jobs for him, from washing his scooter and building bookshelves to doing construction at his nephew's would-be beer business. When the I-Team caught up with him before the first report in March 2016, Torres said in an email no employees had ever done private jobs for him while on overtime. "Please be advised that at no time has any city employee, on city time, or overtime, or paid with taxpayer dollars, ever performed work for me at my home, or anywhere else," he wrote. The I-Team later obtained records that seem to show at least eight employees had indeed been earning overtime during the same periods they were seen on camera doing private work at the mayor's home and the planned beer business. But the mayor never responded to requests for further explanation. Torres is the second prominent New Jersey mayor to face criminal charges in the last few months. In an unrelated case, Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges on Nov. 18 and resigned from office. A concurrent federal investigation into Torres is underway, the I-Team has reported, but there have been no charges in that probe. On March 10, Yang Kang, a rural student from Ankang, Northwest Chinas Shaanxi province, was surprised to hear her name being mentioned by Premier Li Keqiang on television. During a discussion with lawmakers from her hometown at the annual session of the National Peoples Congress on March 9, a lawmaker told Premier Li that the left-behind girl and her family he visited three years ago in Ankang had moved into new houses. Yes, I still remember that lovely girl, the Premier said. That girl is Yang Kang, and she remembered the moment when Premier Li walked into her broken-down house just a few days before the lunar new year in 2014. The Premier talked with her family about measures to help them improve their living conditions, and encouraged Yang Kang to call her dad, a migrant worker who was still working far away in Zhejiang province. A big man came to our family! She told her dad in the call. Her words were mentioned again by the lawmaker in the March 9 meeting, which made everyone laugh. In fact, people are the real big men. They should be the focus of our work, Premier Li said, and poverty alleviation is one of the most important jobs for this administration. For four consecutive years, the Premier has spent his lunar new year visiting poor families in remote areas. At the last executive meeting before this lunar new year, he asked authorities to set up a mechanism led by government chiefs to help poor families. Premier Li Keqiang visits lawmakers from Northwest Chinas Shaanxi province and discusses with them the government work report on March 9, 2017, Beijing. According to the government work report this year, in 2016, 12.4 million poor people in rural regions were lifted out of poverty; 2.4 million people were relocated to more inhabitable places, and 6 million apartments were rebuilt for shantytown residents. In November 2016, a five-year plan on poverty alleviation was issued by the State Council, which sets a goal to lift all families living under the current poverty line out of poverty by 2020. As for 16-year-old Yang Kang, life has changed a lot for her family and village in recent years. A cement road has been built in the village, and her family has moved to a new house in the nearby town thanks to the relocation program. Her dad also got a job promotion last year, and now he can make more money and come home twice a year. Now, her biggest wish is to go to college in the city, closer to her dad. What to Know John McCain says President Trump should present wiretapping evidence against Obama or retract the claim A large pile of trash caused a landslide in Ethiopia killing at least 46 people and injuring dozens more A new study reveals the more often you check your smartphone, the more stressed out you will feel 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. House Intelligence Panel Wants Wiretapping Evidence The House intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence the phones in the Trump Tower tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged, a request reinforced by an influential Republican senator who says the president must either come up with evidence or retract his claim. "I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," Sen. John McCain said. President Trump asserted in a tweet: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence. Hearing Scheduled for Alleged White House Intruder A California man charged with jumping the White House fence while carrying two cans of Mace is due back in court. A bond hearing is scheduled Monday in federal court in Washington for 26-year-old Jonathan Tuan Tran. He is charged with entering restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon. He faces up to 10 years in prison. According to a Secret Service affidavit, security video shows Tran climbing a fence late and making his way to the White House's South Portico entrance. According to the affidavit, Tran told the Secret Service officer who intercepted and arrested him he was a friend of Trump and had an appointment. President Trump praised the Secret Service response and referred to Tran as a "troubled person." Cancer Only Bipartisan Thing Left: Biden In a country that may be more politically fractured than ever, former Vice President Joe Biden has made it his mission to tackle what he says is "the only bipartisan thing left in America. "As NBC News reported, Biden spoke at the South by Southwest conference in Austin about his work with The Cancer Initiative, a program carrying on the work he started at the White House as part of the Cancer Moonshot Task Force. The former vice president's passion for the issue is personal. His son Beau was only 46 when he died of brain cancer in 2015. He told the attendees the festival brings together "some of the most creative minds" in the world. That synergy, he said, is vital to making leaps in better understanding cancer, how to prevent it and how to manage it. 46 Killed, Dozens Missing in Dump Landslide A mountain of trash gave way in a massive garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital, killing at least 46 people and leaving several dozen missing, residents said. Addis Ababa city spokeswoman Dagmawit Moges said most of the 46 dead were women and children, and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse at the Koshe Garbage Landfill, which buried several makeshift homes and concrete buildings. The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capital's garbage for more than 50 years. About 150 people were there when the landslide occurred, a resident said. Here's How to Manage Smartphone Stress A recent study finds the more often you check your phone, the more stressed you are likely to feel. According to the American Psychological Association, we are a nation of "constant checkers" and it's taking a toll. "We found that almost nine out of ten Americans surveyed reported that they constantly or often checked texts social media and emails and those who check most often reported highest levels of stress," says Vaile Wright. Some experts consider this a behavioral addiction. Kids are getting hooked too, adding stress for parents about half of the parents said managing their kids' screen time is a constant battle. Tyra Banks to Replace Nick Cannon on America's Got Talent Tyra Banks is smizing her way to the America's Got Talent stage. E! News has learned the veteran supermodel and former America's Next Top Model host will emcee the upcoming 12th season of the show. Tyra replaces Nick Cannon, who hosted the NBC competition series for eight seasons. Cannon reportedly quit the series earlier this year. In a press release obtained by E! News, Tyra shared, "Since I was a little girl, I've been obsessed with grandiose acts and performers who make the seemingly impossible possible. I love how AGT brings that feeling into everyone's home, capturing the best of people who come out and give it their all to make those big, fierce and outrageous dreams come true." Dog Nurses Tiger Cubs Three tiger cubs who were rejected by their mother have a surrogate mom of a different stripe. The one-month-old Malayan cubs are learning the ropes from an Australian Shepherd named Blakely. Blakely has also helped zoo handlers nurture cheetahs, skunks and a warthog. A fugitive wanted in the killing of a marijuana grower in California was arrested Saturday, New Jersey state police said. Gary Blank III, 34, was arrested at his home in Red Bank and brought to the Mercer County Jail where he is awaiting extradition. Blank was wanted in the November death of Jeffrey Quinn Settler, who owned a commerical marijuana growing operation in northern California's Mendocino County. A group of Settler's employees went to the pot farm in the middle of the night intending to steal marijuana, police said. Settler slept in the same building where the processed marijuana was stored. The group beat him to death, police said. Six others were already arrested, police said. A year ago, the U.S. government was campaigning for an international ban on shipments of rechargeable batteries on passenger planes because the batteries can self-ignite, creating intense fires capable of destroying an airliner. "The risk is immediate and urgent," Angela Stubblefield, a U.S. aviation official, declared then. Today, that urgency has evaporated as safety regulations stall under President Donald Trump's push to ease what he sees as red tape holding back the U.S. economy. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency that sets global aviation safety standards, decided last year to ban bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries on international passenger flights. On cargo flights, the batteries can be charged to no more than 30 percent, a level that may reduce the likelihood of fires. As a result, countries around the world have been adopting the new international standard for domestic flights as well. The Obama administration also looked to do so, submitting rules for publication that makes them binding. But after Trump took office on Jan. 20, he signed an executive order freezing the publication of new regulations. That means airlines and cargo operators remain free to ignore the standard for domestic flights. The Obama administration had considered the change so urgent that it was fast-tracked in the rulemaking process. Trump's executive order says urgent safety rules can be exempted from the freeze, but the new administration isn't invoking that exemption for battery shipments. "This is part of our ongoing regulatory review," the Transportation Department said in a statement. "The safe movement of hazardous materials remains a priority. We will provide updates as soon as decisions are made with regard to these and other issues at hand." No time frame was provided. Rechargeable batteries are used in consumer products ranging from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Manufacturers like them because they pack more energy into smaller packages, but the batteries can self-ignite if they have a manufacturing flaw, are damaged, exposed to excessive heat, overcharged or packed too closely together. The fires can burn up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, close to the melting point of the aluminum used in aircraft construction. Since 2006, three cargo jets have been destroyed and four pilots killed by in-flight fires that accident investigators say were either started by batteries or made more severe by their proximity. Most passenger carriers and some cargo operators are voluntarily abiding by the international standard for their domestic operations for the time being. Trade associations for the U.S. and international airline industries say they support extending the standard to domestic flights. But lobbyists for the battery industry, which opposed the international standard when it was adopted last year, are urging administration officials to make changes that would allow certain batteries to continue to be shipped on passenger flights. The ICAO standard already allows for limited exemptions, but lobbyists are asking for blanket exemptions for medical-device batteries and shipments to remote locations and other changes. The position of U.S. negotiators last year was that medical-device batteries were no less dangerous than other kinds. Extending the international ban to domestic flights is "a matter of life and death," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the House transportation committee's senior Democrat and an advocate of banning air shipments of batteries. "If we don't start following the ICAO guidelines and stop stuffing giant boxes of lithium batteries that are fully charged into passenger aircraft, sooner or later we're going to kill a lot of people," he said. "When something is this critical that it will take down an airplane, voluntary compliance with a non-existent rule is not adequate." But Bob Richard, a battery industry lobbyist, said people living in the Alaskan outback, for example, might not be able to receive batteries for their backup heaters or emergency beacons if the international standard is extended to domestic flights. Under Trump, "regulators are going to be held more accountable for understanding the impacts of their rules," Richard said. "I think that will cause agencies to take a closer look at the implications." Battery makers and electronics companies say the problem is mostly limited to manufacturers in China who make substandard batteries and don't follow hazardous materials shipping regulations. They say that greater enforcement of the previous, less stringent shipping rules is the better solution. But a study by Canadian safety authorities found that the problem of battery shippers not following regulations was widespread and not limited to China. Congress directed the Transportation Department last year to adopt the international standard for domestic flights. But it's not uncommon for federal agencies to ignore, or drag their feet about complying with, congressional directives, especially if they disagree with them. Without harmonization, the U.S. also can't enforce the ICAO standard for international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States. The U.S. is the world's largest aviation market. Safety concerns about rechargeable batteries increased after FAA tests in 2014 showed gases emitted by overheated batteries can build up in cargo containers, leading to explosions capable of disabling aircraft fire suppression systems. An organization representing aircraft manufacturers said in a 2015 statement that airliners aren't designed to withstand lithium battery fires and that continuing to accept battery shipments is "an unacceptable risk." Looking for a springlike place to spend your Tuesday snow day? Organizers of the Philadelphia Flower Show hope you chose a trip to flowering "Holland" as they planned to open for business Tuesday despite a nor'easter that could dump around a foot of snow on Philadelphia. "We invite local residents to come to the show by mass transit or any other safe mode of travel if that are able," Pennsyvlania Horticultural Society spokesman Alan Jaffe said. "We hope everyone else will come after the streets are clear." The only way the flower show won't open Tuesday is if the city is entirely crippled by the storm, organizers said. [[415960643, C]] Any advance ticket holder who can't make it Tuesday can use their tickets through the duration of the show, which runs through Sunday at the Pennsylvania Concention Center at 12th and Arch streets in Center City, Jaffe said. It is unclear what type of impact the snow could have on the flower show, which helps support PHS' greening programs, Jaffe said. [[415981023, C]] Sublime With Rome and the Offspring want you bad -- together, at the same time, when the two bands come to Mattress Firm Amphitheatre on Sept. 26 for a co-headlining tour. Both bands have played San Diego in the last year, but not together. Sublime With Rome played two nights at House of Blues in January, while the Offspring returned to the X-Fest stage in summer 2016. In 2015, frontman Rome Ramirez -- who joined Sublime With Rome in 2009 when he was just 20 years old, filling in on vocals after the death of beloved original Sublime member Bradley Nowell in 1996 -- spoke with SoundDiegos Dustin Lothspeich at length about his role in the iconic band and what it was like performing with a group who hed idolized as a kid. Its mind-blowing to me, Ramirez said, to know that if you look up Sublime or want to know about Sublimes history, that Im going to be a part of that. And for a kid who grew up listening to the band, its the craziest thing in the world. Tickets for the Live Nation event range from $19.50 to $49.50 before taxes and fees and go on sale to the public on Friday, March 17, at 10 a.m. local time, when they can be purchased at Ticketmaster. A special pre-sale for fans begins Tuesday, March 14, also at 10 a.m. For information on the presale, visit the bands sites. A 4-year-old girl was found abandoned by a group of smugglers early Monday morning near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. Agents from the El Centro Sector first spotted a group of people illegally crossing into the U.S. near Mt. Signal at approximately 6:20 a.m. Monday, a few miles east of Calexico. When authorities got closer to the area, they saw one subject returning to Mexico and then enter a car, which quickly left the area. On the U.S. side, agents saw a small child standing alone. The child, in good health, was holding her birth certificate and information about the location of her parents, according to CBP agents. Agents said she was not in need of medical attention. Who in their right mind abandons a four-year-old little girl in the middle of a vast desert, said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim in a statement. It sickens me to think that someone would leave a child that young to fend for herself. The high for the area is expected to climb into the low 90s Monday. The young girl was taken to the El Centro station and provided with food. After interviewing the child, agents verified that she was a citizen of Guatemala. The child is with Health and Human Services to await her immigration status disposition. An armed man who allegedly used his young son as a human shield during an Encinitas SWAT standoff, has been bound over for trial, a judge ruled Monday. Victor Bautista, of Cardiff, is facing several related charges, including felony making a criminal threat which would result in death or great bodily injury, false imprisonment of hostage, felony child abuse, unlawful possession of a zip gun and battery of a current or former significant other. The judge determined the case had enough evidence to proceed and bound over the case on all counts. The case will now head to trial in May. The standoff began on Nov. 2 on the 2300 block of Carol View Drive when San Diego County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a disturbance, according to San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) spokesman Ryan Keim. Bautista, armed with a rifle, made him way into an apartment in the complex, where he barricaded himself, prompting a SWAT standoff, deputies said. All the while he was inside, deputies kept contact with him, Keim said. When SDSO's Special Enforcement Detail arrived on scene, they eventually fired a beanbag shotgun round and took the suspect into custody. No shots were fired, aside from the beanbag shotgun, deputies said. The young child was released unharmed. In a bizarre crash, an SUV rolled down an embankment backwards and crashed into a Valencia Park home early Monday. San Diego Fire-Rescue officials rushed to the home on Daisy Avenue that sits below the intersection of Division and S 61st streets. The SUV was traveling southbound on S 61 Street when it continued through Division and into the home, officials said. The driver, a 63-year-old woman, was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. She suffered a broken neck and brain bleed, according to San Diego Police (SDPD). According to fire officials, she may have suffered a medical emergency while driving. There are six people living in the home, including children. No one in the house was hurt. "My mother-in-law was awake. She is already making her breakfast then she just heard the loud bang and then she saw that the car was already inside the house," homeowner Rita Sy told NBC 7. The SUV had crashed into the sunroom, the family said. NBC 7 spoke to some neighbors who said they are always worried that something like this would happened because Division Street is just up the hill above their homes. The suspect in a violent Clairemont SWAT standoff was found mentally competent for trial, according to the San Diego County District Attorney. Hayden Gerson is accused of opening fire on San Diego police, punching two officers in the face and attempting to choke a police dog. His bail was set at two million dollars, and the court ordered that if the defendant is released on bail he must be admitted to the Aurora Hospital with a GPS bracelet as a condition of his bond, said the DA's office. The preliminary examination is set for May 22, 2017, and his readiness examination is set for April 17, 2017. When he faced a judge at the San Diego County Courthouse, Gerson wore a jail uniform and appeared to have a number of bruises on his head at his Dec. 22 arraignment last year. He pleaded not guilty. Gerson was formally charged with three counts of attempted murder of a police officer performing his duties, one count of resisting an executive officer and one count of harm to or interference with a police dog causing great bodily injury, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's office. Two of those three charges have allegations of using a firearm in the commission of the crime. He faces a maximum sentence of 44 years to life. Gerson was arrested after a standoff in Clairemont that began with a domestic-violence call and quickly escalated in December last year. The man charged with jumping over the fence around the White House on Friday was released from custody on Monday until his next court appearance. The Secret Service says Jonathan Tuan Tran, of Milpitas, California, made it 200 yards from where he entered. He was arrested about 11:40 p.m. Friday near the South Portico entrance of the White House after he scaled a fence near the northeast corner of the grounds. Officials say he was carrying a backpack with two cans of Mace inside and that he claimed he had an appointment with President Donald Trump. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the law required that Tran be released. "The law requires that a defendant who is charged with an offense such as the one with which Mr. Tran is charged should be released unless there is no combination of conditions of release that will assure the safety of the community and the defendant's return to court," a representative said. Tran was ordered to to report for supervision to the federal court in San Jose, California, be subject to GPS monitoring and undergo a mental health evaluation, and, if necessary, treatment. He was ordered to stay away from the White House and visit Washington only to see his lawyer. The intrusion on Friday, the first under Trump, follows a series of security lapses during the eight years that Barack Obama was president. An especially embarrassing breach came in September 2014 when an Army veteran with mental health issues scaled a fence on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House and made it as far into the building as the East Room before the Secret Service could apprehend him. The incident was one of several breakdowns by the Secret Service that ultimately led to the resignation of the agency's then-director, Julia Pierson, the following month. Additional "pencil-point" spikes were installed on the White House fence in 2015 to try to prevent people from trying to scale it. There's a plan to give the fence a higher base and taller beams. Former Maryland-based Secret Service officer Dan Bongino said jail time may not make a difference for people who jump the fence around the White House. Jail is not even a mild deterrent. If youre going to jump the fence to plead your case to the White House, youre not going to be stopped," he said. Tran faces 10 years in prison, if convicted. California man charged with jumping the White House fence late Friday evening will be allowed to remain free while awaiting trial, though he'll have to wear a GPS monitor. At a hearing in federal court in Washington on Monday, 26-year-old Jonathan Tuan Tran of Milpitas, California, was ordered to stay within 100 miles of his hometown except while traveling to court in Washington. He must stay away from the White House and undergo a mental health evaluation. He's also not allowed to possess a gun or other dangerous weapon. Tran appeared in court Monday and answered a few questions in a quiet voice, saying he was not currently employed and has less than $50,000 in a bank account, before being assigned a public defender. According to a Secret Service affidavit, security video shows Tran climbing a fence late Friday night and making his way to the White House's South Portico entrance. According to the affidavit, Tran told the Secret Service he's a friend of President Trump and had an appointment. Court records allege Tran was carrying two cans of Mace when arrested along with a book written by Trump and a letter he had written to the president. Tran is charged with entering restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon and faces up to 10 years in prison. Trump praised the Secret Service response and referred to Tran as a "troubled person." Tran is scheduled to return to court April 13. The former mayor of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, has pleaded guilty to the distribution of methamphetamine after police say he arranged to exchange sex for drugs. R. Scott Silverthorne pleaded guilty Monday morning. Shocking Silverthorne's family and friends, a judge ordered that the former mayor be held in jail. He had been free since his initial arrest in August. The judge asked Silverthorne if he was pleading guilty because he was indeed guilty. "I am, your honor," he replied. Silverthorne was handcuffed in the courtroom and taken to the Adult Detention Center next door. He will wait there until he is sentenced June 9. The former mayor's sister-in-law and niece said they were shocked he was jailed. "I didn't even get to say goodbye to him," niece Katie Hayes said, choking up. Silverthorne's lawyer, Brian Drummond, said last month that the former mayor would enter a plea. He said then that they were trying to decide what that plea would be. Silverthorne was arrested by Fairfax County police on Aug. 4 after a sting at a hotel in Tysons Corner. Police said they set up the sting after receiving a tip that Silverthorne was using a dating website to set up sexual encounters with men in exchange for drugs. Police say Silverthorne gave an undercover detective two grams of methamphetamine outside the hotel before his arrest. Silverthorne, a three-term mayor, resigned after his arrest. For the past few months, he worked at a hardware store in Bethesda. His coworkers attended his court appearance Monday and spoke in support of him. "He made a mistake. He's only human. He went through rehab. He's trying to get his life together, and for something like this to happen is just nonsense for what I consider a minor drug offense for a first-time offender," Chris Minich said. Silverthorne's sister-in-law, Mary Silverthorne, argued that he wasn't treated fairly in court. "I think if he wasn't a public figure, this would not have happened," she said. The city held a special election to select a new mayor, David Meyer. Meyer said in February that the city has "been through a lot in the last six months." Silverthorne's arrest came amid a trying year for him. He lost his full-time civilian job, lost his home and was diagnosed with cancer. He was flocked by more than a dozen supporters outside court last month. Residents said they still care for Silverthorne, despite the scandal. No one wanted to see that happen to someone who represented our city so well. He was a great advocate for Fairfax, and we hope that his personal life gets resolved soon," resident Janet Jaworksi said. Silverthorne is due to be sentenced June 9. The charge calls for Silverthorne to get 5 to 40 years in prison, but the judge could choose a lesser sentence. Silverthorne had no criminal record. An 18-year-old man charged with the murder of a man on an Alexandria, Virginia, playground pleaded guilty Monday. Reinaldo Mauricio Portillo Membreno was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Jose Luis Perez Ferman. Portillo Membreno's co-conspirators, Alvaro Saenz Castro and Leidi Granados Guitierrez, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of felony destruction of evidence of murder. Prosecutors say the victim was having dinner with friends at National Harbor when he received a phone call and began to act withdrawn, court document state. He said he felt ill and wanted to be dropped off at home. Once he was back home, Ferman left, saying he was going to smoke. He never returned. According to the prosecution, the victim and Guitierrez agreed to meet in at Beverly Park in Alexandria that evening for what the victim believed would be a romantic encounter. Court documents say Guitierrez and Castro were dating at the time. When Castro found the messages between Guitierrez and the victim, he told her that she needed to bring Ferman to the park for him to "talk it out." When the victim arrived at the park, Castro and Portillo Membreno were waiting for him, the prosecution said. Castro told police that he originally wanted to tell the victim to stop talking to his girlfriend, but he "lost control." Castro said he struck the victim with a small knife and machete. According to court documents, Portillo Membreno struck the victim with a machete as well. Ferman's body was found in the park the next day under a playground bridge at Beverley Park. Membreno will be sentenced April 20, 2017. Facing a Monday deadline, the Justice Department asked lawmakers for more time to provide evidence backing up President Donald Trump's unproven assertion that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper during the election. The request came as the White House appeared to soften Trump's explosive allegation. The House intelligence committee said it would give the Justice Department until March 20 to comply with the evidence request. That's the date of the committee's first open hearing on the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia. A spokesman for the committee's Republican chairman said that if the Justice Department doesn't meet the new deadline, the panel might use its subpoena power to gather information. "If the committee does not receive a response by then, the committee will ask for this information during the March 20 hearing and may resort to a compulsory process if our questions continue to go unanswered," said Jack Langer, a spokesman for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. Trump's assertions have put his administration in a bind. Current and former administration officials have been unable to provide any evidence of the Obama administration wiretapping Trump Tower, yet the president's aides have been reluctant to publicly contradict their boss. White House spokesman Sean Spicer tried to clarify Trump's comments Monday, saying the president wasn't using the word wiretapping literally, noting that Trump had put the term in quotation marks. "The president used the word wiretap in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities," Spicer said. He also suggested Trump wasn't accusing former President Barack Obama specifically, but instead referring to the actions of the Obama administration. Trump himself has not commented on the matter since his March 4 tweets, in which he said he had "just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory." He also wrote: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president?" In two other tweets, Trump described Obama tapping his phones, but did not put the phrases in quotation marks. The president's accusations against Obama came amid numerous political questions surrounding his associates' possible ties to Russia. The FBI is investigating Trump associates' contacts with Russia during the election, as are House and Senate intelligence committees. The White House has asked those committees to also investigate Trump's unverified wiretapping allegations against Obama. The House committee has turned the matter back on the Trump administration, setting the Monday deadline for the Justice Department to provide evidence. In a response Monday evening, the Justice Department said it needed extra time to "review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist." Other congressional committees are also pushing the administration to clarify Trump's claims. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente and FBI Director James Comey to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Department's criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps. The senators, who head the Senate Judiciary Committee's crime and terrorism subcommittee, are seeking warrant applications and court orders, which they said can be scrubbed to protect secret intelligence sources and methods. Trump's critics have slammed the president for making the wiretapping claim on his Twitter account without evidence. Wiretapping a U.S. citizen would require special permission from a court, and Trump as president would have the ability to declassify that information. Sen. John McCain, an influential Republican, said Sunday: "I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve." "If his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," McCain said. Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Trump's claim but has not come forward to do so himself. James Clapper, who was Obama's director of national intelligence, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway sidestepped questions about the lack of proof Monday, saying she was "not in the job of having evidence." "That's what investigations are for," Conway told CNN's "New Day." "The president is pleased that the House and Senate intelligence committees have agreed that this should be part of the investigation that already exists about Russia and the campaign, an investigation that apparently has gone nowhere so far." In a weekend interview with the Bergen Record, a newspaper in her home state of New Jersey, Conway appeared to point toward the recent WikiLeaks release of nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly reveal secrets about the CIA's tools for breaking into targeted computers, cellphones and even smart TVs. "What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other now, unfortunately," including "microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera," Conway said. "So we know that that is just a fact of modern life." What to Know Trains will run on a Saturday schedule, about every 12 minutes on each line. However, SafeTrack continues on the Blue & Yellow lines. Metrobus will begin the day on a severe snow service plan, with limited routes on major roadways. MetroAccess ended service at 4 p.m. Monday and is expected to remain closed all day Tuesday. Several inches of snow have piled up in the D.C., leading Metrorail to run on a Saturday schedule on Tuesday. Metrobus began the day on a severe snow service plan; it's now running on a moderate snow plan. MetroAccess service is suspended. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled across the U.S., and Amtrak is running on a modified schedule to and from D.C. METRORAIL Metrorail opened as usual at 5 a.m. Tuesday, with service both above and below ground. All stations are open. However, trains are running on a Saturday schedule, about every 12 minues on each line. Blue and Yellow line single-tracking is continuing due to Metro's SafeTrack repair plan. Due to SafeTrack, Blue Line trains are running 24 minutes apart, even during rush hour, and there is no Yellow Rush+ service. However, crews assigned to SafeTrack work have been reassigned to snow-clearing operations Tuesday, WMATA said. SafeTrack shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon are not running Tuesday. WMATA is encouraging riders to sign up for alerts via email and text messages. METROBUS Metrobus began the day on a severe snow service plan, but later moved to a moderate snow plan. Under that plan, some routes are suspended and buses are detouring around roads prone to hazardous conditions. See routes with possible snow detours online here. METROACCESS MetroAccess transit service for those with disabilities halted Monday afternoon, and remains suspended Tuesday. Service will resume Wednesday. However, MetroAccess users may have longer wait times due to road conditions, and in some cases, door-to-door service may not be available, WMATA said. The MetroAccess reservations call center reopened at noon Tuesday. AIR TRAVEL Major Northeast cities such as New York and Boston were bracing for the possibility of blizzard conditions. Airlines preemptively canceled more than 725 flights for Monday and another 815 for Tuesday ahead of the storm, according to flight tracking site Flightaware.com, NBC News reported Monday. AMTRAK Amtrak is operating on a modified schedule Tuesday. Delta, American and United are all waiving rebooking fees for O'Hare, mid-Atlantic and Northeast airports during the storm days, according to NBC News on Monday. A Boston-based Coast Guard cutter returned home Monday after a drug patrol that resulted in the seizure of $92 million worth of cocaine. During its 74-day patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Cutter Spencer intercepted four drug-laden ships, resulting in the seizure of 1,400 kilograms of cocaine. They also apprehended 13 suspected drug smugglers, with help from its helicopter crew. In addition, the Spencer collaborated with the Costa Rican Coast Guard in the seizure of a fishing vessel that was smuggling about 2,900 pounds of marijuana. "I could not be any more proud of my crew," said Commander Peter Niles, commanding officer of the Spencer. The Spencer is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter with a crew of 15 officers and 74 enlisted personnel. The Massachusetts woman whose life was saved thanks to the help of a good Samaritan was finally able to meet her angel. Kate LaBelle from Leominster was driving on Route 2 westbound on May 27, 2016, when she started losing consciousness. She was on her way to a doctors appointment to get a CT scan when she realized she needed to pull over. She was taking the Devens exit when her head went down and her car hit the guard rail. The next thing LaBelle remembers is waking up to a good Samaritan who comforted her until an ambulance arrived. The good Samaritan was a nurse who did not identify herself. At the hospital, LaBelle was diagnosed with stage 4 angiosarcoma, a rare cancer of the blood vessels. Doctors had just minutes to perform the emergency procedure that saved her life. There was no police report or witness statement taken at the scene. With no clues, LaBelle decided to post on Facebook to try and find her Route 2 Angel. As a result of the NBC Boston story earlier this month, the nurse contacted Labelle and the two were finally able to meet in person on Sunday. The nurse told NBC Boston that she preferred not to be named, but did give permission to share her photo with Labelle. LaBelles family has set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for her treatments. So far it has raised $29,000 of its $100,000 goal. A long-awaited hearing on a murder suspect's mental competency was delayed Monday. Drifter Jose Pazos is accused of murdering social worker Kathleen Smith in Burlington, Vermont, in the fall of 2010. However, Pazos has yet to stand trial because his mental competency has been debated for years and he has gone through a series of defense attorneys. In his initial court appearances, Pazos pleaded not guilty. Recently, he has been held in a psychiatric care facility. Monday, before the latest hearing got underway, defense attorney Brian Marsicovetere told Judge Dennis Pearson he felt he was unable to represent Pazos well because a report written by a forensic psychiatrist retained by the court referenced the lawyer. The section of the report in question, read aloud by Judge Pearson in court, contained the doctor's opinion that the defense attorney likely signaled Pazos might want to not cooperate with experts who were not hired by the defense. The section of the report described the move as "a preferred tactic" by the defense. Fearing a "cloud of suspicion" may hang over the hearing, Judge Pearson ruled that the competency question should be tabled for another day. Marsicovetere declined comment after the hearing. The move was a frustrating blow to family members of Kathleen Smith, who had traveled to the court for the hearing from as far away as Colorado. Reporter Jack Thurston will have an update on the case, with reaction from the murder victim's family, Monday afternoon on necn. A murder victims family is expressing frustration after a long-awaited hearing on the accused killers mental competency was delayed Monday. We were blindsided by this, said Joanne Kortendick, the sister of Kathleen Smith. Its absurd this has gone on for so long, and my sister is the one whos being forgotten in all this. Drifter Jose Pazos is accused of murdering Smith, a social worker, in Burlington, Vermont, in the fall of 2010. However, Pazos has yet to stand trial because his mental competency has been debated for years and he has gone through a series of defense attorneys. At his initial court appearances in 2010, Pazos pled not guilty to the charges against him. He remains in a psychiatric care facility. Monday, before the latest competency hearing got underway, defense attorney Brian Marsicovetere told Judge Dennis Pearson he felt he was unable to represent Pazos well because of a potential conflict with an expert witness retained by the court. My hands are tied, Marsicovetere warned the court, describing his concerns over a report written by forensic psychiatrist Dr. David Rosmarin. The section of the report in question, read aloud by Judge Pearson in court, contained the doctors opinion that the suspect appears savvy enough to understand the legal process. According to a portion of the report Judge Pearson read in open court, the psychiatrist wrote that Pazos might have taken a cue from his attorney to avoid cooperating with outside experts who were not hired by the defense. The level of awareness required to infer something like that from an attorney demonstrated an understanding of the process, the psychiatrist indicated. What the experts report described as a possible preferred tactic for the defense could put Marsicovetere in the position of being both an attorney and a witness, Judge Pearson observed, adding that is something court ethics aim to avoid. Fearing a cloud of suspicion may hang over the hearing, Judge Pearson ruled that the competency question should be tabled for another day. The move was a frustrating blow to family members of Kathleen Smith who had traveled to the courtroom for the hearing from the Montreal area, and from as far away as Colorado. It just feels like someone smacked me in the head and ripped out my heart, Kortendick said in response to an necn question about the ongoing delays in the case. I cant say anything more than that about it. Its just very horrible. Defense attorney Brian Marsicovetere declined comment after the hearing. We do work at a system that moves slowly at times, observed Justin Jiron, a deputy states attorney for Chittenden County who is prosecuting the case. Were very sympathetic with the family. We want to support them as much as we can. I absolutely agree that they are justifiably frustrated with the process. However, Jiron noted that it is important for attorneys on both sides to follow rules of court procedures, and that sometimes is very time-consuming. Next up in this process: the court needs to appoint a new defense attorney for the competency hearings. By the count of several people in attendance at the hearing Monday, the attorney to be appointed will be Jose Pazoss fifth. And for the family of Kathleen Smith, it means more waiting: something theyve become all too good at. The suspected murder weapon in the double murder trial of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez was shown to jurors on Monday after the trial's judge denied a request for a mistrial after reviewing a video reflecting witness testimony. The gun was recovered a year after Hernandez allegedly killed two men, and prosecutors started to explain how they connected it to the ex-NFL tight end. Massachusetts State Police Trooper Paul Aten said troopers found the gun in the trunk of a car while responding to a crash. "There was a revolver, as well as three rounds of ammunition," he said. Prosecutors said the revolver was later connected to the bullets from the murders, arguing the driver, an unnamed woman, who had the gun can be connected to Hernandez. However, Hernandez defense argued there wasn't enough ballistic evidence to support the prosecution's claims. Hernandez is accused of gunning down two men, Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, at a Boston stoplight in July 2012 after one of the victims allegedly bumped into him, spilling his drink. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty. Earlier Monday, Judge Jeffrey Locke reviewed video that focused on testimony from last week, where witness Raychides Sanches said the suspect "looked like him," apparently referring to Hernandez. Judge Locke requested to see the part of the video where Sanches gave a "knowing look and head nod towards the defendant" when he stated "it looked like him," and after reviewing the footage, he denied the defense's motion. On Friday, Judge Locke heard from both the prosecution and defense regarding Thursday's testimony by Sanches, who survived the shooting that left his friends de Abreu and Furtado dead. Defense attorney Ronald Sullivan said, "Mr. Sanches testified that the alleged shooter was quote 'white just like him' where 'him' was followed by a knowing look and a head nod in the direction of Mr. Hernandez." The defense team argued Sanches was not allowed to make that identification of Hernandez in court, which led to this fiery exchange. Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Patrick Haggan said, "This is not only inaccurate, its disingenuous and quite frankly offensive." Sullivan interrupted, I find it offensive that Mr. Haggan now stands here and tries to articulate what this witness said and what this witness would say as the truth, it wasnt the truth, it was a lie! With the jury present, Judge Locke made it clear. Mr. Sanches did not identify anyone as the perpetrator of the crime, said Judge Locke to the jury. The defense claimed prosecutors elicited testimony from Sanches that was not allowed. Sanches testified Wednesday that he was riding in a vehicle with the two victims when they were shot and killed. The defense team claimed Sanches' description was tainted by media coverage of the Odin Lloyd murder trial. Hernandez is already serving a life sentence without parole after he was convicted two years ago of killing Lloyd in 2013. Prosecutors said Friday that the defense allegations are "not only inaccurate but disingenuous and offensive." In court on Thursday, Judge Jeffrey Locke prevented defense attorneys from claiming in front of jurors that Hernandez's alleged victims were killed as a result of gang activity. Jose Baez, Hernandez's lawyer, used the social media activity of a man who survived the South End shooting in an effort to connect him and the victims to gangs instead of his client, but Locke would not allow it. "You can't just throw things out there to simply smear a witness," Locke said. Testimony in the trial will be suspended Tuesday due to expected inclement weather and the trial will resume Wednesday morning. Just days ago the gay veterans group OutVets was told they were not welcome in Bostons St. Patricks Day parade. Now after the ban was reversed, the group has announced they will not only be walking, but leading this years parade. Its been a long week, Its been a long struggle, but the struggle is now over as we can celebrate true inclusion and diversity in the city of Boston, said OutVets CEO Brian Bishop. Last week, after two years of marching, the parades council members banned OutVets citing their rainbow flag logo as a violation of the events code of conduct. OutVets was founded on the values of pride, honor and sacrifice. They recognize and honor LGBTQ veterans and active service members. The initial decision not to allow the group to march was met with strong criticism. Local leaders including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker threatened to boycott the parade if decision was not reversed. Parade organizers voted to end the ban for good and give OutVets a permanent spot in the parade on Friday night. We should be together as one marching in this parade, said Parade Chief Marshal Dan Magoon. OutVets member Eric Bullen says he was overwhelmed by the support and response from the community. OutVets hopes to have a total of 50 people marching with them at the parade on Sunday. Police in Attleboro, Massachusetts, are searching for a suspect who allegedly robbed a RiteAid pharmacy located on Washington Street on Saturday. According to police, surveillance video showed a suspect who was a thin, white male, approximately 6 feet tall, wearing khaki pants or light colored sweatpants, a white long sleeve shirt, and a dark colored knit hat. The suspect fled the store and got into a black Range Rover with Rhode Island plates. Witnesses also told police there was a vertical gray stripe in the area where the drivers door meets the front left fender. Anyone with information is asked to contact police. A Massachusetts teen has been indicted in the gruesome murder of a classmate whose headless body was found on the banks of the Merrimack River late last year. The body of 16-year-old Lee Viloria-Paulino was discovered in Lawrence on Dec. 1. Less than a week later, Mathew Borges, then 15, was arrested. Borges, now 16, was indicted Monday on first degree murder charges by an Essex County grand jury. "This indictment alleges a gruesome act of violence by the defendant and is the first step in a long process to secure justice for Mr. Paulino and his loved ones," District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said, according to a statement from his office. If Borges is convicted, he would face a life sentence. But because he was a minor at the time of the killing, he would have the possibility of parole after 20 to 30 years. Viloria-Paulino's body was found by a woman walking her dog along the Merrimack River on Dec. 1. He had last been seen on Nov. 18. According to a police report, surveillance video showed him leaving a house with Borges that day. The report also said Borges told authorities he had smoked marijuana with Viloria-Paulino on the night he disappeared, but also said he left him alive near the Merrimack River. A witness also reportedly came forward to police, claiming Borges told them what he had done. The city's police department came under heavy criticism for its handling of the missing person investigation. A woman was hospitalized Sunday morning after being attacked by her sons dog in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Officials said first responders arrived to a home on Deacon Court at 11:30 a.m. following a 911 call. The woman, 61-year-old Ramona Bouvier, was found lying on the front lawn with her left leg and right arm injured. She was attacked by an American bull dog that belonged to her son. The dog was still on scene, said Barnstable Police Sergeant Thomas Twomey. The homeowner was able to secure the dog in the house when the officers arrived so there was no threat at that point. Authorities quickly tended to her wounds, placing tourniquet on her, and she was flown to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence with severe injuries. The officers started to carry tourniquets with them just a few years ago, and they are already seeing the benefits. Especially in a situation like today, whether it was life threatening or not I dont know but the officer took all precautions, Twomey said. At this time Bouvier is still at the hospital recovering from surgery. The dog was secured by Animal Control and The Natural Resource Division following the incident. Norwich talk on Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles? Norwich talk on Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles? Revd Dr Rodney Holder from the Faraday Institute, Cambridge talked about how a scientist can still believe in miracles at an Science and Faith in Norfolk event on March 6, attended by 80 people of various views. Dr Holder first noted that there have been many scientists who do believe in miracles. An astrophysicist himself, he noted that James Clerk Maxwell, often considered one of the greatest physicists of all time after Newton and Einstein, was one such believer. So, scientists can believe in miracles, but can they do so rationally?The 18th Century Scottish enlightenment philosopher David Hume described a miracle as a violation of the laws of nature. He argued that as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined.In contrast to Humes idea, St Augustine argued that God has established and sustains the lawful order of nature and remains supreme over it. Miraculous events are not against nature from Gods perspective, for nature depends totally on God.Hume was writing against the background of a deterministic clockwork view of nature. For example, Pierre Simon-Laplace famously thought that Newtonian laws in principle allowed the calculation of any and every position of every being in the universe. But, given quantum uncertainty and chaotic systems, this is not the current view. In the words of physicist theologian John Polkinghorne, There is an emergent property of flexible process, which encourages us to see Newtons rigidly deterministic account as no more than an approximation to a more supple reality. The view of laws of nature as forcing rigid certainties is now outdated.Furthermore, as CS Lewis argued, Humes claim that experience against miracles is firm and unalterable assumes that all reports and experiences of miracles are false, and so assumes exactly what he needs to prove. In fact, Humes views on probability were shown to be deficient when Bayes theorem was published in 1763. Ordinary testimony and evidence of miracles from many different sources can in principle accumulate to overcome the initial improbability. Our current understanding of science and probability does not allow us to dismiss all reports of miracles either as violations of the laws of nature or as obviously unbelievable. The talk prompted lively group discussions and questions about, amongst many other things, the symbolic nature of biblical miracle stories, and how reports of the resurrection of Jesus compare to miracle stories in other religions.The meeting was organised bya Norwich-based group affiliated to Christians in Science.For further information contact Professor Nick Brewin (07901 884114); Inter Faith pilgrims will head to Walsingham Inter Faith pilgrims will head to Walsingham An Inter Faith pilgrimage is set to take place at Walsingham on Saturday April 1, involving Catholics, other Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jews and those of no faith, for only the second ever time. East Anglian Inter Faith Pilgrimage Walsingham Catholic and Anglican Shrines in Walsingham. Diocese of East Anglia Inter Faith Councils of Norwich, Wisbech Peterborough Fr Michael Rear, Brian Keegan 11.30 Pilgrims arrive at the Catholic Shrine at Houghton St Giles. 12.00 Pilgrim Mass 13.00 Shared lunch. 13.45 Introduction and Blessing 14.00 Walk from the Catholic Shrine to the Anglican Shrine with several stops for reflection. (This will be along the old railway embankment, now the Pilgrim Way). 15.30 Reflections and Sprinkling at the Anglican Shrine. 16.00 Pilgrimage ends. The first-evertook place inin October 2015, organised by Cynthia Capey from SIFRE (Suffolk Inter Faith Resource) and involved 40 pilgrims from different faiths visiting both theBecause of the success of the first pilgrimage, thehas joined with theandto organise a second. It will be led by East Anglia Catholic priestwho also led the first pilgrimage., the lead for Inter Religious Dialogue in the Diocese of East Anglia said: I am delighted with the enthusiasm and cooperation of the Inter Faith Councils in East Anglia who have joined together with us to organise this second pilgrimage and I am looking forward to meeting with a great many people of many different faiths and cultures to share a few hours together enjoying and reflecting on our God -given earth with all its potential riches shared by us all.The programme for this years pilgrimage is: For further information about this Pilgrimage please contact Brian Keegan, brian@briankeegan.demon.co.uk 01733 265769 Pictured above is the first-ever East Anglian Inter Faith Pilgrimage in 2015, outside the Catholic National Shrine in Walsingham. President Donald Trump's administration has signaled that it has no immediate plans to change the H-1B program. Critics are roiled. They wanted Trump to act before April 1, the day the U.S. accepts visa applications for the new year. But no one knows for sure. New rumors circulate that Trump will act, maybe next week, but the White House won't say. The IEEE-USA said Friday that Trump's inaction on the H-1B visa "will cost American jobs." The group now believes that action before April is unlikely, and that may be because of something Sean Spicer, the press secretary, said this week. Spicer was asked at a press briefing Wednesday if there was any plan to "revamp the H-1B program by April 1." Spicer said the president was focused on border security. Regarding the H-1B program, Spicer said: "There is a natural desire to have a full at -- a comprehensive look at that." He gave no hint as to when that might happen. [ To comment on this story, go to Computerworld's Facebook page. ] Trump repeatedly called for reform during his campaign and after, the IEEE-USA points out. "By Trump not yet keeping his promise, American tech workers will continue to lose their jobs and their ability to take care of their families," said IEEE-USA president Karen Pedersen, in a statement. "This is in direct contrast to what he told us all last year." Industry analysts, however, see what's unfolding a little differently. They do believe that the Trump administration is impacting IT services, even indirectly. "It is clear that many firms are postponing or canceling offshoring activity, as they wait to see what happens on the political front," said Peter Bendor-Samuel, the CEO of outsourcing consultancy and research firm Everest Group. This is actually "accelerating the adoption of the new digital models which do not require offshoring." "No U.S. firm wants to be tweeted about," said Bendor-Samuel. Clients -- firms that buy IT services -- are nervous about the environment, said David Rutchik, executive managing director at Pace Harmon, an outsourcing management consulting firm. Senior-level corporate executives, including CEOs, are concerned. They are worried about news coverage, or worse, being "called out on Twitter" by Trump for outsourcing jobs, said Rutchik. "They are afraid of what it may look like politically." This may be hurting the bottom line of some IT services firms. For the top five Indian services firms, Everest is forecasting revenue growth declining in constant currency from 8.7% last year to 6.3% this year. Rutchik said public companies will still be under pressure to deliver cost savings and may outsource nonetheless, but he expects system that automat processes to also gain in adoption. The analysts say political uncertainty is prompting IT services firms to hire more U.S. nationals to reduce reliance on visa workers. The political climate is "telling the providers that they need to step up their focus on building out capabilities and resources in the U.S.," said Rutchik. The U.S. distributes the H-1B visas by lottery shortly after April 1 -- if it receives more petitions than the cap. Last year more than 230,000 petitions were received. Critics had been hoping that that Trump might change the visa distribution from a pure lottery to a system that gives preference, for instance, to non-dependent H-1B firms, those with less than 15% of their workers on a visa. That change would have put India-based firms in the back of the H-1B distribution line, but IT services such firms as Accenture and IBM, which are not H-1B dependent, would have been unaffected. Trump may still take action on H-1B visas apart from the lottery, says Bendor-Samuel. As an example, he points to the administration's recent action to suspend fast-track premium processing for six months. "Providers are not home free this year and face increased resistance to their model regardless of the delay in the actual law changes," said Bendor-Samuel. "The net effect is that they will be able to utilize H-1B, but at a greater expense and to a lesser degree." But the IEEE-USA believes that IT outsourcers get as many as 50,000 of the 85,000 H-1B visas. "Rather than using H-1B workers themselves, outsourcing companies rent their workers to third-parties at below-market rates. American workers, after training many of these new employees, will lose their jobs," said Pedersen. This story, "Fears arise that Trump has dropped ball on H-1B reform" was originally published by Computerworld . By Reuters TOKYO: India's Adani Enterprises has applied for financing from an Australian infrastructure fund to build a rail line that is part of a $16 billion coal project in the state of Queensland, Australia's resources minister said on Monday. Financing from the A$5 billion Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) would offer a boost to Adani after some major banks said they would not participate in the controversial coal project. Since starting work on the Carmichael development over five years ago, Adani has battled opposition from green groups who say it will contribute to global warning. "(NAIF) is considering Adani's proposal at the moment," Matthew Canavan told Reuters in an interview in Tokyo on Monday, when asked if the Indian company had approached the infrastructure fund. Canavan, visiting the Japanese capital to meet with buyers of Australian commodities, said Adani had not yet asked for financing for parts of the project other than the rail line. He did not disclose how much funding Adani had requested. Adani's Australian unit was not immediately available for comment. NAIF was set up by the Australian government last year to promote the economic development of Australia's north by offering loans for infrastructure projects including airports ports and railroads. Adani, which has secured the major state and federal government approvals it needs for Carmichael, has still to announce funding for the project. Environmentalists have lobbied banks not to provide loans and a number, including Germany's Deutsche Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, have stated they will not participate in the project. The Indian company wants to start construction in the middle of this year, Adani Australia chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj told reporters in December, when he announced an agreement with the Queensland state government to hire local workers. Comprising six open-cut pits, five underground collieries and the rail line, to the Queensland coast, environmentalists also fear the mine will produce so much coal for export to India that it will require a mega-port expansion into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Adani has said the project would not threaten the reef, while creating thousand of jobs and providing India with cleaner burning coal only found in Australia. TOKYO: India's Adani Enterprises has applied for financing from an Australian infrastructure fund to build a rail line that is part of a $16 billion coal project in the state of Queensland, Australia's resources minister said on Monday. Financing from the A$5 billion Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) would offer a boost to Adani after some major banks said they would not participate in the controversial coal project. Since starting work on the Carmichael development over five years ago, Adani has battled opposition from green groups who say it will contribute to global warning. "(NAIF) is considering Adani's proposal at the moment," Matthew Canavan told Reuters in an interview in Tokyo on Monday, when asked if the Indian company had approached the infrastructure fund. Canavan, visiting the Japanese capital to meet with buyers of Australian commodities, said Adani had not yet asked for financing for parts of the project other than the rail line. He did not disclose how much funding Adani had requested. Adani's Australian unit was not immediately available for comment. NAIF was set up by the Australian government last year to promote the economic development of Australia's north by offering loans for infrastructure projects including airports ports and railroads. Adani, which has secured the major state and federal government approvals it needs for Carmichael, has still to announce funding for the project. Environmentalists have lobbied banks not to provide loans and a number, including Germany's Deutsche Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, have stated they will not participate in the project. The Indian company wants to start construction in the middle of this year, Adani Australia chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj told reporters in December, when he announced an agreement with the Queensland state government to hire local workers. Comprising six open-cut pits, five underground collieries and the rail line, to the Queensland coast, environmentalists also fear the mine will produce so much coal for export to India that it will require a mega-port expansion into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Adani has said the project would not threaten the reef, while creating thousand of jobs and providing India with cleaner burning coal only found in Australia. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has sought to fast track prosecution proceedings against shell companies that are under the radar for tax evasion. Shell companies have come under the scanner for claiming bogus long-term capital gains. In a letter to principal chief commissioner of income tax, CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra has asked for expedition of the prosecution proceedings. A shell company is referred to as a corporate entity without active business operations or significant assets. About Rs 1,238 crore cash is said to have been deposited in shell or dormant companies, post demonetisation. Prosecution proceedings can be successfully initiated in several cases of entry operators, including those concerning bogus LTCG (Long Term Capital Gains) claims, cases rejected by Settlement Commission, etc, Chandra has stated in his letter. In February this year, a task force was set up to look into the issue. The task force was set up by the Prime Ministers Office under the Revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia. The members of the task force include those from central probe and enforcement agencies. As per available data, there are 15 lakh registered companies in India, out of which only six lakh file annual returns. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has filed cases against 49 shell companies. An amount to the tune of Rs 3,900 crore is suspected to have been laundered by 559 persons. Moreover, it had come to the notice of the Income Tax department last year that shell companies had availed bogus capital worth Rs 80,000 crore. In a bid to check the money laundering, the budget 2017-18 has now proposed 10 per cent long-term capital gains tax on those who acquired shares in unlisted companies after October 1, 2004. This, if they had not paid securities transaction tax (STT) at the time of purchase. Chandras letter also that, The figures of prosecution are not being compiled from all the charges within your region and reported to the Board. Complete reports in this regard should be submitted to the Board after taking into account data from Investigation Directorate, Central TDS, LTU, International Taxation. NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has sought to fast track prosecution proceedings against shell companies that are under the radar for tax evasion. Shell companies have come under the scanner for claiming bogus long-term capital gains. In a letter to principal chief commissioner of income tax, CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra has asked for expedition of the prosecution proceedings. A shell company is referred to as a corporate entity without active business operations or significant assets. About Rs 1,238 crore cash is said to have been deposited in shell or dormant companies, post demonetisation. Prosecution proceedings can be successfully initiated in several cases of entry operators, including those concerning bogus LTCG (Long Term Capital Gains) claims, cases rejected by Settlement Commission, etc, Chandra has stated in his letter. In February this year, a task force was set up to look into the issue. The task force was set up by the Prime Ministers Office under the Revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia. The members of the task force include those from central probe and enforcement agencies. As per available data, there are 15 lakh registered companies in India, out of which only six lakh file annual returns. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has filed cases against 49 shell companies. An amount to the tune of Rs 3,900 crore is suspected to have been laundered by 559 persons. Moreover, it had come to the notice of the Income Tax department last year that shell companies had availed bogus capital worth Rs 80,000 crore. In a bid to check the money laundering, the budget 2017-18 has now proposed 10 per cent long-term capital gains tax on those who acquired shares in unlisted companies after October 1, 2004. This, if they had not paid securities transaction tax (STT) at the time of purchase. Chandras letter also that, The figures of prosecution are not being compiled from all the charges within your region and reported to the Board. Complete reports in this regard should be submitted to the Board after taking into account data from Investigation Directorate, Central TDS, LTU, International Taxation. Shruthi H M By Express News Service BENGALURU: Downloading and managing numerous apps on your phone screen, each for a different brand or service, could get tedious. What if a smartphone user could access all the services through one app? Making it easier for users to access their favourite brands and shops online, a Bengaluru-based startup, GoodBox, has come with up the concept of a Mega App, which can host hundreds of mini apps. A user can access several services online by downloading this single app. So how does this work? Goodbox app functions as a platform to bring both customers and businessmen together. Beginning from your local grocery store to the frequently visited restaurant, details of each of the businesses are available in a mini app within the Goodbox app. Providing an analogy, Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of Goodbox, told Express, It works somewhat like WhatsApp. We do not create the database of the businesses. Shops can download the app and create a mini app for themselves at a nominal fee. The shopkeepers will then upload details of all the products available with them so that the customer can order products online. From a shopkeepers point of view, it makes it a lot easier to reach out to customers through this app, said Mayank. While it would cost between Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore, Goodbox provides the same at a much lower price. A shopkeeper can subscribe to the app at a maximum fee of Rs 10,000 per year. Depending on the package of features they choose, the price could vary within this cap. With six crores small and medium businesses in India, this app acts as an unshackling device for SMEs to adopt technology and reach out to customers, Mayank added. Goodbox facilitates online booking of products and customers can even ping the shopkeeper over a chat for any queries. Not just this, even a payment gateway is facilitated to accept online payments. The co-founders of Goodbox came together through their previous online travel assistance portal Redbus. We began a digital media initiative, enabling digital advertising services in buses. Later we opened it up for travellers to call us if they had any queries. We got a lot of logistic-related questions at the place of destination including suggestions for stay. In the beginning, we used to call hotels and then put the travellers in touch with the hotels. Then we realised there has to be a direct connect between the customers and the business establishments. That is how we drew inspiration to setup Goodbox, Mayank narrated. At present, Goodbox has been able to garner the interest of 2.5 lakh users and more than 13,000 businesses and growing. The startup, which is looking to expand their reach to other cities, will also soon introduce live analytics feature where store owners will be able to see how many customers have checked out and accessed their mini app. BENGALURU: Downloading and managing numerous apps on your phone screen, each for a different brand or service, could get tedious. What if a smartphone user could access all the services through one app? Making it easier for users to access their favourite brands and shops online, a Bengaluru-based startup, GoodBox, has come with up the concept of a Mega App, which can host hundreds of mini apps. A user can access several services online by downloading this single app. So how does this work? Goodbox app functions as a platform to bring both customers and businessmen together. Beginning from your local grocery store to the frequently visited restaurant, details of each of the businesses are available in a mini app within the Goodbox app. Providing an analogy, Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of Goodbox, told Express, It works somewhat like WhatsApp. We do not create the database of the businesses. Shops can download the app and create a mini app for themselves at a nominal fee. The shopkeepers will then upload details of all the products available with them so that the customer can order products online. From a shopkeepers point of view, it makes it a lot easier to reach out to customers through this app, said Mayank. While it would cost between Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore, Goodbox provides the same at a much lower price. A shopkeeper can subscribe to the app at a maximum fee of Rs 10,000 per year. Depending on the package of features they choose, the price could vary within this cap. With six crores small and medium businesses in India, this app acts as an unshackling device for SMEs to adopt technology and reach out to customers, Mayank added. Goodbox facilitates online booking of products and customers can even ping the shopkeeper over a chat for any queries. Not just this, even a payment gateway is facilitated to accept online payments. The co-founders of Goodbox came together through their previous online travel assistance portal Redbus. We began a digital media initiative, enabling digital advertising services in buses. Later we opened it up for travellers to call us if they had any queries. We got a lot of logistic-related questions at the place of destination including suggestions for stay. In the beginning, we used to call hotels and then put the travellers in touch with the hotels. Then we realised there has to be a direct connect between the customers and the business establishments. That is how we drew inspiration to setup Goodbox, Mayank narrated. At present, Goodbox has been able to garner the interest of 2.5 lakh users and more than 13,000 businesses and growing. The startup, which is looking to expand their reach to other cities, will also soon introduce live analytics feature where store owners will be able to see how many customers have checked out and accessed their mini app. Tushar Kaushik By Express News Service BENGALURU: A huge number of the City Armed Reserve (CAR) personnel have neither been getting their weekly off nor the compensation for it since last year. A constable said he had not been getting leave nor allowance since June 2016 while two others said they had not been getting it since October. The reason why they are made to work extra days is that the force is short-staffed. The allowance is `200 for every extra day of work. Several other constables also dont get leaves or allowance for various periods. A constable said, Sometimes CAR personnel have to work for an entire month without a break. And those who are deployed to be escorts for VIPs and VVIPs have to be on duty from morning till night. The allowance for working on their weekly leaves had been brought in place after the constables had threatened to go on a strike in June 2016. They had alleged harassment by senior officials and had demanded higher pay and a regularised leave plan. But they had been forced to call off their protest after the government warned them of strict action. A head constable said it is sad that so many personnel, who are educated and on whom lakhs of rupees have been spent during training, are doing menial jobs like house work and driving for senior officers. He said Grade-C employees, including head constables, were also being made to do such jobs. D Kishore Babu, Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Armed Reserve, acknowledged that the issues exist. He said the department will start to pay the allowances soon and the personnel will also be paid arrears for all the extra days they have worked on until now. BENGALURU: A huge number of the City Armed Reserve (CAR) personnel have neither been getting their weekly off nor the compensation for it since last year. A constable said he had not been getting leave nor allowance since June 2016 while two others said they had not been getting it since October. The reason why they are made to work extra days is that the force is short-staffed. The allowance is `200 for every extra day of work. Several other constables also dont get leaves or allowance for various periods. A constable said, Sometimes CAR personnel have to work for an entire month without a break. And those who are deployed to be escorts for VIPs and VVIPs have to be on duty from morning till night. The allowance for working on their weekly leaves had been brought in place after the constables had threatened to go on a strike in June 2016. They had alleged harassment by senior officials and had demanded higher pay and a regularised leave plan. But they had been forced to call off their protest after the government warned them of strict action. A head constable said it is sad that so many personnel, who are educated and on whom lakhs of rupees have been spent during training, are doing menial jobs like house work and driving for senior officers. He said Grade-C employees, including head constables, were also being made to do such jobs. D Kishore Babu, Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Armed Reserve, acknowledged that the issues exist. He said the department will start to pay the allowances soon and the personnel will also be paid arrears for all the extra days they have worked on until now. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Citizens from different walks of life came together on Sunday on a platform for better public transport in the city. They suggested several ways to improve the bus service in the IT hub, which has been grappling with the problem of increasing traffic congestion. The occasion was #BusBhagyaBeku round table conference organized by NGOs Citizens for Bengaluru and Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike. BMTC should be service-oriented and not just act like a corporation, said participants. Dr Ashish Verma of IISc said: Unlike Bengaluru, public bus is treated as a service across the world. Unfortunately, BMTC seems to revise fares to increase revenues. This affects the public access to livelihood, education and healthcare. BMTC ignores the fact that ridership volume also decides the revenue. As price increases, ridership drops. BMTC should offer public better service and it requires State government support, said a regular passenger H S Sudhira. Many participants voiced complaints about overcrowding of buses, poor services to the slums, poor frequency and sub-optimal routing and high fares. Why are so many Volvos are running empty when ordinary buses are less? Why do students have to hang from the steps of bus to reach school or college? asked Venkatesh, a student. Rathanmma of Garment Workers Union said, We sometimes compromise on our meals to afford BMTC bus fare. Why do we need to risk our lives travelling by share autos that offer less fare?. If we are even five minutes late to the factory, we lose a days wage. How can we afford to wait for buses, if their timings are not fixed?, asked Madina Taj of Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU). Shanti, a resident of Laggere resettlement slum said, Daily we have to travel to KR Market for our livelihood. The travel costs B 50 to and fro per person. We cannot afford this, and hence many residents end up sleeping on footpaths in KR Market. Some of them come home once in three days. The garment industry contributes to the economy as much as the IT companies. Why then should there be different services for the two industries? Regular services must be doled out for everyone, said Nivedita Menon of Centre for Budget and Policy Studies. The conference passed a unanimous resolution to petition the Chief Minister on behalf of citizens to double the BMTC fleet and halve the fares. Public representatives from Sadhana Mahila Sangha, Samvada, Coffee Board Layout RWA, Laggere Slum Rehabilitation Site, Savithribai Phule Mahila Sangha, Transgender groups, Ulsoor RWA, Ambedkar Nagar colony representatives and several college students also participated in the conference. BENGALURU: Citizens from different walks of life came together on Sunday on a platform for better public transport in the city. They suggested several ways to improve the bus service in the IT hub, which has been grappling with the problem of increasing traffic congestion. The occasion was #BusBhagyaBeku round table conference organized by NGOs Citizens for Bengaluru and Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike. BMTC should be service-oriented and not just act like a corporation, said participants. Dr Ashish Verma of IISc said: Unlike Bengaluru, public bus is treated as a service across the world. Unfortunately, BMTC seems to revise fares to increase revenues. This affects the public access to livelihood, education and healthcare. BMTC ignores the fact that ridership volume also decides the revenue. As price increases, ridership drops. BMTC should offer public better service and it requires State government support, said a regular passenger H S Sudhira. Many participants voiced complaints about overcrowding of buses, poor services to the slums, poor frequency and sub-optimal routing and high fares. Why are so many Volvos are running empty when ordinary buses are less? Why do students have to hang from the steps of bus to reach school or college? asked Venkatesh, a student. Rathanmma of Garment Workers Union said, We sometimes compromise on our meals to afford BMTC bus fare. Why do we need to risk our lives travelling by share autos that offer less fare?. If we are even five minutes late to the factory, we lose a days wage. How can we afford to wait for buses, if their timings are not fixed?, asked Madina Taj of Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU). Shanti, a resident of Laggere resettlement slum said, Daily we have to travel to KR Market for our livelihood. The travel costs B 50 to and fro per person. We cannot afford this, and hence many residents end up sleeping on footpaths in KR Market. Some of them come home once in three days. The garment industry contributes to the economy as much as the IT companies. Why then should there be different services for the two industries? Regular services must be doled out for everyone, said Nivedita Menon of Centre for Budget and Policy Studies. The conference passed a unanimous resolution to petition the Chief Minister on behalf of citizens to double the BMTC fleet and halve the fares. Public representatives from Sadhana Mahila Sangha, Samvada, Coffee Board Layout RWA, Laggere Slum Rehabilitation Site, Savithribai Phule Mahila Sangha, Transgender groups, Ulsoor RWA, Ambedkar Nagar colony representatives and several college students also participated in the conference. Roshne B By Express News Service CHENNAI: He spins, twirls, stops and even does a perfect somersault all of this atop a 1000 CC bike that whirrs amid the cheers of enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies at Satyam Cinemas. Watching Arunas Gibieza, the European champion, perform some extreme stunts, gives one the much needed adrenaline rush and leaves us craving for more. In a tete-a-tete, Arunas, fondly called as Aras, gets chatty and opens up about his life in Lithuania, his love for the Indian crowd, safety and more The Lithuaninan freestyle stunt biker was recently in the city, to unveil the Suzuki Gixxer 2017 Series and recalls his first brush with a bike. I used to ride a bicycle every day. It was my mode of transportation and one day, I felt like driving a real bike! he recalled. So, on his 10th birthday, Aras was in for a surprise when his grandfather decided to gift him a Suzuki RG 50. That was my first bike and before I knew I started learning stunts by myself. I used to watch some videos, but our access to it was very less back then. We didnt have things like YouTube he smiled. Practicing several variations of wheelies and stoppies, and dragging his feet on the ground to balance the bike, Aras emerged a natural stunt rider. I was always intrigued by stunts and it was natural for me. My family wasnt worried about what would become of methey believed I knew what I was doing, he said. He bought his first super bike (Yamaha R6) when he was 16 and started performing in professional competitions. I started performing across countries and I got noticed back home, said Aras, who considers himself one of the pioneers of stunt riding in Lithuania. When I started, it wasnt known much. But, today there are little boys who want to become stunt riders. I help them out by conducting competitions for people between 16 and 18. But I am not into full-time mentoring; I just want to give them a helping hand, he clarified. By 2006, Aras became a race driver but he never missed a day to practice his daily routine. By 2009, I realised that my calling was in speed and the extremeness and I went back to stunt riding and have been doing it ever since! he grinned. After several injuries, some even severe and excruciatingly painful, Aras opined that every fall taught him a few lessons. Not once have I given up because of a fall. Instead I have learned from my mistakes and rectified them. Thats important in this field to get up, learn, and move on to excel in the stunts that you do! shared the rider famous for his 360 degree kangaroo stoppie. Falling is the only way to explore your limits and thats what I love doing. But, the rider is a stickler for safety and says that having proper equipment and practicing in a closed area are important. In open spaces, you may not only harm yourself, but others too. You will not have the right focus. Similarly, trying stunts without proper gear is lethal and is not fun! he advised. He pointed out to the lack of following rules by commuters in Chennai. Compared to last year, I see many people wearing helmets, but still a many have it on their tank and dont wear it. Thats not good, and they have to be concerned about safety, he rued. Touring the country for the fourth time, Aras said the Chennai crowd his favourite in the whole world! In other places, its very different. But here, there is constant cheering and huge support. Fans go crazy for the stunts and I love it. There are people who travel from different cities to see me and I make it a point to talk to them! he said, clearly moved by the respect and attention he had been receiving. When asked about his other interests, he says he loves music and movies, and oh, the Indian culture of intervals between movies intrigues the two-time European champion. Fast and Furious is my favourite franchise and I saw the seventh part in India. It was a different experiencethe movie shuts half way, and people go to drink and eat. For a minute, I thought I need to pay more to see the second half! he chuckled. Aras will be touring other cities including Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata and Mumbai as part of the Suzuki Gixxer tour 2017. CHENNAI: He spins, twirls, stops and even does a perfect somersault all of this atop a 1000 CC bike that whirrs amid the cheers of enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies at Satyam Cinemas. Watching Arunas Gibieza, the European champion, perform some extreme stunts, gives one the much needed adrenaline rush and leaves us craving for more. In a tete-a-tete, Arunas, fondly called as Aras, gets chatty and opens up about his life in Lithuania, his love for the Indian crowd, safety and more The Lithuaninan freestyle stunt biker was recently in the city, to unveil the Suzuki Gixxer 2017 Series and recalls his first brush with a bike. I used to ride a bicycle every day. It was my mode of transportation and one day, I felt like driving a real bike! he recalled. So, on his 10th birthday, Aras was in for a surprise when his grandfather decided to gift him a Suzuki RG 50. That was my first bike and before I knew I started learning stunts by myself. I used to watch some videos, but our access to it was very less back then. We didnt have things like YouTube he smiled. Practicing several variations of wheelies and stoppies, and dragging his feet on the ground to balance the bike, Aras emerged a natural stunt rider. I was always intrigued by stunts and it was natural for me. My family wasnt worried about what would become of methey believed I knew what I was doing, he said. He bought his first super bike (Yamaha R6) when he was 16 and started performing in professional competitions. I started performing across countries and I got noticed back home, said Aras, who considers himself one of the pioneers of stunt riding in Lithuania. When I started, it wasnt known much. But, today there are little boys who want to become stunt riders. I help them out by conducting competitions for people between 16 and 18. But I am not into full-time mentoring; I just want to give them a helping hand, he clarified. By 2006, Aras became a race driver but he never missed a day to practice his daily routine. By 2009, I realised that my calling was in speed and the extremeness and I went back to stunt riding and have been doing it ever since! he grinned. After several injuries, some even severe and excruciatingly painful, Aras opined that every fall taught him a few lessons. Not once have I given up because of a fall. Instead I have learned from my mistakes and rectified them. Thats important in this field to get up, learn, and move on to excel in the stunts that you do! shared the rider famous for his 360 degree kangaroo stoppie. Falling is the only way to explore your limits and thats what I love doing. But, the rider is a stickler for safety and says that having proper equipment and practicing in a closed area are important. In open spaces, you may not only harm yourself, but others too. You will not have the right focus. Similarly, trying stunts without proper gear is lethal and is not fun! he advised. He pointed out to the lack of following rules by commuters in Chennai. Compared to last year, I see many people wearing helmets, but still a many have it on their tank and dont wear it. Thats not good, and they have to be concerned about safety, he rued. Touring the country for the fourth time, Aras said the Chennai crowd his favourite in the whole world! In other places, its very different. But here, there is constant cheering and huge support. Fans go crazy for the stunts and I love it. There are people who travel from different cities to see me and I make it a point to talk to them! he said, clearly moved by the respect and attention he had been receiving. When asked about his other interests, he says he loves music and movies, and oh, the Indian culture of intervals between movies intrigues the two-time European champion. Fast and Furious is my favourite franchise and I saw the seventh part in India. It was a different experiencethe movie shuts half way, and people go to drink and eat. For a minute, I thought I need to pay more to see the second half! he chuckled. Aras will be touring other cities including Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata and Mumbai as part of the Suzuki Gixxer tour 2017. By IANS MUMBAI: Superstar Salman Khan has clarified that he is collaborating with actor Akshay Kumar for a project and has requested everybody to not believe in rumours. On Sunday night Salmaan tweeted: "Don't follow rumors. Follow me. Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di toh phir... Very much doing film with Akshay Kumar." Earlier this year, Salman had announced that he will be co-starring with Akshay in a project to be produced by Karan Johar. Salman had said that Akshay will be the hero of the film which he will co-produce and will come out in 2018. Anurag Singh, known for films such as "Raqeeb" and "Jatt and Juliet", will direct the yet-untitled project. MUMBAI: Superstar Salman Khan has clarified that he is collaborating with actor Akshay Kumar for a project and has requested everybody to not believe in rumours. On Sunday night Salmaan tweeted: "Don't follow rumors. Follow me. Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di toh phir... Very much doing film with Akshay Kumar." Earlier this year, Salman had announced that he will be co-starring with Akshay in a project to be produced by Karan Johar. Salman had said that Akshay will be the hero of the film which he will co-produce and will come out in 2018. Anurag Singh, known for films such as "Raqeeb" and "Jatt and Juliet", will direct the yet-untitled project. By BNS Rajkumar Hirani has wrapped up the Bhopal schedule of his upcoming film, Dutt, starring Ranbir Kapoor in lead. The film maker shot for the jail sequences in an abandoned jail in Bhopal. Post the shooting wrap up, the team of Dutt Biopic interacted with the local media. When asked about Sanjay Dutts reaction to the idea of making his biopic, Hirani said: After Sanjay Dutt told me his story we did a lot of research about him. We even spoke to the police officers and his family members to know other side of the story. When the script got completed, we went to Sanju and narrated it to him. Trust me, I have worked with Sanjay Dutt thrice and never has he cried during a film narration. But after listening to this script, he broke down and told me Dhai ghante main tumne meri saari zindagi bata di. Writer Abhijat Joshi believes that Ranbir Kapoors performance in the film will be remembered for 100 years. Dutt biopic is one of our greatest works till date. Each and every incident in Sanjay Dutts life deserves a different film. We have rolled everything into this one film and this is the greatest challenge of our lives rather this would be the greatest direction of Rajkumar Hiranis life. But let me say this, despite our efforts, it makes no difference because after the film everybody is just going to talk about Ranbirs performance. He is performing in a way that wont be forgotten for 100 years, said Joshi. The film is eyeing the Christmas 2017 slot for its release. Rajkumar Hirani has wrapped up the Bhopal schedule of his upcoming film, Dutt, starring Ranbir Kapoor in lead. The film maker shot for the jail sequences in an abandoned jail in Bhopal. Post the shooting wrap up, the team of Dutt Biopic interacted with the local media. When asked about Sanjay Dutts reaction to the idea of making his biopic, Hirani said: After Sanjay Dutt told me his story we did a lot of research about him. We even spoke to the police officers and his family members to know other side of the story. When the script got completed, we went to Sanju and narrated it to him. Trust me, I have worked with Sanjay Dutt thrice and never has he cried during a film narration. But after listening to this script, he broke down and told me Dhai ghante main tumne meri saari zindagi bata di. Writer Abhijat Joshi believes that Ranbir Kapoors performance in the film will be remembered for 100 years. Dutt biopic is one of our greatest works till date. Each and every incident in Sanjay Dutts life deserves a different film. We have rolled everything into this one film and this is the greatest challenge of our lives rather this would be the greatest direction of Rajkumar Hiranis life. But let me say this, despite our efforts, it makes no difference because after the film everybody is just going to talk about Ranbirs performance. He is performing in a way that wont be forgotten for 100 years, said Joshi. The film is eyeing the Christmas 2017 slot for its release. S Subhakeerthana By Express News Service Singapore-based Aaron Aziz, who is making his acting debut with Jayam Ravis sci-fi Tik Tik Tik, had been to India a couple of times but this is his first visit to Chennai. Hell be in the city for a week, shooting for the film. Aaron seems thoroughly excited. He says he is impressed by the quality of Indian films. In particular, Tamil film industry is a melting pot of different cultures. Everyone comes here to work on movies. Though I miss my family, I feel at home here, he smiles. Excerpts follow Its hard to believe that you are 41... (Laughs) I have been in the film circuit for the past 16 years. Ive acted and directed movies. I have done a lot of TV soaps in English and Malay too. To be honest, I havent watched many Tamil films. I know Rajinikanth and Prabhu Deva. Of course, Ive watched Kabali (2016). My wife is into Tamil films. She watches them and discusses with me. When she likes a character, she wants me to be like that. How did Tik Tik Tik happen? Director Shakti Soundar Rajan had asked his friend Srikanth (a producer) for a suitable non-Indian villain. His wife and my wife are friends. The script demanded someone from Malaysia, and then they approached me. I read the script and got an idea of what I was going to do. Tell us about your role. Well, I play the baddie. Its a Chinese character, whos trained in military service a non-Tamil speaking one. Most of my dialogues are in English. So, I didnt have any problem. Jayam Ravi comes to my place (a space ship) and intrudes into my territory. We argue, fight and challenge each other. How was the overall experience? It was fantastic! I got to learn many things. Here, everything is well-planned and organised. Ill know what Im going to do the day before. Language is no barrier at all. There has been an explosion of new talent and I am happy filmmakers have started experimenting with new genre. I love Chennaiites; theyre extremely down-to-earth. Shooting was mostly on the sets since its a space film. Everything appeared real. There, the process of filmmaking is expensive. So, things are done in hurry. We shoot 6-7 scenes everyday there. But here, around 4-5 shots! I feel relaxed. After Bollywood, Tamil films have a wider reach than other regional categories. They are not shallow. Thats what makes this industry special. Technicians are smart and hard working. Thats a rare combination. Hows your equation with Jayam Ravi and Shakti Soundar Rajan? I had no clue about Tamil films when I started out. My team made me comfortable. Jayam Ravi is an amazing guy to be with. Hes humble. Shakti does improvisations and modifications to the story during filming. Working on Tik Tik Tik was a challenge. It made me stay more focused. If its an easy role, I wouldnt even be able to focus. I like to do roles that make me uncomfortable and apprehensive about my abilities. I like breaking out of my comfort zone with each film. How good is your Tamil now? Konjam theriyum (I know little bit of Tamil). Saapdavaa means come and eat. Thanni kudi means drink water. Are you planning to do many films in Tamil? Id love to. But, I dont plan things. Whos your favourite actor? Amitabh Bachchan. When it comes to the history of Indian cinema, I believe it can be easily divided into an era before Big B, and after he joined films. There cannot be anyone like him. Would you like to work with him? I shouldnt faint when I see him first (laughs). Whats the best thing about Chennai? The first thing I did here was to visit Snake Park. I find snakes fascinating. I like reptiles. Wait, are you judging me? Plus, if you leave me alone with a plate of butter chicken, Ill be grateful to you for the rest of my life! Singapore-based Aaron Aziz, who is making his acting debut with Jayam Ravis sci-fi Tik Tik Tik, had been to India a couple of times but this is his first visit to Chennai. Hell be in the city for a week, shooting for the film. Aaron seems thoroughly excited. He says he is impressed by the quality of Indian films. In particular, Tamil film industry is a melting pot of different cultures. Everyone comes here to work on movies. Though I miss my family, I feel at home here, he smiles. Excerpts follow Its hard to believe that you are 41... (Laughs) I have been in the film circuit for the past 16 years. Ive acted and directed movies. I have done a lot of TV soaps in English and Malay too. To be honest, I havent watched many Tamil films. I know Rajinikanth and Prabhu Deva. Of course, Ive watched Kabali (2016). My wife is into Tamil films. She watches them and discusses with me. When she likes a character, she wants me to be like that. How did Tik Tik Tik happen? Director Shakti Soundar Rajan had asked his friend Srikanth (a producer) for a suitable non-Indian villain. His wife and my wife are friends. The script demanded someone from Malaysia, and then they approached me. I read the script and got an idea of what I was going to do. Tell us about your role. Well, I play the baddie. Its a Chinese character, whos trained in military service a non-Tamil speaking one. Most of my dialogues are in English. So, I didnt have any problem. Jayam Ravi comes to my place (a space ship) and intrudes into my territory. We argue, fight and challenge each other. How was the overall experience? It was fantastic! I got to learn many things. Here, everything is well-planned and organised. Ill know what Im going to do the day before. Language is no barrier at all. There has been an explosion of new talent and I am happy filmmakers have started experimenting with new genre. I love Chennaiites; theyre extremely down-to-earth. Shooting was mostly on the sets since its a space film. Everything appeared real. There, the process of filmmaking is expensive. So, things are done in hurry. We shoot 6-7 scenes everyday there. But here, around 4-5 shots! I feel relaxed. After Bollywood, Tamil films have a wider reach than other regional categories. They are not shallow. Thats what makes this industry special. Technicians are smart and hard working. Thats a rare combination. Hows your equation with Jayam Ravi and Shakti Soundar Rajan? I had no clue about Tamil films when I started out. My team made me comfortable. Jayam Ravi is an amazing guy to be with. Hes humble. Shakti does improvisations and modifications to the story during filming. Working on Tik Tik Tik was a challenge. It made me stay more focused. If its an easy role, I wouldnt even be able to focus. I like to do roles that make me uncomfortable and apprehensive about my abilities. I like breaking out of my comfort zone with each film. How good is your Tamil now? Konjam theriyum (I know little bit of Tamil). Saapdavaa means come and eat. Thanni kudi means drink water. Are you planning to do many films in Tamil? Id love to. But, I dont plan things. Whos your favourite actor? Amitabh Bachchan. When it comes to the history of Indian cinema, I believe it can be easily divided into an era before Big B, and after he joined films. There cannot be anyone like him. Would you like to work with him? I shouldnt faint when I see him first (laughs). Whats the best thing about Chennai? The first thing I did here was to visit Snake Park. I find snakes fascinating. I like reptiles. Wait, are you judging me? Plus, if you leave me alone with a plate of butter chicken, Ill be grateful to you for the rest of my life! By IANS CHENNAI: After India's frontiers got realigned during partition in 1947, the cuisine of the countries beyond our borders got confined within their own boundaries. To overcome that, the Hilton Chennai's Ayna restaurant is hosting an "India-Beyond Borders" food festival with vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "The spices used for making the masala in these countries are similar to ours. But the different ratios with which ingredients are used to make the masalas gives each dish its distinctive taste and flavour," Achal Aggarwal, Executive Chef at Hilton Chennai, told IANS. "The ratio of spice ingredients used in Pakistan to make their masala is completely different from what we use in India. Pakistanis use more of aromatic spices, including rose petals for a nice aroma," Aggarwal said while offering the starters. For the vegetarians the char grilled soft Pakistani kandhari paneer tikka coated with reddish pomegranate juice and mild spicy masala tasted great, while the begun bhaja (mustard laced grilled eggplant) gave out the mustard flavour at the first bite. The beehaji ka tikka (pan fried lotus stem patties from Sindh province in Pakistan) was crunchy. Non-vegetarians can go for chapali kebab -- lamb patties from Pakistan's northern frontier. "Instead of chicken one can keep one or two chapali kebabs inside a cut bun and have it like a burger," Aggarwal said. Seafood lovers can certainly dive into the Bangladeshi speciality macher dhakai paturi (fish coated with spices and mustard oil, wrapped in banana leaf and cooked). The aroma of the mustard oil masala and fish is not to be missed. One can also blindly go for Nepali poleko machala (roasted soft grouper char-grilled with newari spices). Chicken lovers can opt for chiken sekuwa (skewered chicken thigh rubbed with spice mix and grilled on charcoal). According to Aggarwal, the masalas are different for each dish and are not inter-changeable. Both the soups, vegetarian (subz shorba) and non-vegetarian (murgh jahangri shorba), were light on the stomach. At the next table, a tween was seen mixing a tamarind/garlic dip with the vegetarian soup and smacking her lips. It was time for the main course. And Chef de Cuisine Paul Joe brought taster's portions of vegetarian dishes -- kaju sudata uyala (raw cashews tempered with onion, garlic spices and served in rich coconut gravy, a Sri Lankan speciality); polos (baby jackfruit made with native Sri Lankan curry powder); aloo tama (potato with bamboo shoot from the Kathmandu Valley) and palak nadir (stir fried lotus stem with baby spinach a speciality from Pakistan's mountainous region). Non-vegetarians can choose from ambalatiya -- the costliest item in the menu (a spicy preparation of tuna and Sri Lankan kokum); hash bhuna (duck curry popular with dock workers of Chittagong); gulnar jhinga (a spicy prawn curry); haku choila (Nepali ground chicken dish with hot spices); namkeen chaap gosht (a rustic meat dish from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); khasiko masu (a Nepalese mutton curry); Karachi khichra (a famous Ramadan speciality from the by lanes of Karachi); kunna murgh (a dish from Chiniot, near Lahore, that takes its name from a small earthenware pot in which it is made) and rongpur doi maach (chunks of surmai cooked in delicate yoghurt-based curry from Bangladesh). All the main course dishes went well with the breads, one of which was made with ragi. One can also try out the lamprais (a meal in itself from Sri Lanka of yellow rice, vegetable cutlet, dried brinjal, and raw bananas and sini sambal packed in banana leaf) along with any one of the main course items. Those with a sweet tooth should go for luqmat al qadi (a Persian dessert of deep-fried flour dumpling soaked in honey) and patishapta (sweet pancakes filled with dates, coconut and jaggery). FAQs: What: India-Beyond Borders Food Fest Where: Hilton Chennai at J.N.Salai, Guindy When: March 10-19 Timings: Lunch 12 noon to 3 p.m.; Dinner 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Price: Meal for two would cost around Rs 2,000 without taxes CHENNAI: After India's frontiers got realigned during partition in 1947, the cuisine of the countries beyond our borders got confined within their own boundaries. To overcome that, the Hilton Chennai's Ayna restaurant is hosting an "India-Beyond Borders" food festival with vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "The spices used for making the masala in these countries are similar to ours. But the different ratios with which ingredients are used to make the masalas gives each dish its distinctive taste and flavour," Achal Aggarwal, Executive Chef at Hilton Chennai, told IANS. "The ratio of spice ingredients used in Pakistan to make their masala is completely different from what we use in India. Pakistanis use more of aromatic spices, including rose petals for a nice aroma," Aggarwal said while offering the starters. For the vegetarians the char grilled soft Pakistani kandhari paneer tikka coated with reddish pomegranate juice and mild spicy masala tasted great, while the begun bhaja (mustard laced grilled eggplant) gave out the mustard flavour at the first bite. The beehaji ka tikka (pan fried lotus stem patties from Sindh province in Pakistan) was crunchy. Non-vegetarians can go for chapali kebab -- lamb patties from Pakistan's northern frontier. "Instead of chicken one can keep one or two chapali kebabs inside a cut bun and have it like a burger," Aggarwal said. Seafood lovers can certainly dive into the Bangladeshi speciality macher dhakai paturi (fish coated with spices and mustard oil, wrapped in banana leaf and cooked). The aroma of the mustard oil masala and fish is not to be missed. One can also blindly go for Nepali poleko machala (roasted soft grouper char-grilled with newari spices). Chicken lovers can opt for chiken sekuwa (skewered chicken thigh rubbed with spice mix and grilled on charcoal). According to Aggarwal, the masalas are different for each dish and are not inter-changeable. Both the soups, vegetarian (subz shorba) and non-vegetarian (murgh jahangri shorba), were light on the stomach. At the next table, a tween was seen mixing a tamarind/garlic dip with the vegetarian soup and smacking her lips. It was time for the main course. And Chef de Cuisine Paul Joe brought taster's portions of vegetarian dishes -- kaju sudata uyala (raw cashews tempered with onion, garlic spices and served in rich coconut gravy, a Sri Lankan speciality); polos (baby jackfruit made with native Sri Lankan curry powder); aloo tama (potato with bamboo shoot from the Kathmandu Valley) and palak nadir (stir fried lotus stem with baby spinach a speciality from Pakistan's mountainous region). Non-vegetarians can choose from ambalatiya -- the costliest item in the menu (a spicy preparation of tuna and Sri Lankan kokum); hash bhuna (duck curry popular with dock workers of Chittagong); gulnar jhinga (a spicy prawn curry); haku choila (Nepali ground chicken dish with hot spices); namkeen chaap gosht (a rustic meat dish from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); khasiko masu (a Nepalese mutton curry); Karachi khichra (a famous Ramadan speciality from the by lanes of Karachi); kunna murgh (a dish from Chiniot, near Lahore, that takes its name from a small earthenware pot in which it is made) and rongpur doi maach (chunks of surmai cooked in delicate yoghurt-based curry from Bangladesh). All the main course dishes went well with the breads, one of which was made with ragi. One can also try out the lamprais (a meal in itself from Sri Lanka of yellow rice, vegetable cutlet, dried brinjal, and raw bananas and sini sambal packed in banana leaf) along with any one of the main course items. Those with a sweet tooth should go for luqmat al qadi (a Persian dessert of deep-fried flour dumpling soaked in honey) and patishapta (sweet pancakes filled with dates, coconut and jaggery). FAQs: What: India-Beyond Borders Food Fest Where: Hilton Chennai at J.N.Salai, Guindy When: March 10-19 Timings: Lunch 12 noon to 3 p.m.; Dinner 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Price: Meal for two would cost around Rs 2,000 without taxes By ANI NEW DELHI: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Nongthombam Biren Singh as the chief ministerial candidate for Manipur, the Congress Party on Monday said this was an artificially created majority and accused state Governor Najma Heptulla for incompetence. The Congress secured 28 seats against 21 by the BJP out of 60 seats. In Manipur, the Congress was in power and we were only two seats short of majority and we were the single largest party. The Governor is to be equally blamed for this kind of conspiracy, Congress leader Veerappa Moily told ANI. He added that the Constitution has been violated. The Constitution says that even if there is a majority by any one party, the single largest partys leader is called. That is given the first option to form a government. But here that has not happened in Manipur, Moily added. He further said that it is incumbent on the part of the Governor to call the Chief Minister and only if he fails to form a government then the option could be given to the next. This basic convention of the Constitution and the well tested process has not been adopted by the Governor. She was waiting for the BJP to manufacture, he asserted. Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Moily said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to be more magnanimous with a success in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. But the Prime Minister has demonstrated dirty greediness to capture power. He forgets that Manipur is the most sensitive state and that Congress built the integral part of this state, he added. He further said that the anti-defection law which is the part of the Constitution has been broken and violated. They think that they can make India free from Congress by misusing law. BJP president Amit Shah said that even if they did not get the majority they will make it through, which means the conspiracy has been designed, Moily said. The BJP earlier in the day announced the name of Nongthombam Biren Singh as the legislative party leader. Biren Singh said he left the Congress Party because of misgovernance. It is a great challenge. The people have given the mandate for a change and I assure that our team under the leadership of Prime Minsister Narendra Modi will surely provide good governance, Singh said. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said the decision is unanimous and the BJP would soon move to stake claim to form government in the state. NEW DELHI: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Nongthombam Biren Singh as the chief ministerial candidate for Manipur, the Congress Party on Monday said this was an artificially created majority and accused state Governor Najma Heptulla for incompetence. The Congress secured 28 seats against 21 by the BJP out of 60 seats. In Manipur, the Congress was in power and we were only two seats short of majority and we were the single largest party. The Governor is to be equally blamed for this kind of conspiracy, Congress leader Veerappa Moily told ANI. He added that the Constitution has been violated. The Constitution says that even if there is a majority by any one party, the single largest partys leader is called. That is given the first option to form a government. But here that has not happened in Manipur, Moily added. He further said that it is incumbent on the part of the Governor to call the Chief Minister and only if he fails to form a government then the option could be given to the next. This basic convention of the Constitution and the well tested process has not been adopted by the Governor. She was waiting for the BJP to manufacture, he asserted. Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Moily said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to be more magnanimous with a success in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. But the Prime Minister has demonstrated dirty greediness to capture power. He forgets that Manipur is the most sensitive state and that Congress built the integral part of this state, he added. He further said that the anti-defection law which is the part of the Constitution has been broken and violated. They think that they can make India free from Congress by misusing law. BJP president Amit Shah said that even if they did not get the majority they will make it through, which means the conspiracy has been designed, Moily said. The BJP earlier in the day announced the name of Nongthombam Biren Singh as the legislative party leader. Biren Singh said he left the Congress Party because of misgovernance. It is a great challenge. The people have given the mandate for a change and I assure that our team under the leadership of Prime Minsister Narendra Modi will surely provide good governance, Singh said. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said the decision is unanimous and the BJP would soon move to stake claim to form government in the state. By Agencies IMPHAL: Former editor and minister Nongthombam Biren was on Monday unanimously elected as the BJP legislature party leader in Manipur, and will stake claim to form the next ministry, the party said. The election was held under the supervision of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal here. His name was proposed by Thongam Bishwajit, MLA and seconded by Radheshyam, Nemcha Haokip and some others. "I left the Congress because of (its) misgovernance," Singh told media on the occasion. "I assure you that BJP will surely provide good governance," he added. All the 21 BJP MLAs were present in the crucial meeting. Apart from him, the other contender was Bishwajit, a BJP MLA from Thongju constituency in Imphal East district since 2015. However, he later withdrew to choose Biren unanimously. The Bharatiya Janata Party now has the support of 32 members in the 60-member Assembly. Biren had been editor of Maharolgi Thoudang, a vernacular daily. Later he joined politics and got elected from his Heingang constituency. He had been a cabinet minister in the Congress government for over 10 years holding important portfolios. However, He resigned from the membership of the House and the primary membership of the Congress party in 2016 and joined the BJP. He was one of the Congress ministers who were critical of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who had faced ouster campaigns. He got elected from Heingang in the March elections. Earlier today, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said he would resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung assembly following the just-concluded elections. "I will resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation," he told reporters here. Idobi's announcement came immediately after Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla saying of not receiving his resignation, a process which is must for initiating the formation of a new government in the Northeastern state. I have not received, till today, any resignation letter from the Chief Minister, though yesterday I told him that the process of formation of the government will begin once he resigns, Heptullah told reporters here. Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me," said Singh. Heptulla, on the other hand informed that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders along with its supporters to stake claim to form the government. Along with one LJP MLA, the four MLAs of NPP, one MLA from Trinamool Congress and one MLA from the Congress Party called on me. The president of NPP spoke to me on telephone and sent the letter of support to BJP-led government to the governors house. I was satisfied that they have the support of 32 MLAs, she said. Heptullah further said that the Chief Minister came to meet her post the meeting with the BJPled delegation to form the government in the state. After an hour the Chief Minister came to meet me with his deputy CM and party president with a letter to claim that he should be called because he is the single largest party, they also brought a letter on behalf of NPP signed by two people, secretary and the president, and When I saw that letter, I told him that he cannot bring the letter on behalf of NPP and they should personally come over here, she said. I told the Chief Minister that first you resign then only I can start the process of formation of the government. He didnt say anything and just went away, Heptullah added. Heptullah further said that the Election Commission of India will give her a notification with a list of elected members and only then she will start the process. In Manipur, efforts continue for government formation in the state as both the BJP and Congress met the Governor in Imphal last night, with the ruling Congress staking claim to form the government and BJP showing its strength. The Governor asked incumbent Chief Minister of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by the BJP 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, while the LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each. (With Inputs from Agencies) IMPHAL: Former editor and minister Nongthombam Biren was on Monday unanimously elected as the BJP legislature party leader in Manipur, and will stake claim to form the next ministry, the party said. The election was held under the supervision of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal here. His name was proposed by Thongam Bishwajit, MLA and seconded by Radheshyam, Nemcha Haokip and some others. "I left the Congress because of (its) misgovernance," Singh told media on the occasion. "I assure you that BJP will surely provide good governance," he added. All the 21 BJP MLAs were present in the crucial meeting. Apart from him, the other contender was Bishwajit, a BJP MLA from Thongju constituency in Imphal East district since 2015. However, he later withdrew to choose Biren unanimously. The Bharatiya Janata Party now has the support of 32 members in the 60-member Assembly. Biren had been editor of Maharolgi Thoudang, a vernacular daily. Later he joined politics and got elected from his Heingang constituency. He had been a cabinet minister in the Congress government for over 10 years holding important portfolios. However, He resigned from the membership of the House and the primary membership of the Congress party in 2016 and joined the BJP. He was one of the Congress ministers who were critical of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who had faced ouster campaigns. He got elected from Heingang in the March elections. Earlier today, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said he would resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung assembly following the just-concluded elections. "I will resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation," he told reporters here. Idobi's announcement came immediately after Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla saying of not receiving his resignation, a process which is must for initiating the formation of a new government in the Northeastern state. I have not received, till today, any resignation letter from the Chief Minister, though yesterday I told him that the process of formation of the government will begin once he resigns, Heptullah told reporters here. Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me," said Singh. Heptulla, on the other hand informed that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders along with its supporters to stake claim to form the government. Along with one LJP MLA, the four MLAs of NPP, one MLA from Trinamool Congress and one MLA from the Congress Party called on me. The president of NPP spoke to me on telephone and sent the letter of support to BJP-led government to the governors house. I was satisfied that they have the support of 32 MLAs, she said. Heptullah further said that the Chief Minister came to meet her post the meeting with the BJPled delegation to form the government in the state. After an hour the Chief Minister came to meet me with his deputy CM and party president with a letter to claim that he should be called because he is the single largest party, they also brought a letter on behalf of NPP signed by two people, secretary and the president, and When I saw that letter, I told him that he cannot bring the letter on behalf of NPP and they should personally come over here, she said. I told the Chief Minister that first you resign then only I can start the process of formation of the government. He didnt say anything and just went away, Heptullah added. Heptullah further said that the Election Commission of India will give her a notification with a list of elected members and only then she will start the process. In Manipur, efforts continue for government formation in the state as both the BJP and Congress met the Governor in Imphal last night, with the ruling Congress staking claim to form the government and BJP showing its strength. The Governor asked incumbent Chief Minister of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by the BJP 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, while the LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each. (With Inputs from Agencies) By IANS PANAJI: The tussle for government formation in Goa on Monday reached the Supreme Court (SC), with the state Congress legislative party leader challenging the invitation extended by Goa Governor Dr. Mridula Sinha on Sunday to BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form government. All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told IANS late on Monday that Chief Justice Jagdish Khehar had ordered setting up of a special bench for the hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Chodankar said that the Governor should have rightfully invited the Congress party to form a government in Goa, because it had emerged as the single-largest party, with 16 seats in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, following the February 4 polls. "We were the single-largest party. The Governor should have invited us to form government according to established constitutional practice," Chodankar said. Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar filed the petition in the apex court late on Monday. In his petition, Kavlekar has cited the apex court's decision in the Rameshwar Pandit judgement, where the Supreme Court had said that the single-largest party should be allotted the first attempt to form government in case of a hung assembly. "Governor overlooked Sarkaria Commission Report and M.M. Punchi Commission Report. These reports were also upheld and endorsed by the court in Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix V. Deputy Speaker AP Assembly matters," Chodankar said. The Congress had 17 MLAs while the BJP had 13. The Governor invited Parrikar to form government, after he met her late on Sunday and submitted letters of support from 21 MLAs, which includes three legislators each from two regional parties, namely Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. PANAJI: The tussle for government formation in Goa on Monday reached the Supreme Court (SC), with the state Congress legislative party leader challenging the invitation extended by Goa Governor Dr. Mridula Sinha on Sunday to BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form government. All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told IANS late on Monday that Chief Justice Jagdish Khehar had ordered setting up of a special bench for the hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Chodankar said that the Governor should have rightfully invited the Congress party to form a government in Goa, because it had emerged as the single-largest party, with 16 seats in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, following the February 4 polls. "We were the single-largest party. The Governor should have invited us to form government according to established constitutional practice," Chodankar said. Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar filed the petition in the apex court late on Monday. In his petition, Kavlekar has cited the apex court's decision in the Rameshwar Pandit judgement, where the Supreme Court had said that the single-largest party should be allotted the first attempt to form government in case of a hung assembly. "Governor overlooked Sarkaria Commission Report and M.M. Punchi Commission Report. These reports were also upheld and endorsed by the court in Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix V. Deputy Speaker AP Assembly matters," Chodankar said. The Congress had 17 MLAs while the BJP had 13. The Governor invited Parrikar to form government, after he met her late on Sunday and submitted letters of support from 21 MLAs, which includes three legislators each from two regional parties, namely Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: For the second consecutive day on Monday, Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire and fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on Indian army posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting authorities to suspend cross-LoC bus services and close some schools close to the LoC. Defence spokesman in Jammu, Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said Pakistani troops violated border ceasefire along LoC in Poonch sector early this morning and targeted Indian army posts. He said at around 06.40 am, the Pakistani troops without any provocation fired on army posts in Poonch sector from automatic weapons. They also fired 82 mm mortar shells at army posts and civilian areas along the LoC, Mehta said adding the army men gave befitting response. Both sides exchanged gunfire and mortar shells for more than three hours. After todays firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops, authorities suspended cross-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote and closed some schools close to the LoC. Custodian Trade Facilitation Centre, Poonch, Tanveer Ahmad told Express that for the second consecutive day that Pakistani troops targeted Trade Felicitation Centre (TFC) Chakan da Bagh in Poonch. He said some shells hit the main building of TFC today, causing damage to it. Some mortar shells had also landed near the TFC yesterday. Tanveer said the TFC Chakanda Bagh was never targeted and it was for the first time that shells fired by Pakistani troops had landed close to it. He said due to heavy shelling and firing from Pakistani troops, the cross-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote was suspended today. He said if firing and shelling from Pakistani troops continues, then the bus service and cross-LoC trade may be suspended tomorrow also. A government official said the schools close to LoC in Poonch district were closed today as a precautionary measure after heavy firing and shelling by the Pakistani troops. We will assess the situation tomorrow before deciding to open the schools, he said. It was for the second consecutive day that Pakistani troops breached the border ceasefire in Poonch and targeted army posts and civilian areas. On Sunday also, Pakistani troops had violated the border ceasefire and resorted to firing from automatic weapons and mortar shelling in Poonch district. An Army soldier Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed in Pakistani soldiers firing in Poonch sector on March 9. SRINAGAR: For the second consecutive day on Monday, Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire and fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on Indian army posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting authorities to suspend cross-LoC bus services and close some schools close to the LoC. Defence spokesman in Jammu, Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said Pakistani troops violated border ceasefire along LoC in Poonch sector early this morning and targeted Indian army posts. He said at around 06.40 am, the Pakistani troops without any provocation fired on army posts in Poonch sector from automatic weapons. They also fired 82 mm mortar shells at army posts and civilian areas along the LoC, Mehta said adding the army men gave befitting response. Both sides exchanged gunfire and mortar shells for more than three hours. After todays firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops, authorities suspended cross-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote and closed some schools close to the LoC. Custodian Trade Facilitation Centre, Poonch, Tanveer Ahmad told Express that for the second consecutive day that Pakistani troops targeted Trade Felicitation Centre (TFC) Chakan da Bagh in Poonch. He said some shells hit the main building of TFC today, causing damage to it. Some mortar shells had also landed near the TFC yesterday. Tanveer said the TFC Chakanda Bagh was never targeted and it was for the first time that shells fired by Pakistani troops had landed close to it. He said due to heavy shelling and firing from Pakistani troops, the cross-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakote was suspended today. He said if firing and shelling from Pakistani troops continues, then the bus service and cross-LoC trade may be suspended tomorrow also. A government official said the schools close to LoC in Poonch district were closed today as a precautionary measure after heavy firing and shelling by the Pakistani troops. We will assess the situation tomorrow before deciding to open the schools, he said. It was for the second consecutive day that Pakistani troops breached the border ceasefire in Poonch and targeted army posts and civilian areas. On Sunday also, Pakistani troops had violated the border ceasefire and resorted to firing from automatic weapons and mortar shelling in Poonch district. An Army soldier Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed in Pakistani soldiers firing in Poonch sector on March 9. By PTI PANAJI: A group of Congress legislators in Goa were "upset" and blamed the party's top leadership for the failure to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly polls. "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time," Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency, told PTI today. He said that "gross mismanagement" by party leaders and the "delay" in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole the march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power. Congress' lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, "Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government." "People had given us the mandate but party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault," she said. Similarly, senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. "Why should we blame someone for forming the government, when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number," Lourenco said. "People wanted us to form the government and hence, they had rejected the BJP. But we failed to give people their government," he added. All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said he would speak to the Congress legislators who have expressed resentment. "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out," Singh said today. Yesterday, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and Independents under Manohar Parrikar. As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid to power, Singh had accused Parrikar of indulging in "horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress". PANAJI: A group of Congress legislators in Goa were "upset" and blamed the party's top leadership for the failure to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly polls. "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time," Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency, told PTI today. He said that "gross mismanagement" by party leaders and the "delay" in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole the march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power. Congress' lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, "Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government." "People had given us the mandate but party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault," she said. Similarly, senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. "Why should we blame someone for forming the government, when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number," Lourenco said. "People wanted us to form the government and hence, they had rejected the BJP. But we failed to give people their government," he added. All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said he would speak to the Congress legislators who have expressed resentment. "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out," Singh said today. Yesterday, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and Independents under Manohar Parrikar. As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid to power, Singh had accused Parrikar of indulging in "horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress". Manish Anand By Express News Service Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes out a massive victory march in Delhi to celebrate the resounding mandate in UP and Uttarakhand; talks about a new India based on the strength of the poor and aspirations of the middle class; BJP stakes claim to form government in Goa and Manipur which returned a hung verdict NEW DELHI: There was no pause to celebrate the near-historic victory in the Assembly polls. Instead, the BJP showed astuteness to cobble up numbers to form governments in Goa and Manipur and no stone, to this effect, was left unturned. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was offered back Goa, to serve as its Chief Minister, while regional parties provided the plank to stake claim to form the government in Manipur. Taking out a massive victory march, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talked of a new India on the anvil after the massive mandate. He spoke of consensus, even while commanding a majority. The partys Parliamentary Board meeting, which concluded later in the day, feted the Prime Minister and party chief Amit Shah for the historical victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Modi called upon the political pundits of the country to introspect the apparent failure in predicting the sheer size of the mandate. Again, noting the dawn of a new India, the said the government would seek to blend talent and hard work of the poor with aspirations of the middle class. We may be prone to mistakes, but our intentions are never wrong. And, its a big honour when others ask me how I manage to get so much work done, he said in a patting-his-own-back moment. While the BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spearheaded the campaign to wrest the power in Imphal even as the party chief coordinated their actions over phone, similar moves unfolded in Panaji too. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari took the go-ahead from the Prime Minister, Shah and the Parliament Board to shuffle Parrikar back to Panaji to lead a coalition of smaller parties to form the government in Goa. Parrikar, sources said, would resign after getting the invitation from the Governor. In Manipur, allegations were flying high on Sunday even as the BJP managed to stitch an alliance with regional and smaller parties to wrest control over the State. At least two MLAs one from the Congress and other from the TMC allegedly defected to the BJP side, while another Independent candidate went missing. The Congress, on expected lines, blamed the BJP for the mess. Contrary to the active measures taken for Goa and Manipur, both states that returned hung Assemblies, the Centre-ruling party seemed relatively relaxed in making decisions on states that are securely in their pockets. The Parliamentary Board designated partys national secretaries Kailash Vijayvargiya and Anil Jain as observers to the Legislature Party meeting of Uttar Pradesh scheduled to be held on March 16. The Chief Minister for the largest State of the country would be elected at this meeting. The fate of Uttarakhand again, would also be sealed by the Legislature Party in the coming days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes out a massive victory march in Delhi to celebrate the resounding mandate in UP and Uttarakhand; talks about a new India based on the strength of the poor and aspirations of the middle class; BJP stakes claim to form government in Goa and Manipur which returned a hung verdict NEW DELHI: There was no pause to celebrate the near-historic victory in the Assembly polls. Instead, the BJP showed astuteness to cobble up numbers to form governments in Goa and Manipur and no stone, to this effect, was left unturned. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was offered back Goa, to serve as its Chief Minister, while regional parties provided the plank to stake claim to form the government in Manipur. Taking out a massive victory march, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talked of a new India on the anvil after the massive mandate. He spoke of consensus, even while commanding a majority. The partys Parliamentary Board meeting, which concluded later in the day, feted the Prime Minister and party chief Amit Shah for the historical victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Modi called upon the political pundits of the country to introspect the apparent failure in predicting the sheer size of the mandate. Again, noting the dawn of a new India, the said the government would seek to blend talent and hard work of the poor with aspirations of the middle class. We may be prone to mistakes, but our intentions are never wrong. And, its a big honour when others ask me how I manage to get so much work done, he said in a patting-his-own-back moment. While the BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spearheaded the campaign to wrest the power in Imphal even as the party chief coordinated their actions over phone, similar moves unfolded in Panaji too. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari took the go-ahead from the Prime Minister, Shah and the Parliament Board to shuffle Parrikar back to Panaji to lead a coalition of smaller parties to form the government in Goa. Parrikar, sources said, would resign after getting the invitation from the Governor. In Manipur, allegations were flying high on Sunday even as the BJP managed to stitch an alliance with regional and smaller parties to wrest control over the State. At least two MLAs one from the Congress and other from the TMC allegedly defected to the BJP side, while another Independent candidate went missing. The Congress, on expected lines, blamed the BJP for the mess. Contrary to the active measures taken for Goa and Manipur, both states that returned hung Assemblies, the Centre-ruling party seemed relatively relaxed in making decisions on states that are securely in their pockets. The Parliamentary Board designated partys national secretaries Kailash Vijayvargiya and Anil Jain as observers to the Legislature Party meeting of Uttar Pradesh scheduled to be held on March 16. The Chief Minister for the largest State of the country would be elected at this meeting. The fate of Uttarakhand again, would also be sealed by the Legislature Party in the coming days. By ANI MALTI: The Pakistani troops on Monday fired along the Line of Control in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian troop was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of unprovoked ceasefire violation in the last three days. Troops from Pakistan opened fire four villages. There has been no casualty reported yet. On Sunday, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire in Krishna Ghati Sector in the same district. The Indian forces are retaliating strongly and the firing is still on. Further details are awaited. MALTI: The Pakistani troops on Monday fired along the Line of Control in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian troop was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of unprovoked ceasefire violation in the last three days. Troops from Pakistan opened fire four villages. There has been no casualty reported yet. On Sunday, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire in Krishna Ghati Sector in the same district. The Indian forces are retaliating strongly and the firing is still on. Further details are awaited. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: Holi celebrations by politicians in Bihar took on distinctly political colours this time due to the results of the Assembly polls in five states. As expected, grand celebrations were held by BJP leaders in Bihar. BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav, the Union minister of state for rural development, celebrated Holi in a unique style along with his supporters at his residence in Patna. After celebrating with both gulal (coloured dust) and liquid colours, he came out on to the street and rode a rickshaw. He made the rickshawpuller sit on the rickshaw and rode it himself as his supporters raised slogans. This Holi is very special. This has clearly indicated that the days of vote bank politics and winning elections by fooling the people are on the verge of ending, said Yadav, MP from Pataliputra constituency in Bihar. Yadav, who had been a close aide of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for more than a decade and a half, said he is very sure that BJP-led NDA would form the government in Bihar in the next Assembly polls by dislodging the states three-party grand alliance led by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar. Sanjiv Chaurasia, a BJP legislator from Digha near Patna, organised a raucous Holi celebration at his residence and then took out a rally sitting on a bullock cart. Hundreds of BJP supporters were part of this rally and they chanted slogans such as BJP government in Bihar the next time. Senior BJP leaders including former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar and former minister Nand Kishore Yadav celebrated Holi along with a large number of their supporters at their residences. The BJP state headquarters also witnessed gathering of hundreds of party workers for the occasion. PATNA: Holi celebrations by politicians in Bihar took on distinctly political colours this time due to the results of the Assembly polls in five states. As expected, grand celebrations were held by BJP leaders in Bihar. BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav, the Union minister of state for rural development, celebrated Holi in a unique style along with his supporters at his residence in Patna. After celebrating with both gulal (coloured dust) and liquid colours, he came out on to the street and rode a rickshaw. He made the rickshawpuller sit on the rickshaw and rode it himself as his supporters raised slogans. This Holi is very special. This has clearly indicated that the days of vote bank politics and winning elections by fooling the people are on the verge of ending, said Yadav, MP from Pataliputra constituency in Bihar. Yadav, who had been a close aide of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for more than a decade and a half, said he is very sure that BJP-led NDA would form the government in Bihar in the next Assembly polls by dislodging the states three-party grand alliance led by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar. Sanjiv Chaurasia, a BJP legislator from Digha near Patna, organised a raucous Holi celebration at his residence and then took out a rally sitting on a bullock cart. Hundreds of BJP supporters were part of this rally and they chanted slogans such as BJP government in Bihar the next time. Senior BJP leaders including former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar and former minister Nand Kishore Yadav celebrated Holi along with a large number of their supporters at their residences. The BJP state headquarters also witnessed gathering of hundreds of party workers for the occasion. By Online Desk Popular YouTube channel The Viral Fevers founder Arunabh Kumar has been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee in a blog, leading to a series of events including other female associates also claiming to have been sexually assaulted, and TVF issuing a response that was flayed for being threatening in its language. Arunabh Kumar, an IIT graduate, founded The Viral Fever in 2011 The TVF sexual harassment saga began when an author, who goes by the name Indian Fowler, blogged on Medium about the sexual harassment she faced at the hands of Arunabh Kumar while working with The Viral Fever (now also an app). Titled 'The Indian Uber- That is TVF', referring to similar sexual assault allegations brought against an Uber employee in the US by a former techie of the cab aggregator, Indian Fowler detailed the sexual harassment she faced while working with the startup, and specifically accused founder Arunabh Kumar of sexually assaulting her. As soon as the blog post began trending across several platforms, Aayushi Agarwal, a former TVF employee, and Reema Sengupta of an external agency, who had directed a web series for The Viral Fever, came out in support of the writer, Indian Fowler, and described their own sexual experiences of sexual assault at Arunabh Kumars hands. The Viral Fevers team soon put out an official statement denying the claims as baseless and ludicrous, but it got more attention for the threatening tone of the note. The Indian Fowler narrates on her blog how she had been inspired by Arunabh Kumar and his idea of the startup. She writes, "He came from the same city. Muzaffarpur. So we moved from 'main' to 'hum'. The typical way Biharis speak. humko bambai me bahut akelapan mahsoos hota hai (I feel very lonely in Mumbai). The employee also describes leading conversations that Arunabh initiated on several occasions talking about Chaturbhuj Sthan, the red light district of Muzaffarpur, indulging in 'role play' and so on. The woman alleges that even a threat of a police complaint didn't stop him from making such statements. Police to meri pocket me hai. (The cops are on my payroll), she quotes him as responding. The writer also says she mentioned this to her other bosses but was not taken seriously. On one such occasion when she says she complained to a colleague, Kasturia, he had allegedly brushed it off saying Duniya hai. Hota hai (It happens). Within a few hours of the blog going up on Medium.com, two more incidents of ex-TVF employees being harrassed had surfaced. The Viral Fever, trying to clear the air, released an official statement that said, "We will leave no stone unturned to find the author of the article and bring them to severe justice for making such false allegations." They consistently denied the occurrence of such incidents and questioned the authenticity of the anonymous blog post. Twitterati immediately picked up on the issue and the #BoycottTVF began trending almost immediately after TVF's official response. Most importantly, TVF's first response (if it is the official one) sounds more like a threat than a genuine attempt to find out the truth. Sameer More (@Sammypedia) March 13, 2017 Investigate, and prove the accusers wrong if these are mere false accusations #TVF Rochak Langer (@Langer7) March 13, 2017 From a team that has delivered brilliant content, they needed a better media statement. #TVF Abhishek Baxi (@baxiabhishek) March 13, 2017 What's worse than the sexual harassment allegations against the TVF founder? Their response to it. 'Bring the author to justice' #BoycottTVF Devaki (@devakipat) March 13, 2017 I pledge not to watch TVF shows any more. #BoycottTVF is the way to teach the molester Arunabh Kumar a lesson Agnivo Niyogi (@Aagan86) March 13, 2017 On the other side, TVF employees including actors, producers and directors have also been tweeting in support of Arunabh Kumar and claiming that the sexual harassment allegations are false. I categorically say that i know no such woman and i haven't made any remark like that. Naveen Kasturia (@nouwwwin) March 13, 2017 Nidhi Bisht, one of the co-founders, vociferously denied the allegations and called them baseless and fictitious. 5 yrs at TVF & no memory of who this Female employee is. It's a baseless fictitious allegation. Haters pls don't stoop down to this level :( Nidhi NEETU Bisht (@EkThapaTiger) March 13, 2017 Popular YouTube channel The Viral Fevers founder Arunabh Kumar has been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee in a blog, leading to a series of events including other female associates also claiming to have been sexually assaulted, and TVF issuing a response that was flayed for being threatening in its language. Arunabh Kumar, an IIT graduate, founded The Viral Fever in 2011 The TVF sexual harassment saga began when an author, who goes by the name Indian Fowler, blogged on Medium about the sexual harassment she faced at the hands of Arunabh Kumar while working with The Viral Fever (now also an app). Titled 'The Indian Uber- That is TVF', referring to similar sexual assault allegations brought against an Uber employee in the US by a former techie of the cab aggregator, Indian Fowler detailed the sexual harassment she faced while working with the startup, and specifically accused founder Arunabh Kumar of sexually assaulting her. As soon as the blog post began trending across several platforms, Aayushi Agarwal, a former TVF employee, and Reema Sengupta of an external agency, who had directed a web series for The Viral Fever, came out in support of the writer, Indian Fowler, and described their own sexual experiences of sexual assault at Arunabh Kumars hands. The Viral Fevers team soon put out an official statement denying the claims as baseless and ludicrous, but it got more attention for the threatening tone of the note. The Indian Fowler narrates on her blog how she had been inspired by Arunabh Kumar and his idea of the startup. She writes, "He came from the same city. Muzaffarpur. So we moved from 'main' to 'hum'. The typical way Biharis speak. humko bambai me bahut akelapan mahsoos hota hai (I feel very lonely in Mumbai). The employee also describes leading conversations that Arunabh initiated on several occasions talking about Chaturbhuj Sthan, the red light district of Muzaffarpur, indulging in 'role play' and so on. The woman alleges that even a threat of a police complaint didn't stop him from making such statements. Police to meri pocket me hai. (The cops are on my payroll), she quotes him as responding. The writer also says she mentioned this to her other bosses but was not taken seriously. On one such occasion when she says she complained to a colleague, Kasturia, he had allegedly brushed it off saying Duniya hai. Hota hai (It happens). Within a few hours of the blog going up on Medium.com, two more incidents of ex-TVF employees being harrassed had surfaced. The Viral Fever, trying to clear the air, released an official statement that said, "We will leave no stone unturned to find the author of the article and bring them to severe justice for making such false allegations." They consistently denied the occurrence of such incidents and questioned the authenticity of the anonymous blog post. Twitterati immediately picked up on the issue and the #BoycottTVF began trending almost immediately after TVF's official response. Most importantly, TVF's first response (if it is the official one) sounds more like a threat than a genuine attempt to find out the truth. Sameer More (@Sammypedia) March 13, 2017 Investigate, and prove the accusers wrong if these are mere false accusations #TVF Rochak Langer (@Langer7) March 13, 2017 From a team that has delivered brilliant content, they needed a better media statement. #TVF Abhishek Baxi (@baxiabhishek) March 13, 2017 What's worse than the sexual harassment allegations against the TVF founder? Their response to it. 'Bring the author to justice' #BoycottTVF Devaki (@devakipat) March 13, 2017 I pledge not to watch TVF shows any more. #BoycottTVF is the way to teach the molester Arunabh Kumar a lesson Agnivo Niyogi (@Aagan86) March 13, 2017 On the other side, TVF employees including actors, producers and directors have also been tweeting in support of Arunabh Kumar and claiming that the sexual harassment allegations are false. I categorically say that i know no such woman and i haven't made any remark like that. Naveen Kasturia (@nouwwwin) March 13, 2017 Nidhi Bisht, one of the co-founders, vociferously denied the allegations and called them baseless and fictitious. 5 yrs at TVF & no memory of who this Female employee is. It's a baseless fictitious allegation. Haters pls don't stoop down to this level :( Nidhi NEETU Bisht (@EkThapaTiger) March 13, 2017 Meera Bhardwaj By Express News Service Recent incident of a 10-year-old being allegedly sacrificed for black magic brings into focus age-old practices that are still prevalent in certain pockets of Ktaka. The state has prepared a draft bill that proposes to eradicate these practices, but rationalists also call for more awareness on the issue to fight this evil BENGALURU: huge strides have been achieved in medical science and technology, but the dark tradition of black magic continues to find favour with many across the state. The recent killing of a 10-year-old girl in Magadi near Bengaluru is a pointer to this fact. Reports of occasional human sacrifices and frequent finding of lemon, chilli and vermilion wrapped in red cloth indicate that there has not been enough awareness to root out the age-old practice. While black magic has largely lost ground in the state, it is still prevalent in backward districts like Chamarajnagar, Kalaburagi and Ballari. Motives for black magic, sorcery and witchcraft vary from treasure hunting and fixing enemies and rivals to winning over women and elections. In the towns and villages where it is practiced, the fear of black magic is so ingrained that people desert their homes and even refuse to drink water in the affected areas. People have also fallen sick or died fearing the dark acts performed by these occultists. During election time, black magic is practiced in a big way. Bizarre rituals are conducted on behalf of political leaders and one can see such happenings at polling booths. From Bengaluru to Ballari to Kalaburagi, leaders and workers of all political parties have patronised black magic believing it will help them defeat their opponents. The more serious side of black magic is that it also involves sacrifice of human beings in some instances. In March 2015, two Dalit farm labourers were beheaded in Santhemaralli in Chamrajnagar district. There have been other cases too. But they are usually registered by the police as unnatural deaths. Another macabre tradition Bhanamati still prevails mainly in Karnataka and Telangana. In October last year, black magic practitionser dug up the grave of Veerupakshappa Sajjan, father of communist leader M B Sajjan, at Fartabad village in Kalaburagi taluk and took off the skull and left hand of the body for black magic. M B Sajjan lodged a police complaint, but so far the offenders have not been traced. In January 2015, residents of Sukrunaik Tanda of Chincholi taluk deserted the village fearing Bhanamati. The fear of black magic is not uncommon in certain pockets of Chitradurga district too. Mallurahalli, a tiny village in Challakere taluk ,is part of occult folklore. People fear even to drink water at the village as a group of priests are believed to have been practicing black magic for many years. (With inputs from Ramkrishna Badseshi, Subash Chandra and Marx Tejaswi) Recent incident of a 10-year-old being allegedly sacrificed for black magic brings into focus age-old practices that are still prevalent in certain pockets of Ktaka. The state has prepared a draft bill that proposes to eradicate these practices, but rationalists also call for more awareness on the issue to fight this evil BENGALURU: huge strides have been achieved in medical science and technology, but the dark tradition of black magic continues to find favour with many across the state. The recent killing of a 10-year-old girl in Magadi near Bengaluru is a pointer to this fact. Reports of occasional human sacrifices and frequent finding of lemon, chilli and vermilion wrapped in red cloth indicate that there has not been enough awareness to root out the age-old practice. While black magic has largely lost ground in the state, it is still prevalent in backward districts like Chamarajnagar, Kalaburagi and Ballari. Motives for black magic, sorcery and witchcraft vary from treasure hunting and fixing enemies and rivals to winning over women and elections. In the towns and villages where it is practiced, the fear of black magic is so ingrained that people desert their homes and even refuse to drink water in the affected areas. People have also fallen sick or died fearing the dark acts performed by these occultists. During election time, black magic is practiced in a big way. Bizarre rituals are conducted on behalf of political leaders and one can see such happenings at polling booths. From Bengaluru to Ballari to Kalaburagi, leaders and workers of all political parties have patronised black magic believing it will help them defeat their opponents. The more serious side of black magic is that it also involves sacrifice of human beings in some instances. In March 2015, two Dalit farm labourers were beheaded in Santhemaralli in Chamrajnagar district. There have been other cases too. But they are usually registered by the police as unnatural deaths. Another macabre tradition Bhanamati still prevails mainly in Karnataka and Telangana. In October last year, black magic practitionser dug up the grave of Veerupakshappa Sajjan, father of communist leader M B Sajjan, at Fartabad village in Kalaburagi taluk and took off the skull and left hand of the body for black magic. M B Sajjan lodged a police complaint, but so far the offenders have not been traced. In January 2015, residents of Sukrunaik Tanda of Chincholi taluk deserted the village fearing Bhanamati. The fear of black magic is not uncommon in certain pockets of Chitradurga district too. Mallurahalli, a tiny village in Challakere taluk ,is part of occult folklore. People fear even to drink water at the village as a group of priests are believed to have been practicing black magic for many years. (With inputs from Ramkrishna Badseshi, Subash Chandra and Marx Tejaswi) By Express News Service BENGALURU: The question paper for the pre-university accountancy course leaked on social media half an hour before the exam commenced on Monday. But primary and secondary education minister Tanveer Sait dismissed the claim as a rumour although images of the question paper were being circulated on social media platforms. The images, sources said, were first circulated in Raichur district. The ministry has ordered an inquiry into the incident. BENGALURU: The question paper for the pre-university accountancy course leaked on social media half an hour before the exam commenced on Monday. But primary and secondary education minister Tanveer Sait dismissed the claim as a rumour although images of the question paper were being circulated on social media platforms. The images, sources said, were first circulated in Raichur district. The ministry has ordered an inquiry into the incident. By Express News Service MALAPPURAM : A man in Kerala attacked his son with a cleaver after his family was fed up of the younger mans abusive behavior, police said. Parangad Muhammed has been detained for allegedly hacking his son, Noushad Babu, to death at their residence in Maruthala, Perinthalmanna at about 10 am this morning. Police said the youngster had been repeatedly warned not to come home drunk and abuse his family. MALAPPURAM : A man in Kerala attacked his son with a cleaver after his family was fed up of the younger mans abusive behavior, police said. Parangad Muhammed has been detained for allegedly hacking his son, Noushad Babu, to death at their residence in Maruthala, Perinthalmanna at about 10 am this morning. Police said the youngster had been repeatedly warned not to come home drunk and abuse his family. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Reviving the age-old practice of Kudimaramath among farmers in Tamil Nadu after decades, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday commenced the works from Manimangalam lake, a Pallava period irrigation structure in Kancheepuram district. As of now, `100 crore has been allocated to undertake 1,519 works in 30 districts (except Chennai and the Nilgiris) with the contribution of farmers. The chief minister said more funds would be granted for this scheme in the coming years. Parallely, State ministers launched the Kudimaramath scheme in various districts. Official sources said the main purpose of the scheme is to increase the storage capacity of irrigation structures, which would help in cultivation and lift the groundwater table. Under this scheme, 90 per cent of the cost involved in Kudimaramath works would be borne by the government and 10 per cent by the user communities. If farmers wish to carry out this work on a much larger scale and are ready to contribute, the government would also increase its share, sources said. Removing weeds, thorny shrubs, maintaining the lake bunds and inflow canals, removing the sand sediments in sluice gates, levelling the surface of the lake, renovating other structures in the lakes and ponds are among the works to be completed under the Kudimaramath scheme. This massive effort is being taken up to rejuvenate the irrigation structures under the Public Works Department. Similarly, rural local bodies will undertake a large scale programme to improve minor irrigation tanks and irrigation structures under their control, besides cleaning up and improving ponds, ooranies (dug-out pond that traps rainwater run-off) and temple tanks by dovetailing funds under MGNREGS. Further, funds will be allocated from NABARD assistance for this scheme in the coming years. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister recalled that as of now, 16,098 lakes were under the maintenance of the Public Works Department. Particularly, traditional lakes were mostly located in coastal districts like Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli. Kancheepuram alone had as many as 961 big lakes, which was why it was called Yerikal Mavattam (district of lakes), he pointed out. Palanswami said there were 33 rivers and river basins in the State. The 33 river basins have been divided into 126 river sub-basins and in Kancheepuram, rivers like Adyar, Palaru, Kiliyaru and Cheyyaru were located. Referring to the pro-farmer schemes of the State government, the chief minister promised that all the schemes initiated by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would continue. CHENNAI: Reviving the age-old practice of Kudimaramath among farmers in Tamil Nadu after decades, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday commenced the works from Manimangalam lake, a Pallava period irrigation structure in Kancheepuram district. As of now, `100 crore has been allocated to undertake 1,519 works in 30 districts (except Chennai and the Nilgiris) with the contribution of farmers. The chief minister said more funds would be granted for this scheme in the coming years. Parallely, State ministers launched the Kudimaramath scheme in various districts. Official sources said the main purpose of the scheme is to increase the storage capacity of irrigation structures, which would help in cultivation and lift the groundwater table. Under this scheme, 90 per cent of the cost involved in Kudimaramath works would be borne by the government and 10 per cent by the user communities. If farmers wish to carry out this work on a much larger scale and are ready to contribute, the government would also increase its share, sources said. Removing weeds, thorny shrubs, maintaining the lake bunds and inflow canals, removing the sand sediments in sluice gates, levelling the surface of the lake, renovating other structures in the lakes and ponds are among the works to be completed under the Kudimaramath scheme. This massive effort is being taken up to rejuvenate the irrigation structures under the Public Works Department. Similarly, rural local bodies will undertake a large scale programme to improve minor irrigation tanks and irrigation structures under their control, besides cleaning up and improving ponds, ooranies (dug-out pond that traps rainwater run-off) and temple tanks by dovetailing funds under MGNREGS. Further, funds will be allocated from NABARD assistance for this scheme in the coming years. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister recalled that as of now, 16,098 lakes were under the maintenance of the Public Works Department. Particularly, traditional lakes were mostly located in coastal districts like Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli. Kancheepuram alone had as many as 961 big lakes, which was why it was called Yerikal Mavattam (district of lakes), he pointed out. Palanswami said there were 33 rivers and river basins in the State. The 33 river basins have been divided into 126 river sub-basins and in Kancheepuram, rivers like Adyar, Palaru, Kiliyaru and Cheyyaru were located. Referring to the pro-farmer schemes of the State government, the chief minister promised that all the schemes initiated by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would continue. By Express News Service TIRUNELVELI /KANYAKUMARI:The families of the two Indian engineers abducted by the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) on March 8 say they are still in the dark, with no information forthcoming from the government regarding their sons. They strongly urged the Indian government to swiftly rescue their sons from captivity. Indians working in the Operations and Maintenance Department of Dar Petroleum Production Company, South Sudan, have been temporarily stopped from attending field work since the abduction. It may be recalled that the two engineers B Mithun Ganesh (25) from Vadakkankulam, Tirunelveli, and A Edward (40) from Thingalsanthai, Kanyakumari, were out on the field to repair an electrical snag in an oil well when they were abducted. They were employed as Well Tank Operators by the company. In the evening of March 8, they went to Adar oil field in a car to restart a malfunctioning electric device installed in an oil well. Reports claimed that they were captured by SPLA-IO forces that had killed 33 government soldiers in an intense fight at Guelguk North before the abduction. While reports confirm that SPLA-IO had been consistently warning foreign workers not to enter oil production sites, Indian workers alleged that they were not officially warned about the threat. Neither we nor our immediate heads knew that the Indians working in the oil field have been under a threat from the SPLA-IO forces since February 19. Probably the top officials knew. They may have chosen not to reveal it since it would have created panic and affected oil production, said an Indian worker from South Sudan, on condition of anonymity. It is also surprising that the company hasnt provided any security to the Indian workers even after the warning was issued by the rebel group. We heard that some Indian media reported that the two Indian engineers went to the oil field without a driver and security personnel which is the reason for the abduction. This is quite a normal thing here. No security comes for field operations, the worker said. Meanwhile, the families of Mithun and Edward are feeling helpless as no official has contacted them so far. Speaking to Express, Muthu Vijaya Boopathy, father of Mithun said, No Indian official has contacted us or given us an update. TIRUNELVELI /KANYAKUMARI:The families of the two Indian engineers abducted by the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) on March 8 say they are still in the dark, with no information forthcoming from the government regarding their sons. They strongly urged the Indian government to swiftly rescue their sons from captivity. Indians working in the Operations and Maintenance Department of Dar Petroleum Production Company, South Sudan, have been temporarily stopped from attending field work since the abduction. It may be recalled that the two engineers B Mithun Ganesh (25) from Vadakkankulam, Tirunelveli, and A Edward (40) from Thingalsanthai, Kanyakumari, were out on the field to repair an electrical snag in an oil well when they were abducted. They were employed as Well Tank Operators by the company. In the evening of March 8, they went to Adar oil field in a car to restart a malfunctioning electric device installed in an oil well. Reports claimed that they were captured by SPLA-IO forces that had killed 33 government soldiers in an intense fight at Guelguk North before the abduction. While reports confirm that SPLA-IO had been consistently warning foreign workers not to enter oil production sites, Indian workers alleged that they were not officially warned about the threat. Neither we nor our immediate heads knew that the Indians working in the oil field have been under a threat from the SPLA-IO forces since February 19. Probably the top officials knew. They may have chosen not to reveal it since it would have created panic and affected oil production, said an Indian worker from South Sudan, on condition of anonymity. It is also surprising that the company hasnt provided any security to the Indian workers even after the warning was issued by the rebel group. We heard that some Indian media reported that the two Indian engineers went to the oil field without a driver and security personnel which is the reason for the abduction. This is quite a normal thing here. No security comes for field operations, the worker said. Meanwhile, the families of Mithun and Edward are feeling helpless as no official has contacted them so far. Speaking to Express, Muthu Vijaya Boopathy, father of Mithun said, No Indian official has contacted us or given us an update. By ANI GENEVA: As the Baloch political and human rights activists have demanded a special rapporteur in the United Nations to probe gross human rights violations in Pakistans Balochistan province, Baloch activist Ahmar Mastikhan has stressed that Balochistan is a graver crisis than Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. It has been delayed. It could have happened a long time ago and we have a situation of mass graves where there is no domestic redressed available to the people of Balochistan. Has there been some domestic mechanism for them to have their basic and birth human rights protected, we would not have raised this question. We are happy over the Rohingya r rapporteur in Burma, but I assure you, it is more serious issue than Rohingya issue. It is more multi- dimensional and multi-faceted, Mastikhan told ANI. Baloch Republican Party member Abdul Nawaz Bugti said the renewed impetus to conduct investigations came after, he claimed, that a mass grave was discovered in Pakistans Dera Bugti in February this year where only women and children were buried. We have always highlighted these issues we are facing in Balochistan, especially the human rights violation. In the past two years. Pakistan has been targeting and blackmailing Baloch activists in the UN and in Balochistan. They have now stated to abduct women and children, who are being tortured and facing problems like lack of food and medication, Bugti said. Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council. The event was organised by the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) to highlight the gross genocide in Pakistan's largest and resource-rich province of Balochistan. "Islamabad has thrown to the winds at least 25 out of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan. The execution style, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, and kill and dump of thousands of Baloch, use of degrading forms of torture such as feeding feces and sodomy of the Baloch activists have taken place in the last 12 years - and is still continuing," said Ahmar Musti Khan, founder of the American Friends of Balochistan. Khan also appealed to the United Nations to appoint a special rapporteur on Pakistan to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan. "When theirs is a special rapporteur on Iran and a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, it's logical to have a special rapporteur on Pakistan to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan," he said. GENEVA: As the Baloch political and human rights activists have demanded a special rapporteur in the United Nations to probe gross human rights violations in Pakistans Balochistan province, Baloch activist Ahmar Mastikhan has stressed that Balochistan is a graver crisis than Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. It has been delayed. It could have happened a long time ago and we have a situation of mass graves where there is no domestic redressed available to the people of Balochistan. Has there been some domestic mechanism for them to have their basic and birth human rights protected, we would not have raised this question. We are happy over the Rohingya r rapporteur in Burma, but I assure you, it is more serious issue than Rohingya issue. It is more multi- dimensional and multi-faceted, Mastikhan told ANI. Baloch Republican Party member Abdul Nawaz Bugti said the renewed impetus to conduct investigations came after, he claimed, that a mass grave was discovered in Pakistans Dera Bugti in February this year where only women and children were buried. We have always highlighted these issues we are facing in Balochistan, especially the human rights violation. In the past two years. Pakistan has been targeting and blackmailing Baloch activists in the UN and in Balochistan. They have now stated to abduct women and children, who are being tortured and facing problems like lack of food and medication, Bugti said. Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council. The event was organised by the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) to highlight the gross genocide in Pakistan's largest and resource-rich province of Balochistan. "Islamabad has thrown to the winds at least 25 out of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan. The execution style, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, and kill and dump of thousands of Baloch, use of degrading forms of torture such as feeding feces and sodomy of the Baloch activists have taken place in the last 12 years - and is still continuing," said Ahmar Musti Khan, founder of the American Friends of Balochistan. Khan also appealed to the United Nations to appoint a special rapporteur on Pakistan to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan. "When theirs is a special rapporteur on Iran and a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, it's logical to have a special rapporteur on Pakistan to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Balochistan," he said. By Associated Press MOGADISHU: A suicide car bomber detonated near a hotel in Somalia's capital Monday morning, killing at least six people and injuring four others, police said. The bomber detonated near the Weheliye hotel on the busy Maka Almukarramah road, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said. Ambulances rushed to the scene. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has often targeted hotels in Mogadishu. A hotel attack in late January killed at least 26 people. Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, the extremist group continues to carry out deadly guerrilla attacks across the country. In the past couple of years it has started to target checkpoints and bases of both the Somali military and the multinational African Union force. Al-Shabab poses a major challenge to Somalia's new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who has vowed to make security a priority in this Horn of Africa country as the fragile central government seeks to expand its control outside key areas like the capital. Car bomb kills in Somali capital MOGADISHU: A suicide car bomber detonated near a hotel in Somalia's capital Monday morning, killing at least six people and injuring four others, police said. The bomber detonated near the Weheliye hotel on the busy Maka Almukarramah road, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said. Ambulances rushed to the scene. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has often targeted hotels in Mogadishu. A hotel attack in late January killed at least 26 people. Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, the extremist group continues to carry out deadly guerrilla attacks across the country. In the past couple of years it has started to target checkpoints and bases of both the Somali military and the multinational African Union force. Al-Shabab poses a major challenge to Somalia's new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who has vowed to make security a priority in this Horn of Africa country as the fragile central government seeks to expand its control outside key areas like the capital. Car bomb kills in Somali capital By AFP BRUSSELS: The European Union today prolonged by another six months sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals over their role in the Ukraine crisis. The asset freezes and travel bans were first introduced in early 2014 as the crisis deepened into outright war between pro-Russian rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. The European Council, representing the 28 member states, said it "prolonged the restrictive measures over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months until 15 September." "The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime," a statement said. The sanctions now apply to 150 persons and 37 entities, with the names to be published officially tomorrow. The list previously included Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin for his role in the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014. It also included Arkady Bakhin and Anatoly Antonov, defence and deputy defence ministers, along with tycoon Arkady Rotenberg, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin. The EU has imposed a whole series of punitive measures over Ukraine where the Minsk ceasefire accords brokered by France and Germany with Kiev, Moscow and the rebels repeatedly fail to hold. In December, the bloc extended for another six months restrictive measures targeting Russia's defence, financial and energy sectors which were introduced after the July 2014 shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine, blamed on the rebels. A third set of sanctions, imposed against individuals and companies said to have aided Russia's annexation of Crimea, were rolled over for a year in June 2016. Moscow says all the sanctions are ineffective and counter-productive to ending a conflict which has now cost some 10,000 lives. BRUSSELS: The European Union today prolonged by another six months sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals over their role in the Ukraine crisis. The asset freezes and travel bans were first introduced in early 2014 as the crisis deepened into outright war between pro-Russian rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. The European Council, representing the 28 member states, said it "prolonged the restrictive measures over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months until 15 September." "The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime," a statement said. The sanctions now apply to 150 persons and 37 entities, with the names to be published officially tomorrow. The list previously included Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin for his role in the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014. It also included Arkady Bakhin and Anatoly Antonov, defence and deputy defence ministers, along with tycoon Arkady Rotenberg, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin. The EU has imposed a whole series of punitive measures over Ukraine where the Minsk ceasefire accords brokered by France and Germany with Kiev, Moscow and the rebels repeatedly fail to hold. In December, the bloc extended for another six months restrictive measures targeting Russia's defence, financial and energy sectors which were introduced after the July 2014 shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine, blamed on the rebels. A third set of sanctions, imposed against individuals and companies said to have aided Russia's annexation of Crimea, were rolled over for a year in June 2016. Moscow says all the sanctions are ineffective and counter-productive to ending a conflict which has now cost some 10,000 lives. By IANS BAGHDAD: Islamic State (IS) terrorists are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. "Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," Xinhua quoted US envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk as saying. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 per cent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said on Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city centre in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. BAGHDAD: Islamic State (IS) terrorists are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. "Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," Xinhua quoted US envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk as saying. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 per cent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said on Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city centre in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. By PTI PARIS: French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron has called for "a return to civic respect" after the main conservative Republicans party tweeted an "anti-Semitic" caricature of him. The image showing the centrist Macron, a former economy minister and investment banker, with a hooked nose, wearing a suit and top hat, was tweeted from the Republicans party account on Friday. Francois Fillon, the Republicans candidate and one of Macron's main rivals in the race for the Elysee Palace, on Saturday condemned the image as "unacceptable". He said he could not "tolerate the party spreading caricatures that use the codes of anti-Semitic propaganda". The offending tweet was deleted after several hours, and the Republicans issued an apology. Macron, whose campaign has gathered momentum as Fillon's has become embroiled in scandal, said the French expected better from their politicians. "It starts with booing the press in public meetings and ends with people resorting to anti-Semitic imagery to attack their opponents," he told La Croix newspaper. "All of this contributes to the debasement of public life." With six weeks to go before the first round of the presidential election, former prime minister Fillon is battling allegations he used public money to pay his wife and children for "fake jobs". The 39-year-old Macron is riding high, with one poll on Thursday suggesting he would finish ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of voting. With no candidate likely to win an outright majority in the first round, a run-off between the two top candidates will be held on May 7. PARIS: French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron has called for "a return to civic respect" after the main conservative Republicans party tweeted an "anti-Semitic" caricature of him. The image showing the centrist Macron, a former economy minister and investment banker, with a hooked nose, wearing a suit and top hat, was tweeted from the Republicans party account on Friday. Francois Fillon, the Republicans candidate and one of Macron's main rivals in the race for the Elysee Palace, on Saturday condemned the image as "unacceptable". He said he could not "tolerate the party spreading caricatures that use the codes of anti-Semitic propaganda". The offending tweet was deleted after several hours, and the Republicans issued an apology. Macron, whose campaign has gathered momentum as Fillon's has become embroiled in scandal, said the French expected better from their politicians. "It starts with booing the press in public meetings and ends with people resorting to anti-Semitic imagery to attack their opponents," he told La Croix newspaper. "All of this contributes to the debasement of public life." With six weeks to go before the first round of the presidential election, former prime minister Fillon is battling allegations he used public money to pay his wife and children for "fake jobs". The 39-year-old Macron is riding high, with one poll on Thursday suggesting he would finish ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of voting. With no candidate likely to win an outright majority in the first round, a run-off between the two top candidates will be held on May 7. By Associated Press BEIJING: Chinese officials are issuing new warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country, following reports of fighters from China's Muslim minority fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq. Sharhat Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, yesterday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn about China becoming destabilised by the "international anti-terror situation" and calling for a "people's war." Over the past year, regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures and police patrols and staged massive rallies intended to showcase the power of the security forces. Those demonstrations are intended to "declare war against terrorists, to showcase the party and the government's resolve to fight terror, resolve to preserve public safety and (China's) mighty combat strength," Ahan told officials gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks are active in the country, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. In recent years, hundreds have died in violent incidents mainly in Xinjiang that officials blame on Uighur separatists inspired by the global Jihadi cause. While it has provided little evidence, the government, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence, warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianhua drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. "What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the US or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture." Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. BEIJING: Chinese officials are issuing new warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country, following reports of fighters from China's Muslim minority fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq. Sharhat Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, yesterday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn about China becoming destabilised by the "international anti-terror situation" and calling for a "people's war." Over the past year, regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures and police patrols and staged massive rallies intended to showcase the power of the security forces. Those demonstrations are intended to "declare war against terrorists, to showcase the party and the government's resolve to fight terror, resolve to preserve public safety and (China's) mighty combat strength," Ahan told officials gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks are active in the country, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. In recent years, hundreds have died in violent incidents mainly in Xinjiang that officials blame on Uighur separatists inspired by the global Jihadi cause. While it has provided little evidence, the government, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence, warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianhua drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. "What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the US or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture." Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. By Associated Press LOS ANGELES: It would seem all but impossible to sum up one of the most distinguished careers in photojournalism in only four words, but that's just what Nick Ut does when he says, "From hell to Hollywood." And the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, who is retiring this month after 51 years with The Associated Press, has the pictures to prove it, the most famous being a stunning black-and-white image from the Vietnam War that's come to be known simply as "Napalm Girl." It's the photo of a terrified child running naked down a country road, her body literally burning from the napalm bombs dropped on her village just moments before Ut captured the iconic image. "That photograph illustrated dramatically what had become a regular occurrence in Vietnam over the years napalm on distant villages, civilians killed and scared by the war, pictures we'd rarely had in the past," said Peter Arnett, a distinguished network news war correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner himself. "This picture revealed the kind of details that were an integral part of what the war had been about, which made it so significant and important to be published." Ut was only 21 when he took that photo on June 8, 1972, then set his camera aside to rush 9-year-old Kim Phuc to a hospital, where doctors saved her life. He would go on to take literally tens of thousands more over the next 44 years, including images of practically every A-list celebrity who walked a Hollywood red carpet or entered a courtroom on the wrong side of the law. "Every star who has trouble, they will see me," jokes the friendly 65-year-old photographer who, although his thick, dark hair has grayed over the years, retains both a boyish charm and irrepressible enthusiasm for his work. On a recent morning in a conference room of the AP's Los Angeles bureau, Ut clicks through a portfolio showing a few of his most famous images. There's one of a sobbing Robert Blake, the actor's head on a courtroom table moments after he was acquitted of killing his wife. In another, Michael Jackson is dancing on an SUV outside a courtroom where he would be acquitted of child molestation. Perhaps the most ironic of all, of a tearful Paris Hilton headed to jail for driving violations, was taken on June 8, 2007, the 35th anniversary of the day he took the "Napalm Girl" picture. Warren Beatty once called Ut aside at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to spend 30 minutes talking about the "Napalm Girl" photo. After learning he was the one who took it, actress Joan Collins opened a bottle of champagne for Ut during a shoot at her home. It was a much friendlier reaction, he says, than the one he got when he previously photographed her heading into a courtroom to settle an acrimonious divorce. "That picture changed my life. It changed Kim's life," he says of the pair's chance meeting in a dusty Vietnamese village called Trang Bang. He'd just finished photographing four planes flying low to drop the napalm that would set Phuc's village ablaze when he saw a terrified group of men, women and children running for their lives from a pagoda. After getting that perfectly framed photo, he set aside his camera, gave the badly burned girl water, poured more on her wounds, then loaded her and others into his AP van to take them to a hospital. When doctors refused to admit her, saying she was too badly burned to be saved, he angrily flashed his press pass. The next day, he told them, pictures of her would be displayed all over the world, along with an explanation of how the hospital refused to help. "I cried when I saw her running," Ut once told an AP reporter. "If I don't help her if something happened and she died I think I'd kill myself after that." Now a 53-year-old wife and mother of two who lives in Canada, Kim Phuc remains Ut's close friend. But her photo, dramatic as it was, represented only a small slice of the horror Ut saw during those war years. As he flips through photos of villages destroyed, dead bodies piled everywhere and parents grieving over dead children, Ut tells how he came to be a combat photographer. The 11th of 12 children, he grew up idolizing one of his older brothers, Huynh Thanh My, an actor whose good looks seemed to have him destined for movie stardom until the Vietnam War got in the way. Huynh was hired by the AP and was on assignment in 1965 when he and a group of soldiers he was with were overrun by Viet Cong rebels who killed everyone. At his brother's funeral, Ut approached the late Horst Faas, photo editor for AP's Saigon bureau, to ask for a job. But Faas, a two-time Pulitzer winner, turned him down cold. He didn't want the Huynh family losing another son. After weeks of Ut's pestering, Faas finally relented, hiring him on Jan. 1, 1966, but giving the 15-year-old strict orders: Under no circumstances was he to carry his camera into a war zone. So Ut spent the next couple of years working in the darkroom and shooting feature photos around Saigon until one January morning in 1968 when the war came to him. "I remember Nick coming in later that morning very excited and saying, 'The Viet Cong are fighting near my house. I have pictures of Vietnamese troops attacking them, great pictures," Arnett, who worked for the AP then, recalled in a recent interview. From that day forward, 17-year-old Huynh Cong Ut was a combat photographer. Over the coming years he would be wounded four times and have a rocket come so close to his head that it literally parted his hair. His closest friend in the Saigon bureau, noted photographer Henri Huet, died in 1971 after volunteering to take the weary Ut's place on an assignment during which the helicopter he was in was shot down. It was Huet, Ut says, who gave him his nickname, Nick, after others in the bureau had trouble getting his given name straight. "That's why I keep the name Nick Ut. In Henri's honor," he says in a voice momentarily thick with emotion. When Saigon fell to the rebels in 1975, two years after the U.S. military pulled out, Ut had to flee Vietnam like thousands of others. After a brief stay in a California refugee camp, the AP put him to work in its Tokyo bureau. It was there he met his wife, Hong Huynh, another Vietnamese ex-pat. She even hailed from the same neighborhood as Ut, but the two had never met. They moved to Los Angeles in 1977 when Ut began the Hollywood chapter of his photo career. They have two grown children and two grandchildren, ages 8 and 10. He plans to spend retirement helping take care of those grandchildren and, oh yes, taking more pictures. "I'll take pictures until I die," laughs the diminutive photographer who is instantly recognizable around Los Angeles for his 5-foot-3-inch frame and his ear-to-ear grin. "My camera is like my doctor, my medicine." LOS ANGELES: It would seem all but impossible to sum up one of the most distinguished careers in photojournalism in only four words, but that's just what Nick Ut does when he says, "From hell to Hollywood." And the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, who is retiring this month after 51 years with The Associated Press, has the pictures to prove it, the most famous being a stunning black-and-white image from the Vietnam War that's come to be known simply as "Napalm Girl." It's the photo of a terrified child running naked down a country road, her body literally burning from the napalm bombs dropped on her village just moments before Ut captured the iconic image. "That photograph illustrated dramatically what had become a regular occurrence in Vietnam over the years napalm on distant villages, civilians killed and scared by the war, pictures we'd rarely had in the past," said Peter Arnett, a distinguished network news war correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner himself. "This picture revealed the kind of details that were an integral part of what the war had been about, which made it so significant and important to be published." Ut was only 21 when he took that photo on June 8, 1972, then set his camera aside to rush 9-year-old Kim Phuc to a hospital, where doctors saved her life. He would go on to take literally tens of thousands more over the next 44 years, including images of practically every A-list celebrity who walked a Hollywood red carpet or entered a courtroom on the wrong side of the law. "Every star who has trouble, they will see me," jokes the friendly 65-year-old photographer who, although his thick, dark hair has grayed over the years, retains both a boyish charm and irrepressible enthusiasm for his work. On a recent morning in a conference room of the AP's Los Angeles bureau, Ut clicks through a portfolio showing a few of his most famous images. There's one of a sobbing Robert Blake, the actor's head on a courtroom table moments after he was acquitted of killing his wife. In another, Michael Jackson is dancing on an SUV outside a courtroom where he would be acquitted of child molestation. Perhaps the most ironic of all, of a tearful Paris Hilton headed to jail for driving violations, was taken on June 8, 2007, the 35th anniversary of the day he took the "Napalm Girl" picture. Warren Beatty once called Ut aside at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to spend 30 minutes talking about the "Napalm Girl" photo. After learning he was the one who took it, actress Joan Collins opened a bottle of champagne for Ut during a shoot at her home. It was a much friendlier reaction, he says, than the one he got when he previously photographed her heading into a courtroom to settle an acrimonious divorce. "That picture changed my life. It changed Kim's life," he says of the pair's chance meeting in a dusty Vietnamese village called Trang Bang. He'd just finished photographing four planes flying low to drop the napalm that would set Phuc's village ablaze when he saw a terrified group of men, women and children running for their lives from a pagoda. After getting that perfectly framed photo, he set aside his camera, gave the badly burned girl water, poured more on her wounds, then loaded her and others into his AP van to take them to a hospital. When doctors refused to admit her, saying she was too badly burned to be saved, he angrily flashed his press pass. The next day, he told them, pictures of her would be displayed all over the world, along with an explanation of how the hospital refused to help. "I cried when I saw her running," Ut once told an AP reporter. "If I don't help her if something happened and she died I think I'd kill myself after that." Now a 53-year-old wife and mother of two who lives in Canada, Kim Phuc remains Ut's close friend. But her photo, dramatic as it was, represented only a small slice of the horror Ut saw during those war years. As he flips through photos of villages destroyed, dead bodies piled everywhere and parents grieving over dead children, Ut tells how he came to be a combat photographer. The 11th of 12 children, he grew up idolizing one of his older brothers, Huynh Thanh My, an actor whose good looks seemed to have him destined for movie stardom until the Vietnam War got in the way. Huynh was hired by the AP and was on assignment in 1965 when he and a group of soldiers he was with were overrun by Viet Cong rebels who killed everyone. At his brother's funeral, Ut approached the late Horst Faas, photo editor for AP's Saigon bureau, to ask for a job. But Faas, a two-time Pulitzer winner, turned him down cold. He didn't want the Huynh family losing another son. After weeks of Ut's pestering, Faas finally relented, hiring him on Jan. 1, 1966, but giving the 15-year-old strict orders: Under no circumstances was he to carry his camera into a war zone. So Ut spent the next couple of years working in the darkroom and shooting feature photos around Saigon until one January morning in 1968 when the war came to him. "I remember Nick coming in later that morning very excited and saying, 'The Viet Cong are fighting near my house. I have pictures of Vietnamese troops attacking them, great pictures," Arnett, who worked for the AP then, recalled in a recent interview. From that day forward, 17-year-old Huynh Cong Ut was a combat photographer. Over the coming years he would be wounded four times and have a rocket come so close to his head that it literally parted his hair. His closest friend in the Saigon bureau, noted photographer Henri Huet, died in 1971 after volunteering to take the weary Ut's place on an assignment during which the helicopter he was in was shot down. It was Huet, Ut says, who gave him his nickname, Nick, after others in the bureau had trouble getting his given name straight. "That's why I keep the name Nick Ut. In Henri's honor," he says in a voice momentarily thick with emotion. When Saigon fell to the rebels in 1975, two years after the U.S. military pulled out, Ut had to flee Vietnam like thousands of others. After a brief stay in a California refugee camp, the AP put him to work in its Tokyo bureau. It was there he met his wife, Hong Huynh, another Vietnamese ex-pat. She even hailed from the same neighborhood as Ut, but the two had never met. They moved to Los Angeles in 1977 when Ut began the Hollywood chapter of his photo career. They have two grown children and two grandchildren, ages 8 and 10. He plans to spend retirement helping take care of those grandchildren and, oh yes, taking more pictures. "I'll take pictures until I die," laughs the diminutive photographer who is instantly recognizable around Los Angeles for his 5-foot-3-inch frame and his ear-to-ear grin. "My camera is like my doctor, my medicine." Express News Service COLOMBO : A bill to ban the pernicious practice of bottom trawling, which will affect thousands of Sri Lankans and Indians fishing in the sea between Sri Lanka and India, is to be passed by the Sri Lankan parliament by March end, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, M.A.Sumanthiran, told Express on Monday. My private members bill has been converted into a government bill, and has been gazetted. It will now be bought to parliament on March 17 and passed later this month, Sumanthiran said. Out of the nine provinces to which the bill was sent for comments, only the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) sought an amendment saying that time will be given to bottom trawler operators to switch over to another form of fishing and dispose off their boats. But the NPCs call for an amendment will not stop the planned legislative process because fisheries is not a devolved subject in the constitution. Moreover, eight out of the nine provinces had accepted the bill in toto, the Tamil MP said. Sumanthiran, who represents the Northern district of Jaffna, had introduced the bill in April 2015 as he found that Sri Lanka could not morally and legitimately stop bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters citing environmental damage, if Sri Lanka itself allows bottom trawling by its fishermen. He had found that there were over 500 Sri Lankan bottom trawlers, many of them being in the Tamil-majority Northern Province owned by Tamils. Sumanthirans bill had been in cold storage since April 2015, as government was otherwise preoccupied with weightier matters and also because of the powerful bottom trawlers lobby. Moreover the government had given the Chinese, permission to bottom trawl in Sri Lankan waters under a five year license. But bringing the bill back to parliament became a need of the hour when trawlers from Tamil Nadu in India continued to come close to the Sri Lankan shore in the Palk Strait in their hundreds every day despite the impounding of their vessels if arrested. The bill will be passed as there is consensus among the Sri Lankan political parties on it. Moreover, fishermen from the majority Sinhalese community in South Sri Lanka do not bottom trawl in shallow waters but go for deep sea fishing, unlike the Tamil fishermen of the North, who are still coastal fishermen. But the issue has touched off a political controversy in the North. M.K.Shivajilingam, a member of the Northern Provincial Council who spoke for the Northern Tamil trawler owners in the council, denied that he was an agent of the trawler owners who are basically businessmen, not fishermen, as such. He contended that both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen should be given time to switchover to be realistic. The government should consult scientific organisations and device fishing methods which will not hurt the fishermen, before imposing a blanket ban on bottom trawling, he told Express. He also contended that many nations have not banned it and therefore it is not necessary for Sri Lanka to ban it. Shivajilingam charged that Sumanthiran and the Sri Lankan government are in cahoots to create tension between Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamil fishermen and stoke a confrontation with India for political gain. He alleged that the bill has been brought into being and is being pushed with this intention. When I was in parliament I had warned the government that if tension with India is created through the fishing issue, India could turn against Sri Lanka and could prop up Tamil militancy as they did in the 1980s, the firebrand leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) who is also a close relation of the dead LTTE chief Prabhakaran, said. COLOMBO : A bill to ban the pernicious practice of bottom trawling, which will affect thousands of Sri Lankans and Indians fishing in the sea between Sri Lanka and India, is to be passed by the Sri Lankan parliament by March end, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, M.A.Sumanthiran, told Express on Monday. My private members bill has been converted into a government bill, and has been gazetted. It will now be bought to parliament on March 17 and passed later this month, Sumanthiran said. Out of the nine provinces to which the bill was sent for comments, only the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) sought an amendment saying that time will be given to bottom trawler operators to switch over to another form of fishing and dispose off their boats. But the NPCs call for an amendment will not stop the planned legislative process because fisheries is not a devolved subject in the constitution. Moreover, eight out of the nine provinces had accepted the bill in toto, the Tamil MP said. Sumanthiran, who represents the Northern district of Jaffna, had introduced the bill in April 2015 as he found that Sri Lanka could not morally and legitimately stop bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters citing environmental damage, if Sri Lanka itself allows bottom trawling by its fishermen. He had found that there were over 500 Sri Lankan bottom trawlers, many of them being in the Tamil-majority Northern Province owned by Tamils. Sumanthirans bill had been in cold storage since April 2015, as government was otherwise preoccupied with weightier matters and also because of the powerful bottom trawlers lobby. Moreover the government had given the Chinese, permission to bottom trawl in Sri Lankan waters under a five year license. But bringing the bill back to parliament became a need of the hour when trawlers from Tamil Nadu in India continued to come close to the Sri Lankan shore in the Palk Strait in their hundreds every day despite the impounding of their vessels if arrested. The bill will be passed as there is consensus among the Sri Lankan political parties on it. Moreover, fishermen from the majority Sinhalese community in South Sri Lanka do not bottom trawl in shallow waters but go for deep sea fishing, unlike the Tamil fishermen of the North, who are still coastal fishermen. But the issue has touched off a political controversy in the North. M.K.Shivajilingam, a member of the Northern Provincial Council who spoke for the Northern Tamil trawler owners in the council, denied that he was an agent of the trawler owners who are basically businessmen, not fishermen, as such. He contended that both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen should be given time to switchover to be realistic. The government should consult scientific organisations and device fishing methods which will not hurt the fishermen, before imposing a blanket ban on bottom trawling, he told Express. He also contended that many nations have not banned it and therefore it is not necessary for Sri Lanka to ban it. Shivajilingam charged that Sumanthiran and the Sri Lankan government are in cahoots to create tension between Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamil fishermen and stoke a confrontation with India for political gain. He alleged that the bill has been brought into being and is being pushed with this intention. When I was in parliament I had warned the government that if tension with India is created through the fishing issue, India could turn against Sri Lanka and could prop up Tamil militancy as they did in the 1980s, the firebrand leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) who is also a close relation of the dead LTTE chief Prabhakaran, said. By AFP BEIRUT: Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, saying one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities." The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP on Monday, saying rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. According to Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the government, the regime's delegation was scheduled to arrive in Astana on Monday. The delegation will be headed once again by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, who has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, constitutional process, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction. BEIRUT: Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday. "Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, saying one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities." The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December. "We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group. "The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP on Monday, saying rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision. According to Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the government, the regime's delegation was scheduled to arrive in Astana on Monday. The delegation will be headed once again by Syria's representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, who has also led the government's representatives in parallel UN-backed talks in Geneva. A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, constitutional process, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction. By PTI LAGOS: Police authority in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on Sunday said two suspected female suicide bombers were shot dead by security agents. The bombers were shot on Saturday when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road, Xinhua quoted Victor Isuku, Borno State police spokesman as saying. "On Saturday at about 20:45 hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers of about 18 years of age attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about nine kilometres to the township," he added. "They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area," he said. The two bombers died in the incident, Isuku said. According to him, the police Explosive Ordinance Disposal team was mobilised to the scene to render the un-exploded improvised explosive device safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area. LAGOS: Police authority in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on Sunday said two suspected female suicide bombers were shot dead by security agents. The bombers were shot on Saturday when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road, Xinhua quoted Victor Isuku, Borno State police spokesman as saying. "On Saturday at about 20:45 hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers of about 18 years of age attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about nine kilometres to the township," he added. "They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area," he said. The two bombers died in the incident, Isuku said. According to him, the police Explosive Ordinance Disposal team was mobilised to the scene to render the un-exploded improvised explosive device safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area. By Associated Press President Donald Trump is describing the fight over the proposed Republican health care law as "a big fat beautiful negotiation." Trump is holding his first Cabinet meeting of his administration a meeting he says he hopes will be "historic." He tells his Cabinet members and reporters that he's working to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care law despite it "getting a false rep that maybe it's OK" when, as he sees it, "it's failed" and "imploding." Trump also says he's being updated about the powerful winter storm that's expected to hit the Northeast Monday evening. He says "everybody in government is fully prepared and ready" for the storm. And he's urging Americans to listen to local officials and take their advice about what to do. ___ 3 p.m. President Donald Trump has scheduled another campaign rally, this time in Louisville, Kentucky. Trump's campaign website says the president will speak the night of March 20 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Vice President Mike Pence visited Louisville on Saturday as part of the effort to sell a White House-backed health overhaul. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Nashville, Tennessee, this Wednesday his second since taking office. Press secretary Sean Spicer says the president is also planning to lay a wreath at President Andrew Jackson's tomb at his home, The Hermitage, during the visit to Nashville. Jackson's 250th birthday is being commemorated this year. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to visit Detroit to discuss job creation and the automotive industry with auto executives and workers. ___ 1:58 p.m. The White House press secretary says President Donald Trump will donate his presidential salary at the end of the year. And he says the president wants the media's help deciding where the money will go. Trump had said during the campaign that he planned to donate his $400,000 annual salary to charity. Press Secretary Sean Spicer tells journalists the president will give the money at the end of the year and would "love your help" to determine where it goes. He says, "The way that we can avoid scrutiny is to let the press corps" decide. Trump came under scrutiny following revelations that he appeared to have given relatively little to charity over the course of his career. ___ 1:50 p.m. President Donald Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl) has been postponed until Friday because of a coming winter storm. The two were supposed to meet at the White House on Tuesday. But the storm is bearing down on the Northeast and Washington could get a substantial snowfall. ___ 1:45 p.m. The White House says it expects the Justice Department to comply with a request to provide lawmakers with evidence on President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper. The House intelligence committee set a Monday deadline for the Justice Department to provide materials. White House spokesman Sean Spicer says he expects the department to meet the request. Trump tweeted his unproven accusation about President Barack Obama earlier this month. The president and his advisers have provided no evidence to support that claim and instead have asked congressional committees to investigate the matter. The House and Senate intelligence committees are investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign and contacts between Trump associates and Russians. ___ 1:40 p.m. White House press secretary Sean Spicer is defending President Donald Trump's mass dismissal of top federal prosecutors as standard practice. The Justice Department on Friday asked for all remaining 46 U.S. attorneys to submit their resignations. Manhattan federal prosecutor Preet Bharara had said after the election that Trump had asked him to stay on. But he, too, was dismissed on Friday. Bharara was fired after refusing to turn in his resignation. Trump had tried to call Bharara last week but the two men did not speak. Spicer said Monday "the president was calling to thank him for his service." It is routine for a new administration to ask for those resignations, though it usually happens at the start of the president's term. ___ 12:45 p.m. Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is asking a government ethics office to assess whether President Donald Trump's business dealings make his administration vulnerable to conflicts of interest. In a letter to the Office of Government Ethics, the Pennsylvania lawmaker says Trump's refusal to divest from his companies has exposed the administration to conflicts of interest on an "unprecedented scale." Casey asks whether any of Trump's foreign deals could violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. The clause prohibits U.S. officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign countries. The director of the ethics office, Walter Shaub, strongly criticized Trump for not divesting earlier this year. Shaub said Trump was breaking decades of tradition by presidents who set up blind trusts for their assets. ___ 12:05 p.m. President Donald Trump is comparing Barack Obama's health care law to the former president's popularity. Trump says of Obama, "when he left, people liked him. When he was here, people didn't like him so much." He says that's "human nature." Trump was speaking at a White House listening session with people affected by the health law. He says the media is making the current law look wonderful. While Trump claims Obama is less popular now, Gallup shows Obama's ratings actually rose at the end of his presidency from below 50 percent in 2015 to near 60 percent at the close of his term. Trump's approval ratings have fluctuated between 40 percent to 45 percent at the start of his administration. ___ 11:46 a.m. President Donald Trump is predicting that rates for health insurance will go "down, down, down" if Congress passes the House GOP health care bill. Trump says the number of plans available to consumers will go up with changes to the law. The president is meeting with about a dozen people affected by the Obama health care law at the White House. House Republicans are trying to dismantle Obama's law, but their plan to replace it has opposition within the GOP. Trump says even if Republicans don't do anything, "It's going to blow itself off the map." The meeting comes ahead of a Congressional Budget Office analysis that is expected to find that fewer Americans would be covered under the Republican plan. President Donald Trump is describing the fight over the proposed Republican health care law as "a big fat beautiful negotiation." Trump is holding his first Cabinet meeting of his administration a meeting he says he hopes will be "historic." He tells his Cabinet members and reporters that he's working to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care law despite it "getting a false rep that maybe it's OK" when, as he sees it, "it's failed" and "imploding." Trump also says he's being updated about the powerful winter storm that's expected to hit the Northeast Monday evening. He says "everybody in government is fully prepared and ready" for the storm. And he's urging Americans to listen to local officials and take their advice about what to do. ___ 3 p.m. President Donald Trump has scheduled another campaign rally, this time in Louisville, Kentucky. Trump's campaign website says the president will speak the night of March 20 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Vice President Mike Pence visited Louisville on Saturday as part of the effort to sell a White House-backed health overhaul. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Nashville, Tennessee, this Wednesday his second since taking office. Press secretary Sean Spicer says the president is also planning to lay a wreath at President Andrew Jackson's tomb at his home, The Hermitage, during the visit to Nashville. Jackson's 250th birthday is being commemorated this year. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to visit Detroit to discuss job creation and the automotive industry with auto executives and workers. ___ 1:58 p.m. The White House press secretary says President Donald Trump will donate his presidential salary at the end of the year. And he says the president wants the media's help deciding where the money will go. Trump had said during the campaign that he planned to donate his $400,000 annual salary to charity. Press Secretary Sean Spicer tells journalists the president will give the money at the end of the year and would "love your help" to determine where it goes. He says, "The way that we can avoid scrutiny is to let the press corps" decide. Trump came under scrutiny following revelations that he appeared to have given relatively little to charity over the course of his career. ___ 1:50 p.m. President Donald Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl) has been postponed until Friday because of a coming winter storm. The two were supposed to meet at the White House on Tuesday. But the storm is bearing down on the Northeast and Washington could get a substantial snowfall. ___ 1:45 p.m. The White House says it expects the Justice Department to comply with a request to provide lawmakers with evidence on President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper. The House intelligence committee set a Monday deadline for the Justice Department to provide materials. White House spokesman Sean Spicer says he expects the department to meet the request. Trump tweeted his unproven accusation about President Barack Obama earlier this month. The president and his advisers have provided no evidence to support that claim and instead have asked congressional committees to investigate the matter. The House and Senate intelligence committees are investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign and contacts between Trump associates and Russians. ___ 1:40 p.m. White House press secretary Sean Spicer is defending President Donald Trump's mass dismissal of top federal prosecutors as standard practice. The Justice Department on Friday asked for all remaining 46 U.S. attorneys to submit their resignations. Manhattan federal prosecutor Preet Bharara had said after the election that Trump had asked him to stay on. But he, too, was dismissed on Friday. Bharara was fired after refusing to turn in his resignation. Trump had tried to call Bharara last week but the two men did not speak. Spicer said Monday "the president was calling to thank him for his service." It is routine for a new administration to ask for those resignations, though it usually happens at the start of the president's term. ___ 12:45 p.m. Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is asking a government ethics office to assess whether President Donald Trump's business dealings make his administration vulnerable to conflicts of interest. In a letter to the Office of Government Ethics, the Pennsylvania lawmaker says Trump's refusal to divest from his companies has exposed the administration to conflicts of interest on an "unprecedented scale." Casey asks whether any of Trump's foreign deals could violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. The clause prohibits U.S. officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign countries. The director of the ethics office, Walter Shaub, strongly criticized Trump for not divesting earlier this year. Shaub said Trump was breaking decades of tradition by presidents who set up blind trusts for their assets. ___ 12:05 p.m. President Donald Trump is comparing Barack Obama's health care law to the former president's popularity. Trump says of Obama, "when he left, people liked him. When he was here, people didn't like him so much." He says that's "human nature." Trump was speaking at a White House listening session with people affected by the health law. He says the media is making the current law look wonderful. While Trump claims Obama is less popular now, Gallup shows Obama's ratings actually rose at the end of his presidency from below 50 percent in 2015 to near 60 percent at the close of his term. Trump's approval ratings have fluctuated between 40 percent to 45 percent at the start of his administration. ___ 11:46 a.m. President Donald Trump is predicting that rates for health insurance will go "down, down, down" if Congress passes the House GOP health care bill. Trump says the number of plans available to consumers will go up with changes to the law. The president is meeting with about a dozen people affected by the Obama health care law at the White House. House Republicans are trying to dismantle Obama's law, but their plan to replace it has opposition within the GOP. Trump says even if Republicans don't do anything, "It's going to blow itself off the map." The meeting comes ahead of a Congressional Budget Office analysis that is expected to find that fewer Americans would be covered under the Republican plan. By AFP ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "supporting terrorists", in a spiralling row with EU states after the blocking of poll rallies by ministers. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television, accusing Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects. "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists," he added. Erdogan said Germany, which Turkey has long accused of harbouring Kurdish militants and wanted suspects from the failed July 15 coup, was "giving support to terror in a ruthless way". He also lambasted Merkel for her public backing of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the diplomatic crisis sparked by The Hague's refusal to let Turkish ministers hold rallies in the country ahead of an April 16 referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers. German authorities had also last week blocked rallies from taking place, infuriating Ankara. Referring to the developments across Europe in recent days, Erdogan reiterated his controversial comparison with the Third Reich. "Nazism, we can call this Neo-nazism. A new Nazism tendency," he said. ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "supporting terrorists", in a spiralling row with EU states after the blocking of poll rallies by ministers. "Mrs Merkel, why are you hiding terrorists in your country?... Why are you not doing anything?" Erdogan said in an interview with A-Haber television, accusing Berlin of not responding to 4,500 dossiers sent by Ankara on terror suspects. "Mrs Merkel, you are supporting terrorists," he added. Erdogan said Germany, which Turkey has long accused of harbouring Kurdish militants and wanted suspects from the failed July 15 coup, was "giving support to terror in a ruthless way". He also lambasted Merkel for her public backing of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the diplomatic crisis sparked by The Hague's refusal to let Turkish ministers hold rallies in the country ahead of an April 16 referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers. German authorities had also last week blocked rallies from taking place, infuriating Ankara. Referring to the developments across Europe in recent days, Erdogan reiterated his controversial comparison with the Third Reich. "Nazism, we can call this Neo-nazism. A new Nazism tendency," he said. Daily News reader photos: Harvest and moon Taken a great photo lately? Send it to YourPhotos@NewportRI.com and it could end up on the front page of The Daily News. Steve Douglas talks about weathering typhoon Bess on Wunder Beach in South Vietnam in 1969. At his home in Rantoul on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. An interview with Frederic Triebel, CSO, and Marc Voigt, CEO, Prima BioMed, conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab) Can you please give a brief history of immuno-oncology? Frederic Triebel: Immuno-oncology did not exist four years ago, it's a term coined by Dr. Axel Hoos, Head of the newly defined immuno-oncology department at GSK. He is also Senior Vice President Therapeutic Area (TA) and Head for Oncology R&D. Previously, it was referred to as cancer immunotherapy, but now it is called immuno-oncology (IO). How does cancer immunotherapy differ from immuno-oncology? Frederic Triebel: Cancer immunotherapy has been around for a century, a few products have been registered, like BCG, which was registered 30 years ago for superficial bladder cancer. Cancer vaccines have been part of the cancer immunotherapy field, but have not been particularly successful up to now. On the other hand, immuno-oncology refers mostly to antibody blocking, which involves blocking the three main targets CTLA-4, PD-1 and LAG-3, there are a few products that have been developed that target LAG-3. In 1990 you discovered Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3). Can you please explain the significance of this discovery? Frederic Triebel: In 1988 I cloned mRNA called LAG-1, LAG-2, LAG-3 etc. These were found to be expressed in T cells following cell activation. It took a few years to first develop antibodies to LAG-3 in order to study the function of the LAG-3 protein. I discovered that they had a high affinity for MHC class II molecules expressed on antigen presenting cells (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes..). MHC class II molecules are at the center of the immune response, there is for instance a strong linkage equilibrium between certain MHC class II alleles and the emergence of auto-immune diseases. That's why LAG-3 as a high affinity receptor for MHC class II molecules was particularly interesting and it is why I continued working on this. How much has our understanding of LAG-3 advanced since 1990? Frederic Triebel: In 1994, we published a paper showing that blocking LAG-3 with an antibody increased the T cell immune response. We originally held a patent for this but it now has ended. In 1996, we first tested the product we are working on now and by the end of the '90s, these different approaches targeting the LAG-3/MHC II interaction were already well described. Marc Voigt: All of the more modern approaches from the 80s and early 90s are still used today in immuno-oncology, in terms of the three big targets, PD1, CTLA-4 with approved products and LAG-3. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The three mentioned target that have become the forefront of intense clinical research has only happened in the last five or eight years. Product approvals have been leading to a paradigm shift in the way cancer patients are being treated and will be treated in the future. While it appears like a modern revolution to the outside world, the roots are rather old. Why is LAG-3 now the target of various drug development programs by pharmaceutical companies? Frederic Triebel: The focus on LAG-3 from pharmaceutical companies is likely to be due to its clinical success and results. Other targets like OX-40, GITR or Tim-3 have been disappointing and so only a few hundred patients have been treated. However, for anti-LAG-3 antibodies, more than 2,000 patients are currently enrolled or are going to be enrolled soon. This includes approximately 16 different clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies such as BMS, Novartis, Merck, Regeneron, Boerhinger-Ingelheim etc., they all have blocking anti-LAG-3 antibodies in the clinic. What do you think the future holds for immuno-oncology? Marc Voigt: In the future, one is going to see an even stronger trend in IO and there will be a continued increase in investment into this field across the board. The use of immuno-oncology drugs in conjunction with more traditional approaches, like chemotherapy is becoming an increasingly popular approach with many combination clinical trials taking place. Prima is the global leading LAG-3 company and you won't find any other company having as many different LAG-3 related programs. We are in later stage clinical development for our metastatic breast cancer chemo-immuno combination. Our mission and our goal is to play a vital role in this race even though we are of course smaller than big pharmaceutical companies. We hope to successfully continue our later stage clinical development and move towards registration of these products. What are Prima BioMeds plans for the future? Frederic Triebel: We want to extend the number of combinations. At the present time, we are testing two combinations, one in breast cancer and the other one in melanoma. And certainly more combinations to be tested in the future, it's only a question of funding. Marc Voigt: We have a clear mission to further develop in the IO field and also in auto-immune diseases. In the next three years, we will focus on clinical development, on later stage clinical trials. Where can readers find more information? Prima BioMed About Frederic Triebel and Marc Voigt Marc Voigt Chief Executive Officer Marc has more than 17 years of experience in the financial and biotech industry, having joined the Prima team in 2011 as the General Manager, European Operations based in Berlin, Germany. In May 2012, he became Primas Chief Business Officer and in November 2012 its Chief Financial Officer, as well as continuing to focus on its European operations. Having started his career at the Allianz Group working in pension insurances and funds, he moved to net.IPO AG, a publicly-listed boutique investment bank in Frankfurt where he was focused on IPOs and venture capital investments. Marc then worked for a number of years as an investment manager for a midsize venture capital fund based in Berlin, specialising in healthcare. He also gained considerable operational experience while serving in different management roles with Revotar Biopharmaceuticals, Caprotec Bioanalytics and Medical Enzymes AG, where he handled several successful licensing transactions and financing rounds. Frederic Triebel, MD Ph.D. Chief Scientific Officer & Chief Medical Officer Frederic Triebel, MD Ph.D., was the scientific founder of Immutep S.A. (2001) and served as the Scientific and Medical Director at Immutep from 2004. Before starting Immutep, he was Professor in Immunology at Paris University. While working at Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR), a large cancer centre in Paris, he discovered the LAG-3 gene in 1990 and in subsequent research identified the functions and medical usefulness of this molecule. He headed a research group at IGR while also being involved in the biological follow-up of cancer patients treated in Phase I/II immunotherapy trials. He was Director of an INSERM Unit from 1991 to 1996. First trained as a clinical haematologist, Prof. Triebel holds a Ph.D. in immunology (Paris University) and successfully developed several research programs in immunogenetics and immunotherapy, leading to 144 publications and 16 patents. An international team of researchers has conducted the first study of its kind to look at the genomic underpinnings of obesity in continental Africans and African-Americans. They discovered that approximately 1 percent of West Africans, African-Americans and others of African ancestry carry a genomic variant that increases their risk of obesity, a finding that provides insight into why obesity clusters in families. Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and their African collaborators published their findings March 13, 2017, in the journal Obesity. People with genomic differences in the semaphorin-4D (SEMA4D) gene were about six pounds heavier than those without the genomic variant, according to the study. Most of the genomic studies conducted on obesity to date have been in people of European ancestry, despite an increased risk of obesity in people of African ancestry. Obesity is a global health problem, contributing to premature death and morbidity by increasing a person's risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and some cancers. While obesity mostly results from lifestyle and cultural factors, including excess calorie intake and inadequate levels of physical activity, it has a strong genomic component. The burden of obesity is, however, not the same across U.S. ethnic groups, with African-Americans having the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity, said Charles N. Rotimi, Ph.D., chief of NHGRI's Metabolic, Cardiovascular and Inflammatory Disease Genomics Branch and director of the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health (CRGGH) at NIH. CRGGH examines the socio-cultural and genomic factors at work in health disparities - the negative health outcomes that impact certain groups of people - so they can be translated into policies that reduce or eliminate healthcare inequalities in the United States and globally. This is the first study to use a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to investigate the genomic basis of obesity in continental Africans, said Guanjie Chen, M.D., study co-lead and a CRGGH staff scientist. A GWAS compares the genomes of people with and without a health condition - in this case, people who are obese and those who are not -- to search for regions of the genome that contain genomic variants associated with the condition. Most previous studies on obesity using a GWAS have been conducted with populations of European ancestry; these studies wouldn't have found the SEMA4D genomic variant, which is absent in both Europeans and Asians. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today "We wanted to close this unacceptable gap in genomics research," Dr. Rotimi said. "By studying people of West Africa, the ancestral home of most African-Americans, and replicating our results in a large group of African-Americans, we are providing new insights into biological pathways for obesity that have not been previously explored," said Ayo P. Doumatey, Ph.D., study co-lead and CRGGH staff scientist. "These findings may also help inform how the African environments have shaped individual genomes in the context of obesity risk." Dr. Rotimi and his colleagues plan to replicate these findings in more populations and conduct experiments using cell lines and model organisms such as zebrafish to identify the role of genomic variants in SEMA4D in obesity and obesity-related traits. (The SEMA4D gene plays a role in cell signaling, the immune response and bone formation.) Available data show that the newly identified genomic variant overlaps a region of DNA called an "enhancer" that can be activated to increase the work of a particular gene, he said. They plan to conduct larger studies of DNA sequencing of this gene in different human populations with the hope of identifying other genomic factors that may be associated with obesity. "Eventually, we hope to learn how to better prevent or treat obesity," Dr. Rotimi said. However, as activists have pointed out, one of the most serious side effects of the injection is loss of bone density, it is mentioned as a warning on Depo-Provera, the brand name under which DPMA is sold in the United States as seen on the FDA website. These have often had unhappy consequences. The health ministry also had to table data on the mishaps that have happened in the programme, specifically its sterilisation drive. The data revealed that there had been 162 deaths from sterilisation drives in 2013-2014, 140 in 2014-2015 and 113 in 2015-2016. : Despite misgivings of health activists, the central health ministry remains committed to controversial injectable contraceptives for women.Union health minister JP Nadda, while answering questions in the Lok Sabha, listed injectable contraceptives as one of the new measures the Centre had taken for its family planning programme.The injections containing Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DPMA) were approved for the centre Family Planning Programme (FPP), by the Drug Technical Advisory Body in September 2016 making it the sixth contraceptive freely provided by the government, after female sterilisation, male sterilisation, IUDs, condoms, pills. Theyre also said to be the cheapest.The more immediate side effects range from menstrual irregularity, amenorrhea, weight gain, headaches, dizziness, decrease in sex drive, bloating, as mentioned in a series of reports and in a paper in the Economic and Political Weekly.In September 2015, long before DPMA got approved by the advisory body, 70 health organisations, activists and doctors, such as the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Sama, Action India, Delhi Science Forum, TARSHI, etc, wrote to the health minister detailing all such concerns.Yet, on Friday, when a series of questions about India's family planning programme came up, Nadda listed injectable contraceptives as one of the new measures being pushed out by the Centre this year, along with Mission Parivar Vikas.The focus of India's family planning programme has largely been on women-centric measures.There had been 3,767 failures in 2013-14, 5928 in 2014-15 and 7960 in 2015-16. The amount of complications in 2013-14 were 437, 134 in 2014-15 and 78 in 2015-16.The ministry also detailed its expenditure on family planning, Rs 69046.06 lakh in 2014-15 and Rs 77057.88 lakhs in 2015-16, centred mostly on 10 high focus states: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand. However, these amounts have also come under criticism.In June 2016, the Population Foundation of India released a study saying that India desperately needed to step up its family planning budget if it hoped to meet the pledged goal of covering 48 million new users by 2020. The Centre would need to spend nearly Rs 15,800 crore and more, during 2013-2020. Bengaluru: Kannada film producer Viresh arrested by police for allegedly molesting a girl. He was thrashed by girl's family before arrest. pic.twitter.com/LJxkQ2ojou ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 Kannada movie producer Viresh V was on Monday arrested for allegedly molesting a girl on the pretext of discussing a movie role in Bengaluru.Before his arrest, Viresh was beaten up by the parents of the girl.According to reports, Viresh allegedly tried to sexually assault the young girl when he called her to his home on the pretext of discussing a movie role.The girl reportedly escaped the room and was able to lock the producer in.She then called her family who thrashed Viresh.The entire incident was recorded on a mobile phone. Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir authorities placed top separatist leaders under house arrest in Kashmir on Monday to foil a sit-in called to highlight plight of prisoners in the Valley. Senior separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi were placed under preventive detention. While Mirwaiz Umer and Asiya Andrabi were placed under house arrest, Malik was shifted to the Central Jail. "Adequate deployments of police and Central Reserve Police Force have been made to maintain law and order in the city," police said. The sit-in called in Maisuma area adjacent to the Lal Chowk was to highlight plight of prisoners in different jails of the state. New Delhi: All paramilitary forces personnel have decided not to celebrate Holi on Monday as a mark of tribute to the 12 CRPF personnel who were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has issued orders that no "regimental function related to Holi celebrations" will be observed at any field formation. Personnel of sister forces like CISF, BSF, ITBP and SSB expressed their solidarity with the country's largest paramilitary force and announced that they too will not be celebrating the festival of colours in their respective establishments. "DG (Director General) expresses deepest gratitude to all Patriots for standing shldr2shldr with #ShaheedsOfSukma. Call Of Duty only religion for CRPF (sic)," the CRPF posted on Twitter. It said the gesture was to express "solidarity" with the family members of the slain men and that the directions are to be followed by the "entire force in letter and spirit". The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said, "Tributes to the brave martyrs of @crpfindia who made supreme sacrifice in Sukma. No Holi celebration by #ITBP." The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) posted its message on Twitter saying: "CISF Salutes to the Martyrs of CRPF @Sukma...Prayers for the CRPF Martyrs n their families #R.I.P.#No Holi Celebrations@CISF (sic)." Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, too, has said he will not celebrate the festival in view of the Sukma ambush. In one of the deadliest attacks on security forces this year, 12 CRPF personnel were killed and their arms looted when Naxalsambushed their patrol party in the Maoist hotbed of Sukma in Chhattisgarh on March 11. The slain personnel were cremated with state honours at their native places yesterday even as a team of senior Home Ministry officials led by Senior Security Advisor K Vijay Kumar and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia toured the ambush site on motorbikes on Saturday. The paramilitary forces, also called Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), work under the command of the Home Ministry and are tasked to render internal security tasks, border guarding duties and a host of other law and order duties. The character and the ethos of the Indian Army is largely dependent on the officer corps. The soldiers have an important task but officers are the leaders, and the ethos they display will determine how the nation views the Army. Today, there are two narratives which dominate any discussion about the Army. The first narrative is about corruption in the Army, of how officers are not looking after the needs of our soldiers, and the mistreatment of the sahayak. We might shake our heads and say that this is a campaign by uninformed people, primarily for TRP ratings. However, it cant be ignored because some respected people in society are also questioning the state of the Army. An eminent academician recently wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister asking him to clean the rot in the Army.There is a second, strong pro-Army narrative. It is seductive because it vociferously slams anything which questions the Army and, therefore, could appeal to some of us. But this narrative is equally harmful because it sometimes comes with political overtones, a position which the Army has deliberately avoided for good reasons. It also drags us into unnecessary controversy of whether we are attempting to camouflage our mistakes. We are the Army of the nation and have never claimed to be above scrutiny.As officers, past and present, it has now become important to convey the true picture of the Army. Why do I appeal only to the officers? Samuel Huntington, in his famous work The Soldier and the State, wrote, The enlisted men subordinate to the officer corps are part of the organizational bureaucracy but not of the professional bureaucracy. The enlisted personnel have neither the intellectual skills nor the professional responsibility of the officer corps. Written in 1957, this statement is today considered very controversial as it appears to downplay the role of soldiers, but there are shades of truth in it. I know I am opening myself to being accused of having a colonial mindset, but I think this needs to be clearly said.There is an insidious campaign about a fracture in officer-soldier relationship. There are whispers about how soldiers are being ignored in the OROP (One Rank, One Pension) and Seventh Pay Commission, and officers are only concerned about their own emoluments. The sahayak issue is too well known to warrant any explanation. We all need to come together to fight this extremely dangerous trend. The strength of the Indian Army lies in the relationship between the officers and men. Any talk of a breakdown in this area will only help our enemies. I do not say this to paper over the difficulties but because I firmly believe that there is no real problem in the extremely strong bond that currently exists between officers and men. Videos of a few disgruntled soldiers does not weaken that bond. Let us all collectively convey that in every forum.We also have to close ranks and present a united picture. Social media groups are abuzz with messages criticising senior leadership and the arms-services divide. This issue needs to be tackled on priority. We have to be able to resolve matters within the organisation without people resorting to appealing to courts and the Armed Forces Tribunal. An organisation like the Army which genuinely cares for its men, should not be seen as pitted against them in court. I believe that a transparent approach addressing concerns and aspirations of all sections of the Army is not difficult to find. I am aware that our Chief is seriously looking at these issues.Let us all come together serving and retired. There is little point in looking at the society and saying that the Army will only mirror these standards. We have our own ethos and values. Shashi Tharoor, in India, From Midnight to the Millennium, writes, the best of India can only be preserved by insulating the army from the pressures of the worst of India.We belong to one of the finest institutions in India. Today, when it is under increasing scrutiny, let us all work to uphold its honour and dignity. We owe it to the organisation we serve. BJP's legislature party leader will be N. Biren Singh;unanimously elected; will soon move to stake claim to form govt: Piyush Goel #Manipur pic.twitter.com/msj6BH5567 ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 Our official letter with sign of MLAs has been submitted, our stand is clear that we support govt led by BJP: NPP's Conrad Sangma #Manipur pic.twitter.com/8mgWAhkyBP ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 Thank Amit Shah ji,Modi ji & senior leaders; left Cong due to misgovernance, sure that BJP will give good governance to Manipur-NBiren Singh pic.twitter.com/QnxUXwNGgo ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 : Amid the ongoing tussle for power in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday named Nongthombam Biren Singh as its CM candidate for the hill state.Singh, an MLA from Heingang Constituency, will be the BJP's first Chief Minister in Manipur."Nongthombam Biren Singh was on Monday elected as the legislature party leader in Manipur and he will be party's chief ministerial candidate", said Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal.With 21 seats in the kitty, the BJP needed the support of almost all the non-Congress MLAs. Between Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswa Sarma, they managed just that. The Naga People's Front (NPF) had already said they would support a non-Congress government. Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) came in with all four MLAs, so did the lone MLAs from the LJP and the Trinamool Congress. And finally, when the BJP leadership drove in to meet the Governor, seen in Himantas car was the Congress MLA from Andro constituency, Shyamkumar Singh. He later said many more Congress MLAs were willing to cross over.Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said he would resign by Tuesday to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung Assembly following the just-concluded elections. "I will resign by tomorrow to facilitate the process of government formation," he told reporters in Manipur.Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah had earlier said that she could start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned.Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numberswith me," said Singh.The fine art of horse-trading which was once perfected by the Congress has come to haunt them again. In both Manipur and Goa, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party but is losing out to the BJP in the numbers game. New Delhi: Supreme Court Chief Justice JS Khehar has agreed to form a special bench to hear on Tuesday a plea filed by the Congress against BJP's Manohar Parrikar taking oath as Goa chief minister. The plea filed by Goa Congress legislature party leader Chandrakant Kavlekars plea challenges Governor Mridula Sinhas decision to invite the BJP despite the Congress emerging the single largest party, saying it goes against established constitutional practice. In a 40-member Goa Assembly, Indian National Congress (INC) had won 17 seats while BJP was trailing behind with 13 seats. But after candidates from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three Independents decided to support the party, BJP had 22 MLAs which was a majority in the house. Accordingly, Governor Mridula Sinha invited BJP to form government with Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister candidate. But Congress leader Kavlekar has now moved the apex court challenging the governors decision through advocate Devdatt Kamath, who is also the Additional Advocate General of Karnataka, as the case was mentioned for urgent hearing today evening. Despite the courts being closed for Holi, the Chief Justice has decided to set up a special bench to hear Kavlekars plea in which he has stated that in a hung Assembly, the Governor is duty bound to invite the largest party (Congress) to form the government". Kavlekar has cited the famous SC judgment in the case of Rameshwar Prasad which mandated that the single largest party gets the first chance to form the government. In Rameshwar Prasad and others versus Union of India, the governor of Bihar had dissolved the Assembly without convening it even once, at least for a floor test. The apex court struck this down as unconstitutional. Even the Sarkaria Commission recommendations have been highlighted to show that the recommendations were identical to the Rameshwar Prasad judgment". Kavlekar has maintained that the Governors decision to invite BJP to form government was against established constitutional practice. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi is set to argue the case on behalf of the Congress tomorrow in the top court. For the BJP, forming a government in Manipur is part of the dramatic turnaround of its fortunes in the Northeast, coming as it does after the stunning victory in Assam. In fact, the Manipur success can be traced back to the victory in Assam. This shift also suggested the change in perception in the state. Ibobi Singh, who appeared to be down and out till this moment, was able to work up some sort of resentment against the BJP in the valley. This was a make or break moment for the BJP. It was getting to be identified with the Nagas, and even if they swept the hills, it wouldnt have been enough for them to win the election. The valley and the adjoining areas counted for over 40 of the 60 seats in the Assembly. The fine art of horse-trading which was once perfected by the Congress has come to haunt them again. In both Manipur and Goa, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party but simply lost out to the BJP in the numbers game. It hurts them even more in Manipur as the master strategist for the BJP is the man who had once delivered Meghalaya, Assam and a number of northeastern states to the Congress. But the Congress couldn't accommodate his ambition.Thus, when former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi decided to groom his son Gaurav and not the de facto number two Himanta Biswasarma for the Chief Minister's job, the latter moved to the BJP. In a span of two years, he delivered Assam, managed Arunachal and now has pulled off Manipur.With 21 seats in the kitty, the BJP needed the support of almost all the non-Congress MLAs. Between Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswasarma, they managed just that. The Naga People's Front (NPF) had already said they would support a non-Congress government. Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) came in with all four MLAs, so did the lone MLAs from the LJP and the Trinamool Congress. And finally, when the BJP leadership drove in to meet the Governor, seen in Himantas car was the Congress MLA from Andro constituency, Shyamkumar Singh. He later said many more Congress MLAs were willing to cross over.An angry Ibobi Singh did a late night press conference, but his body language was too telling. Ibobi staked claim to form the government and asked the Governor to invite him first as the Congress was the single largest party. He also showed a letter from the NPP state leadership where the Manipur General Secretary wrote his party's support for the Congress. But this appeared too little, too late. The BJP had already paraded four NPP MLAs before the Governor along with the national president, Conrad Sangma.It was a heady evening for the BJP. The first-ever democratically elected BJP government had taken oath under Sarbananda Sonowal in Dispur, Assam. The Prime Minister and his entire Cabinet was witness to the gala swearing-in ceremony. There was a melee of reporters at the newly opened Taj Vivanta. The hotel had become the de facto headquarters of the BJP as the party top brass was staying there. That's when one of the backroom boys of Ram Madhav said he was flying off to Imphal the next morning. This reporter asked: Already? Pat came the reply: There isn't much time.Time was in short supply indeed. Manipur was up for polls in less than a year and, unlike most other states, there was virtually no network of the RSS or other Sangh affiliates on the ground. The BJP realised that building the party organically would not be the best option. Thus, after a quick study, they figured out there was palpable anger against Chief Minister Ibobi Singh. Three terms was a long time. Fatigue was visible in the administration and the effect on the voters was all too obvious.In 2012, while Ibobi swept Manipur, many attributed the defeat to the divided opposition. Thus, the Bharatiya Janata Party decided to build a platform for all the anti-Ibobi faces, leaders and legislators. The focus was to get leaders who were already popular, those who, over the last 15 years, had fallen out of favour with Ibobi Singh, but those who had individual popularity and charisma. Thus began the great 'house-warming' party. Leaders from the main opposition party, the Trinamool Congress, were the first to join. Then the dissident Congress leaders joined in. Most of the top leaders, including probable CM faces, have actually migrated to the party recently. Senior leaders of the BJP, be it N Biren, Y Erabot or O Chauba, had all been part of the Congress once.However, the party suffered a setback when one of their most visible faces, Jaikishan Khumukcham, who was with the Trinamool Congress earlier, was won over by the Congress. At the height of the Naga blockade and the violence during the counter blockade in the Imphal valley, he decided to join the Congress. He blamed the BJP's central leadership for not being able to stop the blockade by Naga groups. He echoed CM Ibobi Singh's statement that the Centre, which was in talks with the NSCN(IM), could have stopped the blockade if they wanted.The party saw itself in an unenviable position of being seen as anti-Meitei, a predominately caste Hindu community. Thus, the party decided to do a tight-rope walk. While the campaigning in Moreh, Ukhrul and other hill areas continued, in the valley, they only spoke about the issues people were fed up with. 'Fake-encounters', corruption, lack of drinking water and employment opportunities became the theme of the campaign.An advertorial blitzkrieg across all mediums was launched. This almost bordered over enthusiasm, as all the eight top dailies had a full-page advertisement a day before the election, a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The Election Commission took this very seriously and an FIR was registered against the local leadership and the newspapers. The top leadership of the party was para-dropped in the state and attempts were made to reach out to each of the communities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a successful rally. BJP chief Amit Shah, too, held a number of rallies, while Prakash Javadekar, the state in-charge, camped in. There was the duo of Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswasarma, fresh from the Assam success, trying to replicate the strategy here.The attempt was at giving a credible alternative to the Ibobi government while keeping the usual 'nationalistic' noises away. The Imphal valley, which has seen many insurgent groups demanding freedom, has a strong latent sense of Meitei nationalism. The BJP, which already found itself on the wrong side of the four-month-old blockade, feared a washout if it borrowed UP's blue print of a 'nationalist' campaign. Thus, it was all about presenting a credible option, a close re-run of the campaigns against the Congress-ruled states, which they have already captured and a campaign style that the party has almost perfected.Thus is the story of the BJP in Manipur. The battle has been fought, the results are out. From a zero in 2012 to 21 in 2017, it surely has been a satisfying journey. But knowing the leadership here, the eyes are already set on the hill state of Meghalaya, another Congress-ruled state, which Himanta understands very keenly. An alliance here with the NPP means the BJP has already cemented a strong ally in Conrad Sangma, whose political roots lie in Meghalaya's Tura hills. Beware Mukul Sangma, BJP is coming. "It was during the meeting that Ibobi Singh had staked claim to form the next government by showing a list of 28 Congress MLAs. He also claimed to have the support of four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs. The BJP leadership with their 21 MLAs, along with NPP president and four party MLAs, one Congress MLA, lone LJP and TMC MLAs had also met the Governor.The BJP had claimed that it enjoyed the support of 32MLAs in the 60-member assembly. "The Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, so as per the Constitution the single largest party should be called first to form the government and prove its strength on the floor of the House," he told reporters here. The state Congress leadership also accused the BJP of indulging in "horse trading." "They are trying to use money power to buy MLAs. This is not only unconstitutional but also a crime," state Congress general secretary Vidyapati Gautam said. : Amid outgoing Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam claiming that Congress must be allowed first to form the government in the state, Governor Najma Heptulla on Monday asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to submit his resignation immediately, so that the process of formation of the next government can be started."Ibobi Singh, along with deputy chief minister Gaikhamgam and state Congress president T N Haokip, had met the Governor last night. The Governor had asked Singh to resign immediately so that she can start the process of government formation," a highly placed source in the Governor's House said."As per rules, until and unless the present chief minister resigns, the process of formation of the next government cannot be started," the source said."On seeing the names of the four NPP MLAs on an ordinary piece of paper, Heptullah asked Ibobi Singh to bring the NPP president and the MLAs," the Governor House source said.The Governor said that it was her duty to cross check the claims and that she would not accept an ordinary piece of paper as a "letter of support" unless she meets the NPP MLAs, the source said.They also submitted a letter from the Naga People's Front (NPF) president regarding their support to the BJP to form the government, the source said, adding that the Governor is yet to invite any party for government formation.The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by the BJP 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, while the LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each.Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party meeting was underway at the Chief Minister's office where 27 MLAs were present, said Manipur state Congress general secretary Devrata Singh.Outgoing deputy chief minister Gaikhangam on Monday said the Congress, being the single largest party, must be allowed first to form the government.Gaikhangam also described as "completely baseless" the reports that several Congress legislators, including Shyam Kumar, were in touch with the BJP and expressed a desire to support a BJP government."The entire Congress is united and stand firmly behind Ibobi Singh. These reports of defection in the Congress are absolutely baseless and have been planted by the BJP to create confusion," he said.State BJP leader N Biren, however, denied the charges.Meanwhile, NPP general secretary Vivek Raj on Monday said that the party and all its MLAs firmly stood behind the BJP and would support a BJP government in the state."There is no question of supporting the Congress. We will support the BJP," he said. In 1986, Arif Mohammed Khan walked out the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet when the government gave into pressure from the clergy and reversed Supreme Court's Shah Bano verdict granting alimony to a divorced Muslim woman. Over the years he stuck to his conviction that secular parties blatantly playing the Muslim card would only harm the interests of the community. Now, with the BJP making a saffron sweep in Uttar Pradesh without fielding a single Muslim candidate, Khan feels it's time the community leaders understood the lesson. In an interview to News18's Eram Agha, Khan said non-secular parties played the Muslim card clumsily and that a suspected Muslim vote consolidation may have evoked a reaction from the majority community. Excerpts: The Prime Minister in his speech has promised to work for everyone those who voted for the BJP and those who didn't. The takeaway from this speech? Whatever Prime Minister has said is only reaffirmation of the statements that he made soon after forming the government at the Centre. I am glad he has further assured everybody that India is a democracy and in a democracy there are no winners and losers, but participants in a process that must result in the victory for India and our democracy. I am very happy that he has acknowledged the role of Indian women and I hope he would justify their trust by ensuring that all women irrespective of their religious affiliation are ensured equality and dignity as guaranteed by the Constitution and they are not allowed to be oppressed either by any law or customary practices. The Bharatiya Janata Party has got a majority in UP elections. On what lines were this election fought and won by the BJP? The BJP has got more than two-thirds majority. The issues highlighted in the election were many like the economic backwardness, development, low literacy rates etc. But the caste and community cards were equally in vogue. In fact, the media has reported about many caste and community conferences that were organised by different parties. The clerics were equally involved as they made appeals in favour of one or the other political party. The BJP was not in power in UP, so one can guess that they must also have devised their strategy to counter the ruling party. We have read media reports that the BJP fine-tuned their strategy for every succeeding phase of the election. A lot of things happened for the first time in 2017 polls but didn't take off well. There was the Congress-SP alliance.... Mayawati gave 99 tickets to Muslim candidates, but that didn't work either. Why? I personally feel the non-BJP parties played the Muslim card very clumsily. The tickets are given to candidates not on the basis of their religious affiliation but on their capability to win or help the party to win. Today, we have territorial constituencies, but the manner the parties wore the religious affiliation of the candidates on their sleeves was highly undesirable. Before the alliance between the SP and the Congress was finalised, the general impression was that Muslims, like other voters of different communities, were supporting more than one party and the likelihood of any polarisation on religious lines seemed difficult. But somehow after the alliance was forged, it was generally seen as a powerful move by the SP and the Congress to consolidate Muslim votes. Now, if anybody thought that this will not arouse reaction, then that was an error of judgement. Kalbe Jawwad in Lucknow tried to stitch together a coalition of Shia-Sufi Muslims across the state to defeat the SP and support the BSP. Bukhari came out in support of Mayawati's party. Mahmood Madani designed a Dalit-Muslim unity program to defeat the "fascist forces". What does the UP verdict say about the role of ulemas and do they have any sway over the Muslim electorate? India is a secular democracy and everyone has the right to support or oppose a candidate or a party. But when political appeals are made by people in their capacity as religious leaders, then it produces a vicious cycle of action and reaction which is not conducive to the growth of secular democratic ethos. It does not mean that people associated with religious work should not participate in elections. They have every right as citizens of India, but mixing religion with politics revives the bitter memories of the Partition which was demanded in the name of religion. Do you think the ulemas need to restrict their role in political domain? What is the right response to their political pronouncements? It is they themselves who can decide what role they should play. On one hand, many of them consider democracy and secularism as dirty words as the idea of sovereignty belonging to people is repugnant to the religious idea of sovereignty belonging to God alone, and on this basis they justify the non-democratic rule in some Muslim countries. In Pakistan, the clerics belonging to Deoband school had issued a fatwa during Bhuttos time that: socialism is disbelief (KUFR). Now as far as any religion is concerned, its values are universal, and cannot differ from country to country. How do politicians benefit from these pronouncements? Also, is there a case in recent times that rejected ulemas support? I find it very strange that the parties that claim to be secular feel no pangs in bending over backwards to secure support of the clerics and these clerics make appeals to the electorate in a manner that arouses fear and hatred in the mind of certain groups. Anybody using terms like 'fascist' for the political opponent is sad and does not help build a cordial atmosphere where, despite being competitors for power, we can rise above party to address issues that are vital to our national interests. Every passing election is proving that the cleric appeals are not yielding any benefit instead they create much stronger adverse reaction. In this matter, it is interesting to recall that during last election to Delhi Assembly, when a prominent cleric issued an appeal to support a particular party, the leader of that party promptly declined it, saying: we do not want your support. But there are some other parties who still view the clerics as effective instrument of voter mobilisation and see it not as contrary to their protestations about secularism. I feel very sorry for this state of affairs and I feel that there is urgent need to rescue secularism from these secular parties who are distorting it in every possible way. You recently said that after Partition it was the Shah Bano case that heightened communal sensitivity. What needs to change with the ulemas in the post-Shah Bano scenario? After the passage of the Act to reverse the judgment of the Supreme Court in Shah Bano case, I had said that we can make and change laws according to our requirements, but it would be difficult to put an end to the communal poison that has been injected into the body politic of India by the speeches made by Personal Law Board members. They demanded reversal of Supreme Court judgment to protect (MILLI TASHAKHKHUS) that separate community identity. This slogan of separate identity of MPLB was seen by many people as a revised version of separate nation theory of Jinnah and it was commented upon in the media. Further, like Jinnah, the MPLB also claims to be the sole spokesman of Muslims. If you read two books on the history of free India by Professor Bipin Chandra and Professor Ram Chandra Guha, then you see that both of them have described the movement against Shah Bano judgment as the political turning point. The editorials and articles published in leading papers in 1986 had also used very strong language to describe these developments. I feel that what all of us, including the government, failed to appreciate was the fact that the freedom of religion is guaranteed to all persons individually by the Constitution. But when the government accepted the interpretation of the Personal Law Board and accordingly enacted a law, it became applicable to all Muslims whether they agreed or disagreed with their interpretation. Logically speaking, this amounted to denial of freedom of religion to those who disagreed with the interpretation of MPLB. And strangely, only about two years later in 1988, the then president of the MPLB acknowledged that the new law they had secured after historic agitation failed to meet their demand and it proved to be Koh Kandan Kah Bar Awardan that is we dug the mount and found a mouse. How important is the 19-20% Muslim vote in Uttar Pradesh? There are attempts to consolidate the Muslim vote by politicians as well as community leaders. Do these efforts reap benefits for anyone? When we talk about consolidation of the votes of one community or caste, we flagrantly violate the spirit of the Indian Constitution. Do not forget that India had a separate electorate system. It is clear from the debates that the Constituent Assembly was clearly of the view that it was the system of separate electorate introduced by the British in 1909 that erected the walls of separation and ultimately resulted in demand to divide the country on religious lines. The Assembly took a conscious decision to abolish separate electorate to demolish religious separatism and abolished untouchability to demolish social seclusion. The political parties have a constitutional and moral obligation to promote the constitutional objectives and not act in a manner that undermines them. What does this verdict mean for the Uniform Civil Code and Muslims? I dont think this result of UP Assembly can be linked to Uniform Civil Code, which is the subject matter of the Union government. Since you have asked about Muslims also, let me say that the BJP government at the Centre is now more than two and half years old. Even earlier, the BJP had a government for six years under Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Honestly, I fail to understand this attitude of suspicion, mistrust and fear. Even if we do not wish to trust others at least take cognizance of the fact that India is a rule of law society and it is the only country outside Western hemisphere which has more than 70 years old full-fledged democracy with robust institutions and fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Let us realise that unlike under the colonial rule, free India is not a zero sum nation where one community can prosper only at the cost of the other. Today we are one nation and pace of our progress and development depends on our national unity, mutual respect and trust. Lucknow: When it forms the government in Uttar Pradesh after the landslide electoral win the Bharatiya Janata Party will be faced with a unique question at least on one front - who will be the minister in charge of Minority Welfare and Haj. The department directly deals with around 20 percent population in a state which has the largest number of Muslims in the country. The party which talks about 'sabka saath sabka vikas' has not a single Muslim member in the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council. In the just-concluded Assembly Elections in which the BJP bagged 324 seats along with allies, out of 403 seats, it had not given tickets to any Muslims. Out of 24-odd Muslim MLAs who have won, 17 are from the Samajwadi party, five are from the BSP, and two from the Congress. During the course of its electoral campaign, and subsequent to its landslide victory, the tone of the BJP leaders have been softer and more accomodative of the minorities. Leaders like union ministers Kalraj Mishra and Uma Bharti in their interviews to News18 earlier had emphasised the need for giving greater representation to Muslims. Kalraj even promised that "in the days to come, BJP will try and bring Muslims to Parliament and state assemblies through direct election." So, how will the BJP deal with this situation? Will it search for a Muslim face within the party? Afterall, in the past there were leaders like Aizaz Rizvi and her daughter Seema Rizvi who were the party's voice in the upper house and a minority face in the state cabinet. Even at present, BJP has leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Najma Heptullah who remain a minority face, though symbolic. Naqvi presently heads the department of Minority welfare and before him it was Najma Heptullah who bore this responsibility. BJP's state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak feels there is no reason to be concerned. "Why can't a person from a majority community head the department? After all a government is for all the people. It doesn't matter who heads a particular department, what's more crucial is how the department is handled," Pathak says. Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words at the post-poll celebratory meet in Delhi on Sunday, he says: "BJP government will work on Samta and Samanta, will work towards realising a vision for New India. The party is driven by the philosphy of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas." But getting a non-Muslim to head the department of Minority Affairs and Haj is not as easy as the BJP leaders make it out to be. The minister of the department is also the head of the Haj committee. Will BJP dare keep a Hindu in that seat? Prominent Islamic cleric and member of the All India Personal law board, Khalid Rashid Firangi Mehali, sounds concerned. He says,"The very spirit of Minority Welfare Department will be curtailed if a non-minority is appointed as head of the department. There are several issues which a person from the community can understand better." Brijesh Shukla, a senior journalist and someone who had covered BJP for long, recalls that even the BJP government of Kalyan Singh which came to power through the mandir movement had Aizaz Rizvi as a Muslim face. Aizaz headed the department of Minority welfare. Later on his daughter Seema Rizvi remained BJP's minority face for long, serving subsequent BJP governments in the state. "Earlier it was the era of Atal-ji. He always kept some options available. It was the reason why a section of Shia community in Lucknow remained warm towards the party. Today it's BJP of Amit Shah and Modi era, where such nitty grittys are probably ignored," Shukla says. Ankara/Rotterdam: President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad. Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities. The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. The Dutch government - set to lose about half its seats in elections this week, according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning. "I call on all international organisations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how. "Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul. "NAZISM WIDESPREAD IN WEST" A day earlier, Erdogan described the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and returned to the theme on Sunday by saying "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in what Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said were inflammatory remarks. "We ended up in a totally unprecedented situation in which a NATO ally...with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutter told reporters. Rather than the Netherlands apologising for refusing the Turkish ministers entry, Turkey's president should apologize for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, he said. The row risked spreading on Sunday as Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Yildirim this month due to the dispute. The French foreign ministry urged calm and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting in France between Cavusoglu and a local Turkish association. Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. DUTCH ELECTION The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to next week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV). Experts said it was too early to tell how events in Rotterdam might affect the election. "If there is any impact, however, it is likely that Geert Wilders and his PVV Party will profit most," said Leiden University professor of electoral research Joop van Holsteijn. After Turkey's family minister was escorted into Germany, Wilders tweeted: "go away and never come back". The Dutch government cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time". Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off both sites. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute. European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graff Lambsdorff demanded a ban on Turkish ministers campaigning in the EU. "The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he said. "The Dutch are showing how it is done, the German government pussyfoots around ... in that way Turkey can try to play one country off the other," he told Die Welt newspaper. UPDATE, TUESDAY A.M.: The overnight precipitation that seems likely to be the Lynchburg area's last round of winter weather before spring has led some officials to close or delay schools Tuesday. Amherst County Public Schools are closed, employee code 1. Nelson County Public Schools are closed. Public schools in Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties, as well as Holy Cross Catholic School, will open on a two-hour delay. Central Virginia Community College will open at 9:30 a.m. Virginia Department of Transportation officials warn drivers this morning to watch out for slicky and icy spots on the roads, especially at higher elevations where the temperature is lower. The wintry mix of precipitation is expected to continue this morning. Tuesday's temperature is forecast to reach a high of 45 before dropping to 19 Tuesday night. MONDAY: With varying winter weather predictions for tonight into Tuesday, officials have taken a few precautions and urge drivers and residents to do the same. Well be on the lighter side of this system, really, said Andrew Loconto, meteorologist with the National Weather Services office in Blacksburg. As you advance further north and west, thats where the greater impact would be. Earlier forecasts had predicted rain for the area. Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell and Nelson counties and the city of Lynchburg are under a Winter Storm Advisory until 2 p.m. Tuesday, while Amherst County and western Nelson County are under a Winter Storm Warning for the same time frame. Loconto said that as of about 9:15 p.m., there had not been reports of accumulation, and precipitation was a mix of rain, snow and sleet at times. He said by 1 to 2 a.m., they were expecting things to change over to steady snow, which would continue overnight and into morning commutes Tuesday. Lynchburg and immediately surrounding areas should expect total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches, while higher elevations in Amherst County could see 4 to 6 inches Nick Fillo, meteorologist with the National Weather Services Office in Blacksburg said. He also said higher elevations in western Nelson County could see 5 to 8 inches, with the possibility of 9 inches in certain places. Even after any rain and snow has ceased, lower temperatures and refreezing water could cause road hazards. Temperatures will reach lows in the 20s Tuesday. The highs Wednesday will hover around freezing. Paula Jones, Virginia Department of Transportation district spokeswoman, said crews had spread brine on roads last week in preparation for forecasts of a weekend storm that didnt hit the area. Though the brine can work for a number of days, she said, rain can wash the treatment away. We have to prepare for snow, sleet and freezing rain, as well as rain. We will respond accordingly to whatever we get, she said. Even with areas that dont see snow, Jones said skeleton crews will be prepared to address local icy roads. She said with the low temperatures, workers are expecting a multi-day event. Lynchburg street crews dont spread treatments the way VDOT does, but city Public Works Director Clay Simmons said workers loaded up plows and spreaders with salt and liquids Friday in preparation for the weekend forecast that changed. Its bounced around a lot over the weekend, and these things sort of evolved over time, he said. He said therell be anywhere from 30 to 35 staffers working the first shift for the storm, with staff working overnight. He said vehicles will be working on roads during the storm. Crews narrow their focus to primary and secondary roads during winter weather events with less than two inches of precipitation, he said, addressing residential roads later on. In a news release, the city advised residents to avoid travel if possible and use extra caution while driving. A Virginia State Police news release states all available troopers and supervisors will be working before and during the storm. The agency advised drivers to take precautions by using headlights, traveling slowly, maintaining safe following distances and leaving home prepared. Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency at 2 p.m. today in preparation for heavy snowfall in the northern parts of the state. A Goodview man has been charged with eluding police, possession of marijuana, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license after a car chase that led to the death of a Carroll County Sheriffs deputy. Lt. W. R. Lyons tried to stop a sedan traveling south on Interstate 77 in Carroll County at about 9:50 p.m. Thursday, according to Virginia State Police and Carroll County Sheriffs Office news releases. Radar had detected the car traveling at 87 mph in the 65 mph zone. Lyons pursued the car and was assisted by a Virginia State Police trooper and Curtis Allen Bartlett, a Carroll County sheriffs deputy. Traveling west on Route 58 near the intersection of I-77 with lights and sirens on, Bartletts vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer. Bartlett, 32, was wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. The tractor-trailer driver was not injured. The pursued car hit a fence and stopped in a yard, the Carroll County release states. Joseph A. Lambert, 21, was identified as the driver and arrested without incident after fleeing his car on foot. Lambert is being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail without bond and is set to appear in Carroll County General District Court on May 5, according to online court records. Bartlett was traveling with K9 Tyco, a German Shepherd. Tyco was taken to a veterinary office with minor injuries. Officials are putting the finishing touches on the Smith Mountain Lake Water Treatment Plant on Radford Church Road in Moneta. Beginning March 20, the Bedford Regional Water Authority will be sending water from the lake to customers in the town of Bedford, BRWA communication coordinator Megan Aubrey said. We are hoping that no one even really notices the change; thats our plan, she said. On March 20, the authority will begin pulling water from the lake slowly but only at 100,000 gallons per day. The town needs 1 million gallons per day. The authority is mixing the water from the lake with water from Stoney Creek Reservoir, its current water source in northern Bedford County. That process began earlier this month. Forest customers should have service by May, when the new plant is fully up and running, Aubrey said. An open house on the new plant is planned for May 11 at the facility. Construction along Virginia 122 and U.S. 460 for the plant and waterlines began in November 2015. The raw-water pipeline runs BRWAs water intake in the High Point subdivision to the water-treatment plant site. Construction along Virginia 122 is complete, but progress still continues along U.S. 460, making the connection between Bedford and Forest. Getting water to the site was a first big step in completing the construction of the water treatment plant, BRWA Executive Director Brian Key said in December. The water treatment plant purified the water and sends it through 20 miles worth of pipe, which is from the lake to the town along [Virginia 122] and from [Bedford] to Forest along [U.S.] 460. The facility is being constructed through Black & Veatch and Overland Contracting Inc., with CHA Consulting serving as a local representative for the project, Key said. Cost of the nearly $14 million water treatment plant is shared by BRWA and the Western Virginia Water Authority. Both agencies will draw water for their respective systems. The BRWA has a total of 13,000 service connections, and the Western Virginia Water Authority has about 159,000 residential and commercial accounts. The new facility is a 3 million gallon per day treatment facility that can be expanded to 6 million gallons per day within the framework of the new building, according to Key. The original facility, owned by BRWA, is a 1 million gallon per day facility of which 400,000 gallons per day are allocated to the Western Virginia Water Authority. Right now, membranes that treat the water are being installed at the new plant, and staff is being trained on how the new facility works. While it is very similar to the current plant, everything is new, Aubrey said. Aubrey said the authority wants to give customers an advanced warning about the water and that there is a change, but they shouldnt notice any difference. We want it to be a smooth transition, and we hope they turn on the tap and drink the water theyre used to, she said. Sherman Shiffletts father was a true mountain man: rugged, resourceful and resilient. Born in a log cabin on top of a mountain in Rockingham County, Harvey Shifflett wasnt what youd call book smart he didnt attend school past the second grade and he could barely sign his name but he was plenty sharp. He could do math without pencil and paper, and he kept his family fed, even in the leanest times. He was brainy in the ways of living, and when he put his mind to it he could figure out how to do just about anything. However, he could never quite come to grips with living off the mountain. His was among the hundreds of families forced from their homes in the 1930s to make way for Shenandoah National Park as state authorities used eminent domain to acquire private property that would be turned over to the federal government for the park. After leaving Rockingham in 1933, the Shiffletts settled in the foothills of Albemarle County, but Harvey Shiffletts heart never relocated. Decades later, still bitter at the way his family had been treated and still longing for his mountain home, he would have his children drive him to the park on weekend mornings where he would sit for hours on one of the stone walls along Skyline Drive not far from his old home place. The old man spent the time whittling, watching the tourists drive by and soaking in the beauty that once was his. My dad wasnt upset about the money. He was upset about the way they were treated; he said they were treated real shabbily, said Sherman Shifflett, 74, who was born after the family moved to Albemarle, though his four oldest siblings were born on the mountain. Shiffletts father was told later their home had been burned to the ground, a common practice to discourage former residents from returning or squatters from settling in. Several generations had been up there on top of the mountain, said Shifflett, now retired after a career in teaching and administration at Louisa High School, old family photographs scattered about his kitchen table during an interview at his Louisa home. They were fiercely independent. They worked hard. They eked out a living. My dad never stopped talking about it. He was really hurt. He never got the mountains out of his system. *** The story of the people who lost their homes in the creation of Shenandoah National Park was largely untold or poorly told for years and is now fading from view altogether as the youngest of those forced from the mountains are well into their 80s. The Blue Ridge Heritage Project is breathing new life into the story of displacement although Sherman Shifflett says his father never used the term displaced to describe his experience, believing evicted better captured the feeling by promoting the development of a monument site in each of the eight counties where land was acquired. The monuments will recognize those who were displaced and educate visitors about the lives and culture of the people who dwelled in the mountains. The first monuments went up in Albemarle and Madison counties. The Rappahannock monument will be dedicated in April, while ones in Page and Greene are in the works with Augusta, Rockingham and Warren to come. The monuments are being developed by committees within each county that will oversee site selection, design and fundraising. The monuments will differ slightly in terms of materials and construction, but the focal points of each will be a stone chimney. The symbolism is quite intentional, said Bill Henry, who founded the nonprofit Blue Ridge Heritage Project. If you go up in the park today, youll find quite a few chimneys still standing, Henry said. The first chimney I came across in the backcountry was a very powerful experience. I didnt know the whole story back then. It was like, Wow, somebody lived here. Once I learned about the people being evicted and the houses being burned the chimneys left standing really had a lot of meaning to me. The chimneys show the determination and spirit of the mountain people. Henry, a retired school teacher, has no personal connection to the displaced people. He became interested in their story when he began attending meetings of The Children of Shenandoah, a group of descendants of the displaced that was formed in 1994. Their mission was to preserve the heritage of their ancestors, in part, by encouraging the park to more fully tell their story to visitors in a way that wasnt demeaning, which they felt was the tone of earlier narratives. Henry, who grew up in Fairfax County and regularly visited the park with his family, went to the meetings because he was interested in learning about the parks history. I started going to hear the speakers, and then I got to wondering why all these people were so damn angry, he recalled. *** Lisa Custalow, who co-founded the descendants group with her husband, Curtis King Custalow, acknowledged there was considerable anger. Her mother was born on High Top Mountain and she was not even school age when her family had to leave their home. Custalows grandparents rented their home, so they werent compensated for their trouble. I remember as a young child I would ask my mom, Why did you have to leave the mountain? recalled Custalow, who grew up in Charlottesville and still lives there. She would become quiet. She would have tears in her eyes, and she would say, When the government tells you you have to go, you have to go. That was my signal to be quiet because you dont want to make Mama sad. As she grew older, Custalow would stop at the Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center, where the exhibits put the most positive spin on the story of how the park was created, but in doing so cast a negative light on the mountain people. What we were angry about was the truth wasnt being told, Custalow said. You cant take the park back. We could never move back. But at least we wanted the truth to be told about our families and how they lived. The Children of Shenandoah got the attention of park officials, and the two entities worked to revamp the exhibits and videos, focusing considerable attention on the experiences of the people who were displaced. Depending on your perspective, those who developed the park might not come off looking so swell. Claire Comer, an interpretive specialist for the park assigned to the visual media department, said The Children of Shenandoah was a fantastic partner for us to get that perspective. The collaboration, she said, was part of an ongoing effort by the park to tell the story very comprehensively and objectively. We wanted to just present the facts and let people draw their own conclusions, Comer said. Its made for wonderful discussion for school groups and visitors alike: What is the greater good? What about eminent domain? Is it a good or bad thing? Is the end result of the park worth the heartache of those people who were displaced? This is really a story of colliding passions, she said, noting that on one side were those who wanted to preserve the beauty of the area while establishing a viable economy that was not an extracting industry, namely tourism, while on the other were the people who called the mountains home. Comer brings an empathy to the story as her family also was touched though in not such a dramatic way: Her great-grandfather had to sell his mountain land that he used for grazing cattle in the summer. He had to give up a cabin, though not his family farm, which was nearby but not on land that became part of the park. Still, she understands the sense of place and loss that infuses the feelings of descendants of the displaced. Thats why she considers her work incorporating a more complete account a really fulfilling part of my career. Having come from the local area, it was really a great thing for me to have the opportunity to tell that story, she said. Custalow is extremely pleased with how the park responded, but said her groups biggest accomplishment might have been inspiring Henry someone without a personal stake in the issue to take an interest in their efforts and carry it forward. *** Having sensed the pain that was still palpable among descendants, Henry thought more could be done to honor the displaced. He began working on the idea for the Blue Ridge Heritage Project in 2012 asking Custalow to serve on the board and eventually proposed a single site with eight monuments. Later, a monument in each county was suggested, making the logistics more complicated but the final result more compelling, he said. One of the things Ive learned is its not just one story, but its thousands of stories, Henry said during an interview on a cold, blustery day at the Madison monument next to the now-closed Criglersville Elementary School on Old Blue Ridge Turnpike, which in the days before the park was a main thoroughfare over the mountains to the Shenandoah Valley. They had different experiences, and they had different ways of dealing with it. Everybodys family saw their part of it, and quite often they dont know how big this was, which is one thing thats really great about having eight counties with eight sites. Jim Lillard led the effort for the Madison monument, having picked out the fieldstones that went into the building of the chimney. His family goes back centuries in the area, several of his ancestors having fought in the American Revolution, and his grandfather had to abandon his 154-acre farm. It made Lillard feel better when he searched the records and discovered his grandfather had been offered $1,700 by the state, held out for $2,117 and wound up buying a 216-acre farm with a two-story house elsewhere in Madison for $2,000. Asked if he was gratified to have the first monument in Madison, he replied, I surely am. *** As one of the first national parks in the East when it was established in 1926, Shenandoah presented challenges the park system had not encountered in the open spaces of the West on land already owned by the government namely residents. It wasnt entirely the park systems fault. It had been led somewhat astray by local promoters of the notion of a national park in the Blue Ridge, including a local businessman who operated the Skyland Resort (in what is now the park). Park advocates submitted a questionnaire to the search committee scouting out possible locations that described the mountain land as pristine and uninhabited. Though not crowded, the area was far from uninhabited. A census taken in 1934 showed approximately 435 families needed to be relocated before the park was dedicated in 1936, but the NPSs Comer said no one is sure of the total number of people who were displaced in the decade between when it was authorized and when it was dedicated. County records show landowners who were paid for their property, but those who were tenant farmers or migrant workers or simply didnt have a legal deed as those who had lived for generations in a remote area might certainly not have were not compensated at all. Some sold willingly, while others resisted to the end. A few older residents were given life rights to live out their days in their homes. Everyone else was ushered out, sometimes with eviction notices and a visit from local law enforcement. The people scattered. Some traveled a few miles into the foothills to settle, while others relocated in far-away places such as Baltimore, where jobs were more plentiful. The government established resettlement communities in several counties for those with no place in particular to go, charging a monthly rent in a sort of rent-to-own arrangement. Larry Lamb, who helped get the Albemarle monument constructed and also serves on the Greene monument committee, has family ties to residents displaced in four counties. The Blue Ridge Heritage Project is important, he said, because most people who visit the park today have no understanding of how it was created or the lives it adversely affected. It lets people know that part of the story, he said. Lamb, 65, who retired as a service engineer in the University of Virginia radiology department and lives in Albemarle, said he harbors no hard feelings toward the park, which hes been visiting since he was a child. Ive always loved it, he said. He has hiked into the backcountry, visiting family gravesites and the remains of a log building at the farm where his great-great-grandparents lived. When you get up there, its unbelievably beautiful, he said. Those mountain people knew how to pick sites to build their homes. They were very smart. An old Marine told me that Marines guard Marines from the other side. And when one of their brothers is being threatened, the Devil Dogs (aka Marines) will go wild on them for eternity. Yes, but what about the sisters? Do the Devil Dogs protect them, too? What about the female Marines whose nude photos were posted to a Facebook group where comments ranged from raunchy to suggestions of violence? Do women Marines count in the Devil Dogs lore? The questions arise as the Defense Department begins an investigation into recent revelations about the Facebook group, Marines United, which the Associated Press reports was comprised of active-duty and retired male Marines along with some Navy Corpsmen and Royal British Marines. Some of the nude shots were grabbed from Instagram, which mostly prohibits nudity. Others were shot surreptitiously. Most were passed along a testosterone-rich grapevine. More than two dozen active-duty women in the photographs were identified by their rank, full name and location. Needless to say, the women were horrified to learn that they had been sexually objectified by their peers. One said the scandal had ruined her Marine experience and that she wouldnt re-enlist. One active corpsman said hed seen the photos on the Facebook page, which also provides news and support, but wasnt interested and skipped over them. He didnt find the collection surprising, however, likely given his generations comfort with nudity in all its forms. The young women who knowingly had their photos taken apparently thought that viewers would be of their own choosing. One can imagine, however, that a libidinous corpsman (pardon the redundancy) who discovers a picture of a semi-nude or nude female Marine might be inspired to share it. Isnt sharing the operative terms in todays narcissistic, show-and-tell-all culture? The difference and the distinction, however, is that the Marines United boys club basically stole the images and used them without the subjects consent. Marines being Marines? Or are they guilty of something more sinister, potentially deserving court martial? To the civilian mind, the answer is rather simple: The Pentagon, now fully infiltrated and indoctrinated by modern feminists, has decided to put women in combat (thank you, President Obama). Therefore, women must be treated as men. But what about the vice-versa? Must men be treated as women? That is, should they be trained to be more sensitive? If so, can you simultaneously create sensitivity in the desensitizing, killing culture that breaks down an 18-year-olds humanity and instills in him an instinct for extreme brutality? Put another way, how stupid are we? Theres a reason we say in times of great peril, Send in the Marines, and its not because of the few brave, committed women among them. But try to find someone in todays military willing to say so. Older vets with nothing to lose will sometimes open up. Two of my regular Marine correspondents, Jack and Russ, both of them Vietnam vets, explained the culture that creates killers and how this environment isnt conducive to civilian norms. Jack, who told me the afterlife story, is my brother. Russ is a retired Methodist minister who counsels veterans navigating post-traumatic stress disorder. Neither they nor I intend to justify the Facebook group but rather aim to illuminate the mindset that might have led to it and the misunderstandings that create havoc. Hollywood makes this s- up, says Jack in his best French. I never saw a Marine shed a tear for lost buddies. Now in the Middle East, these guys have f breakdowns and unit ceremonies and all that s-. In Vietnam, your buddies put you in a body bag, a chopper flew your dead a to Da Nang and off you went on a jet back home. It aint Hollywood. It is stinky, bloody, sweat-soaked, soil-your-britches killing and being killed. You push that cr down so far in your guts that it comes out 50 years after the job is done. Thats PTSD. Russ explains the culture in somewhat more polished terms. Marines embrace the warrior archetype more than other branches. The shadow of this is patriarchy, misogyny and brutality. We are trained to be killing machines, deadening all emotion except anger. Were told we dont have the luxury of sensitivity, so we objectify everything, including women. Still, hes optimistic, saying that we need to return to the embodiment of the hero archetype in the medieval knight. Aggressiveness can be coupled with honor, nobility and compassion. Maybe so. But knights typically didnt joust with women, which may be the most salient inference. That said, chivalry has a place here. An apology to the women who exposed themselves to the few, not the proud, would be appropriate both as gesture and punishment. Parker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Washington Post. Email her at kathleenparker@washpost.com. Student debt load 'unsustainable' As Liberty University continues to grow, several important trends have emerged regarding student loan defaults as well as the assets of the university. The most recent data from 2013 show that for that year, LU has more students in default within a couple of years (2,813) than the combined total (2,418) of these schools: Averett, Bluefield, Bridgewater, William and Mary, Christopher Newport University, Richard Bland, Eastern Mennonite, Emory and Henry, Ferrum, Hampden Sydney, Hampton University, Hollins, Longwood, Lynchburg College, JMU, Mary Baldwin, Marymount, Norfolk State, ODU, Radford, Randolph Macon, Randolph, VCU, Roanoke, Shenandoah, Sweet Briar, Richmond, UVa, Mary Washington, GMU, VMI, Virginia Tech, Virginia State, Virginia Union, Virginia University of Lynchburg and W&L. Liberty has more defaulting students than this group of 36 schools together. The data is published on this federal Department of Education website, http://bit.ly/2mJPBeM, and can be accessed by entering Virginia in the State field. The other 36 schools have almost twice the number of students paying back their loans (about 50,000 paying) as LU (28,000 paying). The 36 Virginia schools have a total enrollment of about 253,000 in comparison to a reported enrollment at LU of about 96,000. Liberty students borrow from the government at 1.5 times the rate as students in the other 36 Virginia schools, and default at about twice the rate. While it is true that Libertys default rate continues to be slightly below the average in the nation, this includes higher-default institutions like community colleges, for-profit online operations and trade schools like programs in cosmetology and massage. So it is not fair to say that Liberty students default at a much higher rate than average borrowing students nationwide. It is fair to compare LU borrowers to those that attend other schools in Virginia that readers know well. Meanwhile, the LUs net assets have grown from about $93 million in 2004 to $1.8 billion in 2014. Could Liberty University spend more to help the struggling students? Could Liberty University counsel prospective students out of taking on debt they cant pay back? LU, its students and its faculty and staff have always been assets to Lynchburg. Much of the money borrowed by local students is spent locally. LU is now an important part of the American educational landscape, and will continue to be. Liberty is full of hard-working and principled students and faculty. Among these dedicated faculty, staff and students, where is the criticism of this trend of saddling students with unsustainable debt and requiring taxpayers to pick up the tab? ROB VAUGHN Lynchburg In barely four years, Avail Vapor LLC has grown to become the largest U.S. retailer of electronic "vaping" devices, commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes. The Chesterfield County-based company recently opened its 100th retail store specializing in selling the battery-powered devices, which have flooded the U.S. and international markets in numerous forms over the last few years, gaining customers who use them as an alternative to conventional tobacco products. Sales in the e-cigarette industry could exceed $4 billion in the United States this year, according to industry stats. "This industry is growing so fast, and it literally started only four or five years ago," said James Xu, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Avail, which has opened vape shops from Michigan to Georgia. While many e-cigarettes sold at convenience stores are cheap and disposable, Avail is among the companies that specialize in selling more expensive but longer-lasting, rechargeable and re-fillable vaping devices. Now, Avail Vapor is investing heavily in an effort to keep thriving as the electronic cigarette market faces more regulatory scrutiny. Avail and other e-cigarette makers and retailers are scrambling to respond to regulations imposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that require e-cigarette businesses to conduct tests and report detailed information on their products, which will have to be submitted to the agency for approval to remain on the market starting in mid-2018. Before the new FDA regulations were announced last year, Avail already was tripling the size of an analytical laboratory at its corporate headquarters on Southlake Boulevard in Chesterfield. The company outfitted the lab with equipment such as liquid and gas chromatograph spectrometers and a "puff" machine designed to mimic what happens when a person inhales from a vaping device. The company also has hired chemists to conduct tests and analyze its products, and it has hired a regulatory compliance team to meet the FDA rules. Xu said the company did so in anticipation of the FDA requirements, and also because it wants to be a standard-setter for the industry. "We've positioned ourselves so we can grow," he said. "Sooner or later, people are going to demand this kind of quality. Long-term, the way to survive in this industry is to set your standards high. Avail also has become a leading maker of e-liquids - or "juice," as many fans of vaping call it. E-liquids are the bottled mixtures of glycerin, propylene glycol, flavorings and nicotine extract that e-cigarette users - "vapers," as they like to be called - put in the devices, which heat the concoction into a vapor that is inhaled. Avail produces about 130 varieties or flavors of e-liquids, which also have to go through an FDA-mandated testing process. Visitors to the Avail Vapor retail shop that adjoins the headquarters office on Southlake Boulevard can observe through a windowed wall as thousands of small bottles of juice - each with a tamper-proof top - move through the production line. Visitors also can see the analytical lab. *** The FDA regulations are aimed at bringing a measure of oversight to products that have mostly lacked it, though many in the e-cigarette industry argue that the requirements are prohibitively costly, vague at best, and impossible to meet at worst. "It's like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole," said Larry Flick, a representative of the American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association, an advocacy group for the e-cigarette industry that has been pushing for action by the Trump administration or Congress to roll back the FDA requirements. When the FDA announced in May that electronic cigarettes would be put under the same regulatory umbrella that the agency has over cigarettes, officials compared the unregulated e-cigarette market to "the wild, wild West," and cited rising teenager use of the products as a reason for stricter rules. The agency gave e-cigarette and e-liquid makers who already had products on the market a two-year window to continue selling them, but they must conduct a long list of tests and submit them to the agency by 2018 to keep the products legal. The FDA wants reports on product ingredients, manufacturing processes, shelf life and labeling, along with tests for harmful or potentially harmful constituents such as chromium, benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, lead and nickel, among others. The FDA also wants companies such as Avail to submit tests on the behavioral impacts of vaping devices and e-liquids, such as how consumers perceive the health risks of particular products, and whether differences in packaging size can results in changes in consumption, and whether tobacco users might be likely to use a vaping device instead of quitting, or if they use it in combination with conventional tobacco products. Flick said the testing requirements are onerous and most e-cigarette businesses don't have the resources to do them and might simply decide to quit. Companies such as Avail, he said, are gambling that their investments in testing will pay off with product approvals from the FDA. "It just makes me sick to my stomach to see people spending millions of dollars on an attempt to meet a process that was designed to not let anybody through it," Flick said. Proponents of e-cigarettes argue that the products contain far fewer toxins than traditional tobacco products and should be treated differently. The FDA has acknowledged that alternative nicotine-delivery products such as e-cigarettes could be less risky, but it says much more scientific evidence is needed on the health impact. Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, told tobacco industry representatives at a conference in Williamsburg last year that the agency must balance what is known about vaping products with what is not known. "Nobody knows the answer to the question, at a population level, of whether the impact of e-cigarettes will be positive or negative, " he said. *** Xu and Avail Vapor's chief operating officer, Russ Rogers, agree that the e-cigarette industry needs regulation to promote safety and weed out bad actors, but they say that the FDA requirements are not clear enough. Xu chuckles when asked what the FDA rules - as they stand now - mean for the business. Nothing is clear; It is very vague, he said. "We know it will cost millions." In fact, Xu pegged Avail's cost of complying with the FDA requirements at about $10 million. The number of tests to do the (FDA approvals) for the number of products we have is in the tens of thousands," Rogers said. "So this (lab) equipment is going to be running day and night over the next year to generate the data we are going to need. It is a huge undertaking of both people and equipment. Rogers said he expects that FDA regulation may lead to consolidation in the industry, which could give Avail an opportunity to grow as a contract manufacturer and laboratory services provider. As the deadline for FDA approval approaches, many makers of e-cigarette products will face a critical choice, he said: Should they invest in the type of testing infrastructure that Avail has, or should they look to contract it out to a company like Avail? Avail is already doing some contract e-liquid production and lab work, he said. "That is turning into a bit of a niche, and maybe an unexpected windfall," he said. Bobby Haller, the owner of Vaperz Advantage, a vape shop in Sandston, said he has a contract manufacturer who makes his brand of e-liquid called Invazion, which is distributed to retailers nationally. His contract manufacturer is responsible for doing tests and submitting them to the FDA, but Haller said he is trying to take on some of the burden of the costs, too. He, too, thinks the FDA rules are not clear, and he says most of the ingredients in e-liquids are already approved by the FDA for other uses. "This could be a long-term very lucrative industry that could continue to thrive, provided the government overreach isnt ridiculous," he said. *** With the investments it is making to prepare for the FDA requirements, Avail Vapor is slowing its previously rapid pace of retail store expansion. "Right now we are at 100 stores," Xu said. "Last year, we added 38 stores. This year, we will grow by maybe 10 stores." The company's 100th shop, in Alexandria, is one of 30 in Virginia. It has eight locations in the Richmond area and one in Lynchburg, on Wards Road across from Walmart. The company employs about 500 people, including retail staff. About 70 work at the Chesterfield headquarters and production site. Vape shops also have been impacted by FDA regulations that have restricted free sampling of e-liquids, which are typically sold in a huge variety of flavors. Sampling has been one of the major amenities offered by retailers such Avail. To comply with the FDA rules on sampling, Avail has started a rewards program for customers that includes a $1 fee for unlimited tastings. That's the same approach being used by Jay Taylor, owner of Voltage Vapin', a Chesterfield County vaping shop. Taylor is president of the Virginia Smoke Free Association, a trade group for electronic retailers in the state. Because of the FDA rules, retailers can no longer tell customers that e-cigarettes might help them quit smoking conventional cigarettes, Taylor said. And with the restrictions on free sampling, Taylor is offering a punch card to customers that enables them to come to his store for 10 visits and taste samples. "We took lemons and made lemonade out of it," he said of the regulation. "They (the FDA) say we have to charge, so we do. At the end of the month, we take that money and donate it to the Virginia Smoke Free Association." Revisit the founding of the JSA and foreshadow its future in The New Golden Age #1 preview And see what lies ahead in the future of the DC Universe I care for her The suspect, a labourer of Sea Lots, Port of Spain, told police that he cares deeply for Joseph and was looking forward to spending today with her and their daughter who turns four today. Newsday understands that two officers at the North Eastern Task Force, who shared a close relationship with Joseph, were also questioned by Homicide officers. Police are also exploring new information that a hit could have been put on Joseph because she may have witnessed illegal activities in Sea Lots on Thursday. A man who police identified as a gang leader is also expected to be questioned in connection with Josephs disappearance. Yesterday her mother, Paula Guy, made a stirring plea to persons with information on her daughters whereabouts to come forward and assist. She said when her daughter left her Marie Trace, Morvant home on Thursday, she said she was going out to do police business and that was the last time she saw her. Guy said Joseph would never leave home without contacting the family and she is fearful that something sinister has taken place, but is praying and hoping that her daughter is found alive and unharmed. Coast Guard divers yesterday searched the waters near several sunken derelict ships near Sea Lots. While this was taking place, police officers along with a cadaver dog combed several areas of Sea Lots hoping to find the missing officer however the two searches proved futile. Sources revealed that police received information that Josephs body was dumped in front of a sunken Chinese ship close to the Sea Lots area, however Coast Guard divers were unable to locate the body. Air Guard officers also carried out searches from the air. Police from the Cyber Crime Unit are also assisting the Homicide Bureau to ascertain who are the persons Joseph spoke with on Thursday before she disappeared and when was the last time she used her cellular phone. ACP Irwin Hackshaw said yesterday that all resources are being deployed with the assistance from other agencies to find the missing woman who enlisted in the Police Service on November 10, 2016 and was assigned to the Morvant Police Station. 200 bags of garbage collected at Chacachacare Speaking with Newsday after he led employees of his ministry in a clean-up operation on Chacachacare island yesterday, Rambharat said party goers have to take greater responsibility in keeping their surroundings clean. Some of the garbage that gathered on the island is from the ocean, but a greater part of the waste found came from party boats, Rambharat said. The Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) would usually take a security deposit of $5,000 from event managers seeking to use Chacachacare as a venue, and return the deposit at the end of the event. Yesterday, Rambharat said that a decision was taken by the CDA and the ministry to withhold the deposit until the CDA is sure that no trash was thrown away on the island. Yesterday about 200 volunteers gathered as Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas to go to the island to take part in the clean-up exercise. Rambharat said the crew collected about 200 bags of garbage. The garbage will be separated and recycled. Newsday understands that the ministry will also assist in cleanup exercises in the Mayaro/Rio Claro, and the Sangre Grande/ Manzanilla areas. Californians may expect the earth to move, but a new study of the San Andreas Fault suggests that the LA area is overdue for a Big One. The study by the US Geological Survey of a section of the fault in the Grapevine area found that major quakes strike there on average once every 100 yearsand the last one hit 160 years ago, per a USGS release. Only two people were killed in the old quake, but a similar one today would surely have a much higher toll, while also damaging aqueducts, the electric grid, and highways. In fact, "it would impact our ability to be a world-class city," a USGS geologist tells the Los Angeles Times. Geologists examined a previously unstudied area of the fault, close to the juncture of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Kern counties. They dug down deep to get 1,200 years of data, finding evidence of 10 major earthquakes that happened at irregular intervals, making the timing of the next one difficult to predict. Some intervals were as short as 20 years, some as long as 200 years. The quakes were generally in the 7 to 7.5 range in magnitude, though the 1857 quake was 7.9, significantly larger. A CalTech seismologist says that's actually good news because the quake released a lot of energy, which could explain why there's been such a relatively long lull. Still, "the stress is building up along the San Andreas and a large earthquake is inevitable," another geologist tells KABC-TV. (Read more earthquake stories.) Pregnant with conjoined twins, Chelsea Torres worried constantly that she would lose her babies. That fear followed Torres, 24, and husband Nick, 23, from their home in Idaho to Houston, where they sought medical care ahead of the high-risk births of their daughters, Callie and Carter, in February. Those worries had not subsided as they packed up their car on Friday to take their daughters, and 3-year-old brother Jaysin, home to Blackfoot, the Houston Chronicle reports. "I've been dreading the return," says Nick Torres, referring to their concern that the girls will not survive the 1,700-mile trip spread out over five or six days. The good news is that those fears may be unwarranted. Doctors say the babies are healthy, though they do not recommend that they be separated, ABC13 reports. The twins share two legs, one pelvis, intestines, and a colon. They have two separate torsos that face each other, fused at the diaphragm, per the Houston Press. Only about 5% of conjoined twins share a pelvis; the vast majority are joined at the chest or abdomen. Although an orthopedic surgeon told the couple in January before the birth that separation was possible, Nick Torres says, "I'd rather have two babies living stuck together than zero babies because of a bad separation." The couple sought help at Texas Children's Hospital after doctors at home told them the babies would not die in utero or shortly after birth. With little money, the couple relied on local donations and a GoFundMe campaign. In Blackfoot, they'll move in with Nick Torres' mother, at least until he can land another job. "Its still a few chapters ahead of us," he says. (These twins conjoined in a highly rare way were successfully separated in October.) Alan Arnette admits he often braves mountain peaks on days other climbers label "unpleasant." But in his first-person account for the Coloradoan, Arnette explains why Feb. 10 was an entirely different scenario altogether, one in which he and fellow climber Jim Davidson found themselves in especially blustery conditions as they hiked up Colorado's Twin Sisters Peaks, located near Rocky Mountain National Park. "I'd give us a 70% chance that something will go wrong," Davidson said to Arnette at one point as they discussed strategy between bursts of strong wind. Arnette explains he often engages in "mental toughness training" (practicing getting knocked down by the wind on a safe trail to "explore my limits"), but on this particular day, he and Davidson realized conditions were too risky to complete a real hike, so they decided to turn back. It was then, just feet from the safety of a tree line, that Arnette was hit by two mighty gusts of wind in succession. The first made him laugh"Whew, that was a big one!" he yelledbut the second turned into an instant of "intensity" that was "breathtaking." Arnette was blown over the trail's edge and thrown down the hill "like a rag doll," enduring pain so excruciating he "let out a primal scream that had no words." Once Davidson rushed to where he'd fallen, Arnette details their agonizing wait for help (he'd badly hurt his right leg), with "waves of pain wrenching my body." But it was Davidson's unceasing support, as well as the dozens of volunteers who helped rescue him, that he remembers most. "A true friendship was given an opportunity to shine," he writes. "I am a better person today because of that gust of wind." Arnette's stunning account here. (A man fell 1,500 feet off a mountain and lived.) "I want you to live and suffer like I did," Randall Coffland can be heard saying to estranged wife Anjum Coffland in a 911 call released Sunday. Police say Coffland made the call after killing his twin 16-year-old daughters in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles on Friday, the Chicago Tribune reports. He gave the dispatcher the address and said: "I'm going to kill myself now, too. My two girls are dead, and I'm killing myself." Moments after his call, Anjum Coffland called 911, saying Coffland had shot her in the legs and killed daughters Tiffany and Brittany before shooting himself in the head. "My girls are dead," she screams in a call released by police. She was in stable condition in a local hospital Sunday. Police say the Cofflands were married but living at different addresses, the Daily Herald reports. Randall Coffland, an IT manager at a law firm, lived at a luxury condo complex with his daughters while Anjum Coffland lived elsewhere. Police say officers responded to a report of a domestic incident at the same St. Charles address on Feb. 9, but "nothing physical happened." Classmate Gabrielle Willaert tells the Chicago Sun-Times that Brittany often mentioned her troubled home life but still went out of her way to make sure others were OK. "She had the biggest heart," she says. "I can't believe that something like this would happen to such beautiful people." (Last year, a family of five was killed in a murder-suicide, and the victims included a girl with a new heart.) Almost eight years after it stopped communicating with ground stations, NASA has rediscovered India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe. The long-lost spacecraft didn't crash into the lunar surface in 2009, as some had suspected, but continued circling the moon in a slightly different orbit. NASA says it detected the small cubic probe, which it describes as being around 5 feet per side, with a beam of microwaves sent from a 230-foot antenna at its Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California. Scientists had to use ground-based radar because lunar glare made it impossible to spot the probe through optical telescopes, Engadget notes. NASA says it knew Chandrayaan-1 was in a polar orbit, so it trained the beam on the moon's north pole and waited for the spacecraft to cross it. The agency says the radar technique could help future lunar missions by averting collisions with derelict spacecraft and by aiding spacecraft suffering communication difficulties. The probe was launched in 2008 for what was supposed to be a two-year mission mapping the lunar surface. "To be declared lost and then found after eight years is a great accomplishment," Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, known as the father of India's moon mission, tells the Times of India. "Chandrayaan-1 was our first interplanetary mission and I am delighted that it has been found." (NASA has lost a legal battle over a stolen bag of moon dust.) The British government has extended the inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann amid reports that investigators are searching for one final person of interest in the case. Detectives are searching for an individual who was in the same area of Portugal when the 3-year-old girl who went missing from her family's vacation apartment nearly 10 years ago, the Sunday Express reports. The lead was good enough to prompt the Home Office to commit another $104,000 to the investigation that has so far cost UK taxpayers $13.5 million, per the BBC. Four British investigators, down from 29, remain on the case since Scotland Yard set up its own inquiry independent of Portuguese police in 2011. The latest funding will extend the probe known as Operation Grange until September. International intelligence agencies have been working to find the person who could hold a key to solving the case, per the Express. Parents Kate and Gerry McCann would not comment on any leads police may be chasing, but a spokesman tells the Telegraph they were "extremely grateful" for the additional funding. "They have never given up hope of finding out what happened to Madeleine, and still believe she could be alive," a source tells the paper. Since her disappearance in May 2007, scores of theories have emerged about what happened to Madeleine, who would be nearly 14 today. (Mom Kate McCann believes Madeleine never left Portugal.) A bus plowed into people taking part in an early morning street festival in Haiti on Sunday, killing at least 38 people and injuring 17, rescue officials say. The accident occurred around 3am in the city of Gonaives when a passenger bus first hit two people at a bus stop and then continued into a crowd of people participating in a Rara festival, an Easter season Haitian musical celebration, says Joseph Faustin, civil defense coordinator for the region. Reuters reports that authorities say the driver ran into the parade of pedestrians as he tried to flee the scene of the first crash. Faustin says after the crash, angry festival-goers then attacked the bus and tried to burn it before police rescued the passengers aboard. The injured were being treated at a hospital in Gonaives, which is about 60 miles northwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The local police chief says the passengers and driver were taken to a police station. He says the driver has since been released and has now fled the area. Haitian President Jovenel Moise issued a statement expressing his "deep sadness following the terrible accident" and calling for "an investigation as soon as possible to shine light on this tragedy." (Read more Haiti stories.) In Syria, last year was the worst yet for the country's rising generation, with at least 652 children killed in 2016, the United Nations' child relief agency said Monday, warning that the situation has hit "rock bottom." There was no letup to attacks on schools, hospitals, playgrounds, and homes as the Syrian government, its opponents, and allies of both sides showed callous disregard for the laws of war, the AP reports. UNICEF said at least 255 children were killed in or near schools last year, and 1.7 million youngsters are out of school. One of every three schools in Syria is unusable, some because armed groups occupy them. An additional 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East. The figures came in a UNICEF report released ahead of the sixth anniversary later this week of the 2011 popular uprising against President Bashar Assad's rule, which quickly escalated into full-blown civil war. The UNICEF report warns that for Syria's young generation, coping mechanisms and medical care are eroding quickly, driving children into child labor, early marriage, or combat. There were more than 850 confirmed cases of children being recruited as fighters. A report released a week ago by the international charity Save the Children said Syrian youngsters are showing signs of "toxic stress" that can lead to lifelong health problems, struggles with addiction, and mental disorders lasting into adulthood. (US Marines have joined the fight for Raqqa in eastern Syria.) The cause of Jane Austen's death at age 41 in 1817 has been an enduring mystery of the literary world. The legendary author's own letters complain of ill health, and experts have used them to suggest a number of possible culprits, from stomach cancer to Hodgkin's lymphoma, the Washington Post reports. Now, a trio of eyeglasses found in Austen's desk could hold a more intriguing answer. The spectacles of increasing strength indicate Austen suffered from progressive eye problems; indeed, the Pride and Prejudice author notes her "weak" eyes in her missives. Austen may have suffered from an underlying health problem that attacked her vision, writes British Library curator Sandra Tuppen, who theorizes slow-growing cataracts might have been caused by accidental arsenic poisoning. The toxic metal was common in 19th-century England, tainting medicine, water, and even wallpaper. Other causes such as diabetes would have killed Austen more quickly, says Tuppen. The debate over Austen's death dates back to 1964, when an English doctor argued the culprit was the adrenal disorder Addison's disease. Then crime writer Lindsay Ashford floated the arsenic theory in a 2011 novel, citing the skin discoloration that Austin notes late in her life. "I think its highly likely she was given a medicine containing arsenic," says Ashford. "When you look at her list of symptoms and compare them to the list of arsenic symptoms, there is an amazing correlation." But Austen scholar Janine Barchas, who has her own forthcoming report on the glasses, calls the arsenic theory "reckless," per the New York Times. "We look forward to further discussions and debate on this topic," writes Tuppen. (An unfinished Austen manuscript sold for $1.6 million.) "There's people on a Jet Ski right in front of the boat, and now we're going to hit the Jet Ski." That's an observer's play-by-play in a YouTube video now making the rounds after a very close call in Florida waters over the weekend. The Orlando Sentinel reports the Carnival Magic was chugging along Saturday afternoon when Capt. Doug Brown saw a Jet Ski with two passengers in his vessel's path. He rushed to call Sheriff's Deputy Taner Primmer, who was manning the marine unit's patrol boat that day and who quickly made his way to the scene. As Primmer approached, one of the jet skiers fell off the recreational watercraft and tried to get back on, at which point the Jet Ski overturned and both jet skiers ended up in the water, with the Carnival Magic fast approaching. "Oh my God. No. Get inget in!" the video's narrator yells from the deck of the Magic, as other spectators can also be heard screaming. Brown tells Florida Today his task of steering clear of the jet skiers, identified as 19-year old Skylar Penpasuglia and 20-year-old Allison Garrett, was made more difficult because of the wind forcing the West Virginia women right in front of the ship, as well as a dredge close by that he needed to avoid. "I was limited in how far I could maneuver," he says. But Brown somehow managed to avoid disaster as Primmer yanked both women into the sheriff's boat. Both Brown and Primmer were lauded for their quick thinking and professional efforts, with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey noting the jet skiers came perilously close to being dragged under the ship. (A German man didn't bother to mention his wife had disappeared from a cruise ship.) She may have been speaking from her home in New Jersey, but Kellyanne Conway put the focus back on NYC's Trump Tower on Sunday. In an interview with the Bergen County Record, Conway was asked about President Trump's allegations that Trump Tower was wiretapped by the Obama administration, and her response was read by the Record as a suggestion that something "broader" may have been going on. The key lines: "What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other now ... There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television setsany number of different ways, microwaves that turn into cameras, etc. We know that that is just a fact of modern life." Cue headlines like these: "Kellyanne Conway Suggests That Obama Could Have Used Microwaves to Spy on Trump" (New York Magazine) "Yes, Kellyanne Conway just suggested Trump Tower could have been monitored through TVs and microwaves" (Washington Post) On Monday, Conway hit back at such coverage, tweeting, "response to Bergen Record was about surveillance articles in news & techniques generally, not about campaign. Headline just wrong." On Good Morning America, she said she "was making a comment about the articles from this past week [like this one] ... I wasn't making a suggestion about Trump Tower. These are two separate things." The Post still faults her for linking them, with Aaron Blake writing, "Her decision to invoke these kinds of surveillance techniques when asked about alleged monitoring of Trump Tower by the Obama administration is only going to [breathe] life into the story going forward." As for any alleged wiretapping of Trump Tower, "The answer is I dont have any evidence and Im very happy that the House intelligence committee are investigating," Conway said on GMA. (Read more Kellyanne Conway stories.) GOP Rep. Steve King, who recently courted controversy by trying to keep Harriet Tubman off the $20 bill, found himself at the center of new outrage Sunday when he brought Twitter "to a screeching halt" with what the BBC calls an "inflammatory" post complimenting far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders. "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies," King tweeted about Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic and nationalistic rhetoric, along with a retweet from an anti-EU account also praising Wilders. King's tweet was widely believed to reference his support for nixing birth citizenship, including changing how the 14th Amendment is interpreted so US-born kids of illegal immigrants aren't automatically deemed citizens. King's tweet was met with accusations of white nationalism, helped along by a tweet from David Duke that read, "GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!! #TruthRising." Those jumping to condemn King's tweet included Chelsea Clinton, conservative Utah Rep. Evan McMullin, and California Rep. Ted Lieu, who the New York Times notes was born in Taiwan and who tweeted a photo of his two sons with the statement: "Dear Representative Steve King: These are my two babies." Per the Hill, Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann also blasted King, praising the US as "a nation of immigrants" and calling diversity "the strength of any nation." Kaufmann also told Duke to stay away from Iowa, calling his take on the subject "absolute garbage." A few hours after his Wilders tweet, King moved on, retweeting a National Review tweet asking who thinks the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist group. (Read more Steve King stories.) German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to DC on Monday ahead of her first meeting with President Trump. The encounter between the trained physicist and veteran politician, renowned for her measured comments and reserved style, and the billionaire real-estate outsider whose off-the-cuff tweets and undiplomatic approach have rocked US politics should produce an interesting dynamic, per the AP. But despite the style differences, hopes are high Europe's most powerful leader will be able to use her savvy and experience to dispel some of the angst that has grown globally in the first weeks of Trump's administration. Though she's talked by phone with Trump, Tuesday's meeting will present her with a good opportunity to get a read of "who is calling the shots" and "who has the president's ear," says Sylke Tempel, an expert with the German Council on Foreign Relations. Merkel is expected to address a wide range of issues, with her main goal likely to be to impress upon Trump her view that a strong EU is also in US strategic and economic interests. Trump has noted several differences with Merkel, suggesting NATO is obsolete, questioning multilateral trade deals, and calling Merkel's 2015 decision to allow 890,000 asylum seekers into Germany a "disaster." In Merkel's 12 years as chancellor, she worked well with Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and she's shown she won't be pushed around by what Tempel calls "macho" tactics. "Putin tried that on her, Erdogan tried that, and there are quite a few others," Tempel said. "She has an enormous amount of patience, an internal calm and self-confidence." Merkel said Monday she's "looking forward" to meeting Trump: "Talking directly is always much better than talking about each other." (Read more President Trump stories.) An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a panicked cry for help on a plane can bring almost two dozen. That was the experience on a Southwest Airlines flight from Atlanta to Houston last week, NBC News reports, when retired Air Force Col. Tom McCay fell unconscious as he and his wife were flying home to Texas. McCay tells KPRC2 he began feeling "clammy" and "dizzy" during the flight, and the last thing he remembers before passing out was his frightened wife, Maggie, asking if he was OK. She started yelling for assistance, and Texas oral surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Aycock was one of the first to respondfollowed by about 20 other doctors. Aycock and a few of the doctors stretched McCay across the seats so he could breathe better and so they could take his vitals and stabilize him. The other 15 or so doctors, meanwhile, hovered close by, ready to assist if needed. It wasn't just some weird coincidence that placed all of these medical professionals on board McCay's plane: They were returning from an annual conference in Atlanta. While Aycock thinks McCay may have fainted because he didn't have enough fluids during the flight, another doctor who helped speculates McCay may have mixed meds and alcohol. McCay tells NBC he got checked out at DeBakey Clinic in Houston once he arrived home and will be self-monitoring. It turns out what happened to him has long been a dream: He'd always harbored a "fantasy" of rushing to help a pilot in distress. "Turns out it was me this time," he tells NBC. (A man flying Alaska Airlines apparently tried to yank the plane's door open midflight.) The development came after Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, in whose name the letter is purportedly sent, denied having any knowledge of it. Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man exposed by the AP as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II, prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutor Robert Janicki said evidence gathered over years of investigation into US citizen Michael K. confirmed "100%" that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion. He did not release the last name, in line with Poland's privacy laws, but the AP has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. The decision in Poland comes four years after the AP published a story establishing that Karkoc commanded the unit, based on wartime documents, testimony from other members of the unit and Karkoc's own Ukrainian-language memoir. "All the pieces of evidence interwoven together allow us to say the person who lives in the US is Michael K., who commanded the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion which carried out the pacification of Polish villages in the Lublin region," Janicki said. Prosecutors with the National Remembrance Institute, which investigates Nazi and Communist-era crimes against Poles, have asked a court in Lublin to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. If convicted of ordering the killing of civilians in 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. Karkoc's family has repeatedly denied he was involved in any war crimes and his son questioned the validity of the evidence against him after Poland's announcement, calling the accusations "scandalous and baseless slanders." Click for more on his story. (Read more Michael Karkoc stories.) The Girl Guides of Canada are cancelling all travel to the United States because of fears girls might have trouble at the border due to travel restrictions enacted by President Donald Trump, the AP reports. Spokeswoman Sarah Kiriliuks said Monday the organization's membership is diverse and inclusive and leaders worried some girls could get left behind when a group tried to enter the US. A temporary travel ban by Trump on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries also has Canadian schools concerned with how foreign-born students will be treated at the border. Kiriliuks says the Girl Guides don't want to take the risk with all the uncertainty. She is not aware of any girls being turned away. A nationally sponsored trip to a California camp that was scheduled for this summer is being relocated. (Read more Trump travel ban stories.) NASA recently revealed that the long lost Indian Lunar Orbiter has been found. The Chandrayaan-1 has lost in contact last 2009. This has been the first lunar orbiter of India. According to a report, NASA has discovered the Chandrayaan-1 in July 2016. This discovery happened right after testing a method for future lunar missions. The said lunar orbiter is a tiny cubic probe that it only measures five feet in all of its sides. The team of Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists conducted a radar experiment to locate the Chandrayaan-1. They used this technique in order to know if small asteroids can be located by this ground-based radar. They also needed to find out if the spacecraft orbiting the moon can be located the same way. A report indicated that the same process has made it easy to locate the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter (LRO). The mission's navigator has an exact location of the orbiter. The Chandrayaan-1, on the other hand, had been challenging for the scientists to find. The reason for the challenge was that it had been lost since 2009 and the orbiter is small. This interplanetary radar has been made to be used in locating asteroids several million miles from the Earth. The scientists, however, were not sure if it can detect smaller objects far away from the Earth. It is indicated that this new technology is useful for future moon exhibitions. Meanwhile, it is reported that despite the obstacles in finding the Chandrayaan-1, it was located where scientists expected it to be. The spacecraft has been found in a polar orbit about 125 miles. That is also 200 kilometers above the lunar surface. In the meantime, the Chandrayaan-1 had an impactor that was released from the orbiter in November 2008. It then found evidence of water ice on the lunar surface. India is also set to launch the second mission for Chandrayaan-2 in 2018. Gander Mountain recently filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy from its creditors. The outdoor reseller has the goal of selling its business. The company is also said to close 32 stores out of its 162 stores in the next couple of weeks. According to a report, Gander Mountain started to suffer financially in January. There have been reports then that certain vendors have not been paid. It is indicated that the company is also seeking a buyer as of this time. The filing of bankruptcy by Gander Mountain has been triggered by the company's realization that it cannot anymore reposition the outlets that are falling. A statement coming from the company stated that the best thing for the company is to sell the business. Gander Mountain is said to be in talks with potential buyers for the business. The company is also planning to hold an auction in April. It is noted that the company's target for it to close is on May 15. There is a potential struggle financially for the company as of this time. A report indicated that three stores in Minnesota will close for Gander Mountain. These stores are specifically located in Woodbury, Rogers, and Mankato. These three stores are part of the 32 stores that are not performing well in sales. These others stores for the company are said to close in the process. In the meantime, Gander Mountain will do business as usual. The announcement for the company's filing is the latest one for one that has been around for 60 years. The company started in the 1960's and went public in the 80's. Meanwhile, a statement from Gander Mountain noted that the decision to file for bankruptcy has been hard. It has come up to a decision with extensive analysis. All options had been weighed before the decision was finalized. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who is busy shooting the much-talked biopic on Sanjay Dutt, has revealed that the 'Khalnayak' actor broke down during the script narration of the movie. Hirani has done extensive research about Dutt's life and has made every single effort to give this biopic his best. While the movie is quite special for the 'Munna Bhai' actor, he got emotional after hearing the script. Hirani reportedly stated that he was overwhelmed with the fact that how his entire life was explained so beautifully. After Sanjay Dutt told me his story we did a lot of research about him. We even spoke to the police officers and his family members to know other side of the story. When the script got completed, we went to Sanju and narrated it to him. Trust me, I have worked with Sanjay Dutt thrice and never has he cried during a film narration. But after listening to this script, he broke down and told me Dhai ghante main tumne meri saari zindagi bata di, Rajkumar Hirani reportedly told a leading daily. Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor on Sanjay Dutt's biopic, says 'honoured to do this movie' Reportedly, the actor even made a special request to Hirani urging that a capable actor shall be roped in to play the role of his father in the biopic. On the other hand, writer Abhijat Joshi feels proud of the script and says that the movie will be remembered for around 100 years. Dutt biopic is one of our greatest works till date. Each and every incident in Sanjay Dutts life deserves a different film. We have rolled everything into this one film and this is the greatest challenge of our lives rather this would be the greatest direction of Rajkumar Hiranis life. But let me say this, despite our efforts, it makes no difference because after the film everybody is just going to talk about Ranbirs performance. He is performing in a way that wont be forgotten for 100 years, Abhijat was quoted as saying. Sanjay Dutt's biopic will feature Ranbir Kapoor in the lead, who is working hard for the movie. Besides, Paresh Rawal will be seen playing the role of Sunil Dutt, along with Dia Mirza, Manisha Koirala and Vicky Kaushal in pivotal roles. The movie is expected to release on Christmas this year. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Clearing the air over the formation of government in Goa, Manohar Parrikar has resigned from the post of Defence Minister and President Pranab Mukherjee has also accepted his resignation. For now, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been given additional charge of the ministry until the further arrangement is made. This is not the first time that Arun Jaitley is given an additional charge of a ministry. In the past when BJP formed the government at the Centre in 2014, he was then also given the charge of the Defence Ministry. In his two-decade-long political career, Jaitley has led various political portfolios. Apart from the Finance Ministry and the corporate affairs ministry, the 64-year-old lawyer has held the Information and Broadcasting Ministry from November 2014 to July 2016. Also read | Goa Polls 2017: Prez accepts Manohar Parrikar's resignation, Arun Jaitley gets additional charge of Defence Ministry Before the BJP came to power at the Centre, Jaitley was the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from June 2009 to May 2014. During the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government in 2003-04, Jaitley was the Minister of Law and Justice. A Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat since 2012, Jaitley was Minister of state (independent charge) for the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Typically a Delhiite, Jaitley was also the President of University of Delhi his college time after which he joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980. Since 1991, he has been the member of the national executive of BJP. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday arrested five men, including an engineer, for allegedly raping a 30-year-old woman in East Delhis Pandav Nagar. All five have been sent booked under IPC section 376D, 323/377/506/342/34 and sent to Tihar Jail. The woman police that the men had locked her in a flat and took turns to rape her from Saturday night till early Sunday morning. She hails from Nepal and the boys reportedly picked her from Munerka in New Delhi. All five accused are identified as Navin Kumar Deshmukh, Prateek Kumar, Vikas Mehra, Savarjit, Lakshya. The East district police station received a PCR call early in the morning on 5:45 AM about the alleged gang rape. The victim was caught in a CCTV, getting in an auto after jumping from the first floor. Based on the womans complaint, a case was registered in Pandav Nagar Police Station against the five. Police said the woman, a mother of two, allegedly went to the Pandav Nagar flat with one of the men, whom she knew from before. Police said that the man, identified as Vikas, had told the woman to wait for him at the flat as he had to drop by there for some work. The five then allegedly forced her to consume alcohol. When she got inebriated, they allegedly took turns to rape her. They allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she raised an alarm or attempted to escape. Reportedly the woman, who is a mother of two, sustained injuries on her leg. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A group of Congress legislators in Goa were upset and blamed the partys top leadership for the failure to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly polls. Even as senior leaders such as Chidambaram and Digvijay Singh accused BJP of 'stealing elections' in both Goa and Manipur. I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first rightas the single largest partyto form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time, Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency, told PTI on Monday. He said that gross mismanagement by party leaders and the delay in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party. Read | Goa Assembly elections 2017: Manohar Parrikar to take oath as CM on Tuesday Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole the march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power. Congress lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, Our party leaders are to be blamed for the failure to form the government. People had given us the mandate but party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault, she said. Similarly, senior leader and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people wanted the Congress to form the government but party leaders miserably failed to honour the verdict. Why should we blame someone for forming the government, when we failed in our responsibility? We were 17 in number, Lourenco said. People wanted us to form the government and hence, they had rejected the BJP. But we failed to give people their government, he added. Read | Manohar Parrikar has 'hijacked' popular mandate: Digvijaya Singh All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said he would speak to the Congress legislators who have expressed resentment.Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out, Singh said on Monday. On Sunday, despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and Independents under Manohar Parrikar.As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid to power, Singh had accused Parrikar of indulging in horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress. Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday accused the BJP of stealing elections in Goa and Manipur, saying a party which comes second has no right to form the government. Another Congress leader, Digvijay Singh, said it was the victory of money power over peoples power. A party that comes second has no right to form government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur (sic), Chidambaram said in a tweet. The comment of the former Finance and Home Minister came after the BJP staked claim to form the government in Goa and Manipurwhere it failed to emerge as the single largest partywith the support of smaller parties and some Independents. In both these states, the Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the assembly elections results of which were declared on March 11. In Goa, the Governor has already invited BJP leader and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to form the government. In Manipur, the BJP has met the Governor and claimed that it enjoyed the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32 in the 60-member assembly. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur and 17 in Goa, followed by the BJP 21 and 13 seats, respectively. (With Inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Pakistan troops violate ceasefire again along the Chaka-Da-Baag Area of Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir. On Sunday also Pakistan violated ceasefire in the same area which hit Indo-Pak trade office. In second ceasefire violation in less than 24 hours, Pakistani troops on Monday resorted to mortar shelling and firing by automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pooch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the army to retaliate. There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Poonch sector from 0640 hours today, using 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons, a defence spokesman said. Indian Army personnel took positions and responded befittingly to the Pakistani firing, the spokesman said, adding that intermittent firing was going on. There is no casualty on Indian side, he said. This is the second ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Poonch district since Sunday. Pakistan troops violated ceasefire in the same region on Sunday as well On Sunday, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and mortar shelling in Krishnagati sector along the LoC in Pooch district. On March 9, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch. #Visuals: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Malti sector of Poonch. pic.twitter.com/lrhnuOWkxe ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Imphal: Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla has asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress to submit his resignation immediately, so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. Ibobi Singh, along with deputy chief minister Gaikhamgam and state Congress president T N Haokip, had met the Governor last night. The Governor had asked Singh to resign immediately so that she can start the process of government formation, a highly placed source in the Governors House said. As per rules, until and unless the present chief minister resigns, the process of formation of the next government cannot be started, the source said. It was during the meeting that Ibobi Singh had staked claim to form the next government by showing a list of 28 Congress MLAs. He also claimed to have the support of four National Peoples Party (NPP) MLAs. On seeing the names of the four NPP MLAs on an ordinary piece of paper, Heptullah asked Ibobi Singh to bring the NPP president and the MLAs, the Governor House source said. Read | Drama in Manipur Assembly to end today: BJP likely to stake claim, Congress keeps the hope alive The Governor said that it was her duty to cross check the claims and that she would not accept an ordinary piece of paper as a letter of support unless she meets the NPP MLAs, the source said. The BJP leadership with their 21 MLAs, along with NPP president and four party MLAs, one Congress MLA, lone LJP and TMC MLAs had also met the Governor. The BJP had claimed that it enjoyed the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. Read | Decoded: Why voters of Manipur rejected their Iron Lady Irom Sharmila? They also submitted a letter from the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) president regarding their support to the BJP to form the government, the source said, adding that the Governor is yet to invite any party for government formation. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur, followed by the BJP 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, while the LJP and the Trinamool Congress have bagged one seat each. Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party meeting was underway at the Chief Ministers office where 27 MLAs were present, said Manipur state Congress general secretary Devrata Singh. Updates: #I was satisfied that they (BJP) have support of 32 MLAs; CM came with letter to claim he should be called: Najma Heptulla, Manipur Guv #They (Cong) also brought letter on behalf of NPP signed by secy & pres, I told him you can't bring letter on behalf of NPP: Najma Heptulla For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Christ University student hailing from Arunachal Pradesh was brutally attacked by his landlord in Bengaluru on Sunday. The gruesome incident has left the city's northeast (N-E) community fuming. The landlord, Hemanth Kumar, allegedly attacked Higio Gungtey, and even made him lick his shoe. The incident followed a dispute over water. Even though several charges were filed against the landlord, sources said he managed to get anticipatory bail. While members of the North East community voiced their opinion strongly that Kumar should have been booked under sections of racial attack, there are still no specific laws for such attacks. HigioA Gungtey's father expressed his despair over his son's thrashing and expressed his faith in the police and the legal system to take the culprit to task. What happened to him was inhuman, I have trust in the police and I hope the culprit won't be spared: Father of Arunachal student pic.twitter.com/3LIflOqAQj a ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 The Centre is still working on adding two sections -- 153C and 509A -- which deal with punishments specifically for racial attacks. These sections were proposed after the Centre set up the Bezbaruah Committee after Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, was killed in an alleged racial attack in Delhi in January 2014. However, they are still in the pipeline. However, according to senior officers, cases can be booked under Section 295(A) and Section 153(A), which prescribe punishment for promoting enmity between communities and insulting other's religious feelings, respectively. These can be stretched to address racial attacks, they said. Updates:A Used water for just 5 min,apologised to owner for same.He started beating me &humiliated by forcing me to lick his boots: Victim #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/J0FA09EYgq a ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 #My office pursuing this case. When we are talking of safety of Indians abroad such incidents in our country are very saddening: Kiren Rijiju For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The limit on cash withdrawals from savings bank account has been lifted from Monday. The Reserve Bank of India, in a notification issued on January 30, had announced that from March 13 all limits on cash withdrawal from savings accounts will be removed. Till now, there was a cash withdrawal limit of up to Rs 50,000 per week on savings accounts and none on the current accounts. After the note ban on November 8, Reserve Bank had capped withdrawal limits on ATMs and bank branches. It raised limits from Rs 2,000 a day to Rs 4,500 a day to Rs 10,000 a day while maintaining the overall weekly ceiling of Rs 24,000. On February 20, the cash withdrawal limit for savings accounts was raised to Rs 50,000 from Rs 24,000 a week. Also read: Holi 2017: Banks to remain closed from March 11 to 13 amid festival of colors No change in ATM withdrawal charges, HDFC clarifies For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tehran: Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israels Benjamin Netanyahu of ignorance about history and the Jewish faith on Monday after he said ancient Persian rulers tried to destroy the Jews. In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Netanyahu said Persia had made an attempt to destroy the Jewish people that did not succeed some 2,500 years ago, an event commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Purim over the weekend. Zarif responded overnight on Twitter, calling Netanyahus comments bigoted lies and saying Iran had saved the Jews on three occasions in history. Netanyahu resorting to fake history and falsifying Torah. Force of habit, he tweeted. He linked to longer comments in which he said the Israeli premier distorts the realities of today, but also distorts the pastincluding Jewish scripture. The Book of Esther tells how Xerxes I saved Jews from a plot hatched by Haman the Agagite, which is marked on this very day. Again, during the time of Cyrus the Great, an Iranian king saved the Jewsthis time from captivity in Babylon; and during the Second World War, when Jews were being slaughtered in Europe, Iran gladly took them in, Zarif wrote. Netanyahu had sought to link ancient history to the present day, saying Iran was again seeking to destroy the state of the Jews. Putin tried to return the conversation to the present day, saying the events described took place in the fifth century BC We now live in a different world. Let us talk about that now. Ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran has been implacable in its opposition to Israel and has provided extensive support to Palestinian militant groups. Iranian officials say they oppose the state not the people, and underline that Iran has its own Jewish community. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A second federal judgethis one in Wisconsinon Friday blocked President Donald Trumps new executive order (EO) on immigration travel, while the federal judge who blocked the first EO is reserving judgment on the revised EO. (Article by Ken Klukouki from Breitbart.com) Trump signed EO 13780 on Mar. 6, replacing his original order (EO 13769), temporarily restricting immigration from several terror-prone nations. Judge James Robart of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the first EO. The San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit kept the TRO in place. Lawsuits have also been filed against the new EO 13780. The plaintiff states in the original TRO lawsuita growing list that currently includes Washington, Minnesota, and Oregonasked Robart to rule that the TRO blocking EO 13769 likewise applies to the new EO. Robart released an order Friday stating that none of the parties have properly filed new motions in that litigation and that he will reserve judgment until there is a relevant motion and the legal issues have been fully briefed before his court. However, on that same day, Judge William Connelly of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin did issue a new TRO against the new EO, holding that the plaintiff in that new lawsuit had a substantial likelihood of success on the merits, and would suffer irreparable harm unless the court provided immediate relief. This new lawsuit in Wisconsin concerns a man with a family member in Syria who has applied for asylum and claims that EO 13780 is thwarting that asylum request. Read more at: breitbart.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MILFORD After a year of planning, the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce has launched a networking outlet for those between the ages of 21 and 39. With the launch of EPIC, short for Emerging Professionals Inspiring Change, the chamber joins a growing number of business groups offering young professionals a chance to network with others in similar places in their career. Were finally running with it but were still in the early stages, said Sarah Mitchell, who earlier this year was elected the groups first vice president. What were trying to do is show were up and coming and we care about the community. So far, the group has held a networking event at AMF Lanes in Milford and invited Gary Mullin, executive director of the Milford chamber, to speak to the group about his own experiences and career. Were hoping quarterly to be able to bring in different speakers, said Mitchell, who serves as manager of fund development and communications for Milford-based Bridges Healthcare. She said EPIC has about 20 core members involved in four committees focusing on key areas: education, networking, marketing and outreach. Overall, roughly 50 young professionals have become involved in the group and joined the mailing list. Among the activities the group is planning for later this year are a series of volunteering dates with local organizations. Its to bring a philanthropic piece to what were doing and saying, If we dont support them as the next generation, who is going to? Mitchell said. Mullin said the chambers membership director, Nell Moll, had been hearing for some time about the need for young professionals to have their own targeted networking activities. Theres a benefit to sharing whats going on with you because everybody has different experiences, he said. I think it helps the whole business community to have all generations connect. Mitchell said the group is still working to figure out what their ultimate goals will be and how they plan to achieve those. Mullin said chamber staff is giving them space to do that while offering the young professionals resources they may need. Were not trying to push them in any direction, Mullin said. Were trying to let them evolve. Its kind of important to let them find their way. The Bridgeport Regional Business Council created its own young professionals group, Thrive, last year. The group is open to any young area professional from 21 to 40. Even though the group is affiliated with the BRBC, people do not need to be members of that group to join Thrive. Other cities, like Stamford and Hartford, have had active young professionals groups for years. Mitchell said she was a member of the Hartford group when she worked in that city. But she said there were so many people involved she got lost in the shuffle. She said EPIC members are hoping to prevent that from happening there. Were trying to maintain as much of a human connection as we can do it feels like one big solid group, Mitchell said. EPIC meets the third Thursday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the chambers offices at 5 Broad St. For more information visit facebook.com/epicmilfordchamberct or call 203-878-0681. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON When firefighters found the Wykeham Rise School for Girls engulfed in flames in January, they quickly realized they needed additional equipment and manpower to contain the blaze. It took just one quick phone call to bring more than a dozen tanker trucks, each carrying thousands of gallons of water, from towns throughout the region, including nearby New Milford, Kent and Roxbury and more distant Bethlehem, Norfolk and East Hartland. The tankers are part of a regional emergency response task force that includes pumpers, brushfire brigades and other resources that can be called upon at a moments notice, 24 hours a day. These teams have become particularly invaluable in rural areas of the state such as the Northwest Corner, where there is little or no access to fire hydrants or other public water supplies. Weve worked with the task force for quite some time and its proven to be an invaluable resource, and extremely effective for large incidents, said Washington First Selectman Mark Lyon, a volunteer firefighter for more than 35 years. When crews got to the Wykeham fire, we knew it would be a total loss, but we were able to contain the fire because of all the available resources we had. Watertown Firefighter Jeff Rudzavice, the chief task force coordinator for Litchfield County, said teams were created throughout Connecticut after the 9-11 terrorist attacks as part of a statewide fire rescue disaster plan. Each county has divided up its resources into teams that can respond very quickly when needed, Ruzavice said. During Superstorm Sandy a few years ago, we sent our water rescue team to Greenwich. Rudzavice said in todays world no one department can have all the resources needed to respond to all types of emergencies. While most rural departments have a couple of tanker trucks, that may not be enough for a big fire. In most rural areas, departments have to get water from ponds and streams, and that could be a mile or two away from the fire, he said. One department may not have enough resources to do that. Such was the case in the Wykeham Rise fire, when crews were forced to drive nearly two miles from the scene to collect water from a pond behind Town Hall. The task force allows us to get the large amounts of water that is needed for some of these fires in areas that dont have any water supply, which is pretty much just part of life in the rural northwest hills, Lyon said. Creating the infrastructure needed to provide a public water supply in rural areas would cost millions of dollars, Lyon said an unrealistic proposition, considering that much of the state is in the same situation. As a firefighter, the task force is invaluable because it provides us the resources we need, when we need them, Lyon said. As a municipal official, its also beneficial, because it means we dont have to purchase equipment and hire staff for every possible scenario. Roxbury Fire Chief Todd Wheeler said having the task force in place can help departments save lives and property. There are times when firefighters know the home will be a total loss, he said, but continue to fight the blaze in the hopes of saving some of the familys belongings. A fire can be so devastating for a family, because everything they own has been turned into a pile of ash, he said. Ive been at fires before where the home was lost but people were able to recover things like a jewelry box that contained some of their grandmothers jewelry. Its those things that can make all the difference. dperrefort@newstimes.com A number of bills in the Connecticut General Assembly propose a change in the state constitution to allow early voting, and Connecticut residents should be aware of where their elected officials stand on this important matter. Voting is not just necessary, but is the very heart and soul of a democracy, and any attempts to limit voting are the tyrannical antithesis of a properly functioning society. There are a number of reasons why early voting measures should be adopted by constitutional amendment in Connecticut. The single most important of these is that early voting supports and strengthens the franchise for which countless Americans fought, bled, and died. If the fundamental principle of democracy is that the citizens vote, then all reasonable accommodations must be made to enable frictionless voting. TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) publicly released its federal pre-budget submission, which advances the need for the Government of Canada to reaffirm our trade relationship with the United States while supporting our private sector to achieve greater international growth opportunities. The submission also urges the federal government to re-examine its allocation of funding for important sectors like health care and labour market programs by addressing the fiscal gap. In 2015, Ontario alone exported $194 CAD billion worth of goods to the U.S. while importing $182 CAD billion. Canada is also the largest goods export market for the U.S., in addition to being the top export destination for 35 of America's 50 states. These figures demonstrate the interconnectedness of both economies and importance of a collaborative relationship for continued growth and success. "The global economy has changed significantly over the past decade, and dramatically in the past year. However, now is the time for Canada to take action and demonstrate its mutually beneficial relationship with the U.S.," said Allan O'Dette, President and CEO of the OCC. "But this will only take us so far. Canada needs to invest in itself to grow, a heightened focus needs to be placed on home-grown programs and incentives that encourage businesses to scale up and seek greater international trade opportunities." The submission suggests that linking new market entrants and high-growth potential firms to more business support programs will assist in growing businesses export capacity and international trade ability. Currently, Canadian startups' inability to scale and connect to global trade networks poses a critical gap to the nation's business growth strategy. Canada continues to miss out on long-term economic benefits, because businesses are unable to scale-up and grow. Ontarians continue to be disadvantaged by the allocation of federal funding when it comes to health care. With provincial health care systems across Canada facing additional pressures from aging and growing populations, health budgets are more strained than ever. Currently federal contributions to provincial health care do not provide sufficient funding to sustain core health care services, nor provide the funding necessary to support an innovation agenda in health care. A re-examination of how funding is provided through the Canada Health Transfer system (CHT) is a needed step. "The need to transform the health sector represents a historic opportunity for the federal government to re-establish its role as a partner in the health care system," added O'Dette. "Inadequate health care funding will only hurt the province's ability to deliver transformative change in the health sector." If implemented, these recommendations will help Ontario businesses partner with jurisdictions across the globe and compete in the increasingly competitive global marketplace. This, along with a federal government re-commitment to the CHT, will help close the fiscal gap for Ontarians. Read the full federal pre-budget submission. SOURCE Ontario Chamber of Commerce For further information: Media Contact: Rachel Strong, Public Affairs & Media Relations Lead, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, E: [email protected], T: 416-482-5222 ext. 2470 Related Links http://www.occ.on.ca TORONTO, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ - On Thursday, March 9th in London, Ontario, Humber River Hospital's Chief of Staff, Dr. Narendra Singh, was one of the remarkable Canadians recognized for their excellence, courage or exceptional dedication to service by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. Dr. Singh was awarded the Meritorious Service Decoration (Civil Division). The Citation for Dr. Singh reads as follows: Narendra Chetram Singh, M.S.M. Toronto, Ontario Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) Toronto-based pediatrician Narendra Chetram Singh founded Guyana Help the Kids [www.guyanahelpthekids.com] in 2009 to address neonatal and infant mortality rates in his country of birth. He raised funds to procure essential equipment, then went on to establish a residency program in collaboration with Canadian universities to train Guyanese pediatricians and nurses. Thanks to his efforts, the infant mortality rate in Guyana's largest hospital has decreased by nearly 40 per cent. Hospital President & CEO Barb Collins congratulated Dr. Singh, noting "we are all proud of the amazing work Dr. Singh, and many of his colleagues at Humber, do, not just in our hospital every day but beyond into the local and global communities. In Dr. Singh's case, his leadership has seen the neonatal and infant mortality in his birth country of Guyana drop dramatically, saving the lives of hundreds of babies every year." Dr. Singh thanked his partners in Guyana Help the Kids, saying "I'm honoured to share this with them: this is a true team effort from people determined to make a difference for these kids. I also want to thank my colleagues at Humber River Hospital for their support and encouragement at every step." From time to time, the Governor General presents honours on behalf of all Canadians in communities across the country to help share inspiring stories, celebrate tremendous contributions to our society and connect with Canadians. From community volunteers to astronauts, from actors to members of the military, from scholars to everyday citizens, hundreds of Canadians earn our applause and gratitude. More information about these honours is available online at www.gg.ca/honours. About Humber River Hospital Humber River Hospital is one of Canada's largest acute care hospitals, serving a catchment area of more than 850,000 people in the northwest Greater Toronto Area. North America's first fully digital hospital, it is located at Keele Street and Highway 401 in northwest Toronto. With a capacity of 656 acute inpatient beds, including 48 critical care beds, the hospital has 3,400 staff, approximately 700 physicians with privileges, and over 600 volunteers. The hospital has formal affiliations with the University of Toronto and Queen's University Medical Schools. A number of Humber River's programs and services have been, and remain, recognized provincially, nationally and internationally. Learn more about Humber River Hospital online at www.hrh.ca or follow us on Twitter at @HRHospital. SOURCE Humber River Hospital For further information: Gerard Power, Director, Public & Corporate Communications, Humber River Hospital, 416-242-1000 ext. 81607, [email protected] Related Links www.hrh.ca TORONTO, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ - Last week, Canada hosted the Fifth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas, held in Montreal. The three-day conference ran from March 7 to 9 and was supported by Public Safety Canada and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). More than 1,000 representatives from across the Americas attended dozens of sessions aimed at creating a more resilient world in the face of climate change. Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is a key supporter of the Regional Platform. "On behalf of IBC and Canada's P&C insurers, I would like to congratulate Public Safety Canada on a very successful conference that has continued the focus on disaster preparedness," said Craig Stewart, IBC Vice President of Federal Affairs. "Our industry remains committed to being a full partner with the federal government as we work together to make Canadian communities safer, stronger and more resilient in the fight against the severe weather effects of climate change." In his opening address, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced the launch of a national flood plain mapping framework. This initiative is supported by the P&C insurance industry and will help Canadian provinces, municipalities, and citizens better plan and prepare for floods. IBC hosted a panel entitled "Engaging with the Private Sector to Understand and Reduce Risks." The panel brought together representatives from Canada, the United States, South America, and the Caribbean. The discussion focused on how public-private partnerships and private sector innovation can complement and assist government efforts to reduce climate and disaster risks. As part of its efforts, IBC signalled its support for the launch of a Canadian chapter of ARISE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies. IBC also partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to host conference delegates at a reception on March 8. The evening featured an address from Mr. Mark Holland, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Mr. Conrad Sauve, President and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. Additional resources: About Insurance Bureau of Canada Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties. P&C insurance touches the lives of nearly every Canadian and plays a critical role in keeping businesses safe and the Canadian economy strong. It employs more than 120,000 Canadians, pays $9 billion in taxes and has a total premium base of $49 billion. For media releases and more information, visit IBC's Media Centre at www.ibc.ca. Follow IBC on Twitter @InsuranceBureau or like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. If you require more information, IBC spokespeople are available to discuss the details in this media release. SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada For further information: To schedule an interview, please contact: Andrew McGrath, Manager, Media Relations, 416-362-2031 ext. 4312, [email protected] Related Links http://www.ibc.ca OTTAWA, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada, Manitoba and Lake St. Martin First Nation are working together to bring home residents displaced by severe flooding in 2011. Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and the Honourable Eileen Clarke, Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations for the Province of Manitoba, announced that 150 additional homes and a new school will be built by Lake St. Martin First Nation. The First Nation has begun construction of the new houses, which are expected to be ready for evacuees by fall 2017. Two housing subdivisions are planned for the newly rebuilt First Nation, with the first subdivision comprising these 150 homes. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Province of Manitoba are working with the First Nation to finalize remaining housing needed for all evacuees who intend to return to the community. The new Kindergarten-Grade 12 school will accommodate up to 324 students and is expected to be complete by September 2018. Quote "This is an important moment for many Lake St. Martin families who have been waiting a long time to return home and for a new school. Together with the Lake St. Martin First Nation leadership, we will ensure the new homes are built as quickly as possible so displaced residents can be re-united with family, friends and reconnect with their community. We will continue to work in partnership with the Province of Manitoba and Lake St. Martin to re-build the community into a strong and thriving one." The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs "Manitoba is committed to concrete, meaningful actions and building strengthened relationships with our Indigenous partners toward reconciliation with the First Nations impacted by the catastrophic flooding in 2011. We are pleased to work with the federal government through investments in critical infrastructure that will build stronger, more sustainable communities and help facilitate the return home of flood-affected evacuees." The Honourable Eileen Clarke, Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations, Province of Manitoba Quick Facts The housing contract represents an investment of $35.2 million , cost-shared 50/50 between the Province of Manitoba and Canada . , cost-shared 50/50 between the Province of and . The Government of Canada is providing $19.7 million for the construction of the new school. is providing for the construction of the new school. Canada has also invested in building a dike at Lake St. Martin First Nation to provide greater flood protection than the record flood levels experienced in 2011. Associated Links Manitoba 2011 Flood Recovery http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1392046127077/1392046402386 Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Flickr. You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds or e-mail. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.aandc.gc.ca/subscriptions. SOURCE Government of Canada For further information: For more information, media may contact: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 613-697-8316; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160 TORONTO, March 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Uranium One Inc. ("Uranium One" or the "Corporation") today reported headline revenue of $314.6 million for 2016. Attributable revenue was $405.7 million for 2016 based on sales of 13.5 million pounds of produced material at an average realized sales price of $27 per pound sold of produced material, with an average cash cost per pound sold of produced material at $9 per pound. Attributable production for 2016 was 12.7 million pounds. 2016 Highlights Operational Total attributable production during 2016 was 12.7 million pounds, compared with total attributable production of 12.5 million pounds during 2015. The average total cash cost per pound sold of produced material decreased to $9 per pound during 2016, compared to $11 per pound during 2015. Financial Attributable sales volumes of produced material for 2016 were 13.5 million pounds sold from the Corporation's operations and equity accounted investees compared to 12.3 million pounds sold during 2015. Headline revenue was $314.6 million in 2016, compared to $324.7 million in 2015. in 2016, compared to in 2015. Attributable revenues consistent with the Corporation's segment reporting, which includes revenues from its interests in equity accounted investees, amounted to $405.7 million in 2016, compared to $541.2 million in 2015. in 2016, compared to in 2015. The average realized sales price of produced material during 2016 was $27 per pound, compared to $36 per pound in 2015. The average spot price in 2016 was $26 per pound compared to $37 per pound in 2015. per pound in 2015. The average spot price in 2016 was per pound compared to per pound in 2015. Gross profit was $41.9 million during 2016, compared to gross profit of $4 .4 million in 2015. during 2016, compared to gross profit of .4 million in 2015. Gross profit, including the Corporation's share of gross profit from equity accounted investees, totaled $132.5 million in 2016, a 35% decrease compared to $204 .5 million in 2015, mainly due to a decrease of 22% in the average realized sales price, partly offset by an increase of 10% in sales volume. in 2016, a 35% decrease compared to .5 million in 2015, mainly due to a decrease of 22% in the average realized sales price, partly offset by an increase of 10% in sales volume. Net earnings for 2016 were $252.6 million or $0.26 per share, compared to net earnings of $70.7 million or $0.07 per share for 2015. or per share, compared to net earnings of or per share for 2015. The adjusted net earnings for 2016 were $54.7 million or $0.06 per share after exclusion of a net gain received through business combination of $198.3 million , Ruble Bonds non-hedged derivative gains of $9.3 million , Ruble Bonds hedged derivative gains of $59.1 million , loss due to inventory valuation adjustment of $28.0 million , net foreign exchange losses of $17.3 million , loss due to impairment of non-current assets of $17.2 million , transfer pricing expenses of $3.2 million , loss on disposal of certain non-material US mineral claims and leases of $2.6 million and corporate development expense of $0.5 million , compared to an adjusted net earnings of $42.6 million or $0.04 per share for 2015. Corporate Matters Since March 2014 , the United States and Canadian governments and the European Union have implemented a number of orders, directives and regulations in response to the situation in Ukraine . These measures generally impose visa restrictions and asset freezes on certain designated individuals and entities considered to have contributed to the situation in Ukraine , restrict access by certain designated Russian institutions and entities to Western capital markets and prohibit the supply of equipment for use in Russian offshore deepwater, Arctic or shale exploration or production projects. The Corporation's operations have not been impacted by the foregoing orders, directives or regulations or any designations made thereunder and the Corporation continues to carry on business as usual. , and Canadian governments and the European Union have implemented a number of orders, directives and regulations in response to the situation in . These measures generally impose visa restrictions and asset freezes on certain designated individuals and entities considered to have contributed to the situation in , restrict access by certain designated Russian institutions and entities to Western capital markets and prohibit the supply of equipment for use in Russian offshore deepwater, Arctic or shale exploration or production projects. The Corporation's operations have not been impacted by the foregoing orders, directives or regulations or any designations made thereunder and the Corporation continues to carry on business as usual. On June 29, 2016 , the Corporation closed the tender offer for, and accepted for purchase, $60.5 million principal amount of the Senior Secured Notes of its subsidiary, Uranium One Investments Inc., at a price of $1,000 per $1,000 of face value. The total amount of the transaction was $60.8 million including $0.3 million of accrued interest, as well as legal fees and transaction costs. The settlement of the tender offer was completed on July 7, 2016 . , the Corporation closed the tender offer for, and accepted for purchase, principal amount of the Senior Secured Notes of its subsidiary, Uranium One Investments Inc., at a price of per of face value. The total amount of the transaction was including of accrued interest, as well as legal fees and transaction costs. The settlement of the tender offer was completed on . On December 5, 2016 , the Corporation redeemed RUB 2,499,957,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series 1 Ruble Bonds at their face value. RUB 43,000 aggregate principal amount of Series 1 Ruble Bonds remains outstanding, but such bonds ceased to bear interest after November 30, 2016 . The redemption was partially funded by a loan from an affiliate. , the Corporation redeemed aggregate principal amount of its Series 1 Ruble Bonds at their face value. aggregate principal amount of Series 1 Ruble Bonds remains outstanding, but such bonds ceased to bear interest after . The redemption was partially funded by a loan from an affiliate. On December 13, 2016 the Corporation redeemed the balance of the outstanding Senior Secured Notes at a redemption price equal to 103.125% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest. The $90.1 million aggregate principal amount of the Senior Secured Notes that the Corporation had purchased earlier were cancelled before the redemption. The redemption was partially funded by a loan from an affiliate. the Corporation redeemed the balance of the outstanding Senior Secured Notes at a redemption price equal to 103.125% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest. The aggregate principal amount of the Senior Secured Notes that the Corporation had purchased earlier were cancelled before the redemption. The redemption was partially funded by a loan from an affiliate. On December 30, 2016 Feroz Ashraf resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and Eduards Smirnovs , formerly the Corporation's Manager, Corporate Projects, was appointed as Acting Chief Executive Officer. Feroz Ashraf continues as a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Feroz Ashraf resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and , formerly the Corporation's Manager, Corporate Projects, was appointed as Acting Chief Executive Officer. continues as a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors also decided that the Corporation will no longer prepare and publish quarterly unaudited financial statements and operating and financial reviews, as it is no longer legally or contractually obliged to do so. The Corporation will continue to prepare and publish audited consolidated annual financial statements, as well as the quarterly and annual reports required under Russian securities laws and the rules of the Moscow Exchange, where the Corporation's Ruble Bonds are listed for trading. 2016 Operations During 2016, Uranium One achieved total attributable production of 12.7 million pounds, compared to 12.5 million pounds during 2015. Operational results for Uranium One's assets for 2016 were: Asset 2016 Attributable Production (millions lbs U 3 O 8 ) 2016 Total Cash Costs (per lb sold U 3 O 8 ) Akdala 1.8 $9 South Inkai 3.6 $11 Karatau 2.7 $4 Akbastau 2.3 $5 Zarechnoye 1.1 $12 Kharasan 1.1 $9 Willow Creek 0.1 - Total 12.7 $9 The following table provides a summary of key financial results: FINANCIAL Q4 2016 Q4 2015 FY 2016 FY 2015 Attributable production (lbs U 3 O 8 ) (1) 3,336,700 3,164,100 12,687,500 12,450,000 Attributable sales (lbs) (1) Produced material 4,565,800 4,471,800 13,515,800 12,256,400 Average realized sales price ($ per lb) (2) Produced material 21 34 27 36 Average total cash cost per pound sold ($ per lb)(2) Produced material 8 9 9 11 Revenues ($ millions) as reported on consolidated income statement 76.0 71.8 314.6 324.7 Attributable revenues ($ millions)(2) 114.2 178.4 405.7 541.2 Gross (loss) profit ($ millions) as reported on consolidated income statement (7.9) 3.1 41.9 4.4 Attributable gross profit ($ millions)(2) 14.9 90.8 132.5 204.5 Net earnings ($ millions) 43.1 60.8 252.6 70.7 Net earnings per share basic and diluted ($ per share) 0.05 0.06 0.26 0.07 Adjusted net earnings ($ millions)(2) (22.3) 40.3 54.7 42.6 Adjusted net earnings per share basic ($ per share)(2) (0.02) 0.04 0.06 0.04 Notes: (1) Attributable production pounds and attributable sales pounds are from assets owned and from joint ventures in commercial production during the period. All figures are rounded to reflect appropriate levels of confidence. Columns may not add up correctly due to rounding. Commercial production excludes pilot uranium production from the Inkuduk horizon at the South Inkai mine. (2) The Corporation has included the following non-GAAP performance measures: average realized sales price per pound produced material, average total cash cost per pound sold produced material, attributable revenues, attributable gross profit, adjusted net earnings (loss) and adjusted net earnings (loss) per share. See the section on "Non-GAAP Measures" in the Corporation's Operating and Financial Review for the year ended December 31, 2016. Non-GAAP Measures Adjusted Net Earnings (Loss) The Corporation has included the following non-GAAP performance measures throughout this news release: adjusted net earnings (loss) and adjusted net earnings (loss) per share. Adjusted net earnings (loss) and adjusted net earnings (loss) per share do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures reported by other companies. The Corporation believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Corporation's performance and ability to generate cash flow. This is provided as additional information and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Please refer to the Operating and Financial Review for further details. The financial statements, as well as the accompanying Operating and Financial Review, are available for review at www.uranium1.com and should be read in conjunction with this news release. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. All references to pounds sold or pounds purchased are to pounds of U 3 O 8 . About Uranium One Uranium One is one of the world's largest uranium producers, with a globally diversified portfolio of assets located in Kazakhstan, the United States and Tanzania. ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation, through its affiliates, is the main shareholder of Uranium One. For more precise information about Uranium One, please visit www.uranium1.com Cautionary Statements No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to those with respect to, the price of uranium, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of mineral 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, market conditions, corporate plans, objectives and goals, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, the timing and potential effects of proposed transactions, title disputes or claims, 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 state 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 Corporation 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 possibility of sanctions that may be imposed on the Corporation, its shareholders or affiliates or third parties with which the Corporation deals, that may have a material adverse effect on the Corporation's ability to carry on its business or perform its contractual obligations, the future steady state production and cash costs of Uranium One, the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, possible variations in grade and ore densities or recovery rates, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, possible changes to the tax code in Kazakhstan, accidents, labour disputes or other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining government approvals or financing or in completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to the completion of transactions, integration of acquisitions and the realization of synergies relating thereto, to international operations and to prices of uranium, as well as those factors referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Uranium One's Operating and Financial Review for the year ended December 31, 2016. Although Uranium One 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. Uranium One 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 under applicable securities laws. SOURCE Uranium One Inc. For further information: Eduards Smirnovs, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Email: [email protected], Tel: +1 647 788 8515 Related Links http://www.uranium1.com ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York is now the only state in the continental United States not to allow ride-booking apps like Uber across the state. That's because Wyoming, the only other holdout below the 48th parallel, last weekend legalized the app's operation following the governor's signature on a bill authorizing it there. Alaska and New York are the only two locations in the United States without ride-booking apps authorized throughout the state. In a statement to Syracuse.com, Uber spokesman Josh Mohrer warned legislators not to let New York state be the the last without the service. "Uber launched its service in Wyoming after Governor Matt Mead signed ridesharing legislation into law, leaving New York and Alaska as the last two states in the country without access to affordable, reliable transportation options," he said. "...It is up to Albany to ignore NYC special interests and act before losing to Alaska." Upstate New York is the largest area without Uber in the continental United States. The apps pulled out of Austin, Texas, in May 2016 after a drawn-out battle with city officials. The app does operate in New York City, thanks to a special arrangement with taxi regulators. Uber is planning to capitalize on Wyoming's successful effort. A spokeswoman shared a web ad with Syracuse.com, which Uber plans to release broadly soon, that chides the two states for being slow on the uptake. "Do you really want to lose to Alaska?" the ad asks. "Tell Albany to get moving. Let's get ridesharing across the finish line." An effort to bring ride-booking apps to Upstate is currently bouncing around the state legislature during budget negotiations this month. The New York State Assembly is expected to release its plan soon for bringing ride-booking here. The New York State Senate and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have already released their respective plans. Note: This post has been updated to include Austin, Texas, as another place that doesn't allow Uber and Lyft. -- Reporter Patrick Lohmann covers New York state government and other topics. He can be reached any time: Email | Twitter | (315)766-6670 The Carnival of Space 500 is up at Links Through Space. Planetaria Could the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system be home to alien life? Artists conception of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system as seen from one of the seven Earth-sized planets. Image Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesse Planetaria MAVEN spacecraft makes evasive maneuver to avoid impact with Mars moon Phobos Universe Today Mineral Points To A Water Rich Mars According to a new study from an international team of scientists from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), it seems that Mars may have been a lot wetter than previous estimates gave it credit for. With the help of Berkeley Laboratory, they conducted simulations on a mineral that has been found in Martian meteorites. From this, they determined that Mars may have had a lot more water on its surface than previously thought. Nextbigfuture China is developing an advanced new rocket. This spaceship is expected to be able to be operable both in the lower orbit of Earth, as well as capable of landing humans on the moon. It will also have rooms for several astronauts per Zhang Bainan, chief designer of manned spacecraft at China Aerospace Science and Technology Cooperation. The next-gen rocket from China will not only be reusable, but also offer a higher carrying capacity when compared to its foreign counterparts. This craft will apparently be able to carry up to six members in the lower orbit of Earth and nearly three or four astronauts during a moon landing operation per Zhang. Nextbigfuture There is a $19.5 billion funding bill that has been approved by the US congress. This is a slight increase from last years $19.3 billion funding. he new plan says make a roadmap to send people to Mars by 2033 and the US will still fund the overpriced by 10 times or more space launch system. Journey to Mars asks NASA for a roadmap to send people to Mars by 2033 and moves NASA away from the Asteroid Redirect Mission. Assuring Core Capabilities For Exploration : an uncrewed launch of SLS and Orion in 2018 a crewed mission to the moon in 2021 more trips to the moon and Mars after that date. NOTE -Spacex and Elon Musk have discussed unmanned Mars missions in 2020 and a manned Mars mission around 2024. Spacex and Elon Musk would have costs that are ten times less than NASA and 8 to 10 years earlier. It is more of the same NASA funding that has been mostly repeating since George Bush 2 and even George Bush 1 and Clinton and Obama. Nextbigfuture A Massive commercial space push and a variety of new robotic capabilities could self supporting and rapidly growing space economy. Several companies will collectively be launching about 20,000 satellites over the next few years. SpaceX, OneWeb, Telesat, O3b Networks and Theia Holdings all told the FCC they have plans to field constellations of V-band satellites in non-geosynchronous orbits to provide communications services in the United States and elsewhere. So far the V-band spectrum of interest, which sits directly above Ka-band from about 37 GHz to the low 50 GHz range, has not been heavily employed for commercial communications services. In orbit satellite servicing is being developed. DARPA and commercial ventures are looking at in orbit satellite repair and servicing. Rob Hoyt indicates that the challenges of effectively spreading off-world and colonizing the cosmos are overcome by making it easier to manufacture and assemble large systems and structures in space. This visionary physicist, engineer, and CEO is leading a team of scientists to overcome those challenges. Rob co-founded Tethers Unlimited Inc. in 1994, and built it into a space and defense research and development firm. He is now building a spin-off, Firmamentum, to commercialize in-space manufacturing. Rob has won more grants from NASAs Innovative Advanced Concepts program than any other researcher. [March 12, 2017] More Than 40 Thought Leaders to Present at TradeTech FX Asia 2017 in Singapore SINGAPORE, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 150 senior delegates are expected to gather at the 2017 edition of TradeTech FX Asia to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Singapore, on the 22nd and 23rd of March. This is the only FX trading conference designed for the buy side by the buy side, based on input from 72 industry research interviews and an outstanding advisory board that includes Andrew Maack, Head of FX Trading at Vanguard and Navin Amarnani, Senior Vice President of Proprietary Trading at Edelweiss International. 2017 will be the time to re-think traditional trading, and there will be 35 sessions held over two days at TradeTech FX Asia to help attendees better adapt to the new FX landscape; topics include dissecting the impact of Brexit on Asian economies and currencies, understanding the latest Global Code of Conduct, and how to accelerate electronification. "Regulatory reforms, market structure transformation and e-trading innovations are changing the FX landscape. Traditional roles are being challenged as a result," commented Gladys Caligagan, Conference Director WBR Asia. "We have worked with an exceptional advisory board to design the TradeTech FX Asia agenda, and we are excited to be organizing such a senior gathering of FX heads in Asia. We know that attendees are busy professionals, and we want to maximize their time at the conference; with regulators, buy side, sell side, trading venues and technology partners all under one roof, we hope that attendees will be able to discover new strategies to enable them to build a winning Asian FX trading and portfolio management blueprint." 48 guest speakers will share their insights on how to build a world-class trading and portfolio management desk, and there will e dedicated in-depth tracks including a Spotlight on China, which will focus on the economic prospects of China in 2017 and the correlation between the Renminbi and other Asian currencies. The popular Oxford-Style Debates will turn the spotlight on G10 vs. EM currency strategies, while a Dragon's Den session will examine the latest in FX trading innovations and technology such as blockchain. Key speakers include: Navin Amarnani , Senior Vice President, Proprietary Trading, Edelweiss International Senior Vice President, Proprietary Trading, Leonard Kwan , FX Trader, T Rowe Price FX Trader, Christopher Brandon , Principal, Rhicon Currency Management Principal, Laurent Lequeu, Vice President, RHB Asset Management Vice President, William Goh , Portfolio Manager, Lion Global Investors Portfolio Manager, Christopher Emslie , Country Treasurer Singapore, ABB Country Treasurer Singapore, Goh Seng Ti, General Manager Treasury & Accounting, Isuzu Motors Asia General Manager Treasury & Accounting, Damian Glendinning , Treasurer, Lenovo Treasurer, David Mercer , Chief Executive, LMAX Exchange Chief Executive, Richard Wong , Vice President, Public Sector & Government Practice, Frost & Sullivan TradeTech FX Asia is part of a series of three financial conferences organized by Worldwide Business Research (WBR) addressing market infrastructures in the Asia-Pacific. WBR also organizes the Fixed Income Leaders Summit and TradeTech Asia. For further information: Media Contact: Ena Yow Tel: +65 6221 7310 Email: [email protected] TradeTech FX Asia Contact: Aditi Mohile Tel: +65 67229455 Email: [email protected] About TradeTech FX Asia TradeTech FX Asia is the only FX trading conference designed for the buy side by the buy side, offering content to address your biggest FX trading pain points. With 150 of the most influential buy-side Heads of FX Trading and Portfolio Managers all under one roof at one time, this is your opportunity to adopt forward-looking strategies and technologies and build a winning FX trading and portfolio management strategy. About Worldwide Business Research (WBR) WBR is the world's biggest large-scale conference company and part of the PLS group, one of the world's leading providers of strategic business intelligence with 16 offices worldwide. Our conference divisions consistently out-perform their industry sector competitors on the quality of the events we produce and the relationships we nurture with both delegates and sponsors. Every year over 10,000 senior executives from Fortune 1000 companies attend over 100 annual conferences -- a true "Who's Who" of today's corporate world. From Automotive events in Bucharest to Logistics conferences in Arizona and Finance summits in Hong Kong, WBR is dedicated to exceeding the needs of its customers around the world. For more information please visit www.wbresearch.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] DHL eCommerce Launches New Fulfillment Center in Hong Kong SINGAPORE, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DHL eCommerce, a division of the world's leading logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL Group, has launched a new Fulfillment Center in Hong Kong, adding to its global fulfillment network in U.S, Mexico, India, Europe and Australia. Catering to the growing demand for cross-border products in Asia Pacific particularly from the Greater China region, the new Fulfillment Center will allow e-tailers to move their goods closer to their end customers, responding to their demands of quick and easy delivery. "Consumer expectations for a quick and accurate delivery are the same across the world, and merchants must understand the importance of providing an outstanding delivery experience for their customers, in order to get them back to shopping on their website," says Zhi Zheng, Managing Director, Greater China, DHL eCommerce. "Cross-border e-commerce is expected to grow to USD 1 trillion by 2020, and with approximately 40% of China's online consumers buying foreign goods[1] , linking foreign e-tailers with consumers in Greater China with an efficient fulfillment service is crucial." The Fulfillment Center, located within DHL Supply Chain's one million sq. ft. Interlink operation, will primarily work to provide overseas e-tailers with fast and flexible shipping solutions that integrates inbound freight, inventory and last-mile delivery in an one-stop solution. This is crucial to merchants looking to move into the Greater China market, as customs and regulatory regulations very often serve as major setbacks in running a smooth inbound cross-border clearance. Running the products through an established Fulfillment Center mitigates these risks; and coupled with flexible warehousing, closer proximity to the end consumer and last-mile options, these solutions will help e-tailers successfully leverage the booming e-commerce market. "The future growth of e-commerce lies in cross-border sales, and the key to a borderless digital economy is efficient logistics and fulfillment," says Malcolm Monteiro, Asia Pacific CEO, DHL eCommerce. "Our new Hong Kong facility adds huge value to our global fulfillment network , catering to the strong inbound growth observed particularly in the Greater China region. This will simplify inventory management and last-mile delivery for retailers, ultimately facilitating their quick and easy global expansion." The center's design is primed to accommodate three key features of an ideal fulfillment system, accommodating a front-end integration with a range of popular marketplaces and webshop platforms alongside multichannel order management, as well as last-mile solutions for quick and accurate deliveries. With a focus on cost-effectiveness throughout the entire process, all of the center's services operate on a pay-per use model with no capital spend or fixed costs. For more information, visit: https://www.logistics.dhl/sg-en/ecommerce/fulfillment/fulfillment-hk.html - End - Media Contact: DHL eCommerce Media Relations Cheryl Han / Andreana Chang Phone: +65-6879-8012 / +65-6879-8067 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] DHL The logistics company for the world DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 350,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world". DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 57 billion euros in 2016. [1] https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Worldwide-Retail-Ecommerce-Sales-Will-Reach-1915-trillion-This-Year/1014369 Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170306/8521701421 Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150811/8521505246LOGO [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Dassault Systemes Enables DS Automobiles to Transform the Showroom with Immersive Virtual Reality Regulatory News: This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170312005003/en/ copyright DS Automobiles R.Vigouroux Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that DS Automobiles, the premium brand of PSA Group, is using the "Virtual Garage" industry solution experience to fully support the launch of its new SUV, DS 7 CROSSBACK, unveiled at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show. With this, DS Automobiles transforms its showrooms and invigorates the car buying experience by offering "DS Virtual Vision" immersive virtual reality experiences for all its vehicles. Most consumers visit a car dealership only once or twice. Virtual technologies can help automotive brands to make this visit a game changer for both the consumer and the retailer. DS Automobiles is leveraging virtual applications and virtual reality to deliver a visual, high-impact marketing and sales experience to consumers that emotionally connects them, to discover DS 7 CROSSBACK virtually before the commercial launch, but also all DS models. DS Automobiles can adopt an alternative retail format that helps to optimize dealership space and boost sales. DS Automobiles used "Virtual Garage" to tailor the experience, called "DS Virtual Vision," for an immersive journey into DS 7 CROSSBACK and all the collection. Based on Dassault Systemes' (News - Alert) 3DEXPERIENCE platform, "Virtual Garage" delivers 3D automotive sales and marketing materials, applications and event experiences that communicate emotional brand or product themes to their target audiences. Geneva International Motor Show attendees can immerse themselves in the virtual Place de la Concorde in Paris, where they can preview the SUV and its limited edition DS 7 CROSSBACK La Premiere model alongside their physical cars during their official reveal. They can sit inside the SUV, walk around it, and explore its interior and exterior unique selling points in a realistic environment, simply by wearing an HTC (News - Alert) Vive head-mounted display. Following the show, DS Automobiles plans to deploy "DS Virtual Vision" in its retail network across Europe in DS STORES. Here, consumers can discover and configure their dream DS car exclusively in virtual reality by choosing from multiple combinations for each model such as trims, body colors and equipment. "Effective vehicle sales and marketing help complete a circle that first began with ideation and design," said Olivier Sappin, Vice President, Transportation & Mobility Industry, Dassault Systemes. "The 3DEXPERIENCE platform lets automotive brands differentiate themselves and reinvent the event and showroom experiences by infusing gamification, virtual reality, interaction and discovery, as well as real-time consumer tastes and preferences, into the discovery and purchase processes, even before a vehicle is physically available." For more information on Dassault Systemes' industry solution experiences for the transportation & mobility industry, please visit http://www.3ds.com/industries/transportation-mobility/ ### About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 210,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass (News - Alert) logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170312005003/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Guangzhou: Capital of Traditional Commerce Evolved into Capital of E-commerce NEW YORK, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A short video titled "Guangzhou, Flower City in Bloom" made its debut on "the China Screen" at Times Square in New York on Saturday. It was for the first time that Guangzhou, the third largest city of China, was presented at the "World's Crossroads". In the 30-second video clip, Guangzhou showed the world its blended image of an international city, a high-tech city and an artistic city. All these demonstrate Guangzhou's ambition to evolve into "a hub-type network city", according to a blueprint adopted last August. As an important bridge to achieve this goal, Guangzhou will inaugurate its office in Silicon Valley and in Boston on Mar. 14. The two will be the first batch of offices representing Guangzhou overseas, which are designed to strengthen partnership with the United States and Europe in technology cooperation and human talents exchange. Located in the geometric center of Asia-Pacific, Guangzhou is the southern gateway of China and has been one of the most important ports for foreign trade since ancient times. In ancient Rome, the silk shipped from Guangzhou was the most precious goods on the Mediterranean coast. In the past three decades, Guangzhou has grown rapidly as an important shipping center, logistics center and trade cnter in China. With more than 14 million residents, Guangzhou's GDP in 2016 reached 1.96 trillion yuan (280 billion U.S. dollars). Nevertheless, Guangzhou does not want to rest content with its past glory of being a commercial center for centuries. Modern technology, represented by the Internet and information technology, is seen as an important starting point for the city to achieve a new round of leapfrog development. Building on its advantages in traditional business and high level of opening, Guangzhou stands out from China's large and medium-sized cities in pursuit of technology-powered development. Adopting an open approach to actively engage with the outside world on innovation has been an important part of Guangzhou's strategy to develop into "a hub-type network city". Guangzhou has so far established mechanisms with Belarus, New Zealand, Australia, Britain and Ukraine, among others, for exchange and cooperation in science, technology and innovation, according to Ma Zhengyong, Director General of Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission. In addition to the United States, Guangzhou also plans to set up offices in Israel to promote scientific and technological cooperation. E-commerce, cross-border e-commerce in particular, has made remarkable progress in Guangzhou thanks to the alliance of the Internet and traditional business. Chen Jie, Director General of Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that in 2016, the total export and import value of Guangzhou cross-border e-commerce companies reached 2.21 billion U.S. dollars, up 1.2 times; retail sales of online stores reached about 9.5 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 20.7 percent over the previous year. Guangzhou now makes every effort to cut red tape and raise the level of trade facilitation, and is becoming "Capital of China's E-commerce," which helps foreign E-commerce companies to expand their share of the vast Chinese market. "With the improvement of living standards of Chinese residents, the demand for foreign high-quality goods is rising, and competitive products of foreign countries have great potential on the Chinese market. It will not only promote economic and social development in Guangzhou, but also provide more development opportunities for the world by building Guangzhou into a Capital of E-commerce." he said. Image Attachments Links: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=285424 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guangzhou-capital-of-traditional-commerce-evolved-into-capital-of-e-commerce-300422415.html SOURCE Guangzhou Municipal Government [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Bullion, high-end x86 Server from Atos, Beats Worldwide Records PARIS, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Atos, through its technological brand Bull, announces that its bullion servers beat yet again performance records, according to the international benchmark from Standard Performance Evaluation Cooperative (SPEC)*. Performed with a 16-socket configuration, this benchmark demonstrates that the high-end enterprise bullion x86 servers perform at exceptional levels and are the most powerful in the world in terms of speed and memory. Used by over 100 million end-users worldwide Bullion is widely deployed in businesses and governments, mainly in Europe, North America, Africa and Brazil. Through its unique features, it supports the digital transformation of many clients including the City of Helsinki. It also simplifies all operations, for example for OPO Oeschger, guaranteeing delivery within 24 hours for all items listed in its massive catalogue. Bullion offers: An exceptional memory footprint, up to 24 TB (terabytes), to address big data applications, in-memory and real time, for example with the SAP HANA appliance where bullion achieved 16TB certification, A significant Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) reduction of large datalakes and virtualized clusters reaching up to 35% on database consolidation projects, A technological alternative at lower cost for Sparc and HP-UX systems. "This recognition is a real pride for the Group. Bull's technological expertise in the field of infrastructure is again underligned. The power demonstrated by bullion, coupled with its exceptional memory capacity, makes it the benchmark of servers and supports our ambition to become a world leader in Big Data and SAP HANA", said Emmanuel Le Roux, Head of Server & Appliances division at Atos. Bull sets high standards The latest generation bullion servers, bullion S, equipped with 384 cores from Intel Xeon processor (E7v4 family) and 4TB of RAM, achieved a peak performance of 14100 - 13600 Base - according to SPECInt_rate2006 benchmark. This new top performance is proof of the relevance of technological choices for these bullion servers, a modular and consistent range, from 2-16 sockets. This high level of performance combined with the platform high density and innovative architecture enabled to deploy a whole range of appliances for all heavy workloads environments such as the market leading SAP HANA and datalake or database. More details on obtained benchmark: Source Site SPECint_rate2006, January 2017 Result of benchmark bullion *Designed to provide performance measurements that can be used to compare compute-intensive workloads on different computer systems, SPEC CPU2006 contains two benchmark suites: CINT2006 for measuring and comparing compute-intensive integer performance, and CFP2006 for measuring and comparing compute-intensive floating point performance. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. About SPEC The System Performance Evaluation Cooperative, now named the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC), was founded in 1988 by a small number of workstation vendors who realized that the marketplace was in desperate need of realistic, standardized performance tests. The key realization was that an ounce of honest data was worth more than a pound of marketing hype. SPEC has grown to become one of the more successful performance standardization bodies with more than 60 member companies. SPEC publishes several hundred different performance results each quarter spanning a variety of system performance disciplines. About Atos Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is a leader in digital transformation with circa 100,000 employees in 72 countries and pro forma annual revenue of circa EUR12 billion. Serving a global client base, the Group is the European leader in Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace and provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, the Group supports the digital transformation of its clients across different business sectors: Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications, and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and is listed on the Euronext Paris market. Atos operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Bull is the Atos brand for its technology products and software, which are today distributed in over 50 countries worldwide. With a rich heritage of over 80 years of technological innovation, 2000 patents and a 700 strong R&D team supported by the Atos Scientific Community, it offers products and value-added software to assist clients in their digital transformation, specifically in the areas of Big Data and Cybersecurity and Defense. www.bull.com | Follow @Bull_com For more information, please contact: Jose de Vries +31-6-30-27-26-11 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170310/8521701575-a Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170310/8521701575-b Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170310/8521701575LOGO [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Epson America Names Mark Mathews as Vice President of North America Commercial Marketing LONG BEACH, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, Inc., today announced the appointment of Mark Mathews as vice president of North American commercial marketing. In his role, Mathews is responsible for driving product and marketing strategies for Epson's projector, point-of-sale, business inkjet printer, and robotics divisions. In addition, he leads Epson's Canada-based technical support and development team focused on point-of-sale solutions. Mathews brings more than 25 years of marketing, sales and operations experience in the technology industry. Leveraging his vast experience in B2B technology, Mathews is charged with enhancing Epson's commercial reseller program and strengthening the company's strategic direction for commercial business solutions. "Mark Mathews brings an essential set of skills to the Epson management team. He has first-hand experience with the opportunities and challenges facing both the company and its customers today," said Keith Kratzberg, president and CEO, Epson America, Inc. "Mark's forward-thinking approach, range of knowledge in the commercial industry and his extensive B2B expertise enable him to advance Epson's leadership in the commercial technology market." Before joining Epson, Mathews served as president of Airwolf 3D where he created and expanded a successful multi-tiered distribution model, both in the U.S. and internationally. He also created new revenue streams through the development of new products and services. Prviously, Mathews was president and CEO of Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc., where he led all sales, marketing, service, operations, dealer training programs, and corporate functions in the document imaging and professional services market. "I believe that Epson's technology innovation, coupled with its reputation as a trusted partner, make Epson one of the most reputable brands in the commercial imaging industry today," said Mathews. "I'm thrilled to be a part of an organization that not only develops solutions that answer customers' needs, but helps put businesses in a position to expand and exceed their business goals now and in the future." Mathews received an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, MS in Civil Engineering from Columbia University, and holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy. About Epson Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 73,000 employees in 91 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts. Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/EpsonAmerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica). EPSON is a registered trademark,and EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2017 Epson America, Inc. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epson-america-names-mark-mathews-as-vice-president-of-north-america-commercial-marketing-300422210.html SOURCE Epson America, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Nexen Tire Revamps its Global Website Nexen Tire revamps their website to serve as a content hub and bolster its digital capability SEOUL, South Korea, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ -- Nexen Tire, a leading global tire manufacturer, announced the launch of its redesigned global website today, designed with digital in mind foremost. Through the renewed website, visitors can access a variety of information on Nexen Tire such as its products, services, information on tire in general, news & campaigns and corporate information in a more digital-friendly way. Visitors across the globe also can enjoy Nexen Tire content that have been uploaded on Facebook, YouTube, or various blogs, and share content from the website with other social media platforms. "The renewed website, serving as Nexen Tire's key digital marketing channel, delivers a wealth of content on the company's milestones in a more engaging way to connect with global customers," Nexen Tire stated. In addition, the website allows customers to easly compare features between products through the new "Key Performance Indicator function" tab. The website designed with responsive user interface is optimized for various digital devices such as PC, mobiles and tablet. Web accessibility has also been enhanced by search engine optimization, making it easier to navigate information. "In a bid to get closer to customers through digital channels, we will continue to interact with them via social media channels and mailing services, as well as the corporate website." More details on Nexen Tire's renewed website, available in both English and Korean, can be accessed through the following address: www.nexentire.com. About Nexen Tire Nexen Tire, established in 1942, is a global tire manufacturer headquartered in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and in Seoul, South Korea. Nexen Tire, one of the world's fastest growing tire manufacturers, works with 390 dealers based in 140 countries around the world (as of Dec 2016) and owns three manufacturing plants -- two in Korea (Yangsan and Changnyeong) and one in Qingdao, China. Another plant in Zatec, Czech Republic will be operational by 2018. Nexen Tire produces tires for passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks with advanced technology and excellence in design. The company also focuses on producing UHP tires, which are based on advanced technologies. Nexen Tire supplies OE tires to global car makers in various countries around the world. In 2014, the company achieved a grand slam of the world's top 4 design awards for the first time amongst the various tire makers in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.nexentire.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nexen-tire-revamps-its-global-website-300422417.html SOURCE Nexen Tire [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] John Grady Joins Active Allocator Advisory Board NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Active Allocator Holdings LLC ("ActiveAllocator") announced the appointment of John Grady as advisory board member effective immediately. "John's broad experience across SEC-registered and unregistered investment funds, advisory firms, broker-dealers, and other financial institutions on a broad range of investment and regulatory matters will add a valuable perspective to our firm. We appreciate his willingness to serve on our advisory board and look forward to benefiting from his judgment and counsel," said co-founders Brian Jones and Sameer Jain. Mr. Grady is a Partner with DLA Piper and concentrates his practice on the investment management industry. He works with investment companies and other pooled vehicles, and counsels advisers, broker-dealers, and commodity pool operators on a range of issues. With 30 years of investment management experience, John has overseen numerous securities offerings for funds and other investment vehicles, led or managed the development of various new investment products and services, has acomplished multiple fund "adoptions" and reorganizations. He has also been involved in several M&A transactions involving investment advisers, broker-dealers and investment funds. Mr. Grady currently serves as president of the Alternative & Direct Investment Securities Association. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Colgate University and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. John Grady commented on his appointment, "I am delighted to advise ActiveAllocator, a FinTech startup that empowers financial advisors as well as self-directed investors. It is a beneficiary of major technology shifts including reliance on cloud-based services, open APIs and the new agile software development paradigm. At its core, it can capitalize on several long-term industry trends, including the increasing adoption of technology driven, personalized advice on the part of both investors and financial advisers. About ActiveAllocator ActiveAllocator.com is the world's first portal that seamlessly integrates traditional, illiquid and alternative investments within recommended portfolios. A FinTech digital disruptor, ActiveAllocator offers financial advisers a seamless way to understand and assess alternative investments' potential contributions within the context of their client's actual portfolio holdings. ActiveAllocator can help advisors allocate client assets appropriately, as well as to identify and gain exposure to an appropriate set of active managers and funds. Contact Email: media(at)activeallocator(dot)com Phone: +1 312 498 1903 https://www.activeallocator.com/ Related Links Company Website John Grady Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTCQc0_-XLg 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/john-grady-joins-active-allocator-advisory-board-300422316.html SOURCE Active Allocator [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Crius Energy Announces Rise Broadband As First Integrated Energy Platform Partner Largest Fixed Wireless Broadband Services Provider in U.S. To Offer Integrated Energy Platform Services in Illinois, Indiana and Texas. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES/ TORONTO, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ - Crius Energy Trust (TSX: KWH.UN) ("Crius" or "the Trust") today announced that Crius Energy, LLC ("Crius Energy") has entered into a three-year strategic agreement with Rise Broadband, the largest U.S. fixed wireless internet and digital voice provider, to offer energy products to Rise's customers through the Energy Rewards Integrated Energy Platform jointly developed by Crius and Comcast. Platform offerings will be initially available to Rise Broadband customers in Illinois, Indiana and Texas with plans to offer the services throughout Rise's 16-state coverage area. Rise currently serves several hundred thousand rural and suburban homes and businesses with an innovative approach to fixed wireless high-speed internet and digital phone technology; offering a competitive choice with quality, affordable and reliable services. "We are excited to partner with Rise Broadband to offer a turnkey energy solution to their customers," said Michael Fallquist, Chief Executive Officer of the Trust and Crius Energy. "Enabled by our robust Integrated Energy Platform, Rise can quickly reinforce and extend its valuable customer relationships with a proven, bundled energy services solution. We look forward to bringing enhanced value to Rise customers in the coming months, as well as reaching more consumers and platform partners across the nation." The Integrated Energy Platform leverages assets from both Crius and Comcast, including technology and resources, to provide partner customers with a holistic home energy solution that combines, among other products, electricity, natural gas and solar provided by Crius. As with the company's other exclusive partnerships, Crius will work closely with Rise to seamlessly onboard their customers with the new platform and will directly service and own all future energy customer relationships. "Our Crius agreement is a natural alliance in delivering additional technologies and services to rural and suburan areas often underserved by traditional wireline carriers or energy companies," said Jack Koo, Rise Broadband's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Adding these capabilities and products to our portfolio gives customers even more ways to close the digital divide." Rise has been internationally recognized for innovation, technology and business acumen by Red Herring, INC Magazine, PC Magazine and other local, regional and national entities. About Crius Energy Trust Crius Energy Trust was established to provide investors with a distribution-producing investment through its ownership interest in Crius Energy, LLC (the "Company"). With approximately a million residential customer equivalents, the Company is a comprehensive energy solutions partner that provides electricity, natural gas and solar products to residential and commercial customers. The Company connects with energy customers through an innovative family-of-brands strategy and multi-channel marketing approach. This unique combination creates multiple access points to a broad suite of energy products and services that make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions about their energy needs. The Company currently sells energy products in 18 states and the District of Columbia with plans to continue expanding its geographic reach. The Trust intends to continue to qualify as a "mutual fund trust" under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). The Trust will not be a "SIFT trust" (as defined in the Tax Act), provided that the Trust complies at all times with its investment restriction which preclude the Trust from holding any "non-portfolio property" (as defined in the Tax Act). Material information pertaining to the Crius may be found on SEDAR under the Trust's issuer profile at www.sedar.com or on the Trust's website at www.criusenergytrust.ca. About Rise Broadband Rise Broadband is the largest fixed wireless internet service provider in the US; offering affordable high-speed broadband (internet and phone) services in 16 states. Established in 2005 as JAB Wireless, Inc., Rise serves residential and business accounts in rural and suburban areas throughout the Midwest, Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions. The company also offers DISH and DIRECTV service as well as PC Care; a one-stop resource for residential tech assistance. Rise is headquartered in Englewood (metro Denver), Colorado and more information can be found at RiseBroadband.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and actual results may differ materially from the conclusion, forecast or projection stated in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include but are not limited to, the ability of the Trust to maintain a distribution on Units, the ability of Crius Energy, LLC to continue completing acquisitions and continue its organic growth strategy, Crius Energy, LLC's results of operations, financial position or cash flows, customer revenues and margins, customer additions and renewals, customer attrition, customer consumption levels, general and administrative expenses, treatment under governmental regulatory regimes, the Trust's objectives and status as a mutual fund trust and not a SIFT trust, the Trust's distributable cash and the Trust's expectations and estimates regarding the payment of distributions to Unit holders. Such assumptions, expectations, estimates, risks and uncertainties are discussed under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Special Notes to Reader Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors" in the Annual Information Form of the Trust dated March 15, 2016, and under the headings "Financial Instruments and Risk Management" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Trust dated November 10, 2016. Consequently, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statements will materialize. Readers should not place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. SOURCE Crius Energy Trust [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] PROS to Host Profitability Track at IATA World Cargo Symposium PROS (NYSE: PRO), the revenue and profit realization company, today announced its participation in the eleventh annual IATA World Cargo Symposium, scheduled for March 14-16 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The conference, which will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, is the largest and most prestigious annual event of its kind and the only one that brings together key stakeholders from the entire air cargo supply chain. More than 1,000 cargo leaders are expected to attend. At the conference, PROS will sponsor a half-day track and a panel titled "Fighting Back to Profitability: Improving and Sustaining Financial Health." Cargo companies are combatting financial turbulence from overcapacity, trade blockages and downward pricing pressure. Track participants will diagnose the profitability challenges that illuminate how companies that shift to a modern commerce strategy, powered by dynamic pricing science, can provide their customers with frictionless, transparent and omnichannel pricing to elevate profitability. Zeke Ziliak, PROS Director of Transportation and Travel, will chair the track and deliver an address titled "Transforming to Modern Commerce with Dynamic Pricing Science." Cargo companies around the world are managing against a backdrop of economic challenges and a rapidly evolving industry that requires a new approach in managing their businesses. As successful air cargo companies make the shift to a modern commerce strategy, they're using dynamic pricing science that leverages the latest advances in algorithms and machine learning to price smarter and quote faster. "Air cago companies across the globe face a challenging and rapidly changing marketplace that requires them to respond to customers continuously and in real time," said John Billings, PROS Senior Vice President, Travel. "As these companies look for new opportunities to use capacity and maximize contributions to their network, modern commerce strategies with dynamic pricing science are enabling them to personalize offers with greater speed, consistency and precision. We look forward to showcasing how PROS SaaS (News - Alert) solutions are enabling smarter, faster pricing in the cloud to drive revenue and profit growth." To learn more about the future of revenue management, visit the PROS website or follow PROS on Twitter (News - Alert) at @PROS_Inc. About PROS PROS Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PRO) is a revenue and profit realization company that helps B2B and B2C customers realize their potential through the blend of simplicity and data science. PROS offers cloud solutions to help accelerate sales, formulate winning pricing strategies and align product, demand and availability. PROS revenue and profit realization solutions are designed to allow customers to experience meaningful revenue growth, sustained profitability and modernized business processes. To learn more, visit pros.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the functionality and benefits of revenue and profit realization software to organizations generally as well as the functionality and benefits of PROS software products. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon PROS historical experience with revenue and profit realization software and its current expectations of the benefits of revenue and profit realization software for organizations that implement and utilize such software. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein include the addressability of an organization's revenue and profit realization software needs, the risks associated with PROS developing and enhancing products with the functionality necessary to deliver the stated results and the risks associated with the complex implementation and maintenance of revenue and profit realization software such as PROS software products. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the PROS business is contained in PROS filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent PROS expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and PROS disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313005152/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Parker Hannifin Celebrates 100 Years CLEVELAND, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE:PH), the global leader in motion and control technologies, today is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding on March 13, 1917 and has launched a centennial website at www.parker.com/centennial. Parker celebrates its Centennial on March 13, 2017 This year we honor the past and the great achievements that have come before us, and celebrate the people, culture and values that have made Parker the company it is today, said Tom Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Our remarkable team members are the foundation of Parkers success, and they will continue to drive the companys growth as we look ahead to a promising future over the next 100 years. The Parker Appliance Company, a manufacturer of pneumatic brake systems and leak-free fittings, was founded by visionary engineer Arthur L. Parker and developed in the early years with his business partner Carl Klamm in a small loft in Cleeland, Ohio. The first patent issued in Arts name details a hydraulic device which regulates the speed of electric generators. In the century since, the company has been granted more than 8,000 patents, helping to set the pace of technological innovation in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets, including life sciences, oil and gas, construction and agriculture. The entrepreneurial spirit established by Art Parker is reflected clearly in the company Parker has become, with more than 55,000 team members exploring new ways to help customers improve their productivity and profitability, and expand the bounds of motion and control technology. Parker maintains a strong cultural philosophy that originated with Art Parker himself as detailed in a 1930s speech to employees in which he said, Our success is founded on fair dealing, hard work, coordination of effort, and quality products. For 100 years, Parker solutions have enabled countless technology leaps and supported advancements in manufacturing, world wars, the exploration of space, as well as innovations in nearly every manmade machine that moves. Today, Parkers technology expertise spans nine core technology platforms serving hundreds of thousands of customers in every region of the world. The companys products can be can be found on and around everything that moves with highly engineered components and systems that facilitate motion and the controlled flow of liquids and gasses for a wide variety of global markets. Parkers operations span more than 300 facilities in over 50 countries and extends through more than 13,000 independent distribution partners and 3,000 plus ParkerStore industrial retail locations. Parker touches you in every part of your life whether youre driving a car, flying in a plane, talking on your cell phone or drinking a glass of water, said Lee Banks, President and Chief Operating Officer. We continue to add value for our customers by partnering with them on the design of new systems that integrate our wide range of products and are connected digitally, adding services that make them more efficient, and providing seamless availability of products through our global distribution and e-business channels. Parker will continue to be relevant to a changing world for many years to come much as it has for the past century. Looking to the future, Parker is leveraging a century of engineering expertise to help create a positive impact on the world, with progress in industrial sensors and the Internet of Things; medical applications and the development of wearable robotics; energy efficiency through grid-tie battery storage and renewables; and clean drinking water with the use of advanced filtration technologies among many other applications that support motion and control. Parker will celebrate its centennial milestone through a series of events throughout the year to honor its team members, customers, shareholders and communities. This will include localized company birthday parties, a commemorative book detailing Parkers first century, a traveling display featuring company memorabilia and products and community service initiatives. About Parker Hannifin Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For 100 years the company has engineered the success of its customers in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets. Learn more at www.parker.com or @parkerhannifin. ### Contact: Media Aidan Gormley, Director, Global Communications and Branding 216/896-3258 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Actiance Helps Simplify Security in the Cloud REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Actiance, the leader in communications compliance, archiving, and analytics, and a Microsoft Gold Partner, today announced customers can now host Actiance Vantage on Microsoft Azure. By running on Azure, Actiance's customers will be able to remain compliant as they move on-premises enterprise data and applications to the Azure cloud platform and Microsoft Office 365 across Skype for Business, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft One Drive for Business, and Active Directory. Click to Tweet: News: @Actiance Vantage now available on Microsoft #Azure, simplifies #cloud deployment http://bit.ly/2mcc016 "As customers move to the cloud, they need all the security and compliance features Vantage, a certified Skype for Business solution, provides," said Barry Ruditsky, SVP Business Development, Actiance. "The availability of Actiance Vantage on Microsoft Azure helps accelerate cloud initiatives for our joint customers, and gives them a simplified way to ensure compliant communications across the Microsoft cloud." "The ability to host Vantage on Azure is a strong step forward for Actiance, its customers and Microsoft," said Michael Osterman, Principal Analyst, Osterman Research. "The growth of Azure and its importance in the Microsoft ecosystem makes Vantage that much more useful and easier to justify." Actiance Vantage gives customers granular policies to enable real-time control over 80 communications channels and address the most rigorous compliance requirements. Enterprises investing in the Microsoft cloud will benefit from: The ability to meet compliance mandates across communications channels: Enterprises can meet compliance mandates as they move to the cloud with compliance capabilities for Office 365. These capabilities can also be centrally applied along with non-Microsoft communications channels with the unified management of the Actiance platform. Enterprises can meet compliance mandates as they move to the cloud with compliance capabilities for Office 365. These capabilities can also be centrally applied along with non-Microsoft communications channels with the unified management of the Actiance platform. Private cloud deployments for increased control of data: Private cloud deployments of the Actiance platform enable a secure, flexible and low-cost way to capture and take full control of enterprise data. With Vantage on Azure, Actiance customers now have the option to either maintain their on-premises Vantage implementation or deploy on the Azure cloud platform. Ryan McGee , Director, Security Product Marketing, Microsoft Corp. "Microsoft Azure provides the global scale and security enterprise customers need, enhanced by Actiance's expertise in managing compliance." To learn more about Actiance Vantage, visit www.actiance.com/products/vantage/. Additional Information Stay up to date with Actiance: http://www.actiance.com/blog Become a fan of Actiance: http://www.facebook.com/actiance Follow Actiance on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/actiance About Actiance Actiance is the leader in communications compliance, archiving, and analytics. We provide compliance across the broadest set of communications and social channels with insights on what's being captured. Actiance customers manage over 500 million daily conversations across 80+ channels and growing. Customers include the top 10 U.S., top 5 Canadian, top 8 European, and top 3 Asian banks. The Actiance advantage is customers stay ahead of compliance and uncover patterns and relationships hidden within their data. Learn more at www.actiance.com. Actiance headquarters are in Redwood City, California. For more information, visit http://www.actiance.com or call 1-888-349-3223. PR Contacts: Lisa Bergamo Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Actiance, Inc. Phone: 650-380-9250 Email: [email protected] Michael Burke 415.989.9000 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/actiance-helps-simplify-security-in-the-cloud-300422308.html SOURCE Actiance [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Adam Holt, Top-Ranked Software Analyst, Joins MoffettNathanson, LLC to Lead Software & Services Research Business NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MoffettNathanson, LLC announced today that veteran Software Analyst Adam Holt has joined the firm as a Partner, and as the leader of the firm's newly-established Software and Services Research effort. Adam is among the best known and most-widely respected research analysts on Wall Street. His return to the equity research business, after three years as an investment banker, will be welcomed by the Technology investment community, and marks an important growth milestone for MoffettNathanson. Holt was most recently a Partner at Qatalyst Partners, where he led the firm's Software Investment Banking practice. While at Qatalyst, he advised more than one hundred Software companies on a wide range of financial and strategic matters, helping the firm complete $64 billion of software-related M&A and financing transactions. Prior to Qatalyst, Adam was the Global Head of Software Research at both Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan, where he was ranked the #1 Software analyst in America by Institutional Investor Magazine and/or i>Greenwich Associates for six consecutive years. He has a total of 17 years of experience as a highly-regarded Software analyst. "We are thrilled to partner with Adam, and to welcome him back to the sell-side research business," MoffettNathanson co-founder Craig Moffett said. "Adam's hands-on experience as a deal-maker over the past three years will bring a new dimension to what has consistently been a dominant research franchise," added co-founder Michael Nathanson. Holt said, "I'm excited to join a firm which is uniquely well-positioned within the rapidly-changing sell-side research industry. I look forward to providing differentiated and impactful research to a select group of clients." MoffettNathanson has been a leader in the development of Wall Street's subscription-based payment model. A combination of regulatory and competitive forces is leading to the rapid dissolution of trading as the primary means of payment for research service. MoffettNathanson's subscription-based payment model allows the firm's clients to more effectively manage their research budgets, by paying only for the research they value highly, while separately seeking best-execution trading. The creation of a Software & Services Research effort represents MoffettNathanson's first expansion beyond its Media/Telecommunications research roots since the firm's founding four years ago. The firm plans to partner with other sector-dominant analysts going forward, according to its COO and Director of Research, Michael Rietbrock. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adam-holt-top-ranked-software-analyst-joins-moffettnathanson-llc-to-lead-software--services-research-business-300422250.html SOURCE MoffettNathanson, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] The Leadership Conference Education Fund, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law & Nine Partner Organizations Launch Communities Against Hate National Initiative WASHINGTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Leadership Conference Education Fund and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced the launch of Communities Against Hate, an initiative of 11 prominent national organizations working together to address the disturbing spike in hate incidents across the United States. As part of this initiative, the organizations are launching a database to bring visibility to hate incidents and helping victims and organizations obtain access to legal resources and social services through a resource hotline: 1-844-9-NO-HATE or 1-844-966-4283. For the first time to aggregate data on hate incidents, organizations representing a diverse set of impacted communitiesincluding the Black, Latinx, LGBTQ, Muslim, Arab communities, as well as womenhave come together as Communities Against Hate. This initiative will pull together traditionally disparate reporting of hate incidents and provide support for victims and communities. The pairing of services and documentation is unprecedented and especially critical in the current social climate. "Acts of hate not only devastate individuals, but also target entire communities, threatening to undermine the most basic tenets of our democracy. Now is the time for communities to come together to prevent these incidents from happening in the first place," said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund. The hotline will serve as a resource for organizations and individuals working to combat hate in their communities. Through the hotline, trained staff and volunteers will provide access to legal resources, including pro bono attorneys when appropriate, and connections to mental health services or other community organizations and resources. "Our nation stands at a crossroads. Together, we are working with community leaders, local organizations, philanthropy and law enforcement agencies to combat the scourge of hate and hate-inspired incidents now gripping the nation. We will work with partners across the country to prevent and improve the response to hate incidents," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Additionally, as part of this initiative, the Open Society Foundations to date has made grants to 48 local organizations with innovative ideas for addressing hate incidents in their neighborhoods. These grants, covering 23 states and Puerto Rico, support a wide range of affected communities and diverse approaches to countering hate and helping its victims. Among them: Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles organization that started as a law firm to help Holocaust survivors gain access to reparations, and is now helping members of the trans community protect themselves from hate. organization that started as a law firm to help Holocaust survivors gain access to reparations, and is now helping members of the trans community protect themselves from hate. CONNECT Inc., which provides trainings in New York City schools to help bystanders know how to intervene when witnessing a hate incident. schools to help bystanders know how to intervene when witnessing a hate incident. South Dakota Faith in Public Life, a multifaith coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim clerics, who seek to use their moral authority to rally communities across the state to their theme of Love Thy Neighbor : No Exceptions. Learn more by visiting www.CommunitiesAgainstHate.org. Follow and participate in the initiative on social media using the official hashtag, #CommunitiesAgainstHate. The strategic advisor and partner organizations issued the following about Communities Against Hate: Southern Poverty Law Center: "It's critical that communities everywhere come together to respond to the increase in bigotry we're seeing as those with hate in their hearts now seem to feel that they have a license to act on their worst instincts," said Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Povrty Law Center, a strategic advisor to the initiative. "The launch of Communities Against Hate is an important step in that direction." Center for Community Change: "It's a shame that today, decades after many Americans fought for equal rights for women, African Americans and the LGBTQ communities, these segments of society remain under siege through hateful and violent actions. The Center for Community Change is proud to be part of the Communities Against Hate initiative to end these cycles of violence and bigotry. CCC vows to stand up for all communities, including immigrant families, who are targets of xenophobic actions," said Kica Matos, director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice, Center for Community Change. Color of Change: "Anti-Black hate incidents and crimes continue to play a daily role in the lives of Black people in ways that threaten our safety and security. These hate incidents, often unreported or ignored by law enforcement agencies and major mediaand now normalized by Trump's administrationcan surface in many forms: a racial slur spray painted on a community center wall; persistent, unchecked online harassment from an anonymous white nationalist troll; or during a violent, xenophobic encounter on a subway. Color of Change is proud to be a member of the Communities Against Hate initiative's timely effort to push back against the normalization of this kind of deep-seeded bigotry," said Arisha Michelle Hatch, managing director at Color of Change. Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (GSA Network): "Trans and queer youth have reported escalating hateful rhetoric, discrimination and violence from peers and administrators in schools. Yet, youth are showing their resilience and belief in a just and tolerant society by reporting these incidents and creating positive school climates," said Geoffrey Winder, co-executive director of Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network. "We are proud to work with organizations across the country and leverage our collective power to shift the public narrative about the future young people want." Hollaback!: "Since the election, our site has seen twice as many reports of harassment as we usually do this time of year. Hollaback! has collected over 10,000 stories of harassment over the past seven yearsand through the Communities Against Hate initiative, we're excited to take this work to the next level by collaborating alongside other incredible nonprofits to shine a light on harassment in this country, remind victims that they aren't alone, and remind everyone that they have a role to play in ending harassment," said Emily May, co-founder and executive director of Hollaback! Muslim Advocates: "As violence against a number of communities has swept the nation, we are proud to join our allies and partners in this project because we recognize that an attack on one is an attack on us all," said Madihha Ahussain, staff attorney and lead for the program to Counter Anti-Muslim Hate at Muslim Advocates. "Together, by collecting critical data and sharing resources with impacted communities, we are striving for a future where Americans of all faiths, races, genders and sexual orientations can live without fear." National Council of La Raza: "We cannot allow hateful rhetoric and acts of violence to become normalized in our society. This is not what our America is about and we stand firmly with our partner groups and all Americans who believe in fairness, justice and equal treatment of all. We will continue to shine a light on these incidents and work with our community to stamp out hatred and intolerance," said Janet Murguia, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza. National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC): "Storytelling is essential to organizing, shifting culture and extremely empowering for the individual. Humanity is best served when we are able to connect on a deeper level. The National Network for Arab American Communities is excited to be able to support this story collecting initiative in an effort to uplift the real stories of our community members as we move forward toward justice," said Ahmad Abuznaid, director of the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC). New York City Anti-Violence Project: "The New York City Anti-Violence Project is honored to partner with organizations across the country working to end hate violence at this crucial time in our nation's history. After over 30 years of tracking violence in the LGBTQ community, we are thrilled that Communities Against Hate is bringing us together to amplify the voices of all survivors of violence and connect them to resources. We believe this data will help inform and empower all of us to stand up against hate-based violence and the racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia and other forms of bias and oppression in which this violence is rooted. We must be united and we must never normalize hate," said Beverly Tillery, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project Transgender Law Center: "Seven transgender women of color have been murdered in the U.S. this year that we know ofand it is only March. There is a crisis of violence against transgender people, fueled by a climate of hateful rhetoric and policy, that has for too long gone unseen and unacknowledged. Ignoring the violence faced by transgender people, particularly Black transgender womenor reporting that violence in a way that misgenders those attackedcontributes to a society that fails to treat us as fully human," said Kris Hayashi, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. About Communities Against Hate: Communities Against Hate is a national initiative to collect data and respond to incidents of violence, threats, and property damage motivated by hate across the United States. The initiative leverages a reporting database (www.CommunitiesAgainstHate.org) that aggregates reports from both victims, witnesses and news accounts of hate incidents, as well as offers legal resources and social services to support people in need. Communities Against Hate aims to aggregate data on hate incidents, providing legal and social support, raising awareness, and educating the public on the prevalence of hate. The initiative is led by The Leadership Conference Education Fund, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and partner organizations representing diverse communities that reflect the fabric of America, including: Center for Community Change; Color of Change; Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (GSA Network); Hollaback!; Muslim Advocates; National Council of La Raza; National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC); New York City Anti-Violence Project; and the Transgender Law Center. The Southern Poverty Law Center is serving as a strategic advisor to the initiative. Media Contacts: Edelman: Alexis Weiss, [email protected], +1 202-203-0066 The Leadership Conference Education Fund: Shin Inouye, [email protected], +1 202-869-0398 Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: Sherrod Smith, [email protected], +1 202-662-8340 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-leadership-conference-education-fund-lawyers-committee-for-civil-rights-under-law--nine-partner-organizations-launch-communities-against-hate-national-initiative-300422411.html SOURCE Communities Against Hate [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Canopy Raises $20M Round to Modernize the Experience Between Tax Professionals and Their Clients LEHI, Utah, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Canopy, the practice management platform for tax professionals, announced today that it has closed a $20 million Series B financing led by Pelion Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors New Enterprise Associates (NEA), EPIC Ventures, and Deep Fork Capital. This round brings Canopy's total funding to $30 million to date. Canopy is a cloud-based platform built to make the notoriously painful tax filing process more efficient and transparent for both tax professionals and their clients. Thousands of tax professionals and millions of their clients waste countless hours on tax filings every year; furthermore, practitioners are forced to juggle complex tax regulations, filing deadlines, and client relationships with outdated software. Until Canopy, there hasn't been a comprehensive, cloud-based software solution to help tax professionals manage this chaotic workflow. "Our vision is that tax professionals will be able to focus their time and energy on consulting their clients, rather than the repetitive busywork they are typically buried in," said Kurt Avarell, Canopy Founder and CEO. Canopy saves tax practitioners an average of 5-10 hours per week. "This funding makes it possible for us to tackle some of tax professionals' biggest pain points, and for their clients to get the experience they're looking for when they turn to a professional for help with their taxes." Canopy has grown by more than 20 times in the last year, making it one of the fastest growing FinTech startups and demonstrating the tremendous need that exists in the industry. Tax professionals are also turning to Canopy to combat the increasing popularity of do-it-yourself tax options. "Modern tax professionals need to create an intuitive, transparent experience for their clients if they want to compete in today's market," Avarell said. "Canopy is tackling one of the biggest, most cumbersome problems in the tax industry," said Chad Packard, partner at Pelion Venture Partners. "We're delighted to join in their mission to humanize the relationship between ta practitioner and client, as well as simplify the painful income tax process. Canopy is growing at an incredible pace. We're excited to see how they'll continue to improve the lives of tax practitioners and their clients across the country." Canopy, headquartered in Lehi, Utah, is hiring. For more information, go to: canopytax.com/careers. About Canopy Canopy is a cloud-based practice management and tax resolution software. The modern, easy-to-use software cuts out tax practice busywork, improves the client's experience, and brings all the different tools a practitioner needs under one roof. Canopy is also known for its free 2-Minute IRS Transcripts tool. Canopy was founded by Kurt Avarell, who walked away from his career as a Wall Street tax attorney to launch Canopy from his basement in 2014. About Pelion Venture Partners Pelion Venture Partners is an early stage information technology and software venture capital firm that has invested in more than eighty deals across six funds. The firm targets high margin enterprise software environments where management of data, computing, storage, networks security and data analytics are the defining characteristics. Pelion has been a partner to leading technology innovators CloudFlare, Fusion-io, Unifi Software, Integral Ad Science, Elastica, UpGuard Security, RedHat, and Riverbed. For additional information, visit www.pelionvp.com About NEA New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) is a leading venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build transformational businesses across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. With approximately $17 billion in committed capital, NEA invests in information technology, healthcare and energy technology companies at all stages in a company's lifecycle, from seed stage through IPO. The firm's long track record of successful investing includes more than 200 portfolio company IPOs and more than 320 acquisitions. For additional information, visit www.nea.com. About EPIC Ventures EPIC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 1994, EPIC Ventures' mission is to find and support great entrepreneurs regardless of location. The firm focuses primarily on Series A investments across the IT stack, from SaaS to networking technologies. For additional information, visit www.epicvc.com. About Deep Fork Capital Deep Fork Capital is a San Francisco- and New York City-based early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing globally in entrepreneurs who are building disruptive, technology-driven companies in the Consumerized Internet. Founded, funded and operated by entrepreneurs, Deep Fork Capital partners are familiar with the challenges and opportunities of launching and building a new business; as such, the firm seeks to collaborate actively with the entrepreneur throughout the lifecycle of their business. For additional information, visit www.deepforkcapital.com. Media Contact: Jordan Ray [email protected] Office: (801) 215-9990 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canopy-raises-20m-round-to-modernize-the-experience-between-tax-professionals-and-their-clients-300422456.html SOURCE Canopy Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Healbe Names Feintuch Communications as PR Agency of Record MOSCOW and NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Healbe (www.healbe.com), a global health and wellness wearable startup company that has developed an innovative fitness tracker for the weight loss market, has selected Feintuch Communications (www.feintuchcommunications.com) as its public relations firm. Healbe was founded in 2012 by Artem Shipitsyn, George Mikaberidze and Stanislav Povolotsky, in partnership with Algorithm Innovation and Technological Consulting Center of St. Petersburg, Russia. The company raised $12.6m in debt and equity since 2012, including $1.3m in a 2014 Indiegogo campaign to develop its proof of concept GoBe "automatic body manager" fitness tracker. Making its debut in 2015, GoBe was the first and only wearable of its kind that automatically measured calorie intake and body water level non-invasivelythrough the skin of the users' wristsvia the company's patented Healbe Flow Technology. Working with the Feintuch Communications team on a project basis in late 2016 and in January of this year, Healbe introduced a significantly enhanced second-generation model, the GoBe 2 "Smart Life Band" fitness tracker at CES. Repositioned to focus on the weight loss and maintenance market, the groundbreaking device provides users with continuous insights into nine important parameters of whole-body health, more than any other fitness tracker on the market. These include calories ingested, calories burned, body water balance, emotional tensions, stress, sleep, energy balance, heart rate and distance traveled/steps taken. Key improvements to GoBe 2 include true automatic calorie counting, without the need for user to activate the device before they eat. A nine-axis accelerometer, which replaces the three-axis version of the original, improves tracking of movement significantly, and a new skin galvanic response sensor added to the encoder better monitors stress levels. The device securely sends the data via Bluetooth 4.0 LE to the Healbe GoBe iOS and Android apps for monitoring on smartphones and portable devices. This data is also saved and viewable via users' personal Healbe GoBe website accounts. "Healbe's latest innovation, the GoBe 2, enters a crowded fitness tracker market with some unique characteristics designed to help consumers achieve their weight loss and general health goals," said Stan Povolotsky, co-founder and sales director, Healbe. "The Feintuch Communications team has a deep understanding of our business objectives and has extensive experience at introducing and positioning cutting-edge consumer electronics products. We look forward to our collaboration." "The GoBe 2 is more than another fitness tracker; its Healbe Flow technology provides automatic calorie counting, hydration level and emotional state detection to help consumers better understanding what's going into their bodies and how it impacts them," said Henry Feintuch, president, Feintuch Communications. "Healbe is working to broaden the category to the tens of millions of consumers monitoring their weight and overall fitness levels and not focus on athletes or those making a lifestyle statement with the coolest hardware." The Healbe account is led by Henry Feintuch and Doug Wright, senior account director. About Healbe Healbe is a global health and wellness wearable startup founded in 2012. The company conducted a successful Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign in 2014 that raised more than $1 million dollars to support its launch of the GoBe, a health-monitoring "smart life" bracelet. The GoBe uses patented Healbe FLOW Technology and other innovative features to monitor more aspects of individuals' health and well-being than any other wearable fitness trackerincluding calorie intake, calories burned, energy balance, water balance, stress level, emotional state, heart rate, sleep quality, distance traveled and number of steps per day. Healbe is headquartered in Moscow with research and development offices in St. Petersburg, Russia; U.S. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif.; and manufacturing offices in Schenzhen, China. About Feintuch Communications Feintuch Communications (www.feintuchcommunications.com), based in New York City, is an award-winning strategic relations firm offering clients an integrated blend of public relations, advertising/marketing, investor relations and other services to meet their business objectives. A founding partner of PR World Alliance (www.PRWorldAlliance.com), the firm specializes in B-to-B and B-to-C programs with a focus in technology, financial services, advertising and media and energy/clean tech. Feintuch Communications prides itself on its strong service ethic, senior counsel and hands-on support. Healbe, GoBe and Healbe FLOW are trademarks of Healbe Corp. All other trade names are the property of their respective owners. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/healbe-names-feintuch-communications-as-pr-agency-of-record-300422296.html SOURCE Feintuch Communications [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke has said that three former Presidents endor... Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke has said that three former Presidents endorsed the Settlement Agreement on the controversial $1.6billion Malabu Oil Block.They are Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru YarAdua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.Adoke said none of the three Presidents has disowned the agreement.He listed ex-ministers who played key roles in resolving the conflict on the oil block. They are a former AGF and Minister of Justice Bayo Ojo, former Minister of Petroleum Resources King Edmund Daukoru; ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and former Minister of Finance Olusegun Aganga.He said the recent actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tended to impugn the Settlement Agreement.He insisted that the Ministry of Justice, which he superintended, only facilitated the Settle Agreement.The EFCC has filed charges against Adoke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar and eight others over alleged $801million bribe in respect of the auctioning of Malabu Oil Block.The others are Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; ENI SPA; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Ralph Wetzels(ex- Director of SNEPCO), Casula Roberto(Italian) whilst being the Director of AGIP; Pujatti Stefeno(Italian) while being the Director in AGIP; and Burafato Sebastiano(Italian).But Adoke, in a March 6 letter to Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), asked the AGF to determine whether he had committed any offence for carrying out presidential approvals.He asked Malami to tell Nigerians whether his predecessors in office from 2006 to May 2015 acted in the national interest when they brokered and implemented the Settlement Agreement.He urged Malami to clarify to Nigerians the import of Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) with respect to the vesting of all the Executive powers of the Federation in the President to exercise by himself and or through his Ministers and appointees.He said: It will be recalled that the Terms of Settlement encapsulating details of the Settlement between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited (Malabu) was executed on 30th November, 2006.The Terms of Settlement, which was later, reduced into a Consent Judgment of the Federal High Court; Abuja was brokered by our predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN and signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria by the then Honourable Minister of State, for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.When I assumed office on 10th April 2010, I inherited a Consent Judgment, which had undergone the scrutiny of three Presidents and Attorneys General. I was therefore restricted to the implementation of the Settlement as the issue of ownership of OPL 245 had already been resolved in favour of Malabu by the Terms of Settlement dated 30th November 2006 and the Consent Judgment of the FHC, Abuja.I also inherited an on-going Investor/State Arbitration at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) in which SNUD had initiated arbitral proceedings against the FGN claiming damages in excess of $2billion for taking back OPL 245 re-awarded to them when Malabus title was initially revoked by the FGN. SNUDs claims were also premised on the fact that they had substantially de-risked the Block.Malabu also instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/420/2003, before the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja to enforce its claim to OPL 245. Although, the suit was struck out by the FHC, Malabu lodged Appeal No. CA/A/99M/2006 before the Court Appeal, Abuja, Division.During the pendency of the Appeal, an amicable settlement was entered into between Malabu and the Federal Government and in compliance with the Terms of Settlement executed by the Parties on the 30th of November 2006, OPL 245 was fully and completely restored to Malabu in consideration for its withdrawal of the Appeal. (Copy of the Terms of Settlement dated 30th November is attached as Annexure A)Apparently dissatisfied with the Terms of Settlement between the Federal Government and Malabu, SNUD commenced arbitral proceedings against the decision of the Federal Government to restore/re-allocate OPL 245 to Malabu at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington DC, and made representations to government on the impending arbitration. It is instructive to note that SNUDs claim before ICSID was in excess of US$2billion. It also commenced a suit against the Government before the Federal High Court, AbujaAlthough, several meetings were held between the Presidency, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, SNUD and Malabu, to resolve the dispute, no satisfactory outcome was achieved. Attempts were also made in 2007 to resolve the dispute by a Committee comprising the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Energy, Group Managing Director, NNPC and DPR, during the administration of Late President Umaru Musa YarAdua, without success To resolve all the contending claims in a satisfactory and holistic manner, due regard was given to the Terms of Settlement of 30th November 2006 which had been reduced to Orders of the Court, the underlying policy of encouraging the participation of indigenous oil and gas companies in the upstream sector of the oil industry and the fact that Shell had substantially de-risked Block 245.To accommodate all these interests, a Resolution Agreement dated 29th April, 2011 was executed wherein the FGN agreed to resolve all the issues with Malabu in respect of Block 245 amicably and Malabu also agreed that it would settle and waive any and all claims to any interest in OPL 245. (Copy of the Resolution Agreement is attached as Annexure D). In furtherance of the Resolution Agreement, SNUD and ENI agreed to pay Malabu through the Federal Government acting as an obligor, the sum of US$ 1,092,040,000 Billion in full and final settlement of any and all claims, interests or rights relating to or in connection with Block 245 and Malabu agreed to settle and waive any and all claims, interests or rights relating to or in connection with Block 245 and also consented to the re-allocation of Block 245 to Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAE) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO).Adoke insisted that the Federal Government and its agencies and officials only served as facilitators of the Settlement Agreement.He added: It is therefore quite evident from the foregoing that the role played by the Federal Government, its agencies and officials in relation to Block 245 was essentially that of facilitator of the resolution of a long standing dispute between Malabu and SNUD over the ownership and right to operate Block 245.At all times material to the resolution of the dispute, the Federal Government was not aware of any subsisting third party interest in Malabus claim to OPL 245 and neither did any person or company apply to be joined in the negotiations as an interested party.I wish to reiterate that the resolution of the lingering dispute over Block 245 was in furtherance of Governments demonstrable commitment to attract investment in the oil and gas sector of the economy and encourage genuine investors (local and foreign) by creating the enabling environment for their business to thrive. The Office of the Attorney General superintended over the process to ensure that the implementation was holistic by ensuring:(a) that the requisite Presidential Approvals were sought and obtained;(b) that all the relevant MDAs such the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Finance, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were involved in the resolution and final implementation of the Settlement;(c) that the relevant Agreements such as OPL 245 Resolution and Re-allocation Agreements were duly executed by line Ministers and Departments;(d) that the Signature bonus was duly paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria as required by law, and(e) that disbursements from the escrow account were jointly approved by the Federal Government and SNUD.Adoke urged the AGF to find out why he was singled out by the Economic and Financial Crimes for prosecution.He said: In view of the foregoing, I anxiously want to know where I went wrong that I have been singled out by the EFCC for prosecution.I wish to use this medium to appeal to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation to be mindful of his overarching powers over public prosecution and the need to ensure that state institutions do not become persecutors or instruments in the hands of those pursuing personal vendetta.The Constitution and the traditions of our noble profession demand your oversight over public prosecution. Consequently, if you find that I had breached my Oath of Office or abused my office, please do not hesitate to bring me to justice.However, if it is the contrary, as I strongly believe, that certain individuals who had vowed to even scores with me are now being aided by state institutions such as the EFCC; I deserve protection from these unwarranted attacks and dehumanising treatment that I am being subjected to merely because I chose to serve my fatherland.Adoke faulted the filing of separate charges against him by the EFCC and asked Malami to speak out.He said: As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, you have a public duty to speak on this matter so that Nigerians would know whether I acted mala fide or abused my office in the entire transaction leading to the final implementation of the Settlement. At least 14 police officers have been lined up to testify against 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission. At least 14 police officers have been lined up to testify against 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.The officials are being accused of receiving N360m bribe from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State during the December 10, 2016 rerun elections in the state.The Federal Government had dragged 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before an Abuja Federal High Court for allegedly receiving the sum of N350m Wike.The trial is expected to commence this week.It was gathered that the defendants would be arraigned before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.The court served the hearing notice on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation sometime last week. The notice indicated that the arraignment would take place on Tuesday, March 14, Punch quoted a source as saying.On whether the defendants had been served with the charges, the source added, Immediately the charges were filed last week, more than enough copies that would go round the 23 defendants were sent to the police.Recall that the police earlier released the defendants. But the investigative team of the police re-invited the defendants after receiving copies of the charges from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.So, I am sure if the defendants honoured the police invitation, they would have been served with the charges.According to the source, the charges were accompanied by a list of 14 potential witnesses.The source stated that the list was subject to a further review in the course of the trial.The insider said, In fact, all the witnesses listed so far are policemen. So, the prosecution may later amend its proof of evidence by filing additional list of witnesses to bring in others including INEC officials as prosecution witnesses.It is always within the rights of the prosecution to reduce or add to its number of its proposed witnesses.The 23 INEC officials are said to include three state coordinators of the electoral body.The accused persons named in the charges are Shittu Lamido (Shettima), Henry Owokure, Peter Ewatade, Mrs. Mary Tunkoyo Pennap, Gwatana Jibril, Ivase Stephen and Abdullahi Ogabo.Also named as part of the defendants are Gayus Hassan, Hussaina Yahaya, James Ogwuche, Karimu Aminu and Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde.The defendants also include Balogun Funmilayo and Adams Kadiri, Akinwande Adesoji, Lukeman Olabimpe and Tiamiyu R. Arowolo.The rest are Akinwoye Amodu, Nwoha Yusuf, Patrick Anuke, Iro Abali, Nwosu Oluchi and Arukwe Chinelo.In the suit with FHC/ABJ/CR//42/2017, the Federal Government claimed that the N350m represented proceeds of Wikes criminal conduct as well as economic and financial crimes.In count 1, the defendants all electoral officers and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission between December 7 to 10, 2016 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, did conspire to convert the sum of N360,000,000 directly from bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State re-run election which took place on December 10, 2016.In count 2, prosecution alleged that the accused persons, did convert the sum of N360,000,000, being money derived directly from bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the money.In count 3, it was alleged that the accused persons did collaborate to conceal the sum of N360,000,000, being money derived directly from bribery and corruption, in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016.In count 4, it was alleged that the defendants all electoral officers and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission between December 7 and 10, 2016, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, did commit an offence to wit: possession of the sum of N360,000,000, being money you received from Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, knowing that the said money represented proceeds of bribery and corruption in connection with the Rivers State rerun election, which took place on December 10, 2016. The former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Electronic Media, Pastor Reno Omokri has advised critics of the General Overseer of... Reno Omokri The former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Electronic Media, Pastor Reno Omokri has advised critics of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, to stop spitting venom on the Apostle on Facebook since the infidelity accusation leveled against him whose veracity they are not sure of has not been proven.Pastor Reno also assured the Apostle that come good, come bad, he would always stand by him. Some of you are here on facebook spitting venom on Apostle Johnson Suleman for an accusation whose veracity you are not sure of.I just read from a fellow on facebook who wrote a statement with a lot of ifs. You are filled with ifs and yet you are making judgments? Rather than give the man the benefit of the doubt, you start casting aspersions and slurs. Do not wait until it happens to you before you know that there can be smoke without fire.If you have too much bile and venom inside you, then unleash on corrupt politicians. But before you bury Apostle Suleiman, I will urge you to wait until he dies. Apostle Suleiman, I do not think you are guilty, but no matter the case, in good times and bad times I will stand by you! Recall that Apostle Suleman has since the last two weeks been accused by one Ms Stephanie Otobo of ditching her after having an amorous affair that led to her being pregnant and losing the baby.Ms. Otobo, a Canada-based stripper has equally accused Apostle Suleman of promising to marry her but later failed to keep his words. However, Ms. Otobo was arrested and later granted bail after filing a N500 million naira suit against the pastor.Although Apostle Suleman has denied ever having anything to do with the lady except the possibility of helping her just like he does to numerous others in need, the alleged scandal wont die off the media as claims and counter-claims from both sides have kept on coming. Even the wife of Apostle Suleman, Dr. Lizzy Suleman has in a video said she knows her husband is not a cheat.She said this when so many pictures kept flooding the social media wherein it was alleged that the pastor was having an amorous relationship with the lady. A personnel of the Nigerian Air Force has allegedly shot one of his colleagues and his purported girlfriend, Oladipupo Solape, dead in a... The incident, which occurred at the Air Force Base in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, is under investigation according to the Air Force authorities.The Public Relation Officer at the base, Wing Commander Emmanuel Iheoma, who confirmed the incident, said it was under investigation and more details would be provided in due course.It was gathered that the killer airman has been arrested and his blood sample taken. He is in the custody of the Air Police in Makurdi.Friends of the female Air Force official, Oladipupo Solape, who is known as Shomzy Shomzy to her colleagues and friends, have taken to the social media to express their shock over the incident and mourn her.R.I.P Shomzy Shomzy your death is some thing I cant forget so easily because your military plans is still in your mind. Well I cant continue crying my dear, all I have to do is to let go of what I cant change, One of her friends wrote on Facebook.Sources said the incident occurred on Sunday morning after the jealous lover accused her of double dating.The slain personnel reportedly hailed from Badagry and was murdered two weeks after celebrating her birthday.Her last three Facebook posts suggested she was optimistic about life and thankful to God for all she had achieved.On her birthday, February 26, she wrote, God I thank you I have nothing to give you than to say thank you Jesus. I wish my self a long life and prosperity.HIP!!! HURRAY. A big thanks to my mum, dad, buddy, course mates my FB friends Thanks all for the upload, likes and comments I pray that God will not forget anyone of you Who gonna take me out?A day later she wished a lady she described as her best friend happy birthday.Her last post was on Thursday, March 9. Along with pictures of her in bed, she wrote, Those who said WHO ARE YOUwill come and say HOW ARE YOU.. Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), has banned the use of commercial helicopters between Abuja and Kaduna. Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), has banned the use of commercial helicopters between Abuja and Kaduna.Commercial helicopter companies had offered to provide air transport between the two cities following the closure of the runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport Abuja for repairs.Maple Aviation Logistics Limited had offered interested passengers a 45-minute trip at N49,999.The company had expressed the willingness to pick passengers at the Kaduna international airport and drop them off at the national stadium in Abuja.But in a memo, Monguno said the Abuja airspace is controlled and only security flights or those with permission from the presidency would be allowed to use the airspace.He said all passengers would be required to travel either by road or rail.In view of the closure of the airport, air travellers will be required to travel by road/train to Abuja from Kaduna International Airport, it read.This will undoubtedly cause constraints on the movement of some passengers who will aim to travel using other means, notably the use of commercial ferry helicopters.Please be reminded that the airspace over the federal capital territory Abuja is controlled and only security flights or those with the requisite security clearance from the presidency are granted overhead clearance for obvious security reasons.Consequently, you are to note and ensure that charter or commercial helicopter ferry flights are not allowed to fly within Abuja airspace. A 57-year-old grandmother and textile merchant at Balogun market in Lagos has been caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, ... A 57-year-old grandmother and textile merchant at Balogun market in Lagos has been caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in connection with cocaine smuggling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said.Odeyemi Omolara claimed to be going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia when she was arrested, according to the agency.Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that the two parcels of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine were carefully concealed inside her luggage.A female passenger, Odeyemi Omolara Morayo with a valid Egypt air ticket from Lagos to Saudi Arabia had been arrested with 1.595kg of cocaine, Mr. Garba said.The cocaine which was concealed in a false bottom of her bag was discovered during routine check on passengers at the departure hall. We had to cut the bag open to recover the cocaine because of the way it was neatly concealed. She was immediately arrested and the case is currently under investigation.In her statement, the suspect who hails from Ogun State said her friend and customer was the one that introduced her into drug trafficking.I have two children and my daughter is married with children, she said.Recently, I told my friend that I loved to go on pilgrimage this year and she promised to sponsor my trip. That was how she collected my international passport, processed my travel documents and bought return ticket on Egypt airline. The only favour she requested from me was that I should take a bag to Saudi.She also told me that somebody will collect the bag from me at Jeddah. It was an empty bag so I kept my personal effects inside it. On getting to the airport, officers discovered cocaine inside the bag during search and I was arrested.In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah, described the suspects action as condemnable.Smuggling cocaine to Saudi Arabia under any guise is condemnable, he said.It is good that she was arrested here because drug trafficking attracts capital punishment in Saudi. Apart from saving her from execution in Saudi, the prompt arrest also protected our country from disrepute. The Agency will not relent in the fight against illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse.The arrest came few days after Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court Abuja sentenced a 55-year-old female pilgrim, Binuyo Iyabo, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.Ms. Binuyo was caught last September smuggling 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 931 grammes to Medina, Saudi Arabia. Jose Mourinho will be without a specialist striker, when he takes his Manchester United side to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in an FA Cup quarter-final clash on Monday night.United are already without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who begins a three-match suspension.Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney will be absent due to injury, while Marcus Rashford is ill.All three players did not travel with the rest of the squad to London on Sunday afternoon.Mourinho is now likely to play Marouane Fellaini at centre-forward, with Juan Mata or Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the nearest supporting role.The Portuguese will be hoping he has a recognised striker fit, when they welcome Rostov in the Europa League on Thursday. Residents of Isawo in Ikorodu, Lagos State, say they now live in palpable fear following the return of militants who are terrorising peopl... Residents of Isawo in Ikorodu, Lagos State, say they now live in palpable fear following the return of militants who are terrorising people in the area.The militants, mostly kidnapers and pipeline vandals, were chased out of the area in August last year following bloody clashes in the community.Scores of people were killed in 2016 during clashes between militants and residents of Isawo community, leading to the deployment of a joint military taskforce in the area.Residents on Monday said that many of the hoodlums had returned to Isawo and neighbouring communities, robbing and terrorising residents.The militants are back to Isawo area. They brandish guns openly during daytime and rob people at night; many residents are now living in fear. The men are boasting that they are back to revenge the killings of their people in Isawo last year.For instance, Olusola Oke Street junction in Isawo near Majidun is one of the militants meeting points where they smoke Indian hemp openly.Residents dont go out daily until 7a.m, and before 6 p.m., everyone is back home, a female resident, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN in Isawo.She said some residents had relocated from the area for their safety since the return of the hoodlums. Another resident, who also sought anonymity, told NAN:When we thought that these people were gone forever, they came again.We want the military and the police to check them before they start killing again. Reacting to the development, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, Lagos State Police spokesman, told NAN that the command was re-strategizing the security arrangements in the state, including Ikorodu area.Famous-Cole said more police patrol teams would be deployed in the area, and urged residents to provide useful information on the activities of the hoodlums.The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Fergusson Bobai, told NAN :I dont have any report yet to suggest that militants are back in those areas. But Lagos State Governor has approved the return of swamp buggies to open up the creeks in those areas to enable us carry out in-depth patrols, he said.The swamp buggy is a motor vehicle used to traverse boggy swamp terrain. Buggies are able to move about on dry land, shallow mud, sand, shallow water and deep mud.The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim, on Aug. 4, 2016 visited Isawo creeks in Ikorodu neighbourhood over the activities of militants. The Lagos Sate Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, at the weekend said that the proposed Bus Reform Initiative aimed at giving Lagosians an integ... The Lagos Sate Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, at the weekend said that the proposed Bus Reform Initiative aimed at giving Lagosians an integrated public transportation system would kick start this year with a sinking fund of N30 billion.Governor Ambode, who spoke to journalists, said his administration had identified the challenges Lagosians go through on a daily basis commuting via public transportation, saying the reform was aimed at providing a viable alternative.He said the Bus Reform Initiative is a three-year plan aimed at introducing over 5000 air-conditioned buses to replace the yellow commercial buses, popularly called Danfo, which according to him, was no longer befitting for the States mega city status.We decided that the best thing is to allow the yellow buses go and so the Bus Reform Initiative itself is a three-year plan of 2017 to 2019 in which it intends to bring in new buses of 5,000 units in the three-year plan.The bigger size buses will take 70 people and then the medium range buses will take 30 people. We believe that the middle range buses will be supplied up to 70 per cent of the total volume which will amount to about 3,600 units and then the longer range in that direction, he said.Speaking on how the government intends to fund the initiative, the governor said that his administration would launch a public transportation infrastructure bond of N100 billion that would span between seven and 10 years, revealing that the government already has a sinking fund which it intends to put into the bond.You are aware that the Federal Government paid the refund of the Paris Club Loan last December and this is a money belonging to the State Governments due to the refund and so Lagos State decided not to touch its share of the Paris Club refund. Right now, we have a sinking fund of N14.5 billion that is already put in place to drive this public transportation bond.We refused to touch our money and we believe that the second batch of the refund should be paid next month and eventually that will be N29billion that we will have. I will add another N1billion to it making it N30billion to kick start this initiative.By the time we have N30billion as sinking fund to drive the bus initiative against the bond of N100 billion that we want to put into the market, there will be that credibility and credence that the bond will drive itself and that is the whole idea, Mr. Ambode said.He said aside the bond, his administration also intends to give out franchise to interested stakeholders in multiple of 50 buses each, 100 buses, 200 buses and above, explaining that what is required is a down payment of 25 per cent of the buses.So, these are bankable projects as we have a sinking fund and so our exposure as a government is just technically 75 per cent. So, from the kind of machinery we want to use to run the buses, there are no cash takings, everything is automated and obviously, whoever has a franchise, whoever drives, they have the recourse to take part of the money while part of the intake also goes to the repayment of the facility and so it is a comprehensive template, the Governor said.He, however, said that the State Government expects the Danfo drivers, who would be absorbed into the new initiative to adapt accordingly, saying that the transport unions would be expected to take ownership to ensure sustainability.This is just a paradigm shift where Danfo drivers move from being addressed as Danfo drivers but as professional drivers. So, we will buy back the Danfos from them and it becomes the seed money to become eventual owners of those buses in the years the facility is spread.It is something we have been working on in the last one year and we dont come out to say we are going to do anything without working properly on it. It is process and now we are at the advocacy process.We intend to start to go to the bus parks and all that to educate people and the integral part of these buses is what you see us trying to provide bus terminals, Laybys, bus stops. They are coming in pieces but they will become a complete cup of delivering this particularly product when we put them together, he explained. Another London-Paris Club loan refund (about N500billion) is on the way for states with fresh hurdles for governors. set and meet targets to enhance Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); establish Efficiency Units to reduce overhead costs; privatise State Owned Enterprises; domesticate the Fiscal Responsibility Act; and limit bank loans. Another London-Paris Club loan refund (about N500billion) is on the way for states with fresh hurdles for governors.The Presidency has made it mandatory for all the states to account for the first tranche of the loan refunds in line with the agreement it reached with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).States implicated in the mismanagement of the first tranche may not get the fresh funds.Some of the 36 governors are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for allegedly diverting the first tranche of the refund.The governors (seven are involved in the scandal) engaged some curious consultants, who got part of their states share of the refund.Part of the funds was allocated to some National Assembly leaders who had no business with the refund, it was learnt.It was gathered that the Presidency was set to release fresh refund to states in line with President Muhammadu Buharis determination to rescue the 36 states from economic collapse.A source, who spoke in confidence, said: The government is about to release another tranche of London-Paris Club loan refunds to states. It is about the same amount like the first tranche. Let us say about N500billion.The refund is entirely the initiative of the Federal Government to improve the socio-economic situation in the 36 states. President Buhari was disturbed that many states were finding it difficult to pay workers salaries and pensions.But the release of the second batch of refund will be based on some conditions as agreed upon by the Presidency and the Nigerian Governors Forum(NGF). President Buhari has said that he will not accept any excuse from any governor for diverting public funds.Before the first tranche was released, the NGF had an agreement with President Buhari that about 25 per cent to 50 per cent will be used to offset outstanding salaries and pensions.This time around, the Presidency has made up its mind that any state which breached the agreement will not be entitled to second tranche.Asked how the Presidency will know, the source added: We have feedback from the states on how some of these governors have diverted and misused the first set of refunds. Some of them did not spend up to 15 per cent on salaries and pensions. The records are there to prove the breach. We also got reports from security agencies, labour, pensioners, concerned leaders in various states and many whistle-blowers on how the governors spent the first tranche.The source described security reports on some of the governors as damning.Some governors were said to have converted the refund to personal use and the cash expended on wasteful projects.In some instances, some projects executed have no bearing with the needs of some states. It is quite sad, the source said.The investigation of the EFCC into the disbursement of the first refunds confirmed that some of the governors were involved in illegal deductions and remittances into NGF account. I think about seven of them were actively involved.The position of the Presidency is that governors implicated in London-Paris Club fraud may forfeit refunds to their states. We will reveal the outcome of investigation on some of the governors for the people of their states to know why such a punitive measure is necessary.Another top government source, who confirmed the moves to reimburse states, however, said: The second tranche will be released based on the compliance of states with Fiscal Sustainability Plan(FSP), which was endorsed by all the governors at a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on May 19.We have a benchmark which we mutually consented to. As a matter of fact, the governors agreed that further disbursements will be based on the states meeting agreed targets and will be subject to monitoring and evaluation by Independent Monitoring Agents. States which fail to meet the targets will be excluded from this refund.According to the plan by the Federal Ministry of Finance, states will be required to:The Federal Government has agreed to develop IPSAS compliant software for States to use, and to develop new Bond Issuance guidelines to ease access to the Capital Market for states wishing to fund developmental projects, the source said.The Presidency has so far released N1, 266.44trillion to the states in the past one year including N713.70billion special intervention fund.Following protests by states against over deductions for external debt service between 1995 and 2002, President Buhari approved the release of N522.74 billion(first tranche) to states as refunds pending reconciliation of records.Each state was entitled to a cap of N14.5 billion, being 25 per cent of the amounts claimed.Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said the payment of the claims would enable states to offset outstanding salaries and pension, which had been causing considerable hardship.The Presidency directed the states to devote a minimum of 50 per cent of any amount disbursed to address challenges associated with salaries and pensions.Some governors are said to have failed to disclose the actual amount given to their states.Some of the governors have devoted only 10 to 25 per cent of the funds to the payment of backlog of salaries. The Presidency has warned Nigerians not to expect too much from President Muhammadu Buhari as he resumes work today. The Presidency has warned Nigerians not to expect too much from President Muhammadu Buhari as he resumes work today.Speaking during an interview with a print media, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media, Mr. Garba Shehu, said, Let me first of all caution that he (Buhari) is not going to start in a dramatic way. He has been away from the country for nearly two months, so he needs to get into the temperature of the place.For instance, yesterday (Saturday), he went through the newspapers page by page, and he read everything that interested him. So he needs to get back to that place. The thing is that hes basically human like all of us. He is coming out of an ailment and like he himself had said, he needs to start gradually.Dont expect the president to be given neck-breaking schedules or punishing schedules like from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., or sometimes to 1a.m. to 2 a.m., Garba submitted. Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, and Abdulrahman Dambazau, minister of interior, are in South Africa to hold talks with Pres... Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, and Abdulrahman Dambazau, minister of interior, are in South Africa to hold talks with President Jacob Zuma over the attacks on Nigerians in the country.Clement Aduku, spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs, disclosed this in a statement, saying the ministers would also meet top officials of the South African government in bid to find solutions to the attacks.The honourable minister of foreign affairs Geoffrey Onyeama and the honourable minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau have arrived South Africa to hold high level talks with relevant officials of the country over the spate of attacks against foreigners, including Nigerians, it read.While in South Africa, the delegation will meet the South African President Jacob Zuma and the foreign minister, Maite Nkoana Mashabane, among top ranking officials.The talks are aimed at addressing head on, the recent attacks on Nigerians and seek permanent solutions to the crisis. The delegation will also meet with the Nigerian community leaders in the country.Last month, aggrieved South Africans attacked businesses and homes of Nigerians. President Muhammadu Buhari has, Monday the 13th of March, 2017 resumed office at the Aso Rock, Presidential Villa after almost 50 days med... President Muhammadu Buhari has, Monday the 13th of March, 2017 resumed office at the Aso Rock, Presidential Villa after almost 50 days medical leave in London.The Special Adviser to President Buhari on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina confirmed the news.He said President Buhari arrived his office at exactly 11;am. He also said that President Buhari is currently being briefed by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.Adesina also said that President Buhari has signed the letter informing the NAssembly of his resumption of duty from today.Both Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, Buharis media aides, arrived the Presidents office this morning at around 10;55am while the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, went to the presidents office at 10.55am. President Buhari returned to Nigeria last Friday, after recuperating abroad.Recall that the last time President Buhari worked in his office before his medical leave abroad was January 16th. He departed Nigeria for London on January 19th. The Senate has said it will not engage the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) in a war of words. The l... The Senate has said it will not engage the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) in a war of words. The legislature insisted that Ali must answer its summons on Wednesday by appearing before it.The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, told newsmen on Saturday that instead of going to the media, Ali should appear before the lawmakers and defend himself.The Senate had, on Thursday, asked the Customs boss to appear before it unfailingly on Wednesday, adding that Ali would not be admitted into the chamber if he failed to appear in the uniform of the service showing his rank as the DG.The lawmakers, who took turns to condemn the service for defying an order stopping it from implementing its new policy on vehicle duty, resolved that, We invite the Comptroller General of Customs to appear in plenary and in uniform.But Ali, who appeared on a breakfast programme of Television Continental on Friday, pointed out that he would answer the summons by the Senate but would not appear before the lawmakers in uniform.He said, I was not appointed Comptroller General to wear uniform. Does uniform work or the person behind the uniform? If we suspect that smuggled items are taken into your own house, we have the right to cordon off that house and search it. Am I doing my job or not? I think that should worry the National Assembly.In his reaction, the Senates spokesman, however, said the lawmakers would take the next line of action on Ali based on the events that would play out on Wednesday.He said, For now, we have made our statement. Until he comes, it is not a media war; we are not going to engage him in a media war. We have a procedure and since we have invited him, let him come. When he comes and the Senate discusses with him, whatever the outcome reached will be declared to Nigerians.One thing I have to state and reiterate is that we stand by Nigerians and we will defend the interests of Nigerians. We do not subscribe to and will never support impunity by any agent of government because we are designed to work for the people and must be seen to be working for the people.Also, Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos-West) said the order by the Senate that Ali wears Customs uniform when answering the summons was to protect the organisational integrity and discipline of the institution of the Nigeria Customs Service as well as to protect the interest of the people.Adeola, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, said it was regrettable that as a retired army colonel who should know the importance of uniforms, Ali wants to demean and undermine the symbolic importance of uniforms, discipline as well as the authority it confers on the agency in its operation as a lawful body.He added, Military and paramilitary uniforms, inclusive of ranks, are part of the symbol of legitimate authority conferred on the wearer to carry out certain duties on behalf of the government. Except in covert operations, an officer in these organisations operating without a uniform could be taken to be performing an illegal duty or, worse, be taken as not representing the institution at all. And as stated on the floor of the Senate in plenary, the Comptroller General is a rank that can only be worm on uniform and not in mufti.Ali had on March 9, 2017, through a circular, issued a one-month ultimatum from March 13 to April 12, 2017 for owners of all vehicles within the country whose correct customs duties had not been fully paid to do so.The Customs boss had advised all motor dealers and private vehicle owners to visit the nearest zonal office of the service to pay the appropriate duties on them.But last Tuesday, the upper chamber of the National Assembly rejected the policy, stating that the NCS had no legal backing to implement such a directive.The next day, the service defied the directive from the Senate, insisting that the one-month ultimatum for vehicles owners to pay the appropriate duties remained sacrosanct.The Acting Public Relations Officer of Customs, Mr. Joseph Attah, at a press conference on Wednesday, said in a bid to reduce the burden of the duty payment on Nigerians, a rebate of 60 per cent had been approved by the NCS for vehicles imported prior to the 2016 fiscal period.Consequently, the Senate summoned Ali to appear before it and explain the policy. Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central district on Monday demanded the immediate release of Chocolate city boss, Audu Maikori. Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central district on Monday demanded the immediate release of Chocolate city boss, Audu Maikori.The senator described the latest arrest and incarceration of the Chocolate City boss as an affront to constitutional democracy.The case of Audu is becoming a stain and embarrassment to our country as a constitutional democracy, Mr. Sani told Premium Times on Monday.He should be released or charged to court and without extra-legal interference.Mr. Sani, a civil rights activist, said allegations of hate speech and incitement must not be used as a smokescreen to stifle dissent or persecute people for their right to freely express their opinion.Civil liberties and freedom must not be strangulated under the guise of security exigencies. As a democracy, we must learn to balance our obligation to respect constitutional rights and the urgency to tackle a persistent danger, he said. The High Court in Johannesburg has sentenced one Eke Ogochukwu to 20 years in prison for trafficking a 15-year-old girl and forcing her in... The High Court in Johannesburg has sentenced one Eke Ogochukwu to 20 years in prison for trafficking a 15-year-old girl and forcing her into prostitution.According to EWN, Ogochukwu was found guilty of four charges relating to human trafficking.The teenager had escaped from him in August 2015 and received help from a nearby church in Rosettenville. The matter was the reported to the police and Ogochukwu was arrested.During the hearing, judge Majake Mabesele said what the accused did was cruel, degrading and inhuman, adding that Ogochukwu took advantage of the teenager as she was homeless after running away from her Vereeniging home in 2015 following a fight with her mother.Mabesele said, Clearly what happened to her was cruel, inhuman and degrading and was a violation of the right to human dignity, which is enshrined in our Constitution.The court heard that he would drug her, force her to perform sexual acts with other men and take the money she made through prostitution.The young girl was given R50 a day for food and a further R100 for every man she was forced to sleep with.The perpetrators of these offences deserve severe punishment in order to protect and promote a bright future for our young generation.After the minor escaped officials alerted the police and Ogochukwu was arrested. The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has advised the Prof. Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and I... The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has advised the Prof. Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee to stop speaking for the party.Represented by his National Deputy Chairman, Dr Cairo Ojougbo, at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, Sheriff described the Gana-led committee as illegal.The committee was constituted on Nov. 10, 2016, by the National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, which was disbanded by the recent judgment of Appeal Court, Port Harcourt.The court, in the judgment declared Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the party. The committee had been visiting founding and prominent members of PDP, including former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Tony Anenih, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and former President Goodluck Jonathan.Sheriff said that the report of the committee, which was submitted to the scrapped national caretaker committee on Feb.17, 2017, would not be useful in the ongoing effort at re-positioning the party. Prof. Jerry Gana going round the country on behalf of the PDP is unacceptable to the party.I have the report of Gana here where he recommended that all members of the Sheriff group should be suspended from the party. We find it very uncomfortable that a person of Jerry Ganas standing, if actually he wants to help the party as at this time of crisis, would recommend that a faction or members of the party should be expelled for their political beliefs.That is very unbecoming of a man of Ganas status. So, we take very serious views to his going round as whatever committee he calls himself.The committee was not set up by the party and we are giving notice that forthwith, he should discontinue with it, he said.On the partys national convention, Sheriff said that the Standing Committee on Reconciliations report submitted by its chairman, Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, had been adopted by the partys National Working Committee (NWC). He said that the report had become a working document of the party.The chairman expressed displeasure over media report that Makarfi, as chairman of the unrecognised caretaker committee said that Dicksons committee was illegal. He insisted that the committee was legal, adding that its recommendations were not Dicksons but of the committee of the party.Sheriff said that majority of the partys stakeholders were in full support of political resolution to its leadership crisis, except for the caretaker committee, which had vowed to pursue legal approach. He, however, assured that the partys NWC was capable of conducting free, fair and acceptable national convention in due course.The reason why the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet.All the organs of the party are cueing into the reconciliation and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out and Sen. Makarfi can only come as member of the Board of Trustees (BoT). They get subvention from the governors every month and when reconciliation happens, the N50 million monthly subventions from governors will stop.Secondly, Makarfi wants a situation where he will tailor-make the convention to suit his interest because he has come out to say that he will be contesting the presidency of the country.We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual, and that is why the national chairman, Sheriff said ` look, I am going to throw everything open`. Nine persons, including the kindred head of Ako Community in Mbalagh District, Tombo Buruku Local Government in Benue State, were yester... Nine persons, including the kindred head of Ako Community in Mbalagh District, Tombo Buruku Local Government in Benue State, were yesterday killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.The suspected herdsmen launched a blistering attack on Mbalagh District, a settlement of over two million inhabitants.The herdsmen, according to a victim who is receiving treatment at a community hospital in Buruku, Terna Adekwagh, stormed the community with sophisticated weapons and opened fire on the harmless peasant community members.The attack took place at about 6am when everyone was still at home on Saturday.Adekwagh said the assailants shot and killed the kindred head and nine others, while many others sustained serious injuries.As at press time, many people were seen leaving the area in their numbers. Women were seen with children on their back, trekking long distances to escape the rampaging Fulani attacker. Following news that President Muhammadu Buhari may soon overhaul his cabinet, panic has gripped ministers and top aides, who have resorted... Following news that President Muhammadu Buhari may soon overhaul his cabinet, panic has gripped ministers and top aides, who have resorted to lobbying to retain their jobs.According to DailySun, the Buhari government may now rejig the cabinet, which could affect as many as 10 ministers and heads of some government agencies.Recall that President Buhari hinted the Nigerian Senate of a likely cabinet shake-up in December 2016 before his medical sojourn in the United Kingdom.President Buhari returned to the country last Friday, after close to two months vacation in the United Kingdom where he also underwent medical treatment. He is expected to resume duties today.Sources revealed that since the plan for cabinet change filtered into town, ministers and top aides, afraid of losing their jobs, had been meeting those close to two governors in the North believed to be close to President Buhari, members of the presidents kitchen cabinet and close associates, for them to put in words for their retention.It was gathered that the ministers have made phone calls, visited those they think could help them as well as sent emissaries.Although the Presidency has not officially confirmed any planned cabinet change, sources revealed that some of the ministers and aides are not taking the speculations lightly and, therefore, making efforts, in order not to be caught unawares. Five months after a crowded Pascack Valley Line train injured more than 100 when it crashed through a platform in Hoboken Terminal, many of whom were standing in packed rail cars, commuters said crowding problems haven't improved on the line. Riders said overcrowding has continued in the months since the Sept. 29 crash, including on Train 1614, the Spring Valley to Hoboken train that crashed. Overcrowding happens when trains are missing cars due to mechanical problems, commuters and NJ Transit officials said. That means all the riders who fit in five cars have to squish into four. "This used to be a much better experience. They've cut trains, they've been short cars," said commuter Corinne Cerrati of Hillsdale. "[NJ Transit] said funding was cut in August and, after that, we noticed trains were short cars." Train 1614 was missing a car when it crashed into Hoboken Terminal on Sept. 29. The conductor told National Transportation Safety Board investigators that so many people were standing that he couldn't get through to collect tickets. More than 100 people were injured and a woman in the station was killed when the train failed to stop at the end of the line and crashed through a platform. That train continued to be short cars months after the crash and usually is standing room only by Teterboro, Cerrati said. "So far, there have been no improvements at all. Pretty much every day there are seating issues," said Denise LaFronz of Wood-Ridge. A commuter for 12 years on different NJ Transit lines, LaFronz said the Pascack Valley Line has the worst service. If center seats are available, riders are reluctant to move to let people sit down, she said. "I'm to the point where I'm contemplating driving to work, even though it will cost more," said LaFronz, who commutes to Jersey City. Commuters complained that some trains are too crowded to get on when they arrive. "Our train showed up one car short and people are packed into the corridor between cars, there's nowhere to go," said Rob Denicola of Paramus. "I can't imagine what would happen if there was an accident. It's a little scary." When conductors announce that passengers can't stand in vestibules, there is no place for them to go, Cerrati said. "You can't move inside because the train car is so packed," she said. Current status: my @NJTRANSIT train is flooded with poop water and there are not enough cars to move off so we all stand cramped. in poop. Anthony Caiafa (@AnthonyCaiafa) February 10, 2017 Frustrated riders post photos on social media and created a Twitter account called NJT PVL Warriors, calling the line the "red headed step child of NJ Transit." That's becauseMetro-Northh pays NJ Transit to run the service from Rockland County. But complaints to state lawmakers may be getting action. Commuters aired grievances at a hearing last month, that included testimony from a Teaneck man who was injured in the Sept. 29 crash. Since then riders said they noticed some improvement. Last week, NJ Transit staff were on PVL trains counting riders. The result was a full five cars on Train 1614 on Tuesday morning and less of a squeeze. Commuters weren't standing in the aisles until Wood-Ridge. Was that just someone counting customers on the PVL #1631? Is change actually happening?! #believeitwheniseeit #njtransit #PVL NJT PVL Warriors (@PVLWarriors) March 2, 2017 "This week we haven't been short since the hearing," Cerrati said Tuesday. That doesn't mean the problem is solved. Overcrowding returned on Wednesday, LaFronz said. "Over the past year on weekdays, the PVL had 99 trains shorted by one car and one train shorted by two cars," said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesman. "This is just a small fraction of the approximately 15,000 cars run over the past year on weekdays." He concedes when a train is missing a car, it "magnifies" overcrowding. If a mechanical problem is found during a daily inspection, the car is taken out of service, Smith said. Replacing it can be difficult because of where trains are stored. "Because there are 11 trains parked on 3 tracks in Spring Valley yard, a defective car cannot be easily removed," Smith said. If the car is in the middle of train and can't be removed, the entire train may be cancelled, Smith said. "The yard where Pascack Valley trains originate is at capacity, and we are unable to add any additional cars," Smith said. "The yard itself is located in an area which would be difficult to expand." Commuter advocates suggested parking a spare train in Nanuet, said Orin Getz, New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers Rockland County representative. An additional mechanic has been assigned to Spring Valley yard to handle break downs, Smith said. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook. TRENTON -- A state appellate court on Monday refused a request for a shorter sentence from a Burlington City man who smothered his infant son with a pillow in 2010. Eric D. Griffin Eric D. Griffin, 31, is serving a 12-year sentence in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton. He pleaded guilty in 2012 to aggravated manslaughter as part of a plea deal, according to the court decision. According to the prosecutor's office, Griffin was alone with his 4-week-old son on Nov. 11, 2010 when he placed a pillow over his face because the infant would not stop crying. After realizing the child was dead, he fled to Philadelphia, leaving his child's grandmother to discover the baby, the prosecutor's office said. He turned himself into the Burlington City police two days later and admitted what he had done, according to the prosecutor's office. According to Monday's decision from Judges Joseph L. Yannotti and Robert J. Gilson, Griffin sought post-conviction relief in 2015, arguing that his trial attorney failed to present mitigating factors to the judge during sentencing in 2012. While Griffin had agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge, his attorney had asked for a 10-year sentence and the prosecutor argued for a 12-year term. His attorney did present some character witnesses but did not argue that there were any mitigating factors to warrant a shorter sentence, the decision stated. The sentencing judge sided with the prosecutor, finding no mitigating factors and several aggravating factors, including his prior criminal record and the likeliness he might reoffend. After a hearing on Griffin's request for a shorter sentence, Judge Philip E. Haines denied it on Feb. 24, 2016. The appellate court Monday concurred with his finding: that Griffin failed to show that his attorney was prejudiced against him or that presentation of specific mitigating factors would have changed the sentencing judge's mind. Because of the severity of the crime, he is required to serve at least 85 percent of his 12-year sentence, or a little over 10 years. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. CAMDEN -- An officer at the Camden County Correctional Facility has been arrested on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography. Mark Medina Mark Medina, 28, is now suspended without pay pending the resolution of his case, according to county spokesman Dan Keashen. The Camden County prosecutor's office announced Monday that Medina had been arrested Friday following the execution of multiple search warrants. One search warrant allowed detectives from the prosecutor's High Tech Crimes Unit to search Medina's workplace - the jail. They seized his cell phone from his vehicle, which was parked at the jail, according to the release. Detectives found child pornograhy videos on the cell phone and on a thumb drive they found at his home, according to the release. Also seized from his home, in the Atco section of Waterford Township, were a laptop and iPod. The prosecutor's office did not reveal what led to the child pornography distribution charge. Assisting detectives with the investigation were the Waterford Police Department, the Camden County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team and the Cherry Hill Division of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office said he was released with a summons to return to court at a later date. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Newark police say they'll be strictly enforcing no-parking rules on roads marked with these signs. (Newark Department of Public Safety) NEWARK -- Police say they'll be strictly enforcing no-parking rules on snow-covered roads during a looming winter storm that could dump well over a foot and a half of snow on the city. The "No Parking When Road Is Snow Covered" signs are posted throughout the city to indicate streets used as snow-removal routes, according to a statement from Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose. Police are asking residents to avoid parking on any streets marked with the signs until 48 hours after the snowfall stops. The National Weather Service said the winter storm warning will be in effect for northern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania beginning at 8 p.m. Monday. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- The journey between the Orange home 20-year-old Khalil Wheeler-Weaver shared with his mother and an abandoned house where Newark native Joanne Browne's murdered body was found is just over half a mile. The few blocks between the large, empty Highland Avenue house and the Wheeler-Weaver family home are quiet. Lined with stately, historic homes and "crime watch" community signs, the neighborhood is home to what residents say are many "nice families" and elderly couples. Authorities say the sleepy streets also played backdrop to a horrific homicide, the alleged details of which are emerging via court documents obtained by NJ Advance Media. In February, an Essex County grand jury indicted Wheeler-Weaver in the murders of Browne, 33, Sarah Butler, 20, of Montclair, and Robin West, 19, of Philadelphia. All three women went missing and were brutally killed last fall. Wheeler-Weaver is also accused in the kidnapping, sexual assault and attempted murder of a fourth woman, who authorities say survived the attempt to take her life. Wheeler-Weaver already has pleaded not guilty to charges in Butler's and Browne's killings. He's scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment Monday before Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler in Newark. His attorney has not responded to requests for comment. This is a closer look how authorities connected the dots to the alleged serial killer: BROWNE The last time Joanne Browne called a friend, it was on Oct. 22, 2016, from a phone number investigators say is tied Wheeler-Weaver, according to court documents obtained by NJ Advance Media. Authorities have said her body wasn't discovered until more than a month after she disappeared, found by contractors working at the vacant house on Highland Avenue in Orange. Her nose and mouth were covered with tape, and a jacket was tied around her neck, according to a detective's affidavit. The document, filed in state Superior Court in support of a motion this January to collect hair samples from Wheeler-Weaver, states investigators were able to use his cellphone records to place him at key locations in both Browne and Butler's slayings. Browne was last seen by a friend getting into a car, after cellphone records show she received a call from Wheeler-Weaver's number, the affidavit states. Browne, who had given her own phone to another person, later called the friend from Wheeler-Weaver's number to tell her where she was going, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states Wheeler-Weaver's cellphone records placed him at the Highland Avenue home for about 30 minutes before picking up Browne and returning. After spending approximately another hour at the house, the documents say, he left and never returned. A man who lives near the abandoned home on Highland Avenue where Browne's body was found, said it was a popular spot for squatters. The man, who declined to give his name, told NJ Advance Media he remembers one night last fall hearing "some scuffling going on in there ... arguing, and carrying on." Authorities have said Browne's body was discovered Dec. 5, the day before Wheeler-Weaver was first arrested in connection with Butler's killing. CONNECTING THE KILLINGS Butler, a student at New Jersey City University, was last seen with Wheeler-Weaver on Nov. 22, according to investigators. After a massive manhunt for Butler, her body was found on Dec. 1, buried beneath leaves and debris at the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange. Cellphone data allegedly also placed Wheeler-Weaver at locations, implicating him in Butler's death. Like Browne, Butler also was strangled with an article of clothing, according to the affidavit, which states her car was later found within a mile of Wheeler-Weaver's home. "It's just sad she had to go as soon as she did," her father, Victor Butler, told NJ Advance Media at a memorial in December. "(There are) not words for it, it's very hard for us," he said at the time. At his Montclair home last week, Butler declined to comment on whether or not he will attend Monday's arraignment. The February indictment alleges Wheeler-Weaver killed Robin West on Sept. 1, before starting a fire at an abandoned property on Lakeside Avenue in Orange, where firefighters later discovered her burned body. Authorities have said she was identified using dental records. Her father, Lee West, told NJ Advance Media last week he has taken one previous trip to Essex County --- to see the home where his daughter perished. He is planning, he said, to come back for Wheeler-Weaver's arraignment. "Our hearts are broken," West said. "She loved her family. She was just a caring and giving person. She had a smile that could light up a room." The Prosecutor's Office has said Wheeler-Weaver had sexual interactions with the murder victims, but has declined to elaborate on the statement, or on other details of how Wheeler-Weaver allegedly knew the women. In addition to the murders and the attack in Elizabeth, Wheeler-Weaver is charged with desecrating human remains -- for allegedly hiding the bodies -- and with aggravated arson, for the fire he allegedly set at the Lakeside Avenue property. THE AFTERMATH Wheeler-Weaver is in jail on $5 million bail. His home on a sunny day last week sat empty, with a few newspapers littering the front lawn. There was no answer at the front door, and neighbors say his mother has not been by the house much since her son's Dec. 6 arrest. That night, neighbor Marie Fleury said, police cars swarmed the entire street, and descended on the Wheeler-Weaver house. "We were shocked," she said. Another neighbor, who declined to give her name, said she too, was surprised when she heard why the onslaught of authorities converged on the otherwise quiet avenue. The realization, she said, has shaken her. "I lock the doors now," she said. The women both said they hadn't ever interacted much with Wheeler-Weaver's mother. But, Fleury, who lives with her 19-year-old granddaughter, said the four or five teenagers who live on the block would often hang outside, especially during the summer months. Wheeler-Weaver, she said, would often cross the street to talk with her granddaughter. "When I think..." she said, stopping to shake her head. "Oh God, my granddaughter could have been one of the victims." Staff reporter Noah Cohen contributed to this report. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- An Essex County assistant prosecutor on Monday said the case of Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, a 20-year-old Orange man charged with the slayings of three women and the attempted murder of a fourth this fall, is unlikely to end in a plea deal. The man's attorney told reporters her client looked forward to her "getting to the bottom" of his case. Wheeler-Weaver pleaded not guilty before Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler to a 11-count indictment charging him with the murders of Sarah Butler, 20, Joanne Browne, 33, and Robin West, 19, as well as the sexual assault and attempted murder of an unnamed 34-year-old woman in Elizabeth. Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells told reporters that authorities are still waiting on final autopsy reports for the victims, but that investigators had gathered "a variety of different sorts of evidence." If Wheeler-Weaver is convicted at trial, the prosecutor said, the state would seek to have him spend the rest of his life behind bars. "I would be very surprised if he would take a plea deal that would satisfy us," Wells said. Speaking outside the courthouse, Wheeler-Weaver's attorney, Shevelle McPherson, said she had just picked up the discovery in the case and couldn't say what defense she'd pursue in court. "What I can tell you though is that when a person is indicted, it doesn't take as much evidence to indict someone as it does to convict someone," she said. Asked about her client's morale, McPherson said Wheeler-Weaver is "strong, faithful and confident that we're going to be able to do a good job for him," adding that he has strong family support. Authorities have said Butler, of Montclair, was found dead Dec. 1, buried beneath leaves and debris on the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, just over a week after she was last seen in Wheeler-Weaver's company. Browne, of Newark, was last seen on Oct. 22 getting into a car in Newark, according to court documents that said she later called a friend from a phone number associated with Wheeler-Weaver. Her body was found Dec. 5 inside a vacant house on Highland Avenue in Orange. Both women were strangled with articles of clothing, according to a detective's affidavit filed in state Superior Court. Wheeler-Weaver was tracked to the scenes of both crimes via cellphone location data, the affidavit said. The burned body of West, of Philadelphia, was discovered Sept. 1 after firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned building on Lakeside Avenue in Orange. The indictment charges Wheeler-Weaver with killing her the day of the fire. Family members of the victims were present in court, but declined to comment following Wheeler-Weaver's arraignment. The Prosecutor's Office hasn't released specific information about the circumstances or the surviving victim of the alleged Nov. 15 attack in Elizabeth. Wells said that Wheeler-Weaver had made a statement to investigators in the case, but declined to specify what he had said. The prosecutor indicated he'd be making a motion in court at a later date to have the statement admitted as evidence. Asked if Wheeler-Weaver was a serial killer, Wells said that "until the trial is over, it's inappropriate for me to use that word." Wigler scheduled Wheeler-Weaver to return to court on May 22 for an initial case disposition conference. Staff reporter Jessica Mazzola contributed to this report. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. WASHINGTON TWP. -- For most teenagers in South Jersey, summer is a time to head to the shore, start a part-time job or just relax by the pool. Joseph Wozniak's summer plans are a little more ambitious. He wants to help save the planet. Wozniak, a sophomore, is one of seven students at Washington Township High School who will study abroad this summer as part of the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Global Navigator Scholarship program. The program sends students to different locations around the world for three to four weeks of study. Scholarships cover from 10 to 100 percent of the tuition and are based on merit and financial need. The destination for Wozniak and junior Joe Rotella is Monteverde, Costa Rica, where they will study biodiversity and conservation. Wozniak first gained interest in environmentalism last year during his freshman biology class. "We were learning about the Everglades in Florida," he said. "Apparently, about 80 percent of all wildlife down there is slowly being eradicated, and that really concerned me. So I want to try to do something on my part to help the planet and help wildlife. "I'm worried about climate change and the rain forests being slowly destroyed. This trip will teach us about environmental conservation and I think it's important for me to learn more about that." Wozniak, who is considering a future career as an environmental lawyer, found out about the program in October and entered the application process. He was notified two days before Christmas that he had been accepted. "That was a pretty nice early Christmas present," he said. "We're supposed to study marine biology and go into the tropical rain forest to look at all the biodiversity. We expect to see monkeys and iguanas and toucans and all of that. I'm excited about it. It's going to be a worthwhile experience." Although he doesn't know Rotella, Wozniak is glad there will be a familiar face for his first trip out of North America. "There's about 14 people going on the trip to Costa Rica and they're from all over the place," he said. "There's a girl from California, a girl from Texas, some people from New England. It's kind of nice that there's someone on the trip who's not only from the same area as me, but the same school." Three Washington Township students--sophomore Brianna Myers and juniors Madalyn Campbell and Katie Parchesky--will be part of a French language program in Rennes, France. Junior Kiley Gelston will study aquatic ecosystems and sustainability in Lisbon, Portugal, while sophomore Persia Vahidi is headed to Tokyo to learn about Japanese language and pop culture. Vahidi has been interested in the Japanese culture since she was young. "I learned some of the Japanese language when I was in fifth or sixth grade and I've been studying it," she said. "One of my half-sisters lived in Japan for two years. She told me there's a big culture shock. Certain things that are OK here aren't OK there; simple things like blowing your nose aren't right." Vahidi, who has traveled overseas to Iran and England in the past, is excited to experience a different part of the world. "One of my friends did it last year and got a full scholarship, and she told me how fun it was and how you get to meet all of these new people," she said. "I know we get a Homestay family for every weekend we're there, and we have our own rooms at an Olympic Youth Center (during the week). We get to do all of these cultural things, like learning how to cook and going to shrines. It should be fun." Rosemarie Armstrong, the world language supervisor in the district, is especially encouraged to see students further exploring other languages and cultures, particularly if they are interested in working at global corporations when they get older. "Right now they can only see those places on the web or in their books," she said. "To actually go there and see the painting or see the markets in person is a totally different experience. There's nothing else like it and they're actually using the language they're studying, which helps build confidence. That's what I love about it." Armstrong believes this is the third year students from Washington Township have been part of the program, and so far it's had nothing but positive results. "Students who have gone in the last two years have come back and said it was one of the most incredible experiences of their lives, just because of what they were exposed to," she said. "I think it gives kids global perspective and takes them out of Washington Township to see what else is out there." "I think it's wonderful that our school district supports this opportunity and the kids have the chance to study abroad," added Ann Moore, the principal at Washington Township. "They can learn about other cultures and other people. It creates global awareness, that's for sure." 2016-05-122gw-horses139.JPG NYS Breeders Horse Show in the Toyota Coliseum at the New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY, Sunday, May 22, 2016., (Photo by Gary Walts | gwalts@syracuse.com) New York is one of only a few states left that has not adopted a limited liability act pertaining to the equestrian industry. The New York State Horse Council is urging horsemen to contact their legislators to support equine inherent risk legislation this year. Horsemen can keep informed by visiting the New York State Horse Council's web site regularly Assembly Bill A559 (sponsored by Assemblywoman Woerner and 14 cosponsors) paired with Senate Bill S1152 (sponsored by Senator Ortt and 3 cosponsors), called the "Safety in Agricultural Tourism" bill, is "AN ACT to amend the general obligations law in relation to the inherent risks of operating agricultural tourism areas and participating in activities in agricultural tourism areas." According to a letter from Stephen Ropel, President New York State Horse Council: "This Bill doesn't remove the responsibility of the horse owner from making every effort possible to keep clients and visitors safe. It simply adds a degree of responsibility upon that client or visitor to understand there is a degree of danger when anyone steps on a farm or visits a stable and pets an animal or is simply near one. We want to get this legislation passed because it may reduce insurance rates and reduce frivolous law suits. It will strengthen our industry. It faces strong opposition from the NYS Trial Lawyers Association which has a strangle hold on the Assembly in our State. They portray farms and businesses as an accident waiting to happen with dangerous situations lingering all over the place. The Horse Council is calling on horsemen to write letters to help move the bills out of committee and eventually to adoption. Horsemen can send an E-Lobby letter through the NY Farm Bureau web site: Go to www.nyfb.org and click on E-LOBBY to send a letter directly to your legislators. You don't have to belong to Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau supports all agriculture, including equine, Ropel wrote. Visit nyshc.org for more details! For more equestrian news see Horse News Horse News covers everything equestrian in the mid-Atlantic area and can be reached at horsenews@hcdemocrat.com Find Horse News on Facebook For more racing and steeplechasing news see http://connect.nj.com/user/aorrjr/posts.html WEST AMWELL - Two Pennsylvania residents wanted on outstanding fugitive warrants were arrested following a motor-vehicle stop at 12:21 a.m. on Feb. 25, police said. Sgt. Edward Skillman stopped a vehicle on Route 31 near Rocktown Hill Road driven by Randall Mcglone, 40, of Upper Black Eddy, Pa. In addition to having an outstanding fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania, Mcglone was also found in possession of drugs and syringes, police said. A passenger, Dana Bauman, 45, from Hellertown, Pa., also had an outstanding fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania. She initially gave police a false name, and was also found to be in possession of syringes and drug paraphernalia, police said. After processing, they were both held in the Somerset County Jail awaiting extradition, police said. Skillman was assisted by Cpl. Jon Sellner. Township police also announced two drug-related arrests and one weapons arrest. A Bristol, Pa., man was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia following a motor-vehicle stop by Sellner on Linvale Harbourton Road at 11:39 p.m. on March 1, police said. Sellner also arrested and charged a Flemington man with marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession following a motor-vehicle stop on Route 31 near Hilltop Road at 12:36 a.m. on Feb. 16, police said. A Milford man was arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited weapon after police found a knife in the man's pocket during a motor-vehicle stop on Route 29 at 8:10 p.m. on Feb. 21, police said. HAMILTON -- State Police say a Massachusetts man led troopers on a nearly 30-mile chase on the New Jersey Turnpike Sunday morning, with the pursuit ending only after authorities used spike sticks to disable the vehicle. At about 9:30 a.m., Sean Orgel, 45, of Randolph, Massachusetts, was traveling southbound in a Ford SUV near mile marker 65 when a trooper attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation, police said. Orgel allegedly refused to stop, leading the trooper on a nearly 30-mile chase. Police ultimately deployed spike sticks, disabling the vehicle near mile marker 36.4, officials said. Orgel was arrested and charged with eluding and other traffic summonses, police said. Officials said it was still not clear why Orgel fled from police, and that the matter remains under investigation. No one was injured and no other vehicles were involved during the deployment of the spike sticks, police said. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. LAWRENCE -- Rider University announced that it will offer its first doctorate program in the school's 152-year history. The 51-credit program for a doctor of education in educational leadership will begin in July with 12 to 15 candidates. It is designed to be completed in three years and includes coursework on campus and online and two summer residencies. "This degree builds on our undergraduate and master's programs in education and addresses a great need for career educators who are ready to become leaders," Sharon Sherman, dean of the College of Education & Human Services, said. Students will focus on education reform, instructional leadership, educational accountability and assessment, research methods and data analysis, the social context of education, politics and governance, teachers and training and resource allocation and deployment. After completing the required coursework, each candidate will work on a dissertation focusing on a complex program important to a school or district. The program was reviewed and approved both internally and externally by the New Jersey President's Council and an outside professor from the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The state's Office of the Secretary of Higher Education is expected to grant final approval for the program later this month. Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. While most of New Jersey prepares for a major snowstorm with the potential for up to two feet of snow, towns along the Jersey Shore are bracing for the potential for damage from coastal flooding and high winds. Many shore towns may also get between 4 and 10 inches of snow. The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in all four Shore counties and along the Delaware Bay. The weather service said moderate coastal flooding is expected to occur for several hours around Tuesday morning's high tide. Shore communities should expect a storm surge of 2 to 3 feet, with wave heights up to 9 feet breaking onshore, according to the NWS. Minor to moderate property damage as well as significant beach erosion could result in areas close to ocean beaches along the coast and along the Delaware Bay. In Belmar, crews started pushing sand on the beaches Sunday to construct temporary berms. Borough Mayor Matthew Doherty said the main concern in the Shore town is the flooding on the beachfront and along the Shark River. Officials anticipate having to shut down portions of Route 35 during the flooding periods, he said. The strong winds will prevent the water in the bay from going out to sea, and with the added precipitation, it causes flooding during the high tide cycles, Doherty said. "The winds, that's something we are able to mitigate against pretty well," he said, adding that residents are asked to secure their outdoor household items. "It's the flooding that's much more of a challenge." Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said highway emergency assistance teams will be sent to "strategic locations" to assist motorists stranded in flood waters. But, Golden said, it's best for residents to avoid driving during the storm. "Please stay off the roads for your own safety so that public works can do its job and clear the roadways," Golden said. "Safety works when we all work together." In Ocean County, officials said they are more concerned with the strong wind gusts, which forecasters say could reach up to 60 mph along the coast. Stacy Ferris, Mantoloking's police chief and Office of Emergency Management coordinator, said the threat of high winds is especially concerning because the borough has many active construction sites with debris around them. She said officials have begun contacting contractors asking them to clear the areas and secure items around the sites. Along the beachfront, where a steel wall is exposed and steep drop-offs up to 8 feet, crews will not be pushing up sand. "Logistically, there's no way to put bulldozers on the beach, and to waste the sand, it's just not what we're looking to do right now," Ferris said. "The wall is secure, it has been performing exactly as designed. It's exposed, but it will make it through the nor'easter." In Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island, police Chief Robert Burnaford says he, too, is not as concerned about coastal flooding. There will be no temporary dune preparation, he said. And the main concern with flooding along the bay, he said, is if the bridge leading to the mainland in Ship Bottom becomes blocked due to flooding. "I haven't heard or read anything that it says it won't be passable," Burnaford said. "But that can certainly change." Officials in Tuckerton are asking residents to secure trash cans and other outside items. Atlantic and Cape May will be largely spared of high snow totals though coastal flooding will pose a problem. Officials in Brigantine are warning residents not to drive their vehicles through flood waters and to secure their property. Vincent Jones, the Office of Emergency Management coordinator in Atlantic County, said officials are anticipating flooding on the Black Horse Pike and the White Horse Pike will make these roads unpassable. "We're prepared to reroute traffic away from those areas," Jones said. He said residents should be patient and not drive through flood waters. Even if they make it through, Jones said, the salt water causes "irreversible damage" to vehicles. "We watch people continue to do this and then they become stranded and then first responders have to come rescue them," he said. "It's going to take a while for the water to drain out." NJ Advance Media reporter Jeff Goldman contributed to this report. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MORRISTOWN -- The second week of a closely-watched murder trial opened Monday morning with the judge reassuring jurors that they wouldn't have to get to his courtroom in a blizzard. Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor told the 16-member panel in the Virginia Vertetis trial it is "unlikely" that court will open on Tuesday. "I'm sure you may have anticipated that," Taylor told the jurors. Up to 20 inches of snow is in the forecast for North Jersey. While no decision on closing courts has been made, Taylor told attorneys on both sides -- prior to jurors entering the room after 9 a.m. -- that he did not want the panel distracted from testimony by the impending nor'easter. "I don't want the jurors to worry about the storm all the day today," Taylor said. Taylor added that a final decision on closing court is likely by lunchtime Monday and that, even if court reopens Wednesday, a delayed start seems likely. Vertetis, 54, a former elementary school teacher, fatally shot her boyfriend -- retired New York City Police Officer Patrick Gilhuley -- in 2014 at her Mount Olive home. Her attorney, Edward Bilinkas, said in his opening statement March 6 that she acted in self-defense. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook NEWARK -- The former U.S. Attorney for New Jersey told NorthJersey.com on Sunday that his ouster this week from the state's was "abrupt and shocking," and that he had expected his departure from the highest federal law enforcement post in the state to take place over a period of months -- not overnight. Paul Fishman, of Montclair, stepped down Friday from his perch at the U.S. Attorney's Office at the request of the White House, which also demanded the resignations of 45 other U.S. attorneys appointed by Obama. Speaking to NorthJersey.com reporters following the American Muslim Union's Annual Community Lunch in Teaneck, Fishman said he had just returned to the state from a speaking engagement in Florida when he found he had received a message to call the acting Deputy Attorney General, Dana Boente, who relayed the request for his resignation. During his speech at the Teaneck event, Fishman reportedly told an audience of Muslim community leaders, law enforcement officials and politicians he found the order disrespectful to the prosecutors in question. Fishman later told reporters he had known "this job wasn't mine forever," and that he had just expected more time. Unlike the assistant U.S. attorneys and section chiefs who staff their offices, U.S. attorneys are political appointees, and it is not uncommon for new administrations to seek their resignations. Fishman spent years as a federal prosecutor in the office he would later head, before turns as a Justice Department adviser and then a high-profile defense attorney. He was appointed as U.S. attorney in 2009, following Chris Christie's resignation in pursuit of the Statehouse. Among other notable cases, Fishman's office oversaw the successful prosecutions of two Christie subordinates in connection with so-called "Bridgegate" scandal over 2013 lane closures on the George Washington Bridge, alleged to be political retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee for refusing to endorse Christie for re-election. Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday in Newark federal court. One of the other top prosecutors affected by the order -- Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York -- refused to submit his resignation and was fired Saturday, the New York Times reported. Bharara, who won recognition for the high-profile prosecutions of Wall Street bankers and New York politicians, had been asked by Trump in November to stay on as head of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, and his firing caught many by surprise, the Times reported. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The Pinelands Pipeline debate has taken a long and tortured path through courtrooms and public hearings, and last month it landed like a dagger in Jim Florio's heart. The former governor established the Pine Barrens National Ecological Reserve as a second-term congressman in 1978, shortly before Brendan Byrne signed the Pinelands Protection Act, and with former governors Tom Kean and Christine Whitman there has been an extraordinary accord for the preservation of this ecological jewel. But Florio was thunderstruck by the Feb. 24 vote from the Pinelands Commission to ram a natural gas tube through 22 miles of the reserve - 10 miles through the sensitive forest area - so that a redundant power plant can remain open in Cape May County. More grating to him is that 9-5 vote was born of duplicity: The pipeline proposed by South Jersey Gas was voted down in 2014, before Gov. Christie stacked the commission. Now the integrity of the reserve and its 18-trillion gallon aquifer could be in jeopardy. So Florio, whose legacy also includes Superfund legislation, Highlands preservation and the Clean Water Enforcement Act, is in one of the toughest environmental fights of his career, which we discussed last week: Let's take it back: In Congress, you wrote the legislation that created the Pinelands National Reserve. Was that challenging? "It was contentious: There was talk about South Jersey seceding from the North, and much of the argument was about water and Pinelands preservation. I remember real estate people weren't keen on the regulations for this very fragile area - remember, this is 20 percent of New Jersey, sitting on top of a 3,000-square-mile aquifer - and I still shudder to think what would have happened had it not been protected from development." What projects were proposed for the Pinelands when you were in the Assembly and in Congress in the '70s? "It covered the gamut - off-shore drilling, pipelines. There was an airport proposal. So many developers and banks wanted to finance projects there, giving little thought to the area's uniqueness. And they didn't seem to grasp that the porous soil on top of the aquifer doesn't lend itself to development." So what was your response to the Commission's vote two weeks ago? "To say I'm outraged doesn't cover it. And if the people of the state saw what's really at work here, they would likewise be enraged. This has been a clear violation of the language in the Pinelands' Comprehensive Management Plan, and it's offensive that manipulative political activity led to it. It strikes at the heart of democratic government: The proposal was rejected, the governor got rid of the commissioners who were opposed and replaced them with members who did his bidding. That's stuff that takes place in the Kremlin." Pipeline advocates would argue that they are compelled to convert the power plant from coal to gas, and meet the demands of the energy economy. "An easy rebuttal: It's not needed, period. PJM is the regional entity that manages flow of energy for 13 states - it runs the grid from New Jersey to Illinois. They authorized the deactivation of the BL England generating facility - the alleged need for this pipeline - and PJM found that there is no adverse impact in closing this plant. Any energy needs can be resolved by prior-approved projects. So this pipeline is completely unnecessary." Have the political pressures changed since that 2013 rejection? "I think it's the same debate we've had since the 70s about economic development and environmental sensitivity. We ultimately convinced people that it was a bogus debate: Development cannot take place in New Jersey unless you have adequate water supply for the pharmaceutical industry and the food processing industry. Or consider tourism: Where would the Jersey Shore be today if we didn't use our heads then? So it's a fallacious argument." As Governor, did you ever appoint a commissioner who didn't put the interests of the Pinelands first? "No governor ever has - until now. That unanimity was reflected by four of us signing a letter asking the commission to reject it in 2013. When two governors from each party intervene in a court proceeding, it's safe to call it a mainstream position supported by the vast majority. But some people aren't interested in following the law." Gov. Christie staked a lot of political capital to influence this project. You must wonder why he was so focused on it. "I can only point to his record, which speaks for itself. He's transferred billions in clean energy revenue into the general budget. Off-shore wind authorization was signed into law five or six years ago, and in all that time the law hasn't been enforced. So there's a flaw in the value system of this administration, as far as environmental insensitivity goes." But South Jersey Democrats also pushed for it. What at stake for them? "There are some who persist that environmental sensitivity somehow inhibits economic growth - that's not the case. Imagine the economic impact of a break in a pipeline running over a massive fresh-water aquifer. The Pinelands is an ecological masterpiece, yet some people want to have motorcycle trails through the reserve. That's just bizarre to me." Do you feel you're losing the jobs-versus-environment debate? "I think the pendulum can swing back if we convey the need for environmental sensitivity. I noticed some pushback after Congress allowed for mining waste to be dumped in streams to benefit the coal industry. That mentality has reached the point of irrationality, and I think the American people are starting to recognize it." Do you ever wonder whether you can ever remove politics from environmental issues? "It's going to take a lot of discussion about short-term and long-term concerns, and weighing private interests against public interests. You can't fix a problem if you don't give it context. So what we need are leaders who can frame the issue, and give the long-term perspective." This has been called "Bridgegate in the Pines." Is that overstating it? "I think the manipulation of the process should be troubling to everyone. You can have a legitimate argument as to why it's the wrong decision, but playing with the process is reprehensible, regardless of the outcome." Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Kenneth Polite has left his post as New Orleans' top federal prosecutor, two weeks earlier than his planned last day.(The Times-Picayune archive) 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. Its Sunshine Week. While we hope the weather warms back up, the moniker refers to the celebration of access to public information held to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights. The American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week in 2005. This year, ASNE (now the American Society of News Editors), the Associated Press and the Associated Press Media Editors, a group representing AP-affiliated news organizations, are teaming up to mark the importance of press freedoms for Sunshine Week and beyond. An open and transparent society is key to a democracy. Our institutions must be open about their actions, and willing to take criticism and respond with facts and reasoning, not angry Tweets. According to a recent Pew survey, nearly 90 percent of respondents favored fair and open elections while more than 80 percent value the system of government checks and balances. But around two-thirds called it vital for the media to have the right to criticize government leaders; only half of Republicans were in support. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that Americans, by a margin of 53-37, trust the media over Trump to tell the truth about important issues; among Republicans, 78 percent favored Trump. Were clearly in a particularly polarizing moment, although this is something weve been building to for a very long time, Kyle Pope, editor in chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review, told Associated Press writer Hillel Italie. I think one of the mistakes the press made is we became perceived as part of the establishment, Pope continued. One of the silver linings of the moment were in is that we have a renewed sense of what our mission is and where we stand in the pecking order, and that is on the outside, where we belong. As Sunshine Week begins we encourage you to seek out pieces of journalism that shine a light on corruption and crime, but that also highlight the good in the world. As much people complain that the news is always negative, look no further than the front page of todays Nonpareil to see the heartwarming story of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospitals little red wagon, which has helped ease pre-surgical nervousness for thousands of kids. While youre here, search our website for a number of stories celebrating Sunshine Week. The ongoing collaboration between the ASNE, the AP and the APME helps the public understand the necessity of a free press, the importance of a transparent government and the role that a free flow of news and information play in a well-informed citizenry. Melbourne Storm have announced their latest re-signings with Kenny Bromwich and Joe Stimson committing to the club. Bromwich will remain in Melbourne for an additional three years while Stimson has signed a two-year deal. Both players are products of the club's development system having progressed through Storm's Under-20s program before earning their place in the NRL squad. Read more at melbournestorm.com.au Cowboys forwards Jason Taumalolo and Matt Scott will both plead not guilty to shoulder charges at the NRL judiciary this week. Both were charged over hits in the Cowboys' golden point win over Brisbane, with Taumalolo risking a two-match ban if found guilty at the judiciary. Scott is facing a one-match ban but is also sidelined indefinitely after suffering an ACL injury during the match. Meanwhile Warriors prop Charlie Gubb and Raiders forward Iosia Soliola have pleaded guilty to charges but will escape suspensions. NYC judiciary charges A "landmark," a "grand slam," "the best opportunity for our Region since steel." Supporters of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority described the new agency in those terms after its creation in the last hour of the 2005 session of the Indiana General Assembly. The RDA was the brainchild of former Democratic state Rep. Chet Dobis, of Merrillville, and had the strong support of former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels. "I'm signing a lot of important bills these days, but if I could only sign one, it would be this one," Daniels said at a signing ceremony at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. Dobis had conceived of the RDA as a way to pool resources for regional projects that werent getting done. Opponents worried about sending money needed locally to an unelected authority. The RDA's early years saw fits and starts, but a decade after its founding, supporters of the concept felt vindicated by the reauthorization of Northwest Indiana's RDA, and by the creation of the Regional Cities Initiative grant program, which required communities to establish regional development authorities if they wanted to receive its funding. "The RDA has become a stabilizing influence so you can do more long-term planning," state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, said recently. Today, six more RDAs have joined Northwest Indiana's in trying to build more livable communities in their regions. Three of them are engaged in economic development activities after winning $42 million state grants in the Regional Cities Initiative competition: the South Bend-centered North Central region; Fort Wayne-centered Northeast; and Evansville-centered Southwest. First in the state The idea that cities, towns and even counties lack the geographic scope and economic scale to plan and finance transformational projects prompted Dobis to propose creating the Northwest Indiana RDA in the 2005 legislative session. Casino tax revenue going to Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lake County became the initial local funding source, and Porter County joined with a commitment of an Economic Development Income Tax. Each of those contributions remains $3.5 million annually. The state supplemented that with $10 million of Major Moves money annually for a decade. That yearly total of $27.5 million combined with other sources to help fund extending the Gary/Chicago International Airport's main runway, more than $200 million in shoreline projects focused on recreation and a variety of transportation projects supporting Valparaiso's Chicago Dash bus service, the South Shore Line and others. The RDA also provided incentives for companies to locate in Northwest Indiana as part of its original mission. The reauthorization of the Northwest Indiana RDA in 2015 refocused its mission on the South Shore's West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI projects. The $10 million in Major Moves money was replaced by a commitment of a similar amount for West Lake's construction and operation, and the General Assembly is currently considering funding for Double Track. Northwest Indiana RDA President and CEO Bill Hanna said the rail projects, and the transit-oriented development the RDA is working to bring, fulfill the RDA's goal of "economic development, talent acquisition and repopulation." "It's a historic thing in the sense we've done a lot of projects that have had a regional impact, but each project was in a single municipality," Hanna said. "This TOD project, with Double Track and West Lake, you're really seeing an opportunity to lift everybody up at the same time." As Soliday began work in this years General Assembly, he commented that "our goal is not to own a train; our goal is to rebuild the middle class. That notion that an RDAs mission is building population and wealth over a multijurisdictional area is at the heart of the Regional Cities Initiative. The name itself reflects the idea that a citys social and economic reach needs to exceed its municipal grasp. Regional Cities Critics argued the Regional Cities Initiatives competitive aspect unfairly and unnecessarily pitted different areas of the state against one another, because only three of seven RDAs came out winners and each received the $42 million grants. But the idea had bipartisan support the legislation establishing Regional Cities passed the House of Representatives 86-6 and the Senate 37-11 in 2015. And Gov. Eric Holcomb repeated his support for it in his State of the State address this year. Ive talked with leaders in the three regions weve funded so far including mayors (Pete) Buttigieg of South Bend, (Tom) Henry of Fort Wayne and (Lloyd) Winnecke of Evansville, and theyre all huge believers, Gov. Eric Holcomb said in his Jan. 17 State of the State address. Its bringing local officials together, regardless of political persuasion, to coordinate and align their planning efforts as theyve never done before. The three-county North Central (South Bend) regions Innovate Indiana plan includes 40 projects with an estimated total cost of $737 million. The Northeast region (Fort Wayne) has 41 projects with a total investment of $472 million in its Road to One Million plan. The plans name refers to the goal of growing the 11-county regions population to 1 million by 2031. And the four-county Southwest (Evansville) regions Great Southwest plan includes 19 projects with an estimated cost of $926 million. The Regional Cities program allows up to 20 percent of a project's cost to be paid from program funds. A dollar-for-dollar match can come from local government, and the remainder must come from a private source. "There are a lot of different approaches," said Regina Emberton, president and CEO of the Michiana Partnership, which administers the North Central RDA. "Our strategic focus was on the urban core." In Elkhart, the North Central Indiana RDA allocated Regional Cities money for the ETHOS Science Center, an educational facility for kindergartners through 12th-graders; the Market District retail and multifamily residential project; the transformation of the old Hotel Elkhart into upscale apartments, a boutique hotel and commercial space; and construction of the Elkhart Health, Fitness, Aquatics and Community Center. The city of Elkhart is also upgrading its downtown river walk and trail system. "And it's all within walking distance," Emberton said. The North Central Indiana RDA has allocated all its Regional Cities money, with funds from local governments, community foundations, banks and private investors making up 80 percent or more of the projects' costs. "They've had to be extremely creative, but I think it's working well," Emberton said of the financing arrangements. The future Gov. Holcomb included $4 million in Regional Cities Initiative funding in his biennial state budget proposal this year. He intends that for planning activities in the four regions that did not receive $42 million grants. In addition to Northwest Indiana's, those are Indianapolis areas Central Indiana RDA, the Muncie areas East Central Indiana RDA, and the Terre Haute areas Wabash River RDA. Whether there will be another full round of Regional Cities grants isn't clear. Meanwhile, some Regional Development Authorities are exploring ways to continue their activities beyond Regional Cities program funding. Officials in Allen County are considering a 0.05 percent income tax to help fund its Regional Cities program. Such a tax can be enacted by any county participating in the Regional Cities Initiative. Emberton said North Central region officials, before entering the Regional Cities application process, asked themselves whether the effort would be worthwhile if they didn't win a grant. The answer, she said, was "yes, we need to focus on a regional economic development strategy." County and municipal officials there founded the RDA with the idea that planning needed to be done on a scale larger than in the past to attract the entrepreneurship, companies, talent, workforce and the diverse and inclusive environment they wanted. "We should have a strategy done by late summer to guide our actions beyond the Regional Cities Initiative," she said. Many big companies realized during the Great Recession they can't continue to do things the same way they always have, but innovation has deeper roots in the Region economy. Despite a reputation as a bastion of stodgy heavy industries, Northwest Indiana has spawned companies built around innovation. Local businesses have changed the way people around the world do laundry, reinvented milk to be healthier and even worked with innovation poster boy Elon Musk. Fronius USA came up with a way to weld aluminum on to steel a feat many claimed couldnt be done and now produces welding tools that are used by every major automaker. MonoSol has repeatedly expanded after creating a popular new product pods of detergent one can quickly toss in the laundry machine. Fair Oaks Farms serves as a laboratory and teacher for the entire agriculture industry. Established companies also have innovated to keep up with changing times and preserve market share. ArcelorMittal, one of the Region's largest employers, has recently come up with stronger grades of steel and designs for lighter car parts to help automakers meet lofty new emissions standards. The steelmaker employs 200 researchers at ArcelorMittal Global R&D in East Chicago who work on innovations like railroad oil tank cars that resist puncture, nearly impenetrable pipeline steel that prevents explosions and a steel bridge that wont rust for 125 years. Fronius In 2002, the Austrian-based company entered the U.S. market, and since located its headquarters in the AmeriPlex at the Port business park in Portage. The solar and welding company makes arc welding machines that are used by every major automaker and high-end electric cars. Fronius also supplies SolarCity, a solar service provider. The plant in Portage makes solar inverters and data communications solutions for solar grids for SolarCity and other customers. Fronius USA Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Niedrist said the companys innovation was always driven by customers needs for solutions, such as when automakers wanted to be able to weld aluminum onto steel to help lighten vehicles. In the automotive industry, theres literally no single car that doesnt have a Fronius weld, he said. At automakers request, Fronius USA is now trying to develop artificially intelligent welding robots that can operate independently. The solar energy division is working to make solar energy affordable for both residential and commercial customers. We encourage our people to make the impossible possible, Niedrist said. We believe nothing is impossible, which is why were one of the technology leaders in this market. Fronius invests as much as 9 percent of its budget into research and development, and constantly works on new services and products, such as smart meters that will help solar customers monitor electricity usage. It also looks at ways to improve existing technology to bring down cost. We want to generate energy sustainably for the planet in an environmentally friendly fashion, he said. One of our main goals is to bring the products to a price level people can afford. Smartphones used to cost $1,000, but are now $500." Fronius strives to foster a culture of innovation. You need to have a clear strategy and clear values and beliefs, and then trust your people and encourage them to be innovative, Niedrist said. Not your grandpa's farm Fair Oaks Farms was one of the first in the country to turn dairy cattle into an agritourism attraction and has blossomed into a Disney-like theme park that aims to educate the public about modern farming practices. The massive farm at the border of Jasper and Newton counties draws more than 600,000 visitors a year. Innovations are manifold on the farm. Fair Oaks collaborated with Coca Cola to produce Fairlife, a new milk product thats been engineered to have more protein and calcium, and less lactose and fat. The farm takes cow manure and turns it into a biogas that's 63 percent methane, generating enough power to run 700 to 800 homes. So much is left over it is additionally able to fuel 42 tractor-trailers that carry out 60 loads of milk a day. The compressed natural gas reduces carbon footprint by 90 percent and also is usually at least $1 per gallon to $1.25 per gallon cheaper than the diesel equivalent. Fair Oaks also has been looking at the viability of filling its ponds with high-protein duckweed algae and using it as a more efficient feed system for its farm animals, and at removing phosphorous from water runoff so it can be reused to fertilize the fields, Fair Oaks Farms Chief Executive Officer Gary Corbett said. A third party is going to build a fertilizer plant at Fair Oaks so it can ship excess product across the United States. Dairy farmers originally opened Fair Oaks Farms to the public in 2004 because of a concern about how animal rights activists were portraying poultry farms. While they werent criticizing practices at dairy farms, farmers became worried about that possibility and commissioned a study, which found the public knew little about how food was produced. There was a void between us and consumers, and they could drive us further apart, Corbett said. That didnt seem to be a sustainable pathway for agriculture. We had to tell our own story, or have someone else tell it for us. We wanted to be far more proactive, and decided the best way to have credibility was to invite somebody into your house, and show them who and what you are. The agricultural industry must innovate because the Earths population is expected to grow to 9 billion or 10 billion by 2050, and the current food supply must be doubled when population is shrinking. Were going to need technology and creativity and innovation to get us there, he said. In agriculture our mandate is going to be to produce more and more with less and less. Weve got to make sure the food is safe, affordable and relevant to consumers while still taking care of the animals. Adventuring with pigs, really Fair Oaks Farms has innovated by working with partners like the 64-year-old Belstra Milling in DeMotte that employs about 200 workers in its feed and pig businesses. The family-owned Belstra opened the Pig Adventure at Fair Oaks Farms three years ago. Theres nothing like this in the world, Belstra President Malcolm DeKryger said. Its not just windows, on the end you have a skybox view of everything without any odor or exposure. You can look below and see a large farm with 28,000 sows that produces 80,000 pigs per year. Visitors can see state-of-the-art technology such as electronic feeding stations and ultrasound pregnancy tests, as well as the miracle of life on a mass industrial scale. Youre not seeing one or two calves getting born, he said. Youre seeing 200 live births every single day. Its completely fascinating. We have to employ a window washer just to remove all the handprints and noseprints on the glass. MonoSol Another growing innovative Region company is MonoSol, which is looking to hire 60 more employees this year at its Merrillville headquarters, LaPorte production facility and two plants in Portage. Business is in fact booming so much for the polyvinyl water-soluble film maker that its planning to soon start ahead of schedule the final two phases of its $95 million Duneland Facility at the AmeriPlex in the Port business park in Portage. MonoSol started making products for the agricultural chemical sector in the 1950s and scored a big global hit after developing film for Tide Pods and Cascade Pods, single-serve units that changed the way people around the world do laundry and wash dishes. Most significantly, we developed soluble systems for fabric care, laundry and dishwasher detergent thats consumer-friendly where its robust enough for consumer use but will dissolve instantaneously, Chief Executive Officer P. Scott Bening said. Its something that took years and years to develop. MonoSol first tested films for single-dose laundry detergents in the 1960s. It failed miserably, Bening said. It was something consumers werent ready for. When they resumed the quest in the 1990s, they learned they had to make the pouches sturdy since, unlike the companys original industrial customers, consumers dont read labels or follow instructions. It was challenging to make films that dissolved quickly enough, especially in cold water in the laundry machine. The company remains highly innovative, securing about 30 patents a year. Bening alone has seven patents to his name. Innovation has paid off. The runaway success of Tide Pods has fueled double-digit growth at MonoSol every year since 2007, and its already doubled the business since the Japanese firm Kuraray acquired it in 2012. Business is booming so much that it even bought a DuPont plant it used to buy resin from so it could integrate its manufacturing more vertically. MonoSol now has 80 percent or 90 percent market share in most of the markets it does business in, and for instance makes all the film used to coat solid surface marble and engineered stone in the United States. It had the foresight to create some of its markets. We were pushing for detergent development, Bening said. In 2012, we finally became a Tide supplier and its been a steep ascent since then. Procter & Gamble has called this the best innovation in laundry in 25 years. MonoSol is constantly looking to respond to consumer demand, improve existing products and launch new ones, such as unit doses in cosmetics, animal feed and shaving cream dispensers, Bening said. The growing company is now doing business in more than 40 countries. Innovation is the top driver for the entire business, he said. Were constantly reinvesting in ourselves and our intellectual property. HAMMOND A Gary native and a veteran federal prosecutor took over the U.S. attorney's office here Monday in the wake of the former U.S. Attorney David Capp's dramatic departure last weekend. Clifford Johnson, who served as Capp's second-in-command for nearly a decade, has become the acting U.S. attorney for the U.S. District of Northern Indiana, which comprises 32 counties, Ryan Holmes, a spokesman for the office said Monday. Johnson will direct the office's prosecution of crime and cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and "promote public safety throughout the Northern District of Indiana" until a new U.S. attorney is sworn into office, Holmes said. Both Capp's and Johnson's names appeared on documents filed Monday in U.S. District Court as a sign of the abrupt transition. Capp resigned at the request of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions who called Friday for the departure of 45 federal prosecutors across the country who were holdover appointees from former President Barack Obamas time in office. Holmes said federal law requires the first assistant become acting U.S. Attorney when the office becomes vacant. Johnson had served as the first assistant since August 2007. Johnson graduated from Gary's Emerson High School, received a bachelor's degree in 1976 and a law degree in 1980 from Valparaiso University. He was a trial attorney for the Department of Justices Civil Rights Division from August 1980 until December 1985, joined the U.S. Attorneys office in Hammond in January 1986 as a civil assistant U.S. Attorney, and served as chief of the local civil division before becoming the first assistant. Capp, who joined the office in 1985 and was appointed to head the Northwest District office in 2010 by then-President Obama, has a long history of cracking down on violent criminals and rooting out crooked politicians ensnared in public corruption in Northwest Indiana. Of late, Capps office had been overseeing the public corruption cases against Lake County Sheriff John Bunich and Tim Downs, the sheriff's second-in-command, and a Lake Station towing firm owner regarding allegations Buncich solicited bribes and campaign contributions. The U.S. attorney also charged Portage Mayor James E. Snyder last year with soliciting and receiving $12,000 in bribes in exchange for a towing contract with the city of Portage. Asked what will become of those investigations with Capps resignation, Ryan Holmes, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys office, said Saturday will be things will be business as usual. Times staff writer Lauren Cross contributed to this report. INDIANAPOLIS Indiana is on the verge of changing its right-of-way rules for roundabouts to make it easier for semitrailer trucks, buses and recreational vehicles to negotiate the curving intersections. House Enrolled Act 1039, approved 31-17 Monday by the Senate, requires operators of passenger cars and trucks approaching or driving in a roundabout to slow or stop as needed to yield to any vehicle at least 40 feet long and 10 feet wide that's being driven through the roundabout. The sponsor, state Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, said it's often difficult for drivers of large vehicles to remain strictly in their lane and safely away from other cars and trucks when taking what are often sharp turns in a limited paved area. "This is simply common-sense legislation trying to address the challenge of semis and longer vehicles entering the roundabout with another vehicle and who is responsible to yield when," Crider said. The measure does not give large vehicle drivers the right to barge into an occupied roundabout; they still must wait for an opening in the counterclockwise traffic flow. Should two large vehicles approach a roundabout at the same time, the proposal specifies that the driver on the left gets to proceed first. Senators voting no said a law is not needed for something so obvious to drivers as yielding to a larger vehicle in their path. The House in January voted 82-0 for the legislation. It now goes to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature or veto. INDIANAPOLIS Hoosier drivers likely soon will be asked to voluntarily supply the Bureau of Motor Vehicles with an emergency contact for police to call in case of a serious or fatal motor vehicle crash. The Indiana Senate voted 45-3 Monday for House Bill 1084, co-sponsored by state Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, establishing a state emergency contact database and requiring police to begin using it no later than July 1, 2019, following every serious injury or death on the state's roadways. "I've had the unfortunate experience of having to knock on doors and meet with families, and if this process can in any way help that situation then I think it's worth our consideration," said state Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, the sponsor and a former state conservation officer. The measure was amended by the Senate to strictly limit database access to only police and BMV employees. If the House in coming weeks agrees with that revision, the legislation will go to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law or vetoed. Roving bands of clouds could add another six inches of snow on much of Northwest Indiana today. The National Weather Service in Chicago warned of heavy lake effect snow beginning before daybreak and shifting across the most of Lake, Porter and LaPorte County until 1 a.m. Wednesday. Monday's snow system dropped between 1 and 2.5 inches across the area before clearing out. However, the powerful storm has set up conditions for intense bands of heavy lake effect snow some only 10 to 15 miles wide to form and drift east from the Illinois-Indiana state line. The snow bands could produce more than two inches of snow per hour. Accumulations may vary drastically over relatively short distances so not all localities may see significant snow, but those that do could experience another three to six inches. Drivers can expect to encounter slick, snowy roads and scatted slide offs and spin outs during the Tuesday morning commute. Accumulations of 1 to 1.5 inches of snow fell Monday morning in Crown Point, Dyer, Schererville, Merrillville and Valparaiso, and up to 2.5 inches in Gary and Portage. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network reported one inch of new snow was reported early Monday in the City of LaPorte and 1.5 inches in Trail Creek and Kingsbury. The Lake County Sheriff's Department responded to more than 20 traffic-related calls between 11 p.m. Sunday and early Monday, department spokesman Mark Back said. The volume of calls subsided after that time, he said. Indiana State Police responded to several crashes on Interstate 94 in Lake and Porter counties early Monday, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation's TrafficWise website. Drivers who must travel should give themselves extra time, stay behind snowplows and allow plenty of space between vehicles. Black ice may be on bridge decks and entrance and exit ramps, INDOT said. Check back at nwi.com for updates. CROWN POINT The No More Secrets campaign will host a symposium March 18 to raise awareness about child sexual abuse in northwest Indiana. The free event will feature a keynote address by Erin Merryn, a sexual abuse survivor and author who advocates for states to enact Erin's Law, which mandates sexual abuse prevention curriculum in schools. It also will feature workshops on the topics of sexual abuse and online predators, as well as a speak-out session for survivors. The No More Secrets campaign was created by North Township Trustee Frank J. Mrvan in response to an August 2015 report that found Indiana had the second highest reported rate of forced sexual intercourse among high school females in the nation, with one-in-six girls reporting to have been a victim of sexual assault by 18 years old. The campaign promotes Senate Bill 355, an Indiana version of Erin's Law, which passed the Senate Feb. 13. The bill is now before the House Committee on Education. The Times of Northwest Indiana is a partner in the trustee's campaign, along with local nonprofits, law enforcement and other media organizations. Isha Haley, a consultant for the trustee's office, said Thursday 211 participants had signed up to attend the symposium, which will provide two continuing education credits to law enforcement and youth workers. Haley said attendance was capped at 200 participants, but it has been increased to 250 due to the demand. The event will begin at 11 a.m. with opening remarks by Mrvan, Mary Beth Bonaventura, director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, and Clifford Johnson, first assistant for the U.S. Attorney's Office. Participants will then be able to attend one of three workshops an introductory course on child sexual abuse, a course on online predators or the sexual abuse survivor's session. Merryn will provide the keynote address after the workshops. Merryn said in an email she will discuss her own experiences of sexual abuse, which she wrote about in Stolen Innocence, a book she published in high school. She has since written two more books Living for Today and An Unimaginable Act. Merryn said she also will discuss her advocacy for laws that mandate sexual abuse prevention curriculum, which have been adopted in 28 states. Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter and Amy Lopez, chief administrative officer of Regional Mental Health Network, will offer closing remarks. The event is expected to conclude by 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided to participants. MUNSTER Tamiko Tammy Grace told The Times last week it was the grace of God that allowed her to forgive the former church employee she said molested her when she attended First Baptist Church in the mid-1970s. Grace, a 44-year-old mother of three children, said she was molested when she was 5 years old by A.V. Ballenger, a former church deacon convicted in March 1993 of molesting a 7-year-old girl in 1991 during a Sunday School class at the Hammond church. Grace shared her story with The Times as part of the No More Secrets campaign, which was created by the North Township Trustee's Office to bring attention to the issue of child sexual abuse in Indiana. The Times is a partner in the campaign, among other local nonprofits, law enforcement and media organizations. Participants in the campaign will discuss child sexual abuse this week with students at schools in Hammond, Whiting and East Chicago. A symposium on child sexual abuse will be held March 18. Grace was one of three women who testified they were abused as children by Ballenger at the former deacon's sentencing hearing in June 1993, according to The Times archives. Grace told The Times last week that Ballenger groped her repeatedly when he was a school bus driver for the church. I didn't know it was wrong," she said. "I was so young, I just thought it was love. Ballenger maintained his innocence at the sentencing hearing and claimed the women, one of whom was his own niece, testified for sympathy and attention, according to the archives. Grace said she instead testified due to the guilt she felt for not coming forward sooner. She was 22 years old and had a young child when she finally reported the incident to authorities. She feared she could have saved other girls from abuse if she had reported it sooner. This was my chance to make the wrong right, she said. Ballenger was sentenced to five years in prison, court records state. The 81-year-old now lives in Alabama, according to the state's sex offender registry. He could not be reached for comment. Grace said she struggled for years to deal with the shame she felt as a result of the molestation, but she attended therapy and continued to find strength in God. She said her favorite Bible passage was Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. There are bad people in churches. There are bad people in schools. There are bad people that live next to us, Grace said. But there are good. Grace said it was that goodness in the world that allowed her to forgive Ballenger. I had compassion, she said. And I know that compassion I had came from God. The same compassion he has for us when we do wrong. Grace said despite her forgiveness, the abuse impacted her relationship with her own children. Grace said she was overprotective her two sons were not allowed to spend the night at their friends' houses and she asked her daughter constantly if she had been touched inappropriately, which once caused an incident of false reporting. She said she was eventually able to balance her own fears with her children's need for independence, but she insisted more parents needed to talk with their children about sexual abuse. ST. JOHN TOWNSHIP A Tennessee man died Sunday after entering a burning building to rescue a dog and not making it out, officials said. Donald G. Langford, 64, of Lavinia, Tennessee, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 7900 block of Caltalpa Street in unincorporated Dyer, according to the Lake County coroner's office. St. John firefighters were dispatched at 5:36 p.m. for a report of a pole barn on fire, Fire Chief Fred Willman said. While en route, firefighters learned there was a burn victim who was inside the building, he said. The first firefighters to arrive initially could not safely enter the building, which was engulfed, Willman said. After bringing the fire nearly under control, firefighters entered and found the bodies of the man and the dog, he said. Lake County coroner's investigators were called to the scene and pronounced Langford dead about 8 p.m., a news release said. The cause and manner of death were pending. The pole barn housed a machine shop, and the owners used the space to work on vehicles and equipment, Willman said. The Indiana state fire marshal's office has joined the investigation, he said. Fire departments assisting St. John included Lake Hills, Crown Point, Dyer, Cedar Lake and Schererville, Willman said. The area does not have hydrants, he said. BURNS HARBOR The town's Redevelopment Commission continues progress toward economic and community growth, recently identifying several priority projects. The RDC has focused on sustainability and quality of life over the past several years, according to a news release from the town's communication's department. "Ultimately our mission is to develop a sense of place and pride for residents, visitors and businesses. We want to enhance our town identity and gain recognition as a development partner and project collaborator within the region," said Marcus Rogala, RDC president. Burns Harbor priority projects include: Completion of Marquette Greenway Trail, connecting the town to the Regions recreational trail network. Development of a 4-acre site off of Ind. 149 into a town center and destination. Further program activation of Food Truck Square/community marketplace. Creation of new community center. Wayfinding signage to highlight the towns location and attractions. Pedestrian-friendly improvements along Ind. 149. Business incentive program to attract and retain companies and jobs. Facade standards for new and existing businesses. Burns Harbor received a $2 million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement grant funded by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. The grant will fund the completion of a portion of Marquette Greenway Trail within the town. Phase one includes a 1-mile stretch from North Babcock Road to Ind. 149 along the Calumet River and National Park Service land. Design and engineering work have begun already, with construction tentatively scheduled in 2020. Officials are also exploring funding options for Phase II, a longer stretch of trail from Ind. 149 to an AmeriPlex trail head in Portage. Total project costs for both phases are estimated at $6.7 million. 13 March 2017 NZEI Te Riu Roa says its ironic that the Government is claiming success towards its ECE targets in the same week its funding cuts have forced Auckland and Hawke's Bay kindergartens into a battle for survival. The Government has just released its latest Better Public Performance update, claiming that 96.7 percent of children now attend ECE prior to starting school. The Government had set a target of 98 percent attendance by 2016. "Its a tragic irony that in the same week Auckland and Heretaunga kindergartens told parents they're battling to survive, the Government is boasting about its ECE targets," said Virgina Oakly, NZEI Te Riu Roa executive member and kindergarten head teacher. Since 2010, funding for Early Childhood Education has been virtually frozen, and funding for services who only employ qualified teachers, like Kindergartens, has been cut even further. Almost all new funding for ECE has gone on the Government's attendance drive, in order to meet its targets. "Government funding cuts are driving down quality in ECE, at the very time the Government should be encouraging the best quality services to thrive. "Quality ECE costs more but every child is worth it, and New Zealand can afford to provide it," Ms Oakly said. It will be a miracle if the 183MW Isimba hydropower dam is commissioned by the target year of 2018 unless government keeps a blind eye to the ongoing sloppy works at the site. The board of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited the organization that has full administration powers over Isimba dam inspected the dam on Friday and found violations of some basic clauses in the agreement the contractor, China International Water and Electric Corporation, signed with government. The board, for example, found that the Chinese contractor did not have a technical engineer fully employed on site. They also found that the manufacturers engineer was not on site to supervise the repairs of the cracks that appeared during the early days of construction of the plant. The absence of some of these key technical staff further compromises the durability of the dam; lowers the ability of the dam to produce electricity at full capacity; and could ultimately see Ugandans pay money for a dam that falls below expectations. The contractor does not have some key staff on site. That is a key fundamental breach of the contractor, Gilbert John Kimanzi, one of the board members at UEGCL, said during the meeting with the Chinese and the different supervisors of the dam. According to China International Water and Electrics plans, the company intends to embark on the diversion of the river by May. This, however, is not going to happen if the company is struggling with earlier problems such as the cracks on the dam. For much of the visit, the officials of UEGCL struggled to cover their frustration over the visibly shoddy works, in some instances with the discussions turning into threats whenever officials of Energy Infratech PVT Ltd, the company supervising the construction of Isimba dam on behalf of UEGCL, tried to make excuses for the quality of the works. L-R: Margaret Njuki, Gilbert Kimanzi, and V.P.S. Chauhan during the tour of the dam I have a problem with the way you are talking to us, Kimanzi told V. P. S. Chauhan, the project manager of Energy Infratech PVT Ltd, adding do you know I am the one who pays your cheque? Chauhan, in reply, said: I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings, that was not my intention, before later adding that some of the fears of the UEGCL officials were being blown out of proportion since some of the tests done showed that concrete works were strong enough to give the dam a clean bill of health. The soft-spoken Proscovia Margaret Njuki, the board chairperson of UEGCL, also came out of her quiet shell and described some of the works as alarming, adding that they plan to make further follow-ups and they will not let go. Later in the day, Kimanzi told off Chauhan: If you want to work with us, then work with us. Otherwise, we dont know where you stand. It was the closest attempt that any of the officials of UEGCL came to hinting at a possible collusion between the contractor and the supervision a relationship that is supposed to remain at arms-length. To further compound the acrimony, the UEGCL officials are now struggling to come to terms with the fact that numerous letters written to China International Water and Electric Corp have been treated to a widely-noticed form of the way Chinese companies do business: they have been ignored! Ignoring the letters is one thing, but the Chinese contractors decision to make alterations to the agreed specifications on any of the construction works without informing the client, who is the government of Uganda, appears to have stretched the patience of UEGCLs officials to a point of no return. Harrison Mutikanga, the chief executive officer of UEGCL, reminded officials of China International Water and Electric Corp that there were three things that cannot be changed in a contract specifications, cost of project, and time extension. The Chinese firm has already bungled up the first point, and it will be surprising if they dont do the same with the other two. SHODDY WORKS The most troubling shoddy works at Isimba can be seen with the equipment that will form the gates of the dams, which will control the water flow. The gates are important because they allow how much water can be channeled into the turbines, where the electricity will be produced. China International Water and Electric Corp is being accused of cutting corners on the purchase of the equipment, some of which are visibly corroding even before being installed. For example, the rollers on the gates are carbon steel, and yet what appears to have been agreed in the bill of quantities was stainless steel. The same can be said of the cylinders, a critical component of the gates. The government and the Chinese contractors agreed that just like the rollers, they would have stainless steel for the cylinders too. Instead, the cylinders are ceramic-coated, which, according to one engineer, is nearly six times cheaper than the stainless steel. By not using stainless steel, it means that this equipment, some of which will be fully emerged in water, will be corroded and might need replacement at some time, requiring the taxpayers to come up with some money to have the problem fixed. Officials at UEGCL questioned how the ceramic-coated cylinders made it to the site in the first place. Payment for these cylinders has been withheld, according to Chauhan. If the contractor is asked to bring in stainless steel cylinders, it could take a year to get them into the country. Other sloppy works were noticed with the cut-off wall, a structure that is supposed to reduce any water seepages into the dam. Currently, workers at the site are breaking up the cut-off because it had been built higher than what the designs entailed. TROUBLED DAM For the $568 million that Ugandans are going to pay for the 183MW Isimba dam, the bill looks high and a complete rip-off. Alterations to the approved designs and a complete disregard of advice from the report of a panel of experts to fix the problems at the dam mean the Chinese contractor is bound to walk away with some free money. With construction works at 76 per cent as at the end of February 2017, and at least $225.7 million already paid to China International Water and Electric Corp, it might be too late to correct any defects that might have been missed on the hydropower plant. Just how many defects are out there on the plant is anyones wild guess. Asked whether they were powerless to rein in the Chinese, Mutikanga, the UEGCL CEO, said: We are powerful. That is why the board is going to sit and take action. jeff@observer.ug Children suffered a drastic escalation in violence from the Syrian civil war in 2016, the United Nations said Sunday in a report that showed child deaths jumped at least 20 percent from the year before and recruitment of child combatants more than doubled. The report, released by UNICEF, the United Nations Childrens Fund, said 2016 was the worst year yet for children whose lives have been upended by the Syria conflict, which entered its seventh year this month. The depth of suffering is unprecedented, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement releasing the report. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. The report said that verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. At least 652 children were killed from attacks in the country, the most since formal verification of child casualties began in 2014, the report said. At least 255 of them more than one-third were killed in or near a school, a reflection of how all sides in the conflict have disregarded schools as a safe haven in the war. A UNICEF report in December said the U.N. had documented attacks on 84 schools in 2016. The report said the number of children recruited last year to fight in the conflict exceeded 850, compared with 362 verified cases of child recruitment in 2015. While most recruitment appeared to have been done by insurgent and extremist militant groups, a UNICEF spokeswoman, Najwa Mekki, said all parties in the conflict had recruited children, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the front lines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers and prison guards, the report said. Other statistics in the UNICEF report showed 280,000 children live in hard-to-reach areas almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. Nearly 6 million children depend on such aid to survive, a 12-fold increase from 2012. Millions have been displaced, some as many as seven times. More than 2 million Syrian children are living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, representing roughly half the number of Syrians who have fled their country since the conflict began in March 2011 as an uprising against President Bashar Assad. The issuance of the report came amid little sign that the war will be settled anytime soon. Emboldened by military victories with the aid of Russia and Iran, Assad has vowed to retake the entire country even as his negotiators have engaged with a coalition of opposition groups in talks brokered by the United Nations. Parts of Syria also remain under the control of the Islamic State militant organization, amid increased signs that an array of military forces from countries that include the United States and Russia will soon move to expel the group from its de facto capital in Syrias northeast city of Raqqa. The U.N. special envoy for the Syria conflict, Staffan de Mistura, has said that he intends to hold another round of negotiations in Geneva on March 23. Following a successful inaugural year with more than 22,000 attendees at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point last August, the Ohana festival will return to its beachfront locale in 2017 for three days, Sept. 8-10. The line-up for the expanded festival includes performances by Eddie Vedder, Fiona Apple, Glen Hansard, Haim, Jack Johnson, Social Distortion, Pixies, Ray Lamontangne, the Naked and Famous, TV on the Radio and many more. Single-day general admission start at $99.50 and weekend passes are $275. VIP passes are $499 for single-day passes and a weekend VIP pass is $1,200. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at theohanafest.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the San Onofre Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that works with California State Parks to develop, conserve the recreation experience of Californias costal parks. Contact the writer: 714-796-3570 or kfadroski@scng.com CURRENT OBSTACLES Californias high-speed rail project is currently one of the most extensive and expensive public works projects in the U.S. There are several recent developments that look to delay construction and could increase costs. Bay Area Electrification: In February, federal transit authorities said they were withholding $647 million from Caltrain, the rail line between San Francisco to San Jose. This money is crucial to convert the rail engines from diesel to electric. The High-Speed Rail Authority has pitched in about $700 million for the conversion and is relying on its completion for high-speed track in the area. The outlook: Caltrain and The High-Speed Rail Authority are making a case that the rail project is consistent with what the president wants regarding infrastructure upgrades, jobs creation and using steel and materials made in America. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is expected to make a decision on the funding soon. Cap-and-trade shortfall: The states auction of carbon credits has fallen well below expectations recently, and much of the proceeds go to the high-speed rail project. The current political climate of wanting less environmental restrictions could create greater shortfalls for rail funding. THE FIRST 100 MILES In January the High-Speed Rail Authority submitted a letter to the State Legislature disputing a report that the Federal Railroad Administration was concerned about the management of the Rail Authority, and the construction of the first 119 miles was 50 percent over budget. The Rail Authority went on to assert that it is meeting deadlines and is under budget. The first 29 miles of the Central Valley section was originally expected to be finished this year. The latest estimates from the rail authority are for August 2019. A downtown Huntington Beach restaurant manager was in an induced coma Monday after an assault by two men early Saturday morning, according to police and social media reports. A witness told Huntington Beach police that a man entered Thunder Burgrz and Pizza on Main Street and caused a disturbance about 1 a.m. Saturday, police said in a statement. Manager Garret Petersen, 33, asked the man to leave and then followed him outside, where a fight ensued, police said. It was then that another man got involved and knocked Petersen unconscious with a punch to the face, police said. Update: Huntington Beach restaurant manager slowly recovering from beating Bryce Anthony Mezich, 21 and Austin Wright Callan, 22, both of Anaheim, were taken into custody shortly after the fight, police said. Mezich faces one count of assault with serious bodily injury, a felony, and battery on a person as well as fighting in public. Callan faces one count of battery and one of fighting in public, police said. Mezich posted bail and was released. Callan was cited and released. Petersen was taken to Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, where he remained in an induced coma Monday, according to the GoFundMe page set up for him to help pay his medical bills. On the site, a woman identifying herself as long-time friend Katelin Randall, wrote that Petersen was coming around. They try to wake Garret up and he can talk a little bit but he is very aggressive and they keep having to put him back under, she wrote on the page. Police are still investigating the case. Anyone with information should call police at 714-536-5951. Contact the writer: fswegles@scng.com or 949-492-5127 SANTA ANA For the second consecutive meeting, city council members last week considered directing staff to establish an independent review or citizen review board to monitor police incidents, procedures and policies. The matter was tabled, March 7, with the consensus that it would be deliberated in the near future. The issue, requested by Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez, comes on the heels of the most controversial police force case in the Santa Ana Police Departments recent history a May 2015 raid of the marijuana dispensary Sky High Holistic that went viral with officers caught on video eating snacks. Earlier on March 7, a superior court judge granted a temporary restraining order forcing the city to reinstate Santa Ana police Officer Brandon Sontag, who was fired after being involved in the raid, as well as to pay back his lost wages and benefits. The decision came as the city on a 4-3 council vote appealed its personnel boards ruling that Sontag should be given his job back. In my opinion, this is an example of a breakdown in the system, Councilman Sal Tinajero said of Sontags case. And so the question is could we have prevented that? Though Martinezs item failed to move to staff on a 3-3 vote, council members agreed to consider the matter when Councilman Vincent Sarmiento is in attendance. The matter, which will likely be brought back for the March 21 council meeting, would direct staff to look at systems in other municipalities to come up with best practices on whether to establish an independent review. Such a system would have a third party that conducts investigations, or a citizen review board typically made up of citizens appointed by council members. In addition, Martinez wants staff to study the impact and city cost of police force incidents and Santa Anas practices and procedures for dealing with them. Martinez said shes calculated $5 million to $6 million the city has paid out since Jan. 1, 2016 in police force lawsuits, which the city attorney reports out of closed session at council meetings. We need accountability, we need to manage our expectations and this mayor and council has a responsibility to do that, Martinez said. Im not asking for the moon and the stars; all Im asking for is to make sure theres transparency. Of the three dissenters at the last council meeting, Councilman Juan Villegas, an Orange County Sheriffs Officer, expressed the most staunch opposition to the review options. How do you qualify someone to do something like that? Villegas asked of establishing either review board. Do they know case law, do they know policy, do they have law enforcement experience? Councilman David Benavides suggested that a police force review board be combined with a citizens advisory board the city council recently approved around immigration cases as part of its sanctuary ordinance. Benavides, with the support of immigrants rights activists at the meeting, pushed for one entity, so we dont have duplicative services. Villegas opposed combining boards, saying that police cases need expertise. All three council members who voted against the item Villegas, Jose Solorio and Mayor Miguel Pulido were endorsed in the November election by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, which spent nearly $300,000 on its slate, spurring allegations from Tinajero that those elected officials must pay back a political debt. Benjamin Vazquez, a longtime educator and activist who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in November, advocated for a board with residents working in conjunction with city staff. It means you hear the voice of the people and not of special interest groups who pay for your campaigns, Vazquez said. Solorio denied such claims and said every council member has at some point been endorsed by the police union. City Attorney Sonia Carvalho said that in her five-year tenure, she cannot recall an excessive force case that was reviewed by the district attorney and was deemed unjustified. Contact the writer: 714-796-7762 or jkwong@ocregister.com or on Twitter: @JessicaGKwong Heres a roundup of restaurant and retail news from across Orange County. Take a look at the slideshow for more details on each. Rubys Diner: The 1950s-themed Rubys Diner is testing a table-top ordering system at a new restaurant in Downey. Newport Beach-based Rubys Restaurant Group said the Downey location, which opened March 1, is equipped with touch-enabled iPads at each table. The digital menus allow customers to order, split tabs, pay the bill, and search for Rubys promotions. MoMa Coffee: When Mosha Marini and her husband opened MoMa Coffee in Huntington Beach in August, they had no idea it would be so difficult. Since opening, the coffee shop has struggled to get people in its doors, which Marini attributed to a difficult location and a lack of visibility from the parking lot. All that changed when she posted on Facebook. The cafe is located at 10178 Adams Ave. Juicero: Whole Foods Market is debuting a do-it-yourself juice bar in 11 Southern California stores. The Juicero Juice bars uses a countertop cold-press system. Each Whole Foods will have one to three of the presses. Customers buy a Juicero Produce Pack, then press their own beverage. It costs $5 per serving. In Orange County, Juicero will be offered at Whole Foods locations in Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Brea. Burnt Group: Irvine-based Burnt Group, founded by five local investors who started off as food truck owners, continue to grow their brick-and-mortar company. The owners of Burnt Truck and Dogzilla recently opened a second Burnt Crumbs, an artisan sandwich shop. McDonalds: The chain is giving chicken tenders another shot at its menu. Buttermilk Crispy Tenders are being tested at 138 restaurants in the Charlotte, N.C., area. The chain also is testing a new dipping sauce with the tenders, which it describes as slightly tangy and sweet. A spokeswoman didnt provide all the ingredients but said that it contains mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Send any retail updates to hmadans@ocregister.com and any restaurant news to nluna@ocregister.com. A Buddhist nun has melted the hearts of millions of Chinese after it was revealed that she has adopted and raised over 30 girls abandoned at the gate of her temple over the last 37 years. Master nun Changmiao, who joined the Buddhist Hailian Temple, in Ningdu, when she was 15 years old, adopted her first daughter in 1980, when she found her abandoned on the side of the road outside her temple. The infant had ants crawling all over her body, and while curious onlookers gathered to see her, none of them were willing to do anything to help. So Changmiao decided to take her in and raise the girl as her own. Little did she know that this was only the first of many daughters, all of them rescued. Word must have spread about Changmiaos original act of kindness, because over the next 37 years, people kept leaving young girls outside the gates of her temple. Its not clear if the master nun took in every one, but she did adopt over 30 girls, making sure that they got a good education and teaching them to be independent and self-reliant. Some of the girls left outside the Hailian Temple were sick or disabled, while others were abandoned due Chinas now abolished one child policy, but Changmiao didnt discriminate. She lived a frugal life to be able to provide her adopted daughters with everything they needed, and, when the time came, sent them to school to get an education, so they could have opportunities in life. When the children grow up, I always send them to school and give them opportunities to receive education like their peers, Changmiao told reporters. Some of her daughters have gone on to attend prestigious Chinese universities, including the Peking University, while others have followed in their mothers steps, becoming Buddhist nuns. Today, over 20 of her daughters are adults, while the others still live with Changmiao at the temple. In a recent interview with Chinese media, the kindhearted nun said that her greatest wish is to set up an orphanage, so that she can save even more abandoned babies. She also expressed hope that parents will stop abandoning their children, regardless of their gender or health condition. via Shanghai Daily Young people breaking into PR must be better informed than others and memorable, NOW co-founder Muriel Fox told a womens PR event March 9. (L to R) Anne Bernays & Muriel Fox photos: Diana Li Fox, addressing the inaugural PR Women Who Changed History program sponsored by the Museum of PR, New York, said PR recruits must stand out in a very crowded field, be an important person, someone people in power will want to know. One route to that status is by achieving success in some field that gives you staturehave information and ideas that others will want to know about, she added. Fox was on a program devoted to boosting the status and pay of women in PR that also had as panelists Anne Bernays, daughter of Doris Fleischman and Edward Bernays; Karla Gower, Ph.D, advertising and PR department, University of Alabama; Meg Lamme, Ph.D., professor of PR, University of Alabama, and Karen Miller Russell, Ph.D., professor of PR and media historian, University of Georgia. Shelley Spector Renee Wilson, president of the PR Council, was emcee. Shelley Spector, founder of the Museum of PR, gave the welcoming remarks. Stats on Women/Jobs Provided Shocks A set of statistics provided by Weber Shandwick shocked the 100 who attended the event at the New York Genome Center, Sixth Ave. near Canal St. --Women have 52% of all professional jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and earn almost 60% of all undergraduate and masters degrees. --While they account for 78% of those in healthcare, only 15% are in senior executive posts and none are CEOs. --Women have 54% of financial services jobs but only 12% are executives, and none are CEOs, according to the Center for American Progress --Especially shocking was the fact that while the ten largest PR firms, as ranked by several sources, employ 32,851 worldwide and 12,646 in the U.S., none is headed by a woman. --Women are nearly 70% of PR firm employees but hold only 30% of top positions, according to The Holmes Report. Only 11% of ad agency creative directors are women. --Women earn 79% of mens average hourly wages, according to the Census Bureau. Communications Rules the WorldFox Fox, who co-founded the National Organization for Women in 1966 while working at Carl Byoir & Assocs., where as a VP she was the highest ranking women in PR at the time, said, Today communications rules the world. It is the most important factor in deciding the fate of people everywhere. In fact, communications will decide the fate of the whole human race. Women are especially suited for PR "because they are usually better at communications, perhaps because of their hormones and their ability to understand the needs and desires of others, she said. The job of PR people, she said, is to help govern for good, providing information and ideas the people need. What they should not be doing, she said, is distorting communications with alternative facts and harmful emotions and using communications to pollute the world. Byoir, the third largest firm with 350 employees at the time and noted for its focus on media relations, was sold in 1978 to Foote, Cone & Belding which sold it in 1986 to Hill and Knowlton, a unit of the J. Walter Thompson Co. After several years, only a few Byoir staffers were left. Tribute Paid to Plank Prof. Gower, director of the Plank Center for Leadership in PR at the University of Alabama, ticked off the highlights of the 63-year career of Betsy Plank, who worked at Edelman from 1960-1973, rising to executive VP and treasurer. Image of Betsy Plank behind the panelists. Often referred to as The First Lady of PR, Plank joined AT&T as director of PR planning and later transferred to Illinois Bell, now SBC Communications, as head of a staff of 102. She helped to create the PR Student Society of America in 1967 and in 1973 became the first woman president of PR Society of America. Her many accomplishments and awards are in an extensive entry in Wikipedia. She endowed the Plank Center in 2005 to help develop and recognize outstanding leaders and role models in PR. The Center works with other groups and student organizations to develop future leaders in PR through the development of ethical and effective practices. It is the largest undergraduate program in the Universitys College of Communication and Information Sciences. While she believes that communications technology is magic, she said, It will never replace human encounter. She also called for increased credibility, ethics and transparency in the practice of PR. Its primary mission, she said, is to forge relationships of understanding, trust and respect among groups and individualseven though they often disagree. PR Council Launches The SHEQUALITY Renee Wilson Wilson announced The SHEQUALITY Project," a new initiative designed to help women executives rise in the ranks of PR firms. Its aim is to create a consistent pipeline of strong female leaders, mentors and allies, to engender more women leaders, and to achieve equality in the top positions at PR firms of all sizes. Maureen Lippe Maureen Lippe, CEO of Lippe Taylor, who heads the Project, said: This started out as a desire to bring top women leaders together to network and has turned into a powerful and relevant program for executive women in the PR industry. Mandate of the Project is to build womens skills, advocate for an environment of equality regarding gender pay, career opportunities and financial backing/funding, as well as to create more champions for women in the PR workforce. Upcoming activities include regional networking dinners, workshops and events and content creation to raise awareness and educate others on the topic including a video produced by the film team at Weber Shandwick. Acing Operations and Financial Management is a workshop that will take place in May followed by Owning and Navigating the Room in August and Choosing Your C-Suite Seat in November. Patrice Tanaka Members or the Project Committee are Lippe; Wilson; Karen van Bergen, CEO, Omnicom PR Group; Jennifer Cohan, president, Edelman New York; Virginia Devlin, president, Current Marketing; Sandra Fathi, president, Affect; Gail Heimann, president, Weber Shandwick; Barri Rafferty, partner and president, Ketchum, and Barby Siegel, CEO, Zeno Group. Patrice Tanaka Recognized Special recognition was given at the event to Patrice Tanaka, who was CEO and creative director at Patrice Tanaka & Co., New York, from 1990-2005; co-chair and chief creative officer, CRT/Tanaka, from 2005-2013, and chief counselor and creative strategist, PadillaCRT, from 2013-2015. Pat Ford (with mic) of Burson-Marsteller envisions PR Women the movie where Meryl Streep stars as Muriel Fox. Next to him is Dick Martin, ex-EVP-PR, AT&T. Her career has been an inspiration to thousands of women across the globe, said Spector. PadillaCRT, The PR Council and the Plank Center were sponsors of the event. The Museum of PR is at the Newman Library Archives and Special Collections at Baruch College. It is open to the public by appointment for tours, guest lectures and research. Upcoming programs are: --March 29, "Ivy Lee, Reconsidered," with Fraser Seitel, Ray Hiebert, Ph.D., and Burton St. John, Ph.D., Ivy Lee Scholar. --April 26, "The Life and Times of Dan Edelman, with Richard Edelman and friends and colleagues of Dan. --May (date to be set): PR for the Public good: the role of PR in social activism. --Sept. 15--"Hispanic PR History Month." The new PR Museum Press has published its first book, the 50th-anniversary edition of Courtier to the Crowd (1966). Next project is a recently discovered unpublished manuscript of Ivy Lee, written about 1930. The Importance of Contributed Content in Tech PR Mon., Nov. 7, 2022 Contributed content is often the most effective venue for tech PR pros who want to raise awareness of their clients brand and communicate their best and most important ideas. But not all contributed content is created equally. 13/03/2017 - The latest OECD Economic Survey of China, to be released at 14:00 Beijing time on Tuesday 21 March, examines Chinas progress in rebalancing its economy and recommends further measures to ward off financial risks and ensure sustainable growth. The Survey discusses potential structural reforms that could improve productivity and ease income disparities. The OECD Economics Departments Director of Country Studies Alvaro Pereira will present the Survey at a press conference starting at 14:00 on Tuesday 21 March at the Tangla Hotel Beijing Grand Ballroom (No.19 Fuxingmenwai Street, Changan Avenue West, Xicheng District, Bejing 100045.) Journalists are welcome to stay on after the event for a discussion and Q+A with senior officials from Chinas National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on firm dynamism and providing opportunities to all. Please note that a launch event planned for 09:00 on 21 March for a separate OECD report produced with the Development Research Centre of the State Council of China analysing Chinas industrial greening and restructuring has been postponed until later in 2017. The Economic Survey will be available in full to registered journalists on the OECD's password-protected website from 06:00 GMT. Create your MyOECD account here. An Overview of the Survey will be freely accessible to all at: www.oecd.org/china/economic-survey-china.htm. You are invited to include this Internet link in reports on the Survey. For further questions, journalists should contact Catherine Bremer in the OECD Media Office (catherine.bremer@oecd.org; +33 603 483456). Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Related Documents Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Agricultural News Oklahoma Dept of Agriculture Takes Steps to Prevent Unwanted Fire Ants from Entering the State In response to the recent northwest Oklahoma wildland fires, an outpouring of hay donations to help feed the many farm animals is being experienced in the area. We are thankful for this continued outstanding show of support from not only Oklahomans, but also friends from across the nation. During this time, we also want to take steps to prevent any unwanted consequences such as movement of red imported fire ants (RIFA) from restricted areas. As a result, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) along with Oklahoma State University Extension will be surveying sites for the red imported fire ant where this hay is stored. This will consist of placing RIFA bait tubes when temperatures are between 65F and 95F. This is important because if temperatures are too cold or too hot, the fire ants will not be as active. In about 40 to 45 days when the wildland fire situation has hopefully settled some and when the weather is more appropriate, ODAFF will hold a public meeting with producers to help educate them about the eradication of fire ants in order to keep the area free of fire ant restrictions. As a reminder, stored hay bales not touching the soil are assumed to be free of fire ants. The red imported fire ant was imported into the USA around the 1930's and has spread to infest more than 260 million acres of land primarily in 11 southeastern states, including all or portions of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. In Texas, the red imported fire ant is thought to have an estimated economic impact of $1.2 billion annually. These fire ants are pests of urban, agricultural and wildlife areas and can pose a serious health threat to plants and animals including humans. As a result of the impact that the red imported fire ant poses, U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has established a quarantine. Under that quarantine, the following are regulated items: - Imported fire ant queens and reproducing colonies of imported fire ants. - Soil, separately or with other things, except soil samples shipped to approved laboratories. Potting soil is exempt, if commercially prepared, packaged, and shipped in original containers. - Plants with roots with soil attached (containerized nursery stock, field grown and balled and burlapped nursery stock), except houseplants maintained indoors and not for sale (personal items). - Grass sod. - Baled hay and straw that have been stored in contact with the soil. - Used soil moving equipment, unless cleaned of all noncompacted soil. - Any other products, articles, or means of conveyance when it is determined by an inspector that they present a risk of spread of imported fire ants due to its proximity to an infestation of imported fire ants. Source - Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News If people cant read your handwriting, this item isnt for you. The Nebraska Handwriting Contest seeks entries for the 27th annual event, which promotes legible handwriting. The contest is open to Nebraska residents, with four age categories 12 and under, ages 13 to 16, 17 to 49 and 50 and over. The deadline for entries is March 31. The contest is overseen by the University of Nebraska at Kearney department of teacher education. It is endorsed by the Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska State Education Association. Criteria that will be used include ease of reading, fluent movement and technically correct performance as measured by slope, spacing, size and shape of letters. Contestants will be provided text to copy for their entries. For the rules and text to be copied, visit coe.unk.edu/contest. Requests for hard copies of the rules and texts to be copied may be mailed, with a self-addressed and stamped envelope, to: Nebraska Handwriting Contest, Attention: Julie Agard, UNK/Department of Teacher Education, Kearney, NE 68849. Entries should be mailed to the same address. Creighton panel will discuss NCAA bracket selections Maybe some Creighton University professors can help you with your March Madness bracket sheet. Creighton will offer a four-professor panel from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in which the profs will talk about making sound NCAA tourney selections from the perspective of their disciplines. The panelists are Corey Guenther of the psychology department, Jeff Milewski of the economics department, William O. Stephens of the philosophy department and Ken Washer, a finance professor. The discussion will take place in the Harper Center, room 3023. Its free and open to the public. Midland University celebrates opening of new facility Midland University opened a more than 10,000-square-foot facility last week at 11213 Davenport St. in Omaha. It will have programs for graduate students and other adults. Included in the programming are Midlands master of business administration program, a new para to teacher program and other services. Midland is a private college of about 1,400 students based in Fremont. The para to teacher program allows participants the chance to fit courses in while continuing to assist in their classrooms. A para is sometimes called a para-educator or paraprofessional. Midland said it has already begun welcoming students into its MBA program at the new site. UNL will analyze responses to survey on tobacco policy The University of Nebraska-Lincoln conducted a survey last week to measure interest in devising a tobacco- and smoke-free campus policy. The survey, conducted online Wednesday, was directed at faculty members, students and staffers. It gauged support and opposition to a policy that would prohibit the use of all smoke and vapor products campuswide, including outdoors. A UNL spokeswoman said late last week that the responses would be analyzed and shared with a task force. The survey was a first step to see whether the UNL community desires a change, said the spokeswoman, Teresa Paulsen. The survey said UNL is the only campus in the NU system and one of only three in the Big Ten without a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus policy that includes outdoor areas. UNLs policy currently prohibits use of tobacco products inside buildings and within 10 feet of any building perimeter. The Daily Nebraskan, the University of Nebraska-Lincolns student newspaper, has struggled to make a buck recently and now could lose some of its student fee money, too. The head of UNLs student government, Spencer Hartman, has informed the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska that he intends to trim Daily Nebraskan student fee revenue from about $135,000 to about $115,000. Hartmans move vetoes an amendment approved last week by ASUN. His wishes could be overridden Wednesday evening by two-thirds of the student senators. A student subcommittee in February said the Daily Nebraskan has a bountiful reserve fund of more than $700,000. The subcommittee also said the Daily Nebraskan could make cuts and find alternate streams of revenue. The subcommittee recommended the trim in student fee revenues, from $134,882 to $114,650. Students generally pay $3.04 apiece per semester to support the Daily Nebraskan. Hartman, a senior ag economics major from Imperial, Nebraska, said he would give his rationale at Wednesday evenings meeting. But he said the subcommittees reasoning gives a glimpse into his own views. The Daily Nebraskan is distributed on campus for free twice a week and publishes online daily, with limited updates on weekends. Lani Hanson, editor of the Daily Nebraskan, said some members of student government are concerned about student fees because they fear a big tuition increase is coming. Otherwise, Hanson said, she didnt know why Hartman wants to trim the student newspapers funding. Hanson, a senior journalism major from Albert Lea, Minnesota, said the paper has had no major clashes with him. Dan Shattil, full-time general manager of the student newspaper, said proposals to cut into the Daily Nebraskans student fee money come every few years. But the last time it actually happened was during the 2002-03 school year, said Shattil, who has worked at the Daily Nebraskan since 1982. Shattil said about 30 percent of the Daily Nebraskans money comes from student fees, with the rest from ads, marketing, interest and other sources. The papers budget is about $450,000. He said the newspaper needs a big reserve fund for possible libel suits and loss of revenue. The paper has been sued twice in 30 years and both cases were dismissed, he said. The paper made a profit in 2007-08 and a small profit in 2010-11 and in 2012-13, but otherwise has lost money over that stretch, he said. Ignacio Correas, a doctoral student member of ASUN, said he believes the newspaper earns its student fee money. The Daily Nebraskan chronicles the activities of UNL, said Correas, of Argentina. All of our success and all of our failures are recorded, he said. It would be wrong to send the Daily Nebraskan on a downward spiral financially, he said. Further, he said, students support the paper. In a survey last week, he said, about 60 percent backed the $3.04 per-semester fee. WASHINGTON Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, isnt backing down an inch from his controversial weekend tweet in support of Dutch nationalist politician Geert Wilders. Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny, King wrote Sunday. We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies. On Monday, the lawmaker told CNN that he meant exactly what he wrote and seemed surprised that anyone thought his words represented something new. Ive said the same thing as far as 10 years ago to the German people and to any population that is a declining population that isnt willing to have enough babies to reproduce themselves, King said during the CNN interview. And Ive said to them you cannot rebuild your civilization with somebody elses babies. Youve got to keep your birthrate up and that you need to teach your children your values and, in doing so, then you can grow your population and you can strengthen your culture, you can strengthen your way of life. Indeed, this is hardly the first time King has expressed his support for Wilders or his nationalist platform, with its hard-line immigration stance, particularly in relation to the Muslim world. But Kings Sunday tweet blew up online, garnering about 6,500 retweets and 14,000 replies in 24 hours. Those included denunciations from across the political spectrum, from Chelsea Clinton to Jeb Bush. Steve King is an embarrassment, wrote Rep. Dave Loebsack, a Democrat and fellow Iowa congressman. His pandering to the KKK is shameful, especially amid threats of violence against Jewish community centers. The rebukes were bipartisan. Rep. David Young, R-Iowa, issued a statement disagreeing with Kings comments. America is not about any one color, or one ethnicity or one faith, Young said. It is about self-government, the rule of law, freedom and the liberties and rights given in our Constitution. One person who liked Kings words was David Duke. The former Ku Klux Klan leader quoted King approvingly with his own addition of Just in case you were thinking about moving sanity reigns supreme in Iowas 4th congressional district. Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann sought to distance the state GOP from Kings pronouncements. First of all, I do not agree with Congressman Kings statement. We are a nation of immigrants, and diversity is the strength of any nation and any community, Kaufmann said in a press release. Regarding David Duke, his words and sentiments are absolute garbage. He is not welcome in our wonderful state. King has been stirring controversy throughout his political career, particularly in the area of immigration and culture. His provocative rhetoric has garnered him frequent national media attention and made him a favorite villain of liberals. He also has won re-election time and again. In November, he took more than 60 percent of the vote in winning his eighth term in Congress. During his CNN interview, King stood by his point that Western civilization needs to raise its birthrate. Its a clear message that we need to get our birthrates up or Europe will be entirely transformed within a half a century or a little more, King said. And Geert Wilders knows that and thats part of his campaign and part of his agenda. Interviewer Chris Cuomo repeatedly suggested that Kings statements represented an attempt to white-cleanse America and divide along racial lines, contrary to the greatness of American diversity. King denied making any statements that were rooted in race and repeatedly cast his comments in a cultural rather than racial framework. He said hes a champion for Western civilization and the English language and said that other civilizations are less productive. This Western civilization is a superior civilization and we want to share it with everybody, King said. Cuomo kept pressing on American diversity: A Muslim-American, an Italian-American, a Christian American, a Jewish American you do realize that they are all equal, right? They are all the same thing. We dont need babies from one of those groups more than we need them from other groups, do you agree with that? King wasnt going to give a yes or no answer, however. Id say theyre all created in the image of God and theyre equal in his eyes, and if theyre citizens of the United States, theyre equal in the eyes of the law, King said. Individuals will contribute differently, not equally, to this civilization and society, and certain groups of people will do more from a productive side than other groups of people will thats just a statistical fact. The writer is a director of Americans for Electricity Choice, a Nebraska-based nonprofit organization promoting retail choice around the United States. Nebraskas Legislature established public power in 1933 to provide electricity to rural parts of the state. All parts of Nebraska received electricity service by the early 1950s. The electricity industry has changed since public power electrified all areas of Nebraska. Today, in addition to providing electricity service, public powers electricity generation plants now participate in a regional competitive electricity market. Electricity has become just another commodity. The first thing to understand is that public power is a government program that mandates citizen participation. For this program to continue as it exists today, public power must maintain its complete monopoly and not permit Nebraskans to learn about options other than public power. Public power districts and others opposing electricity retail choice in Nebraska continue to mislead Nebraskans about retail choice (that would have been allowed under Legislative Bill 660, which was indefinitely postponed last week by a legislative committee). Electricity itself is a commodity, and the delivery of electricity (lines and wires) is a service. The business of selling electricity isnt tied to the delivery of electricity, similar to your Internet service. There are numerous Internet providers who use the same telephone or cable wire into your home. The first false claim opponents of retail choice make is that it will destroy public power in Nebraska. The citizens of Nebraska will not notice any difference in their electricity service with retail choice. With retail choice, the customer selects the electricity provider. Retail choice would not change your local service provider or who makes repairs on your local service. Retail choice does not impact transmission or distribution service, so rural public power districts and municipal electric districts will still provide the same service you have today. And you will still only pay one monthly bill just like you do now. The second false claim is that public power provides local control, and citizens would have no say with retail choice. Retail choice actually provides more local control, not less. With retail choice, if customers do not like their current energy provider, they can simply switch. This is much different than the 150 citizens who showed up to oppose the Omaha Public Power Districts large rate increase in 2015 and were ignored by the OPPD board. Those customers are still paying OPPDs increase today. Citizens would also still maintain local control of their rural public power district with retail choice. Today, public power has no oversight other than its elected boards that may have no deep knowledge of managing an electricity entity in todays marketplace. Most other levels of Nebraska government has more oversight than public power. Public power can raise rates at will and borrow hundreds of millions of dollars with little oversight. With retail choice, the customer controls rates since the energy provider can be replaced and the transmission and distribution owners would be accountable to the Public Service Commission. In fact, last year, public power opposed legislation that would have provided more citizen control over public power rates (LB 1068). Public power controls its message about how good it is for Nebraska in order to ensure that the citizens support it. Public power spent millions of dollars over the years on public relations campaigns controlling the message to protect its monopoly. Public power uses advertising, monthly newsletters and private meetings with regulators and government officials to distort the facts. There is a reason that public power does not want to debate these issues in public, and thats because it cannot control the message. It seems strange that public power, a government-run monopoly, would need to spend time and money on media campaigns and lobbyists, yet it continues to do so. Now is the time to have an honest and open debate about public power without public power controlling the message. The citizens deserve to know the truth instead of one point of view supplied by public power before making an informed decision about retail choice. Citizens would benefit, and Nebraska public power would be stronger with electricity retail choice. Streetcar plan not practical My great-grandfather, Samuel David Mercer, was instrumental in building part of the Omaha and Council Bluffs streetcar system in the 1880s, so I have a nostalgic fondness for them. But those streetcars are no longer around, with good reason, having been replaced by buses. Buses were much more flexible for providing public transportation because they are not tied to tracks. They are able to go around any temporary obstacle they may encounter or be put onto another route, when needed, unlike anything on tracks. In planning for the public transportation of the near future, we must decide what the purpose of such a new streetcar system will be. Will it be a pleasantly nostalgic, free-fare amusement park ride, or a people mover, paying its way? Kansas City has now installed a streetcar system with free fares, going from the old train station down to its River Market. The three cars cost about $3 million each and can hold about 100 people. The streetcars run every 15 to 20 minutes, which is not moving a lot of people at a time. The future of practical public transportation will be small buses transporting people in groups where they want to go, one person after the other, jitney style. The jitney could be summoned by smart phone, and the system would match up the rider and his intended destination with one of the mini-buses. Nicholas Bonham-Carter, Omaha Mello will be an advocate for our schools Schools are at the heart of what makes the city of Omaha great. Our students and educators deserve to have support that will help our institutions grow and thrive. For the first time, the Omaha Education Association has voted to support a mayoral candidate in the city election. The Omaha teachers union decided to support mayoral candidate Heath Mello (Feb. 28 World-Herald). I could not agree more that Mello is the right choice for the future of our schools. Omaha needs someone like Mello to be an advocate for our schools. As mayor, he will be a great representative of kids and teachers from all backgrounds. He cares about what is going to make Omaha better as a whole, and that starts with our schools and our students. Emily Mize, Omaha Stothert has grown into her role I will be voting to re-elect Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert. I wasnt too sure about her in the beginning, but she has certainly proved herself to be worthy of the title of mayor. Gee, maybe her opponent Heath Mello should put out an ad that says he will not leave town for any reason from Oct. 1 to April 1 so as not to miss any snowstorms. Connie Dohse-Ross, Omaha Put Lincoln experience to work in Omaha As a fellow Nebraska state senator, I was impressed by Heath Mellos fresh ideas and boundless energy, but, most of all, by his dedication. His magnetic personality and meticulous managerial skills proved invaluable as chairman of the most powerful committee in the State Capitol. His thoughtful, measured approach and his commitment to lead will not benefit just Omaha, but all of Nebraska. Robert J. Giese, South Sioux City, Neb. No added protection for sexual orientation Sexual orientation and gender identity is a movement and a belief that is already protected as a creed under our Nebraska state law. It should not be identified as an individual anti-discrimination class because it would then have priority over others personal beliefs. The proposed Legislative Bill 173, which would ban employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Nebraskans in the workplace, is reverse discrimination. The freedom to choose their own beliefs belongs to individuals, businesses and the public market, not heavy-handed decisions by government. For example, 89 percent of Fortune 500 companies already prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. John Dockery, Omaha Nebraskans dont judge others It is said that Legislative Bill 173 would impinge on the rights of churches, religious groups and individuals to operate businesses in accordance with their religious or moral beliefs. I submit the following words from the Charter of Compassion, that we return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of Scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate. Our job is not to judge people, it is to love people. Stop hiding behind Scripture, books and beliefs. Discrimination should no longer be a Nebraska value. The Rev. Royal Carleton, Omaha Republicans impossible task There is simply no possibility of a party that fundamentally hates government being able to govern. Thats why there is no possibility of Republicans in Congress being able to replace the Affordable Care Act, if they actually are successful in repealing it. No bill could possibly be written to satisfy the anti-government factions of the Republican Party and also be satisfactory to the few Democrats who would be needed to pass it. So, if Republicans do repeal Obamacare, the most likely outcome would be no replacement at all, which would be very bad, indeed. Marc Barrett, Council Bluffs Economy of food is at risk The March 5 World-Herald article Climate shift could sap maple syrup industry might make some wonder how climate change could affect corn production. High heat disrupts corn pollination. Farmers need an optimal range of conditions for corn yields. Like Goldilocks, abundant production responds to circumstances that are just right. Not too hot or too cold. Not too wet or too dry. Nebraskans, however, are seeing greater frequency of extreme weather events and drier soil. While rainstorms are becoming more intense, summers are likely to become hotter and drier, reducing some yields and requiring farmers to use more water. This moves production away from the sweet spot of the optimal range. It isnt just Nebraska that will suffer. Accord- ing to Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply, on the EPAs website, crops, livestock and seafood contribute more than $300 billion to the economy each year. And when food service and agriculture-related industries are included, it rises to $750 billion. There is more at stake than maple syrup. The economy of food is at stake. Cynthia Gehrie, Crescent, Iowa Hearts are big, but so is our debt I keep wondering when U.S. officialdom will stop feeling sorry or sad for the illegal immigrant population and start spending some of that emotional equity on the costs to the American taxpayer and the federal and state budgets. After all, doesnt personal responsibility play a large part in the plight of these folks? They knew they were coming here improperly. They were breaking our laws and are now crying that they may have to return to their country of origin. Please. The heart of this nation has always been big, but until our budget woes can be addressed, we simply cant afford the costs associated with their needs today. And I am only speaking about those immigrants who are here illegally. Drew Whitler, Omaha Lessons to be learned from film Thanks to Erin Grace for her thoughtful Feb. 28 article, Film offers a lesson in bridging divides, introducing Omahans to the 2016 Roger Ebert Humanitarian Award-winning film, Disturbing the Peace. It played to a sold-out audience at Film Streams Ruth Sokolof Theater that night. Thanks to Film Streams and Nebraskans for Peace for co-sponsoring the film, with assistance from New Leaders Council Omaha and Middle East Cultural and Educational Services of Omaha. Viewers saw former Israeli Defense Force soldiers and Palestinian Resistance Fighters join in a group called Combatants for Peace. Director Stephen Apkon followed this group for four years, capturing what happened when both groups resisted fear. They realized that fighting wasnt the answer. They got to know each other, struggled with forgiveness and worked together. As a unit, they spoke truth to power, in this case the military. Yes, peace is possible, but it will require people acknowledging the history behind the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the consequences of a 50-year occupation of Palestine by the state of Israel and the ever-growing, illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. It must be done without dwelling on the language of perpetrators and victims/heroes and villains. Maybe this film can have application for deeply red and deeply blue Americans and their political divisions. Sandie Hanna, Omaha Snow is possible Tuesday and Wednesday during the morning rush hour, but if freezing drizzle doesnt occur, conditions should be better than Monday. Forecasters are calling for a 60 percent chance of snow Tuesday morning. Accumulations of a half inch are possible just enough to possibly result in slick roads. Tuesdays high is expected to peak around the freezing level. Early Monday, a freezing drizzle/light snow mix moved across parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, contributing to at least three dozen crashes in Douglas County. By the afternoon, roads were mostly cleared, and Omaha street crews had returned to routine duties such as filling potholes. Weve had crews out all (Sunday) night spreading salt, Austin Rowser, the citys street maintenance engineer, said Monday afternoon. Wednesdays forecast calls for a 20 percent chance of morning snow in the Omaha area. The National Weather Service office in Valley forecasts a high in the mid-30s and a Wednesday night low in the upper 20s. Ryan McPike, a meteorologist at KMTV, said the weeks forecast should improve, with unseasonably warm conditions by Thursday. The seven-day forecast does show better news, he said. Well be getting near 70 by Sunday. Highs are forecast in the 50s Thursday and Friday, according to the weather service. The weekend in the Omaha area looks even better: mostly sunny skies, with a high around 60 on Saturday and a high around 65 to 70 on Sunday. Power equation changes gears in UP Feature oi-Ratan Mani Lal Lucknow, March 12: The change in Lucknow's corridors of power is swift and predictable. On Saturday (March 11) evening when the ascendancy of the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in Uttar Pradesh was confirmed, mediapersons received a mail from the UP Government's Personnel and Appointments Department mentioning that seven IAS officers working as Principal Secretary, Secretary or Special Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office had been relieved from their duties. These were the officers synonymous with Akhilesh Yadav's office, earlier in the Secretariat Annexe Building, and later in the newly-built Lok Bhawan opposite the Vidhan Bhawan. Not only a change in the Vidhan Bhawan - the seat of Legislature and the Government - had had its immediate reflection in the composition of top guns working in the building situated right opposite, but the environment and activities at the party offices of all except the BJP underwent a sudden change as the day wore on. For the last five years the Samajwadi Party office on Vikramaditya Marg had been the hub of activity with people, vehicles and hangers-on thronging the building on all days, at all hours. Similarly, the Bahujan Samaj Party office in Mall Avenue, too, used to see a lot of hectic movement and till a couple of days ago, leaders and workers used to collect for meetings and discussions. But it wore a deserted look on March 11 as the pathetic performance of Mayawati's party drove away leaders and supporters. The UP Congress Committee office in Mall Avenue, too, wore a silent, deserted look by Saturday afternoon and on Sunday there was no one there except the watch and guard staff and some maintenance people. On the contrary, the BJP state office, also situated opposite the Vidhan Bhawan, wore a festive and noisy look right since Saturday afternoon with repeated bouts of fireworks, music, dance and flying gulal and colours. It was after years that this office saw such a scene, since it had been the sight of demonstrations, slogan-shouting and police lathi-charge all these years. The office had been renovated and extended last year and going by the crowd of people and vehicles, it appeared as it would need to be expanded further very soon. Even as the talk about the next Chief Minister dominated the discussions in BJP office as well as among people in general, the amazing results of the Assembly election continue to evoke likely and unlikely theories about what caused the landslide win for the BJP. On Saturday, when Mayawati said at a hurriedly-called press conference that she suspected tampering with the EVMs, there were few takers for her allegation. But most people agreed with her observation that it was difficult to swallow the fact that the BJP had won massively even in Muslim and Dalit-dominated areas. Although it is no one's argument that Muslims and Dalits cannot vote for the party they want to, it is difficult for the people in UP to accept that the BJP has won from major Muslim-dominated areas like Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Basti and others. Many mediapersons and other political observers who used to wonder at the logic behind candidate selection by the BJP, including the choice of defectors at several places, are now left with only one answer that it was the face of Narendra Modi that mattered, rather than the party or even the candidate. "It is the victory of the people's faith in Narendra Modi," said Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who won from Lucknow Cantonment defeating Aparna Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter in-law. Similar views have been expressed by other BJP leaders who agree that it was Modi magic which swayed the people. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 5:31 [IST] BJP holds press conference to officially declare Parrikar as next Goa CM India oi-Lisa Panaji, March 12: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar held a press conference in Goa after Parrikar met Governor of Goa with BJP, MGP, Goa Forward Party and three Independent MLAs. Gadkari said that, "MGP,GFP said during our discussions that if Manohar Parrikar becomes Goa CM candidate, then we will support." He added that Manohar Parrikar will have to give resignation as Defence Minister before becoming Goa CM, but he has not given it yet. Nitin Gadkari: BJP has support of 21 MLAs, Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister. Next action will be taken as per party's constitution. pic.twitter.com/2sc7FOJZij Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) March 12, 2017 BJP MLAs had been asking for Manohar Parrikar to be made the chief minister of Goa again. Gadkari said BJP Parliamentary Board approves Manohar Parrikar's name and he thanked MGP for its support. Vijay Sardesai,Goa Forward Party had told media that, "We have decided to support BJP to form the Govt under leadership of Manohar Parrikar." He added that, "We will evolve a Common Minimum programme within 1 month of formation of Government. We do not see anybody else in legislature party of BJP capable of leading Goa. Want maximum development." Manohar Parrikar at the press conference said that, "This is a mandate given by the people, though we fell short of majority. Together we have completed the magic figure of 21." He added, "We met the Governor and now we are expecting an invitation. Once we receive it, we will consult our colleagues and decide the date for swearing in." When asked about his experience as defence minister Parrikar said that, "Definitely it was difficult as it was a new department (Defence Ministry) but I am happy no corruption allegation levelled on our government." Gadkari without naming Congress said that those who could not get support of other parties to prove majority are bound to level false allegations to hide their failure. OneIndia News Border guards of India-Bangladesh celebrate Holi India oi-IANS By Ians English Agartala, March 13: Border guards of India and Bangladesh on Sunday celebrated the festival of Holi together along the international border. India's Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) played Holi at Akhaura integrated checkpost and other bordering areas of Tripura and exchanged sweets. The High Commission of India in Dhaka took to Twitter, inviting all Indian nationals to participate in the celebrations. "BSF and BGB are very close and have celebrated various annual carnivals each year. Celebration of each other's festivities together would bring both the organisations closer," BSF's 195 Battalion Commandant Ajit Kurmar P. told reporters at the Akhaura checkpost. Holi, the popular "Festival of Colours", will be celebrated in some parts of the country on Sunday and other parts on Monday. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 10:48 [IST] Congress faces rebellion in Goa India oi-Lisa Panaji, March 13: Goa Congress is witnessing rebellion as its newly elected MLAs are upset with the party's top leadership for failing to form the government despite being the single largest party in the recent assembly polls. The Congress won 17 seats in Goa and the party was only four seat short of forming the government in the state as compared to the Bharatiya Janata Party which had won only 13 out of 40 assembly seats in the state. Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane who won from the Valpoi constituency said, "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time." The MLA was of the opinion that party leaders grossly mismanaged the situation and the delay in choosing the Congress Legislature party leader cost them the state. Once the fractured verdict for Goa assembly was announced Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended his support to the Congress and informal talks were on with the three MLAs of the Goa Forward Party, however, the BJP won over the Congress when it came to getting support from the regional parties and Independent MLAs. Only woman MLA of the Congress Jennifer Monserrate who won from Taleigao said that their party leaders had let them down and she said it was the fault of party leaders that despite getting people's support they could not form the government. Senior Congress leader and MLA from Curtorim Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco echoed other MLAs views and said that it was no use blaming the BJP for forming the government when the Congress failed to get support. He said they were 17 in number and people wanted that the Congress form the government but the party failed to give people the government they had voted for. Meanwhile All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said the he would talk to the Congress MLAs who have expressed displeasure. Digvijaya was quoted, "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out." On Sunday, after the BJP presented its claim to for the new government in Goa, Digvijaya Singh had said that Manohar Parrikar had indulged in horse trading and hijacked the mandate which was in the favour of the Congress. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 14:01 [IST] Congress says BJP is stealing elections in Goa and Manipur India oi-PTI New Delhi, March 13: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday accused the BJP of stealing elections in Goa and Manipur, saying a party which comes second has no right to form the government. Another Congress leader, Digvijay Singh, said it was the victory of money power over people's power. "A party that comes second has no right to form government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur (sic)," Chidambaram said in a tweet. The comment of the former Finance and Home Minister came after the BJP staked claim to form the government in Goa and Manipur -- where it failed to emerge as the single largest party -- with the support of smaller parties and some Independents. In both these states, the Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the assembly elections results of which were declared on March 11. In Goa, the Governor has already invited BJP leader and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to form the government. In Manipur, the BJP has met the Governor and claimed that it enjoyed the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32 in the 60-member assembly. Targeting the BJP, Singh said money power has won over people's power. "Money Power has won over People's Power. I apologise to the People of Goa as we couldn't muster the support to form the Government (sic)," he tweeted. He said the Congress would continue to fight against communal forces of "money power politics" in Goa. In Goa, the BJP gathered support from three members each of the Goa Forward Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independents, taking the tally of the coalition to 21 in the 40-member assembly. The lone NCP MLA was also claimed to have extended support. In Manipur, the BJP bagged support from three NDA constituents -- the National People's Party, the Lok Janshakti Party and the Naga People's Front. Besides, one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP in evening. The Congress had won 28 seats in Manipur and 17 in Goa, followed by the BJP 21 and 13 seats, respectively. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 11:29 [IST] Congress veteran S M Krishna to join BJP on Wednesday India oi-Anusha Former external affairs minister and Congress veteran S M Krishna is all set to join the BJP on March 15. S M Krishna who was officially invited by BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa to join the BJP will be inducted into the party in New Delhi in the presence of Nation president Amit Shah. Miffed with the Congress, S M Krishna had resigned from the party that he was part of for decades. He had alleged that the Congress leadership in the state had sidelined leaders like him. Oneindia had earlier reported about a meeting between S m Krishna and Amit Shah in New Delhi days before he tendered his resignation from primary membership of the Congress. It had become evident that the veteran politician would join the BJP. After multiple meetings with B S Yeddyurappa, S M Krishna has decided to join the BJP on Wednesday. S M Krishna while speaking to the media after he resigned from the Congress had brushed aside rumours of his name doing the rounds for vice president. Sources, however, suggest that S M Krishna continues to be a contender for the decorated post. His shift to the BJP is likely to dent the Congress' vote bank in the Mandya region where Krishna enjoys the status of a mass leader. More leaders of the Congress from the Mandya-Mysuru region are expected to follow suit. The loss of a massive leader ahead of the 2018 assembly polls has put the Congress in a spot of bother. Oneindia news BJP accuses AAP of siphoning off money meant for welfare of construction workers Consolidated Hindu votes helped BJP more than split Muslim votes India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, March 12: The BJP's success in consolidating Hindu votes of various castes has rendered any division of Muslim votes redundant and helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead it to an unprecedented landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, according to some Muslim leaders. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 312 seats, including some of the Muslim-dominated seats such as Deoband, Chandpur, Moradabad Nagar, Noorpur, Naanpara and Nakur where analysts feel that Muslim votes got divided between Muslim candidates of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Muslim candidates, however, managed to win seats like Meerut, Kairana, Najibabad, Moradabad Rural, Sambhal, Rampur and Suar-Tanda. A number of Muslim leaders IANS spoke with conceded that a few seats did fall into the BJP lap because of the division of Muslim votes. But given the scale of victory the BJP got, it would not have mattered much had Muslims rallied behind any single party. Kamal Farooqui, a former member of Samajwadi Party, said the division of the Muslim votes per se is somewhat an abstract concept. "Contrary to general perception, Muslims do not vote en masse for any party. The BJP projects Muslims as a monolith to consolidate the Hindu votes. The fact is Muslims vote just like normal voters on issues which concern them," Farooqui told IANS. "It is simply not possible that all the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh vote for any one party. Muslim votes do matter... but they seldom go to a single candidate en masse in any constituency." Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, National President of Welfare Party of India, said the BJP's strategy had "successfully rendered the Muslim factor (in elections) ineffective". Ilyas said the BJP "succeeded in getting votes of Hindu backward castes minus Yadavs and Scheduled Castes minus Jatavs. "This new type of social engineering is being seen after the emergence of Narendra Modi and (BJP President) Amit Shah on the scene," he said. Former Rajya Sabha member Mohammed Adeeb said Modi and Shah were selling the promise of Hindu rashtra under the garb of 'achhe din' which actually helps the BJP turn Hindu votes into a single more effective whole. "Although the Narendra Modi government does not have any visible achievement in its last three years, still people voted for Modi. "In Modi, they see this hope of Hindu rashtra which he is propagating as the 'achche din'," Adeeb said. Agreed Navaid Hamid, Chairman, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella body of several Muslim organisations. "We are moving towards a majoritarian democracy where nationalism is blended with Hindutva," Hamid said. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 9:45 [IST] Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth! Tamil Nadu: Heavy rains in several parts of Tamil Nadu in next 2 days DMK workers protests over PDS commodities availability in TN India pti-PTI Chennai, March 13: Scores of DMK workers including, party MP Kanimozhi, were detained on Monday for holding protests outside ration shops across the state demanding adequate supply of commodities. Party Working President and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly M K Stalin had announced the protest saying commodities were not properly available in ration shops in the state. Kanimozhi, Rajya Sabha MP, was detained at Royapettah here, police said. Scores of DMK workers, including MLAs, former Ministers and senior leaders were detained in different parts of the state including at Chennai, Villupuram, Dindigul and Thiruvannamalai. Meanwhile, Stalin charged the state government with non-performance and warned of more protests. "From ration shops to the state Secretariat, this is a government unable to perform. Therefore, DMK will hold more protests to remove it," he told reporters here. PTI Rang Barse...: Holi 2022, the festival of colours being celebrated across the country today In UP, nearly 22 mosques change timing of Friday prayers for Holi celebrations Bhai Dooj 2022: Wishes, messages, quotes, SMS, WhatsApp and Facebook status to share on this day Festival of colours, Holi being celebrated across incredible India India oi-Lisa New Delhi, March 13: Holi the festival of colours and love is being celebrated with great fervour across India. The festival of harvest for north India is a spring festival that brings down divide among rich, poor, old and young as all get covered in colours. The festival is about victory of good over evil and it is about celebrating in most joyful way with colours, water, snacks, sweets and music. Holi is one of the most joyous festival in India and it is celebrated across India and by Indians residing across the globe. Here are some pictures that have captured the Holi celebrations across India this festive season: Mathura is colourful People playing colours during Holi celebrations in Mathura. Photo credit PTI Youth celebrate in Mandi Youths enjoying Holi at Mandi. Photo credit: PTI Religious fervour of Holi Devotees offer rituals on the eve of Holi in Haridwar. Photo credit: PTI Jaipur is drenched in colours Devotees playing with colours on the eve of Holi celebrations at historical Govind Dev Ji temple in Jaipur. Photo credit:PTI Kolkata's 'Basant Utsav' Youngsters playing Holi during Basant Utsav in Kolkata. Photo credit: PTI 'Gulal' on Jabalpur students Ved Pathi students smearing 'gulal' powder on each other's faces as they celebrate Holi at Narmada ved vedaan sanskrit Vidyalaya near Gwarighat in Jabalpur. Photo credit: PTI OneIndia News How BJPs poster boy in NE India, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is managing Manipurs muddle India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Imphal, March 13: Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior Assam minister, who holds several portfolios in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state, is busy managing the affairs of the party in Manipur. After winning the Assam Assembly elections in 2016, the saffron party targeted to win the polls in the neighbouring state of Manipur. Since then Sarma along with Ram Madhav, national general secretary of the BJP, are working together to stitch BJP's massive victory in Manipur in the recently concluded elections, the results of which were announced on Saturday. Although the Congress has secured 28 seats, getting the maximum seats in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, the BJP with 21 seats has staked its claim to form the next government in the state. On Sunday, the BJP submitted a list of 32 legislators to Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah, claiming the support of 11 other MLAs -- four of Naga People's Front, four National People's Party, one Lok Janshakti Party, one Independent and one Trinamool Congress Party. After the BJP staked its claim to form the next government in the state, in a late night development on Sunday, incumbent chief minister and Congress party leader in Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh, told reporters that he has also met Heptullah and staked the party's claim to form the government for the fourth time in a row. In such a confusing scenario, the key to government formation lies in the hands of the smaller parties. Sarma, known to be a shrewd politician, has managed to bring together winning candidates of the NPF, the NPP, the LJP, Independent and the TMC to the BJP's fold. Reports say Sarma is the main brain behind convincing Congress MLA Shyamkumar Singh from Andro constituency to defect his former party on Sunday. In fact, Singh and Sarma were seen together travelling in the same vehicle on Sunday. Sarma told the media that more Congress MLAs are likely to join the BJP in coming days. He claimed that another 13 Congress MLAs will join the BJP soon. "Confident of forming a @BJP4India govt in #Manipur as of now to keep the saffron march on in the #NorthEast," Sarma tweeted on Saturday. "Meeting her Excellency Guv of #Manipur Smt Najma Heptullah ji to stake claim to form a @BJP4India led Govt in state. #MissionAccomplished," Sarma tweeted on Sunday. Sarma is fast becoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's man in the northeast region. After stitching together the saffron party's astonishing victory in Assam last year, now Sarma is all set to offer his party Manipur. Sarma, a former student leader and senior Congress leader, left his former party as he alleged being sidelined by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Many in Assam media circle say that Sarma is taking revenge on the Congress for not making him the chief minister of the state when the party was in power for 15 years till last year. In mid-2016, Sarma was made the convenor of North-East Democratic Alliance. The new platform of the BJP was formed for development of all northeastern states, hours after Sarbananda Sonowal was sworn-in as the 14th chief minister of Assam last year. Under Sarma's leadership, the BJP came to power in Arunachal Pradesh also. Till recently, the BJP hardly had any presence in the northeast India. Today, it is set to form its government in Manipur, taking over government machineries in three states of the region. Moreover, Manipur victory is a big bolster for the saffron as the BJP failed to win a single seat in the assembly polls during 2012. OneIndia News How BJP won big in Muslim dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh India oi-Vicky By Vicky In the mammoth victory of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, it is interesting to note that the Muslim vote did not count. Amit Shah, the chief of the BJP said that it is time to move beyond Hindu-Muslim politics in a press conference that he addressed on Saturday. The BJP did not field a single Muslim candidate and managed to win 31 out of the 42 seats where the minority community comprised one third of the voter population. The strike rate was at 74 per cent. In Deoband where the Muslims are in majority, the BJP managed a big win. It is also interesting to note that only 25 Muslims won in the UP elections of 2017. This is a sharp decline when compared to 2012 when 67 Muslim candidates had won. If one takes into account the vote share in the 42 Muslim dominated constituencies, the vote share of the BJP was at 39.36 per cent. The SP-Congress alliance polled 33.75 per cent while the BSP managed just 18.61 per cent. This is a clear indicator that the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh did not vote in one wave. In fact the emphasis on the Muslim votes was so much that it ended up polarising the Hindu votes which benefited the BJP in a big way. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 7:13 [IST] How fierce critics are turning to Modi bhakts after BJP's 'massive' election win India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, March 13: As Narendra Modi has emerged as India's strongest Prime Minister, after the Bharatiya Janata Party under his leadership achieved stupendous success in the recently concluded assembly elections--the results of which were declared on Saturday--a new set of Modi fans has emerged. PM Modi has a legion of fans--well-known as bhakts--however, by handsomely winning assembly polls in crucial Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand--the senior BJP leader has won the hearts of his fierce critics also. The former finance minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, who till a few days ago was a vocal critic of PM Modi, is now showering praises on him. After the assembly poll results were declared--where the Congress, except for Punjab, performed poorly--Chidambaram said the assembly elections results had showed that PM Modi was now the 'most dominant political figure'. "He has a pan-India appeal," Chidambaram told PTI. Similarly, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah ruffled many a feather by saying that PM Modi's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh had shattered the opposition hopes of unseating him soon. Abdullah, another vocal opponent of the BJP, called PM Modi as the only political leader with 'pan India acceptability' in the country. "In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019. How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond. At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024," the former CM wrote on Twitter. However, Abdullah also has a suggestion for the opposition parties. "Punjab, Goa & Manipur would certainly suggest that the BJP isn't unbeatable but strategy needs to shift from criticism to positive alternate." These tweets by Abdullah, whose political party, National Conference, was part of the UPA, created a lot of uproar. His views have ruffled the Congress, Abdullah's former ally. It is not just PM Modi's opponents from the political class that are praising 'the man of the moment', but even the senior BJP leader's critics from the media are singing peans for him. From senior journalist like Rajdeep Sardesai to Aakar Patel, everyone in the media industry has good words for the PM. Sardesai and Patel have been vocal critics of Modi since long. Because of their critical views on PM Modi they have faced backlash from PM fans on several occasions. Thus it means that all these praises from unexpected quarters have silenced the critics of PM Modi totally? Is it healthy for a democracy to have a 'ruler' who has become so powerful that he has silenced all opposition? OneIndia News How the late night drama in Manipur got BJP the numbers India oi-Vicky By Vicky It was a surprising turn of events in Manipur with the BJP staking a claim to form the next government in the state. The drama played on till late into the night on Sunday. The BJP since Saturday sounded confident that it would form the government in Manipur. The Congress has been crying foul over not being invited to form the government despite it being the single largest party with 28 seats. The BJP has 21 MLAs. Before the Congress could even stake a claim to form the government, several members moved into the BJP's camp which gave the party the numbers to form the government and also get an invitation from the Governor. Several Congress MLAs and the lone Trinamool Congress MLA Tongbram Robindro Singh moved over to the BJP camp. Prior to this development the BJP had the support of the Lok Janshakti Party from Langthabal, four candidates each from the National People's Party and the Nagaland People's Front. This changed the number game dramatically for the Congress. The party leaders met with the Governor and staked a claim, but it is falling short of 2 MLAs to get to the magic number of 31 in the 60 member house. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 8:40 [IST] Lunar eclipse 2022: Temples to be closed on Nov 8; Are you allowed to worship? India to play host to Saudi Arabia's King Salman this year India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, March 13: India looked forward to the first official visit to New Delhi by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to further deepen the strategic ties between both countries, an official said on Sunday. "We are looking forward to the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia later this year," External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, said at an event organised by the Saudi petrochemicals giant SABIC. "Our historical and deep relations have been growing rapidly over the last couple of years. Both countries have intensified joint production and investment and are looking at new investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and pooling of technical resources and skills," he added. Salman was crowned the new king in January 2015, following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. SABIC, which has a major presence in India, including an advanced R&D facility in Bengaluru, announced its CSR activity to test the eyesight of over 100,000 government-aided school children in Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Chennai and Mumbai. In his address, Saudi Ambassador Saud Al-Sati invited India to play a key role in the kingdom's economic transformation as it seeks to reduce its dependence on oil exports following a long period of decline in crude prices and emergence of new fuels by diversifying its sources of income and attracting foreign investment. Al-Sati said the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plan aims to free the Saudi economy from dependence on oil by diversifying its sources of income, attract foreign investment and make Saudi Arabia a manufacturing hub. Bilateral trade in 2015 was worth nearly $40 billion, with India importing a fifth of its oil needs from Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, King Salman began a four-day visit to Japan on Sunday, marking the first trip to the country by a Saudi king in 46 years. Saudi Arabia is Japan's largest supplier of crude oil. Last month, the Saudi monarch went to Indonesia on his first trip outside the Middle East and North Africa since he visited the US in 2015. Asian banks and companies are expected to play a major role in Saudi Arabia's plans to develop its non-oil sectors and expand its international investments. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 8:23 [IST] Islamic State declares Saifullah a soldier of the Khilafah India oi-Vicky By Vicky Saifullah who was shot dead in an encounter in Lucknow last week has been hailed as a martyr and soldier of the Islamic State. Several pro-IS channels called him as a 'soldier of the Khilafah from India.' The channels also urged the Muslims in India to learn from Saifullah and launch lone wolf attacks. Saifullah was tracked down to Lucknow following the train blast that took place in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Following a 11 hour encounter, Saifullah was shot dead by the Uttar Pradesh ATS at Thakurganj near Lucknow. Both cases have now been taken over by the National Investigation Agency. The NIA is probing to find out if there really was an IS hand in the blast. The Union Home Ministry has been cautious while blaming the IS for the incident. It is however suspected that the IS module based out of Afghanistan may have directed this attack. NIA officials say that the probe is on and it is too early to conclude which outfit may have carried out the train blast. OneIndia News 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 This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how J&K: Pakistan again violates ceasefire in parts of Poonch India ians-IANS By Ians English Jammu, March 13: The Pakistan Army again resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Monday at Indian positions on the Line of Control in Poonch district. Army spokesperson Lt. Col Manish Mehta said that the Pakistan Army used 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons to violate the ceasefire. The Pakistan shelling and firing started at 6.40 a.m. and the Indian troops were "effectively responding", Mehta said, adding that intermittent firing exchanges were still on. No casualty or damage has so far been reported from the Indian side. Pakistan Army had violated the ceasefire on Sunday too in the Krishna Ghati and Chakan Da Bagh sectors. A mortar fired by the Pakistan Army landed and exploded inside the trade facilitation centre in Chakan Da Bagh on Sunday resulting in minor damage to one of the buildings there. The trade facilitation centre at Chakan Da Bagh is the nerve centre of the cross LoC trade between India and Pakistan. IANS Jaitley is new Defence Minister of India India oi-Vicky By Vicky Arun Jaitley will be the Defence Minister of India. He will hold additional charge of defence along with the Finance portfolio. The decision to appoint Jaitley as the Defence Minister was taken after Manohar Parrikar resigned to the post. Parrikar resigned from the post to take over the Chief Minister of Goa. The post will be held by Jaitley till Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds a new candidate. There is however no candidate finalised as yet and Modi is likely to take a call in the next 15 days. There were many names doing the rounds since Parrikar resigned as the Defence Minister. In some circles the name of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauvan too was doing the rounds. However top sources in Delhi say that there is a very remote chance of Chauvan being appointed as the Defence Minister. OneIndia News Kannada movie producer arrested for sexually abusing girl India oi-Madhuri Bengaluru, March 13: A Kannada movie producer Viresh,who produced Preethi Maye Husharu movie has reportedly been arrested on Monday for molesting a girl. According to the victm, the producer invited her home on the pretext of discussing a movie role and then sexually abused her. The incident happened on Wednesday when Viresh invited the girl who is working in his Hosur office to visit his house located in Hulimavu and discuss her role in the upcoming movie. She then raised an alarm and ran out of the house. With the help of neighbours, she was able to lock the producer inside his house. She later called up her parents who then thrashed Viresh and demanded an apology. The report also suggests that the entire incident has been recorded on a phone camera. The video shows him apologizing for his mistake. Viresh had produced a movie Preethi Maye Husharu in 2014, which flopped. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 14:21 [IST] Karnataka: S M Krishna to join BJP this week India ians-IANS By Ians English Bengaluru, March 13: India's former External Affairs Minister and former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna is set to join the BJP this week in New Delhi, said a party official on Monday. "Krishna will join our party in New Delhi on March 15 or 16 after meeting party's national President Amit Shah. He will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later," a BJP official told IANS in Bengaluru on the condition of anonymity. Krishna, 84, resigned from the Congress on January 29 after 46 years of association with the grand old party for 'being sidelined by its leadership'. "Krishna will leave for Delhi on Tuesday and meet Shah on Wednesday. He will join the same day. If not on that day, then he will join on March 16 at 11:20 a.m.," the official said. BJP's state unit President and Lok Sabha lawmaker BS Yeddyurappa also told reporters at Mysuru earlier in the day that Krishna would join the party on March 15 in New Delhi. "As the budget session of Parliament will resume from Tuesday, I will also be in Delhi to personally welcome Krishna into the party fold," said the former BJP Chief Minister of the state. Union Ministers from Karnataka D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Anantha Kumar will also be present on the occasion. A Krishna's aide also confirmed that the octogenarian leader would leave for Delhi on Tuesday to meet Shah and Modi on Wednesday or Thursday. Ever since leaving the Congress, Krishna has been bidding time to join the BJP but was told to wait till this week, as Shah and Modi were busy with the elections in the five states, especially Uttar Pradesh and their results. Yeddyurappa officially invited Krishna to join the party at the latter's house last week. "With the BJP securing thumping majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand and set to form governments in Goa and Manipur, Krishna thought it is the right time to join the BJP and strengthen the party in Karnataka, where assembly election is due in April 2018," added the official. IANS FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K Kashmir separatist leaders detained, placed under house arrest India ians-IANS By Ians English Srinagar, March 13: Jammu and Kashmir authorities placed top separatist leaders under house arrest in Kashmir on Monday to foil a sit-in called to highlight plight of prisoners in the Valley. Senior separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi were placed under preventive detention. While Mirwaiz Umer and Asiya Andrabi were placed under house arrest, Malik was shifted to the Central Jail. "Adequate deployments of police and Central Reserve Police Force have been made to maintain law and order in the city," police said. The sit-in called in Maisuma area adjacent to the Lal Chowk was to highlight plight of prisoners in different jails of the state. Separatists in the Valley had called for a shutdown last week after a teenager was killed during clashes with security forces in Pulwama. IANS Kerala: Crime Branch to probe into CA student's death India pti-PTI Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 13: Kerala government on Monday announced a Crime Branch police probe into the recent mysterious death of an 18-year old girl pursuing Chartered Accountancy in Kochi. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made the announcement in the state assembly even as Congress-led UDF opposition staged a walk out alleging police inaction and demanding action against "erring" investigators. The body of the girl was found in the backwaters near Ernakulam wharf last week and the family has said she died under mysterious circumstances as there was no possibility of her committing suicide. Replying to a notice of adjournment motion moved by Kerala Congress (J) leader Anoop Jacob, Vijayan said a special investigation team of the Crime Branch would probe the case. He said investigation was going on in the right direction and those responsible would be brought before law, however, highly-placed they may be. "Police have intervened into the issue effectively since they received the missing complaint by the girl's parents. They tried to collect her mobile phone details soon after this and launched thorough investigation," he said. "Now, the investigation is going on... But considering the gravity of the issue, the Crime Branch will further investigate the case," Chief Minister added. He said the agency would also probe the claim that the local police had refused to accept the complaint by the girl's parents on March 5, the day she had went missing. "There will be no laxity on the part of investigators and stringent action will be taken if found so," he said adding the government would not let criminals to upset the state's peaceful social atmosphere. Jacob alleged Police was trying to write off the girl's death as a case of drowning or suicide and had accepted the post mortem report, he said. He alleged that police 'inaction' to accept the complaint led to the girl's death. Accusing police of trying to turn every such 'unnatural' death into suicides, he said "Atrocities against women and children are on the rise in the state. The government is making only pronouncements, but in reality nothing seems to be happening," he charged. CCTV visuals of a local church had showed that two persons, on a motorbike, were seen following her just before she had gone missing, Jacob said rejecting the Crime Branch probe as inadequate. Congress leader K C Joseph said had the police accepted the complaint on the day the girl went missing and started the probe, the tragedy could have been averted. "Police is misleading CM in this regard," he alleged. The opposition staged a walkout as Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan refused permission for the motion. PTI Manipur: Here is how BJP will form the next government India oi-Vicky By Vicky On Saturday, BJP's national president Amit Shah expressed confidence that the next government in Manipur would be formed by his party. While the BJP has already staked a claim to form the government in the state, the Congress too met with Governor, Najma Heptullah and indicated that it has the numbers. The BJP on the other hand says that it has the numbers to form the government. The BJP which won 21 seats needs another ten more MLAs to reach the magic mark of 31 in the 60 member house. The party says that it has the support of the NPP, NPF and the LJP. The NPP, LJP and the NPF are NDA's allies and together they hold nine seats. If these three side with the BJP, then the party would have 30 seats, again 1 short of the magic mark. In this scenario the lone TMC MLA will hold the key. His support becomes crucial to both parties to attain the magic number. The LJP had in the previous elections had supported the Congress. However the party is now an NDA ally and may just go with the BJP. It would be interesting to see who Najma Heptulah, the governor of Manipur would invite to form the government. According to sources Shyam Kumar, the Congress MLA from Andro, and Robindro Singh, the lone All India Trinamool Congress legislator, have also extended support to the coalition. This takes the tally past the 31 mark. Both the legislators were present in the Raj Bhawan with the BJP on Sunday. OneIndia News Blow to Nitish Kumar as 5 of 6 MLAs from JD(U) join BJP in Manipur Manipur political crisis LIVE: BJP hijacked MLAs, says Congress India oi-Anusha With the results throwing up a hung assembly both, the BJP and the Congress are struggling to consolidate support in Manipur. Out of the total 60 assembly constituency seats, the BJP won 21 seats and claimed to have managed to get the support of 11 more MLAs taking the total to 32. 31 seats are required to form the government in Manipur. The Congress managed to win 28 seats but one of its MLAs defected to the BJP on Sunday evening. Catch all the updates on the political crisis in Manipur as it unfolds right here. March 14, 2017 1:24 pm: Even as Congress' Ibobi Singh continues to claim majority, the NPP has maintained that their stand of supporting the BJP is clear. "All letters of support have been given to the Governor. The Governor will take a call to invite us to form government," Conrad Sangma, leader, NPP 10.46 am: We got info that BJP hijacked 5-6 Cong MLAs & took them to Guwahati, this is horse-trading: Ripun Bora, Cong MP 10.42 am: BJP is doing horse-trading in Manipur, they are murdering democracy all over the country: Ripun Bora, Congress MP March 13, 2017 6:30 pm: Senior leader of the Congress, Veerappa Moily says Manipur governor displayed incompetence. "We were only two seats short of majority. Single largest party is given the first option. It is incompetent on part of the Governor," says Moily. 6:24 pm: "I thank Amit Shah ji, Narendra Modi ji and senior leaders. I left the Congress due to misgovernance. I am sure that BJP will give good governance to Manipur," N Biren Singh 6:22 pm: I am sure that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will bring about development in Manipur: N Biren Singh, BJP's CM candidate 6:16 pm: BJP's legislature party leader will be N Biren Singh and he has been elected unanimously. We will soon move to stake claim to form government: Piyush Goel BJP's legislature party leader will be N. Biren Singh;unanimously elected; will soon move to stake claim to form govt: Piyush Goel #Manipur pic.twitter.com/msj6BH5567 ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017 5:50 pm: "Our official letter with sign of MLAs has been submitted and our stand is clear that we support government led by the BJP. No knowledge of letter by Congress. The signature is not of my President and it is not even on an official letter head," says NPP's C Sangma on Congress' letter claiming NPP's support 5:31 pm: Will tender my resignation from the position of Manipur Chief Minister in a short period of time, either today or tomorrow," Okram Ibobi Singh 5:20 pm: NPP calls out Congress' bluff. "Congress' letter to Governor claiming NPP's support was fake," says Conrad Sangma, NPP leader 5:17 pm: Ibobi Singh decides to resign after failing to get enough support. Stage set for BJP to form government in Manipur 5:00 pm: Chief Minister Ibobi Singh will resign in 24 hours 4:10 pm: Chief Minister Ibobi Singh refuses to resign, claims to have enough support to form government 3:40 pm: BJP meet in Manipur: Biren Singh, T Biswajit in the race for Chief Minister post 3.32 pm: Manipur Governor asks CM Ibobi Singh to submit resignation immediately 3.17 pm: I have not received any resignation letter from the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh till now: Najma Heptulla 3.10 pm: I have the document that was submitted by the Manipur BJP President. BJP paraded their supporters and it was telecast on Television: Manipur Governor 3.02 pm: Observers Piyush Goyal and V Sahasrabuddhe have arrived. We will select the leader of legislature party today- Himanta Biswa Sarma, Convenor, North-East Democratic Alliance 2.54 pm: I rejected the letter that the Chief Minister gave because NPP President had given me a letter one hour earlier on 4 MLAs supporting the BJP: Najma Heptullah I asked the Chief Minister to resign first but he didn't say anything & went away: Najma Heptulla 2.50 pm: New Congress legislative party leader to be announced shortly 2.48 pm: I was satisfied that the BJP have support of 32 MLAs: Najma Heptulla Chief Minister Ibobi Singh also came with letter to claim he should be called to form government: Najma Heptulla, Governor Manipur Congress also brought letter on behalf of NPP signed by secretaries and Presidents, I told him that he can not bring a letter on behalf of NPP: Najma Heptulla 2:08 pm: Ibobi singh steps down as the leader of Congress Legislative Party in Manipur 2:05 pm: BJP central leaders in Manipur. Prakash Javdekar, Goyal attend BJP meet in Manipur 1:52 pm: Chief minister Ibobi Singh asked to resign to allow process of formation of the next government. Congress ahd staked claim to form the government after the BJP had met the governor on Sunday. OneIndia News Narendra Modi is a terrific orator and these quotes prove just that India oi-Anusha In his victory speech at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again proved that he is a magician when it comes to words. While the mood was already ecstatic with the big win that the BJP saw in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Modi's speech elicited more cheer from the crowd. His statements on 'New India', 'vision 2022', 'the poor and middle class' of the county struck a cord with those gathered. He may have addressed a gathering of BJP supporters but his message was for the entire country. We take a look at Prime Minister's top 10 quotes from Sunday's victory speech.The massive voting that led to this massive victory has got political pundits thinking. Today's India doesn't want to just take but also wants to contribute. I see a new India. Emotional issues create a wave and affect polls. Parties have always won on a wave created by emotional issues and not on the agenda of development nut we have done that. I see the strength in India's poor. They do not want your welfare doles, they want opportunities. They seek venues to better themselves and do not want to remain beneficiaries alone. The middle class is the most burdened in this country. The day India's poor can bear their burden, the middle class will be relieved. We are new. We may make mistakes but our intentions are never wrong. The government is formed when majority of people accept us but a government can run only if everyone accepts us. "Sarkar bahumat se banta hai lekin sahamat se chalta hai" Our government is for those who voted for us but also for those who did not. Our government is for those who walk with us but also for those who oppose us. People ask me why I work as much as I do, it is an honour indeed to hear that. Elections do not matter to me. Our target should be 2022, 75th year of India's independence. I ask everyone to pledge to work for India, to make it a new India. OneIndia News Parrikar to represent Mapusa, MGP's Dhavalikar to be Goa deputy CM India oi-Anusha Incoming Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is all set to contest from Mapusa assembly constituency in Goa. Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Francisco D'Souza is likely to vacate his seat to make away for Manohar Parrikar to contest from the constituency. Meanwhile, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader Sudin Dhavalikar is likely to take oath as the deputy chief minister of Goa on March 14 alongside Parrikar who will take oath as the Chief Minister. [BJP holds press conference to officially declare Parrikar as next Goa CM] Manohar Parrikar while speaking to the media on Sunday announcing the alliance with MGP, had refused to comment on the constituency that he would represent. On Monday it became clear that the BJP senior leadership has asked D'Souza to make way for the former Chief Minister of Goa. While D'Souza has not made any statements about vacating his seat, Mapusa seems to have been finalised for Parrikar to represent. [Goa: Parrikar to be sworn in as CM on Tuesday at 5 pm] He will take oath as the Chief Minister at 5 pm on Tuesday. Natural alliance partner, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party along with BJP MLAs had demanded that Parrikar becomes the Chief Minister. Sitting Chief Minister Parsekar's humiliating defeat only added more strength to the demand. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 11:02 [IST] Power of Holi? Crushing poll defeat fails to mar Akhileshs celebrations India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Lucknow, March 13: Call it the power of Holi--the festival of colours--or human will for survival, former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was back in public space after a crushing defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Monday. According to ANI, Akhilesh celebrated Holi in Etawah, once considered the SP's bastion. The SP president was seen smiling and talking with party workers during the celebrations. His face was also covered in various colours of festivities. In the 403-member UP Assembly, Akhilesh's Samajwadi Party managed to get just 47 seats, while his alliance partner, the Congress, got just seven seats. The result of the UP Assembly elections, declared on Saturday, was one of the SP's worst defeats. The Bharatiya Janata Party came out with flying colours by scoring 325 seats. Many say Akhilesh's defeat was because of his decision to align with the Congress. Others feel that the family feud before the elections resulted in the SP's defeat. The win in UP has bolstered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image as country's most power leader. The assembly elections in UP and four other states--Manipur, Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab--were a litmus test for both the BJP and the Congress. However, it was the BJP which is all set to form government in four states, except for Punjab--where the Congress managed to win 77 seats out of 117. The BJP fought the assembly polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The 'unprecedented' victory of the BJP is credited to PM Modi and his colleague and BJP president Amit Shah. "Greetings on the festival of colours, Holi. May the festival spread joy & warmth everywhere," PM Modi tweeted on Monday. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 14:17 [IST] RSS functionary says media shouldn't hype 'stray' attacks on Indians abroad India pti-PTI Kochi, Mar 13: An RSS functionary, looking after the Sangh's overseas affairs, on Monday blamed the media for creating 'hype' over 'stray incidents' of attacks against Indians abroad. Sadanand Sapre, the coordinator of RSS Viswa Vibhag, however, flayed the attacks against Indians on foreign soil and said such incidents should be stopped. "Media many a times exaggerate the scene. Yes, some instances are there. To create hype... that is the nature of media," he said. Sapre's comments came in response to a question about attacks on Indians abroad during an interactive session with the audience after a programme organised here as part of 'Navathi' celebrations of Bharathiya Vichara Kendram Director P Parameswaran. Referring to incidents of attacks against Indians at Melbourne in Australia some years back, Sapre said in some cases Indians were at fault. "Melbourne incidents reported by media gives an impression that all Indians are being targeted. So I spoke to local people. They said that is not the case. It is not at all that all the Indians are targeted. Media have an habit of creating hype," he said. "These are stray incidents and those sort of stray incidents are everywhere... even in India," Sapre said, referring to incidents of attacks against people from Bihar in Mumbai some years back. PTI SC to hear 'urgently' petition challenging Parrikar's swearing in as Goa CM India oi-Vicky The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear a petition filed by the Congress challenging the swearing in of Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa. Chief Justice of India, J S Khehar agreed to hear the matter on an urgent basis and set up a special bench for Tuesday. The court will hear the matter on Tuesday despite it being a holiday for Holi. The petition filed by Goa Congress legislator Chandrakant Kavlekar challenged the Governor's decision to invite Parrikar to form the government. He said that in a hung assembly it should be the largest party which should be invited first to form the government. The Congress is the single largest party in Goa and should have been invited to form the government, he also said. The petitioner also said that the Governor should have invited the Congress to form the government first according to the guidelines laid down in the Rameshwar Prasad judgment. The judgment makes it clear that the single largest party be given the first chance to the form the government in case of a hung assembly. He further cited the Sakaria Commission recommendations which are identical to the Rameshwar Prasad judgment. The invite to Parrikar is against Constitutional practise, the petitioner also said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 20:41 [IST] Shiv Sena to stall Maharashtra assembly over loan waiver India pti-PTI Mumbai, Mar 13: The Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has asked his party MLAs to disrupt the proceedings of the Maharashtra legislature unless the state government budges on the demand for complete loan waiver to farmers. "Uddhavji has given very clear instructions to party legislators to be aggressive in both the Houses. We have orders from him to not allow proceedings of the assembly and the council until the government takes a decision to grant complete loan waiver to farmers," senior Sena leader and environment minister Ramdas Kadam said in Ratnagiri on Monday. He said the Sena chief had always backed the cause of farmers and will continue to do so in future also. After Thackeray's instructions, Sena legislators had held a meeting at the party office in Vidhan Bhavan in umbai last Thursday to discuss their floor strategy. Earlier, it was decided to raise the issue on Tuesday when the legislature reconvenes after a three-day holiday. However, the parliamentary affairs department has allowed one more holiday on request of members of parties as they want to participate in election of presidents of Panchayat Samitis. Sena has distributed a letter among the party members listing the poll promises made by the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Sena leader and industries minister Subhash Desai said, "The minimum support price of Tur pulse, wheat, Jowar and chickpeas has reduced in 2016 as compared to previous year. Also the BJP had assured to implement recommendations of Swaminathan Commission. However, the BJP failed to fulfil them." He said the Sena MLAs will raise the issue in both the Houses, when the session resumes on Wednesday. Another Sena leader and Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said Rs 35,000 crore will be needed to waive off the debt. Sena, a junior partner in the BJP-led government, besides the Congress and NCP, has been aggressively raising the loan waiver demand which has paralysed the proceedings of both the Houses during ongoing budget session. PTI Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth! Tamil Nadu: Fishermen in 5 districts begin indefinite fast India pti-PTI Nagapattinam(TN), Mar 13: Fishermen in Rameswaram on Monday ended their week-long protest over the killing of a colleague, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, while those from Tamil Nadu's five coastal districts began an indefinite fast over the issue. Over 5,000 fishermen from Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Tiruvaurur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai began the indefinite fast in front of the head post office in Nagapattinam. The stir is being led by fishermen panchayat leaders of the five districts. Mohandoss, leader of Nagapattinam Fishermen's Panchayat told reporters that the stir was to press for their demands, including suitable compensation from both Central and state governments to the family of deceased fishermen Bridgo. He also sought immediate release of all Tamil fishermen from Lankan prisons and retrieval of over 140 fishing boats held by Sri Lanka. "Our other demands include, rollback of tax on diesel in the state and formation of a separate Union ministry for fisheries welfare," Mohandoss said, adding the stir would continue till the demands are met. Meanwhile, fishermen association leaders P Sesuraja and S Emerite told reporters at Rameswaram that they support the stir of their counterparts in Nagapattinam. They said ending the stir at Rameswaram was temporary and they would leave for Delhi on March 20 to meet Union ministers for discussions on the issue of the attacks. The future course of action would be decided after returning the next day, the leaders said. Earlier in the day, fishermen at Rameswaram withdrew their week-long protest after the funeral of their colleague was held here amid tight security. The mortal remains of Bridgo was taken out in a procession and was later buried at Anthoniarpuram Catholic cemetery. The 22-year-old fisherman was shot dead on March 6 allegedly by the Lankan Navy personnel while fishing in a mechanised boat off Katchatheevu islet. On Sunday, the fishermen had decided to withdraw their stir after talks between a delegation of their leaders, led by struggle committee President Arualanandam, and Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan in Rameswaram. After the meeting, Arulanandam had said the ministers have assured that their demands would be met. The development came three days after Sri Lanka released 53 Indian fishermen, arrested in the recent past, as per a decision by the two countries to set free fishermen in each other's custody to defuse tension following Bridgo's killing. PTI UP Congress chief Raj Babbar plays Holi after humiliating loss in elections India oi-Anusha His party may have just lost its significance in Uttar Pradesh but that did not dampen Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Raj Babbar's holi celebrations. The actor-turned-politician celebrated Holi in all its colours In Mumabi even as party members announced resignations in other parts of the country. The Congress managed to win a mere seven seats out of the 105 seats that it contested in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls but that humiliating defeat just did not dampen the festive spirit of Raj Babbar who took the celebration away from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai. UP Congress president Raj Babbar celebrates #Holi in Mumbaipic.twitter.com/y7z0PhPL92 ANI (@ANI_news) March13,2017 With the defeat, the Congress has been reduced to a non-entity in the state with the largest number of constituencies. While the Congress leadership that campaigned with their alliance partner Samajwadi party on multiple occasion was missing ina ction when Akhilesh Yadav addressed a press conference after the results on Saturday. While Samajwadi party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav held the Congress directly responsible for the party's defeat, the Chief of Congress in Uttar Pradesh celebrated the festival of colours. Raj Babbar's mood was definitely not indicative of what the Congress' mood is currently. Seems like it is a phenomenon for all politicians in Uttar Pradesh with Akhilesh Yadav also celebratig Holi on Monday. Some may call it being sportive and others may deem it a disconnect with the reality of the party's situation. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 15:57 [IST] With no prominent Vokkaliga face in K'taka Congress, D K Shivakumar heads to Delhi India oi-Anusha Karnataka Cabinet minister and Vokkaliga strongman D K Shivakumar left to New Delhi on Monday to meet the central leadership of the Congress. The minister for energy is in Delhi to stake claim to become the next President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. The move comes in the backdrop of veteran Congressman and Vokkaliga icon, S M Krishna deciding to join the BJP. The crisis in Karnataka unit of the Congress is only growing by the day. The Congress in the state is a divided house with one half supporting the current leadership while the other is demanding a change of leadership if the Congress has any intentions to win the 2018 assembly polls. Sources from the Congress told OneIndia that the party cadre is frustrated with the current leadership and is desperate to have D K Shivakumar to lead the party in the 2018 elections. The loss of an opinion maker in the Cauvery delta region and Vokkaliga leader like S M Krishna has just weakened the party's foothold in the region. After S M Krishna, other Vokkaliga leaders like Ambarish are also expected to resign from the Congress further taking away the Community's support from the party. "The current leadership has failed miserably. We risk losing our traditional constituencies in Madya-Mysuru region. We need a strong leader and D K Shivakumar is the most bankable face. The party is a divided house and we need a uniting force. Many others like me have decided to quit the party if D K Shivakumar is not made the PCC president," said an office bearer. The Congress is already facing a trust deficit with allegations of corruption and kickbacks. Losing leaders like Srinivas Prasad has hurt the party's popularity among the Dalits in the Mysuru-Mandya region and now, with S M Krishna's exit and Ambarish's most likely exit from the party, the Congress risks losing its Vokkaliga vote share. Party sources also revealed that D K Shivakumar's elevation as the President of the party in the state was with the approval of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but as expected Dr G Parameshwar is against the same. While party workers believe that D K Shivakumar is the only chance at a victory in 2018 polls, party's working president Dinesh Gundu Rao is going to be at the receiving end of it all. He gave up his cabinet berth to become the working president and with D K Shivakumar's elevation, Dinesh Gundu Rao has much to lose. OneIndia News Are you awake?: EAM Jaishankar recalls when he got a call from PM Modi at midnight Afghanistan: Bomb blast in Kabul leaves one dead International oi-Vikas By Vikas At least one person was killed and eight other injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday. According to reports, the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber and has destroyed a bus carrying employees of one of the Afghanistan's biggest telecoms firms. Although there is no confirmation from the agencies, reports say that the suicide bomber was on foot when the explosion took place. No group has claimed the responsibility so far, but it is the Afghan Taliban which has been carrying out such attacks in the country over the years. In February, at least 20 people were dead after a suicide blast outside Afghanistan's Supreme Court in Kabul. Afghanistan security forces and its international allies have been fighting Taliban militants and other radical groups for years. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 19:15 [IST] Donald Trump's revised travel ban denounced by over 130 experts International pti-PTI Washington, Mar 12: Over 130 US foreign policy experts have denounced President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying it undermines America's national security and interests as much as the original order barring travelers from some Muslim-majority countries and refugees. "To Muslims -- including those victimized by or fighting against Islamic State -- it will send a message that reinforces the propaganda... that falsely claim the United States is at war with Islam," read the letter by former government officials and experts. "Welcoming Muslim refugees and travelers, by contrast, exposes the lies of terrorists and counters their warped vision," added the document dated Friday. Among the 134 signatories were some who served in either or both Republican and Democratic administrations were former senior diplomat Nicholas Burns, ex-National Security Council counter-terrorism director Richard Clarke and ex-undersecretary of defense Michele Flournoy. Most served under Democratic presidents, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, ex-national security advisor Susan Rice and ex-National Counterterrorism director Matthew Olsen. Their comments echo those being made in court by US states claiming the modified measures discriminate against Muslims and are detrimental to US interests. "Bans like those included in this order are harmful to US national security and beneath the dignity of our great nation," the letter read. The executive order "weakens this country's ability to provide global leadership and jeopardizes our national security interests by failing to support the stability of our allies that are struggling to host large numbers of refugees," it added. The letter was also sent to Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security chief John Kelly and Acting Director of National Intelligence Michael Dempsey. The revised directive temporarily closes US borders to all refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries. It denies US entry to all refugees for 120 days and halts for 90 days the granting of visas to nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The new order, unveiled Monday, is due to go into effect March 16 and replaces the previous Trump directive that was blocked in federal court. The blocked order included an indefinite Syrian refugee travel ban and its blacklist of barred countries included Iraq. PTI Donald Trump tried to call Indian-born attorney Preet Bharara before firing him International oi-Madhuri Indian-born US attorney Preet Bharara who was fired by the Trump administration on March 11 had received a call from the US President Donald Trump just two days before his exit. However, Bharara rebuffed Trump's phone call who had tried to call him in an effort to thank him for his service and to wish him good luck. Bharara was fired by the Trump administration after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Obama administration-appointed attorneys to resign immediately. "I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted from his personal Twitter account. Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusading against public corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general to immediately submit resignations. Earlier, sources close to Bharara had said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a show down with President Donald Trump. The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bhararas office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on in his administration. Bharara had met Trump in the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican nominee had won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and had agreed to do so. Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012. Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes Trump Tower. OneIndia News (with PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, March 13, 2017, 11:09 [IST] EU warns Erdogan against making inflammatory statements International pti-PTI Istanbul, Mar 13: The European Union on Monday warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to avoid inflammatory rhetoric as a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the Netherlands deepened over the blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies to win support for plans to expand his powers. Erdogan at the weekend twice accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who faces a major challenge from the far-right in a key general election Wednesday, said Erdogan's comments were unacceptable and it was Ankara that should apologise. In an escalating standoff that risks damaging Turkey's already deteriorating relations with the European Union ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional change, Brussels sternly warned Ankara to avoid making the situation worse. In apparent reference to Erdogan's comments, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to 'refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation'. "It is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation," their statement added. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also urged Turkey and its NATO allies to 'show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to contribute to de-escalate the tensions'. The Dutch authorities had at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam. The ministers had been seeking to harness the support of an estimated 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the country ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes giving Erdogan greater powers. The Turkish foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Dutch envoy to Ankara for the third day in a row, handing two separate protest notes over The Hague's behaviour. The Netherlands also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey, urging them to stay 'alert across the whole of Turkey'. Turkey has already responded furiously to fellow NATO ally Germany's refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Erdogan comparing such action to "Nazi practices". Denmark has also asked Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a visit planned for later this month. The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought to join for more than half a century in a so far fruitless membership bid. Erdogan, who has indicated he may attempt to address rallies in EU states in a move that could inflame the situation further, said on Sunday that the West was showing its 'true face' in the standoff. PTI IS terrorists trapped in Mosul, says US envoy International ians-IANS By Ians English Baghdad, March 13: Islamic State (IS) terrorists are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. "Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," Xinhua quoted US envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk as saying. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 per cent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said on Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city centre in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. IANS 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. by Graham Pierrepoint Disney have been hard at work resurrecting some of their most beloved animated classics as live-action masterpieces in recent years, and with plans afoot for Mulan, Aladdin and The Lion King a few years ahead, theres no sign of this trend stopping any time soon. And why not? Both The Jungle Book and Cinderella received critical praise (while Alice in Wonderland made big money, it faltered a little with viewers), and the next movie on the block thats really picking up pace is Dumbo, with the surprise direction of Tim Burton to boot. Burton is one of the most recognizable directors in Hollywood history whether in animation or live action, his name is synonymous with darkly comic and richly bleak stories, often edging on the macabre but never going too grim. Hes most famous for bringing us Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, as well as having worked with Disney on The Nightmare Before Christmas and the first Alice in Wonderland live action remake. If youre already familiar with his visual style, his nuances and direction, youll likely consider him a curious choice for Dumbo a famously tale of an adorable baby elephant with enormous ears. However, its also famous for one of the most psychedelic sequences in cinematic animation the Elephants on Parade sketch, where the pachyderm experiences bizarre, colorful hallucinations after getting himself drunk! It will be intriguing, therefore, to see how Burton adapts this number. Last week, talk turned to casting for Dumbo, and two big names have already been associated with the movie. Miss Peregrine star Eva Green is said to be considering a lead role, and legendary TV and film funnyman Danny DeVito is also thought to be on board as the owner of a circus. Both have worked with Burton before, meaning that they will likely thrive under his direction and DeVito is a particularly lucrative choice as he has been undergoing a second renaissance in recent years as Frank in Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The story elements seem to be rather different to the original animation, too while the original film largely focused on Dumbo being separated from his mother and his misadventures, this adaptation may introduce an entirely new villain given Burtons past casting trends, is it entirely unreasonable to predict that Johnny Depp may be a shoo-in? Whos to say for now, audiences can enjoy the live action Beauty and the Beast and await further Disney live action updates though when well ever get updates for Treasure Planet or Oliver and Company, who can say? Rumble 02 Sep 2022 Stickman Escape Lift is such a nice game and interesting and fun game which makes you get excited whenever you are playing, you can.. Sky News 23 Sep 2021 A Venezuelan militant who carried out terror attacks around the world in the 1970s and 80s has had his appeal to reduce one of his.. Rumble 15 Oct 2022 Today, October 10, 2022, officially, the Scottish First Minister, the liberal Nicola Sturgeon, announced that she will go ahead.. Accesswire 12 Oct 2021 *NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 12, 2021 /* New America Energy Corp. (OTC PINK:NECA), name to be changed to "Third Bench", has.. Tequila 2017 Global Key Players - Jose Cuervo, Sauza, Patron, Juarez, 1800 Tequila Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Tequila https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1040237-global-tequila-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1040237-global-tequila-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1040237 www.wiseguyreports.com TequilaReport Details:Global Tequila market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingJose CuervoSauzaPatronJuarez1800 TequilaEl Jimador FamilyDon JulioFamilia Camarena TequilaHerraduraZarcoCazadoresCabo TequilaMilagroMargaritavilleClase AzulAvion Tequila1921 Tequila4 CopasCorzoEl Agave ArtesanalTequila AretteDon EduardoAgave Dos MilAha ToroBuen AmigoCampo AzulCascahuin DistilleryCompania Tequilera de ArandasCentinelaHacienda La CapillaClick 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 Tequila in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPremium TequilaValue TequilaSuper-Premium TequilaHigh-End Premium TequilaOn 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 Tequila for each application, includingSupermarkets and Hyper-MarketsOn-TradeSpecialist RetailersConvenience Stores......Some Major Points from Table of content:Global Tequila Market Research Report 20171 Tequila Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Tequila1.2 Tequila Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Tequila Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Tequila Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Premium Tequila1.2.4 Value Tequila1.2.5 Super-Premium Tequila1.2.6 High-End Premium Tequila1.3 Global Tequila Segment by Application1.3.1 Tequila Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Supermarkets and Hyper-Markets1.3.3 On-Trade1.3.4 Specialist Retailers1.3.5 Convenience Stores1.4 Global Tequila Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Tequila 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 Tequila (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Tequila Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Tequila Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @7 Global Tequila Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Jose Cuervo7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Jose Cuervo Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Sauza7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Sauza Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Patron7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Patron Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Juarez7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Juarez Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 1800 Tequila7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 1800 Tequila Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 El Jimador Family7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 El Jimador Family Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Don Julio7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Don Julio Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Familia Camarena Tequila7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Familia Camarena Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Herradura7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Herradura Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Zarco7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Tequila Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Zarco Tequila Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 Cazadores7.12 Cabo Tequila7.13 Milagro7.14 Margaritaville7.15 Clase Azul7.16 Avion Tequila7.17 1921 Tequila7.18 4 Copas7.19 Corzo7.20 El Agave Artesanal7.21 Tequila Arette7.22 Don Eduardo7.23 Agave Dos Mil7.24 Aha Toro7.25 Buen Amigo7.26 Campo Azul7.27 Cascahuin Distillery7.28 Compania Tequilera de Arandas7.29 Centinela7.30 Hacienda La Capilla..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@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.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Organic Milk Products Market 2017 Trends, Size to 2021 Examined In New Industry Research Report Organic Milk Products https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/362141-global-organic-milk-products-industry-2016-market-research-report https://www.wiseguyreports.com/check-discount/362141-global-organic-milk-products-industry-2016-market-research-report https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/362141-global-organic-milk-products-industry-2016-market-research-report www.wiseguyreports.com Organic Milk Products MarketWiseGuyReports Publish a Latest Market Research Report On Global Organic Milk Products Market Report 2017 Industry Research, Manufacturers, Sales, Consumption, Segmentation, Price, Revenue, Share and Forecasts to 2022.Request Sample Copy of this Report @Description:The Global Organic Milk Products Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Organic Milk Products industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Organic Milk Products 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 import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.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 Organic Milk Products 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.Check Discount on this report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comTable of Contents1 Industry Overview of Organic Milk Products1.1 Definition and Specifications of Organic Milk Products1.2 Classification of Organic Milk Products1.2.1 Whole Organic Milk1.2.2 Skim Organic Milk1.2.3 Semi-skim Organic Milk1.3 Applications of Organic Milk Products1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Organic Milk Products1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Organic Milk Products1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Organic Milk Products1.7 Industry News Analysis of Organic Milk Products2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Organic Milk Products2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Organic Milk Products8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Organic Milk Product8.1 Horizon Organic8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.1.4 Contact Information8.2 Arla8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.2.4 Contact Information8.3 Organic Valley8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.3.4 Contact Information8.4 Emmi8.4.1 Company Profile8.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.4.4 Contact Information8.5 Aurora Organic Dairy8.5.1 Company Profile8.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.5.4 Contact Information8.6 Yeo Valley8.6.1 Company Profile8.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.6.4 Contact Information8.7 Andechser Molkerei Scheitz8.7.1 Company Profile8.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.7.4 Contact Information8.8 Thise Dairy8.8.1 Company Profile8.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.8.4 Contact Information8.9 Avalon8.9.1 Company Profile8.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.9.4 Contact Information8.10 Bruton Dairy8.10.1 Company Profile8.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.10.4 Contact Information8.11 Yili8.11.1 Company Profile8.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.11.4 Contact Information8.12 Mengniu8.12.1 Company Profile8.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.12.4 Contact Information8.13 Shengmu Organic Milk8.13.1 Company Profile8.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.13.4 Contact Information..CONTINUEDComplete Report @CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations and Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)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.Pune, India Licorice Root 2017 Global Key Players - Mafco Worldwide, American Licorice Company, Amarelli, Shadian, Norevo GmbH Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Licorice Root https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1040252-global-licorice-root-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1040252-global-licorice-root-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1040252 www.wiseguyreports.com Licorice RootReport Details:Global Licorice Root market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingMafco WorldwideAmerican Licorice CompanyAmarelliShadianNorevo GmbHNatural Licorice Root IndustryClick 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 Licorice Root in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPaste ExtractPowder ExtractDried ExtractSyrup ExtractOn 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 Licorice Root for each application, includingPharmaceuticalsFood IndustryTobaccoOthers......Some Major Points from Table of content:Global Licorice Root Market Research Report 20171 Licorice Root Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Licorice Root1.2 Licorice Root Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Licorice Root Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Licorice Root Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Paste Extract1.2.4 Powder Extract1.2.5 Dried Extract1.2.6 Syrup Extract1.3 Global Licorice Root Segment by Application1.3.1 Licorice Root Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Pharmaceuticals1.3.3 Food Industry1.3.4 Tobacco1.3.5 Others1.4 Global Licorice Root Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Licorice Root 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 Licorice Root (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Licorice Root Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Licorice Root Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @7 Global Licorice Root Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Mafco Worldwide7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Mafco Worldwide Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 American Licorice Company7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 American Licorice Company Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Amarelli7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Amarelli Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Shadian7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Shadian Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Norevo GmbH7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Norevo GmbH Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Natural Licorice Root Industry7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Licorice Root Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Natural Licorice Root Industry Licorice Root Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@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.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market Research Report 2017 Key Plyares Callington Haven Pty Ltd, Spirit Group International, ALMADION International, Jaco Aerospace-Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1040240-global-aircraft-cleaning-chemicals-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1040240-global-aircraft-cleaning-chemicals-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1040240 https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market 2017SummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Suppliers and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research DatabaseIn this report, the global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest for Sample report visit@Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingCallington Haven Pty LtdSpirit Group InternationalALMADION InternationalJaco AerospaceVelocity ChemicalsCrest ChemicalsZ.I. Chemicals...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoOrganic ChemicalsInorganic ChemicalsOn 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 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals for each application, includingCivil AviationMilitary AviationTo get complete report visit@Key Points in Table of Content:Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market Research Report 20171 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals1.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Organic Chemicals1.2.4 Inorganic Chemicals1.3 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Segment by Application1.3.1 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Civil Aviation1.3.3 Military Aviation1.4 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals 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 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)..7 Global Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Callington Haven Pty Ltd7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Callington Haven Pty Ltd Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Spirit Group International7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Spirit Group International Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 ALMADION International7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 ALMADION International Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Jaco Aerospace7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Jaco Aerospace Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Velocity Chemicals7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Velocity Chemicals Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Crest Chemicals7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Crest Chemicals Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Z.I. Chemicals7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Z.I. Chemicals Aircraft Cleaning Chemicals Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 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)Follow on LinkedIn @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 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market 2016 Analysis and Forecast to 2021 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1040130-global-signal-relays-up-to-2-amps-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/1040130-global-signal-relays-up-to-2-amps-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1040130 www.wiseguyreports.com Request a Sample Report @In this report, the global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanGlobal Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingOmronPanasonicTE ConnectivityKEMETSiemensHONGFAShenyang Railway Signal Co., LtdWeidmullerFujitsuLittelfuseCoto TechnologyCynergy 3Phoenix ContactStandex-meder ElectronicsZHNQIOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoDC Signal RelaysAC Signal RelaysOn 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 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) for each application, includingRailwayHome AutomationTelecom EquipmentOthersBrowse Full Report Details@Some Major Points from Table of Content:Table of ContentsGlobal Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Research Report 20171 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps)1.2 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 DC Signal Relays1.2.4 AC Signal Relays1.3 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Segment by Application1.3.1 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Railway1.3.3 Home Automation1.3.4 Telecom Equipment1.3.5 Others2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 Taiwan Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)5 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Signal Relays (Up to 2 Amps) Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)Purchase a Copy of This Report @CONTINUEDMore about WiseGuyReports:Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)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 New Product Design & Development Drives Innovation for All - STAMOD Engineering http://stamod.com/get-a-quotes www.stamod.com www.stamod.com Chicago, IL March 11, 2017- Headquartered in Chicago, STAMOD Engineering is a product design and engineering solutions company. STAMOD Engineering proffers superior sustenance engineering and professional services to maintain, enhance, and support products throughout their lifecycle. 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We primarily cater to the needs of organizations based out of the USA, Canada, Europe, and India.Contact:Stamod Engineering Solutions Inc.8770, West Bryn Mawr, Suite 1300,Chicago, Illinois 60631Email: services@stamod.comTel: +1 800 507 4489/773 896 1531Fax: +1 512 605 3795 Cancer Immunotherapy Global Market Research Study & Industry Analysis 2017-2021 Forecast Report http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/225082 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-cancer-immunotherapy-market-research-report-forecast-2017-2021 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/225082 https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbis-research https://twitter.com/orbisresearch The Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a professional and in-depth study. This study covers, Global Cancer Immunotherapy Sales and Global Cancer Immunotherapy Revenue by Regions and industrial review, market analysis, market demands, opportunities and forecast. Market overview is provided on the basis of definition, product overview, applications and future scope of Global Cancer Immunotherapy.The Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market report provides Production and Revenue Data of Global Cancer Immunotherapy Industry. Production means the output of Global Cancer Immunotherapy and Revenue means the sales value of Global Cancer Immunotherapy.This report provides comprehensive analysis of1. Key market segments and sub-segments2. Evolving market trends and dynamics3. Changing supply and demand scenarios4. Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market5. Forecasting6. Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges7. Competitive insights8. Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsRequest for Sample of Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Report @Some Major Key Points Covered in this report: This Report Studied on the basis of types, application, products, technology, etc. The Report Covered Market Segments by region:1. North America2. Europe3. China4. Japan5. Southeast Asia6. India This Market Research Report of 2017 Global Cancer Immunotherapy provides market demand, market size and forecast for different regions. This Report Divides by product type, with production, revenue, price, consumption, market share and growth rate of each type can be divided into:1. Type 12. Type 23. Type 3 This Report Divides by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Global Cancer Immunotherapy in each application, can be divided into :1. Application 12. Application 23. Application 3Browse The Complete Report @Topmost Leading Manufacturer Covered in this report:1. Amgen2. AstraZeneca3. F. Hoffman La-Roche4. Bayer AG5. Bristol-Myers Squibb6. Eli Lilly and Company7. Janssen Global Services8. Merck9. NovartisSome Points Covered In List Of Tables:Chapter 1 Cancer Immunotherapy Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Cancer Immunotherapy1.2 Cancer Immunotherapy Market Segmentation by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Cancer Immunotherapy by Type in 20151.2.1 Dry type1.2.2 Wet type1.2.3 Type 31.3 Cancer Immunotherapy Market Segmentation by ApplicationChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Cancer Immunotherapy Industry2.1 Global Macroeconomic Environment Analysis2.1.1 Global Macroeconomic Analysis2.1.2 Global Macroeconomic Environment Development Trend2.2 Global Macroeconomic Environment Analysis by RegionsChapter 3 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Competition by Manufacturers3.1 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)3.2 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)3.3 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)3.4 Manufacturers Cancer Immunotherapy Manufacturing Base Distribution, Production Area and Product TypeReason to Purchase this Report:1. The report of Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market provides the detailed segmentation in terms of types, applications, manufacturers and regions.2. The current market scenario and future growth has also covered in this report.3. The research also offers manufacturing cost analysis, industry chain analysis in terms of upstream raw material sourcing and downstream buyers.4. Moreover, an extensive analysis of production, consumption, and revenue for each segment is offered for the forecast period.Enquiry about this report: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; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.comFollow Us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter: Weatherstrip Preformed Market 2017 - Imc, Brazil, Euromax, Crown, Genuine, Omix, Uro, Wd Express, Apa Uro Parts, Original Equipment Weatherstrip Preformed Market https://goo.gl/AeSB34 https://goo.gl/QTc3WO http://www.apexresearch.biz A market study based on the "Weatherstrip Preformed Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Weatherstrip Preformed Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Weatherstrip Preformed industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Weatherstrip Preformed market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportImcCrownGenuineOmixUroWd ExpressApa Uro PartsBrazilEuromaxOriginal EquipmentThe report studies the industry for Weatherstrip Preformed across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Weatherstrip Preformed market & dynamics of demand and supply of Weatherstrip Preformed into consideration. The 'Weatherstrip Preformed' research study covers each and every aspect of the Weatherstrip Preformed market globally, which starts from the definition of the Weatherstrip Preformed industry and develops towards Weatherstrip Preformed market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Weatherstrip Preformed market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Weatherstrip Preformed market. The geographical segmentation of the Weatherstrip Preformed industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Weatherstrip Preformed is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Weatherstrip Preformed market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Weatherstrip Preformed market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Weatherstrip Preformed market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Weatherstrip Preformed production volume, data regarding demand and Weatherstrip Preformed 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 Weatherstrip Preformed 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 Active Infrared Detector Market 2017 - Excelitas Technologies, Flir Systems, Texas Instruments, Nippon Ceramic, Hamamatsu Photonic, Murata Manufacturing Active Infrared Detector Market https://goo.gl/5yEBEW https://goo.gl/ef5FK4 http://www.apexresearch.biz A market study based on the "Active Infrared Detector Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Active Infrared Detector Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Active Infrared Detector industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Active Infrared Detector market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportExcelitas TechnologiesNippon CeramicHamamatsu PhotonicMurata ManufacturingFlir SystemsTexas InstrumentsHoneywell InternationalThe report studies the industry for Active Infrared Detector across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Active Infrared Detector market & dynamics of demand and supply of Active Infrared Detector into consideration. The 'Active Infrared Detector' research study covers each and every aspect of the Active Infrared Detector market globally, which starts from the definition of the Active Infrared Detector industry and develops towards Active Infrared Detector market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Active Infrared Detector market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Active Infrared Detector market. The geographical segmentation of the Active Infrared Detector industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Active Infrared Detector is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Active Infrared Detector market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Active Infrared Detector market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Active Infrared Detector market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Active Infrared Detector production volume, data regarding demand and Active Infrared Detector 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 Active Infrared Detector 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 Kuwait Diesel Gensets Market to Reach US$ 79 Million Globally by 2023 Kuwait Diesel Gensets Market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/kuwait-diesel-gensets-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/kuwait-diesel-gensets-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Kuwait Diesel Gensets Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2014 2023The kuwait diesel gensets market is expected to exceed more than US$ 79 million by 2023.Browse Full Report:The production business in Kuwait is flourishing among a sequence of new variety of projects which has completed in estimated period. Because of outcome of these projects, requirement of diesel gensets is increase in future. Diesel gensets are not only used to supply continuous power during work but also achieve large production project. This development preparation will helps to drive the funds in the Kuwait diesel gensets market. The charge of diesel in Kuwait is much low as compared to the worldwide average. So the approval of diesel fuel for generating power results fast. Small deviation of diesel gensets is used for primary power generation function. The higher capacity diesel gensets will used in large services for power backup process. The oil or diesel is economical backbone of Kuwait.The major driving factors of Kuwait diesel gensets market are as follows:Fast growing electricity utilization rates and natural gas feed stock insufficiency resultant in repeated power outagesAvailability of diesel at cheaper cost resultant in growing approval of diesel gensetsThe restraints factors of Kuwait diesel gensets market are as follows:Increase in power generation capacity addition and renewable energy deployment to reduce dependence on diesel fueled power solutionsThe Kuwait diesel gensets market is segmented on the lines of its type and capacity. Under type segmentation it covers rental gensets and new gensets. The Kuwait diesel gensets market is segmented on the lines of its capacity like 075 kVA, 5.3 75500 kVA, 5002000 kVA and Over 2000 kVA. The Kuwait diesel gensets 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 Kuwait diesel gensets 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 Kuwait diesel gensets.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 Caterpillar, Inc., Kohler Co., FG Wilson Ltd., MTU Onsite Energy GmbH, Perkins Engines Company Limited, Cummins, Inc., Kirloskar Brothers Limited, Aggreko Plc, Atlas Copco AB and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. 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 Kuwait Diesel Gensets Market has been segmented as below:by Type AnalysisRental GensetsNew Gensetsby Capacity Analysis075 kVA5.3 75500 kVA5002000 kVAOver 2000 kVAby Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all active and planned Kuwait diesel gensets industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of Kuwait diesel gensets industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States Healthcare BI Platform Market to Reach USD$ 3.9 Billion Globally By 2023 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/healthcare-bi-platform-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/healthcare-bi-platform-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: 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 WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all active and planned coating industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of coating industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States Mumps - Pipeline Review, H1 2017 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=7892 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/mumps-pipeline-review-h1-2017 ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Mumps - Pipeline Review, H1 2017 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.Global Markets Direct's latest Pharmaceutical and Healthcare disease pipeline guide Mumps - Pipeline Review, H1 2017, provides an overview of the Mumps (Infectious Disease) pipeline landscape.Mumps is a contagious disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. The mumps are caused by a virus. The virus is spread from person-to-person by respiratory droplets (for example, when you sneeze) or by direct contact with items that have been contaminated with infected saliva. Symptoms include fever, face pain, headache, sore throat, swelling of the temples or jaw and swelling of the parotid glands. Treatment includes pain relievers (to get relief for symptoms).To Enquire about this Report please visit @Scope of the Research Report- The pipeline guide provides a snapshot of the global therapeutic landscape of Mumps (Infectious Disease).- The pipeline guide reviews pipeline therapeutics for Mumps (Infectious Disease) by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.- The pipeline guide covers pipeline products based on several stages of development ranging from pre-registration till discovery and undisclosed stages.- The pipeline guide features descriptive drug profiles for the pipeline products which comprise, product description, descriptive licensing and collaboration details, R&D brief, MoA & other developmental activities.- The pipeline guide reviews key companies involved in Mumps (Infectious Disease) therapeutics and enlists all their major and minor projects.- The pipeline guide evaluates Mumps (Infectious Disease) therapeutics based on mechanism of action (MoA), drug target, route of administration (RoA) and molecule type.- The pipeline guide encapsulates all the dormant and discontinued pipeline projects.- The pipeline guide reviews latest news related to pipeline therapeutics for Mumps (Infectious Disease)To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:Reasons to buy- Procure strategically important competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies.- Recognize emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.- Find and recognize significant and varied types of therapeutics under development for Mumps (Infectious Disease).- Classify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic.- Develop tactical initiatives by understanding the focus areas of leading companies.- Plan mergers and acquisitions meritoriously by identifying key players and its most promising pipeline therapeutics.- Formulate corrective measures for pipeline projects by understanding Mumps (Infectious Disease) pipeline depth and focus of Indication therapeutics.- Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.- Adjust the therapeutic portfolio by recognizing discontinued projects and understand from the know-how what drove them from pipeline.About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.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 StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com Wood Pellets Market Expected to Cross US$ 20 Billion by 2023 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/wood-pellets-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/wood-pellets-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Wood Pellets Market, by Application (Power Plants and Heating) - Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023The wood pellets market is expected to exceed more than US$ 20.0 Billion by 2023 growing at a CAGR of more than 14% in the given forecast period 2016 to 2023.Browse Full Report here:Wood pellets are a form of biomass fuel produced from wood waste products, sawdust, industrial byproducts and forestry wastes. The virgin trees are specially grown for producing pellets. The shape of wood pellets is cylindrical in shape and having diameter between 6-12m.m and length is 1-3c.m. After manufacturing of wood pellets it should be used as fuel for commercial building, homes or in power plants. Wood pellets are dry, easy to store and hydraulic rate of wood pellets is stable as compare to other biomass fuel. It has high energy density so it can be transported long distance at once. Wood pellets is burnt it generates very small amount of carbon dioxide that is CO2 so this fuel broadly standardized as more eco friendly fuels.The major driving factors of wood pellets market are as follows:Government rules and contractFinancial inducement by centralized agenciesLong term supplyLow price of wood pelletsThe restraints factors of wood pellets market are as follows:Flue Gas Release during Storage of Wood PelletsDownload Free Sample Report:The wood pellets market is segmented on the lines of its application and regional. Under application segmentation wood pellets market covers power plants and heating. The wood pellet 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 wood pellets 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 2023.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for wood pellets4) 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 Andritz AG, Drax Group plc, Enito Singpellet Pte Ltd, Enviva LP, F.E. Wood & Sons, German Pellets GmbH, Georgia Biomass, LLC, Allance Pellet Machinery, The Westervelt Company, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Group, Rentech, Inc., Energex, and Wood Pellet Energy (UK) LTD.. 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 Wood Pellets Market has been segmented as below:By Application AnalysisPower PlantsHeatingBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all Wood Pellets Market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of coating industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States Base Oil Market Worth US$ 41 Billion Globally by 2021 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/base-oil-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/base-oil-market https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ Florida, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Base Oil Market by Product (Group I, Group II, III, IV, V) and by Application (Industrial Oils, Process Oils, Automotive Oils, Metalworking Fluids, Hydraulic Oils etc.) Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 2021.The base oil market is expected to exceed more than USD 41 billion by 2021; Growing at a CAGR of about 1.0% between 2015 and 2021.Browse Full Report:Base oil is used for creating many products such as metal processing fluids, motor oils and greases. The very essential part of base oil is viscosity, because different products need different property and composition in the oil. Base oil is created from chemical synthesis process or from crude oil by applying heat, when heating process is going hydrocarbons are separated which are heavy or light in weight. Petrol and other fuels are made from light hydrocarbon and base oil is produced from heavy one. It is suitable for making gear oil, premium engine oil and hydraulic oilThe major driving factors of base oilmarket are as follows:Development in automotive business will raised requirement for finished lubricants.Fast industrialization in rising economies drives the requirement for lubricants with different end user segmentation.Stringent secretion principals resulting in modifying in lubricant formulation system.The restraining factors of base oilmarket are as follows:Reducing crude oil values affects the base oil revenues.Gradual move to weight and sour crude oil through refiners will harmfully forces base oil production.Download Free Sample Report:The base oil market is segmented on the lines of its product, application and geography. Under product segmentation the base oil market covers Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV and Group V. The base oil market is segmented on the lines of its application like industrial oil, hydraulic oil, grease, automotive oil and metalworking fluids. The base oil 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 base oil 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 base oil market.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 base oil 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 Exxon Mobile Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell plc, SK Lubricants Co. Ltd., and Chevron Corporation. Other market players profiled in this research report include British Petroleum plc, Sinopec Group, GS Caltex Corporation, MOGoil GmbH, PetroChina Company Limited, Phillips 66 Company, and S-Oil Corporation. 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 Base Oil Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisGroup IGroup IIGroup IIIGroup IVGroup VBy Application AnalysisAutomotive OilIndustrial OilMetalworking FluidsHydraulic OilGreasesOthersBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all active and planned base oil industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of coating industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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 Aerosol propellants Market - North America to Dominate the Market by 2021 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/aerosol-propellants-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/aerosol-propellants-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Aerosol, SPF (Spray Polyurethane Foam) and Aerosol Propellants (Hydrocarbons, CFC, DME) Market for Household, Paints & Coatings and Medical Applications - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016 2021How Big is the Aerosol Propellants Market?The aerosol propellants market is expected to exceed more than US$ 24 Billion by 2021; Growing at a CAGR of more than 5% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:A propellant is one type of gas in which it is positioned under pressure in aerosol container and once it is released from the nozzle it sprays out the contents. It is chemical used for creation of pressurized energy and gas to produce movement of a liquid inside an object. Propellants are mainly in two types such as liquefied gas propellants and compressed gas propellants. Ethers, hydrocarbons and fluorocarbons are the examples of liquefied gas and nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are example of compressed gas. Strict environmental policy restrict the use of CFCs have increased the demand for aerosol propellants.The major driving factors of aerosol propellants market are as follows:Increase in consumption of aerosol propellants in paints and coatings, medical applications and household applications.Increase of aerosol market globally.The restraining factors of aerosol propellants market are as follows:Different health hazard and environment risk related with propellants used in aerosol.Download Free Sample Report:The aerosol propellants market is segmented on the lines of its product segment, application and regional. Based on product segmentation the aerosol propellants market covers nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, dimethyl ether (DME) and methyl ethyl ether and Hydrocarbons such as propane, isobutane and n-butane. Under application segmentation it covers households, medical, paints and coatings and other applications. The aerosol propellants marketis geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geograpic 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 aerosol propellants 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 aerosol propellants.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 Aerosol propellants 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 AkzoNobel NV, AVEFLOR, a. s., Aeropres Corporation, Bayer MaterialScience AG, Honeywell International Inc, Lapolla Industries Inc, National Gas Company S.A.O.G and Royal Dutch Shell plc. Company profile includes such as financial summary,business strategy, Company summary and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Aerosol propellants Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisCFCNitrous oxide and carbon dioxideDimethyl ether (DME) and methyl ethyl etherHydrocarbons (propane, isobutane and n-butane)By Application AnalysisHouseholdsMedicalPaints and CoatingsOthersBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all aerosol propellants market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of aerosol propellants data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States Agricultural Films Market Worth US$ 11.0 Billion Globally by 2021 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/agricultural-films-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/agricultural-films-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Agricultural Films Market by Type (EVA, HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE, Reclaim) and by Applications (Greenhouse, Silage and Mulch) - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2021How Big is The Global Agricultural Films Market?The global agricultural films market is expected to exceed more than US$ 11.0 Billion by 2021; Growing at a CAGR of more than 7.5% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:By using the support of agricultural growers and plastics will significantly and securely increase & produces productivity per hectare while developing quality of crop. The broad range of plasticulture applications includes nonwovens, nettings, drip irrigation pipes, silage sheets, mulch and silage stretch films, green house and more. Agricultural films are protecting films which are placed wrapped around fodder, over soil and covered over green houses. It presents various advantages includes protecting against UV rays, suppressing the growth of weeds, increasing soil temperature, reducing soil compaction and erosion, providing nutrients and supporting seed germination.The major driving factors of agricultural films market are as follows:Increasing standards of farming globallyCost effectiveness over conventional farming methodsIncreasing food demand composite with falling arable landThe restraints factors of agricultural films market are as follows:Discarding of waste and its undesirable impact on environmentDownload Free Sample Report:The agricultural films market is segmented on the lines of its product, application and regional. Based on product segmentation the agricultural films market covers reclaims, EVA/ EBA, HDPE, LLDPE and LDPE. Under application segmentation it covers silage, mulching and greenhouse. The agricultural filmsmarketis geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geographic market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K., Japan, India, Brazil, Germany, China and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for agricultural films 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 2021.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for agricultural films.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 agricultural films with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market and market share. Key players profiled in the report include AEP Industries Inc., Ab Rani Plast Oy, Armando Alvarez Group, Berry Plastics Corporation, BASF SE, British Polythene Industries PLC, ExxonMobil Chemical, Britton Group, Group Barbier, The Dow Chemical Company, Hyplast NV, Kuraray Group, Novamont S.p.A., Plastika Kritis S.A. and Trioplast AB among others. Company profile includes assign such as business strategy and planning,company summary, financial summary,SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Agricultural Films Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisReclaimsEVA/ EBAHDPELLDPELDPEOthersBy Application AnalysisSilageMulchingGreenhouseBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all agricultural films market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of agricultural filmsdata.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States Altia Announces New Code Generation Support for NXP i.MX 6 with BlackBerrys QNX Realtime OS www.altia.com New Code Generation Target Running Altia and QNX Neutrino Selected for Automotive Instrument Cluster Production ProgramAltia announces new DeepScreen code generation support for the NXP i.MX 6 family of processors utilizing OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1 pipelines to maximize Graphical User Interface (GUI) performance. This new target, running on BlackBerrys QNX Neutrino Realtime OS, has been selected to power a 10 virtual instrument cluster program.This code generation target was designed on the i.MX 6 DualPlus family of processors, which not only delivers dramatic graphics and memory performance enhancements, but are also pin-compatible with a broad range of i.MX 6 processors. The i.MX 6 DualPlus includes a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 platform running 800 MHz with 1 MB of L2 cache, 512 MB of RAM and, of course, the 2D and 3D pipelines already mentioned. This capability, along with other connectivity features, make i.MX6 an ideal multicore platform for leading-edge multimedia applications which require higher graphics performance.The Altia DeepScreen target works on the QNX Neutrino Realtime OS, a full-featured and robust operating system that is used in demanding, mission-critical applications. The QNX Neutrino Realtime OS helps guard against system malfunctions, malware and cyberattacks by implementing a multi-level, policy-driven security model that incorporates best-in-class security technology from BlackBerry. It also has been qualified to various safety and security standards for use in products with high criticality and low tolerance for failure.BlackBerry QNX and Altia have been working together for over a decade to provide a trusted foundation for advanced digital instrument clusters, said John Wall, senior vice president and head of BlackBerry QNX. The combination of the Altia DeepScreen code generator and BlackBerry QNXs proven automotive grade operating system and high-performance graphics provide the industry with a completely integrated and optimized software platform for a next-generation digital cockpit experience.This i.MX 6 with QNX Neutrino Realtime OS integration is part of the Altia solution, which also includes a Photoshop exporter, GUI editor, 3D renderer and graphics code generator for custom embedded displays. The Altia GUI editor, Altia Design, provides the capability to create a completely custom GUI model that leverages both 2D and 3D graphics assets. Altia DeepScreen converts the GUI model developed in Altia Design into graphics C code that is optimized to leverage all of the on-chip resources available on the i.MX 6 processor. This DeepScreen code generation target will include new font module technology, utilizing the FreeType font engine and Harfbuzz shaping engine allowing developers to design production GUIs that will accommodate dozens of different languages, including Mandarin, Russian, Japanese, Arabic and Hebrew.Jason Williamson, Altias vice president of marketing, stated, We deeply value the long-standing expertise in automotive that BlackBerry QNX brings to the table. For years, both BlackBerry QNX and Altia have established a legacy of successful production launches, which are rooted in safety and innovation. We are proud to bring this new solution to market. The two independent, asynchronously running GPUs enable incredible 3D performance, while at the same time rendering realistic gauges. The lightweight and production-proven QNX Neutrino Realtime OS serves as an ideal platform for Altias rendering of complex 3D models.To see the combination of the Altia and BlackBerry QNX technologies at work on the NXP i.MX 6, visit Altia at embedded world 2017 in Hall 4, Booth 4-339 from March 14-16, 2017.----------BlackBerry, QNX, QNX CAR, Momentics, Neutrino, and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of BlackBerry Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. QNX Software Systems Limited and/or BlackBerry are not responsible for any third-party products or services.Altia, Inc. is a software company that provides graphical user interface design and development tools that can be used from concept to final product code. Our GUI editor, Altia Design, offers development teams the capability to implement a model-based development process for clear communication and accelerated user interface development. Our code generator, Altia DeepScreen, supports a vast range of low- to high-powered processors from a variety of industry-leading silicon providers. Altia generates pure C source code that is optimized to take full advantage of hardware resources. Graphics code generated by Altia is driving millions of displays worldwide from automotive instrument clusters, HUDs and radios to thermostats, washing machines and healthcare monitors. Our mission is to get the best automotive, medical and consumer interfaces into production in the shortest time on the lowest cost hardware.Altia achieved ASPICE Level 1 in September 2016 and expects to achieve ASPICE Level 3 certification in 2017.Altia was founded in 1991 and its customers include Breville, Continental Automotive, Aston Martin, Smiths Medical, Renault, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford Motor Company, Medtronic, MTA, Johnson Controls, Magneti Marelli, Rolls-Royce, DAF Trucks, Visteon, NSI, Proctor & Gamble, Diehl AKO Stiftung & Co. and many other leading manufacturers.For more information about Altia, visitor email info@altia.com.Altia, Inc.7222 Commerce Center Drive, Suite 240Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919Tel: 719-598-4299 Automation Solutions for Use in Testing Heating Units www.DataLoggerInc.com Fast and Flexible Measurement TechnologyThe testing of heating units and systems is performed according to a wide range of demanding standards. To achieve this, automation of test procedures and results is required, but often involves lots of effort and is prone to error. While measurement data provides the basis for a products technical specifications, the monitoring systems collecting it need to be capable of high-level precision.However, the complex series of formulae governing automation are easy to generate using Delphin ProfiSignal software. Delphin Expert Key and ProfiMessage devices are ideal for delivering the required levels of precision. A special feature within ProfiSignal software is its dynamic reporting function. Reports can be opened using the ProfiSignal Viewer, printed, and sent as PDF files.Test Automation features: Complete systems including hardware and adaptable test stand software Fast and flexible connection technology Oil-scale equipment and gas meters Automated evaluation and reporting functions complying to standard requirements Easy-to-maintain and extendible oil and gas analysis tablesCustomer exampleRecently Delphin prepared a catalog of testing devices ideal for a range of testing requirements to a major manufacturer of heating systems. The business selected their system according to their own specific application and requirements. For maximum versatility, analog inputs can be connected to any required thermocouple or Pt100/Pt1000, while all sensors are connected using terminal connectors to enable highly flexible and fast setups.All test procedures are now created using Delphin's ProfiSignal software, fully complying to the manufacturers standards. Additionally, a servicing package ensures that each test application is always up-to-date and that the system remains compatible for future PC generations and operating systems.ProfiSignal is a complete software system for data acquisition, analysis, visualization and automation. The software is very user-friendly and combines professional functionality with easy operation.Typical areas of application: Combustion trials using oil and gas Determining continuous performance Deficits in operational readiness Determining boiler efficiency Measurement of start-up pressure vibrations Storage trials Usable storage capacity CE symbol Combustion trials in wood-burning ovens Field trial systemsThe Data Logger ExpertsCAS DataLoggers is an experienced Delphin distributor based in Cleveland, Ohio. We specialize in data loggers and data acquisition equipment to match any application in any industry. In addition to providing free basic technical support for all our products, our Inside Engineering Department also offers custom programming, installation, and more.For more information on Delphin Measurement Systems, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS DataLoggers Application Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atComputer Aided Solutions, LLC. dba CAS Data Loggers is a distributor of data loggers, paperless recorders and data acquisition equipment.Computer Aided Solutions8437 Mayfield RoadChesterland, OH 44026(440) 729-2570 RLIS decides to become SEO & SEM service provider in Durgapur within a short span of time Durgapur, West Bengal, 13th March, 2017 SEO & SEM, these two online marketing strategies have been adopted by many people for upsurging their businesses on the internet. These stratagems help to drag more consumers to the website and increases the visibility of the website on a global basis. Thus, they really play a fruitful and effective role to generate traffic.RL Infotechh Solutions, being the fastest growing IT company of Durgapur, is thus, making its way to become the finest SEO & SEM service provider in Durgapur by upgrading their team of digital marketing with a fresh hire of SEO analysts and SEM experts and thus, indulging into the online marketing for both the local and global clients.SEO or Search Engine Optimization is a combination of methods that generates organic search on the search engine result pages or SERPs. This allows your website to increase the visibility to a global client base which facilitates the augmentation of the conversion rate. SEO is of two types. The on-page SEO & the off-page SEO. The on-page SEO focuses on increasing traffic by optimizing the website itself and the off-page SEO focuses on enhancing the visibility with the help of strategies outside the website.On the other hand, SEM or Search Engine Marketing also generates traffic and increases sales but primarily through the paid advertising. The methods involve PPC campaign and social media campaigns that are majorly paid and thus, have a higher possibility to attract the attention of the clients.Most of the entrepreneurs have now understood that just creating a website for their business is not enough. In this competitive market, they need to establish social networks and need to adopt some methods to generate traffic to stay forward in the competition. This has inspired RL Infotechh Solutions to strive to become one of the best SEO & SEM service providers in Durgapur and thus, they have started updating their team to serve customers on the global basis.RL Infotechh Solutions strives to grow as the finest & most reliable web development company on whom you can rely on. With an aim of accomplishing the projects of web development and designing services on time, RL Infotechh Solutions prioritize your requirements above all. Inaugurated in 2014, RL Infotechh Solutions has created an exclusive and noble path with an objective of delivering the optimized and end-to-end web solutions across the national and international boundaries.RL Infotechh Solutions LLPAddress:180 KM,GT Road(in between Muchipara and Indo American More)-Durgapur -713212, IndiaContact No:9800085009 Biocides Market Worth US$ 11.5 Billion Globally by 2022 https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/biocides-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/biocides-market-report https://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, March 13: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Biocides Market by Product type (Metallic Compounds, Organosulfurs, Organic Acids, Phenolic, Halogen Compounds, Nitrogen and Others) and by Applications (Paints and Coatings, Wood Preservation, Water Treatment, Food and Beverage, Personal Care, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016 - 2022How Big is the Global Biocides market?The biocides market is expected to exceed more than US$ 11.5 Billion by 2022; Growing at a CAGR of more than 4.6% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:A biocide is micro organism or chemical substance planned to deter or destroy several harmful organism by biological or chemical way. Bacteria can be killed by various anti microbial products that is to say antibiotics which perform against viruses in humans as well as animals and biocides include preservatives, antiseptics and disinfectants. A huge scale of biocides contains surface and skin sanitizer, pesticides, antifouling products and industrial preservatives. Depending upon their usage the biocidal products are divided into four types of groups such as pest control, preservatives, biocidal and other biocide products.The major driving factors of biocides market are as follows:Development in paint and coating industryRising demand for water treatmentThe restraining factors of biocides market are as follows:Strict environmental policiesInstability in raw material pricesDownload Free Sample Report:The biocides market is segmented on the lines of its product, application and regional. Based on product segmentation the biocides market covers nitrogen, phenolic, organic acids, organosulfurs, metal compounds, halogen compounds and other compound includes glutaraldehyde, etc. The biocides market is segmented on the lines of its application like paints and coatings, wood preservation, personal care, food and beverage, water treatment and others such as fabrics, etc. The biocides 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 biocides 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 biocides.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 biocides 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 Ashland Inc, Albemarle Corporation, AkzoNobel, BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Champion Technologies, Troy Corporation, Arch Chemicals, Clariant AG, Lubrizol, Thor Specialties and Lanxess among other. 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 Biocides Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisNitrogenPhenolicOrganic acidsOrganosulfursMetal compoundsHalogen compoundsOther compound (glutaraldehyde, etc)By Application AnalysisPaints and coatingsWood preservationPersonal careFood and beverageWater treatmentOthers (fabrics, etc)By Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all biocides market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of biocides data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.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, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States The underestimated role of coincidence https://www.unileoben.ac.at/en http://stipendien.oeaw.ac.at/en/apart-programm-information)by http://scilog.fwf.ac.at/en/ http://www.fwf.ac.at/en http://www.prd.at/en In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a team directed by mathematician Erika Hausenblas is investigating how the pressure of flowing liquids can be described when taking into account random perturbations.Differential equations are a physicist's most important tool. From Newton's law of gravitation to quantum physics one will scarcely find a natural law expressed without differential equations describing the changes over time of a certain property of a system. If one knows the way a property changes, one can predict its future value with precision at least in theory.Incooperating coincidenceIn reality, however, there are always random disruptions that distort the outcome. In some situations, such as flowing liquids, even minute disturbances can change the system's behaviour so radically that it makes sense to integrate an element of coincidence (or stochastic element) in the equations from the start. Such "stochastic partial differential equations" are the speciality of Erika Hausenblas, a professor of applied mathematics at the Leoben University of Mining Sciences (Montanuniversitat Leoben). In a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, Hausenblas is investigating the stochastic version of "Navier-Stokes equations" which describe the motion of fluid substances and gases. As an indispensable element of engineering ever since they were first laid down in the early 19th century, these equations are put to use in a wide range of fields, from the aerodynamics of aircraft wings to water flow in a pipe or blood circulation in veins. When it comes to their stochastic version, however, there are some gaps that scientists still do not fully comprehend."This is a relatively young field", says Erika Hausenblas. "The first book on stochastic partial differential equations was published in the 1990s. The aim is not to eliminate coincidence, but to integrate it in the computations and describe it." Hence such equations do not have exact solutions, but give a probability distribution, and their main objective is to assess levels of uncertainty. "Financial mathematics already makes intense use of such equations", notes Hausenblas.A lack of instruments to predict pressureThe FWF project directed by Erika Hausenblas concentrates on one part of the Navier-Stokes equations that describes pressure. Knowing the pressure of fluids in motion is important, for instance, in order to understand "cavitation", the formation of short-lived gas bubbles in flowing liquids following drops in pressure. The emergence and subsequent collapse of the bubbles create strong shock waves which are the most frequent cause of damage in water pipes or turbines. "When it comes to fluid pressure, we lack both simulation methods and methods to assess errors", explains Hausenblas. As the first researcher to focus on these questions, the mathematician underlines their great practical relevance. Meteorology is one of the fields that make intense use of Navier-Stokes equations, and pressure changes are of decisive importance in this context. So far, meteorologists have rarely used stochastic Navier-Stokes equations, although these might enable them to produce more accurate weather forecasts.Young research talent from CameroonThe young mathematician Tsiry Randrianasolo is participating in the project as a doctoral student. He is a graduate of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) which offers a Master's programme at six universities on the African continent. The project is designed to run until November. First results have already been submitted for publication and further publications are in the offing.The benefits of uncertaintyHausenblas expects it will take several years for the new methods to actually be applied in engineering. In her view, this would presuppose a change in attitudes. Stochastic differential equations are not universally popular, due to a perceived lack of clarity in their outcomes. Many people try to reduce the probability of errors to zero. "But there are cases when it would make more sense to include an element of uncertainty in the computation."In this context, the mathematician underlines how important it is for such basic research projects to be funded by the FWF. Its financial support enabled her to establish her own research group on these specialised issues.Personal detailsProfessor Erika Hausenblas holds the Chair of Applied Mathematics at the Montanuniversitat Leoben (Leoben University of Mining Sciences) (). Her special research interests are stochastic partial differential equations and their numerical simulations. She is a recipient of the Christian-Doppler Award and was awarded an APART fellowship (the Austrian Academy of Sciences.Austrian Science Fund FWFIngrid LadnerHaus der ForschungSensengasse 11090 Vienna, AustriaT +43 / 1 / 505 67 40 - 8117E ingrid.ladner@fwf.ac.atPR&D Public Relations for Research and EducationMariannengasse 81090 Vienna, AustriaT +43 / 1 / 505 70 44E contact@prd.at GESS what? Finnish educational startups land in Dubai! www.seppo.io Finnish startups are attending the GESS education event in Dubai. Finland is the leading country in basic education and now Finnish startups are aiming at revolutionizing learning around the world. Their products are designed to bring gamification and fun into learning while using latest technologies and pedagogical research. Five companies are displaying their products in Dubai at the GESS event March 14-16th 2017. GESS is the largest educational event in the Middle East bringing together over 15 000 visitors and some 550 companies.Four Finnish companies have also made it to the final round of the GESS Education Awards. The prestigious awards are annually handed to companies and organizations that have created innovative products in the educational field. Winners will be announced on the last day of the event, Wednesday this week.There is currently a huge buzz in the EdTech field in Finland and Finnish startups have come up with some truly unique solutions to enhance traditional learning through technology, says Riku Alkio, the CEO of Seppo.io, a Finnish education gamification company.Event goers will also get to experience gamified learning first hand as Seppo.io turns the GESS area into a mobile game board. Event attendees will use their mobile devices to solve tasks and puzzles Best players have the chance to win a luxury holiday in Lapland, northern Finland and the companies products.Seppo.io has been paving the way for others as it signed a contract with GEMS in Dubai last November. GEMS Education is the largest global private school company with 90 schools with 300,000 students in 14 countries. The Gulfpoint, an organization operating in Arabic and English, is helping Finnish companies enter the Middle Eastern market.Finnish startups at the GESS Dubai event:Seppo.io is a platform that allows the teacher to create games from his own teaching materials and it motivates the student to learn by playing, moving and exploring.Koko Agency evaluates learning tools according to their pedagogical quality.Emma math is a new empowering learning method for mathematics.Cleaned Group is a tool that uses AI to maximize learning results.Qridi helps learning by pedagogical assessment and continuous evaluations.More information: Riku Alkio, +358 50 5318044, riku.alkio@seppo.io,Seppo.io specializes in gamified learning. Seppo is a learning platform that allows you to create a learning game in any physical environment such as a park, school yard or a shopping mall.Company: Seppo.ioAddress: Siltavuorenpenger 7, 00170 Helsinki, FINLANDMedia contact: Riku Alkio, +358 50 5318044, riku.alkio@seppo.io, INCOTELOGY GmbH to present the latest basalt fiber product developments for automotive industry at JEC World Composite Show 2017 www.incotelogy.de Pulheim, 13. March 2017 The INCOTELOGY GmbH - Basalt Fiber Technology and Products Team will exhibit at JEC World Composite Show and Conference March 14-16, 2917 at Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris, France.INCOTELOGY will present the new innovative high-performance basalt fibers, sustainable basalt fiber products as well as new developments for thermoplastic applications.INCOTELOGYs presence at the JEC World 2017 focuses on the solutions for the automotive industry inclusive micro-basalt fibers for high-performance polymers e.g. PTFE and PEEK with high flow properties.Together with the standard basalt fiber products such as basalt fabrics with functional coating and laminating, basalt yarns with RFL-dip, but also high quality non-woven without adhesive, these new developments round out our product portfolio for automotive applications explains Georg Kirchgessner, Founder & CEO at INCOTELOGY GmbH.Good impact properties, outstanding vibration and shock absorption, electrical non-conductivity, sustainability and easy recyclability are the most important attributes of basalt fiber products, which contribute to properties enhancement by the engineering of functional materials and system in the automotive industry.Some demonstrators made from high-performance basalt fiber will be presented exclusive on JEC Innovation Planets.The continues annual increase in demand for basalt fibers shows that the basalt fibers have already found their niche in the market and implies growing market share of basalt fibers in the composites market worldwide in the next years.INCOTELOGY GmbH - Basalt Fiber Technology & ProductsINCOTELOGY GmbH is a leading provider of innovative high performance basalt fiber products and semi-finished materials. Together with the latest innovative product developments such as basalt microfibers and hybrid fabrics as well as with the broad portfolio of the standard products INCOTELOGY follows the new trends and challenges in the composite market in search of new lightweight and sustainable materials. Collaborating with renowned German and European research institutes and universities INCOTELOGY continuously develops new basalt fiber products in order to meet customer needs.INCOTELOGY GmbH - Basalt Fiber Technology & ProductsMr. Georg KirchgessnerFounder & CEOSachsstr. 18, 50259 Pulheim, Germanyphone: +49 2234 9882370fax: +49 2234 9882372e-mail: info@incotelogy.de IVU user forum: Promoting digitalisation Marc Schaffert, Head of Sales and Branch Manager Switzerland, presented the latest developments of the IVU.pad at the 29th User Fo www.ivu.com Over 500 participants exchange views on opportunities and developments in public transportBerlin, 13 March 2017 Digitalisation is moving the transport sector. Its effects were also the main topic of conversation at this years User Forum of IVU Traffic Technologies AG. On 9 and 10 March 2017, representatives of transport operators from all over the world met in Berlin for the 29th time to discuss the current trends in the industry and learn about their colleagues experiences.With more than 500 participants from 17 countries, the industry event organised by IVU set a new attendance record. This year, Dr Frank Scholz, CIO of DB Regio AG, took on the role of keynote speaker and welcomed the guests to the Estrel Convention Center in Berlin. In his presentation, he emphasised the importance of IT departments for the development of new business models. Using the example of DB Regio, he showed how integrated digital systems help to effectively streamline operational processes. His insights into his own experiences at served as the prelude to two days of discussions and animated conversations.The jam-packed presentation schedule provided the participants with numerous opportunities to get an idea of the status of the digitalisation of public transport in Germany and all over the world. The topics ranged from integrated resource planning, the possibilities for optimisation, and passenger information all the way to e-ticketing and modern check-in/be-out solutions. The reports given by international speakers from New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland on their experiences, which opened the participants eyes to the challenges other countries are facing, were in particularly high demand.The IVU engineers presented the most recent developments of the IVU products at the accompanying exhibition. The IVU.pad, which improves communication with the mobile personnel and integrates it in the digital operational workflow, was a highlight this year once again. Expert workshops and discussions in user groups further enabled the participants to exchange ideas in small groups and find out about individual aspects of the IVU systems in more detail.We are delighted to see that our user forum enjoys such great popularity in the industry. The many discussions showed that the participants gladly accept our offer to enter into an open exchange, said Martin Muller-Elschner, CEO of IVU Traffic Technologies AG. With more than 40 years of experience, IVU is a pioneer in the field of digitalisation. Our guests and customers appreciate our expertise, which is underlined most impressively by the number of visitors, which increases every year.IVU Traffic Technologies AG has been working for over 40 years with more than 400 engineers to ensure punctual and reliable transport in the worlds metropolises. In growing cities, people and vehicles are constantly on the move a logistical challenge that calls for intelligent and secure software systems. The integrated standard products of the IVU.suite work to plan, optimise and control the deployment of buses and trains, provide passengers with real-time information, create routes for parcel delivery services, and support businesses in choosing branch locations.IVU. FACILITATING PUBLIC TRANSPORT.Dr Stefan SteckCorporate CommunicationsIVU Traffic Technologies AGBundesallee 88, 12161 Berlin, GermanyT +49.30.85906-386Stefan.Steck@ivu.com Damn the Torpedoes Full Steam Ahead Launches New US Navy Shirt Designs at Vision-Strike-Wear.Com http://www.vision-strike-wear.com/United-States-Navy-Damn-The-Torpedoes-Full-Steam-Ahead-Shirt.html Entering into the fray and casting all doubt to the side has been the US Navy at its finest ever since Admiral Farragut uttered these famous words. And the US Navy has never looked back.With a variety of US Navy nautical elements such as the crossed boarding axes, a skull with its long and historical connection to the Jolly Rogers and the pirates of old and the sleek and powerful sail ships, warships when cannon ran the decks and gunnery divisions were led by men that fired cannon ball against their enemy and the broadsides of shot and cannon that would doom a frigate when hit.When wooden ships and iron men sailed the seas of the day there was a Civil War Admiral by the name of Admiral Farragut whose experience, determination and sailing skills led him to victory over the Confederate Navy and into the halls of US Naval legend. This US Navy design was created to keep fresh in our minds that America is her Navy and the Navy is for America and nothing since 1775 or the naval battles fought during the Civil War will ever change this. Found atTake home the US Navy shirt created for US Navy Sailors both past and present.Custom Military Art?Vision-Strike-Wear.Com can design for you!At Vision-Strike-Wear.Com we know that amazing military artwork is the key to printing and having a great t-shirt made for the men and women of the United States military. It about moral. Its about professionalism and ultimately it is about creativity blended with a military spin that produces uncompromising military art on a military shirt.For over 9 years the men and women of Vision-Strike-Wear.Com have been producing custom military shirts for their brothers and sisters in every branch of the US military. Their designs have been seen on aircraft carriers, destroyers, in hangars for squadrons, on deployment shirts in Afghanistan and Iraq, travelled from Djibouti, Africa to Subic Bay Philippines and more places than you can shake a stick out. Their art has been sought after because they do not compromise. They also dont cut and past their art together on the cheap like so many of their competitors do. Their art is original and it is built with a collaboration between artists and the point of contact for the unit or the command.They are busy as artists go but that is because they spare nothing when it comes to the detail that others will not do but VSW will on a daily basis. Another reason why so many of their designs are copied and fail to pass inspection.When you and your unit are in the market for military shirts custom designed and printed then you have to go to Vision-Strike-Wear.ComThe mission is to produce the most detailed, cost efficient, USA Made muscle car products in the industry. With offices located throughout the United States from Oregon to California, Texas to Florida each of our offices brings a dedication to serving America with design and printing found on everything from apparel items like shirts and hoodies, to drinkware including steins, coffee mugs and more. Their design expertise with their combined knowledge and background as US Veterans and a fervent desire to provide the very best military designs and products is at the heart of everything they do.Vision Strike Wear4802 SW Scholls-Ferry Rd Ste CPortland, OR 97225 The now-suspended police chief in the district of Yongsan has been booked for an investigation, along with the head of the Yongsan Ward office and two others, on charges of profess... This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mid Michigan Community Action Agencys Walk for Warmth took place in Midland on Saturday. All of the money raised will provide support for the Emergency Utility Assistance Program, which provides assistance to households facing heating emergencies across mid-Michigan. The Walk for Warmth took place at the Midland Community Center in Midland. Mid Michigan provided 4,143 heat and utility services to households across Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Mecosta, Midland and Osceola counties in 2016. Many of the homes included children under the age of 18, senior citizens, people living with disabilities and veterans. Recently Mid Michigan Community Action hosted its 50th annual awards celebration. More than 200 guests, including elected officials, individuals representing local businesses and organizations and Mid Michigan staff, gathered to commend volunteer, customer and partner achievements in 2016 as well as celebrate five decades of Mid Michigans service to the area. To see our hard work result in significant life improvements for so many people is an incredibly rewarding experience, said Jill Sutton, executive director of Mid Michigan. That spirit is at the core of this years event. As we mark 50 years of helping people and changing lives, we honor customers who are now thriving, volunteers who gave so much of themselves and community partners who have helped expand our reach. At the awards celebration, Sutton accepted the Certificate of Congressional Recognition presented by a representative from Sen. Debbie Stabenows office on behalf of Mid Michigan for 50 years of the agency providing assistance and guidance to individuals and families throughout mid-Michigan. Mid Michigan customers, volunteers and partners were also recognized. Ruth Johnson from Gladwin County, Harry McDonough from Osceola County and Neil and Tiffany Harry from Midland County were all recognized for reaching or surpassing their goals toward self-sufficiency with family achievement awards. Volunteer award winners were Ron Cooper of Clare County for his dedication to the commodity food programs, Blake Beatty of Clare County for keeping Mid Michigans grounds and preschool classrooms looking fresh and clean and Amanda Merrill of Midland County for her work advocating for young children and their families through her involvement in many committees and boards. Throughout 2016, the agency received more than 47,000 hours of volunteer time from individuals across Midland, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Mecosta and Osceola counties. Local individuals and organizations were also acknowledged for the support, resources and connections they provide with valuable partner awards. The awards recognized Clare County Emergency Manager Jerry Becker and Clare Police Officer Brian David for their commitment to providing safety education and planning to staff at multiple Mid Michigan locations in Clare County, New Dawn Shelter in Gladwin County for uniting with the agency to provide homeless customers with housing assistance and case management and the Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club of Central Michigan for helping brighten the holiday season for local families. Saginaw Valley State University President Donald Bachand says one of the best things about working at the school is the caliber of its employees. Three SVSU staff members who embody what it means to be a Cardinal have been publicly recognized by the schools Board of Regents. Gerald Dennis, Jason Rasmussen and Tammy Elliot took center stage at a recent SVSU board meeting as recipients of staff members of the month awards. Dennis, the theater departments technical director for the past 16 years, is noted for being as comfortable on stage as he is in his more customary role as a set designer. I dont know if people realize this but Gerald is a talented actor, Bachand said of the thespian whose love for the theater can be traced back to fourth grade when he portrayed a doctor in Hans Brinker. He does a lot of things well. Before coming to SVSU, he worked as a meteorologist and oceanographer for both the U.S. Navy and National Weather Service. He also was a butcher and an optometrist. Dennis feels creatively challenged at SVSU, where he has found a permanent home. I used to get bored very quickly, he said, noting his 16-year and counting SVSU tenure is the longest hes held one job. I would do this job for free. Really, guys. Thats how much I enjoy what I do here. Rasmussen may not be one of the more visible people on campus, but as an energy management specialist he impacts virtually everybodys work and study environment. Thats because he controls room temperatures from his office in Wickes Hall. Rasmussen said establishing comfortable working conditions begins by booting up a pair of computers. The machines host software that sets temperature levels for most individual rooms and commons areas on campus. I want people to be comfortable, he said, noting that office temperatures are typically set at 72 degrees. There are some studies that say thats the most comfortable temperature. Rasmussen does have energy efficiency in mind as well, routinely adjusting temperatures according to usage. For instance, classrooms are cooled at night when students leave for the night. Elliot, a 1989 Beaverton High School graduate, has adroitly served SVSU in a multitude of capacities in her 28 years at the school. From her work as a graphic designer and administrative secretary in university communications, to her current position as special assistant to the provost, Elliot has distinguished herself as one to never shy away from new and challenging endeavors. Tammy does a whole lot of work that goes above and beyond job descriptions, said Provost Deb Huntley. She updates many of our processes and is always willing to help where needed. Huntley went on to commend Elliot for serving as an advisor to SVSUs Relay for Life efforts, a fundraiser for The American Cancer Society that saw the institution raise $37,000 last year. Im always looking for new challenges here, Elliot said. I wouldnt want to be anywhere else. A 30-year-old Coleman man has been sentenced on a misdemeanor charge in connection with a fatal traffic accident in which a Sanford motorcyclist died. Ryan Lee Luna was charged with a misdemeanor count of moving violation causing death in connection with the Aug. 8 accident that resulted in the death of Ted Charles Jennings, 67. Luna appeared in the Midland County District Court to plead no contest to the charge and be sentenced. Judge Michael D. Carpenter accepted the plea and levied 93 days in jail held in abeyance with credit for one day, $975 fines and costs, and nine months probation. Luna also is subject to customary sentencing terms of no drug or alcohol use or possession, random drug and alcohol testing, is not allowed to enter bars and must attend counseling as directed. A no contest plea is treated the same as a guilty plea in court. The Midland County Sheriffs Office responded to the 4:05 p.m. accident on West River Road in front of the Pineview Grocery store. Luna was driving north in a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix and attempted to turn left into the stores parking lot. A media release states Luna told deputies he never saw the 2007 Honda VTX 1300 motorcycle driven south on West River Road by Jennings. The motorcycle collided with the passenger door area of the car. A nurse witnessed the crash and provided immediate medical care to Jennings, who was taken to the MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland by paramedics. He was pronounced dead shortly after. The charge of moving violation causing death is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Luna was represented by attorney Marcus R. Garske of Bay City. I consider it an honor to serve and an important responsibility to listen to my constituents. That is why I will continue to meet with constituents throughout the district in a variety of formats. Since taking office I have held countless small group and one-on-one meetings, as well as 26 listening sessions. While I have been available to meet with and listen to my constituents at events in all 15 counties, many have requested a large district-wide listening session. That is why in April, I am scheduling a district-wide listening session at a centralized location in the Fourth District. Listening sessions are town hall-style opportunities for constituents to meet with me and discuss issues. I am working to secure a venue large enough to accommodate all those who wish to attend. In addition, I have offered to have a local League of Women Voters organization, a non-partisan group familiar with voter information efforts, assist in ensuring the meeting is transparent so a civil discussion is able to take place. No one wants the listening session to become a shouting match where a few loud people try to scare other members of our community and intimidate them from asking questions in front of a large group. I will continue to use every tool available to me to communicate with my constituents. That is why I am working to schedule additional tele-town halls in the coming weeks, while I am in Washington voting on the important issues we face as a nation. Because the Fourth District spans more than 15 counties, tele-town halls have proven to be a good opportunity to hear from constituents without them having to travel. During the most recent tele-town hall more than 65,000 constituents were invited to attend the call. In the course of an hour, more than 20 callers, including many who disagree with me, asked important questions about national issues. Nearly 5,000 residents listened in on the conversation from the comfort of their own homes. Finally, my staff has also hosted more than 350 office hours in the district. These are held by members of my staff at locations throughout the Fourth District. The purpose of the office hours is to help residents in need of assistance with a federal agency, like the IRS and the VA. My staff is able to help with paperwork and assist constituents in dealing with the large federal bureaucracy. These office hours have been a critical starting point for many folks to get the benefits they deserve. Thank you for your sincere interest in the issues facing our country. Again, it is an honor to serve you and I look forward to hearing from you. Congressman John Moolenaar, R-Midland, represents Michigans Fourth Congressional District, which covers Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Shiawassee, and Wexford counties, and parts of Montcalm and Saginaw counties. BLOOMINGTON The citys financial books have received a "clean" opinion from independent auditors, according to its finance director, but U.S. Cellular Coliseum's finances aren't included. Aldermen will hear a presentation from the audit firm, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, on the citys latest comprehensive annual financial report when the City Council meets at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall. "They did not express an opinion on the (U.S. Cellular) Coliseum's books," said Bloomington Finance Director Patti-Lynn Silva. Due to the ongoing (Illinois State Police) investigation, the auditors were unable to obtain all of the documents necessary to complete an audit of the Coliseum operations." For the fiscal year that ended April 30, 2016, the city's financial statements conformed with generally accepted accounting principles, with the exception of the Coliseum, Baker Tilly stated in its audit report. "It's always great to get a clean opinion," said Silva, noting that it helps the city maintain its credit ratings and attract investors. There were two internal control issues mentioned by the auditors, said Silva. One is related to the Coliseum. The other centers on access issues stemming from outdated utility billing software; those issues were raised in previous audits. The fiscal 2016 audit was to be produced on Oct. 31, 2016, but was delayed because of the transition of management of the city-owned Coliseum from Central Illinois Arena Management to VenuWorks in April 2016. During the transition, information was uncovered that led to state police launching a criminal investigation into past operations of the Coliseum under CIAM's management. "The (city's) finance staff was closing up the books to hand over to VenuWorks and that was taking some time," said Silva. "Then we realized that there were some irregularities, which we reported. Then we were providing the data for the investigation." Aldermen will also hear Fire Chief Brian Mohr present the Bloomington Fire Department's 2016 statistical annual report. While there were 138 fewer fire calls in Bloomington last year than the 2,625 fire calls in 2015, the resulting property loss rose by about $1.7 million. The 2,487 fire calls in 2016 resulted in an estimated dollar loss of about $3.2 million, up from about $1.46 million in 2015. Roughly $2.2 million of the loss in 2016 was in four commercial fires, said Mohr. Those fires were: Miller Whiteside Woodworking, 505 S. McClun St., on March 22; Bentley Motors, 1508 S. Main St., on July 23; Parkview Food & Pub, 1003 S. Morris Ave., on Oct. 21; and an automobile hauler that caught on fire Dec. 19 while traveling near West Market Street and Truckers Lane. BLOOMINGTON Comcast Foundation has donated $30,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington-Normal to help expand the My.Future technology initiative. The program uses hands-on technology training designed to equip club members with the skills needed to compete in a 21st century economy. The grant will provide staff training and funding to buy laptops, tablets, music studio tools and video-editing technology. My.Future lets participants select from more than 40 activities to help them understand how to safely and productively engage online, and identify and develop digital interests. In 2015, the Comcast Foundation invested more than $3 million in Boys and Girls Clubs of America's My.Future technology initiative. The association is using $1.5 million to develop the program. Remaining funding is going to about 90 clubs, including Bloomington-Normal. The grant is part of Comcast NBCUniversals five-year partnership with BGCA. Since 2011, Comcast and the Comcast Foundation have dedicated more than $240 million in cash and in-kind support to fund digital readiness initiatives nationwide. Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe after-school environment. Ninety-four percent of club members receive free or reduced-price lunches at school and 75 percent are from single-parent households. The club serves more than 800 youth annually. The annual membership fee is $25 per child. BLOOMINGTON Bloomington City Manager David Hales is withdrawing from consideration as one of three finalists to replace the retiring city administrator in Racine, Wis. "It is my pleasure to serve as Bloomingtons city manager," said Hales in a news statement Monday. "The recruiter working for the City of Racine, Wis., reached out to me and invited me to apply for the city administrators position. I was honored to be selected by Racine to interview for the city administrator position. "Ultimately, I decided that the fit was not right for me at Racine," Hales added. "When certain opportunities present themselves, it is worth investigating, especially since I have an employment contract that expires in 16 months. Nonetheless, I am committed to the city of Bloomington and the duties of the city manager. Bloomington remains the right fit for me." Hales was among three out-of-state finalists to replace the city administrator, Tom Friedel, for the Milwaukee suburb. The other two are a former assistant city manager for Lancaster, Texas; and the director of economic and business development for Fayetteville, N.C. Racine Mayor John Dickert and Friedel could not be reached for comment on Monday. In May, the Bloomington City Council approved extending Hales' contract 18 months, through July 11, 2018, with a 2.3 percent pay raise based on an annual review that rated his performance as commendable. Hales' salary was increased from $181,026 to $185,090. The contract extension was shorter than two previous contracts for Hales. His initial employment agreement was from Dec. 8, 2008, to April 30, 2009. The city then entered into a second contract with Hales, which expired in April 2013. A third contract expired Jan. 11, 2017. When Hales was hired in December 2008 to replace retiring City Manager Tom Hamilton, he was the finance director in West Jordan, Utah, and previously served as city manager at Bend, Ore., and Kannapolis, N.C. BLOOMINGTON As one of the six founding members of the McLean County Dance Association, Sundays anniversary celebration was special for Linda Chizmar. We were a group of people who were interested in dance and interested in developing a community-based dance association based on best practices, she said. We looked around the area and couldnt find a lot of quality, supportive teaching for kids. We want someplace where dancers could be developed. Chizmar said much has changed over 40 years, but some things have remained constant. Its great to see that even today, the association still emphasizes technique and that we have much more to offer than just a place for recitals, she said. We have people here learning the art and the history of dance. In January of 1977, the MCDA began offering classes in various forms of dance to the community on the third floor of a building at 210 E. Washington St., next to the former Withers Library. The association has had several locations, including 101 E. Mulberry St., where it remained for 10 years. It has moved around quite a bit, said Jim Keeran, whose wife, Gale, was also one of the founding members. Gale Keeran was known locally as a passionate patron of the arts and died in November 2001. She was a good friend of Janet Boeh, who taught dance at Illinois Wesleyan and had the original idea to found this organization. But this is a special day and it brings back a lot of memories. Janet Bremner, Chris Meyers and Jane Plum also were honored Sunday as founding members. It was all about providing opportunities for people who wanted to learn about dance, Chizmar said. Performance opportunities have been a priority for the MCDA throughout its history, said current executive director Terri Miller. Among the MCDA's dance companies over its four decades have been Dance Synergy, a modern repertory company for adults; and, through the '80s and '90s, Young Concert Dancers, Dance Internos and Der Tanz. We are looking forward to the future because we always try to keep things fresh and interesting, Terri Miller said. Classes are available for children at age 3 all the way up to adulthood. We are just very proud of our students because these are people who love to dance and want to learn more and participate, she said. A special contemporary master class was held during Sundays open house, instructed by Lindsey Miller, a professional dancer, choreographer, model and dance/fitness instructor based in New York. She started dancing at the MCDA as a youth and went on to graduate with honors at Illinois State University with a degree in dance performance. There were also several historical documents and memorabilia on display Sunday. One of our board members, Lorry McIntyre, did a fantastic job of going through and putting everything together, Terri Miller said. Its really interesting because there is a lot of history here, said 15-year-old Megan Hopf of Bloomington, a student at the association. I like how friendly everyone is here, and we have great teachers. There are a lot of people who really care about the art of dance and the people who study the art of dance. The MCDA currently supports Bloomington Ballet I and II, Bloomington Ballet Apprentice Company, Contemporary Dance Theatre and JazzFusion. Q: What is a Presidential Memorial Certificate? What are the eligibility requirements? A: A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is an engraved paper certificate, signed by the current president, to honor the memory of honorably discharged deceased veterans. This program was initiated in March 1962 by President John F. Kennedy and has been continued by all subsequent presidents. Statutory authority for the program is section 112, Title 38 of the United States Code. The Department of Veterans Affairs administers the PMC program by preparing the certificates which bear the current presidents signature expressing the countrys grateful recognition of the veterans service in the United States Armed Forces. Eligible recipients include the next of kin and loved ones of honorably discharged deceased veterans. More than one certificate may be provided. Application for a PMC may be made only in person at any VA regional office or by U.S. mail or toll-free fax utilizing VA Form 40-0247 Application for Presidential Memorial Certificate. A copy of the veterans death certificate and DD214 must accompany the application. Did you know? There are about 22,000,000 veterans living in the United States, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs statistics. That means that only about 6 percent of the population of the United States have served their country in the armed forces! About 700,000 veterans live in Illinois which has a population of 12 million. About 4.5 percent of Illinoisans have served their country in the armed forces. This small contingent of our population has defended the rights and privileges of the rest of our population as laid out in our Constitution since the countrys founding. For the last 50 years, these men and women have done their duty totally voluntarily and without the coercion of conscription. Major veterans' organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the American Legion, American Veterans (Amvets), and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provide the best single source of information for our veterans to be aware of the benefits that are available to them as a result of their military service. These veterans' organizations fight for benefits and fair treatment for our veterans but they also provide a platform for our veterans to continue their service to our nation, state and communities through various and sundry programs. Future columns will highlight some of the advantages for veterans when they belong to a veterans organization. In the meantime, find a veterans' organization for which you are eligible and again sign on to serve your fellow veterans, your country, state and communities. Portrait of Adrian Joffe by Thomas Lohr For the last three decades, Adrian Joffe has translated the beguiling genius of Rei Kawakubo into a global brand and retail powerhouse that continues to upend how fashion is experienced by, and presented to, shoppers through his role as president and CEO of Comme des Garcons, the label Kawakubo founded in 1969, and Dover Street Market International, their global retail concept franchise with locations in Tokyo, London and New York. He runs both entities seamlessly, with little indication where CDG ends and DSM begins. As for the original brand, what could have easily remained an esoteric, cult label favored by insiders and crows -- the nickname for CDG's most ardent fans in the '80s due to the mostly black and inscrutably layered silhouettes -- has grown, thanks to Joffe's uncanny instincts for giving customers what they don't yet know they want. Beyond the signature label, Kawakubo and Joffe, who married at Paris City Hall in 1992, have fostered and promoted a robust stable of some of today's most spectacular talent, among them Simon Porte Jacquemus, Grace Wales Bonner, Simone Rocha, and Katie Roberts-Wood; it's an anointment that allows for otherwise commercially vulnerable artists to flourish under the care of their business and retail infrastructure. To enter DSM in any city is to engage with a 360 degree universe that is as playful as it is uncompromising in its assortment of brands and objects high and low; it's an experience that confirms that the unexpected in fashion and retail is just as viable as draconian branding and consistency, an ethos that has all but suffocated the industry writ large in this generation. Credit for breathing life into the state of shopping is due mostly to Joffe and the notion that to underestimate your customer is to fail them. More recently, and much to the shock and glee of the fashion world, the announcement last fall that the annual spring costume exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York would be a retrospective on the notoriously reclusive Kawakubo and her label titled Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garcons: Art of the In-Between (May 4-Sept. 4), has indirectly thrust Joffe, as her lontime partner and right hand, into the spotlight as well. The exhibit will cover the period between her first Paris runway show in 1981 up to the most current collection and will be officially opened on the first Monday in May with the star-studded Met Gala hosted by Vogue and its Editor in Chief, Anna Wintour, along with Pharrell and Katy Perry. It is extremely rare that a living designer is honored so singularly -- Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 is the only other example -- by the museum and Comme-heads the world over are positively beside themselves with anticipation. The thought of Rei Kawakubo among the celebrity throngs and red carpet flashbulbs is hard to square but one things is for sure, it will be a fashion moment worthy of some of her most daring and emotional collections. On the eve of the landmark exhibition we spoke with the Johannesburg-born Joffe about the state of fashion, social-media-as-therapy and the staying power of our new president. You became involved with Comme des Garcons in 1987, but what were you doing before? Did you ever imagine that this would be your life's work? I was running my sister's knitwear business at the time, and no, I never imagined this would be my life's work. It's all been a bit of an accident. Are there any guiding principles you have maintained since you began your work with CDG or has it been an evolution to where it is now? Constant evolution I think. No preconceived ideas or tenets as such. The only guiding principle I guess is the absence of one. Perhaps the only tenet is doing my best to adhere to, on the business side, the value system made by Kawakubo for CDG. Now that Dover Street Market has been in New York for a few years and with the upcoming Met show, does it deepen your relationship with the city? What is your sense of it as a place for fashion and retail lately? I feel CDG has always been deeply appreciated by New York ever since we first opened on Wooster Street, SoHo and then did the men's show in Brooklyn in 1986. I suppose with The Met that can only deepen and strengthen. I love the openness of New York and the curiosity of its people. As for retail in general, I feel a small crisis of confidence and a general fear of what is going to happen next. But out of each crisis and period of confusion often great things happen. But we've got to keep positive and keep fighting against obscurantism and for the values we know to be good. Dover Street Market (DSMNY) is actually quite near the Paper offices (32nd & Madison), and it's a curious area that doesn't get a lot of attention (perhaps for the better) in terms of fashion and retail. Did you respond to the energy of the neighborhood or was it just that incredible space when imagining DSMNY? We just found that building that happened to be there. Pure coincidence. We often don't plan anything and do things just because the opportunities arise, and they seem an interesting challenge, or a nice idea at the time. You've said you are dubious of the buy-now-see-now model for fashion, but every season a few more designers and brands are showing this way. Do you think the capitulation to this model is inevitable? And how would you work within it or outside of it? I will ignore it and continue to do what we do. I don't believe in capitulation of any sort and actually don't believe it will really last. It doesn't make creative sense. And actually I don't feel that people really care about it that much either. It feels like just a ruse, albeit a temporarily clever one at that. You're on social media a little. What is your approach to your own Instagram? Is it purely instinct and fun or how do you engage with it? It's like my therapy. I haven't got time to go see a real person to discuss my problems. So it's neither private nor work. Just very personal, very meI like questioning myself about why I do it. It's good for insomnia and traffic jams. Do you think it's possible for a younger designer or brand today to set-up and maintain a business in the purely autonomous way that you have? It feels like a near impossibility. It certainly isn't easy, but with patience and perseverance of course it is possible. Of the younger designers you encounter and support, what qualities about them are compelling to you and make you want to see them grow? It's a mixture of talent, vision and patience. Not being blinded by the bright lights. Having a good sense of reality while maintaining your dream. Building and sustaining any business is not without its setbacks and detours. Were there ever moments when your instincts were wrong or unsuccessful in terms of the outcome you were aiming for? Any examples? I don't think it actually works like that. Instincts can never be wrong even though it may feel like that at first. It might not work in the beginning but then suddenly [it might] take off. DSM took five years before it started to work. You have to have faith, trust your instincts, and not worry about making mistakes. It is also important to be aware of time cycles and balances. There are many dimensions and I don't believe in unsuccessfulness. By whose standards? How does one judge that? Success is believing in your instincts and not worrying about market research or thinking you can know what people want. Rather, give them something they don't know they want yet. In the last year it feels like the political pendulum of governments at least in Europe and the United States has swung to the far right which makes many creative people nervous. Is that something you encounter or how does that resonate with you as someone running a business based on unencumbered creative thought? Yes of course there is great weariness and anger. And rightly soI think fear is not a good thing for the soul though, so we have to carry on being unencumbered and do what we can to resist and fight the forces of darkness, in whatever ways we can. Workload and designer burn-out has been a story for the last few years especially for global RTW brands. Is that something you have been able to avoid in your operation since it's more or less on your own terms? How do you care for yourself and the artists you work with to avoid that weariness? Difficult subject. Most people I know work too hard. I guess we've got to get more organized. Fashion media (print, digital, social etc.) has changed a hundred-fold in the past decade. What more recent platforms are exciting and interesting to you? And perhaps more simply: how do you get your news? I still like newspapers but also read some online news sites. Depends where I amnothing like a good old newspaper or a great magazine on a plane without WiFi and rubbish movies. And finally: What is one hope for 2017? He won't last. In a trend that is currently being embraced by a slew of different brandsincluding major draws like Proenza Schouler and RodarteHood By Air opted out of this season's New York Fashion Week schedule and was instead slated to present their FW17 collection in Paris. However, with seemingly no warning, the show was canceled. Naturally, everyone wanted to know what prompted the abrupt decision, and though we are still searching for a real answer, it's possible that this morning's announcement has something to do with it. According to a report in Business of Fashion, Hood By Air's founder, lead designer, and public face Shayne Oliver has just been recruited by Helmut Lang to create a special collection for the brand. The collection, which is set to be presented in September 2017 (presumably alongside the SS18 runway collections in New York), will feature men's and women's clothing, as well as accessories. The recruitment comes immediately following the announcement that the Helmut Lang brand tapped Dazed Magazine editor-in-chief Isabella Burley to be their first "editor-in-residence," a position, it seems, that will see the forward-thinking magazine editor recruit new, edgier talent to design capsule collections for the brand. As for what this appointment means for Hood By Air, a representative for the label assured Business of Fashion that everything was okay and there were no threats of it shutting down: "Shayne is currently focusing his time on the special project with Helmut Lang. As a result, HBA will be continued but is transitioning to accommodate this. We will be releasing more information soon." [h/t Business of Fashion] Splash photo via Carly Otness/BFA.com Casa Ruby LGBT Community Center in Washington D.C. reported vandalism and an attack on a staff member over the weekend, adding to the list of LGBT centers targeted over the past few weeks. A post on the center's Facebook page said that a window was broken and a transgender staff member was assaulted. "Our Casa Ruby LGBT Community Center was just vandalized and a staff assaulted by a transgender hater," the Facebook post reads. "The violence is real. Seven transgender women murdered, this is how it begins, and we refuse to be the next ones." Ruby Corado, the executive director of Casa Ruby (and the center's namesake), took to Facebook Live twice on Sunday after the incident occurred, describing the attack and imploring viewers to come together in solidarity. "To all of you watching, this is totally unacceptable," Corado said through tears. "We should never have to live thinking that someone is going to come into our spaces and just destroy it." "This person comes here to hurt us, they're sending a message that our lives are not fucking worth it," she said. We need to come together and show the haters, these people, that our lives are more worth it than theirs because they stand for nothing. At least we have the dignity to live in our truth." In a second Facebook Live broadcast, Corado added that the vandalism was "another example of hate" meant to "intimidate the LGBT community." Casa Ruby is a bilingual, multicultural center that provides services ranging from hot meals and clothing to legal counsel and housing referrals. Corado said that this was the third time Casa Ruby has been vandalized in two weeks. Several other LGBT centers have been targeted nationwide in the past few weeks, including gunshots at a center in Tulsa, Oklahoma and shattered windows and doors at LGBT centers in New Jersey and Orlando, Florida. Washington D.C. experienced a 59% increase in anti-LGBT hate crimes last year, according to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and acting D.C. police chief Peter Newsham. [h/t Mic] Splash image via Facebook Just last week, rapper Azealia Banks made headlines for having a warrant out for her arrest after she missed a court date because she was partying it up in France for a number of Paris Fashion Week events. The court date was in response to an alleged assault that occurred last year when Azealia was arrested after biting a bouncer's boob at New York City nightclub Up&Down. While in the process of building the case against her, prosecutors on the case came up on a new tidbit of Azealia's history that might add gas to the flameor, from Azealia's vantage point, take gas away from her flame, which may be quickly fizzling out. In 2009, a then 17-year-old Ms. Banks was arrested for what Assistant DA Shea Donato, who spoke to New York Daily News about the finding, describes as "a case where she slashed her sister in the neck, the arm and the hand with a box cutter." Although Azealia Banks plead guilty to the attempted assault, the report also finds that she was given special treatment because of her age (she was a minor). Because the rapper plans to defend herself in court, the prosecution is planning to use this evidence in court to destroy her credibility. [h/t New York Daily News] Splash photo via Zach Hilty/BFA.com A fire engulfed a children's shelter in Guatemala, killing a total of 38 children. Many of the kids in the shelter lived there to avoid the abuses in their homes. Initially, 22 children died but the death toll increased to 29 after a number of girls succumbed to their injuries due to the burns overnight. San Juan de Dios and Roosevelt Hospitals also confirmed the death toll increased to 35, Reuters reported. The shelter, Virgin of Assumption Safe Hom, is in San Jose Pinula and it is a government-run shelter. The area is 10 kilometers away from Guatemala City. Twenty-two teenage girls suffered injuries from the fire on top of the 38 victims killed. The fire took place on Wednesday morning and reportedly began during an overnight rebellion in the center when some teenagers started a fire on a mattress while the food was being served. The shelter was designed to house only 400 but nearly 800 people lived in the institution, Buzzfeed reported. President Jimmy Morales ordered the director of the shelter to be dismissed, as well as the transfer of some of the youths to other facilities since it was already overcrowded. Human rights activists held a vigil earlier this week and made a makeshift memorial outside the shelter to remember those who died. Some relatives of the children at the center demanded answers from the institution. They said they were not given any information at all. Even though the deaths made it big in the news, the tragedy highlighted the allegations regarding sexual and other kinds of abuse in the shelter. Other relatives said there are many complaints about how the children were treated. One person claimed her brother was placed in a dark isolation cell and brawls often broke out. Children under 18 years old who are victims of domestic violence or are found living in the streets are sent at the center via court order. Some kids try to escape the facility due to ill-treatment. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos commended Orthodox Jewish schools during her meeting with Agudath Israel Wednesday. She acknowledged the community as setting a great example for public education in America and also expressed willingness to work with their leaders. Devos met the group in Washington through an arrangement with a long-time friend from Agudath Israel. She sat with over 50 members in a conference room, as revealed in the photos from The Yeshiva World. DeVos and the leaders discussed school choice, school security, special education and higher education among Jewish colleges, according to Hamodia. Agudath Israel grants scholarships to deserving Jewish students who want to attend private schools. The organization has operations in 25 states in the U.S. aside from around the world. The meeting also enabled DeVos to receive support for its school choice plan under President Donald Trump. Agudath Israel leaders said they will work with DeVos on this matter once Congress passes a good school choice program. "I applaud Agudath Israel for their leadership and commitment to providing their community with access to educational options that meet the academic and religious needs of their families," DeVos said in a statement released after the meeting, Israel National News reported. The secretary also stated she's looking forward to working with the community of Jews to pursue "equal opportunity to a quality education." Rabbi A. D. Motzen, the group's national leader, thanked DeVos for the opportunity to discuss education issues with DeVos. "The Secretary has an impressive familiarity with our community and the educational challenges we face," Motzen said. "For an entire hour, she was fully engaged in discussing possible avenues to addressing those challenges." Motzen also said he is hopeful that the discussion will bear good results for many years. DeVos has been in support of Orthodox Jewish schools even before she became the Education Secretary. A good Samaritan forked out $749 for a desperate dad and his 2-year-old daughter. He thought his child could still travel for free but the airline rejected them. Debbie Bolton, who was returning home from a business trip, stood next to the dad and the daughter and heard the desperation in the father's voice. He tried to make calls for help after being told he needed to purchase a ticket. The woman then stepped up to offer to pay for the girl's plane fare to Nebraska. The dad had the trip booked months ago. The young girl had no ticket because she was below 2-years-old when he got his. The girl celebrated her second birthday in January and so the airline asked for her ticket. A witness shared their story on Love What Matters, a popular Facebook page. As of press time, the post received over 121,000 likes, 39,000 shares and 3,500 comments mostly thanking Bolton for showing kindness still existed in the world. "Hugging his daughter and grabbing his head, you could tell he was heartbroken," the witness recounted. After learning the man's story, Bolton pulled out her credit card to purchase the ticket and told the father he doesn't need to pay her back. Read the complete witness' account below. Bolton works as the co-Founder and Global Chief Sales of Norwex, which specializes in home-cleaning products. People who read her good deed on Facebook identify her. Many of her friends and co-workers attested that this was something Bolton would do. It was in her character to help out and they were not surprised about Bolton's selfless act. "She's an amazing woman and never would have intended for this to be public," co-worker Susan Holt said, according to Daily Mail. Norwex also released a statement commending Bolton. "'We have always appreciated the loving spirit of Debbie Bolton," Chief Marketing Officer Amy Cadora said. "She's kind, caring and generous." It's taking lawmakers in Maryland a long time to approve its comprehensive medical marijuana program. Thus, parents who have kids relying on the substance for treatment are turning to other alternatives because of the delay. Jenny and Alex Inman, whose 5-year-old son Lukas has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, decided to move to Colorado where medical marijuana use covers a large scope legally. Lukas regularly requires cannabis to control his epileptic seizures. The Inmans helped shape Maryland's medical marijuana program, which was introduced in 2013, according to the Baltimore Sun. The family couldn't risk waiting longer, however, as the amendments and improvements to the bill remain stalled in legislation. The Inmans tried every pharmaceutical option for Lukas. Medical drugs, however, dulled his personality and affected his performance in school. The family also didn't what their son subjected to brain surgery. Thus, cannabis oil became the safest and most practical option. After moving to Colorado, the Inmans saw a 60 percent improvement in their son's condition thanks to cannabis oil. They acknowledged that if they stayed in Maryland, their son would have regressed. "We made the right choice," dad Alex said. "[Lukas] eyes are brighter, and he can laugh with us at the dinner table," he added. Other Maryland parents, however, have not uprooted their lives for their sick children. Instead, they bought cannabis oil online, believing it's legal in the state. Some parents have been slapped with disputes with the local Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Child Protective Service (CPS) because of this. Cases and investigations against the parents have been opened and closed as a result but the agencies won't comment on the details of the disputes. For years, political controversies affected Maryland's medical marijuana program. Bill proposals regarding its expansion and coverages divided lawmakers that a fully functional law might not see passage this year, according to The Cannabis. Having a glowing college recommendation letter is part of the process of getting into a good college. "Black-ish" star Yara Shahidi, 17, receives one that would be a dream for most high schoolers. None other than the former First Lady Michelle Obama did it for her, in support of her college aspirations. Obama and Shahidi met during public speaking engagements about girl's education. The actress revealed Obama not only wrote her a college recommendation letter but also pushed her and gave her a backrub right before her AP exams, according to her exclusive interview via W Magazine. "She is very amazing and such a supporter, which is something very surreal to say," Shadi said. The young star plans on getting a double major in college -- African American studies and sociology. The 17-year-old actress, however, said she's taking a gap year after her high school graduation to focus on what path to take to ensure a solid future. "To have a year to focus on work and to focus on specified interests will be nice before I pick a career and choose what I want to study and my life path," Shahidi told People in October 2016. Shahidi toured Harvard, Obama's law school alma mater, and sent in her college application. She also submitted applications at other top colleges in both the east and west coast. If she goes to a university that's miles away from her work on "Black-ish" in Los Angeles, the actress might have to say goodbye to her comedy series. Shahidi plays the oldest daughter of Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross on the show. "I don't know what that means for me at this moment, but I know that the creator of the show (Kenya Barris) supports me," she said. "Everybody on the show again supports how adamant I am about my education." Polygamist families in Utah might be in danger of facing prosecution after House Bill 99 passed the state Senate on Thursday, Mar. 10. The bill will reportedly expand the penalties for bigamy and was in response to the lawsuit filed by "Sister Wives" reality star and polygamist Kody Brown. The amendments in the new Utah bigamy bill came after Brown and his four wives sued the state in 2011. According to CNN, the family believed the law was unconstitutional and even though they won the case in U.S. District Court in 2013, an appeal took place last year, overturning the court's decision. Based on the revised HB99, which was amended by Republican representative Mike Noel following the Brown case review, bigamy could become a second degree felony instead of a third degree offense. Daily Mail further explained a polygamist could face charges for human trafficking, fraud, child abuse, sexual abuse and/or domestic abuse. In addition, the bill also expanded the description of a new spouse to a purported spouse living in the home with the married couple. Noel also stressed the purpose of the amendment is to avoid future lawsuits. Meanwhile, the Browns, including their 18 children, moved to Nevada to avoid prosecution for bigamy. In fact, the authorities started investigating the family following the premiere of their reality show on TLC titled, "Sister Wives" in September 2010. In February, the Browns joined the protest for HB99 and marched to the Utah State Capitol. According to Kody, the state should "leave consenting adults alone" and "prosecute the real crime." Meri, one of Kody's "spiritual" wives, also said that polygamists in Utah might go underground because of the bill. The Dargers, another polygamist family living in Utah, expressed their sentiments on social media, saying the new bill is a "huge step backwards." "My concern is all this is going to do is drive the good polygamous people who don't have those abuses more into hiding," Meri Brown told The Salt Lake Tribune. "And it's going to make the people who do have those abuses just be able to do them even more." HB99 barely passed the state Senate with a 15-14 vote in favor just before the clock strike the midnight deadline. The bill was sponsored by Republican senator Kevin Van Tassell, who urged fellow legislators to pass the bill to provide the necessary tools to the authorities, especially in severe cases. As of writing, the bill currently awaits the signature of Governor Gary Herbert. Once signed, the bill will become a law but it remains unclear whether the governor will sign the bill or not. What are your thoughts about the new Utah bigamy law? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below. The high cost of caring for children with special needs is a given reality. It's also raising arguments among Alabama lawmakers and lobbyists regarding the cost of special needs insurance coverage. Republican Rep. Jim Patterson introduced HB284, also called the Autism Insurance Reform Bill, to enable health insurance coverage for children with autism who require behavioral therapy. Proponents of the bill cited that 45 U.S. states support similar health insurance coverage for special needs kids. Senators, on the other hand, submitted SB57 to propose special needs insurance coverage from birth to nine years for children with autism. This proposal tasked the Department of Mental Health to fund the expenses. Parents of children with autism and experts presented their testimonies on the importance of behavioral therapy in both legislative hearings. Behavioral analyst Ashlie Walker told lawmakers denying coverage for special needs kids is akin to not helping provide access and options to people with cancer, according to Al.Com. Many families struggle with paying for behavioral therapies out of pocket especially since sessions are expensive and long-term. In some cases, it's the children's school who absorb the costs but this isn't enough. Those who oppose the bill, however, argued the coverages put the burden on businesses and agencies. The risks and losses could be costly when funds could be spent for other projects and investments. Business leaders said they sympathized with families of children with autism. They, however, were hoping for Congress or Senate to propose bills that would be better for all sectors concerned. At one point during the deliberation in the House, Rep. Patterson clashed with Billy Canary, the president of the Business Council of Alabama. Canary said he consulted with government leaders before in matters concerning autism insurance coverage. He stated businesses are not "fiscally responsible" for covering behavioral therapy especially if there are no limitations to the health insurance plans. He said it isn't right for the public to shoulder this particular healthcare cost. Apple introduced Touch ID in September 2013. Copycat Samsung was desperate to match Apple's new biometrics based solution, but in October 2013 Patently Apple reported that Samsung had failed in being able to deliver this feature for their then Galaxy Note 3. Samsung had blamed one of their suppliers for the failure to deliver a solution on time. With Apple now rumored to be moving Touch ID to the back of the display in at least one of their next iPhone models, the race was on for Samsung to copy Apple's alleged new feature. Apple's rumored feature began to surface close to a year ago. Yet news surfacing today notes that Samsung is once again blaming their technology partner for being unable deliver a similar Touch ID solution for the back of the display in time for the Galaxy S8. Patently Apple posted a report back in October noting that Samsung was going to eliminate the traditional home button and place a fingerprint scanner on the back of the display to match Apple's feature for iPhone 8. Today a new Korean tech report notes that a source close to the matter noted that Samsung had poured resources into Synaptics' fledgling technology last year but the results have been nothing but frustrating. With Samsung's S8 "production imminent, the company had to decide to relocate the fingerprint scanning from the home button to the back of the device at the last minute." A larger screen that covers almost the entire front body is a key feature for the S8 and recently leaked photos gave us a peek at what it could look like. As soon as Samsung had heard about the iPhone rumor of last year, "Samsung had made all-out efforts to embed a fingerprint scanner under the display to allow users to unlock the phone by placing their finger on the screen, not the physical home button. But the efforts went down the drain after California-based Synaptics failed to develop the technology on time. As the result, the home button is widely expected to be relocated to the back next to the rear-facing camera lens." In 2013, Samsung blamed U.S. partner "Validity" for not delivering a fingerprint ID module for the home button.When Samsung has a success, it's their success. When they fail to deliver a feature, it's always their partners that failed. The Korean report stated that the rear fingerprint scanner is a letdown for Samsung fans who have longed for the first-ever smartphone with on-screen fingerprint scanning. Some of them are calling it "technological regression" considering that a number of its smaller rivals have already launched their larger-screen phone with a fingerprint scanner on the back of their smartphones. With Apple introducing this feature first on the iPhone 8 means that they could "steal the show from Samsung," according to the report that also noted that "The iPhone maker is said to be testing the waters to deploy the on-screen fingerprint scanner as well as a 3-D camera for facial recognition." Patently Apple posted a report last week titled "Samsung Shift's away from Iris Scanning Security alone to full Facial Recognition to get ahead of Apple's next iPhone." In that report a Samsung Executive admitted to a Korean publication that "We decided to have Galaxy S8 mounted with the face recognition function since iris recognition is limited in terms of accuracy and speed of recognition. If face recognition is added, it would contribute to unlocking the smartphone within 0.01 second." The report further noted that the rumor that Apple will be adding Touch ID to the next iPhone is being met with skepticism by Korean display tech firms. More specifically, one official from a Korean display firm noted that "It is still extremely difficult to develop transparent sensors and components to be used for an all-screen smartphone," expressing skepticism about Apple's pending adoption. The official added that "If those technologies are fully developed, it would be a big leap forward within the smartphone industry." The Korean report interestingly pointed out that "Currently, some biometric sensor and module makers such as China's Goodix and South Korea's CrucialTec are working on on-screen fingerprint readers. The two firms demonstrated their respective technologies during the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona in February but no timeline was revealed for the immediate commercialization." The reason that it's an interesting point is that as early as last summer CrucialTec was boasting that they had already supplied 'behind the display' fingerprint scanning modules to some of their customers. Once the rumor hit the net that Apple would likely offer this feature for their next iPhone, these competitors jumped the gun to say that they too already had a solution. Obviously by today's Korean report admission that CrucialTec was at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this month saying that he technology wasn't ready yet, proves that CrucialTec's announcement last year was all marketing smoke and mirrors which hurts any reputation that they may have had. In the end, the copycat machine known as Samsung has once again failed in their race to beat Apple to market with a new high-end smartphone feature. They failed back in 2013 to deliver fingerprint ID in the home button ahead of Apple and it now appears that they're going to fail again in beating Apple to market with fingerprint ID beneath the display. Better yet, Apple's competitors are baffled at how Apple intends to pull this feature off. They're openly doubting that Apple will actually be able to deliver this feature because they're stumped. They're all but saying, how could a U.S. company be smarter than us? Their arrogance reeks. If Apple delivers their new Touch ID solution as rumored for the iPhone 8 later this year, then they will have once again beaten Samsung to market with a cool new feature, but more importantly, they'll be slamming a pie into the faces of those Korean tech firms that think Apple doesn't have what it takes to put this off. Now Apple fans will have even more fun watching the iPhone event later this year. If Apple indeed delivers Touch ID beneath their shiny new OLED displays as expected, then we'll be able to not only applaud Apple's engineers for this advancement but also heartily laugh at both Samsung and their Korean tech partners for failing to beat Apple to market as they had so hoped to accomplish. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Jewish-Christian Dialogue on Authority (vs. Ari G.) Jesus Teaches in the Synagogues, by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (9-14-01) *** This exchange took place on a public Catholic Internet bulletin board. Aris words will be in blue : *** It is essential to understand that accurate Written Torah interpretation is only possible via the Oral Tradition the Mesora which was entrusted to Moses in the form of Gods spoken words, (not included in the Written Law) and without having such knowledge through the generations tracing back to Moses, one cannot possibly have the correct understanding of the Written Torah, Prophets or Writings the only three components of the Scriptures given by God. A woman who used to be Catholic and is strongly considering converting to Judaism, inquired of one Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim, who wrote (forwarded back to the public discussion board): This proves little in and of itself, given the many strands of Judaism in late antiquity. Who is one to accept as the binding authority? The Pharisees? Sadducees? Essenes? Zealots? John the Baptist? Etc. Jesus was also a rabbi and an observant Jew, of course. Why would a Jew not be within his rights to accept Jesus teaching on the Torah? The authority for a rabbi comes from receiving smicha from his teacher, and is as good as the smicha and reputation of the teacher. There is no indication whatsoever that Jesus had this authority. The term rabbi simply means my master or my teacher and is also used to refer to teachers of Jewish material who do not have smicha and are therefore not authorized to make rulings. When the Great Sanhedrin exists, it has final authority on all matters, just as the Supreme Court does in the U.S. Anyone who teaches against the Sanhedrin is wrong and is in violation of the Torah (Deut. 17:8-12). When rabbis contradict each other, what is the layman to do? Latitude can conceivably be allowed on many matters, but are not many instances of such contradiction tantamount to doctrinal or theological relativism? It depends on the issue. If it is one of belief, layman can just ignore it, since belief is such a minor point. If a rabbi were to proclaim something that was clearly out of the bounds of Judaism (such as that it was permissible to eat non-kosher food or light fires on the Sabbath), that rabbi has just disqualified himself from all future rulings, and laymen should avoid him. On points of halachic rulings, the answer nowadays is to follow your own rabbi. This is usually the rabbi of your synagogue, although some hold to the rulings of a yeshiva rabbi or their hometown synagogue rabbi. But you have to be consistent regarding whose rulings you follow. When there is any doubt, the practice is for the rabbi to write to one of the greater rabbis (in reputation and wisdom), explain how he rules and ask if it was the correct ruling. Answers to such question get published and act as a repository for precedents. I understand that the Sanhedrin ceased to exist after A.D. 70. Long after. Actually, it ceased to exist somewhere about 425, when the Roman Emperor banned it. If that is correct, I still would like to know who speaks authoritatively for Judaism, so that the Jewish believer can distinguish truth from falsehood in matters relating to faith and practice. In matters of faith and practice, there is no single authority; however, there exists a great consensus on most points. With regard to faith, the consensus is essentially the 13 principles articulated by Maimonides. Practice is also normative and generally follows the summation in the Shulchan Aruch, although different communities may differ in custom. 1. Does Saul of Tarsus (Paul) therefore possess validity as a rabbi? He never offers any credible reason for us to believe that he has smicha, so no. Acts 22:3 (RSV) I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day. (see also Gamaliels speech in Acts 5:34-39) Acts 23:6 . . . Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees . . . Acts 26:4-5 My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews, They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. Philippians 3:5-6 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless. (see also Acts 7:58, 8:1,3, 9:1-2) Would this not constitute having smicha, as Paul studied under one of the most eminent and respected rabbis of that time? Information from The New Bible Dictionary (edited by J. D. Douglas, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1962): Gamaliel was a grandson of Hillel, doctor of the law and a member of the Sanhedrin. He was held in such high honor that he was designated Rabban (our teacher), a higher title than Rabbi (my teacher). The Mishnah (Sota ix.15) says, Since Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died there has been no more reverence for the Law, and purity and abstinence died out at the same time. (p. 451) Gamaliel receives a fair-sized mention in the Encyclopedia Britannica (1985 ed., v. 5, 101): . . . one of a select group of Palestinian masters of the Jewish Oral Law . . . According to tradition but not historic fact Gamaliel succeeded his father, Simon, and his grandfather, the renowned sage Hillel (to whose school of thought he belonged) as nasi (president) of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish court. It is certain, though, that Gamaliel held a leading position in the Sanhedrin and that he enjoyed the highest repute as teacher of the Law; he was the first to be given the title rabban. Like his grandfather, Gamaliel was also given the title ha-Zaqen (the Elder) . . . . . . (Acts 22:3) tells how St. Paul, in a speech to the Jews, tried to influence them by stating that he had been a student of Gamaliel . . . Now, if studying under this man did not give Paul smicha, on what basis would you hold that opinion? Gamaliel himself did not rule out the possibility that Christians might be following God (and by extension, be legitimate Jews), for he referred to Peter and other apostles as follows (Acts 5:38-39): . . . keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! Therefore, the fact of Pauls conversion to Christianity would not disqualify him from being a rabbi, according (by logical deduction) to his own rabbi, the eminent Gamaliel. Furthermore, we have record of Jesus being called rabbi by Pharisees: Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi [Greek, rhabbi], we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him. (John 3:1-2) Nicodemus appears to have been a member of the Sanhedrin, so one of that number (which you acknowledge as the supreme and binding authority for Jews) is recorded as calling Jesus a rabbi, whereas you deny that he was one at all. Furthermore, did not the prophets possess smicha, whether or not they were commissioned by other men (rabbis)? Likewise, John the Baptist seems to have been commissioned by God. Jesus alludes to this commission from heaven in a dispute with scribes and elders who asked Him where He got His authority (Luke 20:1-8) Jesus Himself followed the Pharisaical tradition, as argued by Asher Finkel in his book The Pharisees and the Teacher of Nazareth (Cologne: E. J. Brill, 1964). He adopted the Pharisaical stand on controversial issues (Matthew 5:18-19, Luke 16:17), accepted the oral tradition of the academies, observed the proper mealtime procedures (Mark 6:56, Matthew 14:36) and the Sabbath, and priestly regulations (Matthew 8:4, Mark 1:44, Luke 5:4). This author argues that Jesus condemnations were directed towards the Pharisees of the school of Shammai, whereas Jesus was closer to the school of Hillel. The Encyclopedia Judaica (Jerusalem: 1971) backs up this contention, in its entry Jesus (v. 10, 10): In general, Jesus polemical sayings against the Pharisees were far meeker than the Essene attacks and not sharper than similar utterances in the talmudic sources. This source contends that Jesus beliefs and way of life were closer to the Pharisees than to the Essenes, though He was similar to them in many respects also (poverty, humility, purity of heart, simplicity, etc.). Jeremiah was commissioned and called directly by God; he didnt need a rabbi to give him legitimacy (Jeremiah 1:4-10). Likewise, with Isaiah (Isaiah 6), Hosea, Joel, Amos, and so forth. So we maintain that Jesus could have legitimate authority on the same basis (and much more, of course). I am quite aware that Paul claimed to be a student of Rabban Gamaliel; and I have no questions at all about Gamaliels qualifications, based on the esteem in which he was held by his peers. I also know that Paul claimed to be a Pharisee. None of these mean smicha. Set against these, we have to consider Paul misquoting the Prophets (if he did not do it deliberately but was merely using a Greek translation, it indicates that he was not reading the original Hebrew, as any true student of Gamaliel would have done). We have to consider his relationship with the High Priest, a Sadducee whom the Pharisees considered a Roman collaborator. We have to consider his assertion that the law is a curse and preference for celibacy, both of which are anything but normative Judaism. In short, there is more reason to believe that he was not a disciple of Gamaliel than to believe that he was. Now, he did not claim to be a disciple of Gamaliel, merely a student. That could mean that he simply attended some lectures by the learned rabbi. But studying for smicha is a fairly involved and intensive process, and not even every disciple of a rabbi achieves it. It might help to think of it as a graduate degree. I am aware that the NT shows people calling Jesus rabbi. That does not prove smicha either. We tend to use the term for men who teach Jewish subjects even if they do not have smicha, and are not qualified to interpret halacha. As for the prophets, what makes you think that they did not have smicha? I dont remember the exact line of teacher-to-student, but the provenance of their learning and authority is known. It is they who were the conduits for the oral tradition between the period of the judges and the period of the Great Assembly. Jeremiah, for example, was a priest, as were a number of the others. As for Gamaliels comment about leaving the Nazarenes alone, assuming that he actually made it, we would have to examine the context when did he say it, whom did he mean, and what had they already said? It is far from a blanket endorsement of anything Paul might choose to say! Iran unveils advanced homegrown tank "Karrar" 03/13/17 Report by Tehran Times; photos by Mehr News Agency TEHRAN - Iran has unveiled a state-of-the-art tank dubbed "Karrar" which has been fully developed by domestic military experts, ISNA reported. Karrar (Striker) was unveiled in a ceremony on Sunday attended by Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan, who acclaimed the tank as a symbol of Islamic Republic's power. Iran also announced that it has launched a mass-production line of the tank. During the ceremony, Dehqan said that the advanced tank, with its various capabilities, can play an important role in updating the country's armored fighting vehicles. "Karrar is manifest to high aptitude, exemplary creativity and superb capabilities of the Defense Ministry experts," he said. He further said that the new achievement is living proof that the resistance economy works and that the anti-Iran sanctions have failed. "Due to its unique features, Karrar is among the most advanced tanks throughout the world and is able to meet the needs of the Armed Forces," the defense minister said. The domestically manufactured tank is equipped with an electro-optical fire control system and laser range-finder and is capable of hitting moving and fixed targets, he explained. In December 2015, Iran announced plans to buy Russian-developed T-90 tanks provided that the UN sanctions that had targeted the Iranian military were lifted. However, two months later, Iran said it was no longer interested in buying the Russian tanks and was planning to supply its needs through domestic production. "We were once interested in buying the Russian tanks, but since we can manufacture similar models within the country and we plan to do so in the near future, the deal is now off," said Ground Force Commander Ahmad Reza Pourdastan in February 2016. A week later, the Defense Ministry announced that it has manufactured a new tank - referring to Karrar. "The defense industry designed and built the new battle tank from scratch. If not better, it's still as deadly as the Russian T-90," said Dehqan. Iran has been producing its own weapons and military equipment for more than two decades. It has manufactured missiles, fighter jets and submarines. mSecure password manager review TechRadar Pro Updated In our mSecure password manager review, we take an in-depth look at this password manager to help you decide if its the most secure way to handle your sensitive data. Mary Lou Vivanco didnt know that a Papal-blessed statue of Our Lady of Fatima was visiting St. Edward Catholic Church in Corona on Sunday. But Vivanco and other parishioners could sense something special. It felt different walking into the church, said Vivanco, a 56-year-old Corona resident. As a Catholic, I can feel it, said Dave Vasquez, 64, who sings in the choir. Its hard to describe. The Holy Spirit is present with the statue here. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to three shepherd children in the village of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. Roman Catholics believe the Virgin Mary the mother of Jesus Christ has appeared throughout the world, often in times of crisis. The apparitions of Mary are known by different names. In Portugal, the faithful believe Our Lady of Fatima appeared six times to Lucia, 9, and her cousins Francisco, 8, and his sister Jacinta, 6, between May 13, 1917 and Oct. 13, 1917. The apparition was of a woman who wore white, held a rosary and asked the children to pray. It is believed that 70,000 people witnessed one appearance. They saw the sun make three circles and move around the sky in a zigzag path. By 1930, a bishop approved the apparitions, which the church has deemed authentic. The Virgin Mary came with a message, promising that the world would be in peace and believers would go to heaven if her requests were obeyed. Now, a hand-carved, 3-foot-tall, 40-pound image of the Virgin Mary that appeared in Portugal is making its rounds to Catholic churches in the Diocese of San Bernardino, which includes Riverside County. It has more than 20 churches to go. Pope Paul VI blessed the statue, which has a blue-and-gold crown, during his 1967 visit to Fatima. The statue is next scheduled to appear Monday, March 13, at St. Joan of Arc in Victorville. On Sunday, lines of parishioners formed in front of the statue before and after Masses at St. Edward. Two at a time, they bent or knelt. Attendants draped the statues silver-and-gold robe over their heads as they prayed and touched the base, but not the statue itself. Please do not touch the Blessed Mother. She will touch you, a sign said in English and Spanish. Some parishioners walked away wiping tears. You go through hard times and you touch her, and you get chills, said Vivanco, a caregiver who also takes care of her mother. I dont have time for myself, so this is my moment. Benjamin Rodriguez, 54, of Corona, prayed to Our Lady of Fatima on Sunday for help for his 19-year-old son, who has struggled with drugs recently but is doing better now. I believe in the vision of Fatima. Shes done a lot of miracles, especially in our family, said Rodriguez, who said he also prayed for the sick. Vasquez said he prays to the Virgin Mary all the time. There are things Im concerned with. With Fatima, it helps ease my mind, he said. Aurelio Palmos, a 70-year-old Chino Hills resident, is coordinating the tour, which continues through April. A typical day involves Palmos and his wife heading out at 4 a.m. to avoid the morning rush hour and ensure the statue arrives on time for morning Mass at the designated churches. The Palmoses stay at parishes until about 9 p.m., once the afternoon Mass is over and after parishioners get a glimpse of the statue during the evening. People are moved A lot of tears were shed, Palmos said. Reach the reporters: 951-368-9569, brokos@scng.com or @Brian_Rokos on Twitter 951-368-9462, amolina@scng.com or @alemolina on Twitter The canvas isnt the only thing that grew with San Jacinto High Schools latest art project a mural at a nearby preschool; the students also grew as artists. The project a mural in the San Jacinto Head Start State Preschool office relaxes senior Marisel Palomares, one of several students who has walked to the preschool after school each day to work on it. I love to try new things; when an opportunity is offered to me, I dont say no, said Marisel, 17. When designing the mural, we thought about the kids first. We thought it needed to be playful so we put in animals and flowers. Marisels art teacher teacher, Brock Essick, checks in every couple of days to monitor the progress and give advice on any issues or questions. The preschool which serves 125 3- and 4-year-olds contacted Essick last December to see if his students were up to the task. The office, says administrative secretary Diana Gonzalez, hadnt been painted in 10 years. Essick has painted several large walls in the past, including one for Beverly Fabric and Foam in Los Angeles. Mostly, the difference is scale but it also involves working with the client on designs that we normally might not create, Essick said. That provides creative challenges that are a good experience for anyone that might want to work as an artist as a career. High school students met with the preschools director, Elizabeth Zaragoza, and other personnel to discuss their ideas. All the (high school) students came out to the cafeteria and spoke with the preschoolers, asking for ideas, Gonzalez said. Now vividly painted trains, trees, tropical flowers, a toucan and tiger cubs the preschools mascot cover the wall that is 8 feet high and 27 feet wide. I wanted to do this because I get to have fun, said Yareli Gurrola, 14. The train was my idea. Junior Silverio Caballero who specializes in drawing and is mostly self-taught said working on the mural has improved his painting skills, teaching him how to blend and contrast. Im too complicated and very detailed and usually like to draw really dark things. Doing this actually brought me to see how a bunch of colors can come together, said Silverio, 17. There was a lot of collaboration on this lots of teamwork. Sixteen-year-old Alyssa-Jo Edwards wanted to further her painting skills and be involved in the community. The chance to paint something that will remain in San Jacinto after we leave doesnt come by very often, she said. The design was a collaboration of all our ideas but I wished to have a tropical forest and hot air balloons. Junior Maya Foster-Diaz chose to be part of the mural project to widen her experiences and view of art. One of her favorite parts is mixing paints to create shadows. Its a good way to get my art out there for the general public to see, said Maya, 16. I hope to go to an art university and make a career out of what most people might say is this hobby of mine. Since it started, more than a dozen students have been dedicated to the project which, aside from growing as artists, helps them earn community service hours required for graduation. The project is expected to be complete by the end of this month. Other art students who have been contributing to the mural include Victoria Contreras, Phillip Johnson, Amanda Macias, Julia Moran, Marilyn Samoya, Lindsay Tarvin and Kellie Wede. Essick has received four additional mural requests and said it is an exciting change in the direction of the high schools art program. My goal has been for the students to take ownership of the project, he said. For our first mural, they have done a very impressive job. California does a good job of letting medical marijuana patients get their treatment of choice, but some elements of the states marijuana laws still fail to protect people with legitimate ailments, according to a report released Thursday by a patient advocacy group. Americans for Safe Access said California is one of three states to receive a B+ grade the highest issued by the group and commended the Golden State for having an abundant supply of cannabis, reasonable taxes, the right to home cultivation and few limits on medical conditions that qualify for treatment. The really good news in California is that if youre medical cannabis patient, you can almost surely get access to your medicine, said Don Duncan, California director of Washington, D.C.-based organization. But the report also states California has a ways to go when it comes to protecting civil rights for medical marijuana patients and improving consumer safety. We still have some unfinished work to do, Duncan noted. No state has ever earned an A in the three years that Americans for Safe Access has issued its annual report, according to Steph Sherer, the groups founder and executive director. But overall, she said access in the United States is the best its ever been, with five more states legalizing medical marijuana and many more taking steps to boost access in 2016. What was really exciting was that 23 states took our recommendations from last year and improved their laws, Sherer said. That included California, which was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. Though the state didnt pass any new medical marijuana legislation in 2016, Americans for Safe Access and others lobbied to get new protections for patients included in Proposition 64, the recreational marijuana measure approved by voters in November. That included a stipulation that Child Protective Services can no longer restrict parental rights based solely on the fact that someone is a medical marijuana patient. Those protections helped California earn a 10-point improvement in the organizations annual ranking, giving it that B+ score along with Michigan and Illinois. Americans for Safe Access always gives states the benefit of the doubt that when they pass new legislation that they will actually implement those policies, Sherer said. So Californias high score is based on the assumption that it will carry out protections both in Prop. 64 and in a trio of bills passed in 2015, known as the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act. The big test will come this year, with a Jan. 1, 2018 deadline for California to roll out its new marijuana licensing and regulatory scheme. Whats key is just going to be getting the medical cannabis program implemented and getting the state licenses out, Sherer said. If it doesnt, she said the states score could potentially drop significantly next year. Californias 2016 grade was unchanged from 2015. But the vast majority of others states improved their scores. Florida, for example, moved from an F to a B- after voters legalized medical marijuana in November. Montana and Michigan also made big strides in 2016. While both states already had medical cannabis laws on the books, until last year, they had no centralized distribution system in place so patients could actually get access to cannabis. More than a dozen states still received Fs, including Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. But overall, there was a 58 percent increase in the number of states scoring a B and 12 percent increase in states scoring a C. For the first time, the report gave a few states negative points. Maryland and Massachusetts both lost points because their medical marijuana programs are taking so long to roll out, Sherer said. These programs are useless if they dont put them into action, she said. The third state to lose points was Washington, which merged its medical and recreational marijuana programs in 2016 an idea thats been floated in other legal weed states, including California. Where it may seem like a good idea on paper, it has a detrimental impact on patients, Sherer said, noting that patients in Washington now face reduced access, product restrictions and privacy concerns. She hopes that will serve as a canary in the coal mine moment for other states that might be considering whether to merge their medical and recreational programs. Americans for Safe Access ranks states based on how well they meet the needs of patients in five categories, from patients rights to ease in navigating the program to consumer safety. States can also receive up to 25 bonus points for passing legislation or regulations that improve any of the above areas. California scored in the 90s out of 100 possible points for access, ease of navigating the program and functionality. The state scored 77 for patient rights. The report notes California remains the best place in the country for patients to get legal protection and quick access to medicine. But it said the state still lags on providing civil discrimination protections for its patients. Workers in California can still be fired for having marijuana in their system, for example. Sherer said her group has tried several times to pass legislation that would change that, but has found the biggest opposition coming from the powerful Chamber of Commerce. California also scored just 59 out of 100 for consumer safety. While the new medical marijuana laws and Prop. 64 both add a number of protections including mandatory testing and a tracking program the report says the state still needs to adopt stronger product safety regulations. That includes boosting requirements for staff training, adding a system for recalling unsafe products and adopting standards for sanitary workplaces. LOS ANGELES It would seem all but impossible to sum up one of the most distinguished careers in photojournalism in only four words, but thats just what Nick Ut does when he says, From hell to Hollywood. And the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, who is retiring this month after 51 years with The Associated Press, has the pictures to prove it, the most famous being a stunning black-and-white image from the Vietnam War thats come to be known simply as Napalm Girl. Its the photo of a terrified child running naked down a country road, her body literally burning from the napalm bombs dropped on her village just moments before Ut captured the iconic image. _informq.push([embed]); That photograph illustrated dramatically what had become a regular occurrence in Vietnam over the years napalm on distant villages, civilians killed and scared by the war, pictures wed rarely had in the past, said Peter Arnett, a distinguished network news war correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner himself. This picture revealed the kind of details that were an integral part of what the war had been about, which made it so significant and important to be published. Ut was only 21 when he took that photo on June 8, 1972, then set his camera aside to rush 9-year-old Kim Phuc to a hospital, where doctors saved her life. He would go on to take literally tens of thousands more over the next 44 years, including images of practically every A-list celebrity who walked a Hollywood red carpet or entered a courtroom on the wrong side of the law. Every star who has trouble, they will see me, jokes the friendly 65-year-old photographer who, although his thick, dark hair has grayed over the years, retains both a boyish charm and irrepressible enthusiasm for his work. On a recent morning in a conference room of the APs Los Angeles bureau, Ut clicks through a portfolio showing a few of his most famous images. Theres one of a sobbing Robert Blake, the actors head on a courtroom table moments after he was acquitted of killing his wife. In another, Michael Jackson is dancing on an SUV outside a courtroom where he would be acquitted of child molestation. Perhaps the most ironic of all, of a tearful Paris Hilton headed to jail for driving violations, was taken on June 8, 2007, the 35th anniversary of the day he took the Napalm Girl picture. Warren Beatty once called Ut aside at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to spend 30 minutes talking about the Napalm Girl photo. After learning he was the one who took it, actress Joan Collins opened a bottle of champagne for Ut during a shoot at her home. It was a much friendlier reaction, he says, than the one he got when he previously photographed her heading into a courtroom to settle an acrimonious divorce. That picture changed my life. It changed Kims life, he says of the pairs chance meeting in a dusty Vietnamese village called Trang Bang. Hed just finished photographing four planes flying low to drop the napalm that would set Phucs village ablaze when he saw a terrified group of men, women and children running for their lives from a pagoda. After getting that perfectly framed photo, he set aside his camera, gave the badly burned girl water, poured more on her wounds, then loaded her and others into his AP van to take them to a hospital. When doctors refused to admit her, saying she was too badly burned to be saved, he angrily flashed his press pass. The next day, he told them, pictures of her would be displayed all over the world, along with an explanation of how the hospital refused to help. I cried when I saw her running, Ut once told an AP reporter. If I dont help her if something happened and she died I think Id kill myself after that. Now a 53-year-old wife and mother of two who lives in Canada, Kim Phuc remains Uts close friend. But her photo, dramatic as it was, represented only a small slice of the horror Ut saw during those war years. As he flips through photos of villages destroyed, dead bodies piled everywhere and parents grieving over dead children, Ut tells how he came to be a combat photographer. The 11th of 12 children, he grew up idolizing one of his older brothers, Huynh Thanh My, an actor whose good looks seemed to have him destined for movie stardom until the Vietnam War got in the way. Huynh was hired by the AP and was on assignment in 1965 when he and a group of soldiers he was with were overrun by Viet Cong rebels who killed everyone. At his brothers funeral, Ut approached the late Horst Faas, photo editor for APs Saigon bureau, to ask for a job. But Faas, a two-time Pulitzer winner, turned him down cold. He didnt want the Huynh family losing another son. After weeks of Uts pestering, Faas finally relented, hiring him on Jan. 1, 1966, but giving the 15-year-old strict orders: Under no circumstances was he to carry his camera into a war zone. So Ut spent the next couple of years working in the darkroom and shooting feature photos around Saigon until one January morning in 1968 when the war came to him. I remember Nick coming in later that morning very excited and saying, The Viet Cong are fighting near my house. I have pictures of Vietnamese troops attacking them, great pictures, Arnett, who worked for the AP then, recalled in a recent interview. From that day forward, 17-year-old Huynh Cong Ut was a combat photographer. Over the coming years he would be wounded four times and have a rocket come so close to his head that it literally parted his hair. His closest friend in the Saigon bureau, noted photographer Henri Huet, died in 1971 after volunteering to take the weary Uts place on an assignment during which the helicopter he was in was shot down. It was Huet, Ut says, who gave him his nickname, Nick, after others in the bureau had trouble getting his given name straight. Thats why I keep the name Nick Ut. In Henris honor, he says in a voice momentarily thick with emotion. When Saigon fell to the rebels in 1975, two years after the U.S. military pulled out, Ut had to flee Vietnam like thousands of others. After a brief stay in a California refugee camp, the AP put him to work in its Tokyo bureau. It was there he met his wife, Hong Huynh, another Vietnamese ex-pat. She even hailed from the same neighborhood as Ut, but the two had never met. They moved to Los Angeles in 1977 when Ut began the Hollywood chapter of his photo career. They have two grown children and two grandchildren, ages 8 and 10. He plans to spend retirement helping take care of those grandchildren and, oh yes, taking more pictures. Ill take pictures until I die, laughs the diminutive photographer who is instantly recognizable around Los Angeles for his 5-foot-3-inch frame and his ear-to-ear grin. My camera is like my doctor, my medicine. Editors note: This is Part 3 of a three-day series on the lives of Ryan Morris and Ronald Moore. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Tamara Mukai Mazzei knew she wasnt welcome at Michelle Morris home, but she trudged up the steep driveway nonetheless. In her arms were gifts for her grandson, Ryan Morris. He was turning 21 and Mukai Mazzei brought a new winter jacket and several slick new shirts. As she walked the drive that day in 2015, Mukai Mazzei hadnt been allowed to see Ryan for nearly 13 years, but she still knew which sizes he wore: After all, she had raised Ryans identical twin brother, Ronald, since he was a baby. Mukai Mazzei had fought bitterly for the right to raise Ryan as well, but the state separated the identical twins and allowed Morris, a foster care provider and former social worker, to adopt Ryan. Through years of court battles, Morris painted Mukai Mazzei as a bit off, saying she refused to acknowledge her grandsons disabilities, wanted to take him off his medications, didnt watch him properly. All untrue, said Mukai Mazzei. She still cant fathom how the state could take Ryan away, how Morris could refuse to let Ryans biological family see him, talk to him or even give him a birthday present for 13 years. Mukai Mazzei had never been this close to Morris Murrieta house, a sprawling 7,000-square-foot building on more than 4 hilly acres. Its Morris home and her business, where she operates a state-licensed foster care facility for disabled children. She is licensed to care for five foster children, and she is legally the parent of five adopted disabled children of her own. Morris husband, Larry Kerin, came to the door, Mukai Mazzei said. She demanded to see Ryan. Kerin told her to leave or hed call the police, she said. Words were exchanged, but it ended the way her efforts to connect with Ryan usually did: Mukai Mazzei left in tears, still clutching the gifts she hoped to give her grandson. Through her attorney, Morris declined to comment for this story, citing multiple and complex privacy concerns and pending litigation. In court documents and past interviews, Morris said she eliminated visits with Ryans biological relatives because the encounters left him agitated and prone to dangerous seizures. AN OPENING After Mukai Mazzeis abortive visit to Morris home, the biological family began researching Ryans status now that he was a legal adult. They learned California law provides court-appointed conservatorships, or legal guardianships, to protect disabled adults. Those guardianships are reviewed every two years by a judge. Michelle Morris and her brother Gregory were appointed Ryans conservators when he turned 18. Morris later asked the court to remove her brother and replace him with a long-time caregiver in her home, Susan Bird-Santo. Ryans biological family decided to challenge Ryans conservatorship in court in 2015. When they approached Gregory Morris, hoping to secure a statement for their case, they learned Ryan was married and living with his husband, Sean Spicer, in a double-wide mobile home in Romoland, a Riverside County community between Perris and Menifee. News of the marriage stunned Ryans biological relatives. Court-ordered assessments of Ryan described him as having the intellectual capacity of a kindergartener and the verbal abilities of a 4-year-old. He was unable to think abstractly, manage money or give informed medical consent. He struggled to keep track of the day, date, season or year, and understand where he was, or why he was there. He was also substantially unable to resist fraud or undue influence, the assessments said. And yet he was legally married. Ryans biological relatives reached out to Spicer and welcomed him to the family. Spicer received them warmly, and said he was open to having them in Ryans life. But that decision belonged to Ryans conservators, Michelle Morris and Bird-Santo. IN-LAWS Spicers own relationship with Morris was complicated. She was both his employer and, legally, his mother-in-law. Spicer met Ryan years earlier, through Morris brother Gregory, and they started dating after Ryans 18th birthday, according to court documents. At times, Morris forbade them from seeing one another. But she also hired Spicer in the summer of 2014 to help care for the disabled residents in her home, Spicer said in a deposition for the conservator battle. She approved of their union, and hosted their wedding in her yard, Spicer said. But just months into the marriage, Morris accused Spicer of being emotionally unstable, Spicer said in the deposition. Tensions increased when Ronald Moore, Ryans identical twin, filed a legal petition in March 2015 seeking to oust Morris and Bird-Santo as Ryans legal guardians, and appoint Spicer instead. Morris objected, arguing that conservatorship was not the proper role for a spouse, Spicer said in the deposition. Ryan confronted Morris, saying he wanted Spicer to be his conservator, according to Spicer. In July 2015, Ryan for the first time attended a court hearing on his conservatorship at the Temecula courthouse. Ryans biological family descended en masse: They hadnt seen Ryan, now 21, since he was 8. In court, the judge asked Ryan what he wanted. Ryan said he wanted Spicer as his conservator, and to visit his twin brother. Ryan could visit with whomever he wished, the judge said. Afterward, his biological relatives poured into the courtyard, weeping, laughing and swarming around Ryan. I was waiting for this day for so long, bello, Maukai Mazzei said, stroking Ryans cheek. We didnt even see a picture of you. Morris and Bird-Santo resigned as conservators in the fall of 2015 and were replaced by Spicer. Ryans biological relatives felt he was finally free, and they were eager to rekindle a relationship with him. LOST TIME Initially, Spicer wanted Ryans biological family to be part of their lives. They all seem like kind, loving people that care about Ryan and myself, Spicer wrote in an email that became an exhibit at his deposition. They are supportive of our marriage and are happy that he has found someone to spend forever with. The family visited Ryan and Spicer in Romoland. Ryan and Spicer made overnight trips to visit the family in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente. They traded frequent phone calls. Ryan took to chanting his brothers name over and over, according to the deposition. Ryans relatives soon grew concerned. Ryan struggled with basic self-care tasks, such as buttoning his shirt and brushing his teeth. He had bouts of violence and didnt seem to grasp social boundaries, sometimes touching people inappropriately, according to court paperwork. Ryan said he had been sexually abused as a child, Spicer said at his deposition, allegedly involving a man working the night shift in Morris home. The Orange County Sheriffs Department investigated the allegations, but no arrests were made. The biological family wanted to do more for Ryan, including paying for specialized therapy and training. They worried about Spicers emphasis on gaining Ryans compliance by withholding electronics or visits with his relatives when he acted out. They argued that Ryan is allowed to see whom he wants, without needing permission from Spicer or Spicers parents, who lived together in the Romoland mobile home. Spicer countered that Ryans biological relatives had become domineering and difficult. A NEW SPLIT Sean is breaking down here, Spicers mother, Theresa Spicer, said in recorded voice messages left for Ryans aunt in December 2015, entered as exhibits at Spicers deposition. He feels youre giving him absolutely no control over Ryans life. If Sean divorces Ryan, hes taking him back to Michelle. And if he does that, youre never going to see him again, you know that. Ryan was treated well, she said. When he misbehaved, he was simply grounded for a couple of days, like you would with a normal kid. Visits and communication essentially ceased. Last March, Ryans brother, Ronald, filed a new court petition, this time seeking to remove Spicer as conservator. Ryan did not have the capacity to enter into a marriage, the petition argues, as demonstrated by their wedding video, which clearly shows that Ryan was coaxed into marrying the Conservator and did not understand what was happening at the wedding ceremony, thinking instead that it was a baptism. Based on this obvious lack of informed consent, as well as the fact that Spicer was nearly two decades older, the petition says, Ryans family has grave concerns that the Conservator may be sexually abusing and controlling him. Do you believe this is a matter of mutual understanding, adult love? Spicer was asked at his deposition. Yes, Spicer said. Although his cognition is significantly less than a 22-year-old, you dont see it as a matter of sexual opportunism? No, Spicer said. Ryan is the one that initiates sexual contact. Ryan knows what he wants in that regard. Ryans court-appointed attorney said that Ryan objects to his family members being appointed as his conservators, and is angry and resentful over the litigation. He believes his familys efforts are designed to break up his marriage against his express wishes, and serves as heavy-handed harassment against his life partner, Ryans attorney said in court papers. Spicer did not respond to requests to be interviewed for this story, and Ryans attorney declined to make him available for comment. Spicer entered a new line of work in 2016: long-distance trucking. He was on the road for weeks at a stretch about 25 days of every 30 and Ryan went with him, according to the deposition. His biological family worried Ryan was no longer receiving regular education or therapy services, instead spending long days and nights inside a big rig cab. Was that what he wanted? Spicer argued Ryan was better off, getting to see America, rather than attending repetitive and dull work programs for the disabled. But the conflict took its toll: Fearing big legal bills, Spicer resigned as Ryans conservator in August, then rescinded that resignation days later, according to court documents. NEUTRAL EYES The arguments have piled up for months in the conservatorship battle in Riverside County probate court. A judge ordered the Riverside Public Guardians Office the county agency charged with handling the affairs of people who cant care for themselves to evaluate Ryans situation and report back on whether the state should take over as his conservator. Investigator Barbara J. Burkhart visited with Ryan and Spicer at the Romoland mobile home. A lock and chain secured the front gate, and she was greeted by several barking dogs. Initial impression of the property was that it was cluttered with junk and neglected, Burkhart wrote in a report reviewed by the Orange County Register. The home had minor housekeeping concerns, but overall unremarkable. Ryan was alert to his name and partial birthdate, Burkhart wrote, but had difficulty holding his head upright, recalling his address, knowing the date. He rocked back and forth and had severe difficulty answering complex questions requiring critical thinking, the report said. He said he liked where he lived, and did not like court hearings. Sean Spicers parents, Theresa and Frank Spicer, appeared to have genuine concern for Ryan, but their knowledge of the needs of persons with intellectual disabilities appears limited. Mrs. Spicer also stated that since Ryan hit her, she no longer will do things for him. The Spicers said that Ryans aunt, Monica Mukai, wanted to gain conservatorship because she doesnt feel Ryan is gay, wants to break up the marriage and take Ryan off his medications. Burkhart asked who was involved in the marriage decision. Spicer said marriage was Ryans idea, and was approved by his mother Morris, and by Ryans therapist. Burkhart tried three times to schedule a follow-up visit with Ryan to ask more questions. Her calls were not returned, the report says. Then Burkhart visited with the relatives seeking to become Ryans conservators: twin Ronald and his two aunts. They met at aunt Monica Mukais cottage on San Juan Capistranos historic Los Rios Street. The tree-lined street is filled with boutique shops and restaurants, Burkhart wrote. The area was bustling with community activities and tourists. The home was clean, nicely decorated with antiques and furnishings. The family expressed concern for Ryans overall health and welfare, but at no time whatsoever did they express a desire to break up the marriage of Ryan and Sean Spicer, nor did they desire to discontinue Ryans medications. The family felt that Spicer, at first, appeared to have Ryans best interest at heart, but their concerns over Spicers mental stability grew. They felt Spicer became upset when he saw Ryan enjoying his family so much, Burkhart wrote. Ronald said he desperately wants to spend time with Ryan, and feels he can provide him with opportunities and the quality of life he deserves, her report says. Then the family played the two-minute clip of Ryan and Spicers wedding video. (I)t was evident that Ryan Morris had no comprehension of the marriage ceremony and what he was really getting himself into, Burkhart wrote. Ryan lacks the ability to manage his person and estate or resist fraud and undue influence, and it was a concern that Ryan Morris contracted into a marriage of which he did not have the capacity, nor awareness of his contract, Burkhart wrote. Ryan spent weeks at a time on a long-distance truck driver schedule, was not enrolled in school, provided optimum healthcare services, or activities compelling him to academic growth, she added. His family members are requesting an opportunity to provide the stability and resources which they feel Ryan needs and deserves. Family members Ronald Moore, Monica Mukai and Olivia Mukai-Lechner appear to be a genuinely viable alternative to naming the Riverside County Public Guardian as Ryans conservator, Burkhart concluded. This week, the tangled, emotional odyssey over whats best for Ryan, and who should be trusted to ensure his welfare, reaches key legal juncture. After a year of preliminary proceedings, a trial on the biological familys petition to have blood relatives named as Ryans conservators is scheduled to begin Thursday, March 16. A newly assigned judge, Thomas Cahraman, will hear evidence in Department 8 of Riverside County Superior Court and decide whether to preserve the status quo of Ryans guardianship or change it for at least the next two years, until the next court review. The family will ask the judge to appoint the Public Guardian as Ryans conservator while the case is heard. They want an outside set of eyes looking at Ryans welfare, they said. Regardless of the outcome, Ryans grandmother, Mukai Mazzei, said shell never stop trying to bring Ryan back into her family. We have lost too much time. Contact the writer: tsforza@scng.com Twins divided, Part 1: Is disabled brother happily married or a victim of sexual abuse? Twins divided, Part 2: Disabled brothers wedding renews biological familys legal fight The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has allayed fears of the public that the tax incentives announced by the Finance Minister in the 2017 Budget would hinder its tax collection efforts. In line with the Governments election campaign promises, the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, in the 2017 Budget Statement to Parliament, announced the scraping off of some nuisance taxes. These include import duty on spare parts, tolls charged by local authorities on head porters, the one per cent Special Import levies, the 17.5 per cent VAT/NHIL on financial services, excise duty on petroleum, tax incentive for young entrepreneurs, among other tax reliefs, aimed at engendering economic growth. Mr Emmanuel Kofi Nti, the Acting Commissioner-General of the GRA, told journalists at the sidelines of a media soiree in Accra, on Friday, that the tax incentives would rather boost GRAs tax collection efforts. According to him, it would reduce the cost of operations of businesses and make them more competitive to expand and generate more dividends, which would eventually make them receptive towards payment of taxes. He said the GRA had been tasked to collect GH? 34 billion for the 2017 fiscal year and expressed optimism that it would achieve the target with the support of the media. He said the media was an indispensable partner in the dissemination of relevant tax information to the public and expressed the hope that the collaboration between the GRA and the media would inure to their mutual benefits. The media soiree was intended to enhance the good relations between the Authority and the media and provide a platform for them to interact and network so as to sustain and strengthen the bond of friendship between them. GRA greatly appreciate your partnership and co-operation in the area of dissemination of tax information and public education. We will continue to count on you for balanced reports and analysis on tax issues for your readers, listeners and viewers for our mutual benefits, he stated. Mr Nto noted that the Authority could not achieve its 2016 tax collection target due to non-performing economy with just 3.6 per cent gross domestic product growth rate. He said tax collection was linked to the performance of the national economy. He said the GRA was tasked to collect GH? 29.2 billion tax revenues for the 2016 financial year, however, it netted GH? 27.8 billion at the end of the year thus, having a shortfall of GH? 1.4 billion representing 4.9 per cent thus. The GRA increased its nominal revenue collection by 25.4 per cent over that of the 2015 fiscal year. He attributed the shortfall to a number of factors including non-performing economy, high operational cost by the mining, manufacturing and textile companies leading to retrenchment. The other factors includes income tax ban in the civil service due to marginal increase in salaries, low payment of corporate taxes by banks coupled with the implementation of the ECOWAS Common tariffs and other tax exemptions on certain goods and services. However, he said, the Authority would implement revenue enhancement measures this year to meet its target and therefore mentioned interventions such as regular tax audits, visits to businesses to retrieve outstanding taxes and field monitoring by GRA officials to businesses to ensure high compliance for VAT and National Health Insurance levies. Other measures include regular engagements with taxpayers and stakeholders to honour their tax obligations, intensify public education to ensure voluntary compliance, staff motivation and capacity building as well as providing logistics to tax collectors for them to work effectively and efficiently. Responding to the question of how the GRA would rope in the informal sector in the tax net, he said, the Authority would enhance tax education drive so that people would understand the need to honour their tax obligations. He added that the sector accounted for less than four per cent of direct tax collection. Mr Nti announced that the Authority would embark on taxpayer identification campaign to get more people to pay their taxes. With regard to efforts by the GRA to block revenue leakages and corruption within the GRA, he said his outfit would institute stringent measures to check revenue leakages and deal decisively with individuals involved in acts that contravened the Public Financial Management Act. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. Ghana has been asked to clearly state whether or not it will remain a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) following threats by the African Union (AU) to withdraw from that court. The AU has accused the ICC of targeting only Africans and African leaders for prosecution, hence the threat to withdraw its membership from the court. The call for Ghana to state its position was made at a roundtable discussion on Africa and the ICC, organised by the Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) in Accra. The panel that led the discussions was made up of a former judge of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Mr Emile Francis Short; a legal and governance consultant, Mr Henry Kwesi Prempeh; a transitional justice expert, Dr Franklin Oduro, and the Executive Director of ACILA, Mr William Nyarko. Call to state position Mr Short, also a former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), asked the current government to state its intention as to whether it would withdraw Ghanas membership of ICC, having touted itself as the doyen of the rule of law. He dismissed allegations of the ICC being bias against Africa, saying those allegations did not represent the facts and that the AU was only emotive about the ICC, instead of holding constructive discussions about the court. Mr Short stated that there was no justification for the AU to withdraw from the ICC and that the AU should rather get justice for African victims instead of concerning itself with getting immunity for serving African heads of state. He, however, called for reforms at the UN Security Council to make it possible for some world leaders from the so-called big powers to be referred to the ICC. I am looking forward to the day when the ICC will conclude investigations into a non-African leader to correct the perception of bias against Africa, Mr Short added. Injustice Dr Oduro, who is also the Deputy Director of CDD-Ghana, described the AUs withdrawal threat as an affront to the fight against injustice. He indicated that although the AU might have legitimate concerns, having majority of cases tried by the ICC from Africa, three African leaders on trial out of the lot could not be said to be targeted at Africa. Dr Oduro said he wanted the AU to maintain its membership of the ICC and rather fight for reforms, saying the continental institutions were not strong enough and, therefore, leaving the ICC would worsen the plight of victims of human rights abuses. Hypocrisy Mr Prempeh expressed concern about the silence of the AU concerning Africans drowning in the Mediterranean, but was quick to talk about heads of state being charged by the ICC. He said the claim by the AU that the ICC was unfair to Africa only had a superficial merit, given that the majority of cases prosecuted involved Africans. Our leaders have been very opportunistic because they know how to effectively use the race cards to their advantage. If Africa fixes its domestic court systems and puts other systems in place, we will have the capacity to investigate issues fairly, Mr Prempeh indicated. Contributing to the discussions, Mr Nyarko said it was the responsibility of states to ensure that crimes committed within their jurisdictions were properly investigated and prosecuted, except in cases where a state had no legal infrastructure to do so. He called for continuous dialogue to get justice for victims of human rights. The Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Ron Strikker, said the Netherlands supported the ICC very strongly and welcomed a discussion from the AU on their concerns to amicably settle the issue. About the ICC The ICC investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes against humanity such as genocide and war crimes. It started work on July 1, 2002 when the Rome Statute, a multilateral treaty, came into force. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Adisadel College in Cape Coast in the central regional has celebrated its 107th years of academic excellence and extra curricula achievements. The week-long celebration which was sponsored by the 1992 year group was climaxed with a speech and prize giving and Founders day. Speaking on the theme Securing the future of the child through holistic development: the Adisadel College Spirit, Guest Speaker for the occasion, Samuel Atta Akyea, Minister of Works and Housing and also the MP for Abuakwa South noted that providing real leadership is an indispensable factor in securing the future of the child through holistic development. He explained it is imperative for parents, teachers and the national leadership to provide "real leadership" to the child, starting from the home through schools and eventually translate in national policies and governance. The Minister, who is also an old student of the school, further urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the free Senor High School initiative to educate their wards. It is the educated mind at every level of the society that will ultimately drive GDP of the country upwards, Hon. Atta Akyea added. He advised the students to take their studies seriously and also admonished them to utilize technology to enhance their learning, not to watch pornography. He also encouraged them to be confident and bold and adopt good manners. Headmaster of the school, Mr. William Kusi-Yeboah touted some achievements of the school, saying "the school scored 98.8 per cent in the 2016 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSE) and remained optimistic that the school would secure 100 per cent in the 2017 WASSCE." He however expressed concern that a number of GETFUND projects had been abandoned and mentioned poor road network, inadequate security, inadequate accommodation for staffs and tranportion for students as some challenges facing the school. Source: Sally Ngissah /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. Featured Video Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu at a familiarization tour of the AngloGold Ashanti (AGAs) mining site in Obuasi has promised to stop the attitude of political bigwigs who allegedly front for prospective investors to engage in illegal mining and destroy water bodies. He said the days of rhetorics were over and that he had the full backing of President Nana Akufo-Addo to crack the whip irrespective of one's political stand. However, National Democratic Congress [NDC] Communications Team Member, William Afum Ani-Adjei aka Obama during a panel dicussion on UTVs Adekye Nsroma programme said I wont doubt the fact that the minister for Lands and Natural Resources through the backing of the president would want to embark on such an exercise which is of great worry to all citizens especially areas who have lost their social amenities under the watch of illegal miners. But he must as well put up strong armour to treat all persons who fall victim of the law equal to achieve his bold step." According to him, Galamsey in Ghana has become an area discussed everyday but he feels it gets worse anytime it is discussed because the same individuals who will help solve the problem are the persons involved in the act, therefore preventing it to be well dealt-with. Obama as he is usually called emphasized that some of such persons are chiefs, politicians and top officials in government who stay behind the scenes and mobilize persons to mine on their behalf. This makes it possible for such persons to illegally mine without fear knowing they have the strong backing of a public figure who will get them out of trouble should they fall victim, he added. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/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. Featured Video Information reaching The Chronicle indicates that some private developers have encroached upon the Kansaworado Public Cemetery in Sekondi and desecrated tombstones, including that of Nhamo Mugabe, the late son of Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe. The tombstone of the late Dr. Mrs. Esther Sophia Boohene, the late twin sister of President Mugabes late Ghanaian wife was also affected by the construction of a warehouse at the Kansaworado public cemetery. Three police crime scene experts, including Sergeant Kwasi Oduro and Sergeant Justice Bentil, together with family representatives of the late Dr. Mrs. Esther Sophia Boohene last Friday inspected the damage at the cemetery, following a complaint lodged with the Western Regional Police Commander upon which the Regional Crime Officer has commenced investigations into the matter. The family representatives included Nana Serwaa Hammond and Nana Ninsin-Imbeah. Police sources say they will be meeting today (Monday) with the developers and encroachers, including one Rev. Bob Asare of the Faith Alive Ministry, believed to have also taken part of the cemetery to build a church. The construction of a warehouse at the cemetery has resulted in the cemetery land being taken over from the Essien family of Fijai. The Zimbabwean Embassy in Accra has also been informed about the development. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe was in Ghana recently to partake in Ghanas 60th Anniversary of independence, during which he equated President Nana Akufo-Addo, an ardent member of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition to Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of the Republic of Ghana. The Desecrated Tomb, late Nhamo Mugabe and Late Dr. Mrs. Esther Sophia Boohene, twin sister of Mugabes late Ghanaian wife Source: The Chronicle Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Office of the former President, John Dramani Mahama, says it is unaware of an upcoming event to celebrate him. There has been an advert announcing an event slated for the 18th of March, 2017 intended to celebrate the ex president for his sterling performance in office. But a statement signed by Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Special Aide to Mr Mahama said: while the former President appreciates the kind thoughts of the initiators of the said event, he has directed me to indicate that he is unaware of the said programme, he has not been informed or invited to any such programme, and he has not provided any form of endorsement for the programme. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana was a member of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) till the morning of 1966 coup, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Editor of the Insight Newspaper has revealed. According to him, when the National Liberation Council which overthrew the government of Ghanas first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, drew up the list of the most dangerous CPP elements to be arrested that morning, Nana Akufo-Addos name was on the list. So if the CPP was such a bad organization and had committed all of these atrocities, it was with the support, concurrence and participation of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he stated. He questioned: Isnt it strange that a member of CPP up until the morning of February 24, 1966, is the one leading the charge, of changing the narrative of who founded Ghana. Kwesi Pratt Jnr told Samuel Eshun on Radio Gold current affairs program, Alhaji and Alhaji, the President in his maiden state of the nation address sought to incite a debate over who founded Ghana. President Akufo-Addo seemed unhappy that Founders Day public holiday only acknowledges and celebrates Ghanas first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Delivering a speech to climax Ghanas 60th anniversary celebration, President Nana Akufo-Addo stoked embers of the debate over whether Ghana should have founding fathers or just a founding father. But commenting on this issue on Alhaji and Alhaji Saturday, Mr. Kwesi Pratt said: President Nana Addos purpose for the call for debate is to add his two uncles and his father to the list of national heroes. He added that one of the people he (President Akufo-Addo) wants to add to the list of national heros is a convicted terrorist. Obetsebi Lamptey was a convicted terrorist, and surprisingly Nana Addos father was one of the three judges to have declared him a terrorist. If Justice Akufo-Addo was convinced that Obetsebi Lamptey was a terrorist, should he be added Source: radiogold905.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. Featured Video The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia has admonished foot soldiers to be patient with their party when they win power. According to him, there is nothing gratifying in party politics than having your party in power. Mr Nketia indicated that agitations of party supporters for immediate rewards after electoral victory mostly put parties out of power. Addressing the second ordinary congress of the Movement for Peoples Progress (MPP) party in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, he warned the consequences of a party losing power are worse. And to the party youth and to all committed foot soldiers of MPP, there is nothing gratifying in party politics than having your party in power. The frustration of party foot soldiers not getting employed immediately or quickly rewarded when the party comes to power cannot be overemphasised, yet the consequences are even worse when you find yourself in opposition, he cautioned. Mr. Nketia explained that the toils of party activists are mostly rewarded but not at a go thus the need to exercise restraint. The reward of party activism is like embarking on a journey; it starts with a step but covers miles with time. I readily recall a famous quote of the late leader of our party and former President Professor John Evans Atta Mills who said while party activists must be rewarded, we must understand that some get their reward in the morning, others get theirs in the afternoon and others in the evening. The tendency for party faithful to get demoralised, disenchanted and apathetic as a result of this challenge is real and a difficult one to confront, he lamented. Mr. Nketia, who was recently elected as vice President for Socialists International (IS), also charged government appointees to often make efforts to reward supporters and activists in order not to create despondency which often cost the party in the end. It requires collective efforts of all political appointees and those who have gotten theirs to carry their comrades along. This enhances party cohesion and mobilisation, he said. The MPP came to power in Burkina Faso in 2016 with Mark Rock Christian Kabore as President after the forceful removal of President Blaise Compaore who had sought to extend his stay after over 20 years in power. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lost power to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 polls after eight years in power in Ghana. Source: The Ghanaian Times Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The flag bearer of Great Consolidated People Party, Dr Henry Lartey has called on Ghanaians to move away from the position of always looking up to government and contribute their quota to the development of Ghana. Sharing is views on Ghanas 60th Independence Anniversary in an interview with this reporter, the Chairman and Flag-bearer of GCPP, was of the view that looking back at the past 60 years, there are more positives than negatives for us to focus on as a people and develop. He intimated that until we focus on our gains and build this nation together, we will always be blaming a group of people without focussing on what we can achieve if we come together and contribute our quota to developing Ghana. Governance is a shared responsibility and the earlier we as citizens and politicians look at Ghana as the bigger picture against our parochial interest a political parties, the better it will be for all of us. He said that the culture of solely looking up to the government of the day to solve problems should be addressed so that we approach the development of the nation from the position of patriots. What is hurting us as a people is that we do politics without taking a break to focus on developing our nation. Until we realise that there is time for politics and a time for coming together to build our nation, we will keep on with the blame game and forget that we didnt play our own role the way we should for our collective gain, he added GCPP has since its formation by the Late Dr Dan Lartey been preaching domestication and the need to focus on farming to feed ourselves and exporting excesses In view of this, Mr Henry Lartey lauded President Nana Akufo Addo for his decision to make Ghana a hub of food because aside the fact that it falls perfectly in line with the policy and ideological position of GCPP he says it is the only way the country can develop According to him, if Ghanaians had bought into The GCPP Domestication message, we wouldnt be making the never ending comparisons we make with countries like Malaysia, China and what have you. He was however quick to add that Ghana has the potential to catch-up with those countries and even surpass them if we focus on cutting down on import by producing for ourselves and building an export driven economy. Dr Henry Herbert Lartey is the son of the Late Dr. Dan Lartey, he is a champion for the economic improvement of Ghana, a successful businessman and an inspired Pan-Africanist with a vision and hope for a United Africa. 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. Featured Video Byron Bay woman Sara Connor has been sentenced to four years in jail over her role in the death of a police officer in Bali, after a huge four month trial throughout which she continually professed her innocence. Byron Bay mother Sara Connor has been sentenced to four years in prison in Bali for her role in the death of a police officer. #9News pic.twitter.com/ECSSmIpAcv Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) March 13, 2017 Connor was found guilty of fatal group assault in relation to the death of Wayan Sudarsa. Connors boyfriend, British DJ David Taylor, confessed to bashing Sudarsa but maintained that he did so in self-defence. He was also convicted of fatal group assault and was sentenced to six years in prison. The seven months Connor has already served in prison will be deducted from her sentence. One of the more sensational aspects of the case was that Connor cut up the police officers cards after his death. Connor claimed she did this to protect the officer from identity theft, but the judge did not accept that claim, instead agreeing with prosecutors that it was intended to hide guilt. Throughout the trial, Connor claimed her only role was attempting to break up the fight between Sudarsa and Taylor, which is why she says she sat on Sudarsas chest. She insists she was only ever trying to protect the victim. Taylor insisted that Sudarsa was alive when they left him on the beach. Both Connor and Taylor have seven days to appeal their verdict. Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Photo: Getty Images. Lordes almost as well known for her jerky dance moves as she is her ethereal vocals. Both were on full display when everyones fave Kiwi stopped by the ScarJo-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live to play two cuts from her upcoming LP Melodrama, Green Light and Liability. Clearly embracing the shit outta her first appearance as an SNL headliner, Lorde cut shapes the likes of which weve never seen before. Just look at her go: Lorde takes that whole dance like no ones watching thing VERY seriously. pic.twitter.com/OohiuFgxIp shauna (@goldengateblond) March 12, 2017 Twitter was very into her aesthetic. The way @lorde dances her SNL performance of Greenlight is how I dance when Im smashed at the bar and Stevie Nicks comes on t3ch supp0rt (@RozaPorx) March 12, 2017 im living for lordes dance moves #SNL savannah (@SavannahhhJai) March 12, 2017 Remind you of anyone? You do you, Lorde. Photo: Saturday Night Live / NBC. Are you looking for a font with a bit of bloody character? Some ever-changing flair? A pinch of fucking oomph? Say no more. Futuracha Pro is a new font by Greek branding agency hly that changes as you type it. Literally. Depending on the positioning of certain letter combinations, different flairs and stylings will change as you type them. Adjust the word and the letter design will change with it. The design is based on the classic Futura font with the addition of Art Deco-styled swirls inspired by the antennae and horns of cockroaches. Yep, the filthy bugs. The name Futuracha comes from the blending of the base font with the Spanish word for cockroach cucaracha. Got the song La Cucaracha stuck in your head right now? Same. If youre interested in the roach-inspired font, you can help out with their Indiegogo campaign which aims to make the font available to everyone. You can see it in action in the video below. Source: Refinery29. Photo: hly. My recent experience with the Sailor Zuisei was kind of a turning point for my pen addiction. It made me realise that I had to give Japanese pens a chance. Something I hadn't done up to that point (or at least not enough), because I was strongly convinced that Japanese pens wouldn't suit my personal preferences. But as I said, my opinion changed quite drastically with the review of the Zuisei. I was amazed by how effortless and reliable it wrote, and it could easily measure with pens of my favourite western brands. In fact, if it wasn't so expensive, I probably would've bought it! That being said, I knew it wouldn't take long before I'd venture out and look for a more affordable Sailor. Then my eye fell upon the new Professional Gear 'Earth' special edition. I was fascinated (still am) and intrigued by the dark brown-red, murky color, and I knew that was the one I'd get. A few days later I visited Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery (based in Belgium, not too far from where I live), and I came home with one. A bit of an impulse buy perhaps, but one I don't regret so far! The Pro gear Earth is a special edition, and comes in the usual three sizes Sailor offers for the Professional Gear: the smaller 'Slim' (Sapporo), the normal 'classic', and the larger 'King Of Pens'. Unless you are into pocket pens, the Slim isn't really an option I'd suggest, since it is very small (the price tag is more forgiving however). The Classic is only marginally larger than the Sapporo, yet the difference is noticeable in the hand. You shouldn't, however, expect a large or oversized pen when shopping around for a Sailor, unless you spend a substantial amount more on a King Of Pens. I've reviewed the Sailor 1911 Large some years ago, and the Pro Gear is basically identical to it, except for flat end finials. Basically they took a 1911 Large, and cut off the top and bottom, which obviously reduces the overall length of the pen quite a bit. The Pro Gear has always been my favourite design from Sailor because of the flattop cigar design. In fact, about 95% of my collection consists of pens with flat finials, so I think it's safe to say that that's my general preference. I assume this is because pens with rounded finials usually have a more classic and traditional appearance, whereas the flattop design gives the Pro Gear a more modern look. The pen is accentuated by gold plated trims, and a black enamel-filled anchor logo on the cap finial. The gold trims work well with the color of the resin, rhodium trims definitely would've looked out of place here. But the real eye-catcher is the wide center band: The KOP Pro Gear comes standard with a single, wide center band, but the regular Pro Gear usually has two smaller bands. Only special and limited edition versions have a single wide band. With the Earth special edition, you can actually run into both versions, because apparently they changed it halfway during production. I had the choice when I bought mine, so I went for the wider band because I like the clean and uniform look. The material appears more red, and shows some slight transparency in the right light The color of the resin on this special edition was a bit of a gamble. I didn't really know if I'd like it or not because it really is quite a strange and unique color. And frankly about two months later I still haven't really made up my mind about it. It's a muddy, dark red-brown color that somehow shows some transparency in certain places, and appears opaque in others. It also much depends on the lighting conditions, especially under artificial light it appears much more opaque. It's quite a fascinating material, and it's relatively subtle, even with the gold trims. Now for dimensions, I already mentioned that it's quite a small pen, and that's not an understatement. It measures in at 12.9cm closed (5.05''), and 11.6cm open (4.5''). I usually find 12.5cm open (5'') to be the sweet spot that works for me, but for some reason I can just get away with this pen unposted. I do tend to hold it quite close to the nib, which makes it just long enough to not dissapear in my hand. Unposted Posted It might work for me, but generally speaking, the size of the Sailor Pro Gear might prove an issue for people that have larger hands, or a different grip. Fortunately it does post quite well, and doing so brings it up to 15cm (aprox 5.9''), which is a comfortable size. The cap doesn't weigh it down (the total weight, including the cap, is only 25g), so it's quite a comfortable pen to use posted. L to R: Pelikan M400, Pilot CH92, Platinum #3776 century, Sailor Pro Gear, Sailor 1911L, Lamy Safari, Lamy 200 One thing I personally really like, is that it's relatively girthy, despite not being too long. The section measures an average 1,1cm (0.43''), which helps to provide a good grip without feeling cramped. The threads are shallow and barely noticeable, and the transition from section to barrel is smooth, so there's nothing to interfere with your grip. If you can deal with the size (or lack thereof), I think it's actually a fairly comfortable pen to use. Especially posted, it's well-balanced and comfortable in the hand. But it shouldn't really come as a surprise that it's a comfortable pen to use. Japanese brands like Sailor, Pilot,... might not always come up with the most flashy pens, but they always aim to be comfortable to use, so that's exactly what this pen delivers. Nib performance is obviously another important factor when you want a reliable everyday use pen, luckily Sailor has got that covered as well. I'm repeating myself, but the way these nibs perform just shows that they are meant to be used. They just write flawlessly, all the time. Every time. I was blown away by the broad nib on the Zuisei, so I went with a B nib on this one as well. Japanese pens are best known for their ultra extra fine nibs, which is what a lot of people seem to enjoy these days, but Sailor also makes some pretty nice wider nibs. Of course you shouldn't expect a wide, gushy broad like those found on a Pelikan, but it lays down a solid line, somewhere in between medium and broad. The feed provides a consistently balanced ink flow. Even with this broad nib, you can feel the distinctive feedback that indicates the nib wasn't overpolished. It starts up every time and keeps going no matter what. It's not easily bothered by oils on the page, or very slick paper, which is a nice departure from the often more finnicky Western nibs. One thing I did notice, is that wetter, more lubricated inks perform noticeably better. Sailor's own ink is a good example of a smooth, lubricated ink, and they work well with their pens (obviously). I don't know if this is always the case, but there was definitely some noticeable difference between the inks I tried. The Sailor Pro Gear is a small but capable pen. The design of the Pro Gear is right up my alley, but the main selling point here is of course the great writing experience. I've held off on Japanese pens because I tend to lean towards wider nibs and didn't think they would be able to provide something that would suit me. That turned out to be a bit small-minded from my end, and I definitely got rid of this preconception (I already bought a second Japanese pen since this one!). The only downside I can think of is the size of the pen itself. I find it quite a comfortable pen to use, but it's right on the edge of being a little too small, that's definitely something to keep in mind when shopping. The regular range of Sailor pens (not including the urushi and maki-e work) quite reasonably priced (at least compared to other premium brands). The smaller Sapporo models can be had for well under 200$, while the regular size Pro Gear begins at a reasonable 295 EUR/ 250 USD, and go up from there (the Special edition Earth retails for the regular price). CHOSE POORLY ART.jpg Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers. A top House Democrat has turned to one of Hollywood's most beloved action heroes to try to score some points in the ongoing debate over pension reform. In an email blast last week, Rep. Joe Markosek, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, compared the ongoing argument over retirement reform to that pivotal scene in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." You know the one ... It's where that elderly knight warns the avaricious Walter Donovan, played by Julian Glover, to "choose wisely" as he goes in for a sip from the Holy Grail. Donovan, being both a pinhead and a Nazi sympathizer (we'll let you decide which is worse) grabs the shiniest one within grasp, fills it with water, takes a deep gulp and then keels over and dies in the most graphic way possible. "He chose ... poorly," the aged knight deadpans. And that, Markosek argues in his email is the choice facing lawmakers as they look for a way to untangle the $60 billion (and counting) pension knot. Do they keep the state's existing, and pricey, defined-benefit pension system (which we guess Markosek is arguing is the closest thing to sacred as stuff gets in Harrisburg)? Or do they go in for the shiny, 401(k)-style defined contribution system where ... ummm ... everyone keels over and dies? As it turns out, yes, he just did that. "[Defined benefit] pensions - the ones that SERS and PSERS operate - deliver the same retirement income at 48 percent lower cost than [defined contribution] plans," Markosek wrote. " The old-school pensions are not only more cost-efficient, they're also "the dirty and dinged chalice that brings eternal life." Seriously, he wrote that. Anywaaaayyyy ... In case you've forgotten the scene, here' a refresher from the 1989 flick, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, among others: Yeesh ... Actually, we'd argue that Markosek picked the wrong scene, but the right movie franchise, as he crafted his clunky analogy. After about ... ohhhh ... four years and no solutions, the debate over pension reform is really more like this: The rest of the day's news starts now. In case you missed it, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., had a remarkably behaved Town Hall in Philadelphia on Sunday. Are Pennsylvania Republicans having a change of heart on raising taxes to balance the state budget? The Associated Press (courtesy of The Tribune-Review) takes up that very question. Speaking of budget-balancing, The Post-Gazette goes deep on Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed early retirement plan for state employees. Single-identity social justice is no social justice at all, a writer at PhillyMag opines this Monday morning. It's all about intersectionality. NewsWorks/WHYY-FM looks at a Philly classroom that's become a model - because they serve breakfast during lessons. Today's #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day says it all, really: May a hero rest in peace. Our PennLive colleagues have wall-to-wall coverage of this weekend's tragedy. WITF-FM has the latest on #Snowpocalypse2017. The Morning Call looks at some crowded school board races in the Lehigh Valley. Despite partisan disagreements elsewhere, Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey will continue their group hug on Pennsylvania's U.S. District Court appointments, PoliticsPA reports. House investigators are on 'collision course' as they probe relations between TrumpWorld and Russia, Politico reports. Democrats in the U.S. Senate are warning of a 'shutdown showdown' over President Donald Trump's border wall, Roll Call reports. WolfWatch. Gov. Tom Wolf holds a 3:30 p.m. briefing at PEMA HQ on Interstate Drive on the coming storm that's going to kill us all. At 5:30 p.m., Wolf will participate in the "Special Olympics Opening Ceremony Unified Bocce Challenge" in the East Wing Rotunda at the Capitol. What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition). 11 a.m.: Luncheon for Rep. Tom Caltagirone 5:30 p.m.: Reception for Rep. Justin Simmons 5:30 p.m.: Reception for Rep. Kerry Benninghoff 6 p.m.: House Republican Campaign Committee reception 8 p.m.: Joint reception for Reps. Adam Harris and Paul Costa Ride the circuit, and give at the max, and you'll part with a mere $12,000 today. Heavy Rotation. Here's a bit of a groove thing to get stuff going. And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit. aptransgender.jpg Activists and protesters with the National Center for Transgender Equality rally in front of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Washington, after the Department of Education and the Justice Department announce plans to overturn the school guidance on protecting transgender students. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press) Seven transgender women have been murdered in the United States so far this year, after a record 23 were killed last year, according to a report by CBS News, which said the deaths reflect "an alarming trend." Most of the victims are black or Latino. In Louisiana last year, three transgender women were murdered within two weeks, according to the CBS News report. The current political climate and debate over bathroom bills is making the transgender community feel increasingly unsafe. Many transgender women have troubled finding jobs because of discrimination and live in dangerous neighborhoods, according to CBS News. And many states, including Louisiana, don't protect transgender people under hate crime laws. CBS News quoted Beverly Tillery, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project as stating, "When you can't be valued for simply who you are then that sets up a situation where people think they can do anything to you." 2211484488_394528116a_b.jpg Nissan North America is recalling more than 54,000 cars after it discovered that curtain and seat-mounted airbags may unexpectedly deploy when the door is slammed. (Lindsey Turner via Flickr) Nissan North America is recalling more than 54,000 cars after it discovered that curtain and seat-mounted airbags may unexpectedly deploy when the door is slammed. The Associated Press reported that the recall will affect the 2012 Nissan Versa. The Japanese-based car company said the problem may be caused by the degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins. The unexpected deployment of the air bags can increase the risk of injury. Nissan says dealers will install a new jumper harness and replace the side impact sensors free of charge. Car owners can contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or . Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed a proclamation of disaster emergency in anticipation of a significant winter snowstorm, dubbed Winter Storm Stella, that will impact the state starting Monday evening through late Tuesday, and announced PennDOT and the turnpike will restrict speeds on interstates and some large commercial vehicular travel. Wolf also announced that PennDOT will strategically deploy additional assets to areas expected to be hardest hit by the storm, including the Northeast, Poconos and Lehigh Valley, according to a press release. The governor and state agencies will provide an update on preparations for the impending winter storm at 3:30 p.m. today. The briefing will streamed live at https://governor.pa.gov/live/ or https://www.facebook.com/governorwolf/. "State agencies continue to take proactive steps to ensure Pennsylvania is ready for the incoming winter weather and Pennsylvanians should take their own precautions and prepare for adverse conditions, especially for travel," Wolf said. "We are preparing for the most significant part of the storm to hit the eastern half of the state from Monday night through Tuesday's commute, with significant winds to follow and cause additional concerns. I ask residents and commercial drivers across the commonwealth to prepare to avoid unnecessary travel on roadways during this time - as to let road crews and emergency responders do their jobs and minimize dangerous travel." This proclamation is not a "state of emergency," as it does not prohibit vehicular travel on commonwealth roads, but motorists are strongly encouraged to delay all unnecessary travel and heed local road closures that may be in place. A proclamation ensures emergency resources can be procured as needed and increases protections for consumers from price-gouging. Travel restrictions and PennDOT resources To help PennDOT and PA Turnpike crews get the optimum access to the interstates and expressways during the storm, beginning at 10 p.m. Monday, these restrictions will be in place on all interstates and expressways east of Interstate 99 and including Interstate 99: 45 mph speed limit Ban on tandem truck trailers, empty trailers, towed trailers, buses, recreational vehicles and motorcycles. These restrictions will be in place on Interstates 70, 76, 78, 80, 81, 83, 84, 283, 176, 180, 476, 380 and all expressways not on the interstate system. The Turnpike will have the same restrictions beginning at 10 p.m. Monday from the Bedford Interchange east to New Jersey and on the entire Northeastern Extension. PennDOT is also cancelling all superload permits for movement on Tuesday. PennDOT has 4,800 equipment operators, more than 2,000 plow trucks, 49 snow blowers. All of PennDOT's 11 regions will go on round-the-clock duty beginning Monday evening. PennDOT's goal is to keep roadways passable and interstates and expressways take priority over lower volume routes. PennDOT will also be redeploying assets to eastern Pennsylvania, where the brunt of the storm is forecast to hit. Three Mobile Equipment Teams will be dispatched. Each team consists of five plow trucks, 10 equipment operators and one supervisor. Teams are being dispatched from PennDOT's northwestern Pennsylvania district to the Scranton area, from the Pittsburgh area district to Monroe County near Stroudsburg and from southwestern Pennsylvania to the Lehigh Valley area. Proclamation of disaster emergency impacts The proclamation authorizes state agencies to use all available resources and personnel, as necessary, to cope with the magnitude and severity of this emergency situation. The time-consuming bidding and contract procedures, as well as other formalities normally prescribed by law, are waived for the duration of the proclamation. In addition, the proclamation authorizes the Department of Transportation to waive regulations related to drivers of commercial vehicles in order to ensure the timely movement of commodities, particularly food and home heating fuel. It also provides consumer protections against price gouging by prohibiting companies from charging a price for consumer goods or services that exceeds 20 percent of the average price that the consumer goods or services were sold for in the seven days preceding the effective date of the Governor's proclamation. In the event travel is absolutely necessary, motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles by clicking on this link. StormTotalSnowWeb1.png Snow prediction March 13-15, 2017. (NWS) March 13, 2017 weather map A potentially crippling nor'easter will be bringing between 9 and 15 inches of snow to the midstate in a storm that will impact travel from Washington DC to Boston. A winter storm warning is in effect for Pennsylvania from 8 p.m. Monday night through 10 p.m. Tuesday for heavy snow, said the National Weather Service. Between 9 and 15 inches of snow is expected across the lower Susquehanna Valley northeast into the Poconos. AccuWeather predicts the snow will start in the Harrisburg area around 8 p.m. Snow will move into the area around , and will rapidly cover the area before midnight. Past March snows Heaviest snow will fall overnight through noon on Tuesday, but there could be additional light snow Tuesday afternoon and evening. Expect snow-covered, slippery roads and poor visibility, NWS says, with the worst conditions expected Tuesday morning. Winds will gust up to 25 mph, coming out of the northeast at 5-10 mph, and temperatures will be in the upper 20s. Here is the week's forecast: Monday: Mostly sunny; high of 36. Monday night; Snow, heavy at times, mainly after 9 p.m. Low around 25. East wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible. Tuesday: Snow, heavy at times, with up to 7-11 new accumulation possible. High near 34. Northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Tuesday night: Snow likely, mainly before 9 p.m. Cloudy, with a low around 21. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Wednesday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy; high of 28. Northwest wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Wednesday night: Chance of snow before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy; low of 16. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Thursday: Mostly sunny; high of 30. Thursday night: Partly cloudy; low of 16. Friday: Mostly sunny; high of 36. Friday night: Chance of snow showers after 9 p.m. Partly cloudy; low of 19. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Saturday: 40 percent chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny; high of 39. Saturday night: 40 percent chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy; low of 29. Sunday: 30 percent chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly sunny; high of 43. For the latest forecasts, visit PennLive's weather page. You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below. Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com. weather031217.jpg (Accuweather) Meteorologists across Pennsylvania are projecting a "significant" snowstorm this week, but accumulation totals range from as little as eight inches to close to two feet for the same area. Why? There isn't a simple answer, but it has a lot to do with the methods behind forecasting, said Aaron Tyburski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College. The weather service has already issued a winter storm warning for most of the midstate from 8 p.m. Monday to 10 p.m. Wednesday affecting most of the state. The weather service's warning says to expect 10 to 18 inches in the greater Harrisburg region, with most models anticipating 13 to 15 inches at the capital. Other local forecasts are as follows as of Sunday evening: Accuweather is projecting ranges of 3 to six inches, six to 12 inches and 12 to 24 inches across Pennsylvania WGAL's Storm Team is calling for a major storm bringing 8-14 inches to the midstate CBS21 says 10 to 14 inches for most of the Harrisburg region, with estimates of six to 9 inches of snow to the east and west of the region Fox43 anticipates eight to 12 inches of snow for the northern half of the Harrisburg region and 12 to 18 inches for the southern and eastern parts of the region ABC27 predicts 12-20 inches for large parts of Central Pennsylvania, including the capital region Tyburski said he doesn't know how other entities developed their forecasts, but noted that the weather service works with other branches of the department that focus on different regions in the state. Those projections are also combined with weather analysis across the country. That eventually leads to a "consensus" forecast from a host of meteorologists with a larger perspective, Tyburski said. "What you're seeing from the weather service forecast is something that's collaborative," Tyburski said. Further explaining the process for watches and warnings, Tyburski pointed to the upcoming snowstorm and how the weather service will release a watch two days prior to a weather event, if the confidence level is high. A warning, like the one issued Sunday, will be issued before a significant storm. By handling advisories this way, the weather service can adequately give the public time to prepare for weather, but also be able to adjust a forecast if conditions should change, Tyburski said. "We don't want to cry wolf," Tyburski said. "We follow the same procedure each time for each storm." Tyburski did point to one concrete reason as to why forecasters projections for snow can vary: whether the snow is light or heavy. The same amount of water can produce widely different amounts of snow, depending on conditions, Tyburski said. As examples, he referenced lake-effect snow, which is light and fluffy as compared to heavier snow, similar to what hit the midstate Friday. Essentially, forecasts can fluctuate depending on how the expected circumstances are interpreted, Tyburski said. Because the weather service is a government-funded entity, Tyburski noted a level of accountability to Congress when explaining the need to get it right. Tyburski also said its important for the public to look at how forecasters update their projections as the conditions change, something the weather service does through its archives. "Remember we're all trying to predict the future," Tyburski said, adding that no meteorologist is trying to get it wrong. "We look at probabilities, what will be the most likely outcome based on the scenarios." Noting the weather service's probability models, Tyburski said, the Harrisburg area will get at least eight inches of snow and could get a lot more depending on how the storm hits the area. He encouraged people to keep up with the latest forecasts and to be aware of all of the latest conditions if traveling. After the snowstorm early in the week, the midstate will settle in to temperatures around 20 degrees below average. As a result there could be an issue with black ice and slow melting snow lingering on midstate surfaces. "We kind of held off winter for most of winter," Tyburski joked. "Unfortunately, it seems like we are going to get all of it in one week." Check back with PennLive for the latest weather updates. Here's a look at the extended forecast through Thursday: MONDAY: Mostly sunny during the day and cloudy in the evening. High near 36. Low around 26. Snow expected after 8 p.m. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. TUESDAY: Cloudy with a high around 33. Low near 27. Snow expected to continue from Monday night into Tuesday afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. High near 27. Low around 17. There is a 30 percent chance of snow. THURSDAY: Mostly sunny with a high near 29. Low around 17. immigration protest Protesters from such groups as Tuesdays with Toomey, Rise Up York and CASA stage a demonstration during a press conference by state lawmakers unveiling bills to target "illegal alien invasion." (Ivey DeJesus/PennLive) A Republican Pennsylvania lawmaker on Monday - flanked by a cadre of other GOP colleagues - unveiled a legislative package aimed at curbing what he called the "illegal alien invasion." Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, said Pennsylvania had a "new opportunity" to address what he said has been the longstanding problem of illegal immigration. He said that with the Trump administration in place the federal government is no longer "AWOL," the military terms for absent from duty without leave. "There's a new sheriff in town in the White House," Metcalfe said at the podium, flanked by other lawmakers and law enforcement representatives. "Donald Trump has certainly stood strong in standing up for the rights of Americans, first ensuring American citizens' rights are protected, ensuring those immigrating legally are protected and ensuring the rule of law and the Constitution are upheld and defended." Metcalfe's press conference comes as hundreds of people across central Pennsylvania have been arrested by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in recent months. The press conference, held at the Capitol's Media Center, was attended by about two dozen demonstrators, who for the most part remained silent throughout the event. Representing such groups as Tuesdays with Toomey, REAL Citizens for Pennsylvania, CASA and Rise Up York, the demonstrators stood in silence holding posters up denouncing hate, a border wall among other issues. The demonstrators broke their silence every time Metcalfe used the phrase "illegal aliens," rebuking him by calling out "humans." Metcalfe said the bills - which have either been drafted or about to be introduced - address the "illegal alien issue" in the Commonwealth. Metcalfe's legislation - HB 856 - is modeled after a similar Arizona law that requires all employers and government agencies to enroll in and deploy the federal E-Verify program, which is used to validate a prospective employee's Social Security number. Failure to comply would result in suspension of all state licenses, permits, registrations or certificates held by a private business "caught employing illegal aliens." Metcalfe, who has for years advocated tough laws to target illegal immigration, said the bills would encourage the federal government to work with the state rather than "against the lives and property of American citizens." Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, says the Commonwealth has a "new opportunity" to address illegal immigration with the Trump administration in the White House. Metcalfe said the legislative package comes at a time when the Commonwealth has a "new opportunity" to address the issue. Metcalfe is joined in the legislative proposals by Representatives Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon), Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin), Jerry Knowles (R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill), Ryan Warner (R-Fayette/Westmoreland). Knowles introduced legislation targeting sanctuary cities and college campuses. So-called sanctuary entities extend protection to undocumented immigrants from federal authorities and deportation. Philadelphia Mayor Kim Kenney, who has declared his city a sanctuary city, has said he will not comply with Trump's executive order, which would strip away federal funding to such jurisdictions. The law is the law," Knowles said. "If you want to change the law, there's a process you use to go about to change the law. Illegal immigration is a problem and enforcing our existing laws is the solution." Knowles said that he and his Republican colleagues favor legal immigration but that "in all fairness to the taxpayers of Pennsylvania and the people of this country we have obligation to be certain that the laws that are on the books are enforced. We can't select what laws we are going to go by." Elizabeth Alex, regional director of CASA, excoriated the tone and tenor of the press conference and its message. "It's deplorable that we have elected officials that are spouting information that is not based on facts but based perhaps on alternative facts and based on a lot of rhetoric that we heard in last election cycle," she said. "We repeatedly heard human beings referred to as aliens. We heard civil immigration violations referred to as criminal law. We just heard over and over misinformation and also a strong message of hate and that the real goal is actually not to fix any problems. The real goal is to shut the door and say that people of color and immigrants are not welcome in our state and that's really a sad day for Pennsylvania." During the press conference the ACLU of Pennsylvania tweeted: Rep Jerry Knowles wants universities to give up students' private data to law enforcement without a warrant. We oppose HB 14. #getawarrant pic.twitter.com/YC4MxujaFj ACLU of Pennsylvania (@aclupa) March 13, 2017 Metcalfe said that foreign nationals who are here without legal status have violated the laws of the country. "Every illegal alien is a law breaker who broke the law from the time they stepped foot across our border to remaining within our border by violating a multitude of laws just to exist in our economy." Jackee Jackson.jpg Jackee Jackson, right, is comforted by Nicole Morton, who dropped off donations for Jackson's great-grandchildren and family, who are victims of the March 10 fire in Harrisburg. (Barbara Miller) While mourning the death of 2-year-old Ashanti Hughes, Chaka Crawford was heading to hospitals today to visit two other children in her family who were injured in Friday's fire in uptown Harrisburg. Nicole Morton of Harrisburg drops off donations for Lexington Street fire victims. "This is going to be a very long journey for everyone," said Chaka Crawford. "I'm staying strong for all the babies." She is an extended family member of Ashanti Hughes, 2, who died Saturday morning of injuries suffered in the fire in the 2500 block of Lexington Street. And she's engaged to the father of Savannah Dominick, 10, who remains in critical condition in Lehigh Valley Burn Center. She is also an extended family member of Emoni Jackson, 3, who is in fair condition in Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Savannah is scheduled to undergo her first surgery today, Crawford said. "They're keeping her stable - she's doing a little better, but she's still in critical condition," she said. Savannah was burned over more than 90 percent of her body, she said. Emoni is "doing good - they expect her to have a full recovery," Crawford said. She wasn't burned, but had stitches and some smoke inhalation. Ashanti Hughes "was a beautiful little girl - the most beautiful thing in this world," Crawford said, dissolving in tears. She was going to turn 3 on March 29. Her family lost everything in the fire, which is believed to have started from a charging hoverboard. "It doesn't compare to losing my granddaughter," she added. '"This is taking a toll on everything in that house," Crawford said, adding that they are going to need counseling. Jackee Jackson, who considers herself a great-grandmother to the children, is collecting donations of clothing at her home at 1940 Mulberry Street. As the donations begin to come in, she carefully logs names and addresses so she can send thank you notes. "I'm so thankful God sent good people my way," Jackee said. Nicole Morton, who lives around the corner, brought bags of clothing she was going to take to a consignment shop or charity. "We are devastated," she said. "You just see people in need," Morton said. A total of eight people lived in the house, including six children. Clothing sizes are needed in these sizes: Mens pants: 36, 38 and 44 Mens shirts: XL and 4X Women pants: 18-20 Women shirts: 1X or 2X Boys pants: 12-14 Boys shirts: Medium Girls clothing: 10-12 and 4t Shoe sizes: Men 10 1/2, Womens 6, Youth 2 and 8 and children's 9 and 10 A GoFundMe page has been established to raise money for Savannah Dominick and her family and for Chaka Crawford and family. Another GoFundMe campaign has been established for Lt. Dennis DeVoe, who was killed after being involved in a hit-and-run crash while enroute to the fire. The Red Cross is assisting the families, and donations to the Red Cross can be made through its website. Harrisburg city firefighters are paid professionals. But just like any first responder, that doesn't mean they also don't feel very human pain when a rescue effort is unsuccessful, or when one of their own is killed in the line of duty. Those outcomes leave a mark, and Harrisburg's Bureau of Fire had both of those boxes checked in one call Friday night. A The And then, as those who have worked in the emergency services business know can happen at any time, the next call came: This time, a challenging blaze driving through a block of attached rowhomes on another breezy day. Sunday's fire was a bad one, by any definition. At its height, it spewed choking smoke across the intersection of 15th and Market Streets more than two blocks away, and it left several city households facing the loss of possessions. But in another way, Chief Brian Enterline said, it just may have had a therapeutic quality for his battered men and women. First of all, everyone in the burning homes was able to get out safely. The worst injury from Sunday's blaze was a city firefighter who had twisted his knee and was taken to Harrisburg Hospital for a check, Enterline said. And from a purely fire-fighting point of view, crews were able to achieve a difficult secondary goal of preventing a second set of rowhomes on the same block from igniting. This "did some good things for the guys because we were able to show that we're still firefighters and we're still able to do a job, and that was proven by not having fire in the rest of this row of buildings," Enterllne said. The chief, who responded to the call directly from a meeting on Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe's funeral, could not conceal his pride. There were points, he allowed Sunday, when firefighters involved with Friday's tragedy had tears in their eyes as they talked about their frustration at not being able to get to those kids a little bit earlier. "That has affected the guys that made the rescues of those kids, and in fact as I was talking to a few of them here on the scene... we had tears in our eyes talking about it because they couldn't get to the kids quick enough," Enterline said. "These things happen, and we have our way of grieving. That's why we've asked for a lot of privacy and haven't put out a whole lot to the media." And then, there was this eery coincidence: In a weird twist of fate, police tape blocking traffic at the latest scene stretched right across the intersection where, two nights before, DeVoe's vehicle was struck. DeVoe, a married father of four from Stewartstown, died Saturday as a result of injuries he suffered in the crash. "We're grieving for the families on Lexington Street. We're grieving for our own family," Enterline acknowledged. But, he added, "the men and women of this Bureau of Fire busted their humps today, and it proves that we are resilient and that we're going to remain strong and that we're going to continue to be strong through this trying time that we have right now... "And quite frankly, you know, as we talked amongst ourselves here," the chief added, "that is what Lieutenant DeVoe would want." The Roosevelt Inn in Philadelphia is being sued for providing rooms to human traffickers who forced girls to become prostitutes. Philly.com reports that the complaint was filed on behalf of a Philadelphia girl that was forced into prostitution at 14-year-old. The lawsuit is believed to be the first under the state's 2014 human trafficking law. "This lawsuit is the first among many to come that will hold hotel and motel owners, among others, accountable when they knowingly allow victimization of the most vulnerable in our society," said Tom Kline, the plaintiff's attorney, in a statement. The lawsuit -- filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court -- names the Roosevelt Inn, manager Yagna Patel and the motel's parent company, UFVS Management Company as defendants. Philly.com said the lawsuit contends that the now-17-year-old girl was enslaved and forced to perform sexual acts with men in 2013 and 2014 at the motel. The motel, the lawsuit contends, regularly provided rooms to her traffickers to provide financial gain. Read more about the lawsuit at Cops lights PennLive.jpg File photo. A dog attack on a plainclothes police detective in Pittsburgh ended with that detective being accidentally shot in the foot by his partner who had attempted to come to his aid. According to early reports, the incident occurred in the city's Hazelwood neighborhood on Friday, where plainclothes police detectives were conducting a drug investigation. As one of the detectives approached a suspect, officials said the detective was attacked by a dog. KDKA-TV reports that when the dog rushed forward to attack the detective, the detective's partner came to his aid, firing his weapon at the dog. According to the station, the dog was struck and the detective being attacked by the dog was also struck in the foot. The wounded detective was transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he was treated and discharged. Pittsburgh police have declined to identify either of the detectives involved, saying an investigation into the shooting continues. WTAE-TV said that the dog involved in the incident ran away after the gunfire but was eventually found and taken to the Animal Rescue League for treatment. There were also reports that a man who identified the dog as a family pet became aggressive with camera operators from several local TV stations who were there covering the shooting. According to TribLive.com, the man at one point slapped a cell phone from the hand of a WTAE-TV reporter. Police were called to deal with the altercation. It was not immediately clear if there would be any charges filed against the man as a result. protesters Silent protesters staged demonstration during a press conference Monday hosted by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler. The lawmaker said protesters had no right to be present. (Ivey DeJesus/PennLive) Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, on Monday said a group of demonstrators who staged a protest during his press conference on illegal immigration had no right to be present. During a post-event interview Metcalfe objected to the characterization that the protesters, who for the most part remained silent during the event, were "silent protesters." "They weren't silent protesters," he said. "They were protesters here disrupting a scheduled event in the Media Center where they were not even allowed to be in the nature that they were here but we allowed them to remain." The press conference was held at the Media Center at the state Capitol. A representative from the General Services Office said members of the public are typically welcomed at press events in the center except when press events are specifically deemed open only to credentialed media. In those cases, anyone wishing to gain entrance must show his or her media credentials at the door. No such check was carried out at Monday's press conference. Metcalfe called the press conference to roll out a legislative package of bills aimed at curbing what he termed "illegal alien invasion." Metcalfe said the Commonwealth had a new opportunity, given that there was "a new sheriff" in the White House. Legislation introduced would target businesses and state entities that hired undocumented immigrants; and would require employers to use a federal database to verify the Social Security numbers of prospective employees. About two dozen protesters attended the press conference, carrying posters calling out hate, a border wall and other issues tied to the illegal immigration debate. The demonstrators largely remained silent throughout the event, standing up at one point in the middle of the press conference. At one point they left their seats to stand against a wall, their posters in their hands. The demonstrators broke their silence every time Metcalfe and other speakers used the term "illegal alien," calling out in response to the term with "humans." Towards the end of the press conference, they walked out in a single-file line to the front of the room and stood facing the audience (mostly media), their backs to the lawmakers up on the stage. The protestors represented a handful of different groups, including Tuesdays with Toomey, Rise Up York, REAL Citizens of Pennsylvania and CASA. Elizabeth Alex, the regional director of CASA, said she frequently attends press conferences in the Media Center as a member of the public and has never been told that she had no right to be there. "We didn't consider this something different," she said. "We were there exercising our First Amendment rights." Alex said that she was disappointed that neither Metcalfe nor other lawmakers opened the press conference up for questions. Media also was not given an opportunity to ask questions. "We would have liked an opportunity to address some of the misinformation that Representative Metcalfe and his colleagues were distributing to the press." CSIS director Michel Coulombe waits to appear at a Senate national security committee, in Ottawa in a March 9, 2015, file photo. The head of Canada's spy agency says he is retiring. Coulombe told employees at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service today that he will leave the service at the end of May to move on to the next stage of his life and spend more time with his family. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Omar Khadr leaves court after a judge ruled to relax bail conditions in Edmonton on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. Former Guantanamo Bay inmate Khadr is recovering from a 19-hour operation on a shoulder that was badly injured in Afghanistan 15 years ago, his lawyer said Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken JoBurg girls' cross country captures school's first state championship After falling just short of a regional title last Saturday, the JoBurg girls responded by claiming the ultimate prize at MIS this past weekend. Rex Tillerson has recused himself from Keystone pipeline issues -State Dept WASHINGTON Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has recused himself from issues related to TransCanada Corp's application for a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, the State Department said in a letter on Thursday to the environmental group Greenpeace. "He has not worked on that matter at the Department of State, and will play no role in the deliberations or ultimate resolution of TransCanada's application," said the letter from Katherine McManus, the State Department's deputy legal adviser. McManus' letter came after Greenpeace wrote to officials at the State Department and the Office of Government Ethics on Wednesday, urging Tillerson recuse himself from any decisions on the multibillion-dollar pipeline, given his former role as chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp.. Greenpeace argued in its letter that Exxon Mobil would "directly and predictably" benefit from the approval of Keystone XL because the firm has investments in Canadian oil sands. Tillerson recused himself from the matter in early February, McManus wrote. TransCanada tried for more than five years to build the 1,179-mile (1,897-km) pipeline, until President Barack Obama rejected it in 2015. TransCanada resubmitted its application for the Keystone project in January, after Obama's White House successor, Donald Trump, signed an order smoothing its path. The line is designed to link existing pipeline networks in Canada and the United States to bring crude from Alberta and North Dakota to refineries in Illinois en route to the Gulf of Mexico. Exxon has a majority stake in Imperial Oil, a Calgary, -Alberta-based company that operates the Kearl oil sands project in northern Alberta. "Exxon Mobil could benefit from the approval of the pipeline if it has specific contracts or agreements with TransCanada either to transport their Canadian tar sands production, or to receive such shipments at their U.S. refineries," Greenpeace wrote in its letter on Wednesday. Tillerson wrote in a January letter to McManus that for one year after his resignation from Exxon Mobil, he "will not participate personally and substantially in any particular matter involving specific parties in which I know that Exxon Mobil is a party or represents a party, unless I am first authorized to participate." He also wrote that "on a case-by-case basis," he would recuse himself "from participation in any particular matter involving specific parties in which I determine that a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question my impartiality in the matter, unless I am first authorized to participate." CERAWeek: Oil industry agresive in reducing cost and deepwater exploration HOUSTON Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 Deepwater oil drilling can be expensive, time-consuming and a hard sell to investors. But the world's top energy firms are restarting their search for giant oilfields under the ocean after a two-year lull. A recovery in oil prices to about $50 a barrel from a 12-year low in 2016 is reviving oil majors' appetite for risk. Reductions in offshore production costs mean that some projects may be able to compete with North American shale fields, executives said at an energy conference in Houston this week. The recovery in the industry has so far been focused on onshore shale output from the largest U.S. oilfield, the Permian Basin. "Our competition over the past years has evolved from 'we want to be the best in deepwater' to 'we want to compete with shale' to 'we want to beat the Permian'," Wael Sawan, Royal Dutch Shell's executive vice president for deepwater, said in an interview. Shell is the largest deepwater producer among the world's top publicly traded oil companies and is set to pump 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) from such projects by the end of the decade. Firms such as Shell and Exxon Mobil, who specialize in complex offshore exploration, slashed budgets after oil prices collapsed in 2014. Spending cuts were so drastic that the Paris-based International Energy Agency warned this week of a looming supply crunch beyond 2020. Shell has cut well costs by at least 50 percent, reduced logistics cost by three quarters and cut staff by nearly a third to make developments in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and Nigeria profitable at oil prices below $40 a barrel, on par with the most profitable shale wells, Sawan said. Other companies such as France's Total have seen similar cost cuts. SNIPER FOCUS After cutting the cost of deepwater development, companies are also reviving the search for new resources. They are focusing exploration efforts on areas close to existing fields to maximize the chances of discovery and minimize costs. Many such areas are in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia. "It is a very selective, sniper focus," Sawan said. Some firms are poised to benefit from decreased competition, lower costs of marine seismic studies and drilling rigs, and cheaper opportunities to acquire exploration licences from governments eager to attract investment. "Right now, we've entered the best time in the last decade to be in the exploration business," Gregory Hebertson, who heads Murphy's western hemisphere exploration, said at the CERAWeek conference in Houston. "There is probably a two- or three-year window that we can capture the cost efficiency in the market." Discovering new resources is essential for oil firms to grow and to offset natural decline of fields. But deepwater exploration requires money, time, expertise - and luck. Some shareholders would prefer that oil firms stick to other, less risky growth options, said Federico Arisi Rota, executive vice president Americas for Italy's Eni, which operates major offshore drilling projects. "We must compete with alternative growth options that might be considered more attractive," such as growth through mergers and acquisitions or investing in shale oil production, Rota said. Pressure to limit company spending amid a slow recovery in oil prices is also putting a break on big exploration campaigns. "We know exploration spending is not always appreciated by investors," Kevin McLachlan, head of exploration for Total said. RISKIER PLANS AHEAD Eni is considered one of the most successful explorers after the discovery of giant gas fields in Egypt in recent years. It aims at discovering 2 to 3 billion barrels of oil and gas this year through drilling 115 offshore wells near Africa, Mexico, Norway and Asia, Rota said. A "more aggressive" exploration program is planned to start in 2018 in riskier and more expensive regions such as the Arctic, which offer the potential big discoveries, he said. Deepwater resources will be required to keep up with the growing demand, regardless of output growth in shale oil fields, Total's McLachlan said. Such projects are "key to our long-term plan, and we believe it is the same for the industry no matter the near-term focus on the Permian," McLachlan said, referring to the largest U.S. oilfield in west Texas. Hess Corp Chief Executive John Hess said the company's Liza development, off the coast of Guyana, was crucial to his company's growth potential and estimated to have as much as 2 billion barrels of oil. "This is one of the largest oil discoveries in the last 10 years," Hess said in an interview. President Putin met new Exxon CEO - Kremlin MOSCOW Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that President Vladimir Putin had met new Exxon Mobil chief executive officer Darren Woods on Thursday. Russia's energy minister, Alexander Novak, and Rosneft head Igor Sechin attended the meeting, according to the spokesman. "This is a very big company and it is a major investor. This is why it receives special treatment," Peskov said in reference to Exxon Mobil. He also said Moscow will keep working on improving the environment for all foreign investors. Story reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Christian Lowe from Reuters. reuters.com 03 10 2017 Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article . Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels CERAWeek 2017 MAR 6-10, 2017 HOUSTON, TX CERAWeek live Shell still cool on Iranian oil buys despite sanctions relief LONDON Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 Royal Dutch Shell has bought only three cargoes of Iranian oil since sanctions were eased a year ago, a small fraction of what it used to buy and an indication of the legal difficulties and high prices that still hamper the trade. The Anglo-Dutch firm did not give a reason for the drop in purchases, which were disclosed in its annual report, and the company declined to comment further. But oil trading sources say Iranian oil is often too expensive and in any case remaining sanctions make dealing with the Islamic Republic a legal minefield. As an example of sanctions-related difficulties, Shell's filings showed it had to disclose payments of only a few hundred dollars when its employees bought tickets with Iranian airlines. After an accord was reached over Iran's nuclear programme, the European Union eased sanctions on Iran in January 2016 and the United States lifted some restrictions on dollar trade, moves that have allowed Iran to raise its oil exports sharply. But while trade with Asian and European buyers soared, many oil majors subject to U.S. legal jurisdiction remain cautious about buying Iranian oil. Earlier this month the Trump administration imposed new sanctions after Iran tested a ballistic missile. The price of falling foul of sanctions can be very high. In 2014 French bank BNP Paribas agreed to pay almost $9 billion to resolve accusations that it had violated U.S. sanctions including those against Iran. Iran said last month that U.S. sanctions were making it impossible to cooperate with American firms on energy projects. Of the oil majors, only Total has been buying Iranian crude over the past year in volumes comparable to pre-sanctions levels. France's biggest oil firm is looking to clinch a new deal with Tehran to develop oil and gas reserves. THREE CARGOES Shell said in its annual report it had bought only three cargoes of Iranian oil over the past year. These were a $45 million cargo in May, on which it made a profit of $1.1 million, followed by 2 cargoes in December costing $103 million and $106 million respectively. Those are still in transit so no profit or loss has been yet made on them, Shell said. During the course of 2016, Shell also repaid $1.942 billion in debts to Iran for oil purchases it made before stricter EU sanctions were imposed on Iran in 2012. At that times, Shell was buying as much as 200,000 barrels per day or six large cargoes of Iranian oil a month. Despite some easing of U.S. restriction on trading with Iran in dollars, Shell said none of the payments was made in dollars. But even with the difficulties, Shell said it had re-opened an office in Iran in 2016 and signed non-binding agreements with the National Iranian Oil Co to work together in the petrochemical sector, in oil and gas developments, and in gas export opportunities. In a level of disclosure characteristic only of dealings with countries under U.S. sanctions, Shell also reported a series of tiny transactions with Tehran in 2016. These included $224 in stamp duties, $168 paid to the Iranian consulate in the Netherlands to notarise documents, and $592 for tickets with Iranian airlines. Shell, whose international dealings are usually reckoned in tens of millions of dollars, also disclosed a small fuel sale to the Iranian embassy in Argentina. "This transaction generated gross revenue of $296 and an estimated net profit of $23," the report said. CERAWeek: U.S. senators voice skepticism over U.S. border tax HOUSTON Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 Two top U.S. senators voiced skepticism on Friday about a possible U.S. border tax, worrying it could boost prices for gasoline and other consumer goods. "The more I've looked at it, the more I worry the assumptions upon which it's based are unproven," John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said at the CERAWeek conference in Houston, the world's largest gathering of energy executives and regulators. "I'm not really interested in anything that's going to be increasing the price of gasoline for folks in Alaska," Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate's energy and natural resources committee, said at the conference. Oil down on Friday for a third day as glut worries persist NEW YORK Petroleumworld.com 03 13 2017 Oil prices fell for a third day on Friday, extending a selloff on heightened worries that OPEC-led production cuts have not yet reduced a global glut of crude. Market confidence faltered earlier this week, after news of another big rise in U.S. crude inventories to record highs as domestic oil production has grown. On Thursday, U.S. crude tumbled below $50 a barrel for the first time since December, raising alarm among major oil producers like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Senior Saudi officials told U.S. oil firms in a closed-door meeting they should not assume OPEC would extend output curbs to offset rising production from U.S. shale fields, industry sources told Reuters on Thursday. Separately, Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazrouei, energy minister for the United Arab Emirates, told Reuters this week the rise in U.S. inventories was a "worry," and that "investors need to be cautious not to bring so much production on line," because OPEC "cannot do it in isolation of others." U.S. oil and gas drilling has picked up, with producers planning to expand crude production in North Dakota, Oklahoma and other shale regions, while output has jumped in the Permian, America's largest oilfield. Baker Hughes will release its weekly U.S. rig count data just after 1 p.m. That has cast doubt on how long OPEC will be willing to cut output if prices keep falling. U.S. crude fell 23 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $49.05 a barrel, as of 11:25 a.m. ET (1625 GMT).Brent crude oil was down 27 cents at $51.92 a barrel. U.S. crude is on track for a drop of more than 7 percent this week, its biggest weekly fall for five months. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other exporters including Russia agreed last year to cut output by around 1.8 million barrels per day in the first half of 2017, but so far the move has had little impact on inventory levels. Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iraq said this week at an energy conference in Houston that it was too early to consider whether cuts would be extended beyond June. "To the extent that people are concerned that OPEC decides not to extend, you have a real concern about downside weakness, where breaking back below $40 a barrel I don't think is out of the question," said Tony Scott, managing director of analytics at BTU Analytics in Denver. Crude inventories in the United States, the world's top oil consumer, swelled by 8.2 million barrels last week to a record 528.4 million barrels. Analysts said they expected the market to consolidate after the steep decline this week, but there could be another sell-off if investors were forced to sell loss-making contracts. Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note to clients they still thought Brent crude would end this year higher, at around $62.50, and reach $75 by end-2020. However, they also said the gains in the wake of the OPEC deal could be unwound due to weak gasoline demand, more drilling and heavy long positions. Futures positioning figures will be released Friday afternoon. Last week's data showed crude longs edged off record levels, but the net long position of 421,000 contracts still represents strong bullish sentiment. 12 Top-Rated Hiking Trails in Washington State Written by Brad Lane Mar 10, 2020 Among the many recreational opportunities found in Washington, the state is perhaps best known for some of the top hiking trails in the world. Trails span the rugged coast on the western edge of the state to the high desert landscape found inland to the east. Whether you're looking for waterfalls, mountain tops, or a glimpse of the geological past, Washington has enough trails to keep your calves burning throughout the year. Mount Rainier National Park | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane National parks in Washington deliver with a true smorgasbord of great hiking trails, and state parks in Washington also deliver with miles to explore. In fact, the entire state offers many great trails to choose from and plenty of side trips to explore along the way, and you will quickly find that many offer spectacular views that you don't think could get any better until you visit the next trail. Lace up your boots and head outdoors with our list of the best hiking trails in Washington state. 1. The Enchantments Trail, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest The Enchantments Trail | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane The Enchantments Trail is the epitome of high alpine exploration in Washington. Within the aptly named Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the Okanagon-Wenatchee National Forest, the grueling 18-mile "Enchantment Core" trail can be done in multiple days by obtaining a much sought-after permit. For a real challenge, the entire trail can also be done in one long day of hiking. With over 4,500 feet of elevation gain along the route, day hiking the Enchantment Core is recommended only for those in strong hiking condition. The hike up or down the formidable Aasgard Pass (depending on which way you go) is one of the most challenging sections of the trail. The sweat equity is well worth the views, though. The trail passes by several craggy peaks and interlinking alpine lakes. One hike and you'll be hooked, and you'll realize the Enchantments truly live up to their name. 2. Skyline Trail, Mount Rainier National Park Skyline Trail The main hiking trail in the Paradise hiking area of Mount Rainier National Park, the Skyline Trail is one of the most popular trails to explore the scenery surrounding Washington's most iconic mountain. Despite its crowds in the peak summer season, the Skyline Trail offers plenty of scenery to share. The 5.5-mile trail itself is wider than average trails, and it includes ample access to longer trails in the area. Departing from the parking area near the 1916 historic Paradise Inn, visitors are immediately greeted by subalpine meadows brimming with color. Farther down the trail, tourists encounter cascading water worthy of a postcard. An up-close view of the majestic Mount Rainier is also presented the entire way. The Skyline Trail is just one of many great hiking trails in Mount Rainier National Park. Other highlights in the park include Narada Falls and Spray Park. The Skyline Trail is also the first leg for many looking to summit Mount Rainier which is mostly done with a commercially guided adventure tour. Read More: Top-Rated Campgrounds at Mt. Rainier National Park 3. Cascade Pass Trail, North Cascades National Park Cascade Pass Trail The Cascade Pass Trail is one of the most accessible trails in the relatively remote North Cascades National Park. The trail is one of the best hikes in the North Cascades and provides some of the easiest terrain to take you deep into this wondrous mountain environment. The ease and accessibility of this trail makes it one of the most popular in the park, but with multiple views of craggy Cascade peaks and the glaciated valleys that define them, the Cascade Pass Trail is worth the sometimes-crowded conditions. The trail is accessed by driving 23 miles on Cascade River Road from Highway 20 near Marblemount. The road is partially paved to begin with and turns to gravel around the halfway mark. It's a seven-mile round-trip to Cascade Pass with a total of nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain spread across several switchbacks. More seasoned explorers can continue on the Sahale Arm Trail for more views of subalpine meadows and mountainous landscapes. Read More: Top-Rated Campgrounds at North Cascades National Park 4. Hoh River Trail, Olympic National Park Hoh River Trail On the Olympic Peninsula of Western Washington, Olympic National Park encompasses a wide variety of stunning landscapes. Alongside a rugged ocean shore and snowcapped Olympic Mountains, the national park is also home to a stunning rain forest. One of the best ways to explore this lush environment is on the Hoh River Trail on the northwest side of the park. At over 17 miles in length, the Hoh River Trail offers a choose-your-own-adventure for visitors. Users can travel as far as they'd like through the dense forest before turning back around. The trail is fairly level the entire way and wide enough at the beginning to support the crowds it receives in the summer. Backpackers can get a self-issued permit to spend the night on the trail. The trail gains significant elevation towards the end, where a stunning view of Blue Glacier and Mount Olympus await intrepid explorers. The Hoh River Trail is just one of several great hiking trails in Olympic National Park. 5. Goat Rocks Crest Trail Editor's Pick Goat Rocks Crest Trail | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane The entire portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that spans Washington is worth checking out. If you don't have time to trek these 500 miles, the section from Chinook Pass to White Pass, including the Goat Rocks Wilderness, is a must-do overnight hike for your bucket list. Covering roughly 28 miles and more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain, this section usually requires at least one night spent on trail. Because it's the PCT, campsite availability should never be a problem. It's the weather that is the biggest concern while climbing across the Goat Rocks Crest. The route follows a stunning, exposed ridgeline comprised of dinner-plate sized boulders. Hit this trail at the right time of year, however, and you can expect to see some spectacular views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens, among many other Cascade Mountain highlights. Read More: Best Day Hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail 6. Wallace Falls Trail, Wallace Falls State Park Wallace Falls Trail The Wallace Falls Trail within Wallace Falls State Park is one of the most popular trails in the state of Washington. It's not just the easy accessibility and moderate grade that draws crowds to this state park an hour from of Seattle, but also the incredible scenery found on every stretch of this 5.6-mile round-trip. The trail encompasses nine different waterfalls on the Wallace River, split between the lower, middle, and upper sections, and each dazzling display of cascading water is worth the trip itself. The trail has an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, but the only real climbing on this trail comes between the middle and upper falls. Even if you don't want to trek the entire trail, the lower and middle portions of the Wallace Falls Trail expose you to enough outstanding views of the surrounding Skykomish River Valley to keep you satisfied. 7. Steamboat Rock Trail, Steamboat Rock State Park Steamboat Rock While the western half of Washington gets most of the hiking notoriety, the high desert in eastern Washington provides a good concentration of amazing trails worth exploring. Perhaps one of the best examples is the Steamboat Rock Trail, next to Electric City in Steamboat Rock State Park. Steamboat Rock itself is a spectacular basalt butte that juts 800 feet up from the shores of Banks Lake with a surface area on top of 600 acres. To hike up to this impressive geological feature, the Steamboat Rock Trail includes a bit of a climb. The panoramic views of the surrounding region, however, are well worth the sore calf muscles. Atop the butte is a visual example of the impact the Ice Age had on Eastern Washington thousands of years ago. If you plan your hike for the spring, chances are you'll be trekking next to a bountiful concentration of wildflowers to accompany this age-old view. 8. Wonderland Trail, Mount Rainier National Park Wonderland Trail Circling the entire base of what is possibly Washington's most iconic peak, the Wonderland Trail travels for 93 miles around Mount Rainier. To hike along the many ups and downs of the Wonderland Trail, particularly during the peak season of summer, hikers are required to have a much sought-after permit to camp overnight. A lottery system for summer permits begins March 15. About 30 percent of permits are available on a walk-up basis. The National Park Service allows for a maximum of 14 days to travel the 93 miles. In that time, you can expect to see a healthy collection of stunning views of Mount Rainier from every angle. Hikers also get a full dose of the Cascade scenery including luscious meadows, shimmering alpine lakes, and rushing river crossings. 9. Sol Duc Falls Trail, Olympic National Park Sol Duc Falls Trail The Sol Duc Falls Trail is a family-friendly and popular outlet to explore the surrounding Sol Duc Valley, including the cascading Sol Duc River. The trail is easily accessed by either the Sol Duc Campground or Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort in Olympic National Park. The nearly two-mile hike to the impressive Sol Duc Falls is just the beginning of a longer trail that dives deep into the heart of the national park. For those seeking a longer haul, the trail continues into the Seven Lakes Basin with several views of alpine lakes and subalpine meadows. Advanced permits are required to camp in the Seven Lake Basin area of the park. The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort itself offers plenty of attractions to explore before or after your hike, including mineral baths, massages, and a comfortable place to recharge before your next hike in the park. 10. Lake Ann Trail, Mount Baker Highway Lake Ann Trail Not to be confused with the nearby Lake Ann found at Rainy Pass in North Cascades National Park, this Lake Ann Trail is in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Accessed from the Mount Baker Highway, this trail offers unparalleled views of Mount Baker and, more notably, Mount Shuksan, all from the calm shores of the serene Lake Ann. The aptly named Artist Point marks the beginning of this wild and wonderful trail. This 8.2-mile trail isn't just another walk in the park, however, and the steep elevation in both directions at the beginning of the trail will test your legs and leave you wondering if the pain is worth it. The trail climbs nearly 2,000 feet, with some sections including large boulders that hikers must navigate. Once you approach the shoreline, though, and witness the pristine Washington wilderness reflecting off the glacier-fed water of Lake Ann, you'll see for yourself that the hard work was well worth the effort. 11. Umatilla Rock Trail, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park Umatilla Rock Trail If you are seeking to immerse yourself in the eastern Washington landscape, there is no better place to do it than Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park near Coulee City. The defining feature of this high desert landscape is the cliffside of Dry Falls. Thousands of years ago, during monumental Ice Age floods, this massive water feature was more than twice the size of Niagara Falls. While there are many great ways to witness this massive geological namesake, including the nearby Lenore Caves Trail, the view along the Umatilla Rock Trail is the way to go. This five-mile trail features an upwards look from the bottom of the 400-foot cliff that is the impressive Dry Falls. The Umatilla Rock Trail is a looped trail that circumnavigates Umatilla Rock itself, providing a unique look at the arid landscape presented by Eastern Washington. 12. Ape Cave Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Ape Cave Trail | iwona_kellie / photo modified Within Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, the Ape Cave Trail plunges visitors into a subterranean world. Extending for more than two miles underground, the Ape Cave Trail provides access to one of the longest lava tubes in the nation, if not the most easily accessible, meaning that every member of the family can explore this new world beneath their feet. For more adventurous explorers, the Upper Cave trail features a point-to-point two-mile hike with scrambling involved. This unique lava tube is just one of many great hiking trails at Mt. St. Helens. While visiting the Ape Cave Trail, it's not only important to pack the necessary gear, including multiple light sources, but to also respect the cave's resources by staying on the trail and not disturbing the naturally quiet and darkened environment. For an easier trek, the Lower Cave trail is an out-and-back, three-quarters-of-a-mile trail with few features to climb over. More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com More Hiking Trails in Washington: Washington's national parks are hot spots for hiking trails in the state. The best hiking trails at Mount Rainier National Park feature waterfalls, alpine meadows, and plenty of great views of the mountain. Likewise, the top hiking trails in Olympic National Park feature paths that traverse coastal environments, rain forests, and mountainous landscapes. For some fun in the North Cascades, our guide to hiking trails in North Cascades National Park will truly test your legs. More Washington Wonders: Our guide to the best state and national parks in Washington can have you exploring wild landscapes for a lifetime. For some steamy appeal and sore muscle relievers, the top hot springs in Washington feature luscious surroundings and hot water. If winter is more your thing, the best ski resorts in Washington deliver adventure during the colder months of the year. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest nostalgia features and photo stories straight to your inbox A shopkeeper who has spent his whole career fighting for the West End of the city centre is about to turn his back on the area - and move closer to Drake Circus. Richard Brewster says that after years of decreasing profits, he's decided on moving his specialist battery store towards the top of town. Mr Brewster has fought fiercely for the area from his batteries emporium Brewsters. But he told The Herald that decreasing profits, a lease up for renewal, falling rents in the city centre, and a lack of support from other traders in the area and the Plymouth BID itself had forced his hand. The city centre manager, however, hit back, saying the area was about to be rebranded with a "vibrant" new feel. "People stopped caring," he says. "Nobody was interested in getting stuff done". "When I move in to the new site I think it will be time to resign from all of that work," he says. "I'll be too far away and I'll no longer be a part of the West End." After his long struggle to bring people to the West End, he says it is time to try something new. "We haven't been making a profit for the past few years," Mr Brewster said. "With rents coming down in the city centre quite drastically now, we are taking advantage of that to move to a much bigger shop." According to Richard the rent of his new store, which will be next to Waterstones on New George Street, will cost 75 per cent less than it used to. "The only way to go forward is to grow, you can't stand still," he said. "If this doesn't work then I'll have to have a serious look at the business." The 70-year-old first moved to the West End in the early 1990s following the closure of his manufacturing business on Union Street, which he started with his father Sydney in the 1970s. He has been fighting to promote the area ever since. From his role as chairman of the Frankfort Gate Traders association, to his more recent role as secretary of the Market Traders Association, Mr Brewster worked hard to support the West End. "We looked out for each other, and we worked hard to bring people down here," he said. The move will surely come as a blow to the other West End traders, who Mr Brewster has fought alongside for the last 20 years. Ray Robbins has been the chairman of the Market Traders association for the last 25 years, and he has been working closely with Mr Brewster since he started on Union Street. "We've worked hard together on many projects over the years to bring people down to this area of town," Mr Robbins said. "Richard is an activist, and he has a soft spot for the West End. "I don't think he could completely give up any involvement. "I don't expect he'll be able to help out with everything like he used but I hope that we could call on him if I needed him." Throughout his time in the West End, Mr Brewster fought hard to organise a range of events and activities in the area aimed at attracting customers and increasing footfall. These included markets, fairground rides and festivals aimed at bringing people in. When asked what he thought of the move, Mr Robbins told The Herald: "I think he's brave and I wish him all the best." Mr Brewster also criticized the Plymouth BID for not providing enough opportunities for the West End. "They promised to increase the bottom line for traders," he said. "That hasn't happened." He told The Herald that he was initially behind the BID, even campaigning for it to be instated. But he says that he now feels the scheme was a waste of money, which has not helped the West End traders. He referenced events such as Flavour Fest and the Christmas Market, which he describes as a barrier between the top and the bottom of town. "Those events aren't thought through," Mr Brewster said. "I will lose money on those days and my footfall will plummet." Jon Walton, City Centre Manager for the Plymouth BID, said: "I respect Richard's views and I respect him as a businessman. "I would argue that we have done a lot more in that end of town than he is suggesting as we have been running more events aimed at getting people down to the West End. "In 2015 when I took over as city centre manager there was only one event in the West End. "After I took over we held four event in the West End last year and this year we intend to host at least four or more events in the West End. "We will also be launching a colourful and vibrant rebranding for the area in April in association with Plymouth College of Art. "This will hopefully make the area more appealing to customers and increase footfall to the area. "This scheme is based on feedback from the traders who though that the area was too grey. "We are trying to increase footfall throughout the entire city centre but it is a challenging time." VIDEO: FL Marine Deputy Saves Fallen Jet Skiers from Oncoming Cruise Ship Two women operating a jet ski fell off their vehicle in Florida's Port Canaveral Saturday afternoon and were rescued from being struck by a cruise ship by a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy and a quick-thinking harbor pilot. Skylar Penpasuglia, 19, and Allison Garrett, 20, both of Princeton, WV, were on Spring Break and riding the jet ski when one of the riders fell from the Jet Ski and it flipped upside down. As the two frantically tried to right the Jet Ski, the wind pushed them into the Port channel; directly into the path of the outgoing Carnival Magic cruise ship. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey wrote on Facebook: "Due to the narrow width of the ports channel, there was very little room to maneuver the ship; however, Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown slightly veered the ship when SeaPort Security Marine Deputy Taner Primmer steered his boat into the path of the ship and quickly pulled the two girls onboard the Sheriffs Office Safe Boat. Once safely onboard, Deputy Primmer immediately backed the Safe Boat out of the ships path and into an area of safety. Were it not for the quick actions of both Deputy Primmer and Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown, the girls could have been pulled under the ship causing potentially serious if not fatal injuries. "I could not be more proud of the actions of Deputy Tanner Primmer, a member of our SeaPort Security Marine Unit who placed his life in peril without hesitation to rescue the Port visitors, and the Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown who not only maintained communication with Deputy Primmer, but was able to safely veer the ship, which provided Deputy Primmer the extra seconds needed to save the young girls." Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Myers, responding to citizen complaints, has suspended operations of an emergency medical team deployed with police at protests since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. A member of a citizens group called Empower Portland spoke last week before the Portland City Council, telling commissioners the group objects to firefighters dressing in police riot gear, which it says sends a message that the Fire Bureau was not impartial at the event. Empower Portland spokesman Standard Schaefer also displayed a photograph of an embedded EMT who wore a Blue Lives Matter patch on his uniform shirt. EMTs were embedded with riot officers after Empower Portland representatives said EMTs took too long to reach the scene of an Oct. 12 clash between protesters and police at City Hall. Since the embedded EMT team was launched, 10 people have been treated at about a half dozen protests, fire officials said, for these reasons: laceration, tear gas, pepper spray, loss of consciousness, diabetic reaction, chest pain and asthma. During the suspension of the Fire Bureau's team, Myers said he wants to explore finding protective gear that is distinct from a riot officer's and has clear "medic" or "EMT" labels on the uniform, Oregon Live reports. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In Florida last week while the nation was mesmerized by the non-stop news that Americas government has been infiltrated by Ruskie operatives with a veritable cadre of Russian spies firmly ensconced in the White House, the states Supreme Court upheld as constitutional a Florida law that prohibited open carry of firearms in public. A practice that has been banned since the nations founding and just recently imposed by NRA-indebted Republicans to enrich the gun industry. The Florida High Courts Justices ruled that the Second Amendment does not protect that ridiculous open carry practice and it was another setback for the NRAs attempts to force the nations courts to abolish any and all firearm restrictions as unconstitutional. The Florida High Court concluded, like many other state and federal courts around the nation, that the Second Amendment cannot be read to prohibit states from regulating the various ways guns are kept and used. The Court heard the challenge to the Florida statute after a man was arrested and charged with openly carrying a handgun while strolling alongside a U.S. Highway. The ruling began by acknowledging that virtually any adult who has no physical impairment or felony record can carry a gun in public in Florida; it just has to be concealed. It was too much of a restriction for the Florida gun fanatic who had to show off his manhood in public and cried foul. He argued that specifically; the Second Amendment protected his right to openly carry firearms and that the Florida law was an unconstitutional violation of his 2nd Amendment rights. The man claimed that according to the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in D.C. v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago created an individuals right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense. The frightened gun enthusiast said if an individual has a constitutional right to keep a handgun at home for protection, it is just obvious it also granted him the constitutional right to walk around in public with his gun in plain view for all to see. The Florida High Court used the exact same analysis deployed by virtually every Federal Circuit Court in considering the NRAs 2nd Amendment challenges to a states firearm rules. The Court asked: Whether the law burdens conduct protected by the Second Amendment based on a historical understanding of [its] scope, or whether it falls into a historically unprotected category of prohibitions. The court found that the law did not fall into a historically unprotected category, and instead implicated the central component of the Second Amendmentthe right to self-defense. The Courts majority quoted an influential law review article and noted what historians, not NRA historical revisionists, have known for a couple of centuries: [T]he notion of a strong tradition of a right to carry outside of the home rests on a set of historical myths and a highly selective reading of the evidence. The only persuasive evidence for a strong tradition of permissive open carry is limited to the slave South. In a recent 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, the Court noted that firearm restrictions that fall outside historical protections for the right to bear arms are presumptively constitutional. However, since the concept of open carry has no firm tradition in our legal history, there is more than enough justification for the constitutionality of open carry bans. Last weeks ruling may not have been a giant win for gun safety advocates, but it was a major defeat for gun fanatics simply because they seem to never lose; at least not any losses the media is willing to report. The Florida Supreme Court decision was handed down barely a few weeks after a 4th Circuit decision ruled that the Second Amendment does not protect assault weapons, and within a year of the 9th Circuit Courts ruling that there is no constitutional right to concealed carry; something that has been widely banned since the nations founding. As noted by Marc Joseph Stern at Slate, because the Supreme Court clearly has little appetite to expand Heller and McDonald, these decisions will probably stand as the last word on the subject. Gun safety advocates can possibly take a measure of solace knowing that no matter how remote the chance to achieve much in the way of legislative victories in the NRA-controlled Congress, these few court rulings are highly unlikely to be overturned by the Supreme Court; unless Trump disbands the High Court and replaces it with the governing board of the NRA. It is something that is not remotely implausible. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Network morning shows continue to give Kellyanne Conway airtime, as she abuses the public airwaves with false statements. Television networks need to do the right thing and ban her from appearing on their programs. Conway appeared on NBCs Today: Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie asked Conway about Trumps claim that the jobs numbers were fake, but now they are real. Conway answered by claiming that there was a lot of fakery under Obama, Hes also talking about things that were fake like you can keep your doctor if you like your doctor. You can keep your plan if you like your plan for people who were promised something that never came. On 19 different occasions, Trump called the jobs numbers fake, and Kellyanne Conway continued to spread that lie by suggesting that things during the Obama years were fake. Conway also appeared on ABCs Good Morning America: https://youtu.be/0VL4NZXWjfQ Conway claimed during the GMA interview that no one will lose their health care under Trumpcare and that she never claimed that Trump Tower was spied on using the techniques that were in the recent Wikileaks document dump. Kellyanne Conway also claimed that the Democratic Party, who are defending the current health care law, have no ideas, Ive noticed that the Democratic Party has no ideas. Its resist. Its obstruct. Theyre not even coming up with anything workable. Conways statement is not even anywhere near the ballpark of reality. Democrats have multiple bills and plans that improve on Obamacare and move the country towards universal coverage. Kellyanne Conway should not be allowed to appear on network television. She has no interest in the truth and is constantly speaking to appease an audience that consists of the man in the Oval Office. Conway has zero credibility. The broadcast networks should follow the lead of CNN and MSNBC and ban Conway from their shows. A person who is abusing the public airwaves to lie has no place on American television. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Rep. Steve King is being widely criticized for his comments in a tweet about our civilization being incompatible with other peoples babies. King did not make himself popular with many but Republican rejection to Kings appalling comments was slow in coming. Democrats and Independents, on the other hand, were quick to reject Kings rhetoric. Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu tweeted, Dear Representative Steve King: These are my two babies. Representative Ted Lieu pic.twitter.com/MHU21jJUrY Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 12, 2017 And Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) tweeted, Steve King is my colleague. This Tweet is an open endorsement of white nationalism. Shameful. https://t.co/ojBMetwzPE David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) March 12, 2017 If you are looking at examples of appalled outspoken rejections of Kings words from the GOP, you are looking at the wrong party. The First Republican to speak out appears to have been Minnesota Rep. Pat Garofalo: .@SteveKingIA < Rep King is A Fake conservative. A Fake Republican. But an authentic Cro-Magnon. Rep. Pat Garofalo (@PatGarofalo) March 12, 2017 While it was refreshing to see him not compared to the poor misunderstood Neanderthals, judging from all weve seen and heard for the past eight years, Garofalo is in a minority thinking so. A little bit later, Republican Evan McMullin, who ran as an Independent in 2016, revealed in a tweet that he was as aware of anybody of this silence: GOP Congressman @SteveKingIA promotes the un-American ideas of white nationalism. Will any Republican congressmen condemn his bigotry? https://t.co/5etQ8fwZx2 Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) March 12, 2017 Republican Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) asked, .@SteveKingIA What exactly do you mean? Do I qualify as "somebody else's baby?" #concernedGOPcolleague Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) March 13, 2017 David Duke, to nobodys surprise, cheered King: Just in case you were thinking about moving -> sanity reigns supreme in Iowa's 4th congressional district.#MakeAmericaGreatAgain https://t.co/RRjTzAzlKw David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) March 12, 2017 Nazi Richard Spencer, was equally jubilant: When you've lost Iowa you've lost white America. Keep attacking #steveking! Swing state of Iowa only voted 9 points for Trump! Richard Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) March 13, 2017 To Spencer, these are the 15 words: The 15 Words: [C]ulture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. Richard Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) March 12, 2017 They will presumably stand alongside with the white supremacists 14 words, that, We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children. Speaking of the math you do as a Republican, this shows Karl Rove that when his fellow conservatives bother to do their sums at all, the results are generally not being put to good use. It also reveals just how deep the rot goes: Republicans who remained silence were showing their agreement with Duke, Spencer, and King, a tacit admission of the new lows to which the Party of Abraham Lincoln has sunk. America is supposed to be a refuge for people who think a certain way, not a homeland for people who look a certain way. This is the great lesson Republicans have forgotten. And they should be ashamed. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Rep. Steve King (R-IA) gave vent to his full-on racism in a tweet about Dutch nationalist politician Geert Wilders and it is shocking even by the Republican standards of racism we have become used to: Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017 Gee, whose civilization do you mean, Rep. King? Well, since told the Republican convention that whites made Western civilization, you can probably guess. As The Washington Posts Philip Bump writes, The formulation of our civilization being at risk from somebody elses babies is a deliberate suggestion that American civilization is threatened by unnamed others almost certainly a reference to non-Westerners. Never has the conservative ideal of a white Christian America been more blatantly, or appallingly disclosed. Not even by Donald Trump, who, after all, did not invent the ugly conservative disease of white nationalism. Contrasted with what Thomas Jefferson said in his autobiography about the preamble to his Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which is a forerunner, or precursor to the First Amendment, you dont find the Founders vision in Kings words: Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting Jesus Christ, so that it would read A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion; the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination. Thomas Jefferson himself thought it didnt get better than Anglo-Saxons, but he certainly understood very well that the practitioners of those religions would not be white Anglo-Saxons from the United Kingdom. He envisioned as the soul of America those very somebody elses babies rejected by King as our babies. Americas babies. All coequal parts of our civilization. As Guantanamo prosecutor Col. Morris Davis asked, Will the media ever stop pretending the hundreds of @GOP racists white nationalist statements arent aberrations? Probably not. The mainstream media would still rather talk about the problems the Democratic Party is experiencing, just as they preferred to talk about fake Clinton scandals than Donald Trumps very real ethical problems. John Fugelsang no doubt speaks for many of us when he says, I hate it when the white supremacists make me embarrassed to be fucking white. https://t.co/z8EskGW0rc John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) March 13, 2017 To be fair, Republican men have not been exemplars of maleness for a long time now, and they are certainly not spokesmen for white males. I am one, after all, and King does not speak for me. Utterances like this have done little less to destroy our reputation than the Nazis, and Kings attitude is certainly one Hitler often expressed agreement with. No one should be surprised, however. These are the forces Donald Trump rode to the White House, and King is only saying what many of them are thinking. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump complained this morning that the media isnt being nice to his representatives: It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives. Be nice, you will do much better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2017 This is a remarkable statement coming from a guy whose own resume of insults and put-downs is growing by the day. This is the guy, remember, who has said just about every vile thing a man can about a woman, including fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals. The New York Times has been tracking all those rude comments from Trump. The list has swelled from the 250s to the 280s and is now up to 319 people, places, and things. And Twitter was quick to remind him of his own rudeness when he mocked a reporter for his disability: Dear 45: No one in the media is as rude as you were when you mocked a reporter with a disability. pic.twitter.com/csBDBtgRuJ Mark Elliott (@markmobility) March 13, 2017 After calling the press enemies of the American people it is even more astonishing that he can find it in himself to accuse the press of rudeness. Sad! If there is one person on this planet who has absolutely no right to complain about rudeness, that person is Donald J. Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print It is always interesting to see an avowed religious Republican get caught telling an easily disproved lie. Not interesting in a good way, but interesting in how they can clutch their Christian bona fides to their bosom in the commission of a lie and think no-one is going to notice their hypocrisy and violation of the Ninth Commandment. When Donald Trumps pick for a running mate said he learned about Trumps choice to run the NSA being a foreign agent for Turkish government when it made the news on Thursday last, he lied. By now most people are aware that despite Mike Pences vice-presidential lie that he wasnt aware of retired Lt. General Michael Flynns work on behalf of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he knew on November 18 according to a letter from Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) informing him of the facts. Pences claim calls into question another statement he made about Flynns communications with the Russians; communications Pence said he was completely unaware of until it was revealed in the media. One thing about liars most people know is that liars are prone to lying about the same thing over and over again; like not knowing anything until it is reported in the news when they knew it as it was happening months earlier. The rash of lies surrounding yet another Trump administration actor, in this case Mike Pence, extend beyond the White House and are being taken up by the Turkish businessman working on behalf of the Turkish government. The man who forked over about $530,000 to Flynn to be Turkeys foreign agent in the Trump camp, Ekim Alptekin, fits perfectly with the Trump liars club and claimed that Flynn wasnt doing anything untoward, and he certainly wasnt doing anything on behalf of the Turkish government. It is unclear if Alptekin is attempting to cover for Flynn or he just lies like the rest of Trumps administration, but he denied that his work on behalf of the Turkish government is work on behalf of the Turkish government. It is why he said he disagreed with Flynns decision to register as a foreign agent with the Department of Justice. Maybe in Turkey the definition of government, as well as foreign agent, is different than anywhere else in the world, but working as an agent of a foreign government to influence American policy is working as a foreign agent. Something that even Michael Flynn knew required him to register as Turkeys foreign agent in America; even though it was a veritable retroactive registration. Alptekin told the Associated Press (AP) on Friday that Flynn was not required to file as a foreign agent no matter what American law says. I disagree with the filing. It would be different if I was working for the government of Turkey, but I am not taking directions from anyone in the government. However, Mr. Alptekin is lying about working for the government of Turkey exactly like Mike Pence is lying about not knowing Flynn was a foreign agent for the Turkish government as far back as November 18, 2016; the date of Representative Elijah Cummings letter to Mike Pence as head of Trumps transition team. Alptekin is a member of a Turkeys economic relations board that is run by an appointee of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And, Flynns task for Alptekin, Turkish President Erdogan and on behalf of the Turkish government was to pressure the US government to extradite a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania, Fetullah Gulen. It was the Turkish President Erdogan pressing for Mr. Gulens extradition back to Turkey because the president of the Turkish government, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, believes the cleric was involved in last years attempted coup, and thinks he is fomenting dissent against Erdogan inside Turkey. Mr. Flynn, in working for the Turkish government, penned an op-ed for The Hill on November 8 claiming: [Gulen] helmed a vast global network that has all the right markings to fit the description of a dangerous sleeper terror network. From Turkeys point of view, Washington is harboring Turkeys Osama bin Laden. Flynn wrote the piece from the Turkish government, and President Erdogans point of view to earn the $530,000 it paid him as a foreign agent. (author bold) The Obama Administration refused to extradite the cleric on behalf of the Turkish government because Barack Obama is not a Turkish foreign agent. And because the Turkish government or the Turkish president failed to provide any proof in the form of necessary evidence that President Obama required for extradition showing that the cleric had any involvement in the failed coup attempt. It has come to the point that it is impossible to believe one word coming from the Trump administration. Yes its true that Trump lies at the same rate most humans draw breath, but so does Mike Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, Tom Price. The five members of Trumps cabinet-level liars club all committed perjury by lying under oath before the U.S. Senate. The real travesty is that because Republicans control all facets of the government, there is no hope that any of the Trump administration liars will ever be held accountable or prosecuted like the criminals they are. There is an old saying that a person is defined by the company they keep, and it is certainly true because now its apparent that Flynns paymaster, the one working for the Turkish government, is lying when he said neither he nor Flynn were working on behalf of the Turkish government. A fact that Mike Pence knew on November 18, 2016; a full three-and-a-half months before he claimed he had learned it late last week. Neuerscheinung: SPPS 162: Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media von Natalia Ryabinska This book represents a very timely, well-informed, and intelligible analysis of the troublesome development of the media system in post-Soviet Ukraine.Dr. Vaclav Stetka, Lecturer in Communication and Media Studies, Loughborough University, UK It is a commonly held opinion that the problems with media reform and press freedom in former Soviet states merely stem from the cultural heritage of their communist (and pre-communist) past. Focusing on Ukraine, Natalya Ryabinska argues that, in the period after the fall of communism, peculiar new obstacles to media independence have arisen: news reporting being concentrated in the hands of politically engaged business tycoons, the fuzzy and contradictory legislation of the media realm, and the informal institutions of political interference in mass media. The book analyzes interrelationships between politics, the economy, and media in Ukraine, especially their shadowy sides guided by private interests and informal institutions. Being embedded in comparative politics and post-communist media studies, Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media helps to understand the nature and workings of the Ukrainian media system situated in-between democracy and authoritarianism. Weitere Informationen unter www.ibidem-verlag.de Natalya Ryabinska Ukraines Post-Communist Mass Media Between Capture and Commercialization 186 Seiten, Paperback. 2017. 29,90 ISBN 978-3-8382-1011-7 Erschienen in: Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society Erhaltlich in jeder Buchhandlung oder direkt bei ibidem. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Sunny. Near record high temperatures. High around 80F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Watchdog and Public Service reporter Thad Moore is a reporter on The Post and Couriers Watchdog and Public Service team and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. To share tips securely, reach Moore via ProtonMail at thadmoore@protonmail.com or on Signal at 843-214-6576. Most of the undeveloped land in the 5,000-acre Nexton community in Berkeley County was sold for $90 million to a Japanese builder. File/Provided/Mic Smith 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 At the northeastern tip of the Grand Strand lies a hidden sanctuary an undeveloped maritime forest and beach in an area where nearly every acre of oceanfront land has been converted to condominiums, hotels and residential subdivisions. The soon-to-be designated state heritage preserve is c Read moreCommentary: Saving Waties Island is South Carolina conservation at its best 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 Mohsin Hamid didn't think he was predicting President Donald Trump's election or the Brexit vote when he finished his latest book, "Exit West." "To be very honest, if you'd asked me when I handed in the draft of my novel, which was last March, would Britain vote to leave the European Union in the Brexit vote and would Trump be the President of the United States, I would have said no to both and I would have been pretty confident about my answers," he says. "I was just as wrong as lots of other people." Granted, the Pakistani author perceived at the time that nativism was on the rise, and that xenophobia and anger toward migrants were building. He just didn't know these phenomena, which are thematic to "Exit West," would feature so prominently in global politics by the book's release. He thought there was more time. "The world moved more quickly than I thought," he says. "Exit West" zeroes in on the lives of two refugees, Saeed and Nadia, who flee a war zone through a magical door that transports them to a seemingly random endpoint thousands of miles away. They are the only two named characters in the novel, too; the author even leaves it to the reader's imagination which city and country they're fleeing, as neither are named. ADVERTISEMENT By naming only his two main characters, Hamid purposefully humanized the refugees, casting them as heroes. He wanted to leave the world around them vague and impressionistic. "In children's books and fables, very often, the characters almost become not exactly archetypes, but they become something the reader can put their imagination into and animate for themselves," Hamid says. "The Gruffalo is just a Gruffalo Fantastic Mr. Fox is just the fox. I wanted, once you move slightly away from these two main characters, for the book to open up and become a bit less detailed, and let you fill in from your own experience what you think is going on." Having migrated multiple times, Hamid wanted to write about the universality of migration. It's natural, and everyone does it. Even if you never move from your hometown, he offers, you migrate through time. Yet human migration is complicated by anti-immigration and nativist attitudes in the U.S. and in Britain, he says, by people obsessed with notions of purity and with the idea of so-called real Americans or real Brits. This is not a uniquely Western phenomenon, he says, noting that it happens in Pakistan, too. Yet nationalistic philosophies are incongruous with Hamid's experience as a global person. "I felt that people like me that were kind of hybridized people part British, part Pakistani, part American, all mashed together the existence of people like me, it sort of depends on there being a world where we are allowed to mix and combine in interesting new ways," he says. THE POWER OF FICTION Hamid was born in Lahore, Pakistan, where he lives today, but he lived in California from age 3 to 9. When his family moved back to Pakistan, he couldn't speak a word of Urdu. Though a Pakistani citizen, he felt like a California kid moving to a foreign country. Nine years later, when he returned to the U.S., he was much more Pakistani, so he experienced it in reverse. He describes the experience in terms of C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," which he read shortly after leaving California for Pakistan. "The kids go through this wardrobe and they arrive in the magical land of Narnia," Hamid says. "That didn't strike me as strange at all. To go through a wardrobe and come to a strange and magical country was not that different from what I'd done moving from America to Pakistan." ADVERTISEMENT From the Chronicles of Narnia books to Superman comics to films like "The Last Starfighter," literature and culture are rich with stories of people who travel away from their native soil to become heroes, Hamid points out. Yet if the person in that situation has dark skin say, a complexion like Hamid's they're less likely in the Western imagination to leave home and save the universe, he notes. So in "Exit West," Hamid has his heroes pass through their own wardrobe-like portal and travel far from home, where they must navigate refugee camps and avoid violence against immigrants. Hamid believes in the power of fiction, especially in hard times. He's been in a funk, stuck in a sustained low-grade depression since the elections in England and the U.S., he admits. And even though Pakistan is not one of the majority-Muslim countries on Trump's travel ban, Hamid is still concerned about how he'll be treated at the U.S. border. He was subjected to regular security screenings after the Sept. 11 attacks, but he always trusted that because he had nothing to hide and he was not a threat, he would ultimately be fine. He's lost that trust now, he says. He points to the Feb. 6 detention and interrogation of Australian children's author Mem Fox at Los Angeles International Airport as an example of the U.S. border policy's shift. (Fox, 70, has said she was held for detained for almost two hours, insulted and questioned by border agents about her visa.) "It's so hard in this moment for us to imagine a future that we actually want and we think can happen," Hamid says, meaning globally. When people can't articulate a realistic future they would want to live in, he says, they become depressed. Some of them even start listening to xenophobes, zealots and demagogues. "That's why I think one important thing is to start imagining futures that have hope in them," Hamid says. "That's something that fiction can do not just science-fiction or utopian fiction, but fiction that looks at the human condition and projects it a little bit forward and says, 'Things will change. They might even change drastically, but there is a reason to be hopeful.' " Have you ever been told you look like an Emily or a Michael? Or maybe you go by your middle name or a nickname because you just don't "look" like your first name. As weird as it sounds, there's a good chance that others can guess your name based on your appearance Science has found your first name can change the way you look. In a recently published study, scientists found when people were shown a picture of a stranger's face and given a choice of five names, 35 percent of the time they could pick the correct name. That number is higher than expected; A random chance would be closer to 20 percent, says Cathy Mondlock, a psychologist at Brock University involved in the study. Shared similarities In another experiment, a computer algorithm analyzed 94,000 faces and could identify the person's correct name 60 percent of the time (when given two options). The computer pinpointed similarities around their eyes and mouths; Researchers speculate the muscles around your eyes and mouth are easily adjusted by personality and lifestyle. ADVERTISEMENT The results astounded the researchers. They assumed the participants or computer algorithm would, at one point, fail their reliable consistency. "We ran more than a dozen studies, and each time we had this feeling like, 'Oh boy, maybe this time it won't work.' And each time, it worked," says Yonat Zwebner, the lead author on the study and a social psychologist at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "That was really surprising." Two-way street A book should never be judged by its cover, but we do it all the time. Social perception of a name can impact our physical appearance, just how a name changes to align with social perception. This phenomenon goes both ways. Think about it: your facial muscles begin to change your appearance to match your name according to people's perception of you. Zwebner gave us a good example: if your name was Joy, your parents and society would naturally treat you in a joyful way. Your name, Joy, would develop a specific appearance of happiness from smiling because of society's positive feedback. When people meet other Joys, your qualities will remind them of the name Joy and think you both look alike. The same could happen for any name. Culture-dependent After several experiments, scientists concluded the name and facial matching only works within a common culture. For example, Israelis could match Israeli faces to the correct name, and French people could do the same for other French. However, when they tried to cross over, the Israelis could not identify French names (like Pierre) to the correct face and vise versa. ADVERTISEMENT Hopefully you like your name but if you've ever felt your name doesn't "fit" who you are, perhaps you do not match the stereotype for that name, says Melissa Lea, a psychologist and neuroscientist at Millsaps University. You might adapt your name from Rebecca to Becky or David to D.J. to suit you. "Living up to your name" now takes on a whole new meaning. Others who have shared your name have created some sort of expectation; but despite these studies, it really is up to you to decide who you are and how you will live your life. A man accused of stealing more than $3,000 worth of electronics and jewelry from a pair of Rochester homes has been sentenced to 40 days in jail and placed on probation for 10 years. Andrew Patrick Zavala, 21, was charged in September in Olmsted County District Court with two counts of felony second-degree burglary. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count and was immediately sentenced to the jail time, with credit for 15 days already served. The other burglary count was dismissed. In addition to jail, Zavala was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and a chemical dependency evaluation and recommended treatment. The incident began about 8:20 p.m. Sept. 3, when Rochester police dispatchers took a call from a man who reported seeing two strangers putting backpacks in the unlocked trunk of the caller's car in the 400 block of 14th Street Southeast, near Meadow Park Apartments. ADVERTISEMENT When an officer arrived, the caller said everything was fine: He'd talked to the two men, who told him they thought the vehicle was abandoned, and were just storing their things there. The two suspects were still there, said Lt. Mike Sadauskis; when the officer asked what was in the bags, they willingly showed him the gaming systems inside. The two then left with the backpacks. About two hours later, a resident in the 2300 block of Park Lane Southeast reported someone had climbed through a window of his home and stolen $1,500 worth of items, including gaming equipment and a TV. The same officer who'd responded to the backpack call realized at least one of the items specifically matched what he'd seen inside one of the bags, the report says. He'd taken the names of the suspects one of whom was Zavala when he spoke to them earlier, and knew they lived in the mobile home park, Sadauskis said. About 1:40 a.m. the next day, the officer found Zavala, sitting in a van. Some of the stolen property was in plain view inside the vehicle, the report says; some jewelry was also visible in the van. As the officer investigated, another victim walked up to report a residential burglary that had occurred between 4 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. About $1,600 worth of items were stolen, including more gaming systems and jewelry, Sadauskis said. The second victim identified the jewelry in the van as the items taken from the residence. Zavala's 16-year-old accomplice was also arrested; his case was handled in juvenile court. ADVERTISEMENT Zavala was nearly killed in July 2015 after being attacked by four men and stabbed more than 100 times, then left in a cornfield near Owatonna. The suspects told authorities the attack was prompted by jealousy; one of them was the former boyfriend of a woman Zavala was dating. Carlos Sosa-Venegas, then 18; Seth Brandenburg, then 16, and Jameson Smith, 17 at the time of the attack and the former boyfriend, were all sentenced to more than nine years in prison. Jose Sosa-Venegas, 16, was sentenced in juvenile court to treatment, community work service and probation until age 21. Brandenburg said the four of them "wanted to stab Zavala, to slit his throat and kill him." He told police they contacted Zavala and invited him to smoke marijuana with them; they picked up Zavala and drove to a field outside town, where they began attacking him. Brandenburg told police they left him there, with no muscle movement, and returned to town. Zavala was able to stumble to a nearby home, then was flown to Rochester for medical treatment and recovery. A man who was convicted in 2010 of attempted second-degree intentional murder is behind bars this morning, accused of participating in an armed assault. Emanuel Chol Alfred, 24, of Rochester, was arrested Saturday afternoon at 6520 Clarkia Drive NW; he's expected to be arraigned today on possible felony charges of terroristic threats, first-degree robbery and fifth-degree assault. The case began early Friday in the 4900 block of 19th Avenue Northwest, where a group of people were partying and gambling, said Capt. John Sherwin of the Rochester Police Department. An argument broke out over money, the report says, after a 23-year-old Rochester man said he was owed more cash. The argument turned physical; several people assaulted the victim, including one person who retrieved a semi-automatic rifle and pointed it at the man, Sherwin said. ADVERTISEMENT The victim was kicked and punched multiple times before the group removed "several hundred dollars in cash" from his wallet, the report says. He was able to leave and call 911; several suspects, including Alfred, were developed as part of the investigation, which is ongoing. He was 16 when he was arrested for his role in a December 2009 shooting, court records show. He and three other teens were originally charged in juvenile court; prosecutors asked that they be tried as adults. The four were accused of going to an apartment in the 1500 block of Third Avenue Northeast shortly after midnight on Dec. 13 to collect money allegedly owed for drugs. Authorities say a 47-year-old man who was visiting his friends jumped in front of a 20-year-old woman to protect her when gunfire erupted. The man was shot once in the left elbow and once in the left ankle. Alfred was sentenced in March 2010 to 130 months in prison, stayed for 20 years, and 22 days in jail with credit for 22 days served. He was also convicted in 2016 of misdemeanor fifth-degree assault for his role in a February 2015 assault in a downtown Rochester parking ramp. Alfred was sentenced to 90 days in jail in that case. A Rochester man could be charged as early as today after authorities say he stole money from an acquaintance, then beat him badly, leaving the victim with serious facial injuries. Seth Tyler Sorenson, 23, was arrested early today at his job and remains in custody. Police have referred charges of felony third-degree assault and simple robbery. The case began about 10 p.m. Friday, when a couple returned to their home in the 1300 block of Fourth Street Northeast. Sorenson was parked there, waiting for them. He'd previously borrowed money from the pair, said Capt. John Sherwin, and was back to ask for more. When the 26-year-old victim refused, Sorenson got upset, grabbed the man's wallet and removed a large amount of cash, the report says. ADVERTISEMENT The female victim tried to intervene, Sherwin said, but Sorenson pushed her aside. The man stepped in, and that's when Sorenson allegedly started the assault. According to the police report, the man suffered a broken nose, a possible orbital bone fracture and a head injury. In the not too distant future, the Minnesota Legislature will take up the decennial task of redrawing the state's U.S. congressional boundaries to reflect the shifts and changes in the state's population. And if history is any guide, the whole thing will end up in partisan stalemate and be handed over to the courts to resolve. Rep. Jennifer Schultz, a DFLer from Duluth, says she has a better way. Instead of the inefficient and expensive process that the state has long used, her bill would take redistricting out of the hands of legislators and give it to an independent panel of retired judges. "It's nothing new that Minnesota would be proposing, and it would make the process more transparent than it is today," Schultz said. Schultz made the pitch Saturday for her bill during a forum organized by the League of Women Voters and Common Cause, a nonprofit citizen's lobbying group. The event was held at the Rochester Public Library. Schultz was joined by Phil Wheeler, a redistricting process expert, and state demographer Susan Brower. ADVERTISEMENT Although the event was advertised as a nonpartisan forum, only Schultz and DFL Rep. Duane Sauke of Rochester attended the event. None of the Rochester area's GOP legislators attended, even though all received invitations to the event, organizers say. Critics have long pointed to legislative-controlled redistricting as a contributing factor to the nation's hyper-partisan climate. That's because the party in power at the time of the redrawing has an incentive to create maps and "gerrymandered" districts that favor its incumbents. The goal is often to make districts that are safe and uncompetitive. "Gerrymandered districts probably reduce the trust that people have in government generally. That's hypothetical at least," Wheeler said. "I don't think it guarantees that you get better legislators, but it can't hurt." The state won't begin creating new maps until 2021 and that won't happen until after the nation's once-in-a-decade census is completed in 2020. Redistricting affects U.S. congressional and Minnesota House districts but not state Senate districts. Schultz said she introduced the bill last session and got almost no support for it, even from legislators in her own DFL caucus. She said "most of my caucus" supports the bill this time around and credited public support for its turnaround in fortune. She said she is pushing for the bill now, because the prospects for its passage grow dimmer the closer the Legislature gets to redistricting. "I think the Republicans are betting that they are going to have power of all three branches," Schultz said. Area Republicans, however, expressed little sign that that they will support the bill, saying it is a solution in search of a problem that doesn't exist. ADVERTISEMENT Rep. Duane Quam, a Republican from Byron, sat on a committee that heard the bill. He says even though authors and supporters were asked repeatedly to give examples of gerrymandered districts, none did. "There doesn't appear to be a problem," Quam said. "And it's not trivial to scrap our system and do a new one. Anytime you bring up a new system, there are opportunities for unintended consequences." Sen. Dave Senjem, a Republican from Rochester, said he favors keeping the system the way it is. While it's unlikely that legislators will create a plan acceptable to all parties, he didn't have any problem putting his trust in the Supreme Count. "I think the Supreme court is the best independent channel to decide on redistricting," Senjem said. Schultz told the Rochester audience that her proposal would allow the majority party and minority party to each pick two judges. And then the four judges would have to agree on a fifth judge. She noted that the process of creating a new map has resulted in political stalemate and required court intervention nearly every time since 1970. She estimated that more than half the states use the kind of independent process she is proposing. She said Wisconsin and Virginia, two states that use legislative-led redistricting, have spent $2 million and $4 million respectively on litigation related to redistricting disputes. "It's in everybody's best interests to fix the problem now before we spend millions of dollars," Schultz said. Most Americans are fine with hunters shooting animals for food. Many people have no great problem with hunters pursuing big game animals for sport. Blasting wolf pups in their dens or bears as they hibernate, however, fits into neither category. So the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created no national controversy when it prohibited these types of hunting in federal wildlife refuges in Alaska. But the new policy isn't popular with everyone. Alaska Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth went to court claiming that the regulations violate federal and state law, which she says gives the state the right to decide how to manage wildlife within its borders. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, doesn't want to wait for the courts to adjudicate the matter. He has introduced legislation to overturn the rule and bar the FWS from restoring it in the future. The House passed his bill in February. Alaska officials would like to manage the environment to maximize the numbers of game species, such as moose and caribou, that provide food to natives as well as attracting hunters from elsewhere. That means finding ways to curtail the population of wolves and bears, which prey on such beasts. In areas under state control, hunters are permitted to put out bait to attract bears, to shoot wolf and coyote pups in their dens and bears as they hibernate, to use airplanes to find and chase bears, and to take bears with snares. ADVERTISEMENT Critics see these practices as cruel and ecologically disruptive, which they undoubtedly are. Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., widow of Sen. Paul Tsongas, said during the House debate, "Here we are, 37 years later, in Congress debating if that bipartisan law crafted by my late husband allows hunters to shoot bear cubs and wolf pups in their den on a national wildlife refuge." What part of "wildlife refuge" do Alaska politicians not understand? There is a basic disagreement here. Alaska explicitly aims at assuring "a high level of human harvest of game." It wants to manipulate nature to satisfy hunters. The FWS says its statutory obligation is to "conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity," avoiding artificial manipulation to achieve different outcomes. It banned these hunting methods because they "potentially increase the take of predators to a degree that disrupts natural processes and wildlife interactions." We may not agree with the state's priorities when it comes to wildlife management, and we may not relish the practices it approves. But we don't begrudge Alaskans their right to make those decisions with regard to the vast areas of their state that are not federal lands. The 20 percent of Alaska taken up by national wildlife refuges, however, is different. It was set aside specifically to maintain nature in a less artificial manner, for the benefit both of wildlife and humans who place a value on keeping wild places unspoiled that is, not just for the inhabitants of Alaska, but for all Americans. The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation overturning the rule sometime in the coming weeks. Senators should reject the measure, with an eye toward constituents who don't think these extreme "hunting" techniques are exactly sporting. In national wildlife refuges, human interference ought to be kept to a minimum. Bear baiting stations don't exactly fit. And we can't get past those notions of blasting wolf pups in their dens or bears as they hibernate, When President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980, Rep. John Seiberling, D-Ohio, noted that "there are very few places in this country where you can see vast sweeps of land and myriads of wildlife just as they were when the Creator made them." The law was intended to assure that some of these places would remain that way. It's a worthy goal, and one the Fish and Wildlife Service deserves credit for advancing. Prominent conservatives have expressed to me their alarm over the prospect that Harmeet Dhillon will be tapped for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. However, I have also received pushback from a few of her supporters. In this post, I will address the arguments they make in defense of selecting Dhillon. But first, I will note that the supporters in question have not denied any of the statements of fact that appear in my original post. They do not deny that Dhillon served on the board of the ACLU-Northern California or that she declared: I am committed to the values championed by the ACLU-NC. They do not deny that Dhillon contributed to the political campaign of ultra-liberal Kamala Harris in 2003. They do not deny that Dhillon expressed support for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. They do not deny that she found troubling constitutional issues in the treatment of Gitmo detainees. They do not deny that she asserted the existence of tremendous discrimination both in public employment as well as in private employment after 9/11. They do not deny that Dhillon said the average male ego isnt well suited to dealing with someone as accomplished as her. They do not deny that she supports legalized abortion in the first trimester (a point I didnt raise in my first post but that came up in some of the private back-and-forth). What have Dhillons supporters said in response to my post? They point to her admirable role as a college undergraduate with the conservative Dartmouth Review and her impressive work while at law school as the leader of the Federalist Society chapter at the University of Virginia. This is excellent evidence that Dhillon was a staunch conservative decades ago. But her career in San Francisco during this century, as described in my original post, shows that she has become, in the words of this profile, a Republican with a San Francisco twist. Dhillons supporters trace her affinity for the ACLU to her time at Dartmouth when that organization supported her free speech rights (along with those of Dinesh DSouza and Laura Ingraham) against the Dartmouth administration. They say the affinity deepened post 9/11 after hate crimes were committed against Sikhs (Dhillon is a Sikh). They say she joined the ACLU board to help with South Asian anti-hate-crime activism. They point out that her husband was shot in the chest by a Muslim who thought he was a Hindu. Its admirable that Dhillon felt grateful to the ACLU for helping her at Dartmouth. However, this is no justification for taking a major role in an organization as left-wing as the ACLU had become by the first decade of this century, including on voter integrity and voter ID vital issues for the Civil Rights Division. Were DSouza and Ingraham ACLU members during this period? I doubt it. I see several problems with the anti-hate-crime against South Asians defense too. First, Dhillon announced her support for the full range of ACLU values, not just its opposition to hate crimes against South Asians (or hate crimes generally). Second, Dhillon subscribed to the ACLUs critique of Gitmo. To my knowledge, no innocent Sikhs were detained there. Nor, under any rationale account, did Gitmo have anything to do with hate crimes (other than by the detainees). Third, the hate crime against her husband was committed by a Muslim. During the relevant time period, was the ACLU making the U.S. safer for people some Muslims wanted to attack? I say the ACLU was making it more difficult to protect Americans against these Muslims. Fourth, I doubt that the ACLU was the only organization through which Dhillon could have engaged in South Asian anti-hate-crime activism. Dhillons defenders also argue that she performed good service for the Republican party in California and made a big splash at the 2016 Republican National Convention working on Donald Trumps behalf. I acknowledged the second point in my initial post, and dont deny the first. The problem isnt lack of good work on behalf of California Republicans or insufficient effort at the Convention on behalf of the presumptive nominee. The problem is her loyalty to conservative principles. During her time in San Francisco, that loyalty has not been consistent. Ideologically, she has played for both teams. This inconsistency makes her a poor candidate for a job as important and intense as head of the Civil Rights Division. The pressure from civil rights groups (including the ACLU) on the individual who holds this job will be enormous. Its crucial that he or she have a demonstrated history of conservatism on civil rights issues and of not bending. Dhillon bent when she moved to San Francisco. She became a Republican with a San Francisco twist. Ill mention only briefly the other arguments made on Dhillons behalf because they are of the name-calling and ad hominem variety. One critic said Power Line is guilty of fake news. He made this accusation despite not disputing a single factual statement in my post. He then accused Dhillons critics of being a few on the fringe that have to be dismissed and, in some cases, of being holdovers from the Bush era [who] want badly to return to Main Justice to get jobs theyve waited for. Resorting to this sort of personal attack only demonstrates the weakness of the pro-Dhillon position. A wise trial lawyer once told me that if youre trying a case in which you have to make more than two yes-but arguments to the jury, you need to settle the matter. The defense of Dhillon amounts to a series of yes-buts. Yes, she was an ACLU leader, but it was because she wanted to defend Sikhs from discrimination. Yes, she contributed money to Kamela Harris, but Harris opponent (allegedly) was even further to the left (I discussed this defense in my first post). Yes, in San Francisco she became a different kind of Republican and dismissed social issues because it is about winning rather than about philosophy. But she was very conservative in college and law school. I havent seen the yes-but regarding her support for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, though Im sure one can be concocted. Yes-buts shouldnt cut it for a position as crucial as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. The Civil Rights Division has been Ground Zero for radical leftism. To reverse this, the Division must be headed by a rock-solid conservative as close to the equivalent of a Neil Gorsuch as the administration can find. Harmeet Dhillon, for all of her good personal qualities, does not fit that bill. The death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and put the Obama administration firmly on the anti-police side. Two subsequent investigations found that the officer who shot Brown, Darren Wilson, acted in self-defense. But the Associated Press cant let the narrative go, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, for one, thinks the story is significant enough to pick up: A convenience store is disputing a new documentarys claim that previously unreleased surveillance video suggests Michael Brown didnt rob the store shortly before he was fatally shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. One of the filmmakers, Jason Pollock, told The New York Times he believes the footage shows Brown trading a small amount of marijuana for a bag of cigarillos around 1 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2014. The video doesnt clearly show what was exchanged, but shows Brown leaving behind the cigarillos. Pollock reasons Brown intended to come back later for the bag of cigarillos. The first question that comes to mind is, so what? That question is never answered. The AP casually publishes a smear against the people who own and operate the storethey vociferously deny the filmmakers speculation that they engaged in a drug dealbut to what end? Previously released video filmed the following afternoon shows Brown shoving a co-owner of the store out of the way and walking out with the cigarillos, without paying for them. Store employees called the police and reported the theft. This new video sheds absolutely no light on what happened after that, as law enforcement wearily explained to the Associated Press: Some of the local officials who investigated the fatal shooting said they didnt think the new footage shed much light on the case. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he wasnt surprised that Brown was in the Ferguson Market earlier in the day. Belmar said his department focused on investigating the shooting, not the incident at the store. So why is the Associated Press making a national story out of an obscure documentary filmmakers bid for attention? Because it provides yet another opportunity to push the false Ferguson narrative: Brown, who was 18, was fatally shot minutes later by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown, who was black, was unarmed. Wilson is white. Got that? The only relevant facts are the races of the people involved, plus Brown being unarmed. No mention of the fact that Brown, 6 4 and close to 300 pounds, attacked Officer Wilson in his squad car after Wilson asked him to get out of the street and stop blocking traffic. No mention of the fact that Brown tried to wrestle Wilsons gun away. No mention of the fact that the gun discharged, wounding Brown, while Wilson was still sitting in the squad car. No mention of the fact that Wilson got out of the car and told Brown to put his hands up, after which Brown charged Wilson, whereupon Wilson shot him in self-defense. Only later does the AP grudgingly admit that [a] local grand jury and the U.S. Department of Justice found no evidence of wrongdoing by Wilson, who resigned in November 2014. But the AP still cant let it go: But the shooting and protests led to scrutiny of Ferguson, resulting in a scathing Justice Department report alleging racial bias in the citys criminal justice system. Which had nothing to do with Browns death. Neither does the newly-published video have anything to do with Browns death. So why is the AP promoting Jason Pollocks film? Because it wants to keep alive the myths about Michael Brown and the Black Lives Matter movementa political cause that the AP endorses. If you have any doubt about the films intent, take a look at Jason Pollocks Twitter feed. Here are just a couple of examples. Pollock formerly worked for Michael Moore: Filmmaker Jason Pollock blows the lid off the lies told to the world by the Ferguson Police Dept. Wait til u see this! #StrangerFruit #SXSW Michael Moore (@MMFlint) March 11, 2017 This tweet is some serious truth that anyone defending these killer cops needs to swallow. #TamirRice #MichaelBrown pic.twitter.com/p0uVuE5wr2 Jason Pollock (@Jason_Pollock) December 29, 2015 Many people have died as a result of the false Black Lives Matter narrative, a large majority of them black. In stories like this one, the Associated Press isnt just reporting selectively. It is deliberately enabling the perpetration of lies. John Fund reports that the vast majority of sub-Cabinet slots that require Senate confirmation are vacant because of what Fund calls a personnel crisis in the Trump White House. [President] Trump has named only 20 sub-Cabinet-level positions, including two who withdrew a list that includes nominees for ambassadorships, counsel positions, and commissioners, according to a tracker from the Washington Post and Partnership for Public Service. CNN reports that Trump has more than 1,900 vacancies within his new administration, most of which did not require Senate confirmation, according to data from tracking service Leadership Directories. The White House objects to those numbers, but didnt provide me with any data of their own to refute them. I dont know where previous new administrations stood at this point in the process less than two months after Inauguration Day. However, Fund says that, as of a week ago, the Office of Presidential Personnel had only 18 people working in it one-fifth the number employed by Bill Clinton at this point in his presidency. At the Defense Department, not a single political appointee is on board to assist Secretary Mattis. Dov Zakheim, who served as the Pentagon budget chief during the George W. Bush administration, says the delays are already causing much consternation among allies, especially in Europe and Southeast Asia, as their most senior working level day-to-day contacts the deputy assistant secretaries may not come on board until the summer. A top Trump official told Fund that some Cabinet secretaries have been informed they will be able to name their own deputies only after the White House is assured that they are not liberals and that they did not take a Never Trump stance in the 2016 election. This seems sensible. Team Trump shouldnt want liberals, or even squishy conservatives, in key positions, and its understandable that the administration would snub NeverTrumpers. Its better to make good appointments than quick ones. Proper vetting is crucial. The problem, if Fund is correct, lies in the fact that the White House personnel is not sufficiently staffed to perform the vetting expeditiously. President Trump has his own explanation for some of the vacancies: A lot of those jobs, I dont want to appoint, because theyre unnecessary to have. We have so many people in government. . . . I say, What do all these people do? You dont need all these jobs. . . . Many of those jobs I dont want to fill. Beyond the fact that this explanation does not apply to many of the unfilled jobs (surely, Secretary of Mattis will have appointees under him), the problem is that many of the jobs are now filled by liberal Democrats. Arnold Steinberg, a Republican strategist, told Fund: [P]ersonnel is policy, which is being subverted by holdovers. Unfilled key positions enable synergistic dysfunction. In simple terms, the longer the hundreds of key positions remain unfilled, not only is sound policy delayed, but there is more damage, even sabotage. I agree with Fund that the administration needs to pick up the pace and do it soon. The Chairman of the Joint Tax Board, JTB, Tunde Fowler, on Monday placed a call to the Kwara State Governor, AbdulFatah Ahmed, saying ask your colleagues to empower their State Internal Revenue Services (SIRSs) by giving them autonomy. Autonomy, Mr. Fowler said, is the key to professionalism and generation of more revenue. The good work that you are doing is evident in the performance of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, KWIRS. It is good enough for others to follow. We commend the work that KWIRS is doing and agreed amongst ourselves to adopt is as a model. Like I often tell my colleagues, we members of JTB must not disappoint Nigerians. I like you to call on other governors, your colleagues in other states who have not taken the bold step to please do and give autonomy to State Internal Revenue Services. Please help us to convey this to them as an ambassador and tell other governors. While calling on the members of the JTB to intensify efforts towards meeting our revenue targets, I enjoin the various state governments to enhance funding of the tax authorities so as to achieve the desired objectives to ask his colleagues to do the same. You may have a vision. But if you dont have the revenue to drive that vision, it is mere dream. I like to commend the efforts of the Executive Governor in transforming the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service. It is on record that the State annual IGR grew from N7.1 billion in 2015 to N17.2 billion in 2016. I therefore, urge the service not to relent in their efforts and continue to work hard to justify the encouragement received by the state government. Mr. Fowler, who is also the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, spoke in Ilorin on Monday, at the opening ceremony of the 137th Meeting of the JTB, with the theme: Collaboration amongst tax Authorities: Its Impact on Revenue Generation and Service Delivery to Taxpayers. Governor Ahmed, who declared the meeting open, told the 36 chairmen of the State Internal Revenue Service that KWIRS ability to grow Kwaras annual internally generated revenue fromN7.1 billion in 2015 to N17.2 billion in 2016 is predicated on three key planks: people, processes and technology. He noted that Kwaras IGR moved from N600 million in 2015 prior to autonomy to N1.5 billion monthly, with increase of about N17.4 billion in 2016. As you are aware the Kwara State government signed the Kwara State Revenue Administration Law No. 6 of 2015 on the 22nd of June, 2015. Ever since the face of revenue administration has witnessed significant changes that started with the complete change of the people, process and technology for the administration of taxes, he said. The governor who noted that the state has floated the Kwara State Infrastructure Bond (IF-K) into which a percentage of the States IGR will be paid, said that the state wants to ensure that contractors are no longer owed in Kwara as banks will not fret to give loans to contractors. But it is no longer business as usual, Governor Ahmed warned. While we thank all stakeholders for their contribution to the achievements, taxpayers need note that tax payment is a civic responsibility for the development of the state. He noted that government cannot provide the goods of democracy without citizens playing their part. To earn continued support of taxpayers, government must demonstrate transparency and show what taxes being collected are being used for. It can no longer be business as usual. In Kwara State, our government is committed to the support of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service in the pursuit of revenue mobilisation for the strategic development of Kwara State. This positive result has encouraged us to go ahead with our plan to plough the revenue back into the development of infrastructure through the introduction of improve provision of social amenities to the people. I welcome you to the 137th meeting of the JTB in this 50th year of the creation of Kwara State. The governor noted that tax authorities across the country could benefit from synergy and cross-fertilisation of ideas adding that: In the 26 years of the operation of the JTB, Kwara State is hosting the meeting for the first time. It is worthy that Kwara State is hosting the meeting at a time when our major reforms of tax collection and management has yielded significant results. He said the tax payment was the civic responsibility of the citizenry that must be held and that the government would ensure judicious use of the collection to improve the welfare of the people. Share this: Twitter Facebook The U.S. has started deploying attack drones to South Korea, a U.S. military spokesman said on Monday, days after it began to deploy an advanced anti-missile system to counter continued provocative actions by isolated North Korea. U.S. Forces Korea spokesman Christopher Bush said in a statement that the drones, Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) coming to South Korea are part of a broader plan to deploy a company of the attack drones with every division. The UAS adds significant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to U.S. Forces Korea and our ROK partners, Mr. Bush said. He did not say exactly when the drones would arrive in South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea. North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and a string of missile tests since the beginning of last year, despite the imposition of new UN sanctions. On Friday, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said Washington was re-evaluating its North Korea strategy and all options are on the table. The Gray Eagle is a remotely controlled attack drone made by U.S.-based General Atomics. Mr. Bush said they will be stationed at Kunsan Air Base, 180 km (112 miles) south of Seoul and would be permanently based in South Korea. On March 7, the U.S. deployed the first elements of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea, inspite of angry opposition from China. Once fully deployed in South Korea, a THAAD battery could theoretically use its radar to see and monitor activity beyond North Korea, deep into Chinese territory. Russia also worries the deployment could compromise its security, and said it would lead to a stalemate on the Korean peninsula. South Korea will hold a presidential election by May 9 after the impeachment and dismissal on Friday of its former president, Park Geun-hye, and policy on North Korea and the THAAD system are likely to be contentious issues in the campaign. (Reuters/NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Dutch Foreign Ministry on Monday urged nationals travelling to Turkey to be alert and avoid gatherings and crowded places following an escalation of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Since March 11, 2017, there are diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands. Especially on social media are highly critical statements made about the Netherlands and its inhabitants. The Turkish prime minister declares that it has no influence on Dutch visitors. Be alert across Turkey, avoiding gatherings and crowded places, the ministry warned. The ministry also told Dutch nationals to stay alert to increased risk of terrorist attacks in the whole country of Turkey. The tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday after a convoy of Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Kaya Sayan was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam. On Sunday, she was taken back to Germany under Dutch police escort. Ms. Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a yes vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey. Earlier on Saturday, the diplomatic row came to a high when the Dutch Government withdrew the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan. The Turkish Government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries to urge Dutch citizens with Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for President Recep Erdogan. The Dutch Government objected the campaign by Turkish officials, citing security and public order reasons. The Turkish diplomatic service reacted on Twitter saying racist, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks in the Netherlands jeopardise the European democracy, while Mr. Erdogan compared the Dutch with fascists and Nazis. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the remarks by Erdogan were unacceptable and what the Turkish family minister has done was irresponsible. (Xinhua/NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari came into office just before the end of May in 2015, he dissolved the boards of federal parastatals. The action was not unusual of a new administration. But close to two years after, the vacancies created by the dissolution of the boards are yet to be filled, showing a pattern of lethargy in decision making for which the president has received widespread criticism. The delay by the federal government in appointing Chief Medical Directors, CMDs, to run some tertiary health institutions across the country is generating mixed reactions among health professionals and stakeholders in the sector. Currently, out of the 52 tertiary health centres across the country, about 20 have no CMDs. These institutions have been run by interim heads for between six months to two years, against the provision of the Acts that established them. The establishment Acts do not envisage that any of them would be run by interim head beyond six months at a time. Health centres caught in this breach of law include psychiatric hospitals, Federal Medical Centres and Teaching Hospitals across the country. Some of the affected ones are Federal Medical Centres in Ido Ekiti, Abeokuta, Asaba, Lagos, Owerri, Owo; Federal Teaching Hospitals in Abuja, Kano and Maiduguri; and Pschychiatric hospitals in Sokoto, Maiduguri, Calabar, Lagos; Birni-kudu, Uselu, among others. In a telephone interview with Premium Times, the spokesperson for Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Segun Orisajo, confirmed that the head of the institution has been holding the office in acting capacity since June 20, 2016. But he said this has not in any noticeable way affected the activities and smooth running of the institution. The acting head has been part of the institution for 25 years and he is currently one of the chief consultants in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and knows the terrain of the institution. So there is no cause for alarm as the people in the institution are willing to work with him and the activities in the institution have been going on smoothly. The prerogative of appointing a Chief Medical Officer is that of the Federal Ministry of Health and I am sure they are already doing something about it because I know they have interviewed prospective candidates for the position and we are expecting a positive outcome very soon. As for the centre (FMC, Abeokuta), there is no loophole in the system based on administration, he said. Speaking in a similar vein, the Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Tokunbo Olajumoke, said although it is true that some health institutions in the country have had no substantive heads for a while now, the situation does not call for alarm as it does not have any effect on governance and decision making in such institutions, especially when such institutions have boards to regularize their activities. I know that the Federal Medical Centre in Ido Ekiti for example is being headed by the former Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) and is the highest officer after the CMD. He has been an acting head for a while now and I dont see how this should affect the smooth running of the affairs of the hospital. The hospital has a board which oversees its activities even with the presence of a CMD and the CMAC is usually part of the board. And this is not strange because even when the institution has a CMD, its activities are still governed by a board and the Federal Ministry of Health which still oversees the activities. To my best of knowledge, all federal health establishments should have such boards which mean there is likely to be continuity as the CMAC already knows what is happening within the system, he said. A medical consultant at FMC Ido Ekiti, Sam Ukperi, however, disagrees with the position of the two earlier respondents. He said there is a need for the establishment to have a substantive CMD as this will make the person accountable to the institution and staff as well. There are lots of decisions that need to be taken but because the person is in acting capacity, his authority to do so can be challenged, he contended. I dont know why the government is not following due process of appointing the CMD. After they have done a selection and conducted interviews for candidates, so why are they delaying the appointment? The person in Asaba has been acting for two years now. There are some actions that a substantive head should take that the acting cannot because they do not have the power and jurisdiction to do so. It is not that the delay in appointing a substantive head is affecting the health institution because the problem that he will face is what the acting head too will face; but the governments inaction just seems that the government is not ready to invest in health institutions because they are not giving priority to health in this country. A petition received by Premium Times from some aggrieved medical professionals had stated that the Federal Ministry of Health, after stages of examinations and interview process, had made recommendations to the presidency for the positions to be filled in almost all the institutions that do not have substantive heads as far back as six months ago. The petitioners said it seems to them that the federal government is not ready to do anything about it. The group urged the government to stop playing politics with the fragile healthcare delivery system in the country, saying this is predisposing professionals in the sector to unnecessary and undue politicking, as prior to this administration such appointments were treated with urgency. Sources at the ministry told PREMIUM TIMES the ministry had sent its lists of successful candidates to the president for confirmation, but was yet to receive confirmation on such nominees and could not act without such. The health ministry, however, says the procedure for the appointment is ongoing. The Director of Media and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Health, Boade Akinola, said the ministry was aware that there are health institutions without substantive heads and that it was working towards filling the vacancies. There is a procedure for the appointment of heads of agencies in the government and the process is on-going and would be announced very soon, she said. The Osun State NMA Chairman, Mr. Olajumoke, however clarified that interim appointments can be renewed after six months. I see no reason why there should be issues unless the people doing so are doing it for political reasons. I have worked in an institution which had an acting head for a year and things went smoothly. Though I am not supporting the Federal Government for not appointing CMDs for the institutions, because it is not good for the system not to have an actual head so as to ensure efficiency and accountability. But every institution has its way of politicking and it is the political undertone in this institutions that is meant to be looked into and this could be one of such. Healthcare centres are not the only institutions in the health sector that are affected by the governments inaction in filling leadership vacancies. The board of the Medical Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, which is meant to be the regulatory body of the professionals, has not been constituted since the president pronounced all boards of parastatals dissolved. The non-appointment of the MDCN board has been blamed for the proliferation of fake doctors across Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook President Muhammadu Buhari has formally resumed duty, over 50 days after he delegated his authority to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The presidents spokesperson, Femi Adesina, confirmed the resumption on Monday morning in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES. According to the statement, Mr. Buhari wrote the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, notifying them of his resumption on Monday. The president arrived Nigeria on Friday after 50 days of medical vacation in the UK. Share this: Twitter Facebook Ruling on two applications seeking the return of OPL 245 to two multinational oil companies, Shell and ENI, has again been adjourned, following a fresh application on the matter. The oil firms, through their Nigerian subsidiaries, had challenged the propriety of the Nigerian government withdrawing the oil block from them, pending the determination of a criminal matter. The order of forfeiture was sought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which said it was investigating the corruption surrounding the block. The temporary order was granted by the court. OPL245 is considered one of Nigerias richest oil blocks and estimated to contain over 9 billion barrels of crude. Apart from Shell and ENI, who want the block back, Malabu, the firm to which the block was originally assigned by the Nigerian government in 1998 under controversial circumstances, also sought to retake possession of the block. The ruling had been slated for Monday but was postponed due to an application by Malabu. The counsel representing Malabu, Abdullahi Haruna, had on February 27 informed the court about an application for his client to be joined in the suit. But his application could not be heard on that day, because the court was yet to officially receive the application at the time. At the opening of session on Monday, Mr. Haruna brought the attention of the court to the matter again adding that the parties to the case were not opposing his application. The counsel representing Shell and ENI, however, opposed the application, stressing that it was just intended to delay the proceedings of the court. ENIs lawyer, Babatunde Fagbohunlu, vehemently opposed the application, describing it as one capable of attracting a petition before the Nigerian Bar Association for disciplinary action against the applicant. The counsel to the EFCC, Johnson Ojogbane, however said his client did not oppose the application. After hearing argument from counsel, the presiding judge, John Tsoho, adjourned the matter, till March 17 for ruling on the application made by Malabu. THE $1.1 BILLION 2011 DEAL After several political and judicial intrigues that ensured OPL 245 changed hands several times between Malabu, Shell, and the Nigerian government, Goodluck Jonathan emerged Nigerias president in 2010. On the prompting of his attorney general, Mohammed Adoke, one of Mr. Jonathans first directive upon assuming office was that the oil block be given to Malabu. Persons close to Mr. Jonathan told PREMIUM TIMES the former president took the decision because of his closeness to Dan Etete who had helped him during his tenure as petroleum minister and because of the perception among persons from the oil producing Niger Delta that OPL 245 was one of the few oil blocks awarded to someone from the region. By 2010, Mr. Etete had schemed out other owners of Malabu including by fraudulently altering Corporate Affairs Corporation, CAC, documents, investigations revealed. The CAC recently said its official in charge of the Malabu documents was brutally murdered. 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 Mr. Etete, 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. THE 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 Aliyu Abubakar 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. 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. It is based on its investigations of the corruption surrounding the transfer of the block that the EFCC asked the court that it be temporarily forfeited to the Nigerian government. The request, granted by the court, is what Shell and Eni, and now Malabu, are contesting. Share this: Twitter Facebook There was a twist on Monday in Lagos in the ongoing trial of Mohammed Belgore and a former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Sulaiman, for alleged N450 million money laundering as the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was joined in the suit. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCCs prosecutor had amended the five-count charge and joined Mrs. Alison-Madueke, as an accused in the case at a Federal High Court, Lagos. Mrs. Alison-Madueke was charged in absentia alongside Mr. Belgore, a one-time governorship candidate in Kwara State, and Mr. Sulaiman. Messrs. Belgore and Sulaiman were first arraigned in February before Justice Mohammed Aikawa on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering. At the resumed trial of the two accused persons on Monday, the prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge in which the name of Mrs. Alison-Madueke had been joined as an accused. Mrs. Alison-Madueke was, however, described as being at large in the new charge. Mr. Oyedepo then urged the court to allow the amended charge to be read to Messrs. Belgore and Sulaiman who were present in court for their pleas to be taken afresh. The application was not opposed by defence counsel as the court ordered the plea of the accused to be taken. The accused again entered a not guilty plea. Upon their plea, the prosecution called on its first witness, Timothy Olaobaju, a banker. Led in evidence by Oyedepo, the witness informed the court that sometime in April 2014, a cash lodgement of about $115 million was lodged into the account of Mrs. Alison-Madueke. He said that subsequently on March 27, 2015, the accused issued payment instructions to convert the said sums into Naira, and paid to some beneficiaries including Messrs. Belgore and Suleiman. He told the court that the duo received the sum of N450 million and filled the payment form to acknowledge receipt. The prosecutor tendered the form filled by the accused in evidence, urging the court to admit same as exhibit. Justice Aikawa admitted the form in evidence, and accordingly marked them as Exhibits 1 and 1a. Furthermore, the witness told the court no cheque was issued in respect of the funds, adding that the accused signed the form on March 26, 2015, while they received the money on March 27, 2015. Meanwhile, counsel representing the accused B. O. Shofunde and O. Ayanlaja urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable them cross-examine the witness. Consequently, the court adjourned the case to March 14 for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of trial. In the five counts, Mrs. Alison-Madueke was alleged to have conspired with Messrs. Belgore and Sulaiman on or about March 27, 2015, to directly take possession of the sum of N450 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of unlawful act. The accused were also alleged to have taken the said funds in cash which exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution. Messrs. Belgore and Sulaiman were also alleged to have paid N50 million to one Sheriff Shagaya without going through any financial institution. The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 1(a), 15, 16(d) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, has reminded aviation authorities of the restriction of helicopter ferry flight over Abuja metropolis for security reasons. The reminder which was issued to regulatory stakeholders through a memo titled Restriction of Helicopter Ferry Flights Over Abuja Metropolis stated that: In view of the closure of the (Abuja) airport, air travellers will be required to travel by road/train to Abuja from Kaduna International Airport. This will undoubtedly cause constraints on the movement of some passengers who will aim to travel using other means, notably the use of commercial ferry helicopters. Please be reminded that the airspace over the Federal Capital Territory Abuja is controlled and only security flights or those with the requisite security clearance from the Presidency are granted overhead clearance for obvious security reasons. Consequently, you are to note and ensure that no charter or commercial helicopter ferry flights are allowed to fly within Abuja airspace. A top security intelligence officer told PRNigeria that the reminder was issued to agencies of the existing no fly zone, and that any helicopter flight must seek security clearance. Share this: Twitter Facebook A Jos State High Court on Monday dissolved the marriage of a university lecturer, Evelyn Iyah, over her husbands alleged cruelty and incessant violence. Ms. Iyah, on March 10, 2016 petitioned the court through her counsel, G. O. Izere, to dissolve her marriage with Iyah, because he had lost his desire to love me. She further accused him of violence, cruelty and inability to live with her peacefully. The lecturer also pleaded for an injunction restraining the husband from further threatening her life, or even entering her house. My husband behaves in a way that I cannot reasonably be expected to live with him. He is violent, cruel, shows open disregard for me and clearly does not love me anymore, she told the court. She also asked the court to compel the husband to return her monies 13,090 pounds and N320,000 with immediate effect. The News Agency of Nigeria, however, reports that since the case was filed, Mr. Iyah never entered any appearance and did not even acknowledge the courts repeated summon notices sent to him. NAN also reports that the court had to serve him by pasting the notice at his residence and office, which all came to nought as he did not show any interest on the matter. When the case came up on Monday, the presiding judge, Christine Dabup, entered judgment in the applicants favour and dissolved the marriage. She also granted all the wifes prayers and gave an order to the defendant to pay up all monies in his possession. All the reliefs sought are hereby granted to the petitioner, Mrs. Dabup declared. She accused the defendant of utter disrespect to the court, saying that he had not behaved in a way that suggested that he was reasonable enough for the petitioner to live with. The case has been in this court for one year now, but the defendant has not shown any interest in the allegations. I hereby order that the marriage stands dissolved, she declared. She also gave an injunction restraining Mr Iyah from further threatening the life of the lecturer, and barred him from entering her house. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted a 40ft container of frozen Tilapia fish imported from Turkey and valued at N22.1 million. The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Muhammad Jibrin, said this on Monday when he led journalists to APM Terminals, Apapa, where the container was intercepted. Mr. Jibrin said that the container No: DFOU6122880, was discovered during scanning. He said that the importer made a false declaration that the container was laden with apples. Upon scanning, officers discovered the container was containing 2,700 cartons of frozen tilapia fish from Turkey. The aforementioned fish species is under restriction. More so, importers of allowable species of fish are expected to obtain licence and permit before such importation into the country. We have scanners that are working but most of the scanners are inadequate for operations, Mr. Jibrin said. He said that the command had opened communication with Agriculture and Plant Quarantine Service and the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in the spirit of collaboration. Mr. Jibrin said that the command had zero tolerance for smuggling and false declaration in line with the policy of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali. He said the command would continue to uncover and stop any attempt at breaching the law as regards imports and exports transactions through the command. The controller, however, advised stakeholders relating with Customs service to be law-abiding as no stone will be left unturned in enforcing government fiscal policy regulations. According to him, the command usually engaged stakeholders in interactive session monthly to ensure that both Customs and stakeholders remained committed to governments policies relating to clearance of goods at the ports. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government on Thursday, noted that smugglers were beginning to flood the markets with harmful frozen fish illegally imported into the country through the land borders. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, said this at the Abuja Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD. The minister said that those involved in the act were undermining the efforts of government despite the fish importation policy and ban on frozen farmed fish importation into the country. He said that the circulation of unhealthy fish and fishery products in Nigerian market had resulted in grave health implications such as kidney disease and cancer. It has become necessary for the Federal Government through the FMARD to address the Nigerian public on the sale of smuggled unhealthy frozen fish, especially farmed tilapia, in Nigeria. These smuggled frozen fish are very harmful to the health of Nigerians he said. The minister warned those involved in the illegal importation to desist, as anyone caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law. He said that the government had been collaborating with countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria Customs Service, Maritime Police, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine Service. The ministry is using this medium to warn all those involved, colluding, aiding and abetting these nefarious activities to stop or face the full wrath of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. , or both, in addition to forfeiture and destruction of the vessel and its products. For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has put in place measures to arrest, detain and prosecute offenders as provided in the Sea Fisheries Act Cap S4 laws of the Federation 2004, the minister said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Nigerias main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may hold its national convention in the second quarter of this year where new national officers of the party will be elected. The party is currently factionalised with two former governors claiming leadership of the party. While former Borno State governor, Ali Sheriff, was declared the authentic chairman of the party by a Court of Appeal panel sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi insist he remains chairman pending the outcome of the appeal filed against the judgment. Indications that the party would hold its convention before the end of second quarter emerged Monday as part of the resolutions contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Abuja by the partys standing committee on reconciliation headed by the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson. The meeting which reviewed recent developments in the party resolved, among others, to hold a unity convention in the second quarter of 2017 as it also proposed a political solution to the lingering crisis within the party which had curtailed its effectiveness as the main opposition party to the governing All Progressives Party, APC. . 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 will freely, fairly and transparently elected, the communique said. The communique also said that without prejudice to the ongoing judicial processes, it aligned with the resolution of the meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP governors as a logical step towards resolving all outstanding disagreements within the party. The communique which was signed by Mr. Dickson; the Vice Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; and the secretary, Joshua Lidani, also noted that in furtherance of its fresh initiative, the reconciliation committee shall embark on extensive consultations with all relevant individuals with a view of building confidence and necessary consensus toward the unity convention. The committee appealed to all party leaders and members to exercise restraint and focus on the loyalty to and the overall interest of the party. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Ministry of Transport conveyed 1,432 airline passengers by road from Kaduna Airport to Abuja in the first four days of Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport runway closure. Another 458 of the passengers were moved from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Kaduna Airport, making a total of 1890 passengers. James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation, disclosed these figures on Monday. Mr. Odaudu said the statistics collated by the office of the Minister of State, Aviation, showed that 28 passengers, who arrived Kaduna aboard an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft on 8 March were the first to be transported by road to Abuja. The remaining 1862 passengers were transported between 9 and 11 March when the domestic flight operations commenced. Hadi Sirika, Minister of State for Aviation said the figures would rise this week, with increasing awareness of the free transport incentive. The Minister also implored air travellers to take advantage of the free transport and arrive early at the Abuja Airport end in order not to miss their flights in Kaduna. The passengers need to get to Abuja Airport four hours earlier than their scheduled flight, so the buses will bring them within Two or Two and half hours, to be able to process their boarding at the Kaduna Airport within an hour, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook An official of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ade Babatunde, on Monday told a Federal High Court, Lagos how Segun Agbolade, a former General Manager (Finance), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, allegedly defrauded the agency. Mr. Babatunde, while being led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, made the revelations at the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Babs Kuewumi. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Oyedepo had led the witness as the first prosecution witness (PW 1) in the N6.8 billion fraud case against some former employees of NAMA. The EFCC had arraigned the accused including NAMAs former Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam; former General Manager of Procurement, Olumuyiwa Adegorite and Mr. Agbolade on a 21-count charge of N6.8 billion fraud. Others are former acting General Manager of ICT, Bolaniran Akinribido; Sesebor Abiodun, Joy Adegorite and two companies- Randville Investment Ltd. and Multeng Travels and Tours Ltd. When the case was called for continuation of hearing, Mr. Babatunde told the court how the funds belonging to NAMA were allegedly converted for personal use by the accused when Mr. Abdulsalam was at the helm of affairs. He said that on July 13, 2015, a cash withdrawal of N3 million was made by Mr. Agbolade, (General Manager of Finance) from the account of Randville Investment Ltd. The witness also said that on July 15, 2015, there was another withdrawal of N2.5 million from the account of Randville Investment Ltd. and same was transferred to the account of Mr. Agbolade. On Sept. 16, 2015, there was a credit transfer of N22 million into the account of Randville Investment Ltd. On September 28, 2015, N100 million was deposited in a fixed deposit account, and on maturity, same was paid into the account of Randville Investment Ltd. On the same date, N28 million was transferred out of the account, but I cannot confirm the beneficiary, because it was not stated in the statement of account. Also, on Sept. 28, 2015, N100 million was placed in another fixed deposit account. On Oct. 28, 2015, the N100 million earlier placed in a fixed deposit account was paid into the account of Randville Investment Ltd. On Nov. 2, 2015, N50 million was transferred twice from the Randville Investment Ltd. and I cannot also confirm the beneficiary, because it was not stated in the statement. Then, on Nov. 10, 2015, there was a withdrawal of N3 million from the account of Randville Investment Ltd. by Segun Agbolade. the first prosecution witness told the court. After the witness testimony, the defence counsel led by Wale Akanni, sought for an adjournment to enable them to cross examine the witness. The judge granted the request and the case was adjourned till April 5 for continuation of trial. The EFCC had on August 19, 2013, brought the accused before the court, accusing them of conspiring to induce NAMA to deliver N2.8 billion to Delosa Ltd., Air Sea Delivery Ltd. and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd. The anti-graft agency alleged that the delivery was under the pretence that the money represented the cost of clearing NAMAs consignments. EFCC further alleged that between January 2 and December 17, 2013, the accused allegedly converted N191 million belonging to NAMA for their private use. It also accused the NAMA officials of converting N728 million between 2013 and 2015 and other sums for their personal use. The prosecution said that the offences contravened Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3). (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook We are working with Nigeria and we are supporting it as the only country. This is absolutely clear and I dont think there is any kind of future for Biafra. They are part of Nigeria and Nigeria has to remain as the only country. Frances Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, on the agitation for the independent state of Biafra (Source: The Guardian) In activism, you are guided by your conscience, principles and set standards and they will be your driving force. But in politics, you are caged, limited and impeded by certain affiliations and identities, either as a member of a political party or group. Shehu Sani, a popular rights activist and a Nigerian senator, on the difference between activism and politics (Source: The Punch) I was not appointed the Comptroller-General (of Customs) to wear uniform. Does the uniform work or the person behind the uniform? Am I doing my job or not? I think thats what should interest the National Assembly. Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, said in response to the invitation by the countrys Senate that he must appear before it, wearing the Customs uniform. Mr. Ali, a retired army colonel, was appointed from outside the service. He has never been seen in the public wearing the customs uniform since he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 (Source: Premium Times) Working with you was a school in itself, and the lessons learnt are worth their weight in gold. President Muhammadu Buhari said of former president Olusegun Obasanjo as he (Mr. Buhari) felicitated Mr. Obasanjo on his 80th birthday. The president, who was on vacation in London, reportedly spoke to Mr. Obasanjo on telephone (Source: Premium Times) It is in the interest of APC and Nigerians to ensure that PDP doesnt die. Pascal Odibo, a financial expert, speaking on party politics in Nigeria. (Source: Channels TV) The majority of the people of the oil producing communities have heard of the wealth that oil has brought, but have hardly benefited from it. Nigerias Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the plight of oil producing communities in the country, while on a tour of the Niger Delta region (Source: Premium Times) A young mom or dad? If theres only one advice you ever take from me, let it be this: Help your daughters and sons fall in love with Books. Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education in Nigeria (Source: Twitter) They have their own agenda. And their agenda is not your agenda. When the media lies to (the) people I will never ever let them get away with it. The U.S President Donald Trump continued his attack against the American media which he labeled as being dishonest. (Source: The U.K Guardian newspaper) I have those who believe in me. I will speak like (Donald) Trump, and even if I do the unexpected, they will still stand with me. John Udoedehe, an expelled chieftain of the All Progressives Congress from Akwa Ibom State and a former minister of state for FCT, says in a local radio state where he alleged that a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, used to administer fetish oath on Akwa Ibom politicians in order to extract loyalty from them. (Source: Premium Times) If you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. Without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. Thats how dictators get started. John McCain, a U.S senator, responding to President Donald Trump continuous attack on the American media (Source: The U.K Guardian) Share this: Twitter Facebook Kaduna State senator, Shehu Sani, on Monday demanded the immediate release of Audu Maikori, describing the latest arrest and incarceration of the Chocolate City boss as an affront to constitutional democracy. The case of Audu is becoming a stain and embarrassment to our country as a constitutional democracy, Mr. Sani said in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES Monday morning. He should be released or charged to court and without extra-legal interference. The demand came hours after Mr. Maikoris associate and lawyer, John Danfulani, told PREMIUM TIMES the label executive took ill at the police facility where he was held and was rushed to the hospital Sunday night. He had since regained his consciousness and fine now, Mr. Danfulani told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone. He just had a brief respiratory crisis and had been returned to custody. Mr. Sani, a civil rights activist, said allegations of hate speech and incitement must not be used as a smokescreen to stifle dissent or persecute people for their right to freely express their opinion. Civil liberties and freedom must not be strangulated under the guise of security exigencies. As a democracy, we must learn to balance our obligation to respect constitutional rights and the urgency to tackle a persistent danger, he said. Mr. Sani urged concerned authorities to channel their attention and resources towards holistic eradication of pastoralists clashes across the country. Armed herdsmen represent a collective danger that needs a collective response, Mr. Sani said. An onslaught against armed herdsman is what is needed and not an onslaught against freedom of speech. Go find herdsman and not scapegoats. Kaduna State Government takes possession of case file Meanwhile, Mr. Danfulani has informed PREMIUM TIMES that Kaduna State Ministry of Justice has taken Mr. Maikoris case file from the police. But police in Kaduna have since denied responsibility for Mr. Maikoris latest arrest. Were not aware of his arrest, Kaduna police spokesperson, Aliyu Usman, told PREMIUM TIMES over the weekend. A highly-placed source within the organisation said other law enforcement agencies, especially the State Security Service, might be responsible. Other government agencies, like the SSS, might have arrested him and placed him in a police cell, the source told PREMIUM TIMES in Abuja on Sunday. PREMIUM TIMES could not independently confirm that SSS executed Mr. Maikoris arrest. The agencys refusal to appoint a spokesperson running close to two years made it impossible to get clarification. Mr. Danfulani identified the official who received the documents as Barrister Isiaka, an official of the ministry. He described the development as a very terrible ploy to keep him for days without charge. Mr. Danfulani said he had been reliably informed that Kaduna State Attorney-Generals office might be arraigning Mr. Maikori before a State High Court in the coming days. He will be charged at State High Court, not Magistrates Court as we earlier assumed, he said. The Attorney-General, Umma Hikima, could not be reached for comments about her offices alleged involvement in the matter. As at 1:34 p.m., Mr. Danfulani said himself and other lawyers and supporters of Mr. Maikoris were still waiting outside the Magistrates Court along Ibrahim Taiwo Road in downtown Kaduna. Threats of prosecution Mr. Maikoris latest ordeal came a week after Governor Nasir El-Rufai pledged to ensure his prosecution for allegedly circulating inflammatory materials capable of exacerbating the deadly conflict in Southern Kaduna. What he posted may have led to killings and we are trying to link the dates of the posting to attacks that may have happened the next day on Fulanis and if we are able to establish that causation, as lawyers, we know what it means, Mr. El-Rufai said in Lagos on March 4. It is totally irresponsible to do that. The governors spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, did not pick or return calls seeking to clarify if the governor ordered Mr. Maikoris latest arrest. Several text messages and WhatsApp requests sent to him between Friday and Monday afternoon were not responded to. Share this: Twitter Facebook A one-time Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, on Monday in Lagos challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over a $4.8 million fraud charge it slammed against him. Mr. Ajudua, who challenged the right of the commission to prosecute him for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Ishaya Bamaiyi, is also challenging the jurisdiction of an Ikeja High Court to try the case. The EFCC had accused Mr. Ajudua of defrauding Mr. Bamaiyi while both were in prison custody in 2004 for different offences. The EFCC said Mr. Ajudua had approached Mr. Bamaiyi, who was facing trial for the attempted murder of Alex Ibru, the late publisher of the Guardian Newspaper, and convinced him that he could help to secure his freedom. According to the commission, Ajudua received $4.8 million from Bamaiyi under the guise that the money was the legal fees for the law firm of Afe Babalola and Co. Ronke Rosulu, a court registrar and Mr. Ajuduas alleged accomplice, who allegedly helped him funnel the funds from the prison, was sentenced in a separate trial on Dec. 21, 2005 to 10 years in prison by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo. During Mondays proceeding, counsel to Mr. Ajudua, Norrison Quakers, in an application dated January 6 challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case. He also urged the court to quash the charge brought against Mr. Ajudua by the EFCC. We have filed an affidavit and a reply in points of law challenging the jurisdiction of this court to hear this case. The law also provides that an information in this charge can only be filed by the Attorney-General of the state and not the EFCC, he said. Responding, counsel to the EFCC, S.A. Atteh, said there was a judgment of the Court of Appeal upholding the right of the EFCC to prosecute the case. We have filed a counter-affidavit dated February 9 urging the court to allow the judgment of the Court of Appeal on whether the EFCC has a fiat to prosecute this case. I urge the court to dismiss the application of the defence and call the defendant to take his plea, he said. Justice Oyefeso adjourned the case to March 30 for ruling. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to head a special presidential delegation charged with the task of resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta region. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Paul Boroh, disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Abuja. Mr. Boroh said the choice of Mr. Osinbajo as leader of the governments fact-finding delegation to the crisis-ridden region was informed by President Buharis strategic plan to engender peace in the region. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before now, Niger-Delta elders were leading the delegation on the resolution of the crisis. However, with the new presidential directive, Mr. Boroh said the vice president would henceforth head the delegation. According to him, this will meet the presidents expectations of not only building confidence among the people on governments intentions but also help in its fact-finding mission on a workable and lasting solution. President Buhari knew what he was doing when he directed the vice president to head the delegation. You need to see him in action when he visited different communities in the oil-producing states. There is no doubt that the president knows that peace in the Niger Delta region is crucial to the development of the entire country, Mr. Boroh said. He said the visit of the vice president to the Niger Delta was in phases to cover all Niger Delta states. He said so far the delegation has visited Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Imo States. The next phase will be Cross River, Abia and Ondo states. By that we would have covered the entire Niger Delta states. This visit is in two folds. It is both a confidence-building and a fact-finding mission because a lot of information has been heard about the Niger Delta but no single person can claim to know all about the Niger delta. It requires effort by all stakeholders toward ensuring that issues of the Niger delta are resolved, he said. He also explained that efforts were on to pay beneficiaries of the amnesty programme studying abroad. Mr. Boroh said the problem arose due to the inability of the Federal Government to meet its financial obligations in the various countries. The coordinator said the Amnesty Office would have to offset a lot of liabilities when funds allocated to it were eventually released. He, however, said that priority would be given to the foreign beneficiaries, especially those graduating soon. Mr. Boroh said daily, the Amnesty Office deals with false allegations made against it by some aggrieved youth craving to benefit from the programme. He said the programme is at the integration phase and it would be difficult to accommodate new entrants, who were not captured when the amnesty offer was first put in place. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the allegation made by the Ali Sheriff faction that the former receives a monthly subvention from governors elected on the platform of the party. Mr. Sheriffs deputy, Cairo Ojougbo, at a press conference on Monday said the Makarfi faction does not want the crisis in the party to end because of the N50 million subvention it allegedly receives. But, in a swift reaction, the spokesperson of the Makarfi faction, Dayo Adeyeye, who also called a press conference said such allegations are a lie from the pit of hell and a very cheap and unintelligent attempt at blackmail. Mr. Adeyeye said it is a known fact by everyone in the PDP that the National Caretaker Committee headed by Mr. Makarfi has from inception been hamstrung by inadequate finance, so much so that simple secretariat duties have been a struggle while we have been unable to pay staff salaries of just N18 million a month. He also said members of the National Caretaker Committee do not enjoy any remuneration. It is a selfless service. It is therefore a figment of his imagination to say that the governors give the National Caretaker Committee N50 million monthly. The governors are all alive and are free to come forward and declare publicly their level of contributions to the National Caretaker Committee since May 21st 2016, he said. Attacks Cairo Ojougbo Mr. Adeyeye also asked Mr. Ojougbo to stop parading himself as Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, saying his doing so smacks of an extreme act of impunity. He said Mr. Ojougbo was neither elected into the position nor appointed into it by the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party. He was not a member of the NWC that existed prior to May 21, 2016. Reverting to Status Quo Ante prior to May 21, 2016 cannot be a reversion to the NWC that will include Dr. Cairo Ojugboh, he said. Mr. Adeyeye alleged that Mr. Ojougbo was one of the most avid opponents of Mr. Sheriff prior to the May 21, 2016 National Convention in Port Harcourt Rivers state. That was the time Sheriff still enjoyed the support of the majority of the Governors and when it was virtually a fait-accompli that he will be elected Chairman at the Convention. The moment Sheriff was rejected by the Party, Dr. Cairo crossed over to him showing a complete lack of principle. The only thing that matters to Dr. Cairo is his own selfish personal interest to be Deputy National Chairman at all cost. If he is offered that position today by the party, he would not think twice to abandon Sheriff. He has no locus to speak or act on behalf of the party, Mr. Adeyeye said. Mr. Adeyeye also said the PDP belongs to all its members and various organs, all of whom are free to make contribution to its running as it is not a personal empire of anybody or the National Caretaker Committee. There is therefore nothing illegal or untoward in receiving contributions from party members. Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, giving the heavy weight of responsibilities placed before us and especially the burden of having to deal with distractions caused by Senator Sheriff and his cohorts, he said He also said no matter how little, it is better for PDP to be funded by its own members than by the All Progressive Congress, APC, as is the case with Senator Sheriff and his cohorts. Mr. Adeyeye challenged Mr. Ojougbo to tell the world which APC governor, minister or official bought jeeps for them? He said the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Ayo Fayose, has also made a public allegation that Mr. Sheriff received $1 million from the APC to organise a new convention. Senator Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation, he said. Makarfi ready to resign Mr. Adeyeye also said the Ahmed Makarfi faction accepted a proposal by President Goodluck Jonathan and some governors to the crisis. He said the proposal called for the resignation of Mr. Sheriff and his NWC and also the National Caretaker Committee headed by Mr. Makarfi to create a level playing field for all, and to build trust among all members. He said the proposal was to then be submitted to the Supreme Court to form part of the judgment of the court. These would have provided both political and legal solution to the logjam. But Senator Sheriff rejected it, and continue to insist that he would conduct a National Convention when he does not enjoy the trust and confidence of the vast majority of party members. It is therefore very clear who has a personal or hidden agenda. And I dare say, it is Senator Sheriff and not the National Caretaker Committee. The blackmail of Dr. Cairo is too cheap and too simplistic, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook Residents of Kaduna have been urged to do their utmost best to uphold peace in the state. A statement from the Kaduna State Security Council said that citizens should remain calm and firmly reject any attempt to drag residents of the state into events happening elsewhere in the country. The Kaduna State Security Council wishes to commend the vast majority of the states residents for their commitment to peace. Council urges residents to continue to uphold peace and harmony, and ensure that they resist and reject any attempt to disrupt the peace and tranquillity currently prevailing in the state. The Kaduna State Security Council specifically warns against those trying to incite unnecessary tensions in the state because of events elsewhere in the country. Such persons should desist from circulating videos and images with inciting commentary and calls to citizens for reprisals. Already, the unfortunate incidents in that part of the country have been contained and taken care of, so the government would not watch enemies of peace capitalising on the situation to cause problems in Kaduna State using images and videos calling for reprisals. People circulating images and calling for reprisals are enemies of peaceful society, and all citizens must say no to them. The Security Council is determined to ensure that anyone or group of persons distributing images and videos calling for revenge are arrested and prosecuted. Citizens must support the government to ensure that every threat to law and order in the state is defeated. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Kano State Hisbah Corps has arrested 120 suspected prostitutes and drugs addicts at a recreation centre located about 21 kilometres outside Kano city. The Corps said it made the arrests during a night raid on the Hills and Valleys Recreational Centre in a joint operation with the state office of the Nigerian Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, after receiving series of complaints from residents of Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of the state. The Director-General of the Hisbah Corps, Abba Sufi, told journalists that out of the 120 girls and boys arrested, 20 are believed to be between 13 and14 years old. Mr. Sufi said 19 of those arrested were notorious persons who the command had arrested several times in the past and taken to court. He said they would be prosecuted under the states Prostitution and other Immoral Acts Prohibition Law enacted in 2001. Mr. Sufi said some of the girls arrested were at the venue for a wedding ceremony and that the command has handed them over to their parents. We have 37 boys and 79 girls who are mostly under-aged and we have invited their parents to caution them against allowing these under-aged ones to engage in social vices. Abba Sufi said the corps had also identified some other black spots where illicit drugs were being taken mostly by young girls and boys, warning that the command would soon swoop on them. In another development, a Kano High Court has issued an interim order stopping the state government from further action on its 2000 housing units and skill acquisition centre situated on the Dawaki- Zaria- Kaduna Road in the state capital. However, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Fallali, PREMIUM TIMES on phone that the state has filed an application before the court to vacate the order while it continues the substantive case. Mr. Fallali said the government was waiting for the judge to give it a date to argue the case. The court, presided by Justice Hadiza Sulaiman, had ordered the state government to stop work on the project which foundation laying ceremony was performed by the vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, last year. The court said the state government, attorney-general, state ministries of land and commerce and Kano State Investment and Properties should refrain from any further action on the project until it rules on a suit filed by an indigenous company, Minsource Investment Limited, alleging trespass on the companys land by the state government. The company said the project was being built on a land for which it has an existing letter of grant and a signed memorandum of understanding with the Kano State government to build the Kano China Town. The companys chief executive officer, Shazali Umar, said the Chinese envoy in Nigeria had visited the site after endorsing the proposal for the China Town project, which one of the largest commercial banks in the world was ready to finance. He said the project was designed in China but that after the feasibility studies, projected sales and exclusive discussions with foreign and local banks for the take-off of the project, we woke up to see mass houses and skills centre on the land. He also said the company had not received any notice of revocation of the grant to the land or any formal notification to that effect from the government. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Police in Kaduna State on Monday said they have arrested three suspects that allegedly killed two Fulani herdsmen on Saturday. The Commissioner of Police, Agyole Abeh, told journalists in Kaduna that the two herdsmen were grazing their livestock when they were killed on March 11 at Unguwan Luka in Jemaa Local Government Area. Mr. Abeh said the three suspects were arrested after a tip-off by Good Samaritans. The police commissioner said the suspects had made confessional statements and would soon be charged to court. He declared that peace was gradually returning to Southern Kaduna, and urged the general public to go about their normal businesses. Mr. Abeh assured of the commands readiness and commitment in providing secure environment to all citizens and solicited for more support from the public to enable police personnel discharge their duties more effectively. I want to assure the people of the state of my resolve to flush out all forms of crime and criminality in the area, he said. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the herdsmen were shot while herding cattle in Anguwan Yashi village in Jemaa local government area. The National Assistant Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ibrahim Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone that those killed are Anas Shuaibu, 20, and Yahaya Musa, 14. Mr. Abdullahi however called on the Fulani community in the area not to take the laws into their hands and allow the security agencies do their job. He also appealed to the attackers to please give peace a chance. Over 200 people have been killed in the last few months in Southern Kaduna in clashes between herdsmen and largely farming communities. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Police in Bayelsa on Monday confirmed the arrest of a 59-year-old traditional health practitioner, Ziworitin Keke, who cut off the penis of a nine-month-old boy during circumcision. The incident occurred at Odenwari, a coastal settlement in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa on February 5. Asinim Butswat, the spokesman of the state Police Command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that Mr. Keke was already in custody, while investigation was underway. We arrested the suspect following a report of the circumcision incident; he is currently in our custody. He was arrested on Saturday and hopefully after investigation, prosecution will follow subject to the outcome of the investigation, Mr. Butswat said. The police spokesman said they got the report shortly after the incident in February, but that the family was preoccupied with seeking medical care for the baby. We got the report earlier from Krokrosei Division in Southern Ijaw, which is the nearest division, we have been working with the family on the case, Mr. Butswat said. Eudora Michael, the 35-year-old mother of the baby, said her son, Oyintari Michael, whose penis was cut off during the ill-fated circumcision, was at risk and in excruciating pains. She said the boy desperately needed medical help. Mrs. Michael told NAN on Monday at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, that she and her husband could not afford the specialised care the baby needed to stay alive. Since this sad incident occurred in February this year, we have been running around to raise money; we have borrowed and we are in big debt, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook A melange of musical styles will come together for a worthy cause during Rock for Refugees an April 2 benefit concert at the Arab American National Museum. Rock for Refugees is a benefit concert for Freedom House and Take on Hate two organizations that offer support and seek to broaden understanding for disenfranchised groups both in the United States and around the world. Freedom House Detroit is a temporary home for indigent survivors of persecution from around the world who are seeking asylum in the United States and Canada. Take on Hate, which officially launched in 2014, is a grassroots campaign that challenges discrimination and misconceptions of Arab and Muslim Americans, including refugees of Arab and Muslim descent, in the United States. A lineup of diverse music is on tap at the event, including: DJ Ryan Spencer of the Jamaican Queens The Foundation for Women in Hip Hop featuring Mahogany Jones, Piper Carter, Ambassador & Emcee, Elizabeth Whitaker- Walker and Erica Dennard -Sean Blackman & Friends Thornetta Davis Undesirable Aliens with former members of the Layabouts -Luis Restos Luis & the Holy Fools -BombaRica -Jere Stormer & Friends with Taller Than They Appear and Markita Moore -Muruga & the Cosmic Hoedown Band -Casual Sweetheart -Mazaj -Detroit Symphony Orchestra Youth Jazz Ensemble Rock for Refugees takes the stage from 2 to 10 p.m. April 2, with the first performance beginning at 2:30 and the final act taking the stage at 9. All performances will take place at AANMs Aliya Hassan Auditorium and The Annex @ AANM. ACCESS, The Arab American National and the Cultural Exchange Network present the concert with sponsorship by the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Tickets are $20 and include admission to all concerts. Visit arabamericanmuseum.org to purchase. Donations also will be accepted to support Freedom House Detroit and Take on Hate. ( Read 5995 Times) Source : Dr.H.S.Chandalia.Udaipur. First Chairperson of the RTI Commission and the former Chairman of Minorities Commission of India Mr. Vajahat Habibullah said that the spirit of questioning authorities should not be given up in the face of the authority whether it is a religious leader or the state itself. The people must exercise their right to ask questions and ask for the accountability if they want to make a successful democracy. Mr. Vajahat was addressing the XV All World Dawoodi Bohra Conference in Udaipur on 11th March after inaugurating it. He stated that the right of citizenship of an individual cannot be usurped by a religious leader in the name of allegiance to a faith. The conference which began with the slogans of "Freedom from Fear", Struggle for human dignity and the values of secularism and democracy was attended by hundreds of Bohra men and women from all over the country and also representation from abroad. Addressing the conference Prof. Faizan Mustafa , Vice Chancellor of NALSAR University, Hyderabad saidnthat we need not freedom of religion, we need freedom from religion. He pleaded for internal reforms in Islam and the question of giving equal treatment to minorities within minorities.Padmashri Indira Jai Singh, senior lawyer, Supreme Court of India, said that there are several issues which are pending trial in the court of law. The question of excommunication of Bohra Youth has been pending with the Supreme Court of India for last ten years, the issue of demonetization and that of making Aadhar Card compulsory for all purposes are also pending in the court. She said that in the recent times asking questions which are uncomfortable to the establishment has become difficult. Suddenly people start asking about your faith, questioning your patriotism and challenging your nationalism. This is not what democracy stands for. Swami Agnivesh, an activist exhorted the Bohra Community to come out of the fold of religion and work for freedom in religion as well as freedom from religion. He said that all human beings were born as humans but later they got divided in religions and faiths. This has caused a lot of violence and suppression in the world. He called upon people of all faiths to realize the essential unity of mankind. Former Chairperson of Rajasthan Sahitya Academy , activist and columnist Ved Vyas said that the threats of authoritarianism is increasing with right winged forces coming to power. They are all set to exercise their communal agenda. The Bohra community is fighting a just cause against their own Syedna but those powers who align with him and make him state guest are getting strength day by day. He said that the people should understand the seriousness of both and contemplate how to neutralize such powers.The conference was also addressed by Saifuddin Insaf, general secretary of the central committee of Dawoodi Bohra community who said that Islam began as a revolution against forces of suppression but over the years people have become indifferent. He called upon all people who support human rights to align with Bohra youth to support their cause. His song " Chup na rahna, chup na rahna " was sung by a chorus in the beginning of the conference.President of the Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community revolutionary poet Abid Adeeb explained the circumstances in which the organization was formed to face the atrocities of Syedna. Haji Gulam Hussain and Haji Kamruddin Maliwala were felicitated on the occasion. Organizing secretary Hibtullah Attari offered a vote of thanks. ATLANTIC CITY A Pennsylvania-based brewery could soon relocate its headquarters to this city. DeWalt Brewing Company wants to move next door to the Little Water Distillery in a warehouse in the Northeast Inlet, said Christopher DeWalt, the companys CEO and founder. The company has applied for a state grant through the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program. The state Economic Development Authority board will vote on the grants approval at its next meeting, according to the EDA. The brewerys relocation to Atlantic City is contingent on receiving the grant, DeWalt said. The estimated annual grant award would be $108,795 per year for 10 years, according to the EDA agenda. We are actually at the finish line, DeWalt said. Everything is in place. Were waiting to go. Once the vote goes down, that day if they do it early or the very next day, we will be hitting the ground running. The brewery would have a grand opening in July, but the craft beer could arrive to the city sooner, possibly June, DeWalt said. He plans to bring 15 employees to the city by the end of the first year, and employ 85 to 100 workers after a decade. The brewery currently has three beers a German-style lager, an India pale ale and a mixed berry apple cider, according to its website. DeWalt, 50, plans to reveal three more recipes when it moves to the city. The company will keep its Pennsylvania distribution deals and agreements with minor league stadiums, including the home of the Reading Fightin Phils, DeWalt said. DeWalt said the warehouse, bordered by Lexington, Delaware and Baltic avenues, is a great location in part because its adjacent to Little Water Distillery, which will have its official grand opening March 25. DeWalt said he began negotiations to secure a lease for the location in the fall, contingent on receiving the state grant approval. Little Water owner Mark Ganter said the brewery and distillery would be a perfect fit, and said he has met with DeWalt several times. The location is not coincidental. Ill put it that way, said Ganter, who owns the distillery with his brother, Eric. It creates a perfect combination to not only attract like-minded clientele, but the collaboration possibilities are also endless. The brewery has received strong support from city government. DeWalt has applied for a small business loan through the city, and the loan committe has recommended approval, Planning and Development Director Elizabeth Terenik said. The location is already approved for brewery use from when the Zoning Board issued a use variance for the distillery, Terenik said. The city worded the approval for all other similar uses, and blanketed the approval for the entire property in case the distillery wanted to expand or a compatible business wanted to locate there, she said in a January letter of support for the project. We are thrilled that DeWalt is considering Atlantic City as their new home, she wrote Jan. 4. They have spent time with city elected officials, community groups, as well as the zoning, health, construction and mercantile offices. All have expressed their support, and we stand ready and willing to expedite their approvals and permits. DeWalt said his business advisers recommended relocating to Atlantic City. Mayor Don Guardian has already given the company a written declaration making the brewery the official craft beer of Atlantic City, DeWalt said. They felt Atlantic City was down but not out and on the way back up, DeWalt said. Its a prime time to be one of the first ones to get in. Correction: DeWalt Brewing Company has not yet signed a lease for the warehouse on Arctic Avenue. Everything written for women seems to fall into just three categories: ingenues, mothers or gorgons. Thus spake Joan Crawford in Feud: Bette and Joan, Ryan Murphys juicy FX miniseries that revisits the notorious and probably overhyped rivalry between Crawford and Bette Davis, and their joint effort, when they were both in their mid-50s, to make a comeback in the horror classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Feud, which stars Jessica Lange as Crawford and Susan Sarandon as Davis, promises to be a delicious dive into Hollywood during the interregnum between its Golden Age and the arrival of the generation personified by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese. Through Murphys sensitive lens, it will also cast into bold relief how little has changed from those eras into this one, when actresses are still punished for aging, either by the industry tossing them aside once theyve passed peak pulchritude, or relegating them to roles as mommies or monsters. Of course, in an industry built on images, not to mention the audiences wish-fulfillment fantasies, men arent immune to ageism: Witness Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway at this years Oscars, gamely trying to salvage the best picture mix-up while most viewers assumed they were befuddled and maybe even senile. Throwing them onstage with no immediate support was a clear act of elder abuse, as my colleague, Washington Post TV critic Hank Stuever, put it. Still, theres no doubt that women are far more affected by the movie industrys obsession with sex appeal and physical beauty, resulting in a giant absence in female roles once actresses reach their 50s and 60s. Forget a Day Without a Woman; in Hollywood, its a Groundhog Day Without a Woman, at least when it comes to the portrayal of recognizable, fully-realized, flawed and compelling human beings of which great female characters are made. And the slide can start disconcertingly early. Consider, if you will, Brie Larson, who co-stars in Kong: Skull Island and serves as a cautionary poster girl for aspiring actresses everywhere: One year youre winning an Oscar for a sensitive, skillfully layered performance in an emotionally demanding drama; the next, youre widening your eyes and gasping your way through a great big monkey movie. Meanwhile, Larsons Kong director, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, offers an example just as textbook of what dudes can accomplish in this case, getting an enormous studio franchise-builder after making one well-received coming-of-age indie (The Kings of Summer). Somehow, success for men is defined as increasing the degree of technical difficulty of their projects, while women may get bigger movies, but with far less to actually do. Feud makes an oblique point very eloquently, which is how rare it has become to find movies centered on fascinating grown-up female characters: The kinds of movies that made Crawford and Davis into legendary divas Mildred Pierce, Johnny Guitar, Now, Voyager, All About Eve have been supplanted by comic-book adaptations and superhero spectacles that the studios once made to appeal to teenage boys, and now make to appeal to audiences in Latin America and China who dont want to bother with too many subtitles. The films that Crawford and Davis made once went under the slightly condescending sobriquet of womens pictures, suggesting weepy melodramas and mushy romance. In the fullness of time, though, the term has come to mean movies in which adult women are allowed to be smart (or crafty), sensitive (or manipulative), strong (or bullying) and sexy (if only incidentally). Whats more, the womens pictures of yore now seem exceptionally sophisticated, even prescient, when it comes to understanding audiences, which are at least half female, with the other halfs choices being strongly influenced by wives, mothers, friends and lovers. The purveyors of womens pictures understood womens economic power long before the term was codified in focus groups and market research. Interestingly enough, womens pictures are still being made just not at the studios. Over the past few years, a slew of independent films have come out featuring mature women that have become sleeper hits and not incidentally impressively profitable, from Grandma and Ill See You in My Dreams, with Lily Tomlin and Blythe Danner, respectively, to Woman in Gold and Eye in the Sky, both starring Helen Mirren. Shirley MacLaine has found a new indie career in her 80s with films like Richard Linklaters Bernie and the new release The Last Word. Beholding the 60-ish Isabelle Huppert in the French psychological thriller Elle has permanently tabled the notion that actresses of a certain age cant be supremely seductive, as well as maddeningly contradictory and complex. In a way, todays seasoned actresses are living out what Feud presents almost as a proof of concept: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, after all, wasnt a studio film. Instead, it came into being through the efforts of director Robert Aldrich and Crawford, who really did approach Davis in her Broadway dressing room during her run in The Night of the Iguana to persuade her to play the title role. The gamble paid off, reigniting both actresses careers. Feminism the simple belief in the political, economic and social equality of the sexes has always been interwoven with womens independence. What Crawford and Davis found out, and what their successors still discover once the roles for ingenues, mothers and gorgons run out, is that for actresses, equality is just as firmly rooted in independents. A North Wildwood man previously convicted for his role in a shooting was arrested Friday after authorities said they recovered more than $20,000 in crack cocaine and heroin while executing a search warrant. Tahiem A. Howell, 38, faces multiple drug charges following the search, which recovered 500 bags of suspected heroin, 6 ounces of suspected crack cocaine and $2,545 in cash, the Cape May County Prosecutors Office said Monday. Authorities executed the search Friday at a property in the 300 block of West 19th Avenue in North Wildwood, according to the prosecutor. In 2006, Howell was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a 2004 shooting in Wildwood that injured three men. He also received a five-year sentence for an unrelated drug charge. Howell was released in February 2014, according to the state Department of Corrections website. On Friday, Howell was charged with first-degree distribution of crack cocaine, third-degree possession of crack cocaine, third-degree possession of heroin, second-degree distribution of crack cocaine within 500 feet of a public place and second-degree distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a public place, according to a news release. He was processed and released on summons pending court proceedings, the Prosecutors Office said. Prosecutor Robert Taylor said people convicted of a first-degree crime face a penalty of 10 to 20 years in state prison. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison, and third-degree convictions carry a prison term of three to five years, Taylor said. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Prosecutors Offices Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force and the North Wildwood Police Department Detective Division, according to the release. The Cape May Regional SWAT team also participated in the search, the Prosecutors Office said. Anyone with information regarding illegal drug activity and or any criminal activity within the county is asked to call the Prosecutors Office at 609-465-1135, or anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriffs Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net (click on anonymous tip), or through Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-465-2800 or 877-465-2801. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP Harold Whitey Swartz will answer his last fire call Saturday. The former Atlantic County fire marshal, who spent more than a half-century as part of the local firefighting community, will be given the honor of a funeral usually reserved for firefighters who die in the line of duty and life members. Saturdays funeral will include dozens of firetrucks from departments throughout the county and state. It also will include police and EMS personnel, with an honor guard to salute the man many affectionately called Whitey. Swartz, 80, of Galloway Township, died March 2. He served Atlantic County for 56 years. County officials said they expect 200 to 300 firefighters to attend the funeral. Vince Jones, commissioner of the Office of Emergency Management, said that number could easily double. He knew everybody, Jones said. His reach was way beyond Atlantic County. I had the pleasure of growing up around the corner from Whitey and his family, Pleasantville Fire Chief Steve Wilkins said. You dont see this kind of funeral very often, but this send-off is appropriate. A ladder truck from the Pleasantville Fire Department, where Swartz worked for 31 years, will hold up a large American flag Saturday near Galloways Church of St. Mark and All Saints. On Thursday, members of the department cleaned and prepared the truck for the funeral. A plaque was placed on an outside wall of the station in Swartzs honor. A firefighter killed in the line of duty or a life member of a fire company can have his or her casket carried to the funeral by a firetruck. Swartzs casket will be carried on his 1938 Brockway truck, which will be driven in the parade by his son Harold Jr. Harold Jr. said his brothers, John and Robert, and several grandchildren will ride in the truck during the procession. He said his dad used to take his brothers and him out for ice cream in the Brockway. An honor guard will attend, which is customary for firefighter funerals. Firefighters serving as honor guard stand at the head and foot of the casket while pallbearers place an American flag over it, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. Taps is generally played sometime during the ceremony. The procession will pass the Firefighters Museum of Southern New Jersey that Swartz built on Ridgewood Avenue in Galloway. It has one of the most extensive collections of firefighting equipment in the state, including the first Atlantic City firetruck. The first version of the museum, a garage next to Swartzs house in Pleasantville, opened in 1972 and featured a 1929 Ahrensfox he stripped down and rebuilt himself. Harold Jr. said the Ahrensfox was Whiteys first love of all the collectibles he owned. After the services for Swartz are completed, a message will come through the firefighting frequency on the Atlantic County radio system saying Whitey has answered his last call. The services for Swartz will be the second major funeral in the area for a first responder in the past three months. In December, police from at least a half-dozen states lined up in front of Boardwalk Hall to honor New Jersey State Police Trooper Frankie Williams, of Egg Harbor Township, who died in a car crash on duty Dec. 6. TRENTON Atlantic County has a new prosecutor. Damon Tyner, 46, of Egg Harbor Township, was confirmed by the state Senate on Monday. Tyner will officially leave his job as a New Jersey Superior Court judge to become the first African-American Atlantic County prosecutor. If my journey can inspire another young person thats coming from behind to reach the level that I have reached, then I would welcome that responsibility, Tyner said after the hearing. But at the end of the day, when victims of crime want to be consoled and want justice I dont think they care that Im African American or anything else. I just think they want the job done, and thats what I intend to do. Born and raised in Atlantic City, Tyner has a long family history of public service. His father, Hank, was Atlantic City Council president in the 1980s and worked 30 years as a city police officer. His brother, Michael, recently retired from the Atlantic City Police Department. Another brother, Clayton Graham, is a Superior Court judge in Indianapolis. Tyner said his time living in the county gives him a unique insight into the problems it faces. After swearing in his assistants, which could happen as early as Tuesday, weather permitting, he will get to work combating the opioid epidemic, gang violence and human trafficking, among other problems, he said. He said opioid abuse, which includes heroin, is one of the top issues facing the county and the country. Its sad on so many levels. I believe we have to make a commitment to that, he said. Tyners predecessor, Jim McClain, left the Prosecutors Office after he was appointed as a Superior Court judge by Gov. Chris Christie. Tyner said the decision to take the job was because of his familys history with the county as well as his determination to implement preventative programs to stem drug abuse and gang violence. It really centers around the good youre able to do from the prosecutors prospective, he said. As a judge, he got the cases after the crime already had been committed. As the prosecutor, he can work on implementing community-engagement programs to try and stop the crime from occurring, he said. Tyner was joined by several family members at Mondays hearing. State Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, was on hand to support the new prosecutor. Late last month, Christie nominated Tyner to replace McClain, who had served as county prosecutor since 2012. Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton has overseen the office since August 2016. An Atlantic City native, Tyner attended Holy Spirit High School, got his undergraduate at Howard University and went on to get his law degree from Widener University. South Jersey is preparing for a noreaster that is expected to bring rain, wind, snow and tidal flooding Tuesday. Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency and urged drivers to stay off the roads. Its the rain and the wind that could be most problematic, as several inches of a heavy, windswept rain will likely cause poor-drainage flooding. Add a round of moderate tidal flooding Tuesday morning, and theres more water for motorists to contend with. Although most of the area is expected to miss out on the heavier snow that will be found farther inland, public works crews used Monday to prepare for any snow or ice the storm would bring. Roads across South Jersey were pretreated with brine, and plows were readied in case they would be needed. John Fritsch, director of plant operations at Stockton University in Galloway Township, used Monday to re-attach 10 plows to Stocktons fleet of trucks. We had the plows off and were mulching and cleaning flower beds last week and hopeful winter was over, Fritsch explained. But snow was not Fritschs main concern from the impending storm. It was the strong winds, causing his crews to also secure loose objects around the Stockton campus Monday. Concern for the wind was shared by Cape May County Emergency Management Coordinator Martin Pagliughi, who said the wind topped snow or tidal flooding as his main focus. We can usually handle moderate flooding, and were not expecting much snow, but 60-mile-per-hour gusts can cause power outages, which can especially impact our senior population, Pagliughi said. With strong winds in the forecast, Pagliughi also said the ongoing beach-replenishment project off Avalon was suspended for two days and the dredge moved to Cape May Harbor as a precaution. We also made sure to anchor some of the pipes for the dredging along the shore due to the strong winds and large waves expected, Pagliughi added. The National Weather Service issued high-wind warnings for the South Jersey shore for Tuesday for possible gusts as high as 55 to 60 mph. Coastal-flood warnings also were issued to alert residents to the likelihood of moderate tidal flooding. Linda Gilmore, public information officer for Atlantic County, reminded coastal residents to move their vehicles to higher ground prior to the Tuesday morning high tide, which occurs around 9:30 a.m. along the ocean and an hour or two later in the back bays. Gilmore also said to expect normally flood-prone roads such as the Black and White Horse pikes to flood during the storm. Atlantic City declared a Code Blue from 8 p.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Tuesday. The heaviest rain and snow are expected during the morning hours before ending by afternoon, but the strongest winds will continue throughout the day. On Monday, North Wildwood officials warned residents of moderate coastal flooding expected Tuesday, Mayor Patrick Rosenello said in a statement. Water is expected to encompass the area from Delaware Avenue to New York Avenue and reach up to New Jersey Avenue, according a news release. The tidal surge will be in at least 7 feet, the release said. The city asked residents to secure all properties and outdoor items such as lawn chairs and trashcans. Significant precipitation may cause extended and localized flooding in places that dont normally get tidal flooding, the news release said. Officials warned drivers to never attempt to drive down a flooded road. The city did not anticipate opening an emergency shelter, according to the release. But officials asked residents to check ready.northwildwood.com or the citys social-media accounts for updated storm information. For live noreaster updates on the top of each hour staring at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, check out pressofac.com. You can also find all storm-related closings and delays there as well. The Press of Atlantic City is providing a list of schools, local, county and state office closings for Atlantic, Cape, Cumberland and southern Ocean counties as a result of a noreaster Tuesday that is expected to bring rain, snow, high winds and tidal flooding to South Jersey. Heres what we have so far: ATLANTIC COUNTY Atlantic City schools are closed. Absecon schools closed. Atlantic Cape Community College is closed. Brigantine public schools will be closed on Tuesday. Coastal Living in Northfield is closed. Egg Harbor City schools are closed. Galloway schools are closed. The Hammonton Municipal Courts will be closed Tuesday. All hearings will be rescheduled. The WAVE Garage at Mississippi and Fairmount avenues in Atlantic City will provide free overnight parking for city residents and visitors until 8 p.m. Tuesday. The four Atlantic County branches of Absecon Bank will open two hours later than usual at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. Stockton University is closed. Assumption Regional Catholic School is closed. Margate Schools are closed. Hamilton Township schools are closed. Hammonton schools are closed. Mullica Township schools closed; Board of Education meeting moved to March 20. Pleasantville schools closed. Port Republic schools closed. Atlantic County Institute of Technology closed. Atlantic County Alternative School closed. Ventnor schools are closed. "March Dadness" event canceled: The Coalition for a Safe Community will reschedule its March Dadness event to a later date because of the coastal storm Tuesday. For more information, call 609-965-1034, ext. 123. CAPE MAY COUNTY Ocean City Schools are closed. Charter Tech High School is closed. Margaret Mace School in North Wildwood is closed. Wildwood Schools closed. CAPE MAY COUNTY Bridgeton Municipal Court is closed today. OCEAN COUNTY Thomas Donovan High School, Toms River. Closed. Lacey Township Municipal Court. Closed. Toms River Regional Schools. Closed. Ocean County Vocational School District is closed. Little Egg Harbor schools will have an early dismissal Tuesday. VINELAND An 83-year-old city woman died Monday morning after police say she was pinned under a tour bus heading to the Philadelphia Flower Show. Myriam Roman died at the Lincoln and Dante avenues crash scene, where police arrived just before 8:30 a.m. An initial investigation found Roman was walking to the front of the Sheppard tour bus when she was struck and pinned under the front passenger tire, authorities said. The bus was driven by Dewey Vasser Jr., police said. There were no other occupants inside, police said. Vasser told police he was leaving the shopping plaza to get another bus from the yard because the one he was driving was having a mechanical problem. The investigation is ongoing and being handled by Officer Fredrick DeMary, of the Vineland Police Departments Traffic Safety Unit. Staff Writer Steve Hughes contributed to this report. Public Eye has an update to a story weve been following since last year. The issue: Browns Park, bordered by Bacharach Boulevard, Arctic Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, was known as a gathering place for drug addicts and the citys homeless. A number of violent crimes occurred at the park, including the October 2015 assault of a woman that was filmed and posted to social media. The park, which is within walking distance of several public housing complexes, as well as an Atlantic Cape Community College campus, was criticized for its condition and considered too dangerous for locals to use. The next step: In December, plans were announced for the parks renovation. Although the city was about $600,000 short of the needed funding, grants and charitable donations helped fund the $1.2 million project. In late December, an 8-foot construction fence went up and construction began at the park. Police and city officials credited the fencing with keeping illegal activity out of the park, and with only one breach of the fence to date, city officials said the project has not been disrupted. The update: Nothings fully complete, city project manager Robert Preston said, but we are on schedule and sticking to our budget. On Feb. 28, the Atlantic City Planning Department tweeted a photo of the newest additions to the park site: bright and colorful playground equipment. 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 Preston said the universally designed equipment is handicapped-accessible and for a wide age range. Areas have been cleared for a raised performing stage, which Preston said has already received booking inquiries from local community organizations and churches. Trees have been cleared to make the park more open, and the park will be fenced for added security. Were looking into keeping the fencing or at least having a portion of the park fence, which will be monitored by the recreation department, Preston said. Improved lighting and security cameras also were included in the plans for Browns Park. The park is expected to be finished by mid- to late April, and a grand opening ceremony is tentatively planned for Memorial Day. Its one of the good things to happen in this city, Preston said. You can also find all storm related closings and delays here as well. 12:45 p.m. Press Meteorologist Dan Skeldon reports a quick departure of the storm and shifting of winds from northeast to northwest helps drain back bays. No additional flooding expected. No additional high tides should present flooding. All Sun National Bank locations were closed Tuesday. Sleet transitions to light snow as temperatures drop #acpress pic.twitter.com/ZWKXihuDNF Michael Ein (@ACPressEin) March 14, 2017 12:15 p.m. Vineland Schools cancel all after-school activities and sporting events. 12:05 p.m. The Dorset Avenue bridge in Ventnor been lowered and is reopen to traffic. Dorset Ave bridge in Ventnor just reopened. Cop car pulled away, first car crossed to Heights.#acpress , Martin DeAngelis (@PressBeach) March 14, 2017 11:32 a.m. Atlantic City is still experiencing flooding, with officials blocking back streets and intersections. Atlantic City Fire Chief Scott Evans said the city has experienced more flooding than predicted. "Some streets have about 17 to 20 inches of water," Evans said. Evans reported multiple high water rescues. One person was rescued from their vehicle on West End Avenue and another person was rescued at Delaware Avenue. Crews have put of traffic barricades at Fairmont Avenue between Texas and Mississipii Avenues, and at West End Avenue. 11:13 a.m. Rt 30 closed at Delilah westbound. Atlantic City OEM (@AtlanticCityOEM) March 14, 2017 11:10 a.m. Longport Borough Hall will close at 1 p.m. Tuesday. We have multiple high water rescues currently on going. Tide is still rising. DO NOT drive thru standing water!! Stay Alert! Atlantic City FD (@AtlanticCityFD) March 14, 2017 10:50 a.m. The Dorset Avenue bridge and the George Redding Bridge in Wildwood are closed Tuesday morning due to high flood waters. Dorset Avenue is closed from the bridge to the 300 north block. 10:45 a.m. There is a traffic light out in Little Egg Harbor. Little Egg School District announced an early dismissal Tuesday. Traffic light is broken on corner of Radio Road and Harbourtown Blvd. in Little Egg Harbor. #acpress #stella pic.twitter.com/4mE1wbhdC9 Christian Hetrick (@_Hetrick) March 14, 2017 10 a.m. Flooding in North Wildwood. 9:55 a.m. Egg Harbor Township Police said drivers should avoid Tilton Road near the Garden State Parkway exit and Mill Road near Oakland Avenue due to flooding. Traffic lights out at the intersection of Fire rd and Black Horse pk in Egg Harbor Township. #acpress @ThePressofAC pic.twitter.com/kEFG8KBCTa Craig Matthews (@acpressmatthews) March 14, 2017 9:45 a.m. At Hot Bagels in Northfield, Melissa Collins, a cashier, said they like to stay open for customers. I wasnt surprised at the rain, she said. I feel like it shifted. It was pretty cold. We were keeping an eye on the weather all night. Regardless, we try to stay open for our customers. Steve McLaughlin was buying breakfast inside for himself and his son, a student at Cedar Creek High School. The school was closed on Tuesday and McLaughlin, of Galloway, said he got the call when they were on their way to the gym. Egg Harbor Township School District was one of few school districts in the area to remain open Tuesday. Dave Gehrum of Mays Landing also decided to stop in the supermarket for a few items after dropping his wife off at work in Atlantic City. It was just crazy visibility, he said of the drive to Atlantic City. Gehrum said he wasnt surprised, but was happy that the noreaster only brought rain and wind to the area. If you dont play in it, theres no use for it, Gehrum said. 9:32 a.m. Egg Harbor Township Police are closing the Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City and diverting traffic on to the Atlantic City Expressway. The road will be closed until at least noon. Both westbound lanes of the Black Horse Pike in the area of Chapman Ford just east of the Parkway are flooded. Drivers should find alternate routes. 9:30 a.m. The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for the area until 4 p.m. Winds from 20 to 30 mph are expected through this afternoon. Gusts up to 60 mph are possible. 9:20 a.m. Long Beach Township Police Captain Chuck Schnell said flooding was minimal as of this morning ahead of high tide. One area with drainage issues was the corner of 44th street and Long Beach Boulevard, where county workers were getting soaked. Traffic cones closed off a lane there. Water was almost up to the doorstep in front of Davies and DeGennaro Real Estate office. Bill Davies, a real estate broker there, said county workers are replacing the storm sewer near his office. Theyve already got most of the project done, but havent yet finished the job. What youve got now is all this storm water coming into the storm drains, but because there isnt pipe for the last third, theres no place for the water to go," Davies said Tuesday morning. So its backing right up into the street. Most of Long Beach Township has had minimal flooding so far, but this area has drainage issues, police said. https://t.co/EDtWFyQAri Christian Hetrick (@_Hetrick) March 14, 2017 9:15 a.m. Traffic signals are out on Fire Road at Black Horse Pike and Washington in EHT @ACPressSkeldon @ACPress_LC 9 a.m. New Jersey State Police reported Tuesday morning that they responded to 80 motor vehicle crashes and 138 aids flat tires, spins or breakdowns since midnight across the state. 8:30 a.m. Surge in Atlantic City rising more sharply last hour. Now up to 2.5 feet with just over an hour until high tide. Already in flood. pic.twitter.com/Emve1clkJz Dan Skeldon (@ACPressSkeldon) March 14, 2017 Flooding has begun in #StoneHarborNJ #stella This is a combo of heavy rain and tide. pic.twitter.com/8GqnMdaqS1 Zeke Orzech (@Zeke_O) March 14, 2017 8:25 a.m. South Jersey is seeing minimal power outages so far Tuesday morning. There are minor power outages, affecting less than five customers each, in Lower Township, Middle Township, Wildwood and Stafford. There are 105 customers without power in Brigantine. Roads are starting to flood. According to 511NJ, Route 47 is closed north of West Rio Grande Avenue. Water is starting to collect in most shore towns. Wrangleboro Road in Galloway is flooded and Central Avenue north and south of JFK Boulevard in Sea Isle City is closed due to flooding. 8:05 a.m. Woman in Atlantic City uses a trash bag as an umbrella on Ventnor Avenue at 7:45AM @ThePressofAC @ACPressSkeldon #weathercenter #acpress pic.twitter.com/RXyqKATy5e Viviana Pernot (@ACPressPernot) March 14, 2017 7:45 a.m. Trish McCabe having a slow morning at Hannah-G's. 'That is horrible out there, that wind.' #acpress pic.twitter.com/BwIwX7Vkdz Martin DeAngelis (@PressBeach) March 14, 2017 "We've only had one table so far. I guess people just panic" says Trish McCabe Hannah-G's employee of 14 years @ThePressofAC @ACPressSkeldon pic.twitter.com/BHbvVM7Nnb Viviana Pernot (@ACPressPernot) March 14, 2017 7:30 a.m. More than 3,000 in New Jersey have a power outage. Atlantic City Electric is reporting outages mostly in western areas in Gloucester County. 7:15 a.m. A look at what's going on in Wildwood right now 7:00 a.m "It's going to be a long day" overheard from a Wildwood public works employee at Wawa @ThePressofAC #stella Jack Tomczuk (@ACPressTomczuk) March 14, 2017 6:55 a.m. The National Weather Service says the dividing line between snow and a wintry mix from a nor'easter pushing through the southern New Jersey-Pennsylvania region has moved farther inland, cutting down the anticipated snow accumulation, but increasing the chance of icing. NWS Meteorologist Sarah Johnson, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, says the dividing line between snow and a mix of snow, sleet and rain has pushed west, from the Jersey coast into Philadelphia. She says that lowers anticipated snow totals, but increases the threat of icing from sleet and freezing rain along the Interstate 95 corridor. While the snow totals might be lower, Johnson warns that New Jersey shore areas can still expect strong winds, with gusts between 50 and 55 mph. The I-95 corridor could get wind gusts of up to 40 mph. 6:45 a.m. Atlantic City International Airport is reporting no delays or flight cancellations yet. Atlantic City Electric is reporting a small power outage in north Ocean City at New Castle Road. Crews are on site and power is expected to be restored by 8 a.m. 6:35 a.m. The rain is coming down sideways eight now and heavy, Wawa not so busy yet #acpress pic.twitter.com/kJBWlqgxOZ Claire Lowe (@clairelowe) March 14, 2017 North Wildwood Sea wall is holding up so far, at least in this section of it @ThePressofAC pic.twitter.com/82weeKAwu6 Jack Tomczuk (@ACPressTomczuk) March 14, 2017 No flooding (yet) on LBI. Just a lot of wind and rain. #acpress #stella pic.twitter.com/8odYVAgW1i Christian Hetrick (@_Hetrick) March 14, 2017 6:15 a.m. Expect mostly rain Tuesday, temperatures are in the 40s for much of the area. Philadelphia Airport is seeing heavy cancellations and delays. 6 a.m. NJ Transit's bus service is suspended. The Atlantic City train is running as normal. There is a speed restriction on the Atlantic City Expressway of 35 mph. All local colleges are closed Tuesday due to weather. The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings for the South Jersey shore for Tuesday for possible gusts as high as 55 to 60 miles-per-hour. Coastal flood warnings were also issued to alert residents to the likelihood of moderate tidal flooding. The heaviest rain and snow are expected to fall during the morning hours before ending by afternoon, but the strongest winds will continue throughout the day.

Dorset Ave bridge in Ventnor just reopened. Cop car pulled away, first car crossed to Heights.#acpress
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Martin DeAngelis (@PressBeach) March 14, 2017
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. LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched six new contractual agreements and schedules of services to meet the evolving legal needs of modern day project processes, utilising industry best practice to address risk management collaboration, early warnings, clear and fair payment terms, soft landings and use of BIM. The 2017 suite of ACE Agreements results from consultation across the industry, balancing risk fairly between parties, using clear language to provide users with efficiency and certainty from project inception to completion and asset management. Suitable for all UK jurisdictions and designed for all types of prospective clients including contractor or end user, the ACE Professional Services Agreement leaps ahead of what is on the market, anticipating potential user needs through including guidance notes, provisions for bespoke supplementary clause inclusion, and a suitable form of warranty. 2017 ACE Suite Updates: New Replaces ACE Professional Services Agreement ACE Agreement 1 and 3 (England and 2017 Scotland Editions) ACE Agreement 4 (England and Scotland ACE Sub-Consultancy Agreement 2017 Editions) ACE Schedule of Services Civil and Structural Engineering, Lead ACE Schedule of Services Part G(d), Consultant G(f) (England and Scotland Editions) ACE Schedule of Services Civil and Structural Engineering, Single ACE Schedule of Services Part G(a), Consultant or Non-lead Consultant G(f) (England and Scotland Editions) ACE Schedule of Services Part G(b), ACE Schedule of Services MEP G(c) and G(e) (England and Scotland Engineering, Lead Consultant Editions) ACE Schedule of Services MEP ACE Schedule of Services Part G(b), Engineering, Single Consultant or G(c) and G(e) (England and Scotland Non-lead Consultant Editions) On the new Schedules of Services, Matt Heaman LLP states: "I am pleased to have contributed as a member of ACE's Schedule of Services working group. We shaped the schedule of services to align with the current RIBA Plan of Work and BIM usage. The schedules are now clear on what a consultant needs to do and deliver at each work stage, providing prompts for discussing additional duties and incorporates clauses covering Soft Landings." On the new suite, Sir Vivian Ramsey states: "The approach taken in the new Professional Services Agreement, which is also reflected in the other documents, makes this new suite of agreements an essential part of regulating obligations and avoiding disputes. It will be welcomed by consultants and clients alike." ACENET.CO.UK/Publications Contact: Natasha Levanti nlevanti@acenet.co.uk +44(0)7506798872 SOURCE Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) SAN FRANCISCO, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global electric power distribution automation systems market is expected to reach USD 23.7 billion by 2025, according to a new report conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. The rise in the adoption of smart grids & funding initiatives is projected to spur the demand for distribution automation systems. The growing investments in transmission & distribution are expected to remain a key driver. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 ) The global electric power distribution automation systems market is anticipated to witness a high growth over the forecast period, owing to the replacement of aging infrastructure across the globe. The emergence of smart cities is expected to further catapult the automation products market growth over the next nine years. Browse full research report with TOC on "Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market Analysis By Implementation (Substation Automation, Feeder Automation, Consumer Side Automation), By Application, By Region And Segment Forecasts, 2014 - 2025" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-power-distribution-automation-systems-market Further key findings from the report suggest: The implementation of automation systems in substation automation is projected to exhibit a significant growth at a CAGR exceeding 6% from 2016 to 2025 as the energy and power utilities are extremely focused on minimizing distribution and transmission losses, which has resulted in the increasing deployment of substation automation. The industrial application segment is expected to gain prominence over the forecast period with an estimated CAGR exceeding 6%, which is accredited to the rising need of installing distribution automation systems by utilities across the globe. Asia Pacific emerged as the fastest-growing market and is expected to witness a healthy CAGR of over 7%. The need to replace old transmission and distribution power infrastructure is driving the demand for electricity utilities across Asia Pacific to strengthen its power infrastructure. emerged as the fastest-growing market and is expected to witness a healthy CAGR of over 7%. The need to replace old transmission and distribution power infrastructure is driving the demand for electricity utilities across to strengthen its power infrastructure. The key purveyors in this industry comprise ABB Ltd., Eaton Corporation, General Electric, Itron, Inc., Schneider Electric, and Siemens AG, among others. Browse related reports by Grand View Research: 3D Semiconductor Packaging Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/3d-semiconductor-packaging-market Computer Microchips Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/computer-microchips-market Isolation And Safety Valve Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/isolation-safety-valve-market Explosive Trace Detection Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/explosive-trace-detection-market Grand View Research has segmented the global electric power distribution automation systems market on the basis of implementation, application, and region: Implementation Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Substation automation Feeder automation Consumer side automation Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Industrial Commercial Residential Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Germany Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa Read Our Blog: Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market: The surging demand by utilities is projected to spur sales About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. PHILADELPHIA, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Distribution Alliance selected Morgan for her longtime industry leadership Kay Morgan, Vice President for Drug Products and Industry Standards for Clinical Solutions at Elsevier, has received the Healthcare Distribution Alliance's (HDA) 2017 Distribution Management Award (DMA) for Industry Leadership. The award was presented March 7 at the HDA Distribution Management Conference in Palm Desert, Calif. "We are so pleased that Kay has been honored with this industry award," said Dr. John Danaher, President, Clinical Solutions, Elsevier. "She is truly an industry leader, one whose vast experience has benefitted both her colleagues at Elsevier and those with whom she has worked at the HDA and throughout the industry. All of us at Elsevier congratulate her on this achievement." Presented annually, the DMA for Industry Leadership honors pharmaceutical supply chain leaders who have made extraordinary contributions to the healthcare distribution industry. Winners exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity and have worked tirelessly - through their own company and through HDA - to enhance industry relations as well as supply chain efficiency and security. Morgan was selected by the distributor and manufacturer member executives of the HDA Industry Relations Council. "Kay is well regarded by many in the pharmaceutical supply chain for her deep knowledge of the drug compendia and industry standards," said John M. Gray, President and CEO, HDA. "From her willingness to educate trading partners who are launching products or making changes to them, to her commitment to enhancing trade relations through her HDA participation, Kay truly embodies the qualities of the DMA for Industry Leadership." After receiving her BS in pharmacy at the University of Missouri, Morgan began her more than 40-year career at Abbott Laboratories. At Abbott she served nearly 25 years in various positions, including National Manager of Professional Relations and Third-Party Payers and Manager of Pharmaceutical Information/Patient Assistance. She then joined First DataBank as the Manager of the firm's Product Knowledge Base Services, handling the U.S. pricing file (a component of the National Drug Data File). Morgan joined Elsevier in 2005 as Vice President of Drug Products in Clinical Solutions, overseeing the product data in Elsevier's Gold Standard Drug Database. Now Vice President for Drug Products and Industry Standards for Clinical Solutions at Elsevier, she oversees product and clinical content for the Gold Standard Drug Database, Clinical Pharmacology powered by ClinicalKey and ProspectoRx products, among others. She also reviews existing and new products for compliance with industry standards. Morgan has been a member and active participant of HDA for more than 20 years, regularly attending Alliance conferences and serving as a mentor in the HDA Mentoring Program. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Council of Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), as well as several work groups, and makes a point of connecting with new members to help them make the most of their membership. Morgan also is a member of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Morgan has been honored with numerous professional awards, including the Abbott Laboratories President's (1987, 1990) and Chairman's (1994) Awards, and in 2012, The Individual Membership Excellence (TIME) Award from NCPDP, the group's highest honor. Additionally, she actively participates in the Dean's Advisory Council at the University of Missouri. Michael Conley, Vice President and Head, Trade Operations and Analytics, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said, "An industry icon, Kay is always willing to share her expertise in product listing intricacies and ensure that a company's product information is accurate and appropriate. She is not only a pleasure to work with, but appreciated by all who interact with her. The 2017 Distribution Management Award for Industry Leadership is a well-deserved recognition of Kay's commitment to her work and the industry." --- About Elsevier Elsevier is a global information analytics company that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 35,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics to professionals and business customers, in a wide range of industries. www.elsevier.com Media contact: Christopher Capot Director, Corporate Relations, Elsevier +1-917-704-5174 c.capot@elsevier.com SOURCE Elsevier SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. and ARNHEM, Netherlands, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As Fluidmaster celebrates its 60th year of operation, the global leader in toilet trim and repair parts announced today its participation at the 2017 ISH Trade Fair focused on the Bathroom Experience as well as other technologies including air conditioning and renewable energies. ISH organizers expect more than 200,000 visitors to Frankfurt, Germany from March 14-18 during the world's leading trade fair in these categories. "We are pleased to continue our participation in ISH, with the additional opportunity to formally introduce our consolidated Global Family of Brands this year," said Todd Talbot, Fluidmaster President. "Last year we strategically added WISA to our growing family of brands as follow-on to previous acquisitions of Schwab and LIV in Europe as well as Torbeck and Delchem in the United Kingdom." With a comprehensive product range of concealed in-wall and exposed cisterns, fill and flush valves, activation controls and other sanitaryware products such as flush pipes and couplings available across Europe and the United Kingdom, Fluidmaster continues to build on its proud heritage. "When my father, Mr. Adolf Schoepe, founded Fluidmaster in 1957 he believed in the core technological advantages of our revolutionary pilot fill valve design," said Robert AndersonSchoepe, CEO, Chairman and owner of Fluidmaster. "Today, we believe Fluidmaster has the winning combination of products, brands, global manufacturing and service to fully support customers throughout Europe and the world." About Fluidmaster Established in 1957 and now reaching across the world, Fluidmaster remains a family owned and operated company known for its superior engineering of efficient and reliable toilet components. With its family of brands including Fluidmaster, Fluidmaster PRO Series, Schwab, WISA, LIV, Torbeck, Delchem, the company has become an icon in the plumbing industry. Fluidmaster operations span North America, Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia and include a worldwide distribution network across more than 90 countries selling more toilet tank replacement valves than any other manufacturer in the world. In addition to the original fill valve developed by founder Adolf Schoepe and enhanced through the years, Fluidmaster's complete line of sanitaryware products include exposed and in-wall cisterns, standard and dual flush valves, flappers, activation systems, bowl wax and wax-free products, toilet repair kits, and supply line connectors. The company's global headquarters is located in San Juan Capistrano, California with European operations based in Arnhem, Netherlands. For the ISH show, the Fluidmaster team is located in Hall 4 Booth B84. About ISH ISH is the world's leading trade fair for bathrooms, building services, energy and air-conditioning technologies, and renewable energies. From 14 to 18 March 2017, more than 2,400 exhibitors, including all market and technology leaders, will be showcasing their products on the theme of 'Water. Energy. Life'. The ISH Water section, with the trend topic 'Bathrooms for People', will focus on sustainable sanitary solutions and innovative bathroom design. In the ISH Energy and Aircontec section, the sector will be showcasing innovations for energy efficiency and convenient buildings solutions around the top theme: 'The energy revolution with a bright future - we have the solutions'. SOURCE Fluidmaster, Inc. Value-added features in Dell's IIoT-ready Embedded Box PC Series to help expand its application scope SANTA CLARA, California, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the embedded PC market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Dell with the 2016 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership. Dell's first purpose-built embedded PCs, the Embedded Box PC 3000 and 5000 Series, have successfully addressed industrial customers' needs for products that are reliable, cost-effective, can be ordered in units from one to thousands, that will arrive quickly and offer global support. With this product, Dell has brought to the market truly ruggedized devices that are Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-ready, have wide connectivity options and benefit from the company's legacy of quality manufacturing and global service and support. Having branched out into the IIoT market, Dell presents industrial customers with a complete ecosystem comprising its best-in-class IT security portfolio, cloud asset management, advanced analytics, business intelligence and a multitude of certified system integrator (SI) partners. Its comprehensive product portfolio, team of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specialists, product and solution design, supply chain and services help clients evolve their business models and improve operations. It offers further value through global availability, security and manageability options, extended warranty and lifecycle support. Strategically, Dell aimed its embedded PC portfolio at three verticals: Manufacturing - automation, predictive maintenance and QA/QC Transportation and logistics - fleet management, public transit and signage Energy - building automation, smart meter and oil & gas This focus allows Dell to adopt a simplified configure-to-order approach, decrease lead times and accept orders for singular, small or large volumes. Following its success in these verticals, Dell plans to penetrate new sectors such as healthcare (medical devices), communications, natural resources, life sciences, retail and hospitality. "The Embedded Box PC 3000 series is designed for environments requiring a small footprint, while the 5000 series is designed for high-bandwidth applications," said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Rohit Karthikeyan. "These products have particularly found acceptance among applications in harsh environments by virtue of being fanless with solid state drives, as fans and rotating drives are the most frequently failing component in embedded PCs. Other features include a 0 degrees C to 50 degrees C operating temperature range with no air flow, a design based on MIL-STD 810G specifications and wall mount options." Dell has conquered two peaks by offering purpose-built embedded PCs; one is enhancing the ownership experience for customers and the other is standardization, which will let it develop commercial off the shelf (COTS) products. Meanwhile, Dell Financial Services offerings allow customers to shift from CAPEX to OPEX, and its Dell EMC OEM Solutions helps customers manage the technology, design, manufacturing, distribution and service, freeing up time for other tasks. Dell's concerted efforts to keep the customer at the center of its development activities has enabled it to grow rapidly over the years. It now boasts: A global footprint across 180 countries; 25 manufacturing locations with 40+ distribution centers and 900 parts distribution centers 30,000+ full time customer service and support employees 1,800+ service centers supported by more than 25 repair facilities globally "Dell continues to strive for long-term investment value by working with a flexible and scalable business model," noted Rohit. "It is already building a new-age technology company comprising Dell, Dell EMC, VMware, Pivotal, SecureWorks, RSA and Virtustream, which could well be the most trusted partner to customers in the IIoT space in due course." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has leveraged competitive intelligence to successfully execute a competitive strategy that results in stronger market share, competitive brand positioning and customer satisfaction. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Chiara Carella P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314 F: 210.348.1003 E: chiara.carella@frost.com Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477530/Dell_Inc_Award_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan DUBLIN, Mar. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Pigments Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2022" report to their offering. The global pigment market was valued at $17,587.6 million in 2015, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. Pigments are chemical compounds, which gives color to any materials, even to human tissues. In the coating and paint industry, they are usually used with water, oil or other base to produce paints and similar products. Pigments are totally different from phosphorescence, fluorescence and luminescence, which emit light. On the basis of type the global pigment market has been broadly classified into organic, inorganic and specialty pigments. The compounds, such as phthalocyanine, phthalonitrile, quinacridone, azo compounds, calcium carbonate, antimony oxide, zinc oxide, etc are some examples of pigments that are being used in a wide range of industries. Among them, titanium dioxide has the highest demand in terms of consumption. The major growth driving factors for the pigment industry include various environmental regulations concerning the use of eco-friendly or bio degradable products, growth of the end-user industry, along with the increasing demand for high performance pigments (HPP). The uses of specialty paints in vehicle coating purpose are being implemented by numerous automotive manufacturing companies, and the numbers are increasing day by day. The consumer demand for pure pigments is also increasing, due to its growing use in the cosmetic industry. In addition, the growing demand for titanium dioxide in automotive industry is expected to propel the growth of the pigment market. In terms of volume, Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest share in the global pigment market in 2015. The major reason behind the growth of the market in the region include growing demand for pigments in the other Asia-Pacific countries, such as India, Indonesia, and Thailand, due to the growing demand for end-user applications, such as, paints & coatings, cosmetics, automobile, construction, and others. Market Dynamics Opportunities In The Global Pigments Market Emerging Use Of Nanoparticles Trends In The Global Pigments Market Major Operational Shift Toward Asia-Pacific Increased Use Of Eco-Friendly Organic Pigments Increasing Demand For High Performance Pigments Factors Driving The Growth Of The Market And Its Impact On Market Forecast The Emerging Pigments Market In Asia-Pacific, Middle-East And Developing Nations Increasing Demand For Pigments From Various End-User Industries Impact Analysis Of Drivers On Global Pigments Market Forecast Factors Hindering Growth Of The Global Pigments Market And Its Impact On The Market Forecast Volatility In Raw Material Prices Various Environmental Regulations Impact Analysis Of Restraints On Market Forecast Company Profiles And Strategic Developments Basf Se Clariant Ag Huntsman International Llc. E I Dupont De Nemours And Company Lanxess Ag Sun Chemical Corporation Zhejiang Longsheng Group Co. Ltd Eckart Gmbh Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co. Ltd. Kronos Worldwide, Inc. For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5bk7x6/global_pigments 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. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Adaptive Solar Collectors Market Outlook 2021 - Market Analysis by Geography, Type, Competitive Landscape, Key Company Information - Growth Trends and Forecasts" report to their offering. The global solar power production has been increased from 7 GW to 40 GW in the last four years. The report estimates that the scale of production of smaller activities like production of solar powered cars or solar powered motors for agriculture industry and many others will grow at a faster rate than the previous years. It is a billion dollar market with China leading the market of producing Photo voltaic cells. Germany is one of the leading countries for installing Photovoltaic across the country has an installed capacity of 37 GW. It leads the pack with China, United States of America, Japan and Italy closely on its heels. The main concern regarding the solar power is the initial cost of Photovoltaic cells. This cost incurred is a one-time investment and solar panels have a very negligible maintenance cost. There are other concerns like solar power is an intermittent energy source. This problem is solved by connecting the solar panels to the grid so excess power can be saved and can be used any other time. This unreliability of solar power is not a lot compared to the fluctuation of oil and gas supply in the world. In the recent years lot of research is going on in this field to make production easier and also to make the solar panels smaller and more customers friendly. Lot of efforts are being made to increase the efficiency of solar panels which used to have a very meagre efficiency percentage. Different techniques like Nano-crystalline solar cells, thin film processing, metamorphic multijunction solar cell, polymer processing etc. will help the future of this industry. Market Dynamics Drivers Increasing Energy Demand Environmental Advantages Low Maintenance Cost Applications in Various Sectors Constraints High Initial Costs Intermittent Energy Source Large Areas Required to setup solar Farms Opportunities Scope for New Technology Innovations Companies Mentioned Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd. First Solar Inc Juwi Solar, inc. SolarCity Corporation. Activ Solar GmbH Yingli Solar Trina Solar Limited Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group Canadian Solar Inc. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/wmt59d/global_adaptive About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. 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. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Automotive Biofuels Market Analysis 2016 - Forecast to 2022" report to their offering. The report contains up to date financial data derived from varied research sources to present unique and reliable analysis. Assessment of major trends with potential impact on the market during the next five years, including a deep dive analysis of market segmentation which comprises of sub markets, regional and country level analysis. The report provides a comprehensive outlook about the market share along with strategic recommendations based on the emerging segments. This report analyzes the global markets for "Automotive Biofuels". The market assessment is performed through standard and the tailored research methodology approach. The market overview offers in depth analysis at the regional and country level, for instance North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, U.K. and Spain), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Rest of APAC) and Rest of the World (Middle East, Africa and Latin America). Annual estimations and forecasts are provided from the year 2013 to 2022 for each given segment and sub segments. Market data derived from the authenticated and reliable sources is subjected to validation from the industry experts. The report also analyzes the market by discussing market dynamics such as drivers, constraints, opportunities, threats, challenges and other market trends. Companies Mentioned Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) Neste Corporation INEOS Enterprises Jiangsu Hengshunda Bio-Energy Henan Tianguan Enterprise Group Guangzhou Devotion Thermal Technology Ningbo Tech-Bank Fujian Zhongde Energy Cosan IR Valero Energy Thai Agro Energy Pure Essence International PT Molindo Raya Industrial Aemetis, Inc. Petro Green Pacific Ethanol GranBio Investimentos S.A Ekarat Pattana (10+ Others) Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Executive Summary 3 Market Analysis 4 Porters Five Force Analysis 5 Automotive Biofuels Market by Fuel Type 6 Geographical Segmentation 7 Vendor Landscaping 8 Company Profiles For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/r44469/global_automotive 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. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Growth Opportunities in the Global Contact Center Systems Market - Forecast to 2020" report to their offering. New analysis on the Digital Transformation program titled 'Growth Opportunities in the Global Contact Center Systems Market' finds that the market for on-premises contact center systems continues to decline as companies increasingly switch to hosted/cloud solutions. However, globally Contact Center Analytics represents a bright growth opportunity in the on-premises contact center systems market as companies seek to get the most out of their existing investments. Contact center analytics systems include speech analytics, multi-channel customer interaction analytics, and contact center performance analytics applications. Enterprises are increasingly looking to source these solutions from their primary contact center infrastructure or workforce optimization vendors. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Dashboard - Purpose of this Experiential Study - 5 Step Process to Transformational Growth - Strategic Imperatives for Contact Center Systems Providers (CCSPs) 2. Growth Environment: Market Overview - Global Contact Center Systems Markets - Global Contact Center Systems Provider Landscape - Drivers and Restraints 3. Market Forecasts - Forecast Assumptions - Revenue Forecast - Contact Center Systems Market - Revenue Forecast by Service Segment - Contact Center Systems Market - Inbound Contact Routing Systems - IVR and Voice Portal Systems - Outbound Dialer Systems - Quality Monitoring Systems - Workforce Management Systems - Analytics - Revenue Forecast by Region - Contact Center Systems Market - Revenue Forecast by Industry Vertical - Contact Center Systems Market - Revenue Forecast by Contact Center Size - Contact Center Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - Inbound Contact Routing Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - IVR Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - Outbound Dialer Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - Quality Monitoring Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - Workforce Management Systems Market - Market Share by Revenue - Contact Center Analytics Market - Market Share by Revenue - Contact Center Systems Market 4. Visioning Scenarios - Macro to Micro Visioning - Visioning Scenarios for the Contact Center Systems Market - Top Predictions for the Contact Center Systems Market 5. Growth Pipeline - Levers for Growth 6. Vision and Strategy - Growth Opportunities - Growth Opportunity 1 - Omnichannel Customer Experience - Growth Opportunity 2 - Customer Experience Analytics - Growth Opportunity 3 - Big Data & Analytics/Machine Learning - Growth Opportunity 4 - Social Media Monitoring - Growth Opportunity 5 - Social Customer Engagement - Growth Opportunity 6 - Agent Desktop/Agent Empowerment - Growth Opportunity 7 - Catering to the New Workforce - Growth Opportunity 8 - Automation via Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Growth Opportunity 9 - Virtual Agent/Advisor - Growth Opportunity 10 - Live Chat - Growth Opportunity 11 - Proactive/Interactive Customer Contact - Growth Opportunity 12 - Messaging Platforms in Customer Service - Growth Opportunity 13 - Gamifying the Customer Experience - Growth Opportunity 14 - Video - Growth Opportunity 15 - Back Office WFO - Growth Opportunity 16: The IoT - Supporting Immersive Experiences - Growth Opportunity 17 - WebRTC Applications - Growth Opportunity 18: BC/DR - Enabling Continuous CX 7. Brand and Demand - Growth Opportunities - Growth Opportunity 20 - Innovation & Transformation - Growth Opportunity 21 - Third Party Validation - Growth Opportunity 22 - Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) - Growth Opportunity 23 - Best-in-Class - Growth Opportunity 24 - Sales & Marketing Use Cases - Growth Opportunity 25 - Industry Vertical Marketing - Growth Opportunity 26 - Lead Generation - Growth Opportunity 27 - Inbound Marketing Capabilities - Growth Opportunity 28 - Outbound Marketing Priorities - Growth Opportunity 29 - Social Media Marketing - Growth Opportunity 30 - Sales Enablement Content 8. Growth Opportunities Matrix - Identifying Your Company's Growth Zone - Growth Opportunities 1-19: Vision and Strategy - Growth Opportunities 20-30: Brand and Demand - Growth Opportunities Matrix 9. Growth Strategy and Implementation - Growth Strategies for Your Company - Prioritized Opportunities through Implementation - Legal Disclaimer 10. Appendix Companies Mentioned - Altitude - Aspect - Avaya - Calabrio - Cisco - Convergys - Enghouse - Genesys - HP - Huawei - Inin - Mitel - NEC - Nice - Noble - OKI - SAP - Unify - Verint For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/s88s4v/growth About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. 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 LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Heptares Therapeutics ("Heptares"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation ("Sosei"; TSE Mothers Index: 4565) announces that it has entered into a drug discovery and licensing agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited ("Daiichi Sankyo") focused on a single G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) nominated by Daiichi Sankyo that plays a crucial role in relieving pain. Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will receive exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize novel, small molecules discovered by Heptares focused on the nominated GPCR. In return, Heptares will receive an upfront payment of $4 million, research funding of approximately $8 million, and is eligible to receive additional research, development and commercialization milestone payments. In addition, Heptares will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the alliance. "This is a very exciting new collaboration as relieving pain presents a significant challenge," said Malcolm Weir, Heptares CEO and Chief R&D Officer of Sosei. "We are confident that the unique structural insights of the receptor that our technologies can deliver combined with expertise on its role in pain from the Neurosciences team at Daiichi Sankyo will yield new, differentiated molecules that can be advanced into development." Notes to Editors About Heptares Therapeutics Heptares is a clinical-stage company creating transformative medicines targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of 375 receptors linked to a wide range of human diseases. Heptares' proprietary StaR technology and structure-based drug design (SBDD) capabilities enable us to engineer and develop drugs for highly validated, yet historically undruggable or challenging GPCRs. Using this approach, we are building an exciting pipeline of new medicines (small molecules and biologics) with the potential to transform the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, cancer immune-oncology, migraine, addiction, metabolic disease and other indications. We have partnerships for our novel candidates and technologies with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Allergan, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Kymab, MedImmune, MorphoSys, Pfizer and Teva. Heptares is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation. For more information, please visit www.heptares.com and www.sosei.com. HEPTARES is a registered trademark in the EU, Switzerland, US and Japan; StaR is a registered trademark in the EU and Japan. About Sosei Sosei is a biopharmaceutical company originating from Japan but with global presence. Sosei's primary business model is based on identifying novel and/or differentiated product assets or technology platforms and, through supporting these in preclinical and clinical development and establishing commercial partnerships, advancing new medicines to patients worldwide. For more information about Sosei, please visit www.sosei.com. About Daiichi Sankyo Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with a Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com. SOURCE Heptares Therapeutics CAMBRIDGE, England, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For European Medical and Trade Media Only International CRITIKAL Study [1] is one of the largest to investigate inhaler technique and the first to analy s e the direct associations between specific inhaler errors and asthma outcomes Critical errors w ere identified that were frequent, made by over 30% of patients in some cases , and were associated with worse asthma outcomes [ 1 ] Study highlights how primary and secondary care asthma management could target inhaler training to reduce these critical errors and improve patient outomes[1] A new study published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice highlights important findings from the international CRITIKAL study[1] (CRITical Inhaler mistaKes and Asthma controL). CRITIKAL is the first study to assess the associations between specific inhaler errors and poorer asthma outcomes in patients receiving a fixed-dose combination treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonist (ICS/LABA) via dry-powder inhalers (DPIs) and metered-dose inhalers (MDIs). The CRITIKAL analysis used data from 3,660 patients included in the iHARP asthma review service[2] (initiative Helping Asthma in Real-life Patients) - a multi-centre, cross-sectional review of over 5,000 adults with asthma delivered by Optimum Patient Care (http://www.optimumpatientcare.org). This was an investigator initiated trial with data analysis undertaken by the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute in collaboration with members of the Respiratory Effectiveness Group and part-funded by a grant from Mundipharma Research Limited. "When managing asthma, our aim is to reduce the risk of exacerbations and control patients' symptoms. If patients are not aware how to use their inhaler devices correctly, the effectiveness of their treatment is diminished, which can lead to poorly controlled asthma impacting the patient's quality of life and can also lead to unnecessary costs to healthcare systems. The real-world CRITIKAL study identified the specific critical inhaler errors that are frequent and impact asthma outcomes. This study could help routine patient management by targeting training to reduce these critical errors with the aim of improving overall patient outcomes," said Professor David Price, Chair of Primary Care Respiratory Medicine at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK, Director of the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute and ex-Chairman of the Respiratory Effectiveness Group. The results of the CRITIKAL analysis showed that certain errors were frequent, made by over 30% of patients in some cases, and associated with poor asthma control. Some errors were device-specific whereas others were generic across devices.[1] Previous studies have shown that poor or improper inhaler technique in asthma is associated with reduced control[3],[4] and an increase in hospital visits.[3] However, these results provide crucial insights into which specific inhaler errors are linked to poor asthma outcomes (including increased likelihood of having uncontrolled symptoms and increased exacerbation rate). The study highlights that choosing the right inhaler type for each patient along with training by primary and secondary healthcare management teams is needed to help reduce the number of critical inhaler errors and ultimately improve patient health.[1] Notes to editors: About Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) OPRI aims to improve disease management and patient outcomes by undertaking the highest quality observational and pragmatic clinical research in real-life factors that influence outcomes and real life effectiveness both in terms of disease management and pharmacological interventions. By collaborating with clinical, academic and industry partners, OPRI drives a vision for inclusion of real-life research into all aspects of medical research. Professor David Price has been a world leader in respiratory real-life research for over 20 years. http://www.opri.sg. About Respiratory Effectiveness Group (REG) The Respiratory Effectiveness Group (http://www.effectivenessevaluation.org) is a not-for-profit initiative established by international experts in real-life and comparative effectiveness research in respiratory medicine. The Group sets quality standards in the field of real-life research and improves understanding of the optimum role of real-life data to inform meaningful clinical practice guidelines, drug licensing and post-marketing surveillance processes and improved patient care. About Mundipharma Research Mundipharma Research comprises of two independent associated companies, Mundipharma Research Limited in Cambridge England and Mundipharma Research GmbH of Limburg, Germany who are wholly dedicated to the research and development of innovative medications in three main therapeutic areas - pain, oncology and respiratory diseases. Mundipharma Research works on behalf of a network of independent associated companies and also in collaboration with other pharmaceutical companies to bring medications to an international market. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.mundipharma-rd.eu About Optimum Patient Care Optimum Patient Care is a social enterprise providing clinical reviews and observational research support services to over 600 GP practices across the UK. OPC has established one of the largest healthcare databases in the world, called the Optimum Patient Care Research Database (OPCRD) which holds over 3.4 million anonymised electronic health records linked to information on patient reported data from 50,000 patients with asthma and COPD. OPC delivered and is the guardian of the global iHARP database. OPC's mission is to collaborate with clinical, academic and industry partners across the globe, to drive its vision for the collection and inclusion of real-life data into medical research and clinical practice. http://www.optimumpatientcare.org. About Asthma Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways which leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Patients with poorly managed asthma are at an increased risk of exacerbations, hospitalisation and death. Poorly managed asthma can also have a huge impact on a person's quality of life and day-to-day activities.[5] About CRITIKAL CRITical Inhaler mistaKes and Asthma control (CRITIKAL) study is a multi-national, cross-sectional, observational analysis investigating direct relationships between specific inhaler errors in DPI and MPI inhalers and asthma outcomes, and determined the critical errors for each inhaler type. It was an investigator initiated trial (IIT) conducted by the Respiratory Effectiveness Group. The analysis used data from the Helping Asthma in Real-life Patients (iHARP) asthma review service - a multi-centre cross-sectional review of adults with asthma in Australia and seven European countries (United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Norway and Sweden). The review took place between 2011 and 2014 and captured data from over 5,000 patients on demographics, asthma symptoms and inhaler errors observed by purposefully trained healthcare professionals. References: 1. D.Price et al. "Inhaler errors in the CRITIKAL Study: type, frequency and association with asthma outcomes". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2017 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2017.01.004 2. iHARP database. http://iharp.org/ [http://iharp.org ] Last accessed 6 March 2017 3. Al-Jahdali H, Ahmed A, Al-Harbi A, Khan M, Baharoon S, Bin Salih S, et al. Improper inhaler technique is associated with poor asthma control and frequent emergency department visits. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2013;9(1):8. 4. Baddar S, Jayakrishnan B, Al-Rawas OA. Asthma control: importance of compliance and inhaler technique assessments. J Asthma. 2014;51(4):429-34. 5. Chen H et al. Asthma control, severity, and quality of life: quantifying the effect of uncontrolled disease J Allergy Clin Immunol. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17561244 ] 2007;120(2):396-402 Job code: MINT/RESP-17002 Date of preparation: March 2017 SOURCE Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Respiratory Effectiveness Group and Optimum Patient Care LONDON SW QW, Sweden, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kindred Group plc's Annual Report for 2016 is now available on the Group's website www.kindredgroup.com. As previously announced, Kindred Group plc's Annual General Meeting will be held on 16 May 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. For more information: Inga Lundberg, Investor Relations +44-788-799-6116 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/kindred-group/r/kindred-group-plc-publishes-2016-annual-report,c2210520 The following files are available for download: Related Links http://www.kindredgroup.com SOURCE Kindred Group Through the renewed website, visitors can access a variety of information on Nexen Tire such as its products, services, information on tire in general, news & campaigns and corporate information in a more digital-friendly way. Visitors across the globe also can enjoy Nexen Tire content that have been uploaded on Facebook, YouTube, or various blogs, and share content from the website with other social media platforms. "The renewed website, serving as Nexen Tire's key digital marketing channel, delivers a wealth of content on the company's milestones in a more engaging way to connect with global customers," Nexen Tire stated. In addition, the website allows customers to easily compare features between products through the new "Key Performance Indicator function" tab. The website designed with responsive user interface is optimized for various digital devices such as PC, mobiles and tablet. Web accessibility has also been enhanced by search engine optimization, making it easier to navigate information. "In a bid to get closer to customers through digital channels, we will continue to interact with them via social media channels and mailing services, as well as the corporate website." More details on Nexen Tire's renewed website, available in both English and Korean, can be accessed through the following address: www.nexentire.com. About Nexen Tire Nexen Tire, established in 1942, is a global tire manufacturer headquartered in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and in Seoul, South Korea. Nexen Tire, one of the world's fastest growing tire manufacturers, works with 390 dealers based in 140 countries around the world (as of Dec 2016) and owns three manufacturing plants -- two in Korea (Yangsan and Changnyeong) and one in Qingdao, China. Another plant in Zatec, Czech Republic will be operational by 2018. Nexen Tire produces tires for passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks with advanced technology and excellence in design. The company also focuses on producing UHP tires, which are based on advanced technologies. Nexen Tire supplies OE tires to global car makers in various countries around the world. In 2014, the company achieved a grand slam of the world's top 4 design awards for the first time amongst the various tire makers in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.nexentire.com. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477706/Photo__Nexen_Tire_Revamps_its_Global_Website.jpg SOURCE Nexen Tire MANCHESTER, England, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Okinawa will host the first Japanese Routes Asia air service development forum this weekend (19-21 March) to boost international transport connections. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO ) Now in its 15th year, Routes Asia brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities and governments to plan new flights and increase existing services. Over 930 route development professionals from 110 airlines, 170 airports and 20 tourism authorities are expected to attend this year's event at Okinawa Convention Centre. Japan has become a more affordable tourist destination in recent years due to the emergence of low-cost carriers and the depreciation of the Japanese yen. Between 2011 and 2016 the number of overseas visitors surged from 6.2 million to over 24 million, while Japan's international market capacity grew by 43% to 52.5 million seats. Okinawa has also experienced a tourism boom with over eight million people travelling to the prefecture every year to enjoy the subtropical climate, serene beaches, crystal clear sea, lush forests, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and unique culture. Okinawa's Naha Airport has more than trebled its international flight capacity in the last three years from an average of eight to 23 a day. New links include Hangzhou, Nanjing, Tianjin, Kaohsiung and Bangkok. Hosting Routes Asia will give Okinawa the opportunity to showcase its many attractions to the aviation industry. The airlines that have signed up include Air China, Air Asia, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Hainan Airlines, Norwegian and Qatar Airways. The conference element of the event, the Strategy Summit, will give delegates the chance to hear from industry leaders. The high profile speakers include the CEO of Hong Kong Express, Andrew Cowen; the president of Spring Airlines, Steven Wang; and Etihad Airways' vice president international affairs, Vijay Poonoosamy. Steven Small, brand director of Routes, said: "This is the first year that Routes Asia will be held in Japan, so it's an exciting landmark for us. The event will help Okinawa Prefecture to reach its target of 10 million tourists a year by 2021. Takeshi Onaga, Governor, Okinawa Prefectural Government said: "As the host of Routes Asia, Okinawa Prefecture is looking forward with great excitement to showing our guests around these beautiful islands. "Okinawa is Japan's southernmost island, and I am certain that our guests will be fascinated by their experiences of Shuri Castle, which has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as by our crystal seas, beautiful sandy beaches, glittering coral reefs, traditional dance performance and Okinawan cuisine." More information about Routes can be found at routesonline.com Routes Asia 2017, 19-21 March, Okinawa Convention Centre, Okinawa, Japan. Notes to Editors Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. They revolve around pre-scheduled meetings, an exhibition and a conference. Four 'regional' route development forums are held between February and June in the Americas, Asia , Europe and Africa , with the flagship World Routes event taking place in September. Routes events are organised by UBM plc. UBM is the largest B2B event organiser in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit http://www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM. For further information contact: Karen Reeves Communications & Content Marketing Manager Routes, UBM EMEA T: +44 (0)161-234-2721 M: +44 (0)796-6405-105 E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com SOURCE Routes ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The App was Created With Connectik, After Their Resounding Successes With the Kenya Red Cross Society and South Africa Red Cross Society Apps The Red Cross Society of Cote d'Ivoire (RCSCI), whose mission is to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people across the country, improve health through programs such as first aid administration and aid authorities in the promotion of compliance with international humanitarian law, is proud to announce today the official launch of its new RCSCI Mobile Application. The app was built in partnership with Connectik, a company that develops mobile applications and digital services for enterprise and large member organizations. Connectik also assists governments in the development of their digital policy by creating strong digital ecosystems allowing to strengthen countries' key sectors. Additionally, this exciting launch will be attended by the Health Minister, Dr. Raymonde Goudou Coffie, as well as the ICT Minister, Bruno Kone and executives of the African Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC). The RCSCI App offers users a variety of features, including membership access to RCSCI services and benefits and volunteer opportunities in local projects. There are emergency up to the minute alerts both nationally and locally, as well as information on blood donation, such as locations of donation centers. Users can make donations, register for training courses and events, get access to RCSCI news and also purchase Red Cross equipment through the app's marketplace. As an end-to-end solution, the app will spread awareness about RCSCI's mission and current activities, provide resource mobilization opportunities to increase its membership and volunteer base as well as tools to improve community engagement. "We are thrilled with the launch of our new app, and the opportunity to provide aid to those in need and improve humanitarian efforts throughout the region," said Emmanuel Kouadio, Secretary General of the Red Cross Society of Cote d'Ivoire. "The success of the apps that Connectik has developed for our colleagues in Kenya and South Africa encouraged us to digitize our operations and improve our services, which will expand the impact we have on our region moving forward." "Following our success in helping the South African and Kenyan Red Cross Societies launch their mobile applications, we are very honored to partner with the Red Cross Society of Cote d'Ivoire and help them make a real difference in how they can leverage their services to better support citizens across the country," said Hachim Badji, CEO of Connectik. "We take great pride in our ability to help large member organizations such as the Red Cross improve communications and coordination in order to rapidly deploy when and where needed in times of emergency." About the Red Cross Society of Cote d'Ivoire: Founded in 1960, The Red Cross Society of Cote d'Ivoire was recognized as a charitable organization by government decree in 1963. Today, it has 12,000 volunteers throughout the country and operates 50 local branches, with an additional 26 first aid teams capable of rapid deployment in emergency situations. The National Society assists in improving the lives of vulnerable populations within its territory through programs like first aid administration, promoting HIV and AIDS awareness, water and sanitation programs, and serving as an auxiliary body to the local government in promoting compliance with international humanitarian law. For more information, visit http://www.croixrougeci.org/. About Connectik: Connectik develops IT solutions (digital services and mobile apps) to enable businesses and organizations (such as the Red Cross) to reach the greatest number of people, thereby improving their communication, collaboration and data sharing between employees, members, partners and clients. Furthermore, Connectik's solutions are leading tools in the identification and execution of opportunities in resource mobilization and to monetize different products and services. Connectik also assists governments in the development of their digital policy by creating strong digital ecosystems allowing them to strengthen countries' key sectors: health, agriculture, sport, education, bank, insurance, economic development. Connectik enables countries to use digital technology as a lever to their economic, social and societal development. Backed by a strong consulting capacity, user-centred and mobile-first, Connectik's apps or digital ecosystems are fully adjustable according to the nature and needs of our clients: businesses, organizations or countries. Thanks to a comprehensive R&D program, Connectik offers fully secured digital ecosystems for all types of entities and users, available on any kind of device, anytime and anywhere. In this way, Connectik guarantees construction, reinforcement and protection of all the databases linked to the mobile apps or digital ecosystems in place. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.connectik.com Media Contacts: Ouattara Zie Mamadou Head of IT and Telecom ouattarazie@yahoo.fr 225-07-40-70-86 225-20-22-43-81 Eric Loubaud Director of Programmes, Connectik Eric.l@connectik.com +44-7825148301 SOURCE Connectik and The Red Cross Society Designed to Fit into Every Modern Lifestyle LA MIRADA, California, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- VRS Design, a leader in design of fashion-forward premium smartphone cases and accessories, unveiled today the latest case collection for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477409/VRS_Design_Galaxy_S8_and_S8_Plus.jpg Designed from a fashion standpoint, worn as an accessory and made for the contemporary individual, the new twelve model case collection features four stylish, functional and all-around protection cases: Crystal Bumper, Simpli Mod, Damda Folder and Layered Dandy. All four cases are crafted with individuality, purpose, quality and style featuring impact-resistant, thermoplastic polyurethane materials and a lightweight polycarbonate layer that provides protection without compromising style. Offered in a range of colors, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus collection allows for the Samsung Galaxy to be an innovative lifestyle statement. Highly designed for accessibility and functionality, VRS Design has created the ultimate frame to protect and style your Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. "As much as we don't want to cover up the sleek finish of our new Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus, protecting them is a must," says Tony Chung, CEO of VRS Design. "But we want to at least look good doing it. And since our phones go everywhere we do, it doesn't hurt if the case has some extra utility, too." Introducing the VRS Design Galaxy S8 & Galaxy S8 Plus Case Collection Crystal Bumper - Showcases your device with complementary colored bumpers and a clear body. Show off the beautiful design of your device while protecting it from daily drops. Features : streamlined design creates a slim and bulk-free build; color-matched polycarbonate bumpers and clear TPU enhance the original look of your device; edges of the TPU are designed to protrude and protect exposed areas of your device. Available in dark silver, satin silver, shine gold & rose gold. $29.99 MSRP (US) : streamlined design creates a slim and bulk-free build; color-matched polycarbonate bumpers and clear TPU enhance the original look of your device; edges of the TPU are designed to protrude and protect exposed areas of your device. Available in dark silver, satin silver, shine gold & rose gold. MSRP (US) Simpli Mod - Artfully combines two premium materials into one lightweight package. The slim, cover creates a stylish statement to complement your everyday look. Features : super slim design offers a bulk-free cover; lightweight yet sturdy polycarbonate provides protection without compromising style; spacious cut-outs allow perfect access to device ports and controls at all times. Available in black & brown. $24.99 MSRP (US) : super slim design offers a bulk-free cover; lightweight yet sturdy polycarbonate provides protection without compromising style; spacious cut-outs allow perfect access to device ports and controls at all times. Available in black & brown. MSRP (US) Damda Folder - Perfect companion for travelers and card collectors alike. Comfortably carry up to 4 credit cards and ID and still be able to slip your phone into your back pocket. Features : carry up to 4 cards with you at all times; card compartment stays unnoticeable and secures your cards while you're on the move; dual-layer construction of polycarbonate and TPU create a dependable daily defense. Available in dark silver, satin silver, shine gold, rose gold. $39.99 MSRP (US) : carry up to 4 cards with you at all times; card compartment stays unnoticeable and secures your cards while you're on the move; dual-layer construction of polycarbonate and TPU create a dependable daily defense. Available in dark silver, satin silver, shine gold, rose gold. MSRP (US) Layered Dandy - Brings understated sophistication to the palm of your hand. Use the carefully crafted slots and sleeves to carry your cards and cash with you daily. Features: easily secure your contents and shield your screen; carry up to 3 cards and cash with you at all times; cut-outs allow access to speaker and mic even when the cover is closed. Available in black, wine red & coffee brown. $34.99 MSRP (US) The entire VRS Design Galaxy S8 & S8 Plus Case Collection is now available for pre-orders at vrsdesign.com. About VRS Design Founded in 2004, VRS Design has established itself as a brand leader in South Korea. Entering the North American market in 2014, VRS Design now ships to over 50 countries to provide customers with international accessibility to VRS Design products. VRS Design emphasizes style and functionality in premium pocket-friendly packages that seamlessly adapt to a day in the life of the modern tech user. With beginnings in South Korea, VRS Design is rapidly increasing its influence worldwide by realizing the needs of today's smartphone users through continuous creative effort. For additional information, visit vrsdesign.com. Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/352289/vrs_design_logo_logo_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.vrsdesign.com SOURCE VRS Design NEW ORLEANS, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Connect, a leading provider of award-winning marketing, leasing, and resident technology platforms for the multifamily housing industry announced today that its founder and CEO, Kerry W. Kirby, will be a featured speaker at the Seventh Annual Teen Tech Day Event in New Orleans, LA. 365 Connect is also a key sponsor of the event. Teen Tech Day will be held on March 18, 2017 with the focus on exposing youth in the New Orleans area to emerging technologies through a day of programs and workshops. Created in 2011, Teen Tech Day is a one-day conference, emphasizing math, science, and engineering as tools that encourage teens to utilize technology as a hobby or a career. Attempting to cultivate excitement about technology, the event is designed to provide interaction among attendees. Throughout the day, event leaders will expose participating teens to a three-part process. Attendees will learn about the mechanisms of game design, the fundamentals of web design including the building of real websites using client based scenarios, and an introduction to social media. "We are excited to have 365 Connect participating in our Seventh Annual Teen Tech Day Event," said Shercole King, the event organizer. "We believe in small actions creating huge impacts. With Teen Tech Day, we hope to bring more kids into the technology field by demonstrating that exceptional technology is being created right here in New Orleans. 365 Connect is one of the local success stories we point to, rising from a local start-up to an internationally-recognized, award-winning technology firm; a shining symbol of what is being accomplished in this city. Their participation and sponsorship of this event demonstrates their continuing commitment to the technology community and future of our city." Kirby stated, "365 Connect is excited to participate and sponsor this event that introduces our future innovators to the fundamentals of emerging technologies. Nothing is more important than fostering and inspiring our youth to engage in educational programs that will lead them to build a variety of skills and create a foundation for a successful career in the future. Shercole King is a true leader in our community, and she has put her heart and soul into creating this program. As attendance has increased each year, it demonstrates this event is something special to our community." King added, "The students that attend Teen Tech Day already like technology, and we hope to help transform their interest into passion and a thirst for more knowledge, eventually leading them into the technological field and potential leadership positions within our growing technology industry in Louisiana. I cannot put into words how excited everyone is that Kerry will speak at the event. He is a leader in the technology community, and the kids are excited meet and hear from him. This year's event will certainly be our biggest." "I am honored to be speaking at Teen Tech Day before our city's most important asset, our next generation," Kirby said. "My goal is to educate and engage with attendees, building awareness on how the technology industry has become the new economy in New Orleans, and is a viable career path to consider. This economic momentum can only continue by supporting our future technology and entrepreneurial leaders the youth of our city." About Teen Tech Day: Teen Tech Day is a one-day interactive conference created by community leader Shercole King and co-founders in 2011. The conference is a one-day event designed to teach, mentor, and guide youth into career opportunities within science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Teen Tech Day's main focus is to spark interest in technology, inject the arts, and bridge creativity to allow youth to explore all the opportunities imaginable. Learn more at www.TeenTechDay.com About 365 Connect: 365 Connect is a leading provider of award-winning marketing, leasing, and resident technology platforms for the multifamily housing industry. Delivering a fully-integrated solution that eliminates redundant marketing efforts, simplifies transactions, and provides services after the lease is signed, the 365 Connect Platform interfaces with a variety of third-party applications to streamline operations and enhance user experiences. Powering the resident lifecycle since 2003, 365 Connect delivers game-changing results for its clients and the residents they serve by remaining laser-focused on connecting people with where they live. Explore: www.365connect.com MEDIA CONTACT 365 CONNECT E: [email protected] T: 504.299.3444 Related Links Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE 365 Connect Related Links http://www.365connect.com AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Botanical Council (ABC) has announced Her Excellency Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, PhD, President of the Republic of Mauritius, as the recipient of ABC's 2016 Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award. Gurib-Fakim leads her country as an advocate for African medicinal plants, and has made valuable contributions to the knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants growing on Mauritius and the surrounding islands in the Indian Ocean. ABC presents the annual award, named in honor of celebrated professor Norman R. Farnsworth, PhD, to an individual who has made significant contributions to research in the fields of ethnopharmacology and/or other areas of medicinal plant research. Farnsworth, who died in 2011, was one of the co-founding members of ABC's Board of Trustees, a highly published and internationally renowned research professor of pharmacognosy, and a senior university scholar in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mark Blumenthal, ABC's founder and executive director, praised Gurib-Fakim's "extraordinary" achievements. "ABC is deeply honored to be able to recognize the excellent ethnobotanical, pharmacognostic, and conservation efforts and publications of Her Excellency Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim," said Blumenthal. "Her tireless work on medicinal plants in the Indian Ocean and East African region has already garnered several well-deserved and high-profile international awards. I am certain that the late Professor Farnsworth would highly approve of ABC's selection of Dr. Gurib-Fakim to receive his eponymous award." Gurib-Fakim was elected as Mauritius's first female president in 2015. Prior to her election, she worked as managing director of Centre International de Developpement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation, where she researched the indigenous medicinal plants of Mauritius. Her research interests include ethnobotany and ethnomedicine, and the bioactivity, chemical composition, and quality control of medicinal plants, particularly those with antimicrobial properties. She has authored or co-authored more than 100 research publications and dozens of books, including An Illustrated Guide to the Flora of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean Islands, a three-volume compilation of The Medicinal Plants of Mauritius, Chemistry for Sustainable Development in Africa, and the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia. "Biodiversity and indigenous knowledge systems underpin life on earth," said Gurib-Fakim. "Africa's unique biodiversity will continue to offer humankind new leads and medicine provided that we conserve, document, and validate the traditional knowledge associated with medicinal plants. The latter remains a reservoir of innovative ingredients that not only respond to the needs of industry but also buffer us against ailments that do not yet exist." ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, commented: "Research on the medicinal properties of plants from the African continent is certainly close to my heart, since this was the topic of my graduate research. Therefore, I am very pleased that this year's award goes to Her Excellency Dr. Gurib-Fakim. Her work on the chemistry, bioactivity, and medical uses of medicinal plants of Africa and the Indian Ocean represents the very essence of what this award intends to recognize: an exceptional career in pharmacognosy research." Past recipients of the Farnsworth award include: John T. Arnason, PhD (2015); Harry Fong, PhD (2014); Gordon Cragg, PhD (2013); De-An Guo, PhD (2012); Djaja Soejarto, PhD (2011); A. Douglas Kinghorn, PhD (2010); Rudolf Bauer, PhD (2009); Ikhlas Khan, PhD (2008); Hildebert Wagner, PhD (2007); Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD (2006); and Joseph Betz, PhD (2005). The award was presented at the 12th Annual ABC Botanical Celebration and Awards Ceremony on March 9, 2017, in Anaheim, California. The event, for ABC Sponsor Members, occurred during Natural Products Expo West. Contact: Tanya Garduno, (512) 926-4900 Ext:129, [email protected] SOURCE American Botanical Council Related Links http://www.herbalgram.org REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Actiance, the leader in communications compliance, archiving, and analytics, and a Microsoft Gold Partner, today announced customers can now host Actiance Vantage on Microsoft Azure. By running on Azure, Actiance's customers will be able to remain compliant as they move on-premises enterprise data and applications to the Azure cloud platform and Microsoft Office 365 across Skype for Business, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft One Drive for Business, and Active Directory. Click to Tweet: News: @Actiance Vantage now available on Microsoft #Azure, simplifies #cloud deployment http://bit.ly/2mcc016 "As customers move to the cloud, they need all the security and compliance features Vantage, a certified Skype for Business solution, provides," said Barry Ruditsky, SVP Business Development, Actiance. "The availability of Actiance Vantage on Microsoft Azure helps accelerate cloud initiatives for our joint customers, and gives them a simplified way to ensure compliant communications across the Microsoft cloud." "The ability to host Vantage on Azure is a strong step forward for Actiance, its customers and Microsoft," said Michael Osterman, Principal Analyst, Osterman Research. "The growth of Azure and its importance in the Microsoft ecosystem makes Vantage that much more useful and easier to justify." Actiance Vantage gives customers granular policies to enable real-time control over 80 communications channels and address the most rigorous compliance requirements. Enterprises investing in the Microsoft cloud will benefit from: The ability to meet compliance mandates across communications channels: Enterprises can meet compliance mandates as they move to the cloud with compliance capabilities for Office 365. These capabilities can also be centrally applied along with non-Microsoft communications channels with the unified management of the Actiance platform. Enterprises can meet compliance mandates as they move to the cloud with compliance capabilities for Office 365. These capabilities can also be centrally applied along with non-Microsoft communications channels with the unified management of the Actiance platform. Private cloud deployments for increased control of data: Private cloud deployments of the Actiance platform enable a secure, flexible and low-cost way to capture and take full control of enterprise data. With Vantage on Azure, Actiance customers now have the option to either maintain their on-premises Vantage implementation or deploy on the Azure cloud platform. "The cloud is a strategic priority in every organization today and customers need a secure way to migrate their enterprise applications," said Ryan McGee, Director, Security Product Marketing, Microsoft Corp. "Microsoft Azure provides the global scale and security enterprise customers need, enhanced by Actiance's expertise in managing compliance." To learn more about Actiance Vantage, visit www.actiance.com/products/vantage/. Additional Information Stay up to date with Actiance: http://www.actiance.com/blog Become a fan of Actiance: http://www.facebook.com/actiance Follow Actiance on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/actiance About Actiance Actiance is the leader in communications compliance, archiving, and analytics. We provide compliance across the broadest set of communications and social channels with insights on what's being captured. Actiance customers manage over 500 million daily conversations across 80+ channels and growing. Customers include the top 10 U.S., top 5 Canadian, top 8 European, and top 3 Asian banks. The Actiance advantage is customers stay ahead of compliance and uncover patterns and relationships hidden within their data. Learn more at www.actiance.com. Actiance headquarters are in Redwood City, California. For more information, visit http://www.actiance.com or call 1-888-349-3223. PR Contacts: Lisa Bergamo Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Actiance, Inc. Phone: 650-380-9250 Email: [email protected] Michael Burke 415.989.9000 [email protected] SOURCE Actiance Related Links https://www.actiance.com RESTON, Va., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a global science and technology company, was awarded a prime contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to provide research and development (R&D) under the Mission Systems Open Architecture Science and Technology (MOAST) Program. The Multiple Award, Fair Opportunity, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract has a seven-year period of performance and a total shared contract ceiling of $48 million. Leidos was also awarded an initial task order under the MOAST Program. Work will be performed primarily at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Many Department of Defense (DoD) programs are faced with the challenge to reduce lifecycle costs while rapidly fielding technologically superior warfighting capability. Design strategies based on widely supported open standards increase the likelihood that future changes to the system will be accomplished cost-effectively. Under the MOAST program, Leidos will perform R&D to help evolve and expand emerging open systems architecture standards for existing and next-generation Air Force and DoD weapon systems, while also ensuring or enhancing cyber resilience. "We look forward to applying our innovative research and development expertise to help the Air Force reduce costs and advance system performance through the improvement and adoption of open architecture technologies," said Leidos Advanced Solutions Group President, Mike Chagnon. About Leidos Leidos is a global science and technology solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $7.04 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 30, 2016, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SOURCE Leidos Related Links http://www.leidos.com RESTON, Va., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a global science and technology company, was awarded a contract by Airways New Zealand to replace the current air traffic management (ATM) platforms with Leidos' SkyLine X system. The single-award firm fixed-price contract has a four-year period of performance and 15 years of maintenance support. Work will be performed in the United States and New Zealand. SkyLine is a proven and reliable ATM system that aviation customers across the globe rely on to deliver safe and efficient air navigation services. The Leidos SkyLine X system will replace Airways' two existing ATM platforms. The new ATM system will allow Airways to implement a new operating model as well as take advantage of advances in tools to optimize the air traffic system and staff deployment. The aim is to deliver enhanced safety and tangible benefits to airline and airport customers in the long term. "Air traffic is forecast to grow by 50% over the next decade. Our partnership with Airways New Zealand will support them in continuing to deliver safe and efficient operations by building on the expertise of our team and ongoing development in our SkyLine X technologies," said Leidos Civil Group President, Angie Heise. "This includes efficiencies enabled by the introduction of world-class flow management capabilities and an integrated approach that enables their vision for a single system to support tower, terminal, en-route and oceanic control." About Leidos Leidos is a global science and technology solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $7.04 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 30, 2016, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SOURCE Leidos Related Links http://www.leidos.com SHELTON, Conn., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SecureRF, a leading provider of quantum-resistant security solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced that its asymmetric (public-key) cryptographic protocols are available on the new Arrow Chameleon96 Community board. SecureRF's security tools enable companies to deploy small, fast and ultra-low-energy solutions providing integrity, authentication and non-repudiation for IoT devices. IoT devices are often deployed with little or no protection because most security solutions do not have acceptable runtimes, need a network connection, and require labor-intensive administration of a universal key or password database. SecureRF's Group Theoretic Cryptography methods, which include the Ironwood Key Agreement Protocol and Walnut Digital Signature Algorithm (WalnutDSA), are at least 60 times faster than ECC, and consume up to 140 times less energy. In addition, there is no need to manage a database or maintain a network connection. SecureRF's methods are also quantum-resistant to known attacks, and will protect IoT devices based on the Chameleon96 board even when quantum computers become available and render currently-used methods obsolete. Unlike other 96Boards, the Chameleon96 includes Intel's Cyclone V SoC FPGA. The Cyclone V combines the performance of a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with the flexibility of programmable logic, which is ideal for accelerating embedded software with custom hardware, and provides the ultimate in system customization. It is also fully-compliant to the Linaro 96Boards open platform specification. "We are looking forward to helping manufacturers worldwide provide high-performance protection for their IoT devices," said Louis Parks, chief executive officer, SecureRF. "This partnership uniquely allows companies to take advantage of next-gen technology from Arrow and Intel to bring new products to market while meeting the growing need for strong, future-proof security." SecureRF offers Secure Boot, Secure Firmware Updates and Secure Firmware Delivery for the Chameleon96 board in addition to its authentication and data protection solutions. The company is attending Embedded World, March 14-16 in Nuremburg, Germany. To schedule a meeting at the conference, email [email protected]. For more information on SecureRF's security solutions for the Chameleon96 board visit http://hubs.ly/H06zsCd0, call +1.203.227.3151 or email [email protected]. About SecureRF SecureRF Corporation (securerf.com) develops and licenses quantum-resistant, public-key security tools for low-resource processors powering the Internet of Things (IoT). The company's authentication and data protection solutions are highly efficient when compared to techniques like ECC and RSA. SecureRF delivers ultra-low-energy, fast, and small footprint solutions ideally suited for 32-bit, 16-bit, and even 8-bit devices like the ARM Cortex M0/M3 and RISC-V processors. SecureRF security solutions are used to address wireless sensors, NFC, Bluetooth, and RFID tags as well as embedded platforms including FPGAs, microcontrollers, and ASICs. Software Development Kits, RTL, and tools are available for a wide range of environments. The company also offers Veridify, a comprehensive, cloud-based solution providing real-time connectivity via smart apps that make products and supply chains smart, secure, and visible. Media Contact: Lauren LaFronz [email protected] 2032273151 SecureRF, LIME Tag, Veridify, and Securing the Internet of Things are trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of SecureRF Corporation. SOURCE SecureRF Related Links http://securerf.com SAN FRANCISCO and HOUSTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Gary C. McKinney has joined the firm's Southwest Region Employee Benefits Consulting Practice in Houston (Ascende an EPIC Company) as Business Development Manager. McKinney is responsible for communicating the Ascende/EPIC difference and value to business leaders and the broader community. Through these interactions, he identifies opportunities to improve employee programs and administrative services, as well as to better manage costs and optimize a company's return on investment in their people. He collaborates with executive leadership and Ascende/EPIC subject matter experts to craft tailored solutions to advance each client's specific business goals. McKinney began his career in HR leadership positions with Schlumberger, Ltd and Compaq Computer Corporation. He also served as the VPHR of Landmark Graphics Corp., a software company that assists the E&P industry with finding and developing hydrocarbons, and a wholly owned company of Halliburton. In addition, McKinney served as the CHRO for Valerus LP, a PE backed energy Services Company, and where he helped to drive 20% YOY annualized growth. Prior to joining Ascende an EPIC Company, McKinney worked as a CHRO for several Private Equity backed, rapid growth organizations and focused on leveraging human capital to meet both strategic and operational objectives. His emphasis on talent management and development allowed these organizations to maximize the return on their investments in people. McKinney has also held leadership positions for professional organizations; the Human Capital Planning Society and the Information Services Human Resources Association, as well as serving on the Board of the Baylor Research Initiative and Collaborative. McKinney received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Psychology from Presbyterian College. Professionally, he earned the Executive HR Certificate from Stanford University and the University of Michigan. "Gary brings a wealth of knowledge combining his significant experience as a CHRO for some of the world's most successful organizations and supporting the needs of capital sponsors where private equity investments have been made," said Brett Haugh, EPIC's Managing Principal of the Southwest Region. "He has a solid perspective around the orchestration of benefit plans, communications, and the effective use of HR technology to align with business objectives. Gary is a committed, results orientated individual, with a passion for delivering creative, value-added solutions, and he has a reputation for providing thought leadership and a commitment to building strong, positive relationships that align with our core values. We are excited to have Gary join our growing operation in the Southwest Region and across the country." Said McKinney, "As a senior HR professional, I am responsible for developing new business relationships, introducing the Ascende/EPIC approach and value, and helping our clients develop strategic solutions in all areas of human capital management and employee engagement and retention. This is truly an exciting opportunity for me." Gary McKinney can be reached at: Ascende an EPIC Company Office: 832-476-9942 Mobile: 713-557-4152 [email protected] About EPIC: EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally. EPIC now has more than 1,000 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients. With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. More information: http://www.epicbrokers.com/. MEDIA CONTACTS: Dave Hock, of EPIC 650-295-4608 [email protected] Nicole Conley 408-295-4309 x104 [email protected] *PHOTO: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0313s2p-McKinney-300dpi.jpg This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Related Links http://www.epicbrokers.com CLEVELAND, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Asurint, a provider of next-generation background screening solutions, announced today that it has secured a minority investment from North Bridge Growth Equity, a leading growth equity firm focused on high-growth technology companies. Asurint will leverage the North Bridge Growth Equity capital to accelerate the company's exceptional growth trajectory by adding additional talent to its workforce and further expanding its suite of technology-first background screening solutions. Founded by a team of technology-driven industry veterans, Asurint utilizes its automated recommendation model and proprietary technology to deliver accurate, timely, compliant and cost-effective enterprise solutions within the $4 billion background screening industry. The company's differentiated approach has rapidly supplanted conventional background screening players by providing an unmatched ability to improve search result quality, turnaround time, workflow efficiency and regulatory compliance, all while lowering the total cost of search. Asurint's innovative solution, combined with its strong dedication to excellent customer service, has enabled the company to garner an impressive list of enterprise customers across a broad range of sectors, including staffing, healthcare, transportation and retail. "Asurint is first and foremost a technology company. Our differentiation revolutionizes the background screening industry by taking advantage of technological advances, rather than the archaic processes of the past. The North Bridge Growth Equity team understands our competitive differentiation, believes in our business model and sees our growth potential to become the market leader in the background screening industry," said Gregg Gay, Asurint co-founder and CEO. "The background screening industry is highly fragmented and dependent on legacy technology, making it ripe for disruption. Asurint clearly has the data, technology and service team to redefine the industry, proven by the company's rapid growth, which has propelled it onto the Inc. 5000 list multiple times. Asurint has also been consistently named as one of the top providers on the HRO Baker's Dozen list, which speaks volumes about the company's commitment to serving its customers. We are excited to partner with Asurint for its next chapter of growth," said Roshen Menon who will join the company's board of directors along with Doug Kingsley, both managing directors of North Bridge Growth Equity. About Asurint Asurint is a full-service background screening company with 100-percent focus on next-generation technology products and services that are redefining the industry. Its full suite of screening solutions consistently yield faster turnaround times than competitors; improve the accuracy of search results; and provide automated compliance with local, state and federal laws. In the highly competitive race for human capital, Asurint gives clients a competitive advantage in candidate acquisition. The company is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Learn more at www.asurint.com or @VerifyEveryHire on Twitter. About North Bridge Growth Equity North Bridge Growth Equity is a leading growth equity firm that partners with successful technology and tech-enabled companies addressing large, dynamic markets including business services, healthcare IT, communications infrastructure and software. North Bridge Growth Equity provides capital and expertise to help companies institutionalize their approach and to prepare for the next phase of growth. North Bridge Growth Equity has over $1 billion of capital under management and has backed industry defining companies such as Dyn (acquired by Oracle), IngeniousMed, OutSystems, Proto Labs (IPO on NYSE), RuffaloCody (acquired by financial sponsor), SmartPak (acquired by Henry Schein) and WPEngine. SOURCE Asurint Related Links http://www.asurint.com In February, the Wealth Management Group won the Innovation in Private Banking honor from Private Asset Management Magazine (PAM). Now in its seventh year, the PAM Awards recognize individuals and companies that have successfully serviced high-net-worth individuals in an increasingly complex wealth management environment. This is the second consecutive year that Bank of the West's Wealth Management Group has been honored by PAM; in 2016 - Family Wealth Advisors (FWA) - the practice within the Wealth Management Group that focuses on ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients, was recognized as the Best Newcomer, and the head of FWA, Steve Prostano, was given the "Outstanding Contribution" Award. In addition to winning the Innovation category this year, Bank of the West Wealth Management also received high commendations in the Best Private Wealth Manager (AUM over $5 billion) for Client Service category. Bank of the West Wealth Management's Family Wealth Advisors was also honored at this year's Family Wealth Report (FWR) Awards 2017 in early March. The Group's Strategic Philanthropy & Purpose Investment offering and Purpose-Built Philanthropy campaign was recognized as the Best Multi-Family Office Client Initiative. Through the campaign, Bank of the West advisors worked to educate and empower their clients to pursue philanthropy through investing. The initiative involved several events that encouraged clients to think beyond traditional charitable giving opportunities and strategically align their philanthropic goals with how they approach building wealth. Additionally, Steve Prostano was awarded the honor of Leading Individual in the Multi-Family Office industry. "Everything we do at Bank of the West is in service to our clients through industry-leading products and services. Staying ahead of market trends and client needs is a large part of that process," said Pierre Ramadier, senior executive vice president and head of the Wealth Management Group at Bank of the West. "We have been able to provide services such as our Family Wealth Advisors and Private Business Owner Solutions, two dynamic offerings within the Wealth Management Group that serve niche clients the UHNW clientele and business owners with the cross-expertise banking solutions that they need to best manage their wealth. We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the industry's top innovators by these two respected publications." Along with Family Wealth Advisors and Private Business Owner Solutions, Bank of the West Wealth Management Group provides the Bank's clients with strategies for wealth planning, global investment management and consulting services, opportunities for strategic philanthropy and purpose investing, family enterprise solutions and other specialized services. Bank of the West is committed to providing resources to help high-net-worth individuals and small business owners succeed by spotlighting industry trends and offering wealth management solutions. To see the breadth of content to help with personal finance and wealth needs, visit the Bank of the West blog Your Wealth channel at blog.bankofthewest.com, which provides wealth management guidance. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more tips and information. About Bank of the West Wealth Management Group: Bank of the West Wealth Management provides wealth planning, investment management*, personal banking, philanthropy, and trust and fiduciary services. The group is part of BNP Paribas' global wealth management business of more than 6,600 professionals present in three hubs in Europe, Asia and the U.S. with more than $12.1 billion** in assets under management in the United States and 344 billion ($361.9 billion) in assets under management globally as of December 31, 2016. About Bank of the West Bank of the West is a regional financial services company headquartered in San Francisco with $83.8 billion in assets as of December 31, 2016. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 branches and offices in 23 states and digital channels. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 74 countries with more than 190,000 employees. To learn more about Bank of the West, visit About Us via BankoftheWest.com. *Securities and variable annuities are offered through BancWest Investment Services, a registered broker/dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Financial Advisors are Registered Representatives of BancWest Investment Services. Fixed annuities/insurance products are offered through BancWest Insurance Agency in California, (License #0C52321), through BancWest Insurance Agency in Utah, and through BancWest Investment Services, Inc. in AZ, CO, IA, ID, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, WA, WI, WY, HI, Guam and CNMI. BancWest Investment Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West. Bank of the West is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas. Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries are not tax or legal advisors. **Assets under management refers to assets under administration, management, advisement, and on deposit, including assets with our affiliate BancWest Investment Services ("BancWest") as of December 31, 2016. Deposit and loan products offered by Bank of the West, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. In South Dakota, Bank of the West operates under the name Bank of the West California. Bank of the West Wealth Management offers products and services through Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries. Investment and Insurance products: NOT FDIC INSURED NOT BANK GUARANTEED MAY LOSE VALUE NOT A DEPOSIT NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY SOURCE Bank of the West Related Links http://www.bankofthewest.com HERCULES, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb), a global provider of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, today announced several significant strategic priorities, including initiating long term financial guidance, commitment to defining new capital allocation targets, and hosting an annual Investor Day later this year. Bio-Rad expects to achieve the following financial results for revenue and EBITDA margins: Long-term currency-neutral revenue growth of approximately 3% to 5% Currency-neutral EBITDA margin of greater than 20% by 2020 Bio-Rad will provide further details on its long term revenue growth and profitability goals based on this EBITDA margin target. Bio-Rad also plans to define a prudent capital allocation policy focused on maximizing value over the long-term. The Company commits to evaluate leverage levels that will enable Bio-Rad to maintain its strong balance sheet and investment grade credit ratings, while providing flexibility to opportunistically pursue organic growth initiatives and attractive bolt-on acquisitions. Should Bio-Rad identify compelling strategic opportunities that take the Company above this target, management is committed to de-levering back to the target range over time. Given its excess cash position, Bio-Rad intends to move to its target leverage ratio through share repurchases and/or value-creating M&A. Bio-Rad plans to hold an Investor Day later this year, during which management will discuss the Company's operating performance, organic and inorganic growth priorities and capital allocation strategy. Norman Schwartz, Bio-Rad Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Today marks an important step forward for Bio-Rad. As we cycle through investments designed to enhance our growth and improve our operating efficiency, we are striving to achieve EBITDA margins that will create significant stockholder value over the long-term. We are committed to improving communication with the investor and analyst community as well as actively pursuing additional sell-side coverage." Reiterates 2017 Financial Outlook Bio-Rad also reiterated its 2017 financial outlook and continues to anticipate currency neutral revenue growth of approximately 4 percent, and improved profitability with a currency neutral GAAP operating margin of 7 percent for the full year 2017. As previously discussed, guidance includes elevated operating costs due to the implementation of Bio-Rad's ERP system. Revenue and operating margin guidance does not include the impacts of the recent acquisition of RainDance. About Bio-Rad Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of innovative products and solutions for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned for its commitment to quality and customer service among university and research institutions, hospitals, public health and commercial laboratories, as well as the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food safety industries. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is based in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and healthcare industry customers through its global network of operations. The Company employs more than 8,250 people worldwide and had revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2016. For more information, please visit www.bio-rad.com. This release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "intends," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding the Company's risks and uncertainties, please refer to the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" in Bio-Rad's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Bio-Rad cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Contacts Christine Tsingos, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 510-741-6006 [email protected] SOURCE Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Related Links http://www.bio-rad.com SAN RAMON, Calif., and XIAMEN, China, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BioVentrix, Inc. a pioneer of technologies and procedures for less invasive treatment of heart failure (HF), today announced commercialization and the first clinical use of its closed-chest Revivent TC System in the People's Republic of China. The Less Invasive Ventricular Enhancement or LIVE procedure was performed by Prof. Yan Wang, M.D., Director of the Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital and his structural heart team in Xiamen, China. China is one of the largest and fastest growing heart failure markets in the world. This procedure represents the first commercial BioVentrix implant in the Asian market. BioVentrix continues to expand its reach and successfully treat heart failure patients in multiple European countries. It has also recently started enrolling patients in a US FDA-approved pivotal clinical trial. Three micro-anchor pairs were successfully implanted in a 56-year-old male patient suffering from NYHA class III ischemic heart failure. The procedure reshaped the left ventricle and decreased the Left Ventricular End Systolic Volume Index (LVESVI). Left ventricular volume reduction is a common measure of cardiac performance that significantly impacts the short and long-term survival rates. By remodeling the LV to a more normal shape and size, the implant improves pumping efficiency, decreases wall stress, and immediately reverses patient symptoms. "We are very excited to be the first center in China to perform the Revivent TC procedure. The patient achieved a 35% reduction in LVESVI and the Ejection Fraction (EF) increased from 25% to 37%," said Prof. Wang. "This was a very positive clinical outcome for this patient which will lead to significant improvement in his quality of life. The Revivent TransCatheter delivery system allows for more ischemic heart failure patients to be treated and reduces the procedural risk compared to other therapy options such as surgical ventricular restoration," continued Prof. Wang. "We have numerous patients that can benefit from this innovative therapeutic option." About BioVentrix and the Revivent TC System BioVentrix, a privately held medical technology company headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., is focused on developing and commercializing minimally invasive therapies for treating HF. The company recently received CE mark certification for its closed-chest Revivent TC TransCatheter Ventricular Enhancement System for plication of scar tissue in post-MI, ischemic cardiomyopathy patients. Placement of the Revivent TC System via the LIVE procedure obviates the need for more invasive surgery. Instead, small titanium anchors are placed along the outer surface of the heart and along one of the interior walls via a catheter-based approach. The anchors are then pulled towards one another, effectively excluding the scarred and non-functioning heart wall. Ventricular volume is immediately reduced as a result of the exclusion, by as much as 30-40 percent1. Click here for corporate video with animation Note: The Revivent TC System is approved for sale in Europe; it is not approved for sale in the United States. 1Wechsler, A. et al., Clinical benefits twelve months after less invasive ventricular restoration operations without ventriculotomy. Annual meeting of the European Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 07 Oct. 2013, Vienna, Austria. SOURCE BioVentrix, Inc. Related Links http://bioventrix.com/ PHOENIX, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bishop Fox partner Christie Terrill, CISSP, will be discussing cybersecurity issues at two upcoming events. Terrill will talk about "Building a Cybersecurity Architecture to Combat Today's Risks" on March 15, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT as part of a Dark Reading Webinar. This webinar will review why "layered defense" is a remnant from the past and how to combat increased risks associated with new technologies like the cloud and the Internet of Things. Terrill will provide recommendations for rethinking IT security from a strategic, architectural perspective and outline strategies to build a comprehensive set of defenses that can discourage and repel attackers. On March 31, 2017, Terrill will participate in a panel discussion on "Stories from the Battlefield - Cybersecurity Incident Response" from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. MST at the Women in Cybersecurity Conference 2017 (WiCyS) in Tucson, Arizona. Terrill will join three security specialists from Palo Alto Networks on the panel, and they will all share their firsthand experiences helping companies from retailers to banks to hospitals respond to attacks, take action in the heat of the battle, and discuss options for handling the aftermath. Terrill is a well-known cybersecurity thought leader with 15 years of expertise in enterprise security including security governance, risk management, compliance, and technical controls. She is a regular contributor at Forbes where she translates cybersecurity topics into business-relevant action. Prior to joining Bishop Fox, Terrill worked in the security consulting practices at Accenture and Ernst & Young for clients in the Global 500. Bishop Fox is an independent cybersecurity firm that protects businesses from today's increasing security threats. Headquartered in the Phoenix area since its start in 2005, the firm provides assessment and penetration testing and enterprise security consulting services to the world's leading organizations. For more information, visit www.bishopfox.com. Contact: Amy Blumenthal 617-879-1511 [email protected] SOURCE Bishop Fox Related Links http://www.bishopfox.com AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Investment firm Brown Advisory will host the "Investing to Change the World" panel at the 2017 South by Southwest (SXSW) conference. Two of the firm's partners will be joined by leaders from the venture industry on a panel to offer practical and powerful solutions for people who want to generate positive impact on society through their investments. The panel will cover topics that include: mobilizing large-scale capital for impact investing; creating vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley, Boston and New York; democratizing entrepreneurship; and addressing the gap between angel funding and growth capital to sustain mission-driven start-ups. Confirmed panelists include Karina Funk, co-portfolio manager of the Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund; Dune Thorne, head of Brown Advisory's Boston office and head of client experience; Victoria Fram, managing director at VilCap Investments, Village Capital's affiliated for-profit investment fund; and Seth Miller, founder and partner at Fearless Ventures. Panel Details Date: Tuesday, March 14th, 2017 Time: 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Location: JW Marriott Austin, Room 201-202 110 E 2nd St, Austin TX 78701 "We are excited to bring the dialogue on sustainable investing to the diverse and forward-thinking group of people who attend SXSW," Ms. Funk said. "We believe that investors can generate profits and make progress by investing in companies with cutting-edge environmental strategies, in bonds that fund clean energy or support low-income communities, and in innovative private investments that seek to drive social change." Brown Advisory is committed to making a material and positive difference in the lives of its clients through a combination of first-class performance, strategic advice and the highest level of service. The firm opened an office in Austin in 2016. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film and music industries. The event features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions and a variety of networking opportunities. About Brown Advisory Brown Advisory is an independent investment firm committed to providing its clients with a combination of first-class investment performance, strategic advice, and the highest level of service. Founded in 1993 as an affiliate of Alex. Brown & Sons, a leading U.S. investment bank, Brown Advisory became independent in 1998. Today the firm serves private clients and institutions in 34 countries from eight offices globally. The firm's colleague equity ownership, experienced investment professionals, collaborative investment process, and client-first culture help to make a material difference in the lives of its clients. For more information, please visit www.brownadvisory.com Contact Richard Gamper, Brown Advisory 410-537-5560 / [email protected] Stephanie Dressler, Dukas Linden PR 949-269-2535 / [email protected] Nicole Hakimi, Dukas Linden PR 646-722-6530 / [email protected] SOURCE Brown Advisory Related Links http://www.brownadvisory.com CHICAGO, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, March 13, 2017 at 7:30PM (CDT) renowned Fathers' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving will host Chicago Counterpoint TV on CAN-TV's Channel 21. Chicago Counterpoint TV provides crucial legal education to single dads, men in divorce and family law attorneys looking to expand their professional knowledge. This week's show features leading Chicago matrimonial law Attorney James M. Hagler. Highly regarded for his esteemed work representing military dads, Hagler fiercely litigates international child abduction cases. He has been a multiple recipient of the Award of Merit from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Hagler has personally been thanked by President Barack Obama for his work in assisting indigent fathers to be involved with their children and was awarded the 2017 Father of The Year Award. James Hagler has earned a reputation as a tenacious trial attorney, with numerous victories litigating high-profile and high-asset cases. He has received several honors for his trial skills, including being named a Chicago Best Lawyer and an Illinois Super Lawyer. Further, having served in the U.S. Army, Hagler is a tireless fighter for the rights of military dads, both in and outside of the courtroom. He prefers taking on "unwinnable cases" and winning them! Chicago Counterpoint TV is broadcast live on Channel 21 of Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV). It is an interactive television show with a potential viewing audience of over one million. Viewers can stream the show live at http://cantv.org/live and participate in discussions on the Fatherhood Educational Institute (FEI) website (www.fatherhood-edu.org) and Facebook. About Jeffery Leving Chicago Counterpoint TV's host Jeffery M. Leving has been named one of "America's Best Lawyers" by Forbes Radio and is the country's leading authority on fathers' rights. He is a pioneer in fathers' rights and has dedicated more than 30 years to strengthening healthy families and improving outcomes for children. He founded the Fatherhood Educational Institute , which provides critical parenting skills to fathers and seeks to eliminate father absence. Leving's latest book, How to be a Good Divorced Dad, received praise from President Barack Obama, and was endorsed by the late Cardinal Francis George. Leving was recently awarded the Hon. John S. Martinez Leader Award in Los Angeles. CONTACT: Jennifer Whiteside 312.296.3666 [email protected] SOURCE Fatherhood Educational Institute Related Links http://dadsrights.com DEARBORN, Mich., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Carhartt, America's premium workwear brand since 1889, today announced another collaboration stemming from its ongoing partnership with music icon and Detroit native Eminem: a line of exclusive, E13-branded products available only at its Flagship store in Detroit for a limited time. The collaboration was established with the purpose of raising funds for the Verses Project, which is a branch of the Community Music School (CMS) Detroit. The program works in conjunction with the Michigan State University School of Music to teach students literacy through the art of songwriting. The E13 line debuted in November 2016 as a Black Friday limited release of select merchandise, also benefiting the Verses Project. The logo an anvil behind text of Detroit's area code spelled E13 symbolizes both Carhartt's and Eminem's commitment to hard work and the city of Detroit. Today only, limited quantities of special-edition Carhartt sweatshirts, T-shirts, and hats can be purchased exclusively at the Carhartt store located at 5800 Cass Ave. in Midtown. Click to Tweet: [email protected] and @Eminem have teamed up to support the Verses project in Detroit. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2m6pcEN #E13 "The Verses Project provides an excellent avenue for local, passionate students to apply hard work and creativity," said Tony Ambroza, senior vice president of marketing at Carhartt. "This fundraising effort between Carhartt and The Marshall Mathers Foundation ensures those in pursuit of their dreams are put in the position to learn the fundamentals necessary to succeed." Additionally, any customer who visits the store and completes a registration form will be eligible to participate in an in-store giveaway to win a pair of limited-edition Eminem x Carhartt x Nike Air Jordan IV sneakers. Just one pair of the shoes will be given away, and each customer is allowed just one entry into the drawing. No purchase is necessary, and the winner will be selected at random. A complete set of rules is available for download online at: http://www.carhartt.com/content/e13. Ten pairs of the extremely collectible sneakers were auctioned off in November 2015 to help launch the Verses Project, raising more than $225,000 for the cause. "It is incredibly important to provide the next generation of Detroit's youth with the proper resources to maximize their potential," said Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's manager and the director of The Marshall Mathers Foundation. "That's why The Marshall Mathers Foundation is so proud to work with Carhartt to continue to develop the literacy and songwriting initiatives fostered by the Verses Project." The Verses Project began during the spring of 2016, when a group of students participated in courses for one semester. Smaller workshops were held during the summer of last year, and a new set of students joined the program in the fall. The 2017 spring course is underway, and with 100 percent of the E13 proceeds going toward the program, the Verses Project as well as the partnership between Carhartt and Eminem will continue into the future. About the Verses Project Exploring Literacy Through Lyrics and Song In 2016, Carhartt teamed up with Eminem to help fund an innovative literacy project developed by the Michigan State University Community Music School-Detroit. The collaborative program for underserved youth explores literacy through lyrics and song. The Verses Project was launched with proceeds from the auction of an Eminem x Carhartt x Air Jordan IV co-branded sneaker that raised more than $225,000. About Carhartt, Inc. Established in 1889, Carhartt is a global premium workwear brand with a rich heritage of developing rugged products for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, with more than 5,000 associates worldwide, Carhartt is family-owned and managed by the descendants of the company's founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit www.carhartt.com. SOURCE Carhartt Related Links http://www.carhartt.com The new Fleet Operations Centers utilize a state-of-the-art tracking and data-analysis platform that enables real-time information sharing between Carnival Corporation ships and specialized onshore teams designed to support fleet operations. The proprietary system significantly improves communication from ship to shore, providing new capabilities for enhancing the safe passage of ships at sea while improving operational efficiencies and supporting overall environmental initiatives at Carnival Corporation. The advanced system, which initially captures thousands of data points and provides real-time analytics for 28 distinct parameters for navigational safety from each ship, focuses on the following strategic areas to optimize safety, efficiency and overall fleet performance: Nautical Operations & Safety including the capability to see real-time radar visuals, stability conditions, automation, the Safety Management and Command System, and webcams from each ship, along with GPS location, routing, ship conditions and weather data. Procedural Optimization & Efficiency including speeds, navigational data and engine conditions. Sustainability including fuel and energy usage, emissions levels, water and waste management. "Our teams have done a remarkable job in developing the most sophisticated and capable system in the cruise and commercial maritime industry for taking safety management to a completely new level, overcoming the hurdles faced with ships sailing in the middle of oceans around the world," said Vice Admiral Bill Burke (ret.), chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. "With our new operations centers running our proprietary technology, both our ship and shoreside teams have greater-than-ever ability to ensure we are operating at safety levels that far exceed industry standards. We can now also access and analyze data that can significantly increase the operational efficiency of our ships, which is another major benefit." Utilizing cloud-based technology from Microsoft, this new system dubbed "Neptune" has been in use at the Carnival Maritime Fleet Operations Center (FOC) in Hamburg, Germany, as announced in October 2015. Carnival Corporation has been piloting the system with its European cruise line brands in Hamburg and Southampton, England. Based on the system's success, the company will continue rolling out the system this year to further increase the monitoring capability of its ships sailing in the U.S. and Caribbean, through its Fleet Operation Centers in Miami and Seattle. The new Carnival Corporation FOCs will provide an additional layer of support, where the shore-based analytics system will automatically generate alerts to help provide support in addressing any potential safety or weather-related issues across the fleet. Moving forward, the system's ability to process and analyze "big data" in real time will enable Carnival Corporation and its brands to do predictive analysis with the potential to further improve safety and operations. The implementation of the advanced support system is aligned with the company's Arison Maritime Center, home of its Center for Simulator Maritime Training Academy, or CSMART Academy, the world-class maritime training, professional development and research facility in Almere, located just outside Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which currently provides some 6,500 deck and technical officers from the company's 10 global brands with extensive annual training programs. "Our commitment to raising the bar on maritime safety has already generated several major enhancements, including our world-class CSMART Academy training facility where our deck and technical officers receive the industry's most progressive training using state-of-the-art simulators," said Burke. "Now we are taking it to the next level with our new Neptune support system and cutting-edge Fleet Operations Centers that enable us to support safety using real-time data in ways that have never been done in the cruising and commercial maritime industries. Together, our safety training programs and innovative technological capabilities like Neptune add even more strength to our comprehensive approach to safety and operational excellence as the number one priority for Carnival Corporation." About Carnival Corporation & plc Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest leisure travel company in the world, with a portfolio of 10 cruise brands in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia comprised of Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK). Together, these brands operate 102 ships visiting over 700 ports around the world and totaling 226,000 lower berths with 19 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2017 and 2022. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour companies in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P500 and the FTSE 100 indices. Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com, www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.pocruises.com.au and www.pocruises.com. Editors' Note: A video of Carnival Corporation's Fleet Operations Center system is available here. SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc Related Links http://www.Carnivalcorp.com LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pesticide industry has weathered the rough time of "overcapacity, market downturn, weak demand, price decline, stringent environmental policies, and fierce competition" over the past two years. Due to a greater pressure from safety production and environmental protection, rising costs, tepid domestic and foreign demands, and prohibition of and restrictions on highly toxic pesticides, the industry has been running with lower product prices. Overall, the pesticide enterprises now make meager profits or barely break even. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/76036/ China produced 3.741 million tons and sold 3.495 million tons of chemical pesticide APIs in 2015, edging down 0.1% and 2.2% from a year ago, respectively. In addition, output of pesticide preparations represented by herbicides, insecticides, and bactericides all fell over the same period in 2014, standing at 1.774 million tons, 514,000 tons, and 182,000 tons, down 1.6%,8.5%and 20.8% respectively against the previous year. Jiangsuis the country's largest pesticide production base, not only the largest API producing region but also a major production region of herbicides, insecticides, and bactericides. The province produced 1.055 million tons of pesticide APIs, 419,000 tons of herbicides, 205,000 tons of insecticides, and 91,000 tons of bactericides in 2015, making up 28.2%, 23.6%,39.8%, and 49.7% of the country's total, respectively. The Action Program for Zero Growth of Pesticide Utilization by 2020 issued by the MoA in 2015 specifies that pesticide utilization will be effectively controlled and new pesticides vigorously promoted so as to reduce consumption and harm of pesticides.The country's pesticide production and sales will maintain slight growth over a period of time, with chemical pesticide APIs reaching an estimated 3.768 million tons in production and 3.628 million tons in sales in 2020, respectively. There are about 1,800 pesticide producers in China, represented by Nanjing Red Sun, Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical, Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial Group, Shenzhen Noposion Agrochemicals, and Jiangsu Huifeng Agrochemical. The country's No. 1 pesticide enterprise hasless than a 2 percent market share, showing a very low market concentration. As a series of measures on closing down backward production facilities and encouraging corporate merger and restructuring are implemented, the Chinese pesticide market concentration is expected to improve gradually. With introduction of support policies including new environmental policy and the Planning for the Development of Pesticide Industry during the 13th Five-Year Plan Period,a quick penetration of new formats like agricultural inputs E-commerce and "Internet + agriculture", and rapid development of new models (farmers' cooperative, crop solutions), the pesticide industry will see an accelerated elimination of backward capacity, constantly enhanced industrial transformation and upgrading, and an increased industry concentration. China Pesticide Industry Report, 2016-2020 highlights the following: Pesticide industry in China (production & sales, import & sales, operation, competitive landscape, etc.); Development environments (regulatory policies, industry policies, upstream & downstream sectors, etc.); Development trends; 16 major pesticide enterprises (operation, pesticide business, forecast & outlook, etc.) Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/76036/ 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 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China's smart meter shipments reached 150 million units, up 6.8% yr-on-yr; expected to grow to 160 million units in 2016. In the future, with the continuous development of IoT (Internet of Things), the smart meter market will grow steadily at an average annual rate of over 8.0% in 2016-2020. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4420306/ Smart meter consists mainly of smart electric meter, smart water meter, smart gas meter, etc. Among them, smart electric meter boasts the highest market penetration rate, approximately 95%; followed by smart gas meter with over 50%. Smart Electric Meters are mainly promoted in the form of unified bidding by State Grid and China Southern Power Grid (began smart electric meter tender in 2016). In 2015, 90.99 million smart electric meter tenders were won from State Grid, single-phase smart electric meter and three-phase smart electric meter accounted for 88.9% and 11.1% respectively, of which, single-phase smart electric meter manufacturers had scattered tenders, while three-phase smart electric meter showed relatively high market concentration due to certain technical barriers. In 2015, Yantai Dongfang Wisdom Electric Co., Ltd. and Wasion Group registered the highest bid-winning rate in respectively fields of 0.5S three-phase smart electric meter and 0.2S three-phase smart electric meter, with respective market share of 17.5% and 69.7%. Smart Gas Meterrecords shipments of 19.4 million units in 2015 and (an expected) 24.3 million units in 2016. As the market penetration grows, the figure may exceed 50 million units by 2020. At present, main suppliers in the market include Goldcard, Shaanxi Aerospace Power Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., HangZhouInnover Technology Co., Ltd., etc. In 2015, Goldcard took the first place with a 10.2% market share. Smart Water Meter records shipments of 11.73 million units in 2015 (up 13.7% yr-on-yr) and (an expected) 13.49 million units in 2016. Currently, the market penetration of smart water meter is far below that of smart electric meter and smart gas meter, indicating a larger growth space. Key manufacturers are Sanchuan Wisdom Technology Co., Ltd., Suntront Tech Co., Ltd, Ningbo Water Meter Co., Ltd., etc. with annual capacity of more than one million units. Primary driving factors in the future development of smart meter industry in China include IoT popularization, ladder price policies, etc. IoT requires intelligent analysis of the collected data, thus smart meter is essential. And the application of NB-IoT technology in smart meter can solve the traditional meter wiring, high costs of wireless remote transmission equipment and other problems, but also make data accuracy rate as high as 99%. In 2017, with the release of NB-IoT series industry standards, NB-IoT will see large-scale application in the commercial sector, thus providing technical support for the development of smart meter. So far, ladder pricing system has seen a wide range of implementation in water, electricity and gas fields, and traditional meters can't copy all data at the crucial point-in-time of calculating ladder price. Therefore, the popularizing rate of smart meter in water, electricity and gas fields will improve further. The report highlights the following: Status quo, market size, market structure, and competitive landscape of China smart meter industry; Overview, policies, market size, market structure, competitive landscape, import & export, and State Grid tender of smart electric meter industry; Overview, development environment, market size, and competitive landscape of smart water meter industry; Overview, policies, market size, and competitive landscape of smart gas meter industry; Development history, development environment, market size, competitive landscape, and prospects of heat meter industry; Operation, smart meter business, etc. of 6 foreign and 16 domestic smart meter manufactures. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4420306/ 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 Chrysler brand is launching a new online social initiative in partnership with Canine Companions for Independence, the largest non-profit organization for assistance dogs in the U.S. The initiative will help raise awareness and support for the training and placement of Canine Companions for Independence assistance dogs under the organization's "Give a Dog a Job" campaign, a fundraising and awareness campaign that helps place them with adults, children and veterans with disabilities. Consumers will first meet Canine Companions puppy Foley, a Golden Retriever, Labrador cross (and the Chrysler brand's first official PacifiPuppy!) on Monday, March 13, and follow him as he goes through his formal training with his recently assigned puppy raiser. Fans can engage with Foley with the #RaisingFoley and #FoleyFriday hashtags on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "Through our partnership with Canine Companions for Independence, the Chrysler brand is able to help bring awareness to its 'Give a Dog a Job' program through our new online social initiative," said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA North America. "As we follow Foley through his journey, fans will get a first-hand look at watching him grow and learn, from puppy training to becoming a fully trained assistance dog, and also gain an understanding of the huge amount of time and resources it takes to train these amazing dogs." "Our partnership with Chrysler Pacifica, BraunAbility and our 'Give a Dog a Job' campaign brings our mission, the stories of our remarkable graduates and the adventures of Canine Companions puppy Foley to a whole new audience across the country," says Paul Mundell, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence. "We are deeply grateful for the commitment made to us by these two leaders in adapted vehicles. The upfitted Chrysler Pacifica provides greatly enhanced independence for people with disabilities, especially those who utilize wheelchairs." Fans will be able to follow Foley (named in honor of actor Scott Foley, an ardent supporter of Canine Companions for Independence) as he starts his path in life to being matched with a person with a disability, including: Getting acclimated to the puppy raiser's home, including new sights and sounds Grooming, cradling, playing with feet, ignoring food on the ground Celebrating important days like #NationalPuppyDay ( March 23 ), Veterans Day ( November 11 ), and Canine Companions National Graduation Days ( May 5 , August 4 and November 3 ) ), ( ), and Canine Companions National Graduation Days ( , and ) Learning early commands, including "shake," tracking his growth (against a growth chart in the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan) Adventures to the park and play dates with other Canine Companions puppies Visits to the vet and vaccinations First field trips and learning basic commands at puppy class "Because of highly trained assistance dogs like my dog Mork, people like me are able to lead more full and independent lives," said Wallis Brozman, Corporate Marketing Assistant, Canine Companions. "Mork was trained by Canine Companions' professional instructors in 40 spoken commands and has since learned American Sign Language and approximately 15 new commands. This campaign is educating the public on the unique contributions our service dogs make in the lives of adults, children and veterans with disabilities. The program will also raise funds to allow us to place more exceptional dogs like Mork with people like myself. Without Mork's help, I didn't feel like I could safely leave my home. Mork is my independence on four legs." Under the "Give a Dog a Job" campaign, trained service dogs across the country are empowering wheelchair users daily by completing everyday activities, including getting in and out of their wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Hundreds are currently on the waitlist to receive a trained assistance dog, which is provided to a person with a disability free of charge. It takes two years to fully train a Canine Companions assistance dog, including six to nine months of professional training. To raise, train, place and support a certified assistance dog amounts to a $50,000 investment. Followers can donate at www.driveindependence.org. Chrysler brand and BraunAbility recently joined forces to design a wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica minivan providing the largest interior space as well as the widest door opening and side-entry ramp in the industry. About Canine Companions for Independence Canine Companions for Independence provides highly trained assistance dogs free of charge to children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Established in 1975, Canine Companions has trained more than 5,300 assistance dog teams, with six training centers across the country in Northern California, Southern California, Florida, New York, Ohio and Texas, and over 3,000 volunteers nationwide. Canine Companions is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship. For more information, visit cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK (2275). About Chrysler Brand The Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs, craftsmanship, intuitive innovation and technology all at an extraordinary value since the company was founded in 1925. Whether it is the family-room-on-wheels functionality of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the groundbreaking, bold design of the Chrysler 300, or the simple elegance and extraordinary driving experience of the Chrysler 200, Chrysler brand vehicles reward the passion, creativity and sense of accomplishment of its owners. Beyond just exceptionally designed vehicles, the Chrysler brand has incorporated thoughtful features into all of its products, such as the innovative center console with pass through storage and sliding cup holders in the Chrysler 200, the industry-exclusive Stow 'n Go seating and storage system on the Chrysler Pacifica and the fuel-saving Fuel Saver Technology in the Chrysler 300. The Chrysler brand's succession of innovative product introductions continues to solidify the brand's standing as the leader in design, engineering and value. The premium for the Chrysler brand is in the product, not the price. Follow Chrysler brand and FCA US news and video on: Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com FCA360: www.fca360.com Chrysler brand: www.chrysler.com Chrysler blog: blog.chrysler.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrysler or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/ Flickr: www.flickr.com/chryslerautos or www.flickr.com/chryslergroup/ Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/chryslerautos or www.pinterest.com/FCAcorporate Instagram: www.instagram.com/chryslerautos or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter: www.twitter.com/chryslerautos or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA YouTube: www.youtube.com/chrysler or www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo SOURCE FCA US LLC Related Links http://www.fcanorthamerica.com LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Roskill will release its new cobalt market report with forecasts out to 2026 in April. It is essential reading for anyone needing a comprehensive overview of the cobalt market. Cobalt is mostly mined as a by-product of nickel and copper and, as such, supply is dependent on demand for, and subsequent production of, these metals. There are some exceptions. Primary cobalt is produced by artisanal miners in the DRC. In Morocco, cobalt is mined as a primary metal. In China, some cobalt production is as a by-product of iron ore extraction. And in South Africa, cobalt is recovered as a by-product of PGM production. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150909/264974LOGO ) World mine production increased at a rate of 5.5% py over the 2009 to 2016 period. The DRC is by far the biggest mine producer of cobalt and accounted for two-thirds of world mine production in 2016. Almost all output was as a by-product of copper. DRC mine output increased at 7% py over the 2009 to 2016 period. Australia was the second-largest mine producer of cobalt in 2016, with all output as a by-product of nickel mining. Production in Australia has fluctuated over the past few years, but overall increased at 4% py over the 2009 to 2016 period. Roskill believes that the Philippines overtook Cuba to become the world's third-biggest mine producer in 2015. Mine production in the Philippines has increased at 15% py over the eight years to 2016, as two nickel operations have ramped-up. Roskill's estimates suggest that, for the first time, the refined cobalt market exceeded 100kt in 2016. China was by far the biggest producer, accounting for more than half of global supply. Finland was the second-largest producer. Over the decade to 2016 the market has been characterised by a shift in production trends, with refined chemical production levels now exceeding refined metal production. This shift has been driven by demand from the batteries sector. Rechargeable (secondary) batteries provide the largest, and the fastest growing, market for cobalt. The use of cobalt oxide, hydroxide, sulphate and powder, in rechargeable battery cathode (and anode) materials has been the main factor underpinning cobalt's strong demand growth. Nonetheless, other end-uses for cobalt are also demanding more and more material. Roskill estimates that cobalt consumption growth in high performance alloys grew at 5%py between 2009 and 2016, owing mainly to growth in consumption of superalloys in aerospace applications. Other key end uses such as tool materials, catalysts, pigments and magnets showed lower, albeit still stable, growth over this period. Cobalt prices have a history of volatility and considerable swings have been seen since the turn of the century. In 2003 the price of high grade cobalt averaged just under US$11/lb but grew to reach over US$38/lb by 2008. At the peak in March 2008, high-grade cobalt metal was sold at over US$52/lb. Prices fell back dramatically between 2008 and 2009 as supply outstripped demand and the global economic crisis began to take hold. Following a slight recovery in 2010 prices began a gradual decline. The period to 2016 was characterised by price stagnation. Monthly average high grade cobalt metal prices remained between US$10/lb and US$15/lb between 2012 and 2016. While demand has been strong, oversupply has been overhanging the market keeping prices in check. However, in the first quarter of 2017, there has been an uptick in the cobalt metal price. Prices stared the year at US$15/lb but reached US$17/lb at the start of February and rose to US$24/lb at the start of March. These increases are a result of strong demand, a tight metal market exacerbated by stockpiling, recent changes in the production landscape, and enduring concerns about the sustainability of the cobalt supply chain. A number of temporary suspensions, most notably at Glencore's Katanga Mining in the DRC, have contributed to a tight metal market. This, coupled with strategic stockpiling, may be artificially inflating the cobalt price. As detailed in Roskill's upcoming Cobalt Report, there has already been material taken out of the market in recent years. The China State Reserve Bureau (SRB) has moved to purchase considerable quantities of cobalt since 2014. The past year has also seen a good deal of change to the corporate ownership of key cobalt-producing assets. Glencore recently acquired Fleurette Group's stake in Mutanda Mining, the world's biggest cobalt mine, bringing its share to 100%. The world's second-largest cobalt operation also changed hands. In November 2016, Freeport-McMoRan completed the indirect sale of its 70% interest in TF Holdings, owner of Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), to China Molybdenum (CMOC) for US$2.65Bn. The same week, Lundin Mining announced its intention to sell its share in TFM to Chinese private-equity firm BHR Partners for US$1.14Bn, with the deal due to be completed in H1 2017. These changes to asset ownership reflect significant investment in the DRC from Glencore and increasing Chinese investment. However, many market participants still harbour concerns over the sustainability of DRC feedstock supply. An ageing energy and road network already puts huge pressure on extractive enterprises. Furthermore, the threat of resource nationalism remains a feature of the cobalt and copper sectors and new political tensions have the potential to destabilise the country further. In addition, the dark side of DRC cobalt supply has been brought to an international audience in recent months, prompting many consumers to revaluate their supply chains. In 2014, UNICEF reported that approximately 40,000 children worked in mines across southern DRC (mainly in what is now Haut-Katanga province), many of them mining cobalt in artisanal operations. The outlook for cobalt demand is one of steady growth over the period to 2026, underpinned by demand for cobalt in batteries and other end use applications. After years of oversupply, and with the market now being broadly in balance, the question remains as to whether supply will be able to keep pace with demand. With concentrate supply increasing in the DRC, existing operations looking to maximise cobalt yields, some operations set to restart or ramp up further and several new projects in the pipeline, the long-term outlook for cobalt feedstock is positive. Further, with refined chemical capacity also set to expand over the coming years, the battery industry should be well supplied. Nonetheless, short term disruptions remain a possibility and supply bottlenecks may emerge for certain cobalt products in particular. Cobalt: Global Industry Markets and Outlook to 2026, 13th Edition will be available to buy from Roskill Information Services Ltd, 54 Russell Road, London SW19 1QL UK soon. Click here to download the brochure. Web: www.roskill.com SOURCE Roskill Information Services RESTON, Va., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced it has signed an expansion agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group, adding WSBT (CBS) South Bend, Ind., KUQI (FOX) Corpus Christi, Texas and KHGI (ABC) and KFXL (FOX) Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, Neb. With the newly added stations, comScore is now providing its local measurement currency to 704 television stations representing 82 ownership groups. "Sinclair and comScore have a great partnership," said comScore's Executive Vice President of Local Television, Steve Walsh. "We are very pleased that Sinclair is driving revenue with the use of comScore ratings information." About comScore comScore, Inc. (OTC: SCOR) is a leading cross-platform measurement company that precisely measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, our unmatched data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the financial and operational effects of the Connected Home Report. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to project the financial impact of the partnership or comScore's ability to achieve its expected financial results. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to comScore's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2014 and from time to time other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's Web site (http://www.sec.gov). You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE comScore Related Links http://www.comscore.com TAMPA, Fla., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vology, the Managed IT Service Provider, is honored to announce its placement in the Elite 150 category of CRN's 2017 Managed Service Provider 500 list. This annual list recognizes companies in North America with cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services. Managed service providers are part of a fast-growing segment of the IT channel, according to CRN, a brand of The Channel Company. MSPs help companies navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of IT, improve operational efficiencies, and maximize their return on IT investments. "This is quite the accomplishment for our team and company," said Barry Shevlin, CEO of Vology. "It's an honor to be recognized in the Elite 150 category of such a prestigious industry list of the most forward-thinking and innovative organizations. Vology is one of four managed service providers located in Florida and the only Tampa-based company to be featured on the MSP Elite 150. At Vology, we enjoy helping and watching our customers succeed. While we are managing their IT infrastructures, businesses are given the freedom to focus on their strategic initiatives." The MSP 500 list is divided into three categories: MSP Pioneer 250, MSP Elite 150 and Managed Security 100. The MSP Elite 150 recognizes large, data center-focused managed service providers with a strong mix of on-premise and off-premise services. "Managed service providers play an increasingly important role in the day-to-day operations of businesses across North America," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "MSPs help organizations streamline their spending, effectively allocate limited resources, and benefit from advanced expertise in the latest technologies. We congratulate the service providers on CRN's 2017 MSP 500 list, who have continually succeeded in meeting their customers' changing needs and help them get the most out of their IT investments." The MSP 500 list was featured in the February issue of CRN and online at www.CRN.com/msp500. Follow Vology: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook About Vology Vology is a Managed IT Service Provider that currently monitors, manages and maintains more than 100,000 devices at more than 20,000 customer locations through its two geographically redundant, U.S.-based, 24/7/365 Network Operations Centers and its network of more than 2,000 field engineers across the continental United States. Vology, an Inc. 5000-ranked fastest growing private company for 11 consecutive years, is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. Vology employs more than 400 people across the United States, 50 percent of whom are technical resources. https://www.vology.com/ Company Contact: Calista Roussos Vology (813) 397-1381 [email protected] About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelco.com/ The Channel Company Contact: Melanie Turpin The Channel Company (508) 416-1195 [email protected] SOURCE Vology Related Links https://www.vology.com PHILADELPHIA, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphic Digital, a Philadelphia-based digital agency, today announced that it is the recipient of the Sitecore North America Experience Award for Best Use of Real-Time Engagement, for their partnership with American Standard Brands. Organized by Sitecore, the global leader in customer experience management software, the Experience Awards is an annual international competition honoring Sitecore customers and their partners. Winners are selected in several categories within each region based on how they are using Sitecore to create incredible user experiences that feel personal to every customer and create a powerful and comprehensive brand halo that delivers real business results. American Standard, a division of LIXIL Americas, wanted to deliver a more relevant shopping experience to their professional customer base. Working with Sitecore partner Delphic Digital, American Standard Brands set out to develop a completely re-branded and personalized digital experience. The solution was merging the existing pro sites with the new consumer site, to create one branded experience for every audience. From plumbers, to architects, to wholesalers, and to consumers, Sitecore's personalization-engine enabled the site to have various custom profiles. "We're thrilled to be honored as a Sitecore Experience Award winner," said Mark Patten, Managing Partner at Delphic Digital. "For American Standard Brands, Sitecore was the ideal platform to streamline the internal process of managing different marketing messages, as well as allowing us to focus on personalizing the website for different personas." "We're an agency that's focused on creating memorable experiences that are aligned with the customer's digital journey," said Lance Hollander, Managing Partner at Delphic Digital, "We're excited to see the recognition of our work with an iconic brand such as American Standard." To learn more about this project, visit: www.delphicdigital.com/work/american-standard. About the Sitecore Experience Awards The Sitecore Experience Awards is an international competition held on an annual basis. Winners are selected in several categories within each region. The nominations list is based on input from partners, customers, the press, analysts, and colleagues. Nominees are asked to submit an application outlining how they are using Sitecore to generate amazing experiences that feel personal to every customer and create a powerful brand halo across every channel that delivers real business results. Winners demonstrate creativity in presentation, integration with rich data sources and applications, an ability to educate, inform and motivate to action, and a compelling overall user experience. Visit www.sitecore.net/Sitecore-experience-awards to learn more about the awards and how to enter. About Delphic Digital At Delphic Digital, we fuse design, storytelling, and analytics to create beautifully effective digital marketing strategies and enjoyable experiences to help our clients grow. We are committed to delivering bold ideas and deep, actionable insights to achieve meaningful and measurable results. Delphic Digital is a Sitecore Gold Partner and repeatedly named one of the fastest-growing businesses in Philadelphia. To learn more about Delphic Digital, visit www.delphicdigital.com. CONTACT: Ashley Kinder (e) [email protected] (p) 215-508-1800 x155 SOURCE Delphic Digital Related Links http://www.delphicdigital.com ATLANTA and MEXICO CITY, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced the successful completion of its cash tender offer that commenced on Feb. 13, 2017 through the Mexican Stock Exchange to acquire up to an additional 32 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Aeromexico S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AEROMEX) for MXN $53.00 per share, which expired at 1:00 p.m. Mexico City time on March 10, 2017. The offer was oversubscribed, with Delta acquiring 228 million shares representing 32 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeromexico and 39.8 percent of the shares tendered in the tender offer, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately USD $620 million/MXN $12.1 billion. All conditions to completing the tender offer, including receipt of required regulatory approvals in Mexico, have been satisfied. With the completion of the tender offer, Delta owns 36.2 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeromexico and holds options to acquire an additional 12.8 percent for a total of 49 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeromexico. "We are pleased to successfully complete the tender offer," said Ed Bastian, Delta's Chief Executive Officer. "This is yet another milestone that strengthens the Delta- Aeromexico relationship as we move toward implementing our joint cooperation agreement in the second quarter." Delta and Aeromexico launched their first codeshare in 1994. In 2011, Delta entered into an enhanced commercial agreement with Aeromexico, and in 2012, Delta invested USD $65 million in shares of Grupo Aeromexico, the parent company of Aeromexico. In March 2015, Delta and Aeromexico entered into a joint cooperation agreement relating to flights between the United States and Mexico. That joint cooperation agreement has been reviewed by regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Mexico and will be implemented in the second quarter. About Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines is working to be the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has been honored with five World Travel Awards in 2016 in the categories of North America's Leading Airline and Leading U.S. Airline to Central America, to South America, to Caribbean and to Mexico for the second year in a row. Delta has been also recognized with LADEVI's 2016 Insignia Latam Excellence award for its service to the region. Delta continues to grow in Latin America through its long-term exclusive alliances with GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, Aeromexico and Aerolineas Argentinas, and is committed to building a solid regional footprint to enhance its global network and offer its customers the best overall experience. Delta provides service to 33 countries and 55 destinations in the region, offering over 1,900 weekly flights between the U.S. and Latin America/the Caribbean. Delta customers can also receive real-time, on-the-go travel assistance in Spanish and Portuguese through Twitter channels @DeltaAssist_ES and @DeltaAjuda from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. Brazilian customers can also access Delta's dedicated Brazilian Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DeltaAirLinesBrasil. Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 323 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta. SOURCE Delta Air Lines Related Links http://www.delta.com BEIJING, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- B2B cross-border e-commerce marketplace DHgate announces the commencement of the 2017 Global Dream Partners Campaign. The DHgate Global Dream Partner campaign is a contest which seeks to distinguish the best ecommerce sellers currently operating businesses on DHgate's platform, to encourage small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to upgrade and transform their businesses to a digital model, and also to create a new image for Chinese products through the emergence of brands (see more about the new trend of Chinese branding below). Over 2000 contestants signed up to participate in the program during the first day of registration, and over 70,000 individuals cast votes for their favorite candidate via the leading Chinese social network WeChat. The Emergence of Chinese Brands According to a December 2016 White Paper released by Tsinghua University and DHgate.com, in 2016 the growth in gross-merchandise-volume (GMV) of branded products in cross-border ecommerce exceeded the growth of overall turnover, and the weightage of GMV for brands has increased significantly and is forecasted that this trend will continue. In 2011, during the infancy of cross-border e-commerce, branding only accounted for 9% of the goods on the market, it is forecasted that by 2017, the rate of branding will increase to 30%, this corresponds with the vision of the "Made in China 2025" initiative, and will continue to be the impetus for the development of China's import and export trade. 2017 Global Dream Partners Details The 2017 Global Dream Partners campaign is an annual event following a successful 2016 campaign that will run through the course of the year. The 2017 campaign will have 4 different categories for contestants to enter: 1. Online Sellers 2. Corporations 3. Operations Agencies 4. Third Party Service Providers The important factors that will determine a contestant's ability to succeed: 1. Ability to provide service and trade volume 2. Comprehensive operating capacity 3. Brand value Additional factors that can influence a contestant's standing in the event of a tie include: 1. Buyer Experience 2. Marketing Model 3. Brand Concept 4. Innovation Category winners will enjoy exclusive benefits: 1. Platform traffic resources 2. Multichannel marketing resources 3. Overseas market exposure 4. Opportunities to speak at international events "Digitization is quickly becoming the driving force of the global economy. Thriving digital trade has created unprecedented business opportunities for SMEs, and a digital platform strategy has become the decisive factor for the development of SMEs when entering foreign markets. Global Dream Partners creates a platform to encourage SMEs to use the available tools of digitization to upgrade their brands and businesses." Diane Wang, Founder and CEO of DHgate.com About DHgate DHgate.com is the first to market and the biggest B2B transactional cross-border e-commerce marketplace in China, aiming to provide global buyers with quality products at competitive prices. Founded in 2004, DHgate.com has approximately 10 million global buyers from 230 countries and regions, with 1.4 million global sellers offering 40 million products. DHgate.com's business enables buyers to directly access global manufacturers of the world's top brands with rich product selections. DHgate.com is an all-in-one platform with integrated services for international logistics, cross-border payments, internet financing, etc. DHgate.com's US, UK, Spain, and UAE product distribution warehouses allow for 24 hour delivery and convenient product returns & refunds, bringing great convenience to buyers at http://www.dhgate.com SOURCE DHgate.com AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FCA has been selected as a winner in the 2017 Manufacturing Leadership Awards by corporate growth consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. The annual awards recognize manufacturing companies and individual manufacturing leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Judged by a panel of industry experts, FCA was recognized in the Operational Excellence Leadership category for its implementation of World Class Manufacturing (WCM), a manufacturing methodology that focuses on eliminating waste, increasing productivity, and improving quality and safety in a systematic and organized way. First implemented by Fiat in 2006 and introduced to the former Chrysler Group as part of the alliance between the two companies in 2009, WCM engages the workforce to provide and implement suggestions on how to improve their jobs and their plants. WCM has become the driving force behind the improvements in all FCA facilities worldwide, including those in North America where four plants have reached silver status and 16 have been designated bronze for achievements earned in the global lean manufacturing program. "On behalf of all the hard-working men and women who come to work every day to build award-winning products, we are humbled to receive this award," said Brian Harlow, Head of Manufacturing, FCA North America. "The human element is at the center of WCM and has become a way of life for all of our employees around the globe. WCM resides in the employees' hearts, heads and hands to imagine the future and create a better way to run the business. The Company's success depends on their involvement and we could not succeed in implementing WCM without the cooperation of our unions worldwide. It's truly a team effort." FCA will be recognized at the 13th Annual Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, which will be held as part of the Manufacturing Leadership Summit, June 12-14, 2017, in Huntington Beach, California. About FCA US LLC FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes Alfa Romeo vehicles and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA." Follow FCA US news and video on: Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com FCA360: 360.fcanorthamerica.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/ Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/chryslergroup/ Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/fcacorporate Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol YouTube: www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo SOURCE FCA US LLC Related Links http://www.fcanorthamerica.com SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. and ARNHEM, Netherlands, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As Fluidmaster celebrates its 60th year of operation, the global leader in toilet trim and repair parts announced today its participation at the 2017 ISH Trade Fair focused on the Bathroom Experience as well as other technologies including air conditioning and renewable energies. ISH organizers expect more than 200,000 visitors to Frankfurt, Germany from March 14-18 during the world's leading trade fair in these categories. "We are pleased to continue our participation in ISH, with the additional opportunity to formally introduce our consolidated Global Family of Brands this year," said Todd Talbot, Fluidmaster President. "Last year we strategically added WISA to our growing family of brands as follow-on to previous acquisitions of Schwab and LIV in Europe as well as Torbeck and Delchem in the United Kingdom." With a comprehensive product range of concealed in-wall and exposed cisterns, fill and flush valves, activation controls and other sanitaryware products such as flush pipes and couplings available across Europe and the United Kingdom, Fluidmaster continues to build on its proud heritage. "When my father, Mr. Adolf Schoepe, founded Fluidmaster in 1957 he believed in the core technological advantages of our revolutionary pilot fill valve design," said Robert AndersonSchoepe, CEO, Chairman and owner of Fluidmaster. "Today, we believe Fluidmaster has the winning combination of products, brands, global manufacturing and service to fully support customers throughout Europe and the world." About Fluidmaster Established in 1957 and now reaching across the world, Fluidmaster remains a family owned and operated company known for its superior engineering of efficient and reliable toilet components. With its family of brands including Fluidmaster, Fluidmaster PRO Series, Schwab, WISA, LIV, Torbeck, Delchem, the company has become an icon in the plumbing industry. Fluidmaster operations span North America, Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia and include a worldwide distribution network across more than 90 countries selling more toilet tank replacement valves than any other manufacturer in the world. In addition to the original fill valve developed by founder Adolf Schoepe and enhanced through the years, Fluidmaster's complete line of sanitaryware products include exposed and in-wall cisterns, standard and dual flush valves, flappers, activation systems, bowl wax and wax-free products, toilet repair kits, and supply line connectors. The company's global headquarters is located in San Juan Capistrano, California with European operations based in Arnhem, Netherlands. For the ISH show, the Fluidmaster team is located in Hall 4 Booth B84. About ISH ISH is the world's leading trade fair for bathrooms, building services, energy and air-conditioning technologies, and renewable energies. From 14 to 18 March 2017, more than 2,400 exhibitors, including all market and technology leaders, will be showcasing their products on the theme of 'Water. Energy. Life'. The ISH Water section, with the trend topic 'Bathrooms for People', will focus on sustainable sanitary solutions and innovative bathroom design. In the ISH Energy and Aircontec section, the sector will be showcasing innovations for energy efficiency and convenient buildings solutions around the top theme: 'The energy revolution with a bright future - we have the solutions'. SOURCE Fluidmaster, Inc. Related Links http://www.fluidmaster.com MENLO PARK, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Adam Hamm has joined the Chicago office of global consulting firm Protiviti as a managing director in its Risk and Compliance practice. He serves clients within the financial services industry concerning risk, compliance and cybersecurity matters. Hamm brings a wealth of insurance regulation, cybersecurity and risk management experience to the firm, having previously held U.S. state and federal government senior leadership positions. He served as president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and was elected as chairman of the NAIC's National Cybersecurity Task Force where he spearheaded the development of a comprehensive insurance regulatory framework for cybersecurity in the U.S. Hamm was elected in 2008 to serve a four-year term as the North Dakota Insurance Commissioner and was subsequently re-elected to a second term. Hamm also served on several federal committees, including the U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Committee; the Cybersecurity Forum for Independent and Executive Branch Regulators; and the Financial and Banking Infrastructure Committee. Prior to that, he spent ten years as a prosecutor and civil litigator. "With Adam on our Risk and Compliance team, our clients are able to benefit from his hands-on insurance supervision experience and his unique insights on insurance regulations and cybersecurity in the insurance industry," said Cory Gunderson, managing director with Protiviti and the firm's global financial services industry leader. "We're pleased that the culture and career opportunities we've created at Protiviti attract the caliber of experienced professionals like Adam Hamm." Hamm holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law and a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. About Protiviti Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Through its network of more than 70 offices in over 20 countries, Protiviti and its independently owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting solutions in finance, technology, operations, data analytics, governance, risk and internal audit. Protiviti has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index. Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services. Editor's note: Photos available upon request. SOURCE Protiviti Related Links http://www.protiviti.com NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 84% of the largest credit unions in the U.S. offer standalone free checking accounts to all customers (up from 76% last year), according to a new Bankrate.com study. This is well-over twice the amount offered at the nation's largest banks (38%). To view the full survey, go to: www.bankrate.com/finance/checking/credit-union-checking-survey-2017.aspx It gets better. Most of the accounts that aren't outright free offer waivers to avoid the fee. Altogether, 98% of the accounts surveyed are either free or can become free with direct deposit, a certain amount of transaction activity, or other account relationships at the credit union. "Don't discount credit unions in your search for a good checking account," said Bankrate.com Chief Financial Analyst, Greg McBride, CFA. "Credit unions have made great strides in offering broader ATM access and more free accounts to their members." The average overdraft fee at credit unions is up this year, $27.76, versus $26.96 in 2016. However, it is still lower than the average overdraft fee charged at banks ($33.04). Additional findings Just 16% of accounts have a monthly fee, down from 24% last year. The most common fee is $5 , up from $2 last year. , up from last year. 64% of credit unions charge an ATM fee for going outside the network. Of those charging, $1.50 is the most common fee (versus $2.50 at banks). is the most common fee (versus at banks). 96% of credit unions charge non-members who withdraw money from the credit union's ATMs. Among those charging, $3 is the most common fee just as with banks. is the most common fee just as with banks. 68% of the accounts surveyed have no minimum opening deposit, and no account requires more than $50 to open. The average minimum required to open an account dipped to a new low of $8.18 (down from $10.26 last year). to open. The average minimum required to open an account dipped to a new low of (down from last year). Only 38% of the accounts surveyed pay interest at the minimum deposit. The average yield hit a new low of 0.08%. Methodology Bankrate.com surveyed checking accounts and their associated debit card and ATM fees at the 50 largest credit unions by deposits (shares) between Jan. 17-25, 2017. The bank fee data came from Bankrate.com's 2016 survey of bank checking accounts (released in Oct. 2016). About Bankrate.com Bankrate.com provides consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life's financial journey. For over two decades, Bankrate.com has been a leading personal finance destination. The company offers award-winning editorial content, competitive rate information, and calculators and tools across multiple categories, including mortgages, deposits, credit cards, retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. Bankrate aggregates rate information from over 4,800 institutions on more than 300 financial products. With coverage of over 600 local markets, Bankrate generates rate tables in all 50 U.S. states. Bankrate develops and provides web services to more than 100 cobranded websites with online partners, including some of the most trusted and frequently visited personal finance sites on the internet, such as Comcast, Yahoo!, CNBC and Bloomberg. In addition, Bankrate licenses editorial content to more than 500 newspapers on a daily basis including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. For more information: Katie Yates VP, Corporate Communications [email protected] (917) 368-8677 SOURCE Bankrate.com Healbe was founded in 2012 by Artem Shipitsyn, George Mikaberidze and Stanislav Povolotsky, in partnership with Algorithm Innovation and Technological Consulting Center of St. Petersburg, Russia. The company raised $12.6m in debt and equity since 2012, including $1.3m in a 2014 Indiegogo campaign to develop its proof of concept GoBe "automatic body manager" fitness tracker. Making its debut in 2015, GoBe was the first and only wearable of its kind that automatically measured calorie intake and body water level non-invasivelythrough the skin of the users' wristsvia the company's patented Healbe Flow Technology. Working with the Feintuch Communications team on a project basis in late 2016 and in January of this year, Healbe introduced a significantly enhanced second-generation model, the GoBe 2 "Smart Life Band" fitness tracker at CES. Repositioned to focus on the weight loss and maintenance market, the groundbreaking device provides users with continuous insights into nine important parameters of whole-body health, more than any other fitness tracker on the market. These include calories ingested, calories burned, body water balance, emotional tensions, stress, sleep, energy balance, heart rate and distance traveled/steps taken. Key improvements to GoBe 2 include true automatic calorie counting, without the need for users to activate the device before they eat. A nine-axis accelerometer, which replaces the three-axis version of the original, improves tracking of movement significantly, and a new skin galvanic response sensor added to the encoder better monitors stress levels. The device securely sends the data via Bluetooth 4.0 LE to the Healbe GoBe iOS and Android apps for monitoring on smartphones and portable devices. This data is also saved and viewable via users' personal Healbe GoBe website accounts. "Healbe's latest innovation, the GoBe 2, enters a crowded fitness tracker market with some unique characteristics designed to help consumers achieve their weight loss and general health goals," said Stan Povolotsky, co-founder and sales director, Healbe. "The Feintuch Communications team has a deep understanding of our business objectives and has extensive experience at introducing and positioning cutting-edge consumer electronics products. We look forward to our collaboration." "The GoBe 2 is more than another fitness tracker; its Healbe Flow technology provides automatic calorie counting, hydration level and emotional state detection to help consumers better understanding what's going into their bodies and how it impacts them," said Henry Feintuch, president, Feintuch Communications. "Healbe is working to broaden the category to the tens of millions of consumers monitoring their weight and overall fitness levels and not focus on athletes or those making a lifestyle statement with the coolest hardware." The Healbe account is led by Henry Feintuch and Doug Wright, senior account director. About Healbe Healbe is a global health and wellness wearable startup founded in 2012. The company conducted a successful Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign in 2014 that raised more than $1 million dollars to support its launch of the GoBe, a health-monitoring "smart life" bracelet. The GoBe uses patented Healbe FLOW Technology and other innovative features to monitor more aspects of individuals' health and well-being than any other wearable fitness trackerincluding calorie intake, calories burned, energy balance, water balance, stress level, emotional state, heart rate, sleep quality, distance traveled and number of steps per day. Healbe is headquartered in Moscow with research and development offices in St. Petersburg, Russia; U.S. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif.; and manufacturing offices in Schenzhen, China. About Feintuch Communications Feintuch Communications (www.feintuchcommunications.com), based in New York City, is an award-winning strategic relations firm offering clients an integrated blend of public relations, advertising/marketing, investor relations and other services to meet their business objectives. A founding partner of PR World Alliance (www.PRWorldAlliance.com), the firm specializes in B-to-B and B-to-C programs with a focus in technology, financial services, advertising and media and energy/clean tech. Feintuch Communications prides itself on its strong service ethic, senior counsel and hands-on support. Healbe, GoBe and Healbe FLOW are trademarks of Healbe Corp. All other trade names are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Feintuch Communications Related Links http://www.feintuchcommunications.com ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HistoSonics, Inc. announced today that Mike Blue has joined the Company as President, CEO and Board member to lead the advancement of HistoSonics' innovative tissue-destruction technology in liver cancer and other solid tumor applications. HistoSonics' technology, Robotically Assisted Sonic Therapy (RAST) TM, offers a non-invasive, non-thermal approach to solid tumor treatment and is based on the science of histotripsy, using pulsed sound energy for the precise destruction of targeted tissues. Christine Gibbons, HistoSonics co-founder and interim CEO, will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer. "Mike is going to take HistoSonics to the next level," Ms. Gibbons said. "His experience in driving growth and value in the medical device sector, his passion for oncology patient care, and his extraordinary vision make him an excellent fit for HistoSonics. He is the right person to lead us to the next stage of growth and development." Mr. Blue brings with him deep commercial experience, having served in various leadership positions within the medical device sector, almost exclusively in interventional oncology. He built teams and drove revenue growth at two successful venture-backed companies, NeuWave Medical and superDimension. At NeuWave Medical, Mr. Blue led product sales of its market-leading microwave technology to a growth rate of over 200 percent in the year leading to its acquisition by J&J-Ethicon. At superDimension, Mr. Blue developed and executed the U.S. sales strategy for its Navigation System, a disruptive technology used to diagnose patients with early stage lung cancer, driving significant revenue growth and positioning the company for its acquisition by Covidien. "We know Mike well via our prior investment in NeuWave Medical. His deep medical device experience focused in oncology allows him to recognize how game-changing the HistoSonics technology is, and makes him a perfect fit to articulate and execute the vision of the Company," said Jim Adox, HistoSonics Board Chairman and Managing Director at Venture Investors. With the global cancer burden continuing to surge, and the cost of cancer expected to increase from $290 billion in 2012 to $458 billion by 2030, there is a continuing demand for new and better therapeutic options. "I am extremely excited to be joining a company with such an amazing opportunity in front of us," Mr. Blue said. "RAST has the potential to become an entirely new platform in cancer care, addressing many of the shortcomings of the current options of surgery, ablation and radiation. It is non-invasive, so requires no incisions or needles, incredibly precise, and has the potential to offer a safe, fast and economical alternative with reduced patient pain and recovery time -- everything you would hope for in an ideal therapy." Mr. Blue is the second recent addition to the team since Dr. Fred Lee, noted radiologist and tumor ablation expert, joined last summer as board member and Senior Medical Advisor. Dr. Lee noted at the time, "Robotically Assisted Sonic Therapy is where things are heading, and I'm really excited to be a part of it." On the heels of Mr. Blue joining the Company, HistoSonics completed the first closing of a Series B financing of $8.3 million, which included the conversion of previous debt and interest. The round was led by Venture Investors, LLC and had full participation from all existing investors including Hatteras Venture Partners, Fletcher Spaght Ventures, Early Stage Partners, TGap Ventures, UM-MINTS, and Grand Angels. Joining as a new investor in this round was Wolverine Venture Fund. Funds will be used to support clinical studies and further development of a clinical system for the liver cancer application of RAST. The Company expects a second Series B closing of up to $5 million sometime in the second quarter of 2017. About HistoSonics HistoSonics, Inc. was created to advance the development of histotripsy, a revolutionary science discovered and developed by leading scientists at the University of Michigan to provide improved therapies for patients. Our exclusive worldwide license to this intellectual property, significant financial support and strategic partnerships have helped HistoSonics develop Robotically Assisted Sonic Therapy (RAST), a new platform being developed for cancer care. HistoSonics' team of experienced specialists and industry leaders is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.histosonics.com. SOURCE HistoSonics, Inc. Related Links http://www.histosonics.com LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:c) announced that its subsidiary, IGT Global Solutions Corporation (with International Game Technology PLC, hereinafter "IGT"), has signed a product sale agreement to provide 5,500 new lottery terminals and associated peripherals to Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). The agreement follows a competitive procurement process. IGT, as legacy GTECH, has been providing lottery products and services to WCLC since 1982. "IGT is listening to the ever-changing needs of its customers in order to continue to address the requirements of the lottery industry," said Jay Gendron, IGT Senior Vice President, WLA North America Lottery. "This agreement will offer innovative products for WCLC and its retailers and players alike, providing additional opportunities for WCLC to increase sales and enhance efficiency and productivity." Under the agreement, IGT will provide WCLC with IGT's Altura GT1200 lottery terminal and the AccuTherm Ultra printer. This will offer WCLC retailers a smaller footprint terminal, freeing up valuable counter space for other merchandise. Additionally, the Altura GT1200 terminal has a larger screen with enhanced resolution improving the retailer experience and productivity. The AccuTherm Ultra printer offers a space-saving design, with easy-load and jam-preventing features, thus speeding up transactions as well as increasing reliability in busy retail locations. WCLC will also receive Ticket-Scan Plus, IGT's player-operated ticket checker device, allowing players the convenience and security to check if draw or instant games are winners. WCLC manages and conducts lotteries within the territorial limits of the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. IGT also provides lottery products and/or services to British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Loto Quebec, and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. About IGT IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has over 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.IGT.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning International Game Technology PLC and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, dividends, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of International Game Technology PLC as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management. Forward-looking statements may be accompanied by words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "could," "would," "should," "shall," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "guidance," "intend," "may," "will," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project" or the negative or other variations of them. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside International Game Technology PLC's control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those predicted in the forward-looking statements and from past results, performance or achievements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to) the possibility that the businesses of International Game Technology (Nevada) and GTECH S.p.A. will not be integrated successfully, or that the combined companies will not realize estimated cost savings, synergies, growth or other anticipated benefits or that such benefits may take longer to realize than expected; unanticipated costs of integration of International Game Technology (Nevada) and GTECH S.p.A.; the possibility that International Game Technology PLC will be unable to pay future dividends to shareholders or that the amount of such dividends may be less than anticipated; the possibility that International Game Technology PLC may not obtain its anticipated financial results in one or more future periods; reductions in customer spending; a slowdown in customer payments and changes in customer demand for products and services as a result of changing economic conditions or otherwise; unanticipated changes relating to competitive factors in the industries in which International Game Technology PLC operates; International Game Technology PLC's ability to hire and retain key personnel; the impact of the consummation of the business combination on relationships with third parties, including customers, employees and competitors; International Game Technology PLC's ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers in the manner anticipated; reliance on and integration of information technology systems; changes in legislation or governmental regulations affecting International Game Technology PLC, including as a consequence of the announced withdrawal of the U.K. from the EU; international, national or local economic, social or political conditions that could adversely affect International Game Technology PLC or its customers; conditions in the credit markets; changes in the top management team; risks associated with assumptions International Game Technology PLC makes in connection with its critical accounting estimates; the resolution of pending and potential future legal, regulatory or tax proceedings and investigations; and International Game Technology PLC's international operations, which are subject to the risks of currency fluctuations and foreign exchange controls. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect International Game Technology PLC's business, including those described in International Game Technology PLC's annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended December 31, 2015 and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations section of International Game Technology PLC's website at www.IGT.com. Except as required under applicable law, International Game Technology PLC does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this news release is intended, or is to be construed, as a profit forecast or to be interpreted to mean that earnings per International Game Technology PLC share for the current or any future financial years will necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per International Game Technology PLC share, as applicable. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to International Game Technology PLC, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Contact: Robert K. Vincent, Corporate Communications, toll free in U.S./Canada (844) IGT-7452; outside U.S./Canada (401) 392-7452 James Hurley, Investor Relations, (401) 392-7190 Simone Cantagallo, (+39) 06 51899030; for Italian media inquiries SOURCE IGT Related Links http://www.IGT.com ZAGREB, Croatia and WASHINGTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- International Society for Applied Biological Sciences (ISABS), Mayo Clinic and St. Catherine Hospital in partnership with Philips are organizing "The Tenth ISABS Conference on Forensic and Anthropologic Genetics and Mayo Clinic Lectures in Individualized Medicine" (http://www.isabs.hr ), to be held in Dubrovnik, June 19th - June 24th, 2017. ISABS Conference is considered to be one of the most important scientific events in biomedicine in 2017. The conference topics includes: personalized and regenerative medicine, pharmacogenetics, molecular diagnostics, stem cell therapy, epigenetics, microbiome, cancer genetics, forensic and anthropological genetics, etc. There is no doubt: the future of medicine will rely on personalized treatments. During the ISABS 2017 Conference we would like to envision the power and advances of personalized medicine that will create significant value for the healthcare system. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/465687/St_Catherine_Hospital_Logo.jpg ) More than 50 invited speakers from the World's best scientific institutions as well as 500 participants will attend the Conference. Five Nobel Lectures will be given by the Nobel Laureates: prof. Ada Yonath (Weizmann Institute of Science), prof. Robert Huber (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry), prof. Avram Hershko (Technion), prof. Herald zur Hausen (University of Heidelberg) and prof. Paul Modrich (Duke University). International Society for Applied Biological Sciences (ISABS) is a member of the Association Academy of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and one of the most important and influential society in the field of forensic genetics and personalized medicine. ISABS Scientific Committee comprise four Nobel Prize laureates and many of the world's top physicians and scientists. According to U.S. News & Word Report, Mayo Clinic is the #1 hospital overall, as well as #1 in more specialties than any other hospital in the United States. St. Catherine Hospital is a European center of excellence, a finalist of the European Business Award and a member of the prestigious group "The Leading Hospitals of The World". Royal Philips, a leading global company in health technology, is focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes with meaningful innovations. Philips is shaping the future of personalized medicine with tools and services that enable patient-specific care with first-time-right decision-making and targeted therapy. More information on "The Tenth ISABS Conference on Forensic and Anthropologic Genetics and Mayo Clinic Lectures in Individualized Medicine" are available at http://www.isabs.hr. ISABS 2017 Organizing Committee [email protected] +385-1-6442-251 SOURCE International Society for Applied Biological Sciences (ISABS) PITTSBURGH, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) today announced that it has been recognized as one of 2017's World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Kennametal has received the World's Most Ethical Companies distinction, which honors companies who consider the impact of their actions on their employees, investors, customers and other key stakeholders and use their values and culture as an underpinning to the decisions they make every day. "Regardless of roles, responsibilities or location, Kennametal team members are united by their strong passion to conduct business with the highest ethical standards each day," said President and CEO Ron De Feo. "We are proud to be regarded among the world's most ethical companies for six consecutive years, and will continue to work diligently to conduct business with the utmost integrity." In addition to the company's extensive ethics training program, Kennametal's executive team led by De Feo hosts Business Practice Summits in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions to reinforce business standards and expectations across the organization and at all levels. "Over the last eleven years we have seen the shift in societal expectations, constant redefinition of laws and regulations and the geo-political climate. We have also seen how companies honored as the World's Most Ethical respond to these challenges. They invest in their local communities around the world, embrace strategies of diversity and inclusion, and focus on long term-ism as a sustainable business advantage," explained Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "Congratulations to everyone at Kennametal for being recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company." Kennametal is the only company in the machine tools and accessories industry to be honored this year, underscoring their commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices. Company representatives will accept the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies award at Ethisphere's Annual Gala Dinner on March 14 in New York City. At the forefront of advanced materials innovation for more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. is a global industrial technology leader delivering productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 11,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenues in fiscal 2016. Learn more at www.kennametal.com SOURCE Kennametal Inc. Related Links http://www.kennametal.com PITTSBURGH, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today they will attend Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Industrials Conference on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 and Wednesday, March 22, 2017 in London. Jan Kees van Gaalen, Vice President & CFO and Kelly Boyer, Vice President, Investor Relations will be attending. As part of the trip, Mr. van Gaalen and Ms. Boyer will also be meeting with various members of the financial community in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 20, 2017. The presentation slides will be available on the company's website www.kennametal.com on March 20, 2017. Once on the homepage, select "About Us", "Investor Relations" and then "Events". At the forefront of advanced materials innovation for more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. is a global industrial technology leader delivering productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 11,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenue in fiscal 2016. Learn more at www.kennametal.com SOURCE Kennametal Inc. Related Links http://www.kennametal.com NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lime-A-Rita announced today that it will become the first brand in the Anheuser-Busch U.S. portfolio to market exclusively to women. Led by a team of female marketers, agency partners, and brewmasters, the brand is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a head to toe makeover including a new look and marketing campaign. The brand will also unveil five new flavors to the lineup this year. Lime-A-Rita introduces Make it A Margarita Moment campaign featuring new pop-art inspired packaging design and on-trend flavors to deliver more margarita moments to female drinkers. Lime-A-Rita has naturally resonated with women since its arrival on shelves in 2012. Today, women represent 51% of the U.S. population and drive 85% of consumer purchasing decisions through their influence and buying power. Paired with the knowledge that female drinkers are strong advocates for Lime-A-Rita, the brand saw a unique opportunity to transform a beverage category that it successfully reinvigorated five years ago. "By using the existing strength we have with female drinkers, we are poised to exclusively speak to women and bring more margarita moments to their lives," said Selena Kalvaria, Senior Director for Lime-A-Rita. "We did our homework to understand the special connection female drinkers have with margaritas, and uncovered insights on the role that Lime-A-Rita plays in bringing women together. Our brand provides a variety of delicious, fun, and flavorful drinks that allow her to enjoy spontaneous moments with friends." The national campaign, Make it a Margarita Moment, features a series of vignettes, titled "Romantic Face," "Brazilian," "Rooftop" and "Disco," that showcase the real conversations women have when they get together and the role Lime-A-Rita plays in fostering those margarita moments. The campaign will include new female-centric TV and digital ads, as well as social, retail and experiential components. The creative campaign was developed by a female team from FCB Chicago, and directed by Hey Wonderful's Tricia Brock, whose credits include cable TV hits such as Girls and Orange is the New Black. "It is a privilege to partner with a brand that is truly committed to finding more relevant ways to connect with women," said Melanie Hellenga, SVP, Group Management Director at FCB Chicago. "We wanted to tap into real moments, when women get together with their friends, drink margaritas, let loose, and go where the conversation takes them." In conjunction with the new campaign, Lime-A-Rita will debut its first major redesign since 2012. Hitting shelves nationwide this week, the packaging is a reflection of the new direction the brand is taking. Inspired by Pop-Art, the design elevates perceptions by leveraging cues from spirits with a focus on the margarita and simple, colorful fruit. This new look is premium and refreshing but it's still fun this is at the heart of Lime-A-Rita. "Our goal with this redesign was to give women a product that she is proud to hold, serve and share with her friends," said Kalvaria. Lime-A-Rita will also launch five new additions this spring to keep the product portfolio fresh with on-trend flavors that give our consumers the variety they are looking for. Additions to the core line include Grape-A-Rita, while Peach-A-Rita will be available through August as Lime-A-Rita's new summer seasonal. The brand will also be launching Orange-A-Rita regionally in select markets. Splash by Lime-A-Rita, a refreshing take on the traditional margarita with a lower alcohol by volume, will also add new flavors including Pine-Apple-Rita Splash nationally and a limited-edition flavor, Coco-Nut-Rita Splash, which will be available in a special variety pack starting in April. For more information on Lime-A-Rita and Splash by Lime-A-Rita, visit www.limearita.com or follow the conversation on social with #MargaReady. ABOUT LIME-A-RITA As part of the continued innovation from world-class brewmasters from the legacy of America's most-popular beers, Anheuser-Busch launched Lime-A-Rita in 2012. The brand became the second-best selling new product launch that year, with Straw-Ber-Rita becoming the largest share gainer in the beer industry in 2013. New flavors and new product offerings are the cornerstone of Lime-A-Rita and Splash by Lime-A-Rita and the brand is consistently adding new offerings to the portfolio. Ace Metrix awarded Lime-A-Rita the title of 2014 Brand of the Year for the Beer and the Spirits, Malt Beverages and Wine categories. In 2017, Lime-A-Rita became the first in the Anheuser-Busch InBev portfolio to explicitly target women with the "Make it a Margarita Moment" campaign. For more information, visit www.limearita.com. For More Information, Contact: Haley Ash, [email protected] Corinne Labitzke, [email protected] SOURCE Anheuser-Busch SHANGHAI, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gases and engineering company The Linde Group, through its electronics gases joint venture in China, Linde LienHwa, is expanding its commitment to China and the Asia Pacific region through investments of over EUR 110 million. The capital is being allocated for new on-site gas production facilities in major electronics manufacturing clusters in the eastern and central provinces of China. These investments with new and established customers will support multiple long-term contracts to provide electronics gases to leading-edge foundry, memory and flat panel display fabs. Sanjiv Lamba, Member of the Executive Board of Linde AG and Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific, said, "These significant capital investments underscore Linde's continued commitment to our business in Asia Pacific in general, and China, in particular, and build upon earlier investments and capabilities in the region, including the recent start-up of our state-of-the-art R&D center in Taichung, Taiwan. Asia will continue to be a growth driver for Linde and we will continue to invest in Asia." Stan Tang, President and General Manager of Linde LienHwa in China added, "Linde's over EUR 110 million in new on-site plant investments demonstrates our commitment to the rapidly developing Chinese electronics manufacturing sector. The supply contracts that Linde has secured in China validate our customers' confidence in the safety, quality and reliability of our gases supply and systems." SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International), the global trade association that represents the electronics industry, estimates that more than 50 percent of new semiconductor fab investments in the next few years will be in China. China has made a large commitment to the electronics industry through the National IC Industry Investment Fund, more commonly known as The Big Fund, where it has pledged around EUR 20 billion from 2014 through 2017 to build the semiconductor industry in China. An additional EUR 82 billion is expected to be added from private equity funds and local governments. Linde LienHwa, together with Linde's Engineering Division, will design and construct these facilities. Linde SPECTRA-N nitrogen generators have the highest level of operational efficiency, enabling lowest cost of ownership and reducing environmental footprint. These projects include multiple gaseous nitrogen plants, with a combined capacity of over 110,000 Nm3/hr (normal cubic meters per hour), plus several other bulk gas supply systems. All the plants will be on stream by the end of 2017. Linde and its joint venture partners in China currently deliver gases solutions and systems to more than a dozen electronic production facilities across the major segments of the electronics industry, including those in semiconductor, display, solar and LED. Linde is also committed to meeting the electronic special gas (ESG) needs of its growing Chinese customer base. For example, Linde produces bulk amounts of key ESGs like ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in China, South Korea and Taiwan to ensure local supply and regional supply chain security. Linde Electronics, the global electronics business of The Linde Group, supplies the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers in Taiwan, Korea and the US, and is securing a leading position in China with international and domestic manufacturers. Linde Electronics is committed to building an infrastructure of specialty gas capabilities and co-investment partnerships in China. About The Linde Group In the 2016 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of EUR 16.948 bn, making it one of the leading gases and engineering companies in the world, with approximately 60,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business, with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. For more information, see The Linde Group online at www.linde.com. About Linde Electronics Linde Electronics is an industry leader in gases for the electronics marketsemiconductor, solar, display and LED. Linde Electronics helps electronics companies achieve their goals through a strong focus on quality and environmental leadership, its expertise, commitment to the industry through ongoing investments in processes, engineering, and on-site and localized solutions, a broad portfolio that includes environmentally sustainable and highly specialized and rigorously measured electronic specialty gases (ESGs), bulk/pipeline gases, equipment, and services, and through working closely with customers to better meet their evolving needs. For more information, visit www.linde-gas.com/electronics or contact [email protected]. SOURCE The Linde Group Related Links http://www.linde.com ATLANTA, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Veritiv Corporation (NYSE: VRTV), a North American leader in business-to-business distribution solutions, announced today the appointment of Liza Landsman to the company's board of directors. Ms. Landsman will also be a member of the board's nominating and governance committee. "I am pleased to welcome Liza to the Veritiv Board of Directors," said Mary Laschinger, Chairman and CEO of Veritiv. "Her extensive business experience in marketing, advertising, branding and e-commerce strategy, as well as her proven leadership skills, will be a strong complement to our Board's current composition and will serve Veritiv well." Ms. Landsman was recently named President and Chief Customer Officer of Jet.com, an online retailer recently acquired by Wal-Mart. She previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of Jet.com, overseeing marketing, advertising and all aspects of the company's customer experience. Ms. Landsman has more than 20 years of extensive digital strategy and data analytics experience across many sectors. She was previously Chief Marketing Officer for E*TRADE, Managing Director and Global Head of Digital for BlackRock, Operating Partner and Acting Chief Marketing Officer for Bravas Partners, and held a variety of senior leadership roles at Citi and IBM. She is currently a director of Choice Hotels International, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of GO Project, a New York City-based education non-profit. About Veritiv Veritiv Corporation (NYSE: VRTV), headquartered in Atlanta, is a leading North American business-to-business distributor of print, publishing, packaging, and facility solutions; and also a provider of logistics and supply chain management services. Serving customers in a wide range of industries, the Company has approximately 180 distribution centers throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and employs approximately 8,800 team members worldwide that help shape the success of its customers. For more information about Veritiv and its business segments visit www.veritivcorp.com. SOURCE Veritiv Corporation BROOKLYN, N.Y., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Newswise -- Functional near infrared spectroscopic (fNIRS) imaging (pronounced f-nears) has led to a breakthrough in communication with ALS patients who are "Locked-In," meaning they are in advanced stages of the disease where the brain is conscious and functioning, but they are unable to move any muscles, including the eyes. Using a wearable system developed by SUNY Downstate Medical Center researcher Dr. Randall Barbour, a team of investigators led by Professor Niels Birbaumer at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering in Switzerland and University of Tubingen in Germany were able to measure the brain's hemodynamic response to a series of 'yes' or 'no' questions, thus allowing these patients to communicate. The results of the trial were published recently in PLOS Biology: http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002593. "For many years the scientific community has attempted communication with these subjects using different neurosensing technologies," says Dr. Barbour. "Previous efforts using fMRI and EEG had their limitations, so we built our device to detect changes using near infrared spectroscopy." Non-invasive and wearable, the fNIRS system may eventually be incorporated into a home environment, allowing family, friends, and caregivers to communicate with the patient for the first time since the onset of this severe stage ALS. "The portability of this device is critical for the many weeks of training needed to help subjects develop their new form of communication," Dr. Barbour added. "The device measures the brain's hemodynamic response, using fNIRS, and the readings are then processed using specialized algorithms to recognize when a subject is responding yes or no." The technology was developed by Dr. Barbour and licensed to NIRx Medical Technologies, through the SUNY Downstate technology transfer program. Together with Professor Birbaumer, NIRx and other partners have been awarded a 3-year grant to further advance fNIRS sensing capabilities working toward the development of a version for in-home use. This work was supported in part by DARPA project N66001-10-C-2008, New York State Department of Health, and the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke under Grant R42NS050007, R44NS049734, and R21NS067278. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, founded in 1860, was the first medical school in the United States to bring teaching out of the lecture hall and to the patient's bedside. A center of innovation and excellence in research and clinical service delivery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Related Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, University Hospital of Brooklyn, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. SUNY Downstate ranks twelfth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school. For more information, visit http://www.downstate.edu. SOURCE SUNY Downstate Medical Center Related Links http://www.downstate.edu CLEVELAND, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Washington Post profile of Marian Wright Edelman describes a scene from 1967 in which she, as a 27-year-old civil rights attorney, leads Sen. Robert F. Kennedy through the Mississippi Delta to meet sharecroppers. She wanted him to see their dire conditions first-handespecially the starving children. Edelman "watched him try for five minutes to poke and tickle a listless baby," she recalled for the story. "The hungry child did not respond." Fifty years later, the founder and president of the Washington, D.C.-based Children's Defense Fund (CDF), which grew out of the Civil Rights Movement, remains a fierce advocate for the nation's poor, and especially children's rights. For her life's work, the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University has chosen Edelman for the 2017 Inamori Ethics Prize, awarded annually since 2008 to honor an individual for significant and lasting contributions to ethical leadership on the global stage. Case Western Reserve will present the 2017 Inamori Ethics Prize to Edelman during Inamori Center events on the Case Western Reserve campus, Sept. 14-15. "Marian Wright Edelman is a hugely inspirational change agent who has been indefatigable and remarkably effective in her efforts to improve lives, especially the lives of children," Inamori Center Director Shannon French, the Inamori Professor in Ethics and a professor at the School of Law and in the Department of Philosophy, said today in announcing the center's 2017 prize winner. A champion for children Edelman grew up in South Carolina, the youngest of five children of a Baptist preacher who taught her early on about the importance of serving others and pursuing an education. Under Edelman's leadership, the nonprofit CDF, which she established in 1973, has become the nation's leading advocacy organization for children and families, championing policies and programs to lift children from poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect and ensure their access to health care and quality education. Edelman, a graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, began her career in the mid-1960s when, as the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Mississippi. In l968, she moved to Washington, D.C., as counsel for the Poor People's Campaign that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began organizing before his assassination. She founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm and the CDF's parent body. For two years, she served as director of the Center for Law and Education at Harvard University. Edelman served on the Board of Trustees of Spelman College, which she chaired from 1976-87, and was the first woman elected by alumni as a member of the Yale University Corp., on which she served from 1971-77. Recognized for her tireless work Edelman has received more than 100 honorary degrees and many awards, including the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Heinz Award, a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship and, in 2000, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Edelman serves on the board of the Robin Hood Foundation and the Association to Benefit Children, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Edelman and her husband, Georgetown University Law Center Professor Peter Edelman, whom she met while he was working for Kennedy, a New York senator at the time, have three sons and four grandchildren. SOURCE Case Western Reserve University Related Links http://www.cwru.edu WASHINGTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA scientists from across the agency will present their latest findings and perspectives on topics ranging from Mars and Pluto to the dwarf planet Ceres during the 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 20-24. NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has made a geologic traverse across Gale Crater and provided new data depicting trends in the planet's mineralogy. The 2015 exploration of Pluto by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has revealed a spectacular diversity of landscapes across the planet, ranging from ancient, heavily cratered terrains to youthful regions being rapidly resurfaced by sublimation, condensation, glaciation and convection. NASA's Dawn mission is providing data about the features, composition and evolution of the dwarf planet Ceres that contrasts with pre-mission predictions. NASA will hold two briefings at the conference. A NASA Headquarters briefing will be held at 5:30 p.m. CDT on March 20, during which representatives from the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate will update the community on the status of the division's fleet of missions and programs. The director and Research and Analysis lead will provide an update on Planetary Science Division research opportunities at noon on March 22. NASA also will hold a town hall meeting, from 12:30 to 6 p.m. on March 19, to discuss the Science Definition Team (SDT) report on the NASA pre-Phase A study of a Europa lander. Pre-Phase A refers to studies that are conducted of multiple potential mission concepts and potential science investigations prior to committing to a specific concept. The town hall is intended to provide an extended opportunity to communicate the science content of the report to the scientific community and, equally importantly, to engage in constructive discussion with the scientific community. For more information on the town hall, please email Curt Niebur at [email protected]. The conference will take place at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center at 1601 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands, Texas. Media may register to attend. For more information, including links to the program, media advisories and contact information, visit: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2017/media/press/ The conference is presented by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. LPI is managed by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a national, nonprofit consortium of 105 leading research universities chartered in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences at the request of NASA. USRA operates programs and institutes focused on research and education in most of the disciplines engaged in space-related science and engineering. More information about the agenda and other activities is available online at: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2017/ For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov "We love the energy and excitement at Natural Products Expo West. This is the perfect event to launch a product because the key decision makers are in the same place. We've secured several placements for our new Sticky Rice Chips this week and are thrilled about the momentum coming out of the show," said Vincent Kitirattragarn, Founder and CEO of Dang Foods. New Hope Network again expanded the event's footprint to encompass the entire Anaheim Convention Center campus expanding exhibits into the Anaheim Marriott Hotel for the first time. Producers look forward to hosting exhibits in the newly expanded North Hall at the 2018 event. "Each year, longtime attendees band together with first-timers to push the natural products industry to new heights. We quickly see its impact as groundbreaking new healthy products show up on store shelves across the country," said Adam Andersen, Managing Director, New Hope Network. Natural Products Expo West & Engredea is the preeminent show for spotting trends in the food and CPG industry. The content and research team at New Hope Network tracked the following macro forces and consumer trends this year: 1) An Erosion of Trust, 2) A Climate of Change, 3) Prioritizing Health, and 4) Consciousness Rising. For examples of related trends and exciting new products that support each trend visit the online gallery at newhope.com. The official Natural Products Expo West "Best of West: Press Award" went to SeaSnax for their SeaSnax Chomperz. Runners-up included Good Karma Foods and The Happy Egg Co. The winner of Natural Products Business School's Pitch Slam was LoveTheWild. A full list of the winners of the 2017 Natural Products Expo West & Engredea NEXTY Awards, representing what tomorrow's healthy living landscape will look like can be found online. The conference featured a robust education program including keynote presentations by Denise Morrison, President and CEO of Campbell Soup Company and Doug Rauch, Founder and President of Daily Table and former President of Trader Joe's. This year, Expo West & Engredea introduced the inaugural Climate Day event, hosted by New Hope Network and the Climate Collaborative, an initiative of leading organizations, brands, and retailers to raise our game in addressing climate change. Climate Day featured a keynote address by environmentalist and entrepreneur Paul Hawken, author of seven books including four New York Times bestsellers. Natural Products Expo East will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center September 13th-16th, 2017. New Hope Network will also host the third annual Esca Bona conference October 16th-18th, 2017 in Austin, TX. Esca Bona gathers together leaders in the industry to discuss how to shape a new path to create a good food future. For more details visit EscaBona.com. Follow @NatProdExpo and #ExpoWest on Twitter and Instagram, and visit us on Facebook for ongoing conversations. About New Hope Network New Hope Network is at the forefront of the healthy lifestyle products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers, the network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services. Through its mission of growing healthy markets to bring more health to more people, New Hope Network helps businesses identify the people, products, partnerships and trends that create better opportunities and connections. For more information visit www.newhope.com. About Informa New Hope Network is part of Informa's Global Exhibitions Division. With over 200 trade and consumer exhibitions annually, Informa Exhibitions is a global market leader in such end markets as Beauty, Construction & Real Estate, Design, Life Sciences, Maritime, Health & Nutrition, Natural Products, Agriculture and Pop Culture. Through face to face and digital channels, our transaction-oriented exhibitions and trade shows enable communities to engage, experience and do business. In doing so, we bring together people who want to buy and sell, network, do business and gain inspiration. Our industry insight, coupled with our innovative and entrepreneurial approach, provides them with the opportunity to create business advantage and access markets. Informa Exhibitions is a division of Informa PLC, a leading business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. Informa PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100. Contact: Carrie Kocik New Hope Network Public Relations 617-694-5971 [email protected] SOURCE New Hope Network Related Links http://www.newhope.com Through the renewed website, visitors can access a variety of information on Nexen Tire such as its products, services, information on tire in general, news & campaigns and corporate information in a more digital-friendly way. Visitors across the globe also can enjoy Nexen Tire content that have been uploaded on Facebook, YouTube, or various blogs, and share content from the website with other social media platforms. "The renewed website, serving as Nexen Tire's key digital marketing channel, delivers a wealth of content on the company's milestones in a more engaging way to connect with global customers," Nexen Tire stated. In addition, the website allows customers to easily compare features between products through the new "Key Performance Indicator function" tab. The website designed with responsive user interface is optimized for various digital devices such as PC, mobiles and tablet. Web accessibility has also been enhanced by search engine optimization, making it easier to navigate information. "In a bid to get closer to customers through digital channels, we will continue to interact with them via social media channels and mailing services, as well as the corporate website." More details on Nexen Tire's renewed website, available in both English and Korean, can be accessed through the following address: www.nexentire.com. About Nexen Tire Nexen Tire, established in 1942, is a global tire manufacturer headquartered in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and in Seoul, South Korea. Nexen Tire, one of the world's fastest growing tire manufacturers, works with 390 dealers based in 140 countries around the world (as of Dec 2016) and owns three manufacturing plants -- two in Korea (Yangsan and Changnyeong) and one in Qingdao, China. Another plant in Zatec, Czech Republic will be operational by 2018. Nexen Tire produces tires for passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks with advanced technology and excellence in design. The company also focuses on producing UHP tires, which are based on advanced technologies. Nexen Tire supplies OE tires to global car makers in various countries around the world. In 2014, the company achieved a grand slam of the world's top 4 design awards for the first time amongst the various tire makers in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.nexentire.com. SOURCE Nexen Tire Related Links http://www.nexentire.com SEATTLE, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seattle-based nonprofit dialysis provider Northwest Kidney Centers intends to make a $15 million grant over the next five years to support startup projects within the University of Washington's Center for Dialysis Innovation. The center, a collaboration of the UW Medicine Kidney Research Institute and UW Biomaterials/Bioengineering, opened last November. The Center for Dialysis Innovation, led by co-directors Jonathan Himmelfarb and Buddy Ratner, aims to use biomaterial and bioengineering technologies to transform dialysis care. More than 400,000 people in the United States use blood-cleansing dialysis technology to stay alive. The center envisions that future dialysis therapy will be free of complications and will completely restore kidney health. "We are incredibly grateful to Northwest Kidney Centers for the gift to launch the Kidney Research Institute in 2008, and now for such a significant boost to the momentum of the Center for Dialysis Innovation," said Himmelfarb, a professor at the UW School of Medicine and director of the Kidney Research Institute. The grant from Northwest Kidney Centers represents 60 percent of the center's five-year fundraising target, which totals $25 million. "We are excited about the Center for Dialysis Innovation because it brings together creative, entrepreneurial, can-do minds from a wide range of fields including nephrology and bioengineering. This team also wants to involve people living with kidney disease to help direct the center's focus," said Joyce F. Jackson, Northwest Kidney Centers president and CEO. "Their aim is to develop revolutionary dialysis technologies, including a wearable dialysis system that is low-cost, and energy- and water-efficient. This would not only sustain users' lives, but give them more vitality and productivity. This work is desperately needed," Jackson said. "The excitement we feel today harks back to the environment here in Seattle in the early 1960s that produced the first successful dialysis therapy for ongoing treatment of people with permanent kidney failure. We're eager to see how far talented scientists, engineers and physicians of this current generation can go to provide hope for people with chronic kidney disease," Jackson said. "Of special note, 57 years ago this month Dr. Belding Scribner at the University of Washington provided the first successful dialysis treatment, a miracle that has now become mainstream," Jackson said. "We're happy to add another milestone to the annals of kidney care as we support the Center for Dialysis Innovation." The grant builds on longstanding ties. After the University of Washington team invented technology for ongoing dialysis in 1960, independent Northwest Kidney Centers was founded in 1962 to provide the life-sustaining treatments. It was the first dialysis organization in the world. As a nonprofit health care provider, Northwest Kidney Centers provides extensive community benefits. For example, gifts from Northwest Kidney Centers to UW Medicine fund fellowships for training nephrologists, and provide ongoing support for the Kidney Research Institute, a collaboration of Northwest Kidney Centers and UW Medicine established in 2008. "Our mission at Northwest Kidney Centers is to promote optimal health, quality of life and independence for people with kidney disease through patient care, education and research," Jackson said. "We are able to make this investment in the research arm of our mission thanks to solid financial performance, careful stewardship of resources, and generous contributions to us from donors who deeply care about advancing kidney research." Northwest Kidney Centers is a regional, nonprofit provider of kidney dialysis, public health education, and research into the causes and treatments of chronic kidney disease. Founded in Seattle in 1962, it was the world's first dialysis organization. Now ranked as the 8th largest dialysis provider in the United States, it is known for high quality services, deep community connections and generous donor support. www.nwkidney.org CONTACT: Cynthia Flash 425-603-9520 [email protected] SOURCE Northwest Kidney Centers Related Links https://www.nwkidney.org LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OilPrice.com Market Commentary: A little-known, visionary biotech company is gearing up to release a potentially ground-breaking medical device that could help prevent strokes. It could help save six million lives a year-or a life every 4 minutes. Leading biotech companies with latest developments in the markets today include: Sanofi (NYSE: SNY), Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK), Hitachi High Technologies Corp. (OTC: HICTF), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN). The unique new technology is the Carotid Stenotic Scan (CSS), by CVR Medical, and its futuristic system is designed to sense the leading indicator of strokes in only 2 minutes, and at a cost that will make it affordable and accessible to everyone. CVR Medical (CVM.V; CRRVF) is ready to burst out of the gate directly into a massive market. Here's why: This is unprecedented: Pre-stroke intervention has never before been affordable and accessible It ' s not invasive and preliminary tests demonstrate that in most cases it takes only 2 minutes The patented technology is positioned to own this huge market segment A CSS unit costs roughly $49,000 , while current technology costs up to $2.5 million , making it economically out of reach Over 230,000 medical facilities in the U.S. alone could potentially want the device, and globally the demand could be huge The visionary team has invested $23 million in development and is expecting preliminary clinical results any day now For the First Time in History: An Affordable Solution to a Multi-Billion-Dollar Problem Stroke statistics are shocking: Globally, every year 15 million people suffer a stroke. In the U.S. alone, nearly 800,000 people suffer from a stroke annually. Currently, one out of every 20 deaths in America is caused by stroke, making this one of the most pressing medical problems of our time. Until now, there has been no cost-effective way to screen for the leading indicator of Ischemic strokes, which cost the U.S. government alone over 30 billion dollars a year in healthcare expenses. CVR Medical (CVM.V; CRRVF), the company behind this medical device, has been quietly developing the technology for 10 years and now it's ready for its life-changing debut. The company reckons that its diagnostic tool could not only help the millions of lives affected by Ischemia, the leading cause of stroke, but could also significantly reduce the tragic debilitation, some 5 million people suffer every year because of stroke. CVR's early detection technology does not depend on the user for accuracy and provides results in only 2 minutes. When it takes only 2 minutes to detect the leading indicator of stroke with a device that costs only $49,000 compared to up to $2.5 million for current technology, the market potential is phenomenal. CVR's technology is positioned to own this market segment A low-cost, low maintenance pre-stroke medical intervention could benefit the entire society. Ischemia detection technology could save the U.S. government up to $34 billion a year, which is how much the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say strokes cost the U.S. annually. According to the CDC, early action is urgent for survival, and only 38 percent of stroke sufferers even recognize they are having a stroke in time to receive effective emergency intervention. Amid this urgency, the market is massive and it's hungry for a breakthrough. In the U.S. alone, the market includes 234,615 primary care offices, specialist offices, hospitals and clinics-all of which would benefit from CVR's ground-breaking, affordable, non-invasive and easy-to-use technology to help the millions of people who suffer from carotid artery disease, or Ischemia. If these facilities bought just one CSS pre-stroke intervention system, we would be looking at billions in revenue. CVR expects to fully penetrate not only the domestic market, but the gargantuan global market. Because the all-in costs are less than half-the-sale costs, the company is expecting a very quick and lucrative head start. Brilliant Technology, Visionary Developers CSS is a screening tool that is designed to detect and measure carotid arterial stenosis to identify patients at risk from Ischemic Stroke. CSS technology makes a connection between fluid flow and sub-sonic frequencies to detect arterial disease or blockage. Blood flowing through the carotid arteries produces wave patterns which are shaped and altered by the presence of irregularities on the inner artery walls. CVR's advanced technology is designed to capture these wave patterns and analyze them mathematically with patented algorithms. With a quiet modesty and professionalism rare in the biotech industry, the dream team behind the technology has not only developed something that could radically change how we deal with the number 2 cause of death in the U.S., but it's also expertly leveraged intellectual property, market sentiment and strategic partnerships. CVR Medical (CVM.V; CRRVF) recently teamed up with Hitachi (OTC: HICTF), which will develop and create the processing unit to operate the Carotid Stenotic Scan device, enabling CVR Medical to be able to interpret the sub-sonic and infrasonic sound waves it collects in real time. Led by Chairman, CEO and President Peter Bakema, with an impressive 30-year track record in business development, since its inception, CVR has brought on some of the most respected medical professionals in the industry. Tony Robinson , COO and Executive Vice-President has been with CVR for 8 years and has extensive domestic and global healthcare experience. , COO and Executive Vice-President has been with CVR for 8 years and has extensive domestic and global healthcare experience. Michael Rhodes , VP of Quality Systems, is a former VP for Quality for HSBC and Motorola. He has 20 years of experience in multiple markets. , VP of Quality Systems, is a former VP for Quality for HSBC and Motorola. He has 20 years of experience in multiple markets. Dr. W. Douglas Weaver , a member of the BOD Scientific Advisory Board, is the former President of the American College of Cardiology and the former VP and System Medical Director of Heart and Vascular Services at Henry Ford Health System. His over 330 publications related to drug and device discovery have been some of the most influential in our time. Together, they are on a trajectory which will revolutionize healthcare by offering easily accessible, affordable early detection for a potentially massive market share at a very critical time in our healthcare story. Like the X-ray, invented in 1895 and enriching medical investors with wild implications for clinical practice, CVR's early stroke detection device is poised to spark changes far beyond the widespread implementation of the device itself. Indeed, the CSS is only the first phase of CVR's plans to contribute in a very positive way to medical diagnostics. Cashed-Up, Patented, and Ready to Take the Market by Storm CVR Medical (CVM.V; CRRVF) has invested $23 million in this technology, with early stage clinical trials complete and now headed toward pivotal trials, eyeing the potential for immediate profitability once FDA market clearance is obtained. This means there's only a short window of opportunity between market and profitability. The critical timeframe is now: The release of a preliminary clinical report is pending any day, and then the full clinical report will follow in 4-8 weeks. Once that happens, the next step is FDA submission, and if successful, delivery to the market takes place. The team has already lined up manufacturing and components, so once the clinical reports are in, and the FDA hurdle is cleared, it's breakout time. For biotech in general, 2017 will be the critical breakout year. For CVR Medical's patented pre-stroke intervention system, it will be the debut of an amazing new technology that promises to capture the lion's share of a multi-billion-dollar market that could hit out hard at one of the most pressing medical issues of our time. And if all that wasn't enough, the broader biotech market has just had a significant shot in the arm, with President Trump claiming that he will be fighting hard to speed up FDA approval. A comment that sent Amicus Therapeutics Inc. stocks jump 17%, trading more than three times the average volume, after Trump used the CEO's daughter as a case study during his address to Congress. Amicus CEO John Crowley helped develop Myozyme, the enzyme that saved his daughter's life, for Genzyme, which is now a part of Sanofi (NYSE: SNY). The confidence shows in pharma stocks. Merck (NYSE: MRK) is up 12%, continuing a rally that began in 2016. Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) also took off in December and is up 14% since the beginning of the year. Then we have Allergan (NYSE: AGN), which finally broke its downtrend in February. It is a transformative time in the biotech industry, and CVR looks to be entering the market at just the right moment. By. 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Contact Information: Media Contact e-mail: [email protected] U.S. Phone: +1(954)345-0611 SOURCE OilPrice.com MD+DI's Medtech Startup Showdown will group competitors into tournament brackets, while MD+DI readers vote for their favorite companies each week. The startups that collect the most reader votes each week move on to the next tournament round. The winner of the showdown will be profiled on MD+DI. "Startups are the lifeblood of medtech innovation, but it's challenging for early-stage companies," said Jamie Hartford, Editor-in-Chief, MD+DI and Director of Content, Medical Brands, UBM Advanced Design and Manufacturing Group. "MD+DI's Medtech Startup Showdown is a fun way for us to draw our readers' attention to promising young companies, and it can be a great chance for startups that enter to gain exposure and get the word out about their technologies." The winner of the 2016 Medtech Startup Showdown, Houston-based Procyrion, was profiled on MD+DI. To read more about Procyrion, visit http://www.mddionline.com/blog/devicetalk/keeping-heart-failure-patients-their-feet-05-20-16 Follow @MDDIonline for medical device and diagnostic news and analysis. About MD+DI Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry (MD+DI) is an online resource exclusively for original equipment manufacturers of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic products. Its mission is to help medtech industry professionals develop, design, and manufacture products that comply with complex and demanding regulations and evolving market requirements. Readers can subscribe to the brand's daily e-mail newsletter, and follow MD+DI on social media including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. About UBM UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM, UBM Plc LinkedIn SOURCE UBM RARITAN, N.J., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics ("Ortho"), a global leader of in vitro diagnostics, today announced that it has expanded its agreement with Astute Medical, Inc. for distribution of the NephroCheck Test, a biomarker-based test that aids in risk assessment for acute kidney injury. Under the new agreement, Astute Medical has granted Ortho distribution rights in additional European countries, enhancing customer access to a test that is changing the way hospital physicians approach acute kidney injury (AKI), a common and dangerous complication. "Ortho is committed to helping our lab customers identify patients with risk for moderate to severe AKI, which has been shown to help physicians to better manage their critically ill patients and improve outcomes," said Alex Socarras, Ortho's executive vice president, commercial operations. "We look forward to bringing the important NephroCheck Test to a broader market in Europe." Today, up to 50 percent of severely ill patients develop AKI, which can result in prolonged hospital stays, long-term complications, greater risk of mortality, and higher cost of care. An outcomes study published recently by the journal Intensive Care Medicine reported a 33.9 percent reduction in the occurrence of moderate to severe AKI following cardiac surgery when clinicians used the NephroCheck Test to identify patients with moderate to severe risk for AKI and then implemented a bundle of care recommended by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. "As the body of evidence demonstrating the value of assessing kidney stress before damage occurs continues to grow, we become ever more committed to distributing the NephroCheck Test to a broad audience," said Ryan Roberts, Astute Medical's chief commercial officer. "Our expanded agreement with Ortho will help even more hospitals shift the AKI paradigm from diagnosis to prevention." The new agreement builds upon Astute Medical's licensing and collaboration agreements with Ortho. In 2014, Astute Medical granted Ortho a license to develop and market the NephroCheck Test for Ortho's VITROS line of automated, high-volume testing platforms in the United States and certain countries in Europe. Ortho also commercializes Astute Medical's NephroCheck Test on the Astute140 platform in the United States. Important Information About The NephroCheck Test In the United States, the NephroCheck Test System is intended to be used in conjunction with clinical evaluation in patients who currently have or have had within the past 24 hours acute cardiovascular and or respiratory compromise and are intensive care unit (ICU) patients as an aid in the risk assessment for moderate or severe AKI within 12 hours of patient assessment. The NephroCheck Test System is intended to be used in patients 21 years of age or older. For more information visit NephroCheck.com. In the EU, the NephroCheck Test result is intended to be used in conjunction with clinical evaluation as an aid in the risk assessment of acute kidney injury in the critically ill. The NephroCheck Test is CE-marked and available in Europe. Astute Medical's NephroCheck Test received 510(k)-clearance through the FDA's de novo classification. The test is indicated for prescription use only. About Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a global leader of in vitro diagnostics serving the clinical laboratory and immunohematology communities. Across hospitals, hospital networks, blood banks and labs in more than 120 countries, Ortho's high-quality products and services enable health care professionals to make better-informed treatment decisions. For the immunohematology community, Ortho's blood typing products help ensure every patient receives blood that is safe, the right type and the right unit. Ortho brings sophisticated testing technologies, automation, information management and interpretation tools to clinical laboratories around the world to help them run more efficiently and effectively and improve patient care. Ortho's purpose is to improve and save lives with diagnostics, and it does that by reimagining what's possible. This is what has defined Ortho for more than 75 years, and it's what drives Ortho forward. For more information, visit www.orthoclinicaldiagnostics.com. About Astute Medical, Inc. Astute Medical is dedicated to improving the diagnosis of high-risk medical conditions and diseases through the identification and validation of protein biomarkers that can serve as the basis for novel diagnostic tests. The Company's focus is community- and hospital-acquired acute conditions that require rapid diagnosis and risk assessment. Astute Medical's current areas of interest include abdominal pain, acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular injury, kidney injury and sepsis. Astute Medical is a founding corporate partner of 0by25, a human rights initiative aimed at eliminating preventable and treatable deaths from AKI worldwide by 2025. For additional information, please visit AstuteMedical.com. Astute Medical, the AM logo, Astute140, NephroCheck, the NephroCheck logo, and AKIRisk are registered trademarks of Astute Medical, Inc. in the United States. For information regarding trademarks and other intellectual property applicable to this product, including international trademarks, please see AstuteMedical.com/about/intellectualproperty. SOURCE Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Related Links https://www.orthoclinical.com/en-us/home NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Parking in New York City is competitive. There are hundreds of thousands of legally available parking spaces on the streets of Manhattan, but that doesn't mean you will always find that empty space when you want it. To remedy this problem the recently launched parkken street parking app has added a feature that also shows the locations of parking garages and lots. The earliest version of the app from Parallel Spaces Maps, LLC utilized a unique set of map symbols to translate parking rules for every block in Manhattan. Version 1.0 of the parkken app introduced the CAN I PARK HERE? query box to answer specific user queries for legally available on-street parking at any time and place in Manhattan. This version 1.1 adds an onscreen button to turn off or on the locations and contact information of the off-street parking facilities in your area. Example CAN I PARK HERE QUERY BOX The newly added feature is operated fittingly by a dollar bill shaped button on the lower left of the screen. If you are in need of off street parking tap the button to turn on the interactive garage and lot locations symbols. A brief tap on any garage symbol gives information about the garage at that location including address and telephone number. Future updates may also include coupons to help save on garage and lot parking expenses. Current users need not worry. They can still tap on the map screen to launch the CAN I PARK HERE? query box to find the legal parking available on a particular block, or give a quick look at the different map symbols to get an overview of street parking rules in a general neighborhood. The garage and parking lot information is not a separate feature but rather an added functionality to the existing app. Tom Hibbard of Parallel Spaces Maps who designed the app, says "There are some days when you don't have the time to find an open space and have to park the car in a garage. It happens to the best of us. This latest enhancement puts all of the possibilities to legally park your car in one app." So far, the app calculates legal street parking for non-commercial vehicles, but Mr. Hibbard has offered to make a commercial vehicle version if there is demand for it. Other features of the app are an address Search function, a Favorites bookmark function for neighborhoods where you go often, and a GPS locator button. Parallel Spaces Maps, LLC plans to release an Android version by this summer. For further information, contact: Tom Hibbard, President, Parallel Spaces Maps, LLC. Office: (888) 775-7353; Cell: (718) 812-5569 http://www.parkken.com SOURCE Parallel Spaces Maps, LLC DUBLIN, Mar. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Patent Licensing Companies in the Semiconductor Market" report to their offering. Patent Licensing Companies (PLCs) are non-operating companies concentrated on creating the majority of their income from licensing patents to or litigating against operating companies suspected to infringe their patent rights. Other related terms include nonpracticing entities (NPEs), patent holding companies (PHCs), patent monetization entities (PMEs), patent assertion entities (PAEs) and Patent Trolls. PLCs commonly acquire their patents from other companies, and then monetize them via aggressive patent litigation. Some PLCs have R&D activities in order to generate their own patents, and they monetize them by licensing. The RPX Corporation's March 2015 report states that NPEs cost operating companies an estimated $12.2 billion in both legal fees and other legal costs and settlement or judgment amounts in 2014. Patent Licensing Companies operate in fields with high probability of patent infringement, mainly in USA, where litigation damages are much higher than in Europe or Asia. In a patent infringement action, the potential sales volume plays a major role for assessing the damage award. Thus, the PLCs come into action when the market has reached a critical size and target companies have made irreversible investments. Patent litigation risk tends to increase as new technologies emerge, or as existing technologies combine to create new products and services. The convergence of technologies in the semiconductor field leads to an increase in patent litigation in that sector. The semiconductor industry brings together all ingredients to appeal to PLCs. These include strong consolidation, with many mergers and acquisitions (M&A), numerous patents for sale from bankrupt companies and M&A, complex patented inventions, the colossal amount of products embedding semiconductor devices, big companies, and a lot of money. All companies designing, manufacturing or marketing semiconductor-based products are potential targets for PLCs' next patent litigation. In this report we reveal the most aggressive Patent Licensing Companies in the semiconductor field, their recent patent acquisitions, and their potential targets for future patent litigation. More than 2,880 semiconductor-related US patents have been acquired by PLCs since 2013. Now, it is a critical time to assess the patent litigation risks and know the potential targets related to these recent patent acquisitions: - Which PLCs recently acquired semiconductor-related patents? - Which PLCs represent the biggest threat for operating companies? - Which products and which companies have already been involved in patent litigation with PLCs in the semiconductor field? - Which companies are potential targets for PLCs? - How can operating companies deal with the PLC threat? Key Features Of The Report: - Ranking of PLCs according to their recent patent acquisitions in the semiconductor field - Dynamics of patent acquisitions and patented technology including memory, transistor, sensor, manufacturing and packaging - Expected expiration date of patents and remaining lifetime of PLCs' patent portfolios - Dynamics of US patent litigation filed by PLCs in the semiconductor market and more broadly - Details on the latest patent litigation filed by PLC in the semiconductor field, including defendants, accused products and current status of the litigation cases - Aggressiveness of PLCs in the semiconductor market and more broadly - Litigation risk assessment from PLCs and potential targeted companies in the semiconductor field - IP profiles of main PLCs Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction - Patent Licensing Companies - Scope and Objectives of the report - Main patent assignees mentioned in this report 2. Methodology - Patent search, Patent selection, Patent analysis - Terminologies for patent analysis 3. Patent Landscape Overview - Main Patent Licensing Companies in Semiconductors - Dynamics of US patented Invention Reassignments to PLCs - Expected expiration date of US patent reassigned to PLCs in 2013-2016 - Average remaining lifetime of US granted patents reassigned to PLCs in 2013-2016 4. Patent Litigation Overview - Definitions - Dynamics of US patent litigations filed by selected PLCs in all market sectors - Aggressiveness of selected Patent Licensing Companies in all market sectors - Dynamics of US patent litigations filed by selected PLCs in Semiconductor market - Accused products and defendants in recent US Patents litigations in Semiconductor market - Aggressiveness of selected Patent Licensing Companies in Semiconductor market - Litigation risk assessment from PLCs which acquired US patents in 2013-2016 5. Patented Technologies Acquired By PLCs In 2013-2016 - Patent Segmentation - US Patented Inventions Split by Technology - Patent Licensing Company Patent Portfolios Split by Technology 6. IP Profile Of Key Patent Licensing Companies - Interactions between PLCs and Practising Entities - WiLAN - Tessera - Conversant IP Management - Intellectual Ventures - Acacia Research - Round Rock Research - DSS Technology Management - Future Link Systems - X2Y Attenuators - PACT XPP Technologies For each Patent Licensing Company: - Company profile - Recent Patent Acquisitions in Semiconductor Field - Time Evolution of Patent Litigations in Semiconductor Market - Latest Litigation Campaigns in Semiconductor Market - Potential Targets in Semiconductor Market - Potential Targets by Technology Segment 7. Conclusion Companies Mentioned - 3M - AT&T - AU Optronics - Acacia Research - Advanced Micro Devices - Advanced Semiconductor Engineering - Alcatel-Lucent - Alpha & Omega Semiconductor - Altera - American PCS Communications - Amkor - Analog Devices - Aplus Flash Technology - Apple - Applied Materials - Aptina Imaging - Attopsemi Technology - Avalanche Technology - BOE Technology - Blackberry - Bridge Semiconductor - Broadcom - Canon - Carl Zeiss - Chipmos Technologies - Cisco Systems - Citizen Electronics - Conversant IP Management - Cordis - Cree - Crocus Technology - Crossbar - Cypress Semiconductor - DSS Technology Management - Dell - Denso - Dongbu Electronics - Dongbu Hitek - Elpida - Emcore - Ememory Technology - Epistar - Ericsson - Everspin - Foxconn - Freescale - Fuji Electric - Fujifilm - Fujitsu - Future Link Systems - Genia Technologies - Global - Globalfoundries - Google - Greatbatch - Guardian Industries - HSIO Technologies - Hewlett Packard - Hitachi - Honeywell - Huawei - IBM - Ibiden - Imaging - Infineon Technologies - Innolux - Innovative Silicon ISI - Inotera Memories - Intel - Intellectual Ventures - Interdigital Technology - International - Intersil - Intuitive - Invensense - KLA Tencor - Kingston Technology - Kodak - Kyocera - LG - Lam Research - Lattice Semiconductor - Legacy Electronics - Lexmark - Macronix International - Manufacturing International - Marvell - Mediatek - Memory - Microchip - Micron Technology - Microsemi - Mitsubishi Electric - Molecular Imprints - Monolithic 3D - Mosaid - Motorola - Murata Manufacturing - NEC - NXP - Nanometrics - Nantero - Nanya Technology - National Semiconductor - Nikon - Nokia - Nvidia - OEP Imaging - OLED Technology - Olympus - Omnivision Technologies - Optiz - Osram - Ovonyx Memory Technology - PACT XPP - Panasonic - Pelican Imaging - Philips - Pixart - PolyIC - Power Integrations - Powerchip Technology - Promos Technologies - Qorvo - Qualcomm - Quarkstar - Rambus - Raytheon - Renesas Electronics - Ricoh - Robert Bosch - Rohm - Round Rock Research - SK Hynix - SPIL - STATS ChipPAC - STMicroelectronics - Samsung Electronics - Sandisk - Seagate Technology - Seiko Epson - Semiconductor - Semiconductor Energy Laboratory - Sharp - Siemens - Silicon Laboratories - Socionext - Sony - Surgical - TDK - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) - Tarana Wireless - Technologies - Technologies - Technology - Technology - Tela Innovations - Tessera - Texas Instruments - Tokyo Electron - Toshiba - UMC - Unimicron - United Technologies - Universal Display - Verizon - Visera Technologies - Vishay - WiLAN - X2Y Attenuators - Xerox - Xilinx - Xintec - Zeno Semiconductor - Zink For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/tf6jwp/patent_licensing Media Contact: 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 SAN DIEGO, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco, the leading national pet specialty retailer, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as a 2017 World's Most Ethical Company. Petco's is marking its sixth consecutive year earning this recognition for a commitment to leadership in ethical business practices and is one of only three retailers being honored this year. "We've always been committed to demonstrating the highest level of integrity, ethical business practices and social responsibility in everything we do," said Petco CEO Brad Weston. "It's an honor to continue receiving this distinguished recognition and a direct reflection of our commitment to doing the right thing for people and pets." This is the eleventh year that Ethisphere has honored those companies who recognize their role in society to influence and drive positive change, consider the impact of their actions on their employees, investors, customers and other key stakeholders and use their values and culture as an underpinning to the decisions they make every day. "Over the last eleven years we have seen the shift in societal expectations, constant redefinition of laws and regulations and the geo-political climate. We have also seen how companies honored as the World's Most Ethical respond to these challenges. They invest in their local communities around the world, embrace strategies of diversity and inclusion, and focus on long term-ism as a sustainable business advantage," explained Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "Congratulations to everyone at Petco for being recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company." The World's Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute's Ethics Quotient (EQ) framework which offers a quantitative way to assess a company's performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies, rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%) and provided to all companies who participate in the process. The full list of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://worldsmostethicalcompanies.ethisphere.com/honorees/. To learn more about Petco, visit www.petco.com. About Petco and the Petco Foundation With more than 50 years of service to pet parents, Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that focuses on nurturing powerful relationships between people and pets. We do this by providing the products, services, advice and experiences that keep pets physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,500 Petco and Unleashed by Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico; prescription services and pet supplies from the leading veterinary-operated pet product supplier, Drs. Foster & Smith; and petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has invested more than $175 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, help find homes for more than 400,000 animals every year. Contact: Megan Oxford, 858-453-7845 x223314 About the Ethisphere Institute The Ethisphere Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere Magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com. Ethisphere Media Contact Clea Nabozny 480.397.2658 [email protected] SOURCE Petco Related Links http://www.petco.com NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS The Current State and Future of Smart Homes Toy Data Breach Puts 2 Million Records at Risk Minimizing Tax Burdens and Preserving Wealth MEDIA JOBS Reporter, Chemical Markets - ICIS Americas Personal Finance Content Writer - Student Loan Hero Reporter, Commercial Real Estate - Crain OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES The Messy Business of Corrections: Advice on How to Recover from a Mistake Top Secret: How Journalists Protect Confidential Tips and Document Drops Blog Profiles: Coffee Blogs EXPERT ALERTS: The Current State and Future of Smart Homes Chris Jones Vice President of Technology iRobot Smart homes are not a far-off futuristic goal, they're the current reality. But that doesn't mean there aren't improvements that can be made to make smart homes even better. Chris Jones is available to discuss Consumer IoT (Internet of Things) and Smart Homes: "Despite the excitement and demand for connected devices, the current state of consumer IoT is a failed promise. With so many devices, sensors and systems acting independently, complexity and usability challenges presented to the consumer make it difficult for them to achieve the integrated smart home experience they desire. These challenges also stand in the way of the industry in general to realizing the full potential of the smart home. There is a gap between what today's smart home is technically capable of and the powerful, yet easy to use, smart home experience the consumer has in mind. The ideal smart home will be able to intelligently and responsively manage and orchestrate itself. This will be made possible through a combination of mobile home robots and supportive cloud services that provide spatial understanding of the home. This is critical information that is required to realize the ultimate goal of a home that knows exactly what to do based on user preferences." Website: www.irobot.com Media Contact: James Baussmann, [email protected] or +1 781-430-3664 Toy Data Breach Puts 2 Million Records at Risk Andrew J. Hacker Cyber Security Expert in Residence Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Spiral Toys, who makes the Internet of Things (IoT) toy CloudPets stuffed animals for children, suffered a massive data breach earlier this year. Says Hacker: "The leak exposes more than 2 million voice recordings of children and parents, as well as 800,000 email accounts of users of the toy. This is a serious concern for the IoT toy industry and parents should be very careful when purchasing toys for children and understand what kind of information is being captured and used by the manufacturer. Generally any device that has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth could have this issue. New technologies that preserve user privacy, such as data-level cybersecurity, are a first step in protecting children against such breaches." Hacker is the cyber security expert in residence at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania. He is the former deputy chief information security officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where, for six years, he supported the Enterprise Information Security Office in managing information security, guiding state agency CISOs and executives, interacting with state and federal partners, and protecting citizen data and government systems and operations. He played a major role in creating enterprise security strategies, standards and policies, enhancing overall application security, and was responsible for risk management and compliance across the commonwealth. Prior to his appointment at the commonwealth, Hacker served as global security practice head for a global IT consulting firm where he built a practice organization spanning multiple geographies and fostered a highly skilled and influential security Center of Excellence. Website: http://www.HarrisburgU.edu Contact: Steven Infanti, [email protected] or +1-717-901-5146 Minimizing Tax Burdens and Preserving Wealth Alan S. Kufeld, CPA Partner PKF O'Connor Davies Tax season is in full swing for everyone, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers and executive leaders, each group looking for ways to minimize overall income, gift and estate tax burdens while preserving capital for generations to come. Kufelld is available to discuss the topics of tax minimization strategies, wealth preservation and compliance with Federal, state and local tax regulations. Website: https://www.pkfod.com/ Media Contact: Shelly Orlacchio, [email protected] or 215-564-3200 x118 MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board:https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Reporter, Chemical Markets - ICIS Americas Personal Finance Content Writer - Student Loan Hero Reporter, Commercial Real Estate - Crain OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected] THE MESSY BUSINESS OF CORRECTIONS: ADVICE FOR JOURNALISTS ON HOW TO RECOVER FROM A MISTAKE. Stephen King once said, "To write is human, to edit is divine." King underscores this to aspiring writers in the third foreword to his book, "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft," where he writes: "All [writers] have sinned and fallen short of editorial perfection." King speaks from decades of experience creating macabre stories. Mistakes happen to even the best of journalists. Here are some lessons from three veterans: http://bit.ly/2mB30WN once said, "To write is human, to edit is divine." King underscores this to aspiring writers in the third foreword to his book, "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft," where he writes: "All [writers] have sinned and fallen short of editorial perfection." King speaks from decades of experience creating macabre stories. Mistakes happen to even the best of journalists. Here are some lessons from three veterans: http://bit.ly/2mB30WN TOP SECRET: HOW JOURNALISTS PROTECT CONFIDENTIAL TIPS AND DOCUMENT DROPS. It's a sign of the times: Many news agencies in Washington now are accepting various forms of leaked information. It used to be that anonymous tips would come through a phone call or snail mail. Now, journalists are using apps that encrypt text messages from sources, and many media agencies are promoting secure document drops. Read more: http://bit.ly/2lYcd7a now are accepting various forms of leaked information. It used to be that anonymous tips would come through a phone call or snail mail. Now, journalists are using apps that encrypt text messages from sources, and many media agencies are promoting secure document drops. Read more: http://bit.ly/2lYcd7a BLOG PROFILES: COFFEE BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and looks at a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the topic. This week, the team looks at coffee blogs: http://bit.ly/2mDRF7C PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com Many families living below the poverty line face impossible decisions every day: whether to buy food or pay rent? Leave an abusive spouse and starve? Or stay in an abusive relationship to keep the children fed? These dilemmas put children in precarious predicaments that result in child abuse. Olive Crest treats the entire family. The goal is to end situations that produce abuse and neglect. The Stop Hunger, Stop Child Abuse Campaign benefits from donations like this from Ralphs and Food 4 Less. It is crucial to provide nutritious food to the more than three-thousand children and families the organization serves each day. "Olive Crest appreciates the support of Ralphs and Food 4 Less," says Rhonda Tagge, National Development Director for Olive Crest. "Their significant support means Olive Crest can place children without options into safe situations. We greatly appreciate the remarkable kindness demonstrated by their steadfast dedication to our work." Olive Crest's Tools for Success include: counseling, education and the development of life skills. From college and vocational scholarships down to nurturing every aspect of healthy children, this donation will contribute immeasurably to their success in life. Ralphs/Food 4 Less' involvement offers crucial support to Olive Crest. It will help Olive Crest construct the building blocks of accomplishment for marginalized children and young adults. Olive Crest offers: a specialized school designed for at-risk youth, housing, tutoring, job readiness, computer training, school supplies and backpacks. "Ralphs and Food 4 Less are honored to support the incredible work and mission of Olive Crest," said Kendra Doyel, VP Public Relations and Government Affairs for Ralphs and Food 4 Less. "Our long standing partnership is making a difference for children and families, and we look forward to continuing our shared vision for strong communities." The Ralphs/Food 4 Less Foundation donates millions of dollars to Southern California nonprofits. The foundation focuses on five core areas of giving: hunger relief, women's health, K-12 education and children's services, the environment and multiculturalism. Company team members are encouraged to act in their own neighborhoods. About Ralphs Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 197 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Last year, Ralphs contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com. About Food 4 Less Headquartered in Los Angeles, Food 4 Less operates 131 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Central and Northern California. Last year, Food 4 Less contributed more than $4 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Food 4 Less, please visit our website at www.food4less.com. About Olive Crest Since 1973, Olive Crest has transformed the lives of more than 70,000 abused, neglected, and at-risk children and their families. The organization works tirelessly to meet the individual needs of kids in crisis by providing safe homes, counseling, and education for both youth and parents. Olive Crest's many innovative programs reflect a conviction that strengthening the family is the most powerful way to help heal children. With unwavering compassion, the Olive Crest family maintains a lifelong commitment to the youth and the families it serves even after they have graduated from the organization's programs. Olive Crest serves over 3,500 children and families each day throughout California, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. For information, call 714-543-KIDS or visit www.olivecrest.org. SOURCE Olive Crest Related Links http://www.ralphs.com BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Plant operators safely removed Unit 1 of the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant offline on Sunday, March 12, at 5 a.m. ET for a scheduled refueling outage. Each of the two units at Plant Vogtle requires new fuel every 18 months. The most recent refueling outage for Unit 1 was completed in the fall of 2015. In addition to refueling the reactor during the outage, workers will perform regular maintenance, testing and upgrades to plant equipment. "Safety is our number one priority during the refueling outage," said Keith Taber, site vice president for Vogtle units 1 and 2. "A safe and successful outage is achieved through the focus of the entire organization our employees and our supporting partners. The station has planned for this refueling outage for over a year. This planning ensures the activities are coordinated to ensure safety is maintained at the highest level." Employees from across the Southern Nuclear fleet as well as nearly 1,100 additional workers from Westinghouse, General Electric, Day & Zimmermann, Williams Corporation and other companies have come to the plant to assist the site employees in completing the multiple task required to ensure the unit will run safely and reliably for the next 18 months. These additional workers provide considerable economic stimulus to surrounding communities during their stay in the area. Vogtle Unit 2 will continue to safely generate electricity while Unit 1 is offline and refueling. About Southern Nuclear: Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is a leader among the nation's nuclear energy facility operators and an innovator in advanced nuclear technologies. Southern Nuclear is an essential part of Southern Company's energy portfolio, and its importance will continue to grow as America transitions to a low-carbon energy future. While the company produces clean, safe and reliable nuclear energy, it's also an economic engine powered by quality jobs and community service. Southern Nuclear operates a total of six units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga.; and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at Plant Vogtle that are among the first nuclear units being constructed in the United States in more than 30 years. Southern Nuclear received numerous accolades in 2016 for leadership in the advancement of nuclear energy including the Special Achievement Award by the United States Nuclear Infrastructure Council and the Presidential Citation by the American Nuclear Society. Southern Nuclear also received two of the Nuclear Energy Institute's Top Innovative Practice awards and special recognition for achieving excellence in research and performance. Southern Nuclear's Plant Hatch received the ANS Operations & Power Division's Utility Achievement Award for plant improvements that resulted in a record-setting refueling outage duration. The company's headquarters is in Birmingham, Ala. Twitter: @SouthernNuclear; Facebook: facebook.com/southernnuclear; www.southernnuclear.com About Southern Company: Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 44,000 MW of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com. SOURCE Southern Nuclear Related Links http://www.southerncompany.com ROOSEVELT, N.J., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HireLifeScience.com, the premier career networking website for the Life Science industries, will host its 8th annual career fair at The NJ Convention and Exposition Center at Raritan Center in Edison, NJ on September 26, 2017. Novo Nordisk is the event's Platinum Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. The healthcare company has nearly 100 open positions listed on HireLifeScience.com. Covance will attend the event as a Silver Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year making this year the fifth year in a row the company will send representatives to the Career Fair. AstraZeneca, a worldwide top five pharmaceutical company, is a third year Silver Sponsor and the company has close to 300 job opportunities throughout the United States. HireLifeScience.com is proud to present Merck as the final Silver Sponsor for the Career Fair for a second year in a row. Some other companies who will attend are MedImmune, Daiichi Sankyo, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and LEO Pharma. Additional companies will be added during the spring and summer months, as 20 notable life science companies attended the 2016 event. Registration is now open and professionals are encouraged to pre-register for the event at http://hirelifescience.com/career/default.aspx. The event is exclusive to Life Science professionals who possess a minimum of two years' experience working for a Life Science related company and a minimum of a four-year Life Science related degree. Doors will open for qualified professionals at 11 a.m. and the event will conclude at 4 p.m. The HireLifeScience.com Career Fair 2017 will be one of the industry's most qualified gatherings of companies and professionals. The objective of the event is to bring the HireLifeScience.com client companies and network of professionals together in one place expediting the hiring process. This annual career fair is exclusive to hiring companies and no third-party recruiters will participate in the event. Professionals with a background related, but not limited to: Bioinformatics; Clinical Research; Laboratory; Quality QA & QC; Medical Communications; Manufacturing; Medical Device; Regulatory Affairs; Research & Development; and Pharma/Biotech Sales & Marketing should attend. "The event has taken on a life of its own and continues to grow year after year. The attending companies represent the titans of the life science industry and each year the candidates bear impressive resumes. This year's event promises to be one of most successful Career Fairs we've coordinatedwe have excellent companies with diverse hiring needs," stated Rob Masterson, President of HireLifeScience.com. Since 2005 HireLifeScience.com has provided Life Science professionals with the ability to apply directly to Life Science companies and avoid third party recruiters during the hiring process. HireLifeScience.com is designed to help Life Science professionals personalize the job search by: building professional profiles; following and connecting with individual HR representatives; and applying directly to thousands of jobs in the Life Science industry. For more information on this event or any of our services please visit www.HireLifeScience.com SOURCE HireLifeScience.com Related Links http://www.HireLifeScience.com MIAMI, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as a 2017 World's Most Ethical Company. This is the second year in a row Royal Caribbean has been recognized in the Lodging, Leisure and Recreation industry, underscoring their commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices. "I am extremely pleased that Ethisphere has again recognized Royal Caribbean as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies," said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "At Royal Caribbean, ethical leadership is an important part of our worldview. We value this honor and we intend to continue following our mantra of continuous improvement." Twenty-seventeen is the eleventh year that Ethisphere has honored those companies who recognize their role in society to influence and drive positive change, consider the impact of their actions on their employees, investors, customers and other key stakeholders and use their values and culture as an underpinning to the decisions they make every day. "Over the last eleven years we have seen the shift in societal expectations, constant redefinition of laws and regulations and the geo-political climate. We have also seen how companies honored as the World's Most Ethical respond to these challenges. They invest in their local communities around the world, embrace strategies of diversity and inclusion, and focus on long term-ism as a sustainable business advantage," explained Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "Congratulations to everyone at Royal Caribbean for being recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company." Methodology & Scoring The World's Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute's Ethics Quotient (EQ) framework which offers a quantitative way to assess a company's performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies, rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%) and provided to all companies who participate in the process. Honorees The full list of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://worldsmostethicalcompanies.ethisphere.com/honorees/. Best practices and insights from the 2017 honorees will be released in a series of infographics and research throughout the year (view or download the 2016 insights). Organizations interested in how they compare to the World's Most Ethical Companies are invited to participate in the Ethics Quotient. About Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns and operates three global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. RCL is a 50 percent joint venture owner of the German brand TUI Cruises, and have a 49 percent interest in the Spanish brand Pullmantur and a minority interest in SkySea Cruises. Together, these brands operate a combined total of 49 ships with an additional thirteen on order. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 535 destinations on all seven continents. Additional information can be found on www.rclcorporate.com. About the Ethisphere Institute The Ethisphere Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere Magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com. Media Contact: Owen Torres 305.539.4097 [email protected] SOURCE Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Related Links http://www.rclcorporate.com MOSINEE, Wis., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- S.C. Swiderski, LLC, a construction and real estate investment company, welcomes Scott Wessel and Bruce Johnson as the new managing brokers for S.C. Swiderski Land Company. The Land Company is part of the Real Estate Division of S.C. Swiderski and handles land acquisitions, development and sales of waterfront, acreage and hunting property. Scott Wessel has twenty three years of experience with land management and forestry. He has been a licensed Realtor in Wisconsin since 2010 and operated as the owner/broker of Wisconsin Real Estate Company. In addition to his real estate background, Scott brings expertise in soils, timber valuations and land management. Bruce Johnson has twenty two years of sales experience; he has been a licensed Realtor in Wisconsin since 2002. He previously was a top agent for Naterra Land with a consistent track record of recreational land sales and land development. He has waterfront expertise and splits his time between living on the Wisconsin River and the Eagle River Chain of Lakes. In addition to acquisitions, development and sales, Scott and Bruce will manage the operations of the Land Company and oversee real estate agents. Jacqui Miller, Real Estate and Marketing Manager at S.C. Swiderski says "I am happy to have Scott and Bruce join the company. They bring a level of experience and expertise that is critical as we expand this area of our company. Together they will provide a solid management and drive the success of S.C. Swiderski Land Company." S.C. Swiderski Land Company owns several developments. They are currently marketing lots on Nokomis and Sand Lakes near Mercer, Wisconsin. Their latest project is on the Hat Rapids Flowage of the Wisconsin River near Rhinelander. Upcoming projects include Dewey Lake in Eagle River with several other sites in various phases of acquisition and pre-development. About S.C. Swiderski, LLC: S.C. Swiderski is a comprehensive construction and real estate investment company. The Construction Division provides complete planning, architectural design and construction services. The Real Estate Division acquires property and develops plans the portfolio which includes multifamily, commercial, retail and resort properties as well as commercial, residential, waterfront and recreational land. The Property Management Division handles the professional management, grounds keeping and maintenance of their portfolio. S.C. Swiderski is expanding and actively pursuing opportunities for acquisition and investment in the Midwest. www.scswiderski.com Media Contact: Jacqui Miller Real Estate and Marketing Manager [email protected] 715-693-7823 SOURCE S.C. Swiderski, LLC Related Links http://www.scswiderski.com SUNNYVALE, Calif. and ONTARIO, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Datrium, the industry's leading open convergence platform for private clouds, and Tec-Refresh, a nationwide provider of IT infrastructure, cyber security, data and networking solutions and support services, announced today that deployment of Datrium within Tec-Refresh cloud data centers has doubled application performance, reduced client costs and generated a new revenue stream for the firm. Tec-Refresh specializes in cyber security, data center solutions, storage and consulting/project management, and working with clients including public entities, which rely on tax dollars and must keep costs under control while performing reliably. When evaluating storage solutions for its operations and for its clients, Tec-Refresh considered capacity, performance and cost. While other solutions were either too expensive or lacked sufficient performance for its business, Datrium provided a mix of cost-effectiveness and performance muscle. 'Disruptive in the Market' "After we looked closely at Datrium, it was a no-brainer," said Efrem Gonzales, president and CEO, Tec-Refresh. "Datrium is disruptive in the market with its performance and economics. The built-in deduplication and compression give us incredible capacity for the price and its approach to data security is really breakthrough. It's a better solution for us and for our customers." Since deploying the Datrium open convergence platform as the lead storage solution in its security and network operations centers, Tec-Refresh has seen performance increase two fold and have achieved nearly five times better data reduction than its previous storage solution. The firm began recommending Datrium to clients, as well, who have the option to choose to deploy a private cloud-based Datrium system on-premise or to host it on a managed cloud-based Datrium system at the Tec-Refresh data center. "I see Datrium as a new revenue stream," Gonzales continued. "We have a next-generation offering that's both affordable to our clients and gives them better performance, something that would be impossible to do with a hyperconverged system or storage array." Reducing OpEx Translates to Client Savings Tec-Refresh and its clients no longer manage storage. They simply create new virtual machines (VMs) in vCenter and Datrium handles the configuration and provisioning of capacity automatically. With no logical unit numbers (LUNs) to create or storage artifacts to manage, administrative time spent on storage-related tasks has dropped to zero. Gonzales also credits Datrium for easing client conversations with a much more palatable and predictable cost of growth. In the case of one county agency client, Orange County in California, the use of Datrium nearly cut their costs in half over three to five years. "For innovative firms delivering a combination of private cloud and hosted services like Tec-Refresh, traditional arrays are too rigid and expensive while hyperconverged systems lack the scalability and efficiency service providers need." said Brian Biles, CEO and co-founder of Datrium. "By focusing on making cloud infrastructure effortless, resilient and scalable for our enterprise and service provider customers, we are not just improving the bottom-line, but the top-line as well." [CASE STUDY] Tec-Refresh Doubles Application Performance, Reduces Client Costs by 50% About Tec-Refresh Tec-Refresh designs, delivers and supports technology solutions that become the foundation of its clients' businesses. This includes network storage, cyber security, managed services, virtualization and data infrastructure solutions. The company is headquartered in Ontario, Calif., with technicians deployed across the U.S. to serve the needs of customers nationwide. More information is available at www.tec-refresh.com. About Datrium Founded in 2012, Datrium has architected and delivered the industry's first open convergence platform converging storage and compute in a radical new way to enable a simpler journey to hybrid clouds. Companies use Datrium to overcome the rigidity of 3-tier convergence and the lock-ins and scaling unpredictability of hyperconvergence. Datrium is based in Silicon Valley and is led by the founders and early top architects of Data Domain and VMware. Datrium has been named to Gartner's Cool Vendors in Storage Technologies, 2016. For more information, visit www.datrium.com and follow @datriumstorage on Twitter. SOURCE Datrium Related Links http://www.datrium.com NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against The Toronto-Dominion Bank ("TD" or the "Company") (NYSE: TD) and certain of its officers, and is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased TD securities between December 3, 2015 through March 9, 2017, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period). Investors are encouraged to learn more about this case by visiting the firm's site: http://www.bgandg.com/td. 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, as well as failed that: (1) TD's wealth asset growth and increased fee-based revenue was spurred by a performance management system that steered to its employees breaking the law at their customer's expense in order to meet sales targets; (2) TD illegitimately increased customer's lines of credit and overdraft protection amounts without their knowledge; (3) TD illegitimately upgraded customers to higher-fee accounts without informing them; (4) TD lied to customers as to the risk of its products; and (5) consequently, defendants' statements about TD's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. On March 10, 2017, CBC News reported about the pressures put on TD Bank branch employees to sign up customers for products they don't need. The report said that current and former TD employees described a pressure cooker environment that has "zero focus on ethics." Following this news, TD stock dropped during intraday trading on March 10, 2017. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: http://www.bgandg.com/td or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. You have until May 11, 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 firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz 212-697-6484 | [email protected] SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Related Links http://www.bgandg.com MONTREAL, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Smooch.io has been honored as the top New Startup of the Year at the sixth annual Canadian Startup Awards hosted by Techvibes. Smooch creates the messaging experiences that customers love. Smooch's messaging platform enables software makers and businesses to have personal, rich conversations with their customers online. The company has offices in Montreal and San Francisco, and raised an initial $10 million round of funding last summer. "Everyone at Smooch is thrilled to receive this prestigious award," says CEO Hamnett Hill. "The Canadian technology scene is so vibrant, and there are so many great companies in the space, that being chosen as New Startup of the Year means a lot to us. We're looking forward to joining past and future recipients in bringing well-deserved attention to Canadian innovation." The Canadian Startup Awards were founded in 2011 by Techvibes to celebrate the best and brightest in the Canadian tech space, bringing together talent from varying sectors of the industry, including investors, new startups and established brands. Techvibes is a leading digital destination for technology, digital culture, and modern lifestyle content. "We're thrilled to present some of the country's top companies and entrepreneurs with an award that recognizes their contributions to the startup community," said Robert Lewis, Editor-in-Chief of Techvibes. "This year's awards program was the largest yet, and that reflects the growth in Canadian technology and innovation in 2016." About Smooch At Smooch, our purpose is to humanise the relationships between businesses and their customers. Smooch is the richest platform for software makers and businesses to power messaging in their products - across every channel. More than 4,500 businesses rely on Smooch to manage millions of customer conversations. Smooch is based in Montreal and San Francisco - visit Smooch at smooch.io. Press Contact: VerbFactory for Smooch Richard Berman 415-359-4906 [email protected] SOURCE Smooch Related Links https://smooch.io WASHINGTON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Advertising Agencies ("4A's), American Advertising Federation ("AAF"), Association of National Advertisers ("ANA"), Data & Marketing Association ("DMA"), Interactive Advertising Bureau ("IAB"), and Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") issued the following statement in support of Senator Jeff Flake and Congressman Marsha Blackburn's recently introduced Joint Resolutions disapproving of the Federal Communications Commission's ("FCC") broadband privacy regulations. "We wholeheartedly commend Senator Flake and Congressman Blackburn, and their Senate and House colleagues, for introducing resolutions of disapproval for the FCC's ill-considered move to create a new, costly, counterproductive, confusing and unnecessary regulatory regime around privacy for broadband providers. Our digital economy is the global leader, providing billions of dollars in ad-supported content and services to consumers, and the innovation and investment that have driven its success have rested on robust, consistent self-regulatory privacy standards backstopped by the Federal Trade Commission. Without prompt action in Congress or at the FCC, the FCC's regulations would break with well-accepted and functioning industry practices, chilling innovation and hurting the consumers the regulation was supposed to protect. The Congressional Review Act was designed as a common-sense check on anti-consumer regulations like this, and we are pleased that Senator Flake, Congressman Blackburn, and their colleagues are using it to such positive effect. We strongly urge Congress to support and quickly act on these Joint Resolutions." The organizations releasing the statement are the leading trade associations for the advertising and marketing industries, collectively representing more than 5,000 U.S. corporations across the full spectrum of businesses that participate in and shape today's media landscape, and also lead an industry effort to create robust, enforceable, cross-industry self-regulatory principles regarding the collection and use of web browsing and application use history data through the Digital Advertising Alliance ("DAA"). Media Contact: Andrew Weinstein [email protected] 202-667-4967 SOURCE ANA, 4A's, AAF, DMA, IAB, and NAI FREMONT, Calif., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a leading business process services company, will announce its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended February 28, 2017 after the market close on Monday, March 27, 2017. An earnings call will be held to discuss the financial results for the quarter at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) hosted by SYNNEX executive management including Kevin Murai, President and Chief Executive Officer; Dennis Polk, Chief Operating Officer; Marshall Witt, Chief Financial Officer; and Chris Caldwell, Executive Vice President and President of Concentrix Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SYNNEX Corporation. A live webcast of the earnings call will be available at http://ir.synnex.com . The conference call will also be available via telephone by dialing (888) 469-3219 in North America or (630) 395-0205 outside North America. The passcode for the call is "SNX." A replay of the webcast will be available at http://ir.synnex.com approximately two hours after the conference call has concluded where it will be archived for one year. About SYNNEX Corporation SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a Fortune 500 corporation and a leading business process services company, provides a comprehensive range of distribution, logistics and integration services for the technology industry, as well as outsourced services focused on customer engagement strategy to a broad range of enterprises. SYNNEX distributes a broad range of information technology systems and products and also provides systems design and integration solutions. Concentrix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SYNNEX Corporation, offers a portfolio of strategic solutions and end-to-end business services around customer engagement strategy, process optimization, technology innovation, front and back-office automation and business transformation to clients in ten identified industry verticals. Founded in 1980, SYNNEX Corporation operates in numerous countries throughout North and South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Additional information about SYNNEX may be found online at www.synnex.com . Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this news release that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release. Copyright 2017 SYNNEX Corporation. All rights reserved. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo, CONCENTRIX, and all other SYNNEX company, product and services names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SYNNEX Corporation. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo, and CONCENTRIX Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Other names and marks are the property of their respective owners. SNX-F SOURCE SYNNEX Corporation Related Links http://www.synnex.com PRINCETON, N.J., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its efforts to establish formal test administration contracts with Country Master Distributors (CMD)thoroughly vetted, contractual partners authorized to administer the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) in key international marketsThe Enrollment Management Association is pleased to announce that BTS Education has been selected to serve as its CMD in China. "Our partnership with BTS Education will allow us to ensure the essential security of the SSAT in China while expanding its availability to families and students," comments The Enrollment Management Association Executive Director Heather Hoerle. "The steady growth of student testing in China, coupled with the challenges surrounding inviolability, meant we needed to choose a partner with the significant expertise and capacity to meet our standards. BTS Education was the clear choice and we're thrilled to have them as our new CMD as we continue to provide the SSAT to Chinese students seeking to enroll in our member schools." The SSAT is the gold standard admission test for independent schools, and is administered internationally throughout the academic year. It is a timed, multiple-choice test consisting of verbal, quantitative (math), and reading comprehension sections and a brief unscored writing sample. In China, BTS Education will administer the Middle Level SSAT for students in grades 5-7 and the Upper Level SSAT for students in grades 8-11. About BTS Education BTS Education strives to provide reliable and valid workforce and educational assessment services. Because of its superior ability to execute highly secure test administrations, BTS Education became the Country Master Distributor of the Test of English for International Communication (TOIEC) in 2014. Since then, BTS Education has provided assessment services to more than 100,000 test takers and for more than 100 enterprises, including selecting volunteers for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and for G20 Summit. The mission of BTS Education is to provide gold standard assessment services for users and to ensure test security, the foundation of valid test scores. Beyond providing testing services, BTS Education helps businesses build benchmarks to hire, place, and promote employees. BTS Education maintains trustworthy cooperative relationships with more 150 universities throughout China. BTS Education is headquartered in Beijing with branch offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, and Chengdu. BTS Education manages testing centers in more than 80 cities in China. About The Enrollment Management Association At The Enrollment Management Association, we believe that the admission practices of the past will not sustain the independent schools of the future. Every day, we serve enrollment leaders, increasing their success through the best science, research, and training, because when great schools enroll great students, everything is possible. We provide unparalleled leadership and service in meeting the admission assessment and enrollment needs of schools, students, and families. A nonprofit organization, the association provides enrollment management support services and professional development and administers the SSAT to tens of thousands of candidates applying to independent schools each year. For more information on the SSAT, please visit www.ssat.org. For more information on The Enrollment Management Association, please visit www.enrollment.org. SOURCE The Enrollment Management Association Related Links http://www.enrollment.org For 24 hours, the Gravity Bar will be completely transformed for the lucky duo to responsibly enjoy a VIP experience complete with a Guinness tasting bar with private butler, "perfect pint"-shaped bed, pool table, life-sized Jenga and giant telescope for a night under the stars. "The lucky winner will be stepping into our founder's shoes and given the keys to a legacy experience that's filled with hundreds of years of history," said Paul Carty, Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse. "We're proud of Guinness' heritage, and as the competition is a once in a lifetime event, it was important for this first Irish Airbnb 'Night at', to provide the winner with everything a Guinness enthusiast would appreciate." A 'once in a lifetime' experience for Guinness fans and beer aficionados, the winner will be welcomed by Domhnall Marnell, Guinness Storehouse Beer Specialist, before being handed the keys to the Guinness Storehouse. They will experience life behind the gates with rare access into the heart of the legendary St. James's Gate Brewery, the production site that has been home to the Guinness Brewery since 1759, when its owner Arthur Guinness signed a lease for 9,000 years. Starting at No.1 Thomas Street, family home to Arthur Guinness, Guinness Archivist Eibhlin Colgan will take the winner on a historical journey of the brewery along 19th Century railway tracks and through hidden tunnels, telling the rich story of the Guinness family heritage. The winners will enjoy a full Guinness Storehouse experience with private tour topped off with a six-course dining experience, designed with Irish ingredients and Guinness pairings by Guinness Storehouse Executive Chef Justin O'Connor and served in the surroundings of the Gravity Bar. Following the 'Night at' the Guinness Storehouse, the winners will be treated to an Irish breakfast before meeting with Guinness Brewer, Peter Simpson, who will teach the winner how to create their very own Guinness brew. Gravity Bar is the symbolic 'Head of the Pint', Dublin's highest bar and features unparalleled panoramic, 360 degree views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The transformation of the space into a luxury penthouse was curated by renowned interior designer Graham O'Donnell and features a balance of contemporary Irish craft furniture alongside original Guinness artifacts from the Guinness Archives, including notable works such as the Guinness Toucan. In 2016, the Guinness Storehouse welcomed 1.65 million visitors from around the world. The Storehouse building was once the brewery fermentation plant and is now a seven-story visitor experience, where visitors discover what goes into the making of each and every pint of Guinness, as well as learning about the notable brand history which stretches over 250 years. "Guinness is one of the most iconic beers in the world, and we are excited to open up the opportunity to live in its home for the very first time," said Aisling Hassell, Global Head of Customer Experience, Airbnb. "Dublin has such a deep cultural history and brewing is a big part of this. Through our partnership with Guinness Storehouse, we're excited to magnify this heritage and bring it all to life through this unique overnight experience." To enter the competition, log on to airbnb.com/night-at/guinnessstorehouse and answer the question: 'What makes you the world's biggest Guinness fan?' The competition closes on 22nd March and the prize can be redeemed on 24th April only. See website for full terms and conditions. The brewers of Guinness remind you to respect the beer, and please drink responsibly. About The Guinness Storehouse The Guinness Storehouse tells the story of one of Ireland's most iconic brands, Guinness. Visitors from Ireland and abroad, discover what goes into making each and every pint, learn about the incredible brand history stretching over 250 years, its iconic advertising, as well as a tasting like no other. The experience unfolds across seven floors, including the highlight for many visitors - the famous Gravity Bar, where visitors can enjoy unparalleled panoramic 360 views of Dublin city. Notes to Editor The Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar has been redesigned with luxury and Irish craft to the fore. Featured designs include lighting by Shane Holland. Based in Duleek, Co. Meath, Shane Holland Design Workshops created the collection of lighting and furniture for the 'Night At' competition. Drawing on natural inspirations, they designed timeless products, which are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Also involved in the collaboration was Designgoat, an industrial design studio based in Dublin that creates experiences through products, spaces, furniture and food. The space, with panoramic views of Dublin, has been outfitted with a Sonos sound system so that the lucky winner can play their favorite music during their stay. The unique tasting menu for the 'Night At' competition has been specifically created by the Guinness Storehouse Executive Chef Justin O'Connor using a selection of renowned Irish foods suppliers including Kettyle Irish Foods, Hanlon's Smokehouse and Keeling's Fruits and Vegetables. Get the facts. Be Drinkaware. Visit drinkaware.ie. SOURCE The Guinness Storehouse Timken is one of 131 organizations selected as a 2017 World's Most Ethical Company. The company has been recognized each year for the last seven and is one of only five companies in the Industrial Manufacturing category to receive this designation, underscoring Timken's commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%); corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%); culture of ethics (20%); governance (15%) and leadership; and innovation and reputation (10%). "Over the last 11 years, we have seen the shift in societal expectations, constant redefinition of laws and regulations and the geo-political climate," explained Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "We have also seen how companies honored as the World's Most Ethical respond to these challenges. They invest in their local communities around the world, embrace strategies of diversity and inclusion, and focus on long term-ism as a sustainable business advantage. Congratulations to everyone at The Timken Company for being recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company." About the Ethisphere Institute The Ethisphere Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere Magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com. About The Timken Company The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com) engineers, manufactures and markets bearings, gear drives, belts, chain, couplings, and related products, and offers a spectrum of powertrain rebuild and repair services. The leading authority on tapered roller bearings, Timken today applies its deep knowledge of metallurgy, tribology and mechanical power transmission across a variety of bearings and related systems to improve reliability and efficiency of machinery and equipment all around the world. The company's growing product and services portfolio features many strong industrial brands including Timken, Fafnir, Philadelphia Gear, Drives, Lovejoy and Interlube. Known for its quality products and collaborative technical sales model, Timken posted $2.7 billion in sales in 2016. With more than 14,000 employees operating from 28 countries, Timken makes the world more productive and keeps industry in motion. Media Contacts Media Relations The Timken Company [email protected] 234-262-3514 Investor Relations The Timken Company Jason Hershiser 234.262.7101 [email protected] SOURCE The Timken Company Related Links http://www.timken.com Dr. Ardolino's presentation will highlight a study on the use of Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) in children with Spina Bifida. During the presentation, she will cover the background, methods and results of the study and its potential impact on the assessment of children with Spina Bifida. The study was a first step in measuring the ease of administration and scoring the Peds NRS in this population of children. In the study, one occupational therapist and one physical therapist each administered the scale on eight children with Spina Bifida. She will speak in depth on the reasons this recent study is so important and what it can offer to children with spinal cord injuries and Spina Bifida. "I am honored to present my research on the use of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) at the 2017 World Congress," said Dr. Ardolino. "Unfortunately there has been very little research on the way in which we measure functional change in children with Spina Bifida. This study is the first step in broadening the range of recovery measurement tools and presents exciting new opportunities for assessing changes in these children after therapy." The Third World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care will be held at the Loews Coronado Bay, San Diego, California from March 16 19, 2017. This innovative meeting serves as the preeminent forum for a unique gathering of international Spina Bifida researchers and healthcare professionals specializing in a range of medical disciplines. In its third year, the World Congress will bring together more than 350 attendees to discuss the future of care for this challenging and complex birth defect. To hear more about how Dr. Ardolino plans to continue the research and use the new SafeGait 360 on the USAHS Austin Campus with children with spina bifida, check out the USAHS SafeGait video. To schedule an interview with Dr. Ardolino or for more information on her presentation, please contact Rachael Lighty or visit usa.edu. About Dr. Elizabeth Ardolino Elizabeth Ardolino, PT, MPT, MS, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences' Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Dr. Ardolino earned an MPT from the University of Scranton in 2002, and an Advanced Masters of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Temple University in 2008. She completed her PhD in 2010 at Seton Hall University. Her dissertation, "The ABLE Scale: the development and psychometric properties of a new outcome measure for the spinal cord injury population" was recently published in Physical Therapy Journal. Dr. Ardolino's clinical experience has focused on the neurorehabilitation of pediatric and adult clients. She worked for many years as the clinical supervisor of the NeuroRecovery Network 's (NRN) Locomotor Training program at Magee Rehabiliation in Philadelphia, PA. The NRN, a nation-wide network funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and the CDC, aims to improve the health, function, and quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury. Her clinical experience at Magee focused on promoting recovery in patients with acute and chronic neurologic disorders, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke. Dr. Ardolino's research is two-fold. Her first research interest is in the development of new outcome measures for the spinal cord injury population. She is currently continuing to develop the ABLE scale, and has recently initiated a second multi-center clinical trial to further test the psychometric properties of this scale. She is also collaborating with colleagues at the NRN to further develop the Neurologic Recovery Scale and modify it for use with pediatric clients with spinal cord injury, and for adult clients with brain injuries. Her second research interest is testing the efficacy of Locomotor Training to improve the health, function, and quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury. Dr. Ardolino teaches the neuroscience, neuromuscular, and research courses in on the USAHS Austin campus. About University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution that offers degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, education and health science, as well as continuing education programs. Founded in 1979, USAHS has locations in San Marcos, California; St. Augustine, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Miami, Florida. USAHS is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. USAHS is one of more than 70 institutions in 25 countries that comprise the Laureate International Universities network. For more information about USAHS visit www.usa.edu. SOURCE University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences CLEVELAND, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- US household furniture demand is forecast to reach $34.9 billion in 2021, according to Household Furniture: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Robust improvements in the residential housing market are expected to spur sales of household furniture. Increases in disposable personal income will support consumer spending on premium products within this market. Competition from imports will continue to challenge the industry. However, economic growth in the US and many export markets will support consumer purchases of the high-end and custom pieces that many US producers specialize in. Demand in the leading product segment upholstered household furniture is projected to total $17.4 billion in 2021. Growth in residential improvement activity will support sales, as many consumers purchase new upholstered furniture when updating their living spaces. This report forecasts US household furniture demand and shipments in US dollars at the manufacturers' level to 2021. Total demand and shipments are segmented by product in terms of: upholstered nonupsholstered wood other household furniture such as metal and rattan More information about the report is available at https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Household-Furniture-United-States-10693811/ About Freedonia Focus Reports Each month, The Freedonia Group a division of MarketResearch.com publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Consumer Goods reports can be purchased at www.freedoniafocusreports.com or marketresearch.com. Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including: total historical market size and industry output segmentation by products and markets identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts a survey of the supply base suggested resources for further study Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.684.9600 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group Related Links http://www.freedoniafocusreports.com BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- V2Soft, Inc., a global leader in providing information technology solutions, has been awarded Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's "2016 Team Project Award." This award was presented during Blue Cross' annual Supplier Diversity Achievement Awards in Michigan on February 27, 2017. V2Soft was recognized for its outstanding work in the Digital Services area in helping build and launch Blue Cross' premier Member Portal mobile application making it easy for members to manage their health care online and on the go. Varchasvi Shankar, President and CEO of V2Soft, Inc. said, "We are exceedingly pleased with Blue Cross' recognition of V2Soft's hard work and dedication to quality and teamwork." V2Soft partnered with Blue Cross on the member portal back in 2012. Since this partnership, the Member Portal has been servicing over one million active users with projections of four million users while continuing to increase customer satisfaction. For more information on the Blue Cross Member Portal, visit www.bcbsm.com or download the mobile app at the Apple iTunes or Android Google Play today by searching for "BCBSM." About V2Soft: Established in March 1998, V2Soft is a global information technology solutions company, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI. V2Soft provides solutions to Fortune 500 companies though automotive, healthcare, financial, marketing, transportation and commercial markets as well as State and Federal Government agencies. V2Soft is a CMMI 3, ISO27001 certified and HIPAA compliant company with multiple offices in the US and in six countries. V2Soft's core solutions include Application Development Mobility, Digital Experience, Testing, Cloud Solutions, IoT, Big Data and IT Security. By combining expertise with technology and leveraging our industry experts V2Soft provides value added services to organizations locally and globally to help drive improved operational performance in their business. V2Soft is a successful and profitable Michigan-based global company. V2Soft is a NMSDC certified minority owned business. For more information, please visit www.v2soft.com. Follow us on twitter #v2soft. V2Soft is a privately held company. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.6 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com . CONTACT: V2Soft, Inc., [email protected], 866-9V2Soft SOURCE V2Soft, Inc. Related Links http://www.v2soft.com LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Use this report to: - Analyze the market dynamics of various types of welding equipment and consumables, their present and future market scenario. - Gain insight into recent advanced technologies involving welding equipment and consumables, along with complete product and technology life cycle. - Assess the global market for welding related products and equipment by technology, region, end-user application, and type of equipment used. - Identify major manufacturers, their sales data and evaluate foreseeable future developments in the welding equipment and supplies market. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/96545/ Highlights - The global market for welding products reached $23.0 billion in 2015. The market should reach $24.2 billion in 2016 and $31.8 billion by 2021, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from 2016 to 2021. - The welding equipment and consumables market reached $15.2 billion in 2015. The market should reach nearly $16.0 billion in 2016 and $20.1 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2016 to 2021. - The global automated/robotic welding accessories market reached $1.9 billion in 2015. The market should reach over $2.0 billion in 2016 and $2.8 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2016 to 2021. INTRODUCTION Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermo-plastics, by fusion, which is distinct from lower temperature metal joining techniques such as brazing and soldering that do not melt the base metal. In addition to melting the base metal, a filler material is often added to the joint to form a pool of molten material that cools to form a joint that can be as strong, or even stronger, than the base material. Pressure may also be used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce a weld. The process is an efficient, economical and dependable means of joining metals. No other technique is as widely used by manufacturers to join metals and alloys efficiently and to add value to their products. Welding is used as a fabrication process in every industry large or small and is a principal means of fabricating and repairing metal products. Welding has been used in space and also finds applications in the air and underwater. Most of the familiar objects in modern society, from buildings and bridges, to vehicles, computers, and medical devices, could not be produced without the use of welding. Welding goes well beyond the bounds of its simple description. Welding today is applied to a wide variety of materials and products, using such advanced technologies as lasers and plasma arcs. The future of welding holds even greater promise as methods are devised for joining dissimilar and nonmetallic materials, and for creating products of innovative shape and design. The true impact of welding on the metalworking industry can be gauged by the total value of the parts produced by welding, the money saved by using welding over other metal fabrication processes such as soldering and brazing and the value of products made by welding. Welding finds application in the automobile industry, and in the construction of buildings; bridges; ships; submarines; pressure vessels; offshore structures; storage tanks; oil, gas and water pipelines; girders; press frames; and water turbines. A major contribution that welding has made to society is the manufacture of household products such as refrigerators, kitchen cabinets, dishwashers and other similar products. The various welding technologies available allow a great deal of flexibility in the design of the components to be welded. Welding and joining technologies are pervasive in commercial and defense manufacturing, and are a significant value-added source in the manufacturing process. The role of welding and joining in the repair and life extension of manufactured products is even more critical since these processes are frequently used to repair structures and components which were not originally welded. STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The welding industry constitutes the workforce that uses welding technologies to perform welding operations; the welding supply industry that provides the equipment, products, consumables, and services needed by the workforce; and the end users in the larger national and international industrial sector who rely on welding and joining processes to manufacture their products. This report concentrates on the manufacturers and end users of various types of welding equipment and consumables. Machinery, filler materials, and accessories for the various welding processes are manufactured and supplied by a few large companies whose sales exceed $100 million. Several hundred much smaller companies specialize in items such as welding torches, welders' helmets, hammers, marking equipment, welding screens and special fluxes. The value of shipments at the manufacturing level fluctuates with the volume of metals consumed in the global industry and there have been pronounced upward and downward movements in these figures over the years. This report will discuss the sales figures of major manufacturers, their respective positions in the market, competition involved in the field and the future outlook for these companies. The report will concentrate on the types of welding applications used in various industries and the future prospects of these technologies given the fact that new technologies and methods are being introduced into the market at a very fast rate. Manufacturers have requirements in at least three areas: meeting the changing demands of their customers, competing with other manufacturers, and complying with government regulations. This means they must continually concentrate on developing a new generation of improved, high-value-added products. Joining technologies that have evolved to meet new industrial needs include specific arc welding techniques for the shipbuilding, aerospace and oil and gas industries, and advanced resistance welding, which has been driven by the automotive and appliance industries. This report will concentrate on research and development by manufacturers for improving welding technologies and relevant consumables. The report will also discuss the technology life cycle costs of the technologies involved as well as the product life cycle of equipment and consumables involved in the processes. Materials of the future will be designed to be capable of welding as part of the total integration of welding into the manufacturing cycle. The materials must be energy efficient, environmentally benign, and help reprocessing at any point in the life cycle of the component. Welding technologies will be developed along with these new materials so that practical fabrication methods are available for all engineering applications. Other areas in need of further research are the joining of dissimilar materials by welding, polymer joining by welding and joining coated high-strength steels. The report will explore the research and development programs of various manufacturers and organizations and evaluate foreseeable future developments in the these fields. REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY For an organization to succeed in a competitive market, product opportunities must be identified from the viewpoint of the organization's strengths. For this, it is necessary to understand the size and growth rate of any opportunity and the competitive atmosphere in which an organization exists. This report presents the ideal medium to understand the exciting and growing opportunities in the field of welding and consumables and will help any prospective manufacturer, distributor or even user to understand and succeed in this growing field. INTENDED AUDIENCE This report is intended to help: - Marketing managers to identify newer market opportunities and develop targeted promotion plans for appropriate welding equipment and consumables. - Research and development professionals to stay apprised of competitor initiatives and explore the demand for welding equipment in new applications in order to develop new technologies, equipment and consumables. - Advertising agencies working with clients in the welding industry to understand the products and to develop messages and images that will influence consumers to purchase these products. - Business development executives to understand the dynamics of the market and identify possible new markets. - Information and research center librarians to provide market researchers and brand and product managers with the information they need to do their jobs more effectively. SCOPE OF REPORT The report has been prepared in a simple, easy-to-understand format. A number of tables and charts/figures are included to illustrate current and future market scenarios. The report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of welding equipment and consumables, including shielding gases, safety and protective equipment and automated welding equipment and accessories, with reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions. INFORMATION SOURCES The primary information sources include manufacturers and distributors of welding equipment and consumables around the world, major users of this equipment, research organizations, government agencies, and trade associations. The report includes market projections by experts in the welding industry. The report also includes the developments, trends, and activities in the welding industry as reported in trade magazines. Additional secondary sources such as databases, trade literature, specialized journals and government statistics have been researched while compiling this report. ANALYST'S CREDENTIALS Srinivasa Rajaram is a mechanical engineer with more than 40 years of experience in designing factory layouts and setting up factories. He has set up factories for the production of weighing machines and dynamic balancing machines in India and has experience in designing, producing and servicing this equipment. He was senior vice president of M/S Schenck Avery Ltd., an Indo-German joint venture producing balancing and diagnostic equipment, and has set up heavy fabrication shops for various weighing and dynamic balancing equipment. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/96545/ 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 Zinnov, a leading global management consulting firm, recently hosted the Bay Area chapter of its Annual Thought Leadership Conference, 'Confluence 2017' in Santa Clara, U.S. Themed around the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it has finally gotten out of university research labs and Hollywood studios to impacting our daily lives, the conference focused on the current landscape of AI and how business leaders in large organizations can answer some of their strategy questions by analysing the start-up swarms. With the theme titled, 'Spring of AI', the conference clearly brought to light as to what Artificial Intelligence means for Automation & Engineering. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477716/Confluence_2017_US_Chapter_Image.jpg ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130213/594614 ) Addressing senior leaders from the industry and speaking at the conference, Pari Natarajan, CEO & Co-Founder, Zinnov, said, "AI is not just playing a big role in gaming, but is becoming one of the fastest technology deployment to happen across industry verticals. Companies such as Facebook, Google, who are really advertising platforms are using AI to better match the advertisements to the user preference. Tech Mafias like Microsoft and Google, are using AI in creating self-healing networks and even in reducing the cost of cooling at their data centers. Healthcare companies such as Medtronic are using AI to predict the patient health indicators. Semiconductor companies such as Nvidia are building the AI algorithms into the silicon. We believe that the potential for disruption in AI, will be higher for verticals where there is a high level of data availability and higher reliance on software." The event was supported by leading names from the industry and line of partners saw Altran as the Platinum Partner; Technology Partner - Aricent; Gold Partners - Accenture ,Tech Mahindra and Wipro; Digital Partner - Persistent; Talent Partner - Intel Security; Silver Partners - Digite, Innominds; Associate Partner - Infogain. Zinnov has been hosting 'Confluence' (annual thought leadership series) across India, USA, Germany, and Japan; specifically focused on large global R&D, Product development/ technology/ IT companies, Digital Native companies, for over 8 years now. Confluence has become a compelling thought leadership and networking platform for CXO level, senior engineering, technology and business leaders from across the globe. The summit brings together senior leaders onto this platform, to share and exchange best practices and thought leadership around the areas such as Globalization, Innovation, leadership trends and market expansion in emerging geographies. The entire eco-system of enterprises, start-ups, academia and service providers present in this Conference, come forward to provide a holistic view on how Engineering and R&D is shaping up and will transform in next few years. With participation from over 400 delegates from 100+ companies, Zinnov's Confluence had a brilliant line of over 20 eminent speakers, in over 15 sessions. Leaders like Evren Eryurek, Member of CTO Office, Google; Frank Kern, CEO, Zinnov; Amit Walia, EVP and Chief Product Officer, Informatica; Pankaj Chawla, CTO, Accenture; Daniel Chaffraix, EVP Transformation, Altran; Dan Phillips, EVP & COO, TiVo; Ersin Uzun, VP & Director of System Sciences Lab, PARC (Palo Alto Research Center); Evren Eryurek, Technical Director Within the CTO Office, Google and Pradeep Kathail, Chief Software Architect, Cisco were some of the esteemed speakers. "We strongly believe that companies should use a structured approach to understand 1000s of start-ups that could impact their business. Zinnov's swarm disruption framework provides a valuable set of data driven insights to help technology leaders make decisions on both defending their existing business and accelerating the growth," added Pari Natarajan. The conference also featured four AI start-ups, Kyndi, Narrative Science, Data Bricks and TranscribeMe. AI start-ups are starting to play a prominent role across industry sectors. Large amounts of structured and unstructured data and increased focus on prevention is resulting in a large focus towards healthcare related applications. Benevolent AI is disrupting the drug discovery process. The need for AI and Machine learning techniques for Autonomous cars is increasing the relevance of AI start-ups in automotive as well. The Future of AI is already here. It is imperative that organizations be prepared for the next wave of disruptive innovation. The company looks to be the trusted advisors in helping large companies gain deeper insights on the global AI ecosystems. For more details on Zinnov's Confluence U.S 2017, please visit the website: http://confluence.zinnov.com/bayarea/ About Zinnov Management Consulting: Founded in 2002, Zinnov is headquartered out of Bangalore and Silicon Valley. In over a decade, Zinnov has built in-depth expertise in engineering and digital practice areas. We assist our clients in globalizing their operations and maximizing their footprint by: -Effectively leveraging global resources for product engineering, IT, and Digital Transformation for higher throughput, and greater innovation, productivity and cost savings -Enabling companies to focus on new product development and core business processes by finding best of breed partners -Growing revenue for their products and services in India and other emerging markets. With our team of experienced professionals, we serve clients across industry sectors like Software, Automotive, Telecom & Networking, Semiconductor, Consumer Electronics, Storage, Healthcare, Banking, Financial Services & Retail verticals in US, Europe, Japan & India. For more information, contact: Kinjal Chhetri Panwar [email protected] PR Manager Zinnov Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd. +91-8197140140 SOURCE Zinnov Management Consulting If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Chennai, March 13 : After India's frontiers got realigned during partition in 1947, the cuisine of the countries beyond our borders got confined within their own boundaries. To overcome that, the Hilton Chennai's Ayna restaurant is hosting an "India-Beyond Borders" food festival with vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "The spices used for making the masala in these countries are similar to ours. But the different ratios with which ingredients are used to make the masalas gives each dish its distinctive taste and flavour," Achal Aggarwal, Executive Chef at Hilton Chennai, told IANS. "The ratio of spice ingredients used in Pakistan to make their masala is completely different from what we use in India. Pakistanis use more of aromatic spices, including rose petals for a nice aroma," Aggarwal said while offering the starters. For the vegetarians the char grilled soft Pakistani kandhari paneer tikka coated with reddish pomegranate juice and mild spicy masala tasted great, while the begun bhaja (mustard laced grilled eggplant) gave out the mustard flavour at the first bite. The beehaji ka tikka (pan fried lotus stem patties from Sindh province in Pakistan) was crunchy. Non-vegetarians can go for chapali kebab -- lamb patties from Pakistan's northern frontier. "Instead of chicken one can keep one or two chapali kebabs inside a cut bun and have it like a burger," Aggarwal said. Seafood lovers can certainly dive into the Bangladeshi speciality macher dhakai paturi (fish coated with spices and mustard oil, wrapped in banana leaf and cooked). The aroma of the mustard oil masala and fish is not to be missed. One can also blindly go for Nepali poleko machala (roasted soft grouper char-grilled with newari spices). Chicken lovers can opt for chiken sekuwa (skewered chicken thigh rubbed with spice mix and grilled on charcoal). According to Aggarwal, the masalas are different for each dish and are not inter-changeable. Both the soups, vegetarian (subz shorba) and non-vegetarian (murgh jahangri shorba), were light on the stomach. At the next table, a tween was seen mixing a tamarind/garlic dip with the vegetarian soup and smacking her lips. It was time for the main course. And Chef de Cuisine Paul Joe brought taster's portions of vegetarian dishes -- kaju sudata uyala (raw cashews tempered with onion, garlic spices and served in rich coconut gravy, a Sri Lankan speciality); polos (baby jackfruit made with native Sri Lankan curry powder); aloo tama (potato with bamboo shoot from the Kathmandu Valley) and palak nadir (stir fried lotus stem with baby spinach a speciality from Pakistan's mountainous region). Non-vegetarians can choose from ambalatiya -- the costliest item in the menu (a spicy preparation of tuna and Sri Lankan kokum); hash bhuna (duck curry popular with dock workers of Chittagong); gulnar jhinga (a spicy prawn curry); haku choila (Nepali ground chicken dish with hot spices); namkeen chaap gosht (a rustic meat dish from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); khasiko masu (a Nepalese mutton curry); Karachi khichra (a famous Ramadan speciality from the by lanes of Karachi); kunna murgh (a dish from Chiniot, near Lahore, that takes its name from a small earthenware pot in which it is made) and rongpur doi maach (chunks of surmai cooked in delicate yoghurt-based curry from Bangladesh). All the main course dishes went well with the breads, one of which was made with ragi. One can also try out the lamprais (a meal in itself from Sri Lanka of yellow rice, vegetable cutlet, dried brinjal, and raw bananas and sini sambal packed in banana leaf) along with any one of the main course items. Those with a sweet tooth should go for luqmat al qadi (a Persian dessert of deep-fried flour dumpling soaked in honey) and patishapta (sweet pancakes filled with dates, coconut and jaggery). FAQs: What: India-Beyond Borders Food Fest Where: Hilton Chennai at J.N.Salai, Guindy When: March 10-19 Timings: Lunch 12 noon to 3 p.m.; Dinner 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Price: Meal for two would cost around Rs 2,000 without taxes (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Ankara/Amsterdam, March 12 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the Netherlands it will "pay the price" for harming ties after two of his ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam city, as a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish immigrants escalated. "We will teach them international diplomacy," Erdogan said in Istanbul on Sunday. The two ministers were prevented from addressing Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam on Saturday, with one of them escorted to the German border, Hurriyet Daily News reported. "If you sacrifice your relationship with Turkey for the elections on Wednesday, you will pay the price," Erdogan said. "We have yet not done what is required," he said. The Dutch government said such events would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands' general election on March 15. Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and fascists in response to the landing ban. The Dutch government on Saturday first barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam and later stopped Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in the port city, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. "I am being taken to Germany from the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values disregarded. I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens," Kaya said in a tweet. "This treatment against a woman minister can never be accepted", she wrote. Both the ministers were due to meet and seek the votes of Turks living in the Netherlands ahead of April 16 referendum which will see a constitutional amendment. Protests were held on Sunday outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, where the Netherlands' flag was replaced with a Turkish one, which was later removed, BBC reported. Water cannon and riot police on horseback were deployed to disperse about 1,000 people protesting outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam overnight. The Dutch riot police used water cannons and horses to disperse protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. At least 12 people were detained. In a statement issued on Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour". Protests also erupted in Istanbul and Ankara in front of the Dutch diplomatic missions which had been sealed off after the Dutch move. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday that attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the countries' differences had proved "impossible". He dismissed Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible". Rutte called the Turkish government's stance "bizarre" and "unacceptable". He said Turkey had crossed a diplomatic line. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that it has conveyed to the Netherlands its will for the Dutch envoy to Ankara to not return to his post for a while. The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Erdogan. The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that the stand-off between the two countries is "very regrettable" and should be sorted out "as fast as possible", reported Anadolu Agency. Panaji, March 13 : Actress Kriti Sanon, who is prepping for her role for "Bareilly Ki Barfi", says she thoroughly enjoyed reading the script for the upcoming film. "It's sort of a quirky film and Nitesh Tiwari has written the script while his wife Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari is directing it. She is an amazing director and Nitesh writes really well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the script," Kriti told IANS here. The actress, who was here to walk the ramp for designer duo Sukriti and Aakriti at the recently concluded India Beach Fashion Week 2017, says the narration for the script was even better. "The narration was another level because he reads it out even better. It's a fun film, got a quirky subject and will make you laugh for sure," she added. "Bareilly Ki Barfi" is directed by "Nil Battey Sannata" fame director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari. "Bareilly Ki Barfi", which is slated to release on July 21, is a romantic comedy rooted in the subculture of the north Indian city Bareilly. Apart from Kriti, the film also stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao. The film will feature Ayushmann as the owner of a printing press. Rajkummar will be seen as an author and Kriti as a straight-forward and liberated girl. Jammu, March 13 : Authorities on Monday suspended the scheduled run of the Poonch-Rawalakot bus service due to cross-border shelling by the Pakistan Army. For the second consecutive day, the Pakistan Army indulged in unprovoked firing and indiscriminate shelling in Chakan Da Bagh area of the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district. Defence sources said the Pakistan Army has been targeting four villages besides the Indian Army positions along the LoC on Monday. "Some 82 mm mortar shells have landed inside the complex of the Trade Facilitation Centre at Chakan Da Bagh and for the safety of the staff, they have been shifted from there," official sources said in Jammu. The Poonch-Rawalakot bus service was started in 2006 as a Confidence-Building Measure between India and Pakistan. The district authorities also ordered closure of schools in villages where mortar shells from Pakistan have landed. The Indian Army has been effectively retaliating Pakistan shelling and firing. Exchanges between the two sides continued intermittently for the second day on Monday, defence sources said. Hyderabad, March 13 : In an attempt to strengthen its vote bank in the run-up to the 2019 elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government on Monday announced several schemes to lend a helping hand to artisans and the communities engaged in different traditional occupations. The annual budget for 2017-18, presented in the state assembly by Finance Minister E. Rajender, contained several proposals to this effect. The Finance Minister said these schemes will help revive the rural economy in the youngest state and thus contribute to overall growth. Under a major scheme for the development of sheep rearing, the government has decided to procure and distribute 84 lakh sheep over the next two years to four lakh Yadava families, traditionally dependent on sheep rearing. It is proposed to distribute 20 female and one male sheep to each eligible family enrolled under a Sheep Development Cooperative Society at 75 per cent subsidy. As Gangaputra, Bestha, Goondla, Bantu, Mudiraj/Tenugu and Boya communities are dependent on fisheries, the government has decided to give thrust to the sector which, it claimed, has good potential thanks to restorations of tanks. The government will supply fish seedlings and fish rearing centres will be developed across the state. The government will bear the expenses of fish rearing and other associated expenses. It will build retail markets for fish on a large scale. Finance Minister Etela Rajender announced special assistance to Nayi Brahmins for establishing modern, cleaner and hygienic hair cutting saloons and to washermen for washing machines, driers and ironing-boxes. Dhobi Ghats are proposed to be constructed at tanks. He proposed Rs 500 crore for this scheme. The government will also extend financial assistance and provide modern tools to artisans belonging to different communities like Vishwakarma, Avusula, Kammari, Kanchari, and Vadrangi. Help will also be provided to Gouds dependent on toddy-tapping and to those dependent on other traditional occupations. In a move to help handloom weavers, the government will buy handloom textiles, provide subsidy on yarn and dyes and development. It will also take necessary steps to modernise the power looms and to improve their productivity. A textile park at Warangal and an apparel park at Sircilla have also been proposed. The Finance Minister proposed Rs 1,200 crore towards assistance for weavers. The budget proposed Rs 1,000 crore for Most Backward Classes (MBCs) Corporation. In another major move, the government has proposed to provide Rs 12,000 each to women undergoing institutional delivery in a government hospital. An additional Rs 1,000 each will be given to women giving birth to baby girls. 'KCR kit', named after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, will be provided for the newborn. The kit consists of 16 essential items needed for the baby for three months. The amount proposed under this scheme is Rs 605 crore. Spending over Rs 30,000 crore annually on welfare of various sections of society, Telangana already claims to be the number one state in the country in welfare programmes. London, March 13 : Scotland's First Minister on Monday announced she would consult the Westminster government for permission to hold a second independence referendum within the next two years. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish National Party, made the announcement at a press conference in the First Minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh, EFE news reported. "I will take the steps necessary to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process: the choice of whether to follow the United Kingdom to a hard Brexit, or become an independent country," she told the press. Scotland voted overwhelmingly in favour of retaining membership of the European Union in the June 2016 referendum, but was set to withdraw along with the rest of the UK as voters in England and Wales tipped the overall balance by voting to leave. She went on: "I will seek the approval of the Scottish Parliament to open discussions with the UK government on the details of a Section 30 order -- the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum." The SNP leader said the independence ballot would take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 and would involve a simple 'yes' or 'no' option. Some 55 per cent of Scottish voters chose 'no' in a binding 2014 referendum asking whether the nation should be independent, but a clause behind that vote stipulated that Edinburgh could call a second vote if Scotland's circumstances -- such as its EU status -- changed. In London, the final details of a Brexit bill were being hammered out in a parliamentary debate with the UK Prime Minister Theresa May widely expected to trigger the official mechanism, Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, as early as Tuesday, EFE news added. Responding to the announcement from Edinburgh, May's spokesman said: "Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time." He said there was no desire for another independence referendum in Scotland. The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, reiterated that opinion. He said Labour would oppose referendum but would not stand in the way of a democratic vote should it come to pass. Sturgeon accused May of failing to compromise during her discussions with SNP officials ahead of the Brexit process. Some 52 per cent of the UK electorate voted to leave European Union in the June 2016 vote, but only 38 per cent of voting Scots shared that perspective. Berlin, March 14 : The meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump in Washington was postponed due to a coming snowstorm, media reports said. According to German local media channel N-TV on Monday, White House also confirmed the delay, saying the scheduled Tuesday meeting will be on March 17 instead. Topics on migrant crisis, NATO, as well as US-EU ties are expected to be covered at the summit, Xinhua news agency reported. Trump, during his election campaign, had publicly criticized Merkel and Germany's refugee policy as a "catastrophic failure" and called it "chaos." The critics somehow indicated a bumpy start for the ties between Berlin and Washington. Merkel hosted the visit for US Vice President Mike Pence at Munich Security Conference last month. In the southeast German city, Merkel said world conflicts require "joint efforts", which was seen as a gentle reminder to Trump's unilateralism and anti-globalization policies. Trump also plans to visit Germany on July 7 and 8, attending the two-day G-20 summit in Hamburg. Keypath ... is the right partner for us to ensure we are using the latest technology to translate our high-quality on-campus courses into equally high-quality online student experiences. - Kathy Ogren, Ph.D., provost of University of Redlands University of Redlands, a private, nonprofit university in Southern California, has announced a partnership with Keypath Education to launch online Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Education programs. Our foray into online education solidifies our dedication to offering flexible programs to meet the needs of todays students, said Kathy Ogren, Ph.D., provost of University of Redlands. Keypath shares in this commitment and is the right partner for us to ensure we are using the latest technology to translate our high-quality on-campus courses into equally high-quality online student experiences. Founded in 1907, University of Redlands has maintained a reputation as a regional leader in liberal and professional education and is ranked No. 12 in U.S. News & World Reports 2016 ranking of Regional Universities in the West. As the universitys online program management (OPM) partner, Keypath will work as an extension of the universitys team to find, enroll and retain the best-fit students for each program. University of Redlands current MBA and education programs are already well-established. Expanding them online will open the curriculum to a broader student base and cater to the working adults schedule. With its reputable brand and academic programs, along with its never-wavering commitment to the liberal arts and professional studies, University of Redlands is making an exciting decision to offer these programs in an online format, said Steve Fireng, CEO of Keypath Education. We are proud to partner with the university to launch these programs and serve its prospective and current students, faculty and graduates. Keypath partners with postsecondary institutions worldwide to launch and grow degree programs through OPM, a strategic relationship between universities and external partners that entails market research, capital investment, marketing, student recruitment and retention. For more information, please contact Chris Williams, director of marketing, at chris(dot)williams(at)keypathedu(dot)com or 913.254.6771. About University of Redlands University of Redlands is a private, nonprofit university that connects students to a world of opportunity, geared toward their passions and potential. Centrally located near beaches, mountains and desert in the heart of Southern California, the University offers more than 50 undergraduate programs, as well as 20 graduate programs in business, education, geographic information systems, communicative disorders and musicblending liberal arts and professional programs, applied and theoretical study, traditional majors and self-designed curricula. In addition to the award-winning 160-acre campus in Redlands featuring orange groves, architectural landmarks and more than 1,700 trees, the Universitys six regional campuses provide innovative programs at convenient places and times for working adults. Surveys show that generations of alumni have found that the University, established in 1907, prepared them well for career success and lifelong learning. For more information, visit http://www.redlands.edu. About Keypath Education Keypath Education partners with higher education institutions worldwide to launch programs, grow enrollment, improve learning and connect education to careers, using a proprietary technology suite. The company has helped more than 4,000 higher education institutions better serve students and graduates, resulting in a strong reputation for its education mission and quality in the United States, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Since its beginning more than 25 years ago, Keypath Education has been dedicated to changing lives through education. Visit keypathedu.com to learn more. The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities, a partnership between Florida International University, University of Central Florida, and University of South Florida was awarded a $1.5 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to support the Florida Metropolitan STEM Continuum: From College to Career program. The Florida Consortium will implement Network Improvement Communities (NICs), an action-oriented, collective impact approach to support students from college through careers. Throughout the next 18 months, faculty from FIU, UCF, USF, educators from regional community colleges, and business leaders will work together to minimize barriers to persisting in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields of study. Together, they will work to align expectations and support students in the transitions from community college or four-year institutions and on to higher wage careers in the Sunshine State. Through analysis of labor market trends, in coordination with review of college course offerings and career certifications, NICs will work to improve career pathways for STEM students in Florida. The grant will help us to foster sustained partnership across institutions and industry that will help our state for years to come, said Michael Preston, Executive Director of the Florida Consortium. Infusing the pipeline with a higher number of career-ready STEM graduates is critical in Florida and across the nation. According to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, overall job growth through 2021 will be about 12 percent. Meanwhile data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity show that STEM job growth is projected to double. Nationally, the Department of Commerce reports that STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of whether they work in STEM or non-STEM occupations. This is a win for students and the communities they live in. In 2016, with support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Florida Consortium formed small STEM faculty learning communities (FLCs) at FIU, UCF, and USF. The FLCs were comprised of education leaders, faculty, and university administrators who together examined several factors for why undergraduates leave the sciences and discovered that STEM attrition was strongly correlated to student dissatisfaction with teaching and learning. With the new Helmsley grant, the Florida Consortium will build on this initial work with a wider network of contributors to scale discoveries and implement solutions at a faster pace. About Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities: The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities is the first of its kind collaboration in higher education. The Florida Consortium is comprised of Florida International, University of Central Florida, and University of South Florida, the states largest research universities that account for 167,000 students or 48 percent of the State University System of Florida enrollment. The Florida Consortium is focused on producing more career-ready graduates with lower debt and adaptable skills that employers value. For more information visit, http://www.floridaconsortium.com or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook. DECOLAV's Classically Redefined 1457-CWH We will continue to manufacture the perfect product for our consumers, encompassing innovation, style and affordability, while never sacrificing quality. Consumers Digest awarded DECOLAV Best Buy in Sinks for their Classically Redefined 1457-CWH bathroom sink in the Midrange selection category in their April 2017 Issue. According to Consumers Digest's April 2017 Issue, The Classically Redefined 1457-CWH has the best combination of bowl size, depth and warranty among sinks that are in this price range. We believe that this models unique matching drain cover gives it a more distinctive look than what other midrange sinks have. The other categories include Premium and Economy selection, both awarded to Kohler. We are very proud of this award and recognition. This will allow the consumer continue to trust our quality product as much as they always trusted our bathroom sinks and furniture, said Robert Mayer, President of DECOLAV. We will continue to manufacture the perfect product for our consumers, encompassing innovation, style and affordability, while never sacrificing quality. We would also like to congratulate Kohler for also being named a Best Buy in Sinks. The 1457-CWH from DECOLAVs Classically Redefined Collection features dimensions of 23-3/8 in x 15-1/2 in, a bowl depth of 5-1/4 inches and is available in white. DECOLAVs 1457-CWH bathroom sink has the perfect basin depth accompanied by matching drain cover to create a redefined look. DECOLAVs product line consists of bathroom sinks, bathroom vanities, and drains available online and in store. Visit decolav.com to find a retailer. About DECOLAV DECOLAV is a leading manufacturer of high-end bathroom furniture including bathroom vanities, bathroom sinks, glass sinks, vitreous china sinks, vessel sinks, solid surface sinks, medicine cabinets, linen towers, and mirrors. Combining style and innovation, without the price tag. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, DECOLAV specializes in providing unique and inviting solutions to suit anyones style. DECOLAV currently serves the residential, hospitality and commercial markets. Following in the footsteps of his uncle who served during World War II, author W.E. Welbourne shares the historical travelogue and human interest story Pilgrimage to Crete. The book provides a dissertation on the folly of war, as collected from eyewitness accounts and other historical examples. Areas of focus include Arthur Dawsons capture on Crete and his eventual escape, when he was subsequently sheltered by a Greek family. My uncles wartime exploits are poignant moments to me and others who like a good human interest story, said Welbourne. The world needs compassion, goodwill, and peacemakers, as exemplified by the Antoniadou Greek family, in overcoming greed and lust for power. In Pilgrimage to Crete, Welbourne travels to the historic battlefields and civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Central Europe to trace his uncles journey as a solider in one of the most significant and destructive conflicts in world history. Pilgrimage to Crete By W.E. Welbourne ISBN: 978-1-51449-604-6 (softcover); 978-1-51449-606-0 (hardcover); 978-1-51449-605-3 (eBook) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Xlibris About the author W.E. Welbourne is the author of Cruising the Latin Tapestry, a travelogue and adventure story of his travels around the continent of South America. Welbournes latest book, Pilgrimage to Crete, traces the footsteps of his uncle who was captured by the Germans in the Battle of Crete during World War II. For more information, please visit http://www.pilgrimagetocrete.com. ### Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Bryan Beach 480-998-2600 x 510 bbeach(at)lavidge(dot)com General Inquiries: LAVIDGE Phoenix Chris Pena 480-998-2600 x 519 cpena(at)lavidge(dot)com Everyone who applies will get valuable new tools to perform at a higher level. The Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University has announced a call to U.S.-based nonprofits to apply for the 2017 Drucker Prize, which comes with a cash award of $100,000. The prize application is now available on the Drucker Institute website, http://www.Drucker.Institute/nonprofits/. The submission deadline is Friday, May 12, at 5pm Pacific Time. Now in its 26th year, The Drucker Prize (formerly known as the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation) continues to recognize the organization that best exemplifies Peter Druckers definition of innovation: change that creates a new dimension of performance. Hailed by Businessweek magazine as the man who invented management, Peter Drucker called the nonprofit Americas most distinctive institution. The Drucker Prize is built on a resource-rich learning platform that blends the timeless wisdom of Peter Drucker with the thinking of some of todays brightest management minds. This years experts include, among others, Good to Great author Jim Collins and representatives from the Bridgespan Group, Omidyar Group and BoardSource. The Drucker Prize has proven itself a powerful way to share Peter Druckers key insights on innovation and effectiveness with the social sector, said Zach First, Executive Director of the Drucker Institute. Though only one organization will win $100,000, everyone who applies will get valuable new tools to perform at a higher level. Judges for The Drucker Prize look for programs that are highly effective, that have made a difference in the lives of the people they serve and that demonstrate a capacity to further leverage the discipline of innovation. The winner of the 2016 Drucker Prize winner was ImproveCareNow Network, recognized for its innovative approach to transforming health and care by creating a high-performance, beneficiary-centered program that enables patients, families, clinicians and researchers to collaboratively improve knowledge and outcomes related to Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis in children. Last year the Drucker Institute received 495 applications for The Drucker Prize. A survey of those who completed the 2016 application found that 92% said the process would prompt them to explore additional opportunities for innovation in their work. And, most significantly, 97% of the 50 semifinalists said the learning-centric second round would help their organizations innovate more effectively. If you have questions about the application or prize process, please contact: druckerprize(at)drucker(dot)institute. About the Drucker Institute The Drucker Institute is a social enterprise based at Claremont Graduate University. Our mission is strengthening organizations to strengthen society. Our programmingfor the corporate, nonprofit and public sectorsis built on a foundation of YESTERDAY/TODAY/MONDAY*. "Yesterday" refers to the fact that our work is grounded in Peter Drucker's timeless wisdom. "Today" speaks to the urgency that we know organizational leaders feel to successfully meet their greatest challenges and opportunities. And "Monday" points to our proven ability to help executives move quickly from ideas to action to results, just as Drucker urged his own consulting clients: "Don't tell me you had a wonderful meeting with me. Tell me what you're going to do on Monday that's different." For more, visit http://www.drucker.institute. About Claremont Graduate University Founded in 1925, Claremont Graduate University is the graduate university of the Claremont Colleges. Our five academic schools conduct leading-edge research and award masters and doctoral degrees in 24 disciplines. Because the worlds problems are not simple nor easily defined, diverse faculty and students research and study across the traditional discipline boundaries to create new and practical solutions for the major problems plaguing our world. A Southern California based graduate school devoted entirely to graduate research and study, CGU boasts a low student-to-faculty ratio. Frances Hesselbein, President & CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute To Serve Is To Live In recognition of her long and distinguished career, Frances Hesselbein, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, former CEO of the Girl Scouts of America, and currently President and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute, will be honored with the This Woman Means Business! Award at the 13th Annual M2W - The Marketing to Women Conference. M2W is an executive learning event that helps brand marketing execs learn how to build more business with women who account for $7 trillion annual spending in the US, and over $20 trillion globally. M2W will be held May 2 & 3, 2017, New York. The award, annually presented during M2W, is given to a woman who is a proven leader, an innovator and visionaryand has a track record of building successful enterprises while energizing and inspiring the people she touches in all she does, according to Nan McCann, M2W producer. M2Ws audience is comprised of powerful and influential marketing execs who control hundreds of millions of brand advertising and communications dollars. And Frances embodies the qualities I think they all hope for and value in corporate, non-profit and civic leaders. Im sure her acceptance will be one of this years highlights Hesselbein was nominated for the award by Jenny Darroch, Dean of the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Darroch said, In 1998, Frances was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest honor, as a pioneer for women, volunteerism, diversity and opportunity. Between 1976-1990, Frances served as the CEO of the Girl Scouts of America and is credited with leading a turnaround for the Girl Scouts. Twenty-six years after her retirement from the Girl Scouts, she still runs the Institute that bears her name, through which she continues to impact the practice of management around the world. Frances is a true inspiration to us all. Not only is she still active as a consultant and speaker but her wisdom, humor and integrity shine through in her commitment to lead with purpose, values and ethics. Frances is one of the most highly respected experts in the field of contemporary leadership development, McCann added. She is a national treasure. When Frances was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her leadership as CEO of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. from 19761990, she was lauded by President Clinton as a pioneer for women, volunteerism, diversity and opportunity. Her contributions were also recognized by the first President Bush, who appointed her to two Presidential Commissions on National and Community Service. From 20092011, Frances served as the Class of 1951 Chair for the Study of Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point, in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership. She was the first woman, and the first non-graduate to serve in this chair. And she was named a Senior Leader at the Academys 2008 National Conference on Ethics in America. Frances serves on many nonprofit and private sector corporate boards, including Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, the Bright China Social Fund, California Institute of Advanced Management, and Teachers College, Columbia University Presidents Advisory Council. She served as the Chairman of the National Board of Directors for Volunteers of America from 20022006. In December 2013 Volunteers of America honored Frances with the Maud Ballington Booth Legacy Award for a lifetime of pioneering social change. Frances has been awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from ATHENA International, Best Practice Institute, the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, and the International Leadership Association. She has been inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame and is a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. Fortune Magazine named Hesselbein one of the Worlds 50 Greatest Leaders in 2015. Frances is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctoral degrees. She is editor-in-chief of the award-winning quarterly journal Leader to Leader and is the coeditor of twenty-seven books in twenty-nine languages. Frances has traveled to sixty-eight countries representing the United States. She is the author of Hesselbein on Leadership, My Life in Leadership and More Hesselbein on Leadership. Most recently, the Institute published an enhanced edition of Peter Druckers The Five Most Important Questions: Enduring Wisdom for Todays Leaders. M2W is annually attended by Fortune 1000 senior brand marketing executives and their agencies. The audience typically includes companies as diverse as Harley-Davidson, Bayer, Aetna, ESPN, Kraft Foods, Ford, GM, Johnson & Johnson, Kelloggs, Diageo, Walgreens, Wells Fargo, NBA, WebMD, Burton, LOreal, ConAgra and Whirlpool. They attend, McCann said, because they recognize the brand-critical importance of engaging women. Their purchasing power is critical to the success of almost every brand in every major consumer category. Women are todays power consumers. M2W is presented by Google and supported by Associate Sponsors: Cooper Tires and John Zogby Strategies. Showcase Sponsors: World Kitchen, Pinterest, Piper Jaffray, Tribe Dynamics, Purse Power, House Party and VML. M2Ws official bookseller is Paramount Market Publishing, M2Ws video resource is Snippies. For complete conference schedule and information visit: http://www.m2w.biz or call 860.724.2649 x13. M2W is produced by PME Enterprises LLC, 912 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 101, Wethersfield, CT 06109. PME is a sales and marketing agency with a special emphasis on events. With the rise of digital technology, tradeshow marketing and communications have rapidly evolved in recent years. As the power of print and digital media work together, Print Service Group is expanding as PSG Media Group to offer clients services that are on-trend and cutting edge. This change comes in tandem with the launch of a new website to showcase the companys new service offerings (http://psgmediagroup.com/). 2017 will see PSG Media Group unveil new products to complement its classic print offerings, including interactive buyers guides, digital media services, digital show mapping, sponsorship management, advertising sales programs and custom hotel distribution. With these new offerings, PSG Media Group has positioned itself to be an industry innovator that works to advance tradeshow communications and enhance the tradeshow experience overall. PSG Media Group was founded (originally as Print Service Group) to assist trade publishers and national trade associations in producing Show Daily publications for their flagship tradeshows across the United States. The business was built around the principal that tradeshow work is unique; its not only ink on paper - its more like putting on an event due to the specific demands, multiple moving parts and tight deadlines. In addition to producing Official Show Publications, PSG has done everything from targeted collateral distribution to hiring and managing models who hand out the Show Dailies at each event. Twenty-four years later, PSG continues its determination and forward thinking and still works tirelessly to create greater value for clients. ### About PSG Media Group Located in Southern California, PSG Media Group was founded as Print Service Group in 1993. With an extensive background in print production, advertising sales and Show Daily logistics, PSGs founders set out to provide the tradeshow community with high-quality, on-time, comprehensive print and distribution services. Now with 24 years in the Tradeshow, Meeting and Events Industry, PSG Media Group will continue to help clients consistently deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. With a focus on excellence in production standards and customer service, PSG Media Group has earned a solid reputation as a dependable vendor who has never missed a deadline. Deborah Weinswig The Startup Pitch will be one of the most exciting sessions at Shoptalk and one of the most important, as it will give us a glimpse of the tech and services that will revolutionize retail. Fifteen retail and e-commerce entrepreneurs will have the chance to become stars at the Startup Pitch session to be held at Shoptalk 2017 at the Aria hotel in Las Vegas on March 19. The session, the first event of the conference, will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fung Global Retail & Technology Managing Director Deborah Weinswig, an award-winning retail analyst and advisor, will emcee the competition, during which the startups will present their propositions to a distinguished panel of judges from the investment community. The presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer period. The judges will select one winner, and the audience will choose the second. Each winning company will receive $25,000. "The Startup Pitch will be one of the most exciting sessions at Shoptalk and one of the most important, as it will give us a glimpse of the tech and services that will revolutionize retail," Weinswig said. "I'm excited to present these companies, especially to this noted panel of judges." Curated by Shoptalk, the companies that will present are: Adeptmind, Busker, COMMERCE.AI, Dropspot, Everywear, feed.fm, Fract, Hanger, Myagi, Obsess, QueueHop, Returnly, ShopperKit, TigerTrade and Ziel. Judging the presentations will be Sanjit Dang, Investment Director of Intel Capital; J. Skyler Fernandes, Investor and Retail Futurist at One Match Ventures; and Patricia Nakache, General Partner at Trinity Ventures. Weinswig will serve multiple roles at the conference. On Monday, March 20, she will interview Michael Evans, President of Alibaba Group. Shoptalk will be held March 19-22. Launched in the U.S. in 2016, it is widely acknowledged for creating a modern U.S. retail and e-commerce dialogue and building a much-needed new community of U.S. retail and e-commerce innovators. As a result, Shoptalk has become the most important American event for innovation in retail and e-commerce, and is on track to grow to more than 5,000 attendees in just its second year. An advocate for innovation, creativity and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, Weinswig joined Fung Global Retail & Technology in 2014 to offer her unique viewpoints on the disruptive technology trends and innovations that are reshaping the global retail industry. Recent reports issued by Fung Global Retail & Technology include: "Deep Dive: Millennial Lifestyles Drive Growth in Apparel Rental," "Deep Dive: The UK Apparel Handbook - 2017 Outlook" and "From Runway to Checkout: The See-Now-Buy-Now Trend in Fashion." Fung Global Retail & Technology's reports and analyses can be found at http://www.FungGlobalRetailTech.com and http://www.deborahweinswig.com. Subscribe here to Deborah Weinswig's daily news and analysis on retail, fashion and technology. ### About Shoptalk Shoptalk organizes the world's most important events for retail and e-commerce innovation. Held annually in both the U.S. and Europe, Shoptalk events represent unprecedented gatherings of individuals and companies reshaping how consumers discover, shop and buy. Each event provides a platform for large retailers and branded manufacturers, startups, tech companies, investors, media and analysts to learn, collaborate and evolve. The next Shoptalk will be held on March 19-22, 2017, at the Aria in Las Vegas, followed by Shoptalk Europe, which will take place October 9-11, 2017, at the Bella Center in Copenhagen. For more information, visit http://www.shoptalk.com. About Fung Global Retail & Technology Fung Global Retail & Technology is a think tank whose research team, based in New York, London and Hong Kong, follows emerging retail and tech trends, specializing in the ways retail and technology intersect and in building collaborative communities. The team, led by Deborah Weinswig, former top Wall Street and retail tech analyst and startup advisor, publishes ongoing thematic and global market research on topics such as the Internet of Things, digital payments, omnichannel retail, luxury and fashion trends and disruptive technologies. Subscribe here for Deborah Weinswig's analyses of retail, fashion and technology. More information can be found at http://www.FungGlobalRetailTech.com. Stela LLC, providers of outstanding visual content native to mobile devices, today announced a new premium series 442, available exclusively on the Stela Unlimited app. Based on historical events, 442 tells the harrowing story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit of its size and length of service in the history of the United States. Made entirely of Japanese Americans, these brave soldiers fought valiantly for their country even as their families were confined behind barbed wire in government internment camps. Amidst an unyielding current of war and political and personal turmoil, the men of the 442nd rose above, and were tasked with the daring rescue of a Texas battalion lost deep behind enemy lines. Created by an award-winning team of Japanese American writers and artists, 442 is a story of the past entirely familiar in the atmosphere of today. 442 is available exclusively on the Stela mobile app, the first and only app that delivers a library of premium visual content including graphic novels and illustrated books, all created specifically for mobile devices. Like all the content in Stelas library, 442 was created with the best mobile reading experience. Simple scroll and read no flipping, zooming, pinching, or panning required. Readers can enjoy 442 on the Stela Unlimited app, available on the Apple App Store or on Google Play. The app is free to download, with preview content available. Subscriptions are available for $9.99/month, which unlocks Stelas entire content library, including the entirety of the 442 series. Family, History, and Sacrifice 442 was created by writer and producer Koji Steven Sakai, playwright Phinneas Phinny Kiyomura, and writer and artist Robert Sato. The trio wanted to create a story that paid homage to their Japanese American heritage and shine a light on bravery and sacrifice of the Japanese Americans solders during WW2. Having spent almost 13 years at the Japanese American National Museum, including tenure as Vice President of Programs, Im incredibly passionate about telling the Japanese American story, said series creator Koji Sakai. The rescue of the Lost Battalion is especially meaningful because 1,600 Japanese American soldiers sacrificed their lives to save their fellow soldiers - 225 men. And the crazy thing is that many of the soldiers had relatives in the internment camps. The story is especially personal for series artist Robert Sato, whose grandfather S. Sgt. Roy H. Sato was in Company A, 100th Battalion of the 442nd Regiment. Drafted while imprisoned at the Jerome War Relocation Center in Arkansas, Sgt. Sato fought in Europe while his parents and four siblings remained incarcerated, putting his life on the line for a country that stripped his family of both personal property and freedom. This story feels like it's in my bones - I grew up with it shaping a major part of my world view, continues Sakai. How could it not? Over the course of creating 442, I've been disturbed to find how many people have either never heard of Internment, or have a dim, unformed idea of what it was, why it happened, and what it means. My goal is always for my illustrations to be of good and that they help tell a story as well as possible. In this strange period where history and the lessons it can teach seem to be slipping away either through neglect or deliberate attack, I hope that our work on "442" can help to provide further context, discussion, and help keep alive the incredible story of what happened when my grandfather and 120,000 other human beings, in the name of national security, were swept up in the tide of war and racist hysteria. It's a profoundly American epic. For more information visit https://stela.com/. About Stela Inc Stela Inc.s flagship mobile visual content app, Stela Unlimited, is the first and only app to offer graphic novels and illustrated stories created specifically created for the mobile reader. With a library of unique and exclusive content by award winning creators, Stela delivers the ultimate binge reading experience. With content spanning a variety of genres, topics, and lifestyles, Stela offers stories that transcend the traditional graphic novel mold. Read to your hearts content and interact with a community of content creators and visual content enthusiasts with Stela Unlimited. For more information, visit https://stela.com/. ### Media Contact: Lisa Wang, lisa(at)firecrackerpr.com, 1-888-317-4687 ext. 703 NLN Certification Commission The NLN CNEA is succeeding in the important work of accrediting programs certain to elevate outstanding patient-centered, culturally sensitive care, in line with the Leagues mission. NLN President Dr. Anne Bavier Concordia College Alabama in Selma and Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA became the first institutions to gain accreditation for their nursing programs through the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), the NLN CNEA Board of Commissioners has announced. The schools programs were acted upon by the NLN CNEA commissioners at their February 2017 board meeting. After completing the pre-accreditation process in spring 2016, each college submitted a self-study report and then welcomed NLN CNEA on-site program evaluators to campus in fall 2016. Wilsons bachelors and masters of science in nursing degree programs and Concordia Alabamas bachelor of science (RN-BSN) degree program were each granted initial accreditation for a term of six years, through February 2023. In accrediting these three degree programs, the NLN CNEA has taken an important step in the process for national recognition from the US Department of Education. Once that recognition is granted, the NLN CNEA will be federally sanctioned to accredit nursing programs across the spectrum of higher education. By requiring all program evaluators to be schooled in the NLNs four core values caring, diversity, integrity, and excellence we have created an accreditation process guaranteed to shift the paradigm in nursing education. To effectively guide organizational behavior, candidates for accreditation must explain how they will apply these core values to program evaluation, noted NLN CNEA executive director, Judith A. Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF. These nursing programs represent quality and excellence in nursing education, and we are pleased that these are the first programs we have accredited, said NLN CNEA Board of Commissioners chair Cathleen Shultz, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN, ANEF, observing that both institutions have long, interesting histories. Concordia is the only Lutheran college that is part of the nations cohort of historically black colleges and universities, while Wilson, a private liberal arts college that now admits women and men, was one of the first US colleges for women. Remarked NLN president Anne Bavier, PhD, RN, FAAN: On behalf of the NLN, I congratulate the NLN CNEA for its significant progress. They are succeeding in the important work of accrediting programs certain to elevate outstanding patient-centered, culturally sensitive care to advance the health of the nation and the global community, in line with the Leagues mission. Describing the benefit of the NLN CNEA accreditation process to the programs at Wilson, the Division of Nursing and Health Sciences chair Carolyn Hart, PhD, RN, CNE, observed, CNEA accreditation really helps you focus on continually improving and continually making sure that what youre offering to students is current and addresses the needs of employers. It ensures that nurses are prepared to excel in the workplace. Wilsons accreditation covers the colleges four pathways to a nursing degree, offered online and campus-based. Bachelor and masters tracks admit pre-licensure students, as well as previously licensed RNs, LPNs, or LVNs. Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks, chair of the Health Sciences Division and director of the Department of Nursing, came to Concordia two years ago to launch the RN-BSN program. She had high praise for her experience with the NLN CNEA. I found the professional staff, including program evaluators, extremely thorough and helpful in guiding us through what can be a stressful process. The on-site visits to our campus involved a number of focused activities to facilitate verification and amplification of the self-study report we had submitted. I recommend the NLN CNEA without hesitation to other nursing schools and programs. Since its inception in September 2014, in response to the demand by League members for an alternative values-driven accreditation service, the NLN CNEA has also achieved these milestones: Established NLN CNEA Standards of Accreditation along with policies and procedures, based on NLN member feedback and the Leagues core values Appointed and trained more than 100 on-site program evaluators representing nursing education and practice Reviewed programs seeking pre-accreditation status from the NLN CNEA, across the spectrum of higher education in 20 states, including practical/vocational nursing, diploma (RN), associate, bachelor, masters, and clinical doctorate programs For further information about NLN CNEA accreditation or how to apply to serve the NLN CNEA as a site evaluator, please contact Dr. Halstead at jhalstead(at)nln(dot)org, or visit the website. Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its more than 40,000 individual and more than 1,200 institutional members, comprising nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education and health care organizations. Participants can use a simple form on Conversationals contest page to enter, and Carpenter says the process takes less than two minutes. Virtual receptionist provider Conversational, who recently participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters community fundraiser Bowl for Kids Sake, has announced a new contest for business owners that will be run on a monthly basis. The contest, in which Conversational asks current business owners to answer the question, Why Does Your Business Matter? in one sentence for a chance to win a variety of prizes, launched earlier this month and due to the number of responses received, will continue to run monthly. As a virtual receptionist provider, Conversationals audience is made up of a diverse range of entrepreneurs, small business owners, attorneys, medical offices, and even freelancers. The company created the monthly contest, Why Does Your Business Matter? in an effort to better engage the business owner community and to effectively reach more new members in the community. Marketing Director Debra Carpenter had the idea for a new contest after the Conversational team returned from participating in Bowl for Kids Sake on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters PEI. The team enjoyed bowling and playing together for a good cause, and Carpenter decided to incorporate a contest (a form of gamification) into Conversationals content and marketing strategy as a result. Gamification, or the application of game-play elements (competition, point-scoring, rules of play, etc.) in other areas of activity, encompasses contests, website gameplay, and more. Why Does Your Business Matter? offers a few valuable prizes to winning entries: A Visa gift card, inclusion in a press release announcing the winner, and a company spotlight on the Conversational website which includes a link back to the winners website. Winners will be announced at the end of each month once all entries are reviewed and considered. The contest rules are simple: Participants must own a business, be over the age of eighteen as of the time of entry, be a valid resident of the United States, and agree to limit to one entry per month. Participants can use a simple form on Conversationals contest page to enter, and Carpenter says the process takes less than two minutes. Its easy to enter the Why Does Your Business Matter? contest, and the Conversational team is excited to review every entry received. By making the barrier to entry as low as possible - no signup needed, no requirements to be a current client, etc. - the team hopes to encourage more business owners to submit their sentence on why their business matters. Every business has a purpose and it is thrilling to be in a position to view and share business owners responses as to why their business matters - in their own words. The team hopes to continue adding more great prizes as an additional incentive for the contest. Right now, we are just getting an idea of the general interest in this concept and hope to continue to run the contest monthly. - Debra Carpenter, Marketing Director The contest begins each month on the first and ends on the last day of the month. To enter, visit the Conversational contest page. The Builder Partnerships Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction, one of two major awards received by Level Homes of Baton Rouge, La. At Level Homes, customer satisfaction is the foundation of everything we do. Todd Waguespack, Managing Partner for Level Homes With homebuyers needs always at the forefront, Level Homes Louisiana has been honored with two major awards for customer service. Level Homes a leading homebuilder in Baton Rouge and other cities across Louisiana was awarded Highest Distinction in Customer Satisfaction in the Builder Partnerships Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction. The builder also received the 2017 Guildmaster Award from GuildQuality for demonstrating exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry. At Level Homes, customer satisfaction is the foundation of everything we do, said Todd Waguespack, Managing Partner for Level Homes. Its one of the reasons that Builder Magazine recognized Level Homes as the Fastest Growing Next 100 Builder in the United States in 2016. The Builder Partnerships Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction is earned by builders across the nation who achieve a benchmark of satisfaction, giving homebuyers a true measure of the companys quality. In these days of increasing demand for homes, builders must be focused on customer satisfaction and the best builders are, says Monica Wheaton, CEO of Builder Partnerships. The Builder Partnerships Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction recognizes those companies that have high standards, company culture and processes in place to deliver what is most important to homebuyers quality construction and a great buying experience. Level Homes certainly fits that bill. Builder Partnerships assembled an Evaluation Committee comprised of industry experts who conducted an independent customer satisfaction measurement available to all builders. To be considered for recognition, at least 88 percent of homebuyers needed to be willing to refer a builder to family and friends. In a subsequent review of each builders processes by Builder Partnerships, only builders who scored at least 100 points earned Highest Distinction. For demonstrating exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry, Level Homes was also awarded the 2017 Guildmaster Award from GuildQuality. The award recognizes and celebrates homebuilding, remodeling, and contracting professionals who demonstrate the highest level of customer service within the U.S. and Canada. Level Homes was proud to achieve a recommendation rate of more than 90 percent from our homebuyers surveyed by GuildQuality, Waguespack said. Its an honor to be recognized by the independent professionals at GuildQuality for consistently delivering superior customer care. To determine winners, GuildQuality reviewed thousands of customer surveys and considered two primary metrics: the percentage of customers stating they would recommend the business to a friend and the percentage of customers who responded. Awards were granted to companies who achieved a recommendation rate of 90 percent or above. Founded in 2000, Level Homes builds homes in Baton Rouge, La., and other leading markets in Louisiana, as well as in the Raleigh, N.C., area. In 2015, Level Homes was recognized as a Top 200 Builder in the nation and named the fastest growing Next 100 builder in the United States by Builder Magazine. To learn more about the Builder Partnerships Achievement Awards, please visit https://builderpartnerships.com/. For more information on the Guildmaster Awards from GuildQuality, please visit https://www.guildquality.com/. To learn more about Level Homes, its award-winning new homes and communities and the companys unique approach to building Life. Style. Home. please visit http://www.levelhomeslifestyle.com/. LJA Engineering 45th Icon 2017 finds LJA ready for the opportunities ahead while standing firmly on the foundation of our accomplishments, legacy, and momentum. Jeff Collins, PE, Executive Vice President LJA Engineering, a leader in the architecture/engineering/construction industry, marks its 45th anniversary this year. With over four decades of experience in the public and private sector, LJA is a highly ranked, premier provider of professional engineering and design services. It might seem like 1972 was just yesterday, but LJAs come a long way from working around Dutch Lichliters kitchen table. Were very proud of the firms growth. 650 personnel, 21 offices, and an annual revenue in excess of $120 Million is worth celebrating, said Bill Jameson, founding partner of LJA. From the beginning, the firm stood out by recognizing the importance of comprehensive client collaboration and timely, cost-effective delivery. Beyond surveying, planning, design, engineering, and construction services, LJA is highly regarded for imparting invaluable insight and leadership on economic issues, business solutions, and property trends in Texas. The firm has hosted a bi-annual Economic Forecast for the past 12 years to its clients. Reaching capacity crowds, the event showcases top analysts, current data and research, and future-casting on a range of topics that appeal to all sectors of industry from land development, banking, and energy to real estate. Offering comprehensive engineering and consulting, LJA is organized around six sectors - Public Infrastructure, Land Development, Energy, Rail Services, Surveying, and Coastal & Environmental - meeting the technical needs of public and private entities in community and site development, midstream infrastructure, public works, transportation, water resources, hydrology and hydraulics, and construction services. LJAs wide-reaching locations deliver dedicated and responsive teams directly to clients who seek concept-to-completion solutions. A strategic balance of organic growth coupled with carefully aligned acquisitions has positioned us to provide reliable and timely service to our clients and favorable locations for our employees. Over the years, in response to growing client needs and requests, we opened new offices in Texas including Dallas, San Antonio, The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, and Conroe, and in Jacksonville, Florida and Omaha, Nebraska. Each extension of our geographic reach grows the range of our expertise and capabilities. In Texas, key acquisitions have placed us from Corpus Christi to Cedar Park. An internal culture of dedication, commitment, and client-focused results is indicative of our approach to our work at all levels and evident in the way we conduct our business. Industry recognition is a gauge of this. The firm has received awards not only for project excellence, but more importantly for our ability to connect with our employees, our clients, our communities. National, regional, and local awards over the years include Houston Chronicle Top Work Place and Top 100 Company, HBJ and ABJ Top Engineering Firms, HBJ Best Places to Work, Zweig Group Hot Firm and Fast 100, ENR Top Design Firm, and ENR Top Civil/Structural Firm. The main ingredient of our success that has fueled our growth stems from the employees and clients of LJA, said Calvin Ladner, PE, President and CEO of the Houston-based firm. LJA is employee-owned with each staff member empowered to make key decisions while being vested in the success of the firm. Company ownership builds loyalty, motivates people to perform their best, and fosters an environment where employees and clients have mutual respect and interest in the successful outcome of each project. Satisfied, fulfilled personnel care about the jobs they do and the future of our company. We have a remarkable past and a limitless future as always, growing together, with our clients and our company-wide family, said Jeff Collins, PE, Executive Vice President. 2017 finds LJA ready for the opportunities ahead while standing firmly on the foundation of our accomplishments, legacy, and momentum. http://www.ljaengineering.com Stunning views of the Australian outback from private tent accommodation. Dedicated to immersing guests in the outback, Longitude 131 takes full advantage of its desert surroundings, offering travellers a unique sensory experience... Goway Travel is inviting its Downunder guests to enjoy a complimentary 15-minute scenic helicopter flight, plus private dining experience in the Australian outback when they book four or more nights at Longitude 131. Dedicated to immersing guests in the outback, Longitude 131 takes full advantage of its desert surroundings, offering travellers a unique sensory experience with peerless views of Uluru/Ayers Rock. This is also one of Australias richest cultural landscapes, where the native Anunga people have lived for thousands of years. Staying in luxurious, high-ceilinged tents, elevated on red dunes with unobstructed views of Uluru, guests of Longitude 131 can spend their days exploring the region with expert guides, uncovering the complex culture and wildlife of this region. Back at camp, all meals are included, along with an open bar offering premium wines and spirits. Return Ayers Rock airport transfers are also included. Globetrotters who book four nights or more at Longitude 131 with Goway Travel will enjoy a complimentary helicopter flight, plus a private dining experience with dinner on the Dune Top or poolside. The total value of this offer is AU$600 (over US$450) per couple. Bookings must be made by March 31, 2017 to be eligible. 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. By addressing issues with the scalp and creating a healthy environment, it amazingly improves the texture and growth of new hair. On Wednesday, May 3, 2017, Kayla Martell will be guest speaker at the National Women's Hair Loss Seminar sponsored by New Look Institute of San Jose. Losing her hair at age 11 due to Alopecia didn't stop Kayla from pursuing her dream to be a finalist in the Miss America Pageant. She competed bald in local competitions until a judge suggested she do something about her hair loss. Kayla found her solution and jokingly states "you have to have hair to wear the crown!" Having personally experienced the pain of losing her hair and not knowing where to go for help, Kayla now travels the US educating women on their options and connecting them to reputable hair loss studios. The purpose of this seminar is to provide the most up-to-date information on hair loss services, products and treatment. One of the most important trends in the hair loss industry is hair fitness, a trichological approach to detecting problems with the hair follicle and scalp, helping to reverse or slow down hair loss. Also speaking at this event will be Rhonda McCarthy who is nationally known for her work in the hair loss industry. "Sima and I were recently at an international conference in which the focus of discussion was trichology, the science study of the scalp and hair follicles. By addressing issues with the scalp and creating a healthy environment, it amazingly improves the texture and growth of new hair. We'll also discuss other solutions now available to fight thinning and aging hair." Hosting this event is Sima Hilde from New Look Institute. This free seminar will be held Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017, 7:00pm - 9:00pm at the office of New Look Institute at 1190 S. Bascom Avenue #239, San Jose, CA. For RSVP or questions call 408-279-4247 or visit http://www.newlookinstitute.com. Kayla is so down to earth and so willing to share her stories about hair loss and her journey to find answers," says Sima Hilde, owner of New Look Institute. "Kayla and Rhonda visited several years ago, and we had to expand the seminar to more times. I'm hoping those who didn't get to meet them can come back for this event. So many more options now exist. It's going to be a fun evening and very informative." New Look Institute serves the greater San Francisco and San Jose area, providing the most advanced solutions for hair loss. All attendees will receive a no obligation hair and scalp analysis during their confidential consultation. Refreshments will be served. For more information and to RSVP go to http://www.newlookinstitute.com or call 408-279-4247. Feature Story Interviews Will Be Available Upon Request With Kayla Martell and Rhonda McCarthy on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 and Wednesday, May 3, 2017 High Resolution Photographs, Video & Customized Feature Stories Are Also Available Upon Request. It's time to reinforce nurses' valuable contribution to spiritual care and build on it. HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) and its affiliate, the http://www.spiritualcareas sociation.org [Spiritual Care Association __title__ Spiritual Care Association] (SCA) today released the first evidence-based white paper on the integration of spiritual care in nursing practiceSpiritual Care and Nursing: A Nurses Contribution and Practice. The new white paper is designed to help guide the field, empowering nurses to better integrate basic levels of spiritual care into their practice, raise their comfort levels in addressing spiritual issues, and understand when to refer to professional chaplains to provide in-depth support. It is available online at http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/spiritualcare/nursing. According to academic studies cited in the report, many nurses recognize their role in caring for their patients in their entirety . . . [and] in this meeting, in this area with those who are vulnerable and in pain, nurses can and must find space to achieve the spiritual care. Yet, most nurses have had minimal training and education around providing spiritual care to their patients, and often have even less comfort attempting to do so. At the same time, while most patients and families do not anticipate in-depth spiritual support from their nurses, a high percentage of patients have expressed a desire for providers, including nurses, to ask about and potentially address spiritual and religious concerns. The white paper highlights that nursing has long been associated with spirituality and meaning making, said Rev. Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of HCCN and SCA, and one of the contributors to the white paper. Its time to reinforce nurses valuable contribution to spiritual care and build on it, especially given todays increasing recognition that whole-person and patient-engaged care relies, to varying extents, on the entire interdisciplinary team. This can powerfully influence optimal health care. With contributions by SCAs nursing advisory board and chaplaincy leaders, the white paper lays out the roles of nurses as spiritual care generalists and professional chaplains as spiritual care specialists. It notes that providing proactive spiritual care has been proven to have a positive impact on clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost. Among the questions explored are: What can a nurse do to address the spiritual needs of a patient or family member? How is spirituality the same or different from religion? When should a nurse refer a patient or family to a professional chaplain? Is it ever ok to pray with a patient, or to share the nurses own faith and religious resources? Cristy DeGregory, Ph.D., RN, a gerontologist and clinical assistant professor at the College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, who contributed to the white paper, said it is key to understand the role of each member of the interprofessional team in the provision of spiritual care. We often think spiritual care is only necessary at the end of life or reduce it to the screening assessment done upon admission. But it is important to find ways of extending spiritual care and recognizing the potential importance for all patients, she said. This paper is a tool to help nurses more effectively contribute to providing better integrated spiritual care. In addition to this white paper, ongoing efforts by HCCN and SCA to educate nurses, as well as other disciplines, include a growing number of online courses, webinars, conferences and articles on various aspects of spiritual care. In October 2016, HCCN released a transformative white paper, SPIRITUAL CARE: What It Means, Why It Matters in Health Care. About HealthCare Chaplaincy Network HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, based in New York, is a global health care nonprofit organization that offers spiritual-related information and resources, and professional chaplaincy services in hospitals, other health care settings, and online. Its mission is to advance the integration of spiritual care in health care through clinical practice, research and education in order to increase patient satisfaction and help people faced with illness and grief find comfort and meaningwhoever they are, whatever they believe, wherever they are. For more information, visit http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org, call 212-644-1111, and connect with us on twitter and Facebook. About Spiritual Care Association The Spiritual Care Association is the first multidisciplinary, international professional membership organization for spiritual care providers that includes a comprehensive evidence-based model that defines, delivers, trains and tests for the provision of high-quality spiritual care. Membership is open to health care professionals, including chaplains, social workers, nurses and doctors; clergy and religious leaders; and organization. SCA, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, is a nonprofit affiliate of HealthCare Chaplaincy Network. For more information, visit http://www.spiritualcareassociation.org, call 212-644-1111, and connect with us on twitter and Facebook. Neary was honored at the awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 7. BizWest recently announced that VolkBells Healthcare Strategist, Andy Neary, was recognized as one of Boulder Valleys Forty Under 40. The award honors the regions top 40 young professionals under the age of 40 who represent the best and brightest of emerging leaders that are making a difference in their companies, industries, and the communitys future. Neary is locally and nationally recognized as an innovator and disrupter within the healthcare industry. He has changed the discussion around health care for businesses, breaking the model and creating strategies for cost-containment and educational programs for his clients.. Neary has been published in various media outlets, including CFO.com, CoBiz Magazine, InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com, as well as other industry outlets. I have watched Andy develop an incredible entrepreneurial mindset over the past several years, praised Clair Volk, Owner and Partner at VolkBell. He is constantly, learning and spending time with thought leaders around the country to better understand the healthcare industry. He is passionate about helping his clients reduce costs and better educate their employees. Neary has made significant contributions since his arrival at VolkBell in 2014. He has spoken at our local SHRM chapters, as well as at the state-wide COSHRM conference, educating companies on how to change the way they are thinking about and approaching their benefits strategy. Many businesses are seeing the results of his message, as he hit 180% of his 2016 goal by helping more companies change their mindset and apply his methods. VolkBell is one of the largest insurance and human resources consulting firms in Northern Colorado, offering products and services to help businesses navigate the ever-changing waters of employee benefits, wellness, HR, and P&C insurance. As a partner of United Benefits Advisors, VolkBell enjoys being a part of a network of independent employee benefit advisory firms that share best practices, tools and resources on a national level. For more information, contact Tina Ramey at tramey(at)volkbell(dot)com or 303.776.3105 ext. 124. Angioma Alliance, a 501c organization dedicated to raising awareness of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM), announces the introduction of the CCM-CARE Act and the New Mexico Engagement Project, funded by the Julian Grace Foundation and Global Genes. The CCM-CARE Act would allow development of at least three Centers of Excellence specializing in CCM, with one in New Mexico and others around the country, and would also allow the CDC, FDA and NIH to further study CCM to advance research for a treatment and cure. New Mexico is the state with the largest population of families affected by the genetic form of CCM in the world. CCM is a brain blood vessel illness that causes hemorrhage, at any age, sometimes with devastating effects, such as stroke, seizure, neurological deficits, and even death. One hereditary form of the illness is particularly prevalent among the Hispanic population of New Mexico. The defective gene has been passed down through at least 14 generations, and the origin can be traced back to the earliest Spanish settlers in the late 1500s. In the northern half of New Mexico, 1 person in every 50 may be affected, compared to a national average of 1 in 600. Most are undiagnosed, and the number of affected individuals is growing. The staggering incidence in New Mexico and lack of comprehensive care for those affected by CCM in New Mexico and throughout the nation has led Senator Tom Udall and the New Mexico Congressional delegation to introduce federal legislation. Connie Lee, Angioma Alliance CEO says, "We are grateful to Senator Udall for his advocacy on behalf of our New Mexico families and those around the country. His legislation, coupled with our exciting new community engagement effort, will raise awareness and potentially have a dramatic impact on the New Mexico CCM community." Complementary to the legislation, the Angioma Alliance New Mexico Engagement Project, funded by the Julian Grace Foundation and Global Genes, will launch its efforts to help the under-served Hispanic population at risk for CCM. Joyce Gonzales of Santa Fe, who is a Genealogist and carries the genetic mutation herself will use genealogical research to identify the descendants of Cristobal Baca, currently believed to be the founder of the genetic mutation. Nora Chavez, of Albuquerque, will lead community outreach efforts in high-risk communities throughout New Mexico via Facebook, in-person events, community gatherings, and by interfacing with community leaders like clergy, non-profit administrators, and city officials in target cities. To support these efforts, the UNM Domenici Center for Health Science Education in Albuquerque will host a family conference to kick off outreach efforts on Saturday, April 8th, 2017 from 8:00 AM 4:30 PM. Events such as these will result in the increased likelihood of proper diagnosis, medical treatment and clinical trial participation. At its core, connecting with and educating affected families will allow them to make informed decisions about their medical care and let them know they can live a full life even after they are diagnosed. Jenae was an otherwise healthy nine years old girl when she died of an undiagnosed brain hemorrhage in a Santa Fe hospital. Tim, Jenaes father, reported that had she been diagnosed earlier, her hemorrhaging cavernous angioma might have been detected before it became fatal. This tragic story indicates the importance of the outreach project and legislation. About Angioma Alliance Angioma Alliance is a national 501c3 nonprofit patient advocacy and research organization whose mission is to inform, support and empower individuals affected by cavernous angioma and drive research for better treatments and a cure. For more information about cavernous angiomas, visit http://www.angioma.org. Rise Above by Texas-based artist Mark Keathley has been selected as the featured artwork for the 2017 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. If we want to bring words of hope for unity into a world of unrest and turmoil, we must rise above, says featured artist Mark Keathley. Four strikingly robust American Indians ride horseback, positioned grandly in front of the magnificent Teton Mountain range in Rise Above, the painting created by Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival featured artist Mark Keathley for this years event. The dramatic 72-by-60-inch oil painting has been named the featured artwork and will grace the official posters for the 33rd annual festival in Jackson, Wyoming, Sept. 6 17, 2017. Rise Above currently hangs in the lobby of the Wort Hotel in Jackson Hole for public viewing and will remain there until it is auctioned to the highest bidder on Saturday, Sept. 16. If we want to bring words of hope for unity into a world of unrest and turmoil, we must rise above and gain perspective from the One who sees behind the scenes and on all levels of spiritual existence, says this years featured artist Mark Keathley about the featured artwork. Texas-born Keathley has been painting since he was an 11-year-old exploring nature on his familys farm. For Keathley, painting is a passionate pursuit of light, form, line, mass, value, hue and edges that communicate some deeper truth about life or better yet, inspire the viewer to really live. At a young age, Keathley drew interest and recognition with his work, entering and winning awards in the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Old West Museum Show. He also participated in the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Art Show in Waco, Texas, where he won the Popular Vote Award for his pieces two years in a row. With his artwork now hanging in homes around the world, Keathley hopes that viewing his work provides his audience a mini vacation of sorts, a quiet moment to ponder and reflect, or even to dream. When the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival committee was selecting the artist for 2017, one thing about Mark Keathley that stood out to us was the detail in his paintings, says Maureen Murphy, director of special events for the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. His ability to bring life to the canvas struck us, and his style was something we were looking for this year. We look forward to working with Terry Ray at West Lives On and Mark as we approach Fall Arts Festival 2017. Rise Above will grace the official 2017 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival posters that Keathley will be signing on Wednesday, Sept. 13, and the original painting will be available for auction in the town square after the QuickDraw event on Sept. 16. The annual festival posters are a favorite memento of the event, with art lovers collecting multiple years and favorite editions selling out. Select editions of past years posters dating back to 1989 are available for sale on the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce website at https://www.jacksonholechamber.com/events-calendar/fall-arts-festival/fall-arts-festival-posters/. For the 33rd year, the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival offers locals and visitors more than 50 culturally rich and family-friendly events over the course of 12 days. Guests can enjoy gallery openings, art walks, plein air painting and sculpting, art auctions, food and wine tastings, ranch and spectacular home tours and more. Jackson Hole kicks off the fall season in style as art fills the streets and colorful foliage glows from trees in the surrounding mountains. About the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival: Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyo., is served by major airlines including Delta, United, American and SkyWest. Reservation information for Jacksons numerous hotels, as well as a complete schedule of Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival events taking place Sept. 6-17, 2017, may be found at http://www.jacksonholechamber.com. For additional information, contact Maureen Murphy at Jackson Hole Chamber, 307.733.3316. Media Contact: Amy Stark, Word PR + Marketing, amy(at)wordprmarketing(com)com, 307.734.5335 North American Title Co. adds McDonald as SVP, division manager for San Francisco + San Mateo counties Jason's strong leadership and sales expertise aligns perfectly with our market growth objectives in San Francisco and surrounding Peninsula communities. North American Title Co. (NATC) has named Jason McDonald senior vice president, division manager for San Francisco and San Mateo counties. McDonald has more than 20 years experience in the Bay Area title industry, building a resume with increasing responsibilities in sales and management. We are delighted to welcome Jason to North American Title Co., said Dia Demmon, president, NATC Western region. His strong leadership and sales expertise, complemented by his passion for building successful teams and developing long-term customer relationships aligns perfectly with our market growth objectives in San Francisco and surrounding Peninsula communities. Additionally, as a local resident and 20+ year industry professional in this area, Jason is well acquainted with the many niche markets, key drivers and business dynamics unique to the area, added Demmon. McDonald most recently served as division president for Stewart Title, having previously worked as vice president, regional sales manager, covering San Francisco, Contra Costa, Marin, Sonoma and Sacramento counties in both capacities. His previous positions at several major title companies over more than 20 years include sales representative, branch manager, division sales manager and director of client services. My approach has always been to give more than we receive, said McDonald. Giving of ourselves and putting the customer first has always been the key to success in every operation Ive been a part of. Building lasting relationships based on teamwork, collaboration and results has opened many doors for me, as well as those I have partnered with through the years. McDonald earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from San Francisco State University. He is located at the North American Title office at 567 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 94070, and can be reached at telephone number (650) 551-0300. About North American Title With well over 1,000 associates and a vast network of branches from coast to coast, North American Title Group, LLC (NATG) is among the largest real estate settlement service providers in the United States. Consisting of both agent and underwriter operations, NATG reported annual net revenues in fiscal 2015 of $229 million. The company also has the resources and stability of a wholly owned subsidiary of an S&P 500 company with over $14.4 billion in assets (fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 2015). North American Titles agency network operates nationally under the name North American Title Co. (NATC) and similar names in 18 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia, in addition to the District of Columbia. Through our relationship with our expanding affiliate network, NATC provides real estate settlement services in all 50 states. NATG is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.nat.com Justin and Krystal Knott, licensed real estate team in the Breckenridge/Summit County, Colorado, market, have rejoined the prestigious Haute Residence Real Estate Network. The Haute Residence Real Estate Network of Hauteresidence.com, affiliated with luxury lifestyle publication Haute Living, is proud to continue its partnership with Justin and Krystal Knott, recognizing them as prominent real estate professionals. Designed as a partnership-driven luxury real estate portal, Haute Residence connects its affluent readers with top real estate professionals, while offering the latest in real estate news, showcasing the worlds most extraordinary residences on the market and sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced real estate partners. The invitation-only luxury real estate network, which partners with just one agent in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading real estate agents and brokers and highlights the most extravagant properties in leading markets around the globe for affluent buyers, sellers, and real estate enthusiasts. HauteResidence.com has grown to be the number one news source for luxury listings, high-end residential developments, celebrity real estate, and more. Access all of this information and more by visiting: http://www.hauteresidence.com About Justin and Krystal Knott: No matter what type of real estate youre interested in, Justin and Krystal Knott with LIV Sothebys International Realty in Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado, focus on providing exceptional service through hard work, market trends, and data, continuing education and years of experience in the Summit County real estate market. Justin and Krystal Knott have built a career around real estate but have made a lifestyle out of helping people find the right properties to share everything Summit County, Colorado, has to offer. After meeting at Colorado State University and getting married, they have been fortunate enough to have established their business in 2006 in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. With more than 20 years of combined experience and certifications as Resort and Second Home Specialists (RSHS), they continue to be a top producing team in the real estate community. Playing off of each others strengths, they are able to focus unwaveringly on exceptional service tailored to their clients needs. Justins background in the mortgage business, combined with Krystals lifetime of living in Summit County help provide the level of local knowledge needed in making sound real estate decisions. Justin and Krystal are both invested in their community and regularly donate to nonprofits, such as The Summit Foundation, Heart & Hand, the Family Intercultural Resource Center, St. Anthonys Medical Center, and the National Repertory Orchestra. With the LIV Sotheby's International Realty advantage, Justin and Krystal Knott are affiliated with the foremost luxury real estate brand in the world. They look forward to serving all of your real estate needs with honest, personal service and the attention to detail that you deserve to make your mountain real estate dreams a reality. To learn more, visit Justin and Krystal Knotts Haute Residence profile: http://www.hauteresidence.com/member/justin-and-krystal-knott GCommerce is excited to be the first in the hospitality industry to extend our expertise to hoteliers with no commitment in order to earn their loyalty and partnership as a long-term customer. GCommerce, a full-service digital marketing agency focused on the hospitality industry, announces the launch of its refreshed brand and new website along with the companys No Strings Attached (NSA) program. This flagship program allows GCommerce to solve the digital marketing woes of hotels and resorts in a cost-free and efficient matter. NSA offers hoteliers the opportunity to work with GCommerces experienced team to solve hotel digital marketing needs in a single platform exclusive of fees and contracts. The digital marketing space is ever-changing. For hoteliers, navigating these waters can be challenging, said Chris Jackson, President and Partner of GCommerce. Hoteliers face digital challenges every day, leaving them frustrated and confused. GCommerce has always sought to provide guidance and professional expertise to hoteliers who might not be getting such expert guidance and problem solving with their current agency or in-house team. To earn a customers loyalty, you, as the brand, need to show your loyalty to the customer first. In other words, before they become a paying customer, offer them a way to experience your brands goods or services with no risks. GCommerce is excited to be the first in the hospitality industry to extend our expertise to hoteliers with no commitment in order to earn their loyalty and partnership as a long-term customer. From being able to effectively track marketing campaign performance to understanding why a hotels website isnt converting and how to change that, GCommerce is confident that we can help hoteliers solve their digital problems. GCommerces No Strings Attached program launches along with the companys new website, which showcases an updated brand look and feel. GCommerces updated website allows the hospitality marketing agency to better demonstrate its capabilities and success stories to potential clients. Our goal is to bring real solutions to the hotel industry, making travel a better, smarter industry and us better marketers, said Jackson. For more information about GCommerce and their NSA program, please visit the website at http://www.gcommercesolutions.com/no-strings-attached. About GCommerce Built on the belief that one-size-fits-none, GCommerce strives to eliminate the cookie-cutter approach to digital marketing. Catering to a wide variety of clients in the hospitality and tourism industry, GCommerce provides a customized, strategic, and client-focused approach to digital marketing for hotels and resorts. Services provided include, but are not limited to, search engine optimization and marketing, award-winning website design, web development, display advertising, email marketing, social media advertising and digital consultation. Like GCommerce on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gcommercesolutions Follow GCommerce on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gcommerce Follow GCommerce on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gcommerce Dr. Tim Rudolph joins Evolver, Inc. as Vice President and cybersecurity technology lead Dr. Rudolph said, "The extreme innovation of the Evolver team in applying leading edge technologies and services is very impressive. Evolver, a leading provider of technology services to commercial and government clients, today announced the addition of Dr. Tim Rudolph as Vice President and cybersecurity technology lead. He comes as a senior innovation leader bringing nearly 30 years of government and commercial experience with the United States Air Force and private industry. Dr. Rudolph will contribute his extensive cybersecurity knowledge to the greater marketplace in a leadership role at Evolver. Dr. Rudolph received the AFCEA International Distinguished Award for Excellence in Information Technology in 2015. Dr. Rudolph will be responsible for architecting solutions and strategic partnering for Evolvers rapidly growing cyber presence. For example, he will lead critical security concepts for the Internet of Things (IoT), such as medical devices. He will also lead Evolvers new Boston office and provide companywide strategic direction and integration across many of Evolvers leading edge cyber offerings. When asked why he accepted the position from Evolver, he said, "Evolver is the perfect fit. The extreme innovation of the Evolver team in applying leading edge technologies and services is very impressive." He continued, "Out of a wide range of industry players, I saw Evolver as the obvious choice to leverage new and needed global technologies, such as secure IoT. I am excited to lead strategic engagements on cyber infrastructure with a wide range of commercial and government clients." Dr. Rudolph led and plans to continue supporting multiple joint, federal, state, academia, and industry collaborations. In his most recent role as the Air Force Senior Technical Advisor, Integrated Information Capabilities and CTO of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Dr. Rudolph led secure cloud architecture and enterprise interoperability capability developments. He was the Rapid Cyber and Command & Control Authorizing Official providing critical support to the operational community. He is a credentialed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP). Dr. Rudolph has experience in developing multiple standards including the Posix security standard, the IEEE High Level Architecture, and the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) risk management framework. Dr. Rudolph has extensive modeling and simulation solution experience applied to a wide range of global and strategic exercises. I am delighted to welcome Dr. Rudolph, a seasoned and well respected leader, to our team. His wealth of knowledge, passion, and successful track record of building and delivering technology solutions will further position Evolver as a market leader in the cybersecurity arena, said Bill Sabo, CEO of Evolver. --- About Evolver, Inc. Evolver is a technology company serving the government, commercial, and legal industries by addressing client challenges in the present and transitioning clients to the future through the introduction of efficient and effective IT solutions. We specialize in cybersecurity, cloud, infrastructure, application, end-user, and legal services. With a dedicated focus on client satisfaction, Evolver has proven its value time and time again, from managing day-to-day operations to skillfully navigating the implementation and support of new technologies. Media Contact Dori Muldowney Marketing Manager 703.889.9367 SAE is excited about hosting GAMIC in the Learning Lab at this years WCX and being a conduit for these critical conversations. - Marc LeDuc, Lead Content Developer, WCX, SAE International Thirteen automotive and mobility technologists from around the globe will compete for over $300,000 in cash and business acceleration services at the Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC) 2017 Finals during WCX 17: SAE World Congress Experience on April 4. This is the ninth annual collaboration between SAE International and MI Innovation Alliance. The purpose of GAMIC is to identify those stand-out, innovative companies, and cultivate new technologies and solutions for the automotive industry, said David Stout, GAMIC co-founder, former SAE International Board member and SAE Detroit Section Chair. The finalists will present their plans during SAE WCXTM17 at Cobo Center in Detroit on Tuesday, April 4 from 1-5 p.m. in the main floor Learning Lab. The teams will compete in four categories of technological need, with one winner from each category. With the rate of new technology innovation, early discussions between OEMs and major Tier Ones, and the Start Up Community, are necessary for faster product development. SAE is excited about hosting GAMIC in the Learning Lab at this years WCX and being a conduit for these critical conversations, Marc LeDuc, Lead Content Developer, WCX, SAE International The four selected winners will then present to automotive OEMs and suppliers on Thursday, April 6 from 3-4 p.m. in the same location. All four winners will share the $300,000 prize. The four categories are: Cat 1 Vehicle Electrification, V2X, Advanced Mobility Cat 2 Advanced Materials, Sensors, Actuators, Manufacturing Processes Cat 3 Infotainment, Auto Consumer / Value Add, Value Chain / Business Model, Security Cat 4 New High-Value, Disruptive Technology Innovations With Silicon Valleys new auto players disrupting transportation and mobility, companies are pushed to expand beyond purely internal development to find the hottest new technologies to co-develop and commercialize faster, explained Dennis Nash, MI Innovation Alliance co-chair and GAMIC co-founder. This global competition is key to helping automakers, top-tier suppliers and investors find promising breakthroughs for tomorrow here in Detroit. Selected from a group of 19 presenters during the GAMIC Semi-finals*, the semi-finalists hailed from seven states and two foreign countries. Of the 13 selected finalists, four hail from Michigan, three from California, one each from Massachusetts and Iowa, and four from Canada and Japan. Any questions? Email GAMIC(at)MIinnovationAlliance(dot)org, and visit http://www.GAMICevent.org for advance registration and tickets. *Short summaries from the semi-finalists are available for viewing. About MI Innovation Alliance http://www.miinnovationalliance.org Forums of the MI Innovation Alliance are open to anyone interested in fostering the growth of innovation and collaboration in Michigan, the Great Lakes region and globally. Our goal is to help teams and organizations connect to bring innovation, advancements and best practices in science and technology together with expert resources to address challenges in automotive/ mobility, medical devices/digital health and cyber/IIoT. MI Innovation Alliance is a Michigan non-profit working with its collaboration partners to deliver meaningful Michigan Collaborations, with Global Impact. About SAE International https://www.sae.org/ SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting more than 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion and the Collegiate Design Series. ### Its our privilege to showcase the vibrant local hospitality industry which routinely gives back to the community. Foodies rejoice! The 5th Annual Northern Virginia Restaurant Week is approaching. This is the second year, we have partnered with three of Northern Virginias top business organizations -- the Prince William, Loudoun County and Arlington Chambers of Commerce -- to produce Northern Virginia Restaurant Week, March 20-27, 2017. The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA) once again joins them as a partner, making it one of the largest dining out celebrations in the state. The goal of this event is to draw attention to Northern Virginias vibrant hospitality industry, encouraging residents and workers to explore new dining options close to home or work. Mark Ingrao, President and CEO of the Reston Chamber noted Northern Virginia Restaurant Week is a week-long, dining experience taking place at a variety of establishments from fine dining to fast casual. That means that everyone can take part. Speaking on behalf of the Chamber, its our privilege to showcase the vibrant local hospitality industry which routinely gives back to the community. As a resident of Northern Virginia, I am looking forward to exploring new dining options throughout the region. This is fast becoming one of my favorite weeks of the year! In 2016, more than 60 restaurants participated with special menus and pricing at both lunch and dinner. This year we have 60 signed up to date with more being added to the website daily. Participating restaurants can be found at NovaRestaurantWeek.com/menus. Interested local foodies are encouraged to visit NOVARestaurantWeek.com and/or to follow Northern Virginia Restaurant Week on Facebook. The Northern Virginia Restaurant Week partnership continues with OpenTable.com providing consumers a chance to make stress-free reservations. Restaurants who are already on Open Table will be featured on a special NOVA Restaurant Week page, making it simple for consumers to find convenient options throughout the seven-day event. During the week of March 20-27, consumers are encouraged to use #NOVARestaurantWeek when dining at participating restaurants. Registrations will be accepted until the beginning of Restaurant Week. Signature Sponsors are Upper Crust Pizzeria-DC Metro, One Loudoun, Reston Town Center and Potomac Mills. Platinum Sponsors include Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau; Bistro 360; Carrabbas, Historic Manassas, Inc.; Rosslyn Business Improvement District; Discover Prince William & Manassas and Sushi-Zen. For more information about Northern Virginia Restaurant Week, sponsorship opportunities, or the collaboration between the Prince William, Greater Reston, Loudoun County and Arlington Chambers, please contact Tonia Chagnon, Marketing & Communications Consultant for the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, 703.707.9045 or ToniaC(at)restonchamber.org. ### Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst for business growth and entrepreneurship by providing quality programs, education, connections and advocacy for our members and organization in the Dulles Corridor. Learn more at http://www.RestonChamber.org. Prince William Chamber of Commerce The Prince William Chamber of Commerce, creates an environment where business and people thrive. Our efforts are focused in the key areas of business growth, economic development, advocacy, education and quality of life. Together with our diverse membership we build a solid foundation for the success of our members and community. Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is Northern Virginias premier business networking and advocacy organization and is dedicated to creating and promoting a world class quality of life here in the Loudoun community that we serve. Arlington County Chamber of Commerce The mission of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is to strengthen businesses and the economic environment for those who work, live and do business in Arlington. Intrinsic Imaging LLC, an FDA audited, ISO certified imaging core lab specializing in providing imaging core lab services for clinical trials, announces today the appointment of Mr. James Warpula as Vice President of Quality Assurance and Compliance. In his role at Intrinsic Imaging, Mr. Warpula will oversee all aspects of quality of imaging core lab services on Phase I, II and III Clinical trials as well as Class I, II and III Medical Device trials. Mr. Warpulas oversight includes the administration of Intrinsic Imagings ISO certified quality management system - the most comprehensive and sophisticated QMS in the imaging core lab industry. Mr. Warpula has over 25 years of experience within international pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device organizations, and he is a certified quality auditor of the American Society of Quality (ASQ) and a certified ISO lead auditor. Throughout his career, Mr. Warpula has held strategic quality leadership roles within the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. Prior to joining Intrinsic Imaging, Mr. Warpula was most recently Senior Manager of Global Quality Assurance at Waters Corporation which holds worldwide leading positions in analytical instrumentation. At Waters Corporation, Mr. Warpula implemented several key improvements which demonstrated success in the areas of clinical product quality and manufacturing, quality system implementation, post-market surveillance and technical product management. Mr. Warpula was previously Associate Director of Quality Operations at Baxter where he had direct responsibility for quality operations supporting Phase III clinical trials and subsequent GMP manufacturing of an OBI-1 Hemophilia drug. Prior to Baxter, Mr. Warpula served as Associate Director, Quality Systems and Compliance at Genzyme Sanofi. While at the company, he directed several quality initiatives that led to continuous improvement and compliance of quality systems for late stage clinical trials and cGMP commercial drug manufacturing and final drug product release. As an industry veteran, Mr. Warpula brings a wealth of quality management experience to Intrinsic Imaging, said Todd A. Joron, BSc., MBA, President and COO of Intrinsic Imaging. We look forward to his contributions and the extensive experience and expertise he brings to Intrinsic Imaging. Mr. Warpula holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Becker College, Massachusetts. About Intrinsic Imaging LLC Located in Bolton, Massachusetts and San Antonio, Texas, Intrinsic Imaging is an FDA audited, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 22301 and ISO 27001 certified and GAMP5 compliant medical imaging core lab specializing in providing imaging core lab services for clinical trials. With its team of more than seventy board-certified fellowship trained radiologists, robust and scalable clinical imaging technologies and its ISO certified quality management systems, Intrinsic Imaging is ideally positioned to provide unprecedented imaging core lab services around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.IntrinsicImaging.com Tom Sauve, President of American Resources Corporation. I applaud our team for coming in under budget on the development of the mine and achieving a very expedited timeframe to get on production." American Resources Corporation (OTCQB: AREC), through its wholly owned subsidiary Quest Energy Inc, has commenced production at its Carnegie Mine in Pike County Kentucky. The Carnegie mine is in the Alma seam and is a High Vol A/B metallurgical coal that is used to make steel in both the domestic and export market. The Carnegie Mine is the first of the Companys series of mines in the Alma seam that it anticipates bringing into production during the course of 2017. The Company forecasts its production costs at this mine to be sub $56.00 per ton and will be loaded on the rail at the Companys McCoy Elkhorn Bevins Branch complex. We are excited to begin production at the first in a series of Alma seam mines in the area. stated Tom Sauve, President of American Resources Corporation. I applaud our team for coming in under budget on the development of the mine and achieving a very expedited timeframe to get on production. This mine offers us the ability to create blends with our other metallurgical production at our McCoy Elkhorn facility and offer our customers a very attractive High Vol metallurgical product at a time when High Vol coal is in demand. About American Resources Corporation American Resources Corporation is engaged in diversified energy services including mining, processing and logistics, with a primary focus on traditional energy sources such as coal and oil and gas. American Resources Corporation plans to expand its business by continuing to develop its currently leased properties and further expanding its processing and logistics business, and through the pursuit of strategic acquisitions. http://www.americanresourcescorp.com Contact: Mark Laverghetta, Vice President of Corporate Finance and Communications investor(at)americanresourcescorp(dot)com Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Companys actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The words believes, may, will, should, would, could, continue, seeks, anticipates, plans, expects, intends, estimates, or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved. Source: American Resources Corporation Dr. Julie Pullen, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology Dr. Pullens work focuses on the interaction of ocean and atmospheric currents and the integration of models for weather, hydrology and the coastal ocean. Dr. Julie Pullen, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright award to travel to the Philippines to expand the use of linked air/sea/land/river models. Her work will demonstrate how sophisticated forecasts can anticipate heavy rainfall events and potentially warn populations in areas most at risk for flooding and landslides. The Fulbright Program, which aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Dr. Pullens work focuses on the interaction of ocean and atmospheric currents and the integration of models for weather, hydrology and the coastal ocean. In the Davidson Laboratory at Stevens, located on the New Jersey bank of the Hudson River, she helps develop real-time New York/New Jersey regional air/sea/river/stormwater prediction tools to address extreme events in a changing climate. Internationally, her research focuses on rain and rivers in the Maritime Continent (the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia) and other island regions (Madeira and the Azores). Islands are ideal laboratories for coastal urban sustainability challenges. It is an honor to be selected for this award, Dr. Pullen said. My presence in the Philippines will augment current datasets ahead of several research cruises planned as part of a major field campaign. In addition to teaching at the University of the Philippines, my Fulbright work will also aid Philippine scientists in establishing their own coupled models for hazard prediction. Dr. Pullen will embark on her five-month Fulbright project in the Philippines in January 2018, in advance of field research in the region sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) and involving an international array of partners. About Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University, is a premier, private research university situated in Hoboken, N.J. overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Founded in 1870, technological innovation has been the hallmark and legacy of Stevens education and research programs for more than 145 years. Within the universitys three schools and one college, 6,600 undergraduate and graduate students collaborate with more than 300 full-time faculty members in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment to advance the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront global challenges. Stevens is home to three national research centers of excellence, as well as joint research programs focused on critical industries such as healthcare, energy, finance, defense, maritime security, STEM education and coastal sustainability. The university is consistently ranked among the nations elite for return on investment for students, career services programs and mid-career salaries of alumni. Stevens is in the midst of a 10-year strategic plan, The Future. Ours to Create., designed to further extend the Stevens legacy to create a forward-looking and far-reaching institution with global impact. HelloSign, the easiest way to electronically sign legally binding documents, has been voted the Most Implementable eSignature Software by G2 Crowd, a popular business software review platform, in their eSignature software implementation index list just released. In addition to taking the top slot among eSignature solutions, HelloSign also garnered a 9.43/10 customer satisfaction rating in regards to ease of implementation. Taking first place for ease of implementation is a reflection of HelloSigns commitment to to providing the most intuitive and powerful eSignature solution available. To learn more about HelloSign in the latest G2 Crowd report, click here: https://goo.gl/x4Fz74 According to the report, HelloSign customers implement eSignatures 66 percent faster than the industry average. On average, companies implement the HelloSign API in 2.5 days and 39 percent of companies implement in less than one day of developer time. 88 percent of companies using the HelloSign API implement in less than one 40 hour week of developer time. HelloSign received a 93/100 score for ease of implementation, well above industry average as reported by G2 Crowd. HelloSign also received well above average scores for user adoption compared to other eSignature vendors. We place a huge importance on making sure our API is the most developer-friendly API available we prioritize having clean documentation, an industry-first API dashboard for easy tracking and debugging, and trained API support engineers to personally assist with the integration, says Joseph Walla, CEO and Co-founder of HelloSign. Winning the top implementation score across all 15 of the top eSignature vendors paired with the highest user satisfaction score serves as proof of the tremendous amount of value were able to provide our customers. G2 Crowds Implementation Index for eSignature report addresses ease of setup, implementation time, user adoption and other factors across the top 15 eSignature vendors. A products Implementation score is calculated by a proprietary algorithm that factors in real-user satisfaction ratings for a number of implementation-related review questions. Software buyers can compare products in the eSignature category according to their Implementation scores to streamline the buying process and quickly identify the most easily implemented eSignature products based on the experiences of their peers. HelloSign has been named as the Most Implementable product in our Spring 2017 E-Signature Implementation Index, said Mitch Lieberman, director of research at G2 Crowd. HelloSign scored highly in ease of setup and average user adoption rating, setting it apart from other products in the category. G2 Crowd is the worlds leading business software review platform, leveraging its 92,000+ user reviews read by nearly 600,000 software buyers each month to help them make better purchasing decisions. By bringing the collective power of trusted peers to the forefront, business buyers now have transparency when evaluating B2B software technologies. In addition, G2 Crowd packages insights from expert peers, everyday users, and aggregated data to score competitive products on The Grid. About HelloSign HelloSign, the product leader in the eSignature space, makes it simple for businesses to offer fast, secure, and legally binding eSignatures to their customers through both a user-friendly web application and a developer-focused API. Trusted by millions of users, HelloSign is bringing the tradition and security of pen and paper signatures to the digital world for uninterrupted workflow. For more information see http://www.hellosign.com and follow HelloSign on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook. Parallel 37 at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco has joined forces with the Boisset Collection of award-winning wineries to present a series of exclusive wine pairing dinners throughout 2017 at the Forbes Four Star restaurant. The Boisset Collection encompasses more than 25 renowned wineries around the world with more than 20 centuries of combined winemaking history, both in the rich wine regions of California including Buena Vista Winery, the states first premium winery and in Burgundy. The Boisset Collection Wine Dinner Series at Parallel 37 will feature specially crafted menus by Chef de Cuisine and Charlie Trotter-alum, Michael Rotondo that highlight the restaurants concept of globally-influenced California cuisine made with the finest seasonal Bay Area ingredients and perfectly paired with the prestigious portfolio of wines. Each wine pairing dinner will begin with a reception in the bar and lounge of Parallel 37, followed by dinner in the main dining room and finish with dessert in the neighboring JCB Tasting Lounge located in the lobby of the hotel. At each event, guests will have the opportunity to engage with Chef Rotondo and the winemakers. At Parallel 37, were passionate about creating the ultimate food and wine experience for our guests, so were very excited to join forces with such an iconic and distinguished vintner portfolio as the Boisset Collection to offer guests an unmatched dining experience, said Chef Rotondo. Kicking off the wine dinner series on April 12 will be the JCB Collection featuring the vintner and proprietor of the Boisset Collection, Jean-Charles Boisset. Capturing style and personality in a bottle, each JCB wine in the collection is a limited edition. Each wine is named with a number that signifies a wine style Jean-Charles strives to achieve vintage to vintage, and also symbolizes important ideas, passions and moments in his life and wine career. I am thrilled to be partnering with The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco to produce harmonious experiences that bring together delicious food and perfectly paired Boisset bottles, said Jean-Charles Boisset. The kaleidoscope of colors, spices, textures, flavors and scents in both the food and wine will awaken and ignite the passion that lies within the dinner guests. The April 12 menu will be as follows: Reception JCB No. 13 Brut Rose Duck Confit Fritter, Yam, Blackberry Potato Beignet, Thyme-Infused Honey Dinner First Course: JCB No. 16 White Wine, Napa Valley Slow-Poached Ora King Salmon, Moro Blood Orange, Mizuna Second Course: JCB No. 3 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley/ Burgundy Dungeness Crab Ravioli, Smoked Sunchoke, Asian Pear Third Course: JCB No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 48-hour Braised Short Rib, Merlin Beets, Red Wine Hijiki Jus Dessert: JCB Passion Red Wine, Napa Valley Dark Chocolate Blackberry Tart Salted Caramel Bonbons The Boisset Wine Dinner Series at Parallel 37 will continue on July 20, with a focus on Burgundian wines and featuring Neil Ruane, Export Director for the Boisset Collection; September 7 with Raymond Vineyards, one of Napa Valleys pioneering wineries and winner of the American Winery of the Year Wine Star Award in 2012 by Wine Enthusiast; and a final dinner on December 5 with Buena Vista Winery. Each Boisset Wine Dinner at Parallel 37 begins at 6 p.m. and is $225 per guest, exclusive of tax and gratuity. To place a reservation or for additional information, please contact Meaghan Shanley at 415.773.6199 or meaghan.shanley(at)ritzcarlton(dot)com. For additional information, please visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/sanfrancisco or follow the hotel on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ritzcarltonsanfrancisco and join the conversation using #RCMemories. About The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco Completely transformed and reimagined, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco sets a new standard of excellence in the City by the Bay, drawing inspiration from the alluring designs of couture and the citys iconic architecture. Set within a 1909 Neoclassical landmark building in the prestigious Nob Hill neighborhood, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is the citys only AAA Five Diamond hotel and was recently named the #1 hotel in San Francisco by the readers of Travel + Leisure for their 2016 Worlds Best Awards. Conveniently located in the heart of the city, the iconic hotel is nearby San Franciscos most visited attractions and the historic cable car is accessible right outside its doors. Offering globally-inspired California cuisine and seasonal cocktails at the award-winning Parallel 37, the largest luxury Club Level experience in San Francisco, and more than 24,000 sq. ft. of grand event spaces, the 336-room Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco provides the ultimate in personalized Ritz-Carlton service, comfort and luxury. About JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset Created by Jean-Charles Boisset, JCB embraces and represents a new height of luxury, uniting the worlds of wine and fashion in luxurious tasting locations and experiences that transcend terroir, reaching beyond the traditional confines of wine to embody style and sophistication. JCB is also a collection of rare numbered wines that unite centuries of Burgundian family tradition with the graceful exploration of sophisticated terroir. Dedicated to capturing style within a bottle, JCB wines embody an uncompromising personality that transcends the traditional confines of wine and is audacious, unique and mysterious. St. Helena Russian River Valley San Francisco Yountville Vougeot For more information, please visit http://www.jcbcollection.com. About Boisset Collection Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries bound together by a common cause: authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their history, their future and the land and people essential to their existence. With more than twenty historical and prestigious wineries in the worlds preeminent terroirs, including the Cote dOr, Beaujolais, Rhone Valley, Californias Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley, each house retains its unique history, identity, and style, and all are united in the pursuit of fine wines expressive of their terroir. To learn more about the Boisset Collection, please visit http://www.boissetcollection.com. Boisset Collection Media Contact: Megan Long, Boisset Collection, 707.963.6939, megan.long(at)boisset(dot)com Photography available upon request. Federico Faggin Presents "Requirements for a Mathematical Theory of Consciousness" at ICC 2015 If the future of consciousness science goes in the way Ive seen here at the IAC, I am happy with it. Brenda Dunne, M.S The International Academy of Consciousness (IAC) is proud to announce that it will be hosting the 2nd International Congress on Consciousness (ICC). The Congress will showcase todays leading researchers in consciousness science, and will convene at the James L. Knight Miami Conference Center, located at 400 S.E. 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida, USA. This congress will serve as a global platform for open exchange and debate on today's leading research in the diverse fields pertinent to consciousness science. The mission of the International Academy of Consciousness (IAC) as a non-profit agency is to conduct research and education concerning the multidimensional nature of consciousness and implications associated with this reality. The IAC is committed to the investigation of the consciousness, its capacity to manifest outside of the physical body, and a comprehensive range of associated phenomena. Special emphasis is placed on the out-of-body experience and bioenergy, as these are considered key research tools for exploring and examining the non-physical aspects of reality. Demystifying these phenomena and clarifying their common misconceptions empowers individuals to understand and develop their innate parapsychic faculties and obtain greater awareness and control in their lives. The IAC strives to be ethical and universal in how it communicates concepts to its audience, giving knowledge and tools that individuals can use to increase self-knowledge of their own multidimensional nature. Central to the work is the principle, Be lucid. Question everything and everyone. Experiment. Ponder, encouraging interested individuals to come to their own conclusions through rational thought and first-hand experience with these subjects. Consciousness exploration is widely considered one of the greatest and most persistent mysteries of science. It provokes questions such as: Why are we aware? Are people merely biological beings, or something more than this? Does the consciousness survive after the body dies? The mainstream worldview on the nature of consciousness takes a reductionist view, where the mind, body, and life are reduced to purely physical categories. However, when these questions are approached from a more encompassing paradigm, there is some evidence that consciousness could be more fundamental than the physical body, and perhaps more fundamental than the physical universe itself. The 2nd ICC is dedicated to addressing research that illuminates the multi-faceted aspects of the nature of consciousness. This Congress will bring together both scholars and lay people with a shared interest in continuously refining a more advanced scientific approach that acknowledges the existence of non-physical realities and that appropriately facilitates the exploration in subjective, inter-subjective and objective modalities of the multidimensional aspects of consciousness. Speakers, researchers, and participants with a multidisciplinary background will attend from numerous countries, each enriching the proceedings and debates during the event. The lectures will present a myriad of views on diverse topics ranging from bioenergy detection to quantum physics to transcendent human experiences. Confirmed Keynote Speakers and Presentations: The 2nd ICC, will feature 22 presentations, including keynote speakers, Wagner Alegretti - Bioenergy Detection, Jim Tucker Childrens Reports of Past-Life Memories, Jeffery Martin Non-symbolic Consciousness, Pim Van Lommel Near-Death Experience and Non-local Consciousness, Nanci Trivellato Psi Experiences and Perception in Children, Stuart Kauffman Theoretical Biology and Complex Systems, Beverly Rubik and Harry Jabs Biofield, Health and Healing, Massimiliano Sassoli De Bianchi Multiple Realism, Federico Faggin The Fundamental Nature of Reality, and Katherine Peil Emotional Sentience: The Nature of Consciousness. The event is open to the public and will have participants from around the world. Simultaneous translation will be available in English and Spanish during all research presentations, and in Portuguese during many research presentations, to further facilitate communication among our attendees. Participants who prefer not to travel to Miami can attend the 2nd ICC online (broadcast live). REGISTRATION is now open and additional information is available through the ICC website consciousnesscongress.org or by emailing conference.support(at)iacworld(dot)org or by phone at 305-668-4668 in the USA. Student, group, and senior discounts available. For information about IAC and its research and educational activities, please visit http://www.iacworld.org. PROMOTIONAL TICKETS are available for $379 for a limited time from March 12 through March 25 using special promotional link consciousnesscongress.org/promo. To interview researchers or to find out more about the congress, please contact Silvana Meira at 305-668-4668 or by email at conference.support(at)iacworld(dot)org Progressive leadership development will set the framework for future healthcare leaders. The Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA) welcomes Dr. John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP, Founder and CEO of MEMD and LeadershipYOU.com, as opening keynote of the leadership pre-convention at the 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo. Dr. Shufeldts opening keynote leadership pre-convention course, Optimized Leadership: Performance Skills Needed In The New Healthcare Landscape, will be held on Sunday, April 30 from 8:30 9:30 AM. Im thrilled to share the necessary tools it takes to transform into a successful leader, Dr. Shufeldt says. Adding, Progressive leadership development will set the framework for future healthcare leaders. To register for Dr. Shufeldts leadership course at the UCAOA 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo, click here. The UCAOA 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo will be held April 30-May 3 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Dr. Shufeldt is a leadership expert in multidisciplinary ventures committed to innovation in medicine, entrepreneurism and education. He has three decades of experience leading high performing teams in businesses that combine his passions for medicine, law, and leadership. Dr. Shufeldt is Founder and CEO of MeMD and LeadershipYOU.com. LeadershipYOU.com is an educational resource website dedicated to empower viewers with effective leadership skills. LeadershipYOU.com provides educators and students with multimedia tools for leadership development. MeMD is a leading telemedicine service provider revolutionizing the healthcare industry by offering access to affordable, convenient, and secure web-based health care. MeMD combines proven telemedicine technologies with business model innovations to improve access to medical providers and reduce healthcare costs. 84% of the UCAOA 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo educational sessions are new, providing up to 27 CME/UCMC credits. This 4-day event allows participants to collaborate with bright minds, receive expert advice, obtain real-world strategies, engage in solution-focused discussions, and leave with implementable takeaways. Learn more about the UCAOA 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo educational sessions and register by 11:59pm CDT on Wednesday, March 15 to avoid spending an extra $200 on tuition. To register for Dr. Shufeldts leadership course at the UCAOA 2017 Urgent Care Convention & Expo, click here. About John Shufeldt: http://www.johnshufeldt.com Dr. John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP is a leadership expert in multidisciplinary ventures committed to innovation in medicine, entrepreneurism and education. John has three decades of experience leading high performing teams in businesses that combine his passions for medicine, law, and leadership. He committed to return to school every 10 years to push his own personal envelope. John continues to practice emergency medicine, and is an adjunct professor at ASUs Sandra Day OConnor College of Law. About Urgent Care Association of America: http://www.ucaoa.org The Urgent Care Association of America, founded in 2004, represents all professionals working in urgent care. Membership consists of more than 2,700 centers representing approximately 27,000 urgent care clinical and business professionals from the United States and abroad. The Urgent Care Association of America exists to advance and distinguish the role of urgent care medicine as a healthcare destination and support the ongoing success of our membership through education, advocacy, community awareness, benchmarking and promoting standards of excellence. About MEMD: http://www.memd.me Leading telehealth service provider MeMD is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. MeMD is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by offering access to affordable, convenient, and secure web-based health care. MeMD combines proven telemedicine technologies with business model innovations to improve access to medical providers, reduce healthcare costs and make the experience of seeing a physician convenient, enjoyable and affordable the way it should be. About LeadershipYOU: http://www.leadershipyou.com LeadershipYOU is an educational resource site dedicated to empower viewers with effective leadership skills. LeadershipYOU.com provides educators and students with multimedia tools for leadership development. The LeadershipYOU project contains three components: the book, LeadershipYOU: Your Future Begins With You, the free massive open online course (MOOC), LeadershipYOU MOOC, and the blog with worldwide leadership news. Free common core-aligned lesson plans are also available to further assist educators in sharing this self-leadership content. I cannot stress enough the importance of being your own advocate. Educate yourself and your loved ones; make health your priority and personal responsibility. Chairman of Urology and Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, Dr. David Samadi, in collaboration with the Samadi Robotics Foundation will be holding a free PSA screening event, Saturday April 29th from 9-11am at Redeemer Church located on 150 West 83rd Street in New York. The Foundation will pay for the first 200 men that sign up. Men can register by calling Dr. David Samadis office at (212)365-5000. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be approximately 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer in 2017. About 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. These numbers are alarming and in spite of the guidelines, Dr. Samadi recommends men get a baseline PSA at the age of 40. Research has shown that men with a family history of prostate cancer are at greater risk of getting the disease and African American men are more likely to have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. A PSA screening is a blood test used to detect the presence of prostate specific antigen. This test is used as a diagnostic tool for prostate related disease, most commonly prostate cancer. Other potential causes of elevated PSA values include benign prostatic hypertrophy, infection and urogenital tract instrumentation, however, an elevated PSA alerts the physician to further evaluate the cause. According to Dr. David Samadi, Despite the efforts made in regards to early detection for prostate cancer, the disease remains the second leading cancer cause of death in men, taking the lives of approximately 26,730 men this year. Tens of thousands of additional men suffer from the burden of painful metastatic prostate cancer, which can lead to bone fractures, the inability to urinate, spinal cord compression and renal failure. The evidence remains that since PSA screening became widely recognized in the early 1990s, there has been a 39 percent reduction in prostate cancer mortality rates. What many people are unaware of is that prostate cancer does not just affect older men. The number of younger men diagnosed with prostate cancer has increased nearly six-fold in the last 20 years. Today, more than 10% of new prostate cancer diagnoses in the US occur in men younger than 55. Whats more alarming is that for younger men, the disease is often much more aggressive. When prostate cancer affects men in their 60s, 70s and older, it is typically slow-growing. Older men diagnosed with prostate cancer are more likely to die of other causes, but when it strikes a younger man, it is likely they have developed a tumor that is growing quickly and aggressively. Twenty percent of people are diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, which has a 29.3%, 5-year overall survival rate compared to the 98.0%, 5-year overall survival rate for localized prostate cancer. Research promotes the use of screening and aims to find more ways to diagnose prostate cancer at the localized stage and come up with new treatment options for metastatic prostate cancer in effort to increase the quality of life of patients living with prostate cancer. The controversy over PSA screening exposes the importance of the need for physicians to put more emphasis on treating their patients as individuals, and not just as a population. Because the PSA test is not always the best measurement for all patients, the decisions made for diagnosing and treating each patient should be based on the individual. Until then, and until we have a better test for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, it is simply too dangerous to tell men to stop having PSA tests, Dr. Samadi explains. With the appropriate use of PSA screening, especially in high-risk populations, we can reduce prostate cancer related mortalities. Dr. Samadi says, I cannot stress enough the importance of being your own advocate. Educate yourself and your loved ones; make health your priority and personal responsibility. Keystone Senior Rohit Chatterjee Named Rising Star of the Profession by Consulting Magazine [Rohit's] ability to develop path-breaking methods in software and technology have contributed to building our exceptional Tax Practice and Legal and Technology Group, and he deserves this industry recognition. Keystone Strategys Rohit Chatterjee, a senior principal based in Boston, has been named one of Consulting magazine's 2017 Rising Stars of the Profession 35 Under 35 for Excellence in Financial Consulting. Dr. Rohit Chatterjee joined Keystone in 2011, and since then has demonstrated a unique ability to combine exceptional strategy, creative research, and brilliant economics thinking with his ability to declutter complex cases. The results of which are seemingly unattainable business and legal discoveries on behalf of his clients. This Columbia University Ph.D. simultaneously leads Keystone Strategys Tax practice, now the firms fastest-growing area, and its Computer Science Technical Practice, adding Amazon, Oracle, Facebook and other tech giants as clients. Rohit brings unwavering energy to problem-solving, notes Keystone Partner Jeff Marowits. His ability to develop path-breaking methods in software and technology have contributed to building our exceptional Tax Practice and Legal and Technology Group, and he deserves this industry recognition. Keystone Senior Principal and a 2016 Rising Star awardee, Samantha Price shares this about her colleague and peer, "we continue to prioritize a culture of development at Keystone. Rohits award reflects our emphasis on this priority as he truly represents the next generation of our leadership: bright, curious, and driven. I am so honored to win the rising stars of the profession award, said Dr. Chatterjee. Receiving this award validates my belief that Keystone has provided me exceptional opportunities with a team that cares about my professional growth. Profiles of all of the "Rising Stars" honorees are in the March 2017 edition of Consulting magazine. The publication will celebrate this year's winners at its Rising Stars of the Profession Awards Dinner on April 27 at the W Chicago City Center in Chicago. About Keystone Keystone is an innovative strategy and economics consulting firm that delivers transformative ideas to the market. The company partners with Fortune 500 companies on leading-edge challenges in science, technology, and business. The firms expertise in business strategy, economics, product development, intellectual property and antitrust is ideally suited to developing bold strategies that have a global impact. Keystone combines the strategic insights of leading experts from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Wharton and other top universities with the practical industry expertise of its accomplished professionals. Keystone is actively recruiting exceptional talent with advanced degrees in business, economics, and engineering. Learn more about Keystone and its careers at http://keystonestrategy.com. 2017 Green Industry Benchmark Report With nearly 60 pages of results and analysis and more than 50 graphs, the Green Industry Benchmark Report contains information that helps green industry businesses see how they stack up to their peers. HindSite Software, a leading provider of field service software to the green industry, today released their annual Green Industry Benchmark Report, which found optimism abounds in most green industry businesses. A remarkable 68% of respondents expect an improved economy in 2017, up from 48% a year ago. However, green industry business growth may be stunted by a labor shortage: 27% said attracting and retaining employees was their biggest issue and 87% find it somewhat or very difficult to find employees. Of the nearly 70% of respondents who plan to raise prices in 2017, 39% indicated that rising labor costs was the primary reason. The Green Industry Benchmark Report is the culmination of a two-month-long surveying effort that reflects the opinions of hundreds of green industry business owners and managers who provide services including landscaping, irrigation service, mowing, fertilizing and snow removal. This is the fifth year HindSite Software has released a Green Industry Benchmark Report. The Green Industry Benchmark Report is the foremost report of green industry practices, explained HindSites Marketing Manager, Chad Reinholz. With nearly 60 pages of results and analysis and more than 50 graphs, the Green Industry Benchmark Report contains information that helps green industry businesses see how they stack up to their peers. Among the key findings: Formal staff training is one way green industry businesses are overcoming the labor shortage. Weekly training has increased 5% and employers offering no ongoing employee training have dropped from 18% last year to 12% this year. The labor shortage faced by many green industry businesses may also be impacting margins. Low margins were cited as the biggest issue by 11% of respondents, up from 6% a year ago. 26% of respondents saw profits in excess of 20%, up 3% from a year ago. Though only 43% of respondents use field service software, it does seem to improve revenue growth. Of the businesses that saw revenue growth in excess of 20% last year, more than half used field service software. Compare that to just under 30% of those who saw revenue decline last year. Businesses that attend 4 or more educational conferences a year seem to outperform those that attend less than 4. Though websites were cited as the best source for leads by the most respondents, only about 75% of respondents have a website, an unusually low number in the age of the Internet. This years Green Industry Benchmark Report also included longer interviews with 5 green industry businesses. The interviews delve deeper into individual business issues and successes, practices and advice. The Green Industry Benchmark Report has a wealth of aggregated information about green businesses, explained Reinholz. But we felt like we were missing voices from individual contractors. So we conducted longer interviews to add an individual business component to the report. The Green Industry Benchmark Report is available to download free at http://info.hindsitesoftware.com/2017-green-industry-benchmark-report. About HindSite Software HindSite Software has helped green industry contractors better manage and grow their businesses with field service management software since 2001. HindSite today sells two software solutions. The HindSite Solution is designed for field service businesses while FieldCentral is lawn maintenance software. Both solutions help businesses market, sell, schedule, route, manage their field employees and invoice. To learn more, visit http://www.hindsitesoftware.com. Virid cares about their clients and it shows in their uncanny speed at delivering solutions, said Julio Berrios, E-Commerce Manager at Bakers. Virid, a leading provider of eCommerce solutions for retail brands, announces the launch of a redesigned retail website for Bakers on the award-winning marketAgility Cloud platform. The marketAgility Cloud platform is powered by Microsoft Azure and provides flexibility, scalability, and reliable performance. Virids eCommerce solution provides retailers with more than a platform. Retailers are able to take advantage of a team of eCommerce experts who are invested in the success of their business efforts. For almost two decades, Virid has helped leading brands grow and succeed in an ever-changing digital space. Virid cares about their clients, and it shows in their uncanny speed at delivering solutions. It is comforting to know that Virid is always there for Bakers, especially during our new website launch, said Julio Berrios, E-Commerce Manager at Bakers. The redesigned Bakers website is built on Virids baseline website framework, which comes packed with best practices designed to increase conversions, including a mobile-first focus. In addition to an optimized mobile experience, the Bakers website features impactful product imagery, a streamlined navigation, and powerful admin tools for enhanced website management and customization. The Bakers website also includes an international checkout flow powered by GlobalShopex. GlobalShopex allows merchants of all sizes to add an international checkout option to their shopping cart, which transfers customers to an international version of the merchants shopping cart. GlobalShopex then handles the entire international checkout process on behalf of the merchant including fraud screening, multiple currencies, and total landed cost. The GlobalShopex global eCommerce solution facilitates international shipping to locations in more than 200 countries and territories around the world from its domestic logistic centers. GlobalShopex also provides multilingual customer service while offering aggressive shipping rates with the highest quality of service. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Bakers and feel like this website really reflects the Bakers brand, said Steve Deller, CEO of Virid. This website will allow Bakers to flourish in their online sales, and we look forward to their continued success. About Virid: Virid is a leading provider of eCommerce solutions for growing retail brands. Since 1999, Virid has provided retailers with a trusted, stable eCommerce package including software, cloud-based hosting, integration support, and ongoing technology consulting. Virid prides itself on knowing retailers and their businesses and gives them the tools they need to competitively sell in the ever-changing digital space. For more information, please visit http://www.virid.com. About Bakers: Bakers is the leading specialty retailer of fashion-forward footwear and accessories for style-driven young women. Bakers successfully maintains a strong and trusted relationship with women who love shoes by consistently offering the latest fashion merchandise at affordable prices and highest level of customer service. Bakers is the destination for young women seeking the latest trends in footwear and accessories. For more information, please visit http://www.bakersshoes.com. New Picture "My Company offers Simple Solutions to Complex Problems. Arrivillaga said " ProPlex 5, LLC has opened with a new location in Framingham, MA. The company is a consulting firm offering Simple Solutions to Complex Problems. Alexandra Arrivillaga DeCastro, businesswoman, professional, security expert, management consultant, Strategy Specialist, high risk consulting, CEO and founder said, "My Company offers Simple Solutions to Complex Problems." Stripping Complexity and brining back the basics. Today, ProPlex5, LLC announces that it has opened its doors with a office located in Framingham , MA. Operated by communications and management consultant expert Alexandra Arrivillaga De Castro, the company provides business consulting in high risk and strategic implementation. ProPlex 5, LLC specializes in advisory services in high risk and strategic implementation: To improve performance, enhance productivity and drive growth initiatives Customer Relationship Management to build strong relationships with Businesses. Arrivillaga served as CEO of her company, Lock It Up Security, LLC, from 2009 until it was sold in 2015 for an undisclosed amount. As CEO, she brought the company from humble beginnings to implementing security solutions for Fortune 500 companies. Arrivillaga now is CEO of OWL Management Consulting, LLC. In the tradition of her former startup, ProPlex5, LLC is off to an auspicious start and already gaining popularity. It is currently engaging 220,000 people and has garnered more than 30,000 likes on its Facebook page in less than a week. This recognition is not only in response to Arrivillagas excellent reputation in the business world but also a response to her strong community ties. For more information, visit http://www.alexandraarrivillaga.consulting or call (617) 237-7912. About Alexandra Arrivillaga Arrivillaga is a communications professional and management consultant based in the greater Boston area. She received her bachelors degree from Lesley University and her Master in Management from Cambridge College. She has completed doctorate work at Concord Law School as well as doctorate work in general business at Capella University. In 2013, she registered with the State Bar of Californias Admission Committee and was accepted. Arrivillaga maintains strong Boston ties and is heavily involved in the communities. She has an excellent record in empowerment and business development and is fluent in English and many other languages. Her new company is Proplex 5, LLC . Dagah closes a crucial gap within the marketplace, where existing social engineering test software do not account for how contemporary business is conducted on smartphones and over social media. Shevirah, the preeminent mobile penetration testing software company, announces the debut of the Professional Version of its Dagah Mobile penetration testing software. This newest launch of the companys flagship product further equips security analysts to design and launch campaigns of penetration test attacks against mobile endpoints and users, and review the results for lessons to improve the resilience of their users and mobility programs. New features in this version include attacks simulating iOS malware, as well as the ability to run social engineering attacks over Twitter, WhatsApp and other messaging applications. Dagah closes a crucial gap within the marketplace, where existing social engineering test software do not account for how contemporary business is conducted on smartphones and over social media, says Georgia Weidman, Founder of Shevirah. Companies who conduct regular penetration tests but who ignore the predominance of mobile are blinding themselves to serious risks. Based on Weidmains popular Smartphone Pentest Framework, Dagah reflects the needs of current users. It also continues to anticipate and exceed the expectations of users in the future. Shevirah's mobile pen testing tool is truly cutting edge, says Adm. Dennis C. Blair, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Chairman and CEO of The Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA. It helped us discover our security awareness posture prior to an actual adversary attack. Institutions like ours face cyber threats from a range of sources. Shevirah's software revealed to us how our mobile workforce would stand up to such attacks. About Shevirah Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Shevirah provides security professionals with software that evaluates Enterprise Mobility programs. The companys flagship product, Dagah, reveals the security postures of smartphones, tablets, wearable devices and the Internet of Things enabling companies to prioritize their security investments. For more information, visit http://www.shevirah.com. CAYINs Latest Digital Signage Player Debuts at InfoComm China 2017 The technology advancement in China is astonishing, and CAYIN is ready to take on the challenge. CAYIN Technology, a professional digital signage provider, will be participating in InfoComm China 2017 with DSMA Taiwan (Digital Signage Multimedia Alliance Taiwan). Following the successful introduction of SMP-2100, the powerful compact digital signage player, CAYIN is proud to present it to the China market for the first time as a versatile competitor. From April 12th to 14th, CAYIN will be at booth CC1-01-D, at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. SMP-2100 is the perfect choice for a durable and compact player with high performance. This fanless metal player comes with the new and improved software, SMP-NEO2. Not only is it equipped with 2 HDMI outputs, its built-in SSD for programs and content storage allows it to withstand rough handling while being secured. Though compact in size, SMP-2100 is one of the top performance and most fine-tuned players in the Digital Signage Player family. With SMP-NEO2, SMP-2100 has 4 display modes, Single, Clone, Expended, and Distinct, making it vastly versatile to all kinds of applications. Users may connect up to two displays to showcase a cloning of the same content, presenting one content across or two contents simultaneously on two screens. This solid metal build player is a perfect fit for almost all scenarios. Whether its a burger joint down the street corner or an LED panel at an outdoor stadium, SMP-2100 redefines the quality of available compact Digital Signage player on the market. We are excited to return as an exhibitor at this years InfoComm China, said David Wang, Greater China Division Deputy General Manager of CAYIN. The technology advancement in China is astonishing, and CAYIN is ready to take on the challenge with SMP-2100. We would like to establish long term relationship with local vendors, and be a part of sophisticating the digital signage applications in such a booming digital era. CAYIN sincerely welcomes visitors to drop by and learn more about the powerful yet easy-to-use SMP-NEO2, and experience the visual effects the SMP-2100 will deliver. Exhibition Information: CAYIN @ InfoComm China 2017 Date: 4/12 - 4/14/2017 Venue: China National Convention Center, Beijing Booth: CC1-01-D CAYIN Technology in Brief CAYIN Technology is a 12-year professional digital signage solution and software developer from Taiwan. By offering a complete portfolio of appliance-based digital signage solutions, CAYIN dedicates itself to being a reliable partner to clients worldwide and has successfully set up various applications globally. In order to best facilitate the deployment of its products, the company also provides tailored services to satisfy the ever-growing market demand for almost limitless applications. Media Contact CAYIN Technology Co., Ltd. Alison Shih Tel: +886-2-2595-1005 ext. 285 Fax: +886-2-2595-1050 Email: press(at)cayintech(dot)com Address: 8F-2, No. 577, Linsen N. Rd., Taipei City 104, Taiwan Pentec Health, a leader in in-home Specialty Infusion services, is proud to announce it has achieved Pathway to Excellence designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The Pathway to Excellence designation identifies the elements of interprofessional work environments where nurses can flourish and feel empowered. Pentec Health is the first Home Health agency to achieve this prestigious ANCC designation. At Pentec Health, we strive to have a culture that enables all of our employees to excel, said Joe Cosgrove, Chairman, President and CEO the fact that our nursing program has achieved this prestigious designation is more evidence that their efforts are not only supported, but vital to the fabric of our culture at Pentec Health. The Pathway to Excellence program recognizes health care organizations and long term care institutions for positive practice environments in which nurses excel. The ANCC requires organizations to meet 12 practice standards essential to an ideal nursing practice environment. This distinct honor recognizes the Pentec Nursing commitment to patient/nurse satisfaction and safety. Karen McHenry, Senior Vice President, Nursing Services of Pentec Health said, Pathway to Excellence designation validates that the nurses who practice professional nursing at Pentec Health thrive in an environment that provides the ingredients for excellence in what they do. Their voice is not only heard, but it also matters. Our patients benefit from their passion and satisfaction, resulting in outstanding, progressive, evidenced based patient care. About ANCC The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is to promote excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing programs. ANCCs internationally renowned credentialing programs certify and recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas. It recognizes healthcare organizations that promote nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes, while providing safe, positive work environments. In addition, ANCC accredits healthcare organizations that provide and approve continuing nursing education. It also offers educational materials to support nurses and organizations as they work toward their credentials. ANCC was incorporated in June 1990. http://www.nursecredentialing.org About Pentec Health For over 30 years, Pentec Health has been an industry leader in providing patient-specific compounded sterile medications. Pentec Healths medications are used for administration in dialysis centers, as well as providing in-home Specialty Infusion through nursing services and complex pharmaceutical products to patients who require access outside of a hospital setting. Pentec Health is now registered as an outsourcing facility, providing sterile compounds to meet the needs of the nations institutional healthcare segments. For more information, please visit http://www.pentechealth.com. West Monroe Partners, a full-service North American business and technology consultancy, today announced that Wayne Lee has joined as a leader in the firms security and infrastructure practice to help grow its cybersecurity practice on the West Coast. Wayne has nearly 20 years of proven experience in information security, providing strategic and tactical cybersecurity consulting in both the public and private sectors. Wayne is based in the firms Los Angeles office, and joins several other new cybersecurity consultants across the firm as the group expands to meet growing demand from clients. Applying his expertise in digital forensics, incident response, electronic discovery, and operational technology and control systems, Wayne has extensive experience developing proactive strategies for protecting data, operations, and customers. Wayne will both serve as a trusted advisor to clients seeking strategic cybersecurity support, while advancing the firms offerings and growing the practice along the West Coast. As engaged consumers increasingly expect companies to interact with them in highly personalized ways through multiple channels, the secure management of customer data has become a critical imperative for many of our clients, stated Senior Director Ken Siegman, head of West Monroe Partners Los Angeles office. Wayne Lees background and expertise will be an extremely valuable asset to our clients as they seek a trusted advisor to help them navigate this ever-evolving landscape. Wayne joined West Monroe Partners from Verizon Enterprise, where he was a managing principal on the Critical Infrastructure Protection Cyber Security team, a founding member of the Verizon RISK team and founder of the Verizon RISK E-Discovery team. He led investigations in more than 300 digital forensics cases, internal corporate security events and financial fraud incidents, serving as a crisis manager for some of the largest data breaches around the world. Wayne also contributed to Verizons annual Data Breach Investigation Report, one of the most comprehensive analyses on data breach trends and patterns. I share West Monroe Partners philosophy that information security is not solely an IT problem and that security solutions must be right sized to fit the objectives of the business, said Wayne Lee, leader of West Monroe Partners' West Coast security and infrastructure team. Im excited to join a team that seeks to create value for our clients through strategic cybersecurity initiatives and bring my expertise to help further develop our security offerings. Wayne earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also completed Department of Homeland Security ICS Cybersecurity Training. About West Monroe Partners West Monroe is a progressive business and technology consulting firm that partners with dynamic organizations to reimagine, build, and operate their businesses at peak performance. Our team of more than 800 professionals is comprised of an uncommon blend of business consultants and deep technologists. This unique combination of expertise enables us to design, develop, implement, and run strategic business and technology solutions that yield a dramatic commercial impact on our clients profitability and performance. For more information, please visit http://www.westmonroepartners.com. This new weekly sailing between the U.S. and Panama gives customers a quick, reliable way to get their cargo to manufacturers and consumers. To better serve customers shipping between the U.S. and Panama, Crowley Maritime Corp.s liner services group announced today it has enhanced its ocean container transportation services with a new, weekly sailing connecting Jacksonville and Port Everglades, Fla., more directly with Manzanillo, Panama. This sailing complements a new office in Panama, which combines Crowley's ocean cargo and logistics personnel, to provide streamlined supply chain services. Two Crowley 1,100-TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container ships, the MV Toronto Trader and MV Weisshorn, now alternate carrying cargo southbound from Jacksonville on Thursday and Port Everglades on Friday before arriving in Kingston, Jamaica, on Sunday; Limon, Costa Rica, on Tuesday; and Manzanillo, Panama on Thursday. The vessels quick turn and sail northbound from Manzanillo on Thursday; arriving in Limon on Friday; Port Everglades on Tuesday and Jacksonville on Wednesday. This new weekly sailing between the U.S. and Panama gives customers a quick, reliable way to deliver their cargo to manufacturers and consumers, said Steve Collar, Crowley senior vice president and general manager, international liner services. This enhancement to our ocean cargo service combines seamlessly with our full offering of logistics solutions in Panama to provide customers with a single-point of accountability and reduced transit times. times. These benefits can ultimately help to reduce the overall landed costs of their cargo as it transits the supply chain. Once cargo arrives in Panama, employees at the companys newly consolidated liner and logistics office at Manzanillo International Terminal (Building C, Office B-7, Second Floor, Navieras Area) can streamline the handling of goods in country and throughout the region. Customers may contact the office by calling 011-507-302-9100. This new facility reinforces the strength of our operation in this key area, said Claudia Kattan-Jordan, vice president, liner services, Central America. Panama is a major distribution center for shipments arriving from a variety of places, especially China. This new strategic location facilitates the companys cross-trade/Interport services to other locations throughout the Caribbean. The new Panama office supplements and supports the company's distribution center located at the Parque Industrial y Corredor Sur, Ave. Domingo Diaz (Via Tocumen), Edificio #5-6, Bodegas 1, 2, 3. Crowleys logistics professionals work with customers to enhance supply chain efficiency with integrated logistics services, such as inventory management and tracking, pool point distribution, consolidation and deconsolidation, cross-docking and transportation services. Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 125-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides marine solutions, energy and logistics services in domestic and international markets through six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico Liner Services, International Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Alaska Petroleum Distribution and Marine Services, and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its 50 percent ownership in Ardent Global; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found at http://www.crowley.com . Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) honored Deanne Mendoza as the 2017 Woman of the Year for the 72nd Assembly District during a special Assembly ceremony at the State Capitol in Sacramento on March 6th. Mrs. Mendoza is currently the Co-owner of Teacher Created Materials, Inc. (TCM) a California-based educational publishing company with resources created by teachers for teachers and students. It is an honor to give recognition to such an incredible individual who has dedicated her life to educating and empowering future generations, said Assemblyman Travis Allen. Deannes dedication to the development of our communitys children has made her a powerful voice in the 72nd District. In her role with Teacher Created Materials, Deanne oversees a variety of sales channels, including International, Business-to-Business, Specialty, and Trade as well as spearheading the companys community outreach. In addition to her business roles, Deanne is a volunteer in the community, and the mother of three active children. Teacher Created Materials vision is to create a world in which children love to learn. The company provides students and educators with a wide array of resources across the content areas including language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and early childhood. Working primarily with Pre-K to Grade 12, TCM products are found in classrooms in all 50 states and 89 countries worldwide. It is my honor to have been selected by Assemblyman Travis Allen as the 72nd Districts Woman of the Year, said Deanne Mendoza. I am honored to represent the women in our district, which is filled with so many women doing remarkable things every day. It is humbling to be surrounded by so many extraordinary women today. I look forward to working with the Assemblyman on our collective mission to help children love to learn. Teacher Created Materials develops innovative and imaginative educational materials and services for students worldwide. Everything we do is created by teachers for teachers and students to make teaching more effective and learning more fun. The annual Woman of the Year ceremony celebrates Californias remarkable women. The tradition started in 1987 to help commemorate Womens History Month and has become an annual Capitol event to salute community service. During a special ceremony in the Assembly chambers honorees are presented with a framed resolution from the State Assembly recognizing their contributions. Ken Mills Faced with the added rush to connect even more devices through the Internet of Things, security companies are catching up fast by hardening their devices where appropriate. The Security Industry Association (SIA) salutes Ken Mills, General Manager, Surveillance and Security, Dell EMC, with the 2016 SIA Chairmans Award for his leading work on cybersecurity initiatives in the security industry. With his service on the SIA Board of Directors and the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board, Mills has been a highly visible proponent of cybersecurity measures for physical security devices on networks as well as the rapidly developing Internet of Things. SIA Chairman Denis Hebert will present the SIA Chairmans Award to Mills at The Advance, SIA's annual membership meeting, scheduled to occur on Tuesday, April 4, 2016, during ISC West. Cybersecurity challenges pose significant risks to security companies that long underrated the vulnerabilities of their own equipment, ironically designed to protect lives and property, Mills said. Faced with the added rush to connect even more devices through the Internet of Things, security companies are catching up fast by hardening their devices where appropriate. Im pleased to contribute what I can to these efforts through my service to SIA, and Im humbled to receive the SIA Chairmans Award. I work regularly with Ken Mills on the SIA Board of Directors, and with every conversation, I am struck by Kens articulate, thoughtful vision of the trajectory of the security industry, said Hebert. His preparedness is further evidenced by his participation in the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board, where he has been ahead of the curve in tracking cybersecurity concerns for physical security technologies and the Internet of Things. On behalf of the security industry, SIA is grateful for Kens leadership in these matters, and I can think of no one more deserving for the 2016 SIA Chairmans Award. Hebert will present SIA award recipients, including the SIA Chairmans Award, SIA Committee Chair of the Year Award and Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award, at The Advance, held during ISC West at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, April 4. Honorees and all SIA Members are welcome to gather for the program from 3:30-4:30 p.m. SIA Members who attend The Advance also receive free transportation and early VIP entry to SIA Market Leaders Reception immediately afterward. Find more info and register at http://www.securityindustry.org/advance. The Advance is co-located with ISC West, produced by ISC Events. Security professionals can register to attend the ISC West trade show and conference, which runs April 4-7, at http://www.iscwest.com. About the Security Industry Association The Security Industry Association (SIA) (http://www.securityindustry.org) is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with more than 700 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members' interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels; creating open industry standards that enable integration; advancing industry professionalism through education and training; opening global market opportunities; and collaboration with other like-minded organizations. As a proud sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities. SIA also enhances the position of its members in the security marketplace through SIA Government Summit, which brings together private industry with government decision makers, and Securing New Ground, the security industry's top executive conference for peer-to-peer networking. Valley Healthcare Staffing Team At Valley, we pay extraordinary attention in assembling the right team players. We owe it to everyone to make sure their team has continuity so that they have the very best opportunity to be successful, says CEO, Steve Swan. Valley Healthcare Staffing announced today that it has been named Best Staffing Firms to Work For by Staffing Industry Analysts in North America and the UK. The award was measured on 10 key engagement categories including teamwork, trust in senior leadership, manager effectiveness, compensation, feeling valued and benefits. At Valley, we pay extraordinary attention in assembling the right team players. We owe it to everyone to make sure their team has continuity so that they have the very best opportunity to be successful., says CEO, Steve Swan. Engagement has become an overused and undervalued word in teams these days, but at Valley, we are extremely earnest about engagement as it drives our business. Valley did not stop at offering the best medical benefits in premium no-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage, but they also give their employees 5% match on their 401(k) retirement plan. And, their plan is ranked #20 in the nation, ahead of companies such as Nike or Wells Fargo, achieving a score of 65 using the methodology by Margaret Collins and Bloomberg Rankings. Through Americas Best 401K, Valley can offer low fee, low cost and index funds that enable an employee to retire sooner and with more savings than employees at most other companies. With a 5% company match, a broad range of stock, international, and bond index funds, as well as fiduciary and planning by Creative Planning, Valley has clearly committed ourselves to the financial security and connection with our team. No one does what we do to make sure this is the best place to be., says Lisa Baker, Valleys Vice President of Accounting and Finance. The team at Valley also enjoys culture days every month, free healthy lunches for employees, and their own nutritionist. They always have some contest running to compete for the healthiest of employees. Walking into Valley, the office looks more like a Silicon Valley startup than a healthcare staffing company with their chalkboard walls, foosball in the lobby, and a trampoline on the sales floor. The high tech theme is not just for appearance; they also leverage software to make sure employees voice their opinions and are recognized by their peers. Using tools such as OfficeVibe and Delighted, the team at Valley can listen and respond to any issues quickly within a forum for all employees to share their input. Coupled with their communication platform using Slack and immediate peer recognition using Bonus.ly, the team at Valley has created an environment that has inertia in building and maintaining an engaged company. Further differentiating Valley is the technology theyve created to automate much of the marketing, recruitment, and communication for traveling nurses and allied professionals. Initiated in 2014, Valley started designing a system built on Force.com that automates job postings to the top job boards, automatically aggregates all open assignments from hospitals and vendor management systems, calculates net pay for every candidate, then sends the assignment information to candidates. This entire process happens in the background twenty-four hours a day. Our CEO had a vision to tear down the barriers to being efficient. We have invested tens of thousands of hours developing the very best system among any staffing company in any discipline. If an assignment opens in the middle of the night on a weekend across the country, it automatically flows into our system, collects data about the location, hospital, and unit, calculates the net pay for the candidate, and send it to them seconds later. That assignment is also instantaneously posted to all top job boards allowing us to submit a quality candidate minutes after an assignment is opened by a hospital no matter when that assignment became available, instead of waiting for Monday morning when our competition arrives to their office., says Ryan Zaucha, Director of Product Development. Their success has been conspicuous; happy employees boasting a net promotor score of 81 and financial success well ahead of budget. Steve Swan, built his company with a mission to be an innovative provider of clinical staffing services with emphasis on assembling the ideal team to accomplish it. Valleys team creates cultural inertia that makes their noble cause easy to support by creating trust, embracing conflict, being committed and being accountable. To learn more about Valley Healthcare Staffing, visit ValleyRocks.com. Keller Williams Western Upstate Realtors Ala and Craig Chappelear This years event raised $260,000, the highest amount ever, to provide specialized therapy and compassionate care for the young patients of AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works. Past News Releases RSS Husband and wife Realtors Ala and Craig Chappelear, of Chappelear & Associates, Inc. at Keller Williams, recently hosted the Glenn Constructors 23rd annual Camellia Ball, the proceeds of which benefitted AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works. This years event raised $260,000, the highest amount ever, to provide specialized therapy and compassionate care for the young patients of AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works, said Ala. AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works provides physical, speech and occupational therapy services to children living with developmental disorders and physical impairments, such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome and autism. The funds raised at this years Camellia Ball will enable the AnMed Health Foundation to provide resources to meet the needs of children with developmental delays and disorders by providing therapy, assistive equipment and customized programs to help them reach their full potential and live as independently as possible, noted Craig. In addition to hosting the Camellia Ball, Ala and Craig were recently named the Top Agent Team for Keller Williams Realty North and South Carolina Region in 2016 and the Anderson Independent Mail Best of Anderson Top Realtors in 2016. Ala, who is originally from the Republic of Georgia and is fluent in two languages (English and Russian), came to the United States in 1994. Prior to joining Chappelear and Associates, Inc., Craig worked as a real estate appraiser and was a private investor. To donate directly to the AnMed Health Foundation, please visit http://anmedhealth.org/Give-Back. About Ala and Craig Chappelear, Chappelear & Associates, Inc., Keller Williams Chappelear & Associates has been a top-producing real estate team since 1999. Ala and Craig Chappelear are committed to the type of customer service that enables them to earn your business and referrals for years to come. Currently, over 85% of their sales come from referrals from past clients and friends. For more information, please call Craig at (864) 940-1598, Ala at (864) 314-9346, or visit http://www.andersonforsale.com. About the NALA The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. Franklin R. Strokoff Esq. Franklin R. Strokoff, Esq. of The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP, obtained an $800,000 settlement on January 13, 2017 for a car-crash victim, in Johns v. Marshall, et al - Philadelphia CCP No. 150900295. Mr. Strokoffs settlement was on behalf of Mr. Johns, a 56-year-old man injured in a motor vehicle collision. According to court documents, Mr. Johns was rear-ended by another vehicle and drove himself to the emergency room, where he was examined and released. He then underwent physical therapy and injections in his neck and back. Mr. Johns was eventually seen by a neurosurgeon, and on October 5, 2015, nearly two years after the crash, he underwent an anterior cervical decompression and fusion at C3-C4 and C4-C5 and posterior cervical decompression and fusion at C3 to C7. Court documents alleged that following surgery, Mr. Johns continued to have pain and numerous restrictions as a result of the injuries sustained to his neck and back. Mr. Johns had a prior cervical fusion and pre-existing cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease, which were aggravated by the collision. Mr. Johns did not make a claim for economic damages (See Johns v. Marshall, et al - Philadelphia CCP No. 150900295). Mr. Strokoffs settlement was featured in the February 2017 Edition of Pennsylvania Jury Verdict Review & Analysis. Franklin Strokoff joined The Rothenberg Law Firm LLPs successful team of personal injury trial attorneys in 2014. He focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been catastrophically injured throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. For more than 45 years, The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP has exclusively represented victims of serious injury and their families in a wide variety of contexts, helping to rebuild their shattered lives. The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP maintains offices in Philadelphia, PA, New York City; Hackensack, NJ; Cherry Hill, NJ; and Lakewood, NJ. For further information, or to speak with Mr. Strokoff directly, contact Franklin(at)injurylawyer(dot)com or call 1-800-624-8888. A Bridge of Light to the World Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. Mother Teresa Pachika Meditations, non-profit from Fayetteville, Arkansas launched a campaign seeking support to implement a community program to give free meditation and yoga classes to children and women living in shelters; with the intention that they learn to cultivate inner peace, balance, and emotional skills to overcome trauma. The goal is to provide 300 hours of meditation and yoga sessions to children and women in 2017. Pachikas mission is to empower women and children to access personal strength to succeed in life. According to Patricia Palma Walsh, founder: The objective is to teach underprivileged moms and kids simple breathing techniques that help with stress reduction and bring internal peace. We want to teach them how to work with their thoughts to overcome difficulties and become stronger. After practicing and experiencing the inner peace, the transformation starts. There is plenty of evidence about the benefits of a meditation practice in general wellbeing and mental health. With this community project, we want to offer a solution, bring hope, happiness, love, and life-changing tools to children and women that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned!. We need help to bring these teachings to where they are, at the shelters!" Pachika Meditations started teaching meditation at Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville, AR, in 2014. After proving results, the Non-Profit opened its own studio where continues to offer meditation-in-action classes for the community. Now, the organization aspires to provide free meditation classes to those in need that cannot come to the studio and bring the classes to where they are. Pachika has 7 certified mindful instructors assisting with this community project. There are 2 Children's Shelters, 1 Family Shelter for victims of Domestic Violence, and 1 Women's Detention Center in the community interested in being part of the program.Classes consist of basic breathing exercises, teachings about meditation, fun activities, and simple stretching movements and yoga for children from kindergarten to 12th grade and for women. Staff members are welcome to participate and learn or separate classes can be arranged. Mindfulness educational programs are proving to empower students to reach their potential and pursue goals and be more creative and relaxed. Women can benefit from meditation by letting go guilt and resentment and by gaining control of their lives. Children can learn to self-regulate, to calm down or to lift themselves up through practicing meditation. Results are evaluated with before and after assessments to measure effectiveness of the initiative and areas of opportunities. Program reports are submitted by request. For Donations visit https://www.gofundme.com/pachikamindful For more information contact Pachika Meditations at meditationstudio(at)pachika(dot)com. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East The Hachette Book Group has teamed up with Seattle startup Novel Effect, which specializes in technology that pairs music with text, to launch a pilot program using titles from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. The resulting app, called Novel Effect, was named one of five finalists in the SXSW Accelerator Competition. The Novel Effect pilot program will launch on March 10 with four LBYR titles. Throughout the rest of the year, the publisher plans on adding more titles to the program. The Accelerator competition is an annual event at the SXSW technology festival (held March 1019 in Austin, Tex.) in which startups present their technologies to a panel of judges comprised of tech investors and experienced entrepreneurs in front of a live audience. Each year the competition begins with applications from more than 500 new ventures, of which 50 are selected (five each in 10 categories) by the judges for the competition at SXSW. Over multiple rounds of presentations (all in front of live audiences), the competing startups are whittled down to a top 10 (one in each category) and a final winner will be chosen by the judges at the Super Accelerator competition Monday at 6 p.m. Describing how the app works, Novel Effect CEO Matt Hammersley said users choose a book and then open the app to select "the companion audio." Then, he explained, "as you read aloud from your print book, theme music and sound effects sync to your words in real time." The Novel Effect app can be installed on smartphones or tablets and allows users to read at any speed. Because the app relies on voice recognition technology, the reader can pause and the music will loop until the reader begins again. The four initial titles in the pilot program are Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie, The Peace Book by Todd Parr, Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney and The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine, illustrated by Marc Brown. Megan Tingley, executive v-p and publisher of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, said, it's magical to read a book aloud. This app, she went on, expands "the potential for drawing our young readers and their families further into an experience that will help foster a lifetime love of literature." Memorial for Minneapolis bookseller set; Tucson, a thriving book town; Bangor children's bookseller moves on; and more. Memorial to Be Held for Gary Mazzone, Beloved Minneapolis Bookseller: Funeral services will be held in Minneapolis on March 18 for bookseller Gary Mazzone, the outreach coordinator and sales director at Magers & Quinn Books and a beloved fixture on the Twin Cities literary scene. Mazzone, 61, died of natural causes on Feb. 23. Tucson Thrives as a Book Town: On the occasion of the annual Tucson Book Festival, Trudy Mills, co-owner of the city's Antigone Books, said, The stores doing better than it ever did." Bangor Children's Bookseller Moves On: Cathy Anderson recently retired from The Briar Patch children's bookstore in Bangor to pursue traveling and other interests. Vickie Williams, Owner of Seattle's LEM Bookstore, Dies: The bookseller who owner of the Life Enrichment Book Store, the only black-owned bookstore in Washington state, died last week and a friends set up a GoFundMe site to defray funeral costs and support the bookstore. University of Puget Sound Bookseller Wins Aspen Award: Barbara Racine, director of University of Puget Sound Bookstore in Tacoma, Wash., won the the Aspen Award in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the bookselling industry by the National Association of College Stores (NACS). Colorado State University Bookstore Named Retailer of the Year by NACS: The Colorado State University Bookstore has been named the countrys 2017 Collegiate Retailer of the Year by the NACS Foundation. Jarir Bookstore Expands Chain in Saudi Arabia: Jarir Bookstore recently opened a new showroom in Medina, bringing the total number of stores the chain has the country to 39 and 47 in total across Egypt and the Gulf States. The pair of books that Penguin Random House recently bought by Barack and Michelle Obama, for a reported $65 million, will be released globally by the publisher. When PRH announced the acquisition, it kept certain standard details--from the publication dates of the titles to their content--mum. This led to speculation on a number of fronts, including whether the publisher might try to sell foreign rights to the books, which it bought world rights to, or publish them on its own around the world. Now, with the London Book Fair just underway, the publisher has announced that it will be releasing the titles through its affiliates around the globe. A statement issued by the publisher said that the books will be released in all the territories where PRH has a presence. In English, they will be published in the U.S. and Canada by Crown. Viking UK will then handle the English language edition in the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa. PRH will also be releasing the titles in Spanish in a number of countries through Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, while in the U.S. a Spanish-language edition will released ed by Penguin Random House. In GermanyVerlagsgruppe Random House will publishing the books. PRH said that, in each territory, "the books will have their own globally coordinated publication plan and publication date." The publisher's decision to release the titles through its own divisions around the world ends speculation about the house's global publishing strategy. It also ends a guessing game about how much the publisher might have been able to recoup on the expensive books through foreign rights deals. (The advance PRH supposedly paid for the books is the highest, in recent memory, for two standalone titles.) In the first month of his presidency, Donald Trump outlined several measures to limit immigration to the United States, including banning travel from seven (now six) Muslim-majority countries, suspending the refugee program, and moving to dramatically expand the detention and deportation of immigrants. Although the proposed overhaul of the immigration system purports to improve the lives of American workers, research suggests that it will harm the Quad-Cities' economy and make our community less safe. Throughout its history, the Quad-Cities has benefited from the presence of immigrants and refugees. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Swedish, Belgian, German, Mexican, and other immigrants formed much of the workforce that made the region the farm implement capital of the world. While manufacturing jobs fled the Quad-Cities in the 1980s, the region has slowly recovered. New immigrants and refugees have been crucial to these revitalization efforts. In his recent speech to Congress, President Trump claimed immigrants are a net drain on the U.S. and cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. This is misleading. Most researchers, including the scholars who wrote the National Academy of Sciences report that Trump cited in his speech, have shown that immigrants and their children actually pay more in taxes than they receive in government benefits. It is true that the impacts of immigration vary geographically, and some states and localities with high concentrations of immigrants experience negative fiscal impacts. However, most evidence suggests that immigration has a small but positive effect on the U.S. economy overall and can provide significant benefits for regions with declining and aging populations like the Quad-Cities. Immigrants are more likely to start a business than native-born Americans and are particularly over-represented in Main Street business -- retail, restaurants and neighborhood services -- that are crucial to local economies. They also contribute to local tax bases. Even unauthorized immigrants paid $11.74 billion in state and local taxes in 2014 ($758 million just in Illinois), according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. As a result, cities across the Rust Belt have developed "welcoming cities" campaigns to attract immigrant entrepreneurs and laborers. In Dayton, for example, immigrants have helped to offset decades of population decline and immigrant-owned businesses contributed more than $1 billion to the local economy. Unfortunately for our region, Washington is moving in the opposite direction. A current Republican proposal in the Senate correctly maintains the number of visas for highly skilled immigrant workers, who are key components of service and advanced manufacturing sectors in the Quad-Cities, but it imposes significant cuts in the legal immigration system at a time when we need more immigrants, not fewer. Policies that aggressively target immigrants for deportation will have devastating impact on local economies and will make our communities less safe. Efforts to deputize local law enforcement agents as immigration officials and establish a federal agency to publicize the victims of crimes by immigrants are based on a false and dangerous notion of immigrant criminality. In reality, study after study shows that immigrants are actually less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States (immigration law is civil, not criminal, so lacking legal immigration status is a civil violation). Expanding deportation priority to every resident without legal status effectively means that real public safety threats cannot be a priority, and threatens community policing by making residents less likely to talk with police when they are victims or witnesses of a crime. The national narrative around immigration contradicts the Quad-Cities' history as a welcoming place. From the early days of Swedish settlement along the Mississippi River to Gov. Bob Ray's efforts to bring Vietnamese refugees to Iowa in the 1970s, Quad-Cities residents have often welcomed and incorporated new workers, entrepreneurs and families into local communities. In turn, immigrants and refugees have helped to construct vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, schools and revitalized commercial districts. During this deeply polarizing era in the United States, the Quad-Cities should embrace its immigrant past and present, and continue to work to build a welcoming community for all. Go To The Polls And Pull The Lever We hope everyone turns out to pull the lever next Tuesday (Nov. 8). Actually, new voters wont know what we are talking about, as the... Letters To The Editor Street Closure Dangers Neighbors, Friends, Citizens of NYC/QUEENS: Many may not know that NYC has decided to close off miles of streets to cars in... 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. 6 hours ago Caltrain electrification proponents lobby Capitol Hill Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman , Editor, Railway Track & Structures; and Engineering Editor, Railway Age Companies whose employees depend on Caltrain to get to and from work in the Bay Area joined agency representatives in Washington, D.C., this past week to advocate for approval of a grant that would fund a modernization project. In February, a $647-million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for Caltrains Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP) was deferred by the U.S. Department of Transportation until the Trump Administration releases its budget recommendations to Congress. The electrification project aims to improve system performance by electrifying the Caltrain Corridor from San Franciscos 4th and King Caltrain Station to approximately the Tamien Caltrain Station, convert diesel-hauled to Electric Multiple Unit trains and increase service up to six Caltrain trains per peak hour per direction. Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett, who was also in Washington, D.C., during the past week stumping for the project, notes his optimism that the time spent in the nations capitol convinced key decision-makers that the electrification project is the kind of investment the administration is hoping to move forward. Since weve been here, we have met with supporters from both sides of the aisle who understand that when it comes to investing in infrastructure, this project checks all of the boxes, said Hartnett. Caltrain electrification upgrades service on an existing system that serves the countrys fastest growing companies, the rest of the funding is already lined up, it creates thousands of jobs nationwide and if the goal is to focus on projects that are ready to go, we arent just shovel ready, our shovels are in the ground waiting for the OK from Washington to turn some dirt. The Federal Transit Administration must approve the $647 million FFA before construction can begin to match $1.3 billion that has already been secured from other sources. Caltrain has already awarded contracts to complete the project and is prepared to issue a notice to proceed with construction immediately after the federal grant agreement is signed, said Hartnett. Caltrain explains that the delay has resulted in great concern among Bay Area businesses and riders who depend on Caltrain to support the economy of Silicon Valley and beyond. Caltrains efforts are supported by dozens of private sector employers that depend on Caltrain to provide their employees with a faster commute alternative in the wake of increasing congestion on the regions highways. Representatives from these employers including Facebook, Google, Genentech and Stanford, joined Caltrain on the trip to Washington to advocate for approval of the federal investment. Caltrain says that while it and the agencys partners have been working diligently to ensure the federal delay does not hinder the projects future, it has presented tremendous additional challenges. Last week, Caltrain negotiated an extension of the deadline for contractors to begin construction, while the agency awaits the federal decision about the execution of the funding agreement. The contractors agreed to extend the deadline for four months, from March 1 to June 30. I have personally invited the Secretary of Transportation to come to San Carlos to see this project first-hand and hear from the companies and communities that depend upon this work to keep the economy rolling, said Hartnett. Moving forward with this decision will not only benefit Caltrain riders, but it will also benefit the thousands of American workers standing by to build the project. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK SANAA, Syria During a trip last week to Iraq and Syria with Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel, he and his subordinate commanders argued that arming Syrian Kurdish forces is vital to routing the Islamic State group from its self-declared capital of Raqqa. Votel and his traveling party, including myself, flew on V-22 Ospreys to a dirt airfield in Syria that U.S. military engineers have made ready for the gathering assault on Raqqa. To take Raqqa, officials say, the Kurds need anti-tank weapons to defeat Islamic State group vehicle bombs, armored vehicles and more heavy arms such as machine guns. Additional U.S. support will be needed, including High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System artillery, logistics support, more U.S. advisory teams and other enablers. While arming the Syrian Kurds might be the easiest way to maintain momentum in the campaign against the Islamic State group, this option courts two significant risks. Turkey may attack Syrians and the U.S. forces working with them, or stop flights and related counter-Islamic State group activity on Turkish bases, severely complicating the campaign against the group. Turkey strongly opposes the U.S. bid to arm the Syrian Kurds, which have been closely allied with the armed Kurdish movement fighting Turkey's government. The second risk is that Syrian Arabs will reject use of the Kurdish-dominated force to liberate their areas. The U.S. has been working hard to mitigate the second risk by boosting the number of Arab fighters in the Kurdish-led coalition called the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. We made a second stop here in Sanaa, a village near Manbij, where U.S. Special Forces and SDF fighters were training new Arab recruits. U.S. military officials claim that Arab Syrian fighters in the SDF coalition now number 23,000, versus 27,000 Kurds. When the fighters complete their 20-day training, the U.S. supplies them with AK-47s, a few light machine guns, ammunition, Toyota Hilux pickups and a few cargo trucks. The SDF and its U.S. Special Forces partners have also been working assiduously to create local structures that the population may embrace. The Manbij Military Council now has six Arabs and four Kurds, and the 140-member Manbij Civilian Council has a non-Kurdish majority as well. Votel believes in the current approach of using local indigenous ground forces rather than having U.S. forces conduct combat operations to take Raqqa. The by, with and through approach is a proven one, and I think it works well for us, he says. It shows the power of small teams and what they can do. It is not particularly helpful when we overwhelm our partner. However, the Syrian Arabs recruited for the SDF lack much if any military experience and will thus have to rely on the more experienced People's Protection Units, or YPG, the Syrian Kurdish element that forms the core of the anti-Islamic State group force the U.S. has been backing since 2014, for help in Raqqaas they did in Manbij. The key to success in Raqqa will be whether local forces can indeed hold the area once the Kurds depart, as they have promised to do after clearing the city of the Islamic State group. Lt. Gen. Steve Townsend, Votel's top U.S. battlefield commander for the fight against the Islamic State group in both Syria and Iraq, bluntly conveyed his views of the stakes to the traveling party. Citing intelligence reports of Islamic State group plots to attack Europe, Townsend says that the Raqqa assault needs to proceed as quickly as possibleand with a real force. There is an imperative to take Raqqa, and it will take significantly longer if we do not arm the YPG. Among the options offered to allay Turkey's concerns about the YPG is to meter the supply of weaponry and ammunition to only that needed for Raqqa. Another is that the U.S. could serve as a guarantor by cementing its long-term influence over the Syrian Kurds. We can ensure that they are not a threat to Turkey, Townsend argues. Who would Ankara want to have influence with the SDF: Russia, Iran or the U.S.? Given Turkey's deep suspicion of the YPG, these blandishments will not likely suffice. Rushing into Raqqa without reaching agreement with Turkey, however, would jeopardize larger U.S. regional and even global geopolitical objectives. Continuing to isolate Raqqa will enable the U.S. to constrain the degrading the Islamic State group threat until diplomatic efforts can resolve Turkish concerns. Linda Robinson is a senior international and defense researcher at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. This commentary originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report on March 9, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Later this month, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to host a 68-nation meeting in Washington to discuss the next moves by the coalition fighting the Islamic State, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday. This comes as the Islamic State, an actual state with territory and population, is on the verge of extinction, but remains a threat to the U.S. and many parts of the world. Since 2014, the group's control over people has been cut by roughly 80 percent in Iraq and 56 percent in Syria, according to our estimates. The Islamic State is also slowly but steadily losing control of its largest remaining city, Mosul. Its capital, Raqqa, has been isolated and is awaiting assault. Foreign fighter flows to the region peaked in 2016 and have drastically shrunk. Thousands of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria have been killed, captured, dispersed, or driven underground. Yet despite these successes, the collapse of the Islamic State's so-called caliphate will not eliminate the organization or other Salafi-jihadist groups, which will likely continue for years. Tell me how this ends, then Major General David Petraeus asked in 2003, just after American forces had taken Iraq. This question is just as pertinent today. In the short term, the threat of Islamic State-directed or -inspired attacks on the U.S. homeland and its allies overseas may even grow. Over the past two years, the Islamic State has conducted or inspired an increasing number of terrorist attacks from Paris and Berlin to Orlando and New York even as its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria has shrunk. Presently, the Islamic State's global footprint includes eight formal provinces outside of the core caliphate in Iraq and Syria; dozens of additional aspirant groups; and tens of thousands of inspired and sometimes directed individuals across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. ISIS will continue to metastasize and seek to spread its influence once it loses its home base. The liberation of Mosul and Raqqa are important initial steps in diminishing the threat from the Islamic State. Without an actual state, the Islamic State will likely lose a substantial amount of its appeal. Without a secure territorial base to operate from, it may have a harder time organizing external attacks. Yet the Islamic State, like al Qaeda before it, will continue to metastasize and seek to spread its influence once it loses its home base. Those foreign fighters that aren't killed will likely flee from Iraq and Syria, returning to their homelands, seeking refuge in other countries, or flocking to new jihadist battlefields. Islamic State supporters and leaders in Iraq and Syria will go underground, seeking to regroup and renew the fight by turning to guerrilla tactics. And the Islamic State will continue to orchestrate an ideological campaign on the internet and social media sites to inspire radicalization and encourage attacks. The Islamic State is a byproduct of the American intervention in Iraq and also of its subsequent departure. The 2003 intervention shifted the political balance in the country away from the formerly dominant Sunni minority toward the Shi'a majority, leaving Sunnis disgruntled, adrift, and ripe for radicalization. The year 2011 saw both the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq and the opening of a civil war in neighboring Syria. With the advent of that civil war, al Qaeda in Iraq, soon to rename itself the Islamic State, shifted its center of gravity across the border. The coincident American withdrawal from Iraq had several additional consequences. It removed a counterweight to Iranian influence; it halted professionalization of the Iraqi Army, and it reduced American visibility into the deteriorating condition of those forces as they became politicized, corrupted, and progressively weakened by the Shi'a-dominated regime in Baghdad. Washington was consequently taken by surprise when, in early 2014, Islamic State fighters burst out of Syria, rapidly advancing to the outskirts of Baghdad. ISIS won't be defeated until local forces can secure liberated territory and local governments can administer them. George W. Bush and Barack Obama both declared their wars in Iraq over. But wars don't end by fiat. It will be important that the new administration in Washington not make this mistake a third time. The Islamic State will not be defeated until local forces can secure liberated territory and local governments can effectively administer these areas. This needs to occur not just in Iraq and Syria, but in the half dozen other lands where the Islamic State has established territorial footholds, to include Afghanistan, Nigeria, Libya, and Egypt. This challenge is particularly acute in Syria, where there is at present no acceptable local government to support. This makes the question of what to do with Raqqa once liberated particularly difficult. Even as the military campaign to take the city gains momentum, Washington will need to reengage diplomatically in the ongoing negotiations over Syria's future. It is not accidental that the Islamic State has taken root in some of the most poorly governed countries in the Muslim world. State-building is an unpopular mission, from which successive American administrations have shied. Yet the alternative is war without end. If the Islamic State is to be defeated and stay defeated, military measures will need to be combined with economic, technical, and political assistance designed to improve state and local capacity. Popular grievances that have given rise to extremist movements need to be better addressed. These are not steps the United States should take alone, but Washington should lead in assembling and guiding donor coalitions working with each of the affected countries. Seth G. Jones is director of the International Security and Defense Policy at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. James Dobbins, a veteran diplomat who most recently served as the State Department's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is a senior fellow and Distinguished Chair in Diplomacy and Security at RAND. This commentary originally appeared on Fortune on March 9, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Sentencing of alleged organizer of 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis set for March 21 MOSCOW, March 13 (RAPSI) The Moscow District Military Court will pass a sentence on the alleged mastermind of the hostage taking at the Dubrovka theater in southeast Moscow in 2002 that left 130 dead, Khasan Zakayev, on March 21, RAPSI learnt in the court on Monday. Earlier, prosecutor asked the court to sentence Zakayev to 23 years in prison. There are 912 injured persons in the criminal case, who had lodged several claims seeking about 100 million rubles ($1.7 million) in compensation from Zakayev. Zakayev has pleaded guilty to transfer of weapons in 2001 and 2002. He received about $4,000 and a mobile phone for weapon delivery. However, he noted that he did not know what he was supplying and for what purposes. He also denied his complicity in terrorist attacks, murders, and taking hostages. Investigators claim that Zakayev was a member of a criminal gang headed by Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev and assisted in organizing the terrorist attack and taking of hostages at the theater. In 2002, he allegedly organized transportation of weapon and homemade explosive devices to Moscow for terrorists. A group of terrorists led by Movsar Barayev took hostage the audience and participants of the Nord-Ost musical on October 23, 2002. Forty attackers were killed. Zakayev is the only one who was arrested, victims lawyer Igor Trunov said earlier. The majority of hostages were released in an operation planned by Russian security services. Shamil Basayev who was reportedly killed in 2006 and Gerikhan Dudayev who is still at large are among the organizers of the attack, according to investigators. Blogger who was catching pokemons in Orthodox church insists on his innocence Context Blogger who was catching pokemons in Orthodox church appeals his detention in ECHR MOSCOW, March 13 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) Videoblogger Ruslan Sokolovsky who was catching pokemons in a Yekaterinburg church via Pokemon Go app pleads not guilty to all charges, lawyer Aleksey Bushmakov told RAPSI on Monday. On Monday, the Verkh-Isetsky District Court of Yekaterinburg began hearings in a criminal case against Sokolovsky, who is charged with incitement of hatred, violation of religious rights and illegal possession of special technical means intended for obtaining secret information. Sokolovsky claimed that he is innocent and that said technical means, photo- and video-camera, mounted in the housing of a ballpoint pen, belonged to one Sergey Lazarev who lives in Ukraine. Russian authorities were not able to locate and interrogate Lazarev, Bushmakov said. On Monday, the court expects to hear testimony of seven prosecution witnesses. Sokolovsky is to stay under house arrest until August 14. According to investigators, from May 2013 to September 2016, the defendant produced nine video files and placed them on the YouTube. These videos, according to a forensic examination, contain signs of incitement of hatred or hostility, humiliation of human dignity and a group of persons on the grounds of nationality, religion, as well as against members of a particular social group. Placement of these videos on the Internet was qualified by experts as public actions, expressing clear disrespect for society and committed to insult the religious feelings of believers. In addition, Sokolovsky allegedly used unlawfully acquired special technical means. Investigators believe that he recorded videos through camera in the housing of a ballpoint pen. According to experts, the device corresponds to the category of special technical means intended for secret reception and registration of visual and acoustic information. The case against Sokolovsky was launched after he had published video on Youtube channel, in which he played the mobile app of the popular Pokemon Go game in Orthodox Church-on-Blood in Yekaterinburg. Pokemon Go, a videogame with elements of augmented reality for mobile devices, became incredibly popular all over the world. EU extends anti-Russian sanctions until mid-September 2017 MOSCOW, March 13 (RAPSI) The European Union has prolonged sanctions imposed against Russian and Ukrainian persons and companies over a crisis in Ukraine until September 15, 2017, according to a news release issued by the Council of Europe on Monday. Sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans, the statement reads. The restrictive measures are currently targeting 150 individuals and 37 companies because of their alleged involvement in threatening Ukraines territorial integrity, and destabilization in the country. The Council reviewed the list of persons and entities subject to these restrictive measures and removed two deceased persons from it. In March 2014, the European Council imposed restrictive measures on a number of Russian individuals and entities following a crisis in Ukraine and the developing situation in Crimea. The sanctions list includes officials and businessmen as well as leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk peoples republics. Aside from individual sanctions, the EU imposed sector-specific sanctions against Russia that have negatively affected major Russian financial institutions and major companies. The sanctions list has been repeatedly extended. 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. This June ban was extended yet again until December 31, 2017. Crimea reunited with Russia following a referendum in March 2014. Over 96 percent of those who took part in the polls voted for joining Russia. Ukrainian officials and some Western states have repeatedly accused Russia of interfering in Ukraines domestic issues. Moscow has repeatedly claimed that it has had absolutely no part in the events in southeastern Ukraine and does not supply the self-defense forces with military equipment and ammunition; that it is not a party to the domestic Ukrainian conflict and is interested in Ukraine overcoming the political and economic crisis. 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Price: $ 465 Seller State of Residence: PENNSYLVANIA City: Pompano Beach State/Province: Florida Type: Beach/Ocean Number of Bedrooms: 2 Number of Bathrooms: 2 Location: 180**, Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 2 By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/13/2017 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. has officially signed on Tyra Banks as its new host.NBC has announced the 43-year-old former America's Next Top Model host will be replacing Nick Cannon as host of 's upcoming twelfth season.Banks hosted Top Model for over a decade and still remains an executive producer on the series. She previously headlined her own daytime talk show and also recently launched the successful TYRA Beauty cosmetics line."Since I was a little girl, I've been obsessed with grandiose acts and performers who make the seemingly impossible possible. I love how AGT brings that feeling into everyone's home, capturing the best of people who come out and give it their all to make those big, fierce and outrageous dreams come true," Banks said in a statement."I look forward to connecting with the dreamers, having fun and giving hugs and words of encouragement when needed. And maybe I'll get one or two performers to smize for the audience!""Smize" refers to Banks' signature phrase from Top Model, which means smiling with one's eyes in order to appear awake, alive and focused in photographs."Tyra is the complete package: Out-of-this-world talented, funny, brilliant and all heart. In whatever she has done, she has always connected with audiences around the world," NBC President Paul Telegdy said. "Her vivacious spirit will infuse AGT in a big way.""Welcome to the family, Tyra! This is really exciting," said AGT judge Simon Cowell , who created the show's format.Fellow AGT judge Howie Mandel took to Twitter to also ask fans to welcome Banks to the show, but neither of the other two judges, Heidi Klum and Melanie "Mel B" Brown , made a statement.The announcement of Banks' participation on the Summer 2017 edition of comes several days after TMZ reported actor Brandon Mychal Smith was close to finalizing a deal to host the show and about a month after Cannon insisted he was done with AGT after feeling he was "publicly reprimanded and ridiculed" by his network bosses over a joke made in a recent TV comedy special on Showtime.Cannon, 36, said in a statement last month his decision to leave the reality talent competition "hurts tremendously" but needed to be done in order to maintain his self respect since he was being "punished for a joke" and therefore "threatened with termination.""NBC believed that I was in breach of contract because I had disparaged their brand... I find myself in a dark place having to make a decision that I wish I didn't have to, but as a man, an artist, and a voice for my community I will not be silenced, controlled or treated like a piece of property. There is no amount of money worth my dignity or my integrity," Cannon explained.Cannon's joke that allegedly "disparaged" the NBC brand has not been confirmed; however, he claimed in the "Stand Up, Don't Shoot" comedy special that hosting stole his "real n--ger card" and hurt his credibility in the black community.Cannon hosted eight editions of beginning in Season 4 and the network allegedly wasn't thrilled about his choice to quit. Before he joined the popular series, Regis Philbin hosted Season 1 and Jerry Springer hosted Seasons 2 and 3.returns to Los Angeles this summer with live shows filmed inside the Dolby Theatre. Cowell, Mandel, Klum and Brown are all returning to the judging panel for the show's twelfth edition.Teen singing sensation Grace VanderWaal won Season 11 of the show last year. , We're sorry, this article is not currently available While Zika has not dominated headlines in a while, mosquito season is fast approaching. A group of University of Georgia scientists and researchers have identified 26 species across multiple genuses of mosquitoes as potential carriers of the virus. The crosswalk on South Finley Street, between Creswell and Russell Hall, might be in need of Most gyms and exercise studios in Athens feature student discounts, but Shakti Power Yoga is the only one who features 30 days of classes for $30. We need to further catalyse economic growth and the government needs to increase revenue, says G K Agarwal, BJPs national spokesperson on economic affairs. Generation of jobs, bringing the unorganised sector into the formal one, agriculture reforms and banks bad loans will be the focus of the government after the victory in the recent assembly polls, Gopal Krishna Agarwal, the Bharatiya Janata Partys spokesperson on economic affairs, tells Archis Mohan. After the Uttar Pradesh triumph, could one expect the Narendra Modi government to again take up its promise of reforms while continuing to pursue its poor-welfare agenda? Promoting ease of doing business (EODB) is one of the main focus areas. Our pro-poor policies, building of infrastructure and giving benefits to backward classes have been very successful. We have tried to curb corruption and block leakages in social welfare delivery. Benefits are reaching targeted groups. But, ultimately, if resources are not generated properly, there will be no revenue for the government to spend on social welfare schemes. So, we need to further catalyse economic growth and the government needs to increase revenue. The digital economy will make more people tax-compliant and have a positive impact on revenue. But, economic growth has to take place through private investments. For this, the government will provide a support system by ensuring EODB. What would be the big reforms? According to us, good governance and transparency itself are big-ticket ones. The Modi government has taken numerous steps to increase EODB. Giving of permissions, documentation and registration have been streamlined; Digital India initiatives have contributed. Second, reforms are being carried out in the agricultural sector. The issue of a better supply chain management and price realisation for agri commodities is sought to be addressed by amending the APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) law. The issue is complicated because APMCs are under state governments. So, we are moving in the direction of setting up electronic mandis, that will help in better price realisation. We will also popularise the Madhya Pradesh model of warehousing corporation and take steps to create warehousing infrastructure. Providing jobs was a major plank but job growth has been poor. Employment is a very important commitment. There is a limit on the number of jobs that can be created in the government sector or even in the private sector. An important route is to support the unorganised sector, which has enormous potential. There is a false notion that the unorganised sector prefers to be part of the informal economy, to evade taxes. Many there prefer to be in the informal economy because they have problems with compliance, and these mostly boil down to EODB. Granting of permissions and regulations will be smoothened, so that the segment can grow. There will also be strong hand-holding through research initiatives, marketing support and credit availability. The banking sector is an area of concern? It is in big trouble. We have been able to identity many of the non-performing assets (NPAs). They existed in the system before our time but were brushed under the carpet. Our concerted effort over the past two-three years has been to identify the problem and rectify it. This doesnt mean NPAs have been written off. Provision has been made to improve the health of banks but recovery is a big issue. The government has taken initiatives on putting in place an insolvency and banking code. Professionals are being appointed. These steps will help banks recover NPAs. Banking reforms are on the anvil through ARCs (asset reconstruction companies) and there is also a discussion on the idea of a bad bank, where these assets can be transferred. There could be a proper recovery mechanism through a concerted effort and the government is trying its best to improve that. Photograph: Reuters. UP is an important state to roll out the governments agrarian reforms and job growth policies. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday tweeted that a new India was emerging, powered by the strength and skills of 125 crore Indians and this India stands for development. Modis tweet, and his speech at the Bharatiya Janata Party national headquarters in New Delhi, indicated that his government -- with key states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand having been won -- was set to mix the politics of welfare of the poor with good economics. The next 15 months, with no challenging assembly polls on the horizon, give the Modi government a window to unveil its reform agenda. The target will be improving the income levels of farmers and providing jobs to the youth. Home to a sixth of Indias population, UP is an important state to roll out the governments agrarian reforms and job growth policies. BJPs national spokesperson on economic issues, Gopal Agarwal, says his partys victory in UP is not just a mandate for good governance and pro-poor policies of the Modi government. The victory, he adds, will help seamless implementation of the Centres policies in UP. Without development of UP, Indias growth story will remain unfulfilled. Pro-poor economic development is one of the major vote-catchers because our government has tried to end corruption and leakages, Agarwal says, adding that economic growth is needed to have more resources for pro-poor welfare policies. Shashank Bhide, director of Madras Institute of Development Studies, agrees that having a stable government at the Centre and as well in the state should help in more stability in policies and programmes and aligning them better with a focused approach. At the same time, it has been seen that despite having two different sort of governments in the Centre and states, states themselves have progressed quite rapidly than they have been in the past. That apart, I feel that one big outcome of the UP results could help in attracting more investments in the state, Bhide says. While the Modi government at the Centre is set to pursue policies that focus on job growth, central programmes related to the agriculture sector are all set to get a big push. According to Agarwal, the Modi government is looking to improve the ease of doing business to spur entrepreneurship and also to bring the unorganised sector into the formal sector. This years Economic Survey had identified micro, small and medium enterprises as a driver for job growth. Going by BJPs manifesto for UP, in the agriculture and farming sector, there are almost 10 priority areas of the central government for Indias most populous state and set to get a big push. The BJP has promised doubling farmers income by 2022 across India, including UP. In UP, the BJP has promised to convert all vegetable and cereal mandis into e-mandis: The Centres ambitious programme to connect all the mandis across the state through a common portal E-NaM is already on, and so far, around 65 mandis have been enrolled in the portal. A BJP government in Lucknow will extend the PM Crop Insurance Scheme to all the willing and needy farmers. In the just concluded rabi season, around 19 million hectares have been brought under insurance with UP figuring among the top states. Other efforts in the agrarian sector will include soil health cards for all farmers in three years. This ongoing programme of the Centre has been one of the laggards in UP, and so far, just around 27.15 per cent cards have been distributed. A BJP government in UP is also likely to set up a special Rs 20,000 crore CMs Irrigation Fund. The Centre has already provided over Rs 40,000 crore to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to speed up irrigation projects across the country, which would help in fulfilling the objective. It would also set up a Dairy Development Fund. Already, an announcement for creating a special fund at the Central level has been made with an initial corpus of Rs 2,000 crore, which would be scaled up to Rs 8,000 crore in the next three years. 'I hope Prime Minister Modi will take the population bull by the horns,' says Sudhir Bisht. The Bharatiya Janata Party has won the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly elections very comfortably. It has also been invited to form the government in Goa and in all likelihood, it will stake its claim to form the government in Manipur. The BJP lost the Punjab assembly elections that it fought alongside its senior partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal, but it hasn't been able to induce any sadness in the BJP camp. With a brilliant shoreline of 4:1 in Narendra Modi's favour, the legions of Modi admirers (me included) have started talking about what a cakewalk it will be for the prime minister to win the 2019 general election. The phenomena that Modi has become, is acknowledged by one and all. P Chidambaram;, the former home/finance minister, tweeted a kind of jealous admiration for the PM: '@PChidambaram_IN: The victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have re-confirmed that Mr Narendra Modi is the most dominant political leader.' Psephologist-turned-activist politician Yogendra Yadav tweeted his sense of fear at the BJP's growing stature: '@_yogendraYadav: BJP now enjoys political hegemony. Brute state power, electoral dominance and popular legitimacy. Counter hegemony now needs fresh narrative.' Rahul Gandhi too congratulated the prime minister in an open tweet that wasn't addressed to the PM. But the PM's media team tracked the tweet and thanked the Congress vice-president: '@OfficeOfRG: I congratulate Shri Narendra Modi and the BJP on their victory in Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand.' '@NarendraModi: Thank you. Long live democracy!' Even though two-and-a-half year is a long time in politics, it is safe to predict that Narendra Modi will be tough to dislodge as prime minister in 2019. At this juncture of euphoria, my thoughts are a bit off tangent. I congratulate the prime minister for his massive victory and I am sure that this will help him becoming PM yet again in 2019. But I am also reminded of what Narendra Modi once said when he had not become PM. He had said in his chaste Hindi, 'Mai yeh kabhi nahi sochta ki mai kya ban sakta hoon; Mai hamesha yeh sochta hoon ki mai kya kar sakta hoon (I never think what I can become, I think of what I can achieve).' These remarkable words won me over completely at the beginning of 2014. 'What I can become' versus 'What I can achieve' is something that differentiates Narendra Modi from every other prime minister that I have known in my lifetime. Narendra Modi is passionate about Clean India and he has gone about the task of building toilets with missionary zeal. Narendra Modi is keen about empowering the poorest of the poor and he has ensured that bank officials go to poor people and open their bank accounts at their door step. He is obsessed about India regaining its image of a forward-looking nation and he has himself gone across the globe, meeting world leaders, giving them the confidence about a resurgent India and he has earned the respect of all the countries for our country. On March 12, as Narendra Modi took to the podium to thank Team BJP for the emphatic win in the state assembly elections, he spoke about the new India. To Prime Minister Modi the new India is one that is concerned with development. I believe in the prime minister's broad vision of a new India, but being a nuts-and-bolts man, I want to lay down my expectations from the prime minister. PM Modi often talks about lifting the poor out of their poverty. He has rolled out various measures to fulfill that mission, but I believe that he has not addressed the key question of poverty. Why are we not able to fight poverty quickly, decisively and firmly? The answer is because more and more poor kids keep getting born in India every minute. One good indicator of a country's population growth is the 'Total Fertility Rate' or TFR, which is the average number of children expected to be born per woman during her entire reproductive period. I do not want to go deep into the statistics of India's population, but I want to say that India's TFR is 2.4 against China's 1.66 and the US' is 1.86. Ideally India's TFR should be 2.1 or 2.2, but it is well known that among the poorest of the poor sections, the TFR is as high as 4. If more and more children get added to poor households, then India will never be able to eliminate poverty in the next 50 years. I hope Prime Minister Modi will take the population bull by the horns and enunciate a clear national population policy for India. I know sceptics will say that India's TFR has declined significantly over the years and with the spread of education, population stabilisation is inevitable. I concede this, but I would say even at the risk of sounding alarmist that we can't wait to grow any further than our current population level. Our cities are bursting at the seams and we need to start slowing down NOW. If we wait for an entire population to get educated before the population starts to stabilise, then we will never be able to achieve anything substantial in the next 30 years. The fruits of growing GDP can't be enjoyed if the population of poverty-stricken families keeps growing at double the rate than the population growth rate of well off, educated Indians. Narendra Modi has often described India's population as an asset. I humbly beg to disagree. If we had a billion plus people who were all healthy and wealthy and if we had a land area that was double or triple the one we currently have, I too would have called our population an asset. But a billion plus people, a third of whom live on less than one (or is it two now?) dollar a day, is not my idea of an asset. I am not advocating measures like forceful sterilisation or strict enforcement of a one child norm to address the growing population issue. But I want a robust system of incentives and disincentives in place to encourage people to have a maximum of two children per family. I am hoping that in the next two-and-a-half years, Prime Minister Modi will draw up a policy framework to address my concern for the need to slow down India's population growth NOW. There are several areas where I would like our prime minister to carry out transformative changes. I would want a new India where the reservation in jobs and academic institutions is passed on to only one or two generations in a family. I would also want a mega states like Uttar Pradesh to be split into three smaller states to achieve administrative efficiency. I would want the prime minister to carry out labour reforms quickly and public sector banks and some other organisations to be privatised with more speed. I would also want the prime minister to continue with his Digital India initiative. I wish the government continues with the incentives for less-cash transactions. I want the prime minister to continue with his proposed Election Campaign reforms. I want the PM to bring about the much talked about laws to deal with benami property. The list is endless, but the dreams are entirely achievable. I wish the prime minister all the success for his remaining term. And I wish that he gets a team that can achieve his vision of a New India. His party has quite a few who can match his sense of urgency with their pace of work. And if there are any gaps, he can fill them up with generous helpings from outside the political arena. Sudhir Bisht, author and columnist, tweets at @sudhir_bisht Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Monday said he would resign by Tuesday to facilitate the process of government formation in the state which has got a hung assembly following the just-concluded elections. I will resign by tomorrow (on Tuesday) to facilitate the process of government formation, he told reporters in Imphal. Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah had earlier said that she could start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned. Ibobi Singh, however, has been arguing that with the Congress emerging as the single largest party, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me, said Singh. Heptullah said she could start the process once incumbent CM steps down. I have not received till today (Monday) any resignation from the chief minister (Okram Ibobi Singh) though I told him yesterday (Sunday) I can start the process of government formation only after you resign, Heptulla said. As per rules, until the present chief minister resigns, the process of next government formation cannot be started, said a highly-placed Raj Bhavan source. Ibobi Singh along with outgoing deputy chief minister Gaikhangam and state Congress president T N Haokip had met the governor last night. The governor had asked Singh to resign immediately so that she can start the process of government formation, he said. It was during the meeting that Ibobi Singh had staked claim to form the next government by showing a list of 28 Congress MLAs. He also claimed to have the support of four National Peoples Party MLAs. On seeing the names of the four NPP MLAs on an ordinary piece of paper, Heptullah asked Ibobi Singh to bring the NPP president and the MLAs, the source said. The governor said it was her duty to cross check claims and counter-claims and that she would not accept an ordinary piece of paper as the letter of support unless she meets the NPP MLAs, the source said. Later, NPP leader Conrad Sangma said the Congress letter to governor claiming the partys support was a fake. We have no knowledge of it. It was not signed by our party president. It was not even on our official letterhead. Our official letter with sign of MLAs has been submitted. Our stand is clear that we support a government led by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), Sangma was quoted as saying by ANI. Meanwhile, Gaikhangam said, The Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, so as per the Constitution the single largest party should be called first to form the government and prove its strength on the floor of the House. The BJP leadership with their 21 MLAs had met the governor along with NPP president and the four MLAs of his party and the lone Lok Janshakti Party and Trinamool Congress MLAs, besides one of the Congress. The BJP has claimed it enjoyed the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. They also submitted a letter from the Naga Peoples Front president pledging their support to the BJP to form the government, the source said adding the governor is yet to invite any party to form the government. The Congress has won 28 seats in Manipur while the BJP has secured 21. The NPP and the NPF have won four seats each, with the LJP and the Trinamool Congress bagged one seat each. With inputs from ANI IMAGE: Okram Ibobi Singh. Photograph: PTI Photo His absence will be felt because of his decision taking ability and rapport with armed forces, says Sahil Makkar. Manohar Parrikar has left a mark after two-and-a-half years with the defence ministry. His absence would be felt as he has been made the Goa chief minister, for many reasons, including his decision taking ability and rapport with the three armed forces. His going would be a jolt to the 'Make in India' programme, as it would take the new minister at least a year to understand the nuances and intricacies of this ministry. Parrikar, initially reluctant to become defence minister, was a strong advocate of production in this country of military equipment and supplies. He, however, did say they would consider opening areas where we lack technology to 100 per cent foreign direct investment, FDI. 'For Make in India, FDI levels have to be increased to 49 per cent through the automatic route and an even higher percentage can be considered,' Parrikar had said, while announcing the amended Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) last year in Goa. He encouraged public sector units in the sector to have ties with private defence majors. And, exhorted the Ordinance Factory Boards to ramp up production and reduce the shortage of ammunition. Parrikar is also credited with simplifying of industrial licensing rules and on cutting red tape. He'd craftily handled General Bipin Rawat's controversial appointment as new army chief. General Rawat had superseded Lieutenant General Praveen Bakshi and Lieutenant Gen P M Hariz, both senior to him. Before that, Parrikar stood his ground during French President Francois Hollande's 2015 visit by not signing the Rafale fighter deal. It is said he negotiated hard with the French before placing an order for 36 jets. In sum, he ended the policy paralysis of the previous government and chaired meetings of the Defence Acquisition Council to review all procurement projects. The government has already cleared procurement of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The biggest challenge for his successor would be getting clearance for a a similar amount in the near future. The successor would also need to ensure major Indian defence players invest in the country, as they are still sceptical of getting large orders from the armed forces. The successor would also be under pressure because of increased terrorist attacks on defence installations and growing presence of Chinese might in the Indian Ocean region. IMAGE: Then defence minister Manohar Parrikar at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot after the terrorist attack in January 2016. Photograph: PTI Photo IMAGE: People celebrate Holi in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo Clothes were dyed with hues of colours and a spirit of jollity reigned supreme as the country on Monday played Holi. Revellers thronged thoroughfares smearing faces with coloured powder and children hurled water-filled balloons from rooftops to celebrate the festival of colours which heralds the advent of spring. IMAGE: Holi celebration in Guwahati. Photograph: Reba Bora People hugged each other wishing Happy Holi as streets were filled with groups singing and dancing to the accompaniment of drums. Since morning, youths and children revelled in the streets, daubing friends and family members with colours. IMAGE: Locals and foreigners play Holi at Khasa Kothi in Jaipur . Photograph: PTI Photo President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Holi greetings to the people, saying the festival symbolises the spirit of harmony and prosperity. IMAGE: Celebrations at Swaminarayan Temple in Ahmedabad. Photograph: PTI Photo Let this years Holi mark the beginning of a new phase of peace and prosperity in the country, Mukherjee said. Extending his wishes, Ansari said, May this festival bring peace, harmony, prosperity and happiness in our lives. IMAGE: At Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi Greeting the people, Modi hoped that the festival spreads joy and warmth everywhere. IMAGE: Foreigners play Holi in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo The paramilitary forces personnel did not celebrate Holi as a mark of tribute to the 12 Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The CRPF issued orders that no regimental function related to Holi celebrations will be observed at any field formation. IMAGE: People play Holi at Sowcarpet area in Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo It said the gesture was to express solidarity with the family members of the slain men and that the directions are to be followed by the entire force in letter and spirit. IMAGE: Holi celebrations in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo Elsewhere in the country, musical soirees were held at many places to mark the festival. Colourful Rangoli patterns were drawn at the entrance of houses as special delicacies, varying from region to region, were cooked to celebrate the occasion. IMAGE: Widows playing Holi at ancient Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo In Mathura and Vrindavan, popular for their extravagant Holi celebrations extending nearly a week, people regaled with traditional practice including the lathmar holi as the cities soaked in variegated hues. IMAGE: Children playing with colours in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Hundreds of widows from Vrindavan also celebrated Holi. 'Opposition parties now recognise that the king on one side of the chessboard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is ensconced, and unlikely to be shaken, although on his side there are no identifiable kings, queens, rooks, bishops or knights,' says Radhika Ramaseshan. With a little over two years to go before the next Lok Sabha election, some pieces on the national political chessboard have started moving, thinking up the scenarios that could evolve from the prospective realignments emanating from the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in Uttar Pradesh. Opposition parties now recognise that the king on one side of the chessboard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is ensconced, and unlikely to be shaken, although on his side there are no identifiable kings, queens, rooks, bishops or knights. Opposition sources said the Samajwadi Party's and Bahujan Samaj Party's rout in UP rule out Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati as key players to shape and finesse a calculation for 2019. The heartland always fancied itself as a crucial determinant of who would rule the Centre. With UP under the BJP's belt, Modi aside, the chances of another leader emerging from its bowels are out. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal's below par showing in Punjab effectively curtails his national aspirations, add Opposition sources. That leaves the latter to root about the other states to get a king, if there is one. Bhartruhari Mahtab, a senior in the Biju Janata Dal and in the Lok Sabha, believes the first big test is the coming polls to elect a new President. "The BJP has a full majority and can possibly see through its own candidate. But, if the non-BJP forces put up a nominee, we can queer the BJP's pitch," said Mahtab, refusing to state if the BJD head, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, would initiate such a move. The BJP's recent success in the Odisha local bodies' poll has spurred the BJD to look at the shifting sands in the state, where the party, in its fourth term in government, has been ruling unchallenged. Asked if the BJP's inroads could bring the BJD and the Congress closer in Odisha and nationally, Mahtab said, "Nationally, it depends on whether the Congress wishes to expand its base by aligning with regional forces. But, in Odisha, the Congress is tying up with the BJP to install its heads in the district panchayats. How can we go with it?" On balance, if it came down to choosing between the BJP -- a former BJD ally -- and the Congress, Mahtab indicated it could be the latter. For, in the existing conditions, the BJD perceives the BJP and not the Congress as the greater threat. "Let's look at the latest elections holistically. The Congress gained in Punjab and Goa, and retained Manipur. This shows it is the only alternative to lead a non-BJP front. These states also matter," he said. Nitish? However, the Janata Dal-United, a major regional protagonist, was unsure if the Congress could be the fulcrum of such a front. Harivansh, a Rajya Sabha member of the party, suggests JD-U leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was upset at the Congress' "indifference" in stitching a larger coalition to confront the BJP in Assam and UP. And wondered if it would seriously look at one in 2019, regardless of the BJP challenge. The Congress contested the latest Bihar polls with the JD-U and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, won and became part of the government. "Congress should have taken the lead (in UP) like Nitish did in Bihar, but nobody spoke to Nitish," said Harivansh. He also underlines some snags in putting together a joint Opposition vanguard. "Nitish supported demonetisation because he saw it as a message against the rich, with caveats. The Opposition tried to isolate him for allegedly taking a pro-BJP stand. Mamata (Banerjee) gave statements against him," he said. Nitish alone, contends Harivansh, can match Modi, attribute for attribute. Hinting thereby that if a common front materialises, Nitish is capable of heading it. "He's a serious politician, without advertising. He works 18 hours a day, there are no charges against him, he doesn't have a family (to get involved and create controversies) and has pulled Bihar out of misgovernance," claimed Harivansh. BJP concerns The BJP's perspective on 2019 centres around Modi, admitting off the record that even its allies and entities that are "friendly" without being aligned with it feel "threatened" by the PM. Therefore, party sources say, they would "not be surprised" if BJP ally Telugu Desam and "outside supporters" like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the All India Anna DMK could squeeze themselves in an anti-BJP formation before the next Lok Sabha election. "The way we are expanding nationally under Modi, our footprints are bound to enlarge in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and even Tamil Nadu," a BJP official said. But all these projections also carry a reality check. Namely, the BJP's ability to retain its winning streak in the slew of state elections preceding the Lok Sabha battle. The BJP rules most of these states or is in the Opposition; its stakes are, therefore, high. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh go to the polls in December this year; Karnataka will follow in April 2018. These are to be followed by those in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in November-December 2018, regarded as a precursor to the big battle. Though that is not necessarily true -- in late 2003, the BJP had triumphed in these three latter states, infusing so much confidence that the Union Cabinet was persuaded to bring forward the schedule for the Lok Sabha election of 2004. Where the BJP lost to the Congress. "A couple of defeats will detract from the pre-eminence we now enjoy. The elections in MP and Chhattisgarh would be especially tough because we have been in power for 15 years," a BJP functionary admitted. Already, Amit Shah, the BJP president, has started working in Gujarat to tie up the loose ends that have frayed the government and lept the party on edge, after the leadership change and caste agitations. Sources also spoke of the "enormous" challenges ahead in UP after the stunning mandate. "We have to provide a semblance of governance, restore law and order, and balance the competing demands from castes," a state MP said. Not the least of the BJP's tasks in UP will be accommodating the demands and wishes of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The RSS and its affiliates formed the linchpin of the BJP's 'wrest UP' project but typically lay low. Mandate won, BJP sources said, the Sangh's presence could be "more visible" and the audio level "more vocal" on issues such as legislating a common civil code, shutting down slaughter houses and allocating more land for crematoriums. IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo 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. With fighting near industrial sites, UN expert warns Ukrainians of chemical disaster risk Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, With fighting near industrial sites, UN expert warns Ukrainians of chemical disaster risk, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65ae54.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. Unless the fighting in eastern Ukraine is stopped and precautions are taken to secure industrial facilities in the area, the armed conflict could lead to a catastrophic chemical disaster, an independent United Nations human rights expert today warned. Battles are now being fought in cities, close to industrial centres, with factories increasingly becoming at risk of being hit: the consequences for anyone living close-by would be severe, said Baskut Tuncak, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes. Most of Ukraine's industrial facilities are located in the eastern part of the country. These include heavy industrial infrastructures operating in the mining, metallurgical, chemical and power sectors. The presence of a range of explosive and toxic substances at these sites is a source of serious concern, according to the press release from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). As an example, on 24 February, a shell hit a building housing more than 7,000 kg of chlorine gas. While no damage was reported damage to just one fraction of the containers would have killed anyone within 200 meters and severely impact the health of anyone within 2.4 km, according to experts cited by OHCHR. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has also voiced concern about potential impact to the health of residents. According to information cited in the press release, OCHA and humanitarian partners have called for demilitarizing the areas adjacent to civilian infrastructure and for essential safety equipment to be stored at facilities out of the reach of the government. UN human rights experts are part of what it is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. The experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. Colombian fighting displaced more than 900 families since January - UN agency Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 13 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Colombian fighting displaced more than 900 families since January - UN agency, 13 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65b444.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 a peace agreement, ongoing fighting in the Colombian Pacific Coast has displaced more than 3,500 people so far this year many of them from the Afro-Colombian or indigenous communities, the United Nations refugee agency today announced. The violence comes despite a peace agreement signed last Novembers between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC. Since the signing of the peace agreement, increased violence by new armed groups has resulted in killings, forced recruitment - including of children - gender-based violence and limited access to education, water and sanitation, as well as movement restrictions and forced displacement of the civilian population, said William Spindler, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Mr. Spindler said that the families most affected are from the Choco, Cauca, Valle del Cauca and Narino departments. About 13 per cent of the 7.4 million internally displaced persons in the country are from the Afro-Colombian communities and indigenous peoples. The UN refugee agency reiterated the need to ensure that the civilian population has access to protection and assistance. At the same time, any eventual returns of IDPs to their areas of origin need to take place in conditions of safety and dignity, Mr. Spindler stressed. As fresh violence in Yemen sends thousands fleeing their homes, UN agency urges support Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, As fresh violence in Yemen sends thousands fleeing their homes, UN agency urges support, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65b6a4.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. With tens of thousands of civilians forced to flee their homes following a spike in fighting across western and central Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency today appealed for more international support, as well as unrestricted access within the country so that it can reach those now facing "abysmal conditions." According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 62,000 Yemenis have been displaced over the last six weeks. "A number of those displaced, including many children, have been reported as suffering from malnutrition, while others are distressed and in need of psycho-social assistance," William Spindler, a spokesperson for the UN agency, told journalists at a media briefing at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) today. "Many of those displaced are in urgent need of food, shelter and medicine and lack adequate water and sanitation facilities. A number of women also reported psychological distress and malnutrition." Facing danger from both the sky and the land A 28-year-old mother of three who fled her home in Al Mokha (western Yemen) with her husband and children, and another family, crammed into a vehicle for a 150-kilometre, eight hour journey. This is what she said: We faced danger from both the sky and the land. We hid at home for most of the time, but when we were nearly killed and our house damaged by the fighting, we just had to leave. We couldn't take anything with us - no food, clothes or any belongings because there was hardly any space for the people. When we arrived in Hudaydah we had nothing, but the community have been so generous. Even though they are also suffering, they gave us a place to stay and helped us out. Life is too hard. We don't have enough food and water and we are sick. Many people and their children have infections, and fear has made our bodies and minds weak. " UN response Together with its partners, UNHCR has stepped up their efforts to help those newly displaced. The response, however, has been hampered by ongoing fighting and restricted access such as in Taiz governorate, which has the highest number of recent displaced. "Whilst [our] assistance has previously reached Taiz, intensified hostilities at present are hampering access," Mr. Spindler added, noting similar problems in Dhamar governorate, bordering capital Sana'a. "[We] continue to advocate for unfettered access and [are] trying to mobilize a response with all national actors on the ground," he stressed. At the same time, local host communities are also stretched to capacity and are buckling under the strain of hosting additional, newly displaced populations. Not including the tens of thousands newly displaced, the governorates of Taiz, Hudaydah and Ibb between them host 25 per cent of Yemen's total displaced population - more than half a million individuals. Budget shortfall by 93 per cent UNHCR too is struggling to cope with the crisis and calling for international support to help its efforts. Its 2017 budget for Yemen, so far, is only seven per cent funded, leaving it with resources only sufficient to deal with urgent emergency needs and restricted to new waves of displacement. "We are no longer able to support regular distributions including to internally displaced Yemenis living in collective centres and informal settlements," said Mr. Spindler. Before the latest surge, Yemen already had more than two million internally displaced people and one million who provisionally returned to their places of origin but still needing humanitarian assistance. Nation-building amid insurgency 'an uphill struggle' for Afghanistan UN envoy Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Nation-building amid insurgency 'an uphill struggle' for Afghanistan UN envoy, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65be54.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 United Nations envoy for Afghanistan today highlighted both the visible progress the conflict-torn country has made and the challenges lie ahead, urging the Government to redouble efforts while calling for continued international political and financial support. "The Government has to pursue both an inclusive peace process and economic growth against the backdrop of an intensifying insurgency and worsening security," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Afghanistan, during a UN Security Council quarterly debate on the situation in that country. Mr. Yamamoto said that the National Unity Government - almost halfway through its five-year term - has made visible steps forward on anti-corruption, the electoral process and women's economic empowerment. "Fortunately, the ground is being prepared to make Afghanistan a success," he stressed. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), headed by Mr. Yamamoto, will launch its first anti-corruption report, titled Afghanistan's Other Battlefield: The Fight against Corruption soon. The report will highlight the Government's achievements in addressing corruption, and recommends options for further progress, he explained. The Government has committed to holding parliamentary elections which are seen as fair, inclusive and transparent by the Afghan people, he said, noting that the commissioners of the Independent Election Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission have been appointed. Afghanistan remains one of the most difficult places in the world to be a woman, he said. However, just two days ago, on International Women's Day, the Government launched a national plan that recognizes women as key economic actors. The deteriorating security situation remains of great concern, he pointed out, urging the Taliban to enter peace talks without preconditions and warning against attacks by foreign fighters, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh). Last year, UNAMA recorded the worst number of civilian casualties since record-keeping began nearly a decade ago. Deteriorating security also led to the highest-ever level of internal displacement in 2016. More than 650,000 Afghans were displaced. Returns from Pakistan exceeded 620,000 people. Displacements and returns for 2017 are likely to remain at these levels. Developing a nation while fighting an insurgency is an uphill struggle, he emphasized, noting that due in part to the worsening security situation over the past two years, service delivery has become increasingly difficult. "We have witnessed some downward trends in key indicators, such as access to health clinics and education facilities," he said. More focused action on governance, social services and private sector development to promote equitable growth will be necessary, he said. He urged the countries concerned, particularly in the neighbourhood, to support the Afghan Government's interest in the intensified regional peace effort, and asked the Council to renew UNAMA's mandate, which expires on 17 March. UNAMA is mandated to support the Afghan Government and the people of Afghanistan as a political mission that provides 'good offices' among other key services. 'Good offices' are diplomatic steps the UN takes publicly and in private, drawing on its independence, impartiality and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating or spreading. UNAMA also assists the process of peace and reconciliation; monitors and promotes human rights, including the protection of civilians in armed conflict; promotes good governance; and encourages regional cooperation. Security Council encourages Syrian parties to take part in UN-supported talks 'without preconditions' Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council encourages Syrian parties to take part in UN-supported talks 'without preconditions', 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65dea4.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. Looking forward to the early resumption of the United Nations-facilitated intra-Syrian negotiations, the Security Council today encouraged the Syrian parties to return to talks in good faith "and to engage constructively and without preconditions" on the agenda set out by UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura when they resume. In a press statement that follows a briefing earlier this week from Mr. de Mistura, the Council welcomed the conclusion of a further round of intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva on 3 March 2017. It further welcomed the Special Envoy's announcement that the talks had yielded a clear agenda for future negotiations as indicated by resolution 2254 (2015), focusing on governance; constitutional issues; elections; and counter terrorism, security and confidence building measures. The members of the Security Council reiterated their commitment to ensuring the inclusion of Syrian women in the political process through sustained consultation and dialogue and promoting their full and effective participation. Recognizing that the continuation of political negotiations was made possible by the ceasefire developed through the Astana process, the Council called on the Syrian parties to fully implement the ceasefire, established pursuant to the arrangements of 29 December 2016, including ending ceasefire violations and ensuring humanitarian access. The Council also encouraged the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) members to use their influence over the parties to help end violations, reduce violence, build confidence and ensure safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access in line with its resolution 2165 (2014). The ISSG established respective taskforces on humanitarian aid delivery and a wider ceasefire. They have been meeting separately since early 2016 on a way forward in the crisis. Russia and the United States are the co-chairs of the taskforces and the ISSG, which also comprises the UN, the Arab League, the European Union and 16 other countries. In his briefing to the Council, Mr. de Mistura had expressed his intention "to bring the invitees back to Geneva for a fifth round with a target date of 23 March." Syria: UN chief Guterres condemns terrorist attacks in Damascus Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN chief Guterres condemns terrorist attacks in Damascus, 12 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c65e984.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. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the terrorist bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus yesterday, his spokesman said today. "The Secretary-General is appalled by the utter disregard for human life displayed by the perpetrators, and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, many of whom were pilgrims," said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, in a statement issued today. "Those responsible for the bombings, and anyone carrying out attacks against civilians, must be held accountable," he added. According to media reports, twin blasts killed at least 40 people Saturday near holy shrines frequented by Shiites. Turkey: UN report details allegations of serious rights violations in country's southeast Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 March 2017 Related Document(s) Report on the human rights situation in South-East Turkey, July 2015 to December 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Turkey: UN report details allegations of serious rights violations in country's southeast, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c66f064.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 UN human rights office today published a report detailing allegations of massive destruction, killings and numerous other serious human rights violations committed between July 2015 and December 2016 in southeast Turkey. "I am particularly concerned by reports that no credible investigation has been conducted into hundreds of alleged unlawful killings, including women and children over a period of 13 months between late July 2015 and the end of August of 2016," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a news release published by his Office (OHCHR). "It appears that not a single suspect was apprehended and not a single individual was prosecuted," he added. During that period, Government security operations affected more than 30 towns and neighbourhoods and displaced between 335,000 and half a million people, mostly of Kurdish origin. Mr. Zeid acknowledged the complex challenges Turkey has faced in addressing the attempted coup of July 2016 and in responding to a series of terror attacks. However, he said the apparent significant deterioration of the human rights situation in the country is cause for alarm and would only serve to deepen tensions and foster instability. The news release said that measures taken under the state of emergency following the attempted coup of July 2016, including the dismissal of more than 100,000 people from public or private sector jobs during the reporting period, have also deeply affected the human rights situation in the southeast. Some 10,000 teachers were reportedly dismissed on suspicion of having links with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the Government considers a terrorist organization, without due process. The use of counter-terrorism legislation to remove democratically elected officials of Kurdish origin, the severe harassment of independent journalists, the closure of independent and Kurdish language media and citizen's associations and the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors have also severely weakened checks and balances and human rights protections. "The Government of Turkey has failed to grant us access, but has contested the veracity of the very serious allegations made in this report. But the gravity of the allegations, the scale of the destruction and the displacement of more than 355,000 people mean that an independent investigation is both urgent and essential," Mr. Zeid said. 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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. Amnesty International welcomes the 10 March vote by Thailand's National Legislative ssembly to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). This is an important step towards combating enforced disappearances and securing truth and justice for victims, including family members. The decision came shortly before the 13th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, who was abducted in Bangkok on this day in 2004. Amnesty International urges authorities to avoid further delays in ratifying the treaty and to ensure that its obligations to prevent and protect against disappearances become a domestic reality. Authorities should enact legislation establishing acts of enforced disappearance as a specific crime, repeal legal provisions that facilitate incommunicado detention without charge or trial in unofficial places of detention, and establish adequate safeguards against disappearances for detained individuals. The high number of unresolved cases of disappearance in Thailand are a lasting scar on the country's legacy. The suffering of families who have been living with the devastating consequences of enforced disappearance has been compounded by the denial of the truth about their relative's fate and whereabouts and the state's failure to bring perpetrators to justice. Authorities should act swiftly to remedy this continuing injustice, reveal the truth about these cases, and hold those responsible to account. BACKGROUND In recent years, Thailand has frequently committed to ratifying the ICPPED and to passing legislation criminalizing enforced disappearances. To this end, Thai authorities have developed a Draft Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act (Draft Act) that establishes both torture and enforced disappearances as distinct crimes. In February 2017, Thailand's National Legislative Assembly decided to return the Draft Act to the Thai Cabinet, indefinitely delaying the enactment of this important piece of legislation. Amnesty International has urged the Thai government to amend the Draft Act in order to bring it into line with international law and to ensure its passage into law without undue delay. Somchai Neelapaijit, who was forcibly disappeared on 12 March 2004 in Bangkok, and Pholachi "Billy" Rakchongcharoen, last seen on April 2014, are among at least 82 cases of unresolved disappearance in Thailand submitted to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance since 1980. Their families and civil society groups have struggled to obtain truth and justice in the face of adversity, harassment and legal obstacles. While officials have privately told Somchai Neelapaijit's family that he was tortured to death, his body burned and his ashes scattered, there has been no official acknowledgement of his fate and whereabouts. The decisions during the last year by the Department of Special Investigation to suspend the investigation into Somchai Neelapaijit's disappearance and not investigate that of Pholachi Rakochongcharoen highlight the difficulties victims face in obtaining truth and justice under the current legal framework in Thailand. These events also underscore the need for a law specifically codifying the crime of enforced disappearance and combatting the current culture of secrecy and impunity. On 13 and 14 March 2017, the UN Human Rights Committee will review Thailand's compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Amnesty International and other civil society partners, both Thai and international, have submitted reports to the Committee recommending that Thailand ratify the ICPPED and pass legislation criminalizing torture and enforced disappearances. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Malawi: Step up action to end ritual murders of people with albinism Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Malawi: Step up action to end ritual murders of people with albinism, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c674ae4.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 Malawian authorities must step up action to protect people with albinism who are being targeted for ritual murders, Amnesty International said today, following another attack in the country's capital Lilongwe. Last night four men attempted to drill through the wall of the home of Gilbert Daire, former president of the Association of the People with Albinism, as he slept. They fled the scene after his neighbours intervened. "This brazen attack happened in the middle of the country's busiest city, and sends a chilling message about the lack protection, safety and security of all people with albinism," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southern Africa. "In the past two years we have seen an alarming surge in attacks on people with albinism. We have documented dozens of individuals being hunted down like animals for their body parts, but these brazen attacks seem to continue unabated. Malawian authorities must end this cycle of impunity of perpetrators of these crimes." Since the beginning of 2017, two people with albinism have been murdered, while three others have survived clearly targeted attacks, including two stabbings. Background Late on Thursday night four men tried to force entry into Gilbert Daire's house, where he was sleeping with his family. They were chased away by neighbours who heard his cries for help. One of the suspected perpetrators was later arrested after community members turned him over to the police. People with albinism in Malawi have come under increased risk of being abducted or killed in murders associated with witchcraft in recent years, with a surge since November 2014. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Uganda: Ruling against journalist's attacker a rare victory for press freedom Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 March 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Uganda: Ruling against journalist's attacker a rare victory for press freedom, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c674f54.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. In response to today's court ruling finding Joram Mwesigye, a senior Ugandan police officer, guilty of assaulting journalist Andrew Lwanga in January 2015, Abdullahi Halakhe, Amnesty International's East Africa Researcher, said: "Today's ruling is a rare victory for freedom of the press in Uganda. It sends a clear message that attacks on journalists must never be accepted or tolerated under any circumstances. It will hopefully assure people working in the media that the courts are watching; willing and ready to uphold their rights. "Press freedom has become increasingly restricted in Uganda with numerous attacks on media outlets seen as critical of the government in the past year. Today's court decision offers a chink of light in an otherwise bleak outlook and demonstrates that the judiciary is prepared to defend freedom of expression." Background Lwanga was covering a protest march against unemployment in the capital, Kampala on 21 January 2015, when a police officer repeatedly hit him with a baton on his shoulders and head until he fell down. As he was falling down, the officer kicked him on his back, damaging his spine. He has undergone expensive surgery in South Africa to try to repair his spinal cord, and is awaiting a second operation. Lwanga still suffers unbearable pain two years after the attack and has been unable to resume work. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Title Third Party Intervention by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights under Article 36 of the European Convention on Human Rights Application No. 42705/11 Svetlana Khusainovna ESTEMIROVA against the Russian Federation Publication Date 14 March 2016 Country Russian Federation Citation / Document Symbol CommDH(2016)18 Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Third Party Intervention by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights under Article 36 of the European Convention on Human Rights Application No. 42705/11 Svetlana Khusainovna ESTEMIROVA against the Russian Federation, 14 March 2016, CommDH(2016)18, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c682ed4.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Title Letter from Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, to Dr Milan BRGLEZ, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, concerning the Slovenian Aliens Act Publication Date 12 January 2017 Country Slovenia Citation / Document Symbol CommDH(2017)2 Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Letter from Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, to Dr Milan BRGLEZ, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, concerning the Slovenian Aliens Act, 12 January 2017, CommDH(2017)2, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c68bb74.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Title Letter from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, to Mr Viktoras PRANCKIETIS, Speaker of the Parliament of Lithuania, concerning the protection of children's rights Publication Date 10 February 2017 Country Lithuania Citation / Document Symbol CommDH(2017)6 Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Letter from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, to Mr Viktoras PRANCKIETIS, Speaker of the Parliament of Lithuania, concerning the protection of children's rights, 10 February 2017, CommDH(2017)6, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c68c4c4.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Title Report by Nils Muiznieks Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Following His Visit to Latvia From 5 to 9 September 2016 Publication Date 13 December 2016 Country Latvia Citation / Document Symbol CommDH(2016)41 Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Report by Nils Muiznieks Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Following His Visit to Latvia From 5 to 9 September 2016, 13 December 2016, CommDH(2016)41, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c68de94.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Title Letter from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, to Ronald Plasterk, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, and Ard Van Der Steur, Minister of Security and Justice of the Netherlands concerning three bills on counter-terrorism measures Publication Date 2 November 2016 Country Netherlands Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Letter from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, to Ronald Plasterk, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, and Ard Van Der Steur, Minister of Security and Justice of the Netherlands concerning three bills on counter-terrorism measures, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c68fc54.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Title Third party intervention by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights under Article 36, paragraph 3, of the European Convention on Human Rights Application No. 28198/15 Bagirov v. Azerbaijan Publication Date 22 November 2016 Country Azerbaijan Citation / Document Symbol CommDH(2016)42 Cite as Council of Europe: Commissioner for Human Rights, Third party intervention by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights under Article 36, paragraph 3, of the European Convention on Human Rights Application No. 28198/15 Bagirov v. Azerbaijan, 22 November 2016, CommDH(2016)42, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c691194.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Somalia: One Step Closer to Defeating al-Shabaab Publisher Jamestown Foundation Publication Date 10 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Somalia: One Step Closer to Defeating al-Shabaab, 10 March 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6921e4.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 In the build up to his election as Somalia's president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed announced he would invite al-Shabaab for a "sit down and discussion" (Twitter, January, 28). His rhetoric toward the group since then has been less welcoming. The new president, known as Farmaajo, appears confident that he could be the one to bring an end to the al-Qaeda affiliate's violent insurgency. Indeed, there is much that is in his favor. Farmaajo was elected by legislators in the second round of voting on February 8 (Africa News, February 8). The result was something of a surprise he had come second in the first round of voting, trailing behind the then-incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and lacked the kind of regional support bases enjoyed by his rivals but was welcomed by Somalis and the international community. At his inauguration on February 22, Farmaajo vowed to build Somalia's military capacity and continue the fight against al-Shabaab (Mareeg, February 22). Earlier, he told politicians and diplomats that the group could be broken in the next two years (Horseed Media, February 19). Despite this, his pre-election appeal to al-Shabaab has not been entirely forgotten. Al-Shabaab, meanwhile, has vowed its fight against the United Nations-backed government will continue, branding Farmaajo, who has dual U.S. and Somali citizenship, an "American puppet" (Mareeg, February 27). The group continues to menace the country. There have been several attacks in Mogadishu, and this month militants seized the town of El Baraf in the Middle Shabelle region as the army and African Union (AU) forces pulled back (Garowe Online, March 8). While al-Shabaab has suffered setbacks in the south at the hands of the AU's forces in the country, it continues to make ground further north in Puntland (see Terrorism Monitor, March 10). Farmaajo's claims that he will be able to bring peace to Somalia, however, may not be entirely without foundation. The election results suggest he has broad political support and may be able to build trust between Somalia's clans. His previous performance as prime minister between 2010 and 2011, though short-lived, suggests he knows how to bring his financial house into order that could help him cut corruption, but crucially also ensure that soldiers' salaries are paid regularly and on time. That would go a long way to boosting morale in the fight against al-Shabaab. Somalia is in the midst of a severe drought. There are rumblings from the UN that this has increased the need to engage with al-Shabaab, since the group controls areas of the country badly in need of aid (Daily Nation, January 25). In reality, talks with the group are unlikely, though Farmaajo's election may well have brought Somalia at least a step closer to defeating al-Shabaab. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Philippines: Islamic State a Potential Unifying Factor for Militants Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Alexander Sehmer Publication Date 10 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Philippines: Islamic State a Potential Unifying Factor for Militants, 10 March 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c692a54.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 The Philippines Islamist group Abu Sayyaf has killed a 70-year-old German man it held captive for three months, the latest in a series of beheadings that have highlighted fears the southern Philippines is fast becoming a regional center for Islamist militancy. Abu Sayyaf posted a video of the killing of Jurgen Kantner on Telegram on February 27, beheading him on camera over an unmet $780,000 ransom demand (Inquirer, February 27). Kantner was taken captive in November last year after militants attacked his yacht off the coast of Sulu. His remains have now been recovered by the Philippines military, reportedly left in an area between Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) camps in Kagay and Sitio Talibang (Inquirer, March 5). Last year, the group beheaded two Canadian hostages, John Ridsdel and Robert Hall. The killings are reminiscent of the grisly on-camera beheadings carried out by Islamic State (IS). Nevertheless, the Abu Sayyaf faction behind the beheadings is not thought to be closely ideologically aligned with IS, despite its occasional use of the IS flag. Instead, it is the Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf faction led by Isnilon Hapilon that is close to IS. Hapilon swore allegiance to IS in 2014 and was named as a regional emir in an IS video last year. The declaration of a Southeast Asian caliphate has yet to follow. Hapilon's southern Philippines would seem the most likely choice for such a caliphate, despite apparent competition from Indonesia's Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid and the much-diminished Mujahidin Indonesia Timor, both of which have courted IS (Straits Times, February 15, 2016). Hapilon's faction is apparently attempting to join up with other local jihadists to form a single group called Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masrik (Manila Standard, February 19). Hapilon himself appears capable of navigating the various Abu Sayyaf factions, as well as able to reach out to Malaysian and Indonesian jihadists (TV5, Janury 29). The death of a Moroccan fighter in a clash with the military in April last year suggested the Abu Sayyaf commander's affiliations could go even further afield. (Philippine Star, April 15, 2016). The man, named as Mohammad Khattab, had reportedly been training Hapilon's group on how to conduct suicide bombings. Concerned that IS could set up in his country, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to stamp out Abu Sayyaf within months of taking office. That appears far off, but the military continues its campaign, reportedly wounding Hapilon in a clash on March 7 in Lanao del Sur (SunStar Manila, March 8). Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Al-Shabaab: Why Somalia's al-Qaeda Affiliate Wants Puntland Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Michael Horton Publication Date 10 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Al-Shabaab: Why Somalia's al-Qaeda Affiliate Wants Puntland, 10 March 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6930c4.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 In contrast to the abundance of forecasts that predicted the weakening and eventual demise of al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda affiliated group is resurgent in many parts of Somalia. This resurgence is particularly notable in Puntland, a semi-autonomous part of northern Somalia where al-Shabaab has for a long time maintained a limited presence. Significantly, over the last year, al-Shabaab has steadily intensified the tempo of its operations in the area, indicating the group is focusing its efforts on expanding its presence and influence in Puntland. The reasons for al-Shabaab's renewed focus on operations in Puntland are three-fold. First, it is intent on taking advantage of weaknesses within the Puntland government. Second, it is determined to gain access to the sea, which it has largely lost in southern Somalia. This access will allow it to deepen its links with lucrative dark networks and strengthen its ties to Yemen based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Third, al-Shabaab is determined to thwart the Islamic State's (IS) attempt to establish itself in Puntland. Resurgence Al-Shabaab's forces have been driven out of many population centers in Somalia, including the capital of Mogadishu. However, it has retained its ability to attack a range of targets. On January 15, 2016, al-Shabaab launched one of its most devastating attacks to date on a fortified military base of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces in El Adde, near the border with Kenya (al-Jazeera, January 15, 2016). The attack is particularly significant because of its complexity and because of the number of al-Shabaab fighters involved. While the Kenyan government has not released an official death toll, Somali officials claim more than 200 soldiers died in the attack (al-Jazeera, February 25, 2016). This attack along with subsequent attacks on smaller fortified AMISOM bases demonstrates that al-Shabaab has not only retained but also refined its ability to plan and execute complex attacks on hardened targets despite its loss of territory (al-Jazeera, July 11, 2016). In addition to well-planned attacks on military targets, al-Shabaab continues to attack civilian targets across southern Somalia. The group has carried out multiple car bombings of hotels and markets and continues to assassinate journalists, government officials and members of the military and security services. Al-Shabaab's resilience and resurgence is due largely to the group's links with the Somali countryside. Such links give it strategic depth and provide it with the ability to fight when and where it chooses. The sustained AMISOM offensive that gathered force with Operation Linda Nchi in October 2011 successfully pushed al-Shabaab out of most populated areas and impeded al-Shabaab's ability to finance itself. However, despite its losses, al-Shabaab remained resilient because of its operatives' ability to disappear into rural and remote areas, in particular the dense riverine forests along the Somali-Kenyan border. From these areas, al-Shabaab bided its time and focused on re-building its organization. [1] Like any organization intent on survival, al-Shabaab's leadership learned from its defeats and recognized the critical importance of maintaining low-density bases in remote and inaccessible areas like the riverine forests of southern Somali. In addition, al-Shabaab benefited from refuges in Puntland's rugged Cal Madow and Cal Miskaal Mountains. Following its expulsion from strongholds like the port of Kismayo in September 2012, al-Shabaab operatives fled north to Puntland as well as south. Since that time, al-Shabaab has maintained a presence in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland. A Mountain Redoubt Concurrent with its resurgence in the south, al-Shabaab is now more active in Puntland. The semi-autonomous state maintains its own government and security forces whilst continuing to support the Mogadishu-based Somali federal government. Because of the semi-autonomous nature of its government and security forces, Puntland receives limited amounts of international aid and its security forces are not as well trained, equipped or paid as their southern counterparts. The limited and often sporadic funding of its loosely organized security forces means that the Puntland government has not been able or willing to consistently pursue al-Shabaab. The government is also plagued with corruption, and its intelligence service, the Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA), has a history of playing both sides in the conflict with al-Shabaab. [2] The Puntland government has been unable to regularly pay its soldiers. This was in evidence on February 26 when soldiers belonging to the Puntland Defense Force mutinied over unpaid salaries and took over government buildings in the capital of Garowe (Garowe Online, February 28). [3] Most of the government's civil servants have not been paid for eight months (Garowe Online, August 18, 2016). Roughly half of Puntlanders are nomadic, and at the same time as the government is facing a funding crisis, Puntland is experiencing a drought that has devastated the herds of livestock that many depend upon (UNHCR, February 21). The government has been widely criticized by the local media for its failure to organize an effective response to the drought. Such disorder provides opportunities for al-Shabaab, which, like most insurgent organizations, thrives in ungoverned areas. Al-Shabaab has also, at times, excelled at providing the services, like emergency food aid, that Somalia's federal and various semi-autonomous governments have often failed to provide. The leadership of al-Shabaab is exploiting the weakness of the government and the worsening drought by consolidating its presence in the Cal Madow and the Cal Miskall mountains that partially encircle Puntland's largest city and primary port, Bossaso. The Puntland government has struggled to clear these mountains of insurgent forces allied with al-Shabaab since 2010. It enjoyed some success in 2014, when the Puntland Defense Force and allied militias launched a sustained offensive that succeed in evicting al-Shabaab operatives from the mountains (Hiirran Online, October 1, 2014). However, al-Shabaab has since worked to reassert its authority in the area, most especially in the Cal Madow Mountains. The mountains rise to altitudes of 7,000 feet (2,133 meters) and are riddled with caves and gorges. While the terrain is ideal, their proximity to the busy and loosely controlled port of Bossaso is likely the reason why al-Shabaab is interested in maintaining and strengthening its presence in the mountains. Access to the Sea: Weapons and Allies Like any insurgent organization, al-Shabaab must secure sufficient funds and materiel to ensure its survival and ability to grow, and al-Shabaab's leadership has always prioritized its efforts to penetrate and exploit the numerous dark networks responsible for trafficking in a variety of licit and illicit goods through Somalia. Before AMISOM's sustained offensive and successful effort to retake southern Somalia's urban centers, al-Shabaab had little trouble financing its operations. The organization excelled at administering a relatively comprehensive system that taxed both imports and exports from Somalia's ports, most notably Kismayo, which al-Shabaab controlled up until September 2012. After the loss of Kismayo, al-Shabaab maintained its involvement in the lucrative trade in aromatic charcoal and in sugar exports by imposing taxes on the merchants who traded in the goods (Daily Nation, July 26, 2014). However, the loss of Kismayo greatly diminished its ability to collect taxes. Since then, al-Shabaab has lost more of the coastline of southern Somalia, meaning the group finds it more difficult to secure weapons and materiel. Additionally, the loss of its access to ports has impeded al-Shabaab's ability to interact with its regional ally, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Controlling territory so near the port of Bossaso and other informal ports nearby will enable al-Shabaab to tap into Puntland's already well-established dark networks, most especially the illicit trade in weapons, and to reinvigorate its relationship with AQAP. Largely because of the civil war in Yemen, AQAP is stronger and better funded than it ever has been. At the same time, Yemen, which was already awash with arms, has been flooded with arms and materiel by external participants in the war like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (al-Monitor, August 7, 2015). It is highly likely that many of these weapons, including more advanced weaponry like anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), will make their way to Somalia where prices for such weapons are higher than they are in Yemen. Because of its proximity to Yemen just across the Gulf of Aden, and its abundance of informal ports, Puntland is a prime destination for arms traders who want to take advantage of higher prices. Al-Shabaab's leadership undoubtedly recognizes that maintaining a base of operations in Puntland is highly advantageous. It can easily tap into and extract fees and weaponry from the dark networks that abound in Puntland. At the same time, the proximity to southern Yemen, much of which is under AQAP control, means it will be more able to interact and potentially exchange skilled operatives with AQAP. It is notable that al-Shabaab chose to feature a lengthy and fawning profile of AQAP-affiliated ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki in the most recent issue of its magazine Gaidi Mtanni. [4] Al-Shabaab and AQAP have long maintained ties with one another and have benefited from an exchange of expertise in the areas in which they excel. For example, AQAP has learned a great deal from al-Shabaab about how to set up and manage an effective intelligence wing. Al-Shabaab's Amniyat intelligence apparatus is formidable and has proved critical to al-Shabaab's ability to control its membership and plan and carry out attacks in urban areas. In turn, over the last two years, AQAP has developed a wealth of experience with more advanced weapons systems and their use in set piece battles. Al-Shabaab can, and likely will, benefit both from this expertise and from increased access to more advanced weaponry. The vulnerabilities and opportunities that can be exploited in Puntland mean that al-Shabaab is likely to continue to prioritize expanding its presence in the Cal Madow and Cal Miskall Mountains. These same opportunities access to the coast and the ability to tap into lucrative dark networks have also attracted the interest of IS. Thwarting Islamic State The IS presence in southern Somalia remains limited. Al-Shabaab is without question the dominant militant Salafist organization in Somalia. However, al-Shabaab, particularly in 2015, did experience a number of defections to IS. One of these was Abdul Qadir Mumin, a mid-level al-Shabaab operative who pledged baya to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October 2015 (see Militant Leadership Monitor, October 5, 2016; Somalia Newsroom, October 24, 2015). Mumin is a dual national who holds British citizenship and spent time in Sweden, where he became known for his fiery and increasingly radical sermons. Mumin left the UK in 2010 to join al-Shabaab. He is a member of the influential and commercially well-connected sub-clan Ali Saleban. Members of the Ali Saleban sub-clan are well-established merchants in both the port of Bossaso and Kismayo, in southern Somalia. On October 26, 2016, IS fighters seized the small coastal town of Qandala, located 75km east of Bossaso (Garowe Online, October 26, 2016). The Puntland Defense Forces responded and sent troops to retake Qandala, but the estimated force of 50 IS fighters had already retreated to the northern part of the Cal Madow Mountains, which rise up behind Qandala. Rather than demonstrating its strength, the brief takeover of Qandala did more to show the weakness of IS in Puntland. Mumin's men likely number no more than 100 and lack the ability to take on even small contingents of the Puntland Defense Forces. However, IS does have the ability to launch hit-and-run attacks. This was evidenced by an IS-orchestrated attack on a hotel in Bossaso that resulted in the deaths of four guards and two IS fighters (Somalia Review, February 10). The attack, which occurred as Somalia was preparing to hold its long-delayed presidential election, was the first major attack on a civilian target in Bossaso. The uptick in activity by IS in Puntland will not have gone unnoticed by al-Shabaab's leadership. They acted decisively in 2015 and in 2016 to counter the threat IS posed by tasking the group's intelligence wing, the Amniyat, with tracking, infiltrating and killing those who had defected from al-Shabaab. The effectiveness of the Amniyat and al-Shabaab's size relative to IS in Somalia means that IS' influence in Puntland is likely to remain limited. It may even be brought to an end completely. Al-Shabaab's leadership in Puntland will focus its efforts on either co-opting or eliminating what is a relatively small contingent of IS fighters. The opportunities in Puntland are too important to al-Shabaab for it to tolerate a rival organization. Looking Forward Al-Shabaab's efforts to expand its operations and influence in Puntland are unlikely to diminish in the near future. The weakness within the government of Puntland and the increasing disorder within its poorly paid and organized defense forces have provided an opening into which al-Shabaab has inserted itself. This, combined with what looks to be a devastating drought that the government has failed to prepare for or respond to, will provide al-Shabaab with additional opportunities to demonstrate its ability to provide "services" and implement its own radical version of law and order. At the same time, al-Shabaab will take full advantage of Puntland's strategic location just across the Gulf of Aden from war-torn Yemen. Due to the tightness of the market for weapons in Somalia, al-Shabaab has long struggled to secure adequate supplies of weapons and materiel. This may well change if it is able to tap into the burgeoning arms trade between Yemen and Somalia. Al-Shabaab will also benefit from an increased ability to interact and exchange expertise with its fellow al-Qaeda affiliate AQAP. The only significant check on al-Shabaab's influence and ability to operate in Puntland would be a clan-backed effort to combat the group. At the present time, such an operation appears unlikely. The convergence of government weakness, severe drought and a war in Yemen that has strengthened AQAP will ensure that al-Shabaab continues to prioritize its operations in Puntland. NOTES [1] Al-Shabaab focused much of its energy and resources on reefing and expanding its intelligence apparatus, the Amniyat. Amniyat operatives were and are fundamental al-Shabaab's "stay behind element". Despite the fact that it was forced to withdraw from towns and cities, the deployment of the Amniyat allowed it to maintain a covert presence in most urban areas. [2] The Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA), formerly the Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS), is suspected of having incorporated many former members of al-Shabaab who defected in 2010. [3] The Puntland Defense Force (PDF) is also known as the Puntland Security Force (PSF). The Puntland Dervish Force is a paramilitary force that is nominally part of the Puntland Defense Force. [4] See: https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/gaidi-mtaani-issue-8.pdf Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, March 13 (Reuters) - Archer Daniels Midland Co , one of the world's largest agricultural traders, will widen its operations in China to produce fish feed, the company said on Monday, amid increasing global demand for fish from health-conscious consumers. Expansion in high-growth regions like China is part of ADMs strategy to improve returns and reduce the volatility of earnings due to swings in crop markets. The Chicago-based company said it will build a new plant in Xiangtan, in central China, with capacity to produce 120,000 metric tons of animal and fish feeds annually. It will be ADM's fifth animal feed plant in the country. ADM also will add production lines for fish feed at a plant in Nanjing, in eastern China, to gain "entry into the growing Chinese high value specialty aquafeed market," according to a statement. A spokeswoman declined to say how much the projects will cost. The company expects both to be complete in 2019. Other major agricultural traders also are expanding in the aquaculture business as they look to diversify away from bulk trading of grains and raw materials amid a four-year global supply glut. Fish are the fastest-growing protein source in a global food supply chain straining to feed a population of nearly 7.5 billion people. The surging demand has pushed fish oil prices to a record high. ADM said another animal-feed plant in Zhangzhou, in the southern part of the country, will likely be finished by this summer. Two years ago, the company was targeting the fourth quarter of 2016 for completion. (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Dan Grebler) Islamic State's Deir al-Zour Offensive Puts the Syrian Regime Under Pressure Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Rafid Jaboori Publication Date 10 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Islamic State's Deir al-Zour Offensive Puts the Syrian Regime Under Pressure, 10 March 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c693964.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 In mid-January, Islamic State (IS) fighters seemed to be retreating in the face of advancing U.S.-backed Iraqi forces in the city of Mosul in Iraq. They were also under pressure from attacks by Turkish-led forces in Aleppo, Kurdish guerrillas in Raqqa and the forces of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in central Syria. Despite this, on January 13, the group unexpectedly launched an offensive on the Syrian government forces in the city of Deir al-Zour, the capital of IS-controlled Deir al-Zour province, in Eastern Syria. IS fighters attacked Syrian troop positions in a number of Deir al-Zour neighborhoods in a bid to seize control of the airport, a strategically important target, and expand the area of the city under their control (al-Hayat, January 15). Although the offensive, which saw dozens killed on both sides, failed to achieve these goals, by January 17 IS had succeed in splitting the area controlled by the Syrian regime into two separate enclaves (al-Jazeera Arabic, January 19). It also further tightened the group's two-year-long siege on regime-controlled areas in the city and demonstrated that IS could still launch effective offensives, even when under pressure on other fronts. Since then, the situation has developed into something of a stalemate, but with no clear strategy from the West, the future of the province is being left in the hands of either the Syrian regime or IS. Deir al-Zour in the Syrian Conflict IS has controlled Deir al-Zour province, an area of some 33,000 square kilometers, since 2014, with the exception of the provincial capital. The city is the biggest and most important in eastern Syria and potentially an important stronghold for IS, alongside the group's self-declared capital of Raqqa in northern Syria and Mosul the largest city under IS control in northern Iraq. It is equally important for the regime. Alongside the capital Damascus and Aleppo in the north, Deir al-Zour is the third pillar of the regime's military deployment framework. Maintaining control of Deir al-Zour's city center with local government in place albeit providing inadequate services and highly dependent on international aid gives the regime a much-needed presence in eastern Syria. [1] As a consequence, the Assad regime has fought hard to maintain control over Deir al-Zour as part of a strategy that focuses on defending provincial capitals and urban centers. Despite this, over the past two and a half years, IS has managed to slowly expand the areas of the city its fighters control. At present, it is estimated that IS controls more 60 percent of Deir al-Zour (Souriatnapress, January 23). Steadfast Defense Brigadier General Issam Zahr al-Deen, one of the regime's most prominent field commanders, has been leading the regime's force in Deir al-Zour since 2014. The force is formed of brigade 137 of the Syrian army, supported by units from the elite Republican Guards, the air force intelligence and pro-regime militias. Zahr al-Deen, who is a member of the Druze community, fought previously on several fronts against IS and rebel groups in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hasaka, before taking over in Deir al-Zour. In an indication of how crucial the regime views defending Deir al-Zour, he was assigned there after the regime lost two of its most trusted and high-ranking field commanders, Colonel Ali Khizam and General Jamaa Jamaa in battles to hold the city in 2012 and 2013 respectively (deiezzor24.net, May 21, 2016). In its January's offensive, IS similarly dedicated some of its most seasoned fighters, and during the first days of the fighting, the Syrian regime forces appear to have been taken by surprise. In a departure from its usual strategy, IS did not deploy a wave of suicide attacks during the first stages of the battle. Instead, it favored deploying small groups of fighters who moved swiftly, attacking various points in different parts of the city, often fighting behind enemy lines (enabbaladi.net, January 29). After seizing control of the al-Makabir district, enabling IS to completely cut off the airport from the rest of the city, the group's Aamaq news agency posted a video online showing its fighters celebrating the win and vowing further victories (YouTube, January 17). On the regime side, Zahr al-Deen gave a defiant statement in a phone call broadcast on one of the pro-regime TV channels on January 17. He was reportedly speaking from inside the airport, where he pledged to continue to fight (addiyar.com , January 17). Nonetheless, it was Russian air support, rather than regime troops, that was decisive in stopping the IS advance. After the regime's forces pulled back to separate their positions from the IS advance, it became possible for the Russians to locate IS targets. A series of air strikes played a key role in slowing and eventually stopping the IS offensive. The regime forces, however, have been unable to re-capture the areas seized by IS. Local Loyalties The situation in the province is complicated. Even if they defeat IS, neither the government's Alawite Shia-led forces, nor the U.S.-backed Kurdish-dominated Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) which recently claimed to have made gains in fighting IS in parts of Deir al-Zour province are likely to be particularly welcome in this predominately Sunni Arab part of the country (al-Jazeera, February 22). The regime has made some efforts to address this, enticing the opposition figure Sheikh Nawaf al-Basheer to return to Damascus after years in the exile. Al-Basheer is the tribal leader of al-Baggara, the biggest tribe in eastern Syria. He abandoned his long-standing opposition to the Assad regime, declaring he had done so because an opposition victory would lead only to the triumph of radical jihadists (al-Mayadeen TV, January 6). Although his tribe and his region have undergone significant changes after falling under IS control, he remains an important local player who could rally support in eastern Syria following an IS defeat. In addition, nine of Syria's main oil and gas fields are located in Deir al-Zour province and all are under IS control. This has been a vital source of revenue for the group, which trades oil with a number of dealers and smugglers. Its largest client is, however, the Syrian regime itself, which requires oil in order to provide services to, and thus maintain control over, major urban centers (Syria Network for Human Rights, September 17, 2014). Supplies from its allies Iran and Russia appear to be inadequate for the regime's needs, and the infrastructure to supply oil from IS-controlled areas is already in place. This somewhat bizarre state of affairs is likely to continue even if IS gained control of Deir al-Zour, as it serves both sides' needs, but control over the oil fields will be decisive in any settlement of the Syrian conflict. No Clear Strategy IS was unable to overrun the Deir al-Zour airport in its January offensive but succeeded in splitting the slowly diminishing areas controlled by the regime. The regime troops are now in a weaker position and are dependent on aerial supplies and Russian airstrikes. A future IS attempt to seize the airport or other regime-controlled areas is likely to result in expanding IS control. By moving in Deir al-Zour while the attention and pressure was concentrated on Mosul, IS was attempting to replicate its successful recapture of Palmyra in central Syria last year (al-Jazeera, December 10, 2016). IS regained control of Palmyra while the regime was breaking the final pockets of resistance in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The attempt to capture the Deir al-Zour airport also appears to be part of a wider IS strategy of targeting airports across Syria to cripple the regime's air force. In January, IS fighters launched attacks, or were involved in clashes, near the al-Dhamir and al-Seen airports near Damascus, and the Tiyas (also known as T4) airport in Homs (orient-new.net, January 31). For the United States, things are unclear in this part of Syria. Unlike in other parts of Syria and Iraq, however, the United States does not have a local partner in the area and there have been few operations over the years to target IS figures here. The most recent occurred a few days before IS' Deir al-Zour offensive, when a U.S. force, brought in by helicopters, carried out a ground raid aiming to capture IS militants (Rudaw Arabic, January 9). Without a clear Western strategy for Deir al-Zour, the future of the city, the province and all of eastern Syria will be shaped either by the regime resentment of which will only fuel Islamic radical jihadist movements or by IS. Further, with IS controlling an extended line of towns and cities in eastern and central Syria, the group will not be easily defeated, even if it loses both Mosul and Raqqa. NOTES: [1] For further information on the humanitarian situation in Deir al-Zour, see UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian affairs media release (January 20). Read it here. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Myanmar's Muslim Insurgency Gaining Prominence With Jihadist Groups Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Animesh Roul Publication Date 10 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Myanmar's Muslim Insurgency Gaining Prominence With Jihadist Groups, 10 March 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c694074.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 Recent militant violence targeted at Myanmar's border guard police in Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh on Myanmar's coast, has seen the emergence of what appears to be a new Islamist group with cross-border links. The fighting has once again focused international attention on the situation of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim community denied citizenship by both Myanmar and Bangladesh, and the decades-old conflict between them and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. That attention is not limited to Western governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), however. Instead, it is increasingly providing political fodder for jihadist groups elsewhere, whose proclamations of solidarity risk sparking a renewed Muslim insurgency in the beleaguered Southeast Asian nation. Aqa-Mul Mujahidin Fighting in Rakhine state flared up on October 9, 2016 when suspected Islamist militants attacked three border police outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung localities. The subsequent violence continued for days. Media sources reported nine border policemen were killed and as many attackers died in the ensuing gun battles, with the militants stealing large numbers of arms and ammunition from the border police headquarters in Maungdaw town (Myanmar Times, October 10, 2016). Similar attacks in the same area left four more police dead on October 11 (Irrawaddy, October 11, 2016). Violence erupted again on November 12-13 when armed militants launched a surprise attack on a military convoy during a clearance operation in Ma Yinn Taung village in Maungdaw town. Two security personnel, including a senior army officer, were killed in the ambush. Several suspected militants were also killed (Frontier Myanmar, November 13, 2016). Subsequently, the government backed counter-insurgency operations in the area, sparking an escalation of armed clashes that claimed the lives of nearly 70 suspected Rohingya militants and 17 security force personnel (Channel News Asia, November 15, 2016). Though, initially, no organized Islamist group claimed responsibility for the October attacks on the border posts, the Myanmar government investigation blamed the violence around Maungdaw on a previously unknown group, Aqa-Mul Mujahidin (AMM) (Myanmar Times, October 17, 2016). Government investigations, based on statements from arrested militants and confiscated jihadist videos, suggest an operational link between AMM and Pakistan and Bangladesh based Rohingya Islamists with past ties with the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Arakan (HuJI-A), the two largest militant formations advocating for the Rohingya's political situation. It is presently unclear if AMM is simply another name for or a new incarnation of the Harakah al-Yaqin (HaY-Arakan Faith Movement). Media reports suggest these two could be same group, or that HaY could be a front of AMM (Indian Express, January 8; Dhaka Tribune, January 10)). Inciting Others Graphic details of the October violence and subsequent flare ups are making the rounds on popular video and message-sharing websites. One such video featured AMM or HaY's leader Hafiz Tohar (a.k.a. Ataullah, Havistoohar or the Arabic nom de guerre, Abu Ammar Junooni) declaring jihad on Myanmar and urging Rohingya Muslims to join the struggle. [1] Tohar, who speaks in an Arabic-laced local Bengali dialect, has made several similar statements and propaganda videos since October 2016, highlighting the plight of Rohingya Bengalis and the military excesses of the Myanmar government on the local community. [2] Although his statements mention jihad and Islam and are ostensibly aimed at enticing fellow radicalized Rohingyas to fight against the Myanmar government, they do not boast of transnational jihadist links or talk about support from abroad. Instead, Tohar is at pains to paint the violence as part of an indigenous rebellion. However, a recently-conducted study corroborated some of the government's claims about AMM's and HaY's international links, showing how the newly emerged group, under Tohar's leadership, has the backing of a section of a radicalized Rohingya diaspora based in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Bangladesh (ICG Report No. 283, December 15, 2016). As indicated in the study, the group was established after the JuneOctober 2012 riots and sectarian violence. Further highlighted is HaY's connection with a committee of Rohingya migrants based in the Saudi Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina and the training Tohar and his band of fighters received under the supervision of Rohingya jihadist veterans trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan. By mid-January 2017, media investigations and interviews with members of HaY showed the group was responsible for the series of attacks on the border police outposts in October. In one of the interviews, the leaders of HaY denied being a terrorist group as portrayed by the Myanmar government, claiming instead they were a "revolutionary group waging a movement against the oppression of Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar government" (Dhaka Tribune, January 10). Assistance and Training Subsequent interrogations of captured HaY members have brought to light the inner workings of the group, including details of its core members. Tohar reportedly attended a six-month Taliban training course in Pakistan and frequently visited Myanmar from a village near Teknaf in Bangladesh in order to organize an armed insurgency. Another main member of the group, named Kalis, is a Pakistani who attended militant training in Pakistan before moving to Bangladesh and then to Nakhuya village in Myanmar. Three other members named in intelligence reports as Ibrahim, Aza and Ayatullah spent time in Kutabaloun refugee camp in Bangladesh (Press Release, President Office, Myanmar, October 13, 2016). As far as training and indoctrination of AMM or HaY leaders is concerned, reports suggest well entrenched links to Pakistan and Bangladesh, with AMM having its origins in the HUJI-A and the patronage of Abdus Qadoos Burmi, the Pakistan-based HUJI-A leader. Burmi works closely with the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat ud Dawa (JuD) and other militant formations sympathetic to the Rohnigya's cause (Mizzima, October 19, 2016). JuD's involvement, in the guise of providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees, is well documented. Media reports claim the post-2012 riots in western Myanmar provided ample opportunity for JuD and its Falah-e-Insaaniyat foundation to organize fund raising and capacity-building campaigns under the banner of the Difa-e-Arakan conference in Pakistan (Hindustan Times, Jan 31, 2013, Geo TV, Pakistan, July 2012). Neighboring Bangladesh, though cautious about the militant spillover through its porous borders, was unable to prevent military and religious training with local armed groups in the remote hill tracts of Chittagong or Cox Bazar area, or restrict cross-border activity that took place largely under the guise of refugee movement (Dhaka Tribune, April 15, 2015). Recognition Abroad The Rohingya's plight has gained increasing international attention, but it has also proved a focus for Islamist sympathizers, generating immense support from jihadist groups and individuals around the world. Abdul Razak Ali Artan, the Ohio State University attacker, cited Rohingya issues in a Facebook post attempting to justify his actions. The Afghan Taliban, meanwhile, have also issued statements concerning the "genocide" against the Muslims of Myanmar (al-Emarah, November 30, 2016). The regional wings of global jihadist groups such as Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda have also proclaimed support for Rohingya Muslims and attempted to exploit the situation in their favor. IS' propaganda magazine Dabiq (Issue 14), fomenting anti-Buddhist sentiment, has documented how it planned to target Myanmar "once it reached the capability to do so," and after "bringing an end to [] the apostate Bengali regime" in neighboring Bangladesh. [3] After putting Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate and Myanmar state counselor, on its hit list, IS has already influenced a bombing plot on the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta in late November 2016. The plot, masterminded by the IS-affiliated Jemaah Ansar Daulah, was intended to avenge Rohingya atrocities, foiled by local police (New Straits Times, November 27, 2016). Like IS, al-Qaeda has a longstanding interest in the Rohingya issue and actively supports this community. Anti-Islamic activities in Myanmar are regularly mentioned in most of its propaganda materials, and groups like al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) have threatened to avenge the persecution of Rohingyas in Myanmar. Other Islamist groups also actively distribute content about Myanmar and the atrocities against Rohingya Muslims on social media. In 2015, al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, issued statements urging Muslims to come to the aid of Rohingya refugees allegedly persecuted by the Buddhist regime (Harar24 Online (Mogadishu) May 21, 2015). A cursory look at the materials circulated by HaY suggests the group is seeking an Islamic legitimacy for their organized violence through fatwas from senior clerics in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. This could help what is essentially a fringe group to unite scattered Rohingya militants under one platform. Myanmar security forces' violent reprisals to the October and November attacks prompted the UN and various independent human rights groups to take notice of Myanmar's military excess in the Rakhine state, but the events have even broader repercussions. The current tense situation in Rakhine state threatens to inflame jihadist undercurrents in Myanmar and elsewhere, while pushing otherwise peaceful Rohingyas to the brink of organized jihad. NOTES [1] 'Islamic Terrorist asked Rohingya to join them for Jihad to Myanmar Burma Rakhine Arakan,' YouTube (October 12, 2016). Watch it here. [2] See, for example, 'Faith Movement Message' (November 20, 2016). Watch it here. [3] Interview with the Amir of the Khilafa's Soldiers In Bengal: Shaykh Abu Ibrahim Al-Hanif, Dabiq, Issue 14, p.62 Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation A Birth That Felt Like Death Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, A Birth That Felt Like Death, 8 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6b8794.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. When I woke up on that morning in August 2015, all I could think about was returning home. We had fled our village because of the relentless bombing of the regime aircraft. At the time, I was living with my stepmother in a village far away from my husband, my family and my mother. But still, I felt optimistic because I was about to give birth to a boy. I already had two children and soon there would be three. I thought that my husband would be very happy. I used to dream of his joy and that of our families when I gave birth. In the evening, I felt a heaviness in my stomach. I told my stepmother and she said that the baby was coming. I was so far from my family, but when the time comes to give birth there is no escape from it. While my father, his wife and my two young daughters slept, I endured my labour pains. I could hardly wait for sunrise. I kept thinking about my husband and my mother and my home until the next day finally came. I woke up my stepmother and told her that I could no longer bear the pain. So she woke my father, who said to me, "Come, my daughter, pack your stuff and I will call Um Khaled to go with you [to the hospital]." Um Khaled was a good woman who lived alone because all her children had grown up and got married. She accepted my father's request to accompany me. Um Khaled and I walked down the street to search for someone to take us to al-Suqaylabiyah national hospital, and finally found a minibus heading in that direction. At the first regime checkpoint, they took our IDs to check them. One soldier even searched through all my things and treated me rudely, probably because of the information he found on my ID about my religious affiliation and where I came from. Although we managed to cross that checkpoint, there were more problems when we reached the al-Nahel checkpoint at the al-Suqaylabiyah roundabout. The soldier there carefully examined my ID, which said I was from Qabr Fidda. There were violent confrontations ongoing between the regime and Free Syrian Army factions there. The soldier asked me about my husband, indicating his different religious affiliation which was clearly stated on my ID. I couldn't find the words to answer him because my husband, along with my brothers and all the other young people of the village, was fighting on the frontlines there. I was terrified. Um Khaled took control of the situation and told him, "Her husband works in Lebanon." We managed to cross the checkpoint and continued quickly towards the national hospital, where I entered the women's clinics. A lady examined me and asked how far along I was. I told her I had completed the ninth month. She replied, "You will not give birth today nor even in a week's time, go back to your home rather than staying here." I was very concerned but had to leave along with Um Khaled. Where was I going to give birth to my child when I didn't have enough money to go to a gynecologist? I looked inside my wallet and found 4,000 Syrian pounds, which was far too little. I raised my eyes up to the sky and said, "Oh my God, what can I do?" I asked Um Khaled, "Can you lend me some money which I'll return as soon as I get home?" "Yes, my daughter," she said. "I will take you to a gynecologist". I went with her to a doctor, Fida al-Akkad and told her my story. I also told her that I didn't have much money and that I was a displaced person. She was sympathetic and decided said she would only ask for a small sum in payment. I entered the delivery room and a nurse gave me an injection to help accelerate the birth. A few minutes later I felt that my stomach was about to explode from the pain. I asked the nurse to help relieve this agony but she told me that anesthetic was expensive and asked if I could pay for it. I remained silent and endured the continuous pain. Its severity made me feel as if my soul was about to leave my body. I kept screaming and crying for three hours. After strenuous attempts to help labour progress, the doctor discovered that my uterine muscles were shrunken, so she gave me an injection to relax me and a few minutes later she said, "Your son is about to be born, will you help me?" I began to scream loudly. I thought of the people closest to me in the world, my mother and my husband. I heard the doctor giving thanks to God. I gave my newborn child a miserable look then closed my eyes and passed out. When I woke up, I saw that Um Khaled had dressed the baby. She told me that the doctor wanted to close the clinic and that we had to leave. I told her that I was in great pain and couldn't walk. She said that we had no choice but to go. We gave the doctor 8,000 Syrian pounds and left. I was tired, I needed to sleep and the weather was so hot. "I can no longer walk," I told Um Khaled and sat down in the street. I sat there for two hours in the blazing sun, crying, while passers by looked at me. I felt that I was about to lose consciousness, about to die. All of a sudden a lady put her hand on my shoulder and blessed me. She gave me a glass of water and a chair to rest on until the minibus arrived. As soon as I arrived at my father's village I went to his house, took a shower and slept after my long and painful day. There was nothing happy about giving birth so far away from my husband, my mother and my home. It was a birth that felt more like a death, filled with pain and displacement. This is the reality for the poor people of my country. Maryam Ibrahim, 24, is from Qabr Fidda village in Hama. When she was pregnant with her third child, the regime occupied her village and she was forced to flee with her two daughters to a neighbouring village. She is currently still displaced in the Idlib countryside. Faten's Story Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Faten's Story, 8 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6b8ce4.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. "My father and mother married 20 years ago. My mother was then aged 35 and considered old, so she agreed to marry my father even though he already had two wives and many children. My mother suffered a great deal due to poverty, hard living conditions and the presence of these two other women. She fought a lot with my father because he broke his promise to provide her with a house of her own. Eventually my mother could no longer bear the situation and decided to leave him and file for divorce. Already pregnant with me, she returned to her family home where she gave birth. But my father made her return home. Three years later, my mother was heavily pregnant with my brother Mohammed. Once again, the problems with my father had become so bad that she left and asked my father for a divorce. Six months later, my father made her return again; not because he loved her, but so that she could take care of my brother and I. Time passed but our pain and suffering remained the same. Our half brothers and sisters treated us badly but we had no choice but to remain silent. My mother gave birth to my sister Sawsan just as the Syrian revolution began. I was 14 years old and my brother was 11. The following year, the regime army approached our village and my mother took all three of us and fled to her parent's village in Jisr al-Shughur. But just a few days later, the army also began bombarding Jisr al-Shughur with missiles. My little sister Sawsan, just a year-and-a-half old, got hit by shrapnel and was killed. By some miracle, the rest of us survived. We buried my sister and fled with my mother's parents to the border with Turkey. The Turkish government sent us to Nizip camp in Gaziantep, where we spent the next four years. When I reached the age of 18, a young man back in Syria approached my father to ask for my hand in marriage. My father called my mother and told her to send me back. My mother, brother Mohammed and I obtained permission to return to Syria, and began a long tiring journey. I finally met the groom at my father's house. But then, to my shock, my prospective husband rejected me - my father said that he had just not liked me. My mother and brother decided to return to the camp. Life was tough in Syria and my father could not afford to host us amid the harsh war conditions. Then came another shock: my older half-brother refused to allow me to return with them, insisting that the refugee camp was no place for a young girl. I cried a lot, but it was all in vain and I stayed there alone. My half-brother was married with children, and I lived in his home for nearly a month. Then, one night my brother came to my room to wake me up. It was about one o'clock in morning and he was clearly sad. "Where are we going, brother?" I asked. He didn't answer, he just took me to my father's house. There my father lay, covered in a shroud. He was dead. I bent over him, weeping and asking, "Why did you leave me alone, father?" I was fatherless, and my mother was a long way away. I spent many miserable nights feeling like I was about to die from loneliness. When a young man proposed to me, I agreed to marry him in order to forget the pain I was suffering. Shortly afterwards, we married. For the first few days, my husband was kind and respectful. But then he started to beat and insult me for no reason. It was only after I was pregnant with our first child that I discovered he was addicted to some kind of drug. It was hard to find, and he was so frustrated that he became violent. Oh my God, what can I do? Do I leave him and repeat my mother's story of separation? Or do I stay and take care of this child, who has nothing to do with this? I will leave it to God and go back to my loneliness." Mariam Ibrahim, 24, is from Hama. She is a housewife and a mother of three children who had to leave her home due to poor security and now lives with her family in Idlib's countryside. I Don't Even Have the Right to Grieve Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, I Don't Even Have the Right to Grieve, 8 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6b9284.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. Don't ever make a friend during wartime. There's a role for you to grieve as a mother, a sister, a wife, a lover, but not as a friend. Let me tell you the story of one 19 year-old girl. It's an age that's supposed to be one of the best of your life, full of the passion of the first year of university, of high heels and makeup. This girl left Aleppo after her university closed, travelling to Egypt with a suitcase prepared for a two week stay. This turned into three months, and she faced boredom, anxiety, guilt, helplessness, shame, even grief. These are things a 19 year-old shouldn't experience. The one day, on Facebook, his picture appeared framed by a thick black band. Below, the messages, "To Allah we belong and to him we shall return, say al-Fatiha [a verse recited for the dead] for his spirit, September 4, 2012". She crazily jumped from one Facebook page to another, from one post to another, she asked his friends to stop kidding and screamed at the screen. She sat silently next to the phone for a full hour, before she pressed the call button and listened once more to a cold voice asking her to try again. She kept doing that, but he didn't answer to tell her that she's right and they're all liars. She entered the bathroom and locked the door, she broke down completely, she felt the walls closing down on her, she kept crying and crying. Then I realise that I'm not in my house, I'm not in my city, I cannot go down now and look for him. I'm not in my house and my mother is not with me, I am a 19 year-old girl who lost her friend. Amer died. To be precise, Amer was killed. He was killed by a sniper, he was sitting in his house, the sniper pulled the trigger and took away my friend. When I used to demonstrate at the university of Ebla, I did not hesitate to shout for freedom because I knew I could look at the first floor window where Amer used to stand, quietly smoking, sometimes cheering, sometimes angry at me, other times encouraging. The area was fenced off on all sides, filled with informants and thugs. But he was there and that's what made me feel secure. This 19 year-old girl discovered, then, that she does not have the right to grieve. She will be asked what kind of relationship she shared with this young man, it is not normal that all this sadness is just for a friend. Others think the world will collapse because of her sadness, they ask her to believe in God and to accept his will, her friends confide that they were betting on her secret relationship with him and the man who once loved her will not call to console her, thinking she posted Amer's picture online to make him jealous. They steal your right to sorrow. I am not the mother of a martyr, nor the widow of the martyr, I am not his betrothed, so my sadness turns into this dark romance that the audience loves. I am just a friend. You're the girl who asked him to stop smoking then smoked all his cigarettes after him. You're the girl he is not ashamed to cry in front of. You're the girl who is like his youngest sister. You're the girl he will listen to repeatedly singing the same tuneless song. You're the girl whose birthday he will forget because he knows it doesn't matter. These details don't interest anyone. You have to travel alone down the path of depression, because no one will recognise the sadness of this 19 year-old girl. You have to attend your graduation alone and take a picture which is missing a vital person and grieve him alone, always alone. In my country, friendship is worse than love. It can turn a 19 year-old girl into an old woman if she's not careful. It can turn going to university into real torture. It will make you look for his face everywhere. Four years later, I still haven't forgive you for leaving me. My only consolation is that you are my guiding star who whispers "I am here" during my sad days. Not one day passes without thinking of you, not one day passes without crying. I still remember you in that navy shirt, standing on the first floor, smoking, furious, proud and real. Farah Youssef holds a degree in political science and international relations. She used to live in Aleppo until October 2016. She currently lives in France. Afghanistan: Action Urged Over Street Abuse Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 11 March 2017 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Afghanistan: Action Urged Over Street Abuse, 11 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6b9b64.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. An online forum for women in conflict-divided regions of the South Caucasus is providing a vital space for female participation in peace-building, political and economic processes. IWPR's South Caucasus programme launched the independent Russian-language site Women-peace.net in 2012 as a part of the project Women Connecting for Peace - The Voice of Change, which promotes activism and confidence building. In the five years since, Women-peace.net has built up a strong network of contributors and readers in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. "Women-peace.net is a significant platform for people with the same goal - peace," said Elena Rusetskaya, head of the Women's Information Centre in Tbilisi, explaining that online resources could be key in creating ties between societies divided by conflict. "Here you can build networks, make contacts, gain trust and come up with ideas around peace-building. It is important that politicians should hear women's voices, which in most cases are not taken into account." Relations between Georgia and the breakaway territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been tense ever since they declared independence in the early 1990s. In 2008 Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, but Georgia still claims its sovereignty. The conflicts of the early 1990s took their toll on women too and in many cases reversed traditional gender roles, with mothers and wives becoming family breadwinners and community leaders. But positive female role models rarely feature in local media, and women are under-represented in political and peace-building processes. Women-peace.net has tried to fill this gap. "The site is a good platform that gives journalists the opportunity to show the life of women in their region; these are living, true, human stories, which give us an understanding of the situation," said Irina Yanovskaya, a writer from South Ossetia, who heads the Journalists for Human Rights NGO. "We gain new insights through our colleagues' materials, which is very important for stimulating new ideas on the ground in the direction of women's rights, peace-building and so on." Erika Kvapilova, UN women country representative in Georgia, agreed that such platforms were central to maintaining lines of communication. "Information sharing, objective reporting and unbiased storytelling is an important way for people from conflict-divided communities to remember what they have in common rather than what divides them," she said. "Women's voices are frequently silent during conflict and post-conflict situations. Without them, however, the story is not complete. And not only that: without knowing a complete story it is imaginable to prevent bad things from happening again. Fortunately, today's technology allows these voices to be heard and talk to each other, despite boundaries and physical limitations Women-peace.net provides a platform for such dialogue that unites women for building peace." Natela Akaba, who heads the Association of Women of Abkhazia, said the project had showed participants that they shared many of the same social challenges. The issue of domestic violence was one, she continued. "It's no coincidence that all the societies have experienced armed conflicts, and as we all know in post conflict countries the level of aggression is extremely high, which leads to violence against women," Akaba said. IWPR Caucasus has also trained hundreds of activists and journalists as part of the women-peace.net initiative. "For me, as a journalist, IWPR has given me a lot," said Arifa Kapba, who works for Abkhazia's state TV channel. "For the first time I was able to learn that in our society there are a number of gender-related problems. I never realized the depth of the problem, for example, the topic of domestic violence was totally new for me. During our training I realized how few, indeed, the connections between journalists and public organisations are." New partnerships have been fostered through some ten third-country cross-boundary workshops in Yerevan and Istanbul. Contributors also produced more than 320 multimedia pieces, including photo and video reports, and designed a special module on gender-sensitive reporting. Female activists, especially those from more remote areas, can often feel isolated. The website has provided a common space where contributors can share experiences and support each other. "This platform gives the women of Abkhazia an opportunity to be heard outside of the country and feel themselves to be part of a common endeavour promoting women's rights all around the world," said Kama Argun, a gender rights activist from Abkhazia. "It's very important, because we are isolated and there are very few similar platforms." For some contributors, the project has proved particularly moving. "I am half Ossetian and the conflict has divided my relatives and those closest to me," said Nino Popiashvili, a philology professor at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state university and a researcher at the Centre for Georgian-Ossetian Relations. "I write about Ossetians living in Georgia and about relationships between our people; I wish we could find a ways of peaceful co-existence." Women-peace.net is part of IWPR's broader regional programme, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was initially co-funded by UN Women and later by USAID, the Women's Information Center and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Turkey: UN HRC must address freedom of expression crisis Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 13 March 2017 Cite as Article 19, Turkey: UN HRC must address freedom of expression crisis, 13 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58c6bbf44.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. ARTICLE 19 is urging States to raise the sharply deteriorating situation for freedom of expression in Turkey at the 34th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, in their interventions under Item 4 of the agenda: country situations of concern. The urgent need for international scrutiny on Turkey was underscored in the preliminary observations and recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression and on Torture, following their separate November 2016 visits to the country. The situation has not improved in the months since. A Constitutional referendum scheduled for April threatens to consolidate executive power and compound existing human rights concerns, in an environment where the media and other independent and oppositional voices have largely been silenced. In his global update delivered to HRC34 last week, the High Commissioner said the following on Turkey: "I am concerned measures taken under the state of emergency appear to target criticism, not terrorism. The fact that tens of thousands of people have been dismissed, arrested, detained or prosecuted following the attempted coup including numerous democratically elected representatives, judges and journalists raises serious alarm about due process guarantees being met. It will be particularly crucial for the credibility of April's referendum on amending the Constitution that space for open debate, free of intimidation, be guaranteed." The situation in the South East of the country is also the subject of a report released by the OHCHR on Friday. Among the findings, the following is said on the situation for freedom of expression: "The use of counter-terrorism legislation to remove democratically elected officials of Kurdish origin, the severe harassment of independent journalists, the closure of independent and Kurdish language media and citizens associations and the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors have also severely weakened checks and balances and human rights protections." This briefing provides a brief summary of the context for these freedom of expression concerns, and details on the particular freedom of expression violations that States must call on Turkey to address without delay. Context Following a violent coup attempt on 15 July 2016, the Turkish government has pursued an unprecedented crackdown on human rights, including on the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and the right to a fair trial. This has continued in the run up to an April referendum at which the country will vote on whether to give the president significantly increased powers and to remove checks and balances on the executive. Official figures show that over 40,000 people detained in the months after the coup attempt are currently held in pre-trial detention amidst credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment in police custody. Around 100,000 civil servants, including teachers, judges and prosecutors, have been arbitrarily dismissed. The two leaders and eleven other MPs from the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, the second opposition party in parliament, are in jail, and in 75 municipalities in the southeast have been taken over by government-appointed trustees after the elected mayors were arrested. These alarming developments have been facilitated by a state of emergency declared in July 2016, and extended twice since. Emergency decrees passed during this time have sought to legitimise the suppression of all forms of peaceful dissent and to remove safeguards protecting detainees rights. The rule of law in Turkey has been ruthlessly undermined, with increasing pressures on judges, who are frequently subjected to criminal investigation themselves. The situation for freedom of expression and media freedom has deteriorated sharply under emergency rule and in the run up to the April referendum. According to the independent media platform, P24, there are currently 148 journalists, writers and media workers in jail in Turkey, and 184 media outlets have been arbitrarily shut down since July 2016. Hundreds of civil society organisations have also been closed. Journalists are frequently subjected to extended pre-trial detention, without seeing an indictment outlining the charges and evidence against them for several months. International pressure does have an impact on Turkey; seemingly as an effort to avoid an urgent debate on the situation scheduled for 24 January at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Turkish government introduced two executive decrees on 23 January 2017, aimed at addressing a number of international concerns on the rule of law under the state of emergency. Decree 684 reduced the maximum detention in police custody from thirty to seven days, and improved access to lawyers for detainees, while decree 685 introduced a complaints commission ostensibly to address complaints regarding state of emergency practices. While the former has been implemented, the proposed make up and functioning of the latter raise concerns that it is no more than a fig leaf delaying access to effective remedies and to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). To facilitate genuine human rights improvements, Turkey's international partners must maintain pressure on Ankara, while ensuring this is accompanied by ongoing scrutiny of the situation that enables meaningful reform. Freedom of expression and information priorities Arrests of journalists under the state of emergency Since the declaration of the state of emergency in July 2016, approximately 125 journalists and writers have been arrested, bringing the total number of journalists in jail in Turkey to 148. The following examples are both illustrative and emblematic of arrests of journalists under the state of emergency: Deniz Yucel, a dual German-Turkish national who works for German newspaper Die Welt, was arrested and detained on 14 February for thirteen days, before being charged on 27 February with terrorist propaganda through the press (Article 220/8 of the Penal Code) and incitement to hatred (Article 216 of the Penal Code). Yucel remains in pre-trial detention. Although there is no indictment, it is suspected that he is being held on terrorist propaganda charges relating to articles he wrote on the conflict in Southeast Turkey, and that the incitement charges relate to the publication of a joke constituting social commentary, that contained neither discriminatory comments nor incitement to violence. Ahmet Altan was initially detained on 10 September then released on 21 September and rearrested the following day, on charges of membership of an armed organisation (Article 314 of the Penal Code). He is accused of being a member of the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation (FETO), which the Turkish government accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt. Altan is one of the few journalists accused of direct involvement in the coup attempt; he faces the same charges of attempting to overthrow the government as the military officers who bombed the Turkish parliament. Altan is being held in high security conditions with only supervised access to his lawyer for one hour per week. No indictment has been issued and therefore no evidence has been presented against him. His lawyers have challenged his pre-trial detention at the Constitutional Court, however his request for release has not been granted. His case has been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Kadri Gursel the Turkey representative of the International Press Institute, was detained on 31 October 2016 along with 12 other staff and journalists from Turkeys oldest independent daily, Cumhuriyet. All are charged with membership of FETO. Gursel and the other Cumhuriyet journalists are also being held under high security conditions and are only permitted supervised meetings with their lawyers. No indictment has been issued and it is unclear when this is likely to happen as the Prosecutor responsible for issuing the indictment has also been arrested and charged with membership of FETO. The journalists have now been in pre-trial detention for over four months and the process for the continuation of their case is not clear. States must call on Turkey to immediately release without charge all arbitrarily detained journalists, absent individualised evidence of involvement in a crime, in line with the commitments of States in UN HRC Resolution 33/2 on the safety of journalists. Trials of journalists on charges pre-dating the coup attempt Countless journalists are also facing charges in relation to their work as journalists pre-dating the coup attempt. The indictments and charges are frequently incoherent and inconsistent, with little or no supporting evidence apart from the content of the news articles the journalist wrote. This indicates political motivations behind prosecutions and the lack of judicial independence, reflecting concerns raised by Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, on 15 February. Many journalists are charged on the basis of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence to establish or command an armed organisation, or be a member thereof (Article 314), or under provisions that prohibit committing offences on behalf of a prohibited organisation (regardless of membership) or to make propaganda for a prohibited organisation, including through the media (Articles 220, 227 and 228). Often, indictments will allege affiliations with multiple organisations that have contradictory aims, such as FETO, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the Islamic State. The following cases are illustrative of the experiences of journalists currently facing trial: Ozgur Gundem Cases: Dozens of criminal cases have been brought against participants in a May 2016 solidarity campaign with Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, where journalists, writers and civil society volunteered to be symbolic newspaper editors for one day. On 13 January 2017, human rights defender Sanar Yurdatapan and publisher Ibrahim Aydn Bodur were the first to be sentenced, receiving 15 month suspended prison sentences and fines on the basis of terrorism related charges. They were accused of spreading propaganda for the PKK or releasing statements on their behalf, on the basis of articles published on the day they were symbolic editor. Other cases are still pending. Dozens of criminal cases have been brought against participants in a May 2016 solidarity campaign with Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, where journalists, writers and civil society volunteered to be symbolic newspaper editors for one day. On 13 January 2017, human rights defender Sanar Yurdatapan and publisher Ibrahim Aydn Bodur were the first to be sentenced, receiving 15 month suspended prison sentences and fines on the basis of terrorism related charges. They were accused of spreading propaganda for the PKK or releasing statements on their behalf, on the basis of articles published on the day they were symbolic editor. Other cases are still pending. Taraf case: Five journalists, including previous Taraf editors Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Mehmet Baransu, in addition to journalist Tuncay Opcin, were charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, while Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of FETO. Baransu has been in pre-trial detention since March 2015 while Opcin has left the country. The Taraf case is marred by inconsistencies and confusion; at the opening of the trial there were three versions of the indictment with different charges, all versions were largely copy-pasted from last years case against Cumhuriyet editor, Can Dundar, with his name still featuring in the text. Five journalists, including previous Taraf editors Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Mehmet Baransu, in addition to journalist Tuncay Opcin, were charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, while Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of FETO. Baransu has been in pre-trial detention since March 2015 while Opcin has left the country. The Taraf case is marred by inconsistencies and confusion; at the opening of the trial there were three versions of the indictment with different charges, all versions were largely copy-pasted from last years case against Cumhuriyet editor, Can Dundar, with his name still featuring in the text. Ahmet Sk: Investigative journalist, Sk, is being tried simultaneously in two separate and contradictory cases, one in which he is accused of supporting the Ergenekon organization on the basis of his book in 2011 criticising the Gulen movement, and another for supporting the FETO and the PKK (a pro-Kurdish militant group). States must call on Turkey to reform the anti-terror legislation, in particular the Penal Code, cease the judicial harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, and take immediate steps to restore the independence of the judiciary, including through cooperation with the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Access to pluralistic information and broadcast bans The space for freedom of expression and critical news reporting has significantly shrunk under the State of Emergency since July 2016, and consequently the public has been denied access to information on issues of public concern, in particular of independent and pluralistic perspectives in the media. This is particularly concerning in the run up to the referendum in April, which will decide on Turkeys political structure. At least 180 media outlets and publishing houses have been closed by executive decree under the state of emergency, which according to the Turkish Journalists Association, left approximately 2500 journalists jobless.[7] There are now only four national print newspapers remaining who take an editorial line which is critical of the government; Cumhuriyet, Evrensel, BirGun and Ozgurlukce Demokrasi (the successor of Ozgur Gundem). There is only one remaining national television channel which takes a critical line on the government, HalkTV, which is closely affiliated with the main opposition party, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP). The closures have disproportionately affected Kurdish media outlets; very few journalists are now able to report news on the conflict in the South-East of the country. Those who do report from there are working under increasingly dangerous conditions without press cards or official recognition. It has become habitual for the Turkish government to immediately request a broadcasting ban from the courts after a terrorist attack. Broadcasting bans were issued after the suicide bombings in Suruc on 20 July 2015, in Ankara on 10 October 2015 and 13 March 2016 and in Istanbul on 12 January and 29 June 2016. The speed at which the broadcasting ban was issued after the terrorist bomb in Istanbul led the leader of the opposition, Klcdaroglu, to say that the broadcasting bans arrive faster than the ambulances in Turkey. Under the state of emergency, broadcasting bans have continued; a ban was issued immediately after the murder of the Russian envoy in December 2016 and after the terrorist attack on a nightclub on 31 December. In both cases, people also reported that access to social media platforms was throttled i.e. slowed down so as to make the sites unusable. States must call on Turkey to end of the state of emergency, reverse executive decrees closing media outlets, and cease issuing broadcasting bans on issues of legitimate public concern. Crucially, ahead of the April Constitutional referendum and in lieu of institutional and legal reforms, the government must guarantee media and editorial freedom, and ensure equal broadcasting time for both campaigns. Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19 Sofia, Bulgaria -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/13/2017 --Clearsight Technologies Limited; a leading Anglo-Bulgarian antivirus software company with offices in the UK and Bulgaria; is highly excited to announce the launch of a new version of its antivirus software Clearsight antivirus. The New Clearsight Antivirus is a lightweight, simple antivirus with comprehensive real-time protection, and outstanding performance and effectiveness. In a bid to produce the all new Clearsight Antivirus product suite the company recruited highly experienced and qualified engineers and tech veterans coupled with the acquisition of the most cutting edge and state of the art technology in the internet software development industry. Clearsight Technologies Limited has earned a standing reputation in the production of safe and easy to use protection software leading to the satisfaction of its customers. "The powerful new version of Clearsight Antivirus is an advanced and exciting antivirus designed to keep things simple, leaving everything under the hood and automatically protecting users from malware without complicated features and configuration", stated Dimitry Chendev, the Chief Technology Officer at Clearsight Technologies. "Most importantly, the new product is easy to use and has an easy to navigate interface and once installed it protects the system silently in the back ground even without the users knowing it was there". The new version of Clearsight Antivirus is embedded with attributes that make it more powerful, and separate it from other products in the market thereby making it the highest quality systems protection software to its users. These features include; - S-Guard Protector: Using its imbedded unique filtering system, the antivirus blocks malicious websites before they are opened thereby countering ransomware droppers at its heart. - Unique Dual Scan Technology: It has proven business class scan engines that protect systems from unwelcomed attacks and deliver unrivalled scan engines protection. - Malware protection for employees It stops all known viruses & Spyware. The product is centrally managed allowing users to control the clients and servers thereby insuring that they follow the stated security policy. - Zero-Defender It delivers zero hour protection by analysis of suspicious actions and uses its behaviour recognition system to increase the detection of new threats and helps insure protection of the data in the system. - Automatic updates Clearsight team using the firm's direct update servers provides users with regular updates - M-Shield Clearsight mass storage shield automatically scans all USB drives attached to the system insuring the information being brought into the user's computer is clean. - DTP Application Clearsight provides a simple tool to lockdown your computer so you don't become victims of Data Theft. For further information about Clearsight Antivirus, visit www.csantivirus.com. Denver, CO -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/17/2017 --According to the February 8, 2017 Bloomberg Criminal Law Reporter (Vol. 100, no. 18, pg. 393), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Ranking Democrat John Conyers (D-MI) are ready to release criminal justice reform legislation but are waiting on a green light from the White House. A Just Cause is urging Congress and President Trump to close 76 federal prison camps and eliminate this wasteful extension of the welfare system that, according the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, houses, clothes, feeds and provides healthcare for nearly 22,000 non-violent offenders. "Federal prison camps are considered "out-custody" facilities without fences or walls and A Just Cause questions the wisdom of the federal government wasting billions of tax dollars of welfare-style appropriations for non-violent able-bodied men at federal prison camps when home confinement with an ankle monitor can accomplish the same security and punitive objectives without the enormous financial and social costs. A Camp inmate presents no threat to society when they can simply walk away into the community in the same way they could walk away from their home. Most educational programs at camps benefit those who never graduated high-school. Massively Open Online Courses (MOOC's) and other Internet training programs on basic computing, typing, resume skills, etc., offer much better, free education options in home-confinement. Menial kitchen and janitorial jobs that campers perform at higher institutions can be contracted with a janitorial or corrections food service provider at a pittance of the cost of incarcerating campers. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has called out-of-control BOP costs a "persisting crisis" for a federal prison population that grew nearly 800% between 1980 and 2013. In his book, American Criminal Justice Policy, Professor Daniel Mears of Florida State University's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice states the entire U.S. prison population in 1980 was 319,598 in comparison to 2.2 million people today. Confining non-violent prison camp offenders at home is a common-sense measure that will drastically reduce costs. In April 2014, the Congressional Research Service found that "the federal prison system was 36% over capacity in FY 2013, but high and medium male facilities were operating at 52% and 45% respectively, over rated capacity. Confining campers at home will help solve over-capacity problems and enable the BOP to convert the infrastructure of a few camps to accommodate higher security offenders and alleviate overcrowding. According to calculations put together by A Just Cause, using Florence, Colorado's federal prison camp as a model, the BOP is spending roughly $25 million dollars per year to incarcerate 500 non-violent offenders, which means taxpayers are spending a total of $1.1 billion on welfare for 22,000 non-violent offenders at 76 camps. A March 2016 Inspector General report, shows the BOP spent 1.1 billion dollars on healthcare costs in 2014 as part of a $6.8 billion-dollar annual budget. Healthcare is an unpredictable cost that is likely to grow. A law enforcement source who oversaw county jails for one of the nation's largest counties, tells A Just Cause that the DOJ pays about $100 per day, per federal offender, many of whom are non-violent white collar offenders, to be housed in their jails as they await trial or to be moved to a federal prison. Furthermore, billions of dollars pour into halfway house coffers to house offenders leaving prison who actually have homes to go to or law abiding, responsible family members who agree to provide housing and support AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYER. A study found that offenders who are released from prison to their home or to family members have lower recidivism rates. Select federal offenders from higher security institutions who work their way down to camps for good behavior should not be sent to camps but to home confinement or possibly a halfway house which not only incentivizes offenders towards better behavior but serves as quasi-parole legislation. In recent weeks President Trump received harsh backlash about America not being innocent or the moral equivalent of Russia when it comes to imprisoning or killing political dissidents. Regarding incarceration, America is not innocent and is morally deficient to Russia and every other nation when comes to imprisoning its citizens, many of whom are non-violent offenders who were totally unaware their conduct was or could be spun criminal by an ambitious prosecutor motivated by padding conviction numbers. It is widely reported and accepted that the United States is 5% of the world's population but accounts for 25% of the world's prison population at a cost of $80 billion per year. According to the Economist's 2013 world figures, the U.S. imprisoned 2,266,832 citizens, which is 300% more than Russia's prison population of 714,600. China, a communist country with a billion more people than the U.S., who is often criticized by the U.S. for human rights abuses, imprisons 1,640,000 people (600,000 less than the USA). Fordham University Professor John Pfaff reported in the January 28-29, 2017 Wall Street Journal that America's incarceration rate is 800% higher than Germany. On April 3, 2016, correspondent Bill Whitaker of the television show "Crime and Punishment", toured the German Prison system with Joerg Jesse, a psychologist and the Director of Prisons in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a state in north Germany where Germany spends less money on prisons but gets betters results, including lower recidivism, by not imprisoning non-violent offenders. "Prison is reserved for the worst of the worst -- murderers, rapists, career criminals," Jesse said. Better results come from not locking up non-violent offenders and rehabilitating and incentivizing violent offenders to show them a better approach to life and decision-making -- a concept foreign to a cruel, retributive U.S. justice system where incarceration-thirsty federal prosecutors and judges are celebrated by how many citizens they can imprison on long sentences. Case and point, the IRP6 federal criminal case in Colorado where, according to former federal appeals judge H. Lee Sarokin, six information technology executives were indicted and prosecuted for "failing to pay corporate debts", had their constitutional rights violated by the prosecutor, trial judge and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and received unduly harsh sentences of 7 to 11 years. (See judicial complaint and letter to U.S Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts at http://bit.ly/2ba9827 & http://bit.ly2b06Rpm). America's prison model is Neolithic and expensive. American leaders should stop promoting it is as the best in the world and make it better. The reality is that over criminalization and vague federal criminal laws combined with ambitious, prison-thirsty prosecutors, passive, rubber-stamping judges, corporate profit motives and ungodly harsh, cruel sentencing has created a prison industrial complex that gives America the dubious distinction of being the incarceration nation. The government sponsored Federal Prison Industries (FPI) that uses pennies-per-hour prison labor to produce goods and services is a slavery-based business that is a product of the 13th Amendment's exception to use slavery for the purpose crime and punishment. It is an aberration that the U.S. government has institutionalized slavery through FPI and allows it to compete against private industry for government contracts. The abolishment of FPI and the 13th Amendment's slavery exception should be included as part of any new legislation proposed by the House Judiciary Committee. The United States just went crazy one day, started locking up its citizens and made big business out of incarceration-based slavery. America does not have the moral authority to criticize other nation's incarceration practices until it addresses its grave problems of mass incarceration. A Just Cause will continue to push for the closure of wasteful, "out-custody" federal prison camps. President Trump has the power to issue an executive order to close camps and do more towards criminal justice reform than any other President in history. We ask you to review Judge Sarokin's writings on the IRP6 case at the links below and join with us by contacting your congressman or President Trump to not only get camps closed but also help get the charges dismissed against the IRP6. The IRP6 and their families shouldn't be another statistic of mass incarceration because of prosecutorial and judicial misconduct. Please note that this press release has been revised from its original content. These will boost Singapores efforts to stay known as a clean financial hub. In two weeks, the amended law governing companies will come into effect, boosting Singapore's ongoing efforts of maintaining its reputation as a trusted and clean financial hub. According to senior minister of state for law and finance Indranee Rajah, one of the key amendments is improving the transparency of companies. "The first set of amendments seeks to make the ownership and control of business entities more transparent and thus reduce opportunities for the misuse of corporate entities for illicit purposes. This will help Singapore to better meet the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force or FATF," she said. The two changes under this category include the registers of controllers, members, and nominee directors. The other is the requirement of locally incorporated companies and foreign companies registered in Singapore to maintain registers of their controllers at prescribed places. Another key amendment is reducing regulatory burden and improving the ease of doing business in Singapore. Three key changes will be in effect. One will be the inward re-domiciliation regime. "Inward re-domiciliation is akin to changing 'corporate citizenship'. Transfer of registration will thus be useful to foreign corporate entities that wish to retain their corporate history and identity. Foreign corporate entities may choose to re-domicile for various reasons, such as for a more conducive regulatory framework or to be closer to their shareholders or operational base. A foreign corporate entity that is re-domiciled to Singapore will be required to comply with the requirements of the Companies Act like any other Singapore company," she explained. Rajah said these transparency-related amendments will enable Singapore to better mitigate the risks of money laundering and financing of terrorism. The Bill will also reduce the regulatory burden on companies and improve corporate governance in Singapore. Story continues There will also be changes in requirements on annual general meetings and annual returns. Moreover, there will be a removal of the requirement for a common seal to execute documents such as deeds and for certain documents such as share certificates. Rajah also stated there will be an amendment of the debt restructuring framework, citing recent high-profile cases including Hanjin Shippings attempted rehabilitation in Korea and ongoing efforts for Singapore-listed businesses like Swiber and Ezra. With this, she said there will be changes in the schemes of arrangement, highlighting key provisions such as Moratorium, Rescue Financing, Cram Down Provisions, and Pre-Packs. "The enhanced debt restructuring framework will give business entities in financial difficulties greater flexibility to restructure and survive. Together with the new inward re-domiciliation regime, these amendments will increase our competitiveness and strengthen Singapore as a leading financial centre," she concluded. More From Singapore Business Review A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017 Chinese citizens watch television coverage of Premier Li Keqiang reading a report at the opening ceremony of the National People's Congress at a Communist Party school in Huaibei, eastern China's Anhui province, March 5, 2017. As China's economic growth sinks to a 25-year low, the government is going to great lengths to portray the country as a safe place to invest. In recent weeks, regulatory agencies have pledged to prevent "asset bubbles" and punish "financial crocodiles" that prey on small investors. The message aimed at both domestic and foreign markets is that China can control investment risks. With the announcement of lower economic targets for 2017, risk reduction and stability have become the government's top concerns. "Stability is of overriding importance," said Premier Li Keqiang as he presented the government's work report to the National People's Congress (NPC), Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, on March 5. "We must not allow the red line to be crossed concerning financial security, people's wellbeing or environmental protection," said Li, according to state media. Li has set this year's goal for gross domestic product growth at "about 6.5 percent," the slowest pace in 25 years and a step down from the 2016 rate of 6.7 percent. The slowdown follows signs that China's traditional economic engine of investment may be faltering. Last year, fixed-asset investment (FAI) rose 7.9 percent, slipping from 10 percent in 2015 and 15.7 percent in 2014, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) fell to 4.1 percent in 2016 from 6.4 percent a year earlier, before suffering a steep year-to-year drop of 9.2 percent in January. China's nonfinancial outbound direct investment (ODI) soared 44.1 percent last year as capital fled toward safer markets and higher returns abroad. But in January, ODI plunged 35.7 percent from a year earlier after the government tightened its capital controls. In a remarkable series of steps before China's annual legislative sessions, regulators announced stiff penalties for alleged investment violations, market speculation and predatory practices. Targets included insurance companies, financial institutions and opaque investment groups involved in merger and takeover activities. On Feb. 26, Liu Shiyu, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), blasted the big investors as "barbarians" and "robbers" with unusual vehemence. "In the capital market, being a financial mogul is only a half-step away from being a financial crocodile," Liu said. Tougher enforcement regime The crackdown follows last year's hostile takeover battle by insurance interests for China Vanke, the country's leading property developer, and a series of deals backed by highly leveraged or obscure funding sources. Among those singled out for punishment, Yao Zhenhua, chairman of Foresea Life Insurance, was barred from the industry for 10 years by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC). The regulator also suspended Evergrande Life from stock trading for one year, citing its use of insurance funds for "short-term speculation" that caused "grave social consequences," the South China Morning Post reported. The Vanke takeover bid was led by Foresea parent Baoneng Group. The insurance unit aggressively sold high-risk policies that resembled investment products paying up to 8 percent annually to raise cash, Nikkei Asian Review said. The regulatory crackdown on the companies may be symptomatic of a tougher enforcement regime in the financial sphere. Last week during the NPC sessions, the CSRC announced stiff penalties against two companies for making false asset claims in a restructuring deal. The agency charged office service provider China Nine Top and AnShan Heavy Duty Mining Machinery with "extremely dirty tricks and severe violations of the rules," the official Xinhua news agency said. Separately, the CSRC said it confiscated 1.2 billion yuan (U.S. $173 million) in illicit profits from an alleged share price manipulation scheme involving the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock exchanges. In a report on its activities, the CSRC said it launched over 300 probes of illicit investment practices and market manipulation last year. "The CSRC is committed to fighting against misbehaving financial magnates who will stop at nothing for money and power," said the agency, as quoted by The New Paper of Singapore. On March 1, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said indictments were filed against 36,300 suspects last year in 23,700 financial crime cases, Xinhua reported. Regulators have been trying to tame high risks and volatile forces in the market that led to a 41-percent plunge in the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index over four months in mid-2015, wiping out small investors. A billboard of Chinese real estate developer Vanke appears on the rooftop of a building at a residential quarter developed by Vanke in Ji'nan, eastern China's Shandong province, June 25, 2016. Credit: ImagineChina Walking a fine line At the same time, the CSRC has encouraged the market with eased rules for initial public offerings (IPOs), which were stalled during the crisis to keep speculators from selling existing shares to chase higher returns. The regulatory task mirrors the challenge facing the People's Bank of China (PBOC) in managing monetary policy this year. "The government has to walk a fine line to keep the world's second largest economy steadily expanding while avoiding financial risks," Xinhua said. The Xinhua commentary quoted a senior official of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) planning agency as citing eight "major risk areas." The list includes "bad loans, liquidity strains, bond defaults, shadow banking, external market shocks, property bubbles, government debt and online financing." The goal seems to be avoidance of a sudden decline rather than hoped-for growth. At a meeting of the Central Leading Group on the economy, President Xi Jinping set the theme of "seeking progress while maintaining stability" for the government's work this year, state media said. "For 2017, the significance of stability could not be more emphasized," Xinhua said in another commentary on the government's goals. In what appeared to be a lukewarm assurance of stability last week, Finance Minister Xiao Jie told reporters that government debt risks "are generally within control," acknowledging "illegal debt-raising practices by local governments." Another significant risk is a property bubble, which is partially linked to the government's concerns with speculation and the Vanke takeover bid. Last month, the government claimed success in cooling the growth of housing prices after increases slowed in January for the fourth month in a row, but the evidence appeared scant. The NBS survey of 70 large and mid-sized cities found month-to-month increases for new housing in 45 markets, a slight improvement from 46 in December and 55 in November. Average month-to-month price growth in January fell to 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent a month before, Reuters said. The claim of progress in deflating the housing bubble followed government pressure on local authorities to impose restrictions on second and third home purchases for speculative investment by well-heeled buyers. "Houses are built to be lived in, not for speculation," said President Xi in a widely cited statement on property price curbs. Risks of a real estate crash But the government's claims of success in battling the bubble are debatable. While month-to-month increases have been modest, the NBS data for January showed year-to-year price hikes of 24.7 percent in Beijing, 23.8 percent in Shanghai and 48.8 percent in Shenzhen. Of the 70 cities, only four recorded price declines from a year before. The issue of housing speculation is critical for China because the runaway sector has spurred demand for energy-consuming products including coal, steel, aluminum, cement, and flat glass. Overbuilding in the property market has contributed to cheating on government targets for cutting production overcapacity in the coal and steel sectors, as well as increased outbreaks of smog. The risks of a real estate crash are also linked to the government's concerns with stock market manipulation, since China's huge pool of capital constantly seeks out alternate opportunities for higher returns. "This is the regulatory behavior you get with a giant ball of liquidity sloshing around," said Derek Scissors, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. In his address to the NPC, Premier Li promised steps to deal with problems that have pushed housing prices beyond the reach of poorer buyers. Li said the government would "reasonably increase" land supplies for housing in markets with the highest price increases while trying to cut the backlog of unsold homes in third and fourth-tier cities, but he offered no new ideas. By enumerating the many risks to stability, the NDRC is signaling that the government will take a more coordinated approach to economic management instead of letting liquidity flow from one speculative bubble to another. The government sees the management effort as critical to stability at a time when it is cutting overcapacity industries, closing "zombie" enterprises by curbing credit and eliminating jobs. "China will accelerate building a supervision coordination mechanism and strengthen macro-prudential regulation to prevent systemic risks," Xi reportedly told his economic leading group. But in the course of promoting stability over growth, regulators seem likely to classify a broader range of investment activities and transactions as outside the law. "Financial supervisors should fix weak links and act hard against illegal activities," Xi said. Hotels in northeastern China said they are refusing to take South Korean guests on Monday, while protesters elsewhere in the country filmed themselves smashing goods from South Korea in an ongoing row over Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defense shield. Residents of the northeastern Chinese city of Hunchun in Jilin province said anti-Korean sentiment is running high in the town. "For example, a lot of [South Korean] goods have been taken off the shelves of the supermarkets," one Hunchun resident told RFA on Monday. "Either that or nobody's ordering alcoholic drinks from [South Korea] any more." "Basically it's that sort of thing," the resident said. Sources said hotels in the city are refusing to take guests from South Korea, after its government began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antimissile system last week. The move has drawn strong diplomatic protests from Beijing, and sparked demonstrations and store closures at outlets of the South Korea retail chain Lotte across China. An employee who answered the phone at a hotel in Hunchun confirmed the report. "We're not accepting [South Korean guests] either," the employee told RFA on Monday. "Not for the time being." An employee at a second hotel said she wasn't authorized to turn guests away. "But if some South Korean nationals wanted to stay here, I'd have to check with my boss," she said. Cruise ship On Saturday, all 3,400 Chinese passengers refused to disembark from a cruise ship after it docked at popular tourist destination Jeju Island. Some 80 tour buses were lined up to take them around the island, but the guests opted to stay aboard the Costa Serena cruise ship for four hours before it headed to the northern Chinese port of Tianjin, Chinese media reported. The nationwide anti-Korean protests appear to have been fueled by rising nationalist sentiment on social media. One passenger tweeted to their Weibo account: "The itinerary was set a long time ago before the THAAD incident, but we have chosen to support our country." "Everyone in our company is of one mind on this and we have had a lot of approval from Chinese people online," the passenger wrote. "They approved of us 'annoying them to death from across the sea' and thanked us for saving China's face," the tweet said. Meanwhile, video footage circulating online showed men in black clothing smashing up packets of South Korean food in a supermarket. Another showed black-clad men smashing a South Korean-made washing machine on the streets, watched by a few dozen people, while the Chinese national anthem blared from nearby speakers. Another video of lines of military vehicles parked by a roadside claimed to illustrate a build-up of People's Liberation Army troops near the border with North Korea. RFA was unable to verify the footage independently. Reining in protests There are signs, however, that the authorities are moving to contain the protests, for fear that they may get out of hand. "I think they are moving to ban this sort of thing now," a journalist who gave only his surname Chen told RFA following reports that authorities in the northern province of Hebei have already detained one person in connection with protests at a Lotte store. "I think it was [the government] who initiated these things, who incited people to [protest]," he said. "But they are also worried that they will lose control of the situation and perhaps that it might become something different, like a protest by ordinary people against the Chinese government." "Another thing is that they are worried that the protests might affect other foreign businesses, as a lot of foreign investors are leaving China right now because they don't think it's a favorable investment environment," Chen said. Current affairs commentator Jia Pin agreed, saying the Maoist left in China is a force to be reckoned with for the administration of President Xi Jinping. "Mass movements have been a favorite method of the Chinese leadership in recent years, but they are also afraid that they will turn into a genuine mass movement," Jia said. "There is a hard-left element in these things that is very extreme," he said. "Once they come out onto the streets, the government wouldn't be able to control things, and that's not an outcome that they would wish to see." "On the other hand, the government can't pass up this opportunity to put pressure on South Korea, but things are getting embarrassing now," he said. Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Siu-san and Wong Si-lam for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Luxury vehicles owned by the Lao government sit inside the National Convention Center in Vientiane where they will be auctioned to the public, Feb. 28, 2017. The Lao government has auctioned 14 luxury cars previously used by the countrys leaders in its latest effort to cut costs and rein in corruption in the impoverished nation by getting rid of pricey autos that high-ranking officials had been using for free for official and personal business. The event took place on Feb 28 at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, where about 40 people showed up to examine and bid on the used luxury vehicles of retired and current Lao government officials. Seven full-size 2012 BMW 730 LI model sedans and seven full-size 2012 Mercedes Benz S350 model sedans were sold, said a man named Somsy, who was in charge of the auction. The opening price for bids was set at $100,000 for the BMWs and $60,000 for Mercedes Benzes, according to a report by the Vientiane Times on Feb. 24. The event was originally scheduled for Feb 22, but two days before the opening, the committee that organized the auction decided to move the date to Feb. 28 because it did not have all the necessary paperwork ready and had become aware that many people still did not know about the event, Somsy said. The used luxury car of current Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith was the highest-priced vehicle. It was sold for 1.33 billion kip (U.S. $160,000) to Thonglith Kingkeo-oudom, a Lao businessman from Luang Prabang province. Fouk Kingkeo-oudom, Thongliths brother who is also a businessman from Luang Prabang province, paid the second-highest auction price of 1.30 billion kip (U.S. $156,000) for the used luxury car of the incumbent Vice President Phankham Viphavanh. Both cars were 2012 BMW 730 LI models. Experiencing financial difficulties Thongloun Sisoulith told members of the National Assembly last October that his administration had issued some legal orders and decrees to cope with the countrys budget deficit and to address corruption among government officials. He also told the media in January that he feared the growing gap between the rich and poor in the impoverished country would eventually cause problems. We have been experiencing financial difficulties, and the majority of our people are poor, he said. If we live lives of luxury, then the gap between rich and poor will grow too large, and that is going to be a big problem, he said. High-ranking officials must act as an example and follow the orders of the government to reduce the inequities, he said. The auction of luxury cars used by Lao leaders is one of several early policies enacted by the prime minister to reduce unnecessary government expense and combat corruption among government officials. Somsy said another batch of vehicles will be auctioned in the near future. We have not made any plans yet to auction the second batch of luxury cars, but we will try to do it as soon as we can, perhaps in March, he said. The second batch will include Mercedes Benz E-class cars recalled from officials in the provinces where they are used to transport provincial government guests, Somsy said. The Lao government is replacing the luxury cars with less expensive Toyota brand cars that have lower maintenance costs. Lao leaders who are politburo members will be issued Toyota Camry model 3.0 or 3.5 cars, while other government leaders who hold party committee positions will be given Camry 2.0 or 2.5 models. Reported and translated by Lanxang for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The Ma Ba Tha nationalist Buddhist movement in Myanmar struck out against the government Monday, calling a ban on speeches leveled against a controversial monk last week unconstitutional and demanding an explanation for the move. Thu Saitta, a monk from the Ma Ba Tha movement, told RFAs Myanmar Service that the Friday decision by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (Ma Ha Na) Myanmars top Buddhist bodyto prohibit outspoken member Wirathu from delivering speeches was akin to banning one who tells the truth. A monks responsibility is to deliver religious sermons and the government should allow monks to carry out their responsibilities, Thu Saitta said. Buddha urged monks to travel, deliver sermons and teach the dhamma [religious doctrine] to the people. I believe that banning U Wirathu is banning the truth, he added, using an honorific title for the Ma Ba Tha leader. On Friday, the Ma Ha Na barred Wirathu who is known for his virulently anti-Muslim rhetoric from making public speeches for one year because he repeatedly delivered hate speech against religions to cause communal strife and hinder efforts to uphold the rule of law, according to a statement which did not specify what punishment he would face for violating the ban. The following day, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture said the monk leader would face legal action if he goes against or criticizes the ban. The move represents the first by Aung San Suu Kyis ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party against Wirathu, though many in the party have been calling for action against the inflammatory monk for months. On Monday, Thu Saitta said that donations collected at Wirathus speeches go to the less privileged, so the governments decision, by extension, was meant to bully the poor. But he also struck out at what he said was an unjust bid to censor Wirathus provocative views. The constitution allows freedom of speech, but we dont have freedom of speech in this democratic government, he said. We will respond to this action against U Wirathu. We will determine who banned U Wirathu from speaking and find out why they did it to him. We also plan to meet with monks and nationalist groups, and demand our right to speak about the Buddhas teachings freely. According to the Myanmar Times, Wirathu held a silent protest in Einme township, Ayeyarwady region, on Saturday evening against the Ma Ha Na ban that was posted in a live video on his Facebook account. In the video, the nationalist monk had his mouth covered with two pieces of colored tape. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture denied any knowledge of the silent protest when contacted by the Times. Recently, Wirathu had drawn public ire for praising the brutal murder of Ko Ni a prominent Muslim lawyer and critic of Myanmars powerful military hailing those who planned the assassination as defenders of the countrys race and religion. Ko Ni was shot dead as he held his grandson on Jan. 29 outside Yangon airport in a murder that shocked the country. A taxi driver, Ne Win, was also killed trying to stop the gunman, who authorities said was hired by a former military officer who is on the run. In an interview over the weekend, Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Aung Ko told RFA that Wirathu had said many things unbefitting a Buddhist monk and used scathing remarks to criticize the NLD and government, instead of discussing Buddhas teachings. We discussed this with the police and instructed them to take effective action against U Wirathu if he gives any more hate speeches against other religions or other minorities, or affects the peace and tranquility of the country, he said. Defamation case Also on Monday, police questioned a Ma Ba Tha member and follower of Wirathu named Kyaw Myo Shwe, and confiscated his mobile phone, after a woman filed a defamation suit against him under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law for what she claimed were insulting posts targeting Aung San Suu Kyi on his Facebook account. Kyaw Myo Shwe faces a maximum of three years in prison if convicted. Kyaw Myo Shwe had himself recently filed a lawsuit under the same statute against prominent journalist Swe Win, who he accused of defaming Wirathu in a Facebook post criticizing the monk about his comments on Ko Nis murder, but withdrew his complaint last week after being pressured by his family. Mya Mya Htay, who filed the lawsuit against Kyaw Myo Shwe at the Sangyaung police station in Mandalay, told RFA she had not done so in retaliation for his complaint against Swe Win. I filed against Kyaw Myo Shwe after I saw his posts and photos insulting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, she said, using an honorific title for the first and incumbent state counsellor and leader of the NLD. I didnt do it because Kyaw Myo Shwe filed a lawsuit against Swe Win. If I see any post insulting the state counselor, the president or even Yangon region chief minister Phyo Min Thein, I will file a lawsuit against the owner of the account. Mya Mya Htays complaint listed defamatory posts on Kyaw Myo Shwes Facebook account from Feb. 26, March 3 and March 6, according to a police report on the lawsuit. Kyaw Myo Shwe denied that he had specifically mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi in his Facebook posts and was therefore not liable for defaming her. [Mya Mya Htay] brought a lawsuit against me saying I posted insults against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said. I posted that if the military ever seizes state power again, the culprit of history would be the daughter of the general. But there was no name Aung San Suu Kyi mentioned and there are many generals in Myanmar. I will explain in court. Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of national hero general Aung San, who helped bring about Myanmars independence from Britain in 1948, though he was assassinated six months before power changed hands. Myanmar has transitioned from a country ruled by a military junta to one run by a civilian government under Aung San Suu Kyi, but rights groups say authorities have scaled up an attack on critical voices from the opposition. At least 43 cases have been filed under Section 66(d) since March last year, when the current government came to power. Reported by Set Paing Toe, Thet Su Aung and Aung Theinkha for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story erroneously identified Wirathu as vice chairman of Ma Ba Tha. Residents of Laukkai in Myanmar's northeastern Shan state flee their homes to escape fighting between Kokang insurgents and Myanmar army troops, March 6, 2017. About 30,000 residents in northeastern Myanmars Laukkai township who have fled ongoing clashes between Kokang soldiers and the Myanmar military have sought shelter in a border area where the Chinese government has set up refugee camps, local residents said Monday. Fighting is still going on, and there are about 30,000 IDPs [internally displaced persons] staying around the China-Myanmar border area, said a Myanmar Buddhist monk named Kaythaya who lives in China. Shells dropped by the Myanmar armys heavy weapons have been landing in southwest Chinas Yunnan province, killing a Chinese teacher on March 11 and injuring three Myanmar men, he said. The teacher was the second Chinese man killed since fighting erupted. The Chinese government is checking to determine what kind of weapons the army is using and how many shells have landed, he said. China has asked its citizens who live about 2,000 feet from the border area to evacuate, Kaythaya said. The clashes compelled the Myanmar government to impose a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in Laukkai and Gongyang townships in northeastern Shan state effective as of March 10. About 2,000 residents of Laukkai have fled to relief camps in the nearby towns of Lashio, Thibaw, Namthu, Kutkai, and Muse, Chinas official Xinhua news agency reported. During the new clash that erupted on Monday, soldiers from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the formal name of the Kokang army, launched an offensive on Laukkai, resulting in dozens of casualties, including civilians, the report said. Reprise of fighting The fighting broke out early on March 6 when about 30 MNDAA soldiers attacked the Yanlone Kyine police station in Laukkai township in Myanmars Chinese-speaking Kokang region near the border with China. The Kokang fighters also attacked military camps and civilian buildings and set cars ablaze. Thirty people, including Myanmar security forces, Kokang insurgents, and civilians were reported dead the same day, with six others reported dead on March 7. The breakout of the hostilities was in apparent retaliation for offensives launched by the government military in Kokang areas since last December. Calls by the Chinese government for an immediate cease-fire and the restoration of order along the border area have been ignored. Clashes involving the MNDAA and state soldiers occurred in the same area in early 2015 and 2009 and drove tens of thousands of residents across the border into China. The renewed conflict comes as the Myanmar government prepares to hold a round of peace talks this month in its ongoing effort to end decades of civil wars between the government military and various ethnic armed groups. Reported by Wai Mar Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire in multiple locations, officials in both countries said, as Russian-appointed officials continued evacuating people from the west bank of the Dnieper River amid a mounting Ukrainian counteroffensive. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Ukraine's national grid operator, meanwhile, said on November 5 that it would increase rolling blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions as the countrys national grid remained severely damaged by weeks of Russian air strikes. Electricity consumption is rising across Ukraine as the weather turns colder, and energy providers have raced to do repairs, ordering planned power cuts to avoid overloads. Ukraines General Staff said that its troops thwarted Russian attacks a day earlier in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The military also claimed that Ukrainian air defenses shot down multiple Russian and Iranian drones and two Kalibr cruise missiles. The claim could not be immediately verified. The head of the Vynnytsya region, Serhiy Borzov, said the central region was hit overnight by Russian kamikaze drones. Russian troops have been actively using Iranian drones in recent weeks to attack critical civilian and infrastructure objectives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the fiercest fighting over the last week had taken place around Bakhmut and Soledar in Donetsk and that Ukrainian forces are holding their positions there and elsewhere. He also spoke of "good gains" in the south, praising infantry and artillery brigades for destroying enemy equipment, Russian manpower. The claims of battlefield success could not be independently verified. Ukrainian forces have been mounting a slow, incremental counteroffensive in the southern Kherson region for weeks now, moving closer to directly threatening the Dnieper River port of Kherson, which was captured early after Russias February invasion. In response, Russian authorities have been evacuating civilians and military troops to the opposite bank of the Dnieper. Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in the Kherson region, announced a 24-hour curfew on November 4, saying it was necessary to defend it from an expected Ukrainian attack. The Russian military said "more than 5,000 civilians" were being evacuated daily to the east bank of the river. And Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 4 called for civilians to be moved out from Kherson. Those who live in Kherson must now be removed from the zone of the most dangerous hostilities, Putin said in remarks broadcast on state television. The civilian population should not suffer from shelling, from the offensive, counteroffensive, and other measures related to military operations. Russias Defense Ministry said on November 5 that troops had repelled Ukrainian attacks in in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. In the Kherson region, which the Kremlin last month declared had been annexed, authorities reported the heaviest artillery fire in days. Ukrainian officials have likened the departures of Kherson residents to Soviet-style deportations, though its unclear to what extent the departures are forced or voluntary. Russian officials said people were being moved to safety from the path of the Ukrainian advance. Ukraines counteroffensives in Kherson and the northern Kharkiv region have been powered in large part by powerful Western weaponry. On November 4, the U.S. Defense Department announced another $400 million shipment of weapons and other equipment, including refurbished tanks, surface-to-air missiles, new coastal defense boats, and other items. The announcement came around the same time that the U.S. national-security adviser, Jake Sullivan, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials. At a news conference later, Sullivan sought again to calm Ukrainian jitters about whether U.S. weapons would continue after the upcoming midterm U.S. congressional elections. Polls show that Republicans are poised to take control of one, or possibly both, chambers of Congress, and a small but vocal number of Republicans have voiced misgivings about the amount and duration of U.S. aid for Ukraine. There will be no wavering, Sullivan said at a news conference. Im confident U.S. support for Ukraine will be unwavering and unflinching. Asked about the prospect of peace talks with Russia, Sullivan repeated what U.S. officials have said in the past: "Nothing is discussed about Ukraine without Ukraine." "For me, the main question about these negotiations is what a just peace looks like and how it can be achieved, Sullivan said. If you look at Russian accusations, Russian actions, in particular regarding the annexation of [Ukrainian] territories, it does not really encourage negotiations. With reporting by RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, Reuters, dpa, and AP Western governments and human rights groups are criticizing Belarusian authorities for the biggest crackdown in years against peaceful protesters. The crackdown over the weekend came at demonstrations across the country against a government-backed tax on the unemployed. Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the European Unions foreign policy chief, said on March 13 that "the detention and sentencing of peaceful protesters, including leaders of opposition movements, is in contradiction with Belarus' declared policy of democratization." The EU called for the immediate release of all the detained protesters. Meanwhile, the rights group Amnesty International lamented that civil society leaders and independent journalists were among at least 48 people detained and charged with attending "unauthorized" demonstrations across the country from March 10-12. WATCH: Belarusian Protests Against Tax On Jobless Continue In Babruysk and Vorsha John Dalhuisen, Amnestys director for Europe and Central Asia, said: "With basic freedoms strangled in Belarus, it has been years since we saw protests of this scale, which appear to have taken the Belarusian authorities by surprise." Dalhuisen said: "After initially allowing protests against the deeply controversial unemployment tax to proceed, now the authorities have returned to their habitual knee-jerk reaction of arresting peaceful demonstrators." He said the "escalation is disturbing" and that the "arbitrary detention of dissenting voices must end immediately." Amnesty noted that authorities cracked down on rallies in the cities of Babruysk, Kobryn, Brest, Luninets, and Maladzyechna as well as the eastern city of Vorsha where dozens were detained on March 12. WATCH: Hundreds Protest In Pinsk Against Tax On Jobless (March 11) It also criticized Belarusian court rulings that sentenced at least three activists to 15 days in jail and issued fines against others, including journalists who were arrested while reporting on the demonstrations. In Vorsha, prominent opposition figure Pavel Sevyarynets was among those detained on March 12, along with RFE/RL Belarus Service reporter Halina Abakunchyk. On March 13, a court in Vorsha fined Abakunchyk about $300. Abakunchyk pleaded not guilty and insisted she was merely reporting on the protest march against taxing the unemployed. Abakunchyk said police forcibly detained her without letting her show her press card, holding her several hours at a police station even after she told them she was working as a journalist. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said the unemployment tax is a necessary to fight what he called "social parasitism." Protesters want the tax law scrapped and have continued demonstrations despite a March 9 order from Lukashenka that suspended implementation of the tax until 2018. The roughly $200 tax is aimed at those who work less than six months a year and fail to register in the countrys labor bureaus. Belarus has seen opposition protests in the past, mainly after elections that the West has deemed neither fair nor free. But those protests have been limited to the capital, Minsk, and larger cities. Political observers say the fact that the antitax protests are occurring in more provincial towns and cities is indicative of larger social unrest and unhappiness with Lukashenka's government. With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service and correspondent Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels VORSHA, Belarus -- A correspondent for RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Halina Abakunchyk, has been fined by a court that found her guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration. The court in the eastern Belarusian city of Vorsha on March 13 fined Abakunchyk about $300. Abakunchyk pleaded not guilty and insisted she was arrested on March 12 while reporting on a demonstration march against taxing the unemployed. Abakunchyk said police forcibly detained her without letting her show her press card, holding her several hours at a police station even after she told them she was working a journalist. Several journalists were detained along with activists and opposition leaders in Vorsha on March 12 during the protest against what Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka describes as a tax on "social parasites." Protesters want the tax law scrapped and have continued demonstrations despite a March 9 order from Lukashenka that suspended implementation of the tax until 2018. Belarus is entering uncharted territory. It's entering uncharted territory because a traditionally passive public is finding its voice. It's entering uncharted territory because street protests against an unpopular unemployment tax are being driven not by the opposition, but by ordinary Belarusians angry about declining living standards. And it is entering uncharted territory because Alyaksandr Lukashenka seems uncharacteristically confused by the protests and unsure about how to respond to them. He tried placating the demonstrators by suspending the tax. And when that didn't work he tried arresting some opposition leaders. Yet still the protests continue to grow. And Belarus is not only entering uncharted territory, it's also entering very dangerous territory as well. It is entering very dangerous territory because this challenge from the Belarusian street comes at a time of heightened tension between Lukashenka and his erstwhile patrons in Moscow. It's entering dangerous territory because Vladimir Putin's regime is watching attentively as this Belarusian drama unfolds. The Kremlin is watching, it's waiting, and it's calculating how it can exploit the crisis and turn it to Moscow's advantage. Putin's strategists are no doubt working out the contingency plans as we speak. So Belarus's protesters actually have two battles ahead of them. One, of course, is against the monolith of the Lukashenka regime. But another is against the even bigger monolith in the Kremlin. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. The European Union says it will not recognize what it described as "so-called 'elections'" conducted on March 12 by Russia-backed separatists who control Georgia's Abkhazia region. Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, said on March 13 that the EU "supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, as recognized by international law." She added that "the European Union does not recognize the constitutional and legal framework in which these elections have taken place." The United States also does not recognize elections in Abkhazia. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has also condemned the legislative voting, calling it "yet another attempt to legitimize the ethnic purge, military intervention, occupation, and results of Russian aggression being carried out against Georgian statehood." Abkhazia broke from central government control in a 1992-93 war. Russia recognized Abkhazia and breakaway South Ossetia as independent countries after fighting a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008 and maintains thousands of troops in the two regions. The election commission in Abkhazia's de facto government said on March 13 that 12 candidates won mandates in the 35-seat legislature in the first round and that runoff votes would be held in 22 other electoral districts in two weeks. In one district, the election was voided due to ballot irregularities and a new vote will be held in two months. The commission said voter turnout exceeded 50 percent. With reporting by civil.ge, apsny.ge, Interfax, and TASS Its going to snow on Tuesday. As of 5:00 p.m. ET, the National Weather Service was forecasting 12-24 inches of snow in New York City and had issued a blizzard warning for most of the region stretching from just north of Philadelphia through southeastern Maine. As a result of the storm, markets should be a bit quieter on Tuesday. There will be some economic data out, with the headline report from the National Federation of Independent Business, which will release its small business optimism index in the morning. This report has been among the most consistently bullish since Donald Trumps election as the presidents focus on cutting regulation has been seen as an immediate and positive development from smaller business owners. Elsewhere in economic data, the February reading on import prices is also due out in the morning. On Monday, markets were little-changed as investors await the latest policy announcement from the Federal Reserve due out on Wednesday afternoon though market pricing has, for almost two weeks now, been indicating a 0.25% rate hike is all but a formality. As Neil Dutta, an economist at Renaissance Macro, said in a note on Monday, The FOMC meeting already happened. Trumpcare, scored On Monday, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its report on the American Health Care Act, the Obamacare repeal bill proposed by House Republicans. The headline numbers are, of course, going to get most of the play. Twenty-four million more Americans a projected 52 million vs. 28 million will be uninsured by 2026 than had been forecast under Obamacare. In the next two years, premiums are expected to rise 15%-20%. In 2020, these will begin falling. Additionally, the deficit would be decreased by $337 billion over the next ten years, which as my colleague Ethan Wolff-Mann points out would come largely from cutting Medicaid and subsidies for those buying insurance on the individual market. The spin on this is likely to be three-fold opponents wont like uninsured numbers rising, proponents will like the deficit falling, and those in the middle will note this bill is just the first in a series of changes that will be needed. Story continues And that final point is made clear in a table near the bottom of the CBOs report. This table shows that in 2026, 62-year-old Americans with an annual individual income of $26,500 would face healthcare premiums totaling $14,600 per year. Certainly, this is not feasible. Premiums for older Americans are set to spike in a decade under the proposed Obamacare repeal bill. (Source: CBO) How this bill proceeds through Congress remains to be seen, though the prospects appear dim. In initial comments following the CBOs report, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said Monday following the CBO reports release that the administration disagrees strenuously with the report. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said Monday, This report confirms that the American Health Care Act will lower premiums and improve access to quality, affordable care. But the initial discord among lawmakers following the CBOs report belies the real trouble that a flubbed healthcare package presents for Republicans. As Max Nisen, a columnist at Bloomberg Gadly, noted on Twitter on Monday, an underrated part of this report is that for the next two years, premiums will still increase. Higher costs, along with underserved insurance exchanges, are often fingered as the reasons that Republicans insist Obamacare is collapsing under its own weight. Speaker Ryans statement on Monday added that the bill scored by the CBO on Monday is the first of a three-pronged approach to addressing healthcare and stressed a focus on thinking long-term about reforming healthcare in the U.S. This is a process, and potentially a long and slow one. Over the last few years, business leaders have increased calls for a focus on long term thinking over short-termism. Its unclear how well this message has been received. This is, however, exactly the kind of message that Ryan and others are trying not only to get across to colleagues in the Senate and the President himself, but voters. And while the seemingly interminable 2016 election cycle ended just over four months ago, in a year well be talking about midterms. And at least as the CBO sees it, voters will still be facing higher costs. Myles Udland is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @MylesUdland Read more from Myles here: BRUSSELS -- EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager says Russia's state-run gas giant Gazprom appears ready to comply with European Union rules in order to end a five-year antitrust case and avoid fines. Vestager said on March 13 that Gazprom's commitments met its objectives regarding competition concerns raised by eight different EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe. She said Gazproms offers were "important improvements to ensure the free flow of gas at competitive prices." Meanwhile, the European Commission has asked EU member states that oppose Vestagers views to file formal objections before May 4 and potentially seek changes in Gazproms offer. Vestagers remarks could signal a thaw in business ties between Moscow and Brussels despite tensions and ongoing sanctions against Russia over its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Gazprom, which supplies the EU with one-third of its natural gas, has been under scrutiny by EU regulators since 2012 -- with a case filed in April 2015 claiming that Gazprom overcharged customers in eight Central and Eastern Europe countries and had blocked its rivals. Since then, Gazprom has offered concessions aimed at avoiding a potential fine of up to 10 percent of its global turnover. EU regulators say the Russian gas monopoly has agreed to fixed transparent fees and to allow clients the right to include clauses on price revisions in their long-term contracts. Vestager said on March 13 that Gazprom's offers have eased concerns and provided "a forward looking solution." As part of the deal, EU regulators say Gazprom also will remove barriers in its contracts to the free flow of gas across borders. They say it also will remove clauses from its supply contracts with wholesalers and some industrial customers that prevent the reexport of Gazprom deliveries to other countries. There are divisions within the EU about the blocs stance on Russia. Some EU states see moves toward a settlement with Gazprom as lenient treatment that runs counter to calls for more sanctions over the Kremlins support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine and its military activity in Syria. Vestager told journalists in Brussels on March 13 that her view was based on enforcing EU law and was not influenced by politics. She said that with a settlement, Russia would accept the EUs authority to apply competition law -- something Moscow has long resisted. Vestager also said that if Gazprom failed to comply and meet its commitments, the EU could resort to fines without reopening its case. But the proposed settlement could be strongly criticized by the eight EU states at the heart of the Gazprom antitrust case. Poland has said it will "play rough" with the EU across the board after a dispute on other issues last week. Other EU countries involved in the antitrust case include the three Baltic states, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels and Reuters Georgia says legislative elections held by Russia-backed separatists who control the breakaway Abkhazia region were illegal. The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the March 12 voting in the Black Sea region as "yet another attempt to legitimize the ethnic purge, military intervention, occupation, and results of Russian aggression being carried out against Georgian statehood." "Under international law, any so-called elections or referendum held in occupied territories are illegal and will have no legal result," the ministry said. Abkhazia broke from central government control in a 1992-93 war. Russia recognized it as an independent country after Moscow fought a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008, and has thousands of troops there. The vast majority of nations consider Abkhazia part of Georgia, and do not recognize elections there.. Election officials said 137 candidates from four political parties took part in the vote to fill the 35-seat Peoples Assembly. They said turnout exceeded 50 percent. Preliminary results are expected on March 13. Based on reporting by RIA and TASS A home-building newbie is earning headlines for the Russian-designed 3D-printer technology that it used to erect a small house near Moscow in just a day. Apis Cor boasts it can quickly put up the walls of many more such dwellings while cutting costs and eliminating the need for human labor until it's time for finishing touches like roofs and windows. The project has drawn coverage in Western media from Time, The Washington Post, and Mashable, which called the construction feat "impressive." Apis Cor was founded by Russian Nikita Chen-yun-tai, the inventor of the printer, but is now based in San Francisco. It announced in February its completion of "the first house printed using mobile 3D printing technology," pumping out a 38-square-meter dwelling at its test facility in Stupino, near the Russian capital, in around 24 hours from what Time described as "layers of a concrete mixture that lasts for 175 years." It estimated the cost at $10,134, a figure that prompted Quartz Media to describe it as "an exceedingly affordable solution for building new houses." The company cites potential uses in low-cost housing, emergency shelter, and disaster relief. Previous projects have tended to employ robotic technology to place brick or other preconstructed materials. On its website, Apis Cor says it plans to begin 3D-printing houses in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, Australia, and "even in Antarctica if needed." "Our goal is to become the biggest international construction company to solve problems of accommodation around the globe," Chen-yun-tai is quoted as saying. "When there won't be enough space on Earth for humanity to live, we are ready to be first to start building on Mars." Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine. But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown. The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes dual-use technology. The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case. The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war. At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products. But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States. A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers. These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations. To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components. The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China. Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU. "Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL. In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24. "Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Chinese Cameras, California Chips Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets. Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media. "The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019. The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components. One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone. Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers. Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military." The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology. Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone. Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication. Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone. Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran." "TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said. Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California. According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions. "This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes. AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 'No Authorization' Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia." "As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. . But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020. The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries. The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine. BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward." The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes. "For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations." BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines." Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza says he plans to return to Russia to continue his protests against the government of President Vladimir Putin. Of course, I will absolutely go back to Russia, he told CBS Televisions 60 Minutes program broadcast on March 12. I am Russian, this is my country, and I believe in what I do, in what my colleagues do. There are many of us, he said in the interview recorded in the Washington, D.C., area. Kara-Murza was hospitalized in critical condition twice in the past two years in what his family and friends suspect was a deliberate poisoning. Kara-Murza, a coordinator for former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's nongovernmental organization, Open Russia, has advocated before U.S. lawmakers for sanctions against Russian officials and media executives. Kara-Murza was a political ally of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead in central Moscow in February 2015. John McCain, an influential Republican senator who is deeply critical of Putin, said on February 7 in a speech on the Senate floor that Kara-Murza had suffered "another apparent poisoning" because "he kept faith with his ideals in confrontation with a cruel and dangerous autocracy." Kara-Murza told CBS he was just one of several Kremlin critics who have become victims of unsolved shootings, questionable suicides, and poisonings. Many unfortunately, have died, he said. Im the fortunate one. Im still here, Im still talking to you. Many of my colleagues cannot do that. With reporting by CBS The Kyiv headquarters of Russia's state-owned Sberbank has suspended operations in the midst of protests by anti-Kremlin demonstrators who blocked the entrance and windows of the building with concrete blocks on March 13. Sberbank said it had officially asked police in Kyiv to protect the building as the protest continued on March 13. Sberbank's other branches in Kyiv were continuing operations. Dozens of anti-Kremlin protesters from Ukraine's nationalist Azov activist group who blocked the Sberbank headquarters are demanding a ban on Sberbank's operations in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Azov activists claimed responsibility for using insulation foam on March 13 to damage dozens of ATM machines belonging to Russian banks in cities across Ukraine -- including Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv. In a March 13 statement, Sberbank said it was "highly concerned about the situation in Ukraine linked to the actions of representatives of nationalist groups." The Russian bank's statement said its Ukrainian subsidiary "has already appealed to law-enforcement bodies and we hope that all necessary steps will be swiftly taken to ensure the safety of our workers and clients and protect property." Sberbank also said on March 13 that there have been 26 acts of vandalism against its branch offices and ATM machines across Ukraine during the previous week. Protests against Sberbank began on March 7 after Sberbank said it would recognize passports issued by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. A February 18 decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin's ordered all Russian authorities to recognize identity documents issued by pro-Russia separatists who hold parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On March 7, Ukraine's National Bank threatened to impose sanctions on the Ukrainian subsidiary of Sberbank if it recognizes the separatist regions' documents. Sberbank on March 9 retracted its earlier statement, saying it is not going to recognize separatist-issued documents. With reporting by UNIAN, TASS, and RIA-Novosti 23 After the prayer and the feast, the Mari return to their villages. The next large prayer gathering will take place in the summer. The U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State (IS) fighters in Mosul says any militants left in the Iraqi city will die. Brett McGurk made the remarks on March 12 as Iraqi forces recaptured a third of western Mosul and cut off the last road out of the city. Iraqi forces recaptured the eastern half of Mosul in January and have tightened their grip on the west in recent weeks. "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there," said McGurk. "We are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape." IS overran Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, in 2014. Iraqi government forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shi'a militiamen backed by US-led air strikes launched a military offensive to retake the city in October 2016. Based on reporting by AFP and AP 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 the country's 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 agreed 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 Washington'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 2 An Iranian woman walks past a large decorated egg, a symbol of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Tehran. The Persian New Year, starting on March 20, also marks the beginning of spring. The holiday has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is the most revered in the greater Persian world, which includes the countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, portions of western China, and northern Iraq. (epa/Abedin Taherkenareh) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2017 / While continuing to focus and advance its flagship Hidden Lake Lithium Project near Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, 92 Resources Corp. (NTY.V) today announced its plans to start mapping, sampling and drilling its Golden Frac Sand Property near Golden in British Columbia, Canada. 92 Resources also announced today that it has expanded its Golden Frac Sand Property by almost 300%, adding 2,404 hectares to the original 808 hectares Zim Frac Property. The company believes that significant value can be unlocked to increase shareholder value as the property represents a significantly undervalued asset given its potential to host a large, high quality frac sand deposit. Given the company's relatively small market capitalization of around $6 million CAD, it is easy to see the savvy reasoning behind this. A few weeks ago, ASX-listed Heemskirk Consolidated Ltd. was the subject of a >$42 million AUD takeover bid from Sydney-based Taurus Resources Fund No. 2 via its newly created private Canadian subsidiary Northern Silica Corp. Heemskirk is the owner of the Moberly Silica Mine, which covers a portion of the Mount Wilson Formation. 92 Resources' Golden Frac Sand Property is not only adjacent and contiguous with Heemskirk's quarry-style mine but also covers some 18 km strike length of the favourable Mount Wilson Formation, which hosts high purity, white quartzite with a high friability. Adrian Lamoureux (President and CEO of 92 Resources) commented today: "Domestic or western Canadian Frac Sand deposit with suitable quality would benefit from more advantageous transportation and exchange rate costs over foreign competitors. We believe these to be important factors in the recent takeover of the neighboring Moberly Silica Sand Mine, which is slated for production in 3rd quarter of 2017." The full report can be accessed with the following links: English (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/92Resources9en.pdf Story continues English (web version): http://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/2643-Booming-Frac-Sand-Markets-Golden-for-92-Resources German (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/92Resources9de.pdf Disclaimer: Please read the full disclaimer within the full research report as a PDF as fundamental risks and conflicts of interest exist. SOURCE: Rockstone Research MOSCOW -- The Russian Orthodox Church has said it will mark St. Patrick's Day and more than a dozen other days commemorating saints who lived in the west before the Great Schism that divided Christianity into east and west in 1054. Spokesmen said the church selected western saints who are viewed positively by Orthodox believers, and that in recognizing their saint days it hoped to show how Christianity was united during its first thousand years. The move to recognize the saint days will also likely give renewed spirit to celebrations of the most recognizable of the 16 chosen by the church -- St. Patrick. But there is a twist. The Russian Orthodox Church will mark the day for Ireland's patron saint in line with the Julian calendar on March 30, rather than the Gregorian calendar's date of March 17. Since the Soviet collapse, St. Patrick's Day has garnered a small following in Russia, where an annual parade was set up in Moscow in 1992. This year it is marking its 25th anniversary. The parade had the backing of former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov and was held in central Arbat Street on the route to the Kremlin. Since his removal in 2011, the parade has often been held in Sokolniki park in northeast Moscow, where this year it will be held on March 18 prior to a concert. In comments to the Govorit Moskva radio station, the Irish Embassy said it welcomed the Orthodox Church's intention to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and invited Russians to join a series of events being held from March 15 to March 30. The list of 16 western saints whose days will be marked by the Russian Orthodox Church includes many who lived in the third, fourth, and fifth centuries. Among them are Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris; Germain of Paris; and the Czech saint Procopius of Sazava. Vladimir Legoyda, a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, told the Interfax news agency that they selected saints who were venerated by Orthodox followers in Western European dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. They also chose saints whose names do not appear in polemical works against the Russian Orthodox Church, Legoyda said. Priest Stefan (Igumnov), the secretary for inter-Christian relations in the church's department for external relations, said he hoped the move would show how the two Christian traditions once developed in concert. "[It] reminds us how, in the period of an undivided church life, two parts of the Christian world developed in line with the general spiritual practice that has borne many saints of God," Interfax quoted him as saying. YEKATERINBURG, Russia A Russian blogger charged with inciting hatred for playing Pokemon Go in a Russian Orthodox church went on trial in the city of Yekaterinburg on March 13. Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested in September 2016 after posting a video of himself playing the widely popular game application in a church in Yekaterinburg a month earlier. Investigators charged Sokolovsky with impinging on the rights of religious believers under a controversial 2013 law making it a crime to "insult the religious convictions or feelings of citizens." Critics of the legislation say it infringes on free speech and is incompatible with the Russian Constitution. Sokolovsky has also been charged under a law that criminalizes the "incitement of hatred" based on gender, race, ethnicity, language, ancestry, or religious persuasion. That law has been officially added to the list of laws against extremism. Sokolovsky's lawyers say their client faces up to 7 1/2 years in prison, if found guilty. Sokolovsky pleaded not guilty during the first day of the trial on March 13, saying his activities as a blogger were never aimed at offending anyone or inciting any hatred. "If anyone felt offended by my video blogs, I am offering my sincere apologies to them... I am a convinced atheist, but I do not have anything against religions... I am also a libertarian, which means that I am for equal rights for everyone," Sokolovsky told the court. Sokolovsky told journalists during a recess that he would not publicly apologize and "repent" to the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church's influence on politics and society has steadily grown during President Vladimir Putin's 17 years in power. During his third term, most notably, Putin has stressed the importance of family values and touted the church as a central part of Russian identity. Additional Charges Sokolovsky's YouTube channel had around 300,000 subscribers soon after his September post went online. His post followed a warning made on Russian state television not to catch "Pokemons" at religious sites. Sokolovsky was first placed under house arrest. In October, he was sent to pretrial detention after he used the Internet and his mobile phone while at home, a violation of his house arrest according to investigators. In January, Sokolovsky was additionally charged with "illegal possession of equipment for the secret acquisition of information." The charge was added after investigators found a pen with an installed secret video camera in it in Sokolovsky's apartment. Sokolovsky said on March 13 that the pen did not belong to him, although it was in his apartment. Sokolovsky added that the pen is available on online sales and can be purchased legally. Investigators also said that Sokolovsky uploaded eight other videos between 2013 and 2016 that insulted Christians, Muslims, and feminists. In February, Sokolovsky was released from pretrial detention and again placed under house arrest. Also in February, Sokolovsky's lawyers said they appealed their client's case with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Amnesty International has blasted Sokolovsky's arrest as a "farcical attack on freedom of expression." The Serbian defense chief says he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to soon approve delivery of six MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia. Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic told the Blic newspaper on March 12 that Putin's approval for the cost-free delivery of the jets is just a formality. Officials said refurbishing of the MiGs, which will come out of Russias air force reserves, will cost about 185 million euros. "It's in our interest that the MiGs arrive as soon as possible so we start their repairs and modernization," Djordjevic told Blic. The deal was negotiated last year by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic during a visit to Russia. Serbia is being pulled in two directions: It has a stated goal of joining the European Union while many people want to maintain the country's traditional close ties to Russia. The populist Vucic has said he wants to accomplish both goals -- lead Serbia into the EU but also improve ties with Moscow. Vucic is running for the presidency, a mainly ceremonial role, in the country's April 2 election. Based on reporting by AP and Blic online QURGHON-TEPPA, Tajikistan -- Tajik authorities say a blast near a military court in the countrys south has left one person dead. The Interior Ministry said the explosion struck a school near the Khatlon military court in the southern city of Qurghon-Teppa, where thousands of Russian soldiers are based. The Interior Ministry said a 67-year-old man, who worked as a guard at the school next to the court building, was killed by an explosive device that detonated on the evening of March 12. It was unclear if the man -- identified as Hasanboi Rahmonov, an ethnic Uzbek -- had detonated the explosives himself. Police cordoned off the site and said they were investigating the incident. Authorities did not provide further details. Qurghon-Teppa, as well as Kulob and Dushanbe, are sites in Tajikistan, where some 7,000 troops from Russia's 201st Motorized Rifle Division are stationed. ON MY MIND This week marks the centenary of a revolution the Kremlin would prefer to ignore -- the February Revolution that culminated in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II on March 15. Vladimir Putin's regime is clearly struggling with how to commemorate 1917. They've considered making it about reconciliation, reaching out to descendants of the Whites, who fought against Vladimir Lenin's Bolsheviks. They've toyed with using the anniversary to teach society a lesson in the dangers of revolution, suggesting that the events of 1917 were a Western plot. And, as we discuss on today's Power Vertical Briefing, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has now weighed in, calling for the body of Vladimir Lenin to be removed from its mausoleum on Red Square and buried. The anniversary of the revolutions of 1917 is upon us. This week marks the centenary of the beginning of a democratic experiment that lasted just eight months. And November will mark the centenary of an autocratic experiment that lasted for more than seven decades. And the Kremlin's vaunted spin masters seem to have no idea how to spin this. IN THE NEWS The European Union is expected to extend sanctions against dozens of individuals and entities over Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula. A Russian blogger charged with hooliganism and inciting religious hatred for allegedly playing Pokemon Go in a Russian Orthodox church went on trial in the city of Yekaterinburg today. Oksana Sevastidi, a Russian woman convicted of high treason for a text message she sent a friend in Georgia during the 2008 war, has been released from prison, her lawyer says. The Kremlin's main spokesman has said Moscow is frustrated with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and a lack of progress in improving relations. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has called for Vladimir Lenin's body to be buried and for monuments to him to be destroyed. The Serbian defense chief says he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to soon approve delivery of six MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia. Georgia says legislative elections held by Russia-backed separatists who control the breakaway Abkhazia region were illegal. Belarusian police have detained a group of opposition leaders and at least three journalists during the latest in a series of charged protests over a controversial government-backed unemployment tax. Russia has chosen Yulia Samoilova to represent the country at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, an event some Russian pop stars and lawmakers wanted to boycott. LATEST POWER VERTICAL PODCAST In case you missed it, the latest Power Vertical Podcast, Not Quite The Comintern, looked at the recent agreements that the ruling United Russia party signed with Austria's Freedom Party and Italy's Northern League -- and what they say about Moscow's strategy in Europe. NEW POWER VERTICAL BRIEFING On this week's Power Vertical Briefing, we look at the centennial of the February 1917 Revolution and calls from the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad to bury the body of Vladimir Lenin. WHAT I'M READING Putin Vs. Merkel The New York Times has a reported piece looking at the longstanding rivalry between Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Putin's Little Hacker Helper The New York Times profiles the notorious Russian hacker Yevgeny Bogachev. Is he a thief? A Russian asset? Or both? The Kremlin's Thinking In an insightful post on his Facebook page, Valery Solovei, a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, explains the Kremlin's current thinking on foreign affairs. Moscow's Ukrainian Gas Oligarch On his blog Between Europe And Russia, Taras Kuzio, a senior research associate at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, looks at the role of Ukrainian gas oligarch Dmytro Firtash, who is set to be extradited to the United States from Austria. Kuzio also recently published a new book, Putin's War Against Ukraine: Revolution, Nationalism, And Crime. Finland Against Hybrid War Finnish politician and foreign affairs analyst Petri Makela has a post on his blog on countering hybrid war, Finnish style. The Politics Of Eurovision In his column for Republic.ru, opposition journalist Oleg Kashin looks at Russia's reasons for choosing Yulia Samoilova to represent the country at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv. SIMFEROPOL -- A deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars' self-governing body, the Mejlis, has been summoned to the Russian-run Center for Combating Extremism in Ukraine's Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Nariman Dzhelyal said he was questioned for two hours on March 13 at the Simferopol-based center about a 2016 interview he gave to a Ukrainian television channel in which he was identified as a deputy chairman of the Mejlis. Dzhelyal said he was warned that since the Mejlis is officially banned by Russian authorities, being a leader of the organization might lead to legal consequences for him. Dzhelyal said he was also questioned about recently arrested Crimean Tatar activists who are listed as "friends" on his Facebook account. In Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maryana Betsa said on March 13 that the questioning of Dzhelyal was an example of the "continuation" of Russia's "repressions" in occupied Crimea. Russia's Supreme Court in September 2016 declared the Mejlis an "extremist" organization and banned its activities in Russia, criminalizing any association with it. Another deputy chairman of the Mejlis, Ilmi Umerov, is facing a trial on separatism charges in Simferopol. Two human rights lawyers who represent Umerov also were detained and questioned in January at the so-called Center for Combating Extremism, which operates under Russia's Internal Affairs Ministry. The U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch says the charges against Umerov and other Crimean Tatars are "bogus" and "related to their vocal and public opposition of Russia's occupation of Crimea." An overwhelming majority of Crimean Tatars oppose the Ukrainian peninsulas seizure and annexation by Russia. KYIV -- A municipal appeals court in Kyiv has upheld the two-month pretrial detention of Roman Nasirov, Ukraine's suspended tax and customs service chief, on embezzlement charges. The appeals court also ruled on March 13 that bail allowing Nasirov to be transferred to house arrest should not be changed from the $3.7 million figure set by a lower court in Kyiv. In a rare attempt to prosecute a high-level official in Ukraine over alleged corruption, Nasirov is being investigated on suspicion of defrauding the state of 2 billion hryvnyas ($74 million). Nasirov was suspended from his post on March 3 and a district court in Kyiv on March 7 ordered him placed in pretrial detention for two months. Dozens of demonstrators who want to ensure Nasirov does not escape trial rallied outside the appeals court building on March 13 as the hearing progressed. The protesters chanted "Nasirov belongs behind bars!" Ukraines National Anticorruption Bureau says Nasirov signed off on grace periods for a number of taxpayers, including companies linked to a former lawmaker who fled the country in 2016 while facing a corruption investigation. President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraines government are under pressure from Ukrainians and Western countries to fight corruption. Critics say corruption runs so deep in Ukraine that it hurts the countrys chances of throwing off the influence of Russia, which seized the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and backs separatists in eastern Ukraine. The United Nations says 2016 was the worst year yet for children affected by Syrias six-year-long civil war, with at least 652 being killed and many millions more suffering as refugees. Verified instances of killing, maiming, and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said in a report published March 13. UNICEFs report comes two days before the sixth anniversary of the civil war, which began in March 2011 when protests broke out against President Bashar al-Assad. An estimated 300,000 people have been killed and millions more have been displaced by fighting that has created one the largest migrant crises in Europe since World War II. Turkey and the United States support various rebel groups fighting against Assad, while Russia and Iran back Assad. The conflict also involves fighters of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which is opposed by all sides. "The depth of suffering is unprecedented," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEFs Middle Eastern regional chief. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down. The report said the 652 killed from conflict-related causes last year represent a 20 percent increase over 2015. At least 255 of the children were killed in or near schools, it said. Many of the children were killed directly from the conflict, but many others died because of a lack of access to doctors and basic services. UNICEF verified 850 cases of children being recruited to fight in the conflict, about double the 2015 figure. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the frontlines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers,or prison guards, it said. UNICEF warned that social and medical services are continuing to deteriorate, forcing many children into child labor, early marriage, and combat. Dozens are dying from preventable diseases, it said. At least 6 million children rely on humanitarian aid and 2.3 million are refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq, it said. About 280,000 are living under siege, cut off from any humanitarian aid. "Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future," Cappelaere said. A former communist leader in Kosovo has been shot and wounded in what police described as an assassination attempt at his Pristina apartment. The 68-year-old Azem Vllasi, who now works as a lawyer, told RFE/RLs Balkan Service that the assailant used a gun equipped with a silencer to try to kill him on March 13. Vllasi told RFE/RL that his injuries were not life threatening. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police did not say whether investigators think the attempted assassination was related to Vllasi's work as a communist-era leader or as an attorney. Authorities arrested two suspects and said they found a handgun silencer thought to have been used in the attack. Vllasi was one of Kosovos top leaders during the 1980s when the then-Serbian province was engulfed in protests by ethnic Albanians demanding more rights and separation from Serbia, which was then a republic within Yugoslavia. Vllasi initially condemned the protesters, but years later he joined the movement seeking Kosovo's independence. With reporting by AP For their 20th wedding anniversary, Jamey and Carolyn Davidson decided to break out the wedding duds and try them on for old times sake: he in a tuxedo (though not the rented one he was married in) and she in her wedding gown. Carolyn eagerly opened the box sealed with her wedding dress that had been laundered and then preserved like a museum-quality work of art many years ago. She pulled out the jacket and held it up for her 10-year-old son, Joshua, to see. Isnt it pretty? she said. Then she reached for the gown. As soon as I put my hands on the dress I thought, This doesnt feel the same, she recalled. As Im pulling it out, I see this line of bows down the back of the dress and a line of buttons all the way down, and I thought, Oh my gosh, thats not mine. And it wasnt. Davidson, who lives in Midlothian, was stunned and more than a little disappointed that her dress was gone, but she perhaps was more heartbroken that she held in her hands another womans cherished keepsake with no clue of who she is or where she might be, and no way in the world to answer either question. She has no receipt from the cleaners and, in fact, cannot remember which Richmond-area dry-cleaning firm handled the job. It has been almost 20 years, she wrote in a Facebook post, explaining why the long-ago details are fuzzy, and I couldnt tell you what I made for dinner last week. She believes her mother took the dress to have it preserved perhaps a year after the wedding and she might have accompanied her to pick it up, but she has no clear recollection. Her mother was seriously ill when Davidson discovered the gown mix-up in December and died a few days later, so Davidson never had a chance to find out more information. Davidson posted messages on Craigslist and Facebook. She spoke to local television stations. Shes not quite sure what else to try, but she hopes readers will share her Facebook post far and wide and someone will know someone who knows someone and the mystery will be solved. I know the other bride might not want to have the dress anymore, said Davidson, who was married Dec. 14, 1996, at Bon Air Christian Church. She and Jamey had met as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also knows the other bride might want the gown desperately if she has a daughter who might hope to wear the dress for her wedding. Who knows where her lifes circumstances are? she said. But I still want to connect with her: Just so I know and theres some kind of end to this, and also because I want her to get the dress back or have her blessing to do something with it. The something she had in mind was donating the dress to charity. Davidson thought at first she would give her a search a year before donating the dress, but she got to thinking about how long it was before she discovered she had the wrong dress and she reconsidered. I thought, She might not open her box for 10 more years, Davidson said. Then she might see my story online somewhere and come to me and say, Can I have my dress? I dont want that to happen, so Im keeping the dress no matter what until I can find the woman or I die. She laughed. Davidson seems to have managed a good-natured view of a situation that involved losing an important piece of her past. She knows the woman whose dress she has might have her gown, but she also realizes there could have been a series of mix-ups, and her dress could be anywhere. In other words, shes not holding her breath. Funny thing, Davidson said, she almost discovered the mistake years ago. The only thing I remember for sure and this is the crazy part I remember when I got the dress back it was all sealed up in an outer box, and I thought, But I really want to see it, she recalled. I started to open the box and, as Im pulling out the interior box, I can see it was wrapped in blue plastic with a seal on it. I thought, I wonder if Im doing something wrong here. So I called the dry cleaner who did it and I said, I really want to look at my dress, but they said if you break the seal, it negates everything theyd done. I didnt want to ruin what they did, so I taped (the outer box) with duct tape. My husband said, What if its not your dress? I said, Dont be silly. Of course its my dress. I truly remember that conversation. That interior box not only contained Davidsons jacket but also her veil and petticoat. Only the dress wasnt hers. The boxes bear only the name of the New Jersey company that manufactured the boxes; theres no reference to a dry-cleaning company. The dress itself has only the common tiny purple tag that dry-cleaning firms routinely use. It took me about 15 minutes or so to get over the shock, Davidson said. I was sad about it, but now I want to find this woman so I can reunite her with her dress. David Ganek Hedge fund manager David Ganek wants the next US Attorney for the Southern District of New York to hold Preet Bharara and Southern District prosecutors and FBI agents accountable for a public raid on his office that never led to his arrest. I am hopeful that a new US Attorney with no links to the wrongful search of my office will finally hold someone accountable and publicly explain why a false affidavit that accused me of insider trading was submitted to the court, Ganek said in an emailed statement to Yahoo Finance. Ganek is suing Bharara, along with 14 other members of the US Attorneys office in Manhattan and the FBI, claiming they led a recklessly publicized raid that resulted in the collapse of his once-$4-billion hedge fund, Level Global. On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked Bharara to resign, along with 45 other US attorneys, all of whom were appointed by President Barack Obama. Over the weekend, Bharara tweeted that he didnt resign, but that he was fired. I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life. Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017 Known as the Sheriff of Wall Street, Bharara had amassed a track record of dozens of insider trading convictions. His track record certainly wasnt perfect, though. Level Global raid On November 22, 2010, the FBI raided hedge fund Level Globals midtown Manhattan offices at 888 7th Avenue. Ganeks personal office, financial records, photographs, address book, phone records, and cellphone were subject to the search. The search warrant was obtained using a sealed 37-page affidavit that stated that former Level Global research analyst Sam Adondakis obtained Inside Information from insiders at public companies through third-party consultants . . . . On Certain occasions, ADONDAKIS provided this Inside Information to DAVID GANEK, . . . and GANEK . . . executed and caused others to execute certain securities transactions based, in part, on the Inside Information, and that ADONDAKIS informed GANEK . . . of the sources of the Inside Information. Story continues Ganek claims that those statements about him were fabricated. Adondakis had been asked to leave the company earlier that year for violating compliance protocols, according to Ganeks complaint. In early February, an attorney for Ganek reached out to Bhararas office and informed them that Level Global would close unless the US Attorneys Office publicly clarified that Ganek was not the target of the investigation. Days later, Level Global became the first casualty of the massive insider trading crackdown. After being hit with redemption requests, Level Global sent a letter to investors, dated February 11, 2011, that it would be returning capital and shutting its doors. All 65 employees of the fund lost their jobs. In January 2012, 14 months after the raid on Level Globals offices, the funds co-founder, Anthony Chiasson, was arrested and charged with trading on insider information in Dell and Nvidia stocks. Chiasson was a co-defendant with Todd Newman, a former portfolio manager at Diamondback Capital, a now-defunct hedge fund. Ganek was never charged with any wrongdoing. By December 2012, Chiasson and Newman were convicted. Shortly after, Level Global agreed to pay the SEC a $21.5 million settlement. Convictions tossed Two years later, though, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which includes New York City, tossed the insider trading convictions for Chiasson and Newman. In February 2015, four years after Level Global closed its doors, Ganek filed his lawsuit. Ganeks lawsuit claims the sealed affidavit used to secure the search warrant of him contained false statements. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss. In July 2015, then-Solicitor General Donald Verrilli filed a petition asking Supreme Court to review the appellate courts decision to toss the Chiasson and Newman convictions. That petition was rejected. By October 2015, Bharara had dismissed charges against former SAC Capital trader Michael Steinberg and six others who pleaded guilty to insider trading in the Chiasson-Newman case. By March 2016, Judge William Pauley largely denied the defendants motion to dismiss Ganeks suit. In a memo, Judge Pauley wrote that discovery is now appropriate to ascertain whether this case is about a simple misunderstanding or whether something more troubling was afoot. Oral arguments in the Second Circuit are scheduled to take place on March 24. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Read more: A Henrico County firefighter charged with rioting during President Donald Trumps January inauguration has pleaded not guilty. Rosa Roncales, 31, entered the plea to a felony rioting charge on Thursday in Superior Court in Washington, D.C. Roncales was arrested when the D.C. Metropolitan Police rounded up suspected rioters on Jan. 20, the day of the inauguration, according to a police report on the incident. Roncales was one of more than 200 people charged with rioting during the inauguration, and she was reassigned to administrative duty at the countys Division of Fire amid the allegation. The police complaint does not outline what, specifically, Roncales is accused of doing. Instead it makes general allegations about the activities of the group of suspects involved in the case. Police said in a report that members of a unspecified anarchist group assembled about a mile from the White House on Jan. 20. Members of the group dragged trash cans and newspaper boxes into the street and set them on fire, according to the police report. Some members of the group smashed out the windows of a D.C. fire and EMS vehicle, and suspects also knocked out windows of some businesses, police said. Roncales attorneys, Rachel Cotton and Maggie ODonnell, said in a statement last month that their client has dedicated her career to public service and keeping Henrico residents safe. The attorneys said they plan to vigorously contest the allegation against her. Police are investigating after a man was found shot early Sunday at the Satellite Restaurant in South Richmond. About 1:30 a.m., an off-duty Richmond sheriff's deputy called in to report a person with a gunshot wound at the restaurant, which is in the 4000 block of Jefferson Davis Highway. Responding officers found a man with life-threatening injuries. He was taken to VCU Medical Center, where his injuries were upgraded to non-life-threatening. Police had no suspect information available Sunday evening. A University of Virginia graduate is firing back at allegations from Virginias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that he hasnt been forthcoming in answering questions related to their upcoming battle in court. A month ago, two agents from the ABC filed a motion in Charlottesvilles federal courthouse, claiming that U.Va. alumnus Martese Johnson had failed to fully answer questions or turn over documents related to the $3 million lawsuit Johnson filed against them in October 2015. Johnson recently shot back with an opposition motion asking the court to deny the defendants motion, saying the agents were seeking information that went far beyond the narrow issues involved in the case, including his text messages and credit card statements. In the same week that he filed his opposition motion, Johnsons counsel filed its own motion to compel further responses from ABC law enforcement officer Shawn P. Walker, whom Johnson accused of refusing to produce any documents related to the claim that Walker failed to train his officers and condoned their pattern or practice of excessive force. The suit stems from Johnsons arrest in March 2015 at the hands of three agents. Then a 20-year-old, third-year student, Johnson was apprehended by the agents after being turned away from a crowded Corner bar by a bouncer in the early-morning hours after St. Patricks Day. The interaction between Johnson, who is black, and the agents, who are white, quickly escalated and ended with Johnson being taken to the ground. He was arrested and charged with public intoxication and obstruction of justice. Photos and videos of the arrest, depicting Johnson on the ground with a bloodied face and the agents standing over him, generated criticism and controversy. In the wake of his arrest, Johnsons supporters hurled accusations of police brutality and racial profiling at the ABC, prompting calls from state legislators to reform the law enforcement branch of the department. The charges against Johnson were dropped, and the following October he filed a multimillion-dollar suit against the three officers, the department and Walker, accusing the officers of false arrest, excessive force, gross negligence and assault and battery, and the department and Walker of failure to train and supervise the agents, and Walker of negligent supervision of the agents. Last December, a judge dismissed substantial portions of the claim, dropping the ABC and one of the agents as defendants and excluding the charges of excessive force and negligence. The remaining agents, Thomas Custer and Jared Miller, filed a motion in mid-February asking the court to compel Johnsons cooperation in the case. They specifically alleged that Johnson had given only a limited number of responses to their requests while objecting to all Interrogatories and (Requests for Production of Documents), producing zero documents and furnishing inadequate answers to what limited Interrogatories for which a written response was offered. In his late-February motion, Johnson lambasted the agents characterization of his refusals, objected to what he characterized as overreaching requests and asserted that the vast majority of requests sought irrelevant information and thus imposed an undue burden upon him. Specifically, the motion decries requests for text messages and emails Johnson sent and received about his arrest over the past two years, requests for his complete academic file from U.Va., his credit card activity between March 16 and March 19 in 2015 and communications he may have had with Trinity Irish Pub, the bar from which he was turned away. The motion also calls out other requests that Johnson believes to be fishing expeditions on the part of the defense, including requests for his application to U.Va., receipts for purchases of toiletries and other items of a highly personal or sensitive nature and text messages sent by Johnson asking about illnesses of friends or relatives. NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Mar 13, 2017) - Claroty, an innovator in Operational Technology (OT) network protection, announced today that it has relocated its corporate headquarters from Tel Aviv, Israel to New York City. With this announcement, Claroty is significantly ramping up its operations to meet rapidly growing global demand. The company now has U.S. offices in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas and virtual offices across the country. Key executive staff, including the two co-founders (CEO and Chief Business Development Officer), Head of Global Sales and Chief Marketing Officer, operate full time from the United States. The announcement comes on the heels of major market momentum for the company -- including the recent addition of Dave DeWalt (former CEO of FireEye) as its Chairman of the Board, the recent closure of multiple large enterprise deals, significant industry recognition and key partnerships. The company now serves Fortune 500 customers across eight verticals with implementations spanning six continents. Claroty was recently recognized as one of the 10 most innovative startup cybersecurity companies at the 2017 RSA Conference. Rockwell Automation recently announced, after a competitive review process, that they will combine their security products and services with Claroty's technology into future, packaged security offerings. The company remains the most substantially funded OT-focused cybersecurity startup and has one of the deepest teams in industrial cybersecurity. "The security industry is waking to the reality that rapid innovation is required to better secure the industrial networks that run the world's critical infrastructure," said Amir Zilberstein, Chief Executive Officer for Claroty. "As a result, we are witnessing a massive surge in customer demand within the United States. To better meet the needs of our customers in the U.S. and across North America, now is the time for Claroty to relocate our headquarters. We are excited, proud and at the ready to help drive better security for critical infrastructure before the looming threat from nation-state and criminal adversaries manifests itself any further." Story continues Claroty exited stealth mode late last year with $32 million in venture capital from marquee investors. Established as part of Israeli cybersecurity foundry Team8, Claroty's backers include Bessemer Venture Partners, Eric Schmidt's Innovation Endeavors, Marker LLC, ICV, Red Dot Capital Partners and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. The company boasts an elite management team from companies including Siemens, IBM, Waterfall Security, Palo Alto Networks, iSIGHT Partners, FireEye, ICS2 and Industrial Defender. Claroty also has an unmatched ICS security research organization that comprises the top 1% of the 1% of cybersecurity experts from the Israeli Defense Forces Unit 8200. About Claroty Launched as the second startup from Israel's famed Team8 foundry, Claroty combines an elite management team and deep technical expertise from both IT and OT disciplines, with backing from premier investors such as Bessemer Venture Partners and Innovation Endeavors. With an unmatched understanding of ICS, SCADA and other essential OT/IIoT systems, the Claroty Platform provides the deepest and broadest coverage of ICS systems, protocols and networks available on the market today. For more information, visit www.claroty.com. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. What are we doing in Yemen? President Trump has touted the controversial U.S. raid against an al-Qaida stronghold in Yemen as a success. In his speech to Congress, he basked in sustained applause for the grieving widow of the Navy SEAL killed in this raid. Critics have charged that the raid was botched. Whether or not it was, the military action needs to be seen in the much wider context of the deepening U.S. war in Yemen. A noreaster will bring plenty of rain and possibly a trace of sleet and snow to the Richmond area before departing on Tuesday morning. Bitter, unseasonable cold will settle in for a few days after it departs. Light snow and sleet accumulations will be possible on Tuesday morning just off to the north and northwest of the metro area. Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham and Spotsylvania counties are under a winter weather advisory for the possibility of 1- to 2-inch totals. Heres a timeline of how the weather will change in the immediate Richmond metro area: Overnight Expect a nearly continuous rain between midnight and sunrise, with temperatures hovering in the mid-to-upper 30s in the metro area. Rain will occasionally mix with sleet just to the north and northwest of the metro area, with little to no accumulation. Rainfall totals will likely end up between 1 and 1.5 inches. Winds will shift from the northeast to northwest late overnight as the center of low pressure slides northward along the Virginia coast, with some gusts up to 35 mph. Closer to the low, areas along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay could experience strong gusts up to 40 and 50 mph. Daybreak and morning commute Steady precipitation will taper off in Richmond between 6 and 10 a.m. as the noreaster races up the Mid-Atlantic coastline. During this time, rain may briefly turn to snow or sleet. Because of the short duration, significant accumulations are unlikely. A very light coating of wet snow and sleet cant be ruled out during the morning commute. This would be a better possibility for Hanover, Caroline and Goochland counties, but unlikely toward Chesterfield County and the Tri-Cities and points east. A slushy, 1- to 2-inch coating of snow and sleet is possible in parts of Louisa, Fluvanna and Spotsylvania counties, mainly on the grass. Otherwise, it will be cold and blustery for the morning commute, with temperatures in the mid-30s and northwest winds at 15 to 25 mph. Tuesday The day will turn partly cloudy with a slight chance for a passing flurry or snow shower, especially toward the afternoon. A quick dusting cant be ruled out, but no significant accumulations should occur. Afternoon temperatures will top out in the lower 40s, then drop below freezing during the mid-evening as a steady breeze continues from the northwest. Wednesday The day will start with a low in the lower 20s, probably staying above the record low of 17 degrees. Northwesterly winds will continue at 15 to 30 mph, with a morning wind chill in the lower teens. Skies will feature a mix of sun and clouds, and there will be a slight chance for another brief snow shower or flurry but accumulations are unlikely. Afternoon temperatures only reach the mid- to upper 30s, potentially rivaling the coldest high on record for March 15. For updates on the noreaster on Tuesday morning, check Richmond.com/weather. U.S.: VCU was top Fulbright producer in state this year RICHMOND Virginia Commonwealth University was the states top producer of Fulbright student scholars this academic year, according to the State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Eleven VCU students received Fulbright awards four English Teaching Assistant grants and seven study/research grants. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. governments flagship international educational exchange program. JTCC, Chesterfield to offer program for energy careers CHESTERFIELD John Tyler Community College is one of seven schools in the Virginia Community College System that will benefit from a $150,000 grant by the Dominion Foundation to create and expand training programs for those seeking careers in renewable energy. The grant will help pay for new energy labs and equipment, allowing them to offer solar panel technician training and other renewable energy courses. The Chesterfield school systems career and technical education program is one of the first to offer the high school course of energy fundamentals. JTCC and Chesterfield schools are working together to dual-enroll this new course, which leads into the career studies certificate program. JTCC is planning to build a mobile solar lab to help support the courses on campus, as well as share the lab with high schools. Chickahominy team wins reading contest in Hanover HANOVER Hanover County Public Schools held its annual countywide Reading Olympians competition on March 2 at Chickahominy Middle School. A total of 159 students on 16 teams representing all four middle schools competed for the gold. The winner of the competition was the Plot Twisters team from Chickahominy Middle School. Reading Olympians is an academic competition that requires teams to read and be able to recall facts from 30 books. MONDAY The Richmond City Council will hold a budget work session at 1 p.m., followed by an informal meeting at 4 and a regular meeting at 6, in council chambers at City Hall, 900 E. Broad St. The Prince George County School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive. The Richmond School Board has scheduled a public hearing at 8 p.m. on the 17th floor of City Hall, 301 N. Ninth St., to receive feedback on the selection of a 3rd District board member. TUESDAY The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors will hold a work session at 4 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road. The Henrico County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting at 5:45 p.m. in the county managers conference room, followed by its regular meeting at 7 in the Board of Supervisors boardroom, 4301 E. Parham Road. The Ashland Town Council will hold a budget work session at 6 p.m., 101 Thompson St. The Prince George County Board of Supervisors will hold a work session, followed by a regular meeting, starting at 6 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive. The Chesterfield County School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m., 10001 Iron Bridge Road. The Hanover County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. to review the proposed Capital Improvements Program, 7516 County Complex Road. The Dinwiddie County School Board will meet at 7 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road. WEDNESDAY The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors will hold a budget work session at noon in room 502 of the county administration building, 9901 Lori Road. The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authoritys Board of Commissioners will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the authoritys headquarters, 901 Chamberlayne Parkway. The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors will meet at 6:30 p.m., 10001 Iron Bridge Road THURSDAY The Hanover County Planning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m., 7516 County Complex Road. FRIDAY A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. And here's what you need to know about CPF intricacies. Living costs in Singapore are amongst the highest in the world. Expats who move to the city-state can expect to pay large amounts for their accommodation and for day-to-day expenses. Car buyers in Singapore usually pay five to six times the price of a similar vehicle in the US or the UK. Educational expenses are no exception. Expats who move to Singapore with their families find that the amount they need to spend on school fees can also be very high. Click here to see more. In early 2013, even before prices peaked, the Ong family of Singapore-listed construction and property development company Lian Beng Group had already begun to feel uneasy about the property market. We didnt know how long the good times were going to last, said Matthew Ong, executive director of Lian Beng Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lian Beng Group. We thought it was [the right time] to find an alternative income stream. Read more here. Singapores citizens and permanent residents have the privilege of being members of the countrys Central Provident Fund (CPF). About 3.7m individuals have CPF accounts. This government institution which has its activities overseen by a 15-member board provides Singaporeans with a comprehensive social security system. Balances are accumulated by the contribution of a certain percentage of each members salary into the CPF account every month. This sum is enhanced by the amounts paid by the individuals employer. Here are the things you should know about CPF intricacies. More From Singapore Business Review "A number of countries have come to us as a result of their concern in relation to the impact that Brexit might have on their economic position," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has said (AFP Photo/Aleberto PIZZOLI) London (AFP) - With Britain on the brink of triggering its EU exit talks, the country and its historic trading partners in the Commonwealth are sizing up an opportunity to boost business. Members in the 52-state organisation, which was born out of the British empire, feel the time is right to exploit their common bonds of language and law to a much greater degree. Britain is gearing up to strike its own trade deals outside of the European single market and is looking to its former global network, in what sceptical London officials quoted in UK newspapers are calling "Empire 2.0". The Commonwealth can help strengthen the prosperity and security of the UK and other members "as we look to create a truly global Britain", Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday. Ahead of the celebrations, the body held its first trade ministers' meeting since 2005, with more than 35 gathering in London. "A number of countries have come to us as a result of their concern in relation to the impact that Brexit might have on their economic position," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said afterwards. "The challenge that we face globally -- the slowdown and the protectionism -- is a real one. Therefore the Commonwealth as a family has an opportunity to exploit... the de facto Commonwealth advantage." - Third of world population - The trade ministers' meeting heard how business between Commonwealth members stands at around A600 billion ($730 billion, 684 billion euros), equivalent to 15 percent of global trade even though member states account for a third of the global population. The gathering looked at overcoming challenges to trade competitiveness and practical steps to get more commerce flowing. "I think it's the right time for a new Commonwealth trading bloc," Sri Lanka's international trade minister Malik Samarawickrama told AFP. Story continues The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council's chairman Jonathan Marland said: "All the UK's trading arrangements are now up for grabs. So what easier and better place to trade than with countries who have shared associations for many years?". When Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, it sidelined its historic trading links with its former empire, causing much hurt in some countries. Though Britain is "pushing at an open door", with Commonwealth trade, it must "approach it with a degree of humility", Marland said. Malta is uniquely placed to read the shifting sands, chairing both the Commonwealth and the EU Council presidency. "Brexit has had an effect and this is felt very handsomely," said the Mediterranean island's economy minister Christian Cordona. "However, it gives also a lot of opportunities that didn't exist before," he said. - China No.1 for Africa - The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) think tank, along with Britain's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade Out of Poverty, produced a 10-point plan of possible measures to increase Commonwealth business. Their recommendations included a Commonwealth trademark, promoting green growth through trade and improving trade governance. But ODI senior research fellow Maximiliano Mendez-Parra said the intra-Commonwealth trade growth should not be overstated since Africa sees China as its key partner. "Probably there will be an increase in intra-Commonwealth trade, but it won't go back to the trade of 60 or 70 years ago," he told AFP. Pauline Schnapper, a professor of contemporary British civilisation at the Sorbonne University in Paris, said London was failing to acknowledge how much the world and Britain's place in it had moved on since it decolonised and joined the EEC. "Half of Britain's trade is with the European continent so the idea that that could be replaced by Australia and New Zealand is absurd," she told AFP. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) recently uncovered an unusually large number of undisclosed synthetic diamonds mixed in with natural melee diamonds, says a report in Rapaport News. A parcel of 323 melee diamonds with an average size of 0.014 to 0.015 carats was found to contain 101 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthetic stones at the GIAs Mumbai lab, reported Wuyi Wang, the institutes director of research and development. The goods had been submitted to the GIAs Melee Analysis Service, which made the discovery. The GIA launched the service in December of last year and has regularly identified small quantities of undisclosed synthetic melee diamonds in some parcels submitted for analysis, Wang said. However, he explained, this is the first time we have seen such a significant percentage of CVD melee mixed with natural melee. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished The 4th Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and the 34th Hong Kong International Jewellery Show--organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) -- attracted over 85,000 buyers from 144 countries and regions, a rise of six per cent as compared to last year, says a press note from the organisers. Deputy Executive Director, HKTDC Benjamin Chau, said, The exhibitors are generally satisfied with the results at the two shows. Despite economic challenges, especially in the luxury goods market, they attracted a record number of buyers. He added that the numbers demonstrate that the jewellery industry remains confident about business prospects this year, and also reinforces Hong Kongs position as a proven global promotion and sourcing hub for the industry. During the two shows, a number of networking receptions were organised, including the Gala Dinner sponsored by the Tanzanite Foundation, seminars exploring diamond and gemstone grading and analysing product trends, buyer forums, jewellery craftsmanship demonstration, jewellery parades and cocktail receptions. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished First Element has informed about the holding of the Firestone Diamonds - Liqhobong Tender. The tender will run from Monday the 20th of March 2017 to Friday the 24th of March 2017 and will close at 12:00 noon on Friday the 24th, with results being announced shortly afterwards. The tender will take place at the Antwerp Diamond Tender Facility at the AWDC building. Bookings can be made immediately by confirming the following: dates required, numer of persons attending and names of persons attending. First Element, a fully independent diamond services company, is one of the premier diamond valuing, marketing, cleaning and tendering companies in the industry. Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels The Jonker No. 5 diamond will be among the exceptional items that auctioneer Christies in Hong Kong will be offering at its Spring auction on May 30. The Jonker No. 5 diamond forms a key part of a legendary collection of diamonds from the world famous 726-carat Jonker rough stone discovered by Jacob Jonker, Christies said in a statement. When found in January 1934, it was the fourth-largest gem quality diamond ever uncovered. The stone was subsequently purchased by the Diamond Corporation Ltd., a company owned by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer. In 1935, it was purchased by Harry Winston and was displayed during the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. "Before the Jonker rough was cut, it was painstakingly examined for months before taking its final form of 13 exquisite polished pieces, of which the Jonker Diamond No. 5 was born as a rectangular-cut diamond of 25.27 carats." SCPA The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) broke ground March 10 on the Inland Port Dillon, which is slated to open in early 2018. Inland Port Dillon will support growing intermodal cargo volumes between the Port of Charleston and markets throughout the Carolinas, Northeast and Midwest. This is the second inland port the SCPA has developed and follows the success of Inland Port Greer. Inland Port Dillon will diversify SCPAs footprint and enable port users to gain logistics efficiencies through rail transportation of their cargo, said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. Inland ports provide infrastructure in the interior of the state that supports the movement of freight to and from our marine terminals. Our facilities in Dillon and Greer are important to SCPAs overall volume growth and the significant amount of cargo that moves today by rail. International intermodal rail lifts have increased 170 percent since 2011, with 23 percent of the Port of Charlestons containerized import and export volume moving by rail. Growth in the intermodal sector has driven tremendous success of Inland Port Greer, which handled a record 103,639 rail lifts last year. This is a significant project for SCPA and our entire state, said SCPA Board Chairman Pat McKinney. Inland Port Dillon complements the ports infrastructure investments in Charleston and will no doubt spur economic development activity both in the Pee Dee area and the surrounding region. Located within the Carolinas I-95 Mega Site, Inland Port Dillon has close proximity to I-95, a critical transportation artery in the Southeast. The area is central to a significant base of existing port users that represent base cargo opportunities for the facility. The initial phase is expected to handle at least 45,000 containers annually, offering overnight access to and from Charleston via an existing CSX mainline. We congratulate Inland Port Dillon on this groundbreaking, which is the beginning stage of building a competitive advantage for area businesses by lowering transportation costs and providing greater access to domestic and international markets, said Dean Piacente, CSX vice president, Intermodal. This new facility will build on the state of South Carolinas already strong freight rail network, supporting continued business growth and job creation. SCPA first announced consideration of a constructing an inland port in Dillon in April of 2016. To date, SCPA has completed the initial design phase, permitting and equipment requisition process for the facility and will soon award contracts to begin construction of the terminal. The fruition of the Inland Port in Dillon County culminates a long process from a dedicated team and partnership in which Marlboro Electric Cooperative remains ecstatic to be a part of, said Bo McInnis, MEC Chairman. The ports leadership team is already providing tremendous value today, and the future for our entire region just got a lot brighter. Caltrain Companies whose employees depend on Caltrain to get to and from work in the Bay Area joined agency representatives in Washington, D.C., this past week to advocate for approval of a grant that would fund a modernization project. In February, a $647-million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for Caltrains Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP) was deferred by the U.S. Department of Transportation until the Trump Administration releases its budget recommendations to Congress. The electrification project aims to improve system performance by electrifying the Caltrain Corridor from San Franciscos 4th and King Caltrain Station to approximately the Tamien Caltrain Station, convert diesel-hauled to Electric Multiple Unit trains and increase service up to six Caltrain trains per peak hour per direction. Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett, who was also in Washington, D.C., during the past week stumping for the project, notes his optimism that the time spent in the nations capitol convinced key decision-makers that the electrification project is the kind of investment the administration is hoping to move forward. Since weve been here, we have met with supporters from both sides of the aisle who understand that when it comes to investing in infrastructure, this project checks all of the boxes, said Hartnett. Caltrain electrification upgrades service on an existing system that serves the countrys fastest growing companies, the rest of the funding is already lined up, it creates thousands of jobs nationwide and if the goal is to focus on projects that are ready to go, we arent just shovel ready, our shovels are in the ground waiting for the OK from Washington to turn some dirt. The Federal Transit Administration must approve the $647 million FFA before construction can begin to match $1.3 billion that has already been secured from other sources. Caltrain has already awarded contracts to complete the project and is prepared to issue a notice to proceed with construction immediately after the federal grant agreement is signed, said Hartnett. Caltrain explains that the delay has resulted in great concern among Bay Area businesses and riders who depend on Caltrain to support the economy of Silicon Valley and beyond. Caltrains efforts are supported by dozens of private sector employers that depend on Caltrain to provide their employees with a faster commute alternative in the wake of increasing congestion on the regions highways. Representatives from these employers including Facebook, Google, Genentech and Stanford, joined Caltrain on the trip to Washington to advocate for approval of the federal investment. Caltrain says that while it and the agencys partners have been working diligently to ensure the federal delay does not hinder the projects future, it has presented tremendous additional challenges. Last week, Caltrain negotiated an extension of the deadline for contractors to begin construction, while the agency awaits the federal decision about the execution of the funding agreement. The contractors agreed to extend the deadline for four months, from March 1 to June 30. I have personally invited the Secretary of Transportation to come to San Carlos to see this project first-hand and hear from the companies and communities that depend upon this work to keep the economy rolling, said Hartnett. Moving forward with this decision will not only benefit Caltrain riders, but it will also benefit the thousands of American workers standing by to build the project. Amit Bose joined HNTB Corporation as mid-Atlantic district transit and rail director, and associate vice president, based in the firm's Arlington, Va., office. His responsibilities include delivering major transit and rail projects, supporting national transit and rail programs, and growing HNTB's mid-Atlantic rail practice. Bose has 16 years of public-sector experience serving a variety of agencies, including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), New Jersey Transit and New Jersey Department of Transportation. His tenure at FRA included serving as deputy administrator and chief counsel. He was involved in the Northeast Corridor Gateway Program, California High-Speed Rail Project, Northeast Corridor Future, Southeast Passenger Rail and Build America Bureau, in addition to engaging with all levels of government and industry on transit and rail matters. In addition to his leadership roles at FRA, Bose worked for the USDOT as associate general counsel and deputy assistant secretary. During his time at USDOT, he regularly briefed House and Senate committees on complex rail issues and helped establish the Build America Bureau. Bose earned a juris doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree from Columbia College. In the mid-Atlantic, HNTBs clients include major transit and rail providers, such as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the District Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration. Orange and Durham counties in North Carolina have agreed to an accelerated schedule to update country transit plans and a cost sharing agreement for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit project. The counties will have the updates by the end of April in order to meet a new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) deadline. The FTA requested additional documentation from Durham and Orange counties, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC) and GoTriangle to be delivered by April 30, 2017, acknowledging the updated cost estimate and funding strategy for the two-county light rail project and to confirm that at least 15 percent of the total project cost (or 30 percent of non-federal funding), will come from dedicated local transit funds. Through our strong partnership with Durham County, the Metropolitan Planning Organization and GoTriangle, we will work together to meet the federal deadline, deliver the best possible transit options for our residents and secure this significant federal investment for effective, efficient and visionary public transit services throughout Orange County, said Orange County Commissioner Chair Mark Dorosin. Durham County Commissioner Chair Wendy Jacobs said, The light rail project and the updated transit plans are vital to the future of our region and support greater opportunities for our residents and visitors. We look forward to working with all of our partners to meet the requirements needed to secure a more than one-billion-dollar investment in our two counties. In the joint meeting that included the board chairs, county managers and staff from both counties, municipal leaders, as well as GoTriangle and DCHC staff, the group agreed to work together to revise the draft Bus and Rail Investment Plans and release them for a robust public comment period at the beginning of April. The new schedule also includes additional presentations and discussions at county meetings and final consideration of updated transit plans by Durham and Orange counties, DCHC and the GoTriangle Board of Trustees by April 28. British investment trust Murray International Trust Plc (MYI.L) reported Monday that its fiscal 2016 return on ordinary activities before tax was 430.21 million pounds, compared to loss of 92.13 million pounds a year ago. Return per Ordinary share with full conversion of B Ordinary shares was 333.2 pence, compared to loss of 71.8 pence last year. The company's net asset value or NAV for the year posted a total return of 40.3%, a very strong performance when compared with the total return of 25.8% from the Company's benchmark. Further, the company said its Board is now recommending a final dividend of 16.0p, higher than last year's 15.0p. If approved, the total Ordinary dividends for the year will amount to 47.5p, an increase of 2.2% from last year. Looking ahead, Chairman Kevin Carter said, "... 2017 is likely to provide a stern test for financial and the delivery of the Company's investment objective." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Portugal's foreign trade gap widened in January from a year ago, as imports grew faster than exports, figures from Statistics Portugal showed Monday. The trade deficit rose notably to EUR 941 million in January from EUR 689 million in the corresponding month last year. In December, the shortfall was EUR 1.4 billion. In nominal terms, both exports and imports surged by 19.6 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively in January from last year. Excluding Fuels and lubricants, exports jumped 17.1 percent over the year and imports rose by 14.6 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. As many as 649,932 nationals from 6 countries, that were affected by US President's revised travel ban order, entered the United States between fiscal years 2006 and 2015, a report based on analysis of US government data says. This group includes visitors, students and diplomats as well as refugees and new lawful permanent residents, according to Pew Research Center. Trump first issued an Executive Order on January 27, which barred citizens from seven majority Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen - from entering the US for 90 days. Under that order, Syrian refugees were barred indefinitely. After that order was blocked by U.S. courts, Trump signed a revised Executive order, exempting Iraq from the original list. The new order specifies that most citizens from the 6 countries cannot enter the U.S. on new visas until security procedures used to evaluate visa applications have been reviewed. Two states - Washington and Hawaii have taken legal action questioning the validity of Trump's revised Executive Order, and sought a temporary stay of it. Analysis by the Pew Research Center estimated that entries from the affected countries made up about 0.1 percent of the more than 517 million total entries to the U.S. over the same period. Diplomats, U.S. lawful permanent residents, dual nationals who use a passport from another country and refugees already scheduled to travel to the U.S. are among the groups exempt from the travel restrictions. The president's new order will also temporarily halt the U.S. refugee resettlement program for 120 days. Previously, citizens of the six restricted countries were able to legally enter the U.S. as temporary immigrants, refugees, new lawful permanent residents, naturalized U.S. citizens, and dual nationals. Of the six restricted countries, Iran had the largest total number of legal entrants into the U.S. (310,182) between 2006 and 2015. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News China will release February figures for industrial production, retail sales and fixed asset investment on Tuesday, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Industrial production is expected to rise 6.2 percent on year after gaining 6.0 percent in January. Retail sales are called higher by 10.6 percent, up from 10.4 percent in the previous month. FAI is pegged at 8.2 percent, up from 8.1 percent a month earlier. Australia will see February results for the indexes of conditions and confidence from NAB; in January, their scores were 16 and 10, respectively. Japan will provide February figures for Tokyo condominium sales; in January, sales slipped an annual 7.4 percent. The Philippines will release Q4 numbers for current account and unemployment. In the third quarter, the current account surplus was $979 million, while the jobless rate was 4.7 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. BRUSSELS (AP) Russia's state-owned gas producer, Gazprom, has agreed to a series of concessions to address the European Union's concerns about its market dominance in the supply of energy to Eastern Europe. The EU's executive Commission said Monday that Gazprom has agreed to price gas at market competitive prices. It will allow countries in the region to re-sell the gas they buy something that became a political issue in recent years when some EU countries were selling their gas to Ukraine, to which Russia had cut off supplies during the war there. Gazprom has also agreed not to own the pipelines through which it supplies its gas, as that would give it excessive control over the country being supplied. "It could benefit millions of European that rely on gas to heat their homes and fuel their businesses," said antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager. "We believe that Gazprom's commitments will enable the free flow of gas in Central and Eastern Europe at competitive prices." The issue is important to Eastern European countries, which import most of their gas from Russia and are worried about the political leverage that gives Moscow. The European Commission says Gazprom has used that market dominance to obtain advantages on price and to control the pipelines through which its gas flows. The Commission is now inviting EU states to review the deal it has struck with Gazprom before it is firmed up. Gazprom's deputy CEO, Alexander Medvedev, said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the company's obligations reflected its readiness to "duly address relevant concerns of the European Commission on gas market issues." "We hope the Commission and eventually markets will respond positively to our proposal, which is to push forward the procedure and close the case in the nearest future," Medvedev said. Private sector ICICI Bank suffered the most number of frauds during the first nine months of the current fiscal, while state-run State Bank of India took second place in this regard, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revealed. Data pertaining to the April-December period of 2016 provided to the Finance Ministry by the apex bank earlier this week, showed as many as 455 fraud cases involving Rs 1 lakh and above were detected in ICICI Bank. It was closely followed by SBI, which found 429 such cases. Among foreign banks, 244 frauds were perpetrated on Standard Chartered Bank during the period in consideration. The other banks which reported large number of frauds to the RBI during these nine months include HDFC Bank (237), Axis Bank (189), Bank of Baroda (176) and Citibank (150). In value terms, frauds involving Rs 2,236.81 crore were reported in SBI, followed by Punjab National Bank (Rs 2,250.34 crore) and Axis Bank (Rs 1,998.49 crore). RBI also reported that in all, 450 employees were involved in fraud cases during this period in different public and private sector banks in 3,870 cases involving a total amount of Rs 17,750.27 crore. Online market player Amazon on Monday announced the entry of Amazon Pantry -- its grocery and household service -- here. In a statement here, Amazon Seller Services said that with the entry of Amazon Pantry into Chennai, the service is now available in 29 Indian cities. Using Amazon Pantry, customers in Chennai can shop for over 4, 000 everyday essentials from over 250 brands of groceries and household products. According to the statement, customers can build a basket and have all the products delivered in a single box at their doorstep the following day. Amazon Pantry also offers some selection to customers which is specific to Pantry. The online store offers essentials ranging across staples, including regional brands specific for the relevant cities, in different categories. While Amazon Pantry would charge delivery charge of Rs.49 per box, the launch offer delivery price is fixed at Rs 20 per box. Delivery for Amazon Prime customers is free. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday appointed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the new Chief Minister of Goa. Parrikar has been asked to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly "15 days after administration of oath of office and secrecy", a letter issued by Secretary to the Governor Rupesh Kumar Thakur said. The letter said that Parrikar had submitted evidence of support of 21 MLAs before the Governor. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 13 MLAs, is supported by three legislators each of the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. According to Union Minister for Roads, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before he takes oath of office as Goa Chief Minister. Manipur Governor Najma Hepetullah is likely to invite the BJP leaders on Monday in Manipur to form the government. The BJP legislators and their supporters numbering 32 in the 60 member house called on the governor on Sunday to formally stake claim. Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei said: "Being the single largest party the Congress should be given the first chance to form the government." But the BJP General Secretaries, Ram Madhav, Prahlad Singh Patel and the Assam Finance Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the party enjoys support of 32 MLAs. BJP secured 21 seats, Naga People's Front, the National People's Front have 4 MLAs each and AITC, LJP and a Independent having one seat each extended support to the BJP. Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh was pinning his hope on the support of the 4 MLAs of the NPP. However the NPP members were present at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday and said that they were supporting the BJP. Tens of thousands of people converged on this Sikh holy town on Monday to be part of the Hola Mohalla festival. It was a virtual sea of humanity of men, women and children near the main shrine, Takht Keshgarh Sahib. The three-day Hola Mohalla celebrations coincide with the Hindu festival of Holi. All roads to the holy town, which is home to the second most important Sikh shrine after the "Harmandar Sahib" (popularly known as Golden Temple) in Amritsar, had heavy vehicle movement with people coming in hordes on buses, trucks, tractor-trolleys and other vehicles. Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs assemble in this religious town for the Hola Mohalla celebrations and show their prowess through the Gatka martial art. "It is a really festive and colourful spirit here. Some of the Nihangs have very interesting and huge turbans which are decorated with religious symbols," Harkirat Singh, a tourist who had come with a group of foreigners for the Hola Mohalla, said. It was at this shrine that Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, had in 1699 baptized five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern day Sikh religion. The Hola Mohalla celebrations began around 1701 as Guru Gobind Singh wanted his troops to have mock battles to keep them battle-ready. Anandpur Sahib is located about 85 km from Chandigarh. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Monday said that the party that came on second has no right to form government, and slammed the BJP for "stealing elections" in Goa and Manipur. "A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur," said Chidambaram on his official Twitter account. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday appointed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the new Chief Minister of Goa. He has been asked to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Parrikar had submitted support of 21 MLAs before the Governor in the 40-member house. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 13 MLAs, is supported by three legislators each of the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. In Manipur, the state's Governor Najma Hepetullah is likely to invite the BJP leaders on Monday to form the government. The BJP legislators and their supporters numbering 32 in the 60 member house called on the governor on Sunday to formally stake claim. BJP secured 21 seats, Naga People's Front, the National People's Front have 4 MLAs each and AITC, LJP and a Independent having one seat each extended support to the BJP. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday extended greetings on the occasion of Holi, the festival of colours. In her message, Sonia Gandhi expressed best wishes and said that the festival brings happiness in the life of every citizen. Sonia Gandhi, said that Holi is the festival of colours and in its colour, people forget differences and discrimination and strengthen the brotherhood. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also greeted people: "Wishing you all Happy Holi". Rahul Gandhi in his tweet greeted "best wishes to every citizen" on the occasion of Holi. Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Monday took on the BJP for wooing smaller parties and independents to the government ' title=' form the government '>form the government and keep the Congress, the single largest party, away from power in Goa. "Money power has won over people's power. I apologise to the people of Goa as we couldn't muster the support to form the government," Singh tweeted. He said the Congress' struggle against communal forces and money power politics in Goa shall, however, continue. He later extended his Holi greetings with wishes of maintaining brotherhood in the country. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who on Sunday was projected by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the new Chief Minister of Goa, has claimed the support of 21 lawmakers in the 40-member assembly. The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, not enough to form the government and the BJP with 13 cobbled up an alliance with smaller parties and independents to cross the half-way mark of 21 seats. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has asked Parrikar to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly 15 days after administration of oath. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is set to resign ' title=' set to resign '>set to resign after he failed to muster the required numbers to form a Congress government. Governor Najma Heptulla has asked him to step down, and the BJP is now set to form the government, informed sources said on Monday. Though the Congress claims it enjoys the supports of the four National People's Party MLAs, Vivekraj Wangkhem of the NPP maintained his party is supporting the BJP to form government. "Our party and elected members have extended support to the BJP in the formation of the ministry," he said. Wangkhem also said that the party's earlier written assurance to the Congress is invalidated. The stand of the party is that it will support the BJP, he added. While the Congress has 28 elected members, the BJP which secured 21 has increased its tally to 32 as all other parties and the lone independent including one Congress MLA have extended support to it. Governor Heptulla is likely to invite the BJP leaders to form the government. The BJP General Secretaries, Ram Madhav, Prahlad Singh Patel and the Assam Finance Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the party enjoys support of 32 MLAs. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was pinning his hope on the support of the 4 MLAs of the NPP. The decks were cleared for Manohar Parrikar to take over as Goa Chief Minister with President Pranab Mukherjee ' title=' President Pranab Mukherjee '>President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday accepting his resignation as Defence Minister and assigning additional charge of the ministry to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. "The President has accepted Manohar Parrikar's resignation from the council of ministers with immediate effect under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution," a President Office statement said. It said that the President, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Jaitley shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence in addition to his existing portfolios. Earlier in the day, Parrikar resigned to head a new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Goa. Parrikar sent a faxed letter of resignation to the Prime Minister's Office ahead of the oath taking ceremony, set for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Raj Bhavan in Goa. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah would be present at the swearing-in ceremony. Parrikar was on Sunday appointed by the BJP to head the new government. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has asked Parrikar to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly 15 days after taking oath. He has claimed the support of 21 lawmakers in the 40-member Goa assembly. The BJP with 13 MLAs is supported by three legislators each of the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two independent legislators. In a fresh political twist in Manipur, Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has refused to heed Governor Najma Heptulla's directive to resign in order for a new ministry to be formed, saying he enjoys majority support in the assembly. Heptulla on Monday said she has asked Ibobi Singh to resign so that the process of forming a new government could start, but stated she has not invited any party to form government as yet. However, she likely to invite the BJP to form the government, informed sources said. Speaking to media here, Heptulla stated that she is a "straightforward person" and wants to put the "record correct". "Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had brought a letter from the National People's Party saying that the four elected members extend support to the Congress. I told him that he cannot bring such letters on behalf of the office bearers. The elected members should come physically. I also instructed him to resign so that I could start the process of ministry formation. She added, "He did not say anything he just went away. Till now I am waiting for the resignation letter of the Chief Minister." "I did not ask him or anybody that you prove majority but I have the documents of the BJP president along with the legislators paraded...they paraded the people which was shown on television," she said. Ibobi Singh has refused to resign. "I still enjoy majority support in the Assembly and as such there is no question of my resigning," he told reporters. The Chief Minister added that the Congress had secured 28 seats and enjoys support of the four MLAs of the NPP. "We should be given the first chance to form the ministry, he added. Constitutional experts are of the opinion that the single largest party, the Congress, should be given a chance to form the ministry since no party has secured absolute majority. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party may finalise the choice of party legislature leader. Thongam Bishwajit and N. Biren are the contenders for the leadership. Union Minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadker who rushed to Imphal on Monday, said, "After the meeting we will get approval from the higher ups. Once the leader is elected we shall form the ministry. We are thankful to the people for electing us to power. We shall give a new life to the people of the state." In a related development, while the Congress claims it enjoys the supports of the four National People's Party MLAs, Vivekraj Wangkhem of the NPP maintained his party is supporting the BJP to form government. "Our party and elected members have extended support to the BJP in the formation of the ministry," he said. Wangkhem also said that the party's earlier written assurance to the Congress is invalidated. The stand of the party is that it will support the BJP, he added. While the Congress has 28 elected members in the 60-member House, the BJP which secured 21 has increased its tally to 32 as all other parties and the lone independent including one Congress MLA have extended support to it. The BJP General Secretaries, Ram Madhav, Prahlad Singh Patel and the Assam Finance Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the party enjoys support of 32 MLAs. Chief Minister Ibobi Singh was pinning his hope on the support of the four MLAs of the NPP. Pink, yellow, red, purple -- the vibrant colours of Holi spread joy, as young and old celebrated the festival, smearing coloured gulal on each other and exchanging sweets in the national capital on Monday. With shouts of "Holi Hai" and to the beat of drums, people celebrated the festival of colours across the capital. The Delhi Police said it has made proper arrangements in case of any hooliganism during the celebrations. Amulya Patnaik, Commissioner of Police, requested the people to obey rules for safe celebration. "Wish all citizens of Delhi a colorful Holi. Our officers will be out on duty at your service. Request all to obey rules and let others celebrate safely," the CP tweeted. Police had erected barricades at various points on Delhi roads to keep a check on traffic rule violators, though the usually busy roads wore a deserted look. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal celebrated the festival with party volunteers and extended greetings. Children were enthusiastically celebrating the festival since morning in the by-lanes of their residential areas and throwing water filled balloons at passers-by from atop their buildings. Children also used 'pichkaries' (water guns) to spray coloured water on friends and strangers. "I was eagerly waiting for Holi. I love this festival," a young child said throwing colours in the air and shouting 'Holi hai!'. Children were also throwing watercolour-filled balloon at passers-by and saying "Bura na maano Holi hai" (Don't mind, it is Holi). Bands of revellers could be seen going around their localities with their faces and clothes smeared in different colours. People were seen splashing colour on each other and distributing sweets. Some were dancing to the beat of drums or Bollywood numbers and smearing each others' faces with gulal. Many people visited the homes of relatives and friends to celebrate Holi. A bus ran into a crowd in the city of Gonaives in northern Haiti on Sunday, killing at least 38 people and wounding 17 others, local report in capital Port-au-Prince quoted Haitian rescue officials as saying. Citing the report, news agency said that the accident occurred at about 3 a.m. on Sunday after a bus crashed into a group of people attending a music festival. The bus was coming from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince and the bus driver fled the scene after the accident. Islamic State terrorists are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. "Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," news agency quoted US envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk as saying. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 per cent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said on Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city centre in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. It is 'The Year of Japan-India Friendly Exchanges', and Seigo Tono, Festival Director of the prestigious Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, believes that his country shares a more spiritual connect with India than with any other nation. As part of the "friendly exchanges", Tono was here earlier this month for the screening of a few Japanese short films and a talk session at the Embassy of Japan. Do films help to strengthen ties between two nations? "Yes, of course, because when... For example, when (Indian filmmaker) Gitanjali Rao came to Japan in 2007, she wore a sari all the time. So, at the festival (Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia), people were fascinated by that. They asked about her and took pictures with her. She also explained about India. There was a nice communication as well," Tono told IANS here. "In general, Japanese people share a lot of things in common (with India)... More spiritual than with other countries. So, I hope Japan and India, as countries or governments, collaborate more in a good way. There is a great future," he added. It was his maiden visit to India, but he didn't get any cultural "shock". "I feel I've known Indian culture since my youth because in my school (in Japan), many of my classmates were Indians. I am not sure how Indian they were, because they were born in Japan and spoke in Japanese. "When I went to their house, I was shocked to see my friend's mother eating with hand because that's something you don't generally get to see. But it was very natural. So, yes I was a little bit familiar with Indian culture," said the 49-year-old. And, yes, he has seen many Indian films. "Not only Bollywood films, but as a film student... everyone has to watch Satyajit Ray's films," said the Festival Director, who finds India "so huge" that just one or two trips are insufficient to discover India. Talking about short films, he said that back in 1999 when the festival dedicated to the format began in Japan, the future didn't seem to be bright. "People asked us 'Why short films now? There's no business.' But now with mobile phones, more and more short films are in demand. There is social network, so I think there is a great future for short content." Feature films, on the other hand, in cinemas will always exist, he believes. "We always want to be thrilled in a big theatre with amazing visuals like 'Star Wars'. Those films may get screens, but most mediocre independent films... I think it will be hard for them, as it is relatively easier to make a film now and so the competition has increased," said Tono, who started off with making short films as a student. Any advice for budding filmmakers? "Sriptwriting is the most important part of filmmaking. You need a good story. Also, if they can spend more money on something, they should spend more on actors. Hire good actors because sometimes what happens is that when you are making an independent film, you don't have much money. "So you hire your girlfriend, brother or sister in the film and that is quite a disaster because they don't have the skills to play a character on screen. Take real actors so that the audience can believe in the story," he advised. By Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - Francois Fillon outlined his plans to streamline the state's role in France's economy on Monday as he sought to revive his faltering presidential campaign, but again found himself on the defensive, this time over expensive suits he accepted as gifts. With six weeks to go until the first round of voting, the former prime minister who was once favourite to win the presidency is battling to rally supporters and keep his centre-right alliance on his side after allegations of financial impropriety. In a blitz of media interviews and a news conference, Fillon, an open admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, spelled out his plans to reinvigorate France's regulation-laden economy. "I want to make 100 billion euros ($107 billion) of savings over five years and reduce by 500,000 the number of public sector jobs," he said at the news conference. "My programme is based on an ambition to make France a great political and economic power." Once again, however, Fillon's attempts to reset his flagging campaign were troubled by potentially damaging stories of high living that sit awkwardly with his claim at his party's primary last November to be beyond reproach ethically. The Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday reported that Fillon had received close to 50,000 euros worth of suits and clothing since 2012. Fillon acknowledged a friend had given him two suits in February this year, adding: "and so what". He gave no further details on the provider of the gift and said the story was proof of a campaign to wreck his presidential bid. "I cannot see this as anything other than a manhunt," he told Europe 1 radio. Fillon's new offensive comes two days before he is due to meet judges investigating the hundreds of thousands of euros of taxpayers' money that he paid to his wife Penelope and his children for work they did for him. He reiterated policies to end the 35-hour working week, a move that would be fiercely opposed by France's muscular unions, and gradually raise the retirement age to 65 from 62 at present. His updated manifesto also includes a pledge to demand lawmakers disclose whether they employ family members as staff. "WE'RE GOING TO LOSE" The "Penelopegate" scandal has tainted Fillon's reputation as a clean politician and knocked him from first to third place in opinion polls. That would see him crash out in round one of the ballot on April 23 in favour of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is campaigning on a platform to pull France out of the euro, and centrist Emmanuel Macron, the new frontrunner. Fillon has said that magistrates are likely to put him officially under investigation on counts of suspected misuse of public funds but, contrary to what he initially announced, has declared he will not drop out of the race if that happens. Fillon won the public backing of his The Republicans party last week another former prime minister, Alain Juppe, ruled out challenging him. He again brushed the debacle aside on Monday, saying: "In democracy, there is only one thing that matters, it's the will of the people. The French will decide." One Juppe ally told Reuters such comments were a cause for concern. "We share 95 percent of Fillon's manifesto but less and less the slogans and the populism. We're going to lose this election." In another blow to Fillon, his party was forced to apologise during the weekend for tweeting a caricature of Macron that Fillon himself admitted was anti-Semitic. Fillon has accused the media and the judiciary of bias in the affair. He insists he did nothing illegal and that he is the victim of politically motivated reports designed to destroy his bid for power after five years of Socialist Francois Hollande. An opinion poll released on Monday again showed Fillon thrown out of the presidential race in the first round, taking 20 percent of the vote to Macron's 25 percent and Le Pen's 27 percent. The Opinionway poll foresaw Macron beating Le Pen in the May 7 runoff by 62 percent to her 38. ($1 = 0.9373 euros) (Writing by Brian Love and Richard Balmforth; Additional reporting by Yves Clarisse and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Richard Lough) 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 to defend their national championship this past season. The online rental listings tantalize with descriptions of stunning city views, marble bathrooms and quartz countertops, rooftop lounges and state-of-the-art gyms all hallmarks of the latest in downtown San Diegos luxury apartment living. Interested? If so, no need to sign a lease; these listings are for overnight stays promoted on vacation rental platforms advertising nightly rates in buildings populated by long-term tenants. Thanks to the mushrooming popularity of home-sharing platforms Airbnb and VRBO and less familiar sites like Stay Alfred, the increasingly lucrative business of short-term rentals is migrating to the luxury apartment building. Advertisement And its often under the radar of the building owners themselves. Thats because most leases forbid subletting rental units. While the thousands of vacation rentals scattered throughout San Diego communities are still dominated by homes, condos, duplexes and shared rooms, a rising number of amenity-filled apartment buildings are becoming a magnet for entrepreneurial renters and startups looking for handsome profits. So much so that the frequency of vacation rentals at one downtown high-rise, the 46-story Pinnacle on the Park, led one Yelp user to joke it should be called Hotel on the Park. PHOTO GALLERY: San Diego apartments on home-sharing sites Even Airbnb has jumped on the bandwagon, launching last year its Friendly Building program designed to forge above-board, short-term rental partnerships with apartment building owners and their tenants. Still, building managers and owners remain wary of opening up their high-end complexes to a constant stream of vacationers, and theyre equally wary of talking about it, as are the tenants who engage in the practice. We now have a weekly audit where were going online looking for violators and photos of our buildings, said Tracy Brunetti, an executive vice president with Alliance Residential Co., which manages the luxury Broadstone apartment complexes in Little Italy and Bankers Hill. Even so, the San Diego Union-Tribune found two Broadstone listings for short-term rentals, including one for a tastefully decorated two-bedroom apartment with an advertised nightly rate of more than $300 in a building where monthly rents for similarly sized units average more than $4,000. This is such a frustrating situation for landlords when youre trying to protect your residents from an expectation of privacy yet you have a revolving door of people trying to enter the building, Brunetti said. In another building the 241-unit Form 15 in East Village two vacation rental listings were removed within hours of the Union-Tribune contacting the building owner and property manager. Emily Wiesner, a spokeswoman for Essex Property Trust, the countys third-biggest landlord and owner of the three-year-old complex, would only say, We do not allow tenants to rent out their units via VRBO or any other short-term rental website, and we address all known violations. The 484-unit Pinnacle tower, with its 24-hour gym, pool, spa and panoramic views of downtown, shows up on multiple listings on Airbnb and booking.com, more widely known as a hotel reservation site. Its Canadian owner, Pinnacle International, did not return multiple phone calls and emails requesting comment. Just last month, AIMCO, one of the countrys largest landlords, filed lawsuits in California and Florida against Airbnb, alleging its tenants are renting out units on the companys website in violation of their leases. Airbnb has said the suit is without merit and will fight it. The growing proliferation of such rentals coincides with a boom in apartment construction, most of which has been high-end. Over the last five years, 2,900 apartment units were built in downtown alone, and this year, the region is expected to add 3,000 apartments double the volume of what was developed last year. During the same time, the popularity of Airbnb has exploded, expanding way beyond its beginnings as a platform for people looking to make some extra income renting out a spare bedroom. In San Diego, Airbnb listings are dominated by rentals of entire dwellings where the owner is not present. Moreover, a recent hotel industry-funded study concluded that hosts listing multiple homes for rent are the fastest-growing segment of Airbnbs business. Its nearly impossible to quantify how many apartment units are actually being used as short-term rentals because the online platforms dont identify the addresses of listings, and many, like Airbnb, dont even specify whether a whole-home rental is a condo, apartment or single-family home. The Pinnacle on the Park apartment building on Wednesday (Alejandro Tamayo/San Diego Union-Tribune) Airbnb spokesman Chris Nulty said the home-sharing giant does not track such information and therefore could not provide any data on apartment listings. However, after some online detective work that involved comparing listing photos with the photographs on apartment building websites, the Union-Tribune was able to identify about a dozen short-term rental listings in eight downtown luxury complexes. While these were the only rentals the Union-Tribune was able to absolutely verify as apartment units, it appears there are many more similar listings on multiple booking sites. The motivations driving such rentals are varied, from companies who see the promise of lucrative profits to renters looking to make some quick cash while theyre out of town for work or traveling. Encinitas-based vacation rental management firm Air Concierge says it manages a handful of short-term apartment rentals for clients, including members of the military who want to hold onto their apartments during their deployments while still being able to collect income to cover monthly lease obligations. Taking into account the $2,000-plus monthly rents for luxury downtown apartments and the going nightly rates for short-term rentals that range from about $100 to more than $300, its easy to see how renting out units for up to three weeks a month can generate a profit. One developer who recently built a nine-unit, higher-end complex in Little Italy had wavered between long- and short-term rentals until a market analysis concluded that renting out the one-, two- and three-bedroom units for overnight stays could generate twice the monthly revenue as a traditional lease. Thats according to Scott Shatford, co-founder of Airdna, a data analytics firm catering to vacation rental hosts and investors. The San Diego developer who consulted with Airdna declined to talk to the Union-Tribune about his rental plans, Shatford said. Shatford got his feet wet in the vacation rental business several years ago when he started taking out long-term leases on apartments and renting them out on a short-term basis. At one time, he had as many as seven properties he was sub-leasing in the Los Angeles area until the city of Santa Monica went after him last year for violating tough new regulations governing vacation rentals. I definitely see the trend toward more luxury units coming onto Airbnb because more and more people are seeing it as an alternative to four-star accommodations, said Shatford, who authored The Airbnb Experts Playbook. And with all this new apartment construction over the last couple of years, its much easier to take part of that and fill a property with short-term tenants tomorrow instead of finding long-term tenants right away. A tenant at the Pinnacle, who declined to use his full name out of fear he would lose his lease, said he has been renting out his one-bedroom apartment since February 2016. He said it was booked up about three weeks a month. I put it (on Airbnb) before I even moved in, said the tenant. In all, he has four downtown apartment units and a yoga studio he advertises on Airbnb. Charlie Gould, 37, has lived at Pinnacle on the Park for 14 months and wishes he could put his place up on Airbnb when he is out of town. He said he asked management once if he could rent out the unit while he was gone for a three-week business trip but was told it would violate his lease. For me, Im wasting money while Im not here, he said, walking his dog, Piper, outside the building last week. Short-term apartment rentals are at the core of Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals business model. A Spokane, Wash., startup that began operation in 2011, Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals has grown its inventory to more than 400 short-term rental units in a dozen cities, including San Diego. Throughout downtown San Diego, the company has leased and furnished about 35 apartment units and then offers them as short-term rentals on its website. Company founder Jordan Allen insists that the overnight rentals are operated only with the express consent of building management. Its not the right fit for every building, but we try to be up front, Allen said. It really boils down to track record and reputation. A lot of buildings dont want people coming in and doing an Airbnb accommodation in their space, but this is what we do for a living, and we live and die by how good a job we do. Since announcing its Friendly Building program last year, Airbnb says it has enticed landlords in San Jose, Philadelphia and Nashville, Tenn., to partner with tenants interested in renting their apartments on the home-sharing website. In all, there are more than 4,000 apartments in the program, which allows landlords to take a cut of the nightly revenue, typically in the range of 5 percent to 15 percent. Airbnb, which today boasts more than 3 million listings in over 191 countries, declined to divulge which complexes or landlords its partnered with on the apartment rentals. Airbnb spokesman Nulty stressed that the program is targeting cities only where the regulations for home sharing are clearly spelled out. That would exclude San Diego and Los Angeles, whose leaders are still struggling to enact tighter rules governing vacation rentals. We know that for tenants especially, this is a really important economic opportunity, and we heard from hosts they needed our help to educate landlords about how they could share their home, Nulty said. Weve heard stories, whether its teachers who travel over the summer or the creative community on a (film) shoot gone for a month or two at a time, asking a company to help them rent out their home while theyre gone. A nationwide survey last year of apartment owners and managers revealed that roughly a third of those responding would be amenable to a partnership with home-sharing sites. Only 1 percent of the firms said that they allow residents to list on such sites, the National Multifamily Housing Council reported. I do think we might be getting to a point where you might be able to find a business model that combines short-term rentals with apartments in some ways, said Rick Haughey, vice president of industry technology initiatives for the apartment industry trade group. A lot of our members realize its a technology popular with a lot of our residents and maybe we shouldnt be reflexively against it. Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO The vanishing San Diego single-family home View the photo gallery: "Razor" house sold The new owner of the recently sold "Razor" house in La Jolla is a 47-year-old real estate investor from Palm Beach, Fla., with ties to the telecommunications industry, based on information from the listing agent, public documents and other sources. Donald A. Burns bought the property for $14.1 million in a short sale that was finalized on Tuesday, said agent Bob Hurwitz of the Hurwitz James Co. in Beverly Hills. A spokeswoman for the buyer said Burns was traveling Thursday, and she declined to comment on the transaction. "The guy is a sophisticated real estate investor," said Hurwitz, adding that the sale was the most "complex and convoluted" one he's ever completed in his 31-year real estate career, given all the players involved. The first asking price for the designer home, the main asset in a bankruptcy case, was $45 million. But that figure plummeted in recent years along with the market and after two failed attempts to auction the oceanfront home. The original owner, Jimmy Donald Cooksey Jr., filed for bankruptcy in February 2009. Records say Cooksey was discharged from the case in September. Public documents show what the new owner paid is lower than liens on the home, which totaled about $22.7 million. Burns, who expressed interest in the home about seven months ago, initially offered more than $16 million but in October dropped it to $13.9 million. He won out with his new bid after negotiations that resulted in concessions from some of the lienholders. Here's a sample of Burns' negotiating skills in an Oct. 20 letter addressing Leslie Gladstone, the trustee in the Cooksey bankruptcy case: "This new offer is lower than my first offer because the lack of other qualified buyer offers over the last months of heavy advertising proved that my past offer was above the Fair Market Value of the property," he said. Burns continued to say: "The First Mortgage Holder (Bank of America) will need to ultimately decide if it wishes to own this property, or if they would like to achieve their maximum recovery now and be free of the expense and liability of owning a property that has been the white elephant for four years." A court record dated Dec. 7 shows Gladstone agreed with Burns' argument on the distressed home. "This immediate relief is appropriate because Bank of America will foreclose on the Property if the sale does not close prior to December 31, 2011," said Jeffry A. Davis, attorney for Gladstone. The property, the work of renowned San Diego architectural designer Wallace E. Cunningham, is unfinished and has never been occupied. The new owner plans to work with Cunningham to complete the design. Recent news coverage reveals that Burns is not new to high-profile real estate deals. Earlier this year, a penthouse in a SoHo building where actor Heath Ledger died was sold for almost $18 million, based on a story by Real Estate Weekly. That report and a separate article in The New York Times say Burns bought the building seven years ago before turning it to a condo project. (Burns actually attached the Real Estate Weekly article with his second offer letter to prove he was a qualified buyer.) Aside from real estate, Burns is involved in the telecom industry. Public financial records show he is a board of director of magicJack VocalTec Ltd., maker of an Internet-based device for making telephone calls. (Reporter's note: The last sentence was rewritten to clarify the device's function.) Email me: lily.leung@uniontrib.com | Tweet me: @LilyShumLeung | Subscribe to this blog. A candlelight vigil will be held Tuesday evening in memory of Cathy Kennedy, the 55-year-old Escondido woman killed March 7 when a stray bullet struck her head while she drove along E. Grand Avenue on her way home from church. The vigil, organized by Kennedys family, friends and the local Catholic community, will take place in front of Escondido City Hall, 201 North Broadway, at 6:30 p.m. All who plan on coming are asked to bring a candle to light and hold, and one to share. Advertisement Cathys faith and her relationship with our Lord meant everything to her, a news release put out by organizers said. She was killed returning from a reconciliation service at The Church of St. Timothy. We know she forgives those who took her life, and she would want us to pray and work towards peace and love in our community. With this vigil, we will show our light of Jesus Christ and His love, peace and forgiveness. Police believe Kennedy was unintentionally shot by a gang member who was firing across Grand Avenue at someone else. The shooting took place shortly after 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, between Midway Drive and Rose Street. No arrests have yet been made. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones Editors note This story originally ran on voiceofsandiego.org About 150 local arts and culture nonprofits get thousands of dollars from the citys hotel tax every year. The department that manages arts funding recently changed that program, tweaks they hope will bring more and more diverse cultural nonprofits into the fold. The citys Commission for Arts and Culture oversees two funding programs for cultural nonprofits: one funds operating costs, the other helps pay for specific community events. Advertisement In the past, each organization had to fill out a long application if they wanted a shot at the money. I can say this from having filled out the application from my days as a contractor with the city everybody dreaded it, said Larry Baza, chair of San Diegos Commission for Arts and Culture. It was so long and redundant. Those thick applications were reviewed by panels of community volunteers who were tasked with scoring everything from the financial health and organizational structure of a nonprofit to the value of its programming. The panelists, however, didnt have any formal training, which led applicants to question whether they were being treated fairly. Baza was appointed chair of the commission right around the same time Dana Springs was named executive director. One of the first orders of business for the two new leaders, they said, was streamlining the funding process. They also wanted to increase the diversity and number of applicants that applied for arts funding. City Council members and other community members said many local cultural organizations either didnt know about the opportunity, or were intimidated by it. Springs and Baza floated the idea for an incubator or accelerator for nonprofits, where potential applicants could quickly learn how to get money from the city. Eventually, the commission partnered with the Economic Development Department, which had also been talking about starting a nonprofit incubator, and the two launched The Nonprofit Academy in partnership with the University of San Diegos Institute for Nonprofit Education and Research. This years Nonprofit Academy happened last Tuesday and Wednesday. So many people expressed interest, the city had to start a waiting list. Baza and Springs also led the effort to simplify the application itself. Last year, they switched the system to a fairly standard city procurement process that starts with a simple request for qualifications, followed by a request for proposals. Commission staff, city arts commissioners and experts from USD now review the RFQs, which include the financial and other more technical information. Nonprofits that meet the qualifications are invited to respond to the RFP, which is now more concise. The panels composed of community volunteers review the RFPs and score each application. The higher the rank and bigger total budget an organization has, the more money it gets. This year, the panels will be reviewing the applications during meetings, which are open to the public, between March 14 and March 24. The new application process and the outreach via the Nonprofit Academy brought in 15 organizations that had never applied for the citys arts funding. But the overall number of applicants was flat. Springs and Baza said they hope to see both of those numbers go up in coming years. This years application was just six pages, said Springs. If you think about how that alone affects the applicants, the panelists and the staff thats a huge resource savings. ... Just that format alone makes it more accessible. Nonprofits get anywhere from a few thousand to upwards of $75,000 apiece from the two arts funding streams. The commission wont know how much money it can dole out this year until Mayor Kevin Faulconer finalizes the city budget. While the mayor did approve City Council-recommended increases to the commissions funding last year, the commission still doesnt get the full amount of hotel-tax funds it was promised in a plan passed in 2012. Baza said hes optimistic that the arts commission will get a boost in funding. The good news is that seven of the nine Council members included arts and culture funding in their priority budget memos to the mayor this year, Baza said. And the the mayor could have vetoed those bump-ups last year that were recommended, but he didnt. Kinsee Morlan is the Engagement Editor at Voice of San Diego and author of the Culture Report. Contact her directly at kinsee.morlan@voiceofsandiego.org. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter. Subscribe to her podcast. The reviews are in for the Broadway premiere of the La Jolla Playhouse-bred musical Come From Away, and this uplifting show set on one of modern historys darkest days seems to have melted the hearts of most critics. (Hey, Im with them.) Try, if you must, to resist the gale of good will that blows out of Come From Away, the big bearhug of a musical that opened on Sunday night at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater, writes Ben Brantley in the New York Times. Advertisement But even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure. Brantley goes on to say that besides its artistic qualities, Come From Away has good timing on its side: (W)e are now in a moment in which millions of immigrants are homeless and denied entry to increasingly xenophobic nations, including the United States. A tale of an insular populace that doesnt think twice before opening its arms to an international throng of strangers automatically acquires a near-utopian nimbus. Come From Away is based on the real-life story of how the tiny Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland, took in and comforted thousands of stranded air passengers on 9/11, when the grounding of air traffic after the terror attacks forced 38 jetliners to land there. The show, directed by Playhouse artistic chief Christopher Ashley, had its world premiere in La Jolla in June 2015. Writing for the Washington Post, Peter Marks said of the Broadway production: The lump that forms in your throat in the opening minutes of Come From Away and remains lodged there for 100 buoyant minutes more is the physiological confirmation that this effervescent musical, enveloped in Canadian good will, is an antidote for what ails the American soul. The Hollywood Reporters Frank Scheck wrote that while the material might have lent itself to sickly sweet sentimentality, creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein have crafted a heartwarming and thoroughly entertaining musical. Especially in these politically fractious times, it should prove a true crowd-pleaser on Broadway following previous hit engagements in San Diego, Washington D.C. and Toronto. While the reviews appear to be overwhelmingly positive, some critics did express reservations that Come From Away grapples only glancingly with the horror of the 9/11 attacks. (E)veryone, of course, is shocked by whats happening on the news, writes Newsdays Linda Winer of the characters in the show. Over five days, however, they get distracted into what feels just a bit too much like hootenanny camp. When they finally fly home, they sing that somethings missing. Most people in New York that day can tell them whats missing from their show. The real thing. The Chicago Tribunes Chris Jones writes, in a similar vein: Its a fair bet that many in the audience for this show will have been more impacted personally by the losses of Sept. 11 this show never explores that truth, nor sufficiently connects its stories to these bigger themes, even though there is one severely underdeveloped character (played by Q. Smith) with a New York relative in harms way. The show would rather put the kettle on, and venerate the day when all of Gander showed the world what hospitality means. And, you know, we all need a good cup of tea when the world goes haywire, and were adrift from those we love. For more Come From Away reviews, check out Playbills roundup. San Diego Theater On Now Video: Bruce Springsteen's solo trip to Broadway On Now Video: Inside the rehearsal room of SDMT's Damn Yankees! 2:22 On Now Video: La Jolla Playhouse-bred shows earn key Tony nominations 3:05 On Now Video: Broadway moment has arrived for La Jolla Playhouse's 'Come From Away 0:33 On Now Video: Lamb's Players Presents "An American Christmas" 2016 1:21 On Now Old Globe's 'Grinch' ready to rumble again 0:52 On Now Little Miss Sunshine at La Jolla Playhouse On Now Working the Magic On Now San Diego Repertory Theatre presents "Federal Jazz Project" On Now An American Christmas Twitter: @jimhebert jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com Two lawsuits accuse the senior officer of Californias National Guard, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, of illegally telling subordinates to block a high-ranking officers transfer to another state and theres an ongoing probe ordered by the governors office into the alleged misconduct. Those court filings, plus documents from Gov. Jerry Browns office and internal Guard paperwork leaked to The San Diego Union-Tribune, provide a rare peek into a dispute affecting Californias top military brass. They reveal claims that certain Guard leaders and their deputies have carried out personal vendettas against officers supposedly seen as rivals. Col. John Haramalis, a highly decorated soldier in the California Army National Guard whos currently assigned to the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit in Virginia targeting Baldwin. Hes urging authorities to compel Baldwin adjutant general of both Army and Air National Guard forces in California to allow him to transfer to a job with the Arizona National Guard. Haramalis believes he eventually might be promoted to brigadier general there. Advertisement The lawsuit also alleges that Baldwin ordered subordinates to block the transfer shortly before it could be completed last year, badmouthed Haramalis to fellow generals and invented red-tape regulations to stall the colonels job prospects nationwide until he faces mandatory retirement later this year. Haramalis also serves as president of the National Guard Association of California, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of the 23,000 troops in Californias military. In the past dozen years, the colonel not only staked out a prominent position against Baldwins efforts to force nearly 10,000 Guardsmen to repay millions of dollars in enlistment bonuses, but also battled Baldwin over securing whistleblower protections for soldiers and airmen, the leaked documents show. Haramalis was rumored to be a finalist for the adjutant general position in 2011 when Brown returned to office as governor, but Baldwin actually got the nod. Baldwin declined to comment for this story. The California National Guard wouldnt discuss the federal lawsuit, but did release a general statement. It would be inappropriate for the Military Department to comment on Colonel Haramalis latest lawsuit, as its still pending before the Federal District Court. However, its important to note that a recent lawsuit filed by Colonel Haramalis covering the same material was dismissed with finality from (Superior Court in Sacramento County) for its complete lack of legal merit, said Capt. Will Martin, spokesman for the California Military Department. In that state lawsuit, Haramalis on Oct. 4 sought criminal charges of perjury, uttering false official statements and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman against Baldwin. Haramalis also tried to get three of Baldwins staffers prosecuted under similar allegations and urged the governor to relieve Baldwin until completion of a criminal investigation. On Nov. 1, Brown dismissed Haramalis request for charges against the targeted soldiers. A memo written by Peter Southworth, the governors chief deputy legal affairs secretary, said because Haramalis served in the active-duty armed forces at the Pentagon, he was barred from requesting criminal charges under California military law. Browns office then directed the state inspector general to launch a probe, which is continuing. Southworth did not return telephone messages from the Union-Tribune. The Superior Court case ended the day after Haramalis filed the federal lawsuit, with the judge ruling that soldiers cant file claims against the armed forces stemming from their military service. Although Haramalis also wanted the state court to decide that the California National Guard committed contract violations, the judge determined that the colonels case was too murky. In the federal lawsuit, Haramalis alleges that California National Guard commander Maj. Gen. Lawrence Haskins told him last summer that Baldwin made derogatory statements about him at the headquarters offices, creating a very unfavorable overall impression about him and scuttling his requested transfer to Arizona. Haramalis personnel records dont appear to show any official tensions between him and Baldwin. In 2013, for example, Baldwin signed an Officer Evaluation Report judging Haramalis to be one of the best of my brigade commanders and in the top 5 percent of colonels in the Guard a man who not only demanded high standards of his troops but also achieves outstanding results. I would gladly serve in combat with him. I trust his judgment completely. Absolutely unlimited potential, Baldwin wrote. In 2014, Baldwin wrote similar praise in that years evaluation for Haramalis. And in 2015, Baldwin signed a report naming Haramalis the best brigade level commander and a soldier who far exceeded my highest expectations and whose performance was picture perfect. Baldwin urged an immediate promotion to brigadier general for Haramalis. In an interview, Haramalis told the Union-Tribune he couldnt explain what happened between early 2015 and last summer, when Baldwin blocked his transfer to Arizona. But he accused Baldwin of being jealous. Ive known him for 30 years and hes extremely petty and vindictive, Haramalis said. He also said the vast majority of transfers from the California National Guard to other states are approved as a matter of course. Haramalis emphasized that hes now a legal resident of Virginia, which should void his service in the California National Guard under that states laws. His current chain of command runs up the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, not through Sacramento, a point Browns office made in denying the filing of criminal charges against Baldwin and other top officers. The court docket in Virginia shows that summons have been issued to Baldwin, but no hearing dates have been set. 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 The Navys amphibious warship John P. Murtha is scheduled to open its hatches to the public this weekend with a few rules to keep visitors safe. The San Antonio-class amphibious dock ship is set to host the tours at B Street Pier on the San Diego Embarcadero from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The downtown pier is located on North Harbor Drive, just north of West Broadway. Advertisement Expect security screenings prior to boarding the ship. All visitors 18 or older must show a valid state or federal government-issued photo identification card, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors are asked to bring as few personal items as possible so theyre better able to navigate the ships tight corridors. In addition, the Navy bans knives, firearms, clubs, chemicals such as Mace and all aerosol spray cans. Also barred are fireworks, flammable liquids, illegal drugs or paraphernalia, large bags and purses, backpacks and large camera bags. Also, the pier has no holding area for bicycles, baby strollers, scooters or pets. The Murtha will not be accessible to many mobility-challenged people, and the tours might not be appropriate for young children. All others should be in good physical condition to safely climb steep ladders, the Navy advises. People wearing high-heeled shoes, flip-flops or attire deemed inappropriate, such as bathing suits, will be turned away. The warship will have Navy merchandise available for cash sales only. Commissioned in Philadelphia on Oct. 8 and now homeported in San Diego, the vessel is named in honor of deceased Rep. John P. Murtha. Murtha served the western portion of Pennsylvania for 36 years on Capitol Hill before his death in 2010. A Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, Murtha received the Bronze Star for valor, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. 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 UPDATES: 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 14: The Navy has changed its times for public tours of the amphib John P. Murtha, and this story has been updated to show that new information. The article was originally published at 1:05 p.m. on March 13. Baja Californias governor is preparing to declare a state of emergency in the coming days, hoping to draw financial aid for Tijuanas strained and underfunded sewage system following a massive spill that sent millions of gallons of untreated wastewater from Tijuana across the border and into San Diego last month. The incident was triggered by the collapse of a major sewage trunk line in Tijuana, state officials say, and repairs led to the release of a large amount of untreated sewage into the Tijuana River channel, which empties into the ocean at Imperial Beach. The spill generated outrage north of the border, especially because of Mexicos failure to notify U.S. officials, who found out only after residents reported foul odors over a two-week period. Advertisement Communication is getting worse, said Serge Dedina, the mayor of Imperial Beach and executive director of the environmental group Wildcoast. All the normal things that should be happening to manage the system arent happening. And we can see this consistent series of breakdowns and lack of notifications. The spill has put a spotlight on the need for improvements, even after years of collaboration between the United States and Mexico to minimize the cross-border flow of untreated sewage from Tijuana. Investments in Tijuanas collection and treatment facilities have gone a long way toward reducing cross-border impacts. Today, contamination is largely contained during dry weather, though rainy weather flows continue to carry sediment and contamination to the rivers mouth just north of the border. But even as authorities plan some major new wastewater projects, critics say there is still much work to be done and not just in infrastructure. Dedina and others are calling for better communication when such incidents occur. Following last months incident, one U.S. official initially estimated the spill at 143 million gallons over a 17-day period, while a subsequent estimate suggested it could have been far higher230 million gallons. But an official with the state-run water utility in Tijuana said in an interview last week that the spill was far smaller and shorter: under 30 million gallons over a four-day period. Divided by the international border, San Diego shares a watershed with Tijuana. As a result, any sewage flows from Tijuanas tightly packed colonias that are not captured and sent for treatment risk ending up downstream on the beaches of southern San Diego County. We have an international issue with this spill of sewage into the ocean, which is truly sad, and even shameful, Baja Californias governor, Francisco Vega de Lamadrid, said Wednesday. Vega is expected to declare the state of emergency as early as this week, an action that would make the state utility eligible for different sources of federal and local funding in Mexico to conduct immediate repairs. Rainy weather always places pressure on Tijuanas subterranean network of sewage pipes, many of them weakened by age and in need of replacement. Officials say that one of the reasons is that many houses in Tijuana are built so that rainwater drains directly into the sewage system. After several years of little precipitation, the system came under much strain in December and January. Tijuana is part of a developing country and has very stretched resources to provide basic infrastructure, said Paul Ganster, a San Diego State University professor who chairs the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, a federal advisory group. Its not unexpected to encounter these problems after rains. Miguel Lemus, director of the State Public Service Commission in Tijuana, known as CESPT, said his agency urgently needs 72 million pesos about $3.6 million to conduct the repairs on four other sewage trunk lines that also suffered damage. But Tijuana needs far more than that, he saidmore than $40 million over the next year to perform necessary upgrades to the system. A new state plan drafted with the collaboration of bilateral organizations is expected to trigger funding for critical sewage infrastructure projects in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. Foremost is the replacement of Tijuanas overburdened and failing sewage treatment plant at Punta Bandera, which discharges into the Pacific Ocean raw and treated sewage that can reach as far north as Coronado, according to a letter this year sent by the mayors of Imperial Beach, Coronado, Chula Vista and National City and San Diego councilman David Alvarez. Also a priority in the plan is the construction of a pipeline to collect sewage from coastal communities in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. In writing the document, scheduled to be finalized this week, authorities from the state and Mexicos National Water Commission have been collaborating since November with two binational agencies that finance and certify border infrastructure projects: the North American Development Bank and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission. Much of their funding for Tijuana projects to date has come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which since 1998 has spent $42 million on nine projects in the city that have increased wastewater collection, and replaced and repaired failing collectors. Theres definitely a pro-active approach being taken right now, said Maria Elena Giner, the commissions general director. She said the efforts of the commission and NADBank, created under the North American Free Trade Agreement to address environmental issues on the U.S.-Mexico border, have been key to increasing the wastewater collection in communities on the U.S.-Mexico border, from 26 percent of the population in 1995 to over 90 percent today among the highest rates in Mexico. CESPT provides sewage collection service to 89 percent of Tijuana and Rosarito Beach, an area with more than 1.8 million users. All of the sewage collected is treated, through only seven percent of the treated wastewater is recycled, said Lemus, the agencys director; the rest flows into the Pacific Ocean. CESPT operates a pump station in the Tijuana River channel whose task is to prevent polluted water from crossing the border during dry weather. But when Mexico is unable to contain a spill, CESPT is expected to notify the Comision Internacional de Limites y Aguas, Mexicos counterpart to the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission. CESPT has found itself in the hot seat following the most recent spill. In an interview Thursday at CESPTs offices, Lemus acknowledged the agencys failure to follow long-established notification procedures. At the time, we were having emergencies all over the city, Lemus said, explaining that workers rushed to respond to calls relating to the storm. Things got very complicated, and thats why we didnt send out a notice. And we thought the repair would be really quick the first day, we should have notified the CILA of the spill. Lemus said the issue originated with damage to a major sewage trunk line known as Interceptor Oriente that lay buried some 40 feet below ground off a busy street in central Tijuana near the confluence of the Tijuana and Alamar river channels. Workers initially were alerted to a damaged pipe when a road above it buckled in early January. Though broken, the pipe continued to operate and was not spilling sewage, Lemus said. It took a month of digging and analyzing the problem until workers could move to remove the damaged portion and replace it with a new pipe, an operation that lasted from Feb. 1 to Feb. 4. Lemus said the spill lasted only those four days and totaled under 30 million gallons. While some of the sewage was diverted to another line, much of it ended up in the two concrete channels nearby, flowing toward the border and crossing into San Diego. But the lack of timely and precise information from CESPT led to much uncertainty north of the border. The U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission initially estimated that the spill totaled 143 million gallons and lasted from Feb. 6 to Feb. 23. A few days later, U.S. Rep. Scott Peters of San Diego, using a U.S. EPA estimate, said it could be as high as 230 million gallons. On the heels of the incident, a binational group made up of government officials and environmentalists from both sides of the border had its initial meeting at CESPT offices on Thursday to investigate the spill. Margarita Diaz, executive director of the Tijuana environmental group Proyecto Fronterizo de Educacion Ambiental, is one of the committee members. Its complicated problem, and were working on a solution, but we need to base our findings on facts, Diaz said. The committee is a working group of Minute 320, a 2015 agreement between the United States and Mexico set up to address issues of sediment, trash and pollution in the Tijuana River watershed. By early next month, the group is expected to present its report. Up to now, communication under Minute 320 has gone nowhere, said Dave Gibson, executive officer of the San Diego Regional Quality Control Board. At times the Mexicans have been very enthusiastic about it, and at times theyve been very reticent. But Steve Smullen, of the International Boundary and Water Commission, said the Minute 320 talks have been fruitful, if slow to develop. I think were making progress, he said. There was sort of an emergency and an unfortunate situation that developed, but I think we have pretty good communication overall. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com @sandradibble When the civil wrongful death trial against San Diego police begins this week, jurors are sure to hear wildly differing versions of the less-than-10-minute confrontation between Officer Jonathan McCarthy and domestic violence suspect Victor Ortega that ended with a bullet to the suspects neck. Ortegas widow, Shakina Ortega, and their two children are suing the city for $3 million on claims of wrongful death, assault and battery in San Diego federal court. There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting, although some people did see parts of the struggle and others heard the confrontation in the narrow gated walkway of a Mira Mesa condominium complex the morning of June 4, 2012. The case hinges on whether the officer reasonably used deadly force and whether the jury believes his account that Ortega was reaching for McCarthys service pistol when the officer fired. Advertisement Ortegas wife called 911 about 7:40 a.m. reporting that Ortega, 31, had kicked and punched her in the face, and that the attack had left her bloodied with a gash to her lip, according to police. McCarthy, with less than three years on the force, and a second officer were notified of the wifes accusations and soon arrived. As they pulled up, they found Shakina Ortega outside waving her arms and pointing toward the complex, yelling, Hes getting away, according to police. However, the widow remembers the scene differently, saying she was calm, safe and sound when officers arrived, according to her attorneys. McCarthy drove off looking for Ortega, spotted him and told him to stop, but Ortega ran away. The officer ran after him, and the two ended up in a narrow breezeway. Ortega did not comply with the officers demands to get on the ground, and a fight ensued, according to police. Ortega, at 6-feet-1-inch tall and 182 pounds, slammed the smaller McCarthy, at 5-feet-11-inches and 160 pounds, against a wall, the officer said. McCarthy used a leg sweep to topple Ortega to the ground and the struggle continued. At one point, McCarthys back-up .38-caliber revolver dislodged from his ankle holster and skidded to the ground, stopping near Ortegas head. McCarthy said he briefly thought about stunning Ortega with a Taser but decided against it and instead began to handcuff him. The left handcuff clicked closed but Ortega tried to grab the loose gun with his right hand, the officer said. McCarthy swatted his arm and pushed the gun away. It was at this point, Officer McCarthy believed Mr. Ortega was trying to kill him, according to the trial brief by Deputy City Attorney Keith Phillips. As Ortega started to get up, the officer on one knee pulled out his service pistol. Ortega lunged with his hands outstretched, as if reaching for the gun, and McCarthy fired twice, the second bullet being fatal, according to police. The District Attorneys Office in 2013 declined to file criminal charges against McCarthy, saying he reasonably fired in self-defense. Lawyers for Ortegas family, Paul Pfingst and Christina Denning, dispute the officers version of events, saying there is evidence to show Ortega was complying with the officers requests and that the officer was in the position of power when the shots were fired. Ortegas last words were: Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? and Im gonna sue you, according to witnesses nearby who could hear the scuffle. McCarthy took two steps away from Victor, fired two shots at Victor while Victor was in a flexed forward, submissive position, the plaintiffs trial brief states. People near the confrontation said they heard the officer begin to take Ortega into custody and thought an arrest was imminent, so they were surprised to hear gunshots moments later. None were in a position to see the action. The attorneys also point out that McCarthy appears to have changed his story, telling his sergeant at first that Ortega had actually grabbed the loose backup gun and pointed it at him. Ortegas DNA was not found on the backup gun. The City Attorneys Office argues the widow is downplaying the claims of domestic violence that set the incident into motion, as she testified during a deposition that her husband had accidentally kicked her and that she made the whole story up. She has made about a dozen domestic violence reports during their eight-year marriage, the city said, resulting in at least two arrests. Neighbors have also reported problems. The trial is expected to begin Tuesday and last the rest of the week. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Armand King has a lot on his plate these days. The 35-year-old San Diego man works, takes classes at a Mesa college and helps run a nonprofit for at-risk youth. He wasnt necessarily looking to take on another commitment this year. But when the opportunity arose to participate in the citys newly revived Citizens Advisory Board on Police/Community Relations, King applied. He said he wanted to speak up for members of the community who feel targeted or otherwise treated unfairly by police. Advertisement Im the voice of the voiceless, King said last week. That young African-American kid whos out there hell never go to these groups and speak his mind. City officials have said the new board will focus on the idea that policing in San Diego is a shared responsibility between police and residents. Its role will be different from that of the existing Community Review Board on Police Practices, which evaluates complaints from residents and reviews officer-involved shootings. King, a black man who grew up in Skyline and Spring Valley, is one of a dozen city and county residents appointed to the new board in late February. He remembers as a teenager being stopped and questioned, and sometimes searched by police officers in southeastern San Diego, when he hadnt broken the law. These are issues that hit close to home to me, he said. The full advisory board will have 15 volunteer members, each of whom will serve two-year terms. The group will begin meeting after the final three appointments are confirmed in the next few months. Council President Myrtle Cole, who pushed for the advisory board to be revived, said last month that the new group would likely review existing police policies and programs, and recommend others designed to make law enforcement more sensitive, effective and responsive to the needs of all residents. Building and maintaining community trust is the cornerstone of our successful policy, Cole said at a Feb. 27 council meeting. This board will help reinforce trust in our police department. Both Cole and Mayor Kevin Faulconer have acknowledged that the San Diego Police Department has a long history of community outreach, including attending hundreds of neighborhood events each year and inviting the public to take part in officer training programs. Still, many residents say there is tension between police and the communities they serve. And their complaints echo what many across the country have said for decades: Police disproportionately target and harass minorities. An independent analysis of traffic stop data from 2014 and 2015 showed some evidence of racial bias. Although race and ethnicity arent significant factors in determining who police pull over, the report concluded, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be searched and questioned in the field after being stopped. Brian Marvel, president of the labor union representing San Diego police, has also been appointed to the new board. He said hell be able to provide practical insight as to whether the groups ideas can actually function within the department, given the citys budget and staffing limitations and other challenges. I think it will be an interesting conversation, Marvel said, adding that he is optimistic about the process. King commended city officials, the council president in particular, for being open to discussing these difficult issues. But he said he hopes the groups work will yield more than just talk. Im hoping our suggestions are actually acted upon, he said. I dont want it to be just a board for the sake of having an advisory board. Other advisory board members include: Racheal Allen of Pacific Beach, a board member of the Pacific Beach Town Council Dr. Cynthia Chasan of La Jolla, who serves as Neighborhood Watch Coordinator for La Jolla. James Halliday of Bankers Hill, an entrepreneur and marketing strategist, and a fellow in the RISE San Diego Urban Leadership program. Robert Ilko of Scripps Ranch, a former San Diego police officer and current president of the Scripps Ranch Civil Association. Joe LaCava of La Jolla, a member of the SDPD Northern Division Captains Advisory Board. Deborah McKissack of Memorial, a retired healthcare professional who had leadership roles at a variety of healthcare institutions. Alex Pelayo of Chula Vista, a deputy probation officer who has worked with the countys Youthful Offender Unit and adult Drug Court. Jay Bowser of Chula Vista, owner of a small printing company who co-founded the community group Paving Great Futures with King in 2013. Brian Pollard of Valencia Park, a human resources expert and former director of economic development for the NAACP of San Diego. Norma Sandoval of Encanto, principal at San Miguel Elementary in Lemon Grove who has worked with the San Diego Organizing Project. CORRECTION: The original version of this story used the old name of an existing board that evaluates complaints from residents and reviews officer-involved shootings. It is the Community Review Board on Police Practices. The story has been updated with the correct name. dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @danalittlefield UPDATES: 11:20 a.m.: This articles was updated to correct the name of the Community Review Board on Police Practices. This article was originally published at 10:30 a.m. The desert of East County is in full bloom thanks to ample winter rains, and, if traffic reports are any indication, everyone wants to see it. The super bloom that has sprouted in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has attracted huge crowds, creating traffic problems in the Borrego Springs area, a sheriffs official said Sunday. Visitors were asked to consider stopping by on a weekday, when the crowds will be smaller. If the weekend is your only option, expect potentially hours-long delays on roads leading in and out of the area. Advertisement This weekends crush of cars even prompted the CHP to put out a traffic alert. State park officials have estimated the bloom is the biggest in at least 12 years, but maybe in as many as 20 years. They also warn that the lush desert spring could fade quickly. 1 / 21 The long green leaf from a desert lily flower in the Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 21 Desert Sunflowers are at the beginning to bloom at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 21 Desert Lily flowers at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 21 Desert Sunflowers are at their beginning of the wild flower season in Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 21 Desert Sunflower at the beginning of the bloom at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 21 Southern Suncup at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 21 The Lupine flower at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 21 Small belly flowers are coming into bloom in Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 21 Jan Alden (l) and Mary Olson (r) walk an open field in Anza-Borrego Desert for an up close look at the desert wild flowers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 21 Wild flower season at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 21 An Brown-eyed Evening Primrose has bloomed with more expected in the week or two at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 21 Brittlebush are at the beginning of the bloom season at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 21 Desert Sunflower at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 21 The Desert Lily flowers are coming into bloom at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 21 A bee stops at Spectacle Pod flower at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 21 An Evening Primrose with more expected in the week or two at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 21 The Desert Lily flowers at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 21 Desert Sunflowers are at the beginning of their bloom season at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 21 Ricki Kapteyn from Canada photographed wild flowers in Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 21 Jim Dice from the Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center walks on ridge side of the San Filipe Creek of the Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 21 A bee helps its self to Chuparosa flower at Anza-Borrego Desert. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) Remember these tips while preparing for the trip, the Sheriffs Department asks: Dont stop your vehicle in the middle of the road. Find a legal spot to park on the side of the road or in a parking lot. Respect private property. Anyone caught damaging or parking on private property will be cited. Pick up any trash you have and dispose of it properly. Come prepared by bringing plenty of water and snacks, and make sure your cell phone is fully charged. Check the pressure on your vehicles tires before making the drive. Anza-Borrego is Californias biggest state park at 630,000 acres, stretching from the Riverside County line to the Mexican border in eastern San Diego County. RELATED: How to have the best wildflowers experience amid potential super bloom Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A month after Rep. Darrell Issa won re-election in the closest congressional race in the country, the congressman got a warning that his next contest could be even tougher. An internal poll by Issas campaign shows a 10-point drop in the Vista Republicans favorability ratings between mid-October and early December, and that Issas support for President Donald Trump is likely one of the reasons his image took a hit. Overall, the poll suggests Issa was hurt significantly by negative television advertising during the campaign. Advertisement On Oct. 18, Issa had a 40 percent unfavorable rating a score that rose to 49 points by Dec. 7. His favorable rating edged down from 42 percent to 41 percent during that time. The poll found that voters who saw television ads remembered Issas ties to Trump more than any other detail, and when voters had negative things to say about their representative, his support for Trump was at the top of the list. Issa, one of Trumps highest-profile supporters in last years campaign, has since distanced himself from the president and his administration. Politically vulnerable, Issa walks a tightrope on Trump and Russia Issa, Hunter face raucous anti-Trump crowds at town hall meetings Issa called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself so an independent prosecutor to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election, but then said a prosecutor wasnt necessary since nobody had been accused of a crime. He later called for an independent review. Trump and his policies were the major focus of sometimes sharp questions Issa faced during a town hall-style meeting on Saturday in Oceanside. In the context of this poll and the demands from constituents in the last month, it makes sense why Issa decided to hold the meeting, said Robert Dempsey, the campaign manager for Issaa opponent last year, Democrat Doug Applegate. We know that when we hold our elected officials accountable, they have to stand up and stand by their records, he said. If I was Congressman Issa, I would not want to be in that position, which is why he is doing those town hall meetings, and seemingly moving to the center, and joining the climate change caucus, Issa defeated Applegate by 0.6 percent, a 1,621-vote margin. Applegate immediately announced he would seek a rematch in 2018. Last week environmental attorney Mike Levin, former executive director of the Orange County Democratic Party, announced he will enter the race. Issas campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the poll and neither did the Republican National Campaign Committee. The poll and analysis were contained in documents for an unsuccessful $10 million libel lawsuit Issa filed against Applegate. A judge dismissed that case on Friday. The poll sample was exclusively from the San Diego portion of Issas district, an area that includes 75 percent of the electorate. (Issa has historically done better in the Orange County portion, which has the remaining 25 percent of the 49th District.) The poll shows Issas strengths and weaknesses, but it also reveals, more than any other single factor, that the new president was a big influence on Issas public image. Donald Trump is deeply unpopular in the 49th District because his values are not shared by a majority on a wide array of issues. And Darrell Issa is a full-blown Trump apologist, Levin said. Issa barely won the district, but Trump received 43.2 percent of the vote to Hillary Clintons 50.7 percent. Across the country Democrats tried to link vulnerable House Republicans to Trump and some of the controversial stances the Republican nominee took on the campaign trail. Issa was no exception. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Applegate both released ads that made use of Issas endorsement of Trump. Applegate and Issa dont pull punches in new ads Issas poll shows that the message in those commercials stuck. A total of 27 percent of voters surveyed who saw the ads remembered that Issa is a Trump supporter, more than any other detail that they could recall. The survey also asked participants to share the first two or three things that come to mind when they think of Issa. The most dominant impression was his effectiveness in office, the choice of 18 percent of voters surveyed. There was a tie for his second-most dominant trait: 14 percent said when they thought of Issa they thought of Trump, and the same percentage said they thought of corruption and dishonesty in connection with Issa. Thirteen percent said he was not for the people, but rather for big business or himself, the survey shows. All those were themes in the attack ads. The poll was conducted for Issas campaign by Public Opinion Strategies from Dec. 5-7 and included 400 general election voters from the San Diego County portion of the 49th congressional district. It has a 4.9 percent margin of error. Twitter: @jptstewart joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 An opportunistic thief snatched a cash box from Girl Scouts who were selling cookies in front of a Clairemont grocery store Sunday afternoon, police said. The girls were at the Vons on Clairemont Drive near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard when the crook grabbed the money about 3:10 p.m. and ran, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. The thief dropped his phone while fleeing east through the parking lot, and police confiscated it. Advertisement Buttle didnt know how much money was in the cash box. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com MADRID, March 13 (Reuters) - The former head of Spain's Catalonia region was barred from public office for two years on Monday for staging an informal referendum on independence, after a trial that has stoked tensions between separatist leaders and the central government. Artur Mas - who was regional governor in 2014 when pro-independence campaigners held a symbolic referendum in breach of a legal order - was found guilty of contempt of court, Catalonia's Superior Court of Justice said in a ruling. The case comes as separatist political parties in Catalonia, a wealthy region with its own language and distinct culture, are pushing to hold another vote on breaking away from Spain in September. Spain's centre-right Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has repeatedly ruled out such a scenario, however, saying any regional vote on secession would be illegal. Spain's Constitutional Court has blocked such moves in the past. (Reporting by Blanca Rodriguez, Writing by Sarah White, Editing by Paul Day) A bomb scare briefly prompted evacuations at the International Mariachi Festival at a National City mariachi festival Sunday afternoon, police said. Someone called 911 about 2:10 p.m. after spotting an unattended backpack during the event at Pepper Park on Tidelands Avenue, National City police officials said. Officers evacuated the area and called the bomb squad to investigate the suspicious bag. Advertisement The threat was determined to be unfounded about 3 p.m. when the owner of the backpack showed up and claimed it. The annual event, which kicked off at 11 a.m., was billed as an opportunity to celebrate San Diegos Mexican heritage through mariachi music, traditional ballet folkloric among other other cultural expressions. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A man is suspected of fatally shooting an ex-girlfriend and her brother before turning the gun on himself in a Vista home early Monday following a fight between the two men, a sheriffs official said. Their names were not released. A friend of the woman found the three lifeless bodies in the house on Phil-Mar Lane, a quiet, tree-lined street near Phillips Street, about 5:45 a.m. Advertisement The gruesome discovery came seven hours after deputies responded to a fight between the two men in front of the home. The 52-year-old ex-boyfriend, who was beaten up, drove away by the time deputies arrived about 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Lt. Greg Rylaarsdam said. The woman and her brother, 53, were uncooperative with the deputies and gave them few details about the fight, Rylaarsdam said. Other deputies searched for the ex-boyfriend, spotted his vehicle not far from the home and pulled him over. He told them he had just left his ex-girlfriends home after getting into a fight with her brother. The man had minor, visible injuries, Rylaarsdam said. Deputies determined had been assaulted but also driving under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and booked into jail, where he refused treatment from medics. He told deputies he wanted to press charges against his ex-girlfriends brother, so deputies took report that would have gone to the District Attorneys Office, Rylaarsdam said. Considering his injuries, he was released without bail about 1 a.m. after he signed a written promise to appear in court in connection with the DUI charge. Deputies were once again called to the home about 5:45 a.m. after a friend went into the ex-girlfriends house. They found the bodies, with gunshot wounds, in different areas of the home. The Medical Examiners Office will determine how the trio died. Neighbors said a woman lived at the house for many years, and that her two daughters, now in their 20s, grew up there. Staff writer Phil Diehl contributed to this story. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 8:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 10 a.m. Call it a $3 million mistake. Theres no stairway linking the lobby to the basement in UC San Diegos computer science building, making it hard for students on the bottom floor and those would be undergraduates to conveniently mingle with the faculty members working above them. Rajesh Gupta was so incensed by the design flaw that he persuaded a graduate of the universitys computer science department to donate $18.5 million including about $3 million being used to construct the long-sought staircase. Advertisement Gupta, who just finished a long stint as department chair, said students need robust interaction with professors to see and shape research that often gets passed on to industry. His belief reflects a central goal of the department: to give students a firm foundation that readies them for work at Qualcomm, ViaSat, Northrop Grumman, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and other industry giants that have a seemingly insatiable demand for new computer geniuses. UCSD does away with its computer dungeon Such demand contributed to runaway enrollment growth for the department in recent years, and that boom in turn fueled a clash between Gupta and administration over how to balance expansion with high-quality education. Then and now, he speaks with candor instead of the genteel language common in academia. Gupta, 54, often vents through Facebook posts, even about hot-button issues. His directness was evident in an interview this week with The San Diego Union-Tribune. The conversation has been edited for space and clarity. Question: Is it true that an undergraduate student asked if he could leave the basement and visit the upper floors of the computer science building? Answer: Not quite. It was words to the effect, Are we allowed to go upstairs? Its a natural question since the elevators actually dont go upstairs during off-hours. Access to parts of the building are controlled. Thats common at a research university. This was also a cultural issue: Faculty just werent used to seeing undergrads milling around in research spaces. Its important that all our students have access to faculty and research labs. We want them to explore whatever sparks their curiosity. A student might say, I want to study unmanned aerial vehicles because he saw a UAV in a lab. UC San Diego calls itself a student-centered university. That doesnt happen if you dont put students in the center of things, which has been a problem in our computer science building. But were fixing that. Question: Do industry executives talk to you about the need to cultivate students with strong social skills? Answer: The main thing I hear from industry is, Give us people with strong fundamentals. The fundamentals include the ability to express yourself clearly and to work in groups and teams that promote achievement. So its essential that undergraduates learn to socialize. Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Dr. Rajesh Gupta in his office at the Computer Science and Engineering building at UCSD in La Jolla on Thursday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) Question: The computer science department has experienced explosive growth. Last year, UC San Diego had the largest undergraduate computer science program in the country. Did you feel like you were being squeezed by the differing interests of industry and the faculty? Answer: The faculty revolted. They said teaching loads were too high. And they have been: 44 to one. We brought in a lot of non-tenure-track lecturers to help, and theyre wonderful. But that is only a temporary fix. We want students to have as much exposure as possible to tenure-track professors, who are doing the kind of research thats of interest and value to industry and to the learning experience. Were now reducing enrollment and increasing the faculty size. Question: How do the universitys top administrators feel about that? They must be feeling pressure from prospective students, who want to get into the growing and well-paying field of computer science. Answer: This has been a difficult issue. It wasnt really clear who was responsible for controlling enrollment, but weve found a way to bring the number down. Question: And how has industry reacted to that? Ive heard institutions like SPAWAR say they really need more cybersecurity experts, and theyre looking to you for help. Answer: They hate it. They have a need for more talent. Question: State funding and research contracts dont cover all of the departments financial needs. Increasingly, you also have to raise private money, especially from alumni. UC San Diego has struggled in this area. How has your program, which is part of the universitys Jacobs School of Engineering, fared? Answer: Many of our graduates start with six-figure salaries or close, so they are in a position to donate. It comes down to their engagement with the place and people at UC San Diego? What brings them back to (the university)? And when they come here, what do they look for? Their experience in the classroom, in the lab and in working with the professors are a big part of it. ... Part of the challenge is that engineering is broad, spanning materials, mechanical structures, electronic devices, communication technologies, etc. So, computing and data dont get the coverage they need even though theyre pervasive. There is computer science in transportation, in energy, in health care ... software that is new and different kinds those inside phones and cars to software inside the body. Question: You also face demands at the graduate level. For example, more students are seeking masters degrees in computer science. Industry is looking to hire people like that. Youve greatly expanded the masters offerings, but youve gotten a lot of blow-back from faculty. Whats the problem? Answer: When I became chair six years ago, we had about 90 or so students in the masters program. This year, the figure was 350. This fall, it will go to 450. In six years, the demand for masters degrees has gone up six times to 3,500 applicants. Students want the degree because it gives them more specialized knowledge in areas like machine learning, vision and computer systems. It places them in a better position to get jobs. Unfortunately, the masters program is not appreciated for a variety of reasons. Theres a feeling among faculty that attention to masters takes away from research-oriented doctoral programs. Computer science is particularly affected; it accounts for nearly three-quarters of growth in graduate student applicants on the entire campus. The good news is that it also accounts for over 50 percent of the growth in women applicants, thus helping us in improving diversity in our graduate program. New photographs from Google Earth are making the rounds among activists fighting the plan to store millions of pounds of radioactive waste from the failed San Onofre nuclear plant on the San Diego County coastline. The pictures illustrate with more clarity than ever how close to the shoreline the casks will be once they are filled. I used to walk that beach so I know how close it was, said Joe Holtzman, a longtime critic of majority plant owner Southern California Edison. But the photos are even more depictive about how scary it is. Advertisement Edison, which closed the plant in January 2012 amid a radiation leak from newly installed replacement steam generators, said the storage plan has been reviewed and approved by state and federal officials. The safety of the dry cask storage systems at San Onofre is underscored by the fact that this type of storage has been licensed by the (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) and safely used for more than 30 years in the United States with no radiological releases, spokeswoman Maureen Brown said. The latest Google Earth images show a series of rectangular spaces that eventually will hold the massive steel-lined casks designed to store the spent fuel. For decades, the waste has been stored in cooling pools between the twin reactors, Brown said. Edison is now transferring it into so-called dry-storage canisters that will be within 100 feet of the shoreline. The work is expected to be completed in 2019. The plant is being decommissioned and the property will be returned to the U.S. Navy. Opponents of the storage plan worry that the canisters may be vulnerable to earthquakes or tsunamis. They say the casks could leak or become unable to be moved to a federal nuclear waste repository if one is ever developed. Environmentalists sued the California Coastal Commission for issuing a permit to allow the waste to be stored within 50 miles of more than 8 million residents. A hearing in that case is scheduled later this month. Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald It was a name that launched a thousand groans but Boaty McBoatface, the most popular moniker ever to not win a British name that ship contest, now belongs to an autonomous underwater vehicle, which just happens to be a yellow submarine. Boaty, on which no one will live beneath the waves in a sea of green or otherwise, is a remote-controlled and unmanned exploration vessel that will leave at the end of this week for Antarctica in its first mission since it received its unique name. It will travel with the Natural Environment Research Councils polar research ship, which was christened RRS Sir David Attenborough, even though Boaty McBoatface was the name chosen for the ship in an online competition held last year. Advertisement How popular was the name? BoatyMcBoatface is the greatest thing human beings have ever done, wrote one person on Twitter at the time. Attenborough came in third, after Boaty and Poppy-Mai, who was a cancer-stricken toddler who had caught the publics attention and later died. Officials said at the time that they chose Attenborough because he was one of Britains most cherished broadcasters and natural scientists. Or perhaps they just couldnt live with a $300 million ship named Boaty. British media reported that NERC officials were pleased that so many people were interested in naming a research ship but they were less happy about the publics choice, thought up jokingly by a radio host, because as The Guardian put it it sounded like it came from by a 5-year-old who has drunk three cartons of Capri-Sun. In a nod to the voters, however, the group decided not to discard Boaty McBoatface altogether and instead bestowed it on the submarine. Boaty will explore under the ice of the Orkney Passage in some of the coldest and, at 3.5 miles, some of the deepest in waters on Earth. It will gather data on currents and turbulence in an effort for scientists to determine how the ocean is responding to global warming. Our goal is to learn enough about these convoluted processes to represent them in the models that scientists use to predict how our climate will evolve over the 21st century and beyond, said lead scientist Prof, Alberto Naveira Garabato. Boaty will begin his maiden voyage on Friday, leaving behind only one request someone already asked about on Twitter. Boaty McBoatface finally launches as a submarine. All that's needed now is naming a boat Subby McSubface & all will be well#BoatyMcBoatface pic.twitter.com/U49ftkdjRn Carabas (@Carabas_co_uk) March 13, 2017 619-293-1710 debbi.baker@sduniontribune.com twitter.com/Debbi_Baker Heres a little known fact: Yosemite was actually Californias first state park. The story of Californias parks opens with the nation still mired in the throes of Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln stealing a brief respite to sign legislation that granted the state 20,000 acres of Yosemite Valley. And while that national treasure has long been returned to federal control, Lincolns historic action taken on June 30, 1864, is widely recognized as the birth of the states park system the first of its kind in the nation. Today, 150 years later, Californias parks are a reflection of the state itself: its past, places and people. There is the scenic beauty, of course, from towering redwoods to inviting beaches. But parks also pay tribute to the pioneers, shed light on the shameful side of history and celebrate the cultural diversity of California. Parks can be found in a ghost town, in missions, in the middle of the desert and even underwater. Still, 150 years ago the very idea of a state park was novel. It took an unlikely alliance of names now etched in state annals to draw attention to Yosemite and lobby Congress for the land grant that included a vast share of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove. They include Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York Citys Central Park; Thomas Starr King, an abolitionist who wrote about the Sierra; Jessie Fremont, daughter of explorer John C. Fremont; and Josiah Whitney, a noted geologist whose name sits atop the highest mountain in the lower 48 states. Powerful business interests, including railroad tycoons and road builders, also played a role, hoping to draw tourists out West. Lincoln, the president preoccupied with unifying a country, signed the Yosemite grant without comment. The bill itself noted that the land be held for public use, resort, and recreation inalienable for all time. But it was not to be Californias for all time. With little money, Galen Clark, the first park guardian appointed in 1866, was on the defensive as demands grew not just from tourists but also from ranchers and developers seizing an opportunity to exploit the land. There were mounting calls for the federal government to take back the land. Just after the turn of the century, President Theodore Roosevelt, after spending three days in Yosemite with world-famous naturalist John Muir, decided its fate. On June 11, 1906, he signed legislation returning Yosemite Valley to the federal government. Saving the redwoods Meanwhile, alarmed by logging in the Santa Cruz mountains after being tossed off private forest land while photographing redwoods, Andrew Hill launched a campaign to save what is now Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the majestic trees of the Felton Grove. The thought flashed through my mind that these trees, because of their size and antiquity, were among the natural wonders of the world and should be saved for posterity, Hill was quoted as saying. In May 1900, Hill met with leading naturalists and educators, including David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University. The group decided to concentrate on saving a much more vast and untouched swath of redwoods about 30 miles farther north of Henry Cowell. They ventured there for several days and, on May 18, while gathered around Sempervirens Creek, they formed the Sempervirens Club named after the scientific term for the Sequoia redwoods they sought to spare from the woodsmans ax. They passed the hat while they camped, collecting $32 for the campaign. The club, with its big-name clout, helped push through legislation and funding to acquire 2,500 acres at $100 an acre, forming California Redwood Park, now known as Big Basin Redwoods. Its the oldest park in the system. Also growing out of those early days is the Save the Redwoods League, which is credited with preserving iconic forests along the North Coast. In this May 3, 2014 photo, Gay Urness and Deborah Achor look up at a large redwood on the James Irvine Trail in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in northwest California. (AP Photo/Statesman-Journal, Zach Urness,) The Associated Press (The Associated Press) As California grew, it soon became apparent that a coordinated, statewide policy on acquisition, funding and public access was needed. The early days of Californias car culture had set in and tourism was becoming an important cog in the economy. Parks began telling the story of California, interwoven from the early Gold Rush days. Much of the credit can be given to historical associations committed to preserving pieces of the past. They obtained land, transferred it to the state and monitored sites and guarded artifacts. Among those: The Native Sons of the Golden West and later, the Native Daughters; the Historical Society of Southern California and the California Historical Society. They later joined forces under the banner, The California Historic Landmark League. Duncan McDuffie, an early pioneer with the Save the Redwoods League, came on board to push legislation to create a statewide parks commission and a survey of potential sites threatened by development. The first bid failed, as the governor at the time, Friend cqWilliam Richardson, refused to sign the legislation under pressure from the Pacific Lumber Co. The decision cost Richardson his job: Lt. Gov. Clement Calhoun Young, a parks supporter, won the Republican nomination a year later. By 1927, the first State Park Commission, later evolving into the Department of Parks and Recreation, was installed. Bonds, beaches, Borrego The commission moved quickly, proposing a $6 million bond act that was embraced by business groups and the press. Even the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts chipped in by handing out campaign fliers. In November 1928, voters approved that first-ever bond act for parks by a 3-1 ratio. The initial outlay went to Patricks Point, a redwoods park in Humboldt County. From there, the state acquired beaches from counties, forests from timber companies and mountains from landowners. All of this occurred amid the Great Depression, which sunk land values and made it easier for the state to step in. The crown jewel in this buying frenzy had to be Point Lobos just south of Carmel, often called the greatest meeting of land and water in the world. Its price tag was $631,000 in 1933. That same year, closer to San Diego, Ellen Browning Scripps and George Marston, among other leaders of the day, tapped their personal bank accounts to help the state acquire Borrego Palm Canyon now part of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which also encompasses the states first designated wilderness area. Palomar Mountain State Park in 1932 and Rancho Cuyamaca in 1933 were two others to rise out of the Depression. (AARON Steckelberg / Union-Tribun) Once land was acquired, New Deal stimulus measures helped mold the parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps an army of young people who worked for a dollar a day fanned out to state parks, building roads, trails and facilities. From that point, parks were slowly added to the states rolls thanks to growing public support and demand for places open to all regardless of means. Voters routinely approved later bond measures for acquisitions, whether it was to protect natural beauty or sites of historic and cultural value. Californias mission was not to save just natures beauty, but to set aside places as a reminder of events that shaped the states and nations history. The Eastern Sierra ghost town of Bodie sits in contrast to Hearst Castle, a monument to opulence near San Simeon given to the state in 1957, which sits in contrast to Mission San Francisco Solano, founded on July 4, 1823, and the site of the Bear Flag Revolt and the campaign to establish the Republic of California in 1846. Old Town San Diego, dedicated to the marrying of the Spanish, Mexican and European cultures, opened in 1967 and is the most-visited state park. There is a museum in Sacramento dedicated to Native Americans that opened in 1940. Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park outside of Bakersfield is a monument to the ex-slave and military chaplain who in 1908 established a town where blacks could escape discrimination and prosper. But his dream and the town faded. The state made it a park in 1974 to keep it alive. And at Angel Island just north of San Francisco, a park launched in 1954 is known as the Ellis Island of the West because thousands of Chinese immigrants were processed at the site. It was also a transfer point for German and Japanese POWs. Long before Frankie met Annette, and the Beach Boys immortalized the surf sound, Californians loved their beaches. To preserve the states shoreline, activists rallied against the privatization of beaches decades before the 1972 Coastal Act. Sand became as important as forests, starting in 1931. Two years later, Carlsbad State Beach became the regions first state park. In 1951, only 75 miles of Californias coastline was accessible to the public. Today, the public can stroll 318 miles, including along Silver Strand, Cardiff and Torrey Pines in San Diego County. Between 1964 and 1984, voters approved by large margins a string of five park bond measures, totaling more than $1.3 billion. Subsequent bonds were also passed, and California now boasts 280 parks spanning nearly 1.6 million acres. Sobering problems loom But there were some bumps along the way, caused by conflicts that still exist today over public lands acquisition, funding and use. In 1957, lawmakers pushed ahead with a nonbinding resolution urging grazing at Anza-Borrego, Cuyamaca and Palomar. Another bill sought to cripple the parks departments ability to use eminent domain to acquire land. It was vetoed by Gov. Goodwin Knight. Funding parks through offshore oil drilling royalties proved controversial and it took a series of court rulings and new laws to restore the money to parks. The state parks system is expected to receive $345 million in royalties in 2014-15, down from $390 this fiscal year. In 1962, voters rejected a $150 million land acquisition bond, but two years later a similar bond passed after an aggressive campaign led by Gov. Pat Brown, father of the current governor. Former parks director Rusty Areias once said, It shouldnt cost $6 to watch the sunset. But those low-cost admission days are long gone as the department has struggled with budget shortfalls, a growing backlog of maintenance projects and pressure to find more revenues on its own. Fees for camping and day use have doubled in some popular spots. Some believe plummeting attendance can be traced to those higher fees. Paid day use fell to 12.1 million in 2013-14, compared with 20.2 million 10 years earlier. There were 3 million fewer camping reservations during that time span and boat launches were more than halved. Millions more visit for free, or make up school groups. Still, total visitation is down to 44 million, from 82 million in 2003-04. (AARON Steckelberg / Union-Tribun) Parks may have hit rock bottom during the Great Recession and under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He moved to padlock dozens of parks to save the cash-starved state some money. Nonprofits, aided by state legislation, stepped in to rescue some parks. Others targeted for closure remain open, but hours, staff and services have been reduced. Voters were also not as supportive as some thought when it came to taking more cash directly out of their pockets as opposed to longer-term, unseen bond payments. In 2010, they turned down a proposed $18 car tax to help pay for parks. The parks department also found itself enveloped in a financial scandal that rattled the faith of the governor, legislators and taxpayers. Officials had secretly stashed millions of dollars while bemoaning the departments supposed deficits. There were also reports of payroll padding and other irregularities. Those controversies in 2012 drove out parks director Ruth Coleman, who was replaced by Anthony Jackson, a retired Marine major general from Fallbrook. Under his watch, and with the states economy slowly bouncing back, the turmoil appeared to subside. In a recent interview, Jackson said the department is taking steps toward fiscal health while launching programs to draw more visitors. Among those: modernizing fee collection systems, offering various passes tailored to different interests and schedules, and providing different types of camping, such as yurts and rustic cabins. They have also been running programs to bring city youth to parks and would like to encourage transportation companies to offer buses for that purpose at no cost. Jackson has also been working with the military to provide a new beachfront state campground on old Fort Ord property north of Monterey set to open in 2016, and he is looking at the potential sale of a never-developed 2,900-acre park tucked in the Sutter Buttes mountain range north of Sacramento a controversial $3 million acquisition. But after just 18 months on the job, Jackson recently announced plans to retire effective Monday, coincidentally the day marking the 150th anniversary of state parks. Jacksons surprise departure comes just as a new independent commission begins to finalize its recommendations to answer defining questions over the very survival of the state parks system in an era of tight revenues and troubling disinterest by the next generation. The depths of the problems have been sobering, said Christine Kehoe, Parks Forward Commission co-chair and a former state senator. More immediately, the commission is looking at ways to reverse tumbling revenues and restore public trust in the wake of revelations of financial mismanagement. Commissioners also hope to offer proposals to make parks more inviting and more accessible, particularly in addressing the interests of the growing number of Latinos and younger people married to their smartphones and who believe virtual experiences are just as good. Another problem is that need is greatest where parks are the fewest, such as urban centers and the Central Valley. In its most recent report, the commission issued a stinging rebuke to the status quo: First, Californias parks system is debilitated by an outdated organizational structure, underinvestment in technology and business tools, and a culture that has not rewarded excellence, innovation, and leadership. Second, only broad-based, fundamental change will transform the system into one that will transform parks and the parks experience to once again lead the nation and world in meeting the needs of citizens and visitors for decades to come. Note: Some material for this story was provided by the state Department of Parks and Recreation, the book State Parks of California from 1864 to the Present by Joseph Engbeck Jr., and the book, The Prophet of the Parks, By Mary Ellen Butler. The demise of an Iowa brokerage where the founder tried to kill himself hurts investor confidence and could damage the markets for options and futures, investments that keep food and energy prices in check. Without stronger oversight of those markets, investors will flee, leaving them too thin and brittle for companies to hedge against swinging commodity prices, experts and investors said Wednesday. Peregrine Financial Group declared bankruptcy Tuesday and hasnt accounted for $215 million of customer money. Authorities said founder Russell Wasendorf Sr. tried to commit suicide by running a hose from the tailpipe of his car to the inside. Advertisement To be sure, Peregrine handles only a tiny slice of the market for futures and options. But its implosion addles traders already worn down by months of scandals, missteps and revelations of fraud, said Michael Greenberger, a former senior official at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates the industry. These markets have lost the confidence of their customers, from the small businesses that need to use them to hedge, to the large funds who use them to invest, said Greenberger, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. If the markets dont receive a strong, immediate boost of confidence, he said, everyone is going to be hurt, because hedging - if its done properly - helps consumers by creating lower prices. If not, prices are going to go up. Futures and options allow companies to lock in prices for commodities, so an airline buying fuel or a farmer buying fertilizer can predict what those things will cost. Knowing in advance saves businesses money and reduces prices for consumers. When fewer investors participate in a market, it becomes more difficult to buy and sell investments quickly at the price that traders want. People end up paying more than they otherwise might, and small changes in demand jerk prices up and down. Kevin Davey, an individual investor who used Peregrine to buy and sell futures, said price swings are inevitable when theres just not enough orders at certain prices. Futures and options were specialties of Peregrine, which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in Chicago late Tuesday. The company bought and sold the investments for small retail investors and some larger clients. Wasendorf left behind a note that led police to notify the FBI, which has launched a preliminary inquiry. Wasendorf was accused in civil fraud charges Tuesday of misusing money from a bank account at U.S. Bank, claiming it contained more than $220 milllion when the balance barely topped $5 million. The money in that account belonged to customers, and was supposed to be kept separate from Peregrines own money. The separation of client money and company money, known as segregation, is the industrys claim to fame in projecting investor protection, said Davey, the Peregrine customer. A lot of retail people are going to start thinking twice about investing in futures, he said. Peregrines failure piles on the ruin of MF Global, which was run by former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. It was the first case on that scale of a brokerage grabbing client money that was supposed to be walled off. What youre looking at is within nine months, two different brokerages basically commandeered customer segregated accounts, and people just cant have that, Davey said. Everyone knows futures trading is complex and difficult to profit from, he said. Now even the ones who win still might lose, if the brokerage ends up taking your money. MF Global rattled the futures market, but it was not alone in shaking market confidence in recent months. Some other events that shook investor faith in the structure and oversight of markets: - Facebooks high-profile stock offering in May was botched. Technical problems marred the open, the stock still hasnt returned to its offering price, and shareholders have said financial information was withheld from some investors. - Electronic trading platform BATS attempted an initial public offering of its own in March but withdrew the deal after a series of technical glitches and a rapid price plunge. - Despite a slowly recovering U.S. economy, stock trading has been unusually volatile during the past three summers because of Europes debt crisis, uneven economic data and last years downgrade of the U.S. credit rating. - High-profile hedge fund employees have been charged and convicted in a broad criminal probe of insider trading by federal law enforcement agencies Ordinary investors reading newspapers at home are growing skeptical that they can get a fair shake with so much inside information flying around Wall Street, investment advisors said. Its typical for an older person to bring in a clipping on one these subjects, and theyre always asking, `What does this mean? and they dont have the complete story, said Mike Sullivan, a Charlotte, N.C., consultant to financial advisers. He said its getting tougher for advisers to reassure their clients, especially older Americans who would have less time to recover if their portfolios withered. Several analysts and investors said that the only answer to this latest shock wave is bold action from the CFTC, which regulates the futures industry. Right now, the CFTC relies on a network of industry-owned self-regulators that it designates to perform regular audits for companies like Peregrine and MF Global. CFTC officials have discussed creating a deposit insurance fund, similar to the fund that compensates people when stock brokerages fail and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which covers bank deposits. But Greenberger said it would be difficult for such a fund to cover peoples losses because the typical business buying futures to hedge has many millions of dollars tied up in the investments. This puts a big hole in the market, it requires a terrific boost of confidence and were moving in exactly the wrong direction, he said. He said the CFTC needs to do more of its own audits and rely less on the industry self-regulators, who gave Peregrine and MF Global passing audits in the months before they collapsed. If we dont do that, the markets going to heck in a handbasket and everybody is going to be hurt, he said. The CFTC has argued that it lacks the resources to conduct more aggressive enforcement. President Barack Obamas budget proposed expanding the agency from about 700 employees to about 1,100, Greenberger said, but congressional Republicans have blocked efforts to increase its funding. A CFTC spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. --- Daniel Wagner can be reached at https://www.twitter.com/wagnerreports . John kasich The response of Gov. John Kasich of Ohio on Sunday, when he was asked about the House Republican proposal to overhaul the US healthcare system, perhaps exemplifies why the bill will be so hard to pass. In an interview with Kasich on NBC's "Meet the Press," host Chuck Todd presented a clip of Vice President Mike Pence speaking with an Ohio TV station. Pence said the Republicans' American Health Care Act would provide Ohio with "the resources and the flexibility ... to offer our most vulnerable citizens even better coverage." Todd asked Kasich whether Pence was right, to which the Republican governor answered bluntly. "No, he's not right," Kasich said. Kasich's main gripe with the AHCA: a radical rollback of Medicaid, the government-run health program that provides insurance primarily to pregnant women, single mothers, people with disabilities, and seniors with low incomes. Under the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare law better known as Obamacare, eligibility for Medicaid was expanded to include any adult living under 138% of the federal poverty level an income of $27,821 for a family of three in 2016. It's up to states to decide whether they want to participate. States that expanded Medicaid under the new ACA requirements received federal funds to do so. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia have chosen to participate, leading to more than 11 million new people nationwide gaining coverage, a number that continues to grow. The AHCA, however, features a significant rollback to the Medicaid expansion. Here's how: 1. The bill ends the government's commitment to providing funding for the expansion population, leaving it to states to provide funding if they so desire. The vast majority of expansion states do not have the funds to keep the program as is. 2. While expansion adults will be allowed to remain covered, states will no longer be able to enroll additional people under the expansion rules after 2020. Story continues medicaid poll The Congressional Budget Office on Monday released a report estimating that the changes would most likely result in a loss of 14 million people from the Medicaid rolls by 2026. That is not likely to be popular with the public or politicians in expansion states that will suffer the brunt of those coverage losses. For instance, 65% of Americans said Medicaid should continue largely as it exists today, despite Republican proposals to change the program, according to a tracking poll released late last month by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Governors in charge of expansion states, 16 of them Republican, have also been in favor of retaining the expansion. Many have acknowledged the program's importance to their states in recommendation letters solicited by Republican congressional leaders. Kasich has been the most vocal. As Kasich argued Sunday, the Medicaid expansion has provided healthcare to more than 700,000 people in Ohio alone, many of whom suffer from mental illnesses or substance-abuse disorders or have chronic diseases. The expansion has been a literal lifesaver for the state, which faces the brunt of the nation's opioid crisis. Ohio suffers the third-highest drug-overdose death rate in the US, with 29.9 deaths per 100,000 people, and it has seen an explosion in demand for substance-use treatment in recent years. The Medicaid expansion has provided substance-abuse treatment to 108,000 people. "Thank God we expanded Medicaid, because that Medicaid money is helping to rehab people," Kasich said last month after signing a bill targeting Ohio's opioid crisis. While Kasich stopped short of defending Obamacare as a whole on Sunday, he reiterated his unequivocal support for the Medicaid expansion. "Don't kill Medicaid expansion," Kasich told Todd. "Here's what we're talking about. If you're drug addicted, if you're mentally ill, you have to consistently see the doctor. From what I see in this House bill, the resources are not there." Ohio is far from the only state that would be affected. Of the 10 states with the highest drug-overdose death rates, only Tennessee and Utah opted out of the ACA's Medicaid expansion. About 1.29 million people in the US are receiving treatment for substance-use disorders or mental illnesses thanks to the Medicaid expansion, according to research conducted by Harvard Medical School health economics professor Richard Frank and New York University dean Sherry Glied. BI Graphics_Medicaid Expansion bi graphicsopioid death rates The changes to Medicaid funding and eligibility aren't the only ways the AHCA could affect the opioid crisis. The bill also proposes to eliminate "Essential Health Benefits" from certain Medicaid plans. Those are a series of services required to be in all health plans, one of which is treatment for mental illness and substance use. Before the ACA's implementation, mental-health and substance-use treatment tended to be "sparsely covered" by Medicaid providers, Frank told Business Insider. The loss in Medicaid funds resulting from the AHCA, combined with the elimination of those benefit requirements, would create a fraught choice for states. "The states then have a choice: They can continue to take on those responsibilities and pay for it out of their own budgets, or, if they are under pressure, they have to scale back," Frank told CNN. "Historically, states have been loath to cover substance-abuse treatment." If the AHCA does become law and the Medicaid expansion is phased out, then Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, among other states suffering the brunt of the opioid crisis, would be ill-suited to handle the loss in funds, government officials and treatment experts say. Pennsylvania was suffering a $600 million budget shortfall as of December that could reach $1.7 billion by July, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Republican State Rep. Gene DiGirolamo of Pennsylvania told Business Insider recently that there were "no extra dollars" to insure residents or provide addiction treatment to those who lose coverage because of an ACA repeal. The situation is equally dire in West Virginia. "I'm really, really worried about what's happening in Washington," DiGirolamo said. "And I say that as a Republican." Republicans in the expansion states have taken notice. On the same day House Republicans unveiled the AHCA bill, four Republican senators Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Cory Gardner of Colorado, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska released an open letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denouncing the possible overhaul of Medicaid. A group of Republican governors are reportedly working on a proposal that would preserve the Medicaid expansion while fulfilling other Republican objectives like cutting costs. With a vote as contentious and split down party lines as the AHCA will be, four Senate Republicans voting against the bill would most likely doom it. NOW WATCH: People on Twitter are mocking Trump's claim that his administration is a 'fined-tuned machine' More From Business Insider Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2017 -- Zion Research has published a new report titled "Aseptic Packaging (Bags & Pouches, Cartons, Vials & Ampoules, Pre-filled Syringes and Bottles & Cans) Market by Materials Used (Glass, Plastic, Paperboard and Metal) for Pharmaceutical, Food, Medical Applications, Beverages and other applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 2021". According to the report, global demand for aseptic packaging market was valued at over USD 38.25 billion in 2015, is expected to reach above USD 67.47 Billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of above 10.1% between 2016 and 2021. Aseptic packaging market can be defined as the packing the products into the sterile packs under the aseptic conditions and instantly sealing the products to prevent contamination. The product can be either sterilized or pre sterile. Aseptic packaging is mainly used for juices, dessert, drugs, puddings, dairy products, chemicals etc. The air present inside the packs are removed completely using vacuum machines as air can cause oxidation reactions which can lead to the spoilage of food. Request Sample Report: http://bit.ly/2dmvMnf Aseptic packaging market is driven by expanding dairy industry in the Asia Pacific and Brazil. As dairy products are prone to spoilage, and posses low shelf life, highly aseptic environment is required to maintain. Growing demand from the pharmaceutical sector stimulates the growth of aseptic packaging market. Surging beverage industry in the developing countries results in increase demand for aseptic packaging triggers the demand for the market. However, high initial cost with low packaging equipments may impede the penetration of aseptic packaging market. Nonetheless, ongoing research for technological advancement and rising demand from the emerging economies is likely to open new avenue for the aseptic packaging market in the near future. Based on type the aseptic packaging market can be segmented as bags & pouches, cartons, vials & ampoules, pre-filled syringes and bottles & cans. Bottle, cans, bags and pouches are the leading type segment due to easy handling, and availability with consumer preference towards cans and pouches. For the packaging, various materials are utilized some of those are glass, plastic, paperboard and metal. Mainly plastic and paperboard are used for packing of food and beverages. Increasing environmental concern the use of plastics and paper are restricted in some regions. Growing use of aseptic packaging in various end user industries is due to its numerous applications such as pharmaceutical, food, medical applications, beverages and other applications. Pharmaceutical is the dominating application segment owing to high aseptic conditions required for packaging of drugs and chemicals. Food and beverage emerged as the potential segment due to high demand for safe and healthy processed and packed food. Do Inquiry before buying: http://bit.ly/2deRkSj Asia Pacific is considered to be the most prominent market for aseptic packaging owing to rising consumer preference for processed food. Factors such as growing beverage and dairy industry across India and China and increased spending capacity over fast and junk food contributes to the high growth of market. Escalating pharmaceutical sector in U.S. is expected to show sharp rise in aseptic packaging in North America. Europe is likely to witness faster growth in the estimated period due to stern rules led by European government over the packaging and high demand for packed food. Latin America is anticipated to show sustainable growth owing to expanding dairy industry in Brazil. Middle East and Africa is projected to experience decent growth over the period due to change in lifestyle and increasing demand for processed and packed food. Dickinson & Company, Robert Bosch GmBH, Ecolean Packaging, Schott AG, Parish Manufacturing, Greatview Aseptic Packaging Co Ltd., Becton, Printpack, Tetra Laval, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Scholle Packaging, Amcor Limited and Reynolds Group Holdings among others are some of the key players in the aseptic packaging market. Browse the full "Aseptic Packaging (Bags & Pouches, Cartons, Vials & Ampoules, Pre-filled Syringes and Bottles & Cans) Market by Materials Used (Glass, Plastic, Paperboard and Metal) for Pharmaceutical, Food, Medical Applications, Beverages and other applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015 2021" report at http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/aseptic-packaging-market-z67404 This report segments the aseptic packaging market as follows: Aseptic Packaging Market: Type Segment Analysis Bags & pouches Cartons Vials & ampoules Pre-filled syringes Bottles & cans Aseptic Packaging Market: Material used Segment Analysis Glass Plastic Paperboard Metal Aseptic Packaging Market: Application Segment Analysis Pharmaceutical Food Medical applications Beverages Other Aseptic Packaging Market: Regional Segment Analysis North America US Europe Germany France UK Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil Middle East and Africa Similar Reports: Browse the full "Personal Care Packaging (Flexible Packaging, Rigid Plastics, Paper, Glass, Metal and Others) Market for Skin Care, Hair Care, Bath & Shower, Cosmetics and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2014 - 2020" report at www.marketresearchstore.com/report/personal-care-packaging-market-z38312 Browse the full "Essential Oil (Orange, Corn Mint, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Pepper Mint, Lemon, Clover Leaf, Lime, Spearmint) Market for Medical, Food & Beverage, Spa & Relaxation, Cleaning & Home, and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020" report at http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/essential-oil-market-z38554 Browse the full "Car Rental (Luxury Cars, Executive Cars, Economy Cars, SUV Cars, and MUV Cars) Market for Local Usage, Airport Transport, Outstation, and Other End-users: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2014 2020" report at http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/car-rental-market-z39067 About Zion Research Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Contact US: Joel John 3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138 Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442 United States Toll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA) Tel: +1-386-310-3803 Email: sales@marketresearchstore.com Website: http://www.marketresearchstore.com Centerville, UT -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2017 -- 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 Centerville, UTAH General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Introduces New Geneology Resource Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.rich.goodchocolateblog.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 The End of the Mayflower: "Mayflower's End," by Mike Haywood. The Mayflower returned to England from Plymouth Colony, arriving back on 9 May 1621. Christopher Jones took the ship out on a trading voyage to Rochelle, France, in October 1621, returning with a cargo of Bay salt. Christopher Jones, master and quarter-owner of the Mayflower, died and was buried at Rotherhithe, co. Surrey, England, on 5 March 1621/2. No further record of the Mayflower is found until May 1624, when it was appraised for the purposes of probate and was described as being in ruins. The ship was almost certainly sold off as scrap. The claim, first originating from J. Rendel Harris' book The Finding of the Mayflower (1920), that the Mayflower ended up as a barn in Jordans, England, is now widely discredited as being a figment of an overzealous imagination on the tercentenary anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage, combined with a tainted oral history. None of the evidence has withstood subsequent investigation. Regardless of the lack of evidence for its authenticity, it has been featured in National Geographic on several occasions and is a tourist destination. It is important to realize that in 1624, when the ship was scrapped, it was not at all famous, and nobody would have thought twice about letting it rot away. 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 Chandler, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2017 -- 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 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. The End of the Mayflower: "Mayflower's End," by Mike Haywood. The Mayflower returned to England from Plymouth Colony, arriving back on 9 May 1621. Christopher Jones took the ship out on a trading voyage to Rochelle, France, in October 1621, returning with a cargo of Bay salt. Christopher Jones, master and quarter-owner of the Mayflower, died and was buried at Rotherhithe, co. Surrey, England, on 5 March 1621/2. No further record of the Mayflower is found until May 1624, when it was appraised for the purposes of probate and was described as being in ruins. The ship was almost certainly sold off as scrap. The claim, first originating from J. Rendel Harris' book The Finding of the Mayflower (1920), that the Mayflower ended up as a barn in Jordans, England, is now widely discredited as being a figment of an overzealous imagination on the tercentenary anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage, combined with a tainted oral history. None of the evidence has withstood subsequent investigation. Regardless of the lack of evidence for its authenticity, it has been featured in National Geographic on several occasions and is a tourist destination. It is important to realize that in 1624, when the ship was scrapped, it was not at all famous, and nobody would have thought twice about letting it rot away. Chandler, AZ General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Reveals New Geneology Resource Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.rich.goodchocolateblog.com/ 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 Pune, Mahrashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2017 -- The report entitled Global Large Caliber Ammunition Market 2017 presents key insights into the global Large Caliber Ammunition market along with the latest up-to-date industry details and forthcoming Large Caliber Ammunition industry trends, which will assist the readers to focus on product specification and end users driving the overall market revenue and profitability. Report Keynotes: The main motive of the report on "Global Large Caliber Ammunition Market 2017" is to study comprehensive details of the market investors, key industry players which will enable them to make vital decisions in regards to Large Caliber Ammunition growth opportunities and future investment scope. 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The global Large Caliber Ammunition market covers major continents. Region wise Analysis of Large Caliber Ammunition Market: 1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) 2 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea) 3 Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc. 4 South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina) 5 Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia) The global Large Caliber Ammunition market has been segmentized into two parts product and application. Product Segment Analysis of Large Caliber Ammunition Market: 1 Large Caliber Ammunition (40-110 mm) 2 Large Caliber Ammunition (115-125 mm) 3 Large Caliber Ammunition (130-155 mm) Application Segment Analysis of Large Caliber Ammunition Market: 1 Rocket-Propelled Grenade 2 Tank 3 Naval Gun 4 Others Finally, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global Large Caliber Ammunition market, offering market size and estimates for the period from 2016 to 2021, keeping in mind the above mentioned factors. Pune, Mahrashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/13/2017 -- The report entitled Global Liquid Density Meter Market 2017 presents key insights into the global Liquid Density Meter market along with the latest up-to-date industry details and forthcoming Liquid Density Meter industry trends, which will assist the readers to focus on product specification and end users driving the overall market revenue and profitability. Report Keynotes: The main motive of the report on "Global Liquid Density Meter Market 2017" is to study comprehensive details of the market investors, key industry players which will enable them to make vital decisions in regards to Liquid Density Meter growth opportunities and future investment scope. This report highlights the prominent industry competitors and provides the deep analysis of the major factors influencing the market. The report also covers the forecasts market study related to industry trends, market volume, market share estimates and company profiles of top industry players. Do Inquiry Before Buying Report Here: https://market.biz/report/2017-top-5-liquid-density-meter-market-lpi/39270/#inquiry Dominant Liquid Density Meter market players: 1 Anton Paar 2 KEM Electronics 3 Mettler-Toledo 4 Rudolph 5 Alfa Mirage 6 Emerson 7 Thermo Scientific 8 Krohne 9 Berthold 10 PAC 11 Integrated Sensing Systems 12 Lemis Process 13 Analytical Flow Technologies 14 Kruess 15 Bopp&Reuther Messtechnik 16 Doho Meter 17 Hangzhou?Jinmai 18 Kebeida 19 Sincerity 20 Yunnan Keli Get Sample Copy Of Report Here: https://market.biz/report/2017-top-5-liquid-density-meter-market-lpi/39270/#requestforsample This Report examines the global Liquid Density Meter market concerning product type, application service, client and geography. The global Liquid Density Meter market covers major continents. Region wise Analysis of Liquid Density Meter Market: 1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) 2 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea) 3 Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc. 4 South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina) 5 Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia) The global Liquid Density Meter market has been segmentized into two parts product and application. Product Segment Analysis of Liquid Density Meter Market: 1 Inline Liquid Density Meter 2 Desktop Liquid Density Meter Application Segment Analysis of Liquid Density Meter Market: 1 Chemical and petrochemical 2 Beverage 3 Pharmaceutical 4 Others Finally, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global Liquid Density Meter market, offering market size and estimates for the period from 2016 to 2021, keeping in mind the above mentioned factors. [ABUJA, NIGERIA] If scientists, farmers and policy makers could consistently work together, Africa will achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production in the very near future. That was one of the central themes at a meeting convened in Nigeria recently to discuss wheat matters, including presentations of various studies. From the participants at the 4-day international wheat conference of the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) Project held in Abuja, Nigeria, 27 February to 2 March, it was quite clear to me that wheat is becoming a major staple on the continent. It is an important source for vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, vitamin B, folic acid, antioxidants and phytochemicals. These nutrients can help prevent many of the chronic diseases plaguing Africa, where the disease burden is great and overstretching the health infrastructures. Growing the crop, I gathered from the meeting, has faced various challenges but in recent years, scientists working on the project including those at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture have been able to breed wheat varieties that are adaptable various African agroecological conditions, early maturing, pest and disease resistant as well as heat tolerant and thus ensuring farmers produced about five tons per hectare against 1.2 tons previously. In order to sustain the growing appetite for wheat products on the continent, various African governments, especially those in west, east, central and southern regions, started interventions aimed at scaling up the production of the crop. In Nigeria, for instance, the government set up a task force on wheat and rice to ensure self-sufficiency, import substitution and allowing farmers to benefit from research on the crop. Already, farmers in Nigeria have been able to upscale production leading to over 400,000 metric tons against 100,000mt previously. Nigeria is not alone in the drive to increase wheat production and make it compete with other staples on the continent. In Zimbabwe, I learnt from the conference, wheat is the second most consumed staple after maize while in Tanzania it is the third most important crop after rice and maize with the country currently spending US$225 million annually on its importation.Speaking at the conference Audu Ogbe, Nigeria minister of agriculture who was represented by Olumuyiwa Omsibawu Azez, acknowledged that the SARD-SC project had assisted Nigeria in building the capacity of scientists to breed wheat varieties that transformed the production of the crop in the country.Dumisani Kutiwayo, the project leader in Zimbabwe says that scientists in Africa have demonstrated the capacity to ensure that the continent can be self-sufficient in wheat production in the shortest possible time.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. Massive beasts like mammoth, mastodon and saber-toothed tiger suddenly vanished around 10,000 BC together with Clovis people at the end of the last ice age - nobody knows why. A Recent discovery of platinum in large quantity across US archeological sites stir a possible explanation to this mystery. Platinum is an element that has a strong connection with cosmic matters like asteroids. Science has long accepted the idea that there was a sudden drop in temperature 12,800 years ago that spanned for the next 1,400 years. This event is called the Younger-Dryas period which coincides with the extinction of Clovis people and the age of massive beasts. However, it baffles scientists because no one can conclude the trigger behind Younger-Dryas. Since Harvard University found a large deposit of platinum in an ice core from Greenland in 2013, scientists began linking it with Younger-Dryas. The theory of an extraterrestrial impact is now gaining a foothold after soil layers in Arizona, California, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia revealed platinum in soils. Lead author Christopher Moore discussed in a research published in Scientific Reports that widespread platinum is an anomaly. He said that they expect this anomaly to serve as a time marker to date and correlate archaeological, paleontological and paleoenvironmental data. What could benefit from this discovery are those with limited age control and can't really put their findings in an archaeological timeline. Science Daily reported that Moore stressed the connection between an asteroid impact and extinction of the Clovis people together with 35 species of massive ice-age animals. Ironically, a similar event happened 65 million years ago and caused the extinction of dinosaurs. The second cosmic impact is known as the Cretaceous-Tertiary period. To recall, there is also a well-studied phenomenon where scientists found another cosmic matter iridium. Moore explained that both platinum and iridium cases resulted to the atmospheric fallout of rare elements. About the issue of missing impact crater, Moore suggests that the large cosmic object might have struck an ice-sheet or have exploded in the atmosphere. The green sea turtle named Bank is getting recovered after a major life-saving surgery. She has swallowed a huge amount of coins and carrying a heavy mass inside her stomach. Now, she has become fit enough to flap her flippers with vigor. On Friday, after four days of her surgery veterinarians of Bangkok first set the turtle free in water to observe how well she could move. According to Deccan Chronicle, surgeons kept the turtle in a large plastic tank. She began swimming very quickly as best as she could in the very restricted space. A lead surgeon from Chulalongkorn University's Veterinary Faculty, Dr. Nantarika Chansue said in a statement,It's fantastic! She is responding very well. Now she is very happy and looks like normal turtle. Thanks to Thai Navy, they first found the 25 years old turtle in this condition and rescued from a pool in the seaside town of Sri Racha. The Nation reported that surgeons used the 3D scanner to diagnose her problem and the result was shocking, She was carrying a huge amount of coins inside her tummy. Doctors explained that she had become the victim of superstition, peoples in Thailand throw coins toward turtles for good luck but that coin brought bad luck for her. Those coins were stuck inside the digestive tract of the turtle. The ventral shell of the turtle started cracking and the infection was spreading when Thai Navy found her. It took four hours of operation to remove all of the money from her stomach. Surgeons found total 915 coins of different currencies and the total weight of those coins were about 11 Pounds(~5 Kilograms). the turtle is still under medical treatment because doctors found a high amount of nickel contamination in her blood. Dr.Chansue also added that the wounds are quickly recovering and there are no secondary infections as they kept them in sterile saltwater. Malware-infected Android smartphones are lurking within the supply chain as per a recent blog post from Check Point Software Technologies researcher named Oren Koriat. Reportedly, the malware is found among several mobile devices by some of the most popular smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, ZTE, Oppo, Vivo, Asus and Lenovo. What's interesting in the malware-infected Android smartphones is the location of its malicious software. Koriat's blog revealed that the infection is not located in the original vendor's ROM. For this reason, it can be reckoned that the malware was injected into the mobile devices within the supply chain. This means that the said malware-infected Android smartphones already contain the infectious app just before customers get their hands on the mobile phones. Additionally, the blog also claimed that six among the 38 infected phones had a malware installed using system privileges. So, what does this imply? As pointed out by a report from Tech Times, such malicious apps installed with system privileges cannot be removed by owners solely. That's because uninstalling this kind of malware requires a re-flashing of the smartphone. Seemingly, users must seek technical help to rid their devices of the malware. Meanwhile, Check Point claimed that the malware includes information stealers such as Sloker and Loki. These dangerous apps are known to steal important information that can be used to rob users. However, the San Carlos, California-based cybersecurity firm did not reveal the company names where the 38 infected devices belonged. What they confirmed is that these mobile phones were from a "large telecommunications company" and "a multinational technology company," reportedly. However, it remains to be seen whether both companies are the main targets of the people behind the malware installation. Further investigation is necessary to figure out if this is only a beginning of a bigger threat to Android phone users. As it seems, one can conclude that avoiding suspicious links and apps is no longer enough to stay away from viruses because of the discovery of the recent malware-infected Android smartphones. But as pointed out by WLWT News, direct purchases from legitimate and verified vendors may decrease the risk of getting your hands on an infected device. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts by dropping a comment below! The U.S. government wants NASA to get humanity to planet Mars by 2030s. The Congress has just passed the authorization bill referred to as the NASA Authorization Act of 2017, which sanctioned the space agency for a $19.5 billion spending. The 2017 Act put emphasis for the space agency to get humans on the surface of Mars in 2030s. This is more likely to be approved into law by the presidency because probably there will be no opposition to the bill from the administration. The bill also provides NASA to create a long-term medical monitoring of the past astronauts. It also includes policy provisions guiding the undertakings of NASA, according to Space News. The Congress stated that this goal needs "early strategic planning and timely decision." It asked NASA to create an initial human exploration roadmap that the space agency needs to submit before Dec. 1, 2017, according to Futurism. The bill expounding about the roadmap stated that it is the sense of the Congress that expanding human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and advancing toward human missions to Mars in the 2030s needs early strategic planning and timely decisions to materialize in the near-term on the essential plans of action for commitments to attain short-term and long-term goals and objectives. The Congress also asserts that Mars is suitable for human space flight program. It is also eyeing the Moon that would likely be a stopover in 2020 if the plans will pursue. Meanwhile, Mary Lynne Dittmar, the executive director of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, said that the approval of the NASA Transition Authorization Act by Congress sends an explicit message to the American people and the international partners that the nation remains committed to NASA's space exploration program. She further said that this new authorization will impart the framework for unrelenting advancement towards these national commitments. Guam is plagued with millions of brown tree snakes. With this, it has devastating effects on the nation's bird populations and forests. About 90 percent of new trees may have fallen and a loss of 10 of Guam's 12 native bird populations with the outbreak of snakes on the said island, which is located between Australia and Japan. Diane Vice, the wildlife supervisor of Guam Department of Agriculture, said that the brown tree snakes have affected Guam's environment in a huge way. She added that Guam Department of Agriculture facilitates captive bird breeding that propagates the said birds to release them into the wild, as noted by KUAM. She further said it is an effort to preserve Guam's native birds including the Micronesian kingfisher and the Guam rail, two of some of the most endangered birds in the world. The diminishing bird populations in Guam has an adverse effect on the surrounding tree populations, too. Researcher Haldre Rogers from the University of Colorado discovered that only fewer than 10 percent of the seeds they scattered throughout the forest on Guam and nearby islands made it to the immediate vicinity of their parent tree. On the other hand, on the snake-free islands, it could reach to about 60 percent of the seeds, according to Science Alert. The reduction of the tree populations is expected to drop between 61 percent and 92 percent in new forest growth. Another damage caused by this plague of snakes on the said island is the shorting out electrical systems that reach to about US$4.5 million for more than seven years now. Meanwhile, Vice is hopeful for solutions that would keep native species flourish. She said that she does not think that Guam's native species will go extinct because there are efforts to maintain those, just like they have efforts with the Guam rail bird. On the other hand, she further said that the limestone forest is now extremely endangered. She is still hoping for other efforts such as the new mice drop capability that could reduce, control and prevent the spread of the snakes to other islands. Scott Pruitt, the newly appointed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, recently said he does not believe that carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming. Scott Pruitt told Squawk Box that measuring human activity on climate is challenging to do. He further added that he does not agree that CO2 is a primary contributor to global warming. This stance, as noted, contradicts to the public stance of the EPA, which stated on its webpage that "Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas that is contributing to the recent climate change." Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii and co-chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force then slammed Pruitt for his comments. He said that his views are "extreme" and "irresponsible." He also said that the Senate needs to stand up to Pruitt and his views, as these are very "dangerous." However, TIME noted that Scott Pruitt's denial of climate science also had him breaking promises over the last months. These include recognizing climate reality, standing up for science, fighting all forms of pollution, enforcing clean air and water rules, and being consistent on states' rights. The news site also noted that the EPA has made the U.S. a cleaner and healthier place since it was established in the 1970s. The Clean Air Act alone saves at least 220,000 American lives a year and prevents 2.4 million asthma attacks. Democrats and environmentalists opposed Scott Pruiit's nomination for the EPA chief in the first place due to his relationship with fossil fuel companies. However, he maintaned in his statement that it is possible to be pro-growth, pro-jobs and pro-environment. "This idea that if you're pro-environment you're anti-energy is just something we've got to change so that attitude is something we're working on very much," he shared. Among his other "anti-environment" statements also included his calling the Paris Agreement a "bad deal." It is because it puts the U.S. on a different playing field than on developing countries including India and China. The Tomb of Biblical Queen Esther and her uncle, Mordechai, which is in Hamadan, Iran, is still displayed and considered the most significant pilgrimage site for Jews in the country. On the other hand, it is theorized that it has been destroyed in the 14th century by the Mongol invaders. The Tomb consists of an outer and inner chamber topped with a dome about 50 feet (15 meters) high. The dome had been accented with blue tiles, yet some had already broken. Some worthy Jews were buried in the outer chamber. The burial site is situated in the city of Hamadan, which is about 200 miles (322 kilometers) west of Tehran. The city is considered the Biblical city of Shushan, which is the capital of ancient Persia. Also, it is the location of the story of Purim, which is an annual feast in memory of the Jews' deliverance. Esther was a Hebrew woman, who was chosen by Persian King Ahasuerus to be his Queen to replace the unruly Queen Vashti, who refused to appear when called by the King to display her beauty to him and to his guest. Mordechai was the uncle of Queen Esther, who became the chief minister of Ahasuerus and lived in Susa, the capital of Persia. Haman, the grand vizier, and the Agagite wanted to kill Mordechai and other Jews. Esther then accused Haman of the plot to destroy her people. She told the king, and he ordered Haman to be hanged on the gallows, which was supposed to be for Mordechai, and confiscated his property and granted them on the premeditated victim. Then, the king made Mordechai his prime minister. Meanwhile, Breaking Israel News reports that the burial site, which commemorates the Jewish heroes, is proudly displayed in the country as some would assume that it might be hidden away or in danger. It is known by all and the Persian Jews visit the tomb yearly to read the Book of Esther written in the Bible. Annika Hernroth-Rothstein, a Swedish political adviser, writer and an activist, who visited the tomb last year, was surprised to see that the burial site was not neglected or abused. She described the tomb as prominent, very accessible and very well kept. "The Jews are very proud of the site as part of their 2,700-year history in Iran," Hernroth-Rothstein said. She added that they are not free, but neither are they persecuted. Ever since NASA confirmed the discovery of seven Earth-like planets in the TRAPPIST 1 system, scientists across the globe are trying to study the various aspects of these newfound dwarf star and its orbiting planets. While NASA is keeping a close watch on the star itself, primarily with the help of the Kepler space telescope, it seems NASA is also encouraging other civilian scientists to join in. The knowledge of common public and scientists not working in NASA, regarding the TRAPPIST-1 system is limited to the theoretical information and animated representations of the star system. However, many experts believe that access to raw data (at least some of it) could significantly help in igniting common interest and planning of future exploration projects. Going down the lane, NASA has released the pixelated raw data of the Kepler space telescope's view of the TRAPPIST-1 star, Zee News reported. On Feb. 22, the Kepler space telescope captured an up-close view of the TRAPPIST-1 star and not so clear image of its orbiting exoplanets. The only hint of the exoplanets is the slight decrease in the brightness of the star, when an exoplanet crosses it. The American space agency proposes that orbiting planets obstruct the passage of a tiny fraction of the total amount of light emitted by the star, which can only be observed with the help of a highly powerful space telescope. Geert Barentsen, NASA K2 scientist, said, "Providing the K2 raw data as quickly as possible was a priority to give investigators an early look so they could best define their follow-up research plans." According to Futurism, the access to such highly refined data will help in the conceptualization of new research programs that can help in improving human's present understanding of the basic principles that govern the existence of stars and solar systems. Nonetheless, the data will help in improving mankind's understanding of these Earth like exoplanets and find out how much similar or dissimilar they are from Earth. Speaking in behalf of the NASA officials, Barentsen commented, "We're thrilled that this will also allow the public to witness the process of discovery." After ten years working at the same company, Debra Woodfork is planning a four-week sabbatical in May. The design manager at an association for corporate in-house lawyers in Washington plans to take her first international trip to Japan. And to make sure she comes back refreshed, her employer is taking the extra step of suspending her work email account. While she is excited to soak up Japanese culture, and indulge her "obsession" with matcha green tea, Woodfork said leaving her inbox unchecked may be difficult. "Sometimes I do it so much, I don't even know I am doing it," she said. No-email vacation policies are one way employers are dealing with the stress of the modern workplace, where technology allows people to field work emails late into the night and first thing in the morning when they roll out of bed. For managers trying to address the creeping issue of overwork, vacation is a good place to start setting boundaries, said Cassidy Solis, workplace flexibility program specialist at the Society for Human Resource Management. While the work day is often blurred, a vacation is well-defined, as in "I need off the week of March 1," Solis said. Solis' organization recognized Association of Corporate Counsel with its most recent "When Work Works" award for employers that stand out for promoting work-life balance. It also honored Creative Plan Designs, a retirement consulting firm in East Meadow, New York, that automatically forwards emails to another employee for staff members on vacation, and Olark, a San Francisco-based technology company that gives a $1,000 bonus to employees who take at least five days of vacation without checking in online and share vacation photos when they return. "We try to give some positive reinforcement, so they understand it's okay to take this break," said Karl Pawlewicz, an Olark spokesman based in Brooklyn. Pawlewicz spoke from his vacation in Quebec, where he said he bent the rules to correspond with a reporter. But said he also had time to do "a bunch of awesome stuff," such as visit his nephews, stay in "a castle-like place in Quebec City," and enjoy the "Canadian version of bowling." He also took "a couple naps here and there," he said. Studies show that taking time off from work -- and work-related email -- lowers levels of fatigue and job burnout. Employees who come back rested tend to perform better at solving problems and other creative tasks. Such policies are also a recruitment tool and encourage retention, employers say. Some European companies have been leaders in restricting email use outside of working hours. Germany-based automaker Daimler allows employees to set their email accounts to auto-delete while they are on vacation. And Volkswagon, also based in Germany, programs its servers to stop sending emails to some employees after-hours. Starting in January, a new French law gave employees nationwide "the right to disconnect." The law requires companies with 50 or more employees to devise a policy that prevents office emails from encroaching on leisure time. One proposal is to stop work emails after 6 p.m. The law followed a French study about the affliction of "info-obesity"that detailed health effects such as sleeplessness that stem from chronic reliance on technology. A separate 2014 study from the University of British Columbia found that people who frequently check email throughout the day experience higher levels of stress and tension, as they constantly shift their attention between tasks and rearrange priorities. Reactions to France's new policy have been mixed, with even advocates for family-friendly work environments urging caution and saying that a no-email after hours policy is not the answer for a lot of employees. Many people have colleagues in different time zones. And many value the flexibility to work nights or weekends if it means they have some freedom during a typical work day. "Edicts alone won't solve the problem of overwork," said Ellen Ernst Kossek, a professor at the Purdue University Krannert School of Management who said her research shows that people want to work at different times and different ways depending on their habits and personal lives. "We have to teach people to have healthy email behaviors," she said. That could include employees and employers talking about what is a reasonable response time for email, for example, and what is appropriate time to send emails. "It's not good to send email in the middle of the night," she said. Veta Richardson, president and chief executive at the Association of Corporate Counsel, said unplugging from work completely for a few weeks helped her at a critical time in her life. Her mother died in 2010, while she was working as a chief executive at another organization. In her grief, she and her sister boarded a plane for a three-week trip to India. She told her staff she would not be checking email. When she came back she felt rejuvenated, she said. "I learned it does not matter what position you hold, things can be handled when you are not here," she said. "It's a lesson I have never forgotten." She unplugged again when she started her job at the counsel a year later, with a three week trip to China. Then she made the benefit available to her staff of more than 80 people. "We told staff you should not feel the need to keep up with email while you are on leave or the need to come back to an overwhelming inbox," she said. Among those on her staff who have taken advantage of it: Joshua Shields, an associate editor for the counsel's monthly magazine, went to Uruguay last year on a vacation. On the first day, he surprised his girlfriend by driving to the beach and proposing to her, he said. Catherine Moynihan, senior director of legal management services, was among the first to unplug during a two-week trip to Australia with her family. She did so under some duress from Richardson. "It's hard to let go for some of us who take a lot of ownership and are tied up in our jobs," she said. For her it meant dropping that one hour a day of email maintenance that allowed her to keep tabs on things while she was gone, she said. "I was definitely twitchy for a while," she said. "I realized I had this physical reflex while waiting in a line or that pause in a conversation before picking up the book." Instead she went scuba diving, visited friends in Melbourne, and saw some kangaroos. "It allowed me to really forget about work, not have it be in my dreams and in my night wakings," she said. The conference room at the counsel's office features a wall full of glossy travel photos taken by staff members over the past 15 years. There are pictures from Arches National Park in Utah and Victoria Falls in Zambia and a flea market in Beijing. Tiffani Alexander, editor in chief of the association's magazine, is also planning a month-long sabbatical this summer after 10 years at the association. She plans to go to Greece and learn more about ancient history. "I want to go to Athens and stand where Cleopatra stood," she said. Then she plans to sit in her home office and work on her own historical novel. As the editor in chief, turning over the reigns completely is something she has never tried to do, but she said she trusts her co-workers, and she's ready to try. "I feel like the sky won't fall," she said. UPDATED: to include those arrested and an upcoming community meeting in Hartsville on Monday, March 20. HARTSVILLE Darlington County law enforcement officials have said there is a connection with a pair of drive-by shootings earlier in the month and a pair of arrests late last week that yielded guns, drugs and gang literature. A community meeting of elected officials and law enforcement personnel has been announced for Monday of next week, but no one has announced an agenda, only a public service announcement was sent out Tuesday. State Senator Gerald Malloy, who represents Hartsville and Darlington County, released this short statement. Due to recent tragic events in Hartsville and Darlington County, I find it necessary to call a meeting for community leaders and local law enforcement to encourage open conversation and community awareness, he said. This meeting will be held on March 20, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in the Jerusalem Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. For further information, please contact my office at 843-339-3000, he said. On Monday, the Darlington County Sheriffs office released this information. The Darlington County Sheriffs office along with the Hartsville Police Department, the Chesterfield County Sheriffs Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division conducted a joint operation in the Hartsville area of Darlington County on the nights of March 9 and March 11 in response to recent shootings. The joint operation included agents saturating high crime areas, surveillance and the service of a search warrant in the 400 block of Marlboro Avenue in Hartsville. As a result of the joint operation on both nights a total of five firearms were seized including one high powered rifle, according to the release. Three individuals were charged with unlawful carry of a handgun. One individual was charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Thirteen individuals were charged with possession of drugs including marijuana, crack cocaine, and meth. Seven individuals were charged with drug distribution. Other charges included public disorderly conduct, trespassing, driving under suspension and unlawful liquor sales. Three bench warrants and two outstanding warrants were served. Also, gang literature and gang paraphernalia was found. Arrested and charged were: Gregory Lamont Benjamin, age 31, of Hartsville is being held on a $10,000 cash or surety bond for assault and battery 1st and a $300 personal recognizance bond for public disorderly conduct. Larry Lee Blakney, age 36, of Hartsville is being held on a $5,000 cash or surety bond for possession of crack. Ryan Deveaurux Pierce, age 28, of Hartsville is being held on a family court bench warrant, two counts of distribution of marijuana, two counts distribution of marijuana within proximity of a school, and possession with intent to distribute Marijuana. Bond hearing is pending. Frederick Blue, age 30, of Hartsville was released on a $1,500 bond for unlawful carry of a handgun. William Chad Brigman, age 38, of Patrick was released on a $2,500 bond for possession of methamphetamine, personal recognizance bond for driving under suspension. Terence Ford, age 41, of Hartsville was released on a $1,500 bond for unlawful carry of a handgun. Luther McCoy Jones, age 33, of Hartsville was released on a personal recognizance bond for the unlawful sale of liquor. Matthew Matron Plight, age 23, of Hartsville was released on a $3,262 bond for two outstanding warrants for shoplifting and one outstanding warrant for possession of stolen goods. Darius Tyquan Reed, age 22, of Hartsville was released on a $20,000 bond for outstanding warrants for Domestic Violence 2nd warrant, Petit Larceny warrant a Family Court Bench Warrant. The investigation into the two shootings is ongoing. The Darlington County Sheriffs Office, Hartsville Police Department, Chesterfield County Sheriffs Office and SLED will continue to conduct joint operations. If you have any information regarding recent shootings you are asked to immediately contact Darlington County Sheriffs Investigators at (843) 398-4501 or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at 1-888-CRIME-SC or text tip number 274637 (CRIMES). You do not have to reveal your identity to leave information. Whether the students know it or not, the protests that recently turned violent at Middlebury College over an appearance by conservative scholar Charles Murray ironically and deplorably demonstrated the national social crack-up that Murray has been writing about. Murray's 2012 best-seller, "Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010," presciently described the emerging socioeconomic divide that, among other developments, led to the unexpected rise of President Donald Trump. Since the 1950s, Murray argued, Americans have been coming apart along educational and economic lines. Americans with more than a high school education or skill level have become increasingly isolated from the less well off they are all living in tribal and cultural bubbles, and the trend is tearing our social fabric apart. I called "Coming Apart" the most important book of 2012, and I was not alone. Many of Murray's revelations have become common knowledge. For those with fewer skills, as he pointed out, wages have stagnated, jobs have automated or moved overseas, marriage rates have plummeted and opiate overdose rates have soared. In many ways, these were the "forgotten Americans" to whom Trump said, "I am your voice." But that wasn't the book that aroused the Middlebury mob that disrupted Murray and left one professor injured. The protestors and 58 faculty members who signed a petition were upset that Murray had co-authored "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life." I, too, didn't care much for that explosive 1994 best-seller. Co-authored with psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein, it set the stage for "Coming Apart" with its argument that a high-intelligence "cognitive elite" was rising and separating from those with less intelligence. But it also argued that IQ tests are a better measure of human intelligence than numerous other experts believe, that intelligence is largely the result of inherited traits and that there is not much government can do to improve the outlook of people who are born less gifted cognitively than others. I objected to that book because I thought the authors were too quick to pin poverty, crime, welfare dependency, unwed pregnancies and a host of other social dysfunctions on low IQ and too reluctant to account for countless other cultural, familial and environmental factors. But, as much as I hated "The Bell Curve," I thought Murray redeemed himself with his 2012 work, "Coming Apart." This time, as he wrote in the introduction, he avoided racial suspicions by focusing purely on white Americans, a group that has been struggling increasingly over the past half-century with the same growing income inequality, family breakdown, drug addiction and other social disorder that has too often been identified solely with the black underclass. As opiate addiction rates have soared among displaced working-class whites in such previously unlikely places as Vermont and small-town Ohio, some of us cannot help but notice the increased interest in treating addiction as a disease, not a crime, as it usually was when the crack epidemic ravaged low-income black neighborhoods in the 1980s and '90s. What a difference perceptions can make on public action. That's why I, as a liberal African-American, was thankful to see "Coming Apart" confirm an argument I had been making for years: Poverty, despite some media-driven perceptions, is not an issue for minorities only. Unfortunately, the "cognitive elite," as Murray calls us, his fellow members of the college-educated classes, have become increasingly distanced and alienated from those who have not benefitted from an economy that rewards brains over muscle. As a result, the elite's isolation grows and deepens as we pull back into our "bubbles" of self-interest and tribal loyalties. That's why many of us received a jolting wake-up call on election night with Trump's upset victory. He's not the best messenger for the woes of economically struggling Americans, but he found the right message to win their votes. Now, as Republicans struggle to find a way to replace Obamacare with "something terrific," as Trump promised, Grand Old Party leaders are surprised to find how divided they are over values and ideas within their own party. Bubbles everywhere. That, too, offers a lesson to today's students. If you want to succeed in the next America, get out of your bubbles. The world outside needs you. Email Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Legendary indie band Happy Mondays are set to perform in Scunthorpe. The Manchester band, featuring Bez and Shaun Ryder, will play at the Baths Hall on November 29 as part of a 25-date tour of the UK and Ireland. Their Twenty Four Hour Party People Greatest Hits Tour announcement comes on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Happy Mondays debut album Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) Frontman Shaun Ryder said: "I am really looking forward to the Mondays shows leading up to Christmas 2017. "We're performing better than ever and I love getting together with the band, blasting out all our great tunes we've made together over the decades. It's gonna be great." Bez, the groups dancer and percussionist, added: "Just as I thought it was all over, the party's starting again. Look forward to seeing you all." The tour will begin on Tuesday, November 14 at Bristols O2 Academy and will end on Saturday, December 23 at the O2 Academy in Glasgow. Tickets are set to go on sale this Friday (March 17) at 10am here. Hai Jiang 1401, a special purpose vehicle fully controlled by ICBC Financial Leasing, issued a notice of termination dated 9 March to vessel charterer Lewek Champion Shipping, wholly-owned by EOL, to terminate the agreement. The vessel owner alleged that Lewek Champion Shipping has defaulted on payment of $1.58m under the bareboat charter as part of the sale and leaseback agreement entered into in February 2014. The purchase price of the vessel under the 2014 agreement was $200m. The vessel Lewek Champion was arrested and detained by Huisman Equipment BV in Xiamen, China since 18 February. The owner also made a claim to the company, as guarantor to the bareboat charter, and demanded a payment of the termination sum of an aggregate $194,499,500 within 15 business days from the date of the notice of termination, Singapore-listed Ezra stated. The sale and leaseback arrangement had stipulated a vessel charter period of 120 months, and mentioned that the bareboat charterparty is a hell and high water charterparty. A sub-charterparty on terms largely mirroring the Lewek Champion bareboat charter was also entered into with EMAS-AMC as the sub-lessee. EMAS-AMC is wholly-owned by EMAS Chiyoda Subsea (ECS), which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 28 February. Ezra is already facing claims made by the solicitors of VT Halter Marine (VTH) and Forland Subsea of $3.21m and $3.1m respectively. In both cases, Ezra is the guarantor for its joint venture firm ECS. Under the terms of the settlement Seadrill will receive a cash payment of $170m, while as part of the settlement the rig was purchased by another John Fredriksen company Seatankers. The West Mira was ordered by Seadrill in May 2012 and was due for delivery by 31 December 2014. In October 2015 the company cancelled the rig at HSHI due to late delivery and said it was looking to recoup $168m in installments plus interest. Arbitration proceedings began in October 2015 following the cancellation of the construction contract for the West Mira and were expected to conclude during the first half of 2018. This settlement agreement brings an early conclusion to the arbitration process, Seadrill said. It will take a $44m non-cash impairment for the difference to the carrying value of the rig. New owner Seatankers will not engage in drilling activities in competition with Seadrill which expects to undertake its commercial and operational management. The West Mira was originally slated for a five year charter with Husky Oil Operations in Canada. The refinancing exercise saw the profile of Vallianzs borrowings with the lenders restructured to a repayment term of 8.2 years from 5.8 years previously, and the maturity of these borrowings extended to December 2022. In return, Vallianz will grant the lenders a shared security package over the shares of certain subsidiaries and certain fixed assets of the group. The completion of the debt restructuring exercise will result in a deferment of the repayment of the principal amount of borrowings owing from Vallianz, accordingly relieving the groups cash flow by $103.5m in the next two years. The group is appreciative of the support given by the lenders, especially during this difficult period facing the offshore oil and gas industry. The successful completion of the debt restructuring exercise will better position the group to withstand the market slowdown and move forward on a stronger financial footing, said Ling Yong Wah, ceo of Vallianz. Saudi Arabia-based Rawabi Holding Company, controlling shareholder of Vallianz, has also expressed gratitude to the lenders. The lenders consent to the debt structuring exercise reflects their confidence in the groups ability to weather the current difficult market conditions, said Sheikh Abdulaziz AlTurki, group chairman of Rawabi. Singapore-listed Vallianz had posted a 2016 profit of $13.81m, down 20.9% year-on-year amid an offshore industry marked by intense competition, downward pressure on charter rates and low vessel utilisation. Nearly a year ago, scientists at Hadassah Hebrew Hospital in Jerusalem were carrying out tests on a 46-year-old man with temporal lobe epilepsy, when he began chanting prayers. He then got up and marched around the hospital, telling people, "God has sent me to you." Readings from an electroencephalogram revealed a spike in activity in his left prefrontal cortex, which has been linked to religious experiences, just prior to the incident. Indeed, epileptic patients have been known to report detailed religious experiences, and numerous studies on the topic suggest that spiritual processes can change with different neurological conditions. This notion inspired researchers at Missouri University to dive deeper into the connection between epilepsy and heightened religious experience. When a patient with epilepsy experiences increased electrical activity in the brain, or seizures, this could be associated with an increase in a range of behaviors, such as hyper-sexuality, hypergraphia (an intense desire to write), hyper-morality and hyper-religiosity, explained Brick Johnstone, professor of health psychology at Missouri University and lead researcher on the study. These symptoms present the question: Are the hyper-religious experiences of epileptic patients related to specific religious experiences, or do they reflect increased emotionality observed with epilepsy? "Our study sought to see if the religious experiences of persons with epilepsy reported on a measure of spirituality are related to measures of spirituality or philosophy on a measure of epilepsy-related behaviors or related to increased emotionality," Johnstone said. RELATED: What Really Caused the Voices in Joan of Arc's Head? The researchers asked 19 individuals with epilepsy to take two surveys. The first survey assessed behavior characteristics specifically associated with epilepsy. The second survey measured religious activities and spiritual orientations. The average participant was 39 years old, and the group's religions varied. About 32 percent identified as Protestant, 10 percent as Catholic, 5 percent as Buddhist, 5 percent as atheist, 38 percent as other, and 10 percent did not indicate a religious affiliation. The study, which was just published in the journal Mental Health, Religion & Culture, suggests that a neurological relationship exists between religiosity and epilepsy. In particular, the researchers found a strong correlation with religious or philosophical thoughts and epilepsy, but no connection between emotional thinking and epilepsy. "We found that spirituality is related to hyper-philosophy but not hyper-emotionality," Johnstone said. "This suggests that increased seizure activity stimulates parts of the brain that lead to increases in specific spiritually-based neuropsychological processes. In other words, there are certain parts of the brain associated with religious and spiritual processes." Johnstone and his team next plan to evaluate spirituality in persons with neurosurgery for brain tumors or intractable seizures and will compare spirituality before and after surgery. RELATED: Julius Caesar May Have Suffered Mini Strokes, Not Epilepsy Three versions of the aerospace company's Falcon 9 rocket have flown since its debut in June 2010, including the current model, known as Falcon Full Thrust, which typically has the range to fly back to a landing pad so that its boosters can be reused - an approach also favored by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's rocket company, Blue Origin. But due to the heavy payload and high-altitude orbit no attempt will be made to recover the booster flying on Tuesday. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has taken a Silicon Valley approach to building and flying rockets, improving design and operations as the company juggles a manifest of more than 70 missions for NASA and commercial customers that is worth more than $10 billion. Between 1:34 am and 4:04 am EDT on Tuesday, SpaceX plans to execute its latest rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending a communications satellite into orbit roughly 22,000 miles above Earth. It will be the company's second rocket launch in three weeks - an aggressive flight rate that it needs to maintain to fulfill its promise of low-cost, reliable transportation to space. Blue Origin has taken a different approach. Bankrolled by Bezos, who is currently ranked by Forbes magazine as the fifth-richest person in the world, Blue Origin is intent on refining its design and perfecting landing technology before beginning commercial launch services. The company has opted to develop a reusable suborbital launch system, called New Shepard, for passengers and payloads before attempting orbital spaceflight and landing bigger rockets. Last week, the company unveiled a fully assembled version of its newly developed rocket engine, the BE-4, which will be used in its New Glenn rocket. SpaceX is working on the final version of the rocket, known as Block 5, and hopes to fly it before the end of the year, according to SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell. "New Shepard... is so important for us because that's a mission that we can fly many, many times a year, and we will get so much practice," Bezos said at the Satellite 2017 conference last week "If you want to recover a booster, a big booster, an orbital booster, there are a few options. You can put wings on it, kind of like the space shuttle. You can use parachutes... and you can use vertical landing," Bezos added. "The reason why I like vertical landing is because it's so scalable.... If you balance a broom on your hand, you can do that. If you try to balance a pencil on your hand, it's very difficult. So as the vehicle gets bigger, that inverted pendulum problem actually get a little easier to solve." Blue Origin's incremental approach to commercial space flight has won the company some early fans. During his talk on March 7, Bezos announced that satellite operator Eutelsat had signed the first contract for a New Glenn rocket ride, to take place sometime around 2021. A day later, Blue Origin and internet-via-satellite startup OneWeb jointly announced an agreement for five New Glenn flights around the same timeframe. This year, United Launch Alliance - a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the two biggest companies in the US aerospace industry - will decide whether to buy Blue Origin's methane-fueled BE-4 engines for its new Vulcan rockets or switch to a backup offering by industry stalwart Aerojet Rocketdyne. SpaceX and Blue Origin are taking different approaches to deep space exploration as well. Musk, who has made no secret of his ambition to send landers and eventually people to Mars, announced two weeks ago that SpaceX had signed a contract to fly two tourists around the moon in late 2018. RELATED: SpaceX Must Still Prove That It Can Safely Launch Astronauts Into Space He didn't say how much the flight would cost, but likened it to "a little bit more than the cost of a crewed mission to the space station." "I think there's a market for one or two of these per year," Musk remarked. "The goal for SpaceX from its founding in 2002 has been to accelerate the advent of space exploration, ultimately with the idea of a self-sustaining civilization on Mars and making humanity multi-planetary.... A critical step along the way is getting to understand what it's like to have people in deep space." Another potential customer for SpaceX is NASA, which is considering adding a crew to the lunar flyby test flight of its new heavy lift Space Launch System rocket and Orion deep space capsule. The debut launch, originally targeted for late 2018, is likely to slip into 2019, which is potentially enough time to add the equipment and procedures for accommodating two astronauts. A feasibility study is underway. The SpaceX mission could be an alternative. Bezos also sees a potential partnership with NASA for lunar exploration and commercial development. Blue Origin is pitching a proposal to NASA and President Donald Trump's transition team to fly cargo to a potential lunar base at the moon's south pole. For now, SpaceX's main focus is on building up its Falcon flight rate to maintain an edge on the competition. The fleet has been grounded twice in two years following accidents, delaying launches of customers' revenue-producing satellites for months. SpaceX returned to flight in January from its last accident. The company hopes to fly about 20 more Falcon flights from Florida and from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California before the end of the year. Bam: Happy to pass 2 major reforms before embracing minority role In just eight months, Sen. Bam Aquino worked for the successful passage of two major reforms in the Senate. On Monday, the Senate passed on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1304 or the " Affordable Higher Education for All Act ", which provides free tuition in state colleges and universities (SUCs), and Senate Bill No. 1277 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act. "Our eight months in the supermajority were very productive. I'm happy we passed two very important bills before embracing our new role as minority," said Sen. Bam, now the deputy minority leader. Recently removed as chair of the Committee on Education, Sen. Bam is the sponsor and co-author of the Affordable Higher Education for All Act and defended the bill during the period of interpellations. Legislative measures to mandate free tuition in SUCs have been sitting in the legislative mill for at least 6 years. Sen. Bam also sponsored the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which is seen to complement the government's approved national broadband plan to help improve Internet access across the country. "Now that we're in the minority, our role will change. Pero hindi kami kokontra para lang kumontra. We won't just oppose policies that will be good for the country, we will propose improvements and look for better solutions," said Sen. Bam. Sen. Bam opposes the revival of the death penalty and lowering the age of criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old. Press Release March 13, 2017 Drilon: LP, Senate minority vow to fight 'tooth and nail' against death penalty Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said that he and his fellow Liberal Party senators and members of the minority are ready to fight "tooth and nail" to block the bill re-imposing death penalty and the bill lowering the age of criminal responsibility. "The Liberal Party senators and its allies will block at every opportunity the bill restoring capital punishment and the measure seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility," Drilon said in a statement on Monday. Drilon, LP's vice-chairman, was referring to LP President Francis Pangilinan, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senators Bam Aquino and Leila De Lima, and its allies, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. "The Liberal Party and its allies firmly believe that death penalty was not and will never be an effective deterrent to crime, even for drug-related offenses," Drilon said. "It will be detrimental to the poor who will be made victims of this cruel and inhuman punishment owing to the inefficiencies of our judicial system," he said. "We risk executing innocent people who do not have the money to hire experienced and competent lawyers. The reality is that, not everyone is afforded the same quality of criminal defense. This leaves the poor most vulnerable to wrongful execution", Drilon stressed. The minority leader also said that the Senate minority strongly opposes lowering the age of criminal responsibility to nine, and vows to exert all efforts to prevent it from reaching the president's desk. "Children should be educated, protected and nourished. If we see the need to place them in jail at such a tender age, it only means that we have failed them, we have failed ourselves." Drilon, however, assured that the LP and the Senate minority would throw their support and even actively push for legislation that will promote the welfare of the common Filipino. These include the passage of the Mental Health Act of 2017, Sagip-Saka Act of 2017, Anti-Discrimination Act, Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act, Telecommuting Act of 2017, and a measure that will punish hospitals and medical clinic that will refuse to administer medical treatment in emergency cases. Drilon said that they would fight for the passage of the Pagkaing Pinoy Para sa Batang Pinoy Act and the Trabaho Center in Schools Act. We will also push for the passage of the Revised Penal Code, the Corporation Code of the Philippines and a bill seeking to increase penalties for election offenses, Drilon noted. Also included in their legislative agenda are proposed measures to increase the personnel economic relief allowance and cost of living allowance of government employees, provide survivorship benefits to the surviving legitimate spouse of deceased retired members of the Office of Solicitor General, increase the salary of government physicians, augment the supplies allowances of public school teachers, provide security of tenure for all casual and contractual government employees, and modernize practice of criminology and occupational therapy professions. All these bills are already in the advance stages of legislation, he concluded. Press Release March 13, 2017 Lacson: Sponsorship Speech for the Committee Report on the INQUIRY ON THE KILLING OF ALBUERA MAYOR ROLANDO ESPINOSA, SR. Senator Panfilo M. Lacson March 13, 2017 Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/SenatorPingLacson/posts/1411903275546334 Mr. President, fellow members of this august chamber, this representation has the honor to report on the Senate floor the result of the inquiry, in aid of legislation, conducted jointly by the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, into the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. of Albuera Leyte, as embodied in Committee Report No. 46. Mr. President, running on a platform of eradicating illegal drugs and capturing big-time drug dealers and protectors, then candidate Rodrigo Roa Duterte had won the May 2016 presidential elections. Upon his assumption of office, he launched a relentless war against drugs. A few months after, this war has become a hotbed of controversy. The absolute discretion granted to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in delivering the President's campaign promise was exploited, even abused by some police scalawags. Mr. President, allow me to commence this report by quoting President Duterte himself: "Abuse your authority and there will be hell to pay. For you will have become worse than criminality itself." The integrity and conviction of his words will be put to test when what is at stake is not only the career but also the liberty of a certain Supt. Marvin Wynn Marcos and other members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 whom we have all seen during our public hearings. Mr. President, on November 5, 2016, while alone inside his prison cell in Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed in an alleged shootout with the operatives of the CIDG Region 8 in the course of implementing a search warrant. 'Nanlaban at napatay'. Default justification na ho ata yan sa lahat ng drug related killings na laman ng ating mga balita. Mr. President, the fact that an incumbent mayor had fallen in this war against drugs is controversial enough. As we dig through the facts and consider other reports, we discovered that what was shown before us is more intricate and complex than what was then presented. Although this Joint Committee recognizes and gives due respect to the authority of the courts to determine whether the death of Mayor Espinosa was a result of a legitimate police operation or a case of premeditated murder, we are convinced that the circumstances of this case clearly present a systematic "clean up" made on any living trace that may reveal the involvement of several CIDG operatives in Kerwin Espinosa's drug trade. After all, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead." Apart from Mayor Espinosa, other persons connected with the drug trade of Kerwin Espinosa in Region 8, namely, Edgar Allan Alvarez and Fernando Balagbis suffered the same fate while incarcerated. Mr. President, the odds of being killed by the PNP while detained inside a government detention facility seemed to be very unlikely, until now. Further, it is unbelievable that such similar fate would befall on personalities involved in Kerwin Espinosa's drug trade. Mr. President, this Joint Committee has found compelling reasons, based on evidence, to overturn the presumption of regularity accorded to the implementation of the search warrants conducted by the team of PSUPT Marvin Marcos, PCI Laraga, and other CIDG personnel together with members of the Regional Maritime Unit. Mr. President, this Joint Committee has conducted three public hearings and one executive session regarding this inquiry. I beg your indulgence as I discuss briefly the basis of our conclusion that the killing of Mayor Espinosa was not a result of a legitimate police operations but rather, a case of premeditated murder. 1. Notwithstanding the guidance of no less than the Supreme Court when it said that "a citizen's privacy right is a guarantee that is available only to the public at large but not to persons who are detained or imprisoned," the CIDG personnel maliciously obtained a search warrant in a court outside Baybay City to clothe the operation with an appearance of legitimacy. 2. The search warrant was issued by the judge after relying on a deposition of a certain Paul Olendan whose allegations were proven to be false. Said deponent was around 100 kilometers away at the time he claimed he was inside the cell of the victims to see their firearms. 3. None of the statements contained in the affidavits executed by the jail guards and the inmates could corroborate the allegation of facts and the details presented by PSUPT Marcos and PCI Laraga on how they implemented the search warrants. 4. Instead of seeking assistance during the implementation of the warrant, the CIDG-8 personnel made the jail guards and PNP personnel in the jail facility kneel down, face the wall and surrender their firearms. 5. The CIDG's blatant violation of the rule that law enforcement officers cannot go beyond the area specified in the search warrant in terms of the area to be searched. The search warrant could not be more clear, the area to be searched were Cells No. 1 and 2. However, the operatives proceeded to and searched Cell No. 7 just because Raul Yap was actually detained there. 6. The intentional and deliberate disregard for the chain of command in the PNP-CIDG when PSUPT Marcos did not notify his immediate superiors, PCSUPT Elmer Beltejar, PRO-8 Regional Director; and CIDG Director Roel Obusan of the operation against a high-profile detainee in the person of Mayor Espinosa. 7. The illegal items reported in the inventory after the search were merely planted by the CIDG team in order to justify their operation. Mr. President, This Joint Committee has accorded value to the affidavits submitted by the jail guards and inmates stating the previous conduct of Oplan Galugad by the jail guards a few days before the CIDG operation which yielded no illegal firearms and drugs. In addition, we considered the testimony of two inmates stating that they heard Mayor Espinosa telling the CIDG operatives that he did not have any firearm in his possession and pleaded them not to plant the same inside his cell. 8. The incredible narration of PCI Laraga on how he was able to fire at Mayor Espinosa notwithstanding the alleged total darkness in his cell. To be more detailed, according to him, he was able to aim his gun properly after taking advantage of the spark coming from Mayor Espinosa's gun when he initially fired at his team. 9. The erroneous timeline of events presented by PSUPT Marcos in his accomplishment report and his testimony during the public hearings. According to PSUPT Marcos, the operation began at 4:10 a.m. However, we have on record the affidavit of PO2 Jennifer Monge stating that at 3:49 a.m., SUPT MATIRA called the PNP RTOC Regional Tactical Office 8 requesting for the assistance of SOCO. 10. The hard drive containing the recordings of the CCTV cameras inside Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail which went missing immediately after the CIDG team had full control over the penal facility. Finally, Mr. President, 11. The testimony of Kerwin Espinosa in one of our public hearings confirming that he gave considerable amounts of money to the leaders of the CIDG operation subject of this inquiry. In fact, PSUPT Marcos had received a sum of three million pesos just last May 2016. Mr. President, allow me to go back to a few of my questions on my opening statement when this inquiry was commenced: "Why would Mayor Espinosa even attempt to put up a fight while he was trapped inside a prison cell with nowhere to go? Not to mention that he had surrendered and was fully cooperating, hoping to become a state witness? Nothing makes sense." Truly, up to now, there is no sense to it. Mr. President, after a thorough consideration of all the testimonies and documents submitted, let me tell you and everyone closely following this case, hindi po nanlaban si Mayor Espinosa. Mr. President, Mayor Espinosa, in his possible willingness to cooperate and provide information on the personalities involved in his son's drug trade, was silenced by individuals who wanted their participation concealed. It just so happened that these individuals had access and means to do so through abuse of their authority. Moreover, his death posed a clear threat to his son, Kerwin Espinosa, who was already captured and was on his way back to the Philippines at that time. The death of Alvarez, Balagbis and even his father while inside their respective penal institutions is a statement that Kerwin is not safe anywhere and that the same fate awaits him should he decide to speak up and provide the information that will aid the PNP in its war against illegal drugs. At this point, Mr. President, allow me to present the recommendations of the Committee on Public order and Dangerous Drugs and the Committee on Justice and Human Rights: First of all, Mr. President, let us be reminded that the public hearings conducted do not in any way intend to overstep the authority and jurisdiction of our courts in the determination of the Espinosa and Yap case. However, as co-equal branch, we will request the Judiciary to expedite its determination as to the propriety and liabilities or sanctions, if any, of the following: 1. JUDGE CARLOS ARGULLES, for his failure to act upon the motion of MAYOR ESPINOSA to be transferred to a safer prison facility, notwithstanding the fact that the deceased has expressed his intention to fully cooperate with the government and provide vital information relevant and of value to the administration's war against illegal drugs; 2. JUDGE TARCELO SABARRE, JR. of RTC Branch 30 Basey, Samar for issuing search warrants upon persons detained in a government detention facility located outside his court's jurisdiction; and 3. JUDGE JANET CABALONA of RTC Branch 33, Calbiga, Samar, also for issuing search warrants upon persons detained in a government detention facility located outside her court's jurisdiction. Moreover, the Supreme Court should remind lower courts to exercise caution in issuing search warrants. Strict adherence to the policy that "judges should personally examine the applicant and the witnesses he may produce," with underlying emphasis on the words "personally examine," should be observed. Next point, Mr. President, we understand that the Espinosa case was filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) as early as December 07, 2016. Three months had passed and no resolution yet is forthcoming on the preliminary investigation being conducted. Considering the time, not to mention the overwhelming testimonial and documentary evidence presented before the five-man panel conducting the preliminary investigation, they should have already resolved this matter with urgency. As such, we respectfully request the DOJ to expedite its proceedings given that this case is impressed with public interest. In addition, Mr. President, among the intricacies that arose out of this case was the recall of PNP CHIEF DELA ROSA's order relieving PSUPT MARCOS and his men from CIDG-8 by no less than the President himself. This Joint Committee is of the opinion that the President should not be micro-managing the affairs of the government and should place his trust in the sound discretion of his appointees, including PNP CHIEF DELA ROSA. In so far as the organizational and operational aspect of the PNP is concerned, the Chief should be given full authority and control on how he will manage the day-to-day affairs of the organization subject to limitations set by law. Mr. President, the following are the proposed legislative measures that are responsive to the issue at hand: 1. The amendment of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code to increase the penalty for false testimony or perjury. It is our view that the damage or injury caused by perjury upon an innocent person is no less similar to that of planting of evidence. Apart from the possibility of being charged and erroneously convicted, we also have to consider its effect on the reputation of the victim and his or her family. 2. The enactment of an "Anti-Contraband in Prison Act" penalizing those who would provide, assist, aid or abet in the introduction of any prohibited object or contraband inside a prison facility, along with the inmate who makes, possesses or obtains or attempts to make or obtain the same inside the prison facility; and imposing a stiff penalty for its commission. 3. The strengthening of the functions and mandate of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the PNP so as to make the disciplinary system more timely, transparent and efficient. To be more specific, we seek to expand the motu propio investigation powers of the IAS to cover all acts and omissions, which tend to discredit or subvert the achievements of the institution. Moreover, for purposes of expediency, investigations should be conducted within a mandatory period not exceeding 30 days after the case has commenced, and immediately thereafter, appropriate case/s shall be filed. Accordingly, the IAS should reach the resolution of the case within 30 days at most after the same has been filed. Finally, Mr. President, 4. We should look into and assess the foundation of police training in our country. So as not to waste the resources of the government in re-training and re-orienting erring police officers and to instill the right culture, values and discipline expected from our uniformed personnel, it is incumbent for us to review and amend the law creating the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) either by strengthening it or by transferring control over training from the PPSC to the PNP. Mr. President, before I end this report, allow me to express my strong condemnation on the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. and Raul Yap. Though they may have committed violations of our existing laws, the same is to be determined by our courts. Granting that certain freedoms are denied to detainees, including the right to privacy, they are still entitled to the fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution. Mr. President, this war against drugs has reached unparalleled heights that will be remembered as part of our nation's history. What we have at the moment is a race against time, where we either succeed or fail in exposing the truth. Though it seems that the end is nowhere in sight, today we emerge victorious for exposing these rogue uniformed personnel. We may have won the battle today, yet we still have a war to emerge triumphant. Let today be a testament that "No man in this country is so high that he is above the law. No officer of the law may set that law at defiance with impunity." Thank you very much, Mr. President. Press Release March 13, 2017 Keynote Speech of Senator Loren Legarda Charting Our Resilient Future: The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Approaches A Multi-stakeholder Forum 13 March 2017 | EDSA Shangri-La, Mandaluyong City Our biodiversity and the ecosystems that it helps function are essential to all forms of life on Earth. The Philippines is very fortunate because not only is it one of the megadiverse countries, but it is also the center of the center of biodiversity, as proven in various expeditions where scientists and researchers have been able to discover new and endemic species in the country. In 2015, Terry Gosliner of the California Academy of Sciences led an expedition on the Verde Island Passage and discovered more than a hundred species that are likely new to science.[1] Gosliner said, "The Philippines is jam-packed with diverse and threatened species--it's one of the most astounding regions of biodiversity on Earth."[2] Meanwhile, following an expedition in the mountains of northeast Mindanao in 2016, Rafe Brown of the University of Kansas' Biodiversity Institute said, "The terrestrial biodiversity of the Philippines is amazing, and this part of Mindanao is the center of the center of that diversity."[3] Brown's team discovered a total of 126 species, including 40 frogs, 49 lizards, 35 snakes, a freshwater turtle and a crocodile.[4] We have an abundance of natural resources. But all this wealth is at great risk. Development activities, land degradation, overgrazing and deforestation, pollution, overfishing, hunting, land-use change, and the overuse of freshwater, have pushed ecosystems to the limit. Our country has become one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, with a large number of species threatened with extinction. In his encyclical Laudato Si', Pope Francis said, "a sober look at our world shows that the degree of human intervention, often in the service of business interests and consumerism, is actually making our earth less rich and beautiful, ever more limited and grey, even as technological advances and consumer goods continue to abound limitlessly. We seem to think that we can substitute an irreplaceable and irretrievable beauty with something which we have created ourselves."[5] If we look around us, we see truth in these words. Biodiversity is the web of life. But the development around us has caused many to think we can live on our own and disconnect from the web, forgetting that biodiversity feeds and heals, provides us air and water, and is a source of livelihood and recreation. Further endangering the precarious situation of our country's biodiversity is the challenge of climate change. Among the projected impacts of climate change is the loss of thousands of species, along with significant changes in the natural ecosystem. The rise in average global temperatures will render many species unable to adapt quickly enough to these new conditions or to move to regions more suitable for their survival. A 1.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius rise in temperature in the next 50-100 years would render 30% of species at risk of extinction.[6] Moreover, the decline of our ecosystems has been found as one of the underlying drivers of disaster risks and poverty, in the context of climate change. As the ill effects of global warming, increased precipitation and extreme weather events adversely affect the high concentration of species found endemically in our country, we as humans, who are dependent on the flora and fauna that make up our natural ecosystems for livelihood and sustenance, are directly affected as well. Statistics collated by the UN show that:[7] Around 1.6 billion people, including 70 million indigenous people, depend on forests for their livelihood; 2.6 billion people depend directly on agriculture, but 52 percent of the land used for agriculture is moderately or severely affected by soil degradation; As of 2008, land degradation affected 1.5 billion people globally; Due to drought and desertification each year 12 million hectares are lost, or 23 hectares per minute. Around 20 million tons of grain could have been grown on this area of land; 74 percent of the poor are directly affected by land degradation globally. These facts show that we cannot afford to go business as usual because environmental degradation and biodiversity loss are threats to our own survival. In 2015, nations adopted three important interlocking agreements--the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction--that would save our planet and all species from destruction and death, depending on the level of action we take today. The protection of our ecosystems and biodiversity is one of the 17 SDGs. Nations are called to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The Sendai Framework for DRR calls for ecosystem-based approaches to reducing disaster risk. Studies show that every dollar invested in ecosystem-based disaster and climate change adaptation means saving up to 20 dollars from mitigating and even avoiding the consequences of disasters.[8] Moreover, protected areas can help protect vulnerable communities and reduce the impact of natural hazards. Mangrove forests serve as buffer against storm surge and tsunami. For climate change mitigation, terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems serve as major carbon stores and sinks as they reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy production and land use change. The United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC) estimates that 312 gigatonnes of carbon or 15% of the world's terrestrial carbon stock are stored in protected areas. However, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment estimated that 60% of global ecosystem services are degraded, reducing their ability to mitigate the impact of natural hazards. In order to achieve the SDGs, we must take urgent climate action and build the resilience of our communities from natural hazards. Faithful compliance with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the Climate Change Law is crucial here. Access to the People's Survival Fund is likewise important to support local climate adaptation activities, such as in the areas of land and water resources management, agriculture and fisheries, health, infrastructure development, and natural ecosystems preservation. Our ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change would also signal more opportunities to strengthen our climate resilience efforts. We are also working on several environmental bills in the Senate including the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Bill or ENIPAS. Under this measure, local communities and other stakeholders will have the legal basis and incentive to participate in the management and protection of the areas. Representative samples of unique, rare and threatened species of plants and animals and habitat including cultural diversity, will be better protected, by declaring as national parks the remaining parcels of land under the NIPAS. As a long-time environmental advocate, I know how hard it is to convince people to protect our environment and natural resources. People do not completely understand the importance of these resources unless they are directly affected by the effects of its degradation or realize what they will lose if they remain indifferent. But this gathering today fuels my optimism that we can still be faithful to our duty as stewards of the Earth. We are confronted with the task of protecting our country's unique, and at the same time endangered, biodiversity. Pursuing a kind of development that has genuine regard for the state of our natural wealth has never become more crucial than today. In order to keep our planet healthy, livable and sustainable, all of us must work together, otherwise, our children will be left with nothing. Let us use this forum as a venue not only to gain knowledge from one another, but also to transform that knowledge into concrete action. Thank you.*** ________________________________________ [1] Scientists discover more than 100 new marine species in the Philippines during California Academy of Sciences expedition, June 2015, California Academy of Sciences https://www.calacademy.org/press/releases/scientists-discover-more-than-100-new-marine-species-in-the-philippines-during [2] Ibid. [3] On Philippine isle torn by environmental destruction, research pinpoints 'bull's-eye' of biodiversity, October 2016, The University of Kansas https://news.ku.edu/2016/10/10/philippine-isle-torn-environmental-destruction [4] Ibid. [5] Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si', of The Holy Father Francis On Care For Our Common Home [6] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [7] Facts and figures: Goal 15 - Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss [8] Analysis by Swiss Re. Sendai's role in ecosystems underlined at COP21 https://www.unisdr.org/archive/47047 Press Release March 13, 2017 Koko enjoins city and municipal councilors to support federalism Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III has enjoined the country's municipal and city councilors to support the national movement for a federal state, saying that it would take time before the change in the form of government would be realized. But while the proposal is fast gaining ground with support from various groups, led by the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP LABAN), he said the government of President Duterte has already introduced various measures to provide solutions to the country's problems. He said there are many legislative measures in Congress that are currently in the pipeline to ensure that the reforms in the 2017 national budget would be institutionalized in addition to the government's relentless war on illegal drugs and other initiatives to maintain law and order. Pimentel told the national convention of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, that one of pending measures is Senate Bill No. 110, or the "Bigger Pie, Bugger Slice" bill which he described as an insurance policy while waiting for the adoption of the federal government and the arrival of its promised benefits. "Habang wala pa ito, tayo ay kumikilos na rin para masolusyonan ang mga problem ng ating bansa," said Pimentel, noting that federalism is a complex proposal that would take time before it would finally become a law. Pimentel is proposing amendments to Section 284 of the Local Government Code of 1991 to give the local government units (LGUs) their rightful share in the "national taxes" instead of the present more limited concept of "national internal revenue taxes." Under this proposed change, he said the national government revenues which the LGUs would have a share in would include custom duties, and aside from enlarging the pie, will also increase their shares to 50 percent from the current 40 percent. He said the national government has given the LGUs so many mandates and responsibilities, but not enough resources. "It is time that the LGUs be given the resources to capacitate and empower them to fulfil their mandates under the law and to solve problems at their level," said Pimentel of his pending measure in the Senate. Pimentel said the 2017 General Appropriations Act, dubbed as the budget for change, shares the nation's blessings to all in the form of free tuition in state universities and colleges, free irrigation for farmers, free health insurance coverage for all, and well distributed strategic infrastructure works, among others. "Through this effort, we have made a bold step towards achieving my mantra for our new government - the poorest first, the poor second," said Pimentel. Press Release March 13, 2017 Recto to GRP-NDF negotiators: Forge ceasefire before Lent After Communist and government negotiators agreed over the weekend to resume peace talks next month, a senator is prodding the two sides to make good on their promise to observe a truce before the Holy Week in April. "Whether unilaterally declared or mutually agreed, the people will welcome a break from fighting," Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said. Lenten week this year begins on April 9, Palm Sunday, and ends on Easter, April 16. "If their time frame of brokering a ceasefire before April will be met, the peace negotiators couldn't have picked a better time," Recto said. A ceasefire during Holy Week, Recto said, will give soldiers and rebels the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones during the important Catholic holiday and for strife-torn communities to observe it in peace. "It is the right time because we don't want the solemnity of Lent broken by needless bloodletting among brothers," Recto said. Recto said government officials and communist leaders may also take the Lenten ceasefire as an opportunity to find common ground on how to heed the people's call for an end to the almost five decades of armed conflict. "Our people have spoken loud and clear: we need to stop this violence. I am glad that negotiators from the GRP and the NDF stood firm and defied the odds to bring peace back to our land," the senator said. "If there is one lesson learned in this negotiation, it is useless to talk peace if both sides continue to shoot at each other. Let the hawks take a rest," he added. A reinstatement of a ceasefire, Recto said, will allow both sides to focus "on substantive issues such as socio-economic and political reforms that will uproot the causes of insurgency." "With guns silent, perhaps they will be able to hear clearly the proposals that will bring just and lasting peace in the country," Recto said. "More people from the communities, particularly those from the conflict-affected areas, can now participate in the discussion of reforms without fear of harassment," the senator added. Recto noted that a ceasefire with communist guerillas will also allow government forces to pour more resources, manpower and materiel, into the all-out war being waged against the Abu Sayyaf. "We support the President's effort to wave the olive branch to those willing to talk peace. But we also support his call for arms against bandits and terrorists like the Abu Sayaff," Recto said. Press Release March 13, 2017 Recto: Free public Wi-Fi means faster internet for all Pinoys The free public Wi-Fi bill approved by the Senate today will not only make internet services available to all Filipinos, but will make sure that broadband services are faster and more efficient. "Today marks the era that we, Filipinos, finally commence the march to digital age," said Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, in explaining his vote for the approval of Senate Bill No. 1277 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act. The proposal seeks to provide free internet access in all national and local government offices; public schools, including state colleges and universities; public hospitals and health centers; public parks, plazas, and libraries; and airports, seaports, and transport terminals. But Recto, one of the original proponents and now the co-sponsor of the measure, stressed that "the benchmark in gauging effectivity is not just the number of Wi-Fi spots but also Internet speed." "If Internet is a human right, then Wi-FI is a basic public service. But for it to become one, the hindrances which bar its full enjoyment by the people must first be removed," the senator added. It was Recto who, in 2014, moved that the Senate increase the budget allocated for the Free Public Wi-Fi Project of the DOTC's Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO), the precursor of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). "It is my pleasure to finally vote on a bill which I first filed in May 2014," Recto said. "Although the Free National Wi-Fi Project is now in full swing, by virtue of another legislative route -- through three General Appropriations Acts, including this year's - still, the best way to guarantee its continuation is through a charter," he explained. By end of the year, it is projected that 13,024 sites covered by 18 Points of Presence in 1,489 towns and 145 under the Free Public Wi-Fi Project are up and running. The funding came from the P4.8 billion appropriated since 2015. "To firewall this public service from being knocked down by changing political winds - to prevent the plug from being pulled - the passage of this bill is required," Recto stressed. "More so that much remains to be done. For this year and next, 1,880 public elementary schools, 2,688 public high schools, and 682 state colleges are targeted for connection," he said. Overall, the project aims to roll out 23,631 sites by 2018, expanding it four-fold to 100,349 by 2026. "Others may deride free public Wi-Fi hotspots as populist-driven conveniences. Sadly, those who embrace this falsehood have not been able to fully grasp the empowering potential of ICT," Recto said. "Because the only way to view free Wi-Fi hotspots, my friends, is to treat them for what they are - as a form of 'liberation technology,'" he added. Recto noted that while trolls, fake news purveyors, and manufacturers of weapons of mass distractions ride on the same technology platform, "the damage to individual brains or collective consciousness they inflict is far smaller than the greater good that ICT brings." "For every troll farm, there are millions of farmers whose lives have been made better by ICT. The truth is mass Wi-Fi services form part of the ICT solutions which can ease the pain caused by the many problems we confront today, if not make them totally go away," the senator pointed out. With the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, Recto expressed belief that the big government investments in free Wi-Fi spots would nudge forward the upstream reforms in the telecoms sector all Filipinos would like to see. "In this bill are provisions that will improve internet speed, better broadband services, slash the red tape that retards ICT growth. If we want a thousand Wi-Fi spots to bloom, we must cut the thicket of regulations choking its growth," the senator explained. "Permitting problems encountered by DICT contractors and telcos in putting up facilities must be ended in one declogging sweep of administrative bottlenecks," he added. According to Recto, the salient provisions of the bill that will ensure accessible and faster internet services include: The DICT shall streamline the process for the application, renewal and release of permits, licenses and clearances needed for the construction of infrastructure or installation of equipment Licenses and permits must be approved and released within seven days after submission of complete requirements and payments of the corresponding fees the DICT shall prohibit any unfair method of competition and exclusivity arrangements in favor of a single telecommunications entity The DICT, in coordination with the National Telecommunications Commission, shall be allowed the free use of available and unassigned spectrum for the free public internet access program the excess capacity of private sector partners may be offered to deliver supplemental internet access service for a reasonable fee to lower costs, increase and improve the free internet access for public spaces, private service providers are encouraged to exchange data traffic at domestic internet protocol (ip) exchanges, which may be designated by the DICT the NTC shall provide minimum standards for quality of service, including but not limited to download speed, latency, packet loss, and jitter for public free internet service he minimum quality of service standards for free public internet access services shall not be lower than minimum quality of service standards provided for retail basic internet connectivity services offered to the publicc The intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue looms large on the map, with two of San Franciscos best-known and broadest thoroughfares overlapping at a sharp angle. The reality isnt nearly so grand a crossroads marked by a car dealership, a doughnut shop and two drab office blocks. Nearby, parking lots and ratty alleys rub against buildings that never aimed high and now are worn down. The street life is spotty at best, sketchy at worst. All this would change under an evolving city plan that includes a cluster of towers on the skyline, a variety of public spaces below and as many as 7,280 housing units in between. And the first major project within the area could be approved next week one that hints at a livelier future, but also shows how tough it is to fit ambitious visions into a complex setting. If nothing else, the proposal for 1500 Mission St. down the block from Market and South Van Ness Avenue that goes to the Planning Commission on March 23 shows how this part of San Francisco could be transformed. The 2.5-acre site is home to Goodwill Industries, which sells donated goods within a two-story concrete-block structure at the corner of Mission and South Van Ness, and uses a former Coca-Cola bottling plant at 11th and Mission streets as a warehouse. Theres a large parking lot in between. By contrast, developer Related Californias 1500 Mission would replace the Goodwill store with a 39-story apartment tower. A 16-story office complex for city employees would line the north and east sides of the site. In between, there would be walkways lined with retail space in the base of the residential tower and meeting rooms, and an art gallery in the office building. A 40-foot-deep portion of the old bottling plant along Mission Street would be retained, including the streamlined clock tower above the entrance. Aesthetically, theres a lot to like about the design by the San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The residential tower would be wrapped in precast concrete, a light cloak that would part above the corner of Mission and South Van Ness to reveal an angled slope with landscaped terraces within. The city office building would be clad all in glass, but at a low enough height that it would be a backdrop rather than a centerpiece, and translucent glass fins would add depth while deflecting harsh sunlight. The walkways, meanwhile, would make it easier for pedestrians to navigate the large and awkwardly shaped block. And the restoration of the clock tower itself a 1941 makeover of an industrial structure erected in 1925 preserves one of the few visual landmarks in the immediate area. To planners, the mix of forms and materials and activities anticipates what they hope to see elsewhere in what theyre calling the Hub, a onetime nickname for the Market-Van Ness crossroads that fell out of use generations ago. Planning began last year, and a final set of recommendations is expected this summer so that environmental studies can begin. The collision of large and small blocks, and large and small buildings, with the boutiques of Hayes Street to the north and big-box stores like Costco to the south, is also what 1500 Missions developer describes as the appeal of an area that now can be a confusing traffic-clogged void. This neighborhood, because of its adjacency to the Mission and Hayes Valley and Civic Center, has the potential to really feel like part of San Francisco, said Matthew Witte of Related California. But fitting new towers into this patchwork quilt isnt simply a question of aesthetics. Wind also factors in. Thats why 1500 Mission would include a canopy of overlapping metal triangles that would extend as much as 20 feet beyond the edge of the building. Its a striking visual gesture driven by necessity to dampen the winds that barrel in from the ocean through Hayes Valley and then careen down Van Ness, deflected south by taller buildings already nearby. Under planning regulations established in 1985, new buildings in most of downtown arent allowed to make wind conditions worse on public sidewalks. Thats why the two new buildings at 1500 Mission drop to three stories along South Van Ness, to reduce the potential downdraft at the main entrance to the site. Its also why the tower is pulled back 15 feet from the sidewalk the canopy would serve as an artful muffler while providing afternoon shade. The idea was to slow down and redirect the wind, said Mark Schwettmann, part of Skidmores design team. Wind is basically lazy. It goes where its easiest to go. A different back-and-forth is the partial preservation of the former Coca-Cola building. And the solution hasnt made everyone happy. By retaining the distinctive clock tower, and most of the facade along Mission Street, an architectural thread from the past would enrich the mosaic of whats to come. Its also the part of the building that people know the best. But this would be a skin-deep salvation, with much of the exterior demolished and nothing left of such aspects as the structural trusses inside. The citys Historic Preservation Commission opposes the compromise as a well-meaning gesture that falls short. So does San Francisco Heritage, a preservation advocacy group. As facadism goes, this could turn out to be one of the better examples. The 1500 Mission design could also help bring life to nearby 11th Street, as dreary a block as any downtown. Still, itd be nice if there were more depth. But that would hinder the citys office-space needs, no doubt a factor in the final design approach blessed by planners. The balancing acts at 1500 Mission are indicative of what lies ahead through the Hub as a whole. Wind is an obvious example, since every new tower will face the same challenges. This includes the next tower likely to move forward Build Inc.s 39-story One Oak, designed by SCB and Snhetta with its own set of canopies at the base of the carefully rounded shaft. And more towers will follow. The area already was rezoned in 2009 to allow a quartet of 400-foot towers that would signal the prominence of the Market-Van Ness intersection. The Hub plan would lift heights further, adding several midsize towers to the west and allowing three sites at the intersection to reach peaks as high as 600 feet. The urban design argument is that the changes would allow for a more distinctive and tapered neighborhood skyline. But political factors are at work as well. The extra heights would allow as many as 1,750 more housing units one-third of them affordable than what would fit within the 2009 framework. The new plan would also introduce a community facilities district fee that could raise $200 million to help fund a landscape of narrowed boulevards and small plazas. These changes can be beneficial. But as the city revises plans for this small district and other parts of San Francisco, it isnt enough to say that density is good as long as we get measurable benefits in return. If density itself becomes the goal, theres a danger. San Francisco could pack things in so snugly that when the construction dust settles, what we see around us wont be the city that we love. John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron The Hub More information on the planning effort: www.sf-planning.org/market-street-hub-project Heightened scrutiny, a congressmans phone calls and plans for a vigil outside the gates of a Northern California juvenile hall are increasing pressure on authorities to release a young refugee with no criminal record who remains locked up after almost a year. The 14-year-old, who fled severe child abuse in Honduras and arrived at the Texas border traveling alone, achieved asylum status in January. But he is still confined in the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility because he has no known relatives or sponsors in this country, and officials have not yet transferred him to an appropriate foster home. Since The Chronicle reported on the boys case on March 5, his attorneys say the new attention has resulted in a number of options for his release, which they anticipate could take place as soon as this week. There is a lot of negotiation going on right now, said the boys immigration attorney, Cecilia Candia of San Franciscos Legal Services for Children. Candia said it is her understanding that some sort of decision, even if its just a pathway out, could be days away. Responsibility for the boy who is referred to by his initials G.E. in a habeas corpus petition being prepared by the UC Davis immigration law clinic lies with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. The refugee agency handles the care and custody of the more than 155,000 unaccompanied minors who have crossed the southern border and been apprehended by Border Patrol agents. The agency is now working with Yolo County officials to find G.E. a home where he will also receive mental health services. The boys 11-month detention is said to have aggravated the trauma he has suffered, including abuse at home and the terror of traveling alone from the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa at age 13. As a result, he often tries to harm himself or suffers emotional meltdowns, prompting juvenile hall staff to physically restrain him and confine him to his cell for extended periods. Federal and local officials would not provide any details or an update on G.E.s case, citing privacy protections for minors. But youth advocates who have been fighting for G.E.s release say since his story was made public, authorities are working more quickly to correct what those familiar with the case describe as an inhumane situation. In recent days, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove (Sacramento County), joined the effort to aid him. When Mr. Garamendi learned from reports in The Chronicle about the plight of the Honduran boy being detained in the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility, he knew right away he had to act, and took measures to assist however possible, his spokesman said in an email. The congressmans office cited legal and privacy concerns when pressed for further details of his involvement with the case. Meanwhile, residents from across Northern California are taking action. Dozens of Sacramento-area activists plan to gather for a vigil outside the Woodland detention facility at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to call for his release. Organizers are members of Indivisible Yolo, part of a nationwide network of activists protesting the policies of President Trump. While his case is unique it is rare to grant asylum and extremely unusual to leave asylees behind bars it also exemplifies how the system fails people who come to the U.S. fleeing mortal danger, organizer Seth Sanders wrote in announcing the vigil. There are close to twenty youths being held in the same facility as G.E., and many more across the country, who remain in limbo. Sanders, a UC Davis religious studies professor, said learning of G.E.s case instantly moved him to action. I felt frustrated for him because this is such a cut-and-dried case of somebody who the federal government agreed for the best and clearest possible reasons to help, Sanders said. And now, instead of helping him, were giving him what must feel like an endless punishment. Bay Area high school students also have read about G.E.s story in class and written him letters of encouragement. They include ninth- and 10th-graders from Central America, Mexico, Yemen, China and Austria attending the San Francisco International High School, where all students are recent immigrants. Math teacher Katie Waddle described her students as deeply moved by the boys story. Although many of the students crossed borders alone and spent time in detention centers, unlike G.E., they ended up in relatives homes. It hit them really hard that he didnt have any family to go to, Waddle said. Advocates who have met with G.E. at the juvenile hall in recent days said he seems happier and more hopeful since learning about his growing network of supporters outside the center. On a visit Friday afternoon he asked his attorney, Candia, to deliver them a message in return: I want to say thank you to everyone, he told her in Spanish, for everything theyre doing for me. Karen de S a is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kdesa @sfchronicle.com The thicket of residential towers proposed for Van Ness Avenue at Market Street is new, but the once-grand roadway's transition to a corridor lined with housing has been moving forward methodically for more than 30 years. While more than 1,800 apartments and condominiums have been added during that period, the architecture has been a mixed bag at best. Now, thankfully, there are signs that things are looking up - and if the most recent additions are no match for the classically flavored high points along the way, they add energy and heft to a boulevard that for too long has been treated with too little respect. The energy is provided by the Marlow, a brash eight-story box of condominiums that opened this year at Van Ness and Clay Street. It's a contemporary design that comes close to abstraction, with gray aluminum cubes popping from a background of bright, white cement board. Especially on Clay, the impression is that of an overlapped pattern of colors and forms meant to be experienced on the move. The Marlow follows the debut last fall of Etta, a 13-story apartment complex at Van Ness and Sutter that's more a diagram than a design, yet substantial enough to be satisfying. There's a four-story base with a tall ground floor, then a broad tower with nine extra stories. Both are clad in earthy pre-cast concrete, a big step up from the neutral stucco that has been the norm of late. Past squabbles Those dimensions fit the 130-foot height limit mapped out for this stretch of Van Ness, part of a larger plan adopted in 1988 to make the busy thoroughfare into a residential corridor. The debate then echoed growth squabbles today, where property owners say they're being cheated and neighbors want heights to come down still more. The motivation was a familiar one as well: With housing in short supply, planners sought a part of town with room to grow. The attention turned to Van Ness, which marks the western edge of the traditional city core. In the early 20th century it radiated grandeur - one block is flanked by City Hall and the Opera House - and was a showcase of automobile dealerships, many of them designed with arches and imperial details to lure potential buyers. But the car culture undermined the ambiance when the wide roadway became part of Highway 101, and by 1979 The Chronicle's architecture critic Allan Temko dismissed it as "a pop shambles of auto showrooms, marginal businesses and motels." You still see hints of this, such as the cell-phone stores across from the columned British Motors showroom with a $257,000 Bentley convertible in the window. What have been added in the past 35 years are roughly 20 residential buildings, replacing the likes of parking lots and gas stations with structures that line the sidewalks with retail spaces topped by housing. The first was Opera Plaza, which in 1983 filled the block between Turk Street and Golden Gate Avenue with 450 condominiums in three stubby towers. While the blunt concrete aesthetics haven't aged well, the desire to create a destination remains palpable - there's a generous public courtyard ringed with attractions that include a cinema and bookstore. Most of the newcomers, though, fall into a dispiriting rut of one stucco block after the next, vaguely historic and utterly unconvincing. The nadir is San Francisco Towers, an upscale senior living facility built in 1997 that fills an entire block of Pine Street with what looks a 13-story French chateau carved out of Styrofoam. Ambition and a smile The Marlow's scale is more modest, with 98 units on a block where there's a liquor store next door. What it brings instead is ambition, a desire to catch the eye and bring a smile. The multilayered facade is the most obvious signal, with the metal cubes above Van Ness marching left to right in a 3-2-3-2-3 sequence as they pop from the flat white backdrop. Viewed straight on, the wall reads as a modern update of traditional bays; from an angle, the dark boxes snap into diagonal lines. On Clay Street, where the building steps down toward Polk, the cubes tumble asymmetrically - textured depth of a different sort. At sidewalk level, two glass storefronts sit within lean frames of white metal with orange accents. The architect for Oyster Development Co. is Kwan Henmi, a local firm with a mixed track record. But it's also the firm that designed Arterra, a 16-story tower that's one of the few bright spots in Mission Bay. This is a sequel of sorts, providing a visual anchor with a lively air. The boulevard gets a different architectural boost from Etta, five blocks to the south at Sutter Street. Etta replaced the Galaxy multiplex from 1984 that announced itself with a steep peak of glass cubes, a flashy contrast to the dignified Scottish Rite Temple from 1909 across the way. The newcomer takes a different tack, with simple streamlined forms and a wide setback between the four-story base and the broad 13-story tower. If Etta is neither stylish nor futuristic, what counts is that it also isn't weak. Instead, the combination of clean rectangles and thick precast concrete feels grounded. Developer Gerding Edlen and Christiani Johnson Architects apparently realized that on an avenue like this, centrally located and heavily traveled, tall buildings shouldn't look like they might blow away in a strong wind. More changes coming More changes to Van Ness lie ahead, starting with the possibility that four 400-foot towers might rise near the Market Street intersection (there's only one formal proposal so far, but developers are circling three other high-rise sites). Several smaller building sites remain within the boundaries of the 1988 plan. Repaving of the roadway begins next year, including a new bus rapid transit line that will occupy the central lanes. Van Ness still isn't the "attractive mixed use boulevard" that planners promised in the 1980s. But the instincts behind that long-ago initiative were sound. And the Marlow and Etta suggest that, perhaps, more interesting times lie ahead. UPDATE: SFPD said Sunday that Lauren Soriano has been located. According to an SFPD press release, "Lauren has been found by law enforcement in another Bay Area city. She is currently being evaluated at a hospital." The previous story is below: For nearly two decades, a 2.2-acre plot of land in San Franciscos up-and-coming Mission Bay has remained undeveloped, set aside by the city and developers for a school that has never been built. Enrollment citywide was declining, and the school district didnt need it. Now it does. With 70,000 new housing units in the works in neighborhoods across the city, the district could see 7,000 to 14,000 new students. And with enrollment predicted to surge to near capacity by 2025, the school board is looking to finally move forward on the site. The project probably an elementary school could be among the districts most innovative, with a 90-foot height limit that could accommodate not only a school but also housing for cash-strapped teachers or a science and technology center, one located near UCSF Mission Bay, dozens of biotech companies and the new Warriors arena. The site has become something of an eyesore, empty amid booming economic development. The district has delayed making a decision, concerned that other neighborhoods might need a school more urgently. School board members, however, say its time to get off the fence and get a school built. The board is expected to authorize the project by early April, with a majority of its seven members already voicing support. We have the land, we have the money, we have the community excitement and need, and the only thing holding this up now is action by the school district to make it happen, said board member Matt Haney, co-author of the Mission Bay resolution. The board has put off the decision while monitoring growth and school needs in areas including the Bayview, Treasure Island, Visitacion Valley and South of Market. One concern is that San Francisco middle schools are near capacity, even with the opening of Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in the Bayview in 2015 after a ground-up reconstruction. The district has held the option to build in Mission Bay since 1998, when developers set aside the land at the corner of Owens Street and Nelson Rising Lane in a deal with the city. That option expires in 2027. Board members said the most likely scenario is creating an elementary school. Now is a good time to do it, said board President Shamann Walton. I see no reason to slow down as the population growth is coming to San Francisco pretty rapidly. A $744 million school facilities bond passed by voters last year included $100 million for the construction of two new schools, so district officials say the money is there. The question has been where those two new schools should go. Big residential developments in the works in the Bayview are expected to bring in more new students than those in Mission Bay. Yet 70 percent of students living in the Bayview now attend schools outside their neighborhood, often because of safety or quality concerns, according to district figures. That may suggest the demand for a new school isnt necessarily there, even though the students are. Currently, Mission Bay has no schools, with the closest campuses about a mile away on Potrero Hill. And the major condo and apartment developments in Mission Bay are further along than their counterparts in the Bayview, said interim Superintendent Myong Leigh. About 5,000 of a planned 6,400 units have been built. An additional 3,000 units are in the pipeline just south of Mission Bay in the Pier 70 and Potrero Power Plant areas. The reason to focus on it first is because its where well see the earliest demand for schools, Leigh said. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. He said the district expects to get two schools out of the $100 million in bond money. That, however, depends on what the board decides to build in Mission Bay. The resolution that is coming up for a vote asks the district staff to explore putting teacher housing, teacher training facilities or a science and technology center on the site along with an elementary school. Leigh said the process of mapping out what to do with the site could cost $232,000 to $584,000 in the first year, depending on the scope of the plan. Board members on the Budget Committee have requested information about how the district could pay these costs, including possible use of the bond money or developer fees. The board must look closely at expenditures, given its desire to give teachers a raise, said board member Rachel Norton, who chairs the Budget Committee. Norton said she expects to have some clarification on these early costs this month, with a vote on the Mission Bay project expected at the boards first meeting in April. Im trying to save every general fund penny for teacher raises, she said. The planning (for a new school) is the right thing to do, but conversations come with a cost. Noting that the Mission Bay project has wide support from city officials and community members, she added, Nobody wants to vote against this. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker It's been a few months since I shared my favorite dishes of the week, but since this was a particularly intense week I thought I would revive that feature. I'm closing in on the Top 100 Bay Area restaurants, so I've been doubling up on lunches and dinners. Not every place I have visited deserves the spotlight, but there were still many memorable dishes worth sharing. SACRAMENTO Dr. Wanda Heffernon, a former UCSF anesthesiologist, made headlines in 2001 when she pleaded guilty to stealing credit cards from her fellow physicians and forging prescriptions to feed her drug addiction. While facing those charges, she worked as a physical therapist at a nursing home in San Mateo County, where she was accused and later convicted of elder abuse after prying a diamond wedding ring off a 94-year-old patient, bruising the womans finger in the process. The judge who sentenced Heffernon to two years in prison noted the extreme vulnerability of the victim and remarked that there was a dark side to Ms. Heffernon that is difficult to fathom. Now, many years later, Heffernon is licensed to practice medicine in California. After surrendering her license in 2001, Heffernon successfully petitioned the Medical Board of California in 2014 to get it back on the condition she remain on probation for five years. Its unclear whether Heffernon, who lives in Oakland, is currently practicing medicine. She hastily declined to comment when reached by phone. Heffernon is one of 500 doctors in the state including 85 in the Bay Area on probation by the state medical board. But theyre not required by law to disclose their probationary status to their patients, and consumer advocates say they should be. Doctors should have to tell you they are on probation before they treat you, said Eric Andrist, who supports patient notification laws and is a vocal critic of the medical board. The probation itself is ridiculous. When you look at many of these cases, the licenses should be revoked, not suspended. The state Medical Board licenses physicians and surgeons and has the authority to investigate complaints and issue sanctions when necessary. Penalties can range from a public reprimand, probation or revoking a license. Doctors can continue to see patients while on probation, although they may face additional requirements like psychiatric counseling and drug and alcohol testing. In the case of sexual misconduct, doctors may be required to have a third-party chaperone in the room when treating patients. While few doctors are on probation less than 1 percent the reasons for being placed on the list can range from sexual misconduct to gross negligence to overprescribing opioids that led to multiple patients dying. How patients find out whether their doctor is on probation is a contentious fight in the state Capitol. California physicians are required to disclose their probation to hospitals and their malpractice insurers, but its up to the patient to look up their doctor on the Medical Board of Californias website. Critics say that isnt enough and that such requirements ignore the growing aging population that may not know how to search for such information. Consumer advocates have pushed lawmakers and the medical board for years to require doctors to notify patients if they are placed on probation. State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, wrote a bill last year that would have required doctors to inform their patients if the medical board places them on probation. The bill died on the Senate floor when many lawmakers abstained. This year, the law that gives the state medical board the authority to oversee doctors is up for renewal in the state Legislature. The patient notification requirement could be included in that legislation. Hill is the chair of the Senate committee overseeing the medical boards renewal. The medical boards executive director, Kimberly Kirchmeyer, said requiring a doctor to tell a patient about probation would cause mistrust and that patients are sufficiently informed by having the information available online. If I go to a primary care doctor and the person says to me, By the way, Im on probation, there goes whatever trust I have, added board President Dr. Dev GnanaDev. Its gone. Hill disagrees. He said the doctor-patient relationship is eroded when doctors hide the fact that they are on probation. At a hearing last month in Sacramento on the medical boards renewal, Hill pointed to examples of male doctors in his own San Mateo County who are required as part of their probation to have a third party in the room when seeing female patients. If my wife or my daughter were to go to that physician, how would they know what the terms and conditions are and whether they are being followed? Hill asked. The California Medical Association, an influential industry group that represents doctors, is supporting a bill that would bar the medical board from placing a doctor on probation for serious crimes such as felony convictions related to the care of a patient or sex abuse. AB505 by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, is awaiting its first committee hearing. But the California Medical Association opposes patient notification requirements, saying they undermine due process protections by requiring doctors who have not admitted to guilt or settled a case to disclose their probation status to patients. Thats essentially a de facto suspension, the group argues. In addition to due process concerns, we disagree with the underlying premise that the state Medical Board is not doing its job to determine whether or not a physician is safe to practice, said Joanne Adams, spokeswoman for the California Medical Association. 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. Critics say the medical board is too focused on protecting doctors, despite a stated mission of being a consumer protection agency. Those critics point to the numerous complaints to the board that appear to go nowhere. The medical board receives an average of 8,000 complaints a year, an increase over the past four years. In the past three years, the medical board investigated and closed 23,000 complaints and referred 1,400 cases to the state attorney general. Almost 400 doctors lost their licenses or voluntarily surrendered them in the past three years, according to statistics the medical board provided the state Legislature. But, like Heffernon, doctors whose licenses are surrendered or revoked can still apply to be reinstated. In 2015, the medical board reinstated Bakersfield Dr. Esmail Nadjmabadi, who pleaded no contest in an administrative hearing six years earlier to sexual exploitation by a physician. In San Bernardino County, Dr. Hari Reddys license was reinstated in 2015 despite his conviction in criminal court of sexual battery against a patient and an administrative law judge finding he engaged in sexual misconduct with five other patients ranging in age from 15 to 38 years old. Both Nadjmabadi and Reddy are on probation with the state medical board and continue to see patients. This is really a big deal, said Carmen Balber, the executive director of Consumer Watchdog, which advocates for patient notification laws. We require restaurants to post their grades from the public health department on their window. Its that transparency we think is necessary when it comes to our food, but somehow we dont have that for our doctors. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez How to check doctors license Visit online: www.mbc.ca.gov Call consumer line: (800) 633-2322 Dont come to Oakland if you want to start a cannabis business. Youre not welcome here, because the Oakland City Council doesnt want to fully tap into a multibillion-dollar industry. Last week, the council revised how marijuana businesses will be regulated, writing legislation faster than a waitress taking orders at a crowded all-night diner. Before the revisions, half of the citys cannabis permits were reserved for residents who were jailed on marijuana convictions in Oakland within the past decade or had lived for at least two years within six police beats in East Oakland with a high volume of marijuana arrests, convictions and jail sentences. The beats were in districts represented by Councilwoman Desley Brooks, the architect of Oaklands equity permits, and council President Larry Reid. Under the previous plan, permits were to be issued on a 1-to-1 ratio, meaning that if there werent enough equity applicants, there would be a bottleneck for those applying for general permits. The revisions, which were supposed to solve that obvious problem, would make things worse. The 1-to-1 ratio remains, but it will end once an equity assistance program, funded by cannabis tax revenue, reaches $3.4 million. Anyone convicted of a pot-related offense in Oakland after November 1996 is now eligible for a permit. And the qualifying neighborhoods were expanded, but applicants are required to have lived in one of the neighborhoods for 10 of the past 20 years, and their current income must be below 80 percent of the citys average median income. Heres what really stinks: If you want a pot permit of any kind, youll have to prove you live in Oakland and have lived in Oakland for the past three years. The residency requirement is provincialism at its worst. Oakland could be a major player in the cannabis industry. It means there will be no future industry coming to Oakland, said James Anthony, a lawyer who helps marijuana entrepreneurs start their businesses. There will be no growth in Oakland. It doesnt help anybody that I can see. It has nothing to do with equity. It has to do with the future potential of the Oakland industry and hundreds of existing jobs. Oaklands established cultivators and manufacturers have been on edge about the permit system for almost a year. At least 100 cannabis businesses are already operating with hundreds of employees and significant local investments. Now they have to get in line without knowing how long the wait will be and if theyll have a city permit by January 2018 as required by state law. But there is a way to cut to the front. The new ordinance will prioritize general applicants who act as incubators for equity applicants by providing free rent or real estate. That sounds like a shakedown to me. Still, I support the general idea of equity just not through discriminatory business practices. Hasnt Oakland had enough discrimination? According to a report by Darlene Flynn, director of Oaklands Department of Race and Equity, the disparity of pot arrest rates for blacks and whites is about as wide as the gulf between Republicans and Democrats on health care reform. One glaring statistic from the report: In 2015, blacks accounted for 77 percent of all pot arrests in Oakland, compared with 4 percent for whites. If we were to just open permitting today, we would just be maintaining those disparities into the future, if not exacerbating them, Greg Minor, an assistant city administrator who worked on the report, told The Chronicle. Yes, the city has identified a problem. But its clumsy handling of the pot permit system isnt going to right the wrongs of the past. Wheres the data that suggest people who fit the equity criteria are clamoring to open cannabis businesses? Because by restricting the number of general applicants and adding a residency requirement, the city is reducing the amount of tax revenue that could go into the fund to help equity applicants launch successful businesses. The bottom line is that the equity assistance program wont be funded unless businesses are operating. So why exclude those who are eager to contribute to the pot? San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr The chance at two amazing sights will arrive in the next 10 days. Well, maybe. In the foothill country of Amador County, Daffodil Hill with its 300,000 daffodils and other flowers is scheduled to open Friday. On the shore of Monterey Bay near Santa Cruz, Seacliff State Beach and a chance to see the Cement Ship, which is breaking up in the surf is projected to open March 22. The wild card is weather, which could put the kibosh on the prospects. The Pacific satellite radar shows another atmospheric river looming from south of Hawaii and pouring toward the Pacific Coast. It could squelch the blooms and pummel Monterey Bay once again. The best hope comes from most computer models showing the moisture being delivered to points north. Last year, Daffodil Hill was a big dud. Yet, some years it is a spectacle beyond comprehension. Daffodil Hill is located outside the town of Volcano, east of Lodi in the Amador County foothills above the the San Joaquin Valley. In some years, the blooms can ignite all at once. Temperatures are forecast to hit 74 there Tuesday with sun. If it hits, it will last into early- to mid-April, depending on, yep, the weather. Heavy rain and cold weather at the start of the blooms often knock the heck out of it. The site is located at a historic ranch site, with original barn, wagon wheels, and mining and farming equipment from the 1800s. Note: Always, always, call first. Contact: (209) 296-7048, www.facebook.com/DaffodilHill. No pets. Its about a 3-hour drive from most of the Bay Area, 1 hours from Sacramento. The break-up of the Cement Ship at Seacliff is another phenomenon. The 434-foot vessel has sat for 90 years at the end of a 500-foot fishing pier at Seacliff State Beach at Aptos. In January, 30-foot waves bowled it over. Then a section of it separated and broke off. When the park reopens, rangers expect the corpse of the old vessel, now on its side in the surf line, to continue to be a tourist attraction and photo site. For updates, phone Seacliff at (831) 685-6500. With President Trump alleging serious voter fraud in California, and the states top election official calling his claim untrue, how much voter fraud is actually under investigation in the Golden State? Not much certainly not enough to sway the election, in which California voters chose Hillary Clinton over Trump by 4.3 million votes. And while the California secretary of state is investigating some cases of potential fraud, not a single case opened last year involves allegations of voting by an immigrant who is in the country illegally a stark contrast to the picture painted by Trump. The secretary of state received 948 election-related complaints in 2016, according to its response to a Public Records Act request. The office determined that more than half (525) did not merit criminal investigation. Of the remaining complaints, 140 are still being screened, 194 were noncriminal problems referred to local officials, and 89 spurred investigations by the secretary of state. The office did not provide details on the 194 cases it sent to local authorities. But of the 89 investigations the secretary of state opened in 2016, 56 were allegations of double voting, 16 were allegations of fraudulent voter registration, and one was an alleged case of fraudulent voting. The rest involve alleged wrongdoing by candidates, petition circulators and others who work in the elections arena. Together, the cases the secretary of state is investigating and those it referred to counties amount to 0.001 percent of the more than 23 million votes cast in Californias primary and general elections last year. The minuscule number undercounts the amount of potential fraud, because a lot of it would not be reported, cautioned Richard Hasen, a professor of election law at UC Irvine. It also doesnt include investigations that could be under way if initiated by prosecutors in the states 58 counties. Still, Hasen said, I see no evidence that voter fraud is a major problem in California. The view held by Hasen and supported by many academic studies conflicts with claims by Trump, who has been complaining about fraudulent voting for months, without citing evidence of a widespread problem. In November, Trump tweeted that the millions of people who voted illegally had cost him the popular vote, and that there was serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California. He repeated similar claims in a meeting with congressional leaders in January. The next month, he said he would put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of investigating voter fraud. Pence is forming a task force for the inquiry. The burden is on the president and his team to bring forward proof or evidence, said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat. Weve been asking them for it since November, and theyve had nothing to show. There are no signs yet that the White House investigation has begun. No one from Pences task force has contacted the California secretary of states office, said Padilla spokesman Sam Mahood. Republican state Sen. Joel Anderson of Alpine (San Diego County), a Trump delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention who is vice chairman of the Senates elections committee, said hes seen signs of fraud while campaigning in his district. He talks of finding houses where registered voters marked as voting in the past several elections turned out to have been dead for years, and empty lots carrying addresses where people are registered to vote. All you have to do is walk a precinct, and you know there is fraud, Anderson said. The question is, is it rampant? Is it rare? We dont know. Told of the small number of voter fraud complaints tallied by the secretary of state, Anderson said, If those are the numbers and those hold true, thats a phenomenal job. We should hold up those numbers to 49 other states. Although Trump says large numbers of people in the country illegally are voting, past prosecutions in California include few cases of noncitizens casting ballots. In 2012, an unauthorized immigrant in Escondido (San Diego County) pleaded guilty to voting illegally in the 2008 presidential election by using the name of a U.S. citizen. In 2008, a man was sentenced to jail in Orange County for registering two underage teenagers and a noncitizen to vote. In a more high-profile case in 1996, Congress opened an investigation after a Republican congressman from Orange County argued that voting by noncitizens had caused him to lose re-election. The investigation was eventually dropped. Election crimes prosecuted in California typically involve wrongdoing by political candidates and public officials. In recent years, a state senator from Inglewood (Los Angeles County), an Escondido school board member, the former mayor of Vernon (Los Angeles County) and the manager of a community services district near Redding were convicted of voter fraud for lying about their addresses. In 2008, former San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew pleaded guilty to perjury charges for falsely claiming he lived in the district he represented. He served a prison term from 2009 to 2013 on other convictions involving his conduct in office. Laurel Rosenhall is a reporter for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. Tuesday Anti-Trump rally: Members of the tech community rally on Pi Day, March 14, in protest of President Trump. The rally is from 2 to 6 p.m. at 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. Wednesday 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. Postcard party: An opportunity for people to write postcards to elected officials on issues of concern from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pier 23 Cafe on the Embarcadero, San Francisco. Thursday Antitravel ban rally: A protest against President Trumps new travel ban, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the San Francisco Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave. Friday Community forum: A conversation on civic engagement with elected officials, business leaders and community activists, hosted by Golden Gate University. The event is from 5 to 8 p.m. at 536 Mission St., San Francisco. Purchase tickets: http://bit.ly/2n3L87U Sunday Forum: A Jewish Community Forum to discuss the current political climate and how it affects the Bay Area Jewish community. The forum will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay, 1835 Ellis St., San Francisco. Tickets available: http://bit.ly/2mSh7qK. Author series: A conversation with Aya de Leon, a local poet, author and performance artist, and Kate Raphael, author and producer of the KPFA-FM radio show Womens Magazine, on how to organize against President Trump. The talk will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Eric Quezada Center for Culture and Politics, 518 Valencia St., San Francisco. Community conversation: Sierra Club leader Arthur Feinstein leads a discussion on local and statewide environmental issues. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Northern Police Station Community Room, 1125 Fillmore St., San Francisco. RSVP: www.sierraclub.org/san-francisco-bay/activities Monday Political discussion: A panel discussion on how to be involved at the local, state and federal level, hosted by the United Democratic Club. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 6 union, 55 Fillmore St., San Francisco. March 26 Womens rally and march: A Walk for Equality from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Rinconada Park, 777 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto. March 29 Panel: A discussion with immigration attorneys on sanctuary cities, hosted by the United Democratic Club. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 6 union, 55 Fillmore St., San Francisco. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Santa Cruz County officials are using a visual new campaign to try to convince state lawmakers to pass legislation that would fund road repairs. The county said in a press release that they are sending each member of the California State Legislature one of six postcards (pictured in the slideshow above), which show some of the damage done by this year's strong winter storms. The postcards show washed out and buckled roadways that have become all too common around the Bay Area. Even though the rain has subsided, Santa Cruz County officials say that many major roadways remain closed indefinitely and several homes are still not accessible by vehicle. "At one point, more than 60 local roads were closed by storm damage, along with every state highway into Santa Cruz County," the press release reads. The county says all that damage adds up to $70 million. Now, they're urging state senators and assembly members to pass two bills that would fund local road improvements. County officials say Senate Bill 1 and Assembly Bill 1 would increase statewide funding for transportation by $2.2 billion; nearly $9 million of that would go to Santa Cruz County. RELATED VIDEO: Drone video shows flooding in San Jose on Feb. 21, 2017 That's funding Santa Cruz County officials claim the area has needed for a long time, as a reduction in state funds has forced the county to reduce the size of road repair crews over the past several years. "They did amazing work during the storms to clear and stabilize roads, but we have long-term funding issues that need to be addressed. It's time for the legislature to step up and help local communities," Public Works Director John Presleigh wrote in a press release. Santa Cruz County is not alone in its major road troubles. Notably, Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur was cracked beyond repair by recent storms. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for dozens of California counties, including every Bay Area county and Santa Cruz. He also requested a presidential major disaster declaration. The proclamations allow federal funding to supplement state money that is being directed toward storm recovery efforts. Former President Barack Obama flew to San Jose Sunday night to meet with Silicon Valley tech leaders, according to NBC Bay Area. Details of the meeting were not immediately known. The Omaha World-Herald reported Sunday that Obama had stopped into Omaha for lunch with billionaire businessman Warren Buffett and his daughter Susie. Flight logs showed him continuing to San Jose, the paper said. An armed woman who barricaded herself in a residential hotel in the Mission District of San Francisco on Friday and held police at bay for hours had served in the U.S. Marine Corps for seven years, officials said. Samantha Helstrom, 57, was booked for criminal threats and brandishing a firearm after a seven hour standoff with police at the Crown Hotel at 528 Valencia St., near the Mission Police Station, officials said. Helstrom had been featured in a story published by The Chronicle in 2001 that detailed her experience of traveling to Thailand for gender reassignment surgery and her post-operation recovery. I feel reborn, Helstrom, a transgender woman, wrote in a diary entry that was included in the article. This is really the start of my life. Helstrom was born in Chicago and raised in the Bay Area. She served in the U.S. Marines for seven years, joining at the age of 17. The standoff on Friday began inside the Crown Hotel about 2 p.m. when a pest control worker knocked on her door and was greeted by Helstrom, who had a gun, said Sgt. Michael Andraychak of the San Francisco Police Department. The victim was able to escape, unharmed, but Helstrom continued to hole up inside a room on the second floor. The incident prompted a shutdown of Valencia Street between 16th and 18th streets as a SWAT team and negotiators attempted to make contact with Helstrom. She eventually surrendered shortly before 9 p.m. and was initially taken to a hospital for evaluation. Helstrom was a resident of the hotel. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani Three days before President Trumps new travel ban is due to take effect, California joined a legal challenge by Washington and four other states Monday arguing that the proposed halt on admission of immigrants and refugees is a thinly disguised anti-Muslim decree that would damage the states universities, hospitals and economies. Like Trumps first order, which was blocked by the courts, the revised order is an attack on people women and children, professors and business colleagues, seniors and civic leaders based on their religion and national origin, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement accompanying the filing in a federal court in Seattle. Washington state, the lead plaintiff, asked U.S. District Judge James Robart to hold a hearing Tuesday on its request to extend his previous injunction to Trumps new order temporarily blocking people from six mostly Muslim nations and all refugees. But Robart said he would hear arguments no earlier than Wednesday, when other federal judges have scheduled hearings on separate lawsuits in Maryland and Hawaii. Meanwhile, the Trump administration filed its first legal defense of the new executive order, telling a judge in Hawaii that it was issued under the presidents broad constitutional authority over foreign affairs and national security and bars entry on the basis of risk of terrorism, not religion. The states filing Monday detailed the harm they said they would suffer from the travel ban. Californias lawyers said the state, whose population is 27 percent foreign-born, is home to nearly 700 students from the six targeted countries at its state universities and would face the loss of prospective students, scholars and physicians from abroad, as well as millions in tax revenue from travelers. The proposed order undermines Californias commitment to diversity and nondiscrimination, the filing said. The order, which Trump issued March 6, would prohibit U.S. entry for 90 days by anyone from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In the meantime, the U.S. would determine whether heightened screening is needed for people from those nations trying to enter this country. Trumps short-lived Jan. 27 travel ban also applied to entrants from Iraq, which was dropped from the new order at the urging of military officials working with Iraqis to combat Islamic State militants. U.S. officials also said Iraq had agreed to implement new measures to keep people with criminal or terroristic intent from reaching the United States. The new order, like the first one, would also halt for 120 days all U.S. admission of refugees, who have fled violence or persecution in their homelands. Unlike the earlier version, the March 6 order explicitly exempts from the ban natives of the targeted countries who have gained legal U.S. residency or hold valid U.S. visas. Rulings by Robart and a panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco held that the Jan. 27 order was likely to violate the constitutional rights of immigrants and refugees, by excluding them without notice or hearings, and that it raised serious questions of possible religious discrimination. Lawyers for the states suing in Seattle Washington, California, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts and Maryland argued Monday that the new presidential order was no different. Despite Trumps claim that the revisions would satisfy the courts previous objections, the states lawyers noted that presidential adviser Stephen Miller said Feb. 21 that the new order would have mostly minor technical differences but the same basic policy outcome as the first order. Trumps press secretary, Sean Spicer, said Feb. 27 that the new order attempts to address the courts concerns but to maintain the way that we did it the first time. And that goal, the states contended, is to disfavor Islam and favor Christianity. They cited Trumps campaign pledge to ban all Muslim immigration, his claim at a Feb. 16 news conference that he had acted to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the country, and the Jan. 28 statement by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump adviser, that the president had asked him to find a legal way to draft a Muslim ban. In the Hawaii filing defending Trumps order, Justice Department lawyers described the ban as a brief time-out for review of U.S. terrorist screening measures. It said Trumps order was legal under a 1952 statute allowing the president to exclude any class of aliens who might harm the national interest. Any alleged violations of the rights of individuals were cured by the new orders exemptions for legal residents and visa-holders, the only noncitizens who have constitutional rights, government lawyers said. Claims of harm to universities, state hospitals or residents seeking entry of a relative abroad are merely speculative, the lawyers said, because anyone banned by the order could ask a consular official for a waiver. They also said the executive order does not convey any religious message and would affect nations which collectively are home to less than 9 percent of the worlds Muslim population. Informal statements by the president or his surrogates before or after the election that do not directly concern the order are irrelevant, the government lawyers said. In another action Monday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and 36 colleagues introduced a bill that would negate Trumps order, legislation that has little prospect of success in the Republican-controlled Congress, let alone of winning the presidents signature. These divisive policies alienate our allies in the Muslim world and fuel anti-American sentiment by sending a message that the United States is out to punish one religion, Feinstein said in a statement. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com TWitter: @egelko WASHINGTON Facing a Monday deadline, the Justice Department asked lawmakers for more time to provide evidence backing up President Trumps assertion that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper during the election. The request came as the White House appeared to soften Trumps explosive allegation. The House intelligence committee said it would give the Justice Department until March 20 to comply with the evidence request. Thats the date of the committees first open hearing on the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia. FILE PHOTO - A gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Persian Gulf, Iran July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/File Photo By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's oil imports from Iran rose nearly 17 percent in February from a month earlier as refiners received less crude from key OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and Iraq after an OPEC deal to cut output, shipping data showed on Monday. The jump meant Iran replaced regional rival Iraq as India's second-biggest oil supplier - a role Tehran used to occupy before Western sanctions were imposed against it over the country's disputed nuclear programme. While Saudi Arabia remained the biggest oil supplier to India, ship tracking data and a report compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts showed imports from Iran rose to 647,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February. That was 16.7 percent more than January, and almost trebled from February 2016. \ The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pledged to curb production by about 1.2 million bpd from Jan. 1, the first cut in eight years, in a move designed to boost prices and drain a supply glut. Iran, Libya and Nigeria were, however, granted exemptions from the deal. In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, between April and February, India imported about 542,400 bpd from Iran, compared to about 225,522 bpd for the same period a year ago. Average oil volumes supplied by Iran over this period were the highest on record. In the first two months of 2017, India's oil imports from Iran averaged 598,400 bpd compared to about 192,500 bpd a year ago, the data showed. Indian refiners including Reliance Industries Ltd, operator of the world's biggest refinery complex at Jamnagar, have returned as buyers of Iranian oil after having stopped imports from Iran during the sanctions period. Meanwhile, India's February oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq were nearly a third lower than the same month a year ago. Nigerian oil supplies in February stood at 527,400 bpd, the data showed, a jump of 94 percent from the previous month. That meant the African nation emerged as the fourth-biggest oil supplier to India, displacing Venezuela. The latter, witnessing a decline in production, is cutting supplies to India as it is fulfilling obligations under oil for loan deals with China and Russia. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Carjackers shot and killed a Houston-area father because his car had a manual transmission, which they didn't how to operate, police said. Pedro Aguilar, a 47-year-old mechanic, was returning to his Harris County apartment about 11 p.m. after dining out with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. The wife and daughter had gotten out of the car and were guiding him to a parking space when a sedan pulled up, according to KHOU. Two young men got out and pointed a gun at Aguilar while he was still in the driver's seat, police said. They pistol-whipped him and pulled him out because he was taking too much time, according to deputies. The thieves then got into the car but could not get it to drive because they didn't know how to operate a standard shift. According to the ABC 13, police believe that Aguilar was shot in the chest by one of the men out of frustration over the manual transmission. The stymied suspects then returned to their vehicle, described as a silver or white four-door sedan, and fled the scene. A third man reportedly was driving the car. All three men were described as being in their late-teens or early 20s. Aguilar died at the scene in front of his family. Some tenants told KHOU they have to pay to park inside the apartment complex gates, which is why many residents opt for the free parking along the street. A new constitutional amendment put forth by South Bay congressman Evan Low (D-Campbell) would allow 17-year-old Californians to vote. If it passes, the legislation would make California the first state in the union to "fully" allow 17-year-olds to vote. Currently, they (and 16-year-old teens) can only pre-register to vote in California, but Low and his supporters "want to expand the opportunity." The amendment would need to be approved in a statewide vote in 2018. By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's oil imports from Iran rose nearly 17 percent in February from a month earlier as refiners received less crude from key OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and Iraq after an OPEC deal to cut output, shipping data showed on Monday. The jump meant Iran replaced regional rival Iraq as India's second-biggest oil supplier - a role Tehran used to occupy before Western sanctions were imposed against it over the country's disputed nuclear programme. While Saudi Arabia remained the biggest oil supplier to India, ship tracking data and a report compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts showed imports from Iran rose to 647,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February. That was 16.7 percent more than January, and almost trebled from February 2016. \ The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pledged to curb production by about 1.2 million bpd from Jan. 1, the first cut in eight years, in a move designed to boost prices and drain a supply glut. Iran, Libya and Nigeria were, however, granted exemptions from the deal. In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, between April and February, India imported about 542,400 bpd from Iran, compared to about 225,522 bpd for the same period a year ago. Average oil volumes supplied by Iran over this period were the highest on record. In the first two months of 2017, India's oil imports from Iran averaged 598,400 bpd compared to about 192,500 bpd a year ago, the data showed. Indian refiners including Reliance Industries Ltd, operator of the world's biggest refinery complex at Jamnagar, have returned as buyers of Iranian oil after having stopped imports from Iran during the sanctions period. Meanwhile, India's February oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq were nearly a third lower than the same month a year ago. Nigerian oil supplies in February stood at 527,400 bpd, the data showed, a jump of 94 percent from the previous month. That meant the African nation emerged as the fourth-biggest oil supplier to India, displacing Venezuela. The latter, witnessing a decline in production, is cutting supplies to India as it is fulfilling obligations under oil for loan deals with China and Russia. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) A judge says California is legally authorized to label the main ingredient in Monsantos Roundup, the nations most widely used herbicide, as a potential cause of cancer. A state environmental agency announced plans in late 2015 to add the chemical, glyphosate, to Californias list of potential cancer-causing chemicals based on a World Health Organization research agencys findings that it was a probable human carcinogen. Proposition 65, approved by state voters in 1986, requires companies to warn consumers if the state determines their products pose a risk of cancer or birth defects. Monsanto, which sells its weed killer worldwide, sued to block the labeling, arguing that the state was illegally delegating lawmaking authority to an outside agency and violating freedom of speech. A judge in Fresno County dismissed the suit Friday. California and its voters have not abandoned their lawmaking powers, but instead made the fundamental policy decision regarding the question of whether to create a list of possibly carcinogenic chemicals, Superior Court Judge Kristi Kapetan said in her ruling. Legislators then used the expertise of a respected international scientific agency, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer, to decide which substances should be on the list, Kapetan said. She said the agency was a neutral body with nothing to gain or lose by designating a particular chemical. Monsanto also argued that the listing would violate its freedom of speech by requiring it to add a warning label that it considered to be false. Similar arguments have been made in other labeling challenges makers of cell phones and sugary drinks have accused both San Francisco and Berkeley of violating free speech by requiring customer warnings of potential health hazards. Federal judges have upheld the labeling when the information has been documented as factual. In Monsantos case, however, Kapetan said the free-speech claim was premature because the states Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has not yet ordered a warning label on Roundup. But an environmental group that supported the states position in the case said the ruling clears the way for a consumer warning that is well-justified. This court acknowledged that its proper for the state to require common-sense labeling that accurately reflects the findings of the worlds most reliable, transparent and science-based assessment of glyphosate, said Nathan Donley, a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. Monsanto said Monday that the listing would contradict findings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Authority, among others, that glyphosate does not cause cancer. We disagree with the courts ruling, and we will continue to fight the decision on the basis of sound science and the law, the company said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the United States are arranging a meeting between Finance Minister Taro Aso and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Friday on the sidelines of G20 financial leaders' meeting in Germany, a Japanese source said on Monday. Aso will also likely hold a separate meeting with Chinese Finance Minister Xiao Jie during the March 17-18 gathering of the G20 financial chiefs, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity as the plans have not been finalised. (Reporting by Takaya Yamaguchi; Writing by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Richard Borsuk) The U.S. Coast Guard and Bodega Fire Department helped rescue two people this evening after their kayaks overturned in Bodega Bay near Boran Beach. A man clinging to the side of his kayak called the Coast Guard with his cellphone just after 4:30 p.m. requesting help. Lt. Jason Berger, a command duty officer with the Coast Guard, in a statement said it was difficult to communicate with the man as he was distressed and had difficulty responding to basic questions. "We were able to piece enough information together to determine that there were two people in distress and both were holding onto their capsized kayaks," Berger said. Rescue boat crews were immediately launched to assist the two men. Once on scene, the Coast Guard located one of the men and brought him to shore where emergency medical personnel were waiting to treat him. Bodega Fire located the other person in the water, and he was rescued and taken to a hospital. Information on his condition not immediately available. According to the Coast Guard, a third person was with the men and their kayak capsized as well, however they were able to swim to shore. The Coast Guard encourages all boaters to wear life jackets while out on the water and to have two means of communication including a waterproof portable radio. CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Mar 13, 2017) - Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (NYSE: JLL) has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as a 2017 World's Most Ethical Company. The honor acknowledges, for the 10th consecutive year, the strong principles of business and professional ethics that are inherent in JLL's values, culture and strategy as well as its interactions with clients, customers, vendors and employees. The Ethisphere Institute is a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. "JLL places the highest priority on ethical integrity in all we do," said Christian Ulbrich, JLL CEO. "Working with our clients around the world, we are dedicated to the goal of building a better tomorrow. We are proud and honored to be acknowledged for a 10th consecutive year on the Ethisphere Institute's list of the World's Most Ethical Companies." "Nothing is harder to win, or easier to lose, than a reputation for integrity," said Mark J. Ohringer, JLL General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer. "We have a responsibility to our employees, shareholders, clients and the communities in which we operate to maintain the reputation for the highest ethical standards that has been the foundation for our 250-year history." Methodology & Scoring The World's Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute's Ethics Quotient (EQ) framework which offers a quantitative way to assess a company's performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies, rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%) and provided to all companies who participate in the process. Story continues About JLL JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. A Fortune 500 company, JLL helps real estate owners, occupiers and investors achieve their business ambitions. In 2016, JLL had revenue of $6.8 billion and fee revenue of $5.8 billion and, on behalf of clients, managed 4.4 billion square feet, or 409 million square meters, and completed sales acquisitions and finance transactions of approximately $136 billion. At year-end 2016, JLL had nearly 300 corporate offices, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 77,000. As of December 31, 2016, LaSalle Investment Management has $60.1 billion of real estate under asset management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com. About the Ethisphere Institute The Ethisphere Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere Magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3117926 Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3117928 President Donald Trump 's advisor Kellyanne Conway on Monday sidestepped questions about whether any evidence backs Trump's explosive claim that President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on him ahead of the 2016 election. Top lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee asked the Justice Department to turn over any information showing that Trump Tower was wiretapped by Monday. Trump made the claim earlier this month without citing evidence, and bipartisan members of Congress have cast doubts on it. In a series of morning show interviews, Conway, a counselor to Trump, did not cite any specific information to back the accusation. She said the White House wanted to see how investigations in Congress played out. "I'm not in the job of having evidence. That's what investigations are for," she told CNN's "New Day." She echoed that sentiment in a "Good Morning America" interview, saying she had "no evidence" to back Trump's claim and deferred to the findings of the congressional intelligence committees. On NBC's "Today," she said the White House did not want to comment on the issue more until it saw what lawmakers concluded. Trump has faced harsh criticism for accusing the Obama administration of wiretapping him without citing any evidence. An Obama spokesman has flatly denied that the former president did so. A House Intelligence Committee scheduled for next Monday may provide more clues about Trump's allegations and the ongoing investigation into whether any Trump campaign associates had contact with Russian officials. FBI Director James Comey, who reportedly asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trump's wiretapping accusation, is invited to testify. The U.S. intelligence committee previously concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 election and developed a preference for Trump. The president's wiretapping accusation followed increasing pressure on his administration about contacts between his top advisors and Moscow. Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel Mark Zuckerberg defended Facebook board member and Trump adviser Peter Thiel during a Q&A with students at North Carolina A&T State University on Monday. The Facebook CEO offered his defense of Thiel, a billionaire venture capitalist and early Facebook investor, in response to a question about how the company "maintains a free and safe environment for the expression of all thoughts and feelings." He also said that calls to kick Thiel off Facebook's board of directors because of his ties to President Donald Trump were "crazy." "We have a board member who is an adviser to the Trump administration, Peter Thiel," Zuckerberg said during the hourlong Q&A, which was live-streamed on his Facebook page. "And I personally believe that if you want to have a company that is committed to diversity, you need to be committed to all kinds of diversity, including ideological diversity. "I think the folks who are saying we shouldn't have someone on our board because they're a Republican, I think that's crazy," he continued. "I think you need to have all kinds of diversity if you want to make progress together as a society." Zuckerberg's visit to North Carolina is part of his goal to visit every US state by the end of 2017. So far, he has visited several southern states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Monday's comments were not the first time Zuckerberg has defended Thiel. In an internal Facebook memo from October, Zuckerberg addressed employees' concerns about Thiel's involvement with the Trump campaign. "We can't create a culture that says it cares about diversity and then excludes almost half the country because they back a political candidate," Zuckerberg wrote at the time. "There are many reasons a person might support Trump that do not involve racism, sexism, xenophobia or accepting sexual assault. It may be because they believe strongly in smaller government, a different tax policy, health care system, religious issues, gun rights or any other issue where he disagrees with Hillary." Story continues Thiel donated to Trump's campaign and organized an early meeting with top tech executives at Trump Tower in December, which Zuckerberg did not attend. Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives have spoken out against Trump's policies, including his first executive order on immigration. NOW WATCH: Peter Thiel on why he supports Trump: Insider politicians are just 'rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic' More From Business Insider (Repeats story published on Sunday) * Merkel meets Trump for first time on Tuesday in Washington * Trade, defence spending and Europe are contentious issues * Trump called Merkel's refugee policies "catastrophic mistake" * German camp girds for surprises after Abe, May visits By Noah Barkin BERLIN, March 12 (Reuters) - She is controlled and cautious, a physicist from East Germany who takes her time making decisions and has never relished the attention that comes from being Europe's most powerful leader. He is a wealthy real estate magnate from New York who shoots from the hip and enjoys the spotlight. It is hard to imagine two leaders more different, in style or substance, than Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Donald Trump, the new president of the United States. For months, they have been engaged in an uneasy long-distance skirmish over policy and values. On Tuesday, they meet for the first time - a high-stakes encounter that will be watched by governments around the world for clues about the future of the transatlantic alliance, a partnership that has helped shape the global order since World War Two but which Trump is threatening to upend. "Do I think they are going to become good friends? Probably not. They are very different personalities," said Charles Kupchan, who advised Trump's predecessor Barack Obama on European policy as a member of the National Security Council. "But I do think they have a strong interest, both politically and strategically, in learning how to work together. It is arguably the most important meeting with a foreign leader of Trump's presidency." German officials say the detail-oriented Merkel, 62, has been preparing assiduously for her trip to Washington. She has watched Trump's speeches and poured over his interviews, including a lengthy Q&A with Playboy magazine from 1990 in which he floats many of the controversial ideas he is now trying to implement as president, they say. Members of her entourage have also analysed Trump's encounters with other leaders - including Britain's Theresa May, Japan's Shinzo Abe and Canada's Justin Trudeau - and have had exchanges with some of their counterparts on how to handle the unpredictable former reality-TV star, the officials added. Story continues "We have to be prepared for the fact that he does not like to listen for long, that he prefers clear positions and does not want to delve into details," said one senior German official. 'CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE' On both economic and foreign policy, the divide between the two leaders appears vast. Trump, 70, has called Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany a "catastrophic mistake". He has threatened to impose tariffs on German carmakers that import into the U.S. market. And he has criticised Berlin for not spending more on defence, a longstanding U.S. complaint that Merkel has promised to address. Another source of tension is Germany's 50 billion euro trade surplus with the United States. Trump adviser Peter Navarro has accused Germany of gaining unfair trade advantages through a weak euro. Merkel and her ministers have pointed out that the European Central Bank - and not Berlin - controls the fate of Europe's single currency. Russia will also be on the agenda. White House officials have said Trump will seek advice from Merkel on how to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. For her part, Merkel has been critical of Trump's travel ban targeting the citizens of several mainly Muslim countries. In a phone call in January, she explained to Trump that the Geneva Convention obliges signatories, including the United States, to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. Merkel is also concerned that Trump, who has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave the European Union, might continue to undermine the bloc with his rhetoric at a time of deep crisis triggered by the rise of anti-EU populist parties. "Europe is in a very fragile, precarious state and Germany is trying to ensure that the European integration project holds together. I suspect the chancellor will want to make this clear to the president," said Anthony Gardner, who served as U.S. ambassador to the European Union until January. "This is an opportunity to sketch out areas of common interest, to define a positive agenda," he added. "But one meeting won't change the atmosphere on its own." POTENTIAL FOR SURPRISES Trump is the third U.S. president that Merkel, Europe's longest-serving leader, has worked with. She established a good rapport with George W. Bush, who was keen to repair ties with Germany after his clash with Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder over the Iraq war. And although relations with Obama got off to an awkward start when Merkel rebuffed his request to speak at the Brandenburg Gate during the 2008 presidential campaign, the two grew close over time, cooperating on sanctions against Russia and launching negotiations on a transatlantic free-trade deal. "The parting is hard for me," Merkel acknowledged when Obama visited Berlin in November, a week after Trump's victory. The German leader will be walking a fine line in Washington. With an election looming at home in September, she must avoid offering her political opponents ammunition by cozying up to Trump. Neither can she afford an open confrontation that might damage German interests. One of the biggest concerns in the chancellor's camp before the visit is the potential for surprises. Japan's Abe had an awkward 19-second handshake with Trump, while May was criticised in some sections of the British media for holding hands with Trump during a stroll at the White House, apparently after he reached out to steady himself. When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump last month, he and his team spent the day before running through endless scenarios, lines of questioning and role-plays to ensure they were prepared for any scenario. But in the end, they were still taken aback when Trump spoke off the cuff at their news conference on the sensitive issues of settlements and a future Palestinian state. Merkel has admitted to being so uncomfortable with surprises as a child that she drew up her Christmas wish-list months in advance to avoid being caught off-guard by an unexpected gift. With Trump, she might have to expect the unexpected. (Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Gernot Heller in Berlin, Steve Holland in Washington, Luke Baker is Jerusalem, Elizabeth Piper in London and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Pravin Char) (Adds finance minister comments) MEXICO CITY, March 13 (Reuters) - Mexico's Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade said on Monday that Mexico was analyzing how to respond to U.S. tax proposals, including a border adjustment tax, but that Mexico has less fiscal space than the United States to enact reforms. Mexico's debt levels have risen sharply in recent years and the government has promised to cut spending this year and reach a primary surplus. "The United States has more possibility to issue debt than Mexico," Meade said on local TV. He said that there were currently no plans to raise taxes in Mexico, but that the government was still analyzing how to react to potential U.S. tax measures. "So far all we know are just sketches of (U.S.) proposals. So in front of each draft proposal we are evaluating what the impact might be," Meade said. Meade said that a proposed border adjustment tax (BAT) "would be like a tariff on all goods entering the United States" but that it was not Mexico-specific. Since such a tax would effect the whole world, Mexico would have to study how it could respond to such a move, he said. Meade reiterated that Mexico had been clear that it would not accept Mexico-specific tariffs or import quotas in talks with the United States to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that also includes Canada. Meade said that U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross's comments that the U.S. was looking at making changes on the rules that determine how much of a product must be sourced within North America as well as dispute resolution rule. Meade said that, based on Ross's comments, it did not appear that the United States was thinking in terms of Mexico-specific measures such as tariffs or quotas. (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Bernard Orr) MEXICO CITY, March 13 (Reuters) - Mexico would seek to block U.S. high-fructose corn syrup from entering Mexico if the United States imposes any tariffs on Mexican sugar, the head of Mexico's sugar industry association said on Monday. Mexico was willing to negotiate with the United States to get a mutually beneficial deal, Juan Cortina, Mexico's sugar chamber president, said at an event in Mexico City. (Reporting by Adriana Barrera) PARIS Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as Carlos the Jackal, is due to go on trial Monday for a deadly attack in a Paris shopping mall decades ago, the oldest one blamed on the former public enemy of France and probably the last one to come to court. The Venezuelan-born Ramirez Sanchez, one of the most notorious political terrorists of the 1970s and 80s, is serving a life sentence in France for a series of murders and attacks he perpetrated or organized in the country on behalf of the Palestinian cause or communist revolution. He first was convicted by a French court 20 years ago, and again in 2011 and 2013. If convicted on first-degree murder charges in the latest trial, he could get a third life sentence. Ramirez Sanchez, 67, is scheduled to appear in a Paris court for allegedly throwing a hand grenade from a mezzanine restaurant onto a shopping arcade in the French capitals Latin Quarter in September 1974. Two people were killed and dozens injured. At the time of the attack, Ramirez Sanchez had not yet been dubbed Carlos the Jackal or become one of the worlds most wanted fugitives. He was 24 years old and already had joined the organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. When police arrived, they found a devastated mall with all the windows shattered, multiple bloodstains and a hole in the marble slab of the ground floor where the grenade fell. The two men who died were hit by metal chips that perforated vital organs and caused large internal bleeding, according to court documents. Carlos has pleaded innocent and denied involvement in the case. His longtime lawyer and fiance, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, said none of the witnesses from the Drugstore Publicis restaurant had described a man resembling her client and that the whole case was trumped up. Yet an Arab-language news magazine in France, Al Watan Al Arabi, published a long interview with a man it identified as Ramirez Sanchez five years after the attack. The magazine reported that he said he had thrown the grenade into the restaurant, described the full details of the operation and explained why it was carried out. Carlos later disputed he had given the interview. It was in the name of the Palestinian cause that he subsequently became the military chief of the PFLP in Europe, saying the operational and political responsibility for all the operations of the group on the continent and also for all the wounded and all the dead, according to court documents. Carlos was arrested in Sudan by the French intelligence services in 1994, 20 years after the first attack blamed on him in France. Philippe Sotto is an Associated Press writer. THE HAGUE, Netherlands Just days away from an election in which he hopes to secure a third term, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didnt want to be seen as backing down to Turkish threats. Rutte enraged Ankara by refusing to let Turkeys foreign minister land in the Netherlands on Saturday and denying the countrys family and social policies minister access to the Turkish Consulate in downtown Rotterdam. But the prime minister may have bolstered his image as a tough leader amid an electoral battle with far-right populist Geert Wilders. Political scientist Andre Krouwel of Amsterdams Free University said that in a campaign dominated by nationalism and national identity issues, Ruttes right-wing VVD party and not the Party for Freedom of anti-Islam firebrand Wilders probably would profit most from the diplomatic showdown with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Rutte is a key player in this because he is prime minister, Krouwel said. So he and the VVD can say: We are the ones who really protect your interests, we are the ones who go down into the trenches to defend the Netherlands. The image of Turkish flag-waving protesters clashing with riot police in downtown Rotterdam early Sunday might appear to play into the hands of Wilders and his anti-immigrant platform. But Krouwel said Wilders views on immigration and integration have been known for years by Dutch voters and so he may not profit. Other parties, like Ruttes VVD and the increasingly right-wing Christian Democrats, seeking to eat into Wilders support base by moving further to the right on such issues are more likely to reap electoral rewards in the knife-edge Dutch election on Wednesday. The election is still wide open, Krouwel said. What the right-wing parties are now doing is jumping on this theme from Turkey to more than already was the case emphasize themes of immigration, integration, the migrant problem and the concerns about what identity we still share. Ben Bot, a former foreign minister for the Christian Democrats, said Saturday that the Dutch governments decision to refuse landing permission to a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was probably influenced by electoral considerations. Bots comment to Dutch broadcaster RTL came as the Christian Democrats are making gains, with polls suggesting they could win around 20 of the lower houses 150 seats. Ruttes VVD is leading polls with up to 27 seats, while Wilders PVV is projected to win as many as 23. Many voters, however, are still undecided. Mike Corder is an Associated Press writer. Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg ROTTERDAM, Netherlands The Dutch prime minister declared Monday that he wants the Netherlands to turn the tide of populism in this weeks parliamentary election. Remember the Brexit. We all thought that would never happen. Remember the U.S. elections, Mark Rutte said in Rotterdam. So lets not make that mistake again. These elections are crucial. Let us stop the domino effect right this week, this Wednesday. The domino effect of the wrong sort of populism winning in this world. ANKARA, Turkey German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the Netherlands in its diplomatic fight with Turkey on Monday as NATOs chief called for alliance members to respect each other and the European Union urged Turkey to calm down. The argument is over the Netherlands refusal to allow Turkish officials to campaign there to drum up support among Turks who are eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum that would greatly expand the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey announced a series of political sanctions against the Netherlands on Monday, including halting high-level political discussions between the two countries, closing Turkish air space to Dutch diplomats, and barring the Dutch ambassador entry back into Turkey. Turkeys foreign ministry also formally protested the treatment of a Turkish minister who was escorted out of the Netherlands after trying to attend a weekend referendum rally. And the ministry objected to what it called a disproportionate use of force against demonstrators at a protest afterward. Erdogan later said that the two Cabinet ministers would apply to the European human rights court over their treatment in the Netherlands. Turkey had a similar dispute with Germany last week, but the fight with the Netherlands comes as that country prepares for its own election Wednesday pitting Prime Minister Mark Ruttes right-wing PVV Party against far-right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders party. Wilders had called on the Dutch government to bar Turkish ministers from the Netherlands until after the election. Rutte, who did not want to be seen backing down to Turkish threats, enraged Ankara by refusing to let Turkeys foreign minister land in the Netherlands on Saturday and denying the countrys family and social policies minister access to the Turkish Consulate in downtown Rotterdam. Erdogan vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming that Nazism is alive in the West. Merkel, speaking at a news conference in Munich on Monday, pledged her full support and solidarity to the Dutch. Erdogan responded angrily to Merkels support for the Netherlands. Shame on you! he exclaimed during an interview with A Haber television on Monday. The European Union called on Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation. EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas added that it was essential to avoid further escalation. Also Monday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged all members of the alliance to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach. Suzan Fraser is an Associated Press writer. 1 Syria attack: An al Qaeda-linked group on Sunday claimed responsibility for twin blasts near holy shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital of Damascus that killed at least 40 people. The Levant Liberation Committee said the attack was carried out by two of its suicide bombers, saying they targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. Iran is a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Saturdays attack also wounded more than a hundred people, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials. 2 Haiti crash: Rescue officials say a bus on Sunday plowed into a crowd in the city of Gonaives, killing at least 34 people. Regional civil defense coordinator Josepth Faustin said the tragedy occurred about 3 a.m. Sunday when a passenger bus first hit two people at a bus stop and then continued into a crowd of people attending a music festival. He said angry festivalgoers then attacked the bus and tried to burn it. The bus driver fled and is being sought. MANILA The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said Sunday. Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said. Norway, which has brokered the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asias longest-running rebellions. Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New Peoples Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province. Duterte did not mention the talks resumption in his speech at the annual graduation of cadets at the Philippine Military Academy on Sunday in northern Baguio city. He promised better and more weapons for soldiers and thanked those who risked their lives and limbs to defend this countrys sovereignty as well as those who continue to offer their sweat and blood to fortify the pillars of a great nation that we are presently trying to build. The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Dutertes instructions. Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state, the military said in a statement. The Maoist guerrillas said they would remain vigilant because of continuing military and police counterinsurgency operations but added they were optimistic with the talks resumption. Instead of putting the lives of millions of people in harms way, such as Dutertes all-out-war declaration, better yet we try to settle our differences on the negotiating table, said the rebels Melito Glor command. The rebels and the government declared separate cease-fires last year as they resumed peace talks. That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the countrys south. Jim Gomez is an Associated Press writer. BERLIN He has tried to close the door on Muslim refugees. She opened it. He calls himself a tough negotiator. Shes an even-tempered consensus builder. He wants to put America first. She is first and foremost a globalist. President Trump will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House this week, marking the first face-to-face encounter between the new U.S. commander in chief and the woman known as Europes decider. When they meet, the two leaders with little in common will find themselves belatedly moving to forge a relationship that could determine the future of trans-Atlantic ties. Merkel and Trump had planned to get together Tuesday, but the meeting was delayed until Friday because of a major snowstorm forecast to hit the East Coast. After the exit of President Barack Obama from the world stage, some have hailed Merkel as the new standard-bearer of liberal democracy. But she heads to Washington poised instead to fall back on her most signature trait: pragmatism. Merkel might have been one of Trumps punching bags on the campaign trail, but she is willing to set that aside. Talking with each other instead of talking about each other will be my motto for the visit, which I am very much looking forward to, she said Monday in Munich. Whether Trump accepts that gift is anybodys guess, and Merkels visit will undoubtedly spotlight the serious concerns in Berlin about his unconventional presidency. They include fears of a looming trade war and an undermining of the European Union, as well as worries of roughshod decision-making in the Middle East that could provoke another refugee crisis. That Merkel and Trump are off to a rocky start is no secret. Trump took swipes at her during the campaign, decrying her refugee policy as a sad, sad shame. For her part, Merkel who was considered Obamas closest ally in Europe responded with a congratulatory message after Trumps victory that seemed to school him on the importance of democratic values. Now, weeks after Trumps meetings with the leaders of other nations, including Japan and Britain, Merkel will arrive in Washington with perhaps more to lose than to gain. Locked in a tougher-than-expected bid for re-election this year, she must somehow demonstrate that she is willing to stand up for European values and positions, while also making nice with a trash-talking businessman-turned-president who is deeply unpopular among Germans. Merkel wants to demonstrate to the political world in Germany and Europe that she can handle Trump, said Josef Janning, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Asked whether Merkel would address Trumps plan to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, one German official said the chancellor would not interfere in U.S. domestic politics. But he noted that Merkel, as a former citizen of East Germany, had her own experiences with walls and clearly advocated a barrier- and border-free Europe. Anthony Faiola and Stephanie Kirchner are Washington Post writers. WARSAW Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man exposed by the Associated Press as a former commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II, prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutor Robert Janicki said evidence gathered over years of investigation into U.S. citizen Michael K. confirmed 100 percent that he was a commander of a unit in the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion. Janicki did not release the last name in line with privacy laws, but the AP has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. All the pieces of evidence interwoven together allow us to say the person who lives in the U.S. is Michael K., who commanded the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion which carried out the pacification of Polish villages in the Lublin region, Janicki said. The decision in Poland comes four years after the AP published a story establishing that Michael Karkoc commanded the unit, based on wartime documents, testimony from other members of the unit and Karkocs own Ukrainian-language memoir. Karkocs family has repeatedly denied he was involved in any war crimes and his son questioned the validity of the evidence against him after Polands announcement, calling the accusations scandalous and baseless slanders. Theres nothing in the historical record that indicates my father had any role whatsoever in any type of war crime activity, said Andriy Karkoc. He questioned the Polish investigation, saying my fathers identity has never been in question nor has it ever been hidden. Prosecutors with the state National Remembrance Institute, which investigates Nazi and Communist-era crimes against Poles, have asked a regional court in Lublin to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. Janicki added the mans age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. Karkocs family says he suffers from Alzheimers disease. The U.S. attorneys office in Minnesota declined to comment. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. Monika Scislowska and David Rising are Associated Press writers. The Bitter Taste of a Sweetheart Deal This one was the talk of the Roundhouse on Saturday. Sen. Steven Neville, R-Aztec, recalled his own bill after learning that the special exemption it authorized for the Department of Children, Youth and Families to lease a building in Albuquerque would benefit one of Gov. Martinez' major campaign donors. Senators specifically asked about that issue as they vetted the bill and were told there was no conflict. Oh, the Humanity Late last week, Gov. Martinez vetoed what its Republican sponsors nicknamed the Teachers are Human, Too bill. Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, says he'll start the process of . The bill, which lets teachers take up to 10 sick days without it impacting their teacher evaluation, overwhelmingly passed both houses, but that's lawmakers will take the rare step of overriding the governor's veto. Legislature Set to Send Tax and Spending Bills to the Governor With a scant week left in the legislative session, the Senate on Saturday passed a package of tax increases and next year's budget bill. The tax hikes are designed in part to boost the state's reserve funds, which are at historically low levels and threaten New Mexico's credit rating. The governor has had little appetite for new revenue, instead favoring cuts to a state government she sees as bloated. US Attorney Gets the Boot Albuquerque-based US Attorney Damon Martinez was shown the door Friday as part of an abrupt house cleaning of Obama political appointees. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked dozens for their immediate resignation. While it was expected most, if not all, of the federal prosecutors would leave their posts, the move came with little warning and little in the way of public plans for what's next. The Recording Said This was an Anonymous Tip Imagine how angry you'd be if someone promised you that if you reported suspected workplace fraud, waste or abuse, they'd protect your identityand then they didn't. That's what happened to two city employees in Santa Fe. Instead of staying anonymous, a police detective outed the employees' identities by interviewing them more or less in front of their colleagues. The city's spending money to figure out what went wrong. Traffic Stops and Domestic Violence Calls A lot of police officers will tell you they're two of the scariest calls a cop has to take; you never know what you're rolling up on until you're there. A Navajo Nation police officer was shot and killed over the weekend while responding to a domestic violence call. There's a suspect in custody. Governor Vetoes Another Hemp Bill It's just not gonna happen. The governor put veto ink to paper and nixed the second bill to reach her desk this session having to do with an industrial hemp program. The former prosecutor has said in the past that the plants look too much like marijuana to make such a program feasible for law enforcement. Roughly 30 other states have laws that allow industrial hemp growing. Daylight Saving Time Bill Creeps Closer to Final Vote The Word assumed you paid attention to every news agency ever this weekend and your clocks are now an hour ahead of where (when?) they were when you left work on Friday. The bill to essentially make Daylight Saving Time a permanent fixture in New Mexico has one committee left before a House floor vote. It'd make for some dark mornings but steal an extra hour of sunlight from those winter evenings. Thanks for reading! The Word encourages you to have an extra cup of coffee this morning. Y'know, for safety's sake. Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/signup. *The emailed version of the Word incorrectly attributed a statement accepting the governor's veto of the teacher sick day bill to Sen. Craig Brandt. The Word regrets the error and now fully supports the bill to do away with the time changes inherent in Daylight Saving. 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Please note that the commenting policy and the Feminism 101 section, conveniently linked at the top of the page, are required reading before commenting. Operation BOLO Led by Col. Robin Olds, OPERATION BOLO used a brilliant deception tactic that destroyed half of the North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter force, with no USAF losses. In late 1966, the USAF was not permitted to bomb North Vietnamese airfields and could only destroy enemy fighters in the air. Complicating the problem, enemy MiGs focused on bomb-laden F-105s and only initiated combat when they had a clear advantage. Col. Robin Olds, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) commander, and the wing's tactics officer, Capt. John "J.B." Stone, devised a masterful plan to lure and trap North Vietnamese MiG-21s by mimicking an F-105 bombing formation. On Jan. 2, 1967, 8th TFW F-4s entered North Vietnam from the west using the same route, altitude, and formation as an F-105 bomb strike. They also carried and operated electronic jamming pods used by F-105s. The North Vietnamese took the bait, and the MiGs came up to intercept what they thought was an F-105 strike. At the same time, 366th TFW F-4s came into North Vietnam from the east to block the MiGs' escape to China and to orbit their bases, preventing the MiGs from landing. Despite some problems caused by the overcast weather, OPERATION BOLO was triumphantly successful. During the 12-minute engagement, seven North Vietnamese MiG-21s -- about half of their operational force -- were shot down with no USAF losses. Four days later, another ruse, this time mimicking an F-4 reconnaissance flight, shot down two more MiG-21s. These crippling losses greatly reduced MiG activity for several months. Brig. Gen. Patrick J. Doherty will relinquish command of the 82nd Training Wing to Col. Ronald E. Jolly, Sr., March 21 at 9 a.m. at Hangar 1045. Doherty, whose nomination for promotion to major general was announced March 10 during the closing of the Air Education and Training Command Spring Senior Leader Conference, will head to San Antonio where he will take command of 19th Air Force. The 19th Air Force, which includes Sheppards own 80th Flying Training Wing, is responsible for the training of more than 30,000 U.S. and allied students annually. Training ranges from entry-level undergraduate flying training through advanced combat crew training, and ultimately provides fully qualified aircrew personnel to the warfighting commands. Jolly, who has been nominated for promotion to brigadier general pending Senate confirmation, comes to Sheppard from the Pentagon, where he served as associate director at the Directorate of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection. He is a career aircraft maintenance officer and has served tours as an air base wing commander at Hill AFB, Utah, a maintenance group and squadron commander, and military assistant to the secretary of the Air Force. He has deployed multiple times in support of Operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Jolly graduated high school in Lawton, Oklahoma, and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Oklahoma State University. He is a 1993 graduate of the Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course. He holds masters degrees in Management from Troy State University; Military Operational Art & Science from Air Command and Staff College; and National Security Strategy from National War College. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters. NEW DELHI: Auto components maker Sona Group plans to invest 300-400 crore over the next four years to expand business in the country. The Gurugram-based firm plans to expand its forging and electric axle businesses, besides developing new products. It also aims to increase quantum of supplies to the US market. "We are looking to invest in the range of 300-400 crore over the next four years and most of it will happen in India," Sona Group CEO Sunjay J Kapur told PTI. Bulk of the investment will go towards expanding the forging business, the electric axle business and drivelines segment, he added. Elaborating on the group's future plans, Kapur said: "Currently we are 19-20 pct of the global forging business. Our aim is to take it to 30 per cent, going ahead." The company aims to introduce new products, he added. "We not only want to do gears but would also like to see what else can be manufactured in the drivline segment. We would develop the electric axle business," Kapur said. As electric vehicles gain currency, the group is looking to encash the trend by expanding its electric axle business. "We are already supplying axles to some electric car manufacturers in the the US as well as to Porsche electric of Germany, so we are well on our way to cash in on that trend," Kapur said. He added that the group also wants to grow its business in the US. "We export around 30 per cent of what we produce in India to the US market. We would like to increase it further going ahead," Kapur said. Founded in 1987, the group today has around 16 plants across India, Germany and the US. It supplies a range of products like steering and driveline components for passenger cars, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and specialty vehicles. The USD 800 million group currently gets majority of its revenues from German operations. Read Also: BSNL To Tie-Up With Cable Operators To Provide Broadband Services Tata Motors Enters Into MoU With Volkswagen Group NEW DELHI: India and Germany on Friday inked an over 200 million euro ( 1,400 crore) loan agreement, taking the total German commitment for better energy efficiency in India to 600 million euro ( 4,200 crore), a statement said. The agreement, inked at the German Embassy in the presence of German Ambassador Martin Ney, was between the German Development Bank (KfW) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the Ministry of Power. The agreement was signed by Selva Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director of EESL, Norbert Kloppenburg, member of the Executive Board of KfW, and Roland Siller, member of the Management Committee of KfW, said a German embassy statement. With this programme, the Indo-German development cooperation addresses mutual interests of mitigating global warming and bringing together the expertise of highly committed institutions on both sides, it said. Additionally, a financing agreement of EUR 500,000 ( 3.5 crore) was signed with Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). IREDA will use these funds to assure the quality of solar PV projects and to mitigate the challenges faced in solar rooftop PV projects by establishing an implementation structure. These grant funds will also be used to support IREDA in market assessments concerning future trends in solar PV, it said. Germany supports affordable housing in India with $274 million. On Thursday, the State Bank of India and the German Development Bank (KfW) on a special mandate from the German government concluded a $274 million ( 1,796 crore) loan facility to support lending for affordable housing in India. Siddhartha Sengupta, Deputy Managing Director, signed on behalf of SBI, while KfW was represented by Norbert Kloppenburg, Member of the Executive Board, and Roland Siller, Member of the Management Committee of KfW Development Bank. With its focus on housing loans for economically weaker sections (EWS) and lower income group (LIG) households, the facility is designed to complement the Indian government's flagship affordable housing programme, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Lower income households account for 95 pct of the shortage of an estimated 20 million housing units in the country, it said. Read Also: Jana To Launch Internet Browser With Free Data Service Donald Trump Wants 'Deeper' Ties With PM Narendra Modi: White House On India-U.S. Relationship LONDON: India has been praised for its generosity towards the Commonwealth trade facilitation process at the close of the Commonwealth Trade Ministers' Meeting in London today. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the two-day summit marked a "pivotal point" in relations between the 52-member "family", which was determined to exploit the "Commonwealth advantage". "India has been incredibly supportive in relation to our trade facility and committed considerable amount of resource to the trade facilitation process, concentrating on SME [small and medium enterprise] and other interaction. It has been very warming to see the generosity and enthusiasm that has come from India to participate fully," she told reporters at a briefing today. "We all know that we've been living in troubled and troubling times and we will have to look very carefully together at what advantages there are within our family. Therefore intra-Commonwealth trade has never been more important. It is an opportunity therefore to look at the 'Commonwealth Advantage' that says there is a 19 pct trade advantage for us," she said. Ministers and representatives from 35 Commonwealth countries attended the first-of-its-kind meeting, with India represented by Commerce Secretary Rita Neotia. The delegates focused on opportunities for the Commonwealth to strengthen collaboration by promoting intra-Commonwealth trade and investment flows. India's focus was on highlighting ease of doing business reforms in the country and efforts to build an export economy. The post-Brexit reality for Britain as it exits the European Union (EU) is seen as the driving force behind this renewed focus on the Commonwealth and the meeting stressed that "no country should be left behind" in the post-Brexit landscape. "For the UK, all trading arrangements are now up for grabs. What easier and better place to trade than with countries with shared associations for many years. We speak the same language and we have same basic rule of law. We need to come up with an accord that underlines that position," said Lord Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). "Businesses want to see stability, transparency, predictability and the rule of law and the Commonwealth can work together to improve the ease of doing business in all member countries," he added. The meeting concluded with an agreement to consider the recommendations for practical initiatives that can be taken up at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) to be held in London in April 2018. Read Also: USTDA Gets India Smart Grid Forum's President Award India Test-Fires BrahMos Missile With 450 Km Range NEW DELHI: India on Saturday successfully test-fired the BrahMos missile with an extended range of 450 km, with officials calling it a "text book launch". The enhanced version of the supersonic cruise missile was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range off the Odisha coast at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, a statement said. "In a historical first, the formidable missile system once again proved its mettle to precisely hit enemy targets at much higher range than the current range of 290 km, with supersonic speed of 2.8 Mach," said the statement from BrahMos Aerospace. During the launch, the land-attack version of the supersonic cruise missile system met its mission parameters fully, officials said. "It was a textbook launch achieving 100 per cent results, executed with high precision from the Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) deployed in full configuration," the statement said. "With the successful test firing of BrahMos Extended Range missile - BrahMos-ER, the Indian Armed Forces will be empowered to knock down enemy targets far beyond 400 km. BrahMos has thus proved its prowess once again as the best supersonic cruise missile system in the world," BrahMos Aerospace CEO Sudhir Mishra said from the launch site. An announcement regarding extending the range of the cruise missile, a joint venture of Indias' DRDO and Russia's NPOM, was first made by DRDO chief S. Christopher on February 14. The range of the BrahMos missile, was 290 km - even as it was capable of going beyond it - due to India not being part of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an informal and voluntary global partnership to prevent proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying over 500 kg payload for more than 300 km. India joined the MTCR in June 2016, making extension of the missile's range possible. Christopher had said that only a software change was required for this purpose. The Indian Army has already inducted three regiments of BrahMos in its arsenal. All are equipped with Block-III version of missile, which was recently tested on May 8 and 9. The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007. The fire-and-forget missile, which can be fired from all three media, has the capability to take on surface targets by flying a combined hi-lo trajectory, thus evading enemy air defence systems. Inclusion of the powerful weapon system in Indian Army has given it a distinct operational advantage to hit an enemy target even in the most difficult and hidden terrains. Read Also: India, Belgium Sign Protocol To Amend Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement Jana To Launch Internet Browser With Free Data Service BENGALURU: The tech-savvy Karnataka government would use Galaxy tablets of Korean electronics major Samsung to build database on its healthcare facilities, said state Health and Family Welfare Minister Ramesh Kumar on Friday. "Digitising the database is important for our Public Health Centres (PHCs), as it will lead to better planning and decision-making at state and central levels," said Kumar at the handing over of 1,000 tablets to the state Health Department by the city-based Samsung Research and Development Institute here. The PHCs will use the SIM-enabled Samsung Tab Iris device to build the medical database and share it on real-time with other stakeholders. The state-run Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has approved the tablet to scan the iris of an individual for Aadhaar and Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. Iris is a thin, circular structure in the human eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupil and the quantum of light reaching the retina. "We are confident that Tab Iris will give a digital boost to the healthcare system as it will enable PHCs to maintain and share the Aadhaar-linked data on real-time," said Samsung Chief Technology Officer Aloknath De on the occasion. Samsung Institute has also signed an agreement with the Health Department to efficiently manage its medical subsidies and operations at PHCs across the state. Read Also: Donald Trump Wants 'Deeper' Ties With PM Narendra Modi: White House On India-U.S. Relationship Jana To Launch Internet Browser With Free Data Service March 13 (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. - Mark Tucker, chief executive of the Asian life insurer AIA Group, is set to replace Douglas Flint as chairman of HSBC in October, the bank said on Sunday. http://nyti.ms/2mh2rOI - Iceland's finance ministry said on Sunday that in the coming week it would lift the remaining capital controls that have been in place since the financial crisis in 2008, easing restrictions on households and businesses. http://nyti.ms/2lRQUJr - China's commerce minister castigated what he called "blind and irrational investment." At a news briefing during the annual meeting of China's congress, the minister, Zhong Shan, said officials planned to intensify supervision of what he called a small number of companies. http://nyti.ms/2mYG8kq (Compiled by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru) NEW DELHI: Observing that the results of the recent assembly polls were food for thought for experts, Prime Minister NarendraModi on Sunday envisioned a "New India" that looks to contribute and not just to take. A day after BJP secured a historic mandate in the assembly polls, Modi undertook a victory march from Le Meridien hotel to the nearby party headquarters on Ashoka Road, thanking the people and party workers. "There are many reasons for winning an election but the massive voting that led to this massive win has become food for thought for political pundits," Modi said addressing party workers. "I have been seeing opinions of political pundits and media reports. We have seen emotional issues dominating elections. No party has won elections only on development agenda and without an emotional issue. But we have done that," he said. Asserting that he was never bound by electoral motives, Modi called upon the people of the country to strive towards creating a "New India" by 2022. "I have seen the deluge of poll-centric dreams, I envision a new India. We want 1.25 crore Indians collectively striving to make New India. "We respect and accept the work done by all Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers. In 2022 when we will celebrate 75 years India, we want to have a new India. An India of the dreams of the youth, of empowered women and their dreams. A new India that looks to contribute and not just to take. The India that seeks opportunities to grow. "We have five years and if all Indians pledge their commitment, then India can never lag back," he said, adding the results of the assembly polls have boosted the country's aspirations. He also asserted that he would seek to relieve the "most burdened" middle-class. "The middle class is the most burdened section, burdened of tax, societal norms... This burden needs to go and that will happen once the poor are empowered to shoulder their own burdens. "And today's poor do not look for doles, they want opportunities to utilise their hard work. The strength of the poor and the aspirations of the middle class can take India to new heights," he said. He also said BJP was having its golden period that didn't suddenly come but was a result of four generations of toil and sweat. Read Also: USTDA Gets India Smart Grid Forum's President Award India Test-Fires BrahMos Missile With 450 Km Range CITY HALL -- Mayor Bill de Blasio's new plan to cut opioid overdose deaths largely builds on past programs and strategies already deployed on Staten Island. "I'm elated because the city is stepping forward in a significant way and dedicating resources, first of all acknowledging the severity and breadth of the problem," Camelot Counseling's executive director Luke Nasta said. But, he added, "This is just doing a lot more of the same, the same that hasn't always worked." The city plans to spend $38 million more annually to reduce fatal opioid overdoses by 35 percent over the next five years. There were 1,075 opioid overdoses across the five boroughs last year, so the "HealingNYC" plan aims to bring that number down to 699 by 2021. That's still more than the number of opioid deaths during de Blasio's first year in office. De Blasio said the plan was "realistic." "Each year, we're driving down the number," de Blasio said. "Every single year that number should be going down." Much of the plan builds on past programs and strategies used on Staten Island, focusing on preventing overdose deaths and addiction, increasing access to drug treatment and reducing the supply of opioids. The new funding will ramp up before being becoming a recurring part of the budget in fiscal year 2019. "This is how you build out something that can have a true citywide impact," de Blasio said. 'A WAKEUP CALL TO US' There have been 11 suspected overdose deaths on Staten Island so far this year, according to the district attorney's office. At this time last year, more than 20 people died from an overdose in the borough. The Health Department suspects there were at least 107 fatal drug overdoses on Staten Island last year, according to Borough President James Oddo. That's well over the 69 confirmed deaths in all of 2015. De Blasio said last year's death toll was "a wakeup call to us" to develop a more comprehensive plan. "A of the pieces were in place and moving but the last year has been really sobering," he said. "It's shocking." De Blasio placed some of the blame on pharmaceutical companies. After crackdowns when painkillers flooded the streets, some users turned to cheaper heroin. "The pharmaceutical industry for years has encouraged the overuse of addictive painkillers and that unfortunately has poisoned our entire society," de Blasio said. Heroin and the high-powered painkiller fentanyl have driven the more recent increase in deadly opioid overdoses citywide. The biological effects of the drug are indistinguishable from those of heroin. "Street drugs more lethal than ever," Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said. De Blasio and his wife, first lady Chirlane McCray, stressed the importance of reducing the stigma of treatment for addicts and their families. New Yorkers can access mental health services and help with addiction at NYC Well by calling 888-NYC-WELL, by texting WELL to 65173, or by going online to nyc.gov/nycwell to chat. "This is a citywide problem and no neighborhood is immune," McCray said. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT Additional mental health clinics will be created in high-need schools. The city will spend $3.08 million to distribute buprenorphine and methadone, two medication-assisted treatments for opioid addiction, to 20,000 additional New Yorkers by 2022. Another $1.25 million more will be spent on public awareness campaigns, building on $3 million in ads that encourage New Yorkers to carry the so-called "heroin antidote" naloxone. The plan will also continue to expand access to naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The city will spend $10.38 million distributing 100,000 kits of two doses each. All NYPD patrol officers will eventually carry two nasal doses of the drug, following successful deployment on Staten Island and a borough-based pilot program. Seventy-three people were saved from overdoses on Staten Island using naloxone last year, according to the district attorney's office. Twenty-nine people have been saved so far this year. 'MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH' The city plans to expand the Nonfatal Overdose Response program to more neighborhoods with $9.04 million after three are launched in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island this spring. Peer navigators will follow up with addicts who survive overdoses. The seven locations for expansion are still being determined. Increased opioid services will be available through the city's public hospital system, including the new medical clinic coming to Vanderbilt Avenue in Clifton later this year. Building on the success of District Attorney Michael McMahon's Overdose Response Initiative launched last year, the NYPD will establish new Overdose Response Squads to hunt dealers in other high-risk neighborhoods. "I am very encouraged that the Administration is getting behind a multi-pronged approach and expanding some of the projects we have embarked on already on Staten Island," McMahon said in a statement. The city will also target treatment for incarcerated addicts with $4.18 million in new funding. In February, McMahon and other law enforcement officials announced a new initiative designed to combat the borough's heroin and opioid scourge by diverting low-level drug offenders into treatment instead of court and jail. The city is evaluating this program as part of the new opioid plan. Police Commissioner O'Neill said that so far 78 individuals qualified for that program, and five declined to participate. "So far, I think we're in fairly good shape," O'Neill said. ENFORCEMENT The city will spend $1.34 million to enhance the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner's laboratory and $4.58 million to expand the NYPD narcotics laboratory. The NYPD will also test all drugs found on the scene of all overdoses, even if the victim survives. Eighty-four investigators will be reassigned to opioid cases, with 64 going to borough narcotics squads. "We are investigating every overdose," O'Neill said. O'Neill said 381 overdose incidents were investigated across city last year, with 56 on Staten Island, in addition to 64 long-term cases. The city will also spend $2.11 million to expand coordination with federal efforts to stop drugs from entering the city. O'Neill also noted the success of Staten Island's "Too Good For Drugs" program, though that program hasn't been expanded citywide yet. Oddo said in a statement that the opioid epidemic is "a complex and multi-faceted issue" that "necessitates a strong response from government on every level." "The sad fact is there is no one silver bullet that will solve the problem alone, which is why it so important to focus on all aspects of the problem," Oddo said. Facebook-Surveillance In this May 16, 2012, file photo, the Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia. In a post on Monday, March 13, 2017, Facebook says it is prohibiting developers from using the massive amount of data it collects on users for surveillance. This includes using such data to monitor activists and protesters. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Facebook is cutting police departments off from a vast trove of data that has been increasingly used to monitor protesters and activists. The move, which the social network announced Monday, comes in the wake of concerns over law enforcement's tracking of protesters' social media accounts in places such as Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore. It also comes at a time when chief executive Mark Zuckerberg says he is expanding the company's mission from merely "connecting the world" into friend networks to promoting safety and community. Although the social network's core business is advertising, Facebook, along with Twitter and Facebook-owned Instagram, also provides developers access to users' public feeds. The developers use the data to monitor trends and public events. For example, advertisers have tracked how and which consumers are discussing their products, while the Red Cross has used social data to get real-time information during disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. But the social networks have come under fire for working with third parties who market the data to law enforcement. Last year, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter cut off access to Geofeedia, a start-up that shared data with law enforcement, in response to an investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU published documents that made references to tracking activists at protests in Baltimore in 2015 after the death of a black man, Freddie Gray, while in police custody and also to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 after the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old. On Monday, Facebook updated its instructions for developers to say that they cannot "use data obtained from us to provide tools that are used for surveillance." The company also said, in an accompanying blog post, that it had kicked other developers off the platform since it had cut ties with Geofeedia. Until now, Facebook hasn't been explicit about who can use information that users post publicly. This can include a person's friend list, location, birthday, profile picture, education history, relationship status and political affiliation - if they make their profile or certain posts public. Some departments have praised the tools, which they say helps them fight crime - for example, if gang leaders publicly post references to their crimes. In a statement about the changes, which were the results of several months of conversations with activists, the ACLU and other groups lauded Facebook's move as a "first step." "We depend on social networks to connect and communicate about the most important issues in our lives and the core political and social issues in our country," Nicole Ozer, technology and civil liberties director at the ACLU of California, said in the statement. "Now more than ever, we expect companies to slam shut any surveillance side doors and make sure nobody can use their platforms to target people of color and activists." Some said Facebook hadn't gone far enough. "When technology companies allow their platforms and devices to be used to conduct mass surveillance of activists and other targeted communities, it chills democratic dissent and gives authoritarianism a license to thrive," Malkia Cyril, executive director and founder of the Center for Media Justice, said in the statement. "It's clear there is more work to be done to protect communities of color from social media spying, censorship and harassment." The new policy language does not kick law enforcement off the platform. For one, the company cooperates with law enforcement on a case-by-case basis for help in solving crimes. Police and federal agencies may still siphon people's feeds in cases of national disasters and emergencies, Facebook officials said. It was unclear how Facebook would decide which emergencies and public events would warrant monitoring citizens' data and which would constitute unreasonable "surveillance." "Surveillance" was also not defined in the blog post, a potential gray area that outsiders can exploit. Facebook said it would continue to audit third parties for policy violations and require that developers disclose what they plan to do with data they are requesting access to. Local police departments across the United States have spent roughly $5 million on social media monitoring over the past several years, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The relatively small amount shows how it is inexpensive to track and monitor the behavior of large numbers of people. (c) 2017, The Washington Post. Elizabeth Dwoskin wrote this story. rose.jpg City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore), seen in this file photo said, after criminal charges were dismissed against members of her 2009 election campaign staff, that she was "outraged" the allegations had been brought "without any just basis." (Staten Island Advance) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After a five-year investigation costing taxpayers more than $500,000, a special prosecutor asked a justice on Monday to dismiss the remaining criminal charges against two members of Councilwoman Debi Rose's 2009 election campaign and the campaign entity itself, which had been accused of campaign and fiscal improprieties. Special prosecutor Roger B. Adler said at a conference in state Supreme Court, St. George, he did not believe after re-evaluating the case there was enough credible evidence to sustain a charge of offering a false instrument for filing against David Thomas, Rose's campaign treasurer, and also against the entity Debi Rose 4 City Council. Adler also asked that charges of grand larceny and stolen-property possession be dismissed, in the interest of justice, against David Jones, 73, of St. George, a political consultant. The special prosecutor said he had recently received additional information from Jones' lawyer, which factored into his decision. Justice William E. Garnett tossed the charges and sealed the court file, prompting claps and whoops of joy for the defendants in the courtroom. However, once outside, Rose, the defendants and their lawyers denounced Adler. Rose, a North Shore Democrat, was never charged in the case, but along with a core group of supporters, has stood by the defendants throughout the proceedings. "Today is a day of mixed emotions for me," said Rose. "I have renewed faith in our justice system, and I appreciate Judge Garnett's quick action to bring this matter to a just and rightful conclusion; complete and total dismissal of all charges. ... But I am also outraged. Outraged that a prosecution was brought without any just basis. ... David Thomas and David Jones ... were subjected to being handcuffed and dragged through the anxieties of an unfounded prosecution for over five years." "The taxpayers of our city and all those dedicated to the pursuit of justice should be as outraged as I am today," she said. Said Jones, "I'm happy to be vindicated. It's a terrible miscarriage. It should never have happened. I did work for a campaign, and I got paid for that work." Thomas, 59, of Mariners Harbor, said he was "elated" but also had mixed feelings. "To have him now, after all this time, admit there was no wrongdoing is ironic," he said, referring to Adler. Outside court. Adler said he did not know how much he had billed the city thus far for his work, although reports put it at more than $500,000. He demurred when asked if it was an appropriate use of taxpayers' money, saying he'd let others decide that. But Adler maintained he had a duty as special prosecutor to conduct a thorough investigation, which is this case, also entailed significant pretrial litigation and appeals. Adler was appointed in January 2012, after then-Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan asked that a special prosecutor investigate the matter. Donovan, a Republican who now represents Staten Island and part of Brooklyn in Congress, filed his request under seal. Thomas was charged with working with Data and Field Services, the Working Families Party's in-house consulting firm, to provide false documentation about campaign contributions, both underreporting and overreporting campaign finances. A criminal complaint alleged he "filed false, and inaccurate campaign finance reports" to get more money from a Campaign Finance Board program that provides public funds to campaigns. Thomas was also accused of underreporting the fair market value of goods and services and "in-kind" services, a violation of New York State election laws and New York City Campaign Finance Board rules and regulations. A criminal complaint alleged Jones was paid $5,000 for his services but didn't have a contract, as required by campaign finance law. In October 2015, Justice Stephen J. Rooney, Garnett's predecessor on the case, dismissed 20 of the 23 counts filed in an indictment against the defendants. The judge ruled the statute of limitations for filing those charges had expired - two years for misdemeanors and five years for felonies. Rooney did not rule on the weight of the evidence on any of the charges thrown out then or on the three he let stand. Outside court, Justine Harris, Jones' lawyer, called the charges against her client "baseless." She said there was "nothing technical" in the supplemental information she recently provided Adler, adding she feared his prosecution could have a "chilling effect" on ordinary citizens' willingness to participate in campaigns. Samuel Gregory, Thomas's lawyer, and Florian Miedel, attorney for the campaign entity, echoed Harris' remarks. "He knew he didn't have proof from the get-go, yet he pursued it doggedly for years," Miedel said, referring to Adler. "There should be questions about it." Adler's probe marked the third time Rose's campaign finances had come under scrutiny. She settled a 2010 lawsuit by paying more than $8,500 to Data and Field Services for consulting work. The plaintiffs in that case argued the Working Families Party had illegally donated to Rose's campaign through Data and Field Services. The councilwoman had originally said her campaign paid fair market value for the services but settled, calling it "wasteful litigation." Former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, investigated Rose's campaign finances seven years ago. No criminal charges were filed. The Campaign Finance Board was in the process of auditing Rose, but suspended its work when Donovan asked for a special prosecutor to investigate. fly-over.jpg A military fly-over was rescheduled for Monday afternoon, amid forecasts of inclement weather in New York City. (Staten Island Advance/File photo) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Hold on to your hats. A military flyover previously scheduled for March 14 will instead occur Monday due to forecasts of inclement weather in New York City, according to a press release from the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information's office. Ten military helicopters will conduct a military training exercise over New York City at 11:30 a.m., police said. The helicopters will fly over the Verrazano Bridge, Hudson River, Harlem River, East River and Statue of Liberty at an altitude of 500 to 1000 feet. Page Content In the context of the 22nd Meeting of the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Association of Caribbean States, Minister Rafael Boasman was Guest of Honor at a luncheon hosted by the Dutch Ambassador in Havana Alexandra Valkenburg for Caribbean Ambassadors. Minister Boasman reminded the gathering of Sint Maarten's application for Associate Membership within CARICOM and asked the diplomatic representations for the support of their respective governments. Minister Boasman also echoed Prime Minister Marlin's call for increased regional cooperation made during his visit to Havana in June 2016 for the 7th Summit of the Heads of State/Government of the Association of Caribbean States. Minister Boasman, in his capacity as Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs, highlighted his interests in cooperating in those areas and noted the upcoming visit of the Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs in the area of Education cooperation with Cuba at the end of the month. In addition, support for Sint Maarten's position as a Small Island Developing State, particularly with regards to funding opportunities was briefly discussed. Minister Boasman was supported by Patrice Gumbs Jr, Senior Policy Advisor for Foreign Relations. 03:30 Australia engaged with global challenge of climate change Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia is "engaged" with the "global challenge" of dealing with climate change. 03:14 Cheaper childcare will be good for productivity: PM Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says cheaper childcare will be good for Australias future development. 02:19 Renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy. 06:23 Government absolutely not listening to businesses on IR bill Shadow Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash says the government is absolutely not listening to businesses on the... 03:21 Government is getting wages moving again: PM Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is getting wages moving again. Albanese introduces Respect at Work bill to parliament Anthony Albanese has introduced the remaining aspects of the Respect at Work legislation to the parliament, arguing its unacceptable workplaces around the country have not been safe or respectful. Teal independents election campaign spend revealed Newly released figures reveal how much teal independents spent on their campaigns at the Federal Election, and the millions of dollars in donations given out by Climate 200. 03:21 Matthew Guy defends past decisions while making housing announcement Matthew Guy has defended decisions he made in the past as planning minister while announcing a target to unlock 150,000 plots of land across... 01:20 Victorian government prepared to invest $69 million to support new parents Victorias Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a re-elected Labor government would invest $69 million to support new parents. 03:44 Adem Somyurek announces return to politics Former Victorian Labor MP Adem Somyurek is making a political comeback ahead of the state election in order to hold Premier Daniel Andrews to... 03:14 Concerns around governments IR bill The government's industrial relations reforms are expected to pass the lower house this week, but key crossbenchers in the Senate are warning... Build your way out of COVID: Andrews defends Victorias spiralling debt Daniel Andrews has responded to questions about Victoria's high debt as "balancing the sheet for households" and "boosting the economy" as he stressed it was time the state spent money to "build" its way out of the coronavirus pandemic. Push to return conscription for young Australians Young Australians could be called up to spend a significant period of time in compulsory national service under a new plan proposed by former prime minister Tony Abbott. Andrews reacts to Somyureks bombshell announcement Daniel Andrews has been asked for his thoughts on former Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek's decision to backflip on his resignation and run again at the state election in a bid to hold the Premier "to account". 00:29 NSW government offers additional compensation to taxi drivers The New South Wales government has offered up to $150,000 in compensation to taxi licensees over the next eight years. 11:23 Business leader suggests raising Medicare levy to fund NDIS as costs blow out One of Australia's most prominent business leaders has raised the possibility of increasing the Medicare levy to keep funding the National Disability... Andrews quizzed on return of Adem Somyurek The Victorian Premier was questioned about the return of Adem Somyurek on the second week of the state election campaign. TOKYO (AP) King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks Monday mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Monday that Japan is willing to provide support for the economic power in the Middle East. "We will discuss growth strategy, including our 'Saudi Vision' project," he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030, a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives He did not confirm reports that the countries would agree to set up a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and was to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later Monday. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatized, seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen ($18.6 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen ($4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late Sunday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Story continues Salman's stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialization and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree navy seal The annual Foal Eagle military drills between the US and South Korea will include some heavy hitters this year the Navy SEAL team that took out Osama bin Laden, Army Special Forces, and F-35s Korea JoongAng Daily reports. South Korean news outlets report that the SEALs, who will join the exercise for the first time, will simulate a "decapitation attack," or a strike to remove North Korea's leadership. Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross later told Business Insider that the US military "does not train for decapitation missions" of any kind. Yet a decapitation force would fit with a March 1 Wall Street Journal report that the White House is considering military action against the Kim regime. The SEALs boarded the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and should arrive in South Korea on Wednesday, Joon Gang Daily reports. South Korea has also made efforts toward a decapitation force, and international calls for action have increased in intensity after North Korea's latest missile test, which simulated a saturation attack to defeat US and allied missile defenses. It will send a very strong message to North Korea, which is constantly carrying out military provocations, a ministry official told Korea JoongAng Daily. The Foal Eagle exercise includes 3,600 US troops, in addition to the 28,000 US troops permanently stationed in South Korea. The drills include air, land, and sea operations designed to prepare the joint forces in case of a conflict with North Korea. This year's exercise also integrates preparation for the deployment of US missile defenses to South Korea. Foal Eagle 2015 Story continues Additionally, the US's newest combat aircraft, the F-35, will fly in to simulate attacks on North Korea's missile infrastructure, Joon Gang Daily reports. The F-35 will accompany many of the US's highest-end platforms, like F-22s and a nuclear-powered submarine. "A bigger number of and more diverse US special operation forces will take part in this year's Foal Eagle and Key Resolve exercises to practice missions to infiltrate into the North, remove the North's war command and demolition of its key military facilities," the an unnamed military official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. This post has been updated to include the statement from the Pentagon. NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog More From Business Insider Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." (goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated! Katewerk Art Support SDA I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts. Reconnaissance Man Economics for the Disinterested Montrose County Trump The Establishment "I enjoyed these poems immensely." - William Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist Want lies? Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights There are no rough edges in Asch's art and all the parts fit together as a single coherent whole as new and tantalisingly "real" creations that seem to operate under their own laws of logic. They may be functionless creations, but they are carriers of meaning and sometimes quite specific political content. I have followed Asch's art for about 25 years, ever since he settled in Canberra and started to exhibit his work and I have never failed to be amazed by his unique vision and his approach to art making. He is a scavenger, hunter and gatherer who reuses found materials in the tradition of Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Cornell to give them a new meaning and purpose. His preference is for weathered materials, which carry the scars of the elements and decades of use and contain within their fabric many stories. These materials he refashions into amazing new creations, such as house facades, hoardings and inhabited edifices, where he meticulously crafts his shapes and surfaces so that they appear professionally fabricated. In this exhibition there are two main series Totems for an atheist and Docklands. Both series find precedents in his earlier practice, as well as points of departure and further development. Many of the totems reuse abandoned musical instruments banjos, guitars, cellos and violins that Asch has reclaimed from their former existence to create a new and arresting reality. As the son of anthropologists, Asch from early childhood was surrounded by objects from other cultures, which carried considerable mystical, religious and spiritual significance that was veiled and inaccessible to him. His new totems appear equally enigmatic and mysterious, but their origins and beginnings are known to the artist and are transparently clear to the viewer. These objects seem to be created to deliberately mystify the audience, like fake ritual objects. For this series, Asch adopts a restricted palette of black and red that creates for these totems a sense of coherence, like a cult or a religion. The other main series at this exhibition is the Docklands series, where a recent visit to Dunedin in New Zealand reminded him of his early childhood years spent in Boston and off the coast in New England. If you listen carefully to the rusted corrugated metal, peeling timbers and galvanised tin you can hear the voice of the sea and witness the hands of generations of people who have toiled on the docks. Some of the strongest pieces in the exhibition, including Docklands 39, Docklands 33 and Docklands 43, are enormously powerful and evocative mysterious creations that bear testimony to years of struggle with salt sea air. Asch is a rare artist who, over several decades, has created an artistic language that is uniquely his own in which outstanding craftsmanship is combined with an inventive wit and a penetrating intellect. He grows in stature with each exhibition. South Korean foreign policy is set for a broad revamp under the next president amid expectations for friendlier ties with Pyongyang and delayed deployment of a controversial missile defense technology two areas of paramount concern for U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when he visits the country later this week. As Asia's fourth-largest economy continues to reel in the aftermath of Friday's landmark ruling that made Park Geun-hye the country's first president to be ousted via impeachment, attention has partly shifted from Park to the question of her successor. A presidential election to replace the former leader will be held by May 9 at the latest and many political pundits say the public will elect the nation's first liberal president in a decade. The ruling conservative party, which was newly renamed from Saenuri to the Liberal Korea Party, has yet to produce a strong contender after being damaged by the Park scandal, leaving left-leaning opposition parties in the lead. Moon Jae-in from the Democratic Party, has been topping polls so far, with a 29.9 percent approval rating, according to a weekend survey of 2,046 citizens by the Korea Research Center the highest figure among presidential hopefuls. A separate survey by Realmeter on Saturday showed the Democratic Party, who has four presidential candidates in total, obtaining 45.7 percent support, the most of any political group. Traditionally, liberal governments have pursued different foreign policy agendas from their conservative peers. If such a policy shift were to occur, it would be particularly significant amid North Korea's recent missile launches and Chinese retaliation over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an anti-ballistic missile system designed to protect South Korea from North Korean weapons. "If Moon is elected, we will see big changes in South Korean policies towards North Korea , China and the U.S .," summed up Woo Jung-Yeop, visiting fellow at Sejong Institute, a Seoul-based think tank. Story continues "One of the outcomes of this current situation in South Korea is going to be different foreign policy, regardless of who takes office," echoed Jonathan Berkshire Miller, international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. North Korea engagement Liberal presidents are widely known for their dovish stance on North Korea, compared to the heavy-handed, pro-sanction approach by conservatives, and Moon will be no different. A 64-year-old former human rights lawyer, he has criticized former conservative presidents, including Park, for worsening inter-Korean relations and has publicly called for economic, political and military unification with Pyongyang. "Moon has gone on record saying he's going to put friendlier relations with the North as a higher priority. He's gone as far saying he will visit China first in order to discuss North Korea strategies," said Yang Jun-seok, professor at Catholic University of Korea. "We (South Korea) haven't tried a softer approach since Kim Jong-un came to power." But amiable ties with Pyongyang would have broad implications for South Korea's other bilateral relationships. Washington and Beijing, in particular, may be affected, according to Miller. President Donald Trump has said that he will not tolerate North Korean nuclear provocation and if his administration decided to initiate fresh sanctions against Pyongyang, that could clash with Moon's strategy. It was not yet clear if Tillerson will be meeting with Moon during this week's visit. China meanwhile has reset ties with Pyongyang, a traditional ally, in recent years by choosing to participate in Western punishments against the rogue nation. Last month, Beijing announced a suspension of coal imports from North Korea to comply with U.N. sanctions. Delaying THAAD Washington has already started deploying parts of THAAD in South Korea, but if a leftist candidate is elected, that process could stall. "If the liberal side gets into power, they will try to delay things as much as possible to see what's going to happen," explained Yang. Moon has repeatedly questioned THAAD implementation and has promised to review deployment if elected. The controversial system has angered China so much that the mainland has boycotted South Korean brands and even cancelled visits by Beijing tour operators. "If Moon comes in, you're likely to have a more accommodative China political policy," said Tony Nash, chief economist at Complete Intelligence. "The South Korean economy is very entrenched to Chinese supply chains so they need to be accomodative to China if they want to succeed." Again, that could be problematic for South Korea's other relationships. Washington could lose a trusted political partner to more Chinese influence, explained Nash. Meanwhile, any delay or disruption of THAAD could be fertile ground for North Korean exploitation, said Miller. More From CNBC ATM withdrawals have slumped to their lowest levels in 15 years and the number of Australians taking cash out during debit card transactions is falling at the fastest annual rate on record. The new figures provide an insight into the wider shift towards a cashless economy, as electronic payments such as Paypass transform habits and consumers shy away from ATM withdrawal fees and bricks-and-mortar branches. According to Reserve Bank of Australia figures released on Monday, the number of ATM withdrawals in January fell by 7.7 per cent compared to last year. The total value was down by 3.9 per cent. It follows two consecutive years of ATM withdrawals falling by more than 6 per cent. "Cash is no longer king," said CommSec chief economist Craig James. "Use of both credit and debit cars is soaring with more people using the cards for small purchases." You don't have to be a Silicon Valley billionaire like Elon Musk or Mike Cannon-Brookes to get excited about the 100-day race to patch over South Australia's power blackout problems with a spare battery or three. The excitement has caught on with some locally listed players with an oar dipped into this part of the energy stream. AFL chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick, would have been pleased to see that the rising tide of interest has lifted his own boat in this race: Carnegie Clean Energy. The failure of Australia's electricity market has triggered a call for government intervention since deregulation has fattened profit margins of power companies but left many households worse off. The call for action comes in a report by the Grattan Institute into the deregulation of electricity markets and whether they have failed consumers. But it also warns that if government intervention was not carefully constructed the outcome could be even worse for households than the present situation. "Competition in electricity retailing has failed to deliver what was promised: lower prices for consumers," a report by Tony Wood and David Blowers argues, with the failure worst in Victoria, which is the state with the most retailers and the longest experience of deregulation. A number of pubs have vowed to take Coopers beer off their taps after a political marketing stunt backfired disastrously on the South Australian brewer. Coopers teamed up with their long-time donation recipients, the Bible Society Australia, to create a video on same-sex marriage called "Keeping It Light". The family-owned and run brewer also released a commemorative light beer to celebrate 200 years of charitable work done by the Bible Society. In the video, Liberals MPs Tim Wilson and Andrew Hastie debate same-sex marriage with the men agreeing to disagree in a "civil and respectful way". Thinning, comb-over hair, orange fake tan, ill-fitting suits, long ties held in place with tape. Most would agree, Donald Trump has appalling taste. But what many see as an undignified and tasteless mode of self-presentation for the US President are signs of success to his followers, who fail to distinguish between the superficial appearance of luxury and the cultural value of the genuine treasures imitated in his Manhattan penthouse and private club Mar-a-Lago: the "winter White House". Donald Trump prepares to speak to the media from his flashy private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. Credit:New York Times "Liberals" a label that Trump and his supporters use pejoratively cringe at the President's attire and the glitzy decor of his public and private buildings. Despite his privileged background, his styling, clothes and the objects he surrounds himself with are not the trappings of the sophisticated cultural elite. The aspiring nouveau riche of the past made a show of collecting antiques and works of art to claim their place among the old-money set. Trump makes no such attempt to conform to established principles of taste to win social acceptance from the in-crowd. I'm old enough to recall travel on the Canberra-Monaro express when the train used to divide at Queanbeyan with half proceeding on to Cooma and the other half to Canberra. I imagine I'm not the only MP who hears from regular travellers who can't see why the rail trip to the national capital can't be sped up a fraction or at least made more comfortable. Standard rail technology, including signalling and track laying techniques, has advanced considerably since the days of steam dealt with at length in Paul E. Bowler's letter. There, too, are now far more people living along the old Sydney-Canberra-Cooma rail corridor than when disinvestment in rail services became the fashion in the 1950s and 1960s. In more recent times, both here and in the UK, new rail lines have opened and some formerly abandoned ones have experienced a second life. When experts, constituents and disinterested enthusiasts say to me it's time to re-evaluate the options, I'm interested. That's why, my office is meeting this week with Professors Williams and Laird to explore the ideas Clive Williams canvassed in The Canberra Times on March 3. Dr Mike Freelander, MHR for Macarthur Airport safety In the article "Airport hits out at slurs over safety" (March 9, p3) Canberra Airport rejected concerns buildings at the airport impacted on aircraft safety. There are two buildings that affect landing aircraft. The first is the large maintenance hangar just to the south of the terminal. This hangar is just to the west of the main runway and wind from the west hits the hangar and creates turbulence on the lee side. The documentation to pilots published by Airservices Australia states: "During strong westerly winds turbulence may be experienced in the touch down area on runway 35." My experience is that whenever the wind from the west is above 15 knots the control tower warns of turbulence in its information broadcast to pilots. The area of the runway east of the hangar is on that part of the runway where aircraft flare for landing, so they are not quite flying but not quite taxiing. The other building that affects aircraft is the office building next to Majura Road. This affects aircraft landing on the shorter runway aligned towards the south-east. The Airservices Australia documentation to pilots states: "Pilots landing on runway 12 in crosswinds should note possible turbulence in northerly and north-easterly wind conditions." My experience is that the building also creates turbulence for aircraft on their final approach when the wind is from the east. Wayne Arthur, Narrabundah Lights no answer I've just gotten a response from TAMS regarding roadworks on Hindmarsh Drive at Eggleston Crescent and Launceston Street. As I suspected, they are installing more lights at both intersections (no doubt without co-ordination with other lights on Hindmarsh Drive). Clearly whoever makes these decisions does not live in or need to commute to Weston Creek or environs using that road. It can already take half the trip time from one to the other to get through the unco-ordinated signal bunfight that is the Parkway and Namatjira Drive. In the morning peak hour it is quicker to travel from Queanbeyan to Woden than it is to get there from Rivett. Further congesting traffic helps no one. The traffic pile-up this will cause under the Parkway, across Namatjira Drive and back to Melrose Drive in the opposite direction is going to be horrendous. If the crossings at these two intersections are such an issue then remove the option to turn right from them or into them. Dumbing down the roads by installing traffic signals is further diminishing the ability of already poor drivers to make appropriate decisions. The ultimate effect is that there will be nearly as many accidents with signals as without them. Stop catering to the lowest common denominator and increase the expectation of motorists to actually drive appropriately. It'd be good practice should they venture anywhere else in Australia. Mark Pepper, Rivett Barnett taught lesson Lesson Colin Barnett, former WA premier, proof perfect of what happens when you make deals with frightening people who talk but never deliver. Linus Cole, Palmerston Paying the price as Howard's chickens come home to roost The sight of John Howard power walking past some CFMEU demonstrators reminds us of the gradually tarnishing reputation of his administration that lasted 11years. Tony Abbott likes to characterise the Howard/Costello period as a golden era of budget surpluses, industrial peace and certainty before the ALP took power in 2007 and wrecked the joint. The fact that PM Turnbull is a little more circumspect in his praise could have something to do with the fact that several of the Howard chickens are coming home to roost and presenting the Turnbull government with serious dilemmas. The Iraq war that Howard followed George W into is still consuming Australian dollars, 14 years after the March 2003 invasion. The need to pursue overpaid Centrelink recipients with such rigour can be traced back to the Howard/Costello decision to massively expand middle-class welfare (and social security expenditure) through the Family Tax Benefit, introduced in 2000. The looming gas shortage that the government is currently addressing can also be largely sheeted home to the failings of the Howard government. In August 2002, Howard was happy to spruik the latest deal on LNG exports to China as "a gold medal performance" delivering billions of dollars over 25 years. Pity he didn't think about the future energy needs of Australia. We are now paying the price. Mike Reddy, Curtin I had little sympathy for John Howard having a real-world experience when confronted by unionists. Like a World War I general, he sat in conference rooms and offices in Parliament House and at Kirribilli many kilometres away from the "front", where the effects of a (continuing) policy of destroying organised labour, driving down wages and conditions, and freezing wage growth were remote and were only felt by anonymous people who you had nothing in common with and really didn't want to know. But you can't be PM forever, and he had to rejoin the real world at some stage. Last week, he found out that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Dallas Stow, O'Connor Re M.Moore from Bonython (letters, March 11), Labor may have set up the Fair Work Commission, but the LNP stacked it with business people, as they have stacked many public bodies. I suggest you look at the pictures of the event. It was a stunt by Howard shepherded by tame Seven and Nine news people. And unions will never forget WorkChoices! Solidarity forever! Roseanne Byrne, St Georges Basin, NSW Free-market dogma A recent Auditor-General's report (2016) highlighted minimal tax benefits accruing to Commonwealth Treasury from Australia's LNG exports. These lost tax benefits are at the expense of national economic benefits and budget stabilisation. Such fiscal irresponsibility is not merely historical but sets the scene for a future period in which the aggregate value of these exports overhauls Qatar to make Australia the leading LNG exporter globally. In sharp contrast to our political masters, policy-makers in that small Arab country, typical of OPEC oil and gas states, know how to maximise such revenue benefits to their national economies. Even the US has been able, especially over the past decade, to use massively increased gas supplies, and consequently low domestic prices, to sharply reduce national carbon emissions from electricity generation while maintaining system stability. Absence of reasonably priced gas-fired electricity in Australia has meant enhanced risk of costly blackouts within the national electricity system (NEM). Second, it has damaged the nation's ability to meet committed national carbon emission targets. Third, it has blocked achievement of both these key national objectives at least cost. Thus, free-market dogma, the ruling ideology of both major political parties (in this case as export parity pricing of LNG), is a major obstacle to resolving the "energy policy trilemma" rightly identified by chief scientist Alan Finkel as the key relevant policy challenge facing federal and state governments alike. It's time to focus on the public interest first and to put narrowly commercial private interests well down the list. Barry Naughten, Farrer Energy crisis upon us Well, the energy crisis is upon us. Our government now admits there is a problem, but our PM, constrained by his right wing and Nationals, is suggesting fossil-fuel sourced energy to provide the answer and that reliance on renewables has been the problem. We have plenty of sun and wind potential for our energy needs. An issue with these renewables, standing alone, has been storage necessary to meet peak and uncertain demands. A Tesla spokesman is proposing battery storage, and with advances in technology and decreasing costs it must be a part of the remedy mix. There must be enormous potential here, particularly for rooftop solar and battery storage, but probably not on the scale required for a national electricity market. Recent ANU research concludes that wind and solar, with pumped hydro energy storage, can provide our energy needs, replacing coal and gas with reliability and at a lower cost. We have no need for fossil fuels. Pump storage requires a bottom pond, top pond, site, pump/generator and a prime minister with Ben Chifley's guts. Plenty of sites have been identified. We have the know-how to do it. We have done it before. Two stations can be seen in our region in the Snowy scheme. We could, with vision and will, have another Snowy-type outfit, building the necessary dams and so on throughout the country, employing thousands and providing cheaper carbon-free power. What a sensible way to reach our emissions target and go beyond. Don McCallum, Isaacs Exercise your power Politicians and authorities should urgently implement a plan to ensure reliable and cheap electricity in Australia. Rod Matthews, Melbourne, Vic TO THE POINT REMEMBERING BILL LEAK The great Bill Leak dead. Impossible, inconceivable; a monumental loss for common sense and proportionality. I am confident he would attribute (Warning: tongue-in-cheek remark follows for those with no sense of humour) his lamentably early demise to either the Human Rights Commission or the equally inept but more malevolent North Korean regime. It can't be natural causes, surely? A. Whiddett, Yarralumla Vale Bill Leak. Love or hate Bill, he was always thought provoking. And a very good artist too. Graeme Rankin, Holder Brilliant cartoonist Bill Leak will be sadly missed. Hounded under 18C by the Human Rights Commission people with all the talent, brains and charisma of elderly oysters, Bill will be welcomed and will set to work cartooning the hosts of Heaven in short order. Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill SELFRIGHTEOUS BISHOP Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse ("Archbishop says (abortion) protests will carry on", March 7, p.9) should concentrate on cleaning up the cesspool of depravity that exists within the ranks of his own organisation before worrying about what people are doing in the comparatively virtuous real world. James Allan, Narrabundah STALLING ONE NATION I am now convinced Mathias Cormann is a genius. Where others have failed he has come up with a way to make One Nation irrelevant. Mind you it comes at a cost. I expect he thinks if Labor also preferences One Nation that should eliminate them forever. This makes me confident Australian finances are in capable hands. Ed Gaykema, Dickson Malcolm Turnbull is, as always, wise not to rule out future preference deals between the Liberal Party and One Nation. Such deals appear to be the best way to stall One Nation's momentum. H. Simon, Watson The Liberal Party's alliance with One Nation in WA proves that it's better to have a conversation with an intelligent adversary than to have one with one who is ignorant. Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt ONE-TRICK WIKILEAKS Why is it that the only classified documents that have been released by WikiLeaks and Assange are from democratic countries? Who is your preferred source for health advice? Gwyneth Paltrow? Pete Evans? Or qualified medical practitioners like Dr Oz? I hate to break it to you, but if youre getting advice from any of these people, youre quite likely being misled. For example, contrary to Gwyneth Paltrows website, experts advise inserting jade eggs into your vagina is a very bad idea. And last time I checked, Facebook wasnt a peer-reviewed medical website, but that doesnt seem to matter to 20 per cent of people using it for health advice. Dissolved in a state of cold, numbing panic, I run down the walkways of the Fremantle markets, hyperventilating, imploding. My son, who is just shy of three years, has disappeared. Sam, his sister, 4, and I are regulars at the market and had browsed the toy shop, his favourite spot. He crouched next to me, playing with some Minion squishy toy while I paid for something. I felt his presence next to me. The transaction took all of 30 seconds and as I looked next to me he was gone. Most parents relate to the crippling panic when you lose your child. It wasn't busy that day so the walkways were empty and as I look in all directions I just see gaping emptiness, left, right and straight on. I scour the shop and the back alley that leads down to the main walkway - he's nowhere to be seen. I start getting worried and begin to ask the people around me, 'Have you seen a little boy with a camouflage hat?' to faces responding in blank stares, shaking heads. The situation is rapidly unfolding in my head and fear starts rising in the pit on my stomach. He was just 30 seconds out of sight. Why would he walk off the toy shop, his coveted, favourite spot. He couldn't have walked out of sight that quickly... I won't allow myself to think the worst... I won't. Just don't. A woman with her grandchild, who I had chatted briefly with just minutes ago looks at me with knowing eyes, touches my arm and says: "Go... I'll watch your daughter." I was adopted in Queensland in 1971 at the pinnacle of the Australian closed adoption era, when the stigma of illegitimacy was a worst-case scenario for unmarried mothers and their babies. My mother was told to leave her Sydney home and to not come back until she'd dealt with the issue (I was the issue). She travelled north to Queensland alone, holding only a small hope of finding a way to keep me, but found only closed doors. When I reunited with my mother in 1991 at age 19, she told me that I was not a forced adoption. She said it as though to wave away the notion that a terrible trauma had occurred at the time of our separation. She said that she wasn't drugged, restrained or forced to sign paperwork to 'relinquish' me for adoption as had happened to many. She was benchmarking her experience against those of others and was dismissive of her own as a lesser event. At the time, I was relieved for herfor us both really. Like many others, I found myself at my first forced adoption apology anniversary event years after the apology was first delivered. I'd never thought to attend the apologies delivered at state and federal parliaments themselves, because I believed they had nothing to do with me. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is hugged after she offered the National Apology for Forced Adoptions in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Andrew Meares She worked throughout her pregnancy as a nanny to two children in Brisbane to support herself, as her father refused to help. On the day I was born, we parted ways without ever sighting or touching each other. She was offered no options or alternatives that would allow her to keep and raise me. Because she was not forcibly coerced into signing the adoption paperwork, she believes that my adoption was not forced, but what choice did she have but to place me for adoption? How can it be said that it was not forced? "Consents obtained from unmarried mothers who were not fully informed of alternatives to adoption, were unaware of the consequences of adoption, or were influenced or manipulated by authority figures including their parents, doctors, social workers and church figures, cannot be said to be informed consent." National Forced Adoption Exhibition, 2012. Before I attended my first anniversary event, I didn't understand why a yearly commemoration was necessary. I attended as someone seeking to support and acknowledge the loss of others and when I departed, it was as an adoptee acknowledging my own loss through forced adoption policies and practices and those of my mother, who was cornered into a checkmate position by society, her parents and the government. It was moving hearing mothers speak of their experiences and having our losses openly acknowledged. One of the characteristics of forced adoption is that society didn't acknowledge there had been any loss. Honouring it now, through yearly anniversary events is important, not only for the grieving and healing process of mothers, fathers and adoptees - many of whom will come to their first event years after the apology itself, but also for broader Australia. This was a period when voices were silenced, and anniversary events are an opportunity for society to hear and honour them now and for the people affected to know they are not alone and that they are heard. A parallel universe exists just 200 kilometres from Australia's shores. It's otherwise known as Indonesia. A remarkable event that you haven't heard about has just taken place there. It was the subject of minute-by-minute, wall-to-wall TV coverage in Indonesia and the cause of great excitement, but it was near invisible in Australia's media. For the first time in 47 years, the king of Saudi Arabia visited. It was "unparalleled in modern times" according to the South China Morning Post's David Dodwell. King Salman travelled with seven ministers, 19 princes of the House of Saud, a total retinue of 1500 people and 460 tonnes of gear delivered by 27 cargo planes. It included tonnes of halal food, the most expensive car ever seen in Indonesia and other essentials such as two gold-coloured, portable escalators so the 81-year old monarch could descend effortlessly from his personal jet. LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) - Spanish government bond yields trimmed falls on Monday, pushing the gap over German peers marginally wider, after Scotland's first minister demanded a new independence vote, raising concerns about breakaway risks in other parts of the euro zone. Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain, has been seeking independence, and its leaders have vowed to move ahead with another referendum on secession in September. Spain's 10-year government bond yield trimmed falls to stand marginally lower at 1.87 percent, underperforming most of its euro zone peers. Italian equivalents were down 2 bps and Portuguese yields fell 6 bps . The Spanish/German yield gap widened to around 142 basis points from around 140 bps on Friday. Analysts said the move coincided with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanding a new independence referendum in late 2018, which at the margin was putting the focus on Spain and breakaway risks it faces from Catalonia. "There is always a link between the Scottish referendum risks and what the region of Catalonia is doing," said DZ Bank strategist Daniel Lenz. "And it does appear that the Scottish referendum news has had a little bit of an impact on Spain." (Reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe, editing by Nigel Stephenson) It is right and proper to make a fuss about International Women's Day. Just as it's also important to note that, despite making huge strides towards equal representation in some areas (such as media presenters), in others (think company directorships), there are still far too few women occupying senior jobs. There's still a long way to go before "equality of opportunity" becomes a reality, instead of just a routine bit of verbiage to be trotted out whenever it seems appropriate. But we know that. Let's look, rather, at where inequality remains entrenched and untouched by even the fine rhetoric that informs the way we look at gender. All too often although the outer barriers have been breached, the inner bastions remain intact. Activists mark International Women's Day in Sydney last week. Credit:James Alcock It's easy to see this in some areas. Take, for example, the invisibility of women in the boardroom. Numerous studies have proven the business advantages of having diverse perspectives at the level, yet directorships continue going to the increasingly narrow sectoral group of men. Here at Fairfax Media we have six men (including the chief executive) and three women and, because I enjoy my job, it's probably worth pointing out just how great they are: indeed, it'd be almost impossible to find a more intelligent, dynamic or generally forward-thinking group of people anywhere in the country. Flick, however, through the annual reports of almost every other big company in the country, aggregate the numbers, and the overwhelming dynamic becomes immediately apparent. And it's not just women who are missing. Search, instead, for the faces you should be seeing but are absent. Australia is ethnically diverse, and yet you certainly wouldn't know it from the profiles around the board table. Let's spend a moment reinforcing a few stereotypes. So while we're happy to be operated on by (ethnically Chinese) doctors, or accept that (ethnically Indian) engineers can build everything from buildings to software, there's considerable reluctance when it comes to welcoming anyone "different" to the board table. It was at a dinner party that I realised it. First came the Russia conspiracies: who in the Trump administration had been conspiring with the Russians? Why all the secret confabs with Russian officials before the election? What kind of kompromat was Vladimir Putin using to control Donald Trump? Then the "deep state" talk: How much dirt did the intelligence community have on Trump? Would they do their patriotic duty and bring him down? As I listened to the fast-flying chatter, I realised something profoundly depressing. This is how democracy is dismantled. Not by Trump's own conspiracy-riddled, anti-democratic politics, but by his opponents' willingness to engage in the same. US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP Anti-Trump conspiracies are everywhere today. Some are silly: I've been asked more than a dozen times whether Trump is illiterate, even though we've seen him reading off teleprompters for well over a year now. Trump is not a reader Jeet Heer, a writer for the New Republic, has plausibly described him as "post-literate" but it's not because he can't read. He just doesn't care to. Then there are the more worrisome theories, the ones that centre on Russia and have fed a small red scare. This is nothing on the level of the red scares that swept through the US in the 1920s and 1950s, when the government engaged in mass violations of civil liberties and destroyed people's lives. But it does share the same set of fears: the Russians are engaged in a massive conspiracy to destroy the US from within, honeycombing the government and the private sector with a network of dupes and spies. Let's make something clear from the get go: individuals and companies have every right to express their opinions, political and otherwise, in whatever form they choose. On a related point: hoo boy, it's been a bad couple of days for venerable South Australian brewer Coopers. The story goes like this: the brewery is owned by the Coopers family, who have been long time donors to the Bible Society along with other religious and conservative groups (including being one of the largest donors to the SA Liberal Party). And thus they celebrated their relationship with the Bible Society by putting out a commemorative beer celebrating 200 years of the Society. And the way the Bible Society put it, it was an actual partnership. That kind of deterioration further suggests cataracts, and cataracts may indicate arsenic poisoning, Sandra Tuppen, a curator of archives and manuscripts at the library, wrote in a blog post on the library's website. Researchers at the library, working with the London optometrist Simon Barnard, recently examined three pairs of glasses believed to have belonged to Austen, and said that they showed evidence her vision severely deteriorated in her final years. The cause of Jane Austen's mysterious death at age 41 has been much pondered over the years. Was it a hormonal disorder? Cancer? Complications from drinking unpasteurised milk? "If Austen did develop cataracts," as the glasses indicate, Tuppen wrote, one likely cause is "accidental poisoning from a heavy metal such as arsenic". The revelation adds a wonky note of drama to the 200th anniversary of Austen's death in 1817, weeks after she had travelled to Winchester seeking help for an illness. The glasses, which cannot be said definitively to have belonged to Austen, were bequeathed to the library several years ago by her relatives. They had been kept in a desk belonging to Austen. "We knew that she had trouble with her eyes, because on several occasions she refers to weak eyes," Tuppen said. She emphasised that the glasses did not indicate that anybody had set out to murder Austen, the Pride and Prejudice author. That possibility was floated in the 2013 crime novel The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen, by Lindsay Ashford, who claimed to have found clues in Austen's writing and other sources hinting at arsenic poisoning. Arsenic was frequently found in water, medication and even wallpaper in Austen's time, Tuppen emphasised, and unintentional arsenic poisoning was, she said, "quite common". Scrutiny of all objects belonging to Austen, from paper clips that may have bound her manuscripts to scraps of writing on paper, has long been something of a cottage industry for academics. But not all scholars are buying the arsenic theory. The death of mangrove forests stretched over 1000 kilometres of Australia's northern coast a year ago has been blamed on extreme conditions including record temperatures. About 7400 hectares of mangroves strung along the Gulf of Carpentaria died in a single month in early 2016 because of the unusual warmth, a prolonged drought and an El Nino that reduced local sea levels by about 20 centimetres, said Norman Duke, head of the Mangrove Research hub at James Cook University. "Essentially, they died of thirst," Dr Duke said, adding that the sea-level drop triggered a "highly significant loss of tidal waters". El Nino events are marked by a stalling or reversal of the easterly equatorial winds that would typically build up waters in the western Pacific. Still, previous El Ninos had not produced the huge death rate of mangroves as seen last year. Massive gas companies building projects in Australia could claim the costs of cleaning up environmental disasters as a tax break, a Senate inquiry has heard. The royalty system for gas under the federal petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) sees miners pay a tax on profits after accounting for a series of deductions, including building costs. The system, which is under review by the Turnbull government, has faced heavy criticism as miners have written off massive project costs meaning they pay little or no tax. The hearing was told that companies could get tax concessions for oil spills through the costs incurred by cleaning up the coastline or getting salvage equipment shipped from overseas. There was plenty of green slime, LOLs, tomfoolery and one powerful message of inclusiveness thanks to Ellen DeGeneres at this year's Kids' Choice Awards. Picking up three orange blimps for winning in the categories - Favourite Voice from an Animated Movie, Favourite Animated Movie and #Squad - the television host used the opportunity to remind the mostly pint-sized audience that being different is A-OK. Ellen DeGeneres had a powerful message of inclusivity at the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday. Credit:CHRIS PIZZELLO "It means the most to me that you would want to be in my squad. That, to me, is the biggest compliment that I would win #Squad," DeGeneres said on Saturday in Los Angeles. "So here's what I would like to do because I would like for you to be in my squad. I would like everyone to take an oath so that you can be in my squad. Raise your left hand. No, I'm sorry. Raise your right hand. Raise them both. And just repeat after me... While I was reading the news on Saturday night, we ran a story (just before the weather) showing a flustered father, who happens to be a world expert on South Korea, Professor of Political Science Robert Kelly, ushering his toddler out of shot during a live cross with BBC World. I laughed along with the rest of the world (the video has now gone viral with more than 28 million views) his wife, Jung-a Kim, flying into the room to yank the child (and her baby brother who rolled into the party in his baby walker) out of shot is comedy gold. But I could also empathise because, like so many of us trying to juggle work and parenting, I too have been there. In my case it also involved a live news camera. Stuck for a babysitter one Saturday afternoon, I took my two young boys with me to work, giving them an iPad (on low volume) to distract them. I even bought them McDonalds and set them up on a desk with strict instructions to "keep quiet while Mummy is talking". Presenting the news from the news desk just a few metres away was the most nervous I've ever been in my 20-plus years of live television. What if they made a run for it? Like many women, I felt a crushing sense of disappointment when I heard the announcement on Friday that Kate Ellis was resigning from politics. It wasn't just sadness over the loss of an exceptional MP (and possible future Labor leader), although I felt that keenly. It was the reminder that no matter how hard women try, no matter how much we have to offer and no matter how essential we are to the fabric of public life, those structures still obstinately refuse to accommodate our needs. Fairfax journalist Jacqueline Maley described this trend perfectly when she wrote, "It was a straight-up case of what I would call the Enormous Pull of the Tiny Face. It was also confirmation of one of politics' saddest trends those politicians who have their priorities straight, often leave politics, because they have their priorities straight." Ellis was more straightforward even than this, saying, "I haven't wanted to leave him. I like being with him." On Friday, Jessica Farrar, a Democratic state representative from Houston, filed a bill titled Man's Right to Know Act, which would require men to wait 24 hours after an "initial health care consultation" to receive an elective vasectomy, colonoscopy or Viagra prescription and fines men for releasing "unregulated masturbatory emissions." The bill, in case it's not clear yet, is a parody of anti-abortion legislation, particularly in Texas. Ms Farrar told the Texas Tribune she knows the "proposed satirical regulations" will not be enacted. That isn't their purpose. Every month it occurs to me that men are distracted by sex all the time. Credit:Stocksy "What I would like to see is this make people stop and think," Ms Farrar told the newspaper. "Maybe my colleagues aren't capable of that, but the people who voted for them, or the people that didn't vote at all, I hope that it changes their mind and helps them to decide what the priorities are." For example, the 24-hour waiting period mirrors a law passed in Texas in 2011, which forces women to have an ultrasound at least 24 hours before an abortion, according to Planned Parenthood. Ms Farrar told the Texas Tribune this waiting period "messes with women's heads." Predictably, the superannuation industry is already attempting to deter the federal government from introducing even limited action to allow first-home buyers to gain access to part of their super. This is despite the fact that achieving home ownership is so essential in ensuring a comfortable retirement. Put bluntly, the sooner home ownership is achieved, the greater the ability to build up super and other retirement savings. Of all the categories of taxpayers, renters fare worst, receiving no tax assistance to pay their rent and paying tax on the income from their savings. The sooner home ownership is achieved, the greater the ability to build up super and other retirement savings. Credit:Jessica Shapiro By contrast, homeowners including those with mortgages get tax-free capital gains on their home and don't pay tax on the savings generated by paying off a mortgage. Clearly, helping renters to achieve home ownership, including by assisting them to gain access to their compulsory super, would help reduce this discrimination. As the super rules now operate, following the 2013 changes removing protection of small accounts of less than $1000, many small accounts, particularly of part-time workers, end up being dissipated in fees and unrequired insurance charges. The super funds have been feasting on the fees from these accounts, greatly assisted by the government changes increasing the account balance to $6000 before funds are required to send lost super to the ATO. He fled war-torn Lebanon aged 14 with his family and learnt to speak English in an annex to Beverly Hills Girls High School. More than a few pairs of eyes were suspiciously moist in the Local Court as former Sydney prosecutor Imad Abdul-Karim was sworn in as a magistrate. Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson (far right) with the recently sworn in Local Court Magistrates Julie Soars (left) and Imad Abdul-Karim at the Downing Centre Local Court. Credit:Kate Geraghty "I know that my story is part of the Australian story," the 46-year-old said to a packed courtroom on Monday. Mr Abdul-Karim and Sydney barrister Julie Soars are among the latest recruits to the Local Court and both were celebrated on Monday for breaking stereotypes in the legal profession. Orthopaedic surgeon Stephen Ruff is planning to run as a candidate in the North Shore byelection in a move that will potentially splinter the independent vote in a seat with a history of supporting non-party candidates. But in a contest that his opponents are framing around council amalgamations, Dr Ruff will stand on a platform of radical solutions to local problems, including an ultra-fast pod transportation system and government equity in properties bought by first home buyers. Orthopedic surgeon Dr Stephen Ruff is running for the seat of North Shore on April 8. Credit:Andrew Darby The Royal North Shore Hospital doctor has also criticised waste within the health system, including Medicare rebate schemes that favour his colleagues in other specialties, and claimed that the local health districts are poorly governed. The former federal health minister Sussan Ley's claim that one-third of health expenditure was wasted was an indictment on hospital managers, he said. One Nation may have flopped in the Western Australian election, but the role it will play at the next Queensland poll is up for debate. WA Labor romped to victory on Saturday, winning at least 36 seats and ousting the Liberal government, and a predicted strong vote for One Nation did not eventuate. The result came after the WA Liberals did a preference deal with One Nation. Political pundits in Queensland were keeping a close eye on the results and what they meant on the other side of the country, with Sunshine State voters due to go to the polls in 2018. A woman has been trapped in a car after a crash on the Mount Lindesay Highway in Logan, which has caused lengthy delays on Monday evening. The two-vehicle crash happened just outside the BP service station near the intersection with Wearing Road in North Maclean about 4.45pm. Two people suffered only minor injuries in the two-vehicle crash, but it created six-kilometre delays back to Park Ridge South. Fire crews were working to free the trapped woman at 5.30pm as southbound delays stretched back about six kilometres to Park Ridge South. Police said southbound traffic was being diverted down Greenbank Road after the crash blocked the highway, while northbound traffic was able to move through the area. As batteries and renewables continue to dominate discussions around the future of energy in Australia, it seems Elon Musk isn't done Tweeting about the current crisis just yet. After speaking to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for an hour on Sunday, the Tesla CEO resumed his Twitter campaign on Monday morning, offering what appears to be a heart-felt thank you to Australians who have supported his clean energy agenda. "Just wanted to write a note of appreciation to the many Australians who came out in support of the battery plan, especially @mcannonbrookes," he said on Twitter on Monday morning. Victoria's bushfire season is not over yet, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley has warned. "What we have got is a late drying, hot period, which you can see across Victoria," he said. "So it's continually in the low 30s every day, it's keeping the grasses dry. A grassfire near Swan Hill in November. Credit:Peter Bannan/Swan Hill Guardian "The days are shorter obviously, but the risk of fires is still there and people need to just stay attuned to what the fire danger rating is. "One farmer said to me the other day 'it's like we've got summer coming back'. And in the grasslands the fuels are so dry," he said. Premier Daniel Andrews is promising to keep Victoria's electricity supply "as affordable, resilient and secure" as possible, amid warnings that households are being dudded by power retailers fattening their profits. With the government under political pressure over power prices and energy security, the Premier has appointed himself chair of a new cabinet taskforce which will meet for the first time on Tuesday as part of a push to keep power supplies as cheap and reliable as possible. The taskforce's first meeting coincides with a report by the Grattan Institute that claims competition in electricity retailing has failed to deliver what was promised: lower prices for consumers. David Taylor's parents John and Janet Taylor speak to him in his holding cell at Denpasar District Court as he waits to hear the verdict. Credit:Alan Putra The charges carry maximum sentences of 15, 12 and seven years respectively. However, prosecutors later did not ask for the murder charge to be imposed, finding Taylor had no intention to kill the officer. David Taylor at Denpasar District Court on Monday. Credit:Alan Putra On Monday, Taylor was found guilty of the charge of fatal group assault. Taylor said he accepted the charge and thanked the judges. The seven months Taylor has already spent behind bars will be deducted from his six-year sentence. In sentencing, the judge said Taylor had been polite in court, had never been jailed before and had apologised to the family of the victim. David Taylor arrives in the courtroom at Denpasar on Monday. Credit:Alan Putra Mr Taylor's parents, John and Janet, had tears in their eyes as they tightly hugged Mr Taylor after the sentencing. Afterwards outside court, Mr Taylor's father said "at the end we are content with the sentence". David Taylor at Denpasar District Court on Monday. Credit:Alan Putra "Concerning the tragic events of that night on Legian beach and the subsequent trial we are immensely saddened and our hearts go out to the widow of officer Sudarsa and to his family to whom we send our deepest condolences," he said. "However we do believe our son David feared for his own life that night and his actions reflect that." Sara Connor arriving at Denpasar District Court on Monday. Credit:Alan Putra John Taylor's voice quavered as he paid tribute to his son's lawyer Haposan Sihombing and his team who "have provided guidance and support for our family and for our son right from the start and consistently through these very difficult months". John Taylor also thanked the British consular office for its support. Sara Connor arriving at court in Denpasar on Monday afternoon. Credit:Alan Putra "We are indebted to many who have stood by us, prayed for us and supported us through this time particularly new friends here in Bali who we know will continue to support and visit our son through the years ahead," Mr Taylor said. Told of the verdict by Fairfax Media, Mr Sudarsa's widow, Ketut Arsini, held back tears and with a shaky voice said: "What can I say, if that's the best, I can't say anything." The widow of Wayan Sudarsa, Ketut Arsini, and her son Kadek Toni, hold a portrait of the police officer who was killed on Legian beach. Credit:Alan Putra "I don't know the law, I don't know legal matters, it's up to the prosecutor, the law (judge)... if that's what's been decided, then I can't really say anything." Prosecutor Ni Luh Oka Ariani said prosecutors would consider whether to appeal the sentence. Sara Connor during her trial in February. Credit:AP The fight between Taylor and the police officer started after Ms Connor's handbag went missing while Taylor and Ms Connor who had been lovers for four months and were having a romantic rendezvous in Bali were kissing by the water's edge. Mr Sudarsa stated he was a police officer, but Mr Taylor believed this was a bogus claim, and began frisking him, accusing him of stealing the handbag. Sara Connor and David Taylor strolling in Bali's Kerobokan jail in January. Credit:Alan Putra "If he was a policeman, why didn't he help me, why did he laugh at me?" he said in the Denpasar District Court. Taylor testified that he had had three beers and shared an arak cocktail made with Balinese spirits over six hours. He denied he had felt aggressive, and said that on the night he had been happy at the prospect of the week ahead in Bali with his new lover. He later tested negative for drugs. David Taylor embraces his parents John and Janet after the verdict was read out. He said Mr Sudarsa had pushed him to the ground and punched him. At one point, he testified, Mr Sudarsa's arm was on his throat. "I couldn't breathe. I was afraid I was going to die. I never experienced it before - I was really scared," Taylor told a court hearing. Both Taylor and Ms Connor testified that he had acted alone when he bashed the officer. They said Ms Connor whom they both claimed had earlier tried to break up the fight had been searching for her bag at the time the fatal blows were inflicted. Taylor insisted Mr Sudarsa, a married father of two, had still been alive when he left him on the beach. However, he took the officer's wallet and mobile phone from his body. Ms Connor cut up his identity cards when the couple returned to their Kuta homestay Kubu Kauh Inn, after unsuccessfully trying to flag down a motorcycle taxi, purportedly to go to the police station. She said she had cut up the cards to protect the police officer from identity theft, a claim the prosecution labelled "irrational". The following morning the couple went to Jimbaran, where they enjoyed two days of their holiday, having a swim and lunch at the beach, oblivious to the fact the police officer was dead. Ms Connor testified that it was only when she switched on her phone to pay her car registration two days later that she received anxious messages from her friends. Her face was plastered all over the news after her cards had been found near the battered corpse of a police officer. Police were combing the resort island looking for them. "After I received the phone call, we were both crying," Ms Connor said. "That's when I asked David, 'Did you hit him with something?' He told me yes," Ms Connor said. "We were desperate." Panicked, they burnt the bloodied clothes they had been wearing on the night of Mr Sudarsa's death and Taylor threw the officer's mobile phone against a wall. They then went to the Australian consulate, where police were waiting for them. Much of what initially emerged about the couple's claims of what occurred on the night of August 17 was bizarre, confused, contradictory and fluid. Taylor initially claimed he had gone to help a man who was lying face down in the sand and was bitten on the finger, prompting his own lawyer to say he believed his client was hiding something and would reveal the "whole truth" soon. However, he later won praise from prosecutors for being honest before the court, apologising to the victim's family and expressing remorse. Taylor wrote a letter to Mr Sudarsa's widow, Ketut Arsini, in November, saying: "I really cannot believe that my terrible actions may have contributed to the taking of another life." Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will travel to Rodrigo Duterte's hometown in the southern Philippines this week in a rare diplomatic gesture to the foul-mouthed president who has presided over the killings of almost 8000 Filipinos in his so-called war on drugs. Ms Bishop will also visit Malaysia, where Prime Minister Najib Razak is implicated in the world's biggest financial scandal, declaring she will discuss issues including "progress in our strategic partnership". The decision to fly 1000 kilometres from the Philippine capital Manila to southern Davao to meet Mr Duterte comes as Australia campaigns for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The council's chief, Zeid bin Raad al-Hussein, last December described Mr Duterte's drugs campaign as an "appalling epidemic of extra-judicial killings" that violates international law. From thief to Russian asset? His involvement with Russian intelligence may help explain why Bogachev, 33, is hardly a man on the run. FBI officials say he lives openly in Anapa, a rundown resort town on the Black Sea in southern Russia. He has a large apartment near the shore and possibly another in Moscow, officials say, as well as a collection of luxury cars, though he seems to favour driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee. US investigators say he enjoys sailing and owns a yacht. Running the criminal scheme was hard work. Bogachev often complained of being exhausted and "of having too little time for his family", said Alexander Panin, a Russian hacker, now in a federal prison in Kentucky for bank fraud, who used to communicate with Bogachev online. "He mentioned a wife and two kids as far as I remember," Panin wrote in an email. Beyond that, little is known about Bogachev, who preferred to operate anonymously behind various screen names: slavik, lucky12345, pollingsoon. Even close business associates never met him in person or knew his real name. "He was very, very paranoid," said J. Keith Mularski, an FBI supervisor in Pittsburgh whose investigation of Bogachev led to an indictment in 2014. "He didn't trust anybody." Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, and Russian officials say that, so long as Bogachev has not committed a crime on Russian territory, there are no grounds to arrest him. Attempts to reach Bogachev for this article were unsuccessful. In response to questions, his lawyer in Anapa, Alexey Stotskii, said, "The fact that he is wanted by the FBI prevents me morally from saying anything." A line in Bogachev's file with the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, which has helped the FBI track his movements, describes him as "working under the supervision of a special unit of the FSB", referring to the Federal Security Service, Russia's main intelligence agency. The FSB did not respond to a request for comment. That Bogachev remains at large "is the most powerful argument" that he is an asset of the Russian government, said Austin Berglas, who was an assistant special agent in charge of cyber investigations at the FBI's New York field office until 2015. Hackers such as Bogachev are "moonlighters", Berglas said, "doing the bidding of Russian intelligence services, whether economic espionage or straight-up espionage". Such an arrangement offers the Kremlin a convenient cover story and an easy opportunity to take a peek into the extensive networks of computers infected by Russian hackers, security experts say. Russian intelligence agencies also appear occasionally to employ malware tools developed for criminal purposes, including the popular BlackEnergy, to attack the computers of enemy governments. The recent revelations by WikiLeaks about CIA spying tools suggest that the US agency also kept a large reference library of hacking kits, some of which appear to have been produced by Russia. It also hints at a struggle to recruit top talent. A job with the Russian intelligence agencies does not command the prestige it did in the Soviet era. The Russian state has to compete against the dream of six-figure salaries and stock options in Silicon Valley. A recruiting pitch from a few years ago for the Defence Ministry's cyber warfare brigade offered college graduates the rank of lieutenant and a bed in a room with four other people. And so the Kremlin at times turns to the "dark web" or Russian-language forums devoted to cyber fraud and spam. Bogachev, according to court papers from his criminal case, used to sell malicious software on a site called Carding World, where thieves buy and sell stolen credit card numbers and hacking kits, according to the FBI. One recent posting offered to sell US credit card information with CVV security numbers for $US5. A user named MrRaiX was selling a malware supposedly designed to pilfer passwords from programs such as Google Chrome and Outlook Express. Rather than shut down such sites, as the FBI typically tries to do, Russian intelligence agents appear to have infiltrated them, security experts say. Some of the forums state specifically that almost any type of criminality is allowed - bank fraud, counterfeiting documents, weapons sales. One of the few rules: no work in Russia or the former Soviet Union. In Carding World, and in many other forums, a violation results in a lifetime ban. The FBI has long been stymied in its efforts to get Russian cyber criminals. For a time, the bureau had high hopes that its agents and Russian investigators with the FSB would work together to target Russian thieves who had made a specialty of stealing Americans' credit card information and breaking into their bank accounts. "Here's to great investigations," FBI and FSB agents would toast each other at Manhattan steakhouses during periodic trust-building visits, Berglas said. But help rarely seemed to materialise. After a while, agents began to worry that Russian authorities were recruiting the very suspects that the FBI was pursuing. The joke among Justice Department officials was the Russians were more likely to pin a medal on a suspected criminal hacker than help the FBI nab him. "Almost all the hackers who have been announced by the US government through indictments are immediately tracked by the Russian government," said Arkady Bukh, a New York-based lawyer who often represents Russian hackers arrested in the United States. "All the time they're asked to provide logistical and technical support." While it was a widely held suspicion, it is tough to prove the connection between cyber thieves and Russian intelligence. But in one case, Berglas said, FBI agents monitoring an infected computer were surprised to see a hacker who was the target of their investigation share a copy of his passport with a person the FBI believed to be a Russian intelligence agent - a likely signal that the suspect was being recruited or protected. "That was the closest we ever came," he said. Fishing for top secrets Bogachev's hacking career began well over a decade ago, leading to the creation of a malicious software program called GameOver ZeuS that he managed with the help of about a half-dozen close associates who called themselves the Business Club, according to the FBI and security researchers. Working around the clock, his criminal gang infected an ever-growing network of computers. They were able to bypass the most advanced banking security measures to empty accounts quickly and transfer the money abroad through a web of intermediaries called money mules. FBI officials said it was the most sophisticated online larceny scheme they had encountered - and for years, it was impenetrable. Bogachev became extremely wealthy. At one point, he owned two villas in France and kept a fleet of cars parked around Europe so he would never have to rent a vehicle while on holiday, according to a Ukrainian law enforcement official with knowledge of the Bogachev case, who requested anonymity to discuss the continuing investigation. Officials say he had three Russian passports with different aliases allowing him to travel undercover. At the height of his operations, Bogachev had between 500,000 and 1 million computers under his control, US officials said. And there is evidence that the Russian government took an interest in knowing what was on them. From about 2011, according to an analysis by Fox-IT, computers under Bogachev's control started receiving requests for information - not about banking transactions, but for files relating to various geopolitical developments pulled from the headlines. In 2013, about the time that former president Barack Obama publicly agreed to start sending small arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels, Turkish computers infected by Bogachev's network were hit with keyword searches that included the terms "weapon delivery" and "arms delivery". There were also searches for "Russian mercenary" and "Caucasian mercenary", suggesting concerns about Russian citizens fighting in the war. Before Russia's military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, infected computers were searched for information about top-secret files from the country's main intelligence directorate, the SBU. Some of the queries involved searches for personal information about government security officials, including emails from Georgia's foreign intelligence service, the Turkish Foreign Ministry and others, said Michael Sandee, one of the researchers from Fox-IT. And at some point between March 2013 and February 2014, there were searches for English-language documents, which seemed to be fishing for US military and intelligence documents. The queries were for terms including "top secret" and "Department of Defense", said Brett Stone-Gross, a cyber security analyst involved in analysing GameOver ZeuS. "These were in English," he said. "That was different." Cyber security experts who studied the case say there is no way to know who ordered the queries. But they were so disconnected from the larceny and fraud that drove Bogachev's operation that analysts say there can be no other motive but espionage. Whether the searches turned up any classified document or sensitive government material is unknown, although the odds are good that there were several federal government employees or military contractors with infected personal computers. "They had such a large number of infections, I would say it's highly likely they had computers belonging to US government and foreign government employees," Stone-Gross said. In summer 2014, the FBI, together with law enforcement agencies in more than half a dozen countries, carried out Operation Tovar, a co-ordinated attack on Bogachev's criminal infrastructure that successfully shut down his network and liberated computers infected with GameOver ZeuS. Prosecutors said they were in talks with the Russian government, trying to secure co-operation for the capture of Bogachev. But the only apparent legal trouble Bogachev has faced in Russia was a lawsuit filed against him by a real estate company in 2011 over payment of about $US75,000 on his apartment in Anapa, according to court papers there. And even that he managed to beat. Accusing Trump of "talking big" about getting rid of corruption, the Massachusetts senator charged that the President's real intent was to appoint "a bunch of tame prosecutors who won't investigate him". Put up or shut up: Arizona senator John McCain had a stark warning for the Trump White House. Credit:AP But it was McCain who stopped Washington in its tracks with his bold insistence that Trump prove his claim that Obama tapped the phones in Trump Tower in Manhattan during last year's election campaign - or drop the accusation. McCain told CNN's State of the Union: "The President has one of two choices, either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve. I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but I also believe that the President of the United States could clear this up in a minute." Fox News identity Sean Hannity has encouraged Donald Trump to purge "saboteurs" within his administration. Credit:AP The 45th presidency has become enmeshed in vicious cycles, with Trump lashing out at government agencies, and the intelligence services in particular, which he accuses of Nazi-like criminal misconduct and incompetence in investigations that threaten him. At the heart of it all is Trump's peculiar and unexplained fondness for Russia and the Kremlin's hacking intervention in last year's election campaign. These have spawned a torrent of leaks from the agencies and a countersurge of leaking by the administration, and more wild Twitter storms by Trump himself - such as his claim that Obama was eavesdropping on Trump headquarters - as well as his controversial chief strategist Stephen Bannon urging that Trump demolish what he calls an anti-Trump "administrative state". Attorney-General Jeff Sessions has been in the firing line over contacts with the Russian ambassador during last year's election campaign. Credit:AP McCain is hardly a deep-state activist. Similarly, his Republican Senate colleague Lindsey Graham is no subversive, but last week Graham joined forces with Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse to issue a bipartisan letter to FBI director James Comey asking that he provide "copies of any warrant applications and court orders - redacted as necessary related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower" to the Senate judiciary committee. "If the allegation is left out there, it undermines the confidence the American people have in the entire way that the government does business," McCain said on CNN, while another of his GOP colleagues, senator Roy Blunt, was telling Fox's Sunday Morning Futures that Trump had the authority to ask the FBI for the information that might corroborate his outlandish claim. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader in the US Senate. Many believe that when his relationship with Trump went south, Preet Bharara became a casualty. Credit:AP As with the Russia business, the sacking of Bharara is a peculiar, unexplained business. Incoming presidents have often cleared out attorneys en masse; Bill Clinton did it early in his term and George W. Bush did it some time after becoming president, drawing flak by leaving himself open to the charge that the attorneys were asked to go because he didn't like how they operated. But Trump, in a transition period meeting with Bharara that was attended by now Attorney-General Jeff Sessions, Bannon and Trump's son-in-law and counsellor Jared Kushner, expressly asked that Bharara remain in his post. And there was a strange, unexplained phone call on Thursday - from the White House to Bharara's office. A presidential aide reportedly asked for the attorney to call Trump, but Bharara explained strict protocols on communications between a president and a prosecutor made that impossible. The only explanation by the White House, offered to The New York Times by administration officials who refused to be named, did cast the fate of a nominally independent attorney in a very political context; apparently the promise to retain Bharara had been made when Trump thought he might be able to have a working relationship with the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, also of New York and close to Bharara. But the Trump-Schumer relationship quickly soured and with that, Bharara's fate was sealed. White House officials have denied that the purge of attorneys was a response by Trump to Hannity's call on Friday evening for a clean-out of what he described as "deep-state Obama holdovers embedded like barnacles in the federal bureaucracy [who] are hell-bent on destroying President Trump". "Those who aren't actively working with President Trump to fix the country need to be shown the door. They are hurting the people who pay their salaries," he said. Experts warn that leaks against Trump are organic, not organised. But they fear that in casting them as the work of a deep state, a term that usually refers to a civilian and military network who already control or are seeking to gut a democratically elected government, as in Turkey and Egypt, Trump's supporters run the risk of generating greater conflict, even more leaks and greater polarisation in government agencies. Elizabeth Saunders, a George Washington University political scientist, warns that the administration is shooting itself in the foot, telling The New York Times that treating the bureaucracy as an adversary had served mainly to snare Trump in a controversy that made it more difficult to implement his policies. "You get the feeling that Trump doesn't understand that working invisibly through the bureaucracy would strengthen him," Saunders said. Saunders cites the politicisation of science in the climate change wars as a cautionary tale for Trump - in being made to fight to defend their work in the face of attacks by opponents of environmental regulation, the scientists' chances of shaping policy diminished. "The more [government agencies] are publicly drawn into these battles, the more there will be polarisation and politicisation of them, too," Saunders said. A Sydney man arrested in Bulgaria on terrorism charges claims he was coerced into going to a shooting range by a Bulgarian man he'd only just met. John Zakhariev, 21, was arrested following a raid on the home he shared with his retired UN diplomat father, Svetlomir, in Sofia in September. The former Waverley College student travelled to Syria in 2013, the year after he graduated, with the help of two Sydney extremists who went on to die while fighting for Islamic State. He left after eight days and was investigated by ASIO before travelling to Bulgaria for a short trip in 2016 to help Svetlomir move back to his homeland to retire. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday, March 12th at approximately 06.25 p.m. a call came into the 911 dispatch informing them of an ongoing armed robbery at Carrefour Supermarket on Union road in Cole Bay. Two masked gunmen dressed in dark clothing had stormed into the building and forcefully taken the security guard on duty to one of the restrooms. Immediately several police patrols that were in the area of Cole Bay were sent to the scene to investigate what had taken place. When the officers entered the building they were confronted by one of the suspects coming out of the restroom with a gun in his hand. The officers summoned the suspect to drop his weapon, but he did not comply immediately at which time one of the officers fired a warning shot. Both suspects chose not to resist and they were immediately arrested by the officers. They were taken to the Philipsburg Police Station where they are in custody for further. The weapon the suspects were in possession of was also confiscated for further investigation. No one suffered any injuries during this incident. Due to the quick response of the investigating officers, these suspects were caught in the act and this armed robbery was prevented. KPSM Press Release. PHILIPSBURG:--- The three board members of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) has refused to comply with the request made by the Minister of VROMI. Minister Christopher Emmanuel requested the three government-appointed members of the board to resign after receiving a number of complaints from residents of the homes in Belvedere. The Minister confirmed last week that the homes are in deplorable conditions and his main reason for requesting the resignation of the three board members came after an 86 year old woman approached his office to complain about the conditions in which she is living. Many of the homes in Belvedere are leaking, has mold and even electrical problems which the SMHDF has ignored for years. SMN News has learned that the current director has been shredding documents ever since the three members were asked to resign. According to information provided to SMN News the Minister will soon seek the resignation of the entire board and if they do not comply he will move to his plan B since the residents of Belvedere cannot live in the conditions they are current condition they are living in. PORT OF SPAIN:--- - The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) subregional headquarters for the Caribbean takes its Disaster Assessment expertise to Barbados from 14-16 March 2017, for a seminar which will benefit representatives of national disaster agencies from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Entitled Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Building, the seminar will facilitate discussions on a number of timely issues, including the role of planning in disaster risk management, its impact on the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the role of risk transfer in enhancing fiscal sustainability in the Caribbean. Discussions will be enriched by contributions of the CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) and of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), which will be hosting the event. The seminar will also include a two-day training component, which will strengthen the capacities of disaster management personnel in the Caribbean to assess the effects and impacts of disasters, and guide resilient reconstruction processes. ECLACs Disaster Assessment methodology estimates the effects and impacts of a disaster, and is composed of three sectors, namely social, infrastructure and productive, which constitutes a multisectoral approach. Through the training, these sectors are analyzed by each of their subcomponents. In addition, the methodology incorporates two cross-cutting themes: gender issues and the environment. This training follows the successful outcome of a four-day disaster training workshop held in Trinidad and Tobago in January 2017, organized by ECLAC in collaboration with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), and a previous work session between ECLAC and CDEMA in December 2016. Claim: Kissing bugs in the U.S. carry a disease-causing parasite. Rating: About this rating True Advertisment: Origin A group of researchers reported in October 2014 that the Triatomine bug, a reduviid bug living in the United States, can carry a parasite that causes Chagas disease. Examples: Is the barber beetle dangerous even causing fatality with its bite while you sleep? Looking for info on a bug named the Barber Beetle. The Pink Penguin website states that this bug can infect one with a parasite and the parasite carries the Chagas disease. Website states you must kill the bug and if you don't you need to call an exterminator immediately. Sound like an African bug if nothing else. Have several friends who never check out what they are sharing, rely on your site a lot. Thank you. Read an article about a bug that sounds to be the new insect of the plague. Aids is the similar disease this "Insect" supposedly spreads through its bite. Chagas and Trypanosome were the diseases also known to be spread. Is this real? Gross Bugs with a Cute Name Moving North: Kissing Bugs & Chagas Disease https://t.co/OSP8aSHcjc pic.twitter.com/OAPUPGgyKV InfectionControl (@PreventionTips) March 13, 2017 Melissa Nolan Garcia, a research associate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, presented two studies at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. For one study, Garcia and her team collected 40 triatomine bugs in Texas and discovered nearly 75% of the bugs were carrying the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. For the second study, Garcia's team examined 17 blood donors who had symptoms consistent with Chagas disease: "We are finding new evidence that locally acquired human transmission is occurring in Texas. We were surprised to find that 36 percent (of the blood donors) had evidence of being a locally acquired case. Additionally, 41 percent of this presumably healthy blood donor population had heart abnormalities consistent with Chagas cardiac disease." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes nearly 300,000 people may be infected with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi in the United States. Garcia believes this number may be higher, however, since many people infected with the disease are asymptomatic and undiagnosed: "It's a silent killer. People don't feel sick, so they don't seek care, but it causes heart disease in about 30 percent of those who get infected. Physicians should consider Chagas when patients have swelling and enlargement of the heart not caused by high blood pressure, diabetes or other causes, even if they do not have a history of travel." The CDC has classified Chagas Disease as one of five Neglected Parasitic Infections in the United States. Chagas, as well as cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, and trichomoniasis, are considered NPIs in the United States since little attention has been dedicated to their surveillance, prevention, and treatment. A CDC factsheet about NPIs in the United States reads: Most people think of parasitic diseases occurring in poor and developing countries, something they might pick up on an overseas trip. However, parasitic infections still occur in the United States, and in some cases, affect millions of people. Often they can go unnoticed, with few symptoms. But many times these infections cause serious illnesses, including seizures, blindness, heart failure, and even death.Anyone, regardless of race or economic status, can become infected, although minorities, immigrants, and people living in poor or disadvantaged communities appear to be most at risk. The good news is that most of these infections can be prevented, and many are treatable. However, these infections are often undetected and untreated. Why? Most people do not know they are infected or at risk, or don't have access to appropriate care. And often, health care providers are unfamiliar with these parasitic infections, and may not diagnose or treat them appropriately. We have limited understanding about how many people are infected, or who is most at risk." Triatomine bugs (also called reduviid bugs, kissing bugs, assassin bugs, cone-nosed bugs, and blood suckers) have been found in the Southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America: The bugs can transfer Chagas disease to humans, but the CDC notes transmission of the disease is not straightforward: The parasite that causes the disease is in the bug feces. The bug generally defecates on or near a person while it is feeding on his or her blood, generally when the person is sleeping. Transmission occurs when fecal material gets rubbed into the bite wound or into a mucous membrane (for example, the eye or mouth), and the parasite enters the body. Shortly after Garcia reported her findings, several publications ran sensational headlines claiming Chagas disease was the "new AIDS." Although the threat is real, it is unlikely for someone in the United States to be infected by a kissing bug: "There have been a few reports of people becoming infected with these bugs here in the United States. We don't know how often that is happening because there may be cases that are undiagnosed, since many doctors would not think to test their patients for this disease. However, we believe the risk of infection is very low." Chagas Disease can be fatal, but many people infected by Trypanosoma cruzi never develop the disease and remain asymptomatic for life. According to the CDC, only about 30% of infected people will "develop debilitating and sometimes life-threatening medical problems over the course of their lives." A November 2015 report on the discovery of kissing bugs in Georgia noted that there had not been a reported case of Chagas in that state since 1855: The "kissing bug," which can carry a parasite in its feces that can cause a deadly disease, has been found in Georgia, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.However, according to Dr. Susan Montgomery of the CDC, the bugs have been around Georgia since 1855 and there has never been a reported case of the disease via the bug in the state. There's a low chance in the United States of getting Chagas from a triatomine bug, according to the CDC. The species of bug in the U.S. is more often found in wooded areas than in people's homes, Montgomery said. It often feeds on wildlife. Nationwide, there have been less than 30 total reported cases of Chagas acquired through the bugs, Montgomery said. In late February 2017, the discovery of a Chagas-infected kissing bug in Lubbock, Texas led to renewed interest in risks posed by the parasite, and in July 2017 the warning spread about "barber beetles." PTCRB re-accredits CETECOM to perform certification testing Posted by Publisher Telecommunication PTCRB certification is nowadays a prerequisite for wireless devices to sell in the North American market. PTCRB approval ensures compliance with the technical specifications as defined in the NAPRD (North American Program Reference Document) regulatory and network operator requirements. Therefore, the PTCRB certification is an essential milestone for manufacturers who would like to market their products in the US and Canada. This not only affects the traditional mobile communication device manufacturers marketing mobile phones, but also cellular module integrators who are serving the IoT/M2M market. PTCRB has re-accredited CETECOM as one of the few global laboratories to perform the certification testing related to PTCRB standards. CETECOM holds the PTCRB accreditation for over a decade now and operates PTCRB accredited facilities in Europe, North America and Asia, offering the full line of PTCRB certification test services. For further information, please visit our website or get in touch with us directly: http://www.cetecom.com/en/contact/ For over twenty years, CETECOM has been renowned as an independent provider for test and certification services. With test labs in Europe, North America and Asia, CETECOM provides consulting, testing and certification for wireless technologies such as Cellular, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, NFC, WPT and Radar. We furthermore perform a wide range of testing in the areas of EMC, Radio, OTA, SAR, field trials, electrical safety and acoustics. Siemens to expand financial solutions for Asia-Australia region Posted by Publisher Internet . Siemens Bank receives approval to operate as a merchant bank in Singapore Siemens becomes first industrial company to support its growth strategy in Asian and Australian markets with a local bank branch in Singapore Focus on project and structured finance lending business mainly in the business-to-business and business?to-government segments The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) grants approval for Siemens Bank GmbH Singapore Branch to operate as a merchant bank in Singapore. The new branch will cover financing activities for the Asia-Australia region. In addition to its main pillar, the loan and guarantee business, the branch will also provide selected finance advisory services for the Siemens group companies in Asia-Australia. ?With this move, we are excited to be at the forefront of project financing in Singapore,? says Roland Chalons-Browne, CEO of Siemens Bank and CEO of the Financial Services Division of Siemens (SFS). ?The decision to open a branch of Siemens Bank in Singapore was a logical step to expand our local footprint in Asia-Australia, so as to get involved in the local project financing market at an early stage and to better support local Siemens sales.? ?The opening of the Siemens Bank Singapore Branch will enable us to support further infrastructure, energy and healthcare projects for Siemens in Asia-Australia,? says Dr. Armin Bruck, CEO of Lead Country Singapore at Siemens. ?We can now provide our customers not only with innovative technological solutions, but with tailor-made financing as well.? Siemens Bank was established in 2010 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. It acts as an independent company, but benefits from its integration in the network of financial companies of the Siemens Group. The Siemens Bank Singapore Branch is the second branch opened since the bank?s inception, the first one being in London in 2012. The Singapore Branch Management team comprises Anton Conradie (General Manager) and Hugo Teixeira (Deputy General Manager). Siemens has enabled infrastructure projects and new technologies around the world through financing solutions with assets totaling ?26 billion in fiscal 2016 ? including a footprint of over ?3 billion for Asia and Australia. Recent projects include an equity investment in the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Project in Australia, export finance for the Sirajganj III power station for North-West Power Generation Company in Bangladesh, project finance provided to Jupiter Hospital in India and a term loan to support the building of a new plant for Modern Dental Group in China. For further information on the Financial Services Division, please see www.siemens.com/finance. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/siemens_sfs Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the worlds largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of gas and steam turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2016, which ended on September 30, 2016, Siemens generated revenue of ?79.6 billion and net income of ?5.6 billion. At the end of September 2016, the company had around 351,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at http://www.siemens.com. Evolved Intelligence protects Middle Eastern operator against fraud and privacy violations Bristol, March 13th 2017: Evolved Intelligence today announced that it is working with a rapidly growing operator in the Middle East to secure its network from malicious SS7 signalling. The company said it was now working with many operators including a Tier One European operator group to secure their networks from SS7 attacks. The Evolved Intelligence Signalling Firewall protects operator networks against all SS7 attacks defined by the GSMA in FS11 and IR82, including protection against spoofing and consistency checks and those that require stateful (category 3) information based on last known location and velocity. It also allows for sophisticated blacklisting or whitelisting by address, opcode and numerous other parameters. Announcing the latest contract win, Product Director Steve Buck said: With our approach and experience, operators are reassured that our Signalling Firewall will differentiate between malicious and legitimate signalling and only allow genuine messages to pass through. This secures their networks without damaging their revenues. The companys intuitive management dashboard gives operators a graphical view of the threat status. Its powerful analytics allow threats to be analysed and configurable rules with multiple parameters allow new vulnerabilities and frauds to be quickly neutralised. Evolved Intelligences unique architecture means it can provide cost-effective, flexible deployment options for both the SS7 and Diameter signalling firewall, including remote hosted or turnkey solutions. For this Middle Eastern customer, explained Commercial Director Peter Blackie, we have installed the firewall directly into their network. But in other situations, we have delivered a managed service hosted by Evolved Intelligence or by one of our globally-established signalling partners. Investors Hub Launches In-App Trading Execution Posted by Publisher Internet LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (Marketwired) 03/13/17 ADVFN plc (OTC: IHUBY) has joined forces with TradeIt to allow Investors Hub (iHub) and ADVFN users to send trades directly to major US brokerages from within iHub and ADVFN iOS apps. ADVFN, known in the investing community for its cutting-edge data products and the most popular stock forum in the world, has already seen a rise in the popularity of its mobile offering; in-app execution is expected to accelerate this. Our user base relies on our aggregated newsfeeds, forums and live market data to generate trade ideas, said Matthew Collom, Director of ADVFN, This partnership gives them the ability to trade quickly on those ideas while remaining engaged in our ecosystem. This partnership extends TradeIts core capabilities brokerage account integration and in-app trading to thousands of ADVFN users who hold accounts with the major US brokers on TradeIts platform. Were excited to bring trading to ADVFNs large userbase, said Nathan Richardson, CEO and co-founder of TradeIt, These guys follow the markets really closely. The ability to trade on the fly will be valuable to them. The latest version of iHub is live in the App Store: ADVFN () is a global stocks and shares information website providing market-leading financial tools and data to private investors around the world. Offering real-time share prices, news feeds, charting, portfolio management, monitor lists, financials, data from 79 global stock exchanges, Level 2 and the most active financial bulletin board in the world (along with many other features), the site is the destination of choice for day traders and retail investors. For further press information, please contact: Francesca De Franco at . TradeIt connects developers to major US brokerage firms with a single, modernized API integration. App publishers use TradeIt to embed multi-broker trading functionality in their products, which makes their content actionable for their users. For more information please visit . Image Available: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York 212.418.1217 Office Changing the Operating System of the Left after the Greek experience of 2015 Toronto 24 March 2016. View on www.slideshare.net The Greek case leaves no doubt about Europes present situation: Watch video Changing the Operating System of the Left after the Greek experience of 2015 Toronto 24 March 2016. View on View on www.slideshare.net The Greek case leaves no doubt about Europes present situation: democracy has been successfully limited and a new kind of despotism is fast emerging. In this lecture Karitzis outlines key aspects of the current sociopolitical environment and presents a diagnosis regarding the time lag of the Left. The main focus is with the modifications needed to the political practice of the Left based on the SYRIZA experience. This entails an upgrade its operational capacities to meet the requirements of present day antagonisms. Building popular power, restructuring political representation and reviving the notion of transformation of the state are all major themes addressed. Lessons from the Greek case may be broadly valuable, facilitating the Left in other countries to initiate a process of systematic preparation and adaptation. Moderated by Bryan Evans. Presentation by: Andreas Karitzis has a MSc in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Philosophy. He is the author of Logic and Method of a Left Government (in Greek) and a founding member of the Hub for social economy, empowerment and innovation. He was a member of the Political Secretariat of SYRIZA and of its Programme Committee until April of 2014. He was also a member of the SYRIZAs Central Committee until August of 2015. See Bullet No. 1236. The Phyllis Clarke Memorial Lecture is held annually to honour the memory of Phyllis Clarke, a member of the Ryerson University faculty from 1977 until her death in 1988. Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER Delaware Emerging Markets Fund Institutional ( DEMIX) seeks long-term capital appreciation. DEMIX invests primarily in equity securities of issuers located or operating in emerging countries. DEMIX invests at least 65% of the fund's total assets in equity securities in at least three different countries, which are considered to be emerging or developing. This Non US - Equity product has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. Specifically, the funds returns over the 3, 5 year benchmarks; 3 year 2% and 5 year 3.5%. To see how this fund performed compared in its category, and other #1 and #2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here . DEMIXs performance, as of the last filing, when compared to funds in its category was in the top 1% over the past 1 year, and in the top 15% over the past 3 years and in the top 56% over the past 5 years. The Delaware Emerging Markets Fund Institutional, as of the last filing, allocates their fund in four major group; Emerging Market, High Yield Bond, Large Growth and Precious Metal. Further, as of the last filing, Sina, Reliance Industries Ltd and Alibaba Group Holding Lim were the top holdings for DEMIX. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) was incepted in June 1996 and is managed by Delaware Invst . DEMIX carries an expense ratio of 1.49% and requires a minimal initial investment of $0. Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >> View All Zacks #1 Ranked Mutual Funds Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (DEMIX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research 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... What you need to know about Powerball's $1.9 billion lottery jackpot Here's everything you need to know about Powerball's $1.9 billion lottery jackpot from how to play to when the next drawing will be. By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will be "pushing hard" to advance U.S. interests in his debut meeting with Group of 20 counterparts this week, including reaffirming commitments to avoid competitive currency devaluations, a senior Treasury official said on Monday.Mnuchin, who will attend a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the G20 major economies on Friday and Saturday in Baden-Baden, Germany, also will press countries to help strengthen global growth, the official told reporters. "The G20 can play a helpful role in advancing U.S. interests. The secretary will be pushing hard to make that come to pass, whether it's on macroeconomic policies, exchange rate policies etcetera," the official said. The official said it was important to the Trump administration that previous G20 commitments to not target exchange rates to gain a competitive trade advantage be reaffirmed and fully implemented. But that explicit pledge, which has long been a part of past G20 communiques, was not included in an early draft of the statement to be issued at the Baden-Baden meeting. The early draft, which is subject to more revisions, simply stated "we reaffirm our previous exchange-rate commitments." The early draft also dropped language to "resist all forms of protectionism" in favour of a pledge to "maintain an open and fair international trading system." The U.S. Treasury official declined to discuss the language that would be in the final communique but said that the Trump administration was committed to "fair and open trade." "I think that means a trading system that has a level playing field for our firms and our workers globally, and we'll be encouraging policies that lead to that level playing field so that our firms and workers are not disadvantaged," the official said. Trump officials have criticized China on a host of trade-related fronts related to its $347 billion trade surplus with the United States last year. These include President Donald Trump's own charges that Beijing manipulates its yuan currency and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' complaints about Chinese excess industrial capacity, unfair subsidies for state-owned enterprises and a lack of access for foreign firms to major sectors of China's economy. The U.S. Treasury said in October that none of the U.S.' major trading partners was manipulating its currency to gain advantage for its exports. Mnuchin has said he would not pass judgment on China's currency practices until Treasury issues its semi-annual currency report in mid-April. China has announced plans to reduce some capacity in its steel industry in recent months and has urged the United States to move cautiously in pursuing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases. The country's ministry of commerce has denied U.S. charges that China's aluminium industry is receiving unfair subsidies. Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro last week also said Washington needed bilateral engagement with Germany to reduce its $65 billion trade surplus with the United States. The Treasury official said that countries with a trade surplus have a role to play in helping to achieve the G20's goals of maintaining "strong, sustainable and balanced growth." (Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Richard Chang and Phil Berlowitz) We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Keep up to date with the latest stories with our WalesOnline newsletter A purse snatcher left a mother heartbroken after making off with a treasured picture of her son who died while serving his country. Marlene McCann, 79, of Skewen, was browsing in Bonmarche in Neath when the orange purse was taken from her trolley. The pensioner later discovered 300 had been removed from her bank account. But it is the contents of the purse, and the priceless photograph, that has left her devastated. Her late son, Lance Corporal Robert Porte, died in 1999 at the age of 25 during a diving expedition in Cyprus whilst serving in the army. It was only a small school photo but it means so much to me, said Mrs McCann. I know that when these things happen, sometimes they take what they want and discard the rest in a bin. The distinctive purse is described as orange with two zips, a strap and is about eight inches in length. Mrs McCann said she was a bit shaken up at the time, but thankfully the staff in Bon Marche were extremely helpful to her. The police were also lovely, Im diabetic so after, when I was in a bit of shock, I needed something to eat. I didnt have any money, so an officer went to the market and bought me two pasties. I also didnt have any money to get home so they kindly gave me a lift. Mrs McCann has dedicated her life to raising funds for Help for Heros, even more so since her son was killed. In 2012, she crocheted more than 800 poppies and sold them for the charity, which rasied 2,000. If the precious photograph was returned to her, she said she would feel over the moon. Anyone who finds the photograph can get in touch with police by calling 101. You can also email the newsroom at postnews@trinitymirror.com Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. A ram-raider who smashed his way into a shop causing 10,000 worth of damage has been jailed for four years. Swansea Crown Court heard the early morning attack was Stewart Dickersons 107th offence of his dreadful criminal record. Ian Ibrahim, prosecuting, said that just before 3.30am on January 15 this year, a witness in Woodfield Street in Morriston heard a car revving harshly before seeing it reversing into the front of the BrightHouse store. The court heard the car made a number of attempts to line-up properly before successfully smashing into the shutters and window of the shop. A man in a hooded top was then seen to get out of the vehicle and enter the store. Shortly afterwards, with wheels spinning, the car left the scene, and the witness reported the incident to police including giving them a description of the car involved. The barrister said there were no police around at that time of the morning but at around 6am a patrol car heading to Morriston Hospital on an unrelated call saw a vehicle matching the description and a check showed it had no insurance. The court heard Dickerson was later tracked down to his partners house, where officers found him asleep in bed, and audio equipment stolen from the shop stashed in the next room. The cost of the damage to the BrightHouse windows, shutters, display cabinets and stock was put at 10,000. As well as audio equipment, a gaming-chair was stolen in the raid. It has never been recovered. Dickerson, aged 37, of Woodside Crescent, Clydach, pleaded guilty to burglary and to driving with no insurance when he appeared in the dock. The court heard he had 24 previous convictions for 106 offences including for robbery, assault, handling stolen goods, and house and non-dwelling burglaries, with the break-ins starting in 1996. David Singh, for Dickerson, accepted his client had an unenviable antecedent record but said there had been a significant break in his offending before a recent return to drugs. He added: He has instructed me to convey his remorse and regret to the court, and his determination not to relapse into his old ways. Judge Paul Thomas told Dickerson that courts come down hard on people who commit ram-raids. He said the defendant had had a dreadful record up until 2004 when he had started putting his life together, until it went quite spectacularly off the rails in recent times. Dickerson was sentenced to four years in prison, half of which he will serve in custody. He was also banned from driving for six months, the ban extended to two years and six months to cover his time in prison. Former astronaut Clay Anderson speaks at a "Bud On Mars" panel discussion with actress Kate Mara, Valerie Toothman of Anheuser-Busch and Patrick O'Neill of CASIS at the SXSW festival in Austin. Budweiser has set its sights on brewing the first beer on Mars. "The King of Beers" announced its "Bud on Mars" initiative including a partnership that could lead to flying malt and other experiments on the International Space Station on Saturday (March 11) at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. "This takes the Budweiser experience to the future, where colonization and socialization might go," Valerie Toothman, Anheuser-Busch's Vice President of Marketing Innovation, said during a panel discussion devoted to brewing beer on the Red Planet. [Sixth-Grader Creates Microbrewery for Space Station (Video)] "We know that travel to Mars might still be a decade or two away, but this is the first step in the journey in a long-term commitment by the company to make sure that when we get there and we achieve that American dream, Budweiser is the beer people will be toasting with and will be enjoying there on Mars," said Toothman. The early evening event, which included a happy hour with specially-labeled "Bud on Mars" beer, also featured former astronaut Clayton Anderson and Patrick O'Neill, marketing and communications manager for the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory at CASIS, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. Actress Kate Mara, who played an astronaut in the 2015 movie "The Martian," moderated the panel. "I'm so flattered to be here, but I don't at all feel qualified," said Mara. "That said, I will just go with it and do what I did when I made the movie 'The Martian' and pretend like I am a genius when it comes to space." Burps, pops and hops A mission to send humans to the Red Planet is well-within NASA's long-range plans, said Anderson, who is a veteran of two space missions, including spending 152 days on the space station. "A successful mission will include many key components, including the need to provide crew members with commodities that remind them of home." "Popping the top on a cold Budweiser mid-mission could very well be one of those things," he wrote in an email sent to collectSPACE.com after the panel. "While the idea poses considerable technical challenges, the concept which may lend itself to some valuable initial test ideas and experiments on the space station is valid and potentially worthy of consideration with respect to a commercial partnership," Anderson added. Beyond the possible issue of "wet burps" ("you just tumble a few times and all the liquid in your stomach will separate from the air; then you burp a solid dry burp," Anderson told the panel to laughter), there are also container concerns. Astronauts during the space shuttle-era experimented with non-alcoholic carbonated beverages in the 1980s, but the cans, cups and dispensers were unsuccessful. "When you have a Budweiser and you pop the top [of the bottle], the pressure inside is higher than outside, so things will happen. As soon as the lid is popped on Earth, you let it 'fizz' and you enjoy. In space, it 'pops,' and then maybe you'd need to clean everything," described Anderson, who wrote about his experience with alcohol in orbit in his book, "The Ordinary Spaceman" (Univ. of Nebraska Press). "That would be an interesting dilemma to solve for the engineers at Anheuser-Busch." The pull of gravity on Mars, which is about one-third of that on Earth, may help with bottle designs, but the distance to the Red Planet from our home planet may mean having to grow and source the main ingredients to brew Budweiser on Mars. The American-style pale lager is made of two- and six-row malt, rice and hops and is propagated from the original strain of yeast as was first used by Adolphus Busch in 1876. And that is just 10 percent of the recipe. "Beer at its core is 90 percent water," said Toothman. "And does everyone know what doesn't exist on Mars' surface? Water. There is ice and [other sources] like that, so we are going to learn about that." Budweiser's "Bud On Mars" logo. (Image credit: Budweiser/Anheuser-Busch) Bud on Mars, for the benefit of Earth "My 'enginerdiness' loves that we might completely rethink what it takes to deliver the signature Budweiser experience when we colonize Mars," Toothman said. Acknowledging that it may still be decades before there is a colony in need of a beer, Budweiser has identified some short-term studies it can do to advance its long-term goal while also benefiting the brand today. "We realized there could be benefits about what we would learn that could make our product here on Earth even more efficient, and help make a better world, which is also a part of the Budweiser dream," said Toothman. Budweiser and CASIS have recently agreed to look at how the U.S. National Lab on the International Space Station could be used to improve the brewing company's products and processes, said O'Neill. "It is the role of CASIS to seek out new and non-traditional research partners interested in leveraging our orbiting lab," O'Neill said in an email to collectSPACE.com. "No flight projects have been selected at this point, but we are always excited to participate in discussions with unique brands who have an interest in microgravity research for terrestrial benefit." Toothman said during the panel that working with CASIS could help the company with making "short-term sprints." "We've already started to construct a set of experiments to take our barley malt up to the space station to understand what kind of effect those low Earth orbit conditions puts on [the grains]," she said. "Then, bringing [the grains] back to Earth, planting them, growing, harvesting and testing them and understanding what kind of changes might happen." Such an experiment, together with longer-term studies into genotyping and DNA, could help create the ultimate barley strain for disease-resistance, drought-resistance and yield, Toothman explained. "That will help us be part of creating a better world with the same Budweiser on Earth in the shorter term," she said. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. Images of the TRAPPIST-1 star system captured by the Kepler Space Telescope. This animation shows the amount of light detected by each pixel in a small section of Kepler's on board camera. While Kepler observed the system for 74 days, this animation shows 60 photos taken by Kepler's onboard camera once a minute for an hour. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) NASA's planet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope captured a very pixelated view of a star system containing seven Earth-size planets. The TRAPPIST-1 system has planetary scientists feeling like kids on Christmas morning. In addition to having a record-breaking number of rocky, Earth-size worlds, at least three of the Earth-size planets are in the "habitable zone" of the star, where liquid water could potentially exist on a planet's surface. The animation released by NASA shows the star at the center of the image, and some apparent changes in the brightness of the star, but it does not clearly reveal the presence of any of the seven planets. This animation shows 60 photos taken by Kepler's onboard camera once a minute for an hour; Kepler observed TRAPPIST-1 for a total of 74 days between Dec. 15, 2016, and March 4, 2016. "Called a target pixel file, the image covers an area of 11 square pixels or 44 square arcseconds of the sky," according to a statement from NASA. "This area is equivalent in size to holding up a grain of sand at arms length towards the sky." The seven planets around TRAPPIST-1 were discovered by the TRAnsiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST), an instrument at the La Silla Observatory in Chile, with help from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. That discovery was announced in February. The Kepler telescope has uncovered thousands of alien planets and planet candidates; by far the most exoplanets of any telescope in history. Kepler studied the TRAPPIST-1 system in early 2016, but scientists did not immediately see evidence of the seven planets. Kepler scientists have now released that raw data to the scientific community for further analysis. As the seven planets pass in front of their parent star, an observer on Earth will see the star's brightness dip slightly. This is how the Kepler telescope identifies exoplanets, and it's how the TRAPPIST-1 telescopes were able to identify the seven planets. "An Earth-size planet passing in front of a small ultra-cool dwarf star like TRAPPIST-1 creates less than a one percent dip in brightness, and is not visible with the naked eye," according to the statement. The star at the center of the TRAPPIST-1 system is an ultracool dwarf star, which means it is very dim and relatively cool compared to other stars, including the sun. Even though the TRAPPIST-1 system is relatively close to Earth (39 light-years), that star's dimness made it impossible for the Kepler telescope to immediately it was very difficult to measure the star's drops in brightness that the orbiting planets caused. Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. AIA chief executive Mark Tucker will step down from the board of Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) and take up the role of chairman at HSBC (London Stock Exchange: HSBA-GB), Europe's biggest bank. Tucker's appointment is the first time HSBC has ever tapped an external candidate to take the chairman position in its 151-year history. The insurance chief will replace Chairman Douglas Flint, a longtime HSBC veteran. News of the shift comes as HSBC Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver also plans to step down in 2018, marking the end of one of the longest-lasting chief executive-chairman pairings at a European Bank. Meanwhile, AIA confirmed in a statement that Tucker's replacement at the company would be Ng Keng Hooi, its regional chief executive. One source told Reuters that London- and Hong Kong-based regulators have indicated that they will approve Tucker's appointment, paving the way for the former Prudential executive to step in as chairman this fall. If approved, Tucker is set to take on the group chairman designate role on Sept. 1 and the non-executive group chairman position on Oct. 1. HSBC announced plans to name Flint's successor in 2016, amid pressure from investors to boost the company's sliding shares. As HSBC's next chairman, Tucker would spearhead the search for the company's next CEO. Tucker took the helm of Hong Kong-based insurer AIA, formerly the Asian arm of U.S. insurer AIG, in 2010. Having led AIA's stock market flotation in the same year, Tucker has since overseen the insurer's expansion in Asia across 18 markets to become the world's second-largest life insurer with a market capitalization of over $78 billion. His experience leading both a large Britain-based company and a Hong Kong-listed insurer will stand him in good stead to oversee HSBC, whose most profitable markets are in Britain and the Asian financial hub. HSBC's leadership shakeup comes as the bank sets new goals for the near future. Flint and Gulliver were known for pushing the bank to restructure and adapt to a stricter regulatory environment following the 2008 financial crisis. Story continues Starting in 2011, the two executives' five-year plan made the bank cut back on global operations, shuttering businesses worldwide. Most of the bank's Latin American businesses were closed as a result. During their term at HSBC, the pair cut more than 43,000 jobs at the bank in a bid to return to profitability in a difficult operating environment. Despite a 2012 settlement that forced HSBC to pay $1.9 billion for ignoring possible money laundering in its system, Flint and Gulliver were seen by investors as a strong pair. Still, some shareholders pushed the bank to speed up the executives' departure, leading the two to announce plans to leave in 2016. At HSBC's annual meetings in recent years, Flint was often questioned by displeased investors about what they saw to be excessive pay for the bank's top employees. The veteran chairman also made headlines as a leading lobbyist from the U.K. banking industry after Brexit , during which he argued before upper parliament that banks would need longer than the stated two years to transition after leaving the European Union. Reuters contributed to this report. This week, the trade ministers of a dozen Pacific Rim countries are gathering in Vina del Mar, Chile, to discuss their trade relations. It is an extraordinary meeting in several respects. For one, a country the size of Chile with a population of about 18 million would not be expected to exercise global leadership to convene an international economic conference. Whereas Chile's economy ranks 45th in the world with a GDP of about $277 billion, the the United States ranks number one with a GDP of about $17 trillion. A second reason is that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss what the attendees should do, given that US President Donald Trump has essentially scrapped what would have been a landmark trade deal that would have bound most of these countries together (not including China, one of the invitees to this gathering) - the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). A third reason why this meeting stands out is the timing. World trade ministers are meeting at a time when the Trump Administration has yet to have a new the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which by law is the chief negotiator for trade deals. The Senate is just beginning its confirmation process this week on nominee, Robert Lighthizer, who served as deputy USTR under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, but a Senate vote has been delayed due to a 24-year-old statute that bars anyone who ever represented a foreign government in a trade dispute or negotiation with the United States from serving as a USTR or Deputy USTR. As reported by media, Lighthizer represented a China fan company and a Brazilian sugar interest during his time in private practice 30 years ago, both of which were tied to foreign governments in trade cases. The representation was in administrative proceedings before U.S. government agencies, and arguably the legal prohibition does not apply in these circumstances, as these matters were neither "a negotiation or dispute with the United States." Story continues The provision stalling Lighthizer's confirmation is odd in that the U.S. legal system has as one of its most fundamental rights the right to representation by counsel. Had the legal prohibition applied to the presidency, it would have barred John Adams, who represented the British Soldiers who engaged in the Boston Massacre, from becoming America's first vice president under George Washington and then the second U.S. president. This kind of statute applies to no other Cabinet official, not even to the Director of National Intelligence. More broadly in Lighthizer's case, perhaps out of caution to avoid any ambiguity, it has been determined that the Senate needs to vote on a waiver of the statutory ban. While there is no known objection to Lighthizer, the waiver would be an amendable bill, and this has opened up the possibility of holding the nomination hostage for unrelated matters - reportedly a provision to extend pension benefits for miners. And that is where things stand. Hostage it is, and the country has no chief negotiator. Lighthizer will obviously miss out on this week's gathering of trade ministers. It can be explained to the ministers attending that this is to be expected as the U.S. government changed hands less than two months ago. But that is not what is most troubling about what is likely to take place. What is truly dismaying is that the U.S. appears to be abdicating its role as a world leader, not by the level and influence of the person who is attending this conference, but by what she can possibly say. Trump ran on a platform of America First. His chief strategist is an apostle of "economic nationalism". The President's 2017 Trade Policy Agenda released on March 1 contains little in the way of a positive path forward in dealing with other trading nations other than a preference for bilateral (two-country) agreements over multi-party agreements. This leaves very little of use that can be contributed by the American government's representative to this group of a dozen countries. China has an answer. It is leading a sixteen-nation effort to build trading relations on conditions that are inferior to what the TPP offered and which will discriminate against American trade. It is best to cling to the belief that the new U.S. Administration has not yet thought through its next steps in international trade policy, not that it has jettisoned responsibility for global economic leadership, a role that Franklin Roosevelt and every president since without exception - has performed. It would be a shame to conclude that the United States has little to offer the rest of the world other than the limited and impractical idea of a series of bilateral negotiations. The meeting this week in Chile may be a lost opportunity but there will be other chances for the Administration to do something more constructive. The World Trade Organization, with its 164 members, is holding its 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in mid-December of this year. If anything positive is to result, history shows, the United States must be a major force behind it. All eyes will be on the U.S. representative. Alan Wolff is a Senior Counsel with Dentons and Chairs the National Foreign Trade Council. He has served as a senior trade negotiator in both Republican and Democratic administrations. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Merkel Deflects Criticism In Germany, a number of cities in recent days banned events that had been planned with members of Erdogan's government. Various pretexts were cited, from concerns about fire safety to an alleged lack of parking spaces. In response, Erdogan accused the German government of "Nazi practices." German Chancellor Angela Merkel responded with cool reserve, deflecting the criticism in a way that made it appear the issue had been laid to rest. But now the conflict has escalated again. On Saturday, the Netherlands revoked landing rights for Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane and then blocked Family Minister Beytul Kaya from entering the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam that night before forcing her to drive back to Germany, from whence she had come. Copenhagen, (Denmark) March 13th, 2017(SPS) - In Press release issued today by the Danish Free Western Sahara Campaign (Frit Vest Sahara) has urged the Moroccan authorities to free release the Saharawi innocent human rights activists of Gdeim Izik group. The Danish Free Western Sahara Campaign (Frit Vest Sahara) further said: In these hours the Kingdom of Morocco is holding a trial against the 25 human rights activists of Gdeim Izik who have been imprisoned for several years only because of their peaceful demonstration. The protest Camp Gdeim Izik in 2010 became a symbol of the peaceful struggle of Saharawis for their independence, but also for the brutal oppression of Moroccan forces. About 12 kilometres outside of Laayoune the capital city of the occupied Western Sahara Gdeim Izik was a nonviolent resistance-camp against discrimination and marginalization with estimated 20.000 participants of all generations. On Monday 13th, March 2017 following pressure of different human rights Organizations there will be a new trial to decide about the Sahrawi prisoners of Gdeim Izik who are still held captive. A first trial took part in 2013 by a Moroccan Military tribunal, which Amnesty International criticized as fundamentally flawed. Moreover, Amnesty repeatedly called on Moroccan authorities to investigate human rights violations, which took place during and following the camp dispersal on 8 November 2010, and to ensure that those detained in the context of these incidents are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated. (SPS) 062/090 Bir-Lehlu, 13 March 2017 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretqry-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, has called on the new UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in order to intervene urgently for the immediate and unconditional release of Saharawi political prisoners, in particular the group of Gdeim Izik, who are due to appear before the Moroccan court in Rabat on Monday. The international community and the United Nations in particular must assume its responsibility in Western Sahara through the protection of the human rights of the Sahrawis pending its decolonization through a referendum to allow the Saharawi people to exercise their right to inalienable right to self-determination and independence under the auspices of the United Nations, said the President of the Republic in a letter to Mr. Guterres. "There can be no atmosphere to facilitate and provide favorable conditions for negotiations in the light of persistent Moroccan violations, which reflect blatant contempt for international humanitarian law, international law, international resolutions and threaten to undermine the efforts necessary to progress towards a just and lasting solution of the conflict." "We reiterate our call for the urgent need to extend the powers of MINURSO to include monitoring and respect for the human rights situation, halting the looting of Western Sahara's wealth, dismantling the Moroccan wall of shame, which represents a crime against humanity, and the immediate implementation of the UN-OAU settlement plan (currently AU) for the organization of a referendum on the self-determination of the Saharawi people." The Saharawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik were unjustly sentenced in 2010 by a Moroccan military court to heavy sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment. The trial on appeal of these Saharawi political prisoners scheduled for December 26 in Rabat was postponed for the first time to 27 January 2017 and then to March 13. (SPS) 062/090/TRA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Call him Dan the other one. Much less of a known quantity to Fairfield County Democrats than the current governor, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew is treading on the home turf of Dannel P. Malloy. The head of the Connecticut Conference of Democratic Mayors, who is entertaining a bid for the states top office in 2018, will hold a meet-and-greet Wednesday in Stamford. Malloy, the citys mayor from 1995 to 2009, hasnt decided whether he will seek re-election. Some people know me. Some people know me less well, said Drew, who is in his third term as mayor of Middletown, home to Wesleyan University. Drew, 37, raised some eyebrows in January when he registered an exploratory committee for statewide office with the state Elections Enforcement Commission, which allows him to accept political contributions to run for governor. It was viewed as a bold move by some fellow Democrats, who are waiting on Malloy to make a decision on the race before entering the fray. Drew maintains that he meant no disrespect to Malloy, but he needs ample time to raise $250,000 in small contributions to qualify for public campaign financing should he decide to run. The meet-and-greet at Cantina Mexicana is being hosted by Nina Sherwood, a progressive activist who was a Bernie Sanders delegate to last years Democratic National Convention. Drew said there are similar events planned throughout the state. The purpose of an exploratory committee is to get out and meet people and build a grassroots base, said Drew, who grew up in New Milford. CBS show kills off fictitious Connecticut governor One networks fake news is anothers potboiler. An estimated 10.4 million viewers tuned in to last weeks episode of the CBS legal drama Bull, a whodunnit plot revolving around the skydiving death of Connecticuts fictitious governor, Dean Whitfield. Spoiler alert: Whitfield was having a tryst with the wife of his lieutenant governor-turned-successor and was about to be indicted by the FBI on 28 counts of corruption before his parachute failed to open. He was accompanied on the jump by the lieutenant governor, a former chief of staff and the state treasurer, who left to run a hedge fund. I just wanted all of you to experience this thrill with me because I know the next few weeks it might feel like a free fall, but were gonna get through it, were Whitfields final words. Back on terra firma, Connecticuts actual governor declined to comment on the show through a spokeswoman. Murphy 2020? You can bet on it Jim Carey perhaps summed up Chris Murphys White House prospects best when he said: So youre telling me theres a chance. Connecticuts junior U.S. senator is a 125-to-1 shot to win the presidency in 2020, according to the online gambling syndicate Bovada. Those are the same odds as George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Brady. Hacked emails from Hillary Clintons campaign last year showed that Murphy had been under consideration to be Clintons running mate, an opportunity that went to Murphys Senate colleague from Virginia, Tim Kaine. Murphy rose to prominence last June following his nearly 15-hour filibuster on the Senate floor over gun control reform. Trumps re-election odds are 9-to-4, making him the favorite for 2020, followed by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 8-to-1, Vice President Mike Pence at 9-to-1 and former first lady Michelle Obama at 14-to-1. nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Erin Kayata / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Stephanie Kim / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Erin Kayata / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Laurel House and the Child Guidance Center of Southwestern Connecticut are hosting a free screening of the film, No Letting Go, at 6:15 p.m. Thursday the third floor auditorium of the Ferguson Library, a 1 Public Library Plaza. The film depicts the struggles of families to find appropriate help for youths between the ages of 13 and 18 who suffer mental disorders. Randi Silverman, whose family is portrayed in the film and wrote and co-produced it, will hold a question and answer session with the audience after the film. M ention to most people over the age of about 30 that Snapchat is worth $25 billion and theyll screw up their face in a look worthy of its own Snapchat filter its just 10-second video clips that vanish into thin air, isnt it? Not to Timothy Armoo, the 22-year-old co-founder of ad firm Fanbytes. Snapchat is going to be the new TV for Generation Z, he says, untying the knot of incomprehension that baffles traditional types. Its not going to be the new TV for a 50-year old but it will be for 13 to 21-year olds. And we want to be the defining company to help brands engage with that audience. Armoo, dressed in Asos and black Nikes, is co-founder of Fanbytes, which manufactures and distributes advertising content for brands through Snapchat. It has already done work for GoPro, New Look, Disney, Adidas and Nationwide, helping them understand the whims and wants of the new tribe of young people dubbed Generation Z. Were a new generation, and to us all we care about are our phones we dont really care about TV, he says, cradling a pair of Snapchats ultra-rare spectacles (they take video through a camera in the lens, for the uninitiated). So many brands are scared of going into Snapchat because they say it doesnt have an advertising ecosystem around it, and it doesnt have a click-through function the last time I checked, TV didnt have a click-through function. He got the idea for Fanbytes after seeing how much stuff his 15-year-old cousin was buying after recommendations from people he watched on Snapchat. I thought, uh, this is interesting. If this is such a strong engagement, lets get more brands to tap into that. Armoo says Snapchats secret ingredient, which it has over other social networks, is its immersiveness, and that changes the way you need to advertise on it. Theres a fundamental shift going on in the marketing world. A lot of people think reaching people is success, but its about engagement. It annoys me when you get the old guard saying their advertising got a bajillion impressions. What you need is depth and engagement. You dont hear anyone say this banner ad I saw really got me to buy this thing. Fanbytes is, unbelievably, Armoos third company. He was born in Hackney but grew up in Ghana, returning when he was 11. He launched his firm following an after-school bet with a friend over how much a Mercedes-Benz costs. Fanbytes Founded: 2015 Staff: Eight Turnover: 1 million (2017 forecast) Business idol: Box chief executive Aaron Levie Box has taken on the incumbents of file storage I see that as similar to what were doing Im 14, I dont understand money, so I say 500, he says. He said I bet you dont see 500 before you turn 18. To me back then, that was like 50 million or something. Armoo took up the challenge and used experience teaching maths to set up a tutoring firm within a few months he had 65 tutors on his books. He took a 5 cut of the 15 hourly tutoring fee charged to students. I made 500 within like three weeks. But then I also realised 500 doesnt buy you a Benz, he laughs. Next up was a media and publishing company aimed at entrepreneurs. He sold that for about 55,000 and used the cash to launch Fanbytes in January 2015 after meeting co-founder Ambrose Cooke at a leadership event. They signed up their other co-founder, 20-year-old chief technology officer Mitchell Fasanya, after scouting him out through a contact on the same day they pitched for Disney. The company has a roster of freelance designers, who create short video clips and content for brands. Fanbytes pairs this content with a handpicked network of influencers, who push out the ads to their loyal fans. Brands can see how well the ads do thanks to the groups analytics programs. Investors include lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman the company is based in his start-up incubator Founders Factory in Kensington High Street and Charles Tyrwhitt founder Nicholas Wheeler. It helps that Armoo and his team are the same age as the tech-savvy generation the brands are hoping to reach. Its very hard for a 46-year-old guy to come along and say Im going to get more 16-year olds to buy our product and do a marketing campaign the age factor is very important, he says. Throwing in their newest recruit, a 19-year old, the average age of the group has been brought down to 21. We have three uber-nerds at the head of this company, which means we apply a much more nuanced and data-driven approach to this new style of advertising, rather than old guard who are much more interested in the reach, Armoo says. They dont understand the content, which is where we come in. They dont have that young mindset. F ashion investment tycoon Lawrence Stroll raced to a London record today, inking a deal for Britains highest-ever office rent, the Evening Standard can reveal. The cigar-toting Canadian billionaire, known for his love of Formula 1, has agreed to rent around 4000 square feet at 5 St Jamess Square for close to a mega 190 per square foot, it is understood. Stroll, who has backed design giants including Tommy Hilfiger, has struck the agreement with Foxtons founder Jon Hunts commercial property firm Ocubis. Stroll declined to comment, and it is not known what he intends to use the space for. The building, which is next to the In and Out club, has undergone a major refurbishment, with luxury interiors including chandeliers. Other businesses based in St Jamess Square include Societe Generale. The rent smashes the previous record set in 2015, when Helly Nahmad Gallery paid 185 per square foot for offices on the same square. The move comes at the start of a big week for London property deals, as the industry meets in Cannes for the annual Mipim conference. James Cooksey, chairman of the Westminster Property Association, said: A major letting of this nature underpins the ongoing attractiveness of the West End as an office destination. Notwithstanding some of the wider challenges, we should remain confident in Londons ability to continue to thrive, and importantly, adapt. Ocubis was advised on the latest deal by agents BDG Sparkes Porter and Strutt & Parker. All declined to comment. Hunt sold Foxtons at the top of the market for 375 million in 2007 before the credit crunch struck. T wo distinct challenges awaited Mark Carney when he arrived as Governor of the Bank of England in 2013. The first was to build a robust system of regulation to protect the UK economy from another financial collapse. The second was to overhaul the running of the Bank, suspected to have been suffering from a culture of deference and groupthink and lacking transparency during previous governorships. On the first point, the Bank appears to have made good progress. Handed new powers, there have been no further banking casualties. Notable battles over how much capital lenders should pile on their balance sheet show the Old Ladys willingness to bare her teeth. Where critics say the institution was slow on the uptake when Northern Rock and others were hitting the buffers, Carneys post-Brexit stimulus package was lightning-fast whether the economy required it or not. Progress on the second challenge is less clear. The Governor unleashed management consultants on the Threadneedle Street institution so that three years ago this week he could unveil his modernising One Bank strategy. It is not just our governance but also our commitment to transparency and openness that must be further enhanced, he said. That plan gave the Court of the Bank of England in effect, its board of directors greater oversight of policy and conduct. Further changes have followed. Only last May, the Bank of England and Financial Services Act permitted the National Audit Office to undertake value-for-money reviews of the Bank as well as making the Court a more focused, unitary board. And yet, amid this crusade of scrupulousness, a serious blunder has emerged. Elevated to the post of Deputy Governor earlier this month, Charlotte Hogg not only failed to disclose that her brother has a senior role at Barclays one of the institutions she regulates but misled the Treasury Select Committee when quizzed about the matter. I am in compliance with all of our codes of conduct. I know that; I helped to write them, she said in one testy exchange. In the grovelling letter that followed, Hogg admitted that she had not formally declared her brothers role before joining the Bank as chief operating officer four years ago or at any point until she flagged it in a questionnaire to the committee before the hearing. This after giving some woolly answers to select committee chairman Andrew Tyrie and colleagues about what she had discussed with whom and whether she might need to recuse herself from the Banks Prudential Regulation Committee if Barclays were to crop up in conversation. There was more a minor point raised by Tyrie about a perceived conflict because her mother, Baroness Hogg, sits on the board of the Financial Conduct Authority but the conclusion was the same. Hogg had helped to write the rules, with little thought to how they could apply to her. The hearing left the overall impression that here was someone who aspired to the robes of public office without the scrutiny which comes with it. It recalled the informality of old, when the arching of the Governors eyebrow during a fireside chat was enough to amend behaviour rather than a clearly communicated framework that better fits todays complex and globalised financial system. And where was the interrogation from the Banks non-executive directors especially as Hogg, a member of a well-connected dynasty, took on her powerful new job? Square Mile lenders who are spending millions to ensure they comply with strict new City rules must be wondering who guards the guardian. It is not an isolated incident. A relaxed attitude to conflicts of interest bubbled up when ex-Brevan Howard partner Gertjan Vlieghe was at first advised he could keep a financial interest in the hedge fund manager while sitting on the interest-rate setting Monetary Policy Committee. And remember that the role of a fourth deputy governor which is being combined with Hoggs present post was created in part to defuse a scandal over whether the Bank could have acted faster to tackle foreign exchange rigging. It would be Carneys crowning glory to hand over to the first female Governor in the Banks 323-year history when he departs in 2019. Switching from an administrative role that looked after hr and property into serious policy making, Hogg was put in pole position. But as Tyries committee prepares to share its view on whether she should keep her job, the Court chairman Anthony Habgood must demonstrate that, on his watch, Bank governance is more rigorous than the cosy lunch club of old. The test here is whether a senior executive at an institution which is regulated by the Bank would be allowed to get away with Hoggs lapse honest cock-up or otherwise. I doubt if he or she would, and there certainly wouldnt be promotion off the back of it. The Banks integrity is paramount. If she recognises that, Hogg should jump before she is pushed. F irst-class flights from London to Aberdeen have rarely been so busy. Last week Aberdeen Asset Management succumbs to Standard Life, and today the granite citys Wood Group snaps up limping Amec Foster Wheeler. Fees aplenty for the City advisers. In both cases, those involved say its not all about cost-cutting, but its hard to justify that claim. Just as with Standard Life and Aberdeens world of active fund management, the oil and gas industries have been mired in crisis for years. As Wood said in its recent trading update, and Amec declared today, oil and gas is in for another tough year. That means at least another 12 months of oil and gas explorers pushing down on prices from engineers such as them. As such, todays consolidation, although painful for employees who have already been through relentless redundancy programmes, makes a lot of sense. Staff at Amec Foster Wheeler will doubtless be the most nervous of the two. With Wood bosses making up the three key posts of chairman, chief executive and chief financial officer, they must feel utterly bereft of cheerleaders. But then, theyve been feeling like that for a long time: Amec has been vulnerable since Davos-loving showman Samir Brikhos disastrous 2014 takeover of Foster Wheeler when oil was $100 a barrel. Since his ousting last year, infill boss Ian McHoul and new broom Jonathan Lewis have stabilised the company with disposals and cost savings, but not enough to make it want to fight too hard to retain its independence once a bid came in. Given the absence of any bidders until now, investors in Amec will be doubtless relieved to accept the 15% premium for their shares. For UK plc, at least Amec is being bought by a Brit Aberdonians will be delighted. But it is sad to see Amec disappear because of one appallingly timed deal. Cheeky opportunists Its hard to imagine a more opportunistic set of bids for a company as the weekends assaults on Bovis. Sure, it has been run shockingly badly and is lacking a chief executive never a good look. But the offers so far from Redrow and Galliford Try are transparent efforts to get Boviss 25,000 plots of land in the booming South and South-east cheekily cheap. Of the two, Gallifords opening tilt is the better. At least it offers Bovis investors a chance to enjoy some of the upside of getting a decent operator in charge. But it must be far more generous. As for Redrow, proprietor and 40% shareholder Steve Morgan must put more on the table if he wants to be taken seriously. If neither stump up, Bovis would be better off hiring a good chief executive and trading its way out of this crisis. T wo teenagers have been stabbed to death in London this year. The extent to which carrying knives is now a reality for young men in some parts of the capital can be seen in the grim statistics that the Lib-Dems have elicited and which we report today: last year, 299 students were found with knives in school, compared with 236 in 2015 and 203 in 2014. In 2011 there were 152. The problem, then, has doubled in five years. As for actual recorded knife crime in schools, the Met reported 85 incidents last year. Plainly, knife possession is at least in part a symptom of the overall problem of gang culture. Patrick Green, manager of the anti-knife crime charity The Ben Kinsella Trust, suggests that many of those who carry knives have themselves been victims of crime and carry them for protection; others do so to enhance their status. The Mets Operation Trident does not just address knife crime but has an educational aspect, too: the unit has delivered presentations on knife crime to 14,000 young people across London and there are 292 safer schools officers in 550 London schools. This is an excellent initiative to bring home to teenagers the truth that carrying a knife makes them more, not less, vulnerable, but plainly there is more to be done. It may be that young people need to hear from other young people about the dangers of carrying knives; former gang members and knife-crime victims probably carry more weight in presentations than police officers. We cannot accept the evil of knife crime and gang culture in general as an inescapable aspect of urban life. The toll it takes is too grim. We need to address it in every way we can. Education is plainly an essential part of the solution but so is stop-and-search. This cant go on. Turkey and the Dutch Only two days before the Dutch elections, the focus is now on the encounter today on television between the Right-wing Geert Wilders and his main opponent, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Mr Wilders is very unlikely to gain power in the election, which is likely to be played out on normal political issues, but there is no question that it has been galvanised by the intervention of the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Dutch authorities had banned two Turkish ministers from addressing rallies of Turks living in the Netherlands to win support for Mr Erdogan and his bid to change the Turkish constitution. Dutch police clashed violently with Turkish demonstrators protesting at the ban over the weekend, and the Dutch ambassador in Ankara was summoned by the Turkish foreign ministry today. Mr Erdogan called the Dutch Nazi remnants and fascists. This is an astonishing turn of events, which may bolster support for Mr Wilders Freedom Party. Mr Erdogan is, it seems, a disruptive force not just in Turkey, where his attempt to acquire quasi-dictatorial powers has alienated liberals, but in Europe too. His ill-judged intervention which plays equally badly in Germany can only make one of Europes most liberal democracies that bit less so. Not a happy strike day The RMT has caused havoc on Southern Rail services once again today, with its 30th 24-hour walkout since the dispute with management over driver-only operation began last spring. It is an anniversary of sorts but not one that deserves bunting or jaunty renderings of Happy Birthday. Rather it is a reminder of the misery that regular travellers on the Southern network have had to endure and the intransigence of the RMT which is at the disputes heart. Happy Strikeday to no one. S o whats bothering them? Why the sour faces? Surely this is the moment of their greatest triumph? Surging ahead of Labour in the polls. The snarling Right-wing press firmly on side. Only a tiny number of recalcitrant Conservative MPs. And the Article 50 letter, triggering the final steps towards the Promised Land of Brexit, tantalisingly close. Yet, in their TV interviews this weekend, David Davis looked crumpled and grumpy, Liam Fox blinked like a startled rabbit and Boris Johnson mumbled even more implausibly than usual about how splendiferous Brexit will be. Meanwhile, the papers were full of simmering bile between party apparatchiks in No 10 and officials in the Treasury as they tried to duck the blame for the OmNICshambles Budget. It is one of the most intriguing paradoxes of this government: its dominance of British politics is secure yet it acts with nervous insecurity; it possesses unrivalled strength yet it feels much weaker than it seems. Some of that derives from the founding flaw of this government it has a PM who was never elected by anyone, has no legitimacy of her own, while its party won the support of only a quarter of all eligible voters at the last election. Thoughtful Conservatives know they have landed on their feet through luck and guile, not because of widespread affection from the British people. But I believe there is another reason too: of all the possible Brexit scenarios bad deal, better deal, no deal at all it is dawning on sensible folk in Whitehall that the one scenario that will most definitely not occur is the one they promised to the country. In the week when Theresa May is likely to pop that Article 50 letter in the post, it is worth recalling what we were promised. Boris Johnson has said we will trade as much as ever before, if not more; David Davis told Parliament that we will get the exact same benefits as we have now; Theresa May promised to settle the terms of the divorce and all the details of our new relationship with the EU, including full ratification, within two years; Michael Gove pledged there will be no change to the border in Ireland; and ministers announced that a raft of new trade deals around the world will be of greater value to us than our current trade with the EU. Boris Johnson: US trade deal could 'liberate the haggis' I struggle to be polite about this mountainous pile of self-deluded piffle. Before I receive the usual barrage of condemnation from fanatical Brexiteers, let me give you three simple reasons why the Government is condemned to break its word on Brexit in a way that will make the 350-million-for-the-NHS lie, or the National Insurance shambles, pale in comparison: First, geography still matters. It perplexes me that ministers persist in telling the British people that distance does not matter for trade, especially in goods. If you listen to Messrs Johnson, Gove, Fox and Davis youd think the fact that we are tectonically located next to Europes land mass was of no significance. They blather about the great potential for new deals with Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and the rest of the Anglosphere as if the planet had suddenly become as small as SW1. But theres a reason why our trade is almost 39 times greater with Ireland than it is with New Zealand. Ireland is next door and New Zealand is on the other side of the globe. Theres a reason why Mexico and Canada trade more with the US than we do theyre neighbours. Even if we doubled all our trade with the Anglosphere, including the mighty US, we still wouldnt trade with them as much as we currently do with the EU. Nothing that the Brexiteers can say, wish or do over the coming years can abolish the simple fact of geography that makes trade with our European neighbours so hugely important. Second, the rule of law. Again, if you listen to leading Brexiteers youd be forgiven for thinking that the only thing that matters is whether British goods will continue to enjoy tariff-free access to the EUs single market. But the single market devised by Margaret Thatcher has little to do with tariffs and all to do with removing the plethora of rules, standards, qualifications and norms that govern everything from phytosanitary standards for beef exports to mobile phone roaming charges. The genius of the single market is that it replaces 28 fiddly rules with one. In other words, it simplifies rather than duplicates red tape. But the system only works if everyone abides by the same rules and if there is a court the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to settle disputes. In declaring a fatwa against any British adherence to the ECJ, Theresa May has struck a death knell for continued British participation in the single market. Unless she makes a U-turn on the ECJ, or the Brexit deal invents another similar court, there isnt the remotest chance that Johnson or Daviss pledges that we will continue to trade on the same or better basis with the EU will materialise. They refuse to admit it but it is logically impossible to have frictionless access to a marketplace of rules if were not prepared to abide by the rules of that marketplace. Third, political narcissism. The self-absorption of the Brexit debates in Parliament over recent months confirms that the fate of our country has now become victim to an introverted argument within the Conservative Party, as if no one else matters. Conservative Brexit MPs and their sponsors in the Brexit press pontificate to each other as if the Brexit talks will be settled among them. Michael Gove loftily declares that we shouldnt negotiate at all. Yet we will have to with 27 other governments and parliaments. No wonder this government appears nervy and brittle. It is about to collide with reality. W hat's the biggest threat facing small businesses in London today? Economic uncertainty? Skills shortages? These are definitely challenges but not what entrepreneurs identify as their top problem right now. Heres a clue. Shockingly, 75 per cent of the capitals small business owners say the main risk to their survival is entirely caused by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond. Im talking about the massive 5 billion increase in business rates confirmed in last weeks Budget, which is the tax paid for having a physical premises like a shop or office, and which is going to clobber companies in London disproportionately hard. The main Budget news story was the increase in National Insurance for self-employed people but the hike in business rates will do far more damage, forcing independent shops to close and giving an unfair tax advantage to online retailers over high-street stores. Business rates have to be paid whether or not a company makes a penny in profits or generates any revenue. So when London shops are being hit by average business rates rises of 25 per cent and some by up to 400 per cent this extra fixed cost could put people out of business. London companies with fewer than 10 employers will have to find 17,000 extra a year on average to cover their business rates a big increase. Meanwhile, digital businesses such as Amazon will see their rates bill go down because they dont have physical stores. Before the Budget, small-business owners had been begging the Chancellor not to go ahead. At first it seemed that Philip Hammond had listened he announced 87 million of annual support for local councils to help businesses hit by rates increases. But, as always, you only learn the truth when you check the small print. In London alone, business rates are going up by 616 million this year, so this action simply isnt enough. No wonder the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies describes the Chancellors response as small beer, while the Mayor of Hackney states that the extra money allocated to councils for discretional support will far from cover the spiralling bills in areas disproportionately affected. Let me illustrate. The Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington is one of those special places that makes our city worth living in, but could easily be forced to close if running costs rise. The theatre was facing a business rates increase of 10,000 a year but hoped that Mr Hammonds Budget announcement would help. It didnt the bill is still going up by 9,000 a year, a hammer blow for such a small organisation. Or look at Londons restaurants and pubs, which face a huge 336.5 million increase. According to tax specialists CVS, our citys restaurants will have to serve an extra 6.7 million meals to fund this hike. Thats unsustainable, and local pubs and eateries will be pushed to the wall. As former government adviser Mary Portas points out: Well end up with more restaurants and bars that are owned by chains. There wont be any fashion shops or butchers; it will be chain cafes and restaurants. Cafes, cultural venues, independent shops and start-ups will be hit hard, and many wont survive. Philip Hammonds business rates raid is the real Budget scandal, and London will be left poorer as a result. Review at a glance L iverpudlian dancer Julie Cunningham made her name in the US, as one of the most arresting performers with New York's Merce Cunningham Company (no relation). Lately she's been back in the UK dancing with Michael Clark, but now she's embarking upon her own choreographic career. The influences of her dance heritage are evident in this first outing: the flattened out classical lines, the trigonometry set's worth of stark angles are all familiar to Merce and Michael fans. But there's also something here that's essentially Julie, a softness in the attack, a particular care in the placing, the moments of small detail. And then there are the themes. This is a world of fluid gender identity, with unisex costumes and steps, and a soundtrack featuring Anohni discussing reincarnation as a woman, and Kate Tempest telling the story of Tiresias, transformed into a woman by the Greek goddess Hera. A quartet of performers with very different bodies move with measured calm and precision, making an interesting counterpoint to Tempest's impassioned delivery. In a stand-out solo, Cunningham herself demonstrates power in the purity of line, and preternatural control in the slow sweep of a leg or arm until the angle just sings. It's not effortful, or effusive or overtly emotional, but there's something touching about it nonetheless. An intimate, intriguing show from a choreographer who's definitely one to watch. Amidst rising tensions in Northeast Asia, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's upcoming visit to the region this week offers a glimmer of hope that diplomacy could avert a military conflict with North Korea. For Tillerson, this will be the toughest test of his diplomatic skills. The odds that the secretary of state's trip will cobble together a regional coalition to contain Pyongyang's nuclear and missile ambitions do not appear good. South Korea has plunged into political chaos after the recent impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Its political elites are deeply split over North Korea, which Tillerson is expected to visit on Friday. Japan, America's staunch ally where Tillerson is expected to make his first stop Wednesday, will likely provide unreserved support. In China, Tillerson will almost certainly find his toughest interlocutors when he visits next weekend. To Washington, Beijing's response to Pyongyang's brinksmanship has long been a source of frustration. As North Korea's patron, only China has the means to pressure the Kim Jong-un regime to moderate its behavior. To be sure, in recent years Beijing has taken some modest measures trying to rein in Pyongyang. For example, China has supported sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations Security Council. Last month it also announced the suspension of coal imports from North Korea. However, by and large, the Chinese government has refrained from imposing sanctions that could trigger a collapse of the North Korean economy and the Kim dynasty. In China's strategic calculation, even a nuclear-armed North Korea bristling with missiles is preferable to a unified Korean peninsula allied with the United States. It is this strategic logic that has led Beijing to adopt a policy that, instead of dialing up pressure on Pyongyang, ratchets up tensions with Washington and Seoul. Specifically, China has been incensed by America's decision to deploy an advanced anti-missile system, known as Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad), in South Korea because the Chinese military fears that the system could render China's own nuclear deterrence more vulnerable. Story continues Unable to force the more powerful U.S. to back down, China has concentrated its ire on South Korea. In the last two decades, South Korea has been playing a delicate balancing geopolitical game of relying on the U.S. for security protection and on China for trade. Now this game may be over because China is forcing South Korea to choose. In an effort to show Seoul the costs of hosting Thaad, Beijing has ordered a suspension of the sale of tour packages to South Korea and denied visas to Korean performers. On March 9, in a further escalation, Chinese authorities shut down half of the stores operated by Lotte, one of South Korea's largest conglomerates. On the surface, China seems to have a strong hand because it is South Korea's largest trading partner. In 2016, Korea exported $124 billion worth of goods to China and ran a surplus of $37 billion. Additionally, 8 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea last year, spending $19 billion. In the eyes of Chinese leaders, sooner or later Seoul will have to capitulate because it cannot afford to lose its lucrative business with Beijing. South Korea's political upheaval has also created an opening for China. President Park has pursued a get-tough policy toward Kim Jong-un and agreed to the deployment of Thaad. Now that she is gone and the left-leaning opposition advocating a softer line may replace her, China could use its economic leverage to tip public support in favor of the opposition, which Chinese leaders hope to persuade to back out of the Thaad deal with the U.S. However compelling this logic, China's pressure tactics may not work. Even if the opposition should come to power, its leaders will likely stick with the Thaad agreement. If forced to choose, it is a safe bet that Seoul would pick Washington, not Beijing, for even more compelling security and economic reasons. In terms of security, China simply cannot replace the U.S. as a provider of security because it has not demonstrated its ability or willingness to deter North Korea. Economically, the U.S. remains South Korea's second-largest export market (in 2016, Korean exports to the U.S. were about $70 billion). It is inconceivable that Seoul would risk losing access to the American market if it realigns with Beijing. In all likelihood, Chinese efforts to pressure Seoul will backfire on several fronts. In terms of Chinese-Korean relations, China's punitive measures will force Korean leaders to reassess -- and reduce -- their economic dependence on China. China's Asian neighbors will also start rethinking the hidden costs of close economic ties with China because such dependence will make them strategically vulnerable. Secretary of State Tillerson can take advantage of these dynamics to improve the chances of success of his trip to East Asia. Besides reassuring Seoul of Washington's unwavering support, Tillerson needs to make it clear to his Chinese interlocutors that, instead of pushing a self-defeating strategy, China would be much better off working with the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to contain the most lethal threat to Chinese security - North Korea's expanding nuclear and missile arsenals. Minxin Pei is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and a non-resident senior fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Z oe Coombs Marr, your new favourite comedian, is actually a very bad comedian. That is to say, her stand-up show Trigger Warning (nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award last year) is performed in the guise of her hilarious creation Dave. Dave is a mediocre stand-up who likes drinking cans whilst chuckling fellas know what Im talking about! whenever making a joke at the expense of women. Coombs Marr, then, is a brilliant comedian pretending to be a bad one. Evening Standard critic Bruce Dessau watched the show in Edinburgh and described it as deliriously funny. On the phone from her native Australia, Coombs Marr tells me that shes been trying to make people laugh ever since she was little. Theres not a photo that exists where Im not sticking my tongue out or going cross-eyed, much to my mothers chagrin, she says. Being funny, she thinks, is the only way I know how to communicate with other human beings. The character of Dave, she says, came on in stages like a flu. Partly, he was born from frustration. As a young stand-up doing open mics and sucking, because I was no good at that point - no one is when they first start she watched her male counterparts perform similar material to her own. I was quite jealous of the immediate, easy, matesy relationship that they had with the audience. I was like, it would be so good to just go up there as a guy, and be accepted on face value like that, she says. Dave first came to life when she was performing her own show at the Melbourne Comedy Festival: she says that she made up the parody persona, then known as Joey, to make her sound guy laugh, improvising jokes whilst doing her soundcheck. The first time she performed as Dave, it was because a friend had dared her to try and perform as him for a whole hour. And I did. And I thought it would be a complete disaster, but he kind of stuck around, she says. Like David Brent or Alan Partridge, its Daves humanity and vulnerability that make him a character to keep. That he is oblivious to the fact these parts of him are on show is what elevates him even further. The audience cant help but feel warmth for him, despite the fact hes objectively a bit of a loser. I dont think you can really perform a character that you dont have some sort of empathy for, Coombs Marr tells me. And I really love Dave, I think thats why Ive kept being him for so long. Its funnier, too, she adds. If its just some guys whos just completely fine, and not failing on any level, thats just boring. Its far funnier to see someone on the verge of tears whilst trying to tell his best dick jokes. Nor did she want it to come across as derogatory to male comedians. It was important that it wasnt a hateful thing. It wasnt me just making fun of, essentially, my colleagues, and going argh, men in comedy suck!. Because they dont, obviously, she says. The reactions to the show have been unanimously very positive - it was also the winner of the prestigious Barry Award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival last year. Some people, Coombs Marr laughs, dont actually realise that shes a woman. So some people miss the parody level of it totally, which I find astonishing. She tells me that her girlfriend sat behind a couple watching her show, who were having an argument about whether or not she was a woman. And he ended up winning by saying, nah dude, check out his Adams apple. And she was like, ah, yeah. So, fair enough. Trigger Warning, which is the second show that Coombs Marr has performed as Dave, follows up from where he left off. But in the intervening time, Dave has been subject to scathing attacks by feminists at one point he asks any Jezebel writers in the audience to leave him alone and decided to give up stand-up in favour of Gaulier clowning. Coombs Marr says shes not been subjected to much internet trolling herself, other than someone very annoyed about comments that she made about Rolf Harris on Australian television. I find it really fascinating but I do not wana get involved at all, she says. Im a comedian, so my number one thing is to make people laugh. But I am also very political. But I dont feel like I communicate to the world in a way that I feel is hugely antagonistic, it just doesnt really work for me. The topics that her work explores means that Coombs Marr is constantly labelled as feminist comedian. I find myself kind of torn, she says. Im asked the same sort of questions all the time, and Im always having to talk about feminism, being a woman in comedy, being a feminist comedian. Those are the ways she would frame herself and the things she wants to talk about, she says, but its also not the only thing I am. Its frustrating because youre just reminded of how we keep having the same conversations for years and years and nothing ever really seems to change, she tells me. Its like, of course Im a feminist comedian, but I also wish I could just be a comedian. That said, we dont live in a world where I can just be a comedian. Coombs Marr has a knack for bending tragedy into comedy, as demonstrated by her wedding to male comedian Rhys Nicholson last year. The pair, who are both in same-sex relationships, got engaged at Edinburgh Festival, and tied the knot last April to highlight the absurdity of Australias marriage equality laws (a vote on legalising same-sex marriage was blocked by the Australian senate last November). Obviously our situation in Australia is very frustrating, she says. We dont have marriage equality, its ridiculous to the point of comedy. Its a farce. So we thought, oh, lets just make a farce of it. Of course, it sounds like a light-hearted way of mocking antiquated laws. But the reality of marriage inequality isnt funny, its painful. In a moving speech at the ceremony, comedian Hannah Gadsby said, To deliberately isolate a human being is nothing short of structural violence. Coombs Marrs partner Kate Jinx wrote a deeply affecting piece on how she watched what the statement really meant slowly dawn on those around her: it was a persistent, nagging reminder that you cant access the same simple rights; that your capacity for love is not deemed the same as theirs," she wrote. And how is her marriage with Nicholson? Terrible. Hes been sleeping with men and he wont put the toilet seat down. But on a serious note, Coombs Marr says talking about marriage is difficult, in the way of how gay people feel at the weddings of their straight friends, who are going ahead and participating in an institution that they cant be involved in. Thats one of the things that I find frustrating about modern activism, when people dont realise what theyre doing in their life and how it affects other people, she adds. By all means get married, but, you know, that does affect gay people your friends cant do it. Things wont change until we actually become aware of people who arent like us, and how our way of being in the world affects other people. Does Coombs Marr feel a weight on her shoulders as a role model to young gay women? She mostly feels she disappoints people. Im quite socially awkward, she admits. After a gig, I dont know what to say and Im all sweaty. The key, she thinks, is representation. So whether its being gay, or being a woman in comedy youre underrepresented, she says, so anyone who has grown up gay has grown up noticing their lack of representation. I remember the first time I saw a lesbian on television and its nice to think you might be that person to someone. But that said, she laughs, the world has changed completely. There are bloody dykes all over the place. Were everywhere. Zoe Coombs Marr: Trigger Warning is at Soho Theatre March 16-25; sohotheatre.com A s a Londoner there are plenty of things to be scared of - from rising rent prices to hellish Tube delays. But according to a new report, as many as 1 in 5 Londoners are eating their lunches in front of their computer because theyre too scared to leave the office. The reason, according to research by wellbeing charity CABA, is because they it will make them look bad in front of colleagues and bosses. The study surveyed 2,006 people working both part and full time across the UK, finding that 19 per cent of people working in London worried about taking a lunch break. This was far higher than any other region in the UK, with the national average coming in at just 6 per cent. Another top ranking reason for Londoners dining at their desks was because of heavy workloads, with many workers claiming that they simply dont have time to leave their desk for a significant period of time. What to do in London's best parks 1 /42 What to do in London's best parks Hyde Park What's it like? A huge 350 acres, you won't struggle to find a decent walk, picnic or swimming spot here. Hyde Park houses a lido & is famous for the Serpentine. Both offer bracing dips, and the Serpentine can be enjoyed by hiring a pedalo, rowing boat, or scooting about as a passenger on the solar-powered SolarShuttle. The park is teeming with wildlife - and we don't just mean the interesting folks found at Speaker's Corner - and has playgrounds for children and their grandparents alike. Hyde Park is known for high-profile gigs and events, so check it isn't going to be overrun by tourists or stray roadies when you get there. What it offers: Speaker's Corner, Isis Education Centre, boating and swimming at the Serpentine, the Lido, children's playground, senior playground (with exercise facilities), football pitches, deck chairs, horse riding, lawn bowls, putting green, six tennis courts, Diana Memorial, Holocaust Memorial, bandstand. The Royal Parks Hyde Park Nearest tube(s): Hyde Park corner, Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch, Knightsbridge Opening times: 05:00 Midnight Food and drink: Serpentine bar and kitchen, Lido bar and cafe, various refreshment points (including at: Serpentine Road, the playground and Hyde Park Corner). Find it: Mayfair/Westminster, W2 2UH; royalparks.org The Royal Parks The Regent's Park What's it like? One of London's most beautiful parks, the high trees surrounding the grass, lakes and gardens mean that for many of the 395 acres, there's a feeling of having gotten away to the countryside. The boating lake is a highlight, where there's the choice of row boats and pedalos. Choose rowing- the queues are shorter and it's more romantic. Primrose Hill, on the northern side of the park, is a serious contender for the loveliest picnic spot in London: at the height of summer, prepare a breakfast and watch the sunrise. Throughout the summer, the Regent's Park opens its open-air theatre in the Queen Mary's gardens. What it offers: The Hub sports facility, exercise classes, pitches for football, rugby, softball, lacrosse, cricket, tennis centre, netball courts, open air theatre, four gardens (Queen Mary's, the Avenue, Wildlife, St John's Lodge), an allotment, the bandstand, seven memorials and statues, bird walk. Nearby there is the ZSL London Zoo. The Royal Parks The Regent's Park Nearest tube(s): Baker Street, Regents Park, Camden Town Opening times: 05:00 21:00 Food and drink: the Hub cafe, the Regent's Bar and Kitchen, Smokehouse, the Espresso bar, the Boathouse cafe, the Regent's Park Tennis Centre cafe, various kiosks around the park. More info: Camden, NW1 4NR; royalparks.org The Royal Parks Green Park What's it like? Despite its moneyed surroundings, Green Park somewhat skimps on the extras. Don't go expecting activities: instead, take advantage of the 40 charming acres of sunbathing and picnic spots and admire the beauty - The Mall runs along one edge and Buckingham Palace is just a stroll away. Those wanting exercise should bring their own frisbee - the gentle incline of Constitution Hill is about as strenuous as things get here. Though a quiet spot, Green Park is also home to some of London's most stirring memorials, including the Bomber Command Memorial and Memorial Gates. What it offers: Royal Gun Salutes, Diana Princess of Wales memorial walk. The Royal Parks Green Park Nearest tube(s): Green Park, Hyde Park Corner Opening times: Open 24 hours Food and drink: Two refreshment points at Ritz Corner and Canada Gate. Find it: Mayfair, SW1A 2BJ; royalparks.org Anne Marie Briscombe/The Royal Parks Victoria Park What's it like? Victoria Park, London's oldest public park, has something of a reputation - a very good reputation. It's been voted the nation's favourite park and has won Green Flag and Green Heritage Awards four years in a row. The video above should give you a good sense of the place, but other highlights include the Regal boat hire, which has returned after a 30 year absence. There are a number of sporting clubs too, but perhaps one of Victoria Park's best pleasures is also one of its simplest: the tree walks that cover the park shine bright and green as the sun comes through them. What it offers: Two children's play areas, football summer and winter pitches, artificial cricket wickets and cricket practice nets, four tennis courts, bowling green, specialist cycling classes, fishing lake, war memorial, model boating lake, Chinese pagoda, deer enclosure. Tower Hamlets Council Victoria Park Nearest tube(s): Mile End, Bethnal Green, Stepney Green Opening times: 7am - dusk Food and drink: Pavilion cafe More info: Grove Road, Bow, E3 5TB; towerhamlets.gov.uk Laurence Fredric White/Wikimedia Commons Hampstead Heath What's it like? Hampstead Heath offers stunning views over this fair city - but one could be forgiven for not noticing, as there's an awful lot to do. If you aren't taking a dip in one of its famous ponds (there are single and mixed ponds) or the Parliament Hill Lido, you could be running circuits on the athletics track or even visiting the Hampstead Heath zoo. For sheer childhood pleasure, though, the model boating pond is difficult to top. The heath also benefits from its wooded areas and is a conservation area with plenty of wildlife, especially on the bird sanctuary pond. There are also pitches for just about every sport - even croquet. What it offers: Swimming ponds, swan pond, model boating pond, bird sanctuary pond, a zoo, tennis courts, rugby pitch, football pitch, cricket pitch, bowling green, croquet lawn, play parks, athletics tracks. City of London Corporation Hampstead Heath Nearest tube(s): Hampstead, Highgate, Golders Green Q Opening times: All day Food and drink: Parliament Hill cafe, Golders Hill park cafe, Kenwood Brew House restaurant. Find it: Gordon House Road, NW5 1QR; cityoflondon.gov.uk Duncan Harris/Wikimedia Commons Clissold Park What's it like?This Stoke Newington spot has held a Green Flag award since 2006. It's very child friendly, with a charming paddling pool, decent play area and even a small zoo. Parents can get competitive on the all-weather ping pong tables and then head to Clissold House for anything from a snack to a full Sunday roast. The park often hosts events, too: from twilight walks in search of bats to football festivals to sessions discovering the edible fruit and flowers which grow in the grounds. What it offers: Aviary and animal enclosures, children's play area, Clissold House, fountains, multi-use games area, organic food growing area, pond, paddling pool, table tennis, tennis courts. Liavittone Clissold Park Nearest tube(s): Manor House, Finsbury Park, or head to either Dalston Overground or Stoke Newington train station. Opening times: 07.30 dusk Food and drink: Clissold House cafe and function rooms, refreshment kiosks around the park Find it: Off Church Street/ Green Lanes, N16 9HJ; hackney.gov.uk London Borough of Hackney/French+Tye Battersea Park What's it like? Since 1858, Battersea Park has had a mixed time of things but recent restoration means it's now something of a south-London must see. Much of its original charms have resurfaced, including the fountains. The highlight, though, is the lake, where one can happily while away an afternoon boating. If you have children with you, the zoo is the place to start. It also counts a number of gardens among its grounds - our favourites are the Old English garden, the sub-tropical garden and the beautiful winter gardens. Artsy types should either head to the Pump House gallery or take a walk to find the Henry Moore. What it offers: 1km riverside promenade, boating lake, children's play areas, Battersea children's zoo, Pump House gallery, fitness centre, cricket pitch and nets, cricket pavilion, football pitches, rounders and softball pitches, lacrosse pitch, netball court, rugby pitch, bowling green, bandstand, many gardens, war memorial. Battersea Park Nearest tube(s): Fulham Broadway, Victoria Opening times: 8am until dusk although the gates will open from 6.30am and close again around 10.30pm. Food and drink: La Gondola al Parco cafe, tea terrace and kiosk Find it: Battersea, SW11 4NJ; wandsworth.gov.uk Garry Knight/Wikimedia Commons Clapham Common What's it like? This busy park always has plenty on, from one day festivals to football tournaments. The lake is beautiful - and there's also the nearby Tooting Bec Lido. The park is popular for the variety of facilities for sports it offers, from Aussie rules to skateboarding. It's the quiet spot in the middle of a manic postcode and is ideal for spending all day with a picnic, a pile of friends and drinks. What it offers: Bandstand, two children's play areas, paddling pool, fishing flower gardens, three ponds, athletics sprint track, Australian rules football pitch, basketball court , bowling green, cricket nets and wicket pitch, football pitch, rugby pitch, netball court, skateboard facilities, softball pitch, tennis courts. Clapham Common Nearest tube(s): Clapham South, Clapham Common, Clapham North Opening times: Open 24 hours Food and drink:Three cafes across the park. Find it: Windmill Drive, SW4 9DE; lambeth.gov.uk Getty Images Brockwell Park What's it like? Brockwell park offers a number of rather surprising attractions: come for the outdoor cinema screenings at the Lido (is there any better way to enjoy Jaws than being sat in an inflatable dinghy?), or watch the bikes bound along the BMX track, or take things more gently and sit down for a coffee with the park's writer in residence, Shelley Silas. There's also any number of sporting facilities and the park does exercise classes for older people in the evening. What it offers: BMX track, basketball court, bowling green, cricket nets, cricket wicket pitch, athletics sprint track, football pitch, tennis courts, Brockwell lido, playground, film screenings. Lambeth Council Brockwell Park Nearest tube(s): Brixton, Clapham North. Opening times: 07.30 15 minutes before sunrise Food and drink: The Lido cafe, Brockwell hall Find it: Norwood Road, SE24 9BJ; royalparks.org Greenwich Park What's it like? Parks are loved for their outdoor space, so it may seem peculiar to extol the virtues of Greenwich by starting with the buildings, but Greenwich Park is part of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site and houses the The National Maritime Museum and Old Royal Naval College, both of which are worthy of an afternoon or three, no matter how brightly the sun is shining. Once you're outside again, head to the deer park and the tucked-away Queen's orchard, which smells stunning when the fruit is ripe. The rose garden and the flower garden charm and of course, it's always worth seeing the meridian line, which marks Longitude Zero (0 0' 0"). Greenwich park also has some Roman and Anglo-Saxon ruins. Go and geek out. What it offers: The Royal Observatory, The Meridian Line, National Maritime Museum, Old Royal Naval college, a number of gardens, cricket lawn, Greenwich park tennis centre, ancient ruins, deer park. The Royal Parks Greenwich Park Nearest tube(s): New Cross, North Greenwich. However, it may be easier to take a mainline train: Maze Hill railway station is only 5 minutes away. Greenwich railway station and Westcombe Park are both around quarter of an hour from the park. Opening times: 06.00 20:00 Food and drink: The Pavilion Cafe, Park View Coffee Cabin, White House Bakery (our pick of the three) Find it: Greenwich, SE10 8QY; royalparks.org Kensington Gardens What's it like? More than just home to Wills & Kate, Kensington Gardens offers 242 quiet acres of sculpted gardens, monuments, ornamental flower beds and a lake. Another park to enjoy for its beauty, rather than its facilities, Kensington Gardens do however put on the occasional event - think photography masterclasses and tips from their allotment, rather than raucous gigs. For food, head to the Orangery, which adds a further splash of glamour to things. What it offers: Kensington Palace, the Diana Memorial playground, Sepertine gallery and Serpentine Sackler gallery, Diana Princess of Wales memorial walk. The Royal Parks Kensington Gardens Nearest tube(s): High Street Kensington, Queensway, Lancaster Gate, Notting Hill Gate Opening times: 06:00 19.45 Food and drink: The Orangery, The Broadwalk cafe and playpark cafe, two refreshment points at the Italian Gardens and the Albert Memorial. Find it: Kensington, W2 2UH; royalparks.org Richmond Park What's it like? Richmond Park is the largest of London's eight Royal Parks and is an extraordinary space where the grass seems greener, the flowers seem to smell better and the sun seems warmer. The park has a magic that's not tangible - go to the Isabella plantation to see what we mean. It is a National Nature Reserve, London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European Special Area of Conservation. The red and fallow deer that live in the park are remarkable creatures, too. What it offers: Horse riding, guided walks, Isabella Plantation, wildlife, King Henry's mound, St Paul's Cathedral Tercentenary Gates, two playgrounds, fishing, power kiting. The Royal Parks Richmond Park Nearest tube(s): Richmond Opening times: 07.30 19.30, though pedestrian gates are open 24 hours a day. Food and drink: Penbrook Lodge, Roehampton cafe, three refreshment points at Broomfield Hill, Pen Pond car park and Pembroke Lodge car park. Find it: Holly Lodge, Teddington, TW10 5HS; royalparks.org Holland Park What's it like? If you think this park is impressive, just imagine it being your personal garden: the 54 acres of Holland Park used to be the grounds of Jacobean mansion Cope Castle. The gem of the park are the Japenese-themed Kyoto gardens. Wander in and you'll feel like you've stepped out of London. The park also has an impressive range of sporting facilities - including pentanque. This is Kensington and Chelsea, after all. Throughout the summer, open air theatre and opera are staged outdoors. Still, we'd go for the wildlife: koi carp, peacocks and, er, cows. What it offers: Tennis courts, football pitches, golf practice nets, cricket practice nets, netball court, squash courts, open-air opera, open-air theatre, playground for children (including zip wire). Henry Kellner/Wikimedia Commons Holland Park Nearest tube(s): High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate Opening times: 07.30 30 minutes before dusk Food and drink: Holland Park cafe, The Belvedere Find it: Ilchester Place, Kensington, W8 6LU; rbkc.gov.uk St. James's Park What's it like?St James's is known for its wildlife the pelicans are extraordinary birds, and are fed daily, which is worth watching. It's the eastern tip of the chain of Royal Parks which make for a gorgeous (and very long) day's walk, as it runs into Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. It's perfectly suited to those seeing the sights, as Buckingham Palace is quite literally a stone's throw away and Horse Guard's Parade runs along its edge. There are also many iconic statues and monuments here. Its charm, though, is that despite being in the centre of town, it feels worlds away. What it offers:A lake, duck island, Diana memorial walk, wildlife, Queen Victoria Monument, Admiralty Arch, deck chairs for sunbathing, the Tiffany fountain The Royal Parks St. James's Park Nearest tube(s): St James's, Westminster Opening times: 05.30 midnight Food and drink: Inn the Park is a lovely spot for a glass of wine. Refreshment spots across the park, at Marlborough Gate, Horse Shoe Bend, Artillery Memorial and playground. Find it: SW1A 2BJ; royalparks.org The Royal Parks Bushy Park What's it like?A little out of the centre of London but well worth the journey, Bushy Park is huge, at 1,100 acres, so there's plenty of space to make your own. There are lakes and streams dotted throughout the park, and plenty of wildlife, including deer and pheasants. You're able to cycle and horseride here, and there's a children's playground too. The park has been settled land since the Bronze Age, too, which is something to think about while lying out under the sun. What it offers:Pheasantry Cafe, cycling, horse riding, woodlands, Diana fountain, Upper Lodge water gardens, playground The Royal Parks Bushy Park Nearest tube(s): Take the train, either to Hampton Court, Hampton Wick or Teddington Opening times: 06.30 19.30 Food and drink: Pheasantry Cafe in the Woodlands area, and a refreshment point in the Diana car park Find it:TW11 0EQ; royalparks.org The Royal Parks Crystal Palace Park What's it like?No mere park, this was originally brought to life as a Victorian Pleasure Ground. Among its attractions are lakes, a maze, their famous dinosaur models and the Italian terraces, which survived the fire that destroyed the Crystal Palace. There's also the 'rusty laptop' concert stage, on the site Bob Marley once played, but it's sadly underused, and perhaps more interesting as an oddity of architecture. If none of that appeals, take it easy at the fishing lake. What it offers:Maze, dinosaur sculptures, famous bust of Sir Joseph Paxton, children's play area, children's farm, concert bowl, cafe Ewan-M/Wikimedia Commons Crystal Palace Park Nearest tube(s): Take the train to Crystal Palace or Penge West Opening times: 07.30 19.00 (09.00 on the weekend) Food and drink: They've a cafe Find it: Thicket Rd, SE19 2GA; bromley.gov.uk Jes/Wikimedia Commons Studies have shown that skipping your lunch break can be bad for your health. Getting out of the office can lower your stress levels, give you an important dose of Vitamin D and increase your productivity for the rest of the day. Thankfully, millennials have already cottoned onto this idea. According to the survey, just 14 per cent of the capitals millennial generation chow down at their keyboard, while the other 86 per cent get a much-needed breath of fresh air. Hopefully that spells the end of having to smell your co-workers broccoli and stilton soup. E leven days after his colleague and close friend, the MP Jo Cox, was murdered in broad daylight by a man in her own constituency last year, another man, this time in Wales, was threatening to gun down Stephen Kinnock in a copycat killing. Time for a shooting and a stabbing in PT [Port Talbot] before a good night out and a Kabab!!! said the message Kinnock remembers the death threat verbatim written by Gareth Bamsey, a 53-year-old with a background in the armed forces. Bamseys Facebook profile, since shut down by police, contained multiple images of him handling an assault rifle, cause enough for his house then to be raided, in a joint operation between the Met and South Wales Police. Last month Bamsey was tried and sent to prison, where he is now serving an eight-week sentence. He was also fined 600 and banned from using the computer on which he committed the offence. This is the first time Bamseys threats or conviction have been made public. Kinnock says he wants the incident known about. People need to understand that you cant do this kind of thing. The police will take action. In the office at Portcullis House that he used to share with Cox, 47-year-old Kinnock looks like a benign, tall Vladimir Putin, though the broad smile is unmistakably his fathers. The son of Neil and Glenys, who were allegedly passengers on the EU gravy train; husband of the former Prime Minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt; a passionate Europhile who speaks five languages and is also Labour MP for the Leave-voting constituency of Aberavon he is everything Brexiteers hate. Even more so now that, this month, he asked the Electoral Commission to investigate whether the Nigel Farage-backed Leave.eu Brexit campaign broke electoral regulations by not declaring the role of Cambridge Analytica, a psychographics company hired by Donald Trump and backed by a billionaire bank-roller of Breitbart. Kinnock, Thorning-Schmidt and their two teenage daughters have a base in Kilburn. Kinnock commutes to Wales, where he spends the second half of every week. His wife, who served five years as Danish Prime Minister, is now chief executive of Save the Children. Kinnock says he has watched the disintegration of the Left in this country with alarm. Its possible that the death of Cox and now his own encounter with violent extremism has made him such a frank critic of his own party. The Copeland result was absolutely disastrous for us... And the failure to really think deeply about why that is happening. Blaming it on everything else, it was almost the dog ate my by-election... if people have had enough of the political establishment then why would they vote for the Tories? Stephen Kinnock and wife Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Schiller Graphics/Getty Images) / Schiller Graphics/Getty Images) The Kinnocks often holidayed with Cox and her family. She was one in a billion he says. Id never met a character like her. A day star, shining all the time. Always effervescent. Challenging sacred cows. Thinking outside the box, always willing to work with people from other parties. We cant allow her memory to fade. We must never forget what Jo stood for, which is what Brendan Cox said: 2016 was a wake-up call. The values we cherish dont grow on trees, you have to fight for them. Jo was a fighter and she embodies the values that we hold dear. The Labour Party needs more of this spirit. Has Jeremy Corbyn woken up? We need more guts, the guts to challenge the sacred cows, the orthodoxies weve allowed to dominate and the way the party thinks: We wont talk about immigration because to do so would make you a racist. Or, We think that globalisation is a fait accompli and there is nothing we can do about it. I think our countrys democracy is in a more fragile state than it has ever been in because, with Brexit, it could so easily be used as an excuse to shift us into an elective dictatorship. The Kinnocks often holidayed with Cox and her family / Jo Cox Foundation Theresa May, he says, earned her spurs in the Home Office and is a control freak. She is absolutely allowing herself to be controlled by the hard Right of the party. Theyre calling the shots and she has thrown in her lot with those guys. That is very worrying. Theres never been a more important time to be an effective Opposition, and when we are 18 points behind the Tories we are clearly not seen in that way. Blairs intervention in the Brexit debate recently incensed many members of the Labour executive but Kinnock says the party has cut itself off from its own achievements to its detriment. Im immensely proud of what Labour achieved in Government between 1997 and 2010 but its time to make a clean break with the past. The country desperately needs a project of national renewal, and so does the Labour Party. Jo Cox remembered around the world 1 /10 Jo Cox remembered around the world Trafalgar Square Thousands of Londoners packed in to Trafalgar Square to remember Jo Cox Paris President of the French National Assembly Claude Bartolone delivered a speech in tribute of the late MP New York a minutes silence was observed near the United Nations building Glastonbury festival goers also held a minutes silence at the Park Stage in Worthy Farm. Edinburgh Friends and former colleagues held an event at Portobello Beach Dublin Crowds gather by Haipenny Bridge in Dublin to remember murdered MP Jo Cox Brussels Mourners in the Belgian capital laid white roses at the Bourse Batley Crowds gathered in Batley, West Yorkshire where Jo Cox was MP The rise of the Right worries him deeply. He has particular concerns about the Cabinets lack of international experience and the continuing influence of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove (with whom hes debating Brexit later this month at an event in Soho) and Nigel Farage, the architects of Brexit, and their Pied Piper complex, which, he implies, is analogous to Donald Trumps. I think some men just want to see the world burn. And there is an element of ideological thinking that the institutions and the system have to be smashed, partly in order to maximise their own power as individuals and partly because they just thought I can do this. In some eyes, his connections with Europe make him suspicious. There is a kind of obsession with my parents salaries and their pensions. My parents dedicated their lives to public service, they worked very hard. My father is basically the guy who saved the Labour Party from itself in the Eighties. I think therefore he was perfectly qualified to take up a job in the European Commission. My mother got elected, with a thumping majority. Hes his own person, though. Im an MP with deeply held views about a whole range of issues, and none of them has anything to do with my parents pensions. Ive felt Ive needed to prove myself every day since I was 13, when my dad became leader. Suddenly everybody thinks they know who you are and who your dad is and makes assumptions. Which has its upside. You think you have to be twice as good as the next person. Its made me work hard because Ive always felt I needed to do a little bit better than a lot of people around me, who are being taken more at face value. Since going into politics hes only been an MP since 2015 he says that has intensified slightly. What Ive always said since I made the commitment to go into politics is dont vote for me because Im a Kinnock and dont vote against me or get irritated by me because Im a Kinnock. Lets work together, lets talk. I hope people can see that Ive got something to contribute that has nothing to do with my family. Jo Cox's husband hopes to continue her legacy after Mair guilty verdict Like many of their peers, he and Thorning-Schmidt, who married in 1996, had separate lives on working days. While Kinnock went to work in Russia for three years (British Council), Sierra Leone (British Council again) and Switzerland (where he was a director of the World Economic Forum), his wife built up a political career in Denmark. Kinnock commuted to Copenhagen every weekend. Thorning-Schmidt rose to become leader of the Social Democrats and in 2011 became Denmarks Prime Minister. When she was up for re-election a scandal broke: one of the couples accountants claimed in a meeting that Kinnock and his wife lived apart on weekdays because Kinnock was gay or bisexual. It was implied in the press that they were also avoiding tax. But the couple were fully exonerated. After the story came out [the accountant] was deeply embarrassed, issued a full apology and no one has ever heard of him since, says Kinnock. Yeah, it was deeply unpleasant. Looking forward, one name that makes Kinnocks face light up is Sadiq Khans. Does he see Khan as the future leader of the Opposition? Youll have to ask him what his plans are. Sadiq is an outstanding politician. He reminded us [Labour] that we are a pro-business party. Being or being perceived to be anti-business never wins elections and thats the lesson that Jeremy and John McDonnell and everybody in our shadow cabinet has to learn. Is there any evidence that they are learning? Its a difficult question to answer because we dont seem to have a vision or a plan. Until we have a clear strategy it is hard for me to answer because we dont know. Kinnock talks a little about the recent incarceration of the man who made death threats against him. It developed over a few months in 2016. He was making death threats in a Facebook group, so we reported him to the police, and when they checked his Facebook profile there were photos of him with guns and knives. Because he had a background in the armed forces and was based in South Wales, not far from my constituency, the police felt that was worrying. Theresa May quotes Jo Cox in PM's New Year message What does he believe was behind the threats? His motivation was difficult to read. It could have been my position on the EU, on the leadership of the Labour Party there were a range of things. There may be a connection with the rise of the Right, he thinks. Theres always been, in politics, a mindset of Lets find someone to blame. Lets scapegoat, lets channel hatred, xenophobia and intolerance. Those people have always existed its just that right now they are rising to the top, and that is very worrying. Its been eight months since Cox was killed. Oh God, I miss her every day, says Kinnock. There are so many times when I still catch myself saying, Ill go and have a chat to Jo about this. I still havent processed it. Theres no explanation or justice that you can see in it. When you see Brendan and their two lovely kids you think, of course, she was a politician but there was so much more of her life that has been lost. Its such a waste. For the first few months I felt very angry about the whole thing, and thats now crystallised into a deep sadness. But I also think it is important to hang on to the words of Brendan its a wake-up call. We should never take any of these things we fought for granted because when we do, bad things start to happen. Follow Stefanie Marsh on Twitter: @MarshStefanie Stephen Kinnock will be speaking at the debate Fear and Loathing: Can the European Union Survive 2017?, at Demos, Europe House, 32 Smith Square, SW1; demos.co.uk/event/fear-and-loathing F lying down under is about to get a lot easier, as tickets for the first direct flight from the UK to Australia are expected to go on sale next month. Qantas Airlines is preparing to start selling tickets for its new non-stop Perth to London flight path in April, according to Australian Business Traveller. The airline providers new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is preparing to make the entire 8,990 mile journey in one go. As well as routes from Perth to London, flights are also in the pipeline to run from Sydney to Chicago and Melbourne to Dallas. The airline has not yet revealed how much the flights will cost and if it will offering special launch fares to lucky jetsetters. However, airline experts have speculated that a return economy ticket could cost around $2,000 because of the fuel surcharge. The exact start date for the new route is still unknown, but the airline says the new service will take flight in March 2018. World bucket list destinations - in pictures 1 /38 World bucket list destinations - in pictures See Santorini The white walls of Santorini have to be seen to be believed. And thats not too much of a chore when done from an infinity pool, overlooking the blues of the Aegean. Skip summers party season and head there in late spring. Same island, less company. Swim in Iceland's Blue Lagoon Icelands not just about the Northern lights - there's also time for unforgettable indulgence. Unwind in its geothermal spas; the bluest lagoons you'll ever see. Heres photographic proof that its the 2017 destination of choice. Visit Iceland New Zealand's South Island Yes, its far away. But a journey to New Zealands South Island is worth its weight in tourist snaps. There are almost too many things to do in New Zealand sailing, trekking, horse-riding so well settle for gawping at the scenery. Visit New Zealand Cruise down the Amazon The Amazon isnt for the casual tourist; its wildlife overload. Take a river cruise, become a nature expert and catch some pink dolphins. Track the Incas in Peru Perus the place to be but its not just for trendy tourists. The Inca trail to Machu Picchu is one of the best ways to gawp at human history REX Lavender season in Provence. Does anything sound more romantic than Provences lavender fields? Endless rows of purple that smells as good as they look. Go in late June to see the season in full force. Shutterstock Roadtrip through California Roadtrip through California and take in some iconic scenery. This has all the makings of a great movie; marvel at human engineering of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and nature's handiwork at Big Sur, on California's central coast. End up in L.A. for a Hollywood ending. The Style Traveller Travel to Cinque Terre Travel to Cinque Terre. Italys rocky coastline is a UNESCO heritage site where the pastel houses cling onto the cliff edge like goats. You can spend your time trekking from village to village or just sunbathe on the rocks. Its worth planning your trip in advance; tourist season packs these villages to the - pleasingly tattered - rafters. Shutterstock See the real Tokyo Forget Lost in Translation and embrace the authentic side of Tokyo. Theres more to the city than neon lights and karaoke rooms. Visit the Jimbocho neighbourhood with its 180 second hand bookshops. Seek out culinary inspiration at the Isetan Department Store food hall where the candy looks like lip gloss. Or spend a cosy night in a sleep capsule at the Siesta hotel. Tie in a Christmas or New Year trip with a ski season - the ski resorts' snow monkeys are an eigth wonder of the world. Shutterstock Marvel at Gaudi's Barcelona Marvel at Gaudis Barcelona. Spend hot days and long nights in the Spanish city which doubles as an architectural dream. There's coastline, a clifftop chapel and the best unfinished cathedral in the world. Gaudis designs are an unforgettable backdrop to a city which heaves with good food, great bars and a never-ending Picasso museum. Shutterstock Modern art in Marfa Hidden in Texas vast desert is this arts hub where the art galleries look like spaceships . Make like the Instagram pack and book in at the El Cosmico campsite - sleep in a trailer under the Texan stars. At the Chinati Foudnation, you'll find Carl Andre, Claes Oldenberg and Dan Flavin. Dont miss the Instagram opportunity at the fake Prada pop-up, just outside the town on the highway. Beyonce snapped a photo there in 2012 and two years later, Vogue labelled it a pop culture landmark. Wildebeest migration in the Serengeti If Planet Earth 2 has got you craving nature, watching the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is a must. Over 1.5 million wildebeest head for dry refuge in the Maasai Mara in May and witnessing the phenomenon is the ultimate in travel luxury. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images Climb Skellig Islands The wonderfully atmospheric backdrop for the latest Star Wars. The monastery on Skellig Michael - the larger of the two Skellig islands was a travel destination for Christians in the sixth century. You will feel worthy; there are 600 perilous steps to climb to the top of the monastic site. No matter your convictions, something will come across you at the top. Even if its just the desire for an Instagram of the puffins. Shutterstock Kick back in the Bora Bora The white sand beaches of Bora Bora are almost too pretty; its coral gardens are an unforgettable. This is honeymoon material (albeit luxury honeymoon material). Dive the Great Barrier Reef This bucket list cliche stays on wish lists for a reason. Scuba dive through coral islands (there are 83 species of the stuff), watch out for shark fins and trek through the Daintree National Park (which can stake a claim to being the oldest tropical rainforest in the world). Getty Images/Jeff Hunter See the Taj Mahal in person The Taj Mahal is the 17th century jewel in Indias crown. Its been attracting tourists and royalty for centuries. It was commissioned by the emperor as a tomb for his favourite wife, and that sense of lavish romance spills into the 21st century. Pose for a photo on that bench made famous by Diana and recreated by William and Kate and then explore Agra by bike. Sundown on the Yamuna will be an unforgettable end to the day. Sail around the Caribbean Experience beaches upon beaches of Caribbean tranquillity. The most exciting way to explore these far-flung islands is by boat. Pick an island (or two), drop anchor, and dive in. The Great Wall of China It's a good walk, made extraordinary by human engineering. Trek the wall which - although you can't see it from space - still feels otherworldly. Sail the Galapagos Islands Darwin visited in the 19th century and the islands still offer visitors magic and inspiration (though discovering an epochal scientific theory is not guaranteed). Biodiversity is big; snorkel with white-tipped sharks and sea lions. Take in the ruins at Tulum Mexico's Mayan walled city has something for everyone. Specatular ruins, hotels approved by the fashion crowd and bars that stay open late into the night. Sink margeritas and enjoy the world class seafood which is as fresh as it gets. It's got tough competition from other entries on this list, but Tulum might also have the best beaches in the world. White sand, clear waters - it's best to see for yourself. Wadi Rum in Jordan Channel your inner Indiana Jones and head to Wadi Rum in Jordan. It's the second Star Wars-approved bucket list destination on this list and it earns it: awe-inspiring scenery conspires with lunar landscapes for maximum impact. Getty Images Go off-grid in the Sahara Rent a four wheel drive or go for extra horse power on a camel. Sweeping dunes await, as do iconic Hollywood locations. Recreate the English Patient in the Cave of the Swimmers. But stick to where's safe; many of the more remote parts of the desert are off-limits. FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images Explore the secret gardens of Marrakech The Morrocan capital is having a moment. Yves Saint Laurent is opening a museum for the labels founder in 2017 and Jasper Conran unveiled his first hotel venture this year. Experience the hustle and bustle of the city's markets - and seek out calm on one of its rooftops. Getty Images Visit Lapland in winter Winter in Lapland is straight from a Christmas card. Finland is trendy and Lapland adds tradition to that mix. Visit the huskies, the reindeer and Santa. But also take a trip to the Arktikum, the glass-roofed museum that houses the history and culture of Finland underneath those famous green lights. Alamy Visit orang-utans in Borneo The Borneo rainforest is full of sights that could provide a lifetime of memories. But something special lies in the orang-utan sanctuaries. Sepilok rehabilitation centre (a favourite of David Attenboroughs) lets you see the orphaned orangutans. You can take a river cruise and see the best of Borneo proboscis monkeys, monitar lizards and if youre lucky, an orang-utan in the wild. EPA/BARBARA WALTON The Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is closest thing youll get to space without stepping outside this stratosphere. This is an adventurers sweet spot; kayak in the gorges, follow horse trails in the mountains. Or if youre feeling above it all, hire a helicopter and view one of Americas oldest national parks from the skies. Rex Shutterstock See Singapores sky gardens The gardens by the bay reach to the sky like technicolour cathedrals. The nature park was built to fill Singapore with flora and fauna. Theres nothing quite like it in the world. When youve got your foliage fix, take a trip to the street food van with a Michelin star. Lunch at Hong Kong Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle is cheaper than a Big Mac, and youre more likely to send a postcard home about it. ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images Walk New Yorks High Line New York can get stuck in cliche a snow globe of Times Square, the Empire State and the MOMA . Thank god for the High Line: this is a genuinely exciting addition to the Big Apple. Take a leisurely walk down and soak in New Yorks finest; public art exhibitions and endless avenues of high rises. Maybe youll get snapped by the Sartorialist. Go now and see the relocated Whitney art museum, now proudly placed at the start of the High Line. Kate Lough Drive a classic car through the Cotswolds The Cotswolds is a dreamy network of honey-coloured stone cottages, boutique spa hotels, luxury delicatessens and pubs so good one of them was just awarded a Michelin star. Top the whole experience off by renting a Jaguar E-type for the weekend. Kate Lough Qantas new aircrafts will have room to seat 236 passengers, including 42 in business class and 28 in premium economy. And while the journey may take quite a few hours, there are plenty of new features to keep long haul flyers happy and comfortable. Therell be new self-service bars - one in business and one in economy, a foot net to provide extra support for tired limbs, and fully redesigned seats. Business class seats will recline to 80 inches, while seats will stretch to 32 inches in economy. Expect to also see high-tech cabin lighting, with a simulated sunrise to gently wake customers on morning flights. The flight will take about 17 hours to cover the 14,498 kilometre distance, making it one of the longest in the world. Still, it beats waiting for a connecting flight for hours. A billionaire Russian whistleblower who died outside his Surrey home could have been killed by a poisoned vegetable soup, an inquest has heard. Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, died after collapsing while jogging near his multi-million-pound home in Weybridge, Surrey, in November 2012. The businessman's death was initially attributed to natural causes, but traces of a chemical that can be found in the poisonous plant Gelsemium elegans were later found in the father-of-twos stomach. In a pre-inquest hearing at the Old Bailey, a lawyer suggested the victim may have dined on a popular Russian dish based on the herb, which could have been switched. Before his death, Mr Perepilichnyy was helping a specialist investment firm uncover a 150 million Russian money-laundering operation, a coroner heard at the same hearing. A capital management company had previously claimed that Mr Perepilichnyy could have been deliberately killed for helping it uncover the scam involving Russian officials. Bob Moxon Browne, QC, for Legal and General Assurance Society, queried why no one appeared to have asked Mr Perepilichnyy's widow what he had for lunch that day. He said: "The contents of Mr Perepilichnyy's stomach were flushed away very shortly after his death. There is no bag of stomach contents. There is a quantity of material that was subsequently retrieved from the stomach cavity." Tests had shown a "suspect compound" that matched the atomic weight of a "vegetable poison", he added. Mr Moxon Browne said: "If he was murdered, it does seem likely he was poisoned rather any other method of bringing about his death. "It is almost incredible a fact no statements have been taken by police from the widow, who was with him that day and had lunch with him." He said there was a "rumour" he had soup containing sorrel, which is a component of a popular Russian dish, but tests did not identify the herb in his stomach contents. The examination was either "not fit for purpose" or there was a "possibility somebody had substituted another vegetable matter for sorrel", Mr Browne added. The court heard of evidence Mr Perepilichnyy had received threats by phone from an organised crime group and had taken out "multiple" life insurance policies before his death. Henrietta Hill QC, for Hermitage, called for a "wider" investigation and said on the day of his death, his daughter had spent a "significant" amount of time with her father. Ms Hill said: "There is an issue why Mr Perepilichnyy had so much life insurance. It has been suggested at one point he was advised to take out multiple policies by his bank manager." The coroner set a three to four-week full inquest for June 5 at a London court, but said he was proposing to deliver his conclusions in Surrey. A man sparked a bizarre police chase after driving away from a south-east London building site in a digger. Police were called to the industrial site in Bexley just after 1am on Monday to reports that a JCB had been stolen. Detectives combed the area and spotted the machine being driven along Northend Road in Erith. The discovery sparked a bizarre pursuit before the driver eventually pulled over. Residents reported the police helicopter also buzzed ahead as officers gave chase. A 34-year-old man, who was wanted on recall to prison, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft of a motor vehicle. He was also wanted for two previous offences of theft and is being held at a south London police station, a Scotland Yard spokesman said. A father accused of murdering his deformed baby son has denied ever hurting him. Mohammed Miah, 37, is on trial at the Old Bailey with partner Rebeka Nazmin, 31, accused of killing their three-month-old son Rifat in July last year. During his 13 weeks of life, Rifat suffered "systematic abuse" that left him with 38 rib fractures, eight fractures to his legs and a broken spine, jurors were told. The terrible injuries were caused by "squeezing" his chest and twisting or pulling on his limbs, the Old Bailey heard. The baby was also allegedly hit with the cord of a mobile phone charger and burned on a radiator, the court was told. After Rifat died, his mother allegedly told authorities that Miah had a problem with their child's deformed hand and had abused him because of it. Both parents allegedly tried to cast blame for Rifat's injuries on another child, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Giving evidence for the first time, Miah broke down in tears when he described how children were "the most important thing" in his life. Asked by defence lawyer Louise Sweet QC if he had ever assaulted his son, Miah replied: "No." He told the court: "I love them (children), they mean the world to me." The court heard that Rifat had a deformed hand and ear, but the family were seeing a plastic surgeon who was confident of being able to operate on the boy once he reached his second birthday. Admin worker Miah, who was born in Birmingham, told the court: "When Rifat was born, it completed me. I felt complete. And I was open to having more kids." Asked by Ms Sweet about Rifat's deformity, Miah replied: "I just wanted to know what he would be able to do with his hands and where we go from there." The defendants, of Poplar, east London, deny murder and causing the death of Rifat. The pair are further charged with causing or allowing Rifat to suffer serious physical harm between March 31 and July 6 last year. Miah, described in court as becoming "significantly overweight" following the death of his father in 2014, is also accused of cruelty towards two other children, who cannot be identified, on July 4 last year. A man has been charged over an attack in east London that left a man fighting for his life. Police rushed to Haggerston in the early hours of Saturday morning to reports two men had been injured. Detectives discovered two victims, both in their 30s, has been injured one with serious head injuries. A 35-year-old man remains in hospital in a critical condition, police said on Monday. A 30-year-old man has been discharged from hospital. It is believed that they had been attacked by two men around 1.15am, who ran away from the scene. Scotland Yard have launched a fresh appeal over the attack and have urged anyone with any video footage to come forward. A spokesman said it is believed people may have videoed the incident or the aftermath on their mobile phones. Hackney Police arrested two men aged 34 and 18 on Sunday. The 34-year-old has been charged with GBH and ABH. He was due to appear at Stratford Magistrates Court on Monday. The 18-year-old man has been released with no further action, police said. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist police is asked to contact detectives at Hackney CID on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. T wo officers were hurt and another man was rushed to hospital after a car was allegedly driven at police in west London. The driver attempted to plough into the officers before driving off after officers approached his vehicle at about 2.50am on Monday near Holland Park roundabout, police say. The car was stopped at the Shepherd's Bush Green entrance to the roundabout a short while later, according to Hammersmith and Fulham police. Dramatic images posted on social media showed the aftermath of a collision between a police car and a smashed up white Citroen without a roof. One man had to be cut from the car and taken as a priority to hospital by the London Ambulance Service (LAS). Two police officers were treated for minor injuries following the crash. Hammersmith and Fulham police tweeted: "Officers approached a vehicle in W12 to speak with occupants, vehicle has driven at officers. These officers avoided injury. "Officers responding to assist their colleagues located & stopped the vehicle nearby. Two officers received treatment for minor injuries. "Two males were detained and are en-route to custody on suspicion of various driving offences, theft of vehicle & attempted GBH." Paramedics treated a man at the scene before he was taken to hospital. An LAS spokeswoman said: "We were called today at 2.48am to reports of a road traffic collision on Holland Park roundabout. "We sent an ambulance crew, incident response officer and a single responder in a car to the scene, with the first of our medics arriving in just over three minutes. "We treated a man on the scene and took him to hospital as a priority." A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: We were called at 3.01am to a road traffic collision at the Holland Park Roundabout involving a police car and another vehicle. One man was released from his vehicle and was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. The incident was over for the brigade at 4.17am. A stalker who harassed journalist and campaign Jemima Goldsmith on Twitter and pleaded with her to come for tea at the Ritz has been slapped with a restraining order. Conor O'Mahoney, 60, bombarded the 42-year-old with messages on Twitter during a campaign that peaked in September last year. Ms Goldsmith called police when O'Mahoney ordered an Addison Lee to her home, after learning the driver had instructions to take her to dinner with him at a London restaurant. At Hammersmith magistrates court today, O'Mahoney, who lives in Deal in Kent, was issued with an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Goldsmith or going within 200m of her home. "When the taxi arrived with instructions to take her to a restaurant, it must have caused her to be concerned about you, obsessively tweeting to her, and wondering what would come next", said Deputy District Judge Turner. "There is little risk of this ever turning into anything more menacing, let alone the risk of physical harm, but she wasn't to know. All she could tell was you were pretty obsessive and had sent a taxi." O'Mahoney was cautioned by police in November 2015 for pursuing Ms Goldsmith, in a campaign of harassment that stretched back to March that year. The court heard he attended an event where she was speaking and approached her to ask for a dinner date. In October 2015, O'Mahoney sent her a message, after apparently attending her home, saying: "I am knocking, your lights are on but no one is home. Try smelling the coffee or contacting the Met." After the police caution, O'Mahoney continued to contact Ms Goldsmith by letter, and also pursued her on Twitter and Instagram, sending up to five messages a day. On September 21 last year, he wrote: "When you are bored of me, do let me know...I feel like a stuck record. It's only tea - or supper. You gotta eat sometime. C." He asked her: "Tea at Ritz, or supper at Savoy?", and after telling Ms Goldsmith he was coming to London the following week O'Mahoney tweeted: "Re: tea at Ritz Tuesday next, I might prefer Claridges. Would you?". O'Mahoney ordered the taxi to Ms Goldsmith's home in west London on September 27, prompting another complaint to police. Prosecutor Kerry McNulty said Ms Goldsmith head "extra concern" when the taxi arrived. "The taxi had been given instructions to collect her and drive her to a restaurant in central London", she said. "He also sent a message on Twitter asking her to meet him at the restaurant." The prosecutor added that Ms Goldsmith has since written to the CPS saying she no longer supports the prosecution of O'Mahoney. Davis Freedman, defending, said O'Mahoney, who has bipolar had been affected by a bout of skin cancer and invasive dental surgery which had affected his mental balance. He added that O'Mahoney has now stopped using Twitter and appears to have responded well to a change in his medication. O'Mahoney, of Freemens Way, Deal, Kent, admitted one count of harassment involving serious alarm and distress. He was ordered to sentenced to a 12 month community order, including mental health treatment, and a 30 day rehabilitation order. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, following the closing of the Verizon acquisition of the internet companys operating businesses, will get a golden parachute package worth around $23 million if shes fired or leaves for good cause within a year, Yahoo disclosed in a regulatory filing Monday. Yahoo also disclosed that Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam in February had said that a purchase price reduction as high as $925 million could be appropriate following Yahoos disclosure of two massive user-data breaches that occurred in 2013 and 2014. Verizon and Yahoo subsequently agreed to shave $350 million from the purchase price for Yahoos internet businesses, to about $4.48 billion, because of the hacks. Yahoo said Thomas McInerney, formerly CFO of Barry Dillers IAC, will take over as CEO of the company following the Verizon deal closing, which is expected sometime in Q2. At that point, the company will change its name to Altaba Inc., with its major assets comprising shares of Alibaba Group. In order for Mayer to get the severance following the Verizon sale closing, she must be terminated without cause or she must leave terminate her agreement for good reason within one year of the change in control, according to the Yahoo filing. Yahoo previously had said that Mayer would resign from the companys board following the closing of the Verizon deal. She is expected to join Verizon for at least an interim period while Yahoo and AOL teams are combined. In addition, CFO Ken Goldman is set to be replaced by Alexi Wellman, who has been VP and global controller of Yahoo since October 2015. Until the Verizon deal closes, Mayer will continue to serve as CEO and Goldman will continue to be CFO. Yahoo also said that on March 10 it appointed Arthur Chong to serve as general counsel. The former top lawyer at Broadcom had served as an outside legal adviser to Yahoo from October 2016 until March 9. Former Yahoo general counsel Ron Bell resigned earlier this month in the wake of the disclosure last year of the security breaches. Story continues Related Video: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. If Mayer is terminated or departs for good cause as CEO, she would receive $3 million in cash, $20 million in equity, and $25,000 in continuing medical-coverage benefits, according to the Yahoo SEC filing. Thats less than the $55 million payout Yahoo had last May estimated Mayer would be entitled to following her termination with a sale of the company. The severance package that she and other outgoing Yahoo execs would receive are in connection with the Sale Transaction, assuming that the Sale Transaction were consummated and each executive officer experienced a qualifying termination on March 8, 2017 (which is the assumed closing date of the Sale Transaction solely for purposes of this transaction-related compensation disclosure), the company said in the filing. Under their severance agreements, chief revenue officer Lisa Utzschneider would receive $16.5 million (including $14.7 million in equity) and Goldman would receive $9.5 million (including $7.8 million in equity). Former general counsel Bell is receiving no payments in conjunction with the sale to Verizon. Earlier this month, Yahoos board said it would not pay an annual bonus to Mayer for 2016 citing the user-data breaches that happened on her watch and that she offered to forgo any 2017 annual equity award. McInerney, who has been a member of Yahoos board since April 2012, had also served as CEO of IACs retailing division (which included HSN and Cornerstone Brands) as well as CFO of Ticketmaster. He currently serves on the boards of directors of HSN, Interval Leisure Group and Match Group. G ang members are committing increasingly violent attacks on rivals in a bid to gain greater status, a senior London trauma surgeon said today. Duncan Bew, the clinical lead for trauma and emergency surgery at Kings College Hospital in Denmark Hill, said he had witnessed a recent change in the injuries inflicted on knife crime victims in the capital. In the past, surgeons would see victims who had been stabbed in the lower regions of the body, aimed at causing so-called humiliation injuries. Mr Bew said: Now we are also seeing people suffering multiple injuries all over the body. The intention does not seem to be to maim people, it is to kill them. Warning: Duncan Bew He said the more violent attacks appeared to be about young people attempting to gain a higher status among their peers. He added: There is a contest for what is known as ratings. They want to get higher ratings in their group. The surgeon described how surgeons were also treating wounds caused by weapons such as screwdrivers as attackers tried to avoid laws on carrying knives. Mr Bew, one of the founders of Growing Against Violence, a project to reduce gang membership and tackle violence, will outline his findings at a conference in London tomorrow to discuss strategies in schools to help keep pupils safe. Jamal Boyce police appeal video Conference organiser Nathalie Richards, founder of the EduKit organisation, said that there was growing concern in schools about knife crime and violence. She said: Schools are desperately looking for ways to keep pupils safe but it is a complex environment and becoming harder. You have young people who are so scared on their way to school that they are carrying a weapon as a way of protecting themselves when statistics show that the opposite is true. The conference comes amid mounting concern over knife attacks in London. Quamari Barnes was a pupil at Capital City Academy In January 15-year-old pupil Quamari Serunkuma-Barnes died after suffering multiple stab wounds as he waited for a bus near the gates of his school in Willesden. A boy, also 15, has been charged with his murder. Last week police appealed for information about the brutal stabbing of 17-year-old Jamel Boyce who has been left in a vegetative state after suffering multiple stab wounds to the chest and leg in an attack outside a McDonalds in Clapham High Street in October last year. Mr Bew called for a new approach to dealing with communities blighted by gangs and violence, saying: We have to understand what is going on, we need to talk to them, listen to them. He added: Instead of a punitive approach you need a community based, more collaborative, public health approach which is not imposed on people. It also needs to be sustained, not one based on a soundbite. Representatives of more than 50 London schools, as well as Home Office minister Sarah Newton, are due to attend the conference tomorrow. T he Met Police will challenge a court ruling which saw compensation awarded to two women who were seriously sexually assaulted by London black cab rapist John Worboys. One of the women, identified only as DSD, was the first of Worboys' victims to make a complaint to the Met in 2003 while the other, NBV, contacted them after she was attacked in July 2007. Between 2002 and 2008, Worboys, who was jailed for life in 2009, carried out more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults using alcohol and drugs to stupefy his victims. In 2014, after the High Court ruled that the Met were liable to the women for failures in its investigation, it said DSD and NBV, who brought their claims under Article 3 of the Human Rights Act which relates to inhuman or degrading treatment, should receive 22,250 and 19,000 respectively. DSD alleged she suffered a depressive disorder as a result of her treatment by officers during the 2003 investigation, while NBV claimed she suffered serious distress, anxiety, guilt and an exacerbation of post-traumatic disorder and depression because of her treatment during 2007. The Met's lawyers have said the case relates to points of principle and nothing was to detract from the bravery of the women who will keep their damages whatever the outcome. In 2015, the Court of Appeal said it was inescapable the High Court was right to find a violation of the Article 3 investigative duty and, under the applicable legal principles, the conclusion on liability was inevitable. On Monday, five Supreme Court justices will consider whether there is an obligation under the Human Rights Act, together with Article 3, to investigate ill-treatment which has been perpetrated by a private individual without any complicity of a public authority. They will consider whether any positive obligation is confined to a requirement to put in place the necessary structure to enable such investigation to be conducted, but does not extend to the conduct of an individual investigation into a particular alleged crime. Among those who have intervened in the case are the Home Secretary, Liberty, and women's rights groups including Rape Crisis England and Wales and the End Violence Against Women Coalition. Jodie Woodward, deputy chair of Rape Crisis England & Wales said: "Rape Crisis England & Wales has supported this intervention to ensure victims and survivors' rights are protected and that the state is held to account. "The details of this case highlight that when there are police failings it has catastrophic impact. "When women and girls report sexual offences to the police it is critical that they are taken seriously and their complaints are acted on promptly and effectively. "It is essential that women and girls have access to reparation when the state fails." Additional reporting by the Press Association. A teenager was left with life-changing injuries after he was repeatedly struck over the head with a hammer during a vicious attack in an alleyway in north London. Police are hunting for three men after the 19-year-old man was violently assaulted in Cricklewood. Scotland Yard said three suspects approached the victim in an alleyway near to Oaklands Passage, punched him in the face and kicked him to the floor in an unprovoked and vicious attack. One of the attackers repeatedly struck him over the head with a hammer, while another hit him with a glass bottle. Appeal: Police want to speak to these men / Metropolitan Police Police and paramedics found the victim bleeding on the floor in the alleyway before he was taken to hospital. He sustained life-changing injuries after the attack including a fractured skull and suffers from seizures. Police have released CCTV footage of the three suspects and are appealing for witnesses to the assault, which happened at about 5.20pm on August 2. Met Police have released CCTV footage of three suspects they want to speak to / Metropolitan Police The footage shows the three men walk into and out of the alley. Police said they then ran off towards Cricklewood Broadway. The first suspect is described as an Asian man wearing a black jacket, black Adidas tracksuit bottoms and black trainers with white soles. He was carrying a blue shoulder bag. Suspect Two is described as an Asian man who wore a grey tracksuit and trainers. The third suspect is described as a tall Asian man wearing a black jacket, grey tracksuit trousers with a white stripe down the side and black trainers. Appeal: Police ask anyone who recognises this man to get in touch Detective Constable Rupy Ghatrora, from Brent CID, said: "This is a shocking incident that has left the victim with life changing injuries. We are keen to identify the three men in the CCTV footage so we can speak to them about the incident." No arrests have been made and enquiries continue. Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on 101 or by tweeting at @MetCC or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. T he man in charge of Oxford Street's Christmas lights has shared a remarkable story of goodwill which happened after he took a ride in a minicab. Steven Medway, 36, was travelling home to Bethnal Green after a night out in central London when he got chatting to his Uber driver about his love of Indian food. The minicab driver, named Fazal, told Mr Medway that his wife makes the best biryani and took his phone number before promising to deliver some over the weekend. Mr Medway, the managing director of trading environment for Oxford Street, said he was at home on Saturday night when the phone rang and the driver informed him he was on the way to see him with the curry dish. Tasty dish, the biryiani that was delivered by an Uber driver He told the Standard: We were chatting about how much I love Indian food and Fazal said, My wife makes the best biryani, you should try some. Id had a bit to drink. He asked for my number and said hed call me. I didnt think anything of it again until the phone rang on Saturday night. He called me to ask if I would be home at about 9pm. I tried to give him 10 for the trip and he almost got offended. He said, Not everything in life is about money. This is about friendship. The curry was amazing, it was really good. I have lived in London a long time and it can be a lonely place. It was just really, really nice. Mr Medway wrote about the gesture on Facebook, describing the Uber driver as quite possibly the kindest man I have ever met. He wrote: Had a conversation with the Uber driver on Tuesday evening when drunk, about how much I love Indian food and biryani. "Uber driver say his wife makes the best biryani and asks for my number. I give him my number and he says he will call me to deliver some. This evening, phone rings and the name says Fasal [sic] biryani. I think who is this? Then I remember the conversation, answer and Fasal says he will be round this evening with the biryani. He has just turned up, I think such a nice guy, I'll give him a tenner for his time. He says no money, this is friendship. Quite possibly the kindest man I have ever met. A coroner has demanded an urgent safety review of the blue paint used on cycle superhighways after a motorcyclist skidded into a bollard in the rain and suffered fatal injuries. Dr Fiona Wilcox issued Transport for London with a prevention of deaths report months before she concludes an inquest into Milan Dokics death. Mr Dokic, 49, crashed in Battersea Park Road, at the junction with Forfar Road, on March 1 last year after losing control of the motorbike in wet conditions at about 1pm. He had entered the CS8 lane one of the first non-segregated superhighways introduced by Boris Johnson to undertake a van. In her report to TfL, Dr Wilcox wrote: The CCTV clearly shows the motorcycle losing grip and sliding along the road. Sadly, Mr Dokic came off and hit a bollard, sustaining injuries that led to his death at the scene. A coroner called for a review of the blue paint used on cycle superhighways / Jeremy Selwyn She said she was due to hear evidence in another death in slightly different circumstances in Battersea where low grip on the CSH (cycle superhighway) may have played a part. At a pre-inquest review at Westminster coroners court on February 14, a collision investigator gave evidence that the painted road surface had a skid resistance of 56.3, compared with the conventional road surface score of 77. The superhighway near the pedestrian crossing was differently constituted and had a skid resistance of 89.8. Dr Wilcox said some cyclists had talked about a lack of grip on parts of the superhighway, which runs between Westminster and Wandsworth. She warned TfL that there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless it took action. Listing six areas of concern, she called for an urgent review of all areas treated with such road surface and replace it with the higher grip surface. "These concerns are too urgent to wait until the full hearing of the evidence to be addressed. The inquest is due to be held this summer. Originally from Belgrade in Serbia, Mr Dokic was a tool hire manager at Jewson for more than 10 years and the father of a teenage boy. His friend David Dacres, 41, said: He was a lovely, absolutely genuine guy and his death was felt by many. I would support any investigation into making things safer. It could save lives. Another friend Igor Novakovic, 52, said: If there is any aspect of it that may make things safer for whoever uses the roads then this is welcome. Milan was a very nice guy, his death was a tragedy and he certainly died too soon, leaving a very young son. Mr Dokics former colleague Dennis Wells added: We all went to his funeral. It was a big loss. TfL was today unable to say how many miles of cycle superhighways had the lower-grip surface. Leon Daniels, TfLs managing director of surface transport, said: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Milan Dokic. Were preparing our response to the coroner and carefully considering the issues raised. "We are confident our cycle superhighway network is improving the safety of Londons roads. T he family of a father of two who plunged to his death when scaffolding he was working on collapsed said today their world was now a darker place. David Luke Smith, 38, died in hospital on Saturday 4, 18 days after suffering catastrophic injuries when the structure gave way in Cricklewood Broadway last month. His sister, Zoe, said: David wasnt just a brother to me, he was my best friend. He made me feel special, safe and secure. "He would always lend a hand if someone needed help. I will never stop loving him he was my world. Mr Smith had worked for the same scaffolding company for more than a decade before the accident. His children, Charlie, 16, and Tia, 14, were said to be heartbroken but staying strong. Ms Smith added: He loved his children with all his heart and always said how proud he was of them. Friends have started an online crowdfunding page to raise 10,000 for his funeral. Mr Smith grew up in Kent and moved to London with his family in 1990. His mother Lorraine said: Davids passing has left a huge hole in my life. He always put other people first. He was the person who would always light up the room when he entered he just had a way of making you feel better when there was something on your mind. My world is a much darker place now. The Health and Safety Executive and the Metropolitan Police are investigating. To donate to Mr Smiths funeral fund visit tinyurl.com/davidlukesmith T he family of a City worker killed by a single punch during horseplay on a work night out today told of their disbelief as his former colleague was jailed for three years. Recruitment consultant Thomas Hulme, 23, died from a brain haemorrhage in hospital 24 hours after being struck in the back of the head in retaliation for tossing Alexander Thomsons shoe out of their taxi window. The pair had been out drinking in Farringdon to celebrate meeting sales targets with two other friends and were travelling on to a house party. The cab had three rows of seats, with Thomson, 33, in the back sticking his feet through a gap into the middle row next to the victims lap. Thomas Hulme died from a single punch to the back of the head Mr Hulme joked he would throw Thomsons shoe out of the window, egged on by another passenger who shouted Go on, I dare you. The shoe landed on the bonnet of a parked car, prompting Thomson to strike the victim through the head rest to the back of his head. The pair got out of the car but Mr Hulme collapsed on Farringdon Street on August 26 last year and never regained consciousness. Thomson broke down repeatedly as details of the assault, described by the judge as arising out of trivial, friendly horseplay, were read out at the Old Bailey. After Thomson was jailed for three years on manslaughter, his victims family said: As a family, we are still in disbelief. Our devastating loss means we are now living life with immense sadness. We no longer have the future we imagined and Tom does not have the life he planned and dreamed of. We miss Tom so much. Mr Hulmes sister Lucy hopes to raise money for campaign group One Punch Can Kill in her brothers memory with a sponsored climb up Mount Kilimanjaro in August. She said: Ive lost my big brother who I looked up to and adored. My life now has a huge void. In some ways I have lost half of me: we were two halves of a whole person for our parents. His father Gary added: Life is unpredictable and life can shock. Our lives are submerged in sadness and sorrow, although we know we were fortunate and blessed for our time with Tom. He had dreams and plans for the future and we have no doubt he would have made those come true. Thomson, of Broomwood Road, Clapham, pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter. He will serve half the sentence before being released on licence. The court heard he had drunk four pints of lager at lunch and in the evening he sank bottles of beer, vodkas, and shots as well as snorting two lines of cocaine. Judge Anthony Bate said: He said: A talented and intelligent young man had a promising life snatched away from him in early adulthood after you lashed out at him in a moment of drunken hot temper. You must live with that responsibility. Detective Inspector Sam Toprak from the City of London Police Major Crime Team said: The two men were friends and had been enjoying a night out when, what started as a prank, ended in tragedy. This was a senseless act that has left Thomas Hulmes family understandably devastated. While nothing will change what has happened I hope that the sentence will go some way to bring them some closure on this heart-breaking time. R esidents in the exclusive and elegant neighbourhood of Holland Park say they would be reduced to living in Third World conditions if a proposed housing development goes ahead. Opponents of developer Christian Candys plans to build luxury apartments in an area famed for its grand double-fronted mansions say local traffic congestion already makes the area seem like a war zone and construction work would make it worse. Mr Candys Guernsey-based CPC Group wants to demolish Thirties mansion block Dukes Lodge, next to the park, and replace it with five stuccoed villas divided into 24 flats. The planning application for the seven-storey building in the same area as David and Victoria Beckhams home includes a double-level basement and was the first high-profile scheme to fall victim to Kensington and Chelseas ban on multi-storey excavations. The councils original ruling was overturned on appeal in January and the developers are now drawing up detailed plans to start work. Famous residents: The Beckhams live nearby / Rex However, residents including Queen guitarist Brian May have objected to the developers traffic management plan. This reveals that there could be up to 80 lorry visits a day to and from the construction site during the busiest period of work and 32,500 over two-and-a-half years. One neighbour said: The pollution is so bad that I cover my mouth every morning when walking to the Tube. Its unacceptable that residents need to worry about their health in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We will soon be living in Third World conditions. Speaking out: Queen guitarist Brian May has objected to the plans / Dave Benett Jon Bradley said the nearby junction was already a war zone, and Ross Yealland added: This plan will bring us local residents three years of hell from life-reducing air quality to nightmare traffic from thousands of individual lorry movements. Simon Farrell QC, writing on behalf of May, said the plan would greatly affect his life and that of his neighbours and all the residents in the area. He went on: The amount of lorry movements if not closely controlled will put the health of residents at risk. The Kensington Society has also objected alongside local councillors Rock Feilding-Mellen and Deborah Collinson. Georgiana Lebus added: This proposal could result in an unacceptable harmful threat to the living conditions and health of those within the area. The traffic scheme has been recommended for approval by council officers who say details show the development can be constructed without causing unacceptable harm to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. A CPC group spokesman said: The development at Dukes Lodge was approved by the planning inspector in 2016 and we are now dealing with pre-commencement of works requirements for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We have submitted an industry-leading traffic management plan for construction vehicles entering and leaving the site. Local disruption will be kept to a minimum. A final decision is set to be made by Kensington and Chelseas planning committee next Tuesday. A Thames lifeboat crew have told of the moment they plucked a tourist from the water after he fell in while trying to take a photograph. The 53-year-old man had fallen in at Deptford Creek as he tried to get a night-time shot of the Cutty Sark. It was the latest in many incidents involving a person toppling into the river while taking a photograph. The man, on holiday from Turkey, was visiting family and friends in London. Before calling 999 his relatives tried to pull him from the creek but could not reach him. The Met police boat was also unable to assist because the river was at its high-water mark, meaning the vessel could not get under the creeks footbridge into the creek. Officers from the Marine Policing Unit lowered a lifejacket and rope to the man who had managed to scramble onto a ledge as they waited for the RNLI lifeboat to arrive from its Waterloo Bridge pontoon. All Thames lifeboats are designed with a shallow air draft, allowing them to travel underneath bridges at high tide. RNLI helmsman Craig Burn told how they found the man curled up in a ball, holding on and shivering. Mr Burn said: We spotted him in the darkness and put the boat alongside him and recovered him into the back of the boat. Rescue: The man has been taking a photo when he fell in "His family and friends were all there watching but no one could get him out. He was quite confused, very cold and shocked the waters very cold at the moment. We were worried he was suffering from hypothermia so we warmed him up gently with blankets. "He said he was taking a photograph and had slipped and fell over the railings. Mr Burn, who has served in the RNLI for 18 years, added: He was a really nice gentleman and really pleased, thanking us that we managed to get him out. He was quite lucky, hed managed to get himself on a little ledge and part of his body was out of the water. His family and friends were really thankful that wed managed to recover him. It was all smiles at the end of the day. Mr Burn added: People should be careful and aware of their surroundings because if its been raining and damp you can easily become disorientated, slip and lose your footing. The unnamed man was taken to Greenwich pier and checked over by paramedics, but was believed to have recovered from his ordeal. T he number of children carrying knives in Londons schools has doubled in the last five years, shocking new figures reveal today. Statistics released by the Met police show that the number of knife related crimes in schools is also rising as politicians described the figures as a wake up call for London. The data shows that the number of pupils caught in possession of knives in schools has risen for a fifth successive year, with 299 students found with knives in 2016, compared to 236 in 2015 and 203 in 2014. In 2011, there were 152 children caught carrying knives in schools. Figures also show a 26 percent increase in the number of knife related crimes taking place in London schools since 2014. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, whose party uncovered the figures, said: These figures are deeply worrying. We need to get these weapons out of our schools. Emergency services outside Victoria Station in central London, where two schoolboys were stabbed and taken to hospital / PA He called on Mayor Sadiq Khan to do more, saying : Most schools provide a secure environment where children enjoy learning, but some are failing our children and becoming more unsafe. Carrying a weapon in school does not mean it is just a school matter - the police will become involved and take action. The Mayor needs to do more to keep weapons out of our schools. He added: As a Dad with children at school this should be a wake-up call. London has been shocked by a number of fatal stabbings in recent months. The figures emerged as police are battling a year on year 14 per cent rise in knife crime across the capital. Nationally knife crime hit a four year high in 2016, after a significant decline in incidents from 2008 onwards. Police cordon off Victoria Station entrance following stabbing Patrick Green, manager of the anti-knife crime charity The Ben Kinsella Trust, blames the rise in both possession and offences on the Government dropping the ball and wants the dangers of knives to be included in the national curriculum. He said: Young people often hold a number of irrational beliefs and misconceptions about carrying a knife. Some young people believe that carrying a knife will protect them, when in fact the opposite is true. In our experience most of the young people who hold these assumptions have been victims of crime in the past and fear further victimisation. For a smaller number of the others it is a status thing, they feel it helps them establish respect in their group. Brooke Kinsella, the Eastenders actress who founded the Ben Kinsella Trust after her 16-year-old brother was stabbed to death in Islington in 2008, was commissioned by David Cameron to write a report on knife crime in 2011. She found that prevention groups were finding it extremely difficult to get into schools to get their message across. However Mr Green added: There are still schools who are failing to engage with organisations who can help their pupils understand the risks associated with carrying knives. The Met recorded 67 knife crime offences in London schools in 2014, 71 offences in 2015, and 85 in 2016. The rising numbers could partly be down to improved reporting following the death of teacher Ann Maguire in 2014 who was stabbed by one of her pupils. Martin Powell Davies, London Regional Secretary, National Union of Teachers, said schools need more resources and time in the curriculum to be able to pick up issues and educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives. The Mets Trident gangs unit has already delivered educational presentations on knife crime to 14,000 young people across London and there are 292 Safer Schools Officers deployed across 550 London schools. London Mayor Sadiq Khans Office for Policing and Crime also want to increase the number of schools officers to cover every secondary school and college in the city. Londons deputy mayor for policing and crime, Sophie Linden, said: The Mayors top priority is keeping Londoners safe, and both he and I are deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime in the capital. Our schools should be places of safety, so were working with police to take knives off Londons streets by targeting those who carry weapons, placing officers in schools to educate young people about the dangers of carrying a knife, and working with retailers to explore what more can be done to reduce the underage sale of knives. Later this month Mr Khan will launch the Mayors Police and Crime Plan that makes tackling knife and gang crime a core priority, which follows his Knife Crime Summit held last Autumn. D utch far-Right leader Geert Wilders and prime minister Mark Rutte were due to clash in a TV election showdown today as a row with Turkey escalated, fuelling tensions over immigration. Two days ahead of the poll, the Netherlands was gripped by a growing bust-up with Turkey that could swell support for Mr Wilderss Freedom Party. Ankara today summoned the Dutch envoy to complain about the actions of police against Turkish protesters at the weekend. Officers used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters near the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. One demonstrator was filmed having his leg gnawed by a police dog. Protesters threw bottles and stones and mounted police charged the crowd. It followed a row over whether Turkish ministers should be allowed to campaign in Europe in a referendum over proposed greater powers for president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 'Nazism is alive in the West' / AP Dutch authorities barred two Turkish ministers from addressing rallies in Holland, leading to Mr Erdogan claiming Nazism is alive in the West. Mr Rutte demanded an apology and other EU leaders sided with the Netherlands. German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said: A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany. The row could benefit the anti-Islam, anti-EU Freedom Party, which is seeking to become the largest party in parliament. It had led in the polls but recently fell behind Mr Ruttes liberals. A former Bond girl who is hoping to be elected as a Conservative councillor has sparked a row after likening an area of north London to a war zone. Catherine McQueen, 38, who starred in Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnans Bond, is to stand in the ward of Camden Town with Primrose Hill. But the Scottish ex-model and actress has angered residents by comparing the area to downtown Mogadishu in Somalia one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Speaking to the Camden New Journal, she said she believed the area was dirty, grimy and dangerous. The 38-year-old studied at City University after beginning her modelling career aged 16. / Getty Images The Tory hopeful told the newspaper: When I tell people that Camden Town is a residential area they cant believe what Im saying: you have people late at night running through the back streets screaming, p****** in the streets, throwing up and then in the day you get drug pushers trying to sell. The mother-of-one, who runs a property business, added that she had looked up what people were saying about the area online shortly after a man was stabbed to death last year and saw that people had compared it to downtown Mogadishu. Paul Cowan, who lives in Primrose Hill, wrote to the newspaper to say he was disappointed and confused at her comments. Catherine McQueen in Bond film Die Another Die He said: Her view of Camden Town being a virtual war zone of criminality rankles with myself and many others I have spoken with who live and work in the area. While there is certainly an undeniable minority of people who behave inconsiderately toward others in any neighbourhood Camden Town, with its unique status as a tourist hotspot and the pressure that places on policing, is in fact showing a small decrease in crime rates compared with other parts of London. Ms McQueen, who wants to clean up the areas streets and crack down on crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs, is the official candidate for the north London ward, traditionally a Labour stronghold. She 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. J eremy Corbyn today warned that Scottish independence would be economically catastrophic, as he sought to clarify his position on a second referendum. With Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon due to unveil her latest stance in Edinburgh this morning, Mr Corbyn claimed Scotland splitting away would lead to turbo-charged austerity north of the border. Ms Sturgeon has already suggested she could hold a second referendum next autumn. The Labour leader faced a backlash from his own MPs after saying it was absolutely fine for such a vote to go ahead. Today Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4 he would oppose another referendum but it would be wrong for the UK Parliament to block it. He said: But lets be absolutely clear, I do not think there should be another referendum, I think that independence would be economically catastrophic for many people in Scotland, it would lead to a sort of turbo-charged austerity with the levels of income the government has in Scotland and because of the very low oil prices and the high dependency on oil tax income. Ms Sturgeon tweeted this morning she was due to make an important speech ahead of the triggering of Article 50, leading to speculation she was gearing up for a second vote. N icola Sturgeon today took a huge gamble by announcing plans to hold a second Scottish independence referendum. She said Scots should be allowed to choose between staying in a Britain of hard Brexit or taking control by becoming an independent nation. A second Scottish independence referendum could take place 18 months to two years from now, she said. Whatever path we take it should be decided by us, not for us, she said at a dramatic press conference. I am ensuring Scotlands future will not just be decided by me, but the people of Scotland. I trust the people to make that choice. The First Minister banked her career on Scottish people feeling so infuriated by Brexit that they will be willing to embark on the risky step of quitting the United Kingdom. Asked if she was putting her own job on the line, she told journalists: Im doing what I think is right for the country. I am not planning not to win. But another failed attempt to secure an out vote so soon after the 2014 result would wipe out the nationalist dream of independence for a generation. Ms Sturgeon blamed Theresa May for the step, saying the Prime Minister had denied Scotland the chance to stay in the single market. She said she was open to discussions with the Prime Minister but the response of the UK Government so far shows they are not willing to compromise. Having a hard Brexit imposed on us would mean a fundamental change to Scotlands entire society and its economy. The option of no change is no longer available, she said. However, we can decide the nature of that change. The referendum would be sought no earlier than autumn next year, to give time for the likely impact of Brexit to become clear. It would no later than spring 2019, in order to give time for Scotland to start separate negotiations before it is too late. Next week I will seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree with the UK Government the details of a Section 30 order [authorising an official referendum], the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum. T he path is now clear for Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations after the Lords passed her Brexit Bill unamended. After weeks of bitter wrangling in both Houses, the Government comfortably fought off two Liberal Democrat bids to again amend the Brexit Bill in the Lords. In a day of drama, the Commons voted to reject two changes made by peers to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which gives the Prime Minister the power to trigger the two-year Brexit talks. MPs first voted against a proposal to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in the UK within three months, by 335 votes to 287, a majority of 48. They then voted against an amendment designed to give Parliament a "meaningful" vote on the final deal, by 331 votes to 286, a majority of 45. Later in the Lords, with Brexit Secretary David Davis watching from the bar of the House, a Liberal Democrat move to reinsert the amendment on the rights of EU nationals living in the UK was rejected by 274 votes to 135, Government majority 139. Peers then voted 274 to 118, Government majority 156, against a move to insist on a "meaningful" vote on the final deal. Loading.... The Prime Minister looks set to wait another fortnight before kicking off the two-year process of negotiating departure under Article 50 of the EU treaties, with formal notification expected to take place in the last week of March. Mrs May's official spokesman played down suggestions that the PM had delayed notification due to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that she plans to stage a second independence referendum in the run-up to the expected date of Brexit in spring 2019. Mrs May needs only to await royal assent of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill before triggering Article 50. There was widespread speculation in Westminster that she could do so as early as Tuesday, when she is scheduled to make a statement on Europe to the Commons. But her spokesman said the PM had always said she would notify the European Council of the UK's intention to leave by the end of March, adding: "I've said 'end' many times but it would seem I didn't put it in capital letters strongly enough." Notification in the last week of March would not only avoid clashing with the general election taking place on Wednesday in the Netherlands, but would also delay the formal opening of negotiations until after a special summit in Rome on March 25 when the remaining 27 member states will celebrate the EU's 60th anniversary. The Prime Minister's European counterparts had been prepared for her to make an announcement this week, with April 6 pencilled in as the date for a meeting of the 27 other EU leaders to respond to the situation - a gathering which will now be pushed back until later that month. Peers had previously backed a Labour-led change to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill which called for ministers to bring forward proposals within three months of the triggering of Brexit talks to ensure the rights of EU nationals continue. Loading.... Just two Conservative MPs voted against the Government's attempt to overturn the amendment on EU nationals. They were Alex Chalk (Cheltenham) and Tania Mathias (Twickenham). The two Tories were joined by 210 Labour MPs, 54 SNP, nine Liberal Democrats, three SDLP, three Plaid Cymru, two Ulster Unionist Party, three independents and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas in opposing the Government. Six Labour MPs voted with the Government, including Frank Field (Birkenhead), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall), Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North), Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West), Graham Stringer (Blackley and Broughton) and Gisela Stuart (Birmingham Edgbaston). They were joined by 319 Conservatives, eight DUP, Ukip's Douglas Carswell and independent Simon Danczuk. Lord Bridges of Headley, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union speaks in the House of Lords / PA Around 3.2 million EU citizens live in the UK while more than a million British expats reside in other EU member states. Brexit Secretary David Davis earlier told MPs he expected a "swift" agreement with EU member states on the issue. A potential Tory rebellion on the second vote - to overturn the proposal from peers for a "meaningful" vote - failed to materialise. Division list analysis shows no Tories opposed the Government's motion to disagree with the Lords amendment. A number of Tory MPs who expressed concerns over the Government's approach appeared to abstain on the meaningful vote amendment by not voting. Loading.... They included former ministers Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry, former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Justice Select Committee chairman Bob Neill, as well as backbenchers Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) and Ben Howlett (Bath). There were 213 Labour MPs who voted against removing the meaningful vote amendment from the Bill and they were joined by 54 SNP MPs. Nine Liberal Democrats, three independent, three Plaid Cymru, three SDLP and Green MP Ms Lucas also voted against removal. The Government's position was backed by 313 Tory MPs, eight DUP, six Labour, two UUP, Ukip's Mr Carswell and independent Mr Danczuk. The six Labour MPs were: Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley), Mr Field, Ms Hoey, Mr Hopkins, Mr Stringer and Ms Stuart. Loading.... As the Bill returned to the Lords, Lord Bridges said withdrawal from the EU was "one of the most momentous" steps the UK would take. He said he was not "deaf to people's concerns" and did not dismiss them as "portraying a lack of patriotism", but the decision to quit the EU had been made and the Bill delivered on it. The Lords was "perfectly entitled" to ask the Commons to think again and had done so, but once again MPs had decided to pass the Bill without amendment. T he Queen is set to give royal assent to the historic Bill authorising Britains exit from the European Union at breakfast time tomorrow, it was revealed today. A copy of the legislation will be rushed to Buckingham Palace in the sovereigns red box to await her signature after final showdowns in the Commons and the Lords tonight. The simple 137-word Bill is expected to complete its parliamentary passage soon after 10pm, following six hours of debate and votes in both Houses. Theresa May could trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty within hours of the royal assent, formally starting the two-year Brexit negotiations, as revealed by the Standard online on Friday. Todays countdown began with ministers vowing to reverse any amendments to the Bill, including the Lords call for a vote on the outcome of talks with the other 27 states. Brexit minister Robin Walker argued that tying Mrs Mays hands would weaken and not strengthen our hand. Lords want a vote on the deal and another guaranteeing the rights of EU citizen - however these amendments are expected to be stripped out / AFP/Getty Images He said: However well-meant amendments on a final vote might be, if they create the impression the UK might change its mind during the negotiations then it can only serve to encourage those who would argue for the toughest possible line. If they constrain the process of negotiation by reducing the time available or reducing optionality, they would weaken and not strengthen our hand. Arch Tory Remainer Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, pleaded for an 11th-hour concession that MPs and peers would get a vote even if negotiations ended with no deal in 2019. I think if the Prime Minister wants a united party then this is a simple reassurance that can be given by ministers at the despatch box that will have the effect, as I say, of me and my colleagues supporting the Government in this, she said on BBC Radio 4. Brexit Secretary David Davis was still writing his speech, which will seek to bring rebels on board, this morning. Two Lords amendments one for a vote on the deal and another guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens were both expected to be stripped out of the Bill by overwhelming majorities in the Commons by around 7pm, after which the Bill goes back to the Lords. Labour sources indicated their peers would bow to the will of the elected House, securing the unamended Bills passage. However, Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, vowed to force a final vote. He scorned Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for planning to lead a rally for EU citizens outside Parliament this evening, saying: I challenge Jeremy Corbyn if you care about this issue, put a three-line whip on your peers. Former Labour chancellor Lord Darling, another leading Remainer, said he would accept the Commons will. Loading.... I dont want Brexit, I think its bad, I think well regret it, but thats the way it is, he said. P rivate documents detailing Prime Minster Theresa Mays travel plans were abandoned on a train in a blunder branded a serious security breach. Downing Street has launched an investigation after the details of Mrs Mays schedule were found by a passenger. As well as setting out transport arrangements for a visit to the North West, the papers included the address of a hotel the Prime Minister was booked in to work from during the afternoon. They also outlined plans for a call to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as arrangements for a "treasurers' dinner" in Altrincham. The documents, discovered in the first class carriage of a train heading for Edinburgh on the day of the visit, were handed to the Daily Mirror. Former royal bodyguard Inspector Ken Wharfe told the newspaper that leaving travel documents on a train was "inexcusable" and a "serious security breach". He said: "In today's environment, it becomes a serious security matter when documents like this detailing the hourly movements of a protected person are misplaced. That's just not acceptable. "Theresa May is given this protection because she is a target and so, of course, this is a serious security risk. "These papers give a detailed assessment of her movements. Had such information reached potential terrorists it could serve to confirm their plans. "But also, importantly, it would highlight the lapse and suggest to those with such terrorist intentions the weakness surrounding their potential target." Mrs May had flown from RAF Northolt, West London, to Manchester before heading to a science park in Warrington for the January 23 visit. After meetings and questions from the media, the plan was to travel by car to The Mere Hotel in Knutsford and later fly back to London after dinner. A Government spokesman said: "We have been made aware of claims around a Government document and will investigate accordingly." A ngelina Jolie today said there was much more to do in the fight against rape in war. Five years on from the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, the Hollywood star called for more prosecutions, increased evidence gathering and better training for armies. She said: All of us involved in PSVI are proud of the work so far. "But with much more to do we are very focused on the next steps: taking the tools that have been developed into the field to help document crimes and support prosecutions, working with militaries to change doctrine and training, and pushing for the implementation of laws to protect the very vulnerable victims. Jolie, special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, launched the campaign against rape in war with Lord Hague, then Foreign Secretary, in 2012. Today they were marking its anniversary by taking part in a discussion panel organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Lord Hague highlighted how millions are still at risk from sex attacks in many war zones. These include Syria and Iraq, where Islamic State has carried out atrocities, and Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigerias north, which have all been ravaged by civil war and are at risk of being devastated by famine. Summit has given survivors a voice A survivor of sexual violence in war who is due to take part in todays panel discussion with Lord Hague and Angelina Jolie says victims are now being given a voice. Angela Atim was 14 when she was abducted from her school in Uganda by soldiers from Joseph Konys Lords Resistance Army. She was marched at gunpoint to Sudan, where she was married to an LRA commander and faced sexual abuse and torture. After eight years she escaped to the safety of the Sudanese government and is now a campaigner for victims and their children. Ms Atim said: Since the global summit in 2014 there has been a lot of change in northern Uganda for the survivors. There was a lot of stigma which has really reduced thanks to the summit and media participation. It really helped the message get round and advocate for the survivors. It has helped empower women who now report their cases. It has really helped give them a voice. It has given them strength. They can go and report incidents to legal agencies that are helping. The mothers have been given courage because they now know people are willing to stand up for them. Its really saving lives. I lived for eight years in the bush. I experienced sexual violence, harassment and I was tortured. It was really terrible to live through all those years. Ms Atim was supported by the charity World Vision. To help people affected by sexual violence in conflict, go to worldvision.org.uk Lord Hague said: The work of everyone involved with the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative shows it is possible to make progress in combating terrible crimes. Angela Atim is a survivor of sexual violence in war "But the events of recent years in many conflict zones have also shown that it is vital to continue and step up this work. The multi-million-pound campaign has faced criticism over how much of an impact it will have, especially given the low number of prosecutions compared with the scale of sexual offences committed in war zones. But Baroness Anelay, the Prime Ministers special representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, said: We have trained over 17,000 military and police personnel on sexual violence issues; deployed expertise to conflict-affected countries around the world and supported survivors and NGOs with over 35 million in UK funding. We are determined to build on this. There is no alternative to a painstaking, long-term effort to erode the culture of impunity for conflict-related sexual violence and the UK government is proud to play its part in tackling these terrible crimes. General Sir Gordon Messenger, vice chief of the defence staff, said: The men and women of our Armed Forces are often the first to encounter the dire consequences of these crimes and may be the only ones able to prevent their re-occurrence. "It has therefore been essential to ensure our people are given the necessary training and expertise to fulfil this task whilst standing ready to support our international partners and local forces in doing the same. In 2014 Lord Hague and Jolie held a London summit on sexual violence in conflict. Britain will stage another summit in 2019, to review commitments made by about 150 governments who backed a declaration of commitment to end sexual violence in conflict. P arents revealed today how they were told to grab your kids and run after a cheetah escaped from its enclosure at a safari park. The animal was on the loose for nearly half an hour at the Port Lympne Reserve in Kent on Sunday afternoon after climbing out during feeding time. Alice Stittle, from London, was visiting the park near Hythe with her husband James and their friends Victoria and Mariano Quijada and their two young children Ruby and Diego. Mrs Stittle, editor of Things & Ink magazine, said visitors were told to hide in a gift shop and the lavatories until the cheetah was captured. She said: We were about to go home and were walking back to the entrance when one of the zookeepers ran over in a panic. He told us, Grab your kids and run. A cheetahs escaped and its on the loose. There was no room at the gift shop, so we had to hide in the ladies toilets. It seemed haphazard. The kids thought it was amazing and kept trying to poke their heads out to see. Safe haven: Victoria Quijada in the ladies lavatory with husband James, left, Mariano Quijada and his children Diego and Ruby / Alice Stittle After about 15 minutes, Mariano went to ask the zookeepers if we could leave and he was told we could walk to our car very quickly as the cheetah was on the other side of the park, but before we got out the cheetah was apparently tempted back into his enclosure with a chicken. Maggie Jones 38, from Maidstone, who was at the safari park with husband Gary, 39, and their children Danielle, 11, and Harry, 13, said: It was pretty scary. Word quickly spread that a big cat was on the loose and parents were shooing their children into the shops and even into the toilets. Everyone was looking round nervously in case it was about to jump out on us. They reassured us it was harmless, but none of the mums and dads were taking any chances. Apparently, it got out of its enclosure and was on the loose where they take safari buses full of people. A spokesman for Port Lympne said a full escape procedure had been launched at 4.30pm. In a statement, animal director Adrian Harland said there had been no real threat to guests and said: He only climbed out to get back with his mother after having been separated to stop him eating all her dinner. The cheetah was calm and pacing the enclosure fence, looking to get back in. Some food was thrown into the enclosure and the cheetah walked back in to get it. No vet intervention was needed. We have secured the enclosures perimeter fencing to ensure that the cheetah cannot climb out again. A British man was today convicted of killing an Indonesian traffic police officer in Bali and sentenced to six years in prison. David Taylor was found guilty of fatal group assault over the death of officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose body was found on a beach in August last year. The 34-year-old DJ, who shed his dreadlocks for the trial, said he accepted the judges decision. His Australian girlfriend, Sarah Connor, 46, was later sentenced to four years behind bars for her role in the death. Both Taylor, originally from Halifax, West Yorkshire, and Connor escaped a more severe murder charge. The pair were arrested after the body of Mr Sudarsa was found on a beach outside the Pullman Hotel in the popular tourist area of Kuta. The veteran officer had 42 wounds to his body, including more than a dozen to his head and neck. The court had heard Taylor and Connor were enjoying a night on the beach on 16 August when they became aware her handbag was missing, and separated to search for it. Taylor has said he approached Mr Sudarsa believing the policeman may have stolen the bag, and the encounter escalated into a fight. Taylor admitted to battering the officer with a pair of binoculars and a beer bottle as the men struggled, but argued he was acting in self-defence. Connor, who has two young children in Australia, had denied playing any role in killing Mr Sudarsa. She said she had only tried to separate the men when they fought. Prosecutors had sought eight-year terms for the pair on charges of group violence causing death. Taylors father John gave a statement after his sons verdict was delivered, expressing condolences for the officers family but insisting his son acted in self-defence. We want to pay tribute to our lawyers...who have provided guidance and support for our family and for our son right from the start, consistently through these very difficult months, he said. Concerning the tragic events of that night on Legian Beach back in August and the subsequent trial, we are immensely saddened and our hearts go out to the widow of officer Wayan Sudarsa and his family to whom we extend our deepest condolences. However, we do believe that our son David feared for his own life that night and his actions reflect that. At the end, we are content with the sentence. A New Yorker dressed in a business suit has sparked a fierce backlash after he was pictured humping a statue designed to symbolise the power of women. In the photo, which has been shared 21,000 times on Facebook, the man can be seen straddling the bronze statue that was installed on Wall Street on Tuesday in honour of International Womens Day. The Fearless Girl statue was placed in front of the iconic Charging Bull statue in the heart of New Yorks financial district last week to challenge the traditionally male environment of the industry. Architectural designer Alexis Kaloyanides took the photo of the man, who was dressed in a blue suit, on Thursday night and posted it on Facebook. The 'Fearless Girl' statue was installed ahead of International Women's Day / Getty Images He captioned it: Almost as if out of central casting, some Wall Street finance broseph appeared and started humping the statue while his gross date rape-y friends laughed and cheered him on. He pretended to have sex with the image of a little girl. Douchebags like this are why we need feminism. Speaking to the television news website Inside Edition, he said: These three young men came along and at first they were hanging off the bull. Then this one guy rushed up and started grinding against the statue of the girl, being lewd and totally inappropriate. 'The Fearless Girl' statues stands across from the iconic Wall Street charging bull statue / Getty Images Ms Kaloyanides said the stunt shocked the crowd of people who had gathered to take photos of the statue. He added: There were people there talking about empowering children and women and for then to have this 20-something showing his entitlement, defiling the statute... it was utterly revolting. The man in the photo has not been identified despite it being shared on social media thousands of times. More than 16,000 people have signed a petition urging the citys mayor to make the temporary statue a permanent feature of Wall Street, which was originally organised by State Street Global. T housands of people have called on the Philippines government to release one of the worlds saddest elephants from a tiny, concrete enclosure. Mali, a 43-year-old Indian elephant, was born in the wild in Sri Lanka but taken to Manila Zoo in the Philippines as a baby. She originally lived with two others, however, they died in 1977 Mali has not seen another elephant since. Now, thousands of supporters have signed a petition set up by PETA in a bid to have the creature transferred to a sanctuary in Thailand. 'Sad elephant': Mali has not seen another elephant for 35 years / PETA The petition claims Mali is one of the worlds saddest elephants. Emotional images of the beast showed her staring mournfully at concrete bollards and the walls of her enclosure. It reads: Mali was still a nursing baby when she was taken from her home in Sri Lanka, where she was just learning how to swim, roughhouse with her cousins, and find her own food. For more than 35 years, Mali has been confined to a barren, concrete enclosure at the Manila Zoo. Wild elephants engage in activities for up to 20 hours every day, moving about and socializing with other elephants. The entire Manila Zoo measures only 0.055 square kilometers, and Mali's enclosure is one small piece of that. For her physical well-being, Mali needs grass to cushion her aching joints and room to move, not a cramped pen. For her emotional health, Mali needs the company of other elephants. According to elephant expert Dr Henry Richardson, who flew to the zoo to examine Mali, she suffers from potentially fatal cracks in her nails and footpads. Some 125,375 have signed the petition to Help Mali. H e was all over Britains TV screens and winning rave reviews but James Norton says he has rarely felt so low as he did at the peak of his success last year. The actor, 31, who appeared in major roles in dramas War And Peace, Happy Valley and Grantchester within the space of a few months, told Vogue he struggled with his rapid rise to fame. On paper, I should have been happier than ever but Ive rarely felt so low, he said. I had been flown over [to Hollywood] for the Golden Globes and stayed in town to promote Grantchester, but for all the heady, boozy, all-expenses-paid fun of it, I was actually just really lonely and really confused by what was happening to my life. Norton also spent the start of this year away from his partner, Taboo actress Jessie Buckley, 27, who went to South Africa to film BBC drama The Last Post after the couple holidayed in Venice. Opening up: James Norton posing for Vogue / Bruce Weber Buckley, who met Norton on the set of War And Peace, has spent months in South Africa making the series by Peter Moffat, about British soldiers and their families facing the end of empire in the Middle East in the Sixties. Speaking while she was away, Norton said: It was the best new year Ive ever had. And now shes gone. We normally have a three-week rule, but this time I dont think its going to work. Its horrible. Loved up: Jessie Buckley and James Norton / Dave Benett The actor, who has been tipped as a possible replacement for Daniel Craig when he steps down from playing James Bond, said he knows he has to stay in shape to help his career. He said: Im not an idiot. I know how it all works and I know why the producers want me to take my top off occasionally. But I reckon its about time that male actors experience the sort of objectification that actresses have been putting up with for years. British Academy Film Awards 2017 1 /56 British Academy Film Awards 2017 Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William Daniel Leal-Olivas- WPA Pool/Getty Image Emma Stone Dominic Lipinski/PA Nicole Kidman Dave Benett Emily Blunt Dominic Lipinski/PA Amy Adams Chris Jackson/Getty Images Michelle Williams Dave Benett Naomie Harris Dave Benett Penelope Cruz Chris Jackson/Getty Images Emma Stone PA Nicole Kidman Ian West/PA Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William Dave Benett Thandie Newton Dave Benett Sophie Turner Dominic Lipinski/PA Laura Whitmore Dominic Lipinski/PA Tom Holland Dave Benett Daisy Ridley Dominic Lipinski/PA Felicity Jones Dominic Lipinski/PA Hannah Bagshawe and Eddie Redmayne Dave Benett Meryl Streep Dominic Lipinski/PA Taylor Hill PA Dev Patel Ian West/PA Holliday Grainger Dave Benett Isabelle Huppert Dave Benett Jamie Dornan and Amelia Warner Dominic Lipinski/PA Viola Davis and Julius Tennon Ian West/P Andrew Garfield Ian West/PA Hugh Grant and Anna Elisabet Eberstein Ian West/PA Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Dave Benett J. K. Rowling and Neil Murray Dominic Lipinski/PA Ella Purnell Dominic Lipinski/PA Bryce Dallas Howard and Ron Howard Dave Benett Julia Stiles and Preston J.Cook Dave Benett Julia Stiles Dave Benett Mel Brooks Ian West/PA Elize du Toit and Rafe Spall Dominic Lipinski/PA Tom Ford Ian West/PA Wire Edith Bowman Dominic Lipinski/PA Anya Taylor-Joy Ian West/PA Carmen Ejogo Chris Jackson/Getty Zoe Ball Ian West/PA Jessica Brown Findlay Dominic Lipinski/PA Host Stephen Fry Dave Benett Last year also saw Nortons return to the stage, when he played a paranoid American veteran in a tiny West End venue. He turned down offers of bigger roles to star with Kate Fleetwood in a revival of Bug at Found111, which temporarily converted the empty Central Saint Martins college at 111 Charing Cross Road into a pop-up theatre holding 132 people. Nortons previous theatre appearances include The Lion In Winter at the Haymarket with Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley. He was in the original 2010 cast for Posh at The Royal Court, alongside Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington. The pair played badly behaved members of an exclusive dining society based on the Bullingdon Club, which counts David Cameron and Boris Johnson among its alumni. Cover star: Kate Moss graces the front of this month's magazine / Vogue See the full shoot in the April issue of British Vogue, on sale now. B eauty And The Beast features a feminist Belle and a gay character, but star Stanley Tucci says the new movie is challenging an even bigger US screen taboo interracial couples. The American actor plays Maestro Cadenza, the husband of Audra McDonalds character Madame Garderobe, in the live-action remake of the 1991 Disney classic. They are one of two interracial couples alongside Lumiere and Plumette, played by Ewan McGregor and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Tucci, who lives in London with his English wife Felicity, says he hopes the characters will help to normalise couples of different races in film and TV, which is still rarely seen in the US. He said: This movie will have more resonance than ever and is needed more than ever. The idea of two mixed-race couples was very unusual. In character: Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe / Disney Living in England now, you see that a lot on television, whereas in America you dont see that very often. On TV, youll see an advert for insurance and its a black woman and a white man or an Asian man and a white woman never in America do you see this. The fact these things are part of this film is really, really important. It comes after Hollywood veteran Samuel L Jackson spoke about how interracial couples in Britain were far more the norm than in the States. TODO: define component type brightcove Questioning the casting of black British actor Daniel Kaluuya in the comedy horror film Get Out, which is set in America, he said: Daniel grew up in a country where theyve been interracial dating for 100 years. What would a brother from America have made of that role? Beauty And The Beast hit the headlines for pushing boundaries by featuring an openly gay character and the reinvention of Belle in a feminist direction. Playing the part: Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza / Disney Emma Watson, who plays the titular character, said Disney definitely needs to adapt some of its most famous films to stay relevant. She said popular characters need to undergo makeovers to reflect changing times, adding: Theres a lot of modernising to do. The original of Beauty and the Beast was released in 1992 and now its 2017 and things have moved on from then. The films would fall flat if they didnt speak to the time that theyre being released in. There needs to be some tweaking for sure. Dan Stevens, who plays the Beast, said: Every generation reads something slightly different into it. There are definitely themes we carry forward from the Nineties that are just as relevant now as then. Things have changed, some things havent changed. There were definitely messages we read into this two years ago that seemed to be quite pertinent, that in the two years that weve made it have become shockingly relevant. Beauty and the Beast launch 1 /17 Beauty and the Beast launch Dave Benett Dave Benett Dan Stevens, left and Emma Watson arrive for the Beauty And The Beast launch in London AP Dave Benett Isabel Infantes/PA Dave Benett PA Dave Benett Dave Benett Matt Crossick/PA Matt Crossick/PA Matt Crossick/PA The films stars were speaking in London ahead of its release on Friday. T oby Kebbell says he would be privileged to play James Bond but thinks he is more suited to a villainous role. The British star, 34, is just one of the actors tipped as a possible replacement for Daniel Craig when he steps down from the franchise. Kebbell told the Standard: I dont think anyone wants to see me as Bond, they dont want crooked-teeth Bond, you know what I mean? I would of course be privileged but Im more likely to get the Bond villain. The actor has starred in many big-screen blockbusters, including Fantastic Four, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and the new Kong: Skull Island, but is branching out into comedy. Id like to try everything, he said. Kebbell said there was less pressure working on a blockbuster than on smaller, independent projects and said Kong: Skull Island was the B movie that we all wanted... with great actors and loads of effects. Kong: Skull Island experience at Madame Tussauds London 1 /18 Kong: Skull Island experience at Madame Tussauds London Madame Tussauds unveils its Tom Hiddleston wax figure at the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Staff at Madame Tussauds London add finishing touches to the new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds' Olivia Steen adds finishing touches to Tom Hiddleston's wax figure at the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Brothers Owen and Brodie Burton feel the roar of the new Kong: Skull Island experience at Madame Tussauds London Madame Tussauds' Olivia Steen adds finishing touches to Tom Hiddleston's wax figure at the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds' Olivia Steen adds finishing touches to the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds Visitor Owen Burton feels the roar of the new Kong: Skull Island experience at Madame Tussauds London Madame Tussauds Madame Tussauds' Olivia Steen adds finishing touches to the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds Staff at Madame Tussauds London add finishing touches to the new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds Madame Tussauds unveils its Tom Hiddleston wax figure at the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds Madame Tussauds' Olivia Steen adds finishing touches to the London attraction's new Kong: Skull Island experience Madame Tussauds Staff members make the final adjustments to a waxwork of Tom Hiddleston, as it is unveiled at Madame Tussauds, London PA Staff members make the final adjustments to a waxwork of Tom Hiddleston, as it is unveiled at Madame Tussauds, London Victoria Jones/PA Staff members make the final adjustments to a multi-sensory, animatronic head of Kong as it is unveiled at Madame Tussauds, London Victoria Jones/PA Kong: Skull Island is in cinemas now. A Morrill County District Court judge has sentenced a Bridgeport man to life imprisonment in the shooting death of a Colorado man. In January, a Morrill County District Court jury convicted Zachary Mueller in the November 2015 death of Pedro Dominguez, 33, of Greeley, Colorado. Judge Leo Dobrovolny sentenced Mueller Monday, March 13 on charges of first-degree murder, a Class IA felony; use of a weapon to commit a felony, a Class IC felony; and possession of weapon by a felon, a Class ID felony. The sentence of life imprisonment on the murder charge was mandatory. Dobrovolny sentenced Mueller to 20 to 40 years imprisonment, to be served consecutively, on both weapons charges. Mueller's attorney, Sarah Newell, asked the court to consider Mueller's drug history in deciding sentencing. She said a pre-sentence investigation showed the man had first used alcohol at the age of 9 years old and methamphetamine at the age of 11. He realizes the real consequences of his drug addiction and struggles with it every day, she said. "He will wrestle with it every day when he doesn't get to see his daughter," she said. At trial, witnesses testified that Mueller had been using methamphetamine and acting paranoid in the hours before he allegedly shot Dominguez. Prosecutors accused Mueller of shooting Dominguez in the back of the head while he sat in the passenger seat of a car while his girlfriend drove during the weekend of Nov. 21, 2015. A farmer found Dominguezs body in a barrel floating in a creek near Bayard on Dec. 6, 2015. Mueller was given credit for 371 days already served. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, commonly called drones, have been airborne for several years, but theyre now being used for more than military operations. One of those areas is helping ag producers better monitor how their fields are growing. Many tech-savvy farmers have wanted to incorporate drones into their operations for as long as the vehicles have been flying. But drone flights were pretty much restricted to hobbyists and researchers until 2016. That was when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) loosened its restrictions, allowing for drone use by commercial businesses. Bijesh Maharjan is an extension specialist and associate professor in soil and nutrition management at the University of Nebraskas Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. Before the restrictions were loosened, we had to apply for a certificate of authorization from the FAA before we could fly, he said. The authorization was for one time on one site. After 2016, we have blanket authorization to fly as long as were following their guidelines. Some of the guidelines include not flying within five nautical miles of an airport and not flying at a height of more than 400 feet. The local airport also needs to be notified of the drones flight schedule. In addition, a required pilots examination for commercial businesses has been simplified. Across the state, UNL is using drones primarily for crop scouting. Drones with mounted thermal and multi-spectral cameras can identify any kind of crop stresses. That could include areas subject to insufficient moisture, weeds and pest infestations. The drone cameras can pick up any areas where the crops are stressed, Maharjan said. We use the camera images as a map when we go into the fields to identify the particular problem. That way, we dont have to walk around a whole quarter section. It saves time and energy. The camera images record the different light wavelengths given off by healthy crops, and any variation is flagged for investigation. The goal of the project is not blanket management of entire fields, but identifying specific areas that need attention. We used to apply the same amount of water and nitrogen across the field, Maharjan said. We can now manage each section according to what is needed. Every cropping system is tied into the larger ecosystem. Excessive application of nutrients ends up in the water systems. Drone technology makes it possible to apply just what is needed, helping to reduce environmental problems in other areas. Tests conducted by the university have been able to reduce nutrient input for corn by about 40 pounds per acre without any loss in yield. To date, most of the universitys drone research has been on corn. Maharjan said he hopes to expand the work to include sugar beets, dry edible beans and wheat. This technology is pretty exciting, he said. Were already at a stage where we have solid data that will help us improve the states agriculture. As the cost of technology goes down, more and more producers will be able to take advantage of drones to help improve their yields. Even at the high school level, students are taking an interest in how technology can be used to improve the efficiency of agriculture. Justin Reinmuth, who teaches industrial technology classes at Gering High School, said because of our local agricultural industry, the area has to deal with high nitrate levels in the groundwater because chemicals seem to be used for everything. My students were interested in how they could apply drone technology to limit chemical use and be better stewards of the environment, Reinmuth said. Students in Reinmuths electronics class took on a project to design and build two drones. The first one takes aerial photos of a test field for problem areas. The second drone, equipped with a small aerosol tank of herbicide, is programmed from the photos to spray areas where weeds are a problem. The applicator drone flies just above the crop canopy, so spraying reduces the amount of drift of chemicals into the atmosphere. Because only certain problem areas are sprayed, it also reduces the cost of chemicals that can often be overused. The project was a big success. Entered into the annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, Gerings entry won at the state level, qualifying it for the national competition. Gering is one of 10 schools chosen to compete in New York out of more than 4,000 entries. A top prize of $150,000 will be awarded to each of the top three schools. This technology will have to come to fruition at some point, Reinmuth said. The Lisco and Lewellen areas are already under a Natural Resources District management plan because of their high nitrate levels. The local area isnt far behind and may require a plan in the future. Reinmuth said his students wanted to build a user-friendly drone platform that individual producers could put to use to help reduce their fuel and herbicide costs. National winners will also have the opportunity to team up with major corporations that have the financial resources to develop the technology even further. Were only in the beginning phases, but thats how new technologies develop, Reinmuth said. Someone comes up with an idea and corporations see its viable for what they do. CHADRON Even if youre a Nebraska native, its likely youve never seen swift foxes. No bigger than a house cat, theyre shy, elusive and nocturnal, rare enough to be considered an at-risk species in the state. When researchers set out to study them, they turned to western Nebraska ranchers and college students to help collect information. Essential to the ongoing study are Chadron State College professor Teresa Frink and her students in the colleges range management program. In collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, theyre taking part in an ongoing effort to count foxes with trail cameras and determine environmental and human-related factors that affect their survival. Once common across the Great Plains, the swift fox hangs on today in just 20 to 25 percent of its historic range in short- and mixed- grass prairies, including parts of the Panhandle. When University of Nebraska researchers set out to study the fox, they turned to Frink and her students for help. Because the fox spends much of its time hidden in dens and most dens are on private land, the study required collaboration with private landowners. Many of CSCs students are from the area. Some of them come from nearby ranches or know the landowners. Lucia Corral, a doctoral student from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been working for several years to involve UNL and CSC students in her surveys, in a collaborative study involving Nebraska Game and Parks, Dr. Joseph Fontaine, a professor of wildlife ecology and assistant unit leader with the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and funding from the Nebraska Environmental Trust. Frink, who co-chairs Chadron States Department of Applied Sciences, grew up in Lincoln and studied wildlife and fisheries at UNL before getting her masters and doctoral degrees from South Dakota State University. She came to the college in 2008 to help develop a rangeland wildlife option for CSC students in the range management program. Prior to that, she was involved in bighorn sheep research at Badlands National Park. They were also doing research on swift foxes at that time, so I developed an interest in them, she said. One of the radio-collared foxes the researchers were studying ventured to to Whitney, in northwest Nebraska. Corral and an adviser devised a survey method using trail cameras and enlisted Frinks assistance. Theyre studying all Nebraska canids (members of the dog family) including swift foxes, to determine their distribution and abundance. Id been working with students on swift foxes for a number of years, she said. Many of them come from ranches. It was easy for them to take cameras home and set them up on their property. Corral offered the CSC students training during the intial phase of her research, which will continue for several more years. Global positioning satellite instruments document the location of the trail cameras to allow Corral to map locations where foxes are sighted. Cameras are placed about 20 inches above ground and a mile or more apart, with a scented lure stake nearby. The cameras are triggered by movement detection and record the size of animals and other information. Corrals survey covers 26,000 square miles over 24 counties in the western third of Nebraska. Photos and other project data are archived on the Nebraska Canid Project website. A $210,000 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust helped to cover equipment costs such as trail cameras and lure stakes. While Corral does most of the analysis of the data, students collect most of the field information. Frink found that almost all of her students were willing to help establish contacts with landowners and set up cameras. Among them are Alex Trujillo of Omaha, who hopes to use her future degree to land a job in a zoo, and Kalen Grint of Sargent, who one day hopes to work for Nebraska Game and Parks. Trujillo said UNL provides the students with cameras and lure stakes to attract foxes. Their job is to recruit landowners willing to host the cameras for 10-day study intervals. They were very willing to let us on their property, she said. When we come back, you can put in the chip right away and see what you got. Grint said the cameras catch more than just foxes. Images of coyote, badger, eagles, prairie dogs, red fox and other animals are often more common. They dont care what we get. Theyre trying to figure out which areas swift foxes use, he said. Last year, no swift foxes showed up on the cameras. We are observing fewer swift foxes than we have historically in the northwest Panhandle, Frink said. Fox populations are affected by urbanization, conversion of range to row crop production and other habitat reduction. But theyre especially susceptible to coyote predation. In years when coyote populatins suffer, swift fox populations tend to rebound. Severe drought was actually beneficial to the species, keeping grass cover short and making life harder for coyotes. Outside of trail camera images, few folks are likely to encounter the tiny foxes, which are gray with a black-tipped tail. The red fox is larger, with an orange tint, and has a white tip on its tail. The swift fox tends to live underground in grassy areas while the red fox prefers wooded habitat. You can see them periodically during the day during the denning period, she said. They utilize roadside ditches to hide from coyotes. If you see a pair of eyes in the roadside ditch, it could be a swift fox. The foxes are omnivores that feed on many plants and animals, including insects. During a necropsy, Frink once found 24 wolf spiders in a foxs gut. They also prey on birds, amphibians and small mammals, including prairie dogs. When you tell that to ranchers, theyll say, Ill take 10,000 of of them, Frink said with a laugh. Frinks students also study plant science, wildlife management and how wildlife and livestock interact. Many of them are in the colleges Wildlife Club, which helped Nebraska Game and Parks with a recent survey of bighorn sheep. The club also helps to check in harvested animals during deer season and assists with capturing turkeys and other wildlife during research projects. Fontaine credits cooperating landowners for much of the projects success, since about 97 percent of Nebraska is privately owned. We are so dependent on local land owners. We cant overstate how much we appreciate them participating in the study of these wonderful animals, he said. Frinks association with the project led in an unexpected direction: cooperation with a childrens book by Jeff Kurrus, editor of Nebraskaland Magazine. His book, The Tale of Jacob Swift, includes a foreward written by Frink, who also reviewed the text for scientific accuracy. The cooperative study is the first covering the swift fox since the 1980s. Information gathered by Frinks students will help Game and Parks and other agencies develop effective management, conservation planning and forecasting to help keep the animal from going extinct. In turn, it provides the students with experience with endangered species research that will be beneficial when they go looking for jobs after graduation. Its really good experience for them, Frink said. It builds a lot of relationships among these kids. They do a lot of team-building and problem-solving. Theyre outdoorsy. They like to hunt, fish and camp. It works well with their interests. As a radiation oncologist at Regional West Medical Center, Dr. Mark Hartman is used to the long hours and stress that accompanies his job. Downtime is precious, and spending time outdoors on his horse or in a tractor is often his activity of choice. A self-described farm kid, Hartman grew up on a south-central Nebraska farm near the small town of Holstein. As one of five children, he and his siblings helped their parents on the farm. As the second child and oldest son, he played an active role in farm life from the time he was young. The Hartman family raised corn and soybeans on 1,400 acres, along with hogs and some cattle. They also raised and butchered 300 chickens a year not his favorite chore, Hartman admits. Life on the farm was a good one, but it certainly wasnt easy, he said. I will always be grateful for the things that it taught me, including problem-solving skills, since you couldnt always wait for an adult to arrive. If a problem needed fixing, we learned to reason through it and come up with the best solution. Developing a rock solid work ethic is another one of the things he most appreciates about growing up on a farm. The lessons I learned about working hard and working independently are just unmatched. Even after leaving the farm for college and medical school, then later developing a career as a physician, Hartman continued to look for ways to stay involved in the world of agriculture. Enter membership and volunteering with the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering. I very much enjoy being involved in a museum like Legacy of the Plains that promotes farm and ranch life, he said. I appreciate how the museum exposes people young and old to all types of agriculture; how it was done historically as well as the modern farming methods and the technology that we enjoy today. He adds that he always looks forward to talking with museum members who speak the same language of farming. One of the volunteering opportunities he has enjoyed every year for the past 10 years is helping park cars via horseback during the museums annual fall festival. With up to 1,000 people a day arriving at the museum for the festival, Hartman said its not only great fun being outdoors on his horse, a black Arabian mare named Farah, but its an ideal opportunity to see and visit with current and former patients outside of the hospital environment. Another horseback-related event that he looks forward to every year is the annual Pony Express Re-Ride. Held every May, the re-ride celebrates and remembers the brave Pony Express riders who risked and often lost their lives to deliver the mail during the 18 months of its existence from April 1860 through October 1861. The reenactment involves volunteer riders from the 1,966-mile route from St. Joseph, Missouri, all the way to Sacramento, California. As part of the western Nebraska contingent, Hartman and his fellow riders take turns relaying the mailbag on a route from Bridgeport to the Wyoming state line, a ride that averages four to five hours. One rider at a time carries the bag for a mile before handing it off to fellow traveler. Its just a blast, Hartman said. I love being able to take part in reliving such a historical time in our nations history. Being able to experience some of what the Pony Express riders went through while enjoying the sheer historical component of the day is such a great adventure. He adds that the camaraderie experienced by the riders is another part of what makes the day special. The diverse group, which averages anywhere from 12 to 20 riders, includes professions ranging from farming, ranching, health care, business and this year, a very special addition, Hartmans daughter, Keeley. At 14, this is the first year that shes eligible to be a full-fledged ride participant, and he said both father and daughter are looking forward to sharing the experience together. The 2017 ride begins on June 5 in St. Joseph and ends in Sacramento 10 days later on June 15. The western Nebraska leg of the journey will occur on June 8. As a family, Hartman says he, his wife and their two children look for opportunities to do things together in the great outdoors. Keeley is a competitive horseback rider and travels, along with mom Jacqueline, to horse shows throughout the region. Son Gregg is an avid hunter as well as a Trek bike enthusiast. They also try to get back to the family farm in Holstein every few months, where Hartmans father and brother still farm. Being outdoors is just great mental health relief and something that I absolutely enjoy, he says. Ill always have an interest in agriculture its just part of who I am. (Editors note: Some information for this article is found in Wind Pudding and Rabbit Tracks, a Goshen County history compiled by the Goshen County History Book Committee, sponsored by Homesteaders Museum in Torrington, Wyoming. Homesteaders Museum contributed photographs.) TORRINGTON, Wyo. For the most part, todays Goshen County residents dont know that sugar beets were raised in this area before Holly Sugar Company arrived in the early 1920s. A considerable amount were grown locally and shipped to Scottsbluff and other areas for processing. That practice began after Western Sugar Company opened the processing plant in Scottsbluff in 1910. Prior to that time, sugar beets in the North Platte Valley were shipped further east in Nebraska. Local speculation about the potential for sugar beets in the North Platte Valley of Wyoming had been increasing since the early 1900s. Representatives from Western and Holly had their eyes on this area, but each had to pull together financing and encourage interest among growers. It undoubtedly helped when World War I veterans drew homesteads in Goshen County, mostly in an area served by the interstate government canal on the south side of the North Platte River. The Fort Laramie Canal served growers in Wyoming and Nebraska. The 1921 veterans drawing opened the door for hundreds or even thousands of acres to be planted with sugar beets, and making a local processing plant more plausible. Veteran, Yoder and Hawk Springs were among the communities that benefited from the land drawing. The industry received a major boost when Union Pacific Railroad laid a line through Cherry Creek Valley to south Torrington to serve the Holly operation. Holly finally joined the other companies that had made inspection visits to the valley. Following their June 18, 1920, visit, Holly directors met at Holly Sugar headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to consider the Torrington site. All seemed to be going well regarding the location of a Holly plant in Torrington. However, interest appeared to fade until the Jan. 12, 1923, edition of the Denver Post contained an article announcing that a $1 million facility, with a daily slice capacity of 1,000 tons of beets, would be built in Torrington. It would be built by the Goshen Sugar Company. The first campaign for the Goshen Sugar Company began Sept. 24, 1923. Later in the year, the company was known as Holly Sugar Company. Even though economic times were tough in the early 1920s, local farmers received a $1 per ton bonus on their 1924 crop. It produced the highest sugar content on record to that date, but details are lacking. Construction of the Torrington facility took on new importance. In mid-November 1925, Colorado officials arrived to oversee the project that would be built on the south side of the North Platte River. Union Pacific officials were busy planning a spur from the south to a depot to be located across the street from the Holly factory. Another record was set by a 30-ton per acre crop in Cherry Creek Valley, and a 26 ton per acre yield on another farm. An estimated 300 workers were expected by the end of February 1926. Construction of housing for the men began Jan. 5, 1926. Torrington became home to a plant brought in from Huntington Beach, California. It was going to be able to process 2,000 tons a day. The 250-foot stack would cost about $12,000. The foundation was set 9 feet deep and has a 40-square-foot surface. A close inspection today reveals segments of the letters: Holly Sugar that were painted on the landmark, w;hich still towers above the factory facilities. Heavy machinery arrived from California in March. About this time, a labor dispute arose, but it was soon solved when the contractor released them and explained to the newly formed union members that the factory chose to deal with individuals, not unions. By September, 700 workers were on site, and the payroll was more than $3,500 a day. On Oct. 10, 1926, the first beets from the 1926 crop were sliced and processed into sugar. Local businesses benefited in various ways. Smiths Drug Store secured a concession to operate a lunch stand in the factory building. It offered 24-hour service and hot food. Holly placed some of the first bags of sugar on local store shelves. The plant employed about 350 men and women in addition to the 150 at the receiving stations. Harvesting the beets required about 1,000 to 2,000 laborers, plus the growers and their regular hired help. On Jan. 5, 1927, the end of the first season of processing, it was announced that Holly had sliced about 162,000 tons of beets, making about 21,000 pounds of sugar. The first annual meeting of the Goshen County Cooperative Beet Growers Association elected board members: J.L. Fuller, Huntley; J.W. Kingsley, Yoder; W.J. Knowlton, Veteran; F.E. Odom, Cottier; John Helzer, Torrington; H.S. Kirk, Lingle and Bill Austin, Hawk Springs. Farmers in the North Platte Valley looked forward to additional and increased income from the crop, and area merchants expected to also gain from the new industry. The growers and Holly had disputes over the years, but always worked out a solution that kept the crop viable. It ran into major issues with the outbreak of World War II. Farmers and town dwellers went off to war, leaving youth, women and an assortment of labor pools to continue production. The labor shortage was alleviated with the arrival of prisoners of war. Scottsbluff was the site of the regional POW camp, with satellite camps situated around the area where needs were greatest. One was across the road south of the Holly factory in Torrington and one of the larger camps was at Veteran. According to stories handed down generation to generation, some of the POWs became good friends with area farm families, and continued contact for many years after the war ended. Attempts to secure the needed civilian labor included free bus transportation for volunteer workers, and pay at one time was $9.50 per acre. Some previous laborers from the southern states and Indian reservations had left the area. A local newspaper article reported a possible loss of 1,000 acres of beets, or more, with a value $126,000 from sugar tonnage alone, if the crop was not harvested. The industry survived wars and weather, but ran into an almost insurmountable financial hurdle in the 1970s and 80s. Worldwide conditions, along with disastrous management practices by parent companies nearly closed the Torrington operation in the early 1980s. It labored through the next two decades, but the arrival of the 21st Century brought too much upheaval for the Goshen County operation to continue. In 2001, Holly managed to reach its 75th anniversary of production in Torrington before it fell victim to financial hardships of the parent company. An effort by area producers to purchase the Goshen County business failed and in 2002 the facility was purchased by American Crystal, which leased it to Western Sugar Cooperative, the new grower-owned Western Sugar. That was the official end of Holly Sugar in Goshen County. However, Western Sugar continued processing beets in Torrington. However, the end loomed when in 2015 word began to spread that Torrington operations would end in the near future. In 2016, Western announced that Torrington would run through November. This was to give time for the renovations at the companys plants in Scottsbluff, and in Fort Morgan, Colorado, to be up and running. However, things did not go as planned and processing at Torrington has continued into March 2017. The company has announced plans to retain a small workforce of 20-30 people to package powdered sugar at the Torrington facility, a loss of about 200 seasonal jobs and 60-70 year-round positions. While the close of an era is hard to accept, many families and businesses have benefited from the Holly Sugar Company business at Torrington. Its founders would be proud of its success. A Virginia man has been sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison after being convicted in U.S. District Court of sending death threats to Nebraska residents. Richard Killebrew, 37, of Newport News, was found guilty of cyber stalking, according to a statement from the acting U.S. attorney for Nebraska. After his release from prison, Killebrew will begin a three-year term of supervised release. An investigation by the FBI and the Omaha Police Department determined that between March and July of 2016, Killebrew repeatedly used a computer and cellphone to send threatening messages to people located in Nebraska and elsewhere. He was arrested at his Virginia home and transported to Nebraska to stand trial. After a four-month-long foreclosure process, the old Davis Hospital property on West End Avenue is no longer owned by Fred Godley. Mitchell Community College Property Group, LLC, was the highest bidder in a tax foreclosure sale held on Feb. 21, according to Iredell County Attorney Lisa Valdez. The groups bid was $46,296. Here are a few things to know about the most recent development with the property. LOOKING AHEAD A closing date has not been set, according to Megan Suber, Mitchell Community College public information officer. The next steps for the property will be to conduct a bidding process for demolition of the remaining structure, Suber said in an emailed statement. This will be done in partnership with the city and the county. County officials have estimated the remaining work at the site at about $825,000. The county has secured two grants for a total of $450,000 to help offset asbestos-removal costs. BACKGROUND Iredell County, the City of Statesville and Mitchell Community College jointly agreed to purchase the property in March 2015 for $404,000. The group planned to build a new health sciences center for the college. The original agreement was for Godley to deliver a clean site, but that never happened. Godley did not perform proper asbestos inspections and removal before beginning to demolish some buildings in the summer of 2015. Following complaints by neighbors, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services conducted its own asbestos inspection and immediately halted all work at the site in October 2015. Asbestos-filled debris remained on the ground until the summer of 2016, when the Environmental Protection Agency declared the property a Superfund site and, using government funds, properly removed the debris and erected a sturdy fence. But to this day, several buildings remain standing on the site. The full timeline for removal isnt clear. The College is very excited about the prospect of transforming our community with a new Health Sciences building, Suber said. Expanding our footprint in Statesville will allow us to better serve our students and our community. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on Monday asserted that he suggested neither National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) head Laura Codruta Kovesi, nor Attorney General of Romania Augustin Lazar to resign, but all he did was to evoke "an institution within the Labour Code." "I didn't suggest they resign. I said and asked everyone to refrain from speculating on this issue, and I evoked an institution that exists in the Labour Code. Anybody may resign, nobody is forced to do something against their will," Tudorel Toader specified at the Justice Ministry's headquarters. Romania's Attorney General Augustin Lazar on Monday morning said he will not step down, after the Justice Minister had announced he was going to make an evaluation of the activity of the General Prosecutor and the DNA, followed by measures. When asked Monday, upon entering the General Prosecutor's Hqs., whether he intends to resign, Augustin Lazar answered: "I'm telling you only this: I won't go into public controversy." Minister of Justice Tudorel Toader announced on Sunday at Antena 3 private TV broadcaster that he would meet in the upcoming days with Romania's Attorney General Augustin Lazar and the chief-prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi to discuss the investigation related to OUG 13, showing that he did not rule out the possibility that the two resign. agerpres. This website is intended for U.S. visitors only. COMMENTARY The Republican-controlled House voted last week to approve the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act, which purports to protect consumers but does the opposite by making it harder for people to join class-action lawsuits. The legislation is among a handful of bills that Republican lawmakers have rushed through the House Judiciary Committee in recent weeks while the attention of the public and press has been elsewhere (read: the presidents Twitter feed). Each bill addresses some aspect of the legal system that businesses find bothersome but that consumer advocates say fosters accountability. Ironically, last weeks vote on class actions came during National Consumer Protection Week, which the Federal Trade Commission says is intended to celebrate empowered consumers. Robert Weissman, president of the advocacy group Public Citizen, said the actions of Republican lawmakers speak much louder than the FTCs words. People assume they can get their day in court, he told me. If theyre injured, they can get redress. What these bills are about is stripping people of that right. Thats not how the authors of the various bills tell it, of course. They say theyre fighting the good fight on behalf of beleaguered citizens. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the Judiciary Committee and author of the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act, told me his bill is intended to provide Americans with an efficient and just legal system. Frivolous lawsuits have no place in our legal system, and the true victims of frivolous lawsuits are often small businesses and individuals who cannot afford to fight these claims, he said. Apparently this is an extremely urgent issue because Goodlatte introduced his bill only a month ago. It was approved by his committees Republican majority less than a week later without any public hearings or debate. The legislation addresses the abuses within our civil justice system, helps ensure that baseless lawsuits are quickly dispensed with and improves protections for deserving victims so the doors to justice remain open for parties with legitimate claims, Goodlatte said. What it really does is impose strict new rules on class actions that make them a lot harder to get off the ground. Not surprisingly, the bill is strongly supported by the business-boosting U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has spent millions lobbying on its behalf. The legislations key provision would allow a class to be certified that is, to receive court approval for plaintiffs to band together only if all members suffered the same type and scope of injury as the named class representative. Thats a spectacularly unfair stipulation for a bill claiming to be all about fairness. Take air bags. Lets say the originator of a class-action lawsuit was severely injured by an exploding air bag. If Goodlattes bill were law, the only people who could join the suit would be people who received similarly extensive harm. Someone who sustained lesser or different injuries probably wouldnt qualify for the case. Classes typically include a range of individuals who almost never suffer precisely the same degree of injury, said Christine Hines, legislative director for the National Association of Consumer Advocates. If membership in class actions became as narrowly defined as Goodlattes bill envisions, she said, far fewer people would be able to participate in seeking redress for defective products or unfair business practices. Thats why the legislation is opposed by dozens of consumer, civil rights, labor and environmental groups, which said in a letter to the Judiciary Committee that it would obliterate class actions in America. The shame of it is that Goodlattes bill also contains some thoughtful provisions, such as limiting lawyers payouts to a reasonable percentage of whatever plaintiffs are awarded. Often, attorneys walk off with a big chunk of the cash and leave individual class members with relatively little. But these worthwhile ideas are far outweighed by the ridiculous same scope of injury provision. On Friday, the House passed another bill rapidly green-lighted by Goodlattes committee the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act from Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. The legislation will impose mandatory fines on lawyers if a judge determines a case to be meritless. Judges currently have the discretion not to levy penalties in such instances and to just dismiss the lawsuit. Smith told me his bill would serve as a disincentive for lawyers to file junk lawsuits. Democratic lawmakers say the legislation, which also was championed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, could deter lawyers from taking on complex cases that require novel legal arguments, which often are the basis of civil-rights disputes. Another bill thats been approved by the Judiciary Committee and still awaits a turn on the House floor is the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act from Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas. He told me his legislation is intended to prevent double dipping by people submitting more than one claim for asbestos-related harm. It would do this by requiring publication of claimants personal information and work history. Critics say the bill uses the prospect of nonexistent fraud to make the claims process so onerous and so invasive for victims that the payments will be delayed or victims will be deterred from filing claims entirely, according to the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. Put it all together and youve got a bunch of busy-beaver conservative lawmakers quietly, and quickly, pushing through business-backed legislation that failed for years to get anywhere under a Democratic president. The bills now stand a better-than-fair chance of being signed into law by President Trump. Backers of these bills are able to introduce and ram through such pernicious legislation and then sleep at night because they dont talk to those affected, dont listen to their stories, dont grapple with the real-life impact of their actions, Public Citizens Weissman said. Our legal system is far from perfect and, yes, there are abuses of class actions and damages claims. But significantly tilting the playing field in favor of businesses doesnt improve things. Consider recent fraud and defective-product scandals involving Wells Fargo, Volkswagen and air bag maker Takata. Consumers and employees responded with class-action lawsuits. Anyone think those cases are frivolous? David Lazarus, a Los Angeles Times columnist, writes on consumer issues. He can be reached at david.lazarus@latimes.com. TOKYO Japan's Toshiba Corp. is seeking to extend its Tuesday deadline for submitting official third-quarter earnings due to disagreements with auditors over issues at its U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse, sources familiar with the matter said. The earnings have already been postponed once a month ago so that Toshiba it could probe potential problems at Westinghouse. They are set to contain a $6.3 billion writedown for the nuclear unit. The TVs-to-construction conglomerate is in talks with financial regulators for an extension, one of the sources told Reuters on Monday. The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorized to speak to media. Toshiba declined to comment. If it fails to gain approval for an extension, it has a new deadline of March 27 to file or it could face a delisting. A new comedy (about murder!) on NBC and a new Marvel series on Netflix headline this week, which also includes documentaries and returns. Here's more. "Trial & Error," 9 p.m. Tuesday on NBC John Lithgow goes from "The Crown" to this crackpot comedy about an eccentric professor charged with throwing his wife through a glass door. Nicholas D'Agosto is Lithgow's young New York lawyer, with a cast including Sherri Shepherd, Jayma Mays and Steven Boyer. Two episodes air each week. "Cries From Syria," 9 p.m. Monday on HBO A documentary takes an unsparing look at the disastrous Syrian civil war and the ensuing refugee crisis. "Snatch," Thursday on Crackle Rupert Grint (Ron in the "Harry Potter" movies) headlines an adaptation of the 2000 Guy Ritchie action dramedy. "Julie's Greenroom," Friday on Netflix Julie Andrews is joined by new Henson puppets in a series introducing preschoolers to the arts. "Marvel's Iron," Friday on Netflix Presumed dead Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to avenge his parents in Netflix's fourth Marvel series, also starring David Wenham, Jessica Henwick, Jessica Stroup and Carrie-Anne Moss. "Striking Out," Friday on Acorn A four-part Irish legal drama stars Amy Huberman as a Dublin lawyer who leaves her cheating fiance and starts her own firm, specializing in divorce and family law cases. "The Circus," 7 p.m. Sunday on Showtime The documentary series that followed the presidential campaigns returns to cover the Trump White House. This week's major returns: "Young and Hungry" and "Baby Daddy," 7 and 7:30 p.m. Monday on Freeform "Saving Hope," 11 p.m. Tuesday on ION "Greenleaf," 9 p.m. Wednesday on OWN "Hap & Leonard: Mucho Mojo," 9 p.m. Wednesday on Sundance "Braxton Family Values," 8 p.m. Thursday on WE "Review," 9 p.m. Thursday on Comedy Central "The Originals," 8 p.m. Friday on the CW "Into the Badlands," 9 p.m. Sunday on AMC ST. LOUIS A federal judge on Monday ordered that a St. Louis man accused of making at least eight bomb threats to Jewish organizations remain in jail until his possible indictment and trial. U.S. District Judge David Noce said that the allegations against Juan M. Thompson, 32, were very serious, and that allowing him out of jail on bond would not reasonably assure the court that he will not endanger the safety of any other person or the community. Thompson was arrested March 3 and accused of making copycat threats against Jewish organizations as part of a campaign of harassment of an ex-girlfriend. Charging documents claim that in January and February, he emailed Jewish community centers, schools, a museum and other organizations, using either his ex-girlfriends name or his own. He claimed on social media that she was trying to falsely implicate him, the complaint says. Thompsons assistant federal public defender, Lucille Liggett, sought house arrest and GPS monitoring at a hearing last week, saying he had no criminal record and would stay at the home of his mother and stepfather in St. Louis. Noce rejected that, writing that allowing Thompson to stay in the home from which he had allegedly made some threats might not stop him from making more. Noce wrote that GPS monitoring might inhibit his ability to flee, but wouldnt stop threats. He pointed out that Thompson continued his unlawful activity while under judicial orders of protection and after being warned by law enforcement to stop. Noce also wrote that Thompson has been accused of harassing Riverfront Times reporter Doyle Murphy, who documented ethical breaches in Thompsons prior reporting job. Thompson has lived most of his life in St. Louis, Noce wrote, but has lived in New York several times since he was 19, plus Chicago, Minnesota and Iowa. He has also traveled internationally, to Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Rome and the Dominican Republic, and has been prescribed medication for anxiety. Jewish community centers and schools received more than 100 bomb threats in January and February, the JCC Association of North America said. TOWN AND COUNTRY A man who was killed Saturday when his vehicle slammed into a police cruiser has been identified as German Utrera-Velazquez, 53, of St. Louis. The Missouri Highway Patrol said Utrera-Velazquez was westbound on Interstate 64 (Highway 40) at 6:55 a.m. when his 2000 Toyota Corolla lost control on the snowy road and crashed into a Town and Country Police cruiser on the Highway 141 overpass. A spokesman for the patrol said a Town and Country police officer was investigating a minor accident and had gone back to write a report in his car when the Toyota hit the patrol car. Utrera-Velazquez was pronounced dead at the scene. The police officer, David R. Laughlin, 54, was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. ST. LOUIS Police have released the name of the man who was fatally shot on Wednesday night in the Walnut Park West neighborhood. The victim was identified as Jerome Fleweller, 66, of the 3300 block of Park Avenue. The incident occurred in the 5700 block of Acme Avenue about 10:38 p.m., police said. Fleweller was in a car with a woman, 22, and a girl, 17. Police said Fleweller became involved in an argument with someone prior to the shooting. As the victims attempted to flee, shots were fired, killing Fleweller and hitting the girl in the calf. She was taken to a hospital and was listed as in critical but stable condition. The woman suffered a minor injury. Police said the crime remained under investigation. ST. LOUIS A Wellston woman was charged Monday in a deadly robbery that police say stemmed from plans to sell a stolen gun. Dominique L. Williams, 20, of the 6400 block of Wells Avenue, is the third suspect to face charges in the killing of Markus Jones on May 12, 2015. Jones was found dead in the street in the 3100 block of Goodfellow Boulevard about 11:30 p.m with gunshots to his chest and lower back. Police said in court records that Williams told detectives she intended to sell Jones a gun that she had stolen from her brother. She and Jones agreed on a price of $225, police say. Williams, Rowell and Ivory were in a car with Jones to make the gun deal when Rowell and Ivory pulled guns on Jones, demanded his belongings and shot him. Police later obtained text messages between Williams and Jones about the gun transaction including photos of the gun on the day of Jones' death. Police also said Williams' brother had reported his gun stolen to Wellston police. Williams was charged with second-degree murder and armed crminal action. Her bail was set at $500,000 cash. At the time of the killing, Rowell was being held in jail on charges of robbing two teenagers of their cellphones and hoverboards in north St. Louis County in late December. Police said Rowell and another suspect then led police on a pursuit into St. Louis City that ended with a crash where nobody was hurt. In addition to the murder and robbery charges, Ivory is also being held on two counts each of first-degree assault and armed criminal action for an incident out of Berkeley in December. JEFFERSON CITY A proposal designed to crack down on illegal herbicide spraying in Missouris Bootheel farm country is advancing in the state Legislature. With the planting season on the horizon, legislation that would raise fines for illegal herbicide use from $1,000 per field to $10,000 per violation has been approved in the House and is now poised to move forward in the Senate. The measure is among three being pushed by Rep. Don Rone, R-Portageville, after farmers and residents in the region complained about potentially illegal spraying of herbicides that caused crop and tree damage on other farms in the southeast part of the state and in nearby Arkansas. At issue is the herbicide dicamba, which, if sprayed on one crop can drift to nearby fields and damage plants that arent genetically modified to tolerate the chemical. Among the crops damaged last year were row crops like corn and soybeans, but also tomatoes, watermelons and peaches. They were all damaged, so more severely than others, Rone told members of a Senate committee Monday. In addition to toughening the fine, House Bill 662 authorizes the Department of Agriculture to assess a fine of up to $25,000 for repeat offenders. Farmers also could be liable for the cost to the state for testing and for damages to property affected by the illegal pesticide use. The measure has the support of major agricultural groups like the Missouri Farm Bureau and organizations representing corn and soybean growers. I really believe we came up with a pretty good solution, said Tony Benz, legislative liaison for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Benz said the agency has typically investigated 90 herbicide-related cases statewide. In three counties of the Bootheel, there were over 120 cases last year. It became obvious we had to do something, Rone said. He urged his colleagues to move quickly to get the legislation to Gov. Eric Greitens desk. Were going to be planting corn in the Bootheel in two to three weeks, Rone said. We need to get this bill across the finish line. In addition to the penalties, Rone is sponsoring two pieces of legislation that would amend the approval process for herbicides and herbicide-resistant seed in Missouri. One of them, House Bill 605, would require the Missouri Department of Agriculture to determine whether herbicides sold in the state are inherently volatile and develop usage restrictions for those meeting certain criteria. The other, HB 606, would prohibit the sale of herbicide-resistant seed if the corresponding herbicide has not also garnered approval. Both of those proposals are pending in the House. WASHINGTON Five months ago, it would have seemed impossible: Rodney Davis and Ann Wagner are lining up to help President Donald Trump push a repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act through a divided Congress. Both Republican U.S. House members from the St. Louis region denounced and withdrew their endorsement of Trump a month before the Nov. 8 election. But now, in the midst of another epic fight over health care policy, Wagner, R-Ballwin, and Davis, R-Taylorville, Ill., are among about 20 House Republicans charged with getting the votes necessary to topple Barack Obamas signature presidential achievement and replace it with a plan that is drawing fire from many corners of the health care industry and political world. As deputy whips, Wagner and Davis already have met with Trump at the White House, with another meeting planned in the coming days. They are honing talking points and embarking on head counts. Despite pushback from an alphabet soup of groups that starts with the powerful AARP, both members of Congress believe the basic outline of the repeal-and-replace plan that was pushed through two House committees after all-night amendment sessions last week eventually will become law. I think the public clearly understood what our [campaign] message was: to fix a health care system that the ACA has created that is collapsing on itself, Davis said. The voters knew what our agenda was, they knew what the president supported, and I think they expect us to actually live up to the promises that we made. Said Wagner of Trump: He is willing to use his [political] capital and help us do the right thing on behalf of the American people, to keep his promises that were made during the campaign. More importantly, we have this failing Obamacare system. Ninety-six of Missouris 114 counties are down to one [insurance] provider, and we owe it to the American people to get this right and to do what we can to fix it. Road to Team Trump Its said that months can be political lifetimes. In early October, after a decade-old video of Trump speaking crudely about women had surfaced, Wagner and Davis were among the most outspoken House Republicans denouncing their partys candidate. Both said they could not support him. Wagner, who has been a part of GOP efforts to recruit more women officeholders in her four years in Congress, condemned Trumps predatory and reprehensible comments. Davis referred to his three children, including a teenage daughter, and said he and his wife taught them to respect women. Today, Wagner and Davis are on Team Trump. The Republican fix they are wrangling votes for would take away a government mandate to have health insurance while persuading people to buy coverage through expanded tax credits; bigger tax-protected, health care spending accounts; and increased competition among insurance companies created by allowing people to buy plans across state lines. There are many other elements of GOP repeal-and-replace, and the legislative process promises to be intense and arduous. House Speaker Paul Ryan told fellow Republicans that this was the optimum moment to replace the Affordable Care Act, with Republicans in control of Congress and the White House and Aetnas chief executive declaring that the state exchanges set up under Obamacare had entered a death spiral. Even if the plan currently being pushed through the House gets 51 Senate votes, there are companion acts that will be equally challenging to pass. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price is expected to kill or change as many as 1,400 regulations associated with the ACA, Wagner said. And then the GOP would have to follow up with more replacement components, such as allowing insurance carriers to sell plans across state lines, ostensibly increasing competition for consumers. Wagner called that an 80-20 proposition, meaning that a large majority of Americans would support it. The wave, Wagner said, will help the GOP persuade enough Democrats to go along with them to pass it in the House and get the 60 Senate votes necessary. The current part of the plan working its way through the House does not require a 60-vote threshold because it is being done through a legislative maneuver called budget reconciliation. But the Republican plan has drawn almost universal opposition from Democrats, who see it as an abandonment of an Obamacare plan that needs fixing, not replacing. For the time being, Democrats seem content on letting Republicans fight internecine battles over its replacement, setting Republicans up for a bad campaign environment in 2018 if repeal and replace goes south. Davis said he was worried that the health care debate had remained so partisan that it would spill over into other areas where cooperation could be helpful and good for the country, such as Trumps desire to improve the nations infrastructure with a $1 trillion investment. It is all about November 2018 [the next election] vs. actually getting things done for the American people, Davis said. Democrats say that is precisely what Republicans did to regain control of Congress after the passage of Obamacare. Doing their jobs But some Republicans oppose the replacement plan, which is where the whips come in. Conservative House Republicans have ridiculed the replacement as Obamacare lite and say it leaves too much of Obamacare in place. Moderate Senate Republicans worry the House plan cuts too deeply into Medicaid and abandons critical ACA coverage of things such as mental health. This is the breach into which Wagner and Davis, and a handful of other House whips, must step to deliver what Ryan has promised will be a legislative victory over the next two or three weeks. Even then, the GOP plan faces uncertainty in the Senate. Without any Democratic support, the plan could topple with the defection of just three Republican senators. Wagner and Davis understand the challenge, but they say the risk of doing nothing is too great. And they see their standing shoulder to shoulder with Trump just months after declaring him unfit to be president as doing their jobs. Both say that as they have begun to appreciate what Trump, the author of Art of the Deal, brings to the table. My job is to legislate on behalf of my constituents, and frankly I much rather preferred Donald Trump to be president than Hillary Clinton, said Davis. And I have a record of working with whoever the president is. Working together out here is not a bad thing, and I was very impressed with President Trump at our meeting. He is a very gregarious leader. I can see why those who work with him are respectful and like him. He was very generous with us, and he is very committed to making our country and especially in this case, our health care system work for every American. Wagner has been to the White House three times since Trump was inaugurated, the first to commemorate Trumps action aimed at stalling the fiduciary rule enacted under Obama that would require financial advisers to put clients interests first. Advocates said it was necessary to protect investors from unscrupulous advisers who directed their clients into high-fee investments; critics such as Wagner said it would cause some advisers to stop representing lower-asset savers. She was one of about five House whips who spoke at a meeting with GOP leaders. She said she had learned to appreciate Trumps style. First of all it was his 100 percent engagement in this process, Wagner said. No more waiting and no more excuses. He wanted this done. He considered it his package. This man is a pragmatist who likes to get things done, advance the ball, Wagner said. He appreciates people that have strong opinions, who are willing to work. We have had some great engagement. As if Illinois residents didn't have enough to worry about with their intractable budget battle dragging on, now they have to think about zombies. . . . [W]e designate October 2017 as `Zombie Preparedness Month' in the State of Illinois, reads a resolution that the Illinois House really, truly passed last month. The resolution goes on to encourage Illinois residents to take steps to create a stockpile of food, water, and other emergency supplies that can last up to 72 hours. No, lawmakers haven't finally lost their minds due to the an almost two-year budget showdown between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled Legislature. The zombie measure is actually meant as a creative way of getting people to think about preparing for more likely catastrophes like tornadoes and floods. If the citizens of Illinois are prepared for zombies, than they are prepared for any natural disaster, reads the resolution. While a Zombie Apocalypse may never happen, the preparation for such an event is the same as for any natural disaster. "If we need to do something like Zombie Preparedness Month to get people's attention to an important issue like preparing for a natural disaster, then so be it," said state Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, a sponsor, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune. Not everyone was amused. "This may sound like fun, Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, told her colleagues in floor debate, but if you're really concerned about disaster, the natural disaster that's happening in Illinois is all economic. Illinois' budget deficit weighed in at $9.6 billion last week, as Rauner and lawmakers continue their long standoff over how to address the historic shortfall. Long-term funding problems for Missouris public defender system escalated into a crisis recently when lawyers for the states poorest criminal defendants were asked to tackle a 12 percent increase in cases without additional funding. The system has failed citizens for decades with overworked attorneys who are unable to provide adequate representation. The chronic problem prompted a lawsuit last week from the ACLU of Missouri and the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center of St. Louis. They claim the state has failed to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund indigent defense. The suit notes that an attorney who has a caseload 2.65 times higher than the designated maximum as in St. Louis County today cannot provide effective counsel. Gov. Jay Nixon withheld $3.5 million of a $4.5 million legislative funding increase last year for the Missouri Office of Public Defender. Nixon, a former prosecutor, never funded the office adequately during his eight years in office, leading to a series of scathing local and national reports. Michael Barrett, then head of the office, retaliated by appointing the governor to represent an indigent defendant; a court said Nixon was within his rights to refuse the job. Gov. Eric Greitens restored $2.5 million of the money Nixon withheld, but the office remains chronically short of revenue. The practical fallout of a broken criminal justice system is that entire communities of poor people, particularly people of color, can become victims of mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, debtors prisons and racial profiling. One of the few methods of escaping the systemic injustice is to receive a skilled and client-centered defense. Missouri ranks 49th in the nation in spending for indigent defense. The offices budget of $38 million last year was $23 million shy of the amount deemed necessary to meet American Bar Association standards. Even that inadequate amount was the largest the system had seen in years. Escalating caseloads and overworked lawyers contribute to high turnover rates and raise doubts about whether the state is meeting its constitutional obligation to ensure defendants have competent legal representation. Juvenile defendants are among the hardest hit by the inequities. After a two-year investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice found widespread rights violations within the St. Louis County Family Court. The agencies involved agreed on a tracking system to ensure better representation for juveniles. The DOJ found that more than 6,000 children had cycled through the court the previous year and that a single public defender was assigned nearly 400 cases. The new lawsuit alleges that juveniles are still not receiving adequate representation. By failing for decades to adequately fund the public defense system, Missouri has denied thousands of citizens justice and failed to meet its constitutional obligation. Sooner or later, a court is going to drop the hammer. Years ago, Florida-based retailer Smoke Inn launched the Microblend Series, a program that commissions custom, limited edition blends from top manufacturers. The Microblend Series not only represents my love and passion for fine cigars but the appreciation and fellowship for the cigar manufacturers that were so amazing to work with on each release, said Abe Dababneh, owner of Smoke Inn. Today, the series includes Tatuajes Anarchy and Apocalypse, My Fathers El Hijo, Padrons 1964 Anniversary SI-15, Quesadas Oktoberfest Dunkel, Room 101s Big Delicious, Drew Estates Pope of Greenwich Village, and 601s La Bomba Bunker Buster. One of the earlier additionsand one of the few from the collection I hadnt smoked, until recentlywas Solaris from Arturo Fuente. For this Microblend installment, Smoke Inn played no part in the creation of the size or blend, says the Smoke Inn website. When Dababneh approached Fuente about making a Microblend, they decided this would be a perfect project for a small batch of cigars made over six years ago. Carlos Fuente Sr. had produced a small batch of belicoso cigars made from Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper that was uniquely light in its complexion. The cigars sat and aged for over six years. Solaris has a light brown, slightly reddish, clean wrapper beneath a classic Fuente band of red, gold, and green and a secondary band denoting the Solaris name. It clocks in at 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 49. The well-constructed belicoso cap clips easily to reveal an ultra-clear cold draw. The pre-light notes are incredibly faint, even at the foot; only the slightest hints of sweet hay are evident. Smoke Inn describes the Solaris experience as follows: When smoked, we found the flavor mellow yet complex. One could definitely taste the quintessential Fuente flavor profile behind the elegantly aged smoke. My experience was not dissimilar. I would describe the profile as balanced, bready, medium-bodied, classic, and Cubanesque. Flavors range from sweet cream, roasted nuts, hay, toast, and warm tobacco. There is minimal spice. A pesky sourness can creep in randomly, but this taste can be limited by taking your time between puffs. As Solaris progresses to the midway point and beyond, the texture takes on a more syrupy character and the intensity ramps up a bitthough, in my opinion, never moves out of the medium-bodied range. The sweetness and nuttiness are awesome at times, difficult to detect at others. All the while the construction is impeccable. The smoke production is high, the ash holds firm, the draw is clear, and the burn is straight. Solaris sells for $44.75 for a 5-pack or, while not currently available, $89.50 per 10-pack. That means the per-cigar price is $8.95 apiece. Thats a great value, especially if youd appreciate a classic-tasting, well-constructed, finely balanced, medium-bodied cigar with a profile that will remind you of other fine Fuente smokes. Thats why Im awarding the Arturo Fuente Solaris an admirable rating of four stogies out of five. [To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.] Patrick A photo credit: Stogie Guys Waihi Beach Coastguard will officially welcome its newest vessel, the $197,000 purpose-built AVOCO Rescue, to the fleet this month with a public ceremony. Although the 5.8m rescue boat has been out on the water already this summer, Coastguard will hold a launching ceremony on March 18 from 2pm at its Bowentown headquarters. The event will include a blessing from local tangata whenua and have Coromandel MP Scott Simpson, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber, key sponsors and the public in attendance. The purpose-built vessel is a result of a partnership between AVOCO, TECT, The Lion Foundation, First Sovereign Trust, Valder Ohinemuri Trust and the Western Bay of Plenty Coastguard unit. AVOCO have pledged an annual sponsorship contribution of $20,000 for three years which will go towards Coastguards yearly operational costs as well as the running costs of AVOCO Rescue. External funding is paramount to our success. Without them we would not be as well equipped to perform our key role of keeping the community safe when they are out on the water, says Waihi Beach Coastguard spokesperson Jim Pooley. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support from our sponsors, including AVOCO, of seeing this new vessel come to fruition and take our capabilities to new levels. The $197,000 vessel is a 5.8m Naiad designed RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat), powered by twin 115hp Yamaha outboards. It was commissioned to replace Search Two, a 5.5m long vessel, which since being launched in 2003 clocked up more than 1000 hours on the water, and joins Coastguards primary vessel Gallagher Rescue, a 9.5m Naiad powered by twin 250hp Yamaha four stroke outboards. The fleet expansion means Coastguard now has the capability to cover two completely different areas, with Gallagher Rescue overseeing the Bowentown Bar, one of the most notorious in New Zealand, and AVOCO Rescue protecting the channels and shallow areas of the Northern Tauranga Harbour. Jim says since hitting the water back in December, the vessel has logged 29 hours a relatively low number despite the Waihi Beach community swelling from 2700 permanent residents to an estimated 25,000-30,000 over the summer period. Instead, the boat has been put through its paces in essential training exercises, with Coastguard crew learning how to handle the new vessel ahead of its official launch. AVOCO director Alistair Young says AVOCO is proud to be a major contributor to Coastguard and helping provide an excellent, accessible service to ensure all Kiwis enjoy our maritime playground safely. Volunteers are the lifeblood of this community and every dollar counts when it comes to helping support these fantastic efforts. I have had numerous comments over summer from AVOCO members about how fantastic AVOCO Rescue looks on the water and long may it continue. Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber says while the Western Bay covers predominantly rural areas and the surrounds of Tauranga city, ensuring the safety of residents and visitors at the regions popular coastal locations is a core priority for council. Sadly, there are times when people get into trouble and need the help of Coastguard to rescue them, which is why council unanimously agreed to support Coastguards $20,000 funding application toward a building extension at its headquarters to house the new vessel. The northern entrance to the Tauranga Harbour is well guarded by the Waihi Beach Coastguard and the Maketu Estuary and Kaituna Cut are guarded by the Maketu Coastguard. Both these operations are in our district and are in the hands of extremely well-qualified and experienced volunteers. It is essential that their equipment and the rescue fleet are maintained to the highest level. We hope that those people who are helped by Coastguard services really appreciate this dedication and life-saving work. Fast Facts AVOCO Rescue was built in Mount Maunganui by Alloy Cats. It cost $197,000 and is 5.8m long, 0.8m longer than its predecessor. It is a Naiad-designed RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) powered by twin 115hp Yamaha outboards. It is a walk-through design, enabling two extra crew to be on-board and can accommodate the transportation of medical and search and rescue equipment, as well as a stretchered patient. It has radar capabilities, which will aid in safety at night and limited visibility when performing search and rescue missions for a missing person or vessel. The major winners in the 2017 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, Cameron and Margaret Bierre, see their academic qualifications and previous careers as a strength. The couple were announced winners of the regions Share Farmer of the Year competition at the Bay Of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards annual awards dinner held at the Awakeri Events Centre last night. The other big winners were Hayden and Linda McCartie, who were named the 2017 Bay Of Plenty Dairy Managers of the Year, and Hayden Goodall, the 2017 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year. Cameron and Margaret Bierre, both aged 30, are 24 per cent sharemilking 800 cows for Scottie and Jill McLeod at Whakatane, and won $12,500 in prizes. They have been in the industry nine years, with Margaret also working for Eastpack (Kiwifruit), utilising her BSc Ecology and Horticulture. Cameron holds a BSc Agriculture and Agribusiness and has previously worked for Dairy NZ. Both have numerous industry certificates and accreditations. Our academic qualifications coupled with a proven experience in running low-cost profitable dairy systems is one of our strengths, along with pasture management and tight cost control. Their goal is to develop and maintain a resilient business that is profitable across variable payout years and to continue to build equity to have land holdings which will allow a rural lifestyle for their family. The Bierres entered the awards to analyse and re-focus on their business and benchmark it against others in the industry to gain improvement. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, New Zealand Farm Source and Ravensdown, along with industry partner Primary ITO. The winners of the 2017 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year competition hoped that entering the competitions would enable them to meet new people in the Bay of Plenty regions dairy industry. Hayden and Linda McCartie, aged 35 and 38 years, won $8,725 in prizes and are farm managers for the Gow Family Trust 215ha farm, milking 710 cows in Whakatane. Taking a close look at how we manage the farm identifies our strengths and weaknesses and where we need to improve, say the couple. Hayden and Linda McCartie of Whakatane, winners of the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards Dairys Dairy Manager of the Year award. The McCarties believe their strength lies in their team. Everyone works well together, theres good communication between everyone and it is a positive place to work, says Hayden. The layout of the farm and the facilities make our job easier, as there is good cow flow and everything is centrally located. Whakatane farm manager Bridie Virbickas, aged 26 years, was second in the Dairy Manager competition, winning $4900 in prizes. Bridie holds a Bachelor in AgScience, majoring in Agriculture and would like to be contract milking by the 2018/19 season. Bridie is farm manager for Bernard and Linda Virbickas on their Whakatane property, milking 280 cows. She sees the family-orientated business as a strong foundation on which to build her career, with everyone working towards a common goal. Pongakawa associate farm manager Andre Meier, 27, placed third and won $2575 in prizes. Andre works on Ann and Will Nettleinghams 250ha farm, milking 750 cows. He believes a great infrastructure makes farming more enjoyable, making it a lifestyle rather than a job. I work for great owners that have great systems in place and are not concerned about spending money on animal health. Healthy cows are number one, says Andre. Its third time lucky for the 2017 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year, Hayden Goodall, who says entering the awards has given him the opportunity to network with other entrants, farm owners, sponsors and their representatives. Its also allowed me to get my name into the farming industry and has helped with setting future goals. The 24-year-old has been in the industry for three seasons and is currently herd manager for Matt Gow on his 750-cow property at Matata and won $6,525 in prizes. Keeping a good work-life balance is important to Hayden, enabling him to spend quality time with his wife and two young daughters aged five and one. I thrive off achievement and I love to be challenged. I have a passion for this industry and would like to do my part, along with my wife, to help make it a sustainable, profitable and environmentally-friendly career, explains Hayden. As future employers, we want to reflect these principles while providing a fun, family-friendly work environment. Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee competition was 19-year-old Kaimai herd manager Joseph Braybrook, who won $1750 in prizes. His future goals include contract milking by the age of 21 years, and 50/50 sharemilking by the age of 30. Im very driven and focused 100 per cent on my achieving my goals. Joseph is herd manager for Glen Ashford on his 650-cow property. Third place in the Dairy Trainee competition went to 25-year-old farm assistant Nicholas Body, who won $1500 in prizes. He also works on Glen Ashfords Kaimai farm. The Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards winners field day will be held on March 28 at 220 Te Rahu Road, RD3, Whakatane where Share Farmers of the Year, Cameron and Margaret Bierre, sharemilk. Also presenting at the field day will be the regions Dairy Manager of the Year, Hayden and Linda McCartie and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Hayden Goodall. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. Winners of the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards announced last night are from left Hayden and Linda McCartie of Whakatane, Dairy Managers of the Year, Cameron and Marg Bierre of Whakatane, Share Farmers of the Year and Dairy Trainees of the Year Hayden and Chelsea Goodall of Whakatane. Share Farmer Merit Awards: DairyNZ Human Resources Award Cameron & Marg Bierre Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award Andrew Strawbridge Federated Farmers Leadership Award Josh Cozens Honda Farm Safety and Health Award Cameron & Marg Bierre LIC Recording and Productivity Award Cameron & Marg Bierre Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award Andrew Strawbridge Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award Cameron & Marg Bierre Westpac Business Performance Award Cameron & Marg Bierre Dairy Manager Merit Awards: BOP Regional Council Most Promising Entrant Award - Joe Kehely The Business Results Group Employee Engagement Award Hayden & Linda McCartie BlackmanSpargo Rural Law Ltd Leadership Award Andre Meier Fonterra Farm Source Dairy Management Award Hayden & Linda McCartie DeLaval Livestock Management Award Jessica Judd Primary ITO Power Play Award Bridie Virbickas Fonterra Farm Source Feed Management Award Hayden & Linda McCartie Westpac Financial Management & Planning Award Andre Meier Dairy Trainee Merit Awards: When I came to start this company, there were a lot of naysayers saying day charters were crazy and it would ruin the boat, explains Dhardra Blake, Founder of LuxuryDayCharters.com. But, I work with corporate clients, families and high-net-worths who cant afford the time to charter a yacht for seven days or more. It comes down to time and affordability, everybody is busy. If people get the opportunity to take the family out on the boat for a half day, a day or even a few days it feeds a market that didnt necessarily exist before. The method of chartering a yacht for a day opened up an entirely new market of last minute, family and friend orientated escapes which are time, economically friendly and completely customisable. Everything is really customised, continues Blake, you can customise the time, you can customise the location, you can customise the food and beverages, guests can hire a chef for the day or they can cruise to a restaurant. The story of how LuxuryDayCharters.com came to be surrounds the demand for more accessible charter across South Florida, which led to a natural expansion across the Eastern Seaboard of America. I mainly started out here in South Florida because there is a demand, mainly Miami but partly Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, the Keys and The Bahamas. About four years ago I expanded my business north to Newport, Rhode Island, basing there and servicing the new england market in the summer. With an inventory of Westport, Sunseeker, Azimut and Lazzara yachts available for charter for seven days or less, LuxuryDayCharters.com offers a glimpse into the charter lifestyle for those looking to sample the owner lifestyle and cruise the U.S. and The Bahamas in style. "Today the office comprises four further staff members, we also have a presence in Limassol and fully expect further expansion over the next few years," explains Hill Robinson Director Stelios Kazamia. Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 2004, with a regulatory regime in full compliance with the requirements of the EU and OECD, so following Brexit the economic and political links cannot be exaggerated. The law on the island is based on English common law, a benefit making the island attractive for incorporation and marine business investment. Cyprus also has one of the lowest EU corporate tax rates at 12.5%. The Cyprus office now has several vessels under management with services delivered including technical, operational, crew and commercial management, as well as project management, and are primarily responsible for the payment administration on behalf of fleet vessels. This ensures precise review and approval and subsequent remittance of supplier invoices, credit cards and ships cash utilising our HRipay secure online approval system. The team also provide a stakeholder function to Owners and Charterers ensuring that charter fees, the APA and VAT where applicable are paid in accordance with the MYBA Charter Agreement. Working closely with the other International offices, providing the highest levels of service to its clients, Hill Robinson Cyprus is poised to significantly contribute to the Groups growing presence and capability in the Eastern Mediterranean. This expansion coincides with a significant increase in yachting activity around the island, including many larger yachts visiting the marina in Limassol. More than 300 people in the town of Yunquera took part in the sixth edition of the 'Yunquera Guerrillera', a three-day event that commemorates the battle that took place in the municipality during the Peninsular War as Napoleon attempted to enlarge his empire. Spain and France began the war in 1808 as allies when they invaded Portugal together, but a year later Napoleon turned on the Spanish in a war that greatly drained French resources and increased national fervour in the Iberian Peninsula. On Friday and the weekend people dressed up in clothes of the time and participated in theatre performances and re-enactments of the battle in the early 1800s between Napoleon's forces and residents of Yunquera who attempted to defend their homes from the invaders. Performers also demonstrated consequent life in the town under French control in the War of Independence, by highlighting how Napoleon changed life in the peaceful town through tyranny and forced members from very different towns to live together. Resistance such as this against Napoleon's occupation was prominent in several towns at the time, and was the cornerstone of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which completely repudiated the Bayonne Constitution issued in 1808 by Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's older brother. A food market, various parades and thematic walks were also part of the weekend's programme. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Opening this coming Tuesday at the Corpus Playroom, SCENE promises something new for Cambridge theatre, quite literally putting an exploration of race, gender and sexuality centre stage. I was lucky enough to sit in on part of a rehearsal and talk to writers Lola Olufemi and Martha Krish about the importance of their groundbreaking drama. Taken as its bare roots, the play follows an interracial queer couple as they decide to write and stage a play about key moments in their relationship. It was partially written with actors Saskia Ross and Laura Cameron in mind, who play Ayo and Flo respectively. I think the shows important because its giving us a vehicle to talk about race in a way I don't think is often spoken about in Cambridge theatre, Lola tells me. Its a commentary on race rather than a BME cast, or focusing on a specific issue were confronting it head on. Martha elaborates: the duo wanted to put on a play in Cambridge that makes the audience question themselves and their complicity in race issues. To do this, theyve deliberately focused their play on a concrete relationship between two people who deeply care about each other, making the issues at play more than abstract and theoretical. To create this concrete impression, Martha and Lola have drawn on the specific experiences of themselves and friends. Martha describes the writing process as patchwork, and Lola reveals that theyve taken a very democratic approach to their script, allowing the actors to chop and change it according to what felt natural. This building up of the characters becomes evident when speaking to Saskia and Laura, who reveal theyve explored the background of their characters in workshops. It makes everything feel really natural, Saskia explains, emphasising the benefits of gradually approaching characters across an entire Cambridge term. This careful approach has solidified the complexities of the central relationship, and its clearly something the cast has a lot of thoughts on. The power dynamics are difficult, explains Laura. I don't think one is more powerful than the other at all, they dominate different areas of expertise. Flo didnt learn much about race, but coming out and queerness are something she feels strongly about. By focusing on a loving relationship with empathetic and relatable central characters, the play aims to show that the problems the characters face cant necessarily be glossed over. Its a really interesting way to approach the topic, rather than just making the audience feel guilty, notes Saskia. The importance of this play being performed in Cambridge in particular is emphasised by the writers. I think one thing we had in mind when we decided we were going to put on a show here is were dealing with an audience who might think they have more knowledge than an average member of the public, Lola explains. Were in a space where were constantly asked to intellectually think about things. Lola recognises the achievements being made in Cambridge theatre such as actor Saskias direction earlier this term of an entirely BME performance of Macbeth but emphasises that theres still much more to be done. Who feels like they can audition for this show? Where is it set? Lola questions. This production was a passion project, but we also knew it would spark a conversation about something we knew was important in Cambridge, and in Cambridge drama. The weightiness of surrounding issues hasnt made the writing process easy: as Martha explains, the pressure of feeling like your characters could be taken as representation of the entire LGBT+ or BME population can be incredibly off-putting. One of the things we liked was the idea of completely privileging the story of a type of character not represented very often, but this brings an added fear as a writer, she notes. Theres a fear of responsibility we have to do justice to queer women in their own separate identities and also as couples, and also consider race dynamics in relationships. Theres lots of things you feel like you have to get right. Yet ultimately the duo are excited about their creation being performed. Its two women in love on stage, Lola tells me. I dont really think Ive seen that for a sustained period of time. SCENE plays at the Corpus Playroom from Tuesday 14- Saturday 18 March, 9.30pm Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. A Listeria outbreak has been putting peoples' life at risk in the U.S. Listeria is a foodborne illness or food poisoning infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. On March 9, it was reported that six people were hospitalized in various places like Connecticut, Florida and Vermont due to Listeria infection. There were also two fatalities that occurred in Vermont, and Connecticut. It is believed that the Ouleout cheese was the major causing factor for the outbreak. The cheese was already sold in places like Washington DC, California, Chicago, and Portland as the makers admitted. The government urged the consumers to remove the cheese from their storages or coolers and to immediately return the product to the manufacturer for a refund. Breeding Grounds Of Listeria Listeria bacteria are found in soil, water and also in certain other animals like poultry and cattle. It is present in raw milk and in those foods that are prepared with raw milk. The bacteria can also survive and grow on food that are stored in cold places like refrigerators and can only be eliminated once cooked or pasteurized. The various breeding grounds of these particular bacteria are deli meats, hot dogs, refrigerated meat spreads, unpasteurized or raw milk, and other dairy products. Furthermore soft cheese that is made with unpasteurized milk, smoked seafood and raw sprouts are also breeding grounds of Listeria. Symptoms of Listeria The various symptoms of the infection are fever, diarrhea, along with fatigue, muscle pain and headache. Individuals also suffer with stiff neck, loss of balance, convulsions if infected with Listeria infection. Who Is at Risk? Pregnant women, newborns, adults aged 65 or above, and people who have damaged or weakened immune system are more prone to catch the infection. It also affects people who go through organ transplant or are suffering from HIV or AIDS or other autoimmune diseases, cancer patients and end-stage renal patients. Reports have shown that Listeria also affects people with drinking problems and diabetes. "Pregnant Hispanic women are 24 times more likely than the general population to get Listeria infection," states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its website How To Prevent Listeria Infection? Viewing the current scenario, scientists and health officials have started alerting people about Listeria and its preventive measures. People are advised to wash hands, knives and cutting boards after preparing uncooked food. People are strictly asked to thoroughly wash raw food under tap water. Heath officials are also advising people to keep uncooked meat, seafood or poultry away from vegetables and fruits. Health officials are advising people to cook food thoroughly before consumption and are also recommending them to reduce the consumption of ready-to-eat foods. Photo: Mark Bonica | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The largest U.S. car market, California may soon allow the testing of self-driving cars to take place on public roads. The self-driving cars are being developed by a number of companies simultaneously, which looks to not only manufacture but also sell these vehicles to the general populace. This announcement by state authorities in California may pave the way for the final push that this technology needs. What The DMV Has Decided The state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is seeking public opinion on its new proposal of testing driver-less cars, along with the use of autonomous vehicles for the purpose of public use, which will not require any standard manual controls such as pedals or even steering wheels. The new regulation proposals were published on Friday, March 10, while April 24 is the deadline for the public to give their opinion about the proposed changes. The new rules if passed will come into effect 2018 onwards. The state has given permits to 27 companies to conduct the test of driver-less cars on public roads which includes vehicle manufacturers such as BMW and Tesla; technology companies such as Alphabet Inc's Waymo and China's Baidu Inc.; suppliers such as Nvidia Corp and Delphi Automotive Plc; and a large number of autonomous startups such as Zoox, Drive.ai. However, the DMV made an argument that the new proposal hasn't changed its perception about self-driving cars. As long as these autonomous cars are adaptable with government safety rules and getting operated in a way to obey the traffic laws of California, then they are considered for the testing process. "I don't want to say we're comfortable. We believe we're requiring certification from the manufacturers that they're ready and that the vehicles themselves are able to operate without causing some harm," said Brian Soublet, chief counsel at the California DMV, in a conference call with reporters on March 10. Previous Rules vs New Rules Before this proposal, it was necessary for the autonomous cars to have the steering wheel for manual control, as well as a backup driver sitting inside who could take charge at any moment if things went wrong. However, with this proposal, car manufacturers just have to ensure that they meet federal safety standards or obtain an exemption from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). California is the fourth state which may allow the testing of self-driving cars on the public roads. Other states such as Florida and Michigan allow these vehicles to be tested on their roads with certain restrictions in place. Michigan also allows testing of the autonomous cars and has placed almost no restrictions on them. State officials in California were criticized by many companies prior to this proposal for its restriction to testing these vehicles on its roads. However, that may change soon. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Constituents calling their local congressmen to voice out their sentiments about a particular policy seems normal. But a cabinet official? That's new. Following his controversial comments against climate change, the office of newly appointed Environmental Protection Agency Chief Scott Pruitt has reportedly been mobbed by phone calls from irate constituents. The Trigger: Humans Had Nothing To Do With Global Warming, Pruitt Says The public uproar was prompted by the EPA chief's ill-informed answers on CNBC's morning news and talk program Squawk Box on March 9. In the show, co-anchor Joe Kernen asked Pruitt if he believes carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary control knob for climate change. "I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do, and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see," he responded. EPA employees who wished to remain anonymous revealed to the Washington Post that the agency was forced to set up an impromptu call center to attend to the sudden influx of incoming calls on March 10, even deploying its interns for backup. Fact Check For The EPA Chief Critics viewed Pruitt's position on climate change as unbecoming of a leading environmental official. More importantly, it also refutes sound scientific evidence from reputable sources, which the EPA - the agency Pruitt now heads - has previously acknowledged. According to the latest assessment by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. On March 10, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released an update about the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Based on the levels measured at NOAA's Mauna Loa Baseline Atmospheric Observatory, CO2 levels increased by 3 parts per million to 405.1 parts per million in 2016 an alarming rise in pace for two consecutive years. Budget Cuts For EPA In Trump Era The White House under President Donald Trump is looking into serious budget cuts for the EPA this fiscal year from $8.2 billion a year to $6.1 billion. Experts believe this will greatly impact the agency to the point of it being unable to carry out its core functions. The latest budget proposal also involves a massive staff reduction from today's 15,000 to 12,000. State grants will be slashed by 30 percent. For example, the ambitious Chesapeake Bay cleanup program, which currently receives $73 million, will only have $5 million in the coming fiscal year. In addition, at least 38 key programs will be completely abolished as well. "This budget is a fantasy if the administration believes it will preserve EPA's mission to protect public health," former EPA Chief Gina McCarthy said in a statement. Trump doesn't believe that climate change is happening. He was highly criticized during the campaign period when he said climate change is a hoax by China to sabotage the U.S. economy. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The White House Correspondents' Association says that they will still welcome Donald Trump to the annual dinner even after the president has stated via Twitter that he will not be attending the event. The dinner, which brings together the politicians of the country and some of the biggest celebrities, is held each year to celebrate political journalism and the important role that it plays in a healthy government. Could this be the first WHCA dinner without the U.S. president in 36 years? Announcement Tweet In a tweet, President Trump announced that he will not be attending the annual WHCA Dinner this year to be held on April 29. The announcement was short and polite, given the president's strained relationship with the media to say the least. If he truly does not attend the dinner that he has been attending as a civilian for years, the WHCA will have to cope with the first WHCA dinner without the commander-in-chief. Thirty-six years ago, President Ronald Reagan also failed to be at the same event for security reasons at the time. 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) Feb. 25, 2017 There is no announcement if the president will send a proxy instead to attend on his behalf, but regardless of the circumstances, the WHCA still welcomes the president should he decide to attend at the last minute. "If President Trump changes his mind, he is welcome to attend the dinner," said Jeff Mason, president of the WHCA. Strained Relationship The president's plan to skip the dinner does not really come as a surprise. His relationship with the media has been seriously strained even before he held office and neither side is willing to back down. On the president's side, he is firm that the media continues to spread "fake news," and even goes so far as to say that the media is the "opposition party." The media, however, has no plans of backing down even after a recent event when a couple of media outlets felt the direct effect of the strained relationship as they were blocked from attending a media gaggle with press secretary Sean Spicer at the White House. Trump And The WHCA Dinner As a civilian, Trump has attended the WHCA dinner on multiple occasions and more often than not, he is poked fun at along with other politicians and celebrities by the invited entertainer of the evening. Though word is that the WHCA has already chosen the entertainer for the evening, they are yet to announce who it will be. Previous hosts include Stephen Colbert, Seth Myers, Joel McHale, Cecily Strong and Larry Wilmore. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The United States now has more than 30 people diagnosed with a deadly and drug-resistant fungal infection since health authorities issued warnings about this pathogen in June 2016. Spreading Worldwide The fungus, a strain of a yeast called Candida auris, has been spreading worldwide, infecting people in dozens of country since its 2009 discovery in a patient with ear infection in Japan. The fungus has since been reported in the United Kingdom, Venezuela, South Korea, Pakistan, Kuwait, Kenya, Colombia, and Israel. Yeast Infection Affecting The Bloodstream Unlike other forms of yeast infection, this fungal infection poses more serious threats such that it infects the bloodstream and spreads from person to person in healthcare settings. Other candida infections affect the throat, vagina, and the mouth, but invasive yeast infections are known to affect the heart, brain, bones, eyes, and other parts of the body, which makes them more dangerous. Drug-Resistant The fungus is also able to survive on the skin for months and on hospital equipment such as chairs and bed rails for weeks. Some strains were likewise found to be resistant to all of three major classes of antifungal drugs. In the United States, 71 percent of the C. auris strains showed some resistance to drugs, which makes treatment more difficult. Health officials said that the pathogen is among a group of newly emerging drug-resistant threats. Thirty-five infected patients were identified so far, and another 18 were found carrying the organism albeit they were not sickened by it. "Based on laboratory testing, the U.S. strains were found to be related to strains from South Asia and South America. However, none of the patients travelled to or had any direct links to those regions. Most patients likely acquired the infections locally," CDC said in a statement after it released its first report to describe cases of the infection in the United States. High Death Rate Sixty percent of identified cases were fatal. Many of those who died had other serious illnesses. Individuals with increased risk for infections are those who recently had surgery. Those with broad-spectrum antibiotic and antifungal use, patients with diabetes, and those with central line catheters inserted in a large vein are also vulnerable to infection. At Least 28 Cases In New York With at least 28 infected individuals, New York has the most number of infections in the United States albeit there are also reported cases of infection in Maryland, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent an urgent alert to clinicians last June 2016 to be on the lookout for infections. "Experience outside the United States suggests that C. auris has high potential to cause outbreaks in healthcare facilities. Given the occurrence of C. auris in nine countries on four continents since 2009, CDC is alerting U.S. healthcare facilities to be on the lookout for C. auris in patients," the CDC warned. Infection requires specialized laboratory methods to be accurately detected. Conventional laboratory techniques may lead to misidentification and even inappropriate treatment that can pose challenge to controlling the spread of infection in healthcare settings. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are inching closer to their March 29 debut at the company's "Unpacked" event in New York. As the unveiling of the successors of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy s7 edge draws nearer, more details pertaining to Samsung's flagship smartphones are surfacing online with greater frequency. The latest leak on Weibo shows off the Galaxy S8 and its bigger sibling the Galaxy S8+ donning to attractive hues - gold and white - suggesting that the two devices will be made available in these options. What Does The Image Reveal? The image of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ shared on Weibo seems to be of the actual handsets and show the two smartphones next to each other. The leaked picture shows the Galaxy S8 donning the white hue, whereas the bigger Galaxy S8+ can be clearly seen sporting a gold avatar. However, apart from the two colors, the leaked image does not offer any new information. That said, it affirms older rumors that the two devices will not have a physical home button and also reveal the dual curved edge screen. One can also espy the on-screen navigation buttons on the Samsung flagships, as well as the multiple slots on the top of the handsets. The leaked images also reaffirm that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will be nearly bezel-less. This is not the first time the Galaxy S8 has leaked in gold. Earlier in January, a render had leaked online which claimed to be the real deal and showed off the handset in this color. The Galaxy S7 is already available in platinum gold and gold options, and Samsung could be looking to carry forward this trend for the next-gen handsets as well. Other Colors In addition to white and gold, as evidenced by older leaks, the two Samsung flagships will come in multiple hues. In February, the smartphones' price and other color options leaked online courtesy a listing by a Ukrainian retailer. This list revealed that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ would be available in Black, Orchid Gray, and Gold options. The rumors surrounding the two smartphones got a boost when in March leakster Rolandt Quandt shared that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ would arrive in a violet variant. He cited an EU retailer as the source of information. The latest assertion by KGI Securities Ming Chi Kuo puts the total count for the colors for the Samsung flagships to seven. Curious about the colors? These are gold, silver, pink, blue, orchid, Bright Black, and Matte Black. Whether some of the colors will be exclusive to specific carriers remains to be seen. Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on April 28. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. One of the advantages of Google's Android mobile operating system compared to rival Apple's iOS is its wide range of customization options, a feature that Apple is not that keen on allowing for iPhone and iPad users. However, this advantage can also be seen as a problem for Android users who simply could not make up their mind on what they want their smartphone to look like. Google is now looking to help users in one aspect of Android customization through the #myAndroid online tool. What Is The #myAndroid Taste Test? The #myAndroid Taste Test is an online tool launched by Google to help users come up with the perfect home screen for their Android devices. The tool is designed for regular users, as opposed to Android fans who are well-versed with the launchers, widgets, and icon packs available for home screen customization. The #myAndroid Taste Test is like the many entertaining quizzes found online that determine whether you really do fit in House Gryffindor or whether you are more of an Iron Man than a Captain America. Once the tool is launched, users will be asked to answer a series of questions that will help determine what the perfect home screen would look like for the quiz-taker's Android device. The quiz should only take a few minutes, though users who will give the choices much more thought will spend a much longer time. Included in the questions are choices between wallpapers, color schemes, icons, the skill level of the user in working with Android, and even a few unusual ones that resemble psychological tests. In addition to preferences, the questions are designed to know more of the user's needs on their home screen. At the end of the quiz, the #myAndroid Taste Test will offer users with three options, with each option including a wallpaper, an icon pack, a launcher, and widgets. Google will not limit itself to the Google Now and Google Pixel launchers for recommendations, with third-party launchers among the options to be offered. These third-party launchers, however, are likely curated beforehand by Google employees. The options offered by the tool will contain all the download links necessary for the apps needed to create the home screen that the user will choose. However, crafting the perfect home screen will not be as simple as installing the recommended downloads, as users will still need to make their own adjustments in each of the apps that they added to their Android device. Is The #myAndroid Taste Test Useful? Android enthusiasts may have already found their perfect home screen, but taking the #myAndroid Taste Test could still prove to be a fun exercise. The recommendations offered by the tool at the end could even be apps that the user has never previously heard of, which would open up new customization possibilities. For regular users or those who have recently switched to Android from iOS, the #myAndroid Taste Test will make it much easier to narrow down the choices for an Android home screen and highlight the massive customization possibilities for Google's mobile operating system. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nissan has launched a recall for over 54,000 vehicles due to an airbag issue, following an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The problem with the airbags of the recalled vehicles, however, is different from the issue of the exploding airbags by Japanese supplier Takata. Nissan Recalls 2012 Versa Cars On Airbag Issues The vehicle recall initiated by Nissan covers over 54,000 units of the 2012 model of the Nissan Versa. The issue with the airbags of the said vehicle is that they may unexpectedly deploy when the doors are slammed. The NHTSA launched the investigation into the matter in October 2016 after owners of the 2012 Nissan Versa filed a complaint that curtain and seat-mounted side airbags on both the driver and front passenger side deployed when the doors were closed. Several 2012 Nissan Versa customers have reported such incidents, prompting the NHTSA to look into the matter. After five months into the investigation, Nissan is now launching a recall for the affected vehicles. The Cause Of The Suddenly Deploying Airbags According to the findings of Nissan, the side airbag connector harnesses of the 2012 Nissan Versa used a wrong combination of metals, which result in oxidation affecting the pins that connect the control units of the harnesses. When oxidation sets in on the connector pins, there is a short communication loss between the airbag control unit and the satellite sensor. Once signal loss happens, the systems of the curtain and seat-mounted side airbags go into a backup mode that enables deployment in the event of a crash. However, because the requirements for airbag deployment under backup mode changes, a simple slam of the 2012 Nissan Versa's doors could be enough to activate the system and deploy the airbags. Nissan noted that usually, the force that would be needed to deploy the airbags from the faulty state could only be generated from passengers slamming the door of the 2012 Nissan Versa from the outside. However, there is the risk of the airbags suddenly deploying while the driver or passenger is still inside the car, which can cause injury to customers. Another Airbag Fix For Nissan Owners of 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles who send in their units to dealers under the recall program will receive new jumper harness kits that will replace the connection terminals with the wrong combination of metals with tin-plated ones. Additionally, dealers will replace the satellite sensors of the recalled vehicles with new ones. Nissan, which has not yet revealed when the recall program will begin, is urging owners of the 2012 Nissan Versa to contact their dealers, the company's customer service hotline, or the NHTSA. The recall for the faulty airbag system of the 2012 Nissan Versa will come in addition to the industry-wide Takata airbag problem, which has caused Nissan to drop the supplier along with other automobile manufactures. The new recall, however, is much smaller than the recall that Nissan launched in April of last year. Also separate from the Takata airbags problem, Nissan recalled 3.5 million vehicles due to risk of their airbags not properly deploying. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SpaceX Test Fires Falcon 9 Rocket, Aims March 14 Launch; Plans Rocket Reusability for Other Space Missions By April Kirstin Chua, | March 13, 2017 SpaceX Test Fires Falcon 9 Rocket, Aims March 14 Launch; Plans Rocket Reusability for Other Space Missions Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX test fires the Falcon 9 rocket on Thursday, Mar. 9 in preparation for the commercial satellite launch sometime this month. Elon Musk's private spaceship company also plans to launch a reused rocket for the very first time to bring down space-travel costs for customers and future missions. Advertisement Like Us on Facebook SpaceX conducted the Falcon 9 test fire on the Launch Pad 39A at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape, Canaveral, Florida to ensure that the rocket will be ready. The company is set on launching the communications satellite EchoStar 23 on Mar. 14 and SpaceflightNow was at the site to capture the test fire on video. Preflight checks are implemented as a standard operating procedure for every SpaceX launch. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX president, and COO, says that using Falcon 9 rockets with pre-flown first stages will enable SpaceX to execute on its backlog, which is currently loaded with customers that expected to have their satellites launched. "We do anticipate reflying about six vehicles, [with] pre-flown boosters this year, which should take some of the pressure off of production," he said in the Satellite 2017 press conference. SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk clarifies on twitter that the EchoStar 23 launch won't include the Falcon 9 booster due to the weight of the satellite and the altitude of its final geostationary transfer orbit. SpaceX has previously landed Falcon 9 rocket stages during eight of its most recent missions that include the Feb. 19 launch of a Dragon spacecraft, which carried the NASA cargo to the International Space Station. Notably, the spaceship company made history in December 2015 when it landed a Falcon 9 booster launched on a pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Rocket boosters have become a routine for SpaceX and it aims in re-flying the 14-story-tall booster in its next endeavors. SpaceX intends to conduct six Falcon 9 missions this year. However, instead of a new one, Shotwell says SpaceX plans on re-using a Falcon 9 rocket for another planned satellite launch from Luxembourg's SES SA into orbit. He sees rapid reusability as key to driving down costs in the spaceship industry. Jeff Bezos, founder of SpaceX competitor Blue Origin LLC agrees on reusability for future space travel and urges other companies to adopt the same business model as that of commercial airlines. "If the airline throws it away at the end of every trip, very few people are going to be able to afford to take that vacation," Bezos said in the same conference. Relaunching a rocket that has already delivered spacecraft to orbit and returned to Earth is a critical milestone for SpaceX as it catches up with its delayed launches. The president emphasized that people are voting for Nicaragua and by doing so they are also voting for peace. | Read More 'Trump slump' is real and has made bookings fall by a third, warns Emirates boss The first confirmed effect on flight bookings to the United States since President Trump first issued a travel ban has been revealed by the boss of the giant Dubai-based airline Emirates.Within a week of his inauguration, the new President issued a controversial executive order banning nationals from seven mainly Muslim countries from the US.Sir Tim Clark said that travel ban triggered a immediate fall in booking rates from Dubai to the US of over one-third.Speaking at the ITB travel fair in Berlin, Sir Tim said: The first US travel order saw the booking velocity fall by 35 per cent overnight. The effect it had was instantaneous.Since then, he said, bookings had regained some ground but were still not back to the predicted levels.When will it recapture the original booking curve is anyone's guess, he said.Previous surveys citing a Trump slump have been based on online searches, rather than actual sales. Emirates has a massive presence on US routes, with at least 10 flights a day to a range of cities - including three daily A380 Superjumbo services to New York.Yet at the same travel fair a day earlier, one of Sir Tims rivals had claimed the travel ban had had no effect.Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, told The Independent: My business is to make sure that when I deploy my aeroplanes they are full, and that passengers are able to go in and out of the country.We didnt see any drop in traffic. We havent seen any drop in demand for our flights to the United States, he said.IAG, which includes British Airways and the Spanish airline Iberia, revealed that last month business to North America lagged behind the global performance. While passenger numbers to the US and Canada rose by 1.4 per cent compared with a year earlier, that was only half the average growth worldwide.The average load factor the proportion of seats occupied fell by 2.6 per cent to North America, against a global increase of 0.6 per cent on February 2016. That corresponds to eight fewer passengers on a Boeing 777 typically used on routes from the UK to the US.Last month Dara Khosrowshahi, president and chief executive of travel giant Expedia, said: We have seen an effect on trading on a short-term basis. The weekend of the executive order, certainly we saw a negative effect on trading.But he added: We havent seen any meaningful effect at this point, which is good news. Well be watching it closely.Officials seeking to market the city of Chicago to both domestic and foreign tourists have faced an uphill struggle after a series of tweets from President Trump.The state of Illinois has launched an expensive ad campaign with the slogan Are you up for Amazing? But the spend is up against tweets from the nations leader about the murder rate in Chicago, which Mr Trump described as carnage.The Canadian island of Cape Breton, part of Nova Scotia, has reported a surge in interest from American visitors since it set up the website cbiftrumpwins.com, ahead of the presidential election. Bookings rose 16 per cent, year on year. The website promises visitors: In Cape Breton, we value diversity! Here, you can hear a number of other languages, like French and Mi'kmaq, even Gaelic! But everybody also speaks English, just like you!source: 'Trump slump' is real and has made bookings fall by a third, warns Emirates boss | The Independent Babies, not blow-ins from interstate, will drive a population boom in Canberra, with the ACT's population tipped to hit 421,000 by 2020. The city is predicted to swell with an extra 25,000 people over the next four years, the ACT government's latest modelling predicts. Nicole Tarling with her two children Colby, 3, and Olivia, 5 months, at home in Banks. Most population growth is happening in Canberra's north but Nicole is bucking the trend by raising her children in Tuggeranong. Credit:Rohan Thomson But while migration from overseas and interstate will play a role in the boom, a natural increase (births minus deaths) will account for 62 per cent of the growth. In the year to June 2016, there was a natural increase of 3589 people in the ACT. Operations manager at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium Renee Osterloh said Mary is now a vital member of the international breeding program for sun bears. Iggy the Green Iguana. Credit:Rohan Thomson "To have a sun bear with these stereotypical behaviour issues and create a safe sanctuary for her to feel comfortable enough to raise a cub is rare," she said. Unfortunately, not every baby-making pursuit had been so successful. While the zoo had luck with ring-tailed lemurs, zebras, red pandas and giraffes, there had also been many disappointments. Ms Osterloh's voice was thick with tears as she described the sudden death of Berani the Sumatran tiger in 2015. The zoo was at the tail end of a meticulously planned 18-month courtship process with Berani and Rhani, when Berani died of kidney failure. "We had tried for so long to get them used to each other slowly, with the female at her last estrous cycle which we believed would have been successful," she said. "It was a huge shock to everyone. It really is devastating when you are so close to achieving something and then that happens." There are an estimated 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world. It was equally frustrating when the zoo failed to breed African serval cats for more than six years - until for unexplained reasons they finally bred 18 months ago. Mr Tindale said that sometimes all the science in the world just can't make love blossom. "You put two lions together they will breed straight away," he said. "Tigers are a bit fussier. I've seen situations where because tigers are critically endangered an international stud book will make the decision all the way to Poland and they will say you will mate this one with this one and it just doesn't happen." "It can be extremely disappointing when the future of the species depends on it." The decision of which animals will mate is not one for individual zoos. They are at the bottom of the decision-making hierarchy of the Zoo and Aquarium Association, which co-ordinates breeding programs for 94 Australasian zoos. An international species manager decides which zoos animals are sent to and who their partner will be, until a security population is released into the wild. Breeding is carefully controlled to increase the genetic diversity of each species. The difference of 1 per cent in a genetic make-up could be the difference between inbreeding and outbreeding. "Twelve years ago we along with other zoos had to put money in to redo the whole system to ensure its accuracy," Mr Tindale said. "The program cost a collective $US38 million just to rewrite. It's a very complicated process." Genetics aside, there are several logistical challenges that come with transferring animals between zoos. When Shaba the Giraffe moved from Mogo Zoo to Canberra, the journey was planned down to the height of each branch. Ms Osterloh said understanding the complex process of captive breeding was crucial to knowing what the expansion will mean for endangered wildlife. The zoo's new focus on open-range exhibits aims to lead to more successful breeding efforts, as it phases out the least endangered species. "Giraffes will do best through the expansion, with the larger space and the breeding facilities that we have," Ms Osterloh said. "We need to stimulate natural behaviour as much as possible by having more space for the animals to feel happy and relaxed in the environments, which has a knock-on effect. We will have several larger animals, such as our three new rhinos, who we are hoping will successfully breed now that they have a larger space." Animal rights activists argue that despite the move towards open-range exhibits, it is virtually impossible to replicate natural conditions in a zoo. Ms Osterloh said she agreed with those statements but said staff were committed to learning about natural habitats to create the best environment possible. She also pointed to continuous funding for in-the-field conservation efforts. She became emotional when asked about the belief that zoos prioritise profit over animal welfare. "That's telling someone who knows the entire situation and dedicates their lives to the going out and learning more about their natural habitat that what they're doing is wrong," she said. "Zoos in Australia have evolved and we have changed our ways and practices." Mr Tindale expressed pride at the zoo's expansion and hope for the future of conservation. "Everybody has different opinions about our bigger exhibits, from people who think tiny cages are best so they can get up close to not entertaining captivity at all," he said. "Somewhere in the middle is where we stand. We believe animals should be in captivity because they have to be to save the species." PLATTSMOUTH A Springfield resident admitted Monday morning that he had taken items from a Louisville business late last year. Michael J. Newberg, 47, pled guilty to one Class IIA felony charge of burglary during an appearance in Cass County District Court. The state agreed to dismiss a second burglary charge in exchange for the guilty plea. The state and defense also agreed to recommend probation at the time of sentencing. Deputy County Attorney Colin Palm told the court a real estate company in Louisville was burglarized on Oct. 20, Oct. 31, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. He said a chainsaw and weed trimmer were taken from the business on Oct. 20 and $450 was stolen from the office on Oct. 31. A total of $1,562 was taken on Nov. 5. Palm said the business owners installed three security cameras after that theft. The security cameras captured images of Newberg entering the business on Nov. 12. Newberg had been a former maintenance worker at the company. Two of the cameras captured Newberg taking the third security camera from the property. Palm said authorities from Cass County Sheriffs Office and Sarpy County Sheriffs Office executed a search warrant at Newbergs property shortly after the final incident. They discovered a chainsaw and weed trimmer at the house. Newberg had written his name on the items but the names of the victims were also visible on both yard tools. Palm said Newberg originally denied any involvement with the theft of the chainsaw and yard trimmer but eventually confessed. He admitted taking one of the security cameras with him on Nov. 12. He told authorities that he threw the camera out his car window as he returned to Springfield from Louisville on Highway 50. Defense attorney Julie Bear told the court the state and defense agreed to a specific amount of restitution during their plea negotiations. She said Newberg did not acknowledge entering the building on the Oct. 31 and Nov. 5 dates. Newberg paid $950 in restitution prior to Mondays hearing. Palm said Newberg had agreed to pay an additional $1,221 in restitution in the future. Newberg remains free on bond. Sentencing is scheduled for May 15. The Reserve Bank is considering tighter bank lending standards amid concern about how the financial system would handle a collapse in housing prices, beginning with Brisbane apartments. The Bank's assistant governor (financial system) Michele Bullock told a business event in Sydney that the Reserve Bank was particularly uneasy about the "looming oversupply of apartments in Brisbane in particular, and possibly in some parts of Melbourne". Sydney apartments were less of a worry. "There are indicators that, in the event of a downturn, there might be systemic issues for the banking system," she said. In 1961, the pride of the RAN was parked in Hong Kong's Victoria Basin and a charming young lady was introduced to us in the wardroom, writes Tim Bowra of Rozelle. "She had been dispatched by the local Red Cross to drum up enthusiasm for blood donorship (C8). She clearly hadn't read the inscription on our ceremonial life ring. HMAS Vampire. The skipper's quick solution was to ensure all donors would have their fluid levels restored with a free bottle of beer. The volume of fluid transfer, per capita, still stands as an enduring record." Ides of March explained. "After the Julian calendar reform in late BC times the ides were on the 13th of short months and on the 15th of months with 31 days." Thanks Nick Hendel of Roseville. More dates. "I am at a loss to decode this best before date on a packet of chips: '3011 7 2 06:37 7'. Maybe early in the morning of July 2, but 3011 is stretching the limits of food technology. And why is that 7 loitering at the end?" Richard Murnane, C8PhD, Hornsby. "I don't know where Stephanie Edwards gets her personal hygiene advice (C8, deodorants) but The Illustrated Adelaide News of 1877 states 'most physicians do not advise frequent bathing, considering a weekly or semi-weekly bath sufficient. Some ... never bathe the whole body except in warm weather and in fact sudden death has been known to result from a full bath immediately after eating.' Perhaps Stephanie, those 48-hour deodorants might even save your life." Peter Riley, Penrith. "Interesting programming choice for ABC kids at 8.30 on Sunday night: A Complete History of my Sexual Failures. Although most kids should have been in bed at that time." Craig Lonard, Unanderra. The ACT Government's failure to bring the Territory into line with its much larger neighbour is almost ironic given Canberrans have the best track record on vaccinations in the country. Children in the three most populous states, NSW, Victoria and Queensland, are excluded under what is effectively a "no jab, no pre-school policy". Under current legislation unvaccinated children in the ACT, along with those in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, can be enrolled at these centres. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's call for all states and territories to adopt a uniform stance on barring unvaccinated children from childcare and preschool facilities makes a great deal of sense. As of January 17 this year 94.87 per cent of all local children between 12 and 15 months were immunised. This was well above the national average of 93.41 per cent. Queensland, at 93.89 per cent, was the only other state above the average. Victoria was just below with a rate of 93.35 per cent against 93.31 per cent for NSW. By the time children had reached school age, at between 60 and 63 months, Canberrans were still well up in the pack with 93.56 per cent having had their all their shots to that date. These are excellent compliance figures and indicate that even without the big stick of exclusion, ACT health authorities have been able to get the vaccination message across to a young, culturally diverse and rapidly growing population. The trouble is that when you spin the figures around more than five per cent, or one in 20, Canberra children had not been fully immunised by the time they were two years old. This, according to national health authorities, represents a significant health risk to themselves and other children. These risks are magnified in a childcare or preschool environment where large numbers of children, some immunised and some not, are in close proximity with each other. There was a positive message in the Western Australian election result, one that political operatives might be wise to embrace people do not like expediency, and prefer political parties and their politicians and candidates to actually place principles and public interest ahead of self-interest. Disdain for the preferences deal between One Nation and the Liberal Party clearly contributed to the unexpectedly low vote of the former and the comprehensive defeat of the latter. Malcolm Turnbull and former WA premier Colin Barnett. Credit:Andrew Meares A core reason for the thrashing of Colin Barnett's government was the "it's time factor". Mr Barnett had been Premier since 2008. But another fundamental factor was economic management. And herein lies another message, one for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Coalition government. Mr Barnett had ceased to be seen as a competent economic and fiscal manager, having presided over a dastardly deterioration in the budget and an associated blow out in state debt. For this, a problem worsened by the end of the mining construction boom, Mr Barnett ignominiously oversaw the state's loss of its coveted AAA credit rating. Do I see the dark hand of Vladimir Putin? Pauline Hanson praised Vladimir Putin, calling him a strong leader. There have been suggestions that he interfered with the US presidential election and Britain's political parties have been warned of Russia's hacking threat. In WA, the Raving Loony Party, masquerading as One Nation, did vastly better than common sense would have expected. And yet she criticised everyone except President Putin. Need I say more? Michael Doyle, Ashburton It is time for responsible government Poor Malcolm Turnbull nowhere to run. And poor Pauline Hanson so much hope, yet so little trust by the electorate. When can we get back to responsible government, as against poll-driven crap? We do not need Canberra-driven nonsense obscuring what needs to be done to save our country. Doris LeRoy, Altona THE FORUM Bludgers, freeloaders Bianca Hall (Comment, 13/3) is spot on regarding non-vaccination. Antibiotics and vaccines are the two interventions which have had the most profound positive impact on human health and longevity in the history of humankind. Now the efficacy of the former is at risk through inappropriate use, whereas the benefits of the latter are at risk due to ignorance and misinformation. One cannot be compelled to vaccinate. However, non-vaccinators gain the benefits of protection against infectious diseases due to "herd immunity". The spread of disease is reduced, but very importantly not halted, by the immune status of those who are vaccinated and have thereby accepted the very small associated risk, which is far outweighed by the benefit. Non-vaccinators are bludgers and freeloaders by relying on us to take the minute risk while they still derive some benefit. Emeritus Professor Ben Adler, microbiology department, Monash University Benefit of vaccination Back in England in the 1940s, my uncle vowed "no one is going to stick needles into my children". Unfortunately, stupidity proved no protection against the then endemic diphtheria. My uncle and two cousins were infected. One cousin died and my uncle was left with severe heart damage which eventually killed him. Vaccination has now eliminated diphtheria in many countries and no doubt current vaccination programs can do the same to other diseases. Denis Croke, Glen Iris Telling our stories Thank you, Tony Wright (Insight, 11/3). Unless your stories of fear and the cost to human health of these diseases are retold, our younger generations may fail to appreciate the crucial role vaccine plays in protecting individual and community health. I will tell my family's story to my twins. My grandmother, a nurse in the infectious diseases ward at Mooroopna Base Hospital, nursed her son through polio. Confined to a wheelchair in adult life, his death was likely from post-polio complications. My father and aunty supported Rotary International's work to eradicate polio. Finally, as a teenager in the 1990s researching polio for an assignment, I wrote to the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital and learnt about the Salk and Sabin vaccines and the iron lung. Jacqueline Wood, Thurgoona A false "balance" There is no excuse for publishing dangerous nonsense about vaccines causing autism (Letters, 13/3). This undermines the health and safety of us all on the grounds of false "balance". Reiba Burton, Bulleen Excuse my cynicism Does Treasurer Scott Morrison's new-found concern for those who are struggling to find affordable housing have anything to do with deflecting attention from the tax scams of negative gearing and capital gains discounts? Perish the thought. Grant Hawthorne, Golden Square Why helmets matter Twenty years ago, my husband was struck from behind by a car travelling at 60km/h. When the police returned his bike and helmet, the bike was a write-off and the helmet looked like a cracked egg shell. However, apart from whiplash and some superficial loss of skin, my husband came home from hospital that evening with no head injuries. Those who recommend riding without helmets (Saturday Age, 11/3) may not be as fortunate. Vivian Ness, Middle Park Home-grown research What happened to all the research into batteries done at the Dunlop research laboratories in the 1970s? What is it about Australia that we can no longer produce such products as the Tesla-style storage batteries (Saturday Age, 13/3) but have to rely on others in order to develop our essential infrastructure? Loucille McGinley, Brighton East The great gas rip-off According to the Australian Energy Markets Operator's report, the east coast faces a gas shortfall of 50 petajoules a year from 2019 onwards. Households will have no gas for their stoves, hot water systems and heaters. In recent years, Santos and partners redirected 40 PJ a year of "domestic" gas from its Cooper Basin operations in South Australia to its Gladstone LNG plant for export. Did they know that this would create a supply crisis? If not, why not? This action maximised profits by forcing domestic consumers to pay world parity and obviating the need to build new gas wells. Malcolm Turnbull's summit with the gas industry must extract an agreement from exporters to redress this situation. Redirecting just 4per cent of gas earmarked for export back to domestic would alleviate this problem. If Mr Turnbull cannot, he must intervene through emergency legislation. There should also be a royal commission to expose how this happened. William Layton, Albert Park High value childcare Quite rightly, high quality childcare centres are considered vital (Comment, 13/3). This should translate to a high value being placed on early childhood educators. However, these trained, dedicated, hard-working educators are undervalued and grossly underpaid. The care of babies and young children should not be in the hands of private, profit-driven providers. Local councils, employing fairly paid educators, should form part of the "village" that raises our children. Only then will we have high-quality care and unexploited childcare educators. Rosie Ganino, Canterbury Maintain ABC's quality ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie's ambition to reach all Australians is unrealistic. She would have to embrace the pop culture of Twitter, Facebook etc., where the under thirties obtain "news". The ABC audience will always be a minority trying to avoid pop culture. It wants in-depth coverage, and is deeply loyal and appreciative of quality programs for which the ABC wins awards, especially Four Corners and Foreign Correspondent. To insult this audience by dropping Catalyst and replacing the Sunday evening radio theosophical program with a pop-religious program is to treat this audience with contempt. With the government determined to slash funding, the ABC needs to specialise and include quality drama. Shirley Videion, Hampton Away from the left... One can only applaud Michelle Guthrie and her plan to re-jig the ABC. She is not trying to make it "kinder to business" (Letters, 10/3), but simply more even-handed in its current affairs, especially Four Corners. For too long we have seen the group "think left" culture permeating. Even going back to the era of Bob Menzies when he quipped words to the effect, "why would Labor need a publicity department when it already has the ABC?" Just reflect on the cross-pollination between the two organisations with Kerrie O'Brien and Barrie Cassidy moving in one direction, and the likes of Maxine McKew and Mary Delahunty the other. Let us hope Ms Guthrie can bring about some positive movement in the ABC towards political neutrality but don't hold your breath. Barrie Dempster, Balwyn ...or towards the right? The suggestion by management of manipulation of the content or style of Four Corners or any news/current affairs program on the ABC is alarming. Emanating from the top level, with the power to hire and fire, this is tantamount to censorship and must be resisted. Recruitment of columnists from the Murdoch stable is already creating an observable shift to the right in Radio National presentation. Sue Currie, Northcote Myki's Catch 22 You have to marvel at the logic of some bureaucracies. I requested, online, a new password for my myki card as I had forgotten my old one. I was sent a new password but to register it and access my account, I needed to provide my old one. As they say in the classics: Go figure. Angelo Salamanca, Brunswick Safety must come first I was very concerned about the safety of VCAL student Kaylee Stoffels, based on your photo (Saturday Age, 11/3). It displayed poor workplace safety practices. When using an angle grinder, which generates high velocity particles, a full-faced safety visor should be mandatory. There was no hearing-protection, the student's shirt sleeves were rolled-up, exposing her bare arms, and there was no hand protection. VCAL is an excellent vehicle for many of our young to gain much needed skills, but I hope they are getting the right health and safety advice and training. Ian Moran, Ivanhoe In point of actual fact I could not agree more with Elspeth McCracken-Hewson ("Me, myself and I", Letters, 13/3) with regard to the incorrect use of the word "myself". However, she has not quite completed her last sentence. Should it not read: "It is widespread and it drives myself nuts, at this point in time and going forward"? Ian Rudd, Hampton AND ANOTHER THING James Ashby destroyed Peter Slipper and has now succeeded in decimating the Liberals in WA. Peter McNamara, Canterbury Dumb (Barnett) and Dumber (Hanson) go down in the west. John Kirk, Canterbury Good one, Pauline. Always blame someone else. Just like a politician. Ron Burnstein, Heidelberg The WA Liberals took a punt with disastrous results. Where to from here, Malcolm? Francis Bainbridge, Fitzroy North WAy to go. Craig Worsley, Tweed Heads, NSW The perils of Pauline. Barry Lamb, Heidelberg West No doubt Malcolm thinks that the rout in WA was also Tony's fault. Ian Maddison, Parkdale Politicians, take note: taking a "Hanson grab" won't bring you home. Bruce Dudon, Woodend Thank heavens for the sandgropers, smacking down the newly hatched Trump tactics of One Nation. Belief in facts wins over emotive and scandalous mistruths. Margot Milne, Geelong West Turnbull has so much food for thought on the table, there's barely space for cutlery. Erica Mehrtens, Northcote Hanson not only admires Putin, now she's emulating Trump's habit of freezing out unwelcome journalists. Ian Baxter, Point Cook Does Pauline Hanson consider the ABC to be "fake news"? Michael Higgins, Erica Having ditched her vaccination scare, Pauline might be wise to ditch Putin also. Hugh McCaig, Blackburn The Sydney region could be in for a stormy evening with thunderstorms possible well into the night, with soaking rain to follow on Tuesday, forecasters said. The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large hailstones and damaging winds for people in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury regions. A separate warning has also been issued by the bureau for severe thunderstorms including hail, heavy rain and destructive winds covering much of the northern and central parts of the state. The region covered by this alert includes Mungindi, Moree, Wee Waa, Narrabri and Baradine, and is in effect "for the next several hours", the bureau said. Our stay in Barcelona, after arriving by train from Nice, was unorthodox. On exiting the station my partner was in sudden pain due to bursitis of the knee, which erupted out of nowhere. It made walking incredibly difficult. So instead of hunting for accommodation in our usual check-it-out-first way, we called some friends who took pity and said we should come right over. The scribbled address was handed to a taxi driver and soon we were deposited in what seemed to be Barcelona's CBD the equivalent of George Street in Sydney, or Collins Street in Melbourne, but with frenzied, cranky, horn-blaring traffic. Had the taxi driver misunderstood? Did our friends reside in the head office of a Spanish bank? Looking down over the city from Antoni Gaudis Parc Guell. Credit:Getty Images A press on an obscure doorbell intercom delivered the sweetest sound you can hear when in trouble overseas: a welcoming Aussie accent. And, glory, the building had a lift. Sure it was one of those tiny accordion-gate affairs you see in Pedro Almodovar movies, but it would mean a little less pain and a lot more access to the city. On walking through the long apartment, the real revelation was that it gave eventually onto an enormous square where scores of similar apartments looked over each other, all from a respectable distance. As it was dawning on me that the street fronts for blocks must be some kind of elaborate facade, one of our very kind friends handed us mojitos. "Welcome to Barcelona, guys," he said, clinking glasses. The disappearance of Richard Simmons has sparked a bevy of conspiracy theories. PJ Vogt, the host of Reply All, a popular podcast that explores the internet, said Missing Richard Simmons was well served by a narrator so close to its subject. "More so than in other media, podcast reporting is really filtered through the person doing the reporting," Vogt said. "Their relationship to the story feels very inescapable." Taberski spoke about the podcast in a recent telephone interview. This conversation has been edited and condensed. Q: How did you find out that Simmons had stopped showing up at Slimmons? A: Richard and I were still friendly. We were still calling and emailing. He stopped returning my emails. I just thought: "Bummer. I guess, he's not interested anymore." Then I realised that he had stopped returning everybody's calls. Then it was just a gradual process of talking to people and reading the odd one-line news report and realising that he had disappeared. Q: How did the idea to do a podcast come together? A: Richard and I were talking about doing a documentary from the very first day we met. We met at Slimmons. I asked him if he would ever do a documentary with me. Q: Did you go to the class to work out? Or to pitch the documentary? Or both? A: I went to the class because I heard you could. I thought, "Well, I have to do this." I thought he was amazing, and I couldn't believe he was still teaching a class for $12 a class. But I was a producer for 15 years, and I was looking to do a feature documentary, and the minute I took the class, I knew that was something I wanted to pursue with him. And so we started talking about it right away. Q: What made you decide to shift from the original intent of doing a documentary to going into the podcast realm? A: I didn't want to do a first-person documentary. I think it's really hard to pull those off without them being self-indulgent. It just didn't feel right. But a podcast is superflexible as a format, and it needs a narrator. It needs somebody to tell the story. And so it was a way for me to show that it was coming from a place of love and coming from a place of real concern, and show my point of view without making it about me. It's still about Richard. Q: The four theories of his disappearance: 1. He is being held hostage by his housekeeper. 2. He is recovering from knee surgery. 3. The death of his dog sent him into a depression. 4. He just wants out of public life. Anything I'm missing? A: The podcast explores all the possible reasons Richard Simmons would stop being Richard Simmons. And some of them are outlandish. Some of them make total sense. And some of them are a little sad. Q: What do you think is going on? A: I'm not limited to those four. The podcast is us exploring many theories of what they are. I have my own theory, but we get to that toward the end. And it's not really something that people have discussed, and it speaks less to this sort of weird mystery that nobody ever wanted in the first place. Q: What have Simmons' representatives said? A: Richard's people say very little. But what they do say is that he's fine. Q: One theory, pushed by Simmons' former masseur, is that he is being held hostage by his housekeeper. Tom Estey, his representative, forcefully denied this claim. Is he correct? A: It's possible, for sure. I think our skepticism of the more outlandish parts of that theory are clear in that episode. It had been reported before, and others who know Richard didn't dismiss it out of hand, so we clearly needed to raise it. But I also think Richard's friends are genuinely, deeply concerned for Richard and the eerie wall of silence around him. That is very real. And Richard's rep pretending that everything is normal - "nothing to see here" - feels a little false, too. Q: Why do you think people are so intrigued by Simmons and the podcast? A: It's people who have been reminded or are being just told for the first time that Richard Simmons is a special, important and fascinating person. And I think people feel for him. I think he's always been this way. He just exudes kindness and genuineness. Q: If Simmons truly wants to be out of the spotlight, as he told the Today show a year ago, then should you just leave him be? A: The concern is that he is not just taking time off. He's not just retired. He's not just stepping away from the spotlight. The concern is that he's cut off every person he knows. It's impossible not to be concerned about that. And every person I've talked to, every friend who's known him for years, everybody is concerned. In terms of unlikely pairings it's quite difficult to go past Pamela Anderson - former Baywatch star, animal rights activist and unofficial ambassador for Russia - and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. The pair have been rumoured to be dating ever since Pammy started popping around with vegan treats to the Ecuadorian embassy where Assange has been holed up for almost five years claiming diplomatic asylum following sexual assault and rape allegations in Sweden. Now Anderson has written a blog post/poem to defend her relationship with Assange/add fuel to the fire/gossip column inches, and it is ... muddled. Titled My Julian, the poem, published on Anderson's website, includes rather startling lines such as, "Yes - I think he's quite sexy. He has tremendous strength and stamina - though vulnerable." PLATTSMOUTH A Lincoln man will be incarcerated for at least one year for his involvement in multiple crimes in Eagle in 2015 and 2016. Michael S. Osborn, 28, appeared in Cass County District Court for sentencing hearings in two separate cases. Osborn pled guilty in January to one Class I misdemeanor charge of third-degree domestic assault. He also pled guilty to one Class II felony of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and one Class IIIA felony of possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute-marijuana. Osborns first Cass County violations took place on Dec. 29, 2015. Deputy County Attorney Steven Sunde told the court a Cass County Sheriffs Office deputy responded to a report of a domestic violence incident in Eagle. He stopped Osborn in his pickup truck and searched it after smelling the odor of marijuana. The deputy discovered a loaded .22 pistol armed with a silencer inside the pickup. The search also revealed more than one ounce of marijuana and a drug scale that contained both marijuana and methamphetamine residue. The two other Cass County violations happened during a two-day span of Sept. 20 and 21. A female victim told authorities Osborn had appeared at her Eagle home with a loaded nine-millimeter pistol on Sept. 20. She was able to persuade him to not use the weapon to harm anyone. Sunde said Osborn and the female had agreed to meet on Sept. 21 in order for the female to give Osborns cellphone back to him. Osborn and another male appeared at the home much earlier than the agreed-upon meeting time. He first tried to force his way into the windows of her house before confronting the victim outside the front door. Sunde said Osborn became angry and tackled the victim at running speed. The momentum of the tackle caused both Osborn and the female victim to crash through a glass storm door and a screen door. They both landed forcefully in a front foyer area of the house. Osborn then began punching the victim while she was on the floor. The victim later told authorities she estimated Osborn punched her more than 20 times. Authorities who arrived on scene reported seeing numerous visible cuts on her face and lips and bruises over her body. Sunde told the court Monday morning that the state felt a jail sentence was appropriate. He said Osborn was making a conscious decision when he brought a gun with him to Eagle and committed domestic assault. Sunde said Osborn had also been arrested in Lancaster County for similar crimes around the same time period. Judge Michael Smith said he was concerned about Osborns behavior in both cases. He said he felt there was a substantial chance Osborn would re-offend if he was placed on probation. Smith ordered Osborn to serve a term of one to two years in jail on the Class II felony charge. He will serve nine months on each of the other counts. The last two counts will begin after he completes the lengthier jail term. Osborn will also be required to remain on post-release supervision for 18 months. He must abstain from all alcohol and drugs, complete a moral recognition therapy class and attend drug treatment and counseling sessions. They say it takes a village to raise a child. In the case of the Melbourne Fashion Festival, it takes an army of staff and volunteers, nearly 10,000 bobby pins and thousands of garments to stage the country's biggest consumer fashion event. Over the next six days, about 30,000 people will swarm the Melbourne Museum precinct, including the Royal Exhibition Buildings, to indulge in a feast of fashion, including 12 feature shows and a plethora of activities and installations at the Plaza, dubbed the Birdcage of the fashion festival. While the public sees the final product, it's not all high glamour, as the people who work behind the scenes will attest. Last year, on a 42-degree day, as consumers sweltered in the non-airconditioned heritage space, models were kept backstage in their underwear, with their feet in water and ice packs on their backs to keep cool. New Zealand lingerie brand Lonely is what Victoria's Secret should be. The label that refuses to Photoshop models for advertisements and renowned for its inclusive marketing has cast 56-year-old model Mercy Brewer to promote its new autumn-winter 2017 collection. Mercy Brewer, 56, is the new face of Lonely lingerie. Credit:Instagram/@lonelylingerie The new images shot by Harry Were have lit up the internet, just months after the label went viral after Girls star Lena Dunham and Jemima Kirke teamed up for a "body positivity" photoshoot after being approached by co-founder and designer Helene Morris. "She [Dunham] has been incredibly supportive of Lonely, and we really appreciate her contribution to our brand. We posted one image on Instagram and had over 1 billion page impressions and hundreds of stories worldwide. For a small New Zealand based team, it has been incredible for our international recognition and growth," Morris said. Soon after they arrived they received a call saying she did have it. She was told she may not walk by the time she was four and could die by age eight. Emily was sent to see Professor Scheffer, who was able to target treatment that has meant she has had fewer seizures and avoided severe disability. Now, thanks to a new international classification system, developed by Professor Scheffer and published in the journal Epilepsia on Tuesday, epilepsy sufferers around the world, estimated to be about 50 million, have a much better chance of getting the right diagnosis and treatment. The overhaul, the first since 1989, has given seizure types formal recognition and provides general practitioners with better information on epilepsy causes and its association with other disorders, such as autism. It also describes epilepsy types in plain language so patients and their families can understand. "Epilepsy is a very complex group of diseases, with different risks and mortality rates for different types of seizures, and about one-third of people are not fully controlled with current medications," Professor Scheffer said. Anzac Parade, which a century ago was renamed and dedicated to the memory of World War I soldiers, will be bookended by memorials at its northern and southern ends under a plan adopted by Randwick council. A long-forgotten vision to complement the Anzac Parade Memorial Obelisk near Moore Park Road with a memorial at the road's southern end at La Perouse is being revived by the council, following representations made by the daughter of an Anzac soldier, Margaret Hope. The Anzac Memorial Obelisk on Anzac Parade in Centennial Park, Sydney in 1917. The monument was moved from the middle of the road to make way for the Albert "Tibby" Cotter Bridge Credit:Fairfax Media The stone obelisk at the head of Moore Park was dismantled three years ago to make way for the Albert "Tibby Cotter" bridge. The obelisk, erected on March 15, 1917, has since been moved to new spot closer to Moore Park Road. Ms Hope, whose father Robert (Bob) William Hope enlisted in 1916, said she did "not think it was right" that the obelisk had been moved. Detective Inspector Paul Jacob put his hands on the desk in front of him and stared down his questioner. "If I felt in any way that there was an error that needed correcting, I would have corrected it," Detective Inspector Jacob firmly told Gordon Wood's barrister Bruce McClintock, SC. Lead investigator in Gordon Wood's case Detective Inspector Paul Jacob. Credit:Darren Pateman Detective Inspector Jacob was the officer in charge of Strikeforce Irondale, the NSW Police investigation into the death of Caroline Byrne, who was found at the bottom of cliffs at The Gap in June 1995. More than five years after the Court of Criminal Appeal acquitted Mr Wood of Ms Byrne's murder, Detective Inspector Jacob sat in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday and defended the police work. Developer and former councillor Salim Mehajer has engaged lawyers and is demanding a retraction from the state government in the wake of the release last week of a critical report into Auburn council. Mr Mehajer also says he is considering a political comeback despite being currently banned from standing for office. Despite sometimes explosive testimony, the report by Sydney silk Richard Beasley made no findings against individual staff members or councillors involved in controversial decisions such as the sale of council land to Mehajer companies. The report examined a range of controversial council planning decisions including the sale of a car park at John Street in Lidcombe to a Mehajer family company. That deal wound on for several years before it was sensationally cancelled after the council was sacked, denying Mr Mehajer a potential windfall of nearly $10 million. Good Morning How many workplace conversations today are going to start with the question "did you see the video of that bloke being interviewed on the BBC?" Here's the full interview in case you missed it - not only do the children run into shot, they keep screaming from the next room even after they've been removed. Anyone who's ever taken a conference call from home can relate and hopefully Associate Professor Robert Kelly isn't too traumatised by the exposure. But a more serious point has emerged: That's his wife in the video, so why did people assume it was his nanny? My other favourite video from the weekend features a cat and a keyboard. This will brighten your morning. Before we get on with the top stories this morning, it's worth noting that it's a public holiday in South Australia, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania, so if you do business with people in those places they may not answer the phone today. 1. Judgement day in Bali for Byron Bay's Sara Connor You may have seen TV pictures last night of Schapelle Corby spending her final couple of months on parole in Bali. She's due to return home to Australia at the end of May. Today, Australian eyes will be once again be on a Bali courtroom. Byron Bay mum Sara Connor will learn her fate seven months after the brutally-bashed body of a police officer was found on Kuta beach. Was she - as her defence argues - simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? 2. Batteries + Twitter = no more blackouts? Could battery farms - nothing to do with hens - be the solution to power blackouts? Four rival companies say they can deliver battery solutions to South Australia's power woes. Among them is Tesla, whose chief executive Elon Musk and software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes nutted out a financing deal over the weekend via Twitter! Next, Musk was on the phone to SA Premier Jay Weatherill and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. This, folks, is how you do business in 2017. The University of Queensland's plan for a bridge in the middle of a Brisbane City Council-owned park at West End has angered the council and a community group, who said they had heard "not a peep" from the uni. UQ's master plan shows a second "green bridge" similar to the Eleanor Schonell Bridge at Dutton Park built across to West End to help shape its next 20 years. However, UQ plans to land the bridge, which must be capable of carrying light rail, in the middle of Orleigh Park at West End for its 50,000 students. The council will now ask the Queensland government to refuse a planning exemption for the university so it cannot bypass standard development controls including court appeals, accepting community feedback and paying infrastructure charges. Police are ramping up the search for a Brisbane man they fear has been murdered, with investigators returning to a bushland reserve where his car was spotted. It's been a week since 22-year-old Samuel Thompson was last seen leaving his Albion home last Tuesday. Homicide detectives fear he's met with foul play after his bright orange Ford Mustang was found abandoned in northern NSW on Thursday. Mr Thompson's car was spotted in the car park of the Deep Water Bend Reserve at Bald Hills in Brisbane on the same day he vanished. Amid an opioid epidemic, the rise of deadly synthetic drugs and the widening legalisation of marijuana, a curious bright spot has emerged in the youth drug culture: US teenagers are growing less likely to try or regularly use drugs, including alcohol. With minor fits and starts, the trend has been building for a decade, with no clear understanding as to why. Some experts theorise that falling cigarette-smoking rates are cutting into a key gateway to drugs, or that anti-drug education campaigns, long a largely failed enterprise, have finally taken hold. Alexandra Elliott, a high school senior, says she is a heavy phone user and that using it for social media really feels good. Credit:NYT But researchers are starting to ponder an intriguing question: Are teenagers using drugs less in part because they are constantly stimulated and entertained by their computers and phones? The possibility is worth exploring, they say, because use of smartphones and tablets has exploded over the same period that drug use has declined. This correlation does not mean that one phenomenon is causing the other, but scientists say interactive media appears to play to similar impulses as drug experimentation, including sensation-seeking and the desire for independence. An Eaglemont man's attempt to sell his car went horribly wrong when a "prospective buyer" stole it during an inspection and was involved in a collision soon afterwards. Two men went to the man's home in Melbourne's north east on March 1 to supposedly inspect the 2005 Subaru Impreza after responding to an online ad. The man police want to speak to. Police say the men arrived in a red Holden Commodore Ute about 6.30pm. One of the pair left shortly afterwards, leaving the second man to look at the car. At some stage during the inspection, the prospective buyer got into the 26-year-old man's Subaru and drove off in it. Tough new jail sentences will be introduced to combat increasing street violence after a weekend where hundreds of violent youths terrorised the city, leading to 65 arrests. The Andrews government will introduce new legislation to combat the growing number of violent gang-related riots at family events such as the Moomba Festival. The announcement comes just days after Moomba was marred by street violence for the second consecutive year when dozens of teens rioted in Federation Square on Saturday night. So far 65 arrests have been made during the festival, with police using capsicum spray to disperse brawling youths who were armed with knives, a taser and a knuckle duster. A motorcycle-riding bandit wielding a tyre lever has assaulted and robbed a woman in broad daylight as she walked along a quiet suburban side-street. The 33-year-old woman was attacked on Sunday afternoon about 2.30 as she strolled along Detroit Crescent in Corio. Credit:Victoria Police The offender, wearing a motorcycle helmet and waving a tyre iron, approached the woman and shoved her hard to the ground before stealing her purse. She hit her head as she landed, but only suffered minor injures. A massive early-morning sting targeting the Comanchero bikie gang has seen raids on 25 residential and commercial properties across Melbourne. Twenty-one people have so far been arrested in the operation, which is expected to run throughout the day. Anti-bikie Echo Taskforce detectives began raiding properties from 5am on Tuesday, seizing drugs, cash, cars and motorbikes. A Range Rover four-wheel-drive and Holden Commodore were seized from a property in Tobin Way, Lyndhurst, in Melbourne's south-east. A Perth man who filmed his friend kicking a quokka at Rottnest Island in February has been fined $3000 after pleading guilty to ill-treating the animal. Corey Douglas James, 21, was sentenced in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday after admitting to the charge of being cruel to an animal by torturing, mutilating, beating, wounding, tormenting or otherwise ill-treating. Co-accused, Harrison Angus McPherson, had his matter adjourned for further legal advice. The 20-year-old was allegedly caught on camera chasing a quokka around a tree and kicking it at least twice. The video was uploaded to Snapchat. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon has launched a fresh push for independence, complaining she hit a brick wall trying to avoid her country being dragged down a "hard Brexit" path. However she will face stiff opposition from the UK government, with Prime Minister Theresa May accusing Ms Sturgeon of setting the country on a path for more "uncertainty and division". On Monday Ms Sturgeon set out a plan for a vote on Scottish independence some time after autumn 2018, when she said the terms of the Brexit deal would be clear, but before the anticipated exit from the European Union in the spring of 2019. The new vote already dubbed 'indyref2' - would come just four years after nationalists lost the previous independence referendum, when 55 per cent of people voted to remain in the UK. In 2014 Ms Sturgeon's predecessor Alex Salmond pledged the vote would be a "once in a generation, perhaps even a once in a lifetime" opportunity. Ms Sturgeon, then his deputy, echoed the line. Often decried as racist, culturally tone-deaf, and just flat-out offensive, Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones has nevertheless managed to maintain a presence on American stages for almost a hundred years. Since its 1920 debut, The Emperor Jones' title role has been performed by acting greats such as Charles Gilpin, Paul Robeson, James Earl Jones, and, in Irish Repertory Theatre's 2009 production, John Douglas Thompson. The current production at Irish Rep largely re-creates the previous one (both under Ciaran O'Reilly's direction). This timely staging also boasts a roster of fine actors, notably Obi Abili, who plays the Emperor Jones with terrifying fury and heartrending pathos in a nightmarish and hauntingly beautiful production. The play follows Brutus Jones, a black American man imprisoned for murdering a fellow Pullman porter. He escapes to an unnamed West Indian island after killing a prison guard and dupes the island's superstitious inhabitants into believing that he can be killed only by a silver bullet. He rules as a military despot, with the white trader Smithers (played with a cockney accent by Andy Murray) as his lackey until one day no one comes when he rings his bell. Realizing his rebellious subjects are coming for him (the beat of tom-toms warns of their approach), Jones makes his getaway into the island's jungle. But while fleeing through the darkness, his mental state disintegrates as he confronts a series of ghoulish visions, including a Witch Doctor who dances a pantomime of Jones' corrupt life, as well as ghosts of the two men he killed leaving him to contemplate whether he should use the silver bullet in his gun on himself. Loading... This production of The Emperor Jones is a breathtaking experience for the senses. Charlie Corcoran's set, bedecked with ropey, drape-like vines, quickly morphs from Jones' throne room to the dark, insidious jungle. Ryan Rumery and M. Florian Staab's sound design get pulses racing with the relentless beat of tom-toms and the swirl of heart-pounding music that follow Jones as he thrashes through the trees. Brian Nason's dreamlike lighting design blends with these sounds to create intense scenes of psychological terror. O'Reilly enhances O'Neill's expressionistic mood by using puppets instead of actors in Brutus Jones' visions. Tim Burton-esque figures of Southern belles (designed by Bob Flanagan) sway and nod as Jones is forced to flex his muscles on an auction block, alongside bunraku puppets representing slaves whose faces suggest Edvard Munch's The Scream. To create a jungle that seems to come alive, O'Reilly has actors wear costumes of the trees, which lash Jones with whiplike branches as they writhe threateningly around him. Barry McNabb's masterful choreography which includes Jones' flight through the jungle and, later, his dance with a witch doctor is mesmerizing. Carl Hendrick Louis deserves mention for his brief but captivating performance as Lem. Even through a thick mask (also designed by Flanagan) that covers part of his face, Louis conveys intimidating strength. But it's Abili's performance that gives this production its raw power. Unleashing a torrent of fury in the first scene, he whips his throne repeatedly, showing us Jones' rage at being beaten as a prisoner, while foreshadowing the psychological thrashing he'll soon give himself. Abili triumphs by giving us a Brutus Jones whom we despise for his hypocrisy and arrogance yet empathize with because of the indignities he endured in his own native United States of America. By the end we don't quite know how to feel about Jones, who has eagerly adopted the mindset of the oppressor after living for years among the ranks of the oppressed. Why he so easily transitions to the role of oppressor is a question that has no clear-cut answer, but to dismiss the play as racist is to avoid having an essential discussion about how Jones, a morally suspect leader who has suddenly risen to power, justifies the marginalization of an entire group of people. Abili's performance and O'Reilly's production (with a brisk 65-minute run time) make clear that Brutus Jones is one of the great tragic figures of the theater alongside Macbeth, with whom he bears comparison. Audiences who saw Irish Rep's Emperor Jones in 2009 might too hastily opt not to revisit the show again. But what a difference eight years make. Those who experience this play now are bound to see it with fresh eyes. The racial and political anxieties that The Emperor Jones explores are ripe for renewed discussion in our time. 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Review 20 Years Ago: 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD PRERUNNER Review and Specs By Dan Poler Senior Editor Colorado Bureau The Auto Channel It snowed on Sunday. Not a lot, maybe eight inches or so. Not uncommon for the high plains of Colorado in January. The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro was delivered the following Wednesday. In the intervening few days, it was above freezing, letting some of the snow melt off. Also not uncommon. But this afforded us a fantastic opportunity: To take the Tacoma TRD Pro out not on fresh snow or dry terrain, but on trails coated in wet, soggy, muddy, slushy, ick? Yes, please, dont mind if I do! Although the Tacoma was all-new for 2016, the TRD Pro variant was re-introduced for 2017 after a brief hiatus from the lineup. The TRD Pro takes an already-capable Tacoma TRD Off Road and adds greater suspension travel, a wider, taller stance, and Fox internal bypass shocks as well as a few other details such as a unique black front grille, a TRD Pro shift knob, and TRD Pro floor mats. No doubt that the TRD Pro accents make the truck look fantastic - despite the entirely ornamental hood scoop. Its high, chunky profile with tons of ground clearance mean business, and the black plastic front grille has a definite retro look to it reminiscent in some ways of the FJ Cruiser. But further inspection of the exterior led us to find a couple of irritations that would be difficult to live with every day: The hood is quite heavy to open and somewhat awkward because it is so high, and although the drivers door has keyless touch-entry, the passenger door does not, an odd and glaring omission in 2017 when this sort of feature has become mainstream. The height also means that kids will struggle to get in, reducing attractiveness as a daily driver. Initial observations aside, I was excited to get out on trail and hopped in right away. My initial thought of the interior was the word hodgepodge - not just a mix of different textures and plastics, but also something a hodgepodge of equipment on this nearly-top-of-the-line truck: blind spot monitors, GPS, backup sensors, heated front seats, even a GoPro camera holder attached to the front window. But no power seats? And those seats are very firm with little support. Well, getting there is half the fun, so off I went. I immediately realized that the cabin was fairly cramped - the drivers seating position is narrow, affording little room for my legs. I found my left knee resting uncomfortably against the door, without much of a better option. And even at my fairly average 510 / 1.79 m height, my seating position caused the back seat to be nearly unusable. But how did the Tacoma TRD Pro drive? Another word comes to mind: Uncomposed. The truck is noisy and jittery, with every bump shaking the truck end to end, threatening to throw me into the next lane. The accelerator pedal is unusually firm, causing the driver to need to exert a significant amount of effort to maintain speed. And the transmission feels clearly tuned for economy over performance - perhaps fine in the flatlands of the midwest but here in the Rockies this tuning causes significant and continuous gear hunting - I counted 17 gear changes in a minute traversing a grade on an Interstate highway. All of these factors add up to make the Tacoma TRD Pro a bit of a challenge as a daily driver. As I write this review I realize that it sounds fairly negative. Uncomfortable, noisy, a handful on the highway. So why would anyone buy this truck? Because its not designed to be comfortable. Its not designed to be on the highway. Thats not what its here for. Its here to go off-road. And is it worth it? Heck yes. Toyota seems to have set out to create a superlative off road truck even if it meant sacrificing road manners and luxury, and they seem to have done exactly that. Once its on the trail the Tacoma TRD Pro becomes an entirely different beast. It was made for this. It handles those trails coated in wet, soggy, muddy, slushy, ick without a care in the world, covering substantial distance of tough terrain in very little time. This is its environment and its completely at home in this world. Even getting the back end loose with an empty in mud and ice took a fair bit of effort, and on dry stretches its a thrill to watch dust and dirt kicked up in the rearview mirror. With all that said, its tough to recommend the Tacoma TRD Pro as a daily driver: Just too uncomfortable, just too much of a handful on the highway. Add to this a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg If to-and-from-work with weekends to the hardware store is what youre looking for, youd be well pressed to look at a full-size truck from the Big 3, or even a lesser-equipped Tundra - any of these will price out similarly. But if you enjoy being out on trail, and on trail a lot, the TRD Pro will be in its element and youll have a blast. Specifications Engine: 3.5L V6 with Dual VVT-i Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic Horsepower: 278 @ 6,000 RPM Torque (ft-lbs): 265 @ 4,600 RPM Wheelbase / Length (in): 127.4 / 212.3 Curb Weight (lbs): 4,425 (est.) Pounds per HP: 15.9 Fuel Capacity (gal): 21.1 Fuel Requirement: Regular unleaded Tires: Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventure; 265/70R16 112T Ground Clearance (in): 9.4 Drivetrain: 4WDemand part-time 4x4 system with 2-speed electronically controlled transfer case; automatic limited-slip differential; locking rear differential EPA Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined/observed: 18/23/20/18 Towing Capacity (lbs): 6,400 Base Trim Price: $42,760.00 Price as Tested: $45,087.00 (includes glass breakage sensor, first aid kit, bed mat, mini tie down loop, emergency assistance kit, paint protection film, spare tire lock, universal tablet holder, mudgards, deck rail camera mount, wheel locks, and delivery) The Most In-Depth Toyota Vehicle Consumer Shopper's Research - Anywhere! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Tension surrounding a court-appointed electoral officer sent Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation band members to the polls twice in four days, first on Thursday and again on Sunday. Political newcomer Craig Alexander was elected chief in Sundays vote and replaces Chief Alfred Hayden, who did not run for reelection. June Thomas, Rachel Ferreira, Keith Henry and Zongiday Nelson were elected councillors. A total of 517 votes were cast in the election. The second election date was the result of a series of recent judicial reviews. On Mar. 7, two days before Thursdays election, federal court Judge Rene LeBlanc appointed Burke Ratte, an electoral officer from Peguis First Nation, to oversee Roseau Rivers election. In doing so, LeBlanc overturned part of a Feb. 10 decision by federal court Judge Luc Martineau that named Lois Thomas as Roseaus electoral officer. JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON Electoral assistant Ernest Gray adds a tally to candidate Craig Alexanders vote total as ballots are counted on Sunday. Alexander went on to win Sunday's election, the second vote in four days in the First Nation community. Hayden, Nelson and Robert Henry were named as applicants in both decisions. Ratte said he was unable to enter the polling station at the Niichi Oasis Gaming Centre on Thursday when he arrived to carry out his electoral duties. I was physically prevented by entering the building by band members and a member of the custom council, Ratte said. Dakota Ojibway Police Service officers provided security at the polling station throughout Sundays election, which Ratte said proceeded smoothly and peacefully with only a few negative comments. See more coverage of Roseau River Anishinabe First Nations elections in Thursdays issue of The Carillon. By Aaron Sharockman and Allison Graves Republicans supporting the House GOPs effort to repeal and replace Obamacare are pushing back on criticism that the plan would strip health insurance away from an estimated 6 million to 15 million Americans, as Congress awaits additional insight from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Appearing on the Sunday shows, White House Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney said the CBO isnt capable of assessing such a large piece of legislation. "If the CBO was right about Obamacare to begin with, there'd be 8 million more people on Obamacare today than there actually are," Mulvaney said on This Week. "So, I love the folks at the CBO, they work really hard. They do. Sometimes we ask them to do stuff that they're not capable of doing." Gary Cohn, director of the White Houses National Economic Council, echoed Mulvaney on Fox News Sunday. For PolitiFact, those claims rate Half True. Mulvaney has a point that the CBOs projections for how many people would gain coverage through the Affordable Care Act was higher than reality, but that criticism isnt enough to undermine the CBOs ability to analyze the Republican repeal-and-replace bill, experts told us. The CBO released enrollment projections for the health care law in March 2010. It estimated that 21 million people would purchase coverage through the new insurance exchanges by 2016. At the end of 2016, more than 11.5 million individuals actually signed up for 2017 coverage, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Thats a difference of 9.5 million enrollees, even more than the figure Mulvaney provided. But the CBO eventually reduced its projection of how many people would get health insurance through the Affordable Care Acts marketplaces, from 21 million to 13 million. Initially, CBO analysts believed exchange enrollment would be higher in part because employers would drop insurance plans in favor of the marketplaces. That has not occurred. Experts and independent research typically give the CBO high marks for its analysis of legislation. "With respect to precise quantitative point estimates, the differences between CBO's estimates and actual experience are well within the range that I would expect given the scope of the change CBO was being asked to analyze," said Matthew Fiedler, a fellow with the Center for Health Policy in Brookings' Economic Studies Program. Fiedler said that CBO's "big picture" assessment of the impact of the Affordable Care Act on insurance coverage was spot on. Specifically, the agency estimated a very large reduction in the share of people without health insurance that would leave the uninsured rate at a historic low, which is what occurred, he said. According to a 2015 report from the Commonwealth Fund, the CBO overestimated enrollee total, but still offered projections closer to reality than four other forecasters (the Office of the Actuary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the RAND Corporation, the Urban Institute; and the Lewin Group). No prediction will ever be perfect, but for the most part, experts who have studied the CBO have found their projections to be largely sound. For example, the National Tax Journal in 1988 concluded that short-run projections from the CBO do not contain bias. A 2000 report comparing the forecasting of the CBO and the Federal Reserve Board concluded that, "The most accurate forecasting is done by the CBO, with the Fed a close second." Even the CBO released its own report in November 2015 that looked at how accurate their predictions have been, as well as what factors have contributed to forecasting errors. On average, between 1983 and 2014, the CBO overestimated two-year revenue forecasts by 1.1 percent and six-year projections by about 5.3 percent. Price on Obamacare impact Elsewhere, Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price claimed on Meet the Press that the number of new people insured as a result of Obamacare is overstated. The number of individuals who actually got coverage through the exchange who didn't have coverage before, or who weren't eligible for Medicaid before is relatively small, Price said. So we've turned things upside down completely for 3 million, or 4 million, or 5 million individuals. Thats False. The passage of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, did result in a spate of Medicaid enrollees who were previously eligible for the program (about 3.2 million). But beyond that, Prices claim falls apart. Price focused on two pools of people -- those who benefited from the plan to expand Medicaid and uninsured Americans who purchased coverage through a federal or state exchange or marketplace. Through that lens, Prices figures are off. Nonpartisan health care analysts at the Kaiser Family Foundation have concluded that, as of March 2016, more than 11 million Americans have gained access to health care as part of the Medicaid expansion. As we noted, an additional 3.2 million Americans signed up for Medicaid but were previously eligible. Finding data on the number of previously uninsured people who signed up for care through a health care exchange is more challenging. But the numbers that do exist further undercut Price. In 2015, researchers at the nonpartisan RAND Corporation estimated that 4.1 million previously uninsured Americans had gained access through a health care exchange or marketplace. Thats roughly 15 million Americans who werent insured who now are, which is three to five times the number Price used. Sherry A. Glied, dean of the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, recently examined how much of a factor the Affordable Care Act is playing in cutting the uninsured rate. Looking at the Affordable Care Acts first open enrollment period (2013-14), Glied concluded that the health care law explained about 76 percent of the decline in the uninsured rate. Glied told us that translates to 9.8 million more people covered as a result of the health care laws policies in 2014. Since then, the uninsurance rate has dropped further, Glied said, which would mean the pool of people covered because of Affordable Care Act policies has grown. Read the full fact-checks at PolitiFact.com. At least she didnt get Brad inked on her back. There is, nonetheless, a certain irony in Angelina Jolie having three magical tattoos drawn on her back during a visit to Thailand to bind her to husband Brad Pitt, just months before they split up. New photos, reportedly taken in February 2016, show Angelinas back being branded with three large Thai Sak Yant tattoos while Brad had a tattoo of a Buddhist symbol drawn on the left side of his stomach. The work was done by former monk and celebrated tattoo artist Ajarn Noo Kanpai. The tats were applied using steel rods mounted with a surgical needlea traditional process that, according to tattoo geeks, is supposedly more accurate than a regular tattoo gun. Its also painfulone initiate has described the sensation of having a Sank Yat tattoo done as a bee sting, followed quickly by a swarm of bees launching a full-scale attack. Kanpai applied a shoulder-blade tattoo to Jolie in 2003. He is the holy man of choice for celebrity tattoo-seekers, and has worked on a number of other famous skins, including model Cara Delevingne and actress Michelle Rodriguez. Alas the tattoos, which were traditionally applied to warriors to protect them in battle, and are believed to give the wearer magic powers associated with healing, luck, strength, and protection against evil, failed to work their magic on Pitt and Jolie, who split in Setember last year. The tattoos themselves were applied during a break from filming Jolies new Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father, in Cambodia. The decorations were reportedly intended to symbolically bind them as husband and wife, so no wonder Pitt was surprised when his wife filed for divorce a few months later. Angelina recently made her first public statement about the marital split in an interview to promote the new movie, which details the wartime experiences of Cambodian human-rights activist Loung Ung as a child. Jolie said of her marital breakdown, It was very difficult. Many people find themselves in this situation. My whole family have all been through a difficult time. My focus is my children, our children. Apparently close to tears, Jolie said: We are and forever will be a family and so that is how I am coping. I am coping with finding a way through to make sure that this somehow makes us stronger and closer. Jolie filed for divorce in September last year in a move that caught Hollywood by surprise, citing the health of my family as the reason for the split from Pitt, who she had been with since 2004. The final straw apparently came after Pitt got in an alleged shoving match with their adopted child Maddox on a private jet, although Pitt was cleared of child-abuse accusations by an official investigation. The battle has at times been vicious, with both parties making poisonous accusations against each other as they tussle for custody of their kids. Jolie accused Pitt in one filing of being terrified that the public will learn the truth, and of attacking her to deflect from [his] own role in the media storm which has engulfed the parties children. As President Donald Trump courts Republicans voicing opposition to his Obamacare replacement, it feels a lot like deja vu for those of us old enough to remember the last time a Republican was in the White House. For most of his tenure (until he nominated Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court), conservatives gave President George W. Bushs less-than-conservative policies a pass. It was a decision they came to regretand now, some worry they are about to make the same mistake with Trumps flawed Obamacare replacement. When conservatives followed Bush down that [big government] path, says prominent conservative Erick Erickson, who writes at The Resurgent, they gave up their intellectual identity for cheerleading and it took them wandering in the wilderness to find their voice again. Conservative writer Philip Klein agrees. The Tea Party, at its best, wasnt merely about resisting Barack Obama, said Klein. It was a recognition that the Republican Party and the broader conservative movement should have pushed back harder against George W. Bush when he violated limited government principles by expanding the size and scope of federal power, most prominently with the Medicare prescription drug plan and the No Child Left Behind law. So why did Republicans go along with Bush? In his book Saving Freedom, Jim DeMint recounts a couple of times in the Oval Office when Bush personally appealed to him to change his votes during his tenure in the House of Representatives. The first instance involved an amendment DeMint was trying to attach to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. DeMint writes that the president pled with him to avoid a blood baththe exact same terminology Trump is now using to scare conservative members into supporting this repeal-and-replace plan. DeMint says he wouldnt have backed down if the president had threatened him, but that he was a sucker for gentle persuasion. (On another occasion, DeMint stood firm when Bush attempted to strong-arm him into supporting Medicare Part D.) The president said, trust me, and DeMint acquiesced to a deal he later regretted. The point being that even Jim DeMint (Jim DeMint!) caved against his better judgment when a president from his own political party asked nicely. Fast forward to today, when President Trump is headlining his very own charm offensive. Trump has dined with the Cruzes, and wooed recalcitrant conservative members with invitations to the White House for pizza and bowling. (Rose-colored glasses might be the party favor of choice at these soirees.) He also has dazzled conservative organizational heads (assuring them the plan will improve). After the Republican health care plan was released, one conservative group took to Twitter to lambaste the plan. But, as David Catanese notes, after Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin was promptly summoned to the White House, her tone changed. I cant say enough how much Tea Party Patriots appreciated having a seat at the table with him, she said. Weve never had that with the House and Senate leadership. We probably underestimate Trumps ability to captivate in face-to-face situations. His celebrity status only magnifies the aura that being commander in chief already bestows. He also can use the trappings of his office to his advantage. And dont forget, he is famously a master negotiator. I would be the first to admit that calls from the president will certainly influence members and to suggest otherwise would be to ignore politics, confessed Rep. Mark Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus. Dont be surprised if Trump charms the pants off of many of these people. Of course, this is only one weapon in the considerable Trump arsenal. To paraphrase Patrick Swayze in Road House, President Trump will be nice until its time to not be nice. He has more than just juicy carrotshe also has plenty of big sticks. In the states and home districts of many elected Republicans, Trumps popularity outshines that of the local Congressman. Theres always the implied threat that he could personally visit their state and criticize them (see New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez), could mock them and attack them on Twitter, and could even help ensure that a more Trump-ish primary challenger emerges in time to sink their future political aspirations. This last one is more than just implied. The Washington Examiners David Drucker reports that President Trump has told Republican leaders that hes prepared to play hardball with congressional conservatives to pass the GOP healthcare bill, including by supporting the 2018 primary challengers of any Republican who votes against the bill. Other modern presidents (starting with Woodrow Wilson) have expended energy employing both wholesale and retail tactics to cajole Congress. But what makes George W. Bush and now Donald Trump so interesting is that much of their lobbying will be directed at trying to convince conservatives (for the good of the country to save the presidency ) to back some pretty un-conservative legislation. So whats the downside (if any) for conservatives in going along with Trump? After supporting Bushs agenda in the 2000s, [Republicans] lost power and had very little to show for it, says Klein, recalling the post-Bush years, and paved the way for Democrats landslide victories in 2006 and 2008 that allowed for the passage of Obamacare. Klein warns, If conservatives go along with Trump as he proposes big government policies, from healthcare to infrastructure spending, they will come to regret it once again. In a world where memories are so short that a decade ago seems like an eternity, history may be about to repeat itself. Children are at the forefront of Cries From Syria, a harrowing new documentary helmed by Oscar nominee Evgeny Afineevsky (Winter on Fire). The film chronicles the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 following the arrest and torture of several teenage boys for graffitiing an anti-government message on a wall in the city of Daraa. Their arrests sparked protests against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assadones that grew louder with the death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb, a 13-year-old boy who was snatched up by government agents during a protest in Daraa, only to have his mutilated body shipped back to his family less than month later. Hamzas corpse was covered in bruises and cigarette burns. His penis was missing. The protests grew into a full-scale rebellion. In order to suppress it, Assad first released al Qaeda prisoners, which helped form ISIS, and then began targeting his own people with chemical weapons. Later, Russia aligned itself with the Assad regime and launched a series of airstrikes against rebel and civilian targets in Syria under the guise of fighting ISIS. So far, an estimated 400,000 Syrians have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations, while 4.95 million Syrians have fled the country33 percent of whom are children 11 and under. Last year, in his first interview since becoming president, Donald Trump reiterated that the U.S. would join forces with Putin and Assad to take out ISIS. Syria is fighting ISIS, and you have to get rid of ISIS, he said. Last week, President Trump issued a new executive order barring immigrants from six Muslim-majority countries, including Syria. In an exclusive video provided to The Daily Beast, Bana Alabed delivers a tearful message to President Trump. Bana, a 7-year-old Syrian girl whose Twitter account became famous for documenting the atrocities in her native Aleppo, is seen staring into the camera. Donald Trump, my name is Bana Alabed, and I am 7-years-old from Aleppo, Syria. We are the children of Syria. We are not terrorists. We are like your children, she pleads. Please help us to stop the war. The children deserve life. Bana escaped Aleppo in December during the mass evacuations, and resettled with her family in Turkey. She is joined there by Kholoud Helmi, an activist and co-founder of the underground Syrian newspaper Enab Baladi, and another voice in Cries From Syria. Bana represents the voice of the children of Syria. She was besieged in Aleppo, flushed out of her town, and flushed out of her country, says Helmi. Her voice represents the struggle of these kids that were supposed to have a life. She was supposed to go to school and play, like a little girl. She wasnt supposed to tweet news. But the circumstances forced her to, because she has the luxury of knowing English. Her voice is being heard, but other children do not have that luxury because they do not speak English, and are being killed on a daily basis. In addition to Bana and the children of Daraa, two of the most arresting, devastating images of the Syrian civil war featured children: Alan Kurdi, a 3-year-old Syrian boy who washed up lifeless on a beach in Turkey, and Omran Daqneesh, a 5-year-old Syrian boy who sat ash-covered, bloodied and alone in an ambulance. Alan symbolized the death of the younger generation of the Syrian people, because the revolution started with the death of the kids, says Afineevsky. Omran symbolized the struggle of survival. And Bana symbolizes hopehope to go back to their home country, hope of a normal childhood, and hope of a new Syria. LONDONA Muslim girl wearing a headscarf was filmed dancing in the streets of Birmingham, U.K.twerking, in factand the smartphone video soon went viral, viewed over a million times. Ironically, it was popularized in no small part by outraged Muslim men. The fundamentalist Muslim backlash directed at this anonymous 17-year-old girls innocuous behavior was instant, personal, and severe. Amid threats in comment threads such as, Fu**ing sl*t someone give me her address I will kill her, and Stupid b**ch needs to be killed, the young girl issued a tearful, pitiful public apology that was broadcast by a pair of fundamentalist roving-fatwa YouTubers as a repentance to placate the frothing Islamist mob. Two days later the world celebrated International Womens Day. But amid a plethora of feminist pronouncements, including denunciations of transgender women, Emma Watsons breasts, and even Zionism, not one major feminist organization or mainstream media outlet touched on what had just transpired. A British Muslim girl was publicly slut-shamed, witch-hunted, and threatened until she totally submitted to the diktats of fundamentalist British-Muslim men, and the incident went barely noticed by our British left. This is despite the fact the brazen persecution was carried out unashamedly and unapologetically for all to witness by a pair of social media cretins. The incident centered around the page of a quasi-literate fundamentalist British Muslim street preacher named Ali Dawah (which somewhat unoriginally means: Ali Preaching) and his Penfold-like sidekick, Musa. Unlike certain intersectional feminists who seem to have forgotten what it is that they are meant to be fighting for, Ali Dawah makes no secret of his disdain for women: I believe Muslim woman [sic] dont need feminism What does feminism offer that Islam doesnt? What if feminism opposed Islam which one will you follow? just after posting a meme showing a woman who looks frustrated and angry that reads: When you cant open a jar after thirty minutes and realize youre not a strong independent woman who doesnt need a man. Such views acted as a backdrop on Alis page to what happened next. Upon seeing the video in question, by their own admission Ali and Musa reacted angrily and moved publicly to correct the girl. They posted an image of her dancing, and separately recorded a rant about why such behavior is totally unacceptable for Muslims. Many other Muslims on their page soon pointed out how this only helped the offending video to go viral. Death threats against the petrified teenager soon followed. Undeterred, the pair got in touch with the family of the 17-year-old girl and decided to record and publish her repentance, to ward off the threats. Just before the terrified girl was put on, the pair of medievalists can be heard ruminating on how her dance was really inappropriate as Ali continued, We was really upset to be honest, and Im sure a lot of you guys was upset as well a lot of us hate seeing certain things done by practicing-looking individuals. Not to be outdone, Musa then added, It was very, very hard to comprehend what someone could be going through to be doing something like that while wearing the hijab. In what can only be described as religious mania, he then mentioned victims of suicide and rape while adding which we can understand and advise about, but with this [dancing] we were even speechless. Probably ready to say anything for all this to just go away, the poor girl explained to the pair of numbskulls that she has suffered from depression since she was 13. Tragically, she then burst into tears. At this point, Ali callously remarked: By God, this is the work of Satan, the only reason Im doing this is because people are going to watch the video and judge you based on that so dont cry, God is the most merciful the fact that youre crying is a sign of repentance and remorse, so dont be upset Im just going to carry on so dont worry You said that you saw some brothers preaching and at that point you came back to your senses, right? Im going to get you in contact with (if you want) some good sisters in Birmingham who can keep your companythat is, make sure the girl stays penitentbecause this is the work of the devil and music is one of the tools of Satan. Just in case his message hadnt gotten through, Ali ended his video with some final remarks to his young Muslim audience, telling them music is like youre on drugs these filthy people in these songs, they dont care about you and theyre causing harm, they talk about women like theyre whores Now that they had extracted their repentance from her, and publicly aired her confession, the girls sin was deemed in need of hidingfor shame. In a textbook case of gaslighting, the pair went on to blame others for still sharing news of the girl that they themselves had also initially posted. Their followers were then encouraged to report anyone still posting on the issue as harassment and bullying. To say that I stand disgusted is an understatement. No doubt the petrified girl will stand by her apology, and just wants the incident to go away. I understand that. And I fully expect her to maintain her repentance. She will probably wish that I had not resurrected this issue by defending her right to dance as she likes, when she likes, and where she likes. But no. Before it all just goes away, we as liberals, as a society, and as her fellow human beings have a duty to at least acknowledge what has just happened: We just missed our first modern religious inquisition, initiated, conducted, and concluded solely through social media. Our communities, Muslim or otherwise, must awaken to the predators of liberty that live among us. Similar to the now infamous sharia patrols, British-Muslim religious-policing must not be tolerated. It is no coincidence that this incident unfolded in the English city of Birmingham. A tenth of all Britains jihadist terrorists hail from just five wards in that city. And for the sake of British Muslim female victims of honor killings, we must mark this moment, because the girls inquisitors appear utterly unable to comprehend why anyone would be so angered by their actions. They conclude their video inquisition by promising, Its gonna happen in the future, another video might come up, obviously we have to go about it the right way, but if its going viral, we have to touch upon it. So untouchable do they feel as Muslim fundamentalists in modern Britain that they vow to do it again. Welcome to the United Kingdom, 2017. Whats your signature drink? My favorite drink is the one somebody is buying for me. Thats really the truth. Ha! Are there any ones in particular that you like? Fernet-Branca is my favorite. I love Jack Daniels. And I love great tequila. And I enjoy a good vodka soda. I like it all. But Fernet-Branca In my opinion it is the great digestivo. It really is. I could enjoy a Fernet right now. I can enjoy it warm. I can enjoy it cold. I keep it in my fridge. I have one in every freezer. Not everybody, loves Fernet, which makes it even more exciting. Do you like the mint version? No. We were going right down the road of friendship and you went into oncoming traffic. I cant stand the Branca Menta. And people will buy me Fernet as a gift all the time and theyll buy me the Menta [by mistake]. I was just down in Mexico. I just opened restaurants in Mexico. My business partner put a bottle in the freezer with a bow on it and it was the Menta. It just didnt work. Who introduced you to Fernet? I was introduced to Fernet 20 years ago, before it became a thing. I remember when you couldnt find it anywhere. Wed have to go to San Francisco and buy it in specialty liquor stores. I dont know where it was. I think it was in Italy. It actually was longer than 20 years ago, it was in Italy when I was in college. And I like really off flavors. Im a big black licorice fan. Anything Smokey Scotch? You know what? It has to be super out there. If I do any of the pretenders, I cant play. But if its funky Ill find it. So, funky flavors. Like really good tequila. I love tequila. I always thought I was allergic to tequila. Why? Well, when I was in college, every time I would drink tequila I would break out in handcuffs. You didnt see that coming? No, I didnt see that coming. Back to tequila. Most people dont like tequila and the reason is because theyve drank shitty tequila. I am a blanco guy. I like just clean, pure, straight up great tequila. How about Jagermeister? So, Jager is training wheels for Fernet. Its sweet Fernet. Its the Germans version. What are your biggest drinking pet peeves? The biggest failure in drinks: shitty glassware. And the biggest failure of all drinks is shitty ice. Ice is the cornerstone of a great drinks. Theres nothing greater than drinking a really good bourbon or having a really nice drink with just a nice, fat cube. The rest of the cubes melt too fast and dilute the fucking drink. Can you talk about how you got in the fine wine business? Seven years ago, I bought this property that has these really great grapes on itthis phenomenal pinot. We were selling all the grapes to William Selyem. I tell my wife were going to start making wine. She loves wine. I love wine. We all love wine. And wine is so misunderstood. Wine is not a price tag. Wine is an art. And price often has nothing to do with whether or not youll like it. Its the truth. Its the same thing with food. So, when we started talking about this, I said you know what? There will be a lot of things that will come and go in my life but I really want to give my sons something. I want to give them a legacy. Everybody expected when I told them I was going to make wine that it would be Guy Fieri wine with flames up the bottle and all this kind of shit. And I said I dont even want my name on it. If nobody knows its mine, Id be happier. So, I named it Hunt & Ryde. Hunter and Ryder are my two boys. We do a really dynamite zinfandel. We do a zin from three different vineyards. We do a phenomenal estate pinot. We dont do a bunch of wine. Any white wines? We did a little viognier. We did a little bubbles this year100 cases. What Im trying to explain to everybody, is that I just want to do it right. My whole interest in making the wine was having something to pass on to my sons. I told [my winemaker] I dont care if we make any money. And fortunately, people really enjoy it and weve started to serve it in my restaurants around the country. And you already have a built-in demand. Everybody said to me and they still say it, you never made it the Guy Fieri wine. You know youd sell 10,000 times the amount of wine. But its not about that. Im a big Evel Knievel fan. The corks for the first vintage had my Evel Knievel tattoo on them. I debossed the label. So, we made the label backwards. So, when you feel it, it feels like leather. I just wanted shit that my kids, when they finally get the winery, to go fuck the old man was crazy. Interview has been condensed and edited. Find the Drinking Rules of other famous tipplers. The Nevada psychologist phoned his wifes father early one January morning and warned him that paramedics were rushing her to the hospital. During the call, Gregory Brent Dennis told the Oklahoma man that his daughter, Susan Winters, was unconscious and wasnt breathing. My god, Dan, she drank antifreeze, Dennis allegedly said that day in 2015. Winterss parents were at the airport hours later and ready to fly to Las Vegas to be at their daughters side. But Dennis called again. This time, he claimed Winterss condition was hopeless: Shed had two heart attacks and her kidneys had failed. Theyre saying she has no chance, the 54-year-old Dennis said, when asked about the doctors prognosis. Dennis would call the Winters family one last time. He told them that Susana lawyer and mother of two teenage daughtershad died at age 48. Police closed the case a month after the Clark County coroner ruled Susans death a suicide by a lethal mix of oxycodone and antifreeze. But Dan Winters and his wife, Avis, never believed Susan killed herself, and they hired lawyers to conduct their own investigation. Theres no way in hell that she would have taken her own life. No way in hell, Dan Winters, who made his fortune operating Sonic franchises, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last year. Dan Winters said he got a weird vibe from Dennis, 8 News Now reported. The grieving father said Dennis called a relative after his wife died and said, I just got interviewed by one of the police officers. I think I passed. It was a private investigation by Susan Winterss own family that prompted Henderson detectives to reopen her case. Early last month, police cuffed Dennis on the charge of open murder with a deadly weapon. The shrink was released on $250,000 bail soon after. The arrest comes as Winterss parents fight Dennis in court for control of their daughters estate. Dennis, who owns a Boulder City mental health clinic, received nearly $2 million after Winters diedas an inheritance and from her life insurance. Attorneys for the Winters clan accused Dennis of profiting from their daughters untimely death and of using the million-dollar payouts he received to allegedly fuel a drug-addicted lifestyle, the Review-Journal reported. Dennis allegedly spent about $10,000 on drugs in the two months after Susan Winters died, the lawyers claimed in court papers reviewed by the Review-Journal. The psychologists attorney, Richard Schonfeld, declined to comment on the drug-abuse and wild spending allegations. I wont dignify it with a response, Schonfeld told The Daily Beast. Schonfeld said those allegations were made in opposition to his request to postpone the civil litigation while Denniss criminal case is pending. (A judge granted the request for a stay.) The attorney says his clients innocence will be proven at a preliminary hearing in August. We ask people not to rush to judgment because there is absolutely exculpatory evidence that exonerates Mr. Dennis, the lawyer said. He has been at the same practice for approximately 30 years in Boulder City, Schonfeld added. Hes well-respected in his community and he has tremendous support from his patients and friends in the local community. Were looking forward to presenting the other side to this story, he said. A Henderson police report paints a disturbing picture of a husband who allegedly poisoned his wife to cover up and bankroll his drug addiction. The document also describes a psychologist who was supposedly popping pills handed over by his own patients. Susan Winters had repeatedly threatened to turn [her husband] in and jeopardize his professional license and psychology practice, cops claim. And call records, investigators say, reveal that Winters called and texted Denniss alleged drug dealer in the days before her death. Denniss accounts of the night of Susan Winterss death vary, police say. According to a 27-page declaration of arrest, Dennis claimed he took his teen daughters out on Jan. 2, 2015, and returned home to find his home computer on with internet searches for committing suicide with antifreeze. The therapist said he confronted Winters about the websites but that she refused to answer his questions. In at least one version of his story, Dennis claimed he threatened to call cops if Winters didnt answer him, but he declined after Winters warned shed hurt herself and tell officers he was abusing her. Sometime later, Winters was snoring loudly in bed when Dennis fell asleep next to her, he claimed. The hubby told cops that he woke the next morning to find that Winters wasnt breathing and had urinated on herself. When EMTs arrived to attempt saving Winterss life, Dennis told them she may have ingested antifreeze. Dennis later escorted detectives to his garage and showed them two open and half-empty bottles of antifreeze, which he speculated were left by the previous owner of their residence. (Police say there was no physical evidence in the bedroom to give Dennis any indication his wife committed suicide.) But investigators say Denniss cellphone records contradict his statements to police on his movements that night. In the early morning hours before Winters died, Denniss phone was pinging cell towers near The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Vegas. Thats where, according to police, a convicted cocaine dealer named Jeffrey Crosby lived. From 2:46 a.m. to 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 3, Denniss phone exchanged 20 text messages with Crosbys mobile. At 3:15 a.m., Denniss phone was connected to the cellular tower that services The Orleans. Seventeen minutes later, Dennis was back home, police say. Once at his residence, Dennis attempted to contact Crosbys phone three times but none of the calls appear to have been answered. The last attempted call was at 5:32 a.m.1 hour and 16 minutes after Dennis dialed 911 for his wife. This indicates that Dennis did not sleep next to Winters all night, but contacted and then met his cocaine dealer at The Orleans hotel before returning home and watching Winters expire from the substances in her body, the police affidavit states. According to the police report, Denniss alleged drug addiction was well-known among his family and friends. One of his daughters even told a former FBI agent-turned-private investigator that his drug use was not a big deal, the document claims. That private eye, Jim Perry, tailed Dennis between Jan. 9 and March 27, 2015, and says he followed him to The Orleans Hotel four times. On every occasion, investigators observed Dennis sit in his vehicle with his head faced downward toward his lap, the police report states. Dennis would remain in that position for a couple of minutes, rub his nose, and drive away from the hotel. Dennis was allegedly spotted outside the hotel and entering Crosbys room again in August and September of that year. Indeed, cops claim Dennis boasted of his recreational drug use and on some occasions even asked Winterss relatives for their prescription narcotics. During a deposition in the Winters familys civil case, Dennis copped to buying drugs from Jeffrey at the time of his wifes death. He said he possibly purchased cocaine, hydrocodone, Valium, Xanax, and Viagra from Crosby. Winters was aware of his drug abuse and knew his dealer, the therapist testified. Im going to turn you in. Im going to call the police. Ill tell your parents, he said his wife warned him, according to his deposition. Police also learned that in the months before she died, Winters complained about her marriage in group text messages to friends. Winters, described by family as a bubbly and big-hearted barrister who adored Elvis, claimed that Dennis was either having an affair or was gay as he did not want to have sex with her, the declaration of arrest states. During his testimony, Dennis said his marriage was fine. Winterss family told police that she rarely discussed her marital problems with them. The couples youngest daughter, however, testified that they were arguing about divorce on Jan. 2., 2015. Meanwhile, investigators believe Robert Lynn, a nurse practitioner at Denniss mental health clinic, may have prescribed Winterss fatal serving of oxycodone. State records show Lynn prescribed oxycodone or morphine about 128 different times from October 2014 to January 2015, the police report states. Cops say theyve identified several patients who received prescriptions from Lynn before allegedly giving Dennis their meds. One woman told police she would acquire 150 hydrocodone pills and Dennis would buy them for $5 apiece. Dennis obtained drugs from another woman, who was Lynns patient, police say. Hey Julie, hate to ask, but do you have any pain pills? Dennis allegedly texted her on Aug. 9, 2015. Yes, anytime is OK, the woman replied. Dennis then said, Will be by in a few minutes, will have a friend in the car, no worries. The police report also describes how Dennis allegedly called his wifes life insurance company three times on the morning of Jan. 5, 2015 to report her death and collect the benefits under her policy. The companys records indicate that Dennis asked whether Winterss insurance policy contained a suicide exclusion, and that he reported her death as the result of cardiac arrest, according to police. Dennis allegedly told the company that he didnt need to assign the benefits to pay for funeral expenses. On Jan. 9, Dennis deposited a $180,000 check from Winterss personal bank account into his own. In a later deposition, Dennis claimed that he and his wife co-wrote the check before she died to pay the couples quarterly taxes and front a down payment for a new home. When pressed, Dennis admitted they hadnt even looked for a new residence, court papers say. The psychologist received a $1-million insurance payout on Feb. 27. In addition to allegedly fishy finances, Winterss parents also eyed the antifreeze web searches Dennis claimed their daughter conducted. Their private investigators subpoenaed records from Denniss internet service provider and the Veterinary Information Network, which ran an antifreeze webpage that Dennis told authorities his wife had accessed. The records showed a web hit on Jan. 3 at 5:15 a.m. pacific time, with an IP address and browser tracing back to Denniss home computer, authorities say. These results indicate Dennis conduct[ed] the search as Winters was certainly incapacitated, and about an hour before the 911 call, the declaration of arrest states. In April 2016, lawyers for the Winters family asked to inspect the computer Dennis claimed his wife used to research antifreeze. Three months later, one of Denniss daughters testified that the computer got a virus about two weeks before they turned it over to attorneys for Winterss parents. According to court papers, Denniss children believe Winters committed suicide and have made statements in support of their father. The girls have also allegedly tried to corroborate Denniss version of events regarding the night before their mother died. Denniss computer guyTodd Emond, who authorities say was a convicted felon for conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud in 2011was working on the computer a week before the handoff, the daughter testified. That computer, according to the arrest report, has never been produced. Authorities say another device, linked to the home computer, must have conducted the searches on Jan. 2 or the computers records were manipulated. Emond told authorities that he set up Denniss clinic computer and created a network connection between his work and home computers. The technician also said Dennis asked him to come to his house and determine whether anything related to antifreeze was on the home computer. Emond said he then discovered a virus while trying to make a copy of the hard drive. Authorities say Emond sent Denniss hard drives to a company in Chicago to ensure the scrub of information. Emond had no explanation as to why Dennis was asking him to tamper with the evidence which had been demanded by Winterss parents lawyers on multiple occasions, the police report states. A review of Denniss iPhoneobtained through a search warrantrevealed Emond texted the psychologist on the day of his deposition. Hang in there. Dont let those shady mother fucker Attorneys [sic] get to you. They are paid to be assholes. Give them nothing, Emond allegedly wrote. After the deposition, Emond and Dennis texted about pinpointing something on the hard drives. Theres more data then [sic] I expected, Emond wrote. Lots and lots of shopping. 5 years of stuff. Well get it. Investigators unearthed web searches on a Google Drive from October 2014 relating to blood poisoning and drinking bleach to pass a drug test. One query specifically was what happens if you drink antifreeze, police say. Whoever was accessing the Dennis family computers also researched a story on a couple who nearly died from swallowing antifreeze because of its sweet flavor. The retired teachers, the story said, believed they were drinking vermouth. Some of the Google Drive searches pertained to Denniss psychology business, while others were consistent with Winters attempting to intervene in Denniss cocaine addiction, according to the arrest report. That month, Winters complained to friends via text message about her husband and how he was draining their finances, court documents state. After I fell asleep he woke me up about 2:00 am. Confession time. Lots and lots of coke, Winters texted one friend, according to police. He struggled in to [sic] work this morning. Dont know how long he will stay. Still not completely sure the whole coke thing isnt a cover up for being gay, Winters continued shortly after. Of course he is defensive and doesnt want to talk. Winters added a hint of levity to the text conversation: I thought I knew the tell tell [sic] signs of coke use but maybe not. Guess I need to find an NA meeting and a wives with gay husband meeting too. Hahaha. Winters noted that she thought it was weird he was eating Taco Bell for breakfast on a regular basis in addition to eating a lot at night. Reading as much as I can find on google about drug addiction, Winters later texted a friend. I wish I could remember everything Brent told me last night. For their part, Winterss parents say they suddenly became Denniss adversaries. In a heartbreaking interview with the Review-Journal last year, Avis Winters accused Dennis of telling his daughters what a lousy mother they had [and] how she didnt love them enough to stick around. He was going to be the hero, Avis Winters added. He was going to take care of them. Dan Winters said hes convinced Susan never swilled antifreeze. He begged Henderson police to take another look at the case. I know when its over and when he goes to jail, that Im not going to be any better off than I was, Dan Winters said. Susans still going to be gone. But Im telling you: Im her father and I know damn well what she didnt do. Congressman Steve King , who over the weekend endorsed a far-right Dutch Trump politician, has quickly emerged as the European nationalist and anti-immigrant far-rights best friend in Congress. He also has a soft spot for authoritarians and human-rights abusers, so long as they violently crackdown on Islamists. The congressman from Iowa is one of Capitol Hills biggest nativist hawk who has long represented a conservative hard-line on immigration in the House. King has a well-documented history of delivering unapologetic xenophobic salvos targeting immigrants , Muslims, and ethnic sub-groups . On Sunday, King made news for tweeting out his endorsement of Geert Wilders , leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom who is just days away from his possible election as prime minister of the Netherlands. "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny," King posted to Twitter. "We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." King has also dubbed Wilders the world's leading voice against Jihad, and tweeted in April 2015 that Geert Wilders speaking now before Members of Congress & national security experts. Islam will not assimilate. Western culture is superior. Outraged reactions from activists and party officials to Kings most recent pro-Wilders tweet included from within his own party. Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of Iowas Republican Party, distanced himself from Kings tweet, saying in a statement : "First of all, I do not agree with Congressman Kings statement. We are a nation of immigrants, and diversity is the strength of any nation and any community. Wilders has been one of candidate and now president Donald Trumps most prominent boosters overseas, and has taken extreme positions including calling for banning the Quran in his country. Wilders was an invited guest at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, last year, where he was also a headlining speaker at Breitbarts Gays for Trump after-hours party and art show. The Dutch politician also contributed columns to the website Breitbart, which was run by Steve Bannon, Trumps White House chief strategist who has a strong affinity for helping to build an international and western-Europe nationalist ultra-right-wing . Kings office did not respond to The Daily Beasts requests for an interview or comment. But on Monday morning, the Republican congressman appeared on CNN to defend his nativist, pro- Western civilization views and tweet, as he always does. In doing so, he refused to say on-air that Muslim Americans are equal to German Americans in their usefulness to society. Individuals will contribute differently, not equally to this civilization and society, he said when pressed . Certain groups of people will do more from a productive side than other groups of people will. King is clearly no stranger to linking arms with extreme voices abroad, and the affections are absolutely mutual. Kings verified Twitter feed is littered with photos of him and far-right leaders from around the western world. Cultural suicide by demographic transformation must end, King tweetedin Septemberwith a photo of him smiling alongside and summiting with Wilders and Frauke Petry, far-right leader of the party Alternative for Germany . Early last year, Petry famously said that German police should if necessary shoot at migrants attempting to enter her country illegally. King, for his part, wished Petry a successful vote in his tweet. On top of his long-running Wilders fan-boying, King has met multiple times with Marine Le Pen , leader of Frances National Front, including late last year in her first public meeting with a United States elected official. Shortly after Trumps election in November, King tweeted that Trumps victory is for nationalism, sovereignty, & all of Western Civilization [including] Marine Le Pen of France. In January, two days before Trumps inauguration, King met with a leadership delegation from Austrias right-wing populist Freedom Party that was here to celebrate Trump inauguration, according to Kings Twitter account. The Austrian political party has the added baggage of being founded by Nazis . In January, Kings office would not comment to The Daily Beast on that meeting, either. If all that wasnt enough, in late 2013 King traveled to Cairo, Egypt to praise and publicly support Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, leader of the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected president and Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohamed Morsi. Kings conservative congressional delegation held a news conference in solidarity with the military strongman, during which they lovingly compared the general to George Washington. On April 11, 2016, a tiny think tank with a bland name published a 79-point wish list. The list garnered virtually no media coverage, and in the 11 months since its publication has been largely ignoredexcept, apparently, by the White House. Today, Donald Trump seems to be working through it as he rolls out his immigration policy. A number of the 79 items on the list composed by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), have either been implemented or shown up in leaked draft proposals from the administration. Its a course of events that has that think tank cautiously exultant and has immigrants rights activists anxious and disturbed. CIS is one of the most vocal groups supporting increased detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants. It played a key role in torpedoing the 2013 Gang of 8 comprehensive immigration reform bill, and is a long-time favorite of Jeff Sessions and Stephen Miller. Its newfound influence isnt just on paper and in policy. Mark Krikorian, CISs executive director, told The Daily Beast that last month, for the first time, his group scored an invite to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement stakeholder meeting, a gathering that happens a few times a year where ICE leaders talk policy and procedure with immigration lawyers and activists. And he said that since Trumps inauguration, hes been in touch with new appointees at the Department of Homeland Security. Its a new level of access and influence that helps explain the quick, dramatic changes Trump has made in immigration policychanges that will impact millions of people. Were a think tank, Krikorian said. Our job is to put stuff out there. Our job is to put a message in a bottle and hope somebody finds it. Its been found. Just 50 days into his presidency, and Trumps team has already discussed, proposed, or implemented upwards of a dozen of CISs ideas. For instance, the 29th item on CISs list calls for detention of people coming to the U.S. seeking asylum. Doing so will restore integrity to an out-of-control system that encourages both border surges and asylum fraud, the memo reads. A Feb. 21 memo from the Department of Homeland Security laid out how the department is working to quickly expand detention of undocumented immigrants, including asylum seekers. The 40th item on CISs list calls for the prosecution of people who pay smugglers to bring children to the United States illegally. Though the journey from Central American countries through Mexico and to the U.S. is incredibly dangerous, many parents opt to hire smugglers to bring their children here because they think it is safer than leaving their kids in incredibly violent countries like Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. McClatchy reported on Feb. 18 that the DHS was considering prosecuting these parentsa move that a former USCIS official told NPR would be unprecedented. Items 47 through 52 on CISs list detailed ideas for limiting federal support to sanctuary jurisdictions. Trump and his top staff consistently say this is a top priority for their immigration enforcement, and his Jan. 25 executive order on enforcement of immigration laws directed the attorney general and secretary of homeland security to withhold federal grants from jurisdictions that dont comply. CISs 52nd item in particular shows up as a central Trump goal. It calls for the administration to breathe new life into the moribund 287(g) cross-designation programa program that deputizes local law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws. The program is controversial among law enforcement officers, and some municipal governments say they dont have the resources to detain undocumented immigrants until the feds pick them up to deport them. Despite that, Trumps Jan. 25 executive order announced the administration would look to have state and local law enforcement officers perform the functions of an immigration officer in the interior of the United States to the maximum extent permitted by law. Item 60 calls for reducing the number of welfare-dependent foreigners living in the United States. Trump telegraphed support for this sentiment in his address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially, he said in the speech. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. In some cases, the presidents executive orders all but lift language from CISs list. For instance, this is the 65th item on the CIS list: Rescind all outstanding prosecutorial discretion policies; eliminate the Priority Enforcement Program, and reinstitute Secure Communities. And this appeared in Trumps Jan. 25 executive order: The Secretary shall immediately take all appropriate action to terminate the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) described in the memorandum issued by the Secretary on November 20, 2014, and to reinstitute the immigration program known as Secure Communities referenced in that memorandum. The Priority Enforcement Program directed ICE agents to focus their enforcement on undocumented immigrants who had convicted crimes. Now that PEP is toast, most undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are targets for deportation. The 66th item calls for speeding up deportation proceedings for people who have been in the U.S. for two years. Under the Obama administration, those quicker proceedings only happened for people who had been in the country for two weeks or less. But Trumps Department of Homeland Securityimplementing another idea from the CIS playbookis making the change, meaning undocumented immigrants have to prove they have been in the U.S. for two years without leaving if they want to have a better shot in court of staying here. And the controversial VOICE office Trump announced at his speech to Congresswhich would provide special advocacy and support to Americans hurt by crimes committed by undocumented immigrantsmay have had its genesis with CIS. Item number 72 on their list calls for the creation of a victims advocacy unit responsible for providing services to those who have been victimized by illegal alien criminals. Krikorian predicted an imminent step from the Trump administration could be worksite raids targeting places of employment for undocumented immigrants. That hasnt happened yet on a widespread level, he added, but the president could direct it. Its still early, so I expect stuff like thats going to happen, he said. In a sense, thats the next thing that Id be looking for. And Krikorians group has more access than ever to the people who make immigration policy decisions. He said that in February, a representative from the group attended one of the stakeholder meetings that ICE has with immigration advocates several times per year. For CIS, it was a big first: Obamas DHS had shown zero appetite to have CIS at the table for those meetings, which address wonky procedural issues like how immigrants are transported between detention facilities, how much access attorneys have to them, and how bond gets handled. Meeting participants include the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the American Bar Associations immigration project, and immigrants rights advocates. And, now, CISa leading proponent of increased detention and deportation. CIS isnt the only restrictionist group to find newly open ears at DHS. Dan Stein, of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, told The Daily Beast his group was also invited to the meeting as well (though he added it received meeting invites from the Obama administration too). Stein said his group has found the Trump administration to be very open to their ideas. As you might imagine, the communication is much better now, and people are asking us to attend all kinds of different meetings, he said. FAIR is a very important organization for explaining to people the purposes and strategies behind various administration strategies, and quite naturally the administration would have an interest in making sure we understood the information and properly explain it to people if were asked. When I go on CNN to explain the trump travel ban, I expect to have somebody explain it to me in a way I understand. And Roy Beck, who heads NumbersUSAa restrictionist group that boasts a 1.5 million-member email listsaid his organization was invited to the ICE stakeholder meeting as well, and has found open ears in the Trump administration, particularly DHS. What theyre trying to do meshes with what our organization has always tried to do, he told The Daily Beast. These three groups share a co-founder: John Tanton, a population control activist who flirted with racist pseudo-science, supported Planned Parenthood, and argued that immigration and population growth were bad for the environment. Immigrants rights advocates argue that the groups are covertly white supremacist and motivated by animus towards people of color. These groups, meanwhile, argue that activists who support immigrants rights are secretly in the pocket of corporate interests looking to drive down wages by bringing in immigrants willing to work for less than native-born Americans. David Leopold, who formerly headed AILA, told The Daily Beast he found CISs invitation unsettling. I dont know what the Center for Immigration Studies would be doing there honestly, he said. I dont know why they would be there. What business do they have there? Do they represent people in proceedings? What business does Mark Krikorian have at the ICE liaison committee meeting? And Frank Sharry, who heads the activist group Americas Voice, said he shared those concerns and found CISs invitation very disturbing. You have this nativist cabal that has been on the outside looking in for 25 years and now theyre on the inside looking out, and theyre going to have outsized influence, he said. In fact, you could say that these groupsCIS and their fellow travelersare going to own what the Trump administration does on immigration and refugee policy. Im sure that makes them very happy. I think it should make the country alarmed. It turns out Donald Trump never would have needed to launch his own cable-news outlet if hed lost the election. He already has one: Its called the Fox Business Network. Fox Newss sister channel, founded in 2007 as a direct competitor to CNBC, struggled for nearly a decade to gain any steam with viewers. It was only a few years ago that much of FBN was experiencing abysmal ratings, often in the single-digit thousands for its key demographic. The schedule routinely shuffled, programs were slashed wholesale, and the network constantly seemed to be grappling with an identity crisis. That was until Trump ran for president. Over the past two years, FBNwhich employed this writer from 2009 to 2012has experienced explosive ratings growth tracking with the ascent of the president to whom it has devoted hours and hours of unabashedly positive coverage. In 2015, it was the fastest-growing network on all of cable, raking in double- and triple-digit growth in almost all relevant ratings factors. And last year, it continued that impressive, record-shattering surge, this time claiming to have beaten CNBC in business-day ratings for an entire quartera trend that has continued into 2017. Of course, a former reality-TV-star-turned-presidential-candidate throwing punches on a daily basis for 17 months was an obvious boon to all of television news, as executives of all stripes have freely admitted. But Trumps rise was especially integral in shaping Fox Business Networks identity. The network has cemented itself as a reliable defender of Trumps overall agenda and a round-the-clock foe of the bogeymen that also plague the collective consciousness of its big sisters prime-time lineup: P.C. culture, far-left academics and protesters, the liberal media, Black Lives Matter activists, snowflake millennials, and all things Democratic Party. In effect, the network ditched straight-up business news for a model similar to Fox News: politics (and, yes, business) with a distinctly right-wing voice. Theyve been having an incredibly good run, a Fox Business insider, who requested anonymity, told The Daily Beast. And its because FBN took a Fox News II approach while CNBC has been noticeably complacent with losing its grip on the ratings. (Interestingly, in 2011, the network's then-EVP Kevin Magee sent out a staff-wide memo urging producers specifically not to copy the Fox News model. How times change.) A former Fox executive, similarly requesting anonymity, added: They beat CNBC, sure, but they arent really competing with the business networks anymore. There are times where theyre more Fox-like than even Fox News. Indeed, a search of recent FBN segmentsusing TV Eyes and the TV News Archiveshows that the network doubles even Fox News in mentions of key right-wing phrases like liberal media and George Sorosthe liberal billionaire conservatives commonly believe to be behind any and all opposition to the president. The business network also used the more pejorative phrase left-wing media to describe mainstream press 10 times more than its counterpart had in the same period. FBN does feature a hefty dose of opposing views via its rotating roster of Democratic consultants and liberal in-house punching bags but, upon reviewing months of transcripts, its general editorial consensus is quite clear: President Trump? A sensible businessman who has quickly become a great uniter. Never Trump conservatives? Time to get in line. The media? Trying to undermine the president. Anti-Trump protests? Get a job. Michael Flynns scandalous resignation as national security adviser? The real story is the illegal, anti-Trump leaks that led to it. With the exception of MTV VJ-turned-libertarian star Kennedy and self-identified liberal business-reporting vet Liz Claman, the networks current programming, by and large, harps on one key theme: The media (save for Fox) is bad, and Trump will make America great again. Within a year after her impressive GOP debate moderating gig, ex-CNBC star Maria Bartiromo, who leads into FBNs business hours with a 6-9 a.m. show, began taking a more friendly tone toward Trump. She would often extol the virtues of her fellow New York business icons presence in the race and, most noticeably, during a late-season period in which Trump retreated to only friendly cable-news interviews (mostly just Fox News), the then-nominee appeared several times for overtly friendly conversations, via phone, on her show. After the election heated up, Bartiromo seemingly ventured further into Trumpist territory. While her show is still among the most ostensibly business-centric on FBN, it often features genial conversation with a faction of ardent Trumpkins, including Sheriff David A. Clarke, a clownish cable-news star whose far-right commentary is aimed to please the lowest common denominator among Trump fans. Bartiromos Twitter feed has similarly devolved: On any given day you might find her retweeting pro-Trump memes, InfoWars conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson, or Trumps digital Pravdas in Breitbart and The Daily Caller. She once uncritically retweeted a smear that Hillary Clinton called Muslim people sand nrsa retweet Bartiromo later admitted was wrong. But her ratings continue to soar, suggesting the longtime business reporter is simply and successfully responding to consumer demand. Following Bartiromodescribed as still the most fair and balanced, by comparison by one current FBN producer who requested anonymity to speak freely about their employercomes three hours of Varney & Co., hosted by Stuart Varney, a cheeky, self-described conservative British commentator. Varneys show was most notably the source of a deceptively edited viral clip claiming President Obama encouraged illegals to vote, and he has occasionally pushed voter-fraud conspiracy theories based on fringe blog The Gateway Pundit. The host and his regular panelists, Ashley Webster and Liz MacDonald, consistently rail against the usual bugaboosoften contorting business topics where politics seemingly has no place into routine liberal-bashing or Trump-defending. Thats the genius of his show, the former Fox executive told The Daily Beast. Varney finds a way to take business news and spin it to attack liberals. The exec pointed to a series of Varney & Co. segments about ESPNs struggles. Each time, the show found a way to blame the networks subscription decline not on the rise of cable cord-cutting but on ESPN personalities spouting liberal politics. It has all worked quite well for Varney, as his ratings have experienced new highs in recent months. The rest of FBNs business-day coverage, too, mostly consists of regimented Trump-boosting. And its not just because of the presidents purportedly business-friendly agenda (never you mind his anti-free trade rhetoric, of course). A laser-like focus on so-called liberal media unfairly bashing Trump is a key theme of the networks 2 p.m. show, Intelligence Report with Trish Regan. Regan was reportedly being groomed by Roger Ailes to take over for Megyn Kellys inevitable vacancy, and that Ailesian sense of combativeness has shone through in Regans two years with FBN. Though she will often deploy the Bill OReilly-esque Im an independent cloak, Regans show is an unabashed exercise in both anti-anti-Trumpism and anti-everyone-but-Fox media criticism. A regular feature of Intelligence Report is a segment or two complaining about the media or Democrats standing in the way of Trumps achievementsusually featuring supportive guests from the Trump surrogacy roster, the right-wing Media Research Center, or Foxs in-house crew of culture warriors. One extraordinarily Fox-like segment included Regan fretting over Hillary Clintons hypocrisy in allowing rapper Jay Z to perform at her pre-election rally while decrying her rival Trumps infamous comments about groping women against their will. Its been a successful formula for Regan. For the month of February 2017, she and her dayside compatriots topped their CNBC competitors in both the ad-friendly 25- to 54-year-old demographic and total viewership. FBN talks a great deal about market forces, a former Fox Business producer told The Daily Beast, and no one has responded better to pro-Trump market forces than Trish Regan. Similarly, After the Bell co-host Melissa Francis regularly circles the Trump wagons, praising his genius attacks on the media and dismissing questions about the presidents alleged ties to Russia. She, too, claims the independent mantle but is less shy about her true feelings. I would gnaw off my right hand and have a stump before I would let it go vote for Hillary Clinton, Francis confessed on-air before the election. Whos feeling deplorable? she wrote in a celebratory tweet the night Trump won. She also regularly defends Trump during her appearances on the Fox News noon-hour talk show Outnumbered. An hour after the closing bell is Risk & Reward, whose host, Deirdre Bolton, under mysterious circumstances, has not been seen in the anchor chair since summer 2016. In Boltons stead, under substitute-host (and Varney sidekick) Liz MacDonald, the once finance-heavy show has turned into a conspicuously pro-Trump, anti-media commentary hour. In one segment, MacDonald could barely conceal her disdain for Trumps critics, mocking them as needing a safe space from his scaremongering inauguration speech. And, as you might have guessed, the shows year-over-year ratings growth has been massive. Same goes for Charles Payne, who has long been a conservative commentator for the network. Following in the footsteps of other FBN shows, his 6 p.m. program, Making Money, discusses stock tips and market trends butted up against distinctly right-leaning political discussions. Payne himself often lovingly uses the phrase Trump train while imploring Democrats and Never Trump conservatives to get on board. Making Money has long utilized Fox Newss bread-and-butter formula of multi-person panels serving up alley-oop talking point-laden answers to each other while slamming elitist liberals. Only now, in the Trump era, that seems to be exactly what consumers want: Making Moneys February 2017 average viewership doubled itself from the same month in 2016. And then in FBNs prime time comes the biggest Trumpkin of them all: Lou Dobbs. As an early ticket-holder on the Trump train, the infamously xenophobic populist has carved something of a niche for himself: a full hour each weeknight of pure, uncut boot-licking that might possibly outdo Sean Hannity in its religious devotion to all things Trump. Dobbss eponymous 7 p.m. show spends so many hours promoting Trump that it should be considered unpaid advertising and surrogacy work for the inevitable 2020 campaign. In Dobbss world, competing media outlets are the fake news media; Democrats are Dimms; Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are victims of a criminal deep state; urban streets are overrun by violent illegals and criminals; and Trumps lies about widespread voter fraud are backed up by debunked studies. Why read Breitbart when you can just turn on Fox Business Network at 7 p.m.? And, as CNN reported in January, Lou Dobbs is making his ratings great again by nearly quadrupling his viewership from 2015 to 2016, and jumping 282 percent year-over-year among the coveted demographic of viewers aged 25-54. FBN had its best year ever in 2016, and its thanks in no small part to Lou Dobbs. However, with its success seemingly tied to the Trump era, the Fox Business Network may face a test in the future. At the end of 100 days, dissatisfaction will set in if Trump doesnt meet his many promises, the Fox insider warned. I think thats when FBNs next programming challenge comes in: How do you keep these people engaged beyond defending Donald Trump? For years, people all over the world have been laughing at The Room. Sunday night in Austin, they were laughing with The Disaster Artist. James Franco directed his own tour-de-force performance as mysterious filmmaker Tommy Wiseau in the new movie, which had its work-in-progress premiere late Sunday night at SXSW. After the Paramount Theater audience gave the film a rousing standing ovation, producer and co-star Seth Rogen joked that maybe it wasnt a work-in-progress after all. I guess were done, he said, jovially. Beyond James Franco, his brother Dave Franco and Rogen, who all participated in a post-screening Q&A, The Disaster Artist is overflowing with the famous faces of comedians familiar to the Rogen-Apatow universeHannibal Buress, Jason Mantzoukas, Paul Scheer, Judd Apatow himselfalong with some more surprising actors who pop up in memorable cameos: Sharon Stone, Melanie Griffith, and Bryan Cranston (as a pre-Breaking Bad version of himself). Theres also a prologue featuring real stars like Adam Scott, Kristen Bell and even J.J. Abrams expressing their love for the original film. And before the end credits roll, we get to see some scenes from The Room side-by-side with the recreations made for The Disaster Artist, emphasizing how meticulous the filmmakers were about getting every detail right. I identify with Tommy, in a certain way, James Franco said after the screening. I really respected that he came out to Hollywood, like thousands, millions of people have done and got this movie made. The directors insane on-set behavior aside, as Franco continued to work on the film, he came to realize, I am Tommy Wiseau, adding, I relate to him so much, in ways I dont even want to admit. Rogen concurred, telling the crowd the hes seen The Room more times than possibly any other film. What we talked about maybe more than anything else while we were putting the movie together was, Why do we love this movie? Not, Why do we make fun of this movie? Or, Why do we laugh at this movie? But, What is great about that movie? he said. And at the end of the day, it was the earnestness of a guy who put himself out there. The most remarkable thing about Sunday nights premiere was the fact that the real Tommy Wiseau was seated in the packed house, watching the film for the first time next to his friend and co-star Greg Sestero, who played Mark in The Room and wrote the behind-the-scenes book on which The Disaster Artist is based. Franco said that when he first broached the idea of making the film, all Wiseau wanted to know is who would be playing him. His first choice? Johnny Depp. I see some of your work, James, you do some good things, some bad things, Franco remembers Wiseau telling him. Knowing Wiseau was in the room altered the atmosphere at several key moments throughout the film, which tells the story of how he wrote, directed, produced and financed the disasterpiece in the early-aughts, spending a reported $6 million of his own money. To this day, no one knows where his money came from, how old he is or what unknown European country he originally hails from (Francos Wiseau repeatedly insists hes from New Orleans). The Austin crowd laughed hard throughout the film at Wiseaus increasingly odd behavior on the set of The Room, captured eerily well by Franco, who stayed in character throughout his own shootcreating the bizarre scenario of directing himself as Wiseau directing himself in The Room. Weve filmed a lot of weird shit in our day, but this was one where it was like, this is fucking weird, Rogen remarked. But during some surprisingly emotional scenes when Wiseaus hurt feelings are laid bare, you could hear the audience back off, all of a sudden feeling guilty for laughter that could be perceived as ridicule. One particular meta moment came during a scene late in the film when Wiseau presents The Room to an audience for the first time, at a lavishly appointed premiere he arranged for himself. In The Disaster Artist, Francos Wiseau becomes distraught as he realizes the audience is laughing at what he intended to be a serious film. That image was doubled on Sunday as the real Wiseau sat in the audience at this films premiere, reliving the experience of watching himself see The Room through other peoples eyes. This time, however, there was no doubt that the film he was watching was intended to be funny. Since its release 14 years ago, Wiseau has come to embrace the idea that The Room makes people laugh, hosting midnight screenings across the country where its legions of fans shout key lines along with the characters and throw plastic spoons at the screen. But that doesnt mean it gets any easier for him to sit in a room full of people laughing hysterically at his bizarre behavior. Through Francos performance, however, Wiseau is humanized in a way that hes never been before. As strange as he is in The Disaster Artist, Franco gives us a glimpse at the human being behind the dark sunglasses and long black hair. In doing so, hes created a hell of a movie about what it takes to become a visionary. Even if that vision turns out to be the best-worst movie ever made. 1 Scotland Requests New Independence Vote WE GO AGAIN 1 Rep. King: Some Cultures Dont Fit in America HE KEEPS GOING Tomatin celebrates Five Virtues of nature Tomatin Distillery has unveiled a new limited-edition single malt series, Five Virtues. The new range draws inspiration from the nature's elements Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Five Virtues comes packaged in cartons adorned with contemporary Scottish art, created by Eva Ullrich. Comprised of five single malts, each whisky has a limited run of 6,000 bottle. These include heavily charred oak, bourbon barrels and, unusually for Tomatin, peated malt. Tomatin claims that each of the Five Virtues malts comes with its own complexity and character: Wood has been aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks, while Fire is matured in heavily charred oak. Earth exhibits rich and intense peaty flavours as a consequence of maturing in peat-dried malted barley casks and Metal is expressed by the distillery's 12 copper stills. Completing the series, Water is distinguished by its naturally pure soft water from the Alt-na-Frith burn, which is drawn year round but employs a winter-distilled spirit. Jennifer Masson, Tomatin marketing manager, says: "As our brand grows we are increasingly inspired by global concepts and the Five Virtues series was born out of this inspiration. We wanted to release a creative limited edition series focussing on the effects of different cask maturations, while linking it to a wider concept. That is something that we have achieved with Five Virtues and we are incredibly proud to be launching the series onto the market this month." The design concept for the packaging was brought about through a partnership with abstract artist, Eva Ullrich. Eva was tasked with visually representing the five elements and the complexities within the different distillations involved in the series. Artist, Eva Ullrich, comments: "Having spent many years in Scotland and enjoying a nip of whisky myself meant this project was a pleasure to work on. I'm really excited to see my work on a medium that is more accessible to the public and for it to be appreciated by people who perhaps wouldnt usually engage with abstract painting." Tomatin recently won Distiller Of The Year 2016 and Brand Innovator Of The Year 2017 at the Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards. Tomatin currently ranks in the Top 10 Single Malt brands in the USA and is one of the fastest growing in the UK. The Wood and Fire expressions can be purchased now, from 49.99, while Earth, Metal and Water will be released later this year. 13 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor Dean Steven Kaminshine is stepping down as Dean of Georgia State Law. He took over in 2004 - so it's been a significant run for him. Associate Dean Wendy Hensel will serve as Interim Dean during the 2017-18 academic year as the school conducts a national search. A spring well water testing clinic will be offered for Franklin County residents by the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Household Water Quality Program. The clinic is for residents who get their water from a private well, cistern or spring. It will seek to address questions as to the safety of different private water supplies and why water will sometimes have a funny smell or color. The drinking water clinic gives homeowners the ability to improve the water quality by getting a detailed water analysis as well as answers about water quality and treatment options. Every homeowner with a private water supply should have their water tested every several years to help reduce chances of health problems for their family, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The clinic can also help answer questions for those concerned about nearby land uses that could potentially cause problems with water quality, including agriculture operations, gas drilling, landfills and dumping sites. A short kickoff meeting will introduce information about how to collect water samples and participants will receive a sampling kit. The Virginia Cooperative Extension will teach how a well works and how ground water runoff and ground contamination can reach water sources. A list of local companies certified to assist with these problems will also be provided. Attendees will then submit samples of their water to be analyzed. The water test reports will take about four weeks to complete. Once the analysis is finished, results will be mailed to each participant. The kickoff meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 3 at The Franklin Center. Water sample drop off will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5. An interpretation meeting for the water analyses will be announced at the kickoff meeting. The water test is $55 per sampling kit. If more than one water source is being tested, additional kits will need to be purchased. The analysis will test for 12 minerals of concern to water quality as well as Coliform and E. Coli bacteria. Preregistration with payment is recommended by March 29. Registration forms are available at the extension office located at 90 East Court Street in Rocky Mount. For more questions or to register, contact Cynthia Martel at 483-5161. 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD Alexandra Nelson was 11 when peer pressure, a desire to be more popular in fifth grade and a bad decision led her to send inappropriate photos of herself to a boy classmate. Because of a loophole in a state law on sexting, she could have been prosecuted for a felony. Now 21 and a college student, Nelson on Monday asked state lawmakers to amend Connecticuts sexting law to include pre-teenage children. The states 2010 law made sexting by 13- to 17-year-olds a Class A misdemeanor, punishable with up to a year in prison, though first time offenders are sent to a diversionary program. The law, however, didnt account for the possibilty that even younger children would be involved in similar behavior. That oversight means 11 and 12-year-olds who exchange nude photos could face felony charges for sharing and possessing child pornography. We dont want to see kids with that behavior stigmatized by that development," said Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which hosted a public hearing on the proposed legislation, noting that cell phones are used by nearly all ages. The world has changed so much since we were kids. Social suicide I was initially flattered, as he was very cute and I had a little bit of a crush on him, Nelson, of Madison, recalled of the day in May, 2007, when the boy asked her to send him a nude photo. After her mother intervened and took away the phone, a girlfriend found where her mother hid it, then goaded her. This friend of mine began taking pictures of me because I didnt know what to do, for I was only 11 years old, Nelson said. I asked her to stop and she said it would be social suicide if I didnt continue. Her mother filed a complaint, but no arrests resulted, Nelson recalled for state lawmakers. The sexting incident led her to social isolation, failure in school, and an eventual problem with alcohol. The boys never got their phones taken, Nelson said. Pictures were spread throughout my town. I was called a slut. I was bullied. I was unable to attend school. I was held back and I coped with these struggles in very unhealthy ways, which created collateral damage. A larger conversation Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said its important to clarify what the proposed bill would do. A 12-year-old ... under the current laws we have now, could be charged with a felony offense of possession and passing of child pornography, Stafstrom said. All this bill is trying to do is remove that floor. Leon Smith, an attorney for the Center for Childrens Advocacy, with offices in Hartford and Bridgeport, said parents are often shocked and surprised at their childrens behavior. Well over half of 12-year-olds have access to mobile phones and as many as one fifth might already be engaged in sexting. Thats why passing this bill is so important," Smith said. This seems to be a commonsense fix. In an interview, Smith said that while he doesnt think any preteens have been subject to felony charges of sexting, keeping the law on the books makes such arrest and prosecution inevitable. We spend so much of our time our kids to put the devices down and I wonder if we need a larger conversation on whether kids should have devices at all," Tong said. The committees deadline for action is April 7. kdixon@ctpost.com; If a person looked only at Hollywood depictions of Silicon Valley, it would be easy to assume that all startups are backed (or want to be backed) by venture capitalists. But VC has actually become less attractive since investors began scrutinizing prospects more closely and offering tougher terms. As a result, many entrepreneurs are turning to bank loans, preferring to take on debt instead of trading away equity. In fact, Bloomberg reports that loans to startups spiked by 19 percent in Silicon Valley last year. Related: 5 Things Startup Investors Look for Before Investing While investor cash enables startups to grow quickly, many entrepreneurs have come to value control over time. They've come to prefer using their personal homes, bank accounts and other tangible goods to secure business loans over sacrificing even a modicum of control to investors. The problem is, however, that if they lose the business, they also lose the personal assets they put up for collateral. Of course, if their companies dont make money, they'll lose their possessions anyway -- or so the thinking goes. But the calculation isnt that simple. Sure, retaining control is desirable. But banks are in the business of creating wealth for themselves. Collateral guarantees they wont lose money on business loans, and borrowers can be sure that if they dont pay, the banks will collect. The good, the bad and the reality of bank loans Business loans are a win for banks. If borrowers fail to make timely payments, lenders can seize their homes or other assets and sell the properties to recoup the principal and then some. Meanwhile, the entrepreneurs have lost their businesses, houses and who knows what else. But business loans aren't always a bad idea. If borrowers make their scheduled payments, they cultivate trust with lenders, making it easier to secure credit in the future. Once a loan is repaid in full, the bank will likely lend to the borrower again, possibly without requiring personal assets as collateral. Related: 5 Main Reasons Banks Turn Down Small-Business Owners for Loans Another benefit is business credit. A loan repaid in good standing will boost the companys score and make it easier to access credit lines and spending accounts. Businesses also tend to receive loans with lower APRs or fixed payments. The fact that the money is being used to grow a company gives lenders an incentive to offer competitive borrowing terms. Entrepreneurs considering taking out bank loans can use the following guidelines to avoid critical mistakes in managing their business and personal finances: 1. Conduct an honest financial assessment of the company. Take a deep look at what the business needs. Tools such as the Working Capital Needs Calculator shed light on the true costs of expansion, as well as indicate which areas show promise and which are dragging the company down. Be realistic about how much is needed, and ask for that amount. Dont live outside the businesss means. Getting clear on the businesss financial situation can prevent a business from ending up with payments it cant afford. The Pennsylvania-based Plaza groups financial troubles should serve as a cautionary tale. The company missed a $67 million balloon payment on a property loan, then had to scramble and renegotiate the terms to avoid default. This is a damning situation for any business, let alone a fledgling startup. 2. Dont overborrow. Resist the temptation to take the extra $10,000 the bank offers to tack on to a loan. The few hundred dollars it adds to monthly installments may seem manageable now, but those payments could become unwieldy. With a carefully planned budget, there's no reason to take more than the initial ask. Heres what happens to people who borrow more than they can afford. A 24-year-old woman was forced to the brink of bankruptcy after borrowing $6.5 million she couldnt repay. The bank approved the financing despite the fact that her income didnt match the loan and her investments carried considerable risk. The bottom line: Just because money is on the table doesnt mean it's a good idea to take it. 3. Separate personal and business finances. Never co-mingle business and personal bank accounts. Separating finances helps you avoid headaches when categorizing expenses, so its smart practice from a bookkeeping perspective. But the separation also protects any personal assets during business loan disputes and shields personal finances from examination by banks, accountants and the IRS. The IRS has significant power to examine personal accounts when auditing business and investment deals. The Bitcoin exchange Coinbase found this out when the IRS demanded data on millions of customers who it believed were noncompliant. Coinbase resisted the IRSs order, but the situation illustrates the importance of a clear separation of finances and stringent compliance practices. 4. Prioritize business loan payments. The first bill to be paid each month should be the company loan installment, especially if there are any personal assets on the line. The company can do without some amenities for a month or two, but if a loan payment gets missed, the results could be disastrous. Going without a home is a lot more traumatic than having to go without cable. Entrepreneur Jesse Genet knows this well: She repaid tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt while running a successful business. She prioritized her startups expenses over her own and admits to having struggled with mounting credit card during lean months. However, her aggressive saving and debt repayment strategy enabled her to bootstrap her company while paying off her debt -- a feat made possible by clear priorities and a disciplined approach to finance. A business loan constitutes an enforceable contract, even when the collateral takes the form of a family home or vehicle. Losses may feel personal to the borrower taking the hit, but banks arent in the business of being personal. They give loans to make money. Related: Why You Should Keep Your Personal and Professional Finances Separate So, as long as entrepreneurs are clear on the stakes -- and prepared to make good on their loans -- they can earn from a bank relationship, as well. Related: 4 Must-Read Strategies to Pay Off Your Bank Loan Without Losing Your House The Ultimate Guide To Personal Loan The Best and Worst Banks of 2016 -- What Entrepreneurs Should Know Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved NORWALK The Connecticut General Assemblys Education Committee will hold a public hearing at the capitol Thursday on six proposed bills that could bring major changes to special education programming and services across the state. If you feel very passionate about a special education subject, of course you should come, said state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton. It makes a difference whether you show up. If a lot of people show up on a given issue that makes an impression on the committee. The bills range in focus from assigning the residential costs for out-of-district placement of special education students to the Department of Developmental Services to requiring certified special education teachers to have dyslexia training. House Bill No. 7255 seeks to establish a task force to conduct a feasibility study on the creation of a Special Education Predictable Cost Cooperative. The cooperative would be a financial system that would aggregate contributions from the state and participating cities and towns as a way to fund special education. Lavielle, a house ranking member of the Education Committee, said no other state has ever done it and to go and vote it in now would be radical. Rather, she said this bill is dedicated to allowing for the study of the cooperative. Lavielle added that It does not address the high-end growing cost of special education, which she said is what everyone is really grappling with. House Bill No. 7252 would lay groundwork for allowing parents to observe their children at school and allow an independent adjudicator to facilitate a settlement process in special education hearings. Lavielle said allowing parents to observe their children at school would allow them to put to test any discrepancies between behavior observed at home and accounts of whats happening in the classroom. This should have been a clear understanding all along - unfortunately it has not been, said Jeff Spahr, Norwalks Deputy Corporation Counsel, a parent of a student with special needs and member of Norwalk SPED Partners. The parents are expected to be full partners with the school in any meetings to discuss the childs educational or other plan yet, they have not always been afforded the right to see how their child is performing in the school setting or how the plan that has been agreed on is being administered. Senate Bill No. 1008 would assign residential costs such as with boarding school or transportation associated with the the out-of-district placement of special education students to the Department of Developmental Services. Senate Bill No. 1007 would require the Department of Education to collect and report data of local special education expenditures and would permit the Commissioner of Education to withhold education cost-sharing grant funds to boards that intentionally under budget their estimated special education expenditures. Senate Bill No. 1009 would require training for all special education hearing officers, require the Advisory Council for Special Education to conduct a study about the administration and provision of special education in schools and require the development of a recommendation regarding an optimal ratio of social workers to students in a school district. House Bill No. 7254 would require teachers applying for professional certification with a special education endorsement to complete a program of study in the detection and recognition of students with dyslexia. The Education Committee will also hold a public hearing in Hartford on Monday on the topic of a much-awaited new Education Cost Sharing bill, along with a mandate relief bill and a bill that would see changes to high school graduation requirements. NORWALK Nearly $1 million in federal money that goes to help local low- and moderate-income people each year through housing, social services and job training could go away under President Donald Trumps forthcoming budget. Preliminary budget documents obtained by The Washington Post show the Trump administration is considering more than $6 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The newspaper recently reported that the preliminary budget would slash nearly $2 billion from funds dedicated to public housing. It would eliminate the Community Development Block Grant Program. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., contrasted the potential HUD cuts to Trumps proposed increase in defense spending. Its not clear that spending an additional $54 billion on defense will make us any safer, Himes said. But eliminating $6 billion, including community development block grants, will make it much harder to improve our communities in Norwalk and around Connecticut. The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency administers the federal block grant program on behalf of HUD, each year distributing nearly $1 million to local nonprofit social-service organizations. The allocation is based upon needs and goals identified in the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development. The grants are provided in three categories: public services, public facilities/housing, and planning and administration. Their loss would be a significant blow to those who benefit from them, according to Tami Strauss, director of community development planning at the Redevelopment Agency. Its concerning, Strauss said. It would be the loss of almost $1 million to the community and will significantly affect nonprofits ability to deliver their programs and projects in the upcoming year. The Redevelopment Agency had estimated that HUD would provide the city $769,052 for the allocation year starting July 1. Combined with leftover and reprogrammed money, that would make $937,930 available. But that was an estimate and the Redevelopment Agency hasnt received its annual funding notice from HUD, according to agency Executive Director Timothy T. Sheehan. They havent given us a number, so the talk of cutting, when you havent gotten confirmation of what the block grant (allocation) will be, is kind of disturbing, Sheehan said. Sheehan said municipalities normally have until early May to submit their block grant allocation plans to HUD. This year, they have been given until summer, adding uncertainty to whether the money will be available. About two-dozen nonprofit organizations have requested block grant funding for the coming allocation year. They pitched their applications to the Common Councils Planning Committee in January. The applications remain under review. The executives of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties and National League of Cities issued a joint statement Friday vowing to fight any elimination of the federal block grant program. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are the heart, lungs and backbone of cities and counties, small, medium and large, the joint statement read. By eliminating or cutting them, the Administration mortally wounds the places where the majority of Americans live, work and play. Such a move risks ending or harming programs that keep Americans safe, help them find better-paying jobs, improve their health and keep public facilities in good shape. It is an attack on places the President said he wanted to help. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK For years, Margaret Kraus begged her parents for a digital camera. When she reached third grade, they gave in. She took pictures of everything from random toys laying around the house to her twin sister. But it wasnt until her family traveled to Thailand four years ago that she really caught the bug. By then of course, her camera of choice had become an iPhone. Thats when I started thinking about it as more than just a hobby, Kraus said. The reason I like photography is that I see beauty in a lot of things. Something just compels me to take a picture. Its important to find what inspires you and pursue it, and thats what Im doing. Now, at just 16, Kraus is teaching photography and has exhibited her work throughout Fairfield County. Her current exhibit, at Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk, will be up through the end of the month. It never occurred to me to show my work until my parents brought it up and I started thinking about it as a career path and thinking about that next step, Kraus said. Kraus has never taken a photography class, and said she probably wont. Instead, she learns by studying the work of photographers and artists she admires. She started by taking pictures of her fraternal twin sister, Vivienne, playing with interesting lines and lighting to create artistic images. When I was little, I always loved art and being creative, Kraus said. My sister is my muse kind of. I saw beauty in her and in every day. Shes so naturally beautiful, and I will make her stand in front of buildings and in cool lighting. Its no longer just my sister, but shes how it started. She only takes pictures with her iPhone, a telling sign of the times and her age. I like it because I have it with me all the time, Kraus said. Ive thought about (buying a camera) but it is expensive so that makes it more of a barrier. Kraus has posted over 200 photos on her Instagram, @Vivaciouslyy, a play on her sisters name. She has exhibited her work at the Reeds Building and City Lights Gallery in Bridgeport and will teach a workshop this week in Bridgeport. In April, she will put up an exhibit at a coffee shop near her boarding school in New Hampshire. As for being her sisters go-to model, Vivienne Kraus said she doesnt mind. I kind of just went with it, Vivienne Kraus said. Weve always had this relationship where she kind of bosses me around ... Im very proud of her and its great that people like her work. Her work is beautiful and accessible so its great to get it out there for people to enjoy. Krauss father, Bill Kraus, said he didnt realize until he heard Margaret speak about her photography, how much artistic consideration she put into the images. And it wasnt until someone outside the family acknowledged her work, that he began to see her work in a new light. They were volunteering at a pre-school and she took a lot of amazing photos of the children there and one of the teachers suggested she do a show, Bill Kraus said. That was the first time as a father that somebody else said, These are great. kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt Who knew there were people in prison reading Entrepreneur magazine? Many don't realize that prisons offer educational materials and programs but that are invaluable to inmates. Education is one tool to foster rehabilitation and combat recidivism, the troubling tendency for those incarcerated to end up in prison again. The United States has less than 5 percent of the worlds population, but almost 25 percent of the worlds total prison population. Six out of ten of those who serve time return to prison after they are released. It doesn't help that Unicor, the labor program in place in US prisons, is a multibillion dollar system with a vested interest in retaining its massive headcount of very-low-wage workers. Its a hot button topic in the tech world, which generally puts a lot of thought towards social change. Think Dustin Moskovitz, who recently donated $2 million to the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a charity committed to reducing the U.S.s over-reliance on incarceration. Recidivism is something Divine experienced firsthand. He was in and out of prison for more than a decade. While there, he had a chance to start educating himself, a chance not every person gets. However, as soon as he returned to the main world, he found it nearly impossible to get a good job. He didnt have the right experience, and his record kept him from many opportunities. The lure of the drug world, where he could make quick money to provide for his loved ones, became impossible, until he finally began to explore the opportunities provided by entrepreneurship. Related: 6 Life Hacks Learned in Prison That Will Maximize Your Productivity A rocky past Divines story began in Newport, Rhode Island, where he was born. For the early part of his life he was raised in a relatively middle-class home. His mother worked hard to provide the very best for him and his younger brother. His entrepreneurial father was not a fixture in his life. His father would become an affluent business man running a roofing and painting company, eventually residing in a prestigious part of the community outside of the family. Due to his fathers behavior, his mother experienced an unexpected emotional and mental breakdown. From there, everything spiraled out of control. She turned to drugs to cope, and the family underwent several moves in the space of a few years. Image credit: Maxwell Hawes IV Divine remembers a particularly harrowing year in Louisiana. There he was exposed to drug use and violence among his mothers friends, and recalls playing with a gun at age 11. I remember messing around, pointing it at my brother. I had no idea how dangerous that was. At 13, Divine started selling drugs. He refused to touch the stuff himself, having seen what it did to his mother, but he was fed up with his familys poor living conditions. He wanted to get out of the projects to get his mother help. Selling drugs was the fastest way he knew to make money. Even at a young age, and in such an illicit profession, he had a natural sense for business. Id save the money I earned, use it to buy more product, then save that money and use it to go even bigger. I managed to quickly elevate myself from selling for someone else, to selling for myself. He served a short stint in juvie, the first of several prison sentences throughout his life. His next sentence came at nineteen, just when Divine had been planning to leave the world of crime. Hed gotten all the way up to selling the coveted kilo of cocaine and was making good money. He planned to qui in a few months open a sneaker store and start going to technical school. The irony of it all was, I was almost there. The judge told him to consider the seven years he was sentenced as going away to college. Divine took these words to heart. He attended ACE courses and worked his way through low-paying prison jobs (12 cents an hour) to eventually entering Unicor and earning $100 a month. He used this money to sustain himself and purchase books on the music industry. He stayed to himself, kept out of trouble and didnt watch much TV or listen to much radio. Self-taught, he read everything he could get his hands on, including the dictionary. I would check out the biggest dictionary, and every day I would learn a new word. Much like Malcolm X during his incarceration, Divine used the dictionary not only to polish his vocabulary, but also as a source for his rhymes. Interested in hip hop since age 10, he began to hone his skill and wrote music while still incarcerated. Related: How Prison Became My Launching Pad for Success Until you are 100% dissatisfied, no change occurs. When he was released, Divine put his focus into his music career. He started a record label, and spent his time recording and trying to secure funding for his company. Though he had some big wins --performing at a showcase for his record label in NYC, at renowned club Speed, featuring legendary hip hop producer Marley Marl as the events DJ -- he struggled to penetrate the NYC music industry. Image credit: Maxwell Hawes IV Not only was the world of hip hop closed to him, every industry seemed to be. His criminal record made both employers and securing investment hard to find. Eventually, he returned to selling drugs. He was back in prison just 19 months later, serving two and half more years. This cycle of recidivism would continue for 13 years. Fast forward, just five years ago, Divine found himself incarcerated again. I got to the point where I was completely dissatisfied, said Divine. And until you are 100 percent dissatisfied, no change occurs. Divine kept up his reading, focusing specifically on entrepreneurship and startup companies. Divine knew he had a talent for business, he just needed to apply it the right way. His experiences as a drug distributor had instilled in him the skills essential to running a startup: sales, business development and even customer success. During his reading, he came across an piece in The Week magazine, which referenced an article from The New York Times on tech venture capitalist and Silicon Valley billionaire Ben Horowitz. The article mentioned Ben loved hip hop and used it to teach business lessons to his employees. At first, Divine was skeptical, but a little research reassured him. Bens passion for the genre was well documented; he even had his own hip hop name. I could tell this guy was the real deal I wanted to see if he would invest in my music company. Related: 11 Mindsets Learned in Prison Made Me Mentally Unstoppable Be bold when you reach out to mentors When he was released, Divine reached out to Ben on Twitter. Rather than asking him for money, he asked instead, Will you mentor me? Ben replied by donating to the Kickstarter Divine set up for his debut album, but also by giving Divine his personal email, encouraging him to reach out if he had any questions. Divine was grateful for the money, but much more impressed by the email. He was flattered that Ben would be so willing to answer questions, and as a thanks, he quickly wrote a rap about him. The song took off on the internet. Divine found that suddenly, his email inbox was flooded with messages. Then came the call from Bens wife, Felicia. She wanted to fly Divine out to Silicon Valley to attend Bens private birthday party of family and close friends. That visit to California opened a host of doors. Divine became good friends with Ben and Felicia and also got a serious look at the tech industry, and the lifestyle of those who thrived in it. He knew what kind of life he wanted. He had the business skills, and now the contacts and mentorship, to succeed in it. Rather than just following your passion, make a change in the world around you Divine loved this advice from Ben, Dont follow your passion, follow your contribution. The words inspired him to think, how he could build a business that would make a positive contribution to the world? How could he turn his own troubling story into a product? Eventually, he started BLAK Fintech, a financial services and technology company committed to building affordable products to help the financially excluded, the unbanked and underbanked. Image credit: Maxwell Hawes IV Today, Divines credentials are impressive. BLAK Fintech is set to launch their new product, a next generation prepaid debit card and financial tool meant to help the urban entrepreneur and financially excluded build wealth. Hes also found significant success as an inspirational speaker and is currently working on his first book and screenplay for a feature film about his life. Hes been featured in TechCrunch, Forbes, Black Enterprise and many other media outlets. He has upcoming speaking engagements at France Fintech in Paris and at Georgia State University as the 2017 distinguished speaker for their Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute's J. Russell Center. This year, hell be launching his From Incarceration to Innovation speaking tour across the country, which features other notable formerly incarcerated individuals whove found redemption: New York Times best-selling author Shaka Senghor, Frederick Hutson of Pigeonly, and Trevor Brooks of GunBail. Confidence and your relationship Divines story highlights his talent for building relationships at high levels, from major drug suppliers in the streets of NYC, corrections institution directors to billionaires. He credits this talent to his healthy relationship with fear and believing in yourself. The right kind of fear doesnt hinder you, he explained. It propels you. Get past your small fears. Realize that on the other side of those fears is your success, on the other side of those fears is a millionaire dollars. Believing in and never giving up on himself is what allowed Divine to persevere in prison. He says it's also what contributes to his high self-esteem and strong self-confidence. Obviously, this is what has led others to believe in him. Divine has most recently become a contributing writer for Black Enterprise, as well as being asked by BE to come on to their third annual TechConneXt Summit Steering Committee. Divines birth name was Damon, but he quickly took on the new attribute after embracing spirituality in prison. The new name has a deep personal significance to him. He now uses it as a reminder to keep on rising above his circumstances and his past. Its a name thats telling me to take control of my destiny and my life. It also inspires him to keep succeeding at whatever he puts his mind to. The name stands for, Determined, Idea, Visualization, Infinitely, Never, Ending. Related: Being an Entrepreneur Means Finding Profit in Your Passion Unlocked Potential: From Incarceration to Entrepreneurship The Restaurant Braveheart Exemplifies Survival of the Bravest Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved WOOD RIVER The driver of a semi-truck that spilled herbicides and pesticides along Interstate 80 near Wood River has been arrested for driving under the influence. The driver of the semi, 51-year-old Michael Clark of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was transported to CHI Health St. Francis for minor injuries from the accident and for exposure to the chemicals. He was then arrested and booked into the Hall County Jail for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a press release from the Hall County Sheriffs Department. Sheriffs deputies responded to an area of Interstate 80 one mile east of Wood River at about 11:57 p.m. Sunday to check on a one-vehicle accident in the median. Upon arrival, deputies found a semi-truck and trailer lying on their side in the median. It appeared that the top of the box trailer had ripped open on impact, causing boxes and containers inside the trailer to scatter into the median, according to the Sheriffs Department. The trailer was carrying hazardous chemicals that began to leak upon impact, according to the Sheriffs Department. The contents were determined by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality to be herbicides and pesticides. The Nebraska State Patrol hazmat team and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality were called to the scene to assist with the cleanup. The westbound passing lane of Interstate 80 at Mile Marker 301 was shut down after the accident, but traffic was diverted to the driving lane during cleanup. The Hall County Sheriffs Department was also assisted by Wood River Fire and Rescue and Grand Island Fire and Hazmat. The Grand Island Downtown Redevelopment Study has been awarded the 2017 Implementation Award by the Nebraska Chapter of the American Planning Association. The city of Grand Island and the Downtown Improvement Board have begun a remarkable, unique transformation of downtown Grand Island, a press release said. The changes were propelled by the Grand Island Downtown Redevelopment Study a study unveiled in March 2013 by Alley-Poyner Macchietto Architecture of Omaha and Marvin Planning Consultants. The study detailed both physical and strategic projects that could serve as a catalyst to downtown redevelopment. Not only did the Downtown Improvement Board and the many downtown businesses get behind numerous proposed projects, but so did the Grand Island City Council and the citys Community Redevelopment Authority, both of which earmarked funds for a five-year period to kick-start upper-level development in the historic downtown buildings. The city also acquired a Community Development Block Grant, which aided in resolving some downtown drainage issues, renovating the downtown plaza into a popular gathering spot, renovating a downtown banquet hall and developing the Railside brand for downtown. The result of implementing this Downtown Redevelopment Study has been the start of four new downtown housing projects and several new eateries, boutiques and other businesses locating downtown, as well as an outdoor concert series and other cultural activities being offered downtown. Awards were presented during the Nebraska Annual Planning Conference banquet on Thursday at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney. HASTINGS Approximately 50 people braved the cold weather Sunday afternoon to line up on Burlington Avenue between 14th and 16th streets to show their support for immigrants in their community. Margaret Marsh of Hastings, who organized Sundays immigrant rally, said she saw there was a national immigrant rally in May, but decided it was too far away and that there needed to be an immigrant rally in Hastings sooner. She said the reason for this is because she felt Hastings residents do not realize how much immigrants have been impacted by the presidential executive orders on immigration. Marsh said she lives in a neighborhood that is not predominately white and has heard concerns from her neighbors about the executive orders. Ive heard stories of kids being afraid to go to school, she said. They are afraid their parents will be arrested and when they get home from school there will not be anybody there. I thought we needed to get them some help. Rudolfo Lopez of Hastings said he is originally from Guatemala and has lived in Hastings for the past 20 years. He added that, in his mind, what is currently going on in the United States will only divide us and is why he chose to attend Sundays immigrant rally. I think its very important to send a message to the people who are against immigrants, Lopez said. Immigrants are being separated from their families. Some kids are born and their parents are immigrants. Thats my biggest concern. Theyre not criminals. Theyre here to work and to have their way of life. Jeff Oates of Hastings agreed with Lopez, saying he attended Sundays rally to speak up against talk of divisiveness and hate. I wanted to come out here, be visible and speak up for the majority of people that do believe that this is a county born on freedom and immigrants, he said. I just wanted to stand up and say its important to keep our arms open to people looking for opportunity, work and freedom. Thats what brought me here today. Oates added the mother to his three children was a refugee who came to the United States from Cuba, so Sundays rally was personal for him. Its personal, but its personal for all of us, he said. If you go to the park here in downtown Hastings, there is a statue of the Statue of Liberty. Were here to welcome people from all over the world. Hastings resident Jane Marsh stood along Burlington Avenue holding a sign that displayed a picture of her father, an Irish immigrant. My dad came here (to the United States) in 1912, she said. He had a hard time getting a job because there were signs that said, No Irish need apply. Jane Marsh said there was resistance against Japanese in World War II and that the issue with immigrants continues even today. She added this is the reason she chose to attend Sundays immigration rally. I know a lot of immigrants here who are really scared, Jane Marsh said. We are trying to reduce the fear and let them know we are a friendly place. We are trying to change the atmosphere of fear and us and them. Those attending Sundays rally said the response from onlookers was mainly positive, with people honking to show their support for immigrants. Jane Marsh said she heard a lot of people honking and waving to show their support and responded, It feels good to do this. Margaret Marsh said she, too, did not hear any negative comments from passersby. Margaret Marsh said that she has launched a petition to make Hastings a sanctuary city. The petition can be signed at the Welcome to Hastings Immigrant Rally Facebook event page. It is not within their (Hastings Police Departments) jurisdiction. They do not stop them or question them about their status in this country, she said. The petition is to make this a public statement. It is already being implemented, but we want it out there for people to be aware that is. Margaret Marsh added she hopes the immigrant rally will encourage Hastings residents and people in the surrounding areas to speak up on immigration issues. Im not an activist; Im just a person, she said. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons spoke to Columbus Elementary fifth graders in February to share an important message of how four bad choices and actions can take them quickly down a path of being a thief, a drug dealer, a felon and ultimately a murderer. Gibbons began his presentation by explaining what he does as the states attorney and how he works for the families of Madison County. I work for all of you. I work for everybody in Madison County, he said. I have 267,000 bosses. He then talked about all the dreams and goals the students had for their future. Dreams of being an engineer, a lawyer, a teacher, a writer, or a doctor. Does anyone want to grow up to be a convicted murderer? Gibbons asked to the horror of the students. A felon? A drug dealer? He noted that in his job he sees young people, as young as them, who are becoming felons and drug dealers and who are on the path to becoming murderers. Gibbons further explained that he planned to tell the students exactly what these youngsters were doing thats causing them to get into trouble and take them down the path to becoming murderers. Im here to tell you about choices that other people have made...because I have seen people your age starting to make these choices, and I want to make sure that you understand what the consequences are, he stressed. Gibbons went on to explain the four steps students should completely avoid in their life so that they did not become a murderer. Step one was becoming a thief by going into their familys medicine cabinet and taking pharmaceutical pills out of a bottle prescribed for someone else. Step two was becoming a felon by walking out of the bathroom with the pills. So you take them and as soon as you walk away from the bathroom, youre now a felon, Gibbons noted. You already got to step two by walking because youre in possession of a controlled substance. Prescriptions are a controlled substance...if they are not for you, youre not allowed to have them in your possession. You having them in your hand or pocket, makes it a crime. Its that serious. Its a felony meaning you can go to prison for up to three years. And really its a couple of simple decisions. Its a couple of choices that this person made. They take something that didnt belong to them. It doesnt seem like its that big of deal to take something out of the medicine cabinet and walk off, but I want you to understand that sometimes things that seem fairly simple, when youre dealing with serious stuff, you got to look deeper than just what it seems like on the surface, Gibbons added. Because these choices have consequences. These choices have punishments with them and this is something that can change your entire life and you dont want that. Step three was becoming a drug dealer by walking out of their house and handing over the pills to another person. Thats a drug dealer in Illinois. Thats what the law says. If you deliver, by any means at all, if you make it happen that a controlled substance goes to another person, thats drug dealing. They dont have to give you money for it, Gibbons stressed. How simple was it to get from step one, to step two to step three? You just changed the whole course of your life in the course of a couple of minutes. People reach step four and become a murderer, Gibbons noted, when the pills the person stole are given to another person who takes them and dies. Once you get to step three and those pill leave your hands, you dont know where those pills are going to go, he said. Fifty people in Madison County die from an overdose of pills each year. And when that happens, the person who gave them the pills is a murderer. I charge that person with drug-induced homicide which is murder. The penalties range all the way up to life in prison, Gibbons said. Life in prison because you walked into the bathroom, grabbed some pills out of a bottle, walked out and handed the pills to somebody else, and that person either took them, sold them or they gave them to somebody else who took them and they died. Gibbons left the students with some good news. Youre never going to take steps one, two, and three and four can never happen to you if you dont take steps one, two and three, right? he emphasized. Youve got beautiful things ahead of you in your life. Youve got amazing futures. These steps take you away from all of that stuff. This is just one bad path thats out there, Gibbons added. There are other bad paths to take, but this is one that I see everyday in court that I see young people, even some of them your age, starting to walk down. And I dont want that to happen to you." Columbus Elementary Principal Vince Schlueter believed that having the fifth grade students hear directly from the States Attorney helped them understand the importance of making good choices and staying away from drugs and alcohol abuse. The D.A.R.E. program provides instruction from police officers and showing the tie between the police and the States Attorney just helps to reinforce what we are trying to teach, Schlueter said. Tom Gibbons does a great job explaining things in a way the fifth grade students can understand about how a bad decision can escalate into very serious consequences. Name: Walter Brian Harris Office sought: Glen Carbon Village Trustee Offices held now or previously: None City of residence: Glen Carbon, IL Education: A.A.S. Criminal Justice, B.S. Computer Information Systems, and M.S. Governmental Leadership Occupation: Government Contract Officer Representative Family information: Wife Trenna Harris, and three children (Christopher, Zackary and Alexis) Why are you seeking office? I have a proven history in helping individuals within the veteran community and any other individual who needs my assistance. I will work with residents, the board and village staff to ensure that we balance short & long term needs of our village community. What qualifies you for the office? 27 years of (Active & Reserves) Army, & 20 years of Federal government service. What are your plans if elected to the office? Frist with any newly elected official I will observe and make recommendations to better streamline issues that may come before the Mayor and my fellow Trustees. Why should voters cast a ballot in your favor? I would hope the people of Glen Carbon will give me a chance to represent all citizens within the city of Glen Carbon. Endorsements you have received: The current Mayor Robert Jackstadt and Village Trustee Steve Slemer. Describe your leadership experience: Well with my experience as Noncommission Officer (NCO) and a Commission Officer in the military I have served in multiple leadership positions throughout my 27 years of service. During those years I have served in high stress environments (Desert Storm & Iraq), which many looked upon me for leadership and guidance in those situations. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Every time a wave of steep price hikes hits horticulture, as it has been doing with hot chili over the last three months, the basic issue of Indonesias food security resurfaces with a fierce blame game between the ministries and other institutions responsible for farm produce production and distribution. Yet more damaging to the future development of horticulture distribution networks is the involvement of the National Polices detectives investigating the causes of skyrocketing prices, which last month reached as high as Rp 200,000 (US$15) per kilogram in the East Kalimantan town of Balikpapan, more than three times the normal price for red chili. This is an anomaly because it is usually during the Ramadhan fasting month and Idul Fitri celebrations that the prices of food produce tend to increase sharply. But it was also mindboggling to observe why the price of hot chili, which is not a vital spice, has become such a hot issue on the public opinion agenda since last December. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Evan A. Laksmana (The Jakarta Post) Seattle Mon, March 13, 2017 In an interview with The Australian shortly before his visit to Sydney on Feb. 26 and 27, President Joko Jokowi Widodo reportedly opened the door for Indonesia and Australia to jointly patrol the South China Sea. This notion, however, never made its way to the joint statement or the Joint Declaration on Maritime Cooperation issued at the end of the visit. Subsequently, on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Summit in Jakarta last week, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull downplayed the idea further. Similarly, Indonesian officials never confirmed specific plans for a joint patrol as such. Instead, they reiterated the shared strategic interest with Australia and the cooperative opportunities in the broader maritime domain. This rise and fall of the South China Sea joint patrol narrative is reminiscent of the aftermath of the Indonesia-Australia Foreign and Defense Ministers 2+2 Dialogue in Bali last October. Then, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told a post-meeting press conference that he had discussed a joint peace patrol in the South China Sea with his Australian counterpart. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry was mum, however, and Ryamizard backtracked within a few days. These rollercoaster developments suggest several cautionary notes. First is on terminology. While press reports throw around joint patrols to describe activities done together at sea to guard the waters, regional states employ distinct terms. Theres a difference between joint and coordinated patrols. While in some instances a joint (or combined) operation refers to a navy-air force-army activity, it often denotes the integrated pooling and deployment of assets from different countries for an agreed-upon mission. The Eyes-in-the-Sky operation in the Malacca Strait, for example, uses maritime patrol aircraft from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand to form a patrol mission team. Or more broadly, consider the UN Security Council-mandated multinational forces patrolling the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia and the Horn of Africa. While joint patrols under such task forces are more missionoriented, coordinated patrols (CORPAT) are limited to each country focusing on its own waters. Put simply, you patrol your waters while I patrol mine, but we coordinate the specific time and area. For example, the Malacca Strait Sea Patrol the original model for the recently launched Sulu Sea trilateral patrols allows participating navies to conduct coordinated sea patrols while facilitating information sharing between ships and their operational centers. A similar logic applies to the existing Australia-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol launched in 2010 covering the shared maritime boundaries to the south of West Timor. So, while we can debate the different interpretations held, locating the patrolling terminology within its proper policy context is not mere semantics; it has legal, strategic and operational implications. We should keep this in mind when assessing reports claiming that Indonesia proposed (or backed down from) joint patrols in the South China Sea. The second point is on strategic logic. If we can consider the South China Sea joint patrol narrative as the product of media hype and Jakartas haphazard political communications, we should be cautious in examining the merits of the idea itself. It goes without saying that Indonesia and Australia share a common interest in ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea, but it does not follow that the only way to advance this interest is through a joint patrol, especially if it is pitched as a Freedom of Navigation Operation against Chinas now-illegal nine-dash line claims. As Indonesian and Australian leaders recently acknowledged, there is no need to unnecessarily escalate the tension in the area. Therefore, the commitment to the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct process as stated in the Joint Declaration on Maritime Cooperation is a step in the right direction; although alternative strategies to push it forward are sorely needed. Bottom line, the South China Sea alone does not and should not define the strategic relationship between Indonesia and Australia. For one thing, the South China Sea could turn into ugly domestic and regional quicksand for Indonesia and Australia as two non-claimants, especially if the United StatesChinese strategic dynamic remains the driving force. For another, there is already plenty of work to do on the maritime domain between the two countries as the maritime Joint Declaration highlights. Finally, on operational reality. Assuming we can ignore the above concerns which would be foolish the South China Sea joint patrol narrative does not make operational sense. If it is a joint patrol, are we expecting an Indonesian-Australian taskforce to run counterpiracy operations around the Natunas? If its a coordinated patrol, where would the specific waters be? Australia does not border the Natunas, while Indonesias EEZ in the area has been declared but is still being negotiated with neighboring countries. Indonesia has always been particular about agreeing to coordinated, rather than joint, patrolling mechanisms, for historic, political and operational reasons. Also, Indonesia is unlikely to conduct FONOP-style operations in the South China Sea on its own, let alone with Australia. Taken as a whole, the Indonesia-Australia South China Sea joint patrol narrative is ultimately flawed and should be discarded if the above concerns still hold. *** The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta and currently a visiting fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research in Seattle, Washington. The views expressed are his own. --------------- to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Belinda Chng, Lena Sun, Jarir At Thobari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 During autumn last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that a vaccine to prevent dengue fever was available for people across the world aged 9 to 16 years old. This should have been exceptionally welcome news in Indonesia, where dengue has affected more than 120,000 people at a cost of roughly US$323 million annually, according to the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization. Accordingly, last September, Indonesia's Food and Drug Monitoring Agency approved the dengue vaccine, making it widely available in the private market. Unfortunately, Indonesia continues to see its national coverage rates below the global average. Its vaccine delivery system has been plagued by several major hurdles including a strained public health infrastructure, the lack of a centralized body to manage vaccine procurement and delivery, and mixed public acceptance of immunization following a counterfeit vaccine scandal. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Mon, March 13, 2017 In the past we have generally been more familiar with the batik styles of Yogyakarta and Pekalongan. Not many know that South Tangerang, a municipality located just southwest of Jakarta, has its unique batik style, which is recent times has been going global. NeltyFariza is the person responsible for popularizing the South Tangerang batik Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are gaining more respect as an indispensable driver of the national economy. Their important role is recognized in the governments Nawacita program on the independence of the economy and domestic strategic sectors. In this global era, the economic independence of local MSMEs is expected to boost the nations competitiveness. A major feature of MSMEs is their strong reliance on local strength and potential. This is what Nelty Fariza and Ethy Setiawati, two MSME industry players from South Tangerang and Jakarta, do in their persistent creative efforts to develop the local batik industry. Thanks to their hard work supported by state-owned telcocommunication company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), batik today is not only associated with Surakarta or Pekalongan. In Love with South Tangerangs Culture Neltys love of local culture encourages her to be involved in the batik industry and to popularize South Tangerang batik. She believes that, with proper promotional campaigns, South Tangerang batik will be able to compete with the batik of other regions. We are familiar with the batik of Central Java and Yogyakarta. Now is the time for people to get to know South Tangerang batik, Nelty said. According to Nelty, South Tangerang batik has its own unique styles, such as pesona Krakatau (Krakatau charm), batik benteng(fort batik), batik badakculasatu (one-horned rhino batik) and batik RumahBlandongan. These patterns are based on the wealth of art and culture of the Banten Province, she explained, adding that all of her batik products are based on South Tangerang and Banten cultures. For example, the rumahblandonganis an iconic traditional house in South Tangerang. The pesona Krakatau motif is based on Mt. Krakatau, an iconic tourism site in Banten Province. The history of South Tangerang batik began in 2004, when the SekarPurnamamotif was born. SekarPurnamais a motif with uniquely Banten design. More recently, the name SekarPurnamabecame a brand of Neltys South Tangerang batik creation. The brands full name is SekarPurnamaSouth Tangerang Ethnic Batik. Due to the uniqueness of the South Tangerang batik motif, Nelty has traveled abroad many times to promote it. She has also enjoyed full support from the government. In 2008, when the Banten provincial government held the National Koran Recital Competition (MTQ), her batik creations were worn by VIP officials, including the president and ambassadors of Islamic countries. This was a personal achievement for her and it brought widespread media attention to her products. She said that she targeted the upper-middle class market with the SekarPurnama batik. I made it for the middle-upper class, but it is up to the market [who wants to buy them], she said. She added that promoting South Tangerang batik was not always easy as it was less popular than Surakarta batik, for instance. Therefore, Nelty often participates in exhibitions both in Indonesia and abroad. Thanks to Telkoms support, I often get the chance to participate in exhibitions, she said. Due to her participation in numerous exhibitions and funding assistance from Telkom, South Tangerang batik is becoming increasingly popular. Apart from participating in exhibitions, her online shop is also an effective marketing medium. Nelty says that online marketing is a necessity in todays digital world. At first, I did not quite understand online marketing, but Telkom through its RumahKreatif BUMN [State-Owned Enterprise Creative Home] program provides online business marketing training sessions. I hope that people can easily find South Tangerang batik on blanja.com, Nelty said. Jakartas Gobang Batik -(-/-) When Nelty is busy promoting South Tangerang batik, EthySetiawati chooses to develop the Gobang batik style in Jakarta. The design of Gobang batik features the characteristics of Jakarta as the nations capital with its unique flora and fauna. Under the banner of ie-osh Batik, Ethy is continuing the family business that has existed for generations. With the slogan Different & Classy, she pledges to produce limited quantities of high-quality batik creations different from other batik products in the market. Through producing and selling high-quality Gobang batik, EthySetiawati says that she hopes she can help preserve Jakartas culture. Ethy routinely provides batik-making training for individuals, groups and anyone wanting to learn how to produce batik. So many Jakartans need to be empowered. Sharing knowledge with locals in districts and sub-districts is one of my routine activities. I hope to spread the spirit of entrepreneurship, Ethy said. Gobang batik is currently used as the uniform for civil servants in the Jakarta administration and for students in Jakartan schools. EthysGobang batik business developed even more after she became a Telkom partner. Ever since I joined Telkoms program in 2011, I have experienced many positive changes in my business. Telkom provides me access to exhibitions in Indonesia and abroad, including in Asia and Europe. Ever since I participated in the exhibitions with Telkom, my perspective and networking skills has broadened, Ethy said. Beyond that, Ethy said she also acknowledged the importance of online marketing. The next step I am preparing with Telom is to develop an online marketing strategy forGobang batik. I am preparing the products that will be marketed through the blanja.com website and application, Ethy said. The South Tangerang and Jakartas Gobang batik creations were displayed at Telkom Craft Indonesia at Jakarta Convention Centers Hall A, Jakarta. Indonesias first-ever MSMEdigital handicrafts exhibition was held byTelkom Indonesia from March 10 to March 12, 2017. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Mon, March 13, 2017 PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk recently held the exhibition Telkom Craft Indonesia to further improve the quality and sharpen the competitive edge of Indonesias micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The three-day exhibition was held from March 10 to March 12, 2017 inHall A of the Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta. State-owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Rini M. Soemarno, accompanied by a group of SOE directors, officialy opened the exhibition, themed Local Heroes to GlobalChampions. Minister Rini M. Soemarno said in her opening address, MSMEs still requireassistance and mentoring in term of developing their products, quality, use of technology and management. MSMEs also needan access to a broadermarket either through exhibitions or online marketing. No less important is that MSMEsstill need capital support. This is why SOE Ministry encourages SOEs to build a strong linksunder the umbrella of RKB, or SOE Creative Home in all cities/regencies in Indonesia and contribute solutions to these issues, the minister explained. Telkom Craft Indonesia is part of creative houses projects (RKB), a program initiated by SOE Ministry aimed at assisting MSMEs to gain access to competence, commerce and capital. As of late 2016, state-owned enterprises had established100 RKB. Another 514 RKB will be established in cities/regencies across the archipelago and should be ready by the end of 2017. Rini expressed her hope that with RKB, SOEs can really make their presence and contribution felt by the people, notably micro, small and medium entrepreneurs. Kudos to Telkom for initiating this event. I see this event as the implementation of RKBpaving the way for MSMEs to gain access to a broader market through exhibitionsand business digitization,Rini said. Meanwhile, Telkoms President Director, Alex J. Sinagaasserted that Telkom would stand by MSMEs in going full digital. He said that in todays digital era, MSMEs had big potential to be in the driving seat of Indonesias digital economy. Telkom is playing its role in becoming an enabler or facilitator to develop the Indonesian digital community. One of the ways we are doing this is by fully supporting micro, small and medium entrepreneurs, and we can do this with RKB. Telkom is providing mentoring and guidance for the utilization of ICT in MSME business operations, Alex explained. Global market As the driving force of the countrys economy, MSMEs must be able to compete and step into the global market, as the theme Local Heroes to Global Champions suggests. Telkom Craft Indonesia is SOEs response to Nawacita program championed by President Joko Widodo. The program aims todevelopand strengthenmicro, small and medium enterprises, improve their competitiveness in the global market, and make them economically independentby empowering domestic economic sectors. Telkom Craft Indonesia features 126 MSMEs, selected out of the total125,000 micro, small and medium businesses that Telkom has taken under its wing. The exhibition also features micro, small and medium business that other state-owned enterprises train. The exhibitors are divided into three categories: Craft, Fashion and Food. Besides showing a wide range of choicesfound among MSME products, the exhibition also hosts other activities, including talk shows, business consultation, as well asfashion shows and tutorials. Moreover, as the first digital MSME exhibition in Indonesia, Telkom Craft Indonesia has invited visitors to conduct digital transactions using t-cash prepared by Telkomsel and blanja.com . The SOE Ministry is confident that the simultaneous and fair collaboration between SOE and their trained partners will open the door to an immense business and economic opportunities for regional micro, small and medium enterprises and for the development of creative industry. We hope this exhibition can serve as a medium for local MSME craft industries to come up with concrete products and to grow their business not only in Indonesia but also in ASEAN countries and beyond, Rini said. It would seem all but impossible to sum up one of the most distinguished careers in photojournalism in only four words, but that's just what Nick Ut does when he says, "From hell to Hollywood." And the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, who is retiring this month after 51 years with The Associated Press, has the pictures to prove it, the most famous being a stunning black-and-white image from the Vietnam War that's come to be known simply as "Napalm Girl." It's the photo of a terrified child running naked down a country road, her body literally burning from the napalm bombs dropped on her village just moments before Ut captured the iconic image. "That photograph illustrated dramatically what had become a regular occurrence in Vietnam over the years napalm on distant villages, civilians killed and scared by the war, pictures we'd rarely had in the past," said Peter Arnett, a distinguished network news war correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner himself. "This picture revealed the kind of details that were an integral part of what the war had been about, which made it so significant and important to be published." Read also: Oprah for president? Winfrey rethinks a run after Trump win Ut was only 21 when he took that photo on June 8, 1972, then set his camera aside to rush 9-year-old Kim Phuc to a hospital, where doctors saved her life. He would go on to take literally tens of thousands more over the next 44 years, including images of practically every A-list celebrity who walked a Hollywood red carpet or entered a courtroom on the wrong side of the law. "Every star who has trouble, they will see me," jokes the friendly 65-year-old photographer who, although his thick, dark hair has grayed over the years, retains both a boyish charm and irrepressible enthusiasm for his work. On a recent morning in a conference room of the AP's Los Angeles bureau, Ut clicks through a portfolio showing a few of his most famous images. There's one of a sobbing Robert Blake, the actor's head on a courtroom table moments after he was acquitted of killing his wife. In another, Michael Jackson is dancing on an SUV outside a courtroom where he would be acquitted of child molestation. Perhaps the most ironic of all, of a tearful Paris Hilton headed to jail for driving violations, was taken on June 8, 2007, the 35th anniversary of the day he took the "Napalm Girl" picture. Warren Beatty once called Ut aside at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to spend 30 minutes talking about the "Napalm Girl" photo. After learning he was the one who took it, actress Joan Collins opened a bottle of champagne for Ut during a shoot at her home. It was a much friendlier reaction, he says, than the one he got when he previously photographed her heading into a courtroom to settle an acrimonious divorce. Read also: Photographer Bernard Grismayer captures religious ceremonies "That picture changed my life. It changed Kim's life," he says of the pair's chance meeting in a dusty Vietnamese village called Trang Bang. He'd just finished photographing four planes flying low to drop the napalm that would set Phuc's village ablaze when he saw a terrified group of men, women and children running for their lives from a pagoda. After getting that perfectly framed photo, he set aside his camera, gave the badly burned girl water, poured more on her wounds, then loaded her and others into his AP van to take them to a hospital. When doctors refused to admit her, saying she was too badly burned to be saved, he angrily flashed his press pass. The next day, he told them, pictures of her would be displayed all over the world, along with an explanation of how the hospital refused to help. "I cried when I saw her running," Ut once told an AP reporter. "If I don't help her if something happened and she died I think I'd kill myself after that." Now a 53-year-old wife and mother of two who lives in Canada, Kim Phuc remains Ut's close friend. But her photo, dramatic as it was, represented only a small slice of the horror Ut saw during those war years. As he flips through photos of villages destroyed, dead bodies piled everywhere and parents grieving over dead children, Ut tells how he came to be a combat photographer. The 11th of 12 children, he grew up idolizing one of his older brothers, Huynh Thanh My, an actor whose good looks seemed to have him destined for movie stardom until the Vietnam War got in the way. Huynh was hired by the AP and was on assignment in 1965 when he and a group of soldiers he was with were overrun by Viet Cong rebels who killed everyone. At his brother's funeral, Ut approached the late Horst Faas, photo editor for AP's Saigon bureau, to ask for a job. But Faas, a two-time Pulitzer winner, turned him down cold. He didn't want the Huynh family losing another son. Read also: Revisiting photographers' bible 'The Decisive Moment' After weeks of Ut's pestering, Faas finally relented, hiring him on Jan. 1, 1966, but giving the 15-year-old strict orders: Under no circumstances was he to carry his camera into a war zone. So Ut spent the next couple of years working in the darkroom and shooting feature photos around Saigon until one January morning in 1968 when the war came to him. "I remember Nick coming in later that morning very excited and saying, 'The Viet Cong are fighting near my house. I have pictures of Vietnamese troops attacking them, great pictures," Arnett, who worked for the AP then, recalled in a recent interview. From that day forward, 17-year-old Huynh Cong Ut was a combat photographer. Over the coming years he would be wounded four times and have a rocket come so close to his head that it literally parted his hair. His closest friend in the Saigon bureau, noted photographer Henri Huet, died in 1971 after volunteering to take the weary Ut's place on an assignment during which the helicopter he was in was shot down. It was Huet, Ut says, who gave him his nickname, Nick, after others in the bureau had trouble getting his given name straight. "That's why I keep the name Nick Ut. In Henri's honor," he says in a voice momentarily thick with emotion. When Saigon fell to the rebels in 1975, two years after the U.S. military pulled out, Ut had to flee Vietnam like thousands of others. After a brief stay in a California refugee camp, the AP put him to work in its Tokyo bureau. It was there he met his wife, Hong Huynh, another Vietnamese ex-pat. She even hailed from the same neighborhood as Ut, but the two had never met. They moved to Los Angeles in 1977 when Ut began the Hollywood chapter of his photo career. They have two grown children and two grandchildren, ages 8 and 10. He plans to spend retirement helping take care of those grandchildren and, oh yes, taking more pictures. "I'll take pictures until I die," laughs the diminutive photographer who is instantly recognizable around Los Angeles for his 5-foot-3-inch frame and his ear-to-ear grin. "My camera is like my doctor, my medicine." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Clara Anastasia (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 14:29 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde468271 4 Books Book,book-recommendation,director Free BW Purba Negara, known as BW or Purba, is a director who is well known for his short films, such as Say Hello to Yellow, Cheng Cheng Po and many more. His films have been screened at prominent international film festivals, such as the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany and the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. One of his films, Bermula Dari A (Starting from A), won the 2012 Best Short Film Award at the Vladivostok International Film Festival in Russia. His 2008 short film Musafir marked a turning point for the director, who has gained popularity through his films ever since. He recently published his first feature Ziarah (Pilgrimage). Talking about books, the fan of filmmaker Garin Nugroho considers himself quite fond of reading, a hobby that raises speculation that his initials BW stand for bookworm. I used to read a lot of books, but currently Im not into any specific book, said the former philosophy student. He admitted that studying philosophy had not influenced his filmmaking style, but said it had impacted his scriptwriting. The Gadjah Mada University graduate explained that his final thesis about aesthetics had widened his perspective on ideas, concepts and the basis of life. Bumi Manusia (This Earth of Mankind) By Pramoedya Ananta Toer This is my favorite book of all time. I think Prams perspective on Indonesia as a country is very interesting. He never closes a story with a sad ending, but gives hope to desperate people instead, thats the kind of spirit Indonesians should adopt. He succeeds in making his readers realize that past events go on a loop, making his stories very relevant to Indonesians in the current situation, although it was written a lot of years back. Cacing dan Kotoran Kesayangannya (Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?: Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Lifes Difficulties) By Ajahn Brahm I read this book every morning as an alternative to breakfast so that it brightens my mood. It also reminds me of how happiness can be achieved easily through the simplest things. Sometimes, its my thoughts that make me think of life as overly complicated. This book changes the way we think through simple cases and teaches us how to make peace with ourselves. Buddhist principles are conveyed in this book through a universal language that is very easy to read. Story By Robert McKee I use this [book] to teach my students. It is by far the best scenario-related book Ive ever read. That is why I use it as a teaching reference. Its essential to understand the fundamentals of what a story is and learn how to steer peoples feelings in a certain direction. And this book covers it all, including the formula to write a good story. *** The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Maggie Tiojakin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 09:39 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde45b28d 4 Art & Culture #essay,essay,writing,writer Free I quit writing. No, seriously. I quit, quit. Im throwing in the towel and waving the white flag. Done. Finito. That was what I had told some of my closest allies these past couple of months and their reactions ranged from utter surprise to great shock to indescribable sadness. Except for one person, a fellow writer, who shrugged and basically said OK. But nearly all of them were convinced my decision had stemmed from some form of dissatisfaction with the industry or work-related stress. I get it. Really. After spending more than 20 years telling myself and others how writing is the only thing thats keeping me sane and how it enriches my inner being and inspires me to be a better person each day, after all those incredible experiences of connecting with readers, writers, publishers, editors and festival organizers, it doesnt seem right that I should suddenly abandon the calling. Or what I perceived to be the calling. I was 12 when it happened, not long after I finished reading John Grishams A Time to Kill. I felt protected living between the pages of a fictional work and pretty soon I began to crave that security, that sense of escape, that sentiment as if the world was on your side and all you had to do was have a little faith in the impossible. I was 12 and I decided I would dedicate my life to writing. It would be the only plan to live by. And, for most of my adult life, it certainly was until 2015. Nothing major happened in my life that year. On the literary stage, Indonesia was gearing up to fulfill its duty as the guest of honor at the highly esteemed Frankfurt Book Fair. Since early that year, there had been a concerted effort by the ministry of education and several other organizations to make the event memorable by delivering breathtaking presentations of our rich and diverse culture. I was asked to participate at the fair, both as an author and translator. However, its important to note that at that point more than a handful of writers had taken to social media to raise objections to the selection process for who was going and who was not, or whose books would receive translation grants and whose books would still be on the waiting list. Naturally, Facebook and Twitter were set ablaze by all sorts of gleeful announcements and declarations of displeasure by the warring parties. Labels, verbal insults and snide comments were hurled directly and indirectly at each other. Many chose to steer clear of the growing argument, but ultimately they were dragged into the eye of the storm by sheer chance and ended up having to explain themselves. Mind you, most writers I knew managed to avoid the brouhaha and smartly stayed out of public view. Later, when I expressed my lack of interest in participating in the event, they did their best to assure me these things happen and theres no reason for me to feel unnerved. Its just people being people, they said. Grow up, was what they didnt say but quietly hinted at. That year was crucial. That year changed everything. It stirred in me things I didnt know was stir-able. Eventually, I bowed out of the fair. Perhaps the slot would have been better used by another writer who actually wanted to go. Then I began to question my belonging to this particular trade. Or, to be exact, I began to question my own drive, the reason I had been so sure of the idea that in order to live I had to write. The blank page, which for so long had served me well as a place of escape, a refuge of some sort, soon became a prison and I was drowning in unfamiliar waters. Another friend, to whom I would always run in times of personal crisis, rolled his eyes when I told him what I had told everyone else in our circle. You always say that, he said. But you wont be able to betray yourself. He gave me a pen. Give it back to me when and if you really mean what you said. It takes a certain amount of ego to be a good and productive artist. I have always thought perhaps I dont have what it takes to be a proper writer, or that I am an impostor somehow. I am uncomfortable talking about my own work or the reason I write. I have no desire to challenge the world or to seek the meaning of life. What I am is an escape artist I write to run away from all the things I wish to avoid in real life. I think of all the one-hit wonders of the literary world who quit writing when the writing was good, among them: Arthur Rimbaud, JD Salinger and Raduan Nassar. Rimbaud went into writing because he wanted to change the world and then discovered the world was too old, too obtuse. After the publication of A Catcher in the Rye, Salinger went into isolation, even though he continued writing for his own personal consumption. Nassar dropped the pen and picked up a farming tool. Im no one-hit wonder. In fact, I am hardly any wonder at all. I still have my friends pen and hes right: Im still writing. I havent quite shaken off the feeling that perhaps Im not cut out to be the sort of writer most writers aspire to be. But maybe thats not a bad thing. *** Maggie Tiojakin is a story collector and lover of tall tales. She is also the managing director of The Jakarta Post Writing Center. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 10:01 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde45c730 4 Books #bookreview,#books,Book,book-review,refugee,refugees-camp,Indonesia,asylum-seekers Free "I know a mysterious place, a place where nothing and everything is possible in one way or another, a place where a drop of tear destroys a day-long laughter. That is the last part of a poem titled A Mysterious Place, I Know written by Abdul Samad Haidari, an Afghan former freelance journalist and a poet that represented the persecution faced by some 14,700 refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia. If the home countries they fled from are some sort of hell on earth, Indonesia as a transit country is not a haven either. These pressing issues were revealed at a book launch and discussion about the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia, organized by Germanys Goethe-Institut on Feb. 23. The event was opened by the poem reading by Haidari himself, who currently lives as a refugee in a community shelter in Bogor, West Java. The event launched the Indonesian translation of Troubled Transit: Asylum Seekers Stuck in Indonesia, authored by German-Australian anthropology lecturer Antje Missbach of Monash University. The translated subtitle Politik Indonesia Bagi Para Pencari Suaka (Indonesian politics for asylum seekers), however, is a better summary of the myriad of problems facing both the authorities and the refugees, despite the hospitality of locals living around the community shelters. The book presents a comprehensive analysis, with supporting facts and data, on the politics regarding refugees and asylum seekers. Read also: 'Refugees' is timely, timeless in telling of human stories At the discussion, Missbach said there had been some dynamic changes in Indonesias approach toward asylum seekers as the country was influenced by its diplomatic relations with Australia, the preferred resettlement country. However, the accommodation of the asylum seekers is not anticipated for a long term, which can be seen from the overcrowded immigration detention centers. Indonesia is actually one of 12 case countries within the UNHCR striving to provide alternative detention, but there still is a problem with detained children and unaccompanied minors, Missbach said. More than half of the refugees from 49 countries, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Iraq and Myanmar, were asylum seekers. Most of them had to wait for two years to get an interview with the UNHCR and were still in limbo waiting for good news. The fewer resettlements to Australia due to the countrys latest immigration policy and the fact that Indonesia lacked a comprehensive legal framework for refugee protection exacerbated the uncertainty, added Missbach. Indonesia is not a signatory to the 1951 International Refugee Convention, so the country does not offer local integration for refugees, but allows only for resettlement to a third country or voluntary repatriation, she said. Another speaker, human rights activist Rizka Argadianti Rachmah, said Presidential Regulation No. 125/2016 on the treatment of refugees from foreign countries, passed last December, was the only piece of legislation that adopted the 1951 Convention, which distinguished refugees from undocumented immigrants. Read also: Against all political and religious odds The regulation, however, is more of a technical guideline on step-by-step procedures for the authorities in handling the refugees as soon as they reach Indonesian shores, said the coordinator of SUAKA, a non-profit organization concerned with refugees rights that currently focuses on the Rohingya people of Myanmar being sheltered in Aceh; Medan, North Sumatra; Makassar, South Sulawesi; Jakarta; as well as in Bogor and Depok, West Java. The absence of a solid legal framework, according to her, put the refugees in another misery without access to work or education for the children as well as legal protection during an uncertain period of stay. Its still far from the ideal condition of providing the refugees with basic rights, said Rizka. Pakistan-born health activist Kalsoom Jaffari, who lives as a refugee in Cisarua, Bogor, since 2013, said the lack of activities at community shelters affected both mental and physical health of the refugees. Once an aid worker for Afghan refugees in Pakistan who ended up a refugee herself, she initiated the Refugee Women Support Group, which held a series of women-focused workshops on health, hygiene and education in an informal setting. Funded by donors, the group also opened art and handicraft classes, English lessons and sewing projects for the female refugees and the children to channel their creativity and intellect. Initially, they were idle and homebound, and that led to some health problems and domestic violence. By living an active lifestyle and learning new skills, the refugees are more convinced about being approved for resettlement to another country, said Jaffari, the last speaker at the discussion. The textile products, labeled Beyond the Fabric, have been in demand overseas and generated income for the refugees. Through this group, the refugees that come from different countries and ethnicities became friends and aware of other cultures as we also interact with our Indonesian neighbors. When they come to class, they forget their problems and instead talk about future plans. These activities give us purpose, Jaffari added. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 15:11 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde46b2ed 1 Parents DKT-Indonesia,sex,sex-education,#sex,teenagers,Education,#education,parents,#parenting,parenting,#parents,Youth,#youth Free Sex is not an easy topic for either parents or teenagers to discuss. Research conducted by Dharmendra Kumar Tyagi (DKT) Indonesia, an organization that focuses on family planning services and HIV/AIDS prevention through social marketing, found that parents need to informally discuss sexual and reproductive health with their teens. However, these topics often make both parents and children feel uncomfortable, which may lead to the kids being misinformed on the matter. [This led to teenagers] being misinformed as they prefer to look for information online or through their peers who are equally lacking understanding about the topic, said DKT Indonesia brand manager Sutan Musa said in a press release. Realizing this hardship, the organization recently launched the Sexual Health Training Booklet "Safety Can Be Fun". Read also: Parents need education on sexuality to prevent LGBT violence The booklet, presented in a casual way, aims to help parents educate teenagers about sexual and reproductive health. Available for download for free, it comprises seven different topics, namely sexual and reproductive health, physical and emotional change, hormonal change in teenagers and how to handle it, a healthy love relationship for teenagers, sexual transmitted disease (STD) information and encouragement to "think before doing". DKT Indonesia deputy general manager Pierre Frederick said that sexual and reproductive health education in school was inadequate as it only discusses theories; it usually does not provide detailed information, such as from the psychological side. "An informal approach is important as it allows teens to feel close and able to open up to their parents. This can protect teenagers from risky behavior," said Pierre. (kes) Meet JP Soetardjo. At first glance, he may seem like just a regular old man. But oh, what a life hes led! What can you say about a retired freedom fighter who has been, among other things, a mechanic, a cook, an author, a radio presenter and a music composer? This extraordinary life is the subject of JP Soetardjo Menjawab Semua Soalan (JP Soetardjo Answers All Questions), an exhibition first shown at Jogja Contemporary in Jogjakarta, Indonesia in August 2015. The exhibition is now in Kuala Lumpur. On display there are various artifacts and mementos from JP Soetardjos life, which invite visitors to ask themselves who exactly is this person. How could he have such a colorful life? Why does he never seem to age? Is he even real? And does that even matter? The most striking thing about JP Soetardjo is his spirit. Every time he suffers a failure, he rises again, having picked up a new skill that can help him, says Indonesian artist Pius Sigit Kuncoro, 43, during a recent interview in Kuala Lumpur. Thats why I like to meet people who have a large variety of skills. That means they have overcome a lot in their lives. Pius is the artist behind JP Soetardjo, claiming to have met his subject five years ago. The lanky, bespectacled artist states that the inspiration for this show comes from a friendship he forged with a group of elderly people. Indonesian artist Pius Sigit Kuncoro. (The Star/Ong Soon Hin) When I had times of trouble, they would lift my spirits, and tell me not to give up, he adds. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura, Papua Mon, March 13, 2017 13:57 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde465396 1 Art & Culture Papua,#Papua,batik,#batik,Putri-Dobonsolo,culture,#culture Free The Papuan Putri Dobonsolo (Dobonsolo Women) group in Sentani, Jayapura regency, is committed to developing and introducing Papuan-motif batik to the public. "The Papuan-motif batik that we develop here, called the Yoniki motif, is the signature motif of Sentani and only used by ondofolo and ondoafi [tribal chiefs]. The motif has seven derivatives and has been patented by Putri Dobonsolo," group founder Mariana Pulanda Ibo, 98, also known as Mama Ibo, told The Jakarta Post at her home during the inauguration ceremony of the Putri Dobonsolo Gallery. Mama Ibo's house has also served as the group's workshop center for Papuan youths who are interested in participating in the development of the region's signature batik. Established in 1996, the group's production currently still relies on orders, particularly from the church. "The customers who order our fabric are only church people; nothing yet from the administration," she said. Mama Ibo is said to be the first generation of Papuan natives to have received batik-making training; she was sent by the Irian Jaya Development Foundation to Java to participate in the workshop back in 1995. "I was very interested in batik-making since it was a new thing in Papua; all we knew back then were the cultures of carving and painting. That is why I want the batik-making to be a new [popular] skill in Papua." Read also: Batik: A cultural dilemma of infatuation and appreciation Srimiati Ibo, 42, holding a canting, teaches batik-making to Sofia, 16, a student of SMK 5 Jayapura state vocational school. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba) In addition to selling batik fabric from Sentani, the gallery also hosts a batik-making workshop center. "Regencies frequently send women here to learn batik-making; I'm very happy that the Papuan people have started to pay attention to this culture." Around 20 employees work at the gallery and all Mama Ibo's children have also followed their mother's passion for batik-making. One of her daughters, Srimiati Ibo, 42, is one of the teachers at the workshop. "We are autodidacts; we have seen our mother and employees making batik since we were teenagers," said Srimiati. Schools reportedly also send their students to the gallery to learn batik-making. Sofia, 16, from SMK 5 Jayapura state vocational school has been participating in the workshops for a year. "I started learning batik-making a year ago and I also take batik-making courses at school," she said. Bank Indonesia (BI) Jayapura office head Joko Supratikto, who attended the gallery inauguration ceremony, said the central bank supported Putri Dobonsolo because of its passion for developing the region's creative industry with women as the main force. "[BI] always supports womens creative businesses since women are the driving force of the Papuan economy," he said. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Feby Indirani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 08:57 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde458a75 4 Art & Culture Muslim,hijab,short-story,#shortstory,fiction Free One morning Annisa woke up, and when she looked in the mirror, she realized she no longer had a nose. Astaghfirullah! she cried loudly. If her husband Razi had been at home, he might have fallen off his favorite lounge chair. But Razi was out of town on a business trip and would not be home for another five days. Oh God, what should I do? thought Annisa in a panic. For several minutes, she just buried her face in a pillow. The mirror in her room became the ghost that she feared the most. For the next several hours, Annisa wept, lamenting her fate. How could her nose disappear? To be exact, it was her slim nose and its cute rounded end by her nostrils. All that was left of her nose were two circles covered by her nostrils, of which only half remained. She didnt feel any pain whatsoever. She could still breathe normally through the holes. But oh, how ugly her face was with her nose gone! Annisa still hoped it was a nightmare, however, when she looked in the mirror again, she knew she wasnt dreaming. She no longer had a nose. She was shaken, but then she began to think rationally and weigh up some alternative actions. Contact a doctor at the hospital? Yes, Annisa would do so, but no, she had better wait for Razi to come home. No, she didnt want to tell Razi now, because she didnt want to disturb her husbands concentration. And yes, she thought it might be very expensive to make a new nose. As a good wife, she wouldnt possibly spend that much money without her husbands permission. No, going to a doctor or hospital was not an urgent priority, because Annisa was certain that she didnt feel any pain at all. Yes, this was an aesthetic problem, not a health issue. Even though she was in shock, instinctively Annisa knew that her life was not endangered. Okay, this was not everything. She breathed normally again. Annisa just needed to go out of the house today as usual. She put on her scarf, which was long in a plain dark blue, along with the niqab (face veil) which she usually wore to cover her face, leaving a pair of eyes and eyebrows. It is lucky I wear a niqab, thought Annisa relieved. For a moment, Annisa focused upon the things that she had to do that day. Visit the school owned by her family and meet with the teachers. Confirm that the renovations on the school building could start immediately before the new school year begins. Maybe she would take part in a meeting with the contractor, which meant a series of sessions. After that, she actually had planned to relax at a salon specifically for Muslim women, but no, it would be better to cancel that, because she didnt want to shock people with her face. Yeah, perhaps she would go directly to the supermarket and shop for some household necessities. She drove slowly, half daydreaming. When she entered the gate to the school, she didnt know why but her heart started to pound. She didnt feel ready to meet a lot of people in this kind of situation. Annisa glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw the veil that covered her face. Theres nothing different, Nisa. No one will know whether you have a nose or not; she tried to convince herself. Three girls in headscarves ran to greet her as she got out of her car and respectfully kissed her hand. Mother NisaMother Nisa called the girls. They knew her car, and so were ready to greet her. All of them wore plain white headscarves with their faces unveiled. They smiled when Annisa patted their heads one by one. Annisas gaze fell upon their noses. She entered the meeting room where the teachers were waiting. The meeting went ahead, and for a moment she succeeded in forgetting about her own problem. When prayer time came, Annisa began to think again about her missing nose. But she had a room of her own at the school that was very private, and she could pray there freely without worrying that anyone would spot her without her face covered. She had spent half the day feeling like a person in hiding, like a frightened person. You must be strong Nisa; you must be strong, she repeated to herself. And that was how Annisa spent the day, trying as much as possible to focus on the people she was meeting, looking for solutions to problems they faced, and often having to make some final decisions. Her parents had established this school, and it was a mandate for her to maintain it and keep it going. Annisa was grateful, Razi had given her permission to continue managing the school, moreover because Razi supported the vision of the school to create a generation of devout people who prioritized religious education above all else. She just had to finish the day with shopping at the supermarket. Not something difficult, she thought. Ive made it through the day so far. But no matter what, on this day she felt more sensitive about being among many people. Annisa noticed several people staring at her, with curious looks. That was definitely because of her covered face. Wearing a niqab was not so common in Jakarta, but she was also not the only one. After three years of wearing the niqab at the request of her husband, Nisa was used to facing the curious stares cast in her direction. Even more so if they were in a restaurant, more people would be watching her because they wanted to know how she ate. It really bothered her at first, but now Nisa was used to it, and she didnt care. At first, Nisa refused when Razi asked her to wear a niqab. Even though she had worn a headscarf since she was a teenager, wearing the niqab was a different step. But according to Razi it was the correct way based upon the demands of the religion. Undertaking religious commands must be kaffah, Ummi. This was the endearing nickname Razi used for her. Islam kaffah means thoroughly, with all its aspects, the whole side, related to all the matters in every aspect of life. Whats more Ummi, you are a beautiful woman, and even wearing a headscarf, your beauty can still be seen. Meanwhile, I am often sent out of town for work. Im not willing to have other men looking at my wife, explained Razi gently while stroking her hair. And that kind of behavior always made Nisa melt. Razi never forced his wishes, but persuaded her and made her aware of what was right and how she must act as a soleha (a pious woman). And finally, although half-heartedly, she followed her husbands request that she wear a niqab. And indeed what Razi had said was true, she felt safer and protected from the gazes of strange men. Annisa found wearing a niqab at times caused difficulties, for instance when she ate in a public place or perhaps due to the hot and humid weather in Jakarta. Also when she met friends at the mall or other public places, Annisa had to call out louder and bump into old friends, who of course did not know her because they couldnt see her face. And sometimes, if she was lazy she chose not to greet them even if she crossed paths with an old friend. Actually it didnt matter, they didnt know the difference. But still, a guilty feeling would slip into her heart, even more so if that person happened to have been a good friend at one time. Like on this day when she clearly caught sight of Arifin, a good-looking old friend who she had once been close with. That doesnt really describe their situation. To be precise, Arifin had been in the process of taaruf or getting to know her for some time, before she finally decided to choose Razi. Arifin was standing just a few meters across from her, in the fruit area. Annisa suddenly felt her heart beating faster. He was still as handsome as she remembered. His body had filled out, and he was not as skinny as when he was at university. Say hi, dont. Say hi, dont. Annisa was suddenly thrusted into a dilemma. She was still looking at Arifin who was calmly sorting and choosing oranges, unaware of the pair of eyes watching him with the rumbling chest. Thats how it was for her as someone wearing a niqab, Annisa often felt that the decision of whether or not to continue the ties of a relationship was in her hands. She could decide whether she would reveal who she was or not. If she didnt wear a niqab, at this distance there was a good possibility that Arifin would know who she was and greet her first so that Annisa would not have to sacrifice her dignity. But of course right now, imagining not wearing a niqab and meeting a man from her past, was not something that would be to her benefit. Not when she had just lost her nose. Now or never. Annisa got the courage together to greet Arifin. She would say hello to this man, who would recognize her voice at least. And even if it were only for a moment, Annisa would chat with him again, and see what his reaction was to meeting her. Mas, why is it taking so long? Come on, the films going to start, a woman approached Arifin and rubbed his back, just when Annisa wanted to step closer to him. The woman was lovely. She didnt wear a headscarf and looked like a young professional with her eyebrows neatly drawn and bright pink lipstick. Annisa still had a chance to steal a glance at the womans cute nose that fit so well in her oval face. She turned around and slowly walked towards the cashier. His wife? His girlfriend? What was clear from their body language, they were close. The question that arose in her head was how could Arifin become close to or marry a woman who was not from their group? Arifin had been one of the most respected leaders of the prayer group, whose diligence in praying and spirit in defending religion were well tested. Why had the change taken place so quickly? Was it because he had failed to marry her? Annisa went home, still feeling confused. She missed Razi, but her husband would not be coming home tonight. She had to sleep alone again, and she felt restless. When she prayed, she wept mournfully, feeling empty. She sent her husband a text message. Abi, Ummi misses you. I cant wait for you to come home. Abi, if Ummi were no longer pretty, would Abi still love Ummi? The message wasnt read. Where her husband worked, there were often problems with phone reception. Annisa could only take a deep breath, and try to fall asleep. In her dream, it was like she saw a person drawing a sketch of her face, with her hair long and wavy. She had let her hair grow long at her husbands request. She seemed to be standing, behind the painters back, observing him as he perfected the painting of her face, and appreciating her own beauty in that painting. The painting that was almost done. Then Annisa was shocked, because suddenly the painter daubed white paint on her nose, ruining the painting of her face. Dont, why? Dont! She felt her hands shaking the painters shoulders. But the painter was unmoved. Instead, he continued to move the paintbrush to the area of her mouth. So the painting of her beautiful face was ruined, all that remained were a pair of beautiful eyes. The painter placed his brush right above her eyes. As if he was considering. Waiting for a resolution. Dont dont Annisa was again shaking the painters body. Then she woke up. For a moment she was not aware, was this still night time? Was it already dawn? Had the call to Subuh prayers already passed? Annisa felt the dried tears on her cheeks. She rubbed her face, with movements that were hesitant and anxious. She rubbed the place where her nose had been, and she couldnt feel anything. Her fingers moved slowly, trying to feel her lips. Her heart seemed to stop. She couldnt feel her lips. She moved her mouth and felt the exhalation of her breath from that hole. But she could not feel her lips. Annisa felt her whole body weaken. With the remainder of her strength, she dragged herself to the mirror. Annisa looked at her face, or to be precise, what was left of her face. Two holes for a nose, a hole for a mouth. A pair of eyes that had shrunk closed by what was left of the lids. Only her thin eyebrows remained of her face. No one would recognize that face as her face. Not even Annisa herself. She wept uncontrollably. But when the sun had already risen, Annisa was aware that many tasks awaited her out there. So she gathered her strength, put on her headscarf, and wear her niqab. She left the house and followed her routine. Before starting her car, she got a message on her cellular phone. Abi loves Ummi, no matter what. Take care of yourself Ummi. The best jewels are a wife who is soleha. And a soleha wife should obey what her husband says no matter what. Annisa took a long breath. She only hoped she was still the most beautiful jewels for her husband. Even though she had already and might continue, to lose her face. *** Translated by Marjie Suanda. Feby Indirani is a writer and journalist who focuses on the issue of minority groups and women, a Muslim who believes in the importance of critical thinking. Topics : shortstory@thejakartapost.com We are no longer accepting short story submissions for both online and print editions. New submissions towill not be published. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Jakarta's incumbent gubernatorial candidate received endorsements from the volunteers of losing pair Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni, as well as a number of politicians from the Democratic Party on Monday. The volunteers, calling themselves Gerasi, declared their support to Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat because "Ahok is a leader who is firm, transparent and consistent in eradicating corruption. His work is real. That is clear to us," said Gerasi's chief Hendra Surachmat, claiming that the organization had dozens of thousands of members in the capital. "The other [contending pair] only brings promises. The [incumbent] pair has given proof of their work. Actions speak louder than words," Hendra said. The Gerasi volunteers were accompanied by several Dems' politicians, including the party's supervisory board secretary Ajeng Ratna Suminar, during the declaration in Central Jakarta. Ajeng echoed Hendra, saying that Ahok and Djarot had "been tested". She further said that her choice in supporting Ahok and Djarot had been acknowledged by the Democratic Party as it gave freedom to its members to choose any candidate. Responding to the declaration, Ahok thanked the volunteers before asking them to carry out some tasks. "Because you are volunteers, you must be observers of your surroundings, families and neighbors. If you find people who need help, including those who don't have a Jakarta Smart Card or a Jakarta Health Card, report it [to us]," Ahok said referring to the citys welfare programs. (Read also: SBYs party undecided on supporting Ahok or Anies) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II), which manages 13 airports in western Indonesia, will construct four hotels this year as an initial step in its expansion into the property and hospitality sectors. One of the companies to cooperate with AP II is Hotel Indonesia Group (HIG), which manages three companies -- PT Hotel Indonesia Natour, PT Patra Jasa and PT Aero Wisata. AP II and HIG will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the plan, AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said in Jakarta on Monday. (Read also: Airport operator AP II posts 24 percent rise in revenue) Hotel Indonesia Group has a long, successful history in managing hotels. Therefore, we are proud to cooperate with the group, said Awaluddin as reported by kompas.com. He expressed optimism that HIG would be able to support AP IIs efforts to utilize the assets owned by the company. He said the increase in flights at airports under the management of AP II would be an opportunity to develop hotels near the airports. The four hotels to be constructed by PT Angkasa Pura Properti, an AP II subsidiary, are three at Soekarno-Hatta Airport and one at Kualanamu International Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. The two are the largest airports managed by AP II. Total investment will reach Rp 375 billion (US$28.12 million). Last year, some 58 million people flew through Soekarno-Hatta Airport and 9 million flew through Kualanamu airport. (bbn) TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar, Bali Mon, March 13, 2017 The Denpasar District Court in Bali declared British national David James Taylor and Australian Sara Connor guilty on Monday and sentenced them to six and four years in prison, respectively, for the murder of Bali policeman I Wayan Sudarsa. The sentence was lighter than the eight years demanded by the prosecutor for both defendants. (Read also: Eight years sought for foreign couple in Bali) In two separate trial hearings, the panels of judges declared them guilty of violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on group assault leading to death. Presiding judge Yanto declared Taylor guilty of murder by repeatedly hitting Sudarsa's head with a beer bottle. Taylor also hit the victim in the face with binoculars. Taylor said he accepted the verdict, but the prosecutors said they would consider filing an appeal with the Bali High Court. Australian murder defendant Sara Connor (center) is guarded by prosecutors at the handover of her dossiers at the Denpasar Prosecutor's Office in Bali in October last year.(Antara Photo/Wira Suryantala) In Connor's hearing, presiding judge Made Pasek said the mother of two to was sentence to only four years because of her polite behavior during the trial and because she had apologized to the victim's family. (Read also: Couple await trial in alleged Bali cop murder case) Taylor and Connor were arrested at a home stay in Jimbaran on Aug. 19, 2016, two days after Sudarsa was found dead on Kuta Beach. The couple were accused of causing his death during a fight after Taylor had accused Sudarsa of stealing Connor's bag. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hotli Simanjuntak and Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Banda Aceh/Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 09:11 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde45a943 4 National sharia,sharia-law,conservatives,aceh,Buddhist Free A prosecutor in Aceh province has claimed that two Buddhists voluntarily chose to be punished under sharia after being found guilty of gambling. On March 9, hundreds of people in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh, witnessed the first instance of Buddhists being caned for violating sharia, which is implemented across the province. Alem, 57, and Amel, 60 both Buddhists of Chinese descent were among six people punished by sharia police officers and members of the Aceh Besar Prosecutors Office in a public whipping outside the Al Munawaroh mosque in Jantho. The Banda Aceh-based Buddhist men were caned nine times each for gambling through cockfighting an offense regulated under sharia. A 35-year-old Muslim and resident of Kuta Baro in Aceh Besar, Mukhlis bin Abu Mutaleb, was also caned for gambling on Friday, receiving 10 lashes. The sharia-ruled Aceh requires anybody regardless of their religion and beliefs to obey a jinayat (Islamic criminal bylaw) enacted in the province in 2014 as a revision to a controversial 2009 jinayat that upheld the punishment of stoning to death. But non-Muslims found guilty of committing crimes can choose whether to be punished by caning under jinayat or by incarceration under the countrys Criminal Code (KUHP). Violations of sharia that are not mentioned in the KUHP include drinking liquor, khalwat (affectionate contact between an unmarried couple) and women not wearing a headscarf or wearing tight pants. Gambling, of which Alem and Amel were found guilty, is regulated under Article 303 of the KUHP. The article carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a Rp 25 million (US$1,871) fine. By accepting being punished for gambling under sharia, they voluntarily wanted to be whipped, said Aziz, an Aceh Besar prosecutor. Non-Muslims are automatically punished by caning under sharia if they commit crimes that are not regulated in the KUHP. The first non-Muslim to be caned in Aceh was a man identified as Remita Sinaga or Mak Ucok in mid-2016. He was found guilty of selling liquor. The caning of Alem, Amel and Mukhlis, however, was much lighter than the punishment for other convicts, who received hundreds of lashes for adultery and sexual offenses. A 41-year-old farmer and Islamic educator, Darmawan AB bin Abdullah, was whipped 112 times for sexually abusing three children. The Aceh Besar Prosecutors Office initially sentenced him to 120 strokes of the cane, but his time in detention was taken into account and the punishment was reduced. Aziz said Darmawan forced his victims, who were also his students, to perform fellatio on him. The victims were boys aged between 15 and 16 years old. The defendant committed the crimes in different places and at different times, Aziz explained. Two other Muslims whipped in public on Friday were Raidi Afrizal bin Bukhari, 25, and Cici Nanda Julia binti Mukhtar, 18, for adultery. They received 100 lashes each for violating the 2014 bylaw. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang Mon, March 13, 2017 An alleged car thief was shot in the right foot by a South Tangerang Police officer on Sunday after he tried to evade arrest. South Tangerang Police criminal investigation unit head Adj. Comr. Alexander said the man, identified as Herman, 34, pretended to be a passenger of a GrabCar app-based ride-hailing car. While he was in the car, he attempted to choke the driver, identified as Muhiban, and then kicked him out of the car. Muhiban, who ended up with bruising on the neck and a cheek, later filed a police report. The perpetrator tried to evade arrest so we took stern action and shot him in the right foot, Alexander said as quoted by kompas.com. Herman was nabbed on Jl. Tondano. Herman, Alexander added, had been charged under Article 365 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on theft with violence. (fac) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya and Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13 2017 It was Thursday afternoon when a bunch of reporters caught sight of Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) head Sumarno entering a hotel in Central Jakarta where Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and his campaign team were holding a closed meeting. It turned out that Sumarno went to the venue with KPU Jakarta commissioner Dahlia Umar and the head of the Jakarta Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), Mimah Susanti. Sumarno, who seemed surprised to see lots of reporters, was bombarded with questions about the commissions purpose in attending an internal Ahok team meeting. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 A Jakarta councillor has said that a youth forum for residents of Manggarai in South Jakarta and Jl. Tambak in Central Jakarta should be formed to improve ties between the two groups and prevent the street brawls that have become commonplace in the neighborhood. Ashraf Ali, a member of City Council Commission E, said on Sunday that councillors expected district and subdistrict heads in the area to work together with local leaders and religious figures. He added that the district and subdistrict heads should also hold various cultural and art events once a forum was established. Hopefully the forum can be a place for Manggarai and Tambak youth to channel their energy in a positive way, he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com. (Read also: Brawl breaks out between residents in South Jakarta) On March 6, a brawl between residents of Tambak and Manggarai broke out after someone from Tambak threw a lit firecracker into a residential area in Manggarai. Most of the residents involved in the brawl were teenagers. Because of the incident, the police temporarily closed Jl. Tambak in Central Jakarta where the brawl took place, causing a traffic jam in the area. (idb/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 The Caledonian Sky, a 90-meter British-owned cruise ship, smashed into and destroyed coral reefs in Raja Ampat, West Papua, on March 4, despite being equipped with GPS and radar. The incident not only destroyed 1,600 square meters of coral reefs but also severely damage the ecosystem. Ricardo Tapilatu, the head of the Research Center for Pacific Marine Resources at the University of Papua, said having the ship towed away by a tug boat from Sorong while it was still low tide had caused more damage. An evaluation team said that Noble Caledonia, the owner of the ship, should pay compensation of $1.28 million to $1.92 million as the marine park's ecosystem had been compromised. If the company doesn't want to pay compensation, the local government will take the case to court, Tapilatu said. (Read also: Diving, snorkeling contribute to harming Indonesia's coral reefs) The company, as quoted by guardian.com, described the incident as unfortunate and said it was cooperating fully with the relevant authorities. The Caledonian Sky is a 4,290-tons cruise ship that was carrying 102 passengers and 79 crew on a 16-night journey from Papua New Guinea to the Philippines. It ran aground on the coral after a bird-watching trip to Waigeo Island, one of four big islands in Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat in West Papua is considered one of the best places to dive in the world and has the richest underwater biodiversity on Earth. (hol/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 The Financial Services Authority (OJK) granted operational licenses to two new reinsurance brokerage companies, PT JLT Reinsurance Brokers and PT Inare Proteksi International, earlier this month and they were allowed to start operations last week. "[They are] required to always conduct healthy business practices and abide by the law," OJK director for non-bank financial industry supporting services Tattys Miranti Hedyana said in an official statement, kontan.co.id reported. Non-bank financial industry supporting service is a business sector that provides services to support insurance businesses. It includes brokerage services in reinsurance placement carried out by a broker company. (Read also: Major reinsurer seeks to take over foreign services) The financial regulator recorded 40 such firms as of December last year, three more than in December 2015. The issuance of the two new licenses brings the number to 42. (prm/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Indonesia International Furniture Expo (IFEX) 2017 kicked off at JIExpo in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Saturday and is set to run until Tuesday, aiming to get 10,000 foreign and local visitors as part of the effort to increase exports of local furniture and crafts. As of the end of February, the organizers recorded 5,665 potential buyers, including 3,131 buyers from 91 other countries. The remainder are locals. Read also: International furniture expo kicks off, showcasing quality local products) The majority of the registered buyers come from the United States, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, France, Germany and Canada, said Soenoto, chairman of the Indonesian Furniture and Craft Association (HIMKI), as quoted by kontan.co.id. Meanwhile, the Industry Ministry is aiming for furniture exports to be worth a total of US$2 billion this year and $5 billion in 2020. The current main export markets include the US, Japan and Western Europe. Furniture and crafts is a lifestyle based sector. It needs innovative designs that should be updated constantly to market taste to compete with imported products, said Minister Airlangga Hartarto. The Industry Ministry wants a cut in income tax (PPh) in this sector to improve the business, said Airlangga, adding that his ministry would discuss this with the Finance Ministry soon so the incentive can be applied this year. PPh discount would pose as an investment allowance so businesspeople can expand well and increase job fields, not dividends, he said. (rbk/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 The government expects to start the first phase of dispersing a US$450 million housing loan from the World Bank in the middle of this year. Public Works and Public Housing Ministry director general of housing procurement Syarif Burhanuddin said that the finalization of the administrative part of the loan should be done by April. Up to $215 million of the loan would be used to finance non-subsidized houses. Another $215 million would be used to subsidize mortgages for low-income families. The remaining would be allocated to hire experts for the project. The loan is to be disbursed over the course of four years. "So the whole loan will be disbursed by 2020 at the latest," he said recently as quoted by kontan.co.id. (Read also: Secondary mortgage firm SMF books 88% financing growth) In 2017, the government plans to build 30,000 to 40,000 houses with the Rp 450 billion (US$33.6 million) to be disbursed this year. "If not all of the houses can be built this year, they will be built next year," Syarif added. Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the funding can also be used to help informal workers, which dominate the labor market, to get access to housing. The government aims to build 1 million houses each year. (far/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13 2017 Fire razed 30 houses inhabited by 116 people and injured dozens of residents in Jembatan Besi, Tambora, West Jakarta, on Saturday afternoon. Eko Nugroho, a witness, said that the fire began in a house in community unit (RT) 01 and spread to other houses. I saw smoke from the house and the residents started to scream, Eko said on Saturday as quoted by beritajakarta.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13 2017 The Jakarta administration has deployed four more pieces of equipment to speed up the construction of the Pekayon Dam in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta. The head of east water flow at the Jakarta Water Resources Agency, Ahmad Syaiful, said the reservoir would be 1.7 hectares in size and all the land had been acquired. The construction was started two weeks ago. We are still in the dredging stage, said Syaiful on Saturday as quoted by beritajakarta.com. He added that the dam would be equipped with a sluice gate, spillway and inspection way. The dam is expected to solve flooding issues in the area. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login A former Afghan spymaster is skeptical that the Islamic State (IS) militants are capable of carrying out complex urban attacks such as the recent deadly assault on a military hospital in the capital, Kabul. Rahmatullah Nabil, who led Afghanistans National Security Directorate (NDS) intelligence service for four years, says IS lacks the clout and wherewithal to conduct a complicated operation such as the March 8 attack on Sardar Daud Khans hospital that killed more nearly 50 people and injured scores more. I can tell you with confidence that Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS), which currently operates in Afghanistan under the name of Khorasan Province, is not capable of pulling such an attack, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. They dont have the influence and resources. I think such attacks are conducted by the Haqqani network. Nabil says the Haqqani network, named after veteran Taliban leader Jalaluddin Haqqani and mentored by Pakistans secret service, is capable of carrying out such attacks. In recent years, Afghan and U.S. officials have blamed the network for many high-profile attacks in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Islamabad, however, claims to have dislodged all militants from the networks former stronghold of North Waziristan in northwestern Pakistan. As the March 8 attack raged at the 400-bed hospital in the heart of Kabul, the IS news agency Amaq made the statement "Islamic State commandos attack the military hospital in Kabul." The Taliban, on the other hand, rejected any involvement in the six-hour assault. The attack involved several fighters disguised as doctors. Survivors told the AFP news agency that the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live the Taliban" in Pashto. They claimed the fighters spared two wards on the first floor where Taliban patients were treated. Nabil, however, says that before resigning from his office in late 2015, he learned a lot about how the Haqqani network facilitated the emergence of IS along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in late 2014. He says Pakistans Zarb-e Azb offensive in North Waziristan forced numerous factions of Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to seek shelter in remote regions along the porous Afghanistan-Pakistan border. While the TTP was not part of the Afghan Taliban, it maintained close links with the Haqqani network and most Afghan Taliban commanders. One of these Taliban groups belonged to the Orakzai tribal region and moved into the border regions of Afghanistan [in eastern Nangarhar Province], he said. As this faction transformed into Daesh, some Haqqani commanders were told by their [Pakistani handlers] to cooperate with this faction. Nabil says that since the emergence of IS, the Haqqani network is surprisingly silent over such attacks, which are increasingly being claimed by the IS. As the head of the NDS around that time, I learned some Haqqani commanders were told by their handlers that they should no longer accept responsibility for complex urban attacks, he said. Islamabad, however, has rejected any links with IS or failing in countering the Haqqani network. In September, former Pakistani military spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said authorities have arrested 309 people suspected of being associated with IS. "They tried to make an ingress, and they failed and have been apprehended so far," he told journalists, adding that Islamabad was perusing an indiscriminate operation against all militants. Since then, however, IS has claimed responsibility of several deadly attacks across Pakistan. Most recently the group claimed it carried a suicide bombing inside a Sufi shrine in southern Pakistan. On February 16, at least 90 people died inside the revered Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sindhs Sehwan town. Since its emergence in Nangarhar in late 2014, IS has come under relentless operations by the Afghan government, NATO forces, and local volunteers. Some IS cells and leaders in other provinces have either been targeted in NATO airstrikes or Afghan ground offensives. Some local Taliban factions have also played a vital role in countering them. Afghan and NATO military officials now estimate IS lost hundreds of fighters and most of the nine districts it controlled in summer 2015. General Joseph Votel, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command, recently urged increased cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad to defeat IS. "Although their [ISs] operational capacity has diminished as a result of U.S., Afghanistan, and Pakistan military operations, we remain focused on defeating the group in both countries, he told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on March 9. Nabil, however, says IS currently has fewer than 1,000 fighters in Afghanistan. The threat posed by Daesh is not as big as is often portrayed, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 A call to initiate an inquiry to probe the corruption allegations revolving around a project to procure electronic identification cards (e-ID) has emerged in the House of Representatives, following court revelations that several lawmakers may have played roles. The intiative was raised by several lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), saying that it was necessary to clear the image of the legislative institution. A trial involving the e-ID corruption recently revealed a list of lawmakers who had allegedly received kickbacks to pass the project. The names include House Speaker Setya Novanto, who is also Golkar Party chairman, and about 40 members and former members of House Commission II on home affairs, which oversaw the procurement. Lawmakers have expressed reluctance to comment on the plan. Speaker of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli Hasan, who is also National Mandate Party (PAN) chief, said, it was "better to leave the matter to the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission]". PANs Teguh Juwarno was also on the list of alleged bribe recipients. (Read also: Graft strips public of e-ID benefits) House Deputy Speaker Agus Hermanto from the Democratic Party said that an inquiry could actually take place if supported by a majority of lawmakers. The alleged corruption reportedly resulted in state losses of Rp 2.3 trillion (US$172.25 million). Several Democrats have also been implicated, including former chairman Anas Urbaningrum and Muhammad Nazaruddin. The budget allocated for the project was Rp 5.9 trillion. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Mon, March 13, 2017 The Navy arrested two Malaysian-flagged vessels that were allegedly fishing illegally in Indonesian waters in the Strait of Malacca on Sunday. Spokesman for the Indonesian naval base (Lantamal) I in Belawan, North Sumatra, Maj. Sahala Sinaga, said 10 Myanmarese crew members had been detained. [As of Sunday], 10 Myanmarese are undergoing investigation in Belawan, Sahala told The Jakarta Post. Sahala said a Navy patrol boat approached the two vessels - KHF 1785 and FKPB 1781 -- in different locations when they reportedly entered Indonesian waters. He added that the vessels had been caught using trawls. Both vessels were caught when fishing near Aceh Tamiang, said Sahala, adding that the vessels were caught by the Western Fleet Quick Response Team of Lantamal I Belawan. (Read also: Indonesian Navy catches six alleged pirates in Malacca Straits) The vessels tried to flee when the Navy patrol boat approached them, according to Sahala. Both ships were pursued by after two warning shots were fired. Besides arresting the 10 crew members, the Navy also found a bong on board one of the vessels. Sahala suspected that the crew members also carried drugs that were thrown into the sea before Navy personnel boarded it. We suspect the drugs were thrown into the water, considering that the route they were using is a known entry point for drug smuggling, said Sahala. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Rebuffing an outcry over the previous execution of 18 deathrow inmates, most of whom were drug convicts, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has instructed officers in relevant agencies to hunt, arrest and crush smalland big-time drug dealers. If it [a shoot-on-sight policy] was allowed by law then I would order the National Police and the BNN [National Narcotics Agency] chief to do so, but luckily it is not, President Jokowi said in a speech to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking last year. Jokowis words appear to have inspired members of law enforcement agencies to get tough on drug traffickers. BNN chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso may have taken cues not only from Jokowi, but also Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Dutertes war on drugs, which has been condemned by human rights groups for violating human rights, has killed over 8,000 people, including more than 2,500 who died in shoot-outs during raids, since the campaign started eight months ago. A man of controversy himself, Budi has frequently told BNN personnel not to hesitate to shoot drug traffickers, dealers and users who resist arrest. He once went further by saying the lives of drug dealers were worthless, which made media headlines last year. To put his words into actions, the BNN has procured highly lethal weapons, imported from Germany, Russia, the United States and the Czech Republic. Budi claimed that one of the four new firearm types could penetrate a reinforced wall in a single shot. As [drug mafias] are now using weapons, we will also use weapons to counter them. If they fight back [during arrest] we will not hesitate to shoot them. If they are killed [because they fight back], its their own fault, Budi said in a recent interview. The National Police have also joined the fray, with police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian instructing personnel to use deadly force against suspected drug dealers if they resist arrest during raids. Tito, however, has made it clear that officers can only fire when suspects use weapons or pose a threat to officers and other people during their arrest, as instructed by the Criminal Code and standard operating procedures (SOP) in the form of a National Police chief regulation (Perkap). Rights groups, which are closely watching Jokowis stepped-up war on drugs, have been alarmed by the rising casualties. The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has revealed that the number of alleged drug dealers shot dead in raids is increasing. Data from Kontras, which was collected through media monitoring only, revealed that since January 2016, 32 suspected drug dealers were reportedly shot dead in raids, both by police personnel following orders from the BNN and by officers working on regular operations. The actual figure could be higher because this is only the data we compiled through media monitoring. We dont talk about arbitrary shootings that were not covered or reported to human rights watchdogs, Kontras deputy coordinator Puri Kencana Putri told The Jakarta Post. Data from Kontras also revealed that August last year was the deadliest month on record, with nine fatalities reported by the media. While the period between Jan. 22 and Dec. 31 saw 14 deaths, the first three months of 2017 had over half that number of casualties. Since Jan. 6, 18 suspected dealers have been shot dead in raids. Both the BNN and the National Polices Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) narcotics division declined to elaborate on the death toll from drug raids when the Post requested further details. (Read also: BNN Central Java foils drug smuggling from Germany) The BNNs eradication department head, Insp. Gen. Arman Depari, acknowledged that the number of suspected drug traders shot dead for resisting arrest was likely to have increased in recent years. The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), which also monitors the issue, said there could be a link between the application of capital punishment and the increasing number of fatalities in raids. Drug dealers know that the maximum sentence for them is the death penalty. Psychologically, they will put up a stronger fight because they know if they are arrested, they could be executed, ICJR executive director Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono told the Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Urban forests in Jakarta will have jogging tracks, fences and security posts when they are revamped starting in June, an official said on Monday. Jakarta Forestry Agency head Jaja Suharja said the city planned to improve four urban forests in Cipayung, Munjul and Ciracas in East Jakarta, and in Cilincing, North Jakarta. It is now still in the planning phase. The total budget for this project is Rp 1.5 billion [US$112,317], he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com. He added that a tender for the project would be opened once the agency completed the planning phase and he expected the project to be finished no later than September. Jakarta has 14 urban forests regulated by gubernatorial decrees with a total area of 149.18 hectares, a low figure when compared to the city's overall 66,100 hectares. Altogether, the urban forests account for just 0.23 percent of the citys total area. The ideal proportion, according to Law No. 63/2002 on urban forests, is 10 percent. (idb) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13 2017 After a 12-day stay in Indonesia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud jetted out of the archipelago leaving new hope for stronger economic ties, as the monarch oversaw US$9 billion worth of agreements signed during his state visit. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia on Sunday agreed to intensify mutual visits to realize the 11 signed memorandums of understanding (MoU), as Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi paid a courtesy call to King Salman in Bali before his departure. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Mon, March 13 2017 Following a riot and fire on Thursday in a Jambi prison, on Saturday 60 inmates of the correctional facility were transferred to a narcotics penitentiary in Muara Sabak, East Tanjungjabung regency. The head of the Law and Human Rights Ministrys Jambi office, Bambang Palasara, however, said the transfer had nothing to do with the recent riot. He said it was done to reduce the number of the inmates in Jambi prison, which is considered to have become overcrowded. This is just a routine activity conducted by the Jambi prison, Bambang said, Saturday, adding that the transfer of inmates from one prison to another was normal. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 The National Police said on Monday that they had arrested two more suspects in relation to an attack that occurred in Bandung at the Pandawa field on Feb. 27. National Police Spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar said the suspects had been identified as Agus Sujatno alias Abu Muslim alias Abdullah and Soleh alias Abu Furson alias Zalzalat alias Gun Gun. He claimed the suspects helped fund the terror attack and assisted a previously named suspect, Yayat Cahdiyat, in surveying the targets and assembling the bombs. Abdullah is reportedly an electrician at an apartment building in Bandung. Police say Soleh provided Rp 2 million to fund the attack. Boy said the terrorist attack was retaliation for efforts by the police to combat terrorism. The suspects said they targeted the West Java Police headquarters, Cianjur precinct, Buah Batu and Geger Kalong traffic police posts [poslantas], Boy said at the National Police headquarters. (Read also: Bandung civil servants recount terror attack) The suspects have been charged under the Terrorism Law. The police confiscated one pressure cooker, five 9 volt batteries, a few wires, thermometer, a bag and a number of chemical compounds, including H2O2, 5 liters of bayclin , 30 liters of acetone, 3 floor cleaners, nitric acid, paraffin and 12 kilograms of triaceton triperoxide that has been disposed.(dis/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13 2017 The Jakarta Police are currently facing public backlash after high-rank officers made derogatory remarks deemed to belittle alleged sexual harassment of a female university student by a man on board a Transjakarta bus recently. It was reported that the man grabbed the students thigh when they were sitting side by side aboard the bus, which was on Jl. Otista in East Jakarta. The student then reported it to an on-board officer before she and the officer filed a report with the Jatinegara Police. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 State-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia plans to develop a rice center to provide farmers with skill and knowledge as well as facilities to improve the quality of their rice in Indramayu, West Java. Indramayu, one of the main rice producers in the country, is the ideal location to develop the rice center, PT Pupuk Indonesia president director Aas Asikin said as reported by tribunnews.com on Monday. State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno visited Mundu village in Indramayu regency last Friday to attend a presentation on the establishment of the center, which will be managed by PT Pupuk Indonesia Pangan (PIP), a subsidiary of PT Pupuk Indonesia. (Read also: Government to buy all paddy produced by farmers: Minister) Aas said the center would consist of three main sections agricultural depot, rice cultivation unit and rice mill. The agricultural depot will be used to store rice, fertilizer, seeds and pesticide. The rice cultivation unit will helping farmers cultivate their rice fields to improve land productivity through technical guidance and the distribution of fertilizer, seeds and pesticide. Meanwhile, the rice milling unit will manage paddy produced by farmers and help them improve the quality. With modern technology, paddy will become high quality medium and premium rice, Aas added. Initially, the rice mill will have a capacity of 4 tons per hour and will be increased to 12 tons per hour. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 A large-scale corruption case pertaining to a national electronic identity card (e-ID) project has robbed Indonesians of the chance to enjoy quality public services, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has said. Everything is messy now. All because the budget for the e-ID procurement was swindled, Jokowi told reporters after visiting a furniture fair in Central Jakarta on Saturday. (Read also: Golkar pledges full support for KPK in e-ID graft probe) The e-IDs would have resolved many problems related to civil and population administration in the country of over 250 million people, the President said. He argued that the biometric cards could solve hassles in arranging passports and driving licenses and would help with solving other problems in banking, taxation and elections. Had we built the system well, all these problems could have been fixed, Jokowi added. The government rolled out eIDs during the administration of then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010 in an effort to integrate citizens data and information for banking, taxation and other civil purposes. It was a move aimed at fixing population registration issues that had for years been hampered by hard-to-fix problems such as a person having more than one ID and fake IDs. It was revealed during the first hearing of the graft case on Thursday that nearly half of the Rp 5.9 trillion (US$441 million) e-ID budget was allegedly embezzled by government officials, lawmakers and businesspeople. In the first hearing of the trial for the first two suspects in the case, Irman and Sugiharto, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors claimed that 37 members of the House of Representatives Commission II, which oversees home affairs, dozens of other lawmakers and several Home Ministry officials took part in the alleged graft, which reportedly caused Rp 2.3 trillion in state losses. Jokowi said there had been no significant changes in the population and civil management system so far because the budget for e-IDs, which would have improved the system, had been misappropriated. He said the only change was that ID cards were now plastic rather than paper. Before the case was revealed, people had complained about difficulties in obtaining e-IDs despite the government continuously pushing citizens to register for them. Many complained they had to wait for a long time before they could get a card. Among the issues hampering the e-ID distribution is a shortage of blank biometric cards, a major component. Fakhri Subqi, 28, who recently moved from Medan to Jakarta, said even two months after moving he had not been able to obtain an ID card, with officials at the office telling him the blank cards for e-IDs are not yet available. Similarly, another resident, Alvin, 19, who came from Ternate but is now studying in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, said he had to travel from Luwuk to Ternate on an overnight journey to arrange an ID card, only to be told that he could not have one because the local office did not have any blank cards. President Jokowi said he was aware of the blank card shortage, which he said was a direct implication of the corruption case. Because of the e-ID case, [officials] at the Home Ministry are now being extra careful in doing anything, Jokowi said. The KPK had summonsed 32 Home Ministry officials for questioning, Jokowi said. Therefore, he apologized for possible disruptions in the future. If there are problems [related to] blank cards, delays in [e-ID] distribution etc., we want to apologize. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Tama S. Langkuan said on Wednesday that the corruption case would slow down e-ID distribution for all Indonesians. Now everybody in the government is afraid and is really careful in doing their jobs because of the case, Tama told The Jakarta Post. A group of Afghan women who were held captive by Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan finally broke their silence and spoke about IS torture and mistreatment. They said the terror group kept them in confined quarters for days at a time. We were kept in dark places, not allowed to pray and our children could not cry or make noise, one of the women told VOAs Afghanistan Service last week. The women were captured by IS fighters in Nangarhar province in early 2016 and were held captive for more than four months before they were released as part of a prisoner-swap deal negotiated by tribal elders in the region. Fearing retribution from IS fighters, the women did not disclose the atrocities of the terror group for almost a year, and they finally revealed their ordeal at an event in the provincial capital Jalalabad last week, where provincial officials and citizens celebrated International Womens Day. For security reasons, all women requested anonymity while speaking to VOAs reporter in eastern Afghanistan. The prisoner swap reportedly had been approved by the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, according to the head of the local uprising forces in Nangarhar. Afghan security forces reportedly had captured families of local fighters loyal to Islamic State when they conducted a military operation against the group in the region in 2016. Government took them into custody for investigation. In response, IS fighters attacked a village in the restive Kot district that supported the government and abducted several women and children after executing the men of the families. We Were Starved The women told VOA that IS starved them in dark cells operated by the terror group in eastern Afghanistan. The group accused villagers of becoming infidels by supporting the Afghan government and living in government-controlled areas. They kept beating us and telling us that they would kill us because we became Kaafir [non-Muslim], one of the women said. She added that militants were fearful of airstrikes and used relocation as a tactic to circumvent the potential threat. They kept us moving from one place to another and at last they relocated us to Momand Dara in the Achin district, another woman said, adding that their captors showed them videos of how their husbands were executed. One woman from the group, who was captured along with two of her young daughters, said the vast majority of IS members were foreigners because they spoke in different languages. The militants had long hair, and wore masks on their faces and spoke different languages, she said. The womens accounts of their captivity were confirmed to VOA by the head of the Afghan Human Right Commission in Nangarhar. These women whose husbands were killed by the IS lived in the groups captivity, Sabrina Hamidi, head of the human rights commission in Nangarhar told VOA. After losing their husbands, these women are on their own now and have to provide for their children. Traditionally, men are the primary breadwinners in Afghanistan, particularly in rural areas. When they die, in many cases women are not allowed to remarry or go back to their parents. They urged the Afghan government to assist them and their children. IS Expansion IS fighters have made inroads into Afghanistans eastern Nangarhar province in recent years and are active in several districts, particularly the Kot district, which has a border with Pakistan. Last summer, the group launched a massive surprise attack against the district, killing dozens and displacing thousands of civilians from the area. Over the years, the terror group has attacked several government installations and villages in several other districts of the province, as well. In some areas, they closed public schools and replaced them their own religious seminaries. Recently, IS seems to have expanded it activities from its stronghold in eastern Afghanistan to other parts of country. The group has taken responsibility for several deadly attacks in capital Kabul in recent months, including last weeks deadly attack on a military hospital that killed 31 people and wounded more than 80 others. They set on fire two shrines in northern Jowzjan province last week, calling them heretic and blasphemous. But U.S. forces in Afghanistan say the Afghan government has had recent victories against the group, and the number of IS fighters has been reduced substantially from nearly 3,000 fighters to several hundred because of joint U.S.-Afghan operations over the past year. We believe that there are approximately 700 members of ISIS, perhaps even less now based on the operations, that are still contained to less than three districts down in [eastern] Nangarhar, U.S. Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, a spokesman for NATOs Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, told reporters in Kabul last week. -- Written by Noor Zahid and Zia-U-Rahman Hasrat for Voice of America Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Amid simmering tension in the campaign for the Jakarta gubernatorial runoff election, the family of Soeharto, the longest former serving-ruler of the country, has embraced newfound popularity among Muslim groups. Commemorating the March 11 Indonesian Presidential Executive Order (Supersemar) on Saturday, Soehartos children, also known as the Cendana family, gathered people and elite politicians at At-Tin Mosque in East Jakarta for a mass prayer. Four of Soehartos six children Siti Hediati Hariyadi, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Siti Hutami Endang and Hutomo Mandala Putra attended the event on Saturday evening. The chief patron of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo Subianto, who is also Hediatis exhusband, was spotted among the hundreds of people at the mosque, which was built as a memorial to Soehartos wife, Tien Soeharto. Although claiming that the event was only a mass prayer to pray for Soeharto, political figures like Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno were also there. They were mentioned as honorable guests. The two are the Jakarta election candidate pair endorsed by Gerindra and the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). The pair is vying for the capitals top posts against Christian incumbent Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and his deputy, Djarot Saiful Hidayat. Djarot, who is a deputy gubernatorial candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), also attended the event. The Cendana family also provided space in the Supersemar commemoration for the outspoken patron of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Rizieq Shihab, to deliver a tausiyah (sermon). The event can be interpreted as a political movement, political expert Zaenal Budiyono of the AlAzhar University told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. Theyre seeking a revival as a powerful political dynasty. Thats the Cendanas interest. After Suharto passed away in 2008, the familys influence in Indonesian politics has waned. The elder Hardiyanti, known as Tutut, failed to make anything out of her fledgling political party, while Tommy was soundly defeated in his bid to become the chairman of the Golkar Party, which for decades was Soehartos political vehicle. Since the death of Soeharto, the Cendana has been struggling to seek an entry point into politics and this [the Jakarta election] can provide momentum for them [to revive their popularity], Zaenal said. Despite Golkars endorsement of Ahok, the Cendana is more into Anies, a Muslim scholar. Hediati, known well as Titiek Soeharto, has declared her support for Anies and Sandiaga, despite her membership in Golkar. In the 2014 presidential election, the Cendana family supported Prabowo, hoping to get back their political popularity, but then Prabowo lost to President Joko Jokowi Widodo. Political expert Hendri Satrio of Paramadina University acknowledged it was reasonable if the Cendana family was trying to get back its political popularity because Soehartos power had been rooted out, but whether the people would allow them to hold power again was another question. The Cendana could emerge in Indonesian politics, but not as on-screen actors, as king-makers behind the screen, Hendri said. In Saturdays event, Titiek gave a speech that mentioned Jokowis statement that democracy has gone too far. I agree with what Jokowi said, that our democracy has gone too far. No more Pancasila democracy echoed by Soeharto: Theres only a liberal democracy where people can arbitrarily do and say what they want, ignoring our eastern culture and norms, Titiek said. Titiek also elaborated how the Supersemar had historical momentum, marking the New Order era under his father, although the original document that changed Indonesias political course 51 years ago is still nowhere to be found. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Two brawls between school students occurred in two different locations in Bekasi, West Java, on Saturday, leaving three dead. The first one took place in Jatiasih, Bekasi, when students from Bina Insan Kamil Vocational High School crossed paths with students from Abdi Karya Vocational High School on Jl. Ratna, Pondok Gede, Bekasi. The two groups started to attack each other and 16-year-old Abigail, one of the students from Abdi Karya, died after she was stabbed in the neck. Her infuriated friends then chased the students of Bina Insan Kamil, when they knocked Edi Gilang Febriyanto, 17, off his motorcycle. He was then stabbed in his shoulders and died. The head of the Jatiasih Police, Comr. Rajiman, said the police were still investigating the case. The witnesses who were involved in the brawl are still being questioned, Rajiman said as quoted by tempo.co. (Read also: Three schools under review after brawl kills student) A second brawl occurred in Rawalumbu, Bekasi, on Saturday, resulting in the death of Oliver Vito, a 14-year-old student of Rawalumbu 41 Junior High School. He and his friends were riding in the back of a pickup truck when a group of students from another school stopped the vehicle. The intercepted students tried to escape, but Oliver was left behind. Passers-by tried to separate the students, but failed. Oliver died when he was being rushed to the hospital after having been stabbed in the chest. A spokesperson of the Bekasi Police, Comr. Erna Ruswing, said that two witnesses involved in the brawl had been detained for further investigation. (dea/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Japanese automobile maker Toyota has announced the first Indonesian president director for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) as vice president director Warih Andang Tjahjono will replace Masahiro Nonami on April 1. Warih will become the first local talent to be the president director of Toyota Manufacturing arm in Asia outside of Japan, controlling 23 manufacturing companies. "Let's do it!," Warih said at the State Palace, responding to his appointment after a meeting of Toyota Motor Corporation president director Akio Toyoda with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday. (Read also: Toyota sources plastic resin from Chandra Asri) Toyoda came to Indonesia to report the appointment of Warih and to update the President about the progress of Toyota's investments in Indonesia. Having committed to invest US$15 billion gradually until 2019 for expanding production facilities, as of January the company already reached 70 percent of its goal. Established in April 1971, TMMIN produced 218,000 cars and 210,000 machines last year. Of that number 169,100 vehicles were exported to 80 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. That represented 87 percent of Indonesia's total car exports in 2016. Toyota Motor Corporation owns 95 percent of the company while the remaining 5 percent is owned by Astra International. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Two city workers, popularly known as orange troops, suffered injuries after being stabbed by an unidentified person in East Jakarta on Sunday. The two workers, identified as Azi Syarif and Suhendar, both 28 years old, were checking a broken street lamp in Pekayon subdistrict, Pasar Rebo, when someone attacked them using a sharp weapon, tribunnews.com reported on Monday. "Azi suffers severe injuries to his head and he's still being hospitalized at the police hospital in Kramat Jati," Pekayon subdistrict head Nunuk Widyastuti said. Separately, East Jakarta Police Chief Sr. Comr. Mohammad Agung Budijono said the police was still investigating the case. He had yet to discover the motive behind the attack. Azi and Suhendar were Public Facility Maintenance Agency (PPSU) workers, dubbed the orange troops because of their signature orange uniform. (Vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 Indonesia and the United States are preparing for a visit by US Vice President Mike Pence to Indonesia, believed to be scheduled for next month. US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan paid a visit to Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto at his office in Jakarta on Monday to discuss what Wiranto deemed as strategic issues that might be on the discussion table for Pence and President Joko Jokowi Widodo. We discussed matters that might be used for President Jokowi as a reference [in his upcoming meeting with Pence], Wiranto said, as quoted from a press release. In Mondays meeting, Wiranto also expressed Jakartas hope for the two countries to continue forging the bilateral partnership enhanced under the leadership of US President Donald Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2015 when Jokowi visited Obama. At that time, the two countries, which have cooperated under a comprehensive partnership since 2010, agreed to forge a strategic partnership. "Under Trumps leadership, we hope the partnership will continue, Wiranto said. Wiranto did not reveal the dates of Pences visit, but, reportedly Pence will be heading to Asia next month. Pences Asian tour will include Japan, amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Obama's pivot to Asia, says Reuters. Trump has withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which was seen as an economic pillar of the strategy. Reuters also reported Pence would visit South Korea and Australia, with North Koreas missiles, which has sparked tensions on the Korean Peninsula, likely be among topics of discussion. (ipa) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, March 14 2017 Indonesia has underscored the importance of implementing the three main pillars of the long-standing Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in equal measure, as state parties prepare for the treatys next review in 2020. The NPT premise is that non-nuclear-weapon states agree never to acquire nuclear weapons, while in exchange nuclear-weapon states agree to share the benefits of peaceful nuclear technology and to pursue nuclear disarmament aimed at the ultimate elimination of their nuclear arsenals. But critics have accused nuclear-weapon states, which are also the five permanent members (P5) of the United Nations Security Council, of primarily focusing on the non-proliferation element, choosing to stockpile nuclear warheads in order to keep in check the emergence of new nuclear powers. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kundhavi Kadiresan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, March 14 2017 Indonesians consume fewer fruits and vegetables than any other country in ASEAN save Cambodia. And for the bottom 70 percent of the population it is even worse they spend only half as much on fruits and vegetables and just one-third as much on meat, fish and dairy, when compared to the top 30 percent. These micronutrient-rich foods are essential for physical and cognitive development people should not live on rice alone. The low consumption of fruits and vegetables by so many Indonesians is one major reason for the high prevalence of stunting among children below the age of five (in both urban and rural areas). In fact, Indonesia has the second highest stunting rate in ASEAN (Lao PDR has the highest). The bottom line is adults who were stunted as children earn 20 percent less than adults who were not, putting a brake to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, March 14 2017 The National Police said on Monday that they had arrested two more suspects in relation to an attack that occurred in Bandung at Pandawa field on Feb. 27. National Police spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar said the suspects had been identified as Agus Sujatno, alias Abu Muslim, alias Abdullah, and Soleh, alias Abu Furson, alias Zalzalat, alias Gun Gun. He claimed the suspects helped fund the attack and assisted a previously named suspect, Yayat Cahdiyat, in surveying the targets and assembling the bomb. Abdullah is reportedly an electrician at an apartment building in Bandung. The police said Soleh provided Rp 2 million to fund the attack. Boy said the attack was retaliation for efforts by the police to combat terrorism. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Medan Tue, March 14 2017 The Navy arrested two Malaysian-flagged vessels that were allegedly fishing illegally in Indonesian waters in the Strait of Malacca on Sunday. Spokesman for the Indonesian naval base (Lantamal) I in Belawan, North Sumatra, Maj. Sahala Sinaga, said 10 Myanmarese crew members had been detained. [As of Sunday], 10 Myanmarese are undergoing investigation in Belawan, Sahala told The Jakarta Post. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim and Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, March 14 2017 Indonesian missions abroad are expected to improve their geopolitical and economic agendas, President Joko Jokowi Widodo told 17 newly inaugurated ambassadors at the State Palace on Monday. The ambassadors were among 23 envoys who passed confirmation screenings at the House of Representatives in December. The remaining envoys will be inaugurated later this year. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang and Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Cilacap, Central Java Tue, March 14 2017 They betrayed my trust, Santa said when The Jakarta Post visited the 43-year-old father-of-one at the Salemba detention center in Central Jakarta, recently. He repeated the phrase several times throughout the conversation, expressing strong disappointment in his business colleagues, several Chinese nationals whom Santa believes put him on death row. It all started in April last year when Santa, who ran a small business offering driving services, got an order to pick up four Chinese nationals at Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. One order led to another, and the Chinese men became his business partners in distributing childrens toys imported from China. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, March 13, 2017 09:02 2065 a291276806121264c0bd211cde459a20 1 Destinations komodo,Komodo-Island,KomodoNationalPark,Komodo-National-Park,travel,#travel,snorkeling,destination,#destination,East-Nusa-Tenggara Free Komodo National Park in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. With a total size of 1,817 square kilometers, the place covers three major islands, namely Komodo, Padar and Rinca, in addition to numerous islets. Established in 1980, the park was initially intended to conserve the endangered Komodo Dragon and its habitat. As its popularity increased, more tourists could be found visiting the site to explore its other attractions as well. Here are the top five recommended destinations available at the national park according to kompas.com. Loh Buaya Loh Buaya is the main habitat of Komodo dragons in Rinca Island. It takes two-hour boat ride from Labuan Bajo to reach it. While in Loh Buaya, tourists will be accompanied by a tour guide, allowing them to learn more about the giant lizards. Other recommended activities in Loh Buaya include trekking and chilling on the beach. Pink Beach Pink Beach is among the must-visit places in the Komodo National Park. Its unusual and striking color comes from a microscopic organism called Foraminifera, which produces a red pigment on the coral reefs. According to Wonderful Indonesia's website, this beach is the perfect place for snorkelers and beginner divers as its shallow water allows amateur sea explorers to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking underwater life. (Read also: Google Doodle commemorates Komodo National Park's anniversary) Gili Laba Gili Laba is a small island in Komodo National Park. Popular for trekking, the small hills allow adventure-seeker to enjoy breathtaking views of the national park. During the dry season, the green hills turn into a yellow savanna. Kelor Island A trip to the park is not complete without marveling at its marine life. Home to 206 types of corals and thousands of fishes, Kelor Island makes a suitable snorkeling destination. Komodo Tourism Village In Komodo Tourism Village, tourist will be able to witness a day in the life of Komodo natives. Home to 1,700 residents, the place also allows tourists to purchase some unique souvenirs, such as Komodo dragon wooden sculptures. (jes/kes) Its a big week for former Lower East Side Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, whos appealing his conviction on federal corruption charges. Lawyers for the former New York State power broker will lay out their case during a Thursday hearing before the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison in May of last year. A jury found him guilty of collecting $4 million in illicit payments and bribes. Silvers legal team believes a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Virginia case has invalidated the verdict. They will argue that the trial court judge, Valerie Caproni, erred in her jury instructions, which defined official action allegedly taken by Silver in exchange for the payments. Silver was, of course, prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who was fired by President Trumps Justice Department over the weekend after refusing to resign his position (all 46 Obama-era states attorneys were told to step down). Bharara did not try the case against Silver. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Goldstein led the governments prosecution. Hell take the lead again on Thursday. Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics and Political Science and Mariya Stoilova, London School of Economics and Political Science The internet has reached almost every corner of the globe, but most research on how it is used, particularly among children, focuses on the US and Europe. This is a problem, because according to best estimates one in three children around the world now uses the internet most of them outside the West. An increasingly global internet requires increasingly international policy decisions which must rely on global evidence. Checking-in after class in the city of Cebu, Philippines. UNICEF/Estey The report from Global Kids Online is the first stage of an ambitious project to find out which children are using the internet, what they are learning, and the opportunities and risks it presents. To hear their perspectives, the project conducted interviews and surveys of children aged between nine and 17 in South Africa, the Philippines and Serbia, and aged 13 to 17 in Argentina. You can listen to South African children and their parents talking about the internet here We did not really know what to expect, although we knew some of the problems. In Latin America, for example, children live in hugely different urban and rural environments, and at the extremes of wealth and poverty. South African society exhibits high levels of violence, which now extends online. The Philippines faces a growing challenge around child sexual exploitation and abuse, while Serbia struggles with the social exclusion of its Roma population. Does internet access help children and their families face these issues, or does it make them worse? Dont take away my internet There is no doubt that children worldwide welcome the internet into their lives, even when it is expensive, unreliable, or can only be accessed through shared devices or community provision unlike the ease of access enjoyed by children in the West. A recent worldwide survey reveals that they are beginning to think of it as a human right , a necessity. Similarly, some of the children we spoke to see the internet as an inseparable part of their lives something they are proud of, as this 15-year-old boy from Serbia said: We grew up with the internet. I mean, the internet has always been here with us. The grown-ups are like Wow the internet appeared, while it is perfectly normal for us. A focus group of 14-17-year-olds from South Africas Eastern Cape agreed: Id say the generation of today knows more than our parents. Were much smarter than the previous generation. Its not surprising to learn that children love the freedom to learn or share what they are interested in, when they want to as these Argentinian teenagers explained I wanted to learn to play the guitar and went online. Being in contact with the others all the time; knowing what the others are doing. You can contact somebody who is far away over Skype or a video call. But in the face of moral panics about online risks, we should remind ourselves that children mainly want to learn and to be in touch with people. It is important that adults whether parents or politicians do not close off those opportunities. The good and the bad In many ways, children from very different countries share similar online interests. In the Philippines, for instance, children love Facebook and YouTube, and their top online activities are learning something new, social media, watching video clips, using the internet for schoolwork, and playing online games. In other words, pretty much the same as found in Europe Its possible to see the fact that the same huge tech companies are able to extend their reach and profit from children worldwide as a problem. It is also not yet clear what children learn online or whether it truly benefits them. But internet access does provide clear opportunities. In South Africa, up to two in five teenagers look up health information online at least weekly. It is easy to imagine that teenagers value that they can find this just-in-time information online, confidentially. Where might they have found it before the internet? But there are issues surrounding the quality of information on the internet. Is it what they need? And do they have the critical skills to tell reliable from misleading information? We do not know, although what we have found does provide grounds for concern regarding the digital and critical skills of younger users. B UNICEF/Afhsin Rohani Asked whether anything had happened to them online that upset them in the past year, three-quarters of the children in Argentina surveyed said yes twice as many as in Serbia and the Philippines. In South Africa it was only one in five. Some examples of upsetting content include: Gossiping about other people and there are ugly comments about other people. Racism, xenophobia and killings. Frequently having older strangers inviting me, seeing nude adverts. From the Philippines, we heard reports of direct personal threats There was a time when I was impersonated by someone else on Facebook, the user has my photo as the profile picture but with a different name. (Girl aged 12-14) I once experienced a stranger asking for my price - meaning how much it would cost the stranger for the child to do a sexual activity. (Boy aged 15-17) But lest parents be tempted to ban their children from the internet, we also found lots of positive responses. Two thirds of Argentinian teens were very sure that there are lots of things on the internet good for children my age. Those in Serbia and the Philippines were a bit more lukewarm, and South African children more divided still. Striking the right balance of risk and rewards may be hard to achieve. Risks and opportunities intertwined To understand this, we have to consider the nature of the internet. Take social networking sites, for example: children can use them to connect with their friends, but they are also made visible to unknown others. Reflecting the risk and rewards children from each country experienced, we found that 92% of Argentinian children but only 65% of South Africans say they are allowed to use these sites at any time, with Serbia at 85% and the Philippines at 79%. So whether parents take a more restrictive or laissez-faire approach makes a difference. But this is not an easy choice for parents to make. Partly because many parents judge their childrens digital skills to be greater than their own, and partly because they try to fit cultural norms and parenting styles, and the specific needs of their children. Of course, irregular or expensive internet access can be a problem in itself. Our South African colleagues have used these findings to call for more affordable internet access, given the high cost of data this goal is now included in South Africas National Development Plan 2030 . Argentinian children reported using internet most at school, so our Argentinian colleagues have called for more support through a national digital literacy programme. Two days after women marched against the anti-abortion laws in Ireland, anti-abortion activist Kate Ascough was elected as president of University College Dublins student union. The third year science student won with 46% of the votes in what was a four-way race for the top position. In her acceptance speech, Kate claimed that she would be a union president for all students: They put the person who they believe will do the best job as UCD SU President first. I am so proud. I will represent all students. The new head of the SU was happy that people were able to see passed her views, something she is not willing to compromise on. I would hope that students would not expect me to throw my beliefs away at the door. That is untrue to who I am, and what I believe. Kate Ascough is the daughter of Tom Ascough, who sits on the board of directors for the Iona Institute and plays a role in youth evangelisation programmes. Kate herself has made a number of high-profile media appearances advocating her staunch pro-life views. The new elect also writes a youth column for the monthly Catholic magazine, Alive! Despite this, Ms. Ascough states that she will respect the SUs pro-choice mandate and act in accordance with it within her role. Wherever my position as official spokesperson of the union, I can say that in line with that and in line with what we communicate, I will not be crossing the line and doing stuff that is going to compromise my relationship with the SU team or my role as President. Kate states that she is torn over whether she will attend a march seeking the repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution as Student Union President. She says this is something she is will be debating. 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Home >The Revolt > Camera Destruction > France, Italy: Fire, Paint, Kicks Take Down Speed Cameras Phuket smuggler busted with 900kg, B450k haul of kratom PHUKET: Police at the Tha Chat Chai Checkpoint, the sole point of entry onto Phuket by road, arrested a man on Saturday night (Mar 11) with an estimated 900 kilograms of fresh kratom leaves being delivered from the Thai-Malaysian border to a Myanmar national in Pa Khlok, on Phukets east coast. drugscrimepolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 13 March 2017, 12:21PM Mr Sumet told police that bought the kratom in Sadao at B250 per kilogram, and was to sell them on to a Myanmar national he named only as Mr Yao, in Pa Khlok in Thalang, at B500 per kilo, Col Prawit said. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The 900kg of kratom was packed into sacks in the back of the modified pickup truck. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Mr Sumet told police that bought the kratom in Sadao at B250 per kilogram, and was to sell them on to a Myanmar national he named only as Mr Yao, in Pa Khlok in Thalang, at B500 per kilo, Col Prawit said. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The 900kg of kratom was packed into sacks in the back of the modified pickup truck. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The 900kg of kratom was packed into sacks in the back of the modified pickup truck. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Police arrested Sumet Lahmood, 35, from Sadao, in Songkhla province, at 9:45pm after a search of his modified box-on-back pickup truck found he was smuggling about 900kg of kratom onto the island. All this week we have been conducting extensive searches of vehicles passing through the checkpoint for contraband, said Tha Chat Chai Police Superintendent Col Prawit Sutthiruang-arun. Officers searched the container fitted on the back of Mr Sumets Songkhla-registered Toyota Vigo pickup truck, and found the fresh kratom leaves packed into sacks, he said. Mr Sumet confessed to the charge of possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell, said Col Prawit. He also told police that bought the kratom in Sadao at B250 per kilogram, and was to sell them to a Myanmar national he named only as Mr Yao, in Pa Khlok in Thalang, at B500 per kilo, Col Prawit added. The deal would have been for at least B450,000 baht, but he was arrested first, Col Prawit said. Police will continue their investigation in the hope of tracking down Mr Yao, Col Prawit noted. Phuket taxi driver charged after cab flips in home-bound drive PHUKET: A Phuket taxi driver was charged with reckless driving causing damage to government property today (Mar 13) after his vehicle struck a pole and flipped onto its roof after dropping passengers off at Phuket International Airport. tourismtransportaccidentspolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 13 March 2017, 05:56PM Taxi driver Piyapat Saeong, 47, told police that he he swerved to avoid colliding with a Honda Jazz that pulled out in front of hmi, and just drove off. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Taxi driver Piyapat Saeong, 47, will be called on to pay for the damaged utility pole he levelled, said police. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Taxi driver Piyapat Saeong, 47, told police that he he swerved to avoid colliding with a Honda Jazz that pulled out in front of hmi, and just drove off. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Taxi driver Piyapat Saeong, 47, told police that he swerved to avoid colliding with a Honda Jazz that pulled out in front of him, and just drove off. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The driver, Piyapat Saeong, 47, told police that he was driving home to Naiharn at about 3:30pm when a Honda Jazz pulled out in front of him while he was passing the U-turn near the Khun Mae Ju store on Thepkrasattri Rd north of Thalang Town. The car just drove off, he told police, who arrived at the scene with rescue workers to find the green plate (commercial passenger vehicle) on its roof in the inside southbound lane. Nearby was a utility pole bowled over by the force of the impact. Lt Suphon Muangkhai of the Thalang Police confirmed that Mr Piyapat suffered only a sore chest in the dramatic crash as he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident He said he swerved to avoid a collision and the taxi hit a pole and flipped, Lt Suphon said. Mr Piyapat has been charged with reckless driving causing damage to government property. He will be called on to pay for the damaged pole, Lt Suphon added. Meanwhile, we are still looking for the Honda Jazz he claims caused the accident, he added. The Phuket News notes that Mr Piyapat does have the correct license to legally work as a taxi driver in Phuket. Search for fugitive monk switches to border BANGKOK: Immigration officials are keeping an eye out for Wat Phra Dhammakayas former abbot Phra Dhammajayo whose whereabouts remain unknown after the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) failed to find him in the temple complex during a 23-day siege. crimecorruptionpolicereligion By Bangkok Post Monday 13 March 2017, 08:54AM A DSI official collects two long-sleeve T-shirts for examination. The shirts are similar to the ones worn by Phra Dhammajayo. Photo: DSI Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said staff are monitoring all checkpoints and so far have found no sign of the elusive monk. He said the bureaus screening system is efficient enough that the monk would not be able to elude immigration officials unless he has slipped through the border via informal passes. Lt Gen Nathathorn said the bureau is also working with its counterparts in other countries and Interpol in looking out for the controversial monk who has warrants against him for his arrest. He said the immigration officials are also asking other agencies to be watchful as he may choose to sneak across the border through natural border passes. He noted Thailand and its neighbouring countries have extradition agreements and Thai officials can request that those countries hand over the monk to face charges if he slips out of Thailand. Lt Gen Nathathorn said the bureau is also monitoring other people linked to the controversial temple who had been served with arrest warrants but have since reported to officials. Meanwhile, DSI officials, armed with a search warrant, searched a building in Pathum Thanis Khlong Luang district yesterday (Mar 12) which is suspected to be a possible hideout of Phra Dhammajayo. The officials, however, did not find the monk at Aram Parisutho, located in tambon Khlong Sam, but confiscated a number of documents from a bedroom on the second floor and two long-sleeve yellow T-shirts similar to those worn by the monk. The building, which is about two kilometres from Gates 1 and 4 of Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple, is believed to serve as a meeting venue. Witnesses told the DSI there appeared to be unusual activity recently in the building, with several monks coming and going. It was also found to have elaborate security including surveillance cameras installed. The search was carried out with a warrant approved by the Thanyaburi Provincial Court as the facility belongs to a private individual and is located outside the controlled area under Section 44 of the interim charter. According to the DSI, people who look after the building insisted no monks with arrest warrants against them had stayed there. Wat Phra Dhammakayas communications team told the media via a Line group chat they would not be allowed to enter the compound for the time being to help maintain order. The team said the temple complex would be off-limits from midday yesterday until further notice. Mano Laohavanich, a former monk of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, said that the DSI did its best, after the department came under heavy fire for ending the search empty-handed. He said that officials must have evaluated the situation thoroughly before making the decision, adding they might be concerned about a violent confrontation. Mr Mano, however, cast doubts over the DSIs decision not to summon the owner of Boon Raksa building for questioning. He said the building belongs to an individual, not the temple, and its owner should be questioned in connection with the case. Read original story here. It's our annual Labour Weekend tradition ...The Sound 'Hall Of Fame' Countdown... Where we honor the greatest 500 songs of all time as voted by you. The tussle for government formation in Goa on Monday reached the Supreme Court, with the state Congress legislative party leader challenging the invitation extended by Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday to BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form government. All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told IANS late on Monday that Chief Justice Jagdish Khehar had ordered setting up of a special bench for the hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 am. Chodankar said that the Governor should have rightfully invited the Congress party to form a government in Goa, because it had emerged as the single-largest party, with 16 seats in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, following the February 4 polls. "We were the single-largest party. The Governor should have invited us to form government according to established constitutional practice," Chodankar said. Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar filed the petition in the apex court late on Monday. In his petition, Kavlekar has cited the apex court's decision in the Rameshwar Pandit judgement, where the Supreme Court had said that the single-largest party should be allotted the first attempt to form government in case of a hung assembly. "Governor overlooked Sarkaria Commission Report and M.M. Punchi Commission Report. These reports were also upheld and endorsed by the court in Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix V. Deputy Speaker AP Assembly matters," Chodankar said. The Congress had 17 MLAs while the BJP had 13. The Governor invited Parrikar to form government, after he met her late on Sunday and submitted letters of support from 21 MLAs, which includes three legislators each from two regional parties, namely Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators. In a major development in the state after the Assembly election results were declared on Saturday, Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah has on Monday asked the state's Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to resign so that the process of formation of the next government can be started. The Manipur Raj Bhavan, however, denied reports of calling any party to form the government. The BJP is confident of claiming its stake to form a government in Manipur, after the National People's Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) extended their support, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav had said on Sunday. Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh on Sunday met Governor Najma Heptulla to stake a claim to form the next state government. Earlier in the day, Ibobi was re-elected as the Congress Legislature Party leader in the meeting for the fourth time. BJP submitted a list of 32 MLAs to Governor Najma Heptullah on Sunday and furnished letters of support from regional parties. BJP claimed the support of National People's Party (4 MLAs), Naga People's Front (4), LJP (1) and two others. In the final results after counting votes on Saturday, the Congress was leading with 28 seats against BJP's 21, an impressive performance by all accounts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed happiness to see a new record of highest number of women MLAs elected to the new Uttar Pradesh Assembly. "Glad that a new record has been set of highest women MLAs elected in UP assembly. Congratulations to all women MLAs," Modi tweeted while sharing an online news item. According to the media report, there will be a record 38 women MLAs in attendance in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, the highest since Independence. Travel and trade between India and Pakistan through Chakan-da-Bagh was suspended on March 13 as the Pakistani troops continued unprovoked firing of mortars in the Poonch sector and were also targeting the travel and trade felicitation centre. They were indiscriminately firing 82 mm mortars and resorting to firing with automatic weapons even on civilian areas. The felicitation centre was damaged last evening as the Pakistani troops directly targeted it. The felicitation centre is the backbone of visitors from both sides of the LoC and also the trade. Deputy commissioner of Poonch district said that travel and trade through Chakan-da-Bagh has been suspended and further decision will be taken keeping in view the situation. This is for the first time that the Pakistani troops have directly targeted the travel and trade centre on the LoC. Travel through the centre takes place once a week on Monday and trade is allowed on two days on Tuesday and Friday. The felicitation centre building was damaged with mortars and its walls bore signs of bullets. Lt.Col.Maneesh Mehta, army spokesperson, said that Pakistani troops continued to fire mortar shells in the poonch sector for the second day today. They opened fire at Indian positions at 6.45 am and intermittent shelling was continuing. Pakistani troops had targeted several areas in the Krishna Ghati area on Sunday and also the travel and trade centre at Chakan-da-Bagh which was opened in 2005. On the other hand, terrorists kidnapped a former sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad from his residence in Kakapora village of Pulwama and later his bulletridden body was recovered by the police at Chew Kalan. Police said that the terrorists have been identified and would be tracked down soon. It is worth mentioning that the separatists have given a call for boycott of the coming panchayat elections and killing of Fayaz by terrorists is being viewed as a warning to the potential candidates who might be planning to contest the elections. Lot of bloodshed was witnessed also during the previous panchayat elections in the state. With Goa Governor Mridula Sinha clearing the decks for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to form government in the state, the Union minister has on Monday resigned from his position as MoD ahead of the swearing-in ceremony on March 14 at 5 pm. I have tendered my resignation as Defence Minister and have sent it to the PMO, Parrikar was quopted as saying to a news agency. Parrikar was appointed as the chief minister of Goa by state Governor Mridula Sinha after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staked claim to form government despite being a runner-up behind the Congress in the Goa Assembly elections 2017. The Governor has asked Parrikar to prove majority within 15 days of administration of oath of office and secrecy. Parrikar was also asked to submit evidence of support of 21 MLAs before the Governor. Late on Sunday, the BJP declared Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa and sealed its candidature by garnering support from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP). In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Congress has 17 MLAs, followed by the BJP with 13, MGP (3), GFP (3), NCP (1) and Independents (3). A party needed support of 21 legislators to form the government. Earlier on March 12, Union Minister for Roads, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari had said that Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before he takes oath of office as Goa chief minister. The fishermen in Tamil Nadu, who were agitating over the killing of a colleague allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, have on Monday decided to withdraw their six-day old protest after talks with union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan in Rameswaram on Sunday. Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman told the fishermen that she had come on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promised action through diplomatic means. The breakthrough came after talks between a delegation of fishermen leaders led by Struggle Committee President Arualanandam and the two ministers at a hotel in Rameswaram. After talks with Union ministers the fishermen said they will perform the last rites of Britjo on Tuesday evening and call off their strike. Thousands of fishermen and relatives of killed fisherman Britjo had been protesting for six days in Thankachimadom seeking Centres intervention in finding lasting solution to fishermen issue. The fisherman was shot dead on March 6 allegedly by the Lankan Navy personnel while fishing in a mechanised boat off Katchatheevu islet. Indian fishermen have also boycotted the annual Kachatheevu St Antonys Church festival on Monday condemning the incident. Assams multilingual social fabric runs into rough weather as and when dominance of any language is thrust upon its people. The recent governmental diktat ordering compulsory introduction of Sanskrit at the school level up to Class VIII created ripples of dismay across all the linguistic communities of Assam. Although the state government has back-tracked from introducing it as a compulsory medium of learning by citing lack of sufficiently qualified teachers, it left its uncut disruptive mark on the consciousness of Assams educated middle class. The precarious language scenario of Assam is well-known. The imposition of Assamese as the only medium of instruction in the 1960s led to widespread protests across Assam resulting in an ethnic, cultural and linguistic divide. A similar situation repeated itself in 1972, when Gauhati University declared Assamese as the only medium of higher education.Peace and goodwill prevailed by evolving what is called the Lal Bahadur Shastri formula,which resolved the issue by declaring Assamese as the main official language with two of its subsidiaries Bodo for Bodo areas and Bengali for the Barak valley of Assam. In the pre-1979 Assam movement period, one could see the emergence of a neo-Asomiya language identity, as a large number of Bengali Muslims from East Bengal and East Pakistan had settled in Assam from the early decades of the 20th century and declared their mother tongue to be Asomiya. This has contributed to the maintenance of linguistic balance in the state, as Asomiya could retain its place as the dominant language of Assam,somewhat upholding the creation of States within the Union of India on a linguistic basis in 1956. The threat of demographically losing its higher place to Bengali, nevertheless, remained as a major source of political and linguistic angst in the social psyche of the dominant Asomiya cultural and linguistic identity. After the Assam accord, the situation remained stable, as constitutional recognition of Asomiya as the state language remained permanent under both the Shastri formula and in terms of demographic superiority of Asomiya as a language. It is in this context of permanently shelving any fear of loss of cultural superiority of Asomiya as a language and as a culture, that the recent move by the BJP-led Government of Assam in introducing Sanskrit assumed a greater significance. In one reading, the threat of dislodgement of official superiority of Asomiya as a language came from some sources internal to Asomiya linguistic and cultural identities, as these forces wanted to re-establish the languages umbilical lineage with the great Indian tradition of Sanskrit. The responses and reactions to this move started with the age-old debate about Asomiya being gradually marginalised in the privately-run English medium schools and also by the new generation, as they take to English as the medium of instruction. As recognition to this reaction of angst, fear and apprehension, the Assam government, by another diktat, made Asomiya compulsory as a language to be studied by all the students in private-run schools of Assam. The Tower of Babel reappears with its fragile structure only to be a spectral guarantee to the states fragile linguistic balance. The larger context of using Sanskrit as a mother language to create a sense of Hindu identity cannot be missed. At the same time, the discomfiture of the conglomerate ethnic, cultural and very local components and blocs of people within the Asomiya linguistic identity, comprising many tribal and indigenous groups far removed from Indo-Aryan races and languages, became more than evident.The presence of a large number of NeoAsomiya speakers constituting almost 30 per cent of roughly 20 million Asomiya speakers, who are of East Bengali origin, became even more challenging as it could have invoked a sense of alienation from the Asomiya linguistic domain for these people, referred to as Miyas by nationalists of a certain variety. Although Assams Muslim groups did not express any overt reaction to the idea of their children learning Sanskrit, yet the states cultural elite expressed their awareness of such a possibility. Added up with Asomiyas fragile tribal, poly-ethnic and polyglot interior, these Neo-Asomiya speakers, a minority within a minority for all practical purposes, for the first time, got a silent recognition of their number from the Asomiya mainstream as a significant component within Asomiya speakers. Assams cultural elite cannot write them off given their sheer number, as other tribal and poly-ethnic constituents also show a certain veering towards their pre-original languages such as Tai Ahom, Matak, Khamti, Tangsa, Tai-Phake or Moran or any other such pristine language forms. This is a process of ethnic and linguistic fragmentation,which is going to spell trouble for Asomiya as a modern Indian language and as a growing and developing language of the state of Assam. It is in this paradigm of unstable and yet determined trajectory of forging a linguistically modern and progressive language and literature such as Asomiya whose place in the world is recognised and appreciated faces a topsy-turvy situation with a variety of diktats. Sanskrit, supposedly the mother of all Indo-Aryan group of languages such as Asomiya, Hindi, Oriya and Bangla construct a mainstream, which Asomiya already belongs to and does not require a fresh entry and re-inscription. Yet, the Assam government with its attempt to forge a larger Hindu identity ran against a slow and steady historical process of creating a firm and sustainable Asomiya linguistic form, which created a sense of insecurity in the very people whom it intended to Sanskritise. The unintended institutional and cultural impact is of such a grave nature that it is rolled back like a dry leaf in the wind. Herein comes a historic moment of self-realisation, if one could call it so. The realisation that Asomiya does not need a certification from a supposed Sanskritic linguistic tradition, rather it needs consolidation from within by building up a bulwark of committed Asomiya speakers, who identity it as their mother tongue in the steeply contested ethnic and linguistic mosaic of the state. Assam is the only home of the Satriya tradition, a fledgling syncretic tradition of religiosity, cultural harmony and linguistic sublimity that brings diverse ethnic groups together and bridges the Sankardev, Ajan Fakir and Guru Teg Bahadur-led traditions.The state also retains its pre-Sanskritic and Sanskritic influences at the same time. Therefore, introduction of Shastric Sanskrit cannot cut much ice within this indigenously developed tradition of harmonisation. Asomiya as a language can boast of this enriching and engulfing tradition of cultural and communal melting ground that floats above any narrowly conceived re-routing into a mono-litihic Sanskritic tradition. Assams cult of female deity worshipping, its Tantric heritage, its magical performances and its multifarious rituals of an ethnic origin celebrating femininity, is simultaneously inside and outside the pan-Indian pan-ethnic religious culture. The little tradition of ethnic Asomiya groups assumes a larger role than mere learning of a greater tradition like Sanskrit. In microcosm, the ritualised everyday lives of small-time practitioners of faith create the sense of parampara or honouring ancient traditions in Assam and not the Purana Sahstra dham-based mainstream Hindu tradition. A Bodo dance form called Bagadumba or stoning of the idol of Lord Shiva at Chatrasaal in Goalpara, the formless deity at Kamakhya, Khamptis Sautantrika Buddhist tradition, Wihu Khu of Tangsas, Jonbil fair of tribes of hills and plains,offering of rice beer at every invocation of God of the village by Mishings, Hazrat Shah Mirans Vasihnavite poetic forms and hundreds of such little and different traditions cannot be captured within the dragnet of mainframe religiosity of the Indo-Gangetic Himalayan origin. To a large extent, if Sanskritic roots have supplied succour to the Asomiya language,there is this other reality of cultural de-Sanskritisation and emergence of creative forms of re-conceptualisation of the entire Sanskritic tradition in new syncretic terms. In this context, the joining up of people from different ethnic origins and neo-Asomiya groups within the fold of Asomiya is a laudable cultural achievement that mainstream India is not aware of. The talk about a nationality formation of Asomiya and the rise of Asomiya linguistic nationalism is a lived reality of Assam that cannot be underwritten by the state. Else, the state will mismanage its immensely rich cultural diversity and will stifle and trample the growth of home-grown cultural syncretism, supposed to be the bridge between different groups and identities. Last but not the least,the place of Asomiya as a language within modern Indian languages needs to be strengthened and augmented not by imposing institutional rules, but by encouraging existing little traditions that do a bottom-up integration of cultural identities into a common linguistic form of life. Any deviation from this process of integration by committing an epistemic violence to the rich internal diversity of Asomiya as a home of language and culture would create a rift and dissonance of the deadliest kind and so, better it be integration without Sanskrit. Prasenjit Biswas is with the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong and the author of Between Philosophy and Anthropology, and Suraj Gogoi is a Sociologist based at the National University of Singapore. Kaziranga National Park, known as a success story across the globe in the conservation of the one-horned rhinoceros, suddenly got shocking news from abroad stating that a tribal rights body has given a call for boycott of the world heritage site claiming that it has turned into a killing field of innocent tribal people in the name of conservation. Survival International, the London-based tribal rights organisation, issued a statement a year ago expressing its concern that the forest guards of Kaziranga were using extreme power with impunity to kill poachers in the name of protecting endangered single-horn rhinos. The organisation asserted that many tribal people were also killed by armed forest wardens even on suspicion. It claimed that the park authorities were so busy celebrating the success story of preserving almost two thirds of worlds one- horn rhino population, that there were few to listen to their protests. Besides rhinos, the central Assam-based forest reserve is also home to royal Bengal tigers, Asiatic elephants and buffalos, different species of deer and other wildlife. The poaching of rhinos in Assams forest reserves makes regular news. According to state forest minister, Pramila Rani Brahma, Assam lost 22 rhinos to poachers (18 in Kaziranga alone) last year, adding that 123 died in various parks and wildlife sanctuaries during 2016. Talking about the anti-poaching initiatives, the minister revealed that park security personnel arrested 90 poachers from different parts of Assam since 1 January 2016. The Kaziranga authority also helped in arresting over 70 poachers from the vicinity of the park during the same period. Termed a success story, Kaziranga today gives shelter to 2,431 rhinos (as per the latest census in 2015). It also houses 167 tigers (2014), 5,620 elephants (2011), 1,169 swamp deer (2011), 248 leopards (2000) along with other wild animals. The issue of killing people in the name of wildlife conservation gained momentum after the British Broadcasting Corporation beamed a news-feature recently, where journalist Justin Rowlatt interviewed responsible forest officials and frontline guards to justify that they were mentally prepared to kill anyone unwanted inside the Kaziranga territory. Once the BBC aired the item titled, Our World: Killing for Conservation on 11 February, the government and people of Assam raised serious concerns over its content, arguing that the Kaziranga guards were legally empowered to take stern action against poachers. Various protection groups came forward criticising the news channel for propagating a wrong image of Kaziranga to international viewers. They organised public meetings in favour of the Kaziranga authorities, which is trying to protect the rhinos with whatever resources they have at their disposal. Encouraged by this, the government banned BBC journalist Justin Rowlatt from filming in any of Indias tiger projects. Earlier, the National Tiger Conservation Authority of India clarified that Rowlatt misled government officials into giving permission to film by submitting a false synopsis. They then went on to produce a documentary, which shows Indian conservation efforts in poor light, contrary to the synopsis submitted, asserted the NTCA, adding that the BBC and Rowlatt violated four pre-conditions. But the NTCA claimed that global news channel filmed in Kaziranga after sunset, did not screen the documentary before a committee of the Union environment, forests and climate change ministry, and deviated from the original synopsis, which was submitted to the external affairs ministry and the tiger conservation authority. Banning the BBC was not a quick-fix solution to the authorities. Rather it tempted Survival International to launch a campaign to boycott the park as long as it retains its shoot-at-sight policy. In a statement on 2 March, Survival International argued that over 100 people were killed at Kaziranga over the last 20 years. It also highlighted the case of Akash Orang, a minor tribal boy, who received bullet injuries by accident from a forest guard in Kaziranga in July 2016. Akash received serious injuries to his legs and is still under treatment. Following the local peoples outcry, the Kaziranga authorities suspended two guards. Besides Akash, there are a few more victims of the shoot-to-kill (rather than to apprehend) policy in Kaziranga. The inhuman policy has already attracted severe criticism from conservation charities for encouraging violence, rather than effectively tackling the criminal networks behind poaching. The Survival International statement also added that it was writing to over 130 international tour operators in 10 countries for pursuing their Kaziranga boycott campaign. Its director Stephen Corry asserted that the Kaziranga authorities were practicing extra-judicial killing for years and they cant ignore the matter anymore. In the meantime, Assams tourism minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has vowed to carry out a vigorous drive to attract foreign tourists to various forest reserves in the backdrop of Survival Internationals boycott of Kaziranga. He told the state assembly recently that the government would continue its zero tolerancepolicy against poaching and nature-loving people across the globe would support the endeavour. Meanwhile, a few leading wildlife non-government organisations have condemned the allegation that the Kaziranga authorities were using excessive force to protect the rhinos. The NGOs, which are working in and around Kaziranga, came out with a statement that the state government had to strengthen protection measures to ensure the conservation of its pride rhinos. Aaranyak, Assam Elephant Foundation, Bhumi, Wildlife Trust of India and the Corbett Foundation, in a press statement argued that the continuous pressure from citizens to protect wildlife compelled the Kaziranga authorities to take satisfactory action against poachers. It continued, The propaganda launched by the international organisation to boycott Kaziranga is unfair and totally uncalled for. Be it Kruger or Kaziranga, or any other rhino harbouring areas in the world, to protect their rhinos all of them have to strengthen their security and by no means is Kaziranga the only rhino-bearing area where gun battles between protection forces and well-armed poachers occur and casualties are accounted due to such occurrences, said the statement. However, local residents living at the periphery of Kaziranga extended moral support to Rowlatt and demanded the unnecessary ban on the BBC journalist to be lifted immediately. Jeepal Krisak Sramik Sangha, a farmer-labourers body based in the vicinity of Kaziranga, while criticising the harsh conservation methods, urged the government to institute a high level probe into the reported deaths of tribal people till date in and around the park. JKSS advisor Soneswar Narah argued that the Kaziranga authorities were hiding a lot of information. He alleged that the forest department was silently violating human rights in the name of conservation. We demand adequate compensations for the families of victims, who either got killed or sustained major injuries. Moreover, the forest department must understand that in the process of conservation, the fringe villagers should be taken into confidence, added Narah. Despite all this, the forest department is yet to contradict the content of the BBC news-feature. The writer is the Guwahati-based special representative of The Statesman. The golden rays of the setting sun partially clothed the elegant buildings on the far end of the street with an unrealistic hue mostly seen in pictures with added filters. Then, to top that, there was this gentle breeze from the sea blowing against our tired faces after a days exploring through the citys Gothic Quarters. It was all worth it. Welcome to Barcelona! Spains second city and the capital of the region of Catalunya, Barcelona is often considered as one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan places in the country. The city, which received Christopher Columbus after his first trip to America, where giants like Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Gaudi, lived and worked at the same time. We start exploring the city from PlacaCatalunya. Pedestrian paths leading to the Gothic Quarters, the Ramblas, the Columbus monument and other popular landmarks all start from PlacaCatalunya, which is the citys main square. PlacaCatalunya is often full of locals enjoying the sun or catching up with friends; you see kids playing all over the square and tourists taking photographs of the decorative fountains and the many statues of famous Catalans. It is a lively people scene all throughout the day, good for taking a quick break and for some people watching. The Ramblas is Barcelonas famed boulevard for leisurely strolls and instinctive shopping, enjoyed by both tourists and locals alike. It is a broad passageway for pedestrians lined on both sides by shady trees, and full of life and colour. You will see jugglers, magicians, dress-up statue artists, hawkers selling exotic items, small book and souvenir shops and of course restaurants. At the end of the Ramblas stands the 60m tall Columbus monument that was constructed to honour Columbus maiden voyage to the Americas. The Gothic Quarters, just north of the Ramblas, is the old centre of the city with beautiful squares, narrow lanes, and a maze of shops and galleries. It was in one of these lanes that Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol spent an afternoon looking for a gallery in the Bollywood movie Zindagi Na MilegiDobara. The Gothic Centre is a delight to explore with churches and cathedrals from the Roman era at every corner, exquisite statues and street musicians vying for your attention, and among other things a must-visit for many the Picasso museum. Perhaps the most popular landmark of Barcelona would be the Sagrada Familia, the yet unfinished Catholic Church designed by Gaudi. The Nativity facade on the East of Sagrada Familia is dedicated to the birth of Jesus and bears most of Gaudis work. While the Passion facade on the West was constructed after Gaudis death, much of the work on Sagrada Familia still remains unfinished. Gaudis work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For architecture and design aficionados Barcelona will leave you wanting for more. Casa Mila, Case Battlo, and Park Guell are best known privately-commissioned works of Gaudi and in spite of the entry fees, youd definitely want in. Barcelonas Eixample district is where, back in the day, the wealthy residents of the city built their modernista-styled houses with a distinct and colourful fairytalelike design. The sophisticated design with elaborate carvings and abundance of art nouveau frills everywhere will be enough to keep you gawking for an entire afternoon! Back into the city centre, you might want to browse through the streets and pick your favourites from the countless tapas bars, taste the local draft beer, or spend an evening or two appreciating flamenco performances, which are popular all over the country. Locals usually head to bars with live music where they have flamenco performances every week. And while you are still in Barcelona, dont miss a lazy day at the beach, the view of the entire city at sunrise from the Bunkers of Carmel, and (especially for the supporters of FC Barcelona) the Camp Nou experience. At least 32 Afghans were set free after army commandos raided a Taliban-run detention centre in the southern Helmand province, the Defence Ministry said on Monday. "Units of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces raided a Taliban prison in Cha-e-Mirza locality, Nad Ali district on Sunday night and released 32 people who had been taken hostage by Taliban from the district and surrounding areas over the past months," the Defence Ministry said in a statement that was cited by Xinhua. Among the released were four policemen, the statement said. The freed people were shifted to Shorab Camp, a main Afghan military base in Helmand, before joining their families in the province, 555 km south of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul. Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold. A week after the Israeli parliament approved a law banning entry of foreigners who call for boycotting Israel, Jerusalem on Monday said an anti-occupation activist from Britain was denied entry into the country. Hugh Lanning, chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), was barred from entering Israel at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, late on Sunday, according to a joint statement by the Population and Immigration Authority and the Strategic Affairs Ministry, Xinhua reported. The statement said Lanning's organisation leads a campaign for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. "The organisation (PSC) works in cooperation with other organisations that work to delegitimise Israel in order to advance boycotts and other activities against Israel," the statement said. "In addition to advancing boycotts, Lanning maintained ties with the heads of Hamas in Gaza," the statement added. Last Monday, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, approved a law to enable authorities to bar entry of foreign nationals who have publicly supported the BDS campaign. First launched in 2005, the Palestinian-led campaign calls for ending the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Israel seized in 1967, and acknowledging the Palestinians refugees' right of return to their pre-1948 lands. A strengthening coastal storm will impact southern and eastern Quebec this week. Montreal will be on the western edge of the system, with 10-15cm of snow possible, along with strong winds. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Who and why: Twin mysteries behind leak of CIA's cybertools Wondering who is visiting the White House? The web-based search has gone dark. Curious about climate change? Some government sites have been softened or taken down. Worried about racial discrimination in housing? Laws have been introduced to bar federal mapping of such disparities. Since taking office, the Trump administration has made a series of moves that have alarmed groups with a stake in public access to information historians, librarians, journalists, climate scientists, internet activists, to name a few. Some are so concerned they have thrown themselves into "data rescue" sessions nationwide, where they spend their weekends downloading and archiving federal databases they fear could soon be taken down or obscured. Previous presidential transitions have triggered fears about access to government data, but not on this scope. "What is unprecedented is the scale of networking and connectivity of groups working on this, and the degree it is being driven by librarians and scientists and professors," said Alex Howard, deputy director of the Sunlight Foundation, a group that tracks transparency in government. The White House declined to comment, but Trump's supporters say the administration's detractors are overreacting. Trump is committed to open government, said Ben Marchi, a Trump supporter and Republican operative. In a recent interview with McClatchy, Marchi noted how, prior to announcing the selection of Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court, the White House released a list of 21 candidates under consideration. Yet moves by the Trump administration have helped stoke the fears. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture removed animal cruelty data from its website, prompting protests from animal welfare advocates, including the Humane Society, which has filed a lawsuit against the USDA. Also in February, the Trump administration suspended an Obama regulation aimed at protecting whistleblowers who work for Department of Energy contractors. The regulation would have permitted civil penalties against contractors that retaliate against whistleblowers. Supporters of the rule say that its rescission will make it harder for contract workers at the government nuclear facilities to report waste, abuse and safety concerns. Trump, Howard said, has made clear he will seek to prosecute leakers and has labeled the media an "enemy of the people." He has dismissed climate change science and raised questions about the use of vaccines. "The reaction we are seeing is driven by concerns unique to this administration," Howard said. During his eight years in office, President Barack Obama was hardly a darling of open government advocates. His Justice Department prosecuted nine cases against whistleblowers and leakers, compared to three by all other previous administrations. But Obama also took some steps to increase transparency, including establishing a web-based log of visitors to the White House. That log allowed journalists and others to track lobbying at the White House, including links between the Obama administration and the pharmaceutical industry. But easy access to the log disappeared after Trump was sworn in. The National Archives and Records Administration stopped paying a contractor to maintain an embedded web application for the Obama-era visitation records. They are still available at the Obama White House archive, but only on zip files that are difficult to download and analyze. As of last week, the Trump administration had not built a web page with information about recent visitors to the White House, although it has said it will post such records "on an ongoing basis, once they become available." Other information of interest has also disappeared. The phone book for employees at the U.S. Department of Energy has been removed from the agency's website. Several federal websites have been altered to eliminate or tone down evidence linking human activities to global climate change. While all incoming administrations put their ideological stamp on federal websites, librarians and other professionals fear that previously accessible raw data could be put behind walls. They have started networking on how to salvage what they can. Bethany Wiggin, founding director of the environmental humanities program at the University of Pennsylvania, and others started organizing dozens of "data rescue" sessions nationwide, in which activists were invited to bring their laptops and ideas for federal data sets deemed vulnerable. Fearing that federal data on gun violence might also vanish under a president with close ties to the National Rifle Association, Dr. Garen Wintemute called together his partners in the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis. Within minutes, the team was downloading a crime victimization survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. They scoured the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, gathering data on retail gun sales. They preserved mortality records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which includes a field for deaths caused by firearms. "I don't think the CDC would do that of their own volition, but they might be directed to," said Wintemute, an emergency room doctor. The data sets are now stored on a secure server at UC Davis. Access to existing federal records is one concern of data rescuers. The other is whether the government will continue to collect information as it has in the past. Earlier this year, for example, a group of Republicans that included U.S. Sen Mike Lee of Utah, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona introduced legislation to undo a 2015 Obama regulation aimed at reducing past patterns of housing segregation. How Trump may approach access to federal data is not entirely known, but one upcoming appointment will provide a signal. In coming weeks, the administration will appoint a director to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which it is charged with guiding federal policy on information technology, information policy, privacy and statistics. "That is going to be a key position in the federal collection of data going forward," said Raphael Calel, an assistant professor of public policy at Georgetown University. Patnaik's close aides say that to understand him, one has to understand his empathy By Pratul Sharma/Photos Sanjay Ahlawat A few days after the Election Commission announced dates for the by-polls in Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha constituencies, a former sarpanch of Pulwama in south Kashmir was killed by suspected militants, in an apparent attempt to threaten citizens against going for voting. Police said Fayaz Ahmad was kidnapped by a group of gunmen from his residence at Kakpora village in Pulwama district and later shot dead. There were also signs of torture on his body. He was abducted from his residence around 4 am and later shot dead on a mountain around 10 to 12 kilometers away, said Superintendent of Police Muhammad Rayees Bhat in Pulwama. Fayaz had renounced mainstream politics at the funeral of his militant nephew who was killed in an encounter in November last. His killing has sparked off fears that militants might target political workers before the by-elections to be held on on April 9 and 12. Srinagar seat fell vacant after former PDP MP Tariq Hamid Karra quit in protest against the civilian killings during the summer unrest of 2016. It comprises 15 assembly constituencies in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts. Anantnag constituency was earlier held by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. She resigned as MP as she replaced her father Mufti Muhammad Sayyed as chief minister after his death in January last. She then contested from Anantnag assembly constituency to become eligible to continue as chief minister. South Kashmir, which comprises Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, was at the forefront of separatist agitation sparked off by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani and two of his associates on July 8, 2016 at Kokernag in Anantnag. More than 96 people were killed in the six-month long agitation and over 1000 others were blinded by pellets. The deaths of two men found dead in a home in Clinton are being investigated as a homicide, the Clinton Police Department said in a news release Friday. At 3:08 p.m. March 6, the Clinton Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive person at a home at 114 N. 5th St. Officers discovered two men, Kevin James Lambert, 57, and Steven James Cox, 60, both of Clinton, dead inside, according to the release. They were transported to the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner, where autopsies were conducted, according to the release. "We are not disclosing manner or method (of death) as this is a very active investigation at this time," Chief Kevin Gyrion said in an email Friday. The police department is being assisted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner. Tara Becker writes for the Quad City Times, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach her at tbecker@qctimes.com. EVANSDALE The driver of a car that rolled onto an Evansdale bike path Tuesday morning said the crash happened when her passenger tried to kill them. Aja Bennett, 25, of Waterloo, said she was out of the hospital in about an hour and a half after an X-ray, a tetanus shot and treatment for facial scratches that came from a scuffle before the wreck. Her passenger, 27-year-old Antonio Harris, remained hospitalized as of Friday, according to authorities. He was unavailable for comment. Bennett said she and Harris, her fiance, began arguing before she started driving him to a pickup point for a Des Moines-area work project. As they were traveling on Interstate 380/U.S. Highway 20, the two began talking about whether Bennett would return to pick up Harris after work, she said. At that point, Harris grabbed the steering wheel, according to Bennett. He was like Ill kill us both right now and grabbed the wheel, yanked it over to the side, and down in the ditch and rolled over, and there we went, Bennett said. When the car came to a rest, Bennett sat there for a few minutes in shock. Harris told her he couldnt move and thought he broke his neck, she said. Harris was removed from Bennetts crumpled car by Waterloo firefighters who cut off the roof. Black Hawk County sheriffs deputies said they are continuing to investigate the crash. Bennett said she told authorities what happened. Bennett said she and Harris have been together for a few years, but now the engagement is off. Thats out the window. I sold the ring yesterday, she said. I need the money for a down payment on another car. Jeff Reinitz writes for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Reach him at jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com. Jordan announced over the weekend that soldier/terrorist Ahmed Daqamseh, who murdered seven Israeli school girls along the Naharayim border with Israel in 1997 was released. Ironically, the location where the attack occurred is known as Peace Island. While Israeli school children were visiting the area, shots rang out from the Jordanian side, resulting in the murders of the seven girls. At the time, King Hussein of Jordan promised Israel the soldier would spend the rest of his life in jail and he flew to Israel to personally extend his condolences. The soldier was spared the death penalty under grounds of mental incompetence. His sentence was originally 25 years imprisonment. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A building that was established by the Defense Minister near the home of MK (Bayit Yehudi) Betzalel Smotrich was established on private Arab land in the Shomron community of Kedumim. According to the Walla News report, the building serves as the area civilian security dispatch station for the yishuv surrounding area and the land belongs to the adjacent Arab village Kedum. About two weeks ago, it was reported that Smotrichs home was built contrary to the master plan, and it is possible it too is entirely or in part on private Arab land. The report cites Smotrich was a leading force in the passing of the Regulation Bill, to retroactively legalize thousands of buildings throughout Yehuda and Shomron. Smotrich lives in the area known as Rashi Hill. Experts from the Civil Administration who measured housing plots back in 2012 documented some of the buildings in the center of the community were not on the state land intended for construction, and Smotrichs was among those. It appears that a portion of some of the homes, including Smotrichs, were built on private Arab land, based on land registry documents. Civil Administration officials confirm the civilian security center is indeed outside of the master plan area and enforcement proceedings have begun. Defense Ministry officials refused to comment on the illegally built structure that was constructed years ago. The building, which serves as the area emergency civilian dispatcher center, has saved many lives since its construction, including addressing many terror attacks on nearby Route 55. Some two years ago, it was decided to integrate it with other emergency services and it is being moved to a new venue in the coming year. Officials in Smotrichs office responded to the report with the following statement: Things were done as required. The only ones who are in conflict of interest are reporters who are trying to represent the Palestinians to evacuate Jews from their homes, however, no Regulation Law will help such self-hatred. As I have done to date, so in the future I will do my utmost to defense the settlement and continue to develop them as a direct continuation of the Zionist dream. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) There were protests against the Muezzin Bill in the Israeli Arab sector on Saturday, including about 1,500 protestors in the Galil, led by former Arab MK Mohammed Barakeh. Participants carried signs vowing to continue the battle until such time the bill is rescinded. Protestors accused Israel of destroying Arab homes and humiliating the community. In the Israeli Arab municipality of Baka al-Garbiya, not far from Haifa, new speakers were installed atop the City Hall building to use them towards increasing the protests. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway says she doesnt have any evidence to support President Donald Trumps claim that Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower phone lines during the election. Instead, Conway is pointing to recent revelations about other government surveillance to suggest it was possible Obama used a different technique. Her response was unlikely to tamp down criticism of Trumps tweets earlier this month. The House intelligence committee has asked the administration to provide evidence of the allegation by Monday. The answer is I dont have any evidence and Im very happy that the House intelligence committee (is) investigating, Conway told ABCs Good Morning America. She later tweeted that the administration is pleased with the ongoing congressional investigation and will comment after. Trumps critics have slammed the president for making the explosive wiretapping claim on his Twitter account without evidence. Wiretapping a U.S. citizen would require special permission from a court, and Trump as president would have the ability to declassify that information. James Clapper, who was Obamas director of national intelligence, has said that nothing matching Trumps claims had taken place. Also this month, WikiLeaks released nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly reveal secrets about the CIAs tools for breaking into targeted computers, cellphones and even smart TVs. Conway noted that development to justify Trumps claims. What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other now, unfortunately, including microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera, Conway told New Jerseys The Record newspaper in an interview Sunday. So we know that that is just a fact of modern life. Conway told Good Morning America that I wasnt making a suggestion about Trump Tower. She said she was answering a question about surveillance generally, and without specific reference to the current controversy. FBI director James Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Trumps claim but has not come forward to do so himself. Sen. John McCain, an influential Republican, said Sunday: I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least, the Arizona senator said. The House Intelligence Committees request for evidence by Monday was made in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the panels chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and its ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., according to a congressional official. The aide wasnt authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity. (AP) Saudi Arabias royal court said Monday the kingdoms second-in-line to the throne will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since Novembers presidential election. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defense minister and King Salmans son, is scheduled to start his Washington visit on Thursday. He departs for the United States on Monday. The royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of U.S. officials to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest. The prince is spearheading the kingdoms economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in U.S. technology firms. No details were given on when he would meet Trump. He would be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. There was no confirmation from the White House regarding the visit. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include discussion on global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years. Saudi Arabia, the worlds top oil exporter and biggest buyer of American-made arms, is also part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticized by Trump. Obama had also openly criticized Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Irans reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners. (AP) ROCK RAPIDS | A lawsuit in which a Lyon County farmer says a neighbor intentionally poisoned his cattle has resulted in a countersuit of slander by the accused neighbor. Joel and Marilyn Moser, of Alvord, Iowa, had sued Tristan Kuenzi, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, in Lyon County District Court, claiming that while Kuenzi fed their cattle for five days in October while they were in Florida, he negligently or intentionally scooped up a 100-pound tractor battery, which was ground up with feed in a mixing wagon and fed to 90 cattle. As a result, 80 of the cattle died from lead poisoning. Kuenzi has denied the claims of negligence and has countersued the Mosers for slander. He said in the countersuit that the Mosers began to tell media, law enforcement, neighbors and friends that Kuenzi had intentionally poisoned their cattle once their insurance carrier ruled the deaths accidental and would not reimburse them for their loss. Kuenzi said in his countersuit that Moser was at fault because he hadn't replaced a grill that covered the battery on his loader tractor. Kueinzi said that when he notified Moser after discovering pieces of the battery in the cattle's feed bunk, Moser acknowledged that the battery must have fallen from the tractor and that Kuenzi accidentally loaded it into the feed wagon. The Mosers said in their lawsuit that Kuenzi intentionally mixed the battery with the feed to harm their cattle and are seeking a judgment to compensate them for their losses. Kuenzi is seeking punitive damages against the Mosers. He said the stories and accusations have damaged his reputation. Nick Hytrek writes for the Sioux City Journal, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach him at nhytrek@siouxcityjournal.com. DES MOINES The head of the states child welfare bureau defended the agency Monday against criticisms that case managers are overworked and understaffed conditions legislative critics say have led to high-profile situations of abused children and at least one instance where a girl starved to death. Wendy Rickman, administrator of the Department of Human Services division of adult, children & families services, said Iowa operates a solid child welfare system that scores well in national comparisons and operates with virtually no waiting lists or substantive gaps. At the same time, she said, while the department works hard to protect children, situations may arise that require appropriate responses similar to a situation where no one expects that just because a police agency is in place that no crime will occur. She said social workers who handle child protective cases have remained relatively stable even though the agency has had to absorb about $28 million in spending cuts this fiscal year. I would never sit here and tell you that having more staff in the field would not be a good thing, she told the informal legislative hearing. However, Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, who organized Mondays meeting, said he has talked to DHS case workers who say their overtime has doubled this year because there is not enough staff and that people are falling through the cracks because of it. Theyve basically said were trying to drink out of a fire hose every day and its impossible to do, he said. What theyre telling me is they are just being buried and none of them want to give their names and none of them want to give their information because they believe that they will be fired if they do, McCoy added. What I hope we do is show how vulnerable our children are in the state of Iowa and by not having adequate staffing to go out and do the work in the field and to do the investigations and to complete those investigations that we are putting vulnerable kids at risk and we need to change that system. The child welfare system is coming under greater scrutiny, McCoy said, due to two troubling cases that came to light within the past year. Investigations and criminal proceedings are underway into last years death of Natalee Finn, a 16-year-old West Des Moines girl who starved. Earlier, Malayia Knapp testified to the legislative panel about being beaten, locked up and abused as an adoptive child before she turned 18. Rickman said her agencys intake unit handled 50,086 reports in 2016 with 52 percent qualifying for an assessment and 15,016 being assigned to a case worker. Of those, 6,368 were classified as founded or confirmed cases of abuse. Overall, she said Iowa has 182 advanced social workers with average experience of 14 years and another 336 social workers at a lower investigatory level with average experience of 11 years front-line positions that have held relatively stable in recent years. McCoy said Rickman provided pertinent information to the committee Monday, but not all that was requested. They plan to have a follow-up meeting to get more specifics. DHS spokeswoman Amy McCoy said legislators have repeatedly pointed to a reduction of about 800 position in the DHS under the Branstad administration since 2011, but noted those include the closure of three state institutions and others jobs unrelated to child-welfare services. Nationally, we perform very well, she said. Our outcomes in Iowa are very good and you could put us up against any other state. I think when you have two cases that are very high profile in a row, it causes you pause and of course you look more at yourself, and others are going to look more at you, but we have a very functioning system. Iowa is innovative, we perform well. We want to protect kids. Reach Rod Boshart at 515-243-7220; rod.boshart@thegazette.com. Demands: Nicola Sturgeon has called for another Scottish independence referendum There is plainly something in the air in Scotland. First, the fund management deal between Standard Life and Aberdeen, then another independence referendum request from Nicola Sturgeon and now an all-share 2.2billion bid by Aberdeen-based oil services firm Wood Group for Amec Foster Wheeler. The Wood premium for Amec shares is a modest 15 per cent or so. Beggars cannot be choosers and Wood's benevolent move may have been preferable to a 500million rights issue and dividend cut at Amec. Troubles at Amec partly stem from its ambitious purchase of Foster Wheeler in 2014 for 2.6billion (at the current exchange rate) just as oil prices collapsed. Just like Cobham, American adventures have cost it dearly and makes one question the quality of the due diligence. It may well be that Wood Group's timing turns out to be much better. The oil price has recovered somewhat but as critically, the Trump administration with its steer away from climate change, its more friendly attitude to carbon fuels and interest in fracking should be good for Amec, which earns 34 per cent of its income in the US and is strong on engineering and environmental services. With a 10 per cent stake in Wood, Martin Gilbert of Aberdeen Asset Management will be a significant player in this deal. The Tartan Army looks after its own. Unlike the Standard-Aberdeen deal, there is no question who will be in charge at Wood-Amec with Wood chairman Ian Marchant, chief executive Robin Watson and finance boss David Kemp all keeping their jobs. No mystery, then, as to where most annual cost savings of 110million will come from. Game, set and match, as that other Scottish phenomenon Andy Murray might say. Tucker return Finding suitable chairmen for FTSE 100 companies is hard and it is even tougher if you need formal certification from the Bank of England. Even if the Old Lady finds it tough to get its own ethical issues in order. HSBC has done well to find Mark Tucker, who ticks most of the boxes, importantly having worked in Asia where HSBC is best in class. If there is carping to be done, it is over Tucker's brief sojourn at a fast expanding HBOS well before the crisis. Tucker joins an elite who have been involved in bad banks and gone onto greater things, including DIY craftsman Sir Ian Cheshire, who is to chair Barclays' ring-fenced bank despite being on the board of Bradford & Bingley. Tucker has shown his mettle by doubling the share price of AIA, the Pacific offshoot of AIG, and as a former member of the Bank of England's Court and director of Goldman Sachs. Incidentally, Goldman is one of a small number of banks in London which has not bought into the Banking Standards Board which is seeking to improve the behaviour of lenders in the City. The choice of Tucker opens the way for change at HSBC. Current incumbents Douglas Flint and chief executive Stuart Gulliver have faced daunting challenges. They have been busy jettisoning a past legacy which included some terrible acquisitions including Household in the US, Mexico and the Safra private banks. It has been bloody and left behind a trail of legal liabilities mounting to pages in the annual report. In simplifying the enterprise some 42,000 jobs have gone. Unfortunately for Flint and Gulliver they also developed a reputation for crying wolf with their attacks on UK bank taxation, Brexit and the rest, threatening to leave these shores. If Tucker can bring an end to that it will be helpful. Departure of a chairman makes it easier to move onto a new chief executive with Gulliver also following through on his promise to go. His reputation never fully repaired from disclosure that at one point his salary was paid through an arrangement which involved the Geneva private bank and Panama so as to disguise it from colleagues. An internal replacement in the HSBC tradition looks most likely with retail and wealth boss John Flint a leading candidate. Hopes that Lloyds boss Antonio Horta-Osorio had of moving to HSBC were almost certainly destroyed by his Singapore shenanigans. Descendants of Calvinist Scots who hold sway at HSBC do not approve. Sparkling rewards Shed a tear for chief executive Mark Cutifani of diamond miner Anglo American. Future share awards will be capped at 300 per cent of salary against 350 per cent previously limiting his future overall earnings at 13.1million after last year's AGM revolt. As chairman of the pay committee board, Sir Philip Hampton has failed both investors and government ambitions to curtail boardroom excess. Should have tried harder. It has all the elements of the best mystery stories: old documents hidden away in obscure corners of offices, ancient books on dusty library shelves containing long-forgotten but vital information. There were also clues scattered here and there in passing references to other things together with shadowy figures protecting long-standing rights held for generations. And, at the end of it all, there was the possibility of a discovering a new and very rich treasure in the long-abandoned underground mines of Cornwall. Cornish Lithium is looking for lithium beneath the surface of Cornwall It takes a certain sort of creative mind to put all these pieces of the puzzle together and come up with an idea that could transform Englands mining and energy industry at a stroke. How is this possible? This all started five years ago when a friend of mine who was running South Crofty said weve got everything here, tin copper, zinc and lots of other metals. These are the opening words of Jeremy Wrathall, as he starts to tell the story of Cornish Lithium, a company that he conceived himself on the germ of an idea and which he now aims to build into a new force in English junior mining. South Crofty, as mining industry veterans will remember well, was the last of the great Cornish tin mines to close, and that scarce a generation ago. It closed because tin prices were low, costs were high and because the country just really wasnt set up for mining any more. By the time Wrathalls friend had taken charge, production at South Crofty was just a distant memory, but a mining boom had since come and gone, and geologists with one eye on the main chance had always kept it in view. To the north, in Wales, another old operation continues to attract interest and funding, on the island of Anglesey. Up in Yorkshire, Sirius Minerals continues to make waves in the investment world, while even further north, in Scotland, a new mine has just started production. Closer to Cornwall, meanwhile, Wolf Minerals has just started tungsten production across the border at Hemerdon in Devon. Past: The closure of South Crofty probably marked the unofficial nadir of British mining In fact, the closure of South Crofty probably marked the unofficial nadir of British mining in general. So Wrathalls plans to make the mineralisation there work for the economic good of shareholders and the local populace represent a small but significant stage in the slow renaissance of British mining. The glory days of coal are long gone, of course, when British miners numbered in their hundreds of thousands. In spite of strong continuing appetite in developing parts of the world, coal is a commodity of the past. Instead, the future lies with lithium. All this would have had very little to do with Cornwall had not Wrathall, a highly experience mining analyst with a quick brain and a commercial mind, managed to join a series of dots that no-one else had even seen were connected. Hence the time in the libraries, the time poring over old documents, consulting old testimony, looking at old geological maps and reading the accounts of old miners in Cornwall. Hence, his ears pricking up when his friend talked of South Crofty containing everything. Might that everything include lithium, the metal of the moment? It did indeed, and possibly in serious quantity too. The lithium in question isnt, however, contained in the ore mined by the old-timers at South Crofty or at other mines across the county. Rather, it comes as part of a perennial problem that the old-timers faced: the ingress of hot water into the mines. Thus, Wrathall deeply ensconced in library books looking for testimony of old miners about the disruptive effects of heat and hot water on old mines. And this testimony, once found, goes back at least 150 years. Thus, Wrathall searching for geological models to explain this phenomena unearthed documents explaining exactly why the lithium is there. But nobody had previously connected the dots as the market for lithium didn't exist, nor did the new technology to extract it. And thus, with a bit of lateral thinking, he put together a working hypothesis, which if right, could end up proving that one of Europes largest concentrations of lithium mineralisation in fact lies beneath the surface of Cornwall, inside what are known as brines, salty water that also contains other minerals. We found historic lithium readings at several old mines in Cornwall: Wheal Clifford, Wheal Jane and South Crofty amongst others, he says. The brine appears to have stripped lithium out of the granite in Cornwall and the fact that the granite is still hot means that these brines are still circulating. In demand: Lithium is considered the metal of the future The idea is to drill into large scale regional faults where the company believes brines containing lithium are still moving. The brine would then be pumped to surface and processed using one of a series of newly developing technologies that allows for the rapid extraction of lithium from brine. To that end, Wrathall has secured deals with three of the major holders of mineral rights in Cornwall, Strongbow Exploration, Tregothnan Estates and Mineral Exploration Limited. Cornish Lithium now has the rights to all lithium discovered in ground controlled by these parties, subject to a royalty, which Wrathall estimates at adding up to a total of around 30,000 hectares. Its hard to be precise, because there is no official, national land registry for mineral rights, which is another reason why Wrathall has had to play detective. Whatever the exact amount of land under license, Cornish Lithium will now be able to to conduct the most extensive exploration programme ever undertaken in Cornwall. Modern exploration techniques have come a long way since the mines in Cornwall shut down twenty years ago and Wrathall believes new techniques will enable the company to narrow down the search and enable test holes to be accurately drilled. So the mystery is moving into a new phase now: will the brines really deliver lithium in sufficient quantities to make it economic? This has a lot of risk, as do many early stage exploration projects concedes Wrathall. Of that theres no doubt. 'But if I didnt try and advance this project somebody else would. Lithium is the metal of the future and if we prove the concept this could result in a whole new industry for Britain. Hes now seeking up to 5million in early stage funding to prove his concept. And in the current buoyant lithium market, and allowing for Wrathalls own long experience both in capital markets and as a mining engineer, hes likely to get it. Takeover: Amec Foster Wheeler has agreed to be bought by Wood Group Traders have cheered a 2.2billion takeover of troubled Amec Foster Wheeler sending shares soaring 12 per cent. The engineer has agreed to be bought by Aberdeen-based Wood Group in a deal which will create a major player in the offshore oil and gas market. And the deal will see investment bankers, lawyers and spin doctors pocket tens of millions of pounds in fees. City analysts welcomed the proposal, saying it would create a firm with greater staying power. Amec's stock dived in October after bosses said they could be forced to cut costs to cope with a challenging environment. Its problems stem from an ill-judged takeover of Swiss rival Foster Wheeler in 2014, shortly before the global slump in oil prices. Bailed-out bank Lloyds is plotting to transfer 20m customers' details to an offshore computer network, a union has warned. The lender has been attacked for plans to outsource more than 1,900 jobs to IBM in a 1.3billion deal. It is feared the proposals would leave hundreds of workers facing redundancy and worse terms and conditions. And union leaders claimed that 20m customers' details would be shifted across to the new system potentially putting their data at risk. Safe haven? Lloyds is plotting to transfer 20m customers' details to an offshore computer network, a union has warned The seven-year deal with the US IT giant would allow the bank to slash costs by nearly 760million and respond more quickly to rapid changes in technology. But Lloyds Trade Union (LTU) warned that most of the staff transferred would be made redundant and replaced by cheaper workers within four years. It claimed that 1,961 staff would be moved to IBM mostly from data centres in Edinburgh and West Yorkshire. 'LTU will use whatever means are at its disposal to oppose this deal with IBM,' a union spokesman said. The 35,000-strong union which is not recognised by Lloyds' management claimed senior IT bosses had raised concerns about the plan as it could lead to critically important systems moving out of their direct control. 'Customers will not be told that their personal banking data is being migrated onto a private cloud and managed offshore,' the spokesman said. 'Even the bank admits that the migration of the accounting details of 20m customers could 'weaken existing security controls and adversely effect the confidentiality and integrity of bank data'.' It is likely to raise fresh concerns about the bank's security after hackers knocked its digital systems offline for two days earlier this year. Lloyds suffered a 'denial of service' attack, in which websites are swamped with millions of viewing requests to overwhelm them. No customer information, however, was accessed or stolen. Banks increasingly view cyber crime as one of the biggest risks, with hackers trying to breach their systems on a daily basis. In November last year Tesco Bank suffered a digital heist and was forced to repay 2.5million to 9,000 customers who lost money as a result. In Bangladesh last year, criminals used a messaging system called Swift to order the central bank to shift 651million into accounts elsewhere. Although some of the cash was blocked, they were still able to move 55million to the Philippines. Sam Hutton of cyber consultancy Glasswall Solutions said: 'Despite the high-profile risks, there is still little understanding of how cyber-criminals operate and the best ways to face them. 'As banks embark on operations to migrate data or make any changes to their critical systems and databases, they must ensure that the outsourced provider has cyber security policies in place that match or exceed their own capabilities to protect sensitive data from hackers. A breach could spell disaster for a bank.' The other unions which represent staff are Accord and Unite. Unite said: 'We are in consultation over the bank's IT strategy.' Accord did not comment. A Lloyds spokesman said: 'We are considering options to extend use of cloud technology in pursuit of the group's aim to be the best bank for customers. 'We do not comment on speculation, and if any decisions are made they will be communicated to our colleagues first.' A transient man was arrested Sunday after police say he set fire to an SUV on the side of Interstate 80 in Bettendorf. Brian Dale Risberg Sr., 52, was booked into the Scott County Jail at 10:44 a.m. Sunday on one count of felony second-degree arson. Bond was set Monday at $20,000 cash or surety. He has a preliminary hearing March 23. The incident happened at 5:51 a.m. Sunday on I-80 westbound near mile marker 300, according to an affidavit filed by Bettendorf police. Risberg used a can of gasoline to pour gasoline in the driver seat of his 2009 Kia Sorento and used a lighter and paper to set it on fire, according to the affidavit. He then walked away from the SUV and did not call 911 to report the fire, according to the affidavit. Both of the I-80 westbound lanes of traffic had to be shut down while the vehicle fire was extinguished. Risberg, according to the affidavit, smelled of gasoline when officers located him inside the westbound rest area. During an interview with police, he admitted that he used gas to set the SUV on fire, according to the affidavit. Risberg said he did so because he was "done driving vehicles, according to the affidavit. Tara Becker writes for the Quad City Times, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach her at tbecker@qctimes.com. Acting Ludzidzini Governor TV Mtetwa addressing Maphungwane residents during a meeting on Saturday. (Pics: Khulekani Nene) MAPHUNGWANE A meeting that was intended to restore peace at the volatile Maphungwane Chiefdom almost degenerated into violence when a small group that is disputing the legitimacy of the incumbent chief, threw stones at the Umphakatsi soon after a meeting with the Ludzidzini Council. The disgruntled residents were unhappy with a message delivered by Acting Ludzidzini Governor TV Mtetwa, who was leading a strong- member Ludzidzini Council, which included former Ministers Prince David and Chief Dambuza Lukhele. Armed police had to quickly intervene as the group, made up mostly of young people, pelted stones towards the royal kraal while standing outside its boundaries. The group vanished and hid in nearby homesteads as soon as the armed police officers approached. The situation returned to normal thereafter and officials from the Umphakatsi confirmed that nobody was hit by the stones that were thrown by the disgruntled residents. The group that threw the stones had moments earlier been part of the meeting in which Mtetwa delivered the message confirming the incumbent Maliwa Maziya, as the legitimate chief of the area. In his address, Mtetwa had said he was sent by BakaNgwane to deliver the message following the instability in the area. He told residents that His Majesty the King had sent the Ludzidzini Council to enquire why there was noise regarding the legitimacy of the chief because the chief had already been installed. MANZINI - A family is still in shock after their four pit bulls turned on Prince Gubhaphansis granddaughter, allegedly mauling and killing her on the spot. Information gathered is still scanty as the family is still traumatised by the incident, which occurred at Lozitha, near His Majesty the Kings Palace. When contacted yesterday, family elders totally refused to entertain the media. The child, three-year-old Yenzokuhle Dlamini, was allegedly killed by the dogs on Saturday night. It is alleged that she was put to bed at about 8pm as usual together with other family members. However, when some of the family members woke up yesterday morning, the child was found dead within the yard. She was discovered lying in a pool of blood, on the green grass within the yard, allegedly after being viciously mauled by the dogs. horrific The alarm was raised and upon inspection, elders discovered that she had horrific gaping bite wounds all over her body. The young Yenzokuhle still had her clothing on when her body was discovered by family members. It could not be gathered how the child got out of the room where she had been sleeping on the night. Matsapha officers under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were called at about 9am yesterday and upon arrival at the homestead, the childs body was inspected, pictures taken and it wrapped and taken to the RFM Hospital where she was certified dead. Some residents were outraged when word of the attack by the vicious dogs went viral in the area. destroyed I cannot imagine what those parents are feeling right now. It is very sad to lose a child at the age of three, just to be ruined and destroyed by family dogs that should have been tied or controlled using other means, a resident who preferred anonymity said. Another resident said the incident was traumatising, especially because the child stayed at the home and the dogs were used to her being around. A family, member who also preferred not to be named, said the childs death was somehow mysterious and they were still trying to find answers. As to how she got out of the house, that is another story. The child was put to bed and it was only in the morning that we realised that she had been killed by the dogs. We are still shocked and do not know what to say really, the family member said before hanging up. The dogs were not taken into animal welfare custody or killed by the police, it was confirmed. It was also gathered that some elders within the family revealed that the death of the child had to be treated as nothing more than a tragic accident. A 32-year-old man was sentenced Friday to four years in prison in connection with the death of a Rock Island infant in August 2015. Robert J. Brewer Jr. declined to make a statement before Rock Island County Judge Frank Fuhr handed down the sentence. Fuhr said no one will ever know what happened the day that 3-month-old Eli Brewer died. Nothing I can do can bring that child back, he said. Brewer pleaded guilty in January to felony involuntary manslaughter. He initially faced the more serious charge of felony first-degree murder. Police found Eli, who was not breathing and had no pulse, at a home in the 1200 block of 31st Street in Rock Island on Aug. 16, 2015. He was taken to Trinity Rock Island and later transferred to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where he died two days later. A Peoria County coroner's jury ruled Eli's death as a homicide on July 14. According to prosecutors, Brewer had been caring for the baby, who was fussy, the day he became unresponsive. Prosecutors say Brewer applied force to Eli's mouth and nose to quiet him but did not intend to injure him. The babys mother, Lindsey Brower, was upstairs sleeping after returning home from work, according to prosecutors. Brewer and Brower were dating at the time of Elis death, according to prosecutors. Rock Island County Assistant States Attorney Jennifer Gardner recommended the maximum sentence Friday and noted Elis injuries, which included bruising on the inside of his mouth, blood coming from his nose and a fractured rib. Were dealing with an infant, she said. The injuries, if they were any more serious, we wouldnt be looking at involuntary manslaughter. His attorney, Matthew Durbin, asked for a sentence of probation, arguing that Brewer has taken responsibility for what happened, has a minimal criminal history and is not a danger to society. Elis death, Durbin said, is a tragedy that cannot be undone. Are we going to fix the situation by putting Mr. Brewer in jail? No, Durbin said. Are these circumstances that are likely to re-occur? No. Fuhr said that granting Brewer probation would deprecate the seriousness of the offense and would not be a deterrent to others. Brewer was given credit 241 days already served in the Rock Island County Jail. He will get day-for-day credit on his prison sentence. After Friday's sentencing hearing, Rock Island County States Attorney John McGehee said he thought the maximum sentence of 14 years was appropriate in this case. The court did what the court thought was fair and just, he said. Elis grandmother, Angela Segura, expressed her frustration with the sentence and said she will work to change the law to make sure something like this doesnt happen again. This is tragic, she said. This is a walk in the park for him. We still have to live. We still have to go on. Tara Becker writes for the Quad City Times, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach her at tbecker@qctimes.com. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Mark Hallum An initiative announced by Delta Airlines is taking aim at airplane noise over Queens, not by switching the trajectory for take-offs and landings but by swapping out raucous equipment with aircraft which are quieter. Delta said it will discontinue use of the MD-88 aircraft, a major factor in noise pollution, 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 March 2. 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 a 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. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie The man charged with killing NYPD Detective Randolph Holder in October 2015 was convicted in New York State Supreme Court this week, according to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Holder, who had previously lived in Far Rockaway, was responding with his partner to an earlier shooting when they encountered Tyrone Howard, 32, on a footbridge at East 120th Street in Manhattan at about 8:43 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2015. Howard shot Holder once in the head, killing him, and fled the scene. He was apprehended by officers a few minutes later. In the final moments of his life, Detective Holder bravely responded to reports of gunfire in an attempt to put a stop to this defendants campaign of criminal activity, Vance said. He was the very definition of a hero, and I thank him posthumously for his service, along with all the members of the NYPD who put their lives on the line everyday to protect the people of the city. Holder was a native of Guyana, joining the NYPD in July 2010. He lived in Far Rockaway after arriving in the United States more than 10 years ago, and later moved to Brooklyn. His wake and funeral were held at Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Jamaica, and his body was returned to Guyana for burial. Holder was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective on Oct. 28, 2015. Howard was convicted of aggravated murder and murder in the first degree and was scheduled to be sentenced on April 3. CEDAR RAPIDS U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau of the Northern District of Iowa has resigned, one of the 46 U.S. attorneys across the nation who were holdovers from the Obama administration who were ousted from office by Friday under the Trump administration. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Cedar Rapids on Monday confirmed the resignation of Techau, 58, of Cedar Rapids. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked Techau, who took office in February 2014, to resign, effective at midnight Friday, along with the 45 other presidentially appointed prosecutors. Techau, a native of Marion and formerly commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety in the administration of Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack, was nominated as the top federal prosecutor by former Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin and supported by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in getting his nomination through the Senate. Iowa has excellent federal, state and local law enforcement officers across the state, Techau said in a statement Monday. "It has been a fulfilling and rewarding experience to have served in this office for the past three years with those professionals. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to lead the men and women who work so hard in the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa. They are a top-notch group of public servants and I am very honored to have been their colleague." Techau was appointed by President Barack Obama on Nov. 7, 2013, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Feb. 12, 2014. Techau said after starting his position in 2014 that he has learned from experience that law enforcement is most successful when all agencies work together. He promoted cooperation and teamwork between federal, state and local authorities, whether it was focusing on gun and drug offenses or working on initiatives to bring offenders back into the workforce after they had served their prison time. He told The Gazette in 2014 he thought his experience as a defense lawyer and as a prosecutor gave him a "vantage point" for his new role. Techau said his defense experience gave him an opportunity to develop relationships with federal prosecutors, especially during his time with the Federal Public Defenders Office and as a trial lawyer with Grefe and Sidney, a law firm in Des Moines. Techau also served seven years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force and 18 years as an officer in the Iowa Air National Guard. Before leading the Iowa Department of Public Safety, he also was director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Berry will serve as acting U.S. Attorney, pending an interim or permanent appointment by President Donald Trump. As was the case in prior transitions, many of the United States Attorneys nominated by the previous administration already have left the Department of Justice, Sarah Isgur Flores, director of public affairs with the Justice Department said in a statement. The Attorney General has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition. Until the new U.S. Attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our U.S. Attorneys Offices will continue the great work of the Department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders. The European Union on Monday warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to avoid inflammatory rhetoric as a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the Netherlands deepened over the blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies to win support for plans to expand his powers. Erdogan at the weekend twice accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who faces a major challenge from the far-right in a key general election Wednesday, said Erdogan\s comments were unacceptable and it was Ankara that should apologise. In an escalating standoff that risks damaging Turkey\s already deteriorating relations with the European Union ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional change, Brussels sternly warned Ankara to avoid making the situation worse. In apparent reference to Erdogan\s comments, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to "refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation. "It is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation," their statement added. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also urged Turkey and its NATO allies to "show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to contribute to de-escalate the tensions". The Dutch authorities had at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam. The ministers had been seeking to harness the support of an estimated 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the country ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes giving Erdogan greater powers. The Turkish foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Dutch envoy to Ankara for the third day in a row, handing two separate protest notes over The Hague\s behaviour. The Netherlands on Monday also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey, urging them to stay "alert across the whole of Turkey". Turkey has already responded furiously to fellow NATO ally Germany\s refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Erdogan comparing such action to "Nazi practices". Denmark has also asked Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a visit planned for later this month. The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought to join for more than half a century in a so far fruitless membership bid. Erdogan, who has indicated he may attempt to address rallies in EU states in a move that could inflame the situation further, said Sunday that the West was showing its "true face" in the standoff. He has repeatedly accused the Netherlands of acting like "fascists" and "Nazis", saying on Sunday: "I had thought that the era of Nazism was over but I was wrong." Rutte, under pressure to take a hard line against Erdogan as he faces the far-right populist Geert Wilders in Wednesday\s poll, said there were no apologies to be made to Turkey. He expressed outrage at Erdogan\s Nazi jibe, noting: "This country was bombed during the Second World War by the Nazis. It\s totally unacceptable to talk in this way." On Monday he called for Dutch voters to be the first to stop Europe\s "trend of populism". EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said in televised comments that Turkey would retaliate against the Netherlands with "sanctions", without giving details. Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli described Europe as a "very sick man", a nod to the moniker used in the mid-19th century of the declining Ottoman Empire as the "sick man of Europe". Turkish newspapers also responded with fury to pictures showing a Dutch police dog attacking a pro-Erdogan protester in Rotterdam as he lay on the ground. "Savagery. The world watched the barbarity against Turkish citizens," said the mainstream Hurriyet daily. Mass-circulation Swiss daily Blick waded into the controversy with a provocative headline in Turkish urging Swiss Turks to "vote against the Erdogan dictatorship". Bringing out the millions-strong expatriate vote could be key in a referendum that is expected to be close and potentially a turning point in Turkey\s modern history. Analysts have said Erdogan is using the crisis to show that his strong leadership is needed against a Europe which he presents as being innately hostile to Turkey. "Erdogan is looking for \imagined\ foreign enemies to boost his nationalist base in the run up to the April 16 referendum," Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Programme at The Washington Institute, told AFP. "By blocking (the rallies), they may have given Erdogan a life line to eke out a victory in the referendum," he added. SOURCE: AFP The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said on Monday there are so far about 465,000 people killed and missing in Syria\s civil war. The war began six years ago on Wednesday with protests against President Bashar al-Assad\s government. It has since dragged in global and regional powers, allowed Islamic State to grab huge tracts of territory and caused the biggest refugee crisis since the second world war. The Observatory said it had documented the deaths of more than 321,000 people since the start of the war and more than 145,000 others had been reported as missing. Among those killed are more than 96,000 civilians, said the Observatory, which has used a network of contacts across the country to maintain a count of casualties since near the start of the conflict. It said government forces and their allies had killed more than 83,500 civilians, including more than 27,500 in air strikes and 14,600 under torture in prison. Rebel shelling had killed more than 7,000 civilians, the Observatory said. The Islamic State jihadist group has killed more than 3,700 civilians, air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition have killed 920 civilians and Turkey, which is backing rebels in northern Syria, has killed more than 500 civilians, it added. Syria\s government and Russia both deny targeting civilians or using torture or extrajudicial killings. Most rebel groups and Turkey also deny targeting civilians. The U.S.-led coalition says it tries hard to avoid civilian casualties and always investigates reports that it has done so. SOURCE: REUTERS Airlines serving Albany and other Northeast U.S. airports are offering passengers travel waivers if they have reservations for Tuesday and, in some cases, Wednesday. American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United all are offering to waive change fees, although some restrictions apply. Details are available on their websites. By mid-afternoon Monday, JetBlue and Southwest had canceled all their Tuesday outbound flights from Albany. American, Delta and United indicated some early-morning flights might operate, but in all cases, travelers should check with their airline on the status of their particular flight. Greyhound said it was canceling all service in and out of Albany beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Trailways said it also would cancel all service into and out of Albany on Tuesday. Peter Pan canceled its service between Albany and Springfield, Mass., for the duration of the storm. Amtrak said it would operate its Empire Service -- the trains that operate between New York City and upstate cities -- on a modified schedule. Some trains might be truncated or canceled, Amtrak said. Passengers can monitor train status on Amtrak's app or website. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. CDTA said passengers should monitor real-time schedule information on its website, www.cdta.org, or on its app, to see whether their bus is operating and when it will arrive. The Capital Region is expected to get as much as 18 inches of snow from Tuesday into Wednesday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany By day, Yechiel Landau is a very wealthy Brooklyn real estate developer: As of 2010, his net worth was $8.4 million, according to an application he reportedly submitted to the state Department of Health. Yet Landau also maintains a job as a $9,500-a-year, part-time "community liaison" in the office of veteran Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind. The lawmaker is a longtime close friend of Landau who has received $9,000 in campaign contributions from the developer. While the pay is a drop in the bucket for Landau, such part-time gigs in the Legislature can come with a major perk: access for the employee and their family to New York government's generous, subsidized health benefit packages, which are collectively worth vastly more than a $9,500 salary. One of the state health care options, the Empire Plan, has no deductible for in-network services and a $1,000 deductible for non-network care. Those older than 55 with ten years in state government can get lifetime coverage. At a time when many Americans are worried about the future of their health coverage, Albany insiders say the part-time jobs with insurance perks can be used by lawmakers to reward personal and political allies. Neither Hikind nor Landau would answer questions about whether the millionaire is accepting the taxpayer-subsidized health care perk. But Hikind in the past has made good use of the benefits for his own adult sons. No matter their salary, assuming they list working at least 17.5 hours a week "on a regular basis," staffers can enjoy the benefits of New York's insurance coverage while still working primarily in more lucrative private sector jobs. The law is self-policed. "Specific determinations of whether an individual is working 50 percent or more (of the 35-hour full-time week) on a regular basis is made by the employing agency," a Department of Civil Service spokesman said. Meanwhile, an affluent, politically connected developer who is a "community liaison" for Westchester Democratic state Sen. George Latimer works exactly 17.5 hours a week, according to Latimer's office. The developer, Gene Branca, also did not return requests for comment about whether he takes the health care perk. The Department of Civil Service declined to confirm or deny whether these people were getting the state health care package, citing federal health privacy law. Hikind, a power broker in the Orthodox Jewish community who was close with ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, has one of the chamber's biggest payrolls, even though he does not chair a committee. Hikind in the past has acknowledged lining up low-paying jobs for his adult sons with fellow Brooklyn Assembly members, which brought them eligibility for state health care. In 2011, Yoni Hikind got a $13,000-a-year job as a legislative aide for Assemblyman Peter Abbate; Shmuel Hikind got a $10,500 job as a community liaison for Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs. "I help strangers and I certainly don't discriminate against members of my family," Hikind told the Daily News, which first reported those hirings. At that time, Hikind did not mention another, similar hiring in his own office. On Sept. 17, 2011, Shmuel Hikind had joined Jacobs' staff. Exactly one day earlier Sept. 16, 2011 Dov Hikind had hired Jacobs' 38-year-old nephew, Dov Blumenthal, as another community liaison, for $12,000. That came after Blumenthal had served as a temporary community liaison on Jacobs' own staff in 2010, an apparent violation of the state's anti-nepotism law. Jacobs, who did not run for re-election in 2014, has maintained the two hirings over two days were not part of a transaction, and that she did not know the law forbade her from initially hiring her nephew. Neither Hikind is currently on an Assembly payroll, but Blumenthal is still on Hikind's staff. Hikind hired Landau, owner of the development firm YTM Ltd., at the beginning of 2013. A 2010 article in Crain's New York Business stated that in seeking a lucrative license for Shining Star, a home care company that was also Landau-owned, the bidder had stated in an application with the Department of Health that Landau was worth $8.4 million. Up in Westchester, the affluent developer Gene Branca has since May 2013 held a $10,000-year-job in the office of Latimer. Branca is the son of John Branca, the late former mayor of Port Chester and a former Assembly member who was a longtime associate of Latimer. Gene Branca is the owner and CEO of REI Management Group and has been a director at U.S.A. Bank since 2007. According to one online profile, REI manages more than 45 commercial and residential buildings. Payroll records show Branca has held both community liaison and legislative aide jobs at various times in the Assembly dating back to 1998. Victor Mallison, Latimer's chief of staff, said it was strictly between Branca and the Senate personnel office whether or not Branca got state health care. Mallison initially told the Times Union that Branca worked 624 hours a year, which would be 12 hours a week below the 17.5 hour-a-week threshold. After a reporter pointed this out, Mallison corrected himself to say that Branca works 910 hours a year, or exactly 17.5 hours a week. Mallison said he made the error because he had not looked at Branca's paperwork for some time, and employee time sheets were handled in a different office. Mallison said Branca "covers the communities of Harrison, Eastchester, Bronxville, and Tuckahoe" and tracks what is happening in local City Council and Town Council meetings. cbragg@timesunion.com 518-454-5303 @chrisbragg1 BALLSTON SPA -- A memorial created in memory of Amy Stock, a professor killed in an alcohol-related crash, was put on display Monday at the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office. The memorial was created by the Otsego County sheriff's office. Stock's sister lives in that county. CLEAR LAKE | A Clear Lake man was sentenced last week to up to five years in prison for violating the rules of the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Justin Lee Moor, 33, pleaded guilty to one felony count of sex offender registration violation (second offense) and two counts of sex offender registration violation (third or subsequent offense). An additional count of sex offender registration violation (third or subsequent offense) was dismissed as part of a plea bargain. Moor was accused of failing to notify the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office with five business days when his employment was terminated, when he opened a Facebook account under a different name and when he changed residences, according to court documents. Moor was convicted to two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree sexual abuse in 1996 in Mitchell County. Moor was 13 at the time of the second-degree sexual abuse offenses, according to online sex offender registry records. Moor also was convicted of indecent exposure in 2000 in Cerro Gordo County. -- Mary Pieper This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Beirut An al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility Sunday for twin blasts near holy shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed at least 40 people as a suspected airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition killed at least 17 in northern Syria, activists said. The Levant Liberation Committee said in a statement that the attack was carried out by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. It identified the suicide attackers as Abu Omar and Abu Aisha. The Syrian government maintains that the attacks killed 40 people. However the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights increased its estimated death toll on Sunday to 74. Conflicting casualty estimates are common in the aftermath of violence in Syria. The attacks in Damascus show that Syrian militant groups can still strike deep inside the capital where security is tight, with scores of checkpoints that search cars and ask people for identity cards. The claim of responsibility comes at a time when al-Qaida's branch in Syria known as the Fatah al-Sham Front is trying to market itself as the only effective force against Assad and the main defender of the country's majority Sunnis. Fatah al-Sham is opposed to peace talks between the opposition and the government that have taken place recently in Geneva and the Kazakh capital of Astana. Fatah al-Sham as well as the Islamic State group have been excluded from a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey that went into effect on Dec. 30. Saturday's attack also wounded more than a hundred, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials. The al-Qaida-linked group said the blasts were a message to Iran a main backer of Assad. "Iran and its militias have, from the start of the revolution, supported the tyrannical and criminal regime and have been killing and displacing our people," the statement said. "This is a message to Iran and its militias that the right will not go wasted." The Levant Liberation Committee is a coalition of several militant groups dominated by Fatah al-Sham. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In the two weeks since the tiny detonation on the left side of his brain, Jack McEneny has been stumbling on certain words. One of them is "stroke." This doesn't stop the famously voluble former Democratic Assembly member from talking. During an hourlong interview Thursday at the breakfast table of his house close by Buckingham Pond, McEneny looks and sounds very much as he did before Sunday, Feb. 26. That was the day he began to notice he was suffering from bouts of confusion that went beyond the common brain-clouding effects of a cold or a bad night's sleep. "Something wasn't right," he says. "People would mention something, and I couldn't remember the so I'd put in another word that would be equally good, but wasn't my usual." He was also having trouble reading articles in the newspaper: "I would read it, but I didn't know what it said 'Well, I'll read it again must have been distracted.'" He would try five times and then give up without making it to the third paragraph. When things hadn't improved Monday morning, McEneny and his wife Jan drove to St. Peter's Hospital, where over the next day and a half he went through a battery of tests. The doctors told him he had suffered a stroke that, while minor, had done damage to a portion of his frontal lobe a region known as Broca's formation that plays a key role in speech and language. The blanket term for what he's going through is aphasia, though the particulars of how it has affected McEneny can sound as outlandishly random as a wizard's curse. The most significant impact: Though he can still converse with the acuity of an academic on topics ranging from the novels of his friend William Kennedy to local politics, McEneny's reading ability has been reduced to the first-grade level. He demonstrates by pulling out a children's picture book and reading through the first few pages. Even going slow and using his index finger as a guide, it's a grind. "That's how bad it is and I've only read this several times," he says with a laugh. A fatalistic Irish wit is a famously effective coping mechanism. In January, McEneny had taken advantage of some free time afforded by Jan's visits to her new grandchild to reorganize his extensive library, which fills an entire wall and a standing bookcase in the living room. He offers a tour of the packed shelves: Irish history segregated from the history of the Irish in America, novels by Albany authors above and to the left of annals of the city's pioneering Dutch families. His own contribution, "Albany: Capital City on the Hudson," came out in 1981. "I rearranged everything here. ... I can't read a goddamned one of them," he says. McEneny served in the Assembly for two decades before retiring in 2012. His Democratic colleague Ron Canestrari calls daily. A vase of flowers from Republican state Sen. Cathy Young who recently asked McEneny for any biographical information on the night watchman who was the lone fatality of the 1911 fire that ripped through the west side of the Capitol sits on the breakfast table. McEneny is a lifelong record-keeper of personal interactions, a habit that goes back to his early days as an aide to Mayor Erastus Corning II. He has continued to keep meticulous journal notes of phone calls and other daily details in the sort of neat handwriting that would make a Victorian calligrapher jealous. (He claims it's "a little sloppier" than before; it's still better than my own manic scrawl.) I ask McEneny for his age. "Thirty-seven and a half," he says evenly, and I crack up along with Jan and his daughter Rachel. "Don't lie, you're 40," Rachel tells him. Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter. But Jan isn't sure her husband was kidding. "He has been reversing the numbers," she says. That's another effect of aphasia. McEneny nods. "I reversed it 73 and a half," he says. He thinks he'd have no trouble writing a cogent paragraph, but doubts he'd be able to read it after lifting the pencil. His doctor has told him to sing as much as possible: The act of recalling and delivering lyrics has been found to help the stunned brain cells in the immediate vicinity of the stroke build new pathways. He goes to therapy three times a week, and plans to enlist his 12-year-old granddaughter for reading sessions. "Could it be something that comes back all by itself? It could, for all you know," he says. "If you work on it, it'll happen quicker than if you wait for it to happen on its own. Or it may not happen at all." cseiler@timesunion.com 518-454-5619 Lori Van Buren Dr. Julie Holland in her commentary "Cuomo should change cannabis position," Feb. 19, thinks we should legalize marijuana, but perhaps she hasn't looked carefully at the larger picture. For instance, many people who live in apartments would be forced to inhale legal marijuana smoke. Residents who share walls, and possibly ventilation systems, with others could do nothing about neighbors smoking pot when that smoke invades their non-smoking homes. This is especially a problem experienced by the poor. Already, many of them are being forced to inhale cigarette smoke; marijuana would tragically compound the problem. Legalizing marijuana would mean we would be unable to protect our children from inhaling a potent drug in their cribs and throughout their childhoods. Today, if someone knows that an adult smokes pot around children, or the neighbor's pot smoke invades other homes, people can make an anonymous report. Rules intended to prevent smoking cigarettes in apartments are often ineffective. People ignore them; many are afraid to inform on their neighbors. AFMC honors, announces annual award winners WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force Materiel Command honored its top Airmen of 2016 during the command's Annual Excellence Awards Banquet March 8, 2017. Sixty-one Airmen from throughout AFMC's headquarters, centers and wings were nominated to compete in nine separate categories -- airman, non-commissioned officer, senior NCO, first sergeant, company grade officer, field grade officer, civilian category I, civilian category II and civilian category III. Almost 300 family members, friends, community leaders and command officials gathered in the Modern Flight Gallery of the National Museum of the United States Air Force to honor the nominees. Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, AFMC commander, hosted the awards ceremony. After congratulating all the nominees and winners on a job well done, she commented on how fortunate she felt to be the commander of such Airmen. "I am the luckiest commander in the Air Force," said Pawlikowski. "No other place in the Air Force other than AFMC will you find Airmen who have such a direct effect on protecting our freedoms." The winners are: Airman Category -- Senior Airman Nathan M. Koenig, Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. As a Base Defense Operations Center Controller, Koenig stood out first as the No. 1 Airman in the Air Forces largest wing. From this position he directed 75 persons, securing the Defense Departments largest base. Koenig managed the DoDs largest alarm system, and became the first Airman selected as Electronic Security Manager, normally an E-5 position. Non-Commissioned Officer Category Tech. Sgt. Amanda R. Esparza, Air Force Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California. Esparza distinguished herself as Non-Commissioned Officer in the groups largest squadron in the position of Cost Center Manager. She readied 360 Security Forces enabling base defense Initial Operational Capability for F-15s. Additionally, Esparza restructured a 39-vehicle fleet, increasing patronage coverage of 308,000 acres. Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Category -- Master Sgt. Michael J. Stevens, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Stevens distinguished himself by serving as the interim Superintendent of Military Training for three months of Air Force Materiel Commands sole military training program. He was selected as AFMCs 2015 Military Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. In addition, Stevens managed the 88th Air Base Wing Airmen Leadership Program, graduating the highest number of distinguished and honor graduates in three years. First Sergeant Category -- Master Sgt. William D. Schipper, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Schipper distinguished himself by his proven leadership as First Sergeant for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center Squadron and the Air Force Research Laboratory, earning awards and inspiring Airmen. He led the Below The Zone program. Three Levitow Airmen Leadership School wins were garnered as a result of his trusted leadership. Schipper also spearheaded eight base promotion ceremonies, and led the First Sergeant Diamond Sharp Award in nine months. Company Grade Officer Category -- Capt. Tanner V. Smith, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Smith acted as Chief Operations Management Division in a lieutenant colonel division chief billet. During this time, he led 11 civilian and military personnel, while guiding engineer operations for 180 total force bases. He advanced the division with 60 percent manning, overhauling position descriptions for rapidly evolving requirements. During this time, Stevens also drove a $1.6 billion program, building requirements and advocating budgetary processes enabling operations at 82 active-duty bases. Field Grade Officer Category Lt. Col. Timothy M. Helfrich, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. A strong leader and deployed warrior, Helfrich served as a materiel leader commander. In this role, he led a 38-member joint Special Operations Forces unit, providing life support to seven units at locations across the area of operation in a deployed environment. He was named headquarters Training Manager for two consecutive quarters. He commanded a 79-member team and managed four programs. Civilian Category I Brett M. Castle, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Castle distinguished himself as engineering technician in the energy program engineering squadron. He carried the program to new heights, reducing energy usage in the 150-building inventory by 21 percent in fiscal year 2016, as compared to 2 percent in fiscal year 2015. He also ramrodded $94 million in upgrades, resulting in 20 percent less energy use. Civilian Category II - Brian Carr, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, Battle Management. Carr distinguished himself as the Recap Deputy Radar Installation Planning Team Lead for the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Recapitalization Division. To meet Defense Acquisition Executive direction, he developed a $130 million acquisition strategy to mitigate risk associated with Recaps $2.9 billion engineering and manufacturing development phase. The acquisition strategy resulted in two contracts awarded in less than two months, where Carr was the execution program manager on a $70 million letter contract. Civilian Category III Kenneth D. Pickler, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Pickler distinguished himself as Chief of Financial Management for the Long Range Standoff Cruise Missile Program, Nuclear Weapons Acquisition Division, Air Delivered Capabilities Directorate. Pickler led six top financial management experts executing a $10 billion program. Additionally, his innovations in staffing the program were lauded by Air Staff leadership for setting new benchmarks in civilian hiring. He co-led Air Force-wide streamlining of acquisition finance self-inspection checklists, reducing line items by 86 percent and focusing inspections on the most critical processes and policies. Winners in the four enlisted categories will represent AFMC in the United States Air Force Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year and First Sergeant of the Year competitions held later this year. John Murray, a teacher in Cashel Community School, is the very popular choice as Cashel Person of the Year for 2017. Mr Murray was presented with his trophy at a most enjoyable event in Halla na Feile on Wednesday night last (March 8th). Organised by Cashel Lions Club, John became the thirty-first recipient of the honour, which was first presented to Maura McHugh in 1987. The award honours members of the public who contribute in a significant way to the social, sporting, artistic, economic life of the community during the previous twelve months. And John Murrays contribution was to the musical life of the parish and while that contribution has been major since his arrival in the town in 1994, it was particularly significant in 2016, when he was the initiator of a musical tribute to the events of 1916. Cashel Community School in conjunction with Cashel Arts Festival, presented a unique event commemorating the centenary of 1916. It was a historic event for Cashel and its people. The commemorative programme aspired to recall many aspects that were familiar in the lives of the people of Cashel during the era of 1916 and embraced many of the artistic strands outlined in the National Centenary Programme including remembering, celebrating, recalling and imagining. Most of all it was an opportunity for young people to collaborate and participate in being part of an event that linked them with their great grandparents and hopefully something they will recall in many years to come. This event took place on Sunday 15th May at 4pm in St. John the Baptist Parish Church, Friar Street and was funded under the 1916/2016 Centenary Programme. Later in the year Cashel Community School Choir were invited by the County Tipperary N&B Association of New York to commemorate the 1916 Rising in a once off concert. Nomination A very important part in selecting the Cashel Person of the Year is the nomination process. A person or persons decides that somebodys contribution to the community deserves recognition and that the Person of the Year Award is the best way of giving that recognition. The nominator sends the nomination to the secretary of the Cashel Lions Club and is then invited to come before an adjudication panel and expand on the information in the nomination, in order to convince the panel that his/her nominee is the most deserving of the award. In this case the nominator was Johns daughter, Johanna, who believed that her father was really deserving of the award and secretly nominated him and advanced his cause before the adjudication panel. As she said at the presentation, she had appreciated the huge amount of work that his did, the amount of time he spent and the level of perfection he achieved with his students. She herself saw his work at first hand having had him as a father, teacher, class head, producer of musicals in which she played a part, and believed she had an insight greater than most into his work, commitment and achievements. He deserved the recognition and the Person of the Year award was the best way of doing it. Acceptance In his acceptance speech, following the presentation of the perpetual trophy by Lions President, D. J. Horan, John said he was humbled by the award and it had never figured in his sights. He was self-effacing about his achievements, emphasising that he has always been only one among many in everything he does. He paid a particular tribute to the help and encouragement he received from his wife, Karen, and his daughters, Johanna and Rose. Also from his colleagues in the school and in the wider community through the Cashel Arts Fest. Above all he was helped by the huge natural talent of young people. The final part of the celebration of John Murrays presentation and achievement was the presentation of a memento to last years winner, Pat Flynn, whose name is now inscribed on the perpetual trophy as the 30th recipient of the Cashel person of the Year. MASON CITY | Seventy-five people, including Christians and Muslims, attended the Friday service at Adas Israel after the synagogue received an anti-Semitic phone message last weekend. Attendance at the Sabbath Eve service, which takes place once a month, is usually a dozen people or less. "Your show of support has strengthened us," said Alan Steckman, president of the Jewish congregation in Mason City, before the service began. Sharon O'Neill, a member of Epiphany Parish, came with several other local Catholics. "We are here to support the Jewish community in Mason City, she said. The Christian faith has its roots in the Jewish faith, O'Neill noted. "They are our brethren," she said. "Jesus was a Jew." Steckman invited everyone to come have a closer look at one of the synagogue's Torah scrolls. He said the style of the handwritten script on the scroll is the same as Jesus would have seen when he looked at the Torah more than 2,000 years ago. "Their value to us is priceless," Steckman said. Michael Libbie of Des Moines, spiritual leader of Adas Israel, greeted people before the service began. He said the Mason City synagogue is the third in Iowa to receive a hateful message over the past three weeks. Synagogues and Jewish centers in other parts of the country also have been targeted. Jewish cemeteries have been vandalized. Libbie said hate has been "bubbling under the surface" for a long time, but the recent national discourse has emboldened fringe groups. Still, "Out of every bad thing, something good happens," he said. After the news spread about a voice mail message from someone threatening to spray pigs blood on the Mason City synagogue, people began posting about it on social media and asking what they could do to help. Libbie posted a message on Facebook inviting those who wished to show their solidarity to come to the service on Friday. He said he was moved by the "outpouring of support from people from different faiths." Libbie said Adas Israel has been trying to reach out to the local Muslim community, and on Friday a number of them came to the service. "We just wanted to show solidarity with the Jewish congregation here," said Dr. Jaffar Shaikh from Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. Although Muslims have been threatened in other parts of the country, that hasn't happened in Mason City, according to Shaikh. "So far we have been lucky," he said. Instead, they have received lots of support from non-Muslims, Shaikh said. This weekend is the festival of Purim, which celebrates Queen Esther saving the Jewish people in Persia from destruction. The festival "couldn't have come at a more opportune time," Libbie said. Denise Counsell, a friend of the Steckmans, said she came to the service "to not let hate win out." "Good people need to step up," she said. Showing support for the Jewish congregation sends a message that "we don't stand for (hate) in this community," she said. An old suit of armour steeped in mystery; innocuous-looking picture frames concealing secrets and heartbreak; almost a chance encounter in a town square; prejudice colliding with loyalty; memories evoked by an amber button; love; angels and a misadventure outside a country pub all of these are themes evoked by The Tipperary Excel Writers. The writers gathered last Thursday in the Art Gallery of the Excel Arts Centre, to read from their work as part of the AONTAS nationwide celebration of 'The Power and Joy of Learning'. AONTAS, the Irish National Adult Learning Organisation, holds a themed festival of learning each year where groups, from all over the country, showcase their work. The Excel Writers meet every fortnight to discover the power of language. They are challenged and energised by exploring characters and their different worlds. These characters and their worlds end up as stories as varied as each one of us is. This year, their work is being published as a book of shorts stories, poetry, observations and musings. The as yet, untitled book, will be launched in October, 2017. The late William Trevor and Frank Delaney both of whom had strong and formative Tipperary connections - were remembered at the gathering. Tributes, to both of these masters of the written and spoken word, will be included during the launch of the Excel Writers book. Up to 50 people attended the readings. With refreshments provided by The French Quarter Cafe, it was a delightful way to spend a Thursday afternoon. Thanks are due to the following: the Tipperary Education and Training Board, without whose support, the writing classes could not continue; the Excel Arts Centre, for they provide the premises; Trish McHale, the tutor; the writers themselves these are the people who do the work! Look out for the launch of their book later in the year - more thanks here, due to Tipperary Education and Training Board, for their funding of the publication. [March 13, 2017] Registration Now Open for Industry Leading Annual Life Science Career Fair ROOSEVELT, N.J., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HireLifeScience.com, the premier career networking website for the Life Science industries, will host its 8th annual career fair at The NJ Convention and Exposition Center at Raritan Center in Edison, NJ on September 26, 2017. Novo Nordisk is the event's Platinum Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. The healthcare company has nearly 100 open positions listed on HireLifeScience.com. Covance will attend the event as a Silver Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year making this year the fifth year in a row the company will send representatives to the Career Fair. AstraZeneca, a worldwide top five pharmaceutical company, is a third year Silver Sponsor and the company has close to 300 job opportunities throughout the United States. HireLifeScience.com is proud to present Merck as the final Silver Sponsor for the Career Fair for a second year in a row. Some other companies who will attend are MedImmune, Daiichi Sankyo, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and LEO Pharma. Additional companies will be added during the spring and summer months, as 20 notable life science companies attended the 2016 event. Registration is now open and professionals are encouraged to pre-register for the event at http://hirelifescience.com/career/default.aspx. The event is exclusive to Life Science professionals who possess a minimum of two years' experience working for a Life Science related company and a minimum of a four-year Life Science related degree. Doors will open for qualified professionals at 11 a.m. and the event will conclude at 4 p.m. The HireLifeScience.com Career Fair 2017 will be one of the industry's most qualified gatherings of companies and professionals. The objective of the event is to bring the HireLifeScience.com client companies and network of professionals together in one place expediting the hiring process. This annual career fair is exclusive to hiring companies and no third-party recruiters will participate in the event. Professionals with a background related, but not limited to: Bioinformatics; Clinical Research; Laboratory; Quality QA & QC; Medical Communications; Manufacturing; Medical Device; Regulatory Affairs; Research & Development; and Pharma/Biotech Sales & Marketing should attend. "The event has taken on a life of its own and continues to grow year after year. The attending companies represent the titans of the life science industry and each year the candidates bear impressive resumes. This year's event promises to be one of most successful Career Fairs we've coordinatedwe have excellent companies with diverse hiring needs," stated Rob Masterson, President of HireLifeScience.com. Since 2005 HireLifeScience.com has provided Life Science professionals with the ability to apply directly to Life Science companies and avoid third party recruiters during the hiring process. HireLifeScience.com is designed to help Life Science professionals personalize the job search by: building professional profiles; following and connecting with individual HR representatives; and applying directly to thousands of jobs in the Life Science industry. For more information on this event or any of our services please visit www.HireLifeScience.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/registration-now-open-for-industry-leading-annual-life-science-career-fair-300422597.html SOURCE HireLifeScience.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Sunovion Submits Supplemental New Drug Application to FDA for Use of APTIOM (eslicarbazepine acetate) for the Treatment of Partial-Onset Seizures in Children 4 Years of Age and Older Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Sunovion) today announced that it has submitted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the indication for its antiepileptic drug (AED) APTIOM (eslicarbazepine acetate) to include use as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures (POS) in children four years of age and older. APTIOM is the only exclusively once-daily, immediate release antiepileptic drug (AED) that is FDA-approved for use as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for POS in adults. The treatment can be taken whole or crushed, with or without food, and can be administered with flexible dosing based on patient response and tolerability. "Sunovion is committed to the continued development of APTIOM to bring this treatment option to as many people as possible who experience partial-onset seizures," said Antony Loebel, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Sunovion, Head of Global Clinical Development for Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Group. "There is a significant need for new therapeutic options for children and adolescents with partial-onset seizures. Approximately one-third of people living with epilepsy are unable to control their seizures through available treatments, including the approximately 60 percent of people with epilepsy who have partial-onset seizures." Sunovion is seeking an expansion of APTIOM's indication for adjunctive therapy and monotherapy in adults to include children four years of age and older based on FDA guidance regarding the use of extrapolation of data to support an application. The safety and efficacy of APTIOM as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy for the treatment of POS in adults was established in five multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trials. All trials met the pre-specified primary endpoints agreed upon with the FDA. In the sNDA submission, Sunovion will also include data from three clinical trials conducted by our partner BIAL-Portela & C.a, S.A. (BIAL), which support the safety and tolerability of APTIOM for the treatment of POS in pediatric patients, along with pharmacokinetic analyses from adult and pediatric data, which support the proposed dosing regimen in the pediatric population. Sunovion's ongoing development program for APTIOM includes a Phase 4 study in adults with POS that is designed to evaluate APTIOM in real-world clinical settings supporting the use of APTIOM as adjunctive therapy for POS. The study includes an exploratory endpoint to evaluate the use of the Embrace watch by Empatica, an investigational wearable device with unique proprietary technology, to detect and record POS subjectively identified by patients or caregivers. This is the first time that a wearable seizure detection device has been incorporated into the trial design of an AED for POS such as APTIOM. Additionally, Sunovion is planning a Phase 3 clinical study in children younger than four years of age. About APTIOM (eslicarbazepine acetate) APTIOM is the latest member of the dibenzazepine carboxamide family of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), an established class of medicines. APTIOM is the only exclusively once-daily, immediate release AED FDA-approved for use as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults. The precise mechanism(s) by which eslicarbazepine, the primary active metabolite of APTIOM, exerts anticonvulsant activity is unknown but is thought to involve inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. APTIOM can be taken whole or crushed, with or without food. APTIOM is not classified as a controlled substance by the FDA. The initial research and development of eslicarbazepine acetate was performed by BIAL-Portela & C.a, S.A. (BIAL), a privately held Portuguese research-based pharmaceutical company. Subsequently, Sunovion acquired the rights under an exclusive license to further develop and commercialize eslicarbazepine acetate in the United States and Canada markets from BIAL. APTIOM is approved in Canada for use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients with epilepsy who are not satisfactorily controlled with conventional therapy. BIAL gained approval for eslicarbazepine acetate from the European Medicines Agency in April 2009, as adjunctive therapy in adult patients with partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization and in December 2016, as adjunctive treatment for patients above age six years with partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization. In Europe, the product is marketed under the trade name Zebinix. About Epilepsy and Partial-Onset (News - Alert)Seizures Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological condition, and one in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy in his or her lifetime.1 In the U.S., approximately 2.9 million people are living with active epilepsy, including approximately 460,000 children aged 0 to 17 years.2 Epilepsy manifests as unprovoked seizures, which are caused by abnormal firing of impulses from nerve cells in the brain.3 Partial-onset seizures are characterized by bursts of electrical activity that are initially focused in specific areas of the brain and may become more widespread, with symptoms varying according to the affected areas.4 The unpredictable nature of seizures may have a significant impact on those with epilepsy. Reducing the frequency of seizures may lessen the burden of epilepsy. With approximately one-third of people living with epilepsy still unable to control seizures, there continues to be a need for new therapies.5 Up to 40 percent of people living with epilepsy do not respond to the first or second monotherapy,6 and approximately 36 percent fail to achieve adequate control of seizures despite the use of two or more antiepileptic medications.7 Please see Important Safety Information below. INDICATION: Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) is a prescription medicine used alone or wih other medicines to treat partial-onset seizures. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not take APTIOM if you are allergic to eslicarbazepine acetate, any of the other ingredients in APTIOM, or oxcarbazepine. Suicidal behavior and ideation: Antiepileptic drugs, including APTIOM, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempting to commit suicide; new or worse depression, anxiety, or irritability; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping (insomnia); acting aggressive; being angry or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania); or other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Allergic reactions: APTIOM may cause serious skin rash or other serious allergic reactions that may affect organs or other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: swelling of the face, eyes, lips, or tongue; trouble swallowing or breathing; hives; fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that do not go away or come and go; painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes; yellowing of the skin or eyes; unusual bruising or bleeding; severe fatigue or weakness; severe muscle pain; or frequent infections or infections that do not go away. Low salt (sodium) levels in the blood: APTIOM may cause the level of sodium in your blood to be low. Symptoms may include nausea, tiredness, lack of energy, irritability, confusion, muscle weakness or muscle spasms, or more frequent or more severe seizures. Some medicines can also cause low sodium in your blood. Be sure to tell your health care provider about all the other medicines that you are taking. Nervous system problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your nervous system, including dizziness, sleepiness, vision problems, trouble concentrating, and difficulties with coordination and balance. APTIOM may slow your thinking or motor skills. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how APTIOM affects you. Liver problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your liver. Symptoms of liver problems include yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, or dark urine. Most common adverse reactions: The most common side effects in patients taking APTIOM include dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, headache, double vision, vomiting, feeling tired, problems with coordination, blurred vision, and shakiness. Drug interactions: Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking APTIOM with certain other medicines may cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your health care provider. Especially tell your health care provider if you take oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, clobazam, omeprazole, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, or birth control medicine. Discontinuation: Do not stop taking APTIOM without first talking to your health care provider. Stopping APTIOM suddenly can cause serious problems. Pregnancy and lactation: APTIOM may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method to use. APTIOM may harm your unborn baby. APTIOM passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and your health care provider will decide if you should take APTIOM. If you become pregnant while taking APTIOM, talk to your health care provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. Get medical help right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information, please see the APTIOM Medication Guide and Full Prescribing Information. APTIOM is used under license from BIAL. About Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Sunovion) Sunovion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the innovative application of science and medicine to help people with serious medical conditions. Sunovion's vision is to lead the way to a healthier world. The company's spirit of innovation is driven by the conviction that scientific excellence paired with meaningful advocacy and relevant education can improve lives. With patients at the center of everything it does, Sunovion has charted new paths to life-transforming treatments that reflect ongoing investments in research and development and an unwavering commitment to support people with psychiatric, neurological and respiratory conditions. Sunovion's track record of discovery, development and commercialization of important therapies has included Brovana (arformoterol tartrate), Latuda (lurasidone HCI) and Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate). Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., Sunovion is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd., based in London, England, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, and Sunovion CNS Development Canada ULC, based in Toronto, Ontario, are wholly-owned direct subsidiaries of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Additional information can be found on the company's web sites: www.sunovion.com, www.sunovion.eu and www.sunovion.ca. Connect with Sunovion on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. About Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is among the top-ten listed pharmaceutical companies in Japan operating globally in major pharmaceutical markets, including Japan, the United States, China and the European Union. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma aims to create innovative pharmaceutical products in the Psychiatry & Neurology area and the Oncology area, which have been designated as the focus therapeutic areas. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is based on the merger in 2005 between Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Today, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma has about 6,500 employees worldwide. Additional information about Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is available through its corporate website at www.ds-pharma.com. LATUDA and SUNOVION are registered trademarks of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. BROVANA is a registered trademark of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. APTIOM is used under license from BIAL. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a U.S. subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. 2017 Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. All rights reserved. For a copy of this release, visit Sunovion's web site at www.sunovion.com References 1 Institute of Medicine (IOM). 2012. "Epilepsy across the spectrum: Promoting health and understanding." Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Epilepsy Fast Facts" Accessed February 2017. 3 National Institutes of Health. "NINDS Epilepsy Information Page" Accessed July 2015. 4 Epilepsy Foundation. "Complex Partial Seizures." Accessed July 2015. 5 Brodie MJ, Barry SJE, Bamagous GA, Norrie JD, Kwan P. Patterns of treatment response in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology. 2012;78:1548-1554. 6 Kwan P, Brodie MJ. "Early Identification of Refractory Epilepsy." New England Journal of Medicine (2000): 342(5):314-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10660394. 7 Epilepsy Foundation. "If First Medicine Doesn't Work" http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-epilepsy/treatment-101- basics/if-first-medicine-doesn't work. Accessed November 2016. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313005659/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] USNA INVESTOR ALERT: The Law Offices of Vincent Wong Reminds Investors of a Class Action Involving USANA Health Sciences, Inc. and a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of April 14, 2017 The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has been commenced in the USDC for the District of Utah on behalf of investors who purchased USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE:USNA) securities between March 14, 2014 and February 7, 2017. Click here to learn about the case: http://www.wongesq.com/pslra/usana-health-sciences-inc. There is no cost or obligation to you. According to the complaint, throughout the Class Period Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material adverse facts, including that: (i) the Company's BabyCare Ltd. subsidiary had engaged in improper reimbursement practices in China; (ii) these practices constituted violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; (iii) as such, the Company's China revenues were in part the product of unlawful conduct and unlikely to be sustainable; (iv) the foregoing conduct was likely to subject the Company to significant regulatory scrutiny; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, USANA's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times On February 7, 2017, post-market, USANA disclosed that "[t]he Company is voluntarily conducting an internal investigation of its China operations, BabyCare Ltd. The investigation focuses on compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . . . and certain conduct and policies at BabyCare, including BabyCare's expense reimbursement policies." If you suffered a loss in USANA you have until April 14, 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. To obtain additional information, contact Vincent Wong, Esq. either via email [email protected], by telephone at 212.425.1140, or visit http://www.wongesq.com/pslra/usana-health-sciences-inc. Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney that has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313005908/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Marlink and Intelsat Meeting the Growing Connectivity Demands of the Maritime Passenger Sector via Intelsat EpicNG Intelsat (News - Alert) S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world's first Globalized Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, and Marlink announced today that their partnership to deliver high throughput satellite (HTS) services to cruise and passenger vessels using Intelsat EpicNG has contributed to an increase in bandwidth delivered on Marlink's Sealink VSAT service of more than 220 percent during 2016. This growth in bandwidth enabling broadband connectivity for Marlink cruise and passenger segment customers is more than three times larger than what Marlink was delivering at the beginning of 2016. This has been driven by the global services capability that Marlink offers on its Sealink VSAT service portfolio, enabled using the Intelsat Globalized Network, including the Intelsat EpicNG platform and strategically located teleports around the world. The ability to deliver a consistent, high-quality broadband experience on Sealink VSAT to vessels, regardless of location, is becoming increasingly important, as the cruise industry is attracting more passengers than ever and taking them to new destinations around the globe. Supporting this growth and changes in traffic patterns, especially a shift to users uploading photos and video content, could only have been supported with a global network of satellites that includes HTS, wide beams, teleports and support teams, creating a true differentiator. Marlink is a long-standing Intelsat customer, with services on multiple Intelsat satellites and the IntelsatOne terrestrial network. The Intelsat-Marlink strategic agreement for services on the Intelsat EpicNG platform began in 2014. Marlink is already providing services via Intelsat 29e and Intelsat 33e, which combined, cover the Americas, Caribbean, and the heavily traveled North Atlantic route, Europe, Africa and Asia. Marlink will add coverage via Intelsat 35e when it begins operations later in 2017, and will complete global coverage when Horizons 3e is launched in the second half of 2018. The efficiency of the Intelsat EpicNG service allows Marlink to push more throughput per unit of capacity, improving economics for its customers. The open-architecture design and backwards compatibility of Intelsat EpicNG enables Marlink to seamlessly incorporate high-throughput services into its network, meaning maritime customers do not have to take vessels out of operation to perform expensive equipment upgrades. "The surge in demand for data connectivity across the maritime sector helped drive the creation of the partnership, and it continues to pay immediate, measurable dividends for Marlink and Sealink VSAT customers," said Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink. "Working with Intelsat, we have been able to ensure that the Sealink service, in addition to our segment expertise, meets the rapidly growing and evolving demands of cruise and passenger fleet operators for flexible, global connectivity that enables guests to access the Internet and post multimedia content to social media quickly, and in a cost-effective manner." "Intelsat provides a global high-throughput infrastructure that delivers a consistent broadband experience," Mark Rasmussen, Vice President and General Manager, Mobility, Intelsat, said. "Our first three Intelsat EpicNG satellites are in orbit and our momentum indicates we are delivering on the promise of HTS with improved perfrmance, better economics and simpler access. Intelsat designed Intelsat EpicNG with our customers' needs front and center, and Marlink's continued growth across numerous maritime sectors confirms our approach benefits Intelsat, our customers and the maritime sector as a whole." Marlink will be exhibiting at 2017 Seatrade Cruise Global, the leading international exhibition and conference serving the cruise industry, which will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., USA, March 13-16. Supporting Resources: Learn more about Intelsat's Mobility Services: http://www.intelsat.com/solutions/mobility/ Learn more about Intelsat EpicNG: http://www.intelsat.com/global-network/satellites/epicng/ About Intelsat Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world's first Globalized Network, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services anywhere in the world. Intelsat's Globalized Network combines the world's largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com. About the Marlink / Telemar Group Through its ownership of both Marlink and Telemar, Apax Partners has created a Group dedicated to providing the maritime industry with an integrated offering of broadband communications, digital solutions, bridge electronics and on-board maintenance. The Group is led by Erik Ceuppens as CEO. Combining the power of these two long-term, expert organisations, Telemar and Marlink are the world's leading maritime communication, digital solutions and servicing specialist covering all customer segments at sea including: Shipping, Offshore, Cruise & Ferry, Yachting and Fishing. The newly combined group will generate US $450 Million in revenues with more than 800 employees worldwide serving at least 1 in 3 vessels operating globally. The group will also continue to deliver the benefits of a digital and connected world to enterprise customers such as energy and mining companies, humanitarian organisations, global media and events companies. The new Group will provide customers with unrivalled service and support through an enhanced global footprint and worldwide sales and service locations. A global 24/7 helpdesk, specialised competence centres, local presence on all continents and a network of 1000 service points staffed by highly qualified, certified service engineers, will support global customers to operate smarter and safer. More than 70 years' experience combined with strong satellite network operator and bridge electronics manufacturer partnerships enables the group to bring the power of broadband communication, maritime bridge technology and service excellence to customers globally, further optimising their business operations and enabling the digital vessels of tomorrow. www.marlink.com www.telemarspa.it Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. When used in this release, the words "may," "will," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "project," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "potential," "outlook," and "continue," and the negative of these terms, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements reflect Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Intelsat's control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Known risks include, among others, the risks described in Intelsat's annual report on Form 20-F for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015, and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313005949/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] ComEd Partners with Chicago Public High Schools to Launch Career Tour for Students ComEd is partnering with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to launch a tour to present internship and career opportunities to high school seniors. Throughout the month of March, ComEd recruiters will visit seven high schools including Prosser High School, Sullivan High School, Simeon High School, Curie High School, Raby High School, Schurz High School, and the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. During the tours, ComEd recruiters will talk to students about the company's annual summer internship program for students who attend a four-year college. These full-time internships are paid and provide students with opportunities to learn more about the energy industry through hands-on job training and career experience. Students will also learn more about the Dawson Overhead Electrical Line Worker Program, which was launched in 2006 through a partnership between ComEd and Chicago City Colleges. The program offers training to Chicago-area residents interested in becoming an overhead line worker. "As a local company, we are interested in developing local talent. This partnership with Chicago Public Schools will help us connect directly with students who live in our communities and make them aware of career opportunities at ComEd. Our goal is to help them see future career prospects and consider becoming part of our workforce of the future," said Tracie Morris, vice president of human resources oprations at ComEd. We know firsthand that internship experience in high school can provide our students with a valuable competitive edge as they pursue the careers of tomorrow," said Jacquelyn Dace, CPS Senior Partnership Liaison. "Our partnership with ComEd will allow students to learn from experienced workforce professionals who can provide insight into career and learning opportunities to explore after graduation." For students who do not plan on attending college, ComEd recruiters will talk to them about entry-level positions, jobs that can open the door to other career paths at ComEd including enrollment into craft schools to prepare for positions in the skilled trades. Interested and qualified students will be given the opportunity to take the Construction and Skilled Trades Test (CAST) to be considered for entry level roles. Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.9 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313006294/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] IGT Signs Agreement With Western Canada Lottery Corporation To Install New Lottery Terminals And Ticket Checkers, Following Competitive Procurement LONDON, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:c) announced that its subsidiary, IGT Global Solutions Corporation (with International Game Technology PLC, hereinafter "IGT"), has signed a product sale agreement to provide 5,500 new lottery terminals and associated peripherals to Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). The agreement follows a competitive procurement process. IGT, as legacy GTECH, has been providing lottery products and services to WCLC since 1982. "IGT is listening to the ever-changing needs of its customers in order to continue to address the requirements of the lottery industry," said Jay Gendron, IGT Senior Vice President, WLA North America Lottery. "This agreement will offer innovative products for WCLC and its retailers and players alike, providing additional opportunities for WCLC to increase sales and enhance efficiency and productivity." Under the agreement, IGT will provide WCLC with IGT's Altura GT1200 lottery terminal and the AccuTherm Ultra printer. This will offer WCLC retailers a smaller footprint terminal, freeing up valuable counter space for other merchandise. Additionally, the Altura GT1200 terminal has a larger screen with enhanced resolution improving the retailer experience and productivity. The AccuTherm Ultra printer offers a space-saving design, with easy-load and jam-preventing features, thus speeding up transactions as well as increasing reliability in busy retail locations. WCLC will also receive Ticket-Scan Plus, IGT's player-operated ticket checker device, allowing players the convenience and security to check if draw or instant games are winners. WCLC manages and conducts lotteries within the territorial limits of the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. IGT also provides lottery products and/or services to British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Loto Quebec, and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. About IGT IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has over 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.IGT.com. Cautionary Statement Regardig Forward-Looking Statements Nevada ) and GTECH S.p.A. will not be integrated successfully, or that the combined companies will not realize estimated cost savings, synergies, growth or other anticipated benefits or that such benefits may take longer to realize than expected; unanticipated costs of integration of International Game Technology ( Nevada ) and GTECH S.p.A.; the possibility that International Game Technology PLC will be unable to pay future dividends to shareholders or that the amount of such dividends may be less than anticipated; the possibility that International Game Technology PLC may not obtain its anticipated financial results in one or more future periods; reductions in customer spending; a slowdown in customer payments and changes in customer demand for products and services as a result of changing economic conditions or otherwise; unanticipated changes relating to competitive factors in the industries in which International Game Technology PLC operates; International Game Technology PLC's ability to hire and retain key personnel; the impact of the consummation of the business combination on relationships with third parties, including customers, employees and competitors; International Game Technology PLC's ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers in the manner anticipated; reliance on and integration of information technology systems; changes in legislation or governmental regulations affecting International Game Technology PLC, including as a consequence of the announced withdrawal of the U.K. from the EU; international, national or local economic, social or political conditions that could adversely affect International Game Technology PLC or its customers; conditions in the credit markets; changes in the top management team; risks associated with assumptions International Game Technology PLC makes in connection with its critical accounting estimates; the resolution of pending and potential future legal, regulatory or tax proceedings and investigations; and International Game Technology PLC's international operations, which are subject to the risks of currency fluctuations and foreign exchange controls. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect International Game Technology PLC's business, including those described in International Game Technology PLC's annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended December 31, 2015 and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations section of International Game Technology PLC's website at www.IGT.com. Except as required under applicable law, International Game Technology PLC does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this news release is intended, or is to be construed, as a profit forecast or to be interpreted to mean that earnings per International Game Technology PLC share for the current or any future financial years will necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per International Game Technology PLC share, as applicable. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to International Game Technology PLC, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Contact: Robert K. Vincent, Corporate Communications, toll free in U.S./Canada (844) IGT-7452; outside U.S./Canada (401) 392-7452 James Hurley, Investor Relations, (401) 392-7190 Simone Cantagallo, (+39) 06 51899030; for Italian media inquiries To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/igt-signs-agreement-with-western-canada-lottery-corporation-to-install-new-lottery-terminals-and-ticket-checkers-following-competitive-procurement-300422575.html SOURCE IGT [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] Motorola Solutions Expands Managed & Support Services with Chile Acquisition Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI (News - Alert)) today announced that it has acquired Interexport, a company that provides managed and support services for communications systems to government agencies, public safety and enterprise customers in Chile. Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions has been a long-term communication partner with Interexport in Chile. This acquisition builds on Motorola Solutions proven track record of delivering, managing and operating large-scale and complex public safety networks around the world. "Acquiring Interexport helps us deliver on our strategy to drive growth for our global Managed & Support Services business," said Greg Brown (News - Alert), chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions. "We will build on Interexport's proven network and service delivery platform to expand and diversify our Managed & Support Services business in Chile and throughout Latin America." "Interexport has invested significantly in the development of a secure, resilient and interoperable network for our Chilean customers," said Nicolas Anastassiou, president of Interexport, which was founded in 1953 by Raul Rojas Baltra. "Our customers will continue to benefit from the high-quality service they have come to expect while adding new expertise from Motorola Solutions, the global leader in mission-critical communications." Motorola Solutions expects Interexport to add approximately $50 million in revenue for 2017. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable federal securities law. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and gnerally include words such as "believes," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions. The company can give no assurance that any actual or future results or events discussed in these statements will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements represent the company's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing the company's views as of any subsequent date. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results or events discussed in these statements to differ materially from the statements contained in this release. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected incremental revenues of Interexport. Motorola Solutions cautions the reader that the risk factors below, as well as those on pages 9 through 21 in its 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its other SEC (News - Alert) filings available for free on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on Motorola Solutions' website at www.motorolasolutions.com, could cause Motorola Solutions' actual results to differ materially from those estimated or predicted in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties cannot be controlled by Motorola Solutions and factors that may impact forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) the future results of operations of Interexport; (2) the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on the company and Interexport; (3) negative impact on the company's and Interexport's business, from global economic and political conditions; and (4) the impact on the company's performance and financial results deriving from the anticipated benefits of the transaction. Motorola Solutions undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement or risk factor, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Motorola Solutions Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) creates innovative, mission-critical communication solutions and services that help public safety and commercial customers build safer cities and thriving communities. For ongoing news, visit www.motorolasolutions.com/newsroom or subscribe to a news feed. MOTOROLA, MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC and are used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2017 Motorola Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313006320/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 13, 2017] The Network Startup Resource Center and its Director, Steven Huter, Awarded CENIC's 2017 Innovations in Networking Award for Broadband Applications In recognition of work to improve network infrastructure, facilitate collaboration, and build professional capacity in countries around the world, the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) and its Director, Steven Huter, have been selected by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) as recipients of the 2017 Innovations in Networking Award for Broadband Applications. Vint Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google (News - Alert), says: "NSRC has been a mainstay of Internet implementation and capacity building for decades. Steve Huter has led the organization to the great satisfaction of his many supporters, among which I am proud to be included. I am a huge fan!" The NSRC comprises a distributed team of network engineers and trainers living in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, Europe and Latin America, with the core group of staff and student employees based at the University of Oregon. Hervey Allen serves as Assistant Director. NSRC was founded 25 years ago in 1992, and was launched with a grant from the National Science Foundation. NSF has supported the organization continuously since its founding. At its inception, under the direction of Dr. Steven Goldstein, NSRC was affiliated with a United Nations University project to help establish new computer networks in unconnected areas and link them to U.S. institutions. William (Bill) Chang, who served for many years in the Office of International Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation, notes: "Successful network connections with a less developed country require expertise both in hardware/software technology and in human connections. Steve's unique multi-cultural upbringing has made him superbly skilled in human connections with people in developing countries, and his immense passion has enabled him and his team to seek materials and technology specifically tailored to each country. He and his NSRC team have done outstanding work in reaching out to developing countries for the National Science Foundation. Through them, U.S. researchers are richer and blessed to be connected to thousands of scientists from those countries who are able to join us for science discovery and to share global culture and values." The initial focus of the NSRC was on the needs of U.S. scientists traveling to or developing science collaborations with countries around the world. NSRC also assisted with the internationalization of the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET), a program of coordinated projects sponsored by NSF beginning in 1985 to promote advanced research and education networking in the United States. Among its many accomplishents, NSRC helped to establish the first TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) connections in more than 20 countries around the world. TCP/IP is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. Since that time, the work of the organization has broadened to focus on deploying and strengthening research and education networks in developing nations around the globe, benefiting communities worldwide. "The power of the global Internet would be diminished without the leadership Steve has provided. By working with network engineers, scientists, and Internet technology developers in more than one hundred countries around the world, he has helped build Internet infrastructure and establish partnerships in support of research and education networking. All of us in the research and education community are indebted to him and to the work of his many collaborators," notes Louis Fox, President and CEO of CENIC. One of the guiding principles of NSRC is the importance of investing in people as well as infrastructure. Steven Huter describes the work of the organization as "cultivating collaboration among a community of peers to build and improve a global Internet that benefits all parties. NSRC facilitates the growth of sustainable Internet infrastructure via technical training and engineering assistance to enrich the network of networks. Our goal is to connect people." CENIC and its members benefit immensely from this work. Engineers from CENIC and from its many member institutions can volunteer with NSRC to contribute to institutions around the globe and gain greater insights into how this global network fabric functions, enriching both their home institutions and international research agendas. The recently launched NSRC - CENIC Fellows Program will sponsor R&E network leaders from around the globe to attend the CENIC annual conference and to lay the groundwork for partnerships in support of global research. This year's participants are from Guam and Kenya. The work of NSRC will be featured in two sessions at the upcoming CENIC conference to be held March 19-22 in San Diego. In the first session, Steve Huter will join other international leaders in research and education networking and discuss how R&E networks enable science, education, cultural expression and preservation across the globe. In the second session, Steve will be joined by the 2017 NSRC - CENIC Fellows to report on Kenya's and Guam's advanced research infrastructures, which serve public and private universities, university colleges, tertiary colleges, research institutions, and government institutions. Innovations in Networking Awards are presented each year by CENIC to highlight the exemplary innovations that leverage ultra-high bandwidth networking, particularly where those innovations have the potential to transform the ways in which instruction and research are conducted or where they further the deployment of broadband in underserved areas. About CENIC www.cenic.org CENIC connects California to the world-advancing education and research statewide by providing the world-class network essential for innovation, collaboration and economic growth. The nonprofit organization operates the California Research and Education Network (CalREN), a high-capacity network designed to meet the unique requirements of over 20 million users, including the vast majority of K-20 students together with educators, researchers and others at vital public-serving institutions. CENIC's Charter Associates are part of the world's largest education system; they include the California K-12 system, California Community Colleges, the California State University system, California's Public Libraries, the University of California system, Stanford, Caltech, the Naval Postgraduate School, and USC. CENIC also provides connectivity to leading-edge institutions and industry research organizations around the world, serving the public as a catalyst for a vibrant California. About The Network Startup Resource Center nsrc.org The Network Startup Resource Center was established in 1992 to provide technical assistance to organizations setting up computer networks in new areas to connect scientists engaged in collaborative research and education. For the past 25 years, the NSRC has helped develop Internet infrastructure and network operations communities in Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean, and the Middle East. The NSRC is partially funded by the International Research Network Connections (IRNC) program of the U.S. National Science Foundation and Google, with additional contributions from dozens of public and private organizations. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170313006409/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] CLEAR LAKE | A former Clear Lake police officer accused of committing domestic abuse has asked to change his plea. Ryan Eskildsen, 36, had pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor domestic abuse. He's accused of grabbing and striking at his wife on Nov. 29 at their home. On Monday, a judge scheduled a plea hearing for Eskildsen. It will be April 4 in district court in Mason City. Online court records do not indicate if Eskildsen plans to plead guilty as charged or to a different charge. Eskildsen resigned from the department in February. He'd been on administrative leave since Dec. 5. -- Molly Montag MASON CITY | Sixth graders Jackson Gobeli, 11, and Josten Swann, 12, were on spring break Monday, but they sure didn't have the day off. The Mason City kids were a two-man snow-shoveling machine. They made short work of more than 7 inches of snow covering the sidewalks in front of First Baptist Church, 125 East State St. By 11 a.m., Jackson and Josten had already cleared from the church's side doors on North Pennsylvania, made it around the corner on East State and were about 40 feet down the front of the church. It was hard work -- it was a double-wide sidewalk, no less -- but they weren't complaining. It was still better than being in school. "You have to learn there," said Jackson, whose grandfather is First Baptist Pastor Ron Stein. "This is just going at your own pace." Schoolchildren across Mason City had a snowy start to their spring break, which is this week, thanks to the 7.5 inches of snow that fell in the Mason City area as of Monday morning. The storm may not have canceled classes in Mason City, but it did result in snow emergencies or snow ordinances going into effect in the city as well as in Clear Lake and Ventura. The 6.5 inches of snow that fell in Mason City late Sunday night broke a 26-year-old record. The old mark of 5.3 inches was set in 1991. The heaviest snowfall of the storm was recorded in northeastern Palo Alto and southeastern Emmet counties, which had around 13 inches of snow. A wide swath around that area, including western Kossuth County, reported around 8 to 12 inches of snowfall. That snow will stick around for at least a few days as mercury is expected to bottom out at minus 1 degree on Tuesday night. The wind chill could be as low as minus 10 degrees that night. Wednesday will be slightly warmer, but the high will only get into the mid-20s. It's expected to climb back into the mid-30s by Thursday, but there's also a 70 percent chance of snow Thursday night. Forecasters don't expect that to be significant. The highs will be back into the 40s on Saturday and may hit 50 on Sunday. MASON CITY | David Rachie of Gatehouse Capital will be in Mason City Tuesday to discuss the proposal Gatehouse has submitted to the city to build a downtown hotel. He will be at The Music Man Square 4:30 to 6 p.m. to discuss his proposal and to answer questions. The meeting is open to the public. Gatehouse is one of two developers to submit proposals. The other is G8 Development of San Diego. Gatehouse has proposed to build the hotel in the south parking lot of Southbridge Mall and connect it with a skywalk to The Music Man Square, where the company would build a conference center, ballroom and museum. G8 Development, headed by Philip Chodur, has proposed to build a hotel and conference center in the parking lot west of City Hall. His proposal is a key component in the city's River City Renaissance project for which it is seeking state funding through the Iowa Reinvestment Act. Other components are a mixed-use building, a music pavilion, a parking ramp and an ice arena/multipurpose center. The state requires $10 million in private investment. The hotel fulfills that requirement. The City Council is scheduled to decide which proposal to accept at its March 21 meeting. There are many considerations, including: Gateway's development fee, which city officials say will be at least $400,000. Gateway's requirement for the city to pay "gap funding," which is the gap between bank equity and total cost of the project. City officials say this could be $3 million to $3.5 million. G8's third attempt to build a downtown hotel in Mason City. Three years ago, Chodur proposed to build a Hilton franchise but could not get Hilton approval. He then proposed to build a Marriott hotel but defaulted on the development agreement when he failed to meet three separate deadlines to start construction, each time because he failed to secure financing. This time, he has a written commitment from Live Oak Bank in North Carolina to finance the project. MASON CITY | In response to a Globe Gazette story about plans to try to bring refugee families to Mason City, someone individuals responded on Facebook that people already here should be helped first. The Rev. Chuck Kelsey, pastor at First Congregational United Church of Christ, the meeting place for those planning refugee welcome efforts, responded by inviting those who want to help local residents to call him so he can help them organize a group of their own. Kelsey said so far two people have contacted him and one has agreed to meet with him. If anyone else contacts him about wanting to help others in the community, "I'm more than willing to follow through," he said. Group wants to bring at least one refugee family to Mason City MASON CITY | More than 50 people gathered this week to start making plans for welcoming one When the first meeting of the Welcoming Refugees to Mason City group was announced in the Globe Gazette earlier this month, people responded on Facebook criticizing the group's plans and stating veterans, the homeless and others in need Mason City should be helped first. In his Facebook response, Kelsey stated he agrees there are many needs in the community, and his congregation and many others churches have been trying to meet those needs through financial support and volunteer hours. "It seems that some assume when we focus more in one area we are forgetting about others. I would suggest that is an unfortunate way to look at the possibilities," Kelsey's post stated. He invited those who feel not enough is being done for veterans, the homeless, children or the hungry to contact him so he can help them organize efforts to provide assistance. "That is what being in a community is all about," his post said. NSW Police ran drug operations at a number of festivals in Sydney over the weekend, resulting in 150 busts. A series of festivals and large concerts across Sydney were targeted by police: Saturdays Days Like This festival was hit the hardest, and saw 97 charges of drug possession, and two charges of drug supply. Moore Park, which hosted two separate events, was the site of a drug dog operation which nabbed 38 people for illegal drug possession. Finally, ten underage people were caught with drugs at an event at Olympic Park. ABC points out that, with a capacity of 5,000, 2% of attendance at Days Like This were charged. Movie promotion and mainstream media fervor could start another series of riots in Missouri and, at least, has served to reopen old woulds.And here's a brief TKC aside . . .While I don't want want to seeshot and killed . . . I always wondered about this one . . . Despite differences of context, even opponents on this issue agree that the deadly shooting followed an altercation wherein. A lot of the protest and frustration was overStill . . . Here's the only bit of cognitive dissonance that I hope somebody might answer. . . I thought this was a rule: If you punch a cop, there's a very strong likelihood that you'll get shot and killed no matter what you're background???Those are rules, right??? That's the only part of the protest and rioting that I don't understand . . . Along with the benefit that burning down an innocent QuikTrip and Little Caesars has in advancing social justice.Links:You decide . . . OUR TKC BLOG COMMUNITY CHALLENGES KANSAS CITY FAKE NEWS AND THE DISGUSTING EFFORT TO FLOAT THE IMPOSSIBLE THEORIES OF A POOR, GRIEF STRICKEN WOMAN WHO JUST LOST HER DAUGHTER!!! Liz Anderson said the most likely explanation is that her daughter became confused in the early morning and ended up at the boat ramp in the park. She had been upset after being stopped by a North Kansas City police officer for a minor traffic violation. She got freaked out, Tonis mother said. She got lost and she got confused, or whatever. It was still dark. She was on the boat ramp and tried to back out. The ramp was icy and she slid into the river. BUT POLICE SHOULD NEVER DICTATE THE COVERAGE OF A FREE PRESS!!! THE TONI ANDERSON 'NO FOUL PLAY' CAR CRASH FAKE NEWS STORY WAS PUSHED ON THE PUBLIC LONG BEFORE HER BODY WAS DISCOVERED!!! RIGHT NOW NORTHLAND INSIDERS REVEAL DEETS REGARDING THE CRIME SCENE AND MYTH-BUST 'NO FOUL PLAY' CAR CRASH FAKE NEWS!!! "There is no way she drove into the river. There is a one way bridge going to the spot where her car was found and you have to cross a rail road and through a small town (to get there)." Again, just to be clear, and one more time for the cheap seats: The car crash story is not only unlikely but also a theory that was floated BEFORE the dead body of Toni Anderson was dredged up. WHILE THE DESPICABLE NEWSPAPER PUBLISHES SECOND HAND THEORIES OF A GRIEF STRICKEN MOTHER . . . THE TONI ANDERSON 'JACK THE RIPPER' KILLER STALKS KANSAS CITY!!! TONI ANDERSON WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED Sunday night in Kansas City there's a fight for the narrative on a controversial murder story that's still under investigation.To wit . . .Here at TKC we're not afraid to confront fiction with. . . And so, we invite readers to check this passage from the fading local newspaper taken from a woman who has just experienced the worst trauma of her life . . .Here at TKC, we respect this woman and her struggle, we honor her as. . . Instead we focus our rage on the news organization that would take advantage of her suffering in order to create a false narrative. The police have their right and obligation to do their job and we respect that as well . . .Accordingly . . . Kansas City denizens and dedicated news readers must know . . .There were a few news stories on this topic and, once again,And here's where the power of our blog community comes into play . . .Here's the word just sent our way from a Parkville Insider:And here's why the dispute over the narrative is important . . .The language of so-called "journalism" regarding this killing is equivocating, recycled and speculative . . . Meanwhile, what we will contend in no uncertain terms is thatand the circumstances surrounding her death can be attributed to her dangerous and risky lifestyle. Of course we look forward to further investigation and word frombeyond mere mere. . . Still, what's important tonight is the public challenge towhich relies on logic, reason and evidence to examine the mysterious killing and the threat thatposes to all of Kansas City.You decide . . . CHECK THIS WEBSITE OFFERING KANSAS CITY STAR BUILDING FOR SALE WITH AN ASKING PRICE OF A PALTRY $46 MILLION!!! We are pleased to offer for sale a portfolio of commercial real estate assets which make up the administrative and production facilities of the Kansas City Star newspaper. The properties are on three parcels totaling 8.3 acres, with building improvements totaling 650,176 square feet. The offering is divisible. The properties are owned by a wholly-owned subsidiary of The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), a media company that operates 29 daily newspapers in 28 markets and numerous digital media entities including websites, mobile apps, mobile news and advertising services, niche publications, direct marketing and direct mail services, and nondaily community newspapers. It owns 15.0% of CareerBuilder, LLC, which operates job-search website, CareerBuilder.com. The McClatchy Company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California. Concurrently with closing, The McClatchy Company will execute a 15-year NNN lease. The properties in the portfolio consist of office buildings, production facilities, warehouse and distribution facilities, parking lots, and fleet maintenance facilities . . . THIS EPIC KANSAS CITY STAR LISTING SIGNALS THE END FOR THIS DEAD TREE MEDIA INSTITUTION BUILDING NOW ON THE INTERNETS AUCTION BLOCK!!! Tonight ourhits withof anthat should resonate throughout the world of journalism.To wit . . .Take a peek . . .#################We've confirmed this sale with people much smarter than TKC and loopnet is a pretty decent source with a West Coast real estate agent listed who has ties with parent Company McClatchy . . .And so . . .I've got a few bucks to kick in so anybody who wants to buy this thing with TKC . . . Send an e-mail.However, just a bit of Sunday night contemplation . . .Like it or not, this isthat we're going to savor considering that this institution has done its best to suppress local citizen media andcommunity based coverage of Kansas City.No updates till late Monday morning . . . In the meantime, tell us what you think about the future of this newspaper which the Internets seyz is giving upof its posh downtown digs.You decide . . . THE TONI ANDERSON MURDER THAT REMAINS UNSOLVED!!! KANSAS CITY MEDIA INSIDERS REVEAL WIDESPREAD RESISTANCE TO THE FAKE NEWS 'CAR CRASH STORY' NARRATIVE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE OFFICIAL WORD REGARDING THE MURDER TO TONI ANDERSON!!! "We're getting blasted on our FB page. Nobody believes this and neither do I. Look at your comments and check some of the people who know this is garbage. What's worse is that everybody knows the murder investigation is still ongoing but we've been "encouraged" to report these statements that are pure baloney. Honestly, I credit President Trump for a lot of this, he taught people to question what they see on television or read in the paper and now people are starting to do that, I just hate it when people take it too personally. I'm just a pretty face paid to read this garbage. J/k. I really do want to see the real story come out in the end. This is not it." CHECK THIS KICK-ASS INSIDER TKC COMMENT THAT OFFERS MORE INSIGHT THAN ANY SO-CALLED KANSAS CITY JOURNALISM!!! "The car was located down 21 feet under water in an eddy along the river bank 25 feet off the end of a boat ramp made out of concrete forms. The concrete ramp ends under water and the mud is thick and gooey at the end and no car could have driven through the mud into the deep eddy pool off the boat ramp. "The car had to have been driven over the bank, 15 feet down a sloping muddy grassy soft bank to a rocked out ledge about 4 feet wide before it could go into the river. The river is down now about 6 feet and the rocked out ledge is visible. This car was hidden by someone who knows this riverbank area - people who fish the river bank in the park know the eddies and pools and bank conditions - whoever ditched the car knows the area very well. "This girl possibly met someone, was murdered and the car ditched by the murderer. The location of the car indicates someone knew the area and how deep the water was in that exact spot. The Missouri river is muddy and shallow for the most part unless it has eddy pools or a strong current formed by dug out channels." Links: power our expert analysis along with the help of ourand blog community. Accordingly, we have more insight and fresh perspectives to share onHere's the word . . .A quote after the morning news cycle . . .Moreover . . .And so . . . Whilst snowflakes spam their fear that safe spaces don't really exist given that very real likelihood of a. This story continues . . .Developing . . . BRITT | State investigators this week plan to interview people who witnessed a fire that severely damaged an apartment complex in Britt. At least five people were hurt when a fire broke out about 4:15 a.m. Thursday at Westside Apartments, 766 Fifth St. S.W. Two people were flown by helicopter from Hancock County Health System in Britt to burn centers at other hospitals. Britt police have not released the names of the victims or details of the extent of their injuries. "Nobodys sustained any life-threatening injuries," said Britt Police Chief Dan Cummings. A cause has not been determined. The case is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Britt Fire Department. Both were on scene for hours after the fire on Thursday. State Fire Marshal Bryan Shupe said the next step is to interview witnesses. "Just starting to interview folks that were life-flighted out," he said Monday. He expected that to take a few days. Investigators believe the blaze started in a first-floor apartment. That unit was severely damaged, but the other seven units in the building had mostly smoke damage, Shupe said. 2 from Britt apartment fire flown to regional hospitals BRITT | State fire marshals and local firefighters are investigating a blaze that injured fi The fire burned out the front window of that unit and the second-floor apartment above it, and melted the siding off a large section of the front of the building. The complex is currently uninhabitable due to lack of electricity or water service. Residents have been allowed back in the building to grab some belongings, Cummings said. What happens after we die? Its a question weve all probably pondered at least once in our life, because its one of lifes greatest mysteries. And it will also probably stay that way until we leave this world ourselves. Throughout history, different civilizations have also thought about what happens when someone dies. As varying cultures, they developed complex systems about what happens after we take our last breaths. While some of them are very different from each other, there are also a shocking amount of similarities between the afterlives of these cultures that were spread out all over the world. 10. The Mesopotamians The Mesopotamia civilization was located in and around modern day Iraq, and it is considered the cradle of civilization. The Mesopotamian afterlife was based on their creation of man story. Man was created by a deity named We-ilu, who mixed clay and blood from a god together. Gods blood made us part immortal, so when the body dies, it is buried and returns to clay. However, the immortal part remains on Earth as a spirit before traveling to the underworld. In the underworld, the soul passes through a demon-infested plain, then crosses the Khuber River with the assistance of a being called Silushi (Quick, take [me] there!), and they have to get through the seven gates of the netherworld city with the permission of the gatekeeper, Bidu (Open Up!). Upon arrival in the underworld, the immortal part of the person was judged by the court of deities and then given a place in the afterlife. Even in heaven there was social structure, and where someone is placed in the great city of dead depended on two factors. The first was their social stature when they were alive, and the second depended on how their body taken care of after death. So in ancient Mesopotamia, you definitely wanted to treat your family nice while you were alive. 9. The Aztecs The Aztec civilization emerged in the early 13th century in what is today modern Mexico. Their afterlife was different than many other cultures, because where a soul ended up depended on how the person died, and it was not based on the way they lived their lives. The Aztec afterlife was split into four sections that were based on the four cardinal directions. In the east, there was an afterlife for women who died during childbirth. In that afterlife, they would help the sun emerge from the underworld. The people who died from diseases like leprosy, or were killed by lightning, or drowned, went to the afterlife in the south. It was a beautiful place where there was plenty to eat and drink. In the north, the afterlife was called Mictlan and it was for people who died naturally, such as from old age. They had four years to make it through eight different levels of challenges. If they did, their soul would find peace on the ninth level. As for warriors who died in combat, their heaven was in the west. In Aztec culture, the sun was important, and at times the Aztecs thought it was possible that the sun would enter the underworld and never re-emerge. So when a warrior died, he went to the heaven in the west, where he would help their god Huitzilopochtli, who was one of the two principal gods of the Aztecs and the sun and war god. Together, they would fight against the darkness to ensure that the sun would rise. They spent four years doing this, and then they returned to Earth as a hummingbird. 8. The Maoris The Maori people arrived in what is today New Zealand in waves of canoes between 1250 and 1300 AD. When someone dies in the Maori culture, the spirit goes as far as someone can walk in New Zealand, which is the tip of Cape Reinga. There, the spirit slides down a Pohutukawa tree and into the ocean and eventually rejoins its ancestors. Their afterlife consisted of at least two different realms, sometimes as high as 12. Each level was ruled over by one of their gods. How the Maoris lived didnt really effect which afterlife they went to because the Maoris did not believe that spirits were punished for their behavior on Earth. The Maoris apparently werent overly concerned with the afterlife. What they did worry about was that someones spirit might not slide down the tree, and this could negatively affect people in the land of the living. 7. The Celts The Celts were first mentioned in texts about 2,500 years ago, and what we know about their early days comes from writings by other civilizations, like the Greeks and the Romans. Because of that, it is highly debatable where the Celts real roots are. Many people believe they originated in the British Isles, while others believe they migrated there from mainland Europe. Nevertheless, what we do know is that when the Celts migrated to what is today Ireland, they incorporated their religious beliefs with the inhabitants who already lived there. They believed that after death, their soul went to an afterlife called the Otherworld, which consisted of several different supernatural kingdoms. This included Tir na nOg (The Land of the Young), Mag Mell (The Plain of Honey), and Tir Tairngire (The Promised Land). However, all the kingdoms were woven together, like the way scenes are meshed together in a dream, so they can be in the different kingdoms all at the same time. 6. Native Americans Its believed that the ancestors of the Native Americans migrated from Russia to modern day Alaska about 12,000 years ago. They settled across South and North America, and by the time Europeans reached the Americas, there were 50 million inhabitants; 10 million living in the United States. Since there were so many people, spread over such a big area of land, the tribes developed their own very unique cultures. North American tribes were generally divided into different cultural areas that all had a different view on the afterlife. For the tribes of the Plains, they believed in an afterlife called the Happy Hunting Ground, where there was plenty of buffalo to hunt. The Pueblo Indians afterlife was just a continuation of this one; they simply went to another town where they meet up with dead people they knew in life. They also werent punished for anything they did in the previous life, because it was simply a continuation of that life. Similarly, the Omaha Indians of the Central Plains and the tribes of New England believed the afterlife was just a continuation of this one and there was no reason to punish the person in the afterlife. Then, finally, there are the Cheyenne Indians of the Northern Plains, who believed that the spirit had to find a trail where the footprints all pointed in the same direction. They would follow the trail to the Milky Way until they got to a camp of the dead, which was in the stars, and they were greeted by dead friends and relatives when they got there. 5. The Ancient Chinese In the ancient Chinese afterlife, when someone died, messengers carried their soul to Cheng Husand, who was the God of Walls and Moats. There, the soul was judged, and if the person was virtuous, then they would go on to paradise. However, only people who were kings on Earth got to experience true paradise. Other people went to a lower part of paradise, or they would be reincarnated. There was also an underworld, called the Yellow Spring. Evil souls go there for a fixed amount of time, where they are punished for bad deeds. Once they have done their time, they are given the Elixir of Oblivion, and then they are reborn. 4. The Incans The Incan empire started in the 12th century in the Andean area of South America. Their empire spanned from Ecuador to central Chile with about 12 million inhabitants. Huk vida, the Incan term for the afterlife, was three horizontal levels. On top was Hanan Pacha, The Upper World, which is where people who lived righteous lives went after they died. Next was Kay Pacha, which literally means This World. Finally, there was Uku Pacha, which is the Below World or the Inner World. Its where people who werent good enough to go to Hanan Pacha go to live. Unlike in many other underworlds, Uku Pacha isnt a place of punishment. Instead, its associated with the feminine earth mother and the bones of the ancestors. Also, the Incans did not believe that the worlds were completely separated. Things like lightning were the Upper World connecting with This World, while mountains reached from This World upwards. As for the gateway to the Inner World, that was through holes and caves. 3. The Vikings When a Viking warrior died, it was possible for him to go to Valhalla, which means The Hall of the Fallen. It is a great palace and the roof is made of shields, and its guarded by wolves and eagles. When a warrior gets there, he is welcomed by the god Odin, and they share a glass of mead, which is a sweet honey-based drink. In Valhalla, the fallen warriors eat freshly slaughtered boar, which is made whole again at evening. Also, there is unlimited mead. Yep, thats right: in Valhalla, its an open bar. Best afterlife ever. They also constantly battled each other. However, it was for sport, because they needed to keep training for their doomsday, called Ragnarok. When that happens, the warriors will exit the 540 doors of the hall to fight alongside Odin against Norse mythologys most infamous wolf, Fenrir, who is the son of the god Loki and the giantess Angrboa. It was said that when a brave warrior dies, it is because Odin needed another warrior to fight during Ragnarok. So maybe not quite the best afterlife ever. But still, open bar! However, not every warrior made it to Valhalla. The warrior had to be an honorable person and they had to die in battle. This gave them strong motivation to give it their all in their battles, because they had no fear of death; they were going to a better place if they died. As for people who didnt die on the battlefield, there were different afterlives. For example, the Vikings were seafaring people, and if someone died at sea or drowned, they would go to the hall of the sea god Aegir. He was known for hosting parties for the gods. If someone wasnt honorable, they went to a hall that has woven snakes which spew rivers of venom. People who got sick or, Odin forbid, died of old age had the worst afterlife. They went to a foggy place where they had to eat terrible food with the goddess Hel, who is decaying. Finally, there are warriors who werent lucky enough to make it to Valhalla, which was supposedly half the soldiers. The other half went to a meadow or field ruled over by the goddess Freyja, called Folkvangr. Life was more peaceful there than Valhalla. They made art, told stories, and were companions to women who died as maidens. 2. The Greeks and The Romans The Greeks and the Romans share a very similar afterlife, because Romans borrowed the Greek system of gods. So for simplicitys sake, well just look at the Greeks afterlife. In Greek mythology, when someone dies they go to the Underworld, which is deep in the Earth. Its ruled by Hades and his queen, Persephone. Hades is always looking for more souls, and there is always room for more. The souls guide in the Underworld is Hermes, an Olympian god who is the son of Zeus. The guide is needed because the Underworld is surrounded by five rivers; the Acheron (River of Woe), the Cocytus (River of Lamentation), the Phlegethon (River of Fire), the River Styx (River of Hate), and the Lethe (River of Forgetfulness). To get the Underworld, a soul had to be ferried across the Rivers Styx by the boatman Charo, if they had the fare. The fare needed to be placed on the deceased peoples lips by relatives. If someone doesnt have the fare, they stayed in limbo between the two worlds. On the other side of the river is a giant three headed dog named Cerberus. He lets people in, but lets very few leave. Kind of like a mythological roach motel. After entering the gates, there are three judges named Rhadamanthus, Minos, and Aeacus, and the deceased tell their life stories. Then there are three possible outcomes. The first is they go to the Fields of Asphodel, which is where most people go. Its a gloomy and gray place where souls wander around aimlessly. Kind of like Seattle. The second is for the souls of heroes and the blessed dead, who went to Elysium, which was considered a paradise. On the other end of the spectrum from Elysium is the Pit of Tartarus, which is located in the deepest part of the Underworld. It also sounds like tartar sauce so you know it cant be good. Its the same place where the 12 Olympian gods held the Titans, the former rulers of the world. Its a miserable place thats dark and cloudy all the time. There are even storms that sweep people up, and they cant touch the ground for at least a year. 1. The Egyptians When people in ancient Egypt died, they believed that their soul, called a ba, would return periodically to the body. Thats why they mummified the remains. When the ba left the body, it traveled through the afterlife and had to pass through several gates, all guarded by deities. Once they got through the gates, the ba entered the Hall of Two Truths. The hall is long, and supported by columns. At the end of the hall is the god of the underworld, Osiris. Surrounding the ba are 42 gods with names like Bone-Breaker and the Eater of Entrails. The ba then must proclaim the sins they did not commit to the specific god. For example, the ba has to turn to the god Fire-embracer and say, O Fire-embracer who came forth from Kheraha, I have not robbed. And the ba would go on and do a specific sin for a specific god. One of the worries for the ancient Egyptians was knowing what sin was associated with what god. Also, they needed to know what sins they couldnt commit. So scrolls called the Book of the Dead were developed as a guide to the afterlife. Whats interesting is that there was no standard Book of the Dead and often variations were quite drastic. After getting through the Hall of Two Truths, the ba goes through another ceremony called the Weighing of the Heart. The ancient Egyptians believed that the heart was a record of the deceased persons life. The heart was put on a scale and on the other scale was the feather from the goddess Maat, which was a symbol for truth and justice. If the feather was heavier than the heart, then the person wasnt virtuous and they were fed to Ammut the Devourer. If the scale balanced, then they were taken to Osiris and welcomed to the afterlife called the Field of Reeds, where they were given a plot of land that they were expected to work. So, you know not quite as awesome an afterlife as Valhalla, with its open freaking bar. Robert Grimminck is a Canadian freelance writer. You can friend him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, follow him on Pinterest or visit his website, or his true crime YouTube channel. Other Articles you Might Like The government aims to close all pending issues in Greeces second program review at the next Eurogroup, Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said The government aims to close all pending issues in Greeces second program review at the next Eurogroup, Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said in an interview with newspaper Alithines Edeseis on Saturday, adding he is in favour of a package agreement. He said if the measures agreed with the countrys creditors are socially neutral the government will be able to pass them through parliament. Asked about the remaining issues which concerns the opening of the energy market, the minister said the solution being promoted is to reduce power utility PPCs market share below 50 percent by 2020. So far, the two sides have agreed on a mechanism which will reduce the stake and discussions are being held on proposals submitted by the company. If these proposals fail, it has been agreed that a clause from the initial deal will be activated which requires the sale of units, he said. We believe PPC will not have stake over 50 percent in 2020, so it doesnt need to sell any units. The 17 percent stake [in PPC] it is a given it will involve [the privatization agency] TAIPED in the future and the superfund [new privatization fund]. But PPCs value today is at a low level and at the same time we believe the State must maintain a strong presence in the company, he was quoted as saying. Asked about the timeframe for the sale of a stake in gas grid operator DESFA, Stathakis said the ministry plans a new tender which will take about 12 months to hold, including the approvals from the EU. 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 Greeces role in the stability and security in Southeast Europe and Turkeys nervousness were discussed in a meeting between Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Greeces role in the stability and security in Southeast Europe and Turkeys nervousness were discussed in a meeting between Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington D.C. on Monday. Asked by journalists after the meeting, Kotzias said Tillerson wanted our analysis on how there can be stability and security in the region, which forces are active and how. Concerning Turkey, the minister said he discussed Turkish nervousness and explained Greeces position on the importance of security and stability in the Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The two sides also discussed ongoing energy projects in Greece with Kotzias noting the importance Greeks place in turning the country into a regional energy hub. He then mentioned other infrastructure projects such as roads and railway networks. "The energy, railway and university networks are for us, above all, networks of stability and then [networks] that produce economic profit, he told journalists. Kotzias said the Cyprus and Macedonia issues were not discussed, but he spoke generally about the instability in Greeces northern neighbours and Greeces efforts to stabilize them. Cyprus will be discussed in a later meeting with National Security Advisor, Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, he added. Asked about the recent tension between the Netherlands and Turkey, the minister said these things happen because Turkey is trying to transfer its nervousness to third countries. The minister is on a two-day visit to the U.S. capital for meetings with Tillerson, National Security Advisor Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, representatives of the U.S. administration, members of Congress, representatives of the academic community, and Greek-American organizations. 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 Members of two anti-mining groups from Halkidiki and Thessaloniki held a protest rally in central Thessaloniki on Saturday Members of two anti-mining groups from Halkidiki and Thessaloniki held a protest rally in central Thessaloniki on Saturday in support of 21 people accused of participating in the torching of a goldmine in Halkidiki, who are expected to appear before the court on Monday. In February 2013, dozens of masked intruders raided Canadian company Eldorado Golds subsidiary Hellenic Golds operation in northern Greece setting fire to machinery, vehicles and offices. Activists held banners that read We are fighting for the future of our land and theyre dragging us to courts and Society is on trial, and held large black balloons on which they had written the words asbestos, cyanide, toxic dust, quartz. Some participants tied themselves around a large tree trunk laid on a farm vehicle and crossed the city center. On Monday, Thessalonikis court will hear from the alleged perpetrators of the arson in Skouries and society must stand by those people, Aristotelis mayor Giorgos Zoumbas said. They are accused of participating in a movement against the irrational expansion of mining activity. A new protest rally is planned for Monday, outside Thessalonikis courthouse. 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 President Donald Trumps recent executive order temporarily freezing immigration from seven predominantly Islamic countries would affect only about 12% of the worlds Muslims, according to estimates from a 2015 Pew Research Center report on the current and projected size of religious groups. In fact, of the seven countries named in the new immigration ban Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen only one, Iran, is among the 10 countries with the largest Muslim populations. As of 2010, there were an estimated 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, making Islam the worlds second-largest religious tradition after Christianity. And although many people, especially in the United States, may associate Islam with countries in the Middle East or North Africa, nearly two-thirds (62%) of Muslims live in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Pew Research Center analysis. In fact, more Muslims live in India and Pakistan (344 million combined) than in the entire Middle East-North Africa region (317 million). However, the Middle East-North Africa region has the highest concentration of Muslims of any region of the world: 93% of its approximately 341 million inhabitants are Muslim, compared with 30% in sub-Saharan Africa and 24% in the Asia-Pacific region. Majority of the population in 49 countries Muslims make up a majority of the population in 49 countries around the world. The country with the largest number (about 209 million) is Indonesia, where 87.2% of the population identifies as Muslim. India has the worlds second-largest Muslim population in raw numbers (roughly 176 million), though Muslims make up just 14.4% of Indias total population. Pew Research Center uses an array of surveys, census reports, population registers and other data sources to estimate numbers of Muslims and other religious groups around the world, the goal being to count all groups and people who self-identify with a particular religion. The figures presented here are as of 2010. Looking ahead, the Center estimates that by 2050 the number of Muslims worldwide will grow to 2.76 billion, or 29.7% of worlds population. The share of the worlds Muslims who live in sub-Saharan Africa will increase from 15.5% in 2010 to 24.3%. Asia, which is currently home to more of the worlds Muslims (61.7%) than all the other regions combined, will continue to host a majority of the worlds Muslims, albeit with a smaller share (52.8%). As for the Middle East and North Africa, the region will roughly maintain its share of the worlds Muslims, rising only slightly from 19.8% to 20.0% in 2050. Just 0.2% of the worlds Muslims live in North America. In the U.S., Muslims are projected to double from 0.9% of the population in 2010 to 2.1% by 2050 based on recent demographic and migration patterns. Source: pewresearch.org 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 The Saudi government has signed an agreement to build 462 new residential units in eastern Riyadh under the Eskan housing scheme, said a report. The new units, which will be spread across an area of 84,679 sq m, is part of a partnership programme with the private sector, reported local daily Al Riyadh. As per the agreement signed by the Ministry of Housing and Al Tahaluf Real Estate Company, 436 high-quality duplex houses and 26 independent villas will be built for Saudi citizens, which will be priced reasonably between SR530,000 and SR590,000 ($141,243 and $157,233). Nayef Al Rasheed, the chief executive of the programme, said the partnership agreement is the first of its kind between the ministry and the private sector. Under this programme, the ministry has entered into several agreements with local and international companies to stimulate the real estate sector, raise productivity, build more housing units amid growing demand. Alwaleed Philanthropies (AP), chaired by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz AlSaud, has sealed an innovative new partnership with Thomson Reuters Foundation focused on empowering Saudi female journalists. The announcement was made during the first of its kind conference titled The evolving role of women in Saudi Arabia held recently in Riyadh. The partnership is aimed at encouraging women participation in the labour force in the Kingdom, particularly in the field of journalism and communications, said a statement from AP. A key component of this partnership is a series of training programmes for female journalists in the region, supporting their efforts to report on women empowerment issues domestically and around the world, it stated. The conference was held at the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND) in partnership with Luxury KSA, and Smaat Company. High-profile guests including Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs of the UAE, and Princess Reema Bint Talal bin Abdulaziz attended the event which shed light on the aspirations and achievements of women in the country, with a campaign themed Saudi Women Can. Alwaleed Philanthropies secretary general Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Sauds opening remarks revolved around her personal experience and the importance of redefining women empowerment in the Kingdom. Alwaleed Philanthropies board of trustees treasurer Nada Al Sugair was present along with 3,000 others who attended both in person and through live broadcast. Guest of honour, Cherie Blair, CBE, QC, Barrister, Lecturer, Head of Cherie Blair Foundation, and wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, gave a speech on the economic and social contribution by women when empowered. Additionally, she defined what she referred to as the crucial ingredients for success namely confidence, capability and access to capital. Also delivering a keynote speech was Joelle Tanguy- Director of Strategic Partnerships Division, UN Women, about the importance of women's economic empowerment and gender equality. At the heart of the conversation were two panel discussions on the evolving role of women in Saudi Arabia. The main panel discussion led by Monique Villa, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO, revolved around Saudi women in the workplace, in participation of Dr. Eqbal Darandari - Member of Shura Council, Dr. Lama Al Sulaiman - Vice President of Chamber of Commerce, Raha Moharrak - first Saudi female and youngest Arab to climb Mount Everest, and Abeer Al Essa - one of the first Saudi women to enter the field of advertising. The second panel discussion led by Novelist, Presenter, and media figure Dr. Badriya El-Bishr, featured the participation of Rogaia Al Hwoiriny Writer & Researcher on womens issues, Amaal Al Moallami, - Assistant to the Secretary General of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, and Aziza Al-Yousef Activist on Human Rights, to discuss the role of Saudi women in Media. Other participating inspirational speakers who gave speeches about their journey included Adwa Al Dakheel one of the most influential Saudi females, Hadeel Ayoub Saudi female inventor, and Deema Al Yahya one of the first Saudi women to achieve a high-ranking position in technology. The five-day programmes, the first of which concluded two weeks ago in Riyadh, focus on developing the reporting skills of the journalists. They will also provide training on the key global challenge of womens empowerment, including Sustainable Development Goal 5 the global goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. "We are delighted to partner with the Thomson Reuters Foundation in this exciting and innovative new project," said Princess Lamia. "Tackling gender inequality is one of the most important challenges the world faces in the twenty-first century. Empowering women lies at the core of so many global development challenges, from reducing poverty to tackling hunger and improving healthcare and education outcomes," she noted. "It is vital that we recognise the barriers to womens empowerment that exist, both in the Middle East and further afield. I am proud to lead an all-female team of highly dynamic, empowered professionals at Alwaleed Philanthropies, who are committed to our mission to empower women all over the world," she added.-TradeArabia News Service Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, today appointed Mohannad Mohammed Al-Kharafi as the chairman of the group. Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi was named vice-chairman and chief executive officer of Zain Group, and Scott Gegenheimer was appointed in a new role as chief executive officer of operations. The annual Ordinary General Assembly of the group met today at the companys headquarters in Shuwaikh, Kuwait, and appointed a new board of directors. The board members include: Mohannad Mohammad Al-Kharafi; Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi; Ahmed Tahous Al-Tahous (the representative of the Kuwait Investment Authority); the corporate entities: Fajer Al Nasim for selling and buying stocks represented by Houssam Fawzi Al-Kharafi; Nasim Al-Delta for selling and buying stocks represented by Khaled Ali Al-Ghanim; Abeer Al-Shorouq for selling and buying stocks represented by Talal Jassem Al-Kharafi; Jawharat Gibla for selling and buying stocks represented by Faisal Nizar Al-Nusif; and Dana Al Qebla for selling and buying stocks represented by Khaled Waleed Al-Falah. The assembly approved the distribution of a cash dividend of 35 fils ($0.11) per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2016. During the general assembly, Zain Group reported an increase in net profit by 2 per cent year-on-year to reach KD157 million ($519 million), reflecting earnings per share of 40 fils ($0.13). Total annual consolidated revenue for the year amounted to KD1.1 billion ($3.6 billion), while EBITDA grew 3 per cent to KD512 million ($1.7 billion). Zain Groups customer base grew by 3 per cent during the year, reaching more than 47 million customers. Outgoing chairman Asaad Ahmed Al Banwan explained that Zains financial results were affected by social unrest and security risks in several of the companys markets, along with fluctuations in currency exchange rates and monetary policies that were imposed in some markets. - TradeArabia News Service Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, held talks with his Omani counterpart Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mehrzi during ITB held in Berlin, discussing further development of tourism ties between both countries. A meeting was also held with the Egyptian minister of Tourism, Yehya Rashid, during Al Zayani's visit to Egypts pavilion at the exhibition, where they discussed strengthening intra-regional tourism and the possibility of launching routes to Sharm Al Shaikh in Egypt. The meetings were held in the presence of Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, the chief executive officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. During the exhibition, BTEA worked on promoting the kingdom as a touristic destination and showcased its strategy in stimulating intra-regional tourism and attract more visitors. The Bahrain pavilion was also visited by the Jordanian Minister of Tourism, Lina Annab, where she met the Bahraini minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism and the CEO of BTEA. They revealed the authoritys overall strategy to market and promote the tourism brand 'Ours Yours' which aims to promote Bahrain as the ideal tourism destination to the regional and international markets. - TradeArabia News Service MASON CITY | Robert "Bob" Echelbarger was sitting on a Korean roadside with fellow Marines when a line of refugees trudged past. One of them, a little girl, locked eyes with him as she stumbled along the road. "She had a pack on her back and a white kind of gown and she has a page-boy haircut," said Echelbarger, now 88, of Mason City. "She was leaning and she had tears running down her face, and her feet had little spots of blood on them, because she was barefoot. "And, I looked at her and she looked at me and, oh, it just really hit me." Sixty years later he still remembers that face. The tears. "I can still see her," he said. That moment is one of many from the war that still sticks with Echelbarger. It was part of an nontraditional tour through the military for Echelbarger, who served during two wars. He joined the military at age 17 in June 1946. Although the fighting was essentially over, it was still during World War II because Congress hadn't declared the war over. "In those days, it was the tail end of World War II and I wanted to go to college, and my folks couldnt afford it and I had two choices," he said. "I could either wait to be drafted or pick my branch of service." He chose the Marine Corps. He served about two years, but did something on the way out that would impact the rest of his life. He signed up for the Marine Corps Reserve. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time. It wasn't until he was in college and preparing to get married that it occurred to him there might be a problem. The war in Korea was getting bad, and Echelbarger knew they were going to need more men in uniform. "I thought of a little mistake I made when I was discharged the first time because I'd volunteered into the inactive Marine Reserve and then forgot about it, and that came back to haunt me," he said. "So, the war was really going bad and I told (his wife, Shirley) Id thought that we shouldnt get married, because I knew I was going to be recalled and I knew I was going to be on the front line and the war was going badly, but she insisted that we go through with it." On Oct. 12, 1950, he got word to report to Des Moines for active duty. He was in a company attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment They went to Korea by ship, with a stop-over in Osaka, Japan. After spending the first night in canvas tents they were trucked out to the Korean back country. Echelbarger spent most of the next year trekking up and down hills. As an assistant Browning automatic rifleman, than meant he did so carrying a shoulder-operated machine gun. "That sucker was heavy," he said. The circumstances were punishing. "Living on C rations," he said. "Climbing hills and getting whittled down by the hills and getting whittled down by rear-guard action." They used water purification tablets so they could drink from streams and stayed out more than two months at a time. "Didn't wash. Didn't change clothes," he said. "All we had was the pack on our backs and our equipment." Around Thanksgiving 1951, the war of movement ended, and Echelbarger spent more time dug in around the edge of a wide valley known as the Punch Bowl. The opposing sides went back and forth across that valley, advancing and retreating back again. "So many times, so many times when I'd dig a hole in the ground I wondered if I would be in the right spot," Echelbarger said. "Because, it was just mathematics: you either were or you weren't." He lost friends, and has sheets of paper with their names and dates of the firefights that cost them their lives. Letters from Shirley, his wife, kept him going. Stationery and envelopes were among the few non-essential items he and his fellow Marines carried in the field. "The letters I got from her, they held me together," he said. "And she kept all of them." He only kept one. The rest he read three or four times and then tore up. "I didn't want them on me," he explained. "You had a little different view of life (over there)." He arrived home for good on Christmas Day 1951. For a long time Echelbarger didn't talk about Korea. On his 80th birthday, he decided it was time to tell his second wife, Sadie, who he married after Shirley died, and his children what happened while he was in Korea. The firefights. Soldiers killed. Dead civilians his company found on their patrols. Things he'd seen. Things he'd done. He told them everything. No holds barred. His motivation was simple. "I wanted them to know," he said. Emirates has commenced daily passenger service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Dubai International Airport, via Athens International Airport. A VIP delegation and contingent of international media were aboard the inaugural flight, which carried passengers from Athens, Dubai and points beyond. Newark becomes Emirates 12th US gateway, and is the second serving the greater Tri-State Area, complementing Emirates existing four daily flights from Dubai and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Passengers embarking from Newark and Dubai will have the option to disembark in Athens or continue to their final destinations. This new route will connect Americas largest metropolitan area and Dubai through one of Europes great capitals, said Hubert Frach, divisional senior vice president, Commercial Operations West, Emirates. The launch of this year-round daily service will allow us to offer Emirates unique product and award-winning service to passengers on a route long neglected by other airlines. We expect this service to generate consistently high demand and enhance business, culture and leisure connections on both sides of the Atlantic. It is always a great pleasure to announce new air services, route expansions and partnerships at our airport, said Diane Papaianni, the general manager at Newark Liberty International Airport. Our airport has a vast network of destinations, and we are delighted to have Emirates join our airline family and offer more travel options to our customers. "Emirates' direct, year-round operations on the Athens-New York route is a spectacular development for the Athens market, enhancing its connectivity and presenting the traveling public with new travel options on Emirates' excellent product. At the same time, Athens strong traffic volumes to/from the US, underpinned by the vibrant Greek-American community, signify the potential and the success of the route. We wish to our airline-partner all the best to this ground-breaking endeavor", said Dr. Yiannis Paraschis, CEO, Athens International Airport. "The US is a priority market for Greece, said Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Koutras. Greece has experienced a double-digit increase in arrivals from the United States in the past two years. The establishment of the new direct flight Dubai-Athens-New York will significantly empower Greece's appeal among the U.S. travel audience. Emirates will serve the route with a wide-body Boeing 777-300ER powered by General Electric GE90 engines, offering eight seats in First class, 42 seats in Business class and 304 seats in Economy class, as well as 19 tons of belly-hold cargo capacity. Emirates daily flight EK209 will depart Dubai at 10:50 a.m. local time, arriving in Athens at 2:25 p.m. before departing again at 4:40 p.m. and arriving into Newark at 10:00 p.m. on the same day. Emirates daily flight EK210 will depart Newark at 11:45 p.m., arriving in Athens the next day at 3:05 p.m. EK210 will depart from Athens at 5:10 p.m. and continue onward to Dubai, arriving at 11:50 p.m., facilitating convenient connections to more than 50 Emirates destinations in India, the Far East and Australia. The new route will be a great benefit to the United States substantial Greek community of approximately 1.3 million people, many of whom live in the New York metropolitan and Tri-State area. - TradeArabia News Service In an endeavour to redefine the way hotel owners develop, own, operate and service their hospitality projects, international events organiser IDE Consulting Services is presenting the 11th edition of the Hotelier Summit Middle East in Qatar this May. From May 17-18, the summit will bring together the top stakeholders of the Middle East hospitality sector to engage in focussed face-to-face business meetings. The ultimate vision of the initiative is to create a seamless procurement cycle that eliminates cost overruns and budget overruns during the development and maintenance of a hotel project. One of the reasons why the Hotelier Summit Middle East is so successful is because suppliers directly meet their target customers. We qualify each delegate prior to the summit to create a deal-flow platform at the event, said Amritha Gowda Mitta, head of Supplier Acquisition Middle East, IDE. In the very first scheduled meeting of the Hotelier Summit Middle East 2016, JRD International closed a deal with Aces Properties for their high quality wall panels and coverings. This is the first time a deal closed within minutes of the start of the summit. Another deal closed on the table was between Asala Holding and FC Frost from the UK for their bespoke architectural washroom products, added Gowda. IDE follows a meticulous qualification method for each buyer and supplier attending the summit. The Projects Team works on inviting buyers that have upcoming or ongoing hospitality projects in the region and the Supplier Acquisition Team qualifies global suppliers based on their ability to cater to demanding Middle East market. The Middle East and Africa will welcome 316 new hospitality projects in 2017, opening the doors to more than 80,000 new rooms for tourists. In this context, the launch of Hotelier Summit Middle East is timed to facilitate partnerships and learn from the experience of mature markets from the region and beyond, said Ganesh Babu, director at IDE. The safe, secure climate of the GCC region, easy visa rules, high-quality lifestyle and ease of doing business have been essential elements encouraging investments in the region to boost the growth of the hospitality industry, added Ganesh Babu. The summit offers various networking opportunities, enabling participants to build targeted connections and exchange information. In addition, conference agenda will offer insights on the current state of the hospitality industry and outline action plans that are adaptable to the ever-evolving marketplace. In terms of marketing traction and brand visibility, the Hotelier Summit Middle East is an avenue where companies are able to quantify their return on investment. The attending delegates are procurement decision makers associated with the top brands in the Middle East hospitality segment. This unique mix gives our suppliers the unique opportunity to directly meet their target audience face-to-face under one roof, said Vyshak Simha, marketing head at IDE. - TradeArabia News Service 2:30 p.m. update MASON CITY | The late-season storm that dumped a heavy blanket of snow on Mason City broke a 26-year-old record on Sunday. The 6.5 inches of snow that fell in Mason City late Sunday night broke a 26-year-old record for March 12. The old mark for that date was 5.3 inches set in 1991. Approximately 7.5 inches had fallen in Mason City as of Monday morning. The heaviest snowfall of the storm appears to have been in northeastern Palo Alto and southeastern Emmet counties, which had around 13 inches of snow. Forecaters say a wide swath around that area, including western Kossuth County, had around 8-12 inches of snowfall. Check back at globegazette.com for updates on this developing story. 9:30 a.m. update Much of North Iowa was blanketed by at least 6-7 inches of snow Sunday and Monday, but some areas got even more than that. Snow totals reported to the National Weather Service between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday: * Algona -- 6.9 inches. * Clarion -- 7 inches. * Clarksville -- 7.4 inches. * Hampton -- 8 inches. * Kanawha -- 5.0 inches. * Mason City -- 7.5 inches. * Readlyn -- 9 inches (Bremer County). * Webster City -- 5 inches. * Zearing -- 3.5 inches. Check back at globegazette.com for updates on this developing story. 7:30 a.m. update Weather officials cancelled the winter storm warning for some North Iowa counties, including Cerro Gordo. The enter region was expected to remain under the alert that was scheduled to expire at 10 a.m. Franklin, Butler, Floyd and Mitchell counties remained under the warning. Elsewhere, light snow was expected with some snow-covered roads. 7:15 a.m. update Nearly 9 inches of snow has been reported in Black Hawk County from a late-winter storm that's hampering travelers. The National Weather Service said Monday that 8 inches has been reported elsewhere in the northern half of the state, where a winter storm warning remains in effect. The Iowa Transportation Department says dozens of highways are covered with snow, imperiling drivers. Authorities in several counties report dozens of weather-related accidents. No deaths have been reported. Forecasters say up to 11 inches of snow could fall in an area from west-central to south-central Minnesota by Monday. To the west, 8 to 10 inches was expected from Brookings in eastern South Dakota to Marshall, Windom and Jackson in southwestern Minnesota. 7 a.m. update Spring break was scheduled for this week for several North Iowa school districts, so the storm had minimal impact on classes and activities. Classes were cancelled at NIACC, Algona and Riceville, as were the AEA 267 office in Clear Lake. Opening bells were delayed at West Hancock. Snow removal began Sunday night in Mason City. Alternate-side parking and the emergency snow route were implemented. MASON CITY | A mid-March story dumped up to 9 inches of snow in North Iowa overnight, making roads snow-packed and slick. Officials with the National Weather Services in Des Moines reported the highest totals in the region in Cerro Gordo County. Most of the area received closer to 6 inches of snow. The winter storm warning that started over the weekend was scheduled to expire at 10 a.m. Monday. The warning indicates travel would be hazardous and is discouraged. The NWS said snow accumulations would end about 7 a.m., and wind would be the next concern throughout Monday. Steady breezes to 20 mph will continue through the day. Check back for more on this story. There is forthcoming world destruction. Stephen Hawking has been telling his audience that man has created technology that can destroy the earth but he has not been equipped with the ability to escape from it. According to the world-renowned physicist, technology has advanced so fast and this tremendous pace may destroy humanity by way of biological or nuclear war. The only way he sees that can control the impending destruction is by logic and reason as reported by Daily Mail. Professor Hawking said that a governing body that encompasses the whole world is the only hope of mankind. However, it would also create more problems. But he also believes that man can rise up to meet the challenges The 75-year-old Cambridge University physics professor named climate change, overpopulation, and diseases are some of the threats not only for the human but for the planet. He suggested that there is no cause for worry if humankind will work together. He reiterated the environmental challenges that beset the present generation - epidemic diseases, climate change, overpopulation, scarcity of food, and acidification of the oceans. They are reminders that presently the world is in the most dangerous moment. Man's intelligence has enabled him to create technology that will eventually destroy the Earth and he has not yet developed the ability to escape the impending doom. He also shared his predictions hundreds of years in the future. The robots that were created to help man will also the ones that destroy him. The only hope is to establish human colonies in other planets but this can take hundreds of years. At present, Earth must be preserved. The onset of robotics and making robots to digital assistants, the self-driving vehicles that man created, and the full development of artificial intelligent will also cause his destruction. While technology learns to self-think and adapt to the human environment, man is also slowly going towards extinction. Although the advancement of AI can benefit man in terms of eradication of disease, war, and poverty, it has its negative effects. What is alarming is his explanation that man will survive if he becomes multi-planet. This was also confirmed by Tesla founder Elon Musk. That is why efforts must be geared towards establishing colonies in other planets. But this will take hundreds of years also. According to Pagalparrot, still about the world destruction, Stephen Hawking said that greediness and stupidity are the root cause of human destruction. Hopefully, his warnings will not fall on deaf ears. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Ibiza, Spain is famous for being an open-minded destination fit for playful adults looking for fun and excitement. The white-sand beaches surrounding the area as well as the luxury resorts built around it are a delight for travelers wanting to experience comfort and pleasure beyond their wildest dreams. This coming June 2017, another luxury brand resort will soon join the plethora of amazing resorts here. Located in Talamanca Bay, guests will soon have another reason to flock Ibiza, and that is the opening of Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay. Nobu is a famous name known around the world because of its unique and delicious uptake on Japanese cuisine. A member of globally recognized Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), the opening of this new five-star property in Ibiza will raise the reputation of it being a world-class destination for amazing gastronomical experiences, over-the-top amenities, and first-class comfort. Other than the delightful experience of the signature Nobu Matsuhisa's signature Japanese fusion dishes, guests will also have a choice to dine at three other world-class restaurants which all specialize in international cuisine. Other features of the hotel to look forward to are: the 152 rooms and suites all meticulously designed to radiate comfort to every guest, the Six Senses Spa, a luxurious spa complete with lavish treatments, a state of the art gymnasium, a Kids Club, outdoor roof terraces, beach cabanas, and many more. Nobu Hotel wants to make their every guest feel like they shouldn't want for anything more, as they already have all the services they can provide. Trevor Horwell, Chief Executive of Nobu Hospitality, said in a statement: "MC Hotels, the owners of Spain's iconic Marbella Club and Puente Romano and London & Regional have set a vision to create Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay as a lifestyle beach resort in Ibiza, and distinct from all other offerings on the island." "Nobu's global customers will be excited and passionate about this unique and fun luxury resort and will become another destination on the growing map of Nobu Hotels and Nobu Restaurants." The hotel will have its grand opening on June 30, 2017. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Restoration of the buildings made by renowed architect Frank Lloyd Wright is underway. The Frank Lloyd Wright Revival Initiative will rebuild Wright's demolished or unfinished projects starting with redeveloping the 1911 pavilion in the Canadian Rockies Banff, which was destroyed 30 years after its construction. One by one, the organization is seeking to erect these lost buildings and tries to raise US$2 million through crowdfunding, donation, and sponsorships. The Banff pavilion itself has been given approval of the city government. Eric, Wright's grandson, will see to the construction. The project, founded by filmmaker Michael Miner, told Architect Magazine, "He was a great artist...Every building you go to you see some amazing new thing and to recognize that this came from one person's mind when you recognize genius at its highest level, it seizes you." If the Banff Pavilion proved to be successful, their next project would be the 1963 Pilgrim Congregational Church in Redding, California. Dezeen reported that the building was partially finished because of budget concerns, but Miner hopes to rebuild the edifice according to Wright's architectural plans. Architect or design enthusiasts are overtly fond and inspired by the building and have long known that the building was supposed to be five times larger than its size today. Wright is famous for creating the Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater Kaufmann-House. Recently, there have been various notions of recreating his buildings other than the Frank Lloyd Wright Revival Initiative project. Different groups and individuals have revived Wright's architectural works like giving colored visuals to Wright's construction plans, restoring his 1940 house in Wisconsin, constructing a house after it was designed about 74 years earlier, and shipping a New Jersey house to Italy. Wright died in 1959, but in 1991, he was recognized by the American Institute of Architects as "the greatest American architect of all time." Ten of his buildings were elevated and nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Sushi is one of the best things Japan has shared with the world. Whatever nationality you may be, you can't deny that those little rolls of vinegared rice with fresh raw fish at the top dipped in the combination of Japanese Wasabi and soy sauce are one of the finest examples of culinary mastery. But you don't need to go way over in Japan just to experience authentic Japanese sushi. In New York itself, tons of Japanese restaurants seem to sprout in every corner, welcoming their customers to a little slice of Japan, in the heart of the Big Apple. But among these NYC sushi bars, which ones are worth paying for? Here are some of the best sushi restaurants in New York. Sushi Azabu, Tribeca. On your first venture to dine at this Michelin-starred sushi restaurant, you might get a bit lost. That is because it is located in the basement of Greenwich Grill in Tribeca, which will make you think twice if it's the right place. But once you enter and see the traditional Japanese decor inside, all doubts will soon leave your mind. Brushstroke Sushi, Hudson. This little piece of sushi heaven in New York is the result of the collaboration of world-class chef David Bouley and sushi master Eiji Ichimura. If you're opinion of sushi are of the highest standards, then there's no better place to go. The menu is traditional, but you might get to witness some little experimentation going on every now and then. Have no doubts, though. The food is nothing short of spectacular. 15 East, Union Square. This little sushi hotspot in Union Square especially caters to perfectionists, because every dish is made meticulously. Expect nothing less since this restaurant is headed by Jewel Bako vet Masato Shimizu. The seafood is first-class, flown especially from Japan every few days in a week to ensure freshness. All in all, a glamorous sushi place fit even for those with the pickiest palates. Kura, East Village. You might not have heard of Chef Norihiro Ishizuka, but once you try dining at Kura, his name will not leave your mind. There is no menu in sight in this casual sushi bar in East Village, you just have to trust the chef that what you will get exactly what you pay for, if not more. All the time though, Mr. Ishizuka delivers the promise. Aside from its omakase, the kappo dishes are also worth trying out! Masa, Upper West Side. Sushi is great, but would you pay around half a thousand dollars for a single meal? Masa is a place that screams of elegance and sophistication the moment you enter, and the quality of the food, especially the sushi, is top-notch. If you have the budget, this is a definite must-try. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 If you're looking for a fantastic Mediterranean vacation, then Malta should be included in your choices. Unfortunately though, its famous Azure Sea Arch collapsed days ago after being visited for many years. But cheer up! There are tons of other reasons why you should definitely include Malta in your travel bucket list. Here are some of them. Language barrier is not a problem. Although Maltese is the primary language of Malta, almost everyone speaks English, unlike other European destinations. The stress of communication problem is one of the hassles of traveling abroad, but you won't encounter that problem here. It used to be part of a British Empire until 1964, hence the reason why the populace can converse English well. Malta's prehistoric temples. How often can you say that you've visited temples that are thousands of years in age? In Malta, you can visit Mnajdr, Hagar Qim, and Tarxien-they are built between 3600BC and 2500 BC, and are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tours to these sites are fascinating because of an elaborate audio guide as well as an introductory exhibition in the visitor center that will surely pique your curiosity. Plenty of accommodation choices. Although located in Europe, you can forget about the stigma of overspending in a European vacation here in Malta as there is always something for everyone. The accommodation choices, for example, range from backpacker hostels to 5-star resorts. If you want a lively crowd at night, you could find lodging along St. Julian's; but if you prefer peace and quiet there are tons of other choices in Mellieha and St. Paul's Bay. Malta's diving scene. Malta's diving spots are world-famous, and many diving enthusiasts frequent Malta every year for this reason--his place is home to interesting shipwrecks and underwater landscapes. Don't worry if you're a beginner, there are lots of diving agencies that can help you teach the basics. The Maltese Hospitality. Seriously, it's worth going to Malta even just for the locals. Most people are friendly, and oftentimes, they go out of their way to make tourists feel welcome and comfortable. Ask any tourist, they'll surely say the same thing. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 A new conservation program in South Africa aims to get visitors up close and personal with the rarely spotted rhinoceros. The program is part of Pilanesberg National Park, where rhino poaching has reached epidemic proportions. To combat the poaching, park officials will track every rhino in the park with ID chips. To offset the cost of the program, Sun Internationals flagship resort in Sun City teamed up with park officials to offer guests an opportunity to take part. Visitors get to help the team during the ID chip implantation, getting closer than most people ever get to a rhino. Perry Dell, marketing and PR manager, Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust, told News24 the tracking program would offer vital biological information to researchers. He said while humans are the species biggest threat, theyre also its only hope for survival. Visitors are trained before the experience, and veterinarians provide information on each procedure. Once rhinos are located and tranquilized, guests can then be moved into the area. If the situation is deemed safe, visitors can approach with the ID team. They will then help under staff direction. Once the ID is complete, vets reverse the anesthesia and let the rhino roam free, with visitors standing at a safe distance. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. With indications growing that Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. may be on his way out, it's time to consider who should replace him. Columnist Daniel Bice reports that the sheriff's longtime deputy, Inspector Edward Bailey, is going to retire at the end of the month. And there has been speculation that Clarke's other inspector, Richard Schmidt, also may be planning to leave, though Schmidt denies it. The two deputies have been running the Sheriff's Office over the past year while the sheriff made repeated national television appearances, gave speeches and campaigned for President Donald Trump. As Bice notes, Clarke received more than $220,000 in speaking fees, gifts, lodging, airfare and other expenses for his talks. If either Bailey or Schmidt or both are exiting the department, it's a signal that Clarke may not be far behind them. If Clarke is about to leave, Gov. Scott Walker should get serious about who would replace him. For the sake of the county he once led, Walker needs to get this appointment right. The governor should avoid playing politics, and appoint a steady, thoughtful, professional leader qualities sorely needed after years of neglect by Clarke, who, after a promising start, used the office to build his personal brand. Walker should pick a law enforcement professional. Someone who will enforce the law and be tough on criminals, while respecting the civil rights of all citizens. Someone who understands modern policing techniques. Someone who won't call on citizens to keep guns always at the ready in their homes because law enforcement officers might not get there in time. Pick someone capable of managing a department and restoring a sense of high morale and professionalism among sheriff's deputies. Someone who will promote people on merit. Pick someone who is capable of cleaning up the mess at the County Jail where four people, one a newborn infant, died last year. One of those inmates, suffering from severe mental illness, died of homicide by dehydration. Pick someone mature enough to deal with other officials respectfully and honestly. Someone who won't call the medical examiner and berate him about releasing public records to the citizens who own those records, or challenge the county executive (figuratively) to a shoot-out at high noon. Someone who will deal with a reasonable budget assigned to his department without name-calling and without always demanding more from taxpayers. Pick someone who won't abuse his office by ordering deputies to detain and question a citizen who complained that all he did was dare to shake his head at the sheriff's Dallas Cowboys fan gear on an airplane. Someone who won't resort to playground name-calling of critics via social media. Someone who won't disparage legitimate peaceful protest movements as beneath contempt. Someone who will provide the public with the information it needs in a timely manner. Pick someone who will put his primary focus on serving the citizens of Milwaukee County rather than traipsing around the world on book tours or campaigning for a candidate he hopes will give him a higher-profile, higher-paying job. There are many well-qualified professionals in law enforcement who would fulfill their duty to protect and serve. When the time comes, governor, please choose one of them to replace Clarke. This editorial appeared in the March 3 edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Jammu, March 13 In second ceasefire violation in less than 24 hours, Pakistani troops on Monday resorted to mortar shelling and firing by automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pooch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the army to retaliate. There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Poonch sector from 0640 hours today, using 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons, a defence spokesman said. Indian Army personnel took positions and responded befittingly to the Pakistani firing, the spokesman said, adding that intermittent firing was going on. There is no casualty on Indian side, he said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) This is the second ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Poonch district since Sunday. On Sunday, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and mortar shelling in Krishnagati sector along the LoC in Pooch district. On March 9, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch. Cross-LoC bus service suspended for a week Cross-LoC Poonch-Rawlakote bus service was today suspended as a precautionary measure in view of fierce exchange of fire and mortar shells between the armies of India and Pakistan. The bus service has been suspended for a week. The Pakistani troops earlier in the day fired along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. Amid strained relations between India and Pakistan against the backdrop of the Uri terror attack, Pakistani nationals earlier expressed that the trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade between the two hostile countries through the Poonch-Rawlakot route should remain normal at Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. PTI/ANI DK Sudan Poonch, March 13 Pakistani troops violated the truce pact on Monday for the second consecutive day and third time within a week by resorting to small arms firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and Cross-LoC Trade Centre, Chakan da Bagh, along the Line of Control (LoC) in Khari Karmara sector in Poonch. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) In view of the escalating tension on the LoC the cross-LoC Bus service Rahen Milan has been suspended for a week. The Pakistani troops again targeted Cross-LoC trade centre, Chakkan da Bagh, this morning damaging its roof badly. Pakistani troops had fired 5 shells on the trade centre on Sunday as well. The escalating tension on the LoC has also created a panic among the villagers who have been looking for safe shelter these days. The Pakistan army troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Indian army posts along LoC in Poonch sector from 0640 this morning using 82 mm and 120 mm mortars and automatic weapons, a defence spokesperson said. Our troops are responding appropriately and no casualties or damage to our troops was reported till the report last came in. The firing was still going on, the spokesperson added. Tanveer Ahmed, custodian, cross-LoC trade centre, said, Due to heavy shelling, the trade centres administrative block was damaged badly. In view of the continuous firing from the Pakistani troops and no response from the PoK trade and travel authorities, the cross-LoC bus service has been suspended for a week and if the situation does not improve, cross-LoC trade may also be suspended this week, Tanveer Ahmed said. The exchange of fire was going intermittently in Khari, Karmara, Noor Kote, Nakkar Kote and Digwar Top area along LoC in Poonch, defence Sources said. Tuesdays ceasefire violation is second in less than 24 hours. On Sunday, Pakistan troops violated ceasefire by firing on forward army posts in the same area along LoC in Khari Karmara Sector. On March 9, Pakistani troops had fired on an army post along the LoC in Gulpur sector killing one Indian soldier, Sepoy Deepak Jagannath Ghadge of the 15 Maratha Light Infantry who suffered a bullet injury in the head. The Nebraska Legislature has two options this year for addressing problems created by the state's mandatory minimum sentencing requirements. Currently, judges are required to sentence people convicted of 1C felonies to at least five years in prison and those convicted of 1D felonies to at least three years in prison. These categories include robbery, possession of 10 or more grams of certain drugs, assault on a police officer and manufacturing or distribution of child pornography. Also, offenders determined to be habitual criminals are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years added to the sentence for their crime. Sen. Paul Schumacher, who is a former county attorney, has introduced a bill that would set up a process for a three-judge panel to consider bypassing a mandatory minimum for a specific case involving a nonviolent drug offense if requested by the presiding judge. It would also allow a review of a habitual criminal mandatory sentencing. Right now, even if the judge feels probation or a lesser prison sentence is merited for a first-time offender, the judge has no recourse. But Schumacher's bill would make it possible for judges randomly selected by the Nebraska Supreme Court's chief justice to review whether the mandatory minimum is appropriate for a particular offender. This would help reduce overcrowding in Nebraska's prisons as well as give first offenders the opportunity to stay out of prison, where they would likely be associating with hardened criminals who would influence them to continue breaking the law. The other option before the Legislature is a bill introduced by Sen. Ernie Chambers that would do away with mandatory minimum sentences for 1D and 1C felonies. This may be a harder sell with the Legislature because of concerns of prosecutors who use the threat of harsh sentences to get defendants to plead guilty to lesser crimes. But Schumacher's bill is a conservative approach to the issue that could make sentencing in Nebraska more fair to first-time offenders and help reduce prison crowding. The Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association supported both bills when they were presented to the Judiciary Committee. "I've had judges state on the record at the time of sentencing that they would use probation, but they have no choice," said Spike Eickholt of the NCDAA. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, mandatory minimum sentences disproportionately affect black men, who are four or five times more likely than white people to be convicted of drug possession. The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has estimated Chambers' bill would save the state more than $180,000 in 2019. It also estimated Schumacher's bill would save the state money, but didn't have a specific number. There are nine other states, including Iowa, that have recently passed laws reducing their mandatory minimum penalties for many drug offenders. It's time that Nebraska legislators seriously consider making it 10. This editorial appeared in the Feb. 28 edition of The Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent. New Delhi, March 13 Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday described the attack on a student from Arunachal Pradesh in Bengaluru as saddening and said the Home Ministry is also pursuing the matter besides the police investigation. When we are talking of safety of Indians abroad such incidents in our country are very saddening, Rijiju told reporters here. The Union Minister of State for Home said police are investigating the case and his office is also pursuing it for action against those guilty in the incident. Higio Guntey, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh and is a fourth-semester student of Christ University, was allegedly beaten and forced to lick his house owner's shoes for using excessive water in Bengaluru on March 6. The house owner was identified as Hemanth Kumar and a case was registered against him on March 9 following Guntey's complaint. Rijiju also hails from Arunachal Pradesh. PTI Ahmedabad, March 13 Four minor sisters were charred to death after fire engulfed their hut at Mulad village of Surat district in the early hours on Monday, the police said. As per primary investigation, leakage from domestic gas cylinder caused the blaze. The incident occurred when their father Ramesh Patel was away, said Sub Inspector with Mahuva police station, PV Pateliya. According to Pateliya, the hut, which was made of steel sheets, belongs to Patel, a vegetable vendor. The deceased were identified as Darshana (10), Mansi (9), Tejashree (8) and Rajashree (8). Patel has been living in the hut with his four daughters for some time. Patels wife died a few years ago. As part of his daily routine, Patel locked one of the doors from outside and went to Surat city on his vehicle to sell vegetables, the officer said. When his daughters were asleep, the fire broke out due to gas leakage. Before the girls could escape, all of them were charred to death. We have sent their bodies for post-mortem and a probe is on, added Pateliya. PTI New Delhi/Panaji, March 13 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was on Monday given the additional charge of the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned to take on the new role of Goa Chief Minister. A Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said the resignation of Parrikar as the Defence Minister, on advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been accepted with immediate effect. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Arun Jaitely, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios," the communique said. Parrikar submitted his resignation after BJP staked claim to form an alliance government in Goa. Read: Eight MLAs to be sworn in tomorrow with Parrikar, says BJP He will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa tomorrow heading the BJP-led ministry which has the support of regional outfits and Independents. This is the second time that Jaitley is holding the additional portfolio of Defence Ministry during the present NDA government. He was incharge of the ministry earlier from May 26 to November 9 in 2014. Earlier in the day, Parrikar resigned as Defence Minister. He will head the BJP-led ministry which has the support of regional outfits and Independents in Goa. I have tendered my resignation as Defence Minister and sent it to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) Parrikar said on Monday. I will be taking the oath tomorrow evening along with the Cabinet ministers, he added. Asked how many ministers would be sworn in, Parrikar said, The decision on the number of ministers and other issues are being currently worked out. Once the Cabinet is finalised, we will inform the media. The BJP, which failed to cross the half-way mark in the Assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup on Sunday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member House. Thirteen BJP MLA and other legislators who pledged support to the party met Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday evening, who later invited Parrikar to form the government. The BJP stole a march on the Congress which failed to muster the numbers despite emerging as the single-largest party with 17 seats. The Congress was hoping to get the support of the GFP which has bagged three seats in its maiden bid at the hustings. But by deft moves, coordinated by party veteran and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP succeeded in keeping the Congress at bay, winning over smaller parties and Independents, who were keen that Parrikar should lead the ministry. Parrikar, 61, an engineer from IIT-Bombay, led the BJP in 2012 to victory and became the Chief Minister. He, however, was made the Defence Minister at the Centre in 2014 and was succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar as the Chief Minister. Parsekar was defeated in Mandrem constituency this time and also most of the ministers in his Cabinet failed to win. Parrikar, who graduated to the BJP from the RSS ranks, had also served as Chief Minister of the state from 2000 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2005. Right from the start of the campaign this time, Parrikar was widely seen as the Chief Minister probable. He also extensively campaigned for the party in his home state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the campaign and before, lavished praises on Parrikar over his competence and decision-making capacity as the Defence Minister, especially in the context of the surgical strike on terror launch pads across the border in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked about his two-year stint at the Centre, Parrikar said, Initially I was finding the role as the Defence Minister as difficult but during last two-and-a-half years, I have done my job well. I have done it with utter honesty. The Defence Ministry is such a portfolio where allegations are always levelled against the minister but during last two-and-a-half years, despite so much of procurement, there is not a single allegation against the ministry or me, he said. If I want to sum up my achievements as the Defence Minister, I can say, these are boosting of the morale of the force and better procurements, he said. Parrikar said that through various defence deals, the ministry has saved crores of rupees as many tenders had earlier been over-quoted. PTI Bijay Sankar Bora Tribune News Service Guwahati, March 13 Even as the BJP is set to form its first government in Manipur, its MLA N Biren Singh was on Monday elected unanimously the leader of the BJP legislature party. N Biren is set to become the next chief minister of the state as the BJP is staking claim to form the government in the state. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The BJP has 21 MLAs of its own in the 60-member Manipur Assembly and the party claims support of NPF (4 MLAs), NPP (4), LJP (1) and one Independent. On being elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party, N Biren Singh who was a former Congress minister, told the media in Imphal that the people of Manipur had given a mandate for change and against the misgovernance of Congress. In presence of BJPs Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal and other central leaders, he assured the people that the next BJP-led government would strive to provide good governance under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Before joining BJP last year, N Biren Singh was one of the most prominent ministers in the Congress government led by Okram Ibobi Singh. He facilitated bringing many other Congress leaders to the BJP ranks in Manipur before the Assembly polls. Meanwhile, as per unconfirmed reports, a few Congress MLAs in Manipur are likely to shift allegiance to the BJP. The Congress has won 28 seats in the polls to emerge as the single largest party, but has not been able to muster support of sufficient non-Congress MLAs to be able to form the next government in the state. Hyderabad, March 13 Two women labourers were on Monday killed and two others injured when they got trapped under a huge heap of mud at an under-construction site in Madhapur area here, police said. The incident occurred at around 10.15 am burying two women workers alive while two other workers--both men--managed to escape with minor injuries. They have been shifted to a nearby hospital, they said. Around four labourers were working on erection of pillars 40 feet below ground level for a commercial complex when a huge heap of mud (of the retaining wall) caved in and they got trapped beneath it, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Madhapur Zone) Vishwa Prasad said. The deceased were identified as A Bharatamma (25), belonging to Nizamabad district and P Kistamma (45), a native of Medak district, the DCP told PTI, adding that the bodies had been sent for post-mortem and police were in the process of registering a case against the builder. Hyderabad Mayor B Rammohan, who visited the spot, announced an ex gratia of Rs 8 lakh each to the family of the deceased workers, of which Rs 2 lakh will be given from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Rs 6 lakh from the Labour department. PTI Anandpur Sahib (Punjab), March 13 Tens of thousands of people converged on this Sikh holy town on Monday to be part of the Hola Mohalla festival. It was a virtual sea of humanity of men, women and children near the main shrine, Takht Keshgarh Sahib. The three-day Hola Mohalla celebrations coincide with the Hindu festival of Holi. All roads to the holy town, which is home to the second most important Sikh shrine after the "Harmandar Sahib" (popularly known as Golden Temple) in Amritsar, had heavy vehicle movement with people coming in hordes on buses, trucks, tractor-trolleys and other vehicles. Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs assemble in this religious town for the Hola Mohalla celebrations and show their prowess through the Gatka martial art. "It is a really festive and colourful spirit here. Some of the Nihangs have very interesting and huge turbans which are decorated with religious symbols," Harkirat Singh, a tourist who had come with a group of foreigners for the Hola Mohalla, said. It was at this shrine that Guru Gobind Singh had in 1699 baptised five men and founded the Khalsa Panth. IANS Baghdad, March 13 Islamic State (IS) terrorists are completely trapped and the last road out of Mosul has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul, Xinhua quoted US envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk as saying. Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 per cent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said on Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq. The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city centre in western Mosul, stressing that the enemys power has been greatly weakened in the battle. Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January. McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries. IANS Islamabad, March 13 Pakistan will begin its first census in about two decades from Wednesday with the assistance of over 2,00,000 troops and civilian officials who will collect crucial data that will be used for key policy decisions, including delimitation of constituencies. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor and Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a joint conference about preparation for the long-delayed sixth population census, which will be conducted in two phases and will be completed on May 25. The national census will be conducted from Wednesday. The census would be conducted with the assistance of over 200,000 troops, Ghafoor said. He said at least one soldier will accompany each civilian enumerator going from house to house to enlist the number of households and individuals living there. The soldiers will not only provide security but help in verification of data collected by the enumerators. Aurangzeb said that administrative and security arrangements have been made for the population and housing census. The number of the civilian staff taking part in the census is 118,918. They are all government servants from various departments and thoroughly trained for the job, Aurangzeb said yesterday. She said that the first phase will start from March 15 and conclude on April 15. After a ten-day gap the second phase will start from April 25 and conclude on May 25. She said that Rs 18.5 billion had been allocated for the census. The Minister of State said the holding of the census will help appropriate allocation of funds and other resources at right places. Aurangzeb said that there will be imprisonment of six months and Rs 50,000 fine if wrong information is given. Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. The population data will be used for delimitation of the constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies, a requirement under the Constitution. In Pakistan, the first four censuses in 1951, 1961, 1972 and 1981, were held on time by the Population Census Organisation, in collaboration with staff from the provincial governments. The fifth census was due in 1991 and the House Listing Operation carried out in 1990 showed abnormal population growth in some parts of the country, which could not be justified by normal demographic indicators. Consequently, the government decided to postpone the 1991 census. Another effort was made in 1994, which could not mature due to pressure by from political and ethnic groups. It was decided that the 1998 census would be held with the support of the armed forces, which was broadly accepted by all political parties and appreciated internally. The sixth Population and Housing Census was due in 2008, but could not materialise due to the law and order situation in the country, a paucity of staff and financial constraints. The census is considered as a key for correct data to plan for the development of the country. It is expected to take place in March. PTI Tokyo, March 13 King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks on Monday mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi King in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japans biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdoms economic and business interests. Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Monday that Japan is willing to provide support for the economic power in the Middle East. We will discuss growth strategy, including our Saudi Vision project, he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030, a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives. He did not confirm reports that the countries would agree to set up a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and was to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later today. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatised, seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japans 2.1 trillion yen ($18.6 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen ($4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late yesterday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Salmans stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialisation and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. AP London, March 13 Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday said she will be seeking the Scottish Parliament's permission to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. Sturgeon wants this referendum to be held between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019 for Scotland to be able to have a say over its relationship with the European Union (EU) post-Brexit. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) If it gets parliamentary approval, this will be the second such Scottish independence referendum after 2014, when the region had voted to remain part of the UK. Scotland had rejected independence from the UK by 55 per cent in the September 2014 vote. "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. A choice of whether to follow the UK to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the UK and our own relationship with Europe," Sturgeon said from her official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The First Minister said the second referendum had become necessary because of the UK government's failure to fully take Scotland's interests on board in the Brexit process. Scotland, in contrast to the rest of the UK, had voted to remain in the European Union (EU) in last June's referendum. Sturgeon will seek Scottish Parliament's permission to request a Section 30 order from the Westminster government next week, which will allow a fresh legally-binding referendum to be held once consent is granted. Sturgeon's speech came ahead of a debate in the House of Commons where MPs will consider the Article 50 bill today. British Prime Minister Theresa May is getting closer to invoking Article 50 to trigger negotiations for Britain's exit from the EU as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill comes up for its final vote. Sturgeon believes she can win a second independence referendum this time around because of the implications of Brexit for the country and to resist being forcibly taken out of the EU single market. "I have been genuine and sincere about trying to reach a compromise agreement with the UK government. We have not met with a Government and a Prime Minister who is willing to meet us half way on that... they have moved away from compromise with language that has appeared to become harder and harder," said Sturgeon. She claims the economic benefits of staying in the UK in a post-Brexit landscape are "significantly more challenging" than they were last time the vote was held in 2014. PTI LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- M2 Compliance ("M2"), www.m2compliance.com, a world-leading SEC-registered filing agent and full-service provider of EDGAR, XBRL, and print-related services, announced today its participation as one of the sponsors of the 29th Annual ROTH Conference, one of the largest investment banking events in the U.S. The ROTH Conference will be held at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point, CA on March 12-15, 2017. For more information on ROTH Capital Partners and the conference, visit http://www.roth.com/main/Page.aspx?PageID=7280 M2 is known for their UNLIMITED EDGAR & XBRL ("UNLIMITED") program as well as for providing unparalleled 24/7 dedicated service and delivering faster turnaround times for EDGAR & XBRL. M2 launched their UNLIMITED program for an all-inclusive rate of $4,995 per year just over three years ago, and today has saved public companies over $2,800,000 combined when compared to the fees they would have spent with their previous provider(s). M2's UNLIMITED program was created to serve public companies with a market cap less than 300M and to bring the pricing down across the industry, while delivering the most accurate and reliable data in EDGAR & XBRL formats. "It was time that issuers that had a market less than 300M got what they deserved, an EDGAR & XBRL program that is specifically designed to support the direct requirements of market-cap specific companies. Issuers have different needs depending on their size, our UNLIMITED program and service offering understands time-sensitive regulatory requirements and provides full service dedicated solutions 24/7. Issuers that have a market cap less than 300M don't have infinite resources within their internal regulatory reporting departments and may need additional hand-holding during filings, as well as require complex registration work that may or may not include print production. We understand everything was needed yesterday and last minute edits during deadlines are always going to happen. "For years, public companies have been gouged by other filing agents by excessive charges for per page rates, changes, and other fees for any part of the production process. The cost reductions are important but not as important as the quality of service, that's why we hold a 99% retention rate with clients and represent 1/4 of all public companies with a market cap between 1M and 300M to date. It is our mission to provide an improved service offering and reduce reporting costs significantly," said David McGuire, Founder & CEO of M2. M2 is the only industry provider to offer a full-service and truly UNLIMITED program for EDGAR & XBRL. The UNLIMITED program translates into not just a package for regulatory filings, but rather an UNLIMITED structure which also includes author's alterations, images and graphics, exhibits, tabular pages, and everything else required for EDGAR & XBRL, all without any hidden fees and without any compromise on service. M2 does offer UNLIMITED programs for companies that have a market cap above 300M, but these are based on customized quotes. About M2 Compliance M2 Compliance is a full-service financial filing and printing firm and a leading partner for all your EDGAR & XBRL filing needs. With hundreds of public company clients, M2 is one of the fastest-growing regulatory compliance companies worldwide. M2 partners with customers to provide the knowledge and service necessary to meet the SEC's ever-changing filing regulations. M2 provides high-quality, cost-effective compliance filings and production services, including EDGAR Filings, typesetting, XBRL tagging, section 16 filings, investment management services, drafting sessions, compliance hosting and more. For more information visit: www.m2compliance.com Lineup Includes Dynamic Keynotes from Advantests Hans-Juergen Wagner, Former FBI Agent and Cyber Security Maven Chris Tarbell, and Dr. Peter Chen of TSMC China SAN JOSE, Calif., March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VOICE, the annual developer conference hosted by leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE:6857), will offer three diverse keynote addresses ranging from future trends to cyber security to the global semiconductor industry. VOICE U.S. -- May 16-17 in Palm Springs, California at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa -- will include two keynote speakers, one who not only worked for the FBI, but also helped take down some of the largest cyber criminals in history. In Shanghai, China on May 26, the keynote speaker will discuss the global semiconductor industry and market within China. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f275f8c2-bc8e-4c4a-95b6-bc4e7abb55b5 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d24cfa8-7192-4bfb-8f1e-2e3273583663 The Palm Springs events opening day will feature a talk by Advantests own Hans-Juergen Wagner, senior vice president of the SoC Product Group, who will discuss Future Trends for and Contributions of Test in the SoC Market. Wagner will detail the drivers, challenges and emerging trends of SoC device designs and the impact they have on test. The second days keynote speaker, Chris Tarbell, will present a fast-paced keynote address on hacking and the dark net. Tarbell is one of the most successful cyber security law enforcement officials of all time. He is the man responsible for infiltrating the hacker group Anonymous and taking down the notorious dark web drug trafficking site Silk Road, called the most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the Internet. Tarbells stories contain sensitive information that can only be heard in person. The VOICE China keynote speaker will be Dr. Peter Chen, senior director, China Business Development, TSMC China Company Limited. Dr. Chen will share his insights into the global semiconductor industry landscape, technology trends, and especially the ecosystem and market in China. Attending VOICE 2017 Online registration is open at https://voice.advantest.com/register. Group discounts are available; email mktgcomms@advantest.com for details. Those interested in attending the VOICE China event should email mktgcomms@advantest.com for more information. The presentations in China will be in Mandarin Chinese. Registered VOICE 2017 attendees are encouraged to make their hotel reservations early. The deadline for the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Palm Springs is April 14, 2017. Additional hotel information for both venues is available on the VOICE website at https://voice.advantest.com/hotel-reservations. Sponsoring VOICE 2017 For companies interested in supporting VOICE 2017, a limited number of sponsorship opportunities are still available for both locations. Details are posted at https://voice.advantest.com/opportunities. Follow #VOICE2017 on Twitter @Advantest_ATE. About VOICE 2017 Developer Conference Managed by a steering committee of volunteer representatives from Advantest and its customers, VOICE is the leading conference for the growing international community of users and strategic partners involved with Advantests V93000 and T2000 SoC test platforms as well as Advantest memory testers, handlers and test cell solutions. The conference offers a unique opportunity to take part in making semiconductor testing operations as efficient and cost-effective as possible. Attendees gain and share valuable insights, build long-lasting relationships and learn whats new about Advantest test equipment, handlers and applications. About Advantest Corporation A world-class technology company, Advantest is the leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has introduced multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, as well as a groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tools. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at www.advantest.com. English Finnish Valoe Corporation Stock Exchange Release 13 March 2017 at 9.55 Finnish time THE RESULT OF THE CONVERTIBLE BOND I /2017 OF VALOE CORPORATION Valoe Corporation has received subscriptions of EUR 1.50 million for the Convertible Bond I/2017. During the subscription period of the Convertible Bond new investments of EUR 1.05 million was paid in cash. Out of the subscriptions, a total of EUR 0.45 million was paid by setting the subscription price off against the subscribers receivables from the company. The Board of Directors of Valoe has approved all subscriptions for the Convertible Bond. One loan share of EUR 0.01 pursuant to the Promissory Note entitles the Promissory Note Holder to subscribe for one new share. Based on the subscriptions made pursuant to the loan shares Valoe shall issue a maximum amount of 150,000,000 new Valoe shares. The loan period and the conversion period expire on 1 February 2019. When subscribing the convertible bond, the lender of the convertible bond was entitled to subscribe also warranties according to which the lender shall have later a right to subscribe new shares in the company with the amount equal to the capital of the convertible bond. Each convertible bond loan amount valued at EUR 0.01 shall entitle the lender to subscribe one (1) warrant. Each warrant entitles the lender to subscribe one (1) new share of the company. The maximum amount of share subscriptions that are based on the warrants shall be in total 150,000,000 new shares of the company. The subscription period for the shares subscribed based on the warrants shall begin on 1 July 2017 and expire on 1 February 2019. The terms of the convertible bond, without technical attachments, are attached to this release as Attachment 1. In Mikkeli 13 March 2017 Valoe Corporation BOARD OF DIRECTORS For more information: Iikka Savisalo President and CEO, Valoe Corporation Tel. +358 40 521 6082 Email: iikka.savisalo@valoe.com Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki Main media www.valoe.com Valoe Corporation specializes in the clean energy, especially in photovoltaic solutions. Valoe provides automated production technology for solar modules based on the companys own technology; production lines for modules; solar modules and special components for solar modules. Valoe's head office is located in Mikkeli, Finland. APPENDIX 1: TERMS OF THE CONVERTIBLE BOND 1/2017 OF VALOE CORPORATION AND THE TERMS OF THE WARRANTS RELATED THERETO The Board of Directors of Valoe Corporation (hereinafter "the Company") has, based on the authorization granted to it on 24 May 2016, resolved to take loan (hereinafter "Convertible Bond") so that the Company issues other special rights entitling to the shares pursuant to Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act (624/2006, as amended) in the form of loan shares to the Lenders (hereinafter together as "Lenders", separately "Lender") of the loan so that the Lenders shall have the right to subscribe for the Company's shares based on the respective special rights and that the lenders shall have the right to pay the subscription price of the shares by setting it off against the loan receivable referred to in this document. In addition, the Lenders shall have a right to subscribe new shares of the Company in accordance with the separate warrants related to the Convertible Bond with the terms described in section III of this document. I CONDITIONS OF THE CONVERTIBLE BOND 1. The amount of the Convertible Bond The amount of the Convertible Bond shall be EUR 1,500,000.00 at the most. 2. The Subscription right of the Convertible Bond and Loan Shares The Company shall take the loan referred to in these Convertible Bond terms and conditions and shall issue simultaneously against the loan with maximum amount of 150,000,000 loan shares. The number of loan shares to be issued shall be one (1) loan share against each subscribed loan capital amount of EUR 0.01. The Convertible Bond is issued in deviation from the shareholders' pre-emptive subscription rights to the parties approved by the Board of Directors. The Convertible Bond can also be subscribed against a loan receivable of min. EUR 50,000.00 from Valoe Corporation, undisputed during the subscription period, by converting the loan's capital and/or interest into convertible bond pursuant to the terms of the Convertible Bond. The minimum amount of subscription shall be EUR 50,000.00 which can be converted into 5,000,000 new shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Convertible Bond. The shareholders' pre-emptive subscription rights are deviated from as the loan shares are issued as special rights to secure financing required to strengthen the capital structure of the Company cost effectively and considering the size of the financing. Therefore, there is from the Company's point of view a weighty financial reason to issue the special rights. 3. Subscription Period and Venue for Subscription of the Convertible Bond Lenders subscribing for the Convertible Bond are asked to sign and submit the subscription form by 6:00 p.m. (Finnish time) on 10 March 2017 to the Company. The Company shall deliver the subscription form to the subscribers separately. The Board of Directors of the Company has the right to approve or disapprove a subscription. The Board of Directors has the right to approve subscriptions at any time during the subscription period. In the event the Convertible Bond shall be oversubscribed, the Board of Directors shall resolve on the allocation between the subscribers. The Board of Directors of the Company has the right to discontinue the subscription period of the Convertible Bond at any time. The Board of Directors shall also have the right to decide on extending the subscription period. 4. Loan Period of the Convertible Bond and Repayment The Convertible Bond shall be paid to the Company's bank account at the latest on the third banking day following the subscription. The number of the Company's bank account shall be provided for the Lenders separately. The loan period shall commence on the payment date in accordance with the instructions given in this section and expire on 1 February 2019, on which date the Convertible Bond shall expire to be repayable in its entirety in accordance with these terms of the loan. 5. Interest of the Convertible Bond No interest shall be paid for the Convertible Bond. 6. Promissory Note of the Convertible Bond The Company shall issue to the subscriber of the Convertible Bond a promissory note (hereinafter the "Promissory Note"). 7. Transferability of the Promissory Note The Promissory Note cannot be transferred without consent of the Company. 8. Other terms of the Convertible Bond If the Company issues new shares of which subscription period expires no later than 1 February 2019, the Lender shall have a right to participate in the issuing of the shares in accordance with the percentage of its then current share ownership. The subscription price shall be 20 percent lower than the subscription price of the other shares issued at the same occasion. For the delivery of the notifications based on this Convertible Bond, the Lender shall inform the Company of its postal address as valid from time to time. The Lender shall, as per request of the Company, submit to the Company all necessary information with regard to the Promissory Note and its administration. 9. Warrants When subscribing Convertible Bond, the Lender shall receive a right to subscribe warrants according to which the Lender shall later have a right to subscribe new shares of the Company with the amount equal to the capital of the Convertible Bond as described in section III of this document with regard to the terms for conversion right of the warrants. Each loan share valued of EUR 0.01 shall entitle the Lender to subscribe 1 (one) warrant. Warrants shall be subscribed into separate subscription list. Since the warrants are related to the strengthening of the capital structure of the Company having regard to receiving the required financing and size of it in a cost effective manner, there is from the Company's point of view a weighty financial reason to issue Warrants. The Warrants can be issued to the Lenders in a manner deviating from the shareholders' pre-emptive subscription rights. Warrants cannot be transferred without consent of the Company. II TERMS FOR CONVERSION RIGHT OF THE CONVERTIBLE BOND 1. Conversion Right and Conversion Ratio The Lender is entitled to convert the Promissory Note into the shares of the Company in accordance with the terms described below. One loan share of EUR 0.01 pursuant to the Promissory Note entitles the Lender to subscribe for one (1) new share of the Company. Based on the subscriptions made pursuant to the loan shares the Company shall issue a maximum amount of 150,000,000 new Company shares. The Company has one (1) class of shares. The subscription price of one (1) new share of the Company shall be EUR 0.01 per share corresponding approximately to 20 % discount compared to the stock exchange price of the Company's share per 3 February 2017. The subscription price has been set on a level that shall be considered to be reasonable for all shareholders considering the price level of the Companys share during the last three (3) months and the Company's need for financing and the available options to fulfill the need. Upon using the conversion right a portion corresponding to the subscription price of a share shall be set off against the unpaid capital of the Convertible Bond. The subscription price of the shares shall be entered in entirety into the Company's invested non-restricted equity fund. 2. Conversion Period and Process Regarding Use of the Conversion Right The Lender shall have the right to convert the Promissory Note into the Company's shares during the conversion period (subscription period of the shares) which begins from the subscription of the Convertible Bond and expires on 1 February 2019. The conversion of the Promissory Note into the shares shall take place pursuant to the subscription rules in accordance with the Finnish Companies Act. The Lender shall present to the Board of Directors of the Company the written conversion request which shall constitute the subscription of new shares. When the Board of Directors has received the conversion request and the Lender has assigned the Promissory Note to the Company, the Board of Directors shall approve the subscription of new shares in accordance with the loan shares of the Convertible Bond. Within 30 (thirty) days from the presentation of the conversion request the Company shall file with the Companies Register notification with regard to entering the new shares to the Companies Register. 3. Shareholder Rights The new shares of the Company, which have been subscribed for by using the conversion right of the Convertible Bond, shall have the similar rights with the Company's shares issued previously from the moment the new shares have been entered into the Companies Register. 4. The Rights of the Lender in certain special cases If the Company during the loan period issues new shares in the share issue against the payment or issues new stock options or other special rights entitling to the shares referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act so that the shareholders shall have the pre-emptive subscription right, the Promissory Note Holder shall have the same or equal right as a shareholder. Equality is reached by the means resolved by the Board of Directors of the Company by giving to the Lender the same priority for the subscription of share, and/or stock option, and/or other special right as referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act, and/or by adjusting the exchange ratio of the Convertible Bond, or by combining the manners of proceeding as referred to above. If the Company during the loan period issues new shares free of charge, the exchange ratio of the Convertible Bond shall be adjusted so that the percentual share of the shares to be converted by the Convertible Bond compared to all shares shall remain unaltered except for the part that the new number of shares to be converted by the Promissory Note would be a fraction. In the event that the above-mentioned division would not be even, the highest round figure that will fulfill the division to the whole shares will be applied. If the Company during the loan period resolves to acquire or redeem its own shares or stock options or other special rights entitling to the shares pursuant to the Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act through an offer directed to all shareholders or holders of the above-mentioned rights, an equal offer shall be made to the Lender. The redemption or acquisition of the shares and stock options or other special rights entitling to the shares referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act shall thus be directed also to the conversion rights of the Promissory Note pursuant to the resolution of the Board of Directors. Otherwise the acquisition or redemption of own shares and stock options and other special rights entitling to the shares referred to under Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act shall not require any actions from the Company with regard to the Promissory Note. If the Company during the loan period distributes its funds in other means than what has been referred to in the previous section, the Lender shall not be entitled to participate in the distribution of the funds and the distribution of the funds shall not require any actions from the Company with regard to the Promissory Note. If the Company is placed into liquidation during the loan period, the Convertible Bond shall fall due for payment at the moment when placing into the liquidation has been entered into the Companies Register. If the Company during the loan period resolves on the merger or division, the Lender shall be reserved a right, during the time period set by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the resolution on the merger or division, to convert the Promissory Note into shares. Alternatively the Lender shall be given the right to subscribe for the Convertible Bond issued by similar terms by the receiving company so that the subscription can be made on equal terms compared to the shares of the receiving company which have been issued to the shareholders pursuant to what has been resolved on the matter in the merger plan or division plan. After the above-mentioned time period reserved for the use of the conversion right or after the end of the subscription period of the new Convertible Bond, no conversion right shall exist anymore. If a redemption right or redemption obligation of the minority shareholders referred to under Chapter 18 of the Finnish Companies Act arises, after the Company has received notification on the origin of the redemption right or redemption obligation, the right to convert the Promissory Note into shares during the time period resolved by the Board of Directors shall without undue delay be reserved for the Lenders. After the above-mentioned time period reserved for the use of the conversion right, no conversion right shall exist anymore. 5. Disputes Disputes arising out of this Convertible Bond shall be settled by arbitration consisting of one arbitrator in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the Finland Chamber of Commerce. In the event the parties to the dispute cannot agree on the arbitrator, the Finland Chamber of Commerce shall appoint the arbitrator. The place of the arbitration shall be Helsinki, Finland. 6. Other Issues The Board of Directors shall be entitled to resolve on any other matter related to the Convertible Bond and the use of the conversion right. Notifications to the Lenders shall be submitted by letters to the postal addresses notified to the Company by each Lender. A notification is deemed to have been delivered on the working day following the date of sending the notification. III TERMS FOR CONVERSION RIGHT OF WARRANTS 1. Conversion Right of the Shares The Lender is entitled to subscribe one (1) new share of the Company against each one (1) warrant. Maximum amount of share subscriptions that are based on the warrants shall be in total 150,000,000 new shares of the Company. The Company has one (1) class of shares. 2. Subscription Period The subscription period for the shares subscribed based on the warrants shall begin on 1 July 2017 and expire on 1 February 2019. The subscription shall take place at the Company's headquarters or as otherwise permitted by the Board of Directors. 3. Subscription Price The subscription price of one (1) share to be subscribed based on the warrants shall be 0.01 euro per share corresponding approximately to 20 % discount compared to the stock exchange price of the Company's share per 3 February 2017. The subscription price has been set on a level that shall be considered to be reasonable for all shareholders considering the price level of the Companys share during the last three (3) months and the Company's need for financing and available options to fulfill the need. 4. Payment of the Shares Payment for the shares shall be made upon subscription. Payment may be made in such form as permitted by the Board of Directors. The Company's share capital shall not be increased as a result of the subscriptions of the shares, but the entire subscription price shall be booked in the Company's invested non-restricted equity fund. 5. Rights Pertaining to the Shares The Shares subscribed by warrants shall give entitlement to dividends for the financial year during which they were subscribed and thereafter. The other rights pertaining to the shares shall begin as soon as the respective shares have been registered with the Companies Register. 6. Lender's rights in Certain Special Circumstances Should the Company before the subscription of new Company shares under warrants issue new shares, convertible bonds, option rights or other special rights as referred in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act, such action shall not have any effect on the warrants. Notwithstanding the aforesaid, should the Company issue new shares to the shareholders free of charge in the same proportion as they already own shares in the Company (a so-called "share split") or should the Company combine the shares owned by its shareholders in the same proportion as they already own shares in the Company (a so-called "reverse split"), the Lender shall be treated equally with the shareholders. Equality is reached by the mean resolved by the Board of Directors of the Company by altering the number of Shares available for subscription under the warrants. Should the Companys assets be distributed in accordance with Chapter 13 Section 1 Sub-Section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act prior to the subscription of the shares, the Lender shall be reserved an opportunity to exercise its subscription right based on warrants before such distribution during a time period determined by the Board of Directors to the extent that the subscription period of the shares based on warrants has started with regard to these terms. Notwithstanding the aforesaid, should the distribution take place in the form of dividends, such distribution shall not have any effect on the warrants. Should the Company resolve to merge into another company as the company being acquired or in a company to be formed in a combination merger or if the Company resolves to be divided, the Lender shall before the merger or division be given the right to subscribe new shares of the Company with its warrants within the time period determined by the Board of Directors of the Company to the extent that the subscription period of the new company shares has begun in relation to the terms of these warrants. After the above-mentioned time period reserved for the use of the subscription right, no right to subscribe shall exist anymore. In the above-mentioned situations the Lender has no right to demand the Company to redeem its warrants at a fair price. Should the Company before the subscription of the shares resolve to acquire or redeem its own shares or any rights referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act by an offer made to all shareholders or holders of stock options or other special rights as referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act, the Lender shall be made an equivalent offer to the extent that the subscription period of the new company shares has begun in relation to the terms of these warrants. In other cases the acquisition or redemption of the Companys own shares or any rights referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act does not require the Company to take any action in relation to the warrants. If a redemption right or redemption obligation of the minority shareholders referred to under Chapter 18 of the Finnish Companies Act arises after the subscription period of the warrants has begun and after the Company has received notification on the origin of the redemption right or redemption obligation, the Lender shall be reserved a right without delay, after the emergence of the right and obligation to redeem has been notified to the Company, during the time period set by the Board of Directors of the Company to subscribe shares of the Company with warrants. After the above-mentioned time period reserved for the use of the subscription right, no right to subscribe shall exist anymore. 7. Disputes Disputes relating to the warrants shall be settled by arbitration consisting of one arbitrator in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the Finland Chamber of Commerce. In the event the parties to the dispute cannot agree on the arbitrator, the Finland Chamber of Commerce shall appoint the arbitrator. The place of the arbitration shall be Helsinki, Finland. 8. Other issues The Board of Directors shall be entitled to resolve on any other matter related to the warrants and the use of the subscription right. Notifications to the holders of the warrants shall be submitted by letters to the postal addresses notified to the Company by each of them. A notification is deemed to have been delivered on the working day following the date of sending the notification. IV OTHER MATTERS 1. Other Issues These terms and conditions have been drafted in Finnish and in English. In the case of any discrepancy between the Finnish and English terms and conditions, the Finnish terms and conditions shall prevail. U.S. attorneys in Tulsa and Muskogee have submitted their resignations following a request Friday from Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the remaining top prosecutors from President Barack Obamas administration step aside. Danny Williams Sr., U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma based in Tulsa, submitted his resignation effective Friday, according to a statement from his office. Mark Green, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma based in Muskogee, submitted his resignation effective Friday, a spokesman said. Williams had served as the top prosecutor for the Northern District of Oklahoma since Aug. 7, 2012. Obama nominated Williams to the post on March 29, 2012, and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 2, 2012, according to his office website. During his tenure as U.S. attorney, Williams initiated the Violent Crime Initiative to address the growing criminal activities in the 61st Street and Peoria Avenue neighborhood in Tulsa, according to the statement confirming his resignation. Williams also served on the Attorney Generals Advisory Committee Racial Disparity Working Group and the Native American Issues Subcommittee. Green had served as U.S. attorney since Oct. 14, 2010, after being nominated by Obama on July 14, 2010. On Friday, Sessions requested the resignations of 46 U.S. attorneys who had yet to step down. U.S. attorneys are political appointees who serve at the pleasure of the president. It is customary for U.S. attorneys to resign, especially following a change in the political party in the White House. Federal law calls for the first assistant U.S. attorney to fill the vacancy until the president nominates a replacement and they are confirmed by the Senate. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Horn will be the interim U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Oklahoma until a replacement is named, a spokesman said. Loretta Radford, first assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Oklahoma, will be the acting U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Oklahoma, according to a statement from the office. The U.S. attorney position in the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City is vacant and currently filled by Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Yancey. Twitter: @loucardfan61 Entries are now open for the 2017 Jacoby-Walkley Scholarship: a three-month paid journalism internship, available to final-year university students and recent graduates aged 26 or under. Now in its fifth year, the scholarship is targeted to storytellers with a passion for broadcast journalism and dreams of carving out a career in the competitive television industry. Anita Jacoby has set the standard for all with her continued commitment to nurturing the brightest young broadcast journalists through the Jacoby-Walkley Scholarship, Walkley Foundation CEO Jacqui Park said. Its just what the future of Australian journalism needs. The scholarship winners are the best of the best and we love seeing them get snapped up by employers, she said. Previous winners are working at the Nine Network, SBS, News.com and interning at Al Jazeera.* Across 12 weeks, the scholarship winner can develop their knowledge, understanding and media industry experience with a range of top media organisations including: An eight-week placement at the Nine Network in Sydney, with four weeks at 60 Minutes, two weeks in the Nine newsroom and two weeks split between A Current Affair and Today A four-week placement at the Walkley Foundation, in the lead up to the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism Mentoring from senior journalist members of the Walkley Advisory Board Participation in an AFTRS Open course at the Australian Film TV & Radio School In addition, the successful applicant receives a stipend for the 12 weeks of the scholarship. Entries for 2017 close on Wednesday April 26. All information about the scholarship is available here: http://www.walkleys.com/get-involved/scholarships As well as the winners securing positions in their chosen field of journalism, during the past four years a number of shortlisted applicants have also been offered invaluable opportunities throughout the industry. *Previous winners: Taylor Denny (2016 winner, pictured) back in Australia after interning with Al Jazeera in Jakarta Annalise Bolt (2015 winner) is working as a producer at Nine News in Perth Kirrily Schwarz (2014 joint winner) is working as a reporter for news.com.au Megan Stafford (2014 joint winner) is travelling the globe Will Mumford (2013 winner) is a reporter/producer for SBS News Established in 2013 through the support of media executive Anita Jacoby, the scholarship recognises the legacy of her father, Phillip Jacoby, a pioneer in the Australian electronics and broadcast industry. Danish English Aarhus, Denmark, 2017-03-13 13:27 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 8 February 2017, Vestas initiated a share buy-back programme, ref. Company announcement No. 04/2017. The programme is implemented in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) (the "Safe Harbour rules). The purpose of the programme is to adjust Vestas capital structure and to meet the obligations arising from share based incentive programmes to employees of Vestas. Under the programme Vestas will buy back shares for an amount up to DKK 705 million (approximately EUR 95 million) in the period from 8 February 2017 to 4 May 2017. The following transactions have been made under the programme during the period 6-10 March 2017: Number of shares Weighted average purchase price, DKK Transaction value, DKK 06 March 2017 22,593 523.40 11,825,108 07 March 2017 21,240 522.96 11,107,732 08 March 2017 8,920 525.92 4,691,190 09 March 2017 22,555 521.51 11,762,604 10 March 2017 7,000 522.54 3,657,780 Accumulated under the programme 520,796 516.80 269,148,048 Details of all the transactions relating to the share buy-back programme during the period are presented in the attached appendix. Contact details Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Denmark Hans Martin Smith, Senior Vice President, Group Treasury and Investor Relations Tel: +45 9730 8209 facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published March 13, 2017 MONROE, La. - The Communication Programs Speech and Debate Forum, as part of the Traveling Scholar Series, will welcome Dr. Diana I. Bowen to ULMs campus to present, Voices from the Archive: Women of Color, Civic Engagement, and the Politics of Archival Research. Dr. Bowens presentation will take place on March 14, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in Stubbs 100. Dr. Bowens presentation will explore the series of changes of Gloria Anzalduas birth certificate, and how it juxtaposes with her short unpublished story, Her Name Never Got Called. Drawing on performance critic Diana Taylors theoretical concepts of the archive and repertoire, Bowen suggests entries in Anzalduas birth certificate, such as her Anglicized name, mixing gender of parents, designation as a still-birth, and racial categories allow readers to see this document in the context of citizenship and belonging in the United States. Bowen will also discuss the ways Anzaldua works through these impacts when she writes fiction, and argue Anzalduas work oscillates in the liminal space between official texts in her archive and unofficial performative spaces of the repertoire. Bowen is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Her research explores physical and psychological borderlands, a term coined by Gloria Anzaldua to describe spaces of social, political, and cultural struggle. She is working on archival research with the Gloria Anzaldua collection, and is also interested in issues surrounding social movements, intercultural dialogue, public memory, and visual rhetoric. Bowen received a Ph.D. at The University of Texas at Austin in Communication Studies, M.A. at Syracuse University in Communication and Rhetorical Studies, and B.A. from the California State University, Long Beach in Communication Studies. The presentation is free to attend and open to all. For more information, please contact Dr. Lesli Pace at 342-1165 or pace@ulm.edu. Woman of the Year, Eden Habtemichael with her daughter Segen. Beth Crosland This weekend UNHCR recognised two exceptional refugees for their outstanding work to empower refugee and migrant women in the UK. Taking centre stage at Southbank Centres WOW - Women of the World Festival in London which attracts an audience of 25,000 people each year - were young British-Yazidi woman Rozin Hanjool and Eden Habtemichael, who fled Eritrea when her life was under threat. Journalist and awards host Samira Ahmed explained why the Women on the Move Awards, organised by UNHCR and Migrants Organise and now in their sixth year, are so important. Our winners tonight speak out against hate and prejudice, she said. They show us what refugees are able to achieve with a little a bit of good will and welcome from us, and a lot of hard work and resilience from them. Woman of the Year Eden fled from Eritrea to the UK in 2001 as a single mother with her two year-old daughter and applied for asylum. Alone and scared, at one point she became homeless and destitute. WOMA Woman of the Year 2017, Eden Habtemichael I loved my country, I loved my life. But I lost everything, she explained. I didnt plan to come to the UK, but as a refugee you dont have a choice. I gave what I could to the smugglers and they left me at Heathrow airport. In Oxford I just sat in the park while my daughter played, and I counted the cars. I didnt know how to raise my daughter. I felt I had to end my life." All my life I have fought. Even if I wanted to, I cant stop - its in my blood to do this kind of work. Once granted refugee status, she resolved to help other women and children in the asylum system. Eden has since worked indefatigably to find families in Oxford with spare rooms willing to host a refugee so that no one has to face destitution like her and her daughter. Two teenage boys she found sleeping rough after arriving from Calais are now heading to university after getting A*s in their A-levels, thanks to Edens work in helping them find a family. She is also a tireless campaigner against female genital mutilation, working with the National Health Service on a pioneering smartphone app to educate doctors, medical staff and communities of the dangers of cutting young girls. She has consistently taken a stand and given women a voice, even though she has been beaten and ostracised for doing so. It is not in our culture to speak out, but hundreds of children are dying in the sea. And we are human beings, we can contribute too. All my life I have fought. Even if I wanted to, I cant stop - its in my blood to do this kind of work. Zrinka Bralo from Migrants Organise congratulates the winners and everyone involved in the awards ceremony. Beth Crosland Friday nights ceremony also recognised nineteen year-old Rozin Hanjool as Young Woman of the Year. Part of the Yazidi minority group from northern Iraq, Rozin was just ten years-old when her family fled to the UK after attacks from extremist militants. It was while still finishing her A-levels in Coventry that Rozin started an online petition appealing to the UK Government to support and protect abducted and enslaved Yazidi girls. Within 24 hours, the petition gathered 25,000 signatures and two years on it has now amassed over 260,000 signatures. Rozin explained what drove her to take action: When I saw that girls as young as nine were being enslaved by ISIS, I thought, that could have been me. They dont have a voice in captivity, but I can be a voice for them. They dont have a voice in captivity, but I can be a voice for them. Rozin is determined to bring the petition back to the UK government and secure a commitment to extend urgent assistance to Yazidi girls in Iraq. She studies law and human rights at university and campaigns actively in her free time. Lord Dubs accepts the Champion of the Year award for his tireless campaigning for the rights of child refugees Laura Padoan The awards were presented by UNHCRs Representative to the UK Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, alongside Anita Rani (Countryfile, Strictly Come Dancing) and Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey). The Sue Lloyd-Roberts Media Award was presented to Christina Lamb, Senior Foreign Correspondent for the Sunday Times, for her outstanding reporting of the refugee crisis. Recognition was also given to former child refugee Lord Alfred Dubs as Champion of the Year for his campaigning to provide sanctuary in the UK to unaccompanied refugee children seeking protection in Europe. In the context of escalating conflicts, a rising death toll for refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe, and restrictive asylum polices, the Women on the Move Awards are a showcase for how local activism can have a positive impact on peoples lives. As Lord Dubs declared: Theres no point in just talking. You have to do something. Now go out and do it! The ceremonys last word went to Woman of the Year 2017: I would like to change how people see refugees. People call me refugee, but refugee is not my name. My name is Eden. This is me, I can do something. We can work together, and if we cannot change the world, we can change what the world thinks about women and refugees and children too. Syria: Statement by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi On the sixth anniversary of Syrias conflict, we must remember those who are suffering most from this calamity the 4.9 million refugees, the 6.3 million people displaced internally and the millions more inside Syria living in daily fear of this war and the inhumanity it has created. Syria is at a crossroads. Unless drastic measures are taken to shore up peace and security, the situation will worsen. Syrias trauma goes beyond its borders. The outflow of people and the seemingly unstoppable conflict have contributed to the climate of anxiety we see today in many countries. As I have said before, if you dont solve problems, the problems come to you. I saw for myself on a recent visit to Syria how this war is affecting people, children especially. Today, even basic infrastructure is in ruins. Healthcare, schools, water and power supplies are unreliable or being controlled by warring parties for their own ends. All this matters, because children make up half the population of whom a third were born since the conflict began. Syrias war has lasted longer than World War Two in Europe. This is unconscionable. Syrias children, whether at home or in refugee communities elsewhere, are its future. One of its few sources of hope. UNHCR supports Syrian refugees and those hosting them. We must also plan for a tomorrow when refugees might safely be able to return. The resolve of the international community to support the vast joint humanitarian and development effort that is needed must not waiver, now or then. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cuba Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:CUV) (OTCBB:MPSFF) (the Company) is pleased to announce that the companys CEO was invited to Capitol Hill Washington DC by pro-Cuba congressman Adriano Espaillat and Engage Cuba lobby group. Steve Marshall has also appeared on multiple TV and Radio interviews over the last two months, most notably with RT News, Uptick Newswire and NY1. The travel division of the company also had a very strong month in January, usually Cubas low season, of $260,000. Monthly Sales in January 2017: The Company booked over CDN $260,000 in unaudited net sales for the month of January 2017, which is a January-monthly record for Travelucion. Net sales are calculated as gross revenue less cancellations and refunds. Tim Fernack, Cuba Ventures CFO stated: This year's sales show an increase of 15% of last Januarys net booking revenue of $232,748. Increased interest in Cuba, along with heightened media attention surrounding the Companys Cuba-centric digital media platform including 432 websites focused upon Cuba, is stimulating these increased revenues. Visitors to the Companys websites from the United States now represent 36.8% of the approximately 37 million annual page views, up from 6% in 2014. Capitol Hill Washington DC - Congressman Adriano Espaillat Mr. Marshall was invited to Capitol Hill on March 2nd to discuss business in Cuba and further opportunities for new U.S companies wishing to follow; Google, Starwood Hotels, Carnival Cruises, American Airlines, Jet Blue and, many other U.S companies, are already present in Cuba. Cuba Ventures proposes to work with the congressmans office to formulate a proposal to take business-focused constituents from the New York district of Congressman Adriano Espaillat to Cuba later this year. The Cuba Ventures business consulting unit will handle any introductions and post-visit negotiations. The initial fact-finding trip hopes to bring numerous businesses from New York to Cuba. The fact-finding trip promises to be one of many future trips undertaken by businesses looking to create commercial synergies with Cuba. Engage Cuba pro-Cuba Business Lobby Group - Capitol Hill Washington DC Mr. Marshall was invited to the offices of Engage Cuba (www.engagecuba.org) to discuss the opportunity of assisting U.S businesses with their entrance into the Cuban Market. The Engage Cuba Foundation (ECF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization affiliated with Engage Cuba, a leading coalition of private companies and organizations working to end the travel-and-trade embargo on Cuba in Washington, DC and around the United States. ECF staff works on U.S.-Cuba policy research and educational materials, as they organize policy seminars, conferences, and leadership programs across the country. Mr. Marshall, CEO of Cuba Ventures, offered his ongoing support to assist Engage Cuba with its mission to increase dialogue between the U.S Congress and businesses eager to capitalize on Cubas growing economy. Cuba Ventures in the Media Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on RT news: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWGQzJbwiS8&t=10s Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on NY1 New York (Espanol) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seUbU45FWwo&t=2s Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on Uptick News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ww5L7iM7k Steve Marshall Keynote Speaker at the Oxford Club event, Coral Gables Florida One of the worlds most respected investment groups, The Oxford Club, held a pre-departure event at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida on Feb 08 2017. The seminar consisted of 35 of the club's members who were present to talk about the increased opportunities presented by Cuba in the fast moving commercial sector. The Members embarked upon a fact-finding trip to Havana, Cuba on 09 Feb 2017. Steve Marshall, CEO of Cuba Ventures Corp, offered insight into the rapidly expanding Cuban market. Marshall, who has worked in Cuba-related businesses for two decades and lived on the island for 12 years, shared his knowledge with Club members and investors. Since the group's return from Cuba, Mr. Marshall is following up with those members interested in taking the next step via formal business proposals. About Cuba Ventures Corp.: Cuba Ventures Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company capitalizing on the growth and unique opportunities in the USD $3.5 billion per year Cuban travel and tourism industry. Travelucion, a wholly owned subsidiary, is a digital media and marketing company which owns a vast portfolio of Cuba related websites and online portals providing travel information, featuring individual web assets for Cuba's popular cities and towns, online booking solutions and online reservations through proprietary software, catering to international visitors to Cuba. Travelucion's online travel division is a duly licensed retail travel supplier handling millions of dollars in sales annually. Travelucion's 432 Cuba focused multilingual websites generate over 30 million page-views per year, directing traffic to the company's online booking and e-commerce sites. These online websites cover all facets of Cuba including over 80 travel destinations, hotels & resorts, bed & breakfast, tours, car rentals, restaurants, as well as Cuban culture, history, music, celebrities, sports, medical treatments and more. Travelucion's revenues have been rapidly growing in the wake of the notable shift in American policy towards Cuba. With diplomatic relations now opening up and restrictions on qualified American travel to Cuba relaxed, the opening of the multi-billion dollar travel market to the Caribbean nation is becoming a reality. Travelucion's continued media dominance over the past two decades has provided Cuba Ventures with a competitive advantage in the burgeoning Cuba travel and online media space. With the relaxing of rules for American travelers to Cuba and the potential of further easing, growth and investment, opportunities are on the rise in Cuba. Cuba Ventures consulting division harnesses over 60 years of combined advisor experience in submitting and, obtaining approval, for joint ventures, joint production agreements, and import/export permits for foreign enterprises. More recently the company has taken a royalty approach for future agreements between third parties anxious to begin commercial operations with Cuba and, the companys Cuba Consulting Unit. For further information on Cuba Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:CUV) or Travelucion visit the Companys website at www.cubaventures.com or www.travelucion.com. Cuba Ventures Corp. The Company has 72,412,487 shares issued and outstanding. CUBA VENTURES CORP. STEVE MARSHALL ______________________________ Steve Marshall CEO For further information contact myself or: Nick Findler Cuba Ventures Corp. Telephone: 604-639-3850 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@cubaventures.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information. A college student was applauded by people who witnessed a very sweet gesture he made just so his girlfriend could attend her Chemistry laboratory class. Mark Cadiz wore his girlfriend's sandals and saved the day by giving her his closed-toe shoes for the class. Cadiz attends the same college with his girlfriend Vanessa at the University of Hawaii. On one occasion, Vanessa forgot she needed to wear closed shoes for her chem lab and wore a pair of tan sandals instead, Tro9.com reported. So what Cadiz did was to take off his shoes and offered them for his girlfriend to use just so she could make it to her class. Vanessa shared the story and said that the moment she realized she was not wearing the proper attire, his boyfriend insisted that she use his shoes, instead of going back home. She said that she had no choice because her professor was very particular with dress code. She also added that Cadiz does a lot of things for her, like being the one to carry her backpack and laptop or walking across the campus to print their homework, according to Buzzfeed. Cadiz just preferred to make fun of the situation, took a photo of his feet and tweeted it using the caption "my feet looks good on her sandals. His post became viral online and people started calling him the best boyfriend ever. Vanessa and Mark have known each other for quite a long time already. They have been best friends since they were in middle school and started dating just last year. Vanessa also shared that instead of being romantic, their relationship is rather weird and goofy. Just a good thing Mark was able to fit into Vanessa's shoes, and he was even very proud of it. NASA has successfully located two unmanned spacecraft last Thursday, Mar. 9. The said space probes were Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter [LRO]. Through the ground-based interplanetary radar, NASA's navigation team easily found out where these tiny probes' orbit location. According to Space, Chandrayaan-1 was India's first probe to be launched outside the Earth's surface on October 2008 then it went on to study the moon. However, the 5-foot-wide spacecraft went missing in September 2009. Since then, India was unable to get contact of the missing Chandrayaan-1 until it was located by NASA. NASA's detection of Chandrayaan-1 is quite noteworthy since it measures half the size of a smart car. Finding a spec of metal within the vast solar system where asteroids and metallic objects float around is ground-breaking for the scientist in NASA. On the other hand, NASA's interplanetary radar was also able to find out where LRO went missing. The LRO was NASA's still active lunar spacecraft that was launched back in 2009. The finding of LRO was relatively easy unlike for Chandrayaan-1, NASA added. NASA started the operation back in July 2016 where researchers used NASA's the 230-foot antenna in Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, California. They sent out beam microwaves toward the moon and studied the radar "echoes" that bounced back to Earth by means of a330-foot Green Bank Telescope. Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory made their follow-up observations using a 1,000-foot-wide radar dish. NASA researchers were doubtful that the world's most powerful radars will be able to detect such object as small as the Chandrayaan-1 lost within the far distance of the moon from the Earth. In the end, Chandrayaan-1 has proven them wrong and raise the bar for such technique. The technique has commonly been used to detect and characterize asteroids and now it will surely fortify the studies of space navigation. The LG G6 Android smartphone was announced at the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC 2017), and the device is expected to roll out in Australia on March 28 and in the U.S. on April 7. The LG G6 was released in South Korea on March 10, wherein, the tech giant sold 20,000 units on the first day. The LG G6 rolled out in South Korea on March 10, unlike its predecessor's first day sales of around 15,000 units, the LG company sold 20,000 units on G6's first day. LG's latest Android smartphone is expected to be released in Australia on March 28 and in the U.S. on April 7. Although LG hasn't announced the release schedule of the LG G6 Android smartphone in other markets, nonetheless, famous leaker Evan Blass has claimed that the device will be launched in the U.S. on April 7 The LG G6 launch date in the U.S. comes ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S8's anticipated release on April 21. The South Korean tech company will officially announce the Galaxy S8 in the U.S. on March 29 and the Galaxy S8 pre-order opens up very soon after the announcement, a couple of days before the LG G6 smartphone hits stores. Nevertheless, as the LG G6 has a price tag of 899,800 KRW in South Korea, the handset is expected to be up for grabs for $749 in the U.S. On the other hand, talking about the LG G6 vs Google Pixel XL, the LG G6 comes along with a 5.7-inch display with a QHD (1440 x 2880 resolution), according to Channel News. Also, the LG G6 boasts an HDR support for both HDR 10 standard and Dolby Vision. Meanwhile, the Pixel XL smartphone is available with a 5.5-inch display QHD resolution. The Pixel XL smartphone comes along with a curved display, whereas, the LG company chose a flat screen for the LG G6 smartphone. Watch The Video Here: A new theory suggests that legendary author, Jane Austen, was almost totally blind before she died possibly because she was poisoned with arsenic. The theory was proposed by the lead curator of Modern Archives & Manuscripts 1601-1850, Sandra Tuppen, at the British Library. Three antiquated pairs of spectacles that were displayed in the library suggested the arsenic theory. The glasses along with the portable writing desk were entrusted by Austen's great-great-great-niece to the British Library in 1999. Many scholars and medical experts say the theory is more crime fiction that plausible truth. The library conducted tests on Austen's glasses and consulted Simon Barnard, a London-based optometrist. Barnard suggested Austen used different pairs of glasses for different activities basing on prescription strength. Austen was known to have complained of weak eyesight and have suffered from rheumatism. Water supplies and medicine in the 19th-century were contaminated with arsenic. It is suggested she may have ingested arsenic through medication for rheumatism according to New Zealand Herald. WDEF reproted member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, Dr. Cheryl Kinney said many things contained arsenic during Austen's lifetime. Recent studies from Asia have shown association of cataract in arsenic water but not causation. Janin Barchas, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin said Austen mentioned a famous ophthalmologist of her time. They examined Austen's three pairs of eyeglasses and consulted a medical expert and found that Austen having cataracts was just a theory and cannot be proven. Barchas added that medical historians in the past have diagnosed Austen in absentia and none included arsenic poisoning. Sheryl Craig, editor for the Jane Austen Society of North America, said several theories suggest Austen died of cancer, tuberculosis and Addison's disease. Craig added that it would be impossible to prove the cause of death without examining the body. Deidre Shauna Lynch, a professor of literature at Harvard University said further evidence is needed to prove that the spectacles were Jane Austen's. Austen wrote the literary classics Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park. She died in 1817 at just 41 years old. Eight years after it went missing in space, India's first lunar spacecraft, Chandrayaan 1, has been "rediscovered" by NASA. On Oct 22, 2008, Chandrayaan 1 left the Earth to orbit the moon. It immediately discovered the first water on the lunar surface last Nov 14 of the same year. Unfortunately, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lost all contact with the spacecraft on Aug 29, 2009. Experts believed that the most probable cause is a tragic crash. Chandrayaan 1: Lost & Found According to New Indian Express, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) latest radar technology found Chandrayaan 1. Meanwhile, the same radar pioneered by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) scientists located NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter too. "This technique could assist planners of future moon missions," the agency noted. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, the father of India's lunar mission, said that to be declared lost and then found after eight years is a great accomplishment. For the record, Chandrayaan 1 is the country's first interplanetary mission. On the other hand, Chandrayaan 2 is already on the way, scheduled for blast off later in 2018. The current Chairman of ISRO, A.S. Kiran Kumar, revealed that spotting Chandrayaan 1 does not bring any significance to their next mission. "There is nothing that can be done to reestablish contact with the spacecraft," Kumar admitted. Per the same source, he explained that there is no more power in the shuttle and the solar panels that provide data to other systems on board have already snapped. Exact location of Chandrayaan 1 Hindustan Times reported that Chandrayaan 1 is still orbiting the moon around 200 kilometers (km) above the lunar surface, based on JPL's calculations. With normal optical telescopes, finding small derelict space debris hidden around Earth's satellite is difficult. The Indian shuttle is approximately 1.5 meters on each side, about the size of a small car. Nevertheless, the application of the interplanetary radar from NASA successfully "rediscovered" the two spacecraft hiding behind the lunar surface. ISRO reportedly ran models that predicted the trajectory of Chandrayaan 1. Thus, when NASA announced that it found an unknown object at a particular position on the moon, ISRO knew that it was their beloved vehicle. Kumar further noted that their models could identify the location of Chandrayaan 1 "at any given point of time after 10 years" or even a century. In an announcement made last Friday, NASA said it used its 70-meter antenna at Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California. The Indian shuttle was around 3.80 lakh (hundred thousand) km away from Earth. Synthetic biology has moved one step closer to synthesizing genomes of yeast, also known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The single-celled eukaryotes have been used by humans for wide varieties of applications. Now scientists have turn to yeast and used it in bioengineering to create synthetic organisms that will help make new kinds of drugs and fuels. The international team of researchers has announced last Thursday that they were able to synthesize six of yeast's 16 chromosomes. They have found a way to design the chromosomes and synthesize yeast's genetic code. The study was published in the journal Science. The Gulf Times reported, lead researcher Jef Boeke, director of New York University Langone's Institute for Systems Genetics said over 30% of a living organism's genetic material can be substituted with artificial code. The yeast project is collaboration known as the Synthetic Yeast 2.0 project. Researchers aim to finish synthesizing the ten remaining chromosomes and reach 100% by the end of the year. The genetically engineered yeast is a eukaryote, which is a complex cell with diverse internal structures similar to cells in the human body. It is known to have more genetic material than the bacteria synthesized by the Venter Institute and Harvard projects. Daniel Gibson, vice president of DNA technologies at Synthetic Genomics said that the study will help further understand how to design cells that can be used for many applications. Although, some biologists and environmentalists such as Todd Kuiken from North Carolina State University's Genetic Engineering and Society Center, worry that synthetic organisms once the invasive species are introduced to a different environment that it may have a big impact on the system. They have assured concerned biologists that they are operating under safe and ethical conditions. George Church, a prominent Harvard University geneticist said being able to edit on single genes this may pave way to a new era of being able to write whatever we want throughout the genome according to The Futurism. The posters for controversial sociologist Charles Murray's talk at Columbia University were vandalized by students at Barnard College. He was scheduled to have a talk on Mar. 23. Earlier this month, Charles Murray's event at Middlebury College was disrupted by violent protesters. They chanted about how racist, sexist and anti-gay the social scientist is and that they cannot tolerate his message of hatred. Charles Murray became controversial for his 1994 book entitled "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life." It gained backlash for linking intelligence with race and the author has been deemed as a "white nationalist" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This time, The College Fix reported that it was able to identify 16 flyers on Tuesday and Thursday which have been vandalized in the Barnard Student Center. On some, cartoon devil horns were drawn on Murray's face while other posters labeled the sociologist as a "white supremacist." Murray's face on five flyers in another part of the student center had been strategically impaled with push pins. His lecture at Columbia University is entitled "Are Elites to Blame for the Rise of Donald Trump?" This is his first talk after the event at Middlebury College. The talk is being organized by the university's chapter of the American Enterprise Institute. It is the same group that hosted "Factual Feminist" Christina Hoff Sommers' event last semester. Several flyers for Sommers' event were also torn down. Columbia student Jonathan Schatz-Mizrahi, who is also the primary organizer for the event, said that Murray's talk is important so that students can listen to Murray's perspective. He noted that several students are out of touch with "white working-class America," which is why it's important to understand why Trump appeals to that specific demographic and what the impact will be on the future of the United States. A spokesperson for Barnard College told the publication that the administration expects all students to follow the school's rules. Its Code of Conduct prohibits attempted or actual theft as well as damage to property of the institution. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist and Nobel Prize laureate, has received an offer to study at a U.K. university. There are speculations that she may be going to Oxford to pursue higher education. She is said to be preparing for her A-Levels at a girls' school in Birmingham. The Guardian reported that, while Malala Yousafzai is known for being vocal about girls' education rights, she has been mum on where she is headed for her next educational venture. The 19-year-old activist did reveal that she had received an offer to study at a U.K. university. She just needed to achieve three As in order to study politics, philosophy and economics (PPE). She confirmed the conditional offer during a speech at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference. She revealed that her focus right now is to take the A-Levels exam as well as continue her work and her studies. Yousafzai also noted that she will be continuing her work for the Malala Fund. She stated her commitment to making sure that every child would get the opportunity to go to school, as is their basic human right. According to Telegraph, she will most likely be taking up PPE at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford University. Malala Yousafzai previously said that she wanted to take a politics degree at Stanford University in the U.S. However, after taking her A Levels in history, math, religious studies and geography, she confirmed that she will be completing her education in Britain. She has also previously said that she applied to Oxford. It was reported that Malala Yousafzai has already had an interview with Oxford University, for which she was anxious and excited. It is confirmed that she wants to become a full-time activist, lawyer or politician and taking up a degree in philosophy, politics and economics can help her achieve those goals. Spring break is almost here and a lot of students are already looking forward to relaxing with their friends. Moreover, vacations do not need to put a dent in one's wallets. There are plenty of enjoyable things to do without spending too much. Europe seems like a pretty expensive place to go for spring break but it does provide free things for students on spring break to do without breaking the bank. Students just need to do their research well on the places that they want to visit, especially with regards to where they will be staying. USA Today College shared four top European spring break destinations. Berlin, Germany There are a lot of sights and spots to visit in Berlin for free. Students on spring break can go to the Reichstag, which is home to Germany's parliament. Lonely Planet reported that tourists can also stroll along the East Side Gallery and admire politically-minded murals that were created by over 100 artists from all over the world after the Berlin Wall fell back in Nov. 1989. USA Today College also added that, on Tuesdays, the Berlin Philharmonic hosts a free lunchtime concert. This is perfect for those who love classical music. London, England According to VisitLondon.com, tourists can visit museums, quirky attractions such as the Crystal Palace Park which houses the world's oldest dinosaur sculptures, parks and other well-knonw London attractions for free. Students can visit the Buckingham Palace, Abbey Road and Trafalgar Square, among others, without any cost except for commute. Belfast, Ireland Belfast has become increasingly known as it was one of the main locations for HBO series "Game of Thrones." Belfast Vibe shared 11 things that tourists can do for free in the area. It includes a visit to Ulster Museum, which is the largest museum in Northern Ireland, Linen Hall Library, Oh Yeah Music Centre and Belfast Art Galleries, among others. Athens, Greece Athens provides the perfect blend between nature's beauty and man-made art. Business Insider noted that the municipality of Athens provides complimentary weekend tours and students should take the opportunity. Also, make sure to visit famous spots such as the Parthenon, the Acropolis of Athens and the National Archaeological Museum. BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barfresh Food Group, Inc. (OTCQB:BRFH), a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of frozen, ready-to-blend beverages, announced that it has entered into a multi-year contract with the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, to offer Barfreshs smoothies at the aquariums new Barfresh Hut foodservice location. The Barfresh Hut is located on the first floor, in a high traffic area adjacent to the gift store and popular Shark Lagoon exhibit. The Aquarium of the Pacific was established in 1998 and is the fourth most attended aquarium in the country, hosting some 1.7 million visitors annually. Based on current sales run rates, estimated Barfresh smoothie volumes from the Hut are expected to be approximately 200,000 servings annually. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e8e649d-4c21-4c47-aea0-ce2fef020e73 The Aquarium of the Pacific is a world class venue and aligns perfectly with our frozen beverage solution that improves customer turnover, while eliminating waste and maximizing profit margins. This contract is another example of how our recent shift in sales focus toward larger and higher volume accounts is generating results. We are working in conjunction with the aquariums foodservice contractor, SMG Food & Beverage LLC, to optimize the experience at our new location, as well as target similar high volume locations that the contractor operates that can benefit from Barfreshs solution, commented Riccardo Delle Coste, Barfreshs Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Delle Coste continued, Premier locations like the Aquarium of the Pacific and our recent placement at the Pepsi Center arena are raising Barfreshs brand profile with prospective customers and foodservice contractors alike. Our team continues to gain traction with additional foodservice contractors and we expect similar opportunities to materialize within their high traffic venues. These companies are coming to appreciate how differentiated Barfreshs solution is, which in many cases is creating a new profit center thats aligned with shifting consumer preferences toward healthy living. About Barfresh Food Group Barfresh Food Group, Inc. (OTCQB:BRFH) is a developer, manufacturer and distributor of ready-to-blend beverages, including smoothies, shakes and frappes, primarily for restaurant chains and the foodservice industry. The company's proprietary, patented system uses portion-controlled pre-packaged beverage ingredients that deliver freshly made frozen beverages that are quick, cost efficient, better for you and without waste. PepsiCo North America Beverages, a division of PepsiCo, Inc., is the exclusive sales representative in North America within the food service channel for Barfresh's full line of beverages. Barfresh has an exclusive distribution partnership with the leading food distributor in North America. For more information, please visit www.barfresh.com. Forward Looking Statements Except for historical information herein, matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the Company's commercial progress and future financial performance. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as "grow", "expand", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "should", "hypothetical", "potential", "forecast" and "project", among others. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in the press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made based on experience, expected future developments and other factors the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company and may not materialize. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The contents of this release should be considered in conjunction with the warnings, risk factors and cautionary statements contained in the Company's recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10K and Quarterly Report on Form 10Q. Furthermore, the Company does not intend, and is not obligated, to update publicly any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. CARMEL, Ind., March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE:KAR), a global wholesale used vehicle marketplace, technology and solutions provider, announced that Sriram Srisu Subrahmanyam has joined the company as senior vice president of business transformation. Subrahmanyam brings more than 20 years of executive operations and consulting experience to the role, including leadership positions across multiple Fortune 1000 companies and industries such as aviation, technology, logistics and education. Subrahmanyam will report to Don Gottwald, chief operating officer for KAR. KAR has accumulated an extensive portfolio of capabilities focused on simplifying automotive remarketing through data analytics, innovative technology and exceptional service, said Gottwald. Srisu is widely recognized for his ability to optimize performance, operations and outcomes across complex and diversified global companies. His broad expertise will help accelerate KARs go-to-market strategy and identify new ways to make our company and customers more effective, efficient and successful. Prior to joining KAR, Subrahmanyam served as global vice president of engineering for Ingram Micro, the worlds largest wholesale technology distributor. He previously served as executive vice president and chief operations officer for BrightPoint Americas and in executive leadership positions at Career Education Corporation and United Airlines. The wholesale automotive eco-system is undergoing a rapid transformation, said Subrahmanyam. KARs end-to-end remarketing platform presents a unique opportunity to lead this transformation and deliver innovative new solutions across existing and emerging markets. I am excited to help shape KARs future and to work with this incredibly accomplished leadership team and company. Subrahmanyam holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India. He is a frequent author and lecturer on topics including organizational optimization, design and culture. He is a member of the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis and has served on a variety of other prominent industry and community organizations throughout his career. About KAR Auction Services KAR Auction Services (NYSE:KAR) provides sellers and buyers across the global wholesale used-vehicle industry with innovative, technology-driven remarketing solutions. KARs unique end-to-end platform supports whole car, salvage, financing, logistics and other ancillary and related services, including the sale of more than 5 million units valued at over $40 billion through our auctions. Our integrated physical, online and mobile marketplaces reduce risk, improve transparency and streamline transactions for customers in 110 countries. Headquartered in Carmel, Ind., KAR has approximately 17,400 employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. www.karauctionservices.com. Christopher Kribs, UTA professor of Mathematics and Curriculum & Instruction. A researcher at The University of Texas at Arlington has used mathematical modeling to demonstrate that negative peer pressures can spread in a high-risk setting, influencing students decisions to drop out of school. This study postulates that social behavior can spread interpersonally through social interactions and influences, just as infectious diseases can, said Christopher Kribs, UTA professor of Mathematics and Curriculum & Instruction. Kribs is also an expert in mathematical epidemiology with research supported by the National Science Foundation. The study showed that students who are failing at two or more subjects are at risk for dropping out, largely due to their increased interactions with other failing students. Positive parenting is clearly very important for students but the study discovered that there is a point where negative peer influences overcome positive parental influences, Kribs said. We feel there is a real opportunity to intervene at the school level to reduce dropout rates by controlling negative influences, he added. The study looked at 125 students at a struggling high school in Chicago. The researchers surveyed the students on whether they were failing in core subjects such as mathematics, English, science and social sciences, the degree of parental involvement in their life and the number of failing and dropout friends of each student during the last year. The mathematical model they developed defined students as being in one of two environments: a non-risky environment, where they are passing all core subjects or failing one and considered vulnerable; or a risky environment, where they are failing two or more core subjects and could drop out. The data suggests that as the degree of parental involvement in a vulnerable students life increases, the number of their failing friends decreases. If the student is already failing two core courses and in the risky zone, the effectiveness of parental involvement changes: the number of their failing friends initially decreases, but then increases again. This may occur if students become more rebellious to a sudden increase in parental involvement at the same time they are receiving negative peer pressure from other failing students. Parental guidance is a significant factor only when students are under a low level of negative social influence at school, Kribs said. If negative social influence increases beyond a critical value, the impact of parental influence becomes negligible. To manage dropout levels, we need to manage social influences at school. The paper concludes that making sure that vulnerable and failing students are not only mixing with other failing and dropout students could achieve a sustained reduction in dropout rates. Jianzhong Su, UTA mathematics chair, emphasized the importance of this project within the strategic theme of data-driven discovery within UTAs Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions, Global Impact. Dr. Kribs work shows the relevance of mathematical studies to real-life social issues and demonstrates the importance of cross-disciplinary studies on social problems, Su said. The next step would be to roll the model out with larger groups of students to further demonstrate its accuracy and efficacy to education policymakers to make a real difference. Kribs collaborated on this study with Anuj Mubayi, assistant professor of applied mathematics in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change as well as in the Simon A. Levin Mathematical Computational Modeling Science Center at Arizona State University-Tempe; Bechir Amdouni, developmental mathematics instructor at Northeastern Illinois University and Marlio Paredes, mathematics professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. The full study, Why do students quit school? Implications from a dynamic modelling study, was published in the Royal Society Journal Proceedings A. About The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research-1 highest research activity institution. With a projected global enrollment of close to 57,000, UTA is one of the largest institutions in the state of Texas. Guided by its Strategic Plan 2020 Bold Solutions|Global Impact, UTA fosters interdisciplinary research and education within four broad themes: health and the human condition, sustainable urban communities, global environmental impact, and data-driven discovery. UTA was recently cited by U.S. News & World Report as having the second lowest average student debt among U.S. universities. U.S. News & World Report lists UTA as having the fifth highest undergraduate diversity index among national universities. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times 2017 Best for Vets list. Page Content A race on an eight-mile challenge course will help raise money for a student scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The third annual "Reeder's Ruck March" will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 29, starting at Mathias Mitchell Public Square in downtown Stevens Point and following a loop of the Green Circle Trail. The event is sponsored by the UW-Stevens Point Ranger Club as a fundraiser for the Alexander H. Reeder Memorial Scholarship, named for a senior psychology major from Wisconsin Rapids who died in a motorcycle accident in 2014. The scholarship will support ROTC students of which Reeder was one. The march is open to contestants who will wear a "ruck sack," a backpack weighing at least 35 pounds, as they complete the course. Individual awards will be given to the top male and female finisher of the age 40 and under class, as well as the age 41 and older class. Early bird registration is $30 by March 15. After that, the fee is $40. For more information and registration, go to http://reedersruck.eventbrite.com. Fetal Development, Bacteria Structures Earn UW Research Awards The professor who established the Center for the Study of Fetal Programming in the University of Wyomings College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and an assistant professor attracting national attention for insights into the sub-cellular workings of bacteria have received research awards from the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station (WAES). This years award winners epitomize the quality, depth and breadth of research being conducted by our colleges fantastic faculty and students, says Bret Hess, associate dean of research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and WAES director. Stephen Ford, animal science professor and Rochelle Chair, reproductive biology, fetal programming, earned the Outstanding Research Award. Ford directs the internationally recognized Center for the Study of Fetal Programming at UW. The dual mission of the research program is to delve deep into developmental biology and physiology for production of healthy, high-quality livestock and to benefit lifetime health and longevity of human babies, as well, Hess says. Ford was on the four-member team that received the USDAs Abraham Lincoln Honor Award in 2016. The award is that agencys highest. Grant Bowman in the Department of Molecular Biology received the Early Career Research Award. His research, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, focuses on a protein scaffold that creates microdomains in the cytoplasm of bacteria. Dr. Bowmans cutting-edge research is a good example of how science will continue to advance our understanding of protein biology, Hess says. Bowman joined the faculty in 2012. The award for top faculty story in Reflections, the colleges research magazine, went to Brian Mealor, associate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and director of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center for Cheatgrass: Developing a Wyoming strategy for a big (little) problem. Slade Franklin of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture was co-author. The award for top student story in Reflections went to Jessica Windh of Reedley, Calif., an undergraduate student in rangeland ecology and watershed management. Her article is Dead lambs arent the only loss: Counting the non-lethal cost of Wyoming livestockpredator interactions. Derek Scasta, assistant professor in ecosystem science and management, and Barton Stam, a UW Extension educator in Hot Springs County, were co-authors. WAES supporter Kurt Cub Feltner presented the inaugural Reflections student paper award in memory of his late wife, Lynn Feltner. Reflections is a publication of WAES, which operates four research and extension centers around the state. It supports fundamental and applied research relevant to agricultural, natural resource and community issues affecting Wyoming, the West and beyond. For more information, call Hess at (307) 766-3667 or email brethess@uwyo.edu. Hassrick, Green Johnson to Receive UW Honorary Degrees The University of Wyoming will confer its highest award, the honorary doctoral degree, upon two individuals who will be recognized during UW commencement ceremonies May 12-13. They are Peter H. Hassrick, a writer and independent American art scholar, who focuses on the West; and Paula Green Johnson, an advocate and volunteer with numerous health and human services, arts, educational and governmental organizations. UW alumni, current or former trustees and faculty members are eligible to nominate individuals who embody the universitys high ideals; exemplify the values of excellence, service and integrity; and possess distinguished accomplishments in their professions, public service or service to humanity. Submissions are referred to a joint committee of trustees and faculty members, which forwards recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for approval. Hassrick was born in Philadelphia and raised in Denver. He earned his masters degree in art history (1969) from the University of Denver and his bachelors degree in history (1963) from the University of Colorado. A leading authority on art of the American West, Hassrick has written extensively on Western artists, including Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Alexander Phimister Proctor, Ernest Blumenschein and John Mix Stanley. Among his numerous books are Frederic Remington, The Way West, Painted Journeys: The Art of John Mix Stanley with Mindy Besaw and Drawn to Yellowstone: Artists in Americas First National Park, which was re-released in 2016 to coincide with the centennial of the National Park Service. In 1976, Hassrick became the executive director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (now the Buffalo Bill Center of the West) in Cody. During his 20-year tenure, he helped to grow the center -- both physically and fiscally -- and to transform it from a community museum into a nationally and internationally recognized institution. For his distinguished service to the field of art, he received the Wyoming Governors Arts Award. Hassrick left Wyoming to become the founding director of the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe, N.M. He also was the founding director of the Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art of the American West at the University of Oklahoma. Additionally, he directed the Denver Art Museums Petrie Institute of Western American Art. He returned to Cody, where he serves as director emeritus and senior scholar at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. He continues to curate art exhibitions, lecture on art of the American West and write numerous publications. He is a very gifted man with rare intelligence, wisdom and the ability to express often complex aspects of art in a way that becomes very understandable and meaningful to those under his tutelage in his classes or lectures, wrote Wyoming retired U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson. He is a person of the highest integrity, and his work reflects the highest echelon of scholarship, wrote Bruce Eldredge, executive director and CEO of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. His years of service as a museum director and art historian in the state of Wyoming bring credit to the university, to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and to the state of Wyoming. Hassrick, like William F. Buffalo Bill Cody, is truly a Man of the West and a Man of the World. Raised in Laramie, Green Johnson earned her bachelors degree in speech pathology and audiology (1972) from UW. She worked as a court reporter in Denver and Salt Lake City for a time. When her son started school, she began volunteering in the public schools. There, she witnessed the struggles many families were experiencing with issues such as abuse, hunger and homelessness. Her life purpose became clear: to make a difference in the lives of those who cannot advocate for or help themselves. For more than 30 years, Green Johnson has served and led various organizations dedicated to improving the lives of others. She is particularly interested in empowering women and girls, and working for social and racial justice. She has served on the boards and committees of local, statewide and national organizations, including the YWCA World Service Council, YWCA USA, YWCA Utah, United Way of Salt Lake, International Womens Forum, Ronald McDonald House Charities, National McGruff House Network, American Red Cross of Utah, State of Utah Foster Care Citizen Review Board, Governors appointment to the Board of Child and Family Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of Utah, Salt Lake Ballet, Pioneer Theatre and Salt Lake Art Center Guilds, Catholic Community Services in Salt Lake City, United Way National Womens Leadership Council, the White House Summit on the United State of Women, Utah Council for Crime Prevention, Womens State Legislative Council of Utah and the UW Foundation Board. Additionally, Green Johnson was the American Red Cross of Utah board representative for the African Measles Initiative in Ghana. In 2002, she traveled to Ghana on a humanitarian mission with the International Red Cross to participate in the initiative. At the end of the Ghana campaign, 8 million children had been immunized against the disease. In his nomination letter, Kent Noble, the Bill Daniels Chair of Business Ethics in the UW College of Business, described a trip he and his wife took to Salt Lake City a few years ago in which they witnessed some of Green Johnsons work. They met the staff of the local YWCA and toured the Family Justice Center, which provides resources for women who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. While the stories of the women in the center were sobering, the care the residents were receiving was inspiring, Noble wrote. You see, thanks to Ms. Green Johnsons leadership, these women were recovering in a state-of-the-art facility with desperately needed services ranging from emergency shelter and safety planning to immigration assistance and language training. In short, women who were once living a life of fear and desperation were now taking the first steps toward regaining their dignity and hope. Among the awards Green Johnson has received for her volunteer service are the United Way of Salt Lake Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, American Red Cross of Utah Lifetime Achievement Award, Salt Lake Council of Women Hall of Fame, Utah Nonprofits Association Norma Matheson Volunteer of the Year, Utah Nonprofits Association Heart and Hands Award, and the Governor of Utah and the Governors Commission for Women and Families Woman of Achievement Award. Paula Green Johnsons volunteerism, leadership and philanthropy have been diverse and far-reaching, wrote Larry Weatherford, the Dick and Maggie Scarlett Endowed Professor in the UW College of Business. She attributes her commitment to community service to her belief that it is every citizens duty to make their city, their state, their nation and the world a better place. Paula has taken this lesson to heart. Indeed, she is all about making a difference. For more than 30 years, she has given time and energy to make the world a better place, without ever looking for accolades. UW Town-Hall Meeting March 21 on Enrollment, Other Issues University of Wyoming employees are invited to learn more about UWs Strategic Enrollment Management Plan, and hear updates on a variety of issues, during a town-hall meeting Tuesday, March 21, from 3-5 p.m. in the Wyoming Union ballroom. The town-hall meeting is being combined with UW President Laurie Nichols annual spring faculty meeting. UW employees are granted release time from 2:45-5 p.m. to attend. The scheduling of release time should be a collaborative discussion between employee and supervisor to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the unit. The meeting will be streamed online via the WyoCast system at https://wyocast.uwyo.edu/WyoCast/Play/91b0c81719624ec19f4ebed5ec4ddde91d. The town-hall meeting will begin with a report on the work of UWs 46-member Strategic Enrollment Management Task Force which, in consultation with Huron Consulting Group, has developed UWs Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. The plan will guide the universitys efforts to recruit, retain and graduate undergraduates for the next five years. Provost Kate Miller will discuss work being done to implement the plan, including formation of several working groups, as well as the timeline for implementation. This effort will require coordination and collaboration across our Office of Admissions, colleges and departments, our marketing and institutional communications group, and our faculty, Miller says. For us to succeed, we will all need to embrace and lead new approaches to recruiting students and guiding them once they come to campus, so that each achieves their educational goals. The second half of the town-hall meeting will include updates on the 2017 legislative session; the 2017-18 fiscal year budget; strategic planning; academic program reviews; administrative searches; and other issues and topics of interest. A question-and-answer session also is planned. UWs Brown Wins Best of Show in Wearable Art Competition Donna Brown, a UW Department of Family and Consumer Sciences professor, won Best of Show in the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festivals Wearable Art Competition. Her winning entry, Aboriginal Lights, is a coat inspired by her native Australia and the Australian Aboriginal dot matrix painting style. (Frank Galey Photo) A University of Wyoming professor who teaches textile science and apparel design courses recently received top honors at a national competition. Donna Brown, a UW Department of Family and Consumer Sciences professor, won Best of Show in the Wearable Art Competition of the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, Va. Her winning entry, Aboriginal Lights, is a coat inspired by her native Australia and the Australian Aboriginal dot matrix painting style. Brown designed and worked on her piece -- alongside her students in the fiber arts class -- to include in the 2015 Coat Couture exhibition at the American Heritage Center. Brown coordinates the annual summer exhibition that features student-created wearable art, either in coat or jacket form. The 2015 exhibition theme was Australia. This piece was not specifically designed as a competition entry, but more as a teaching tool for my students, Brown says. I believe designing and working alongside them as they create are important parts of their learning. So, to be able to then take this piece, enter it and succeed in competition was gratifying. The outer layer of the coat is 100 percent wool fabric. Brown embellished it by decorative stitching Australian images that she converted into the dot matrix painting style through manipulation and the stitching itself. She used metallic and rayon decorative threads for the stitching. She enhanced the stitched designs by adding both hand-attached Swarovski crystal beads, as well as hot fix Swarovski crystals. The sparkling lights created by all the crystals and beads remind me of the city lights of my Sydney home at night, Brown says. In some cases, they also are indicative of the shine and sparkle created by the glaring Australian sun. The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festivals Wearable Art Competition consists of two categories: full ensemble and vest, jacket and coat. Festival promoters believe it is a first for a coat to take the top prize. Ive worked here over 25 years and never remember this happening before, says Mary Claire Moyer, a meeting planner with Mancuso Show Management Inc. A full ensemble entry always takes Best of Show -- until now. Inspired by the Australian Aboriginal dot matrix painting style, UW Professor Donna Brown used decorative stitching and added Swarovski crystals to her coat, Aboriginal Lights. (Frank Galey Photo) Last fall, Brown entered Aboriginal Lights into the 2016 Wearable Art Competition of the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, Calif., where she received honorable mention. She has received national and international recognition and awards for other wearable art designs at numerous juried shows and competitions. Her UW honors include the John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, the College of Agriculture Outstanding Adviser Award and the Mortar Board Top Prof Award. Since 2015, Brown has been the executive director of the UW Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning. On Saturday, March 11, Cirque du Soleil hosted the 16th annual Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Walk at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, where more than 1,000 participants came out for a fun-filled day with their favorite Cirque du Soleil artists (Photo credit: Cashman Photography). Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Donning extravagant costumes designed to create a fully immersive and interactive experience, the performers happily took photos with participants before, during and after the race, also praising guests for their own Cirque du Soleil-inspired outfits. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Mayor Carolyn Goodman kicked off the race again this year, while guests enjoyed live music, performances by students of the Arts Nomades program, gorgeous weather, complimentary refreshments from Starbucks and Whole Foods, free massage therapy, a carnival play area and more all while giving back to the community. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. They also had the opportunity to run through Boomtown 1905, the Springs Preserves most exciting and unforgettable new exhibit, for the first time ever at the event. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Photo credit: Cashman Photography. Each year, there are approximately 63,000 reported road traffic deaths in the ASEAN member countries, although the World Health Organization believes that the actual number lies at around 117,000 per year due either to inaccurate data or undocumented accidents. Within the region, there is considerable variation in fatality rates between the individual countries. While Singapore has one of the fewest traffic-related deaths worldwide per capita, Thailand has one of the most, second only to Libya. The Philippines has the second-lowest road traffic fatality rate in the region after Singapore. We need to find sustainable solutions for a problem that is the leading death cause among young people in the region, taking the lives of thousands of citizens, and costing the governments a tremendous amount of money, every year, said Martin Hayes, president of Bosch in Southeast Asia in his keynote address at the EU-ASEAN Business Summit in Manila, the Philippines. The loss of lives, and cost of damage to property and safety reputation pose an extensive threat to the social and economic progress of the ASEAN member countries. ASEAN member countries leaders have taken progressive steps to address the threat that traffic accidents present to the health and welfare of their citizens, and to their economies. In November 2015, transport ministers of the economic bloc adopted the ASEAN Regional Road Safety Strategy which provides a framework of strategies and actions to halve the number of road fatalities in the region by 2020. The strategy also received the commitment of the economic ministers of ASEAN and the ASEAN Economic Community Council in February 2017, who will also be working towards improving road safety policies and programs, and harmonising the regions safety regulations in line with UN regulations. The UN General Assembly has proclaimed the period from 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety with the goal to stabilise and reduce the level of road traffic fatalities around the world. For Bosch, every traffic-related death is one too many, said Hayes. As an automotive supplier, we believe that the most substantial impact the auto industry can make is to produce safer vehicles equipped with modern safety systems. For decades now, Bosch has been working on technological advancements with the vision of accident-free driving. The worlds first antilock braking system (ABS) for passenger cars, the commonplace technology that prevents a cars wheels from locking up during an emergency braking scenario, dates back to 1978. This innovation allows the driver to maintain steering control and in most situations, shortens the braking distance without skidding. In 1995, Bosch improved the technology by developing the worlds first electronic stability program (also known as ESP or ESC) which is today equipped in 64 percent of all new cars worldwide. In Europe alone, ESP has saved more than 8,500 lives and prevented more than a quarter of a million traffic accidents to date. As the third-largest two-wheeler market in the world, riders of a motorcycle constitute more than half of all road traffic fatalities in Southeast Asia. Every year, 21,000 fatal motorcycle accidents occur in Indonesia and Thailand alone. A key technology to enhance motorcycle safety is ABS, which enables hard braking without the wheels locking, so that the vehicle remains stable and the rider stays upright. Introduced in 1995, the motorcycle ABS significantly reduces the risk of falling, shortens the stopping distance, and therefore the risk of collision. Bosch research estimates that if every powered two-wheeler was equipped with ABS, around one in four of all motorcycle accidents in the ASEAN countries could be prevented. Worldwide, an increasing number of countries such as the European Union, Japan, Taiwan, and India are mandating motorcycle ABS for new vehicles. It is the governments that play a crucial role in the adoption of safety systems. Legislative measures to mandate safety features have been introduced in nearly all developed and many developing countries all over the world, said Hayes. Countries that have yet to make safety features such as ABS, ESC, and Motorcycle ABS mandatory neither in passenger cars nor in motorcycles can be found in Africa, some parts of South America, the Middle East, and most of Southeast Asia. To date, Malaysia is the first and only ASEAN member country to mandate all new cars to be equipped with ESC from 2018 onwards. Vehicles with high safety standards, equipped with airbags, ESC, or ABS for instance, do not only protect passengers, they also help local manufacturers realise export opportunities into major automotive markets. It is our view that governments should have a strong interest in promoting these safety features if they want to develop ASEAN into a world-class automotive manufacturing hub that is globally competitive, and can contribute positively to the economic and social progress of the region, said Hayes. The improvement of road safety is not something that will happen overnight. We understand that its a gradual process that needs the involvement of various stakeholders including governments, the scientific community, NGOs, and the industry, concluded Hayes. Britain's Brexit Secretary David Davis walks into his office in Downing Street in London, Britain, February 8, 2017. photo source: REUTERS/Toby Melville Brexit minister David Davis said it was in "everybody's interests that we get a good outcome", but said the government was "planning for the contingency, all the various outcomes". He was speaking after MPs warned that ministers must prepare for the possibility that, with EU treaties allowing just two years to agree a new relationship, Britain might well leave without a deal. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is optimistic about settling the divorce and a new trade agreement with the EU within the timeframe, but would walk away rather than accept a bad deal. The cross-party parliamentary foreign affairs committee said this "represents a very destructive outcome leading to mutually assured damage for the EU and the UK", citing economic losses and legal confusion. Davis told the BBC he did not think that was "remotely likely", adding: "There will be tough points in this negotiation. But it's in absolutely everybody's interests that we get a good outcome." The MPs noted that the previous government had not prepared for the shock vote to leave the EU in the June referendum, something they called "gross negligence". "Making an equivalent mistake would constitute a serious dereliction of duty by the present administration," they said in the report. BREXIT IMMINENT A bill empowering May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin the withdrawal process returns to the House of Commons on Monday for debate. Without further opposition, it could pass the House of Lords that night. After it is rubber-stamped by Queen Elizabeth II, May could start Brexit at any point. Asked when the process might start, Davis noted that "in theory it's the point at which you have royal assent", but refused to confirm a date. "Each date has different implications in terms of when it can be responded to by the Council (of EU leaders)," he said. One factor could be the Dutch elections on Wednesday. Keir Starmer, the Brexit spokesman for the opposition Labour party, repeated to Sky News that he expected the government to start Brexit "probably on Wednesday or Thursday". Established in late 2006, VDSC has a special advantage - all the founding shareholders of the corporation are organizations/individuals operating in the fields of finance-banking, investment and trade. VDSC's founding shareholders include reputable financial institutions and capable, experienced financial experts. This has laid the foundation for the corporation to build up its reputation and operate successfully on the Vietnamese securities market in recent years. With chartered capital of VND330 billion, VDSC's shareholders look towards the objective of turning VDSC into a leading securities company in Vietnam that operates in the form of an investment bank. "VDSC must be a securities company with the best-quality products and services, the most attractive working environment and the most effective business activities in Vietnam," said Nguyen Mien Tuan, a member of the management board and general director of VDSC. To realize its objective, VDSC has worked out a comprehensive development strategy. Accordingly, the corporation will improve its financial capacity to meet the demand for investment capital, intensify human resource training, expedite the plans to expand VDSC's operations in major provinces/cities nationwide, provide customers with diverse products and services with support of a modern, safe information technology system. The first challenge that faced VDSC after it joined the securities market was the decline of this market, which led the corporation to losses worth more than VND80 billion in 2008. At that time, despite difficulties, VDSC's shareholders believed in the recovery of the securities market and were determined to seek any way possible to stabilize and maintain the corporation's operations on the securities market. Thanks to strong confidence and creativity of its shareholders, VDSC has overcome the crisis and gradually achieved success in the environment of fierce competition. Nguyen Mien Tuan said that the crisis has helped VDSC make a new development strategy with clear objectives, both short-term and long-term. Presently, after more than three years operating on the securities market, VDSC has a staff of nearly 250 members. The number of securities transaction accounts managed by VDSC has now exceeded 35,000 from more than 6,600 in late 2008. In terms of the number of accounts, VDSC is one of the top ten securities companies in Vietnam. I n terms of brokerage service, in the first five months of 2010, the corporation held a two percent market-share on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) and 1.1 percent on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX). VDSC is making further efforts to provide customers with the best-quality products and services to help themsucceed. Nguyen Mien Tuan said that in the third quarter of 2010 VDSC will put into operation a modern information technology system to improve the quality of products and services. At the same time, the corporation will continue to improve the quality of human resources and management skills as well as customer care and investment consultancy./. By Boi Nguyen Geert Versnick Vice Governor of East Flanders Geert Versnick, East Flanders Vice Governor - in charge of economy, spatial planning, and European and international co-operation - told VIR that East Flanders wants to further its new co-operation with Vietnam in many sectors such as logistics, education, transportation, and especially agriculture. We want to apply our state-of-the-art agricultural production techniques and help build a smart agricultural sector for Vietnam, said Versnick, who is also Chairman of the Provincial Development Agency. For example, our fishery projects can help raise profits by 25 times [compared to similar projects employing ordinary technologies], while our tomato production projects can help increase profits by four times. In its co-operation with Vietnam, which dates from 2003, East Flanders has brought strengths in agricultural production, industrial development, logistics, transportation, seaports, and education. Last week, Versnick led a delegation of eight East Flanders enterprises to Vietnam to seek investment and business opportunities in the livestock production sector. The enterprises worked with Vietnamese authorities and local enterprises. Versnick said that in this years second half, another delegation of enterprises will also come to Vietnam with the same purposes. In April 2017, Belgiums minister of foreign affairs will come to Vietnam for a visit, which will help decide the co-operation sectors of this delegation. Last year, a delegation of 50 enterprises from East Flanders came to Vietnam, eight of which sought opportunities in the agricultural sector. The rest embarked upon co-operations with local partners in various sectors, such as logistics, transportation, seaports, and education. In 2011, East Flanders began its agricultural co-operation with Vietnam, with several projects focused in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. In late 2016, East Flanders inked a memorandum of understanding with Ho Chi Minh City on co-operating in projects on crop production, horticulture, and livestock production. At present, the first projects and their capital investments have been approved. East Flanders is also supporting Vietnam in developing smart fishery production, in the context of rising saltwater inundation in the Mekong Delta region. In addition to agricultural co-operation, East Flanders is also working with Vietnam on a plan about developing smart logistics technologies in Vietnam, Versnick said. Smart logistics utilises cutting-edge technologies in a secure, online environment to realise efficiencies and reduce costs for both shippers and carriers alike. The benefits for shippers include improved shipping options and a reduced level of effort in managing freight operations. Former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio talks to a disabled girl at an earlier wheelchair donation ceremony.-Photo: laodong.com.vn The recipients come from the northern provinces of Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Thai Binh, among others. Hatoyama, in his speech, said this was the third time he had donated wheelchairs in Viet Nam, noting he hoped to quickly rally more funds for the effort. He said the JFA would help Viet Nam clean up dioxin-contaminated areas and produce high-quality wheelchairs. Deputy Health Minister Pham Le Tuan thanked the Japanese people for their support of disabled Vietnamese. He recalled that former PM Hatoyama had met with disabled children in Viet Nam in 2013 and had collected 50 wheelchairs to send to the country for the first time in September 2014. In October 2015, he sent another 50 wheelchairs to Viet Nam. illustration photo The demand for advanced thermal power generation will increase as the government requests new thermal stations to protect the environment. This field offers ample business opportunities for foreign companies with cutting edge technology, said Nguyen Bach Khoa, country sales manager at Bosch Rexroth Vietnam. Khoa told VIR that hydropower has almost reached its full potential in Vietnam, while plans for the nations first nuclear power plants have been shelved. Under the Power Development Plan (PDP) VII revised from 2016, the share of coal thermal power is supposed to increase to almost 50 per cent by 2025. In Vietnam, coal-fired power plants have the lowest feed-in-tariffs 7 US cents per kWh. The investment capital for a coal thermal power station is lower than that of hydropower, solar, wind, and nuclear power stations. However, pollution caused by coal-fired power stations has raised environmental concerns. According to Khoa, Bosch is looking at possibilities of supplying environmentally-friendly equipment for new coal thermal power plants in Vietnam. The firm is currently conducting market research, to be concluded by July this year. Bosch has started meeting with many potential investors to seek business collaborations in the field. Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS), a newcomer to Vietnam, also has plans to become involved in the local market. The firm set up a representative office in Hanoi in November last year to secure its presence. T. Aihara, senior vice president of MHPS, said that Vietnam is one of the most important markets for the firm in the near future. Already, MHPS has experience to supply main equipment for Phu My 1 and O Mon 1. Furthermore, the firm supplied de-nox system for Mong Duong 2 and provided dust removal system for Thai Binh 1. We are carefully watching progress in the PDP VII to adjust our business strategy. MHPS also has plans to find local suppliers in order to maximise localisation rate in the country, he said. Meanwhile, South Korean firm Kepco, one of the worlds largest power providers, is partnering with Japans Marubeni Corporation on the implementation of the $2.3 billion Nghi Son 2 power project in the central province of Thanh Hoa. Park Bogon, chief representative of the Kepco Southeast Office, said that the firm sees a high potential ahead for coal in Vietnam. It is currently seeking opportunities for developing coal-fired power projects in the south. According to Bogon, the firm is on track to begin construction on Nghi Son 2 within the year. After the investment agreement was signed last November, Kepco is now proceeding to the financing stage. Kepco is looking to receive an investment certificate for the project from the Ministry of Planning and Investment. However, he said, there are some challenges for foreign investors in Vietnam. In particular, the Vietnamese governments policy for currency conversion does not meet the prerequisites for lenders like international banks or export credit agencies. When it comes to environmental concerns, he stressed that construction of coal-fired plants should be left to trustworthy developers, those which have proven technology and experience in minimising potential environment risks. According to Nguyen My Lan, commercial leader of Steam Power Systems at GE Vietnam, coal-fired power plants can be a practical solution for meeting Vietnams power demands, but in order to implement them without sacrificing the environment it is crucial to have the right approach. To help coal thermal power operators all over world boost efficiency while at the same time reducing emissions, GE offers a suite of innovative and advanced technologies including ultra-supercritical technology, air quality control systems, and flue gas desulfurisation technology. Our Steam Power Services business has expanded to provide the newest technologies, including digital solutions, on one of the worlds largest installed bases for coal power, allowing GE to provide greater value to customers and support our business growth plans, Lan said. Located 80 km from Yen Bai city, Muong Lo is the northern regions second largest rice field after Muong Thanh field in Dien Bien province. Viewed from above, Muong Lo looks like a yellow saucepan surrounded by winding Nam Thia stream and cloud-covered mountains. Muong Lo is home to 17 ethnic minority groups with the Black Thai accounting for the largest number because they have lived there for the longest time. Ha Thi Thu, a local Thai woman, said Muong Lo field is 3,000 ha. We grow two rice crops a year. Thanks to favorable weather, peoples living conditions have improved. In recent years, we have received an increasing number of tourists, especially in the ripening rice season. The Black Thai in Muong Lo still retain their traditional cuisine. A very popular dish is fish sticky rice, known as Pa Mok, which is made of fried local fish, banana flowers, ginger, garlic, herbs and sticky rice. But the favorite dish of the Black Thai is five-colored sticky rice which is made of sticky rice colored using local plants. A plate of five-colored stick rice is often shaped like an orchid flower because according to the local people, orchids represent the northwestern region. The five colors represent the five elements. Artisan Dieu Thi Sieng said "Red represents aspiration, purple represents the fertile soil, yellow is for wealth, green is the color of the northwestern region and white is the color of pure love. Making this type of sticky rice, the Thai hope for wealth and happiness. Visitors to Muong Lo are summoned to a Xoe dance performance by the sound of flutes and gongs. Xoe dancing represents the desire for love, peace, wealth, and happiness. Thai artist Lo Van Bien says Xoe dancing is an integral part of Thai festivals and parties. Xoe dancing brings people closer to each other. It represents equality. Xoe dancing is performed in parties, ceremonies, and festivals for instance, wedding parties or house warming ceremonies, said Bien. Cau Mua or Praying for a bumper crop is the most popular festival of the Thai. The festival features Xoe and Chom Chieng dances and performances of flute and gong as well as local dishes and wine. With its beautiful rice fields, many scenic spots, and diverse culture and tradition, Muong Lo attracts a lot of visitors. The ground-breaking ceremony of Duong River Surface Water Treatment Plant was held successfully on March 9, 2017 in Phu Dong commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi.This project was awarded an investment certificate by the Hanoi Peoples Committee nine months ago. With the sizeable total investment of $225 million for phase I spreading over 62 hectares of land area for the water treatment plant and 76 kilometres of pipelines, this project is offering thousands jobs for land clearance and investment preparation only. The ground breaking ceremony of Duong River Surface Water Treatment Plant was an evidence to Hanoi city authorities commitment and efforts to create the best conditions for investors in Hanoi. On his key note speech in the event, Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee, urged the project to shorten the expected start of commercial operation from 22 to 19 months after the ceremony, to meet locals increasing demand for a stable and clean water supply. At its current rate of increase, Hanois clean water demand is expected to reach 1.5 million cubic metres a day by 2020, while the existing supply can only provide 0.9 million cubic metres a day. Also, the lions share of the current water supply relies on underground water that is not clean, while surface water supply is limited and unstable. In this context, the ground-breaking ceremony of the surface water plant is a strong evidence to Hanois initiative to introduce larger variety to its water sources. This significant water supply project aims to meet the clean water needs of about three million people in 168 communes and 8 districts of Hanoi, Bac Ninh, and Hung Yen provinces along Road 179. In particular, the project aims to produce 150,000 cubic metres a day by 2018 and 300,000 cubic metres by 2020. This is another high-profile investment of Vietnam-Oman Investment (VOI) in its distinguished water portfolio in Vietnam. Established in 2008 as a joint venture between two sovereign wealth funds, the State General Reserve Fund of Oman and State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) of Vietnam, VOI is a known authority in infrastructure investment in the country. Capitalised by the two nations governments, VOI has shown strong long-term commitment in reputed infrastructure projects, and companies, including power plants, toll roads, water supply, ports, and logistics. So far in the water sector, VOI has one project in the Mekong Delta, the highest salt marsh area in Vietnam, another in Ho Chi Minh City, and now this start-up project in Hanoi. VOI is one of the few private equity firms in Vietnam that has engaged in green-field or brown-field projects because of its distinguished understanding of the local circumstances and long-term commitment to realise the potential of such projects. We are very proud to have VOI as a joint founding partner, said Do Thi Kim Lien, chairwoman of Duong River Surface Water JSC. Unlike other private equity firms, VOI has a deep working knowledge of the water industry and has been enthusiastic to join us from as early as the pre-feasibility study stage. Their valuable experience with water projects in Vietnam has helped us a lot, especially in risk management and corporate governance during the greenfield stage. More than just another foreign financial investor, VOI positions itself as an active and responsible partner in the investee companies, adding value in not just technical but also institutional matters. Le Quoc Binh, CEO of Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Investment JSC (CII), one of the giant infrastructure consortiums in the South, commented that VOI, as a sovereign fund from Oman, has a vested interest in Vietnams socioeconomic development and has helped a lot in corporate governance for both the CII Group and its subsidiaries. If every private equity firm in Vietnam had such commitment and long-term vision like VOI, socioeconomic development would not even be on the table anymore, said Binh. Meanwhile, Abdul Malik Abdullah Zahir Al Hinai, presented for the Ministry of Finance of the Sultanate of Oman, said that they were happy with VOIs performance so far and lauded its achievements in furthering Vietnams economic development and peoples security. I see that VOI has made active contributions to help the Vietnamese government solve the urgent need for clean water. Such a project is the evidence of a fruitful cooperation between the two governments to better the living-standards of the people of both nations, Hinai said. As a symbol of strong economic ties between Vietnam and Oman, VOI is hoped to join in the areas and address the critical needs of the more than 90 million Vietnamese people to mark the country as a highlight in the investment portfolio of the Sultanate of Oman. Fresh coffee beans are poured into a huge tank in a wet coffee-processing chain of the Dak Lak Province-based Thang Loi Coffee Company. The Central Highlands province is home to 190,208ha of industrial coffee trees ready for harvest.-VNA/VNS Photo Duong Giang The PM spoke at the fourth conference on investment promotion held Saturday in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. He said the Central Highlands region plays a vital role in the countrys socio-economic development, and in national defence and security. However, the region has failed to tap its potential to attract investment, Phuc said. Although the country is one of the worlds leading coffee and pepper exporters, most of the products are unprocessed with low added value, he said. The region needs to establish large-scale farming areas, pursue organic agriculture and expand the value chain of products from industrial trees, he said. Localities in the region should also strengthen coordination with southeastern and central coastal regions to improve regional transport connectivity, he added. On land and forest issues, the region needs to speed up forest planting and follow the Governments directions on forest management and protection as well as sustainable forest recovery, he said. Protecting forests means protecting the environment, water resources, livelihoods of people and heritage space of our ancestors. Any activities of destroying forests and exploiting forest products illegally are a crime, he said. Phuc also urged the region to review the operation of hydropower plants in the region, particularly those that have a negative impact on the environment, forest and water resources. In addition, the region was asked to develop qualified human resources and skilled management, and encourage technological innovation and transfer. Regarding tourism potential, he said the region boasts a range of natural landscapes with climate suitable for tourism. Phuc said the Government is determined to turn the Central Highlands epics into world intangible cultural heritage, and asked the region to conserve local cultural identities, especially the gong culture. Minister of Public Security To Lam, who is also head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee, said the committee would implement specific action plans in accordance with the Prime Ministers direction. Officials from the Central Highlands provinces signed agreements and delivered investment certificates for investors worth VND80 trillion (US$3.5 billion), of which solar power projects accounted for $2 billion. Commercial banks have committed to providing loans for the projects in the region worth VND29 trillion ($1.27 billion). Potential The Central Highlands region covers an area of 5.46 million ha, accounting for 16.8 per cent of the nations total area. The region has a population of more than 5.6 million. Of the 5.46 million ha of natural land, two million ha are used for agricultural production and 3.2 million ha are forestland. The region has 74.25 per cent of the countrys red basalt soil at almost 2.1 million ha, making the region an ideal place to grow cash crops such as coffee, rubber and cashew nuts, among others. Coffee is grown on 582,000ha, accounting for 90 per cent of coffee plantations nationwide, with an annual yield of about 1.37 million tonnes of beans, which is also over 90 per cent of the countrys total. National productivity of robusta coffee is three times that of the world (2.5 tonnes against 0.8 tonnes a hectare). The region grows more than 82 per cent of the nations pepper on 70,000ha. Coffee, rubber and pepper are the agricultural mainstays of the region. Meanwhile, tea, particularly oolong tea, plays an important position in Lam Dong Province. The GRDP (Gross Regional Domestic Product) in the 2011-15 period was about 10.45 per cent per annum. In 2016, the GRDP per capita was VND39.56 million ($1,700) an increase of 8.57 per cent over the previous year. In the 2011-15 period, the region attracted investments of VND265.7 trillion ($11.7 billion) double that of the previous five years. As a result, average annual growth rate in the period was 11.33 per cent. To date, the region has 140 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth $772.5 million. In 2016-20, the region is expected to attract more than VND230 trillion ($10 billion) worth of investment. The conference was attended by more than 500 leaders of the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong, and representatives of commercial banks, local enterprises and investors. The conference, organised by the Central Highlands Steering Committee, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Dak Lak Provinces Peoples Committee, is part of the sixth Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival that ended today. Preet Bharara of New York says hes fired after refusing to resign as US attorney Yung Soknov was a good student and daughter. By the age of 14, she spent most of her free time earning money for her impoverished parents and taking care of her younger siblings. By the age of 20, Soknov was a prominent unionist at a garment factory near Phnom Penh, where she helped her colleagues fight for better conditions, said Peou Heng, her 70-year-old mother. Soknov was one of a few hundred workers who joined a pro-democracy protest led by Sam Rainsy on March 30, 1997. She never come back home. I was working in a factory, it was around 9 am. One of her two friends, who accompanied her, came back covered in blood. She said Soknov got lost, there was a grenade attack, she must be dead because she was near me and many people surrounded me had collapsed, her mother said from her Ang Snuol district, Kandal province home. A few days after the attack, Peou found the bodies of her daughter and niece covered in a white shroud among others at a pagoda in Phnom Penh. Soknov, then 20, was one of 16 victims, including children, killed during the grenade attack almost 20 years ago. Some 100 people were injured. Two decades on, victims and their family members who lost loved ones are still living in poverty and hoping for justice. Speaking to VOA Khmer at her wooden house in Kandal province, Heng, a traditional medicine practitioner, said she would never forget her daughters generosity. Whenever I think of my daughter I cry, I can't stop my tears, she said. My living standard is poor; my daughter used to help us, she helped selling snacks for a living and then got a job in a factory in Phnom Penh. Heng said the loss of Soknov had a huge impact on the family. Ros Kan, 44, is one of the more than 100 people who were injured during the attack. She still has shrapnel in her backbone, which gives her pain every time the weather changes. She was thrown to the ground by the force of the blast from the second grenade thrown by the unidentified attacker. I am scared when I hear thunder, I am traumatized, I am scared. This is one of my sicknesses, and my feeling is not as strong as before, Kan said. Physically, the effect is that I am still in pain, using medicine to curb my pain, I still take medicine every day. The shrapnel lodged near an artery, making it impossible for the local doctors to remove it. As a result she has lost her sight in her left eye. The doctors have told her she must wait until the shrapnel dislodges itself. Kan spent six months in the hospital following the attack and afterwards underwent months of physiotherapy. In early 2000, she was married and had a daughter. But her marriage was short-lived and several years later she filed for divorce. Kan says she does not regret going to the protest 20 years ago, and has become an active labor rights campaigner. My nature is loving justice and social work and every year the labor sector and workers still face troubles. Despite development, the fact that there are many jobs in Cambodia, the work pressure and problems like work conditions still exist, she said. I have learned about labor law, I love this job, and will continue my work to help society. I hope the labor workers conditions will improve and there will be justice for them. Justice for the victims of the 1997 grenade attack, however, remains elusive. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a probe into the attack, which injured U.S. Citizen Ron Abney, then the country director of the International Republican Institute. Khieu Sopheak, Ministry of Interior spokesman, told VOA Khmer last week that the official Cambodian investigation into the incident is still open, however, no leads as to the perpetrators have been discovered, following the death of the main suspect, nicknamed Brasil, during factional fighting in Phnom Penh in the same year as the attack. The case is still open, but the suspect was killed, he said. If there are any more clues, we will keep going with our investigation. Both Heng and Kan said the government should redouble its efforts to find justice for the victims. I am so old now. Everyday I wait for justice, for them to find the perpetrators who threw the grenade that killed my daughter, Heng said. I hope an international court and local court can join together to get justice for me. But Im not confident in the Cambodian courts. Its been 20 years and theyve not found anything, she added. Kan said she was unhappy, in suffering, and disappointed by the lack of progress in the case. Naly Pilorge, director of the local rights group Licadho, said it was not surprising that there had been no justice in the grenade attack case. During peacetime it was just one more example of the history and pattern of impunity in Cambodia that started in the 1970s, she said. There are no credible answers, there was no credible investigation, and there is no possibility of one. Cambodian women have yet to receive equal support and the ability to fully participate in Cambodian society, experts say. Seng Reasey, a rights worker at local NGO Silaka, said some women have to choose between having a career and having a family. Sometimes they also want to develop themselves but the social norm forces them to give up, she said, People dont think that sharing household chores is the mutual responsibility of men and women. She added that women could effectively balance work and family life so long as they received support in the home from their family and society. Every women has her own talent. Its a waste if we just place them at home to do housework. Ros Sopheap, director of Gender and Development for Cambodia, said women should not be told what they can can and cant do and deserve more support and independence. For example, if women decides to go to work, their partner should help her in doing some household work, not just let her alone do it. Just like other working women, Sopheap has to deal with housework after office hours, but she is lucky to receive help from her husband He has never stopped me from doing what I want to do. He supported me to get involved in social work, she added, He knows that working women understand the outside world, so I am able to better educate my children. Sopheap said the number of working women is increasing, but the women in decision-making positions remains low. Mu Sochua, deputy president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, said motherhood naturally took its toll on a womans professional aspirations. But if we allow them [women] to work equally on the same work, women could even perform better than men, she said. Sarah Knibbs, deputy representative of U.N. Women in Cambodia, said the choice between a career or a family was a false one. They should be able to exercise their right to choose, without being judged by others for their choices. It is very important to value womens work as careers. Without care work cooking, cleaning and caring for children and elderly people our families and societies can not function, but this work is unpaid, undervalued and is missing from economic analysis, she added. The ideals of the late political commentator Kem Ley will be put to the test at local elections in June, when a minor opposition party he helped create takes up policies he championed in an attempt to win over voters disillusioned with the status quo. Ley was fatally shot last year in what many believe to have been a political killing aimed at silencing the outspoken government critic, while the suspect on trial for Leys murder claims he committed the crime over a $3,000 unpaid debt. Ley helped found the Grassroots Democracy Party (GDP) in August 2015 and it has since incorporated many of his ideas into its direct democracy platform. The most important thing Ley wanted was good medical doctors, Yang Saing Koma, another GDP founder, told VOA Khmer. He wanted to see health centers in villages and communes, districts, and at the provincial level, reach a standard where kids from rich or poor families or even high-ranking officials can receive the same services. He also wanted to see villages elect their own representatives, which Saing Koma says would happen if the GDP wins the 27 commune seats where it has fielded candidates. Even Ley himself said that if he had run for election he would have run to be a village chief, he added. This years elections will be the first time the GDP has taken part in a national poll since it was founded. The ruling Cambodian Peoples Party is running on a platform of economic stability and security. Ou Virak, founder and president of policy think tank Future Forum, said the main concerns for voters seemed to be security, development of infrastructure and migration. If we talk about security, its a cross-boundary issue, Virak told Hello VOA on Monday. Even city dwellers are concerned about motorbike robberies and many other issues. Rural voters are also concerned about ... crime. The last local elections, in 2012, did not feature migration as a major voting issue. Now more than 1 million people annually leave home to work abroad. Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is vowing harsh retaliation against the Dutch government for barring his ministers from speaking at a rally. Ankara was hoping to sway Turkish nationals in Europe to support Erdogan's side at an upcoming referendum in Turkey. European leaders have largely condemned the referendum, which seeks to give the Turkish authoritarian president more power. VOA's Zlatica Hoke has more. Business representatives from Pakistan and Afghanistan have called on Islamabad to immediately reopen the border between the two countries, saying the closure is hurting economic and social ties and resulting in massive monetary losses and mutual trust deficit. Pakistani authorities unilaterally closed the two main border crossings of Torkham and Chaman nearly a month ago, saying a wave of suicide bombings across the country was being plotted from Afghan territory, charges Kabul rejected. Around 3,000 packed containers that were due to cross Torkham have been stranded in Peshawar, while 2,000 containers have been stuck near the southwestern Chaman border crossing, according to business sources. A six-member delegation of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or ACCI, visiting Islamabad, met with Pakistani counterparts on Monday to discuss problems and damages the border closure has caused. On behalf of the Afghan business community, let me affirm that we are entirely in favor of doing business with Pakistan since we share the same religion, language and culture, Ahmad Shah Yarzada, a member of ACCI, told participants of a meeting of business leaders from the two countries in Islamabad. Yarzada said the abrupt border closing is forcing his landlocked country to look towards other countries, which are equally willing to engage in trade with Afghanistan. Pakistani interlocutors said they shared Afghan concerns and called on their government to reopen the border without further delay. The dialogue was organized by the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies in partnership with the Kabul-based Women, Peace and Security organization. A joint statement issued after the meeting said the discussion was part of an effort to foster better understanding and cooperation and soothe bitter context and address the mutual trust deficit." It said the participants also took note "with grave concern" that since June 2016, the border had been closed five times, causing millions of dollars of financial losses to business people on both sides and problems for legitimate routine crossers. Last week, Pakistan opened the two border crossings for 48 hours to allow around 50,000 stranded Afghans with valid visas to go back to their country. War-torn Afghanistan depends on Pakistani ports for its transit trade, which provides an economic lifeline. Pakistani authorities are also under pressure from critics at home, including media, for closing the border, for fear such punitive actions would only damage an already uneasy relationship. Critics cite a need for both sides to resolve differences by engaging in talks. Militants operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan have long used the nearly 2,600-kilometer, largely porous border for subversive acts on both sides. Pakistani authorities, however, say they have lately taken steps to boost security on their side of the frontier but that the Afghan government has yet to come up with a similar response. Facts and figures are often difficult to verify in the Middle East, but estimates for the cost of rebuilding Syrias ravaged infrastructure vary from $300 billion to $1 trillion, and most experts agree that the task of repairing the damage from 6 years of war will be not be easy. At least half of Syria's pre-war population of 23 million has been displaced, 6 million internally and another 6 million outside the country. No matter how daunting the challenge, though, some Syrians are eager to start rebuilding. Despite the absence of a comprehensive peace accord in Syria, bulldozers remove rubble from streets in Aleppo and some tenacious residents have already started to patch up the damage from six years of sectarian conflict. Last month, the Syrian government reopened one leg of an Aleppo rail line, as travelers besieged the citys main rail hub. Transport Minister Ali Hammoud told journalists that it took a good deal of effort, but that progress is being made: He said 1730 meters of metal rail, 780 cement ties, and 220 wooden trestles were used to restore the abandoned rail line, along with the removal of 330 explosive devices that militants had placed along the tracks. Fares Shehabi, who heads the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, told Syrian media that it wont be easy to repair the damage to the citys industrial base. He said that over $50 billion were lost (during the conflict) and that 35,000 factories or industrial facilities were either destroyed, plundered or lain dormant for five years, in addition to the many smaller businesses for which there were no records. Despite the gloom in many quarters, Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis tried to be upbeat during a recent impromptu visit to Damascus venerable Hamidiya covered market: He said that his government wants to work with both the largest and the smallest of the countrys entrepreneurs in order to help them to resume production. Assad promises to rebuild As two separate rounds of peace talks drag on in Geneva and the Kazakh capital Astana, with limited progress, a battle-hardened but still resilient President Bashar al Assad insists that his forces will regain control of the country and rebuild it. He told his supporters during a brief visit to a Damascus suburb recaptured by his forces that he is adamant about chasing militants from all areas they occupy and rebuilding everything that has been destroyed, in addition to restoring security. While many Syrians who oppose Assad continue to demand that he step down in the two ongoing peace forums, a close confidante of the president, Ali Haidar, pursues a low-key effort to reconcile erstwhile enemies in villages from which opposition fighters have withdrawn, like Zebadani, near the Lebanese border. He said that those who love their country and its people are seeking solutions within the scope of reconciliations in each region to solve whatever (conflicts) can be resolved. Prime Minister Khamis, however, noted the difficulties of rebuilding destroyed towns and suburbs, given the governments limited resources and the fact that fighting is still going on in adjacent areas. He said that in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, alone, it will cost the government 30 to 40 billion Syrian pounds ($50 to $70 million) just to rebuild basic infrastructure, such as hospitals, roads, the electricity network and government buildings. U.S. and European Union economic sanctions must also be lifted before money from some of Syria's former trading partners can pour in to invest in new infrastructure. Iran, which has given Syria loans or credits of anywhere from $5 to $10 billion, according to some estimates, is vying for a number of economic and industrial concessions. China, which once ran the Hayyan oil fields, is looking to rebuild destroyed energy facilities, while India has agreed to help build a $25 million electricity plant, according to Syrian media. Incalculable damage Former Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al Dardari, who now works for the World Bank in Washington, told the Associated Press last month that much of the damage to Syrias architectural treasures and historic sites, including parts of Aleppo, is incalculable. How can you put a number to the loss of the old town, the old bazaar? There is no number on earth that could be put on the loss, the historical and archeological and cultural and also the business aspect of it. Dardari pointed out that he and his associates first began drawing up plans to rebuild Syria nearly three years ago, joking that many people thought that he was mad. But, he argues, one day soon, hopefully, when there is a peace agreement of some sort, we (will) need to deliver to the people of Syria on basic services, housing and schooling. He was, nevertheless, sober about the long-term consequences of the six-year old conflict in an interview with Chatham House, last year: "For Syrians to go back home again, they need to see safety and security first and safety and security based on an inclusive political settlement which allows everyone to return to where they were forced out of, and that can only be achieved through an inclusive political process, or people will not go back or will go back partially and not feel confidant to go." Father Ibrahim Nseir, who is the pastor of Aleppo's Arab Evangelical Church, recently showed Arab media the ruins of his church, which was blown up by militants in 2011. Despite the challenges, he is resolute about returning and rebuilding: He says that he will not cry over the ruins of his church, but will return and rebuild it, because that is Christ's message, that we will not be vanquished by the Gates of Hell, but will overcome it." For economist Abdallah al Dardari, though, it's more a question of hard facts and figures, and he doesn't see Syria going back to normal without the return of the 6 million Syrians who have left the country. "We will need the Syrian middle class and professionals (who) have left the country," he insists, "to come back and rebuild." But he says he doesn't see Syria going back to normal without the return of the 6 million Syrians who have left the country. For many of those emigres, though, psychological scars run deep and it may take years before some of them are willing to return. When Johnathan Smith resigned from the U.S. Justice Department on Inauguration Day, he looked forward to spending time with his infant son, but that plan unraveled a week later when President Donald Trump unveiled his explosive foreign travel ban. Within two weeks, Smith had a new job as legal director of civil rights group Muslim Advocates and was drafting briefs for a successful court challenge to the ban, joining other former top Obama administration lawyers now fighting Trump. It is not surprising that Smith and some of his colleagues, political appointees of Democratic President Barack Obama, would leave the Justice Department now led by Republicans. What is unusual is how fast they have signed up to be Trump adversaries. Some Republican lawyers say they were less hasty in moving into oppositional roles post-election. George Terwilliger, a senior Justice Department official under President George H.W. Bush, described the Obama lawyers' actions as "unprecedented to my memory" and "really bad form." One reason for the Obama lawyers' quick moves, some of them said, was Trump's aggressive use of executive authority from day one, which was guaranteed to attract court challenges. Obama faced legal fights over executive power and some of his challengers were formerly lawyers for President George W. Bush, over issues such as immigration and Obamacare. But those came later in Obama's presidency. Besides Smith, other lawyers who have jumped into the fray include former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is advising California's legislature on challenging Trump over immigration, environmental regulations and health care; and former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal, who is helping Hawaii contest Trump's revised travel ban. Influential Manhattan prosecutor Preet Bharara and another 45 Obama-era U.S. attorneys are out of jobs after the Trump administration asked them to resign Friday. Many of the Obama lawyers keep in touch, but reject the notion, proffered by some Republicans, that Obama is behind resistance efforts. Some of the lawyers credit their rapid transition to Trump's hardline positions on key issues and to ethical concerns about his presidency and business interests. Norman Eisen, who was Obama's top ethics lawyer and later ambassador to the Czech Republic, had expected to focus on his work at a think tank after Trump's election. But instead, he said, "the ethics emergency of constitutional dimensions has galvanized me back into my initial Obama role." Eisen is now also chairing Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group he co-founded. The group has already sued Trump over alleged ethics violations. Other Obama appointees taking on Trump include former White House lawyer Ian Bassin who has founded United to Protect Democracy, a new group probing Trump over ethics; and James Cadogan, who worked with Smith at the Justice Department, and is now at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, a civil rights group already clashing with the new administration. Some career government lawyers, who are not political appointees and normally do not resign in power shifts, have also resigned to oppose Trump. One is Sharon McGowan, who worked on LGBT issues at the Justice Department. On Inauguration Day, she was offered a job as director of strategy at Lambda Legal, an LGBT advocacy group. McGowan said she decided to leave Justice when Trump named Jeff Sessions, a hardline conservative Alabama senator, to be attorney general. That was a "game-changer," she said. "I knew there would be no chance for me to preserve what Ive been working on so hard." A ranking member of Chinas top political advisory body has put forward a proposal that urges authorities to adopt a more open approach toward internet censorship. But just as news of the proposal began to spread in China, the countrys internet minders moved in to tamp down any discussion, blocking access to the proposal and stories about its content online. China claims it has the worlds largest internet population and takes pride in being No. 1, but it is also a global leader in censorship, blocking everything from access to foreign websites to comment on social media. The U.S.-based Freedom House has described China as the worlds worst abuser of internet freedom. And with such a wide cyber dragnet, all kinds of resources, from scientific to scholarly and online news portals, are blocked. Access to websites overseas is also painfully slow. Negative list And that is something that Luo Fuhe, vice chairman of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, and others attending the Twin Sessions, meetings of the CPPCC and Chinas National Peoples Congress, said should change. In his Proposal to Improve and Increase Speed and Access to Foreign Websites, Luo said the bandwidth speed for Chinas international gateways is still only a fraction of what the worlds per capita bandwidth speed is and half that of Africas. Now, much of the focus of building up networks has been on mobile terminals, as more than 900 million of Chinas 946 million internet users access the web through their cellphones, the proposal notes. And that is making computer network speed improvement a challenge. His proposal adds that while blocking of websites to keep out propaganda sites of hostile forces and terrorist groups as well as other illegal activities is understandable, the inability to access to websites for research education and news can have an impact on timely research Chinas leaders appear to agree with Luos proposals regarding internet speeds. In his annual work report, Premier Li Keqiang noted that faster and more cost-effective information networks are crucial to development in every sector. Negative list Speaking with VOA recently on the sidelines of political meetings in Beijing, Luo said China has gotten to the point where it can begin to cut back on censorship and blocking of non-sensitive content. The great majority of websites involve, for example, natural science, ordinary life in society, and many other aspects this is by far the majority. I should say, we think, in order to increase speed, supervision can use more 'scientific' methods, Luo said. Luo suggests that China should instead implement a negative list for the internet. He said that for the negative list there would be sites that are completely off limits, and those that are accessible but need checking from time to time. Silenced and support Foreign business groups have long complained about internet access speeds and the hindrance censorship poses to business and technology exchanges in China. Companies list a host of problems from difficulties protecting property rights and implementing digitization in manufacturing to more simple issues, such as communicating with families and colleagues overseas. But shortly after Luos proposal started making news in China, authorities rushed in and began censoring any information about it online. According to China Digital Times, which routinely publicizes censorship orders from China, websites have been ordered to delete all posts and reports on Luos proposal. Authorities have also stepped in to silence comments on social media websites, but some were still getting through. Few of the delegates VOA spoke to on the sidelines of the meetings were aware of the proposal. Zhu Hongmin, a representative to the CPPCC, said he has trouble visiting websites at times and that its reasonable to want more access to overseas websites. Zhu had not heard of the proposal, but said he would support it, if indeed there was such a proposal. Chen Zhongyi, another CPPCC member said: Yeah, thats definitely good. Globalization you know, everybody needs to communicate. Anthony Wu, a CPPCC standing committee member also liked the proposal. One user on Guancha.cn, a party friendly, nationalistic news and opinion aggregator website said: If youll pardon me for speaking freely, continuing to seal off the internet now is a policy that goes against the Three Self-Confidences a reference Chinese President Xi Jinpings policy that aims to build faith in Chinas political system and ideology. CPPCC meetings concluded on Monday. The political advisory body said 4,156 proposals were accepted and 920 proposals were sent for consideration to government departments. It was unclear whether Luos proposal was moving forward and VOA was unable to reach him for further comment on the status of his bill or the backlash of censorship it has met online. Feng Yibing also contributed reporting for this story. Chinese officials are issuing new warnings about the specter of global religious extremism seeping into the country, following reports of fighters from China's Muslim minority fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq. Sharhat Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, on Sunday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn about China becoming destabilized by the "international anti-terror situation" and calling for a "people's war." Over the past year, regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures and police patrols and staged massive rallies intended to showcase the power of the security forces. Those demonstrations are intended to "declare war against terrorists, to showcase the party and the government's resolve to fight terror, resolve to preserve public safety and [China's] mighty combat strength," Ahan told officials gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress. Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks are active in the country, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back. In recent years, hundreds have died in violent incidents mainly in Xinjiang that officials blame on Uighur separatists inspired by the global Jihadi cause. While it has provided little evidence, the government, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianhua drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point. "What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the U.S. or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture." Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago. "The roots of the Hui are in China," Wu said. "To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people." The officially atheistic Communist Party has long viewed religion with suspicion but has generally granted a fair degree of religious freedom to its Hui minority, especially in their heartland of Ningxia, where mosques dot the skyline. The party has kept a far tighter grip over Xinjiang's Uighurs who have a language, culture and physical features that are more closely linked to Central Asia partly due to the existence of a decades-old separatist movement. But the comments by party officials in Ningxia, seen as traditionally more lax on ethnic and religious policy, reflected the top Chinese leadership's growing anxieties about Islam more broadly over the past year, analysts said. "There's a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society," a Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong. "Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I don't think things will take a softer turn." Separate roadside bomb blasts in Afghanistan Monday killed at least one person and wounded 22 others, including three American soldiers. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sidiqqi said an improvised explosive device struck a minivan in Kabul, killing at least one woman and wounding 19 people, including four women. Witnesses told VOA the explosion set the vehicle on fire, as well as several nearby shops. There were no immediate claims of responsibly for the attack. Separately, NATO's Resolute Support mission reported an IED attack on a U.S. mine-resistant vehicle in the eastern city of Jalalabad. The blast caused "minor injuries" to three American soldiers, the mission said on its official Twitter account. Islamic State through its Amaq media wing claimed responsibility for the attack on the U.S. military vehicle. This is the first time that local IS loyalists have staged an attack on an American military mission. IS also took credit for last Wednesday's assault on the largest Afghan military hospital in Kabul, that killed over 50 people. Jalalabad hosts a U.S. military base and is the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, where Taliban insurgents are active and Islamic State militants also operate in several of its southern districts. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Monday sought to convince public school leaders that school choice and local control are important in education. Speaking to members of The Council of the Great City Schools, a group of the nation's largest urban school districts, DeVos stressed that parents, not Washington politicians, should be making choices about their children's education. Parents know better than any politician or administrator the unique needs of each of their children, DeVos said. Time and again, when parents are empowered to take charge of their children's education, when they have quality options we see the results for students. For me this is just common sense. More power to parents DeVos, a longtime advocate of charter and private schools, said parents must be able to pick the right educational setting for their children in the same way that they choose their food, clothing and extracurricular activities. DeVos gave the example of a private school that provides scholarships for low-income, mostly minority students and helps them thrive and added that public and private partnerships were essential in education. The secretary called for giving more power to parents, teachers and local leaders in making decisions about schools and learning. Those closest to the problem are often best equipped to solve it, she said. Let's continue to move power away from Washington, D.C., and into the hands of parents and state and local leaders. Supporter of charter schools, vouchers DeVos has spent more than two decades advancing charter schools as well as voucher programs, which give publicly funded scholarships to low-income families to attend private schools. Teachers unions fiercely opposed DeVos' nomination, saying that her efforts are tantamount to defunding public education. While DeVos stressed that she supports great public schools and all students, her remarks were met with skepticism by some attendees. Happy Haynes with Denver Public Schools said that private schools cannot possibly accommodate all children across the country and thus attention needs to focus on public schools and how to fund them. It concerns me that we lift up a tiny fragment of our student population and say this is how it should be when we know that it's not possible, Haynes said. I don't support sending public money to private institutions who are not publicly accountable. More civilians fled their homes in west Mosul on Sunday (March 12) as fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants intensified. The few thousand militants still fighting in southern Mosul are outnumbered by a 100,000-strong array of Iraqi forces. However their ruthless tactics have allowed them to hold out much longer than the government's initial predictions. Civilians fled from Bab Jadid and Wadi Hajar districts to safe areas controlled by the Iraqi forces. Snipers shoot at women, children One civilian, Saad Mohamed, said families were escaping IS sniper fire while fleeing. "They do not care about women, children or anything. The people were running in zig zags to avoid the sniper fire," said Mohamed. Mosul is by far the largest city which Islamic State has held in its cross-border, self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria. It has been losing ground in both countries, with three separate forces, backed by the United States, Turkey and Russia, advancing on its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Civilians remain caught in the gruelling urban combat in Mosul amidst threat of booby traps and IED's left behind by IS. One resident of Wadi Hajar district said that that a store giving out food aid exploded killing and injuring many civilians, including "young children". With many residents choosing to remain at home despite the fighting, aid agencies have struggled to reach them. About 40,000 people have fled the fighting and hardship in the past 10 days, bringing the total number of people displaced from Mosul since campaign started to more than 215,000, according to United Nations estimates. U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress face a key moment Monday in the political fight over Republican efforts to repeal and replace the national health care reforms championed by former President Barack Obama. The Congressional Budget Office, a group of nonpartisan budget analysts and economists, is expected to release its assessment of how many Americans would lose their health insurance coverage if Trump and his Republican colleagues in Congress are successful in upending the 2010 law under which 20 million previously uninsured people now have policies to help pay their medical bills. Its independent analysis often plays a key role in the U.S. legislative process, giving lawmakers an idea of how costly prospective laws might prove to be in the coming decade or what other effects the measures would have. WATCH: Trump on failure of Obamacare Trump has promised that his health plan will "cover everybody" and offer cheaper insurance policies for individuals and small groups of people who buy insurance for themselves rather than getting coverage through their employers, which is the most common way Americans have health care insurance. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan has said that fewer people will have insurance under the plan he is pushing with Trump's support. Outside analysts who have examined the proposal being advanced by House Republicans and the new president say it could increase the ranks of the uninsured by as many as 15 million people. But the Congressional Budget Office assessment is the official "score" that many lawmakers consider to be the most important. In a comment on his Twitter account, Trump contended that his predecessor's signature legislation, popularly known as Obamacare, "is imploding." He added, "It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far! Republicans will come together and save the day." The president staged a "listening session" at the White House with people who said they had had bad experiences with high costs under Obamacare. Trump told them his proposal over time would give them "more choices at lower costs. It's going to be a thing of beauty." With early projections that the Republican proposal could cost millions of people their insurance and actually make insurance policies more costly for some, the White House last week sought to downplay the pending official budget office conclusion. "If you're looking to the CBO for accuracy, you're looking in the wrong place," Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said. He noted that the agency had overestimated insurance enrollment under Obama's law. The CBO also will estimate the cost of the Republican plan for the federal government, which could augur well for the Trump repeal efforts if it suggests that changes in the Obama law would save the government money over the next 10 years. But if the opposite is true, then the repeal efforts could prove to be more difficult in Congress. Republicans especially want to overturn the Obamacare provision that all Americans buy insurance or pay a penalty if they do not, a requirement that conservative lawmakers view as an intrusion by the national government on the individual liberties of Americans. They also want to offer low-income Americans tax credits to buy insurance but over the next few years curtail government spending on health care for poorer Americans, leaving individuals to pay more out of their own pockets for their medical bills than under the current law. However, the Republican lawmakers want to retain two of the most popular features of Obamacare: banning insurers from refusing to write policies for anyone because of a pre-existing medical condition, and allowing young people to stay on their parents' policies until they turn 26. Leaders of European Union countries have criticized Turkey, while the dispute over the Turkish government's attempts to hold rallies in European countries has been growing since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany and the Netherlands of "Nazism" and "fascism" because officials blocked rallies there. Erdogan warned the Netherlands Sunday it would "pay a price" for refusing to allow Ankara's foreign minister into the country and expelling another minister to keep them from holding rallies with Turkish immigrants. Ankara wants to drum up support among millions of Turks who live and work in Europe to vote to give Erdogan more powers, which could lead to him remaining in office until 2029. Officials slam Erdogan remarks Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogans comments "unacceptable," and his Nazi comment "a crazy remark." "Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation," Rutte said."We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail." German ministers have also hardened their remarks against Turkey. Despite a statement by Chancellor Angela Merkel that her government was not opposed to Turkish ministers attending rallies in Germany - as long as they are "duly announced" - Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said he was opposed to Turkish political gatherings in Germany. "A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany," de Maiziere told local media. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said he hoped Turkey would "return to its senses." Separately, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Turkey had "destroyed the basis for further progress in co-operation." Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Erdogan was not welcome to hold rallies there as this could increase friction and hinder integration. Denmark's prime minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, said he was concerned that "democratic principles are under great pressure" in Turkey.Rasmussen also postponed a planned meeting with Erdogan, saying with the current Turkish attacks on Holland, the meeting cannot be seen separated from that." A gathering in France, however, went ahead after local officials said it did not pose a threat. Dutch block Turkish ministers The two Ankara officials - Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya - were trying to rally Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands with Turkish voting rights to support Erdogan's bid to win a referendum next month to give him sweeping new powers. The Dutch government, facing a tough re-election contest Wednesday against the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders, barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam.It then blocked Kaya from entering the Turkish embassy in the port city before escorting her out of the country to Germany. Dutch far-right leader Wilders waded into the debate this past week ahead of a planned rally in The Hague where the Dutch parliament is located. "We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator," Wilders said. An angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price." Earlier Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a statement that Turkey would retaliate against Amsterdam in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior." Ankara barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, with Cavusoglu saying, "we have other steps in mind.We've already begun planning them.We will certainly take those steps and more."Turkish officials sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara. A group of independent experts is calling for the government of North Korea to be brought before the International Criminal Court in The Hague for gross violations of human rights, including crimes against humanity. The experts, who submitted their report to the U.N. Human Rights Council Monday, said the government has done nothing to end the widespread and systematic violations committed against its population since a U.N. commission of inquiry issued a damning report documenting horrific cases of abuse in that country in February 2014. The experts said they used the commission of inquiry report as a basis on issues of accountability for human rights violations in DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) especially where such violations amount to crimes against humanity. Sara Hossain, a legal expert from Bangladesh, told the council that it was the primary duty of the government itself to bring perpetrators of violations in the country to account. Since that had not been done and given the lack of impartiality and independence of the judiciary, she said the only recourse was to seek justice in the international arena. In these circumstances, we call on the international community to continue to pursue a referral of the situation in the DPRK to the International Criminal Court. In view of the large number of reported crimes and perpetrators, she said, We also recommend that other criminal accountability processes be undertaken. The groundwork for future criminal trials should be laid now. The U.N. experts also recommended the establishment of an ad hoc international tribunal, which could act as a deterrent for future crimes. No access North Korea did not allow the investigators access to the country, so they were obliged to gather evidence of gross human rights violations from a variety of witnesses, victims and other sources in Geneva, The Hague, Seoul, Tokyo and New York. We analyzed the issue in line with international law and prevailing State practice on accountability, and within the current political context, said Sonja Biserko, a human rights expert from Serbia. The current report was based on information gathered since August 2016 by the experts and Tomas Ojea Quintana, who was appointed special investigator on the human rights situation in North Korea in June 2016. In his presentation, Quintana told the council that he feared the human rights situation in North Korea risked being overshadowed by the raging tension on the Korean Peninsula and the northeast Asia region. "The focus on developments in the political and military arenas should not shield ongoing violations from the scrutiny of this council," he said. There are no quick fixes or instant solutions to tackle human rights abuses of the scope and nature that has been reported for a very long time in the DPRK. The 2014 Commission of Inquiry report found that The gravity, scale and nature of these violations reveal a state that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world. Quintana said that through a variety of sources he had found confirmation of appalling abuse and had gathered testimony from men and women who had left the DPRK in 2016. For thousands of people the clandestine journey out of the country is fraught with danger, including the risk of forced repatriation and imprisonment, he said. I was deeply touched by the courage and determination of those to whom I spoke. Military tensions Quintana said he was very concerned about the escalation in hostilities on the Korean peninsula since the resumption of nuclear tests and missile launches by North Korea. Quintana said he expected a new anti-missile defense system to be set up in South Korea with the support of the United States to prompt threats of retaliation by the DPRK and reactions from other States. He said, Military tensions have brought human rights dialogue with the DPRK to a standstill. Among the many violations documented in his report, the U.N. investigator expressed grave concern about the situation in the four prison camps still known to be operating in the country. He estimated that these camps held at least 80,000 and up to 120,000 inmates and that the authorities had not taken any concrete steps to protect political prisoners from the risk of torture in detention, forced labor and summary execution. North Korea boycotted the session and did not issue a right of reply. Civilian leadership has assumed governance in the flashpoint northern Syrian town of Manbij for the first time since it was liberated from Islamic State (IS) last year, local officials said. Manbij's local council said a governing body has been formed to run affairs in the ethnically diverse town that has seen skirmishes between Kurdish, Turkish and Arab interests. We have formed an executive council that has 13 committees that will be responsible for running the city and providing services to the local population, said Qasim Ramo, deputy head of the Manbij Civilian Council. He told VOA that Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and other groups have proportionate representation in the new administration and their main objective is to help rebuild what has been destroyed by IS. US troops recently deployed to area The U.S. military recently deployed a small number of forces in and around Manbij, to deter different parties from attacking each other and ensure that all groups focus on the fight against Islamic State militants, a Pentagon spokesman said last week. Local officials said U.S. advisers helped form the new civilian entity. We hope that this new effort will encourage people who have fled because of IS to come back to their homes, said Ibrahim Quftan, head of the new council. Manbij's prewar population was approximately 150,000. Local reports estimate that half of the population still lives in the city. IS fighters were pushed out from Manbij in August 2016 after U.S.-backed Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced into the city, located 30 kilometers south of the Turkish border. Turkey objects to Kurdish presence The town had been administrated by Manbij Military Council, a local affiliate of the SDF. But Turkey has objected to any Kurdish presence in the region, arguing that the majority of Manbij's population is Arab and that it has to be under the control of ethnic Arab forces. Turkey also views the Kurdish YPG, the main force with the SDF, as a terrorist organization and vows to battle it in several parts of northern Syria. In recent weeks, Manbij became a flashpoint after Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies moved closer to the city limits, after having pushed out IS from the nearby town of al-Bab. There has been heavy fighting between the two sides. United States, Russia get involved The escalation eased after the U.S. deployed some of its Special Operations Forces and military advisers to the area. Russia too recently has established a military coordination center in the area to consult local forces. Manbij is technically under international protection now and announcing a local civilian council at this time could be explained as a guarantee for peace, said Anwar Barazi, a local journalist. The U.S. top general, Joseph Dunford, along with the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, were hosted by their Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya last week. According to officials, the meeting sought to find ways to avoid potential confrontations among the forces operating in Syria including in and around Manbij. The U.S. and Russia were key to brokering a governing deal in Manbij which placated Turkey, officials say. This local council was declared after Turkey's consent, said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that has researchers across Syria. For the time being, Turkey won't consider provoking the local Kurds in Manbij. VOA's Mahmoud Bali contributed to this report. Hundred of devotees in northern India's holy city of Mathura rejoiced over the Hindu festival of colors, 'Holi', on Sunday, as they gathered in large numbers at the mythical birth place of Lord Krishna. Though 'Holi' is a single-day affair elsewhere in India, it is almost a 10-day festival across several parts of Uttar Pradesh province. Men and women alike daubed each other in powdered colors and danced around the streets in merriment. A tourist, Neha Sharma, said it was a special experience to witness 'Holi' in Mathura, which Hindu mythology denotes as the birthplace of Lord Krishna. "I would like to say that we feel really good. In order to surrender to the love of Lord Krishna [Hindu God], people from within the country and abroad come here to watch colorful Holi," said Sharma. Priests at the 'Nand Bhawan' (residing place of Lord Krishna) sprayed water from water guns made of silver and gold. Thousands of devotees and tourists from across the world throng Mathura during 'Holi' every year to revel in the festivities. "I haven't seen such Holi in my life. It is a beautiful Holi and I think this cannot happen anywhere in the world. We really missed this and have especially come from Canada to witness this Holi," said a tourist, Avinash Sharma. It is believed that Lord Krishna leaves his residing place and comes out to the courtyard to play 'Holi' with devotees during this day. Celebrated at the onset of spring, 'Holi' also holds a mythological importance - that of the triumph of good over evil. It is also associated with the eternal love of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. It is the most awaited festival among the Hindus, especially among the youth. People of all ages forget mutual differences and smear powdered colors on each other. Security tight at Pakistan celebrations In Pakistan's port city of Karachi, around 400 local Hindus gathered in the Swami Narayan Mandir, one of the city's Hindu temples, to playfully splash colors on one another. Non-Muslims make up only about three percent of the 190 million population of Muslim-majority Pakistan. "The Holi festival is basically the biggest festival of the Hindu community. During this festival people visit each other's houses, distribute sweets, and greet their friends. In the evening, people get together in one place to worship and daub colors on one another," said a Hindu doctor Pardeep Kumar. "The purpose of sprinkling colors is to paint the entire society in one color so that the differences in the society can be brought to an end." Security was exceptionally tight around all Hindu temples across the country, and worshippers had to undergo a thorough search before they entered venues of the festival. Holi, perhaps the least religious of Hindu festivals, is widely recognized for the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name "Festival of Colors." Holi is primarily observed in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka but also in countries with large Hindu populations such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, United States, Mauritius, and Fiji. Advancing Iraqi forces in western Mosul have captured a textile factory that Islamic State (IS) used to as a jail to hold women, officials inside the city told VOA. The Islamic State imprisoned nearly 300 women in the building, Gayath Surchi, the speaker of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party in Mosul told VOA. The textile factory is located between al-Mansour and Wadi al-Hajar neighborhoods in western Mosul and came under the Iraqi control Sunday night, according to Surchi. Mines slow rescue Another Kurdish official in Mosul, Said Mamozini, told VOA that the factory was besieged by Iraqi forces last week but IS mines planted around the building prevented them from further advancing. There are heavy clashes with IS fighters in nearby neighborhoods until now, Mamozini told VOA. The officials said the identity of the rescued women remained unclear pending an investigation. But officials believe many of the women belong to the Yazidi religious minority sect. IS kidnapped many Yazidi women in 2014 and enslaved them. Women will be taken to refugee camps Surchi said the women will be transferred to refugee camps in northern Mosul where they will be identified and reunited with their families. The women are under the Iraqi forces protection but haven't been evacuated yet because of IS snipers and bombing, he said Their ages vary between 20-year-old to 70-years-old and some of them speak Kurdish, Surchi said. This makes me expect those women to be our Yazidi mothers and daughters. IS attacked Sinjar, the ancestral capital for more than 200,000 Yazidis in August 2014, killing roughly 5,000 of its male residents and enslaving thousands of women and children. The women were reportedly used as sex slaves, while the children are taught IS ideology. According to the Iraqi Kurdistan's Directorate of Yazidi Affairs, roughly 2,500 Yazidi women and children are still under IS control in Syria and Iraq. A former communist leader in Kosovo was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt Monday in his apartment in the capital, authorities said, but he said that his injuries weren't life-threatening. The 68-year-old Azem Vllasi, now a lawyer, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the assailant used a gun equipped with a silencer. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Vllasi was kept under tight police security in his hospital room. An Associated Press cameraman was not allowed to interview him. Police called the morning shooting in Pristina an assassination attempt, but didn't say whether they believed it was related to Vllasi's work as a communist-era leader or as a lawyer. Police said they have arrested two suspects, and have found the pistol and the silencer believed to have been used in the attack. Vllasi was one of the top Kosovo leaders in the 1980s when the Serbian province was engulfed in protests by ethnic Albanians demanding more rights and separation from Serbia - then a republic within Yugoslavia. Vllasi initially condemned the protesters, but years later he joined the movement seeking Kosovo's independence. President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa denounced the shooting, wishing Vllasi a fast recovery and urged authorities to complete the investigation. "Such acts are unacceptable and punishable in a society where the main priority is the strengthening of the rule of law and order," Thaci said. The government issued a statement saying that it "considers that such acts are totally unacceptable in a democratic society." Kosovo's Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack, adding that Vllasi has been an outside adviser in recent months "for a number of regional issues." Malaysian police said on Monday they had arrested seven people, including five Filipinos, for suspected links to the Islamic State militant group. The Southeast Asian nation has been on high alert since gunmen linked to the Islamic State launched multiple attacks in Jakarta, the capital of neighboring Indonesia, in January 2016. Muslim-majority Malaysia arrested more than 250 people between 2013 and 2016 over suspected militant activities linked to Islamic State. Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement most of the arrests were made during an operation in Sabah, on Borneo island, earlier this month. A Philippine suspect with permanent residency in Malaysia was detained on suspicion of raising funds and channeling them to Mahmud Ahmad and Mohamad Joraimee Awang Raimee, two Malaysians who had joined up with the Islamic State in the southern Philippines, Khalid said. One Philippine man was planning to travel to Syria to join up with the Islamic State there, while another was found to have pledged allegiance to Isnilon Hapilon, the Philippines' most-wanted man and leader of the Abu Sayyaf militant group. Last June, militants who claimed to be fighting for Islamic State said in a video they had chosen Hapilon to lead their Southeast Asian faction. Two other Philippine suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested for smuggling three Islamic State members from Malaysia and Indonesia to the southern Philippines through Sabah, Khalid said. Police also arrested a Malaysian woman, who worked as an airport immigration official, on suspicion of helping individuals without valid travel documents, including Malaysian and Indonesian Islamic State followers, to enter and exit the Philippines through Sabah. Meanwhile, a Malaysian man was arrested at Kuala Lumpur's main airport on Sunday after being deported from Turkey, Khalid said. The suspect had travelled to Istanbul in October with plans to enter Syria with the help of an Islamic State member from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Malaysia's health minister said Monday that the government will give relatives of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother two to three weeks to claim his body before deciding what to do with it. Malaysian authorities say Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13, but North Korea which is widely suspected to be behind the attack rejects the findings. North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia's autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal. On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim. "Now with the positive identification of the body, we are told that he had a wife or wives and children," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam told reporters on Monday. "So we hope that those people will respond and come forward to claim the body. In the absence of that, then we will address it as a government ... in trying to find how we are going to take the next step." "I think after identification, we'll give ourselves about two to three weeks to solve the problem," he said. The body is being kept at a morgue at a Kuala Lumpur hospital. Since Kim's death, relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated, with each expelling the other's ambassador. Last Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a "fair settlement" of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil. Both countries have also scrapped visa-free travel for each other's citizens. Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons. Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women one Indonesian, one Vietnamese have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank. German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington on Monday ahead of her first meeting with President Donald Trump. The encounter between the trained physicist and veteran politician, renowned for her measured comments and reserved style, and the billionaire real-estate outsider whose off-the-cuff tweets and undiplomatic approach have rocked American politics could produce an interesting dynamic. But despite the difference in styles, hopes are high that Europe's most powerful leader will be able to use her savvy and experience to dispel some of the angst that has grown internationally over the first weeks of Trump's administration. Though she's talked by phone with Trump, Tuesday's meeting in person with the new president will present her with a good opportunity to get a read of ``who is calling the shots'' and "who has the president's ear," said Sylke Tempel, an expert with the German Council on Foreign Relations. "You can only find that out when you're there, and this is a situation where she's particularly good because she observes things," Tempel said. In Merkel's 12 years as chancellor she worked well with both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and she's also demonstrated that she won't be pushed around by leaders who try to use what Tempel called "macho" tactics with her. "Putin tried that on her, Erdogan tried that and there are quite a few others," Tempel said. "She has an enormous amount of patience, an internal calm and self-confidence, and the kind of personality that would say `I've seen macho characters come and go, and I've seen men making a lot of mistakes.'" In addition to establishing a relationship with Trump and getting a firsthand read of the new White House dynamics, there are a wide range of issues that Merkel is expected to address. With Trump's "America first" economic leanings, his questioning of multilateral trade deals and enthusiastic endorsement of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Merkel's main goal is expected to be to impress upon the president her view that a strong EU is also in Washington's strategic and economic interests. Alluding to this, she told Parliament on Thursday that she plans to emphasize that "even if in parts of the world we see protectionist and nationalist approaches on the rise, Europe may never isolate, seal itself off or withdraw." She's bringing with her a trade delegation that reportedly includes the heads of both BMW and Siemens, whose companies together employ around 120,000 people in the U.S. in their factories and related businesses. Trade between the U.S. and Europe is "advantageous for both sides," Merkel said after meeting German business leaders in Munich on Monday. "Talking directly is always much better than talking about each other," she said. "That will be my motto on this visit, which I am looking forward to." Trump has vocalized several other differences with Merkel, notably on the campaign trail last year when he called her decision in 2015 to allow 890,000 asylum seekers into Germany a "disaster" and said that "Hillary Clinton wants to be America's Angela Merkel." Trump has also openly suggested that NATO is obsolete and has urged European countries to live up to commitments to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, though U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reassured Europeans in Munich last month that America's commitment to the alliance was ``unwavering.'' Trump has elicited European concerns on multiple other issues, too, including his more friendly approach to Russia and his position on climate change. In pointed remarks about Germany specifically, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro last month said that the country was using a ``grossly undervalued'' euro to ``exploit'' the U.S. and EU, and last week singled out the U.S. deficit with Germany as ``one of the most difficult'' trade issues Washington faces. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble scoffed at the idea Germany was somehow using currency manipulation to bolster exports, telling a group of foreign reporters in Berlin last week that the trade surplus was due to ``the competitiveness of German industry'' in other words, Germany makes products Americans want to buy. Despite the differences, Merkel told Parliament she would emphasize how much the U.S. and Europe have in common. "I am deeply convinced that the trans-Atlantic partnership based on common values is in all of our interests, not only for us Europeans," she said. "I'll hold my talks with President Donald Trump in this spirit. Precisely because the nature of the trans-Atlantic relationship has changed, Europe has decided to take more responsibility in the future, both in our own neighborhood and beyond." An appeals court in Niger has found an exiled opposition leader guilty of baby smuggling and sentenced him to one year in prison. Hama Amadou, who was the main challenger to President Mahamadou Issoufou in last year's presidential election, has been living in France and was tried in absentia. Lawyers for Amadou walked out of the court in Niamey Monday before the verdict was read, saying the goal of the proceedings was to prevent Amadou from running for office again. They have long maintained the charges against Amadou are politically motivated. Amadou is one of a group of people, including his wife, accused of smuggling babies from neighboring Nigeria, via Benin, to wealthy couples in Niger. The allegations against Amadou first surfaced in 2014 when he was parliamentary president. Shortly afterwards, Amadou's parliament immunity was suspended and he fled to France. The case against Amadou has taken several turns, initially being dropped by a Niger court in 2015, only to be reinstated by an appeals court later in the year. While living in France, Amadou announced he would run against President Issoufou in upcoming elections. When he returned to Niger in 2015, he was promptly arrested, but was allowed to run for president and manage his campaign from his prison cell. In the first round of voting, Amadou took 18 percent of the vote against Issoufou's 48 percent. Issoufou went on to win with 92 percent of the run-off ballot in March, 2016, with the opposition boycotting the election. Amadou was released on medical grounds several days before the second round of presidential voting, and again flew to France. Several hundred Palestinians marched in an anti-government protest Monday, calling for the resignation of President Mahmoud Abbas and criticizing his security coordination with Israel. Separately, Palestinian journalists staged a sit-in nearby to protest the violent dispersal of an anti-government protest by Palestinian riot police a day earlier. In Sunday's incident, helmeted troops beat demonstrators and journalists with clubs. Jihad Barakat of Palestine Today TV said he was pushed and that his camera was broken. He said he saw three colleagues being beaten with clubs. Nasser Abu Bakr, head of the journalists' union, said his organization demands that the riot troops who beat journalists on Sunday be put on trial. Critics have said Abbas and his government are becoming increasingly intolerant of dissent. Dozens of people have been detained after peaceful protests in the past six months, though most were released, said Amar Dweik, head of Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah promised Monday that he would launch an investigation into Sunday's incident. He said he formed a committee that includes Dweik, the deputy interior minister and members of the lawyers' union. Meanwhile, several hundred protesters marched through the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday, calling on Abbas to resign. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority, a self-rule government that administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Marchers also chanted that "security coordination is treason." The policy, in which Abbas' forces and Israeli troops cooperate against Islamic militants, is unpopular among Palestinians. Saudi Arabia's royal court said Monday the kingdom's second-in-line to the throne will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November's presidential election. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defense minister and King Salman's son, is scheduled to start his Washington visit on Thursday. He departs for the United States on Monday. The royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of U.S. officials to discuss "the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest." The prince is spearheading the kingdom's economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in U.S. technology firms. No details were given on when he would meet Trump. He would be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. There was no confirmation from the White House regarding the visit. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include discussion on global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years. Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and biggest buyer of American-made arms, is also part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticized by Trump. Obama had also openly criticized Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Iran's reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners. King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks Monday mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Monday that Japan is willing to provide support for the economic power in the Middle East. "We will discuss growth strategy, including our `Saudi Vision' project," he said, referring to Japanese collaboration with Vision 2030, a roadmap adopted by the kingdom last year for its development and economic objectives He did not confirm reports that the countries would agree to set up a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia. Salman met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and was to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later Monday. Reports say Japan plans to urge that Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company that is being partially privatized, seek a share listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Separately, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and Japanese telecoms provider and energy company Softbank have joined forces in setting up a $25 billion private fund for technology investments. Trade between the countries fell overall last year as oil prices dropped. Japan's 2.1 trillion yen ($18.6 billion) in imports from Saudi Arabia in 2016, mostly oil and gas, dwarfed its exports of 546.3 billion yen ($4.8 billion). The delegation arrived late Sunday on about 10 aircraft. Officials said top hotels and car hire services would be busy handling the unusually large group during its four-day visit. Salman's stop in Japan follows visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. He is due to travel on to Brunei, China and the Maldives. While seeking investment and help with Saudi industrialization and development of its services sector, Salman has also offered help. Earlier, he pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer cooperation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. Scotlands first minister took a step closer Monday to breaking up the United Kingdom by announcing she intends to begin the legal process of holding a new independence referendum for Scots. At a news conference in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon said it is the "right thing to give Scots an opportunity to express their opinion following Brexit, last years vote by Britain to leave the European Union. In her speech, Sturgeon, whose Scottish National Party is the largest party north of the English border, said she wasn't prepared to do nothing while Brexit threatened Scotlands economy and its links with Europe. Coming in the wake of last weeks electoral surge by Sinn Fein nationalists in Northern Ireland assembly elections, Sturgeons announcement, although not a surprise, adds to the ramifications of the Brexit vote, which Britains Conservative government is struggling to contain. Moments after Sturgeon's speech, Faisal Islam, political editor of Britains Sky News, spoke for many British political reporters when he said, Who knows where all of this will end. Thus Brexit, which was meant to protect Britain, begins the destruction of Britain, tweeted political commentator Nick Cohen. Vote within 2 years Scotlands first minister, who heads a minority government, said she wants the vote to take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, arguing the British parliament in Westminster had become more assertive since the Brexit vote. She said Britains Conservative prime minister, Theresa May, had failed to consult Scotland before deciding on a hard break with the EU, which will see Britain not only end its political membership in the European bloc but will also see it exit Europes single market with major economic consequences. In last years Brexit vote, Scots voted by a 62-38 percent margin to remain in the EU. After the vote, Sturgeon said Brexit constituted a significant and a material change of the circumstances, thereby justifying a second independence referendum. Scotland elected to remain a part of the United Kingdom in a September 2014 referendum, which was then billed by Sturgeon as a once in a lifetime vote. Sturgeon will seek the authority for the independence referendum next week from Scotlands parliament, but, the final say has to come from the Westminster parliament. It is unclear whether Prime Minister May will agree to another independence vote, or attempt to block it. That sets the stage for a confrontation between the two strong-willed leaders. Responding to Sturgeon's announcement, May said a second independence referendum would set Scotland on course for uncertainty and division. She added: Instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the Scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. Politics is not a game. A former Scottish first minister, Alex Salmond, said May would have to allow a referendum. The times of an imperial government in London dictating to the Scots is long gone, he said. Nicky Morgan, a former British Conservative minister, said, This is extremely concerning and people are worried about it. She said Brexit was a seismic event and clearly will change Britain for decades to come. We dont quite know where we will end up, she said. May has made it clear she will fight to preserve the United Kingdom. Politically, however, she could be placed in an untenable position if she tries to deny the Scots another referendum. A majority in Scotlands devolved parliament at Holyrood backs breaking up the United Kingdom. A spokesman for May denounced Surgeons announcement, arguing evidence clearly showed a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum. Government: new vote 'divisive' He added, "Only a little over two years ago, people in Scotland voted decisively to remain part of our United Kingdom in a referendum which the Scottish government defined as a 'once in a generation' vote. Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time. An opinion poll released last week put support for Scottish independence at its highest level since the weeks immediately following the Brexit vote. An Ipsos MORI poll put the two sides of the Scottish independence debate level at 50/50, after a previous series of polls had the unionists marginally ahead. Britains main opposition parties also have responded critically to Sturgeon, but said they would not seek to stop a vote, if the Scottish parliament authorizes another referendum, which seems likely. If the Scottish parliament votes for one, Labor will not block that democratic decision at Westminster, said Jeremy Corbyn, the Labor Partys leader. According to a British official, May will likely allow a second referendum, but only if it takes place after Brexit negotiations have been concluded with the EU, likely by April 2019. Sturgeon is adamant the vote must be held before then, maximizing Scotlands chances of being able to rejoin the EU quickly or even being allowed to retain membership. If Scotland is to have a real choice - when the terms of Brexit are known, but before it is too late to choose our own course - then that choice should be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019, Sturgeon said. The main battle, then, between May and Sturgeon is not likely to end with whether there is a referendum, but when it is held. Democratic Sen. Bob Casey asked a government ethics office Monday to assess whether President Donald Trump's business dealings make his administration vulnerable to conflicts of interest. "President Trump has exposed his administration to possible conflicts of interest on an unprecedented scale," the Pennsylvania lawmaker says in a letter to the Office of Government Ethics. Casey asked whether any of Trump's foreign business deals could violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits U.S. officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign countries. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Walter Shaub, the director of the ethics office, strongly criticized Trump earlier this year for not divesting from his businesses. Shaub said Trump was breaking decades of tradition by presidents who set up blind trusts for their assets. Casey cited several of Trump's foreign business deals as examples that could present conflicts of interest. He cited an Associated Press report that the Trump Organization is returning to a long-dormant licensing deal involving a beachfront luxury resort in the Dominican Republic, despite Trump's promise not to do any new foreign deals. The deal had been on hold for years before being revived this year. The Office of Government Ethics advises executive agencies on potential conflicts of interests. But the agency does not investigate complaints and does not have the authority to prosecute offenses. The office also works out ethics agreements with members of the president's Cabinet. The president, however, is not obligated to conform to an ethics agreement. A veteran Republican congressman is voicing support for a right-wing Dutch politician who opposes immigration and has spoken against Islam. Rep. Steve King of Iowa, in a tweet Sunday, paid tribute to Geert Wilders, a veteran member of the Dutch Parliament who founded the Party of Freedom. It came as the Dutch prepare for an election Wednesday. In the post on his verified Twitter account, King, who has served in the U.S. House since his election in 2002, said: Wilders "understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." King is among conservatives who have strongly advocated an end to the U.S. practice of granting automatic citizenship to children born here to parents who are in the country illegally. Critics accused King of using white nationalist terms and ignoring the fact that the United States is a nation of immigrants. Evan McMullin, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2016 presidential election, tweeted that King was promoting un-American ideas of white nationalism and wondered if any Republicans would publicly chastise the congressman. At least one Republican did. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, the son of Cuban immigrants, asked if he qualified as "someone else's baby." U.S. President Donald Trump this week will unveil a budget expected to massively increase military spending while slashing other federal programs. The proposal, set to be released Thursday, will offer the most detailed look yet at how Trump intends to move ahead with his so-called "America First" policy. The budget will likely face significant opposition in Congress, where lawmakers are already bickering over a plan to overhaul the nation's health care program. Many of Trump's fellow Republicans support his plan for a larger military; but, unlike Trump, some want to pay for it by cutting Social Security and Medicare - the two largest federal programs. Democrats are alarmed about the entire proposal, particularly his plan to cut domestic government programs aimed at protecting the environment and helping the poor. State Dept., foreign aid cuts Lawmakers in both parties have also expressed concerns about Trump's steep proposed cuts to the State Department and foreign aid budgets - a move they say will reduce U.S. influence abroad. White House officials point out the president's proposals are only a blueprint and that ultimately Congress must agree on a final budget, but they insist difficult decisions must be made. Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to reinvest in our military and make ourselves a military power once again, White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told Fox News Sunday. "Its no different than every other family in America that has to make the tough decisions when they need to spend money somewhere, they have to cut it from somewhere else," Cohn said. Defense spending In a blueprint released last month, White House officials said Trump intends to boost the military budget by $54 billion - one of the largest ever increases in national defense spending. This week's proposal will outline how the president intends to pay for it. According to budget documents leaked to the media, Trump will offset the military costs with far-reaching reductions in discretionary spending -- the part of the budget that pays for various federal government agencies. Trump is reportedly considering slashing up to 25 percent of the Environmental Protection Agency budget, 30 percent of the Energy Department budget, and 37 percent of the State Department and foreign aid budget. Reduction in federal workforce If passed, those cuts would result in a massive reduction of the federal government workforce, which Trump and his fellow Republicans have long said is bloated and inefficient. It is not clear, however, whether Trump's plans would actually fulfill his campaign promise to reduce the national debt. That won't be clear until May, when the White House releases its plans to reform the tax code and its proposals for mandatory spending, which covers existing programs like Medicare and Social Security. Trump has said it is not politically possible to reduce spending on Medicare and Social Security - which together account for nearly 40 percent of the federal budget. He is also considering a $1 trillion infrastructure plan to upgrade the country's roads, airports and rail lines. According to most analysts, that means Trump will likely continue to run a budget deficit. The federal debt is expected to grow by nearly $10 trillion over the next decade, according to a recent projection by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Dutch envoy Daan Feddo Huisinga was summoned Monday by the Turkish foreign minister for the third time in as many days to receive a diplomatic dressing down. The verbal salvo reportedly was for the crackdown by Dutch police on ethnic Turks who demonstrated Saturday in Rotterdam over the removal of Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from the Netherlands. Turkish pro-government newspapers Monday published photos of police dogs biting demonstrators, with one headline reading "Nazi Dogs." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called the Dutch government "Nazis" for preventing two of his ministers from speaking at a rally for ethnic Turks in support of an April referendum to extend presidential powers. I think its very serious because words and remarks have been exchanged, that have never been exchanged before and there was Turkish demonstrators that were attacked by police in the Netherlands, warns Political columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor Website, I think the government support base in Turkey will be clamoring for some kind of serious retaliation. So the prospectfor the situation escalating rather than deescalating are quite high at the moment. Despite Erdogan dominating most of the media, substantial funds, and his formidable campaign skills, opinion polls suggest he is struggling to win referendum support for the controversial proposal to extend his powers. As it stands right now my gut feeling tells me, the No votes are ahead or at leastAKP doesn't have the kind confidence it has had in past polls that it will win, said political consultant Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. Yesilada suggests there is political advantage to be had from the crisis for Erdogan, So the AKP wants to fortify the nationalist vote. You know this kind of clashes which are exaggerated by Mr. Erdogans rhetoric does reinforce the view that the European powers are our enemies and that Mr. Erdogan is steadfastly fighting for our rights." The leader of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party Kemal Kilicdarolgu who is leading the No vote campaign has been in the forefront of condemning the Dutch government, calling for a suspension of diplomatic relations. Observers say such a stance is probably aimed at mitigating any voting advantage Erdogan is seeking to achieve. Despite Erdogan's tough rhetoric promising severe sanctions against the Netherlands, no concrete steps have been taken. All we know at momentis the Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci has come out and say they are not considering economic sanctions because obviously it will hurt Turkey too. notes Columnist Idiz. He argues Ankara may have few cards to play. I think it will be more on diplomatic side, cancelation of visits not allowing transit flight for official Dutch planes, not commercial planes, and that of sort of thing. Canceling conferences and whatever. With other European countries too, banning Turkish ministers from addressing referendum rallies, the prospect of the crisis deepening and spreading remains real. On the European side they want to downplay the situation. I noticed that Germany is trying to take that kind of approach, notes columnist Idiz, but the European side might want to take a united front at the end of the day against Turkey. Monday EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas said, The EU calls on Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk to further exacerbate the situation. Some Turkish pro-government media have suggested the refugee deal between Ankara and the European Union that has stemmed the flood of people into Europe could be in jeopardy over the crisis. Analysts suggest Ankara would be reluctant to take such a step, with the refugee deal being one of few remaining ties that underpins its relations with Europe, as well as being an important piece of leverage Despite such leverage, the latest crisis could ultimately prove to be the tipping point in Turkish European relations, For Austria Netherlands Germany, and all the other countries are getting sick and tired of Turkey. And I anticipate that at some point , there will be sanctions i have no doubt about that, said consultant Yesilada. Two members of the United Nations panel of experts for the Democratic Republic of Congo kidnapped on Sunday are still missing, Congolese Communications Minister Lambert Mende told VOA Monday night. A statement issued earlier by the DRC government revealed that Michael Sharp, an American, and Zahida Katalin, a Swedish citizen, as well as four Congolese nationals accompanying them, "had fallen into the hands of negative forces which have not yet been identified" in the province of Kasai Central. "The administrative and security forces are working in concert with MONUSCO [the U.N. mission in the DRC] to secure the liberation of the kidnapped people," the statement concluded. On Monday night, Mende told VOA that Congolese security forces and MONUSCO spent the day using helicopters to look for the six abducted individuals, but were unable to locate them. He confirmed the aerial search parties will start again Tuesday morning. "Other security forces are on foot scouring the area," Mende said. VOA was unable to reach U.N. spokespeople in the DRC, but a short statement confirmed that two members of the panel of experts were missing and the U.N. is doing everything possible to locate the experts. For the last eight months, conflict between the DRC's security forces and militiamen has been intensifying in the Kasai region. In August of last year, the Congolese military killed a customary chief, known as Kamwina Nsapu, who had rejected the state's authority and instructed his supporters to drive out the security forces. A militia of his followers, also called Kamwina Nsapu, is now active in the three provinces of Kasai and Lomami Province. More than 400 people have been killed and 200,000 displaced by the violence, according to the U.N.s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The U.N. has condemned both the militia for its use of child soldiers and the government for deploying excessive force, including automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades. On March 8, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees referred to "recurrent reports of grave violations" in the four provinces and the discovery of mass graves before urging the Security Council to establish a commission of inquiry. It is not known at this stage whether the kidnappers are connected to the militia. U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer in New York contributed to this report. The Politics of Historicide NEW YORK In a world of disarray, the Middle East stands apart. The post-World War I order is unraveling in much of the region. The people of Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya have paid an enormous price. But it is not just the present and future of the region that has been affected. An additional casualty of todays violence is the past. The Islamic State (ISIS) has made a point of destroying things it deems insufficiently Islamic. The most dramatic example was the magnificent Temple of Bal in Palmyra, Syria. As I write this, the city of Mosul in northern Iraq is being liberated, after more than two years of ISIS control. It will not come soon enough to save the many sculptures already destroyed, libraries burned, or tombs pillaged. To be sure, destruction of cultural artifacts is not limited to the Middle East. In 2001, the world watched in horror as the Taliban blew up the large statues of Buddha in Bamiyan. More recently, radical Islamists destroyed tombs and manuscripts in Timbuktu. But ISIS is carrying out destruction on an unprecedented scale. Taking aim at the past is not new. Alexander the Great destroyed much of what is now called Persepolis more than 2,000 years ago. The religious wars that ravaged Europe over the centuries took their toll on churches, icons, and paintings. Stalin, Hitler, and Mao did their best to destroy buildings and works of art associated with cultures and ideas viewed as dangerous. A half-century ago the Khmer Rouge destroyed temples and monuments across Cambodia. In fact, what might best be described as historicide is as understandable as it is perverse. Leaders wishing to mold a society around a new and different set of ideas, loyalties, and forms of behavior first need to destroy adults existing identities and prevent the transmission of these identities to children. Destroying the symbols and expressions of these identities and the ideas they embody, the revolutionaries believe, is a prerequisite to building a new society, culture, and/or polity. For this reason, preserving and protecting the past is essential for those who want to ensure that todays dangerous zealots do not succeed. Museums and libraries are invaluable not only because they house and display objects of beauty, but also because they protect the heritage, values, ideas, and narratives that make us who we are and help us transmit that knowledge to those who come after us. The principal response of governments to historicide has been to ban traffic in stolen art and artifacts. This is desirable for many reasons, including the fact that those who destroy cultural sites, and enslave and kill innocent men, women, and children, acquire the resources they need in part from the sale of looted treasures. The 1954 Hague Convention calls on states not to target cultural sites and to refrain from using them for military purposes, such as establishing combat positions, housing soldiers, or storing weapons. The goal is straightforward: to protect and preserve the past. Alas, one should not exaggerate the significance of such international agreements. They apply only to governments that have chosen to be a party to them. There is no penalty for ignoring the 1954 Convention, as both Iraq and Syria have done, or for withdrawing from it, and it does not cover non-state actors (such as ISIS). Moreover, there is no mechanism for action in the event that a party to the Convention or anyone else acts in ways that the Convention seeks to prevent. The hard and sad truth is that there is much less in the way of international community than the frequent invocation of the term suggests. Indeed, a world that is unwilling to fulfill its responsibility to protect people, as has been shown most recently in Syria, is unlikely to come together on behalf of statues, manuscripts, and paintings. There is no substitute for stopping those who would destroy cultural property before they do it. In the case of todays principal threats to the past, this means discouraging young people from choosing radical paths, slowing the flow of recruits and resources to extremist groups, persuading governments to assign police and military units to protect valued sites, and, when possible, attacking terrorists before they strike. If a government is the source of the threat to cultural sites, sanctions may be a more appropriate tool. Indicting, prosecuting, convicting, and jailing those who carry out such destruction might prove to be a deterrent to others similar to what is required to stop violence against persons. Until then, historicide will remain both a threat and, as we have seen, a reality. The past will be in jeopardy. In that sense, it is no different from the present and the future. A new report presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council accuses Myanmar of institutionalized discrimination and long-standing persecution of its mainly Muslim Rohingya population amid appeals by a government representative to the international community to support Myanmar in its efforts to promote democracy and human rights. While Yanghee Lee, special investigator on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, acknowledged the new government has been in power for barely one year, she noted that there were a great many human rights violations that could not wait to be addressed and needed immediate attention. Lee cited reprisals against human rights defenders and the suppression of voices of dissent through arrest and imprisonment as main concerns. She said she had never felt more anxiety over potential acts of retaliation and reprisal than in Rakhine State during her visit to Myanmar in January. Lees assessment follows another report issued by the U.N. human rights office on February 3, which documented acts of cruelty, by Myanmars security forces, triggered by the October 9 killing of nine police officers by armed men who attacked three border guard police facilities in Rakhine. Rights officials say this unleashed weeks of retaliatory measures and gross violations by security forces, including mass gang-rapes, killings, and disappearances, prompting more than 66,000 Rohingya to flee northern Rakhine State to Bangladesh. In her effort to investigate the issue of reprisals, U.N. investigator Lee said she went to Coxs Bazaar in neighboring Bangladesh where she interviewed around 140 Rohingya. I heard allegation after allegation of horrific events like these - slitting of throats, indiscriminate shootings, setting alight houses with people tied up inside and throwing very young children into the fire, as well as gang rapes and other sexual violence. Even men, young and old, broke down and cried in front of me telling me about what they went through and their losses, she said. In response to the deadly attacks on October 9, Htin Lynn, Myanmars ambassador in Geneva, said, Security forces had to launch operations to restore peace and maintain law and order in northern Rakhine State. Such operations have now ceased. Investigator Lee expressed her disquiet about clearance operations, including the dismantling of people's homes and a household survey in which, she said, those absent may be struck off the list facing what could be the only legal proof of their status in Myanmar. She said this indicated that the government may be trying to expel the Rohingya population from the country altogether. I sincerely hope that that is not the case. She noted that there have been several commissions of inquiry and investigations set up to examine the situation of the Rohingya, but that none has proven to be truly independent. There is a need for a new set of investigations, which are prompt, thorough, independent and impartial, and this needs to happen soon, before the evidence is compromised. Prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations are not only needed in Rakhine, but also in conflict-affected areas such as Kachin and Shan, she said. Lee noted that similarly serious violations to those in Rakhine have been reported in those states for years, often been overlooked and also gone uninvestigated, with the situation in these areas worsening and still receiving little attention. Lee warned the conflict in Kachin and Shan states is escalating. She said more than 10,000 people were forced to flee to China. Lee said she continued to receive reports of serious human rights violations committed by all parties to the conflict, including torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary killings and abductions, all of which frequently go uninvestigated. Lee called on the government in Myanmar to reform and modernize its judiciary, executive, and legislative branches. She said the countrys 1982 Citizenship Law, which stripped the Rohingya of their birthright, was discriminatory and needed to be overhauled. She assured the Myanmar representatives who attended the council session that she had absolutely no reason whatsoever to present a biased, one-sided report. She added, I have every reason to present the situation to reflect the reality, even if some may not like what I have to say. Ambassador Htin Lynn was not persuaded. He said his government could not subscribe to many of the recommendations in the report. Myanmar does not accept an idea of a Commission of Inquiry as we are seriously addressing the allegations nationally. He also dismissed the term crimes against humanity, saying it was based on unverified and one-sided allegations. Vietnam will test U.S. President Donald Trump's openness to one-on-one trade deals as it starts nudging Washington for an eventual agreement to replace its role in the defunct Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Official media outlets in Vietnam say Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told an American business delegation last week he was ready to visit the United States, and that he hoped to meet Trump for a discussion about trade, among other topics. Vietnam depends heavily on factory exports, which are about 19 percent of a $200 billion economy. "A trade agreement with the U.S., a very large market, would certainly bring some benefits, that's clear," said Marie Diron, senior vice president at Moody's Investors Service in Singapore. "It would be about, kind of about anchoring these export markets with a trade agreement in place." Trump is not expected to prioritize free trade deals in the short term, analysts say, but he may someday consider them. Trade deals usually obligate signatories to cut tariffs on each other's good or services. US companies eye Vietnam market Nguyen may have a chance at working out a trade deal with the United States because American firms selling products such as fast food, mobile phones and even insurance want more access to Vietnam's fast-growing middle class. More than one-third of the country's roughly 93 million people will be middle class or higher by 2020, according to a Boston Consulting Group study. "You would expect the direction of goods coming from Vietnam to the U.S. picking up more sharply than the other way around," said Rahul Bajoria, a regional economist with Barclays in Singapore. But, he said, "it could be the case there might be some pressure from the large [American] industrial manufacturers like the aircraft manufacturers or train companies. All of them may be much more interested in exporting to Vietnam." The United States is Vietnam's top export market, giving the Asian country a trade surplus last year, with exports worth $38.1 billion and imports of $8.7 billion. But in January, imports increased 14.6 percent, pointing to a possible soft spot in Vietnam for Western brands. American names such as Apple, Dell and Starbucks are easy to find in cities such as the financial center Ho Chi Minh City. "The U.S. could export to Vietnam, to a market that's growing so fast, with 90 plus million people who are very brand conscious, where Western brands have a very high reputation," said Vojislav Milenkovic, analyst with the business advisory BDG Insights in Ho Chi Minh City. "You can see this every day on the street. You can see that people are trying to save and to buy high-quality products from the foreign countries," he said. But Vietnamese consumers still earn just half of their counterparts in China, Diron said. "For some companies, that could be a hurdle," she said. China's market is also much larger that Vietnam's. End of TPP Leaders in Hanoi had hoped the TPP would give them access to the U.S. market plus 10 other countries, including Japan. Trump withdrew the United States from the TPP in January, saying it would hurt the country. Because of the size of the U.S. economy, Trump's withdrawal made it effectively impossible for other countries to keep the TPP alive. Trump said shortly after taking office he could consider one-on-one free trade agreements instead of regional ones. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he is open to the idea of a bilateral trade pact with the United States, and members of the U.S. Congress advocate an agreement with Britain. In a phone call after his election in November, Trump told Nguyen he wanted to strengthen ties with Vietnam and that he was willing to meet in the United States. In exchange for trade favors, Trump might ask Vietnam to support the U.S. presence in the South China Sea where the United States is trying to resist Chinese maritime expansion, said Oscar Mussons, international business advisory associate with the Dezan Shira & Associates consultancy in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam may need to wait out most of Trump's current term before getting any trade deals, Bajoria cautioned. Any deal takes time to negotiate, he said, and the U.S. government may try first to build its relations with China, the world's number two economy after the United States. "I don't think there's scope for an FTA over the next 12 months," Bajoria said. Since Trump was elected, Vietnamese leaders afraid that the TPP would die began looking instead to other trade deals. An agreement reached with the European Union in 2015 is due to take effect next year if it clears hurdles in the European bloc's parliament. China is also keen to bolster trade ties, but Vietnam hopes to avoid dependence on the long-time political rival that's known for unloading cheap mass-produced goods in Vietnam at prices lower than what local companies can charge. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia as part of an Asian tour next month, sources said on Monday, amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia." U.S. President Donald Trump has already withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which was seen as an economic pillar of the strategy. A Trump administration official told Reuters: "The vice president is going to Asia next month I believe." The tour will include South Korea and Australia, the Nikkei Asian Review reported, with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and South Korea's political crisis likely topics for discussion. China has been infuriated by South Korea's plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system targeted at the North Korean threat. South Korea is also going through political turmoil after a court removed President Park Geun-hye from office over a graft scandal. Pence is also expected to visit Tokyo for a U.S.-Japan economic dialogue, according to a source familiar with the matter. The visit will come as North Korea's latest missile launches and the assassination in Malaysia of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother add urgency to the region's security. It will also follow this month's trip by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Japan, South Korea, and China. The TPP had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China. Proponents of the pact have expressed concerns that abandoning the project, which took years to negotiate, could strengthen China's economic hand in the region at the expense of the United States. Indonesia's chief security minister said Pence would meet President Joko Widodo to discuss terrorism and other security issues. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and has recently grappled with a series of low-level militant attacks inspired by Islamic State. "We discussed the planned visit of U.S. vice president Mike Pence to Indonesia and the strategic problems that can be on the agenda to discuss with our president," chief security minister Wiranto told reporters after meeting the U.S. ambassador to Jakarta. He added that no dates have been finalized. In Indonesia, Pence is also expected to discuss a brewing contract dispute between the government and American mining group Freeport McMoRan Inc, said two Indonesian government sources. Freeport has threatened to take the Indonesian government to court over newly revised mining regulations that have prompted a major scale-back in its operations in the eastern province of Papua. The Justice Department has asked for more time to respond to congressional requests to supply evidence for allegations by President Donald Trump that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his New York telephones during the campaign. Trump gave no proof when he tweeted the accusations earlier this month. But White House spokesman Sean Spicer says Trump did not mean to imply that Obama tapped his phone. Speaking at Monday's White House briefing, Spicer attempted to moderate statements the president has made on Twitter suggesting Obama ordered surveillance of his New York City hotel. "He doesn't really think that President Obama went up and tapped his phone personally," Spicer said. Trump created a sensation earlier this month when he tweeted: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" In a separate tweet later, Trump wrote: "I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!" "If you look at the president's tweet," Spicer explained, "he [Trump] said very clearly 'wiretapping' in quotes. That spans a whole host of surveillance options. I think there've been numerous reports from a variety of outlets over the last couple months that seem to indicate there's been different types of surveillance that occurred during the 2016 election." Earlier, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said she had no evidence to support the president's wiretapping claim. In an interview broadcast on CNN early Monday, Conway said, "I'm not in the job of having evidence. That's what investigations are for." Neither the White House nor senior intelligence officials have offered any evidence that would indicate any wiretapping took place, and an Obama spokesman has called the allegation "simply false." Spicer told reporters Monday that the White House expects the Department of Justice to reply to a request from congressional intelligence committees for information to support the wiretapping charges. "My understanding is that they will," he said. The House Intelligence Committee had set a Monday deadline for evidence supporting the allegations. However, the Department of Justice said on Monday evening it had requested more time to respond to the request from lawmakers. The department requested "additional time to review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist," a spokeswoman said in a statement. Critics speak out Trump's critics have roundly denounced the wiretap claims. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Representative Adam Schiff of California, told ABC News Sunday he does not see any evidence. "Either the president made up this charge," he said, "or perhaps more disturbing, the president actually believes this." Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona told CNN, "The president has one of two choices: either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve. Because if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we've got a serious issue here, to say the least." McCain said he has "no reason to believe the charges are true." Wiretapping law Under U.S. law, a president cannot order someone's phone to be wiretapped. He would need approval by a federal judge and would also have to show reasonable grounds to suspect that a citizen's telephone calls should be monitored, such as if he were suspected of criminal wrongdoing. The White House said last week that Trump is not under criminal investigation. The wiretap charges are part of congressional investigations into the details behind the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the presidential election to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. The probes also are looking into Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials before and after the November vote. U.S. intelligence concluded that Russia hacked into the computer of Clinton campaign chief John Podesta, with the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks then releasing thousands of his emails in the weeks before the election. The emails showed embarrassing behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic operatives to help Clinton win the party's presidential nomination. Some information in this report from Reuters. Suspected Zanu-PF youths have attacked MDC-T members who were carrying out a door to door membership recruitment and mobilisation exercise in Highfields, Harare, in preparation for the harmonised elections in 2018. MDC-T District Youth Deputy Organiser, Prosper Tirivacho, and six others were injured as a result of the attacks on Saturday. According to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) and the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), MDC-T activists were attacked when they were conducting a voters registration program in the suburb. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association condemns the assault of opposition MDC-T members by suspected Zanu-PF youths in Highfields and disruption of a funeral in Mbare in Harare over the weekend. The suspected Zanu PF activists attempted to disrupt the funeral wake of Chikita Ngano, an MDC-T member, at the weekend. The incidences come just weeks after opposition Transform Zimbabwe members were similarly assaulted during a clean-up campaign in Chitungwiza, which is a town about 35 km outside Harare. ZimRights condemns in the strongest terms these worrying signs and incidences of political violence ahead of the harmonised elections due to be held in 2018. ZimRights said if not stopped immediately such clashes would lead to chaos before, during and after the 2018 general elections. The government must enforce the constitution, which expressly provides for non-infringement of citizens free enjoyment of the political rights to choose, belong to and campaign for a political party, or cause of ones choice. Section 67 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe clearly provides for these fundamental political rights and calls for the promotion of multi-party democracy. That the country has previously witnessed gross human rights violations directly fuelled by political violence means that all stakeholders, including the political parties and law enforcement institutions, must urgently address the recent violations. The police must enforce the rule of law and arrest the perpetrators of the blatantly criminal actions so that they can be brought before the courts. Ahead of the forthcoming elections, political parties must restate their commitment to the Code of Conduct and remind their supporters that it is criminal to infringe on other peoples rights to campaign freely. University of Gibraltar Joins the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan The University of Gibraltar has joined the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) bringing global recognition and an acknowledgement of its PhD research programme. The CSFP was established in 1959 since when over 30,000 individuals have benefited. The scholarships aim to sustain the principles of the Commonwealth. It is one of the largest and most prestigious scholarship schemes for international study in the world. Prof Daniella Tilbury, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gibraltar said: "This is a significant milestone in the development of our institution. It places Gibraltar, and our PhD research degrees, on a global map of prestigious universities. To have achieved this in less than 18 months is testament to the work of the team here and our success in establishing the research degrees as meeting a tough, globally recognised, standard." Prof John Wood, Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), which oversees the CSFP, said: The ACU is delighted that the University of Gibraltar is offering the territorys first-ever Commonwealth Scholarship. These scholarships are available in more countries than ever before, and offer young people across the Commonwealth the chance to experience study and culture in new destinations. The Gibraltar Commonwealth Scholarship, which is to be launched on April 7th, is supported by HMGOG. The Chief Minister, The Hon Fabian Picardo QC commented, HM Government of Gibraltar continues to support the University, and is pleased to support the establishment of a Gibraltar Commonwealth Scholar. This will raise the standing of the University and of Gibraltar internationally in a Commonwealth context, at a time when we are particularly seeking to improve our international partnerships. The Minister for Education, Dr John Cortes, explained why this is such an important milestone "Our Universitys postgraduate research work is proving to be one of its earliest successes. Bringing an international student into our growing research community will greatly benefit development in this area. The chosen scholar will spend three years in Gibraltar contributing to a core area of the University as a PhD researcher. Commenting on the research programme, Prof Daniella Tilbury said: "A core objective for our programme is to create an ongoing legacy for Gibraltar that sits as comfortably in its exploration of our unique past as it does assessing the outlook for our future. Gibraltar is known as a centre of excellence for finance as well as online and digital businesses and we are immensely proud to be able to add our PhD programme to this global profile." Photo: HBO Lets get this straight: If I Were a Boy is a very good song. It is not, as a bunch of Irish politicians have recently, and incorrectly, concluded, Beyonces best song. Its not even the best song on I Am Sasha Fierce (that honor belongs to Halo, or maybe Single Ladies or, if the mood is right, Video Phone). When Amy OConnor, a reporter from Irelands Daily Dot reached out to the 158 members of the Dail Eireann (a house of the Irish legislature) asking how they felt about Bey, 37 members (called TDs) responded with their deepest feelings. The overwhelming ruling: A surprising amount of this group (mostly white men over 40) really, really miss Destinys Child. You can read all of their responses over at the Daily Edge, but here are some choice excerpts: Lets start with Declan Breathnach, a man who wants you to know that he likes not only Beyonce but Kanye, too. Like most people Im a huge fan of queen B, to paraphrase Kanye shes one of the best of all time. After a long day in the Dail, putting my feet up and treating myself to some old school Destinys Child is one of my favourite ways to unwind. Survivor would have to be my favourite song of hers, what an anthem! It almost describes the life of a politician Im not gon stop, Im gon work harder, Im a survivor. Charlie Flanagan is also a member of the BeyHive. Charlie Flanagan named not one Beyonce song, not two Beyonce songs, but three entire songs by Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter. And thats before he reminded his audience that he, Charles Matthew Flanagan, minister for Foreign Affairs, has basked in her essence in person: Amy, as it happens Im a big Beyonce fan. Fave songs Drunk in Love, Halo & If I were a boy. Saw her Central Park New York memorable !! Pat Buckley, apparently petty, wouldnt choose a Beyonce song. Instead he came armed with receipts: Id like her a lot better if she paid the Sri Lanka women who sew her clothing line a decent wage while she enjoys a personal wealth of over a quarter of a billion dollars. Jan OSullivan doesnt only like Beyonce, shes already started spreading the gospel. The TD says shes sharing the Bey love with her granddaughter: Yes, I like Beyonce. My favourite is 7/11, I dance to the video with my 1 year old granddaughter and we have a great time. Oh, Barry Cowen. Barry claims to be indifferent to Beyonce, yet manages to name a song thats become a deep cut in the postI Am era: If I Were a Boy. Cant say I dislike Beyonce but am somewhat indifferent I suppose. As regards favourite song by her, can only think of if I were a boy so that may qualify as the one. On the surface, Jonathan OBrien seems a little extra: He doesnt just love Beyonce, he quotes her. His response ends with a pretty iconic ether: the opposition party is full of, ahem, good for nothin type of brothers. I am republican, but Beyonce is the only queen I have time for. Of course I like Beyonce. If I had to pick just one (which is unfair) it would be Irreplaceable. Apart from the general good advice from Beyonce that we should move to the left, to the left, it would behove us all as elected members of the Dail that we should never for a second get to thinking were irreplaceable. That said, I always felt Bills, Bills, Bills from Beyonces days in Destinys Child was a good allegory for what has faced the Irish working class. [Irish Prime Minister] Enda Kenny really is a good for nothin type of brother. Okay, BeyHive, rest easy: There is at least one functioning government that believes in life, liberty, and Lemonade. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in Big Little Lies. Photo: HBO Spoilers ahead for Sunday nights episode of Big Little Lies. While Big Little Lies has been mostly well-received, the critics who dont care for the HBO drama about parental politics in Monterey County have dinged the show based on a lot of the same perceived flaws. They find the Greek chorus of community commentators ridiculous and unnecessary (that one I get), and the amount of privilege the main characters enjoy off-putting (kind of get that also). Many of them, a fair number of whom are male, also use the same words to describe this series: trashy (that one comes up even in positive reviews), cliche, and soapy. Soapy, in particular, has been used a lot in connection with Big Little Lies. This bugs me, partly because I dont think its accurate BLL is grounded too much in reality, albeit a highly dramatic version of it, to truly feel like a soap opera but also because it sounds so dismissive. Theres something about comparing a show that happens to focus on mothers to a genre historically aimed at housewives, and used as shorthand for TV we should not take seriously, that reeks of gender condescension. Is there an escapist element to this show, and a certain pleasure thats derived from watching Reese Witherspoon wage war with Laura Dern while wielding Disneys Frozen on Ice as a weapon? Oh my God, yes. I would still find Big Little Lies enjoyable as hell if thats all it was. But this show is more than just rich, helicopter-mom catfights. It goes deeper, and packs more of a wallop, precisely because of scenes like the one in Sundays episode, Push Comes to Shove, that takes place between Reese Witherspoons Madeline and Nicole Kidmans Celeste. The scene I refer to takes place in the front seat of Madelines car, after the two women have just left a meeting with the towns mayor over the controversial production of Avenue Q. (We cant have puppets fucking in Monterey, says the mayor in one of the many delicious lines this series ladles out, low-key, like it can dish soup this hot all day.) During the meeting Renata (Dern), who spearheaded a petition drive to cancel the show, sucks up to the mayor, slyly reminds everyone present that shes on the planning board, and suggests that the local theater should stage a nice, agreeable production, like The Sound of Music, instead. Meanwhile Madeline, fighting for It Sucks to Be Mes right to be heard, sits there looking like a teakettle doing her damnedest to keep the steam from shooting out of her spout. But Celeste, acting in a voluntary, pro-bono capacity as an attorney representing the production, is nothing but calm waters the entire time. She evenly suggests that Monterey is supposed to be progressive, and so are the mayors politics, and points out that shutting down a Tony Awardwinning play could be perceived as an affront to free speech. I dont think we want to become synonymous with suppression, she notes. A victory for Madeline, and for Celeste, and for musical-theater puppet-fucking, is won in that room. Consequently, when Madeline and Celeste wind up in the car afterward, Madeline is all about fist-pumping celebration. Stick that up your tight ass, bitch! she shouts, her Renata steam finally pouring out. Then she tells Celeste she was brilliant in there. But Celeste is not quite feeling unbridled joy, and we, the viewers, know why. Her abusive husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgard), doesnt want her going back to work, even in this minor, voluntary way that clearly brings Celeste satisfaction. Before that meeting, he watered the seed that so many mothers plant in their own minds: that simply by taking a seat at the conference-room table, they are shirking their responsibilities to their children. (By doing so, Celeste is also demonstrating that she cant always be controlled by Perry. He knows that and so does she. When she says, I dont think we want to become synonymous with suppression, she could just as easily be talking about herself as Monterey.) I feel so ashamed for saying this, Celeste tells Madeline. But being a mother is not enough for me. Its just not. Its not even close. Madeline reassures her that shes not alone in feeling as though shes lost a part of herself to the rigors of full-time parenting and that its okay to want more, even shouting it to make her point clear. Because Madeline Martha McKenzie rarely makes a point without underlining, bolding, and italicizing it at the same time. She also says she knows Celeste will wind up being to be a lawyer again: I have never seen you like that. For four years, Ive known you and your face looked different. Your body changed. Throughout this exchange, Kidmans face also looks different, and her body changes multiple times. Shes constantly tightening up her defenses, then fully surrendering, desperate to admit how vulnerable she feels but determined to maintain the facade that shes a strong woman who isnt routinely being demeaned. Everything Kidman does physically in this scene the little whimpering noises she makes, the way shes closes her eyes and shuts in her tears like shes holding her sadness hostage rings so true that its painful. Reese Witherspoon may show up from minute one of this series with guns fully blazing. But Kidmans the ninja assassin of Big Little Lies. Her performance sneaks up on you, and then it destroys you. The subject matter of this conversation admittedly covers familiar territory. By now, we all know that parenthood is hard and that whether theyre full-time stay-at-home mothers or not, women tend to feel like theyre doing it wrong. I mean, weve all read Lean In, or at least a million think pieces about it. And yet this moment, and the emotional terrain Big Little Lies explores in others, too, doesnt feel cliche to me because this series is so considered, nuanced, and brilliantly acted. Weve heard the basic melody in this scene before, just as weve heard the same kinds of melodies in comic-book stories or the 8 million time-travel shows currently on TV. But when Witherspoon and Kidman sing it, it sounds like a whole new song. Thats what great TV can do: take a narrative or experience we already know and elevate it. Its also rare to see actresses of this caliber, in a scene that passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, digging into a dialogue that reflects the way so many women wrestle with their identities. We may not all occupy the same income bracket that Celeste and Madeline do, or benefit from the same level of privilege. Its fair to say that a majority of mothers in this country cant afford to stay at home and indulge their maternal guilt while wearing yoga pants, drinking chardonnay, and staring out the window at the Pacific Ocean. But most of us are certainly acquainted with feeling perpetually conflicted and convinced that were not measuring up, to our own expectations, our familys, or some real or imagined metric established by society. If anything, these feelings are not discussed enough, on TV or in life. Big Little Lies may not run deep in every scene nor should it but its more emotional moments, like this scene or Celestes therapy visits, are deeply affecting in a way that a merely soapy or trashy series typically isnt. Right now we can turn on our TVs on a Sunday night or, alternately, fire up our HBO Go apps and watch two Academy Awardwinning actresses do nothing more complicated than sit in a car and talk about what makes it challenging to be female, and do so in a way that is riveting. Isnt that incredible? Its the kind of thing that, as a viewer and TV critic, makes me want to pound on a car horn and declare, just as Madeline does: I want more of that. On a recent visit to 4 World Trade center, the raw, currently unoccupied 69th floor was buzzing with activity. Instead of contractors getting the space ready for the floor's announced tenant, Spotify, artists were spray painting, installing finishing touches on sculptures and pasting posters to the wall. But far from a rushed and secretive attempt to tag up a space without getting caught, these artists, and others who've completed their work on the floor, were creating a gallery in the space with the blessings of building owner Larry Silverstein. The artwork that now blankets the 69th floor covers a range of styles, featuring works from Mr. June, Chris RWK, Stickymonger, Lauren YS, fanakapan, and many more. Large installations and wood cutouts, traditional spray paint graffiti, posters stuck to the wall with wheatpaste and even a piece made of vinyl that winds its way around most of the floor-to-ceiling windows. And while artwork on empty floors of Silverstein properties isn't a foreign sight, Robert Marcucci, a creative consultant for the Silverstein Group explained that the presence of street art was a big change from how the company usually does things. "Silverstein Properties, for the last 15 years or so, has had a artist residency program, where we bring artists in the community over to our raw space within the buildings, space that hasn't been taken up by a tenant yet. And we give them an opportunity to create art," Marcucci explained to Gothamist. In the case of the 69th floor, company executives told Marcucci they were interested in "something more contemporary and more cutting edge," so he teamed up with a number of other curators to recruit street artists and graffiti artists to add life to the empty floor. The result, according to Marcucci, was "a gallery in the sky on top of one of the top corporate buildings in America. A gallery that has some of the most cutting-edge, fusion street art." It's also a gallery that should remain in place even when the floor's tenant moves in. "As far as I know, Spotify is very interested in keeping that floor the way it is," Marcucci said. Marcucci, along with curators Dough Smith, Izzy Church and Marten Kayle, recruited artists from around the city and the world to come get involved in the project. Smith is the owner of a nearby gallery, World Trade Art, and told Gothamist that the talks to invite artists up to the 69th floor started a little over a year ago and that the work began during the summer of 2016. Smith said that the project has work from almost 50 artists at this point, and even when 15 people at a time were working on the floor together, there was so much space that "it still felt empty." "Who has ever had this opportunity?" Smith asked about the chance to turn what could be a staid office building floor into a multi-colored, cross-disciplinary gallery. He added that as far as an end to the project, "We will fill every square inch if we're allowed. We'll go on every plate, every beam. We won't stop." Most of the artwork ties back into New York in some way, from references to apples to a mural of the Statue of Liberty riding a tiger to text Hamilton lyrics painted in the form of a ten dollar bill on a wall that looks out to Alexander Hamilton's grave. Church, who was working on her piece, a series of satirical stamps that she was wheatpasting on to an inner wall, said that the concept behind the galley was "to bring positive growth to Lower Manhattan." She also told us that beyond the excitement of getting a new raw space to work in and curate, the size of the floor was something she'd never worked with before. "When I walked in I was overwhelmed by the how large of a space it is. When I walked in here I thought 'How are we going to fill this space?'" #iconicand2cents Door at #wtc is almost complete! So cool being part of the #streettotower project. Big shout out to #DougJamesSmith the head curator on the Street to Tower project and #RobertMalducci from #silversteinproperties A post shared by Izzy Church (@listentoizzychurch) on Mar 10, 2017 at 1:11pm PST There are also sculptures, like a spray painted door with woodcut letters reading "Always In Our Hearts 9/11" on one side and images of the city captured by photographers in the 1980s on the other. The artist behind the sculpture, Savior Elmundo, told us that he'd found the antique door near his home in Queens, and explained that "To me this is a New York door. It represents Downtown, 9/11, graffiti, New York and street art." Dru Blumensheid, another artist who was working on the floor, was adding a painted layer to the base of a welded piece full of plaster faces of friends and family in New York that she had been working on before she was invited to be part of the gallery. "I'm really excited about the opportunity, and it's an interesting topic to have in such a historical place. I hope it brings light to the background here, and the facility, with it being a new building. I'm honored to show here," she told Gothamist. Other artists on the floor echoed the sentiment that it was meaningful to be invited to work in such an iconic piece of the city. Brolga, an Australian artist whose contributions were a couple of large illustrated characters representing Adam and Eve, told us that it was "a massive privilege" to be invited. "New York was always a really surreal place when youre from far away," he added, so it was a thrill to be involved in the arts scene in a city that had had such an impact on the world. Forbidden Fruit World Trade Centre installation. I had a fun time hanging out on on the 69th floor of the WTC while installing these new characters. @worldtradegallery are putting together a very special street art show up there. A big thank you to Doug, Robert, Mar and Izzy for getting me involved. A post shared by Brolga (@brolga_) on Mar 12, 2017 at 8:41am PDT Ben Angotti, a painter and sculptor who was spray painting what he called "a happy and colorful piece to uplift the human soul" said he'd lived in Brooklyn for the past 17 years, and had watched Tower 2 fall on 9/11. "It feels great to be able to visit the spot, and do something positive, where 16 years ago there was such a tragedy," he told us. For three episodes, Crashing has meandered about, trying to bring together its various elements Holmess persona, the trials and tribulations of stand-up, Apatowian dialogue and/or vignette-like narrative style into a coherent whole, and its mostly come up short. That is until this weeks episode. Barking is the first episode of Crashing that feels both unique to the shows point of view and entirely in sync with the series best rhythms. Credited writers Pete Holmes and Judd Eric Sloven (Saturday Night Live), as well as director Jeff Schafer (The League), take a simple premise rooted in the unsexy minutia of stand-up Pete must bark all night, or hand out fliers for a comedy club, in order to get stage time and construct a funny, empathetic episode about the occasional joys of begging for scraps. It goes without saying that this is the best episode of Crashing so far. The episode begins with Boston comedy-club owner Jason (Dov Davidoff) instructing Pete on how to bark, which mostly comes down to a genial yet pushy tone of voice, endless persistence, and, of course, lying. Jason tells him that if he gets five people to pay to see the showcase that night he will receive some stage time. So Pete, along with three fellow comics (Henry Zebrowski, Jermaine Fowler, and Aparna Nancherla), who are less green and constantly wary of Petes amiable charm, hit street corners to earn their time. This setup allows for various comic exchanges to form organically rather than just tacking them onto a loose premise. Pete, ever the ethical, straight-and-narrow type, doesnt like the idea of telling people that famous comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock will go up at some tiny showcase, but he also feels the pressure to get five people in those doors by any means necessary. Naturally, this leads to funny confrontations, like with a couple offended by the idea that a flyer can advertise comedians who wont perform, which forces Pete to defend a practice he himself was arguing against earlier that day (If you go to an Italian restaurant and theres a picture of Frank Sinatra, it doesnt mean he will be there!). Holmes effectively communicates how degrading it is to be shilling for a job that offers exposure over actual pay. When he leaves his corner to find a restroom, hes forced to pay $9 dollars for a Coke at a bar just to have the privilege to urinate. When he returns, he finds another barker at a different club has stolen his corner. Determined to grab his corner back, he stands defiantly next to the other barker, trying to regain control, which eventually leads to a fight, a strangers broken car window, and a traffic accident. What does Pete do after witnessing this crazy series of events? He sheepishly hands out flyers to horrified passersby at the scene, still trying to make his number. The humiliation doesnt end there. Soon, Petes fellow comics inform him that Hannibal Buress is onstage at the Boston, but Pete only gets to see a few minutes before Jason kicks him out because he hasnt pulled his necessary five people. Heartbroken, Petes back out on the corner telling people to go see Hannibal, but now the few people who care dont believe him. Before, Crashing mostly paid lip service to the idea that a stand-up career is one Kafkaesque struggle after another, but Barking is the first episode to effectively depict it. One quick shot of Petes raw, worn-out face is all the evidence a person needs to know this job isnt for the faint of heart. By the end of the episode, Pete receives a few signs of encouragement. First, comic Marina Franklin finds Pete on the street to tell him shes sorry Jason wouldnt let him stay to see Hannibal, and that every established comic has been in his exact position before. If it sucks, thats when you know youre doing it right, she tells him plainly. Overjoyed at this self-esteem boost, Pete eventually makes his number and gets onstage, but of course, the crowd is sparse since most everyone left the show after Hannibal was done. But in one last stroke of luck, a large group of Korean tourists, whom Pete previously helped find the Blue Note, arrives en masse to see the show, giving Pete and his fellow comics the appreciative audience theyve been dying to have. Its a powerful moment, one that was neatly foreshadowed midway through Barking. Petes hard work isnt for naught, and by the end of the night, he has a de facto group of friends, while Jason gives him notes on his set and promises to put him on earlier in the night tomorrow. Barking is just focused and streamlined enough to give me hope for Crashing right when I was getting worried about its staying power. This is a show that frequently has all of the right ingredients, but occasionally the wrong recipe. Barking brings them all together, and for the first time, provides a glimpse of what this show could be with just a little bit of creative tightening. Stray Jokes When Pete voices his concerns about lying to strangers, the other comics shrug it off. Theyre stupid tourists. Who comes to New York and doesnt have a plan? Yeah, theyre gonna end up at a Panera Bread or getting human-trafficked. Pete eventually seeks advice from a weed-dealing NYU student about getting his turf back, but he doesnt have much to offer. I dont really have a turf, he says. I just walk around with a face that says, I have weed. After Jason expresses dismay that Pete couldnt pull more people after Hannibal showed up, Pete explodes, Thats the problem with lying, Jason. Nobody believed me when I said he was here! Its like the boy who cried Seinfeld out there! Cries From Syria. Photo: Courtesy of HBO In a scene near the end of the documentary Cries From Syria, young protesters demonstrate against the Assad regime: Political change in Syria will come, they cry with flowers, with flowers! Six years in, that peaceful revolution is a bloody civil war, flowers and olive branches lost to machine guns and missile launchers and chlorine gas. In the film, Academy Awardnominated director Evgeny Afineevsky traces the spark for that conflict through footage from activists and citizen journalists, and through interviews with dozens of witnesses to the turmoil. Afineevsky spent two years working on the film, which he originally envisioned as a documentary about the refugee crisis. But as he started his research, he understood that to tell the story fully, he had to to return to the beginning which, for many fleeing to Europe, is Syria in 2011. So he turned his lens to the citizens who first challenged, and later took up arms, against the Bashar al-Assad regime, and the families and children fleeing both ISIS and the bombardment of Assad and Russia. Ahead of the documentarys premiere on HBO Monday, the anniversary of the war, the director spoke with Vulture about why he made this film, the powerful voice of the Syrian youth, and what he hopes people can learn about our political moment from watching. I watched the documentary and it was rough which I imagine was the point. You cant sugarcoat. This is the balanced version of the movie because I saw much more horrifying things. I tried to be true to the facts that I saw, and at the same time I tried to be true to my characters who were talking about these events. How did your find your subjects? I started to follow refugees in Europe. My goal was to translate the human-refugee problem into a visual and cinematic and comprehensive and understandable story. Then I realized that to resolve the puzzle not to resolve it, but to try to resolve to understand it you need to go back in time to document and to reconstruct the journey. I went back to the Syrian border, and I tried to trace the main characters who were involved in this revolution. It took me time to trace each and every character but theyre the only key to tell the story as it happened. And to make people understand what brought these simple people to revolt against the [Bashar al-Assad] regime? You often rely on children to give their observations of the revolution, the civil war, and the refugee crisis. No matter what you feel about the political situation, no one can deny that the suffering of these kids is inhumane. Its the lost generation of the Syrian kids that needs to be heard. I started the movie with Alan Kurdi, who was symbolizing death. Thats the most iconic image that I think everyone in the world remembers [from] September 2015. Then I went to Omran Daqneesh, who is 5 years old and is in [the] ambulance in August 18, 2016. Omran symbolizes struggle and survival. Then as you know, I had Bana Alabed, who symbolizes hope. It was most important to give these kids an opportunity to be heard and to tell in their voices what they see, what they feel. Besides interviews, you used a lot of footage from activists and others inside Syria. How difficult was that to get? I think the most important [gesture] was to gain their trust. I did all the interviews that you see in the movie; outside the movie I did over 100 interviews all over the Middle East and Europe. So my share is all these fascinating people and their voices, and their share is all the personal footage that they captured through all six years. Were you nervous about the authenticity of any of this footage? These people are fighting for a particular cause. How do you sort through it and make sure youre accurately representing the conflict? Doing the movie, I was always in touch with [sources]. They were consulting [with] me. I also showed a rough cut a few times to some of my characters. One of my characters, Khouloud Helmi, an award-winning journalist and activist, she saw the movie and one of my first questions was, Am I right in terms of what happened? And am I translating this to the Western audience language? And she said, You are absolutely right about this. This is how it was, and it takes me back in time. I always was trying to be close to my characters I am today in touch with all my characters so I try to follow their guidelines and their voices and their story. Russia, and its role in supporting Assad and its apparent bombing of civilians, is featured in the documentary. There really is no mention of the United States, or the West. Was that deliberate? I dont think that I tried to do a political documentary. Whatever was told to me by the over 100 people that I interviewed, whatever the camera captured, its there in the movie. Whatever was said is there. To that point, from an outsiders perspective, the lines in the Syrian conflict often seem blurry. You have the [Syrian] government, you have ISIS, you have the Free Syrian Army, and then you have all these other groups, some with extremist elements that can get mixed in with the opposition. How did you deal with some of that knottiness? My movie isnt a political movie, its not a political statement. Its people who weve lost, the dark side of the Syrian history. The Western world has a lack of knowledge, and this lack of knowledge brings fear. I was asking [the sources] questions about them and their lives. What was surrounding them, why they raised their voices against the regime. I do think even an ostensibly nonpolitical statement is a political statement. The movie makes a viewer think long and hard about whats been going on. As you said, theres a lack of understanding in the West about this and how the refugee crisis happened. I was trying to explain why these people [are] seeking shelter in Europe. Theyre not trying to take over the European civilization. The choice for the Syrian people is to die in Syria, to die in ISISs hands, to die under the bombs, or a chemical attack. From the Syrian perspective, they feel that the world abandoned them. This documentary also comes at a time when Americans are debating refugees. As you said, its not about politics for you, but its hard to divorce this from politics. How do you want people to see and interpret this movie? I think for us, Americans, this movie also teaches us one important thing: not to take for granted a lot of things. From freedom of speech and democracy that our founding fathers were fighting for, and gave their lives. The Syrian people have been fighting since 2011 for freedom and freedom of speech. I think for us, the American nation, or for the European Union I think they need to keep in mind these values that are sometimes taken for granted. We need to start to be more respectful to our neighbors, respectful to our neighbors despite their religious views, despite the color of their skin. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Theres an exchange toward the end of this weeks episode of Feud that is filled with such venom about what it means to be an older woman I felt my skin grow flush from anger. Its moments after Bette Davis finds her daughter, B.D. (a surprisingly stilted Kiernan Shipka), surrounded by fawning crew men. Back home, Bette lashes out. What B.D. reads as jealousy is just Bettes apprehension about her teenage daughter growing up too fast. Youre jealous because men dont look at you anymore and they look at me. You cant take it that your turn is over. So youre punishing me, B.D. whines. She doesnt stop there. Her acrimonious insults continue, highlighting that Bette is single and lonely. Bette tries to defend her unbridled ambition and way of life, but its clear from the tears in her eyes that these remarks sting. To make matters worse, when Bette invites director Robert Aldrich over later that night, she says that B.D. is right. What bothers me profoundly here is that Bette comes off as a cautionary tale, an older woman taking her anger out on whatever target is nearby. Men like Jack Warner who chomp cigars refer to them as bitches; he seizes any opportunity he can to discuss how terribly he thinks women age. Moments like this take the focus away from both Bette and Joans strength and artistic impulses. In doing so, this series reaffirms the sexism it purports to critique. This makes it downright ironic when Joan remarks on a bit of Aldrichs writing in Baby Jane, The writing doesnt begin to capture the way women get under each others skin. The same thing can be said about Feud. That said, there are moments in The Other Woman that sing. The eye-catching production and costume design, rich with resplendent gemstones, definitely helps. There are scenes that hit with surprising poignancy when creator and writer Ryan Murphy finds a way to better balance his instinct for camp and desire to send a message. Im especially fond of the scenes where we see Aldrich and Bette working together on-set. He gives her advice on how to approach a scene shes nervous about, which involves her singing a song that gets to the heart of Baby Janes volition as a character. I dont want to end up a joke, she says to him. Unfortunately, the shows framing device Joan Blondell and Olivia de Havilland being interviewed has carried over from the premiere. The whole show screeches to a halt whenever they appear to spout more exposition. But it does provide important context for who Bette and Joan were in the early 1960s, and why they needed Baby Jane to be a success so desperately. We get re-creations of scenes from Bette and Joans films: the infamous what a dump line that Bette says in Beyond the Forest, her last film under contract with Warner Bros., is shown, for example. These scenes are especially crucial for constructing Joans twilight at MGM and her comeback at Warner Bros., where she earned her Oscar for Mildred Pierce. The seeds of how Warner used Joan as a weapon against Bette is evident here. (Although my skin crawled when Joan referred to Warner as daddy the inference that they slept together is made clear.) This show admittedly feels tonally confused when moments from their past films are re-created, or you see them acting on the set of Baby Jane. Feud doesnt seem to quite understand What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as a film, which comes across as a camp grotesquerie with no value beyond serving as a punch line to Bettes and Joans careers. Take, for instance, when Warner, Aldrich, and his assistant Pauline Jameson (a sly and engaging Alison Wright) are watching the dailies of Baby Jane. Sarandon cant seem to nail the intonations of Bettes voice as that character, which makes it so these scenes lack the horror and emotionally moving quality of the film. Sarandon is much better in quieter moments when she doesnt have to try to capture what made Bette such a great actress. Warner, for one, is loving what hes seeing. But it isnt the acting thats moving him, which he insults as scenery chewing. Instead, he feels the anger between the actresses is burning up the screen in a way that can be exploited for his financial gain. You got to keep them at each others throats, Warner advises Aldrich. Aldrich is conflicted about this. But hes also angry that Joan and Bette forming a surprising united front on set means hes lost power as a director. Earlier, Joan was able to convince Bette that Aldrich doesnt have their best interests at heart. Shes worried the sexy neighbor actress is going to pull focus away from them. Lets not fight. We have to support each other, Bette. Im worried our director isnt taking care of us. So we have to take care of each other, Joan says. Its a smart play that works. The young actress is fired, and Bette and Joan watch as she makes her tearful exit. They stand side-by-side as she leaves the set before they part. I loved this moment for the framing and the energy. Its simple but effective. Bette and Joan dont become best friends, but professional allies. They laugh with each other on-set. Respect grows. But despite his wife, Harriet (Molly Price), warning about the cruelty of manipulating these stars, Aldrich sinks into the gutter with Hedda. He gives her a juicy blind item, attributing quotes to Bette she may or may not have said about Joans padded bras and lack of artistry. Soon, whatever goodwill existed between them is obliterated. Joan retaliates by slinging insults about Bette to the press. The mood on-set gets downright nasty. I may think this approach to how sexism can warp womens lives is too broadly painted, but these scenes are fun. This also leads to my favorite scene highlighting Bette and Joans rivalry thus far. Bette marches into Joans dressing room, furious at the recent gossip-column dirt on her. I dont want to quote the entire speech Bette gives ripping into Joan, but its good. Stop fitting in calls between your morning coffee and taking a shit of butterflies and moonbeams and whatever else comes flying out of your ass. If you dont its your funeral, Bette says. Seeing Joan fly out of her seat to face Bette cinches the bitchy humor here, and demonstrates how important success is to these women. Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange nail this scene. Joan, of course, does not heed the threat. She gets Hedda on her side and tries to seduce Aldrich, losing Peter in the process. Although she doesnt seem to care much about him she says his part needs to be recast, as if any lover in her life is just some film prop she can easily discard. This makes The Other Woman frustrating, because the occasional sparks of real pathos and humor prove there is a potent story buried deep within this show. The intimate scenes between Bette and Aldrich also have actual humanity, but just as I was starting to like their dynamic, its thrown off entirely by something I wasnt expecting: Bette and Aldrich sleep together. This story line undercuts the message the series has been hammering away at. Its also something I have never heard of in all my years reading Bette Davis biographies. Its odd that a show critiquing Hollywood sexism would have Bette sleep with Aldrich in order for her to feel wanted and still desirable in the wake of her daughters harsh words. I dont need biopics to hew to the truth entirely, but Feud is still struggling with showing who these women were as artists or people. Fooey to your reviews! Photo: Cara Howe/Netflix Netflixs latest superhero adventure Marvels Iron Fist has received quite the critical drubbing in the lead-up to its March 17 release, both for being yet another story of about a white guy who goes to Asia and turns out to be just the best at martial arts and for being pretty uninteresting in general. While star Finn Joness attempts to address Iron Fists racial politics led to him to delete his Twitter account, the actor defended the show against larger criticisms in an interview with Metro UK. These shows are not made for critics, they are first and foremost made for the fans, he said, explaining that critics arent going to come into the show with the same expectations of diehard Netflix Marvel show fans, who, apparently, just want to kick back and chill. I also think some of the reviews we saw were seeing the show through a very specific lens. And I think when the fans of the Marvel Netflix world and fans of the comic books view the show through the lens of just wanting to enjoy a superhero show, then they will really enjoy what they see. See, to enjoy Iron Fist, you just have to want to enjoy it! Leave it to Danny Rand to produce a masterful koan. L-R: Shiri Appleby and Amy Schumer in the season-three premiere of Girls. Photo: HBO Spoilers ahead for Sunday nights episode of Girls. When describing her decision to keep her baby, Hannah is very clear about her desires. Shes always wanted to be a mother, she says. She understands that this will be hard, but its something shes always wanted, and she feels like this is her baby. Whether or not this is a long-held desire of hers, Girls has one moment that does weirdly foreshadow this development. Back at the beginning of season three, as Hannah and Adam are newly reunited and picking up some coffee at Rays new coffee shop, they run into Natalia (Shiri Appleby). Adam had a brief connection with her while he and Hannah are separated, including one famously troubling sex scene, and their relationship did not end well. So when they run into Natalia at Rays, its awkward. It goes from awkward to outright hostile when Natalias friend, played by Amy Schumer, starts in on what a disaster Adam is, and accuses him of getting Natalia pregnant and abandoning her. Its a prank; she is not pregnant. But the idea seems to stick, and when Natalia realizes who Hannah is, she turns the line around. Hannahs going to get pregnant unexpectedly, Natalia spits at her. Youre gonna end up with a baby that you dont know how to care for, she says, and Hannahs going to kill her kid with spoiled formula. Natalias pregnancy accusation is a specific response to that unsettling, deeply concerning sex scene: Adam was not using a condom. But its also a particularly pointed moment where the idea of motherhood and maternity, something that often lurks underneath the surface of this show, comes to the forefront. Natalia wields that threat like a curse, spitting the most horrible thing she can imagine at Hannah. Unexpected, unplanned pregnancy. Inept, disastrously failed parenthood. And now here we are, in the final episodes of Girls, and Hannahs unexpectedly pregnant and understandably anxious about what motherhood will bring. Unlike Natalias prediction, Adam is not the father of Hannahs baby. In retrospect, though, its not that Natalia is an all-powerful predictor of the future, or that shes retroactively a more important minor character than what we might imagine. Its more a reminder of how pervasive Girls consciousness of pregnancy has been for so long, and how much of the shows energy has been focused on the potential of this question. Especially in the context of plots like Carolines baby (and Adam taking care of her); of Jessas pregnancy, which was a feature in the pilot of the show; of Mimi-Rose talking about parenthood; and of Marnie once telling Charlie how much she wants to one day have his little brown babies, this Natalia scene feels of a piece with the rest of the series. The difference is, this time its about Hannah; and this time, Natalias threat lines up with Elijahs nearly identical prediction in Gummies Hannahs going to be a terrible mother. Its a testament to this series that while Hannahs pregnancy may feel out of the blue, and while there are pitfalls to using pregnancy as a series-ending plot to bring about personal change, we can also see that this concern has been part of the shows preoccupation all along. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for EJAF On Friday feminist author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave an interview with BBC Channel 4, during which she discussed what she sees as a distinction between the lives of trans and cisgender women. The Americanah author said in part, I think if youve lived in the world as a man with the privileges the world accords to men, and then sort of changed, switched gender, its difficult for me to accept that then we can equate your experience with the experience of a woman who has lived from the beginning in the world as a woman, and who has not been accorded those privileges that men are. Trans women and their allies subsequently took Adichie to task over the weekend for her comments. On Twitter, Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox offered a look back at her own experience growing up gender nonconforming. Cox did not specifically address Adichie in her tweets, but instead recounted her childhood as a feminine boy, a gender presentation that she recalls being scrutinized and punished by those around her: I was talking to my twin brother today about whether he believes I had male privilege growing up. I was a very feminine child though I was assigned male at birth. My gender was constantly policed. I was told I acted like a girl and was bullied and shamed for that. My femininity did not make me feel privileged. I was a good student and was very much encouraged because of that but I saw cis girls who showed academic promise being nurtured in the black community I grew up in in Mobile, Ala. Gender exists on a spectrum & the binary narrative which suggests that all trans women transition from male privilege erases a lot of experiences and isnt intersectional. Gender is constituted differently based on the culture we live in. Theres no universal experience of gender, of womanhood. To suggest that is essentialist & again not intersectional. Many of our feminist foremothers cautioned against such essentialism & not having an intersectional approach to feminism. Class, race, sexuality, ability, immigration status, education all influence the ways in which we experience privilege so though I was assigned male at birth I would contend that I did not enjoy male privilege prior to my transition. Patriarchy and cissexism punished my femininity and gender nonconformity. The irony of my life is prior to transition I was called a girl and after I am often called a man. Gender policing & the fact that gender binaries can only exist through strict policing complicates the concept of gendered privilege & thats OK cause its complicated. Intersectionality complicates both male and cis privilege. This is why it is paramount that we continue to lift up diverse trans stories. For too many years theres been far too few trans stories in the media. For over 60 years since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane from Europe and became the first internationally known trans woman the narrative about trans folks in the media was one of macho guy becomes a woman. Thats certainly not my story or the stories of many trans folks I know. That narrative often works to reinforce binaries rather than explode them. That explosion is the gender revolution I imagine,one of true gender self determination. On Saturday, Adichie clarified her statements, but did not retract them. Of course trans women are part of feminism, the author wrote in a post on Facebook. I do not believe that the experience of a trans woman is the same as that of a person born female. I do not believe that, say, a person who has lived in the world as a man for 30 years experiences gender in the same way as a person female since birth. Gender matters because of socialization. And our socialization shapes how we occupy our space in the world. To say this is not to exclude trans women from Feminism or to suggest that trans issues are not feminist issues or to diminish the violence they experience a violence that is pure misogyny. Lin-Manuel Miranda may throw away his sobriety, but hell never lose his love of rhymes. In a deleted scene from his episode of Drunk History, Lin-Manuel Miranda leaves a voice-mail message for Hamilton musical director Alex Lacamoire. Lock up your horses and daughters, he begins. Im getting fucked up on the couch with [Drunk History creator] Derek Waters. Then he gets into a frankly incomprehensible riff on the Super Bowl, Puerto Rico, and pineapples, which, if we understand the world of Hamilton correctly, means he just challenged Lacamoire to a duel. Sometimes, as I watch Porsha scream Take your pants off! 20 feet away from two people joining their lives together in holy Maui matrimony, or as Cynthia complains about a speedboat outing not being a yacht outing when she was clearly told it was a speedboat outing, my mind will wander to why I mess around with The Real Housewives of Atlanta at all. But only on The Real Housewives of Atlanta can you find a harrowing and nuanced story of abuse survival and self-growth told alongside a woman asking to be lifted in prayer so that her booty dont keep eating this swimsuit. Sundays episode of RHOA was an emotional roller coaster. I mean, I cried! At a Bravo show. In an episode that started with Kandi calling Porsha a lying, freak-ass hoe as she was dragged away by her husband. And I can swallow my pride and admit that if it means never having to see Bob, his 24/7 front-neck sweat, or his nasty no-responsibility-takin-trivializin-jerk-face ever again. But to get to that heartbreaking and very real story line, we first have to get through the rest of Kandis 3 a.m. dinner: shes running a special on seething rage, with a side of receipts. Kandi later swears that she was planning on not even talking to Porsha on this trip, but she pulled those color copies of Porshas shady text messages out of her pocket mighty fast. She also went from zero to 100 in a way Todd says he hasnt seen since Pillow Talk. Ill wait while you cleanse yourself with sage and gargle some holy water at the mere mention of Pillow Talk Where were we? Oh right, Kandi is telling Porsha that she damn near choked her, and Phaedra is telling Kandi that its not that big of a deal that Porsha told people she and her husband planned to drug her and bring her into their sex dungeon. Bear in mind, that is Not-Tiny-Todds 40th birthday, and he is celebrating by finding out that his girlfriend is a lying lunatic. (Porsha would want me to point out that she is now a lying lunatic who can refrain from wilein out when called a freak-ass hoe because character growth!) Kandi leaves the dinner table in a screaming rage, but the editors do us the favor of calming everyone down with a quick voice clip of precious Ayden telling his mom, Youre lucky to have this time all to yourself, on the phone the next morning. Then Phaedra gets another phone call from Kandi, telling her maybe it would be better if Porsha didnt go on their speedboat excursion. Porsha is fine with that development when Phaedra delivers the news to her wearing a one-piece that looks like she put a pair of suspenders on backwards. A swimsuit that she says she has had since she was 18. The entire time they were bouncing around in that speedboat, I could not stop thinking about how unsupported she was. Like I said, this episode was an emotional roller coaster. And here comes the first steep drop: As Sheree, Bob, Phaedra, and Kenya ride toward the water together, someone brings up how well Cynthia and Peter seem to be getting along. Sheree says she and Bob couldnt have gone on a trip together at the same point in their own divorce, and Bob reminds her that they did they drove to Vegas and he had the thought while she was sleeping that if he unbuckled her seatbelt and slammed on the brakes she would go flying through the windshield. This horrifying reveal then prompts Bob to say hes never hit her, making Sheree increasingly uncomfortable: Have I ever choked you? For real, have I? I might not remember. Sheree whispers that he has, and Bob smirks, Could you still breathe? Kenya dammit, I hate when Im forced to like Kenya, and she is just full of uncharacteristic levelheadedness this episode says thats not funny to joke about. And then this jackass says, I dont remember choking her, but if I did, Im sorry because maybe I didnt choke you hard enough. The rage that flowed through my veins, I cannot explain, but it immediately turned to sympathy as Sheree started quietly crying. Kenya, bless her heart dammit! leans forward from the back seat and hugs Sheree, saying shes so sorry and putting her body in between Bob and Sheree. Because: Fuck. Bob. Phaedra hisses at Bob that he needs to apologize, and he spews something about not wanting to be the one to make her cry and this is why theyre willing to do this again, which is to say, something that is 100 percent not an apology. Sheree says Bob has always been like Jekyll and Hyde: One side is a silly jokester, but on the other side is something dark. In her confessional she says she thought Bob had changed, but this takes her back to the cheating and the abuse: And I dont want my girls to ever be treated like that by a man. Then here I am thinking Im going to give that person another chance fucking stupid. Yall, it broke my damn heart. So I sure hope that speedboating lifted Sherees spirits a bit because it looked real fun. And everyone makes it off of the boat without having any kind of throwdown, which has to be a RHOA first. Cynthia apparently got so soaked she had to stop by the nearest Tommy Bahama for some fresh khakis before dinner, but everyone thinks its actually because she and Peter were doing the laying-down-twerk, to which I say: hunty, you finally got rid of him, get rid of him. But theres just no getting rid of nasty on RHOA, which is why in the middle of everyone finally having a good time at a meal, Phaedra proposes that she move her restoration service to ASAP because they need Jesus right now! And while that may be true, I dont think Phaedras knockoff restoration service in a Four Seasons hotel room complete with pinot grigio and Sharp White Cheddar Cheez-Its is going to accomplish much. But dammit if Phaedra isnt going to try because she wants everyone to be friends with Porsha again. But Porsha just wants to stir the pot, so when Bobs comments from the van come up, she asks Sheree if shes ever addressed what Kenya said about her being abused. Now, its clear in flashbacks that what Kenya was trying to say when Sheree basically said that Kenyas tendency to provoke people was reason for Matt to smash ever damn window in her house was that having been through abuse in the past, Sheree should know that its never the victims fault. Sheree took her pointing out her past abusive relationship as her mocking it, and they agree that it was a misunderstanding that festered. Its now 12:08 a.m., and the fact that Porsha said Kandi planned to drug her and drag her into a basement full of sex swings has yet to be addressed. Kandi tells Porsha that for as much as shes supported her, its crazy that she would throw her under the bus because Kandi said one (true!) thing Porsha didnt like. Porsha very maturely says, When you take low blows and say something about me, Im going to say something about you. So basically, if you said, Porsha, you got a haircut, and Porsha didnt like the haircut you were observing, she would tell everyone you have an addiction to hentai porn, your husband can only climax if you tickle his belly button, and once, in college, you did bath salts and killed a guy. Listen, shes just speaking her truth. This womans head is so full of Pop Rocks, she either doesnt know that shes admitting that she lied, or she doesnt know that lying is bad. Porsha finds this an apt time to say that she thinks Phaedra deserves an apology from Kandi for saying that she was cheating on Apollo before he went to prison. Kandi insists all she said was that Phaedra was talking to other men before Apollo went to prison, and Phaedra stumbles around so hard trying to get out of that statement, Im surprised she didnt fall over her own ass. It is now 1:08 a.m., and Cynthia makes the first correct assessment of the evening, saying this has been a monumental waste of time, and everyone excuses themselves. The next day Bob has Sheree meet him in a jewelry shop so that he can laugh when she tells him that it hurt her to hear him joke about something that is still so painful to her. And then he laughs some more because this man is a sweat-drenched sociopath. Sheree storms out in tears, telling Bob not to follow her. In her confessional, she says shes thankful she invited him, because this was a test, and he failed it: I dodged a bullet. And me? I cried for the second time during an episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Photo: Matthew Murphy/Come From Away When American airspace was closed in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, more flights were diverted to Halifax, and more passengers to Vancouver, than anywhere else. But the small town of Gander a former refueling stop in Newfoundland, with a two-person police force was probably the most altered, its population of about 9,000 swollen for nearly a week by the arrival of 7,000 plane people (and a few animals) who had been en route from Europe to the U.S. The enormous job of housing, feeding, and caring for them all is the subject of the unlikely and aggressively nice new musical Come From Away, which opens tonight in a production that reflects a triumph of the human spirit and an honorable mention of the theatrical. Its by no means the best musical on Broadway, but its surely the goodest. If that sounds cynical, perhaps New Yorkers may be permitted a bit of side-eye about a work that borrows our local tragedy as background for 100 minutes of Canadian civic boosterism. In the shows book (by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, themselves Canadian), Gander is portrayed as almost teeth-grindingly sweet, with its quaint traditions, Irishy accents, and complete lack of hostility. (As the story begins, antagonists in a bus strike share gossip and breakfast at a Tim Hortons.) If there were townspeople who did not relish the chance to lose five days of sleep helping the strangers, we do not meet them; it is only among the passengers, most of them Americans, that we are shown distrust, prejudice, and a sense of entitlement. Indeed, the theme and organizing principle of the piece is the change caused by the forced interaction. Not among the Canadians, of course; saints cannot be elevated any higher. But among the folks who have, in the title phrase, come from away, not one is left unimproved by spending time with the Ganderites. A gay couple from Los Angeles expects homophobia but finds acceptance; a repressed Texan divorcee reinvents herself sufficiently to snag an English boyfriend. When a black guy from New York finally gets home he realizes: I wasnt just okay I was so much better. That a story is basically true does not make it more believable onstage, which is why there are so few great nonfiction musicals. The authors of Come From Away have exacerbated the problem by fashioning their representative sampling of characters from composites of real ones. You can feel this in their vagueness. We arent so much given the mayor of Gander as a bunch of local mayors superimposed. The nervous young TV reporter who cutely mixes up the Elks and the Moose clubs has no particular characteristics except those that serve the action, partly because shes based on two different people. Not helping matters is the ambitious number of stories the show wants to tell. The cast of 12 plays at least 40 roles, both locals and plane people, most of them whizzing past our attention too quickly and indistinguishably (despite Toni-Leslie Jamess clever quick-change costume elements) to make lasting impressions. Even when they do, the shows pageantlike structure, in which bits of story are connected by setting and theme rather than by action, prevents those impressions from deepening over time the way they must. Theres a lot of snow in Gander but no accumulation. To make up for it, the production, tightly directed by Christopher Ashley, with a handsome woodsy set by Beowulf Boritt and fine lighting by Howell Binkley, does its damnedest to knock you into submission. The songs, also by Sankoff and Hein, are pleasant, in a folk-rock-meets-Celtic-revival vein that the show exploits with the mercilessness of a phlebotomist. (Cue the fiddle, bodhran, and uilleann pipes.) There is much spirited if obligatory stomping. (The choreography is by Kelly Devine.) The lyrics, though rarely well rhymed kitchen/ pins in? are unfailingly and sometimes absurdly uplifting, as for instance when the Ganderites describe their home as the land where the winds tried to blow / and we said no. Still, the songs are sung beautifully by the cast, mostly chorally but with occasional welcome solos to break up the monotony. The solos also allow two of the actors Jenn Colella, as an American Airlines pilot, and Q. Smith, as the mother of a New York City firefighter to develop characters instead of merely restating the themes divertingly. The whole question of diversion is uncomfortable, though, in a musical about something as fundamentally tragic as September 11. In facing the problem of making its story palatable as a stage work, Come From Away, despite its good heart, has possibly lost its way. A series of campy fantasy intrusions into the narrative a gym teacher who can translate for Spanish passengers appears as a full-dress torero; a chorus line of stranded cardiologists volunteers to clean bathrooms seems desperate. The hoary gay material feels like pandering or pinkwashing. (This even though Sankoff and Heins only previous musical was My Mothers Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, based, their bio says, on Heins mothers story.) And in the last 15 minutes, when it becomes clear that the emptying of the town as the airspace is opened cannot in itself produce a rousing finale, the show loses all self-control with several postscript sequences telling us all the hilarious and touching things that happened to everyone over the next ten years. The deaths of 3,000 people in New York and elsewhere are only gingerly mentioned; its like the child who cries for equal attention when another child is hurt. That it may succeed in making the audience cry is a testament to its fine qualities, which are sufficient to position Come From Away as a possible feel-good hit. Many of us are, after all, in a mood to think of ourselves as improvable by contact with Canadians. (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to attend the show on Wednesday.) The message of our common humanity that we all come from away, in a sense could hardly be timelier. But even openhearted locals may rankle at the glibness of the moral expressed at the end of the show: We honor what was lost. But we also commemorate what we found! Do we? In this cute musical theres a lot more of the latter than the former. Anyway, all the commemoration in the world cannot turn a civic virtue like kindness into a dramatic one. Come From Away is at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. *A version of this article appears in the March 20, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. Photo: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images Americas talented better get smizing: Tyra Banks has been crowned as a new host* on Americas Got Talent. According to Variety, AGT judge Howie Mandel announced Bankss new gig on Twitter. The former Americas Next Top Model host is taking over the vacancy left by Nick Cannon. Cannon reportedly quit the show after NBC threatened his job over a racially charged joke the comedian told in his Showtime special. Mandel will be joined by Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, and Mel B as judges in the next season, which will return summer 2017. *Correction: An earlier version of this post previously referred to Banks as a judge on the show, not the host. The Greater Waco Chamber and Greater Waco Aviation Alliance are sponsoring the ninth annual Freedom Ball to honor military personnel, past and present, and Gold Star families from 6:30 to 11 p.m. March 25 at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave. The event will include dinner, live music from the Walton Stout Band and dancing. Tickets cost $100 for general admission or $50 for veterans and active-duty military. Tables for eight are available for $750. Proceeds from Freedom Ball are used to provide scholarships to high school and college students pursuing careers in aviation- and engineering-related fields and to market the aviation assets of Greater Waco. For tickets, visit www.freedomballwaco.com or call 757-5600. Baylor faculty recital Randall Umstead, associate professor of voice at Baylor University, will present a free recital at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Baylors Roxy Grove Hall. Pianist Joseph Li, assistant professor of voice, will accompany Umstead. For more information, visit www.baylor.edu/music or call 710-3991. Seniors lunch program Lake Shore United Methodist Church, 3311 Park Lake Drive, will host a free lunch-speaker program for senior citizens at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Emily Haas, from World Hunger Relief in Elm Mott, will present What Does World Hunger Relief Do? Because of limited space, reservations are required by noon Tuesday. For reservations, call 754-7333 or 772-2506. Hewitt story times The Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court in Hewitt, will present story times for toddlers, ages 12 months to 36 months, and preschoolers, ages 3 to 5, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The toddler sessions will start at 9:30 a.m., featuring a Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! theme. The program for preschoolers will start at 10:30 a.m., featuring Dr. Seusss Green Eggs and Ham. For more information, call 666-2442. SCV meeting The Sons of Confederate Veterans will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Poppa Rollos Pizza, 703 N. Valley Mills Drive. Camp member Bobby Jones will speak about Haygoods 1st Regiment, S.C. Infantry. For more information, visit www.scv-waco.org or call 772-1676. Caladium bulb sale Waco Federation of Womens Clubs will accept orders through Wednesday for its annual Caladium bulb fundraiser. The No. 1 size bulbs are available in pink, white or red. Cost is $1 per bulb. The bulbs will be ready for pickup in early April. To order, call Janice Hernandez at 857-9230. The owner of the Barndominium will return to Lacy Lakeview City Council on Tuesday with a new request to operate, the first application under the citys new ordinance regulating short-term rental property. Since Kristi Bass first applied for a permit last summer, which the council denied, there has been controversy and chaos, she said. Two Class C misdemeanors, harassment by neighbors, personal attack by a council member, a plethora of media coverage, and a huge financial burden to bear. The time, energy and financial costs that I have shouldered over the past six months really cant be quantified, Bass wrote in her new permit application. Bass again seeks to legally turn the Barndominium into a short-term rental and now, a small wedding venue. She applied for the one-year permit Jan. 18 for the property, made popular by the HGTV program Fixer Upper when Chip and Joanna Gaines renovated the property for Todd and Lexia Meek in season 3, episode 11. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Lacy Lakeview City Hall council chambers, 501 E. Craven Ave. This time Bass comes before the citys elected leaders without her most vocal opponent on the council. Steven Moore resigned his seat Jan. 24. Moore lives near the Barndominium at 123 Spring Creek Road and filed a complaint to police about the facility, prompting Bass first citation. Council members have said the Barndominium differs from the other rental properties in the city, because homeowners live in those facilities. The city informed Bass after her first special use permit request was denied that she must stop operating the Barndominium as a business, but she has continued to offer it for rental. The site is listed on VRBO. Unfairly targeted Bass wrote in her application to the city that she has been forced to hire multiple attorneys since filing the first request. Bass said she has been targeted and unfairly treated and wants to extend an olive branch and help facilitate her end goal. I simply cant fathom anyones opposition to what I am proposing if they simply took the time to hear my heart, see my vision and openly consider the reality of the options, she wrote. Either way, Bass said, she must find a sustainable option to cover all the expenses and maintenance associated with a 2,700-square-foot home on 16 acres of land, with two lakes and dams and spillways. Bass makes note in her new application that if the property were subdivided and sold off, it would likely have 10 to 20 times more traffic, parking and lake issues. At $1,200 per night and a two-night minimum stay, the city could reap a lot of taxes collected from guests, she wrote. If the Barndominium were rented out only two nights a week with a city tax rate of 6 percent, that would bring in $7,400 of tax revenue per year, she wrote. Limiting impact In Bass application, she lists several factors that limit the propertys impact on neighbors: The building sits more than 100 yards from the closest home and from the cul-de-sac. It has a forest of trees surrounding three-fourths of the property. There are only two homes that have a view of the barn from their property. No roadside parking is needed. And all guests are vetted, among other factors. Although hosting weddings is not the primary component of the long-term vision of the property, Bass wrote, its only reasonable she should be able to keep this option available. Bluebonnets arent supposed to flower before daylight saving time springs forward. But here we are in mid-March, and families have already been clambering onto roadsides for weeks for pictures with Texas state flower, Lupinus texensis. The flowers started popping up in Waco, including along Highway 6, in late February, and now theyre spreading across Central Texas. Bluebonnets are coming about four weeks earlier this year than weve seen in the past, said Lee Clippard, spokesman for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. On Interstate 35, the roadsides are full of bluebonnets. Its very unusual. Clippard said you can blame or thank the unusually warm winter weather throughout the southeastern half of the United States, which has caused trees to leaf out up to 20 days early from Texas to New Jersey, according to a national study. Waco posted average February temperatures of 60 degrees, or 9.4 degrees higher than normal, according to the National Weather Service. February had two days with highs in the mid-80s, and the only freezing temperature was Feb. 16. Bluebonnets are now in bloom at Miss Nellies Pretty Place in Cameron Park, at Whitehall Park in Woodway and along West Highway 84, among other places. Clippard said the early onset shouldnt be a problem for the health of bluebonnets, at least in the short term. Bluebonnets are cold-adapted, he said. If we had a late freeze, they would only get nipped a little. One of the larger long-term threats is that they will come out of sync with the native bees and butterflies that pollinate them, and which dont come out until March. Clippard said bluebonnets usually peak in early April, but this year he expects a more gradual bloom period. City of Waco parks superintendent John Rose said he is hoping for a good showing of blooms in parks and roadways that his department maintains. Last year, the department mowed some bluebonnet areas in Cameron Park prematurely, drawing public complaints from wildflower lovers. This year, the department is planning to hold off on mowing until midsummer to give the bluebonnets and other wildflowers time to reseed. The city also spread 120 pounds of wildflower seed last fall, including about 8 pounds of bluebonnet seed, Rose said. We are planning on doing that every October or November, Rose said. Normally, it takes about three years to get a good stand. If we do it yearly, down the road we should get to where we should be. Clippard said municipalities and other landowners can encourage bluebonnets with some management practices that have been tested at the wildflower center. He said removing invasive species such as bastard cabbage and King Ranch bluestem helps. So does mowing around June, after the seeds have set. Some of the best results have come from prescribed burns, he said. Rose said he has considered prescribed burns to encourage wildflower growth, but he thinks it would be too risky to set fires near Cameron Park. Clippard said bluebonnets are tough plants that dont need irrigation or rich soil, but like other wildflowers, they sometimes need some human assistance to thrive in parklands. One common misconception is that we can just let it go wild, he said. Even natural spaces require management because of invasive species and because weve already interrupted the natural process. A Bellmead man was arrested Saturday after a 14-year-old girl and her mother were injured during a disturbance, Bellmead police Sgt. Kory Martin said. Jessie Lee Moreno, 64, was arrested after police were called to the 1000 block of Kane Street and found a 53-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter with visible injuries. Martin said the incident began as a verbal argument before Moreno hit the woman with his hands, Martin said. The 14-year-old girl heard the commotion, witnessed the assault and tried to help the woman, Martin said. Moreno then grabbed the girl's hair and kicked her in the face, according to Martin. The woman was able to stop Moreno from attacking the girl by hitting him in the groin, making Moreno leave the home. Police were called to the home after Moreno left the property. During the officers' investigation, Moreno returned and was arrested. Moreno was arrested on a third-degree felony charge of injury to a child and a Class A misdemeanor charge of assault. He remained in custody at the McLennan County Jail on Monday on a $16,500 surety bond. DALLAS When Texans ask state and local officials for public records detailing their operations, more and more the answer is no. The reason why is in dispute, partly because of the lack of some public records. Among the materials that are, in theory, publicly available: checks cut by a school board, tapes of 911 emergency calls, text messages between city council members. A quirk of the Texas records law, adopted almost 45 years ago, says that when officials deny the public the right to see something, they usually have to run that decision by the state attorney generals office. The number of those denials has been soaring. In the fiscal year that ended in August 2001, governments forwarded about 5,000 denied record requests to the attorney generals office for review. That number had jumped to more than 27,000 in 2016. Much of the increase has occurred in the last decade. The overall number of denials is actually larger than the data indicate. More than 80 agencies and local governments have gotten permission from the attorney general to automatically deny certain kinds of requests, such as those that reveal a persons birth date. Some experts say the prevailing attitude among governments in Texas has turned from a presumption that records should almost always be available to a belief that officials should release as little as possible. I think more governments have become more desirous of withholding information, many of them out there have a knee-jerk reaction, said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, which is largely supported by journalism organizations. But lawyers and government spokespeople say they are being flooded with demands for documents, many of which dont exist or that legally they arent allowed to make public. Requestors are submitting more requests, said Justin Gordon, the open records chief for the Texas attorney generals office. Reporters say one reason may be that officials have started demanding that they file open-records requests for information the government used to release without question. Getting to the truth is tough, in part because no statewide data exist on the total number of requests, so there is no way to know if the overall number is rising as fast as the attorney general reviews. Its also unclear if certain kinds of requesters such as reporters, private citizens, public-interest groups or businesses account for an outsized portion of the denials. The attorney generals office told The Dallas Morning News it could not release the names of those asking for records without weeks of review to ensure that every original requestor is not covered by privacy exemptions. For example, if the original requester was a victim of a crime, his or her name could not be released. The office says it does not keep tabs on how many requests involve certain kinds of information, and does not analyze the outcome of its reviews. It does post its rulings online, but in a format that is difficult to search and does not include the names of requesters. In at least some cases, the office makes government officials release some of the information they want to withhold, according to a review by The News of requests for the month of July going back more than a decade. But how often that happens is unclear. Requests up in smaller cities The two most populous cities in Texas, Dallas and Houston, actually referred fewer cases to the attorney general in 2016 than they did in 2005. But some smaller cities and large suburbs, especially in North Texas, submitted far more, The News found. Plano, the fast-growing suburban city 20 miles northeast of Dallas, asked for 85 reviews in 2015, up from none in 2005, according to state records. City attorney Paige Mims said officials are simply following state law and that many denied requests involve police records. Curtis Howard, legal adviser for the Plano Police Department, said the percentage of referrals had been holding steady at about 11 percent a year, but the sheer number of requests has jumped in the last few years. In 2015, Howard and his staff fielded 5,670 requests for records from the police agency, he said. In 2016, that number rose to 7,055 requests, a 24 percent jump. For the most part, police arrest records can be released, as long as someone has been charged, he noted. But arrests that do not result in a conviction or acquittal are not required to be made public. Police record requests are made by the media for newsgathering, but also by private citizens for use in divorces, vetting of potential employees and litigation. In Killeen, the number of information requests and the number of initial denials are rising fast. The city received 1,811 requests in 2010 and initially denied 173, or 9.5 percent, and forwarded those to the attorney general for review. Six years later, the number of requests had grown to 2,910. Of those 603, almost 21 percent, were sent to the attorney general. Traci Briggs, Killeens deputy city attorney, said many of the records people request are complaints that cant be released under privacy rules, describing them as who turned in my dog, who reported the water dripping behind my house records. AUSTIN Former Vice President Joe Biden pledged Sunday to work with President Donald Trump in the fight against cancer, a cause Biden took up in his final year in office and following the death of his son. It is my hope that this new administration, once it gets organized and Im not being facetious will be able to focus on and be as committed and as enthusiastic as we were in the goal of ending cancer as we know it, Biden said in a speech at the South by Southwest Conference in Austin. I will do everything in my power to work with the new administration. In his 2016 State of the Union address, former President Barack Obama tapped Biden to lead an effort to eradicate cancer as the world knows it, a project that later became known as the Cancer Moonshot initiative. A year earlier, Biden had lost his son to brain cancer at the age of 46. Biden said Sunday he was still optimistic that Congress could make strides toward rooting out cancer, even in the polarizing era of Trump. The core of Republicans in the Congress and Democrats are good, decent, honorable people being almost artificially separated by a new kind of partisanship, Biden said. Im confident we can break through it. But while listing clean air and water as ways to prevent cancer, Biden said it was notwithstanding the fact that some [people] in the new outfit are skeptical of global warming. I shouldnt have said it that way, Biden said to laughter. But it frustrates me. It frustrates me. "We have been informed that some employers who maintain large casualised workforces may be exploiting this provision in their rostering arrangements," said the NFAW submission, prepared by Curtin Law School associate professor Helen Hodgson. Liberal Senator Jane Hume says the super law is "archaic". Credit:Andrew Meares "For example women have talked of being employed by several different employers in the same industry, with each employer limiting the hours so that the worker remains under the monthly threshold. We believe that this also affects other groups of workers, including students." Anglicare Australia executive director Kasey Chambers said removing the threshold would allow "workers on low incomes, or multiple sources of low incomes, to build their superannuation". Cbus Chairman Steve Bracks says super payments should be paid more frequently. Credit:Wayne Taylor The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) argued the cost to government would be minimal and those on lower incomes would have a better retirement outcome. It agreed that removing $450 threshold also "removes an incentive for unnecessary casualisation of the workforce". "In female dominated industries where working for several employers is common, such as retail, hospitality and nursing, many employees are excluded from the SG system because the $450 threshold applies to only a single employer, not a combined income level," AIST said. We have been informed that some employers who maintain large casualised workforces may be exploiting this provision in their rostering arrangements Curtin Law Shool associate professor Helen Hodgson Women in Super chair Catherine Wood echoed these sentiments, saying that working for several employers was common practice in these industries. Historic reasons for the $450 threshold no longer apply, and "its removal would also contribute to simpler and better payroll systems". Chartered Accountants' Rob Ward has argued that the minimum income level of salary and wages of $450 per month needs to be increased to average weekly earnings or its monthly equivalent. Pay super with wages cycle Many of the submissions to the inquiry have also taken issue with the fact that super is paid quarterly. They want it paid more frequently, some argue in line with an employee's pay cycle. Cbus Chair Steve Bracks also called for superannuation to be paid at the same time as wages. "The quarterly payment cycle for superannuation can create a significant risk of non-compliance and significantly delay in detection where this occurs," he said. "The longer time between payments creates increased opportunities for something to go wrong and for payments to be missed." COSBOA chief executive Peter Strong suggests that rather than super being paid by employers directly into their nominated super fund, the ATO would administer it. "More needs to done to simplify the payment system," Mr Strong said. CPA's Paul Drum also said quarterly payments were hard for employees and the ATO to track and called for "real-time payment" of SG. Tax gap analysis tricky There is not a clear figure on how much is lost due to unpaid super every year, but most agree it's in the billions. Industry Super and Cbus released research earlier this year found employers failing to make compulsory superannuation payments are pocketing $3.6 billion per year from 2.4 million workers. Earlier this year it was revealed that more than 7000 Commonwealth Bank part-time staff are owed millions of dollars in unpaid superannuation entitlements. CBA said in its submission that it has started an internal review to pay out any employees still owed money. This process would be completed by June, it said. The ATO submission does not give a dollar estimate of what the actual cost of unpaid super may be. It says such a figure will be delivered as part of its "tax gap" analysis, which was supposed to be released as part of its annual report last year, but has been delayed. Inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi said while it was important to measure the tax gap - which includes giving estimates of taxes not paid due to unpaid super it may be politically unpopular as it required random audits. He said a big issue with unpaid super was that "by the time the ATO obtains the information about nonpayment of SG it is too late". "Most of the complaints we get are usually after their employment has terminated and they pluck up the courage to lodge a complaint," Mr Noroozi said at an earlier hearing. Sydney faces another day of thunderstorm activity as storms continue over inland regions and rains become more persistent. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts Sydney's rainfall on Tuesday to range from 25-45 millimetres, with "a thunderstorm likely, possibly severe", with heavy falls possible. The bureau has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms for the Sydney metropolitan area, north west slopes and plains, and parts of the Hunter, Illawarra, central tablelands, central west slopes and plains, upper western and northern tablelands districts. (See map below.) "Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in the [Sydney] metropolitan and parts of the Hunter, Illawarra and Central Tablelands districts," the bureau said in its 12.25 pm update. Locations which may be affected include Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Penrith, Parramatta and Katoomba. The Trump administration must step up and play a great role in our region, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Monday evening, as the rise of China and disputes over maritime boundaries present fresh challenges in the Indo-Pacific. In a speech delivered in Singapore, Ms Bishop delivered a full-throated defence of democratic institutions and regional norms, urging ASEAN members to champion democratic norms and institutions in the region. Ms Bishop, who recently met US Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser HR McMaster, also linked economic prosperity with nations' democratic institutions in her Fullerton Lecture. Following the election of President Trump, she argued, the Indo-Pacific region was in a "strategic holding pattern and waiting to see whether the US and its security allies and partners can continue to play the robust and constructive role that they have for many decades in preserving the peace". For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors A History of Education in The Bahamas Between the Pre-Emancipation Period 1734-1834 The Post-Emancipation and Modern Periods 1835-1947 Dr. Donald M McCartney, DM Part III The Early Post-Emancipation Period - 1835-1864 Education in The Early Post-Emancipation Period 1835-1864 This period in the educational history of The Bahamas was referred to as the beginnings or the foundation of an educational system. The period 1835-1864 was that period in Bahamian educational history immediately after emancipation. Between 1835 and 1864, the setting of the foundation of the education system in The Bahamas was challenged because it had to accommodate the white population and the freed slaves. The period, after the abolition of slavery, marked a new era for the education of the freed slaves. Slaves, up to this period, had had no right to an education either formal or informal. The Parliament at Westminster came to realize that it was not enough to liberate the slaves. It was felt that making the slave his master without preparing him to function in a democratic society was to resolve one problem and not be cognizant of the other problem(s) that would occur. Secondly, the Parliament at Westminster had to convince the colonial legislature to develop a policy to educate the freed slaves whom Westminster felt were their equals because they were the subjects of Her Majesty (Pegg, 1947). While the local Parliament resented the interference of Westminster in their local affairs with their property, the local former slave owners took it as their mission to assist with the education of those whom they had formerly owned (Pegg, 1947). The view was that a lack of preparation of the freed slaves to live free would make them a danger to the community and themselves. The proposed solution to the dilemma was to provide the freed slaves with mental, moral, and spiritual equipment to prepare them for the journey (Pegg, 1947). The proposed solution was, indeed, a lofty ideal to be achieved, but the how to achieve it was the problem. Hence, the birth of the apprenticeship system. According to Pegg (1947), It was to this that the program of emancipation made provision for the apprenticeship system, for extensive schemes of education and for the encouragement of the work of the various missionary bodies. This approach, perhaps represented the ideal, but what was the reality? The truth of the matter was that the abolitionists who were interested, in the eradication of slavery in the British Empire, which included The Bahamas, mounted assiduous external and internal campaigns. Despite noble efforts of the abolitionists, no serious thought or preparation was given to the education and the eventual assimilation of the freed slaves. Education was supposed to be the foundation of the social, political, and economic advancement of the freed slaves, but the lack thereof negatively affected their assimilation into the mainstream of Bahamian society (Craton & Saunders, 1998). Slavery was abolished in the British Empire by the promulgation of the Abolition Act of 1807. However, the Abolition Act of 1807, which was the precursor of the Emancipation Act of 1834, 27 years later, was designed to come into effect in The Bahamas on August 1 of that year. The Emancipation Act of 1834 was not the harbinger of immediate and complete freedom for the slaves. Beyond 1834, all slaves in the British Empire had to serve a compulsory period of apprenticeship. When the Emancipation Act was finally passed in 1834, it did not automatically give the slaves their freedom. Slave owners, understandably, fought hard against the emancipation of their slaves. It was felt that the slaves were not used to being independent and therefore the newly freed slaves needed help and training to be free men and women. The help and training was termed as periods of apprenticeship were not eliminated until 1840. The first apprenticeship period for ex-slaves, in The Bahamas, came to an end in 1838 (Craton, 1962). The second apprenticeship period, for ex-slaves, in other British colonies, ended in 1840. Despite the delay in full manumission for all slaves, no preparation was made for their social, political, economic, and educational assimilation into Bahamian mainstream society (McCartney, 2004). Many abolitionists considered the apprenticeship periods as slavery under a different name. The slave owners who claimed that newly freed slaves needed help and training made no effort to provide for the education and social adjustment the men, women, and children who were now free. When slavery was formally abolished, in The Bahamas, in1838, there were 10,086 ex-slaves in The Bahamas. The government attempted to provide education by building two central schools where the former slaves could be taught to read and write (Johnson, 1972). The schools were on the island of New Providence. The Bahamas is an archipelagic nation consisting of 29 major islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 rocks that cover 100,000 square miles of water. The implication is that the other islands were not serviced by the two schools in New Providence, thus excluding the slaves throughout the archipelago from obtaining an education. It is clear that educational opportunities for ex-slaves were limited (Craton, 1962). For example, in Grand Bahama, research has revealed that education was late in coming to the island. The earliest records indicate that in 1908, there were three schools in Grand Bahama. There was one Board school in Eight Mile Rock. This school was presumably the first school in Grand Bahama. The two other schools were Church of England schools. One school was at Smiths Point, and the other was at Settlement Point, West End. These schools were known as Grant-in-aid schools. In 1835, one year after the initial abolition of slavery, the imperial government (the Crown) made a grant of 25,000, which was equivalent to $75,000, for colonial education. In the same year, the Board of Education was established. By 1859, there were 26 public schools, but only 39 teachers. The total number of children in the board schools was 1,570 out of a population of 36,000. The total annual salary for all teachers was 1,920, which was the equivalent of $5,768. Due to the paucity of qualified teachers, the Board of Education relied heavily on the Monitor system. As stated earlier this system was known as the Madras or the Dr. Bells system of education, where more advanced students gave instruction to the students who were below their standard (Craton, 1962). In fact, the Monitor system was changed between the late 1950s and early 1960s. When I applied to become a teacher in 1963, I was classified as a Student Teacher. At that time, I was fully responsible for a class without having another teacher present. The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the WeblogBahamas (which has no corporate view). A History of Education in The Bahamas Between the Pre-Emancipation Period 1734-1834 The Post-Emancipation and Modern Periods 1835-1947 Dr. Donald M McCartney, DM Part IV Period IV The Mid Post-Emancipation and the Early Modern Periods 1865-1947 This segment in the saga of Bahamian education was referred to as the consolidation of the system and became the foundation upon which the modern Bahamian education was modeled. According to (Pegg, 1947), the period 1865-1915 (the first fifty years) in the fledgling education system was a repeat of and mirrored the previous decades. The system of financing was inconsistent, and teacher quality was seriously lacking. The feeling was that the low quality of teachers was, for the most part, due to low pay scales. Pegg (1947) commented, there were a few teachers with a sense of vocation and of a fair order of intelligence, but the vast majority were poorly equipped for their work whether by intelligence, abilities or zeal (p.211). In the midst of problems in the education system, there was a ray of hope and progress in the person of George Cole. As a result of Coles advent on the educational scene, great strides were made in education under his leadership. Cole began his teaching career in Harbour Island in 1867. Under Coles direction, the school in Harbour Island became a premier learning institution in the colony. Cole used his influence as an educator to recruit junior clerks and teachers from the age of fourteen, and as a result, the school became the recruiting ground for candidates for both the public service and the teaching profession (Craton and Saunders, 1992). Cole was promoted to inspector for his efforts and success in education. Coles influence was felt in the future as laws governing education, in the colony, were drafted based on the best practices that were instituted by him. Due to the paucity of funding for the education system, the solutions applied to heal the ailing education system were archaic at best. The solutions offered served as a band-aid for a system that was seriously ailing. The archaic solutions were evident, particularly, when it came to dealing with the teacher shortage by using the Madras System or the Monitorial System to which I referred earlier. The implementation of the Monitorial System became acute given the fact that it was abandoned by the teacher training college in Borough Road, London in 1852 (Pegg, 1947). The Monitorial System, since it provided an inexpensive source of teachers, remained in place for at least century in The Bahamas (Pegg, 1947). Despite the problems cited, there was some progress made to improve the education system. The Board of Education produced, which for its time, was an enlightened regulation in 1875, as it relates to the establishment of the payment of teachers based their qualifications. The payment of teachers based on their qualifications did not guarantee improvement in the delivery of the education product. The same problem exists today in the education system. Education became compulsory in 1877 but remained confined to New Providence and not the other islands in the archipelago. The implication for the then Out Islands was very clear, and would have a debilitative effect on education in The Bahamas well into the 20th and perhaps the 21st century. By the year 1878, education was made compulsory for both male and female students up to the age of twelve years. At this time, public education included fees. This practice was abandoned in 1892. The school leaving age was fixed at 14 in 1897. By 1899, compulsory education was extended to the other islands. In 1899, compulsory education was extended to the other islands. This extension of education to the other islands is in keeping with the research regarding the establishment of schools in Grand Bahama around 1908. During the period 1865-1947, denominational high schools dominated the educational scene in The Bahamas. The first denominational (private) high school to be established, in The Bahamas, was Queens College. This school was established under the auspices of Methodist Church. Queen's College is considered to be the oldest private school in The Bahamas. In 1890, the school opened its doors. In keeping with the social, economic, and political norms of the times, Queens College was a segregated educational institution. Other denominational high school institutions soon followed. Xaviers College, a Roman Catholic high school for girls, was established in 1899 becoming the second private school to open its doors. The school, like Queens College, was segregated. Xaviers College, at its inception, was known as St. Francis Academy. The School was housed in the Sisters of Charity Convent on West Hill Street. In 1931, the school was moved to a house on West Bay Street. During the years 1941 to 1942, the school was moved to the Hermitage on the Eastern Road. In 1943, Xavier's College was integrated when it accepted Jackie Curry (Malcolm) in 1943. The school was relocated to the Barracks on the grounds of Priory at St. Francis Xaviers Church on West Hill Street. The school was moved to West Bay Street on the site where the Xavier's Lower School is located. In 1967, Xavier's College merged with St. Augustine's College and became a co-instructional high school with boys and girls sharing the same teaching faculty, but in separate classes. Even though the government had established high school by passing the Education Act of 1804, it was not until 1925 that a pivotal decision was made by the government of The Bahamas to establish a public high school. The school became known as the Government High School. This school, like the conceptualization promulgated by George Cole, was established to provide a cadre of suitable candidates to staff the Public Service. The Government High School occupied Spartan premises in Nassau Court and was not housed inadequate premises until 1960 when it was moved to the site now occupied by the University of The Bahamas. Saint Augustine's College was founded in January 1945. It has been said that St. Augustines College was established to provide and educational institution for black boys. The school was first housed in three temporary classrooms in The Niche on the grounds of St. Frances Xaviers Catholic Church. In 1947, the College was moved to Fox Hill and classes met for the first time at the new site in January of the same year. It is interesting to note that the scholastic day lasted until 8 p.m. to provide a suitable place of study for the students. In 1947 the Anglican Diocese founded St. Johns College. St. John's College was the first secondary school in the Diocese, it was named after the patron saint of the Diocese. St. Johns College was established to provide high school education for black students who were Anglicans, but its doors were not closed to students from other faith communities. Since 1947 St. Johns College has always encouraged its students to achieve academic excellence and uphold high moral standards. The many Bahamians who hold positions of authority and who are making an invaluable contribution to the Bahamas evidence its many successes. Public education in The Bahamas, in 1947, was guided statutorily by a five-member Board of Education. The Board was responsible for the maintenance of schools throughout the islands of The Bahamas. The Boards, as was the British focus, was on primary education, which covered the education of students between the ages of 6-14. Education was provided, for the most part, through a system of grants-in-aid. Communities in the then Out Islands, that were prepared to establish schools where no government schools existed, were provided with financial assistance. The Public schools in New Providence consisted preparatory or infant schools for students 6-8 years of age, junior schools for students 9-11 years of age, and senior schools for students 12-14 age (Board of Education Report 1947, 14). I can vividly recall that student promotion from one grade level to the next did not depend upon age, however, but upon mastery of subject material. During this time, it was expected to find students three or four years above the average age of the class in which they were placed due to their inability to master the subject material for that class. Bethel (1992) said, In the rural areas of New Providence and in the Out Islands, where the numbers in individual settlements were often quite small, the all-age school model prevailed. It was acknowledged that the quality of education provided in the Board of Education schools was not of a very high standard and, in many cases, that available in grant-in-aid schools was even poorer. Schools were often overcrowded and located in inadequate physical facilities. According to Bethel (1992), Prior to 1947 students in Board schools received only twenty-two hours of instruction per week as contrasted with the thirty hours per week prevalent in the United Kingdom. In that year teachers voluntarily agreed to raise the hours of attendance to twenty-seven and a half (Board of Education 1948, 3). Teaching materials were limited and in short supply. The majority of teachers had received little or no training and possessed only modest academic backgrounds. If you are too young to know, and if you are too old to remember, permit me to inform some of you and refresh the memory of others, 1947 was a time when Truant Officers monitored school attendance in New Providence. The Truant Officers were a vital and essential to the education of students because truancy was rampant mainly when cruise ships were visiting the island. In the Family Islands, absenteeism was prevalent when students had to travel to New Providence, the need for older siblings had to assist with the harvesting of crops, and the incidences of colds that prevented children, who lived far away from their schools, from attending on days of inclement weather (Board of Education 1948, 14). According to Dr. Keva Bethel (1992), in 1947 the schools supported by the Board of Education had an (including monitors who received part-time instruction) of 12,473 students. This number included monitors, who were perhaps instructed after normal school hours. Queens College, Xavier's College, the Government High School, St. Johns College, along with the public schools such as they were, at the time, have produced not only leaders within the Public Service of The Bahamas, but also many of The Bahamas national, educational, and business leaders. An examination of the educational history and sacrifices of families of the period will show that many of us who are participating in this conference sponsored by the University of The Bahamas are beneficiaries of the turbulent history of the periods discussed in this presentation. Postscript: The final segment of the History of Education in The Bahamas is still a work in progress. It covers the period 1948-1967. Works cited and referred to will be published at the completion of the final segment. The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the WeblogBahamas (which has no corporate view). Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 13, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 13, 2017 | 03:36 PM | PADUCAH, KY A Paducah man was arrested Sunday afternoon in McCracken County, after the lawnmower he was riding away from the scene of a reported burglary ran out of gas. The McCracken County Sheriffs Department says deputies were dispatched shortly before 4 p.m. to a report of a suspicious person with several gun cases riding a lawnmower in the area of Fairview Drive. Deputies located and identified the man riding the mower as 25-year-old Timothy Sams of Paducah. Deputies said that when they questioned Sams about the items, he said he owned them. As deputies continued their investigation they grew suspicious that Sams was not the rightful owner of the items. Deputies said Sams had a wallet that clearly did not belong to him, which was found to be taken from a home on Gatewood Drive. During their investigation, deputies learned that another home on Palisades Circle had been burglarized. They then contacted the out of town homeowner, who was able to give detailed descriptions of the mower, and other items that Sams had in his possession. Deputies reportedly found several items that had fallen off the mower during the getaway. Sams made it about a half mile before the mower ran out of gas. When deputies tried to arrest Sams he attempted to flee, striking one of the deputies in the face. He was then taken into custody and booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail without further incident on charges of 1st degree burglary, resisting arrest and assault. Detectives say they are still following up on additional burglaries that they suspect Sams may have committed. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Advertisement By The Associated Press Mar. 12, 2017 | NASHVILLE, TN By The Associated Press Mar. 12, 2017 | 04:06 PM | NASHVILLE, TN Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is pushing his state to become the first to make community college free to almost every adult. Liberals and conservatives remain divided about how much taxpayer money should go toward ensuring more people graduate college. But a critical shortage of skilled, qualified workers is building rare bipartisan consensus that government needs to push harder to educate today's workforce. "The free college movement has gained support from the left and the right, albeit for different reasons," said Thomas Harnisch, director of state relations and policy analysis for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Liberals see free college as a social justice matter that benefits low-income students, he said, while conservatives see it as a way to bolster the workforce without significant spending. Tennessee made history three years ago when Haslam pushed the passage of an education bill offering free community college to new high school graduates, a first in the country. That same legislation made state technical schools free to all residents, no matter how long ago they graduated. Former President Barack Obama's attempt to pass a similar federal program was a non-starter with Republicans in Congress, but several states followed with their own variations and more are considering them. Haslam now wants an expansion one that would make Tennessee the first state to offer free community college to nearly all adults without a post-secondary degree or certificate. The proposal still has to pass the state's Republican-dominated legislature, but the House and Senate speakers have said the measure is expected to sail through. Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world As Utahs premier nursing education institution, the University of Utah College of Nursing aims to develop health care leaders whose actions transform the health of individuals and communities around the world. The institution prepares nursing, gerontology, and health professionals at all education levels. US News & World Report ranks the College of Nursing No. 11 in the nation for nurse-midwifery, No. 22 for Doctor of Nursing Practice, No. 30 for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and No. 38 for online MSN. The College excels in research, boasting a total grant portfolio of $35 million while ranking #22 in the nation in research funding from NIH. Loading... What a task this is. Elena Ferrante's four Neapolitan novels, fiercely beloved by fans, brought to life over two parts and five hours. That's still a major act of selection and compression, and there are times when My Brilliant Friend scuttles and skips when you want it to bed in, delve deep. But this is nonetheless a huge achievement: adaptor April De Angelis and director Melly Still have made an epic stage show that is absolutely as addictive as the books. The Neapolitan novels have been likened to a binge-watch box-set, to be consumed greedily; this is a theatrical equivalent. The time in the stalls flies by, as the years do in the six decades of friendship and rivalry between Ferrante's protagonists, Lenu and Lila, growing up in an impoverished neighbourhood in post-war Naples. Tricky task, too, for the actors inhabiting these roles Ferrante's characters are so vividly drawn, their relationship such a feverish, complicated mix of love and hate, jealousy and support. It's still rare to see such a candid portrayal of female friendship, and that goes for the theatre as much as literature. Happily, My Brilliant Friend is very well cast: Niamh Cusack's face flickers with every conflicted emotion Lenu feels, her hunger and her neediness, her admiration and envy, while Catherine McCormack has the animal magnetism Lila demands: scornful yet seductive, one moment wild, the next cleverly calculating. They zing off each other. They must also cover a vast amount of ground. If my heart sank initially at adult actors playing little girls, it soon rose again: this is a delightfully unaffected production. There's no annoying voices or simpering, yet some looseness of limbs and ardency of emotion makes you simply know these middle-aged actresses are children, or teenagers. There's not too much straining to be Italian, either, thank god: actors all speak in their own accents, and dialect is evoked through liberal use of British swearwords; "twat" and "shithole" seem perfectly appropriate in their lively but hard-scrabble neighbourhood. I'm a fan of the books, and found it hugely enjoyable watching them come to life. I loved settling in for the long-haul. But what someone who hasn't read them would make of the show is harder to predict. I suspect the salami-slicing of the vast plot marriages and break-ups and children, underlying battles of power and corruption and violence could be bewildering, and rather frustrating. While Cusack and McCormack form the beating heart of the show, the rest of the 12-strong, busy cast take on several roles apiece. The books have a huge web of characters and subplots, here often skimmed over. De Angelis and Still manage to stage this vast amount of material with levity and brevity, but at times it does become a breathless whirl of exposition, characters barely introduced before they're ditched. Some performances especially, sadly, portrayals of older women stray into cheap caricature, which doesn't help. Still, there's plenty to draw the viewer in: condensed as it is, the soapy, melodramatic elements of the plot go to work on you. But De Angelis' adaptation has real verve too. Seeing the story in one sitting, you're very much confronted by the violence physical, emotional, existential that men inflict on women in all strata of society. History repeats itself. Misogyny rumbles down the generations. Yet Lenu and Lila never feel like victims: there's tremendous spirit on display. De Angelis allows the feminist arguments of Ferrante's work to live and breathe, and while they snarl in the face of patriarchy, they also laugh in it. These women will not, in the end, allow men to "fabricate" them, contain them, define their terms of existence and success. This production also, happily, feels like a distinctly theatrical take on its material: it's no wannabe-movie. Cars are made with lamps, the sea with billowing silks. Exaggerated, expressionistic silhouettes or (sometimes less successfully) suggestive movement sequences are used to imply mental breakdowns or ruptures. Puppetry both adorably evokes Lenu and Lila's babies, and chillingly stages domestic abuse. Jon Nicholls' hard-working sound design transports us, both geographically with the blare of city traffic or the rush of the ocean and chronologically, with snippets of pop hits from The Beatles to Bowie pegging the years as they rush by. It's matched by Malcolm Rippeth's lighting, which also helps clarify the switchblade fast changes of scene. And with a stripped-back playing space covered in rusty fire escapes and scaffolding, designer Soutra Gilmour suggests something of the scruffy, claustrophobic nature of the Naples neighbourhood, even if the theatre's wide stage makes a suitably grand canvas for this epic story. My Brilliant Friend runs at the Rose Theatre, Kingston until 2 April. As is seemingly the done thing these days, a peeved fan has launched a petition to have Barcelonas Champions League remarkable win over PSG replayed because he refuses to acknowledge the result. Luis Olmedo, a Real Madrid supporter, started a petition over the weekend on the basis that Barca supposedly received several favourable refereeing decisions on their way to overturning PSGs 4-0 first-leg lead at the Camp Nou last Wednesday. As per the accompanying blurb at Change.org, heres Luis mission statement: Hi everyone, my name is Luis Melendo Olmedo and I want to request the replay of the Barcelona PSG match for the following reasons: INCIDENTS that seriously harmed PSG. As a result of the refereeing of the German Deniz Aytekin, that benefited to F.C Barcelona, I ask for the disqualification of the referee Deniz Aytekin for his serious mistakes made during the match. I can award evidence to anyone who wants to see it. He then goes on to provide links to several videos of iffy decisions he has deemed beneficial to Barca the penalties, potential red and yellow-card offences, etc. At time of writing, well over 93,000 fans (presumably of Real Madrid and PSG affiliation) have added their signatures to the petition. After surpassing the 75,000-mark, Luis is now planning to submit it to UEFA for their perusal, who, in turn, will presumably file it swiftly under bin. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/03/2017 (2066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Harvey Smith, a former city councillor who served the West End for more than three decades, has died. Smith, 80, died Sunday at Victoria Hospital after a short illness, according to a statement from the Canadian Union of Public Employees. He had been living in care since falling in his home last summer. Harvey was a social justice activist his entire life, said long-time friend, Paul Moist, a former leader of CUPE. Harvey fought hard for affordable public transit and on a host of inner-city issues such as infrastructure and housing. Smith represented the Sargent Park ward from 1980 to 1986 and the Daniel McIntyre ward from 1998 until 2014. He was an NDP MLA in the Ellice constituency from 1986 to 1988. He was known as a community advocate and social activist. Earlier this year, I took Harvey to the re-opening of Sherbrook Pool. Smith fought against talk of closing the 80-year-old facility and was very proud that the refurbished facility remains open for inner-city families, Moist said in a statement. Daniel McIntyre Coun. Cindy Gilroy said the re-opening of the Kinsmen Sherbrook Pool after being closed for four years is part of his legacy. She last saw him at the re-opening party on Feb. 18. The city could have gotten rid of that and he worked hard to keep those doors open, she said in a phone interview Sunday night. I got to see him at the Sherbrook Pool opening, so it was great he got to see his legacy open before he passed and was able to be there. Gilroy defeated Smith for his seat, but the lifelong West End resident said there was never any hard feelings between the two and she approached Smith before running to inform him of her plans. We respected one another. We got along and felt similar about the community and there was no ill-will. He took on a lot of issues I am passionate about and he will be missed, she said. He was really a community champion. He was somebody that advocated for the people in Daniel McIntyre. He really cared about his constituents. Janek Lowe / Winnipeg Free Press Files Harvey Smith in 2010 Prior to his life in politics, Smith was a teacher and a school librarian in Winnipeg School Division No. 1. He was born in the city, but raised in British Columbia where he earned degrees from both the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, according to CUPE. Details will be announced later this week regarding a memorial service. Smith was known for returning constituents calls, but could rub some of his fellow councillors the wrong way. In 2013 he posted a set of fake street signs in his wards worst back lanes with the name of then mayor Sam Katz and members of the executive policy committee to draw attention to the poor condition of the laneways. If you want people to live in these wards, you have to maintain them, Smith said at the time. There are newer neighbourhoods across the city where money is being spent but not in these areas. Smith eventually convinced his council colleagues on the governance committee to cover the cost of the $1,600 as a ward expense. In 2010, Smith lost support from the NDP to back him in the municipal election, instead choosing to devote its resources to Keith Bellamy, a constituency assistant to then Winnipeg Centre MP Pat Martin. Smith said he was going to retire, but changed his mind and won the 2010 election, defeating Gilroy by 108 votes and Bellamy by 352 votes. He was also involved in a well publicized incident in 2007 when city health inspectors declared his Alverstone Street apartment unsanitary and unfit for human habitation after finding mouse droppings, a large accumulation of garbage, filth and hoarding of items throughout the suite. John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press Files Smith named crumbling back lanes in his ward after then-mayor Sam Katz and members of the executive policy committee. Local political leaders took to Twitter to talk about Smiths death and offer their condolences. Very saddened to learn of Harvey Smiths passing. He was a committed civic & provincial leader, a passionate voice for the inner city, said Mayor Brian Bowman. Condolences to friends & family of former City Councillor Harvey Smith, a man who truly devoted his life to public service #mbpoli #wpgpoli, tweeted Premier Brian Pallister. Very saddened to hear of Harvey Smiths passing, a tireless advocate for working people, former councillor and NDP MLA. He will be missed, said interim NDP leader Flor Marcelino. Coun. Jeff Browaty stated: Sorry to hear about the passing of Harvey Smith. While we saw many things differently, he truly cared about the people he represented. Saint BonifaceSaint Vital MP Dan Vandal, a former Winnipeg city councillor, wrote: RIP Harvey Smith, a tireless advocate for social justice & for Winnipeg. In a series of tweets, St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard said: Rest in peace Harvey Smith. My condolences to your family. You gave your life to public service and through dialogue made Winnipeg a better place. I had the honour of working with you at city hall, I will always remember your energy when you were passionate about an issue. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Diaper-wearing baby boomers are coming to the rescue of the beleaguered paper industry. As the world population ages, sales are climbing for absorbent hygiene products that have gotten more comfortable and discreet. Demand is projected to grow four per cent in 2017, according to ERA Forest Products Research, boosting prospects for companies including International Paper Co. and Domtar Corp. Theyre expanding production of the moisture-capturing fibre known as fluff pulp used in diapers and tampons. The shift is providing welcome relief for an industry hurt by the emergence of the digital era and paperless communication. As North American producers expand output of fluff grades, the market for traditional pulp is tightening. Prices have been rising in recent months with more gains expected, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. U.S. retail sales for products targeting adult incontinence reached almost US$2 billion in 2016 and are projected to rise another nine per cent in 2017 and eight per cent in 2018, said Svetlana Uduslivaia, the head of industry research at Euromonitor International. In 2012, there were 562 million people globally ages 65 and older, and that increased almost 10 per cent by 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As the baby boomers those born from 1946 to 1964 join those ranks, the growth will accelerate. The population of older people is projected to reach 1.6 billion by 2050. In turn, demand for fluff pulp will grow at about three per cent a year, Domtar estimates. Demand for traditional paper has been eroded by increased digitization, as people turn to e-readers and emails instead of books, letters and memos. North American printing and writing paper demand has been shrinking since 2001 and dropped 3.9 per cent in 2016, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The majority of the business is in secular decline, at least on the paper side, Nicholas Estrela, a spokesman for Domtar, said. We dont consider ourselves anymore as papermakers. Were fiber innovators. As incontinence products improve, the market could continue to grow. A quarter to a third of men and women in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence, according to the Urology Care Foundation. Todays adult diapers are more sophisticated than the bulky, more clinical-looking products of the past, Euromonitors Uduslivaia said. People dont necessarily feel like theyre old, Uduslivaia said. They want something that not just helps them to get that level of protection, but is really sort of discreet and dignified. Bloomberg News President Trump has accused Obama of wiretapping his campaign facilities during the election. Kevin Lewis, Obama's post-presidency public relations spokesman said, "Neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen." Oh, really? In May of 2013, attorney general Eric Holder authorized phone taps, including traces, timing of calls and email interruption of 20 Associated Press reporters to determine who was providing information ahead of White House press releases and conferences. Judge Andrew Napolitano said, "this is the first time that the federal government has moved to the level of taking ordinary, reasonable, traditional lawful reporter skills and claiming they constitute criminal behavior." Put another way, had Obama been president instead of Nixon, the providers of information to the Washington Post would have been quashed. Should the wiretapping be proved and the unlikely event Obama is telling the truth, then we have unlawful, unaccountable rogue forces loose in our government. Besides causing havoc, rogue forces (often military in nature) have a nasty habit of of overthrowing lawful governments and instituting dictatorial governance. Obama and his organizing for America Soros funded sabotage operation needs to get out of Washington. His kids are almost out of school, so he needs to go back to Chicago and focus on his presidential museum where he can highlight his legacy of turning the finest medical system in the world into the post office, hollowing out our military in the middle of fighting a region-wide war, and raising our national debt to $20 trillion by spending more than all prior presidents combined. Bill Klein, Springfield Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Indian and Metis Friendship Centre has scheduled election of a new board in an effort to keep the facility running on its own. The vote is scheduled for April 4. The North End community centre, among the oldest friendship centres in Canada, is facing an uncertain future when it should be preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The North End community centre, among the oldest friendship centres in Canada, is facing an uncertain future. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press files) Federal and provincial funding of $369,740 was frozen in December. Torn by internal turmoil and feuding factions among its board and staff, the centre also faced the prospect this year of being booted out of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres. The statement on the elections offered no new details on the internal struggle or its relationship with its parent association. The association could not be reached Monday for an update. The centre has nine directors and all the seats are open for election. To qualify, candidates must be a voting member in good standing who has held a membership at least 14 days prior to the meeting. Memberships cost $1. Once elected, directors must provide a criminal record and child-abuse check before taking their seats. Documents provided to the Free Press show the centre had ignored a deadline to agree to have the provincial association take over the Winnipeg facility under third-party management. The centre has had five executive directors in the current fiscal year. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. West St. Paul School teacher Kevin Rempel has been to places in the world where having a safe home and education are luxuries. When Rempel visits one of those places later this month as a volunteer to help build an addition to a school in El Tizate, Guatemala, he will also be the conduit for students from his school and students in the Central American village to make connections with each other. Rempel has created an art exchange project with the theme of identity that involves students from five West St. Paul School classes and five classes in El Tizate. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS In centre, West St. Paul School teacher Kevin Rempel is going to Guatemala during spring break to volunteer to help build a school in a village called El Tizate. He is taking about 100 pieces of art created by student in grades 2-8. Christian La,13 and Halle Dupre,13 are holding their art that their teacher Kevin will also be taking with him on his trip. When I went there (in previous trips), the people helped me with so many non-material things, like seeing the joy they have in simplicity. You cant put a price tag on that. How their lives are about family and quality time. Its not about material wealth, said Rempel, who will make his fourth visit to Guatemala from March 26 to April 2. I had the idea of the theme being identity because although theres differences between us, thats something that can be celebrated and theres a lot of similarities that we share. Were a global community and we should be caring for each other. The West St. Paul students have created more than 100 original works of art Rempel will carry with him and deliver to the students in El Tizate. When he returns, he will bring back similar artwork made by the El Tizate students, which will be displayed in West St. Paul School. The school also hosted a Coffeehouse Talent Night on March 10 hoping to raise $1,000, which Rempel will deliver along with the artwork to assist in the schools expansion. Ive been to this town two other times and Ive built relationships with some of the people, said Rempel, who is joining forces with the host organization Global Shore Opportunities (GSO) which is heading up the El Tizate school-building expansion project. He will be accompanied by his mother, Maria Rempel, who is fluent in Spanish and will be helping out with everything, including serving as a translator. A non-profit mission organization based in southern Ontario, GSO has been involved since 2004 in El Tizate assisting people in that community on many levels such as education, sustainable housing, food hampers and job creation. Just last night, I was looking at a picture of one family (he met) with their three kids living in corrugated tin (hut) with a dirt floor. This organization has helped those children to go to school, their mom has a job working at the school and the eldest daughter is teaching in the school, he said. The art exchange project is a hands-on experience that will help expand students world view, Rempel said. The cool thing about this project, in my mind, is the intercultural learning piece, Rempel said. For the students at West St. Paul School, Im hoping that it will help create empathy and help them realize the importance of global citizenship and that were all connected with each other. No matter our differences, its good to celebrate our similarities and the power of education. There is artwork from classes in grades 2, 4-5, 7 and 8 in the portfolio Rempel will deliver to the El Tizate students. Students from Rempels in-school club called Leaders in Training (LIT), whose members include 14 Grade 8 students, took on leadership roles in various aspects of the project and contributed artwork. At the centre of each piece of art is a circle, like a sun, which reads, I am. Radiating outward are beams of colour, each with a word that the artist uses in describing her or his identity. The El Tizate students have done the same project. When we send out our pictures, I hope that they might see that sometimes they like the same things. We like things that they like, so we can share a connection, said Christian La, 13, a LIT member and one of the artists. Flip over each piece of artwork, there is a photograph of the student artist and an autobiographical paragraph on the back. The artwork will arrive laminated and ready for display. I thought it was really cool that you could just write about yourself and share it with other people in Guatemala. I did things on mine like characteristics about myself, even things I wish I didnt have about myself, things Ive completed, where I was born, my birthday, said Halle Dupre, 13, another LIT member. I think its going to be nice for them to see that were caring about them in a different country, thinking about how they are and sharing our life with them. I think lots of the personality traits are going to be similar. Rempel said it has taken organization, co-ordination and co-operation within the West St. Paul school to pull the project together so the leadership roles taken on by the LIT students were valuable contributions. Why they like coming to the group is they do have a voice and theyre empowered to do things that make a difference, Rempel said. Maria Rempel will translate the paragraphs into Spanish and the El Tizate students paragraphs into English. Another piece to Rempels project is fundraising. The LIT students and Rempel, along with another WSP teacher, Michelle Thompson, put on a Coffeehouse Talent Night in the schools gym on March 10 from which all the proceeds more than $2,500 will assist with the El Tizate schools building expenses. During the fundraising event, Rempel said the 50/50 draw was won by a Grade 5 student who donated the $120 he won back to the event. He said about 180 people, including seven of his former students from his first year of teaching at West St. Paul School, attended the event to support the project. ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A seething Premier Brian Pallister said Monday that intimidation and threats are no way to get a federal-provincial health-care deal done. Pallister repeatedly refused to tell reporters if Ottawa has now set a deadline for Manitoba the lone holdout in the country to sign off on a new deal with the federal government. It doesnt matter. I dont care, so youll have to ask them if theyve set a deadline, Pallister said. Im not going to be intimidated by threats. People use techniques sometimes that they shouldnt. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Premier Brian Pallister repeatedly refused to tell reporters if Ottawa has now set a deadline for Manitoba to sign a health-care-deal with the federal government. Pallister said that Manitoba had been the leader in trying to negotiate a better deal for health-care transfers, but what started out as a united front crumbled as the other provinces and territories cut side deals one by one. A federal source said Monday that it is not really the case that a hard deadline has been imposed for Manitoba to sign. However, last week it was still up in the air as to whether or not Manitoba would lose out on additional targeted money for home care and mental-health care in 2017-18 if it does not sign the deal before Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau tables his budget March 22. If that is the ultimatum being issued, Manitoba could lose out on $41 million in 2017-18. Pallister praised B.C. Premier Christy Clark for getting extra funding for her provinces opioid crisis. Pallister has told the federal Liberals that he wants extra funding for Manitoba to deal with indigenous health care and Canadas highest rates of kidney disease. Pallister wouldnt be drawn into criticizing other provinces for leaving him as last premier standing. Im an old union guy. Solidarity is what it is, he said. Divide and conquer is no way to negotiate health care. Im not happy with a pick-them-off side deal on health care. Manitobas budget comes down April 11. Ottawas negotiating with the provinces has not left a single province or territory with a better deal on health funding than was offered in December. That was three per cent a year in guaranteed annual increases to the Canada Health Transfer, as well as additional dollars for home care and mental health. Ottawa offered $11.5 billion to be shared by all 10 provinces and three territories based on per capita divisions over the next decade. Manitobas share is in the neighbourhood of $414 million based on population, of which about $228 million would be earmarked for home care and $186 million for mental health. Ottawa did sweeten the pot with some provinces, offering Saskatchewan one year to prove private MRI clinics are not clogging up the public waiting list, and providing Alberta and British Columbia with some money to help with the opioid crisis. Weve made a historic $11 billion offer to provide better health care for all Canadians, and weve been able to reach agreements with all 12 other provinces and territories. As a result, families in every other jurisdiction in the country can look forward to better health care, particularly in the urgent priorities of mental health and home care. We know that Manitobans would also like to see the benefits from an agreement as well, Andrew MacKendrick, Health Minister Jane Philpotts spokesman, said in a statement Monday night. Pallister sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau March 1 requesting $60 million over the next 10 years for chronic kidney disease, as well as collaboration on indigenous health-care programs and an end to a 14-year-old dispute over medical transfers for First Nations residents. Manitoba says it is owed $34 million since 2003 from Ottawa for transfers of patients among health facilities. In the legislature Monday, Pallister targeted the three-MLA Liberal caucus for not supporting him. He told the house that MLA Jon Gerrard should stand up, stop clapping his hands for Ottawa. Stop putting partisanship ahead of the people of Manitoba. Manitoba stands to receive $1.355 billion from the Canada Health Transfer in 2017-18, an amount that is already written into the budget. That is an increase of $45 million over 2016-17. Under the 2004 health accord, provinces received annual increases of about six per cent a year. The previous Conservative government first announced its intention to change that in 2011, setting out the plan that would see the 2004 health accord extended until the end of this fiscal year. Then starting in 2017, the transfer would increase three per cent or the equivalent of national GDP growth, whichever was more. The Liberals are following that plan. Pallister arrived in the house Monday clutching printed quotes from prominent federal Liberals who while in opposition slammed former prime minister Stephen Harpers government for coming up with the plan their party is now implementing. Meanwhile, Pallister continued to unload on Trudeau when he again implored Ottawa to help Manitoba deal with asylum-seekers before a tragedy occurs in the frozen fields at the border. We are all fortunate, those of us who care about humanity, that no one has died, Pallister told reporters, appearing to choke up. We have a flood coming here. We have people walking down a flood plain looking for hope, he said. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/03/2017 (2065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This week, I had the honour of representing the riding of Winnipeg South Centre in a historic session of Parliament, one comprised entirely of women. This historic initiative celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation. The goal of the week-long event was to encourage and increase the representation of women in elected positions at all levels of government. Daughters of the Vote, spearheaded by Equal Voice, selected one woman from each of the 338 federal ridings to take their seats in the House of Commons. Our group was as diverse as it was large and included students in fields ranging from chemical engineering to social work, as well as many young women already working in industries such as fisheries and social enterprise. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A Daughters of the Vote event, organized by Equal Voice Canada, took place in the House of Commons in Ottawa on March 8. On March 8, International Womens Day, our group of 338 marched from the National Arts Centre up to the Centre Block and into the House of Commons. Thirty of our honourable members gave speeches on topics ranging from income inequality and youth suicide in northern communities to their experiences with the rise of Islamophobia. While in the House, we were addressed by the leader of each federal party, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. I am encouraged by the participation of and support for our delegation from a host of federal ministers and parliamentarians on both sides of the aisle. Earlier in the week, newly appointed Minister of Democratic Institutions Karina Gould spoke to our group. Gould, the youngest female cabinet minister ever appointed, gave an inspiring talk about why she chose to enter politics at a young age. She shared with us that she thought now was the best time for her to join political life because government is busy forming policies that will impact her over the course of her lifetime. I have been interested in the political process for as long as I can remember. The first speech I ever drafted was on Nellie McClung and the womens suffrage movement in Manitoba. It may seem there are enough women involved in politics. For example, Trudeaus cabinet has gender parity, the leader of the official Opposition is Rona Ambrose and the Speaker of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly is Myrna Driedger. But the fact is, we have a long way to go in this country. Only 26 per cent of the MPs in the House of Commons are women. In Canadas 150 years, only 315 women have ever been elected as members of Parliament. This week, when 338 of us took our seats, we represented more women than had ever been elected to that chamber. In Manitoba, in the 100 years since women won the right to vote, only 51 women have ever been elected to sit in the legislature. In that same time, 755 men have been elected. The United Nations recommends a country have a minimum of 30 per cent women in elected positions to ensure that public policy reflects the needs of women. Any less than 30 per cent presents a democratic deficit, one where our democracy is not being fairly or completely represented. Women have valuable learned experience and expertise to bring to the legislatures and parliament in this country. Women increase the richness of debate and raise the level of discourse that is imperative to implement the best legislation possible. Women hold many viewpoints and increase the diversity and consideration of a governing body. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau also spoke to our group and, quoting Manitoba Sen. Marilou McPhedran, she said, Change does not occur because we want it to occur or because its fair for a just society. Change occurs because people engage in the process. That is what the Daughters of the Vote is trying to do and that is what each of the delegates from the conference has been tasked with as we return to our ridings engage in the process and work for change. This is not just a task for the 338 of us who were in Ottawa. Each day we can work to encourage and increase the representation of women in elected positions at all levels of government. We can ask questions such as: how are we supporting the women in our lives to consider a role in politics? What can we do to develop women who are confident and prepared to pursue a political career? How can we educate others on the benefits of increased diversity and inclusion in all levels of government? More women in government doesnt just benefit women, it creates better policy for everyone. In a society with increasingly complicated and multifaceted problems, we need all of our best and brightest minds working to create solutions. Jacqueline Keena is a University of Manitoba agribusiness graduate. She lives in Ottawa and attends Carleton University. The Pines yield lush, layered sounds with vivid, imagistic lyrics and a filmmakers keen eye for detail and framing. Their songs are inspired by the Midwest; they explore the vast expanses around and above them, finding beauty in the isolated towns and farms that dot the landscape and the array of stars that dot the night sky. The core band features songwriters David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey with keyboardist (and Bensons brother) Alex Ramsey. Surreal and sublime, they combine acoustic instruments against atmospheric keyboard backgrounds. Rolling Stones David Fricke has called the band quietly gripping, and though most of the 10 new, original songs on Above the Prairie were captured in just a couple of takes, the album resonates as their most beautiful, accomplished and emotional work to date. CHARLESTON -- A century ago, Izora Story witnessed, and wrote about, what's still one of the deadliest tornadoes in Illinois history. "God certainly went through Charleston on May 26, 1917, and showed the people His power to protect as well as His power to destroy," was one of Story's observations. But another note told of corridors "filled with women screaming and begging someone to hunt their children." It's more the call for help and the answer that came, rather than the destruction and devastation, that Bill Lovekamp plans to address when he talks about the tornado Sunday. Lovekamp, an Eastern Illinois University sociology professor, is scheduled to conduct a presentation on the 1917 tornado at the Coles County Genealogical Society meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Rotary Room of the Charleston Public Library. Lovekamp said his presentation will be about 15 minutes, then he'll open it up for questions and comments. Lovekamp concentrates in a part of sociology that looks at disasters and emergency services. He said he started researching the tornado about two years ago. "It's less about the damage and more about the human side," he said. What was actually several tornadoes ripped through this part of the state on that day 100 years ago, and the 101 killed make it the third deadliest in Illinois history. "It clearly exceeded the capacity of the local community to respond," Lovekamp said. It led to "countless" examples of people searching for missing neighbors and similar efforts, he said. "It built a strong bond in the community," Lovekamp said. The year of the tornado also coincided with the formation of the Springfield chapter of the American Red Cross, which covered the Coles County area then as it does today. Its help with the tornado was the chapter's first official disaster response. The chapter actually formed to help World War I troops moving across the country by railroad but soon added its disaster-response role, area chapter Manager Valerie Goodwin said. "It's interesting to see how people rallied around the people in need," she said. What kind of commemoration that will take place around the time of the actual tornado anniversary is yet to be determined. Lovekamp is working with EIU climatologist Cameron Craig, who has a film production company, on a documentary about the tornado. Lovekamp said the goal is to have it ready to air on the university's WEIU-TV close to the anniversary date. Lovekamp compiled a display from a variety of sources with Story's quotes, newspapers and other materials from the time and more that's being shown in the north foyer of EIU's Booth Library. Another display in the libarry's foyer is one Craig compiled called "Nature's Fury: Weather Technology Past & Present." My Cargo Coffee Shop friend Charlie was elated with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristofs recent column that noted the anomaly of how excited we get about the possibility of terror attacks, but fall asleep whenever we talk about Americas real problem: guns. Charlies been saying for years that people ought to put things in perspective. Yes, terrorism is for real, but its threat pales with what we do to each other every day because of our fascination with guns. Kristof pointed out that Donald Trump fires off all-caps tweets over the refugee issue, but wants to ease rules on guns apparently to please his donors at the National Rifle Association. In the four decades between 1975 and 2015, terrorists born in the seven nations in Trumps travel ban killed zero people in America, he wrote. Zero. In that same period, guns claimed 1.34 million lives in America, including murders, suicides and accidents. Thats about as many people as live in Boston and Seattle combined, he added. According to Kristofs calculations, Muslim Americans, both those born in the United States and those who immigrated and became citizens, have murdered 123 Americans since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Thats 123 out of 230,000 murders in the country during the same time. The point is that we seem to devote all our energy and outrage to one problem while ignoring much bigger ones. In fact, the columnist noted, Americans are less likely to be killed by a Muslim one in 6 million than for being a Muslim one in a million, adding that ladders kill more Americans than Muslim terrorists do, same with bathtubs, stairs and lightning. And, interestingly, husbands are incomparably more deadly in America than jihadist terrorists. Thats primarily because they have ready access to guns. Kristof notes that in most countries, husbands typically send their wives to the hospital. In the USA they send them to the cemetery. Yet, while Trump makes a grandiose stand on shutting out immigrants and refugees from brutal governments, hes promised to make it easier for gun owners no more gun-free zones in schools, for instance. Meanwhile, the Republicans who control the House of Representatives already have voted to overturn an Obama administration rule to keep firearms out of the hands of people deemed mentally ill. Obama had ordered the Social Security Administration to send records of some beneficiaries with severe mental disabilities, too severe to handle their own financial affairs, to the FBIs background check system. If youre mentally incapable of handling your personal affairs, it was assumed, you probably shouldnt be toting a gun. There are mental health advocates, it should be noted, who disagree that all those who cant handle their financial affairs because of a mental health disability are violent. One of our columnists, Russell King, for instance, insists that the regulation would have automatically and unfairly stigmatized anyone who has a mental illness as violent. But I dont think the NRAs toadies in Congress were thinking of that nuance when they decided the Obama regulation was an infringement on Second Amendment rights. Their mantra is, simply, that no one should be denied a firearm. The House charged ahead with an extreme, hastily written, one-sided measure that would make the American people less safe, charged Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat from Connecticut where the Sandy Hill Elementary School massacre occurred at the hands of a mentally ill, gun-toting misfit. The GOP-controlled Senate concurred, and, of course, the terrorist-obsessed Donald Trump signed the bill. As Kristof pointed out in his column, the evidence suggests that if we really want to make Americans safer, then we should require universal background checks and work hard to get guns away from domestic abusers, those with alcohol and drug abuse problems, and others obviously unfit to carry guns. So, he suggests, dont fall for furious tweets that peddle an ineffective policy that is morally repugnant. Charlie would agree completely. ST. CHARLES, Ill. (AP) Shootings that left three people dead in suburban Chicago appear to be a murder-suicide carried out by a man who fatally shot his teenage twin daughters and wounded his wife before killing himself, police said Sunday. The bodies were discovered Friday in St. Charles. Police said the man and his wife both called 911 to report the shootings. St. Charles Deputy Police Chief David Kintz said Randall Coffland told a police dispatcher that he shot his 16-year-old daughters and his wife, 46-year-old Anjum Coffland. She told dispatchers in a separate call that her husband had shot their daughters and shot her in the legs. Police later found the bodies of the two girls and their father. All had been shot once in the head, and a handgun was found near Randall Cofflands body, according to investigators. Anjum Coffland was taken to a hospital, where she was in fair condition Sunday. Kintz said detectives are still trying to piece together what led up to the shootings. He said police responded to a report of domestic trouble last month, but nothing physical was reported during the incident. Police have said the Cofflands were married, but that Anjum Coffland didnt live in the condominium where the shooting took place. Kintz said detectives had not determined as of Sunday why she was in the home at the time of the shooting. Kintz said two guns found in the home will be tested to determine if one or both were used in the shootings. He said the husband had a valid Illinois Firearm Owners Identification card. A delegation from Beaver Dam recently returned from a two-week mission trip to Liberia, West Africa. Mark Molldrem, Sue Bentz and Morgan Moreau left the wintry weather of Wisconsin to endure the hot and humid tropical weather of Liberia, six degrees off the equator. We go on these trips to make a difference for good, Molldrem said. It is his fourth time in Liberia since 2007. He teaches at the Lewis T. BauerLay Leaders and Ministers Training Center in Totota, about two hours from the coastal capital, Monrovia. I fit into the training curriculum for the evangelists and deacons of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, he said. This was the third trip for Sue Bentz since 2011. She goes to an elementary school in Zeansue to teach at one of the church schools. This time Bentz, a librarian at Moraine Park Technical College, organized the schools library, cataloging all the books. She also held a teachers training session to help the local teachers do an even better job. It is such a joy to be with these Liberians. I feel I get more from them than what I can give them. I know we are all blessed by being together, Bentz said. She also was able to teach children. This was Beaver Dam High School senior Morgan Moreaus first time in Liberia. I have always wanted to go to Africa and when I saw this opportunity I just had to take it, she said. I got to know the people in Friendship International and they helped me get ready. It took a little convincing for her parents to fully get on board with the mission trip, but after seeing her excitement and the arrangements being made by Friendship International for her safety and well-being, they became just as enthusiastic as she was. Two weeks is a long time to be gone from school, but my teachers where so supportive and helpful that it was not that difficult. I took a couple text books along to study in my spare time, Moreau said. There was not a lot of spare time for Bentz and Moreau because besides tending to the school in Zeansue and its sister school in Gbartala, they visited two medical clinics nearby and spent time at Blessed Kids Day Care in Totota. The children loved Morgan and gathered around her with smiles and hugs. She taught the children how to play Duck, Duck, Goose and gave them three Dr. Seuss books. I learned that they didnt really know about ducks and geese, so we thought to change the names to Dog, Dog, Chicken. They have those in Liberia, Moreau said. One of the culturally challenging things they saw was the boiling, squishing and eating of bamboo worms, a very large larva about the size of a mans thumb. They simply eat them whole, head and all, like we would eat popcorn. I simply could not do that, Moreau said. I tried many of the other dishes of food that they had to share, however mostly rice with spicy toppings of cassava leaves or soup. The fresh fruit (banana, pineapple and papaya) was fantastic. The trip took 24 hours each way. The three travelers filled the two weeks with visits to three hospitals, two farms, an orphanage, shopping at an outdoor market and a souvenir shop, and a tour pf downtown Monrovia. I want to be a doctor, Moreau said. I will be going to Marquette University next year and this experience will help put into perspective all my studies, so that one day I can return to Africa and help provide medical care to many of the people in need, especially the children. Bentz said, I no longer can view my life, my work and my relationships in the way I did before going to Liberia. I am so much more grateful than I have ever been. Plus, I want to make sure my life counts for good and helps others out in all that I do, whether in Wisconsin or Africa. Vandalism Friday at 7:07 a.m., a student reported that clothing was damaged in a locker room at Beaver Dam High School, 500 Gould St. Theft Friday at 9:21 a.m., a woman told police that her purse was stolen at Benvenutos, 831 Park Ave. The purse was later turned in to the staff. Misc. Friday at 11:17 a.m., a man walked into the Beaver Dam Police Department building, 123 Park Ave., to report a possible underage party. Fight Friday at 2:04 p.m., there was a fight at Beaver Dam Middle School, 108 Fourth St. Threat Friday at 3:47 p.m., a 12-year-old boy in the 100 block of Lakecrest Drive told police that his 12-year-old girlfriends father threatened him. Everyone was warned and advised to not communicate to each other via social media. Theft Friday at 7:27 p.m., a man told police his sunglasses were stolen in the 300 block of Rosendale Street. Drugs Friday at 9:30 p.m., a man was taken into custody for possession of drug paraphernalia near the South Lincoln Avenue and East Mill Street intersection. Disorderly conduct Friday at 11:06 p.m., someone in the 500 block of West Street told police about a possible fight. Intoxicated person Friday at 11:30 p.m., a traffic stop near the West Mackie Street and West Street intersection resulted in a man being cited with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The man was arrested and was transported to jail. Theft Saturday at 11:12 a.m., a 63-year-old woman reported that someone stole her purse while she was inside a business in the 800 block of Park Avenue. Her car was unlocked. Accident Saturday at 11:18 a.m., someone reported that a 42-year-old man and a 57-year-old man were involved in a vehicle accident in the 600 block of Gould Street. Theft Saturday at 11:38 a.m., a 47-year-old woman in the 400 block of Lakeshore Drive told police that someone went through her vehicle and stole $50. Disorderly conduct Saturday at 7:42 p.m., someone in the 1600 block of North Spring Street reported a possible fight. There was a verbal argument between a woman and someone in a truck. Disorderly conduct Saturday at 8:46 p.m., there was a report of children being disruptive in the Shopko parking lot, 822 Park Ave. Intoxicated person Sunday at 12:12 a.m., a traffic stop near the North Spring Street and Beichl Avenue intersection resulted in a 66-year-old man being cited with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Fight Sunday at 12:50 a.m., an officer came across two men fighting near the North Center Street and Front Street intersection. Both men were cited with disorderly conduct. Vandalism Sunday at 3:12 a.m., a 21-year-old man reported vandalism to his vehicle while he was working at Applebees, 115 Industrial Drive. Intoxicated person Sunday at 3:16 a.m., a traffic stop near the South Center Street and Rowell Street intersection resulted in a man being cited with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Vandalism Sunday at 11:56 a.m., a vehicle was egged in the 400 block of Fourth Street. Drugs Sunday at 7:22 p.m., a 17-year-old boy was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of tobacco at Edgewater Park. Intoxicated person Sunday at 11:22 p.m., an officer witnessed a vehicle driven by a 20-year-old man hit a light pole in the 1600 block of North Spring Street. The man was cited with underage drinking. Melissa Love Gozinske Melissa Missy Love Gozinske, 67, Beaver Dam, went home on Friday, March 10, 2017. All the days ordained for each one of us have been written in Gods book before one of them came to be. Well done, good and faithful servant. Melissa is survived by her husband of 25 years, Tom Gozinske of Beaver Dam. A private graveside service will be held at St. Patricks Cemetery in Ripon. The Koepsell-Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is caring for the family. To leave online condolences, or for directions and other information, please visit our website at www.KoepsellFH.com. PARDEEVILLE Tanner Johnson had been a busy young man. At a recent meeting to plan the ninth annual Bulldog Stomp scheduled for May 6 at Pardeeville High School Tanner, a PHS sophomore, rattled off a long list of businesses that hed visited, to seek sponsorships, donations for the silent auction or permission to hang a Bulldog Stomp poster. His peers showed they were impressed although they, too, had been out pounding the pavement for the annual run-walk to raise money for the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. What started in 2009 as an idea to help out a community member who was struggling with cancer (who, by the way, is surviving and thriving) became one of Columbia Countys biggest annual events. Last year, it attracted about 400 participants and many more spectators. With participants registration fees, sponsorships, raffles and a silent auction, the event last year raised about $24,500, said Pardeeville Student Council adviser Chris Lynch well above the goal of $23,000. This years goal: $25,000. Lynch noted that the proceeds from a recent Bulldog Stomp, about $16,000, paid for a research project to probe the causes, and potential cures, for brain cancer. But as important as the money is for the cause of cancer research, Lynch said, the Bulldog Stomp also is a vital learning experience for the numerous students who volunteer to put on the event. They reach out into Pardeeville, and beyond, to tell adults what the Bulldog Stomp is all about, and to ask for their help in making it a success. On the Bulldog Stomps Web page (phsrunwalk.com), one anonymous participant wrote, Overall a very well-organized event! Keep up the good work! Senior Dawson Holtan observed, It shows how the community comes together. Added Senior Mikayla Brouette, It shows us how we have an impact on peoples lives, and how many people are impacted by cancer. The planners (including some adults) gathered around a table in Lynchs art classroom at PHS, and they went around the table sharing what theyd accomplished, and what challenges they faced. For instance, sometimes theyd call on a business, and the manager or owner wasnt available. Or, an employee would express skepticism, or say no to a request for a contribution prompting the students to decide how to ask again, with the goal of getting a yes. Its real life experience for the students to apply their leadership skills, Lynch said. Often, the way that the students connect with a would-be donor or sponsor is by inviting them to talk about how cancer has affected their lives. Wbat often turns the tide, Mikayla said, is know that the money theyre giving can possibly help find cures. The state has fewer people enforcing environmental standards and is seeking fewer fines against polluters. Twenty-two hospitals across Wisconsin havent offered emergency contraception to rape victims, as required by law. Administrators were slow to disclose a hazardous liquid oxygen spill at the King Veterans Home near Waupaca and lied about providing a report on the incident to a concerned citizen. The State Journal reported that news and so much more over the last year by filing open records requests with various units of government. Its a reminder of how vital transparency rules are to keeping elected officials and bureaucracy open, honest and accountable for their actions and spending. This week is Sunshine Week, when journalists across the country celebrate the publics right to know what government is doing. The importance of Wisconsins open records and meetings law, as well as the federal governments Freedom of Information Act, remain critical elements of democracy. President Donald Trump is calling the free press an enemy of the American people. Hes outraged by the leaks and disclosures of information that he had praised when someone else was in the White House. Being president isnt a perk for the privileged. Its a huge responsibility that demands integrity, dignity and discipline. Open government laws arent optional. Along with a free press, they are absolutely essential to democracy. And you dont have to be a journalist to find out whats going on. Anyone can file a request for documents or attend a public meeting. A sample open records request can be viewed at go.madison.com/recordsrequest. The good news is that state agencies in Wisconsin are responding more quickly to public requests since Gov. Scott Walker ordered improvements a year ago, according to reporting by State Journal reporter Matthew DeFour. That trend must continue, with governments at all levels including the president being forthright about the peoples business. FORSYTH Clay projects are lined up on a shelf next to the window in the art room at Decatur Christian School. Bowls, cat figurines and even cupcakes. We used cupcake liners, said Rebekah House, a fourth-grader. Students put the clay into the liners to create the bottom of the sculpture and made the tops by shaping them like bowls, adding a little knob on top to represent a cherry. They look real. It's making me hungry, joked school Administrator Randy Grigg. As a small, private school, Decatur Christian's annual budget for art for kindergarten through eighth grade is only $200, said art teacher Yocelyng Stark. That's not much to buy supplies for all those grades, and prevents trying anything really new. So she wrote grants, and Decatur Area Arts Council and the Illinois Arts Council came through with a $325 grant which. That money, along with some donations, bought enough clay and tools to allow her to teach a unit on sculpture. Most of the kids had never used artist's clay before. Second-grader Benjamin Funk said Stark showed them how to work the clay into a ball and then smooth it out into circles which could be sculpted into shapes. His project was a cat. The school doesn't have a kiln, Stark said, so she chose air-dry clay that doesn't need to be fired. Before making their sculptures, she had the children draw plans for their creations, including the colors they wanted to use to paint them, so it became a project that used several art skills at once. Older students made bowls, and fifth-grader Kate Miller included some gold coin-shaped decorations inside her bowl that made a striking effect when it dried. Stark has written grants to other entities as well, and found almost $2,000 between grants and donations to buy supplies for other projects. It was one of those great things, Stark said of the clay project. It's not your standard clay and it's not Play-Doh. We had a lot of practice with building things with coils and slab building. It was a great opportunity for them to do a sculpture with something as easy to work with as clay. Public Health PhD Graduate Receives Scholarship with Harvard Dr Soter Ameh, a Wits School of Public Health PhD graduate, was selected for the Bernard Lown Scholars Program at Harvard School of Public Health. Dr Soter Ameh, a Wits School of Public Health PhD graduate from the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit Agincourt, supervised by Professor Steve Tollman, has been awarded a scholarship to Harvard.Has was selected as a Lown Scholar with the Bernard Lown Scholars Program in Cardiovascular Health at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. Previously Dr Ameh won the first prize for the oral presentation in the Faculty of Health Sciences and the second prize for the Cross-Faculty oral presentation at the Cross-Faculty Symposium which was held in March 2016. The Lown Scholars Program was established in honour of Dr Bernard Lown, a world-renowned cardiologist and activist, whose career has advanced public health globally. The Program is designed to create an international cadre of talented health professionals who will use public health tools and strategies to prevent cardiovascular diseases and promote cardiovascular health in developing countries, as defined by the United Nations. Since its establishment in 2008, The Lown Scholars Program has supported the work of more than two dozen Lown Scholars from Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. The program has identified three topical areas of priority for 2017, including cardiovascular health in urban poor, universal primary healthcare and health inequities and psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease Lown Scholars are invited to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston to take two courses during the U.S. Summer 1 term (July 6th to 28th, 2017) and to stay for a one-week workshop after the end of the term (through August 4th) to develop a research proposal with their mentors. Dr Ameh will conduct a study on an integrated chronic care model for HIV and cardiovascular health in Nigeria using his research grant of USD 50,000. The following companies are subsidiares of Eaton: Abeiron III Unlimited Company, Aeroquip Iberica S.L., Aeroquip-Vickers, Aphel Technologies, Argo-Tech, Arrow Hose & Tubing, Azonix Corporation, Babco Electric Group, Baricide Inc., Beijing Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Blinda Industria e Comercio Ltda., Bussmann International Holdings LLC, Bussmann International Inc., Bussmann S. de R.L. de C.V., CBE Services Inc., CEAG Notlichtsysteme GmbH, CLS (Canada) Company, COBHAM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, CTI-VIENNA Gesellschaft zur Prufung elektrotechnischer Industrieprodukte GmbH, Cambridge International Sarl, Cannon Technologies Inc., Chagrin Highlands III Ltd., Cobham, Cobham Mission Systems Davenport AAR Inc., Cobham Mission Systems Davenport LSS Inc., Cobham Mission Systems FWB Inc., Cobham Mission Systems Orchard Park Inc., Cobham Mission Systems Wimborne Limited, Cooper (China) Co. Ltd., Cooper (Ningbo) Electric Co. 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KG, FHF Funke+Huster Fernsig GmbH, Flight Refuelling Limited, Funke+Huster GmbH, GeCma Components electronic GmbH, Gitiesse S.r.l., Green Holding S.a.r.l., Green Motion SA, Grupo Desdemona S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Otello S. de R.L. de C.V., Hein Moeller Stiftung G.m.b.H., Hernis Scan Systems A/S, HuanYu High Tech, IE Power, Innovative Switchgear Solutions Inc, Institute for International Product Safety G.m.b.H., Integrated Hydraulics, Integrated Partial Discharge Diagnostics, Internormen Technology, Jeil Hydraulics, Joslyn Sunbank Company LLC, Kaicheng Funke+Huster (Tangshan) Mining Electrical Co. Ltd., Lian Zheng Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. 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(2012) Ltd, TGM Automotiva, TTMC Holdings Inc., Technocontact, Telkom Kenya, The MTL Instruments Group Limited, Tractech, Tripp Lite Holdings Inc., Tripp Lite of Canada Corp., Trippe Manufacturing Company, Turlock B.V., Tuthill Coupling Group, Ultronics, Ulusoy Elektrik Imalat Taahhut ve Ticaret AS, Winner Hydraulics Ltd., Wright Line Holding Inc., and Wright Line LLC. Read More Tyler Technologies, Inc. provides integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector. The company operates in three segments: Enterprise Software; Appraisal and Tax; and NIC. It offers financial management solutions, including modular fund accounting systems for government agencies or not-for-profit entities; utility billing systems for the billing and collection of metered and non-metered services; products to automate city and county functions, such as municipal courts, parking tickets, equipment and project costing, animal and business licenses, permits and inspections, code enforcement, citizen complaint tracking, ambulance billing, fleet maintenance, and cemetery records management; and student information and transportation solutions for K-12 schools. The company also provides a suite of judicial solutions comprising court case management, court and law enforcement, prosecutor, and supervision systems to handle multi-jurisdictional county or statewide implementations, and single county systems; public safety software solutions; systems and software to automate the appraisal and assessment of real and personal property, as well as tax applications for agencies that bill and collect taxes; planning, regulatory, and maintenance software solutions for public sector agencies; software applications to enhance and automate operations involving records and document management; and data and insights solutions. In addition, it offers software as a service arrangements and electronic document filing solutions for courts and law offices; software and hardware installation, data conversion, training, product modification, and maintenance and support services; and property appraisal outsourcing services for taxing jurisdictions. The company has a strategic collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Services for cloud hosting services. Tyler Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas. NEOGA The seeds have been planted for new growth. The Neoga school board has approved hiring a new teacher, Michaela Smith, for the district's reinstated agriculture program. "Neoga is focused upon building a dynamic, full-time agriculture program, and finding the right person to lead this new venture was critical," said interim Superintendent Beth Pressler after Thursday's vote. Smith will serve as the full-time agriculture teacher at Neoga Junior-Senior High School this fall after graduating in May from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Pressler said Smith grew up on her family's farm near Wayne City in Southern Illinois, remains active in FFA at the college level and plans for an active FFA chapter in Neoga. "Quite simply, she brings a wealth of varied experiences and accomplishments that will benefit our students and this program," Pressler said. The Neoga school board had voted in May 2015 to eliminate the agriculture program as part of several actions taken to deal with the district's budget deficit at the time. On Thursday, the board approved recommendations for the new coursework for the reinstated agriculture program. Pressler said the courses will cover introduction to the agricultural industry, agricultural science, agricultural business and management, agricultural construction, two levels of agricultural mechanics, and a supervised agricultural experience, all for the high school; plus a junior high agriculture course. In addition, Pressler said the agriculture program is slated to offer a horticulture course starting in 2018-19. She said they will need to seek funding for a new greenhouse for this course. Pressler said Smith has "hit the ground running." She said the lab classroom will undergo minor remodeling and be equipped with new computers and an interactive white board to support the agriculture program. "We are excited about the new program with its heavy emphasis upon STEM and preparing our students for the future in farming," Pressler said. She added that Smith is planning a "get to know you" event in the near future so that she can meet students, parents and community leaders. Lemon Project symposium to focus on black revolutionary thought The seventh annual William & Mary Lemon Project spring symposium will explore black revolutionary thought, from the early 19th century to today. The two-day event, planned for March 17-18, will feature a keynote address by Lester Spence, associate professor of political science and Africana studies at Johns Hopkins University. The symposium, titled Black Revolutionary Thought from Gabriel to Black Lives Matter, will also include presentations by scholars from W&M and other institutions. This years theme was chosen to raise awareness of revolutionary thought in the African-American community from its earliest days on this continent, said Jody Allen, Lemon Project director and co-chair. As we explore this history, it is imperative that we contemplate its meaning for us today. The Lemon Project is an ongoing research initiative at W&M that is examining the historic and modern-day relationship between the university and African-American community. It was established in 2009 by the W&M Board of Visitors and has since sponsored multiple research and scholarship projects, courses and events, including the annual spring symposium. The project is named for a man who was enslaved by W&M in the late 18th century. This years symposium will begin with a concert featuring the Hampton University Choir at 7 p.m. March 17 in First Baptist Church. The activities will continue at 8:30 a.m. next morning in the Raymond A. Mason School of Business Miller Hall. Spences keynote address, titled Resurrecting a Black Radical Tradition, is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Saturday in the Brinkley Commons room. According to his website, Spence specializes in the study of racial and urban politics and has a particular interest in studying the causes and consequences of growing inequality within black communities. He has published numerous articles and books, including Stare in the Darkness: The Limits of Hip-Hop and Black Politics, which won the 2011 W.E.B. DuBois Distinguished Book Award. Following Spences address, scholars from other universities will present their research as part of three breakout sessions. Executive Director of W&Ms Historic Campus Susan Kern will moderate a session on interpreting the lives and resistance of enslaved Virginians for 21st-century revolutionaries. Robert T. Vinson, associate professor of history, will moderate another on black revolutionary thought in Haiti, Hampton and the Shenandoah Valley, and Suzette Spencer, visiting assistant professor of English, will moderate the third session on black womens rebellions against enslavement and imprisonment. While those sessions are taking place, three William & Mary undergraduates will also give presentations on the research they have conducted in conjunction with the Lemon Project. After lunch, five professors, including W&M Government Professor Lenneal Henderson, will be part of a panel on visibility and race. A session on the legacy of Nat Turner featuring the work of W&M alumna Kelley Deetz '02 will close the academic portion of the symposium. Saturday evening, the event will conclude with an open mic night, to be held in Sadler Centers Lodge 1 beginning at 7 p.m. The symposium is free and open to the public, but attendees are asked to register in advance at online. Also, the full program schedule can be found at www.wm.edu/lemonproject. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page DECATUR The pile of knit hats in the middle of a table at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church is a testament to the efforts of the members of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. But it's not all about work, either. Conversation is brisk, with several chats going on at the same time on different topics. We talk about everything, said member Debbie Roberts, a retired educator who gave the women the idea to make the hats and give them to students in Decatur schools. The LWML enjoys assisting Meals on Wheels, the LSA Resale Shop, Northeast Community Fund and translating printed material to Braille. This project, dubbed Stitches of Love, has already produced about 70 knitted hats, made on circular looms available in craft stores and departments. (Roberts) having recently retired, she's got all the scoop on (the need), said Annalee Karloski, a member of the group who has created Minions hats, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hats and snowman hats, because she likes a challenge. We're talking about adopting a classroom. There are a lot of children. Every child in the classroom will get a hat. The need is great, she said, and they're working with other Lutheran Women's Missionary League chapters in other churches to help make the hats. They also need donations of yarn or cash to buy yarn, and those who want to help can contact the church, (217) 428-0641. The LWML is the women's auxiliary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Members dedicate themselves to service projects to serve their community and spread the Gospel, using the talents and gifts they already possess. The hats project is a zone project, which means it includes groups throughout the area, though not all churches have a LWML group. Women can also join as individuals and help out with projects at churches other than their own. Locally, that includes Trinity, Concordia, Mount Calvary and St. Paul's in Decatur. St. John's doesn't have a LWML, she said. It will probably expand as we go, including scarves, Karloski said of the hats project. I don't know about mittens. I haven't made a mitten yet. They're also planning to buy other supplies for their adopted classrooms, such as hand sanitizer, tissues, pencils and the like. We started out knitting prayer shawls, Karloski said. Then we got these looms. I bought one and once I figured it out, I came to church with it and the girls loved it and it's way better. In the past, we've given hats and scarves to Northeast Community Fund, Webster-Cantrell Hall, to the Cancer Center, New Life Pregnancy Center. And so far, students at Harris, Parsons, Durfee and South Shores schools have received hats from the ladies as well. Principal Jonathan Downing of Parsons sent Roberts photos of students wearing their hats and beaming ear to ear, so she could share the pictures with the women in the group. The group plans to apply for a grant from Thrivent for Lutherans in hopes of supporting their project. We had four totes of scrap yarn, and we've used it all up, said member Barb Harting. DECATUR With the official start of spring just a week away, winter decided to go down swinging in Central Illinois. About 3 inches of snow fell in Decatur on Monday, with slick roads leading to multiple traffic crashes during the morning commute. A three-vehicle crash on U.S. 36 over Lake Decatur caused the bridge to be closed for several hours. Drivers are encouraged to use caution again Tuesday, as lower temperatures overnight could cause refreezing. It is something that people really need to be aware of and not think, 'OK, no more snow, we're good.' It's the leftover stuff, the yucky stuff that nobody likes to drive on, said James Auten, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln. The crash that closed U.S. 36 involved a Chevy TrailBlazer that was eastbound when the 35-year-old male driver lost control and struck the side of a semitruck traveling west, Decatur police Sgt. Brian Earles said. The impact caused a diesel fuel leak from the semi, which led to the lengthy closure of westbound lanes as crews cleaned up the area. After striking the semi, the TrailBlazer went back into the eastbound lanes and hit a Toyota Camry driven by a 37-year-old woman. The crash occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. Eastbound lanes of traffic reopened a little before 9 a.m., while the westbound lanes were closed until 11 a.m. The drivers of the Chevy and Toyota were taken to a hospital and treated for injuries not considered life-threatening. Among the many drivers who experienced delays because of the crash was Jim Wilkerson, director of marketing and public relations at Brinkoetter & Associates. Wilkerson said he was more than 40 minutes late getting to work Monday from his home near Decatur Airport. First, his westbound sedan came upon the accident minutes after it happened and later, after turning around, his progress was slowed driving north on Airport Road by other vehicles trying to avoid the scene. I ended up getting stopped for 20 to 30 minutes on U.S. 36 and saw the ambulance arrive, Wilkerson said. One of the cars was pretty messed up with the whole front end smashed. I hope everybody is OK. A pickup truck crashed into a barrier on the 22nd Street overpass, also known as the Staley Viaduct, about 7 a.m., causing some traffic to be rerouted, said Lyle Meador, Decatur Fire Department deputy chief. The truck had minor front-end damage, but the driver apparently suffered no injuries. Another crash about 7:45 a.m. on Illinois 121 near Interstate 72 sent three people to the hospital with injuries, Meador said. The incident involved a car with an 18-year-old male driver and sport utility vehicle with a driver and passenger who were women in their 60s. Decatur police were unable to provide more details of those crashes Monday evening. City and county crews spread salt throughout the day Monday, hoping to prevent the roads from becoming slick again overnight. City workers began at 1 a.m. Most of their work had wrapped up by the afternoon, but a few were expected to continue until 11 p.m., said Dan Mendenall, acting municipal services manager. It's kind of a getting-close-to-spring winter storm, where it can't make up its mind what it's gonna do, Mendenall said. But, he said, we're ready for anything. County Highway Engineer Bruce Bird said his department began work at 4 a.m., with most of the roads cleared and salted by early afternoon. Later this week, more snow is possible Thursday night and Friday. But by later in the day Friday, the weather is expected to warm up. Highs in the 50s are predicted through the weekend. With the mercurial nature of this season's weather patterns, who would expect anything different? We've had such a mild winter, each snow event we've had has been on the minimal side. We didn't issue any winter storm warnings at all this winter. That's unusual for us, Auten said. It's just been a weird, weird year. But we didn't get through March without having snow. Theresa Churchill contributed to this story. Canada is the largest country in North America and second in the world behind Russia. Canada also has the largest forest area in North America and third in the world behind Russia and Brazil. The Canadian forest cover represents 40% of the total terrestrial area, and Canada has 10% of the global forests. The forests are crucial for both the global environment as well as the Canadian economy. According to scientists, the forests in Canada absorb over 25% of all carbon emissions produced from fossil fuels annually. Economists estimate that forests directly contribute over the US $22 billion directly into the Canadian economy through exportation of forest-associated commodities. The forests are grouped into eight distinct types of forests, which will be explored below. 8. Coastal Coastal forests are located in a region between the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia on the western Olympic Peninsula. The forest is classified as a temperate coniferous forest. The characteristic trees include the coastal Douglas fir, the western hemlock, the Sitka spruce as well as the western red cedar all of which are coniferous trees. 7. Montane The montane forest is found at high altitudes normally between the subalpine zone and the submontane zone. The forests are scattered around the British Columbia Central Plateau as well as areas around the boundary between the British Columbia and Alberta provinces. The Blue Douglas fir is most endemic tree variety in the montane forest and is smaller than the coastal Douglas fir. Other tree species found include the trembling aspen, the ponderosa pine and the lodgepole pine. In higher altitudes, the alpine fir and the western white birch can be seen. 6. Columbia The Columbia forests are located in the southeastern area of the province of British Columbia between the Rocky Mountains and the central plateau. The Columbia forests are closely related to the coastal temperate rainforests and are also known as the interior rainforests. The trees associated with the Columbia forests include the western red cedar which is found in plenty as well as the western hemlock. On the drier parts of the forests which have a history of fires, the Douglas-fir is common with thick bark that protects it from the forest fires. 5. Subalpine The subalpine forests are located in the high altitude areas of British Columbia and the western part of Alberta. The subalpine forests are predominantly comprised of coniferous forests and are found between the altitudes of 9,000 feet and 11,000 feet. The species of trees endemic to subalpine forests include the subalpine fir and the Engelmann spruce which can grow tall and are extremely old. These trees have deformed barks which are stripped away by strong winds. Other species of trees located in subalpine forests include the yellow cypress, the western larch, the whitebark pine and the mountain hemlock. 4. Carolinian Carolinian forests are broad-leafed forests located in Southern Ontario near the Great Lakes of Ontario, Huron, and Erie. While the term is only used in Canada, the characteristics which define the Carolinian forests are seen in eastern deciduous forests or eastern woodlands of the United States. The Carolinian forests are found near the urban areas of Ontario and consequently have seen vast tracts destroyed with as much as 90% of the original forests destroyed for human development. Thus only small fragments of the original Carolinian forest found are in protected areas of Ontario. The forests host several species of flora and predominantly consisted of deciduous trees. These broad-leafed trees include the black walnut, the blue ash, magnolia, rock elm, swamp white oak, the sycamore, and the silver maple. 3. Acadian The Acadian forest or the New England-Acadian forests are temperate broadleaf and mixed forests which are located in the eastern part of the country occupying the Maritime Provinces to the Gaspe Peninsula. The forests were formed after the last Ice Age and glaciers began to retreat northwards toward the North Pole some 10,000 years ago. The Acadian forests cover over 91,000 square miles. Some ecologists do not categorize Acadian forests as a distinct type of forest but a blend of boreal forests and northern hardwood forests. Several species of trees are found in the Acadian forests including birch (white and yellow), maple (red and sugar), red oaks, ironwood, American elm, and the American Beech and consists of both hardwood and softwood trees. In the northern regions, coniferous trees are found in plenty such as fir. 2. Great Lakes - St. Lawrence The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forests are the second in size behind the boreal forests and consist mainly of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. The forests are located in an area that stretched from the northern shores of Lake Superior to the Gaspe Peninsula. The main species of trees found in this forest include the eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, the red pine, and the yellow birch. Some species of maples (sugar and red), as well as basswood, are also found in the forests. 1. Boreal Forest The boreal forest is a forest belt which circumvents the northern polar region around the world and is the largest type of forest in the world. It also has the greatest terrestrial ecosystem in the world. The boreal forest covers most of Russia, Canada, United States, Sweden, Finland, Norway and part of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Japan, and Iceland. The boreal forest, also known as the taiga, covers about 60% of the total Canadian land mass. The Canadian boreal forest is considered the largest undisturbed forest in the world with more than 1.16 million square miles being untouched by civilization. The majority of the trees found in the boreal forest include the conifers which are identified by their cones and include the pines (Jack and lodgepole), spruce (black and white) as well as the larch. Other types of trees found include the Aspen, the white birch and the cottonwood. The forests also host other plant species including several species of grass and sedge. The boreal forests are located in an area which has the highest concentration of wetlands and lakes in the world with over 1.5 million lakes. Due to the many lakes, the forests are home to over 60% of all Canadian waterfowl with over 12 million birds using the area as their breeding grounds. Commercial jet (illustration) By: William Martin WorldWideWeirdNews.com (Scroll down for video) Flight attendants and plane passengers who were flying from the United Kingdom to Egypt, panicked after an alarm went off while they were more than 30,000 feet in the air. 46-year-old John Cox of Kidderminster, has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison after he pleaded guilty to arson. Cox admitted to starting fires in the toilets on board a flight from Birmingham to Sharm-el-Sheikh, while cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet. The Birmingham Crown Court heard that while Cox was traveling on a Monarch Airbus A321 departing from Birmingham International Airport, he decided to cause mayhem. The plane was carrying 194 passengers and seven crew members. An hour into the flight, as it flew over Munich, Germany, an alarm was raised in the flight deck, notifying the captain and the first officer of a fire in lavatory D at the rear of the plane. Crew members managed to put the fire out. About 100 miles off the Egyptian coastline at 35,000 feet, the flight crew received a warning of another fire, this time in lavatory E, again at the rear of the plane. The cabin crew investigated this and confirmed that there was another fire in the waste paper bin. They and a passenger managed to put the fire out. While this was happening, the captain had been notified that the crew was having difficulties extinguishing the fire, and so he had declared a mayday situation and was looking to carry out an emergency landing. It was only after the fire was out that he canceled the mayday. Crew members and passengers identified Cox as being responsible as he had been the last person to enter the toilet before the fire was noticed. On arrival in Sharm-el-Sheikh, the defendant was removed from the aircraft by the police and arrested. Although he was released by the Egyptian authorities, he was subsequently arrested by West Midlands Police, when he came back to the United Kingdom. He was later charged with and pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. The motive of Cox behind such a senseless crime is still unclear, but what is clear is that his irresponsible actions put the lives of all passengers and crew on board the aircraft in danger. We commend the cabin crew for their quick action in extinguishing the fires, which prevented the situation from escalating, Paul Reid, District Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said. Two Teenagers Arrested For Possession of Class A Drugs This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 13th, 2017 Two teenagers were arrested in Wrexham town centre on the weekend for possession of Class A drugs. Late on Saturday 11th March an 18-year-old male was arrested on Brook Street for possession of Class A substances. A few hours late in the early hours of Sunday 12th March a second 18-year-old male was arrested after being found in possession of Class A drugs on College Street. Both men received a caution. Wales Would Need To Decide Own Future If Scotland Votes Yes In New Independence Referendum This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 13th, 2017 Nicola Sturgeon has said she will ask for permission to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence, prompting Plaid Cymru to say its time for Wales to have its own debate about the nations future. Plaid Cymru have said, A Yes vote in the Scottish referendum could signal the end of the UK as a state and in that event, people in Wales should be granted the opportunity to go to the ballot box and say whether they believe decisions affecting Wales should be made in Wales. In a statement issued minutes after the end of Nicola Sturgeons speech, Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood said: This week, the UK Prime Minister is set to trigger Article 50. Plaid Cymrus view is that the Article 50 Letter must contain the demands of the nations in order to have any legitimacy. The stakes for Wales could not be any higher. Unlike the UK as a whole, Wales currently sells more goods to the European Single Market than we import, with the potential to build on this in the future. A whole series of our major exporting companies are linked to the single market, in both manufacturing and in food. Plaid Cymru cannot accept any UK Government plan which would lead to tariffs or barriers being put in the way of made-in-Wales products. The announcement from the Scottish Government today shows that any failure by the UK Government to recognise Scotlands interests could lead to the end of the UK as a state. In that situation, Wales would need to decide its own future. A national debate to explore all of the options, including an that of independent Wales, must take place in Wales when that scenario becomes a realistic one. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy with light rain in the morning...then becoming partly cloudy. Thunder possible. High 84F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. The WSWS is publishing new translations of Leon Trotsky's writings from February-March 1917. In many cases, these articles are now in English for the first time. This article was published in New York in the newspaper Novy mir (New World) on March 13, 1917. An English translation appeared as On the Eve of a Revolution in the 1918 edition of Trotskys Our Revolution, edited and translated by M. J. Olgin. Below is a new translation. (Translator: Fred Williams; Copyright: WSWS) The streets of Petrograd have once again begun speaking the language of 1905. Just as then, during the Russo-Japanese War, the workers are demanding bread, peace and freedom. Just as then, the street cars are not moving and the newspapers are not published. The workers are letting steam out of the steam-engines, abandoning their work benches, and going out onto the streets. The government is sending out its Cossacks. And once again, as in 1905, there are only two forces that are visible on the streets of the capital: revolutionary workers and Tsarist troops. The movement erupted due to a shortage of bread. This, of course, is not an accidental reason. In all warring countries, a shortage of food supplies is the most immediate, the most acute, cause of discontent and outrage among the masses. The entire madness of war is revealed to them most clearly of all from this standpoint: it is impossible to produce the means for living because it is necessary to create the weapons of death. Nevertheless, attempts of the semi-official Anglo-Russian telegraph agencies to reduce everything to a temporary shortage of bread and to snowdrifts is one of the most absurd applications of the politics of the ostrich, which hides its head in the sand as soon as danger approaches. Snowdrifts, which temporarily impede the arrival of food supplies, are not the reason why workers are shutting down the factories, street cars and print shops; nor do they explain why the workers go onto the streets to confront the Cossacks. People have a short memory, and many even in our own ranks have managed to forget that the present war found Russia in a state of powerful revolutionary ferment. After the terrible counter-revolutionary stupor of 1908-1911, the Russian proletariat managed to heal its wounds during two to three years of industrial upsurge; then the shooting of striking miners on the Lena River in April 1912 once again awakened the revolutionary energy of the Russian working-class masses. A strike wave unfolded. In the last year before the war, the wave of economic and political strikes reached heights that had been seen only in 1905. In the summer of 1914, when the French President Poincare came to Petersburg (presumably for negotiations with the Tsar about how to save the small and weak nations), the Russian proletariat was in a state of extreme revolutionary tension, and the president of the French Republic could see with his own eyes in the capital of his friend, the Tsar, the first barricades of the Second Russian Revolution. The war cut short the revolutionary upsurge. The same thing was repeated that had happened ten years before, during the Russo-Japanese War. After the tumultuous strike movements of 1903, we observed an almost complete political lull in the country during the first year of the war (1904): The Petersburg workers needed twelve months at that time to get their bearings in the war and to take to the streets with their own demands and protests. This happened on the Ninth of January, 1905, when, one could say, our first revolution officially began. The present war is immeasurably more grandiose than the Russo-Japanese War. Having mobilized millions of soldiers for defense of the Fatherland, the Tsarist government has not only disrupted the ranks of the proletariat, but has placed in the minds of its advanced layers new questions of immense importance. What caused the war? Must the proletariat take upon itself the defense of the fatherland? What should the tactics of the working class be at a time of war? Meanwhile, Tsarism, and the upper layers of the nobility and the capitalists connected with it, have completely revealed their true nature during the war: The nature of criminal predators, blinded by boundless greed and paralyzed by their own lack of talent. The predatory appetites of the ruling clique grew to the same extent as the masses were able to see its complete inability to deal with the most important tasks of warfare, industry and food supplies that had arisen because of the war. At the same time, the suffering of the masses accumulated, grew, and became more acute the inevitable misery of the war, multiplied by the criminal anarchy of Rasputin Tsarism. In the broadest layers of workers, who perhaps had never before been reached by a word of revolutionary agitation, a profound bitterness toward the rulers had been accumulating under the influence of the wars events. Meanwhile, in the advanced layer of the working class, a process of critically reworking the new events has been taking place. The socialist proletariat of Russia has straightened itself out after the blow which had been delivered by the nationalist fall of the most influential parts of the International, and has understood that the new epoch summons us not to softening, but to sharpening, the revolutionary struggle. The present events in Petrograd and Moscow are the result of all this internal preparatory work. A disorganized, compromised, disjointed government at the top. An utterly shattered army. Discontent, uncertainty and fear among the propertied classes. Profound bitterness in the lower classes of the people. A proletariat that has grown in numbers and been tempered in the fire of events. All this gives us the right to say that we are witnessing the beginning of the Second Russian Revolution. Let us hope that many of us will be its participants. Novy mir, 13 March 1917. Top Trump administration officials appeared on the political talk shows Sunday morning to promote the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the House Republican bill for the repeal and replacement of Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. The Republican proposal builds on the core features of Obamacare, designed to boost the profits of the private insurers and slash health care costs for the government and big business. The ACHA seeks to strengthen the grip of the for-profit health care delivery system in America while making sweeping cuts to Medicaid, the insurance program for the poor jointly funded by the federal government and the states. It also slashes financial assistance to low-income people seeking to purchase health coverage and cuts taxes for the wealthy and big business by an estimated $600 billion. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is expected to release its numbers on the Republican plan today. The Brookings Institution on Thursday predicted that the CBOs analysis will likely find that at least 15 million people stand to lose coverage under the AHCA by the end of the 10-year scoring window. In a prerecorded interview aired on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price attempted to evade moderator Chuck Todds question: Can you say for certain that once this bill is passed nobody, nobody will be worse off financially when it comes to paying for health care? Price answered by pointing to the high premiums under Obamacare and the fact that patients are forgoing health care as a result of high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. The HHS secretary, a rabid opponent of Medicaid, Medicare and government intrusion into health care, knows full well the Republican plan will make the situation for millions of working people, as bad as it is under Obamacare, even worse. Todd pointed to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimate that the $4,000 tax credit that a 60-year-old in Fayette County, West Virginia would get under the AHCA is almost $8,000 less than they would get under Obamacare. Price brushed this off, defending the Republican plans tax credits, which would provide from $2,000 to $4,000 to those making up to $75,000, based purely on age and not income, with older people receiving the most. A KFF analysis has found that for virtually every age group of individuals with incomes of $20,000-$40,000 and families making $40,000-$75,000, tax credits would be substantially lower under the ACHA than the subsidies provided under Obamacare. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney appeared on ABCs This Week program. Host George Stephanopoulos raised that independent analysts had projected that there will be about $370 billion less in federal funding for Medicaid over the next 10 years under the AHCA. He asked how this squared with Trumps promises during his presidential bid that there would be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. The OMB director defended the Medicaid funding cuts, saying, The Medicaid system as it exists today is a one-size fits-all system. We fixed that. You can provide better services for less if we get the federal government out of the way. In addition to the massive cuts to Medicaid, the AHCA would implement the de facto end of the program as an entitlement by 2020. Federal funding based on need would be replaced with a per capita cap, forcing states to cut benefits and deny coverage to qualified beneficiaries. The plan would also eliminate the enhanced matching federal funds for Obamacares expansion of Medicaid, which has enrolled about 10 million people. Taken together, these cutbacks will result in denial of benefits and care to millions of poor, disabled and elderly people and to pregnant women. Some 74 million people are currently covered by Medicaid. Republican opponents of the bill are pushing for the funding changes to Medicaid to be pushed forward to as early as next year. Mulvaney said he was willing to consider this and other amendments to the plan. He said, I think Congressman Morgan Griffith from Virginia had some really good ideas regarding things like changing the expansion date or perhaps putting work requirements in on Medicaidthose are great ideas that would improve the bill. If the House sees fit to make the bill better, theyd certainly have the support of the White House. A number of Republican governors are already pushing to impose a work requirement for Medicaid for low-income adults without disabilities. Last year, under Obama, hundreds of thousands of so-called ABAWDs (able-bodied adults without dependents) were cut off of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, due to the return in many areas of a three-month limit on benefits for unemployed adults aged 18-49 who are not disabled or raising minor children. If a work requirement is implemented for Medicaid, recipients who cannot prove their disability, or are unable to find work, could summarily be denied benefits. Many of these individuals, the poorest of the poor, would be the same people who have lost their SNAP benefits. Stephanopoulos raised new figures showing that the AHCA will provide about $157 billion in tax cuts to people of incomes over $1 million in the next 10 years, yet older Americans, middle-income Americans, are going to be paying more for their insurance. The budget director was indifferent, saying, Look, we promised to repeal the taxes for Obamacare. Thats what the bill does. He pointed to features of the AHCA that would allow people at every income level to put away unlimited funds tax-free in health savings accounts (HSAs). He also claimed that lower premiums that come from competition would ease the burden on ordinary Americans. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that these unlimited HSAs would result in $19 billion in tax savingsalmost exclusively for the wealthy. For workers and their families who are struggling to pay for basic necessities such as food, housing and utilities, the concept of squirreling away surplus money to pay for health care is an absurdity. The Republicans AHCA is making its way through various House Committees, and Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, hopes to bring it before the full House before the end of March. The Democrats are opposing the legislation, making the defense of Obamacare their main domestic agenda, second only to their anti-Russian campaign against Trump. However, the differences between the Democrats and Republicans on health care are essentially a conflict between two right-wing factions within the ruling elite. Both parties uphold the principle of private ownership and the subordination of the health care system to the capitalist private market. Obamacare has paved the way for an even more ferocious attack on health care for the working class by Trump and the Republicans. The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with Gareth, a former Caterpillar worker employed at the Joliet facility for 20 years, about the issues he confronted at his plant and the broader struggle facing workers at the mining and construction equipment giant. In particular, he recounted the details of the 2012 strike by members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) at the Joliet plant. The lessons of the betrayal of the Joliet strike are highly relevant for members of the United Auto Workers employed at Caterpillar plants nationally. It is nearly two weeks since the contract between Caterpillar and several thousand United Auto Workers (UAW) members expired. Since then, the UAW has ordered workers to continue on the job, while maintaining a total information blackout on the content of their closed-door negotiations with the company. Caterpillar, having lost $67 million last year, is in the midst of a worldwide restructuring, laying off tens of thousands and closing multiple plants. It is undoubtedly seeking massive concessions from workers, which the UAW will attempt to sell on the fraudulent basis that it will keep jobs in the US. Nonetheless, workers have expressed their overwhelming determination to fight, voting by 93 percent to authorize a strike. While contract talks continue Caterpillar is facing government scrutiny for flagrantly dodging billions in taxes. Last week, officials from several federal agencies raided Caterpillars headquarters and two other facilities, seizing documents and other electronic evidence. The company is stonewalling attempts by the IRS to recoup nearly $2 billion in taxes and penalties. That agency, along with a Senate subcommittee investigation, has alleged that Caterpillar avoided taxes on billions by shifting profits to a parts subsidiary in Switzerland, after working out a nominal corporate tax rate of 4 to 6 percent with the Swiss government. Last Wednesday, the New York Times published an article on a leaked report by Leslie A. Robinson, an accounting professor at Dartmouth College. The report was commissioned by an unnamed federal agency and accuses the company of engaging in deliberate tax fraud. Caterpillar did not comply with either U.S. tax law or U.S. financial reporting rules, the report states. I believe that the companys noncompliance with these rules was deliberate and primarily with the intention of maintaining a higher share price. These actions were fraudulent rather than negligent. Gareth spoke about the lessons of the struggle at the Joliet plant and the broader issues facing workers. Workers at the Joliet Caterpillar plant work under terms of a separate agreement from members of the UAW employed at other company facilities in Illinois and across the US. Anybody thats worked at Caterpillar is not surprised at all, said Gareth about the tax fraud case. If they can put that money into an offshore bank account and not pay taxes, of course they will. Its just the bottom line. Safety, loyalty be damnedwhatever they can do to make more money. He discussed his bitter experiences during the 2012 strike at the Caterpillar Joliet plant. At that time nearly 780 workers struck for three-and-a-half months, only to have the IAM force through a painful concessions contract, which has paved the way for the destruction of jobs at the plant. Gareth said employment at the Joliet plant had been slashed to almost nothing by the time he left. When I hired in there were 2,300 shop-floor employees, and we were in five buildings. In 2000, they went down to one building, and when I quit in May last year there were about 200 left working on the floor. Everything else is contract work. I didnt want to hang around and be the last guy there. Its really sad to me because I have two sons and I wonder where theyre going to work if this keeps going. In terms of what they wanted to take from us, for me personally it was my pension. Thats why I voted to strike. When I started in 1996, they promised so many things that they didnt follow through with. I hired in a month after my 19th birthday. Before that I worked at a Pizza Hut, and on a farm. Caterpillar was my first real job. I didnt have any benchmarks, I just thought, This is how you get treated as a worker. I was definitely unsatisfied with [the outcome of the strike], Gareth said. It was a complete mess in how it was handled by the union. It felt like we were fighting both the union and the company at times. With strike pay, at first it seemed nice to get a little bit to be able to spend while youre out. As the strike continued he said, Peoples families were starving, and houses were being repossessed...The only way I was able to hold out and not lose everything was because my father had passed away the year before and left me $10,000. I burned through all of it. Now, Im not anti-union, but even when I was in the union I wasnt a pro-union guy. Im not taking away from the past, when unions were called for. But now they are just as bad to me as a big corporation; they are a big corporation. I was never going to cross the picket. At the same time, I didnt necessarily hold it against those who did. Gareth said that he thought Caterpillar planned to double down on its attacks on workers in the current negotiations. In a warning shot, the company announced at the beginning of the year that it was considering ending production at its Aurora, Illinois, plant at the edge of the Chicago suburbs, shifting 800 jobs to plants in Decatur, Illinois, and Arkansas. I have a relative whos now retired who worked over at the Aurora plant. After the strike, I asked whether I should go there, and he said, You dont want to come here either. We machined a lot of parts in Joliet and then they put them on the tractor in Aurora. I dont foresee them continuing to build them there after theyve basically shut down Joliet. Caterpillar can cut corners, get cheaper steel, cheaper iron, pay people dirt wages. It never stops, and a lot of thats shareholder driven. Most of it is corporate greed. You cant say you cant afford to pay skilled labor a living wage, and then pay your CEO a multimillion-dollar raise. Its not just one guy, its not just the CEO of CAT, even though hes a ramrod. Its something that affects the whole corporate culture. Gareth spoke about his politicization over the preceding years under the impact of the downturn of the economy and the struggle to raise a family. Like many workers disgusted with the establishment candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the 2016 elections, Gareth was attracted to the campaign of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who called himself a democratic socialist. Sanders subsequent decision to throw his support to Clinton, a open shill of Wall Street, opened the door to the election of Trump, who demagogically postured as the champion of American workers on the basis of right-wing America First nationalism and anti-immigrant hysteria. I was Bernie Sanders all the way, I really was anti-Hillary and anti-Trump. I dont want to sit here and say everything he said rang true to me, but compared to the other two, he definitely seemed the better option. And theres no way that Clinton was the more popular candidate. Nobody that I knew wanted Hillary Clinton as their president. He indicated his opposition to the policies being implemented by the Trump administration. With Trump, its easy to joke about his tweets and misspellings, but for me those are more superficial than the worst things hes doing. He continued, I guess Im a lot more political now than I used to be. All I cared about was making enough money to take a girl out and go to the movies. And for 10 of those years I worked at Caterpillar and didnt think about politics much. Im still probably two or three paychecks away from living paycheck to paycheck. And then you have kids and a family, and have to think about their future. That changes things. After local German authorities banned Turkish officials from speaking in Germany last week, the Dutch government provoked a major diplomatic incident with Turkey this weekend, provocatively blocking two Turkish ministers from speaking events in the Netherlands. This attack on democratic rights is part of a reactionary anti-Muslim campaign by Prime Minister Mark Ruttes government in the run-up to the March 15 elections, attempting to stem the electoral rise of far-right candidate Geert Wilders by appealing to anti-immigrant and far-right sentiment. It came only after Wilders accused Rutte of being too weak to stop rallies by Turks in the Netherlands. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya were denied entry to the Netherlands, whose officials mounted a growing war of words with Turkey. The two ministers were due to speak at meetings to ask Turks living in the Netherlands to vote yes in President Recep Tayyip Erdogans constitutional referendum, scheduled for April 16, on transferring full powers to the Turkish presidency. People of Turkish origin in Europe, including 1.4 million in Germany and several hundred thousand in the Netherlands, are eligible to vote in the referendum. Cavusoglu was to attend a pro-Yes rally in Rotterdam Saturday, but the venue owner cancelled the rally, citing safety concerns. When Cavusoglu said that he would come anyway and threatened the Netherlands with economic sanctions if he was refused entry, the Dutch cabinet blocked his flight from landing, citing the risk of clashes between supporters and opponents of Erdogan in the Turkish immigrant community. We are of the opinion that Dutch public spaces are not the place for political campaigns of other countries, Rutte declared. Erdogan denounced the Dutch governments decision in a statement to a crowd of supporters in Istanbul, declaring: They are very nervous and cowardly. They are Nazi remnants, they are fascists. He added that Turkey would now block Dutch diplomatic planes from landing in Turkey. Only a few hours later, Kaya travelled into the Netherlands from Germany by automobile to speak at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, which, according to international law, is Turkeys sovereign territory. In an extraordinary action, armed Dutch police were dispatched to detain Kaya and expel her from the Netherlands back to Germany. Kaya issued a statement declaring, The whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted. She added that the Netherlands were violating all international laws, conventions, and human rights by not letting me enter. Wilders proclaimed that the humiliation of the Turkish ministers was a victory for his neo-fascist Party for Freedom (PVV). Great! Thanks to heavy PVV pressure a few days before the Dutch elections, our government did not allow the Turkish minister to land here!! he wrote on Twitter. I say to all Turks in the Netherlands that agree with Erdogan: go to Turkey and never come back. Wilders also posted a video denouncing Turkey and Muslims and insisting that Turkey would never be allowed to join the European Union (EU). You are no Europeans and you will never be. An Islamic state like Turkey does not belong to Europe, Wilders said. We do not want more but less Islam. So Turkey, stay away from us. You are not welcome here. Erdogans spokesman Ibrahim Kalin responded by writing on Twitter, Shame on the Dutch government for succumbing to anti-Islam racists and fascists, and damaging long-standing Turkey-NL [Netherlands] relations. Clashes broke out as Turkish inhabitants of Rotterdam protested the expulsion of the two ministers, and protesters outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul pelted the building with stones and eggs. Cavusoglu spoke from a meeting in Metz, France to demand an apology and warn the Netherlands that Turkey would retaliate. Erdogan made similar warnings on Sunday. If you can sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations for an election on Wednesday, you will pay the price, he said. I thought Nazism was dead, but I was wrong. Nazism is still widespread in the West. The West has shown its true face. The crisis in Turkey-EU relations is set to escalate. Turkish officials raised the possibility of economic sanctions against the Netherlands and said that the Dutch ambassador to Turkey, who is on leave, should not return to Ankara for some time. Venues in Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria are now also reportedly cancelling Turkish officials meetings. Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen has ruled out a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to Denmark, due to the current Turkish attack on Holland. On Sunday morning, in a tacit acknowledgment of the provocative character of his governments actions, Rutte said that he wanted to de-escalate tensions with Turkey. However, he angrily dismissed as bizarre any suggestion that he would offer Erdogan an apology, declaring: This is a man who yesterday made us out for fascists and a country of Nazis. Im going to de-escalate, but not by offering apologies. Are you nuts? European governments blocking of Turkish officials travel and speaking plans is an outrageous attack on free speech, appealing to anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment. Erdogans referendum to set up a so-called executive presidency is undoubtedly a reactionary bid to set up a presidential dictatorship in Turkey. However, this is a matter for the Turkish people to decidenot Dutch, Danish, or other EU officials. The political significance of Ruttes intervention is unmistakable. He has increasingly run on the basis of anti-Muslim rhetoric, inciting the same reactionary prejudices as Wilders to divide the working class and shift the political atmosphere far to the right, amid elections marked by deep popular disaffection with his policies of austerity and war. In January, with Ruttes Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) trailing Wilders PVV, Rutte issued an extraordinary public letter demanding that immigrants totally integrate into Dutch society or leave the Netherlands. Those who refuse to adapt, and criticise our values [should] behave normally, or go away, Rutte said. If you so fundamentally reject this country, then Id prefer it if you leave. Such remarks reflect the broad shift far to the right in all shades of European bourgeois politics, as the Netherlands and France go into critical elections dominated by the rising electoral weight of neo-fascists like Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France. In Germany, Left Party leader Sahra Wagenknecht issued a statement aligning herself with Ruttes reactionary attack on the Turkish government. She declared, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel are in a position to stop Erdogans propaganda tour for dictatorship and the death penalty, at least on German soil, as the governments of Austria and the Netherlands have decided for their countries. More than 20 million people face imminent starvation in four countries, United Nations officials warned over the weekend, the largest humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II. All four countriesYemen, Somalia, South Sudan, and Nigeriaare wracked by civil wars in which the US government is implicated in funding and arming one of the contending sides. UN emergency relief coordinator Stephen OBrien gave a report to the UN Security Council Friday detailing the conditions in the four countries, and the UN issued published further materials on the crisis Saturday, seeking to raise $4.4 billion in contributions for emergency relief before the end of March. So far, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, only $90 million has been pledged, barely two percent of the total needed. As outlined by UN officials, the populations most immediately at risk number 7.3 million in Yemen, 2.9 million in Somalia, 5 million in South Sudan, and 5.1 million in Nigeria, for a total of 20.3 million. The number of children suffering symptoms of acute malnutrition is estimated at 462,000 in Yemen, 185,000 in Somalia, 270,000 in South Sudan, and 450,000 in Nigeria, for a total of nearly 1.4 million. While adverse weather conditions, particularly drought, are a contributing factor in the humanitarian disasters, the primary cause is civil war, in which each side is using food supplies as a weapon, deliberately starving the population of the enemy. US-backed forces are guilty of such war crimes in all four countries, and it is American imperialism, the principal backer of the Saudi intervention in Yemen and the government forces in Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria, which is principally responsible for the danger of famine and the growing danger of a colossal humanitarian disaster. The worst-hit country is Yemen, where US-armed and directed military units from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf monarchies are at war with Houthi rebels who overthrew the US-installed president two years ago. Some 19 million people, two-thirds of the countrys population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. The Saudi forces, which fight alongside Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, control the countrys major ports, including Aden and Hodeida, and are backed by US Navy units in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in imposing a blockade on the region controlled by the Houthis in the west and north of the country. US forces operations range throughout the country, with drone missile strikes and occasional raids, like the disastrous attack on a village at the end of January in which at least 30 Yemeni civilians were killed, many of them small children, and one US Special Forces soldier was shot to death. In Somalia, the protracted civil war between the US-backed government in Mogadishu and Al Shabab militias, who control most of the countrys south, has laid waste to a country which already suffered a devastating famine in 2011, and has been ravaged by civil war for most the past quarter-century. At least half the countrys population, more than six million people, is in need of humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates. Drought conditions have killed off much of the countrys animal population. In Somalia, too, US military units continue to operate, carrying out Special Forces raids and drone missile strikes. There is also an extensive spillover of Somali refugees into neighboring Kenya, where another 2.7 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. The civil war in South Sudan is a conflict between rival tribal factions of a US-backed regime that was created through Washingtons intervention into a long-running civil war in Sudan. After a US-brokered treaty and a referendum approving separation, South Sudan was established as a newly independent state in 2011. Tribal conflicts within the new state have been exacerbated by drought, extreme poverty, and the struggle to control the countrys oil reserves, its one significant natural resource, which is largely exported through neighboring Sudan to China. The country is landlocked, making transport of emergency food supplies more difficult. The crisis in South Sudan was said to be the most acute of the four countries where famine alerts were being sounded, with some 40 percent of the population facing starvation. Last month, UN officials declared a full-scale famine alert for 100,000 people in South Sudan. A cholera epidemic has also been reported. The famine crisis in Nigeria is likewise the byproduct of warfare, this time between the Islamic fundamentalist group Boko Haram and the government of Nigeria, which has military support from the US and Britain. The focal point of this conflict has been the Lake Chad region, where Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger share borders. This is the most densely populated and fertile of the four areas threatened with famine. A recent offensive by Nigerian government forces pushed backed Boko Haram and uncovered the extent of the suffering among the local population in the region, where food supplies were cut off as part of the US-backed military campaign. US military forces range throughout the Sahel region, the vast area on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert which encompasses much of western Africa. The armed forces of French and German imperialism are also active in former French colonies like Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as further south, in the Central African Republic. According to the UN reports, the humanitarian disaster in Yemen has accelerated in recent months. The number of Yemenis in immediate danger of starvation jumped from four million to seven million in the past month. One child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen from a preventable disease. When the UN humanitarian chiefs mission was in Yemen last week, it was able to secure safe passage for the first truckload of humanitarian supplies to the besieged city of Taiz, the countrys third largest, which has been blockaded for the past seven months. The debate on OBriens report to the UN Security Council featured one hypocritical statement after another by imperialist powers like the US, Britain, France, Japan and Italy, as well as by China and Russia, all bemoaning the suffering, but all concealing the real cause of the deepening crisis. Typical were the remarks of the US representative, Michele Sison, who declared, Every member of the Security Council should be outraged that the world was confronting famine in the year 2017. Famine is a man-made problem with a man-made solution. She called on the parties engaged in fighting in the four countries to prioritize access to civilians and not obstruct aidalthough that is exactly what the US-backed forces are doing, particularly in Yemen, and to a lesser extent in the other three countries. The UN report does not cover other humanitarian crises also classified by the World Food Program as level three, the most serious, including Iraq, Syria, Central African Republic and the Philippines (the first three due to civil war, the last due to the impact of several Pacific typhoons). Nor does it cover the devastating civil conflict in Libya or Afghanistan, ravaged by nearly 40 years of continuous warfare. Nor does it review the worldwide total of people in acute need of food assistance, estimated at 70 million in 45 countries, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network. This figure is up 40 percent since 2015, as a result of escalating civil wars, drought and other climate-driven events, and rising food prices. The World Food Program experienced a shortfall in contributions of nearly one-third in 2016, receiving only $5.9 billion from donors towards a total outlay of $8.6 billion, forcing the agency to cut rations for refugees in Kenya and Uganda. Total unfunded humanitarian aid appeals came to $10.7 billion in 2016, larger than the combined total of such appeals in 2012. While these sums are gargantuan in terms of the need, they are a drop in the bucket compared to the resources squandered by the major powers on war and militarism. The total deficit in humanitarian aid amounts to less than three days worth of global military spending. The $4.4 billion in aid sought for the famine crisis is half of what the US Pentagon spends in a typical week. In his speech to a joint session of Congress last month, US president Donald Trump praised the merit-based immigration system utilised by nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others. Trump declared the basic principle to be those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Trump reiterated his enthusiasm the following day. The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia! he tweeted. He lauded a recent book, Green Card Warrior, by Nick Adams, who insists that the US admits too many immigrants indiscriminately, instead of stocking the country with foreigners who offer skills American businesses need and who are willing to assimilate. The Australian model praised by Trump combines cruelty and inhumanity toward refugees, with a points-based immigration program that deliberately discriminates in favour of wealthy applicants and those whose labour power can be most readily exploited by Australian-based employers. Australia indefinitely imprisons all men, women and children who flee to Australia by boat. They are kept in offshore detention facilities in conditions so horrendous that medical professionals have said it amounts to torture. At the same time, across the entire immigration system, skills tests are applied to select the most immediately employable applicants, at the expense of the family reunion stream, in which people wait for years, even decades, to sponsor close relatives, including parents. Draconian health tests are also applied to bar entry to applicants, mostly working class or poor, who have any illness in their family or are otherwise deemed likely to be a burden on taxpayers. A good character test bars those whose views are considered contrary to Australian valuesessentially acceptance of the corporate profit system and its predatory foreign policy of heavy involvement in US-led wars. On the other end of the social scale, wealthy people are highly favoured. In fact, high net worth individuals can literally buy visas by promising to invest large sums in Australian businesses or real estate projects. Since the last Labor government launched the Significant Investor Visa program in November 2012, more than 1,300 multi-millionaires have bought fast-track residential visas by agreeing to invest at least $5 million each. The overall political thrust of this falsely labelled merit-based system serves to vilify, as law-breakers, desperate or impoverished people fleeing from wars waged by the US and its allies, including Australia, or from countries long-oppressed by the major capitalist powers. This is underpinned by constant campaigns to scapegoat asylum seekers and whip up anti-chauvinism and racism to divide the working class. Only a few hours after Trumps speech, Australian media outlets erupted in a frenzy, with articles triumphantly declaring that Trump was adopting Australia as an immigration model. According to one report, a senior Trump policy advisor, Stephen Miller, held 12 months of private talks with Australian diplomats on the issue. The overblown media response is partly bound up with concerns in the media and political establishment that the Trump administration will renege on the reactionary refugee-swap deal that Prime Minister Turnbulls government struck with the Obama administration last year. Trump reportedly branded the agreement the worst deal ever in an infamous phone conversation with Turnbull, which Trump ended abruptly. Last month, the Trump administration said it would honour the deal, but emphasised that the agreement was based on extreme vetting of refugees, with the US under no obligation to take anyone at all. The swap agreement would remove to the US some of the 2,200 refugees locked in Australias refugee prison camps on Nauru and Papua New Guineas Manus Island. This aspect of the deal was announced last November, some weeks after Turnbull offered to take an undisclosed number of refugees similarly languishing in detention camps run by the US in Costa Rica. On both sides of the Pacific, some of the worlds most vulnerable people would face permanent separation from their family members already living in either Australia or the US. The Turnbull government, backed by the Labor Party opposition, declared that those removed from Australias camps would never be permitted to enter Australia. Last year, the Turnbull government denied that the agreement was a swap but Immigration and Border Protection Minister Dutton last month publicly linked the two deals for the first time. He said Australia would not take anyone from Costa Rica until we had assurances that people are going off Nauru and Manus Island. Asked whether the arrangements could be called a people swap, Dutton replied: I dont have any problem with that characterisation if people want to put that. The Obama administration set up the Costa Rica camps last July, ostensibly as a humanitarian response to the large numbers of asylum seekers fleeing Central America to escape gang-related violence. In reality, the camps are designed to halt the influx, and prevent access to the US, by herding refugees into camps to be heavily vetted. More than 100,000 Central American asylum seekers had arrived in the US during 2015, a fivefold increase from just a few years earlier. Obamas administration negotiated protection transfer agreements, limited to 200 individuals over six months, which require pre-screening by US State Department officials in their countries of origin. Refugees are then forced into the Costa Rica camps to await removal to the US or another country, such as Australia. The Turnbull government last year attempted to obfuscate the link between the two agreements struck with Australia, in order to present the swap deal as a humanitarian arrangement. In reality, the arrangement only serves to reinforce the inhuman detention regime, while assisting the US government to adopt similar measures. Over the past two years, current and former Australian detention staff have courageously defied bipartisan secrecy laws to publicly reveal the abuses of basic rights and other horrors in the Nauru and Manus camps, contributing to public outcries and demands for the camps to be shut. In response, the Labor Party and the Greens, who are directly responsible for reopening the camps by the Greens-backed Labor minority government in 2012, have feigned sympathy for the imprisoned victims. They have presented the US swap deal as a step toward closing down the camps. Regardless of how many detainees are ultimately shifted to the US, however, the facilities will remain in place, ready to imprison new refugees fleeing for their lives. This is the first of five lectures that are being presented by the International Committee of the Fourth International to commemorate the centenary of the Russian Revolution of 1917. The title of this lecture is Why Study the Russian Revolution? I will sacrifice the element of suspense by answering this question not at the conclusion, but at the beginning of this presentation. Why study the Russian Revolution? A video lecture by David North Ten reasons why the Russian Revolution must be studied Reason One: The Russian Revolution was the most important, consequential and progressive political event of the twentieth century. Despite the ultimately tragic fate of the Soviet Unionwhich was destroyed by the betrayals and crimes of the Stalinist bureaucracyno other event in the past century had such a far-reaching impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of people on every part of the planet. Reason Two: The Russian Revolution, culminating in the conquest of political power by the Bolshevik Party in October 1917, marked a new stage in world history. The overthrow of the bourgeois Provisional Government proved that an alternative to capitalism was not a utopian dream, but rather a real possibility that could be achieved through the conscious political struggle of the working class. Reason Three: The October Revolution substantiated, in practice, the materialist conception of history as formulated by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto. The establishment of Soviet power under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party verified an essential element of Marxs historical theory: that the class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat ... [1] Reason Four: The objective development of the Russian Revolution substantiated the strategic perspective first elaborated by Leon Trotsky between 1906 and 1907, known as the theory of permanent revolution. Trotsky foresaw that the democratic revolution in Russiaentailing the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, the destruction of all vestiges of semi-feudal economic and political relations, the elimination of national oppressioncould be achieved only through the conquest of state power by the working class. The democratic revolution, in which the working class played the leading role in opposition to the capitalist class, would develop rapidly into a socialist revolution. Reason Five: The seizure of power by the Bolshevik Party in October 1917 and the establishment of the first workers state inspired an immense development in the class consciousness and political awareness of the working class and oppressed masses throughout the world. The Russian Revolution marked the beginning of the end of the old system of colonial rule established by imperialism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It radicalized the international working class and set into motion a worldwide revolutionary movement of the oppressed masses. The major social gains won by the international working class, including the formation of industrial unions in the United States in the 1930s, the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the implementation of the social welfare policies of the post-World War II era, and the process of decolonization, were by-products of the Russian Revolution. Reason Six: In its struggle against imperialist war, the Bolshevik Party proved, in theory and in practice, that socialist internationalism is the essential foundation of revolutionary strategy and the practical struggle for power. Arising out of the global contradictions of the capitalist system, the fate of the Russian Revolution depended on the development of the world socialist revolution. As Trotsky was to explain: The completion of the socialist revolution within national limits is unthinkable. One of the basic reasons for the crisis in bourgeois society is the fact that the productive forces created by it can no longer be reconciled with the framework of the national state. From this follow, on the one hand, imperialist wars, on the other, the utopia of a bourgeois United States of Europe. The socialist revolution begins on the national arena, it unfolds on the international arena, and is completed on the world arena. Thus, the socialist revolution becomes a permanent revolution in a newer and broader sense of the word: it attains completion only in the final victory of the new society on our entire planet. [2] It is difficult to believe that these words were written 88 years ago. Amidst mounting international geopolitical tensions and the chaos engulfing the European Union, one might believe that Trotskys reference to imperialist wars and the utopia of the United States of Europe had just been posted online in todays edition of Le Monde or the Financial Times. The enduring relevance and freshness of Trotskys observation testifies to the fact that the historical problems with which he grappled in the first decades of the twentieth century remain unsolved in the first decades of the twenty-first. Reason Seven: The Russian Revolution demands serious study as a critical episode in the development of scientific social thought. The historical achievement of the Bolsheviks in 1917 both demonstrated and actualized the essential relationship between scientific materialist philosophy and revolutionary practice. The evolution of the Bolshevik Party vindicated Lenins statement in What Is To Be Done?: Without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement.' [3] As Lenin continuously insisted, Marxism is the most highly developed form of philosophical materialism, which critically reworked and assimilated the genuine achievements of classical German idealism, chiefly that of Hegel (that is, dialectical logic and the recognition of the active role of historically evolving social practice in the cognition of objective reality). Lenins unflagging defense of philosophical materialism and the materialist conception of history, recorded in published works spanning a period of nearly 30 years (from 1895 to 1922), expressed his profound intellectual conviction that The highest task of humanity is to comprehend this objective logic of economic evolution (the evolution of social life) in its general and fundamental features, so that it may be possible to adapt to it ones social consciousness and the consciousness of the advanced classes of all capitalist countries in as definite, clear and critical a fashion as possible. [4] The conquest of power by the working class in October 1917 was a historical high point, as yet unsurpassed, in mankinds adaptation of its consciousness, as expressed in the political action of the working class, to the objective logic of economic evolution. Reason Eight: The development of Bolshevism as a political tendency and the exceptional role that it played in the tumultuous events of 1917 vindicated the essential significance of the struggle waged by Marxists against opportunism and its political sibling, centrism. Lenins fight against the political opportunism of Menshevism in Russia, and his struggle against the Second Internationals betrayal of socialist internationalism following the outbreak of the imperialist war in 1914, forged the political identity of the party that led the struggle for power in 1917. Applying the materialist conception of history, Lenin sought to uncover the social and economic interests that found expression in the conflict of political tendencies. On this basis, Lenin identified opportunismand especially that of the Second Internationalas the expression of the material interests of a privileged stratum of the working class and sections of the middle class allied with imperialism. Reason Nine: The Bolsheviks provided the working class with an example of what a genuine revolutionary party is, and the irreplaceable role of such a party in securing the victory of the socialist revolution. A careful study of the revolutionary process in 1917 leaves no doubt that the presence of the Bolshevik Party, with Lenin and Trotsky in its leadership, was decisive in securing the victory of the socialist revolution. The movement of the Russian working class, supported by a revolutionary uprising of the peasantry, assumed gigantic dimensions in 1917. But no realistic reading of the events of that year permits the conclusion that the working class would have come to power without the leadership provided by the Bolshevik Party. Drawing the essential lesson of this experience, Trotsky later insisted: The role and the responsibility of the leadership [of the working class] in a revolutionary epoch is colossal. [5] This conclusion remains as valid in the present historical situation as it was in 1917. Reason Ten: The course of events between February/March and October/November 1917 is not merely of historical interest. The experience of those crucial months provides an invaluable and enduring insight into strategic and tactical problems that the working class will encounter during a new and inevitable upsurge of revolutionary struggle. As Trotsky wrote in 1924, for the laws and methods of proletarian revolution there is, up to the present time, no more important and profound a source than our October experience. [6] The crimes of Stalinisma reactionary and anti-Marxist nationalist bureaucratic reaction against the program and principles of Bolshevismdo not invalidate the October Revolution and its genuine achievements, including those realized by the Soviet state during the 74 years of its existence. In this new period of global crisis of the capitalist system, a renewed study of the Russian Revolution and the assimilation of its lessons is the inescapable prerequisite for finding a way out of the present social, economic and political impasse. The catastrophe of World War I This is the first of five lectures. It is my hope that over the next two months, these lectures will expand upon and validate the reasons I have given for a careful study of the Russian Revolution. Exactly one hundred years ago this week, on March 8, 1917, meetings and demonstrations took place in Petrograd, the capital of imperial Russia, in celebration of International Womens Day. As Russia still adhered to the Julian calendar, which was 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used virtually everywhere else, the date of this event in Petrograd was February 23, 1917. (For the rest of this lecture, when referring to events that transpired within Russia, I will use the date of the calendar then in use.) By the time these protests began, the great powers of EuropeGermany and Austria-Hungary on one side; France, Britain and Russia on the otherhad been at war for two years and seven months. Between August 1914 and the beginning of March 1917, the governments of all the warring countriesregardless of whether they were ruled by parliaments or monarchssquandered human life with criminal indifference. During the year 1916, the battlefields of Europe were drenched with blood. The Battle of Verdun, waged over 303 days, from February 21 to December 18, 1916, cost approximately 715,000 French and German casualties. This amounts to 70,000 casualties a month. The total number of soldiers killed at Verdun was 300,000. Simultaneously, another ghastly battle was being fought in France in the vicinity of the Somme River. On the first day of the battle, July 1, 1916, the British army suffered more than 57,000 casualties. By the time the carnage ended on November 18, 1916, the number of British, French and German soldiers killed or wounded exceeded one million. On the Eastern Front, Russian forces were arrayed against those of Germany and Austria-Hungary. In June 1916, the Tsarist regime launched an offensive commanded by General Brusilov. By the time the offensive was concluded in September, the Russian army had suffered between 500,000 and one million casualties. Over the past century, innumerable historians have condemned the violence of the Russian Revolution and the supposed inhumanity of the Bolsheviks. But the moralists of the academy breeze over the fact, if they take notice of it at all, that before the revolution had claimed a single victim, more than one and three-quarter million Russian soldiers had perished in the war launched by the Tsarist autocracy in 1914 with the enthusiastic support of the Russian bourgeoisie. No one could have predicted that the specific protests planned for February 23 would mark the beginning of the revolution. But that the war would give rise to revolution had been foreseen. As early as 1915, Trotsky had written: A working class that has been through the school of war will feel the need of using the language of force as soon as the first serious obstacle faces them within their own country. Lenin had based the anti-war policy of the Bolsheviks upon the conviction that the contradictions of imperialism as a world system, which had led to war, would also lead to socialist revolution. In a lecture delivered in Zurich on January 22, 1917the twelfth anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre in St. Petersburg that provided the spark that ignited the revolution of 1905Lenin counseled his small audience: We must not be deceived by the present grave-like stillness in Europe. Europe is pregnant with revolution. The monstrous horrors of imperialist war, the suffering caused by the high cost of living everywhere engender a revolutionary mood; and the ruling classes, the bourgeoisie, and its servitors, the governments, are more and more moving into a blind alley from which they can never extricate themselves without tremendous upheavals. [7] And yet, as is so often the case at the start of great historic events, the anonymous demonstrators who assembled on February 23 did not foresee the consequences of their actions. How could they have imagined, on that Thursday morning, that they were about to change the course of history? By that point in the war, the social crisis in Russia was so acute that working class strikes and other forms of protest were hardly unusual. Petrograd had been shaken by a massive strike on January 9, involving 140,000 workers from more than 100 factories. Another major strike of 84,000 workers took place on February 14. But it was still not clear that tensions were building rapidly toward the eruption of full-scale revolution. Nicholas Sukhanov, the left Menshevik who authored an invaluable memoir of the events of 1917, recalled a discussion about the growing unrest between two young typists at his work place on February 21. He was taken aback when one of these young women said to the other: Dyou know, if you ask me, its the beginning of the revolution. What do these silly girls know about revolution, Sukhanov thought to himself. Revolutionhighly improbable! Revolution!everyone knew this was only a dreama dream of generations and of long laborious decades. Without believing the girls, I repeated after them mechanically: Yes, the beginning of the revolution. [8] The February Revolution begins As it turned out, these politically unschooled young women had a better sense of reality than the experienced but deeply skeptical Menshevik. On February 22, the management at the massive Putilov plant locked out 30,000 workers. The very next day, in a city boiling with class tensions, against the backdrop of a horrifying war, the Womens Day protests began. These protests were not called in the name of Russias 99 percent, as todays affluent middle-class pseudo-left defines its constituency, combining in one great social melting pot the totally impoverished with those whose net worth is calculated in the millions. The Petrograd demonstrators of February 1917 were from, and represented the interests of, the working class of the imperial capital. Their political concerns were focused not on issues of individual lifestyle, but on those of social class. They shouted Down with the war! Down with the high cost of living! Down with hunger! Bread for the workers! [9] The women marched to the factories and appealed to the workers for support. By the end of the day, more than 100,000 workers were out on strike. As the protests grew in scope over the next several days, it gradually became clear that the fate of the regime was at stake. Escalating violence by the police had been unable to stop the demonstrations. The working class noticed that the soldiers who had been summoned to restore order seemed increasingly sympathetic to the protests and reluctant to execute the orders of their commanders. By the fourth day, the working class had committed itself to the overthrow of the regime. The homicidal violence of the police, who deployed machine guns against the demonstrators and mowed down hundreds, met with implacable resistance. The outcome of the struggle now depended on the regiments stationed in Petrograd. Contemporary historians have substantiated Trotskys description of the growing fraternal interaction between workers and soldiers. Professor Rex Wade writes in his account of the February Revolution: The soldiers of 1917 were not the same ones who had suppressed revolution in 1905. Most were new recruits, only partially accustomed to military discipline. Many were from the Petrograd region... During February 23-26 there had been hundreds of conversations between these soldiers and the crowds in which the former were reminded of their common interests with the latter, of the general injustice and hardships of the population (including the soldiers own families), and of the common desire to end the war. The experience of firing on the crowds seriously disturbed them. Heated discussions about the events were going on in many units. [10] The process of fraternization took its toll on military discipline. To quote Max Eastmans brilliant narration of the documentary From Tsar to Lenin: For the first time in history the tsars soldiers failed him. Instead of using their rifles to restore order, they completed the disorder by joining the people in the streets. Spontaneity, Marxism, and class consciousness In later accounts of the Revolution, memoirists, journalists and historians have contrasted the mass uprising of February to the Bolshevik-led insurrection of October. All too frequently, the aim of this comparison has been to denigrate the role of conscious leadership, implying or asserting that the presence of a politically conscious leadership detracts from the moral purity of revolutionary action. The presence of a leadership is identified with political conspiracy, disrupting the normal and legitimate flow of events. The use of the word spontaneous is intended to convey a blissful absence of political consciousness, with the masses acting on little more than vague democratic instincts. As a matter of historical fact, this conception of unconscious spontaneity mystifies, distorts and falsifies the revolution of February 1917. It is true that the Russian working class and the masses of soldiers, many of peasant origin, did not clearly foresee the consequences of their actions; nor were their actions guided by a worked out revolutionary strategy. But the working masses did possess a sufficient level of social and political consciousness, formed over many decades of direct and inherited experience, which enabled them to assess the events of February, draw conclusions and make decisions. Their thought was deeply influenced by a culture that had developed beneath the weight of terrible oppression, which had been scarred by social and personal tragedies, and inspired by astonishing examples of heroic self-sacrifice. In 1920, reviewing the origins of Bolshevism, Lenin paid tribute to the long struggle to develop a socialist political culture and movement with deep roots in the working class and capable of influencing the broad mass of the oppressed population. For about half a centuryapproximately from the forties to the nineties of the last centuryprogressive thought in Russia, oppressed by a most brutal and reactionary tsarism, sought eagerly for a correct revolutionary theory, and followed with the utmost diligence and thoroughness each and every last word in this sphere in Europe and America. Russia achieved Marxismthe only correct revolutionary theorythrough the agony she experienced in the course of half a century of unparalleled torment and sacrifice, of unparalleled revolutionary heroism, incredible energy, devoted searching, study, practical trial, disappointment, verification, and comparison with European experience. Thanks to the political emigration caused by tsarism, revolutionary Russia, in the second half of the nineteenth century, acquired a wealth of international links and excellent information on the forms and theories of the world revolutionary movement, such as no other country possessed. [11] During the 35 years that preceded the February Revolution, the working class movement in Russia developed in close and continuous interaction with the socialist organizations. These organizationswith their leaflets, newspapers, lectures, schools, and legal and illegal activitiesplayed an immense role in the social, cultural and intellectual life of the working class. It is impossible to remove this ubiquitous socialist and Marxist presence from the life and experience of the Russian working class as it developed from the early 1880s, through the upheaval of 1905, and up to the outbreak of the February Revolution. The pioneering work of Plekhanov, Axelrod and Potresov had not been in vain. It was precisely the extraordinary interaction, over many decades, of the social experience of the working class and Marxist theory, actualized in the persistent efforts of the cadre of the revolutionary movement, that formed and nourished the high intellectual and political level of the so-called spontaneous consciousness of the masses in February 1917. Serious historical research has proved the direct and critical role played by highly class conscious workers in organizing and directing the February movement and leading it to the overthrow of the autocracy. The answer given by Trotsky to the question, Who led the February revolution? is entirely correct: Conscious and tempered workers educated for the most part by the party of Lenin. [12] But, as Trotsky hastened to add: This leadership proved sufficient to guarantee the victory of the insurrection, but it was not adequate to transfer immediately into the hands of the proletarian vanguard the leadership of the revolution. [13] The emergence of Dual Power By the afternoon of Monday, February 27, the dynastic regime of the Romanovs, which had ruled Russia since 1613, had been swept away by the mass movement of workers and soldiers. With the destruction of the old regime, the political question of what would replace the autocracy immediately emerged. The confused and frightened political representatives of the Russian bourgeoisie assembled in the Tauride Palace. They established a Temporary Committee of the State Duma that, soon after, constituted itself as the Provisional Government. The main concern of the bourgeoisie, terrified by the mass movement, was to bring the revolution under control as quickly as it could, to limit as much as possible any injury to the material interests of the wealthy and the owners of private property, and to continue Russias participation in the imperialist war. At the same time, within the same building, the elected representatives of the people assembled in a Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies to defend and advance the interests of the revolutionary masses. In the formation of this instrument of real and potential workers power, the Russian working class was drawing on the experience of the Revolution of 1905. But while in 1905 the St. Petersburg Sovietchaired by Leon Trotskyemerged only in the final climactic weeks of the mass movement of the working class, the Petrograd Soviet came to life in the first week of the 1917 Revolution. The class divisions within Russian society, as yet unsolved by the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, found expression in the regime of Dual Power. The existence of two rival governmental authorities, representing irreconcilably hostile class forces, was inherently unstable. Explaining the political meaning of this peculiar phenomenon, Trotsky wrote: The splitting of sovereignty foretells nothing less than a civil war. [14] For the next eight months, the development of the revolution proceeded through the conflict between the bourgeois Provisional Government and the Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies. If the outcome of this struggle could have been determined simply on the basis of some sort of mathematical calculation of the strength of the contending forces, eight months would not have been required to settle the matter. From the start, the bourgeois Provisional Government was essentially powerless. Its authority depended almost entirely on the support it received from the political leaders of the Sovietdrawn principally from the Menshevik and Social-Revolutionary parties. They insisted that Russias revolution was of an exclusively bourgeois democratic character, that a socialist overturn of capitalism was not on the agenda, and that, therefore, the Sovietthe representative of the working class and the mass of impoverished peasantscould not take power into its own hands. During the first weeks that followed the victorious February Revolution, the acquiescence of the Executive Committee of the Soviet went unchallenged. Even the Bolshevik Partywith Lenin still outside Russia and its leadership in the hands of Kamenev and Stalinbowed to the Executive Committees support for the Provisional Government and, therefore, the continuation of Russias participation in the war. This line of political adaptation was to continue until Lenin returned to Russia on April 4. Lenins return to Petrograd Lenins return to Russia, and his arrival at the Finland Station in Petrograd, ranks among the most dramatic episodes in world history. The outbreak of the Revolution had found him in Switzerland, living in a small second floor apartment on Spiegelgasse, in the old town section of Zurich. The circumstances of Lenins trip from Zurichs Hauptbahnhofcentral train stationto Petrograd were to emerge as a major political issue in the course of the revolution. Under conditions of war, the possibility of a rapid return to Russia from landlocked Switzerland required that he travel through Germany. Lenin understood very well that reactionary chauvinists would raise an outcry against his decision to travel through a country that was at war with Russia. But time was of the essence. In his absence, the Bolshevik Party was being drawn into the orbit of the Menshevik leaders of the Soviet, who were pursuing a line of compromise with the Provisional Government. Lenin negotiated the conditions under which he would travel through Germany, insisting on a sealed train, precluding the possibility of any contact between himself and representatives of the German state. From the moment Lenin received news of the outbreak of revolution in Russia, he began formulating a policy of irreconcilable revolutionary opposition to the Provisional Government. His initial response to the revolution is recorded in a series of detailed commentaries known as the Letters from Afar. The policies Lenin advanced in the first days of the revolution were based on his analysis of the imperialist war, and were a continuation of the revolutionary anti-war program for which he had fought at the Zimmerwald Conference in September 1915. There, Lenin had insisted that the imperialist war would lead to socialist revolution. The slogan he advanced, Turn the imperialist war into a civil war, was a programmatic concretization of this perspective. Lenin saw the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy as a confirmation of his analysis. The upheaval in Russia was not a self-contained national event, but the first stage of the uprising of the European working class against imperialist war, and, therefore, the beginning of the world socialist revolution. Lenins analysis of Russian events within the international framework of the world war placed him in conflict with not only the Menshevik leaders of the Soviet, but also with substantial sections of the Bolshevik Party leadership in Petrograd. The Menshevik leaders argued that, with the overthrow of the tsar, the political character of Russias participation in the war had changed. It had now become a legitimate democratic war of national self-defense. The initial response of the Bolshevik Party, formulated by lower-level leaders of the Petrograd organization, was to reaffirm the intransigent anti-war stance for which Lenin had fought at Zimmerwald, reiterating his call to turn the imperialist war into a civil war. But as more senior leaders made their way from Siberian exile to Petrograd, the political line of the party changed. The arrival of Kamenev and Stalin in Petrograd in mid-March led almost immediately to a dramatic shift in policy. Adopting a defensist position that justified the continuation of the war, Kamenev, with Stalins support, published a statement in the Bolshevik organ Pravda on March 15 that declared: When army stands against army, it would be the blindest of all policies which called upon one of them to lay down its arms and go home... A free people will staunchly remain at its post, answering bullet for bullet. [15] The April Theses Sukhanov has left behind a vivid description of Lenins return to Russia. The Bolshevik party organized a rousing welcome for their returning leader. The Soviet leaders, recognizing that Lenins years of revolutionary activity had earned him immense prestige among the advanced workers of Petrograd, felt obligated to join the official welcoming party. Lenin descended from the train and was handed a magnificent bouquet of red roses, which contrasted somewhat oddly with his entirely conventional attire. Clearly delighted to have arrived in the capital of the revolution, Lenin rapidly made his way to the waiting room of the Finland Station. There he encountered a glum delegation of Soviet leaders, led by its chairman, the Georgian-born Menshevik, Nikolai Chkheidze. A smile frozen on his face, the nervous chairmans official welcome consisted of appealing to Lenin to avoid disrupting the unity of the left. Lenin, Sukhanov recalled, seemed to pay scant attention to the Soviet chairmans oration, as if it had nothing to do with him. Lenin gazed at the ceiling, surveyed the audience for familiar faces, and adjusted the flowers of the bouquet he was still holding in his hand. As soon as Chkheidze concluded his somber remarks, Lenin began hurling his thunderbolts: Dear Comrades, soldiers, sailors and workers! I am happy to greet in your persons the victorious Russian revolution, and greet you as the vanguard of the worldwide proletarian army... The piratical imperialist war is the beginning of civil war throughout Europe... The hour is not far distant when at the call of our comrade, Karl Liebknecht, the peoples will turn their arms against their own capitalist exploiters... The worldwide Socialist revolution has already dawned... Germany is seething... Any date now the whole of European capitalism may crash. The Russian revolution accomplished by you has prepared the way and opened a new epoch. Long live the world-wide Socialist revolution! [16] Sukhanov records the stunning impact of Lenins words. It was all very interesting! Suddenly, before the eyes of all of us, completely swallowed up by the routine drudgery of the revolution, there was presented a bright, blinding, exotic beacon, obliterating everything we lived by. Lenins voice, heard straight from the train, was a voice from outside. There had broken in upon us in the revolution a note that was not, to be sure, a contradiction, but that was novel, harsh, and somewhat deafening. [17] Recalling his own reaction to Lenins words, Sukhanov acknowledged that he felt that Lenin was right a thousand times over... in recognizing the beginning of the worldwide Socialist revolution and establishing an unbreakable connexion between the World War and the crash of the imperialist system... [18] But Sukhanov, who epitomized the political ambivalence that characterized even the most leftwing elements among the Mensheviks, saw no possibility of translating Lenins perspective, however correct, into practical revolutionary action. Lenin proceeded from the reception at the Finland Station to a brief dinner with his old comrades, and then to a meeting where, in the course of an informal report that lasted about two hours, he provided an outline of what would, in its developed form, enter into history as the April Theses. Lenin explained that the democratic revolution could be defended and completed only on the basis of a socialist revolution, requiring the repudiation of the imperialist war, the overthrow of the bourgeois Provisional Government, and the transfer of state power to the Soviets. Sukhanov, who had managed to gain admission to the meeting even though he was not a member of the party, described the report: I dont think Lenin, barely out of his sealed train, expected to expound in his answer his whole credo, and all his programme and tactics in the worldwide Socialist revolution. This speech was probably largely an improvisation, and so lacked any special density or worked-out plan. But each individual part of the speech, each element, each idea, was excellently worked out; it was clear that these ideas had long wholly occupied Lenin and been defended by him more than once. This was shown by the astonishing wealth of vocabulary, the whole dazzling cascade of definitions, nuances, and parallel (explanatory) ideas, which can be attained only through fundamental brain-work. Lenin began, of course, with the worldwide Socialist revolution that was ready to explode as a result of the World War. The crisis of imperialism expressed in the war could be resolved only by Socialism. The imperialist war... could not help but turn into a civil war, and could indeed be ended only by a civil war, by a worldwide Socialist revolution. [19] Lenins political programwhich signaled the alignment of his strategy with Trotskys theory of permanent revolutionwas not based primarily on an appraisal of nationally determined circumstances and opportunities as they existed in Russia. The essential question confronting the working class was not whether Russia, as a national state, had achieved a sufficient level of capitalist development that would allow a transition to socialism. Rather, the Russian working class confronted a historical situation in which its own fate was inextricably bound up with the struggle of the European working class against the imperialist war and the capitalist system from which it arose. Trotsky returns to Russia Once Lenin had overcome resistance within his own party, the Bolsheviks were able to develop the struggle against the political influence of the Mensheviks and Social-Revolutionaries. These efforts were vastly strengthened by Trotskys return in May. His arrival in Petrograd had been delayed because the British authorities in Halifax, Canada had taken Trotsky off the boat traveling from New York to Russia, interning him in a prisoner of war camp for one month. Protests in Russia against Trotskys illegal seizure compelled the Provisional Government to demand that the British release him. But neither the Provisional Government nor the Soviet leaders were pleased to learn of Trotskys arrival. Few harbored hopes that he would prove to be a restraining influence on the growing radicalization of the working class. Sukhanov recalled: Indefinite rumors were circulating about him, while he was still outside the Bolshevik Party, to the effect that he was worse than Lenin. [20] Now that the earlier differences with Lenin had been resolved, Trotsky entered the Bolshevik Party, where he immediately assumed a leading role, second only to Lenin. Many of Trotskys closest political allies, active in the Petrograd Inter-district Group (mezhrayontsi) followed his lead, joined the Bolsheviks, and went on to play major roles in the October Revolution, the Civil War and the Soviet government. Of course, Stalin ultimately murdered most of those outstanding representatives of the mezhrayontsi who had survived into the 1930s. The Provisional Government could fulfill none of the hopes aroused by the February Revolution. Unwilling to sacrifice its own imperialist ambitions and dependent upon the support of British, French and American imperialism, the Provisional Government refused to end the war. In defiance of the sentiments of the masses, the Kerensky government launched offensive operations in June that ended in disaster. The agitation of the Bolshevik Party, demanding that the Soviet leaders break with the Provisional Government and take power into their own hands, met with growing support. As the prestige of the Bolshevik Party grew, the efforts of the Provisional Government, the capitalist press and leading Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries to blackguard and discredit Lenin became ever more frenzied. The suppression of mass anti-government demonstrationsthe July Dayswas followed by a ferocious campaign against the Bolshevik Party and, especially, against Lenin. The fact that he had travelled through Germany to return to Russia was seized upon to fuel a slander campaign aimed at preparing the necessary political conditions for Lenins assassination. State and Revolution The Provisional Government ordered Lenins arrest on July 7. Understanding very well that his captors would murder him before he even made it to the prison, Lenin went into hiding. Over the next two months, during his enforced absence from Petrograd, he wrote State and Revolution. He prefaced the book with an explanation: The question of the state is now acquiring particular importance both in theory and practical politics. The imperialist war has immensely accelerated and intensified the process of transformation of monopoly capitalism into state-monopoly capitalism... The unprecedented horrors and miseries of the protracted war are making the peoples position unbearable and increasing their anger. The world proletarian revolution is clearly maturing. The question of its relation to the state is acquiring practical importance. [21] In this remarkable work, Lenin carried out what he referred to as an exercise in historical excavation, reestablishing the teachings of Marx and Engels on the nature of the state as an instrument of class rule, for the maintenance of the power and the domination of one class over another. The very existence of the state arises out of the existence and irreconcilability of class antagonisms. Lenin attacked bourgeois and petty-bourgeois ideologists who correct Marx in such a way as to make it appear that the state is an organ for the reconciliation of classes. [22] Lenin considered State and Revolution to be of the greatest importance, and specifically instructed that, in the event of his untimely death, special attention was to be given to its publication. But Lenin survived. By September, the political situation began to shift radically to the left. Confronted with the threat of a counterrevolutionary coup by General Kornilov, the Soviet leaders were compelled to mobilize and arm the masses. Trotsky, who had been in prison since July, was released. In the face of mass working class resistance, in whose organization the Bolsheviks played a critical role, Kornilovs soldiers deserted the general and the attempted coup collapsed. All Power to the Soviets Kerenskywho had been secretly conspiring with Kornilov in advance of the coupwas politically discredited. With Lenin still in hiding, the Bolshevik Partyadvancing the slogan of All Power to the Sovietsexperienced a massive surge in popular support. Broad sections of the working class deserted the Mensheviks, who still refused to break with the Provisional Government and sanction the transfer of state power to the Soviets. In September, with the economic and political crisis intensifying, and with a general uprising of the peasantry sweeping across Russia, Lenin called upon the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party to begin concrete preparations for the organization of an insurrection to seize power. On October 10, Lenin slipped into Petrograd to attend a meeting of the Central Committee, which passed a resolution in support of an insurrection. However, there remained substantial opposition within the party to actually attempting the overthrow of the Provisional Government, as well as disagreement over the formulation of a strategic plan for the insurrection. A detailed review of the Bolshevik-led insurrection is not possible within the scope of this lecture. It would require a careful examination of the significant differences that arose within the Bolshevik leadership in the days leading up to the seizure of power. Trotskys Lessons of October and, of course, his History of the Russian Revolution provide accounts of the conflicts within the Bolshevik Party, and their political and historical significance, which remain unsurpassed in their comprehension of the interaction of objective and subjective elements in the revolutionary process. However, there is one critical issue relating to the October Revolution that must be addressed. The claim that the overthrow of the Provisional Government in October was a conspiratorial putsch, undertaken without any substantial popular support, has been repeated endlessly and recycled in countless variations by political opponents of the Bolsheviks and reactionary historians for an entire century. None other than Kerensky, who lived until 1970, and thus, one might say, survived himself by more than a half-century, continued to insist, until his death at the age of 89, that his government had fallen victim to a nefarious and criminal conspiracy. Why the Bolsheviks triumphed The denigration of the October Revolution as a coup lacking popular support has been refuted by numerous scholarly studies, of which the works of the American historian Alexander Rabinowitch are the most comprehensive and impressive. In his preface to The Bolsheviks in Power, published in 2007 as the third volume of his life-long study of the Russian Revolution, Professor Rabinowitch wrote: The Bolsheviks Come to Power, together with Prelude to Revolution, challenged prevailing Western notions of the October revolution as no more than a military coup by a small, united band of revolutionary fanatics brilliantly led by Lenin. I found that, in 1917, the Bolshevik Party in Petrograd transformed itself into a mass political party and that, rather than being a monolithic movement marching in lock step behind Lenin, its leadership was divided into left, centrist, and moderate right wings, each of which helped shape revolutionary strategy and tactics. I also found that the partys success in the struggle for power after the overthrow of the tsar in February 1917 was due, in critically important ways, to its organizational flexibility, openness, and responsiveness to popular aspirations, as well as to its extensive, carefully nurtured connections to factory workers, soldiers of the Petrograd garrison, and Baltic Fleet sailors. The October revolution in Petrograd, I concluded, was less a military operation than a gradual process rooted in popular political culture, widespread disenchantment with the results of the February revolution, and, in that context, the magnetic attraction of the Bolsheviks promises of immediate peace, bread, land for the peasantry, and grass-roots democracy exercised through multiparty soviets. [23] Professor Rabinowitch grew up in a family that had close personal connections with Menshevik leaders. He was personally acquainted with Irakli Tsereteli, the leader of the Menshevik faction in the Petrograd Soviet. He heard the Menshevik side of the story many times. But his own scientific research led Professor Rabinowitch to conclusions that contradicted the explanations given by the Mensheviks for their defeat in 1917. The capitalist-imperialist response to the October Revolution In the immediate aftermath of the October Revolution, neither the Russian nor international bourgeoisie clearly understood the political magnitude of the events in Petrograd. The ruling elites reacted as if the Bolshevik victory were a nightmare from which they would soon awaken. On November 9 (Washington time), less than 48 hours after the overthrow of the Provisional Government, the New York Times reported that Washington and Embassy officials expect Bolsheviki rule to be short. The Times dispatch assured its readers: The Russian situation is believed here to be not as dark as news dispatches from Petrograd would indicate. Officials of the State Department and the Russian Embassy agree in the opinion that the present control of the Petrograd Government by the Bolsheviki Revolutionary Military Committee cannot last... One high official said today that he was of the view that the outcome might have a good effect rather than otherwise, because it afforded the opportunity of some strong man rising to take control of the situation. But the strong man expected by the government of President Woodrow Wilson did not arise, and within a week the optimistic confidence that the revolution would be quickly drowned in blood gave way to rage. In an editorial published on November 16, entitled The Bolsheviki, the Times denounced Kerensky for palteringtriflingwith the revolutionaries, and for backing away from the Kornilov coup. Seething with hatred, the editorial continued: Yet, though Kerensky has failed, some one else may arise strong enough to take the Government out of the destructive hands of the Bolsheviki. Indeed, retain it permanently they cannot, for they are pathetically ignorant, shallow men, political children, without the slightest understanding of the vast forces they are playing with, men without a single qualification for prominence but the gift of gab; and if they could be let alone long enough their mere incompetence would destroy them, though perhaps only to replace them with others as bad. Such was the history of the French Revolution, a kaleidoscope of government by set after set of silver-tongued incompetents and ignoramuses, each worse than the other, until incompetence and ignorance destroyed themselves altogether. And what had the Bolsheviks done during the hours and days following the overthrow of the Provisional Government to incite the wrath of The New York Times and the forces of international capitalist imperialism for which it spoke? First, the Bolsheviks issued a decree on peace, calling on all the warring parties to begin negotiations to end the war without annexations or indemnities. Second, the new Soviet government issued a decree on land, declaring that Private ownership of land shall be abolished forever; land shall not be purchased, sold, leased, mortgaged or otherwise alienated. [24] The place of the October Revolution in world history Thus began the greatest social revolution in world history. There had been other revolutions: the English Revolution of 1640-49, the American Revolution of 1776-83, the French Revolution of 1789-94 and the Second American Revolution of 1861-65. That none of these realizedor even came close to realizingthe ideals they proclaimed does not detract from their significance as milestones in the historical development of mankind. There is nothing as intellectually repulsive as the efforts of the post-modernists to discredit the sacrifices of past generations in pursuit of a better world. With such exercises in petty-bourgeois cynicism, Marxian socialists have no sympathy whatsoever. While recognizing the historically determined limitations of the efforts of the revolutionists of earlier historical epochs, we pay them the tribute that is their due. As an event in world history, the Russian Revolution represents the highest and as yet unsurpassed effort of humanity to identify the causes of injustice and human suffering, and put an end to them. The October Revolution achieved an unprecedented alignment of human consciousness with objective necessity. This found expression not only in the decisions and actions of its political leaders. To see the events of October only in terms of the actions of leaders, even the greatest of them, is to miss the significance of the Revolution. In a revolution, it is the masses who make history. In overthrowing the Provisional Government, the working class acted with profound awareness of the laws of socio-economic development. Thoughts are scientific, wrote Trotsky, if they correspond to an objective process and make it possible to influence that process and guide it. [25] In this fundamental sense, the thoughts and practice of millions of people rose to the level of science. Scientific theory gripped the masses and was transformed into a material force. The working class set about to abolish an archaic system of socio-economic relations, end the anarchy of the capitalist market, and introduce conscious planning into the organization of economic life. In the 1920s and 1930s, when there still existed an American intelligentsia committed to democratic principles and capable of adopting a critical attitude toward capitalist society, the historical significance of what was then called the Soviet experiment was widely recognized. In 1931, the American liberal philosopher John Dewey wrote a review for the New Republic of several books about the Soviet Union. Dewey noted that Russia is a challenge to America, not because of this or that characteristic, but because we have no social machinery for controlling the technological machinery to which we have committed our fortunes, and expressed sympathy for the Marxist proposition that social phenomena are capable of being controlled so that the development of human society can be made subject to the human will. Dewey proceeded to express sympathy with the following critique of capitalism presented in The Soviet Challenge to America, written by a prominent liberal of the day, George S. Counts: Industrial society in its present form is a monster possessing neither soul nor inner significance. It has succeeded in destroying the simpler cultures of the past, but has failed to produce a culture of its own worthy of the name... Whether this state of moral chaos is the temporary maladjustment of a transition epoch or the inevitable product of a society organized for private gain is one of the most crucial questions of our time. [26] The fate of the Russian Revolutionfrom the October Revolution of 1917 to the dissolution of the Soviet Unionis the most significant and complex historical experience of the twentieth century. But the problems with which it grappled not only persist, they are more acute than ever. One hundred years after the Russian Revolution of 1917, capitalism is spiraling toward disaster. The crisis of capitalist society is clearly not simply, as Professor Counts put it, the temporary maladjustment of a transition epoch. The existence of this historically obsolete form of economic organizationbased on private ownership of mankinds productive forces and natural resources, brutally exploiting the great mass of humanity in the interest of corporate profit and private wealthis not only the principal barrier to human progress. Its existence is rapidly becoming incompatible with the maintenance of human life. There is not a single significant social problem that can be solved within the framework of capitalism. Indeed, the logic of capitalism and the nation-state system, which forms the basis of imperialist geopolitics, is leading inexorably to yet another global war, this time fought with nuclear weapons. Nothing can stop the descent into disaster but the renewal of the conscious struggle for world socialism. This, above all, is why it is necessary to study the Russian Revolution. ---- Notes: 1. Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 39 (New York: 1983), pp. 62-65 2. The Permanent Revolution (London: 1971), p. 155 3. Lenin Collected Works Volume 5 (Moscow: 1961), p. 369 4. Lenin Collected Works Volume 14 (Moscow: 1977), p. 325 5. The Class, the Party, and the Leadership, in The Spanish Revolution 1931-39 (New York: 1973), p. 360 6. The Lessons of October in The Challenge of the Left Opposition (New York: 1975), p. 227 7. Lenin, Collected Works Volume 23, p.253 8. The Russian Revolution 1917 by N.N. Sukhanov, edited, abridged and translated by Joel Carmichael (New York: 1962), Volume 1, p. 5 9. The Russian Revolution, 1917 by Rex A. Wade (Cambridge: 2000), p. 31 10. Ibid, p. 39 11. Lenin Collected Works, Volume 23, pp. 25-26 12. History of the Russian Revolution (Ann Arbor: MI, 1957), p. 152 13. Ibid 14. The History of the Russian Revolution (Ann Arbor: 1961), p. 208 15. War Against War by R. Craig Nation (Durham and London: 1989), p. 175 16. Sukhanov, Volume 1, p. 273 17. Ibid, pp. 273-74 18. Ibid p. 274 19. Ibid, p. 281 20. Sukhanov, Volume II, p. 360 21. Lenin Collected Works, Volume 25 (Moscow: 1977), p. 388 22. Ibid, p. 392 23. The Bolsheviks in Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd, by Alexander Rabinowitch (Bloomington and Indianapolis: 2007), pp. ix-x 24. Quoted in The Russian Revolution in 1917, p. 243 25. History of the Russian Revolution, p. 151 26. Cited in John Dewey, Volume 6: 1931-1932, Essays, Reviews and Miscellany (Carbondale and Edwardsville, 1989), p. 266 A dangerous confrontation is rapidly emerging on the Korean Peninsula between the United States and North Korea, with the potential to plunge North East Asia and the rest of the world into a catastrophic conflict between nuclear-armed powers. Amid a barrage of commentary in the American and international media inflating the threat posed by the Pyongyang regime, the Trump administration is actively considering all options to disarm and subordinate North Korea. The immediate pretext is North Koreas test-firing of four medium-range ballistic missiles last week, following the launch in February of a new intermediate-range missile. However, the drumbeat of US military threats has been preceded by months of high-level discussions in American foreign policy and military circles over action to prevent North Korea building an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the continental United States. President Barack Obama, who, according to the New York Times, was considering the most extreme measures against Pyongyang, urged then-President-elect Donald Trump to make North Korea his highest security priority. Since taking office, the Trump administration has been conducting a top-level review of US strategy toward Pyongyang, considering every option, including, as a White House official told the Wall Street Journal, those well outside the mainstream such as regime-change and military strikes on North Korean nuclear facilities and military assets. A worried New York Times editorial last week, headlined Rising Tensions with North Korea, underscored the dangers of war breaking out in North East Asia. How Mr. Trump intends to handle this brewing crisis is unclear, but he has shown an inclination to respond aggressively, the newspaper wrote. On Monday, the White House denounced the missile tests and warned of very dire consequences. The editorial pointed out that the Obama administration had been engaged in cyber and electronic warfare against the North Korean missile systems, then continued: Other options include some kind of military action, presumably against missile launch sites, and continuing to press China to cut off support. The Trump administration has also discussed reintroducing nuclear weapons into South Korea, an extremely dangerous idea. The Chinese government is acutely concerned at the prospect of war on its doorstep involving its ally, North Korea. In unusually blunt language, Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, warned that the United States and North Korea were like accelerating trains coming toward each other with neither side willing to give way. The Trump administration flatly rejected Chinas proposal for a dual suspensionof North Koreas missile and nuclear programs and massive US war games underway in South Koreaas the basis for renewed negotiations. By ruling out talks, the White House is setting course for confrontation, not only with North Korea, but also with China. By preparing for military action against North Korea, the US is also menacing China, which it has identified as the most immediate challenge to American global hegemony. The Trump administration has already threatened trade war measures against China and military action against Chinese islets in the South China Sea. The US deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-ballistic-missile battery in South Korea, which began last week, is part of a network of integrated anti-missile systems designed to facilitate nuclear war with China or Russia. A pre-emptive US attack on North Korea would be an act of war with incalculable consequences. While no match for the military power of US imperialism and its allies, North Korea has a huge army, estimated at more than a million soldiers, and a large array of conventional missiles and artillery, much of it entrenched along the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone and able to strike the densely populated South Korean capital of Seoul. In the event of war, the scale of devastation would be immense just on the Korean Peninsula alone, even without the use of nuclear weapons. In 1994, the Clinton administration was on the brink of attacking North Koreas nuclear facilities but pulled back at the last minute after the Pentagon gave a sober assessment of the likely outcome300,000 to 500,000 South Korean and American military casualties. A war now is unlikely to be conventional or limited to the Korean Peninsula. The Pentagon has been actively planning for a far broader conflict. In December 2015, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said any conflict with North Korea would inevitably be trans-regional, multi-domain and multifunctionalin other words, a world war involving other powers and the use of all weapons, including nuclear bombs. The immediate danger of war is compounded by the acute political, economic and social crises of all the governments involved, as epitomised by last Fridays impeachment and removal of South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Faced with an early election and the prospect of defeat, the ruling right-wing Liberty Korea Party has a definite incentive to whip up war tensions with North Korea to divert attention from the political crisis at home. Moreover, the current US-South Korean military exercises, involving more than 320,000 military personnel backed by the most sophisticated US air and naval power, provide an ideal opportunity for striking North Korea. As of last year, the annual drills, which amount to a rehearsal for war with Pyongyang, have been conducted on the basis of aggressive new operational plans, which include pre-emptive strikes on North Korean military sites and decapitation raids to assassinate the countrys leadership. The response of both the Chinese and North Korean governments to US threats is utterly reactionary: on the one hand looking for a deal with Washington, on the other, engaging in an arms race that only heightens the danger of war. Neither regime has anything to do with socialism or represents the interests of the working class. Their whipping up of nationalism acts as a barrier to the development of unity among workers in Asia and the US in opposition to imperialist war. The most destabilising factor in this extremely tense situation is the United States, where the political establishment and state apparatus are embroiled in factional warfare over foreign policy and hacking allegations. There is a real danger that the Trump administration will turn to war with North Korea in an attempt to project internal social and political tensions outward against the common enemy. The prospect of a catastrophic war stems not from particular individuals or parties. It is being driven by the deepening crisis of international capitalism and the insoluble contradiction between world economy and the division of the globe into rival nation states. The same crisis of the profit system, however, creates the objective conditions and political necessity for the working class to fight for its own revolutionary solutiona unified anti-war movement of the international working class based on a socialist perspective to put an end to capitalism before it plunges humanity into barbarism. At the time of this writing, 70,000 customers of utility monopoly DTE Energy in the greater Detroit area were still without power following a windstorm last Wednesday. The weather event wreaked havoc on the aging power grid in southeastern Michigan, causing mass outages and electrical fires. By Thursday morning, 670,000 DTE customers were without power in addition to 350,000 Consumers Energy customers further west and north across the state. The crumbling infrastructure in metro Detroit has resulted in disaster for the region. Winds reached over 60 mph, according to some reports, and DTE claimed it was the largest mass storm outage in its history, prone to violent and often unpredictable weather. The energy giant claimed that it was expecting to have power back on for all of its customers by 11:30 pm Monday, meaning no power for as long as five days for some. A Brookings analysis of the 2010-2014 census numbers concluded that Detroit is the poorest big city in the US. Large sections of the population live without access to utilities and rely on assistance from local warming centers, especially during cold winters. These centers struggled to keep up with the increased number of people seeking shelter from the freezing temperatures over the weekend. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said the effect on the electrical system was unprecedented and activated the State Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday in response to the storm. This declaration, however, provided little practical assistance to hundreds of thousands coping with the impact of the power outage. While the energy giant advised those without power to avoid using generators, which can potentially cause deadly carbon monoxide leaks, the freezing temperatures provided little alternative to many. Sunday morning 70 miles west of Detroit in Leoni Township, 75-year-old Lonnie Sibbet and 70-year-old Leona Sibbet were found dead in their homes due to an apparent carbon monoxide leak. One metro Detroit resident impacted by the outage told the WSWS, I was without power for three days along with hundreds in my neighborhood. It took more than 24 hours for DTE to provide their first estimate of when service would be restored. Without power it was absolutely impossible to stay at home in the freezing weather. I heard many accounts, including first-hand accounts, of people being gouged by local motels, charging as much as double their usual rates. People lost all the perishable items in their freezers along with days missed from work and I expect we will get no compensation from DTE. They claim this was an exceptional weather event, but this is not the first time people in my neighborhood have experienced outages, sometime for as much as 24 hours, due to fairly routine weather events. It is miraculous that only a couple of deaths have been reported so far. I expect the toll will turn out to be much greater, especially among the elderly and disabled. DTE is notorious for taking unreasonable amounts of time to respond to customer complaints, and often blatantly ignores complaints altogether. They have drastically cut back on tree trimming, a necessary maintenance to prevent branches and dead trees from falling on above-ground wires and starting electrical fires. Meanwhile, aging power lines and transformers often fail, plunging thousands into the dark due to a lack of adequate backup systems. The regular failure of the electrical gird during storms is a symptom of the general breakdown of the infrastructure, including roads, bridges and water systems. Detroit schools were just forced to close less than two weeks ago in a separate infrastructural breakdown affecting the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, leading to contamination of the citys water supply. Even more students lost school days last week as a result of the power outages. While DTE Energy routinely and swiftly shuts power off to those behind on their bills, those affected by this power outage will likely receive little to no compensation. The school closures cost many parents unpaid days home from work, in addition to food spoiled and rotting in refrigerators, property damage caused by flooding from exploding frozen pipes, fallen trees on houses and cars, fires caused by downed wires, and other catastrophes. Reports of this nature poured in all weekend. DTE Energy should take full financial and legal responsibility for all of these losses, in addition to compensating customers for the amount of time spent without power. While residents are being left to fend for themselves, DTE recorded earnings of $868 million in 2016 and was awarded a four percent rate increase on top of its already exorbitant charges in January by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Todays strike by conductors at three train companiesArriva Rail Northern, Merseyrail and Southern Railto oppose the introduction of Driver Only Operated services (DOO), is a welcome development in the efforts by rail workers to oppose thousands of job losses and the undermining of public safety. Last month, Southern GTR drivers voted down a sell-out deal, negotiated in private with the company by the train drivers union, ASLEF, and the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The deal, fully accepting DOO, followed a year of strikes by conductors and drivers at Southern, which runs services throughout the south of England. Following its rejection, Southern management and ASLEF have resumed private talks at a secret location. The fact that workersall members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT)are striking at three companies over the same issue shows that the expansion of DOO is part of a massive cost-cutting exercise nationally. Led by the Tory government and the private train operators, its aim is to terminate the safety role of the conductor, presently responsible for more than 30 safety-critical tasks on board trains. This is the thin end of the wedge. Recent studies by rail bodies are considering the introduction, pending technological developments, of fully automated trains, run without either conductors or drivers. Arriva Rail Northern and Merseyrailwhich run services in the north of Englandboth plan to introduce forms of DOO within three years. Arriva plans to introduce DOO trains as soon as next year. Merseyrail plans to run trains without conductors from 2020. A circular by the RMT to its members last October stated that Arriva Rail Northern intended to introduce a form of DOO called Driver Control Operation (DCO). The circular stated the firm plans to reduce the current number of guards [conductors], with at least 50% of the current train services on the franchise being operated by the driver. Under DCO the driver will have full operational control and sole responsibility for all operational requirements, which include full door control. The introduction of this change is due to take place once the new rolling stock has been procured. The strike at Merseyrail is going ahead after the companys request for an injunction failed in the High Court. Merseyrail argued the strike should not go ahead as the RMTs dispute was properly with Merseytravelthe passenger transport executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the Liverpool City Region. It argued that the decision to introduce DOO trains was taken by local councillors rather than the rail firm, but this claim was rejected by the High Court judges. Despite the incessant media propaganda against the strikers at Southern, passengers, who are forced to use the shoddy services run by the company, have consistently expressed sympathy with the struggle. This is in recognition of the consequences of removing even more workers from a service that is already in chaos due to privatisation and cutbacks. As a result, Southern trains are regularly delayed and cancelled, with a massive impact on the economy and passengers lives. The Southern rail network is one of the most critical in the country, with many passengers commuting to London. Those trains that do run offer a barely functioning and expensive service, with carriages often overcrowded. Southern is only the most glaring example of a situation that exists across the country. The claim that removing conductors and eventually drivers will have no impact on public safety is a lie, as demonstrated by several recent incidents. Last September, a collision and derailment occurred at Watford, with the driver of the derailed train effectively trapped in his cab, unable to assist passengers. This left the conductor in charge of ensuring the safety and welfare of passengers, which included helping two injured commuters and escorting paramedics when they arrived. Regarding the importance of having both drivers and conductors on board, the RMT said in a statement that had the driver been unable to make the emergency call to slow the northbound train, and the collision had occurred at 80 mph, then this could well have been a multi fatality incident. This month, a wall collapsed at Liverpool Lime Street, with debris strewn across four lines at the busy station. It was only due to nearby trainsone carrying 150 passengers came within seconds of colliding with tonnes of rubblehaving a qualified conductor and driver on board, able to co-ordinate their responses, that a major disaster was averted. To prosecute the struggle ahead, all rail employees must draw the lessons of the dispute so far. Workers are in a political struggle, with the Conservative government demanding that DOO is imposed as an integral part of the recommendations of the 2011 report by Lord McNulty, known as the Rail Value for Money Study. The recommendations will lead to slashing 20,000 jobs, the enforcing of backbreaking productivity increases and removal of the assumption of automatic annual pay increases. The government, via the Crown Prosecution Service, is currently attempting to prosecute Merseyrail conductor Martin Zee for a 2015 accident even though he was exonerated in an internal Merseyrail inquiry. Prosecutors are using archaic legislation from 1861 to charge Zee with endangering passengerswhich carries a potential two-year jail sentencefor the incident, which saw an elderly passenger fall into the tracks. In fact, Zees quick action likely saved her life. (See: Defend Martin Zee! UK: Merseyrail conductor scapegoated over passenger safety). This vendetta against Zee is part and parcel of the constant campaign to denigrate and demonise conductors and create a climate for the attacks on jobs. Meanwhile, the unions are dividing rail workers, between conductors and drivers, RMT and ASLEF, under conditions where the jobs, wages and conditions of all workers are under threat. Today it is the conductors. Tomorrow it will be the drivers. The RMT described the rotten deal that ASLEF and the TUC tried to impose on Southern drivers as a historical betrayal. A 2015 joint agreement signed by both the RMT and ASLEF committed them to oppose the expansion of DOO in any form, and to fight to reverse it where it already existed. However, the RMT then insisted that the deal was an internal affair of ASLEFs, thereby blocking any common struggle by the embattled rail workers. Nor can rail workers win their struggle by looking to the Labour Party or a future Labour government. Labour is a party of the City of London, austerity and war. It was the last Labour government which commissioned the McNulty report and framed its terms of reference. The election of left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has made no difference to the partys right-wing programme. As the case of Merseyrail demonstrates, the move to impose DOO is being carried out in collaboration with local transport authorities, which are largely under the control of Labour-run councils. Corbyn calls for the nationalisation of rail franchises and the creation of a Peoples Railway. But this is premised on the state taking over franchises only when existing franchises end. Yet only five of these are due to expire before 2025! What is required is a new leadership, new organisations of struggle, and a new political strategy. Workers in every sector and every industry, including those employed in health, education and the London Underground, are under attack with relentless assaults on jobs, wages and conditions. Rail workers should elect rank-and-file committees to take the conduct of this struggle out of the hands of the trade unions. These committees should reach out to health workers, teachers, steelworkers, autoworkers and other sections of the working class, to wage a common a counter-offensive in defence of the social rights of all workers. The Socialist Equality Party will offer every support to workers in establishing such organisations of struggle, and we appeal to railway workers to contact us. For three centuries, the Romanov Dynasty ruled Russia and its vast empire. In 1613, when the Romanovs assumed power in Moscow, the House of Stuart ruled in England and the Capetian Dynasty lorded over France. The Romanovs, beneficiaries of the cultural and economic backwardness of Russia, long outlived these European rivals, which fell before the muskets of the English Civil War and beneath the guillotines of the French Revolution. They survived Napoleons armies, palace intrigues and assassinations. They mercilessly stamped out all revolutionary threats, their armies drowning in blood the Revolutions of 1848 in eastern Europe, and their Cossacks and Black Hundreds unleashing savage repression on all opposition within the empire, as well as against Russias Jews. The Romanovs condemned to the gallows scores of revolutionaries, including Lenins older brother Aleksandr Ilyich Ulyanov, and sent to Siberia and foreign exile many thousands more, among them Lenin, Trotsky and Georgi Plekhanov, the father of Russian Marxism. In this way Tsar Nicholas II inherited the worlds largest army and an empire that covers one-sixth of the worlds land mass. But this seemingly timeless and powerful dynasty, the House of Romanov, will not survive this week in 1917. This is a clip from the documentary Tsar to Lenin showing the Tsar's despotism being overthrown in the February Revolution of 1917. The film can be purchased at Mehring Books. Petrograd, March 13 (Feb. 28, O.S.): Petrograd Soviet and Duma Committee begin negotiations over establishment of a Provisional Government The real power in Petrograd now lies with the Petrograd Soviet of Workers Deputies. It issues a call to the population of Petrograd and Russia demanding the formation of a Constituent Assembly. The old regime must be decisively overthrown and give place to the rule of the people. In this lies the salvation of Russia, the Soviet states. For the successful completion of the struggle in the interest of democracy, the people must create their own organs of power. Anxious to maintain bourgeois order in the midst of revolutionary upheaval, Menshevik leaders of the Soviet and liberals from the Duma Committee begin frenzied negotiations over a new government. The Menshevik M. I. Skobelev, a member of both the Duma and the Soviet, later described the prevailing mood of confusion in these circles: ...events were developing so incredibly that we could not have a clear view of the further success of the revolution. We were running around during these three days, carried by events. Therefore, we didnt think it was worth putting up a real fight over the question of regency, or causing a rupture. We couldnt see the whole extent of the revolution ourselves, and didnt know whether we were in control of Petrograd. Petrograd, March 14 (March 1, O.S.): The Petrograd Soviet issues Order No. 1 Shortly after constituting itself, the Duma Committee attempts to get the soldiers in Petrograd to return to their regiments and submit again to military discipline. This attempt outrages the rebelling soldiers, who demand that the Duma Committee issue an order reforming the military. When this request is refused, according to one account, soldiers declare, Then we will write it ourselves! At the demand of soldiers, the Petrograd Soviet issues Order No. 1, which Trotsky described as the single worthy document of the February revolution. Illustrating the phenomenon of dual power, the Petrograd Soviet asserts the authority to overrule the decisions of the Duma Committee. Issued as an order, and not simply a resolution, the Petrograd Soviet instructs soldiers not to obey any orders from the Duma Committee that contradict those of the Soviet. Also, in all political matters, soldiers are told to follow the instructions of the Soviet exclusively. The order calls on soldiers and sailors to elect committees for each military regiment and to seize control of all arms and weapons. Officers are strictly denied access to any weapons. Finally, in a manifestation of the newfound dignity of the masses engaged in revolution, the use of the disrespectful informal form of you (Russian, ti) by military superiors when addressing their subordinates is abolished, as is the expectation that officers would be called Your Excellency and saluted when troops are off-duty. Trotsky notes that the audacious order became the chief argument of the bourgeoisie against the Soviet, as it was blamed for being the main hindrance to the defeat of the German armies. According to historian Rex Wade, Order No. 1 proved to be one of the most important documents of the revolution. It set in motion a vast upheaval in military relationships, which in turn had enormous implications for political power in the following months and for the fate of the Russian army. Petrograd, March 15 (March 2, O.S.): Nicholas abdicates; Provisional Government formed Tsar Nicholas II abdicates, handing the throne to Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich, who is to govern in union and harmony with the representatives of the people on such principles as they see fit to establish. The telegraph announcing the Tsars abdication declares: Revolution in Petrograd! The Tsar has abdicated! The people and the army demand peace! It further reports the formation of a Provisional Government, the arrest of government ministers by the revolutionaries, and that 30,000 soldiers from the capitals garrisons have gone over to the side of the revolution. The Duma Committee and the Menshevik leaders of the Soviet announce the composition of the Provisional Government. Though the workers hold the power in Petrograd, most of the new ministers come from the bourgeois liberal Kadet Party. Prince Lvov is declared Prime Minister. The Provisional Government declares that it will work according to the principles of freedom of speech and the press, the right to strike, universal suffrage, and the maintenance of strict military discipline. Zurich, March 15 (March 2, O.S.): Lenin learns of the Revolution Havent you heard the news, Moisei Bronski asks Lenin in the morning, having bounded up the exiles stairs at his residence on 14 Spiegelgasse in Zurich, Switzerland. There is revolution in Russia. Lenin sets off with Bronski searching for details. Its staggering, Lenin writes later in the day. If the Germans arent lying, it has happened. The next day Lenin instructs Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai, then in Norway, to write instructions to the party in Petrograd: Our tacticscomplete distrust. No support for the Provisional Government. Distrust Kerensky above all. Arm the proletariat as the only guarantee. Nadezhda Krupskaya, Lenins wife and comrade, later recalled, From the very first minutes when the news arrived of the February Revolution Ilyich was eager to get to Russia. Two days later, on March 17, Lenin writes his Draft Theses on the Revolution. Although the information available to him is very limited, he nevertheless carves out the central issues facing the working class following the overthrow of the Tsar: The new government cannot give the peoples of Russia (and the nations tied to us by the war) either peace, bread, or full freedom. The working class must therefore continue its fight for socialism and peace, utilising for this purpose the new situation and explaining it as widely as possible among the masses. The new government cannot give the people peace, because it represents the capitalists and landlords and because it is tied to the English and French capitalists by treaties and financial commitments Only a workers government that relies, first, on the overwhelming majority of the peasant population, the farm labourers and poor peasants, and, second, on an alliance with the revolutionary workers of all countries in the war, can give the people peace, bread and full freedom. New York, March 15 (March 2, O.S.): Trotsky learns of the Revolution Trotsky learns of the abdication of the Tsar on Thursday, March 15, in the offices of the Russian emigre newspaper Novy Mir at St. Marks Place in New York. According to Kenneth D. Ackerman, his first reaction was to commandeer the telephone and call Natalya, his wife and comrade. Natalya celebrates with their child Sergei, who jumped to his feet and danced on the bed. The comrades, along with thousands of others, begin to plan their return. We were anxious to leave by the first boat, Trotsky later recalled. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised in the American working class to send the exiles back. Much like Lenin, Trotsky sees the overthrow of the Tsar as only the beginning of the revolution. In his article for Novy Mir from March 16, he writes: ...it is necessary to liquidate not only tsarism, but the war as well. The second wave of the revolution is sweeping over the heads of the Rodziankos and Miliukovs, who are worried about restoring order and compromising with the monarchy. From its own depths, the revolution will advance its own powerthe revolutionary organ of the people marching to victory. Both the main battles and the main victims lie ahead. And only then will a full and genuine victory follow. Trotsky tells the New York Times that the new provisional government does not represent the interests or aims of the revolutionists and that it will be short lived. All that week, Trotsky carried the same message of incomplete revolution through a blizzard of newspaper columns and speeches, Ackerman writes. He addresses crowds numbering in the thousands, starting at Beethoven Hall on March 16. A rally of over 2,000 at Lennox Casino, a few days later, hears Trotsky speak in Russian, and others in English, German and Finnish. The latter gathering is attended by an agent of the British MI1c intelligence service, and a former member of the Tsarist Okhrana secret police, Casimir Pilenas, there to monitor Trotskyand if possible prevent his return to Russia. Amsterdam and Berlin, March 13: Unrest in Germany grows The Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reports that mutinies among German soldiers near Namur and Huy have resulted in mass arrests so that prisons in those towns are crowded to four and five times their normal capacity. In the city of Barmen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, the chief of police is wounded in a food riot by women throwing rocks. In this and the following week of March 1917, a wave of strikes, usually lasting about a day, spreads in Germanys industrial regions and Berlin, over the opposition of the trade union leaders. February had seen strikes of some 40,000 workers at Krupps arms plant in Essen and 75,000 miners in North Rhine Westphalia. Repeatedly, the military is deployed against the strikers to force them back to work. For the working class but also broad layers of the middle class, the winter of 1916-1917 has brought a catastrophic worsening of living conditions, with bad harvests in the fall followed by extreme cold in the winter. Since the end of 1916, staple food is available only with food ration cards. According to official statistics, the average daily calorie intake in March drops to only 1,200 calories per day, as compared to 3,300 calories per day in peace times. The staggering social inequality has become the subject of everyday conversations in queues and at the workplace. A police informant who works in Hamburg among women working in war time food kitchens, reports: Everything is reserved for the rich, for the property owners. As soon as it comes to also making sacrifices, these ladies and gentlemen do not want to be the brothers and sisters of the working class anymore. The nice talk about holding out only goes for the working class, the ruling class has already sufficiently provided for itself with its moneybag. According to an American informant, the industrial working class in Germany [h]as become sullen, dissatisfied with the government, almost rebellious. While the middle class remains intensely patriotic, parading before the casual observer a unified and determined Germany, fatigue of war is making alarming strides among the working people. A great many of these humble people want peace at any price... They have hungered, and grieved, and overworked for many months, with conditions steadily growing worse and with each promise of peace fading into an indefinite prospect of endurance. Petrograd, March 16 (March 3, O.S.): Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich of Russia refuses the throne Song: The Workers Marseillaise was one of the most popular revolutionary songs of 1917. The lyrics, set to the tune of the French Marseillaise, were written by the leading populist Petr Lavrov in the 1870s. In addition to serving as the anthem of the February Revolution, it served alongside the Internationale as an anthem of the Bolshevik-led Russian Soviet Republic until 1918. In the early hours of March 16 (March 3, O.S.), Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the brother of the abdicated Tsar Nicholas II, meets with the leaders of the Duma and the new Provisional Government. When the frightened Grand Duke learns that they will not protect his life as emperor, he refuses the throne. After three centuries of brutal and oppressive rule, the Romanov dynasty comes to an end. By now, soviets of workers and soldiers have been formed in all major Russian cities. A regime of dual power has been established. Although the Provisional Government is officially in power, workers often only respond to decrees issued by Petrograd and local Soviets and decisions of their factory committees. Soldiers frequently refuse to carry out government decrees that they do not support politically. Alexander Guchkov, the new minister of war, later tells a conference of army commanders: We do not have authority, but only the appearance of authority; the real power lies with the Soviet. Kiev, March 17 (N.S.) (March 4, O.S.): Central Rada formed The Central Rada (Council) is formed in Kiev at the initiative of the Society of Ukrainian Progressionists, and with the support of various Ukrainian social democratic organizations, including the Mensheviks and the Jewish Labor Bund, as well as the Ukrainian Social Revolutionaries. Mykhaylo Hrushchevsky, Ukraines leading national historian, intellectual and politician, is elected Chairman of the Rada a few days later. One of the central slogans by the Rada is: Long live autonomous Ukraine in a Federated Russia. As in the rest of the Empire, aptly described by Lenin as a prison of peoples, the overthrow of the Tsar in Ukraine serves as a catalyst for the striving of the oppressed peoples for national liberation. The Ukrainians, made up for the most part of peasants, were the largest among the oppressed nationalities in the Russian Empire, comprising about 22 percent of its total population. Petrograd, March 18 (N.S.) (March 5, O.S.): US ambassador in Russia calls for formal recognition of Provisional Government While the Petrograd Soviet issues a decree calling for the arrest of the Tsarist family and a confiscation of all of its property, the US ambassador David R. Francis sends a telegram to Washington, urging the US government to recognize the Provisional Government immediately. Elaborating on the considerations behind his move, Francis writes in his memoirs: It should be borne in mind that at the time of this recognition our country was still neutral as we did not enter the war until fifteen days later. This recognition undoubtedly had a powerful influence in placing America in a position to enter the war backed by a practically unanimous public opinion. There can be no doubt that there would have been serious opposition to our allying ourselves with an absolute monarchy to make war no matter in what cause. Trotsky on Who Led the February Insurrection? In his monumental History of the Russian Revolution, Trotsky would later write in the chapter, Who Led the February Revolution? The mystic doctrine of spontaneousness explains nothing. In order correctly to appraise the situation and determine the moment for a blow at the enemy, it was necessary that the masses or their guiding layers should make their examination of historical events and have their criteria for estimating them. In other words, it was necessary that there should be not masses in the abstract, but masses of Petrograd workers and Russian workers in general, who had passed through the revolution of 1905, through the Moscow insurrection of December 1905, shattered against the Semenovsky regiment of the Guard. It was necessary that throughout this mass should be scattered workers who had thought over the experience of 1905, criticised the constitutional illusions of the liberals and Mensheviks, assimilated the perspectives of the revolution, meditated hundreds of times about the question of the army, watched attentively what was going on in its midstworkers capable of making revolutionary inferences from what they observed and communicating them to others. And finally, it was necessary that there should be in the troops of the garrison itself progressive soldiers, seized, or at least touched, in the past by revolutionary propaganda. In every factory, in each guild, in each company, in each tavern, in the military hospital, at the transfer stations, even in the depopulated villages, the molecular work of revolutionary thought was in progress. Everywhere were to be found the interpreters of events, chiefly from among the workers, from whom one inquired, Whats the news? and from whom one awaited the needed words. These leaders had often been left to themselves, had nourished themselves upon fragments of revolutionary generalisations arriving in their hands by various routes, had studied out by themselves between the lines of the liberal papers what they needed. Their class instinct was refined by a political criterion, and though they did not think all their ideas through to the end, nevertheless their thought ceaselessly and stubbornly worked its way in a single direction. Elements of experience, criticism, initiative, self-sacrifice, seeped down through the mass and created, invisibly to a superficial glance but no less decisively, an inner mechanics of the revolutionary movement as a conscious process.. To the question, Who led the February revolution? we can then answer definitely enough: Conscious and tempered workers educated for the most part by the party of Lenin. But we must here immediately add: This leadership proved sufficient to guarantee the victory of the insurrection, but it was not adequate to transfer immediately into the hands of the proletarian vanguard the leadership of the revolution. Also this week: March 15 Einstein Publishes On the Quantum Theory of Radiation In the new issue of Physikalische Zeitung (Physics Newspaper), Vol. 18. No. 6, Einstein publishes his Zur Quantentheorie der Strahlung (The Quantum Theory of Radiation). Until this paper, it is assumed that the fundamental interactions of radiation with matter are twofold: matter can absorb radiation with a certain probability, entering a more energetic, excited state, or matter in an excited state can emit radiation with a certain probability. This, it is assumed, completely describes the physics involved. Einstein realizes that a detailed working out of the physics leaves a mathematical imbalance that can be resolved by adding an additional concept called stimulated emission, in which radiation passing matter in an excited state has some probability of stimulating emission of additional radiation attuned to that passing by. It seems at the time merely a matter of bookkeeping, but 36 years later, the use of stimulated emission to amplify radiation produces the MASER (Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), and 7 years after that, the LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). The 1964 Nobel Prize in physics would go to a trio of scientists who transform Einstein's theoretical modification into the tools that are now a critical part of 21st century technology. Also this week: March 15, New York- Caruso in Rigoletto at Metropolitan Opera Caruso singing the aria "La donna e mobile" from Verdis opera Rigoletto (this recording is from 1908). Legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso gives a matinee performance of Verdis Rigoletto to a capacity audience at the Metropolitan Opera. The New York Times comments, Verdis tragedy on Victor Hugos Le roi s'amuse... touched nearly enough on yesterdays actual news of European uprisings and dethronings to be uncommonly interesting. The political and social crisis in the Balkans is exacerbating conflicts between the successor states of Yugoslavia, heightening the threat of another war in the region. The entire region has been in a state of acute crisis ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the civil war in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, which was fuelled by the United States and Germany. Hardly any country in the region has a stable government. Corruption and crime are endemic and the largest part of the population lives in catastrophic conditions. Journalist Norbert Mappes-Niediek, a Balkan specialist, remarked recently on broadcaster Deutsche Welle: Europe is the powder keg. But the Balkans are the fuse. The conflicts are what is most dangerous. They cannot be isolated. And precisely in the present situation, in which the world has become so unstable and there is no longer any predominant power, it is all the more easy for the conflicting parties in the Balkans to seek allies among the greater powers. This is a situation like 1914. This, most of all, should give grounds for fear. According to the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK), 18 conflicts can be observed currently in the region. Dusan Reljic, head of the Brussels office of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said on broadcaster Deutschlandradio Kultur: Relations between the Yugoslav successor states in the Balkans have not been as bad for over two decades. In the Balkansin Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovoleading politicians are thinking about how to redraw the borders again, and even talk of the danger of a new war. According to Reljic, nationalism in the Balkans does not have a life of its own, but is an expression of social and economic conditions. Florian Bieber from the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Graz said, The idea of a liberal democratic consensus no longer exists. The crisis of democracy in southeast Europe was visible to everyone. Kosovo is one of the clearest examples. Formerly part of Yugoslavia, and independent since 2008, Kosovo is an economic and social disaster area. Basically, Kosovo produces little. Over 90 percent of all necessary goods are imported. For years, the amount of cash coming into the country from Kosovans working abroad is higher than that generated in Kosovo itself. Unemployment stands at nearly 50 percent; among young people it is over 70 percent. The perspective for joining the EU, as promised by Brussels a few years ago, lies in the distant future. Last spring, a half-hearted Association Agreement was negotiated, which is totally unrealistic in view of the conditions necessary for its fulfilment. A precondition is that Kosovo makes measurable progress in the fight against corruption and organized crime. Since the government, big business and the security forces are deeply involved in these activities, every attempt has been doomed to failure. At the same time, there are influential forces, such as the strongest opposition party in Pristina, urging the union of Kosovo with Albania. The political situation in Kosovo is extremely acute. Last year, there were violent clashes between the government and opposition in parliament. Head of state Hashim Thaci is seeking to channel internal conflicts through an aggressive stance towards Serbia. Last Tuesday, he submitted a bill to increase the size of the army to 5,000 and 2,500 reservists. This produced such violent reactions in Serbia that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was obliged to intervene. He urged Thaci to establish direct contact with Serbia. Kosovo is a de facto protectorate of the Western powers, in which KFOR soldiers are stationed. Serbia is also witnessing growing nationalism as the social crisis in the country deepens. Serbia has been negotiating accession to the EU since 2014, and has already implemented some of the reforms demanded by Brussels. However, given the general crisis of the EU, most member states are increasingly distancing themselves from an actual accession. Brussels has noted Moscows influence on Serbia with concern. While Belgrade receives $10 million in aid a year from Moscow, it gets over $190 million from the EU. The United States and almost all EU member states favour a rapid recognition of Kosovo by the United Nations, but Moscow has used its veto in the Security Council to stop the country joining the UN. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has even threatened to personally march into Kosovo at the head of the army, because the Albanian majority there is allegedly planning war against the Serb minority. In Serbia too, the collapse of the economy is the reason for the rise of aggressive nationalism. In this context, the SWP warns against leaving six western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) to their economic fate. Calculations by the World Bank say that even if these countries had six percent growth a year, they would only reach the EU average in 2035provided that the EU countries had no growth. Bosnia, which declared independence 25 years ago, is now commonly referred to as failed state. As in Kosovo, poverty, crime and corruption are all pervasive. A country with 3.5 million inhabitants has 150 ministers and 600 parliamentarians who are consciously stoking up conflicts between three ethnic groups. Bosnia applied for EU membership in February 2016, but its prospects are considered poor. Some 600 EUFOR soldiers are still stationed in the country to prevent outbreaks of social or ethnic tensions. Macedonia is on the verge of civil war. The political elites have been fighting amongst themselves for months. In normal times, the Economist recently wrote, the world tends to ignore Macedonia and its 2m people, a quarter of them ethnic Albanian. But the world is not ignoring Macedonia now. Western politicians are rushing to Skopje, Russia is issuing warnings and Serbian newspapers proclaim that war is coming. Geopolitical relevance is returning to the Balkans, laments Veton Latifi, an analyst. In February, followers of former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski protested; although the right-wing politician had won the parliamentary elections in December, he has not been able to form a government majority. Last week, President Gjorge Ivanov refused to give the social democrats a mandate to form a government, although they can form a majority in parliament along with three Albanian parties. He could not agree with this coalition, Ivanov said. It pursues a programme that was devised abroad and endangered the countrys unity, he said. In this way, he is stoking up nationalistic sentiment against the Albanian minority in the country. The extreme tensions in Macedonia and neighbouring Albania, and the possible interference of Russia, means European and American representatives are reacting nervously. The EUs foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, and representatives of NATO and the US State Department urged Ivanov to reverse his decision. At last Saturdays state election, intense hostility toward the political establishment, at both state and federal levels, has produced the largest ever swing in Western Australia (WA) against a sitting government. The Liberal Party government suffered a near-16 percentage point swinglosing a third of its votereducing the Liberals to around 12 seats in the 59-seat lower house of state parliament. The defeat for Premier Colin Barnetts government was far worse than media polls predicted. Up to six government ministers have lost their seats. In some Perth suburban and regional electorates the swings were as high as 22 percent. Far from being simply a WA issue, the political earthquake there indicates an intensification of the volatility that has ousted one government after another around the country over the past decade. The implosion of the mining boom has made the iron ore- and gas-rich state one of the sharpest expressions of the deep social discontent produced by the destruction of full-time jobs, the cutting of workers wages and conditions and the gutting of public services, compounded in WA by the collapse in house prices. The immediate beneficiary of the rout was the Labor Party, which picked up a swing of around 9.7 percent to give it an overwhelming majority of at least 40 seats in the 59-seat chamber. However, as with previous elections, the outcome will only deepen the ongoing assault on the working class. The incoming Labor government will be a vicious pro-business administration, committed to slashing public spending to meet the demands of global financial markets and backed to the hilt by the trade unions, which will seek to systematically suppress workers opposition. The WA vote has obvious national implications. It was the first electoral test for the political establishment since Prime Minister Turnbulls Liberal-National Coalition government narrowly survived last Julys federal election, clinging to a mere one-seat majority. Six months on, the future of his unstable government seems more perilous than ever. If the WA result were reproduced in a federal election, Turnbulls government would be swept from office, just on the vote in the state of WA alone. In the last WA election in 2013, the Liberal Party won 47 percent of the primary vote, recording a swing of 8.8 percentage points. The Labor Party was decimated, largely due to hostility among ordinary working people toward former Prime Minister Julia Gillards then federal Labor government. Gillard was replaced three months later by Kevin Rudd, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a sweeping defeat at the 2013 federal election. Turnbull tried to dismiss Saturdays Liberal Party debacle as a product of state issues. In reality, the political disaffection generated by the social crisis in WA is mirrored throughout the country, where entire regions are in recession. Moreover, key federal decisionsparticularly support for the slashing of penalty wage rates for low-paid workers and for swapping second preference votes with Senator Pauline Hansons anti-immigrant One Nation partyonly inflamed widespread discontent. Labor and the unions cynically seized upon the declarations of support by Turnbull and Barnett for the wage-cutting ruling by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). This was doubly hypocritical. The previous Gillard government, and its industrial relations minister, current Labor leader Bill Shorten, ordered the FWC review of penalty rates. For their part, the unions, led by Shorten and others, have already struck enterprise agreements with major retail, fast food and other employers to scrap penalty rates for hundreds of thousands of workers. The vote-swapping deal with One Nation backfired on both participants. It alienated sections of the Liberals electoral and business base concerned that the rise of right-wing populists like Hanson could fracture the political system. The WA Liberal Partys decision to preference One Nation above the rural-based Nationals, who are part of the federal Coalition, also fuelled rifts in Turnbulls government. Yesterday, Turnbull and Finance Minister Matthias Cormann, who was centrally involved in the One Nation deal, continued to defend it, against criticism by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, the Nationals leader. At the same time, Hansons effort to prop up the Barnett government tore to shreds her anti-establishment credentials. Hanson had already demonstrated her support for the corporate, financial and political establishments austerity offensive by backing 90 percent of the Turnbull governments legislation since last July. She underscored her backing for big business by endorsing push for the penalty rate cut. Hansons One Nation polled 4.7 percent last Saturday, far less than the 13 percent forecast by media polls at the start of the election campaign. The vote demonstrated that her electoral appeal rests largely on voters seeking to lodge a protest against the two-party pro-business consensus of Labor and the Liberals. Nevertheless, Hansons efforts to divert seething alienation in nationalist and xenophobic directions had some success in the most economically and socially devastated areas. In those seats where One Nation fielded candidates, it secured around 8 percent of the vote, ranging up to around 12 percent in Mandurah, on Perths southern outskirts and Kalgoorlie, a mining region. Despite the record anti-government swing, the Greens, with 8.6 percent of the vote, failed to increase their 2013 result, when they lost a third of their support. Having propped up Gillards minority government from 2010 to 2013, the Greens are widely regarded as part of the ruling establishment. Yesterday, they declared their intention to work closely with the state Labor government and help push its measures through the upper house, where they may retain their two seats. Greens WA campaign manager Andrew Beaton said the party intended to play a constructive role. Labor garnered votes by opposing the Liberals plan to privatise Western Power, the states electricity grid, which would axe thousands of jobs and send household bills soaring. But the record shows that Labor governments have been in the forefront of privatisations, ever since the Hawke-Keating federal government sold off the Commonwealth Bank during the 1990s. Headed by former naval officer Mark McGowan, the Labor government has pledged to the corporate elite to eliminate the annual $3 billion state budget deficit by cutting social spending and public sector jobs. Working hand-in-glove with the unions, McGowan peddled a pro-business, nationalist and protectionist line, paralleling the anti-foreigner rhetoric of One Nation. As premier, I will deliver more local jobs, always putting WA jobs first, he declared. WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Deidre Willmott said employers looked forward to working with the government on local content legislation to ensure that WA companies were awarded government and military contracts. On election eve, McGowan reassured the Australian Financial Review: Im very business friendly. Media magnate Kerry Stokes West Australian newspaper called for a Labor victory, citing the disarray in the Liberal-National alliance and Labors commitment to local jobs. Trade union bureaucrats likewise hailed Labors win. At least half of McGowans 20 shadow ministers are former union bosses. The unions readiness to suppress workers resistance to Labors pro-business program was demonstrated by the recent 13-year agreement struck by the Maritime Union of Australia to stifle industrial action on offshore gas projects in return for a commitment to preference Australian workers for jobs. Labor is also committed to US-led militarism. In his election night victory speech, McGowan paid tribute to his long-time mentor, former Labor Party federal leader and Australian ambassador to Washington, Kim Beazley, who is one of the most vehement defenders of Australian imperialisms strategic and military alliance with the US. The author also recommends: Discontent and political volatility dominate Western Australian election [4 March 2017] During the last parliamentary election in Armenia, in 2012, only two parties mentioned Javakhk, an Armenian populated region of Georgia, in their campaign platforms. The two were the Heritage Party and the ARF. Five years on, for the parliamentary election scheduled for April 2, only one party, the ARF, has anything to say about Javakhk. Javakhk appears in reference to the partys foreign policy position. To build relations with Georgia based on friendship and mutual respect for national interests. Friendly relations will positively impact the exercise of full rights of Armenians of Javakhk and in Georgia. The ORO Alliance (Seyran Ohanian, Raffi Hovannisian and Vardan Oskanian) says its platform includes all issues of concern to citizens of Armenians. Since the ORO alliance has nothing specific to say about Javakhk, this writer can only assume that the alliance believes Javakhk and the problems faced by Armenians there, are of no concern to citizens in Armenia. The ORO states that the establishment of relations with neighbors based on a new qualitive level of friendship is a prime issue of Armenias foreign policy. The alliance says that if Armenia can play a pivotal role in the region and ensure its inclusion in major economic projects if it takes a more proactive role. The YELK (Exit) Alliance says it will take all necessary steps to forge friendly and mutually conducive relations with all of Armenias neighbors, as well as with the USA, the EU, China, Russia, India and the Middle East. The alliance also talks about the need for greater links with the Armenian diaspora. The Azat (Free) Democrats, stress a diversified foreign policy based on national interests. Georgia, given its geographic and political stance, and in terms of communications, is of strategic importance linking Armenia to Europe. There is no alternative but to expand and deepen relations with Georgia. The Tsarukyan Alliance places importance on bringing traditional diasporan organizations and others into the equation when drafting specific programs of Armenias foreign policy. The Armenian Renaissance Party proposes strengthening the Armenia-Iran-Georgia-Russia energy network. The Republican Party of Armenia has more native Javakhk candidates on its ticket than any other party or alliance on the ballot. Nevertheless, the party platform has nothing to say about Javakhk. The above review shows that Javakhk is a blip on the screen for most parties and alliances in the running on April 2. Most of them view relations with Georgia in terms of economic interests. What happens to the Armenians of Javakhk is of little concern to them. Javakhk, an historic province of Armenia, has been relegated as just another diaspora matter of relative insignificance. The preservation of Javakhks Armenian identity has become a non-issue. ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - A Florida woman whose dog vanished during a trip to northern Indiana has rented a billboard in hopes of finding her lost pet. Leigh Bowden of Pace, Florida, rented the billboard in Elkhart, Indiana, following a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $450. The sign near the Indiana Toll Road seeks information on the whereabouts of Bowden's beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Toot. Bowden tells The Elkhart Truth (http://bit.ly/2ngKX9a ) she hopes the sign spurs Toot's return or information on his whereabouts. Bowden and her trucker husband were staying at an Elkhart hotel in early February when someone opened their hotel room's door while they were out and Toot escaped. Hotel surveillance video appears to show someone inside a car in the parking lot stop, grab Toot and drive away. ___ Information from: The Elkhart Truth, http://www.elkharttruth.com (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The mother of a woman who authorities say was kidnapped by her estranged husband says her daughter has been found alive near Tampa. Donna Waryga tells the Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/2nmbwGY ) that 37-year-old Alisa Summers "is safe and not harmed." Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee has called a 1 p.m. news conference to provide updates. Local news outlets report the Tampa mother of five was found in Ruskin, near Tampa on Monday morning. Investigators say witnesses saw a woman whose hands were tied behind her back being forced into her SUV outside a Tampa pharmacy on Saturday night. The witnesses say the woman was screaming. In a statement, deputies said Summers didn't return home after going to visit 39-year-old Trevor Steven Summers to talk about their marriage. They are separated and have restraining orders against each other. ___ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - After analysts release some surprising projections, Mayor Andrew Gillum is weighing in on the Republican health care plan, saying the reports "should be cause for extraordinary alarm in every household in America and Florida." After the Congressional Budget Office projected that 14 million people will lose coverage next year under the House bill dismantling former President Barack Obama's health care law, Gillum's camp has sent out the following statement: Today's Congressional Budget Office estimates on the Republican health care plan should be cause for extraordinary alarm in every household in America and Florida. Health care is a fundamental right and not a privilege in this country, but under the Trump Health Care plan, 24 million will lose their health care by 2026," said Gillum. "The CBO has also noted that the Trump Health Care plan will raise premiums for seniors - which makes Governor Rick Scott's complicity with President Trump in stripping health care from our family, friends and neighbors even more indefensible and outrageous. The Associated Press reports that Monday's estimate by the Congressional Budget Office says the number of uninsured would grow to 24 million by 2026. House bill dismantling former President Barack Obama's health care law. Florida residents are rallying behind an Apalachicola man who was arrested by ICE agents last month. Protesters gathered at the capitol building Saturday after Jose Monroy was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on February 10th. The married father of two was the manager at the Apalachicola Piggly Wiggly store. Monroy has lived in the area for decades and those who know him say he is a beloved member of the community. "This is a set of circumstances that, to me, seem un-American," said protester Mimi Minnick. "Monroy has lived in this country for over 20 years he's committed no crime. He's a home owner, married to a U.S. citizen, his child is a U.S. citizen. He's well respected in his community these are the kind of immigrants that we welcome in our community." Monroy is currently being held in a nearby county. A GoFundMe page has been created to help his family to pay for legal fees. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - A 45-year-old man has been arrested in connection to an armed robbery at Southwest Georgia Bank in Valdosta. The Valdosta Police Department said that Charlie Smith was arrested on March 10. They said that on that day, around 4 p.m., they were called about a bank robbery. Witnesses told VPD that Smith went into Southwest Georgia Bank, demanded money, and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. They were told that Smith had left in a black truck. They said that within minutes of the first call, Smith's car was stopped by the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office and Valdosta Police near the intersection of North Valdosta Road and Old Hwy 41. Smith was promptly arrested and taken to the Lowndes County Jail. He is being charged for armed robbery. LIVE UPDATES - Court is back in session for day eight of the trial, and reporter Don Meyers is in the courtroom covering the case and providin On Thursday, Cantel Medical (NYSE: CMD) reported revenue and earnings for its second fiscal quarter, posting solid double-digit growth on both the revenue and earnings line. Cantel Medical results: The raw numbers Metric Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Year-Over-Year Change Revenue $184.8 million $158.3 million 16.8% Income from operations $28.6 million $22.3 million 17.3% Earnings per share $0.43 $0.37 16.2% What happened with Cantel Medical this quarter? Most of Cantel's revenue growth -- 12.1 percentage points -- came from organic growth, with 5.8 percentage points coming from acquisitions. If you're doing the math at home, that's more than the overall 16.8% year-over-year growth due to a negative 1.1% impact from changes in currency. Cantel's heathcare disposal segment was the highest-growing segment with sales up 35.6% year over year. Most of that growth came from the acquisition of Accutron; organic growth for the segment was up just 6.5% year over year. Meanwhile, Cantel's endoscopy segment is getting it done internally with organic growth of 16%. Rounding out the segments, growth in sales in the water purification and filtration segment was below the company average, but still a healthy 9.6% year over year. The company is constrained in how fast it can build and install the capital equipment with the backlog reaching record levels, suggesting there should be solid growth in the segment for the rest of the fiscal year. Gross margins increased 220 basis points, to 47.9%, partially due to the selling of more higher-margin products, but improving efficiency also contributed to a higher fraction of the revenue falling to the income line. Cantel continues to pay down debt -- $12 million in the most recent quarter -- that was taken on during recent acquisitions of Accutron and its Canadian distributor. What management had to say Cantel continues eliminating international distributors and selling directly to customers. Jorgen Hansen, Cantel's president and CEO, described this in detail: Looking at market expansion, we continue to build our international capabilities, most notably with investments in our direct sales operation in Germany and China. Also we're pleased to announce last month that we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all procedure products in endoscopy processing business from our Australian distributor, CR Kennedy. On the potential for more acquisitions, Seth Yellin, executive VP of strategy and corporate development, stressed that Cantel is actively looking: I think that we feel pretty good about our pipeline [of potential acquisition targets] overall and our expectation I think is to -- or our ambition is to execute three to four transactions a year. Looking forward Cantel continues to make progress on its way to its goal of doubling sales and profits between 2016 and 2021. Management noted that the second half of the 2016 fiscal year was fairly strong, making for a hard year-over-year comparison for the upcoming quarters, but didn't provide guidance. Ultimately, hitting the revenue and earnings goal will likely require some of those aforementioned acquisitions to come to fruition. 10 stocks we like better than Cantel Medical When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Cantel Medical wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017 Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Cantel Medical. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. One day, I had a meeting scheduled in Cairo with the heads of the Palestinian security apparatus, says Major-General (res.) Amos Gilad . It was in 2006, before the Palestinian Authority elections, and since I was against the elections, I warned the senior officials: You are weak, you have no presence, Hamas knows the street and controls it, and you are going to lose Gaza. The security officials flew into a rage and started screaming and threatening me. Its a good thing there was Egyptian security there. The Egyptians restrained them and prevented the incident from developing in a dangerous way. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Were there other incidents in which your life was in danger? There were all kinds of situations. An explosive device was planted under my vehicle at the Philadelphi Route. And in Lebanon, in the summer of 1982, when I was an officer in the Military Intelligence Directorate, presidential candidate Bachir Gemayel wanted to impress me, invited me to ride in his car and drove me himself. But he was unfamiliar with the streets of Beirut and drove fast towards a Syrian roadblock. It was only at the last moment that he hit the brakes and turned the wheel, so the Syrian soldiers were unable to see who was in the car. Several weeks later, Bachir was assassinated by the Syrians. And there was the event I wont forget, in 1993, when I was the official emissary to Yasser Arafat in Tunisia regarding the missing IDF soldiers. In the middle of the meeting, they received a report from Gaza about the IDF hitting the Fatah Hawks. I had no idea what was going on, but the Palestinians began threatening and running wild, on the verge of losing control. Mohammed Dahlanthen the head of the Preventive Security Force in Gazawas there, and those who were killed were his friends. I said to myself, Keep calm and ignore their demands to apologize. I would never say a bad word about the IDF. Photo: Sasson Tiram That same year, Gilad found himself in another incident, in Tunisia again, before the signing of the Oslo Agreements. At that exact time, there were reports that the Mossad had planted listening devices in an armchair and a lamp in Abu Mazens (Mahmoud Abbas) office, he says. It created a big drama there, and I was stuck in that same office. I was summoned to a meeting with the security chief, Hakam Balawi, who demanded explanations. I said to him, I dont know what youre talking about, and I dont work in the Mossad. He didnt believe me, because in the Palestinians' eyes, I was Mr. Intelligence. He was labeled as Mr. Intelligence, an officer with firm opinions and a direct and blatant style, in Israel too. The Palestinians, on the other hand, called him Mr. No. When he served as coordinator of the governments activities in the territories and put together the list of food products that were allowed into the Strip, the Palestinians complained that he had compiled a basket of essential products only, without any candy, chocolate or toiletries for women. Now, at the age of 64, Gilad is retiring after 45 years in the IDF and in the Defense Ministry, in which he served as head of the Military Intelligence Research Division, coordinator of the governments activities in the territories, the IDF spokesman, an open and secret emissary to Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians, and in the past 13 yearsas director of the Defense Ministry's Political-Military Affairs Bureau. Gilad. Normal relations with the Arab world are very important, but I believe its unattainable (Photo: Avigail Uzi) This bureau, Gilad explains in a retirement interview, is responsible for the State of Israels special political-security relations, for the security exports policy, for international treaties, as well as for the relations with the United States, with countries in the Middle East, with Turkey, with the Far East, etc. It means working around the clock. I did wonderful secret things there, and thats why I stayed for so long. But after so many years, I reached a state of exhaustion. When Prof. Uriel Reichman suggested that I run the School of Government at the Interdisciplinary Center and head the Herzliya Conference, I saw it as a challenge. I decided that I was embarking on a new road and I bid farewell to everyone in a friendly manner. Still, people say that Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman showed you the door. So they say. There are always stories in the Middle East. Lets just say that when I told him I wanted to retire, he didnt stand in my way. Did you get any messages of regret from your Arab colleagues? I wont elaborate on what the Egyptians, the Jordanians and the Turks said to me, because that would be a betrayal of trust. I got written and oral messages. I was moved by all the warm words I heard. Arab leaders should not be threatened We sit on the third floor of the School of Government at the Interdisciplinary Center. The office is empty. There is only a telephone, two tables and a computer, and a bookcase waiting to be filled. Gilad has only been here for three weeks and has already been to two conference in Europe, from where he will start to gather speakers for the Herzliya Conference, which will be held in three months. He will have a hard time, however, recruiting the VIPs from the Arab world, who he knows very well from decades of secret meetings. Normal relations with the Arab world are a very important matter, but I believe its unattainable. First of all, you must create a climate for normalization, and that wont work if there is no agreement with the Palestinians. I have a dream, that our chief of staff is invited to Cairo, that he is greeted with an honor parade at the airport, and that the Egyptian chief of staff or defense minister visit us. And of course, that President (Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi visits and invites our president. Thats the dream, and its not going be fulfilled any time soon. Why basically? After the Arab Spring, the Arab leaders have tofor their stabilitytake the streets covert feelings into account. I also suggest that we avoid threatening or demanding any normalization activities they are incapable of carrying out and are uninterested in as a condition for security collaborations with us. We must first of all take care of the security of Israels citizens. The peace process with the Palestinians is stuck and thats a tragedy. We have to make a greater effort. Some of us say that (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is responsible, some say Abbas doesnt want it. Youre asking whose fault it is? Every leader is responsible for his own area. I believe that the process should have been utilized to the fullest, because the strategic map is convenient and we have good relations with Arab states which are willing to support and influence the Palestinians. But if unilateral moves are carried out, it will cause irreversible damage, because no Arab state will give up on the basic outline: The 1967 borders and Jerusalems division. What do you think went through Abbas mind when he heard US President Donald Trump suggesting that we choose between one or two states, and President Reuven Rivlin talking about annexing lands? These are crazy illusions. Abbas wont live with one state and wont accept an annexation. If these ideas are fulfilled, we might get caught in a very complicated situation. The absence of a peace process is very dangerous, because Abbas allows the security coordination. The void inspires radical ideas like annexation and damages our security achievements in preventing terror. If we push the Palestinians into a corner, the security cooperation could suffer. I doubt that we will be able to reach an agreement with them, but we have to manage a process. As for the annexation, I dont know a Palestinian who will agree to one state, unless he is promised full rights, which means voting for the Knesset, which means the destruction of the State of Israel. If they are allowed to vote for the Knesset, the Zionist vision will collapse. Annexation is an irreversible situation, which will push them into a corner, without hope. It wont be accepted by the world and will negatively project on the Arab states. As stable as their regimes may be, they are very sensitive to public opinion. What kind of relationship did you develop with Abbas? I cant pick up the phone and call him, and we didnt develop personal relations. Its the acceptable code of behavior when you work with them. So lets talk about Abbas. First, I have to go back to his predecessor. I had the privilege of warning against Arafat. I still think he was an arch-terrorist, and I repeat it time and again. In the peace of the brave, which Arafat spoke about, he meant that Israel would no longer exist. With Abbas, its different. He doesnt like Israel, and he fights us in international institutions, but he made a decision not to engage in terror, which is why he legitimizes the security coordination. But dont get me wrong: Abbas is not a collaborator of Israel. As far as he is concerned, the security coordination is aimed at serving the Palestinians' interests. Nevertheless, a calm in the territories is unimaginable without the IDF, without the Military Intelligence Directorate, without the Shin Bet. They are the ones responsible for the security. Abbas will soon be 82 years old. Sooner or later, he will vacate his seat. What will happen then. Any Palestinian leader who replaces him will be more radical. Im not even certain that there will only be one leader. Its possible that they will form a leadership trio and divide the authorities between the leader of Fatah, the leader of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority chairman. I still cant point to their next leader, because Abbas isnt training a successor. He has now appointed a deputy, Mahmoud al-Aloul, and I wont express my opinion because I dont want to dishonor him. There are a few contenders, and none of themfrom what Im seeingwill accept someone elses leadership. It may develop into a chaotic situation. If Abbas goes without a defined successor, and the rule is divided between three leaders who will quarrel amongst themselves, Hamas will grow stronger at Fatahs expense because they are aiming to take over the West Bank. Today its difficult because Abbas understands who they are, and the IDF is in control. The only enemy I warn against is the hubris sin Even after his retirement. Gilad remains plainspoken, and his world is divided between good guys and bad guys. As a person who grew up in intelligence, I am always skeptic and distrustful, he says. Whoever knows you knows that Jordan is your weak spot. You make sure to cover your relationship with them with a veil of secrecy and use every opportunity to defend them. Jordan is a fascinating issue. When Hussein was crowned kind in 1952, hundreds of assessors made a living from forecasts about his murder and the regimes collapse. There was also an idea in Israel to establish a Palestinian regime in the kingdom as a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This whole perception of Jordan as an alternative Palestinian state is foolish. I have real nightmares about this issue. If Arafat and other had controlled Jordan, our live would have turned into a security hell. Today, one-third of the population in Jordan is comprised of refugees: The Palestinian refugees, the refugees from Iraq and the refugees of the war in Syria. And contrary to what people thing, the regime is stable. Jordan is the center of gravity for stability in the Middle East, and we must do everything, all the time, to prevent a turmoil there. We had the Temple Mount events, when right-wing politicians and activists insisted on going up there and inflaming the situation, and it was perceived on the Jordanian side as a threat. And then Prime Minister Netanyahu intervened, and things calmed down. Lets go back to Egypt. Im guessing that you know al-Sisi from your previous positions in the army. In my eyes, al-Sisi is a miracle. I knew him even before he was elected president. He is determined, devoted and very honest. An Egyptian patriot and a religious person. When the Muslim Brotherhood rose to power, they gave him a five-star rank of field marshal and were certain that he would do their job for them. But al-Sisi surprised and got rid of them, despite pressures from the Western countries, including the United States. Al-Sisi, and I know this personally, reached the conclusion that if the brothers took over and established regional alliances with similar movements, Egypt would fall into an abyss. And so, for purely patriotic reasons, he took a huge risk and removed them. He saved Egypt from the Muslim Brotherhood monster, and the entire region from a historical disaster. Tell us a story from Egypt were not familiar with. In 2000, during an open visit to Egypt by Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, the Shin Bet security guard asked to sit in the car Mofaz was travelling in, but the Egyptians insisted on guarding him themselves. An argument erupted, and the Shin Bet rightfully refused to have the Israeli security guard sit in the other vehicle. They asked me to find a solution. I turned to Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman. I need a personal favor, I said to him. The Shin Bet is an outstanding organization and the VIP Protection Unit is an icon in Israel. The security guard must be attached to our defense minister. Suleiman was offended. What, dont you trust us? I told him, Imagine if our security guard is not allowed to work by the rules, and something happens. I explained to him that the Shin Bet was very strict, and that this had nothing to do with the Egyptian securitys dignity. Thats when he softened, issued an order to let the Israeli security guard into Mofazs car, and the Shin Bet breathed a sigh of relief. What mistakes have you made over the years? We didnt predict the Arab Spring. In retrospect, I can say that I felt movements and heard difficult things, but I failed to reach conclusions, just like none of the intelligence assessment bodies in the world succeeded in predicting the turmoil, the weight of the street, the expulsion of the leaders. These are depths which the intelligence bodies, not just here, are unable to reach. In general, the ability to predict internal processes in the Arab world is very limited. The predictions regarding (Syrian President Bashar) Assads collapse also ignored the adamant character of the Allawis. But dont get me wrong. We have very strong intelligence organizations, which are working in mutual control that did not exist in the past: The Military Intelligence Directorate, which is a whole universe; the Shin Bet, which is doing a wonderful job; the coordinator of the governments activities in the territories; the head of the Planning Directorate, who is officially responsible for the ties; the Air Force commander. "Lets assume that I do something foolish. Today, thanks to the mutual control, I am not alone. All the systems are involved. They are doing a wonderful job, and there is no individual who can compete with them. The only enemy I warn against is the sin of hubris. The pride and arrogance. It plays with ones mind and leads to mistakes. Which of your achievements would you like to talk about? In intelligence work, there are no soloists. We had an achievement in the early warning of the second intifada, and its written in the history of the system. And I am proud of my part in the Iranian issue, in turning it into the main threat in as early as 1996. Another achievement is my part in the affair involving Mossad agent Yehuda Gil, who delivered false reports about Syria. Fortunately, even before it turned out that he was a liar and a fraud, and before he was tried and convicted, the intelligence assessment determined that all the information regarding Syria's intentions to attack was groundless. Had we called up the reserves, Syria might have really attacked us. I was head of the Research Division at the time, and I remember a very senior official calling me at 11 pm and announcing that he was about to issue an order to deploy forces in order to prepare for the Syrian attack, and that he would see me at the commission of inquiry. I refused to change my assessments, and late Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, who was very strict and smart, summoned me over at 7 am following Yehuda Gils reports. I am told that you are ignoring important warnings, Shahak said to me shrilly. Are the accusations true? I said, Its true, because there are reports from observers that the Syrians are planning to attack, and I dont accept them. The Syrians have no ability to attack us in this particular scenario, and I recommend that you ignore these reports, although the easiest thing would be not to ignore them. Shahak harshly interrogated me. He was a chief of staff who was familiar with every fold in the ground, an amazing field man. He questioned me for an hour, and I nearly stopped breathing. And then he said in a dry voice, Okay, thats acceptable. It was one of the happiest moments in my life. I managed to convince Shahak. He didnt approve the call up, and a war was prevented. No gifts What is your conclusion from the state comptrollers report on Operation Protective Edge, which was released last week? Hamas, like Hezbollah, is a murderous enemy which has made it its goal to destroy Israel. When you have such an enemy, you must always be alert and ready and know how to distinguish between abilities and intentions. Hamas ideology changes only according to our strength or weakness against them and our ability to harm them. Nonetheless, I recommend that we focus on the threats from the north. In terms of the cabinets performance in regards to intelligence, we must find a more effective system, a really narrow forum, which will have constant access to information in order to be able to make decisions. Its impossible to constantly update 10 ministers on sensitive information. If we have such a system, the work will be performed in a better way. Where do you see us in five years from now? We are anticipating an impressive development once the Islamic State is defeated. I expect them to be defeated in Mosul, and then in all of Iraq, and then there will be the battle against them in Syria. There is a difference between planning an attack from ISISs organized headquarters in ar-Raqqah and local organizations. But when they fall, Iran and Hezbollah will grow stronger. So we must already focus on strengthening and deepening our connection with the Sunni world, because the hatred towards us has disappeared even in Saudi Arabia. Hezbollah leader Nasrallah. Will get stronger when ISIS falls (Photo: EPA) How do you see that? In conversations with them? I have ways of sensing it. If you listen to the spokesman of the Saudi foreign ministry, youll get the slogans, but there is no incitement against Israel. There is an admiration of our abilities. In the past, there was crazy incitement in Saudi Arabia. Today, the attitude has changed. Do you have a friend in the Arab world, a personal friend? There are people who I developed impressive relations with. Do I always believe them? As someone who grew up in intelligence, I am always distrustful and looking for facts. I have learned that the first thing we need is strong intelligence. And whoever claims to be a friend but harms Israels security, like the Lebanese phalanges did, is not a friend. There is Egyptian writer Alaa Al-Aswany. I have read his novel, The Yacoubian Building, three times. If I were a member of the Nobel Prize committee, I would give him the award. I learned a lot about Egypt from this book. Its a must-read. Is there an Arab colleague you will particularly miss? The truth is that I will even miss my rivals. In intelligence, there is a phenomenon of falling in love with enemies, because sometimes you know them better than they know themselves. I will miss everyone. The relationship with the Arabs has a lot of benefits, but the Middle East is not ready for open relations. Its important to speak their language, and unfortunately, Arabic studies in Israel are very poor. I assume you received quite a lot of special gifts from Arab colleagues. Let me explain the situation to you: In the Arab world people give you gifts, and you cant reject a gift because its customary. I was always excited by it, but throughout the years I made sure to implement our gift law. It means that you accept it, thank the person who gave it to you, and immediately hand over the gift and sign a deposition. "If its a Breitling watch (like he received from the late King Hussein and the Jordanian intelligence chief), for example, it goes to a goldsmith who assesses its value and is then stored in the states gift reservoir. If you wish to keep the gift, the approval process will likely take three to four years. I always preferred to concede the gift with due respect. You are allowed to keep a letter, a flag, a military forces buckler or a picture. Those are the things I kept. Two 20-year-old border policemen were moderately wounded early Monday morning after being stabbed by a Palestinian terroristwho was later identified as 25-year-old Ibrahim Mattarnear the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Police have confirmed that the attacker, a resident of Jabel Mukaber, was shot dead by one of the injured officers. Scene of the stabbing attack X The Lions' Gate (Photo: Roi Yanovsky) The terrorist, Ibrahim Mattar MDA teams evacuated the two to Hadassah Medical Center for treatment. Following the attack, police forces converged on the home of the terrorist in Jabel Mukaber and detained several people, including family members. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky According to police, the terrorist arrived at the scene at around 4am and parked his car nearby. After noticing the two border policemen taking up positions near the gate, the terrorist followed them to their post and began stabbing them. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky The two officers managed to shove the terrorist out of the guard post and one managed to shoot and kill him. This is the first attack to have taken place in the area in three months. During the wave of terror, the landmark was one of the flashpoints of terror-related violence and stabbing attacks. In accordance with security assessments surrounding the holiday, a general closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be enforced until midnight. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of spreading 'bigoted lies' and 'fake history,' in a comment following the prime minister's statements during Sunday's Purim festivities Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The scathing remarks came in response to Netanyahu's comments during Sunday's reading of the Esther Megillah scroll in celebration of the Purim holiday, in which the prime minister said that like in the story of Purim, "Persia is still trying to destroy us today," referring to Iran. PM Netanyahu (L) and Iranian Minister Zarif (Photo: EPA, Mark Israel Salem) "To sell bigoted lies against a nation which has saved Jews 3 times, Netanyahu is resorting to fake history and falsifying the Torah. Force of habit," tweeted the Iranian minister next to a picture describing three historical event in which the Persians saved Jewish lives. To sell bigoted lies against a nation which has saved Jews 3 times, Netanyahu resorting to fake history & falsifying Torah. Force of habit. pic.twitter.com/N09PyyGwqy Javad Zarif (@JZarif) 12 2017 Netanyahu asked several children during Sunday's Megillah reading if they know why they celebrate Purim. When they responded that it was because "the Persians wanted to kill us all, but failed," the prime minister said: "and today they try again, and will also fail." Netanyahu made similar utterances in his meeting with Russia's president Vladimir Putin last week: "Today there is an attempt by Persia's heir, Iran, to destroy the state of the Jews. They say this as clearly as possible and inscribe it on their ballistic missiles." "Israel is a state today. We have an army and we are capable of defending ourselves," Netanyahu said in Moscow, adding "But the threat of radical Shi'ite Islam threatens us no less than it does the region and the peace of the world, and I know that we are partners in the desire to prevent any kind of victory by radical Islam of any sort." Images have surfaced of ISIS-Sinai Province (ISIS-SP) fighters manning checkpoints and performing security inspections in the city of Al-Arish in the northern Sinai. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Pictures show ISIS fighters armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) moving through traffic and inspecting the IDs of drivers. Another picture even showed a suspicious man being detained in the city square. ISIS-SP fighters performing security inspections in Al-Arish ISIS-SP has recently been receiving a lot of "media" attention from the organization given their recent setbacks in Iraq and Syria. Al-Arish is the capital of the North Sinai and the largest city on the entire peninsula. The city also lies at the heart of friction between Egyptian security forces and the terror organization. ISIS fighters patrolling the streets ISIS-SP recently took responsibility for two bombing attacks in the city, which killed three officersincluding the supervisor of general security in the southern Sinaiand wounded seven others. In addition to the bombings in the city, dozens of Coptic Christian families have fled Al-Arish to Ismailia after ISIS-SP murdered several Copts. The organization's publications routinely call for violence against Copts and other Christians in the region. A spokesman for the Egyptian military also published an account of Egyptian military activities in the region against ISIS-SP, but it would appear there is still work to be done. The Islamic extremist organization is estimated to have at least 1,000 fighters in the area. The Population and Immigration Authority denied entry Sunday night to Hugh Lanning, chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign organization, for calling out to boycott Israel. The authority released a statement saying "the organization which Lanning is heading worked closely with other de-legitimization organizations to promote boycotts and other activities against Israel. In addition to that, Lanning held ties with heads of Hamas in Gaza." Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP) has grown in popularity over the years, due in part to the outstanding returns it has delivered to investors since forming in 2009. Overall, the company has produced an 18% annual return since inception, fueled by 22% compound annual growth in funds from operations (FFO) and a 12% compound annual increase in unitholder distributions. Those robust returns, when combined with the company's healthy 5% yield, continue to draw new investors. While most investors probably know the basics, such as the fact that it owns a portfolio of high-quality infrastructure assets around the world, there are likely a few things that they don't yet know about the company. Here are three facts that every investor should know. 1. It's not your average MLP Most income investors are probably familiar with master limited partnerships (MLPs), which have special tax benefits. These companies pass everything through to partners, including taxes, which investors pay at their individual rate, though depreciation often eliminates the tax burden. However, these entities may still generate taxable income called unrelated business income tax (UBIT). Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, however, produces income a bit differently than most MLPs, benefiting from returning capital to investors instead of from depreciation. Because of that, it doesn't generate UBIT or effectively collected income (ECI): As the slide above notes, there are a couple of other differences between Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and the average MLP. Among the most important is that it pays parent company Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) a lower incentive distribution that caps out at 25% versus the up to 50% paid by other MLPs to their general partners. Furthermore, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners typically only pays out 60% to 70% of cash flow, choosing to retain more money to reinvest in growth projects. Contrast that with most MLPs that pay out nearly all their cash flow and finance growth by issuing debt and equity, which can lead to a higher cost of capital, especially during down times. 2. It relies on its parent company for almost everything One other thing most investors probably don't know about Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is the importance of its relationship with Brookfield Asset Management. Not only does its parent own 30% of the company's common units, as well as control its general partner and incentive distribution rights, but it provides management services to the company for a fee. Furthermore, private equity funds managed by Brookfield Asset Management typically own the bulk of the assets operated by Brookfield Infrastructure. Because of that, Brookfield Infrastructure has access to larger pools of money to make acquisitions that would otherwise be beyond its grasp. For example, late last year the company and institutional clients of its parent company agreed to acquire a controlling stake in a Brazilian natural gas transmission business from beleaguered oil giant Petrobras (NYSE: PBR). The consortium consented to pay $5.2 billion for the 90% stake, which would have been much too large a transaction for the $13 billion Brookfield Infrastructure. However, by joining its parent, it will be able to participate in the deal as a minority investor by acquiring a 28% stake for just $1.2 billion. 3. It does debt differently Because Brookfield Infrastructure is usually a minority owner of assets co-owned with its private equity funds, the company structures debt differently. As a rule, it primarily finances at the asset level and on a non-recourse basis. That allows the company to layer on leverage at levels that are appropriate for the asset type, with its regulated utilities having a higher leverage ratio than its energy assets, which have higher-volume risk. Overall, the company finances each business to investment-grade credit metrics. This debt structure keeps the company's corporate debt to a minimal level. As a result, it has a strong investment-grade credit rating, giving it ample access to low-cost capital to make acquisitions. Currently, the company has $4 billion of total liquidity, including a $2 billion corporate credit facility. Investor takeaway Most investors know Brookfield Infrastructure Partners as the owner of a globally diversified infrastructure portfolio, one that throws off lots of cash flow that it distributes back to investors. However, the reason Brookfield Infrastructure Partners has had so much success in putting together this portfolio is that it does things differently than other companies. These differences enable it to pursue larger deals and maintain a stronger balance sheet, all while its unitholders pay lower taxes. In many ways, the things most investors don't know about the company are the secret to its success. 10 stocks we like better than Brookfield Infrastructure Partners When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017 Matt DiLallo owns shares of Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The IDF Military Advocate General has filed an appeal with the Military Court of Appeals demanding a harsher sentence for a former Golani soldier convicted of stealing money from a Palestinian home during Operation Protective Edge. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The soldier, who has already been released from the IDF, also filed an appeal demanding an acquittal. Shuja'iyya in summer 2014 (Photo: AFP) Ynet has learned that the Military Court has sent both sides to mediation, which will begin soon. The soldier was convicted a year ago in a Haifa Military Court of stealing NIS 2,420 from a home in Shuja'iyya in the Gaza Strip. The Military Advocate General claims that the event occurred during the course of the IDF ground operation in Gaza in 2014. The prosecution has argued that the soldier should be convicted of looting, which carries with it a sentence of 10 years in prison. The soldier was originally sentenced to four months of carying out base and maintenance work, a demotion in rank to that of Private and probation. During the appeal, the soldier claimed that the prosecution violated a signed agreement between the two parties after he agreed to implicate two of his friends. The two were convicted as accomplices in the case. The soldier has claimed for two years that the military prosecution "duped" him after convincing him to implicate his comrades in exchange for a lighter charge and sentence. However, the prosecution has claimed that according to military legal doctrine, the state may renege on an agreement if it turns out that the state witness is the central perpetrator or figure in the commission of a crime. Alon Erez, the soldier's attorney Commenting on the decision to appeal for a lighter sentence, the soldier's attorney, Alon Erez, noted that the prosecution "acted in bad faith and dishonestly." Furthermore, "had my client not signed the agreement, the role of other soldiers in theft would have remained unknown." Erez also noted that his client's rights were violated after the company commander assured soldiers that if they turned over those responsible for the theft and returned the money, no harm or punishment would be meted out. The prosecution, for their part, commented on the cancellation of the deal, saying, "The agreement was cancelled after it became clear that according to his new version of events, he was the prime instigator. The soldier lied to the battalion commander, Military Police and the prosecution." Several effigies of soldiers being hanged were discovered Monday morning in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem. A sign was also attached to one of the dangling effigies demanding that Orthodox IDF soldiers leave the neighborhood. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The dummies were removed by police and turned over to the forensic analysis department. Effigy of a hanged IDF soldier (Photo: Kikar HaShabbat) Police have asked the State Attorney to open an investigation for incitement into the incident. "Police are working hard to handle this issue, including by focused information gathering on the phenomenon of incitement against those who choose to serve (in the IDF) and by conducting investigations in order to identify suspects and bring them to justice. The police will take a hard line in investigating and prosecuting those involved in this incident," read a police statement. Photo: Israel Police Photo: Kikar HaShabbat During police attempts to remove the dummies, two Haredi demonstrators were arrested for attempting to prevent them from doing so. Pictures of the effigies were taken in an enclave of radical, anti-Zionist agitators and are indicative of increased levels of animosity against ultra-Orthodox IDF soldiers. Photo: Kikar HaShabbat Last month, the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office issued indictments against nine ultra-Orthodox protestors who took part in violent demonstrations against the arrest of a fellow co-religionist who attempted to avoid mandatory enlistment. The protests were incited and led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach. Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan addressed the Haredi riots against military service and said, "I have instructed the police to do everything to bring the outlaws to justice and put them behind bars. Whoever hurts our soldiers must pay a heavy price." KABUL -- An Afghan official says security forces have stormed a Taliban-run prison in southern Helmand province, freeing 32 Afghans held inside. The military spokesman in Helmand, Mohammad Rasoul Zazia, says four members of the Afghan security forces were among those rescued. He says the raid took place on Sunday night in Nad Ali district where the captives were held at a Taliban hideout. Zazia says all of those rescued will be taken to Shorab Camp, the main Afghan army base in Helmand, from where they will be handed over to tribal elders. A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yusouf Ahmadi, says all 32 were drug addicts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated the CEO of Mobileye, Ziv Aviram, on the biggest transaction in Israeli hi-tech history. Aviram also told the PM that the center of company activities will remain in Israel. "This deal dramatically demonstrates that our vision is being realized. Israel is becoming a global technology center, not only in cyberspace, but also in the automotive field, "said Netanyahu. Egypt's top appeals court found former president 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. 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, under constant medical supervision. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his carrying out human rights abuses and salty language (going as far as to compare himself to Hitler), is set to visit Israel in May. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Since his victory in last year's presidential election, mainly due to his (extremely) aggressive stance on the war against drugs, Duterte has caused more than three thousand deaths and thousands of arrests as part of his efforts. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (: ) X Noting that Hitler had murdered millions of Jews, Duterte said, "There are 3 million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo: Reuters) "If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...," he said, pausing and pointing to himself, adding "You know my victims. I would like (them) to be all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition." Duterte later recanted his remarks, saying, "I apologize profoundly and deeply to the Jewish community." Aside from that particular statement, Duterte is known for cursingespecially western officials. Last year, Duterte called former US President Barack Obama a "son of a whore," warning him about bringing up extrajudicial killings at an international forum held in Laos. Before that, he used that expletive for the pope after he got stuck in a traffic jam caused by his visit to the Philippines. Then, most recently, in response to the UN's criticism of him Duterte raised a middle finger, saying "fuck the European Union." Photo: EPA Duterte apologized for all these comments, even coming to a Synagogue in the Philippines capital of Manila to apologize to the Israeli Ambassador Ephraim Ben Matityau and the heads of the city's Jewish communities. "The president (Duterte) stated that he came to the synagogue to apologize to the Jewish people," said Ben Matityahu following the meeting. "He acknowledges and cherishes the Jewish people and Israel and was never before accused of anti-Semitics, which he despises. Furthermore, his father-in-law is Jewish. The president denounces what he calls 'the western hypocrisy' and the west's stance towards his war on drugs. He is willing to accept an investigatory committee by the UN which will prove that it is a just war and that it is done by law." According to the ambassador, Duterte praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his insistence to safeguard Israel's national interest above all else. Duterte sees in Israel as an ally, and ordered his ministers to focus on acquiring armaments from Israel. Duterte said that he understands that his comments enraged Jewish communities around the world, but insisted that his decision to bring up Hitler was only meant to mock his objectors who try to paint him as a Nazi. Poland will seek the arrest and extradition of a Minnesota man after confirming he was a Nazi unit commander suspected of ordering the killing of 44 Poles during World War II, a prosecutor said Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Robert Janicki said that various evidence gathered in years of investigation into US citizen Michael K. confirmed "100 percent" that he was a commander of a unit in the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion, which is accused of burning villages and killing civilians in Poland. Michael Karkoc (Photo: Chris Polydoroff/Pioneer Press via AP) The Associated Press has identified the man as 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, from Minneapolis. Karkoc's family denies that he was involved in any war crimes. Prosecutors of the state National Remembrance Institute have asked a regional court in Lublin, Poland, to issue an arrest warrant for Karkoc. If granted, Poland would seek his extradition, as Poland does not allow trial in absentia, Janicki said. He said the man's age was no obstacle in seeking to bring him before justice. "He is our suspect as of today," Janicki said. If convicted of contributing to the killing of civilians in the villages of Chlaniow and Wladyslawin in July 1944, Karkoc could face life in prison. Prosecutors in Germany previously launched their own investigation of Karkoc after stories in 2013 by The Associated Press revealing that he had been a former commander in the SS-led unit that had committed war crimes in Poland. They never expressed doubts about Karkoc's identity, but shelved their investigation after saying they had received "comprehensive medical documentation" from doctors at the geriatric hospital in the US where he was being treated that led them to conclude he was not fit for trial. The Simon Wiesenthal Center's top Nazi hunter, Efraim Zuroff, is applauding Polish prosecutors for deciding to seek an arrest warrant for this man suspected of war crimes. Zuroff told The Associated Press by phone from Jerusalem on Monday that "it's high time that the Poles became more active seeking people who committed crimes in World War II on Polish soil." He says that taking such legal steps "sends a very powerful message." I will not be exposing any state secrets by noting that Miki Makhlouf Zohar, a member of the Likud Knesset faction, is not the sharpest tool in the shed, or as the kids say nowadays, "His wits as thick as a Tewkesbury mustard" (Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2). Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter His proposed solution to the conflict, annexing the West Bank without giving its residents the right to vote and be elected had been previously tested in different countries, but was not very well accepted. The last failed attempt was in South Africa. It was called the apartheid. MK Miki Zohar (Photo: Gil Yochanan) Okay, said MMZ. I understand the problem. I have an alternative solution: if they joined the army or the national service, they will be able to vote. But trust me, they would rather give up the right to vote than contribute to the country. Zohar's comments flooded the networks with an overwhelming amount of comments, from enthusiastic praise to curses and insults. For a day or two, it seemed Zohar was actually defeating his fellow comrade Oren Hazan in the fight over the network's blabbermouths. I, however, was more disturbed by another, equally troubling doubt: Is there a grain of truth beneath his pile of nonsense? I'm afraid there is. Let's start with Zohar's proclamation that the two-state solution is dead. Unfortunately, this statement is correct. It is certainly correct in terms of cost/benefit: the political cost of signing such an agreement for the heads of government on both sides will be infinitely higher than the benefits garnered. No leader would dare pay it. The real debate in the Israeli political system is waged between those who say enough with the ambiguity and that it's time to annex, and those who are forcefully holding onto the current situation. Bennett versus Netanyahu. This is a tactical argument, not an ideological one. Neither of them wants to reoccupy Ramallah and Nablus. Bennett wants to legally enforce Israeli control over most of the West Bank; Netanyahu prefers to do it subtly. On this point, MMZ was aiming for greatness. When Israel annexes the West Bank, he added, it will offer those annexed a deal: the right to vote for the Knesset in exchange for military or national service. The ultra-Orthodox outside the IDF Recruitment Office (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch) In order to analyze this issue we have to backtrack to Israel in its early years. At the time, Ben-Gurion made a series of historical decisions whose fruits we are reaping to this day. But he also made decisions that in the long run, turned out quite miserable. One of them was the partial draft: he exempted religious girls, ultra-Orthodox boys and Arabs from the draft (he did order the draft of religious boys, Druze boys and Bedouin boys). This division erected walls between the different sectors and left large parts of Israeli society outside the communal tent. This situation could not be maintained forever. The first to rebel were the girls from the Religious-Zionist sector. They enlist to the army, to combat units as well, in increasing numbers, and scorn the phony, condescending patronage of the rabbis and religious activists. These were followed by young Haredim, who were fed up with the moral and material poverty imposed upon them by the rabbis. Next came the Christian Arabs, a minority within a minority, and here and there, some Muslims trickled through as well. These young men and women are valiantly fighting against a tremendous coalition that starts with the most extreme Orthodox factions through the United Torah Judaism, Shas and the Bayit Yehudi rabbis, all the way to the Joint List. The fight against the draft is visible, crude and violent. In any regulated country, the government would back the people who wished to enlist. Not here they don't. Before MK Zohar and friends annex the West Bank's population, they should ask themselves what they have done for the Israeli citizens in Nazareth, Sakhnin and Umm al-Fahm. As far as they're concerned, these places would also become occupied territories, under military rule. A series of draconian laws would then seek to expel the representatives of the Arab sector from the Knesset, or at least, leave them in place as token zombies. Arabs will have to swear their allegiance to the Jewish State of Israel on a daily basis; Jews would be exempt from swearing allegiance to the democratic State of Israel. "From the wealth of our land there shall prosper / The Arab, the Christian, and the Jew," promised Ze'ev Jabotinsky in his East Bank of the Jordan poem. Not for Zohar and friends, they won't. The parents of a kindergarten in the central town of Mazkeret Batya received a message on Monday, saying that one of the assistants to the teacher has apparently come down with tuberculosis. This put all the children under her care, in addition to the other staff members, at risk of catching the illness. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The letter handed out to the parents was signed by regional supervisor Sharona Peleg and epidemiology nurse Hana Lavi. It stated that "an epidemiology investigation found that the children and staff were exposed to the bacteria, which could bring on tuberculosis." Illustration Photo: Lior Paz The parents are due to take part in a meeting explaining possible ways of contagion. It is yet unknown whether a patient from within the kindergarten, apart from the assistant, raised concern that other have caught the disease. They were also requested to show up at the kindergarten with their children on Tuesday, where they will be tested for tuberculosis. "All the parents are hysterical," said one of the children's father. "We were sent a letter, but no one knows what's going to happen, apart from knowing that it's a stressful illness. We're afraid and hoping no one has been infected." It should be noted that the kindergarten sits within a complex of kindergartens, where some 100 children have recess together. Health Minister Spokesman Eyal Bason issued a statement in response, saying that "the case is known to the Health Ministry. The local bureau is now preparing to give parents an explanation and to perform any necessary action following the Purim holiday." Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious illness caused by bacteria. It mainly attacks humans, but certain strands have been known to target cattle and domestic birds. In the past, tuberculosis was among the world's leading causes of death, with hospitals dedicating entire wards to care for patients until their deaths. These days, the illness can be contained, with the main concern being lung damage. Despite this, other organs and bodily systems can also be affected. Catching tuberculosis can happen through spit particles that are released into the air via sneezing or coughing. At first, the bacteria can bring on pneumonia, before full-on tuberculosis is diagnosed. Tuberculosis symptoms include coughing and coughing up blood, fever, weight loss and respiratory difficulties. Severe cases can cause meningitis and irreparable damage to the nervous system, in addition to causing damage to almost any other organ in the body. Treating tuberculosis is comprised of several antibiotic medications over an extended period of time. Despite an offer from an anonymous benefactor to donate a million dollars to save the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, the Hadassah Hospital crisis is far from over: on Sunday, the resigning physicians announced they reject the generous offer, sticking to their decision to resign. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Hemato-Oncology Department treats children in need of a bone marrow transplant. Following the shortage in ward beds, the hospital's director, Professor Zeev Rotstein, decided to transfer and treat some of the children who need a transplant in the adult ward. Prof. Zeev Rotstein (Photo: Yaron Brenner) The six pediatricians, headed by department director Prof. Mickey Weintraub, protested the decision, claiming it would endanger the children's healthand so, decided to resign. As reported Sunday for the first time in Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli donor agreed to donate a million dollars to add the required number of beds to save the Pediatrics Department. The only condition was that the resigning doctors withdraw their resignation and remain in the hospital. But on Sunday, the six doctors announced they would not retract their resignations and that they refuse to go into mediation with the hospital's board. Attorney Orna Lin, who represents the resigning doctors, stated that the parties found themselves in a breach of trust, which is difficult to heal. "There are six doctors, each of whom had come to the independent realization that they cannot bring themselves to work at Hadassah Hospital under this administration," she said, adding "they just want to leave." According to Lin, "The public doesn't know Prof. Rotstein personally or professionally, but the six doctors do and each of them has been exposed to his method of management. It has come to a point in which the hospital's director made a unilateral decision that is professionally impossibleto perform a bone marrow transplant in children with cancer in the adult ward. The doctors told him that it was not acceptable and that they refuse to take responsibility for this, and therefore decided to resign." Insiders added that the doctors cannot be forced to work in subjection to a person they do not appreciate or respect, and that despite the efforts of the hospital's director to separate them, they stand united in their decision. The doctors' decision came as a surprise to the healthcare system, raising questions regarding their motives. "There's a donor who is willing to pay for the extra beds, which would prevent performing bone marrow transplants for children in the adult ward, so why are the doctors stubbornly holding onto their stance? What do they want? To see the Hadassah department close?" Hadassah officials said on Sunday that the doctors have gone too far with their protest. "They could have said that if their professional requests are fulfilled, they would withdraw their resignation letters. They are treating pediatric cancer patients who require treatmentyou can't wage wars of ego at their expense." On the other hand, the hospital's management is also standing firm, and despite the offered donation, refuses to take Prof. Weintraub back. "After rejecting every solution offered to him, I decided to accept the resignation of Prof. Weintraub and in his place, we appointed a new acting director, Dr. Gal Goldstein," said Prof. Rotstein. "As for the other doctors, I gave in to all their demands, and for them, the door remains open." However, Rotstein emphasized that he has already begun negotiating to recruit other physicians and if those attempts fall shorthe would not hesitate to appeal to the court and seek an injunction against the resigning doctors. YORK An appeal bond has been granted for Jamie L. Bishop, 37, of Seward, who was recently sentenced to prison after being convicted of first degree sexual assault of a child. Bishop was a staff member at Epworth Village while the victim was a 15-year-old male client there. Prosecutors said Bishop had multiple sexual encounters with the boy while she was a staff member and he was living at the Epworth group home for juveniles in York. According to court documents, the boy and Bishop had sexual relations between January and July of 2015. All sexual relations took place in the victims room at Epworth Village or outside on the facilitys grounds. Surveillance video seized by investigators from Epworth Village placed Bishop alone several times with the victim. According to the arrest affidavit, an investigation was launched by the York Police Department and officers searched Bishops cell phone. They found images of the victim on the device, along with recent internet search history queries about the definitions of degrees of assault and sexual assault in Nebraska, consequences of lying under Miranda, and the age of consent in Nebraska. Court documents also indicate that Bishop became pregnant and a baby was born in December, 2015. Investigators say that paternity testing shows the boy is the biological father of the child. She was sentenced to a term of 10-16 years in prison. On Monday, her attorney, Chad Wythers told the court he has filed an intent to appeal the sentence, although she was convicted of a serious felony. The basis of the appeal is that Wythers and Bishop feel the sentence was excessive. We think that an appeal bond is appropriate, Wythers said. She was at all her prior appearances (in court) and she has no criminal history other than this instance. Then Wythers asked to be able to address the judge and prosecutor in private, at the bench, with their comments to be off the record. Judge James Stecker allowed the request. When the proceedings were back on the record, York County Attorney Candace Bottorf told the court that regarding the setting of an appeal bond, that is your discretion, judge. I believe that she does now realize that shes been sentenced to a long term in prison. We are asking that it be a $500,000, 10 percent, if the court is inclined to set bond. Judge James Stecker set the appeal bond at $250,000, 10 percent. What this means is that if Bishop can post $25,000 (in cash) bond, she can leave the prison and be out of custody during the time that the appeal process is underway. If her sentence is affirmed by the higher court, she will then be returned to prison to serve the original sentence. If her sentence is not affirmed by the higher court, she will then be resentenced and serve that court order. The appeal bond allows her to remain out of custody during the process, if the money is posted. Sir Isaac Newton once wrote, If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. Every generation has heroes whove changed the course of history by somehow laying a foundation people could build upon. In aviation, there were the Wright Brothers, who pioneered modern flight. They were soon followed by other giants, including the first U.S. women to pilot military aircraft in support of war. Standing on the shoulders of these aviators are 699 women in the Air Force who currently pilot aircraft, but less than 100 operate fighter jets. Women who pilot fighter jets are so rare, it wasnt until 2015 that Capt. Michelle Mace Curran, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, became the first woman assigned to fly in the 355th Fighter Squadron, an active associate unit of the 301st Fighter Wing. There are so many strong women who have paved the way for me to be able to do what I do today, Curran said. From the WASPs in WWII, to the first female fighter pilot in the Air Force, Jeannie Leavitt. They have broken barriers and done great things. In 1942, Gen. Henry H. Hap Arnold, recognized the potential for talent among women and initiated the Womens Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and the Womens Flying Training Detachment. A year later the two organizations merged and became the Womens Air Force Service Pilots, also known as WASPs. Only 1,074 women graduated from the WASP training program before it disbanded in Dec. 1944. However, its estimated they ferried military aircraft 60 million miles across the U.S. in support of World War II. In spite of the heights these ladies reached, women didnt fly as pilots in the modern Air Force until 1976. Then, in 1993, the Air Force fighter pilot training program officially removed its gender barrier, allowing women to fly fighter jets for the first time. Curran said she pursued a flying career because she was drawn by the thrill and excitement of piloting fighter aircraft. Flying was what appealed to me most when I thought military and that is what drew me specifically to the Air Force, she said. I think you feel most alive when you are experiencing something new and exciting, or something that takes you outside your comfort zone and maybe scares you just a little. According to Curran, the competition was high in attaining a fighter pilot position, but the support and encouragement from her parents, leadership and fellow women in the fighter pilot community kept her trying for a coveted slot. Its never a competition with other women who are fighter pilots, but rather a sisterhood and support network, Curran stated. These are the Airmen shes turned to the most for inspiration and mentorship. Regardless, there are still challenges Curran must constantly overcome. The biggest challenge I face in this career field is probably the same one most of my male counterparts face, she said. That is staying up to date and proficient with the ever changing tactics and avionics in this aircraft. Most of us are pretty hard on ourselves and want to be the best. Curran, along with her sisterhood, continue to prove everyday that gender barriers can be broken and success can belong to both men and women. Yet, in order to stand on the shoulders of giants, the giants must be known and recognized. In 1987, Congress declared March Womens History Month to honor the extraordinary achievements of American women throughout history. Womens History Month isnt about highlighting the differences between men and women, but rather celebrating the heritage that has gotten us to where we are today, Curran said. Its another opportunity for us to inspire the next generation. The heights of Currans capabilities and achievements are not just a reflection of herself, but also symbolize change within the 355th FS, the Air Force and the military. Lt. Col. Matthew Chisam, 355th FS commander, said that she is living proof there isnt a difference between men and women when it comes to being an excellent fighter pilot. He hopes she inspires other women who want to fly. It upsets me that there are women out there who don't know the military is one of the last great meritocracies, Chisam said. As long as you are good enough, you can be a fighter pilot, regardless of your race, creed, or gender. According to Chisam, piloting fighter jets is not an easy job because it is physically and mentally demanding, while requiring dedication and precision during wartime missions. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, with a full load of fuel, can withstand up to nine times the force of gravity, known as Gs. The pilot must maintain flight control during these high G-force combat maneuvers, while tracking targets, weather conditions and any other aircraft around them. If a pilot doesnt live up to the high standards we set, they would not fly with us, Chisam said. Curran has proven herself an extremely valuable asset to our squadron and the Air Force, because her performance demands respect. With the support of those around them and those who came before, modern American women like Curran show every day that gender barriers mean nothing when taking off from the shoulders of giants. Casetta Kitchen, 222 W. Washington Ave., is open for breakfast, lunch and happy hour. The new Italian-style deli took over the spot vacated by Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. The Kirchner Impact Foundation, the non-profit investment arm of North American merchant bank Kirchner Group, is taking its Food Fellowship to Mexico this year. The Fellowship brings on three North America students each year to help identify and invest in conscious agricultural businesses out of a dedicated fund. The Kirchner Group may invest further in later rounds if the investments perform well. The goal of our program is to harness the power of millennials to find, fund and assist promising socially responsible agricultural businesses through an innovative impact investment approach that significantly reduces the cost and time needed to allocate capital carefully, wisely and with the support of a global network, Blair Kirchner, director of the Kirchner Food Fellowship, told AgFunderNews in an email. Reducing cost and time without reducing quality is needed if we are to ever push impact capital into the regions of the world where it is needed most. Now, in its fifth year, the Fellowship is collaborating with Centro Fox, a non-profit that focuses on fostering leadership in Mexico, to open up the program to Mexican students The Fellowship must also focus on investing in agricultural companies that stand to benefit the Mexican region. Although an underserved capital market, Mexico has great talent, great agriculture companies, and great potential partners, Kirchner said. Given our close relationship with Centro Fox and the geographic proximity, establishing a team of fellows in Mexico is the logical next step in the internationalization of the program. All of this combined should provide fertile soil for the fellows to make good investments in the region. Candidates must be enrolled in a university in Mexico, Canada or the United States and be native to Mexico or have strong connections to the region. The chosen participants will embark on a year-long educational process around the food industry and impact investing and be based out of the Presidential Library in Guanajuato, Mexico. They must be fully bilingual (English and Spanish), self-motivated, hard-working and possess a passion for investing in promising early-stage, for-profit, socially responsible agricultural companies, Kirchner said. The program is very intensive, and applicants must also be willing to commit 10-20 hours per week on it during their academic year. The Kirchner Food Fellowship understands that younger people are needed to help discover business possibilities of the networked, customized, and distributed world if businesses are going to solve some of the most pressing food-related issues of our time. Thats why Blair notes that it is imperative capital is invested in promising sustainable companies, and the only way to ensure that is through education about the process of proper early-stage impact investing. Combined with the Kirchner Groups long history of working with agriculture and food companies, we believe strongly that the fellows investments can have a positive impact, Kirchner said. We also recognize there is a significant gap in education for the next generation of capital allocators. Numerous programs exist in universities for entrepreneurs but very few that focus on capital allocation, which is critical for those new entrepreneurs to be successful in their endeavors. When Kirchner first launched the program five years ago, it always intended to expand the program internationally because it felt there were logical regions that would benefit most from the program. It was important for us to first test and refine the model but now believe we have a scalable model that can be implemented internationally, so it was the right time to expand, Kirchner said. As the model is further deployed, we believe it can make a real difference in the world. Kirchner Food Fellowship investments include: Lucky Iron Fish, a safe, cost-effective, easy-to-use alternative to pills for those suffering from iron deficiency that continues to expand its reach and be recognized by international organizations for the impact it is having around the world. Green Zebra Grocery, a socially responsible convenience store chain focused on healthy and local options for customers. It just opened its third store in Portland and continues to establish itself as the go-to healthy and convenient corner grocer in the region, Kirchner said. Till Mobile, a software company using SMS to address supply chain management deficiencies between small producers and large retailers. Kirchner noted it continues to make progress in its product development and roll out. (We wrote about this deal here ). Kuli Kuli , a consumer packaged goods company selling healthy food products made with moringa sourced primarily from small-holder farmers in Africa and Central America. It recently established a significant foothold in the market and raised a $4.25 million Series A , which marked the first investment by eighteen94, the venture capital arm of Kellogg. Kirchner Group is a traditional merchant bank that provides advisory, operational and M&A support to small and medium-sized businesses with a focus on the agriculture and life sciences sectors. The firm also provides asset management services to family offices and some of the worlds largest insurance companies, commercial banks, and institutional investors. The apply to the Fellowship, click here. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Artsakh Republic told Armenpress, the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime 55 times firing from various caliber small arms across Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Ministry issued a statement which says: On March 12 and overnight March 13 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime 55 times by firing more than 550 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. In the southern direction of the line of contact the Azerbaijani forces fired also anti-tank grenade launcher (1 grenade). The Defense Army forces of Artsakh control the situation in the frontline and continue confidently conducting the reliable protection of military posts. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and Lebanons Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Bassil exchanged letters on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Lebanon, press service of the Armenian MFA told Armenpress. In his letter FM Nalbandian said the friendship of both countries is rooted in deep historical ties and the warmenss that the two peoples traditionally spread towards each other. The Minister stated that the Armenian community of Lebanon plays a key role on strengthening and developing those ties. Nalbandian expressed confidence that they will be able to contribute to further intensifying and deepening the multilateral mutual partnership through joint efforts. In his turn, the Lebanese FM said during the past 25 years the friendly partnership relations of Armenia and Lebanon more intensified and strengthened despite numerous changes witnessed by the world policy. Minister Bassil said in his letter that the relations of the two countries maintain the positive path of comprehensive development which fully satisfies the Lebanese side. The Minister reaffirmed the Lebanese governments commitment to further strengthen the relations with Armenia. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The Police of the Republic of Armenia released the total number of voters includes in the Voters Registry, as of March 13, 2017, the Police HQ told ARMENPRESS. The Police released a statement, saying: In compliance with paragraph 7, Article 8 of the Electoral Code, during the Parliamentary election: 20 days prior to voting day, the Police of Armenia issues the total number of voters included in the Voters Registry also noting the number of voters based on location and not having registry. The total number of voters ahead of the Parliamentary election is 2.564.244, from which - Based on location 1249 - Voters without registration 20. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community of the Netherlands will hold a week of events on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Masis Abrahamyan Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Netherlands told Armenpress. The Armenian National Committee cooperates with the remaining Armenian organizations. Like previous year, we have planned to hold a number of events. The week of events will launch on April 18. On that day a rally will be held outside the Parliament of Netherlands, we will hand over a text of demand which we have already discussed with the other organizations. The major emphasis is that the solution of the Armenian Genocide issue is its international recognition, Masis Abrahamyan said. On April 22 a big protest will be held in Amsterdam. Abrahamyan said starting from the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide, a large number of Armenians are taking part in the events. There is already an agreement with the Police, the streets are clarified where the rally will be held. Famous figures, advocates of the fight against genocides will attend the rally. On April 24 commemoration ceremonies will be held in the Armenian Genocide memorials. After 2004 when the Netherlands officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, a turning point occurred in its policy. It seemed they regretted that they have used the word genocide. Gradually it was realized that the word genocide was replaced by the word genocide issue among political circles. Our major goal is to not allow this to happen, he said. Masis Abrahamyan stated that individually, all separately accept the Armenian Genocide, however, the political circles avoid it. Therefore, the Armenian community demands not to play with that word and to use the right descriptions. Elections will be held here soon, the leadership, actually, will not change. Thats why I dont believe major changes will be made in this policy. In other words, they have admitted the Armenian Genocide, but now they avoid using that word, but also they always keep Turkey in tension. They use the genocide policy as coins, he stated. The Parliament of Netherlands recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2004, calling what had happened in 1915 as genocide. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The Court of First Instance of Erebuni and Nubarashen administrative district issued an order on releasing the imprisoned actor Vardan Petrosyan on parole. Petrosyans attorney Nikolai Baghdasaryan told ARMENPRESS the actor is fully released and is even free to travel abroad. The Courts decision came into force 5 days ago, he said. Asked whether or not the plaintiff has appealed the verdict, the attorney said the plaintiffs have signed a document stating they dont have any complaint or demand associated with Vardan Petrosyan. Back in 2013, Petrosyan was involved in a fatal car crash, when two vehicles collided on the Yeghvard-Yerevan highway, injuring 7 people. Later, two of the injured, 16 year old cousins Edgar and Eduard Hakobyan died. Petrosyan was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. A 74-year-old man was arrested after allegedly destroying several copies of Kim Kardashians Selfish book, The Huffington Post reports citing BuzzFeed News. Six copies of Selfish, Kardashians art book released by Rizzoli and recently updated with further selfies, were tarnished with a red liquid. According to the Glastonbury Police Department, the scene was accompanied by a note from the man, explaining his dislike of Ms. Kardashian and people like her. Selfish is priced at $19.99; the books alleged destroyer was released on a $2,500 non-surety bond, after being charged with Criminal Mischief. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The New York Times published an article on one of the most widespread celebrations taking place in Armenia, known as atam hatik, reports Armenpress. The author of the article says children in Armenia start thinking about their careers at a very young age around six months or so. When an infants first tooth arrives, typically in four to seven months, a celebration takes place known variously as the agra hadig or atam hatik. As part of the ritual, objects symbolizing different professions are arrayed in front of a child: a microphone for an entertainer, a stethoscope for a doctor, scissors for a tailor or money for a banker. Whichever object the baby chooses first is thought to be a sign of where the childs professional aptitude lies, the author writes. Yulia Antonyan, professor in the department of cultural studies at Yerevan State University, told the New York Times that there are no obligatory objects, and parents may orchestrate the future life of their offspring by choosing only those objects that symbolize prestigious and desired professions. The ceremony begins by pouring various cereal grains over and around the child. Typically but not always, the babys head is protected by a piece of fabric, a pair of hands or sometimes even an umbrella. The ritual sprinkling is thought to ensure that the child will have healthy, even teeth, the author says. According to the article, today, teeth-shaped cakes, toys, candy and balloons are popular party favors at these celebrations, which are widely practiced in Armenia and in the Armenian Diaspora. Whereas in the earliest written references to the ritual, just two objects were put before the teething child. The prediction then was not about an adult profession but the sex of the next sibling: Grasping a knife meant a brother was on the way, a comb (or mirror) a sister. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, Reuters reports. In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities. The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. "I call on all international organizations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how. "Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Grave violations against children in Syria were the highest on record in 2016, said in UNICEFs a grim assessment of the conflicts impact on children, as the war reaches six years, Armenpress reports citing UNICEF official website. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of children increased sharply last year in a drastic escalation of violence across the country. At least 652 children were killed a 20 per cent increase from 2015 making 2016 the worst year for Syrias children since the formal verification of child casualties began in 2014. 255 children were killed in or near a school. More than 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict, more than double the number recruited in 2015. Children are being used and recruited to fight directly on the frontlines and are increasingly taking part in combat roles, including in extreme cases as executioners, suicide bombers or prison guards. There were at least 338 attacks against hospitals and medical personnel . The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down, said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa speaking from Homs, Syria. Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being and future. Challenges in access in several parts of Syria stand in the way of assessing the full scale of childrens suffering and of urgently getting humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable girls and boys. Beyond the bombs, bullets and explosions, children are dying in silence often from diseases that can otherwise be easily prevented. Access to medical care, lifesaving supplies and other basic services remains difficult. The most vulnerable among Syrias children are the 2.8 million in hard-to-reach areas, including 280,000 children living under siege, almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid. After six years of war, nearly 6 million children now depend on humanitarian assistance, a twelve-fold increase from 2012. Millions of children have been displaced, some up to seven times. Over 2.3 million children are now living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. Inside Syria and across its borders, coping mechanisms are eroding, and families are taking extreme measures just to survive, often pushing children into early marriage and child labour. In more than two thirds of households, children are working to support their families, some in extremely harsh conditions unfit even for adults. Yet despite the horrors and suffering, there are many remarkable stories of children determined to pursue their hopes and aspirations. Darsy (12), now a refugee in Turkey said: I want to be a surgeon to help the sick and injured people of Syria. I dream of a Syria without a war so we can go home. I dream of a world without any wars. We continue to witness the courage of Syrias children. Many have crossed frontlines just to sit for school exams. They insist on learning, including in underground schools. There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syrias children, said Cappelaere. On behalf of the children of Syria, UNICEF is appealing to all parties to the conflict, those who have influence over them, the international community and anyone who cares about children for: An immediate political solution to end the conflict in Syria; An end to all grave violations against children including killing, maiming and recruitment, and attacks on schools and hospitals; The lifting of all sieges and unconditional and sustained access to all children in need, wherever they are in Syria; Providing refugee host governments and communities with sustainable support for vulnerable children, regardless of their status, and Continued financial support for UNICEFs lifesaving assistance to Syrian children. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The ITB Berlin-2017 annual international tourism expo was held in Berlin March 8-13, where the Armenian delegation took part this year as well. The ministry of foreign affairs of Armenia told ARMENPRESS at the initiative of the state tourism committee of the ministry of economic development and investments and assistance of the Armenian Embassy in Germany over two dozen of Armenian tourism companies took part in the event, individual tour operators and representatives of hotel businesses, who presented the opportunities and appeal of Armenias tourism sector. Grigor Shagoyans Agua-trio ensemble delivered musical performances in the Armenian pavilion at the expo. Armenias Ambassador to Germany H.E. Ashot Smbatyan received the participants of the event on March 11, discussing both ongoing and upcoming programs. The ITB Berlin (Internationale Tourismus-Borse Berlin) is the world's largest tourism trade fair. The companies represented at the fair include hotels, tourist boards, tour operators, system providers, airlines and car rental companies. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of the Presidents of Russia and Iran will be held in late March in Moscow, Mahmoud Vaezi - Irans Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Co-Chair of the Russian-Iranian inter-governmental commission, said, TASS reported. The meeting of the Presidents will be held in late March in Moscow, he said, adding that at this stage the meeting is prepared, agenda is being formed. YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. 54 million Euro budget directed for the second round of the Black Sea Basin Cross-Border Cooperation program is not being divided separately among 8 countries participating in the program, Garegin Melkonyan - First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments, told Armenpress. Like in the first round of the Black Sea Basin CBC Programme 2007-2013, in the second round as well 8 beneficiary countries are Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, Moldova, Greece and Ukraine. Melkonyan said in the preparation stage Azerbaijan could also be a potential beneficiary, however, due to a developments, it dropped out of the program despite having Turkeys assistance. Since here the idea is the cooperation, and Azerbaijan was not inclined to that, we came to a conclusion as a result of discussions that country to be dropped out of this cooperation program, Melkonyan said. The Deputy Minister stated this program, which is being carried out under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), is unique in a sense that the beneficiaries can be public and private authorities as a result of which there is a chance to form cooperation packages between them. Garegin Melkonyan said a number of events were held in Yerevan and various provinces of Armenia on raising awareness about the details of the program one of which will be held on March 14 in Yerevan, and the next one on March 16 outside of Yerevan. We aim to inform the public about the program so that the structures and organizations can maximally use it. We over a year are actively speaking about it. There are no limits for the organizations to submit applications for the program, the field is open for every organization. 54 million Euro directed for the program has no separation in terms of any country. In other words, the country, which will be more active, informed, professionalized, ready, as well as capable of implementing competitive programs, will benefit more, the Deputy Minister said. As a responsible body for this program, the respective division created under Romanias Ministry of Economy has been selected. The applications will be submitted online to that respective body. Melkonyan informed that currently no applications were received. Recently the Armenian structures started to show interest and activeness on presenting ideas and programs. The Deputy Minister said the deadline for presenting programs is May 31. As for the first round of the Black Sea Basin CBC Programme, the Deputy Minister said Armenia was presented in 22 programs. He stated that there are a number of successful programs, however this cooperation program was yet a new. Melkonyan expressed confidence that Armenias involvement will be more comprehensive in the second round of the program and they will be more competitive which will enable to win more programs and bring them to Armenia. The Deputy Minister added that the programs must be based on the cooperation idea and their proposals must offer involvement of 2-3 beneficiary countries. In other words, the program must not be designed only for one country. The idea is that it must be based on cooperation, Garegin Melkonyan said. Most read of the week YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The Republican Party has introduced a comprehensive program which answers the following main questions where are we now and what problems do we have? What have we do to address them and who should do that? Prime Minister of Armenia, first Deputy Chairman of the ruling Republican Party Karen Karapetyan announced in a meeting with citizens in Yerevans Avan district, adding that the program is rather ambitious but at the same time realistic. In all spheres we have a task to raise efficiency. We have elaborated reforms for all the areas, Armenpress reports Karen Karapetyan saying. Answering the question about raising pensions and salaries, Karen Karapetyan noted that they are of course focused on that issue and its necessary to develop the economy to create new jobs. The state should undoubtedly stand with socially vulnerable people. We have planned rather large-scale reforms in social, healthcare spheres, the PM said, adding that they cannot solve all the problems of the mentioned segment of the society, but he noted that some resources are not spent in an effective manner and in case of fulfilling structural reforms it will be possible to improve the situation by 20-30% with the same budget. Colorado charity Dumb Friends League wants to perform as many as 10,000 more spay/neuter procedures to any cats brought in. It will be free, no strings attached, to reduce Denver area pet overpopulation, homelessness, and suffering. Dumb Friends League (a great name when they were founded 107 years ago) says in their FAQ: The large number of cats living on the streets or waiting for homes in shelters and rescues is one of the biggest challenges in animal welfare across the country and in Colorado. While the Dumb Friends League performs approximately 4,500 spay/neuter surgeries on cats at their shelters prior to adoption each year, and another 5,600 spay/neuter surgeries on owned and community cats through its mobile spay/neuter clinics, there remains a need to make fully subsidized spay/neuter services for cats more accessible in our community. The goal of the Dumb Friends League Solutions Cat Spay/Neuter Clinic is to help reduce cat overpopulation in metro Denver and beyond by spaying or neutering an additional 10,000 cats each year. Confession: I mainly wanted an excuse to post a bunch of the very best surprised cat photos. Dumb Friends League Solutions Cat Spay/Neuter Clinic FAQ's (h/t Fark) money coins dividends 16-9 To paraphrase the old song, breaking up with your financial advisor is hard to do. Looking back at my personal history, I can recall three advisors with whom I parted ways, though, fortunately, I am still on good terms and in regular contact with two of them, as well as a fourth with whom I still do business. The first was a classic high-fee mutual fund salesperson who ? I blush to admit ? I encountered at a ?free? financial seminar early in the late 1980s or early 1990s at the height of what was then termed ?mutual fund mania.? He was pretty good, actually, and, of course I didn?t have much money to invest at the time, so whatever supposedly ?high? fund MERs I was paying, I doubt I was an especially lucrative client for him. At some point, I had become more educated about mutual funds ? perhaps writing five annual mutual fund guides for the Financial Post had something to do with that! ? and I ended up with a well-known Canadian stock guru for a couple of years who briefly had entered the stock brokerage business. This was a good thing while it lasted, but within a year or two, he left that particular firm to start his own service, but he left me in good hands with a younger colleague he respected. And that went on for several years in relative harmony: it was a traditional stock brokerage, and I was comfortable paying what were relatively high ?full-service? trading commissions, since I was mostly a buy-and-hold investor, and was gradually shifting to exchange-traded funds (ETFs). As I have written elsewhere in the past, as long as you can trust a broker not to conduct unnecessary churning, full-service full commission brokerage is not that bad a deal. Unfortunately, my advisor got into his head the notion that he wanted to switch clients like me to a fee-based model, wherein I?d be charged somewhere between 1% and 1.25% of my portfolio value every year; that?s reasonable for many people, but too much for me, I thought. (Keep in mind that as a financial journalist, I had access to many other advisors, merely by picking up the phone and chatting about some upcoming article.) Story continues So, I switched to a true fee-for-service financial planner who does NOT charge by assets under management, but merely charges a modest set annual fee for ?guidance? and regular email blasts of what he is personally doing. Unlike the previous three advisors, I couldn?t just get on the phone and ask to buy or sell something; this new advisor ? who I am still with a good 10 years later ? encouraged me to open a discount brokerage account and make my own trades. The philosophy is a bit like the old bromide that once you teach a man (or woman) to fish, he or she will never go hungry again. I was moved to look back at my own advisory relationships after a TV network asked me to comment on the emotional and practical sides of ?breaking up? with an advisor. As recounted above, the emotional side wasn?t that complicated; these are business relationships requiring some measure of give and take, and like any such relationship, it needs to be a ?win-win? for both sides if it is to endure for more than a year or two. I wouldn?t compare it to marriage because most advisors have a ?book? of many clients ? often hundreds of them. As for the cost side, that does exist. In the first case I recounted, there may have been mutual funds with Deferred Sales Charges (DSC) that trigger redemption charges if you ?break up? in the first six or seven years. There may also be some tax consequences in non-registered portfolios, although in my case ? and as it normally is with newer investors starting out ? if most of your money is in registered accounts like RRSPs or TFSAs, then the tax impact of switching advisors (and with them, institutions) will be minimal. To be sure, transferring large-ish portfolios from one financial institution to another can be a convoluted process that takes a few weeks. For the most part, the outgoing and incoming advisors will deal with it, although you will likely have to meet in person with both parties (separate meetings, of course!) and sign a bunch of documents you probably won?t read very carefully. During this interregnum there may be some minor inconvenience to the extent you may not be able to make any trades or invest new funds. In the unlikely event the market is crashing during this transition, that could prove to be quite distressing, but I?d guess that most often the market will fluctuate up and down with no profound consequences for your net worth. If it?s time to change, you?ll know in your gut. Most often it will be because of a growing awareness of investment costs. These days, it?s hard to read a family finance profile in a newspaper or magazine without encountering the recommendation for a high-net-worth family to ditch a high-fee mutual fund advisor for a fee-based one that uses low-fee ETFs or no-load mutual funds. Later in life, portfolios will be large enough that the hassle and emotional cost of switching will more than pay for itself in reduced fees. For example, a $1 million mutual fund portfolio invested in typical annual fees of 2.5% costs $25,000 a year. Switch to a model charging just 0.5%, and that?s a $20,000 annual saving ? more than enough to make up for a heart broken by a severed relationship with your advisor. The proven "return accelerator" for dividend stocks! If you love dividend stocks or are in need of retirement income, we have a brand-new, exclusive report that's a must-read for any serious investor. Written by celebrated Canadian journalist Jonathan Chevreau, this report outlines one of the 'wonders of the investment world' - how to use it, capitalize on it, and make money as best you can. Click here now to claim your copy! More reading Jonathan Chevreau is founder of the Financial Independence Hub and co-author of Victory Lap Retirement. He can be reached at jonathan@findependencehub.com The proven "return accelerator" for dividend stocks! If you love dividend stocks or are in need of retirement income, we have a brand-new, exclusive report that's a must-read for any serious investor. Written by celebrated Canadian journalist Jonathan Chevreau, this report outlines one of the 'wonders of the investment world' - how to use it, capitalize on it, and make money as best you can. Click here now to claim your copy! Jonathan Chevreau is founder of the Financial Independence Hub and co-author of Victory Lap Retirement. He can be reached at jonathan@findependencehub.com oil sands 16_9 Canada?s energy sector is becoming less attractive to international investors of late. Royal Dutch Shell, an Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas firm from the Netherlands recently made some huge divestments from its oil sands portfolio by selling US$7.25 billion worth of assets to Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSX:CNQ)(NYSE:CNQ). The Canadian oil patch has been a tough place to invest thanks partially to Rachel Notley, the premier of Alberta. Kevin O?Leary referred to her as a ?toxic cocktail of mediocrity and incompetence? and believes that she is making the Canadian oil patch a very unattractive place for international investors. I believe he?s right on the money, and it?s likely why Royal Dutch Shell dumped a majority of its stake in its oil sands projects. Many pundits are seriously starting to worry about Canada?s energy sector. Rafi Tahmazian, a senior portfolio manager at Canoe Financial, stated: ?For the first time ever in my career I?ve had to be fearful of Canadian energy policy as a Canadian energy investor.? The Canadian energy sector is extremely out of favour right now, but I believe it presents a huge opportunity for value investors to go bargain hunting. Sometimes it pays to be contrarian, and if you?re a long-term investor that can stomach short-term pain, then the energy sector is the place to be. As Warren Buffett once said, ??be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.? Now is the time to be greedy, while others are panicking. Now might be a terrific time to buy shares of Canadian Natural Resources, as the company ups its stake in oil sands. The deal is set to be closed in mid-2017 and is expected to drive free cash flow and earnings through the roof over the next few years. Canadian Natural Resources is riding some positive momentum that is expected to carry over into 2017 and beyond. The company reported terrific Q4 2016 results where it saw $990 million worth of free cash flow thanks to lowered operating costs and higher oil prices. Going forward, the company can be expected to continue to drive operational efficiencies through various initiatives. Many pundits also believe that oil prices could continue to climb to the $60 level by the conclusion of 2017. Story continues Takeaway Canadian Natural Resources is a high-quality play on Canada?s oil patch. I see huge long-term synergies being unlocked from its the recent acquisition of Royal Dutch Shell?s assets. Free cash flow is likely to surge over the next few years, and this will go right back to shareholders in the form of an upped dividend. The company is a dividend-growth king which has upped its dividend by leaps and bounds over the last decade. It?s got a healthy balance sheet and will be able to weather the storm if oil decides to crash again. I?d recommend buying a small portion of shares now with the intention of buying more on any pullbacks that may happen this year. Volatility can be expected, but if you can stomach it, you?ll do very well in a few years from now. Six "pro" strategies for today's highly uncertain market Motley Fool Canada's $250,000-real-money-portfolio service, Motley Fool Pro, is currently closed to new members. But lead advisor Jim Gilles is doing something special for investors who are worried about the market and where it will head in 2017. He's revealing the six strategies he uses in Pro to help members guardrail their portfolios and make money in up, down, and sideways markets. For a limited time you can download this "Pro 2017 Survival Guide" free of charge by simply clicking here. More reading Fool contributor Joey Frenette has no position in any stocks mentioned. Six "pro" strategies for today's highly uncertain market Motley Fool Canada's $250,000-real-money-portfolio service, Motley Fool Pro, is currently closed to new members. But lead advisor Jim Gilles is doing something special for investors who are worried about the market and where it will head in 2017. He's revealing the six strategies he uses in Pro to help members guardrail their portfolios and make money in up, down, and sideways markets. For a limited time you can download this "Pro 2017 Survival Guide" free of charge by simply clicking here. Fool contributor Joey Frenette has no position in any stocks mentioned. Girl Guides of Canada has announced it will not be taking any trips to the United States in the near future, citing concerns about inclusivity. "While the United States is a frequent destination for Guiding trips, the ability of all our members to equally enter this country is currently uncertain," international commissioner Sharron Callahan and director of provincial operations Holly Thompson wrote in a joint advisory issued Monday afternoon. "This includes both trips that are over or under 72 hours and any travel that includes a connecting flight through an American airport," the advisory says. The statement does not directly mention but appears to be a reaction to the executive orders U. S. President Donald Trump has signed restricting travel to the United States. Trump's first travel ban temporarily prohibited people from seven Muslim-majority countries from coming to the U.S. It was subsequently halted by the courts, prompting the president to issue a second executive order. The second order removed Iraq from the list of banned countries, but visa processing for travellers from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya will be suspended for 90 days once the ban goes into effect on March 16. The travel bans have led to confusion about who can and who can't travel to the United States some Canadians and permanent residents living in Canada have reported problems gaining entry to the U.S. 'No girl gets left behind' Sarah Kiriliuk, national manager of marketing and communications for the Girl Guides of Canada, said the decision is a precautionary move. She said that trips are planned months in advance and it would be disappointing if anyone got to the border and was turned away. "We wanted to make sure there was zero risk," she said. Kiriliuk said that until now, no trip to the U.S. has been cancelled or delayed because of the travel ban. Community reaction Kristin Maier, a Brownie leader in Penticton, B.C., said she's happy to hear about the advisory. Story continues "The ability of our members to equally enter the United States is uncertain under new laws set by president Donald Trump," she told CBC News. She said she is "beyond happy to be part of an organization that takes such a clear stance on equal rights and equal opportunities." Other people on Twitter shared their thoughts: As a result of the decision by Girl Guides Canada, a nationally-sponsored trip to a camp in California that was scheduled for this summer has been changed to a different destination. "This was a very difficult decision to make," wrote Callahan and Thompson. "We hope that members will appreciate this reflects our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunities for all girls and women." FILE PHOTO - A Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) sign is seen outside of a branch in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on May 26, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo (REUTERS) TD Bank says it is reviewing "all of the concerns raised" by recent CBC News stories that revealed unscrupulous sales tactics by front-line bank employees. "TD is in the trust business. We know we must earn our customers' trust before we earn their business," said TD CEO Bharat Masrani in a release issued late Sunday. The bank is on the defensive after two reports from CBC's Go Public team last week. In the first, three TD employees spoke out about feeling "incredible pressure" to meet "unrealistic" sales targets by signing customers up for unnecessary financial products. After that story, hundreds of current and former TD employees wrote to Go Public to share their experiences. The second story described how some of those employees felt they had to break the law to meet sales targets and keep their jobs. Some TD workers said the stressful work environment led to psychological problems like anxiety and depression. 'A few hundred' complaints TD said the bank has "procedures in place designed to monitor sales practices and to detect issues should they arise," including a system for tracking customer complaints. "For the 12-month period ended Jan. 31, 2017, of the many interactions with our millions of Canadian personal banking customers, we received only a few hundred such complaints related to sales practices compliance. These were investigated and handled in accordance with our procedures," said the press release. "We take the feedback we have received in this area very seriously. We will review all of the concerns raised and we are committed to doing the right thing." Stock analysts downgrade TD Bank TD's Canadian share price rebounded by 1.45 per cent as of market close Monday. TD shares suffered their worst day since 2009 on Friday, closing down more than 5.5 per cent. Stock analysts with National Bank, RBC Capital Markets and Eight Capital have downgraded their outlook for TD's performance, citing possible repercussions from CBC's coverage. Story continues "While this story is still unfolding, the inevitable comparison is to the situation faced by Wells Fargo," wrote National Bank Financial analyst Gabriel Dechaine in a note to clients on Sunday. Wells Fargo was fined $185 million US and fired thousands of employees after it was revealed that the bank was creating millions of fake accounts on behalf of unsuspecting customers. The comparison between TD and Wells Fargo is "a stretch," wrote BMO Capital markets stock analyst Sohrab Movahedi in a note to clients on Monday. U.S.-based Rosen Law Firm announced Friday that it was preparing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of TD Bank investors who suffered losses amid Friday's share slump. 'A warning to the other major banks' Customer trust is paramount in the banking industry, said Ian Lee, associate professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. To restore that trust, Lee said, TD should launch an independent investigation to determine whether the sales practices uncovered by CBC were systemic in nature, or whether they violated the bank's own rules. "And then they've got to say that, 'Look, we're going to fix this, no matter what, and no matter the cost,'" said Lee. The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments, a third-party organization that solves disputes between banks, investment firms and their customers, says consumers should know they can make complaints to their banks. They can also contact external complaint bodies, including OBSI and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. "These allegations raise serious concerns. While we have seen a general increase in banking complaints over the past few years, they have not related specifically to the sales practices being described," Sarah Bradley, ombudsman and CEO of OBSI said in an email to CBC News. "If a consumer has experienced unauthorized transactions or has similar concerns, they should file a complaint with their financial institution." But in the long run, any damage to TD could be just "a blip," according to McMaster University marketing professor Marvin Ryder. "The reputational damage for TD is going to be relatively slight if they can get out ahead of this," Ryder told CBC News on Friday. "If they do, in the long term this is just going to be a blip, this will just be a little spot on the record and in two or three months once they get ahead of the story it'll be all forgotten," said Ryder. "But I'll also say that today's story is a warning to the other major banks." Matt Adamczyk was sworn in as state treasurer in early 2015 after winning statewide election to the post on a pledge to help eliminate it. thinking 16-9 Canadians are looking at the uncertain market conditions and wondering which dividend stocks are the best picks to put in their TFSA portfolios. Let?s take a look at Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) and TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP)(NYSE:TRP) to see if one is attractive today. Fortis Fortis has a long track record of using organic projects and acquisitions to drive growth. In recent years, the big investments have been in the United States with the US$4.5 billion purchase of Arizona-based UNS Energy in 2014 and last year?s US$11.3 billion purchase of Michigan-based ITC Holdings. Management says these purchases, combined with organic growth completions, such as the Tilbury LNG facility expansion in British Columbia, should help drive cash flow growth that can support annual dividend increases of at least 6% through 2021. Fortis has raised its dividend every year for more than four decades, so investors should feel comfortable with the guidance. The stock currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share. That?s good for a yield of 3.8%. TransCanada TransCanada also went on the acquisition trail in 2016, scooping up Columbia Pipeline Group in a deal that added significant natural gas assets. The purchase also helped boost TransCanada?s near-term development portfolio, which now stands at $23 billion. As the new assets are completed and go into service, TransCanada expects to raise the dividend by at least 8% per year through 2020. In addition, TransCanada has $45 billion in longer-term projects in the development pipeline, including Keystone XL and Energy East. Keystone was rejected by President Obama, but it?s now back in play under President Trump. Energy East remains stuck in the mud, and is pretty much back to square one in the approval process, but it appears that Ottawa remains committed to help Alberta?s oil producers move their product to the coast, so the pipeline might still see the light of day in the coming years. Story continues TransCanada?s dividend provides a yield of 4%. Is one more attractive? Both stocks should be solid long-term holdings for TFSA dividend-growth portfolios. Which one you buy depends on your risk tolerance in the current environment. Fortis is probably the better pick for more conservative investors, especially if you think the energy sector is due for another hit or the broader market will see a large pullback this year. TransCanada, however, likely offers better distribution growth over the medium term, and an approval for one of the mega-projects could give the stock a nice lift. If you think the oil rout is truly over, TransCanada might be the better choice. Six "pro" strategies for today's highly uncertain market Motley Fool Canada's $250,000-real-money-portfolio service, Motley Fool Pro, is currently closed to new members. But lead advisor Jim Gilles is doing something special for investors who are worried about the market and where it will head in 2017. He's revealing the six strategies he uses in Pro to help members guardrail their portfolios and make money in up, down, and sideways markets. For a limited time you can download this "Pro 2017 Survival Guide" free of charge by simply clicking here. More reading Fool contributor Andrew Walker has no position in any stocks mentioned. Six "pro" strategies for today's highly uncertain market Motley Fool Canada's $250,000-real-money-portfolio service, Motley Fool Pro, is currently closed to new members. But lead advisor Jim Gilles is doing something special for investors who are worried about the market and where it will head in 2017. He's revealing the six strategies he uses in Pro to help members guardrail their portfolios and make money in up, down, and sideways markets. For a limited time you can download this "Pro 2017 Survival Guide" free of charge by simply clicking here. Fool contributor Andrew Walker has no position in any stocks mentioned. question mark With the stock markets at all-time highs, it is difficult to find quality stocks that are underpriced. However, there is one Canadian company that has taken a tumble in the past year after failing to meet investors? expectations. DHX Media Ltd. (TSX:DHX.B) has been toted ?Canada?s Disney? in the past, but the stock was one of the worst performers on the TSX in 2016. After the release of its financials in mid-February, the company showed no improvement, investors grew impatient, and the stock price dropped even further. With the stock close to a 52-week low, is it time to buy? High hopes for the future In 2013 and 2014, DHX was aggressively acquiring content and adding to its established portfolio. With the rights to shows such as Bob the Builder, Teletubbies, and Caillou, DHX Media seemed to be well positioned to be a leader in the market for years to come. DHX also owns the selling rights for toys from these shows, resulting in another potential strong revenue stream for the company. With a focus of distributing its content through online streams, DHX appeared ready to diversify from the traditional TV channels and keep up to speed with current trends. Another advantage DHX Media had over other producers and distributors of TV programs is its target audience. It is easier to produce content that keeps children entertained as compared to adults. Therefore, there?s a strong possibility DHX could produce quality content to add to its acquired brands. Underwhelming performance There were high expectations that these multiple revenue streams would result in stronger cash flows and further growth; however, DHX has continued to miss expectations. For the past two years, the company slowed down its growth-by-acquisition strategy and hasn?t been able to develop new content that?s as good as its older brands. With weak cash flows, DHX will have to increase its debt load to acquire more content, and it may struggle to keep its dismal dividend yield of 1.32%. Story continues Management is optimistic Although the stock price is near an all-time low, DHX?s management believes the worst is over and it will be able to deliver in the future. With some recent insider buying, management believes the stock is undervalued as well. However, management?s optimism and expectations are not enough to make investment decisions. Foolish bottom line Although the stock is clearly at a discount, I recommend waiting for a few more quarterly reports before acquiring shares. The company has some quality assets, but investors need to see a turnaround in the company?s financial performance to indicate a buy. Fool on! Canada's answer to Amazon.com You've probably never even heard of this up-and-coming e-commerce powerhouse headquartered in Eastern Ontario... But, despite coming public just last year, it's already helping the likes of Budweiser... Tesla... Subway... and Red Bull move $9.9 BILLION (and counting) worth of goods online each year. And now it's caught the eye of the legendary investor who got behind Amazon.com in 1997 -- just before it shot up over 23,000% and made investors like you and me rich beyond their wildest dreams. Click here to discover why this investor says it's time to buy. More reading Fool contributor Colin Beck has no position in any stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Walt Disney. Walt Disney is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. Canada's answer to Amazon.com You've probably never even heard of this up-and-coming e-commerce powerhouse headquartered in Eastern Ontario... But, despite coming public just last year, it's already helping the likes of Budweiser... Tesla... Subway... and Red Bull move $9.9 BILLION (and counting) worth of goods online each year. And now it's caught the eye of the legendary investor who got behind Amazon.com in 1997 -- just before it shot up over 23,000% and made investors like you and me rich beyond their wildest dreams. Click here to discover why this investor says it's time to buy. Fool contributor Colin Beck has no position in any stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Walt Disney. Walt Disney is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. Violence in the workplace is up 74 per cent in Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region. In the March 2 edition of the RQHR's weekly newsletter, the health region said there were 535 incidents in 2016-2017, up from 307 the previous year. "In a lot of cases, it's as a result of inadequate staffing that are in the facilities," said Gordon Campbell, president of the CUPE health care council. Campbell said Saskatchewan union members have expressed concerns about violence in the workplace, particularly in the areas of acute and long-term care. "Some people think that's part of the job when [hospital staff are] dealing with violent clients or patients," Campbell said, noting collective bargaining agreements have language in place to address such measures. Provincial regulations in place since 1996 define violence as "attempted, threatened or actual conduct of a person that causes or is likely to cause injury, and includes any threatening statement or behaviour that gives a worker reasonable cause to believe that the worker is at risk of injury," the newsletter said. Campbell said he thinks the numbers are a result of an increasing number of incidents, but also increased awareness among staff. "Awareness, I think, is one portion of that but I think that people ... they're feeling frustrated and tired because of the lack of staffing in the facilities, the lack of education and training that has been provided by the employer," Campbell said. Campbell said an ongoing emphasis on reducing workplace violence is needed, as well as a focus on notifying the public that abuse is not tolerated. No representative from the RQHR could be reached for comment during the weekend. Policy Interactive Tool Examines Lawmaker Student Debt Stance At the same time a bipartisan group of lawmakers is promoting a tax incentive for employers who help students pay down their student loan debt, a new interactive tool lets users examine just how much their senators and congressmen care about their own state's or district's level of student debt. The tool, developed by lendedu, a marketplace for student loans and student loan refinancing, is actually a compilation of data related to the student debt lawmaking activities of each member of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Among the findings shared by "Congress & Student Debt": Student loan borrowers from states with two Democratic senators had an average of about 25 percent more student debt than borrowers from states with two Republican senators. Yet borrowers from Republican-held states defaulted on their student loans about 55 percent more often than those from Democratic-held states. Borrowers from districts with a Republican representative defaulted on their loans about 26.2 percent more often than those from a district with a Democratic representative. Also, for both houses, the Democrats tend to support student loan and college affordability initiatives much more frequently than their Republican counterparts. Interactive maps on the site allow users to view student debt by state and senator as well as by congressional district and representative. A state list displays information about each member of Congress and the higher education initiatives he or she supports. For example, U.S. Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) represents a district with a considerably higher average student debt per borrower ($32,356) than the national average ($28,000). The proportion of graduates with student debt is 85 percent; however, the district's default rate is just 4.57 percent, far lower than the 11.8 percent national default rate. Recently, Davis introduced H.R. 795, the "Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act," which would grant employers tax breaks for helping their employees pay off student debt. His original co-sponsor on that was Scott Peters (D-CA), whose small district doesn't register in the lendedu interactive tool, but whose loan default rate is a whopping 15.7 percent. Under the bill, employers could contribute up to $5,250 per year to their employees specifically to help pay down their student debts without the employees having to pay taxes on the contribution. As Davis explained in a press release, "This debt is a drag on our economy because it prevents many young adults from contributing to our economy. Many are putting off buying a house, purchasing a car or saving for retirement. The Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act encourages employers to be part of the solution by allowing them to offer a tax-free employee benefit that will help graduates pay down their student debt." Davis suggested that companies offering this kind of benefit would have an advantage in recruiting and hiring. The bill has since gained support from 42 additional cosponsors, 24 Democrats and 18 Republicans. The party disparity there is typical, suggested lendedu in its report. Democratic representatives support more initiatives on average (4.77of the six proposed so far) than Republican representatives (1.71 of the six). But it doesn't explain why there are more student loan defaults in Republican-controlled districts than Democratic districts. As the authors of the lendedu report noted, "College affordability is not a top priority for many of these senators and representatives, and their states may be suffering as a result." MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Lab experiments with monkeys suggest that "immunotherapy" holds promise as a long-term treatment for HIV, researchers say. Treatment with two anti-HIV antibodies right after infection might help keep the AIDS-causing virus in check for a prolonged period, according to the new study. Despite an arsenal of HIV drugs, effective long-term treatment remains elusive because inactive versions of the virus lie in wait for an opportunity to attack the immune system, said the researchers from Rockefeller University in New York City and the U.S. National Institutes of Health. "This [new] form of therapy can induce potent immunity to HIV, allowing the host to control the infection," said Michel Nussenzweig, head of Rockefeller's laboratory of molecular immunology. "It works by taking advantage of the immune system's natural defenses, similar to what happens in some forms of cancer immunotherapy," he said in a university news release. The researchers used a model of HIV infection that affects macaque monkeys. It isn't the same as human HIV infection, however, and results of animal studies aren't always replicated in humans. The study involved two drugs known as broadly neutralizing antibodies. These antibodies bind to different sites of the virus and work together to prevent it from causing damage, the study authors said. For the study, 13 monkeys were exposed to the simian HIV virus. They then received three IV treatments of the two antibodies over the course of two weeks. The treatment effectively suppressed the virus, rendering it undetectable or at nearly undetectable levels for up to six months, the researchers said. Once treatment ended, the virus resurfaced in all but one animal. However, months later, viral levels in six of the monkeys plummeted spontaneously and remained virtually undetectable for another five to 13 months. Important immune cells also remained at healthy levels, the study authors said. Four other monkeys didn't completely control the virus but kept it at very low levels for up to three years after infection, the researchers said. Overall, the antibody immunotherapy benefited 10 of the 13 monkeys, the study found. Further research revealed that certain immune cells -- called cytotoxic T cells -- are key to controlling the virus, the researchers said. In a new experiment, the researchers are waiting two to six weeks to treat the infected monkeys since this is how long it usually takes for an HIV-infected person to be diagnosed, the study authors said. The study was published March 13 in Nature. More information The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services provides more about HIV/AIDS. MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors may want to consider prescribing fish oil pills to heart attack survivors and patients with chronic heart failure, new recommendations from the American Heart Association suggest. Fish oil may help extend the lives of those patients, the heart association said. On the other hand, the supplements cannot be recommended for preventing heart problems in the first place, said Dr. David Siscovick, lead author of the report. That's because no clinical trials have tested fish oil's effects in people who are free of heart disease. Meanwhile, a few trials have given fish oil to people at increased risk of heart disease -- because of diabetes or high cholesterol, for example. All but one has come up empty. "Many people take fish oil hoping to prevent heart disease," Siscovick acknowledged. "But there's a lack of evidence that it does." Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are generally thought to be heart-healthy. Oily fish -- like salmon, tuna and mackerel -- are good sources, but many people turn to supplements. One study found that roughly 8 percent of U.S. adults -- nearly 19 million people -- had used fish oil in the last month, according to the heart association. The new recommendations are based on a review of 15 clinical trials that tested the effects of fish oil on heart health. Thirteen were conducted after 2002 -- the last time the heart association came out with recommendations on fish oil. "We felt like the time was right to revisit this and review the evidence," Siscovick said. "We wanted to help guide doctors, because patients frequently have questions about fish oil." Not everyone thinks the new recommendations are helpful, though. "Frankly, I can't support this. I think it's a disservice to the public," said Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio. Nissen sees no convincing evidence that fish oil truly benefits heart patients. He noted that studies of heart attack survivors have come to mixed conclusions -- a point the heart association also makes in its report. As for the heart failure recommendation, Nissen said, it's based on just one trial that showed a small effect on patients' outcomes. "They [the heart association] should have said the jury is still out," he suggested. Prescription-strength omega-3 is sometimes used to treat very high triglycerides. But people can, of course, get fish oil over the counter. That is part of what worries Nissen: Some heart patients, he said, might head to the health food store for fish oil -- possibly in place of their prescription medications. "My fear is this will cause some serious public harm," Nissen said. For its latest recommendations, the heart association analyzed clinical trials that focused on heart attack survivors. Each trial randomly assigned patients to either add fish oil to their standard medications or stay with standard care alone (and, in some studies, take placebo pills). Two older trials (pre-2002) found that fish oil lowered patients' risk of dying or suffering a heart attack or stroke by about 15 percent. The more recent trials found no such benefits. One 2008 trial tested fish oil in patients with heart failure -- a chronic, progressive disease in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently enough to meet the body's needs. Overall, patients on fish oil had an 8 percent lower risk of being hospitalized or dying over four years. Based on those trials, doctors might want to add fish oil to their treatment arsenal, the heart association said. But there are still questions: Why, for example, did the recent trials of heart attack patients show no benefits? The heart association pointed to one potential explanation: Patients in the recent studies were much more likely to be on statins, or to have gotten angioplasty or another artery-clearing procedure after their heart attack. So it's possible that fish oil has little effect when a patient is already on "maximal" standard treatment. Why would fish oil benefit heart patients? According to Siscovick, the evidence suggests it's not by preventing artery-clogging plaques and warding off a heart attack. Instead, he said, fish oil might help curb the risk of a life-threatening heart-rhythm disturbance. The review looked only at studies of fish oil, and not omega-3 fatty acids from fish. But the American Heart Association has long recommended that people eat fatty fish at least twice a week. The new report was published online March 13 in the journal Circulation. More information The American Heart Association has more on fish and omega-3 fatty acids.